Search

The COVID-19 outbreak has affected numerous facets of human life. It is still an ongoing epidemic with multiple variants emerged since its first outbreak. To detect COVID-19 machine learning and the Internet of Things are the most widely proposed methods in the literature showing favorable performance. This paper presents a complete mapping and assessment of recent research efforts on COVID-19 detection using both machine learning techniques and the Internet of Things devices. The objective of this research work is to identify machine learning techniques and IoT devices that are used in combination to effectively detect COVID-19 and its variants. The synthesis of the mapping study is provided as the analysis of the IoT devices, and the effectiveness of machine learning techniques in disease detection. This study will help the researchers and health practitioners in deploying an effective method for detecting COVID-19, and its variants using machine learning techniques and IoT devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this research article, a nonlinear time–space fractional order (4+1)-dim Fokas wave equation that is crucial for examining the corporal marvels of waves on and inside the surface of water is examined. For this purpose, a well-known analytical method is utilized, namely, the Sardar sub-equation (SSE) method along with a truncated M-fractional derivative. As a result, many new families of solitary wave solutions, such as kink-type solitons, singular and periodic solitons, dark and bright solitons, are established. By using the SSE method, the outcomes are portrayed in 3-dim, 2-dim, and contour plots for distinct parametric values. The attained hyperbolic and trigonometric function-type results demonstrate the capability of recognizing the exact solutions of the other nonlinear evolution equations through the executed technique.

Background: Psoriasis is a kind of common, chronic, and exacerbating skin diseases. It does not have any certain treatment but it can be controlled. Different treatments have been used to control the disease, from positional steroids in mild cases to methotrexate in severe cases, all of which have multiple side effects. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of Florabile, derived from Iranian Traditional Medicine, on reducing the severity of psoriasis rashes. Methods: In a semi-experimental study, 25 patients aged 20 to 50 years with mild to moderate psoriasis and patients whose bodies were involved below than 20 percent were participated for a 30-days experimental period. They diluted Florabile syrup containing three spoons (each spoon with an approximate volume of 15 cc) with a glass of water (250 cc), and consumed one hour before lunch daily. Results were scored using the Psoriasis Area Severity Index (PASI) at the beginning and at the end of the study, and then evaluated by two dermatologists. Findings: Consuming the medicine meaningfully reduced inflammation of the rashes, scaling, plaque, percentage of involvement, and PASI score (P < 0.050). Conclusion: Findings show significant positive effect of Florabile syrup on reducing the severity of psoriasis rashes.

The article discusses a study done to characterize the Assamese buffaloes in the Brahmaputra valley, river islands and bordering wildlife sanctuaries. Preset questionnaires were used to gather information on Assamese buffaloes and data on morphometric traits was recorded on 29 adult buffaloes from different sites of the valley. It concludes that cytogenetic screening of buffaloes from different areas of Central Asom and further comparison with other sub-populations of Assamese buffaloes can establish the genetic classification of swamp type buffaloes.

The article discusses a study on the existence of swamp buffalo population in Manipur state in India. Cytogenetic profiling and mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) analysis were carried out to prove the existence of such a type of buffaloes. It provides information on the materials and methods used in the study including cytogenetic analysis and sequencing and sequence analysis. Several figures are also presented showing the metaphase spread and karyotype of Manipuri male and female buffaloes and the multiple alignment of different Manipuri mtDNA haplotypes.

