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Impaired cholesterol efflux and/or uptake can influence arterial lipid accumulation leading to atherosclerosis. Here, we report that tripartite motif-containing protein 13 (TRIM13), a RING-type E3 ubiquitin ligase, plays a role in arterial lipid accumulation leading to atherosclerosis. Using molecular approaches and KO mouse model, we found that TRIM13 expression was induced both in the aorta and peritoneal macrophages (pMφ) of ApoE−/− mice in response to Western diet (WD) in vivo. Furthermore, proatherogenic cytokine interleukin-1β also induced TRIM13 expression both in pMφ and vascular smooth muscle cells. Furthermore, we found that TRIM13 via ubiquitination and degradation of liver X receptor (LXR)α/β downregulates the expression of their target genes ABCA1/G1 and thereby inhibits cholesterol efflux. In addition, TRIM13 by ubiquitinating and degrading suppressor of cytokine signaling 1/3 (SOCS1/3) mediates signal transducer and activator of transcription 1 (STAT1) activation, CD36 expression, and foam cell formation. In line with these observations, genetic deletion of TRIM13 by rescuing cholesterol efflux and inhibiting foam cell formation protects against diet-induced atherosclerosis. We also found that while TRIM13 and CD36 levels were increased, LXRα/β, ABCA1/G1, and SOCS3 levels were decreased both in Mφ and smooth muscle cells of stenotic human coronary arteries as compared to nonstenotic arteries. More intriguingly, the expression levels of TRIM13 and its downstream signaling molecules were correlated with the severity of stenotic lesions. Together, these observations reveal for the first time that TRIM13 plays a crucial role in diet-induced atherosclerosis, and that it could be a potential drug target against this vascular lesion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to fulfill consumer demand, energy storage may provide flexible electricity generation and delivery. By 2030, the amount of energy storage needed will quadruple what it is today, necessitating the use of very specialized equipment and systems. Energy storage is a technology that stores energy for use in power generation, heating, and cooling applications at a later time using various methods and storage mediums. Through the storage of excess energy and subsequent usage when needed, energy storage technologies can assist in maintaining a balance between generation and demand. Energy storage technologies are anticipated to play a significant role in electricity generation in future grids, working in conjunction with distributed generation resources. The use of renewable energy sources, including solar, wind, marine, geothermal, and biomass, is expanding quickly across the globe. The primary methods of storing energy include hydro, mechanical, electrochemical, and magnetic systems. Thermal energy storage, electric energy storage, pumped hydroelectric storage, biological energy storage, compressed air system, super electrical magnetic energy storage, and photonic energy conversion systems are the main topics of this study, which also examines various energy storage materials and their methodologies. In the present work, the concepts of various energy storage techniques and the computation of storage capacities are discussed. Energy storage materials are essential for the utilization of renewable energy sources and play a major part in the economical, clean, and adaptable usage of energy. As a result, a broad variety of materials are used in energy storage, and they have been the focus of intense research and development as well as industrialization. This review article discusses the recent developments in energy storage techniques such as thermal, mechanical, electrical, biological, and chemical energy storage in terms of their utilization. The focus of the study has an emphasis on the solar-energy storage system, which is future of the energy technology. It has been found that with the current storage technology, the efficiency of the various solar collectors was found to be increased by 37% compared with conventional solar thermal collectors. This work will guide the researchers in making their decisions while considering the qualities, benefits, restrictions, costs, and environmental factors. As a result, the findings of this review study may be very beneficial to many different energy sector stakeholders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The primary aim of the research is to improve photovoltaic thermal systems, with a particular focus on enhancing their efficiency and overall effectiveness by utilizing the Fresnel lens and nanofluid-based liquid spectrum filter with a dual-axis solar tracker. The study explores innovative techniques, including the application of nanofluid to cool the solar panel. This cooling not only increases the electrical efficiency of the solar panels but also extends their life span by effectively preventing overheating. Moreover, the research investigates the utilization of solar trackers, which optimize the collection of solar energy by continuously aligning the panels with the sun's position. The consideration of the parameters—flow rate, ambient air temperature, wind speed, and solar intensity—led to a significant improvement in the thermal and electrical efficiencies. The electrical efficiency increases from 15.5 to 19.6%, while the thermal efficiency increases from 52.6 to 58.7% by optimizing the considered parameters. This is a companion study of the photovoltaic thermal system that reveals the influence of new parameters. By implementing these advancements, the research significantly contributes to the development of sustainable and high-performance solar energy solutions suitable for diverse applications, spanning both residential and industrial sectors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dissolved oxygen (DO) is an important parameter in assessing water quality. The reduction in DO concentration is the result of eutrophication, which degrades the quality of water. Aeration is the best way to enhance the DO concentration. In the current study, the aeration efficiency (E20) of various numbers of circular jets in an open channel was experimentally investigated for different channel angle of inclination (θ), discharge (Q), number of jets (Jn), Froude number (Fr), and hydraulic radius of each jet (HRJn). The statistical results show that jets from 8 to 64 significantly provide aeration in the open channel. The aeration efficiency and input parameters are modelled into a linear relationship. Additionally, utilizing WEKA software, three soft computing models for predicting aeration efficiency were created with Artificial Neural Network (ANN), M5P, and Random Forest (RF). Performance evaluation results and box plot have shown that ANN is the outperforming model with correlation coefficient (CC) = 0.9823, mean absolute error (MAE) = 0.0098, and root mean square error (RMSE) = 0.0123 during the testing stage. In order to assess the influence of different input factors on the E20 of jets, a sensitivity analysis was conducted using the most effective model, i.e., ANN. The sensitivity analysis results indicate that the angle of inclination is the most influential input variable in predicting E20, followed by discharge and the number of jets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We examined whether females with a history of traumatic brain injury (TBI) and intimate partner violence (IPV) have greater exposure to lifetime trauma relative to females with TBI but no IPV history. Further, we assessed the effects of lifetime trauma on psychological outcomes after TBI. Female participants (n = 70; age M [standard deviation–SD] = 50.5 [15.2] years) with TBI (time since injury median [interquartile range –IQR] = 10.2 [5.3–17.8] years) completed a structured assessment of lifetime history of TBI, including an IPV module to query head injuries from physical violence by an intimate partner. We characterized lifetime trauma exposure with the Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) questionnaire and Survey of Exposure to Community Violence (CV). We evaluated psychological functioning with self-report questionnaires of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, and anxiety symptoms. Compared with those with no IPV history (n = 51), participants reporting IPV-related head injuries (n = 19; 27.1%) reported more ACEs (M[SD] IPV: 4.5[2.9]; No IPV: 1.6[1.8], p < 0.001, d = 1.08) and greater CV (IPV: 17.5[8.4]; No IPV: 7.6[6.1], p < .0001, d = 1.26). Within the full sample, ACEs (β = 0.21, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.04–0.39) and CV (β = 0.07, 95% CI = 0.01–0.13) predicted worse PTSD symptoms, while IPV alone did not. Exposure to all three sources of trauma (ACEs, CV, and IPV) was associated with worse PTSD symptoms relative to fewer traumas. The results highlight the scope of traumatic exposures among TBI survivors and the importance of considering IPV and other lifetime trauma exposure in assessing and managing TBI. Trauma-informed interventions that are modified for TBI-related impairment may offer improved outcomes in managing psychological symptoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

