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Abstract Background Diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) in children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) is a growing issue, with controversial data in the terms of prevalence and evaluation timelines. Currently, there are no clear standards for its early detection. Therefore, our aim was to assess the contribution of the Michigan neuropathy screening instrument (MNSI), lipid profile, serum neuron specific enolase (NSE), and serum heat shock protein 27 (HSP 27) to the prediction of DPN in children and adolescents with T1DM. Methods In this case-control study, fifty children diagnosed with T1DM for at least five years were enrolled and evaluated through complete neurological examination, MNSI, and nerve conduction study (NCS). Additionally, HbA1c, lipid profile, serum NSE, and serum HSP 27 levels were measured for patients and controls. Results The prevalence of DPN in our study was 24% by NCS, and electrophysiological changes showed a statistically significant lower conduction velocity for the posterior tibial and sural nerves, as well as a prolonged latency period for the common peroneal and sural nerves in neuropathic patients. In these patients, older age, earlier age of diabetes onset, longer disease duration, higher total cholesterol, triglycerides, low density lipoprotein cholesterol, HbA1c, serum NSE, and HSP27 levels were observed. The MNSI examination score ≥ 1.5 cutoff point had an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.955, with 75% sensitivity and 94.74% specificity, according to receiver operating characteristic curve analysis. However, the questionnaire’s cutoff point of ≥ 5 had an AUC of 0.720, 75% sensitivity, and 63% specificity, with improved overall instrument performance when combining both scores. Regarding blood biomarkers, serum NSE had greater sensitivity and specificity in discriminating neuropathic patients than HSP27 (92% and 74% versus 75% and 71%, respectively). Regression analysis revealed a substantial dependency for MNSI and serum NSE in predicting DPN in patients. Conclusions Despite limited research in pediatrics, MNSI and serum NSE are promising predictive tools for DPN in children and adolescents with T1DM, even when they are asymptomatic. Poor glycemic control and lipid profile changes may play a critical role in the development of DPN in these patients, despite conflicting results in various studies.

Abstract Global environmental changes, such as climate change and reclamation alterations, significantly influence hydrological processes, leading to hydrologic nonstationarity and challenges in managing water availability and distribution. This study introduces a conceptual underpinning for the rational development and sustainability of groundwater resources. As one of the areas intended for the development projects within the Egyptian national plan for the reclamation of one and a half million acres; hundreds of pumping wells were constructed in the Moghra area to fulfill the reclamation demand. This study investigates the long-term impacts of exploiting the drilled pumping wells under climate change. The approach is to monitor the groundwater levels and the salinity values in the Moghra aquifer with various operational strategies and present proposed sustainable development scenarios. The impact of global warming and climate change is estimated for a prediction period of 30 years by using satellite data, time series geographical analysis, and statistical modeling. Using MODFLOW and Solute Transport (MT3DMS) modules of Visual MODFLOW USGS 2005 software, a three-dimensional (3D) finite-difference model is created to simulate groundwater flow and salinity distribution in the Moghra aquifer with the input of forecast downscaling (2020–2050) of main climatic parameters (PPT, ET, and Temp). The optimal adaptation-integrated scenario to cope with long-term groundwater withdrawal and climate change impacts is achieved when the Ministry of Irrigation and Water Resources (MWRI) recommends that the maximum drawdown shouldn’t be more significant than 1.0 m/ year. In this scenario, 1,500 pumping wells are distributed with an equal space of 500 m, a pumping rate of 1,200 m3/day and input the forecast of the most significant climatic parameters after 30 years. The output results of this scenario revealed a drawdown level of 42 m and a groundwater salinity value of 16,000 mg/l. Climate change has an evident impact on groundwater quantity and quality, particularly in the unconfined coastal aquifer, which is vulnerable to saltwater intrusion and pollution of drinking water resources. The relationship between climate change and the hydrologic cycle is crucial for predicting future water availability and addressing water-related issues.

Abstract Background Vermicompost contains humic acids, nutrients, earthworm excretions, beneficial microbes, growth hormones, and enzymes, which help plants to tolerate a variety of abiotic stresses. Effective microorganisms (EM) include a wide range of microorganisms’ e.g. photosynthetic bacteria, lactic acid bacteria, yeasts, actinomycetes, and fermenting fungi that can stimulate plant growth and improve soil fertility. To our knowledge, no study has yet investigated the possible role of vermicompost and EM dual application in enhancing plant tolerance to water scarcity. Methods Consequently, the current study investigated the effectiveness of vermicompost and EM in mitigating drought-induced changes in wheat. The experiment followed a completely randomized design with twelve treatments. The treatments included control, as well as individual and combined applications of vermicompost and EM at three different irrigation levels (100%, 70%, and 30% of field capacity). Results The findings demonstrated that the application of vermicompost and/or EM significantly improved wheat growth and productivity, as well as alleviated drought-induced oxidative damage with decreased the generation of superoxide anion radical and hydrogen peroxide. This was achieved by upregulating the activities of several antioxidant enzymes, including superoxide dismutase, catalase, peroxidase, ascorbate peroxidase, glutathione peroxidase, monodehydroascorbate reductase, dehydroascorbate reductase, and glutathione reductase. Vermicompost and/or EM treatments also enhanced the antioxidant defense system by increasing the content of antioxidant molecules such as ascorbate, glutathione, phenolic compounds, and flavonoids. Additionally, the overproduction of methylglyoxal in water-stressed treated plants was controlled by the enhanced activity of the glyoxalase system enzymes; glyoxalase I and glyoxalase II. The treated plants maintained higher water content related to the higher content of osmotic regulatory substances like soluble sugars, free amino acids, glycinebetaine, and proline. Conclusions Collectively, we offer the first report that identifies the underlying mechanism by which the dual application of vermicompost and EM confers drought tolerance in wheat by improving osmolyte accumulation and modulating antioxidant defense and glyoxalase systems.

Abstract Curcumin, the main polyphenol component of turmeric powder, has garnered increasing attention as an effective supplement in fish diets. A comparative trial was conducted to evaluate the impacts of dietary supplementation with different forms of curcumin (free, in combination, or nanoparticles) on hemato-biochemical parameters, reproductive capacity, and related gene expressions of red tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus x O. mossambicus) broodstock. Fish (n = 168) were fed an isonitrogenous (30% CP), isocaloric (18.72 MJ kg − 1) diet containing basal diet (Control), 60 mg kg-1 of either free curcumin (Cur), curcumin/nano-curcumin blend (Cur/NCur), or nano-curcumin (NCur) for 56 days. Red tilapia broodstock (155 ± 5.65 g) were stocked at a male: female ratio of 1:3. Blood samples and gonads were collected to assess hemato-biochemical parameters, reproductive capacity, and related gene expression at the end of the feeding trial. The results indicated that the values of hematological parameters (RBCs, WBCs, hemoglobin), total protein, albumin values, and reproductive hormones (T, LH, and FSH) were significantly increased, while liver function enzymes were decreased in the NCur group (P

Background and Aims: The use of intrathecal opioids is associated with high risk of pruritis and this may be decreased by adding a low dose of naloxone. This study evaluated the effect of the addition of 20 μg of naloxone to fentanyl–bupivacaine mixture on the incidence of pruritis in pregnant females scheduled for cesarean section (CS). Material and Methods: Eighty pregnant patients scheduled for CS under spinal anesthesia were randomized to receive either 10 mg of 0.5% hyperbaric bupivacaine (2 ml) plus 25 μg fentanyl (group F) or 10 mg of 0.5% hyperbaric bupivacaine (2 ml) plus 25 μg fentanyl and 20 μg naloxone (group FN). The incidence, onset, duration, site, and severity of pruritis were measured. Furthermore, the postoperative numerical rating scale (NRS) score, the total tramadol rescue analgesia, and the time for the first request of rescue analgesia were recorded. Results: Compared to the F group, the FN group showed a significant decrease in the incidence of pruritis (P = 0.022), prolongation of the onset of pruritis (P = 0.006), shortening of the duration of pruritis (P = 0.029), and decrease in the severity of pruritis (P = 0.039). Furthermore, the postoperative pain score, the rescue analgesic consumption, and the time for the first request of rescue analgesia were comparable between the two groups (P > 0.05). Conclusions: The addition of an ultra-low dose of naloxone (20 μg) to fentanyl–bupivacaine mixture in spinal anesthesia for pregnant females scheduled for CS significantly reduced the incidence of pruritis without having a significant effect on the postoperative analgesia.

