Artificial intelligence and machine learning in peritoneal dialysis: a systematic review of clinical outcomes and predictive modeling.

BACKGROUND: The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) in peritoneal dialysis (PD) presents transformative opportunities for optimizing treatment outcomes and informing clinical decision-making. This study aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the applications of AI/ML techniques in PD, focusing on their potential to predict clinical outcomes and enhance patient care. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This systematic review was conducted according to PRISMA guidelines (2020), searching key databases for articles on AI and ML applications in PD. The inclusion criteria were stringent, ensuring the selection of high-quality studies. The search strategy comprised MeSH terms and keywords related to PD, AI, and ML. 793 articles were identified, with nine ultimately meeting the inclusion criteria. The review utilized a narrative synthesis approach to summarize findings due to anticipated study heterogeneity. RESULTS: Nine studies met the inclusion criteria. The studies varied in sample size and employed diverse AI and ML techniques, reflecting the breadth of data considered. Mortality prediction emerged as a recurrent theme, demonstrating the significance of AI and ML in prognostic accuracy. Predictive modeling extended to technique failure, hospital stay prediction, and pathogen-specific immune responses, showcasing the versatility of AI and ML applications in PD. CONCLUSIONS: This systematic review highlights the diverse applications of AI/ML in peritoneal dialysis, demonstrating their potential to enhance predictive accuracy, risk stratification, and decision support. However, limitations such as small sample sizes, single-center studies, and potential biases warrant further research and external validation. Future perspectives include integrating these AI/ML models into routine clinical practice and exploring additional use cases to improve patient outcomes and healthcare decision-making in PD.

Assessment of knowledge, attitudes, and practices among community pharmacists in Lahore regarding antibiotic dispensing without prescription: A cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVES: The irrational dispensing practices are responsible for antibiotic abuse and the spread of antibiotic resistance. Thus, the present study aims to evaluate the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of community pharmacists (CPs) regarding dispensing antibiotics without prescription (DAwP). METHOD: A descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted between March 1, 2023, and March 31, 2023, in community pharmacy settings of Lahore, Pakistan. A self-administered and pretested questionnaire was used for the data collection. Logistic regression analysis was used to determine the factors associated with the practices of community pharmacists. Data were analyzed using SPSS (version 26) and MS Office (2016). RESULTS: Among 359 respondents, many strongly agreed/agreed with the statements "DAwP is contributing to the development of antimicrobial resistance" (83%, n = 298) and "Antibiotic resistance has become a public health issue" (81.9%, n = 249). Overall, most of the community pharmacists claimed that the unwillingness of patients to visit physicians for non-serious infections (75.2%, n = 270) and good knowledge of pharmacists about the use of antibiotics (51%, n = 183) were the most common reasons attributable to dispensing of antibiotics without prescription. Cephalosporin (n = 260, 72.4%), penicillin (n = 254, 70.8%), and tetracyclines (n = 170, 47.4%) were the most commonly dispensed classes of antibiotics without prescription due to cold, flu and diarrhea. Most community pharmacists never/sometimes warn patients about the potential side effects of medicines (79.1%, n = 284). Logistic regression analysis revealed that community pharmacists 31-40 years of age (OR = 0.568, 95%CI = 0.348-0.927, p-value = 0.024) were significantly less associated with poor practices of dispensing antibiotics without prescription (DAwP) while those who were 'Managers' (OR = 4.222, 95%CI = 2.542-7.011, p-value = <0.001), had 3-5 years of experience (OR = 2.241, 95%CI = 1.183-4.243, p-value = 0.013), dispensed ≤25 antibiotics per day (OR = 12.375, 95%CI = 5.177-29.583, p-value = <0.001), were more likely to be associated with poor practices of dispensing of antibiotics without prescription. CONCLUSION: The community pharmacists had adequate knowledge, positive attitudes, and poor practices towards DAwP. Demographical factors such as age, job status, and work experience were the determinants of community pharmacists' practices towards dispensing antibiotics without prescription (DAwP). Hence, a multifaceted approach, including educational interventions, is needed to reduce the dispensing of antibiotics without prescription (DAwP).

"Seasonal Dynamics in Burn Profiles: A Comprehensive Analysis at the Burn Care Centre, Islamabad."

