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Fulltext Advanced neural network-based model for predicting court decisions on child custody

Abrar M, Salam A, Ullah F, Nadeem M, AlSalman H, Mukred M, et al.

PeerJ Comput Sci, 2024;10:e2293.
PMID: 39650418 DOI: 10.7717/peerj-cs.2293

Predicting court rulings has gained attention over the past years. The court rulings are among the most important documents in all legal systems, profoundly impacting the lives of the children in case of divorce or separation. It is evident from literature that Natural language processing (NLP) and machine learning (ML) are widely used in the prediction of court rulings. In general, the court decisions comprise several pages and require a lot of space. In addition, extracting valuable information and predicting legal decisions task is difficult. Moreover, the legal system's complexity and massive litigation make this problem more serious. Thus to solve this issue, we propose a new neural network-based model for predicting court decisions on child custody. Our proposed model efficiently performs an efficient search from a massive court decisions database and accurately identifies specific ones that especially deal with copyright claims. More specially, our proposed model performs a careful analysis of court decisions, especially on child custody, and pinpoints the plaintiff's custody request, the court's ruling, and the pivotal arguments. The working mechanism of our proposed model is performed in two phases. In the first phase, the isolation of pertinent sentences within the court ruling encapsulates the essence of the proceedings performed. In the second phase, these documents were annotated independently by using two legal professionals. In this phase, NLP and transformer-based models were employed and thus processed 3,000 annotated court rulings. We have used a massive dataset for the training and refining of our proposed model. The novelty of the proposed model is the integration of bidirectional encoder representations from transformers (BERT) and bidirectional long short-term memory (Bi_LSTM). The traditional methods are primarily based on support vector machines (SVM), and logistic regression. We have performed a comparison with the state-of-the-art model. The efficient results indicate that our proposed model efficiently navigates the complex terrain of legal language and court decision structures. The efficiency of the proposed model is measured in terms of the F1 score. The achieved results show that scores range from 0.66 to 0.93 and Kappa indices from 0.57 to 0.80 across the board. The performance is achieved at times surpassing the inter-annotator agreement, underscoring the model's adeptness at extracting and understanding nuanced legal concepts. The efficient results proved the potential of the proposed neural network model, particularly those based on transformers, to effectively discern and categorize key elements within legal texts, even amidst the intricacies of judicial language and the layered complexity of appellate rulings.
Level up your coding: a systematic review of personalized, cognitive, and gamified learning in programming education

Ishaq K, Alvi A, Haq MIU, Rosdi F, Choudhry AN, Anjum A, et al.

PeerJ Comput Sci, 2024;10:e2310.
PMID: 39650413 DOI: 10.7717/peerj-cs.2310

Programming courses in computer science play a crucial role as they often serve as students' initial exposure to computer programming. Many university students find introductory courses overwhelming due to the vast amount of information they need to grasp. The traditional teacher-lecturer model used in university lecture halls frequently leads to low motivation and student participation. Personalized gamification, a pedagogical approach that blends gamification and personalized learning, offers a solution to this challenge. This approach integrates gaming elements and personalized learning strategies to motivate and engage students while addressing their individual learning needs and differences. A comprehensive literature review analyzes 101 studies based on research design, intervention, outcome measures, and quality assessment. The findings suggest that personalized gamification can enhance student cognition in programming courses by boosting motivation, engagement, and learning outcomes. However, the effectiveness of personalized gamification depends on various factors, including the types of gaming elements used, the level of personalization, and learner characteristics. This article offers insights into designing and implementing effective personalized gamification interventions in programming courses. The findings may inform educators and researchers in programming education about the potential benefits of personalized gamification and its implications for educational practice.
Fulltext Paediatricians' knowledge, perceptions, preparedness and involvement towards paediatric antimicrobial stewardship in Pakistan: findings and the implications

Mustafa ZU, Khan AH, Salman M, Harun SN, Meyer JC, Godman B

JAC Antimicrob Resist, 2024 Dec;6(6):dlae193.
PMID: 39659643 DOI: 10.1093/jacamr/dlae193

