Enhanced photocatalytic and electrochemical performance of hydrothermally prepared NiO-doped Co nanocomposites.

In this study, we synthesize nanostructured nickel oxide (NiO) and doped cobalt (Co) by combining nickel(II) chloride hexahydrate (NiCl2.6H2O) and sodium hydroxide (NaOH) as initial substances. We analyzed the characteristics of the product nanostructures, including their structure, optical properties, and magnetic properties, using various techniques such as x-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), ultraviolet absorption spectroscopy (UV-Vis), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, and vibrating sample magnetometers (VSM). The NiO nanoparticles doped with Co showed photocatalytic activity in degrading methylene blue (MB) dye in aqueous solutions. We calculated the degradation efficiencies by analyzing the UV-Vis absorption spectra at the dye's absorption wavelength of 664 nm. It was observed that the NiO-doped Co nanoparticles facilitated enhanced recombination and migration of active elements, which led to more effective degradation of organic dyes during photocatalysis. We also assessed the electrochemical properties of the materials using cyclic voltammetry (CV) and impedance spectroscopy in a 1 mol% NaOH solution. The NiO-modified electrode exhibited poor voltammogram performance due to insufficient contact between nanoparticles and the electrolyte solution. In contrast, the uncapped NiO's oxidation and reduction cyclic voltammograms displayed redox peaks at 0.36 and 0.30 V, respectively.

A Review of Recent Developments in Driver Drowsiness Detection Systems.

Continuous advancements in computing technology and artificial intelligence in the past decade have led to improvements in driver monitoring systems. Numerous experimental studies have collected real driver drowsiness data and applied various artificial intelligence algorithms and feature combinations with the goal of significantly enhancing the performance of these systems in real-time. This paper presents an up-to-date review of the driver drowsiness detection systems implemented over the last decade. The paper illustrates and reviews recent systems using different measures to track and detect drowsiness. Each system falls under one of four possible categories, based on the information used. Each system presented in this paper is associated with a detailed description of the features, classification algorithms, and used datasets. In addition, an evaluation of these systems is presented, in terms of the final classification accuracy, sensitivity, and precision. Furthermore, the paper highlights the recent challenges in the area of driver drowsiness detection, discusses the practicality and reliability of each of the four system types, and presents some of the future trends in the field.

Examining the Suitability of NetFlow Features in Detecting IoT Network Intrusions.

The past few years have witnessed a substantial increase in cyberattacks on Internet of Things (IoT) devices and their networks. Such attacks pose a significant threat to organizational security and user privacy. Utilizing Machine Learning (ML) in Intrusion Detection Systems (NIDS) has proven advantageous in countering novel zero-day attacks. However, the performance of such systems relies on several factors, one of which is prediction time. Processing speed in anomaly-based NIDS depends on a few elements, including the number of features fed to the ML model. NetFlow, a networking industry-standard protocol, offers many features that can be used to predict malicious attacks accurately. This paper examines NetFlow features and assesses their suitability in classifying network traffic. Our paper presents a model that detects attacks with (98-100%) accuracy using as few as 13 features. This study was conducted using a large dataset of over 16 million records released in 2021.

