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One potential candidate technology for Beyond 5G (B5G) networks is the reconfigurable intelligent surface (RIS), which is easy to install on existing infrastructure such as vehicles and buildings. Creating additional paths between the transmitter and receiver to improve the received signal accessible to the system is one of the significant uses of RIS. A virtual line of sight (VLOS) is established through the Tx-RIS-Rx link without the line of sight (LOS). RIS technology solves the problem of low coverage in millimeter-wave communications. This paper presents the effect of the signal-to-noise ratio by changing dimensions. In addition to finding the optimal values for the dimensions that give the optimal SNR, simulation results prove that the RIS height is greater than or equal to half the dimension between the sender and the receiver. It is recommended that the RIS height be greater than half the distance between the sender and the receiver.

The research focuses on structural geological mapping and fracture analysis of part of Kala-Chitta Range, Himalayan foothills, northern Pakistan. The area exhibits complex geological settings characterized by intense deformation with eight litho-stratigraphic units ranging from the Late Jurassic to Paleocene. The outcropping rocks have well recorded imprints of Himalayan deformation and are represented by common east-west trending series of parallel synclines and anticlines. The study area features southward-directed thrust faults caused by north-south compressional stresses, indicating two distinct deformational phases. The internal stress within the basin causes thrust faults and compression. Most of the thrusts are northward dipping fore thrusts. The mesoscopic fracture analysis was conducted at six stations across the study area where fracture sets were nicely developed. The interpretation relied on field observations, orientation diagrams and graphical techniques. The data gathered from field observations were used to measure petrophysical properties including fracture density, fracture porosity and permeability within different formations of the study area. The results of the analysis revealed that most of the fractures are generally NW-SE oriented. The interpretation of fractures set indicates that the principal stress direction (Õ1) is NNW-SSE whereas the minimum stress direction (Õ3) is NEE-SWW.

Aim: Acute appendicitis is a frequent surgical emergency which affects the lower right quadrant of the abdomen. Failure to diagnose this condition might result in perforation, abscess development, or peritonitis if not tackled. Hyponatremia was the focus of our retrospective cohort investigation because it may serve as a biochemical indicator for spotting serious forms of acute appendicitis in our patient group. Materials and Methods: All pediatric patients aged up to 14 years who were admitted to the Prince Sultan Military Medical City, under our service between 2020 and 2023 were retrospectively reviewed. Data of interest were retrieved from the medical files of our study subjects and entered into Excel sheets, including medical history, age, sex, type of referral, and associated comorbidities, as well as clinical data such as abdominal pain, nausea/vomiting, anorexia, fever, changes in bowel movement, dysuria, and any recent histories of upper respiratory tract infection. Results: Thirty-one (19%) patients were found to have a complicated acute appendicitis, confirmed by the presence of gross or micro-perforation and segmental gangrenous segment on histopathological analysis. Statistically significant differences were observed in those patients with the complicated form, compared to others with the non-complicated form of acute appendicitis in terms of preoperative sodium levels, along with intra-operative findings of perforated appendices. Compared to the non-complicated patients, those with complicated acute appendicitis had a much lower mean blood sodium level. Conclusion: This study suggests the use of hyponatremia as a potential biomarker for complicated cases. Early diagnosis and appropriate response can assist medical and surgical practitioners in providing more focused and effective management plans for complicated cases, which would improve patient outcomes.

Reconfigurable Intelligent Surfaces (RIS) are gaining significant global interest as a potential technology that could enable 6G. An efficient method employs passive element reflectors to extend coverage of the non-line of sight (NLOS) millimeter-wave (mm-wave) signal. The suggested model depicts a communication situation involving many users utilizing the RIS in the presence of impediments obstructing the direct path between the users and the transmitter. There is no unobstructed visual connection between sending the message and the person receiving it. The RIS enables communication using an oblique line of vision. Inter-user interference (IUI) refers to the interference that occurs when numerous users are active in the same region, which affects the received signal of a single user. Multiple remote inspection systems (RISs) of different heights have been suggested as potential solutions for addressing this issue. The results illustrate the impact of interference among users in a communication system supported by a reconfigurable intelligent surface (RIS) at various elevations in a millimeter-wave environment. Furthermore, the findings demonstrate that this idea effectively reduced the impact of the IUI. The Signal-to-Interference-plus-Noise Ratio (SINR) was enhanced for all users. The improvement percentages for the first, second, and third users are 46%, 40%, and 38%, respectively.

Language is a fundamental medium for human communication, encompassing spoken and written forms, each governed by grammatical rules. Sindhi, one of the oldest languages, is characterized by its rich morphology and grammatical structure. Part-of-speech (POS) tagging, a crucial process in natural language processing, involves assigning grammatical tags to words. This research presents a novel approach to POS tagging for Sindhi text using deep learning techniques. We developed a POS tagger employing Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) and Gated Recurrent Unit (GRU) models, with LSTM demonstrating superior effectiveness. This study represents the first application of these deep learning methods for POS tagging in Sindhi. Utilizing fastText, we trained 79,959 Sindhi word vectors, derived from a corpus compiled from diverse sources including Sindhi books, stories, and poetry. The corpus comprises 1,459 sentences and 10,584 unique words, split into 80% for training and 20% for validation. Our results indicate that the LSTM model achieved an accuracy of 85.80%, outperforming the GRU model, which achieved 80.77%, by a margin of 5%. This work's novelty lies in the application of deep learning techniques to enhance POS tagging accuracy in the Sindhi language corpus.

Abstract. Background:. The inappropriate management of pain after thoracotomy results in serious complications. Several adjuvants have been added to the thoracic paravertebral block (TPVB) to enhance its effects. This work aimed to evaluate the effect of adding ketamine to TPVB on thoracotomy-related acute and chronic pain. Methods:. This randomized controlled double-blinded trial included 60 patients scheduled for open thoracotomy. Patients were equally randomized into 2 groups: group K: received TPVB + 1 mL ketamine (50 mg). Group C (n = 30): received TPVB (19 mL of 0.5% levobupivacaine + 1 mL normal saline) as a control arm. Results:. Group K exhibited a significant delay in requesting analgesia, required less morphine in the first 24 and 48 hours, and reported lower numerical rating scale at rest and at deep breathing at various time points compared with the control group. However, both groups were comparable in post-thoracotomy pain syndrome and the incidence of complications at 2 months and 3 months. Conclusions:. Adding ketamine to TPVB resulted in better analgesia as demonstrated by significantly delayed time to first rescue analgesia, lower total amount of consumed opioid, and pain score without considerable effect on chronic pain and complications in patients undergoing thoracotomy.