Seasons have a major impact on the frequency and characteristics of burn injuries; in warmer months, thermal burns from outdoor activities are more common, while in cooler months, incidents involving heating sources and fires are more common. It is essential to comprehend these trends in order to customise safety precautions and awareness initiatives. Studies on the impact of seasonal variations help burn centres allocate resources more effectively in order to prepare for variations in patient volume and severity. Data from January 2016 to December 2022, with an emphasis on burn types excluding non-burn cases, were analysed retrospectively over a seven-year period at the Burn Care Centre in PIMS, Islamabad. The research examined hospital stays, demographics, burn causes, admissions, total burned surface area, and death rates while dividing the years into winter and summer seasons for analysis. With 4,014 admitted patients, the study found that winter admissions increased by 11.007%, with winter admissions accounting for 55.503% of all admissions and summer admissions for 44.496%. The gender distribution stayed the same, with 54.59% of the population being male and 45.99% being female. Hospital stays were longer for summer admissions (16.428) than for winter admissions (11.285). Summertime saw a rise in electric burn cases (307 cases), with a 43 case fatality rate. With 1699 cases, flame burns predominated in the epidemiology of burns, followed by scald burns with 1384 cases. In conclusion, seasonal differences have a substantial impact on burn profiles, with winter seeing a marked rise in occurrences. Men are also more likely to sustain electric burns, particularly in the summer. Effective management and prevention techniques depend on an understanding of these patterns.

Varenicline and Nicotine Replacement Therapy for Smokers Admitted to Hospitals: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: Varenicline is the most effective sole pharmacotherapy for smoking cessation. If used in combination with nicotine replacement therapy (NRT), cessation rates may be further improved, but the efficacy and safety of the combination need to be evaluated. Objective: To examine whether hospitalized smokers treated with varenicline and NRT lozenges achieve higher prolonged smoking abstinence rates compared with those treated with varenicline alone. Design, Setting, and Participants: A double-blind, placebo-controlled randomized clinical trial was conducted in adult medical or surgical inpatients of 5 Australian public hospitals with a history of smoking 10 cigarettes or more per day, interested in quitting, and available for 12-month follow-up between May 1, 2019, and May 1, 2021 (final 12-month data collection in May 2022). Data analysis was performed from June 1 to August 30, 2023. Interventions: A 12-week varenicline regimen was initiated during hospitalization at standard doses in all participants. Participants were randomized to additionally use NRT (2 mg) or placebo lozenges if there was an urge to smoke. Behavioral support (Quitline) was offered to all participants. Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary outcome was biochemically verified sustained abstinence at 6 months. Secondary outcomes included self-reported prolonged abstinence, 7-day point prevalence abstinence (3, 6, and 12 months), and medicine-related adverse events. Results: A total of 320 participants (mean [SD] age, 52.5 [12.1] years; 183 [57.2%] male) were randomized. The conduct of biochemical verification was affected by COVID-19 restrictions; consequently, the biochemically verified abstinence in the intervention vs control arms (18 [11.4%] vs 16 [10.1%]; odds ratio [OR], 1.14; 95% CI, 0.56-2.33) did not support the combination therapy. The secondary outcomes in the intervention vs control arms of 7-day point prevalence abstinence at 6 months (54 [34.2%] vs 37 [23.4%]; OR, 1.71; 95% CI, 1.04-2.80), prolonged abstinence at 12 months (47 [29.9%] vs 30 [19.1%]; OR, 1.77; 95% CI, 1.05-3.00), and 7-day point prevalence abstinence at 12-months (48 [30.6%] vs 31 [19.7%]; OR, 1.79; 95% CI, 1.07-2.99) significantly improved with the combination therapy. The self-reported 6-month prolonged abstinence (61 [38.6%] vs 47 [29.7%]; OR, 1.49; 95% CI, 0.93-2.39) favored the combination therapy but was not statistically significant. Medicine-related adverse events were similar in the 2 groups (102 [74.5%] in the intervention group vs 86 [68.3%] in the control group). Conclusions and Relevance: In this randomized clinical trial of the combination of varenicline and NRT lozenges in hospitalized adult daily smokers, the combination treatment improved self-reported abstinence compared with varenicline alone, without compromising safety, but it did not improve biochemically validated abstinence. Trial Registration: anzctr.org.au Identifier: ACTRN12618001792213.

