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The non-biodegradable nature of polymers presents a considerable environmental hazard, mainly when they accumulate in drainage systems and pollute the water. The application of natural fiber composites has the potential to offer a feasible resolution to address this problem, as natural fibers possess inherent biodegradability. This study examined the degradation ability of epoxy composites made with 5 wt% waste jute fiber and 5 wt% waste sawdust fiber when subjected to drainage water for one year. The composites comprising jute fiber and sawdust demonstrated a reduction in tensile strength by 57 % and 40 %, respectively, because of biodegradation caused by microorganisms. The microorganism consumed the fiber for energy, resulting in significant weight and flexural strength loss. The weathered waste jute and sawdust fiber composite samples displayed an additional peak at a wavenumber of 1700 cm−1 for FTIR analysis, indicating the presence of the C=O group and reflecting CO2 production. The SEM image reveals the presence of clusters, biofilms, and colonies of microorganisms on the surface of the composites, indicating that the microbes were utilizing the fibers and matrix as a substrate for growth and multiplication. This research contributes to the understanding of the degradation mechanisms of sustainable composites and provides insight into the advancement of eco-friendly materials to reduce water pollution.

Background: Maskne is a variant of acne that arises from wearing a mask. One factor that influences the incidence of maskne is the type of mask. Purpose: To compare the degree of acne vulgaris in disposable and KN95 mask wearers. Methods: This research was a cross-sectional descriptive study. The sample used was 444 people with acne vulgaris due to the use of disposable and KN95 masks. Acne vulgaris is classified based on the degree of acne. Data were analyzed bivariately using the Chi-square test. Result: This study shows no significant difference between the type of mask and the incidence of acne vulgaris (p = 0.70,p> 0.05). Conclusion: There is no difference in the degree of acne vulgaris in the incidence of maskne in individuals wearing disposable and KN95 masks.

Heat exchangers (HEs) play a critical role in numerous industrial and engineering applications by facilitating efficient thermal energy transfer. In the pursuit of enhancing the performance of such systems, this study focuses on the hydrodynamic effects of two distinctive vortex generators (VGs) within a turbulent airflow channel, operating under steady-state conditions. Arranged in a staggered manner, the first vortex generator (VG) adopts a rectangular structure positioned in the upper section, while the second VG, triangular in shape, is situated on the opposing wall at varying heights, ranging from 40 to 80 mm in 10 mm increments. A further examination of the triangular VG includes two cases, one featuring an inclined front-face and the other showcasing an inclined rear-face. The turbulent airflow within the channel is accurately represented using the Newtonian fluid model and the standard k-epsilon turbulence model, while the governing equations are solved through the finite element method. A non-uniform mesh, consisting of triangular and square elements with a specific focus on refining the mesh near walls, is designed to capture boundary layer effects and effectively resolve intricacies in near-wall flow dynamics. The investigation unveils dynamic responses within the channel, characterized by notable flow distortions and prominent regions of recirculation, demonstrating the effectiveness of both rectangular and triangular VGs. Importantly, the analysis shows that tilting the triangular VG’s back-face notably improves the hydrodynamic structure of the HE channel, leading to enhanced recirculation cells and substantially increased performance. In particular, increasing the height of triangular VGs significantly enhances flow velocity within the channel. For instance, the axial velocity increased by 33.8% when the VG height was raised from 40 to 80 mm in the first triangular case, while an increase of about 37.9% was observed in the second triangular case at the lowest inlet velocity of 7.8 m/s. In addition, triangular VGs with an inclined back-surface achieved higher axial velocities compared to those with an inclined front-surface, with a 13.5% increase at the smallest height and a 17.0% increase at the maximum height. Furthermore, increasing the inlet velocity to 9.8 m/s resulted in a 17.1% higher axial velocity in the second model, reaching 55.4 m/s compared to 47.3 m/s in the first model. These findings underscore the importance of optimizing the triangular VG shape, height, and inlet conditions to maximize the hydrodynamic performance of HE systems, leading to potential energy savings and improved efficiency.

Fiber-reinforced polymer composites are preferred over conventional materials because of their superior strength and modulus. Previously limited due to high manufacturing costs, synthetic fibers have been replaced by some natural fibers, such as waste wheat straw fibers. Here, epoxy-based polymer composites' mechanical and physical properties have been investigated, focusing on fiber weight ratios for both treated and untreated fiber. The research found that treated fibers display more effective mechanical qualities than untreated fibers, with a higher tensile strength of 54.4 MPa. The untreated Wheat Straw-Glass fiber reinforced composite has a less tensile strength of 26.3 MPa (10 wt% fiber). Pure resin-based composite has the most minor tensile strength at 1.52 MPa. The highest flexural strength obtained for hybrid composite is 88.76 MPa for treated fiber with epoxy resin and 49.6 MPa for untreated 30 wt % fiber. At the same time, the sole epoxy resin composite has the lowest value of 10.60 MPa. Untreated fiber (30 wt%) has the highest impact energy of 8J. Untreated wheat straw fiber absorbs more water due to its hydrophilic nature. In contrast, treated fiber exhibits better bonding and minimal water content, and the sole epoxy resin composite exhibits hydrophobic properties, resulting in less water absorption. The treated fiber displays better bonding than the untreated fiber throughout the SEM analysis. Wheat Straw fiber is mainly used for biodegradable plastic formation, housing construction, building materials, etc.

Solar energy has emerged as a key solution in the global transition to renewable energy sources, driven by environmental concerns and climate change. This is largely due to its cleanliness, availability, and cost-effectiveness. The precise assessment of hidden factors within photovoltaic (PV) models is critical for effectively exploiting the potential of these systems. This study employs a novel approach to parameter estimation, utilizing the electric eel foraging optimizer (EEFO), recently documented in the literature, to address such engineering issues. The EEFO emerges as a competitive metaheuristic methodology that plays a crucial role in enabling precise parameter extraction. In order to maintain scientific integrity and fairness, the study utilizes the RTC France solar cell as a benchmark case. We incorporate the EEFO approach, together with Newton-Raphson method, into the parameter tuning process for three PV models: single-diode, double-diode, and three-diode models, using a common experimental framework. We selected the RTC France solar cell for the single-diode, double-diode, and three-diode models because of its significant role in the field. It serves as a reliable evaluation platform for the EEFO approach. We conduct a thorough evaluation using statistical, convergence, and elapsed time studies, demonstrating that EEFO consistently achieves low RMSE values. This indicates that EEFO is capable of accurately estimating the current-voltage characteristics. The system’s smooth convergence behavior further reinforces its efficacy. Comparing the EEFO with competing methodologies reinforces its competitive advantage in optimizing solar PV model parameters, showcasing its potential to greatly enhance the usage of solar energy.

In this paper, two basic novel modifications of Diffusion Leaky Least Mean Square (DL-LMS) algorithm are proposed. First, the optimized leaky factor is obtained in closed form using the minimum disturbance principle, thanks to quadratic form of disturbance. Then, a low complexity decorrelated version of DL-LMS is presented based on the statistical Hidden Markov Modeling (HMM) of time correlations of input signals. The decorrelation is performed using a simple one-tap filter. Simulation results demonstrate the effectiveness of both modifications in comparison to other methods.

