Search

‎In this paper, we delve into frame theory to create an innovative iterative method for resolving the operator equation $ Lu=f $. In this case, $ L:H\rightarrow H $, a bounded, invertible, and self-adjoint linear operator, operates within a separable Hilbert space denoted by $H$. Our methodology, which is based on the GMRES projective method, introduces an alternate search space, which brings another dimension to the problem-solving process. Our investigation continues with the assessment of convergence, where we look at the corresponding convergence rate. This rate is intricately influenced by the frame bounds, shedding light on the effectiveness of our approach. Furthermore, we investigate the ideal scenario in which the equation finds an exact solution, providing useful insights into the practical implications of our work.

PurposeTo determine whether green banana powder (GBP) and pineapple fibre powder (PFP) promote beneficial bacterial species, directly improve human gut health and modulate the gut microbiome and understand their utility as functional foods and dietary supplements.MethodsOver 14 days, 60 adults followed protocol requirements, completed food diaries and study questionnaires, avoided consuming supplements with prebiotics, probiotics or postbiotics, and ingested food containing 5 g of total daily fibre [placebo (10.75 g), GBP (10.75 g) or PFP (7.41 g)]. Participants’ medical and baseline wellness histories, as well as stool samples, were collected at baseline, day 7 and 14. Stool DNA was processed for sequencing.ResultsDietary fibre and resistant starches (RS) in GBP and PFP promoted temporal increases in beneficial bacteria. GBP significantly elevated 7 species (F. prausnitzii, B. longum, B. bifidum, B. adolescentis, B. pseudocatenulatum, B. obeum, and R. inulinivorans), while PFP enriched 6 species (B. ovatus, B. cellulosilyticus, B. bifidum, B. intestinalis, R. inulinivorans, and E. siraeum). These bacteria, found to be deficient in younger adults, were promoted by both powders. PFP benefitted both genders aged 16–23, while GBP benefitted overweight/obese individuals, including females. GBP and PFP fiber and RS improved bowel regularity and health as well as metabolism by promoting histidine, branched-chain amino acids, short-chain fatty acids, and biotin production. The additional fiber caused “low” bloatedness and reduced “fairly bad” sleep disruptions, without affecting sleep durations.ConclusionGBP and PFP supplementation increased beneficial bacteria and metabolites, improved host gut health, and present a valuable nutritional strategy for enhancing human health.Clinical trial registrationAMILI Institutional Review Board, Identifier 2023/0301.

We report the detection of OXA-181 carbapenemase in an azithromycin-resistant Shigella spp. bacteria in an immunocompromised patient. The emergence of OXA-181 in Shigella spp. bacteria raises concerns about the global dissemination of carbapenem resistance in Enterobacterales and its implications for the treatment of infections caused by Shigella bacteria.

Abstract Background Liver disease is within the top five causes of premature death in adults. Deaths caused by complications of cirrhosis continue to rise, whilst deaths related to other non-liver disease areas are declining. Portal hypertension is the primary sequelae of cirrhosis and is associated with the development of variceal haemorrhage, ascites, hepatic encephalopathy and infection, collectively termed hepatic decompensation, which leads to hospitalisation and mortality. It remains uncertain whether administering a non-selective beta-blocker (NSBB), specifically carvedilol, at an earlier stage, i.e. when oesophageal varices are small, can prevent VH and reduce all-cause decompensation (ACD). Methods/design The BOPPP trial is a pragmatic, multicentre, placebo-controlled, triple-blinded, randomised controlled trial (RCT) in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Patients aged 18 years or older with cirrhosis and small oesophageal varices that have never bled will be recruited, subject to exclusion criteria. The trial aims to enrol 740 patients across 55 hospitals in the UK. Patients are allocated randomly on a 1:1 ratio to receive either carvedilol 6.25 mg (a NSBB) or a matched placebo, once or twice daily, for 36 months, to attain adequate power to determine the effectiveness of carvedilol in preventing or reducing ACD. The primary outcome is the time to first decompensating event. It is a composite primary outcome made up of variceal haemorrhage (VH, new or worsening ascites, new or worsening hepatic encephalopathy (HE), spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP), hepatorenal syndrome, an increase in Child–Pugh grade by 1 grade or MELD score by 5 points, and liver-related mortality. Secondary outcomes include progression to medium or large oesophageal varices, development of gastric, duodenal, or ectopic varices, participant quality of life, healthcare costs and transplant-free survival. Discussion The BOPPP trial aims to investigate the clinical and cost-effectiveness of carvedilol in patients with cirrhosis and small oesophageal varices to determine whether this non-selective beta-blocker can prevent or reduce hepatic decompensation. There is clinical equipoise on whether intervening in cirrhosis, at an earlier stage of portal hypertension, with NSBB therapy is beneficial. Should the trial yield a positive result, we anticipate that the administration and use of carvedilol will become widespread with pathways developed to standardise the administration of the medication in primary care. Ethics and dissemination The trial has been approved by the National Health Service (NHS) Research Ethics Committee (REC) (reference number: 19/YH/0015). The results of the trial will be submitted for publication in a peer-reviewed scientific journal. Participants will be informed of the results via the BOPPP website ( www.boppp-trial.org ) and partners in the British Liver Trust (BLT) organisation. Trial registration EUDRACT reference number: 2018–002509-78. ISRCTN reference number: ISRCTN10324656. Registered on April 24 2019.

In this study, developing a composite coating on the surface of a biodegradable Mg–5Zn alloy using friction stir process (FSP) is the goal to control biodegradation of the alloy. The experimental procedure starts with the alloy casting, followed by homogenization treatment. Rotational speeds of 800, 1000, and 1250 rpm and 1, 2, and 3 passes using hydroxyapatite (HA) powder are utilized to develop Mg–5Zn/HA composite coating on the surface of the alloy. Microstructure of the as-cast Mg–5Zn alloy and Mg–5Zn/HA composite coating is characterized. Biodegradation behavior of the as-cast and coated alloy is also assessed in simulated body fluid using electrochemical potentiodynamic polarization and impedance spectroscopy tests. The results show that FSP can always modify the surface layer through the dynamic recrystallization process, leading to at least 35% decrease in corrosion rate of the alloy. The potentiodynamic polarization curves of the alloys disclose a break, indicating the impact of passivating behavior. The results also reveal that the rotation speed of 1000 rpm, with the increase in the number of passes, generates more refined microstructure on the surface of Mg–5Zn alloy, which improves its corrosion resistance with decreasing the corrosion rate of the alloy from 28.64 mpy to 0.27 mpy after FSP for three passes at 1000 rpm. In contrast, FSP with the rotation speed of 800 rpm and one pass, besides providing the refined microstructure, develops better distribution of hydroxyapatite particles on the surface, which results in the highest corrosion resistance among the FSPed Mg–5Zn/HA composite coated alloy.

ABSTRACT: Dietary supplementation with plant-based products may arise as part of an alternative strategy to using antibiotics as growth promoters in the poultry industry. Garlic powder (GP) possesses antimicrobial and antioxidant properties. The aim was to investigate the effect of dietary supplementation of GP on growth performance, carcass traits and meat quality of the Japanese quail. A total of 240, day-old mixed gender Japanese quail were assigned to 4 treatment groups, each group being replicated 4 times and containing 15 birds in each replication. Birds were provided with either a basal diet (control) or basal diet supplemented with 0.5%, 1% and 2% GP for 5 wk. At slaughter age, birds fed 1% GP had higher (P < 0.05) live weight and body weight gain when compared to the control. Supplementation with different levels of GP had no influence (P > 0.05) on feed intake, feed conversion ratio except 3rd wk, carcass traits and abdominal fat. Thiobarbituric acid, peroxide and pH values in breast meat of birds receiving GP (1% or 2%) after storage (0, 1, 3, 5, and 7 d) were lower (P < 0.05) than the birds in control. Furthermore, total psychrophilic bacteria count was lower in breast meat of birds supplemented with GP at any dose compared to the birds of control. Sensory characteristics such as color, aroma, juiciness and tenderness were observed significantly better (P < 0.05) in GP supplemented groups especially when fed 1% GP. In conclusion, supplementing the diet with 1% to 2% GP demonstrated growth-promoting effects and positively impacted meat quality, including sensory characteristics.