Impact of diet and physical activity on reproductive profile: A comparison of middle-aged and elderly men.

Age is a known determinant of reproductive health and fertility in both genders. The present work aims to assess the reproductive hormone profile of a middle-aged and elderly man. For this descriptive cross-sectional study, healthy male subjects (n=77) were recruited from the valley. Any individual suffering from any acute or chronic diseases and on drugs was ruled out from the study. Group A consisted of 40 elderly men between 60-70 years of age, and Group B comprised 37 men between 35-46 years of age. Blood samples were taken to estimate the reproductive hormone profile. Level of oxidant and antioxidant: Malondialdehyde and Glutathione. The demographic variables, which included retrospective and prospective questions, helped to assess the physical activity and diet intake behaviour of all inducted individuals. The analysis of the reproductive profile of both groups was similar and within the normal range of standards. However, the median level of LH was higher in group A than in group B: 6.7 mIU/ml versus 3.4 mIU/ml, respectively, and p<0.003. Both groups showed predominantly involvement in physical activity, >90%. The correlation of biochemical variables gives an insight into the fact that the Mediterranean diet and physical activity help to maintain a normal BMI. These implicate the normal secretion of various hormones, leading to intact spermatogenesis. We can safely deduce from this study that physically active lifestyles and a healthy diet are crucial factors in maintaining an endocrine profile.

L'âge est un déterminant connu de la santé reproductive et de la fécondité chez les deux sexes. Le présent travail vise à évaluer le profil hormonal de la reproduction d'un homme d'âge moyen et âgé. Pour cette étude transversale descriptive, des sujets masculins en bonne santé (n = 77) ont été recrutés dans la vallée. Toute personne souffrant de maladies aiguës ou chroniques et prenant des médicaments a été exclue de l'étude. Le groupe A était composé de 40 hommes âgés de 60 à 70 ans et le groupe B de 37 hommes âgés de 35 à 46 ans. Des échantillons de sang ont été prélevés pour estimer le profil des hormones reproductives. Niveau d'oxydant et d'antioxydant : Malondialdéhyde et Glutathion. Les variables démographiques, qui comprenaient des questions rétrospectives et prospectives, ont permis d'évaluer l'activité physique et le comportement alimentaire de tous les individus intronisés. L'analyse du profil reproducteur des deux groupes était similaire et se situait dans la fourchette normale des normes. Cependant, le taux médian de LH était plus élevé dans le groupe A que dans le groupe B : respectivement 6,7 mUI/ml versus 3,4 mUI/ml et p<0,003. Les deux groupes présentaient une participation prédominante à l'activité physique, > 90 %. La corrélation des variables biochimiques donne un aperçu du fait que le régime méditerranéen et l'activité physique contribuent à maintenir un IMC normal. Celles-ci impliquent la sécrétion normale de diverses hormones, conduisant à une spermatogenèse intacte. Nous pouvons déduire de cette étude qu'un mode de vie physiquement actif et une alimentation saine sont des facteurs cruciaux pour maintenir un profil endocrinien.

Updates on traditional methods for combating malaria and emerging Wolbachia-based interventions.

The escalating challenge of malaria control necessitates innovative approaches that extend beyond traditional control strategies. This review explores the incorporation of traditional vector control techniques with emerging Wolbachia-based interventions. Wolbachia, a naturally occurring bacteria, offers a novel approach for combatting vector-borne diseases, including malaria, by reducing the mosquitoes' ability to transmit these diseases. The study explores the rationale for this integration, presenting various case studies and pilot projects that have exhibited significant success. Employing a multi-dimensional approach that includes community mobilization, environmental modifications, and new biological methods, the paper posits that integrated efforts could mark a turning point in the struggle against malaria. Our findings indicate that incorporating Wolbachia-based strategies into existing vector management programs not only is feasible but also heightens the efficacy of malaria control initiatives in different countries especially in Pakistan. The paper concludes that continued research and international collaboration are imperative for translating these promising methods from the laboratory to the field, thereby offering a more sustainable and effective malaria control strategy.

Seahorse-Tail-Inspired Soft Pneumatic Actuator: Development and Experimental Characterization.

