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We report the experimental characterization and finite element modeling of magnetic fluid hyperthermia (MFH) in tissue-like media using tetramethyl ammonium hydroxide coated superparamagnetic iron oxide magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) of size ∼19.6 ± 1.2 nm, prepared using a co-precipitation technique. MFH properties are probed for the MNPs in ∼1 wt. % agar, resembling the tumor and surrounding normal tissues. The field-induced temperature rise (ΔT) is experimentally measured in real-time utilizing an infrared camera. A finite element model (FEM) is utilized to simulate the spatiotemporal variations in the thermal profiles, which are found to be in good agreement with the experimental data. FEM-based parametric studies reveal that the thermal conductivity of the medium is the most significant parameter influencing the thermal profiles. The spatiotemporal variations in the thermal profiles are numerically studied for seven different tissues, and the obtained results indicate the highest ΔT for the breast tissue in the tumor and the surrounding regions, which is due to the lowest volumetric specific heat and the highest thermal conductivity of the breast tissue, respectively. Numerical studies on the thermal profiles for sub-surface tumors with parametrically varying depths indicate a strong exponential correlation between the surface and tumor temperature, where the regression coefficients are found to be correlated with the thermo-physical properties of the tissues. The obtained findings are beneficial for developing a simplistic and easily deployable framework for a priori generation of the thermal profiles for various tissues during MFH, which is useful for appropriate planning and parameter selection for MFH-based therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study uses molecular dynamics simulations to explore the mechanical behavior of a CoCrCuFeNi high-entropy alloy (HEA) with Σ5 and Σ13 grain boundaries (GBs) as well as without GBs and dislocation. The analysis focused on understanding the influence mechanisms of these grain boundaries on the mechanical behavior of the HEA. Our findings reveal that the atomic size disparity among the constituent elements induces lattice distortion, leading to deformation in HEAs. The determined elastic constants met Born stability requirements, ensuring mechanical stability across both the examined GBs. Higher elastic moduli were associated with increased strength and stiffness, particularly evident in HEAs with Σ5 GB, surpassing those of non-GB structures. Notably, GB Σ5 demonstrated enhanced strength and hardness, indicated by larger elastic moduli compared with those of non-GB structures. Conversely, GB Σ13 exhibited increased Cauchy pressure and Poisson and Pugh's ratios. The ductility of face-centered cubic HEAs was found to be significantly influenced by the GBs, affecting mechanical properties. The Kleinman parameter highlighted a bending-type bonding with reduced strength at the GBs. Machinability indices indicated high machinability of the CoCrCuFeNi alloy, further enhanced by the presence of the GBs. Direction-dependent parameters underscored the anisotropic nature of the HEA, mitigated by the GBs. Overall, this study elucidates the nuanced influence of different GBs on the mechanical properties of HEAs, offering valuable insights for materials design and applications. The results of this investigation shed light on HEAs with improved mechanical properties via GB engineering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work implements the recently developed nth state Markovian jumping particle swarm optimisation (PSO) algorithm with local search (NS-MJPSOloc) awareness method to address the economic/environmental dispatch (EED) problem. The proposed approach, known as the Non-dominated Sorting Multi-objective PSO with Local Best (NS-MJPSOloc), aims to enhance the performance of the PSO algorithm in multi-objective optimisation problems. This is achieved by redefining the concept of best local candidates within the search space of multi-objective optimisation. The NS-MJPSOloc algorithm uses an evolutionary factor-based mechanism to identify the optimum compromise solution, a Markov chain state jumping technique to control the Pareto-optimal set size, and a neighbourhood's topology (such as a ring or a star) to determine its size. Economic dispatch refers to the systematic allocation of available power resources in order to fulfill all relevant limitations and effectively meet the demand for electricity at the lowest possible operating cost. As a result of heightened public consciousness regarding environmental pollution and the implementation of clean air amendments, nations worldwide have compelled utilities to adapt their operational practises in order to comply with environmental regulations. The (NS-MJPSOloc) approach has been utilised for resolving the EED problem, including cost and emission objectives that are not commensurable. The findings illustrate the efficacy of the suggested (NS-MJPSOloc) approach in producing a collection of Pareto-optimal solutions that are evenly dispersed within a single iteration. The comparison of several approaches reveals the higher performance of the suggested (NS-MJPSOloc) in terms of the diversity of the Pareto-optimal solutions achieved. In addition, a measure of solution quality based on Pareto optimality has been incorporated. The findings validate the effectiveness of the proposed (NS-MJPSOloc) approach in addressing the multi-objective EED issue and generating a trade-off solution that is both optimal and of high quality. We observed that our approach can reduce ∼ 6.4% of fuel costs and ∼ 9.1% of computational time in comparison to the classical PSO technique. Furthermore, our method can reduce ∼ 9.4% of the emissions measured in tons per hour as compared to the PSO approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Urdu language is spoken and written on different social media platforms like Twitter, WhatsApp, Facebook, and YouTube. However, due to the lack of Urdu Language Processing (ULP) libraries, it is quite challenging to identify threats from textual and sequential data on the social media provided in Urdu. Therefore, it is required to preprocess the Urdu data as efficiently as English by creating different stemming and data cleaning libraries for Urdu data. Different lexical and machine learning-based techniques are introduced in the literature, but all of these are limited to the unavailability of online Urdu vocabulary. This research has introduced Urdu language vocabulary, including a stop words list and a stemming dictionary to preprocess Urdu data as efficiently as English. This reduced the input size of the Urdu language sentences and removed redundant and noisy information. Finally, a deep sequential model based on Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) units is trained on the efficiently preprocessed, evaluated, and tested. Our proposed methodology resulted in good prediction performance, i.e., an accuracy of 82%, which is greater than the existing methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The high-temperature solid state reaction approach was used to successfully synthesize novel tunable-color emitting Ca 2 LuTaO 6 phosphors with double perovskite structure that were un-doped, single-doped, and co-doped with Bi3+/Sm3+ ions. The crystal structure, microstructure, steady-state photoluminescence, time-resolved luminescence measurements, and thermal quenching features of the material were studied. The density functional theory method was used to compute the band gap of the Ca 2 LuTaO 6 , and Ca 2 LuTaO 6 : Bi3+, Sm3+ phosphors. The blue emission at 407 nm (with 313 nm excitation) is due to the host's luminescence, while the cyan emission at 480 nm (under 365 nm excitation) is related to the distinctive 3P n − 1S 0 transitions (n = 0, 1, 2) of Bi3+. Similarly, efficient red emission is observed in the case of Sm3+ single-doped Ca 2 LuTaO 6 phosphors. In addition, the Ca 2 LuTaO 6 : 0.04Bi3+, 0.05 S m3+ phosphors exhibit energy transfer phenomena and have excellent thermal stability, the fluorescence intensity at 150 °C maintains 73% of that at 25 °C and has a small chromaticity shift. The intense blue emission at 407 nm was effectively converted to cyan, red, and white light through doping with Bi3+ and Sm3+, and the resulting energy transfer. The results obtained confirm that Ca 2 LuTaO 6 : Bi3+, Sm3+ phosphors as a single matrix have great potential for high-power WLED applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A significant amount of energy can be produced using renewable energy sources; however, storing massive amounts of energy poses a substantial obstacle to energy production. Economic crisis has led to rapid developments in electrochemical (EC) energy storage devices (EESDs), especially rechargeable batteries, fuel cells, and supercapacitors (SCs), which are effective for energy storage systems. Researchers have lately suggested that among the various EESDs, the SC is an effective alternate for energy storage due to the presence of the following characteristics: SCs offer high-power density (PD), improvable energy density (ED), fast charging/discharging, and good cyclic stability. This review highlighted and analyzed the concepts of supercapacitors and types