3D printed lightweight honeycomb vent structures with subsequent coating of silver nanowires for efficient electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding.

In light of the rapid advancements within the electronic industry, the urgent need for the development and implementation of advanced electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding materials has become paramount. Herein a novel approach is presented for developing of lightweight honeycomb structures using 3D printing technology, combined with subsequent conductive spray coating, containing Silver Nanowires (AgNWs), to achieve effective EMI shielding as well as air vent functionality for thermal cooling. Using polyol method, AgNWs were synthesized having high aspect ratio and crystallinity for to be used as conductive coating on 3D printed structures. The EMI shielding results in X-band demonstrated that the developed structures exhibit promising EMI shielding properties, up to 35 dB attenuation with 2 mm honeycomb cell size, making them suitable for applications requiring EMI protection along with air venting. More importantly in all samples major contribution of the shielding efficiency comes from the absorption of the EM waves (up to 75 %) inside the structures which is helpful to reduce reflected EM noise. Effort was to effectively addresses the inherent limitations of conventional processing technology, by using additive manufacturing and material science to create structures for EMI shielding applications, bridging the gap between existing materials and desired components.

Effect of carbon allotropes and thickness variation on the EMI shielding properties of PANI/NFO@CNTs and PANI/NFO@RGO ternary composite systems.

The innovative design of thin, multiphase flexible composite systems with good mechanical properties, low density and improved EMI shielding properties at low filler content has become a key area of research. In this work, we report the low temperature synthesis of three-dimensional ternary composites (PANI/NFO@CNTs and PANI/NFO@RGO) by oxidative chemical polymerization of aniline in the presence of two different binary composites, viz. NFO@CNTs and NFO@RGO. Enhanced impedance matching is achieved by varying the ratio of the carbon allotropes (CNTs and RGO) to the ferrite component. The synthesis of NFO, PANI/NFO@CNTs and PANI/NFO@RGO is validated by XRD and FTIR spectroscopy. Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) confirmed the synthesis of core-shell structures of PANI/NFO@CNTs and PANI/NFO@RGO, where the binary composites (NFO@CNTs and NFO@RGO) serve as a core onto which a tubular PANI layer was coated. Shielding effectiveness of 22.36 dB (99.41% attenuation) is exhibited by the ternary composite PANI/NFO@CNTs (8 : 1), while for PANI/NFO@RGO (20 : 1) a total shielding effectiveness of 31 dB equivalent to 99.92% attenuation was observed at a thickness of 2 mm. The ternary composite PANI/NFO@RGO (20 : 1) 4 mm showed a maximum SET of 43 dB corresponding to 99.996% attenuation of incident EM waves. The enhanced EMI shielding properties of the synthesized ternary composite systems are accredited to good impedance matching, effective dielectric and magnetic loss mechanisms and good conductivity, which facilitate multiple reflections and scattering of incident radiation.

Partitioned dual Maclaurin symmetric mean operators based on picture fuzzy sets and their applications in multi-attribute decision-making problems.

The partitioned Dual Maclaurin symmetric mean (PDMSM) operator has the supremacy that can justify the interrelationship of distinct characteristics and there are a lot of exploration consequences for it. However, it has not been employed to manage "multi-attribute decision-making" (MADM) problems represented by picture fuzzy numbers. The basic inspiration of this identification is to develop the novel theory of picture fuzzy PDMSM operator, and weighted picture fuzzy PDMSM operator and to identify their important results (Idempotency, Monotonicity, and Boundedness). Further, to identify the best decision, every expert realized that they needed the best way to find the beneficial optimal using the proper decision-making procedure, for this, we diagnosed the MADM tool in the consideration of deliberated approaches based on PF information. Finally, to drive the characteristics of the invented work, several examples are utilized to test the manifest of the comparative analysis with various more existing theories, which is a fascinating and meaningful technique to deeply explain the features and exhibited of the proposed approaches.

Epigenetics regulation during virus-host interaction and their effects on the virus and host cell.