Abstract Probiotics are becoming increasingly popular as eco-friendly alternatives in aquaculture. However, there is limited research on their impacts on the reproductive efficiency of Red Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus x O. mossambicus) broodstock. Therefore, this experiment aimed to explore the combined effects of selective probiotics Bacillus subtilis and B. licheniformis (BSL; 1:1) added to water on blood hematology, serum metabolites, gonadal histology, reproductive performance, and reproductive associated genes in Red Tilapia broodstock. Tilapia broodfish weighing 140–160 g were stocked in four treatment groups: control (T0), and the other three groups were added different levels of BSL to the water as follows: T1 (0.01 g/m3), T2 (0.02 g/m3), and T3 (0.03 g/m3), respectively. Results indicate that BSL administration significantly improved RBCs, hemoglobin, hematocrit, MCH, and MCHC, with the highest improvement seen in the T3 group (P

The study investigated the beneficial effects of vitamin E-loaded nano-emulsion (NEVE) on hemato-biochemical changes, oxidative stress, inflammatory responses, immunological variables, and semen quality in heat-stressed rabbit bucks. Forty adult V-line rabbit bucks were randomly assigned to four groups and fed diets containing NEVE at 0 (NEVE0), 50 (NEVE50), 100 (NEVE100), and 200 (NEVE200) mg/kg for 12 weeks. The NEVE had a mean particle diameter of 32.6 nm, a polydispersity index of 0.6, and a zeta potential of −31.1 mV. The dietary NEVE significantly improved the hematological, blood protein, lipid profile, and liver functions of rabbit bucks (p

Abstract Acetamiprid (ACDP) is a widely used neonicotinoid insecticide that is popular for its efficacy in controlling fleas in domestic settings and for pets. Our study aims to offer a comprehensive examination of the toxicological impacts of ACDP and the prophylactic effects of cinnamon nanoemulsions (CMNEs) on the pathological, immunohistochemical, and hematological analyses induced by taking ACDP twice a ‎week for 28 days. Forty healthy rats were divided into four groups (n = 10) at random; the first group served as control rats; the second received CMNEs (2 mg/Kg body weight); the third group received acetamiprid (ACDP group; 21.7 mg/Kg body weight), and the fourth group was given both ACDP and CMNEs by oral gavage. Following the study period, tissue and blood samples were extracted and prepared for analysis. According to a GC-MS analysis, CMNEs had several bioactive ingredients that protected the liver from oxidative stress by upregulating antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agents. Our findings demonstrated that whereas ACDP treatment considerably boosted white blood cells (WBCs) and lymphocytes, it significantly lowered body weight gain (BWG), red blood cells (RBCs), hemoglobin (Hb), hematocrit (HCT), and platelets (PLT). ACDP notably reduced antioxidant enzyme activities: superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), and catalase (CAT) and elevated hydrogen peroxide and malondialdehyde levels compared with other groups. ACDP remarkably raised alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate amino transaminase (AST), and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) levels. Moreover, the histopathological and immunohistochemistry assays discovered a severe toxic effect on the liver and kidney following ACDP delivery. Furthermore, cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2) + immunoexpression was enhanced after treatment with CMNEs. All of the parameters above were returned to nearly normal levels by the coadministration of CMNEs. The molecular docking of cinnamaldehyde with COX-2 also confirmed the protective potential of CMNEs against ACDP toxicity. Our findings highlighted that the coadministration of CMNEs along with ACDP diminished its toxicity by cutting down oxidative stress and enhancing antioxidant capacity, demonstrating the effectiveness of CMNEs in lessening ACDP toxicity.

Abstract The problem of flooding in Central Vietnam in general and the lower Ba River in particular is one of the natural disasters that frequently threatens people's lives and socioeconomic development in the region. Especially, climate change is becoming ever more prominent and hotter, making extreme natural disasters more unusual and unpredictable. In this research, MIKE‐FLOOD—a model that connects a 1‐dimensional (1‐D) MIKE 11 Hydrodynamics (HD) model with a 2‐dimensional (2‐D) MIKE 21 HD model—was used to set up. The model was calculated for three floods: (1) flood in October 1993, (2) flood in November 2003, and (3) flood in November 2007; these are floods with high frequency and relatively large magnitude. The results show that the 1993 flood rose and receded quickly. The flood peak inundated an area of 22,600 ha, accounting for 52% of the natural area. The flooded areas deeper than 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 m were 16500, 11,000, 7000, 4200, and 2200 ha, respectively. In the center of Tuy Hoa city, the flooded area at the time of maximum water level was almost 100%.

This study aimed to investigate the physiochemical properties, techno-functional attributes, and proteolytic impacts of incorporating different hydrocolloids as fat substitutes in low-fat cheddar cheese. The effects of hydrocolloids (gums) and dietary fiber, both individually and in combination, were studied for the production of low-fat cheddar cheese with the same textural and functional attributes as full-fat cheese. Physicochemical, techno-functional attributes, organic acid, and proteolysis analyses were performed at 0 and 90-day storage intervals. The results of different combinations were compared with positive (4% fat) and negative (2% fat) controls, and it was observed that using fat replacers improved the textural and functional properties of low-fat cheddar cheese. A significant difference was observed in the meltability and flowability of low-fat cheese samples with different analytes. The proteolysis pattern in low-fat cheese also differed from that of its full-fat counterpart. Three treatments were considered the best: T2 (guar gum at 0.45%), T6 (guar gum, inulin, and resistant starch at 33%), and T7 (all analytes at equal concentrations). The findings revealed that hydrocolloids notably improved the texture, meltability, and sensory characteristics of low-fat cheddar cheese. Additionally, SEM images revealed that the microstructure variations can be attributed to changes in the hydrocolloids water retention and fat content. The Pearson correlation coefficient revealed relationships between different functional properties, contributing to understanding how hydrocolloids as fat replacers impact the overall quality of low-fat cheddar cheese. This study offers useful information for the dairy sector to manufacture low-fat cheeses that have enhanced customer acceptance and provide nutritional advantages.

Layered double hydroxides (LDHs) are highly effective drug delivery systems, owing to their capacity to intercalate or adsorb biomaterials, flexible structure, swelling property, high stability, good biocompatibility, and ease of synthesis. Phenytoin (PHT) is an antiseizure BCS (Biopharmaceutics Classification System) class II drug, presenting low aqueous solubility. Therefore, the current study aimed at increasing its solubility, dissolution, and bioavailability. PHT was intercalated to the MgAl-LDH formed in situ and successful intercalation to form MgAl-PHT-LDH was confirmed by FTIR, PXRD, DSC, and TGA. Examination of particle size and morphology (by photon correlation spectroscopy and electron microscopy, respectively) confirmed the formation and intercalation of nanostructured LDH. Intercalation enhanced the saturation solubility of PHT at 25°C in 0.1N HCl and phosphate buffer (pH 6.8) by 6.57 and 10.5 times respectively. The selected drug excipient powder blend for the formulation of MgAl-PHT-LDH tablets exhibited satisfactory properties in both pre-compression parameters (angle of repose, bulk density, tapped density, Carr’s index, and Hausner ratio) and tablet characteristics (weight variation, thickness, hardness, friability, content uniformity, and disintegration time). MgAl-PHT-LDH tablets showed better dissolution of PHT compared to unprocessed PHT tablets at all time points. Oral bioavailability of MgAl-PHT-LDH tablets and unprocessed PHT tablets was tested in two groups of Sprague Dawley rats based on analysis of serum levels of both forms of PHT by UPLC-ESI-MS/MS serum. MgAl-PHT-LDH tablets demonstrated a relative bioavailability of 130.15% compared to unprocessed PHT tablets, confirming a significantly higher oral bioavailability of MgAl-PHT-LDH. In conclusion, MgAl-PHT-LDH could provide a strategy for enhancing solubility, dissolution, and thereby bioavailability of PHT, enabling the evaluation of theclinical efficacy of MgAl-PHT-LDH tablets for the treatment of seizures at lower PHT doses.

