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The presented work analyzes the energy prices, climate shock, and health deprivation nexus in the BRICS economies for the period 1995-2020. Panel ARDL-PMG technique is used to reveal the underexplored linkages. The long-run estimates of energy prices are observed to be negatively significant to the health expenditure and life expectancy model, whereas, positively significant to the climate change model. These findings suggest that energy prices significantly reduce health expenditures and life expectancy and, thus, increase the death rate in the BRICS economies. The long-run country-wise estimate of energy prices is found negatively significant in case of Brazil, India, China, and South Africa. Alongside, the group-wise significance of CO2 emissions is discovered to be negatively, positively, and insignificant in the cases of life expectancy, death rate, and health expenditure models, respectively. Besides, country-wise long-run estimate of CO2 emissions witnesses negative significance for Russia, India, China, and South Africa.

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OBJECTIVES: The aim of this work is to demonstrate the use of a standardized health informatics framework to generate reliable and reproducible real-world evidence from Latin America and South Asia towards characterizing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in the Global South. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patient-level COVID-19 records collected in a patient self-reported notification system, hospital in-patient and out-patient records, and community diagnostic labs were harmonized to the Observational Medical Outcomes Partnership common data model and analyzed using a federated network analytics framework. Clinical characteristics of individuals tested for, diagnosed with or tested positive for, hospitalized with, admitted to intensive care unit with, or dying with COVID-19 were estimated. RESULTS: Two COVID-19 databases covering 8.3 million people from Pakistan and 2.6 million people from Bahia, Brazil were analyzed. 109 504 (Pakistan) and 921 (Brazil) medical concepts were harmonized to Observational Medical Outcomes Partnership common data model. In total, 341 505 (4.1%) people in the Pakistan dataset and 1 312 832 (49.2%) people in the Brazilian dataset were tested for COVID-19 between January 1, 2020 and April 20, 2022, with a median [IQR] age of 36 [25, 76] and 38 (27, 50); 40.3% and 56.5% were female in Pakistan and Brazil, respectively. 1.2% percent individuals in the Pakistan dataset had Afghan ethnicity. In Brazil, 52.3% had mixed ethnicity. In agreement with international findings, COVID-19 outcomes were more severe in men, elderly, and those with underlying health conditions. CONCLUSIONS: COVID-19 data from 2 large countries in the Global South were harmonized and analyzed using a standardized health informatics framework developed by an international community of health informaticians. This proof-of-concept study demonstrates a potential open science framework for global knowledge mobilization and clinical translation for timely response to healthcare needs in pandemics and beyond.

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Compounds having nonlinear optical (NLO) characteristics have been proved to have a significant role in many academic and industrial areas; particularly, their leading role in surface interfaces, solid physics, materials, medicine, chemical dynamics, nuclear science, and biophysics is worth mentioning. In the present study, novel peptoids (1-4) were prepared in good yields via Ugi four-component reaction (Ugi-4CR). In addition to synthetic studies, computational calculations were executed to estimate the molecular electrostatic potential, natural bond orbital (NBO), frontier molecular orbital analysis, and NLO properties. The NBO analysis confirmed the stability of studied systems owing to containing intramolecular hydrogen bonding and hyperconjugative interactions. NLO analysis showed that investigated molecules hold noteworthy NLO response as compared to standard compounds that show potential for technology-related applications.

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Ingestion of indigestible foreign bodies in both domestic and wild ruminants are very common. Indigestible foreign materials can be ingested during free range grazing or under captivity in zoos or game parks. There are different types of bezoars in literature. The most common in animals are phytobezoars, trichobezoars, lactobezoars, phytotrichobezoars, lithobezoars or pharmacobezoars. This is a case study of an adult (4 years old), 40 kg body weight female Fallow Deer (Dama dama) which was reared with other four more Fallow Deer does at Riyadh Zoological Garden. The doe was found sluggish and weak. On presentation the veterinarian of the zoo noticed the anorexia, pale mucous membranes and dullness. There was Normocytic Normochromic anaemia, low RBCs and Haematocrit level, high neutrophil count and leucocytosis. The doe was subjected to medicinal and supportive therapy but she could not recover and found dead on very next day. On post-mortem examination, an unusual large polythene bezoar along with calcified stony mass recovered from the rumen. The results suggested that the rumen impaction in the Fallow Deer might be due scavenging on refused Plastic dumps in the premises left over by visitors to the zoo and that the blood biochemical alterations, alongside clinical signs, might be of some diagnostic assistance.