Objective To explore the barriers and facilitators of antenatal care (ANC) utilisation in Somaliland.Design An exploratory qualitative study design.Setting Various settings were considered for study including maternal and child health clinics, hospitals and community.Methods 74 study participants including 33 pregnant women, 22 healthcare providers, 10 community elders and ten religious leaders were purposively selected. Data was collected via focus group discussion and in-depth interviews in the local Somali language. The data was audio recorded, transcribed verbatim, translated into English and imported into NVivo V.12 software. Thematic framework analysis was used to assess barriers and facilitators of ANC utilisation.Results Six main themes were identified as barriers of ANC utilisation. These include lack of awareness, long distance and lack of transportation access, economic barriers, lack of social support, beliefs and thoughts and health facility-related factors such as caregivers approach, waiting time and inadequate skill of providers. Proper dissemination of ANC information, adequate spousal support and cheap pricing of services were found to be facilitators of ANC uptake.Conclusion A strategy that focuses on raising awareness about ANC, making it accessible by reducing the cost-of-service charge, encouraging partner involvement, improving the quality of services and making it customer-friendly will help to overcome the barriers of antenatal utilisation.

Abstract Introduction Contraception is the deliberate prevention of unwanted pregnancy through various contraceptive methods. Its uptake is low in Sub-Saharan African countries, particularly in east Africa. This might be linked to the high prevalence of unwanted pregnancies and the high fertility rate in the area. Although studies reporting the prevalence and associated factors of modern contraceptive uptake are available in other African countries, no study has been conducted in Somaliland. Therefore, the current study aimed to assess its prevalence and associated factors in Somaliland using Somaliland Health and Demographic Survey (SLHDS) data. Methods and materials The study used Somaliland Demographic Health Survey (SLDHS) 2020 data. The survey was a national-level survey using a cross-sectional study design. A total of 3656 reproductive-age women were included in the current study. To determine independent predictors of modern contraceptive uptake, a multi-level multivariable logistic regression analysis was done. Random effect analysis, standard error (SE) and intra-cluster correlation (ICC) were computed. Results The proportion of modern contraceptive uptake among reproductive age groups in Somaliland is 1%. Modern contraceptive uptake is significantly associated with the residence, educational level and wealth index of participants. Women from nomadic communities had lower odds (AOR: 0.25; 95% CI: 0.10, 0.66) of modern contraceptive uptake compared to those from urban areas. Being in the highest wealth quintiles (AOR: 17.22; 95% CI: 1.99, 155.92) and having a tertiary educational level (AOR: 2.11; 95% CI: 1.29, 9.11) had higher odds of using the modern contractive method compared to those with the lowest wealth quintiles and non-formal education, respectively. Conclusion The prevalence of modern contraceptive uptake in Somaliland was very low. It is associated with the level of education, wealth index and residence of the women.

Conjoined twins, a rare anomaly in which same-sex fetuses are partially or completely joined, present unique challenges in diagnosis and management. This article reports the first successful operative separation of pyopagus conjoint twins in Pakistan, an achievement in a low-resource setting. The female twins, diagnosed prenatally, underwent a planned cesarean section at 37 weeks. The initial physical examination revealed an 18 cm conjoined area with a shared anal opening. Postnatal monitoring in the neonatal intensive care unit detected abdominal distension, leading to pelvicdivided colostomies. A multidisciplinary team, including gynaecologists, anesthesiologists, pediatric medicine specialists, neurosurgeons, and pediatric surgeons, collaborated on the operative procedure of the six-month-olds. The process involved bone removal, dural incision, and anorectoplasty. Postoperatively, one twin experienced cerebrospinal fluid leakage, which was managed conservatively. The twins were discharged after a week with a one-month follow-up.

Artificial intelligence tools depend on generating various images on the available datasets, but there is a lot of data that is not completely available, especially images of heritage and archaeological ornament. In this paper, a tool was developed to generate ornament based on the geometric shapes of heritage ornaments. A group of basic geometric shapes was collected. The new ornament are reshaped in three stages, relying on the permutation equation and reshaping of the overlapping sizes of the shapes, In the first stage, the number of layers that make up the ornament is determined. In the second stage, the formation of the ornament is determined through rotation or mirroring. In the final stage, the set of ornaments is generated in the form of an integrated matrix.

Introduction: The COVID-19 infection as an inflammatory disease has posed significant challenges to global public health due to multi-factor risks associated with it leading to disease severity and mortality. Understanding the effect of age and comorbidities on overall disease progression is crucial to identify highly susceptible individuals and to develop effective disease management strategies in a resource limited country like Pakistan. Methodology: A retrospective study was conducted on hospitalized COVID-19 patients to assess the prevalence of various comorbidities among different age groups and their effect on disease severity and mortality rate. Results: In this retrospective study, a cohort of 618 hospitalized COVID-19 patients was analyzed, consisting of 387 males (62.6 %) and 231 females (37.4 %). Notably, the young age group (15–24 years), had the lowest frequency of hospitalized COVID-19 patients, while no case was observed in children (≤14 years) showing a significant association (p

Background: Asthma, a chronic respiratory disease, is effectively managed with medications, yet many patients struggle due to irregular treatment and poor adherence. Pharmacists play a crucial role in improving asthma care through pharmaceutical care (PC) services. This study aims to assess pharmacists’ knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors regarding asthma PC in Türkiye. Methods: This cross-sectional study in Türkiye evaluated community (CP) and hospital pharmacists’ (HP) knowledge level, attitudes, and behaviors regarding asthma care. A validated Asthma Pharmaceutical Care Knowledge (APCL) and Asthma Attitudes and Behaviors (AAB) questionnaires were used to assess their knowledge levels and attitudes toward asthma pharmaceutical care. Results: Out of 400 pharmacists participated the questionnaire, the majority were CP (297, 74.25 %). Both CP and HP demonstrated adequate knowledge scores, 79.39 ± 12.32 and 80.66 ± 12.25, respectively. APCL mean scores of CP and HP were 4.22 ± 0.523 and 4.29 ± 0.383. No statistically significant difference in asthma knowledge levels was observed between CP and HP. Both groups reported positive attitudes and behaviors toward asthma care, with CP scoring 4.71 ± 0.446 and HP scoring 4.74 ± 0.330 on the AAB questionnaire. Conclusions: This study revealed that both CP and HP have sufficient knowledge about asthma and they have positive attitudes towards providing asthma PC. Pharmacists have crucial role in asthma care with leveraging their expertise, patient interactions, and ability to referral capabilities.

Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a multisystemic autoimmune disorder in which cardiac involvement is frequent and portends negative prognosis. Left ventricular (LV) diastolic dysfunction is one of the most common cardiac alterations in these patients, and left atrial (LA) reservoir strain (ƐR) measurement using speckle tracking echocardiography has been proposed as a novel parameter for a better assessment of LV diastolic function. Therefore, the aim of this study was to test the prognostic value of ƐR in a large multicenter cohort of SSc patients. In total, 311 SSc patients (54 ± 14 years, 85% female) were included from two different centers. Echocardiography was performed at the time of first visit, including ƐR measurement. Over a median follow-up of 132 (interquartile range: 110 to 157) months, 67 (21.5%) patients experienced the outcome of all-cause mortality. Spline curve analysis identified an optimal cut-off value of 30% for ƐR, and patients with ƐR ≤ 30% showed a 10-year cumulative survival rate of 71% as compared to 88% for patients with ƐR > 30% (log-rank p < 0.001). At the multivariable Cox regression analysis, ƐR was independently associated with the endpoint (HR 1.830; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.031–3.246; p = 0.039) together with age (HR 1.071, 95% CI 1.043 to 1.099; p < 0.001), sex (female) (HR 0.444, 95% CI 0.229 to 0.861; p = 0.016), and diffusing lung capacity for carbon monoxide (HR 0.969 95% CI 0.956 to 0.982; p < 0.001). ƐR is of independent prognostic value in SSc and might help optimizing risk stratification in these patients.

