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Introduction: Tularemia is a zoonotic disease caused by the Gram-negative coccobacillus Francisella tularensis. It is frequently overlooked in the differential diagnosis of neck masses because of its rarity. The purpose of this study is to report cases diagnosed with tularemia among patients presenting to our clinic with neck masses and to share our experience. Methodology: Patients presented to our hospital with cervical masses and diagnosed with tularemia were included in this retrospective study. Medical files of all patients were evaluated, and physical examination findings, titration values, date of diagnosis, location of the abscess or mass, place of residence, occupation, drinking water sources, sedimentation (SED), C-reactive protein (CRP), and white blood cell (WBC) values were recorded. Results: Seventy-six patients were included in the study. Forty patients (52.6%) were living in rural villages and 36 (47.4%) in urban areas. Thirty-one (40.8%) were engaged in animal husbandry and 29 (38.2%) in agriculture. In terms of drinking water sources, 59 patients (73.6%) obtained water from the mains, while 10 (13.32%) used well water. The most frequently observed clinical findings were swelling in the neck, sore throat, lethargy, and fever. Neck swelling frequently occurred in levels II and III. Conclusions: Since tularemia is rare and there are no specific clinical findings, diagnosis may be problematic. Ear, nose and throat (ENT) specialists should be familiar with the clinical symptoms of tularemia in the head and neck region and should consider a preliminary diagnosis of tularemia in the differential diagnosis of persistent neck masses.

Objectives To evaluate the hepatoprotective activity of fractions of Jasminum elongatum methanolic extract against acetaminophen-induced hepatic damage. Materials and Methods Fractions obtained from methanolic extract of J. elongatum (petroleum ether, chloroform and hydroalcoholic) were investigated for hepatoprotective activity. Doses of 100 mg/kg and 200 mg/kg of different fractions were administered for 7 days, and acetaminophen toxicity was induced on the eighth day. After 24 hr of toxicity induction, biochemical markers and histological alterations were measured to determine the amount of hepatoprotection. Results The chloroform and hydroalcoholic fractions showed a significant decrease in biochemical parameters when compared to the toxic group, which was confirmed by histopathological changes and antioxidant parameters. Conclusion The results of this study revealed that the chloroform and hydroalcoholic fraction of J. elongatum have significant hepatoprotective activity against acetaminophen-induced toxicity.

Amaç: Kronik otitis media (KOM), bakteriyel veya viral patojenlerin neden olduğu orta kulağın sık görülen enfeksiyöz hastalıklarından biridir. Bu çalışmanın amacı, sıçanlarda Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) ile indüklenen KOM modelinde topikal %4’lük ve %8’lik borik asit (BA) uygulamasını sistemik siprofloksasin ile karşılaştırarak KOM tedavisinde borik asidin etkinliğini araştırmaktır.Gereç ve Yöntem: 42 Sprague Dawley cinsi sıçan 7 eşit gruba ayrıldı. P. aeruginosa ile KOM modeli oluşturuldu. Kontrol grubu, KOM grubu, topikal %4’lük ve %8’lik BA tedavi grubu, sistemik siprofloksasin tedavi grubu ve topikal %4’lük ve %8’lik BA temas grubu arasında klinik, histopatolojik ve immünohistokimyasal karşılaştırmalar yapıldı.Bulgular: KOM modelinde %4’lük BA uygulaması ile orta derecede ödem, enflamasyon, dejenerasyon ve orta derecede tümör nekroz faktör-alfa (TNF-α) ekspresyonu tespit edildi. %8’lik BA uygulaması ile hafif ödem, inflamasyon, dejenerasyon ve hafif TNF-α ekspresyonu tespit edildi.Sonuç: %4’lük ve %8’lik BA tedavisinin önemli klinik, histopatolojik ve immünohistokimyasal iyileşme sağladığı görüldü. %8’lik BA uygulamasının daha yüksek tedavi etkinliğine sahip olduğu ve orta kulak mukozasına zararlı bir etkisinin olmadığı gösterildi., Purpose: Chronic otitis media (COM) is one of the common infectious diseases of the middle ear caused by bacterial or viral pathogens. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the efficacy of boric acid (BA) in the treatment of COM by comparing topical 4% and 8% BA applications with systemic ciprofloxacin in a Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) inoculation-induced model of COM in rats.Materials and Methods: Forty-two Sprague Dawley rats were divided into seven equal groups. The COM model was created with P. aeruginosa. Clinical, histopathological and, immunohistochemical comparisons were performed between the control, COM, topical 4% and 8% BA treatment, a systemic ciprofloxacin treatment, and topical 4% and 8% BA contact groups.Results: In the COM model, moderate edema, inflammation, degeneration and moderate tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) expression were detected with the application of 4% BA. Mild edema, inflammation, degeneration, and mild TNF-α expression were detected with 8% BA application.Conclusion: Both 4% and 8% BA treatment provided significant clinical, histopathological and immunohistochemical improvement. The application of 8% BA was found to exhibit greater therapeutic efficacy, with no harmful effect on the middle ear mucosa.

SUMMARY OBJECTIVE: Noise-induced hearing loss is a preventable form of hearing loss that has serious social and economic impacts. This study aimed to investigate the protective effect of berberine, a potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent, against Noise-induced hearing loss. METHODS: After applying distortion product otoacoustic emission, 28 female Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into four groups. Group 1 was designated as acoustic trauma group, and rats in this group were exposed to white noise for 12 h at an intensity of 4 kHz 110 dB sound pressure level. Group 2 was the control group. Group 3 was designated as the berberine group, and 100 mg/kg of berberine was administered to rats in this group by intragastric lavage for five consecutive days. Group 4 was designated as the acoustic trauma+berberine group. distortion product otoacoustic emission was repeated on the 6th day of the study and cochlear tissues of rats were dissected for histopathological and immunohistochemical analyses after sacrificing rats. RESULTS: The distortion product otoacoustic emission results showed a significant decrease in signal-noise ratio values at higher frequencies in rats of the trauma group compared to those in other groups. Acoustic trauma caused severe histopathological impairment at cochlear structures together with severe 8-hydroxy-2-deoxyguanosine expression. Rats in the acoustic trauma+berberine group showed mild histopathological changes with mild 8-hydroxy-2-deoxyguanosine expression and better signal-noise ratio values. CONCLUSION: The histopathological and audiological findings of this experimental study showed that berberine provides protection in Noise-induced hearing loss and may have the potential for use in acoustic trauma-related hearing losses.

