Physical Dependence Research Articles

Benzylpiperidine derivatives as new dual μ-opioid and σ1 receptor ligands with potent antinociceptive effects

Dual-acting μ-opioid receptor (MOR)/sigma-1 receptor (σ1R) ligands have displayed promise in exerting robust antinociceptive effects while reducing opioid-related side effects. To discover safer and more effective analgesics, we designed, prepared, and evaluated 30 benzylpiperidine derivatives as dual MOR and σ1R ligands. The obtained benzylpiperidine analogs were tested for MOR and σ1R binding affinity in vitro. The best compound 52 showed high affinity for both MOR [Ki (MOR) = 56.4 nM] and σ1R [Ki (σ1R) = 11.0 nM] and produced potent antinociceptive effects in the abdominal contraction test (ED50 = 4.04 mg/kg in mice), carrageenan-induced inflammatory pain model (ED50 = 6.88 mg/kg in mice), formalin test (ED50 = 13.98 mg/kg in rats) and complete Freund’s adjuvant (CFA)-induced chronic pain model (ED50 = 7.62 mg/kg in mice). Moreover, 52 had less MOR-related adverse effects than oxycodone, including constipation, acute hyperlocomotion and physical dependence. The above results suggested that 52 may be a promising candidate for the development of safer analgesics.

Numerical solutions and stability analysis of hybrid Casson nanofluid flow with MHD and heat transfer effects

AbstractThis research addresses the complex dynamics of hybrid Casson nanoliquids in flow and heat transfer applications, focusing on the interaction between fluid dynamics and thermal phenomena in the presence of magnetohydrodynamics (MHD), viscous dissipation, and Joule heating. The motivation behind this study stems from the need to enhance the efficiency of heat transfer processes in various engineering applications, such as cooling systems and electronic devices, where hybrid nanofluids can offer superior thermal performance compared to conventional fluids. The novelty of this work lies in its comprehensive numerical investigation of a hybrid Casson nanoliquid over a moving permeable surface, incorporating a detailed analysis of MHD effects, viscous dissipation, and Joule heating. Using the Tiwari and Das model to formulate the governing equations, the study employs similarity transformations to convert these equations into a system of ordinary differential equations (ODEs). MATLAB is then used to derive numerical solutions, with a stability analysis ensuring the physical dependability of these solutions. Key findings reveal that the temperature distribution of the hybrid nanoliquid shows a positive correlation with both Prandtl and Hartmann numbers. Additionally, a positive relationship between temperature and the Eckert number is observed. These insights offer valuable guidance for engineers aiming to optimize heat transfer processes using hybrid nanofluids, highlighting their potential for improved thermal management in practical applications.

STUDIES ON THE ROLE OF DRIED ETHANOLIC EXTRACT OF AGARICUS BISPORUS IN THE TREATMENT OF DEPRESSION IN MICE

Objectives: Depression is a widespread mental illness with an estimated 322+million people worldwide and one of the most frequent reasons for medical and physical disability. However, the standard treatments available are having side effects such as addiction, physical dependence, and to overcome the lacuna researchers are looking for natural remedies Thus our study aimed to investigate the anti-depressant effect of Agaricus bisporus (White button mushroom) in mice. Methods: The anti-depressant action of dried ethanolic extract of A. bisporus (EEAB) was evaluated in the Swiss albino mice by various models. After extraction and standardization of the white button mushroom the dose-dependent anti-depressant effect of the white button mushroom was determined. Further, with the best chosen dose, the chronic anti-depressant effect of the white button mushroom was carried out, and also to further substantiate the data brain bioamine estimation was done. Results and Discussion: Statistical analysis with EEAB 200 mg/kg and 400 mg/kg showed marked anti-depressant action in dose-dependent manner. The calibration of EEAB extract by high-performance liquid chromatography guided a determination that the presence stigmasterol. Brain estimation of the EEAB with 400 mg/kg dose displayed upregulation of Serotonin in the treated mice. Since Serotonin is a major neurotransmitter which is key role anti-depressant activity. Hence, the upregulation of Serotonin suggests that EEAB is having profound anti-depressant activity.

