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Exploring high-efficiency photocatalysts for solar hydrogen (H 2 ) generation through water splitting is of great significance for addressing both energy shortage and environmental contamination. In this work, a facile self-assembly strategy was developed to couple NiPS 3 nanosheets (NPS NSs) with ZnIn 2 S 4 (ZIS) microspheres to synthesize NPS NSs/ZIS (NPS/ZIS) composites, featuring a characteristic of S-scheme charge transfer mechanism. The NPS/ZIS composites possess broad-spectrum light absorption property, improved photothermal effect and efficient charge transfer, showcasing exceptional solar-to-chemical energy conversion capability for visible-light-driven photocatalytic hydrogen evolution (PHE). The photothermal effect derived from NPS NSs loading can facilitate charge carrier transfer across the interfaces and surface reaction kinetics. By carefully adjusting the mass ratio of NPS NSs, the optimized 4-NPS/ZIS exhibits excellent stability and significantly improved PHE activity (1827.6 μmol⋅g -1 ⋅h -1 ) in water, which is 18.4 times higher than that of bare ZIS (99.4 μmol⋅g -1 ⋅h -1 ). Furthermore, the 4-NPS/ZIS also shows the high PHE efficiency of 312.2 μmol⋅g -1 ⋅h -1 in seawater. Diverse characterization results reveal that the remarkably enhanced PHE performance primarily arises from the synergistic effect of S-scheme heterostructure, heightened light harvesting capacity, and enhanced photothermal effect. On the basis of density functional theory (DFT) simulations and experimental verifications, a possible PHE mechanism via the S-scheme heterojunction with photothermal assistance in NPS/ZIS is proposed. This study serves as inspiration for the development of novel photothermal-assisted S-scheme photocatalysts, paving the way for efficient and sustainable green energy production., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Atrazine is a widely used toxic herbicide that poses a threat to both the environment and human health. This study investigates the removal of Atrazine from water through armchair-hexagonal hexagonal graphene quantum dots (AHEX) simulations. The investigations are performed using density functional theory at the exchange-correlation hybrid functional B3LYP/3-21G level of theory. The activity of pristine AHEX, with a total dipole moment of 0.0 (debye), is enhanced by doping with boron (B), nitrogen (N), and sulfur atoms (S), resulting in increased total dipole moments of 8.99, 5.29, and 4.14 Debye respectively. This enhancement occurs without any structural deformation due to the doping process. Our results show significant adsorption capacity of the doped nanographene for Atrazine, evidenced by the high adsorption energies of 0.52 eV for boron, 0.62 eV for nitrogen, and 2.97 eV for sulfur. Charge distribution on the atrazine complexes further confirms effective interaction, with values of 0.03,  - 0.018, and 0.032 (e). UV-vis spectroscopy reveals that the prominent absorption peaks of boron and nitrogen-doped samples, initially at ~ 658.8 and 431 nm, undergo a redshift to ~ 676 and 444.3 nm after adsorption, respectively. This redshift aligns with the dominant excitation moving to lower energies following adsorption. Conversely, the sulfurated nanographene shows a blue shift from 980.66 to 485.41 nm. These findings highlight the potential of doped nanographene as an effective treatment for atrazine-contaminated water., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

This is a case of primary diffuse large B-cell lymphoma involving the uterine cervix which presented with irregular vaginal bleeding. The diagnosis was confirmed following multiple cervical biopsies. Treatment with a combination of immunotherapy, chemotherapy (rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine and prednisolone (R-CHOP)) and radiotherapy produced a good response., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© BMJ Publishing Group Limited 2024. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

The present investigation was carried out at the National Irrigation Laboratory of Agricultural Engineering Research Institute (AEnRI), Dokki, Giza, Egypt. This study was performed to investigate the hydraulic performance and clogging ratio of drip irrigation with magnetized water. Magnetized water was created by transferring water through a permanent magnet connected to a feed pipeline. Two main treatments of magnetized and non-magnetized water, as well as three sub-treatments of irrigation water salts, including fresh water (219 ppm) and the addition of 1000 and 2000 ppm to irrigation water with three replications were applied under different operating pressure (75, 100, 125 and 150 kPa). At the beginning of the experiment, results show that hydraulic parameters were almost the same for both the magnetized and the non-magnetized water and for all salinity levels. At the end of working time, the hydraulic parameters were improved for the magnetized water under salinity levels compared to the non-magnetized water. Average emitter discharge increased with roughly 2.7% and 5.6%, coefficient of variation (Cv) decreased by 0.6 and 0.91%, emission uniformity (Eu) increased about 1 and 1.1% and variation of average flow rate (q avr ) decreased by 21.3 and 29.4% when 1000 and 2000 ppm were used, respectively. Magnetized water had slight effect on clogging at non-saline water at the end of experiment. At 1000 and 2000 ppm salinity levels, the clogging ratio decreased by 1.97 and 2.45% at different pressure, respectively. The results show that magnetized water treatment could effectively relieve and delay the occurrence time of clogging., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

