Comparative Evaluation of Sorption and Solubility of Core Buildup Materials in Different pH Media: An In-Vitro Study.

AIM: To evaluate and compare the sorption and solubility of two different core buildup materials in different pH media for periods of one day, one week, and one month. MATERIALS AND METHOD: Sixty samples were prepared and divided into Group A (30 resin-based samples) and Group B (30 glass ionomer cement (GIC)-based samples). The sorption and solubility of the different materials were calculated by weighing the samples before and after desiccation and media immersion for periods of one day, one week, and one month. Groups were compared using the Mann-Whitney U test, and for different media, the intragroup significance of the mean difference was performed using the Friedmann test and Wilcoxon signed rank test at a significance level of p<0.05. RESULTS: After immersion for different time periods, the resin-based core buildup material (Core X flow) showed less sorption and solubility as compared to the glass ionomer-based core buildup material (Secure Core Z) for all time periods, with a significant difference seen for a time period of one week and one month and being nonsignificant for a time period of one day. CONCLUSION: Core X flow had lower sorption and solubility values when compared to Secure Core Z, as per the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 4049 standards, except for a one-month time period in alkaline media.

Analyzing vegetation health dynamics across seasons and regions through NDVI and climatic variables.

This study assesses the relationships between vegetation dynamics and climatic variations in Pakistan from 2000 to 2023. Employing high-resolution Landsat data for Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) assessments, integrated with climate variables from CHIRPS and ERA5 datasets, our approach leverages Google Earth Engine (GEE) for efficient processing. It combines statistical methodologies, including linear regression, Mann-Kendall trend tests, Sen's slope estimator, partial correlation, and cross wavelet transform analyses. The findings highlight significant spatial and temporal variations in NDVI, with an annual increase averaging 0.00197 per year (p < 0.0001). This positive trend is coupled with an increase in precipitation by 0.4801 mm/year (p = 0.0016). In contrast, our analysis recorded a slight decrease in temperature (- 0.01011 °C/year, p < 0.05) and a reduction in solar radiation (- 0.27526 W/m2/year, p < 0.05). Notably, cross-wavelet transform analysis underscored significant coherence between NDVI and climatic factors, revealing periods of synchronized fluctuations and distinct lagged relationships. This analysis particularly highlighted precipitation as a primary driver of vegetation growth, illustrating its crucial impact across various Pakistani regions. Moreover, the analysis revealed distinct seasonal patterns, indicating that vegetation health is most responsive during the monsoon season, correlating strongly with peaks in seasonal precipitation. Our investigation has revealed Pakistan's complex association between vegetation health and climatic factors, which varies across different regions. Through cross-wavelet analysis, we have identified distinct coherence and phase relationships that highlight the critical influence of climatic drivers on vegetation patterns. These insights are crucial for developing regional climate adaptation strategies and informing sustainable agricultural and environmental management practices in the face of ongoing climatic changes.

Comparative Effect of High-Frequency Nasal Cannula and Noninvasive Ventilation on the Work of Breathing and Postoperative Pulmonary Complication after Pediatric Congenital Cardiac Surgery: A Prospective Randomized Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND: Various forms of commonly used noninvasive respiratory support strategies have considerable effect on diaphragmatic contractile function which can be evaluated using sonographic diaphragm activity parameters. OBJECTIVE: To compare the magnitude of respiratory workload decreased as assessed by thickening fraction of the diaphragm and longitudinal diaphragmatic strain while using high-flow nasal cannula (HFNC) and noninvasive ventilation (NIV) modes [nasal intermittent positive pressure ventilation (NIPPV) and bilevel positive airway pressure (BiPAP)] in pediatric patients after cardiothoracic surgery. METHODOLOGY: This prospective randomized controlled trial was performed at a tertiary care surgical intensive care unit in postcardiac surgery patients aged between 1 and 48 months, who were randomly allocated into three groups: 1) HFNC (with flows at 2 L/kg/min), 2) NIPPV via RAMS cannula in PSV mode (pressure support 8 cmH2O, PEEP 5 cmH2O), and 3) BiPAP in nCPAP mode (CPAP of 5 cmH2O). Measurements were recorded at baseline after extubation (R0) and subsequently every 12 hourly (R1, R2, R3, R4, R5) at 12, 24, 36, 48, and 60 hours respectively until therapy was discontinued. RESULTS: Sixty patients were included, with 20 patients each in the NIPPV group, HFNC group, and BiPAP group. Longitudinal strain at crura of diaphragm was lower in the BiPAP group as compared to HFNC group at R2-R4 [R2 (-4.27± -2.73 vs - 8.40± -6.40, P = 0.031), R3 (-5.32± -2.28 vs -8.44± -5.6, P = 0.015), and R4 (-3.8± -3.42 vs -12.4± -7.12, P = 0.040)]. PFR was higher in HFNC than NIPPV group at baseline and R1-R3[R0 (323 ± 114 vs 264 ± 80, P = 0.008), R1 (311 ± 114 vs 233 ± 66, P = 0.022), R2 (328 ± 116 vs 237 ± 4, P = 0.002), R3 (346 ± 112 vs 238 ± 54, P = 0.001)]. DTF and clinical parameters of increased work of breathing remain comparable between three groups. The rate of reintubation (within 48 hours of extubation or at ICU discharge) was 0.06% (1 in NIPPV, 1 in BiPAP, 2 in HFNC) and remain comparable between groups (P = 1.0). CONCLUSION: BiPAP may provide better decrease in work of breathing compared to HFNC as reflected by lower crural diaphragmatic strain pattern. HFNC may provide better oxygenation compared to NIPPV group, as reflected by higher PFR ratio. Failure rate and safety profile are similar among different methods used.

