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In diabetes mellitus, both inflammatory and growth factors play significant roles in the development and progression of the disease and its associated complications. Diabetics frequently show signs of chronic, low-grade inflammation. Insulin resistance and beta-cell dysfunction are exacerbated by the high levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines prevalent in diabetes, such as TNF-α and IL-6. High levels of the inflammatory marker C-reactive protein are linked to insulin resistance and an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. An upsurge in in diabetes is caused by NF-κB activation. Complications and pathological processes in diabetes may be exacerbated by a dysregulation of growth factors. The angiogenesis-related growth factor vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) can be down-regulated in diabetes, resulting to poor tissue perfusion and diabetic retinopathy. Disputes with insulin sensitivity, dysfunctional beta cells, and diabetic complications have all been linked to disruptions in IGF signalling. An imbalance in PDGF signalling can cause aberrant cell proliferation, fibrosis, and delayed wound healing. When NGF levels and signalling are out of whack, it can lead to nerve injury and diabetic neuropathy. Acquiring an awareness of the dynamic relationship between inflammatory and growth factors is essential to unravelling the causes of diabetes and its consequences. Research into new therapeutic strategies for diabetes is actively focusing on targeting these variables and associated signalling pathways. Controlling blood glucose levels, making healthy lifestyle choices, and using effective medications are all essential components of diabetes management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Provisional fixed dental prosthesis (FDP) plays an important role during fixed prosthodontic therapy till the definitive. Discoloration of materials used for provisional FDPs can cause patient dissatisfaction and may create doubt about the color stability of the definitive FDP. Surface roughness is the other major property to be taken into consideration for provisional FDP materials. Smokeless tobacco is reported to affect the color stability and surface roughness of different prosthetic materials. OBJECTIVE: The aim of the current study was to evaluate the effect of two types of smokeless tobacco (black and white) on color stability and surface roughness of 3D printed, CAD/CAM milled, and conventional provisional FDP resin materials. METHODS: A total of 144 disc-shaped specimens were fabricated using four techniques CAD/CAM subtractive technique (milling), CAD/CAM additive technique (3D Printing), and conventional technique using autopolymerized PMMA, and autopolymerized Bis-acrylic resins. Each group was subdivided into three subgroups of twelve specimens each, and were submerged into three solutions (artificial salivary substitute, black smokeless tobacco, white smokeless tobacco). The change in color and surface roughness was evaluated and the data collected were statistically analyzed. RESULTS: It was observed that black smokeless tobacco caused the maximum color change and the effect was highest in autopolymerized PMMA resin specimens (Δ E = 9.343 ± 0.489), followed by 3D printed (Δ E = 7.187 ± 0.391), autopolymerized Bis-acryl (Δ E = 6.464 ± 0.453) and milled (Δ E = 4.978 ± 0.227). White smokeless tobacco was found to cause a maximum change in surface roughness and the effect was highest in autopolymerized Bis-acryl specimens (Δ Ra = 0.321 ± 0.015 μ m), followed by autopolymerized PMMA (Δ Ra = 0.297 ± 0.015 μ m), 3D printed (Δ Ra = 0.191 ± 0.019 μ m), and milled (Δ Ra = 0.168 ± 0.014 μ m). Statistically significant (p -value < 0.05) differences were observed among all techniques and solutions. CONCLUSIONS: The change in color and surface roughness were maximum in the case of FDPs prepared using autopolymerizing resins, followed by 3D printed, and CAD/CAM milled reins. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Letrozole is an aromatase inhibitor with conflicting studies reporting its effects on memory in male and female animals, and whether the observed memory impairments become exacerbated with an additional insult such as Alzheimer's disease (AD); an illness in which beta-amyloid and hyperphosphorylated Tau (p-Tau) protein accumulate. We examined Letrozole effects on memory, hippocampal p-Tau and histopathology in animals treated with Letrozole only or on top of induced AD, and investigated whether there would be any sexbased differences in memory status and/or p-Tau. Methods: Fifty-one adult male and female Sprague Dawley rats were divided into: Control groups: Intact, Letrozole Vehicle, CSF, and CSF+Letrozole Vehicle, Letrozole group, Streptozotocin (STZ) group; with induced AD via cerebroventricular STZ injection in artificial CSF and, STZ+Letrozole (STZ-L) group. Memory was tested in a T-maze to measure alternation percentage. Hippocampal p-Tau protein levels were estimated using ELISA, and histopathology was documented in sections stained with Hematoxylin and Eosin. Results: There were significant reductions in alternation percentage in the STZ, Letrozole and STZ-L groups; most severe in the STZ-L group and least severe in the Letrozole group. Significant elevation in p-Tau concentration was observed in the STZ, Letrozole and STZ-L groups compared to the controls. No differences were found between males and females in all groups in any of the studied parameters. Histopathological examination showed neurodegeneration and inflammation in the Letrozole, STZ and STZ-L groups. Conclusions: Letrozole alters memory, more so in experimentally-induced AD, increases p-Tau and may cause hippocampal pathological changes, with no sex-based differences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To find the factors contributing to postcholecystectomy symptoms after laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Methodology: A retrospective observational study with 50 symptomatic patients visiting the outpatient department (OPD) of the Department of Surgery and Department of Casualty following laparoscopic cholecystectomy whose perioperative clinical factors were evaluated to predict the development of postcholecystectomy syndromes using a Chi-square test. Conclusion: • Pain was the predominant symptom seen in all (100%) of the patients. • Female sex (70%) and body mass index (BMI; 30%) were a strong significant predictor. • Previous history of hospitalization (p < 0.0008) for acute cholecystitis (32%), acute pancreatitis (4%), obstructive jaundice (18%), cirrhosis (14%) were significant predictors of pelvic congestion syndrome (PCS). • Ultrasonography (USG) findings (p < 0.0471) of thickened gallbladder (GB) wall (40%) and pericholecystic collection (16%) were strong predictors of difficult surgery and contributed to PCS. • The most common type of early PCS was bile leak (16%). • Age and previous abdominal surgeries were not significant predictors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Toxoplasmosis is a worldwide parasitic disease infecting about one third of human population. With rising prevalence of drugresistant strains, new therapies for toxoplasmosis are urgently required. Little studies have been managed to evaluate the effect of iron and iron chelators in experimental toxoplasmosis. Therefore, we investigated if the iron chelator, Deferoxamine can affect T.gondii infection outcome in experimentally infected mice. Methods: Eighty Swiss albino mice were classified into four groups (20 mice each) as follows: (GI): Healthy control group; (GII): infected nontreated control; (GIII): infected iron supplemented group; (GIV): infected deferoxamine treated group. Scarification of mice was performed on day 8 post infection for measuring the serum iron level and for histopathological analysis of intestinal tissue samples. Results: Our data indicated that infected-iron supplemented group (GIII) was associated with more increase in the mean serum iron level (150µg/dl). However, the mean serum iron level in deferoxamine treated group (GIV) decreased (77.2µg/dl) with highly statistically significant difference (p<0.001). Those findings were confirmed by histopathological assessment; the infected iron supplemented group (GIII) exhibited marked histopathological changes in the intestinal tissues of experimentally infected mice that were greatly improved in GIV after chelation of iron using deferoxamine treatment. Conclusions: Finally, the present work showed that the acquisition of host iron by T.gondii is a critical step in the progression of infection and is determinant in its outcome. Therefore, deferoxamine could be a promising drug to control acute T.gondii infection due to the limitation of iron availability, and further research is necessary to elucidate these points. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to assess the shear bond strength of 3D-printed and milled provisional restorations using various resin materials and surface finishes. There were 160 preliminary samples in all, and they were split into two groups: the milled group and the 3D-printed group. Based on the resin used for repair (composite or polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA)) and the type of surface treatment utilized (chemical or mechanical), each group was further divided into subgroups. The specimens were subjected to thermocycling from 5 °C to 55 °C for up to 5000 thermal cycles with a dwell time of 30 s. The mechanical qualities of the repaired material underwent testing for shear bond strength (SBS). To identify the significant differences between the groups and subgroups, a statistical analysis was carried out. Three-way ANOVA was used to analyze the effects of each independent component (the material and the bonding condition), as well as the interaction between the independent factors on shear bond strength. Tukey multiple post-hoc tests were used to compare the mean results for each material under various bonding circumstances. The shear bond strengths of the various groups and subgroups differed significantly (p < 0.05). When compared to the milled group, the 3D-printed group had a much greater mean shear bond strength. When compared to PMMA repair, the composite resin material showed a noticeably greater shear bond strength. In terms of surface treatments, the samples with mechanical and chemical surface treatments had stronger shear bonds than those that had not received any. The results of this study demonstrate the effect of the fabrication method, resin type, and surface treatment on the shear bond strength of restored provisional restorations. Particularly when made using composite material and given surface treatments, 3D-printed provisional restorations showed exceptional mechanical qualities. These results can help dentists choose the best fabrication methods, resin materials, and surface treatments through which to increase the durability and bond strength of temporary prosthesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Part of the regulation of telomerase activity includes the alternative splicing (AS) of the catalytic subunit telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT). Although a therapeutic window for telomerase/TERT inhibition exists between cancer cells and somatic cells, stem cells express TERT and rely on telomerase activity for physiological replacement of cells. Therefore, identifying differences in TERT regulation between stem cells and cancer cells is essential for developing telomerase inhibition-based cancer therapies that reduce damage to stem cells. In this study, we measured TERT splice variant expression and telomerase activity in induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), neural progenitor cells (NPCs), and non-small cell lung cancer cells (NSCLC, Calu-6 cells). We observed that a NOVA1-PTBP1-PTBP2 axis regulates TERT alternative splicing (AS) in iPSCs and their differentiation into NPCs. We also found that splice-switching of TERT, which regulates telomerase activity, is induced by different cell densities in stem cells but not cancer cells. Lastly, we identified cell type-specific splicing factors that regulate TERT AS. Overall, our findings represent an important step forward in understanding the regulation of TERT AS in stem cells and cancer cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: This study aimed to investigate the difference between senior dental students and prosthodontic faculty members regarding their opinions, attitudes and adoption of six split‐cast techniques for remounting complete dentures. The accuracy of each technique for measurements of the vertical and the anteroposterior dimensions was assessed. Materials and Methods: Six split‐cast techniques to remove the casts were compared. A total of 115 participants removed a set of casts on six different articulators, and a questionnaire survey was administered. A digital Vernier caliper was used to measure the linear dimensional changes between the laterally pindexed references on each cast. The data were statistically analysed at α = 0.05. Results: There were significant differences between senior dental students and prosthodontic faculty members in their responses regarding adoption of daily practice and techniques requiring more skill (p =.001). To adopt a specific technique in daily practice, most students and faculty members chose long round die pins (36.4%) and central groove indexing (CGI; 40.7%), respectively. For techniques requiring more skills, most students and faculty members chose long rectangular die pins (30.7%) and short round dowel pins (33.3%), respectively. Conclusion: Dental students preferred ShRP, whilst faculty members preferred LReP. All participants considered CGI to be the easiest amongst the techniques. For comparison with baseline measurements, both senior dental students and prosthodontic faculty members considered side notch indexing and double dowel pins to be the most accurate techniques for vertical measurements, and CGI for anteroposterior measurements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Toxoplasma gondii was initially discovered by accident, in 1908, by a scientist, Charles Nicolle, who was searching for a reservoir of Leishmania in a native rodent, Ctenodactylus gundi in Tunis. T. gondii is acoccidian parasite with cats is the definitive host, and warm-blooded animals including human as intermediate hosts. Prevalence of pregnant women exposed to T. gondii in European countries was measured by serological porcedures, with seroprevalence values ranging from 9 to 67%.Latent toxoplasmosis is wide spread in pregnant women especially in some low and middle income countries of Africa and South America. So, there is a need for improved prevention and control efforts to reduce the health risks to women and newborns. The differences in prevalence rates in the worldwide population may be associated with various factors related to each region/country and specific characteristics of the population as well with the diagnostic methods used. Isolation of T. gondii from blood or body fluids establishes that the infection is acute. Attempts at isolation of the parasite can be performed by mouse inoculation or inoculation in tissue cell cultures of virtually any human tissue or body fluid. Demonstration of tachyzoites in tissue sections or smears of body fluid (e.g., cerebro spinal fluid (CSF) or amniotic fluids) establishes the diagnosis of the acute infection. Immunological methods were the preferred and most common diagnostic method for diagnosis of toxoplasmosis in clinical laboratories in past century. These methods are based on recognition of T. gondii surface antigens by host T. gondii-specifc immunoglobulins. Despite the significant improvement in serological methods, there are still unresolvable limitations such as inability of these methods to confrm the presence of parasite in fetus and brain in congenital transmission and/or immunocompromised patients. Development of the molecular methods induced a great revolution in the diagnosis of infectious diseases in general. To overcome the limitations of the serological tests, diferent molecular methods including polymerase chain reaction(PCR), nested PCR, real-time PCR(RTPCR) and also loop-mediated isothermal amplifcation (LAMP) techniques have been developed to detect T. gondii DNA in biological samples. Treatment of toxoplasmosis varies according to the type and severity of the infection. For pregnant women and immunocompromised patients, the use of sulfadiazine and pyrimethamine is not recommended because it generates serious side effects. Passive immunization with monoclonal Abs in toxoplasmosis has been revitalized. It was shown that the transfer of human monoclonal Ab Fab fragments specific to the T. gondii surface antigen 1 (SAG1) protein into mice significantly improved survival rates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The precise relationship between polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) and thyroid gland function is still unknown. However, both conditions share a variety of symptoms, including obesity, menstrual irregularities, hirsutism, infertility, and insulin resistance. Objectives: To find out the prevalence and the possible link between hypothyroidism and PCOS. Patients and methods: Our study was conducted on 200 women for the presence or absence of PCO and hypothyroidism. Hormonal assay: (FSH, LH, TSH, FT3, FT4, testosterone) as well as fasting plasma glucose, HbA1c, TPO ab and thyroglobulin ab, HOMA - IR, Neck US, Pelvic-abdominal US were performed to all patients. Results: Overt hypothyroid patients in PCOS group demonstrated significantly higher PCOS criteria, infertility than those with no hypothyroidism. PCOS patients in hypothyroid group had significantly higher testosterone (0.63 ±0.14 vs 0.39 ±0.05 ng/dl), TPO antibody (median = 489 vs 203 IU/ML), and TG antibody (362.5 vs. 98 IU/ML) than patients without PCOS. Our results revealed that insulin resistance is a common finding in both condition that is inferred from the following: Patients with hypothyroidism in PCOS group demonstrated significantly higher weight (94.6 ±22.8 vs. 80.3 ±20.5 kg), BMI (34.7 ±8 vs. 30.5 ±7.5), and waist circumference (101 ±15 vs. 94 ±15 cm). Meanwhile, in hypothyroidism group, PCOS patients had higher fasting plasma glucose (127 ±30 vs 88 ±17), HBA1C (6.32% ±0.95 vs 5.07% ±0.59), HOMA-IR (median = 3.05 vs 0.9). Conclusion: There is an association between PCOS and hypothyroidism per se, neither related to the underlying etiology nor to clinical presentation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNAs that are known for their role in the post-transcriptional regulation of target genes. Typically, their functions are predicted by first identifying their target genes and then finding biological processes enriched in these targets. Current tools for miRNA functional analysis use only genes with physical binding sites as their targets and exclude other genes that are indirectly targeted transcriptionally through transcription factors. Here, we introduce a method to predict gene ontology (GO) annotations indirectly targeted by microRNAs. The proposed method resulted in better performance in predicting known miRNA-GO term associations compared to the canonical approach. To facilitate miRNA GO enrichment analysis, we developed an R Shiny application, miRinGO, that is freely available online at GitHub. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Complicated peptic ulcer is one of the most common abdominal emergencies presenting in our institution settings bringing patients from Eastern Odisha. The high patient load forces us to seek out another standardized method apart from the surgical intervention in our study. Materials and methods: A cohort study was conducted in a Tertiary Care Hospital with 120 patients after confirmation of a pyloro-duodenal location of the perforated ulcer and allocated to the surgical vs stent group. Results: Percutaneous drainage was required in fifteen patients due to intra-abdominal abscess (C-D 3). Postoperative leak was observed in six patients and showed leak at leakage test and received a new stent without further complication (C-D 3). Five patients needed postoperative intensive care in the ITU, requiring temporary circulatory and renal support. Unfortunately, three patients in poor condition upon admission did not survive (C-D 5). Conclusion: Stents had an affirmative role for management in complicated patients of peptic perforation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Analgesia is very important after cesarean section because it improves ambulation and enables the mother to give optimal care for the neonate in the immediate postoperative period. Opioids are widely used, but their side effects limit their application. Transversus abdominis plane (TAP) block has been proved to be a useful and safe alternative technique to provide analgesia following abdominal surgeries. Objective: to compare the duration of analgesia produced by two drugs fentanyl and dexmedetomidine as adjuvants to bupivacaine in TAP block under ultrasound-guidance after cesarean section in a randomized controlled trial. Patients and Methods: In our study, 40 patients were randomly divided into 2 equal groups. The control group received 50 mcg of fentanyl added to bupivacaine on each side. The study group received 50 mcg of dexmedetomidine added to bupivacaine on each side. All patients received equal volumes. Our study showed that addition of a 50 mcg of dexmedetomidine to bupivacaine in ultrasound-guided TAP block has statistically significant effect on the hemodynamic stability of the patients. In addition, dexmedetomidine prolonged the duration of analgesia significantly, as proved by the time of request of first rescue analgesia. Moreover, in dexmedetomidine group, postoperative analgesic requirements were greatly lesser than that of fentanyl group. This makes dexmedetomidine with bupivacaine more superior than the use of fentanyl with bupivacaine. Results: In our study, the total rescue analgesia consumed in 24 h postoperatively which was pethidine was less in the TAP-D group (75 ± 25.6mg) than in the TAP-F group (112.5 ± 42.5 mg). In this study, regarding the measurement the time to the first dose of analgesic received postoperatively, there was a long duration needed in TAP-D group compared to the TAP-F (control group) with the p- value < 0.0001. The time to the first rescue analgesia in the TAP-D group was (659.7 ± 20.99 min.) and for the TAP-F group, it was (512.75 ± 18.1 min.). Conclusion: Dexmedetomidine delayed the time to first rescue analgesia when added to bupivacaine in TAP block using ultrasound-guided technique and improved patients' outcome with decrease in the total pethidine consumption and more hemodynamic stability in comparison to the addition of fentanyl to bupivacaine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increased salinity is one of the major consequences of climatic change affecting global crop production. The early stages in the barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) life cycle are considered the most critical phases due to their contributions to final crop yield. Particularly, the germination and seedling development are sensitive to numerous environmental stresses, especially soil salinity. In this study, we aimed to identify SNP markers linked with germination and seedling development at 150 mM NaCl as a salinity treatment. We performed a genome-wide association study (GWAS) using a panel of 208 intermedium-spike barley (H. vulgare convar. intermedium (Körn.) Mansf.) accessions and their genotype data (i.e., 10,323 SNPs) using the genome reference sequence of "Morex". The phenotypic results showed that the 150 mM NaCl salinity treatment significantly reduced all recorded germination and seedling-related traits compared to the control treatment. Furthermore, six accessions (HOR 11747, HOR 11718, HOR 11640, HOR 11256, HOR 11275 and HOR 11291) were identified as the most salinity tolerant from the intermedium-spike barley collection. GWAS analysis indicated that a total of 38 highly significantly associated SNP markers under control and/or salinity traits were identified. Of these, two SNP markers on chromosome (chr) 1H, two on chr 3H, and one on chr 4H were significantly linked to seedling fresh and dry weight under salinity stress treatment. In addition, two SNP markers on chr 7H were also significantly associated with seedling fresh and dry weight but under control condition. Under salinity stress, one SNP marker on chr 1H, 5H and 7H were detected for more than one phenotypic trait. We found that in most of the accessions exhibiting the highest salinity tolerance, most of the salinity-related QTLs were presented. These results form the basis for detailed studies, leading to improved salt tolerance breeding programs in barley. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research aimed to evaluate the physical and chemical properties of cooking butter and hydrogenated oils sold in Assiut Governorate, in which 70 samples (35 of each type) were collected from different localities in Assiut Governorate in the period from November 2021 to April 2022, and a number of tests were conducted to find out the physicochemical evaluation, which included pH, moisture%, free fatty acids%, acid value, peroxide value, p-ansidine value and total oxidation, then the obtained results were compared with the permissible limits of the Egyptian Standard specifications. The average results for cooking butter and hydrogenated oil samples were 6.02 and 5.45 for pH, respectively, 24.16 and 0.33% for moisture%, respectively, 1.86 and 0.4% for free fatty acids%, respectively, 2.63 and 0.57 for acid value, respectively, 2.18 and 1.83 for peroxide value, respectively, 2.23 and 1.98 for p- ansidine value, respectively, and 6.59 and 5.61 for total oxidation respectively; and when compared with the Egyptian Standards, it was found that 97.14 and 34.29% of the cooking butter and hydrogenated oil samples, respectively, were above the permissible limits for moisture%. Also, 97.14% of the cooking butter samples were above the permissible limits for peroxide value, as well as, all the cooking butter samples exceeded the permissible limit for free fatty acids%, but 28.57% of the hydrogenated oil samples exceeded the permissible limit for acid value. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Perineal trauma is common among parturient women during vaginal delivery. Perineal trauma is mostly associated with pain and serious long life complications. Thus, prevention of perineal trauma becomes necessary. This study was conducted to assess the effect of perineal management techniques (warm compress and perineal massage) in reducing the incidence of perineal trauma during the second stage of labor. Patients and method: A randomized controlled clinical trial was carried out at Zagazig University Maternity Hospital during the period between February 2020 and November 2020. The study included 69 female patients divided into 3 groups; Group 1: including 23 women assigned to lubricated perineal massage, Group 2: including 23 women assigned to warm perineal compression, and Group 3: including 23 women assigned to routine care provided according to hospital protocol with neither perineal massage nor warm perineal compression (control group). Result: There was significant difference between the studied groups as regard the degree of perineal lacerations, as it was frequent in the control group (Group 3) especially 3rd- and 4th- degree perineal lacerations compared to the other two groups (P-value 0.0346). There was also significant difference between the studied groups as regard perineal suturing; it was more frequent in the control group (Group 3) compared to the other two groups (P-value 0.02635). Conclusion: The application of perineal warm compresses and lubricated perineal massage during the second stage of labor can reduce the occurrence and the degree of perineal laceration, and postpartum perineal pain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Newly introduced provisional crowns and fixed dental prostheses (FDP) materials should exhibit good physical and mechanical properties necessary to serve the purpose of their fabrication. The aim of this systematic literature review and meta-analysis is to evaluate the articles comparing the physical and mechanical properties of 3D-printed