Phase composition,conductivity,and sensor properties of cerium-doped indium oxide

The hydrothermal synthesis of In_(2)O_(3)and CeO_(2)–In_(2)O_(3)is investigated as well as the properties of sensor layers based on these compounds.During the synthesis of In_(2)O_(3),intermediate products In(OH)_(3)and InOOH are formed,which are the precursors of stable cubic(c-In_(2)O_(3))and metastable rhombohedral(rh-In_(2)O_(3))phases,respectively.A transition from c-In_(2)O_(3)to rh-In_(2)O_(3)is observed with the addition of CeO_(2).The introduction of cerium into rh-In_(2)O_(3)results in a decrease in the sensor response to hydrogen,while it increases in composites based on c-In_(2)O_(3).The data on the sensor activity of the composites correlate with XPS results in which CeO_(2)causes a decrease in the concentrations of chemisorbed oxygen and oxygen vacancies in rh-In_(2)O_(3).The reverse situation is observed in composites based on c-In_(2)O_(3).Compared to In_(2)O_(3)and CeO_(2)–In_(2)O_(3)obtained by other methods,the synthesized composites demonstrate maximum response to H_(2)at low temperatures by 70–100℃,and have short response time(0.2–0.5 s),short recovery time(6–7 s),and long-term stability.A model is proposed for the dependence of sensitivity on the direction of electron transfer between In_(2)O_(3)and CeO_(2).

Psychometric testing of the cross-culturally adapted Thai version of the Self-Care Self-Efficacy Scale version 3.0 in individuals with chronic illnesses

Objective:To assess the psychometric properties of the Thai version of the Self-Care Self-Efficacy Scale version 3.0(SCSES-v3.0)in individuals with chronic illnesses.Although originally developed and tested in a Western context,its applicability in Asian populations,including Thailand,remains inadequately explored.Methods:Psychometric tests were guided by COSMIN principles.This included the translation of the English version into Thai based on the ISPOR framework.Nine nursing experts evaluated the content validity.Data were obtained from a multicenter cross-sectional study conducted between July and November 2022.This study included individuals with chronic conditions from 16 primary care centers in Thailand.We tested the structural validity using exploratory factor analysis(EFA)and confirmatory factor analysis(CFA),and concurrent validity in relation to the Self-Care of Chronic Illness Inventory version 4.c(SC-CII-v4.c).We tested the scale’s reliability with McDonald’s u,Cronbach’s a,and the intraclass correlation coefficient(ICC).Results:The Thai SCSES-v3.0 demonstrated excellent content validity(k¼1.00).Thefinal analysis included a total of 385 participants.The EFA with thefirst split-half subsample(n¼193)extracted a twofactor structure.One reflected SCSES for maintenance and monitoring behaviors and another captured SCSES for management behaviors(item 6e10).CFA with the second split-half subsample(n¼192)and the overall sample(n¼385)supported the scale’s two-factor model with high factor loadings.Each dimension and the overall SCSES-v3.0 positively correlated with each scale and the overall SC-CII-v4.c.McDonald’s u and Cronbach’s a(both ranged 0.91e0.94)and ICC(ranged 0.95e0.96),indicated excellent internal reliability and test-retest reliability,respectively.Conclusions:The identification of a valid and reliable two-factor model for the Thai SCSES-v3.0 renders it a valuable tool for clinicians and investigators,facilitating the assessment of self-efficacy in self-care across diverse contexts.

Low carbon alcohol fuel electrolysis of hydrogen generation catalyzed by a novel and effective Pt–CoTe/C bifunctional catalyst system

Low carbon alcohol fuels electrolysis under ambient conditions is promising for green hydrogen generation instead of the traditional alcohol fuels steam reforming technique,and highly efficient bifunctional catalysts for membrane electrode fabrication are required to drive the electrolysis reactions.Herein,the efficient catalytic promotion effect of a novel catalyst promoter,CoTe,on Pt is demonstrated for low carbon alcohol fuels of methanol and ethanol electrolysis for hydrogen generation.Experimental and density functional theory calculation results indicate that the optimized electronic structure of Pt–CoTe/C resulting from the synergetic effect between Pt and CoTe further regulates the adsorption energies of CO and H*that enhances the catalytic ability for methanol and ethanol electrolysis.Moreover,the good water activation ability of CoTe and the strong electronic effect of Pt and CoTe increased the tolerance ability to the poisoning species as demonstrated by the CO-stripping technique.The high catalytic kinetics and stability,as well as the promotion effect,were also carefully discussed.Specifically,71.9%and 75.5%of the initial peak current density was maintained after 1000 CV cycles in acid electrolyte for methanol and ethanol oxidation;and a low overpotential of 30 and 35 mV was required to drive the hydrogen evolution reaction in methanol and ethanol solution at the current density of 10 mA cm^(-2).In the two-electrode system for alcohol fuels electrolysis,using the optimal Pt–CoTe/C catalyst as bi-functional catalysts,the cell potential of 0.66 V(0.67 V)was required to achieve 10 mA cm^(-2) for methanol(ethanol)electrolysis,much smaller than that of water electrolysis(1.76 V).The current study offers a novel platform for hydrogen generation via low carbon alcohol fuel electrolysis,and the result is helpful to the catalysis mechanism understanding of Pt assisted by the novel promoter.