Semi-Coprime Array with Staggered Beam-Steering of Sub-Arrays.

A split-aperture array (SAA) is an array of sensors or antenna elements in which the array is split into two or more sub-arrays (SAs). Recently proposed SAAs, namely coprime and semi-coprime arrays, offer to attain a small half-power beamwidth (HPBW) with a small number of elements, compared to most conventional unified-aperture arrays, at the cost of reduced peak-to-side-lobe ratio (PSLR). To reduce HPBW and increase PSLR, non-uniform inter-element spacing and excitation amplitudes have proven helpful. However, all the existing arrays and beam-formers suffer increased HPBW, degraded PSLR or both when the main beam is steered away from the broadside. In this paper, we propose staggered beam-steering of SAs, a novel technique for decreasing HPBW. In this technique, we steer the main beams of the SAs of a semi-coprime array to angles slightly different from the desired steering angle. In conjunction with staggered beam-steering of SAs, we have utilized Chebyshev weights to suppress the side lobes. The results show that the beam-widening effect of Chebyshev weights can be mitigated considerably by staggered beam-steering of the SAs. Ultimately, the unified beam-pattern of the whole array offers HPBW and PSLR better than the existing SAAs, uniform and non-uniform linear arrays, especially when the desired steering angle is away from the broadside direction.

Parasitological, molecular, and epidemiological investigation of Trypanosoma evansi infection among dromedary camels in Balochistan province.

Surra is a zoonotic disease caused by Trypanosoma evansi (T. evansi), which affects a wide variety of animals worldwide. The disease has a severe impact on the productivity, health, and working capacity of camels and causes mortality and extensive economic losses if not diagnosed early. This is the first comprehensive report on the prevalence of T. evansi infection in dromedaries in Balochistan province. In the present study, 393 blood samples (indigenous, n = 240; imported, n=153) were collected from one-humped camels (Camelus dromedarius) and were tested by molecular methods to estimate the prevalence of T. evansi in three districts (Pishin, Nushki, and Lasbella) of Balochistan province. The overall prevalence of T. evansi among examined camel samples was 28.24% (95% confidence interval (CI): 24.02-32.89%). The risk of T. evansi infection in adult camels (> 10 years) is higher than that in young ones (odd-ration (OR) = 2.7; 95% CI: 1.3357-5.3164%). Moreover, male camels were six times more likely to get an infection than female camels. The detection of T. evansi infection in camels sampled in summer and spring was 3.12- and 5.10-fold higher, respectively, than in camels sampled in winter. In conclusion, our findings showed a high rate of T. evansi infection in camels from the three districts. Our study emphasizes the need for a strict surveillance program and risk assessment studies as prerequisites for control measures.