In this study, we investigated the reactivity of γ-graphyne (Gp) and its derivatives, Gp-CH 3 , Gp-COOH, Gp-CN, Gp-NO 2 , and Gp-SOH, for the removal of toxic heavy metal ions (Hg + 2 , Pb + 2 , and Cd + 2 ) from wastewater. From the analysis of the optimized structures, it was observed that all the compounds exhibited planar geometry. The dihedral angles (C9-C2-C1-C6 and C9-C2-C1-C6) were approximately 180.00°, indicating planarity in all molecular arrangements. To understand the electronic properties of the compounds, the HOMO (E H ) and LUMO (E L ) energies were calculated, and their energy gaps (E g ) were determined. The E H and E L values ranged between - 6.502 and - 8.192 eV and - 1.864 and - 3.773 eV, respectively, for all the compounds. Comparing the E H values, Gp-NO 2 exhibited the most stable HOMO, while Gp-CH 3 had the least stable structure. In terms of E L values, Gp-NO 2 had the most stable LUMO, while Gp-CH 3 was the least stable. The E g values followed the order: Gp-NO 2  < Gp-COOH < Gp-CN < Gp-SOH < Gp-CH3 < Gp, with Gp-NO 2 (4.41 eV) having the smallest energy gap. The density of states (DOS) analysis showed that the shape and functional group modifications affected the energy levels. Functionalization with electron-withdrawing (CN, NO 2 , COOH, SOH) or electron-donating (CH 3 ) groups reduced the energy gap. To specifically target the removal of heavy metal ions, the Gp-NO 2 ligand was selected for its high binding energy. Complexes of Gp-NO 2 -Cd, Gp-NO 2 -Hg, and Gp-NO 2 -Pb were optimized, and their properties were analyzed. The complexes were found to be planar, with metal-ligand bond distances within the range of 2.092→3.442 Å. The Gp-NO 2 -Pb complex exhibited the shortest bond length, indicating a stronger interaction due to the smaller size of Pb + 2 . The computed adsorption energy values (E ads ) indicated the stability of the complexes, with values ranging from - 0.035 to -4.199 eV. Non-covalent interaction (NCI) analysis was employed to investigate intermolecular interactions in Gp-NO 2 complexes. The analysis revealed distinct patterns of attractive and repulsive interactions, providing valuable insights into the binding preferences and steric effects of heavy metals., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

This study investigates the structural intricacies and properties of single-walled nanotubes (SWNT) and double-walled nanotubes (DWNT) composed of hexagonal boron nitride (BN) and carbon (C). Doping with various atoms including light elements (B, N, O) and heavy metals (Fe, Co, Cu) is taken into account. The optimized configurations of SWNT and DWNT, along with dopant positions, are explored, with a focus on DWNT-BN-C. The stability analysis, employing binding energies, affirms the favorable formation of nanotube structures, with DWNT-C emerging as the most stable compound. Quantum stability assessments reveal significant intramolecular charge transfer in specific configurations. Electronic properties, including charge distribution, electronegativity, and electrical conductivity, are examined, showcasing the impact of doping. Energy gap values highlight the diverse electronic characteristics of the nanotubes. PDOS analysis provides insights into the contribution of atoms to molecular orbitals. UV-Vis absorption spectra unravel the optical transitions, showcasing the influence of nanotube size, dopant type, and location. Hydrogen storage capabilities are explored, with suitable adsorption energies indicating favorable hydrogen adsorption. The desorption temperatures for hydrogen release vary across configurations, with notable enhancements in specific doped DWNT-C variants, suggesting potential applications in high-temperature hydrogen release. Overall, this comprehensive investigation provides valuable insights into the structural, electronic, optical, and hydrogen storage properties of BN and C nanotubes, laying the foundation for tailored applications in electronics and energy storage., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Placenta accreta spectrum (PAS) is a disorder of irregular placental invasion to the surrounding structures, it is a leading cause of maternal morbidity and mortality. This study was theorized to perceive the role of Treg cells and VEGF which appealed to play a role in the pathogenesis of nonstandard extreme placental invasion. The study was carried out on 40 pregnant women; Group I (control group), and Group II (placenta accrete spectrum PAS). Light microscopic, immune-histochemical; CD 56 (NK CELLS) and CD 45 RO (T reg) western blot; P53 and VEGF morphometry and statistical analysis were done. H&E-stained sections revealed Placental tissue in unswerving contact with the myometrium, deficient decidual layer, hemorrhage, congested edematous blood vessels. The mean area percent of collagen, Treg, P53, and VEGF exposed a significant increase in the placenta accreta group when compared to that of control women. Nonetheless, the mean area percent of NK cells displayed a significant decrement PAS cases are associated with low levels of NK cells and increased levels of Treg cells, P 53, and VEGF, promoting the hyperinvasive behavior of trophoblasts of placenta accreta and dysregulate placental vascular remodeling., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.)

Background and Objectives : Chronic sinusitis is a commonly encountered diagnosis for otorhinolaryngologists. The profound negative effect of rhinosinusitis on patients' quality of life is frequently overlooked, and surgical lines of treatment are numerous. The aim of the study was to assess the comparative efficacy of endoscopic middle meatal antrostomy with the endoscopic prelacrimal recess approach, combined with middle meatal antrostomy in the treatment of unilateral chronic maxillary sinus lesion. Materials and Methods : Thirty patients with unilateral chronic maxillary sinus lesions enrolled in the study at Alahsa hospital. Patients were divided into two groups: 15 treated through a middle meatal antrostomy and 15 treated via a combined middle meatal antrostomy and prelacrimal recess approach. Demographic and clinical information of the patients, including the medical history, CT scan findings, diagnosis, recurrence, and complications, were gathered and analyzed. Pre- and postoperative clinical findings were graded utilizing the Lund-Kennedy Endoscopic Scoring System. Results : The enrolled patients varied in age from 18 to 56, with 60% being male and 40% being female. Antrochoanal polyp, maxillary sinus mucocele, and unilateral allergic fungal sinusitis were among the pathological diagnoses. The follow-up period averaged 14.3 months. Following surgery, two patients in Group II encountered nasal discomfort, which included synechia and epiphora. The success rate for preserving a patient's disease-free condition was 86.7%. A statistically significant difference in disease-free incidence was observed among the patients in group II. In group I, recurrence was identified in 26.7% of the patients. The postoperative symptoms diminished considerably, and the VAS score was reduced substantially. In Group II patients, however, there was no significant difference in scarring. Clinically significant differences were observed in the mean total Lund-Kennedy Endoscopic scores when compared to their preoperative values. Conclusions : Achieving endoscopic access to the sinus's anterior, lateral, inferior, and inferomedial regions is facilitated by operating via the prelacrimal recess, which is the most advantageous approach. This approach facilitates rapid mucosal healing by maintaining the integrity of the nasolacrimal duct and mucosal covering. The specific pathology, surgical objectives, surgeon expertise, and equipment accessibility influence the choice of endoscopic surgical technique.