Research evolution of metal organic frameworks: A scientometric approach with human-in-the-loop

Purpose:This paper reports on a scientometric analysis bolstered by human-in-the-loop,domain experts,to examine the field of metal-organic frameworks(MOFs)research.Scientometric analyses reveal the intellectual landscape of a field.The study engaged MOF scientists in the design and review of our research workflow.MOF materials are an essential component in next-generation renewable energy storage and biomedical technologies.The research approach demonstrates how engaging experts,via human-in-the-loop processes,can help develop a comprehensive view of a field’s research trends,influential works,and specialized topics.Design/methodology/approach:Ascientometric analysis was conducted,integrating natural language processing(NLP),topic modeling,and network analysis methods.The analytical approach was enhanced through a human-in-the-loop iterative process involving MOF research scientists at selected intervals.MOF researcher feedback was incorporated into our method.The data sample included 65,209 MOF research articles.Python3 and software tool VOSviewer were used to perform the analysis.Findings:The findings demonstrate the value of including domain experts in research workflows,refinement,and interpretation of results.At each stage of the analysis,the MOF researchers contributed to interpreting the results and method refinements targeting our focus Research evolution of metal organic frameworks:A scientometric approach with human-in-the-loop on MOF research.This study identified influential works and their themes.Our findings also underscore four main MOF research directions and applications.Research limitations:This study is limited by the sample(articles identified and referenced by the Cambridge Structural Database)that informed our analysis.Practical implications:Our findings contribute to addressing the current gap in fully mapping out the comprehensive landscape of MOF research.Additionally,the results will help domain scientists target future research directions.Originality/value:To the best of our knowledge,the number of publications collected for analysis exceeds those of previous studies.This enabled us to explore a more extensive body of MOF research compared to previous studies.Another contribution of our work is the iterative engagement of domain scientists,who brought in-depth,expert interpretation to the data analysis,helping hone the study.

Ballistic limit velocity of small caliber projectiles against SS400 steel plates:Live fire experiments and empirical models

This study presents the ballistic limit velocity of small caliber projectiles against SS400 steel plate derived from live-fire ballistic experiments. Four different small caliber projectiles were tested against SS400 steel plates of 9 mm, 10 mm, and 12 mm thicknesses. The ballistic limit velocity was calculated using two standard methods, MIL-STD-662F and NIJ-STD-0101.06, and additionally using a support vector machine algorithm. The results show a linear relationship between the plate thickness and ballistic limit velocity. Further, the relative penetration performance among five different small caliber projectiles was analyzed using the Penetration Performance Ratio(PPR) introduced in this study, which suggests the potential of PPR to predict the ballistic limit velocity of other untested materials and/or different projectiles.

Breaking the optical efficiency limit of virtual reality with a nonreciprocal polarization rotator

A catadioptric lens structure,also known as pancake lens,has been widely used in virtual reality(VR)displays to reduce the formfactor.However,the utilization of a half mirror(HM)to fold the optical path thrice leads to a significant optical loss.The theoretical maximum optical efficiency is merely 25%.To transcend this optical efficiency constraint while retaining the foldable characteristic inherent to traditional pancake optics,in this paper,we propose a theoretically lossless folded optical system to replace the HM with a nonreciprocal polarization rotator.In our feasibility demonstration experiment,we used a commercial Faraday rotator(FR)and reflective polarizers to replace the lossy HM.The theoretically predicted 100%efficiency can be achieved approximately by using two high-extinction-ratio reflective polarizers.In addition,we evaluated the ghost images using a micro-OLED panel in our imaging system.Indeed,the ghost images can be suppressed to undetectable level if the optics are with antireflection coating.Our novel pancake optical system holds great potential for revolutionizing next-generation VR displays with lightweight,compact formfactor,and low power consumption.