A comparative surface evaluation of orthodontic mini-implants before and after en masse retraction-A SEM study.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the changes in surface morphology of two different types of mini-implants after clinical en masse retraction using scanning electron microscopy. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Fifty mini-implants of Dentos (Korea, Absoanchor, BH-1817-08) and Orlus (Korea, Yesanchor, C-1817) were inserted in patients in a split-mouth design who required en masse anterior retraction and absolute anchorage. Surface characteristics of mini-implants such as pitch (distance between consecutive threads), flank width (distance between root and crest), and taper were studied using scanning electron microscope (FEI nanosem450) before and after clinical use. RESULTS: Statistically significant difference (p value = 0.003) was found in a mean reduction of pitch dimension among the two groups with a mean difference of 25.000 µm. Also, a statistically significant difference was noted (p value = 0.001) in a mean reduction of flank width among Dentos implants as compared to Orlus implants. A statistically significant difference (p = 0.001) was seen in the mean reduction of taper dimension among Dentos group (0.0140 ± 0.02271) as compared to the Orlus group (0.0810 ± 0.05152). CONCLUSION: A marked reduction in surface morphology such as the pitch, flank width, and taper of both mini-implants after retrieval was observed. Dentos group of mini-implants displayed better dimensional stability post-retrieval as compared to the Orlus group of mini-implants. All the mini-screws showed milling defects in form of scratches on observation under scanning electron microscopy despite a smooth appearance to the naked eye.

Community well-being dimensions in Gunung Mulu National Park, Sarawak, Malaysian Borneo.

The local communities living around national parks or areas like World Heritage Site (WHS) are crucial stakeholders to such settings. Their well-being needs to be unraveled so that the holistic management of the national park is in good condition to stabilize its status as WHS through the support and empowerment of the community. Numerous studies have been conducted on the biodiversity and geology of Gunung Mulu National Park (GMNP), but the community psychology aspect that is the foundation of conservation efforts has not been addressed. Therefore, this study aims to examine the community well-being dimensions in terms of environment, economics, social aspects as well as authority intervention based on the perspective of the local community and professionals with an emphasis on the current issues in GMNP. Quantitative and qualitative approaches were used in this study through a questionnaire to 99 local communities, and individual interviews that were conducted in GMNP and four nearby villages. Data were analyzed descriptively with four themes: environment; economics; social; and authority intervention. The findings showed that locals were satisfied in residing area in terms of environmental conditions. However, it does not reflect the actual situation, i.e., river water cloudiness, wildlife threat, degradation of wetlands, and solid waste issues are still happening. The constraints of the COVID-19 pandemic portrayed that they were very dissatisfied with their monthly income, which is very low compared to before. In terms of social, the services and facilities, especially treated water and electricity need improvement. It also noted that authority intervention especially related to road proposal, financial and skills assistance, and community conflicts could influence locals' support for the planning and policies implemented in the national parks or WHS areas. This study suggests that relevant stakeholders should emphasize bottom-up approaches by considering aspects of community well-being that stem from multiple dimensions in order to achieve holistic national park management.

Community-Acquired Skin and Soft Tissue Infections: Epidemiology and Management in Patients Presenting to the Emergency Department of a Tertiary Care Hospital.

BACKGROUND: Skin and soft tissue infections are one of the most common diseases presenting to the emergency department (ED). There is no study available on the management of Community-Acquired Skin and Soft Tissue Infections (CA-SSTIs) in our population recently. This study aims to describe the frequency and distribution of CA-SSTIs as well as their medical and surgical management among patients presenting to our ED. METHODS: We conducted a descriptive cross-sectional study on patients presenting with CA-SSTIs to the ED of a tertiary care hospital in Peshawar, Pakistan. The primary objective was to estimate the frequency of common CA-SSTIs presenting to the ED and to assess the management of these infections in terms of diagnostic workup and treatment modalities used. The secondary objectives were to study the association of different baseline variables, diagnostic modalities, treatment modalities, and improvement with the surgical procedure performance for these infections. Descriptive statistics were obtained for quantitative variables like age. Frequencies and percentages were derived for categorical variables. The chi-square test was used to compare different CA-SSTIs in terms of categorical variables like diagnostic and treatment modalities. We divided the data into two groups based on the surgical procedure. A chi-square analysis was conducted to compare these two groups in terms of categorical variables. RESULTS: Out of the 241 patients, 51.9% were males and the mean age was 34.2 years. The most common CA-SSTIs were abscesses, infected ulcers, and cellulitis. Antibiotics were prescribed to 84.2% of patients. Amoxicillin + Clavulanate was the most frequently prescribed antibiotic. Out of the total, 128 (53.11%) patients received some type of surgical intervention. Surgical procedures were significantly associated with diabetes mellitus, heart disease, limitation of mobility, or recent antibiotic use. There was a significantly higher rate of prescription of any antibiotic and anti-methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (anti-MRSA) agents in the surgical procedure group. This group also saw a higher rate of oral antibiotics prescription, hospitalization, wound culture, and complete blood count. CONCLUSION: This study shows a higher frequency of purulent infections in our ED. Antibiotics were prescribed more frequently for all infections. Surgical procedures like incision and drainage were much lower even in purulent infections. Furthermore, beta-lactam antibiotics like Amoxicillin-Clavulanate were commonly prescribed. Linezolid was the only systemic anti-MRSA agent prescribed. We suggest physicians should prescribe antibiotics appropriate to the local antibiograms and the latest guidelines.