This study focuses on the automatic generation control (AGC) system, which is crucial for maintaining balance between power generation and demand in power systems. The implementation of the AGC system needs to be more precise due to the increasing uncertainty surrounding renewable energy sources (RESs) and changes in demand. The objective of this study is to investigate the AGC functions in a two-area hybrid power system that combines a PV system with a reheat thermal system. To improve system performance, we utilize a proportional-integral (PI) controller. We utilized a recently developed optimization method, RIME, for tuning controller parameters. This technique has not been studied before in AGC processes. Furthermore, the optimization procedure utilizes a modified version of the integral of time-multiplied absolute error (ITAE) objective function. The study compares the performance of the RIME-tuned PI controller under various scenarios, including changes in thermal system load, load variations in both areas, and robustness considerations, with well-known techniques in the literature, such as the black widow optimization algorithm (BWOA), the salp swarm algorithm (SSA), the shuffled frog leaping algorithm (SFLA), the firefly algorithm (FA) and the genetic algorithm (GA). Our comparative study demonstrates that the proposed controller outperforms state-of-the-art approaches in terms of overshoot values and damping durations for both system frequency and tie-line power changes. The study provides valuable information on the effectiveness of the RIME-tuned PI controller in controlling AGC processes in complex hybrid power systems.

Background: Xerostomia, one of the most major side effects of radiotherapy in patients with oropharyngeal cancer, has a compromising effect on the quality of life. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of 635nm low-level laser on salivary flow rate and quality of life (QoL) in post-radiotherapy oropharyngeal cancer patients. Methods: A prospective study was conducted on patients (n=34) with persistent post-radiotherapy xerostomia received low level laser therapy (LLLT) (635nm) on the three major salivary glands twice a week for 12 weeks. For each point, dose was 18.75 J/cm2, irradiation time was 15 s, energy was 1.5 J. Energy for each session was 33 J and laser tip diameter was 0.08cm2. Extra oral points were marked over the parotid gland (6 points), submandibular (3points) and sublingual gland (2 points). Unstimulated and stimulated salivary flow rate (SFR) and quality of life (QoL) using University of Washington (UW) QoL questionnaire were assessed. Unstimulated SFR and QOL scores were normally distributed and hence paired t-test was used. A p-value ≤0.05 was considered as statistically significant. Results: The mean unstimulated SFR was significantly increased by 0.16 units after LLLT (p=0.001). Similarly, the median stimulated SFR significantly increased by 0.45 units post LLLT respectively (p=0.001). The mean QoL was significantly increased by 591.32 units after LLLT (p≤0.05). Conclusion: Low level laser therapy (LLLT) demonstrates to be effective in increasing salivary flow rate and the QoL scores hence mitigating salivary hypofunction and improving overall quality of life of patients. Keywords: Low-Level Laser Therapy; Xerostomia.

The economic value of gold content in electronic waste, particularly waste printed circuit boards (PCBs), has generated interest in recovering gold from this material. Unfortunately, due to the severe environmental hazards associated with such waste, there is a pressing need for efficient and selective methods of gold nanoparticle recovery. A novel technique has been developed to synthesize gold nanoparticles that employ chlorate leaching and Punica granatum extract to minimize the environmental impact of electronic waste. Multiple analytical methods, including UV-Vis, XRD, EDS, SEM, and TEM analysis, were utilized to identify and characterize the extracted gold nanoparticles. The UV-Vis spectrum showed GNP-absorption peaks at a narrow range of wavelengths, primarily at 520 nm, confirming the formation of gold nanoparticles from the e-waste. The XRD analysis identified the material as metallic gold with characteristic peaks of gold crystals (111), (200), (220), and (311), corresponding to the FCC crystal structure. The SEM and TEM analysis revealed that most of the Au nanoparticles were less than 40 nm in size, with some larger particles resulting from the agglomeration of smaller ones. The EDS spectrum analysis indicated that the gold atoms emitted strong signals. At the same time, other elements such as carbon, oxygen, and metals such as Sn, Zn, Pd, Cu, and Cd showed weaker signals. The recovered gold nanoparticles were found to have a bandgap of 2.2 eV, indicating that they are a direct bandgap semiconductor suitable for use in optoelectronic applications. The environmental impact of the PCBs and the chemicals used in the process were also analyzed to address the necessity of using discarded electronic waste to reduce environmental pollution. The proposed method showed high efficiency for extracting gold nanoparticles from e-waste, with simple process steps, low chemical usage, and low cost, as demonstrated by the results.

Automated epileptic seizure detection from ectroencephalogram (EEG) signals has attracted significant attention in the recent health informatics field. The serious brain condition known as epilepsy, which is characterized by recurrent seizures, is typically described as a sudden change in behavior caused by a momentary shift in the excessive electrical discharges in a group of brain cells, and EEG signal is primarily used in most cases to identify seizure to revitalize the close loop brain. The development of various deep learning (DL) algorithms for epileptic seizure diagnosis has been driven by the EEG's non-invasiveness and capacity to provide repetitive patterns of seizure-related electrophysiological information. Existing DL models, especially in clinical contexts where irregular and unordered structures of physiological recordings make it difficult to think of them as a matrix; this has been a key disadvantage to producing a consistent and appropriate diagnosis outcome due to EEG's low amplitude and nonstationary nature. Graph neural networks have drawn significant improvement by exploiting implicit information that is present in a brain anatomical system, whereas inter-acting nodes are connected by edges whose weights can be determined by either temporal associations or anatomical connections. Considering all these aspects, a novel hybrid framework is proposed for epileptic seizure detection by combined with a sequential graph convolutional network (SGCN) and deep recurrent neural network (DeepRNN). Here, DepRNN is developed by fusing a gated recurrent unit (GRU) with a traditional RNN; its key benefit is that it solves the vanishing gradient problem and achieve this hybrid framework greater sophistication. The line length feature, auto-covariance, auto-correlation, and periodogram are applied as a feature from the raw EEG signal and then grouped the resulting matrix into time-frequency domain as inputs for the SGCN to use for seizure classification. This model extracts both spatial and temporal information, resulting in improved accuracy, precision, and recall for seizure detection. Extensive experiments conducted on the CHB-MIT and TUH datasets showed that the SGCN-DeepRNN model outperforms other deep learning models for seizure detection, achieving an accuracy of 99.007%, with high sensitivity and specificity.

ABSTRAK Penelitian ini mengeksplorasi elemen-elemen krusial dalam menjaga stabilitas sistem tenaga pada kondisi edge emergency, yang terkait erat dengan penjagaan keseimbangan dan pemulihan frekuensi yang cepat setelah terjadinya gangguan. Pengelolaan pasokan listrik dan mempertahankan integritas sistem tenaga listrik, serta strategi load shedding dan operasi islanding, menjadi salah satu upaya untuk menjaga stabilitas. Respons cadangan berputar pada operasi islanding, terutama dalam menyesuaikan daya aktif selama gangguan, memiliki peran krusial untuk menjaga respon kestabilan sesuai batasan edge maksimum dan minimum. Pemodelan mekanisme skema load shedding dan operasi islanding dengan trigger dari stiffness kondisi edge maksimum tercapai dengan menjaga nilai overfrequency dibawah 51,5 Hz dengan nilai frekuensi tertinggi sebesar 51,473 HZ , sedangkan edge minimum tercapai dengan menjaga nilai underfrequency diatas 47,5 Hz dengan nilai frekuensi terendah sebesar 47,517 Hz. Kata kunci: load shedding, islanding, stiffness, edge maksimum, edge minimum ABSTRACT This study explores crucial elements in maintaining power systems stability during edge emergency condition, closely related to maintaining balance and rapid frequency recovery after disturbances. Efforts aimed at ensuring stability include managing electrical supply, preserving power system integrity, as well as implementing load shedding and islanding operations. Spinning reserve response in islanding operation, particularly in adjusting active power during disturbances, plays a crucial role in maintaining stability responses within specified maximum and minimum edge constraints. Modeling of load shedding schemes and islanding operations triggered by the stiffness conditions of maximum edge condition is achieved by maintaining the overfrequency value below 51.5 Hz, with the highest frequency value being 51.473 Hz. Meanwhile, the minimum edge condition is achieved by maintaining the underfrequency value above 47.5 Hz, with the lowest frequency value being 47.517 Hz. Keywords: load shedding, islanding, stiffness, maksimum edge, minimum edge