Strengthening Active Aging through Older People’s Association and Economic Activity of the Older People in Nepal

Aging is a natural lifelong process ending in death. Many older people are living in poverty. Older people are generally considered dependent on others as they grow older. The purpose of this article is to explore the entrepreneurship activities of Nepalese older adults. Data for this study were collected from the project Help Age International (HAI) implemented in Nepal. Qualitative data observations and interviews were used to collect data. The findings of this study show the formation of the Older People’s Association (OPA) has supported many older people to participate outside the home in various social activities. Moreover, regular deposits through OPAs offer little help. OPAs support older people in their need of financial support to implement minor entrepreneurship. Older people who received support were pleased and were actively involved in their activities and also regularly deposited money in them. Subsequently, older people’s participation in social activities has increased and also helped to lower elderly abuse, loneliness, and depression. Local governments should promote such activities which will help with healthy aging.

ChatGPT for shaping the future of dentistry: the potential of multi-modal large language model

The ChatGPT,a lite and conversational variant of Generative Pretrained Transformer 4(GPT-4)developed by OpenAI,is one of the milestone Large Language Models(LLMs)with billions of parameters.LLMs have stirred up much interest among researchers and practitioners in their impressive skills in natural language processing tasks,which profoundly impact various fields.This paper mainly discusses the future applications of LLMs in dentistry.We introduce two primary LLM deployment methods in dentistry,including automated dental diagnosis and cross-modal dental diagnosis,and examine their potential applications.Especially,equipped with a cross-modal encoder,a single LLM can manage multi-source data and conduct advanced natural language reasoning to perform complex clinical operations.We also present cases to demonstrate the potential of a fully automatic Multi-Modal LLM AI system for dentistry clinical application.While LLMs offer significant potential benefits,the challenges,such as data privacy,data quality,and model bias,need further study.Overall,LLMs have the potential to revolutionize dental diagnosis and treatment,which indicates a promising avenue for clinical application and research in dentistry.

Recent advancement and future challenges of photothermal catalysis for VOCs elimination:From catalyst design to applications

Photothermal catalysis realizes the synergistic effect of solar energy and thermochemistry,which also has the potential to improve the reaction rate and optimize the selectivity.In this review,the research progress of photothermal catalytic removal of volatile organic compounds(VOCs)by nano-catalysts in recent years is systematically reviewed.First,the fundamentals of photothermal catalysis and the fabrication of catalysts are described,and the design strategy of optimizing photothermal catalysis performance is proposed.Second,the performance for VOC degradation with photothermal catalysis is evaluated and compared for the batch and continuous systems.Particularly,the catalytic mechanism of VOC oxidation is systematically introduced based on experimental and theoretical study.Finally,the future limitations and challenges have been discussed,and potential research directions and priorities are highlighted.A broad view of recent photothermal catalyst fabrication,applications,challenges,and prospects can be systemically provided by this review.

On the strengthening and slip activity of Mg-3Al-1Zn alloy with pre-induced{1012¯}twins

{1012¯}twins were introduced into the magnesium(Mg)plate AZ31 via pre-rolling along its transverse direction.The plates,both with and without the pre-induced{1012¯}twins,were subjected to uniaxial tension along different directions.Using crystal plasticity modeling,we found that the strengthening effect of the pre-induced{1012¯}twins on the macroscopic flow stress primarily arised from the increased slip resistance caused by the boundaries,rather than the orientation hardening due to the twinning reorientation(although the latter did make its contribution in some specific loading directions).Besides,the pre-existing{1012¯}twins were found,by both experiments and simulation,to promote the activity of prismatic and pyramidal<c+a>in the parent matrix of the material.Further analysis showed that the enhanced non-basal slip activity is related to the{1012¯}twin boundaries’low micro Hall-Petch slope ratios of non-basal slips to basal slip.With the critical resolved shear stress(CRSS)obtained from crystal plasticity modeling and the orientation data from EBSD,a probability-based slip transfer model was proposed.The model predicts higher slip transfer probabilities and thus lower strain concentration tendencies at{1012¯}twin boundaries than that at grain boundaries,which agrees with the experimental observation that the strain localization was primarily associated with the latter.The present findings are helpful scientifically,in deepening our understanding of how the pre-induced{1012¯}twins affect the strength and slip activity of Mg alloys,and technologically,in guiding the design of the pre-strain protocol of Mg alloys.