Demographic, social and economic factors affecting the adoption of green toilets among rural households in India.

This study investigates the demographic, social and economic factors as key determinants of green toilet adoption among rural households in India. The Rural Impact Survey data of the World Bank have been used for this study, covering 2731 rural households from Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, and Uttar Pradesh. The chi-square test and regression analysis with marginal estimate have been used to analyze the data. Result of the analysis indicates that about 36.2 percent surveyed rural households have reported access to green toilets having proper effluent discharge systems as per the environmental norms. Further, there is a significant association between the adoption of green toilets and demographic, social and economic characteristics of rural households. Finally, the regression analysis indicates that a number of demographic, social and economic factors i.e., age, education, income, social category, access to information, access to drinking water, and asset ownership have a significant marginal effect on the adoption of green toilets in rural India. Considering the importance of ensuring total sanitation and commitment under the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations for eradicating open defecation for all by 2030 in the country, the results of the study provide useful policy directions for enhancing the adoption of green toilets among the rural households in India.

Risk assessment in livestock supply chain using the MCDM method: a case of emerging economy.

The purpose of the study is to identify and assess the risks related to the livestock supply chain. The major risk related to the livestock supply chain are identified through the comprehensive literature review and finalized with the help of the expert's feedback. Initially, seventeen major livestock supply chain risks are finalized, and these risks are categorized into four major dimensions. Further, analytical hierarchical process (AHP) is used to prioritize these identified major risks based on their severity. Finally, sensitivity analysis is conducted to check the robustness of the risk priorities. The result shows that "input supply risk" is the most significant risk dimension followed by "production risk," "post-harvest risk," and "marketing & price risk." The finding also suggests that "poor quality and under supply of feed and fodder," "lack of proper waste disposal," and "absence of certification for the quality of animals" are the major risks among all seventeen risks. The highest priority risks are input supply risks which require the attention of the livestock supply chain partners. The proposed research framework is used to identify and analyze the livestock supply chain risks. The findings of this research might be beneficial for the farmers and other livestock supply chain stakeholders in developing policies/plans/strategies to control the risk in their livestock supply chain.

Antidiabetic and pancreas-protective potential of Parthenium Hysterophorous (Carrot grass) in Alloxan induced diabetic rabbits.

Parthenium hysterophorus has been used to cure cancer, fever, malaria, diarrhea, dysentery, and neurologic disorders. This study evaluates the anti-diabetic effects of methanolic extract of P. hysterophorus (MEPH) in alloxan-induced diabetic rabbits. Twenty-five rabbits were divided into 5groups (N=5). Group-I served as a negative control. Groups II to V were injected with freshly prepared alloxan solution 150 mg/kg intraperitoneally to induce diabetes. Group II till V received following treatments orally: Group II: Alloxan 150 mg/kg alone; group III: Alloxan + MEPH (50 mg/kg); group IV: Alloxan + MEPH (100 mg/kg); group V: Alloxan +Glucophage (62.5 mg/kg), respectively for 10 days. The body weight of all animals was recorded on the 1st, 4th, 7th and 10th days. Short-term (1st, 3rd, 5th and 7th hour) and long-term (4th, 7th and 10th day) hypoglycemic effects were also recorded. All animals were sacrificed on the 10th day to isolate the pancreas for histopathological examination. The results showed that MPEH reduced the blood glucose levels in all the groups of alloxan-induced diabetic rabbits. The histopathological studies depicted that 100 mg/kg of MEPH most effectively repaired alloxan-induced pancreatic damage. The study showed that the MPEH is useful for developing effective phytomedicine to treat diabetes mellitus.

