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Abstract Background Protein kinase CK2 is a ubiquitous and highly conserved protein Ser/Thr kinase with diverse cell functions. CK2 is upregulated in various cancers and affects numerous aspects of their underlying pathobiology. The important role of microRNAs (miRNAs) referred to as oncomirs is also recognized in various cancers. Elevation of both CK2 and altered miRNA expression in cancers raised the question whether there was a connection between CK2 function and oncomirs in cancer. Methods PCR array analysis was used to examine the effects of CK2 siRNA-mediated downregulation on miRNA levels in C4-2 prostate cancer cells. We employed prostate cancer, breast cancer, and head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) cells as well as a prostate cancer xenograft orthotopic tumor model to examine the effects of CK2 siRNA-mediated downregulation or chemical inhibition on oncomir cluster miR-17 ~ 92 and miR-106b ~ 25 constituent miRNAs by quantitative reverse-transcriptase stem-loop PCR. Pri-miRNAs were measured in cancer cell lines by quantitative reverse-transcriptase PCR. Protein levels were assessed by western blot. PC3-LN4 prostate cancer orthotopic xenograft tumors and blood were collected from nude mice following repeated treatments with tenfibgen ligand nanocapsules containing RNAi-CK2 or RNAi-Control cargoes. Results PCR array analysis demonstrated effect on a subset of miRNAs following CK2 downregulation; we focused our investigation on CK2 regulation of miR-17 ~ 92 and 106b ~ 25 oncomir clusters. Chemical inhibition or molecular downregulation of CK2 greatly reduced expression of miR-17 ~ 92 and 106b ~ 25 in prostate, breast and head and neck cancer cells in vitro. CK2α and CK2α´ protein levels were significantly correlated with many of the miR-17 ~ 92 and some of the miR-106b ~ 25 constituent members in prostate cancer cells. Decreased pri-miRNA levels for the miR-17 ~ 92 gene cluster transcript were observed for 5 of 6 cancer cell lines tested following CK2 downregulation. Nanocapsule-mediated delivery of RNAi-CK2 reduced CK2 protein expression in orthotopic prostate xenograft tumors and decreased intra-tumoral and serum levels of the oncomirs. Conclusions Targeting CK2 for the development of new cancer therapies is under active investigation in many laboratories and pharmaceutical companies. Our data suggest a new role for CK2 in cell signaling and survival in multiple cancer types through maintenance of miR-17 ~ 92 and 106b ~ 25 biogenesis.

Abstract Pediatric Sleep Apnea–Hypopnea (SAH) presents a significant health challenge, particularly in diagnostic contexts, where conventional Polysomnography (PSG) testing, although effective, can be distressing for children. Addressing this, our research proposes a less invasive method to assess pediatric SAH severity by analyzing blood oxygen saturation (SpO2) signals. We adopted two advanced deep learning architectures, namely ResNet-based and attention-augmented hybrid CNN-BiGRU models, to process SpO2 signals in a one-dimensional (1D) format for Apnea–Hypopnea Index (AHI) estimation in pediatric subjects. Employing the CHAT dataset, which includes 844 SpO2 signals, the data was partitioned into training (60%), testing (30%), and validation (10%) sets. A predefined validation subset was randomly selected to ensure the models' robustness via a threefold cross-validation approach. Comparative analysis revealed that while the ResNet model attained an average accuracy of 72.9% across four SAH severity categories with a kappa score of 0.57, the CNN-BiGRU-Attention model demonstrated superior performance, achieving an average accuracy of 75.95% and a kappa score of 0.63. This distinction underscores our method's efficacy in both estimating AHI and categorizing SAH severity levels with notable precision. Further, to evaluate diagnostic capabilities, the models were benchmarked against common AHI thresholds (1, 5, and 10 events/hour) in each test fold, affirming their effectiveness in identifying pediatric SAH. This study marks a significant advance in the field, offering a non-invasive, child-friendly alternative for pediatric SAH diagnosis. Although challenges persist in accurately estimating AHI, particularly in severe cases, our findings represent a critical stride towards improving diagnostic processes in pediatric SAH.

Hospital evidence is considered a new and fundamental component in the field of health and treatment services, and among all the services provided in medical environments, it is of particular importance because, systematic and comprehensive research, increases knowledge and develops organizational decisions to establish, implement and develop new policies in the field of health. This research has been done to design an evidence-based performance evaluation model for teaching hospitals of medical sciences in Tehran. The present research is descriptive-interpretive with a mixed approach. The studied population includes 6208 employees of medical sciences teaching hospitals in Tehran and a sample of 362 people were studied. In the current research, semi-structured interviews were used to collect data in the qualitative part and a questionnaire in the quantitative part. The analysis of the findings was done in the qualitative part with MaxQDA software and in the quantitative part with EXCEL, SPSS, and LISREL software. In total, 13 main variables were identified as effective factors in the evidence-based performance system of Tehran medical science teaching hospitals, and it was found that there is a significant relationship between each of these factors.

Incorporating ground-breaking technologies such as deep learning (DL) has revolutionized predictive modelling in the rapidly evolving landscape of the finance sector. DL approaches, capable of extracting complex patterns from vast data collections, become an efficient approach for predicting financial trends. By integrating the complex neural network architecture with comprehensive datasets, including investor sentiment, market indicators, and economic variables, finance experts have introduced prediction models well known for their ability to capture the nuanced dynamics of financial markets with remarkable performance. Incorporating DL approaches within the finance sector provided the basis for more informed decision-making, enabling institutions, investors, and analysts to capitalize on emerging opportunities with greater confidence and precision and navigate market volatility. This study develops a novel quasi-oppositional coot algorithm with a deep learning-based predictive method on the financial sector (QOCODL-PMFC) technique. The QOCODL-PMFC technique aims to perform a prediction process on the financial sector. The QOCODL-PMFC method applies min-max normalization to measure the input dataset into a meaningful format to achieve this. Next, the QOCODL-PMFC method designs the QOCO technique for selecting an optimal set of features. The QOCODL-PMFC technique applies the attention bidirectional gated recurrent unit (ABiGRU) model for the prediction process. The Harris Hawks Optimization (HHO) model is utilized to boost the performance of the ABiGRU network. The simulation evaluation of the QOCODL-PMFC technique is tested under a benchmark finance dataset. The experimental values of the QOCODL-PMFC technique exhibit a minimal MSE of 0.7452 over other models.

Abstract Owning pets offers various potential health benefits; however, it can be associated with gastrointestinal illnesses due to poor food safety knowledge and practices. This study aimed to evaluate the level of food safety knowledge and practices among pet owners in Lebanon, exploring the association between their knowledge/practices and socio-demographic characteristics. The participants included 300 pet owners, representing various genders, ages, educational levels, educational backgrounds, and incomes. They completed a questionnaire of 72 food handling practices and knowledge questions related to preparation, cross-contamination, storage and hygiene. In parallel, 300 non-pet owners with comparable sociodemographic characteristics to pet owners (control group) completed the questionnaire. On average, food safety knowledge scores were 62.1 ± 14.9% and 58.7 ± 15.5% among pet and non-pet owners, respectively, and the difference was significant (p = 0.05). On the other hand, mean food safety practice scores were 41.3 ± 14.8% and 40.4 ± 15.3% among pet and non-pet owners, respectively, and the difference was not significant (p = 0.41). In the food safety knowledge part, non-pet owners who were young, high income, university graduate, and from health-related majors scored significantly (p

IntroductionMedicinal plants like Punica granatum (pomegranate) have traditional uses against diabetes, inflammation and other diseases. The study was initiated to get an insight into the interaction tendency of P. granatum derived compounds with diabetes associated human thioredoxin-interacting protein (TXNIP). High glucose in diabetes induces production of TXNIP resulting in β-cells apoptosis. Its inhibition might reduce the diabetes incidence.MethodsTo elucidate the therapeutic potential of P. granatum peel against diabetes through GC-MS based identification of extracted compounds followed by application of computational algorithms. P. granatum peel extracts were screened for antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetic, antimicrobial and wound healing properties. Phytochemical and GC-MS based analysis were performed to identify the bioactive compounds. Molecular docking analysis was performed by Auto Dock Vina to predict the binding tendency of P. granatum derived compounds with TXNIP.Results and DiscussionThe peel exhibited antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-diabetic activities, which were attributed to phytochemicals like phenols, tannins and steroids. GC-MS analysis identified 3,5-octadien-2-one, 1H-pyrrole -2,5-dione, Beta-D-lyxofuranoside, 5-O-(beta-D-lyxofuranosyl)-decyl, diethyl phthalate, 9-octadecenoic acid (Z)-, methyl ester, hexadecanoic acid, methyl ester, n-hexadecanoic acid, tetradecane, 2,6,10-trimethyl, bis (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate, decane, 3,8-dimethyl, 9-octadecenoic acid (Z)-, methyl ester and bis (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate in P. granatum peel extracts. Docking analysis revealed high binding affinities of bis (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate and 9-octadecenoic acid with TXNIP i.e., –4.5 and –5.0 kcal/mol, respectively, reflecting these compounds as potent antidiabetic agents. This study validates the traditional uses of P. granatum peel and demonstrates how computational approaches can uncover pharmacologically active phytochemicals. The results suggest P. granatum peel is a promising source of novel therapeutics against diabetes, inflammation, and oxidation. Further studies on the optimization of identified ligands are warranted.