Background & Aim : Childhood cancer discloses family, and mother in particular, to a number of challenges. It consumes a lot of time, energy, and money of parents to fulfill their caring responsibilities. In some cases and along with increase of caring pressure, mental health of parents deteriorates. The vesting consequences of such events may alter the process of children caring and their quality of life (QoL). The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between mother’s general health status with the QoL of the child diagnosed with cancer. Methods & Materials : In this descriptive cross-sectional study, 124 mothers of children diagnosed with cancer and aged 6-14 years old, referred to Imam Reza and Amir Hospitals in Shiraz during a four month period (from early November to late February) were selected to the study. Data were gathered using the following instruments: 1) the questionnaire of factors related to QoL in children 2) motherchr('39')s general health status form 3) TNO_AZL Children Quality of Life (TACQOL) and 4) Ped QL Cancer Module. Data were collected through interviewing with mothers and reviewing the medical records of the hospitals. Data were analyzed using the Kruskal–Wallis, Spearman correlation coefficient, Mann-whiteny test and logistic regression in the SPSS-19. Results: : A few number of mothers (7.3%) reported good general health status and a large number described their general health status as moderate (55.6%) and poor (37.1%). The mean of health related QoL score and the specific QoL score for children were 78.45±10.05 and 65.51±17.54, respectively. According to the multi-factorial logistic regression, demographic and social factors such as child’s age and treatment-related factors including the period of radiotherapy, along with the duration of disease were more correlated with health and specific QoL scores in children, compared to the mothers’ general health status score. Conclusion : Results from this study suggested that emotional support is as important as financial empowerment. The QoL in these patients and their families may improve by identifying the families who are at risk of mental problems.

Abstract: Objective: to identify the incidence of postural abnormalities of the lumbar, thoracic, cervical and shoulder regions in nurses and to explore whether these abnormalities were associated with their quality of life. Materials&Methods: In this descriptive and analytical study,36 female and 20 male nurses were selected through sample of convenience method. They completed SF-36 questionnaire (measuring quality of life). Usingthe New York organization test and plumb line kyphosis, lordosis, shoulder drop, forward head posture, head deviations were assessed. Using flexible ruler an exact measurement of lordosis and kyphosis were also performed. At the end, data were analyzed using statistical methods such as independent t - test , anova and chi-square. Results: Results revealed that among those with postural abnormalities (lordosis, shoulder drop), moderate intensity was more common. Regarding the score of SF-36 questionnaire and head deviation, there were no statistically significant differences between female and male nurses.The postural abnormalities of the kyphosis, forward head and shoulder drop were more common in women and lordosis in men. No statistically significant association was found between postural abnormalities and quality of life. Conclusion:The degree of postural abnormalities and also the score of quality of life of the nurses were assessed moderate .The probable reasons for arising the postural abnormalities, are poor postural alignment, repetitive movement habits and improper physical functioning related to their occupation. In addition to postural abnormalities, many other factors can affect quality of life of nurses.

Portfolio selection problem is an important field of capital assignment and budgeting in managerial finance and had proposed patterns for optimal selection of portfolio from the past. For this purpose we suggest a fuzzy ranking method with mathematical approach. This research is a survey in Tehran stock exchange. Statistical population inclusive 50 superior companies of Tehran stock exchange in 1387. By survey of financial data of these companies, 20 companies have selected and weekly returns in 1387 have been calculated for them. In first stage, 20,000 random portfolios have been generated by a computer program. Each of these portfolios is composed of 20 companies that quantity of investment in each of them are between 0% and 100% and selected randomly. The uncertainty on the returns of each portfolio is approximated by means of a trapezoidal fuzzy number. A rank index that accounts for both expected return and risk is defined, allowing the decision-maker to compare different portfolios and select best portfolio. Conclusions showed that, according to risk aversion of investor, several optimal portfolios can be selected. In this article we suggested 3 optimal portfolios.

Background: Achievement of productivity and improvement of quality in the educational system is the effective, influential factors for countries development. Academic achievement is the main objective of the training program and the most important concerns of teachers, education officials, and university Student's families. Self-esteem is one of the factors affecting student academic achievement. This study is aimed to investigate the relationship between self-esteem and academic achievement in Medical Sciences students of in 2014–2015. Subjects and Methods: This is a descriptive–correlational study. In this study, 537 university students were selected using random stratified sampling method from Guilan University of Medical Sciences in 2014–2015. Data were collected using the standard self-esteem questionnaire of Cooper Smith consisting of four elements (general, social, familial, and educational) and a demographic questionnaire. Data were analyzed using SPSS software version 21 and descriptive statistics such as Spearman correlation and Logistic Regression. Results: The results indicated a significant relationship between grade point average and educational self-esteem (P = 0.002, r = 0.135) and global self-esteem (P = 0.02, r = 0.102). There was also a significant relationship between composite Index educational status and general self-esteem (P = 0.019, r = 0.102) and academic achievement (P = 0.007, r = 0.116) and global self-esteem (P = 0.020, r = 0.102). Conclusions: According to the results, the highest mean score of self-esteem was related to the familial element, and the lowest average was in terms of social self-esteem, therefore, given the importance and necessity of self-esteem in academic achievement, strengthening of all aspects of self-esteem is suggested.