India has an abundance of solar energy resources. Nearly 90% of the urban dwellers in different parts of India used electricity for heating water. Using electricity for resident water heating not only contributes to negative environment impact via the emission of a substantial quantity of carbon dioxide but also places a financial burden on households. The examination of solar irradiance, economic feasibility, and hot water demands is crucial in assessing the potential of solar thermal collector (STC) to fulfill hot water requirement. In order to enhance the value of the STC, it is essential for the collector to effectively manage operations with a focus on minimizing cost. To get an optimal heating effect, the present STC is fastened with an obstruction inside the tube. The collector is examined in three distinct seasons to observe temperature variations and the appropriate use of the device during non-operational hours. The recommended average temperatures for summer, rainy season, and winter are 68, 57, and 47 °C, respectively. Additionally, a thorough examination of the economic analysis and payback period for STC was also conducted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Purpose Altered levels of consciousness resulting from a vascular insult to the brain can vary from confusion to coma. A disruption in the function of the brain stem reticular activating system in the brain stem or both cerebral hemispheres and thalami causes coma. This study is aimed at finding the effect of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) on motor recovery in altered conscious patients after traumatic brain injury and cerebrovascular accident. Materials and Methods A total of 100 patients admitted to the neurology and neurosurgery unit of the university hospital were screened and 40 subjects who satisfied inclusion criteria were recruited and randomly divided into two groups, group A (experimental; n = 20) and group B (control; n = 20), by computerized randomization. Written informed consent was taken from all the caregivers before recruitment. After taking the preliminary assessment, anodal tDCS is given to the motor area (C3/C4 ipsilesional), sensory area (P3/P4 ipsilesional), and left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (F3) according to the 10/20 electroencephalogram montage for two sessions of 20 min/day for 7 consecutive days. Routine physiotherapy was also given the same as group B. Results At baseline, there were no significant group differences in the baseline characteristics. The groups passed the normality test. The results were tested for statistical significance between the groups by Mann–Whitney U -test and by one-way analysis of variance and Tukey Honest Significant Difference for post-hoc comparison; the results were statistically different with p -value less than 0.05 with a large effect size. Conclusion We conclude, based on the results of this study, that tDCS can be effective in motor recovery in altered consciousness patients. It is noninvasive, cost-effective with minimal contraindications, and does not interfere with other modalities in the intensive care unit. Hence, it can be administered safely under the supervision of a qualified therapist. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present work, we constrain the equations of the state of asymmetric dense matter in consideration of the heaviest observed neutron star mass M max = 2.35 ± 0.17 M ⊙ for the black widow pulsar PSR J0952-0607, finite and bulk nuclear properties. We propose four interactions for the relativistic mean field model which include different combinations of non-linear, self, and cross-couplings among isoscalar–scalar σ , isoscalar–vector ω , isovector–vector ρ and isovector–scalar meson δ meson fields up to the quartic order. These interactions harmonize with the finite nuclei and bulk nuclear matter properties. It is observed that interactions obtained with the inclusion of δ meson coupling with nucleons have a significant effect on the slope of symmetry energy (L), radius (R 1.4 ) , and dimensionless tidal deformability (Λ 1.4) corresponding to a canonical mass neutron star. The radius of 2.08 M ⊙ neutron star mass is predicted to be in the range R 2.08 = 12.98–13.34 km which also satisfies the NICER observations Miller et al. (Astrophys. J. Lett. 918, L28 (2021). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, the dynamic stiffness method (DSM) is implemented to analyze the out-of-plane free vibration behavior of uniform thickness and stepped functionally graded plates with power-law material property variation (P-FGM) along the thickness direction. The P-FGM plate is discretized suitably in a number of segments, and for each segment the dynamic stiffness (DS) matrix is formulated. The displacement field is defined with respect to the physical neutral surface of the plate based on the first-order shear deformation theory (FSDT). Assuming Levy-type plate boundary conditions, the governing differential equations are solved exactly to obtain the DS matrix pertaining to a plate segment. Finally, the eigenvalues and eigenvectors of the assembled global DS matrix are computed using the Wittrick–Williams algorithm to obtain the natural frequencies and mode shapes of various P-FGM plate configurations. It is shown that the frequency results obtained using DSM are very accurate as the method utilizes the exact solution of the governing differential equations. It is emphasized that FSDT-based frequency results for stepped P-FGM plates are reported, for the first time, in this article, and these results can be used as benchmark solutions for comparison purposes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present paper deals with the modal analysis of sigmoid functionally graded (S-FGM) rectangular plate resting on elastic foundation by using the dynamic stiffness method (DSM). The DSM is formulated based on the exact solutions of the governing differential equations, and thereby it results in the very accurate computation of the natural frequencies. To obtain the DSM results for thicker plates, the study incorporates first-order shear deformation theory (FSDT) which includes the important effects of transverse shear deformation and rotatory inertia. The governing equations and the associated natural boundary conditions are derived using Hamilton's principle, and the solution is sought in the Levy form where two opposite edges of the plate are simply supported. The present study also contributes by highlighting mistakes in the classical plate theory (CPT)-based DSM formulation published in a recent work and presents a correct CPT-based mathematical formulation. For both these cases, the frequency-dependent dynamic stiffness matrix of the S-FGM plate gives rise to the transcendental eigenvalue problem, which is solved by using the Wittrick and Williams algorithm. Comparison with the available literature establishes the accuracy of the method. In addition, a parametric study is presented for various geometric and stiffness parameters of the elastically supported S-FGM plates using both CPT- and FSDT-based formulations, and accurate frequency results are reported. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seed potato crop in the north-western parts of India is largely grown after paddy in strict compliance to various components of the Seed Plot Technique, with planting during the first fortnight of October and haulm-cutting in the last week of December for minimum exposure to virus-transmitting aphid vectors. Owing to the government restrictions on the date of seeding and transplanting of paddy to maintain the level of the underground water table, the harvesting of paddy often gets delayed in the region. However, quality seed potatoes can be produced only if the planting and haulm cutting dates are adjusted as per the activity of virus-transmitting insect vectors. Therefore, we conducted field experiments for 2 years to study the effect of planting dates on plant growth parameters and tuber yield of two popular cultivars Kufri Pukhraj and Kufri Jyoti. Vector populations were also examined in all the planting dates until dehaulming. Results showed that the yield of seed-size tubers was at par for the first three dates of planting (15 Oct., 25 Oct., and 05 Nov.). The number and yield of over-sized tubers decreased sharply, and that of under-sized tubers increased with progressive delay in planting. The activity of virus-transmitting aphids and whiteflies remained low from mid-November to mid-January, with an appreciable effect of the daily temperature. Hence, planting up to the last week of October and dehaulming before the second week of January do not affect the yield of seed-size tubers significantly. On the other hand, to ensure the quality of the product, continuous monitoring of vector activity is necessary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present work deals with the implementation of the dynamic stiffness method (DSM) for exact in-plane and out-of-plane vibration analysis of carbon nanotube (CNT)-reinforced multilayered functionally graded (FG) plates with three different CNT distributions. The frequency-dependent dynamic stiffness matrix is solved using Wittrick-William technique to obtain the natural frequencies and mode shapes of FG-CNT plates having different geometrical configurations. The effect of varying plate parameters is extensively studied. Influence of layer configurations on the dynamic behavior of the plates is highlighted. Most of these reported results are new and will be useful in the design of non-uniform FG-CNT plate structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Many school children experience psychological inflexibility, which leads to anxiety regarding their academic wellbeing, subsequently affecting their psychological well-being. The objectives of the present study were to investigate the relationship between psychological inflexibility and academic anxiety among school children, understand the sociodemographic characteristics of the selected participants, and identify significant mean differences in subgroups based on sociodemographic details in relation to psychological inflexibility and academic anxiety. Aim: To examine the relationship between psychological inflexibility and academic anxiety in students who were preparing for their board exams. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study involved the selection of 348 school children from 9th to 12th grade in Madurai, Tamil Nadu, India, using simple random sampling. Data collection took place from March 2021 to June 2021. The study employed a 17-item Acceptance and Fusion Questionnaire (AFQ-17), a 25-item academic anxiety scale, and a semi-structured interview schedule. The data analysis was performed using the Statistical Package for Social Services (SPSS) software, version 19.0. Descriptive statistics were used, and the Pearson's correlation method was employed to determine the relationship between variables. Additionally, a one-way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) was conducted to identify significant mean differences between demographic variables, with a 95% confidence level and p-value<0.05 considered as statistically significant. Results: Out of the total 348 participants, majority 184 (52.9%) were in the age group of 16 to 18 years. The results indicate a positive correlation (r=0.117, p<0.05) between the level of psychological inflexibility and academic anxiety among school children. Furthermore, significant relationships were found between psychological inflexibility and academic anxiety in terms of age and gender. Conclusion: The present study highlights a positive correlation between psychological inflexibility and academic anxiety. It emphasises the importance of raising awareness, promoting psychological flexibility, and reducing academic anxiety among school children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Asian seabass, Lates calcarifer, is an important species in the Asia-Pacific region and is cultured widely. The growing demand for its seed has led to an increase in commercial introductions from other nations to India. In the current study, we developed novel microsatellite markers and analysed the natural genetic diversity of L. calcarifer. The whole genome was sequenced on PacBio RSII to generate low-depth data. A total of 519 microsatellites were mined from the assembled genome. Genetic diversity and population structure were analysed in L. calcarifer using the newly developed set of microsatellite loci. Most of the loci exhibited high polymorphic information content (PIC) with an average of 0.637. A total of 213 alleles were detected. The mean observed and expected heterozygosity were 0.548 and 0.679, respectively. The probability of identity (PID/PIDsib) demonstrated the utility of loci for individual identification. Moderate to high levels of genetic diversity was evident, with an overall FST of 0.031. The pairwise FST and AMOVA results showed significant divergence among the populations and suggested that the samples were not drawn from a single gene pool. The clustering (PCoA and DAPC) suggested the possibility of the presence of distinct genetic populations on Indian coasts. The study developed a validated marker set for deciphering genetic diversity and will be useful for various purposes of conservation and aquaculture, such as identifying selection signatures, parentage assignment, and genetic improvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this work is to develop the precursor-based Al foam by deposition of AA6063-T6 consumable rod, filled with a foamable mixture of titanium hydrate (TiH2) and aluminium powder over a mild steel substrate through friction stir deposition (FSD) technique. The AA6063-T6 consumable rods were drilled with different hole strategies ranging from 1 to 6 holes on the periphery of the rod, which were filled with foaming powder of the same composition. To perform the deposition, a conventional vertical milling machine was used. The deposited material presents a fine equiaxed grain whose size is much lower than the as-received material, indicating dynamic recrystallization during friction stir deposition. The results also show that the foaming particles decrease the hardness values of the produced deposits when compared to those of base material. It has been observed that 4 and 5 numbers of holes in the consumable rod are more suitable for foam development and the foaming particles are more uniform as obtained from energy dispersive spectrum (EDS) and scanning electron microscope (SEM) analysis. It is also observed that by increasing the number of holes in the rod more than 5 promote the formation of defects in the developed foam. The consumable rod with 4 and 5 holes shows the linear plateau stress in the compressive test as compared to 1, 2, 3 and 6 holes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Sapota is a salt-tolerant fruit tree species that can provide significant ecological and economic benefits in salt-affected agroecosystems. • Saline and sodic irrigation water significantly reduced the growth attributes of Sapota in the range of 20–50%, but some cultivars (CSRS 13 and CSRS 15) showed better adaptation to these conditions. • Saline irrigation water increased the Na+ ion content while decreasing the K+ ion content and K+/Na+ ratio, while sodicity stress modulated the physiological processes in Sapota. • Sapota could be successfully cultivated with RSC 2.5 meq/l and EC iw 8 ds/m, using specific cultivars that can tolerate these conditions, such as CSRS 13 and CSRS 15. Salt stress adversely affects the growth and physiological relations in most tree fruit species. Little is known about genetic variation for salt tolerance, and the physiological mechanisms underlying salt tolerance in sapota (Achras zapota), an underutilized fruit crop valued for its nutritive and medicinal properties. Here, we examined the effects of saline (EC iw 4, 8, 12, and 16 dS/m) and sodic (RSC 2.5 and 5.0meq/l) water treatments on plant growth, physiology, and ion homeostasis in the different genotypes of Sapota. Although saline and sodic treatments appreciably reduced the plant growth (i.e., by 20–50%) compared to salt-free plants, genotypes 'CSRS-13' and 'CSRS-15' performed better than others. Salt-induced reductions in leaf area were indicative of the ability of sapota to better acclimatize to prolonged salinity stress by regulating the biomass production. Saline and sodic irrigation treatments increased the leaf Na+ and decreased the leaf K+; albeit with clear-cut genotypic differences. We observed better ion homeostasis in genotype 'CSRS-17' under salinity stress, and better physiological adaptations in genotypes 'CSRS-11' and 'CSRS-17' under sodicity stress. Principal Component Analysis revealed strikingly different responses of sapota genotypes to 'low' and 'high' salinity/sodicity treatments. Strong cultivar-specific responses to salinity and sodicity stresses evinced the existence of genetic variation for salt tolerance in sapota. Overall, our findings demonstrated the feasibility of sapota cultivation in areas with moderate sodicity (RSC ∼2.5 meq/l), and moderate-to-high salinity (∼8.0 dS/m). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present an efficient ultrathin broadband metamaterial (MTM) solar absorber design to enhance the efficiency of solar energy harvesting devices. The simulated MTM absorber consists of only two layers of gallium arsenide and tungsten. The dielectric layer of GaAs is used as a metasurface (resonator) over a ground layer of tungsten. The proposed absorber shows a usual absorbance of 96.57% in the 375 nm to 1200 nm region. We have extracted the complex impedance parameters for computing the absorbance of the absorber. The absorber exhibits polarization-independent behaviours for a wide range of incident angles. We have evaluated the short-circuit current density (Jsc) with different incident angles. We have also calculated the absorbance performance at different angles for TE and TM modes. The average absorbance observes approximately 95.41 and 96.88%. Simultaneously we have also calculated the open-circuit voltage (Voc), fill factor (FF) and conversion efficiency (η), whose values are 0.72 V, 84.85% and 27.33%, respectively. The proposed absorber can be utilized as an ultrathin compact solar energy absorber device with efficient solar radiation absorptivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, we report the detection of high-frequency quasi-periodic oscillation (QPO) in the black hole X-ray binary MAXI J1348−630 in its hard spectral state. MAXI J1348−630 went through a reflare during MJD 58634 to MJD 58674 after a 104 d long outburst which began on MJD 58509. During the reflare, the binary system evolved through a series of hard states of varying luminosity. We detected a high-frequency QPO at 98.3 Hz with a significance of 3.7σ in one of the NICER observations during its evolution. It was argued that the QPO frequency might be related to the Keplerian frequency of the accretion flow at the inner radius around a Kerr black hole. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The analytical expression of the density-dependent binding energy per nucleon for the relativistic mean field (RMF), the so-called relativistic energy density functional (Relativistic-EDF), is used to obtain the isospin-dependent symmetry energy and its components for the isotopic chain of Sc-, Ti-, V- and Cr-nuclei. The procedure of the coherent density fluctuation model is employed to formulate the Relativistic-EDF and Brüeckner energy density functional (Brüeckner-EDF) at local density. A few signatures of shell and/or sub-shell closure are observed in the symmetry energy and its components, i.e. surface and volume symmetry energy, far from the β -stable region for odd- A Sc- and V-, and even–even Ti- and Cr- nuclei with nonlinear NL3 and G3 parameter sets. A comparison is made with the results obtained from Relativistic-EDF and Brüeckner-EDF with both NL3 and G3 for the considered isotopic chains. We find Relativistic-EDF outperforms the Brüeckner-EDF in predicting the shell and/or sub-shell closure of neutron-rich isotopes at N = 5 0 for these atomic nuclei. Moreover, a relative comparison has been made for the results obtained with the nonlinear NL3 and G3 parameter sets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present the detail basement and trends of geological structures associated with the Mesozoic-Cenozoic volcanism in the south–western region of the Nigerian Benue trough using recent gravity and magnetic anomalies of the region. The analysis aimed at recognizing and mapping the basement structure that controlled the distribution and source host of hydrocarbon and other economic mineral resources in the region. The structural recognition and mapping is done on the basis of the utilization of the Tilt Angle (TA) and Total Horizontal Derivative of the Tilt Angle (THDTA) of gravity and magnetic data. From these techniques, we have been able to identify and mapped out those edges of anomalous sources due to the gravity and magnetic data that are in association with the basement geological structures of the area. Based on the mapped structural trends, it is observed that the basement structures derived from both the gravity and magnetic anomalies correlated well with the zones of volcanic rocks around Gboko and area between Lefin and Oturkpo. The two locations are sitting over gravity and magnetic highs suggesting high density and susceptibility material below the subsurface. The Euler deconvolution method suggested depths between 1 and 5 km from both gravity and magnetic data. Deeper basement of anomalous sources are suggested between 3 and 5 km. The 1 km depth interprets the regions of basement highs or corresponding to intrusive zones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, a simulation of surface plasmon resonance (SPR) based Al-doped ZnO (AZO) coated long-range low refractive index detections in infrared range sensor by the finite element method is presented. Plasmonic material Al-doped ZnO is used for SPR conditions in the desired range. The effects of AZO layer thickness on resonance wavelength, confinement loss, and sensitivity of the proposed sensor are examined for different analyte refractive indices. We have optimized coated AZO layer thickness of 90 nm and width of 124.70 µm in our work. The proposed infrared sensor has achieved refractive index sensitivity 2000–16,000 nm/RIU, and the resolution 5.00 × 10 - 5 - 6.25 × 10 - 6 RIU for the analyte's refractive index range from 1.23 to 1.37. The proposed sensor may be utilized for detecting low refractive index organic chemicals, biomedical, and liquid foods and may also be used in other sensing applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We propose a highly efficient, low-cost metamaterial absorber of nickel (Ni) metal-based cone-shaped resonators with a silicon dioxide dielectric layer (SiO2). The proposed absorber exhibits an average absorption of 97% for the transverse magnetic and transverse electric modes over the visible region simulated by CST software. The nickel-metal impedance coincides with the impedance of free space and makes the proposed design an effective broadband absorber in the visible region. The average absorption with different incidence angles obtains over 90%, showing the polarization angles' independence. The average absorption spectra are also examined for the absorber with different noble metals. In addition, short-circuit current densities (Jsc) are calculated at different incidence angles for both modes under a global air mass of 1.5 (AM1.5). We have also plotted the J–V curve to obtain the values of the open-circuit voltage (Voc), Fill Factor, and conversion efficiency (η), whose values are 0.563 V, 81.86, and 11.68%, respectively. The proposed metamaterial absorber can be utilized to develop more reliable, highly efficient, cost-effective, and maximum-power extraction photovoltaic systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Asthma is chronic lung disease. Reducing exposure to tobacco smoke is vital for both primary prevention of asthma and disease management. Adherence to medical advice is crucial for the effectiveness of treatments. This research explores the connected dynamics of smoking habits, asthma prevalence, and medication adherence among urban slum dwellers. METHODS: A door-to-door survey was conducted in two urban slums of Delhi, employing a random sampling method to study 318 households comprehensively. Two proficient research volunteers administered a questionnaire designed to assess smoking habits, asthma prevalence, adherence to prescribed medications, and devices used by individuals with asthma. RESULTS: The overall prevalence of asthma was found at 1.6%, with gender-specific rates of 0.9% and 0.7% for males and females, respectively, with a mean age of 35.62 years (standard deviation = 15.93) in the population of 1376 individuals. Within the cohort of asthmatic patients, 13.6% exhibited severe asthma. Despite their asthma diagnosis, 9.1% were current active smokers, and 18.2% transitioned to the use of smokeless tobacco. The odds ratio for being asthmatic in smokers as compared to nonsmokers was 2.11 (95% confidence interval: 0.81–5.46, P = 0.1224). A significant proportion of patients displayed lapses in adhering to prescribed medication regimens. CONCLUSION: The current study sheds light on a concerning trend of negligence observed in both medical adherence and smoking habits among asthmatic patients. The findings underscore the imperative for targeted interventions and educational initiatives aimed at enhancing adherence to medical regimens and mitigating smoking behaviors within this vulnerable patient population. Addressing these factors is pivotal for enhancing comprehensive asthma management, alleviating associated risks, and promoting more favorable long-term health outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We propose a cross-shaped resonator design of a metamaterial (MTM) absorber that shows a 98% average absorbance in the range of 400–1100 nm. This design consists of three layers: a tungsten-based cross-shaped on the top, silicon dioxide (SiO2) in the middle layer, and a tungsten layer at the bottom. The finite integration technique (FIT) method is used to simulate the metamaterial absorber's performance. We have observed the absorber's performance on the different thicknesses of a dielectric layer. We have presented the absorption spectrum for transverse electric (TE) and transverse magnetic (TM) modes for different polarization angles (0°–90°) and incident angles (0°–60°). Additionally, we have investigated the short-circuit current density for different dielectric layer thicknesses and different incidence angles. This is theoretically analogous to parametric studies. The universal AM 1.5 solar spectrum properties have been used to investigate the feasibility of the proposed MTM absorber as a solar cell. The proposed MTM has many potential uses, including for solar cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For many years, experts have recognized the importance of studying traumatic brain injury (TBI) among active-duty service members and veterans. A majority of this research has been conducted in Veterans Administration (VA) or Department of Defense settings. However, far less is known about military personnel who seek their medical care outside these settings. Studies that have been conducted in civilian settings have either not enrolled active duty or veteran participants, or failed to measure military history, precluding study of TBI outcomes by military history. The purpose of the present study was to determine associations between military history and medical (prevalence of 25 comorbid health conditions), cognition (Brief Test of Adult Cognition by Telephone), and psychological health (Patient Health Questionnaire-9 [PHQ-9], Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7, suicidality [9th item from PHQ-9]) in the first 5 years after TBI. In this prospective study, we analyzed data from the TBI Model Systems National Database. Participants were 7797 individuals with TBI admitted to one of 21 civilian inpatient rehabilitation facilities from April 1, 2010, to November 19, 2020, and followed up to 5 years. We assessed the relationship between military history (any versus none, combat exposure, service era, and service duration) and TBI outcomes. We found specific medical conditions were significantly more prevalent 1 year post-TBI among individuals who had a history of combat deployment (lung disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder [PTSD], and sleep disorder), served in post-draft era (chronic pain, liver disease, arthritis), and served >4 years (high cholesterol, PTSD, sleep disorder). Individuals with military history without combat deployment had modestly more favorable cognition and psychological health in the first 5 years post-injury relative to those without military history. Our data suggest that individuals with TBI with military history are heterogeneous, with some favorable and other deleterious health outcomes, relative to their non-military counterparts, which may be driven by characteristics of service, including combat exposure and era of service. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to present evidence regarding the associations between smoking and the following urologic cancers: prostate, bladder, renal, and upper tract urothelial cancer (UTUC). Methods: This is a narrative review. PubMed was queried for evidence-based analyses and trials regarding the associations between smoking and prostate, bladder, renal, and UTUC tumors from inception to September 1, 2022. Emphasis was placed on articles referenced in national guidelines and protocols. Results: Prostate—multiple studies associate smoking with higher Gleason score, higher tumor stage, and extracapsular invasion. Though smoking has not yet been linked to tumorigenesis, there is evidence that it plays a role in biochemical recurrence and cancer-specific mortality. Bladder—smoking is strongly associated with bladder cancer, likely due to DNA damage from the release of carcinogenic compounds. Additionally, smoking has been linked to increased cancer-specific mortality and higher risk of tumor recurrence. Renal—smoking tobacco has been associated with tumorigenesis, higher tumor grade and stage, poorer mortality rates, and a greater risk of tumor recurrence. UTUC—tumorigenesis has been associated with smoking tobacco. Additionally, more advanced disease, higher stage, lymph node metastases, poorer survival outcomes, and tumor recurrence have been linked to smoking. Conclusion: Smoking has been shown to significantly affect most urologic cancers and has been associated with more aggressive disease, poorer outcomes, and tumor recurrence. The role of smoking cessation is still unclear, but appears to provide some protective effect. Urologists have an opportunity to engage in primary prevention by encouraging cessation practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Cancer is the second leading cause of death globally, accounting for an estimated 9.6 million deaths, or one in six deaths, in 2018. Lung, prostate, colorectal, stomach, and liver cancers are the most common types of cancer in men, while breast, colorectal, lung, cervical, and thyroid cancers are the most common among women. The present study attempts to determine the various factors associated with lung cancer in Indian settings. Objectives: This study aimed to study various epidemiological and environmental risk factors associated with lung cancer and making suitable recommendations. Materials and Methods: The present study is a case--control study and carried out at a tertiary care hospital of India. The population comprised patients attending the hospital for any of their disease conditions. The sample size was calculated as 68 cases and 68 controls. The duration of study was January 2015--June 2017. Ethical clearance was obtained from the college institutional ethics committee before the start of the study. Informed consent was obtained from each subject before the conduct of the study. Data collection was done by a pretested and prestructured questionnaire. Data entry and analysis was entered by researcher and analyzed using SPSS version 20 software. Results: On analysis, it was found that the use of tobacco product, duration of incense stick use, and fuel used for cooking food or heating significantly associated with lung cancer. Conclusions: The study concluded in bringing out the various epidemiological and other environmental risk factors causing lung cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mechanistic pathways for nucleophilic aromatic substitution of the nitro groups of 5,7-dinitro-3H-quinazolin-4-one and 1,3-dinitro-10H-dibenzo[b,f][1,4]oxazepin-11-one with 1H-1,2,3-triazole have been studied in both gas and solvent phase employing DFT/B3LYP calculations using 6-31G(d,p) basis set. The energetic parameters, i.e., free energy profiles along the reaction route and H-bond energy, charge analysis, and structural parameters have supported mechanistic pathway involving one-step concerted mechanism via formation of transition state during the reaction course. Despite substantial steric hindrance at adjacent position to fusion point, the regioselective attack of 1H-1,2,3-triazole has been observed at peri-position of benzannulated heterocycles. This regioselectivity is credited to intramolecular hydrogen bond C–H···O = C which stabilizes peri-transition state formation rather than para-transition state. The hydrogen bond acceptor–donor interactions have been studied using AIM method. The DFT and AIM analysis-derived results are compared for different sized dinitro-substituted benzannulated heterocycles and these studies have confirmed the contribution of substantial steric hindrance at peri-position with increased size of heterocycle. As benzannulated heterocycles are quite significant from the perspective of medicinal and natural product chemistry, this work will fulfill the need to find an efficient synthetic method for benzannulated heterocycles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Covid-19 has affected the normal lifestyle and emotional aspects of general population of whole world a lot. Due to longer period of lockdown, unhealthy behavior and life style measures has increased like less physical activity, loss of appetite, more fast food and junk food eating habits, sleep disturbances etc. The present cross-sectional study was conducted among 1000 (500 male and 500 female) randomly selected participantsof specific age group from the various areas of Amreli city of Gujarat after taking consent for voluntary participation in the study during March-April 2022. The aim of study was to evaluate the effects of lockdowns on lifestyle and behaviour changes of people in the urban areas in Indian populations. Out of total 1000 participants, 55% were having decreased physical activity, 46.4% were having increase in gain in weight, 44.2% were having increased overall food intake, 40.2% were having increased frequency of ordering food at home, 49.6% were having increased frequency of cooking new or traditional recipes at home, 52.8% were having increased use of social media, 55.2% were having increased screen time (TV/mobile/laptop/tablet), 46.4% were having decreased sleep, 49.6% were having increased anger and 53.6% were having more stress. Unhealthy lifestyle behavior among the participants are gain in weight, increased food intake, increased frequency of ordering food at home, increased use of social media, increased screen time (TV/mobile/laptop/tablet), decreased sleep, more stress and anger. Data derived from this study can be helpful to formulate appropriate interventional measures to the key health care personnel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study was conducted on 24 bitches presented for ovariohysterectomy at Veterinary Clinical Complex of the college, Bikaner, India. The animals were randomly divided in two groups. Ovariohysterectomy was performed by conventional method and laparoscopic method in Group A and B, respectively. Physiological and haemato-biochemical parameters were determined