Hospitalization and Post-hospitalization Outcomes Among Teaching Internal Medicine, Employed Hospitalist, and Locum Tenens Hospitalist Services in a Tertiary Center: a Prospective Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND: There are no prospective studies comparing hospitalization and post-hospitalization outcomes between teaching internal medicine services and non-teaching hospitalists, and no prospective studies comparing these outcomes between locum and employed hospitalists. OBJECTIVE: To compare the length of stay, hospital costs readmission rate, and mortality rate in patients treated by teaching internal medicine services vs. hospitalists and among patients treated by locum vs. employed hospitalists. DESIGN: Prospective cohort study. Propensity score was used to obtain weighted estimates. SETTING: Referral center. PATIENTS: All patients 18 years and older admitted to internal medicine services. INTERVENTION: Treatment by teaching internal medicine services vs. hospitalists. Treatment by locum hospitalists vs. employed hospitalists. MAIN MEASURES: Primary outcome was adjusted length of stay and secondary outcomes included hospital cost, inpatient mortality, 30-day all-cause readmission, and 30-day mortality. KEY RESULTS: A total of 1273 patients were admitted in the study period. The mean patient age was 61 ± 19 years, and the sample was 52% females. Teaching internal medicine physicians admitted 526 patients and non-teaching hospitalists admitted 747 patients. Being seen exclusively by teaching internal medicine physicians comports with a shorter adjusted hospital stay by 0.6 days (95% CI - 1.07 to - 0.22, P = .003) compared to non-teaching hospitalists. Adjusted length of stay was 1 day shorter in patients seen exclusively by locums compared to patients seen exclusively by employed services (95% CI - 1.6 to - 0.43, P < .001) with an adjusted average hospital cost saving of 1339 dollars (95% CI - 2037 to - 642, P < .001). There was no statistically significant difference in other outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: Teaching internal medicine services care was associated with a shorter stay but not with increased costs, readmission, or mortality compared to non-teaching services. In contrary to the "expected," patients treated by locums had shorter stays and decreased hospital costs but no increase in readmissions or mortality.

Design of a Data Glove for Assessment of Hand Performance Using Supervised Machine Learning.

The large number of poststroke recovery patients poses a burden on rehabilitation centers, hospitals, and physiotherapists. The advent of rehabilitation robotics and automated assessment systems can ease this burden by assisting in the rehabilitation of patients with a high level of recovery. This assistance will enable medical professionals to either better provide for patients with severe injuries or treat more patients. It also translates into financial assistance as well in the long run. This paper demonstrated an automated assessment system for in-home rehabilitation utilizing a data glove, a mobile application, and machine learning algorithms. The system can be used by poststroke patients with a high level of recovery to assess their performance. Furthermore, this assessment can be sent to a medical professional for supervision. Additionally, a comparison between two machine learning classifiers was performed on their assessment of physical exercises. The proposed system has an accuracy of 85% (±5.1%) with careful feature and classifier selection.

Superior vena cava thrombosis and dilated cardiomyopathy as initial presentations of Behcet's disease.

BACKGROUND: Bechet's disease (BD) is a relatively rare disease that causes recurrent oral and genital ulcers in addition to a variety of systemic manifestations. Concomitant superior-vena-cava (SVC) thrombosis and cardiac involvement with dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) as initial presentations for BD is considered rare. CASE PRESENTATION: A 32-year-old-man presenting with intractable headaches and dyspnea. He was later diagnosed with SVC thrombosis and DCM. A diagnosis of BD was made after detailed history-taking. CONCLUSIONS: Cardiovascular manifisations can be the initial presentation of BD. We aim to highlight the importance of early clinical recognition of BD as a cause of DCM and SVC thrombosis.

COVID-19 Pandemic: Psycho-social Consequences During the Social Distancing Period Among Najran City Population.

BACKGROUND: COVID-19 is a global pandemic that endanger the health and enforced social distancing for the whole world. Social distancing may generate stress, anxiety, and depression. Understanding the psychosocial consequences of COVID19 during social distancing may help decision-makers to take suitable decisions that help in increasing awareness. Evaluate the psychosocial consequences of COVID-19 pandemic during the social distancing period and explore the relationship between social media use and psychological stress during COVID-19 outbreak among Najran city population. Research design is descriptive correlational research design. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: A snowball sampling technique, was used to recruit participants live in Najran city during the COVID-19 pandemic (1508 participant). RESULTS: A statistically significant differences (P<0.05) are observed between Saudi and non-Saudi participants in all social aspects assessed except for time spent on social media. In addition, a high mean of depression, stress, and anxiety subscale scores are observed in non-Saudi compared to the Saudi participants with statistically significant differences (p=0.000). As well as high DASS-21 total scores in non-Saudi compared to the Saudi participants. Also, there are positive statistically significant correlations (≤0.05) between participants' time spent in social media and their depression, stress, anxiety, and total DASS scores during the COVID-19 outbreak. CONCLUSION: The findings of the present study indicate that COVID-19 pandemic generates stress, anxiety and depression among Najran population especially, non-Saudi. This poor psychological condition is exaggerated with prolonged social media use. COVID-19 also has negative impact on social wellbeing and use of social media cannot replace direct contact with friends. The current study results may be utilized to formulate interventions that enhance psychosocial health and resilience during the COVID-19 outbreak.

