Levetiracetam (Lev) is a widely used antiepileptic drug known for its excellent solubility and permeability. The present study aimed to statistically optimize the formulation of gastro-retentive floating tablets using Design-Expert software. A central composite design (CCD) was employed to evaluate the effects of three independent variables: Methocel K100M Premium (X1), Methocel K15M Premium (X2), and cetostearyl alcohol (X3). The prepared tablets were assessed for swelling–erosion behavior, buoyancy, dissolution characteristics, and drug release kinetics. Comparisons were made between the optimized formulation, formulation F9, and the marketed tablet (Levipil, manufactured by Sun Pharma). Additional analyses included response surface plots and counter plots. The order of drug dissolution among the tested formulations was as follows: F13 > F1 = F3 = F5 = F6 = F8 = F10 = F11 = F15 > F7 = F12 > F2 = F9 > F4 = F14. The marketed tablet achieved 100% drug release within 10 min, while formulation F13 and the optimized formulation released 100% of the drug in 7.0 h and 9.5 h, respectively. The optimized formulation followed zero-order release kinetics and exhibited non-Fickian diffusion (diffusion exponent = 0.54), indicating a controlled and sustained release mechanism. These findings demonstrate that the optimized gastro-retentive floating tablet is well suited for extended-release delivery of Lev. The optimized formulation was further validated through statistical analysis, confirming that it met all dissolution criteria and theoretical predictions.

Background: Long-term stress and inadequate coping mechanisms are widely recognized as important psychosocial factors in the advancement of non-communicable diseases, such as Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and Coronary artery disease (CAD) (Riise et al., 2025). Objectives: This study examines perceived stress, coping strategies, and the predictive role of age, gender, and occupation in individuals with T2DM and CAD. Methods: A total of 100 patients with both T2DM and CAD participated in this cross-sectional study via purposive sampling. Stress and coping were measured using the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10) and Brief COPE Questionnaire. Analyses included descriptive statistics, t-tests, Pearson’s correlation, regression, and cluster analysis. Results: Over 78% reported moderate to high stress, with significant differences by gender (p = 0.003) and occupation (p = 0.021). Stress was positively correlated with maladaptive coping (r = 0.678, p<0.01) and negatively with adaptive coping (r = -0.523, p<0.01). Cluster analysis revealed three groups Adaptive, Maladaptive, and Mixed Copers each comprising about one-third of participants. Conclusion: Coping styles and demographic factors significantly predict stress levels in individuals with T2DM and CAD. The findings support the value of psychosocial assessments and interventions to reduce stress and promote adaptive coping in chronic disease management.

The improper disposal of unused and expired medications poses significant environmental and health risks. This study assesses home medication disposal knowledge and practices among visitors to the discharge pharmacy at Hospital Raja Permaisuri Bainun (HRPB), Perak, Malaysia. A cross-sectional survey was conducted, with data analysed using descriptive statistics and Self-Organising Maps (SOM) to identify behavioural patterns. Findings revealed that over 60% of respondents lacked knowledge of proper disposal methods, with a concerning 50.8% resorting to unsafe disposal of household garbage. However, 82.1% expressed interest in learning safe disposal practices and identified pharmacists as their preferred source of information, highlighting opportunities for pharmacist-led public education. Advanced analysis using SOM revealed distinct patterns in disposal behaviours, with female respondents exhibiting greater awareness than males. Individuals with tertiary education were clustered in regions of lower awareness, a finding potentially explained by the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB), which suggests a perceived lower risk. Unemployed individuals and those storing large quantities of expired medications showed poorer disposal practices. These findings highlight significant knowledge gaps and opportunities for targeted interventions. Strengthening regulatory frameworks and the implementation of accessible, structured medication return systems nationwide could further address these challenges. This study offers evidence-based insights into public knowledge and behaviour regarding pharmaceutical waste disposal in Malaysia, supported by advanced analytical techniques. These findings also suggest potential directions for enhancing medication waste management strategies.

