The emergence of Autonomous Vehicles (AVs) marks a significant advancement in the automotive industry, transitioning from driver-assistance technologies to fully autonomous systems. This change is ...particularly impactful in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region, which is a significant automotive market and technological hub. However, the adoption of AVs in the GCC faces unique challenges due to the influence of cultural norms and geographical characteristics. Our research utilizes a customized framework of the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT), which is adapted to include cultural and geographical factors. This approach fills a gap in the existing literature by identifying and analyzing the key factors affecting the adoption of AVs in the GCC. Our findings indicate a difference in the receptiveness towards AVs among different demographics. Younger participants displayed a more favorable attitude towards AVs compared to older individuals. Additionally, gender and educational attainment play significant roles in the acceptance of AVs. Specifically, our results suggest that there are variations in acceptance rates among genders and individuals with varying levels of education. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has a relatively high acceptance rate of AVs due to its advanced infrastructure and openness to technological innovations. Our study identifies facilitating conditions and performance expectancy as crucial determinants of intention to use AVs in the GCC. It emphasizes the importance of infrastructure readiness and the perceived advantages of AVs in promoting their adoption.
The role of electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM) and destination image has been extensively studied in the tourism literature; however, from the perspective of medical tourism, it is yet to be examined. ...Therefore, to fill this gap, this research attempts to test the strategic significance of eWOM and destination image in intention to travel. Besides, the study also examines the moderating role of perceived risk in the destination image-intention to travel link. Structured pen-and-paper questionnaires were distributed to international tourists. The partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) technique is utilized to test the hypotheses. The results show that eWOM positively affects tourists' intention to travel, and destination image positively mediates this relationship. Further, at a low level of perceived risk, the relationship between destination image and intention to travel becomes stronger. The current study is one of the few attempts to investigate the role of eWOM in the medical tourism industry, and thus, it contributes to both theory and practice from the perspective of medical tourism.
A few decades ago, the idea of a car driving without human assistance was something inconceivable. With the advent of deep learning-based machine learning in artificial intelligence, this imaginary ...idea has become part of our life. Like in other fields, these technological revolutions have brought drastic changes to the field of automated driving systems. The autonomous vehicle is in the transition state between level 3 and level 4 of automation, but many mysteries are still waiting to be solved. Understanding the environment as precisely as a human driver is still far in the future. To attain human perception requires the capturing of extensive surrounding information that depends on the onboard sensors installed on the vehicle. Because the recent autonomous vehicle is equipped with several sensors, it captures surrounding information in diverse forms. Combining these multi-domain data with sensor fusion is the open area of research that is considered in this paper. Along with sensor fusion, another area of prime importance that is necessary to be explored is the prediction of pedestrian intentions. Though the study of the prediction of a pedestrian's intentions started approximately fifteen years ago, most of the research is based on detection rather than intention. Furthermore, this paper also discusses related research in the field of prediction of the pedestrian's intentions. At the end of the article, this review paper includes open questions, challenges, and proposed solutions.
Thermal loading of fiber reinforced composites during traditional machining is inevitable. This is due to the fact that most of the mechanical energy utilized in material removal is converted into ...heat, which is subsequently dissipated into the workpiece, the cutter and is carried away by the chips. Heat conduction into the workpiece might cause thermal damage if the generated temperatures exceeded the glass transition temperature of the epoxy matrix. In this work, the amount of heat flux applied to the machined edge and the temperature distribution in a multidirectional GFRP composite laminate was determined using an inverse heat conduction method. The spindle electric power, cutting forces and boundary temperatures on the workpiece were measured during edge trimming of the GFRP laminate with a PCD cutter at different spindle and feed speeds. The transient heat conduction problem in the laminate was simulated using the finite element method and the amount of heat flux conducted through the machined surface was determined. It was found that the heat flux conducted to the workpiece represented only a small fraction of the total heat and is more influenced by the feed speed than the spindle speed. The temperature of the machined surface was found to be lower than the glass transition temperature of epoxy for all cutting conditions tried in this study.