Abstract Background Dentigerous cysts, deemed of developmental origin, are benign odontogenic cysts characterized by a gradual growth rate. Their occurrence is twice as prevalent in men compared to women. These cysts are recognized as the most frequent developmental cysts affecting the jaws, with a typical manifestation in individuals aged 20 to 40, while infrequently identified in young children. Notably, dentigerous cysts have the potential to attain significant dimensions, resulting in painless enlargement of the jaw and subsequent deformation. Objectives To assess the clinicopathological features and management of ten years of experience with dentigerous cysts. Methods A challenging cases were reported from reviewed records of the patients who were treated by the surgical intervention of various dentigerous cysts throughout the period of ten years, 2012–2022 and only histologically confirmed cases were selected, at Ramadi Teaching Hospital in addition to Rashid, Razi, Zuhur Private Hospitals and private clinics in Iraq. Results 76 patients were included in this clinicopathological research. The highest age group affected was ≤ 18 years (68.4%), 54% were male, the mandible was more affected (63.1%) than the maxilla (36.9%). Marsupialization was applied to 30.3% of the cases, while enucleation was carried out in 69.7%. Conclusions The significance of meticulous examination of radiographs and the consequences associated with undetected and untreated ailments is affirmed by this case study. A comprehensive understanding of oral pathology serves as a valuable resource for dentists, facilitating accurate diagnosis, appropriate referrals, and the provision of anticipatory guidance to patients striving to achieve optimal oral health across various age groups.

Abstract Background Faculty development programs are crucial for promoting continuous learning, enhancing teaching effectiveness, and encouraging professional growth among medical educators. Problem-based learning was introduced as a teaching strategy in our Faculty of Medicine in 2007. Thereafter, several rounds of a faculty development program were conducted to help teachers recognize their role as facilitators and assess areas for improvement. Methods We conducted a mixed-methods study with a sample of 284 third-year medical students answering a questionnaire and 21 faculty members participating in focus groups. A validated 13-item questionnaire was used to investigate the students’ evaluation of their tutors’ performance in problem-based learning. Three sessions were then conducted with faculty members involved in problem-based learning to gain in-depth insights into their experiences and perspectives. Results The mean performance ranking for tutors awarded by the students was above halfway. There was a significant positive correlation between tutors’ performance ranking and all five of the learning approaches examined herein: constructive/active learning, self-directed learning, contextual learning, collaborative learning, and intra-personal behavior (p

Abstract In arid and semiarid zones, groundwater is a vital and indispensable natural resource. Indeed, these water resources have become extremely limited due to several factors, including climate change, salinization, and overexploitation. This study covers the hydrochemical characterization of groundwater in the Nekor-Ghiss plain which is located in northern Morocco. To achieve this objective, a set of 79 water samples was analyzed, for various physical and chemical parameters of the samples, including E.C, pH, TDS, HCO3 −, SO4 2−, Ca2+, Mg2+, Na+, K+, PO4 3−, NO3 −, NO2 − and NH4 +. Several methods were used to interpret the hydrochemical data, namely graphical methods, principal component analysis (PCA), hierarchical ascending classification, and ion exchange indices. A detailed geochemical study of groundwater is described to identify the origin of the chemical composition of groundwater. The results show that the samples studied are characterized by very high mineralization (> 1500 mg/l), with the predominance of Na+, Cl− and SO4 2− ions. The interpretation of geochemical signatures of groundwater in the Nekor-Ghiss plain shows sulfate-sodium (Na–SO4) and chloride-sodium (Na–Cl) facies. Natural geochemical processes are responsible for water regulation, while human activities exert a limited influence on this control. Marine intrusion, evaporation, and the ion exchange process largely control the chemistry of the aquifer. Using PCA to confirm controlled water chemistry processes revealed three homogeneous groups. The study contributes to a better understanding of the quality and mineralization of groundwater in the Nekor-Ghiss plain, and it will serve as a reference for other plains with similar characteristics.

The expansion of government activities and the development of administrative structures for the provision of public services and the fulfillment of the economic, cultural, and social rights of the people require that there be costs in return for the provision of these services; The judiciary is one of the public services to which the government owes and the belief that litigation is free should be discarded, but the costs of resolving disputes should not be such as to undermine the principles of fair trial or impose a financial burden. Impose a burden on plaintiffs. The provision of judicial services cannot and should not be sought only to generate revenue and neglect other purposes of litigation; Attention to goals such as reducing lawsuits, directing people to alternative institutions by gaining their trust in the judiciary, improving the quality and quantity of proceedings and rulings, and finally the satisfaction of the parties to the dispute and the outcome of the lawsuit, can provide the necessary income. The judiciary also guarantees its social goals, and in fact, with a comprehensive view of all goals, it is possible to provide a suitable criterion for determining the costs of litigation, and in this regard, legal principles should not be violated.The present research has been descriptive-analytical and with a documentary and study method, with an applied purpose, the effect of litigation costs on the principles of fair trial and a critique of the approach of the legislature and the judiciary towards this institution.

Strong coupling between resonantly matched surface plasmons of metals and excitons of quantum emitters results in the formation of new plasmon-exciton hybridized energy states. In plasmon-exciton strong coupling, plasmonic nanocavities play a significant role due to their ability to confine light in an ultrasmall volume. Additionally, two-dimensional transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) have a significant exciton binding energy and remain stable at ambient conditions, making them an excellent alternative for investigating light-matter interactions. As a result, strong plasmon-exciton coupling has been reported by introducing a single metallic cavity. However, single nanoparticles have lower spatial confinement of electromagnetic fields and limited tunability to match the excitonic resonance. Here, we introduce the concept of catenary-shaped optical fields induced by plasmonic metamaterial cavities to scale the strength of plasmon-exciton coupling. The demonstrated plasmon modes of metallic metamaterial cavities offer high confinement and tunability and can match with the excitons of TMDCs to exhibit a strong coupling regime by tuning either the size of the cavity gap or thickness. The calculated Rabi splitting of Au-MoSe2 and Au-WSe2 heterostructures strongly depends on the catenary-like field enhancement induced by the Au cavity, resulting in room-temperature Rabi splitting ranging between 77.86 and 320 meV. These plasmonic metamaterial cavities can pave the way for manipulating excitons in TMDCs and operating active nanophotonic devices at ambient temperature.

