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Diamond is a promising material for the modern industry. It is widely used in different applications, such as cutting tools, optical windows, heat dissipation, and semiconductors. However, these application areas require exceptionally flattened and polished diamond surfaces. Unfortunately, due to the extreme hardness and chemical inertness of diamond, the polishing of diamond is challenging. Since the 1920s, various conventional and modern mechanical, chemical, and thermal polishing techniques have been proposed and developed for finishing diamond surfaces. Therefore, to impart proper guidance on selecting a good polishing technique for production practice, this paper presents an in-depth and informative literature survey of the current research and engineering developments regarding diamond polishing. At first, a brief review of the general developments and basic material removal principles is discussed. This review concludes with a detailed analysis of each techniques’ polishing performance and critical challenges, and a discussion of the new insights and future applications of diamond polishing.

The relationship between electron state density and energy in deep ultraviolet laser diodes (LDs) with quantum well (QW) structures exhibits a step-like shape, which enhances differential gain and light confinement of the LD. However, the active layer in QW structures typically has limited ability to collect equilibrium carriers, leading to an increased threshold current. Quantum dot (QD) structures address this limitation by imposing quantum confinement on charge carriers in three dimensions, thereby reducing optical losses and improving carrier confinement. Despite these advantages, the presence of numerous QDs often introduces synthetic imperfections (e.g. size and shape variations) and surface/interface defects, which cause light to split into multiple wavelengths. This study investigated the embedding of QDs into AlGaN QWs and evaluated the impact of QD size on device performance. This configuration addresses the weak carrier collection in QW structures and leverages QDs to quantum-constrain carrier movement, while avoiding the problem of high threshold current densities due to the large number of QDs that are not uniform in size and indicative of defects. For a QW thickness of 4 nm, an optimal QD thickness of 1 nm was determined, enabling effective utilization of both QDs and QWs. This configuration led to a substantial increase in LD output power and a decrease in threshold current. Specifically, the output power of the LD with a 1 nm thick QD increased by 13.6 times, while the threshold current decreased by 63.6% compared to the QW structure alone. Besides, the findings also revealed that QD thickness significantly affects the photoelectric properties of the LD. Excessively thick QDs can form depressions in the middle of QWs, which lowers the restriction on charge carriers. Conversely, QDs that are too thin cannot effectively take advantage of the three-dimensional carrier constraints of QDs, thereby reducing the light confinement capability.

Background Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) has gained attention as a potential intervention to improve social cognition in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). However, its effects across social domains and the influence of stimulation parameters remain unclear. This systematic review and meta-analysis evaluate the effectiveness of tDCS in enhancing social functioning in children with ASD, focusing on emotion recognition, theory of mind (ToM), and social responsiveness. Methods A comprehensive search identified randomized controlled trials (RCTs) investigating tDCS effects on social cognition in children with ASD. Studies were assessed for effect sizes and statistical significance. A meta-analysis pooled results, and moderators of tDCS effectiveness were examined. Results Screening 14 studies revealed that anodal tDCS applied to the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) produced the most consistent improvements in emotion recognition, ToM, and social responsiveness. However, results varied, with some studies reporting improvements, while others showed no substantial effects. Dual-stimulation or cathodal stimulation yielded mixed outcomes. Evidence was limited by small sample sizes, risk of bias, and variability in stimulation parameters. Conclusions Anodal tDCS over the left DLPFC shows promise for improving social cognition in ASD. Larger controlled trials are needed to determine the effectiveness of combining tDCS with social skills training. Highlights • The left DLPFC is the top targeted brain region for enhancing social cognition in children with ASD. • Emotional recognition, theory of mind, and social responsiveness scale are the most tasks utilized. • Dual stimulation protocols, combining anodal and cathodal tDCS stands out as the most promising stimulation intervention for social cognition enhancements. • Further research with large-scale randomized trials and standardized protocols is needed to optimize tDCS efficacy for children with ASD.

