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In this article, we determine various analytical solutions for the (4+1)-dimensional Fokas equation, a significant model in mathematical physics with numerous applications in nonlinear dynamics. Utilizing multiple integration techniques such as the improved F-expansion technique and the Jacobi elliptic function method, we retrieve an array of solution types, including traveling waves, periodic solutions, bell-shaped waves, rational functions, and both kink and anti-kink structures. We further explore the complex nature of these solutions through their graphical representations. By applying Maple, we visualize our results in three-dimensional (3D), and two-dimensional (2D) formats to illustrate the dynamic behavior of these solutions across various parameters and initial conditions. Our findings provide deeper insights into the properties of the Fokas equation and offer a valuable reference for further studies in nonlinear wave phenomena.

Abstract Solitary wave solutions are of great interest to bio-mathematicians and other scientists because they provide a basic description of nonlinear phenomena with many practical applications. They provide a strong foundation for the development of novel biological and medical models and therapies because of their remarkable behavior and persistence. They have the potential to improve our comprehension of intricate biological systems and help us create novel therapeutic approaches, which is something that researchers are actively investigating. In this study, solitary wave solutions of the nonlinear Murray equation will be discovered using a modified extended direct algebraic method. These solutions represent a uniform variation in blood vessel shape and diameter that can be used to stimulate blood flow in patients with cardiovascular disease. These solutions are newly in the literature, and give researchers an important tool for grasping complex biological systems. To see how the solitary wave solutions behave, graphs are displayed using Matlab.

Abstract The combination of a good quality embryo and proper maternal health factors promise higher chances of a successful in vitro fertilization (IVF) procedure leading to clinical pregnancy and live birth. Of these two factors, selection of a good embryo is a controllable aspect. The current gold standard in clinical practice is visual assessment of an embryo based on its morphological appearance by trained embryologists. More recently, machine learning has been incorporated into embryo selection “packages”. Here, we report EVATOM: a machine-learning assisted embryo health assessment tool utilizing an optical quantitative phase imaging technique called artificial confocal microscopy (ACM). We present a label-free nucleus detection method with, to the best of our knowledge, novel quantitative embryo health biomarkers. Two viability assessment models are presented for grading embryos into two classes: healthy/intermediate (H/I) or sick (S) class. The models achieve a weighted F1 score of 1.0 and 0.99 respectively on the in-distribution test set of 72 fixed embryos and a weighted F1 score of 0.9 and 0.95 respectively on the out-of-distribution test dataset of 19 time-instances from 8 live embryos.

Optical Mark Recognition (OMR) systems have been studied since the 1970s. Due to its simplicity of use and efficiency in bulk operations, OMR technology has been gaining popularity over time. They are used as an automated data input technique for surveys and multiple-choice question papers in educational institutions for automatic evaluation and grading of student inputs. The requirement of the conventional OMR systems comprises specialized OMR machines or optical scanners with automatic document feeding capability. These machines and scanners are fixed-location devices and cannot be moved easily. Their energy requirements are high, while they also require human efforts to operate. These machines are expensive and, hence pose budget constraints for small educational institutions. Due to being mechanical, their maintenance and operating cost is high. To overcome these limitations, alternate devices are smartphone cameras, which though handy adversely lack the capability of scanning documents in a controlled environment. An uncontrolled environment leads to inputs that existing OMR algorithms do not recognize at large, while the accuracy rate and precision stay low to an undesirable extent. Due to this shortcoming, the usage of smartphone cameras is still not feasible. In this experimental study, we have proposed an OMR algorithm specifically for inputs taken from smartphones equipped with decent cameras and running Android or iOS operating systems. Thus effectively, we have ported the OMR technology to smartphones, offering more flexibility, easiness, and mobility of its usage in daily life. The key issue that transpired in our experiments is the bad illumination in different lighting conditions. Our results are very promising and comparable to those obtained from the usage of optical scanners.

Plant leaf diseases have various causes, leading to severe disorders. The early and accurate detection and classification of these diseases are fundamental for fostering healthy crop production. In recent years, smart agricultural systems have garnered significant attention due to their capability to enhance efficiency by deploying sensor networks and Internet of Things (IoT) devices that collect and analyze environmental data. However, traditional plant disease detection methods are manual, time-consuming, and often need help handling the data’s complexity and dynamism. These manual methods do not use heterogeneous data to make better decisions. Corn holds significant importance yet it faces numerous diseases that include main three diseases such as blight, common rust, and grey leaf spot. The advancement of computer technology has led to a pivotal focus on corn leaf diseases classification application based on deep learning. Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) have revealed remarkable achievements within Precision Agriculture (PA) due to their ability to enhance information. To this end, this work introduces a CNN-based architecture, the Multi-Model Fusion Network (MMF-Net). Its primary objective is to classify diseases within the realm of PA. MMF-Net integrates multi-contextual features using RL-block and PL-blocks 1 & 2, thus effectively combining different model streams trained on heterogeneous data. The RL-block uses spatial range to process coarse grained images to convolve the local context, while PL-block 1 extracts fine-grained global context by expanding the perceptual area of images. PL-block 2 deals with real-life environmental parameters as features. The extracted features are syndicated using multiple classifiers that ensemble three individual blocks at the decision level to improve the accuracy. After fusion, it uses adaptively the majority voting scheme to generate the final decision probability score of the base model. Multiple experiments are conducted involving the corn leaf diseases dataset and a real-life numerical dataset, generating an impressive 99.23% accuracy in the classification of corn leaf diseases. Overall, MMF-Net provides a promising and smart solution to identify plant leaf diseases in PA effectively.