Promising applications of D-amino acids in periprosthetic joint infection

Due to the rise in our aging population,a disproportionate demand for total joint arthroplasty(TJA)in the elderly is forecast.Periprosthetic joint infection(PJI)represents one of the most challenging complications that can occur following TJA,and as the number of primary and revision TJAs continues to rise,an increasing PJI burden is projected.Despite advances in operating room sterility,antiseptic protocols,and surgical techniques,approaches to prevent and treat PJI remain difficult,primarily due to the formation of microbial biofilms.This difficulty motivates researchers to continue searching for an effective antimicrobial strategy.The dextrorotatory-isoforms of amino acids(D-AAs)are essential components of peptidoglycan within the bacterial cell wall,providing strength and structural integrity in a diverse range of species.Among many tasks,D-AAs regulate cell morphology,spore germination,and bacterial survival,evasion,subversion,and adhesion in the host immune system.When administered exogenously,accumulating data have demonstrated that D-AAs play a pivotal role against bacterial adhesion to abiotic surfaces and subsequent biofilm formation;furthermore,D-AAs have substantial efficacy in promoting biofilm disassembly.This presents D-AAs as promising and novel targets for future therapeutic approaches.Despite their emerging antibacterial efficacy,their role in disrupting PJI biofilm formation,the disassembly of established TJA biofilm,and the host bone tissue response remains largely unexplored.This review aims to examine the role of D-AAs in the context of TJAs.Data to date suggest that D-AA bioengineering may serve as a promising future strategy in the prevention and treatment of PJI.

Comparative Analysis of Bridges with AASHTO and Florida I-Beam Girders

A comparative study of two pre-stressed girder bridges, one with AASHTO （American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials） Type III girders and the other with new FIB （Florida l-beam） girders, is presented. FIB girders are expected to provide increased lateral stiffness, higher load carrying capacity, cost-efficiency and better reliability. In this paper, the first bridge that is analyzed is a 3-span bridge designed with six AASHTO Type III girders, and the second bridge has four FIB girders with the same span length, width and girder depth. The bridges are analyzed for Florida state legal loads SU4 and C5. Both bridges are analyzed using a sophisticated finite element method. The deflections, moment envelopes, section capacity and live load rating of the two bridges are obtained and compared. FIB girders have higher vertical stiffness, higher section capacity providing higher load rating than the AASHTO girders.

Autoimmune diabetes from pembrolizumab:A case report and review of literature

BACKGROUND Immunotherapy,specifically the use of checkpoint inhibitors such as pembrolizumab,has become an important tool in personalized cancer therapy.These inhibitors target proteins on T-cells that regulate the immune response against tumor cells.Pembrolizumab,which targets the programmed cell death 1 receptor on T-cells,has been approved for the treatment of metastatic melanoma and nonsmall cell lung cancer.However,it can also lead to immune-related side effects,including pneumonitis,colitis,thyroid abnormalities,and rare cases of type 1 diabetes.CASE SUMMARY The case presented involves an adult patient in 30s with breast cancer who developed hyperglycemia after receiving pembrolizumab treatment.The patient was diagnosed with diabetic ketoacidosis and further investigations were performed to evaluate for new-onset type 1 diabetes.The patient had a history of hypothyroidism and a family history of breast cancer.Treatment for diabetic ketoacidosis was initiated,and the patient was discharged for close follow-up with an endocrinologist.CONCLUSION This literature review highlights the occurrence of diabetic ketoacidosis and newonset type 1 diabetes in patients receiving pembrolizumab treatment for different types of cancer.Overall,the article emphasizes the therapeutic benefits of immunotherapy in cancer treatment,particularly pembrolizumab,while also highlighting the potential side effect of immune-related diabetes that can occur in a small percentage of patients.Here we present a case where pembrolizumab lead to development of diabetes after a few cycles highlighting one of the rare yet a serious toxicity of the drug.

The Main and Interactive Effects of Fat and Salt Contents of the Diet on Characteristics of Metabolic Syndrome in Male Wistar Rats