Stock market forecasting involves predicting fluctuations and trends in the value of financial assets, utilizing statistical and machine learning models to analyze historical market data for insights into future behavior. This practice aids investors, traders, financial institutions, and governments in making informed decisions, managing risks, and assessing economic conditions. Forecasting financial markets is difficult due to the intricate interplay of global economics, politics, and investor sentiment, making it inherently unpredictable. This study introduces a Deep Learning based Expert Framework for Stock Market forecasting (Portfolio prediction) called DLEF-SM. The methodology begins with an improved jellyfish-induced filtering (IJF-F) technique for preprocessing, effectively analyzing raw data and eliminating artifacts. To address imbalanced data and enhance data quality, pre-trained convolutional neural network (CNN) architectures, VGGFace2 and ResNet-50, are used for feature extraction. Additionally, an improved black widow optimization (IBWO) algorithm is designed for feature selection, reducing data dimensionality and preventing under-fitting. For precise stock market predictions, integrate deep reinforcement learning with artificial neural network (DRL-ANN) is proposed. Simulation outcomes reveal that the proposed framework achieves maximum forecasting accuracy, reaching 99.562%, 98.235%, and 98.825% for S&P500-S, S&P500-L, and DAX markets, respectively.

The aim of this study is to address the growing concern about microplastics in the ocean and their potential harm to human health through ingestion. The MPs issue is largely a result of the increasing demand for electronic devices and their components. To tackle this challenge, the research aimed to develop a green polymer electrolyte that used glycerol as a plasticizing agent to improve ionic conductivity. The polymer host included chitosan and polyvinyl alcohol and was composed of sodium acetate. To evaluate the performance of the polymer electrolyte, various analytical techniques were used, including impedance and electrochemical studies. The ionic conductivity of 7.56 × 10−5 S·cm−1 was recorded. The dielectric property study confirmed the ionic conduction process in the system and revealed the existence of non-Debye type relaxation, as indicated by asymmetric peaks of tanδ spectra. The alternating conductivity exhibits three distinguished regions. The polymer electrolyte was discovered to be electrochemically stable up to 2.33 V and capable of storing energy as a non-Faradaic electrochemical double-layer capacitor (EDLC). The cyclic voltammetry pattern is a leaf like shape. The EDLC was able to be charged and discharged up to 1 V, and it showed cyclability and could be used in low-voltage applications.

New technologies drive educational shifts, transforming offline to online learning. This study investigates e-learning and cloud computing integration to understand synergies and their potential impact. The study addresses two primary research questions: the influence of e-learning on factors like architecture, software, performance, security, hardware, network, and virtual aspects, and the examination of cloud computing services and models such as SaaS, PaaS, IaaS, and S.O.A. The research aims to provide insights into how e-learning is incorporated in a cloud computing environment. The motivation behind this study is to investigate the intricate relationship between e-learning and cloud computing. By analyzing 154 scientific papers, the study delves into the specifics of this integration, highlighting trends and areas that have received more attention. The study examines e-learning in a cloud computing environment, focusing on architecture (27%), general topics (21%), software (19%), and performance (18%). Virtual environments have fewer security issues, while storage and network focus are more prevalent. Cloud computing services are mainly all services, with software as a service (18%), infrastructure as a service (17%), and platforms as a service (10%). Most studies are based on public clouds (74%), all other models (11%), and hybrid clouds (3%). The study examines e-learning integration in cloud computing, highlighting limitations in hybrid and private clouds, specialized infrastructure, and a gap in platforms and infrastructure offerings.

Let $ G $ be a finite group. If $ A\leq G $, recall that $ A $ is weakly $S$-semipermutable in $G$ provided there is $K\unlhd G$ such that $KA$ is $S$-permutable in $G$, and $K\cap A$ is $S$-semipermutable in $G$. The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate that weakly $S$-semipermutability of special types of subgroups in a finite group $ G $ can help us to determine structural properties of $ G $. For example, given a prime $p$, a $p$-soluble finite group $G$ and a Sylow $p$-subgroup $G_{p}$ of $G$, we will show that $G$ is $p$-supersoluble if the maximal subgroups of $G_{p}$ are weakly $S$-semipermutable in $ G$. Moreover, we use the concept of weakly $S$-semipermutability to prove new criteria for $p$-nilpotency of finite groups.

Our aim of this work is to present a review of solar photovoltaic (PV) systems and technologies. The principle of functioning of a PV system and its major components are first discussed. The types of PV systems are described regarding the connections and characteristics of each type. PV technology generations are demonstrated, including the types, properties, advantages and barriers of each generation. It was revealed that the first generation is the oldest among the three PV generations and the most commonly utilized due to its high efficiency in spite the high cost and complex fabrication process of silicon; the second generation is characterized by its low efficiency and cost and flexibility compared to other generations; and the third generation is not commercially proven yet in spite the fact that it has the highest efficiency and relatively low cost, its raw materials are easy to find and its fabrication process is easier than the other generations. It was shown that the target of all the conducted studies is to study the PV technology to enhance its performance and optimize the benefit from solar energy by reducing conventional energy dependence, mitigating CO2 emissions and promote the economic performance.

This study investigated the potential of blockchain technology to transform Electronic Health Record (EHR) administration, integrity, and security. EHRs store vital health information such as medical history, diagnosis, prescriptions, and imaging findings, which may be shared with healthcare professionals to improve patient care. The existing EHR systems have a centralized framework. These centralized systems have a single point of failure, data management, integrity, and security concerns. Blockchain technology provides a solution to these problems by delivering benefits such as safety, privacy, secrecy, and decentralization. This study presents a framework for adopting blockchain technology in EHR systems, providing a comprehensive, modular, and straightforward approach. Our proposed framework addresses the constraints of existing EHR systems by providing a platform for connected and interoperable EHRs. The proposed blockchain-based patient health records management framework demonstrates the potential to address the limitations of current centralized health records systems. It offers benefits such as data privacy and security, interoperability, audibility, decentralization, and automation through the use of smart contracts. The proposed framework is implemented in Ethereum. The evaluation, i.e., cost and performance results, show that this solution is reasonable and may be used on any blockchain network, whether it is permissioned or permissionless.

The breadth of pathogens to which T cells can respond is determined by the T cell receptors (TCRs) present in an individual's repertoire. Although more than 90% of the sequence diversity among TCRs is generated by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (TdT)-mediated N-nucleotide addition during V(D)J recombination, the benefit of TdT-altered TCRs remains unclear. Here, we computationally and experimentally investigated whether TCRs with higher N-nucleotide diversity via TdT make distinct contributions to acute or chronic pathogen control specifically through the inclusion of TCRs with lower antigen binding strengths (i.e., lower reactivity to peptide-major histocompatibility complex (pMHC)). When T cells with high pMHC reactivity have a greater propensity to become functionally exhausted than those of low pMHC reactivity, our computational model predicts a shift toward T cells with low pMHC reactivity over time during chronic, but not acute, infections. This TCR-affinity shift is critical, as the elimination of T cells with lower pMHC reactivity in silico substantially increased the time to clear a chronic infection, while acute infection control remained largely unchanged. Corroborating an affinity-centric benefit for TCR diversification via TdT, we found evidence that TdT-deficient TCR repertoires possess fewer T cells with weaker pMHC binding strengths in vivo and showed that TdT-deficient mice infected with a chronic, but not an acute, viral pathogen led to protracted viral clearance. In contrast, in the case of a chronic fungal pathogen where T cells fail to clear the infection, both our computational model and experimental data showed that TdT-diversified TCR repertoires conferred no additional protection to the hosts. Taken together, our in silico and in vivo data suggest that TdT-mediated TCR diversity is of particular benefit for the eventual resolution of prolonged pathogen replication through the inclusion of TCRs with lower foreign antigen binding strengths.