Objectives To untangle the association between smoking and systemic sclerosis (SSc).Methods In the European Scleroderma Trials and Research cohort, the autoantibody status was compared between ever-smokers and never-smokers. Time until disease progression was assessed using Kaplan-Meier curves. Cox models were built to investigate the influence of smoking over 15 years of follow-up. All analyses were performed for the total cohort and stratified for sex and for positivity of anti-centromere (ACA) and anti-topoisomerase antibodies (ATA).Results Overall, 12 314 patients were included in the study. Of these, 10 393 were women (84%), 4637 were ACA-positive (38%), 3919 were ATA-positive (32%) and 4271 (35%) were ever-smokers. In men, but not in women, smoking was associated with mortality (HR 1.63, 95% CI 1.23 to 2.16, p=0.001). Ever-smoking women were at higher risk for skin progression (HR 1.10, 95% CI 1.00 to 1.22, p=0.046) and for ‘any organ progression’ (HR 1.07, 95% CI 1.00 to 1.13, p=0.036). In women, 34% of never-smokers were ATA-positive compared with 21% of ever-smokers (p

The history of measles spans centuries, marked by devastating outbreaks until the identification of the measles virus in the early 20th century and the subsequent development of a vaccine in 1963. Despite vaccination efforts, measles resurged globally in 2019 after years of decline. The COVID-19 pandemic further disrupted vaccination campaigns, leading to missed doses and heightened risks of outbreaks. By November 2020, over 94 million individuals were at risk of missing vital vaccines. As of May 2024, around 63 countries faced genuine measles outbreaks, with Iraq ranking third, reporting approximately 25,429 cases. Iraq's healthcare system, already strained by decades of crises, struggles to manage the outbreak amidst challenges such as limited access to healthcare, vaccine hesitancy, and the suspension of vaccination campaigns. Urgent interventions are needed to address these challenges and prevent further escalation of the measles outbreak in Iraq.

Background: The global prevalence of mental disorders, including depression, has steadily increased. Objective: To identifying the prevalence rate of depression and the related predictors among old-age people in Iraq. Patients and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted from August to November 2021. A random sampling technique was employed to gather information from the old age patients during their routine visits to outpatient clinic of three public hospitals (Baquba, Ramadi, Samarra), in Iraq. Data collection involved the utilization of a semi-structured questionnaire incorporating the validated Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS-30) administered through face-to-face interviews. Descriptive, bivariate, and multivariate logistic regression analyses were employed to examine the relationships between variables in the study. SPSS version 16 was utilized for data analysis, with statistical significance set at a threshold below 0.05. Results: Data of 344 old-age respondents (range 60-81 years) with a mean age of 75.15 (± 7.52) years have undergone final analysis. More than half were males (50.6%), married (62.2%), ranked themselves as unhealthy (72.4%), physically inactive (70.6%), and financially dependent (71.8%). The overall prevalence of depression was 74.4%. Logistic regression revealed significant associations: elderly females had 3.805 times higher risk (P

In Algeria, there is an increasing extension of olive grove cultivation, it is essential to identify the key factors that contribute that drive olive grove yields in drought-prone regions, such as steppe. This necessity is becoming imperative for policymakers within the agricultural sector, as it will enable them to make informed decisions regarding more effective strategies for expanding olive tree plantations across the country. This paper focuses on analysing the olive tree production systems in two provinces in the Algerian steppes: Djelfa and M'sila. These provinces represent new areas for olive cultivation and demonstrate successful agricultural programs in Algeria. The paper proceeds to address the question: what are the primary factors influencing olive grove yields? This inquiry is pursued by investigating a total of 20 olive growers, ten from each province. The findings from our research indicate that olive groves situated at higher altitudes (above 600 meters above sea level), on gently sloping terrain (ranging from 0 to 0.03), and managed through the application of technical itineraries and effective management practices by well-educated and younger farmers, tend to yield better results in terms of olive production. Furthermore, the impact of governmental subsidies and policies related to land tenure regularization also exerts a significant effect on enhancing production and yielding improved outcomes.

The efficiency of the photovoltaic system is traditionally being increased with the help of solar concentrators. The concentrators based on biomimetic structures of various flowers have proven to be effective in increasing performance efficiency. The present study proposes the design of a nature-inspired, novel and passive, single-axis solar tracker that operates on the principle of variable coefficients of thermal expansions of different metals in a bimetallic plate. The proposition mimics the heliotropism mechanism of Sunflowers to achieve acceptable results. It involves the use of a solar PV panel mounted on a gear assembly, connected to a bimetallic plate via connecting linkage and a concave mirror to reflect the incident sun rays on the plates during the day. The resultant deflection in the plates rotates the mounted solar PV panel to follow the sun throughout its diurnal course. There were certain conditions that were determined mathematically to ensure correct working of the proposed design. CAD modelling was adopted to better study the functioning of the envisioned contraption as a whole. The proposed design is easy to construct; thereby making it an efficient, promising and economical alternative to other passive and fixed ones.

The chair-mounted passive trunk orthosis (CMPTO) is designed to enhance wheelchair safety for individuals with dystrophinopathy during their daily activities. Given the disease’s progressive nature, it is crucial to ensure that assistive devices are carefully evaluated to prevent overexertion. This study aims to assess the CMPTO’s user experience and its impact on fatigue-related psychophysiological measurements. We conducted electromyography (EMG) evaluations of four trunk muscles and assessed perceived exertion using the Borg CR-10 scale in 40 healthy subjects while they performed seated maximal reaching tasks with the CMPTO. Additionally, fifteen dystrophinopathy patients evaluated the CMPTO for usability with the System Usability Scale. Paired t-tests were employed to compare the median frequency (MDF) of EMG signals, the Wilcoxon signed-rank test for evaluating exertion, and the Mann–Whitney U test to compare the usability reported by patients to those of healthy subjects. The 4-way ANOVA revealed that MDF patterns were significantly influenced by task orientation for each muscle. The CMPTO did not cause a significant reduction in the MDF. Tasks requiring greater trunk rotation were perceived as more exhaustive. Patients reported acceptable usability with the CMPTO, with scores higher than those of healthy subjects. The CMPTO’s usability was comprehensively evaluated in both healthy subjects and patients with dystrophinopathy. Our findings indicate that the CMPTO can be safely used by individuals with dystrophinopathy as an assistive device to improve seated comfort and functional abilities.