Pretreatment of spiramycin fermentation residue using hyperthermophilic digestion: quick startup and performance.

This study aimed to evaluate the feasibility of hyperthermophilic anaerobic digestion at 70 °C in the pretreatment of spiramycin fermentation residue. By feeding municipal excess sludge under a solid retention time of 5 days, the hyperthermophilic digester was successfully started up within 3 days from mesophilic digestion by a one-step temperature increase from 35 to 70 °C. MiSeq sequencing showed the fast establishment of thermophilic fermenting bacterial communities in 3 days immediately after the temperature increase, with increases in abundance of Coprothermobacter, Spirochaetaceae_uncultured and Fervidobacterium from <0.001%, 1.06% and <0.001% to 33.77%, 11.65% and 3.42%, respectively. The feasibility of hyperthermophilic digestion for spiramycin residue was evaluated in batch experiments for 7 days. Hyperthermophilic digestion considerably reduced antibiotic concentrations, with removal efficiencies of 55.3% and 99.0% for the spiramycin residue alone and its mixture with hyperthermophilic sludge, respectively. At the same time, the abundances of four macrolide-lincosamide-streptogramin resistance genes were also reduced within 7 days, due to the decrease of their corresponding hosts. These results suggest that hyperthermophilic digestion could easily be started up from mesophilic digestion and might be a suitable pretreatment approach for spiramycin residue.

Performance evaluation of PSO-PID and PSO-FLC for continuum robot's developed modeling and control.

Continuum robots are complex structures that require sophisticated modeling and control methods to achieve accurate position and motion tracking along desired trajectories. They are highly coupled, nonlinear systems with multiple degrees of freedom that pose a significant challenge for conventional approaches. In this paper, we propose a system dynamic model based on the Euler-Lagrange formulation with the assumption of piecewise constant curvature (PCC), where we accounts for the elasticity and gravity effects of the continuum robot. We also develop and apply a particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm to optimize the parameters of our developed controllers: an inverse dynamic proportional integral derivative (PID) controller and an inverse dynamic fuzzy logic controller (FLC), where we use the integral time of absolute error (ITAE) as the objective function for the PSO algorithm. We validate our proposed model and optimized controllers through different designed trajectories, simulated using our developed unique animated MATLAB simulation. The results show that the PSO-PID controller improves the rise time, overshoot percentage, and settling time by 16.3%, 31.1%, and 64.9%, respectively, compared to the PID controller without PSO. The PSO-FLC controller shows the best performance among all controllers, with a settling time of 0.7 s and a rise time of 0.4 s, leading to the highest level of precision in trajectory tracking. The ITAE error for the PSO-FLC controller is 11.4% and 29.9% lower than that of the PSO-PID and FLC controllers, respectively.

3D-printed titanium alloy cage in anterior and lateral lumbar interbody fusion for degenerative lumbar spine disease.

Background: The most commonly used cages for intervertebral disc replacement in lumbar fusion procedures are made predominantly from polyetheretherketone (PEEK). There is sufficient data studying their subsidence and failure rates from a variety of approaches. A novel implant is now available for commercial use, 3D-printed porous titanium (3DppTi) alloy cages, which have recently become available for use in spinal procedures. They have been shown in ovine models to have superior efficacy and fusion rates compared to traditional cages. However, there is limited data on their use in clinical practice and long-term outcomes associated with them. Methods: A retrospective chart review was performed, of all patients in a single institution who underwent lumbar spine fusion surgery via an anterior or lateral approach with a 3D-printed titanium alloy cage, between January 2020 and February 2021. Clinic letters, imaging and operation reports were independently reviewed to assess for fusion, or evidence of subsidence on follow-up. Results: Fifty patients were identified as meeting inclusion criteria, with a total of 66 operative levels. Of these operative levels, 32 were via an anterior approach and 34 via a lateral approach. One patient demonstrated a Marchi grade 0 subsidence, with recurrence of radiculopathy 2 months after an anterior approach, requiring posterior decompression and stabilization. A second patient demonstrated a Marchi grade 1 subsidence after a lateral approach, but did not require further surgery as they were asymptomatic at 2 years of follow-up. This study demonstrated an overall subsidence rate of 3.03%. There was a median follow-up time of 11.3 months for all patients. Conclusions: 3D-printed titanium alloy cages demonstrate a lower subsidence rate compared to historically published rates for alternative intervertebral cages, in anterior and lateral lumbar spine fusion surgery.