Background:
Systematic assessment of childhood asthma is challenging in low- and middle-income country (LMIC) settings due to the lack of standardised and validated methodologies. We describe the ...contextual challenges and adaptation strategies in the implementation of a community-based asthma assessment in four resource-constrained settings in Bangladesh, India, and Pakistan.
Method:
We followed a group of children of age 6–8 years for 12 months to record their respiratory health outcomes. The study participants were enrolled at four study sites of the ‘Aetiology of Neonatal Infection in South Asia (ANISA)’ study. We standardised the research methods for the sites, trained field staff for uniform data collection and provided a ‘Child Card’ to the caregiver to record the illness history of the participants. We visited the children on three different occasions to collect data on respiratory-related illnesses. The lung function of the children was assessed in the outreach clinics using portable spirometers before and after 6-minute exercise, and capillary blood was examined under light microscopes to determine eosinophil levels.
Results:
We enrolled 1512 children, 95.5% (1476/1512) of them completed the follow-up, and 81.5% (1232/1512) participants attended the lung function assessment tests. Pre- and post-exercise spirometry was performed successfully in 88.6% (1091/1232) and 85.7% (1056/1232) of children who attempted these tests. Limited access to health care services, shortage of skilled human resources, and cultural diversity were the main challenges in adopting uniform procedures across all sites. Designing the study implementation plan based on the local contexts and providing extensive training of the healthcare workers helped us to overcome these challenges.
Conclusion:
This study can be seen as a large-scale feasibility assessment of applying spirometry and exercise challenge tests in community settings of LMICs and provides confidence to build capacity to evaluate children’s respiratory outcomes in future translational research studies.
Betulinic acid (1), betulinic acid‐3‐acetate (2), 3‐acetylbetulinaldehyde (3), oleanolic acid‐3‐acetate (4), 3‐β‐hydroxy‐28,19‐β‐olenolide (5), and β‐sitosterol (6) were isolated from Platanus ...orientalis and a high‐performance thin‐layer chromatography method was developed for their simultaneous quantification. The markers were first derivatized on the chromatogram with ceric ammonium sulfate and then high‐performance thin‐layer chromatography densitometry was carried out. Chromatographic separation of these markers was carried out on silica gel 60 plates using a ternary solvent system n‐hexane/toluene/acetone (6:3.5:1 v/v/v) as a mobile phase. For marker 1, a deuterium (D2) lamp and wavelength of 420 nm was used. A tungsten (W) lamp was used for markers 2 and 3 at 550 nm and for 4–6 at 500 nm. The method was validated for accuracy, precision, LOD, and LOQ. All calibration curves showed a good linear relationship (r > 0.9919). The precision evaluated by an intra‐ and interday study showed RSDs < 2.51% and accuracy validation recovery between 95.54 and 99.33% with RSDs < 1.55%. The successful application of the validated method showed 1 as the most abundant component (4.63%) and 5 (0.017%) the least. The markers displayed a significant cytotoxic effect against human keratinocyte, mouse melanoma, and human skin epithelial carcinoma cancer cells by using a 3‐(4,5‐dimethylthiazol‐2‐yl)‐2,5‐diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay.
RASSF2, potential tumor suppressor gene, acts as a KRAS-specific effectors protein and may promote apoptosis and cell cycle arrest. It stabilizes STK3/MST2 by protecting it from proteasomal ...degradation. RASSF2 plays a significant role against the inhibition of cancer. MODELLER (9v15) and online servers (I-Tasser, SwissModel, 3D-JigSaw, ModWeb) were utilized to generate 3D structures of the RASSF2 based on homology modeling. A comparison between models predicted by MODELLER (9v15) and Web servers had been checked through utilized evaluation tools. The most potent model for RASSF2 was analyzed and selected for molecular docking studies. The binding pockets were revealed for binding studies through Site Hound. AutoDock Vina and AutoDock4 were utilized for molecular docking, and the attempt of this experiment was to identify the ligands for RASSF2. The selected compounds may act as regulators and regulate the normal activity of RASSF2. It was also analyzed and observed that the selected compounds showed least binding energy and high-affinity binding in predicted top binding domain. The determination of protein function is based on accurate identification of binding sites in protein structures. The binding site is known, and it may allow the ligand type and protein function to be determined by performing in silico and experimental procedures. The detection, comparison, and analysis of binding pockets are pivotal to drug discovery. It proposed that predicted structure is reliable for the structural insights and functional studies. The predicted binding pockets may lead to further analysis (drug discovery), used against cancer study.