Nephrocurative Effect of Parthenium hysterophorus (Carrot Grass) in Paracetamol Induced Nephrotoxicity in Rabbits.

Parthenium hysterophorus is conventionally used to treat urinary tract infections, joint pain, and hyperglycaemia. This study evaluates the reno-curative effects of methanolic extract of P. hysterophorus (MEPH) in paracetamol-induced nephrotoxic rabbits. Thirty male rabbits were divided into V groups: Group I served as the negative control. Group-II to V were treated with 2 g/kg of paracetamol to induce nephrotoxicity. Group II served as paracetamol (PCM) intoxicated control. Group III till V were fed orally with the following treatments: III paracetamol (PCM) 40 mg/kg MEPH; IV PCM+80 mg/kg MEPH; V PCM+Cystone (5 ml/kg), respectively, for 14 days. The body weight of all animals was recorded on days 1, 7 and 14. All the animals were dissected on the 14th day and blood, urine and kidneys were collected. The results showed that P. hysterophorus had no effect on body weight but lowered urea and creatinine levels and brought urine parameters back to the normal range in experimental groups of PCM-induced nephrotoxic rabbits. The 80 mg/kg dose of MEPH reduced urea and creatinine levels and normalized urine parameters more effectively compared to low doses of MEPH and the standard drug, i.e., Cystone. Kidney histopathological studies exhibited that 80 mg/kg of MEPH repaired paracetamol-induced renal damage, whereas Cystone only provided reno protection as no repair in damaged tissue was investigated in histopathology of Cystone treated animals. The results suggested that P. hysterophorus exhibited significant reno-curative activity on paracetamol-induced nephrotoxic rabbits.

Thermal Analysis of Radiative Darcy-Forchheimer Nanofluid Flow Across an Inclined Stretching Surface.

Nanofluids have unique features that make them potentially valuable in a variety of medicinal, technical, and industrial sectors. The widespread applications of nanotechnology in modern science have prompted researchers to study nanofluid models from different perspectives. The objective of the current research is to study the flow of non-Newtonian nanofluid over an inclined stretching surface immersed in porous media by employing the Darcy-Forchheimer model. Both titanium oxide (TiO2) and aluminum oxide (Al2O3) are nanoparticles which can be found in blood (based fluid). The consequences of viscous dissipation, thermal radiations, and heat generation are also incorporated. Boundary layer approximations are employed to model the governing system of partial differential equations (PDEs). The governing PDEs with their associated boundary conditions are further altered to a dimensionless form by employing appropriate transformations. The results of the transformed model are collected using local non-similarity approach up to the second level of truncation in association with the built-in finite difference code in MATLAB (bvp4c). Additionally, the impacts of emerging factors on the fluid flow and thermal transport features of the considered flow problem are displayed and analyzed in graphical forms after achieving good agreement between accomplished computational results and published ones. Numerical variations in drag coefficient and Nusselt number are elaborated through the tables. It has been perceived that the enhancement in Casson fluid parameter diminishes the velocity profile. Moreover, it is noted that the porosity parameter and Lorentz's forces reinforce the resulting frictional factor at the inclined stretching surface.

Homodigital Pedicled Digital Artery Perforator flaps for fingertip reconstruction - a review of flap options.

Background: Digital artery perforator flaps provide a useful option for reconstruction of soft tissue defects of the digits, and many variations of these flaps have been described for fingertip defects. This review aims to summarize various pedicled digital artery perforator flap anatomical configurations described in literature for fingertip reconstruction and their results. Methods: A literature review of PubMed, Medline and Embase databases was conducted. Studies reporting homodigital digital artery perforator flaps for fingertip reconstruction without sacrificing the proper digital artery were included in the review. Data collected included flap design, perforator location, pathology, defect location, flap dimensions, flap survival, sensory recovery, range of movement, outcome measures, and complications. The flaps were analysed and categorized based on flap location, flap design, transfer method, and flap innervation. Results: Pedicled digital artery perforators have been described in various configurations by different authors including propeller, bilobed, V-Y advancement, rotation and turnover flaps. Variations to make these flaps sensate have also been described. According to the available reports, these flaps have low complications and high patient satisfaction rates. Conclusion: Pedicled digital artery perforator flaps provide a versatile option for the reconstruction of fingertip and thumb tip defects. Various flap options are available for use depending on the reconstructive need. They are quicker and easier to perform than free flaps and can provide excellent outcomes in suitable cases.