Inspect the Time Lag in Galactic Cosmic-Ray Solar Modulation

It is well known that there is a time lag between the solar activity and the galactic cosmic-ray flux. How to accurately describe this delay is the key problem in making precise predictions of cosmic-ray flux. In this work, a response function in convolution is first used to describe the relative contribution of the solar wind blowout at earlier times to the current flux (the origin of time lag), and its explicit profile is obtained by our 3D time-dependent numerical model. It is found that our response function is superior to other functions in accounting for the time lag effect, and its rigidity and physical process dependence are studied thoroughly. At last, this description is partly demonstrated by a simplified derivation based on the underling physical processes.

Association of Seizure Control with Mortality, Cognition, and Function in People With Dementia.

The effects of seizure control on outcomes in persons with dementia (PWD) remain unclear. Our study aimed to investigate the impact of seizure control on mortality, function, cognition, and mood among PWD. This longitudinal, multicenter study is based on 39 Alzheimer's disease centers (ADCs) in the United States from September 2005 to December 2021. PWD were grouped by seizure status into recurrent (seizures in the past year), remote (prior seizures but none in the past year), and no seizures (controls). The primary outcome was all-cause mortality among seizure groups. We used Weibull survival analysis to assess the mortality risks by seizure status after adjusting for age, sex, education, race, ethnicity, hypertension, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, degree of cognitive impairment, dominant Alzheimer's disease (AD) mutation, brain trauma, stroke, Parkinson's disease, alcohol abuse, and depression. Cognition (Clinical Dementia Rating), function (physical dependence and nursing home residence), day-to-day activities (Functional Assessment Scores), and mood (Geriatric Depression Scale) were compared among seizure groups after adjusting for dementia duration and age. Among 26,501 participants, 374 (1.4%) had recurrent seizures and 510 (1.9%) had remote seizures. In multivariable survival analysis, recurrent seizures were associated with a higher mortality risk than remote and no seizures (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR], 95% confidence interval [95% CI]; recurrent aHR = 1.79, 95% CI = 1.51 to 2.12; remote aHR = 1.17, 95% CI = 0.98 to 1.38). Median time-to-death for recurrent, remote, and no seizures was 2.4, 4.0, and 4.7 years, respectively. People with recurrent seizures had worse cognition, day-to-day function, and physical dependence than those with remote seizures and controls. PWD with poorly controlled recurrent seizures have worse mortality, functional, and cognitive outcomes than PWD with remote and no seizures. These findings underscore the need for timely identification and management of ongoing seizures in PWD. ANN NEUROL 2024.

Daridorexant as a new dual orexin receptor antagonist for insomnia - a literature review

Introduction and purpose of review: Insomnia is a prevalent disorder responsible for multiple negative effects on human health. Its treatment involves both non pharmacological and pharmacological methods, however many common insomnia medications are recommended not to be used long term. Daridorexant is a new dual orexin receptor inhibitor, recently approved by the EMA for use in the European Union. The aim of this study is to present current knowledge concerning daridorexantsafety, efficacy and general characteristics. Methods: Pubmed database literature review has been performed. Relevant studies regarding daridorexant and insomnia have been assessed. Product characteristics available on EMA, FDA and Idorsia Pharmaceuticals websites have also been inspected. Current state of knowledge: Studies suggest that daridorexant is generally safe and significantly improves the night-time and daytime functioning of people suffering from insomnia, by enabling them to fall asleep in shorter periods of time and stay asleep for longer. It increases time spent in both REM and non-REM phases proportionally and does not disturb physiological sleep architecture. It shows no residual effects in the morning and can be used long-term, with no reduced efficacy and with no signs of physical dependence or withdrawal symptoms. It rarely leads to serious adverse effects and is contraindicated only in a few groups of patients. Conclusions: Daridorexant is a recently approved dual orexin receptor inhibitor with a promising long-term use safety and efficacy profile. As it is a new medication, further investigation concerning the side effects observed over time should be advised.

