Temperature Effects on Growth of the Biocontrol Agent Pantoea Agglomerans (an Oval Isolate From Iraqi Soils)

The growth response of the biocontrol agent Pantoea agglomerans to changes in temperature was determined in vitro in nutrient yeast extract-sucrose medium. The minimum temperature at which P. agglomerans was able to grow was 4°C and the maximum temperature was 42°C. This study defines the range of environmental condition (Temperature) over which the bacteria may be developed for biocontrol of postharvest diseases

Impacts of a Cascadia Subduction Zone Earthquake on Water Levels and Wetlands of the Lower Columbia River and Estuary

Subsidence after a subduction zone earthquake can cause major changes in estuarine bathymetry. Here, we quantify the impacts of earthquake-induced subsidence on hydrodynamics and habitat distributions in a major system, the lower Columbia River Estuary, using a hydrodynamic and habitat model. Model results indicate that coseismic subsidence increases tidal range, with the smallest changes at the coast and a maximum increase of ∼10% in a region of topographic convergence. All modeled scenarios reduce intertidal habitat by 24%–25% and shifts ∼93% of estuarine wetlands to lower-elevation habitat bands. Incorporating dynamic effects of tidal change from subsidence yields higher estimates of remaining habitat by multiples of 0–3.7, dependent on the habitat type. The persistent tidal change and chronic habitat disturbance after an earthquake poses strong challenges for estuarine management and wetland restoration planning, particularly when coupled with future sea-level rise effects

Emerging wireless communication technologies in Iraqi government: Exploring cloud, edge, and fog computing

This study aims to structure the implementation of a governmental cloud of things (CoT), edge computing (EC), and fog computing in Iraq in the context of sustainable wireless communication. A base of literature was built that included any challenges, opportunities, and best practices relevant to these innovative technologies to set up the background for this paper. A concept model was created that included core components (cognitive technologies and fog computing), key processes (resource analysis, infrastructure design), and stakeholders (governments, industry, community). A strategic methodology made up of stakeholder involvement, capacity building, and pilot projects was used in the project. Concerning IoT planned deployment and services provision, network infrastructure was put in place to support the devices and a higher level of security measures were recommended. Using scenario hypothesis, MATLAB simulator was employed to simulate data value distribution as well as received power distribution based on different institutions for 12 months. Monitoring and evaluation should be followed to measure performance indicators and effects on this process. Continuously improvement strategies were the highlight of the session which further stimulated innovations. Acquainted projects will be put in the function to extend the range of activities by including additional government agencies, regions, or sectors. Reporting of the collected data and funding will be done with stakeholders to share and pool knowledge

Cloud of Things and fog computing in Iraq: Potential applications and sustainability

This paper depicts the principles of Cloud of Things and fog computing and discusses its possible uses in Iraq with sustainability measures. The capacity of cloud computing to supply elastic, as-needed computer resources has garnered widespread interest worldwide. However, fog computing and a Cloud of Things enhance the Internet of Things by relocating computation to devices on the network's periphery. This study looks at how the Cloud of Things and fog computing are used now in Iraq, the obstacles, and the future uses of these technologies in various fields. To fully reap the benefits of the Cloud of Things and fog computing in Iraq, the study also emphasizes the significance of infrastructure development, policy design, cybersecurity, and other measures. This study will discuss the use of questionnaires in research. There are two distinct components to this. The first section includes questions regarding the respondents' affiliations, including their roles, departments, organization sizes, and ministries. The rest of the study's factors are discussed with inquiries in line with issues of cyber security, privacy, sustainability, cost of implementation, feasibility, trust, IT infrastructure, and government support. The survey's final open-ended inquiry will help us to compile a wide range of perspectives on what kinds of Cloud of Things and fog computing services based on the Iraqi government's needs

Natural Diagonal Riemannian Almost Product and Para-Hermitian Cotangent Bundles

We obtain the natural diagonal almost product and locally product structures on the total space of the cotangent bundle of a Riemannian manifold. We find the Riemannian almost product (locally product) and the (almost) para-Hermitian cotangent bundles of natural diagonal lift type. We prove the characterization theorem for the natural diagonal (almost) para-K\"ahlerian structures on the total spaces of the cotangent bundle.Comment: 10 pages, will appear in Czechoslovak Mathematical Journa