Elemental Composition of Above and Belowground Mangrove Tissue and Sediment in Managed and Unmanaged Compartments of the Matang Mangrove Forest Reserve.

Mangrove productivity depends on the storage of nutrients and elements. Elemental concentrations were examined in leaves, roots, and sediments for three age stands (15, 25 years, and VJR) of Rhizophora apiculata in the Matang Mangrove Forest Reserve (MMFR). Six compartments with two compartments each for each age group were used to analyze sixteen elements. Four types of elemental patterns were examined with decreasing order during analysis: (1) Cd < Cu < Pb < Zn < Mg < Mn < Fe < K < Na < Ca and P% < S% < N% < C% in leaves, (2) Cd < Pb < Cu < Zn < Mg < Mn < Fe < K < Na < Ca and P% < S% < N% < C% in roots, (3) Cd < Pb < Cu < Zn < Mg < Mn < K < Fe < Na < Ca and P% < N% < S% < C% in sediment samples and (4) Cd(S) < Pb(S) < Cu(S) < Zn(S) < Mg(S) < Mn(L) < K(L) < Fe(S) < Na(R) < Ca(R) and P%(S) < S%(S) < N%(L) < C%(R) collectively for all samples. Evidence that elements do not store primarily in above-ground biomass can be found in the observation that elements are stored more in sediment and roots. The outcome of the present study shows that the rate of increase of elements in trees (leaves and roots) was less as compared to sediments, where the elemental concentration increased considerably with time. Elemental concentration comparison within three age classes showed that C, N, and S were significantly different in all three types of samples. The δ15N ratios showed positive values in all six compartments which supported the concept that the δ15N ratio could not be observed in N concentration in this study. The δ13C values showed more negative values in all six compartments which represented less salinity and a freshwater intake. The S, P, and heavy metals concentrations were high. The concentrations of Cd, P, N, C, and S in the sediment influenced variations in four compartments in accordance with the three mangrove age groups. The results of this study can be utilized to create management plans for MMFR and conduct risk assessments of the elements' concentration in sediment.

Identification, kinetics and thermodynamic analysis of novel ß-galactosidase from Convolvulus arvensis seeds: An efficient agent for delactosed milk activity.

The ß-galactosidase was extracted and purified from 100 g of C. arvensis seeds using a variety of protein purification procedures such as ammonium sulphate fractionation, gel filtration, and finally chromatography on a cationic ion exchanger. The effects of metal ions, kinetics parameters, and glycoprotein nature were determined, as well as the optimal pH and temperature of the purified enzyme. With a high specific activity (72 units/mg), ß-galactosidase was isolated to a 24-fold apparent electrophoretic homogeneity. The molecular mass of ß-galactosidase was determined as monomeric, which was further confirmed by SDS-PAGE and MALDI-TOF/MS analysis, with a 45 kDa molecular weight. The enzyme has a Km of 0.33 mM and a Vmax of 42 µmol/min Lactose in milk was reduced by 38.5 and 70 % after 4 h of incubation with ß-galactosidase from C. arvensis. The ß-galactosidase thermal inactivation kinetic parameters ΔH°, ΔS°, and ΔG° were calculated, indicating that the enzyme undergoes significant unfolding events during denaturation. Using ß-galactosidase from C. arvensis seeds, lactose hydrolysis in milk up to approx. 50 % was observed. The findings indicate the potential use of C. arvensis seeds for the production of low/delactosed milk for lactose-intolerant population.

An Efficient Deep Learning-Based Skin Cancer Classifier for an Imbalanced Dataset.