Abstract The sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum L.) juice, a beverage with fascinating track record of health promoting potential, loaded with phenolics, flavonoids, the bioactives, is capable of high antioxidant activities. The mint is a reliable herbal plant, with loads of phytochemicals and hundreds of food applications. However, sugarcane juice added with mint is normally consumed without any processing and preservation. Therefore, it is important to employ green processing technologies on sugarcane-mint juice blend, in order to process and preserve this nutritional juice with optimum retention of bioactives. In the current study sugarcane-mint blend juice was developed to study the synergistic effect of sonication (20 kHz, 70% amplitude, 5, 10 and 15 min) and microwave (90 °C, 400 W, 120 s) on pH, titratable acidity, total soluble solids (TSS), total phenolics (TPC), total flavonoids (TFC) and antioxidant activity of developed beverage, at 7 days interval, during 21 days of storage period. Increment in sonication time and advancement in storage days, both resulted in an increase in pH, and decrease in titratable acidity and TSS of blend juice. Sonication for 15 min along with microwave exhibited significant (p ≤ 0.05) results in terms of rise in TPC, TFC and antioxidant ability of blend juice, as compared to 10 and 5 min, sonication. Whereas, untreated juice samples exhibited significantly (p ≤ 0.05) less contents of TPC, TFC and antioxidant capacity, which were further significantly (p ≤ 0.05) decreased during 21 days of storage. Our results highlighted the significance of synergism of sonication and microwave in improvement of physicochemical and phytochemical quality of sugarcane-mint blend juice.

Abstract Background Achilles’ tendon chronic rupture is a common entity that is usually misdiagnosed or mistreated. Hence, she was presented to us later or with complications affecting her gait. Surgical resection is needed to either bridge the gap or reinforce the strength of the tendon repair. Objectives Our study's goal was to assess the clinical results of repairing chronic Achilles’ tendon lesions employing the middle segment of the proximal portion of the tendon (gastro-soleus), as a turn-down flap. Methods Our prospective interventional single arm study included 18 patients with chronic Achilles’ tendon rupture attending at Al-Azhar university hospitals in Cairo, Egypt from May 2020 to April 2023. Diagnosis of the patients was confirmed by radiographic and clinical investigations. They were all treated with the same open reconstruction procedure using a modified GSF. The average follow-up was 12 months. The results of this study were assessed by the Achilles tendon rupture score (ATRS), American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) score, and capacity to perform repeated heel raises on the affected side. Results The mean operative time was 72.77 min. The median (IQR) time of reconstruction was 10 (8–12) after the injury. The median (IQR) length of flab was 4.5 (4.3–5) 9 (Table 2). No intraoperative complications occurred. The typical follow-up period was 12 months (6–18 months). In terms of the ATRS, we found a significant reduction from 82.8 ± 3 preoperatively to 20.8 ± 6.7 at 12 months postoperatively (P value = 0.001). As regards the AOFAS score, it was increased from 49.5 ± 10 preoperatively to 83.8 ± 8.5 12 months postoperatively (P = 0.001). In terms of the post operative complications, there was no re-rupture. Two patients experienced superficial wound infection which improved with daily dressing and antibiotics. Additionally, two patients had slight ankle stiffness four months after the operation, which improved after programmed rehabilitation at the sixth month. Conclusion The modified GSTF is a simple, safe, well-tolerated and effective method of treatment with excellent functional results and greater patient content.

ABSTRACTRapid urbanization has dramatically increased the demand for river sand, leading to soaring sand extraction rates that often exceed natural replenishment in many rivers globally. However, our understanding of the geomorphic and social-ecological impacts arising from Sand Mining (SM) remains limited, primarily due to insufficient data on sand extraction rates. Conventionally, bathymetry surveys and compilation of declared amounts have been used to quantify SM budgets, but they are often costly and laborious, or result in inaccurate quantification. Here, for the first time, we developed a Remote Sensing (RS)-based Deep Learning (DL) framework to map SM activities and budgets in the Vietnamese Mekong Delta (VMD), a global SM hotspot. We trained a near real-time object detection system to identify three boat classes in Sentinel-1 imagery: Barge with Crane (BC), Sand Transport Boat (STB), and other boats. Our DL model achieved a 96.1% Mean Average Precision (mAP) across all classes and 98.4% for the BC class, used in creating an SM boat density map at an Intersection over Union (IoU) threshold of 0.50. Applying this model to Sentinel-1, 256,647 boats were detected in the VMD between 2014–2022, of which 17.4% were BC. Subsequently, the annual SM budget was estimated by correlating it with a recent riverbed incision map. Our results showed that, between 2015–2022, about 366 Mm3 of sand has been extracted across the VMD. The annual budget has progressively increased from 34.92 Mm3 in 2015 to 53.25 Mm3 in 2022 (by 52%), with an annual increment of around 2.79 Mm3. At the provincial-scale, Dong Thap, An Giang, Vinh Long, Tien Giang, and Can Tho were the locations of intensive mining, accounting for 89.20% of the total extracted volume in the VMD. Finally, our estimated budgets were validated with previous research that yielded a correlation coefficient of 0.99% (with bias of 2.65%). The automatic DL framework developed in this study to quantify SM budgets has a high potential to be applied to other deltas worldwide also facing intensive SM.

Adipose tissue, both intricate and fundamental to physiological functions, comprises cell types, including adipocytes, pivotal in secreting bioactive peptides known as ‘adipokines.’ Apelin (APLN), Visfatin (VSFTN), and Irisin (IRSN) are novel adipokines involved in regulating energy, carbohydrate, protein, and lipid metabolism. APLN acts as an endogenous ligand for G-protein-coupled receptors, VSFTN is essential in nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) biosynthesis, and IRSN is released from skeletal muscle and adipose tissues. Their influence spans various physiological domains, including insulin resistance and sensitivity, cardiovascular functions, angiogenesis, and reproductive systems. This review focuses on the potential roles of APLN, VSFTN, and IRSN in energy regulation mechanisms related to farm animal production. Despite accumulating evidence of their significance, comprehensive understanding is still emerging, with most studies based on model organisms. Thus, there’s a pressing need for targeted research on farm animals. Addressing these knowledge gaps could pave the way for improved health strategies, reproductive efficiency, and productivity in farm animals. Future research should focus on understanding the multifaceted interactions of these adipokines and their implications for promoting sustainable and effective animal production.

Garlic (Allium sativum L.) is a widely abundant spice, known for its aroma and pungent flavor. It contains several bioactive compounds and offers a wide range of health benefits to humans, including those pertaining to nutrition, physiology, and medicine. Therefore, garlic is considered as one of the most effective disease-preventive diets. Many in vitro and in vivo studies have reported the sulfur-containing compounds, allicin and ajoene, for their effective anticancer, anti-diabetic, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antimicrobial, immune-boosting, and cardioprotective properties. As a rich natural source of bioactive compounds, including polysaccharides, saponins, tannins, linalool, geraniol, phellandrene, β-phellandrene, ajoene, alliin, S-allyl-mercapto cysteine, and β-phellandrene, garlic has many therapeutic applications and may play a role in drug development against various human diseases. In the current review, garlic and its major bioactive components along with their biological function and mechanisms of action for their role in disease prevention and therapy are discussed.

The Vu Gia Thu Bon (VGTB) River basin is critical for regional development and prosperity in water resources. However, human interventions (e.g., dam construction and sand mining) have significantly affected this basin's sediment budget and morphological alterations over recent decades. Such humane actions drive an imbalance in water resources in the basin from upstream to downstream. Therefore, this study investigated spatiotemporal changes in sediment budget and morphology alterations using long-term data and bathymetric surveys; from these data, dams and sand mining contributions were quantified and differentiated. Based on field survey data and interviews, we estimated the sand-mining volume by incorporating reported and a newly proposed empirical formula. The results show that the total riverbed incision volume from 2010 to 2021 was 63.30 Mm3, with an incision rate of 0.14 m/yr. The officially reported sand-mining rate was 1.12 Mm3/yr, while the newly proposed empirical formula estimated 4.4 Mm3/yr. According to the developed empirical formula, the percentage reductions in the sediment budget due to sand mining and upstream dams were 69.7 % and 30.3 %, respectively, according to reports, and 17.8 % and 82.2 %. The statistical method was thus likely too conservative compared to the developed empirical formula. We found that the natural sediment supplies sourced from upstream were insufficient to compensate for the mined bed material. Therefore, our combination of different datasets permitted the assessment of future geomorphological developments within the VGTB River basin under the ongoing sediment deficits. The results of this study provide valuable insights into the impacts of human interventions, specifically sand mining, on the sediment budget, morphological alterations, and riverbed incision. The developed assessment forms the foundation for developing and expanding the region's water/sediment resource management strategies.

