ahmedabdelwahed/Medical_papers_title_and_abstract_NLP_dataset huggingface dataset:
Role of the Neurons, Astrocytes and Particle-Wave Duality in Conventional Electromagnetic Field, Plasma Brain Dynamics and Quantum Brain Dynamics

The brain is regarded as the most complex anatomical structure in the human body that executes various functions. The electromagnetic brainwaves or energy with its discrete network is commonly thought of as the sole contributor to various brain functions. However, the discrete pattern of the brain network seems insufficient to explain consciousness, binding problems in neural communication, brain heat, psychiatric manifestations and higher-order of thinking. Therefore, it seems that the brain must possess additional energy for it to have a much higher degree of functional freedom. Plasma brain dynamics (PBD) and quantum brain dynamics (QBD) are two hypothetical brain energies that have a strong scientific basis to exist together with the conventional brain electromagnetic energy. The presence of these energies may explain the puzzling brain functions, thus creating an opportunity to correct any abnormalities arising from them.
Power-to-methane, coupling CO2 capture with fuel production: An overview

This paper provides a revision of the latest studies on the topic methanation, a multi-stage process where water is first converted into hydrogen in an electrolyzer, which subsequently reacts with carbon dioxide to produce methane. The present and future of the most common water electrolysis technologies is addressed. Critical issues to take into consideration when selecting a carbon dioxide source are evaluated. Chemical and biological approaches, together with photocatalytic configurations are discussed, analyzing pros and cons in all the cases. This paper also highlights the extensive work being done in the development of catalysts capable of selectively converting carbon dioxide into methane, as well as the different reactor configurations that can be used with this aim in any of the available methanation modalities. Relevant power-to-methane plants in Europe have been identified and assessed regarding their location, year of commissioning, capacity, technology for electrolysis and methanation type. Finally, cost issues are analyzed, highlighting economic perspectives of the power-to-methane technologies for the next decades. This document reviews all the key elements associated with the methanation process, revealing which aspects can pave the way for the large-scale implementation of this power generation model. In this sense, the gradual cost reduction of the equipment involved and the continuous increase in the efficiency of the processes are revealed as crucial aspects that can lead to a general implementation of the methanation concept on the way to a low carbon economy.
BIM-based techno-economic assessment of energy retrofitting residential buildings in hot humid climate

Buildings in hot humid climates are energy intensive to operate. Energy consumption in Saudi Arabia is almost three times higher than the global average, and one of the major contributors to that is the residential sector. Increasing environmental and economic concerns, in the form of Saudi Vision 2030, mean that the existing unsustainable residential building stock has to be energy retrofitted. This study examines the techno-economic feasibility of retrofitting existing homes in Eastern Province, Saudi Arabia. A Building Information Modelling (BIM)-based retrofit framework has been adopted and investigated on two case studies. Eight Energy Efficiency Measures (EEMs) have been implemented including increasing cooling set point temperature, using energy efficient appliances, replacing conventional lights with more efficient lights, applying window shading, improving glazing type, improving air tightness, using more efficient air conditioning system, and adding envelope insulation. A three-level energy retrofit plan is proposed. Results indicate that annual energy consumption in a villa is reduced by 13.79%, 19.27% and 56.9%, and in the apartment building by 22.84%, 28.85% and 58.5% through a level 1, 2 and 3 retrofit respectively. Compound Payback Period (CPP) was computed to assess the economic viability. For the villa, investing in a level 1, 2 and 3 retrofit will pay back in 0.92, 8.37 and 25.15 years respectively, while for the apartment building, the payback period is 0.60, 11.28 and 24.60 years respectively. Thus, energy retrofitting of existing homes has the potential to significantly reduce energy consumption, however, it is economically not viable in the existing scenario. Electricity tariffs need to be further increased and coupled with incentive programs to render deep energy retrofits feasible. Furthermore, the investigated BIM-based approach can be adopted to investigate energy retrofitting in other climate zones of Saudi Arabia and other countries in the region, and eventually be adopted to efficiently effectuate the colossal task of retrofitting the whole existing residential building stocks of these countries. (C) 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Climate change vulnerability, water resources and social implications in North Africa