INTRODUCTION: Antibiotics are frequently prescribed for neonates and children. However, this can be excessive with inappropriate prescribing leading to increased antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Paediatricians are key initiators of antibiotics. Consequently, their awareness, perceptions, readiness and potential barriers towards hospital-based antimicrobial stewardship programmes are of considerable importance, especially in Pakistan with high rates of AMR.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: A web-based cross-sectional survey among paediatricians from June to August 2023 using a validated questionnaire. Paediatricians from all four Provinces and the capital territory of Pakistan were invited from randomly selected public and private sector hospitals.
RESULTS: 383 paediatricians participated (79.8% response rate). Most were male (87.7%), aged 35 years or less (55.4%), working in tertiary care hospitals (68.4%) and undertaking 51-100 child consultations every day (45%). Only 15% reported obtaining training on antibiotic usage, AMR and/or antimicrobial stewardship. Only 7.6% confirmed functional antimicrobial stewardship programmes in their institutions. Most had adequate knowledge of antibiotic use and AMR. However, key issues were not fully understood with only 27.4% believing antibiotics were being overused among children. Paediatricians with less experience, and who undertook fewer consultations per day, had significantly lower knowledge scores. Most participants were prepared to initiate antimicrobial stewardship programmes; however, perceived barriers included a lack of online learning sources, treatment guidelines and support from hospital administration.
DISCUSSION: Paediatricians had appropriate knowledge about antibiotic use and AMR although concerns with antibiotic use. Important barriers to integrating antimicrobial stewardship programmes were identified, which need addressing for these to become routine.
Catalytically active inclusion bodies as a potential tool for biotechnology

Bello MN, Sabri S, Mohd Yahaya N, Mohd Shariff F, Mohamad Ali MS

Biotechnol Appl Biochem, 2024 Dec;71(6):1235-1242.
PMID: 38863240 DOI: 10.1002/bab.2624

The initial assumption that viewed inclusion bodies as a hindrance to the efficient production of protein is no longer held due to the emergence of catalytically active inclusion bodies (CatIBs). Recent studies revealed their potential to be used in free form or immobilized as biocatalysts. The curiosity to acquire suitable catalysts has remained the measure of concern for researchers and industrialists. Numerous processes and production in various sectors of food industries, petroleum, pharmaceutical, cosmetics, and many others are still searching for a robust catalyst with outstanding features such as recyclability, resistance to pH, as well as temperature. CatIBs are forms of inclusion bodies that possess catalytic activity, which can improve catalysis efficiency, stability, and recyclability. One of the advantages of CatIBs is their potential to be used as catalysts for numerous bioprocesses when generated by an enzyme. These aggregates can efficiently be used as a replacement for traditional enzyme immobilization. This review tends to focus on the possibility of its application in various processes. The novelty of this review is that it considered the production of CatIBs both from artificial and natural perspectives, as well as how to improve it. Inclusion bodies' immobilization may provide an efficient alternative in the area of biocatalysis, and hence it will improve industrial sectors and substantially provide a means of achieving excellent performance in the near future.
Fulltext Attribution theory of poverty and beliefs about charity in Malaysia: an inter-ethnic comparison

Khan A, Shafiai MHM, Abbas G, Zaidi SB, Hassan MU

Front Psychol, 2024;15:1526352.
PMID: 39881692 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1526352

INTRODUCTION: Malaysia as an ethnically diverse country has a history of interethnic inequality and poverty which led to the development of different views about the existence of poverty. Among these ethnic groups, some sympathize with the poor and help them through different charity organizations. However, these charity organizations are mostly unaware of the target donors that can aid their charity funds. Therefore, this study explores the attitudinal differences regarding poverty among Malays, Chinese, and Indians and the demographic groups that can be targeted for donation and social policy development purposes.
METHODOLOGY: A survey is conducted in Selangor, where the data through a questionnaire is extracted from the three ethnic groups. Through the quota sampling technique, a sample of 700 is derived. The results are analyzed through ANOVA, regression, and mediation analysis.
RESULTS: The results show that attitudinal differences between Malays and Chinese regarding structuralist beliefs could be observed. Moreover, among Malays, it is found that the relationship between gender, income, education, wealth, and structuralist beliefs is significantly mediated by beliefs about charity. On the other hand, mediation analysis for Chinese identifies gender, education, and income while among Indians gender, education, and wealth are identified as key demographic groups.
DISCUSSION: This study highlights the role of attribution theory to identify the charity donors among the different ethnic groups which was overshadowed by the previous research in Malaysia. The results also hold significance for charity institutions to target the specified groups through their marketing campaigns. Also, based on these results government can reduce the misconception about the existence of poverty and to develop policies that encourage high income groups to support the poor.
Fulltext The Application of Technological Intervention for Stroke Rehabilitation in Southeast Asia: A Scoping Review With Stakeholders' Consultation