Abstract Background Recent data suggest that myelin may be altered by physiological events occurring outside of the central nervous system, which may cause changes to cognition and behavior. Similarly, peripheral infection by non-neurotropic viruses is also known to evoke changes to cognition and behavior. Methods Mice were inoculated with saline or influenza A virus. Bulk RNA-seq, lipidomics, RT-qPCR, flow cytometry, immunostaining, and western blots were used to determine the effect of infection on OL viability, protein expression and changes to the lipidome. To determine if microglia mediated infection-induced changes to OL homeostasis, mice were treated with GW2580, an inhibitor of microglia activation. Additionally, conditioned medium experiments using primary glial cell cultures were also used to test whether secreted factors from microglia could suppress OL gene expression. Results Transcriptomic and RT-qPCR analyses revealed temporal downregulation of OL-specific transcripts with concurrent upregulation of markers characteristic of cellular stress. OLs isolated from infected mice had reduced cellular expression of myelin proteins compared with those from saline-inoculated controls. In contrast, the expression of these proteins within myelin was not different between groups. Similarly, histological and immunoblotting analysis performed on various brain regions indicated that infection did not alter OL viability, but increased expression of a cellular stress marker. Shot-gun lipidomic analysis revealed that infection altered the lipid profile within the prefrontal cortex as well as in purified brain myelin and that these changes persisted after recovery from infection. Treatment with GW2580 during infection suppressed the expression of genes associated with glial activation and partially restored OL-specific transcripts to baseline levels. Finally, conditioned medium from activated microglia reduced OL-gene expression in primary OLs without altering their viability. Conclusions These findings show that peripheral respiratory viral infection with IAV is capable of altering OL homeostasis and indicate that microglia activation is likely involved in the process.

The present study reports the conservative first aid concerning the human cranium known as the “Skull with Ears”, which is conserved in the crypt of Santa Luciella ai Librai’s church in Naples, Italy. These remains have historically been worshipped by devotees within the cult of the “abandoned souls”. The skulls were “adopted” by the Neapolitan population and treated with particular care in exchange for divine favors. The critical preservation status of the “Skull with ears” required a multidisciplinary approach aimed at defining the taphonomy and anthropological features of the cranium, while determining the state of its conservation by using a multi-analytical approach. Multispectral imaging, 3D modeling, X-ray imaging, microscopical observations, and microbiological tests enabled the documentation of the cranium while assessing this state of conservation. Electron scanning microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) in the attenuated total reflectance (ATR) mode, and radiocarbon dating allowed for essential data to be obtained on the cranium’s history and constituent components. The results that were obtained from both the analysis of the cranium and the environmental monitoring of the crypt showed the advanced degradation of the bones due to a significant bacterial attack, which was facilitated by the inadequate environmental conditions at the site of conservation. The acquired data enabled the definition of the most suitable conservation strategy and the securing of the cranium.

In this article, The (3 + 1)-dimensional generalized Korteweg-de-Vries-Zakharov-Kuznetsov equation (gKdV-ZKe) which explains the influence of the magnetic field on the weak nonlinear ion-acoustic waves investigated in the field of plasma conjured up including both cold and hot electrons. GKdV-zk techniques solutions are obtained using the improved modified extended tanh expansion method, which is one of the most efficient algebraic methods for obtaining accurate solution to nonlinear partial differential equations. We aim to show how the analyzed model’s parameter impact soliton behavior by choosing different bright and single soliton forms and by developing various analytical optical soliton solutions for the explored equation. Methodology: In order to apply the suggested method, we used a complex wave transform to derive the nonlinear ordinary differential form of the analyzed equation. Then, using the method, we were able to obtain the polynomial form, leading to a set of linear equations. The conclusion of solving the linear equations problem, the outcomes of the analyzed model, and the suggested strategy are all included in different solution sets. After choosing the appropriate set from these sets, using the solution functions, and utilizing the wave transformation provided by the approach, we were able to arrive at the optical soliton solutions by providing the central equation. Finding: The proposed method has successfully produced a number of soliton solutions and several analytical optical solutions to such model. The research shows that the parameters of the model may have a variety of effects on the behavior of solitons, categories based on the soliton type. The findings we get in this article can be used to research and compare numerical and experimental data with analytical solving problems in plasma physics. Originality: This study differs from others in that it assessed the impact that parameters of the model have on the actions of solitons, despite the fact that the proposed technique was applied for the first time on the topic under investigation and numerous soliton types were created. This study focuses on the influence of model parameters on solitons behavior.