North Africa is considered a climate change hot spot. Existing studies either focus on the physical aspects of climate change or discuss the social ones. The present article aims to address this divide by assessing and comparing the climate change vulnerability of Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, and Tunisia and linking it to its social implications. The vulnerability assessment focuses on climate change exposure, water resources, sensitivity, and adaptive capacity. The results suggest that all countries are exposed to strong temperature increases and a high drought risk under climate change. Algeria is most vulnerable to climate change, mainly due to the country's high sensitivity. Across North Africa, the combination of climate change and strong population growth is very likely to further aggravate the already scarce water situation. The so-called Arab Spring has shown that social unrest is partly caused by unmet basic needs of the population for food and water. Thus, climate change may become an indirect driver of social instability in North Africa. To mitigate the impact of climate change, it is important to reduce economic and livelihood dependence on rain-fed agriculture, strengthen sustainable land use practices, and increase the adaptive capacity. Further, increased regional cooperation and sub-national vulnerability assessments are needed.
The concept of the invisible radiologist in the era of artificial intelligence

The radiologists were traditionally working in the background. What upgraded them as physicians during the second half of the past century was their clinical training and function precipitated by the evolution of Interventional Radiology and Medical Imaging, especially with ultrasonography. These allowed them to participate in patient's diagnosis and treatment by direct contact as well asvia multidisciplinary medical consultations. The wide application of teleradiology and PACS pushed radiologists back again which is no longer acceptable, especially in view of the amazing applications of artificial intelligence (AI) in Radiology. It is our belief that clinical radiologists have to be able to control the penetration of AI in Radiology, securing their work for the benefit of both clinicians and patients.
Impact of two waves of Sars-Cov2 outbreak on the number, clinical presentation, care trajectories and survival of patients newly referred for a colorectal cancer: A French multicentric cohort study from a large group of university hospitals

The SARS-Cov2 may have impaired care trajectories, patient overall survival (OS), tumor stage at initial presentation for new colorectal cancer (CRC) cases. This study aimed at assessing those indicators before and after the beginning of the pandemic in France. In this retrospective cohort study, we collected prospectively the clinical data of the 11.4 million of patients referred to the Greater Paris University Hospitals (AP-HP). We identified new CRC cases between 1 January 2018 and 31 December 2020, and compared indicators for 2018-2019 to 2020. pTNM tumor stage was extracted from postoperative pathology reports for localized colon cancer, and metastatic status was extracted from CT-scan baseline text reports. Between 2018 and 2020, 3602 and 1083 new colon and rectal cancers were referred to the AP-HP, respectively. The 1-year OS rates reached 94%, 93% and 76% for new CRC patients undergoing a resection of the primary tumor, in 2018-2019, in 2020 without any Sars-Cov2 infection and in 2020 with a Sars-Cov2 infection, respectively (HR 3.78, 95% CI 2.1-7.1). For patients undergoing other kind of anticancer treatment, the percentages are 64%, 66% and 27% (HR 2.1, 95% CI 1.4-3.3). Tumor stage at initial presentation, emergency level of primary tumor resection, delays between the first multidisciplinary meeting and the first anticancer treatment did not differ over time. The SARS-Cov2 pandemic has been associated with less newly diagnosed CRC patients and worse 1-year OS rates attributable to the infection itself rather than to its impact on hospital care delivery or tumor stage at initial presentation.
Comparison of gas turbine inlet air cooling systems for several climates in Iran using energy, exergy, economic, and environmental (4E) analyses

