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\"Decades of research in both political science and psychology have demonstrated that external, environmental factors influence individuals' mental processes, especially as they relate to politics. Inasmuch as such factors vary systematically across racial and ethnic groups, the political psychology of these groups warrants study, hence, the objective of this volume. We have assembled a number of papers from both psychologists and political scientists in an effort to combine both disciplines' understanding of the psychological underpinnings of Blacks' orientation to the political world. Our goal is to take lessons learned from previous research and incorporate them into new theories and utilize new data sources in an effort to create a unified study of Black political psychology\"--Provided by publisher.

This study examines the relationship between exposure to unattainable beauty standards via social media and the prevalence of Body Dysmorphic Disorder among medical students in Egypt. The rapid development of digital platforms, particularly social media, has brought about a wider dissemination of unattainable beauty standards that may contribute to body image disorders and psychological problems. Given the unique pressures faced by medical students, who represent both consumers and influencers in health-related content, the current study attempts to ascertain whether excessive engagement with distorted beauty portrayals correlates with higher rates of BDD symptoms in this population. This was a cross-sectional questionnaire-based study consisting of 1126 undergraduate medical students, with a mean age of 20.8 years enrolled in any Egyptian medical school registered in the academic year 2023–2024, specifically from August–October 2024, except non-medical, graduate, and non-Egyptian students who met the exclusion criteria. We privately gathered answers via colleagues and electronically via online Google forms posted on social media groups. To our knowledge, this is the first study to investigate the relationship between social media use and BDD among medical students. According to social media practices, WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok were mostly used for 4–7 h daily. Most rarely or sometimes, take selfies, edit them with filters, and share them with others. The summary of BDDQ answers demonstrated that 6.3% of Egyptian medical students enrolled met the criteria for BDD. The majority reported that they do not like their face, and this leads to suffering from bullying in school or work, resulting in avoiding certain clothes as an avoidance behavior. The majority reported engaging in positive self-talk, participating in offline activities or hobbies, and unfollowing accounts promoting unattainable beauty standards as a coping strategy against unattainable beauty standards shaped by social media. Our study found that BDD is highly prevalent among social media users, especially on text-based platforms. The prevalence of BDD among Egyptian medical students is 6.3%, which is higher than worldwide. Interestingly, Egyptian medical students enrolled in our study believe that promoting body positivity, educating users about the risks of body dysmorphia, restricting content that promotes unrealistic body standards, and providing resources and support for those affected, respectively, are the critical measures that social media platforms should take to address body dysmorphia.

The sol–gel method is used to prepare the nanocomposites ZF/RO (ZF = ZnFe 2 O 4 , RO = CdO, NiO, Ga 2 O 3 , SnO 2 , and TiO 2 ). The XRD showed that the ZF/RO nanocomposite' crystal structure contained many phases, and the lattice properties and crystal size of the ZF were affected by the presence of the RO traces. All samples have surfaces that resemble nanoflakes that vary in size based on the SEM pictures; however, the ZF/Cd sample has a nanotube microstructure. ESR and VSM were measured at room temperature and showed ferrimagnetic behavior for all samples. The optical properties showed the band gaps for ZF, ZF/Cd, ZF/Ga, ZF/Ni, ZF/Sn, and ZF/Ti nanocomposites were 1.773, 1.789, 1.786, 1.763, 1.822, and 1.835 eV, respectively. The spectral PL intensity of ZF/Sn, ZF/Cd, and ZF/Ti nanocomposites is partially low compared to the spectrum for the ZF, and vice versa for ZF/Ni and ZF/Ga, which show an increase in the recombination for e − /h + . ZF/RO nanocomposites' practical sunlight consumption ability and recombination of photoinduced charge carriers account for their photocatalytic efficacy. This study is part of a research project investigating the relationship between two compounds with different structures and properties.

The Middle East has witnessed a greater spread of infectious Dengue viruses, with serotype 2 (DENV-2) being the most prevalent form. Through this work, multi-epitope peptide vaccines against DENV-2 that target E and nonstructural (NS1) proteins were generated through an immunoinformatic approach. MHC class I and II and LBL epitopes among NS1 and envelope E proteins sequences were predicted and their antigenicity, toxicity, and allergenicity were investigated. Studies of the population coverage denoted the high prevalence of NS1 and envelope-E epitopes among different countries where DENV-2 endemic. Further, both the CTL and HTL epitopes retrieved from NS1 epitopes exhibited high conservancies’ percentages with other DENV serotypes (1, 3, and 4). Three vaccine constructs were created and the expected immune responses for the constructs were estimated using C-IMMSIM and HADDOCK (against TLR 2,3,4,5, and 7). Molecular dynamics simulation for vaccine construct 2 with TLR4 denoted high binding affinity and stability of the construct with the receptor which might foretell favorable in vivo interaction and immune responses.

