Enhanced heart sound classification using Mel frequency cepstral coefficients and comparative analysis of single vs. ensemble classifier strategies.

This paper seeks to enhance the performance of Mel Frequency Cepstral Coefficients (MFCCs) for detecting abnormal heart sounds. Heart sounds are first pre-processed to remove noise and then segmented into S1, systole, S2, and diastole intervals, with thirteen MFCCs estimated from each segment, yielding 52 MFCCs per beat. Finally, MFCCs are used for heart sound classification.

ONDL: An optimized Neutrosophic Deep Learning model for classifying waste for sustainability.

Sustainability has become a key factor on our planet. If this concept is applied correctly, our planet will be greener and more eco-friendly. Nowadays, waste classification and management practices have become more evident than ever.

A model for skin cancer using combination of ensemble learning and deep learning.

Skin cancer has a significant impact on the lives of many individuals annually and is recognized as the most prevalent type of cancer. In the United States, an estimated annual incidence of approximately 3.5 million people receiving a diagnosis of skin cancer underscores its widespread prevalence.

Enhancing healthcare IoT systems for diabetic patient monitoring: Integration of Harris Hawks and grasshopper optimization algorithms.

The integration of the Internet of Things (IoT) in healthcare, especially for people with diabetes, allows for constant health monitoring. This means that doctors can watch over patients' health more closely, making sure they catch any issues early on. With this technology, healthcare workers can be more accurate and effective when keeping an eye on how patients are doing.

An energy-aware routing method using firefly algorithm for flying ad hoc networks.

Flying ad-hoc networks (FANETs) include a large number of drones, which communicate with each other based on an ad hoc model. These networks provide new opportunities for various applications such as military, industrial, and civilian applications. However, FANETs have faced with many challenges like high-speed nodes, low density, and rapid changes in the topology.

An energy-aware and Q-learning-based area coverage for oil pipeline monitoring systems using sensors and Internet of Things.

Pipelines are the safest tools for transporting oil and gas. However, the environmental effects and sabotage of hostile people cause corrosion and decay of pipelines, which bring financial and environmental damages. Today, new technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT) and wireless sensor networks (WSNs) can provide solutions to monitor and timely detect corrosion of oil pipelines.

Domestic violence and its relationship with depression, anxiety and quality of life: A hidden dilemma of Pakistani women.

Objectives: To find out the relationship of domestic violence with depression, anxiety and quality of life in married women in hospitals of Rawalpindi and Islamabad.

Methods: This co-relational study was conducted in Rawalpindi Institute of Health Sciences from January 2019 to December 2019. All the females' patients who were the victim of domestic violence were the population of the study.

Changing trends in anti-psychotic prescription pattern in Pakistan.

Background And Objective: This study was designed to identify the changing trends in Anti-psychotic prescription pattern in Pakistan. It was part of the research project Research on East Asian Psychotropic Prescription Pattern (REAP) carried out to identify the prescription patterns of schizophrenic patients in different countries located in Asia.Our objective was to assess the trend and change of psychotropic drug prescriptions for patients with schizophrenia.

Alteration of astrocytes and Wnt/β-catenin signaling in the frontal cortex of autistic subjects.

Background: Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by impairments in social interaction, verbal communication and repetitive behaviors. To date the etiology of this disorder is poorly understood. Studies suggest that astrocytes play critical roles in neural plasticity by detecting neuronal activity and modulating neuronal networks.

The therapeutic effect of memantine through the stimulation of synapse formation and dendritic spine maturation in autism and fragile X syndrome.

Although the pathogenic mechanisms that underlie autism are not well understood, there is evidence showing that metabotropic and ionotropic glutamate receptors are hyper-stimulated and the GABAergic system is hypo-stimulated in autism. Memantine is an uncompetitive antagonist of NMDA receptors and is widely prescribed for treatment of Alzheimer's disease treatment. Recently, it has been shown to improve language function, social behavior, and self-stimulatory behaviors of some autistic subjects.

Up-regulation of Ras/Raf/ERK1/2 signaling impairs cultured neuronal cell migration, neurogenesis, synapse formation, and dendritic spine development.

The Ras/Raf/ERK1/2 signaling pathway controls many cellular responses such as cell proliferation, migration, differentiation, and death. In the nervous system, emerging evidence also points to a death-promoting role for ERK1/2 in both in vitro and in vivo models of neuronal death. Recent studies have suggested that abnormal apoptosis in the central nervous system may be involved in the pathogenesis of autism.

Brain IL-6 elevation causes neuronal circuitry imbalances and mediates autism-like behaviors.

Abnormal immune responses have been reported to be associated with autism. A number of studies showed that cytokines were increased in the blood, brain, and cerebrospinal fluid of autistic subjects. Elevated IL-6 in autistic brain has been a consistent finding.

A novel mutation in the HSD17B10 gene of a 10-year-old boy with refractory epilepsy, choreoathetosis and learning disability.