Introduction: Breast cancer is one of the top three malignancies worldwide. While radiotherapy, hormone replacement therapys, and chemotherapy are treatments, chemotherapy causes adverse effects that hinder daily life activities., Objectives: To assess the prevalence, severity, and association of symptomatic toxicities in female breast cancer patients affecting various organ systems post systemic chemotherapy (adjuvant and neoadjuvant), and their impact on daily activities. Additionally, to determine the severity of adverse effects in specific age groups and their association with family history and disease stage., Methodology: An observational study was conducted on 253 female breast cancer patients receiving chemotherapy at NORI Cancer Hospital from May to October 2023. Data collection tools included the NCI-PRO-CTCAE standardized questionnaire and patient medical records. Analysis was performed using descriptive statistics, T-tests, and Chi-square tests., Results: Among the 253 patients, 41.4% were aged 41-50. Significant weight changes ( p = 0.034) were observed with more than three chemotherapy cycles. Notable associations included increased chemotherapy cycles with gastrointestinal (mouth/throat sores p = 0.031, vomiting p = 0.021), respiratory (cough p = 0.04), cardiovascular (arm/leg swelling p = 0.007, palpitations p = 0.052), integumentary (hair loss p = 0.000, skin dryness p = 0.054), and musculoskeletal (fatigue p = 0.002) adverse effects. Positive family history and the 18-30 age group also showed significant associations with adverse effect severity. Disease stage significantly influenced the nervous system (stage 2 p = 0.007, stage 3 p = 0.01)., Conclusion: The severity of adverse effects varies among age groups, depending on disease stage, genetics, and treatment duration. These patient-reported outcomes highlight the need for better management strategies considering prognostic factors and treatment adverse effects., Competing Interests: Declaration of conflicting interestsThe authors declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Biochars derived from apple pomace (AP-BC) and industrial wastewater sludge (IS-BC) were used to investigate adsorption performance and mechanism for removing carbendazim from water and compare its performance with commercial biochar (commercial BC). The results showed that the adsorption capacity of AP-BC and IS-BC were 76 mg g -1 and 82 mg g -1 respectively that was comparable with the commercial BC (80 mg g -1 ). The adsorption kinetics and isotherms were best described by the Pseudo-second-order and Langmuir models. Thermodynamic analysis suggested that higher temperatures can enhance the mobility of molecules, increased mobility facilitates more frequent and stronger interactions between the adsorbate molecules and the surface of the adsorbent material, leading to greater adsorption capacity. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations confirmed carbendazim's weak electrophilic nature, supporting the primary physisorption mechanism. Even after five cycles of recycling, both biochars maintained a consistent carbendazim removal efficiency of around 82%, highlighting their high reusability. In this study, the examination of waste-derived biochar's economic feasibility revealed that using biochars derived from waste biomass for large-scale wastewater treatment applications is an economically viable choice., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Introduction Through plausible biological mechanisms, periodontitis causes systemic inflammatory burden and response, thus resulting in damage far beyond the oral cavity. Studies have demonstrated periodontitis to be a significant risk factor for coronary heart disease (CHD) and stroke. The larger the quantum of periodontal inflamed tissue, the greater the chances of periodontitis eliciting bacteremia and systemic inflammatory responses. Studies have reported that periodontitis and other common oral infections play an important role in the development of atherosclerosis. Therefore, the quantity of inflamed periodontal tissue assumes significance in determining the severity of atherosclerosis. Hence, this study investigates the impact of periodontal inflamed surface area (PISA) on the severity of coronary atherosclerosis. Materials and methods In this cross-sectional study, a total of 160 patients who presented at the department of periodontics of The British University in Egypt (BUE) from 1 January 2023 to 30 September 2023 were enrolled. Patients were only enrolled if they had undergone coronary angiography within the last six months, were less than 60 years of age, shared their previous medical history and coronary angiographic report, and gave informed written consent. Data on classic coronary risk factors and periodontal inflammatory status and angiographic findings were recorded and subjected to appropriate statistical analysis. Results The results revealed that the periodontal inflamed surface area (p = 0.002) apart from age (p < 0.047) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) (p < 0.001) is a significant independent predictor of the severity of coronary atherosclerosis. Conclusions The periodontal inflamed surface area is an independent predictor of the severity of coronary atherosclerosis., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright © 2024, Swilem et al.)