The water chestnut flour has massive potential to replace the white flour for the development of value-added food products. In the present research work water chestnut flour was combined with white flour at different levels, i.e. 0 (T0), 15 (T1), 30 (T2), 45 (T3) and 60 % (T4), to develop nutritional cookies. The influence of the water chestnut flour concentration on the obtained cookie's physiochemical features was investigated. The cookie's diameter and thickness exhibited a significant increase as a result of the replacement. The fiber and ash contents progressively increased from 2.8 ± 0.1 % and 1.3 ± 0.1 % in the case of T0, to 6.1 ± 0.1 % and 2.2 ± 0.1 % for T4, respectively. Meanwhile, the moisture, protein and fat contents of cookies decreased. A significant increase in K, Mg, Zn, Fe, P and Cu was observed with values 98.3 ± 0.1, 21.5 ± 0.2, 2.0 ± 0.2, 3.0 ± 0.2, 48.6 ± 0.4 and 2.3 ± 0.02 mg/100 g, respectively in T4 cookies. The organoleptic analysis showed that control cookies got the highest scores for all these parameters, whereas cookies with 60 % water chestnut flour got the lowest scores. For T1 and T2 formulations, acceptable scores were collected, justifying that a 15 to 30 % replacement level of water chestnut flour with white flour could be proposed to develop good quality nutritious cookies.

Flaxseed (Linum usitatissimum) from the family Linaceae, is a valuable medicinal oil seed crop cultivated all around the world. Presence of proteins, dietary fiber, fatty acids, especially α-linolenic acid, vitamins, minerals, phenolics, flavonoids and other bioactive components in significant amounts, enhances medicinal, pharma food and commercial value of flaxseed. It has been added in a variety of bakery items, beverages and dairy products. Moreover, consumption of flaxseed upsurge due to its risk lowering ability of numerous degenerative (diabetes, obesity) and chronic disorders (cardiovascular diseases and cancer). Flaxseed also has prebiotic properties and improve the health of gut microbiota. Additionally, flaxseed also contains several antinutrients such as phytic acid, protease inhibitors, and cyanogenic glycosides, which can limit the bioavailability of certain essential nutrients and can reduce nutritional value. Flaxseed meal interactions, dosage and supplementations have also been discussed. The focus of the current review is on recent studies on humans and animals as well as flaxseed's commercial use in a variety of food products as proof of its phytochemical content and potential health benefits.

This paper presents a new quarter-rate 4-level pulse amplitude modulation (PAM-4) decision-feedback equalizer (DFE) architecture targeting short-reach and the onset of medium-reach applications. The proposed architecture utilizes the pipeline technique to obtain the most and least significant bits of the recovered data to cancel the residual intersymbol interference (ISI) sequentially. The number of data comparators is reduced to one-third compared to the typical architecture to relax the speed-power trade-offs. This paper also studies the limitation of the proposed architecture analytically. Besides, an analytical expression for the bit-error-rate (BER) with pipelined DFE is derived and validated through MATLAB-simulation to be compared with BER of the typical architecture. A 20-Gb/s inductorless receiver equalizer consisting of a linear equalizer and a one-tap DFE has been designed in 65-nm CMOS technology. Error-free operation of the equalizer has been validated by post-layout simulations over 21-inch FR4 channel with 15-dB loss at the Nyquist frequency using a PRQS-7 data pattern.

Background: Nanoparticles are regarded as magical bullets because of their exclusive features. Recently, the usage of nanoparticles has progressed in almost all aspects of science and technology due to its ability of revolutionizing certain fields. In the field of food science and technology, the application of nanoparticles is being researched in many various areas thus provide the dairy industry a variety of new attitudes for developing the quality, prolong shelf life, ensure safety and healthiness of foods. Aim: This study aimed to focus on the application of some inorganic metal oxide nanoparticles (zinc oxide (ZnO), magnesium oxide (MgO), and calcium oxide (CaO)) to control E. coli in raw milk and ensure its safety. Methods: The antibacterial action of certain nanoparticles (ZnO, MgO, and CaO) with multiple concentrations (0.1, 0.05, 0.025, 0.0125, 0.006, and 0.003 mg/ml) was evaluated against E. coli strains in UHT milk samples. As well, storage temperature and storage period effects were studied. Results: The findings of the current research revealed that inorganic metal oxide nanoparticles had a significant antibacterial role against E. coli, at the following order; ZnO, MgO, and CaO, respectively. The antibacterial effect of inorganic metal oxide nanoparticles is more noticed at lower temperatures. Conclusion: Inorganic metal nanoparticles can be used in the food industry for the purpose of the control of E. coli, and extension of the shelf life of the dairy products. [Open Vet J 2024; 14(1.000): 545-552]

Abstract To meet the increasing consumer demands for fruits, the implementation of artificial ripening techniques using synthetic chemicals has become increasingly commonplace among less ethical fruit production companies in today’s global market. The objective of present work was to establish a difference in the physiological and biochemical and profiles of naturally ripened mangoes vs. those ripened by application of synthetic calcium carbide and ethylene. The application of calcium carbide at 10 g/kg mangoes resulted early ripening in 2 days, with a 3-day shelf life, as compared with 5 and 6 days, for mangoes ripened by ethylene and naturally, respectively. Higher levels of calcium carbide reduced moisture, fiber, protein and carbohydrates content and increased the ash content of mangoes, as compared to higher levels of ethylene, whereas in naturally ripened mangoes the content percentages were 80.21, 3.57, 3.05 6.27 and 4.74, respectively. Artificial ripening resulted in significant loss of ascorbic, citric and malic acid, as values were recorded 35.94, 2.12 and 0.63 mg/g, respectively, in mangoes ripened with 10 g/kg of calcium carbide. However, in naturally ripened mangoes the amounts of these acids were recorded significantly (p

Abstract Human interventions at the river basin scale, such as sand mining and hydropower dam construction, have profoundly affected hydrological and hydraulic alteration regimes, sediment budgets, and morphological changes worldwide. Quantifying the consequences of unsustainable ongoing sand mining and hydropower is crucial for obtaining sediment load data and managing hydrogeomorphology. In this study, comprehensive long-term consecutive four-field monitoring, statistical methods, and hydrological models (SWAT) were applied to quantify the spatiotemporal changes in long-term discharge and sediment load from 1996 to 2020 for the tropical river of the Vu Gia Thu Bon (VGTB) in the central region of Vietnam. The SWAT model was calibrated from 1996 to 2010, validated from 2011 to 2020 and showed good performance for daily discharge and monthly sediment. The evolution of river bathymetric data (2010, 2015, 2018, and 2021) was analysed to clarify the upstream sediment supply trapped in the riverbed and how the sand mining volume was removed. The results showed that the mean annual sediment in the Vu Gia and Thu Bon Rivers decreased by 57.3% and 23.8%, respectively, in the postdam period compared with the predam period. The thalweg elevation decreased at the Ai Nghia and Giao Thuy stations from 2010 to 2021 by 1.8 m and 3.9 m, respectively. The water level decreased by 21.1% at Ai Nghia and 44.3% at Giao Thuy. Dam development, sand mining, and changes in land use are the main factors responsible for flow discharge and sediment morphodynamic alterations. Morphological change have increased the water transfer rate from the Vu Gia River to the Thu Bon River through the Quang Hue channel. Downstream of the Vu Gia River, water transfer and riverbed incision have decreased flow discharge and water level and increased saltwater intrusion in recent years. As a result, water shortages induced by saltwater intrusion during drought periods have emerged as a significant constraint in hindering the domestic water supply and agricultural production.

Urban sewer system management is challenging due to its higher vulnerability to flooding caused by rapid urbanization and climate change. For local decision-makers, storm water management is essential for urban planning and development. Therefore, the main objective of this study is to develop a numerical model for the sewerage network of the central catchment area of Algiers since it has experienced frequent overflows during the winter season. For this purpose, to model the sewerage networks, the model was built by coupling ArcGIS with MIKE URBAN. Its calibration and validation were performed using real-time measurements with a time step of 15 min. The model was evaluated by several statistical indicators, such as the coefficient of determination (R2), Nash–Sutcliffe efficiency (NSE), root mean square error (RMSE), and percent bias (PBIAS). The model results showed acceptable model performance, with an NSE superior to 0.50, R2 of approximately 0.63, RMSE of 7%, and PBIAS of 10% during the validation of the model. The performance parameters prove the reliability of the developed model. The employed model can be applied in other regions and could be helpful for policymakers and managers to improve flood mitigation measures based on the model prediction of the sewerage network. HIGHLIGHT Facilitate management by utilizing modeling to protect people and their property.; Ensure that decisions are made promptly within the framework of emergency response plans in case of an alert.; Develop a reliable digital model for studying the impact of climate change on the rainwater drainage system. Haut du formulaire.;