The effects are investigated of using absorption chiller, heat pump, and inlet fogging systems for cooling the inlet air of a gas turbine power plant for four cities in Iran representative of different climatic conditions, namely Yazd (hot-arid), Bandar Abbas (hot-humid), Ardabil (cold-humid) and Sari (humid subtropical). Gas turbine functional parameters, quantities of emitted pollutants, prices of generated electricity and capital cost payback periods are determined. The rates of pollutants produced and fuel consumption are considered per unit of electricity generated. The results show that the best cooling system for cities with hot climates is the absorption chiller; it improves gas turbine net power by 18% in Bandar Abbas and 14% in Yazd, the energy efficiency by 5.8% in Bandar Abbas and 5.5% in Yazd, and the exergy efficiency by 2.5% in Bandar Abbas and 1.5% in Yazd. Inlet air cooling reduces NOx pollutant emissions by 60% in Bandar Abbas and 53% in Yazd and reduces electricity generated costs by 6.5% and 6.0% in Bandar Abbas and Yazd respectively. The inlet fogging system performs well only in arid regions. The most appropriate type of cooling system must be selected based on specific objectives (such as increasing power or reducing fuel consumption or reducing pollutants). In cold regions such as Ardabil, where cooling system is used only for a limited period, the heat pump system is suitable because of its low initial investment cost.
A novel hybrid model for forecasting crude oil price based on time series decomposition

Oil price forecasting has received a prodigious attention by scholars and policymakers due to its significant effect on various economic sectors and markets. Incentivized by this issue, the author proposes a novel hybrid model for crude oil price forecasting whose focus is on improving the accuracy of prediction taking into consideration the characteristics existing in the oil price time series. In so doing, the author constitutes a hybrid model consisting of complete ensemble empirical mode decomposition, support vector machine, particle swarm optimization, and Markov-switching generalized autoregressive conditional heteroskedasticity to capture the nonlinearity and volatility of the time series more effectively. Mean absolute error, root mean square error, and mean absolute percentage error tests are used to measure forecasting errors. Results robustness and forecasting quality of the proposed hybrid model compared with counterparts are also investigated by Diebold-Mariano test. Finally, empirical results demonstrate that the proposed hybrid model outperforms other models.
Caregiving in a Pandemic: COVID-19 and the Well-Being of Family Caregivers 55+ in the United States

Little is known about the effects of Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) on older family caregivers. Using data from a national sample of 2,485 U.S. adults aged ≥55, we aimed to describe the magnitude of disruptions to family care arrangements during the initial wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the associations between these disruptions and the mental health outcomes (depression, anxiety, loneliness, and self-rated health) and employment outcomes (job loss or furlough, hours or wages reduced, transition to work-from-home) of family caregivers. We found that COVID-19 disrupted over half of family caregiving arrangements, and that care disruptions were associated with increased depression, anxiety, and loneliness among caregivers, compared with both noncaregivers and caregivers who did not experience disruptions. Family caregivers who experienced pandemic-related employment disruptions were providing more care than caregivers who did not experience disruptions. These findings highlight the impact of the pandemic on an essential and vulnerable health care workforce.
Diversity of rabies virus detected in Inner Mongolia, China, 2019-2021

Rabies is a serious public health issue in China, with over 95% of human infections transmitted by dogs. As part of a routine surveillance carried out in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region (IMAR) between 2019 and 2021, 80 of 95 suspected rabies cases in domestic animals (dogs, livestock) and wild carnivores (foxes, badgers, a raccoon dog) were confirmed as rabies virus (RABV) positive. Phylogenetic analysis of RABVs of the 80 cases based on complete N genes showed that 97.5% (78/80) of the virus strains belonged to the Cosmopolitan (steppe-type) clade, with one in each of Arctic-related (AL2) and Asian (SEA1) clades. The data show that infected foxes have become a major transmission source of rabies in China, second only to dogs, and play a pivotal role in animal rabies epizootics in the north and northwest of the country. The recent spread of fox rabies to other animal species presents an increasing threat to public health and emphasizes the importance of animal rabies surveillance.
WHO informal consultation on regulatory considerations for evaluation of the quality, safety and efficacy of RNA-based prophylactic vaccines for infectious diseases, 20-22 April 2021