Epidermoid cysts are encapsulated sebaceous cysts that contain keratin. They present at any age, yet they are commoner in adults. They mainly affect face, neck, trunk and to a lesser extent groin, but can potentially arise as a subepidermal nodule anywhere on the body. They develop from the follicular infundibulum, and are different from dermoid cysts as epidermoid cysts do not contain other adnexal structures of embryonic origin. Epidermoid cysts are mostly silent but can rupture, get inflamed, become infected or develop daughter cysts. Very rarely epidermoid cysts develop in proximity to testicles. They can be mistaken for a testicular tumor. The pre- operative diagnosis is essential to avoid unindicated testicular surgery. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is vital for diagnosis. We report a 6-year-old child with a long standing painless scrotal swelling thought by the parents to be polyorchidism. They were alarmed by its recent rapid growth. By examination it was a median raphe cyst. Pre-operative imaging and operative surgical removal proved it to be an inflamed epidermoid cyst. The surgery was uncomplicated and the child had an uneventful recovery. Testicular epidermoid cysts in children are exceptionally rare, yet they can present as median raphe cysts. Inflammation within the epidermoid cyst presents clinically as rapid painless growth. Clinical examination, high index of suspicion and pre-operative MRI avoid unnecessary testicular surgery.

Background: Drug use often leads to a range of health risks, social complications, and involvement in criminal behavior. This study aims to investigate adolescents' understanding, opinions, and perspectives on substance abuse. Methods: Between October and December 2023, a cross-sectional study was undertaken in Diyala Province, Iraq. High school students were sampled using a multistage sampling technique. Bivariate analysis utilized independent sample t-tests and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). Additionally, a multivariable linear regression analysis was performed to predict factors associated with knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions. All statistical analyses were carried out using SPSS version 16. Results: The study encompassed 365 students, with a mean age (SD) of 17.5 (+ 8.2), predominantly male (57.3%). Overall accuracy rates for knowledge, attitude, and perception stood at 87.1%, 86.7%, and 88.7%, respectively. Approximately 5.2% of the sample reported cannabis (hashish) use. Regression analysis revealed significant associations between higher knowledge scores and male gender (p=0.002, 95% CI:0.341, 0.729), urban residency (p US$400 (p >0.0001, 95% CI:0.907, 1573). Attitudes toward drug abuse prevention were influenced by male gender and highly educated parental backgrounds (p

Pregnancy termination continues to be a leading cause of maternal morbidity and mortality among young women in Africa. The sub-Saharan Africa region has the highest rate of abortion-related deaths in the world, at 185 maternal deaths per 100,000 abortions. The aim of this study is to investigate the factors associated with pregnancy termination among women aged 15 to 29 years in six sub-Saharan African countries. We used secondary data from the most recent Demographic and Health Survey of six sub-Saharan African countries: Kenya, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Burundi, Nigeria, and Rwanda. A total weighted sample of 74,652 women aged 15-29 were analyzed. A multivariable logistic regression model was used to identify the factors associated with pregnancy termination at a p-value < 0.05. Results were presented using adjusted odds ratios (AOR) with 95% confidence interval. The study showed that 6.3% of women aged 15-29 reported pregnancy termination with a higher prevalence rate in Tanzania (8.8%) and lowest in Ethiopia (4%). Highest odds of pregnancy termination occurred among women aged 20-24 as compared to women aged 15-19 in Rwanda (AOR: 4.04, 95%CI 2.05, 7.97) followed by Nigeria (AOR: 2.62, 95% CI 1.99, 3.43), Kenya (AOR: 2.33, 95%CI 1.48, 3.66), Burundi (AOR: 1.99 95%CI 1.48, 2.85), Tanzania (AOR: 1.71 95%CI 1.29, 2.27), and Ethiopia (AOR: 1.69, 95% CI 1.19, 2.42). Women with no education had 4 times higher odds of pregnancy termination compared to women with higher education in Tanzania (AOR: 4.03 95%CI 1.00, 16.13) while women with no education and primary level education were 1.58 times (AOR: 1.58 95% CI 1.17, 2.13) and 1.78 times (AOR: 1.78 95% CI 1.34, 2.37) as likely to terminate pregnancy in Ethiopia. In Tanzania, the likelihood of a pregnancy termination was associated with a relationship to the household head; head (AOR: 3.66, 95% CI (2.32, 5.78), wife (AOR: 3.68, 95% CI 2.60, 5.12), and in-law (AOR:2.62, 1.71, 4.03). This study revealed that a significant number of women had pregnancy termination. Being in the age group of 20-24 & 25-29, having a lower level of education, being a domestic employee and professional, being single/never-in-union, being in the poorest and richer wealth quantile category, and being head, wife, daughter, and in-law to the household head were the significantly associated with pregnancy termination. Taking these socio-economic factors into consideration by stakeholders and specific sexual education targeted to women aged 15 to 29 would help tackle the problem.

BackgroundLow birth weight (LBW) is a major public health problem in Ethiopia. Dietary diversity is a key indicator of maternal dietary adequacy that may affect birth weight but little is known about their relationship. Hence, this study aimed to assess the association of suboptimal maternal dietary diversity during pregnancy and low birth weight in Gurage Zone, Ethiopia.MethodsThe prospective study was conducted among 1062 pregnant women enrolled consecutively in between 16 to 20 gestational weeks and followed until delivery. The baseline data were collected at recruitment and dietary diversity was assessed using the minimum dietary diversity score for women (MDD-W) tool in three different rounds. The average of three scores was considered to categorize women into optimal (consumed ≥ 5 food groups) and suboptimal (consumed < 5 food groups) dietary diversity groups. The risk of low birth weight among suboptimal dietary diversity was assessed using modified Poisson regression with robust standard error.ResultsOf the 1062 pregnant women recruited, 959 (90.4%) women completed follow-up. Among them, 302 (31.5%) women are having optimal and the rest, 657 (68.5%) women are having suboptimal dietary diversity. The risk of low birth weight was significantly higher among women with sub-optimal dietary diversity than among those with optimal diversity (ARR = 1.89, 95% CI: 1.25, 2.84). Other factors such as rural residence (ARR = 1.61, 95% CI: 1.43, 1.87), age > = 35 years (AAR = 3.94, 95% CI: 2.41, 6.46), being underweight (ARR = 1.81, 95% CI: 1.14, 2.86), height < 150cm (ARR = 4.65, 95% CI: 2.52, 8.59), unwanted pregnancy (ARR = 3.35, 95% CI: 2.23, 5.02), preterm delivery (3.65, 95% CI: 2.27, 5.84) and lack of nutritional counseling (ARR = 1.69, 95% CI: 1.08, 2.67) significantly increased the risk of low birth weight.ConclusionSuboptimal dietary diversity associated low birth weight. Promoting dietary diversity by strengthening nutritional education and avoiding unwanted pregnancy particularly among rural residents may help to reduce the incidence of low birth weight.