Selamat SNS, Che Me R, Ahmad Ainuddin H, Salim MSF, Ramli HR, Romli MH

Front Public Health, 2021;9:783565.
PMID: 35198531 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2021.783565

BACKGROUND: The technological intervention is considered as an adjunct to the conventional therapies applied in the rehabilitation session. In most high-income countries, technology has been widely used in assisting stroke survivors to undergo their treatments. However, technology use is still lacking in Southeast Asia, especially in middle- and low-income countries. This scoping review identifies and summarizes the technologies and related gaps available in Southeast Asia pertaining to stroke rehabilitation.
METHODS: The JBI manual for evidence synthesis was used to conduct a scoping study. Until September 2021, an electronic search was performed using four databases (Medline, CINAHL, Scopus, ASEAN Citation Index). Only the studies that were carried out in Southeast Asia were chosen.
RESULTS: Forty-one articles were chosen in the final review from 6,873 articles found during the initial search. Most of the studies reported the implementation of technological intervention combined with conventional therapies in stroke rehabilitation. Advanced and simple technologies were found such as robotics, virtual reality, telerehabilitation, motion capture, assistive devices, and mobility training from Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia. The majority of the studies show that technological interventions can enhance the recovery period of stroke survivors. The consultation session suggested that the technological interventions should facilitate the needs of the survivors, caregivers, and practitioners during the rehabilitation.
CONCLUSIONS: The integration of technology into conventional therapies has shown a positive outcome and show significant improvement during stroke recovery. Future studies are recommended to investigate the potential of home-based technological intervention and lower extremities.
Comparative efficacy of chitosan-HPMC-based nanoencapsulation and ultrasonic treatment of thymol-cinnamaldehyde for controlling Rhizopus stolonifer in papaya: In vitro and in vivo studies

Phyo HM, Al-Maqtari QA, Othman N, Chen Y, Khalid MU, Hussain M, et al.

Food Res Int, 2025 Mar;204:115871.
PMID: 39986754 DOI: 10.1016/j.foodres.2025.115871

This study examines the in vitro antifungal properties and in vivo efficacy of thymol-cinnamaldehyde (TH-CIN) loaded nanocapsules, prepared using chitosan (CH) and hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (H) with varying ultrasonic power (200-600 W), for controlling Rhizopus stolonifer in papaya. Ultrasonic power notably influenced the nanocapsules' antifungal properties, both in vitro and in vivo. Higher ultrasonic power resulted in improved antifungal activity, with NC-CH-400 and NC-CH-H-600 formulations achieving the highest inhibition zones (94.67 % and 93.33 %, respectively) against R. stolonifer in vitro. The Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) for CH formulations was 6.25 mg/mL, while the Minimum Fungicidal Concentration (MFC) for all formulations was 50 mg/mL. Protein leakage assays demonstrated significant disruption of R. stolonifer cell membranes, with NC-CH-400 and NC-CH-H-600 at MFC reducing intracellular protein concentrations by over 95 %. In vivo tests showed that NC-CH-400 nanocapsule-coated papayas, whether sprayed or dipped, reduced weight loss to 0.54 % and 0.86 %, respectively, and exhibited lower decay severity indices, particularly during storage. Spraying was more effective than dipping in preventing decay. Peel color analysis revealed that coated fruits maintained acceptable ripeness levels over 10 days, indicating delayed maturation. Coated fruits also exhibited better color consistency and were preferred in sensory evaluations for improved taste, aroma, color, and texture, particularly with NC-CH-400 and NC-CH-H-600 coatings.
Fulltext Prediction of Poisson's ratio for a petroleum engineering application: Machine learning methods

Alakbari FS, Mahmood SM, Ayoub MA, Khan MJ, Afolabi F, Mohyaldinn ME, et al.

