The Healthcare Cost Burden of Asthma in Children: A Longitudinal Population-Based Study.

Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the extent of healthcare cost increase at population level due to childhood asthma. We aimed to investigate the cross-sectional relationship between asthma and healthcare costs among children aged 2 to 18 years and, in longitudinal analyses, whether costs increase with an increase in the duration of asthma prevalence.

Methods: Study participants are 4175 and 4482 children of birth and kindergarten cohorts from the nationally representative Longitudinal Study of Australian Children for whom the linked Medicare cost data are available.

Factors affecting well-being in brain tumor patients: An LMIC perspective.

Introduction: Brain tumor is a devastating and often fatal diagnosis; quality of life and patient well-being are important goals of treatment. This study addresses the gap in culture-specific literature exploring the needs and coping strategies of brain tumor patients within an LMIC setting.

Methodology: A qualitative approach was undertaken using an exploratory descriptive study design.

Acute myocardial infarction after a negative Dobutamine stress echocardiogram in a patient with end-stage liver disease.

Dobutamine stress echocardiogram (DSE) is generally a safe and reliable test for detection of myocardial ischaemia. We report the case of a 43-year-old male with end-stage liver disease (ESLD), who underwent DSE as part of workup for liver transplantation. Although the patient had an uneventful negative DSE, within 45 minutes he developed inferior ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI).

Sensor technologies for the detection and monitoring of endocrine-disrupting chemicals.

Endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) are a class of man-made substances with potential to disrupt the standard function of the endocrine system. These EDCs include phthalates, perchlorates, phenols, some heavy metals, furans, dimethoate, aromatic hydrocarbons, some pesticides, and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). EDCs are widespread in the environment given their frequent use in daily life.

Mathematical modelling and analysis of COVID-19 and tuberculosis transmission dynamics.

In this paper, a mathematical model for assessing the impact of COVID-19 on tuberculosis disease is proposed and analysed. There are pieces of evidence that patients with Tuberculosis (TB) have more chances of developing the SARS-CoV-2 infection. The mathematical model is qualitatively and quantitatively analysed by using the theory of stability analysis.

Numerical Simulation and Experimental Study of Methyl Ammonium Bismuth Iodide Absorber Layer Based Lead Free Perovskite Solar Cells.

In the past few years, there has been a significant increase in the development and production of perovskite or perovskite-like materials that do not contain lead (Pb) for the purpose of constructing solar cells. The development and testing of lead-free perovskite-like structures for solar cells is crucial. In this study, we used the solar cell capacitance software (SCAPS) to simulate perovskite solar cells based on methyl ammonium bismuth iodide (MA Bi I ).

Epstein-Barr Virus-Associated Lymphoepithelial Carcinoma Arising in a Salivary Sebaceous Lymphadenoma.

Background: Lymphadenomas are rare benign tumors of the major salivary glands that are further classified as sebaceous and non-sebaceous. No association with viruses has been reported so far. Little is known about the mechanisms that allow lymphadenomas to undergo malignant transformation.

Cobalt availability in the soil plant and animal food chain: a study under a peri-urban environment.

Cobalt metal is considered as an essential trace element for the animals. Present investigation was undertaken in the peri-urban area to analyze the cobalt availability in animal food chain by using different indices. Cow, buffalo and sheep samples along with forage and soil samples were collected from the three different sites of District Jhang and analyzed through atomic absorption spectrophotometer.

Unusual Acute, Massive Lower Gastrointestinal Bleeding Secondary to a Proximal Jejunal Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumor: A Case Report.

The most common primary non-epithelial neoplasms of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract are gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs). Ten percent (10%) of GISTs arise from the jejunum. Usually, patients complain of abdominal discomfort, but they may present with complications such as intestinal obstruction or bleeding.

Mechanochemical Synthesis of Lead-Free Perovskite-Like MA Bi I for Photo-Catalytic Hydrogen Production.

In this study, a highly air stable and eco-friendly methyl ammonium bismuth iodide (MA Bi I ) perovskite-like material has been prepared. After physiochemical characterizations, the synthesized MA Bi I was utilized as photo-catalyst towards hydrogen production. It is important to design and synthesize lead (Pb)-free perovskite-like material (MA Bi I ) for photo-catalytic hydrogen-production applications.

Improved photovoltaic performance of Pb-free AgBiI based photovoltaics.

Hybrid perovskites based on bismuth are good candidates for developing lead-free and air-stable photovoltaics, but they have historically been constrained by poor surface morphologies and large band-gap energies. Monovalent silver cations are incorporated into iodobismuthates as part of a novel materials processing method to fabricate improved bismuth-based thin-film photovoltaic absorbers. However, a number of fundamental characteristics prevented them from achieving better efficiency.

Introducing sorghum DREB2 gene in maize (Zea mays L.) to improve drought and salinity tolerance.

Salinity and drought are significant abiotic stresses causing a considerable loss of seed and biomass yield in most commercial crops. Some of the most critical players in the abscisic acid pathway are drought responsive element binding (DREB) proteins that are a part of AP2/ethylene response factor transcription factors that bind to promoters of some family genes needed to be expressed under abiotic stresses. In this study, salt- and drought-tolerant maize plants were produced from immature maize embryos bombarded by the sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L.

Green synthesis and characterization of silver nanoparticles through the ethanolic extract and their enzyme inhibitory activities.

The area of "Green Synthesis of Nano-medicine," as compared to its synthetic counterparts, is a relatively safer research technology for various biomedical applications, including identification, therapeutic application, and prevention of pathological conditions, pain control, safety, and development of human wellness. The present study explored the synthesis and characterization of AgNPs using the ethanolic extract of fruit as a reducing and stabilizing agent and its potential as an enzyme inhibitory agent. Urease inhibitors are helpful against many severe diseases, including gastric ulcers induced by Helicobacter pylori.