The study of bio-inspired structures and their reproduction has always fascinated humans. The advent of soft robotics, thanks to soft materials, has enabled considerable progress in this field. Over the years, polyps, worms, cockroaches, jellyfish, and multiple anthropomorphic structures such as hands or limbs have been reproduced. These structures have often been used for gripping and handling delicate objects or those with complex unknown a priori shapes. Several studies have also been conducted on grippers inspired by the seahorse tail. In this paper, a novel biomimetic soft pneumatic actuator inspired by the tail of the seahorse Hippocampus reidi is presented. The actuator has been developed to make a leg to sustain a multi-legged robot. The prototyping of the actuator was possible by combining a 3D-printed reinforcement in thermoplastic polyurethane, mimicking the skeletal apparatus, within a silicone rubber structure, replicating the functions of the external epithelial tissue. The latter has an internal channel for pneumatic actuation that acts as the inner muscle. The study on the anatomy and kinematic behaviour of the seahorse tail suggested the mechanical design of the actuator. Through a test campaign, the actuator prototype was characterized by isotonic tests with an external null load, isometric tests, and activation/deactivation times. Specifically, the full actuator distension of 154.5 mm occurs at 1.8 bar, exerting a maximum force of 11.9 N, with an activation and deactivation time of 74.9 and 94.5 ms, respectively.

Challenges of enbloc mid-sacrectomy as redo surgery for sacral chordoma: a case report.

Enbloc Sacrectomy is the procedure of choice for aggressive sacral lesions but not widely practiced in Pakistan, both by Neurosurgeons and Orthopaedic surgeons. Only one case has been mentioned in indexed local literature so far and that too not operated in Pakistan. The case of a 27 year old neurologically intact male is presented. He had a huge residual mass and midline non-healing wound after two attempts at intralesional debulking and one full course of local irradiation. He presented to the Mayo Hospital, Lahore on 29th December 2021 for a redo surgery of sacral chordoma. A marginal excision was achieved utilizing posterior only approach. This case will help to understand the key steps in enbloc mid-Sacrectomy and importance of involving multidisciplinary team for ensuring adequate wound closure.

Exploring the synergistic effects of indole acetic acid (IAA) and compost in the phytostabilization of nickel (Ni) in cauliflower rhizosphere.

Heavy metals (HMs) contamination, owing to their potential links to various chronic diseases, poses a global threat to agriculture, environment, and human health. Nickel (Ni) is an essential element however, at higher concentration, it is highly phytotoxic, and affects major plant functions. Beneficial roles of plant growth regulators (PGRs) and organic amendments in mitigating the adverse impacts of HM on plant growth has gained the attention of scientific community worldwide. Here, we performed a greenhouse study to investigate the effect of indole-3-acetic acid (IAA @ 10- 5 M) and compost (1% w/w) individually and in combination in sustaining cauliflower growth and yield under Ni stress. In our results, combined application proved significantly better than individual applications in alleviating the adverse effects of Ni on cauliflower as it increased various plant attributes such as plant height (49%), root length (76%), curd height and diameter (68 and 134%), leaf area (75%), transpiration rate (36%), stomatal conductance (104%), water use efficiency (143%), flavonoid and phenolic contents (212 and 133%), soluble sugars and protein contents (202 and 199%), SPAD value (78%), chlorophyll 'a and b' (219 and 208%), carotenoid (335%), and NPK uptake (191, 79 and 92%) as compared to the control. Co-application of IAA and compost reduced Ni-induced electrolyte leakage (64%) and improved the antioxidant activities, including APX (55%), CAT (30%), SOD (43%), POD (55%), while reducing MDA and H2O2 contents (77 and 52%) compared to the control. The combined application also reduced Ni uptake in roots, shoots, and curd by 51, 78 and 72% respectively along with an increased relative production index (78%) as compared to the control. Hence, synergistic application of IAA and compost can mitigate Ni induced adverse impacts on cauliflower growth by immobilizing it in the soil.

Facet-engineering strategy of phosphogypsum for production of mineral slow-release fertilizers with efficient nutrient fixation and delivery.