The effect of the heat treatment and the water absorption of the glass-fiber and recycled cotton fabric-reinforced hybrid composites on the mechanical and physical characteristics were examined in the research. The heat treatment at 80 °C significantly improved G-C-G's tensile as well as flexural strengths by 21% and 28%, respectively. However, due to the improved bonding among the matrix and fiber, G-C-G layer fiber hybrid composites performed better mechanical characteristics than the other alternative composite layers. However, after water absorption, the tensile, and flexural strength of all types of composites diminished from the as-cast samples. In this instance, the flexural and tensile strengths of the G-C-G hybrid composites decreased by 12.87% and 19.11%, respectively, and the bonding between the fiber and matrix degraded was evaluated by SEM images. The maximum amount of water absorption (23.15%) is found for C–C–C composites due to the porosity presented in the cotton fiber. The study evaluated optimal ratios of glass fiber to cotton-reinforced composites, considering both practical and financial aspects. In this case, the G-G-G composites always show better mechanical properties, but the variation among the strength of G-G-G as well as G-C-G is marginal. G-C-G fiber-based hybrid materials are more acceptable because of their affordable cost as well as biodegradable properties than G-G-G composites. Cotton/glass fiber reinforced composites have been proposed as an alternative to appealing elements in the building, automotive, and textile industries.

Using first-principles calculations based on density functional theory, this work investigated the mechanical, magnetic, elastic, electrical, and optical characteristics of the halide-based perovskite FrGeX3 (X = Cl, Br, I) at different hydrostatic pressures ranging from 0 to 9 GPa. It was determined that the compound FrGeX3 (X = Cl, Br, I) is stable and ductile in nature by calculating its thermodynamic and mechanical stability using the parameters of its formation enthalpy and elastic constant. When no hydrostatic pressure is applied, the band computations reveal that FrGeCl3, FrGeBr3, and FrGeI3 all remain in the semiconductor region with bandgaps of 1.14, 0.8, and 0.645 eV, respectively. The study examined how increasing induced pressure affects the bandgap and density of states of the structure for all three halides. The bandgap of FrGeCl3, FrGeBr3, and FrGeI3 fell to 0 eV at 9, 6, and 5 GPa, respectively. In addition, the optical absorption, reflectivity, refractive index, and imaginary and real components of dielectric functions were all studied in detail for cubic perovskites FrGeX3 (X = Cl, Br, I) under varying hydrostatic pressures, from 0 to 9 GPa. Due to increased pressure, the compound transitioned into a conductor and improved its absorption capabilities for all compounds within the 8–14 eV range, making it suitable for use in the UV spectrum. Cl has the largest absorption among all compounds, whereas I displays the lowest. Reflectivity ranges from around 14% to 18% for all compounds and increases w%ith pressure. The actual component of the refractive index ranges from around 2.25 to 2.7 at 0 eV and increases with pressure. Chlorine has a low refractive index, whereas iodine demonstrates the greatest. The highest fluctuation is shown for Br. The dielectric characteristics vary from around 5 to 7.5 F/m. Chlorine (Cl) has the least charge storage capacity, while iodine (I) demonstrates the most, of which both increase with pressure in all compounds. Structure FrGeX3 (X = Cl, Br, I) is hardened and made more ductile by applying hydrostatic pressure, as seen by the increasing bulk, Young’s, and shear modulus values, as well as the elastic constants (C11 and C12). While the electrons were in a co-linear position, the magnetic property was also studied by optimizing the band structure and density of states. The diamagnetic property of the combination FrGeX3 (where X = Cl, Br, I) remained unchanged even when subjected to increased pressure. According to the findings, this perovskite material has remarkable absorption properties, which point to a change in its behavior from semiconductor to metal. Their potential uses in solar cells, UV absorbers, and optoelectronic devices are highlighted by these computational results.

Polymeric materials are being increasingly used to replace many metallic components due to their beneficial properties such as higher strength-to-weight ratio and corrosion resistance. However, the widespread use of polymers poses a risk to the environment as they are not biodegradable. The addition of the waste jute fiber and sawdust fiber as reinforcement to the epoxy resin improved its toughness and induced the biodegradability of the polymer. To examine the effect of the jute fiber and sawdust fiber on biodegradability, the composites were then kept in the drainage system for one year, and the impact energy and fracture morphology of the as-cast and weathered samples were examined using a drop ball impact test and a Charpy impact test. During the weathering period, weight gain was initially observed due to the water absorption by the porous fibers, but after three months, the composites started to lose weight due to the degradation of the fiber by swelling and microbial attacks. Microorganisms in the drainage system used the fiber as their energy source, which resulted in the deterioration of the fiber and the production of CO2. The production of CO2 was identified by the FTIR analysis of the weathered composite samples. TGA analysis of the as-cast and weathered samples reveals the reduction of the onset thermal degradation temperature of the weathered composites due to the degradation of the composites. The fiber disintegrated through microbial attack and the fiber swelling caused by the absorption of water by jute fiber and sawdust fiber is identified through SEM imaging. The SEM image also reveals the formation of biofilms and the growth of microorganisms at the fibers. A higher growth rate of the microorganisms was observed in the jute fiber composite than in the sawdust fiber composite, as sawdust contains a high level of lignin that protects it from degradation. The results of this study suggest that both sawdust fiber and jute fiber composites induce biodegradability in the epoxy matrix, but jute fiber was more prominent in this regard. The discovery paves the way for using natural fibers in biodegradable polymer composites, reducing polymeric pollution in the environment.

Abstract Sign Language Recognition is a breakthrough for communication among deaf-mute society and has been a critical research topic for years. Although some of the previous studies have successfully recognized sign language, it requires many costly instruments including sensors, devices, and high-end processing power. However, such drawbacks can be easily overcome by employing artificial intelligence-based techniques. Since, in this modern era of advanced mobile technology, using a camera to take video or images is much easier, this study demonstrates a cost-effective technique to detect American Sign Language (ASL) using an image dataset. Here, “Finger Spelling, A” dataset has been used, with 24 letters (except j and z as they contain motion). The main reason for using this dataset is that these images have a complex background with different environments and scene colors. Two layers of image processing have been used: in the first layer, images are processed as a whole for training, and in the second layer, the hand landmarks are extracted. A multi-headed convolutional neural network (CNN) model has been proposed and tested with 30% of the dataset to train these two layers. To avoid the overfitting problem, data augmentation and dynamic learning rate reduction have been used. With the proposed model, 98.981% test accuracy has been achieved. It is expected that this study may help to develop an efficient human–machine communication system for a deaf-mute society.

Background: The increasing prevalence of chronic diseases in Saudi Arabia has heightened the need for organ transplantation; however, the donor pool remains insufficient. This study explored awareness and willingness towards organ donation among Riyadh residents and examined the sociodemographic factors influencing these attitudes. Methods: A cross-sectional survey using convenience sampling was conducted among adults in Riyadh. The survey assessed demographic characteristics, awareness, willingness to donate, and sociodemographic factors. Statistical analyses included descriptive statistics and logistic regression. Results: Among the 645 respondents, 56.4% were willing to donate organs, with females showing a higher propensity than males (OR 2.9, 95% CI 1.7–5.1, p < 0.001). Awareness of organ donation centers was linked to increased willingness to donate (OR 1.5, 95% CI 1.1–2.5, p < 0.001). Higher educational level was strongly associated with donor registration (OR 36.8, 95% CI 14.7–91.9, p < 0.001). Despite their high willingness, only 9.5% were registered as donors, highlighting the gap between intention and action. Conclusions: Riyadh residents showed a significant willingness to donate organs, influenced by gender, education, and awareness. Low registration rates suggest barriers such as religious beliefs and lack of information. Targeted educational campaigns and policy evaluations, including an opt-out system, are recommended to enhance registration rates.