PLoS One, 2025;20(2):e0317754.
PMID: 39982951 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0317754

Static Poisson's ratio (νs) is an essential property used in petroleum calculations, namely fracture pressure (FP). The νs is often determined in the laboratory; however, due to time and cost constraints, quicker and cheaper alternatives are sought, such as data-driven models. However, existing methods lack the accuracy needed for critical applications, necessitating the need to explore more accurate methods. In addition, the previous studies used limited datasets and they do not show the relationships between the inputs and output. Therefore, this study developed a reliable model to predict the νs accurately using the nineteen most common learning methods. The proposed models were created based on a large data of 1691 datasets from different countries. The best-performing model of the nineteen models was selected and further enhanced using various approaches such as trend analysis to improve the model's performance and robustness as some models show high accuracy but show incorrect relationships between the inputs and output because the machine learning model only built based on the data and do not consider the physical behavior of the model. The proposed Gaussian process regression (GPR) model was also compared with published models. After the proposed GPR model was developed, the FP was determined based on the proposed GPR νs model and the previous νs models to evaluate their accuracy on the FP determinations. The best approach out of the published and proposed methods was GPR with a coefficient of determination (R2) and average-absolute-percentage-relative-error (AAPRE) of 0.95 and 2.73%. The GPR model showed proper trends for all inputs. The cross-plotting and group error analyses also confirmed that the proposed GPR approach had high precision and surpassed other methods within all practical ranges. The GPR model decreased the residual error of FP from 87% to 26%. It is believed that such a significant improvement in the accuracy of the GPR model will have a significant effect on realistic FP determination.
Fulltext Acceptability and efficacy of the culturally adapted problem management plus intervention for people with disability in Pakistan: a pilot cluster randomized controlled trial

Hussain B, Khalily MT, Waqas A, Rahman A, Angelakis I, Nisar A, et al.

Front Psychiatry, 2024;15:1413809.
PMID: 39980593 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2024.1413809

BACKGROUND: In Pakistan, the mental health care for persons living with disabilities is insufficient, lacking a holistic approach to address their needs. This research evaluates the adapted PM+'s (IA-PM+) initial efficacy and acceptability in improving mental health among persons living with disabilities, contributing to the integration of mental health services within primary care settings in Pakistan.
METHODS: This study employed a two-arm, single-blind cluster randomized controlled trial in a community setting within Union Council Kuri Dolal, Tehsil Gujjar Khan, District Rawalpindi-Pakistan. It compared an Active Treatment group, receiving five sessions of the IA-PM+ intervention, against a Delayed Treatment Control group. A total of 148 participants were randomized. Randomization occurred at the village level, with clusters assigned to either the intervention or control group. The intervention's effectiveness and participant satisfaction were assessed using a variety of measures, including the GHQ-12, WHODAS 2.0, DASS-21, and the Client Satisfaction Questionnaire, at baseline, the 8th week, and during a 3-month follow-up. Qualitative feedback was gathered at the end of the study to assess the intervention's acceptability among the participants.
RESULTS: The study achieved a 100% retention rate. Baseline demographics showed a majority male participation with a variety of disabilities predominantly lower limb. Significant improvements were noted in the intervention group across WHODAS scores (Cohen's d= 0.66), PTSD symptoms (d= 0.75), and DASS scores for depression (d= 0.46), anxiety (d=0.65), and stress (d= 0.47). Similar trends were noted during the follow-up phases. However, life satisfaction scores initially higher in the control group evened out by follow-up, and perceived social support was consistently lower in the intervention group. High levels of client satisfaction were reported in the intervention group, with most participants finding the sessions beneficial and expressing willingness to recommend the service to others. The qualitative interviews revealed that the integration of religious practices, such as associating stress management techniques with Adhan, significantly enhanced the acceptability of the culturally adapted PM+ intervention. Participants reported that this cultural alignment made the coping strategies more relatable and easier to adopt, contributing to improvements in both their mental health and somatic symptoms.
CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04981522, identifier NCT04981522.
Fulltext Modeling the non-integer dynamics of a vector-borne infection with nonlocal and nonsingular kernel

Ullah N, Shah Z, Jan R, Vrinceanu N, Farhan M, Antonescu E

Sci Rep, 2025 Feb 20;15(1):6262.
PMID: 39979382 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-025-90182-1

Vector-borne infections impose a significant burden on global health systems and economies due to their widespread impact and the substantial resources required for prevention, control, and treatment efforts. In this work, we formulate a mathematical model for the transmission dynamics of a vector-borne infection with the effect of vaccination through the Atangana-Baleanu derivative. The solutions of the model are positive and bounded for positive initial values of the state variable. We presented the basic concept and theory of fractional calculus for the analysis of the model. We determine the threshold parameter, denoted by [Formula: see text], using the next-generation matrix method. The local asymptotic stability of the system at the disease-free equilibrium is analyzed. To establish the existence of solutions for the proposed model, we employ fixed-point theory. A numerical scheme is developed to visualize the system's dynamical behavior under varying input parameters. Numerical simulations are conducted to illustrate how these parameters influence the dynamics of the system. The results highlight key factors affecting the transmission and control of vector-borne diseases, offering insights into strategies for prevention and mitigation.
Fulltext Exploring the Potential of Moringa oleifera in Managing Bone Loss: Insights from Preclinical Studies

