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The present study was carried out to investigate food habits and associated risk factors of depressed patients with cardiovascular disease in Riyadh city, Saudi Arabia. Depressed and healthy females (n = 30 each) and males (n = 30 each) aged 18-65 years were involved in this study. Sociodemographic, anthropometric proxies, and nutritional status were evaluated. Cholesterol, triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-c), and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-c) levels of respondents' blood were determined. The respondents were varied according to demographic factors and anthropometric proxies. The majority of depressed males had higher values than healthy ones. The student t-test analysis showed that the average daily intake of fat especially saturated fat, by depressed respondents was higher than that of the healthy ones as well as the dietary requirement intake (DRI). The analysis of respondents' blood showed that the number of depressed females had higher abnormal HDL-c than males, who were observed to have an abnormal level of cholesterol and triglycerides. The correlation of daily nutrient intake and depression duration, depression severity, and age showed that the nutrients responsible for the extension and severity of depression were intake of food rich in dietary fat. Factors including demographics daily nutrient intake appeared to be associated with depression.

In the northern areas of Pakistan, the use of Artemisia based therapeutics is a common practice. Plants of genus Artemisia are known to possess anthelmintic and therapeutic effect. Infections caused by gastrointestinal nematodes are major threat to livestock industry across the world resulting in loss of production and indirect economic losses due to high cost of anthelmintic drugs. Present study was carried out to evaluate in vitro and in vivo effect of Artemisia sieversiana and Artemisia parviflora on Haemonchus contortus, a parasitic nematode of small ruminants. Methanolic plant extract was tested against three different developmental stages using an egg hatch assay, infective larvae and adult worm motility assay. Different concentrations were used for the bioassays and post exposure mortality was recorded after 8 hr for adult worms and infective larvae, while egg inhibition percentage was observed after 27 hr. A highly significant ability to inhibit the egg hatching (100 %) was recorded for both plant extracts while, the highest activity for adult worm assay and larvicidal assay was 90 % for A. sieversiana. The highest activity for adult motility and larvicidal assay for A. parviflora was 89 % and 86.6 % respectively. For in vivo trials maximum parentage reduction was 77.0 % for A. sieversiana and 73.6 % for A. parviflora. It is concluded that selected plant extracts were effective in reducing worm burden in animals.

Shahid Mehmood,1 Malik A Rehman,1 Hammad Ismail,2 Bushra Mirza,2 Arshad S Bhatti11Center for Micro and Nano Devices, Department of Physics, COMSATS Institute of Information Technology, 2Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, PakistanAbstract: In this work, we highlighted the effect of surface modifications of one-dimensional (1D) ZnO nanostructures (NSs) grown by the vapor–solid mechanism on their antibacterial activity. Two sets of ZnO NSs were modified separately – one set was modified by annealing in an Ar environment, and the second set was modified in O2 plasma. Annealing in Ar below 800°C resulted in a compressed lattice, which was due to removal of Zn interstitials and increased O vacancies. Annealing above 1,000°C caused the formation of a new prominent phase, Zn2SiO4. Plasma oxidation of the ZnO NSs caused an expansion in the lattice due to the removal of O vacancies and incorporation of excess O. Photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy was employed for the quantification of defects associated with Zn and O in the as-grown and processed ZnO NS. Two distinct bands were observed, one in the ultraviolet (UV) region, due to interband transitions, and other in the visible region, due to defects associated with Zn and O. PL confirmed the surface modification of ZnO NS, as substantial decrease in intensities of visible band was observed. Antibacterial activity of the modified ZnO NSs demonstrated that the surface modifications by Ar annealing limited the antibacterial characteristics of ZnO NS against Staphylococcus aureus. However, ZnO NSs annealed at 1,000°C or higher showed a remarkable antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli. O2 plasma–treated NS showed appreciable antibacterial activity against both E. coli and S. aureus. The minimum inhibition concentration was determined to be 0.5 mg/mL and 1 mg/mL for Ar-annealed and plasma-oxidized ZnO NS, respectively. It was thus proved that the O content at the surface of the ZnO NS was crucial to tune the antibacterial activity against both selected gram-negative (E. coli) and gram-positive (S. aureus) bacterial species.Keywords: oxygen defects, oxygen plasma processing, annealing, photoluminescence spectroscopy