Document summarising is a multi-step process with numerous subtasks. Each subtask has the ability to provide highquality summaries. Identifying necessary paragraphs from the given document is a vital aspect of abstractive document summarization. In this paper, we describe an abstractive text summary strategy based on a statistically innovative sentence rating technique, with the summarizer selecting the sentences. The abstraction sentences are generated as a summary text and then transformed to audio. In terms of accuracy, the proposed model outperforms the standard technique

Background and aim Psoriasis (Ps) is a chronic skin inflammatory disorder, that progresses to scaly-red dermal plaque formations associated with inflammation. Divya-Kayakalp-Vati (DKV) and Divya-Kayakalp-Oil (DKO) are traditional Ayurveda herbo-mineral formulations, that are prescribed for the treatment of inflammatory dermal ailments. In the present study, we evaluated the efficacy of Divya-Kayakalp-Vati and Divya-Kayakalp-Oil (DKV-O) combined treatment in ameliorating Ps-like skin inflammation under in-vitro and in-vivo conditions. Experimental procedure Efficacy of DKV-O was analyzed in λ-carrageenan-treated Wistar rats paw edema and 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate (TPA)-treated CD-1 mouse ear edema models through physiological and histopathological analysis. Mode of action for the DKV-O was studied in LPS-stimulated THP-1 cells through pro-inflammatory cytokine analysis. Observed effects were correlated to the phytochemicals constituents of DKV-O analyzed using the HPLC method. Result and conclusion DKV and DKO formulations were individually found to contain phytochemicals Gallic acid, Catechin, Berberine, Curcumin, Phenol and Benzoic acid. DKV-O treatment significantly reduced the paw volume and edema in Wistar rats stimulated through λ-carrageenan-treatment. Furthermore, DKV-O treatment significantly reduced the ear edema and enhanced biopsy weight, epidermal thickness, inflammatory lesions and influx of neutrophils stimulated by TPA-treatment in CD-1 mice. DKV alone ameliorated the LPS-stimulated release of Interleukin (IL)-6, IL-17A, IL-23, and Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha cytokines in the THP-1 cells. Taken together, DKV-O showed good efficacy in ameliorating acute systemic inflammation stimulated by effectors such as, λ-carrageenan and TPA in animal models. Hence, Divya-Kayakalp-Vati and Divya-Kayakalp-Oil co-treatment can be further explored as an anti-inflammatory treatment against dermal diseases like psoriasis and atopic dermatitis.

The study aimed to analyse the hearing levels of patients with gout using extended high frequencies (EHFs) audiometry. Thus, we aimed to reveal the early detectability of potential hearing losses.Comparative cross-sectional study.A single centre patient was diagnosed with gout disease.Two groups consisted of 32 patients with gout and 32 healthy volunteers.The primary outcome was hearing thresholds in pure tone (PT) audiometry and EHFs audiometry. Also, the association between audiometric results and haematological and biochemical parameters were evaluated.There was no significant difference between groups in terms of mean hearing thresholds in PT audiometry. But, at all frequencies above 4000 Hz (4000-18 000 Hz), the hearing thresholds were significantly higher in patients with gout. Also, the hearing thresholds above 8000 Hz were positively correlated with serum uric acid levels. Hearing thresholds at higher frequencies were positively correlated with haemoglobin levels and negatively correlated with high-density lipoprotein levels.To our knowledge, this is the first study in the literature demonstrating the high frequency of hearing loss in patients with gout using EHFs audiometry. We consider that using EHFs audiometry should have an important place in the early detection of potential hearing losses in gout patients.

In this project analyse existing and new methods of stock market prediction. Take three different approaches at the problem: Fundamental analysis

In the modern era of computing, the news ecosystem has transformed from old traditional print media to social media outlets. Social media platforms allow us to consume news much faster, with less restricted editing results in the spread of fake news at an incredible pace and scale. In recent research, many useful methods for fake news detection employ sequential neural networks to encode news content and social context-level information where the text sequence was analysed in a unidirectional way. Two new fake news datasets are introduced, one obtained through crowdsourcing and covering six news domains, and another one obtained from the web covering celebrities. Our best-performing models achieved accuracies that are comparable to human ability to spot fake content. A bidirectional training approach is a priority for modelling the relevant information of fake news that is capable of improving the classification performance with the ability to capture semantic and long-distance dependencies in sentences. In this paper, we propose a BERT-based (Bidirectional Encoder Representations from Transformers) deep learning approach (FakeBERT) by combining different parallel blocks of the single-layer deep Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) having different kernel sizes and filters with the BERT.

A simple, accurate, reproducible and cost-effective reverse phase HPLC technique for chlorocresol (CRC) as a preservative as well as betamethasone dipropionate (BTD) in bulk drug as well as semi-dose formulations. Snakes were developed during this research. In this method, Discovery HS (150x4.6 mm),was used as the stationary phase and an 80:20 mixture of water and isopropyl alcohol was used as the mobile phase A, and a mixture of acetonitrile plus tetrahydrofuran in the ratio. 70:30 ratio was used as mobile phase B in gradient mode to produce the final product. Approximately 1.00 ml/min of the solution is passed through the chromatograph by pumping it through. The UV detector operates at a wavelength of 240 nm. A validation study in accordance with the ICH Q2 (R1) guidelines is required to demonstrate that the new analytical method meets the reliability characteristics and these characteristics demonstrate the ability of a new analytical method. analysis in maintaining, over time, the basic validation criteria: selectivity, linearity, precision, precision, and specificity. When this method is used for quality control of commercial semi-solid dosage forms of betamethasone dipropionate throughout the day, the stability indicator technique can be used to measure the breakdown of the drug and its products it, as well as to evaluate the results of the tube homogeneity test.

Shodhana is a technique that has been around since the Samhita period. Shodhana is an Ayurvedic purification treatment that involves soaking, rubbing, and washing hazardous medicinal herbs (upavishadravyas) with specialised media such as gomutra (cow's urine), Godugdha (cow's milk), Guduchi Kwath, Triphala Kwath, Pancha Tikta Kwath, Dash Moola Kwath, Nimba Patra Kwatha with Haridra Churna, Nirgundi Patra and other pharmaceutical procedures to remove the doshas. Shodhana is a significant approach for removing Doshas from practically all types of medications (impurities or toxic contents) and substances are then processed further. In the present study guggul is used and guggulu shodhana is done by using different liquid media such as distilled water, Gomutra (cow urine), Triphala Kwath. The present study aimed to determine the anti-inflammatory activity of shodhit guggul by using carrageenan-induced paw edema and Freund's adjuvant-induced arthritis in in Wistar Albino rats. By the pharmacological study it is concluded that the Triphala shodhit Guggul showed enhanced anti-inflammatory activity as compared with Distilled water and Gomutra shodhit Guggul. Thus, the purpose of Shodhana process of Guggul is proved experimentally showing enhancement of pharmacological activity.

Biofortification of staple crops with higher levels of micronutrients via traditional breeding methods is a sustainable strategy and can possibly complement fortification and other interventions to target micronutrient deficiencies in low resource settings, particularly among vulnerable populations such as children. We aimed to determine if iron- and zinc-biofortified pearl millet (FeZnPM, Dhanashakti, ICTP-8203Fe)-based complementary feeding improves nutritional status, including iron biomarkers and growth, in children living in urban slums of Mumbai.We conducted a randomized controlled trial of FeZnPM among 223 children aged 12-18 months who were not severely anemic at baseline (hemoglobin ≥9.0 g/dL). Children were randomized to receive either FeZnPM or conventional non-biofortified pearl millet (CPM) daily for 9 months. Iron status (hemoglobin, serum ferritin), plasma zinc, and anthropometric indicators (length, weight, mid-upper arm circumference, triceps and subscapular skinfolds) were evaluated at enrollment and throughout the trial. World Health Organization (WHO) anthropometric z-scores were calculated using WHO growth standards. Primary outcomes were hemoglobin and serum ferritin concentrations, and growth, defined as WHO z-scores. An intent to treat approach was used for analyses. We used the Hodges-Lehmann-Sen test to assess the change in primary outcomes between baseline and the last visit and report corresponding 95% confidence intervals.At baseline, 67.7% of children were anemic (hemoglobin11.0 g/dL) and 59.6% were iron deficient (serum ferritin12.0 μg/L). FeZnPM did not significantly increase iron biomarkers or improve growth, compared to CPM. In subgroup analyses, FeZnPM improved hemoglobin concentrations in male children, and in children with iron deficiency or iron depletion (serum ferritin25.0 μg/L) at baseline, relative to CPM.Daily consumption of FeZnPM-based complementary foods did not significantly impact iron and zinc status or growth in children living in Mumbai's urban slums. However, the intervention significantly improved hemoglobin concentrations among male children and among individuals who were iron-deficient or iron-depleted at baseline.This trial is registered with Clinicaltrials.gov (ID: NCT02233764), and Clinical Trials Registry of India (ID: REF/2014/10/007731).