Hairi HA, Jusoh RR, Sadikan MZ, Hasan WNW, Shuid AN

Int J Med Sci, 2025;22(4):819-833.
PMID: 39991771 DOI: 10.7150/ijms.103241

Moringa oleifera (MO) is renowned for its remarkable medicinal uses, supported by claims across various cultures and growing scientific evidence. Preclinical experimental evidence indicated that MO may effectively reduce bone loss and promote bone remodelling through its effects on osteoclasts and osteoblasts. In vivo studies demonstrated that MO enhances critical aspects of bone health, such as bone volume, trabecular thickness and overall bone density. Furthermore, MO positively influenced bone biomarkers including alkaline phosphatase and procollagen type 1 N-terminal propeptide, reflecting improved bone formation. Additionally, in vitro and ex vivo studies revealed that MO boosted bone regeneration, stimulated osteoblast activity and reduced inflammation. In terms of mechanisms, MO may modulate signalling pathways related to bone metabolism, such as BMP2, PI3K/Akt/FOXO1, p38α/MAPK14 and RANKL/RANK//OPG pathways. This evidence provides a strong foundation for future clinical research and potential therapeutic applications in managing and preventing bone loss conditions.
Fulltext Association between toxic heavy metals and noncancerous thyroid disease: a scoping review

Rafi'i MR, Ja'afar MH, Mohammed Nawi A, Md Hanif SA, Md Asari SN

PeerJ, 2025;13:e18962.
PMID: 39959824 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.18962

BACKGROUND: Toxic heavy metals such as chromium (Cr), arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), mercury (Hg), and lead (Pb) are known to be priority pollutants due to their high degrees of toxicity and widespread presence in the environment. This review aimed to explore the association between heavy metals and noncancerous thyroid diseases by synthesizing findings from observational and experimental studies. This review addressed a critical intersection of environmental health, endocrinology, and public health. The findings would be of interest to a wide range of disciplines given the ubiquitous presence of toxic heavy metals in the environment and their potential to disrupt endocrine systems. The evidence-based information from diverse fields generated from this review will provide insights into the health implications of heavy metal exposure on thyroid function and guide the necessary interdisciplinary research and collaborative interventions.
METHOD: Three databases were searched, namely PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus. The Arksey and O'Malley (2005) framework was used as a guide in conducting this scoping review. The reporting was carried out based on the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and the Meta-Analyses Extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA). The literature search retrieved 552 articles and 29 articles were included in the final review.
RESULTS: As high as 83% of the 29 included studies followed an observational study design while the rest were experimental animal studies. Among the observational studies, two-thirds (66%) were cross-sectional studies while the rest were case-control studies (31%) and cohort studies (n = 1, 3%). Few number of studies in this review reported a significant association between Cr, As, Cd, Hg, and Pb with noncancerous thyroid diseases (2, 3, 16, 8, and 12) while another few (5, 8, 9, 5, and 11) did not show any significant association.
CONCLUSION: A heterogeneous and diverse sample population in the included studies could have potentially led to mixed findings about the association between toxic heavy metals and thyroid diseases in this review. Therefore, future research should prioritize longitudinal studies and controlled clinical trials to better elucidate the causative mechanisms and long-term impact of heavy metal exposure on thyroid health.
Partial versus full range of motion triceps strength training on shooting accuracy among recreational basketball players: a randomized controlled trial

Mir IA, Mohd Jamali MNZ, Humayra S, Chong KW, Amalnerkar T, Sirajudeen MS

BMC Sports Sci Med Rehabil, 2025 Mar 06;17(1):41.
PMID: 40051008 DOI: 10.1186/s13102-025-01060-2