Abstract Whey beverages that have been added with fruits pulp have always been remained the priority demand of food consumers, but loss of nutritional contents and microbial safety of such beverages is always matter of concern of food producers. To overcome these issues food experts are always in try to find out the processing and preservation techniques for safety of these beverages. In present study kinnow-whey beverage was prepared by addition of kinnow concentrate and acidic whey, at optimum concentrations. Effect of different processing techniques on the physicochemical properties, microbial inactivation, and sensory characteristics of beverage were investigated during 90 days of storage. The outcomes of pasteurization were compared with non-thermal techniques, such as use of preservatives and sonication (20 kHz frequency, 70% amplitude and 5, 10 and 15 min). pH values of all the treatments were reduced, whereas titratable acidity was increased significantly, during storage. There was a significant increase in the brix, viscosity and total solids, with the increase in the storage period. Highest values obtained for brix, viscosity and total solids were T3 (14.32°), T3 (15.13 cP), and T3 (15.13 mg/L) after 90 days storage, respectively. Total plate count (TPC) and yeast and mold count were increased during prolong storage in all treatments. Results showed that the maximum TPC was noted in T0 (2.9 × 104 cfu/ml) at 90 days, while minimum TPC was observed in T5 (0.8 × 104 cfu/ml) at start of study. Similarly, maximum yeast and mold count were noted in T1 (3.2 × 104 cfu/ml) at 90 days whereas, minimum yeast and mold count was observed in T5 (0.1 × 104 cfu/ml) at start of study. Overall acceptability of beverage was highest in 15 min sonicated treatments. It was concluded that the beverages processed with sonication (15 min) demonstrated better stability and sensory attributes compared to other techniques.

Abstract Objectives This study aimed to assess cognitive function in children with temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) using mismatch negativity (MMN) potentials. Background Temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) is a neurological condition that causes cognitive and behavioral problems. These complications were found to be affected by many factors including underlying neuropathology, age of onset, psychological issues, and therapeutic side effects that exacerbate pathophysiology of the condition. Subject and method In this case–control study, 44 children were involved and were divided into two groups: the study group involved 22 children with TLE, while the control group involved 22 normal children. Pure-tone audiometry, immittancemetry, and measurement of mismatch negativity (MMN) test were done for all subjects in this study. Results Latency of MMN was significantly increased, while the amplitude was significantly decreased in the study group compared to the control group. Abnormal MMN test was obtained in TLE patients. Conclusion Prolonged MMN latencies and decreased amplitudes in patients indicate impaired cognitive function in children with TLE compared with controls.

Abstract Background Ripening of climacteric vegetable, tomato, is a complicated process that results in numerous physiological and biochemical changes, and role of ethylene in this phenomenon is very crucial. Use of different ethylene scavengers can control the post-harvest ripening and quality of tomatoes. In current study, combinations of chemicals as 2% CaCl2 and KMnO4 (T1), 1 mM salicylic acid and KMnO4 (T2), 2% CaCl2 and K2Cr2O7 (T3) and 1 mM salicylic acid and K2Cr2O7 (T4), were tested to study their effect on pH, acidity, total soluble solids (TSS), vitamin C, lycopene, phenolics, flavonoids and antioxidant activity of treated tomatoes, after 30 and 40 days of storage. Results Weight loss and titratable acidity were significantly reduced in treated tomatoes, even after 40 days, which were high in untreated tomatoes. Total phenolic contents (TPC), total flavonoid contents (TFC) and vitamin C, were significantly lesser in untreated tomatoes after 30 and 40 days of storage, but use of ethylene scavengers caused increment in these phytochemicals during post-harvest storage, with more prominent results of T1. Highest lycopene was found in T0 (9.76 ± 0.2 mg/100 g), due to fully ripened and spoiled tomatoes, as compared to treated samples, while the lowest value was found in T1 (4.82 ± 0.20 mg/100 g). Highest antioxidant activity was detected in T1 (33.80 ± 0.52%), whereas the lowest antioxidant activity was noticed in T0 (22.00 ± 0.2%). Conclusion Findings revealed that during the storage period, the 50 g KMnO4 sachet + 2% CaCl2 exerted most superior effects than the other treatments, and extended the shelf-life of tomato fruits for up to 40 days, with no quality and phytochemicals deterioration. Therefore, tomatoes could be harvested at breaker stage, to optimize the ripening process during storage, through application of ethylene scavengers. Graphical abstract

One of the most popular power management regulators is the low drop-out voltage regulator (LDO). LDOs have different specifications such as the power supply rejection (PSR) over different frequencies, stability over different load ranges, inrush current spike flows through the input supply, and power consumption. In this work, we present a low power low inrush current LDO design with different techniques for PSR and stability improvement across different frequencies. The LDO presented in this work is a low-power and small area LDO but achieves a high PSR over a wide range of frequencies. The LDO is designed in 65 nm CMOS technology and achieves a PSR better than 80 dB up to 30 MHz for an output load current of 25 mA using an output load capacitor of 4 µF. The design can be used in capless/capped LDOs with wide load current ranges as high as 200 mA and load capacitor range from 1 nF to 12 µF with inrush current improvement by more than 2×. The presented LDO consumes a zero-load quiescent current of 10 µA and its area of 180 µm × 180 µm.

Abstract Siltation significantly threatens a reservoir’s original storage capacity and lifespan. Pressure flushing is an effective measure against siltation through the partial drawdown of the reservoir water level with limited flushed cone volumes in front of the bottom outlet. In this study, a novel configuration with submerged vanes has been proposed and tested experimentally to increase the flushed sediment volume during pressure flushing. In the new configuration, submerged vanes aligned with ten skew angles (θ) of 10°, 20°, 30°, 45°, 70°, 110°, 135°, 150°, 160°, and 170° to the flow direction in noncohesive sediment bed materials were used. The results showed that increasing the skew angle at 45° ≤ θ ≤ 160° increased the flushing cone geometry. The minimum and maximum flushing cone dimensions and volume occurred at skew angles of θ = 45° and 135° ≤ θ ≤ 160° around the bottom outlet. The sediment flushing volume in the presence of submerged vanes at 135° ≤ θ ≤ 160° increased 25 times compared to tests without submerged vanes. Eventually, nonlinear regression analysis yielded an equation for estimating flushing cone volumes. The developed equation was tested in real case studies of a target reservoir, and an acceptable correlation between the calculated and experimental results was obtained.

Abstract Water pollution is one of the global threats severely affecting our planet and human health. Organic textile dyes are one of the common organic water pollutants that are presentient to degradation by traditional physical methods. Semiconductor-assisted photocatalysis is considered a green, efficient, and sustainable technology for wastewater treatment. To maximize the efficient utilization of solar radiation, it is of pivotal significance to explore novel organic molecules to be employed as efficient dye sensitizers for wide-bandgap semiconductors to extend their performance to the Visible-light region. Hence, in this work, we are proposing the design and synthesis of novel structures of QAD molecule as a dye photosensitizer with extended visible light absorptivity due to the extended π–π/n–π conjugations, to promote the performance of TiO2 nanoparticles to the visible-light region and enhance the charge separation. The physicochemical characterizations confirmed the successful synthesis of QAD, TiO2, and QAD/TiO2 samples with the proposed structures. The anchoring of QAD molecules on the surface of TiO2 caused a substantial improvement in the optical characteristics of TiO2 as well as overcoming its common drawbacks by decreasing its bandgap energy to 2.6 eV, a remarkable reduction of PL intensity indicating reducing the e–h recombination and enhancing the charge separation, and creation of efficient visible light-harvesting antenna in the range of 400–600 nm. Besides, the QAD/TiO2 sample achieved a 3-fold enhancement in the observed rate constant of the photodegradation of Rhodamine B dye compared to the bare TiO2. The parameters affecting the photodegradation process were optimized and the sample displayed outstanding stability after 4 consecutive cycles. Finally, the effect of the scavengers was investigated and $${\mathrm{O}}_{2}^{\cdot -}$$ O 2 · - was proposed to be the most reactive species and the mechanism of the enhancement was suggested based on the electron injection from the QAD’s HOMO level to the TiO2’s CB. Finally, this work opens the door for various studies for the investigation of the proposed structures or similar structures in various photocatalytic/biomedical applications.