Abstract Background Chronic pelvic pain (CPP) is a common symptom of endometriosis. Women with endometriosis are also at a high risk of suffering from anxiety, depression, and other psychological disorders. Recent studies indicate that endometriosis can affect the central nervous system (CNS). Changes in the functional activity of neurons, functional magnetic resonance imaging signals, and gene expression have been reported in the brains of rat and mouse models of endometriosis. The majority of the studies thus far have focused on neuronal changes, whereas changes in the glial cells in different brain regions have not been studied. Methods Endometriosis was induced in female mice (45-day-old; n = 6–11/timepoint) by syngeneic transfer of donor uterine tissue into the peritoneal cavity of recipient animals. Brains, spines, and endometriotic lesions were collected for analysis at 4, 8, 16, and 32 days post-induction. Sham surgery mice were used as controls (n = 6/timepoint). The pain was assessed using behavioral tests. Using immunohistochemistry for microglia marker ionized calcium-binding adapter molecule-1 (IBA1) and machine learning “Weka trainable segmentation” plugin in Fiji, we evaluated the morphological changes in microglia in different brain regions. Changes in glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) for astrocytes, tumor necrosis factor (TNF), and interleukin-6 (IL6) were also evaluated. Results We observed an increase in microglial soma size in the cortex, hippocampus, thalamus, and hypothalamus of mice with endometriosis compared to sham controls on days 8, 16, and 32. The percentage of IBA1 and GFAP-positive area was increased in the cortex, hippocampus, thalamus, and hypothalamus in mice with endometriosis compared to sham controls on day 16. The number of microglia and astrocytes did not differ between endometriosis and sham control groups. We observed increased TNF and IL6 expression when expression levels from all brain regions were combined. Mice with endometriosis displayed reduced burrowing behavior and hyperalgesia in the abdomen and hind-paw. Conclusion We believe this is the first report of central nervous system-wide glial activation in a mouse model of endometriosis. These results have significant implications for understanding chronic pain associated with endometriosis and other issues such as anxiety and depression in women with endometriosis. Graphical Abstract

This article discusses the saturable nonlinear Schrödinger equation, which is a key equation in the study of condensed matter physics, plasma physics, and nonlinear optics. This equation, which represents how electromagnetic waves behave in nonlinear media, is distinct because of its nonlinearity and dispersive properties. In this article, the extended Fan’s sub equation method is used to construct novel solitary wave solutions of the saturable nonlinear Schrödinger equation. This method is a powerful tool for dealing with nonlinear partial differential equations and has been used to a wide range of problems in several branches of mathematics. According to the this method, the saturable nonlinear Schrödinger equation admits a wide range of exact solution families that rely on five parameters. These solutions include soliton-like solutions, which are localized waves that maintain their shape and speed over long distances, and triangular-type solutions, which have a triangular shape. The study also identifies single and combined non-degenerate Jacobi elliptic function-like solutions. These solutions are a particular class of periodic function that appears in several branches of physics, including electromagnetism, quantum mechanics, and fluid dynamics. The obtained solutions are graphically represented by 3D, contour, and 2D graphs using MATLAB. The results of this article present novel perspectives on the saturable nonlinear Schrödinger equation and its possible applications in a different fields. These findings have important implications for nonlinear optics, the development of new optical devices, nonlinear optics, and related fields.

Background: The prevalence of type 2 diabetes in Pakistan is 17.1% reported in National survey conducted in 2017-2018 exposing the people to high risk of complications. Objective: To find frequency of type 2 diabetes mellitus and its risk factors, in adults >30 years of district Peshawar and to identify risk factors. Study type, settings & duration: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted in 04 areas of district Peshawar (Palosi Village, Hayatabad, Tehkal and Shaheen Town) from January 2019 to December 2019. Methodology: A cross-sectional descriptive study design was used to survey adult population (aged 30+ years) of district Peshawar. Data was collected from Tehkal, Shaheen town, Palosi and Hayatabad. Random blood sugar of 123 participants was checked through digital glucometer. Weight and height of participants were checked for BMI calculation. Questions were asked from participants to find risk factors of type 2 diabetes mellitus. Results: The frequency of type 2 diabetes mellitus was found to be 13.0%. Among 123 participants, 13 were pre diabetic, 16 diabetic and 94 people were non-diabetic. The result showed that frequency of type 2 diabetes increased with age, 62.5% of diabetic people were above 50 years. Results also showed positive relation of BMI with the diabetes, 87.5% of diabetic people had BMI more than 25. 62.5% diabetic people had positive family history. Hypertension had positive influence on type 2 diabetes mellitus, 56.25% people among diabetics were hypertensive. Among diabetics, about 60% were male and 40% were females. Physical inactivity had positive relation with type 2 diabetes, 62% of diabetic had no physical activity. Conclusion: We found some other factors which also affected type 2 diabetes mellitus, like sedentary life style, taking mixed meal and polycystic ovary syndrome. The study results also showed no difference in DM prevalence if someone is on medications for other diseases.