BACKGROUND: The benefits of strength training on shooting accuracy in football players and other athletes are well known, but its effectiveness in improving shooting accuracy among basketball players remains unclear. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the effect of partial range of motion (PROM) and full range of motion (FROM) triceps strength training on stationary three-point shooting test (S3P) among recreational basketball players.
METHODS: This was a single-blinded randomized controlled trial. 30 participants were randomly assigned into 3 equal groups; FROM, PROM, and control (CON). Triceps strength training was carried out using an adjustable overhead cable crossover machine. With shoulders over-head flexed to 160-180° for both experimental groups, the FROM group performed strength training from full elbow flexion to full extension. In contrast, the PROM group worked at a restricted range, between 60°-110° elbow flexion/extension. Both groups engaged in 4 sets of 10 repetitions, 2 sessions/week for 4-weeks at 67% of 1 repetition maximum, while the CON group did not participate in any exercise program. S3P was assessed at baseline and at the end of 4-weeks intervention.
RESULTS: Participants mean age (20.20 ± 1.54 years), height (1.74 ± 0.61 m), and body mass index (22.55 ± 3.31) were descriptively analysed. Within group analysis showed a significant improvement of S3P in both FROM (p = 0.0345, 95% CI = -1.50 to -0.07, ES = 0.81) and PROM (p = 0.005, 95% CI = -2.44 to -0.97, ES = 2.40) compared to CON group (p = 0.8995, 95% CI = -0.61 to 0.68, ES = 0.05). Group-by-time interaction demonstrated PROM to be more promising (p = 0.0102, 95% CI = -1.70 to 0.21) than the FROM and CON groups.
CONCLUSIONS: PROM triceps strength training improves shooting accuracy and is a time-efficient technique highly recommended for basketball players.
TRIAL REGISTRATION: clinicaltrials.gov, NCT04128826, registered on 14/10/2019 - retrospectively, https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT04128826 .
Fulltext Domain decomposition and mortar mixed approach for nonlinear elliptic equations modeling flow in porous media

Arshad M, Mehmood A, Salleh Z, Akhtar SS, Khan S, Inc M

Heliyon, 2025 Feb 28;11(4):e42724.
PMID: 40066045 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2025.e42724

The equations describe the behavior of steady state flow in porous medium generally results in elliptic partial differential equations with coefficient represents the permeability of the medium. This article presents the extension of mortar mixed method for second order nonlinear elliptic equations that describes flow in porous media. The domain is decomposed into non-overlapping regions with each partitioned independently. The grids on subdomains are allowed to be non-matching across the subdomains internal boundaries. The fixed point argument (FPA) is employed to establish the existence and uniqueness of discrete problem, and optimal order error estimates are provided for approximations. The computational results are given to validate the theory.
Fulltext Fear conditioning: Insights into learning, memory and extinction and its relevance to clinical disorders

Trent S, Abdullah MH, Parwana K, Valdivieso MA, Hassan Z, Müller CP

Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry, 2025 Mar 06;138:111310.
PMID: 40056965 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2025.111310

Fear, whether innate or learned, is an essential emotion required for survival. The learning, and subsequent memory, of fearful events enhances our ability to recognise and respond to threats, aiding adaptation to new, ever-changing environments. Considerable research has leveraged associative learning protocols such as contextual or auditory forms of fear conditioning in rodents, to understand fear learning, memory consolidation and extinction phases of memory. Such assays have led to detailed characterisation of the underlying neurocircuitry and neurobiology supporting fear learning processes. Given fear processing is conserved across rodents and humans, fear conditioning experiments provide translational insights into fundamental memory processes and fear-related pathologies. This review examines associative learning protocols used to measure fear learning, memory and extinction, before providing an overview on the underlying complex neurocircuitry including the amygdala, hippocampus and medial prefrontal cortex. This is followed by an in-depth commentary on the neurobiology, particularly synaptic plasticity mechanisms, which regulate fear learning, memory and extinction. Next, we consider how fear conditioning assays in rodents can inform our understanding of disrupted fear memory in human disorders such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety and psychiatric disorders including schizophrenia. Lastly, we critically evaluate fear conditioning protocols, highlighting some of the experimental and theoretical limitations and the considerations required when conducting such assays, alongside recent methodological advancements in the field. Overall, rodent-based fear conditioning assays remain central to making progress in uncovering fundamental memory phenomena and understanding the aetiological mechanisms that underpin fear associated disorders, alongside the development of effective therapeutic strategies.
Fulltext Holistic horizons: understanding the landscape of traditional and complementary medicines among menopausal women in Kuala Lumpur

Lau EXX, Farrukh MJ, Keshavarzi F, Ming LC, Paneerselvam GS, Suleiman AK

BMC Complement Med Ther, 2025 Mar 08;25(1):97.
PMID: 40057740 DOI: 10.1186/s12906-025-04816-y