The Effect of Memantine on the Expression of Dopamine Receptors in the Striatum of Male Rats With Morphine Addiction

Background and Objectives: Studies have indicated that the chronic use of morphine can result in physical and psychological dependence. Morphine dependence is associated with several cellular and molecular alterations in the mesocorticolimbic system, and striatal dopamine signaling is involved in this process. In the present study, we aim to investigate possible alterations in the level of dopamine receptors DRD2 and DRD4 in the striatum of male rats following chronic oral administration of morphine and assess the effect of subcutaneous injection of memantine on morphine-induced effects. Methods: In this experimental study, 16 male Wistar rats were randomly divided into four groups: Control, morphine, memantine, and morphine+memantine. The morphine group received increasing doses of morphine (0.1-0.4 mg/kg) via their drinking water for 21 consecutive days. The memantine groups, after receiving distilled water without morphine for 21 days, received a subcutaneous injection of 5 mg memantine. The morphine memantine group received 5 mg of memantine subcutaneously on day 21 and 30 minutes after the last oral administration of morphine. After collecting striatum tissue, dopamine receptor levels were evaluated by the western blotting method. Results: The chronic use of morphine increased the levels of DRD2 and DRD4 compared to the controls. Memantine administration also increased the level of these receptors compared to the controls. In addition, the expression of DRD2 and DRD4 increased in the morphine+ memantine group compared to the memantine group. Conclusion: Morphine affects the expression of dopamine receptors in the striatum. Treatment with memantine can increases dopamine receptors’ expression.

Undetected falls among older adults attending medical clinics in four tertiary care centres in Sri Lanka; the need of a comprehensive geriatric assessment

ObjectiveFalls take a high priority among the prevalent medical conditions in old age. Despite this, a history of falls or the risk of future falls is not routinely assessed or properly managed in medical clinics in Sri Lanka. This study was done to evaluate the prevalence and factors associated with falls and recurrent falls among older adults attending medical clinics in four selected tertiary care centres in the country.MethodsA cross-sectional study was carried out at four centres (Teaching Hospital Karapitiya, Colombo South Teaching Hospital, Colombo North Teaching Hospital and University Hospital-Kotelawala Defence University) with 704 older adults, aged 65 years and above, attending medical clinics for more than six consecutive months. Information related to falls and possible associated factors (socio-demographic, behavioural, environmental and biological) were collected using an interviewer-administered questionnaire.ResultsThe Mean (SD) age of the participants was 72.5(5.5) years and 58.7% were females. Of the 704 total sample, 220 (31.3%, 95% CI 28–35%) participants experienced at least one fall after the age of 65, and 12.8% (95% CI 10–15%) (n = 90) experienced recurrent falls (two or more falls within the last 12 months). Falls were associated with gender, level of education, marital status, and physical dependence (p < 0.01). For those who had at least one fall, multiple logistic regression (MLR) revealed being single (p = 0.03, OR = 2.12, 95% CI; 1.052–4.304), being widowed/divorced/separated (p = 0.03, OR = 1.47, 95% CI; 1.039–2.093) compared to living with a spouse, presence of moderate (p = 0.007, OR = 1.72, 95% CI; 1.160–2.577) and severe (p = 0.001, OR = 2.98, 95% CI; 1.563–5.688) physical dependency compared to mild physical dependency as risk factors for falls. Having secondary education (p = 0.01, OR = 0.55, 0.350–0.876) was a protective factor for falls. For those with recurrent falls, MLR showed moderate physical dependency (p = 0.001, OR = 2.34, 95% CI; 1.442–3.821) compared to slight physical dependency as a risk factor.ConclusionsApproximately one-third of the older adults attending medical clinics had experienced at least a single fall, and one-eighth have had recurrent falls, which were mostly unrecorded and not clinically assessed. Physical dependency was the major contributing factor to falls and recurrent falls. Falls assessment should be included in the routine clinical assessment of older adults attending outdoor medical clinics. Health professionals should be educated to detect and assess those at risk of falling and take appropriate measures to prevent or minimize falls.