The study aimed to assess the relationship between a safe learning environment in Emirati schools and the development of student's creative thinking. Using a descriptive method with stratified random sampling, the researchers selected a sample of 500 male and female teachers. Two questionnaires were employed: one assessing the safe learning environment (20 items) and another measuring creative thinking (20 items). Results indicated a high teacher perception of a safe learning environment, with statistically significant chi-square values for all items. Similarly, teachers perceived a high level of creative thinking development, with significant chi-square values for all items. Gender and experience did not show statistically significant differences in the perception of a safe learning environment. However, teachers with over 10 years of experience demonstrated higher levels of creative thinking development. Notably, a significant correlation was found between a safe learning environment and the development of students' creative thinking in Emirati schools. This study aligns with the UAE Ministry of Education's mission to create a safe and creative educational system that meets the needs of a globally competitive knowledge society. Doi: 10.28991/ESJ-2023-SIED2-014 Full Text: PDF

The study aimed to show the best effect of the general combining ability (GCA) and specific combining ability (SCA) for parents and their hybrids of the studied traits. The study included two main successive seasons. In the first season, cherry tomato pure lines were selected that were introduced from the Tomato Genetics Resource Center (TGRC) at University of California, Davis in USA, 5 pure lines were selected which were the most genetically Distant which are (LA4451, LA4753, LA3334, LA1221 and LA4689) and its code (1, 2, 3, 4 and 5) respectively and entered into Full Diallel crossing program to produce individual crosses. The second season included an experiment to compare genotypes (5 parents + 20 cross-hybrids. and its reciprocal hybrids) according to RCBD design with three replications. The results were as follows: parents 1 showed a general significant ability to combine in the desired direction in terms of fruit set percentage and fruit weight, while the superiority of parent 4 in terms of plant yield and total yield. The parent 5 was superior in the number of flowers in the inflorescence, the number of total flowers of the plant and the number of fruits, whereas the hybrid (5×1) showed superiority in the number of flowers in the inflorescence 35.667, number of total flowers 259.66, the percentage of the set 15.69 and the number of fruits 86.83. (1×4) appeared significant effect of (SCA) were shown significant and desirable in the traits average fruit weight 1.47, plant yield 0.55 and total yield 0.69.

Aluminum alloys are highly preferred for their superior properties, including high corrosion resistance and lightweight in the automotive industry. To better understand how magnesium addition affects aluminum's corrosion and strengthening properties, three different percentages of magnesium-added aluminum alloys, as well as pure aluminum, were melted at a temperature of 800 ± 10 °C in a furnace and cast using the sand molding process. Subsequently, weight loss was used to conduct corrosion testing along with mechanical tests such as tensile, flexural, hardness, and impact tests. In-depth research revealed that the addition of magnesium at 3 wt %, 5 wt %, and 7 wt % strengthened the aluminum alloy. The addition of magnesium resulted in the formation of Al3Mg2, which restricted the movement of dislocation, induced grain refinement, and increased the strength of the alloy. However, it was observed that the addition of magnesium caused a decrease in the alloy's toughness and ductility, resulting in decreased impact energy and % elongation by 29.19 % and 34.87 % respectively by the addition of 5 wt% Mg compared to pure aluminum. Nevertheless, the optical microstructure and SEM image revealed refined grains and the formation of Al3Mg2, providing valuable insight into magnesium's strengthening behavior in aluminum. The study found that adding 7 wt % Mg to the aluminum alloy did not significantly improve its strength and hardness compared to adding 5 wt % Mg. This was because the 7 wt % Mg addition caused the grain size to increase, making it less effective at resisting dislocation movements. The grain coarsening of the 7 wt % Mg added alloy was also revealed in the optical microscope and the SEM images. The EDS analysis confirmed the presence of Al and Mg within the globular-shaped intermetallic particles, indicating the formation of the Al3Mg2 intermetallic phases. However, the highly reactive nature of magnesium results in a higher corrosion rate in terms of weight loss and corrosion current density, which causes the formation of pits and metal dissolution, leading to significant metal loss beneath the original surface when immersed in 3.5 wt % NaCl medium for a period of fifteen and thirty days. Localized corrosion was indicated by the SEM images, which showed concave and convex structures formed by the corrosion products on the alloys. The breakdown of the Al2O3 protective layer, which is the cause of the pits and cracks in the corrosion products, may be brought on by internal stress or the dehydration of hydroxides, which is known as Mg-induced stress corrosion cracking. However, more pits and cracks are found in the SEM image for the 7 wt % Mg addition as it was corroded more compared to the other alloys. The map analysis of the corroded alloy confirmed the corrosion behaviors of the Mg-added alloy by the presence of oxygen all over the surface. Because of the alloy's Al3Mg2 intermetallic compound's refinement and lower corrosion rate, 5 wt % of Mg was found to be the optimal amount for the addition of aluminum to increase strength and hardness without compromising the alloy's toughness and ductility.

Maintaining stable voltage levels is essential for power systems' efficiency and reliability. Voltage fluctuations during load changes can lead to equipment damage and costly disruptions. Automatic voltage regulators (AVRs) are traditionally used to address this issue, regulating generator terminal voltage. Despite progress in control methodologies, challenges persist, including robustness and response time limitations. Therefore, this study introduces a novel approach to AVR control, aiming to enhance robustness and efficiency. A custom optimizer, the quadratic wavelet-enhanced gradient-based optimization (QWGBO) algorithm, is developed. QWGBO refines the gradient-based optimization (GBO) by introducing exploration and exploitation improvements. The algorithm integrates quadratic interpolation mutation and wavelet mutation strategy to enhance search efficiency. Extensive tests using benchmark functions demonstrate the QWGBO's effectiveness in optimization. Comparative assessments against existing optimization algorithms and recent techniques confirm QWGBO's superior performance. In AVR control, QWGBO is coupled with a cascaded real proportional-integral-derivative with second order derivative (RPIDD2) and fractional-order proportional-integral (FOPI) controller, aiming for precision, stability, and quick response. The algorithm's performance is verified through rigorous simulations, emphasizing its effectiveness in optimizing complex engineering problems. Comparative analyses highlight QWGBO's superiority over existing algorithms, positioning it as a promising solution for optimizing power system control and contributing to the advancement of robust and efficient power systems.

This study delves into the investigation of intermetallic compounds, specifically Al3Ni, Al3Sn, Al2Cu, Ni3Al, and their formation during the alloying additions and heat treatment procedures of Al-4%Cu alloy with the addition of Ni and Sn. After manufacturing, an extensive range of tests, encompassing hardness assessments, SEM and XRD analysis, and optical microscopy, were executed. The introduction of Nickel (Ni) and Tin (Sn) into the base alloy resulted in a gradual and significant enhancement in hardness, with Alloy 3 exhibiting the most remarkable improvement, showcasing a 214.18 % increase in hardness attributed to higher concentrations of Ni and Sn. Then, heat treatment was carried out that encompassed an initial homogenization phase at 400 °C for a duration of 8 h, followed by precise water quenching. Subsequently, controlled aging precipitation was conducted at 150 °C with distinct time intervals. Comparative analyses of the effect of heat treatment on the hardness values revealed substantial improvements whereas base alloy showed a 67.55 % improvement after the heat treatment. On the other hand, Alloy 1, Alloy 2, and Alloy 3 indicated a 73.26 %, 36.03 %, and 31.22 % enhancement of hardness values respectively. The heat treatment process aimed to meticulously explore the intricate influences of Ni and Sn on the age-hardening process, with specific consideration to identifying the optimal aging time. The incorporation of Ni and Sn into the alloys led to the formation of intermetallic compounds, effectively impeding dislocation movement. Remarkably, Alloy 1 with lower Ni and Sn contents exhibited the most favorable response to the heat treatment, demonstrating a substantial 73.26 % increase in hardness at the optimal aging time. SEM images unveiled the formation of finer precipitates resulting from the aging treatment. This study offers valuable insights into the impact of alloying additions and heat treatment on the microstructure and hardness properties of Al-4%Cu alloys, with potential implications in the fabrication of advanced materials.

