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Proportional-integral-derivate (PID) controller has gained popularity since the advancement of smart devices especially in suppressing the vibration on flexible structures using different approaches. Such structures required accurate and reliable responses to prevent system failures. Swarm intelligence algorithm (SIA) is one of the optimization methods based on nature that managed to solve real-world problems. Crow search is a well-known algorithm from the SIA group that can discover optimum solutions in both local and global searches by utilizing fewer tuning parameters compared to other methods. Hence, this study aimed to simulate a PID controller tuned by SIA via crow search for vibration cancellation of horizontal flexible plate structures. Prior to that, an accurate model structure is developed as a prerequisite for PID controller development. After the best model is achieved, the proportional-integral-derivative-crow-search (PID-CS) performance was compared to a traditional tuning approach known as the Ziegler Nichols (ZN) to validate its robustness. The result revealed the PID-CS outperformed the proportional-integral-derivative-Ziegler Nichols (PID-ZN) with attenuation values of 44.75 and 42.74 dB in the first mode of vibration for single sinusoidal and real disturbances, respectively. In addition, the value of mean squared error (MSE) for PID-ZN and PID-CS for single sinusoidal disturbance are 0.0167 and 0.0081, respectively. Meanwhile, PID-ZN and PID-CS achieved 2.3981 × 10−4and 2.3737 × 10−4when they were exerted with real disturbance. This proves that the PID-CS is more accurate compared to the PID-ZN as it achieved the lowest MSE value.

Conventionally, researchers have favored the model-based control scheme for controlling gantry crane systems. However, this method necessitates a substantial investment of time and resources in order to develop an accurate mathematical model of the complex crane system. Recognizing this challenge, the current paper introduces a novel data-driven control scheme that relies exclusively on input and output data. Undertaking a couple of modifications to the conventional marine predators algorithm (MPA), random average marine predators algorithm (RAMPA) with tunable adaptive coefficient to control the step size (CF) has been proposed in this paper as an enhanced alternative towards fine-tuning data-driven multiple-node hormone regulation neuroendocrine-PID (MnHR-NEPID) controller parameters for the multi-input–multi-output (MIMO) gantry crane system. First modification involved a random average location calculation within the algorithm’s updating mechanism to solve the local optima issue. The second modification then introduced tunable CFthat enhanced search capacity by enabling users’ resilience towards attaining an offsetting level of exploration and exploitation phases. Effectiveness of the proposed method is evaluated based on the convergence curve and statistical analysis of the fitness function, the total norms of error and input, Wilcoxon’s rank test, time response analysis, and robustness analysis under the influence of external disturbance. Comparative findings alongside other existing metaheuristic-based algorithms confirmed excellence of the proposed method through its superior performance against the conventional MPA, particle swarm optimization (PSO), grey wolf optimizer (GWO), moth-flame optimization (MFO), multi-verse optimizer (MVO), sine-cosine algorithm (SCA), salp-swarm algorithm (SSA), slime mould algorithm (SMA), flow direction algorithm (FDA), and the formally published adaptive safe experimentation dynamics (ASED)-based methods.

Studying the dynamic processes of quartic autocatalysis chemical reactions in Williamson nanofluid flow over a parabolic surface is significant for optimizing and enhancing the efficiency of industrial and engineering systems involving complex fluid dynamics and chemical reactions. The investigation of the type of flow channel is very important. In the present problem, the motion is investigated on an upper horizontal surface of a paraboloid of revolution. The analysis is performed about the Williamson nanofluid flow with Cattaneo–Christov (C–C) heat flux, quartic autocatalysis chemical reaction and gyrotactic microorganisms motion past an upper horizontal surface of a paraboloid of revolution (uhspr). Similarity transformations are applied to get the non-dimensional equations in differential form. Homotopy Analysis Method (HAM) is operated for computing the solution. The solution is processed to obtain the results which have been shown through the graphs which note the effects of existing parameters on profiles. The computed results have a nice agreement with the published results. The investigations are about the upper horizontal surface of a paraboloid of revolution which has leading role in science, aerodynamics like surface of a rocket, bonnet of a car and pointed surface of a vehicle and airplane.