Phosphogypsum (PG) presents considerable potential for agricultural applications as a secondary primary resource. However, it currently lacks environmentally friendly, economically viable, efficient, and sustainable reuse protocols. This study firstly developed a PG-based mineral slow-release fertilizer (MSRFs) by internalization and fixation of urea within the PG lattice via facet-engineering strategy. The molecular dynamics simulations demonstrated that the binding energy of urea to the (041) facet of PG surpassed that of the (021) and (020) facets, with urea's desorption energy on the (041) facet notably higher than on the (021) and (020) facets. Guided by these calculations, we selectively exposed the (041) dominant facet of PG, and then achieving complete urea fixation within the PG lattice to form urea-PG (UPG). UPG exhibited a remarkable 48-fold extension in N release longevity in solution and a 45.77% increase in N use efficiency by plants compared to conventional urea. The facet-engineering of PG enhances the internalization and fixation efficiency of urea for slow N delivery, thereby promoting nutrient uptake for plant growth. Furthermore, we elucidated the intricate interplay between urea and PG at the molecular level, revealing the involvement of hydrogen and ionic bonding. This specific bonding structure imparts exceptional thermal stability and water resistance to the urea within UPG under environmental conditions. This study has the potential to provide insights into the high-value utilization of PG and present innovative ideas for designing efficient MSRFs.

In-silico characterization of LSDV132 protein divulged its BCL-2-like nature.

Lumpy skin disease virus (LSDV) belongs to Poxviridae family. This virus possesses various proteins which impart potential functions to it including assembly of newly synthesized viruses in the replication cycle and forming their structure. LSDV132 protein is also one of such proteins. Its key characteristics were unknown because, no any relevant study was reported about it. This study aimed to investigate its characteristic features and essential functions using several bioinformatics techniques. These analyses included physiochemical characterization and exploring the crucial functional and structural perspectives. Upon analysis of the physiochemical properties, the instability index was computed to be 30.89% which proposed LSDV132 protein to be a stable protein. Afterwards, the phosphorylation sites were explored. Several sites were found in this regard which led to the hypothesis that it might be involved in the regulation of apoptosis and cell signaling, among other cellular processes. Furthermore, the KEGG analysis and the analysis of protein family classification confirmed that the LSDV132 protein possessed Poxvirus-BCL-2-like motifs, indicating that it might be responsible in modulating the apoptosis of host cells. This crucial finding suggested that the protein under study possessed BCL-2-like features. Proceeding this very important finding, the molecular docking analysis was performed. In this context, various viral BCL-2 inhibitors were retrieved from the ChEMBL database for docking purpose. The docking results revealed that pelcitoclax exhibited best docking scores i.e., -9.1841 kcal/mol, among all of the other docked complexes. This fact signified that this compound might serve as an inhibitor of LSDV132 protein.

Assessing the efficacy of cinnamon compounds against H. pylori through molecular docking, MD Simulations and ADMET analyses.

Antibiotics are the drugs that are used for the management of microbial diseases. However, these conventional synthetic drugs can harmfully affect the human health. Since phytochemicals are extracted from natural sources and, are hence relatively safer for human health, they are the enticing alternatives in this regard. Cinnamon is also one of those plants which is being employed as herbal medication for centuries against certain microbial infections due its significant therapeutic effectiveness. A well-known pathogenic bacterium called H. pylori causes a wide range of illnesses in human body. This pathogen's pathogenicity is determined by certain virulent proteins. In this study, some of such proteins, which included virB4, virB8, and virB9 were selected to evaluate the therapeutic efficiency of cinnamon compounds. These proteins were identified in different isolates of H. pylori. The structural modelling of all these proteins were performed initially in order to proceed them for molecular docking analysis. While, the docking studies illustrated that one of the cinnamon compounds, cinnamyl acetate, showed significant binding interactions with virB4 and virB9. However, benzyl benzoate which is another cinnamon compound, docked well with virB8. Afterwards, the MD simulations were incorporated to explore the interaction motions and structural stability of all the docked complexes. In this regard, the resultant maps of Bfactor, eigenvalues and elastic network model, among other factors ensured the structural stabilities of all the respective complexes. After these crucial estimations, benzyl benzoate and cinnamyl acetate underwent the ADMET investigation to assess their pharmacokinetic characteristics. SwissADME and ADMETLab 2.0 server were employed for this investigation. The compiled findings these servers revealed that both, benzyl benzoate and cinnamyl acetate, exhibited a significant level of pharmacokinetic and drug-likeness conformity.

