Association of family history of cardiovascular disease with the prevalence of cardiometabolic risk factors in young adults in the United Arab Emirates: The UAE healthy future study.

Introduction: Family history of cardiovascular disease (CVD) is an independent risk factor for coronary heart disease, and the risk increases with number of family members affected. It offers insights into shared genetic, environmental and lifestyle factors that influence heart disease risk. In this study, we aimed to estimate the association of family history of CVD and its risk factors, as well as the number of affected parents or siblings, with the prevalence of major cardiometabolic risk factors (CRFs) such as hypertension, dysglycemia, dyslipidemia and obesity in a sample of young adults.

Deciphering the structural consequences of R83 and R152 methylation on DNA polymerase β using molecular modeling.

DNA polymerase β, a member of the X-family of DNA polymerases, undergoes complex regulations both in vitro and in vivo through various posttranslational modifications, including phosphorylation and methylation. The impact of these modifications varies depending on the specific amino acid undergoing alterations. In vitro, methylation of DNA polymerase β with the enzyme protein arginine methyltransferase 6 (PRMT6) at R83 and R152 enhances polymerase activity by improving DNA binding and processivity.

Correction: Zeng et al. Hedgehog Signaling: Linking Embryonic Lung Development and Asthmatic Airway Remodeling. 2022, , 1774.

In the original publication [...

Technological Innovation and Trade Orientation as Drivers of Renewable Energy Consumption: Panel Evidence from G7 Economies.

Recent advancements in industrialization have sparked substantial interest among the academic community and policymakers regarding energy consumption. The consumption patterns of distinct energy types seem to be influenced by many national and international factors. In this essence, this study investigates the effects of technological innovation and trade orientation on renewable energy consumption (REC).

Examining shift duration and sociodemographic influences on the well-being of healthcare professionals in the United Arab Emirates: a cross-sectional study.

Objective: Providing quality healthcare is an essential part of the healthcare system. The high workload and night work associated with healthcare providing may result in work-life imbalance among healthcare professionals (HCPs) and in degradation in the quality of care.

Methods: This cross-sectional study aimed to assess the effects of sociodemographic characteristics and shift work on HCPs' well-being in four large hospitals in the United Arab Emirates using a validated questionnaire.

An Innovative Concept to Replace Drug-Induced Sleep Endoscopy (DISE): A Futuristic Approach to Assessment of Upper Airway Collapse in Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome (OSAS) Patients During Normal Physiological Sleep at Home.

The collapsibility and dynamic phenomenon of the upper airway in obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) patients during sleep is a complex mechanism. Its assessment prior to definitive surgery by drug-induced sleep endoscopy may mimic a snap shot of airway collapse during natural sleep. However, it still presents a shortcoming even after three decades of research and evolution in its technique.

Cobalt-nickel composite nano-grass as an excellent electrode for urea oxidation.

Urea-contaminated wastewater requires extensive energy for proper treatment before safe discharge to the surroundings. Direct urea fuel cells (DUFCs) could be utilized efficiently to treat urea-polluted water and generate electricity. The precious/expensive catalyst utilized at the electrodes is one of the main significant challenges to DUFC commercialization.

MechanoBioCAD: a generalized semi-automated computational tool for mechanobiological studies.

Soft micropillar arrays enable detailed studies of cellular mechanotransduction and biomechanics using traditional beam-bending models. However, they often rely on simplified assumptions, leading to significant errors in force estimation. We present MechanoBioCAD (MBC), a finite element method (FEM)-based tool designed specifically for micropillar research and error estimation.

Plant-Plant Interactions Drive the Decomposition of Soil Organic Carbon via Nutrition Competition in Dryland.

Plant-plant interactions are often overlooked when assessing carbon (C) cycling in plant community. Limited research exists on how nutrient competition influences soil organic carbon (SOC) dynamics via modifying rhizosphere C turnover. To address this issue, quantitative model of plant-plant interactions was established in three intercropping systems across 4 years.

Innovative art selection through neutrosophic hesitant fuzzy partitioned Maclaurin symmetric mean aggregation operator.

The neutrosophic hesitant fuzzy set is the union of the neutrosophic set and hesitant fuzzy set in which each element has membership, neutrality, and non-membership arrays which verifies infrequency in labeling uncertainty in daily usage. We proposed two novel operators in this analysis that demonstrate evolution, one is the neutrosophic hesitant fuzzy partitioned Maclaurin symmetric mean (NHFPMSM) and the other is the neutrosophic hesitant fuzzy weighted partitioned Maclaurin symmetric mean (NHFWPMSM). These novels aim to draw inspiration from the partitioned Maclaurin symmetric mean concept.

Towards an intelligent integrated methodology for accurate determination of volume percentages in three-phase flow systems.

Accurate determination of volume percentages in three-phase fluids is paramount for the success of various industrial processes, ranging from oil and gas production to chemical engineering. This study presents a comprehensive approach to this challenge by leveraging advanced signal processing techniques and machine learning paradigms. Our methodology integrates the time, frequency, and wavelet transform features extracted from X-ray-based measurement systems whose structure consists of an X-ray tube source, two sodium iodide detectors, and a test pipe, all of which were simulated using the Monte Carlo N Particle code.