Pre-labeled data is typically required for supervised machine learning. A limited number of object classes in the majority of open access and pre-annotated datasets make them unsuitable for certain tasks, even though they are readily available for training machine learning algorithms. For custom models, previously available pre-annotated data is typically insufficient, so gathering and preparing training data is necessary for the majority of real-world applications. The quantity and quality of annotations clearly trade-off with one another. Either more annotated data can be produced or better data quality can be guaranteed by allocating time and resources. Development of the gold standard by annotating textual information is an essential part of the “Text Analytics” domain in the field of “Natural Language Processing-NLP”. In “Text Analytics”, annotation can be done by adopting a manual, semi-automatic or automatic approach. In the case of the manual approach, annotators often work with partial parts of the corpus, and the results are generalized by automated text classification which may affect the final classification results. Annotations reliability and suitability of assigned labels are particularly important in the NLP applications related to opinion mining or sentiment analysis. In this research study, we have evaluated the significance of the annotation process on a novel dataset that contained multiple languages (English, Roman Urdu), a free text dataset that was extracted from Twitter. This unique dataset contained multiple languages which makes this annotation process essential for researching this data. Using this multi-language dataset, we examine the inter-annotator agreement in multiclass and multi-label sentiment annotation. To scrutinize the reliability of this research work, several annotation agreement metrics, statistical analysis, and Machine Learning methods have been considered to evaluate the accuracy of resulting annotations. It was observed that the annotation process is significant and a complex step that is essential for the proper implementation of Natural Language processing tasks for text analytics in machine learning. During this research, different gaps were identified and resolved which can impact the overall reliability of the annotation process which are reported in this paper. We conclude that while inaccurate annotations worsen the results, the impact is minimal, at least when using text data. The advantages of the larger annotated data set (obtained by employing subpar auto-annotation techniques) surpass the degradation resulting from the use of annotated data.

Pain is a multifaceted, multisystem disorder that adversely affects neuro-psychological processes. This study compares the effectiveness of central stimulation (transcranial direct current stimulation—tDCS over F3/F4) and peripheral stimulation (transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation—TENS over the median nerve) in pain inhibition during a cognitive task in healthy volunteers and to observe potential neuro-cognitive improvements. Eighty healthy participants underwent a comprehensive experimental protocol, including cognitive assessments, the Cold Pressor Test (CPT) for pain induction, and tDCS/TENS administration. EEG recordings were conducted pre- and post-intervention across all conditions. The protocol for this study was categorized into four groups: G1 (control), G2 (TENS), G3 (anodal-tDCS), and G4 (cathodal-tDCS). Paired t-tests (p < 0.05) were conducted to compare Pre-Stage, Post-Stage, and neuromodulation conditions, with t-values providing insights into effect magnitudes. The result showed a reduction in pain intensity with TENS (p = 0.002, t-value = −5.34) and cathodal-tDCS (p = 0.023, t-value = −5.08) and increased pain tolerance with TENS (p = 0.009, t-value = 4.98) and cathodal-tDCS (p = 0.001, t-value = 5.78). Anodal-tDCS (p = 0.041, t-value = 4.86) improved cognitive performance. The EEG analysis revealed distinct neural oscillatory patterns across the groups. Specifically, G2 and G4 showed delta-power reductions, while G3 observed an increase. Moreover, G2 exhibited increased theta-power in the occipital region during CPT and Post-Stages. In the alpha-band, G2, G3, and G4 had reductions Post-Stage, while G1 and G3 increased. Additionally, beta-power increased in the frontal region for G2 and G3, contrasting with a reduction in G4. Furthermore, gamma-power globally increased during CPT1, with G1, G2, and G3 showing reductions Post-Stage, while G4 displayed a global decrease. The findings confirm the efficacy of TENS and tDCS as possible non-drug therapeutic alternatives for cognition with alleviation from pain.

This comprehensive research investigates using distributed and parallel computing for big data analytics in agriculture to improve farming operations' sustainability, efficiency, and innovation. The paper emphasizes how big data analytics, cloud computing, and parallel distributed processing can revolutionize the agricultural industry. The research objectives include investigating the benefits and limitations of big data analytics in precision farming and crop monitoring, identifying the constraints of integrating big data analytics in agriculture and investigating the role of frameworks such as Hadoop and Spark in processing and analyzing agricultural data for informed decision-making and optimized farming operations. The methodology used in the paper is a literature review, which draws on various sources to provide insights into the topic matter. The findings indicate that big data analytics can considerably improve precision farming and crop monitoring; nevertheless, there are hurdles to incorporating big data analytics in agriculture, such as data privacy and security concerns. According to the study, frameworks such as Hadoop and Spark are crucial in processing and analyzing agricultural data for informed decision-making and better farming operations. Overall, this study offers useful insights into the possibilities of big data analytics and distributed and parallel computing in revolutionizing the agriculture industry.

Background: Psoriasis goes beyond skin, intertwining with body systems, notably connecting to nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). This study aims to explore the predictive potential: liver function tests and IL-6 as early markers for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in psoriasis patients. Methods: From March to November 2023, a case-control study was performed at the dermatological outpatient clinic of Baquba Teaching Hospital, Iraq. Individuals with confirmed psoriasis and those without underwent comprehensive clinical history and overall health examinations. The diagnosis of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) was established using the Fatty Liver Index (FLI). Results: Among the 290 participants in this study, 103 with confirmed psoriasis displayed a Fatty Liver Index (FLI) score >60, indicative of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). The control group, comprising 101 individuals without psoriasis or NAFLD, provided a baseline for comparison. The mean ages were 32.5 ± 16.2 and 31.5 ± 14.3 years for the case and control groups, respectively. Notably, the case group exhibited significantly higher mean ± SD levels of ALT and AST (61 ± 29 vs. 33 ± 17 U/L, p < 0.0001) and (55 ± 27 vs. 25 ± 15 U/L, p < 0.0001), respectively. Moreover, FLI criteria were markedly elevated in the case group (p = 0.0007, p = 0.0005, p < 0.0001, and p < 0.0001, respectively), and IL-6 levels were significantly higher (p = 0.0003). Conclusion: The results proposed that liver function tests and IL-6 could act as early predictors for the detection of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease among individuals grappling with psoriasis.

Gastric volvulus (GV) is a rare but lethal condition, mostly presenting secondary to eventration of the diaphragm, with a common underlying pathology: laxity or absence of intraperitoneal ligaments. Here, we present a similar case in a 2-year-old child associated with a wandering spleen (WS), complicated by a splenic volvulus (SV) and eventration of the small and large intestines up till the splenic flexure. Understanding the importance of timely detection and invasive intervention is integral in such cases and more research is needed to understand the pathophysiology, clinical management, and long-term effects of this unusual mix.

The Ordinal Priority Approach (OPA) is a recent multiple attribute decision-making that was published in 2020. This method uses a linear programming approach to solve decision-making problems in real-life situations. Due to its application in real-world situations, it has been employed by scholars widely in recent years. This study proposes two forms of the OPA for multiple attribute decision-making; one with strict ordinal relations and the other with weak ordinal relations. New forms are crucial in understanding the mathematical theory behind the original OPA. The study shows that one of the proposed forms and the original OPA are two forms of the same model. The study proves that the OPA is strict rather than weak. The study also found some new properties of the OPA. The application of the strict and weak OPA models is presented in a consumer modeling problem. • Revisits the Ordinal Priority Approach (OPA) to Multiple Attribute Decision Making. • Proposes the OPA with Strict Ordinal Relations (OPA-S) and Weak Ordinal Relations (OPA-W). • Proposes a model to consider both weak and strict ordinal relations at the same time.