This study focuses on the design of new 2D membranes from connected Clar's Goblet as a potential sensor for pharmaceutical pollutants, specifically the painkiller drugs aspirin, paracetamol, ibuprofen, and diclofenac. The electronic, optical, and interaction properties are investigated using density functional theory calculations. The Clar's Goblet membranes (CGMs) that were chosen are semiconductors with an energy gap of around 1.5 eV, according to energy gap calculations and density of states. Molecular electrostatic potential (ESP) analysis shows that CGMs have electrophilic and nucleophilic sites, suggesting their suitability for interacting with pharmaceutical pollutants. The adsorption energies confirm the chemical adsorption of pharmaceutical pollutants with diclofenac showing the strongest adsorption. The UV-Vis absorption spectra of CGMs-drug complexes are analyzed, revealing a redshift compared to the absorption spectrum of CGMs alone, confirming the adsorption of these drugs. Further analysis using hole/electron examinations indicates that the type of excitation is local excitation rather than charge transfer excitation. This study quantitatively characterized hole and electron distribution in excited states using various indices. The analysis revealed local excitation transitions and significant charge transfer between the CGMs molecule and pharmaceutical pollutants. Additionally, non-covalent interaction analysis indicates the presence of van der Waals interactions, highlighting the adsorption behavior of the drugs. These results demonstrate the potential of CGMs as a highly sensitive sensor for pharmaceutical pollutants., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: Early recognition and appropriate treatment has shown to decrease morbidity and mortality in patients with undifferentiated shock. There are many ultrasound protocols in shock; each protocol combines core ultrasound elements such as IVC and cardiac assessment which includes detection of cardiac tamponade, left ventricular function and right ventricular strain.Valvular assessment is absent in majority of ultasound protocols, while lung ultrasound is included in some of them., Objective: In this study we investigated which parameters used in Echo - US protocol help differentiate shock types., Methods: This cross sectional study was conducted on 150 patients with shock (140 patients were included while, 10 patients were excluded).Sensitivity and specificity of different parameters used in the Echo-US protocol were analyzed to detect which parameters can diffentiate shock types., Results: Velocity time integral of Aorta and IVC maximum diameter were good discriminators for distributive shock, with area under the ROC curve (AUC) = 0.8885 (95% CI 0.8144 to 0.9406) and 0.7728 (95% CI 0.6832 to 0.8473) (Z = 10.256 p < 0.0001) and (Z = 5.079 p < 0.0001) respectively. Left ventricular systolic function, presence of pneumonia, pneumothorax or valve vegetations were of great value in differentiating shock types, while CUST, FAST, TAPSE and RV diameter were not useful in differentiating shock types., Conclusion: Ultrasound and echocardiography are powerful tools that can be used to identify shock etiology when the clinical picture overlaps., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

We employed density functional theory calculations to investigate the electronic and optical characteristics of finite GaAs nanoribbons (NRs). Our study encompasses chemical alterations including doping, functionalization, and complete passivation, aimed at tailoring NR properties. The structural stability of these NRs was affirmed by detecting real vibrational frequencies in infrared spectra, indicating dynamical stability. Positive binding energies further corroborated the robust formation of NRs. Analysis of doped GaAs nanoribbons revealed a diverse range of energy gaps (approximately 2.672 to 5.132 eV). The introduction of F atoms through passivation extended the gap to 5.132 eV, while Cu atoms introduced via edge doping reduced it to 2.672 eV. A density of states analysis indicated that As atom orbitals primarily contributed to occupied molecular orbitals, while Ga atom orbitals significantly influenced unoccupied states. This suggested As atoms as electron donors and Ga atoms as electron acceptors in potential interactions. We investigated excited-state electron-hole interactions through various indices, including electron-hole overlap and charge-transfer length. These insights enriched our understanding of these interactions. Notably, UV-Vis absorption spectra exhibited intriguing phenomena. Doping with Te, Cu, W, and Mo induced redshifts, while functionalization induced red/blue shifts in GaAs-34NR spectra. Passivation, functionalization, and doping collectively enhanced electrical conductivity, highlighting the potential for improving material properties. Among the compounds studied, GaAs-34NR-edg-Cu demonstrated the highest electrical conductivity, while GaAs-34NR displayed the lowest. In summary, our comprehensive investigation offers valuable insights into customizing GaAs nanoribbon characteristics, with promising implications for nanoelectronics and optoelectronics applications., (© 2023. Springer Nature Limited.)

