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The primary goal of this research is to use experimental and numerical methods to investigate the effects of water steam on the welded galvanized carbon steel mechanical properties, microstructures, and failure modes. Visual inspection, microstructural analysis, tensile test, free vibration analysis, and chemical composition analysis approaches have been used to investigate the effects of steam water treatment on the welding properties of butt arc-welded joints. From visual observation, the steam heating has significant effects in varying the microstructural arrangements of the welding. Furthermore, the elemental analysis indicates the variations of constituent elements due to the variations of steam treatment days, which affect the mechanical and microstructural properties of the material. The steam heating of the weld to a certain limit indicates the enhancement of elongation up to 20% and the amplitude during the free vibration tests. When the mechanical properties are assessed using a tensile test, the results showed that the welded specimens had up to 425 MPa ultimate tensile strength and the unwelded specimens showed up to 369 MPa ultimate tensile strength. Generally, the steam heating treatment and treatment time have significant effects on the properties of galvanized carbon steel welds. If additional treatment and controlling mechanisms can be implemented, the steam treatment will have a positive impact on the enhancement of the mechanical, corrosion, and other properties of the materials for different engineering applications. The finding of the study is that steam treatment enhanced weld ductility and tensile properties, indicating potential for augmenting weld performance in thermal cycling conditions.

Background: Immediate postabortion family planning uptake refers to the initiation and use of contraceptive methods immediately after an abortion treatment to prevent subsequent unintended pregnancy. Women should wait at least 6 months after having an abortion before becoming pregnant again, according to WHO recommendations, even if they are eager to have a child immediately. Despite this evidence, many postabortion clients leave healthcare institutions without receiving family planning advice or services. Thus, this study was aimed at assessing the immediate postabortion family planning uptake and associated factors among women seeking abortion services.

Method: An institution-based, multicenter cross-sectional study was conducted among 402 women seeking abortion services in East Shewa Zone healthcare facilities from March 20 to May 25, 2022. A systematic sampling technique was employed to get a representative sample. Data were entered into EpiData Version 4.1 and then exported to Statistical Package for Social Science Version 26 for analysis. Bivariate and multivariable analyses were done to identify variables associated with the level of immediate postabortion family planning uptake in the binary logistic regression model. Statistical significance was declared at p value < 0.05. Finally, tables, graphs, and narration were used to present the findings.

Result: In this study, the overall immediate postabortion contraceptive uptake was 70.1% (95% CI: 65.4, 74.6). Being single (AOR = 4.0; 95% CI: 1.8, 8.0), educational status (AOR = 3.7; 95% CI: 1.4, 9.7), service received at public facility (AOR = 3.0; 95% CI: 1.5, 6.1), previous information about family planning (AOR = 2.1; 95% CI: 1.2, 3.9), previous use of contraceptive method (AOR = 5.4; 95% CI: 2.9, 9.9), and postabortion family planning counseling (AOR = 5.7; 95% CI: 3.1, 10.4) were significantly associated with immediate postabortion family planning uptake.

Conclusion and recommendation: In this study, 29.9% lacked postabortion family planning uptake. Being single, educational status, service received at a public facility, previous information about family planning, previous use of a contraceptive method, and postabortion family planning counseling showed significant associations with immediate postabortion contraceptive uptake. Therefore, it is necessary to establish effective educational awareness and counseling aimed at promoting postabortion modern family planning uptake among the abortion service-seeking women.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1155/2023/9964189.].

Background: In the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), premature neonates frequently endure painful procedures that can lead to long-lasting sequelae, underscoring the critical need for safe and effective pain management strategies. Auricular massage has demonstrated significant benefits for children, including anxiety and stress relief. Investigating its effectiveness in alleviating pain in neonates could introduce a valuable nonpharmacological approach to pain management, enhancing the overall care and comfort of these vulnerable infants.

Objective: This research is aimed at studying the effectiveness of a 3-min session of auricular massage in reducing pain caused by nasal and oral suctioning among premature neonates in the NICU in Jordan.

Methods: A randomized controlled trial employing a single-blind crossover design was conducted in a single hospital. Preterm neonates were randomly assigned to one of two conditions. In Condition I, neonates initially received auricular massage treatment after suctioning, followed, after 2 days, by no massage after suctioning. Conversely, in Condition II, neonates had the reversed sequence, starting with no massage and then receiving auricular massage treatment after 2 days. Pain levels in the neonates were assessed using the Premature Infant Pain Profile-Revised (PIPP-R) scale.

