Major sporting events are key vectors for building the image of a nation. The 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar demonstrated that a country in the Arab Gulf region can successfully host a world-class event, generate measurable soft power gains and spread positive reputational capital across the region. This paper, based on a netnographic methodology, identifies five positive dimensions of transferable legacy: organizational excellence, cultural hospitality, quality of infrastructure, exceptional overall appreciation, and quantified soft power. It then examines how Saudi Arabia, host of the 2034 World Cup as part of its Vision 2030, can leverage each of these dimensions to accelerate its own national branding trajectory.

Although she was never a formal or confessional Buddhist, there is ample evidence that Iris Murdoch was attracted to and heavily influenced by Buddhist theory and practice, and that such influences are evident throughout her novels and philosophical work. The principal aims of this article are to examine the evidence for the Buddhist influences on Murdoch and, further, to explore the Buddhist elements in her novels and philosophy. In particular, the Buddhist concepts of anatta (not-self), karuna (compassion), dukkha (suffering), and sati (mindful attention/awareness) will be explored and analysed as key drivers of the narratives in some of her most famous novels. This analysis will be supplemented and supported by references to Murdoch’s ethical and metaphysical writings, to biographies, her recently discovered poetry, and to commentaries on her life and work.

Background: Premature rupture of membranes (PROM) increases early-onset neonatal sepsis (EONS) risk, raising morbidity and mortality. Neonatal sepsis presents nonspecifically, hindering early diagnosis. Procalcitonin (PCT) and other inflammatory markers are emerging as sensitive tools for timely detection. Objective: To find out the association between maternal serum procalcitonin level in preterm premature rupture of membrane patients with early onset of neonatal sepsis. Methods: This prospective cohort study was conducted in the Fetal-Maternal Medicine unit of the Obstetrics & Gynecology department of Dhaka Medical College Hospital, Dhaka, from January 2022 to December 2022. In this study, 99 preterm PROM patients were enrolled. After consent, the researcher interviewed each woman using a standardized questionnaire. Maternal venous blood (3ml) was collected aseptically on admission. Serum procalcitonin was measured via chemiluminescence (sandwich technique). Neonates were followed for EONS signs within 3 days, confirmed by CBC/CRP. SPSS 26.0 analyzed the data. Results: Most patients (53.5%) were aged 18–25 years (mean 25.2±5.1). Elevated maternal procalcitonin (>0.05 ng/ml) occurred in 61.6%. Neonatal survival was 90.9% (90/99); 9.1% died. Among 90 live neonates, 17.7% had lethargy/poor feeding, 10% respiratory distress. EONS was culture-confirmed in 8 babies (8.9%), all with elevated maternal procalcitonin (p=0.016, RR 1.74, 95% CI). Conclusion: Early-onset neonatal sepsis occurred in 8.9%, significantly linked to elevated maternal procalcitonin. Thus, maternal serum procalcitonin in preterm PROM is a useful, non-invasive biomarker for assessing EONS association.

Background: Rising caesarean section rates and concerns regarding maternal safety continue to shape modern obstetric practice, especially in low-resource settings. Therefore, this study assessed postpartum hemorrhage and perineal injury among women undergoing VBAC at Dhaka Medical College Hospital. Methods: This cross sectional study was conducted in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH), Dhaka, Bangladesh, from 16 April to 15 October 2023, enrolling 100 pregnant women with one or two prior caesarean sections planned for vaginal delivery. After ethical approval and informed consent, data were collected with a structured questionnaire, and women undergoing trial of labour after caesarean (TOLAC) were monitored using maternal and fetal parameters, partogram, and oxytocin as per protocol. Outcomes included induction to delivery interval, mode of delivery, and maternal complications, and data were analyzed in SPSS. Results: Among 100 VBAC cases, mean age was 29.8 ± 11.4 years, with most aged 20–30 years (58.0%) and 82.0% at ≥37 weeks gestation. Hemoglobin ≥11 g/dL was seen in 72.0%, and membrane status was nearly equal (intact 52.0%, ruptured 48.0%). Mean induction–delivery interval was 8.37 ± 5.3 hours, with 64.0% delivering within 7–12 hours. VBAC success was 76.0% and repeat caesarean 24.0%. Overall, 83.0% had no complications; PPH occurred in 9.0%, perineal injury in 3.0%, and no uterine rupture was noted. Conclusion: VBAC is a safe and effective mode of delivery in appropriately selected women, with low rates of postpartum hemorrhage and perineal injury.

Modern technology and digitalization have not merely reshaped the landscape of industrial design protection and the enhancement of justice under Annex IV of the Bangui Agreement; they have redefined the very conditions under which design rights can be asserted, challenged, and judicially enforced. As modern creative arts have migrated into virtual spaces, so has infringement become instantaneous and borderless, and as evidence increasingly takes digital form, the Justiciability of industrial design rights stands at a crossroads. This raises questions about the validity of design registrations, cross-border enforcement, and the evidentiary standards for proving infringement, which are central to determining whether a design dispute is suitable for judicial resolution. In response to these concerns, this paper examines the effectiveness of Annex IV in providing justiciable grounds for design owners to bring claims before adjudication bodies. Employing a doctrinal research method, it concludes that the Justiciability of industrial design rights is significantly challenged by technological advancements. This is because it is difficult to identify online infringers, secure digital evidence, and expedite action in cross-border online marketplaces, which allow counterfeiters to reach consumers quickly. It recommends, inter alia, recalibrating Annex IV to include modalities for digital filing, adopting a new substantive approach to examining designs during registration, strengthening inter-agency cooperation, training judicial personnel in forensic evidence, and ensuring legislative alignment with other regional and international standards.

Hyperthyroidism is a significant endocrine disorder characterized by excess synthesis and secretion of thyroid hormones. Although hypothyroidism has drawn more attention in India, hyperthyroidism represents a growing public health concern, particularly in iodine-replete regions where autoimmune etiologies increasingly predominate. This paper reviews recent epidemiological data, risk determinants, and the national context of thyroid function disorders, focusing on the prevalence and distribution of hyperthyroidism across India. Analysis draws on large-scale epidemiological studies, regional hospital-based surveys, and meta-analytic reviews. Overall, the prevalence of overt and subclinical hyperthyroidism in India ranges between 1–3%, with notable gender, age, and geographic variation. Determinants include autoimmune susceptibility, iodine intake patterns, environmental goitrogens, stress, and genetic predisposition. The findings underscore the need for continuous surveillance, targeted screening in vulnerable populations, and integration of thyroid health into national non-communicable disease programs.

This paper presents a secure communication infrastructure for smart meter networks in electric utilities. The study addresses a major limitation in current advanced metering infrastructure research: communication security, monitoring, attack detection, and service continuity are often handled as separate topics. In actual utility operation, smart meter networks function within distributed environments that include field devices, gateways, concentrators, edge nodes, utility control platforms, and cloud-connected services. Such a structure creates exposure to unauthorized access, false data injection, message interception, privacy loss, and communication failure. To address these issues, the paper proposes a multi-layer framework that combines protected data transmission, distributed traffic monitoring, edge-level packet inspection, federated threat detection, and continuity support within one system model. The methodology evaluates the framework through communication, security, and reliability measures, including end-to-end delay, packet trust, detection accuracy, service availability, and recovery time. The discussion shows that the proposed framework maintains stable communication performance while improving attack detection and preserving partial operation during gateway failure, cloud disruption, and denial-of-service conditions. The results indicate that secure smart meter communication must be treated as a combined problem involving transmission protection, monitoring visibility, anomaly detection, and continuity of operation. The paper provides a practical model for future smart grid communication research and utility deployment planning.