Wheat is the most important strategic crop in Iran and the world. Sunn pest Eurygaster integriceps Puton (Hemiptera: Scutelleridae) causes a lot of damage annually. Currently, two groups of IRAC insecticides including pyrethroids and organic phosphorus compounds are recommended against this pest in Iran and other countries infested with the Sunn pest. In this research, different insecticides were selected from the eight insecticide groups of IRAC and applied in a contact bioassay two life stages of the Sunn pest. The results showed that among the tested insecticides, Deltamethrin (LC50=2.93 mg a.i./L) as a pyrethroid group, had the most contact toxicity among chemical compounds against overwintered adults of the Sunn pest, and Fenitrothion as an organic phosphorus compound (LC50=19.4 mg a.i./L) was ranked in the second group. But on the new generation of the Sunn pest, both insecticides were ranked in the same group at 72 hours after exposure (LC50=4-4.6 mg a.i./L). Further investigations revealed that among neonicotinoid insecticides, Thiamethoxam had more contact toxicity and ranked in the next group. Mortality comparison of different insecticides in high concentration (60-20000mg/L) based on commercial formulations showed that Deltamethrin and Fenitrothion insecticides caused 90-100% mortality on both life stages of the Sunn pest. The new insecticides, Spirotetramat, Flonicamid and Chlorantraniliprole did not show acceptable effectiveness 72 hours after exposure on overwintered and new- generation adults (3.3-43%). Therefore, most of the new insecticides tested for the chemical control of the overwintered and the new generation adults did not have acceptable mortality, and only thiamethoxam insecticide can be studied on Sunn pests in field conditions.

Extended Abstract Introduction and Objective: Rural ecotourism is a process that has existed for a long time with its own forms in order to provide the psychological, cultural, social and economic needs of humans and is one of the growing indicators. Therefore, today, rural ecotourism has become one of the main levers of economic and social development in many regions of the world. This process in different regions should be based on sustainable development in order to protect the historical and cultural heritage of the region along with the rational use of natural resources and also protect the desired nature.Therefore, before formulating strategies for the development and implementation of economic and social programs, the geographical survey of the region and the recognition of its environmental capabilities and then determining the ecological potential of the land, with the aim of continuous exploitation with the least destruction and preservation of resources Natural is an inevitable necessity. Therefore, rural ecotourism has a special place and remarkable growth among different types of tourism, and we have witnessed the rapid expansion of rural ecotourism activities all over the world in the last 20 years. Also, it is expected that this will be added. But considering the importance of nature protection, planning and management, rural ecotourism based on scientific principles is one of the necessary approaches in the process of achieving sustainable development and preventing waste of time and capital. Material and Methods: The purpose of this study is identification and customization rural ecotourism criteria and indicators in a descriptive-analytical method based on the Delphi questionnaire completion by using the opinion of experts and specialist in this field. Therefore, 44 rural ecotourism experts and specialists answered the Delphi questionnaire in three phases, which it includes a set of criteria and indicators of rural ecotourism extracted from various sources. In this research, the standard deviation index and Kendall's coordination coefficient were used to reach a consensus among Delphi members, that is, to converge their opinions. In this study, in order to investigate the internal stability of the questionnaire questions, Cronbach's alpha coefficient reliability measurement technique was used. Results: Analysis of the findings of the study has identified 4 criteria and 54 indicators for rural ecotourism. Finally, 4 criteria and 44 indicators were customized and prioritized to evaluate rural ecotourism. The results of prioritizing rural ecotourism indicators using the Delphi method showed that in terms of environmental, social, economic and technical criteria, the indicators of the presence of green spaces, forests, pastures, wetlands and rivers, and etc; architectural style and handicrafts, clothing and foods; the presence of local rural markets and the presence of religious, historical, ancient, pilgrimage, artificial, cultural and social places and attractions have respectively been assigned the highest priority among other indicators of rural tourism. Conclusion: These criteria include environmental, economic, social and technical criteria. The results of prioritization rural ecotourism criteria showed that technical and environmental criteria with an average of 4.37 and 3.94 had the first and second priority respectively. Therefore, it is suggested to pay more attention to the criteria and indicators with high priority of rural ecotourism in management plans for the implementation of rural ecotourism projects.

This study was carried out to rank and prioritize the aspects that have been shown to have an impact on the improvement of construction project management (CPM) performance based on value engineering. This analysis was carried out with the Iranian construction industry’s current situation in mind. The respondents and the Delphi panel were chosen from among Iranian managers and project management professionals with a focus on building projects. These professionals had more than 20 years of experience working on international projects, and in addition to their expertise in project management, they also understood the principles of earned value analysis and value engineering. Thus, the components extracted from the literature review were used as the basis for designing a structured interview based on 39 important effective components previously determined as identified factors. The questionnaires were distributed among the experts, and the returned questionnaires were analysed using the SWARA technique to rank the weight and importance of the factors. Using the SWARA method, the opinions of the expert panel members consisting of 20 engineers and a semi-structured questionnaire was used to gather expertise in project management and managers, with a focus on Iranian CPM. As shown by the results, stakeholder management, time value of money, and worth, allocated the first to the third rank to themselves with respective weights of 0.104, 0.103, and 0.087. The sub-criteria of cost objective, function objective, and value objective were in the 37th to 39th ranks with respective weights of 0.00050, 0.00033, and 0.00021.

The development of new technologies has significantly enhanced the monitoring and analysis of network traffic. Modern solutions like the Extended Berkeley Packet Filter (eBPF) demonstrate a clear advancement over traditional techniques, allowing for more customized and efficient filtering. These technologies are crucial for influencing system performance as they operate at the lowest layer of the operating system, such as the kernel. Network-based Intrusion Detection/Prevention Systems (IDPS), including Snort, Suricata, and Bro, passively monitor network traffic from terminal access points. However, most IDPS are signature-based and face challenges on large networks, where the drop rate increases due to limitations in capturing and processing packets. High throughput leads to overheads, causing IDPS buffers to drop packets, which can pose serious threats to network security. Typically, IDPS are targeted by volumetric and multi-vector attacks that overload the network beyond the reception and processing capacity of IDPS, resulting in packet loss due to buffer overflows. To address this issue, the proposed solution, iKern, utilizes eBPF and Virtual Network Functions (VNF) to examine and filter packets at the kernel level before forwarding them to user space. Packet stream inspection is performed within the iKern Engine at the kernel level to detect and mitigate volumetric floods and multi-vector attacks. The iKern detection engine, operating within the Linux kernel, is powered by eBPF bytecode injected from user space. This system effectively handles volumetric Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks. Real-time implementation of this scheme has been tested on a 1Gbps network and shows significant detection and reduction capabilities against volumetric and multi-vector floods.

A supply chain (SC) encompasses a network of businesses, individuals, events, data, and resources orchestrating the movement of goods or services from suppliers to customers. Leveraging a blockchain-based platform, smart contracts play a pivotal role in aligning business logic and tracking progress within supply chain activities. Employing two distinct ledgers, namely Hyperledger and Ethereum, introduces challenges in handling the escalating volume of data and addressing the technical expertise gap related to supply chain management (SCM) tools in blockchain technology. Within the domain of blockchain-based SCM, the growing volume of data activities introduces challenges in the efficient regulation of data flow and the assurance of privacy. To tackle these challenges, a straightforward approach is recommended to manage data growth and thwart unauthorized entries or spam attempts within blockchain ledgers. The proposed technique focuses on validating hashes to ensure blockchain integrity. Emphasizing the authentication of sensitive data on the blockchain to bolster SCM, this approach compels applications to shoulder increased accountability. The suggested technique involves converting all data into textual format, implementing code encryption, and establishing permission-based access control. This strategy aims to address inherent weaknesses in blockchain within SCM. The results demonstrate the efficacy of the proposed technique in providing security and privacy for various types of data within SCM. Overall, the approach enhances the robustness of blockchain-based SCM, offering a comprehensive solution to navigate evolving challenges in data management and privacy assurance.