This study aims to develop a novel ensemble modeling approach that integrates artificial neural networks with finite element analysis to optimize the stability of hydraulic structures, particularly through the design of cutoff wall configurations. The research investigates the effects of varying cutoff wall positions and inclination angles on key parameters such as uplift pressure, seepage discharge, and exit gradient. Numerical simulations were performed using Geostudio SEEP/W to analyze seepage patterns across multiple configurations. The proposed methodology combines a Feed-Forward Neural Network (FFNN), XGBoost Regressor, and Support Vector Machine (SVM) with a Genetic Algorithm (GA) to create a predictive optimization framework. The findings reveal that the optimal cutoff wall inclination angle for minimizing both uplift pressure and exit gradient is 165° across all positions, while for seepage discharge, the optimal angle varies by position, ranging from 60° to 120° and increasing incrementally by 15° from upstream to downstream. The ensemble model demonstrated robust predictive performance across 5-fold cross-validation trials, achieving mean R-squared values of 0.99 ± 0.01 for uplift pressure, 0.94 ± 0.02 for seepage discharge, and 0.97 ± 0.01 for exit gradient. The small standard deviations indicate consistent performance across different data partitions, validating model stability and generalizability. The Genetic Algorithm results closely aligned with the numerical model outputs, validating the robustness of the proposed framework. This study introduces a significant improvement over traditional analytical methods by providing an integrated approach that enhances the safety and efficiency of hydraulic infrastructure design, particularly under complex conditions where conventional techniques may fall short.

The identity of the specific nitric oxide dioxygenase (NOD) that serves as the main in vivo regulator of O 2 -dependent NO degradation in smooth muscle remains elusive. Cytoglobin (Cygb) is a recently discovered globin expressed in fibroblasts and smooth muscle cells with unknown function. Cygb, coupled with a cellular reducing system, efficiently regulates the rate of NO consumption by metabolizing NO in an O 2 -dependent manner with decreased NO consumption in physiological hypoxia. Here we show that Cygb is a major regulator of NO degradation and cardiovascular tone. Knockout of Cygb greatly prolongs NO decay, increases vascular relaxation, and lowers blood pressure and systemic vascular resistance. We further demonstrate that downregulation of Cygb prevents angiotensin-mediated hypertension. Thus, Cygb has a critical role in the regulation of vascular tone and disease. We suggest that modulation of the expression and NOD activity of Cygb represents a strategy for the treatment of cardiovascular disease. The gaseous signalling molecule nitric oxide regulates vascular tone. Here, the authors show that nitric oxide is degraded by the enzyme cytoglobin in the vascular wall, and that mice lacking cytoglobin have reduced blood pressure and are less sensitive to angiotensin-mediated hypertension.

In response to the growing demand for lightweight and sustainable materials, the integration of natural fibers into polymer matrix composites has become very important. To improve the compatibility between hydrophilic natural fibers and matrices, surface modification has proven to be a crucial step. Therefore, this study advanced this technique by modifying the surfaces of woven jute mats with 1% of sodium hydroxide (NaOH), chromium sulphate (Cr 2 SO 4 ), and sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO 3 ). The composite, containing 56% by volume of the fibers, was produced by compression moulding. Extensive testing was carried out, including three-point bending, free vibration mode and acoustic analysis. The Brüel and Kjær two-microphone impedance tube with a frequency range of 25–6400 Hz was used. Various properties such as bending strength, vibration behaviour, damping and sound absorption were evaluated. It was comparatively evident that the NaHCO 3 -treated composite samples exhibited the highest natural frequency of 61.04 Hz and the highest sound absorption coefficient of 0.67 at about 2000 Hz, which was 69% higher than that of the untreated composite samples and about 29–72% higher than that of other treated counterparts. In addition, other test results of the surface modified composites were better than the untreated counterparts. There was good agreement between the experimental data and the results obtained from the theoretical models, which is another significant contribution to the field of composite technology.

The intestinal epithelium is in direct contact with a vast microbiota, yet little is known about how epithelial cells defend the host against the heavy bacterial load. To address this question we studied Paneth cells, a key small intestinal epithelial lineage. We found that Paneth cells directly sense enteric bacteria through cell-autonomous MyD88-dependent toll-like receptor (TLR) activation, triggering expression of multiple antimicrobial factors. Paneth cells were essential for controlling intestinal barrier penetration by commensal and pathogenic bacteria. Furthermore, Paneth cell-intrinsic MyD88 signaling limited bacterial penetration of host tissues, revealing a role for epithelial MyD88 in maintaining intestinal homeostasis. Our findings establish that gut epithelia actively sense enteric bacteria and play an essential role in maintaining host-microbial homeostasis at the mucosal interface.