Background: Rheumatic heart disease is one of the most frequent types of acquired heart disease, and it is one of the leading causes of morbidity and death. Awareness of doctors regarding rheumatic fever and how to prevent it is important for primary and secondary prevention. Objective: The study aimed to assess the knowledge of rheumatic fever and its prevention and the association of knowledge with cardiology working experience among local doctors working at a tertiary cardiac care unit. Methodology: It was a cross-sectional study conducted at the department of cardiology of a national institute of cardiovascular disease and its satellite centers, Karachi, Pakistan from December, 2020 to June 2021. Doctors of age more than 25 years of either gender were included in the study. A self-administered questionnaire, circulated through emails was used to collect data on age, gender, designation, total years of experience, and years of experience in the cardiac unit and 10 questions to assess the knowledge regarding rheumatic fever and its prevention. Based on the correct response, the doctors were categorized as either having adequate knowledge or inadequate knowledge regarding various aspects of rheumatic fever. Data was entered and analyzed using SPSS version 21. Results: A total of 225 participants were approached, out of which 200 responded and completed the survey with response rate of 88.9%. The mean age of the doctors was 37.40±6.55 years. Most of the participants were males (87.5%). About 82% of the doctors had adequate knowledge about the mechanism of rheumatic fever. A large proportion of participants answered correctly about prophylaxis post-surgery (58%). Doctors with more than 2 years of experience in the cardiology department had better knowledge about the mechanism (p=0.017), diagnosis (p=0.005), post-surgery prophylaxis (p=0.005), duration of secondary prophylactic treatment (p=0.03), drug of choice for secondary prophylaxis (p=0.026) as compared to doctors with up to 2 years of experience in the cardiology department. Conclusion: Knowledge regarding the duration of secondary prophylaxis and primary prophylaxis was low among doctors. Years of working experience in the cardiology unit was a significant factor in the knowledge of the m

(1) Background: Worldwide, asthma, back pain, and migraine are major public health problems due to their high prevalence, effect on the quality of life, and huge economic costs. The association of asthma with an increased risk of these types of pain has been suggested; however, no conclusive results have been obtained to date. The aims of our study were (1) to describe and compare the prevalence of three types of pain localization, namely migraine or frequent headaches (MFH), chronic neck pain (CNP), and chronic low back pain (CLBP), in adults with and without asthma in Spain during the years 2014 and 2020 and (2) to identify which variables were associated with the presence of these types of pain in adults with asthma. (2) Methods: A cross-sectional study and a case–control study were conducted. The 2014 and 2020 European Health Interview Surveys for Spain were used as the data source. (3) Results: A total of 2463 individuals were interviewed and had self-reported asthma. In this group, the prevalence of pain was high, with CLBP (30.9%) being the most common, followed by CNP (26.7%) and MFH (13.3%). All types of pain remained stable from 2014 to 2020. In both surveys, the women with asthma reported a remarkably higher prevalence of all the types of pain analyzed than the men with asthma. After matching by age and sex, the prevalence of all pain types was significantly higher in the patients with asthma than in the matched individuals without asthma. Multivariable adjustment showed that asthma increased the likelihood of CNP by 1.45 times (OR 1.45; 95% CI 1.19–1.76), that of CLBP by 1.37 times (OR 1.37; 95% CI 1.11–1.64), and that of MFH by 1.19 times (OR 1.19; 95% CI 1.02–1.51). The three types of pain analyzed were associated with the female sex and worse self-rated health. (4) Conclusions: Among the men and women with asthma, the prevalence of all the pain types was high and remained stable over time. The prevalence was higher and the severity was greater among the women with asthma than among the men with asthma. The prevalence of any pain was significantly higher in people with asthma than in the sex–age-matched individuals without asthma. Multivariable analysis showed that the variables associated with the reporting of the three types of pain in people with asthma were female sex, worse self-reported health, and self-reported mental illness.

In No Logo, Naomi Klein states: “It is not to sponsor culture but to be the culture”, referring to world-famous brands that started approaching new and experimental marketing techniques. Yet, as early as 1974, Pierre Bourdieu argued that the discourse on haute couture was already a discourse on haute culture, undoing the exquisitely philosophical prejudice that collocated fashion among small and frivolous things, unworthy of observation. This paper returns to this question through investigating the case of Gucci Aria, which used famous books of philosophy and critical theory as props. Even if this is not a novelty in the fashion world – from Miuccia Prada’s “radical chic-ism” to Martin Margiela’s deconstruction – what is new is that fashion has found itself having to study and incorporate knowledge that comes from the so-called high culture usually aimed at a niche audience of intellectuals. This is more than the attempt of lifestyle branding to address social and political movements’ vindications as part of the social corporate responsibility strategy. What is the purpose behind selling theory itself? How can this exploitation carried out by fashion brands be read as a way of popularizing high culture? Are fashion designers playing at being organic intellectuals and is conspicuous consumption finding its new goal?