Most populated developing countries having water resources, like Egypt, are interested in aquaculture since it supplies around 30% of the cheap protein consumed by customers. Increasing the production of aquaculture, specifically fish farming, in such countries represents an essential need. One candidate water resource for freshwater fish farming in Egypt is the Nile River (1530 km long). Yet, this represents a challenging task due to the existing variations in its water quality (WQ) parameters, such as dissolved oxygen, acidity, and temperature, at different sites. Climate change and pollution negatively affect many water quality parameters. This work provides a fuzzy-based approach for modeling WQ requirements for a set of fish types and evaluates the suitability of a water site for farming them. Thus, it greatly helps managing and planning fish farming in a set of water sites. It benefits from the flexibility of fuzzy logic to model the farming requirements of each fish type. Consequently, it evaluates and clusters the water sites with respect to their degrees of suitability for farming various fish types. The illustrative case study considers 27 freshwater sites spread along the Nile River and 17 freshwater fish types. The result incorporates a set of suitable clusters and a set of unsuitable ones for farming each fish type. It greatly helps managing and planning fish farming, to maximize the overall productivity and prevent probable catastrophic damage. In addition, it shows how to enhance each unsuitable site. We believe that eliminating the causes of pollution in the polluted freshwater sites along a water source could cause a significant boom in the cultivation of multiple freshwater fish types.

Abstract Casting of aluminum with different concentration of alloying elements such as Mg, Mn (similar to that in AA5083) with additional percentages of 0.1, 0.2 and 0.3% Ti, are carried out using graphite crucible. The as-cast microstructure is modified by hot rolling to a thickness of ~ 2 mm. Mechanical and metallurgical and characterization of heat-treated thin sheets are carried out using tensile testing, hardness measurement, metallography, image analysis and optical microscope. By increasing the Ti content, the results show grain refinement and increase in the formation of Al3Ti which reflected positively on the mechanical properties. Specifically, Ultimate tensile strength is increased from 260 MPa (0 wt% Ti) to 345 MPa (0.3 wt% Ti) when using water quenching, 32.6% improvement for air cooling, and 23.3% for furnace cooling. Electrochemical corrosion behavior of heat-treated water quenched, air cooled and furnace cooled samples were tested in 3.5% NaCl solution. The results show that the heat-treated alloys have very good resistance against corrosion, while by increasing the Ti content, the corrosion rate increases due to the grain refinement phenomena.

Abstract The poultry feed industry is pretty much active in a lot of countries and it is achieved market acceptance. The final products are supposed to meet certain specifications to fulfill the nutritional need of animals at different life periods. The final product for poultry is shipped in the form of pelleted feed for the convenience of consumption. One of the major challenges of poultry feed production is the principal complement of equipment necessary for the local production. Imported poultry pellets are quite expensive and unaffordable for many poultry feed industries. Hence, the need to be able to produce poultry feed at lower cost yet achieve the objective of quantity and quality expected of pelleted feeds is critical to the viability of the enterprise. The study aims to investigate the effects of some operating parameters (pressure and temperature of the compounded feed) and die hole size on the pelleting efficiency, throughput capacity, and to optimize the conditions. The improvement approach is conducted by observing the main operating parameters of productivity; statistical analysis is conducted to observe the effect of those parameters on the production rate and the quality of the product. Comparison between parameter levels is done through analysis of variance to determine the significance of the tested parameters. The optimization of parameters was applied with Minitab and designed expert software to determine the best operating conditions. The obtained results showed that the downtime decreased by 77% monthly and productivity increased by 32.5% per hour and the pellet durability index increased by 1.23%. The total sales increased by 6,750,600 LE/Month.

Abstract Buffalo sperm is sensitive to cryoinjuries, thus improving sperm cryoresistance is a critical approach for wide spreading the assisted reproductive technologies in buffalo. The intention of this work was to assess the effect of propolis-loaded in nanoliposomes (PRNL) supplementation of semen extender on semen quality, antioxidant status and some apoptotic genes of cryopreserved buffalo semen. PRNL were prepared using cholesterol (Chol) as well as soybean lecithin and their physicochemical properties were characterized. Egyptian buffalo bulls (4–6 years) were involved, and the semen samples were collected using the artificial vagina method. Buffalo semen was pooled (n = 25 ejaculates) and cryopreserved in tris extender containing PRNL at 0 (PRNL0), 2 (PRNL2), 4 (PRNL4) and 6 µg/mL (PRNL6), respectively. The PRNL had a size of 113.13 nm and a negative zeta potential (− 56.83 mV). Sperm progressive motility, viability, membrane integrity, abnormalities, chromatin damage, redox status, apoptosis status, and apoptotic genes were investigated after post-thawed buffalo semen. Using 2 or 4 µg/mL PRNL significantly increased sperm progressive motility, viability, and membrane integrity, while sperm abnormalities and the percentage of chromatin damages were the lowest in PRNL2 group. Moreover, the PRNL2 group exhibited the best results for all antioxidative activities (TAC, SOD, GPx and CAT) with significantly higher levels than the other groups (P 0.05). The electron micrography descriptions exemplified that the fortification of 2 or 4 µg/mL PRNL maintained the acrosomal and plasma membrane integrities as well as sustained the ultrastructure integrity of the cryopreserved buffalo spermatozoa when compared with control group, whereas the 6 µg/mL of PRNL demonstrated highest injury to the acrosome and plasma membranes. Results show supplementation of the buffalo freezing extender with 2 or 4 µg/mL of PRNL enhanced post-thawed sperm quality via boosting the antioxidant indices, diminishing the oxidative stress and apoptosis as well as maintained the ultrastructure integrity of frozen-thawed buffalo sperm.

Foods that are widely consumed and accepted have had a lot of ingredients added to them which may enhance consumer’s health. Whey is a byproduct in the manufacture of cheese or curd and is widely used in different beverage formulations, due to its nutritional importance. In this context, a mango-based functional whey drink, added with omega-3-rich chia seeds, was de veloped. Different treatments of beverage were as follows: untreated control beverage (T0), application of chemicals (T1), pasteurization (T2), and microwave heating (at 4 different time lengths: T3, T4, T5, and T6). Beverages were analyzed for physiochemical, microbiological, and sensorial changes, during the 90 days of storage. Chemical analysis of chia seeds before incorporation in beverages revealed a high nutritional profile of chia seeds, especially the presence of essential fatty acids. Significant variation in color parameters of the beverage was observed as a result of treatments and storage, with optimum values observed for T3. A decrease in pH and an increase in acidity during storage for all treatments were evident, with the most significant results for microwave treatment for longer time periods. The total plate count of the beverage was the highest (2.36 ± 0.1 CFU/ml) for control, followed by chemically treated (2.17 ± 0.1 CFU/ml) and lowest in microwave-treated (0.98 ± 0.1 CFU/ml) at the start of the experiment, and this total plate count was found to be increasing in all treatments during storage. Total solids were increased and soluble solids were decreased during longer microwave treatments and also during storage of all treatments. The most acceptable treatment T3 (85 ml whey, 2 g chia seed, and microwave heating for 30 sec) was further subjected to a storage study and it was observed that the sensory scores gradually decreased during the 90 days of storage. From the outcomes of the study, it was concluded that microwave treatment of the beverage for 30 sec, as compared to longer durations and chemical preservatives, was proved helpful for optimum quality retention of the formulated beverage, with minimum deteriorating effects. Thus, proper treatments of different beverage formulations, following the necessary protocols, could provide the consumers safe, healthy, and nutritious beverages.

The contagious COVID-19 has recently emerged and evolved into a world-threatening pandemic outbreak. After pursuing rigorous prophylactic measures two years ago, most activities globally reopened despite the emergence of lethal genetic strains. In this context, assessing and mapping activity characteristics-based hot spot regions facilitating infectious transmission is essential. Hence, our research question is: How can the potential hotspots of COVID-19 risk be defined intra-cities based on the spatial planning of commercial activity in particular? In our research, Zayed and October cities, Egypt, characterized by various commercial activities, were selected as testbeds. First, we analyzed each activity's spatial and morphological characteristics and potential infection risk based on the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDCP) criteria and the Kriging Interpolation method. Then, using Google Mobility, previous reports, and semi-structured interviews, points of interest and population flow were defined and combined with the last step as interrelated horizontal layers for determining hotspots. A validation study compared the generated activity risk map, spatial COVID-19 cases, and land use distribution using logistic regression (LR) and Pearson coefficients (rxy). Through visual analytics, our findings indicate the central areas of both cities, including incompatible and concentrated commercial activities, have high-risk peaks (LR = 0.903, rxy = 0.78) despite the medium urban density of districts, indicating that urban density alone is insufficient for public health risk reduction. Health perspective-based spatial configuration of activities is advised as a risk assessment tool along with urban density for appropriate decision-making in shaping pandemic-resilient cities.