Abstract The penetration of renewable resources in distribution networks have led to the creation of a concept called microgrids. Microgrids act as a bus with the ability to control the amount of consumption and generation, from the viewpoint of system operator. If the amount of capacity that can be provided by microgrids is known, they can be effective in providing resource adequacy and the required capacity of the network. This paper contains two contributions. Modelling of capacity value of a microgrid that includes wind turbines, photovoltaic, non‐renewable generators, loads and batteries is the first innovation of this paper. Here, a capacity value model for microgrids is created for the first time. The application of microgrid capacity value model to a long‐term issue, such as ensuring resource adequacy in the capacity market, constitutes the second innovation of this paper. Consequently, there are two distinct innovations in this work. The presence of microgrids in the capacity market has increased competition and reduced costs, and on the other hand, it will help the microgrids development through their long‐term generation revenues. The proposed method has been tested on IEEE 57‐bus test system. Results have shown the efficiency of using microgrids in the capacity market.

Sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum L.) is a key cash crop, and its production is influenced by a variety of phytopathogens in different parts of the world. During consecutive field surveys, sugarcane stalks with red rot symptoms were observed in three provinces of Pakistan (Punjab, Sindh, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa). Cane samples with visible symptoms were plated on Potato Dextrose Agar (PDA) media. Morphological and microscopic observations identified this pathogen as Colletotrichum falcatum. Comparative molecular study of amplified sequences of β-tubulin (Bt) and Actin (ACT) genes showed 100% similarity and ITS sequence showed 99% similarity with C. falcatum. For in vitro control of red rot, eight bacterial strains from the rhizosphere of sugarcane were isolated. These strains showed variable growth inhibition of C. falcatum in dual culture method. Among all tested strains, Bacillus amyloliquefaciens and B. altitudinis exhibited best antifungal activities. Based on these results, tested bacterial strains (B. amyloliquefaciens and B. altitudinis) can be recommended as effective biocontrol agents to manage red rot disease of sugarcane.

Retinopathy of Prematurity (ROP) significantly contributes to childhood blindness globally, with a disproportionately high burden in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) due to improved neonatal care alongside inadequate ROP screening and treatment facilities. This study aims to validate the performance of Postnatal Growth and Retinopathy of Prematurity (G-ROP) screening criteria in a cohort of premature infants presenting at a tertiary care setting in Pakistan. This cross-sectional study utilized retrospective chart review of neonates admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) at The Aga Khan University Hospital, Pakistan from January 2018 to February 2022. The complete G-ROP criteria were applied as prediction tool for infants with type 1 ROP, type 2 ROP, and no ROP outcomes. Out of the 166 cases, 125 cases were included in the final analysis, and remaining cases were excluded due to incomplete data. ROP of any stage developed in 83 infants (66.4%), of whom 55 (44%) developed type 1 ROP, 28 (22.4%) developed type 2 ROP, and 19 (15.2%) were treated for ROP. The median BW was 1060 gm (IQR = 910 to 1240 gm) and the median gestational age was 29 wk (IQR = 27 to 30 wk). The G-ROP criteria demonstrated a sensitivity of 98.18% (95% CI: 90.28-99.95%) for triggering an alarm for type 1 ROP. The G-ROP criteria achieved 100% sensitivity (95% CI: 87.66 to 100%) for type 2 ROP. The overall sensitivity of G-ROP criteria to trigger an alarm for any type of ROP was 98.8% (95% CI: 93.47 to 99.97%). Thus, the G-ROP screening model is highly sensitive in detecting at-risk infants for ROP in a Pakistani tertiary care setting, supporting its use in LMICs where standard screening criteria may not suffice.

Fungus is the most important disease-causing biotic factor on earth. The study of their genetic diversity is very important for their management and control. For studying Ascochyta rabiei on chickpea blight chickpea samples caused by Ascochyta rabiei were collected and disease-causing organisms were isolated from infected plant parts and their ITS region was sequenced. BLAST analysis revealed that A. rabiei is the causal pathogen of this blight disease. Phylogenetic analysis suggested great diversity among these isolates of A. rabiei. The results confirm that A. rabiei strains collected from Bannu and Lakki Marwat have genetic similarities but are different from other isolated strains of the same species. Similarly, studied strains from Kamber, Shadat Kot, and Larkana. Khairpur and Bhakkar were also similar. However, strains from Khushab and Mianwali showed genetic differences from each other. The current research also reports the plant-mediated synthesis of ZnO NPs via the plant extract of Thevetia peruviana. The ZnO NPs were characterized through UV, XRD, FTIR, FE-SEM, EDX, and the size of the nanoparticle of 28 nm was calculated. The prepared nanoparticle was used for the antifungal activity against the most severe strain of A. rabiei. The Biosynthesis of ZnO NPs by plant assets is an eco-friendly, consistent process and appropriate for extensive production.

Burns in epileptic patients are not uncommon, but it is difficult to manage in remote areas of third-world countries. Despite the reduction in burn injuries secondary to a seizure, such injuries still lead to significant morbidity and mortality. In Darfur, Sudan, we managed such an epileptic patient having a full-thickness burn endangering the limb and life. Since these patients should adhere to a specific medication, controlling it remains to be difficult. The patient was managed with serial debridement, dressings, antibiotics, anti-epileptics and a protein diet. Therefore, preparation for preventive strategies consists of lifestyle modification and patient education that is further warranted.

Cows experience many physiological, nutritional and social changes during transition period. This study aims to evaluate the differences in nutrients total-tract digestibility (nTTD) between primiparous (PP) and multiparous (MP) cows through the transition period. From -23, -5, 0, 7, 14, and 30 days from calving a sample of feed and feces samples were collected from 25 Holstein cows (11 PP and 14 MP) as well as daily rumination time through accelerometers.The results show that average nTTD were different (p ≤ 0.02) for amylase-treated neutral detergent fiber organic matter (aNDFom) and potentially digestible neutral detergent fiber (pdNDF240; 52.5 vs. 54.0 and 78.8 vs. 81.3, respectively in PP vs. MP), while no differences were found regarding pdNDF24 and starch (88.5 vs. 88.6 and 95.1 vs. 96.1, respectively in PP vs. MP). Total-tract starch digestibility (TTstarchD) was different among timepoints (p

The increasing global demand for renewable energy sources underscores the significance of Solar Water Heating Systems (SWHS), emphasizing the need for thorough research and analysis in this domain. SWHS play a pivotal role in addressing energy efficiency and environmental sustainability, making it imperative to conduct in-depth studies on their utilization. Hence, this paper aims to provide a comprehensive overview of SWHS. It starts by explaining the principles behind these systems, including their components and classification. Moreover, this review consolidates various studies that have been conducted on SWHS to highlight both their advantages and disadvantages. Additionally, a case study is conducted in which it takes into consideration important economic and environmental factors. In particular, it focuses on several scenarios present in Lebanon such as family homes, schools, restaurants hotels and gyms to estimate potential cost savings achieved through implementing SWHS as opposed to relying solely on electric heaters. Furthermore, this investigation also examines the corresponding payback period associated with adopting SWHS along with assessing the significant reduction in carbon dioxide emissions possible if these systems were widely implemented. The findings of the study demonstrate that there is a direct correlation between the extent to which SWHS are utilized and both the payback period and reduction in CO2 emissions. It was observed that when SWHS are used more frequently, with a high percentage of time (Pr=0.9), significant advantages can be achieved. For instance, for different types of establishments such as family homes, schools, restaurants, hotels, and gyms, it was estimated that average payback periods would be 14.2 years, 4.6 years, 9.2 years, 4.4 years, and 5.3 years, respectively. These results indicate that adopting a greater dependency on SWHSs not only leads to quicker cost recovery but also significantly contributes towards reducing carbon dioxide emissions. The analysis reveals that the yearly decrease in carbon dioxide emissions per individual is 0.16 t within a household, 0.016 t per student in an educational institution, 0.04 t per customer within a dining establishment, 0.37 t for each occupied bed in a hotel accommodation, and 0.11 t per individual at a gym. This paper serves as guidelines to SWH community. Additionally, it adds a practical insights into economic and environmental issues relevant to both Lebanon and countries with similar climates.