The current Western diet contains high amounts of salt and fat. High salt and fat diets are known to have negative impacts on food intake (FI), body weight (BW), body composition (BC), glucose metabolism, and blood pressure. These factors have been studied as separate entities, but the main and interactive effects of dietary salt and fat received little study. The objective of this study was to examine the effect of sodium and fat content of the diet on FI, BW, and BC in male Wistar rats. Male Wistar Rats (n = 48) were allocated into 4 groups (n = 12) and received the following diets: 1. Normal sodium normal fat, 2. Normal sodium high fat, 3. High sodium normal fat, and 4. High sodium high-fat diet for 12 weeks. BW and FI were measured weekly. BC and organs’ weight were recorded post-termination. Regardless of sodium content, a greater FI was observed in normal-fat diet groups compared with high-fat diet groups. However, higher BW and fat (%) were observed in high-fat diet groups. Fasting blood glucose was higher in rats fed normal fat diets compared with those fed high-fat diets. Systolic and diastolic blood pressure was lower in rats fed either high fat, high salt, or normal fat, normal salt diet. In conclusion, fat but not salt content in the diet is a determining factor in the regulation of FI and body weight. Moreover, glucose metabolism can be influenced by both the fat and salt content of the diet.

Effect of Matching Algorithm and Profile Shape on Pulsar Pulse Time of Arrival Uncertainties

For high-precision pulsar timing analysis and low-frequency gravitational wave detection,it is essential to accurately determine pulsar pulse times of arrival(ToAs)and associated uncertainties.To measure the ToAs and their uncertainties,various cross-correlation-based techniques can be employed.We develop methodologies to investigate the impact of the template-matching method,profile shape,signal-to-noise ratio of both template and observation on ToA uncertainties.These methodologies are then applied to data from the International Pulsar Timing Array.We demonstrate that the Fourier domain Markov chain Monte Carlo method is generally superior to other methods,while the Gaussian interpolation shift method outperforms other methods in certain cases,such as profiles with large duty cycles or smooth profiles without sharp features.However,it is important to note that our study focuses solely on ToA uncertainty,and the optimal method for determining both ToA and ToA uncertainty may differ.

Automated Machine Learning Algorithm Using Recurrent Neural Network to Perform Long-Term Time Series Forecasting

Long-term time series forecasting stands as a crucial research domain within the realm of automated machine learning(AutoML).At present,forecasting,whether rooted in machine learning or statistical learning,typically relies on expert input and necessitates substantial manual involvement.This manual effort spans model development,feature engineering,hyper-parameter tuning,and the intricate construction of time series models.The complexity of these tasks renders complete automation unfeasible,as they inherently demand human intervention at multiple junctures.To surmount these challenges,this article proposes leveraging Long Short-Term Memory,which is the variant of Recurrent Neural Networks,harnessing memory cells and gating mechanisms to facilitate long-term time series prediction.However,forecasting accuracy by particular neural network and traditional models can degrade significantly,when addressing long-term time-series tasks.Therefore,our research demonstrates that this innovative approach outperforms the traditional Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average(ARIMA)method in forecasting long-term univariate time series.ARIMA is a high-quality and competitive model in time series prediction,and yet it requires significant preprocessing efforts.Using multiple accuracy metrics,we have evaluated both ARIMA and proposed method on the simulated time-series data and real data in both short and long term.Furthermore,our findings indicate its superiority over alternative network architectures,including Fully Connected Neural Networks,Convolutional Neural Networks,and Nonpooling Convolutional Neural Networks.Our AutoML approach enables non-professional to attain highly accurate and effective time series forecasting,and can be widely applied to various domains,particularly in business and finance.

Oncologic outcomes with and without amniotic membranes in robotic-assisted radical prostatectomy:A propensity score matched analysis

Objective:Placement of human placenta derived grafts during robotic-assisted radical prostatectomy(RARP)hastens the return of continence and potency.The long-term impact on the oncologic outcomes remains to be investigated.Our objective was to determine the oncologic outcomes of patients with dehydrated human amnion chorion membrane(dHACM)at RARP compared to a matched cohort.Methods:In a referral centre,from August 2013 to October 2019,599 patients used dHACM in bilateral nerve-sparing RARP.We excluded patients with less than 12 months follow-up,simple prostatectomy,and unilateral nerve-sparing.Patients with dHACM(amnio group)were 529,and were propensity score matched 1:1 to 2465 patients without dHACM(non-amnio group)and a minimum follow-up of 36 months.At the time of RARP,dHACM was placed around the neurovascular bundle in the amnio group.Continuous and categorical variables in matched groups was tested by two-sample Kolmogorov-Smirnov test and Fisher's exact test respectively.Outcomes measured were biochemical recurrence(BCR),adjuvant and salvage therapy rates.Results:Propensity score matching resulted in two groups of 444 patients.Cumulative incidence functions for BCR did not show a difference between the groups(p=0.3).Patients in the non-amnio group required salvage therapy more frequently than the amnio group,particularly after partial nerve-sparing RARP(6.3%vs.2.3%,p=0.001).Limitations are the absence of prospective randomization.Conclusion:The data suggest that using dHACM does not have a negative impact on BCR in patients.Outcomes of cancer specific and overall survival will require follow-up study to increase our understanding of these grafts’impact on prostate cancer biology.