Heat stress (HS) is still the essential environmental agent influencing the poultry industry. Research on HS in poultry has progressively acquired growing interest because of increased attention to climate alteration. Poultry can survive at certain zone of environmental temperatures, so it could be considered homoeothermic. In poultry, the normal body temperature is essential to enhance the internal environment for growth, which is achieved by normal environmental temperature. Recently, many studies have revealed that HS could cause mitochondrial dysfunction in broilers by inducing redox dysfunction, increasing uncoupling protein, boosting lipid and protein oxidation, and oxidative stress. Moreover, HS diminished the energy suppliers supported by mitochondria activity. A novel strategy for combating the negative influences of HS via boosting the mitochondria function through enrichment of the diets with mitochondria enhancers was also described in this review. Finally, the current review highlights the mitochondria dysfunction induced by HS in broilers and attempts to boost mitochondria functionality by enriching mitochondria enhancers to broiler diets.

Category: Midfoot/Forefoot; Ankle Introduction/Purpose: Venous thromboembolism (VTE) after foot and ankle surgery is a significant concern for patients and surgeons. The absence of guidelines for thromboprophylaxis in elective procedures underscores the importance of understanding risk factors. This study aimed to identify key risk factors of VTE in patients who underwent elective foot and ankle surgery, analyzing the rates based on the anatomical location of the surgery and the post-operative period. Methods: Data was collected from IBM MarketScan Database (2009-2019) for patients >18y without prior VTE who underwent elective foot/ankle surgery. Patients were divided into three groups based on region of surgery (forefoot, mid/hindfoot, lower leg/ankle), and VTE incidence was recorded 30- and 90-days post-surgery. Risk factors for VTE were identified through multivariate logistical regression analysis. Results: Among the 301,256 patients who underwent elective foot and ankle surgeries, the overall incidence of VTE within 90 days was 0.95%. The findings revealed that 31.8% of VTE incidents occurred within the first two weeks after surgery, and 29.2% still occurred after 6 weeks. An analysis of the anatomical region of surgery demonstrated that the lowest rate of VTE was amongst patients undergoing forefoot surgery (0.70%). There was a higher incidence and risk for VTE in patients undergoing midfoot/hindfoot surgery (1.22%, OR = 1.75) and lower leg/ankle surgery (1.76%, OR= 2.53). Additional risk factors for VTE included thrombophilia (OR = 5.06), male sex (OR = 1.43), increasing age (OR > 1.25), and a high Charlson Comorbidity Index (OR < 0.82 for scores < 5). Conclusion: This study identifies the incidence and timing for VTE after elective foot and ankle surgery. Furthermore, this study defines the risk factors associated with increased odds of VTE after elective foot and ankle surgeries. These findings are helpful in educating patients about a continued risk for VTE throughout the 90-day postoperative period. These results can also be utilized to stratify patients who need thromboprophylaxis based on the individual risk level.

Extreme dry and hot conditions lead to intense droughts in central India. However, the precise changes in future drought characteristics and their consequences on crop production have not been fully examined in Godavari River Basin. Therefore, this study focuses on the spatiotemporal modelling of climate change impacts on drought over the past, present, and future periods using long-term high spatial gridded data. The past and present observed datasets were obtained from Indian Meteorological Department, whereas the future datasets were obtained from d4PDF Scenarios. The standardized precipitation evapotranspiration index (SPEI) was applied to analyse drought statistics to identify the worst-case drought scenario (i.e. year most affected by severe-to-extreme drought with high drought severity), which was used further to access precise drought risk. Because SPEI considers the effect of both rainfall and temperature and therefore it is the widely recommended meteorological drought indices and best suited for climate change impact assessment. Drought severity was analysed using a Multi-criteria assessment risk matrix, and the areas under higher agriculture drought risk were mapped. The frequency of droughts with higher intensity and magnitude increased in the present decade compared to the past three decades. 75% area showed higher vulnerability to drought risks, whereas only 25% showed lower risks and less vulnerability to drought occurrences. Results demonstrate that drought severity varies from one sub-basin to another. More drought episodes were predicted for the central belt, particularly over the sub-basins of Wardha, Wainganga, Pranitha, and part of Indravati and Lower Godavari. 11% of the area covering six districts in the GRB was identified as highly vulnerable, and rice production was drastically reduced, accounting for 41.02% of production loss during the worst-case drought event. The frequency of severe-to-extreme droughts is expected to increase under future scenarios; therefore, effective mitigation strategies are recommended to minimise the agriculture drought risks and economic loss.

AbstractThis study aims to examine three machine learning (ML) techniques, namely random forest (RF), LightGBM, and CatBoost for flooding susceptibility maps (FSMs) in the Vietnamese Vu Gia-Thu Bon (VGTB). The results of ML are compared with those of the rainfall-runoff model, and different training dataset sizes are utilized in the performance assessment. Ten independent factors are assessed. An inventory map with approximately 850 flooding sites is based on several post-flood surveys. The inventory dataset is randomly split between training (70%) and testing (30%). The AUC-ROC results are 97.9%, 99.5%, and 99.5% for CatBoost, LightGBM, and RF, respectively. The FSMs developed by the ML methods show good agreement in terms of an extension with flood inundation maps developed using the rainfall-runoff model. The models’ FSMs showed 10–13% of the total area to be highly susceptible to flooding, consistent with RRI's flood map. The FSMs show that downstream areas (both urbanized and agricultural) are under high and very high levels of susceptibility. Additionally, different sizes of the input datasets are tested to determine the least number of data points having acceptable reliability. The results demonstrate that the ML methods can realistically predict FSMs, regardless of the number of training samples.

Abstract In this investigation, pressure microwave irradiation was used to clarify the activity of 1-(2-hydroxyphenyl)-3-(4-methylphenyl)prop-2-en-1-one (3) towards several active methylene derivatives utilized the pressurized microwave irradiation as green energy resource . Chalcone 3 was allowed to react with ethyl cyanoacetate, acetylacetone, and thioglycolic acid; respectively, at 70 °C with pressure under microwave reaction condition to afford the corresponding 2-hydroxyphenylcyanopyridone, 2-hydroxyphenyl acetylcyclohexanone, and thieno[2,3-c]chromen-4-one derivatives respectively. Moreover, the reaction of chalcone 3 with hydrogen peroxide with stirring affords the corresponding chromen-4-one derivative. All the synthesized compounds were confirmed through spectral tools such as FT-IR, 1HNMR, 13CNMR, and mass spectrum. Furthermore, the synthesized heterocycles were exhibited excellent antioxidant activity and comparable with vitamin C, where the presence of the OH group increases the scavenger radical inhibition. Furthermore, the biological activity of compound 12 was demonstrated through molecular docking stimulation using two proteins, PDBID: 1DH2 and PDBID: 3RP8, which showed that compound 12 possesses greater binding energy and a shorter bond length comparable with ascorbic acid. Also, the compounds were optimized through DFT/B3LYP/6-31G (d,p) basis set and identification of their physical descriptors, whereas the compound 12 was confirmed through X-Ray single structure with Hirsh field analysis of the compound to know the hydrogen electrostatic bond interaction, and correlated with the optimized structure by comparing their bond length, bond angle, FT-IR, and NMR, which gave excellent correlation.

Abstract The main objective of this work is to present a comprehensive study that scrutinize the influence of DD convection and induced magnetic field on peristaltic pumping of Boron Nitride—Ethylene Glycol nanofluid flow through a vertical complex irregular microchannel. Experimental study showed that the nanofluid created by suspending Boron Nitride particles in a combination of Ethylene Glycol exhibited non-Newtonian characteristics. Further, the Carreau's fluid model provides accurate predictions about the rheological properties of BN-EG nanofluid. In order to imitate complicated peristaltic wave propagation conditions, sophisticated waveforms are forced at the walls. The essential properties of Brownian motion and thermophoresis phenomena are also included in simulating of heat equation as well as viscous dissipation. Mathematical simulation is performed by utilizing the lubrication approach. The resulting nonlinear coupled differential equation system is solved numerically using the built-in command (ND Solve function) in the Mathematica program. Numerical and pictorial evidence is used to illustrate the importance of various physiological features of flow quantities. The major findings demonstrated that the thermal resistance is observed to rise as the Soret and Dufour numbers increase, while the dissolvent concentration and nanoparticles volume fraction have the opposite effect.