of supercapacitors on the basis of electrode materials, highlighted the several feasible synthesis processes for preparation of metal oxide (MO) nanoparticles, and discussed the morphological effects of MOs on the electrochemical performance of the devices. In this review, we primarily focus on pseudo-capacitors for SCs, which mainly contain MOs and their composite materials, and also highlight their future possibilities as a useful application of MO-based materials in supercapacitors. The novelty of MO's electrode materials is primarily due to the presence of synergistic effects in the hybrid materials, rich redox activity, excellent conductivity, and chemical stability, making them excellent for SC applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the experiment was to evaluate the potential of promising summer maize genotypes and optimal stage of harvesting these genotypes for ensiling in terms of dry matter (DM), starch, and crude protein (CP) yields, silage fermentation quality, nutrients profile, total digestible nutrients, metabolizable energy (ME) content, Cornell Net Carbohydrate and Protein System (CNCPS) carbohydrate (CHO) subfractions composition, in vitro DM digestibility (DMD) and in situ starch degradation characteristics. Six maize genotypes were chosen for the study: DK9108 from Monsanto, P30Y87, P3939 from Pioneer, QPM-300 (quality protein maize) and W94 from the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), and a local cultivar, Afgoii, from the Cereal Research Institute (Persabaq, KP). A total of 72 plots (8 m × 10 m) were blocked in three replicate fields, and within each field, each genotype was sown in four replicate plots according to a randomized complete block design. For the data analysis, the Proc-Mixed procedure of Statistical Analysis System with repeated measure analysis of variance was used. The DM yield was strongly influenced (P < 0.001) by maize genotypes, varying from 12.6 to 17.0 tons/ha. Except for total CHO and ammonia nitrogen (NH3-N), the contents of all measured chemical components varied (P < 0.001) among the genotypes. Further comparison revealed that, genotype P3939 had a higher (P < 0.05) content of CP (7.27 vs. 6.92%), starch (36.7 vs. 27.9%), DMD (65.4 vs. 60.0%), ME (2.51 vs. 2.30 Mcal/kg) and lactic acid (5.32 vs. 4.83%) and lowest content of NDF (37.3 vs. 43.1%), pH (3.7 vs. 4.10) compared to the local cultivar (Afgoii). Advancement of post-flowering maturity from 25 to 35% DM (23 to 41 days after flowering (DAF)) increased (P < 0.05) the DM yield (10.4 to 17.8 tons/ha), starch content (29.1 to 35.0%), DMD (65.3 to 67.3%) and ME (2.34 to 2.47 Mcal/kg), and decreased (P < 0.001) the contents of CP (7.42–6.73%), NDF (48.8–38.5%), pH (4.10 to 3.60), NH3-N (8.93–7.80%N) and effective degradability of starch (95.4 to 89.4). Results showed that for higher yields and silage nutritional and fermentation quality, maize crops should be harvested at whole crop DM content of 30–35% (34 to 41 DAF). It was further concluded that genotype P3939 is the most suitable summer maize genotype for silage production in terms of yields and silage nutritional and fermentation quality under the hot environmental conditions of the tropics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Toxoplasma infection in humans is considered due to direct contact with infected cats. Toxoplasma infection (an endemic disease) has the potential to affect various organs and systems (brain, eyes, heart, lungs, liver, and lymph nodes). Bilinear incidence rate and constant population (birth rate is equal to death rate) are used in the literature to explain the dynamics of Toxoplasmosis disease transmission in humans and cats. The goal of this study is to consider the mathematical model of Toxoplasma disease with harmonic mean type incident rate and also consider that the population of humans and cats is not equal (birth rate and the death rate are not equal). In examining Toxoplasma transmission dynamics in humans and cats, harmonic mean incidence rates are better than bilinear incidence rates. The disease dynamics are first schematically illustrated, and then the law of mass action is applied to obtain nonlinear ordinary differential equations (ODEs). Analysis of the boundedness, positivity, and equilibrium points of the system has been analyzed. The reproduction number is calculated using the next-generation matrix technique. The stability of disease-free and endemic equilibrium are analyzed. Sensitivity analysis is also done for reproduction number. Numerical simulation shows that the infection is spread in the population when the contact rate β h and β c increases while the infection is reduced when the recovery rate δ h increases. This study investigates the impact of various optimal control strategies, such as vaccinations for the control of disease and the awareness of disease awareness, on the management of disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cutting-edge research introduces a chemical reactor for liquid radioactive waste treatment, utilizing a four-stage radiochemical separation. Biomass conversion yielded activated carbons with impressive adsorption capacities up to 1 × 104 Bq/g and proved effective for Cs removal. Standout coagulants, AlCl3·6H2O and FeSO4·7H2O, achieved an 80% decontamination factor for six radionuclides. Sulphonated DVB ion-exchange resins showed high efficiency, achieving 100% Cs decontamination at pH 4 ± 2. Integrated processes successfully decontaminated twelve radionuclides up to 99 ± 1% with substantial demineralization of waste, up to 95%, was achieved. Current reactor system is invaluable for routine and emergency scenarios for treating liquid radioactive waste with varying radionuclide compositions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hyperglycaemia is a life-threatening risk factor that occurs in both chronic and acute phases and has been linked to causing injury to many organs. Protein modification was triggered by hyperglycaemic stress, which resulted in pathogenic alterations such as impaired cellular function and tissue damage. Dysregulation in cellular function increases the condition associated with metabolic disorders, including cardiovascular diseases, nephropathy, retinopathy, and neuropathy. Hyperglycaemic stress also increases the proliferation of cancer cells. The major areas of experimental biomedical research have focused on the underlying mechanisms involved in the cellular signalling systems involved in diabetes-associated chronic hyperglycaemia. Reactive oxygen species and oxidative stress generated by hyperglycaemia modify many intracellular signalling pathways that result in insulin resistance and β-cell function degradation. The dysregulation of post translational modification in β cells is clinically associated with the development of diabetes mellitus and its associated diseases. This review will discuss the effect of hyperglycaemic stress on protein modification and the cellular signalling involved in it. The focus will be on the significant molecular changes associated with severe metabolic disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research studies the energy consumption and wear mechanism of carbide cutting tools in dry machining of Ti6Al4V alloy. In the first phase of experiments, full factorial design experiments were employed to study the tool wear rate (R) and specific cutting energy (SCE) with respect to the machining conditions (cutting speed and feed rate). Results showed that machining responses such as tool wear and energy consumption are affected by cutting conditions, thus requiring investigation to understand the wear mechanisms. Therefore, in the second phase, additional experiments were performed to investigate the tool-workpiece interactions at the cutting conditions reported to have low, moderate, and high tool wear. It was revealed that strong adhesion and material transfer between the tool and workpiece caused high wear. Electron dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) analysis of worn tools showed that the transfer of tungsten (W) and cobalt (Co) to the workpiece and titanium to the tool surface is the primary cause of tool deterioration. As a result, diffusion and dissolution have degraded cutting performance and weakened the tool edge, leading to rapid wear. Furthermore, worn tools resulted in relatively higher energy consumption per unit volume of material removed at the tooltip. The degradation of cutting performance and weakening of the tool edge results in rapid wear and higher energy consumption. The study suggests that minimizing tool wear is crucial for energy reduction, improved sustainability, and cleaner production goals in dry machining of titanium-based alloys. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multiferroic composites of (1 − x)BaTi0.98Ni0.02O3–(x)CoFe2O4 (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.06) were prepared through conventional solid‐state reaction route. X‐ray diffraction (XRD) studies along with the Rietveld refinement endorse the multiphase nature of the nanocomposite samples. The XRD peaks of the tetragonal bare barium titanate and the inverse cubic spinel of cobalt ferrite nanostructures phase can be identified separately. The tetragonality ratio of the bare barium titanate drops with the addition of the guest material, i.e., cobalt ferrite in the ferroelectric matrix. The Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectra confirm the main absorption bands near 540–560 cm−1, corresponding to the metal‐oxide absorption band (ν1 mode), and are related to the stretching modes of the Ti–O bonds. The Raman spectra also signify the two symmetries confirming the nanocomposites' ferroelectric and ferromagnetic phases. The surface morphology studies reveal the hexagonal and spherical shape of the grains in the nanostructures and nanocomposites. The energy‐dispersive x‐ray spectroscopy (EDX) spectra confirm the presence of all the elements in the samples. The ferroelectricity in the nanocomposite drops due to fluctuations in the valence state of Fe2+/Fe3+ that enhances the leakage current of the nanocomposites. The magnetic moment and dielectric constant of the nanocomposites are enhanced as the guest compound CoFe2O4 is added to the bare BaTi0.98Ni0.02O3. Thus, the simultaneous coexistence of ferroelectric and magnetic ordering at room temperature confirms the multiferroic behavior of the nanostructure and the nanocomposites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we have examined eight new first‐row transition metal complexes (1–8). Mutli‐donor ligands based on barbituric and thiobarbituric acids were used in complexation reactions. The synthesized complexes were analyzed using FT‐IR and UV–vis spectroscopy, elemental (CHN) analysis, and single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction analysis. These complexes exhibited significant urease enzyme inhibition with IC50 values in the range of 13.73 ± 1.08–43.21 ± 1.50 μM. We observed excellent binding orientation of these complexes in the active site of Urease. The molecular docking results correlate well with in vitro observations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To compare the safety and efficacy of the Preserflo Microshunt with trabeculectomy in the treatment of patients with glaucoma. A systematic review and meta‐analysis was conducted. The primary outcome measures recorded as a measure of efficacy of the interventions were intra‐ocular pressure (IOP) at final follow‐up and IOP reduction (IOPR). Secondary outcomes recorded to measure efficacy were reduction in the number of glaucoma medications and reinterventions. To assess safety profile, the proportions of patients with post‐operative complications were recorded. Seven articles were included in this study. A total of 1353 eyes were included in this review (Preserflo: 812, trabeculectomy: 541). Post‐operative IOP (mean difference [MD] = 0.78 [0.66, 0.90], p < 0.001) results are significantly lower for trabeculectomy than Preserflo. The IOPR (MD = −1.20 [−2.30, −0.09], p = 0.034) results significantly favour trabeculectomy over Preserflo Microshunt. The reduction in topical glaucoma medications (MD = −0.32 [−0.58, −0.07], p = 0.014) is significantly higher for trabeculectomy. There is no statistically significant difference in levels of hypotony (risk ratio [RR] = −0.05 [−0.47, 0.37], p = 0.806), choroidal effusion/detachment (RR = −0.12 [−0.42, 0.19], p = 0.444), hyphaema (RR = 0.20 [−0.11, 0.51], p = 0.216) and flat anterior chamber (RR = 0.49 [−1.02, 0.03], p = 0.066). There are significantly more bleb‐related complications in the trabeculectomy groups than Preserflo groups (RR = −0.63 [−1.01, −0.24], p = 0.001). There were statistically more reinterventions required in the trabeculectomy groups than Preserflo groups (RR = −0.48 [−0.65, −0.30], p < 0.001). Compared to trabeculectomy, the Preserflo Microshunt is not as effective in lowering intra‐ocular pressure, has a similar safety profile and has a lower reintervention rate. Further research is required given the lack of randomised controlled trials within this study and resulting low strength of evidence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Endometriosis, affecting approximately 10% of reproductive-aged women globally, poses significant challenges, including chronic pelvic pain, dysmenorrhea, and infertility. In low- and middle-income countries like India, accessibility to affordable infertility care remains a concern. This multicenter prospective cohort study, conducted across six tertiary care hospitals in India from 2017 to 2022, aims to explore the natural progression of conception and pregnancy outcomes in women with endometriosis. Of the 257 participants, 19.1% conceived during the study, revealing significant geographic and income-based variations (p < 0.001, p = 0.01). Dysmenorrhea (p < 0.001) and dyspareunia (p=0.027) were correlated with conception, while no such associations were found with chronic pelvic pain or menstrual factors. Lesion type, number, and severity showed no conclusive link with conception. Natural conception occurred in 70% of cases, with an average post-surgery conception time of 282.1 days. Live birth rate was 85.7%, while complications included placenta previa (16.4%), preeclampsia (4.1%), and preterm births (4.1%). This study, one of the first in India on endometriosis-related fertility progression, emphasizes the need for comprehensive understanding and management of conception and pregnancy outcomes. Considering India's substantial endometriosis burden, the study recommends prioritizing larger multicenter investigations for a better understanding and effective strategies for infertility management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The stagnation and relatively low use of modern contraceptives are ongoing public health concerns in Bangladesh and other low- and middle-income countries. Although a cultural preference for sons may be linked to the current use of contraceptives, this linkage has not been adequately explored in the Bangladesh context. We investigated the effects of child sex composition on the current use of modern contraceptives. Methods: We extracted and analysed data from 17,333 women who participated in the 2017/18 Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey. The outcome variable was the current use of modern contraceptive methods. The study factor was the parity and sex composition of the living children. We used multilevel logistic regressions to determine the association between the study factor and outcome variables, adjusting for potential covariates at the individual-, household-, and community-levels. Results: Women with relatively high parity had higher odds of currently using modern contraceptives. Among the individual parities, compared to women with no live sons, women with one or more live sons were more likely to report currently using modern contraceptives. However, this association is significant for women up to three children. When examining both parity and children's sex composition in a regression model, in each parity category, the likelihood of using modern contraceptives tend to rise with an increasing number of sons compared to women with just one daughter. Conclusion: The findings of this study suggest that while the use of modern contraceptives by women increases with the increasing number of children and son preference is prevalent in Bangladesh, women also want to have a mixed composition of son and daughter. The study findings can be used in family planning programmes to customise contraceptive promotion and counselling messages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The balance of nonlinearity and dispersion in optical fiber medium gives rise to a constantly propagating pulse. Such distortion less waves have attracted potential interest. The dynamics of optical solitons are governed by the nonlinear Schrödinger’s equation (NLSE). A modified form of NLSE which incorporates group velocity dispersion (GVD) and the Kerr law nonlinearity is recently adopted for the study of such waves. Here, we investigate the nonlinear Schrödinger–Hirota’s equation (NLSHE) using the Sardar subequation approach. Some novel solutions to the NLSHE corresponding to the bright, dark, kink, and cusp solitons have been reported. Additionally, the spatial and temporal dynamics of these solitons provide deep insight into the behavior of these solutions. The stability study is carried out via modulation instability (MI) concept. Our work might have benefits in the propagation of these pulses in the optical fiber for communication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Statistical quality control is concerned with the analysis of production and manufacturing processes. Control charts are process control techniques, commonly applied to observe and control deviations. Shewhart control charts are very sensitive and used for large shifts based on the basic assumption of normality. Cumulative Sum (CUSUM) control charts are effective for identifying that may have special causes, such as outliers or excessive variability in subgroup means. This study uses a CUSUM control chart problems structure to evaluate the performance of robust dispersion parameters. We investigated the design structure features of various control charts, based on currently defined estimators and some new robust scale estimators using trimming and winsorization in different scenarios. The Median Absolute Deviation based on trimming and winsorization is introduced. The effectiveness of CUSUM control charts based on these estimators is evaluated in terms of average run length (ARL) and Standard Deviation of the Run Length (SDRL) using a simulation study. The results show the robustness of the CUSUM chart in observing small