Extended Abstract Background: Khuzestan, as one of the most important corn-producing provinces of Iran, lacks improved cultivars compatible with extremely hot and dry conditions and relies on foreign cultivars, including the old single cross 704 variety. To prepare suitable cultivars for Khuzestan, lines should be produced and evaluated in the region that can be used in the production of hybrid and open-pollinated cultivars. Methods: To identify and improve the important and effective traits on maize grain yield, 289 corn lines, which were bred in Khuzestan, were crossed with the hybrid single cross 704 and evaluated in two cropping seasons (summer 2016 and spring 2017). The experiment was carried out with a simple lattice square design of 17 × 17 and two replications at the Safi-Abad of Dezful Agricultural Research Center in 2016 and 2017. The traits measured from the growing stage to harvest were plant height, tassel length, tassel branch number/plant, stem diameter, number of leaves­/­plant, ear diameter, grain depth, ear length, number of rows/ear, grain number/row, 100-grain weight, grain yield, biological yield, and harvest index based on the guidelines of the corn and fodder plant department of the Iranian seed breeding and preparation research institute. The yield based on 14% seed moisture along with other traits was measured and calculated from the two middle lines of each experimental plot. The genetic parameters in this research were calculated using the mathematical expectation of the mean square as the basic design of random complete blocks in the form of genetic relationships. To analyze the correlation between the traits and to identify the common factors affecting the studied traits, decomposition into factors was used with the principal component analysis and varimax rotation. Eventually, the analysis of variance (ANOVA) of data and calculation of correlation coefficients between variables were done using SAS Ver 9.20 software and analysis into factors with StatGraphics Ver 19.0 software. Results: The results of ANOVA showed an acceptable genetic diversity among promising maize lines in terms of all studied traits, except for ear length, number of rows/grain, and number of grain/row. The results of the composite analysis in two cropping seasons revealed that the effect of genotype was significant on all studied traits at the level of 1%, suggesting significant genetic diversity among the studied genotypes for all traits. The significance of the genotype × season interaction effect for all studied traits at the 1% level indicates the different responses of genotypes in summer and spring. The highest and the lowest genetic and phenotypic variances in summer and spring belonged to biological yield and seed depth traits, respectively. The ranges of genetic diversity in the studied traits in summer and spring ranged from 1.96 to 32.72 and from 7.63 to 29.88, respectively. Among the studied traits, the highest genetic and phenotypic diversities were observed in the number of tassel branches/plant trait (32.72 and 33.35, respectively). The highest heritability rates in spring were observed for biological yield (97.69%), grain yield (97.43%), grain depth (97.06%), ear length (96.30%), and plant height (95.74%). On the other hand, the highest amount of heritability along with the highest amount of genetic improvement was observed for the biological yield and grain yield traits, both of which can be considered the most important criteria for selecting parental lines in breeding programs based on this study. The results of the analysis of correlation coefficients for the studied traits in summer indicated that the grain number/row (0.81), biological yield (0.72), ear diameter (0.62), and grain depth (0.52) produced medium to high grain yields among the studied traits. In spring, the biological yield (0.86), 100-grain weight (0.65), grain number/row (0.64), ear length (0.64), and ear diameter (0.63) had medium to high effects on the seed yield. The results of analysis in the factor analysis in summer and spring revealed that five hidden and independent factors justified 71.40 and 72.27% of the total data changes, respectively. Five hidden factors for summer were the share of grain yield from the total dry matter (33.10%), plant height factor (15.80), ear diameter component factor (8.80), tassel height factor (7.50), and grain weight factor (7.20). Conclusion: The two factors, namely the share of grain yield from total dry matter and the plant height factor, account for more than 61% of the total justifiable variation of 14 traits in 289 lines. These two factors enable us to define and recognize differences and similarities between the lines that grow in spring conditions in Khuzestan.

Eunicellane diterpenoids are a unique family of natural products containing a foundational 6/10-bicyclic framework and can be divided into two main classes, cis and trans, based on the configurations of their ring fusion at C1 and C10. Previous studies on two bacterial diterpene synthases, Bnd4 and AlbS, revealed that these enzymes form cis- and trans-eunicellane skeletons, respectively. Although the structures of these diterpenes only differed in their configuration at a single position, C1, they displayed distinct chemical and thermal reactivities. Here, we used a combination of quantum chemical calculations and chemical transformations to probe their intrinsic properties, which result in protonation-initiated cyclization, Cope rearrangement, and atropisomerism. Finally, we exploited the reactivity of the trans-eunicellane skeleton to generate a series of 6/6/6 gersemiane-type diterpenes via electrophilic cyclization.

Abstract Background Innovations in cancer treatment have contributed to the improved survival rate of cancer patients. The cancer survival rates have been growing and nearly two third of those survivors have been exposed to clinical radiation during their treatment. The study of long-term radiation effects, especially secondary cancer induction, has become increasingly important. An accurate assessment of out-of-field/peripheral dose (PDs) is necessary to estimate the risk of second cancer after radiotherapy and the damage to the organs at risk surrounding the planning target volume. This study was designed to measure the PDs as a function of dose, distances, and depths from Telecobalt-60 (Co-60) beam in water phantom using thermoluminescent dosimeter-100 (TLD-100). Methods The PDs were measured for Co-60 beam at specified depths of 0 cm (surface), 5 cm, 10 cm, and 15 cm outside the radiation beam at distances of 5, 10, and 13 cm away from the radiation field edge using TLD-100 (G1 cards) as detectors. These calibrated cards were placed on the acrylic disc in circular tracks. The radiation dose of 2000 mGy of Co-60 beam was applied inside 10 × 10 cm2 field size at constant source to surface distance (SSD) of 80 cm. Results The results showed maximum and minimum PDs at surface and 5 cm depth respectively at all distances from the radiation field edge. Dose distributions out of the field edge with respect to distance were isotropic. The decrease in PDs at 5 cm depth was due to dominant forward scattering of Co-60 gamma rays. The increase in PDs beyond 5 cm depth was due to increase in the irradiated volume, increase in penumbra, increase in source to axis distance (SAD), and increase in field size due to inverse square factor. Conclusion It is concluded that the PDs depends upon depth and distance from the radiation field edge. All the measurements show PDs in the homogenous medium (water); therefore, it estimates absorbed dose to the organ at risk (OAR) adjacent to cancer tissues/planning target volume (PTV). It is suggested that PDs can be minimized by using the SAD technique, as this technique controls sources of scattered radiation like inverse square factor and effect of penumbra up-to some extent.

Abstract Non-hydraulic root source signaling (nHRS) is a unique positive response to soil drying in the regulation of plant growth and development. However, it is unclear how the nHRS mediates the tradeoff between source and sink at the late growth stages and its adaptive mechanisms in primitive wheat. To address this issue, a root-splitting design was made by inserting solid partition in the middle of the pot culture to induce the occurrence of nHRS using four wheat cultivars (MO1 and MO4, diploid; DM22 and DM31, tetraploid) as materials. Three water treatments were designed as 1) both halves watered (CK), 2) holistic root system watered then droughted (FS), 3) one-half of the root system watered and half droughted (PS). FS and PS were designed to compare the role of the full root system and split root system to induce nHRS. Leaves samples were collected during booting and anthesis to compare the role of nHRS at both growth stages. The data indicated that under PS treatment, ABA concentration was significantly higher than FS and CK, demonstrating the induction of nHRS in split root design and nHRS decreased cytokinin (ZR) levels, particularly in the PS treatment. Soluble sugar and proline accumulation were higher in the anthesis stage as compared to the booting stage. POD activity was higher at anthesis, while CAT was higher at the booting stage. Increased ABA (nHRS) correlated with source-sink relationships and metabolic rate (i.e., leaf) connecting other stress signals. Biomass density showed superior resource acquisition and utilization capabilities in both FS and PS treatment as compared to CK in all plants. Our findings indicate that nHRS-induced alterations in phytohormones and their effect on source-sink relations were allied with the growth stages in primitive wheat.

Teratogenic and embryotoxic effect of diclofenac sodium (DS) on different developmental stages of the chick-embryos was investigated by examining different parameters such as its mortality rate, hatching, morphological measurements, weighing its internal organs and calculation of different indices. Experiment was divided into four trials with different dose (0.1 mL, 0.2 mL, 0.3 mL in groups A, B, and C, respectively and group D received 0.3 mL saline solution (0.9% NaCl) and group E remained un-injected) administration and observation. Results of first and second trial showed statistically (p0.05) when compared with the control groups. In trial 4, forelimb, hindlimb length, heart weight, CSI and HSI were statistically (p0.05). The mortality rate was increased with increase dose of DS and also affected the hatching. DS effect on chick embryos can be applied to humans because the early development of mammals and birds are closely related. So, it was concluded that DS should be used with caution during pregnancy especially during first trimester of pregnancy.