This paper presents the key outcomes of the above WHO informal consultation with global stakeholders including regulatory authorities, vaccine developers and manufacturers, academia and other international health organizations and institutions involved in the development, evaluation and use of messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccines. The aim of the consultation was to further clarify the main principles to be presented in an upcoming WHO guidance document on the regulatory considerations in evaluating the quality, safety and efficacy of mRNA prophylactic vaccines for infectious diseases. This WHO guidance document is intended to facilitate global mRNA vaccine development and regulatory convergence in the assessment of such vaccines. The urgent need to develop such a document as a new WHO written standard is outlined in this report along with the key scientific and regulatory challenges. A number of key conclusions are provided at the end of this report along with an update on the steps taken following this meeting.
Examining effects of climate change and land use dynamic on biophysical and economic values of ecosystem services of a natural reserve region

Ecosystem Service Valuation (ESV) is a process of evaluating and quantifying the monetary values of ESs and their functions. Using both biophysical and spatially explicit integrated models, biophysical and monetary values of key Ecosystem Services (ESs) were estimated in the Sundarbans Biosphere Region (SBR), India. Quantification was made both in time series (1982-2017) and individual years (1973, 1988, 2003, 2013, 2018, 2025, 2035, 2045) to understand the impact of climate change and land-use dynamics on the long-term ecological status of the region. The monetary and biophysical values of the ESs were then obtained from Net Primary Productivity (NPP) models, Integrated Valuation of Ecosystem Services and Trade-offs (InVEST), and Cellular Automata Markov Chain Model (CA-Markov). NPP increased significantly during the first half period (1982-1999), but significantly declined during the second period (2000-2017). The highest estimated ESVs (US$ ha(-1)) was found for habitat service (30780), nutrient cycling (12626), and gas regulation (7224.81), whereas, lower ESVs were approximated for water regulation (347.81), raw material production (777.82) and waste treatment (13.57) services. Among the nine ESs evaluated, climate regulation, gas regulation, and disturbance regulation were the most important regulating services of the SBR. The combined effects of climate change and land-use dynamics on ESs are much stringent in a vulnerable region like the SBR. Most of the regulating services were closely associated with the fluctuation of land use land cover input. Thus, land management policies and land reform strategies that will encourage the conversion of productive land, especially the highly productive mangrove forest, for the development or any other financial benefits, would disturb the ideal human-nature balance of this ecosystem. The outcomes of this study also provide an important reference to the land administrators, researchers, and decision-makers to comprehend the expected socialecological juxtaposition in a protected natural reserve region like the Sundarbans. (C) 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
The impact of renewable energy on carbon emissions and economic growth in 15 major renewable energy-consuming countries

Closing the gap between carbon emissions and economic development is one of the solutions for reaching the sustainable development goals (SDGs). The role of renewable energy in rebalancing environmental and economic conditions is becoming a significant subject of some debates in the current discussion circles. Hence, the main purpose of this article is to use both growth and environmental functions to demonstrate the effectiveness of renewable energy in promoting economic growth and mitigating carbon emissions in the case of 15 major renewable energy-consuming countries using both fully modified ordinary least square (FMOLS) and vector error correction model (VECM) estimation techniques. The results of the FMOLS method show the efficiency of renewable energy in increasing economic growth and reducing carbon emissions. We also find, from the VECM Granger causality test, that there is (i) a bidirectional causality between economic growth and renewable energy inshort- and long-run for both estimated functions, validating the feedback hypothesis; (ii) no causal relationship between CO2 emissions and renewable energy in the long-run, but a bidirectional causality between the two variables is found in the short-run; (iii) a bidirectional relationship between economic growth and CO2 emissions is found in both short and long-run. Policy and practical implications and future research directions are also discussed.
Spatio-temporal dynamics of ecological security pattern of the Pearl River Delta urban agglomeration based on LUCC simulation