Pakistan is an agricultural country spreading over an area of about 79. 6 million hectares (Mha) with an arid and semi arid climate. Of 79. 6 Mha, about 23 Mha is suitable for crop production and nearly 25 percent of the total cultivated area is designated for rainfed agriculture. Unfortunately, rain-fed agriculture is constrained with multifarious problems such as moisture stress, soil erosion and crusting, nutrient deficiency, depletion and poor nutrient use efficiency, and weed infestation limiting the yield potential of these lands. In addition, deforestation and poor crop husbandry techniques are commonly noticed features. To meet the food requirements, farmers bring all the available pieces of lands under plough including steep slopes. Farming on steep slopes if not managed on scientific lines, results in severe erosion. The problems faced by the farmers are due to the unsustainable practices they adopt to practice dryland agriculture, limiting the productive potential of these important ecosystems. However, their potential can be improved by adopting suitable rainwater harvesting techniques; employing scientific soil and water conservation methods and using sustainable agricultural practices. This paper highlights some important issues associated with the rainfed agriculture of Pakistan. Working strategies for realizing optimum and sustainable yields have been outlined while conserving both land and water resources.

Objective: Only a few studies have assessed the quality of life in children with tracheostomies. This study aimed to evaluate the quality of life and the factors influencing it in these children. Method: This cross-sectional, two-centre study was conducted on paediatric patients living in the community with a tracheostomy by using the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory. Clinical and demographic information of patients, as well as parents' socioeconomic factors, were obtained. Results: A total of 53 patients met our inclusion criteria, and their parents agreed to participate. The mean age of patients was 6.85 years, and 21 patients were ventilator-dependent. The total paediatric health-related quality of life score was 59.28, and the family impact score was 68.49. In non-ventilator-dependent patients, multivariate analyses indicated that social functioning and health-related quality of life were negatively affected by the duration of tracheostomy. The Quality of Life of ventilator-dependent patients was influenced by care visits and the presence of pulmonary co-morbidities. Conclusion: Children with tracheostomies have a lower quality of life than healthy children do. Routine care visits by a respiratory therapist and nurses yielded significantly improved quality of life in ventilator-dependent children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Drug therapy-related problems (DTRP) can lead to avoidable negative health consequences, particularly during hospital admissions. This study aimed to assess the frequency, causes, and associated factors of DTRPs, which are detected by clinical pharmacists’ interventions. Methods: This is a prospective cross-sectional study of patients admitted to the medical wards of Fakeeh University Hospital, UAE, over a three-month period from September 2022 to December 2022. The data of patients who were assessed by clinical pharmacists regarding the pretense and causes of DTRPs were collected and analyzed using SPSS version 27.0. Results: 310 patients with the mean age of 33.43 ± 19.98 years were studied (53.9% male). The highest percentage of patients were Asian (31.0%) and Arabs (30.6%). 79 (25.4%) cases had no DTRPs, while 231 (74.6) had DTRPs. The surgical ward had the highest frequency of DTRPs (41.0%). Improper drug selection with 79 cases, drug use without indication with 73 cases, and sub-therapeutic dosage with 26 cases were among the most common causes of DTRPs. Alcohol intake (p= 0.03), food allergy (p = 0.02), age group 31-40 years (p = 0.04), presence of co-morbidities (p = 0.01), family history of diseases (p = 0.02), and admission to the intensive care unit (ICU) (p = 0.01) were amongst the significantly associated factors of DTRPs. The acceptance status for clinical pharmacists’ interventions were complete in 90.0% of cases, partial in 4.1 %, and rejection in 5.9%. Conclusion: The study findings show a high prevalence of DTRPs due to drug/dose selection and drug use without indication. It seems that the participation of clinical pharmacists in multidisciplinary teams together with the presence of closed loop medication management facilitates the detection and correction of DTRPs.