GeSn alloys are promising materials for CMOS-compatible mid-infrared lasers manufacturing. Indeed, Sn alloying and tensile strain can transform them into direct bandgap semiconductors. This growing laser technology however suffers from a number of limitations, such as poor optical confinement, lack of strain, thermal, and defects management, all of which are poorly discussed in the literature. Herein, a specific GeSn-on-insulator (GeSnOI) stack using stressor layers as dielectric optical claddings is demonstrated to be suitable for a monolithically integration of planar Group-IV semiconductor lasers on a versatile photonic platform for the near- and mid-infrared spectral range. Microdisk-shape resonators on mesa structures were fabricated from GeSnOI, after bonding a Ge0.9Sn0.1 alloy layer grown on a Ge strain-relaxed-buffer, itself on a Si(001) substrate. The GeSnOI microdisk mesas exhibited significantly improved optical gain as compared to that of conventional suspended microdisk resonators formed from the as-grown layer. We further show enhanced vertical out-coupling of the disk whispering gallery mode in-plane radiation, with up to 30% vertical out-coupling efficiency. As a result, the GeSnOI approach can be a valuable asset in the development of silicon-based mid-infrared photonics that combine integrated sources in a photonic platform with complex lightwave engineering.

Objective Several studies have looked at systemic immune-inflammation index (SII) (neutrophil x platelet x lymphocyte) values, which have been shown to be useful in determining tumor aggressivity and prognosis, as well as predicting recurrence risk, particularly in cancer cases. The purpose of the current study was to determine SII values in patients with parotid masses and investigate their utility in distinguishing between malignant and benign parotid tumors. Methods This retrospective study included 237 adult patients-112 women and 125 men-who were followed up on and treated for parotid mass between 2015 and 2021. The SII values determined were compared between the groups. Results The difference between the two groups was statistically significant (p = 0.001). In addition, SII values were higher in malignant tumors with perineural and lymphovascular invasion compared to other malignant tumors, although the difference was not statistically significant. Conclusions Although SII values yielded significant results in differentiating malignant from benign parotid tumors, since no significant cut-off value was determined, we do not think that they represent an effective marker capable of being used to distinguish between these tumors in clinical practice.

The purpose of this study was to employ biochemical, histopathological, and immunohistochemical methods to reveal the effectiveness of hesperidin and thymol in preventing radiotherapy-associated submandibular gland injury.A total of 48 female Sprague Dawley rats were randomly assigned into six groups of eight animals each. Group 1 represented the control group. Group 2 was regarded as hesperidin Group, and the rats received only hesperidin. Group 3 was regarded as thymol Group, and the rats received only thymol. Group 4 was regarded as a Radiotherapy Group, and the rats were exposed to radiotherapy at a dose of 15 Gy. Group 5 was regarded as hesperidin + Radiotherapy Group, and rats received hesperidin at a dose of 100 mg/kg daily for 1 week prior to radiotherapy exposition. Group 6 was regarded as thymol + Radiotherapy Group, and rats received thymol at a dose of 100 mg/kg daily for 1 week prior to radiotherapy exposition. Rats were sacrificed after radiotherapy and submandibular glands were dissected for biochemical and immunohistochemical evaluations.We have shown that, thanks to their strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, hesperidin and thymol minimize the damage caused by radiation toxicity by decreasing oxidant levels and increasing antioxidant enzyme levels in the submandibular gland. We found that thymol showed more protective activity than hesperidin in terms of effectiveness on radiation toxicity.Hesperidin and thymol exhibit histopathological, immunochemical, and biochemical protection against radiation-related submandibular gland injury. To our knowledge, this is the first study in the literature in this field.NA Laryngoscope, 2022.

Objective: Nasal septum perforation is an anatomical defect located in the nasal septal cartilage/bone and mucosa. The most common cause of nasal septal perforations is septoplasty. Repair of nasal septal perforations is difficult regardless of the surgical technique due to its location and health of the surrounding tissues. Currently, no technique has been defined to be used for closure of all nasal septal perforations. We aimed to present our bipediculated crescent-shaped unilateral slide flap technique, which we designed and used as a novel technique for closure of nasal septal perforations, and its surgical results. Design: Retrospective study. Settings: Single-center patients with nasal septum perforation. Participants: 36 patients who underwent nasal septum perforation repair in our clinic between 2018-2022. All patients underwent surgical procedure with the same technique by the same surgeon. Main Outcome Measures: Nasal septum perforation closure success at 6th month follow-up. Results: Thirty-six patients, including 20 males and 16 females, were included in the study. The mean age of the patients was 35,58±9,6. The most common cause of nasal septal perforation was previous septal surgeries. The septal perforation dimensions of the patients were between 5-23 mm and the mean was 13,86±5,4 mm. Septal perforation closure rate was determined as 94.4% in the 6 months follow-up results after surgery. Conclusion: Bipediculated crescent shaped unilateral sliding flap is an effective, easy and novel technique in the repair of nasal septal perforations.

BACKGROUND: We detected yellow-green fluorescence in the face, hair and lunulae of patients using favipiravir. AIM: We evaluated the frequency and intensity of favipiravir-associated fluorescence. PATIENTS/METHODS: The participants comprised patients who had taken at least a single dose of favipiravir and been examined no later than 30 days after the last dose. The gender, age, body mass index (BMI), Fitzpatrick's skin-type, hair color, N-acetylcysteine use, presence and the intensity of fluorescent reflection under Wood's light in the lunulae of the fingernails, hair, and the face were recorded. RESULTS: There were 275 patients, 144 (52.4%) of whom were women. 165 (57.9%) had used treatment for a maximum of 5 days, 99 (34.7%) for 6-10 days, and 21 (7.4%) for more than ten days. Using more than 22 tablets of favipiravir increased the probability of detecting fluorescence in the lunulae by 6.72 (2.61-17.23) times. Using more than 28 tablets increased the risk of fluorescence in hair and the T-zone by 5.92 (2.43-14.71) and 2.88 (1.11-7.47) times, respectively. No relationship was found between the fluorescence intensity in any localization and the total dose. However, we determined a negative correlation between the elapsed time after the last dose and the fluorescence intensity in the lunulae and the T-zone (p=0.036; p=0.031; respectively). It was noted that BMI negatively correlated with the fluorescence intensity in the lunulae (p=0.001). Skin type was related to intensity for all localizations (p

Background: Paclitaxel (PTX) is a known chemotherapeutic agent, used to treat different types of cancers. However, it leads to neuropathic pain in a sizeable proportion of the patients. Currently, analgesics, opioids, tricyclic antidepressants and anticonvulsants are prescribed for PTX-mediated chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN). However, these treatments have acute side-effects, creating a need for safer alternative treatment option. Method: PTX-mediated CIPN has nociceptive outcomes, like, allodynia and hyperalgesia with an underlying inflammatory and oxidative causes. The herbo-mineral medicine, Divya-Peedantak-Vati (DPV) is known for its effectivity against joint pain and inflammatory disorders in Ayurveda, a traditional Indian system of medicine. Therefore, anti-neuropathic potential of DPV was assessed in PTX-induced neuropathic CD-1 mice, with allodynia and hyperalgesia, as the clinically relevant endpoints. DPV was investigated for its nociception-modulatory and anti-inflammatory effects under in vivo and in vitro conditions. Results: DPV treatment exhibited notable anti-allodynic and anti-hyperalgesic effects in a dose dependent manner, and displayed prominent anti-oxidant effects in the sciatic nerve of the study animals. It also moderated, in a dose dependent manner, the levels of cytokine, interleukin-1beta (IL-1β) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) induced nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-κB) signaling. Conclusions: The novelty of this study lies in the demonstration of the anti-neuropathic potential and elucidation of anti-neuropathic mode-of-action of an herbal medicine. Taken together, this study showed that DPV could well be an effective alternative healing option for PTX-mediated CIPN.