Effect of abutment modeling on the seismic response ofbridge structures

Abutment behavior significantly influences the seismic response of certain bridge structures. Specifically in the case of short bridges with relatively stiff superstructures typical of highway overpasses, embankment mobilization and inelastic behavior of the soil material under high shear deformation levels dominate the response of the bridge and its column bents. This paper investigates the sensitivity of bridge seismic response with respect to three different abutment modeling approaches. The abutment modeling approaches are based on three increasing levels of complexity that attempt to capture the critical components and modes of abutment response without the need to generate continuum models of the embankment, approach, and abutment foundations. Six existing reinforced concrete bridge structures, typical of Ordinary Bridges in California, are selected for the analysis. Nonlinear models of the bridges are developed in OpenSees. Three abutment model types of increasing complexity are developed for each bridge, denoted as roller, simplified, and spring abutments. The roller model contains only single-point constraints. The spring model contains discrete representations of backfill, bearing pad, shear key, and back wall behavior. The simplified model is a compromise between the efficient roller model and the comprehensive spring model. Modal, pushover, and nonlinear dynamic time history analyses are conducted for the six bridges using the three abutment models for each bridge. Comparisons of the analysis results show major differences in mode shapes and periods, ultimate base shear strength, as well as peak displacements of the column top obtained due to dynamic excitation. The adequacy of the three abutment models used in the study to realistically represent all major resistance mechanisms and components of the abutments, including an accurate estimation of their mass, stiffness, and nonlinear hysteretic behavior, is evaluated. Recommendations for abutment modeling are made.

Pathophysiology of autism spectrum disorders:Revisiting gastrointestinal involvement and immune imbalance

Autism spectrum disorders(ASD)comprise a group of neurodevelopmental abnormalities that begin in early childhood and are characterized by impairment of social communication and behavioral problems including restricted interests and repetitive behaviors.Several genes have been implicated in the pathogenesis of ASD,most of them are involved in neuronal synaptogenesis.A number of environmental factors and associated conditions such as gastrointestinal(GI)abnormalities and immune imbalance have been linked to the pathophysiology of ASD.According to the March 2012 report released by United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,the prevalence of ASD has sharply increased during the recent years and one out of 88 children suffers now from ASD symptoms.Although there is a strong genetic base for the disease,several associated factors could have a direct link to the pathogenesis of ASD or act as modifiers of the genes thus aggravating the initial problem.Many children suffering from ASD have GI problems such as abdominal pain,chronic diarrhea,constipation,vomiting,gastroesophageal reflux,and intestinal infections.A number of studies focusing on the intestinal mucosa,its permeability,abnormal gut development,leaky gut,and other GI problem raised many questions but studies were somehow inconclusive and an expert panel of American Academy of Pediatrics has strongly recommended further investigation in these areas.GI tract has a direct connection with the immune system and an imbalanced immune response is usually seen in ASD children.Maternal infection or autoimmune diseases have been suspected.Activation of the immune system during early development may have deleterious effect on various organs including the nervous system.In this review we revisited briefly the GI and immune system abnormalities and neuropeptide imbalance and their role in the pathophysiology of ASD and discussed some future research directions.

Role of ATG16L,NOD2 and IL23R in Crohn's disease pathogenesis

Inflammatory bowel disease is a group of diseases that includes Crohn＇s disease （CD） and ulcerative colitis. CD is characterized as a chronic inflammatory disease of the gastrointestinal tract, ranging from the mouth to the anus. Although there are gross pathological and histological similarities between CD and Johne＇s dis- ease of cattle, the cause of CD remains controversial. It is vital to understand fully the cause of this disease because it affects approximately 500 000 people in North America and Europe. It ranges from 27 to 48 cases per 100 000 people. There are many theories on the cause of CD ranging from possible association with environmental factors including microorganisms to imbalance in the intestinal normal flora of the pa- tients. Regardless of the environmental trigger, there is strong evidence that a genetic disposition is a major key in acquiring CD. Many studies have proven the link between mutations in the ATG16L, NOD2/CARD15, IBDS, CTLA4, TNFSF15 and IL23R genes, and CD. The purpose of this review is to examine all genetic aspects and theories of CD, including up to date multiple popu- lation studies performed worldwide.