Background: Pseudoexfoliation causes characteristic corneal endothelial changes leading to corneal decompensation and loss of corneal transparency severely affecting vision. Objectives: To evaluate morphological changes in corneal endothelial cells and central corneal thickness in pseudoexfoliation syndrome (PXS) and to compare it with age matched patients without pseudoexfoliation syndrome. Material and Methods: A hospital based, cross sectional analytical study was conducted at Upgraded Department of Ophthalmology, Government Medical College/hospital, Jammu in which total of 46 patients planned for cataract surgery were included (23 patients with pseudoexfoliation syndrome and 23 patients without pseudoexfoliation syndrome). Corneal endothelial cell density (ECD), percentage of hexagonal cells, coefficient of variation (CV) in cell size, and central corneal thickness (CCT) were measured using specular microscopy. Results: The mean ECD was 2325.1 ± 383.1 in the PXS group and 2763 ± 351.3 in the control group respectively, and ECD in the PXS group was significantly lower than in that in the control group (p=0.0002). The percentage of hexagonal cells was 48.3 ± 5.7 in PXS group and 51.5 ± 4.6 in the control group respectively, and percentage of hexagonal cells was significantly lower than that in the control group (p=0.04). The cell size coefficient of variation was 33.9 ± 2.6 in the PXS group and 33.0 ± 3.1 in the control group respectively, and patients with PXS had no statistically significant difference in cell size coefficient of variation compared to control group (p=0.29). The CCT was 509.0 ± 27.3 in the PXS group and 529.0 ± 23.6 in the control group respectively, and CCT in the PXS group was significantly lower than that in the control group (p=0.01). Conclusion: In our study the ECD and CCT was significantly lower in patients with pseudoexfoliation syndrome regardless of the presence of pseudoexfoliative glaucoma.

In recent decades, adverse effects of unexpected contaminants on the quality of crops have threatened both the food security and human health. Vegetable production in heavy metal contaminated soils is a serious concern regarding the quality of food. Glutamic acid has been extensively studied as a stress-responsive antioxidant molecule and its function is involved in triggering plant growth during abiotic stress. Therefore, in the present study, the alleviating role of exogenously applied glutamic acid was examined in soil grown cucumbers (Cucumis sativus L.) under four levels of cadmium (0, 5, 10, and 20 mg Cd/kg) and two levels of glutamic acid (0, 10 mM). The results showed that the Cd stress reduced the plant growth and chlorophyll contents in the cucumbers. Significant decreases were more pronounced in the photosynthetic parameters under the Cd stress alone in both cultivars. However, pronounced deleterious effects were observed in the Ashly cultivar as compared to SSC-228 in respect to the plant growth and photosynthetic attributes. However, the exogenous treatment of glutamic acid significantly improved the plant growth and chlorophyll contents of plants under the Cd stress. The glutamic acid also decreased the Cd contents in the cucumber roots and leaves, and further decreased the reactive oxygen species (ROS) which were elevated by the high Cd concentrations. Interestingly, the antioxidant enzyme activities (SOD and POD) increased under the different elevated Cd levels in the leaves of the cucumber plants. However, the CAT and APX activities were reduced with an increasing Cd concentration in the soil in both cultivars. Meanwhile, the exogenously applied glutamic acid exhibited synergic effects and further activated the antioxidant enzyme activities in the cucumber leaves under the Cd stress. In this study, the SSC-228 cultivar was found to be more tolerant to Cd stress as compared to the Ashly cultivar. Furthermore, the findings of this study highlight that a glutamic acid application can play a significant role in enhancing the plant growth and stimulating the biochemical activities in cucumbers under Cd stress.

This study aimed to improve our understanding of how the hypothalamus mediates the effects of prenatal and postnatal challenges on behavior and sensitivity to stimuli. A pig model of virally initiated maternal immune activation (MIA) was used to investigate potential interactions of the prenatal challenge both with sex and with postnatal nursing withdrawal. The hypothalami of 72 females and males were profiled for the effects of MIA and nursing withdrawal using RNA-sequencing. Significant differential expression (FDR-adjusted p value < 0.05) was detected in the profile of 222 genes. Genes involved in the Gene Ontology biological process of regulation of hormone levels tended to be over-expressed in individuals exposed to both challenges relative to individuals exposed to either one challenge, and most of these genes were over-expressed in MIA females relative to males across nursing levels. Differentially expressed genes included Fshb, Ttr, Agrp, Gata3, Foxa2, Tfap2b, Gh1, En2, Cga, Msx1, and Npy. The study also found that prenatal and postnatal challenges, as well as sex, impacted the regulation of neurotransmitter activity and immune effector processes in the hypothalamus. In particular, the olfactory transduction pathway genes were over-expressed in weaned MIA males, and several transcription factors were potentially found to target the differentially expressed genes. Overall, these results highlight how multiple environmental challenges can interact and affect the molecular mechanisms of the hypothalamus, including hormonal, immune response, and neurotransmitter processes.