This paper presents a deep learning-based framework for automating the visual inspection of plastic bottles in an Industry 4.0 context, detecting surface defects to enhance product quality. Our contributions include the acceleration of model development through knowledge transfer learning, an inventive data generation strategy that combines physical samples with synthetic data augmentation techniques, an extensive evaluation of pre-trained deep convolutional neural networks, and a user-friendly interface for real-time quality inspection reporting and making the information easily accessible and actionable. In comparison to existing methods, our proposed method outperforms with a higher Accuracy to Size Ratio of 7.0. This characteristic underscores its capacity to efficiently and accurately classify and detect defects across multiple classes while maintaining a low area utilization. This feature not only demonstrates its exceptional performance but also positions it as a practical solution for real-world scenarios with resource constraints.

Purpose – Global supply chains experienced unprecedented changes in 2020 and the relationship between domestic and global markets needed adjustments considering the long-term impacts of the changes that are unfolding around these markets. China has become the first country to announce a formal strategy – “Dual Circulation” Strategy (DCS) – to guide its self-reliant economic development in the post-COVID era. However, what exactly is the DCS and what drove China to publicize this strategy is not yet clear. This study aims to answer these questions. Design/methodology/approach – Based on an extensive review of literature and media reports, a background has been constructed that justifies the DCS as a long-overdue historic necessity. Findings – A novel definition of “Dual Circulation” is introduced. A novel construct to visualize the domestic circulation in light of international and domestic markets and international circulation has been presented. The study argues that maintaining optimum levels of consumption and saving rates is crucial to the DCS’s success. Originality/value – The study pioneers the first scientific definition of the “Dual Circulation” that will pave way for future debate on the topic. Also, it is the first time an academic study on the DCS has been executed.

Distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks are one of the most common global challenges faced by service providers on the web. It leads to network disturbances, interruption of communication and significant damage to services. Researchers seek to develop intelligent algorithms to detect and prevent DDoS attacks. The present study proposes an efficient DDoS attack detection model. This model relies mainly on dimensionality reduction and machine learning algorithms. The principal component analysis (PCA) and the linear discriminant analysis (LDA) techniques perform the dimensionality reduction in individual and hybrid modes to process and improve the data. Subsequently, DDoS attack detection is performed based on random forest (RF) and decision tree (DT) algorithms. The model is implemented and tested on the CICDDoS2019 dataset using different data dimensionality reduction test scenarios. The results show that using dimensionality reduction techniques along with the ML algorithms with a dataset containing high-dimensional data significantly improves the classification results. The best accuracy result of 99.97% is obtained when the model operates in a hybrid mode based on a combination of PCA, LDA and RF algorithms, and the data reduction parameter equals 40.

This paper presents a method for developing a 3D point cloud map of any indoor and outdoor vicinities using an indigenously developed stationary scanning system comprising of a single low cost 2D laser scanner. The data logging of scanner and required inertial measurement units (IMUs) has been carried out using a Robot Operating System (ROS). Multiple divergent environments have been scanned and 3D point clouds have been developed, which have been found accurate when compared to the ground truth. In addition, the Building Information Model (BIM) of the surveyed vicinities have been developed using generated point clouds. Compared to available surveying solutions present in the local market, the developed system has been found accurate, faster, economical, and user-friendly to generate structural results of the surveyed vicinities in detail.

The SMC5/6 complex is critical for genome stability. Here, the authors identify mutations in SLF2 and SMC5 as cause of Atelís Syndrome characterized by microcephaly, short stature, anemia, segmented chromosomes and mosaic variegated hyperploidy.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is rapidly transforming healthcare across the world. However, in Pakistan, the use of AI in healthcare is still in its early stages. AI has the potential to improve healthcare delivery, particularly in low and middle-income countries (LMICs).1,2 In the Pakistani context, AI presents an opportunity to address the scarcity of healthcare workforce and resources in Pakistan.3 In particular, AI can help bridge the healthcare gap by providing services to underserved populations in rural and remote areas of the country.4 Continue...

This study compares the important policy documents that control Ghana's mining industry's impacts on water resources to what is being done in similar African countries, to extract some fundamental principles and point out the inadequacies of these key documents. This study aimed to review existing literature on the relationship between small-scale mining (SSM) activities, with a focus on identifying key policy gaps and potential solutions to mitigate the negative impacts of these activities on water resources. The study further compares mining regulations of some key gold mining countries including South Africa, China, Nigeria, and Indonesia. A total of 128 published papers and reports were used in this study. The study found two major obstacles to ensuring safe and effective water use in Ghana's mining industry. The failure to implement previously existing restrictions, as well as a poor regulatory framework for the mining sector fails to adequately address the implications of mining activities on the environment and water resources. Furthermore, the mining industry's concentration on water use, particularly for small-scale miners, ignores the legacy impacts of such mines or the long-term effects of small-scale mining. Even for SSMs, it is suggested that there be an imposed aspect on the concurrent treatment and reusability of water with mining operations. By taking a distinct approach to the two primary types of mining activity, the issue of enforcement of current restrictions might be addressed. The SSMs' complex organization and less regulated nature necessitate a unique approach that takes advantage of the SSMs' de facto leaders in enforcing water use compliance. The authors propose that the recently established small-scale mining district centres be used as a conduit to employ these informal structures in enforcing compliance on water use in the SSMs and that as part of the mining district's broad technical assistance functions, the SSMs' leadership be trained on safe water use practices and simple water treatment and restoration techniques such as bioremediation and verification. This will ensure that this area of the mining industry is better controlled.

This study was conducted to find out the effect of the using of anise seed oil, vitamin E andselenium in some physiological traits of male New Zealand white rabbits. Twenty males wereused in this study at the age of six months; the animals were randomly divided into four groupscontain five rabbits in each group, where the first group was represented by a control withoutany treatment. The second group was dosed with rabbits (200 mg anise seed oil / rabbit/ day),the third group was dosed with rabbits (400 mg anise seed oil / rabbit/ day) and the fourth groupwas dosed with rabbits (vitamin E 250 mg/ kg + selenium 0.3 mg/ day) kg/ per day). The resultsof the statistical analysis of the third group showed a more superiority (p≤0.05) in the total redand white corpuscular count, hemoglobin and the volume of blood cells collected compared firstand second months of the experiment. About total platelets count, the superiority of the thirdgroup was limited to the first month only. While the second and fourth treatment recorded highsignificance (P≤0.05) in the total red and white corpuscular count, hemoglobin and the volumeof blood cells collected compared to the first treatment in the counting rates of these parametersfor the first and second months of the experiment.

