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Reliability assessments are pivotal in evaluating system quality and have found extensive application in manufacturing. This research delves into a system comprising five components, one of which is a bridge network. The components are presumed to follow a Bilal lifetime distribution with a failure rate that changes over time. Four distinct methods are employed to enhance the components within the system. This study involves the computation of  δ -fractiles and reliability equivalence factors (REFs). Additionally, a numerical case study is provided to elucidate the theoretical findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To compare efficacy of lidocaine–prilocaine (LP) cream versus misoprostol versus placebo before levonorgestrel‐releasing intrauterine device (LNG‐IUD) insertion. Methods: This randomized controlled trial (RCT) was conducted in a tertiary referral hospital from April 30, 2020 to March 1, 2021 on 210 parous women willing to receive LNG‐IUD and delivered only by elective cesarean delivery (CD). Participants received 200 μg vaginal misoprostol or 5 ml of LP cream 5% or placebo 3 h before LNG‐IUS insertion. Primary outcome was pain during LNG‐IUD insertion, while secondary outcomes were pain 10 min post‐procedure, ease of insertion, patient satisfaction, insertion time, and drug side effects. Results: Pain during LNG‐IUS insertion was reduced in LP group and misoprostol group compared to placebo group (2.1 ± 1.0 vs 3.7 ± 1.6; p <0.001) and (2.3 ± 1.3 vs 3.7 ± 1.6; p <0.001), respectively. Ease of procedure and patient satisfaction were significantly higher in LP and misoprostol groups than placebo (P <0.001). Need for additional analgesia was significantly higher in placebo group than in the other two groups (P = 0.009). Adverse events were not significantly different between the three groups except vomiting and abdominal cramps, which were higher with misoprostol. Conclusion: LP cream and 200 μg of vaginal misoprostol administration before LNG‐IUD insertion in women delivered only by elective CD effectively reduced pain during insertion and 10 min post‐procedure with easier insertions, high patient satisfaction, and tolerable side effects. Pain reduction with LP cream was clinically significant. Synopsis: Lidocaine–prilocaine cream and vaginal misoprostol are effective and well‐tolerated in reducing LNG‐IUD insertion pain and difficulty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Breast self-examination is easy, non-intrusive time- and money-consuming to perform, and it can be done by older as well as younger women. Cancer risk is increased for women who don't undertake BSE. Breast cancer comes in second as the most common illness in women. Objectives: to evaluate the nursing students' understanding of breast self-examination. Methodology: Between November 1st, 2021, and April 1st, 2022, a descriptive and probability study involving (120) female students at the university of Basrah's nursing college was performed. A questionnaire designed to achieve the study's objectives was used to gather data. It has two parts: the first asks about sociodemographic information, and the second gauges respondents' knowledge of breast self-examination and their awareness of the topic. To evaluate the data, descriptive and inferential statistics were employed. Results: Most of the investigation's samples are within the years of 21 and 24, and many of them are single, most are at stage 3, and the bulk don't have any ancestors who have had cancer, according to the study's findings, that the majority of them don't regularly self-examine their breasts, that they live in cities, and that books were their main source of data. Conclusion: Breast self-examination was not well understood by the majority of female nursing trainees. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The integration of microgrids into the existing power system framework enhances the reliability and efficiency of the utility grid. This manuscript presents an innovative mathematical paradigm designed for the optimization of both the structural and operational aspects of a grid-connected microgrid, leveraging the principles of Demand-Side Management (DSM). The focus of this work lies in a comprehensive exploration of the implications brought about by the Renewable Generation-Based Dynamic Pricing Demand Response (RGDP-DR) mechanism, particularly in terms of its influence on the optimal microgrid configuration, considering perspectives from end-users and the utility entity. This inquiry is rooted in a holistic assessment that encompasses technical and economic performance benchmarks. The RGDP-induced DR framework