Background. Distal embolization due to microthrombus fragments formed during predilation ballooning is considered one of the possible mechanisms of slow flow/no-reflow (SF/NR). Therefore, this study aimed to compare the incidence of intraprocedure SF/NR during the primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in patients with high thrombus burden (≥4 grade) with and without predilation ballooning for culprit lesion preparation. Methodology. This prospective descriptive cross-sectional study included patients with a high thrombus burden (≥4 grades) who underwent primary PCI. Propensity-matched cohorts of patients with and without predilation ballooning in a 1 : 1 ratio were compared for the incidence of intraprocedure SF/NR. Results. A total of 765 patients with high thrombus burden undergoing primary PCI were included in this study. The mean age was 55.75 ± 11.54 years, and 78.6% (601) were males. Predilation ballooning was conducted in 346 (45.2%) patients. The incidence of intraprocedure SF/NR was significantly higher (41.3% vs. 27.4%; p

There are numerous non-destructive methods in welded joints investigation, but the most promising, especially in applications with steady monitoring of the structure, is the vibro-diagnostic approach. In the course of the research work, the responses were obtained and detected by accelerometers, providing valuable diagnostic information, which later was mathematically processed in the field of time or frequency. The mathematical processing aimed to distinguish significant characteristics embedded in the processes typical of the investigated joints and allow an assessment of how they were made. For this purpose, two methods were proposed, based on determining the logarithmic decrement as a function of time. Due to the complicated course of the impact responses, the method of calculating the logarithmic decrement has been suggested, involving the approximation of responses with various functions. According to the research, the analysis of changes in the logarithmic decrement as a function of time applied to welded plates was proposed, as it enables the initial assessment of joint quality.

In this paper, we retrieve some traveling wave, periodic solutions, bell shaped, rational, kink and anti-kink type and Jacobi elliptic functions of Burger’s equation and Shallow water wave equation with the aid of various integration schemes like improved F-expansion scheme and Jacobi elliptic function method respectively. We also present our solutions graphically in various dimensions.

The unsteady magneto-convective heat-mass transport passing in a vertical permeable sheet has been discussed with the internal heat generation/absorption effect. The governing partial differential equations (PDEs) have been transferred into ordinary differential equations (ODEs) by applying the local similarity transformation. The dimensionless ODEs are solved numerically by exerting the Quasilinearization Method with the help of ‘MATLAB ODE45’software. The influence of emerging dimensionless parameters/numbers for example the internal generation/absorption (Q), the suction parameter (v0), Prandtl number (Pr), Soret number (So), Dufour number (Df), Schmidt number (Sc), magnetic force parameter (M), local modified Grashof number (Gm) and local Grashof number (Gr) on the flow, temperature, and concentration profiles are presented and discussed. The fluid velocity and temperature enhance rising values of the internal heat generation and reduces the concentration but the reverse tends to be found for absorption. The velocity field reduces for increasing values of the suction parameter, Magnetic parameter, Prandtl number, and Schmidt number. The local skin friction increases by about 18% and reduces by 6% due to an increase in the internal heat generation parameter (1.0-3.0) and heat absorption parameter (3.0-10.0), respectively. Uplifting values of the heat absorption parameter (3.0-10.0) and internal heat parameter (1.0-3.0) enhance the heat transfer rate by 56% and decrease by about 42%, respectively. The mass transfer rate enhances by about 59% and decreases by 85% due to an increase in the internal heat generation parameter (1.0-3.0) and heat absorption parameter (3.0-10.0), respectively. Finally, we compared our numerical results with previously published paper and observed them be a excellent agreement.

In this paper, the unsteady convective heat and mass transfer flow in a thin liquid film over moving sheet in a saturated permeable surface has been investigated. The sets of nonlinear couple partial differential equations involving the continuity, momentum, energy and mass balance equations have been reduced to two sets of nonlinear ordinary differential equations by using well know similarity technique. The transformed ordinary differential equations with associate boundary conditions are then solved numerically by using shooting technique with the help of ‘ODE45 MATLAB’ software. The numerical solution regarding the non-dimensional temperature and concentration variables against the non-dimensional coordinate variable have been carried out for different values of pertinent parameters and numbers like Prandlt number(𝑃௥), Darcy number (𝐷𝑎), Schmidt number (𝑆𝑐) and other driving parameters. The numerical results obtained of the skin friction coefficient, the local Nusselt number and the local Sherwood number have been presented graphically and also in tabular form. The result indicates that the velocity decrease with increasing values of Darcy number but opposite behavior for the temperature and the concentration. The heat transfer rate increases due to the increase in magnitude of Prandtl number so that the temperature reduces and the higher values of Schmidt number representing heavier species, increase of Schmidt number lower down the concentration level in the boundary layer.

Abstract Healthy lifestyle interventions and drug therapies are proven to have a positive preventative influence on normal glucose regulation in prediabetes. However, little is known on the specific role that these factors play on reversion to normal glycemia according to type of prediabetes. We used data from the Observational prospective cohort study, The Cohort study in Primary Health Care on the Evolution of Patients with Prediabetes from 2012 to 2015. A total of 1184 individuals aged 30–74 years old were included and classified based on the ADA in three mutually exclusive groups using either fasting plasma glucose (FPG) levels (from 100 to 125 mg/dl, FPG group), HbA1c (5.7–6.4%, HbA1c group) or both impaired parameters. Information on lifestyle factors and biochemical parameters were collected at baseline. Reversion to normal glucose regulation was calculated at third year of follow-up. Relationship of lifestyle factor and type of prediabetes with reversion were estimated using odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) adjusting by different groups of confounders. Proportion of reversion rates were 31% for FPG group, 31% for HbA1c group and 7.9% for both altered parameters group, respectively. Optimal life style factors such as BMI