The success of GeSn alloys as active material for infrared lasers could pave the way toward a monolithic technology that can be manufactured within mainstream silicon photonics. Nonetheless, for operation on chip, lasing should occur at room temperature or beyond. Unfortunately, despite the intense research in recent years, many hurdles have yet to be overcome. An approach exploiting strain engineering to induce large tensile strain in micro-disk made of GeSn alloy with Sn content of 14 at% is presented here. This method enables robust multimode laser emission at room temperature. Furthermore, tensile strain enables proper valence band engineering; as a result, over a large range of operating temperatures, lower lasing thresholds are observed compared to high Sn content GeSn lasers operating at similar wavelength.

Recent achievements of direct band gap with germanium by alloying with tin or by tensile strain engineering has enabled multiple times demonstration of laser emission in the 2-4µm wavelength range. This fast and promising emergence of CMOS-compatible laser technology in the Mid-IR faces, however, major issues, e.g., high power density of thresholds, hindering the aim to be integrated on a silicon chip and develop low cost sensing and/or Datacom devices. In this report we show that combining both tensile strain and Sn alloying can effective engineer the material band structure and its optical gain properties. We also evidence the importance of defects management on GeSn lasing characteristics, beyond the band structure engineering. We discuss the potential of GeSnOI technology to address above aspects, which enabled to drastically reduce the lasing thresholds in microdisk laser cavities and reach continuous-wave operation in GeSn active media.

GeSn alloys are nowadays considered as the most promising materials to build Group IV laser sources on silicon (Si) in a full complementary metal oxide semiconductor-compatible approach. Recent GeSn laser developments rely on increasing the band structure directness, by increasing the Sn content in thick GeSn layers grown on germanium (Ge) virtual substrates (VS) on Si. These lasers nonetheless suffer from a lack of defect management and from high threshold densities. In this work we examine the lasing characteristics of GeSn alloys with Sn contents ranging from 7 \% to 10.5 \%. The GeSn layers were patterned into suspended microdisk cavities with different diameters in the 4-\SI{8 }{\micro\meter} range. We evidence direct band gap in GeSn with 7 \% of Sn and lasing at 2-\SI{2.3 }{\micro\meter} wavelength under optical injection with reproducible lasing thresholds around \SI{10 }{\kilo\watt\per\square\centi\meter}, lower by one order of magnitude as compared to the literature. These results were obtained after the removal of the dense array of misfit dislocations in the active region of the GeSn microdisk cavities. The results offer new perspectives for future designs of GeSn-based laser sources., 30 pages, 9 figures

Acharya Balkrishna,1,2 Sudeep Verma,1 Sachin Sakat,1 Kheemraj Joshi,1 Siva K Solleti,1 Kunal Bhattacharya,1 Anurag Varshney1,2 1Drug Discovery and Development Division, Patanjali Research Institute, Haridwar, 249 405, Uttarakhand, India; 2Department of Allied and Applied Sciences, University of Patanjali, Patanjali YogPeeth, Haridwar, 249 405, Uttarakhand, IndiaCorrespondence: Anurag Varshney, Drug Discovery and Development Division, Patanjali Research Institute, NH-58, Haridwar, 249405, Uttarakhand, India, Tel +91 1334-244107 x7458, Fax +91 1334 244805, Email anurag@prft.co.inPurpose: Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic inflammatory disease that varies in signs and symptoms in different individuals. General symptoms include dryness of the skin, itching, and development of red to brownish-gray patches. Divya-Kayakalp-Vati (DKV) and -Oil (DKO) are Indian polyherbal compositions prescribed for treating inflammatory skin diseases. In the present study, we evaluated the anti-inflammatory efficacy of DKV and DKO co-treatment (DKV-O) in ameliorating Oxazolone (OXA)-stimulated AD-like inflammation and pro-inflammatory cytokine release in a Swiss albino mouse model.Methods: Phytochemical profiling of the DKV and DKO were done using Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectroscopy (LC-MS) QToF. Swiss albino mice were sensitized for 7 days and treated with OXA in their ear region. Stimulated and control animals were orally treated with DKV and topically with DKO. Anti-inflammatory efficacy of DKV-O was determined in OXA-treated animals through physiological, histopathological, and biochemical parameter analysis.Results: DKV and DKO formulations individually contained 39 and 59 phytochemicals, respectively. Many of the phytochemicals have been reported to have anti-inflammatory activities. In the OXA-sensitized Swiss albino mice, combined treatment with DKV-O, and separately with Dexamethasone (positive control) significantly reduced the OXA-stimulated ear edema, biopsy weight, and epidermal thickness. DKV-O further reduced OXA-stimulated induction of inflammatory lesions, neutrophil influx, and release of Interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, tumor necrosis factor-α, and myeloperoxidase.Conclusion: Finally, DKV-O co-treatment showed good pharmacological effects in ameliorating AD-like inflammation through the modulation of inflammatory cell influx and release of soluble mediators. Therefore, DKV-O treatment can be used as a suitable polyherbal therapeutic against AD-like inflammatory diseases.Keywords: inflammation, oxazolone, phytochemical profile, pro-inflammatory cytokines, histopathological analysis, biochemical analysis

In this study, we aimed to reveal the effectiveness of Quercetin and Naringenin in preventing radiotherapy-associated submandibular gland injury.The study was conducted using 48 adult female Sprague Dawley rats. The rats were randomly assigned into six groups of eight animals each. Group 1 represented the control group. The rats received only Naringenin was regarded as Group 2, received only Quercetine was regarded as Group 3. The rats exposed to radiotheraphy at a dose of 15 Gy was regarded as Group 4. Rats in group 5 were received Naringenin at a dose of 50 mg/kg daily for one week prior to radiotheraphy exposition while rats in group 6 was received Quercetine at a dose of 50 mg/kg daily for one week prior to radiotheraphy. Rats were sacrificed after radiotheraphy and submandibular glands were dissected for biochemical and immunohistochemical evaluations.Quercetin and Naringenin were found to have protective effect against radiation-induced damage. Naringenin and Quercetin increased the levels of Superoxide dismutase, Catalase, Glutathione Peroxidase, Glutathione and Total antioxidant status while decreasing the levels of Myeloperoxidase and Total oxidant status. Also, these agents inhibited the expression of Tumor Necrosis Factor-α and 8-hydroxy 2-deoxyguanosine immunohistochemically.With their powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects, Naringenin and Quercetin exhibit histopathological, immunochemical, and biochemical protection against radiation-related submandibular gland injury. In addition, Quercetin was found to be superior to Naringenin in terms of this efficacy.