Background: The use of extended-criteria donor (ECD) organs has increased in lung transplantation, but their impact on long-term outcomes remains unclear. This retrospective single-center study evaluates the impact of donor quality, as defined by the Eurotransplant (ET) lung donor score, on long-term graft function and survival. Methods: Records of recipients transplanted between January 2010 and May 2023 were reviewed. Eurotransplant lung donor scores (ET scores) were retrospectively calculated from the corresponding donor reports. Outcomes were compared between recipients of donor lungs with an ET score of 6 (group 1), 7 and 8 (group 2), and 9 to 13 (group 3, ECD lungs). Median follow-up was 64 (30-104) months. Results: In total, 280 (19%) patients were transplanted with ET score 6 lungs, 717 (48%) patients with ET scores 7 and 8 lungs, and 506 (34%) patients with ET scores 9 to 13 (ECD) lungs. The occurrence of primary graft dysfunction grade 3 at 72 hours (p = 0.672), duration of mechanical ventilation (p = 0.062), and in-hospital mortality (p = 0.713) did not differ between groups. Long-term graft survival (%) was lower in group 2 and 3 vs group 1 recipients (at 10 years: 51 and 48 vs 56, p = 0.052, respectively). Similarly, freedom from chronic lung allograft dysfunction (CLAD, %) was lower in group 2 and 3 vs group 1 recipients (at 10 years: 57 and 55 vs 63, p = 0.033, respectively). Donor smoking history was associated with worse CLAD-free survival (hazard ratio = 1.466, 95% confidence interval = 1.215-1.769, p

The objective of this study was to determine the effect of increasing hot carcass weight (HCW) on pork ham and belly processing characteristics. Pigs (n = 85) were slaughtered and divided into 3 HCW categories: Average (99 to 109 kg), Heavy (116 to 126 kg), and Very Heavy (134 to 144 kg). Fresh hams were fabricated and further processed as 3-piece (inside, outside, and knuckle) boneless cured hams. Fresh belly quality measurements were taken before bacon processing. Data were analyzed using the MIXED procedure in SAS including the main effect of weight class, with sex and sire line as random blocking effects. Means were considered significant at P ≤ 0.05. There were no differences (P = 0.08) in ham processing characteristics including pump uptake, retention, and cook yield. However, cured hams from heavier car- casses were less red and less yellow (P < 0.01). Heavier carcasses produced longer, thicker, and wider bellies (P < 0.01), but bellies did not differ in firmness (P = 0.16). Despite reduced pump uptake (P < 0.01), bellies from heavier carcasses had greater cooked yield than those from lighter carcasses (P < 0.01). Total area of sliced bacon increased with increasing carcass weight. Bacon slice lean area percentage decreased (P < 0.01) in bacon from Very Heavy carcasses compared to lighter carcasses. Iodine value was decreased (P = 0.04) approximately 2.5 units from 68.6 in fresh bellies from Average carcasses to 66.2 in bellies from Very Heavy carcasses. Overall, processing characteristics of hams and bellies were not impaired at heavier carcass weights, though the consumer acceptability of larger slices of bacon from heavier carcasses should be determined.

This study presents the polarization photodetection enhancement in Sb2Se3 nanotube (NT)‐based near‐infrared (NIR) photodetectors through simulation‐based and experimental investigations. High‐quality single‐crystal Sb2Se3 NTs are grown via chemical vapor deposition and characterized by using multiple techniques. The optical simulation reveals a remarkable difference in the light absorption ratio (specifically, absorption along the NT/nanowire (NW) against absorption perpendicular to the NT/NW) between Sb2Se3 NT and NW of the same size in the NIR region. The complementary photodetection experiments present that the fabricated Sb2Se3 NT photodetector demonstrates enhanced polarization photodetection in the NIR range, as indicated by a significantly increased dichroic ratio (3.03 at 850 nm) compared to that of similar‐sized NW counterpart (1.81 at 850 nm). Additionally, the Sb2Se3 NT photodetector exhibits exceptional performance, with a high responsivity of 4.18 A W−1 and specific detectivity of 8.94 × 1010 Jones under 830 nm light illumination. This study provides a comprehensive understanding of the microcavity resonance effect and its role in polarization photodetection enhancement, highlighting the potential of self‐assembled Sb2Se3 NTs in high‐performance near‐infrared polarized photodetection and other relevant applications.

Global efforts to tackle climate change and the rise in popularity of electric vehicles and portable electronic devices have engendered a demand explosion for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). Effectuated by the green and digital revolution, this exponential rise in the demand for LIBs raises a host of logistical and environmental concerns centered around raw materials, such as metals lithium and cobalt, indispensable to its production. Exclusive reliance on mining to provide raw materials for LIB production introduces a supply risk and exacerbates the negative implications of mining operations. The long-term solution to avoid bottlenecks in LIB production is the creation of a circular economy by consolidating the LIB value chain with recycling, regeneration and upcycling operations. This paper presents a perspective on circular economies and explores the need to incorporate its principles for a sustainable lithium-powered future. The challenges impeding the development of a fully realized circular economy for LIBs and the ongoing research endeavors to overcome these challenges are also addressed.

BACKGROUND: Hemodialysis is the treatment of choice for end-stage renal disease but there is increasing evidence that dialysis patients have a high burden of problems including pain which may affect their quality of life. OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to find out the frequency of pain, its severity, and interference in patients receiving hemodialysis. METHODOLOGY: Data was collected from 218 patients from dialysis units of the Institute of Kidney Disease, Rehman Medical Institute, and Northwest General Hospital, Hayatabad Peshawar. A brief pain inventory questionnaire (BPI) was used to find out the frequency, severity, and interference of pain. RESULTS: The frequency of pain was 70.2%. The mean time period of treatment was 22.42 months (standard deviation (SD) 28.56). The pain was most commonly present in the lower limb. The calculated mean severity was 4.3 (SD 1.70) which showed most of the patients had mild pain. The mean interference of pain in general performance was calculated to be 5.6 (SD 2.10) which presented moderate interference. There was a significant correlation between mean pain severity and mean pain interference (P=0.000). Out of those 153 patients who reported pain, 119(77.78%) were taking medications for pain relief. CONCLUSION: Pain is a frequent problem reported by these patients. Out of those who had pain, greater than two third were taking medications for pain. Pain in these patients is the main cause of interference in the performance of general activities. So, it is important to manage the pain, and strategies other than medications should also be considered. KEYWORDS: Dialysis, End Stage Renal Disease, Hemodialysis, Interference, Pain

Recently, a significant amount of carbon dioxide emissions has grabbed the attention of global community. Thus, this study attempts to investigate the impact of inward foreign direct investment, and economic growth on carbon dioxide emissions in case of Italy. We took Italy as our sample country as it has committed to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. We took annual time series data for the dependent variable (CO2) and explanatory variables (GDP, FDI, Natural Resources) for the period ranging from 1990 to 2021. To examine the long run relationship between the variables we used autoregressive distributed lags bounds test of cointegration. The empirical findings revealed the existence of long-run relationships among the variables of the model. Furthermore, we also found that natural resources unidirectionally caused CO2 and GDP.

The development of a bimetallic Fenton-type catalyst with desirable activity and reusability remains a major challenge for the practical degradation of organic pollutants. Herein, we focused on modifying almond shell hydrochar with a Fe/Cu bimetal (Fe/Cu-HC) to develop a catalyst capable of activating H2O2 for degrading MO. The bimetallic Fe/Cu-HC catalyst was synthesized through hydrothermal carbonization and pyrolysis and characterized using SEM, FTIR, BET analysis, and XRD to confirm the presence and uniform dispersion of Cu and Fe co-doped species on HC. The impact of various factors, such as the solution pH (X1), organic pollutant concentration (X2) and catalyst mass (X3), on dye degradation efficiency via heterogeneous Fenton oxidation, was examined using the BBD model coupled with Surface response methodology (RSM). The Fe/Cu-HC catalyst showed superior performance in degrading MO dye compared to single-metal catalysts (Cu-HC, Fe-HC), due to the synergistic interaction between Fe and Cu species. To demonstrate the heterogeneous Fenton catalytic performance of the synthesized FeCu/HC, the results showed that 98.97 % of methyl orange was eliminated under optimal conditions: 100 mg. l-1 of methyl orange, a duration of 1 h, a catalyst mass of 1.65 g. l-1, a pH of 6, and a concentration of 4 mM H2O2. In addition, the Fe/Cu-HC catalyst showed excellent stability over multiple cycles, with minimal metal leaching. These results indicate that Fe/Cu-HC is a promising catalyst for the degradation of methyl orange and pave the way for the development of other cost-effective and efficient bimetallic catalysts for environmental remediation.