A three-species ecological model is proposed that comprises one prey and two predators (low predator and top predator) to understand the persistence and/or extinction of prey and predators under a suitable environment. The realistic ecological system is typically inhomogeneous in terms of spatiotemporal variations of population density. With this motivation, white noise is introduced to the system to conceive the impact of environmental heterogeneity on the interaction of prey and predators. The boundedness of solutions of the system is presented. The condition for the local stability of the deterministic model is established. The stochastic analysis of the system suggests the impression of the environmental noise on the dynamical behaviour of solutions. Numerical results reveal that the proposed system exhibits an oscillatory pattern of solutions. It is shown that the white noise in the low predator has a dominating role in comparison with other noises to keep the oscillation in order. Moreover, to investigate the spatial dependency of the population density, diffusion term is introduced to the system that also displays oscillatory behaviour of the solutions. The results also confirm that the population density of prey, low predator, and top predator have a biological control in the oscillatory behaviour. In the presence of diffusion and white noise, numerical simulation illustrates the sensitivity of the diffusion coefficients and the amplitude of noises. Numerical results lead to a reasonable agreement with the analytical findings in both non-spatial and spatial systems.

Banded vegetation pattern is a striking feature of self-organized ecosystems. In particular, vegetation patterns in semi-arid ecosystems are typical on hillsides, orienting parallel to the contours. The present study concerns a system of coupled reaction–advection–diffusion equations model for this phenomenon and studies the existence and stability of periodic traveling waves in a one-parameter family of solutions. Specifically, we consider a parameter region in which vegetation patterns occur and subdivide into stable and unstable regions as solutions of the model equations. Our numerical results show that the periodic traveling wave changes their stability by Eckhaus (sideband) bifurcation. We discuss the variations of the wavelength, wave speed as well as the conditions of the rainfall parameter by using linear analysis. We also explore how the solution patterns grow when the bifurcation parameter is changing slowly. In order to compare this result with the spatiotemporal pattern in the direct simulation, we show that when it passes a critical value of rainfall parameter a stable pattern becomes unstable and finally disappear. In addition, we investigate the existence and stability of periodic traveling waves as a function of water transport parameter.

This paper presents the development of an active vibration control for vibration suppression of the horizontal flexible plate structure using proportional–integral–derivative controller tuned by a conventional method via Ziegler–Nichols and an intelligent method known as particle swarm optimization algorithm. Initially, the experimental rig was designed and fabricated with all edges clamped at the horizontal position of the flexible plate. Data acquisition and instrumentation systems were designed and integrated into the experimental rig to collect input–output vibration data of the flexible plate. The vibration data obtained through experimental study was used to model the system using system identification technique based on auto-regressive with exogenous input structure. The plate system was modeled using particle swarm optimization algorithm and validated using mean squared error, one-step ahead prediction, and correlation tests. The stability of the model was assessed using pole zero diagram stability. The fitness function of particle swarm optimization algorithm is defined as the mean squared error between the measured and estimated output of the horizontal flexible plate system. Next, the developed model was used in the development of an active vibration control for vibration suppression on the horizontal flexible plate system using a proportional–integral–derivative controller. The proportional–integral–derivative gains are optimally determined using two different ways, the conventional method tuned by Ziegler–Nichols tuning rules and the intelligent method tuned by particle swarm optimization algorithm. The performances of developed controllers were assessed and validated. Proportional–integral–derivative-particle swarm optimization controller achieved the highest attenuation value for first mode of vibration by achieving 47.28 dB attenuation as compared to proportional–integral–derivative-Ziegler–Nichols controller which only achieved 34.21 dB attenuation.

This paper presents the development of an intelligent controller for vibration suppression of a horizontal flexible plate structure using hybrid Fuzzy–proportional–integral–derivative controller tuned by Ziegler–Nichols tuning rules and intelligent proportional–integral–derivative controller tuned by artificial bee colony algorithm. Active vibration control technique was implemented during the development of the controllers. The vibration data obtained through experimental rig was used to model the system using system identification technique based on auto-regressive with exogenous input model. Next, the developed model was used in the development of an active vibration control for vibration suppression of the horizontal flexible plate system using proportional–integral–derivative controller. Two types of controllers were proposed in this paper which are the hybrid Fuzzy–proportional–integral–derivative controller and intelligent proportional–integral–derivative controller tuned by artificial bee colony algorithm. The performances of the developed controllers were assessed and validated. Proportional–integral–derivative–artificial bee colony controller achieved the highest attenuation for first mode of vibration with 47.54 dB attenuation as compared to Fuzzy–proportional–integral–derivative controller with 32.04 dB attenuation. The experimental work was then conducted for the best controller to confirm the result achieved in the simulation work.