Introduction: Disability, which has been deemed as a significant public health problem in our country, in any form, be it correctable or not, tends to hamper the day to day life of the affected person. It affects their personal as well as professional life to a great extent, and creates a lack of confidence and difficulty in social interactions. To assess the burden of locomotor disability, its socio-demographic correlates, and suggest measures to improve the life of people with disability. Methods: It was a cross-sectional study, conducted in areas under the rural and urban health training centers, using a pretested and validated questionnaire along with appropriate examination of the involved system. A total of 900 individuals were included. The study duration was July 2017 to June 2018. The collected data were analyzed using SPSS 20.0. Results: The total prevalence of disability (of any type) contributed to 13.6% while locomotor disability was found to be 4.44% in the study population. Significant association of locomotor disability was observed with age, gender, marital status and occupation (p

The adoption of deep learning (DL) and machine learning (ML) has surged in recent years because of their imperative practicalities in different disciplines. Among these feasible workabilities are the noteworthy contributions of ML and DL, especially ant colony optimization (ACO) and whale optimization algorithm (WOA) ameliorated with neural networks (NNs) to identify specific categories of skin lesion disorders (SLD) precisely, supporting even high-experienced healthcare providers (HCPs) in performing flexible medical diagnoses, since historical patient databases would not necessarily help diagnose other patient situations. Unfortunately, there is a shortage of rich investigations respecting the contributory influences of ACO and WOA in the SLD classification, owing to the recent adoption of ML and DL in the medical field. Accordingly, a comprehensive review is conducted to shed light on relevant ACO and WOA functionalities for enhanced SLD identification. It is hoped, relying on the overview findings, that clinical practitioners and low-experienced or talented HCPs could benefit in categorizing the most proper therapeutical procedures for their patients by referring to a collection of abundant practicalities of those two models in the medical context, particularly (a) time, cost, and effort savings, and (b) upgraded accuracy, reliability, and performance compared with manual medical inspection mechanisms that repeatedly fail to correctly diagnose all patients.

Self-supervised learning (SSL) is a potential deep learning (DL) technique that uses massive volumes of unlabeled data to train neural networks. SSL techniques have evolved in response to the poor classification performance of conventional and even modern machine learning (ML) and DL models of enormous unlabeled data produced periodically in different disciplines. However, the literature does not fully address SSL’s practicalities and workabilities necessary for industrial engineering and medicine. Accordingly, this thorough review is administered to identify these prominent possibilities for prediction, focusing on industrial and medical fields. This extensive survey, with its pivotal outcomes, could support industrial engineers and medical personnel in efficiently predicting machinery faults and patients’ ailments without referring to traditional numerical models that require massive computational budgets, time, storage, and effort for data annotation. Additionally, the review’s numerous addressed ideas could encourage industry and healthcare actors to take SSL principles into an agile application to achieve precise maintenance prognostics and illness diagnosis with remarkable levels of accuracy and feasibility, simulating functional human thinking and cognition without compromising prediction efficacy.

Recently, hybrid nanofluids have been outlined to enhance the cooling performance of microchannel heat sinks (MCHSs) and increase the heat dissipation rate in electronic devices. However, comparative assessments of hybrid nanofluids (HNFs) and water as coolants for MCHSs in terms of their hydrothermal performance and irreversibility characteristics are scarce. The present study aims to numerically assess the hydrothermal performance and entropy generation characteristics of various hybrid nanofluids in an MCHS for cooling a central processing unit (CPU). COMSOL Multiphysics software is used to solve the governing equations of a three-dimensional conjugate heat transfer model using the finite element method. The reduced graphene oxide decorated with cobalt oxide nanocomposite (rGO–Co3O4) and Fe3O4-coated MWCNT (MWCNT–Fe3O4) HNFs with temperature-dependent thermophysical properties and wide range of concentrations (0% ≤ φ ≤ 0.2%) are considered. The simulations are performed under constant Reynolds number (300 ≤ Re ≤ 1500) and constant flow rate (5.42 cm3/s ≤ Q ≤ 27.12 cm3/s) conditions. The results show that increasing the values of φ at a fixed Re significantly enhances the heat transfer coefficient; reduces the CPU temperature, thermal resistance, and total entropy generation; and improves temperature uniformity. However, the pressure drop and pumping power increase significantly. No significant enhancement is achieved when the HNFs are used instead of water at a constant flow rate, and a noticeable pumping power is obtained under all studied conditions. In conclusion, MWCNT–Fe3O4 HNF exhibited better combined thermohydraulic performance than the rGO–Co3O4 HNF.

Three unique approaches were adopted in this research first for the solar water heater (SWH), a surface-modified (resurfacing) absorber plate was manufactured through the steel shot-blasting approach. Furthermore, the naturally acquired activated carbon nanomaterials (ACNMs) have been synthesized and the same was employed as nanofluids (NFDs) and coating material on the absorber plate through the spray painting. Also, ACNMs and water, (DIW) based nanofluids were synthesized using the double-step methodology and applied as heat transfer medium (HTM). In addition, the thermal properties of DIW-ACNM such as ratios of thermal conductivity (TC), specific heat, viscosity, and density were measured experimentally and colloidal stability of NFDs was also ensured through zeta potential and SEM analysis. The temperature difference of the HTM across the SWH was recorded as 7.5, 9.8, 10.6, and 12.04 °C at 0, 0.1, 0.25, and 0.4 vol % of ACNMs loading respectively. The thermal efficiency of modified SWH was increased up to 52.7% with a volume fraction of 0.4% despite a proliferation in pressure drop and pumping power by 23.5 and 22.1% respectively. Overall, combining ACNM as an NFD and coating material along with shot-blasting on the absorber plate had excellent improvement in the SWH performance with a performance augmentation factor of 1.14.

A decision-making system is an essential component of an autonomous tram. The decision-making system uses information on the surrounding area to recognize the traffic situation and determine appropriate actions to maintain safety and passenger comfort. However, guaranteeing reliable performance and safety remains challenging in all driving situations. The development of autonomous trams involves iterative engineering-related tasks. Therefore, proper architecture to facilitate the flexibility of engineering development is required. This paper proposes a modular architecture for a decision-making system for autonomous trams. The decision-making system can serve as a high-level controller for autonomous trams. The architecture consists of risk assessment and decision & planning modules. It also integrates several key functions, such as trajectory prediction, safety assessment, adaptive cruise control (ACC), collision avoidance (CA), and emergency braking system (EBS). In the decision and planning module, a finite-state machine is devised as part of the decision-making system. This module provides a speed reference for low-level speed controllers. In addition, the decision-making system architecture was implemented and its implementation was validated using a Carla simulator. Under a mixed-traffic scenario, simulation results showed that the decision-making system has a high percentage of mission successes. Out of 50 simulations in mixed-traffic scenarios, the tram reached its destination with an 80% success rate in which the success rates of ACC, CA, and EBS executions to avoid collisions were 96.94%, 100%, and 100%, respectively. In addition, the system works well in real-time to recognize the surrounding environment and determine actions. Although beyond the scope of the decision-making system, the simulation results also indicate that an improving performance of the tram’s low-level speed controller may provide more reliable performance of the decision-making system.