BACKGROUND: The use of traditional and complementary medicines (T&CM) among menopausal women has become prevalent due to the concerns on the adverse effects and differing opinions regarding hormone replacement therapy's (HRT) suitability for long-term following the release of Women's Health Initiative (WHI) results in 2002. To date, there have been no studies conducted on knowledge, attitude and practice towards T&CM among menopausal women in Malaysia. In addition, many women seek relief from menopausal symptoms by using T&CM despite questionable safety and efficacy. The objective of this study was to determine the knowledge, attitude and practice of menopausal women towards T&CM and its correlation with sociodemographic data in Kuala Lumpur and to assess the prevalence, types and perceived effectiveness of T&CM used by menopausal women in Kuala Lumpur.
METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted among menopausal women (n = 390) in Kuala Lumpur in the form of self-administered questionnaire. Data was collected using convenience sampling. The questionnaire was adopted from previous studies and some literature reviews with modifications. It was composed of 4 sections. Statistical analyses were performed using the IBM SPSS Statistics Version 26. Data obtained was analysed using descriptive and inferential analysis such as independent t test, one way ANOVA and chi square test.
RESULTS: The prevalence of T&CM used among menopausal women was found to be 27.2%. Evening primrose oil (53.2%), vitamins and minerals (53.2%) and black cohosh (48%) were most frequently used. Black cohosh and phytoestrogens were perceived as effective in relieving menopausal symptoms by 36.6% and 43.4% of respondents, respectively. Over half of the respondents had poor knowledge (51.3%), negative attitude (56.9%) and poor practice (55.7%) regarding the utilization of T&CM in menopause. There was a significant association between knowledge and attitude (p value RM10,1000) showed higher knowledge and positive attitude.
CONCLUSIONS: Menopausal women in Kuala Lumpur were found to have a low prevalence rate of T&CM utilization. Respondents' low understanding and unfavourable views might significantly impact the inadequate usage of T&CM.
Fulltext Reinforcement learning based route optimization model to enhance energy efficiency in internet of vehicles

Hussain Q, Noor ASM, Qureshi MM, Li J, Atta-Ur Rahman, Bakry A, et al.

Sci Rep, 2025 Jan 24;15(1):3113.
PMID: 39856169 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-025-86608-5

The Internet of Vehicles (IoV) transforms the automobile industry through connected vehicles with communication infrastructure that improves traffic control, safety and information, and entertainment services. However, some issues remain, like data protection, privacy, compatibility with other protocols and systems, and the availability of stable and continuous connections. Specific problems are related to energy consumption for transmitting information, distributing energy loads across the vehicle's sensors and communication units, and designing energy-efficient approaches to processing received data and making decisions in the context of the IoV environment. In the realm of IoV, we propose OptiE2ERL, an advanced Reinforcement Learning (RL) based model designed to optimize energy efficiency and routing. Our model leverages a reward matrix and the Bellman equation to determine the optimal path from source to destination, effectively managing communication overhead. The model considers critical parameters such as Remaining Energy Level (REL), Bandwidth and Interference Level (BIL), Mobility Pattern (MP), Traffic Condition (TC), and Network Topological Arrangement (NTA), ensuring a comprehensive approach to route optimization. Extensive simulations were conducted using NS2 and Python, demonstrating that OptiE2ERL significantly outperforms existing models like LEACH, PEGASIS, and EER-RL across various performance metrics. Specifically, our model extends the network lifetime, delays the occurrence of the first dead node, and maintains a higher residual energy rate. Furthermore, OptiE2ERL enhances network scalability and robustness, making it a superior choice for IoV applications. The simulation results highlight the effectiveness of our model in achieving energy-efficient routing while maintaining network performance under different scenarios. By incorporating a diverse set of parameters and utilizing RL techniques, OptiE2ERL provides a robust solution for the challenges faced in IoV networks. This research contributes to the field by presenting a model that optimizes energy consumption and ensures reliable and efficient communication in dynamic vehicular environments.
A higher infection rate of Toxoplasma gondii in soft ticks infesting domestic hens: A novel report from Pakistan

Khan B, Batool S, Shahnawaz S, Ullah S, Naeem M, Habiba U, et al.