This paper proposes an improved neuroendocrine–proportional–integral–derivative controller for nonlinear multi-input–multi-output crane systems using a sigmoid-based secretion rate of the hormone regulation. The main advantage of the sigmoid-based secretion rate neuroendocrine–proportional–integral–derivative is that the hormone secretion rate of neuroendocrine–proportional–integral–derivative can be varied according to the change of error. As a result, it can provide high accuracy control performance, especially in nonlinear multi-input–multi-output crane systems. In particular, the hormone secretion rate is designed to adapt with the changes of error using a sigmoid function, thus contributing to enhanced control accuracy. The parameters of the sigmoid-based secretion rate neuroendocrine–proportional–integral–derivative controller are tuned using the safe experimentation dynamics algorithm. The performance of the proposed sigmoid-based secretion rate neuroendocrine–proportional–integral–derivative controller-based safe experimentation dynamics algorithm is evaluated by tracking the error and the control input. In addition, the performances of proportional–integral–derivative and neuroendocrine–proportional–integral–derivative controllers are compared with the proposed sigmoid-based secretion rate neuroendocrine–proportional–integral–derivative performance. From the simulation work, it is discovered that the sigmoid-based secretion rate neuroendocrine–proportional–integral–derivative design provides better control performances in terms of the objective function, the total norm of error and the total norm of input compared to proportional–integral–derivative and neuroendocrine–proportional–integral–derivative controllers. In particular, it is shown the proposed sigmoid-based secretion rate neuroendocrine–proportional–integral–derivative controller contributes 5.12% of control accuracy improvement by changing the fixed hormone secretion rate into a variable hormone secretion rate based on the change of error.

Noise, as undesired sound, severely affects the quality of human life. Currently, active noise control method has demonstrated its capability in low-frequency noise cancellation and the advance in saving money and reducing weight and volume of related materials used in the passive noise control technology. The widespread configuration for active noise control technology is finite impulse response filter with filtered-x least mean squares (FxLMS) algorithm. However, the nonlinearities in the secondary path, which mainly arise from sensors, actuators and amplifiers used in the active noise control system, will cause instability and degrade the performance while using the FxLMS algorithm. In order to cope with this challenge, many new approaches have been proposed and fuzzy logic control is one of these. In this paper, a Takagi–Sugeon–Kang-type fuzzy logic control-based feedforward active noise control system with focus on the geometry configuration is introduced. In contrast to previous work, all physical paths are modelled by pure time delay transfer function and the acoustic feedback is added as part of inputs for the fuzzy logic control. Computational experiments are implemented within the Matlab/Simulink platform, and several case studies are presented with time and frequency domain analyses to demonstrate the cancellation ability of the proposed feedforward active noise control system and investigate the influence of distance ratio on the overall noise cancellation performance.

Purpose: The aim of this study is to develop a spiritual intelligence scale from an Islamic perspective. In addition, this research explores the relationship of spiritual intelligence from an Islamic perspective with emotional intelligence among the students of higher learning institutions in Malaysia. Design/methodology/approach: Data were collected from 250 students from different higher learning institutions in Malaysia. Findings: The findings of the study show the relationships of spiritual intelligence from an Islamic perspective and emotional intelligence. Statistically significant relationships were found between four dimensions of spiritual intelligence from an Islamic perspective (e.g. transcendental awareness, meaning of life, patience and forgiveness) and emotional intelligence. Originality/value: The contribution of human intelligence in the development higher learning institution is remarkable. Most research found on spiritual intelligence is from traditional and Western perspective with very limited studies found from an Islamic perspective. The purpose of the current study is to construct a spiritual intelligence from an Islamic perspective and empirically validate the items. The study also looks for relationships of spiritual intelligence from an Islamic perspective and emotional intelligence among the students of higher learning institutions.