A lab-scale gravity-driven bioreactor (GDB) was designed and constructed to evaluate the simultaneous treatment of black liquor and domestic wastewater. The GDB was operated with a mixture of black liquor and domestic wastewater at a ratio of 1:1 and maintained at an average organic loading rate of 1235 mg-COD/L-Day. The wastewater was fed to the primary sedimentation tank at a flow rate of approximately 12 mL/min and subsequently passed through serially connected anaerobic and aerobic chambers with the same flow rate. Each wastewater sample was allowed to undergo a hydraulic retention time of approximately 72 h, ensuring effective treatment. The GDB was actively operated for nine samples (W1-W9) at a weekly frequency. The entire process was conducted within the workstation's ambient temperature range of 30-35 °C to sustain microbial activity and treatment efficiency in an open environment. The performance of the GDB was evaluated in terms of various pollution indicators, including COD, BOD 5 , lignin removal, TDS, TSS, EC, PO 4 3- , SO 4 2- , microbial load (CFU/mL and MPN index), total nitrogen, and color reduction. The results showed that the GDB achieved promising treatment efficiencies: 84.5% for COD, 71.80% for BOD 5 , 82.8% for TDS, 100% for TSS, 74.71% for E.C., 67.25% for PO 4 3- , 81% for SO 4 2- , and 69.36% for TN. Additionally, about 80% reduction in lignin content and 57% color reduction were observed after the treatment. The GDB substantially reduced microbial load in CFU/mL (77.98%) and MPN (90%). This study marks the first to report on wastewater treatment from two different sources (black liquor and domestic wastewater) using a simple GDB design. Furthermore, it highlights the GDB's potential as a cost-effective, environmentally friendly, and efficient solution for wastewater treatment, with no need for supplementary chemical or physical agents and zero operational costs., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

The present study demonstrates the potential of an integrated vertical flow-constructed wetland (IVFCW) for simultaneously treating black liquor and domestic wastewater. IVFCW was operated and monitored for 12 samples with the frequency of one sample per week with the following specifications viz,4 L of wastewater, a blend of 1:1 of pulp and paper industry effluent (black liquor BL), and domestic wastewater, was fed daily in a continuous mode with organic loading rate (OLR) of 1230 mg COD/L-Day, at a temperature range of 40-45℃ (natural temperature of the workstation). Valves controlled each chamber's hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 3 days and flow rate of 10 mL/minute. The IVFCW showed remarkable efficiency in removing various pollutants, including total suspended solids (TSS) and total dissolved solids (TDS), by 100 % and 83 %, respectively, and organic contaminants such as chemical oxygen demand (COD) and biological oxygen demand (BOD) by 80 % and 81 %, respectively. Moreover, the IVFCW efficiently reduced nutrients such as sulfates (SO₄ -2 ), phosphates (PO₄ -3 ), and total nitrogen by about 81 %, 63 %, and 61 %, respectively. The treatment also led to the reduction of lignin content by 83 %. Microbiological analysis revealed a significant reduction in fecal coliforms, and microbial profiling of Typha latifolia roots confirmed the presence of bacteria involved in lignin degradation. Seed germination and seedling survival were found to be negativelyaffected by untreated wastewater in a phytotoxicity study, suggesting that the wastewater's toxic chemicals could be harmful to plant life.This study highlights the effectiveness of IVFCW as a sustainable, economically viable, and resilient wastewater treatment system for mitigating environmental concerns related to the release of untreated wastewater., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2023 The Authors.)