The evolving landscape of transportation systems is being reshaped by the integration of sensors and Internet of Things (IoT) technology, particularly in the context of traffic light systems. These innovations aim to transform traditional traffic lights into smart devices capable of being controlled by emergency vehicles (EVs) to ensure safe passage, thereby enhancing road safety, and reducing intersection accidents. However, there are challenges in implementing such technologies and gaining the trust of EV drivers navigating busy intersections. The traditional fixed-time traffic signal plans are contrasted with the dynamic adjustment made possible by smart sensors and applications, which collect real-time traffic data and adapt signal timings to changing conditions, reducing congestion, and enhancing traffic flow. However, security concerns arise, necessitating the strengthening of systems with advanced technologies to address potential security and safety issues. The technological advancements have a significant impact on the transportation industry. Smart sensors in streetlights play a crucial role in solving long-standing transportation issues, and machine learning is employed for data analysis and traffic forecasting, benefiting both regular and EV drivers. Further research is needed to advance technologies like IoT and smart sensors and to integrate GSM sim cards and GPS to support EV drivers in finding the quickest route to their final destinations. EVs are becoming more than vehicles, evolving into smart devices equipped with technical tools allow drivers to control traffic lights, ensuring a clear path and more safety.

The Stockholm Convention treaty of the United Nations Environment Program has impeded the mass production of legacy brominated fire retardants (BFRs) paving the route to introduce novel BFRs (NBFRs) into the industrial market. Tetrabromobisphenol A diallyl ether (TBBPA-DAE), is a widely emerging NBFR with a high rate of production. The deleterious impacts, neurobehavioral consequences and toxic effects of NBFRs have been well-documented. Co-pyrolysis of BFRs with metal oxides has emerged as a potential de-bromination technique in e-waste recycling that curtails the bromine release into the environment. Herein, a multitude of characterization studies are done to probe into the debromination efficiency of lead oxide (PbO) during its co-pyrolysis with TBBPA-DAE via products (char, gas and condensates) analyses. The thermogravimetric analysis suggested a pyrolytic run up to 600 °C. The GCMS analysis showed that the release of brominated compounds was completely restricted in the condensate at 600 °C by increasing the phenol production. This was due to the capture of HBr by the PbO to form PbBr2, which was validated by the spectral, XRD and SEM-EDX analyses. The IC analysis also endorsed a better efficiency of PbO in HBr capture (80.04 %) in comparison to the HCl capture (45.57 %) proving that PbO is a good debromination agent envisaging further probes to other emerging NBFRs. The study also investigates the de-chlorination of PVC to establish the universal de-halogenation capacity of PbO toward mixed halogenated plastic wastes.

The synthesis of 3,4-dihydropyrimidin-2(1H)-one, -thione, and -selone derivatives by three-com-ponent condensation of aromatic aldehydes, ethyl acetoacetate, and urea (thiourea, selenourea) was catalyzed by TiO2 nanoparticles. The effect of this catalyst on the reaction time and yield was investigated. The use of TiO2 nanoparticles improved the reaction conditions to an acceptable level, and good yields of the products were obtained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated hydrogen molecule adsorbing on palladium-functionalized C20 bowl and its H-saturated form (C20H10 bowl) using the B3LYP-D3 model. Moreover, this study examined the stability of different isomers of hydrogen adsorption. The values of adsorption energy were calculated in the investigated systems. This study demonstrated changes in the dipole moment and structural parameters. Additionally, this study indicated the differences in the frontier orbital energy and HOMO–LUMO gap values. Electrophilicity-based charge transfer showed charge transfer between fragments. Furthermore, this study also computed the hydrogen molecule′s recovery duration in the investigated systems. In addition, the present study showed the field emission features of the examined system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]