Nearly 90% of thermosets are produced from petroleum resources, they have remarkable mechanical characteristics, are chemically durable, and dimensionally stable. However, they can contribute to global warming, depletion of petroleum reserves, and environmental contamination during manufacture, use, and disposal. Using renewable resources to form thermosetting materials is one of the most crucial aspects of addressing the aforementioned issues. Vanillin-based raw materials have been used in the industrial manufacturing of polymer materials because they are simple to modify structurally. Conversely, traditional thermosetting materials as a broad class of high-molecular-weight molecules are challenging to heal, decompose and recover owing to their permanent 3-D crosslinking network. Once the products are damaged, recycling issues could arise, causing resource loss and environmental impact. It could be solved by inserting dynamic covalent adaptable networks (DCANs) into the polymer chains, increasing product longevity, and minimizing waste. It also improves the attractiveness of these products in the prospective field. Moreover, it is essential to underline that increasing product lifespan and reducing waste is equivalent to reducing the expense of consuming resources. The detailed synthesis, reprocessing, thermal, and mechanical characteristics of partly and entirely biomass thermosetting polymers made from vanillin-modified monomers are covered in the current work. Finally, the review highlights the benefits, difficulties, and application of these emerging vanillin-modified vitrimers as a potential replacement for conventional non-recyclable thermosets.

Human monkeypox (now termed as the “Mpox”) was considered a geographically isolated disease until recently, but the current spread of the disease over 110 locations around the world has created an environment of fear. This study was thus conducted to evaluate the knowledge and apprehensions about the ongoing outbreak of Monkeypox among the medical students and nursing staff who can be a vital source of dissemination of knowledge to the general population. A semi-structured, self-administered questionnaire, was used in this cross-sectional offline study. The study population comprised Medical undergraduate students and nursing staff of a medical college situated in northern India. A total of 340 participants took part in the study comprising 302(88.8%) medical undergraduates and 38(11.1%) nursing staff. Overall, the knowledge of medical students and nursing staff was unsatisfactory. When the questionnaire data were analyzed only 17.05% of the participants had good knowledge, 20.58% had moderate knowledge and 65.78% had poor knowledge. Overall knowledge about the human monkeypox virus and disease was underwhelming. Medical students and nursing staff can be a vital source of dissemination of knowledge to the general population. In this era of emerging threats; to fill the knowledge gaps of the health care professionals’ strategies like continuing medical education, webinars, seminars, and workshops primarily focussing on better clinical, prevention, and control practices should be conducted frequently.

Additively manufactured materials contain different types of volumetric defects. Here, the authors utilize the most distinguishing morphological features among different defect types to propose a defect classification methodology.

α-Mangostin (α-MG) is a natural xanthone obtained from the pericarps of mangosteen. It exhibits excellent potential, including anti-cancer, neuroprotective, antimicrobial, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties, and induces apoptosis. α-MG controls cell proliferation by modulating signaling molecules, thus implicated in cancer therapy. It possesses incredible pharmacological features and modulates crucial cellular and molecular factors. Due to its lesser water solubility and pitiable target selectivity, α-MG has limited clinical application. As a known antioxidant, α-MG has gained significant attention from the scientific community, increasing interest in extensive technical and biomedical applications. Nanoparticle-based drug delivery systems were designed to improve the pharmacological features and efficiency of α-MG. This review is focused on recent developments on the therapeutic potential of α-MG in managing cancer and neurological diseases, with a special focus on its mechanism of action. In addition, we highlighted biochemical and pharmacological features, metabolism, functions, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant effects and pre-clinical applications of α-MG.

Background: Asthma is coined as a chronic inflammatory disorder and disarrays of the airways and respiratory tract which manifests as recurrent episodes of wheezing, breathlessness, chest tightness, and cough. The World Health Organization recognizes asthma as a major health problem. Although asthma can occur at any age, children and young adults are the age groups which are affected more commonly. Objectives: The objective of this study is to find the prevalence of bronchial asthma in school-going children (6–16 years) and its associated factors. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study among the school-going children in the age group of 6–16 years was done in the field practice areas of urban health and training center and rural health and training center of the Department of Community Medicine, JNMCH, A. M. U., Aligarh, U.P. the study done for a period of one year. The validated questionnaire (International Study on Allergy and Asthma in Childhood) was used. The sample size was taken as 902. The data were entered and analyzed in the SPSS statistical software version 20.0. Chi-square was used. Results: The prevalence of asthma among the study population was found to be 26.9%. Family history of smoking and history of allergy in an individual came out to be a significant factor associated with asthma. The association is also significant between asthma and the diet of an individual. Conclusions: Asthma among school children is a public health problem in urban and rural areas. There was a rising pattern in the prevalence of asthma at national and subnational levels.

Coffee is a beverage made from seed extract that is consumed in approximately 2.25 billion glasses per day around the world. Students are pressed for time due to the hectic lecture system and must complete assignments or prepare for block exams at night. Students can combat feelings of sleepiness and fatigue in a variety of ways, one of which is to consume caffeine-containing beverages, specifically coffee, which has the negative effect of causing anxiety disorders. The goal of this study is to see if there is a link between coffee consumption and anxiety in preclinical students from Tadulako University's Medical Faculty's batch 2020. The cross-sectional method was used in this study. Purposive sampling was used to collect the samples. The 20-item Zung Self-Rating Anxiety Scale and an 11-item coffee consumption questionnaire were used to assess anxiety. The Spearman rho correlation test was used to calculate the correlation between two variables. The criteria were met by 108 respondents, with an average age of 18.7±0.6 years, 87 women (80.6%), and 21 men (19.4%). Following coffee consumption, the level of anxiety among students was found to be dominated by the absence of anxiety or normal (73.1%), mild anxiety (24.1%), and moderate anxiety (2.8%). There was no association found between coffee consumption and student anxiety levels. This study suggested that other factors should be considered when investigating student anxiety.

Here, we demonstrate a short synthetic route to pyrano cage systems containing pentacycloundecane units by employing ring-closing metathesis (RCM) as a key step. These cage systems were constructed starting with readily available starting materials by adopting atomic economic processes such as cycloadditions (Diels-Alder reaction and [2+2] cycloaddition), Grignard addition, and olefin metathesis. The key building block, such as hexacyclic cage dione, was prepared from 1,4-naphthoquinone derivative and freshly cracked 1,3-cyclopentadiene. Some of these heterocyclic motifs are useful in biological chemistry and valuable as key synthons for high-energy-density materials.

Objective: to evaluate the knowledge and practice of diabetic patients in terms of the diabetic foot and correlate it with the severity of diabetic foot and limb loss. Study Design: Cross-sectional study Place and Duration of Study: Department of Vascular Surgery, Combined military hospital, Lahore Pakistan, from Jan 2020 to Jan 2021. Methodology: Data was recorded in terms of demographics, knowledge and practice of control of blood sugars and foot care of the patients. SINDBAD scoring was used to assess the severity of diabetic foot and compare it with their knowledge and practice and ultimately as an outcome of their limb salvage. Results: Most patients 171(88.6%) already had a diabetic foot ulcer. Hypertension alone 72(37.3%) was the most common comorbid condition. A large percentage of patients, 108(63%), ultimately ended up with a limb amputation. A higher age and longer duration of diabetes were associated with an adverse outcome of diabetic foot disease. According to the SINDBAD scoring, the assessment of the foot showed the majority 142(73.6%), had lost protective sensation, with the ulcer being greater than 1cm2 in a large number 147(76.2%) of feet. Conclusion: While steps are made for patient awareness related to diabetes and its complications, there is a need to address the decreased applicability of this knowledge by the patients, especially with regard to diabetic foot disease.