In the past four decades, China has achieved tremendous economic success, but it has also faced serious ecological security (ES) problems. The land use/cover change (LUCC) plays a decisive role in the issue of ES. LUCC and ES evaluation were combined by predicting the change in land use and simulating ES pattern. Taking the Pearl River Delta urban agglomeration (PRD) as the study area, the temporal changes of land use were predicted by the CA-Markov model, and the land use pattern in three different scenarios in 2025 was simulated. Based on the Pressure-State-Response (PSR) model, the ES evaluation of the PRD in 2005, 2010 and 2015 was carried out, and the safety level dropped from 75.39% to 66.67% in this period. Spatial autocorrelation analysis was performed by the GeoDA to reflect the dynamic of ES pattern of the PRD, which suggested that there is greater heterogeneity within the PRD, and the homogenous sub-region continues to increase. Through change the transition probability among different land use types, three scenarios were set: Inertial development, Over expansion, and Ecological protection scenario, which showed that the expansion of construction land (accounting for 18.58%, 20.12% and 17.93% respectively) must occupy agricultural and forest lands and lead to decrease on ES level, the safety level are accounting for 79.07%, 78.30% and 79.95% in the three scenarios respectively. The ES pattern of the PRD was described, the central sub-region of the PRD with high urbanization have relative low ES, and the periphery sub-regions with good ecological order have high ES level, there are more than 63.59% and less than 4.06% of unsafety level of Dongguan and Zhaoqing respectively, which are both the representative city of these two sub-regions. Based on the spatial-temporal dynamic of urban ES, the optimized ES pattern of the PRD was proposed, three eco-functional zones were determined: ecological conservation zone, living environment guarantee zone and ecological restoration zone. The eco-functional zones have defined the leading ecological functions of each sub-region and could gradually improve the integrity and connectivity of the entire ecosystem of the PRD, which provides valuable knowledge for understanding and planning regional city management.
The waste treatment and recycling efficiency of industrial waste processing based on two-stage data envelopment analysis with undesirable inputs

Achieving a resource-conserving and environment friendly supply chain while pursuing economic development has always been the goal of countries across the world. As an emerging industrial nation, China is battling serious environmental problems. While there have been efforts to address waste processing, researchers are now interested in gauging the efficiency of waste treatment policies. We built a two-stage data envelopment analysis model with undesirable input to assess the efficiency of recycle treating and industrial waste reuse, including wastewater, waste gas and solid wastes in China. Our model is based on a circular economy structure that proposed by Environmental Protection Institute of China. The proposed method can serve as evaluation tool for the government policy in China as well as other emerging economy. We collected the data during the critical environmental policy enforcement period: the 11th five-year plan (from 2006 to 2010). We also analyze the waste treatment efficacy for the solid waste in the 11th and 12th five-year plan period (from 2011 to 2015). In contrast to earlier studies that have mainly focused on pollution disposal efficiency, this work takes both pollution and resource attributes of waste into consideration. The results revealed that integrated efficiency of industrial waste processing system was stable over five years. It also showed that efficiency at the pollution disposal stage was higher than that at the resources reuse stage, and contributed more to overall efficiency. We also find that the efficiency of the pollution and disposal of the solid waste improved during the 11th and 12th five-year plan. Further, the study reveal that the pollution disposal stage shows a similar trend as the integrated system, while the resources reuse stage does not. Finally, it also displays that there are three efficient development modes, namely, balanced, ecosystem, and coordinate development modes. In discussion, we provide benchmarks from developed countries for different development mode. We also point out other emerging countries that can benefit from our research by identifying their development mode and formulating their environmental policy based on these benchmarks in the future. (c) 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.