International audience; Nous présentons les récents développements scientifiques et techniques liés aux sources lasers infrarouges en micro-cavités à base d’alliages germanium-étain (GeSn). Ces alliages sont des matériaux semi-conducteurs de la filière silicium compatibles avec les procédés de fabrication bas coût de l’industrie de la micro-électronique. Un des enjeux est d’obtenir un alignement direct de la structure de bande électronique avec ces éléments de la colonne IV.

The ultraconfined light of plasmonic modes put their effective wavelength close to the mean free path of electrons inside the metal electron gas. The Drude model, which can not take the repulsive interactions of electrons into account, then clearly begins to show its limits. In an intermediate length scale where a full quantum treatment is computationally prohibitive, the semiclassical hydrodynamic model, instrinsically non-local, has proven successful. Here we generalize the expression for the absorption volume density and the reciprocity theorem in the framework of this hydrodynamic model. We validate numerically these generalized theorems and show that using classical expressions instead leads to large discrepancies., 10 pages, 8 figures

The division of Muslims into 73 sects was revealed by the Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) and it is reported in a hadith, known as hadith of Iftirāq al-Ummah. This hadith clarifies the existence of one of the sects which is in the right path, named al-Firqah al-Nājiyah, whilst the rest of the sects are described as unjust sects and Allah SWT promised them Hell. Consequently, there are sects claiming themselves to be the al-Firqah al-Nājiyah and labelling the others who are not in agreement with them as unrighteous. This circumstance evoked certain parties to reject this hadith because it is thought to be the root of schisms and disunity of the people. The rejection of the hadith however should be based on the strength and weakness of the reliance on the hadith’s sanad and does not rely solely on the assumption of Illah’s existence from the sanad’s meaning. Hence, this qualitative study was conducted upon 33 reports of hadith Iftirāq al-Ummah from 14 sahabahs of Prophet Muhammad. The evaluation is made based on the discussions among the trustworthy scholars of hadith by analyzing the chain of narrators and the relation between the chains of narrators. The study found that this hadith was reported from five sahabah r.a which was originally at hasan level and could be upgraded to sahih level with the assistance of shawahid from the report of five narrations of sahabah. Each of the narration supported and strengthen each other. Whereas the rest of the narrations are not escaped from flaws and weaknesses of the narrators. Sahih level of narrations explained that al-Firqah al-Nājiyah was al-Jama‘ah and al-Sawad al-A‘zam. Abstrak Perpecahan umat Islam kepada 73 puak telah diberitakan oleh Rasulullah melalui sebuah hadis yang dikenali sebagai hadis Iftirāq al-Ummah. Hadis ini menjelaskan bahawa wujudnya satu puak yang berada dalam kebenaran (al-Firqah al-Nājiyah), manakala puak yang selebihnya disifatkan sebagai puak yang sesat. Rentetan itu, terdapat puak yang mendakwa diri masing-masing sebagai al-Firqah al-Nājiyah, sekaligus melontar kesesatan terhadap pihak yang bertentangan dan berlainan aliran. Keadaan ini mendorong sesetengah pihak menolak hadis ini kerana dianggap sebagai punca perbalahan dan perpecahan umat. Sewajarnya penolakan sesebuah hadis perlulah berdasarkan kepada kekuatan dan kelemahan sandaran sanad hadis dan tidak semata-mata bergantung kepada sangkaan wujudnya ʻillah pada makna hadis. Justeru kajian kualitatif dijalankan terhadap 33 periwayatan hadis Iftirāq al-Ummah yang diriwayatkan melalui 14 orang para sahabat. Analisis sanad hadis dengan mengikut metode ahli hadis dijalankan terhadap rantaian sanad hadis di samping penilaian terhadap pertautan di antara sanad. Kajian mendapati bahawa sebahagian sanad hadis ini berada pada kedudukan hasan, dan dapat ditingkatkan ke tahap sahih dengan adanya shawāhid daripada lima periwayatan para sahabat. Setiap riwayat tersebut menguatkan di antara satu sama lain. Manakala riwayat yang selainnya tidak lekang daripada kecacatan dan kelemahan periwayatnya. Riwayat yang sahih menjelaskan bahawa al-Firqah al-Nājiyah ialah al-Jamāʻah dan al-Sawād al-A'zam.

Introduction: Cisplatin is an antineoplastic agent widely used in the treatment of a variety of cancers. Ototoxicity is one of the main side-effects restricting the use of cisplatin. Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate the protective efficacy of gallic acid, in biochemical, functional and histopathological terms, against ototoxicity induced by cisplatin. Methods: Twenty-eight female Sprague Dawley rats were included. Rats were randomly assigned into four groups of seven animals each. Cisplatin group received a single intraperitoneal dose of 15 mg/kg cisplatin. Gallic acid group received intraperitoneal gallic acid at 100 mg/kg for five consecutive days. Cisplatin + gallic acid group received intraperitoneal gallic acid at 100 mg/kg for five consecutive days and a single intraperitoneal dose of 15 mg/kg cisplatin at 3rd day. A control group received 1 mL intraperitoneal saline solution for five consecutive days. Prior to drug administration, all rats were exposed to the distortion product otoacoustic emissions test. The test was repeated on the 6th day of the study. All rats were then sacrificed; the cochleas were removed and set aside for biochemical and histopathological analyses. Results: In cisplatin group, Day 6 signal noise ratio values were significantly lower than those of the other groups. Also, malondialdehyde levels in cochlear tissues were significantly higher, superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase activities were significantly lower compared to the control group. Histopathologic evaluation revealed erosion in the stria vascularis, degeneration and edema in the connective tissue layer in endothelial cells, impairment of outer hair cells and a decrease in the number of these calls. In the cisplatin + gallic acid group, this biochemical, histopathological and functional changes were reversed. Conclusion: In the light of our findings, we think that gallic acid may have played a protective role against cisplatin-induced ototoxicity in rats, as indicated by the distortion product otoacoustic emissions test results, biochemical findings and immunohistochemical analyses. Resumo: Introdução: A cisplatina é um agente antineoplásico amplamente usado no tratamento de vários tipos de câncer. A ototoxicidade é um dos principais efeitos colaterais que restringem o uso da cisplatina. Objetivo: O objetivo deste estudo foi investigar a eficácia protetora do ácido gálico, em termos bioquímicos, funcionais e histopatológicos, contra a ototoxicidade induzida por cisplatina. Método: Vinte e oito ratas Sprague-Dawley foram incluídas. As ratas foram distribuídas aleatoriamente em quatro grupos de sete animais cada. O grupo cisplatina recebeu uma única dose intraperitoneal de 15 mg/kg de cisplatina. O grupo ácido gálico recebeu ácido gálico via intraperitoneal a uma dose de 100 mg/kg durante cinco dias consecutivos. O grupo cisplatina + ácido gálico recebeu ácido gálico via intraperitoneal a uma dose de 100 mg/kg durante cinco dias consecutivos e uma única dose intraperitoneal de 15 mg/kg de cisplatina no terceiro dia. O grupo controle recebeu 1 mL de solução salina via intraperitoneal por cinco dias consecutivos. Antes da administração do fármaco, todos os ratos foram expostos ao teste de emissões otoacústicas - produto de distorção. O teste foi repetido no sexto dia do estudo. Todos os ratos foram então sacrificados; as cócleas foram removidas e reservadas para análises bioquímicas e histopatológicas. Resultados: No grupo cisplatina, os valores da relação sinal-ruído do dia 6 foram significativamente mais baixos aos dos outros grupos. Além disso, os níveis de malondialdeído nos tecidos cocleares foram significativamente mais altos, e as atividades de superóxido dismutase e glutatione peroxidase foram significativamente mais baixas em comparação com o grupo controle. A avaliação histopatológica revelou erosão na estria vascular, degeneração e edema na camada de tecido conjuntivo em células endoteliais, comprometimento das células ciliadas externas e diminuição do número dessas células. No grupo cisplatina + ácido gálico, estas alterações bioquímicas, histopatológicas e funcionais foram revertidas. Conclusão: Tendo em vista os nossos achados, consideramos que o ácido gálico pode ter desempenhado um papel protetor contra a ototoxicidade induzida por cisplatina em ratas, conforme indicado pelos resultados do teste emissões otoacústicas - produto de distorção, achados bioquímicos e análises imuno-histoquímicas. Keywords: Cisplatin-induced ototoxicity, Gallic acid, Oxidative stress, DPOAE, Palavras-chave: Ototoxicidade induzida por cisplatina, Ácido gálico, Estresse oxidativo, EOAPD