Anemia prevalence in women of reproductive age in low- and middle-income countries between 2000 and 2018

Anemia is a globally widespread condition in women and is associated with reduced economic productivity and increased mortality worldwide. Here we map annual 2000–2018 geospatial estimates of anemia prevalence in women of reproductive age (15–49 years) across 82 low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), stratify anemia by severity and aggregate results to policy-relevant administrative and national levels. Additionally, we provide subnational disparity analyses to provide a comprehensive overview of anemia prevalence inequalities within these countries and predict progress toward the World Health Organization’s Global Nutrition Target (WHO GNT) to reduce anemia by half by 2030. Our results demonstrate widespread moderate improvements in overall anemia prevalence but identify only three LMICs with a high probability of achieving the WHO GNT by 2030 at a national scale, and no LMIC is expected to achieve the target in all their subnational administrative units. Our maps show where large within-country disparities occur, as well as areas likely to fall short of the WHO GNT, offering precision public health tools so that adequate resource allocation and subsequent interventions can be targeted to the most vulnerable populations

Scholarly publishing depends on peer reviewers

The peer-review crisis is posing a risk to the scholarly peer-reviewed journal system. Journals have to ask many potential peer reviewers to obtain a minimum acceptable number of peers accepting reviewing a manuscript. Several solutions have been suggested to overcome this shortage. From reimbursing for the job, to eliminating pre- publication reviews, one cannot predict which is more dangerous for the future of scholarly publishing. And, why not acknowledging their contribution to the final version of the article published? PubMed created two categories of contributors: authors [AU] and collaborators [IR]. Why not a third category for the peer-reviewer

Age-sex differences in the global burden of lower respiratory infections and risk factors, 1990-2019 : results from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019

BACKGROUND: The global burden of lower respiratory infections (LRIs) and corresponding risk factors in children older than 5 years and adults has not been studied as comprehensively as it has been in children younger than 5 years. We assessed the burden and trends of LRIs and risk factors across all age groups by sex, for 204 countries and territories. METHODS: In this analysis of data for the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) 2019, we used clinician-diagnosed pneumonia or bronchiolitis as our case definition for LRIs. We included International Classification of Diseases 9th edition codes 079.6, 466-469, 470.0, 480-482.8, 483.0-483.9, 484.1-484.2, 484.6-484.7, and 487-489 and International Classification of Diseases 10th edition codes A48.1, A70, B97.4-B97.6, J09-J15.8, J16-J16.9, J20-J21.9, J91.0, P23.0-P23.4, and U04-U04.9. We used the Cause of Death Ensemble modelling strategy to analyse 23 109 site-years of vital registration data, 825 site-years of sample vital registration data, 1766 site-years of verbal autopsy data, and 681 site-years of mortality surveillance data. We used DisMod-MR 2.1, a Bayesian meta-regression tool, to analyse age-sex-specific incidence and prevalence data identified via systematic reviews of the literature, population-based survey data, and claims and inpatient data. Additionally, we estimated age-sex-specific LRI mortality that is attributable to the independent effects of 14 risk factors. FINDINGS: Globally, in 2019, we estimated that there were 257 million (95% uncertainty interval [UI] 240-275) LRI incident episodes in males and 232 million (217-248) in females. In the same year, LRIs accounted for 1·30 million (95% UI 1·18-1·42) male deaths and 1·20 million (1·07-1·33) female deaths. Age-standardised incidence and mortality rates were 1·17 times (95% UI 1·16-1·18) and 1·31 times (95% UI 1·23-1·41) greater in males than in females in 2019. Between 1990 and 2019, LRI incidence and mortality rates declined at different rates across age groups and an increase in LRI episodes and deaths was estimated among all adult age groups, with males aged 70 years and older having the highest increase in LRI episodes (126·0% [95% UI 121·4-131·1]) and deaths (100·0% [83·4-115·9]). During the same period, LRI episodes and deaths in children younger than 15 years were estimated to have decreased, and the greatest decline was observed for LRI deaths in males younger than 5 years (-70·7% [-77·2 to -61·8]). The leading risk factors for LRI mortality varied across age groups and sex. More than half of global LRI deaths in children younger than 5 years were attributable to child wasting (population attributable fraction [PAF] 53·0% [95% UI 37·7-61·8] in males and 56·4% [40·7-65·1] in females), and more than a quarter of LRI deaths among those aged 5-14 years were attributable to household air pollution (PAF 26·0% [95% UI 16·6-35·5] for males and PAF 25·8% [16·3-35·4] for females). PAFs of male LRI deaths attributed to smoking were 20·4% (95% UI 15·4-25·2) in those aged 15-49 years, 30·5% (24·1-36·9) in those aged 50-69 years, and 21·9% (16·8-27·3) in those aged 70 years and older. PAFs of female LRI deaths attributed to household air pollution were 21·1% (95% UI 14·5-27·9) in those aged 15-49 years and 18·2% (12·5-24·5) in those aged 50-69 years. For females aged 70 years and older, the leading risk factor, ambient particulate matter, was responsible for 11·7% (95% UI 8·2-15·8) of LRI deaths. INTERPRETATION: The patterns and progress in reducing the burden of LRIs and key risk factors for mortality varied across age groups and sexes. The progress seen in children younger than 5 years was clearly a result of targeted interventions, such as vaccination and reduction of exposure to risk factors. Similar interventions for other age groups could contribute to the achievement of multiple Sustainable Development Goals targets, including promoting wellbeing at all ages and reducing health inequalities. Interventions, including addressing risk factors such as child wasting, smoking, ambient particulate matter pollution, and household air pollution, would prevent deaths and reduce health disparities. FUNDING: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