Objective: To systematically review the effect of electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) use on clinical, radiographic, and immunologic peri-implant parameters in males., Study Design: A comprehensive search of indexed databases was conducted to identify studies reporting data on both e-cigarette users and nonsmokers with implant-supported prosthesis with ≥1-year in function, up to May 2022. Marginal bone loss (MBL), probing depth (PD), plaque index (PI), and bleeding on probing (BOP) were recorded. Peri-implant sulcular fluid volume (PISF), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) and interleukin 1β (IL-β) levels were also assessed. A meta-analysis was performed using random-effect models to determine the effect of e-cigarette use in primary and secondary outcomes., Results: Four cross-sectional studies were included with a total of 327 participants (165 e-cigarette users and 162 nonsmokers). All studies showed greater MBL, PI, PD, and lower BOP in e-cigarette users compared with never smokers. The meta-analysis indicated significant heterogeneity for all outcomes except MBL for distal implant surfaces, with the mean difference between e-cigarette users and nonsmokers of 0.89 mm (95% CI: 0.67-1.11, P < .01). The PISF volume, TNF-α, and IL-1β levels were increased in e-cigarette users (P < .01) with no heterogeneity present between studies., Conclusions: E-cigarette use shows a negative effect on clinical, radiographic, and immunologic parameters of dental implants., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Different magnetic materials of spinel copper and cobalt nanoferrites added to silver-magnetite nanoparticles were fabricated by a facile, low cost, and rapid auto-combustion method to form a nanocomposite. X-ray diffraction patterns and atomic force microscopy were studied for the investigated samples and confirmed their nanosize range. Adding cobalt nanoferrite to silver-magnetite (CoAF) yielded a more pronounced effect in the magnetic measurements than adding copper nanoferrite (CuAF). This result was attributed to the much higher coercivity H c and saturation magnetization M s (5.7-fold and 2.8-fold, respectively) of CoAF than CuAF; accordingly, the CoAF nanocomposite can be applied to a permanent magnet. Next, the operating frequencies of the nanocomposites were calculated from the magnetic measurements. The CoAF and CuAF nanocomposites were applicable in the microwave super-high-frequency C-band and the microwave super-high-frequency S-band, respectively. Both nanocomposites were ineffective against the tested fungi but showed strong antimicrobial activities against the tested Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. Thus, CoAF and CuAF nanocomposites are potential antibacterial nanomaterials for biomedical applications., Competing Interests: Conflict of interestThe authors declare that they have no conflict of interest., (© The Author(s) 2023.)

Pure water is a key element for a sustainable and healthy environment of human inhabitation. Since major sources of water contamination are industrially generated heavy metal cations there is great demand for efficient methods of their treatment. Here, using density functional theory, we investigate the covalent organic framework's electronic and optical properties and their interaction with the most dangerous heavy metal pollutants, namely Hg +2 , Pb +2, and Cd +2 . We consider biphenyl boroxine covalent organic frameworks before and after chemical modification with CN, COOH, NH 2 , and NO 2 groups. In addition to the molecular geometries, such parameters as the dipole moment, chemical potential, electronegativity, chemical hardness, and binding energy are calculated. It is found that CN, COOH, and NO 2 functional groups are favorable for intermolecular bonding with harmful transition metals. The functionalization with the mentioned groups reduces the band gap of the pristine covalent organic frameworks and increases their reactivity. As a result, strong complexes with Cd +2 , Hg +2 , and Pb +2 can form, which, as follows from our calculations, can be detected by the red shift in their optical absorption spectra., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The academic performance of young women is particularly relevant to the success of societies that have only recently begun to address gender inequalities in education and the workforce. The present research examined the performance in a physics course of STEM and non-STEM female freshmen from such a society. It aimed to determine whether the change to online instruction, forced by the pandemic on students who had been accustomed to the face-to-face mode, affected their performance. In the study, performance on lab assignments and tests distributed across the semester (formative assessment measures) differed. Namely, STEM students performed better than non-STEM students on lab assignments and better online than face-to-face on tests. Non-STEM students' performance on both lab assignments and tests remained insensitive to the mode of instruction. Performance on the final test and course grades, both of which were treated as summative assessment measures, replicated the pattern of effects exhibited by tests distributed across the entire semester. For all students, prior math proficiency made a limited contribution to performance. The findings of this study suggest that young women, who during the pandemic were brought back to the constraints of the home, were resilient in the face of change. According to physics instructors and students, by distributing study efforts more continuously in the online mode and taking advantage of recorded class meetings, they managed to promote performance (as per STEM students) or preserve it (as per non-STEM students)., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Al-Zohbi, Pilotti, Abdelsalam and Elmoussa.)

Objectives: The objective of this study is to retrospectively evaluate the use of ultrasound-guided continuous radiofrequency (CRF) lesioning of the suprascapular nerve for treating chronic shoulder pain, due to osteoarthritis. We describe a modified distal and selective ablation technique in the spinoglenoid notch, with motor and sensory stimulation, which protects the motor branch of the nerve from ablation., Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed of patients, who underwent ultrasound-guided CRF lesioning of the suprascapular nerve from October 2013 to January 2020. During the procedure, the CRF electrode is placed in the spinoglenoid notch, at the distal suprascapular nerve capsular branch. Motor and sensory stimulations are used to confirm the position. CRF lesioning is applied up to three times, at 3 different points, for 1 min each time, at 80 ° C., Results: In total, 127 first CRF suprascapular nerve lesioning procedures were performed on 101 patients with chronic shoulder pain secondary to osteoarthritis. One hundred nineteen diagnostic ultrasound-guided suprascapular nerve corticosteroid injections were performed prior to ablation. Mean pre-injection Visual Analogue Scale pain score (VAS) was 8.3, with post-injection VAS score of 4.4 at 24 h and 4.5 at 2 weeks. Mean pre-CRF lesioning VAS pain score was 7.7 with post-CRF lesioning VAS score of 4.4 at 24 h and 4.5 at 2 weeks., Conclusions: Ultrasound-guided CRF lesioning of the suprascapular nerve in the spinoglenoid notch is a safe treatment for chronic osteoarthritic shoulder pain, with repeat treatments infrequently required. It is associated with significant improvement in VAS pain scores., Key Points: • Ultrasound-guided continuous radiofrequency lesioning of the suprascapular nerve in the spinoglenoid notch is a safe treatment for chronic shoulder pain in degenerative disease, with repeat treatments infrequently required. • The procedure is performed under ultrasound guidance, without the use of ionising radiation., (© 2022. Crown.)