Resume Objectif Evaluer, en debut d’experience, la morbidite precoce et plus particulierement l’incontinence urinaire apres enucleation endoscopique de prostate au laser Holmium (HoLEP), en preciser la nature, l’evolution et rechercher des facteurs predictifs de survenue. Patients et methode Nous avons realise une etude observationnelle, analytique, retrospective, monocentrique incluant tous les patients operes d’une hypertrophie benigne de prostate (HBP) par HoLEP entre novembre 2015 et janvier 2017. Les donnees ont ete recueillies en pre-, per- et postoperatoire. Le suivi etait de 6 mois. Resultats Cent soixante et onze patients ont ete inclus. 23 patients (14,6 %) ont eu une complication classee selon Clavien-Dindo [4] : 19 (83 %) Clavien 2, 1 (4 %) Clavien 3b et 3 (13 %) Clavien 4. A 1 mois postoperatoire, 64 (42,7 %) patients presentaient une incontinence urinaire dont 55 (86,1 %) uniquement a l’effort. 18 (32,7 %) etaient incontinent urinaire a 6 mois. L’energie delivree en peroperatoire ainsi que l’IIEF5 preoperatoire etaient statiquement associes a la survenue d’une incontinence urinaire d’effort. Il n’a pas ete mis en evidence de lien entre l’apprentissage et la survenue de l’incontinence. Conclusion Le taux important d’incontinence urinaire post HoLEP en debut d’experience implique une reflexion sur la technique utilisee ainsi que sur l’information delivree aux patients en preoperatoire. Niveau de preuve 4.

The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between differentiated thyroid carcinomas (DTCs), histopathological findings and systemic immune-inflammation index (SII) [neutrophil (N) x platelet (P) / lymphocyte (L)] values.93 patients with DTC were included. N, P and L levels were measured, and the relationship between the SII and histopathological findings was determined. The results were compared with the values of 33 healthy controls.SII values were significantly higher in the patient group than in the control group (p = 0.000). Tumour pathology diagnosis had no significant effect on SII (p = 0.90). Perineural lymphovascular and capsule invasion and extrathyroidal extension also had no significant effect on SII values. SII was significantly higher in patients with more than one tumour focus (p = 0.01). No significant relationship was determined between tumour diameter and SII.SII is higher in patients with DTC compared to the healthy population. High SII values may be associated with multifocality. According to the results of this study, SII does not affect the histological type, perineural, lymphovascular and capsule invasion, or extrathyroidal extension of DTC.L’indice infiammatorio immunitario sistemico nei carcinomi differenziati della tiroide.Lo scopo di questo studio è quello di indagare la relazione tra i carcinomi differenziati della tiroide (DTC), i risultati istopatologici e i valori dell’indice infiammatorio immunitario sistemico (SII) (neutrofili (N) x piastrine (P) / linfociti (L)).In questo studio sono stati inclusi 93 pazienti con DTC. Sono stati misurati i livelli di N, P e L ed è stata determinata la relazione tra il SII e i risultati istopatologici. I risultati sono stati confrontati con i valori di un gruppo di controllo sano di 33 membri.I valori di SII erano significativamente più alti nel gruppo di pazienti rispetto al gruppo di controllo (p = 0.000). La patologia tumorale non ha avuto effetti significativi su SII (p = 0.90). Anche l’invasione linfovascolare perineurale e della capsula e l’estensione extratiroidea non hanno avuto effetti significativi sui valori di SII. Il SII era significativamente più alto nei pazienti con più di un focolaio tumorale (p = 0.01). Nessuna relazione significativa è stata determinata tra diametro del tumore e SII.SII è più alto nei pazienti con DTC rispetto alla popolazione sana. Valori elevati di SII possono essere associati alla multifocalità. Secondo i risultati di questo studio, la SII non influenza il tipo istologico, l’invasione perineurale, linfovascolare e capsulare o l’estensione extratiroidea del DTC.

Direct band gap achievements in germanium by alloying with tin or by tensile strain engineering has enabled, in recent years, several demonstrations of laser emission in the 2-5µm wavelength range. This fast and promising emergence of CMOS-compatible laser technology in the Mid-IR faces, however, major issues, e.g. high threshold power densities, which limit the integration of GeSn as a gain media on a silicon chip for cost-efficient sensing and/or short-range Datacom devices. We show that combining tensile strain and Sn alloying enables one to effectively engineer the material band structure and its optical gain properties. We also evidence the importance of defects management on GeSn lasing characteristics, beyond the band-structure engineering. We discuss the potential of GeSnOI technology to address the above-mentionned aspects, which enabled to drastically reduce the lasing thresholds in microdisk laser cavities and reach continuous-wave operation in GeSn.

Linnaeus University – Campus Kalmar School of Business and Economics Leadership and Management in International Contexts (60 credits) Title: Transformational Leadership in the Chinese Culture – A Quantitative Study on the Impact of Transformational Leadership on Chinese Internet Companies’ Performance. This research aims to study how transformational leadership affects organizational performance and the mediation effect of employee voice behaviour. A quantitative research method and a deductive research approach were used for this research study, where theoretical concepts were developed. Several hypotheses were derived as means to test the existing theories regarding research variables. The data in this research was collected through a 384 completed online survey questionnaire from employees of the top ten listed Chinese internet companies. Various statistical techniques, including Pearson correlation analysis, linear regression analysis, and mediation effect testing, were implemented to provide evidence for hypothesis testing. The statistical analysis results indicate that a particular dimension of transformational leadership positively impacts Chinese internet companies’ performance, and employee voice behaviour has a partial mediation effect in this relationship.

Sahityavadi ki upadhi ke davedar aadaraniya Annabhau Sathe keval Maharashtra bhar ke liye nahi, balki bharatbhumi ke bahar aanter rastriya star pa , Rashia tak apai lekhani ke balbute par pahuchanevale ekmatra* sahityakar hai.