This research is to develop set-point weighting-based dynamic integral sliding mode control with nonlinear full-order state observers to deal with nonlinear and underactuated coupled systems, and unforeseen circumstances of quadcopter UAVs systems. A comparative assessment through numerical simulations of sliding mode-based nonlinear observer approaches and Kalman filter is presented. These include quasi method, interval type-2 fuzzy logic system, super-twisting algorithm, higher order sliding mode observer, and extended Kalman filter. Chattering, noise rejection, estimation error and time required to track true states are evaluated to demonstrate the performance of each observer. In addition, to assess the proposed controller performance, maximum overshoot, rise time, chattering, and steady-state error are evaluated in relation to the use of each observer.

Purpose: The purpose of this research is to investigate the significant antecedents that influence students’ awareness of occupational hazards (AOHs) in their respective institutions. The researchers proposed a theoretical model consisting of three dimensions: knowledge sharing behavior (KSB), sense of spirituality (SS) and awareness of occupational hazards (AOHs). Design/methodology/approach: This study targets students of different public and private higher learning institutions in Bangladesh with a total of 260 respondents, utilizing a survey questionnaire as the data collection instrument to test the proposed conceptual model. The structural equation modeling approach was used to test the proposed model. Findings: The results show that SS has a mediating effect on KSB and AOHs at higher learning institutions. Originality/value: The study contributes for first time to the theoretical novelty of the body of the existing literature in the domains of students’ KSB, SS and AOHs. The study also provides insight on future research directions by helping in identifying gaps in literature in this field and higher learning institutions in Bangladesh.

Cullin-ring-ligases mediate protein polyubiquitination, a signal for degradation in the 26S proteasome. The CRL1 class consists of Skp1/cullin-1/F-box protein/Rbx1 (SCF) complexes that cyclically associate with ubiquitin-E2 to build the polyubiquitin chain. Within the SCF complex, the 162-amino acid DdSkp1 from Dictyosteliumbridges cullin-1 with an F-box protein (FBP), the specificity factor for substrate selection. The hydroxylation-dependent glycosylation of Pro143 of DdSkp1 by a pentasaccharide forms the basis of a novel O2-sensing mechanism in the social amoeba Dictyosteliumand other protists. Previous evidence indicated that glycosylation promotes increased α-helical content correlating with enhanced interaction with three F-box proteins. To localize these differences, we used nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) methods to compare nonglycosylated DdSkp1 and a glycoform with a single GlcNAc sugar (Gn-DdSkp1). We report NMR assignments of backbone 1HN, 15N, 13Cα, and 13CO nuclei as well as side-chain 13Cβand methyl 13C/1H nuclei of Ile(δ1), Leu, and Val in both unmodified DdSkp1 and Gn-DdSkp1. The random coil index and 15N{1H} HNOE indicate that the C-terminal region, which forms a helix–loop–helix motif centered on Pro143 at the crystallographically defined binding interface with F-box domains, remains dynamic in both DdSkp1 and Gn-DdSkp1. Chemical shifts indicate that the variation of conformation in Gn-DdSkp1, relative to DdSkp1, is limited to this region and characterized by increased helical fold. Extension of the glycan chain results in further changes, also limited to this region. Thus, glycosylation may control F-box protein interactions via a local effect on DdSkp1 conformation, by a mechanism that may be general to many unicellular eukaryotes.

The article introduces a concept of probabilistic ecological competition from the aquatic hyacinth perspective, which often helps to track and analyze the sustainability of different species involved in the ecological system. A case study is presented to investigate the impact of the pH content in the eutrophication of aquatic hyacinths. To understand the interaction of aquatic species, we propose a mathematical model by considering the components of aquatic reserve structure in a maritime condition that involves two locales: aquatic hyacinth region and aquatic hyacinth liberated region. The model depicts a quantitative correlation between aquatic hyacinth and aquatic biomass. We analyze the stability of the steady states, which can help to understand the persistence and extinction of the species in the two regions mentioned above. Numerical simulation is carried out to conceive the distribution of aquatic species in two aquatic hyacinth regions. Furthermore, we impose white noise in the model to address the environmental heterogeneity of aquatic structures and subsequently inspect their influences on the inhabitants of the aquatic hyacinth region and aquatic hyacinth liberated region. A sensitivity analysis of the parameters is performed to identify the dominant parameters in the model. The analysis shows that numerical investigations comply with the stochasticity analysis of the system. Numerical results reveal that the amplitude of oscillations of the species of aquatic hyacinth region is higher than that of the aquatic hyacinth liberated region for any choice of the white noises, which has a reasonable agreement with the real aquatic biomass.