Background: Early diagnosis and appropriate management of shock aimed at prevention of prolonged hypoperfusion has shown to decrease morbidity and mortality in patients with undifferentiated shock. However, there is often a challenge in emergency department (ED) - where diagnosis is mainly based on clinical signs and standard monitoring parameters. Early use of point of care ultrasound could reduce the diagnostic time and improve diagnostic accuracy., Purpose: The aim of this study is to investigate the accuracy of echocardiography - ultrasound protocol to identify the cause of shock in ED., Method: The study was conducted on 150 shocked patients admitted to emergency department of Alexandria Main University Hospital from December 2018 to December 2020. The study was conducted to reach initial impression about shock etiology which was then compared to final diagnosis to determine accuracy, agreement, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV)., Results: One hundred forty patients were included in the study (10 patients were excluded). The protocol was 100% accurate for diagnosing cases with obstructive and mixed obstructive distributive shock. It showed excellent rule- out characteristics for cardiogenic shock (sensitivity and NPV = 100%). There was almost perfect agreement between provisional and final shock type for mixed distributive cardiogenic shock (kappa 0.915). Echo- US protocol had lowest agreement and PPV for patients with hypovolemic shock Kappa 0.48 and 35% respectively., Conclusion: The Echo- US protocol showed a high accuracy in identifying shock etiology in ED and is likely a promising diagnostic tool in emergency care., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Due to modern industrialization and population growth, access to clean water has become a global challenge. In this study, a metal-semiconductor heterojunction was constructed between Cu NPs and the Co 0.5 Ni 0.5 Fe 2 O 4 /SiO 2 /TiO 2 composite matrix for the photodegradation of potassium permanganate, hexavalent chromium Cr(VI) and p -nitroaniline (pNA) under UV light. In addition, the electronic and adsorption properties after Cu loading were evaluated using density functional theory (DFT) calculations. Moreover, the antimicrobial properties of the prepared samples toward pathogenic bacteria and unicellular fungi were investigated. Photocatalytic measurements show the outstanding efficiency of the Cu-loaded nanocomposite compared to that of bare Cu NPs and the composite matrix. Degradation efficiencies of 44% after 80 min, 100% after 60 min, and 65% after 90 min were obtained against potassium permanganate, Cr(VI), and pNA, respectively. Similarly, the antimicrobial evaluation showed high ZOI, lower MIC, higher protein leakage amount, and cell lysis of nearly all microbes treated with the Cu-loaded nanocomposite.

Antibiotic resistance is a global problem. This is the reason why scientists search for alternative treatments. In this regard, seven novel silver chromite nanocomposites were synthesized and assayed to evaluate their antimicrobial, antiviral, and cytotoxic activity. Five bacterial species were used in this study: three Gram-positive (Bacillus subtilis, Micrococcus luteus, and Staphylococcus aureus) and two Gram-negative (Escherichia coli and Salmonella enterica). Three fungal species were also tested: Candida albicans, Aspergillus niger, and A. flavus. The MIC of the tested compounds was determined using the bifold serial dilution method. The tested compounds showed good antibacterial activity. Maximum antibacterial activity was attained in the case of 15 N [Cobalt Ferrite (0.3 CoFe 2 O 4 ) + Silver chromite (0.7 Ag 0.5 Cr 2.5 O 4 )] against M. luteus. Concerning antifungal activity, C. albicans was the most susceptible fungal species. The maximum inhibition was recorded also in case of 15 N [Cobalt Ferrite (0.3 CoFe 2 O 4 ) + Silver chromite (0.7 Ag 0.5 Cr 2.5 O 4 )]. The most promising antimicrobial compound 15 N [Cobalt Ferrite (0.3 CoFe 2 O 4 ) + Silver chromite (0.7 Ag 0.5 Cr 2.5 O 4 )] was assayed for its antiviral and cytotoxic activity. The tested compound showed weak antiviral activity. The cytotoxic activity against Mammalian cells from African Green Monkey Kidney (Vero) cells was detected. The inhibitory effect against Hepatocellular carcinoma cells was detected using a MTT assay. The antimicrobial effect of the tested compounds depends on the tested microbial species. The tested compounds could be attractive and alternative antibacterial compounds that open a new path in chemotherapy., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