Abstract Fusarium wilt, the most serious soil-borne pathogen, is a serious problem for tomato production worldwide. The presented study evaluated the antifungal activity against Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici in vitro and in vivo for nine fumigants. In addition, the research examined the possibility of enhancing the growth of tomato plants in order to increase resistance against this disease by using four chemical inducers. The results indicated that at 20 mg/L, the radial growth of the pathogen was inhibited 100% by formaldehyde and > 80% by phosphine. Among the essential oils investigated, neem oil was the most effective, however, it only achieved 40.54% at 500 mg/L. The values of EC50 for all fumigants, except dimethyl disulfide (DMDS) and carbon disulfide (CS2), were lower than those for thiophanate-methyl. Phosphine was the highest efficient. The elicitors can be arranged based on their effectiveness, gibberellic acid (GA3) > sorbic acid > cytokinin (6-benzylaminopurine) > indole-3-butyric acid. The change in root length, fresh weight, and dry weight was greater with soil drench than with foliar application. The fumigant generators formaldehyde, phosphine and 1,4-dichlorobenzene and bio-fumigants citrus and neem oils as well as elicitors gibberellic and sorbic acid could be one of the promising alternatives to methyl bromide against Fusarium oxysporum as an important component of integrated management of Fusarium wilt.

Summary: Background: The intestine of children with severe malnutrition (SM) shows structural and functional changes that are linked to increased infection and mortality. SM dysregulates the tryptophan-kynurenine pathway, which may impact processes such as SIRT1- and mTORC1-mediated autophagy and mitochondrial homeostasis. Using a mouse and organoid model of SM, we studied the repercussions of these dysregulations on malnutrition enteropathy and the protective capacity of maintaining autophagy activity and mitochondrial health. Methods: SM was induced through feeding male weanling C57BL/6 mice a low protein diet (LPD) for 14-days. Mice were either treated with the NAD+-precursor, nicotinamide; an mTORC1-inhibitor, rapamycin; a SIRT1-activator, resveratrol; or SIRT1-inhibitor, EX-527. Malnutrition enteropathy was induced in enteric organoids through amino-acid deprivation. Features of and pathways to malnutrition enteropathy were examined, including paracellular permeability, nutrient absorption, and autophagic, mitochondrial, and reactive-oxygen-species (ROS) abnormalities. Findings: LPD-feeding and ensuing low-tryptophan availability led to villus atrophy, nutrient malabsorption, and intestinal barrier dysfunction. In LPD-fed mice, nicotinamide-supplementation was linked to SIRT1-mediated activation of mitophagy, which reduced damaged mitochondria, and improved intestinal barrier function. Inhibition of mTORC1 reduced intestinal barrier dysfunction and nutrient malabsorption. Findings were validated and extended using an organoid model, demonstrating that resolution of mitochondrial ROS resolved barrier dysfunction. Interpretation: Malnutrition enteropathy arises from a dysregulation of the SIRT1 and mTORC1 pathways, leading to disrupted autophagy, mitochondrial homeostasis, and ROS. Whether nicotinamide-supplementation in children with SM could ameliorate malnutrition enteropathy should be explored in clinical trials. Funding: This work was supported by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the Sickkids Research Institute, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, and the University Medical Center Groningen.

IntroductionFlours from cereal grains have the potential to be used in the production of bakery products, especially breads, and the addition of other non–wheat plant materials in the form of flours, extracts and malts has always been the area of interest for food producers.MethodsIn this research work, barley grains were converted into barley malt flour (BMF), by adopting a series of processes, including steeping, germination, kilning, drying and milling. With the aim of compensating the role of commercial bread improvers, wheat flour was replaced at 0, 2.5, 5, 7.5, and 10% levels with BMF, to study the effect of BMF on physicochemical and sensory characteristics of bread.Results and discussionChemical analysis of flours revealed that ash, fat, moisture, protein and fibers were found greater in BMF and BMF–incorporated composite flours, as compared to wheat flour. Significant increases in water absorption and decrease in dough stability, dough development time and falling number were noticed, as a result of an increase in the replacement level of BMF. Water absorption of control dough was 58.03%, which increased to 58.77% in composite flour having 10% BMF, whereas dough development time, dough stability and α–amylase activity of control, were 6.97 min, 12 min, and 736 s, respectively, which were decreased to 3.83 min, 4.73 min, and 360 s, respectively in composite flour having 10% BMF. The internal and external characteristics of breads obtained the best sensorial score at 5% replacement level of BMF, and deterioration in the quality of breads was noticed, as the level of BMF was further increased to 7.5 and 10%. Hence, breads developed with 5% BMF and 95% wheat flour, were not only nutritionally rich, but were also with optimum physical and sensory features. BMF could prove a useful alternate ingredient of wheat flour, and a cost-effective replacement of commercially available bread improvers, in the breads manufacturing process in replacement of synthetic bread improvers.

ABSTRACT: Avian campylobacteriosis is a vandal infection that poses human health hazards. Campylobacter is usually colonized in the avian gut revealing mild signs in the infected birds, but retail chicken carcasses have high contamination levels of Campylobacter spp. Consequently, the contaminated avian products constitute the main source of human infection with campylobacteriosis and result in severe clinical symptoms such as diarrhea, abdominal pain, spasm, and deaths in sensitive cases. Thus, the current review aims to shed light on the prevalence of Campylobacter in broiler chickens, Campylobacter colonization, bird immunity against Campylobacter, sources of poultry infection, antibiotic resistance, poultry meat contamination, human health hazard, and the use of standard antimicrobial technology during the chicken processing of possible control strategies to overcome such problems.

Cheddar-type cheese produced from buttermilk had softer texture than standard cheddar cheese due to lower fat content of buttermilk. Fat is extremely important for the functional characteristics and optimum textural attributes of cheese. The effect of different fat contents of buttermilk on chemical characteristics of cheddar-type cheese is not previously investigated. This investigation was conducted to know the effect of different fat contents of buttermilk on fatty acids composition, organic acids, vitamins, lipolysis and sensory characteristics of cheddar-type cheese. Cheddar-type cheese was produced from buttermilk having 1, 1.75, 2.50 and 3.25% fat contents (control, T1, T2 and T3). Fat content of control, T1, T2 and T3 were 9.81, 16.34, 25.17 and 31.19%. Fatty acids profile was determined on GC–MS, organic acids and vitamin A and E were determined on HPLC. Free fatty acids, peroxide value and cholesterol were determined. Cheddar-style cheese produced from buttermilk (1% fat) showed that it had softer texture and lacking typical cheese flavor. Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) analysis showed that long-chain unsaturated fatty acids in control, T1, T2 and T3 samples were 45.88, 45.78, 45.90 and 46.19 mg/100 g. High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) analysis showed that lactic acid, propionic acid, citric acid and acetic acid gradually and steadily increased during the storage interval of 90 days. At the age of 90 days, lactic acid in control, T1, T2 and T3 was 4,789, 5,487, 6,571 and 8,049 ppm, respectively. At the end of ripening duration of 90 days, free fatty acids in control, T1, T2 and T3 were 0.29, 0.31, 0.35 and 0.42% with no difference in peroxide value. Stability of vitamin A after 90 days storage control, T1, T2 and T3 was 87.0, 80.0, 94.0 and 91.0%. Flavor score of cheddar-type cheese produced from butter milk having 1.0, 2.5 and 3.25% fat content was 81, 89 and 91% of total score (9). Hence, it is concluded that cheddar-type cheese can be produced from buttermilk having 2.5 and 3.25% fat contents with acceptable sensory attributes. Application of buttermilk for the production of other cheese varieties should be studied.

Probiotics, like lactic acid bacteria, are non-pathogenic microbes that exert health benefits to the host when administered in adequate quantity. Currently, research is being conducted on the molecular events and applications of probiotics. The suggested mechanisms by which probiotics exert their action include; competitive exclusion of pathogens for adhesion sites, improvement of the intestinal mucosal barrier, gut immunomodulation, and neurotransmitter synthesis. This review emphasizes the recent advances in the health benefits of probiotics and the emerging applications of probiotics in the food industry. Due to their capability to modulate gut microbiota and attenuate the immune system, probiotics could be used as an adjuvant in hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, cancer, and gastrointestinal diseases. Considering the functional properties, probiotics are being used in the dairy, beverage, and baking industries. After developing the latest techniques by researchers, probiotics can now survive within harsh processing conditions and withstand GI stresses quite effectively. Thus, the potential of probiotics can efficiently be utilized on a commercial scale in food processing industries.

This work explored the activities of bergamot oil nano-emulsion (NBG) in modulating blood biochemical parameters, redox status, immunity indices, inflammation markers, semen quality, testicular changes and the expression of HSPs genes in stressed rabbit bucks. Twenty-four mature rabbit bucks (5 months) were randomly divided into three groups; control group (NBG0) received 1 ml of distilled water, while the other two groups received NBG orally at doses of 50 and 100 mg/kg (bw) twice a week. The present study's findings revealed that treated groups had lower values of total and direct bilirubin, triglyceride, lactate dehydrogenase, and creatinine compared with NBG0 group (p