This study conducted to find out the effect of the use of chamomile flower oil, vitamin E andselenium on some blood traits of white New Zealand rabbit males. Twenty males were used in this study at the age of six months; the animals were randomly distributed into four groupsof five rabbits in each group. The first group was represented by a control without anytreatment, the second group was dosed with rabbits (200 mg chamomile flower oil / rabbit/day), the third group was dosed with rabbits (400 mg chamomile flower oil / rabbit/ day) andthe fourth group was dosed with rabbits (vitamin E 250 mg/ kg + selenium 0.3 mg/ day) kg/per day). The results of the statistical analysis of blood parameters showed that the thirdtreatment (400 chamomile) was significantly superior (p≤0.05) to the rest of the coefficientsin the total red corpuscular count for the second month. While the total white corpuscularcount, the packed cells volume and hemoglobin concentration was the moral superiority inthe first and second months and the total count of platelets, the superiority was limited to thefirst month only.

Introduction: Pharmacovigilance (PV) is critical in determining the risk–benefit ratio of medicines and encouraging their safe, rational, and effective use, hence enhancing patient safety and care. Pharmacists, as drug experts, share responsibility for ensuring that medicines remain safe. Objective: The study aimed to assess the knowledge, attitude, and practice of hospital pharmacists towards PV and adverse drug reaction (ADR) reporting and to know factors that discourage them from reporting ADRs in Najran, Saudi Arabia. Methods: A pre-tested self-administered questionnaire was distributed to all the pharmacists working in government hospitals who consented to participate in the study. Data was collected over three months, from 01 June 2018 to 31 Aug 2018. Data were analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) software for Windows, version 23. Descriptive statistics such as frequency and percentages, mean ± standard deviation (SD) were calculated, and the Pearson's Chi-square test was used to examine the relationship between different variables. Results: A total of 145 questionnaires were distributed, and the response rate obtained was 70.3%. The definition of PV and ADR were correctly identified by 42% and 68.3% of participants, respectively. A noteworthy finding is that 95% of participants were aware of the existence of the ADR reporting system, and 88.9% knew the responsible regulatory agency. Participants showed a positive attitude towards PV and ADR reporting; 90.1% considered ADR reporting a part of professional obligation, and 94.1% believed that there should be collaboration between pharmacists and other healthcare professionals. A majority of participants (86.1%) had identified an ADR during their practice, and 71.3% had reported an ADR. The unavailability of a professional environment to discuss ADR and insufficient pharmacotherapy/clinical knowledge was cited as the main factors discouraging from reporting ADRs. Conclusions: Overall, the pharmacists had an average to good knowledge of and positive attitude towards PV and ADR reporting and a good ADR reporting practice. The concept of PV and ADR reporting should be further strengthened, and there is a vast potential for the same.

Background: The drug hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) is widely used to treat rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and has been repurposed for the treatment of COVID-19. This study aims to determine whether HCQ concentration levels in individuals with RA alter the incidence of COVID-19 or its complications. Methods: We collected plasma samples from 13 individuals with confirmed rheumatoid arthritis (RA) to measure HCQ concentration levels. The study included individuals at least 18 years old who had been taking HCQ for at least six months at daily doses ranging from 200 to 400 mg. Results: The study enrolled a total of 13 RA patients. All patients were chronic HCQ users. Among the 13 patients, 7 patients were receiving HCQ at a dose of 200 mg per day, and 6 patients were receiving HCQ at a dose of 400 mg per day. COVID-19 confirmed cases accounted for approximately 46% of all patients. Half of the infected patients (n = 3) were taking a daily dose of 200 mg daily, while the other half were taking 400 mg daily. COVID-19 symptoms ranged from mild to moderate, and the intensity of the symptoms was not severe enough to necessitate hospitalization. COVID-19 symptoms in RA patients included headache, fever, fatigue, dry cough, and loss of taste or smell. Conclusions: Our findings indicated that there was no correlation between HCQ concentrations in rheumatoid arthritis patients and the occurrence of COVID-19 or its complications.

Abstract Background Tracheal stenosis is a complicated surgical problem, which because of endoscopic techniques can be managed by less invasive procedures. In our case series of three patients with intrathoracic tracheal stenosis following prolonged use of tracheostomy tube, we describe the initial assessment, investigations, management, and post-operative results of the same. In our series, all three patients were tracheostomised (with a metallic tube) for more than 3 months. This resulted in chronic abrasion of intraluminal tracheal mucosa at thoracic level. We managed them with conservative trans-oral and trans-tracheal laser-assisted release instead of open surgeries like trachea-tracheal resection and anastomosis or Crico-tracheal resection and anastomosis. Results In our case series, we chose transoral bronchoscopic fibre laser-assisted release followed by dilatation for one patient and trans-tracheal release for the other two. In the trans-oral case, we faced difficulty in controlling the long length of instruments, thereby effecting the control over the laser tip and precision of cut. During the revision surgery for the same patient, we faced difficulty in securing the airway below the stenosis as it was a low stenosis. In patients 2 and 3, we approached the stenosis site via tracheostomy site, thereby significantly reducing the working length of instruments. This gave us better control over the instruments and we attained better precision in radial incisions. Moreover, if there had been an intraoperative bleeding or aspiration, we could have easily secured the airway by FROVA as distance between stoma and stenosis site was not very long. Conclusion CO2 Lase-assisted stenosis release has a very promising result in up to grade III thoracic tracheal stenosis. A good preplanning with anaesthetists and cardiothoracic surgeons for tailor made approach is a must. Intermittent apnoea technique of anaesthesia really helps in such cases of intrathoracic tracheal stenosis. We advocate to always use soft material tracheostomy tube to prevent mucosal abrasion, to avoid a low tracheostomy without appropriate and to proper fix the tracheostomy tube and try for early decannulation.

The architecture of the turbidity current sediment waves exhibits intricate morphologies and patterns on the Indus Fan channel levee backslope. The sediment waves are present on the channel levee of Plio-Pleistocene age and are absent in the deeper sections of the study area. The architecture of channel levee backslope on the Indus Fan is poorly understood. We used seismic interpretation techniques and modelling by utilizing high-resolution seismic data to approach this problem. The morphological variations in wavelength, crest dimensions and potential wave formation patterns suggest the autogenic and allogenic processes associated with wave development. Wavelengths reach up to 1473 m with an average of 486.84 m and the height of the levee ranges between 10 m and 60 m (average 30 m). The angle of the channel levee and dimension of the sediment wave here are independent of each other. Low angle levees have accommodated high dimension sediment waves and vice versa at multiple points downslope. Characteristically, the waves have formed on the outer levee (usually left) of the channels marked by steep margins suggesting that flow overspill caused the development of the waves. Generally, the younger sediment waves followed the patterns of older sediment waves, but the varying trends are often observed in the study area. The patterns of the sediment waves towards the younger sections of the levee indicate the modified and varying architectural style of growth. Sediment waves are generated by downslope turbidity currents. However, the deformation features have also possibly triggered the development of sediment waves.