Smart grid is an advanced electrical infrastructure that incorporates communication and information technologies to enable power firms and consumers to exchange data in bidirectional. However, there are serious security risks associated with relying on an unsecured open network. To overcome the drawbacks, an efficient HEAAN-PUF based IoT device authentication with SWO-QBFT for smart grid infrastructure has been proposed. Initially IoT device is registered and authenticated using Physical Unclonable Function (PUF) authentication, which provides a unique response for each device with an Interplanetary File System (IPFS). Homomorphic Encryption for Arithmetic of Approximate Numbers (HEAAN) cryptography algorithm was then utilized to generate the key for encrypting the data and stored in IPFS. Blockchain based on consensus algorithm as Spider Wasp Optimization (SWO) with Quorum Byzantine Fault Tolerance Protocol (SWO-QBFT) utilized to choose the best validators for secure data transmission and stored an IPFS hash address. Performance metrics-based analysis and comparison of the proposed HEAAN-OQBFT technique with existing approaches are conducted. Performance metrics like encryption and decryption times, key and block generation times, throughput, Packet Delivery Ratio (PDR), and Packet Loss (PL) are acquired in order to determine the performance of the proposed method. Time required for Block creation, encryption, decryption, and key generation takes up 0.19 ms, 0.013 ms, 0.023 ms and 0.93 ms with is 497 Kbps throughput, 1% packet loss, and 99% PDR. The metrics therefore clearly show that the proposed method successfully stores and secures smart grid data by integrating OQBFT with an effective HEAAN cryptography.

Despite being one of the most popular building materials, the manufacture of concrete greatly increases CO2 emissions. Zeolite and ground granulated blast furnace slag are used in this study to partially replace ordinary Portland cement in order to explore the possibility of CO2-absorbing concrete. While GGBS promotes durability and mechanical qualities, zeolite’s microporous structure aids CO2 sequestration. The impacts of these materials on carbonation depth, compressive strength, split tensile strength, and CO2 absorption capacity are the main topics of this study. Mix designs for M30 grade concrete were created by substituting 10%, 20%, and 30% zeolite for OPC in addition to a fixed 30% GGBS. Compressive strength, split tensile strength, carbonation depth, and CO2 absorption by weight were all evaluated for specimens of hardened concrete. According to the data, compared to normal concrete, a 30% Zeolite and 30% GGBS replacement improves split tensile strength by 7.75% and compressive strength by 11.54%. Furthermore, the depth of carbonation rose fivefold, and the absorption of CO2 improved considerably. These findings demonstrate how Zeolite and GGBS can improve concrete’s performance while lessening its negative effects on the environment, making it a workable option for environmentally friendly building.

In the last several years, there has been a discernible increase in research devoted to developing innovative and complex composite materials. Because of their superior performance, especially in the aircraft industry, Fibre Metal Laminates (FML) and hybrid structures made of glass, aramid fibre, carbon, or aluminium are the most commonly used of these new technological commodities. Thus, free vibration analysis is the first step in the design of these structures. The current work examines the vibration behavior of a fiber-metal-laminate (FML) composite beam using numerical and experimental methods, a novel material for aircraft. This research series evaluated the bending natural vibration frequencies of the multi-walled carbon nanotube FML composite cantilevered beam. The Bruel and Kjaer (B and K) Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) analyzer with a PULSE platform was used in this study to find the intrinsic vibration frequencies of glass FML beams. Two parameters that investigated the dynamic behavior of the FML composite beam were the amount of MWCNT filler material and the beam's length. There was a reasonable agreement between the experimental and numerical results and the natural frequencies. The amount of MWCNT filler added to the glass fiber epoxy enhances the natural frequency of the FML composite cantilevered beam, according to both experimental and computational calculations. Furthermore, it was discovered that the vibration's inherent bending frequency decreases with the beam length.