Epigenetics, a field of study focused on cellular gene regulation independent of DNA sequence alterations, encompasses DNA methylation, histone modification and microRNA modification. Epigenetics processes play a pivotal role in governing the life cycles of viruses, enabling their transmission, persistence, and maintenance with in host organisms. This review examines the epigenetics regulation of diverse virus including orthomoxyviruses, coronavirus, retroviridae, mononegavirales, and poxviruses among others. The investigation encompasses ten representative viruses from these families. Detailed exploration of the epigenetic mechanisms underlying each virus type, involving miRNA modification, histone modification and DNA methylation, sheds light on the intricate and multifaceted epigenetic interplay between viruses and their hosts. Furthermore, this review investigates the influence of these epigenetic processes on infection cycles, emphasizing the utilization of epigenetics by viruses such as Epstein-Barr virus and Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) to regulate gene expression during chronic or latent infections, control latency, and transition to lytic infection. Finally, the paper explores the novel treatments possibilities stemming from this epigenetic understanding.

A Hybrid Multimodal Emotion Recognition Framework for UX Evaluation Using Generalized Mixture Functions.

Multimodal emotion recognition has gained much traction in the field of affective computing, human-computer interaction (HCI), artificial intelligence (AI), and user experience (UX). There is growing demand to automate analysis of user emotion towards HCI, AI, and UX evaluation applications for providing affective services. Emotions are increasingly being used, obtained through the videos, audio, text or physiological signals. This has led to process emotions from multiple modalities, usually combined through ensemble-based systems with static weights. Due to numerous limitations like missing modality data, inter-class variations, and intra-class similarities, an effective weighting scheme is thus required to improve the aforementioned discrimination between modalities. This article takes into account the importance of difference between multiple modalities and assigns dynamic weights to them by adapting a more efficient combination process with the application of generalized mixture (GM) functions. Therefore, we present a hybrid multimodal emotion recognition (H-MMER) framework using multi-view learning approach for unimodal emotion recognition and introducing multimodal feature fusion level, and decision level fusion using GM functions. In an experimental study, we evaluated the ability of our proposed framework to model a set of four different emotional states (Happiness, Neutral, Sadness, and Anger) and found that most of them can be modeled well with significantly high accuracy using GM functions. The experiment shows that the proposed framework can model emotional states with an average accuracy of 98.19% and indicates significant gain in terms of performance in contrast to traditional approaches. The overall evaluation results indicate that we can identify emotional states with high accuracy and increase the robustness of an emotion classification system required for UX measurement.

Association Of C-Reactive Protein With Hyperlipidemia In Patients With Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

BACKGROUND: It has been unknown whether there exist any relations of C-Reactive Protein (CRP) level with hyperlipidaemia in polycystic ovarian syndromes patients. To determine Association of CRP with Hyperlipidaemia in patients with polycystic ovarian syndrome. METHODS: This was a cross sectional descriptive study conducted among 50 each polycystic ovarian syndrome and normal women. After taking a written consent from participants predesigned questionnaire was filled including information regarding demography and medical history. A 3 to 5 ml blood was taken from patients and controls and transferred to laboratory for determination of CRP level and lipid profile. The test results were collected, compiled, entered and analyzed using SPSS Version 20 for determination of any kind of association of CRP with Hyperlipidaemia in patients with polycystic ovarian syndrome. RESULTS: The mean age of study participants was 29.72±4.00 for cases and 29.04±3.99 for control. The cases and control were with the same age range, however there was a significant difference p=0.00 in BMI of the cases and control. There was no significant association observed between CRP and lipid profile parameters among polycystic ovarian syndrome patients. CONCLUSIONS: There exist no association between increasing CRP level and hyperlipidaemia in polycystic ovarian syndrome patients however CRP and lipid profile parameters showed high values among these patients.

The Impact of Seeding Density and Nitrogen Rates on Forage Yield and Quality of Avena sativa L.