Biostimulant Activity of Silicate Compounds and Antagonistic Bacteria on Physiological Growth Enhancement and Resistance of Banana to Wilt Disease.

Biostimulants such as silicate (SiO) compounds and antagonistic bacteria can alter soil microbial communities and enhance plant resistance to the pathogens and sp. (FOC), the causal agent of wilt disease in bananas. A study was conducted to investigate the biostimulating effects of SiO compounds and antagonistic bacteria on plant growth and resistance of the banana to wilt disease.

Greenhouse gas emissions and corporate social responsibility in USA: A comprehensive study using dynamic panel model.

This study addresses the issues of Greenhouse Gas Emission and corporate social responsibility of firms in USA. This paper estimates various econometrics estimations varying from multivariate regression, static panel modes and dynamic panel models. Finally, to control the endogeneity problem dynamic panel model is preferred to capture the relationship of greenhouse gas emissions and corporate social responsibility.

Intestinal Epithelial Digestive, Transport, and Barrier Protein Expression Is Increased in Environmental Enteric Dysfunction.

Environmental enteric dysfunction (EED) is characterized by malabsorption and diarrhea that result in irreversible deficits in physical and intellectual growth. We sought to define the expression of transport and tight junction proteins by quantitative analysis of duodenal biopsies from patients with EED. Biopsies from Pakistani children with confirmed EED diagnoses were compared to those from age-matched North American healthy controls, patients with celiac disease, and patients with nonceliac disease with villous atrophy or intraepithelial lymphocytosis.

Ganglion Impar Block For Chronic Coccydynia.

Background: Coccydynia is also known as coccygodynia or coccygeal neuralgia. Coccyx is a triangular bone located within the vertebral column. The cause of coccydynia is unknown in the literature; however, it is found to be common among obese individuals, particularly females.

Diagnostic Accuracy Of Contrast Enhanced Ct For Detection Of Renal Cell Carcinoma Taking Histopathology As Gold Standard.

Background: Renal cell carcinoma being the commonest primary renal malignancy of adulthood accounts for approximately 80-90% renal malignant lesions. The purpose of radiological imaging modalities when devising the treatment options for renal masses is crucial as it significantly influence the clinical outcome and prognosis of the disease. Subjective impression by a radiologist for diagnosing a mass lesion is known to be critical and its precision is improved by contrast enhanced CT as demonstrated by certain retrospective analyses.

Public health supply chain for iron and folic acid supplementation in India: Status, bottlenecks and an agenda for corrective action under Anemia Mukt Bharat strategy.

Purpose: The IFA supplementation program under the Anemia Mukt Bharat (AMB) program is one of the most ambitious nutrient supplementation programs in India. The delivery of services often suffers due to frequent stock outs and shortages. It is critical to understand the bottleneck in the supply chain adversely affecting the performance and coverage of the program.

Analysis of the relationship among land surface temperature (LST), land use land cover (LULC), and normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) with topographic elements in the lower Himalayan region.

Land Surface Temperature (LST) affects exchange of energy between earth surface and atmosphere which is important for studying environmental changes. However, research on the relationship between LST, Land Use Land Cover (LULC), and Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) with topographic elements in the lower Himalayan region has not been done. Therefore, the present study explored the relationship between LST and NDVI, and LULC types with topographic elements in the lower Himalayan region of Pakistan.

Edible wild plant species used by different linguistic groups of Kohistan Upper Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), Pakistan.

Background: The mountainous territory of Kohistan shelters diverse food plant species and is considered one of the important hotspots of local plant knowledge. In the era of globalization and food commodification, wild food plants (WFPs) play an important role in supporting local food systems and related local knowledge is one of the important pillars of food sustainability across the region. Since the area is populated by different cultural groups and each culture has retained particular knowledge on the local plant species, therefore, to make a cross-culturally comparison, the study was planned to record and compare the local plants knowledge among three linguistic groups viz Gujjar, Kohistani and Shina in order to not only protect the local knowledge but to determine the food cultural adaptations among these groups looking through the lens of their food ethnobotanies.

Histo-anatomical mutilations of developing chick brain induced by in-ovo fluoride and bifenthrin exposure.

Comparative developing brain histo-anatomical pathologies of Fluoride ions and Bifenthrin in-ovo exposures were explored in the golden black variety of domestic chick. Three exposure groups were -the Vehicle control group (Vg); Fluoride (F) group and the Bifenthrin (Bn) group each with forty fertilized eggs and received their respective group treatment at zero day of incubation. Embryos were extracted, dissected from head region and the embryonic whole brains were recovered after 14 days of incubation.

Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement in Special Populations.

Since its food and drug administration (FDA) approval in 2011, transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) has revolutionized the highly prevalent disease of aortic stenosis. In this review, we present a comprehensive overview of the data and considerations for utilization of TAVR in special populations who were either excluded from or not adequately represented in the seminal TAVR trials, due to high-risk valvular and/or systemic factors. These include nonagenarians, patients with renal dysfunction, chronic thrombocytopenia, bicuspid aortic valve, rheumatic valve disease, patients with failed aortic valve bioprosthesis requiring valve-in-valve intervention and patients with mixed aortic valve disease.

A secure and dependable trust assessment (SDTS) scheme for industrial communication networks.

Due to tamper-resistant sensor nodes and wireless media, Industrial Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) are susceptible to various security threats that severely affect industrial/business applications. The survival of sensor networks is highly dependent on the flourishing collaboration of sensor nodes. Trust management schemes seem to be realistic and promising techniques to improve security as well as cooperation (dependability) among sensor nodes by estimating the trust level (score) of individual sensor nodes.