Preclinical evaluation of abuse potential of the peripherally-restricted kappa opioid receptor agonist HSK21542

HSK21542 is a peripherally-restricted kappa opioid receptor (KOR) agonist developed for pain treatment. Because of the CNS pharmacological concern of opioid receptor activation, such as physical dependence and addiction potential, an assessment of abuse potential of HSK21542 was required prior to marketing approval. The preclinical abuse potential assessments for HSK21542 included the following studies: 1) intravenous self-administration study to explore the relative reinforcing efficacy in rats self-administering remifentanil; 2) rat drug discrimination study to examine the pharmacological similarity of the interoceptive or subjective effects of HSK21542 in rats discriminating pentazocine; 3) rat conditioned place preference (CPP) paradigm to test the rewarding effects; 4) rat natural physical dependence-spontaneous withdrawal study in rats chronically treated with HSK21542; 5) naloxone-precipitated withdrawal assay following chronic HSK21542 exposure to evaluate its physical dependence potential. The results showed that HSK21542 was devoid of behavioral evidence of positive reinforcing effect and did not share similar discriminative stimulus effects with pentazocine. HSK21542 also did not produce CPP in rats. In addition, HSK21542 did not produce spontaneous withdrawal or naloxone-precipitated withdrawal in rats with chronic treatments. Collectively, these preclinical findings suggest that HSK21542 has no abuse potential in animals, which demonstrate low abuse potential in humans.

Efficacy of Smoking Cessation Interventions among People with HIV in Kenya

BackgroundPeople with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) smoke at much higher rates than the general population, resulting in higher risk for tobacco-related morbidity and mortality. The efficacy of smoking cessation interventions among people with HIV in lower-middle-income countries remains unclear.MethodsWe conducted a randomized, 2 × 2 factorial design trial based in Nairobi, Kenya, to evaluate the efficacy of bupropion versus placebo, and a culturally tailored behavioral cessation therapy, called Positively Smoke Free (PSF), versus standard of care for people with HIV who smoke. The primary outcome was 7-day point prevalence abstinence confirmed by exhaled carbon monoxide <7 ppm at 36 weeks.ResultsBetween June 2020 and August 2023, 300 participants were randomly assigned. Most participants were men (71.4%) who were moderately dependent on nicotine (Fagerström Test of Cigarette Dependence, mean [SD]: 4.5 [2.3]; range: 0–10; higher scores represent greater physical dependence on nicotine); nearly all participants (99.7%) were taking antiretroviral medication. At 36 weeks, 31.3% of participants who received bupropion were abstinent from smoking, compared with 13.3% in the placebo group (odds ratio, 2.95; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.64–5.32, P<0.001). Among participants randomized to receive PSF therapy, 29.5% were abstinent from smoking, compared with 14.9% in the standard of care group (odds ratio, 2.39; 95% CI, 1.34–4.25, P=0.003). The combination of bupropion+PSF was associated with increased abstinence compared with either bupropion (38.9% vs. 23.6%; odds ratio, 2.06; 95% CI, 1.00–4.23) or PSF (38.9% vs. 20.3%; odds ratio, 2.50; 95% CI, 1.20–5.24) alone. Participants randomized to receive bupropion were significantly more likely to report excessive sweating compared with placebo (50.7% vs. 37.6%; P=0.024).ConclusionsBoth bupropion and PSF cessation counseling were effective in promoting abstinence from smoking at 36 weeks. The combined intervention was associated with higher abstinence rates than either therapy alone. (The National Cancer Institute provided support for this trial through grant R01CA225419.)

How do Chinese young adult women initiate smoking and progress to become regular smokers? A qualitative study

ABSTRACT Objective The increasing prevalence of smoking among young adult women in China raises concerns about the associated health risks. This study aims to investigate the trajectory of smoking and its influencing factors among Chinese young adult women in order to gain a comprehensive understanding and reduce the prevalence of smoking. Methods Using purposive sampling, one-on-one interviews were conducted with 28 young female smokers aged 20–31 years between May 2022 and September 2022. Results The findings revealed that the trajectory of smoking among Chinese young adult women is divided into three stages: smoking initiation, maintenance of smoking, and becoming addicted to smoking. Participants were initially attracted to smoking due to factors such as the taste of tobacco, peer influence, stress in interpersonal interactions, and cigarettes marketed for women. As smoking behavior progressed, participants mentioned motivations including relieving negative emotions, experiencing relaxation and pleasure, shaping their personal image, and confronting discrimination and prejudice. Eventually, when they became addicted to smoking, the physical dependence on nicotine and the smoking habit prevented them from stopping. Conclusions Understanding the influence of these factors on women’s smoking behaviors is crucial for informing tobacco control policies and reducing tobacco use among women.