A modified adaptive bats sonar algorithm (MABSA) is presented that utilises the concept of echolocation of a colony of bats to find prey. The proposed algorithm is applied to solve the constrained optimisation problems coupled with penalty function method as constraint handling technique. The performance of the algorithm is verified through rigorous tests with four constrained optimisation benchmark test functions. The acquired results show that the proposed algorithm performs better to find optimum solution in terms of accuracy and convergence speed. The statistical results of MABSA to solve all the test functions also has been compared with the results from several existing algorithms taken from literature on similar test functions. The comparative study has shown that MABSA outperforms other establish algorithms, and thus, it can be an efficient alternative method in the solving constrained optimisation problems.

Magnetic levitation (Maglev) systems are highly beneficial in industrial applications owing to their reduced power consumption, increased power efficiency and reduced cost of maintenance. Common applications include Maglev power generation (e.g., wind turbine), Maglev trains and medical devices (e.g., magnetically suspended artificial heart pump). This paper presents the exact input-state feedback linearisation of a nonlinear Maglev system using estimated states. The observed states from a nonlinear dynamic full-order observer are used as inputs to the controller where the control law does not need to be expressed in terms of all measured variables. Then, a linear quadratic regulator is used as an optimal controller for the linearised model to guarantee the stability of the observer-based control scheme and, finally, a tracking controller for magnetic levitation is derived.

The rural domestic wastewater system has been evaluated by using a pilot scale of a biological – ecological process which was built and monitored under operation for a long time. The system was operated for six months with an ambient temperature ranged of (5 – 22°C). The process used in this study was set up as a modified anaerobic/anoxic/oxic process followed by a constructed wetland. Stability and acclimatization of the anaerobic bacteria was achieved after 35 days by using glucose and trace nutrient. The system was then continuously operated with a real domestic wastewater. Hydraulic retention time and temperature are more important parameters of the biological-ecological process performance. Therefore, the system was operated with different HRT and temperature to evaluate the performance efficiency. The influent and effluent of the chemical oxygen demand (COD), total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorus (TP) were analyzed. The anaerobic reactor showed that the optimal HRT was 4 days and the reactor demonstrated a removal efficiency rate of COD (55.5%). The average biogas production in the summer season was 6.8 l/d and in the winter was 1.24 l/d. The Biological– ecological process revealed good efficiency in the removal of the COD, total nitrogen and total phosphorous, where the maximum average removal was 85.5%, 79.8%, 74.9% respectively.

This article addresses the core breakup analysis of the spiral dynamics of an oscillatory system of chemical reactions, the so-called Brusselator model. We first obtain stable oscillatory periodic solutions corresponding to the stable limit cycle near a Hopf bifurcation point when the diffusion terms are neglected. Then, we investigate the occurrence of periodic traveling wave solutions of the model and perform the stability analysis of these solutions on the parameter plane. A stability boundary is also identified on the parameter plane. In the two-dimensional spatial domain, we illustrate rotating spiral waves and their instability that leads to a spiral breakup from the center of rotation. • Brusselator reaction–diffusion system for chemical reaction. • Existence and stability of Periodic Traveling Wave (PTW) solutions using WAVETRAIN. • Oscillatory wave pattern formation in one-space dimension. • Regular rotating spiral pattern formation in two-space dimension. • Core spiral breakup occurs due to the Eckhaus instability of PTW solutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The formation of spatiotemporal patterns is one of the most important part in the prey–predator dynamical system. In this paper, we investigate the local dynamics as well as the Turing structure through diffusion-driven instability by taking more general Crowley–Martin response function in the prey–predator system with the effect of linear harvesting of prey and predator. All the feasible equilibrium points are extracted. Boundedness, persistence, local and global stability, and Hopf bifurcation are established for some suitable parametric conditions. The parametric space for which the Turing spatial structure takes place is found out. Different kinds of patterns are demonstrated depending on the ecological parameters of the local system and diffusion coefficients.