COPD overlap conditions: Clinical and therapeutic implications✰.

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is a complex pulmonary condition characterized by chronic airflow limitation. Within the spectrum of COPD, distinct overlap conditions exist, including Asthma-COPD Overlap (ACO), COPD-Obstructive Sleep Apnea (COPD-OSA), Combined Pulmonary Fibrosis and Emphysema (CPFE), and Bronchiectasis-COPD Overlap (BCO). This review provides a comprehensive overview of the clinical and therapeutic implications of these conditions, highlighting the differences in complications compared with COPD alone in addition to the diagnostic challenges of identifying these conditions. Therapeutically tailored approaches are necessary for COPD overlap conditions considering the unique complications that may arise. Optimal pharmacological management, disease-specific interventions, and comprehensive patient-centered care are crucial components of treatment strategies. This review provides insights for healthcare professionals by enhancing their understanding and management of these conditions. This emphasizes the importance of accurate diagnosis and individualized treatment plans, considering the specific complications associated with each COPD overlap condition.

Major depressive disorder: point prevalence, suicidal ideation, and risk factors among Sudanese children and adolescents during Sudan army conflict: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Tiredness, poor concentration, disturbed sleep and poor appetite can all be caused by depression, which is a common mental disorder and a leading cause of disability worldwide. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of major depressive disorder, suicidal ideation, and risk factors in Sudanese children and adolescents during the Sudanese army conflict. METHODS: A descriptive cross-sectional community-based study was carried out among Sudanese children between 11 and 17 years old who living in Sudan at the start of the conflict by using a self-administered questionnaire under the guidance of parents, if necessary. The questionnaire was adapted from the Patients Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) checklist for the assessment of major depression disorder symptoms according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual Edition 5th Edition (DSM-5). The questionnaire was translated into Arabic by two expert translators, and its validity and reliability were confirmed. Data analysis was performed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version 25 software, and descriptive analysis and any appropriate statistical tests were performed. RESULTS: Among the 963 participants, the mean age was 15.18 ± 2.1 years, 65.5% were female, and 67.7% had major depressive disorder. There was a significant relationship between MDD score, age, sex, current residency status, and traumatic event exposure, with P values less than 0.001 for all variables. CONCLUSION: Major depressive disorder was highly prevalent among Sudanese children and adolescents included in the present study. Additionally, suicidal ideation, which requires immediate intervention, was reported to be very high. The findings will help the government to provide proper mental health interventions for affected people.

Electrochemical investigations and antimicrobial activity of Au nanoparticles photodeposited on titania nanoparticles.

Titanium oxide nanopowder (TiO2 NPs) was synthesized via anodization in 0.7 M perchloric acid then annealed in nitrogen at 450 °C for 3 h to prepared the Titanium Oxide Nitrogen annealed nanoparticles (TiO2 NPs-N2) powder as catalytic support. Using a photodeposition process, gold was added with isopropanol as a sacrificial donor and H[AuCl4] acid, producing gold nanoparticles on nitrogen-annealed titanium oxide nanoparticles (Au-NPs on TiO2-NPs-N2). The mass loading of Au NPs was 2.86 × 10-4 (g/cm2). TEM images of Au NPs on TiO2-NPs-N2 suggest circular particles with a tendency to agglomerate. Cyclic voltammetry (CV) was used to investigate the electrocatalytic performance of the Au NPs/TiO2-NPs-N2 catalysts in ferrocyanide, KOH, and H2SO4, and the results were compared to those of a polycrystalline Au electrode that is readily accessible in the market. In KOH, H2SO4, and (2 M KOH + 0.1 M glycerol) solutions, the Au NPs/TiO2-NPs-N2 electrode displayed a startlingly high electrocatalytic performance. Using CV, the electrocatalytic oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) of Au NPs/TiO2-NPs-N2 and Au-NPs against glycerol oxidation in basic media was studied. The results indicated that Au NPs/TiO2-NPs-N2 is a promising support material for improving the electrocatalytic activity for acidic and basic oxidation. The electrode made of Au NPs/TiO2-NTs-N2 has steady electrocatalytic activity and may be reused repeatedly. TiO2 NPs and Au NPs/TiO2NPs-N2 showed satisfactory antibacterial activity against some human pathogenic bacteria using the disc diffusion method.