Structural resilience disparities in regional city networks under the influence of Typhoon Fitow and COVID-19

The integration of regional city networks plays a pivotal role in the regional development. Assessing and analyzing the structural resilience of these networks holds significance in enhancing regional comprehensive disaster prevention. This study focuses on the Yangtze River Delta, examining its regional city networks encompassing information, economic, transportation, and innovation domains. Utilizing the social network analysis, projection pursuit model based on the genetic algorithm, coupling coordination degree model, coefficient of variation and spatial Gini coefficient, we scrutinized the structural resilience and evolution difference of these networks under different disasters. We found that the structural resilience of economic and transportation networks that depend on infrastructure construction are more limited by geographical distance, and information and innovation networks with weaker physical dependence have stronger structural resilience. The impact of Typhoon Fitow on the structural resilience of individual networks was mainly concentrated in coastal affected cities, while the impact after COVID-19 was mainly in marginal cities. The spatial pattern of the structural resilience of multiple networks shifted from low level equilibrium to agglomeration development. Finally, nodes were identified into three types according to the resilience performance. This research offers a scientific foundation for quantifying regional resilience and formulating network optimization strategies.

The Development of a Family Support Program for Caregivers of Hemodialysis Patients

Family caregivers of hemodialysis patients have a heavy burden based on negative experiences, long-term care hours, total physical dependence of patients, comorbid health conditions, and financial stress treatment procedures. This study design is a mixed method followed by 114 participants in the quantitative phase and eight participants in the qualitative phase. The research instrument used Zarit Burden, a demographic profile form, semi-structured interview questions, and a recorder. Data analysis used ANOVA, t-test, and thematic analysis. The results showed that most participants were 51 to 60 years old, patients' wives, college graduates, had a monthly income below ph10,000.00 and had cared for patients for 20 to 24 hours. Participants have experienced high physical and financial burdens and loss of control over life, as well as very high emotional and social burdens. Significant differences were found in the levels of emotional, social, and financial burdens when grouped by education level. Monthly income affects the level of social and financial burdens. Physical exhaustion, emotional suffering, limited social life, role conflict, financial poverty, and fear of the future are the themes of challenges in caregiving. Participants coped with their challenges by seeking help and sleep, emotional adjustment, acceptance, maintaining friendships, resisting the urge to participate in social activities, utilizing family resources, seeking financial support from politicians and government agencies, and borrowing money. The proposed stress relief support program has the potential to be an intervention to enable family care with various forms and levels of caregiving burden.

Fagerstrom Test for Nicotine Dependence among a Sample of Smokers from Secondary School Students in Al-Najaf City, Iraq

Background: Tobacco addiction is a global social issue, leading to one death every six seconds worldwide. The Fagerstrom Test for Nicotine Dependence (FTND) is a commonly used tool to assessing physical nicotine dependence. The FTND scores range from 0 to 10 and consist of six questions, each with its score reflecting the smoker's level of nicotine dependence. This study aimed to assess the nicotine dependence of secondary school students using the Fagerstrom test. Methodology: A cross-sectional study was conducted from October 1, 2023, to April 10, 2024, in AL-Najaf City. The study sample included 283 smoking students, selected from a total of 829 participants from eight secondary schools, selected by using a multistage simple random sampling technique. The study instrument was a questionnaire with two parts: the first part collected some demographic characteristics, and the second part consisted of the Fagerstrom Test for Nicotine Dependence. Result: Out of 283 smokers, 234 were males, and 49 were females. According to Fagerstrom Test items, the results show 43.1% smoke the first cigarette 60 minutes after waking up, 68.9% do not find it difficult to refrain from smoking in any forbidden places, 58% cannot give up smoking cigarettes after eating, 61.8% for ≤ 10 smoked cigarettes per day, 62.9% for never smoke more frequently during the first hours after waking and 65.7% for not smoke when so ill. Conclusion: - 47% of smokers were in low dependence, 22.3% for low to moderate, 29.7% for moderate and 1.1 % for high dependence, with a significant difference between the Fagerstrom test and socio-economic status.