Efficient Adsorbent Derived from Phytolith-Rich Ore for Removal of Tetracycline in Wastewater.

In recent decades, the tetracycline (TC) concentration in aquatic ecosystems has gradually increased, leading to water pollution problems. Various mineral adsorbents for the removal of tetracyclines have garnered considerable attention. However, efficient adsorbents suitable for use in a wide pH range environment have rarely been reported. Herein, a phytolith-rich adsorbent (PRADS) was prepared by a simple one-step alkali-activated pyrolysis treatment using phytolith as a raw material for effectively removing TC. PRADS, benefiting from its porous structure, which consists of acid- and alkali-resistant, fast-adsorbing macroporous silica and mesoporous carbon, is highly desirable for efficient TC removal from wastewater. The results indicate that PRADS exhibited excellent adsorption performance and stability for TC over a wide pH range of 2.0-12.0 under the coexistence of competing ions, which could be attributed to the fact that PRADS has a porous structure and contains abundant oxygen-containing functional groups and a large number of bonding sites. The adsorption mechanisms of PRADS for TC were mainly attributed to pore filling, hydrogen bonding, π-π electron-donor-acceptor, and electrostatic interactions. This work could offer a novel preparation strategy for the effective adsorption of pollutants by new functionalized phytolith adsorbents.

Autophagy related genes mediated mitophagy in yeast, mammals and higher plants.

Autophagy is classified into macro-autophagy and micro-autophagy. Two major types of autophagy in the complex eukaryotic organism are microautophagy and macroautophagy. During microautophagy, cytoplasmic components that need to be degraded are taken up by lysosomes in animals and by vacuole in yeast and plants via the invagination of tonoplast. While macroautophagy is initiated after the formation of a cup-shaped membrane structure, a phagophore develops at cargo that grows in size and is sealed by double-membrane vesicles to form autophagosome; a generalized mechanism for degradation of the organelle. Autophagic removal of damaged mitochondria is a conserved cellular process to maintain a healthy mitochondrion called Mitophagy. In plants and animals, mitophagy has crucial roles in stress responses, senescence, development, and programmed cell death. Mitophagy appears in mammals, fungi, and plants but many genes that controlled mitophagy are absent from plants. Numerous studies have been conducted by using ATG mutants for the identification of functional roles of Autophagy Related Genes (ATG) required during the autophagy process at various steps like; auto phagosome formation, ATG protein recruitment, etc. The role of more than 25 ATG genes in mitophagy has been discussed in this review paper. The main parameters, reviewed and summarized in this review paper, are the name of species, common name, function, domain, deletion, induction, and localization of these autophagy-related genes in the cell. This review will facilitate the students, researchers, and academics for their further research insights.

Palygorskite-Derived Ternary Fluoride with 2D Ion Transport Channels for Ampere Hour-Scale Li-S Pouch Cell with High Energy Density.

Although various excellent electrocatalysts/adsorbents have made notable progress as sulfur cathode hosts on the lithium-sulfur (Li-S) coin-cell level, high energy density (WG ) of the practical Li-S pouch cells is still limited by inefficient Li-ion transport in the thick sulfur cathode under low electrolyte/sulfur (E/S) and negative/positive (N/P) ratios, which aggravates the shuttle effect and sluggish redox kinetics. Here a new ternary fluoride MgAlF5 ·2H2 O with ultrafast ion conduction-strong polysulfides capture integration is developed. MgAlF5 ·2H2 O has an inverse Weberite-type crystal framework, in which the corner-sharing [AlF6 ]-[MgF4 (H2 O)2 ] octahedra units extend to form two-dimensional Li-ion transport channels along the [100] and [010] directions, respectively. Applied as the cathode sulfur host, the MgAlF5 ·2H2 O lithiated by LiTFSI (lithium salt in Li-S electrolyte) acts as a fast ionic conductor to ensure efficient Li-ion transport to accelerate the redox kinetics under high S loadings and low E/S and N/P. Meanwhile, the strong polar MgAlF5 ·2H2 O captures polysulfides by chemisorption to suppress the shuttle effect. Therefore, a 1.97 A h-level Li-S pouch cell achieves a high WG of 386 Wh kg-1 . This work develops a new-type ionic conductor, and provides unique insights and new hosts for designing practical Li-S pouch cells.