Abstract Background Peripheral insulin resistance and compromised insulin secretion from pancreatic β-cells are significant factors and pathogenic hallmarks of diabetes mellitus (DM). NF-κβ/TLR-4 and SERCA/Ca2+ pathways have been identified as potential pathways regulating insulin synthesis by preserving pancreatic β-cell functioning. The current study aimed to evaluate the therapeutic effect of aged garlic extract (AGE) against DM in a streptozotocin (STZ)-induced rat model with particular emphasis on pancreatic β-cell functioning. Methods AGE was characterized by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to evaluate its physio-chemical characteristics followed by in-vitro anti-diabetic and antioxidant potential. This was followed by the induction of DM in laboratory animals for investigating the therapeutic action of AGE by evaluating the role of NF-κβ/TLR-4 and the SERCA/Ca2+ pathway. The parameters assessed in the present experimental setup encompassed antioxidant parameters, metabolic indicators, insulin concentration, intracellular calcium levels, apoptotic markers (CCK-8 and Caspase Glo-8), and protein expression (P-62 and APACHE-II). Results AGE characterization by SEM, GC-MS, and X-ray diffraction (XRD) revealed the presence of phenylalanine, alliin, S-allylmercaptocysteine (SAMC), tryptophan, 1-methyl-1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-β-carboline-3-carboxylic acid as major bioactive constituents of AGE. Metabolic studies, including intraperitoneal glucose tolerance test (IPGTT), revealed significantly lower blood glucose levels in the AGE group compared to the disease control group. In contrast, the intraperitoneal insulin tolerance test (ITT) exhibited no significant difference in insulin sensitivity between the AGE supplementation group and the DM control group. Interestingly, AGE was found to have no significant effect on fasting glucose and serum insulin levels. In contrast, AGE supplementation was found to cause significant hypoglycaemia in postprandial blood glucose and insulin levels. Importantly, AGE causes restoration of intracellular Ca2+ levels by modulation of SERCA/Ca2 functioning and inhibition NF-κB/TLR-4 pathway. AGE was found to interact with and inhibit the DR-5/ caspase-8/3 apoptotic complex. Furthermore, microscopic studies revealed degeneration and apoptotic changes in pancreatic β-cells of the DM control group, while supplementation of AGE resulted in inhibition of apoptotic pathway and regeneration of pancreatic β-cells. Conclusion The current study suggests that AGE enhance glucose homeostasis by exerting their effects on pancreatic β-cells, without ameliorating peripheral sensitivity. Moreover, AGEs promote an increase in β-cell mass by mitigating the apoptosis of pancreatic β-cells. These findings suggest that AGE could aid in developing a viable alternative therapy for diabetes mellitus (DM).

Abstract Several environmentally acceptable non-ionic gemini surfactants are synthesized in this work using natural sources, including polyethenoxy di-dodecanoate (GSC12), polyethenoxy di-hexadecanoate (GSC16), and polyethenoxy di-octadecenoate (GSC18). The produced surfactants are confirmed by spectrum studies using FT-IR, 1HNMR, and 13CNMR. It explored and examined how the length of the hydrocarbon chain affected essential properties like foaming and emulsifying abilities. Surface tension examinations are used to assess the surface activity of the examined gemini surfactants. The lower value of critical micelle concentrations (0.381 × 10−4M) is detected for GSC18. Their spontaneous character is shown by the negative values of the free energy of adsorption (ΔGads) and micellization (ΔGmic) which arranged in the order GSC18 > GSC16 > GSC12. Based on theoretical, weight loss, and electrochemical investigations, these novel surfactants were investigated for their possible use in inhibiting carbon steel from corroding in 1 M HCl. Measuring results show that GSC18 inhibits corrosion in carbon steel by 95.4%. The isotherm of adsorption evaluated for the investigated inhibitors and their behavior obeys Langmuir isotherm.

Presented here is the design, synthesis, and study of a variety of novel hydrogen-bonding-capable π-conjugated N-heteroacenes, 1,4-dihydropyrazino[2,3-b]quinoxaline-2,3-diones (DPQDs). The DPQDs were accessed from the corresponding weakly hydrogen-bonding dicyanopyrazinoquinoxaline (DCPQ) suspensions with excess potassium hydroxide, resulting in moderate to good yields. Both families of compounds were analyzed by UV–vis and NMR spectroscopy, where the consequences of hydrogen bonding capability could be assessed through the structure–property studies. Conversion of the DCPQs into hydrogen-bonding capable DPQDs results in modulation of frontier MO energies, higher molar extinction coefficients, enhanced crystallinity, and on-average higher thermal stability (where in some cases the 5% weight loss temperature is increased by up to 100 °C). Single crystal X-ray diffraction data could be obtained for three DPQDs. One reveals pairwise hydrogen bonding in the solid state as well as a herringbone packing arrangement rendering it a promising candidate for additional studies in the context of organic optoelectronic devices.

Background: Hajj is the largest mass gathering worldwide that takes place every year in Makkah, Saudi Arabia. This paper aims to provide a comprehensive guide and expectations for delivering and optimizing clinical pharmacy services during one of the largest mass gatherings in the world, Hajj pilgrimage Methods: A task force initiated and included members of clinical pharmacists who previously participated in delivering clinical pharmacy services during the Hajj pilgrimage, members of the Saudi Society of Clinical Pharmacy (SSCP), and policymakers from different sectors and representatives from pharmaceutical care of the Ministry of Health (MOH). The members established an expert task force to conceptualize and draft the proposed suggestions highlighting the roles and responsibilities of clinical pharmacists during the annual Hajj season. Results: The task force determined the following key domains 1) pharmaceutical care (administration and strategic plan, resources, formulary management); 2) pharmacists' activities (clinical pharmacy services and documentation, professional training and development, and staff credentials, and qualifications); 3) challenges and proposed solutions. The task force was divided into groups to draft each domain and provide suggested statements and insights for each section. Finally, the group members of the task force issued 15 opinion statements. Conclusion: Mass gatherings such as Hajj pilgrimage, represent a unique opportunity to demonstrate the value of pharmacists in advancing health care delivery within a multidisciplinary team. These suggestions and insights could guide the implementation of clinical pharmacy services in acute settings during mass gatherings (Hajj). Future studies should focus on assessing the applicability and the impact of the provided suggestions.

Introduction: The present study aimed to investigate the effect of the combination of action observation and imagery on the accuracy of aiming and catching skills in children with developmental coordination disorder.Methods: This was a quasi-experimental study with a pre-test, post-test, and a control group design. 44 participants with the age range of 7 to 9 years were selected purposively from girls and boys with developmental coordination disorder in Qom City and were assigned to four Action Observation, Imagery, Action Observation + Imagery (combined), and Control groups. In the pre-test phase, the participants threw 10 balls towards the wall and simultaneously caught the returned ball. The intervention phase was conducted in six weeks and three sessions per week and each session lasted 10 minutes. The post-test phase was conducted similar to the pre-test phase. The data were analyzed using one-way ANCOVA.Results: The results showed that both the imagery and the action observation interventions and also the combination of these two interventions have a significant effect on improving the performance of the children’s aiming and catching skills (P

Drought stress is one of the most impactive factors of severe modification in plant physiology eventually leading to a reduction in crop productivity. A split plot-factorial experiment was conducted at the Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources University of Khuzestan in the 2021-2022 growing season to investigate the effects of irrigation interruption and plant density on spring rapeseed genotypes. The experiment was set up in a randomized complete block design with three replications. The experimental treatments included three levels of irrigation as main plot: (I) (1. Control: no interruption of irrigation, 2. Interruption of irrigation at the beginning of flowering (phenology code 60) until the formation of 50% of the pods (phenology code 75) and 3. Interruption of irrigation at the stage of panicle formation (phenology code 99) until the stage harvest (phenology code 99)) and three levels of plant density (D) (80, 110 and 140 plants per square meter) and canola genotypes (G) (Hayola 4815 and Aram) were arranged in subplots. The study evaluated various sensitivity and tolerance indices to stress, and results showed that the triple interaction effect of IDG on cell membrane stability, photosynthetic pigments, grain protein content, grain yield, and canopy temperature was significant. Significant interaction effects were also observed between IG on grain oil content, DG, and I×D on relative water content leaf (LRWC). The genotype that demonstrated superior tolerance to drought stress had higher values for indices such as STI, YI, MP, GMP, and HM. In general, the highest grain yield was observed in control treatment and density of 110 plants M2 and genotype of Hayola4815 (1572.6 kg. ha-1) and the lowest was observed from interruption of irrigation at the stage of pods formation until harvest and plant density of 140 plants per M2 and Aram genotype (661.87 kg. ha -1).

Background and objective. Inflammation is closely correlated with diabetes and diabetic complications. Research has shown that individuals with diabetes exhibit an upregulation of circulatory proinflammatory cytokines, resulting in a chronic state of low-grade inflammation. The participation of inflammation in the pathogenesis of diabetic complications, particularly cardiovascular and renal complications, is well-established. Targeting inflammation may produce prominent effects in improving the clinical condition of diabetic patients, reducing the progression of complications, and promoting glucose uptake by insulin-sensitive tissues. This review article aimed to explore the anti-inflammatory effect of antidiabetics beyond their hypoglycemic action and the potential effects of such antidiabetics in reducing diabetic complications. Materials and methods. Based on relevant online publications using the terms anti-diabetics, anti inflammatory, diabetic complications, and inflammatory mediators up to February 2024 on PubMed and Google Scholar were utilized to construct this review. Results. The majority of antidiabetic drugs pose an indirect effect on inflammation through the hypoglycemic effect. However, many antidiabetics have an additional anti-inflammatory mechanism independently of their hypoglycemic effects, which augments their anti-inflammatory effects. Conclusion. Suppression of the inflammatory response by anti-diabetics and achieving homeostatic control is an effective approach for preventing diabetic complications.