changes in magnitude for both normal and contaminated data. In general, robust estimators MADTM and MADWM based on CUSUM charts outperform in all environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Calotropis procera is a medicinal, traditional, and therapeutic plant in Pakistan. In this research study, the biological activities, for instance, anticancer, antileishmanial, antibacterial, antifungal, anti-inflammatory, and brine shrimp lethality assay and GC-MS are studied. MTT assay, antileishmanial bioassay, microplate Alamar Blue assay, agar tube dilution method, oxidative burst assay using chemiluminescence technique, B-hatching techniques, and triple quadrupole acquisition method MS parameters were the methods used for anticancer, antileishmanial, antibacterial, antifungal, anti-inflammatory, brine shrimp lethality assay, and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Whole plant methanol extract of Calotropis procera (WMECP) inhibited 69.1% of the growth of HeLa cell line with an IC50 value of 3.1 ± 0.4 and whole plant n-hexane fraction of Calotropis procera (WHFCP) and whole plant and aqueous fraction of Calotropis procera (WAFCP) inhibited the growth by 70.2% and 65.2% with IC50 values of 5.0 ± 0.3 and 17.1 ± 1.0. Whole plant methanol extract of Calotropis procera (WMECP) inhibited 70.1% of the growth of the PC3 cell line with an IC50 value of 5.1 ± 0.3 and whole plant n-hexane fraction of Calotropis procera (WHFCP) and whole plant aqueous fraction of Calotropis procera (WAFCP) inhibited 61.6% and 59.7% with IC50 values of 3.7 ± 0.5 and 16.4 ± 1.0. None of the extract and fractions of Calotropis procera showed anticancer activities against the 3T3 cell line. None of the extract and fractions of Calotropis procera showed antileishmanial, antibacterial, antifungal, and anti-inflammatory activities. Whole plant methanol extract of Calotropis procera (WMECP) exhibited lethality at the highest concentration while other fractions did not exhibit lethality. GC-MS studies revealed that the whole plant methanol extract of Calotropis procera (WMECP) consists of 11 compounds, whole plant n-hexane fraction of Calotropis procera (WHFCP) consists of 9 compounds, and whole plant aqueous fraction of Calotropis procera (WAFCP) consists of 7 compounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hepatitis E virus is a primary cause of acute hepatitis worldwide. The present study attempts to assess the genetic variability and evolutionary divergence among HEV genotypes. A vaccine promising capsid‐protein coding ORF‐2 gene sequences of HEV was evaluated using phylogenetics, model‐based population genetic methods and principal component analysis. The analyses unveiled nine distinct clusters as subpopulations for six HEV genotypes. HEV‐3 genotype samples stratified into four different subgroups, while HEV‐4 stratified into three additional subclusters. Rabbit‐infectious HEV‐3ra samples constitute a distinct cluster. Pairwise analysis identified marked genetic distinction of HEV‐4c and HEV‐4i subgenotypes compared to other genotypes. Numerous admixed, inter and intragenotype recombinant strains were detected. The MEME method identified several ORF‐2 codon sites under positive selection. Some selection signatures lead to amino acid substitutions within ORF‐2, resulting in altered physicochemical features. Moreover, a pattern of host‐specific adaptive signatures was identified among HEV genotypes. The analyses conclusively depict that recombination and episodic positive selection events have shaped the observed genetic diversity among different HEV genotypes. The significant genetic diversity and stratification of HEV‐3 and HEV‐4 genotypes into subgroups, as identified in the current study, are noteworthy and may have implications for the efficacy of anti‐HEV vaccines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Purpose Methods Results Conclusions Transcranial Doppler (TCD) identifies acute stroke patients with arterial occlusion where treatment may not effectively open the blocked vessel. This study aimed to examine the clinical utility and prognostic value of TCD flow findings in patients enrolled in a multicenter prospective study (CLOTBUST‐PRO).Patients enrolled with intracranial occlusion on computed tomography angiography (CTA) who underwent urgent TCD evaluation before intravenous thrombolysis was included in this analysis. TCD findings were assessed using the mean flow velocity (MFV) ratio, comparing the reciprocal ratios of the middle cerebral artery (MCA) depths bilaterally (affected MCA‐to‐contralateral MCA MFV [aMCA/cMCA MFV ratio]).A total of 222 patients with intracranial occlusion on CTA were included in the study (mean age: 64 ± 14 years, 62% men). Eighty‐eight patients had M1 MCA occlusions; baseline mean National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score was 16, and a 24‐hour mean NIHSS score was 10 points. An aMCA/cMCA MFV ratio of <.6 had a sensitivity of 99%, specificity of 16%, positive predictive value (PV) of 60%, and negative PV of 94% for identifying large vessel occlusion (LVO) including M1 MCA, terminal internal carotid artery, or tandem ICA/MCA. Thrombolysis in Brain Ischemia scale, with (grade ≥1) compared to without flow (grade 0), showed a sensitivity of 17.1%, specificity of 86.9%, positive PV of 62%, and negative PV of 46% for identifying LVO.TCD is a valuable modality for evaluating arterial circulation in acute ischemic stroke patients, demonstrating significant potential as a screening tool for intravenous/intra‐arterial lysis protocols. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Skeletal dysplasias are a heterogeneous group of disorders presenting mild to lethal defects. Several factors, such as genetic, prenatal, and postnatal environmental may contribute to reduced growth. Fourteen families of Pakistani origin, presenting the syndromic form of short stature either in the autosomal recessive or autosomal dominant manner were clinically and genetically investigated to uncover the underlying genetic etiology. Homozygosity mapping, whole exome sequencing, and Sanger sequencing were used to search for the disease‐causing gene variants. In total, we have identified 13 sequence variants in 10 different genes. The variants in the HSPG2 and XRCC4 genes were not reported previously in the Pakistani population. This study will expand the mutation spectrum of the identified genes and will help in improved diagnosis of the syndromic form of short stature in the local population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) are a clinically and genetically heterogeneous group of early-onset pediatric disorders that affect the structure and/or function of the central or peripheral nervous system. Achieving a precise molecular diagnosis for NDDs may be challenging due to the diverse genetic underpinnings and clinical variability. In the current study, we investigated the underlying genetic cause(s) of NDDs in four unrelated Pakistani families. Using exome sequencing (ES) as a diagnostic approach, we identified disease-causing variants in established NDD-associated genes in all families, including one hitherto unreported variant in RELN and three recurrent variants in VPS13B, DEGS1, and SPG11. Overall, our study highlights the potential of ES as a tool for clinical diagnosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Colistin is a last-resort antibiotic used in extreme cases of multi-drug resistant (MDR) Gram-negative bacterial infections. Colistin resistance has increased in recent years and often goes undetected due to the inefficiency of predominantly used standard antibiotic susceptibility tests (AST). To address this challenge, we aimed to detect the prevalence of colistin resistance strains through both Vitek®2 and broth micro-dilution. We investigated 1748 blood, tracheal aspirate, and pleural fluid samples from the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), and Tuberculosis and Respiratory Disease centre (TBRD) in an India hospital. Whole-genome sequencing (WGS) of extremely drug-resitant (XDR) and pan-drug resistant (PDR) strains revealed the resistance mechanisms through the Resistance Gene Identifier (RGI.v6.0.0) and Snippy.v4.6.0. Abricate.v1.0.1, PlasmidFinder.v2.1, MobileElementFinder.v1.0.3 etc. detected virulence factors, and mobile genetic elements associated to uncover the pathogenecity and the role of horizontal gene transfer (HGT). Results: This study reveals compelling insights into colistin resistance among global high-risk clinical isolates: Klebsiella pneumoniae ST147 (16/20), Pseudomonas aeruginosa ST235 (3/20), and ST357 (1/20). Vitek®2 found 6 colistin-resistant strains (minimum inhibitory concentrations, MIC = 4 μg/mL), while broth microdilution identified 48 (MIC = 32–128 μg/mL), adhering to CLSI guidelines. Despite the absence of mobile colistin resistance (mcr) genes, mechanisms underlying colistin resistance included mgrB deletion, phosphoethanolamine transferases arnT, eptB, ompA, and mutations in pmrB (T246A, R256G) and eptA (V50L, A135P, I138V, C27F) in K. pneumoniae. P. aeruginosa harbored phosphoethanolamine transferases basS/pmrb, basR, arnA, cprR, cprS, alongside pmrB (G362S), and parS (H398R) mutations. Both strains carried diverse clinically relevant antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs), including plasmid-mediated blaNDM-5 (K. pneumoniae ST147) and chromosomally mediated