Vet Parasitol Reg Stud Reports, 2025 Jan;57:101147.
PMID: 39855880 DOI: 10.1016/j.vprsr.2024.101147

Ticks are the second most important hematophagous ectoparasites after mosquitoes and serve as vectors for various pathogens, transmitting them to wild and domestic animals, as well as humans. Argas persicus are the soft ticks that are known to parasitize domestic poultry. Hard ticks are known to be the reservoir of Toxoplasma (T.) gondii but limited such information is available for soft ticks. This study reports the molecular prevalence and phylogenetic analysis of T. gondii infecting Argas (A.) persicus ticks (N = 70), collected from four domestic poultry breeds in the Kurram District, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan, between June and August 2023. The results showed that 26 out of 70 (37 %) A. persicus samples tested positive for the ITS-1 gene of T. gondii. These findings were confirmed by the DNA sequencing and BLAST analysis of amplified amplicons. Phylogenetic analysis showed that Pakistani isolates were genetically diverse and clustered with isolates that were reported from birds and mammals from Pakistan, Tunisia, Malaysia, Brazil and Iraq. Risk factor analysis indicated that the prevalence of T. gondii was not associated with any specific poultry breed, sampling period, or the body temperature of the fowl hosts. Similarly parasite prevalence was not found associated with tick sex or their developmental stage but parasite infection rate varied with the feeding status of the ticks; highest T. gondii infection rate was observed in fully fed Argas persicus. In conclusion, this is the first report from Pakistan highlighting a high prevalence of T. gondii in A. persicus infesting domestic poultry suggesting a potential zoonotic risk to humans through the consumption of infected poultry. This data is confirming that in addition to oral ingestion of oocysts, T. gondii can be mechanically transmitted through soft ticks.
Fulltext Enhancing power system stability using a TCSC-PIDF controller with innovative multiobjective function and hybrid optimisation logic

Khawaja AW, Kamari NAM, Abd Halim S, Zulkifley MA, Ansari S, Khalid K, et al.

Sci Rep, 2025 Jan 25;15(1):3255.
PMID: 39863643 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-025-85325-3

This study aims to establish a thyristor-controlled series compensator (TCSC) equipped with a proportional integral derivative with filter (PIDF) controller by using a futuristic optimisation technique called evolutionary programming sine cosine algorithm (EPSCA) with multiobjective function (MOF). EPSCA is developed by merging evolutionary programming and the sine cosine algorithm. Three stability indicators, i.e. damping ratio (DR), damping factor (DF) and the greatest imaginary component of the system eigenvalues at a certain ratio, are combined to form the MOF. EPSCA is designed to optimise TCSC-PIDF controller variables to reap a peerless solution with a futuristic MOF as an objective function (OF). All simulations are performed using a linearised dynamical system of the TCSC-single machine infinite bus system. In addition, the TCSC-PIDF controller using EPSCA based on MOF is compared with other indicators, such as DR and DF, as the OF. The MOF-EPSCA-derived PIDF damping controller manifests substantial ameliorations in settling times and overshoot in comparison with DR-EPSCA, DF-EPSCA, and PIDF-U. The suggested method of optimisation, which combines a futuristic multiobjective function and damping controller model, validates the robustness of the damping controller's design for the power system.
Fulltext Understanding Hip Contact Stress Based on Types of Physical Activity: A Systematic Review

Prasetya AIP, Ammarullah MI, Winarni TI, Pramono A, Jamari J, Kamarul T, et al.

Health Sci Rep, 2025 Jan;8(1):e70305.
PMID: 39846047 DOI: 10.1002/hsr2.70305

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: High contact stresses involving the hip have been shown to increase the risk of developing hip osteoarthritis (OA). Although several risk factors have been identified for OA, a holistic approach to predicting contributed factors toward increased hip contact stresses have not been explored. This study was conducted to comprehensively understand the effects of physical activity on high hip contact stress as predisposing factors of OA.
METHODS: The protocol of this systematic review was registered in PROSPERO with registration number CRD42022296638 and conducted based on PRISMA guidelines. Full articles that matched our inclusion criteria were selected using PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus search engines and keywords such as "hip contact stress," "hip contact force," and/or "hip contact pressure." Category of factors, experimental design, results of the study, and evidence from each article were analyzed.
RESULTS: In total 7972 papers were screened, identified, and reviewed. Two independent authors read the collected fulltext of eligible articles resulting in 21 papers that fulfilled the inclusion criteria of this systematic review.
CONCLUSION: Types of physical activity (n = 21) have correlation with high hip joint contact stress in various manner. Based on the research findings obtained from various inclusion papers, it can be broadly concluded that the more intense the physical activity, such as running and stair climbing, the greater the impact on the increase in hip contact stress values. However, the reviewed studies vary in their methods. This finding suggested that this area is not well investigated and warrants future research.

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