Background: Chronic inflammation is responsible for low insulin sensitivity, making obesity a major risk factor for developing insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and metabolic syndrome. Increased expression of inflammatory cytokines activates several signaling pathways, consequently leading to the accumulation of fats in adipocytes and contributing to the pathogenesis of insulin resistance. Aim: The review aimed to provide an overview of the potential molecular correlation between the insulin signaling pathway and the inflammatory process in addition to their linkage to the development of insulin resistance and other metabolic diseases, with an exploration of the possibility of using drugs that target inflammation in the management of diabetes. Results: Based on the obtained data from the latest literature, the source of cytokines in insulin-resistant states is the insulin targets themselves including the adipose tissue and liver, but to a greater extent the activated macrophages. Prolonged inflammation in these tissues may result in systemic insulin resistance via endocrine signaling and localized insulin resistance by paracrine/autocrine cytokine signaling. Conclusion: Inflammation is involved in the pathogenesis of insulin resistance and diabetes type 2, consequently, in the management of insulin resistance, anti-inflammatory agents may benefit, and the risk assessment may benefit from the use of inflammatory biomarkers in such disorders.

Background: Mycoplasma and Ureaplasma spp. especially M. hominis, U. parvum, and U. urealyticum recognized as an important cause of urogenital infections. Sake of the presence of antibiotic resistance and a continuous rise in resistance, the treatment options are limited, and treatment has become more challenging and costlier. Objectives: Therefore, this meta-analysis aimed to estimate worldwide resistance rates of genital Mycoplasmas and Ureaplasma to fluoroquinolones (ciprofloxacin, ofloxacin, moxifloxacin, and levofloxacin) agents. Methods: We searched the relevant published studies in PubMed, Scopus, and Embase from until 3, March 2022. All statistical analyses were carried out using the statistical package R. Results: The 30 studies included in the analysis were performed in 16 countries. In the metadata, the proportions of ciprofloxacin, ofloxacin, moxifloxacin, and levofloxacin resistance in Mycoplasma and Ureaplasma urogenital isolates were reported 59.8% (95% CI 49.6, 69.1), 31.2% (95% CI 23, 40), 7.3% (95% CI 1, 31), and 5.3% (95% CI 1, 2), respectively. According to the meta-regression, the ciprofloxacin, ofloxacin, moxifloxacin, and levofloxacin rate increased over time. There was a statistically significant difference in the fluoroquinolones resistance rates between different continents/countries (P < 0.05). Conclusions: Based on the results obtained in this systematic review and meta-analysis we recommend the use of the newer group of fluoroquinolones especially levofloxacin as the first choice for the treatment of genital mycoplasmosis, as well as ofloxacin for the treatment of genital infections caused by U. parvum.

Abstract Flame self-interaction (FSI) events in Moderate or Intense Low-Oxygen Dilution (MILD) combustion of homogeneous and inhomogeneous mixtures of methane and oxidiser have been analysed using three-dimensional Direct Numerical Simulations (DNS). The simulations have been conducted at the same global equivalence ratio ( $$\langle \phi \rangle = 0.8$$ ⟨ ϕ ⟩ = 0.8 ) for different levels of $$\mathrm {O_2}$$ O 2 concentration (dilution) and initial turbulence intensities. It has been reported that both homogeneous and inhomogeneous mixture MILD combustion cases exhibit significant occurrences of FSI events, with the peak frequency of FSI events occurring towards the burned gas side in all cases. Moreover, the frequency of FSI events increases with increasing dilution level and turbulence intensity, but the presence of mixture inhomogeneity leads to a reduction in total FSI events. In all cases, the cylindrical FSI topologies (i.e. tunnel formation and tunnel closure) were found to have a higher likelihood of occurrence compared to spherical FSI topologies (i.e. unburned and burned gas pockets). The geometries of FSI topologies were also analysed using the mean and Gaussian curvatures. It has been shown that the inward propagating spherical FSI topologies (i.e. unburned gas pockets) are associated with negative mean curvature, while outward propagating spherical FSI topologies (i.e. burned gas pockets) are associated with positive mean curvature. Moreover, tunnel formation (tunnel closure) FSI topologies predominantly exhibit either elliptic geometries with positive (negative) mean curvature or hyperbolic saddle geometries with negative (positive) mean curvature. It has been shown for the first time in MILD combustion that the mean values of kinematic restoration and dissipation terms in the transport equation of the magnitude of the reaction progress variable conditional upon the reaction progress variable tend to cancel each other in the vicinity of the critical points associated with cylindrical topologies. Thus, the singular contributions in these terms, which are obtained from analytical descriptions in the vicinity of tunnel formation and tunnel closure topologies, do not affect the balance equation of the magnitude of the gradient of the reaction progress variable. Consequently, there is no need for a separate model treatment for singularities in modelling approaches based on the magnitude of the gradient of the reaction progress variable. The FSI events in the reaction dominated and propagating flame regions of MILD combustion have also been analysed for the first time. It has been found that more FSI events occur in the reaction dominated region, particularly towards the burned gas side. However, the majority of spherical FSI topologies are found in the propagating flame region. The findings from this study indicate that turbulence intensity, dilution level and mixture inhomogeneity effects need to be considered in any attempt to extend flame surface-based modelling approaches to MILD combustion.

Objective: To document the initial presentation of COVID-19 cases among different age groups of healthcare workers in a tertiary care rehabilitation hospital. Study Design: Cross-sectional study. Place and Duration of Study: COVID-19 Ward at AFRIM, Rawalpindi Pakistan, from Mar 2021 to Mar 2022. Methodology: Doctors and healthcare workers in the COVID-19 ward at a tertiary care rehabilitation hospital were included. Demographic data of all patients was noted. The primary data sources were patients' presenting complaints, history, examination, and medical records. Results: Out of 159 patients, 46(28.9%) were from age group 15-29 years, 103(64.8%) were from 30-45 years and 10(6.3%) from 46-60 years. General duty staff (including patient attendants, ward boys, and stretcher-bearers) was the most common (18.9%) to be affected among rehabilitation health care professionals. The most common symptoms were fever 112(70.4%), sore throat 86(54.1%), cough 74(46.5%) and fatigue 69(43.4%). Most HCWs were 30-45 years age group 103(64.8%). Most patients had duration of symptoms for 3-5 days 107(67.3%). Conclusion: Healthcare professionals working in rehabilitation medicine facilities were affected by the COVID-19 pandemic globally. Most of our general duty HCWs aged 30-45 years were infected with COVID-19. However, symptomology was similar to what has been reported in the literature.

Vehicular fog systems that are enabled by fifth-generation (5G) networks can significantly improve traffic safety and efficiency through vehicle-to-vehicle communication. Vehicles must have their legal status verified before they can join the network, as vehicular systems depend on open communication. Consequently, several anonymous authentication schemes have been created to withstand malicious vehicles, with the foundations being bilinear pairing or elliptic curve cryptography. But quantum attacks can easily defeat these schemes. To address this problem, this study introduces a 5G-supported vehicular fog system anonymous authentication strategy that makes use of lattice-based cryptography. The suggested system communicates with trusted authorities (TAs) and automobiles over the 5G-base station’s communication range, and it employs fog servers to authenticate vehicles and distribute anonymous data. By recognizing the cars and the users they are affiliated with, the TA in the suggested method can keep tabs on everyone working on a specific task. With the use of ProVerif, a protocol verification tool, we were able to determine that our authentication mechanism effectively hides user, vehicle, and fog server data. After calculating the associated computation and transmission costs, we integrated the suggested technique with state-of-the-art anonymous authentication utilizing lattice-based encryption to ward off quantum attacks. The computational costs of the proposal technique for message signing and batch/single verification are 0.3149 ms, 0.0724 ms, and 0.0724 n ms, respectively. Whereas, 18448 bits is the communication cost of the suggested method. Thus, the results show that our solution has a reduced processing cost for creating and verifying message signatures, but a much higher transmission cost.