CD36 (cluster of differentiation 36) is a membrane protein involved in lipid metabolism and has been linked to pathological conditions associated with metabolic disorders, such as diabetes and dyslipidemia. A case-control study was conducted and included 177 patients with type-2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and 173 control subjects to study the involvement of CD36 gene rs1761667 (G>A) and rs1527483 (C>T) polymorphisms in the pathogenesis of T2DM and dyslipidemia among Jordanian population. Lipid profile, blood sugar, gender and age were measured and recorded. Also, genotyping analysis for both polymorphisms was performed. Following statistical analysis, 10 different neural networks and machine learning (ML) tools were used to predict subjects with diabetes or dyslipidemia. Towards further understanding of the role of CD36 protein and gene in T2DM and dyslipidemia, a protein-protein interaction network and meta-analysis were carried out. For both polymorphisms, the genotypic frequencies were not significantly different between the two groups ( p > 0.05). On the other hand, some ML tools like multilayer perceptron gave high prediction accuracy (≥ 0.75) and Cohen’s kappa (κ) (≥ 0.5). Interestingly, in K-star tool, the accuracy and Cohen’s κ values were enhanced by including the genotyping results as inputs (0.73 and 0.46, respectively, compared to 0.67 and 0.34 without including them). This study confirmed, for the first time, that there is no association between CD36 polymorphisms and T2DM or dyslipidemia among Jordanian population. Prediction of T2DM and dyslipidemia, using these extensive ML tools and based on such input data, is a promising approach for developing diagnostic and prognostic prediction models for a wide spectrum of diseases, especially based on large medical databases.

Abstract Drawbacks associated with the use of chemical fungicides to control plant pathogenic fungi such as Botrytis cinerea stimulate the need for alternatives. Therefore, the present study was carried out to determine the antifungal potentials of Moringa oleifera extracts against B. cinerea. Phytochemical analysis using qualitative chemical tests revealed the presence of huge amount of crucial phytochemicals compounds like phenolic compounds, alkaloids and saponins in the M. oleifera leaf extract. Antifungal bioassay of the crude extracts indicated better mycelial growth inhibition by methanol leaf extract (99%). The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was 5 mg/ml with 100% spore germination inhibition and minimum fungicidal concentration (MFC) was 10 mg/ml with 98.10% mycelial growth inhibition using broth micro dilution and poisoned food techniques. Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis led to the identification of 67 volatile chemical compounds in the leaf extract with 6-decenoic acid (Z)- (19.87%) was the predominant compound. Further chemical elucidation of the crude extracts performed by liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) showed the presence of non-volatile chemical compounds, mostly flavones, flavonoids and phenolic acids (i.e. quercetin and kaempferol). Scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy analysis showed positive effect of M. oleifera leaf extract on the treated conidia and mycelium of B. cinerea. Findings revealed that irreversible surface and ultra-structural changes with severe detrimental effects on conidia and mycelium morphology compared to control treatment. Overall findings suggested that M. oleifera leaf extract is a promising candidate for biological control of fungal pathogens, thus limiting overdependence on chemical fungicides. Resumo As desvantagens associadas ao uso de fungicidas químicos para controlar fungos fitopatogênicos, como Botrytis cinerea, estimulam a necessidade de alternativas. Portanto, o presente estudo foi realizado para determinar o potencial antifúngico de extratos de Moringa oleifera contra B. cinerea. A análise fitoquímica usando testes químicos qualitativos revelou a presença de uma grande quantidade de compostos fitoquímicos cruciais, como compostos fenólicos, alcaloides e saponinas no extrato da folha de M. oleifera. O bioensaio antifúngico dos extratos brutos indicou melhor inibição do crescimento micelial pelo extrato de folhas de metanol (99%). A concentração inibitória mínima (MIC) foi de 5 mg/mL com 100% de inibição da germinação de esporos e a concentração fungicida mínima (MFC) foi de 10 mg/mL com 98,10% de inibição do crescimento micelial usando microdiluição em caldo e técnicas de alimentos envenenados. A análise por cromatografia gasosa-espectrometria de massa (GC-MS) levou à identificação de 67 compostos químicos voláteis no extrato da folha, sendo o ácido 6-decenoico (Z) (19,87%) o composto predominante. Elucidação química adicional dos extratos brutos realizada por cromatografia líquida com espectrometria de massa em tandem (LC-MS/MS) mostrou a presença de compostos químicos não voláteis, principalmente flavonas, flavonoides e ácidos fenólicos (ou seja, quercetina e kaempferol). As análises de microscopia eletrônica de varredura e microscopia eletrônica de transmissão mostraram efeito positivo do extrato de folhas de M. oleifera sobre os conídios e micélios tratados de B. cinerea. Os resultados revelaram a superfície irreversível e alterações ultraestruturais com graves efeitos prejudiciais sobre os conídios e a morfologia micelial, em comparação com o tratamento de controle. Os resultados gerais sugeriram que o extrato da folha de M. oleifera é um candidato promissor para o controle biológico de patógenos fúngicos, limitando assim a dependência excessiva de fungicidas químicos.