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Ingestion of indigestible foreign bodies in both domestic and wild ruminants are very common. Indigestible foreign materials can be ingested during free range grazing or under captivity in zoos or game parks. There are different types of bezoars in literature. The most common in animals are phytobezoars, trichobezoars, lactobezoars, phytotrichobezoars, lithobezoars or pharmacobezoars. This is a case study of an adult (4 years old), 40 kg body weight female Fallow Deer (Dama dama) which was reared with other four more Fallow Deer does at Riyadh Zoological Garden. The doe was found sluggish and weak. On presentation the veterinarian of the zoo noticed the anorexia, pale mucous membranes and dullness. There was Normocytic Normochromic anaemia, low RBCs and Haematocrit level, high neutrophil count and leucocytosis. The doe was subjected to medicinal and supportive therapy but she could not recover and found dead on very next day. On post-mortem examination, an unusual large polythene bezoar along with calcified stony mass recovered from the rumen. The results suggested that the rumen impaction in the Fallow Deer might be due scavenging on refused Plastic dumps in the premises left over by visitors to the zoo and that the blood biochemical alterations, alongside clinical signs, might be of some diagnostic assistance.(AU)

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The objective of the current study was to formulate mucoadhesive controlled release matrix tablets of flurbiprofen and to optimize its drug release profile and bioadhesion using response surface methodology. Tablets were prepared via a direct compression technique and evaluated for in vitro dissolution parameters and bioadhesive strength. A central composite design for two factors at five levels each was employed for the study. Carbopol 934 and sodium carboxymethylcellulose were taken as independent variables. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy studies were performed to observe the stability of the drug during direct compression and to check for a drug-polymer interaction. Various kinetic models were applied to evaluate drug release from the polymers. Contour and response surface plots were also drawn to portray the relationship between the independent and response variables. Mucoadhesive tablets of flurbiprofen exhibited non-Fickian drug release kinetics extending towards zero-order, with some formulations (F3, F8, and F9) reaching super case II transport, as the value of the release rate exponent (n) varied between 0.584 and 1.104. Polynomial mathematical models, generated for various response variables, were found to be statistically significant (P<0.05). The study also helped to find the drug's optimum formulation with excellent bioadhesive strength. Suitable combinations of two polymers provided adequate release profile, while carbopol 934 produced more bioadhesion.

O objetivo do presente estudo foi formular comprimidos mucoadesivos de flurbiprofeno, de liberação controlada, e otimizar o perfil da liberação do fármaco e a bioadesão, utilizando a metodologia de superfície de resposta. Prepararam-se os comprimidos via técnica de compressão direta, que foram avaliados in vitro quanto aos parâmetros de dissolução e da força bioadesiva. Planejamento com componente central para dois fatores em cinco níveis cada foi empregado para esse estudo. Carbopol 934 e carboximetilcelulose sódica foram tomados como variáveis independentes. Efetuaram-se estudos de espectroscopia por transformada de Fourier (FTIR) para observar a estabilidade do fármaco durante a compressão direta e para avaliar a interação a fármaco-polímero. Aplicaram-se vários métodos cinéticos para avaliar a liberação do fármaco dos polímeros. Gráficos de superfície de contorno e de resposta foram efetuados para retratar a relação entre as variáveis dependentes e a resposta. Os comprimidos mucoadesivos de flurbiprofeno apresentaram cinética de liberação não-fickiana, estendendo para ordem zero, para algumas formulações (F3, F8 e F9), alcançando transporte super caso II, à medida que o valor do expoente (n) de taxa de liberação variou entre 0,584 e 1,104. Modelos matemáticos polinomiais, gerados por diversas variáveis de resposta, foram estatisticamente, significativos (P<0,05). O estudo também auxiliou a encontrar a formulação ótima do fármaco, com excelente força de bioadesão. Combinações adequadas dos dois polímeros resultaram em perfis de liberação adequado, sendo que o Carbopol 934 produziu mais adesão.

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In South America, a high proportion of the population is of Hispanic origin with an important representation in Colombia. Since nothing is known about the contribution of BRCA1 and BRCA2 germline mutations to hereditary breast/ovarian cancer in the Hispanic population from Colombia, we conducted the first study of 53 breast/ovarian cancer families from this country. Comprehensive BRCA mutation screening was performed using a range of techniques, including DHPLC, SSCP, and PTT, followed by DNA sequencing analysis. Thirteen deleterious germline mutations (24.5%) were identified in 53 families, comprising eight in BRCA1 and five in BRCA2. The two recurrent BRCA1 mutations, 3450 delCAAG and A1708E, accounted for 100% of all BRCA1 mutations identified in this cohort and the recurrent 3034 delACAA BRCA2 mutation for 40% of all BRCA2 mutations. Haplotype analyses suggested that each of these mutations has arisen from a common ancestor. The prevalence of BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutations was 50% in multiple case breast cancer families, and was 33% for the breast-ovarian cancer families. Our findings show that BRCA mutations account for a substantial proportion of hereditary breast/ovarian cancer in Colombia. The spectrum of mutations differed completely to that previously reported in Hispanic families of predominantly Mexican origin from Southern California [1] suggesting that specific genetic risk assessment strategies for the different Hispanic populations in South America and in the United States need to be developed.

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