Biallelic MED27 variants lead to variable ponto-cerebello-lental degeneration with movement disorders.

MED27 is a subunit of the Mediator multiprotein complex, which is involved in transcriptional regulation. Biallelic MED27 variants have recently been suggested to be responsible for an autosomal recessive neurodevelopmental disorder with spasticity, cataracts and cerebellar hypoplasia. We further delineate the clinical phenotype of MED27-related disease by characterizing the clinical and radiological features of 57 affected individuals from 30 unrelated families with biallelic MED27 variants. Using exome sequencing and extensive international genetic data sharing, 39 unpublished affected individuals from 18 independent families with biallelic missense variants in MED27 have been identified (29 females, mean age at last follow-up 17 ± 12.4 years, range 0.1-45). Follow-up and hitherto unreported clinical features were obtained from the published 12 families. Brain MRI scans from 34 cases were reviewed. MED27-related disease manifests as a broad phenotypic continuum ranging from developmental and epileptic-dyskinetic encephalopathy to variable neurodevelopmental disorder with movement abnormalities. It is characterized by mild to profound global developmental delay/intellectual disability (100%), bilateral cataracts (89%), infantile hypotonia (74%), microcephaly (62%), gait ataxia (63%), dystonia (61%), variably combined with epilepsy (50%), limb spasticity (51%), facial dysmorphism (38%) and death before reaching adulthood (16%). Brain MRI revealed cerebellar atrophy (100%), white matter volume loss (76.4%), pontine hypoplasia (47.2%) and basal ganglia atrophy with signal alterations (44.4%). Previously unreported 39 affected individuals had seven homozygous pathogenic missense MED27 variants, five of which were recurrent. An emerging genotype-phenotype correlation was observed. This study provides a comprehensive clinical-radiological description of MED27-related disease, establishes genotype-phenotype and clinical-radiological correlations and suggests a differential diagnosis with syndromes of cerebello-lental neurodegeneration and other subtypes of 'neuro-MEDopathies'

Lifetime measurements of excited states in ¹⁶³W and the implications for the anomalous B(E2) ratios in transitional nuclei

This letter reports lifetime measurements of excited states in the odd-N nucleus 163W using the recoil-distance Doppler shift method to probe the core polarising effect of the i13/2 neutron orbital on the underlying soft triaxial even-even core. The ratio B(E2:21/2⁺ → 17/2⁺)/B(E2:17/2⁺ → 13/2⁺) is consistent with the predictions of the collective rotational model. The deduced B(E2) values provide insights into the validity of collective model predictions for heavy transitional nuclei and a geometric origin for the anomalous B(E2) ratios observed in nearby even-even nuclei is proposed