**Background:** The second most common hematologic cancer worldwide is multiple myeloma (MM), with incidence and mortality rates that have more than doubled over the past 30 years. The safety and efficacy of daratumumab regimens in the treatment of newly diagnosed MM (NDMM) is demonstrated in clinical trials. **Objective:** To assess the financial effects of the adoption of subcutaneous daratumumab (dara-SC) rather than intravenous daratumumab (dara-IV) for the treatment of NDMM in three Gulf countries (Qatar, Oman and the United Arab Emirates; UAE), a cost-minimization model was constructed. **Methods:** We performed static cost minimization analyses from a societal perspective to evaluate the costs and possible reductions in resource utilization associated with a shift from dara-IV infusion to dara-SC injection for NDMM patients over a 5-year time horizon. The model included 2 scenarios: the current scenario in which 100% of patients with NDMM are treated with dara-IV infusion and a future scenario in which dara-SC injection is gradually adopted over the modeled time horizon. The model differentiated precisely between autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT)–eligible and ASCT-ineligible NDMM patients in terms of their number in each group and the associated therapeutic regimens. One-way sensitivity analyses were also conducted. **Results:** The model showed that the use of dara-SC in NDMM patients who were eligible or ineligible for ASCT resulted in lower non-drug costs, including premedication drug costs, adverse-effect costs, administration costs, medical staff costs, and indirect costs. The resulting total savings over the 5-year time horizon of the model for Hamad Medical Corporation, Sultan Qaboos University Hospital/Royal Hospital, Sheikh Shakhbout Medical City (SSMC), and Tawam Hospital were QAR −2 522 686, OMR −143 214, AED −30 010 627, and AED −5 003 471, respectively. **Conclusion:** The introduction of dara-SC as a front-line treatment for NDMM patients in Qatar (Hamad Medical Corporation), Oman (Sultan Qaboos University Hospital, Royal Hospital-MOH), and the UAE (SSMC and Tawam Hospital) can help save resources and minimize constraints on the healthcare system.

BackgroundAntimicrobial resistance (AMR) of Neisseria gonorrhoeae (NG) is a significant public health concern.ObjectiveThe objective of our study was to assess global AMR rates and test them both temporally and geographically.MethodsWe conducted a systematic search of relevant reports from international databases up to 2021. The R statistical package was used for all statistical analyses.ResultsA total of 225 articles were analyzed, and 432,880 NG isolates were examined. The weighted pooled resistance (WPR) rate of different antibiotics was as follows: ciprofloxacin, 51.6%; tetracycline, 45.4%; trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole, 42.4%; chloramphenicol, 4.1%; kanamycin, 2.1%; gentamicin, 0.6%; and spectinomycin, 0.3%. The resistance to spectinomycin, gentamicin, and kanamycin decreased over time. Significant differences in antibiotic resistance rates were found between the countries.ConclusionOur findings reveal a continuous increase in resistance to some antibiotics (tetracycline and ciprofloxacin) historically used for gonorrhea, even after discontinuation. However, encouraging trends of decreasing resistance to spectinomycin, gentamicin, and kanamycin were observed. Continued global monitoring of AMR profiles in NG isolates is essential for informing appropriate treatment strategies and mitigating the threat of untreatable gonorrhea.

In order to facilitate the effective implementation of the MEPDG, researchers concentrate on quantifying local material properties, with a particular emphasis on pavement layer moduli. The layer modulus is a critical parameter necessary for calculating pavement responses (stress, strain, and deflections) resulting from traffic loading. Accurately determining the layer modulus is crucial for enhancing pavement design as it directly impacts the required pavement layer thicknesses and associated costs. Backcalculation is a commonly used method for analyzing Falling Weight Deflectometer (FWD) data to determine pavement layer moduli, with Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs) being the traditional choice. However, ANNs have limitations in terms of convergence accuracy and generalization capability. The aim of this study is to improve the backcalculation of layer moduli to enhance pavement design. By utilizing FWD data, Recurrent Neural Network (RNN) was employed to address the limitations of conventional ANN. Both ANN and RNN networks were developed and trained using identical properties. The findings demonstrate that RNN achieved faster convergence and higher convergence accuracy compared to ANN. The RNN network generated reasonable and precise layer moduli values, exhibiting a determination coefficient (R) of 0.95 in comparison to the measured values, while the ANN network had an R-value of 0.79. The results indicate that the RNN network can learn the continuity pattern between deflection basin points, thereby enhancing the accuracy of FWD backcalculation.

This study aims to evaluate the efficacy of Texture Profile Analysis on homogenized cooked patties, referred to as TPAH, in accurately predicting patty texture and distinguishing between various patty types, similar to traditional TPA. Eight types of patties (96 samples), comprising one meat patty, one commercial pea protein-based patty, and six homemade pea protein-based patties, underwent analysis for hardness, cohesiveness, gumminess, chewiness, resilience, and springiness. All parameters measured by both methods exhibited similar variations, except for springiness. Homogenization maintained the ability to differentiate between different types of patties and generally reduced the load, albeit in a manner dependent on the type of product. For instance, the hardness decreased from 32.6 to 29.6 N for the meat patty, from 18.7 to 10.0 N for the homemade patties, and from 17.4 to 5.0 N for the commercial patty. The meat patty exhibited a greater consistency with a 9.2 % drop, while the homemade vegetable patties experienced a drop of 46.5 %, and the commercial patty even more so with 71.3 %. Canonical Discriminant Analysis applied to the two methods demonstrated the superior performance of TPAH compared to TPA. The TPAH method has proven to be valuable in predicting and comparing the texture of cooked patties.

Immunodeficiency is associated with higher cancer incidence, especially in transplanted patients; however, it is unknown whether there is a link between immunodeficiency and the development of multiple primary malignancies. Immunosuppressive drugs may either indirectly potentiate the effect of carcinogens or directly damage the DNA. Skin cancers are the most common malignancies diagnosed in renal transplant recipients. Management of immunosuppression in recipients of transplants who are living with cancer is complex and challenging. A concerted approach between transplant professionals, oncologists, and allied health professionals is therefore needed to ensure optimal care for transplant recipients who are developing immunodeficiency-induced malignancies. Here, we report a challenging case that presented with two simultaneous malignancies (buccal squamous cell carcinoma and gastric Burkitt's-like lymphoma) after nine years of being on immunosuppressants after the kidney transplant. The patient tolerated his cancer treatments with some grade II-III toxicities and is currently a two-year disease-free survivor. Focusing on the curative intent approaches for the two cancers with the adjustment of the immunosuppressant medications, besides the complications associated with these radical treatments, is worthy of being presented to the transplant and oncology teams globally.

Vehicular Ad-Hoc Networks (VANETs) play an essential role in road safety through Vehicle-to-Vehicle Communications and Vehicle-to-Infrastructure communications. In this paper, we offer a survey of the state-of-the-art literature about VEINS tool set which is an extraordinary vehicle and network simulation framework for VANET researchers. This paper identifies and classifies the existing research into a comprehensive taxonomy that we called Applications, Solutions and Networks so as to provide an organized survey of safety-related VEINS-based literature. This review can be used by the research community to understand where gaps exist in the literature of particular real-world applicability or integration with emerging technologies, as well as socio-economic factors associated with deployment of VEINS-based safety applications. In addition, we evaluate the VEINS framework including what it provides (e.g., better simulation accuracy), safety testing is more comprehensive as well as other technologies that are used may have like in our case 5G and AI. We also refer to its affordability, growth-ability and adaptiveness along with real-time data analytics commented the author. The constraints of VEINS are also discussed, for instance the bridge from simulation to reality, computational complexity and problems with regard to emerging technologies integration. We discuss future research directions to further enrich the potential of VEINS by incorporating Beyond-5G technologies, cutting-edge AI algorithms, blockchain (BC) for communication security and reliability, semi-virtual/hybrid simulation environments and a wider range of V2X communications. It includes case studies and applications which illustrate how general safety scenarios (e.g., collision avoidance, emergency vehicle prioritization), road hazard detection can be simulated using VEINS highlighting the importance of this approach for practicing engineers. In all, the wide-ranging review would be useful to researchers and practitioners working toward ensuring a secure and efficient vehicular network design.