OBJECTIVE--To evaluate a personalised computer supported education programme for asthma patients. DESIGN--Pragmatic randomised trial comparing outcomes over 12 months between patients taking part in an enhanced education programme (four personalised booklets, sent by post) and patients receiving conventional oral education at outpatient or surgery visits. SETTING--Hospital outpatient clinics and general practices in north east Scotland. SUBJECTS--801 adults attending hospital outpatient clinics, with a diagnosis of asthma confirmed by a chest physician and pulmonary function reversibility of at least 20%. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES--Numbers of hospital admissions, consultations with general practitioner for asthma, steroid courses used, bronchodilators and inhaled steroids prescribed, days of restricted activity, and disturbed nights. RESULTS--Patients with asthma judged too severe for randomisation between clinic care and integrated care and thus retained in clinic care had 54% fewer hospital admissions after receiving enhanced education than did the control group (95% confidence interval 30% to 97%; P < 0.05) over the study year. Patients had not all spent a full year as "educated" patients within the study year: when "educated days" were controlled for, annual admission rates for the entire enhanced education group were 49% (31% to 78%) of those in the control group. Among patients with sleep variation, sleep disturbance in the education group in the week before a regular review was 80% (65% to 97%) of that in the control group. There was no significant difference in days of restricted activity, prescription of bronchodilators or inhaled steroids, use of oral steroids, or number of general practitioner consultations for asthma, and no significant interaction between ownership of a peak flow meter and education. CONCLUSIONS--An asthma education programme based on computerised booklets can reduce hospital admissions and improve morbidity among hospital outpatients.

The ability of cardioselective and nonselective beta-adrenoceptor blocking drugs, with and without partial agonist activity, to control increases in blood pressure associated with mental and physical activity was compared in 35 subjects with hypertension. Direct measurements of blood pressure and radioenzymatic determinations of plasma norepinephrine were obtained before, during and after four activities, and were repeated after random allocation to treatment with atenolol, metoprolol, pindolol or propranolol.

In 62 untreated patients with essential hypertension, arterial baroreflex sensitivity (BRS) for heart rate, i.e. the change in pulse interval in response to a phenylephrine-induced increase in blood pressure, was compared with (1) haemodynamic changes during mental arithmetic, a reaction time test, isometric and bicycle exercise; (2) plasma noradrenaline (PNA) concentrations at rest, and during bicycle exercise and; (3) the variability of ambulatory intra-arterial blood pressure. Subjects with diminished BRS showed the following responses (1) higher mean arterial blood pressure (MAP) during all four stimuli; (2) a greater pressor response to cycling; (3) tended to have higher PNA concentrations during bicycle exercise and; (4) greater variation in ambulatory blood pressure. Furthermore, an increased pressor response to the reaction time test and increased ambulatory blood pressure variability was seen in younger subjects with reduced BRS. When subjects were subgrouped according to their WHO stage of hypertension, there were significant inverse relationships between BRS and the pressor responses to mental arithmetic, the reaction time test and cycling, and with ambulatory blood pressure variability only in those subjects without ECG or radiographic evidence of left ventricular enlargement (WHO stage I hypertension; n42). None of these correlations were present in subjects with one or both of these clinical findings (WHO stage II; n20). Pressor responses to the four laboratory stimuli and ambulatory blood pressure variability were similar in both groups, despite significantly higher arterial pressure and significantly lower BRS in WHO stage II subjects. These results suggest that differing mechanisms may be responsible for the regulation of blood pressure variation in these two groups. The arterial baroreflex can buffer acute changes in blood pressure in subjects with WHO stage I hypertension, but this ability is attenuated with progressive reduction of BRS. With the development of clinically evident cardiac adaptation to hypertension (WHO stage II), the contribution of the arterial baroreflex to the regulation of blood pressure is no longer detectable and the influence of cardiac and somatic afferents to reflex circulatory adjustments to activity may predominate