Green forage is an excellent feed source for livestock. It is an integral part of livestock production to accomplish the demands for butter, milk, and other derivatives for human utilization. Livestock contributes 11.39% towards the gross domestic product of Pakistan and 58.33% in agricultural farming. Livestock face shortage or insufficient supply of green fodder during the winter season, which ultimately reduces milk yield. Oat (Avena sativa L.) is a major forage crop in the winter season; however, several biotic and abiotic factors negatively affect its yields. Low soil fertility, particularly nitrogen deficiency, is regarded as one of the few reasons responsible for the low forage yield of oat. Low organic matter content in the soil, suboptimal agronomic practices, and harsh climatic conditions are the other major reasons for low oat yield. Seed rate and different nitrogen rates significantly alter green forage yield and quality of oat. This study assessed the impact of different seeding densities and nitrogen (N) doses on the forage yield of oat. Three seeding densities (70, 80, and 90 kg ha-1) and five N doses (0, 40, 80, 120, and 160 kg ha-1) were included in the study. The interactive effect of seeding density and N doses significantly altered green forage yield and quality attributes of oat. The highest green forage yield (54.67 t ha-1) was noted for the interaction among 90 kg seed rate ha-1 and 160 kg N ha-1. Similarly, the highest germination count (140 m-2), number of tillers (5.97 m-2), plant height (122.97 cm), number of leaves per plant (24.50 m-2), leaf area per tiller (123.18 cm2), fresh weight (5.47 kg m-2), dry weight (1692 g m-2), dry matter yield (20.90 t ha-1), crude protein (10.54%), crude fiber (31.62%), and total ash (9.39%) were recorded for the interactive effect of 90 kg seed rate ha-1 and 160 kg N ha-1. Economic analysis revealed that interaction between 90 kg seed rate ha-1 with 120 and 160 kg N ha-1 was superior to others with higher benefit: cost ratio and net economic returns. It is recommended that the oat seed rate of forage oat crop must be kept at 90 kg ha-1 and it should be supplied 120 kg N ha-1 for higher yield, better quality, and more economic returns.

Prebiotic potential of enzymatically prepared resistant starch in reshaping gut microbiota and their respond to body physiology.

The increase in consumer demand for high-quality food products has led to growth in the use of new technologies and ingredients. Resistant starch (RS) is a recently recognised source of fibre and has received much attention for its potential health benefits and functional properties. However, knowledge about the fate of RS in modulating complex intestinal communities, the microbial members involved in its degradation, enhancement of microbial metabolites, and its functional role in body physiology is still limited. For this purpose, the current study was designed to ratify the physiological and functional health benefits of enzymatically prepared resistant starch (EM-RSIII) from maize flour. To approve the beneficial health effects as prebiotic, EM-RSIII was supplemented in rat diets. After 21 days of the experiment, EM-RSIII fed rats showed a significant reduction in body weight gain, fecal pH, glycemic response, serum lipid profile, insulin level and reshaping gut microbiota, and enhancing short-chain fatty acid compared to control. The count of butyrate-producing and starch utilizing bacteria, such as Lactobacillus, Enterococcus, and Pediococcus genus in rat's gut, elevated after the consumption of medium and high doses of EM-RSIII, while the E. coli completely suppressed in high EM-RSIII fed rats. Short-chain fatty acids precisely increased in feces of EM-RSIII feed rats. Correlation analysis demonstrated that the effect of butyrate on functional and physiological alteration on the body had been investigated during the current study. Conclusively, the present study demonstrated the unprecedented effect of utilising EM-RSIII as a diet on body physiology and redesigning gut microorganisms.

A Retrospective Observational Study: Is Absolute Lymphocyte Count a Prognostic Marker in COVID-19?

Aim Our study aimed to find a correlation between low absolute lymphocyte count and COVID-19-related mortality. Methods This study followed a retrospective observational cohort design to analyze the data of patients who presented with symptoms and signs of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), at the Conquest Hospital and Eastbourne District General Hospital in East Sussex, United Kingdom, between February 10, 2020 and May 1, 2020, retrospectively. Survival and mortality for the first 30 days and comorbidities were analyzed for all patients who were tested for COVID-19 irrespective of swab results and had blood lymphocyte levels taken at the time of their visit to the ED and their data were analyzed for statistical significance. Results A total of 1226 patients had SARS-CoV-2 RNA identification swabs taken between February 10, 2020 and May 1, 2020. A cohort of 742 patients of these patients tested for COVID-19 also had blood lymphocyte levels measured. Overall, the lymphocyte count did not differ significantly between patients suspected to have COVID-19 infection with either positive or negative COVID-19 swab results. The lymphocyte count, however, was significantly lower in those who died from COVID-19 (p < 0.001) but when comorbidities were analyzed, we found an association between an increased number of comorbidities and a significantly decreased lymphocyte count. Conclusion Once adjusted for comorbidities, the lymphocyte count had no association with COVID-19 infection and mortality.