provisional crown and FDP resin materials with CAD/CAM (Computer-Aided Designing/Computer-Aided Manufacturing) milled and conventional provisional resins. Indexed English literature up to April 2022 was systematically searched for articles using the following electronic databases: MEDLINE-PubMed, Web of Science (core collection), Scopus, and the Cochrane library. This systematic review was structured based on the guidelines given by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA). The focused PICO/PECO (Participant, Intervention/exposure, Comparison, Outcome) question was: 'Do 3D-printed (P) provisional crowns and FDPs (I) have similar physical and mechanical properties (O) when compared to CAD/CAM milled and other conventionally fabricated ones (C)'. Out of eight hundred and ninety-six titles, which were recognized after a primary search, twenty-five articles were included in the qualitative analysis, and their quality analysis was performed using the modified CONSORT scale. Due to the heterogeneity of the studies, only twelve articles were included for quantitative analysis. Within the limitations of this study, it can be concluded that 3D-printed provisional crown and FDP resin materials have superior mechanical properties but inferior physical properties compared to CAD/CAM milled and other conventionally fabricated ones. Three-dimensionally printed provisional crowns and FDP materials can be used as an alternative to conventional and CAD/CAM milled long-term provisional materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Let-7 microRNAs (miRNAs) may contribute to neurodegeneration, including Alzheimer's disease (AD), but, they were not investigated in Streptozotocin (STZ)-induced AD. Letrozole increases the expression of Let-7 in cell lines, with conflicting evidence regarding its effects on memory. This study examined Let-7 miRNAs in STZ-induced AD, their correlation with memory and hyperphosphorylated Tau (p-Tau) and the effects of Letrozole on them. Methods: Seven groups of adult Sprague Dawley rats were used: Negative control, Letrozole, Letrozole Vehicle, STZ (with AD induced by intracerebroventricular injection of STZ in artificial cerebrospinal fluid (aCSF)), CSF Control, STZ + Letrozole (STZ-L), and CSF + Letrozole Vehicle. Alternation percentage in T-maze was used as a measure of working memory. Let-7a, b and e and p-Tau levels in the hippocampus were estimated using quantitative real-time reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction (qRT–PCR) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), respectively. Results: Significant decreases in alternation percentage and increase in p-Tau concentration were found in the STZ, Letrozole and STZ-L groups. Expression levels of all studied microRNAs were significantly elevated in the Letrozole and the STZ-L groups, with no difference between the two, suggesting that this elevation might be linked to Letrozole administration. Negative correlations were found between alternation percentage and the levels of all studied microRNAs, while positive ones were found between p-Tau concentration and the levels of studied microRNAs. Conclusions: This study shows changes in the expression of Let-7a, b and e miRNAs in association with Letrozole administration, and correlations between the expression of the studied Let-7 miRNAs and both the status of working memory and the hippocampal p-Tau levels. These findings might support the theory suggesting that Letrozole aggravates pre-existing lesions. They also add to the possibility of Let-7's neurotoxicity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a systemic inflammatory disease of unknown etiology characterized by the involvement of the joints. RA is also associated with vasculopathy, peripheral, autonomic, and entrapment neuropathy. The presence of peripheral neuropathy contributes significantly to the functional limitation in rheumatoid arthritis patients. Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is the most common entrapment neuropathy and consists of the compression of the median nerve as it courses through the carpal tunnel followed by the cubital tunnel syndrome which is the most common site for entrapment for the ulnar nerve. Aim of the Work: to evaluate the role of ultrasound in evaluation of median and ulnar nerves in rheumatoid arthritis patients in correlation with nerve conduction studies. Patients and Methods: to elucidate this aim, 25 patients diagnosed with RA, diagnosed according to the 2010 American College of Rheumatology/European League Against Rheumatism (ACR/EULAR) classification criteria for diagnosis of RA. And 25 healthy control subjects (matched for age and body mass index) were enrolled. Results: this study was carried on 25 patients, 9 (34.7%) of whom were females, and 17 (68%) were males. The mean age of the studied group was (38.96±6.24 years old). The mean disease duration was 7 ±1.13 years; the mean disease activity index was 4.28 ±0.15. All the studied cases suffer from needle sensation, 24 (96) had numbness and 17(68) had burning sensation. All the studied cases in patient group had distal weakness and negative sensory testing (light touch, pinprick, temperature and vibration). As regarding to extra-articular manifestations, the most common was dry mouth and dry eye in all the studied cases followed by itchy skin in 13(52) patient, then joints aches and subcutaneous nodules in 2(8) patient and purpura was seen in only a case. Conclusion: US has the advantage of early detection of median and ulnar nerves neuropathy and can assess the morphology of median and ulnar nerves and its surroundings. US measurements of median and ulnar nerves have a comparable diagnostic value as a non-invasive and an alternative modality for the evaluation of carpal tunnel syndrome and cubital tunnel syndrome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the fact that the chicken growth hormone gene (cGH) is critical for controlling development and metabolism, there could be a link between GH polymorphisms and economic features in chickens. The objective of this study was to detect the single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the GH and insulin-like growth factor-binding protein 2 (IGFBP2) genes, and to investigate their associations with body weight (BW). Three hundred individuals (100 birds for each commercial strains Sasso and Ross and one local breed; Baladi) were assayed. And the three primers were amplification with a total of 54 samples from three genotypes (Ross=18, Sasso=18 and Baladi=18). A total of SNPs sequenced was 138,106bp consisting of 13,265bp coding regions and 124,841bp non-coding regions. A total of 197 SNPs were identified, with 34 in coding SNPs regions and 163 in non-coding SNPs regions. The values of variation in coding regions, transitions accounted for 53% (18),26% (9) and 21% (7),while in non-coding regions were 27% (111),33% (132) and 40% (163) in Ross, Sasso and Baladi for three genes. This result is most likely due to the high, medium, and low body weights of Ross, Sasso, and Baladi breed. The higher frequency of A↔G and A↔C and lower frequency of G↔T may be related to higher body weight in the Ross strain. While, the higher frequency of A↔C, C↔T and lower G↔T may be related to lower body weight with Baladi breed. Our study confirms the analyzed three genes affecting meat production in poultry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the most widely used esthetic restorations in dentistry is composite. The widespread application of composites can be related to advancements in biomaterials. However, due to various factors, composites are commonly associated with dental sensitivity. Hence, the present study evaluates and compares the effectiveness of three desensitizing agents in reducing post-treatment sensitivity for Class I composite restoration. Eighty subjects with Class I cavities were selected according to the inclusion criteria, and a randomized, double-blind, controlled clinical trial was carried out. Twenty patients were randomly assigned to four groups: Group C (Control group), Group GL (Gluma group), Group SF (Shield Force Plus group), and Group TC (Telio CS group). The desensitizers were applied after Class 1 cavity preparation and acid etching in all the groups, except the Control group, and thereafter, composite restoration was completed in a conventional manner. Questionnaires were provided to all the participants to record the post-operative pain/sensitivity level according to the visual analogue scale (VAS) on intake of cold drinks, intake of hot drinks, and intake of sugar for different periods of time. Significant variation was observed between the three desensitizers for all three stimuli. However, no significant variations were seen with the various age groups and between the maxillary and the mandibular teeth at the different time periods. Group GL performed better than Group SF and Group TC. It can be proposed that the application of the desensitizers reduced the post-restorative sensitivity in the composite restorations and improved acceptance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Transuretheral resection of the prostate (TURP) has been the gold standard endoscopic treatment for bladder outlet obstruction (BOO) secondary to benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). New technologies have been developed to minimize the morbidity of TURP. Recently, the Gyrus Plasma Kinetic (PK) System is the first bipolar device used in urological practice, as a new modality in