blaNDM-1 (P. aeruginosa ST357). Conclusion: The global surge in MDR, XDR and PDR bacteria necessitates last-resort antibiotics such as colistin. However, escalating resistance, particularly to colistin, presents a critical challenge. Inefficient colistin resistance detection methods, including Vitek2, alongside limited surveillance resources, accentuate the need for improved strategies. Whole-genome sequencing revealed alarming colistin resistance among K. pneumoniae and P. aeruginosa in an Indian hospital. The identification of XDR and PDR strains underscores urgency for enhanced surveillance and infection control. SNP analysis elucidated resistance mechanisms, highlighting the complexity of combatting resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of novel Schiff base derivatives (1–28) of 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid were synthesized in a multi-step reaction. All the synthesized Schiff bases were obtained in high yields and their structures were determined by 1HNMR, 13CNMR, and HR-ESI–MS spectroscopy. Except for compounds 22, 26, 27, and 28, all derivatives show excellent to moderate α-glucosidase inhibition. Compounds 5 (IC50 = 12.84 ± 0.52 µM), 4 (IC50 = 13.64 ± 0.58 µM), 12 (IC50 = 15.73 ± 0.71 µM), 13 (IC50 = 16.62 ± 0.47 µM), 15 (IC50 = 17.40 ± 0.74 µM), 3 (IC50 = 18.45 ± 1.21 µM), 7 (IC50 = 19.68 ± 0.82 µM), and 2 (IC50 = 20.35 ± 1.27 µM) shows outstanding inhibition as compared to standard acarbose (IC50 = 873.34 ± 1.67 µM). Furthermore, a docking study was performed to find out the interaction between the enzyme and the most active compounds. With this research work, 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid Schiff base derivatives have been introduced as a potential class of α-glucosidase inhibitors that have remained elusive till now. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, there has been an increasing fascination for employing radio frequency (RF) energy harvesting techniques to energize various low-power devices by harnessing the ambient RF energy in the surroundings. This work outlines a novel advancement in RF energy harvesting (RFEH) technology, intending to power portable gadgets with minimal operating power demands. A high-gain receiver microstrip patch antenna was designed and tested to capture ambient RF residue, operating at 2450 MHz. Similarly, a two-stage Dickson voltage booster was developed and employed with the RFEH to transform the received RF signals into useful DC voltage signals. Additionally, an LC series circuit was utilized to ensure impedance matching between the antenna and rectifier, facilitating the extraction of maximum power from the developed prototype. The findings indicate that the developed rectifier attained a peak power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 64% when operating at an input power level of 0 dBm. During experimentation, the voltage booster demonstrated its capability to rectify a minimum input AC signal of only 50 mV, yielding a corresponding 180 mV output DC signal. Moreover, the maximum power of 4.60 µW was achieved when subjected to an input AC signal of 1500 mV with a load resistance of 470 kΩ. Finally, the devised RFEH was also tested in an open environment, receiving signals from Wi-Fi modems positioned at varying distances for evaluation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Internet of Medical Things (IoMT) can be leveraged for periodic sensing and recording of different health parameters using sensors, wireless communications, and computation platforms. Health care systems can be enhanced by using IoMT for remote patient monitoring and data-driven diagnosis powered by machine learning algorithms. In the context of IoMT, federated learning (FL) is an excellent choice to manage machine learning (ML) algorithms to drive this analysis. This is because FL models can be trained in a distributed manner on local heterogeneous datasets that all contribute to the "collective wisdom". The model parameters can be regulated and shared without sharing the actual health data, ensuring confidentiality and security. This paper makes a case for the viability of FL-based analysis of data acquired via IoMT by presenting some use cases and recent work in this area and proposing a novel framework for data analysis using FL specifically in the context of mental stress detection. It shows that FL-based methods can significantly reduce the required communication overhead for each local device from 10.02MB/day up to only 754B/day as compared to non-FL techniques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SARS-CoV-2 infection affects and modulates serum as well as hematological parameters. However, whether it modifies these parameters in the existing disease conditions, which help in the erection of specific treatments for the disease, is under investigation. Here, we aimed to determine whether serum and hematological parameters alteration in various diseases, diabetes mellitus (DM), hypertension (HTN), ischemic heart disease (IHD) and myocardial infarction (MI) conditions correlate and signal SARS-CoV-2 infection, which could be used as a rapid diagnosis tool for SARS-CoV-2 infection in disease conditions. To assess the projected goals, we collected blood samples of 1,113 male and female patients with solo and multiple disease conditions of DM/HTN/IHD/MI with severe COVID-19, followed by biochemical analysis, including COVID-19 virus detection by RT-qPCR. Furthermore, blood was collected from age-matched disease and healthy individuals 502 and 660 and considered as negative control. In our results, we examined higher levels of serum parameters, including D-dimer, ferritin, hs-CRP, and LDH, as well as hematological parameters, including TLC in sole and multiple diseases (DM/HTN/IHD/MI) conditions compared to the control subjects. Besides, the hematological parameters, including Hb, RBC, and platelet levels, decreased in the patients. In addition, we found declined levels of leukocyte count (%), lymphocyte (%), monocyte (%), and eosinophil (%), and elevated level of neutrophil levels (%) in all the disease patients infected with SARS-CoV-2. Besides, NLR and NMR ratios were also statistically significantly (p < 0.05) high in the patients with solo and multiple disease conditions of DM/HTN/IHD/MI infected with the SARS-CoV-2 virus. In conclusion, rapid alteration of sera and hematological parameters are associated with SARS-CoV-2 infections, which could help signal COVID-19 in respective disease patients. Moreover, our results may help to improve the clinical management for the rapid diagnosis of COVID-19 concurrent with respective diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives Methods Results Conclusion In Pakistan, cutaneous leishmaniasis is an emerging tropical disease and a very high number (>70%) of children are afflicted by this marring infection. This study aimed to scrutinise the prevalence, spatial distribution and socio‐demographic and behavioural risk factors associated with cutaneous leishmaniasis in children aged <5–15  years in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.A total of 1, 559 clinically confirmed records of children diagnosed with cutaneous leishmaniasis (January–December) from 2020 and 2022 were obtained from selected district hospitals. In addition, a risk factors‐related questionnaire was administered to 1, 011 households (400 in 2020 and 611 in 2022) in nine districts during a household survey.The maximum number of cutaneous leishmaniasis cases was recorded in 2022 (n = 877, 56.25%) as compared to 2020 (n = 682, 43.75%). The hospital records showed a greater number of male patients in the 2022 cohort (n = 603, 68.76%). The highest number of cases were observed in children aged 5–9 years in 2022 (n = 282, 32.16%) and 2020 (n = 255, 37.39%). In 2020 and 2022, cutaneous leishmaniasis cases showed peak aggregation in March (n = 118, 17.3%) and January (n = 322, 36.72%). From a spatial analysis, the maximum number of cutaneous leishmaniasis cases was recorded at 59–1700 m elevation in various land‐use/land‐cover and climatic regions with quaternary alluvium rock formations. A multivariate logistic regression model analysis of risk factors from the households survey suggested that age group, socio‐economic status, construction materials of the house, use of insect repellents, Afghan refugee camps in the village/district, knowledge and biting times of sand flies, frequent use of mosquito bed nets, presence of domestic animals in the house, knowledge of the transmission period and peak month of leishmaniasis infection increased the risk of acquiring cutaneous leishmaniasis (p  value < 0.05).Our analysis demonstrated that cutaneous leishmaniasis in children is influenced by a variety of environmental, socio‐demographic and behavioural risk factors in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The increase in recorded cases of cutaneous leishmaniasis in children in 2022 compared to 2020 suggests that the infection likely extended to new foci in the province. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractObjectivesMethodsResultsConclusionThis systematic review aims to critically evaluate and synthesize the economic outcomes of various therapeutic strategies employed to manage cachexia patients.A comprehensive search for randomized controlled trials and observational studies was conducted from January 1, 2000 to December 31, 2023, using PubMed, Google Scholar, Clinical Trials Registry, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, British Medical Journal, National Health Service Economic Evaluation Database, and ScienceDirect, following PRISMA guidelines. We assessed the quality of the included studies using the Consolidated Health Economic Evaluation Reporting Standards reporting guidelines.We identified six high to medium quality economic evaluations in four countries, focusing on cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and HIV/AIDS-associated cachexia. The results indicate that combination management strategies, specifically the use of nutritional supplements and exercise, are more cost-effective than usual care for cachexia syndrome. Additionally, two studies showed that dietary supplements alone were more cost-effective than usual care, and pharmacotherapy alone was more cost-effective than a placebo.Combining several strategies, such as nutritional supplements and exercise, may be the most economically efficient method for managing cachexia compared to usual care or single treatment approaches. However, the restricted and diverse characteristics of the current research hinder the definitive conclusions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tuberculosis (TB), caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis, ranks among the top causes of global human mortality, as reported by the World Health Organization’s 2022 TB report. The prevalence of M. tuberculosis strains that are multiple and extensive-drug resistant represents a significant barrier to TB eradication. Fortunately, having many completely sequenced M. tuberculosis genomes available has made it possible to investigate the species pangenome, conduct a pan-phylogenetic investigation, and find potential new drug targets. The 442 complete genome dataset was used to estimate the pangenome of M. tuberculosis. This study involved phylogenomic classification and in-depth analyses. Sequential filters were applied to the conserved core genome containing 2754 proteins. These filters assessed non-human homology, virulence, essentiality, physiochemical properties, and pathway analysis. Through these intensive filtering approaches, promising broad-spectrum therapeutic targets were identified. These targets were docked with FDA-approved compounds readily available on the ZINC database. Selected highly ranked ligands with inhibitory potential include dihydroergotamine and abiraterone acetate. The effectiveness of the ligands has been supported by molecular dynamics simulation of the ligand–protein complexes, instilling optimism that the identified lead compounds may serve as a robust basis for the development of safe and efficient drugs for TB treatment, subject to further lead optimization and subsequent experimental validation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This paper demonstrates the way tangent hyperbolic nanofluid flow through a vertical cone is influenced by varying viscosity and varying thermal conductivity. This study also seeks to illustrate the impact of convective boundary conditions on a fluid. The mathematical modeling also takes the Darcy–Forchheimer effect into account.Methodology: Using the appropriate similarity transformation, the fluid problem is reduced into a set of nonlinear ordinary differential equations. These systems of differential equations are evaluated numerically by applying the Optimal Homotopy Asymptotic Method.Findings: The nature of emergent parameters is examined in relation to the temperature distribution, nanoparticle concentration profile, and velocity profile. An increase in variable viscosity corresponds to a decrease in fluid velocity, while enhanced thermal conductivity results in elevated fluid temperature. The skin friction coefficient, Sherwood, and Nusselt numbers are numerically examined for active concerned parameters. These findings can be put into practice in a variety of fields such as polymer cooling systems and medication.Originality: Existing literature has yet to explore the combination of tangent hyperbolic nanofluids with varying viscosity and thermal conductivity under convective boundary conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BackgroundMethodsResults & ConclusionThis review aimed to explore the effect of mirror therapy (MT) on upper limb function in children and adolescents with hemiplegic cerebral palsy (HCP).MEDLINE, CENTRAL, Scopus, PEDro, and Web of Science were systematically searched. PEDro scale  was used for the quality assessment of included trials. Risk of Bias assessment was done using Cochrane Risk-of-bias tool version 2. Meta-analysis was performed on four of the seven studies included.The majority of the trials included in this review found MT efficacious in improving motor function in HCP. Quantitative analysis of the included trials using QUEST scores for evaluation of quality of upper extremity function revealed positive but non-significant difference between the groups (MD = −0.12; 95% CI = −2.57,2.33; Z = 0.09, p = .92). Pooled analysis of the included trials using BBT, however, favored control (MD = 4.98; 95% CI = 2.32,7.63; Z = 3.67, p = .0002). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A modified slotted microstrip patch sensor antenna has been developed for sensitivity enhancement to measure the moisture content of leaves. The design incorporates a rectangular slot positioned above the feed of a rectangular patch antenna. The antenna achieves resonant frequency at a lower range than the operating frequency of a traditional patch antenna without slot while maintaining a miniaturized form factor. To evaluate the sensitivity of the proposed modified slotted patch antenna, the variation in the resonant frequency and the reflection coefficient (S11) is observed with the sample under test (SUT), i.e., leaf is placed above the patch. A comparative analysis with regard to sensitivity and shift in frequency is performed between the designed antenna structures. The designed antenna is fabricated on a 0.8 mm F4B substrate in order to resonate within the 2.40–2.80 GHz range under unloaded conditions. The antenna's sensitivity is tested by performing parametric analysis with respect to the permittivity of the leaf ranging from 20 to 30. The experimental results reveal that the sensitivity of the proposed patch antenna is enhanced by a factor of 1.67 as compared to traditional patch antenna for the four levels of SUT, demonstrating an enhanced sensitivity in detecting the moisture content of leaves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cancer incidences are rising each year. In 2020, approximately 20 million new cancer cases and 10 million cancer‐related deaths were recorded. The World Health Organization (WHO) predicts that by 2024 the incidence of cancer will increase to 30.2 million individuals annually. Considering the invasive characteristics of its diagnostic procedures and therapeutic methods side effects, scientists are searching for different solutions, including using plant‐derived bioactive compounds, that could reduce the probability of cancer occurrence and make its treatment more comfortable. In this regard, oridonin (ORI), an ent‐kaurane diterpenoid, naturally found in the leaves of Rabdosia rubescens species, has been found to have antitumor, antiangiogenesis, antiasthmatic, antiinflammatory, and apoptosis induction properties. Extensive research has been performed on ORI to find various mechanisms involved in its anticancer activities. This review article provides an overview of ORI's effectiveness on murine and human cancer populations from 1976 to 2022 and provides insight into the future application of ORI in different cancer therapies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This paper aims to evaluate the effects of banana (Musa) peel and guava (Psidium guajava) leaves extract as mordants on jute–cotton union fabrics dyed with onion skin extract as a natural dye. Design/methodology/approach: The dye was extracted from the outer skin of onions by boiling in water and later concentrated. The bio-mordants were prepared by maceration using methanol and ethanol. The fabrics were pre-mordanted, simultaneously mordanted and post-mordanted with various concentrations according to the weight of the fabric. The dyed and mordanted fabrics were later subjected to measurement of color coordinates, color strength and colorfastness to the washing test. Furthermore, the dyed samples were characterized by Fourier transform infrared, and different chemical bonds were analyzed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis. Findings: Significant improvement was obtained in colorfastness and color strength values in various instances using banana peel and guava leaves as bio mordants. Post-mordanted with banana peel provided the best results for wash fastness. Better color strength was achieved by fabric post-mordanted with guava leave extracts. Originality/value: Sustainable dyeing methods of natural dyes using banana peel and guava leaves as bio mordants were explored on jute–cotton union fabrics. Improvement in colorfastness and color strength for various instances was observed. Thus, this paper provides a promising alternative to metallic salt mordants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research employs the FP-LAPW approach within density functional theory to investigate