Efficient skin cancer detection using images is a challenging task in the healthcare domain. In today's medical practices, skin cancer detection is a time-consuming procedure that may lead to a patient's death in later stages. The diagnosis of skin cancer at an earlier stage is crucial for the success rate of complete cure. The efficient detection of skin cancer is a challenging task. Therefore, the numbers of skilful dermatologists around the globe are not enough to deal with today's healthcare. The huge difference between data from various healthcare sector classes leads to data imbalance problems. Due to data imbalance issues, deep learning models are often trained on one class more than others. This study proposes a novel deep learning-based skin cancer detector using an imbalanced dataset. Data augmentation was used to balance various skin cancer classes to overcome the data imbalance. The Skin Cancer MNIST: HAM10000 dataset was employed, which consists of seven classes of skin lesions. Deep learning models are widely used in disease diagnosis through images. Deep learning-based models (AlexNet, InceptionV3, and RegNetY-320) were employed to classify skin cancer. The proposed framework was also tuned with various combinations of hyperparameters. The results show that RegNetY-320 outperformed InceptionV3 and AlexNet in terms of the accuracy, F1-score, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve both on the imbalanced and balanced datasets. The performance of the proposed framework was better than that of conventional methods. The accuracy, F1-score, and ROC curve value obtained with the proposed framework were 91%, 88.1%, and 0.95, which were significantly better than those of the state-of-the-art method, which achieved 85%, 69.3%, and 0.90, respectively. Our proposed framework may assist in disease identification, which could save lives, reduce unnecessary biopsies, and reduce costs for patients, dermatologists, and healthcare professionals.

Health awareness of rural households towards COVID-19 pandemic in India: Evidence from Rural Impact Survey of the World Bank.

This paper aims at analysing the level of awareness of the symptoms and the methods of protection from COVID-19 based on the Rural Impact Survey of the World Bank, collected from 5200 households belonging to six states in India that is, Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh. Data has been analysed using chi-square test and regression analysis. Results of the analysis indicate that about 70.8% rural households are aware of the symptom of coronavirus, and 81.9% are aware of the preventive measures for controlling the spread of COVID-19. Analysis indicates a significant association between awareness level on symptoms and prevention of COVID-19 and socio-demographics and location. The study further analyses the key determinants of awareness of COVID-19 symptoms and preventive measures using the logistics regression model, indicating that age, gender, education, income, poverty status, access to information, cash relief and medical services are the determining factors of health awareness on COVID-19 pandemic among rural households in India. Considering the importance of self-protecting measures in fighting the pandemic, this paper highlights the importance of strengthening public awareness for containing the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Enhanced Anomaly Detection System for IoT Based on Improved Dynamic SBPSO.

The Internet of Things (IoT) supports human endeavors by creating smart environments. Although the IoT has enabled many human comforts and enhanced business opportunities, it has also opened the door to intruders or attackers who can exploit the technology, either through attacks or by eluding it. Hence, security and privacy are the key concerns for IoT networks. To date, numerous intrusion detection systems (IDS) have been designed for IoT networks, using various optimization techniques. However, with the increase in data dimensionality, the search space has expanded dramatically, thereby posing significant challenges to optimization methods, including particle swarm optimization (PSO). In light of these challenges, this paper proposes a method called improved dynamic sticky binary particle swarm optimization (IDSBPSO) for feature selection, introducing a dynamic search space reduction strategy and a number of dynamic parameters to enhance the searchability of sticky binary particle swarm optimization (SBPSO). Through this approach, an IDS was designed to detect malicious data traffic in IoT networks. The proposed model was evaluated using two IoT network datasets: IoTID20 and UNSW-NB15. It was observed that in most cases, IDSBPSO obtained either higher or similar accuracy even with less number of features. Moreover, IDSBPSO substantially reduced computational cost and prediction time, compared with conventional PSO-based feature selection methods.

Exploring the Phytochemicals and Anti-Cancer Potential of the Members of Fabaceae Family: A Comprehensive Review.

Cancer is the second-ranked disease and a cause of death for millions of people around the world despite many kinds of available treatments. Phytochemicals are considered a vital source of cancer-inhibiting drugs and utilize specific mechanisms including carcinogen inactivation, the induction of cell cycle arrest, anti-oxidant stress, apoptosis, and regulation of the immune system. Family Fabaceae is the second most diverse family in the plant kingdom, and species of the family are widely distributed across the world. The species of the Fabaceae family are rich in phytochemicals (flavonoids, lectins, saponins, alkaloids, carotenoids, and phenolic acids), which exhibit a variety of health benefits, especially anti-cancer properties; therefore, exploration of the phytochemicals present in various members of this family is crucial. These phytochemicals of the Fabaceae family have not been explored in a better way yet; therefore, this review is an effort to summarize all the possible information related to the phytochemical status of the Fabaceae family and their anti-cancer properties. Moreover, various research gaps have been identified with directions for future research.