treatment of BPH. Objective: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of plasmakinetic enucleation compared to plasmakinetic resection of the prostate in the management of BOO induced by BPH. Patients and methods: This study was conducted on 58 volunteers from Department of Urology, Faculty of Medicine, Zagazig University between January 2018, and January 2020. Patients were randomized to either plasmakinetic enucleation of the prostate (PKEP) group or plasmakinetic resection of the prostate (PKRP) group. All patients were indicated for surgical treatment (prostate size ≥ 60 g and ≤ 120 g). Results: There were no statistically significant differences between the two groups preoperatively. PKEP resulted in a greater volume of prostatic tissue removal than the PKRP. Tissue retrieved/total operative time in PKEP group was greater than in PKRP group (0.69 gm/min vs 0.67 gm/min respectively). The mean indwelling uretheral catheter time was shorter in PKEP group (34.7 ±4.40 hrs.) than in PKRP (48.79 ±4.31 hrs.). Regarding postoperative complication (early and late), there were no statistically significant differences between the two groups. Conclusions: We concluded that regarding, surgical safety and efficacy PKEP is comparable to PKRP for prostates (60-120 ml). Either PKEP or PKRP can be on an equal footing to TURP as an endoscopic management of BPH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exploring the relationship between grain yield and heading date traits and their stability parameters at phenotypic, genetic, and molecular levels is the milestone for improving yield and adaptation in barley. We evaluated a mapping population comprising 298 doubled haploid lines in multienvironmental trials in Egypt. Composite interval mapping revealed 35 quantitative trait loci (QTLs) with four pleiotropic QTLs. A major QTL bPb‐9110 (140.3 cM on 3H) with a peak LOD greater than 24 was found to be associated with the stability statistics bi and R2 of heading date. Additionally, the marker bPb‐1213 on 1H was correlated to heading date, grain yield, and the statistic bi (GYP). We also found that the gene HvFT4 (2H, 66 cM) had a significant impact on the heading date due to the presence of exotic alleles. This gene was closely linked to the photoperiod Ppd‐H1 gene by 24.9 cM, and both genes play a major role in regulating flowering time in barley. Our results provide evidence that stability statistics pinpoint genetic control and appear promising for marker‐assisted selection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This manuscript considers a dual to product and ratio estimator for estimating the finite population mean of study variable on applying a simple transformation to the auxiliary variable by using its average values in the population that is generally available in practice. The mean square error (MSE) of the proposed estimator has been obtained to the first degree of approximation. The optimum values and range of suitably chosen scalar, under which the proposed estimator perform better, have been determined. A method to lower the MSE of the proposed estimator relative to that of the MSE of the linear regression estimator is developed for small sample sizes. Theoretical and empirical studies have been done to demonstrate the superiority of the proposed estimator over the other estimators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Iatrogenic esophageal perforation is a rare, challenging, and life-threatening clinical condition. It can be cervical, thoracic, or abdominal. Its diagnosis depends on clinical suspicion combined with radiological modalities. It can be managed by either nonoperative or operative means. The aim of the study is to evaluate the efficacy of nonoperative compared with operative management of iatrogenic esophageal perforations. Study design This was a nonrandomized controlled study. Patients and methods This study included 30 patients presented with iatrogenic esophageal perforations after undergoing upper gastrointestinal tract endoscopic procedures. There were two groups of patients: group A included 12 patients who were subjected to nonoperative management, and group B included 18 patients who were subjected to operative management. Results The mean age of group A patients was 43 years, whereas for group B patients was 46 years. Most of the group A patients were males (66.66%), and 61.2% of the group B patients were males. The average length of hospital stay was 11 days (range, 8–15 days) for the group A patients and 14 days (range, 9–22 days) for the group B patients. Mortality was 16.6 and 22.3% for group A and group B, respectively. Conclusion Iatrogenic esophageal perforation is a rare and dangerous event. It can be managed by either nonoperative or operative techniques. Both methods have nearly the same success and morbidity and mortality rates when applied; however, the nonoperative techniques can be used only in certain cases under specific criteria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Post-stroke cognitive impairment (PSCI) is a major source of disability, affecting up to two thirds of stroke survivors with no available therapeutic options. The condition remains understudied in preclinical models due to its delayed presentation. Although hypertension is a leading risk factor for dementia, how ischemic stroke contributes to this neurodegenerative condition is unknown. In this study, we used a model of hypertension to study the development of PSCI and its mechanisms. Spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) were compared to normotensive rats and were subjected to 1-h middle cerebral artery occlusion or sham surgery. Novel object recognition, passive avoidance test and Morris water maze were used to assess cognition. In addition, brain magnetic resonance images were obtained 12-weeks post-stroke and tissue was collected for immunohistochemistry and protein quantification. Stroked animals developed impairment in long-term memory at 4-weeks post-stroke despite recovery from motor deficits, with hypertensive animals showing some symptoms of anhedonia. Stroked SHRs displayed grey matter atrophy and had a two-fold increase in apoptosis in the ischemic borderzone and increased markers of inflammatory cell death and DNA damage at 12 weeks post-stroke. This indicates that preexisting hypertension exacerbates the development of secondary neurodegeneration after stroke beyond its acute effects on neurovascular injury. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A helium cold atmospheric pressure plasma jet (HCAPPJ) driven by a commercial neon power supply was designed and utilized for inactivation bacteria. The generated reactive spices by HCAPPJ were investigated by optical emission spectroscopy. The reactive species of OH, OI, OI, N21+, N21+ and He were identified in the UV–Vis wavelength region. The reactive species was not detected between 200 nm and 300 nm, as the flow rate of helium gas increased that led to the plasma temperature reducing to a value near to the room temperature. In this work, we studied the impact of HCAPPJ on Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. The survival amounts of the two types of bacteria were decreased vastly when the rate flow rate was equal to 10 L/min. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Nasal Polyposis are treated with topical steroids, systemic oral steroids, surgical excision, and intrapolyp steroid injection. Local and systemic steroid treatment is the mainstay of therapy for nasal polyposis. Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of intrapolyp steroid injection in the treatment of nasal polyposis and its efficiency, and to compare these results with that of oral and topical nasal spray corticosteroid. Patients and Methods: This study involved 60 patients presented at ENT Outpatient Clinic, Al-Zahraa University Hospital and diagnosed as nasal polyposis. Their age ranged between (18-60) years. They were randomly divided according to type of treatment (nasal corticosteroid spray, oral corticosteroid and intranasal injection of corticosteroid) into 3 groups, each consisted of 20 patients. Results: There were statistically significant differences in total nasal symptom score (TNSS), nasal polyp score (TNPS) and endoscopic analysis. It has been noted that in nasal spray group, Improvement of symptoms with No Regression of Polypis observed in 13 patients (65%) and no change at all in 7 patients (35%). While in oral steroids group, complete regression is observed in 4 patients (20%), partial improvement in 11 patients (55 %), and no response in 5 patients (25%) and in injection group, complete regression of polyps is observed in 2 patients (10%), partial improvement in 13 patients (65%), and no change at all in 5 patients (25%). Conclusion: It could be concluded that intrapolyp steroid injection could be considered one of the alternative treatments of sinonasal polyposis as it is effective, easy, and safe procedure and its effect lasts for at least 3 months. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Retained surgical items (RSIs) pose significant risks to patients and healthcare professionals, prompting extensive efforts to reduce their incidence. RSIs are objects inadvertently left within patients' bodies after surgery, which can lead to severe consequences such as infections and death. The repercussions highlight the critical need to address this issue. Machine learning (ML) and deep learning (DL) have displayed considerable potential for enhancing the prevention of RSIs through heightened precision and decreased reliance on human involvement. ML techniques are finding an expanding number of applications in medicine, ranging from automated imaging analysis to diagnosis. DL has enabled substantial advances in the prediction capabilities of computers by combining the availability of massive volumes of data with extremely effective learning algorithms. This paper reviews and evaluates recently published articles on the application of ML and DL in RSIs prevention and diagnosis, stressing the need for a multi-layered approach that leverages each method's strengths to mitigate RSI risks. It highlights the key findings, advantages, and limitations of the different techniques used. Extensive datasets for training ML and DL models could enhance RSI detection systems. This paper also discusses the various datasets used by researchers for training the models. In addition, future directions for improving these technologies for RSI diagnosis and prevention are considered. By merging ML and DL with current procedures, it is conceivable to substantially minimize RSIs, enhance patient safety, and elevate surgical care standards. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