Results: Data from 60 preterm neonates were analyzed using the SPSS Version 28. Chi-square and independent t-tests revealed no significant differences between neonates in the study conditions based on gender (p = 0.43), gestational age (p = 0.41), and body weight (p = 0.35). Paired t-test results indicated a significant difference in pain scores when comparing periods of auricular massage to periods without massage. The mean pain score following auricular massage was 3.63 (SD = 2.36), whereas it was 10.23 (SD = 2.40) in the absence of massage.

Conclusion: Auricular massage for a 3-min duration is an effective nursing intervention that warrants consideration as a nonpharmacological method of pain relief for premature neonates during admission to the NICU.

Eleutherine palmifolia (L.) Merr., or Wan Hom Daeng, is a medicinal plant valued for its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antibacterial properties. Its bulbs contain flavonoids, phenolics, and naphthoquinones, but slow natural propagation and low seed viability hinder large-scale cultivation and conservation. This study evaluated the optimal Clorox concentration and exposure time for sterilizing E. palmifolia bulb explants and examined the effects of BA and NAA on in vitro shoot and root development. The results revealed that surface sterilization with 20% Clorox for 20 min yielded the highest explant survival rate at 73.33%. Shoot induction was significantly enhanced in MS medium supplemented with 2 or 4 mg/L BA, or a combination of 2 mg/L BA and 0.5 mg/L NAA, all achieving a 100% shoot formation rate. Root induction was most effective in MS medium containing 0.5 mg/L NAA alone, also with a 100% success rate. These findings establish a reliable and efficient protocol for the in vitro propagation of E. palmifolia, providing a foundation for its conservation, sustainable use, and potential commercial cultivation to meet increasing demand in the medicinal plant sector.

Background: This study explored the potential of Psorospermum febrifugum extracts as a promising natural treatment option for acne vulgaris. Previous research suggests that P. febrifugum extracts might hold promise against factors that worsen acne vulgaris. This valuable information is however still scattered across various scientific publications, and this has hindered its accessibility, comprehensive understanding, and easy usage. There is need to review, synthesize, and compile this valuable information into a user-friendly article to enable easy understanding, accessibility, and usability of P. febrifugum bark extract as an option to treat acne vulgaris.

Methods: A comprehensive assessment, synthesis, and compilation of the potential of P. febrifugum for treatment of acne vulgaris were conducted through review of work done across major scientific databases (Cochrane Library, MEDLINE/PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, and Google Scholar), among studies published in English between April 1980 and April 2022. The search focused on studies that investigated the plant description, traditional medicinal usage, active components of P. febrifugum, its safety profile, and its efficacy against factors contributing to acne vulgaris lesions. The study included in vitro, in vivo, ex vivo, and clinical trials while excluding computer-modeled (in silico) studies.

Results: From an initial 200 search results, 37 full-text articles inclusive of three informative abstracts met the inclusion criteria. The review revealed that P. febrifugum extracts possessed several properties beneficial for acne treatment, including anti-inflammatory response, antibacterial properties, antioxidant activity, antilipase activity, and keratolytic properties (promoting skin cell shedding). Notably, key bioactive compounds such as garcinone E, psorospermin, mangiferin, and betulinic acid exhibit distinct structural features, including prenylation and hydroxylation, that contribute to their ability to inhibit microbial growth, suppress inflammation, regulate lipid metabolism, and all critical pathways in acne pathogenesis. These structural-functional relationships between phytochemicals and acne mechanisms support the pharmacological promise of this plant extract.

Conclusion: The review suggests that P. febrifugum holds significant therapeutic potential against factors that aggravate acne vulgaris severity. The stem bark of P. febrifugum is therefore a promising raw material that could be used to develop topical formulations (gels or creams) for the treatment of acne vulgaris disease.

Objective: Although caregiver assistance is generally assumed to improve the mental health of individuals with disabilities, this relationship has not been evaluated using population-based data. This study was aimed at assessing the association between caregiver assistance and depression among individuals with disabilities in Chile in 2015.