The widely used cancer treatment, chemotherapy, causes severe long-term neuropathic pain in 30–40% cases, the condition clinically known as chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN). Approved conventional analgesics are sometimes ineffective, while others like opioids have undesirable side effects like addiction, seizures, and respiratory malfunctioning. Tricyclic antidepressants and anticonvulsants, although exhibit anti-allodynic effects in neuropathy, also have unpleasant side effects. Thus, alternative medicines are being explored for CIPN treatment. Despite scattered reports on different extracts from different plants having potential anti-allodynic effects against CIPN, no established medicine or formulation of herbal origin exists. In this study, efficacy of an herbal decoction, formulated based on ancient medicinal principles and protocols for treating neuropathic pain, Divya-Peedantak-Kwath (DPK), has been evaluated in a paclitaxel (PTX)-induced peripheral neuropathic mouse model. We observed that DPK has prominent anti-allodynic and anti-hyperalgesic effects and acts as a nociceptive modulator for CIPN. With exhibited antioxidative effects, DPK restored the redox potential of the sciatic nerves to the normal. On histopathological evaluation, DPK prevented the PTX-induced lesions in the sciatic nerve, in a dose-dependent manner. It also prevented inflammation by modulating the levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines involved in CIPN pathogenesis. Our observations evinced that DPK can alleviate CIPN by attenuating oxidative stress and concomitant neuroinflammation through immune modulation.

We fabricated a Ge 0.92 Sn 0.08 micro-disk laser with a lasing threshold as low as 20-30 kW/cm2 at 75 K. A specific etching process was developed to remove the dense array of misfit dislocations from the gain medium. Further surface treatments and passivations improved the lasing dynamics.

International audience; In the last decades, designs of most incandescent sources have been realized by heating the whole device. Here we propose a novel approach consisting in taking advantage of hot nanoemitters that can be cooled in a few tens of nanoseconds. It offers a new opportunity for high speed modulation and for enhanced agility in the active control of polarization, direction and wavelength of emission. To compensate the weak thermal emission of isolated nanoemitters, we propose to insert them in some complex environments, such as e.g. the gap of cold nanoantenna, which allow a significant thermal emission enhancement of the hot nanovolume. In order to optimize this kind of device, a fully vectorial upper bound for the thermal emission of a hot nanoparticle in a cold environment is derived. This criterion is very general since it is equivalent to an absorption cross-section upper bound for the nanoparticle. Moreover, it is an intrinsic characteristic of the environment regardless of the nanoparticle, so it allows to decouple the design of the environment from the one of the hot nanovolume. It thus provides a good figure of merit to compare the ability of different systems to enhance thermal emission of hot nanoemitters.

Allergic rhinitis (AR) is a ubiquitous chronic disease with a growing incidence. We aimed to investigate the protective effect of naringenin against AR induced in rats. Thirty-two Sprague Dawley rats were divided into four groups of eight animals each. Group 1 represented the control group. The other 24 rats were sensitized with intraperitoneal 0.3 mg ovalbumin (OVA) and 30 mg aluminum hydroxide every other day for 14 days to induce AR. Ten microliters OVA was administered to both nostrils by inhalation for the following seven days to provoke AR. Group 2 represented the AR group and received no treatment. Group 3 was treated as the reference group and received 5 mg/kg desloratadine every day between days 15 and 21. Group 4 received 100 mg/kg naringenin orally between days 15 and 21. All animal’s sneezing and nasal itching scores were recorded on day 22. The rats were then sacrificed. Serum total IgE, IL4 and IL5 values were studied, and nasal structures were extracted ‘en bloc’ for histopathological examination. Significant clinical recovery was achieved in the group treated with naringenin. Serum total IgE, IL4 and IL5 values in the naringenin group were significantly lower than in the AR group, and significant histopathological improvement was observed compared to the AR group. Naringenin produced significant clinical, biochemical and histopathological benefits in rats with induced AR. These effects suggest that naringenin is a promising agent for the treatment of AR.

Divya Sarva-Kalp-Kwath (SKK) is a poly-herbal ayurvedic medicine formulated using plant extracts of Boerhavia diffusa L. (Nyctaginaceae), Phyllanthus niruri L. (Euphorbiaceae), and Solanum nigrum L. (Solanaceae), described to improve liver function and general health. In the present study, we have explored the hepatoprotective effects of SKK in ameliorating carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) induced liver toxicity using in-vitro and in-vivo test systems. Chemical analysis of SKK using Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectroscopy (LC-MS-QToF) and High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) revealed the presence of different bioactive plant metabolites, known to impart hepatoprotective effects. In human hepatocarcinoma (HepG2) cells, co-treatment of SKK with CCl4 effectively reduced the hepatotoxicity induced by the latter. These effects were confirmed by studying parameters such as loss of cell viability; release of hepatic injury enzymatic biomarkers- aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and alkaline phosphatase (ALP); and changes in reactive oxygen species and in mitochondrial membrane potentials. In-vivo safety analysis in Wistar rats showed no loss in animal body weight, or change in feeding habits after repeated oral dosing of SKK up to 1,000 mg/kg/day for 28 days. Also, no injury-related histopathological changes were observed in the animal's blood, liver, kidney, heart, brain, and lung. Pharmacologically, SKK played a significant role in modulating CCl4 induced hepatic injuries in the Wistar rats at a higher dose. In the 9 weeks' study, SKK (200 mg/kg) reduced the CCl4 stimulated increase in the release of enzymes (ALT, AST, and ALP), bilirubin, total cholesterol, and uric acid levels in the Wistar rats. It also reduced the CCl4 stimulated inflammatory lesions such as liver fibrosis, lymphocytic infiltration, and hyper-plasticity. In conclusion, SKK showed pharmacological effects in improving the CCl4 stimulated liver injuries in HepG2 cells and in Wistar rats. Furthermore, no adverse effects were observed up to 10× higher human equivalent dose of SKK during 28-days repeated dose exposure in Wistar rats. Based on the literature search on the identified plant metabolites, SKK was found to act in multiple ways to ameliorate CCl4 induced hepatotoxicity. Therefore, polyherbal SKK medicine has shown remarkable potentials as a possible alternative therapeutics for reducing liver toxicity induced by drugs, and other toxins.

The incidence rate of diabetes mellitus is increasing worldwide. Herbal formulations have recently gained importance as an alternative therapeutic option in controlling diabetes without causing any side effects. In the present study, we have demonstrated maintenance of glycemic homeostasis and anti-adipogenic potential of a herbo-mineral formulation Divya MadhuKalp (DMK). Initially, we evaluated the presence of bioactive compounds in DMK using LC/MS-QToF analysis. In-vitro analysis of DMK in L6 (skeletal muscle) cells showed a significant increase in cellular glucose uptake. Similarly, a human equivalent dose of DMK significantly reduced blood glucose level in normoglycemic and oral glucose tolerance rat model. DMK extract also inhibited formation of advanced glycation end product and showed anti-α-glucosidase activity. Further analysis of DMK in 3T3 L1 pre-adipocytes demonstrated anti-adipogenic activity through reduction in intracellular lipid accumulation and triglyceride contents along with downregulation of major adipogenic transcriptional factors (PPAR-γ and C/EBPα) and, adipocytes marker genes (LPL, AP2 and adiponectin). In conclusion, DMK exhibited anti-diabetic and anti-adipogenic activities by synergistic effect of its bioactive compounds and can be considered as a potent herbo-mineral formulation for treating metabolic diseases.