NiO–CuO decorated Polyaniline (PANI/ NiO–CuO) nanocomposite based symmetric supercapacitor device for High-Energy Density performance. [Display omitted] • We have fabricated symmetrical supercapacitor device utilizing PANI/ NiO–CuO nanocomposite. • At a voltage of 1.6 V, the measured specific capacitance was 157.50 F/g. • PANI/ NiO–CuO exhibits 69% capacity retention after 10,000 cycles. • The High energy density of 35.00 Wh/kg and power density of 1326.31 W/kg. We present a ternary nanocomposite material composed of polyaniline, nickel oxide, and copper oxide (PANI/ NiO–CuO NC) synthesized through a cost-effective, eco-friendly green soft template for high-performance supercapacitor applications. The specific capacitance was measured to be 490 F/g when scanned at a rate of 10 mV/s in a wide voltage range of −1.0 V to +1.0 V. The material demonstrated good capacity retention of 69% after 10,000 cycles using an aqueous electrolyte (0.1 M Na 2 SO 4) under ambient conditions. This material overcomes the limitations of the parent materials, specifically the instability of polyaniline polymer chains and hindered charge mobility in nickel oxide. Additionally, the fabricated symmetric supercapacitor device made of the synthesized PANI/ NiO–CuO nanocomposite showed a capability to work within a 1.6 V voltage range and had a specific capacitance of 157.50 F/g at a current density of 3.5 A/g. The device also displayed a high energy density of 35.00 Wh/kg at a power density of 1326.31 W/kg and had good durability with 86 % retention of specific capacitance after 10,000 charge–discharge cycles. Moreover, this study demonstrated an effective synthesis approach in developing nanocomposites; It can be used as an excellent nanocomposite device for energy storage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The intent of this study was to assess the caloric and sodium contents in Children's meal provided by forty selected limited service and casual dining restaurants. Meals from casual dining restaurants exceeded in both kcal and sodium limits compared to the limited service restaurants. Only 17.5% of the casual dining restaurants and 53.1% of the limited service restaurants met the kcal limit, whereas 1.8% of the casual dining restaurants and 5% of the limited service restaurants met the ≤ 500 mg limit for sodium. Strong correlations existed between caloric and sodium content in children's meals offered by both types of restaurants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human telomerase maintains genome stability by adding telomeric repeats to the ends of linear chromosomes. Although previous studies have revealed profound insights into telomerase functions, the low cellular abundance of functional telomerase and the difficulties in quantifying its activity leave its thermodynamic and kinetic properties only partially characterized. Employing a stable cell line overexpressing both the human telomerase RNA component and the N-terminally biotinylated human telomerase reverse transcriptase and using a newly developed method to count individual extension products, we demonstrate here that human telomerase holoenzymes contain fast- and slow-acting catalytic sites. Surprisingly, both active sites became inactive after two consecutive rounds of catalysis, named single-run catalysis. The fast active sites turned off ~40- fold quicker than the slow ones and exhibited higher affinities to DNA substrates. In a dimeric enzyme, the two active sites work in tandem, with the faster site functioning before the slower one, and in the monomeric enzyme, the active sites also perform single-run catalysis. Interestingly, inactive enzymes could be reactivated by intracellular telomerase-activating factors (iTAFs) from multiple cell types. We conclude that the single-run catalysis and the iTAFtriggered reactivation serve as an unprecedented control circuit for dynamic regulation of telomerase. They endow native telomerase holoenzymes with the ability to match their total number of active sites to the number of telomeres they extend. We propose that the exquisite kinetic control of telomerase activity may play important roles in both cell division and cell aging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Improved two phase sampling exponential ratio and product type estimators for population mean using known coefficient of variation of study character in the presence of non response have been proposed and their properties are studied under large sample approximation. The proposed estimators are compared with the other existing estimators by using the MSE criterion and the conditions under which the proposed estimators perform better are obtained. An empirical study is also given to judge the performance of the proposed estimators. At the end, simulation studies have been carried out to verify the superiority to the proposed estimators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: long term high blood pressure is a major risk factor for coronary artery disease, stroke, heart failure, peripheral vascular disease, vision loss and chronic kidney disease. Objective: the aim of this study is to demonstrate the relation between left ventricular diastolic dysfunction, increased left ventricular mass and ambulatory blood pressure recording in subjects not known to be hypertensive. Patients and Methods: this study is cross sectional study that was carried out on (100) normotensive patients in Cardiology Department Clinic at Matrouh Specialized Cardiothoracic and Interventional Catheterization Center from October, 2017 to January 2019. Results: significantly marked difference in left ventricular (LV) mass between two groups (normal blood pressure and latent hypertension) and significantly marked difference in diastolic dysfunction. According to (normal circadian and impaired circadian) there is significant difference between the two major groups in sex where male >female and marked difference in LV mass between the two groups (normal circadian and impaired circadian) and in smoking. Conclusion: ambulatory blood pressure (AMBP) plays an important role as a predictor to estimate prevalence of hypertension based on diastolic dysfunction and increased left ventricular mass in persons with normal blood pressure measures at office specially masked hypertension in white coat hypertensive patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nascent state-resolved ClO(X 2Π) radicals produced in reactions of O(1D) with HCl, CCl4, CFCl3, CF2Cl2, and CF3Cl have been measured, using vacuum-ultraviolet laser-induced fluorescence of the ClO(C 2Σ-–X 2Π) transition. Rotational temperatures of ClO (X 2Π3/2, v=0 and 1) are 900–1000 K for chlorofluoromethanes and 2050±60 K (v=0) and 1770±180 K (v=1) for HCl. The rotational distribution for the O(1D)+HCl system is interpreted by the orbital-to-rotational angular momentum transfer mechanism. Vibrational level populations of the ClO(v=0–3) products are inverted for CCl4 and chlorofluoromethanes, but not for HCl. Vibrational excitations in the v=0–3 levels are higher for the reactions with the larger available energies. © 1995 American Institute of Physics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Speed and angular relaxation processes induced by collisions with He, Ar, Ne, Xe, N2, and O2 for the velocity of superthermal O(1D) photofragments have been studied by measuring the Doppler profiles of O(1D) as a function of the time delay between photolysis and probe laser pulses. The nascent O(1D) atoms, generated in the photodissociation of O2 by linearly polarized light at 157 nm, have a narrow kinetic energy distribution, centered at 9.8 kcal/mol and a large angular anisotropy. The O(1D) atoms are probed with a tunable vacuum-ultraviolet laser at approximately 115.2 nm. The time evolution of the speed distribution is extracted from the Doppler profiles for each bath gas. The anisotropy parameter distribution as a function of the speed at each time delay is also obtained. The distributions obtained indicate that (a) a collision with He reduces the speed of the O(1D) atom efficiently but only changes slightly the direction of its velocity and (b) a collision with Ne or Ar reduces its speed efficiently and almost randomizes the direction of the O(1D) atom velocity. © 1994 American Institute of