The functional characteristics of existing inter-vehicle communication networks are used to offer a certificateless authentication scheme that integrates fifth-generation (5G) communication and fog computing. Thus, CLA-FC5G, a novel certificateless authentication scheme for 5G-assisted vehicular networks equipped with fog computing and device-to-device communication in this paper. As opposed to prior schemes, which relayed on 802.11p-based inter-vehicle communication, our CLA-FC5G employs D2D technology, enabling vehicles to communicate directly while ensuring their respective safety and lightening the communication overhead. Our scheme contains six polynomial-time algorithms to handle the system setup, key generation, and message signing and verification processes. The results demonstrate that our method is both secure and efficient due to its lack of communication and computational overhead. We have discovered that our proposed CLA-FC5G system can lower overhead and is extremely efficient and scalable, which is well-suited for mass vehicular networks. The output reveals that CLA-FC5G, which affects both security and effectiveness, meets practical safety requirements for a believable 5G setting.

Because of their attractive features, switched reluctance motors (SRMs) are strong candidates with real chances on the market for several industrial applications including vehicle propulsion. However, the SRMs suffer from torque ripple and associated acoustic noise. A proper control algorithm can handle torque ripples to an accepted limit. However, the internal faults in stator windings of SRMs deteriorate not only the performance of control algorithm but also the output power, efficiency, and noise (torque ripple). They cause fast degradation of motor lifetime. Therefore, this paper introduces a novel method to counteract the internal faults in winding of SRMs. A new simulation method for SRMs including the capability of interturn faults is introduced. The proposed novel interturn fault tolerant control (FTC) is achieved based on average torque control (ATC) algorithm. The switching angles are optimized smartly providing a less complicated control algorithm to fit properly with the industrial platforms. The simplicity of overall control algorithm is still functional. The performance of proposed FTC is evaluated compared to healthy motor conditions as well as faulty conditions. The results show the superior performance of the proposed control.

Abstract The development of biobased polymeric materials for wastewater purification has become a demand due to the growing need for water free of hazardous metal ions for safe purposes. The organic components of the OLLW including carbohydrates, phenolics, aromatic acids and others are cost-effective and sustainable choices for this application. This work focuses on a method for turning the organic components of liquid waste from the olive industry (OILW) into a foam-based value-added polymer that has several metal ion binding sites. The process of making the target polymers involved reacting the components of the OILW with hexamethylene diisocyante and 1,4-phnyelene diisocynate to create the polymeric materials LHMIDIC and LPDIC that are in foam forms with urethane linkages, respectively. The adsorption competence of the polymeric foams toward Pb(II) was evaluated as a function of various parameters including adsorbent dose, pH, temperature, initial ion concentration and time. The optimum parameters values that led to a quantitative removal of Pb(II) were identified. The obtained thermodynamic parameters showed that the adsorption by the two foams was spontaneous at room temperature. The isothermal and kinetic values showed that the adsorption by synthesized foams follows a second order kinetic and obeys the Langmuir isothermal model. The foams showed a high tendency for removing multi metal ions present in a real sample of wastewater. The original nature of the starting material used in making the foam, cost and the obtained results showed the potential of using the foam in a large-scale plants of wastewater purification. Graphical Abstract

This work proposes the techno-economic analysis of a three-phase, three wire grid integrated third-generation perovskite solar cells-wind energy conversion system (PSC-WECS) controlled by a two-level voltage source converter (VSC) which is driven by the application of polynomial zero-attracting least mean square (PZA-LMS) algorithm. The proposed algorithm enhances the dynamic performance of the system by introducing sinusoidal grid currents with low total harmonic distortion (THD) which enhances system performance by providing acceptable outcomes under dynamic loading, fluctuating wind velocity, and solar insolation by compensating for load reactive power and balancing load and power demands at the point of coupling. This work replaces the conventional silicon PVs with PSCs to improve the economics of power generation thanks to their higher efficiency. For relative comparisons, the performance of the proposed 36 kW PSC-WECS is compared with the conventional silicon PV-WECS. The results reveal that the proposed system has a low net present cost (NPC) of ${\$}$ 68843 compared to the conventional system which costs ${\$}$ 160917, translating to a reduction of 58% in total cost. Sensitivity Analysis (SA) is performed to analyse the dependence of optimal solutions on the uncertainty of key variables namely NPC, cost of energy (COE), windspeed & insolation. The results show that the total NPC is more sensitive to the COE and the average wind speed as compared to the other variables. Moreover, the area covered by the proposed system is reduced by 50% while as the cost of power generation is reduced by 72% due to the high efficiency of PSCs. The results obtained in MATLAB/Simulink and HOMER to determine the optimum quantity of the renewable energy sources (RES) model demonstrate the effectiveness of the recommended system.

Background and purpose: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a common neurodegenerative disease and the fifth leading cause of death among the elderly. The development of drugs for AD treatment is based on inhibiting cholinesterase (ChE) activity and inhibiting amyloid-beta peptide and tau protein aggregations. Many in vitro findings have demonstrated that thiazole- and thiazolidine-based compounds have a good inhibitory effect on ChE and other elements involved in the AD pathogenicity cascade. Experimental approach: In the present review, we collected available documents to verify whether these synthetic compounds can be a step forward in developing new medications for AD. A systematic literature search was performed in major electronic databases in April 2021. Twenty-eight relevant in vitro and in vivo studies were found and used for data extraction. Findings/Results: Findings demonstrated that thiazole- and thiazolidine-based compounds could ameliorate AD's pathologic condition by affecting various targets, including inhibition of ChE activity, amyloid-beta, and tau aggregation in addition to cyclin-dependent kinase 5/p25, beta-secretase-1, cyclooxygenase, and glycogen synthase kinase-3β. Conclusion and implications: Due to multitarget effects at micromolar concentration, this review demonstrated that these synthetic compounds could be considered promising candidates for developing anti-Alzheimer drugs.

Abstract Background Despite significant progress in health technology and growing interest among countries in incorporating telemedicine into healthcare delivery, its usage remains limited in Iran. The aim of this study is to investigate the challenges related to telemedicine in Iran and pinpoint potential solutions from the viewpoint of health policymakers, marking the first such endeavor. Methods This qualitative study was conducted in Iran in 2022. Data were gathered from 19 health policymakers who were selected using purposeful and snowball sampling techniques via in-depth and semi-structured interviews. The research findings were analyzed using the content analysis technique, with coding performed using MAXQDA software. The content analysis approach developed by Erlingsson was utilized to analyze the data. Results The study revealed eight main challenges that inhibit the widespread use of telemedicine in Iran. These challenges include policy weaknesses, uncertainty around operating mechanisms, inadequate communication and telecommunication infrastructure, insufficient cultural infrastructure, lack of electronic requirements, redundant bureaucracies, legal gaps, and economic factors. Furthermore, four key solutions to these challenges were identified. These include a national commitment to the development of telemedicine, the establishment of a telemedicine roadmap, the enhancement of e-health requirements and infrastructure, and the preparation of the community to accept telemedicine as a viable option for healthcare delivery. Conclusion The implementation of telemedicine in Iran faces significant challenges, some of which are related to the national healthcare system, while others stem from various policy-related institutions and organizations. Addressing these challenges will require extensive inter-organizational cooperation and strong leadership at the governance level. However, it should be noted that fully resolving these issues is a time-consuming process.

Abstract Background Catheter-associated urinary tract infection is a global problem but it can be prevented with the appropriate implementation of evidence-based guidelines. This study was conducted to assess the level of compliance of healthcare workers with the catheter-associated urinary tract infection prevention guidelines during the insertion of a urinary catheter. Methods An observational study using a descriptive cross-sectional design was conducted at Sana’a City hospitals, Yemen. All the nurses and physicians from the governmental, teaching, and private hospitals were eligible to participate in the study. The data collection was performed through convenience sampling from March 2020 to December 2020, using a structured observational checklist prepared specifically for this study. Results The majority of the urinary catheter insertions were performed by nurses. There were no written policy or procedures for an urinary catheter insertion and no in-service education or training departments in the majority of the hospitals. The overall mean score of compliance was 7.31 of 10. About 71% of the healthcare workers had a high or acceptable level of compliance and 29% had an unsafe level of compliance. Compliance was low for maintaining aseptic technique throughout the insertion procedure, using a single use packet of lubricant jelly, performing hand hygiene immediately before insertion, and securing the urinary catheter once inserted. Factors affecting the healthcare workers compliance were gender, the working ward/unit of the healthcare workers, the availability of a written policy/procedure and a department or unit for in-service education. Conclusion Yemeni healthcare workers’ overall compliance was acceptable but it was unsafe in several critical measures. There is an urgent need for developing, implementing, and monitoring national guidelines and institutional policy and procedures for catheter-associated urinary tract infection prevention. Periodical in-service education and training programs and adequate access to the necessary materials and supplies are paramount.