This paper presents a heat recovery system (HRS) that exploits the chimney`s exhaust gasses to heat water. Optimization of a waste HRS called the ''multi tube tank,'' as suggested by Khaled et al., is performed through experimental means. The design is described in detail and constructed, after which it is tested. Investigation of the impact of altering the head shape on the performance of the system is performed by constructing two distinct heads, one cylindrical (Cyl) and one conical (Con). Results indicate that the conical head (ConH) outperforms the cylindrical head (CylH). Specifically, in 275 min, the water temperature increases to a maximum of 59 °C with the CylH, while the ConH can raise the water temperature to 68 °C. Moreover, in 400 min, the ConH system can augment the water temperature up to 80 °C. Furthermore, economic and environmental analyses are performed, which show that the ConH system can save approximately 16 $/month more than the CylH system when the system is exploited 140 times/month for 275 min. Additionally, the payback period for the ConH system is about half that of the CylH system (6 months). Finally, the ConH system can reduce emissions of CO2 gas by 2 tons/year more than the CylH system when utilized 140 times/month.

Skeletal muscle plays a critical role in metabolic diseases, such as obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Muscle atrophy, characterized by a decrease in muscle mass and function, occurs due to an imbalance between the rates of muscle protein synthesis and degradation. This study aimed to investigate the molecular mechanisms that lead to muscle atrophy in obese and T2DM mouse models. Additionally, the effect of nerve growth factor (NGF) on the protein synthesis and degradation pathways was examined. Male mice were divided into three groups: a control group that was fed a standard chow diet, and two experimental groups that were fed a Western diet. After 8 weeks, the diabetic group was injected with streptozotocin to induce T2DM. Each group was then further divided into NGF-treated or non-treated control group. In the gastrocnemius muscles of the Western diet group, increased expressions of myostatin, autophagy markers, and ubiquitin ligases were observed. Skeletal muscle tissue morphology indicated signs of muscle atrophy in both obese and diabetic mice. The NGF-treated group showed a prominent decrease in the protein levels of myostatin and autophagy markers. Furthermore, the NGF-treated group showed an increased Cyclin D1 level. Western diet-induced obesity and T2DM may be linked to muscle atrophy through upregulation of myostatin and subsequent increase in the ubiquitin and autophagy systems. Moreover, NGF treatment may improve muscle protein synthesis and cell cycling.

This study examines the performance of mat foundations in 13 blocks of eight-story concrete-walled residential buildings. Topographic monitoring bolts were used to monitor the slab’s construction, which was 0.35 m thick and comprised an area of 225 m2. Using the collected data, a retro-analysis of the modulus of elasticity was conducted to obtain the geotechnical parameters for forecasting the settlement using the elasticity theory. A nonlinear approach for construction modeling and soil–structure interactions showed that the earthworks at the start of construction had a significant role in settling. Blocks in landfills settled faster than those in land-cut zones. The partial execution of building levels was found to be critical in terms of angular distortions and stresses in the concrete slab. The partial lifting of the foundation plate was confirmed in blocks with partial building floor execution, demonstrating the importance of assessing the foundation’s behavior at this stage. The modulus of elasticity dropped as construction progressed, with landfill parts being particularly vulnerable. Creep settlements contributed significantly, accounting for about 20% of the total settlements in some blocks. The numerical staged construction model accurately replicated the behaviors observed in the monitoring data, confirming the hypothesis of the partial raising of the foundation during the building process, which resulted in higher angular distortions. Based on the results obtained, the authors strongly recommend that the simultaneous consideration of soil–structure interactions and construction effects be commonly used in foundation designs.

Introduction Increases in pain and interference with quality of life is a common concern among people with chronic non-cancer pain (CNCP) who are tapering opioid medications. Research indicates that access to social and psychological support for pain self-management may help people to reduce their opioid dose without increasing pain and interference. This study evaluates the efficacy of a text messaging intervention designed to provide people with CNCP with social and psychological support for pain self-management while tapering long-term opioid therapy (LTOT) under the guidance of their prescriber.Methods and analysis A double-blind randomised controlled trial will be conducted. Patients with CNCP (n=74) who are tapering LTOT will be enrolled from across Australia. Participants will continue with their usual care while tapering LTOT under the supervision of their prescribing physician. They will randomly receive either a psychoeducational video and supportive text messaging (two Short Message Service (SMS) per day) for 12 weeks or the video only. The primary outcome is the pain intensity and interference assessed by the Pain, Enjoyment of Life and General Activity scale. Secondary outcomes include mood, self-efficacy, pain cognitions, opioid dose reduction, withdrawal symptoms, and acceptability, feasibility, and safety of the intervention. Participants will complete questionnaires at baseline and then every 4 weeks for 12 weeks and will be interviewed at week 12. This trial will provide evidence for the efficacy of a text messaging intervention to support patients with CNCP who are tapering LTOT. If proven to be efficacious and safe, this low-cost intervention can be implemented at scale.Ethics and dissemination The study protocol was reviewed and approved by the Northern Sydney Local Health District (Australia). Study results will be published in peer-reviewed journals and presented at scientific and professional meetings.Trial registration number ACTRN12622001423707.

Malaria is most common health problem in tropical areas that can lead to fatal complications including acute kidney injury. Plasmodium falciparum infection is one of leading cause of complicated malaria leading to death. Although the pathogenesis of acute kidney injury is not fully understood, however, blockage of renal microcirculation due to sequestration of red blood cells, immune mediated glomerular injury, and hypovolemia, play a pivotal role in causing acute of kidney dysfunction. Acute tubular necrosis is most found on histological examination. Acute kidney dysfunction induced by malaria infection can cause irreversible damage if not managed properly. Therefore, early diagnosis and management with dialysis, plays important role in saving life.

Background: The rapid development of modern technologies renders a convenient and efficient solution to implement Electronic Health Records (EHRs) systems. The rapid growth of healthcare data has a distinctive attribute of digital transformations. The big datasets of healthcare, their complexity and their dynamic nature have posed severe challenges associated with the analysis, pre-processing, privacy, security, storage, usability and data exchange. Material and Methods: We have performed the Systematic Literature Review (SLR) and followed the Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) methodology. SLR refers to the methodology that discovers, analyses and accesses recent research literature related to the subject field. The research papers were searched from academic repositories like IEEE, WOS, Scopus and PubMed for the previous five years on March 2023. Results: The designed search string provides 199 research articles in total. We filter the research articles based on inclusion-exclusion strategies and quality assessment metrics. Six main criteria for research inclusion-exclusion for SLR are formulated. These works of literature insight into 1) the issues associated with interoperability and security of EHRs by using the Blockchain (BC) technology, 2) different frameworks and tools to improve privacy and security in the healthcare domain, 3) the open issues of using BC technology in the electronic healthcare domain, 4) the standardized ways to store EHRs, 5) various ways to handle the big data using the BC systems and 6) the usage of Federated Learning (FL) to preserve the privacy of EHRs in the healthcare domain. We acquired 46 research articles based on the criteria (inclusion-exclusion) that investigate the above-mentioned issues. Conclusion: The SLR will serve as the state-of-the-art (SOTA) for future researchers in the field of BC in healthcare. Additionally, the paper provides insights to the new researchers to revolutionize the healthcare domain by adopting the latest digitalized technologies. The proposed study identified various reflections. It analyzed the architectural mechanism that supports the security and interoperability of EHRs. Secondly, the study described different tools and frameworks to improve the privacy and security of EHRs using the BC. Thirdly, the open issues of storing and preserving the EHRs using BC in the healthcare system were determined. Fourth, it analyzed and provided a detailed view of using standardized ways for storing and handling big data by using the BC system. Lastly, the usage of FL to preserve the privacy of EHRs was analyzed.