Abstract Background To analyze incidence, use of therapeutic procedures, and in-hospital outcomes in patients with ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) and non-ST elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) according to the presence of type 2 diabetes (T2DM) in Spain (2016–2018) and to investigate sex differences. Methods Using the Spanish National Hospital Discharge Database, we estimated the incidence of myocardial infarctions (MI) in men and women with and without T2DM aged ≥ 40 years. We analyzed comorbidity, procedures, and outcomes. We matched each man and woman with T2DM with a non-T2DM man and woman of identical age, MI code, and year of hospitalization. Propensity score matching was used to compare men and women with T2DM. Results MI was coded in 109,759 men and 44,589 women (30.47% with T2DM). The adjusted incidence of STEMI (IRR 2.32; 95% CI 2.28–2.36) and NSTEMI (IRR 2.91; 95% CI 2.88–2.94) was higher in T2DM than non-T2DM patients, with higher IRRs for NSTEMI in both sexes. The incidence of STEMI and NSTEMI was higher in men with T2DM than in women with T2DM. After matching, percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) was less frequent among T2DM men than non-T2DM men who had STEMI and NSTEMI. Women with T2DM and STEMI less frequently had a code for PCI that matched that of non-T2DM women. In-hospital mortality (IHM) was higher among T2DM women with STEMI and NSTEMI than in matched non-T2DM women. In men, IHM was higher only for NSTEMI. Propensity score matching showed higher use of PCI and coronary artery bypass graft and lower IHM among men with T2DM than women with T2DM for both STEMI and NSTEMI. Conclusions T2DM is associated with a higher incidence of STEMI and NSTEMI in both sexes. Men with T2DM had higher incidence rates of STEMI and NSTEMI than women with T2DM. Having T2DM increased the risk of IHM after STEMI and NSTEMI among women and among men only for NSTEMI. PCI appears to be less frequently used in T2DM patients After STEMI and NSTEMI, women with T2DM less frequently undergo revascularization procedures and have a higher mortality risk than T2DM men.

In the present research, we aim to confirm factors for measuring the perceived quality of Information Technology (IT) services within a higher education context. The perceived quality of IT services is complex and is often measured by multi-dimensional constructs, which requires designing a sufficiently valid scale. Drawing upon literature and expert input, this study has identified 5 dimensions of IT service quality. Using an empirical study, we prove that perception of IT Service Quality (ITSQ) has a dimensional structure and can be measured using a 44-item scale which has been satisfactorily validated. A Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) is applied to confirm the relationship between the items and dimensions. The findings of this study present a scale for measuring ITSQ within higher education.

Objective: To study the association of anthropometric and biochemical parameters with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) diagnosed on ultrasonography (USG). Study Design: Cross sectional analytical study. Place and Duration of Study: Department of Pathology, Combined Military Hospital (CMH) Mardan, from Aug 2016 to Jan 2017. Methodology: Study was conducted on 96 individuals 20-65 years enrolled by non-probability consecutive sampling. They were evaluated by taking anthropometric and biochemical parameters to establish association of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease diagnosed on ultrasonography as compared to healthy individuals. Results: Mean age was 28.7 ± 10.3 years in control group as compare to 39.9 ± 10.8 years in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease group. Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease was seen in 17 (28%) females as compared to 44 (72%) males showing strong association of males with the disease (p=0.025). There were 31 (50%), 22 (36%) and 8 (14%) cases in mild, moderate and severe nonalcoholic fatty liver disease categories respectively using ultrasonography. Abdominal circumference, systolic blood pressure and body mass index (BMI) were significantly associated with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. Whereas, among biochemical parameters serum glucose, alanine amino-transferase (ALT), triglyceride and low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) were independent parameters strongly associated with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. Conclusion: Our study showed that deranged anthropometric along with biochemical parameters was strongly associated with development of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.

Summary: Lactate produced by muscle during high-intensity activity is an important end product of glycolysis that supports whole body metabolism. The lactate shuttle model suggested that lactate produced by glycolytic muscle fibers is utilized by oxidative fibers. MCT4 is a proton coupled monocarboxylate transporter preferentially expressed in glycolytic muscle fibers and facilitates the lactate efflux. Here we investigated the exercise capacity of mice with disrupted lactate shuttle due to global deletion of MCT4 (MCT4−/−) or muscle-specific deletion of the accessory protein Basigin (iMSBsg−/−). Although MCT4−/− and iMSBsg−/− mice have normal muscle morphology and contractility, only MCT4−/− mice exhibit an exercise intolerant phenotype. In vivo measurements of compound muscle action potentials showed a decrement in the evoked response in the MCT4−/− mice. This was accompanied by a significant structural degeneration of the neuromuscular junctions (NMJs). We propose that disruption of the lactate shuttle impacts motor function and destabilizes the motor unit. : Musculoskeletal Medicine; Genetics; Neuroscience Subject Areas: Musculoskeletal Medicine, Genetics, Neuroscience