The electronic and optical properties of finite silicene, graphene, and arsenene heterostructures are investigated using first principles calculations. The optoelectronic properties of these structures are precisely controlled, by chemical functionalization, shape, and size, to produce suitable donor energy gap and minimal conduction band offset that enable the construction of efficient heterojunction solar cells. Heterojunctions with only Van der Waals interactions between layers have been achieved in functionalized silicene/graphene and arsenene/graphene. The distribution of the highest occupied/lowest unoccupied molecular orbital on donor/acceptor layer in addition to the contribution of each layer into the total electronic density of states insure that the only interlayer interaction is the van der Waals one and charge separation is attained. The heterojunctions have donors' energy gaps ranging from 1.2 to 1.8 eV which in conjunction with the very low conduction band offset ∼ 0.002 eV enable the building of type-II solar cells with extremely high power conversion efficiency up to 23.34%. The prominent low energy optical excitations are mainly contributed by a transition from donor molecular orbitals to acceptor ones. Therefore, functionalized 2D heterojunctions are excellent candidates for building ultrathin, stable, and low-cost efficient solar cells., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: To compare effectiveness of three widely used embolic agents in partial splenic embolization (PSE) by analyzing their clinical, laboratory, and radiological outcomes within one year of follow-up., Materials and Methods: This retrospective study examined 179 patients who underwent PSE to manage hypersplenism secondary to cirrhosis. Patients were divided into 3 groups according to embolic agent used. Group 1 (gelatin sponge) included 65 patients, group 2 (embospheres) included 58 patients, and group 3 (PVA) included 56 patients. Clinical, laboratory, and radiological outcomes were compared between groups., Results: The technical success rate was 100% in all groups. Pain as a major complication was lower in the gelatin sponge group (20%) compared to the embosphere group (31%) and PVA group (32.3%). Major complications other than pain were found in 20.1%; 24.6% in gelatin sponge group, 15.5% in embosphere group and 19.6% in PVA group (p = 0.045). WBCs and platelet counts showed a significant increase after PSE in all groups. Entire splenic volume as measured by computed tomography after PSE showed no significant difference among the 3 groups; however, the volume of infarcted spleen was significantly lower in the gelatin sponge group compared to other two groups (p = 0.001). The splenic span was significantly reduced one-year post-procedure in three groups (p = 0.006), and it was significantly less in embosphere and PVA groups compared to gelatin sponge group (p < 0.05). Recurrent bleeding was higher in gelatin sponge group (p < 0.05)., Conclusions: Permanent embolic materials achieved better laboratory and radiological outcomes than gelatin sponge particles in PSE of cirrhotic hypersplenism patients. However, permanent particles were associated with greater abdominal pain.

Aims: The study is aimed to verify Aperio AT2 scanner for reporting on the digital pathology platform (DP) and to validate the cohort of pathologists in the interpretation of DP for routine diagnostic histopathological services in Wales, United Kingdom., Materials Methods and Results: This was a large multicenter study involving seven hospitals across Wales and unique with 22 (largest number) pathologists participating. 7491 slides from 3001 cases were scanned on Leica Aperio AT2 scanner and reported on digital workstations with Leica software of e-slide manager. A senior pathology fellow compared DP reports with authorized reports on glass slide (GS). A panel of expert pathologists reviewed the discrepant cases under multiheader microscope to establish ground truth. 2745 out of 3001 (91%) cases showed complete concordance between DP and GS reports. Two hundred and fifty-six cases showed discrepancies in diagnosis, of which 170 (5.6%) were deemed of no clinical significance by the review panel. There were 86 (2.9%) clinically significant discrepancies in the diagnosis between DP and GS. The concordance was raised to 97.1% after discounting clinically insignificant discrepancies. Ground truth lay with DP in 28 out of 86 clinically significant discrepancies and with GS in 58 cases. Sensitivity of DP was 98.07% (confidence interval [CI] 97.57-98.56%); for GS was 99.07% (CI 98.72-99.41%)., Conclusions: We concluded that Leica Aperio AT2 scanner produces adequate quality of images for routine histopathologic diagnosis. Pathologists were able to diagnose in DP with good concordance as with GS., Strengths and Limitations of This Study: Strengths of this study - This was a prospective blind study. Different pathologists reported digital and glass arms at different times giving an ambience of real-time reporting. There was standardized use of software and hardware across Wales. A strong managerial support from efficiency through the technology group was a key factor for the implementation of the study., Limitations: This study did not include Cytopathology and in situ hybridization slides. Difficulty in achieving surgical pathology practise standardization across the whole country contributed to intra-observer variations., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest., (Copyright: © 2021 Journal of Pathology Informatics.)

Antibiotics and other antimicrobial compounds are the backbone of clinical medicine. Antimicrobial resistance can cause serious diseases to man. Nanotechnology can improve therapeutic potential of medicinal molecules and related agents. Widespread application of antibiotics and other antimicrobial compounds led to development of multidrug-resistant microbes, so there is need to develop novel therapeutic agents. Novel synthesized nanometric delafossite was assayed against two Gram-positive bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus and Micrococcus luteus), two Gram-negative bacteria (Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae), four opportunistic fungi (Aspergillus flavus, A. fumigatus, A. niger, and Fusarium solani), and four Candida species (C. albicans, C. parapsilosis, C. krusei, and C. tropicalis) using diffusion assay method. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of the novel synthesized nanometric delafossite was determined using the dilution method. The assayed compounds showed different degrees of antifungal and antibacterial activities, depending on the annealing temperature of preparation of these compounds. Compounds prepared at room temperature showed greater antimicrobial activities than those prepared at higher temperatures. The antimicrobial activity depends also on the susceptibility of the test microbe.

The electronic and adsorption properties of chemically modified square hexagonal boron nitride quantum dots are investigated using density functional theory calculations. The free energy and frequency calculations show that all the boron nitride flakes are stable before/after modification and metal adsorption. Edge modification significantly enhances the stability and interactivity of the flake. For instance, the free energy of binding decreases from -6.5 eV in the hydrogenated flake to -7.1 eV in the pristine one and the dipole moment increases from 4.5 D to 53.7 D, respectively. A wide spectrum of band gaps can also be achieved, where the band gap can be smoothly varied from ∼6 eV in edge fluorinated flakes to 0.2 in sulfurated ones. Six hydrated metals, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, and Zn, are considered for adsorption by the flakes. The transition metals are highly selected by the flakes while heavy metals are weakly adsorbed. All hydrated metals are physically adsorbed by the edge and surface of hydrogenated flakes except Cu, which is chemically adsorbed. Chemical groups or elements attached to the flake strongly enhance the adsorption strength; the adsorption energy of hydrated Cr on the surface increases from 0.6 eV to 8.6 eV after attaching two COOH groups to the surface. Hydrogen evolution has also been observed through the adsorption process. The calculated low overpotential for the oxygen evolution reaction (0.52 V) and hydrogen adsorption strength (0.11 eV) for the hydrogen evolution reaction indicate that boron nitride quantum dots are not only potential candidates for the removal of different metals from wastewater but also for efficient water splitting.