Detection of concha bullosa using deep learning models in cone-beam computed tomography images: a feasibility study.

Background: Pneumatization of turbinates, also known as concha bullosa (CB), is associated with nasal septal deviation and sinonasal pathologies. This study aims to evaluate the performance of deep learning models in detecting CB in coronal cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) images.

Methods: Standardized coronal images were obtained from 203 CBCT scans (83 with CB and 119 without CB) from the radiology archives of a dental teaching hospital.

Choosing for a Homebirth during COVID-19 Lockdown in The Netherlands, who and why: A national prospective questionnaire study.

Objective: During the first COVID-19 lockdown in the Netherlands (9 March-1 June 2020), the homebirth rate increased from 27 % to 37 % among women with low-risk pregnancies starting labour in primary midwife-led care (overall population: 15 % in 2020). We explored characteristics and motivations of women who change their preference from a hospital birth to a home birth.

Design: A nationwide prospective online questionnaire.

Postbiotics and Dental Caries: A Systematic Review.

Objective: This systematic review aimed to evaluate the current evidence regarding the impact of postbiotics on dental caries, focusing on the effectiveness of postbiotic interventions in caries prevention, mechanisms of action, optimal dosages, and administration protocols.

Methods: A literature search was conducted across PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library. Eligible studies included randomized controlled trials, quasi-experimental, observational, and in vitro studies.

Unified resilience model using deep learning for assessing power system performance.

Energy resilience in renewable energy sources dissemination components such as batteries and inverters is crucial for achieving high operational fidelity. Resilience factors play a vital role in determining the performance of power systems, regardless of their operating environment and interruptions. This article introduces a Unified Resilience Model (URM) using Deep Learning (DL) to enhance power system performance.

Building capacity and capability for science diplomacy: challenges in decolonizing the curriculum for Global Health System Leadership.

Education policy is the front and center of contemporary science diplomacy. This is particularly the case in global health where nation-states are being called upon to equip their health workforce with leadership skills and competencies to improve population health and engage in health system development. In the perspective that follows, we argue that successfully meeting such demands requires not only a high-quality education offering but also one that is aware of and engaged with the coloniality underpinning its underlying assumptions.

Mediating effect of intolerance of uncertainty between feeling of unsafety and depression/well-being among a sample of Lebanese adults.

Background: Eastern Mediterranean countries, particularly Lebanon, have seen a significant rise in mental disorders, primarily driven by ongoing economic instability, political unrest, and regional conflicts. These conditions fuel feelings of unsafety, which are linked to lower psychological well-being and increased depressive symptoms. Unsafe circumstances inflate apprehension and uncertainty, leaving individuals unable to foresee a stable, secure tomorrow and often trapped in an anticipatory negative thinking state.

Healthcare research and education: actively constructed research knowledge-a model for online systematic reviews and meta-analyses courses.

Employing a mixed-methods approach, this study: (a) scoped the literature for desirable characteristics of online learning environments; (b) analyzed and compared the available online systematic review and meta-analysis (SR/MA) courses; and (c) proposed an outline for a model online systematic review SR/MA course that is aligned with PRISMA principles, and (d) charted learning outcomes, module contents, interactive elements, feedback and module assessment, and course evaluation of the proposed course. The findings highlight the many distinctive aspects and design of the proposed model course, including its comprehensiveness, alignment with PRISMA principles, self-pace and self-direction, with high interactivity levels, augmented by the expert trainer guidance ('human' factor), and individualized feedback, and its conclusion with the incorporation of the learners in virtual research teams undertaking real SR/MA. The proposed model course integrates principles of problem-based learning, where in addition to the provided resources (interactive assignments and video tutorials), trainees will be actively conducting their own real SR/MA as part of the course, while receiving expert feedback to enhance learning outcomes.

Accuracy of deep learning models in the detection of accessory ostium in coronal cone beam computed tomographic images.

Accessory ostium [AO] is one of the important anatomical variations in the maxillary sinus. AO is often associated with sinus pathology. Radiographic imaging plays a very important role in the detection of AO.

Cost-utility analysis of pharmacogenomics-guided tacrolimus treatment of Slovenian patients undergoing kidney transplantation in the U-PGx PREPARE study.

Tacrolimus (TAC) is one of the most widely prescribed maintenance immunosuppressant drugs in solid organ transplantation. Kidney transplantation is often the preferred treatment for patients with the kidney failure and is complemented with TAC treatment. TAC treatment is often associated with adverse drug events, which can be reduced by pharmacogenomic (PGx)-guided prescription.

Associations of plasma Neurofilament light chain with sarcopenia and physical capacity in patients with Alzheimer's diseases.

Background: Despite the close association of Alzheimer's disease (AD) with muscle decline, the biomarkers of age-related muscle loss, termed sarcopenia, in AD remain elusive.

Objectives: We investigated the plasma neurofilament light (NfL) chain levels as potential biomarkers of sarcopenia in AD patients. DESIGN SETTING, PARTICIPANTS, MEASUREMENTS: We conducted a cross-sectional, observational study on older adults, including controls and patients with AD (n = 38-44/group).