Just like animals and human beings, plants also accommodate a countless number of microorganisms as hosts. Microorganisms enjoy this hospitality by developing an interaction with the plants either in a synergistic way benefiting each other or in an antagonistic manner damaging their hosts. Such types of mutualistic and pathogenic interactions also take place among microbial community. Proteins, metabolites and certain molecular mechanisms determine whether the intruder is a symbiotic or pathogenic microorganism. Various bacteria and fungi interact symbiotically and play significant role in plant growth promotion. Certain species of fungi, oomycetes, bacteria and nematodes are also pathogenic in nature and cause impact on soil and plant. Soil serves as a big substrate for microbial community, which are important in a number of ways owing to their role in mineralization, nutrient availability and are sources of industrial products such as enzymes, hormones, antibiotics, vitamins etc. This review will improve our understanding about relationships between plants and their microbial friends and foes. The mechanisms adopted by soil microbes to contribute in the betterment of soil leading towards enhanced plant growth as well as pathogenicity caused by these microbes have also been discussed. Recent advances to recognize the molecular mechanisms involved in such interactions have also been discussed. Recent advances made in this field and the areas needing further research have also been mentioned.

Objetivo: Descrever a percepção das mulheres idosas sobre o exame preventivo do câncer de colo de útero-PCCU. Método: Trata se de um estudo descritivo, de abordagem qualitativa com doze idosas residentes em uma área de abrangência da Estratégia Saúde da Família (ESF). Os dados foram coletados no ano de 2015, por entrevista semiestruturada, transcritas na íntegra e analisadas pela técnica de Análise de Conteúdo Temática. Resultados: Exame de prevenção do câncer de colo de útero: importância atribuída à saúde da mulher idosa; Sentimentos e vivências da mulher idosa sobre o exame de Prevenção de câncer de colo de útero- PCCU e Novos padrões da sexualidade da mulher Idosa: uma questão a ser considerada pelas Políticas Públicas de saúde da mulher nas ESF. Conclusão: Torna-se de grande relevância repensar as políticas públicas para a saúde da mulher, no tocante à prevenção do câncer de colo de útero na população idosa.

Abstract Background To evaluate relationship between socio-economic environment and overweight in Madrid and Barcelona, adjusting for possible confounding factors. Methods We obtained three indicators which reflected socio-economic context, namely, unemployment rate, percentage of population with tertiary education, and percentage with a second home. The design is a cross sectional study. The association with overweight was estimated using odds ratios by multilevel logistic regression. The statistical analysis, data synthesis, or model creation was performed from the 2017. In all, 707 children from 21 districts of Madrid and 474 children from 10 districts of Barcelona were analysed. Results In Madrid, standardised ORs for personal and family characteristics were 1.17, 1.53 and 1.57 by reference to unemployment rate and percentages of population with a university education and second home. After adjustment, only the OR obtained with unemployment rate decreased, specifically by 58%. In Barcelona, the following ORs were obtained: 1.80 with unemployment rate; 1.80 with population having a university education; and 1.86 with population having a second home. After being standardised, these ORs decreased by 14% in the case of unemployment rate, 10% in the case of population with a university education, and 9% in the case of population with a second home. Conclusions Overweight displayed a risk gradient in Madrid and Barcelona alike. This risk of overweight is not accounted for by physical inactivity and could, in part, be due to the availability of sports facilities.

The mouse pathogen Citrobacter rodentium is utilized as a model organism for studying infections caused by the human pathogens enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC) and enterohemorrhagic E. coli (EHEC) and to elucidate mechanisms of mucosal immunity. In response to C. rodentium infection, innate lymphoid cells and T cells secrete interleukin (IL)-22, a cytokine that promotes mucosal barrier function. IL-22 plays a pivotal role in enabling mice to survive and recover from C. rodentium infection, although the exact mechanisms involved remain incompletely understood. Here, we investigated whether particular components of the host response downstream of IL-22 contribute to the cytokine's protective effects during C. rodentium infection. In line with previous research, mice lacking the IL-22 gene (Il22-/- mice) were highly susceptible to C. rodentium infection. To elucidate the role of specific antimicrobial proteins modulated by IL-22, we infected the following knockout mice: S100A9-/- (calprotectin), Lcn2-/- (lipocalin-2), Reg3b-/- (Reg3β), Reg3g-/- (Reg3γ), and C3-/- (C3). All knockout mice tested displayed a considerable level of resistance to C. rodentium infection, and none phenocopied the lethality observed in Il22-/- mice. By investigating another arm of the IL-22 response, we observed that C. rodentium-infected Il22-/- mice exhibited an overall decrease in gene expression related to intestinal barrier integrity as well as significantly elevated colonic inflammation, gut permeability, and pathogen levels in the spleen. Taken together, these results indicate that host resistance to lethal C. rodentium infection may depend on multiple antimicrobial responses acting in concert, or that other IL-22-regulated processes, such as tissue repair and maintenance of epithelial integrity, play crucial roles in host defense to attaching and effacing pathogens.