the structural, optical, electronic, and elastic features of GaXCl3 (X = Be, Ca) chloroperovskites. The computational analysis, incorporating Birch Murnaghan curve optimization for structural stability and IRelast for elastic constants, affirms the anisotropic, ductile, and mechanically stable nature of both GaBeCl3 and GaCaCl3. Electronic characteristics are examined using the Tb-mBJ potential, revealing GaBeCl3 as semiconducting with a 3.03 eV direct band gap (M-Γ) and GaCaCl3 as insulating with a 4.90 eV direct band gap (X–X). Total and partial densities of states (TDOS and PDOS) provide insights into the contributions of elemental states to the band structure. Optical features explored up to 13 eV emphasize significant peaks in the spectra based on observed electronic structures. These findings contribute to a more thorough comprehension of the physical characteristics of chloroperovskites based on Gallium, paving the way for their utilization in optoelectronic devices and as insulating materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction Methods Results Conclusion Leadless pacemakers (LPM) have established themselves as the important therapeutic modality in management of selected patients with symptomatic bradycardia. To determine real‐world utilization and in‐hospital outcomes of LPM implantation since its approval by the Food and Drug Administration in 2016.For this retrospective cohort study, data were extracted from the National Inpatient Sample database from the years 2016−2020. The outcomes analyzed in our study included implantation trends of LPM over study years, mortality, major complications (defined as pericardial effusion requiring intervention, any vascular complication, or acute kidney injury), length of stay, and cost of hospitalization. Implantation trends of LPM were assessed using linear regression. Using years 2016−2017 as a reference, adjusted outcomes of mortality, major complications, prolonged length of stay (defined as >6 days), and increased hospitalization cost (defined as median cost >34 098$) were analyzed for subsequent years using a multivariable logistic regression model.There was a gradual increased trend of LPM implantation over our study years (3230 devices in years 2016−2017 to 11 815 devices in year 2020, p for trend <.01). The adjusted mortality improved significantly after LPM implantation in subsequent years compared to the reference years 2016−2017 (aOR for the year 2018: 0.61, 95% CI: 0.51−0.73; aOR for the year 2019: 0.49, 95% CI: 0.41−0.59; and aOR for the year 2020: 0.52, 95% CI: 0.44−0.62). No differences in adjusted rates of major complications were demonstrated over the subsequent years. The adjusted cost of hospitalization was higher for the years 2019 (aOR: 1.33, 95% CI: 1.22−1.46) and 2020 (aOR: 1.69, 95% CI: 1.55−1.84).The contemporary US practice has shown significantly increased implantation rates of LPM since its approval with reduced rates of inpatient mortality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study evaluates factors influencing pregnancy rates per artificial insemination (P/AI) and pregnancy loss in Lohi ewes undergoing laparoscopic AI with frozen–thawed semen under sub‐tropical conditions. Data from three experiments comprising ewes (n = 358) of mixed parity (nulliparous; NP and parous; P), various body condition score (BCS) and assigned to long‐term (LTP, 11 days) and short‐term (STP, 5 days) oestrus synchronization regimen across high breeding season (HBS) and low breeding season (LBS) were analysed. Laparoscopic insemination was conducted 54 h post‐sponge removal. Pregnancy diagnosis and loss were evaluated on days 35 and 90 post‐insemination via ultrasonography. Results showed parity significantly influenced P/AI, with nulliparous ewes achieving higher pregnancy ratios than parous ewes (p =.001). BCS significantly influenced P/AI (p <.05), with a quadratic relationship observed between BCS and season (BCS*BCS*Season; p =.07). Progestin treatment did not significantly influence the ratio of pregnant ewes (p =.07). Pregnancy losses were significantly higher during LBS than HBS (p <.05), irrespective of progestin treatment. In conclusion, parity and BCS significantly influenced P/AI, with BCS demonstrating a quadratic association with season. Ewes bred during LBS experienced higher pregnancy losses than HBS, irrespective of progestin treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study aims to evaluate published clinical trials of ramucirumab to assess the risk/benefit profile and burden over time for patients. Background: The burden of oncologic drug development on patients paired with increasing clinical trial failure rates emphasizes the need for reform of drug development. Identifying and addressing patterns of excess burden can guide policy, ensure evidence‐based protections for trial participants, and improve medical decision‐making. Methods: On May 25, 2023 a literature search was performed on Pubmed/MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane CENTRAL, and ClinicalTrials.gov for clinical trials using ramucirumab as monotherapy or in combination with other interventions for cancer treatment. Authors screened titles and abstracts for potential inclusion in a masked, duplicate fashion. Following data screening, data was extracted in a masked, duplicate fashion. Trials were classified as positive when meeting their primary endpoint and safety, negative or indeterminate. Results: Ramucirumab was initially approved for gastric cancer but has since been tested in 20 cancers outside of its FDA approved indications. In our analysis of ramucirumab trials, there were a total of 10,936 participants and 10,303 adverse events reported. Gains in overall survival and progression‐free survival for patients were 1.5 and 1.2 months, respectively. FDA‐approved indications have reported more positive outcomes in comparison to off‐label indications. Conclusion: We found that FDA‐approved indications for ramucirumab had better efficacy outcomes than non‐approved indications. However, a concerning number of adverse events were observed across all trials assessed. Participants in ramucirumab randomized controlled trials saw meager gains in overall survival when evaluated against a comparison group. Clinicians should carefully weigh the risks associated with ramucirumab therapy given its toxicity burden and poor survival gains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study was designed to evaluate the genetic background of indigenous germplasm by using simple sequence repeats (SSRs) gene markers for the selection of elite lines with multiple gene combinations that can be used in breeding programs for wheat improvement against rust disease. The principal component analysis (PCA) was constructed to estimate the genetic difference between the accessions and revealed an 85.3% variation. A high level of association was found between markers XWMC170/XGWM608, XGWM44a/XGWM44b, XGDM111a/XGWM129, XWMC765a/XWMC765b, and GWM148a/XWMC765b while low level of correlation was observed between the markers CSLV34b and CSLV34a i.e -0.688 followed by GWM148a and XGWM129 (-0.633). Cluster analysis revealed three main groups but group A was totally different from B and C with the genetic distance of 18.5 revealing that these accessions were having totally different genetic bases and are more diversified than the others. A total of 40 reported genetic markers (SSRs) were utilized to amplify the required bands for identifying the genes and their genetic distance in terms of variations between the wheat germplasm. The highest amplification was revealed by XGDM19 (130 bp), WMC773 (298 bp), XWMC331a (210 bp), BARC114a (105 bp), barc86a (200 bp), and XBARC4a (90 bp) i.e. 50, 48, 47, 46, 45, and 42 respectively. The study was useful as disease-related SSRs markers were used for general diversity, making the single SSRs marker used for multiple purposes including disease resistance, genetic diversity, and mineral or ion identification. It will ultimately help in saving the cost, time, and effort rather than using individual/or specific markers for evaluating the genetic distance or base for the diversity analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite unprecedented quality improvement and defect prevention measures, producing a complete lot of perfect items is still highly unlikely due to the degradation of machines and processes over time. The previous studies on supply chains with defective/imperfect items have explored options such as process quality improvement investments, reworking, selling at a salvage value, or disposing of these items at an additional cost. This paper, contrary to existing literature, categorizes defective items into three types based on the level of imperfection: slightly, moderately, and highly defective items, and determines the optimal lot size for perfect and defective items. The focus is to develop a supply chain model for a single manufacturer and multiple retailers in the presence of defective items and manage defective products based on quality to generate profit from low-defective products rather than traditional defect rate reduction methods. Numerical examples and sensitivity analyses are presented to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed model in improving the total profit of the supply chain by optimizing production quantities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) stands