سابقه و هدف: بیماری کرونا اگرچه در ظاهر ماهیتی صرفاً پزشکی دارد، اما پدیده‌ای چند‌‌بُعدی است که تغییرات سریع در ابعاد و سبک زندگی افراد ایجاد کرده ‌است. ازاین‌رو، هدف این پژوهش بررسی سبک زندگی اسلامی در دوران کرونا بود. روش کار: مطالعۀ حاضر از نوع مروری است که اطلاعات آن با استفاده از کلمات کلیدی سبک زندگی اسلامی، کرونا، کووید 19، سلامت، ویروس سارس و معادل انگلیسی آنها به‌صورت تکی و ترکیبی در پایگاه‌های اطلاعاتی مختلف از‌جمله SID، MEDLINE،Pubmed ، Scopus و Google scholar جمع‌آوری شد. درنهایت تعداد 110 مقالۀ فارسی و 12 مقالۀ انگلیسی با عنوان سبک زندگی اسلامی و یک مقالۀ فارسی سبک زندگی و کرونا یافت شد و با جمع‌بندی اطلاعات به چهارچوب مفهومی پژوهش یعنی کاربرد سبک زندگی اسلامی در دوران کرونا پرداخته شد. مؤلفان مقاله تضاد منافعی گزارش نکرد‌ه‌اند. یافته‌ها: سبک زندگی در دین مقدس اسلام سابقه‌ای 1400 ساله دارد و با نام‌های زندگی باسعادت، زندگی صالحانه و حیات طیّبه از آن یاد شده است. در سبک زندگی اسلامی حفظ جان یک انسان مثل کمک به همۀ انسان‌ها است؛ بر اساس این آموزه، فرد مبتلا به کرونا نباید در شهر تردد کند و موجب بیماری و مرگ دیگران شود. دربارۀ قرنطینه در برخی از روایات آمده است که اگر در شهری مرض مسری رخ داد، پس از آن شهر خارج نشوید یا اگر شنیدید که در محلی مرض مسری آمده است به آنجا وارد نشوید. نتیجه‌گیری: با‌ توجه به در‌ دسترس بودن منابع و دستورهای بهداشتی و درمانی ارزشمند در سبک زندگی اسلامی جهت پیشگیری و مبارزه علیه بیماری‌ها به ‌نظر می‌رسد که می‌توان این نظریات را به کار بست و از گسترش یا ایجاد بیماری‌های نوپدید دیگر پیشگیری نمود.

AimThere is growing interest in tailoring psychological interventions for distressing voices and a need for reliable tools to assess phenomenological features which might influence treatment response. This study examines the reliability and internal consistency of the Voice Characterisation Checklist (VoCC), a novel 10-item tool which assesses degree of voice characterisation, identified as relevant to a new wave of relational approaches.MethodsThe sample comprised participants experiencing distressing voices, recruited at baseline on the AVATAR2 trial between January 2021 and July 2022 (n = 170). Inter-rater reliability (IRR) and internal consistency analyses (Cronbach’s alpha) were conducted.ResultsThe majority of participants reported some degree of voice personification (94%) with high endorsement of voices as distinct auditory experiences (87%) with basic attributes of gender and age (82%). While most identified a voice intention (75%) and personality (76%), attribution of mental states (35%) to the voice (‘What are they thinking?’) and a known historical relationship (36%) were less common. The internal consistency of the VoCC was acceptable (10 items, α = 0.71). IRR analysis indicated acceptable to excellent reliability at the item-level for 9/10 items and moderate agreement between raters’ global (binary) classification of more vs. less highly characterised voices, κ = 0.549 (95% CI, 0.240–0.859), p

Introduction: Migraine is a common and debilitating pain disorder associated with dysfunction of the central nervous system. Advanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies have reported relevant pathophysiologic states in migraine. However, its molecular mechanistic processes are still poorly understood in vivo. This study examined migraine patients with a novel machine learning (ML) method based on their central μ-opioid and dopamine D2/D3 profiles, the most critical neurotransmitters in the brain for pain perception and its cognitive-motivational interface.Methods: We employed compressive Big Data Analytics (CBDA) to identify migraineurs and healthy controls (HC) in a large positron emission tomography (PET) dataset. 198 PET volumes were obtained from 38 migraineurs and 23 HC during rest and thermal pain challenge. 61 subjects were scanned with the selective μ-opioid receptor (μOR) radiotracer [11C]Carfentanil, and 22 with the selective dopamine D2/D3 receptor (DOR) radiotracer [11C]Raclopride. PET scans were recast into a 1D array of 510,340 voxels with spatial and intensity filtering of non-displaceable binding potential (BPND), representing the receptor availability level. We then performed data reduction and CBDA to power rank the predictive brain voxels.Results: CBDA classified migraineurs from HC with accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity above 90% for whole-brain and region-of-interest (ROI) analyses. The most predictive ROIs for μOR were the insula (anterior), thalamus (pulvinar, medial-dorsal, and ventral lateral/posterior nuclei), and the putamen. The latter, putamen (anterior), was also the most predictive for migraine regarding DOR D2/D3 BPND levels.Discussion: CBDA of endogenous μ-opioid and D2/D3 dopamine dysfunctions in the brain can accurately identify a migraine patient based on their receptor availability across key sensory, motor, and motivational processing regions. Our ML-based findings in the migraineur’s brain neurotransmission partly explain the severe impact of migraine suffering and associated neuropsychiatric comorbidities.

The advancements in technology have brought about significant changes in the automobile industry. A system that combines the control of a physical process with computing technology and communication networks is called a cyber–physical system (CPS). The enhancement of network communication has transitioned vehicles from purely mechanical to software-controlled technologies. The controller area network (CAN) bus protocol controls the communication network of autonomous vehicles. The convergence of technologies in autonomous vehicles (AVs) and connected vehicles (CVs) within Connected and Autonomous Vehicles (CAVs) leads to improved traffic flow, enhanced safety, and increased reliability. CAVs development and deployment have gained momentum, and many companies and research organizations have announced their initiatives and begun road trials. Governments worldwide have also implemented policies to facilitate and expedite the deployment of CAVs. Nevertheless, the issue of CAV cyber security has become a prevalent concern, representing a significant challenge in deploying CAVs. This study presents an intelligent cyber threat detection system (ICTDS) for CAV that utilizes transfer learning to detect cyberattacks on physical components of autonomous vehicles through their network infrastructure. The proposed security system was tested using an autonomous vehicle network dataset. The dataset was preprocessed and used to train and evaluate various pre-trained convolutional neural networks (CNNs), such as ResNet-50, MobileNetV2, AlexNet, GoogLeNet and YOLOV8. The proposed security system demonstrated exceptional performance, as demonstrated by its results in precision, recall, F1-score, and accuracy metrics. The system achieved an accuracy rate of 99.90%, indicating its high level of performance.