Several nucleotide analogues have been approved for use in treating hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. Long-term exposure to therapy leads to the emergence of mutations within the HBV DNA polymerase gene, resulting in drug resistance, a major factor contributing to therapy failure. Chronic HBV patients from the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, Pakistan, who had completed 6 months of therapy participated in this study. Samples were collected from 60 patients. In this study, the entire reverse transcriptase domain of the HBV polymerase gene was amplified using nested polymerase chain reaction and sequenced. Drug-resistant mutations were detected in nine (22.5%) patients. All of these patients had lamivudine-resistant mutations (rtM204V + L180M), while seven individuals (17.5%) had both lamivudine- plus entecavir-resistant mutations (L180M + M204V + S202G). N236T, a mutation that gives rise to tenofovir and adefovir resistance, was observed in two (5%) patients. T184A, a partial drug-resistant mutation to entecavir, was found in five (12.5%) patients. Furthermore, other genotypic variants (100%) and vaccine escape mutations (5%) were additionally observed. Moreover, pN459Y (35%), pN131D (20%), pL231S (20%), pP130Q (17.5%), pS189Q (12.5%), pP161S (5%), pH160P (2.5%), pT322S (2.5%), and pA223S (2.5%) mutations in the polymerase gene, as well as sA166V (17.5%), sQ181K (12.5%), sV184R (7.5%), sA17E (5%), sP153S/K (5%), sW156C (5%), sC76Y (2.5%), and S132F (2.5%) mutations in the small surface gene, were identified for the first time in this study. Phylogenetic analysis showed that genotype D was predominant amongst the HBV carriers. Subtype D1 was found in most patients, while two patients were subtype D9. These novel findings may contribute to the body of knowledge and have clinical significance for treating and curing HBV infections in Pakistan.

The rapid reduction of forests due to environmental impacts such as deforestation, global warming, natural disasters such as forest fires as well as various human activities is an escalating concern. The increasing frequency and severity of forest fires are causing significant harm to the ecosystem, economy, wildlife, and human safety. During dry and hot seasons, the likelihood of forest fires also increases. It is crucial to accurately monitor and analyze the large-scale changes in the forest cover to ensure sustainable forest management. Remote sensing technology helps to precisely study such changes in forest cover over a wide area over time. This research analyzes the impact of forest fires over time, identifies hotspots, and explores the environmental factors that affect forest cover change. Sentinel-2 imagery was utilized to study changes in Brunei Darussalam’s forest cover area over five years from 2017 to 2022. An object-based approach, Simple Non-Iterative Clustering (SNIC), is employed to cluster the region using NDVI values and analyze the changes per cluster. The results indicate that the area of the clusters reduced where fire incidence occurred as well as the precipitation dropped. Between 2017 and 2022, the increased forest fires and decreased precipitation levels resulted in the change in cluster areas as follows: 66.11%, 69.46%, 68.32%, 73.88%, 77.27%, and 78.70%, respectively. Additionally, hotspots in response to forest fires each year were identified in the Belait district. This study will help forest managers assess the causes of forest cover loss and develop conservation and afforestation strategies.

The objective of this research is to conduct a comprehensive bibliometric analysis using the Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC) to examine the current research topics and trends pertaining to stereotactic-based re-irradiation. A bibliometric search was conducted for re-irradiation-related literature published in English from the WoSCC database from 1991 to 2022, using VOSviewer to visualize the results. The extracted information comprises the publication year, overall citation count, average citation rate, keywords, and research domains. We conducted a literature review to identify trends in research on re-irradiation. A total of 19,891 citations were found in 924 qualifying papers that came from 48 different nations. The number of publications and citations has grown steadily since 2008 with the highest number of publications in the year 2018. Similarly, a substantial increase in the number of citations has increased since 2004 and the citation growth rate has been positive between 2004 and 2019 with a peak in 2013. The top authorship patterns were six authors (111 publications and 2498 citations), whereas the highest number of citations per publication was attained with an authorship pattern of 17 authors (C/P = 41.1). The collaboration patterns analysis showed that the largest proportion of publications emanated from the United States with 363 publications (30.9%), followed by Germany with 102 publications (8.7%), and France with 92 publications (7.8%). The majority of the analyzed studies were focused on the brain (30%), head and neck (13%), lung (12%), and spine (10%) and there have been emerging studies on the use of re-irradiation for lung, prostate, pelvic and liver utilizing stereotactic radiotherapy. The main areas of interest have changed over time and are now based on a multidisciplinary approach that integrates advanced imaging techniques, stereotactic treatment delivery, the toxicity of organs at risk, quality of life, and treatment outcomes.

Climate change and CO 2 emissions are critical challenges for the environment and humanity. There is extensive literature on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, in particular CO 2 emissions. However, comprehensive analyses focusing on electric vehicles (EVs) and their impact are lacking. This study fills this gap by conducting a bibliometric analysis of 1143 peer-reviewed studies from 1989 to 2023. We aimed to identify influential contributions, understand the field's structure, and reveal research gaps. Analysis included citation networks, research impact, authorship patterns, content, and publication trends. We utilized bibliometric techniques to identify the most dominant countries, institutions, authors, journals, articles, and thematic areas related to EVs and emissions. Additionally, we overviewed publications associated with key search terms. Guided by five research dimensions (EVs, emissions, adoption, policies, and infrastructures), we framed specific research questions. This research provides valuable insights for environmentalists, policymakers, regulators, and academic researchers, facilitating access to crucial data on EVs and emissions.