as the most common cancer type, arising from various causes, and responsible for a substantial number of cancer-related fatalities. Recent advancements in viral metagenomics have empowered scientists to delve into the intricate diversity of the virosphere, viral evolution, interactions between viruses and their hosts, and the identification of viral causes behind disease outbreaks, the development of specific symptoms, and their potential role in altering the host's physiology. The present study had the objective of "Molecular Characterization of HBV, HCV, anelloviruses, CMV, SENV-D, SENV-H, HEV, and HPV viruses among individuals suffering from HCC." A total of 381 HCC patients contributed 10 cc of blood each for this study. The research encompassed the assessment of tumor markers, followed by molecular characterization of HBV, HCV, Anelloviruses (TTV, TTMV, and TTMDV), SENV-H and SENV-D viruses, HEV, CMV, and HPV, as well as histopathological examinations. The outcomes of this study revealed that majority of the HCC patients 72.4% (276/381) were male as compared to females. HCV infection, at 76.4% (291 out of 381), exhibited a significant association (p < 0.05) with HCC. Most patients displayed singular lesions in the liver, with Child Pugh Score Type B being the predominant finding in 45.2% of cases. Plasma virome analysis indicated the prevalence of TTMDV (75%), followed by TTMV (70%) and TTV (42.1%) among anelloviruses in HCC patients. Similarly, SENV-H (52%) was followed by SENV-D (20%), with co-infections at 15%. The presence of CMV and HEV among the HCC patients was recorded 5% each however 3.5% of the patients showed the presence of HPV. In conclusion, this study underscores that HCC patients serve as reservoirs for various pathogenic and non-pathogenic viruses, potentially contributing to the development, progression, and severity of the disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, an accurate analytical solution is presented for fuzzy FPDEs. It is done by using a novel method called the Laplace-residual power series (LRPSM) to build a series solution to the given problems. The fundamental instruments of the employed method are the Laplace transform, fractional Laurent, and fractional power series. Using the idea of a limit at infinity, we provide a series solution to a fuzzy FPDE with quick convergence and simple coefficient finding. We analyze three cases to obtain approximate and exact solutions to show the effectiveness and reliability of the Laplace- residual power series approach. To demonstrate the accuracy of the suggested procedure, we compare the findings to the real data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is mentioned that understanding linear and non-linear thermo-elasticity systems is important for understanding temperature, elasticity, stresses, and thermal conductivity. One of the most crucial aspects of the current research is the solution to these systems. The fractional form of several thermo-elastic systems is explored, and elegant solutions are provided. The solutions of fractional and integer thermo-elastic systems are further discussed using tables and diagrams. The closed contact between the LRPSM and exact solutions is displayed in the graphs. Plotting fractional problem solutions demonstrates their convergence towards integer-order problem solutions for suitable modeling. The tables confirm that greater precision is rapidly attained as the terms of the derived series solution increase. The faster convergence and stability of the suggested method support its modification for other fractional non-linear complex systems in nature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To encourage technological and industrial innovation, nations worldwide implement "re-industrialization" and "manufacturing return." This study investigates the relationship between GDP growth, expenditure on research and development, and medium- to high-tech as a percentage of manufactured exports on technological innovation in Pakistan. We evaluated long-run and short-run causal relationships using the ARDL, bound-F test, and ECM regression. The study found a positive relationship between GDP growth and technological innovation in the short and long run. In the short run, with a one-year lag, the analysis reveals a positive and statistically significant relationship between technological innovation, medium-high-tech exports, and GDP growth. In the long run, R&D is positive and significant, while economic growth and technological innovation are positive but not statistically significant. There is a 0.38 percent chance that exogenous shocks will eventually lead to equilibrium in the long run. Based on the findings of this study, it is recommended to allocate resources to research and development, promoting collaborative initiatives, ensuring intellectual property rights, and developing a skilled workforce. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to introduce a novel family of probability distributions by the well-known method of the T–X family of distributions. The proposed family is called a "Novel Generalized Exponent Power X Family" of distributions. A three-parameters special sub-model of the proposed method is derived and named a "Novel Generalized Exponent Power Weibull" distribution (NGEP-Wei for short). For the proposed family, some statistical properties are derived including the hazard rate function, moments, moment generating function, order statistics, residual life, and reverse residual life. The well-known method of estimation, the maximum likelihood estimation method is used for estimating the model parameters. Besides, a comprehensive Monte Carlo simulation study is conducted to assess the efficacy of this estimation method. Finally, the model selection criterion such as Akaike information criterion (AINC), the correct information criterion (CINC), the Bayesian information criterion (BINC), the Hannan–Quinn information criterion (HQINC), the Cramer–von-Misses (CRMI), and the ANDA (Anderson–Darling) are used for comparison purpose. The comparison of the NGEP-Wei with other rival distributions is made by Two COVID-19 data sets. In terms of performance, we show that the proposed method outperforms the other competing methods included in this study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Landfill leachate forms when waste-inherent water and percolated rainfall transfer are highly toxic, corrosive, acidic, and full of environmental pollutants. The release of leachate from municipal solid waste (MSW) landfill sites poses a severe hazard to human health and aquatic life. This study examined the impact of leachate from Delhi's Ghazipur landfill on the nearby groundwater quality. Analysis of leachate samples was done to determine various parameters such as total dissolved solids (TDS), hardness, alkalinity, electrical conductivity, pH, BOD5, COD, nitrate, sulphate, chloride and iron, and presence of coliform bacteria. Significant dissolved elements (22,690–34,525 mg/L) were observed in the samples, indicated by the high conductivity value (1156–1405 mho/cm). However, a stable pH range (6.90–7.80) of leachate samples was observed due to high alkalinity concentrations between 2123 and 3256 mg/L. The inverse distance weighing (IDW) interpolation tool from QGIS 3.22.7 developed spatial interpolated models for each parameter across the Ghazipur area. The IDW interpolated graphs of various parameters over the whole study area confirmed these contaminations. In addition, leachate and groundwater samples were physio-chemically analyzed, and temporal fluctuation in landfill waste has also been studied. The temporal fluctuation results showed that when heat is produced, transmitted, and lost throughout the waste system, the maximum temperature position fluctuates over time. The findings of this study highlight the critical importance of landfill management in reducing groundwater contamination from MSW leachate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines the role of legal structure in explaining financial development in twenty-three emerging markets, which has not been explored in institutional economics literature before. This study relied on Pedroni, and Kao cointegration tests, which is followed by the renowned panel cointegration technique. The results of the Pedroni and Kao cointegration tests show that the variables understudy is cointegrated in the long-run. These findings are confirmed by the panel cointegration showing that legal structure (LS) has positive impact on financial development (FIND) in long-run that support Law and Finance, and New Institutional Economics theories in emerging markets. This study is the first to directly examine the long-run impact of LS on FIND in emerging markets, and the result remains consistent across alternative measure of FIND. The findings of this study have important policy implications for emerging markets. Policymakers should focus on creating a legal environment that is conducive to financial development. This includes strengthening the legal framework, improving regulatory regimes, and promoting market autonomy. Additionally, policymakers should work to attract foreign investment, which can help spur economic growth and development in emerging markets. The findings of the study are consistent across battery of robustness testing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]