OBJECTIVE--To examine the effectiveness in treating impotence to topically applied cream containing three vasodilators--aminophylline, isosorbide dinitrate, and co-dergocrine mesylate--which act by different mechanisms. DESIGN--Randomised double blinded placebo controlled crossover trial over two weeks. SUBJECTS--36 men with erectile dysfunction randomly allocated to two equal groups. INTERVENTIONS--Active cream containing aminophylline 3%, isosorbide dinitrate 0.25%, and co-dergocrine mesylate 0.05% for one week and placebo for another. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES--Patients' reported experience of penile responses and side effects of treatment in questionnaires. Penile tumescence and arterial flow in the laboratory. RESULTS--21 patients reported full erection and satisfactory intercourse with the active cream. Three men reported full erection and satisfactory intercourse with either cream. The active cream was more effective in psychogenic than organic impotence (eight out of nine men with psychogenic impotence achieved a full erection upsilon four out of eight with neurogenic impotence and two out of seven with arterial insufficiency). No major side effects were reported. In the laboratory the active cream increased penile arterial flow (0.19 (SD 0.08) m/s upsilon 0.02 (0.15) m/s with placebo) and induced tumescence in 24 patients. CONCLUSIONS--Topical treatment with a cream containing three different vasodilators might be considered before intracavernous injection of vasoactive agents, particularly in psychogenic impotence.

Two taxa of Carthamus, each with 32 pairs of chromosomes, merit specific status. C. baeticus(Boiss. & Reut.) Nym. is found on islands of and in countries surrounding the Mediterranean Sea, whereas C. turkestanicusPopov extends from western Turkey to Kashmir. Compared to C. baeticus, C. turkestanicushas wider leaves, wider and less divaricate bracts, larger heads with more florets and achenes, and florets with longer lobes. Their chromosomes differ to the extent that microsporocytes of their F1hybrids had a reciprocal translocation in pachytene and a mean of over six, and up to 22, univalents at metaphase I. Pollen stainability and seed fertility were reduced in F1hybrids.

Epilepsy is the most common neurological condition and cause of substantial morbidity and mortality. In the present study, the molecular hybridization tool was adopted to obtain six Schiff bases of isatin and adamantane-1-carbohydrazide (18–23). Then, their anticonvulsant activity was evaluated using pentylenetetrazole- (PTZ-) induced seizure model using phenobarbitone as a positive control. Our findings showed that compounds 18–23 provided significant protection against PTZ-induced seizure, and maximum activities were associated with compound 23. Moreover, all investigated compounds increased the latency of induced convulsion and reduced the duration of epilepsy with compound 23 being the best. Interestingly, most of the synthesized molecules showed reduction in neurological symptoms and severity of the seizure. Molecular docking studies suggest GABA-A receptor as a potential target, and in silico ADME screening revealed that the pharmaceutical properties of compound 23 are within the specified limit. Thus, compound 23 was identified as a promising candidate that warrants further drug discovery processes.

HPLC has been employed for decades to enhance detection sensitivity and quantification of complex analytes within biological mixtures. Among these analytes, glycans released from glycoproteins and glycolipids have been characterized as underivatized or fluorescently tagged derivatives by HPLC coupled to various detection methods. These approaches have proven extremely useful for profiling the structural diversity of glycoprotein and glycolipid glycosylation but require the availability of glycan standards and secondary orthogonal degradation strategies to validate structural assignments. A robust method for HPLC separation of glycans as their permethylated derivatives, coupled with in-line multidimensional ion fragmentation (MSn) to assign structural features independent of standards, would significantly enhance the depth of knowledge obtainable from biological samples. Here, we report an optimized workflow for LC-MS analysis of permethylated glycans that includes sample preparation, mobile phase optimization, and MSnmethod development to resolve structural isomers on-the-fly. We report baseline separation and MSnof isomeric N- and O-glycan structures, aided by supplementing mobile phases with Li+, which simplifies adduct heterogeneity and facilitates cross-ring fragmentation to obtain valuable monosaccharide linkage information. Our workflow has been adapted from standard proteomics-based workflows and, therefore, provides opportunities for laboratories with expertise in proteomics to acquire glycomic data with minimal deviation from existing buffer systems, chromatography media, and instrument configurations. Furthermore, our workflow does not require a mass spectrometer with high-resolution/accurate mass capabilities. The rapidly evolving appreciation of the biological significance of glycans for human health and disease requires the implementation of high-throughput methods to identify and quantify glycans harvested from sample sets of sufficient size to achieve appropriately powered statistical significance. The LC-MSn approach we report generates glycan isomeric separations and robust structural characterization and is amenable to autosampling with associated throughput enhancements.