This article presents a revolutionary 7-level, nine-times voltage boosting property converter. The main disadvantage of traditional Multilevel Inverter (MLI) is that, in order to use renewable energy sources, a high-voltage DC-DC chopper must be tolerant of raise input voltage. The suggested converter makes use of ten switches, two inductors, four diodes, three switching capacitors, and just one DC supply. The capacitor’s voltage equalizes itself automatically. Less components are needed and a capacitor is used instead of a DC source to create the switched capacitor MLI. To produce the output voltage waveforms with seven levels, the switching Inductor/capacitor must be appropriately charged and discharged. Without requiring a voltage regulating circuit with a closed loop, the suggested inverter can self-balance the capacitor’s voltage. Because of the continuous series-parallel discharge and charging over a full cycle, three capacitors receive equal charges from the input source and the inductors. Compared to the majority of recently produced topologies, the suggested 7-level Switched Capacitor (SC) inverter involves a reduced number of switches, driver diodes, capacitors, also semiconductor switches. Additionally, four pairs of switches run simultaneously using the same control signal, simplifying the control system, and eight of the ten the fundamental frequency is used by switches to function. An elementary frequency switching system is employed to regulate the inverter’s output. On the PSIM/MATLAB platform, the suggested structure’s voltage-boosting and self-balancing capabilities are verified.

In this work, a unique adaptive algorithm is successfully designed, controlled, and verified. For the grid voltage source converter (VSC) system, the suggested approximate multiplier least mean square (AM-LMS) management method effectively mitigates power disturbances without compromising power quality (PQ). Additionally, the VSC control method adds multipliers to the finite impulse response (FIR) filter and updates the coefficients of the circuitry to reduce the complexity of the LMS. Since it is more economical and reliable than other grid sides, the AC side is used. On the DC side, a bidirectional DC-DC converter and a photovoltaic (PV) array form the insular micro grid for which the VSC management is intended. On the DC side, a bidirectional DC-DC converter and a photovoltaic (PV) array form the insular micro grid for which the VSC management is intended the efficacy and validation of the suggested controller are guaranteed by the experiment findings. These results are considered satisfactory, with enhanced dynamic and steady state functionality and overall harmonic distortion of grid currents that meets the IEEE-519 standard resolution.

Sugar, a traditional sweetener derived from sugarcane juice, plays a significant role in various cultures worldwide. This research paper presents a comprehensive mathematical model aimed at optimizing the Sugar production process while enhancing its efficiency. The model incorporates fundamental principles of fluid dynamics, heat transfer, mass balance, and chemical kinetics to simulate the complex interactions involved in Sugar production. Key components of the model include the sugarcane crushing process, juice extraction, evaporation, crystallization, and drying stages. By integrating empirical data and experimental observations, the model enables precise predictions of crucial parameters such as juice flow rates, temperature profiles, syrup concentrations, and sugar production yield. Furthermore, sensitivity analyses and optimization techniques are employed to identify critical process variables and optimize operational conditions for maximum yield and energy efficiency. The proposed mathematical model provides valuable insights for Sugar producers, enabling them to enhance productivity, reduce resource consumption, and minimize environmental impact in this traditional yet vital industry.

In this research paper, we fabricated (1-x)[0.94(Bi0.5Na0.5TiO3)-0.06BaTiO3]-x Co0.6Zn0.4Fe1.7Mn0.3O4 [(1-x)BNBT-xCZFM] ceramics at x = 0, 0.05, 0.10, 0.15, and 0.20 via a method of solid-state combustion. Dielectric, ferroelectric, magnetic, microstructure, and phase formation characteristics were investigated. The BNBT and the CZFM powders were calcined separately at 750°C for 2 h, then their powders were mixed to produce (1-x)BNBT-xCZFM solid solutions with different BNBT and CZFM ratios and sintered at 1,125°C for 2 h. The X-ray diffraction results showed that undoped BNBT ceramics have a typical perovskite structure, with rhombohedral (R) and tetragonal (T) phases coexisting. As the CZFM concentration rose, the ceramics exhibited coexisting rhombohedral (R), tetragonal (T) perovskite, and cubic (C) spinel phases. When x rose from 0 to 0.05, the average grain size of the ceramics greatly increased, while the density and dielectric constant (e) slightly decreased. When x raised from 0.05 to 0.15, average grain size, density and the dielectric constant (e) of the ceramics tended to increase, then they dropped as the CZFM content increased further. CZFM doping into BNBT ceramics reduced the ferroelectric properties by reducing the remnant polarization (Pr) and increasing the EC values and leakage current. CZFM doping into BNBT ceramics with x = 0.15 and 0.20 showed both typical of ferromagnetic and ferroelectric properties.