in both the groups. The post-operative heart rate, respiratory rate and rectal temperature reduced significantly (p<0.05) as compared to pre-operative values in both the groups. PCV values decreased significantly in animals of both the groups. The difference in TEC and TLC values remained non-significant in both the groups; however, in Group-A animals, significant (p<0.05) increase in TLC values was noticed at 12 to 24 h. Significant (p<0.05) increase in neutrophils and decrease in lymphocytes were recorded, while monocytes and eosinophils remained statistically unchanged during the entire period of time. Significant (p<0.05) increase was observed in the values of blood glucose, cortisol, AST, creatinine, CK, alkaline phosphatase in Group-A and Group-B, however, ALT values remained non-significant in both the group. Increased TLC, neutrophils, serum cortisol, AST and CK for longer duration in animals of Group-A compared to Group-B indicated more inflammation, tissue trauma, muscle damage and stressed conditions in conventional method of ovariohysterectomy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The gaining attention of underutilized oat crops for both food and feed, mining of quality and yield related genes/QTLs from available germplasms of oat is need of the hour. The large family of grasses has a vast number of germplasms that could be harnessed for bio-prospecting. The selection of cross-compatible oat germplasms by molecular markers could be used for the introgression of the novel traits into the elite background of oats. The process needs a thorough study of genetic diversity to see the evolutionary relatedness among germplasms. Considering this, in the present study, the genetic diversity of 38 oat germplasms with 12 agro-morphological traits was carried out using 22 Inter Simple Sequence Repeat (ISSR) markers. We found a high level of polymorphism and 158 distinctive alleles; on average 7.18 alleles per primer, further, high-yielding genotypes were identified with the help of phenotypic data and genetic diversity was analyzed by using DNA fingerprint-based principal component analysis, UPGMA dendrogram. Among these 38 germplasms; eight were identified as superior under high grain yield (OS-424, OS-403, NDO-1101, OL-10, UPO-212, OS-405, OS-6, and OS-346) and another eight germplasms were identified as superior for the high fresh weight (for fodder purpose, NDO-711, RO-19, OL-14, OL-1760/OL-11, NDO-10, UPO-212, UPO-06-1, and RO-11-1). These results suggest that germplasms that are closely related (Cross-compatible) and have good potential for desirable traits could be used for varietal development by using marker-assisted selection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Activated Cdc42-associated kinase (ACK1) is essential for numerous cellular functions, such as growth, proliferation, and migration. ACK1 signaling occurs through multiple receptor tyrosine kinases; therefore, its inhibition can provide effective antiproliferative effects against multiple human cancers. A number of ACK1-specific inhibitors were designed and discovered in the previous decade, but none have reached the clinic. Potent and selective ACK1 inhibitors are urgently needed. Methods: In the present investigation, the pharmacophore model (PM) was rationally built utilizing two distinct inhibitors coupled with ACK1 crystal structures. The generated PM was utilized to screen the drug-like database generated from the four chemical databases. The binding mode of pharmacophore-mapped compounds was predicted using a molecular docking (MD) study. The selected hit-protein complexes from MD were studied under all-atom molecular dynamics simulations (MDS) for 500 ns. The obtained trajectories were ranked using binding free energy calculations (ΔG kJ/mol) and Gibb's free energy landscape. Results: Our results indicate that the three hit compounds displayed higher binding affinity toward ACK1 when compared with the known multi-kinase inhibitor dasatinib. The inter-molecular interactions of Hit1 and Hit3 reveal that compounds form desirable hydrogen bond interactions with gatekeeper T205, hinge region A208, and DFG motif D270. As a result, we anticipate that the proposed scaffolds might help in the design of promising selective ACK1 inhibitors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the same review, the RR of early-onset asthma associated with a maternal history of asthma was more (3.9 versus 3.3) compared to that of paternal asthma.[[153]] Children with a family history of asthma are suggested to have a more severe course.[[155]],[[156]] Although the association of adult-onset asthma with family history is weak than that of childhood-onset asthma, however, it is still a significant risk factor for adult-onset asthma. A family history of asthma is seen less frequently than those with early-onset asthma.[[111]] This phenotype of asthma is relatively steroid-resistant but highly responsive to biologic therapies targeting T2 pathways.[[112]],[[113]],[[114]],[[115]] Obesity-related asthma Obesity-related asthma is not a well-understood phenotype, and it is unclear whether it is comorbidity common in asthma that confers greater likelihood of breathing pattern disorder or it promotes a pro-inflammatory state that results in asthma.[[116]],[[117]],[[118]],[[119]] Higher body mass index (BMI) is associated with increased levels of inflammatory markers, such as, tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-a), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and leptins and fewer eosinophils, fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) and corticosteroid responsiveness.[[118]],[[119]] Clinically, this phenotype comprises of a group of older non-allergic, obese females who have significant symptoms but minimal health-care utilization.[[103]],[[104]] Neutrophilic asthma Neutrophilic asthma does not have a widely accepted definition, and the consensus about the characterization of this entity is also lacking. [Extracted from the article]

Fibrosis has been shown to develop in individuals with underlying health conditions, especially chronic inflammatory diseases. Fibrosis is often diagnosed in various organs, including the liver, lungs, kidneys, heart, and skin, and has been described as excessive accumulation of extracellular matrix that can affect specific organs in the body or systemically throughout the body. Fibrosis as a chronic condition can result in organ failure and result in death of the individual. Understanding and identification of specific biomarkers associated with fibrosis has emerging potential in the development of diagnosis and targeting treatment modalities. Therefore, in this review, we will discuss multiple signaling pathways such as TGF-β, collagen, angiotensin, and cadherin and outline the chemical nature of the different signaling pathways involved in fibrogenesis as well as the mechanisms. Although it has been well established that TGF-β is the main catalyst initiating and driving multiple pathways for fibrosis, targeting TGF-β can be challenging as this molecule regulates essential functions throughout the body that help to keep the body in homeostasis. We also discuss collagen, angiotensin, and cadherins and their role in fibrosis. We comprehensively discuss the various delivery systems used to target collagen, angiotensin, and cadherins to manage fibrosis. Nevertheless, understanding the steps by which this molecule drives fibrosis development can aid in the development of specific targets of its cascading mechanism. Throughout the review, we will demonstrate the mechanism of fibrosis targeting to improve targeting delivery and therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neurodegenerative disorders (NDs) are highly prevalent among the aging population. It affects primarily the central nervous system (CNS) but the effects are also observed in the peripheral nervous system. Neural degeneration is a progressive loss of structure and function of neurons, which may ultimately involve cell death. Such patients suffer from debilitating memory loss and altered motor coordination which bring up non-affordable and unavoidable socio-economic burdens. Due to the unavailability of specific therapeutics and diagnostics, the necessity to control or manage NDs raised the demand to investigate and develop efficient alternative approaches. Keeping trends and advancements in view, this report describes both state-of-the-art and challenges in nano-biotechnology-based approaches to manage NDs, toward personalized healthcare management. Sincere efforts are being made to customize nano-theragnostics to control: therapeutic cargo packaging, delivery to the brain, nanomedicine of higher efficacy, deep brain stimulation, implanted stimulation, and managing brain cell functioning. These advancements are useful to design future therapy based on the severity of the patient's neurodegenerative disease. However, we observe a lack of knowledge shared among scientists of a variety of expertise to explore this multi-disciplinary research field for NDs management. Consequently, this review will provide a