Breast cancer stands as the prevailing malignancy across all six Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) nations. In this literature review, we highlighted the incidence and trend of breast cancer in the GCC. Most of the studies reported a consistent increase in breast cancer incidence over the past decades, which was particularly attributed to the adoption of a Westernized lifestyle in the region and the implications of emerging risk factors and other environmental and societal factors, the increase in screening uptake, as well as the improvement in data collection and reporting in the GCC. The data on breast cancer risk factors in the GCC were limited. In this geographic region, breast cancer frequently manifests with distinctive characteristics, including an early onset, typically occurring before the age of 50; an advanced stage at presentation; and a higher pathological grade. Additionally, it often exhibits more aggressive features such as human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) positivity or the presence of triple-negative (TN) attributes, particularly among younger patients. Despite the growing body of literature on breast cancer in the GCC, data pertaining to survival rates are, regrettably, meager. Reports on breast cancer survival rates emanating from the GCC region are largely confined to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). In the UAE, predictive modeling reveals 2-year and 5-year survival rates of 97% and 89%, respectively, for the same period under scrutiny. These rates, when compared to Western counterparts such as Australia (89.5%) and Canada (88.2%), fall within the expected range. Conversely, Saudi Arabia reports a notably lower 5-year survival rate, standing at 72%. This disparity in survival rates underscores the need for further research directed toward elucidating risk factors and barriers that hinder early detection and screening. Additionally, there is a pressing need for expanded data reporting on survival outcomes within the GCC. In sum, a more comprehensive and nuanced understanding of breast cancer dynamics in this region is imperative to inform effective strategies for prevention, early detection, and improved patient outcomes.

This paper presents a simulation model and parametric analysis of a parabolic trough thermoelectric hybrid system. The structure of the system under study mainly consists of a parabolic trough with a triangular receiver equipped with a photovoltaic layer and thermoelectric generators at its back. A thermal model of this system is described and simulated using MATLAB software. The thermal model is utilized to investigate the system performance by performing a parametric analysis. This analysis is conducted to analyze the influence of several parameters such as fluid and air velocities, fluid channel diameter, receiver side length, and the thermal conductivity of the thermoelectric generator on the performance of the system. The results reveal that the thermal efficiency increases noticeably by 6% and 21% when increasing the dimensionless tube diameter from 0.5 to 1 and the dimensionless receiver side length from 1.67 to 8.33, respectively. It decreases significantly by 23% when rising the air Reynolds number from 1.90 × 106 to 18.98 × 106, whereas the fluid velocity and thermoelectric generators thermal conductivity have a negligible effect on it. Furthermore, the electric efficiency is enhanced considerably by 36% and 14% when augmenting the dimensionless tube diameter from 0.5 to 1 and the fluid Reynolds number from 5982 to 19940 respectively. However, it is noticeably reduced by 13% when increasing the dimensionless receiver side length from 1.67 to 8.33, while it is affected negligibly when varying the air velocity (air Reynolds number) and the thermal conductivity of thermoelectric generators.

Abstract In this paper, a new configuration of a solar combined cooling, heating, and power (CCHP) system is proposed to recover the waste thermal energy of a steam power plant, which provides the cooling and heating needs of an apartment complex located in Tehran. The required energy of the system is supplied by the parabolic trough solar collectors (PTCs) and, if necessary, an auxiliary heater is also used. An ejector refrigeration cycle (ERC) and a steam Rankine cycle are used for cooling and power generation, respectively. The cycle is dynamically modeled over a year using a TRNSYS‐EES co‐simulator. It is found that the highest Rankine cycle efficiency is obtained in the cold months (January) because of the decrease of turbine backpressure. With increasing the turbine inlet temperature from 190 to 210°C, the Rankine cycle and the overall cycle efficiencies increased about 1% and 2%, respectively. The maximum cooling, heating, and power generation, as well as the maximum solar fraction, are obtained at the turbine inlet temperatures of 210°C, which are 185.46, 598.65, 680.49 kW, and 70%, respectively. The annual overall performance and the solar fraction of the proposed CCHP system are 32.5% and 9.5%, respectively, based on 3000 m2 collector aperture area. The exergy analysis indicated that the maximum annual exergy destruction is related to the solar collectors, which have comprised 27% of the total exergy destruction. In addition, the yearly exergy efficiency of the proposed system is 39.9%.

Cloud computing has become a leading technology for IT infrastructure, with many companies migrating their services to cloud servers in recent years. As cloud services continue to expand, the issue of cloud monitoring has become increasingly important. One important metric to monitor is CPU steal time, which measures the amount of time a virtual CPU waits for the actual CPU. In this study, we focus on the impact of CPU steal time on virtual machine performance and the potential problems that can arise. We implement our work using an OpenStack-based cloud environment and investigate intrusive and non-intrusive monitoring methods. Our analysis provides insights into the importance of CPU steal time monitoring and its impact on cloud performance.

Proper planning and management of construction projects have long been regarded as a necessity. The ability to make sound decisions and solve problems using appropriate performance reports related to the project implementation process are the two most key factors in controlling the performance of construction project management. Even though these factors considerably contribute to controlling precise project performance, previous research has failed to investigate them to their fullest potential. Therefore, this research seeks to fill the existing gap by determining the influential factors on construction project management performance through earned value-based value engineering strategy. In this line, a comprehensive literature analysis was undertaken to extract the influential factors on construction project management performance. Then, three rounds of a Delphi survey were conducted to consolidate the influential factors. There were a total of 39 factors that were grouped into four categories. The identified influential factors were then evaluated through the analysis of quantitative data. The findings showed that the dimension of “Engineering economics” was ranked first in terms of importance, followed by “Project management performance”, “Value engineering approach”, and “Earned value management” at the second to fourth ranks, respectively. The overall ranking of the factors placed “Project Stakeholder Management” in the first position and “Project Management Software” in the bottom place. It is anticipated that the key findings and effective recommendations of this study will considerably contribute to the improvement of decisions on project planning and improve the performance of construction project management while enhancing different stakeholders’ understanding of the most influential factors on the performance of construction project management.

Background: Background studies show that emotional regulation and mindfulness training have each led to improved cognitive flexibility and parent-child interaction; But it is not yet clear which of these interventions can be most effective over time. Aims: The aim of this study was to compare the effectiveness of emotional regulation and mindfulness training on cognitive flexibility and parent-child interaction of mothers with children with mild mental retardation. Methods: The research was quasi-experimental with pre-test, post-test design and follow-up with a control group. The statistical population of the study included all mothers with children with mild mental disabilities who referred to exceptional schools in Rasht in the academic year of 2019-2020. 36 people were selected by convenience sampling method and randomly divided into three groups of 12 people. The experimental groups were trained in emotional regulation (8 sessions of 90 minutes) and mindfulness (8 sessions of 90 minutes). Research instruments included the Cognitive Flexibility Questionnaire (Dennis and Vanderwall, 2010) and the Parent-Child Relationship Scale (Pianta, 1994). Data analysis was performed using repeated measures ANOVA. Results: Emotional regulation and mindfulness training were effective in improving cognitive flexibility and parent-child interaction and their components in the post-test and follow-up stages; Also, in the follow-up stage, no significant difference was observed between the two interventions in these variables (P< 0.01). Conclusion: According to the results, it can be said that training in emotional regulation and mindfulness by promoting emotional reconstruction, reducing negative self-referential processing and increasing the ability to perform purposeful behaviors, awareness of current experiences and returning attention to cognitive system and more efficient information processing, finally, improved cognitive flexibility and parent-child interaction of mothers with children with mild mental retardation.

The multiple dimensions of globalization include economic, political, cultural and social aspects, with economic globalization taking precedence over the others and technology as the great enabler of globalization. Globalization and nations-state systems have been considered to at tangent to each other ever since the Peace of Westphalia in 1648. The unprecedented pace of technological development has further put the concept of nation in perils. Whereas globalization has eroded the writ of the nation-states to an extent, the Covid-19 proved to be a breather to the nations to control movement of personnel, flow of product and goods across their borders. Pakistan, located at geographically consequential location got its independence from British Raj on the basis of Two Nations Theory. However, even after 75 years of its independence, it continues to face stiff regional, economic and political challenges. State securitization vis-à-vis emasculated economy, burgeoning youth and projects like CPEC are viewed with criticality. The era of globalization renders an opportunity to analyze how some other states with identical challenges steered a path that assisted them in surmounting these challenges. In context of globalization, we shall interpret valuable lessons for Pakistan that can help the nation in crafting a way forward to overcome these dauting challenges. Applying the critical theory of globalization, this study reviews the concept of globalization and its impact on nation-states. Meanwhile, a discourse analysis has been adopted to enumerate the challenges that Pakistan faces in an economically interdependent globalized world. This is followed by case studies of various countries including India, South Korea, Bangladesh and Vietnam to understand how these nations emerged unscathed from the challenges that they withstood.