Abstract
Background
Anticoagulation (AC) utilization patterns and their predictors among hospitalized coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients have not been well described.
Methods
Using the ...National COVID Cohort Collaborative, we conducted a retrospective cohort study (2020–2022) to assess AC use patterns and identify factors associated with therapeutic AC employing modified Poisson regression.
Results
Among 162 842 hospitalized COVID-19 patients, 64% received AC and 24% received therapeutic AC. Therapeutic AC use declined from 32% in 2020 to 12% in 2022, especially after December 2021. Therapeutic AC predictors included age (relative risk RR, 1.02; 95% confidence interval CI, 1.02–1.02 per year), male (RR, 1.29; 95% CI, 1.27–1.32), non-Hispanic black (RR, 1.16; 95% CI, 1.13–1.18), obesity (RR, 1.48; 95% CI, 1.43–1.52), increased length of stay (RR, 1.01; 95% CI, 1.01–1.01 per day), and invasive ventilation (RR, 1.64; 95% CI, 1.59–1.69). Vaccination (RR, 0.88; 95% CI, 84–.92) and higher Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) (RR, 0.98; 95% CI, .97–.98) were associated with lower therapeutic AC.
Conclusions
Overall, two-thirds of hospitalized COVID-19 patients received any AC and a quarter received therapeutic dosing. Therapeutic AC declined after introduction of the Omicron variant. Predictors of therapeutic AC included demographics, obesity, length of stay, invasive ventilation, CCI, and vaccination, suggesting AC decisions driven by clinical factors including COVID-19 severity, bleeding risks, and comorbidities.
This study describes anticoagulation (AC) utilization and its predictors among hospitalized COVID-19 patients over time. Male sex, obesity, and longer length of stay predicted increased therapeutic AC, while vaccination and higher Charlson Comorbidity Index predicted decreased therapeutic AC.
Aim of present study was to investigate the effect of NAC on experimental chronic hepatotoxicity models induced by carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) and thioacetamide (TAA). CCl4 toxicity was induced by ...administering 200μl CCl4 (diluted 2:3 in coconut oil)/100g body weight, p.o., twice weekly for 8 weeks. TAA toxicity was induced by administering 150mg/kg b. wt. of TAA i.p., twice weekly for 8 weeks. NAC treatment was started along with toxicants (CCl4 and TAA) for 8 weeks and continued for further 4 weeks. Self reversal group was kept without any treatment for 4 weeks after completion of toxicant treatments. Alanine aminotransferase (ALT), Aspartate aminotransferase (AST), Alkaline phosphatase (ALP), Bilirubin were measured in serum. Hydroxyproline (HP), lipid peroxidation (LPO), catalase (CAT), Glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and Glutathione (GSH) were determined in liver samples by colorimetric methods. Cytochrome P450 2E1 (CYP 450 2E1), activity was determined as hydroxylation of aniline in liver microsomes. General examination and histological analysis were also performed. Serum markers of liver damage (AST, ALT, ALP and Bilirubin) were increased by CCl4 and TAA intoxication (p<0.001), whereas co-treatment with NAC reversed such changes (p<0.001). HP was enhanced in toxicant groups (p<0.001 in CCl4 and TAA), but inhibited by NAC (p<0.001). LPO was increased while as GSH, CAT and GPx decreased by the administration of CCl4 and TAA (p<0.001); co-administration of NAC restored these liver markers to normal levels (p<0.001). Biochemical determinations were corroborated by general and histological findings. Keeping in view the biochemical and histopathological studies, it was concluded that CCl4 and TAA are strong hepatotoxic agents that produce liver fibrosis with close proximity to human etiology (micronodular cirrhosis) and NAC has a significant protective activity against CCl4 and TAA. NAC has also been validated as a model against oxidative burden in chronic liver pathology.
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