Multifunctional Nanoclay-Based Hemostatic Materials for Wound Healing: A Review.

Bleeding to death accounts for around 30-40% of all trauma-related fatalities. Current hemostatic materials are mainly mono-functional or have insufficient hemostatic capacity. Nanoclay has been recently shown to accelerate hemostasis, improve wound healing, and provide the resulting multifunctional hemostatic materials antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and healing-promoting due to its distinctive morphological structure and physicochemical properties. Herein, the chemical design and action mechanism of nanoclay-based hemostatic, antibacterial, and pro-wound healing materials in the context of wound healing are discussed. The physiological processes of hemostasis and wound healing to elucidate the significance of nanoclay for functional wound hemostatic dressing design are outlined. A summary of the features of various nanoclay and product types used in wound hemostatic dressings is provided. Nanoclay can be antimicrobial due to the slow release of metal ions and has an abundant surface charge allowing for high affinity for proteins and cells, which can activate the coagulation reaction or facilitate tissue repair. Nanoclay with a microporous structure can be used as drug carriers to create composites critical for inhibiting bacterial growth on wounds or promoting the regeneration of vascular, muscle, and skin tissues. Directions for further research and innovation of nanoclay-based multifunctional materials for hemostasis and tissue regeneration are explored.

Real-world effectiveness of the inactivated COVID-19 vaccines against variant of concerns: meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: COVID-19 has killed over 6 million people worldwide, making it the worst global health disaster since the 1918 influenza pandemic. Experts have worked to establish the source, track and analyse the disease, and produce treatment and preventative guidelines. Inactivated vaccines have little evidence of efficacy compared to mRNA and adenoviral vector vaccines; however, three doses of both mRNA and inactivated vaccines appear to provide significant and lasting protection against severe disease and mortality. This study examines inactivated vaccine effectiveness data by disease status, age, gender, primary immunisation, booster doses, and SARS-CoV2 virus types. METHODS: We conducted a quantitative epidemiological meta-analysis study to assess the vaccine effectiveness of inactivated COVID-19 vaccines. Data extraction was performed on the selected studies, and data analysis was conducted using a random-effects model to determine consolidated assessments of vaccine effectiveness. Subgroup analyses were conducted for gender, age, disease level, and vaccine status, and sensitivity analyses were conducted to assess the robustness of the results. RESULTS: The overall effect size of inactivated COVID-19 vaccinations was statistically significant (p-value<0.05), suggesting that complete vaccination should be the primary method of vaccination. Partial vaccination was associated with lower levels of vaccine effectiveness (70.18 95% CI 57.33-83.02) than complete vaccination (79.52 95% CI 67.88-91.71)) and booster vaccination (84.22 95% CI 74.34-94.10), suggesting that it is essential to finish the recommended vaccine series and receive booster doses. Fig.-3: Partially vaccinated individuals showed a vaccine effect size of 70.18 (95% CI 57.33-83.02), indicating that the vaccine was moderately effective in preventing COVID-19 among this group. Fully vaccinated individuals showed a vaccine effect size of 79.52 (95% CI 67.88-91.71), indicating a higher level of vaccine effectiveness. Finally, booster-vaccinated individuals showed a vaccine effect size of 84.22 (95% CI 74.34-94.10), indicating the highest level of vaccine effectiveness. CONCLUSION: Inactivated COVID-19 vaccines are highly effective in preventing COVID-19, and complete vaccination and booster vaccination are associated with higher levels of vaccine effectiveness compared to partial vaccination. These findings highlight the importance of completing the recommended vaccine series and receiving booster doses to provide greater protection against COVID-19.

Effects of Different Aquafeed Sources on Growth Performance, Oxidative Capacity, and Fatty Acid Profile of Three Carps Reared in the Semi-Intensive Composite Culture System.