The Association Between Lifestyle Factors and Mental Well-being among Dental Students

Dentistry can be considered a challenging field, with dental students often experiencing high levels of stress and poor mental health. Hence, maintaining mental well-being is important so that dental students can cope with their stressors effectively. Lifestyle factors like physical activity, sleep problems, and addictions impact the levels of mental well-being. This paper aimed to identify the association between dental students’ lifestyle factors and mental well-being. This cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted among all the undergraduate dental students at a university in Malaysia. Data were collected by using a self-administered questionnaire [which included questions on demographic background, lifestyle factors, and the Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale (WEMWBS)] and analysed using SPSS (version 26.0). Out of the surveyed students, 83.2% responded. The mean WEMWBS score for this study population was 46.09 ± 7.93. The results showed that engagement in physical activity positively affected mental well-being scores, while the presence of sleep-related problems was associated with lower mental well-being scores. Encouraging the adoption of healthier lifestyle factors, such as regular physical activity and practising good sleep hygiene along with the intervention of sleep-related problems, could improve mental well-being levels among dental students significantly.

Symbolic self completion as mediator between nicotine dependence and quit intention: a nationally representative survey

ABSTRACT Background This study aims to investigate the relationship between nicotine dependence and quit intentions, and the degree to which symbolic completion of the self through smoking mediates this relationship. Symbolic self-completion theory assumes that a person seeks to display symbols in relation to how society would respond. Methods A survey was conducted among a population-based sample of smokers in Turkiye to measure nicotine dependence, intention to quit, and the absence of symbolic self-completion. Mediation analysis was conducted using the Hayes model #4 to investigate the degree to which (symbolic) smoking was linked to dependence and quit intention. Results Based on regression analyses, nicotine dependence was found to decrease the intention to quit (coeff = −.039**), while an absence of symbolic self-completion was found to increase quit intention (coeff = .6118**). Symbolic self-completion was found to be a significant (partial) mediator between dependence and quit intentions. Limitations Although the regression approach is utilized in the analysis, this study still relies on cross-sectional data, so further inquiry is needed to establish casual relationships. Conclusions Smoking is an activity that is publicly noticeable, thereby serving as a symbol of the self within a socio-cultural context. The symbolic power of smoking should be considered along with physical dependence.

Associations between Post-Intensive Care Syndrome Domains in Cardiac Arrest Survivors and Their Families One Month Post-Event.

Background: Post-intensive care syndrome (PICS) affects many critical care survivors and family members. Nevertheless, the relationship between PICS-relevant domains in cardiac arrest (CA) survivors and psychological distress in their family members (henceforth, PICS-F) remains underexplored. Methods: We enrolled consecutive CA patients admitted between 16 August 2021 and 28 June 2023 to an academic medical center, along with their close family members, in prospective studies. Survivors' PICS domains were: physical dependence (Physical Self-Maintenance Scale, PSMS), cognitive impairments (Modified Telephone Interview for Cognitive Status, TICS-M), and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSS) symptoms (PTSD Checklist-PCL 5), as well as PICS-F (PCL-5 Total Score). Hierarchical multivariate linear regressions examined associations between PICS-F and survivors' PICS domains. Results: Of 74 dyads (n = 148), survivors had a mean (SD) age of 56 ± 16 years, with 61% being male and with a median hospital stay of 28 days. Family members (43% spouses) were slightly younger (52 ± 14 years), predominantly female (72%), and of minority race/ethnicity (62%). A high prevalence of PICS assessed 28.5 days (interquartile range 10-63) post-CA was observed in survivors (78% physical dependence, 54% cognitive impairment, 30% PTSS) and in family members (30% PTSS). Survivor PTSS was significantly associated with family member distress (β = 0.3, p = 0.02), independent of physical dependence (β = 0.0, p = 0.9), cognitive impairment (β = -0.1, p = 0.5), family member characteristics, and duration of hospitalization. Conclusions: Both CA survivors and their family members showed substantial evidence of likely PICS. Survivor PTSS is notably associated with family member distress, highlighting the need for dyadic interventions to enhance psychosocial outcomes.