Physics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Switched‐capacitor DC‐DC converters (SC DC‐DC) are analyzed for loss sources, voltage regulation integrity, start‐up latency, and ripple size, while the trade‐offs between these metrics are derived. These analyses are used to design a SC DC‐DC that achieves high efficiency in a wide load current range. Four‐way interleaving was employed to reduce the output ripple and efficiency loss due to this ripple. The design can be reconfigured to achieve gains of 1/3 and 2/5 for inputs ranging between 1.4 and 3.6 V to generate output voltage range of 0.4 to 1.27 V and can supply peak load current of 22 mA. It uses thin‐oxide MOS capacitors for their high density and achieves 75.4% peak efficiency with an input frequency of 100 MHz and a load capacitor of 10 nF. An augmenting LDO that only regulates during sudden load transients helps the converter respond fast to these transients. The chip was implemented using a 65‐nm standard CMOS process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was designed to investigate the effect of date palm leaves compost (DPLC) individually and/or in combined with plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) for controlling faba bean root rot disease caused by Rhizoctonia solani and Fusarium solani under greenhouse and field conditions as well as plant growth and yield parameters. The obtained data indicate that DPLC at different concentrations significantly decreased root rot incidence either under artificial infection in pot or natural infection in the field as well as increased growth and yield parameters during growing season 2013-2014. Date palm leaves compost at 8 ton/feddan recorded the highest protection against root rot disease and gave the highest increased of plant growth and yield parameters. On the other hand, PGPR viz. Bacillus megaterium, B. cereus and Pseudomonas fluorescens individually or mixed significantly decreased root rot incidence under greenhouse and field conditions. The mixed of PGPR strains more than for controlling root rot disease than used alone of them. Plant growth promoting rhizobacteria increased efficacy of DPLC for controlling root rot disease in faba bean more than the applied of DPLC or PGPR alone under greenhouse and field conditions during both growing seasons (2014-2015 and 2015-2016) as well as increased of nodulations, growth and yield parameters. The application mixed of PGPR strains and DPLC at 8 ton/feddan recorded the highest reduction of root rot incidence and increase of nodulations, growth and yield parameters during both growing seasons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the major and trace element concentrations in the sediments of the Padma River adjacent to the under-construction Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant to have baseline elemental concentration data. Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis (INAA) was used to determine a total of twenty-three elements (Al, As, Ca, Ce, Co, Cr, Cs, Dy, Eu, Fe, Hf, La, Mn, Na, Sb, Sc, Sm, Ti, Th, U, V, Yb, and Zn). The calculation of the enrichment factor, geo-accumulation index, and pollution load index revealed that most of the sediment samples were minor to moderately contaminated by twelve elements (As, Ca, Ce, Cs, Dy, Hf, La, Sb, Sm, Th, U, and Yb). An ecological risk assessment by ecological risk factor, comprehensive potential ecological risk index, and sediment quality guidelines showed that the sampling locations were subject to harmful biological effects due to high concentrations of As and Cr in the sediments. Three multivariate statistical analyses identified two groups of elements based on their characteristics in the sediments. This study will act as baseline elemental concentration data for future studies concerning anthropogenic activities in this area. • Twenty-three major and trace element concentrations are measured by INAA. • Contamination Indices show that sampling points are contaminated by some elements. • Ecological Risk Assessment confirms that the sampling points are subjected to toxicity. • Multivariate statistical analysis reveals two inter-element relations. • Give pre-operational baseline elemental abundance data of the adjacent area of the new NPP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intra‐mode decision plays an important role in the new high‐efficiency video coding (HEVC) video compression standard. The higher number of intra‐modes in HEVC standard increased the computational complexity and encoding time significantly. To reduce the encoding time with as low effect as possible on the coding quality, a new algorithm based on the texture of the block diagonals is proposed. The proposed algorithm is used to reduce the number of calculations observed in the original standard. The results show that the proposed algorithm can show variety of solutions with wide range of encoding time reduction and BD rate increment. The solution with the highest time saving within an acceptable BD rate increment shows 40.85% time saving and 1.75% BD rate increment. With different parameters settings, BD rate increments with as low as 0.78% can be achieved while having 33.38% time saving. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The international daily increase in energy demands requires exploration of new and unconventional energy resources. Unconventional oil and gas have received special attention in recent years as an important source of fossil fuel. This is true especially in North America; United States and Canada, and in other regions in the world including the Middle East. The technological advancements have made the production from unconventional resources possible and more economical. The learning curve and a substantial experience are being developed in North America, where most of the shale developments took place. This paper presents an effort to summarize the current experience on shales of North America from different aspects: rock mechanics, rock/fluids interaction, gas flow mechanisms through shale rocks, proppant embedment and water recovery after shale fracturing. Shale rocks are composed of rock matrix, kerogen, and natural fractures. The mineralogy of shale rocks changes from one field to another. This change in mineralogy will impact the mechanical properties of the shale reservoirs. For example, Haynesville shale becomes more ductile with the increase in its clay content. Similar trends were seen for Lower Bakken shale, while other shale reservoirs, like Eagle Ford, Barnett and Middle Bakken contain more quartz and calcite, which make the rocks harder and easier to fracture. The rock mechanical properties of shale rocks can change as a direct result of the exposure of these clay-sensitive rocks to fracturing fluids. This has been confirmed in literature where Middle Bakken shale lost 52% of its Young's modulus after exposure to slickwater at 300 °F for 48 h. Porosity in unconventional reservoirs can be found in both organic and inorganic parts of the rock. The porosity of the organic matter, and hence the amount of gas stored in kerogen, cannot be neglected and should be considered in the calculation of the gas originally in place. Porosity in organic matter depends on several parameters; among the most important ones is the maturity of the shale itself. Flow of gas in shale rocks is governed mainly by the non-Darcy effects. In addition, gas can be stored and produced from different sources including natural fractures, organic matter and inorganic matrix. Porosity and permeability in organic matter cannot be neglected and it is very important when it comes to storage and flow in shale reservoirs. As a direct result of using different fluid systems in hydraulic fracturing of shale reservoir, an impact on the rock mechanical properties of the rocks were noticed and recorded. This impact can be significant based on several parameters like the temperature, time to exposure and the mineralogy of the shale rock itself. The rock properties can change in a way the rock becomes more ductile and that can increase the proppant embedment in the rock and the overall fracture conductivity to decrease. Among the different fracturing fluid systems used in the field, the use of slickwater in hydraulic fracturing represents a major challenge as a huge volume of water is used in such treatment. In Marcellus shale formation, hydraulic fracturing of one well may require an average volume of 3–8 million gallons of water. Recycling of produced water has been attempted in North America in Marcellus shale play, where re-use of the flowback water resulted in 25% reduction in the fresh water volumes and it reduced the cost of disposing produced water by 45%–55%. A comprehensive understanding and analysis on unconventional reservoirs is required for the Middle Eastern reservoirs. The paper presents a summary of all of these findings from North America. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we suggest an improved form of exponential ratio and product estimators using ranked set sampling (RSS) in order to estimate the population mean ... of study variate Y using auxiliary variate X. The mean-squared error (MSE) of the proposed class of estimators is obtained. To judge the merits of the suggested estimators over others a simulation study has been carried out. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A multilayered neural network is a multi-input, multi-output nonlinear system in which network weights can be trained by using parameter estimation algorithms. In this paper, a novel training method is proposed. This method is based on the relatively new smooth variable structure filter (SVSF) and is formulated for feed-forward multilayer perceptron training. The SVSF is a state and parameter estimation that is based on the sliding mode concept and works in a predictor-corrector fashion. The SVSF training performance is tested on three benchmark pattern classification problems. Furthermore, a study is presented comparing the popular back-propagation method, the extended Kalman filter, and the SVSF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There are an estimated 112 million horses, donkeys and mules (i.e., working equids) in developing regions of the world. Though their roles are often fundamental to the well-being of the families they work for, their welfare is often severely compromised due to the limited resources and/or limited knowledge base of owners. The main objective of this study was to develop a multifactorial welfare assessment score for accurate, comprehensive, quick and reliable assessment of these equids. A total of 5248 working equids ( n = 2198 horses, 2640 donkeys, 410 mules) were assessed between February 2012–January 2014. Equids were divided into categories based on the three species involved, as well as the four work types involved (transporting goods or people by cart, ridden (e.g., in tourist locations), or working in brick kilns). Analysis of variance “ANOVA” was used to compare differences between groups with α set at 0.05. In terms of behavioral measures, the most at-risk equids appeared to be horses who pulled goods by cart with 20.7% showing a depressed attitude and 22.6% being unresponsive to an observer’s approach (significantly greater than the other species and the other work types, P < 0.05). Mules who pulled goods by cart showed 30.8% avoiding an observer's approach, 42.7% avoiding chin contact and 14.2% showing an aggressive response to observer (significantly greater than the other species and the other work types, P < 0.05). In terms of physical measures, 21.6% of donkeys who pulled goods by cart had harness-induced lesions and 21.9% showed evidence of firing-type lesions (significantly greater than the other species and other work types, P < 0.05). Mules who pulled goods by cart had the highest prevalence of mistreatment-induced lesions at 36.7% (significantly greater than the other species and other work types, P < 0.05). From a positive perspective, horses used for riding or transporting people by cart (e.g., most often animals working in tourist areas) were most likely to be in a healthy physical state (over 85% for both categories; significantly greater than other species and other work types, P < 0.05). To conclude, this welfare assessment scoring system met our initial objective of being a useful tool in identifying which equids had the most significant welfare problems (i.e., which species, work type, age and sex). This, in turn will help in selecting appropriate interventions, and in targeting interventions toward the most vulnerable equids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traditional medicine in tropical areas often includes the use of Swietenia mahagoni to treat a wide range of conditions. However, preclinical testing is crucial to ensure their safety profile and address any remaining concerns about their efficacy. The zebrafish model of open field test shows that decreased dopamine and cholinergic transmission causes impaired locomotion and diminished exploratory behavior. In addition to the elevation of 5-HT and GABA reported in the mirror bite test findings, the extract may have suppressed dopamine expression. The mirror-bite test and the light-dark test both showed elevated levels of GABA expression. Findings from the predator avoidance test are very suggestive of a neurotransmitter-regulating action of the extract. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Healthcare 4.0 is a recent e-health paradigm associated with the concept of Industry 4.0. It provides approaches to achieving precision medicine that delivers healthcare services based on the patient's characteristics. Moreover, Healthcare 4.0 enables telemedicine, including telesurgery, early predictions, and diagnosis of diseases. This represents an important paradigm for modern societies, especially with the current situation of pandemics. The release of the fifth-generation cellular system (5G), the current advances in wearable device manufacturing, and the recent technologies, e.g., artificial intelligence (AI), edge computing, and the Internet of Things (IoT), are the main drivers of evolutions of Healthcare 4.0 systems. To this end, this work considers introducing recent advances, trends, and requirements of the Internet of Medical Things (IoMT) and Healthcare 4.0 systems. The ultimate requirements of such networks in the era of 5G and next-generation networks are discussed. Moreover, the design challenges and current research directions of these networks. The key enabling technologies of such systems, including AI and distributed edge computing, are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a new algorithm for Arabic optical font recognition (AOFR) as the first stage for Arabic optical character recognition. The proposed algorithm uses scale-invariant detector, gradient-based descriptor, and k-means clustering. The scale-invariant detector is used to find key points that identify the font of an image of printed Arabic text. The work in this paper compares between several scale-invariant detectors and selects the best one for AOFR. A gradient-based descriptor similar to the one in the famous scale-invariant feature transform algorithm is used to describe the detected key points. In addition, k-means clustering is used for font classification. In this paper, the mean recognition rate is used to evaluate the performance of the proposed algorithm. The proposed algorithm shows superior performance when compared with recently published algorithms for AOFR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Direct sequence spread spectrum (DSSS) signal is generated by modulating the pseudo random noise (PN) sequence with the data signal. The receiver must generate the same PN sequence to extract the direct sequence signal and then get the data signal. This paper presents a method to separate the PN sequence and data sequence from DSSS signal using adaptive blind deconvolution technique which utilizes the normalized cumulant of the adaptive signal. To minimize the computation burden the process gain is first estimated and is used in the adaptation process. The process gain estimator is also based on the computation of the normalized cumulant. Moreover, an efficient method that can enhance the direct-sequence spread spectrum (DSSS) signal at the receiver is introduced without complicating traditional slipping and tracking schemes. Both theoretical analysis and computer simulations verify the validity of the proposed method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, an engine fault detection and classification technique using vibration data in the crank angle domain is presented. These data are used in conjunction with artificial neural networks (ANNs), which are applied to detect faults in a four-stroke gasoline engine built for experimentation. A comparative study is provided between the popular backpropagation (BP) method, the Levenberg–Marquardt (LM) method, the quasi-Newton (QN) method, the extended Kalman filter (EKF), and the smooth variable structure filter (SVSF). The SVSF is a relatively new estimation strategy, based on the sliding mode concept. It has been formulated to efficiently train ANNs and is consequently referred to as the SVSF-ANN. The accuracy of the proposed method is compared with the standard accuracy of the Kalman-based filters and the popular BP algorithms in an effort to validate the SVSF-ANN performance and application to engine fault detection and classification. The customizable fault diagnostic system is able to detect known engine faults with various degrees of severity, such as defective lash adjuster, piston chirp (PC), and chain tensioner (CT) problems. The technique can be used at any dealership or assembly plant to considerably reduce warranty costs for the company and manufacturer. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This investigation was done to evaluate the bactericidal efficiency of silver nanoparticles (Ag-NPs) against methicillin-resistance Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA) strains. The strains were previously isolated and obtained from milk and its surrounding animal milking environment from 60 dairy cattle houses including 30 houses for cows and 30 houses for buffalos. Ag-NPs solution was prepared and MIC (minimal inhibitory concentrations) and MBC (minimal bactericidal concentration) were determined. The obtained results showed that the mean values of MIC and MBC of Ag-NPs against MRSA were 23.44±0.21 and 31.25±0.26 μg / ml, respectively; while the mean values of MIC and MBC of Ag-NPs against MSSA were 1 1.33±0.14 and 13.28±0.17 μg / ml, respectively. The statistical analysis showed that no significant difference between the effect of Ag-NPs on MRSA and MSSA (p> 0.05), as the bactericidal activity of Ag-NPs was not affected by the resistant mechanisms to methicillin. It can be concluded that Ag-NPs have potent bactericidal activity against MRSA as well as MSSA strains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]