The current experiment is designed to evaluate the effect of different aquafeeds (farm-made versus commercial) on growth, body composition, oxidative capacity, and fatty acid profile in the semi-intensive composite culture system. For this, 1,100 fingerlings/acre having initial body weight and length, Labeo rohita (61.34 g, 171 mm), Catla catla (71.45 g, 181 mm), and Cyprinus carpio (30.80 g, 91 mm) were randomly distributed to 16 ponds and randomly fed on eight different diets (n = 2 pond/diet) in a completely randomized research design. Aquafeed were farm-based diets (D1-D2) and commercial aquafeed (D3-D8). The farm-made diets contained various crude protein levels of maize gluten (24.9%) and rice polish (7.3%), whereas commercial diets were procured from commercial feed plants (AMG, Supreme, Aqua, Star Floating, Hi-Pro, and Punjab feed). The growth performance of carps (L. rohita and C. catla) was significantly improved (p < 0.05) by feeding D3 as compared to other diets. Similarly, white blood cell concentration was greater (p < 0.05) in all species fed by D3 than in those fed on D7, D8, D5, D6, D1, and D2 fed groups, respectively. Alanine transaminase, aspartate transaminase, and alanine phosphatase activities were significantly lower (p < 0.05) in the D3-fed L. rohita, C. catla, and C. carpio compared with those fed on the rest of the treatments. The activities of glutathione peroxidase and superoxide dismutase were also higher (p < 0.05) for the D3 fed L. rohita, C. catla, and C. carpio than those fed on the rest diets. The groups fed on D3 and D4 had greater (p < 0.05) concentrations of myristic (14), palmitic acid (16), and stearic (18) acids than those fed on the rest of the commercial diets. However, meat chemical composition was similar (p > 0.05) across the treatments. These results also prove that the increase in the dietary protein level and lipid content can improve the fish's body's crude protein and fat levels. Feeding D3 improved the production performance, oxidative status, and fatty acid profile in composite major carps culture systems. Thus, based on growth, survival, and body composition, it is concluded that D3 and D4 may be recommended for a commercial culture of major carps. Dietary treatments had no significant impact (p > 0.05) on water's physical-chemical properties. Calcium content and alkalinity varied (p < 0.05), with D5 showing the lowest calcium and the highest alkalinity.

A Weibull process monitoring with AEWMA control chart: an application to breaking strength of the fibrous composite.

In recent times, there has been a growing focus among researchers on memory-based control charts. The Exponentially Weighted Moving Average (EWMA) and Cumulative Sum (CUSUM) charts and the adaptive control charting approaches got the attention. Control charts are commonly employed to oversee processes, assuming the monitored variable follows a normal distribution. However, it's worth noting that this assumption does not hold true in many real-world situations. The use of the algebraic expression for normalization, which can be used for all kinds of skewed distributions with a closed-form distribution function, using the proposed continuous function to adapt a smoothing constant, motivates this study. In the present manuscript, we design an EWMA statistic-based adaptive control chart to monitor the irregular variations in the mean of two parametric Weibull distribution and use Hasting approximation for normalization. The adaptive control charts are used to update the smoothing constant according to the estimated shift. Here we use the proposed continuous function to adapt the smoothing constant. The average run length and standard deviation of run length are calculated under different parameter settings. The effectiveness of the proposed chart is argued in terms of ARLs over the considered EWMA chart through Monte-Carlo (MC) simulation method. The proposed chart is examined, followed by a real data set to demonstrate the design and application procedures.

Adaptive multivariate dispersion control chart with application to bimetal thermostat data.

Adaptive EWMA (AEWMA) control charts have gained remarkable recognition by monitoring productions over a wide range of shifts. The adaptation of computational statistic as per system shift is the main aspect behind the proficiency of these charts. In this paper, a function-based AEWMA multivariate control chart is suggested to monitor the stability of the variance-covariance matrix for normally distributed process control. Our approach involves utilizing an unbiased estimator applying the EWMA statistic to estimate the process shift in real-time and adapt the smoothing or weighting constant using a suggested continuous function. Preferably, the Monte Carlo simulation method is utilized to determine the characteristics of the suggested AEWMA chart in terms of proficient detection of process shifts. The underlying computed results are compared with existing EWMA and existing AEWMA charts and proved to outperform in providing quick detection for different sizes of shifts. To illustrate its real-life application, the authors employed the concept in the bimetal thermostat industry dataset. The proposed research contributes to statistical process control and provides a practical tool for the solution while monitoring covariance matrix changes.