Methods: A cross-sectional secondary data analysis was conducted using data from the 2015 Second National Study on Disability (ENDISC II) in Chile. The primary outcome was depression diagnosed by a physician or health professional. The main exposure variable was caregiver assistance. Additional confounding variables were included in the analysis.

Results: The analysis included data from 2610 individuals with disabilities. In the overall sample, caregiver assistance was not associated with depression. However, stratified analysis by disability severity showed that among individuals with severe disabilities, caregiver assistance was associated with a 27% reduction in the prevalence of depression (PR = 0.73; 95% CI: 0.59-0.89), after adjusting for confounding variables.

Conclusions: Among individuals with severe disabilities in Chile, caregiver assistance appears to reduce the likelihood of depression. Healthcare policies should promote and strengthen both formal and informal caregiving for this vulnerable population.

Smallholder farmers in Ethiopia face significant challenges in accessing reliable agricultural information due to limited extension services, inadequate infrastructure, low literacy levels, and restricted access to digital tools. These barriers negatively impact farm productivity. This study investigates the effect of agricultural information utilization on wheat productivity in the East Gojjam Zone of the Amhara Region. Data were collected through a cross-sectional survey of 403 wheat-producing households. To address potential selection bias, a propensity score matching (PSM) model was applied, incorporating variables such as farmer mobility, access to extension services, availability of farm inputs, proximity to markets, and exposure to electronic media. The findings reveal that farmers who accessed and effectively used agricultural information achieved an average wheat yield increase of 19.675% per hectare compared to nonusers. This result underscores the crucial role of information access in improving productivity, particularly when supported by better mobility, strong extension services, reliable input supply, market accessibility, and media connectivity. Based on these insights, the study recommends strengthening the agricultural extension system, improving input supply chains, enhancing rural market infrastructure, expanding access to electronic media, and promoting cooperative-based information dissemination as key strategies to support sustainable agricultural development in Ethiopia.

Bacterial infections, particularly those caused by Gram-positive bacteria like vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), are a growing concern. This review highlights the potential of the Streptomyces genus in producing novel antibacterial compounds against Gram-positive bacteria. The study was carried out following the guidelines of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA). To gather relevant literature on novel anti-Gram-positive bacteria compounds produced by Streptomyces, a web search was conducted using several databases, including Scopus, PubMed, ScienceDirect, and Google Scholar, covering the period from January 2013 to mid-2024. The search terms employed in this study included "Streptomyces," "antimicrobial/antibacterial activity," "compounds," and "Gram-positive bacteria." Consequently, a total of 248 Streptomyces-derived compounds were featured across the 96 eligible studies. These compounds include 100 polyketides (58 aromatic polyketides, 30 macrolides, and 12 other polyketides), 72 peptides (67 nonribosomal peptides [52 typical cyclic peptides and 15 lipopeptides] and 5 ribosomal peptides), 23 terpenoids, five polyketides-terpenoids, six alkaloids, 12 phenazines, 11 nucleoside antibiotics, and 19 other compounds belonging to distinct chemical classes. The results emphasize that Streptomyces is an unlimited source of naturally occurring compounds with various structural variations that can occasionally have targeted action against a range of pathogenic Gram-positive bacteria.

Introduction: Over the past few decades, particularly following the Chernobyl incident, awareness of the importance of safety culture has increased significantly. Traditionally, safety culture has been assessed using questionnaires, with results often influenced by employees' psychological states. Therefore, the present study evaluates safety culture through an audit-based approach, employing performance indicators grounded in Edgar Schein's model. Materials and Methods: To identify the key factors contributing to the safety culture index, Edgar Schein's model was applied. Relevant indicators were derived across three levels: artifacts, espoused values, and basic assumptions. The fuzzy analytic hierarchy process (FAHP), combined with expert evaluations, was used to determine the relative importance of these criteria. Finally, the company's safety culture index was quantitatively assessed using guide tables and the weighted contribution of each factor. Results: Then, 10 indicators were identified across the three levels of Schein's model: quality of documentation and procedures, employee involvement, management of professional competence, change management, organizational learning, openness and communication, prioritization of safety, managerial knowledge, safety perspectives, and attitudes toward mistakes. According to the FAHP results, prioritization of safety had the highest weight (0.157), while quality of documentation and procedures had the lowest weight (0.026) in the safety culture index. Discussion: An audit-based approach proves more effective than questionnaire methods for quantitatively assessing safety culture.