Role of virtual reality in examining the effect of fear of falling (FOF) on postural stability in individuals without and with Parkinson's disease in Egypt: a mixed-methods feasibility study protocol.

BACKGROUND: Falls are common in older people and individuals with neurological conditions. Parkinson's disease (PD) is known for postural instability causing mobility disabilities, falls and reduced quality of life. The fear of falling (FOF), a natural response to unstable balance, can worsen postural control problems. Evaluating FOF relies largely on affected persons' subjective accounts due to limited objective assessment methods available. The aim of this mixed-methods feasibility study is to develop an assessment method for FOF while in motion and walking within virtual environments. This study will assess a range of FOF-related responses, including cognitive factors, neuromuscular response and postural stability. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: This feasibility study will consist of four phases: the first two phases will include people without PD, while the other two will include people diagnosed with PD. Participants will be assessed for direct and indirect responses to real life, as well as virtual environment walking scenarios that may induce FOF. Data from questionnaires, different neurophysiological assessments, movement and gait parameters, alongside evaluations of usability and acceptability, will be collected. Semistructured interviews involving both participants and research assistants shall take place to elicit their experiences throughout different phases of the assessments undertaken. Demographic data, the scores of assessment scales, as well as feasibility, usability and acceptability of the measurement methods, will be illustrated via descriptive statistics. Movement and gait outcomes, together with neurophysiological data, will be extracted and calculated. Exploring relationships between different factors in the study will be achieved using a regression model. Thematic analysis will be the approach used to manage qualitative data. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: This feasibility study was approved by the Ethics Committee of the Faculty of Physical Therapy, Kafr El Sheikh University, Egypt (number: P.T/NEUR/3/2023/46). The results of this study will be published in a peer-reviewed journal. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: ClinicalTrials.gov Registry (NCT05931692).

Optimizing power consumption and position control in an electro-hydraulic system with cylinder bypass and NN-MPC.

This study introduces an innovative approach to enhance the energy efficiency and position control performance of electro-hydraulic systems, employing a comprehensive comparative analysis. It presents and evaluates three control techniques: Proportional-Integral-Derivative (PID) control, Model Predictive Control (MPC), and Neural Network Model Predictive Control (NN-MPC). These methods are systematically assessed across varying load conditions. Notably, our research unequivocally establishes the exceptional performance of the NN-MPC approach, even when confronted with load variations. Furthermore, the study conducts an exhaustive examination of energy consumption by comparing a conventional system, where a flow control valve is not utilized as a hydraulic cylinder bypass, with a proposed system that employs a fully open Flow Control Valve (FCV). The results underscore the remarkable energy savings achieved, reaching up to 9% at high load levels.

Directional Stimulus-Evoked Pallidal Electrophysiology in Primary Dystonia.

Background: Deep brain stimulation for dystonia improves motor symptoms but variable and delayed responses challenge patient selection, targeting, and device programming. Case Report: Here we studied intracranial electrophysiology in a patient with primary dystonia and observed evoked resonant neural activity (ERNA) in the globus pallidus interna. These local stimulus-evoked potentials displayed refractory periods and paired-pulse facilitation at clinically relevant interstimulus intervals. Sensing from directional DBS contacts localized ERNA to an effective stimulation site in the ventral posterolateral portion of the pallidum. Discussion: To the best of our knowledge, this is the first observation of ERNA in the globus pallidus interna in a patient with primary dystonia. Stimulus-evoked activity could eventually guide both directional and adaptive stimulation for dystonia and other complex neuropsychiatric disorders.