In a search for novel therapeutic agents against pathogenic fungal species, Candida in addition to bacterial species, novel spinel nanoferrites were assayed against four pathogenic fungi isolated from different clinical samples of ear and skin infections: Aspergillus flavus, A. niger, A. terrus and A. fumigatus, four Candia species: Candida albicans, C. parapsilosis, C. krusei and C. tropicales, and four bacterial species: two Gram +ve: Bacillus subtilis and Streptococcus pyogenes, and two Gram -ve: Pseudomonas vulgaris and Escherichia coli. It was found that the assayed compounds displayed different levels of antifungal and antibacterial activities against all tested microorganisms. The antimicrobial potency depends on the method of synthesis of the nanoparticles and also on the microbial species.

Background: Despite the well-documented associations between poor maternal oral health and increased risk for adverse birth outcomes and dental caries in children after birth, prenatal oral health care is under-utilized, especially among the underserved population. In addition, oral Candida has recently been suggested as a potential culprit for children's dental caries, with evident maternal contributions. Therefore, this study aimed to obtain epidemiological data on the oral health and oral Candida carriage in a cohort of underserved US pregnant women, and reveal factors associated with their oral Candida carriage., Methods: Demographic-medical-oral hygiene practice data were collected. Comprehensive oral examination was conducted. Caries status and plaque index were recorded. Oral samples (saliva, plaque and swab) were processed to identify Candida species and Streptococcus mutans by culturing-dependent and -independent methods. Multiple logistic regression analyses were used to identify factors associated with oral Candida carriage and caries severity., Results: Eighty-two socioeconomically disadvantaged women (48 pregnant and 34 non-pregnant) were enrolled. More pregnant women (79.1%) had > = 1 untreated decayed tooth when compared to their non-pregnant counterparts (47.1%) (p = 0.01). The average number of decayed teeth in pregnant and non-pregnant women was 3.9 and 3.1 (p > 0.05). Caries severity was positively associated with race (African American vs. white), plaque index and salivary Candida albicans level. C. albicans was the most predominant/abundant Candida strain, with cheek and tonsil as the most common colonized sites. The detection of C. albicans was 56%/56% in saliva and 40%/47% in plaque of the pregnant and non-pregnant groups, respectively. Study women's oral Candida carriage is positively associated with hypertension [p = 0.03, odds ratio = 14.47(1.28, 163.51)], decayed teeth number [p = 0.04, odds ratio = 1.31 (1.01,1.69)] and salivary S. mutans level [p = 0.03, odds ratio = 4.80 (1.18-19.43)]., Conclusions: Socioeconomically disadvantaged US women are in need of improved prenatal oral health, a large proportion of them have untreated decayed teeth and high carriage of oral Candida. Due to the observed significant association between the decayed teeth number and oral Candida carriage, providing oral health care during pregnancy (including limiting decayed teeth) will not only improve women's oral health, but also present as a promising approach to reduce oral Candida carriage in women.

Blowout syndrome caused by vascular invasion is a dreadful complication of late stage malignancies that carry high morbidity and poor overall prognosis in a compromised population. Endovascular management can offer minimally invasive and life-saving alternative for such acute conditions. We describe the case of a 62-year-old man with massive fresh bleeding per rectum and shock resulting from rupture of the left external iliac artery secondary to nearby infiltrative recurrent sigmoid cancer. This complication is rare, presents dramatically, and is frequently fatal. The patient was successfully treated with a stent graft deployment in order to achieve hemostasis and reinstituting the arterial integrity.

Vulval extraskeletal myxoid chondrosarcoma (EMC) is a rare cause of vulval swelling, reported <10 times in the literature to date. EMC in this location is frequently misdiagnosed due to its rarity, and patients may incur delays in diagnosis and treatment. We herein present the diagnosis and management of the case of vulval EMC in a 42-year-old Caucasian female patient who presented in 2011 with a swelling on the right labium majus. The tumour was initially misdiagnosed as a Bartholin's cyst and managed conservatively. The tumour was ultimately diagnosed as EMC and treated by radical surgical excision and adjuvant radiotherapy. The aim of the present study was to report the results after a long-term follow-up period and review the available relevant literature.

Objective: Nidus Vespae (NV) is the honeycomb of Polistes Olivaceous, P. Japonicus Saussure, and Parapolybiavaria Fabricius. Previously, we have shown the extract and chemical fractions from NV demonstrated remarkable capacities of inhibiting the acid production of oral bacteria at sub-minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) concentrations. In searching the most potent anti-caries compounds in NV, we further separated the NV Chl/MeOH fraction and obtained two purified compounds: quercetin and kaemferol. The objective of this study was to assess the effectiveness of quercetin and kaemferol against S. mutans biofilm formation., Methods: The MIC, minimum biofilm inhibition concentration (MBIC 50 ) and minimum biofilm reduction concentration (MBRC 50 ) against Streptococcus mutans were examined for NV-derived of quercetin and kaemferol. The effectiveness of inhibiting S. mutans biofilm formation was further examined using in vitro biofilm model., Results: Both quercetin and kaemferol compounds demonstrated anti-biofilm activities when compared to the negative control. They are capable of reducing biofilm dry-weight, total protein, viable cells measured by colony forming unit (CFU), insoluble and soluble glucans formation. The in situ culture pH was less acidic when the biofilms were treated by quercetin and kaemferol. The quercetin and kaemferol demonstrated comparable capability of S. mutans killing in biofilms, compared to chlorhexidine., Conclusions: The results of this study showed inhibitory activity of quercetin and kaemferol against S. mutans biofilms, suggesting that quercetin and kaemferol might be considered as alternative anti-caries agents in searching novel anti-caries therapeutics., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