Neurological disorders (NDs) are recognized as one of the major health concerns globally. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), neurological disorders are one of the main causes of mortality worldwide. Neurological disorders include Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson′s disease, Huntington′s disease, Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Frontotemporal dementia, Prion disease, Brain tumor, Spinal cord injury, and Stroke. These diseases are considered incurable diseases because no specific therapies are available to cross the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and reach the brain in a significant amount for the pharmacological effect in the brain. There is a need for the development of strategies that can improve the efficacy of drugs and circumvent BBB. One of the promising approaches is the use of different types of nano-scale materials. These nano-based drugs have the ability to increase the therapeutic effect, reduce toxicity, exhibit good stability, targeted delivery, and drug loading capacity. Different types and shapes of nanomaterials have been widely used for the treatment of neurological disorders, including quantum dots, dendrimers, metallic nanoparticles, polymeric nanoparticles, carbon nanotubes, liposomes, and micelles. These nanoparticles have unique characteristics, including sensitivity, selectivity, and the ability to cross the BBB when used in nano-sized particles, and are widely used for imaging studies and treatment of NDs. In this review, we briefly summarized the recent literature on the use of various nanomaterials and their mechanism of action for the treatment of various types of neurological disorders.

Background: Despite governmental interventions, the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region continues to experience higher road traffic crash and fatality rates relative to Western nations. This trend suggests a potential disconnect between Road Traffic Injuries (RTI) research and the mitigation measures put in place. Method: Here, we present an in-depth bibliometric analysis to obtain a comprehensive understanding of RTI research in the GCC region. The Web of Science database was used to search and retrieve the relevant articles during the period of 1981-2019. Results: The volume of RTI research increased from 2015-2019, suggesting an increased focus on traffic safety in the GCC region. Saudi Arabia had the highest RTI research productivity level (126 publications); Bahrain had the lowest (7 publications). Inconsistent with its low publication volume, Hammad Medical Corps of Qatar had the highest citation impact score of 16.33. Global collaboration for RTI research was highest between Saudi Arabia and the United States. The most prevalent publication journal for the region was Accident Analysis and Prevention. The most common keywords were \" road traffic accidents\" and \" road traffic injuries\"; terms such as \" mobile phones\", \" pedestrian safety\", \" pedestrians\", and \" distracted driving\" were least common. In the five most productive GCC nations with respect to RTI research (Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait, and Oman), researchers tended to publish works related to road traffic safety in traffic safety-oriented journals. Conclusions: The quantity and quality of RTI publications in GCC is insufficient to meet the increasing related public health and economic burden in the region. The trends among publication volumes, citations, and impact were inconsistent. There is a lack of research collaboration among the institutions. Most of the research related to RTI is being conducted by researchers with a medical background. Research focusing on pedestrians, cyclists and road user behavior is also inadequate.

This study investigates the genetic basis of retinal diseases in four consanguineous families from Pakistan, focusing on mutations in the CNGA3, CACNA1F , and RPGRIP1 genes that are implicated in retinal dysfunctions such as achromatopsia, congenital stationary night blindness, and retinal dystrophies. We identified pathogenic variants in these genes, including the novel missense mutation c.955T > C; p.Cys319Arg in CNGA3 (Family 1), the frameshift mutation c.1443dupT; p.Ile482Hisfs*6 in CNGA3 (Family 2), the missense mutation c.2254G > A; p.Val752Met in CACNA1F (Family 3), and the frameshift mutation c.2789dupT; p.Pro931Thrfs*3 in RPGRIP1 (Family 4). Clinical features associated with these mutations include nystagmus, photophobia, reduced visual acuity, and color vision deficiency, with some patients progressing to complete blindness. The findings were validated through Sanger sequencing, segregation analysis, and in silico prediction tools. Additionally, molecular dynamics simulations were conducted to assess the impact of the CNGA3 p.Cys319Arg mutation on protein structure, revealing significant alterations in protein conformation and dynamics. These results highlight the significance of CNGA3, CACNA1F , and RPGRIP1 in retinal health and provide valuable insights into the genetic underpinnings of retinal disorders. Our findings contribute to improved genetic counseling, potential targeted therapies, and a deeper understanding of inherited retinal diseases.