guideline platform that will be useful in developing novel smart nano-therapies by considering the aspects and advantages of nano-biotechnology to manage NDs in a personalized manner. Nano-biotechnology-based approaches have been proposed as effective and affordable alternatives at the clinical level due to recent advancements in nanotechnology-assisted theragnostics, targeted delivery, higher efficacy, and minimal side effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The heavy-ion fusion reactions play a pivotal role in stellar burning processes in different astrophysical scenarios. The 12 C+ 12 C, 12 C+ 16 O and 16 O+ 16 O fusion reactions hold paramount significance in the later stages of the evolution of the heavy mass stars. The stellar energies at which these reactions proceed in astrophysical environments lie far below their respective Coulomb barriers and are beyond the reach of the present experimental laboratories, thus essential to explore the theoretical predictions. In this study, we have investigated the fusion dynamics of astrophysical heavy-ion reactions using the nuclear potential obtained within the relativistic mean-field (RMF) approach. Three different methods, namely the Hill–Wheeler, Ahmed, and Kemble approximations, are used to determine the barrier transmission coefficient at energies of astrophysical significance. The fusion cross-section and the astrophysical S-factor are calculated using the ℓ -summed Wong model. Comparison of the cross-section for all three transmission coefficients with the experimental data manifested that the Kemble approximation gives a better overlap with the experimental data at far below barrier energies. Thus, the Kemble transmission coefficient furnished with nuclear potential obtained from RMF formalism is observed to be suitable for determining the reaction rates of fusion reactions at energies of astrophysical significance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Among the various dosage forms, oral medicine has extensive benefits including ease of administration and patients' compliance, over injectable, suppositories, ocular and nasal. Despite of extensive demand and emerging advantages, over 50% of therapeutic molecules are not available in oral form due to their physicochemical properties. More importantly, most of the biologics, proteins, peptide, and large molecular drugs are mostly available in injectable form. Conventional oral drug delivery system has limitation such as degradation and lack of stability within stomach due to presence of highly acidic gastric fluid, hinders their therapeutic efficacy and demand more frequent and higher dosing. Hence, formulation for controlled, sustained, and targeted drug delivery, need to be designed with feasibility to target the specific region of gastrointestinal (GI) tract such as stomach, small intestine, intestine lymphatic, and colon is challenging. Among various oral delivery approaches, mucoadhesive vehicles are promising and has potential for improving oral drug retention and controlled absorption to treat local diseases within the GI tract, as well systemic diseases. This review provides the overview about the challenges and opportunities to design mucoadhesive formulation for oral delivery of therapeutics in a way to target the specific region of the GI tract. Finally, we have concluded with future perspective and potential of mucoadhesive formulations for oral local and systemic delivery. [Display omitted] • Mucoadhesive vehicle has potential for oral local and systemic drug delivery. • Various polysaccharides including chitosan and β-glucan has mucoadhesive property. • Some polymeric vehicle has ability protect the payload from harsh gastric environment. • Mucoadhesive property of a vehicle can prolong the release of payload on site of action. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: A solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) is an intricate system involving an amalgam of several electrochemical reactions with thermal‐fluid‐electrical interactions. To enhance the performance of the fuel cell, the interconnector configuration has to be designed judiciously. In this article, a trapezoidal interconnector (TI) design for anode and cathode flow channels after a thorough simulation carried out with all the multi‐physics involved using ANSYS fluent is proposed. The proposed TI design performance is compared against the conventional rectangular interconnector (CRI) configuration. From the results, it is observed that the TI design provides an increase of 18.2% power density compared to the CRI configuration when the cell is operated at 1123 K operating temperature. The proposed design offers the advantage of operating the cell at a lower operating temperature of 1073 K with an increment of 10.68% power density compared to the 1123 K operating temperature in a CRI configuration. In addition, the influence of rib width on the anode side fuel transport is also evaluated by designing a SOFC with a rectangular parallel anode interconnector and a trapezoidal channel cathode interconnector. It is concluded that the rib width of the anode side has a moderate effect on fuel transport in anode‐supported SOFCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Respiratory disorders pose a major threat to the morbidity and mortality to public health. Here we reviewed the nanotechnology based pulmonary drug delivery using metered dose inhalers. Methods: Major respiratory diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases (COPD), asthma, acute lower respiratory tract infections, tuberculosis (TB) and lung cancer. At present, common treatments for respiratory disorders include surgery, radiation, immunotherapy, and chemotherapy or a combination. The major challenge is development of systemic delivery of the chemotherapeutic agents to the respiratory system. Conventional delivery of chemotherapy has various limitation and adverse side effected. Hence, targeted, and systemic delivery need to be developed. Towards this direction nanotechnology, based controlled, targeted, and systemic drug delivery systems are potential candidate to enhance therapeutic efficacy with minimum side effect. Among different route of administration, pulmonary delivery has unique benefits such as circumvents first pass hepatic metabolism and reduces dose and side effects. Results: Respiratory disorders pose a major threat to the morbidity and mortality to public health globally. Pulmonary delivery can be achieved through various drug delivery devices such as nebulizers, dry powder inhalers, and metered dose inhalers. Among them, metered dose inhalers are the most interesting and first choice of clinician over others. This review focused on nanotechnology based pulmonary drug delivery using metered dose inhalers. This report focused on delivery of various types of therapeutics using nanocarriers such as polymeric nanoparticles and micelles, dendrimers, lipid nanocarriers such as liposomes, solid lipid nanostructures and nanostructured lipid carriers, and other using metered dose inhalers discussed comprehensively. This report provides insight about the effect of parameters of MDI such as co-solvent, propellants, actuators shape, nozzle diameters, and jet lengths, and respiratory flow rate, and particle size of co-suspension of drug on aerodynamics and lung deposition of formulation. This review also provided the insight about various metered dose inhalers market scenario and digital metered dose inhalers. Conclusion: This report concluded the clinical potential of metered dose inhalers, summary of current progress and future perspectives towards the smart digital metered dose inhalers development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Our study analyzed 138,151 radical cystectomy patient encounters to determine which patient and facility characteristics are associated with discharge home and discharge to continued rehabilitation facilities. We used multivariate logistic regression to statistically analyze these datapoints while controlling for other variables. We found that older age, single/widowed marital status, female gender, increased Charlson Comorbidity Index, Medicaid, and Medicare insurance and open surgery are associated with Continued Rehabilitation Facility (CRF) discharge. Objective: To assess predictors of discharge disposition—either home or to a CRF—after undergoing RC for bladder cancer in the United States. Methods: In this retrospective, cohort study, patients were divided into two cohorts: those discharged home and those discharged to CRF. We examined patient, surgical, and hospital characteristics. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to control for selected variables. All statistical tests were two-sided. Patients were derived from the Premier Healthcare Database. International classification of disease (ICD)-9 (<2014), ICD-10 (≥2015), and Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) codes were used to identify patient diagnoses and encounters. The population consisted of 138,151 patients who underwent RC for bladder cancer between 1 January 2000 and 31 December 2019. Results: Of 138,151 patients, 24,922 (18.0%) were admitted to CRFs. Multivariate analysis revealed that older age, single/widowed marital status, female gender, increased Charlson Comorbidity Index, Medicaid, and Medicare insurance are associated with CRF discharge. Rural hospital location, self-pay status, increased annual surgeon case, and robotic surgical approach are associated with home discharge. Conclusions: Several specific patient, surgical, and facility characteristics were identified that may significantly impact discharge disposition after RC for bladder cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many current studies show an association of diabetes and secondary complications with chronic inflammation. Evidence of these immunological changes include altered levels of cytokines and chemokines, changes in the numbers and activation states of various leukocyte populations, apoptosis, and fibrosis during diabetes. Therefore, correcting inflammation may be beneficial to stop, impede, and improve diabetes status and its associated complications. Apart from anti-inflammatory drugs, various hypoglycaemic agents have also been found to reduce inflammation that could contribute to improved outcomes in diabetic patients. Various studies have been carried out with thiazolidinediones, dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors and Metformin showing moderateto-strong anti-inflammatory action. Sulfonylureas and alpha glucosidase inhibitors exert modest antiinflammatory effects, while the injectable agents, insulin and glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists, may improve secondary complications due to their anti-inflammatory potential. Currently, there is paucity of human clinical data on anti-inflammatory effects of sodium-glucose cotransporter type-2 (SGLT) inhibitors. Nevertheless, it is essential to distinguish between anti-inflammatory effects resulting from better glucose control and effects related to intrinsic anti-inflammatory actions of the glucose-lowering agents. Also, it is important to define what role the anti-inflammatory effects of these anti-diabetic agents may play in the prevention of macrovascular and microvascular diabetic complications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using pebble and fibre in an epoxy matrix, the mechanical, dynamic, and thermal characteristics of a composite were examined. Tensile, flexural, impact, and interlaminar shear strengths are experimentally determined. In this study, we compare the mechanical performance of carbon fibre composites composed entirely of conventional epoxy (NE). The results of a comparative investigation using 15 and 20% carbon fibre in an epoxy matrix are presented. Additional categories for compressive strength and damping ratio were defined based on this performance. The epoxy resin was combined with carbon fibre (15 wt% and 20 wt%) in a unidirectional arrangement and manufactured with different fillers like pebble. The goal of this research is to better understand the bonding mechanisms between damping materials and the resin matrix in order to increase interfacial bonding performance. This information is required for both selecting the appropriate material for applications and developing a composite construction using that material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We study the linear combinations f(z) = f1(z) + (1 - 1)f2(z) of two univalent harmonic mappings f1 and f2 in the cases when is some complex number. We determine the radius of close-to-convexity of f and establish some sufficient conditions for f to be locally-univalent and sense-preserving. Some known results reduce to particular cases of our general results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Speech disorder is a significant problem for people affected with Parkinson's disease (PD) leading to a substantial disability to communicate with others. PD affects the voice, including changes in pitch, intensity, articulation, and syllable rate.We aimed to study the current status of artificial intelligence (AI) using machine learning algorithms (MLAs) in the assessment of speech abnormalities in PD along with the generation of intelligible synthetic speech for voice rehabilitation. We searched the literature for studies focusing on speech/voice disorder in PD and rehabilitation techniques till June 18, 2022. We searched PubMed and Engineering Village (Compendex and Inspec combined) databases. After careful screening of the title and evaluation of abstracts, we used select articles describing the use of AI or its various forms in the management of speech abnormalities in PD to synthesize this review. MLAs classify PD and non-PD patients with an accuracy of more than 90% using only voice features. Non-acoustic sensors can rehabilitate PD patient by converting dysarthric speech to highly intelligible speech using MLAs. MLAs can automatically assess several speech features and quantify the progression of speech abnormalities in PD. PD speech rehabilitation using MLAs may prove superior to other available therapies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mineral admixtures are frequently utilized as cement substitution materials in high-performance concrete (HPC), and so many studies have explored the influence of mineral admixtures on the rheological behavior of HPC. Investigations were done to examine the impact of nanosilica less than 100 nm on HPC by substituting copper slag at a fixed substitution of forty percent for fine aggregate. Concrete samples were cast by substituting cement with nanosilica at (0.5, 1, 1.5, 2, 2.5, and 3) percentages. Examinations on mechanical properties and durability were done on specimens. The above tests demonstrated an increase in water demand because of the increase in the nanosilica substitution percentage. Mechanical and durability properties were improved at a larger rate with the incorporation of nanosilica. The outcomes indicated that colloidal nanosilica is an effective material that enhances the microstructure and acts as a catalyst for pozzolanic activity. The incorporation of nanosilica improves the strength up to two percentage substitution level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We define and study an operator Λ h , g α (f) , using convolutions, that generates harmonic mappings. We prove that for some choices of h and g such harmonic mappings are univalent and convex in one direction. We also investigate convolution properties of the operator Λ h , g α [ f ] . Our results improve some well-known results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Black holes are characterized by their mass and spin. X-ray observations can be used to estimate these two quantities in black hole systems such as black hole X-ray binaries (BHXRB). Here we analysed near-simultaneous data of BHXRB MAXI J1348–630 from Neutron Star Interior Composition Explorer (NICER) (0.6–10.0 keV) and Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array (NuSTAR) (3.0–79 keV) during the soft and hard states. Considering the distance of the source to be 2.2 kpc, the spin and mass of the black hole were estimated from the modeling of the soft state spectrum of the source. The spin and mass of the black hole were found to be |$0.80_{-0.02}^{+0.02}$| and |$8.7_{-0.3}^{+0.3}\, \mathrm{M}_\odot$|⁠ , respectively. The inclination of the source was determined to be |$36.5^{\circ}\, \pm \, 1.0^{\circ}$|⁠. Using these quantities in the hard state spectral model, the inner radius of the accretion disc was constrained for all three hard states of the source. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Meteorological factors and environmental air pollutants may affect pollen counts in the North Delhi region that produce a variety of pollen and it may affect patients with respiratory illness. OBJECTIVE: This study was planned to see the effect of meteorological factors and environmental air pollutants on pollen counts and its association with emergency hospital visits. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From 2015 to 2020, atmospheric pollen was collected (24-h sampling) using a Volumetric Burkard Air Sampler. RESULTS: The total pollen count was (n = 461,474) in the last 6 years and the maximum pollen count was (n = 85,363) observed in the year 2016. Pollen count was high (>500) in the months of March and April during the study tenure, however, October month of the year 2015 and 2017 also crossed this range of pollen count (>500). During the years 2015–2020, nitrogen dioxide and carbon dioxide had a negative association with pollen count that was statistically significant (P < 0.05), but sulfur dioxide had a positive correlation that was statistically significant (P < 0.05). Maximum emergency hospital visits were in 2019. Pollen count positively correlated with emergency hospital visits only for the year 2015. CONCLUSION: This study concludes that meteorological factors and environmental air pollutants have a significant influence on the pollen counts that may affect the patient's hospital visits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]