While text passwords are still a pervasive authentication tool, their inadequacies are well recognized. Poorly chosen and weak passwords are the main reason behind security breaches. Multiple authentication techniques such as biometric, token-based, and knowledge-based authentication have been developed to overcome data leaks. However, acceptance of these authenticating techniques is complicated, and users find them hard to use. Microbusinesses, defined as having less than two employees, usually have very limited resources including budget, information security expertise and updated computer systems to fulfil the security requirements. Many microbusiness owners use the same information technology as in the home but for more sophisticated commercial reasons. An effective and easy way for microbusinesses to add an extra protection layer to their systems and passwords is through the use of password managers. This paper examines the useability and ease of use of the password manager software. We extended the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and tested the mediating role of self-efficacy on TAM's relationship with computer security usage. A sample of 420 microbusiness owners was taken to test the relationships among the variables through an online web-based survey. The results confirmed that self-efficacy plays a vital role in the user acceptance of password managers and reported its mediating role between perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness, and computer security usage.

PURPOSEAnaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) gene alterations are potent oncogenic drivers in non–small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Tyrosine kinase inhibitors targeting the ALK pathway are effective in treating ALK-positive NSCLC. Around 5% of Asian and White patients with NSCLC have ALK-positive tumors, but ALK rearrangement prevalence data in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region are limited.METHODSIn this noninterventional epidemiology study, histologically confirmed nonsquamous NSCLC samples retained for < 5 years in tissue banks at six centers in MENA were retrospectively analyzed for ALK rearrangement using the VENTANA immunohistochemistry (IHC) method. Patient characteristics obtained were analyzed for association with ALK rearrangement. Concordance between IHC and Vysis fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) ALK detection methods was assessed in a subset of samples.RESULTSFour hundred forty-eight tissue samples were analyzed using IHC: 137 (30.6%) in Lebanon, 104 (23.2%) in Saudi Arabia, 97 (21.7%) in Egypt, 80 (17.9%) in the United Arab Emirates, and 30 (6.7%) in Morocco. On the basis of IHC, the prevalence was 8.7% (95% CI, 6.3 to 11.7) for ALK-positivity and 91.3% (95% CI, 88.3 to 93.7) for ALK-negativity. On the basis of FISH (n = 148), the prevalence was 5.4% positivity and 81.8% negativity (12.8% nonevaluable). Concordance between IHC and FISH (n = 129) was 98.4% (95% CI, 94.2 to 99.8) for negative agreement and 98.5% (95% CI, 94.5 to 99.8) for overall agreement. Univariate analysis showed that ALK rearrangement was significantly associated with epidermal growth factor receptor wild-type status (P = .03) but was not significantly associated with sex, race, smoking history, or histologic subtype.CONCLUSIONOur findings suggest that ALK rearrangements are more prevalent in MENA than other geographic regions. High concordance was found between FISH and IHC. Except for epidermal growth factor receptor wild-type status, no clinicopathologic characteristics were associated with ALK-positive NSCLC.

Viruses must balance their reliance on host cell machinery for replication while avoiding host defense. Influenza A viruses are zoonotic agents that frequently switch hosts, causing localized outbreaks with the potential for larger pandemics. The host range of influenza virus is limited by the need for successful interactions between the virus and cellular partners. Here we used immunocompetitive capture-mass spectrometry to identify cellular proteins that interact with human- and avian-style viral polymerases. We focused on the proviral activity of heterogenous nuclear ribonuclear protein U-like 1 (hnRNP UL1) and the antiviral activity of mitochondrial enoyl CoA-reductase (MECR). MECR is localized to mitochondria where it functions in mitochondrial fatty acid synthesis (mtFAS). While a small fraction of the polymerase subunit PB2 localizes to the mitochondria, PB2 did not interact with full-length MECR. By contrast, a minor splice variant produces cytoplasmic MECR (cMECR). Ectopic expression of cMECR shows that it binds the viral polymerase and suppresses viral replication by blocking assembly of viral ribonucleoprotein complexes (RNPs). MECR ablation through genome editing or drug treatment is detrimental for cell health, creating a generic block to virus replication. Using the yeast homolog Etr1 to supply the metabolic functions of MECR in MECR-null cells, we showed that specific antiviral activity is independent of mtFAS and is reconstituted by expressing cMECR. Thus, we propose a strategy where alternative splicing produces a cryptic antiviral protein that is embedded within a key metabolic enzyme.

Abstract Background Health systems need constant changes and reforms in their structure to adapt to changing conditions and meet the needs of society. One of the fundamental changes in the health system of Iran is the health transformation plan (HTP), the effects of which must be examined from different aspects. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of HTP on the performance indicators of public hospitals in Yazd city, Iran. Methods This cross-sectional study was carried out in all public hospitals in city of Yazd. Six performance indicators were examined monthly and in two time periods of 12 months before and 12 months after the implementation of Health Transformation Plan (HTP). The data was analyzed by SPSS software program version 22, using the paired T-test, and the Interrupted Time Series (ITS) model. Findings Findings showed that the performance indicators of the studied hospitals have improved after the implementation of the HTP. According to the ITS model, the implementation of HTP did not have a significant effect on the level and trend of the bed rotation distance, average length of stay and the ratio of surgical operations to bed indicators. However, it had a statistically significant effect on the level and trend of mortality and hospitalization rates. Moreover, the implementation of HTP had a significant effect on the level of the bed occupancy rate, but did not have a significant effect on the trend of this indicator. Conclusion Based on the research findings, all the selected indicators changed to some extent after the implementation of HTP, which showed the effect of this plan on the performance of hospitals. However, not all indicators were statistically significant as the findings sub-section revealed.

In this research, an ejector was designed and manufactured from brass metal as part of a cooling system to cool agricultural products, work of ejector is based on the Venturi principle. The primary fluid is air and steam of product is the secondary fluid, used the primary pressure (1, 8, 1) bar for the purpose of conducting the experiment. The ejector was manufactured from a number of interconnected parts to give the final shape. The performance of the ejector was analyzed theoretically, through operating of system evaporation of water take place in vessel leads to cooling product at change operation condition and the examination, it was reached: a- The cooling efficiency of the product increases by increasing the primary pressure. b- The cooling efficiency of the product increases by decreasing the mass of the product. c- The loss weight of the product increases by increasing the primary pressure.

In the United Arab Emirates (UAE), lung cancer (LC) was the third leading cause of deaths due to cancer in 2017. Around 80% of the patients in the UAE are diagnosed at a late stage, rendering the treatment less effective in improving survival outcomes. Lack of awareness of disease symptomatology, deficient screening initiatives, misdiagnosis, and delayed referral to the specialist are contributing factors for delayed diagnosis. Effective screening at a primary care setting can be crucial for early diagnosis, referral to specialists, and enhancing patient outcomes. It is important to establish screening and referral guidelines through which each suspected case can be identified and provided timely intervention. Although the international screening and referral pathway framework are comprehensive, several regional barriers need to be addressed before they can be adapted at the national level. A group of LC experts from the UAE deliberated on issues like delayed diagnosis of LC and strategic recommendations for overcoming the challenges. The discussion was based on the review of the published evidence, international and regional guidelines for screening and early diagnosis of LC. Herein, we present a guideline, endorsed by the esteemed panel of experts, for aiding early diagnosis and optimizing the management of LC in the UAE.