Mohammad Ali

BRENTWOOD, Tenn. (BP) – As Americans make their Christmas plans, slightly less than half say they usually attend a church service during the holiday season.

WASHINGTON (BP) – The U.S. Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in United States v. Skrmetti Wednesday, Dec. 4. The case, which pits the Biden administration’s Justice Department against the State of Tennessee and its attorney general, Jonathan Skrmetti, will determine whether states are allowed to outlaw so-called gender transition treatments for minors.

CHHATTISGARH, India (BP) – At least 40 members of New Bethesda Jesus Tribal Ministry in Michwar Village remain sheltered at the church two weeks after the village council banned them from the community unless they renounce their faith.

This study presents a comprehensive assessment of the fresh state, rheological, and mechanical properties of alkali-activated mortars (AAMs) developed by incorporating magnesium oxide (MgO) and nanomaterials. A total of 24 AAM mixes with varying content of MgO, multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT), and reduced graphene oxide (rGO) were developed following the one-part dry mix technique using powder-based activators/reagents. The effects of the types/combinations of source materials (binary or ternary)/reagents, MgO (0 to 5%), MWCNT (0 to 0.6%), and rGO (0 to 0.6%) were evaluated in terms of the mini-slump flow, setting times, viscosity, yield stress, compressive strength, ultrasonic pulse velocity (UPV), and microstructural properties. The results showed that the addition of finer MgO/nano-fillers produced a higher viscosity and yield stress accompanied by a lower slump flow and setting times. The addition of 5% MgO resulted in the lowest slump flow of 80 mm, 2–2.5 times higher viscosity, and the reduction in the initial and final setting times of about 21% and 16%, respectively. Mixes with MWCNT showed about 5–10% higher viscosity whereas for mixes with rGO, the values were noted to be 8% higher, on average, than the mixes with no MWCNT or rGO. All the developed AAMs exhibited shear-thinning behavior. The 28-day compressive strength of the AAMs ranged from 37 MPa to 49 MPa with 5% MgO and up to a 0.3% MWCNT/rGO addition increased the compressive strength. Correlations among the fresh state, rheological, and mechanical properties such as the viscosity, slump flow, setting time, compressive strength, and UPV are also described.

Open Access Article by Cyrus Ayubcha Cyrus Ayubcha Scilit Preprints.org Google Scholar

Winter weather can cause extremely dangerous road conditions. In order to analyze traffic accidents occurring in winter months in more detail, it is very important to evaluate the slope and the condition of road surfaces together. For this purpose, this study analyzed the accidents that occur during these months in Erzurum, one of the cities in Turkey with long winter months. A total of nine different classes of road conditions were created according to these two factors. In accordance with these classes, the accidents were analyzed using machine learning algorithms, and the success of the classification was analyzed. As a result of the analysis, it was found that the J48 algorithm gave more accurate results. J48 processes both continuous and categorical attributes and is a decision tree algorithm that can effectively manage missing data. According to the results of this algorithm, a map of accident density in the city was created using ArcGIS 10.5 software. Accordingly, it was found that the highest risk of accidents during the winter months occurred on road sections with a slope of more than 6% and covered with ice. Another important result of the study is that the slope of the road is a more effective factor than the surface condition.

Despite the fact that oral health is now understood to be a crucial factor in the overall quality of life, historically, greater focus has been placed on its mostly local therapeutic effects. A person's ability to bite, chew, smile and talk, as well as their mental state, are all affected by their oral health, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). As a result, oral disorders can impair a person's ability to grow and develop as well as their ability to be productive, creative, and social. Herbs are making a comeback since they are safer and more secure than synthetic drugs today, which encourages researchers to look into herbal medications. Since ancient times, medicinal plants have been utilized to treat a variety of illnesses. One of the key areas of study for reducing immunological problems is from natural sources. The introduction of chemical medications has led to a decline in the use of herbal medicine. A complementary or alternative therapy that works well for many disorders is herbal medicine. Despite the creation of numerous modern medications, the use of herbal medicine is still very popular. The goal of this evaluation was to investigate herbal-based oral and dental care products. Between 2015 and 2022, published papers were searched in two databases: PubMed and Google Scholar, using the phrases "oral and dental care products having herbal origin." According to this study, several herbs are used to heal ailments, and many of them have no negative side effects.

Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI 53705, USA

Over 80% of people worldwide experience low back pain (LBP) at some point in their lives. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), LBP is the leading cause of disability globally. LBP is typically classified into three categories: acute, subacute, and chronic. Pain lasting three months or longer is termed chronic low back pain (CLBP). Identifying the exact cause of CLBP is challenging, with WHO data suggesting that 90% of CLBP cases lack a specific cause and are referred to as nonspecific low back pain (NSCLBP).

In our investigation, we unveil a novel, eco-friendly, and cost-effective method for crafting a bio-derived electrode using discarded cotton fabric via a carbonization procedure, marking its inaugural application in a vanadium redox flow battery (VRFB). Our findings showcase the superior reaction surface area, heightened carbon content, and enhanced catalytic prowess for vanadium reactions exhibited by this carbonized waste cloth (CWC) electrode compared to commercially treated graphite felt (TT-GF). Therefore, the VRFB system equipped with these custom electrodes surpasses its treated graphite felt counterpart (61% at an equivalent current) and achieves an impressive voltage efficiency of 70% at a current density of 100 mA cm−2. Notably, energy efficiency sees a notable uptick from 58% to 67% under the same current density conditions. These compelling outcomes underscore the immense potential of the carbonized waste cotton cloth electrode for widespread integration in VRFB installations at scale.