This work is a small effort in the production of an eco-friendly natural based antibacterial and anti-inflammatory finished cotton fabrics using the ethanolic extracts (Ex) of the sea grass Halophila stipulacea (H. stipulacea) and marine macroalgae [Colbomenia sinuosa (C. sinuosa) and Ulva fasciata (U. fasciata)]. The extracts were phytochemically screened for their constituents. These extracts were used to finish cotton fabrics by a variety of methods. Concerning this, fabrics (F) were singly treated with ethanolic extracts (ExF) of these marine organisms by the dip technique and the extract encapsulated with sodium alginate or meypro gum. The encapsulated fabric (EnF) was further finished individually with citric acid (CA), (EnF/CA) and mono-tert-butyl ether of glycerol (MTBG) binder (EnF/Bin) by the pad-dry-cure technique. The fabrics so-finished were evaluated for their antibacterial and anti-inflammatory activities without washing (control) and after different washing cycles. The results obtained showed that, both EnF/CA and EnF/Bin inhibit the bacterial growth by about 90% after 10 washing cycles for both Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus). The anti-inflammatory activity, the potency% reached to 88.3% for the fabric encapsulated with microcapsules of sodium alginate/H. stipulacea sea grass and the EnF/CA., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Total joint arthroplasty (TJA) is a relatively safe orthopedic procedure. However, complications do occur, and some may necessitate admission to the intensive care unit (ICU). Our purpose was to determine risk factors associated with admittance to ICU after TJA. We evaluated 22,343 primary and revision total hip and knee arthroplasties from 1999 to 2008. One hundred thirty patients were admitted to the ICU. Cases were matched 1:2 for date of surgery, surgeon, and type of surgery. The causes for admission to ICU were recorded. Independent risk factors for ICU admission were smoking, cemented arthroplasty, general anesthesia, allogenic transfusion, higher C-reactive protein, lower hemoglobin level, higher body mass index, and older age. Proper identification and management of these "at-risk" patients may decrease the incidence of ICU admittance after TJA., (Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Aim: To establish how often off-label device and drug use occurs in interventional radiology (IR) in a UK tertiary referral hospital and consider the wider implications for the interventional radiologist., Materials and Methods: Prospective data were collected during interventional procedures for 1 working week in a university hospital. Out-of-hours procedures and procedures outside the department were excluded. Operators were asked to record the drugs and devices used, the indication, and method of use. The instructions for use/summary of product characteristics were then studied for each device/drug used to assess if the use was on or off-label., Results: During the study period 52 cases were performed and data were available on 26 cases (50%). In 22 of the 26 cases (84%) there was evidence of off-label use of devices or drugs. Off-label use of drugs included treatment of venous malformations with Fibrovein(©) (sodium tetradecyl sulphate), which is licensed for the treatment of varicose veins in the leg, and intra-arterial injection of heparin, which is licensed for intravenous and subcutaneous use. Off-label device use included placing vascular sheaths in the urinary tract, using angiographic catheters to guide wires in the urinary tract, using sheaths for thrombosuction, reshaping of the tip of most guidewires, and using angioplasty balloons to dislodge the arterial plug at fistula thrombectomy., Conclusion: Off-label device and drugs use is common in a UK tertiary hospital IR department and literature suggests this is common in the wider IR community. There are important clinical and legal implications for off-label use for patients and physicians., (Copyright © 2011 The Royal College of Radiologists. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

We performed a retrospective examination of the anteroposterior pelvic CT scout views of 419 randomly selected patients between April 2004 and August 2009 in order to determine the prevalence of cam-type femoroacetabular deformity in the asymptomatic population. The CT scans had all been undertaken for conditions unrelated to disorders of the hip. The frequency of cam-type femoroacetabular deformity was assessed by measuring the α-angle of each hip on the anteroposterior images. The α-angles were classified according to the Copenhagen Osteoarthritis Study. Among 215 male hips (108 patients) the mean α-angle was 59.12° (37.75° to 103.50°). Of these, a total of 30 hips (13.95%) were defined as pathological, 32 (14.88%) as borderline and 153 (71.16%) as normal. Among 540 female hips (272 patients) the mean α-angle was 45.47° (34.75° to 87.00°), with 30 hips (5.56%) defined as pathological, 33 (6.11%) as borderline and 477 (88.33%) as normal. It appears that the cam-type femoroacetabular deformity is not rare among the asymptomatic population. These anatomical abnormalities, as determined by an increased α-angle, appear to be twice as frequent in men as in women. Although an association between osteoarthritis and femoroacetabular impingement is believed to exist, a long-term epidemiological study is needed to determine the natural history of these anatomical abnormalities.

Until recently the role of endovascular revascularization in the infrapopliteal arteries was limited. Endo-vascular management including percutaneous transluminal angioplasty and subintimal angioplasty is now being considered as a primary alternative in critical limb ischaemia revascularization with a decreasing number of major amputations (above the ankle) performed. Endovascular treatment has been shown to have reduced morbidity and hospital stay compared to revascularization surgery with greater cost-effectiveness and better patient quality of life compared with major amputation.