In this paper, we propose a four compartmental model to understand the dynamics of infectious disease COVID-19. We show the boundedness and non-negativity of solutions of the model. We analytically calculate the basic reproduction number of the model and perform the stability analysis at the equilibrium points to understand the epidemic and endemic cases based on the basic reproduction number. Our analytical results show that disease free equilibrium point is asymptotically stable (unstable) and endemic equilibrium point is unstable (asymptotically stable) if the basic reproduction number is less than (greater than) unity. The dispersal rate of the infected population and the social awareness control parameter are the main focus of this study. In our model, these parameters play a vital role to control the spread of COVID-19. Our results reveal that regional lockdown and social awareness (e.g., wearing a face mask, washing hands, social distancing) can reduce the pandemic of the current outbreak of novel coronavirus in a most densely populated country like Bangladesh.

The purpose of this case report is to increase awareness that a diagnosis of malignant hyperthermia may have long-lasting or permanent effects on a patient’s insurance eligibility or premiums despite legislation providing varying levels of protection from preexisting conditions or genetic discrimination. We present a case of severe rigors, unexplained severe metabolic acidosis, and severe hyperthermia in a patient after general anesthesia for extensive head and neck surgery. The patient was treated for malignant hyperthermia and demonstrated a significant clinical improvement with the administration of dantrolene. Even with an “almost certain” diagnosis of malignant hyperthermia by clinical presentation, genetic testing was negative and the gold-standard caffeine-halothane contracture test has yet to be performed. Laboratory results, clinical grading scales, and genetic testing support a diagnosis of malignant hyperthermia but the gold standard is a live muscle biopsy and caffeine-halothane contracture test. A clinical diagnosis of MH or a positive caffeine-halothane contracture test could result in exclusion from genetic discrimination legislature due to the fact that diagnosis can be confirmed without genetic testing. The fate of the Affordable Care Act may also affect how insurance companies scrutinize this disease. Improving accuracy of MH diagnosis in hospital discharge records will be crucial.

The article offers the author's insights on the visit of U.S. President Barack Obama to Myanmar on November 21, 2012 to help negotiate a ceasefire between Hamas and Israel. The author states that Obama's trip is dedicated to ease military dictatorship and articulate the democratic values to underpin an economic partnership near China. He says that the U.S. must address the reset of relationship between the U.S. and Arab publics and advance peace between Israel and Palestine.

OBJECTIVES: To develop and evaluate, in a primary care setting, a computerised system for generating tailored letters about smoking cessation. DESIGN: Randomised controlled trial. SETTING: Six general practices in Aberdeen, Scotland. PARTICIPANTS: 2553 smokers aged 17 to 65. Interventions: All participants received a questionnaire asking about their smoking. Participants subsequently received either a computer tailored or a non-tailored, standard letter on smoking cessation, or no letter. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Prevalence of validated abstinence at six months; change in intention to stop smoking in the next six months. RESULTS: The validated cessation rate at six months was 3.5% (30/857) (95% confidence interval 2.3% to 4.7%) for the tailored letter group, 4.4% (37/846) (3.0% to 5.8%) for the non-tailored letter group, and 2.6% (22/850) (1.5% to 3.7%) for the control (no letter) group. After adjustment for significant covariates, the cessation rate was 66% greater (-4% to 186%; P=0.07) in the non-tailored letter group than that in the no letter group. Among participants who smoked &lt;20 cigarettes per day, the cessation rate in the non-tailored letter group was 87% greater (0% to 246%; P=0.05) than that in the no letter group. Among heavy smokers who did not quit, a 76% higher rate of positive shift in "stage of change" (intention to quit within a particular period of time) was seen compared with those who received no letter (11% to 180%; P=0.02). The increase in cost for each additional quitter in the non-tailored letter group compared with the no letter group was pound 89. CONCLUSIONS: In a large general practice, a brief non-tailored letter effectively increased cessation rates among smokers. A tailored letter was not effective in increasing cessation rates but promoted shift in movement towards cessation ("stage of change") in heavy smokers. As a pragmatic tool to encourage cessation of smoking, a mass mailing of non-tailored letters from general practices is more cost effective than computer tailored letters or no letters.