A field experiment was carried out within the randomized complete block design in the agricultural season 2020–2021. The experiment included two factors, the first factor was solid chelated iron (S0, S1, and S2 at concentrations 0, 100, and 200 ppm, respectively), which was added to the soil. The second factor was liquid chelated iron (L0, L1, and L2 at concentrations 0, 2, and 4 ml L–1 respectively), which was spraying on the plants. The results showed that the stem diameter, number of pods, and total yield were significantly affected by adding the 100 ppm iron solid chelated treatment (18.36 mm, 25.74 pod plant–1, 5.01 Mg ha–1 respectively). While 200 ppm treatment had the highest plant height (30.10 cm, yield (771.35 g plant–1), seeds (6.18 per pod). The treatment of 4 ml L–1 liquid chelated iron treatment had the highest plant height (128.55 cm), biggest stem diameter (18.63 mm), highest pods per plant (25.45), yield (755.98 g plant–1), total yield (4.80 Mg ha–1), pod length (24.87 cm), pod weight (28.14 g) and the number of seeds per pod (7.88). The use of the interaction between solid and liquid chelated iron improves the vegetative growth and yield of broad beans.

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is an autosomal recessive disorder, with a prevalence of 1 in 2,500 live births. It is caused by mutations in the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) gene. With the significant advancement in CFTR-directed therapies, life expectancy of CF patients has steadily increased. With improved survival, CF related co-morbidities have become more apparent. The most common endocrine complication includes Cystic fibrosis related diabetes (CFRD). Impaired glucose tolerance and insulin deficiency in CFRD leads to a decline in pulmonary function in CF patients. Here we review the underlying mechanisms involved in the pathogenesis of CFRD, focusing on the role of CFTR in the regulation of insulin secretion from the β-cell. We then discuss CFTR modulators and their effect on impaired glucose tolerance and CFRD.

This study assesses quad-band metamaterial perfect absorbers (MPAs) based on a double X-shaped ring resonator for electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding applications. EMI shielding applications are primarily concerned with the shielding effectiveness values where the resonance is uniformly or non-sequentially modulated depending on the reflection and absorption behaviour. The proposed unit cell consists of double X-shaped ring resonators, a dielectric substrate of Rogers RT5870 with 1.575 mm thickness, a sensing layer, and a copper ground layer. The presented MPA yielded maximum absorptions of 99.9%, 99.9%, 99.9%, and 99.8% at 4.87 GHz, 7.49 GHz, 11.78 GHz, and 13.09 GHz resonance frequencies for the transverse electric (TE) and transverse magnetic (TM) modes at a normal polarisation angle. When the electromagnetic (EM) field with the surface current flow was investigated, the mechanisms of quad-band perfect absorption were revealed. Moreover, the theoretical analysis indicated that the MPA provides a shielding effectiveness of more than 45 dB across all bands in both TE and TM modes. An analogous circuit demonstrated that it could yield superior MPAs using the ADS software. Based on the findings, the suggested MPA is anticipated to be valuable for EMI shielding purposes.

Abstract Objectives: To find out prevalence of bullying, its associated factors and extent of awareness against bullying among th students of public/private schools of Lahore and to compare them. Study Design: Comparative cross-sectional study. Place and Duration of Study: Study was carried out in different schools of Lahore, Pakistan, from May to Nov 2019. Methodology: A total of 294 students of public/private schools (8-10th grade students) of Lahore were recruited in study by purposive sampling. The students filled a pretested and pre-structured questionnaire consisting of questions about bullying, number of bullies, forms of bullying, its causes and consequences, reaction of students towards bullying and if anybody was informed about it. Results: A higher frequency of bullying was reported in public schools (54%) than in private (46%). Students mostly suffered bullying in the form of humiliating remarks (56.3%) and verbal abuse (25.3%). Causes of bullying in public schools were physical appearance (48.9%), illness (19.1%) and imbalance of power (19.1%) whereas in private schools, physical status (45.0%), imbalance of power (25.0%) and low socioeconomic status (22.5%) were common. Bullying was associated with loss of concentration on studies (19.5%) and behavioral changes (18.4%). The students usually reported bullying incidents to teachers (36.8%) and parents (28.7%). A majority of students walked away from the bully (45.4%). Conclusion: Bullying is relatively more prevalent in public schools and predominantly manifested in the form of humiliating remarks & verbal abuse. Majority of students show no appropriate resistance towards the bully while bullying causes a critical psychological distress inthem.

Objectives To develop and propose a cost-effective trauma care network for Karachi, Pakistan, by calculating maximum timely trauma care (TTC) coverage achieved with the addition of potential designated private and public level 1 and level 2 trauma centres (TCs).Setting A lower middle-income country metropolis, Karachi is Pakistan’s largest city with a population of 16 million and a total of 56 hospitals as per government registry data.Participants 41 potential TCs selected using a two-level, contextually-relevant TC designation criteria adapted from various international guidelines.Primary and secondary outcome measures Maximum TTC coverage achievable with the addition of potential TCs. Proposed trauma care network composition to achieve maximum TTC coverage.Results Coverage with five public level 1 hospitals alone is 74.4%. Marginal benefit with stepwise addition of five potential private level 1 TCs, four public level 2 TCs and two private level 2 TCs is 12.2%, 7.1% and 3.1%, respectively. Maximum possible TTC coverage is 96.7%. Poorest coverage with the proposed 16 hospital network is noted in Malir district while 100% coverage is achieved in the centrally located South, Central and East districts.Conclusion Addition of private level 1 and private and public level 2 hospitals to the trauma care network is necessary. Implementation of the proposed trauma care network requires strong stewardship from the government and coordinated effort of multiple stakeholders is needed to ensure standard TC designation. The study exhibits an effective method to scientifically plan and develop a cost-effective trauma system which can be applied in other resource-limited geographical areas.

In this study, the combustion, performance, and emission characteristics of a multi-cylinder diesel engine using tea tree oil (TTO) blended with diethyl ether (DEE) and diesel are investigated. The blends considered are virgin diesel, B20 (80% vol. diesel +15% vol. TTO +5 vol% DEE), B30 (70% vol. diesel +22.5% vol. TTO +7.5 vol% DEE), and B40 (60% vol. diesel +30% vol. TTO +10 vol% DEE). The results show that the cetane numbers of B20, B30, and B40 blends are four to five times higher than that of TTO. Compared with diesel, those values are lower by 5.46%, 8.2%, and 10.9%, respectively. At 75% engine load, the brake power generated by B40 is comparable to that of virgin diesel, whereas those generated by B30 and B20 are 2.2% and 3.8% lower, respectively. Similarly, the average thermal efficiencies of B40, B30, and B20 are 2%, 7.4%, and 11.3% lower than that of virgin diesel, respectively. Meanwhile, all the TTO blends emit equal amounts of carbon dioxide, whereas their carbon monoxide and hydrocarbon emissions reduced significantly by 17%–35% and 13%–25%, respectively. However, the TTO blends emit 11%–19% more nitrogen oxide than diesel. It is demonstrated that B40 may be a viable replacement for virgin diesel that affords comparable performance and reduced emissions.