Background: Food addiction is a behavioral addiction toward foods with high fat and sugar content that leads to overeating. In clinical practice, there is no diagnosis of addiction because diagnostic criteria focus on symptoms, distress, and impairment in daily functioning. Thus, this study aimed to assess the relationship of psychological health with addiction to food. Methodology: A self-administered questionnaire-based cross-sectional study was conducted on a total of 1200 participants aged between 15 and 60. The relationship between food addiction towards emotional and physical health was assessed using Yale Food Addiction Scale; items were rated and scored using a) a five-point Likert scale for assessing food addiction and b) a two-point scale used for assessing psychological health. Results: It was found that most of the participants had mild food addiction (66.5%). It was found that 65.5% of participants had mild psychological problems. When the food addiction was assessed in association with the demographic variable, a significant association was found for gender (P-value=0.009), BMI (P-value=0.024), lifestyle activity (P-value= 0.038), and family history (P-value=0.000). Conclusion: It was found that increased food addiction might lead to increased psychological problems.

Many electrical appliances have progressed from sheer prototypes to viable products by being automated with the help of sensors and Internet of Things (IoT). In this data driven century, there aren't many data-centric solutions for the effective use of residential and commercial ceiling fans. For the said reason, sensors were installed on a remote-controlled BLDC ceiling fan, and a large amount of user data with environmental indicators such as temperature and humidity, was collected. This data along with the fan speed was logged to a cloud server over Wi-Fi using a Wi-Fi enabled microcontroller. The raw data consists of timestamp, temperature, humidity, and fan speed. The data is logged depending on the change of any parameter rather than a specific interval. The logged data is then visualized on the cloud server to monitor the usage patterns of the appliance and its subsequent energy consumption. The dataset is comprised of the fan data from the bedroom, living room, and lounge obtained by the resident's consent. This data is useful for data scientists, environmentalists, fan manufacturers, architects, social scientists, and several other field enthusiasts. The data can be analyzed based on monthly average temperature and humidity energy consumed, operational time per day or month and monthly/weekly summary of usage. Furthermore, by applying Artificial Intelligence (AI) algorithms on such data, it is feasible to extract patterns that indicate the appliance usage and identify changes in the daily routine. Many machine learning techniques can be applied on the dataset to introduce intelligent control of the appliance for adaptable operation without compromising on the comfort level of the user.

Metal matrix composites (MMCs), and particularly aluminum matrix composites (AMCs), are beginning to make a substantial contribution to aerospace, automotive, and electronic industry application after more than a quarter-century of intensive study. To fabricate a cost-effective AMC with outstanding mechanical and physical properties the present work utilized two types of natural base reinforcement materials for elaborating AMCs by powder metallurgy technology (PM). The reinforcement materials were an agricultural waste (date palm seeds) and dolomite rocks at 2.5, 5, 7.5, and 10% weight in addition to the aluminum matrix. The morphological and solid-phase characteristics were examined for the fabricated AMC specimens. These tests include X-ray diffraction, and optical and scanning microscopy. The microstructure of the fabricated specimens for both reinforcement materials showed uniform particle size distribution of the waste enforcement material as the PM technology was satisfactory in embedding the waste particles within the aluminum. The AMCs prepared were subjected to different mechanical loads and it was found that the composite reinforced with date palm seeds possess a high hardness property. A higher hardness of 50 HRV at 7.5% enforcement of date palm seeds was obtained compared to dolomite reinforced composite which showed 48.3 HRV at 7.5% enforcement. For the compressive strength, the date palm seeds composite resisted 23.8 MPa at 7.5% and only 16.68 MPa was obtained as a maximum compression resistance for the dolomite reinforced aluminum composite.

BackgroundScholarly journals play a key role in the dissemination of research findings. However, little focus is given to the process of establishing new, credible journals and the obstacles faced in achieving this. This scoping review aimed to identify and describe existing recommendations for starting a biomedical scholarly journal.MethodsWe searched five bibliographic databases: OVID Medline + Medline in Process, Embase Classic + Embase, ERIC, APA PsycINFO, and Web of Science on January 14, 2022. A related grey literature search was conducted on March 19, 2022. Eligible sources were those published in English in any year, of any format, and that described guidance for starting a biomedical journal. Titles and abstracts of obtained sources were screened. We extracted descriptive characteristics including author name, year and country of publication, journal name, and source type, and any recommendations from the included sources discussing guidance for starting a biomedical journal. These recommendations were categorized and thematically grouped.ResultsA total of 5626 unique sources were obtained. Thirty-three sources met our inclusion criteria. Most sources were blog posts (10/33; 30.30%), and only 10 sources were supported by evidence. We extracted 51 unique recommendations from these 33 sources, which we thematically classified into nine themes which were: journal operations, editorial review processes, peer review processes, open access publishing, copyediting/typesetting, production, archiving/indexing/metrics, marketing/promotion, and funding.ConclusionsThere is little formal guidance regarding how to start a scholarly journal. The development of an evidence-based guideline may help uphold scholarly publishing quality, provide insight into obstacles new journals will face, and equip novice publishers with the tools to meet best practices.

Abstract Background Alzheimer’s disease (AD), cardiovascular disease (CVD), and diabetes are some of the most common causes of morbidity and mortality among the aging populations and cause a heavy burden on the worldwide healthcare system. In this review, we briefly highlighted cellular inflammation-based pathways of diabetes mellitus and CVD through receptor for advanced glycation end products AGEs or RAGE leading to Alzheimer’s disease and interrelation between these vascular and metabolic disorders. The articles were retrieved from Google Scholar, Science Direct, and PubMed databases using the following terms: Alzheimer’s; AGEs; RAGE; RAGE in Alzheimer’s; AGEs in Alzheimer’s; RAGE in diabetes; RAGE related pathways of CVD; RAGE in hypertension; RAGE and RAS system; RAGE and oxidative stress. Main body of the abstract AD is a neurodegenerative disease characterized by cognitive dysfunction and neuronal cell death. Vascular complications like hypertension, coronary artery disease, and atherosclerosis as well as metabolic syndromes like obesity and diabetes are related to the pathophysiology of AD. RAGE plays significant role in the onset and progression of AD. Amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles (NFT) are two main markers of AD that regulates via RAGE and other RAGE/ligands interactions which also induces oxidative stress and a cascade of other cellular inflammation pathways leading to AD. Though AD and diabetes are two different disorders but may be inter-linked by AGEs and RAGE. In long-term hyperglycemia, upregulated AGEs interacts with RAGE and produces reactive oxygen species which induces further inflammation and vascular complications. Aging, hypercholesterolemia, atherosclerosis, hypertension, obesity, and inflammation are some of the main risk factors for both diabetes and dementia. Chronic hypertension and coronary artery disease disrupt the functions of the blood-brain barrier and are responsible for the accumulation of senile plaques and NFTs. Short conclusion RAGE plays a role in the etiology of Aβ and tau hyperphosphorylation, both of which contribute to cognitive impairment. So far, targeting RAGE may provide a potential sight to develop therapies against some metabolic disorders.