Hydroxysteroid (17beta) dehydrogenase 10 (HSD10) is a mitochondrial multifunctional enzyme encoded by the HSD17B10 gene. Missense mutations in this gene result in HSD10 deficiency, whereas a silent mutation results in mental retardation, X-linked, syndromic 10 (MRXS10). Here we report a novel missense mutation found in the HSD17B10 gene, namely c.

NF-κB signaling in the brain of autistic subjects.

Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by problems in communication, social skills, and repetitive behavior. Recent studies suggest that apoptotic and inflammatory mechanisms may contribute to the pathogenesis of this disorder. Nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) is an important gene transcriptional factor involved in the mediation of inflammation and apoptosis.

Abnormal cell properties and down-regulated FAK-Src complex signaling in B lymphoblasts of autistic subjects.

Recent studies suggest that one of the major pathways to the pathogenesis of autism is reduced cell migration. Focal adhesion kinase (FAK) has an important role in neural migration, dendritic morphological characteristics, axonal branching, and synapse formation. The FAK-Src complex, activated by upstream reelin and integrin β1, can initiate a cascade of phosphorylation events to trigger multiple intracellular pathways, including mitogen-activated protein kinase-extracellular signal-regulated kinase and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase-Akt signaling.

IL-6 is increased in the cerebellum of autistic brain and alters neural cell adhesion, migration and synaptic formation.

Background: Although the cellular mechanisms responsible for the pathogenesis of autism are not understood, a growing number of studies have suggested that localized inflammation of the central nervous system (CNS) may contribute to the development of autism. Recent evidence shows that IL-6 has a crucial role in the development and plasticity of CNS.

Methods: Immunohistochemistry studies were employed to detect the IL-6 expression in the cerebellum of study subjects.

A novel approach for characterization of cathepsin D protease and its effect on tau and β-amyloid proteins.

Cathepsin D is the lysosomal protease abundantly expressed in the brain. It plays an important role in the regulation of cellular apoptosis. In addition, cathepsin D has been shown to be involved in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer disease and autism.

BDNF-Akt-Bcl2 antiapoptotic signaling pathway is compromised in the brain of autistic subjects.

Although the pathogenesis of autism is not understood, emerging evidence points to apoptotic mechanisms being involved in this disorder. However, it is not known whether apoptosis signaling is deregulated in the brain of autistic subjects. This study investigates how the apoptosis-related proteins are regulated in the autistic brain.

Expression of inflammatory cytokines, Bcl2 and cathepsin D are altered in lymphoblasts of autistic subjects.

Unlabelled: To determine whether inflammation and apoptosis are involved in the pathogenesis of autism, we examined cytokines, Bcl2 expression and cathepsin D protease activity in the lymphoblasts of autistic subjects and age-matched controls. We found increased expression levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines TNF-α and IL-6, but decreased Bcl2 expression in lymphoblasts of autistic subjects. We also found that cathepsin D mRNA and protein expression were significantly increased in autistic lymphoblasts.

Mental retardation linked to mutations in the HSD17B10 gene interfering with neurosteroid and isoleucine metabolism.

Mutations in the HSD17B10 gene were identified in two previously described mentally retarded males. A point mutation c.776G>C was found from a survivor (SV), whereas a potent mutation, c.

Elevated immune response in the brain of autistic patients.

Unlabelled: This study determined immune activities in the brain of ASD patients and matched normal subjects by examining cytokines in the brain tissue. Our results showed that proinflammatory cytokines (TNF-alpha, IL-6 and GM-CSF), Th1 cytokine (IFN-gamma) and chemokine (IL-8) were significantly increased in the brains of ASD patients compared with the controls. However the Th2 cytokines (IL-4, IL-5 and IL-10) showed no significant difference.

Binding of trypsin to fibrillar amyloid beta-protein.

We have recently reported that fibrillar amyloid beta-protein (Abeta) inhibits the proteolytic activity of trypsin and high molecular weight bovine brain protease. We report here that trypsin binds to fibrillar Abeta (fAbeta) and the resulting complex of trypsin/fAbeta is sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS)-stable. Electron microscopic analysis confirmed the binding of trypsin on the fibrils of both Abeta 1-40 and Abeta 1-42.

Walnut extract inhibits the fibrillization of amyloid beta-protein, and also defibrillizes its preformed fibrils.

Fibrillar amyloid beta-protein (Abeta) is the principal component of amyloid plaques in the brains of patients with Alzheimer's disease. We have studied the effect of walnut extract on Abeta fibrillization by Thioflavin T fluorescence spectroscopy and electron microscopy. The walnut extract not only inhibited Abeta fibril formation in a concentration and time- dependent manner but it was also able to defibrillize Abeta preformed fibrils.

Fibrillar amyloid beta-protein inhibits the activity of high molecular weight brain protease and trypsin.

The effect of soluble amyloid beta-protein (sAbeta) and fibrillar amyloid beta-protein (fAbeta) on the casein-digesting activity of high molecular weight bovine brain protease (HMW protease) and trypsin was studied. While sAbeta stimulated the casein-digesting activity of HMW protease in a concentration-dependent manner, it did not affect trypsin activity. Structure-activity relationship was studied by testing different soluble and fibrillar Abeta peptides.