This thesis was submitted for the award of Doctor of Philosophy and was awarded by Brunel University London The mobile networks users’ demands for data services are increasing exponentially, this is due to two main factors: the first is the evolution of smart phones and their application, and the second is the emerging new technologies for internet of things, smart cities…etc, which keeps pumping more data into the network; ‘though most of the data routed in the current mobile network is non-live data’. This increasing of demands arise the necessity for the mobile network operators to keep improving their network to satisfy it, this improvement takes place via adding hardware or increasing the resources or a combination of both. The radio resources are strictly limited due to spectrum licensing and availability, therefore efficient spectrum utilization is a major goal to be achieved for both network operators and developers. Simultaneous and multiple channel access,and adding more cells to the network are ways used to increase the data exchanged between the network nodes. The current 4G mobile system is based on the Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access (OFDMA) for accessing the medium and the intercell interference degrades the link quality at the cell edge, with the introduction of heterogeneity concept to the LTE in Release 10 of the 3GPP the handover process became even more complex. To mitigate the intercell interference at the cell edge, coordinated multipoint and carrier aggregation techniques are utilized for dual connectivity. This work is focused on designing and proposing enhancing features to improve network performance and sustainability, these features comprises of distributing small cells for data only transmission, handover schemes performance evaluation at cell edge with dual connectivity, and Artificial Intelligence technology for balancing and prediction. In the proposed model design the data and controls of the Small eNodeB (SeNodeB) are processed at the network edge using a Mobile Edge Computing (MEC) server and the SeNodeBs are used to boost services provided to the users, also the concept of caching data has been investigated, the caching units where implemented in different network levels. The proposed system and resource management are simulated using the OPNET modeller and evaluated through multiple scenarios with and without full load, the UE is reconfigured to accommodate dual connectivity and have two separate connections for uplink and downlink, while maintaining connection to the Macro cell via uplink, the downlink is dedicated for small cells when content is requested from the cache. The results clearly show that the proposed system can decrease the latency while the total throughput delivered by the network has highly improved when SeNodeBs are deployed in the system, rising throughput will incur the rise of overall capacity which leads to better services being provided to the users or more users to join and benefit from the network. Handover improvement is also considered in this work, with the help of two Artificial Intelligence (AI) entities better handover performance are achieved. Balanced load over the SeNodeBs results in less frequent handover, the proposed load balancer is based on artificial neural network clustering model with self-organizing map as a hidden layer, it’s trained to forecast the network condition and learn to reduce the number of handovers especially for the UEs at the cell edge by performing only necessary ones, and avoid handovers to the Macro cell for the downlink direction. The examined handovers concern the downlinks when routing non live video stored at the small cell’s cache, and a reduction in the frequent handovers was achieved when running the balancer. Keep revolving in the handover orbit, another way to preserve and utilize network resources is by predicting the handovers before they occur, and allocate the required data in the target SeNodeB, the predictor entity in the proposed system architecture combines the features of Radial Basis Function Neural Network and neural network time series tool to create and update prediction list from the system’s collected data and learn to predict the next SeNodeB to associate with. The prediction entity is simulated using MATLAB, and the results shows that the system was able to deliver up to 92% correct predictions for handovers which led to overall throughput improvement of 75%.

Living alongside predators can entail substantial costs both in terms of livelihoods and personal safety. Negative interactions with predators can lead to negative attitudes and behavioural intentions such as retaliatory or pre-emptive killing. As a result, conservation strategies are increasingly adopting human–wildlife coexistence approaches aimed at minimizing the costs associated with living with predators by providing direct or indirect benefits. This is done in the hope that people will foster positive attitudes and behavioural intentions towards predators. However, people's attitudes and their behavioural intentions are not necessarily linked, and both need to be understood for conservation actions to be effective. We conducted 747 semi-structured interviews with community members in the Maasai Mara, Kenya, to determine which factors influenced people's attitudes and behavioural intentions towards predators and whether the two were linked. Most interviewees (57.52%) had a positive attitude towards predators as measured by their assertion that people, livestock and predators should coexist. Their attitude was dependent on benefits, occupation, conservancy membership and perceived community ownership of predators, but was not influenced by the costs of livestock depredation. Most respondents who were members of a conservancy had positive attitudes towards predators but this differed by conservancy, suggesting that, in addition to benefits, conservation politics could influence attitudes. In total, 10.3% of respondents said that they would kill a predator if it killed their livestock. This behavioural intention was only influenced by the respondent's attitude. Understanding the factors that influence attitudes and behavioural intentions will aid future management and coexistence strategies.

International audience; We study light absorption by a dipolar absorber in a given environment, which can be a nanoantenna or any complex inhomogeneous medium. From rst-principle calculations, we derive an upper bound for the absorption, which decouples the impact of the environment from the one of the absorber. Since it is an intrinsic characteristic of the environment regardless of the absorber, it provides a good figure of merit to compare the ability of different systems to enhance absorption. We show that, in the scalar approximation, the relevant parameter is not the field enhancement but the ratio between the field enhancement and the local density of states. Consequently, a plasmonic structure supporting hot spots is not necessarily the best choice to enhance absorption. We also show that our theoretical results can be applied beyond the scalar approximation and the plane-wave illumination.

GeSn alloys are the most promising direct band gap semiconductors to demonstrate full CMOS-compatible laser integration with a manufacturing from Group-IV materials. Here, we show that room temperature lasing, up to 300 K, can be obtained with GeSn. This is achieved in microdisk resonators fabricated on a GeSn-On-Insulator platform by combining strain engineering with a thick layer of high Sn content GeSn.

Septorhinoplasty is a surgical procedure widely employed by otolaryngologists and plastic surgeons. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of a single pre-emptive dose of iv ibuprofen on postoperative pain and opioid consumption in patients undergoing septorhinoplasty.50 patients scheduled for septorhinoplasty were included in this prospective, randomized, double-blinded study. Control group (n = 25) was administered 100 mL iv saline solution 30 min preoperatively, while Ibuprofen group (n = 26) received 800 mg ibuprofen iv. in 100 mL saline solution. Intravenous fentanyl was administered with a Patient Controlled Analgesia device after surgery for postoperative pain management. Postoperative pain was evaluated using a Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) with 0 representing no pain and 10 the worst pain possible.VAS scores at 10, 20, and 30 min and at 1, 2, 4, 8, 12 and 24 h were lower in the ibuprofen group than in the control group (p 0.05). Total fentanyl consumption was lower in the ibuprofen group compared to the placebo group (148.8 ± 86.4 mcq vs 338.00 ± 81.00 mcq), respectively.We suggest that the pre-emptive use of iv ibuprofen at a dosage of 800 mg 30 min before septorhinoplasty will be beneficial in reducing opioid consumption and pain scores.

To investigate the efficacy of perfusion magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in benign-malignant differentiation of thyroid nodules. Images from 24 patients with thyroid masses were obtained using dynamic contrast enhanced MRI (DCE-MRI) at 3-T MR. DCE-MRI images were evaluated by post-processing of selected regions of interest (ROIs) on software, thus eliciting quantitative data for each voxel within the ROI. Ktrans, Ve, Kep, iAUC and chi(2) were calculated automatically. The DCE-MRI values of benign and malignant lesions were then compared. Mean Ktrans and iAUC values in malignant lesions were significantly lower than those in benign lesions (p = 0.028 and 0.049). Ktrans, Kep, and iAUC values in malignant lesions were statistically significantly lower than normal parenchyma values. In contrast to other tissues, the perfusion MRI findings of thyroid masses exhibit a decrease in Ktrans and iAUC values as malignancy increases. Perfusion MRI may be useful in differentiating benign and malignant thyroid nodules once a cut-off value has been determined by other studies.