Is COVID-19 Fatality Rate Associated with Malaria Endemicity?

COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) is a disease caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2). COVID-19 has yielded many reported complications and unusual observations. In this article, we have reviewed one such observation: an association between malaria endemicity and reduced reported COVID-19 fatality. Malaria-endemic regions have a significantly lower reported COVID-19 fatality rate as compared to regions where malaria is non-endemic. Statistical analyses show that there is a strong negative correlation between the reported SARS-CoV-2 fatality and endemicity of malaria. In this review, we have discussed the potential role of CD-147, and potential malaria-induced immunity and polymorphisms in COVID-19 patients. Noteworthy, the results may also be due to underreported cases or due to the economic, political, and environmental differences between the malaria endemic and non-endemic countries. The study of this potential relationship might be of great help in COVID-19 therapy and prevention.

Realistic dielectric response of high temperature sintered ZnO ceramic: a microscopic and spectroscopic approach.

High temperature sintering (1200-1400 °C) has been performed on ZnO ceramics. An X-ray Absorption Fine Structure (XAFS) study shows that high sintering temperature introduces a constant amount of VO and VZn defects without any significant effect on the crystal or electronic structure of Wurtzite ZnO. The combined effects of grain boundaries and voids are considered responsible for the apparent colossal dielectric constant (ε') > 104 at low frequency (∼102 Hz) for all the sintered ZnO ceramics. The superior contact among grains of the ZnO-1200 sample enhances both the interfacial and orientational polarization of the Zn2+-VO dipoles, which results in the increase of low and high frequency dielectric constants (ε') and the corresponding dielectric loss (tan δ) also increases. On the other hand, high temperature sintering of ZnO at 1300 °C and 1400 °C introduces voids at the expense of reduced grain and grain boundary contact areas, thus affecting both the interfacial and orientational polarization with corresponding reduction of dielectric constant (ε') and dielectric loss. Orientational polarizations due to Zn2+-VO dipoles are suggested to remain fixed and it is the microstructure which controls the dielectric properties of high temperature sintered ZnO ceramics.

Associations of potentially toxic elements (PTEs) in drinking water and human biomarkers: a case study from five districts of Pakistan.

Potentially toxic elements (PTEs) are hazardous contaminants with great global environmental/ecological concerns due to their toxic, persistence, and bio-accumulative nature. This study investigates the concentrations of PTEs (Cd, Co, Cu, Fe, Ni, Mn, Pb, and Zn) in drinking water sources and consumers' biomarkers such as hair, nails, urine, and blood. For this purpose, drinking water (n = 190) and consumer biomarker (n = 60) samples were collected from five districts of the Southern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. Samples were extracted and analyzed for selected PTEs concentrations using an inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer (ICP-MS, PerkinElmer Optima 7000 DV, USA). The concentrations of PTEs were observed within the drinking water guidelines set by the World Health Organization (WHO), except for Fe, Mn, and Pb. The determined concentrations of PTEs were used to evaluate the health risk through exposure, particularly hazard quotient (HQ) and hazard index (HI). The PTEs contamination of drinking water has led to the highest mean ADI values (39.0 and 91.8 µg/kg/day) and HQ values (0.306 and 0.130) for Zn in adults and children, respectively. The mean values of HQ and HI for selected PTEs were observed within the safe health limits (< 1). Among studied biomarkers, hair showed the highest concentrations for Mn, Zn, Cd, and Pb, plasma for Co and Cu, nails for Ni, and red blood cells (RBCs) for Fe only. This study concluded that chronic exposure of PTEs through drinking water consumption has led to their bioaccumulation in human biomarkers.