AMTransformer: A Koopman theory-based transformer for learning additive manufacturing dynamics in laser processes

Recent advancements in machine learning (ML) have shown unprecedented promise in understanding and predicting additive manufacturing (AM) dynamics. However, existing ML studies on AM often lack a comprehensive approach to address the multi-scale complexities inherent in AM processes and tend to employ context-specific methods. To address these limitations, we present a foundational method for formulating AM dynamics suitable for ML modeling. We then introduce a novel approach, the AMTransformer, designed to comprehend complex spatiotemporal dynamical dependencies among physical entities and their properties within the AM process. To enhance the understanding of AM dynamics, our method adapts Koopman&amp;rsquo;s theory to generate latent embeddings of AM states and their transitions, effectively extracting hidden features related to physical properties and dynamical dependencies. In addition, by utilizing the transformer&amp;rsquo;s attention mechanism, the proposed approach enhances the learning of non-local, non-linear dynamical dependencies across multiple scales. Our experiments, conducted using melt pool data from a laser powder bed fusion process, demonstrate that the AMTransformer outperforms traditional transformer and convolutional long short-term memory models. Specifically, the AMTransformer achieved structural similarity, mean absolute error, and accuracy metric values of 0.9206, 0.0009 mm2, and 92.73%, respectively. These results indicate the AMTransformer&amp;rsquo;s superior ability to predict future AM states, attributed to its improved learning of complex AM dynamics. By combining linear Koopman-based methods with non-linear transformer-based approaches, the AMTransformer significantly improves data-driven modeling for AM, providing a more comprehensive understanding of AM dynamics. Furthermore, the generalizability of the proposed method facilitates the expansion of the model&amp;rsquo;s scope and enhances its applicability across various fields.

Management of intensive care unit withdrawal syndrome

Intensive care unit (ICU) patients frequently develop physical and psychological dependence on analgesic and sedative medications, which can lead to Iatrogenic withdrawal syndrome (IWS) upon discontinuation or tapering. The incidence of IWS in adult ICU patients varies significantly, with reported rates ranging from 12% to 100%. Identified risk factors for IWS include advanced age, obesity, medication dosage, and duration of exposure. The clinical manifestations of IWS are varied and include increased excitability of the central nervous system, gastrointestinal disturbances, and sympathetic nervous system hyperactivity. Preventive and therapeutic strategies for IWS encompass individualized medication regimens, structured withdrawal protocols, and a combination of pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions. This review emphasizes the critical need for heightened awareness and improved management strategies to mitigate the incidence of IWS in ICU patients.

Lipid profile and anthropometry indices of franchised fast-food consumers in South Western states in Nigeria

Background: Franchised fast foods are known for their unique tastes as it contains a number of spices that makes it delicious. Daily busy schedules have made consumption of franchised fast foods (FFFs) an easy option and control of our food choices even at home. Objective: This research investigated the lipid profile and anthropometric indices of consumers of franchised fast foods (FFFs) in South-Western States in Nigeria. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study in South-West Nigeria and comprised three states: Lagos, Oyo, and Ogun. 300 respondents were recruited from ten (10) purposively selected fast-food outlets in Ikeja, Abeokuta and Ibadan cities, Nigeria. Standardized method for assessing plasma lipid profile was used. A well-structured and pretested questionnaire was used for the survey. The statistical analysis was done using 95% confidence interval and an error percentage of 5%. Results: The major consumers of FFFs are single, younger adults, educated, and relatively high-income earners. Majority of male (39% and 23%) and females (33% and 41%) have excellent and good health status respectively. Significant association was observed between BMI and HDL-C (p=0.009) of male, and Significant differences existed among the BMI and all lipid profiles of female respondents (p&lt;0.050). Conclusion: The study conclude that both genders are at risk of age-related NCDs in the future due to inadequate physical activity and dependence on FFFs. The consumption of FFFs is common among young people, high-income earners and educated people.