Introduction: With the highly effective antiretroviral treatment, HIV is transforming into a chronic condition, whose management is now experiencing problems of other chronic diseases, where quality of life (QoL) plays a central role. This study was conducted with the objective of determining the QoL among people living with HIV/AIDS (PLHA) taking Anti-Retroviral Therapy (ART) and examine the factors affecting it. Material and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted at ART center, Aligarh. 434 PLHA on antiretroviral therapy, were interviewed using a pretested questionnaire, assessing QoL with the World Health Organization (WHOQoL) HIV-BREF. For domain-based analysis, we examined the association of various factors with the individual domain. The P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: The mean score in all the domains of WHOQoL was maximum for the level of independence (15.7 ± 2.6) followed by the physical domain (15.5 ± 3.0), while environment domain (11.7 ± 1.8) had the least mean. All the domains, including overall QoL scored above average QoL. This study also showed that a strong relationship exists between QoL with lower socioeconomic status, presence of side effects from ART and depression. Conclusion: The QoL of HIV patients taking ART from Aligarh was adequate, reflecting the efforts of NACO and other agencies in managing the disease. With respect to its determinants, providing good family support, better employment opportunities, reducing stigma, and proper and timely management of side effects and depression could further increase levels of QoL.

The removal of sulfur by deep hydrodesulfurization is expensive and environmentally unfriendly. Additionally, sulfur is not separated completely from heterocyclic poly-aromatic compounds. In nature, several microorganisms (Rhodococcus erythropolis IGTS8, Gordonia sp., Bacillus sp., Mycobacterium sp., Paenibacillus sp. A11-2 etc.) have been reported to remove sulfur from petroleum fractions. All these microbes remove sulfur from recalcitrant organosulfur compounds via the 4S pathway, showing potential for some organosulfur compounds only. Activity up to 100 µM/g dry cell weights is needed to meet the current demand for desulfurization. The present review describes the desulfurization capability of various microorganisms acting on several kinds of sulfur sources. Genetic engineering approaches on Gordonia sp. and other species have revealed a variety of good substrate ranges of desulfurization, both for aliphatic and aromatic organosulfur compounds. Whole genome sequence analysis and 4S pathway inhibition by a pTeR group inhibitor have also been discussed. Now, emphasis is being placed on how to commercialize the microbes for industrial-level applications by incorporating biodesulfurization into hydrodesulfurization systems. Thus, this review summarizes the potentialities of microbes for desulfurization of petroleum. The information included in this review could be useful for researchers as well as the economical commercialization of bacteria in petroleum industries.

This work focused on the novel and compact 1-bit symmetrical coding-based metamaterial for radar cross section reduction in terahertz frequencies. A couple of coding particles were constructed to impersonate the elements ‘0′ and ‘1′, which have phase differences of 180°. All the analytical simulations were performed by adopting Computer Simulation Technology Microwave Studio 2019 software. Moreover, the transmission coefficient of the element ‘1′ was examined as well by adopting similar software and validated by a high-frequency structure simulator. Meanwhile, the frequency range from 0 to 3 THz was set in this work. The phase response properties of each element were examined before constructing various coding metamaterial designs in smaller and bigger lattices. The proposed unit cells exhibit phase responses at 0.84 THz and 1.54 THz, respectively. Meanwhile, the analysis of various coding sequences was carried out and they manifest interesting monostatic and bistatic radar cross section (RCS) reduction performances. The Coding Sequence 2 manifests the best bistatic RCS reduction values in smaller lattices, which reduced from −69.8 dBm2 to −65.5 dBm2 at 1.54 THz. On the other hand, the monostatic RCS values for all lattices have an inclined line until they reach a frequency of 1.0 THz from more than −60 dBm2. However, from the 1.0 THz to 3.0 THz frequency range the RCS values have moderate discrepancies among the horizontal line for each lattice. Furthermore, two parametric studies were performed to examine the RCS reduction behaviour, for instance, multi-layer structures and as well tilt positioning of the proposed coding metamaterial. Overall it indicates that the integration of coding-based metamaterial successfully reduced the RCS values.

Background: Literature has reported thyroid functional abnormalities in diabetes mellitus. The objectives of this study were to determine and compare the serum concentrations of T3, T4 and TSH in alloxan-induced type 1 diabetic and control Wistar albino rats. Materials & Methods: It was an experimental animal study on 20 Wistar albino rats, extending over a period of eight weeks. Alloxan, a diabetogenic agent, was used to produce animal models of type 1 diabetes. Animals were divided equally into two groups: control and diabetic. The animals in the diabetic group were injected intraperitoneally with 150 mg/kg body weight of 10% alloxan to induce diabetes. After 72 hours, diabetes was confirmed with glucometer (glucose >350mg/dl). During the course of experiment, one rat in control group and 2 rats in diabetic group died. Blood was collected for estimation of serum concentrations of thyroid hormones, thyroid stimulating hormone at the end of experimental period. Serum T3, T4, and TSH were measured using ELISA kits. Results: At the end of eight weeks, the mean concentration of serum T3 was 0.69 ±0.29 ng/ml and 0.44±0.02 ng/ml in control and diabetic groups, respectively. The mean concentration of T4 was 3.78±1.16 μg/dl and 2.24±0.86 μg/dl in control and diabetic groups respectively. The mean concentration of TSH was 0.77±0.20 μU/ml and 1.41±0.23 μU/ml in control and diabetic groups respectively. The mean serum concentrations of T3 (p=.0025) and T4 (p=

This article describes in detail how optimizing performance studies were measured on the selection of low global warming potential (GWP) refrigerants for automobile air conditioning to obey the environmental protocols with the multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) tools. Among 14 alternatives, three different types of MCDM tools are used in this study, i.e., the technique for order of preference by similarity to ideal solution (TOPSIS) approach, evaluation based on distance from average solution (EDAS), and multi-objective optimization based on ratio analysis (MOORA) for time consumption. For the data processing, the thermodynamic characteristics, environmental friendliness, and economic circumstances are optimized with the multiple response attributes, including the latent heat of vaporization, thermal conductivity, vapor pressure, saturated fluid density, specific heat capacity, dynamic viscosity, GWP, ozone depletion potential, and cost per pound. From MCDM techniques, the grade values and weights assigned by decision-makers are standardized into a comparable measure. Among the 14 refrigerants, R430A has been applied foremost in EDAS, TOPSIS, and MOORA methods with the highest closeness coefficient values of 0.786, 0.701, and 0.064, respectively. R-744 was found to be the worst refrigerant by both EDAS and TOPSIS methods, while R1233zd (E) was found to be the worst refrigerant by the MOORA method.

Schools are significant settings for the development of young people, yet few studies have investigated the multiple facets of school climate and students' well-being. This research aims to map the literature production in the two intertwined concepts: students' well-being, and school climate. The study applied bibliometric analysis to map the research status of school climate and students' well-being using metadata extracted from over a period of 33 years. The analysis presents a detailed overview of school climate and students' well-being in terms of scientific production, citations, authorship, countries' production, and institutions' outputs. Results highlighted the recent developmental trends of publications on students' well-being and school climate and outlined the precursors for triggering this combination. With reference to students' overall well-being, analysing the results shows that research on school climate increased markedly in different parts of the world. However, when compared to Arab countries, rare studies were conducted.

In this article, we study curvature inheritance symmetry in Ricci flat spacetimes. We show that, if Ricci flat spacetimes are not of Petrov type N, and admit curvature inheritance symmetries, then the only existing symmetries are conformal motions. We also prove that the only Ricci flat spacetime that admits a proper curvature inheritance symmetry and is of Petrov type other than N is the flat spacetime. Next, we find that the vacuum pp-waves of Petrov type N if admit curvature inheritance symmetry, then conformal motion implies homothetic motion.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) was declared a pandemic on March 11, 2020. In efforts to reduce the risk of transmission, telehealth visits for routine care has significantly increased in the United States. Cystic fibrosis patients have been categorized as a highly vulnerable population to COVID-19 infection. Cystic Fibrosis centers are rapidly assessing and responding to the pandemic to ensure the safety of CF patients. At our Cleveland Clinic Cystic Fibrosis center, we transitioned outpatient clinics to a virtual care model in March 2020. Here, we report the changes that were implemented to optimize diabetes management in CF patients through telehealth during the COVID-19 crisis.