adeptly addresses the needs of the consumer base, showcasing notable efficiency and economic feasibility. To address the intricate nonlinear optimization challenge at hand, we employ an evolutionary algorithm named the "Dandelion Algorithm" (DA). A rigorous comparative study is conducted to evaluate the efficacy of four optimization techniques, affirming the supremacy of the proposed DA. Within this discourse, the complexity of microgrid sizing is cast as a dual-objective optimization task. The twin objectives involve minimizing the aggregate annual outlay and reducing emissions. The results of this endeavor unequivocally endorse the superiority of the DA over its counterparts. The DA demonstrates exceptional proficiency in orchestrating the most cost-effective microgrid and consumer invoice, surpassing the performance of alternative optimization methodologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photocatalysts for oxidation reactions are crucial for a wide variety of industrial activities. Here, we describe a framework consisting of silver nanomaterials atop Mg-doped lithium niobate. This substrate under white light irradiation is demonstrated to support the oxidation of compounds, such as p-aminothiophenol, through the activation of charge transfer processes. This study highlights the use of doped lithium niobate materials as semiconductor platforms for plasmonic photocatalysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article argues that the current diagnostic criteria for multiple sclerosis (MS) should be revised. The authors propose that the diagnosis of MS can be made solely based on the presence of dissemination in space (DIS) on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), without the need for dissemination in time (DIT) or further clinical events. They argue that MRI can accurately distinguish MS lesions from non-MS lesions and that the requirement for DIT is unnecessary. The authors also suggest incorporating other factors, such as CSF-OCBs and additional MRI acquisitions, to improve the diagnostic criteria. They acknowledge that there are limitations to their proposal and that further research is needed. [Extracted from the article]

This study carried out throughout two successive seasons 2017 and 2018, on 4 yearsold Flame seedless grapevines grown in sandy soil at 2x3 m apart under drip irrigation system and vines were trellised with Y- shape system in a private vineyard at Belbies District, Sharkia Governorate, Egypt. The experiment included 8 treatments as follow: T1-Control (spraying water) vines will be fertilized according to the used fertilization program followed in the vineyard (60 N, 40 P2O5 and 80 K2O g/vine/year). T2-Spraying vines with mixture of a nano fertilizer containing potassium (36%), amino acid (5%), total nitrogen (5%), total phosphorus (2%) and micronutrient (2%) [Potacrystal at 3 cm/L] (except potassium and 1/5 nitrogen). T3-Spraying vines with mixture of a nano fertilizer containing calcium (15%), magnesium (2%), boron (1.5%) with amino acid (2%) and nitrogen (10%) [Kalmagbor at 3 cm/L] (except 1/10 nitrogen). T4-Spraying vines with mixture of a nano fertilizer containing phosphorus (40%), potassium (28%), amino acid (5%) and nitrogen (5%) [Phospho one at 3 cm/L] (except potassium and phosphor and 1/5 nitrogen). T5-Spraying vines with mixture of nano micro nutrient + citric acid (Magro nano mix at 1 g/L) + (60 N, 40 P2O5 and 80 K2O g/vine/year). T6- Spraying vines with normal chelated iron at 2 g/L+ (60 N, 40 P2O5 and 80 K2O g/vine/year). T7- Spraying vines with nano chelated iron at 3 cm/L + (60 N, 40 P2O5 and 80 K2O g/vine/year). T8- Spraying vines with normal potassium silicate at 5g/L+(60 N, 40 P2O5 and 80 K2O g/vine/year). All spraying treatments carried out three times a year at monthly intervals i.e., the first week of each of March, April and May. The results showed that total yield/feddan (ton) significantly increased by application of all treatments compared with control in both seasons. The uppermost values of total yield per feddan (ton) recorded for treatments T4 (15.59 and 19.94 ton) and T7 (17.20 and 22.11ton) in the first and second season, respectively. The shortest bunches were from treatments control and Normal potassium silicate in the first and second season, respectively, while, other treatments recorded higher values of bunch length in the two seasons without significant differences between them. Leaf surface area (cm2 ) and leaf fresh and dry weight were significantly increased by the tested treatments compared with control (T1) in the two seasons. However, leaves of T7 treatment (Nano chelated iron) contained the highest chlorophyll a (1.133 and 1.233 mg/100 mg FW), b (0.933 and 0.920 mg/100 mg FW), total chlorophyll (2.033 and 2.153 mg/100 mg FW) and carotenoids (0.950 and1.077 mg/100 mg FW). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Historically, the photocatalytic efficacy of graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) has been constrained by a rapid charge recombination rate and restricted sensitivity to visible light. To overcome these limitations and enhance the performance of g-C3N4, the strategic formation of heterojunctions with semiconductor materials is deemed the optimal approach. The present study employed a facile sonication-assisted pyrolysis method to synthesize a g-C3N4@ZrO2 nanocomposite photocatalyst. This hybrid material was characterized extensively using a comprehensive suite of analytical techniques, including XRD, SEM, EDX, FTIR, and UV-Vis DRS. A comparative analysis of photocatalytic applications under identical conditions was conducted for all synthesized materials, wherein they were subjected to UVc light irradiation. The photocatalytic degradation of various dye models, such as MB, EY, and a combination of dyes, was assessed using the prepared nanocomposites. The g-C3N4@ZrO2 photocatalysts showcased superior photocatalytic performance, with a particular variant, g-CNZ6, exhibiting remarkable activity. With a bandgap energy of 2.57 eV, g-CNZ6 achieved impressive degradation efficiencies of 96.5% for MB and 95.6% for EY within 40 min. Following previous studies, the superoxide radical anions (O2−. and h+) were largely accountable for the degradation of MB. Therefore, the observed efficacy of the g-C3N4@ZrO2 nanocomposite photocatalyst can be attributed to the increased generation of these reactive species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Total mastectomy without reconstruction is a commonly adopted procedure for managing breast cancer. Formation of lateral dog ears is very common, especially with large breast cup size. In this study, we assessed the feasibility of adding quilting sutures to the Y plasty technique to achieve more acceptable results in the avoidance of lateral dog ears in comparison to using Y plasty alone. Methods The study included 150 female patients with large breast cup size. Patients were randomized 2 : 1 between group A and group B. In group A, 3-5 quilting sutures were added to the lateral flaps of Y plasty. In group B, Y plasty only was adopted without the quilting sutures. Patients were followed up at 4-month intervals for at least 1 year. One year after surgery, patients filled in a questionnaire inquiring about the degree of discomfort in the area beneath the arm. Also, a plastic surgeon was asked to give a score about the cosmetic outcome of managing lateral dog ears both at 3 weeks and 12 months after surgery. Results Both groups were comparable in regard to age, BMI, breast cup size, and postoperative radiotherapy exposure. Patients in group A had better scores for satisfaction with the shape of the scar and comfort with the bra. Also, the blinded cosmetic outcome assessment was in favor of group A. Conclusion Adding quilting sutures to the lateral flap of the V-Y plasty technique is associated with a better cosmetic outcome in the management of lateral dog ears in mastectomy patients with large breast cup size. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The area coverage problem solution is one of the vital research areas which can benefit from swarm robotics. The greatest challenge to the swarm robotics system is to complete the task of covering an area effectively. Many domains where area coverage is essential include exploration, surveillance, mapping, foraging, and several other applications. This paper introduces a survey of swarm robotics in area coverage research papers from 2015 to 2022 regarding the algorithms and methods used, hardware, and applications in this domain. Different types of algorithms and hardware were dealt with and analysed; according to the analysis, the characteristics and advantages of each of them were identified, and we determined their suitability for different applications in covering the area for many goals. This study demonstrates that naturally inspired algorithms have the most significant role in swarm robotics for area coverage compared to other techniques. In addition, modern hardware has more capabilities suitable for supporting swarm robotics to cover an area, even if the environment is complex and contains static or dynamic obstacles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Cardiac implantable electronic devices (CIEDs) are routinely implanted using intravenous drugs for sedation. However, some patients are poor candidates for intravenous sedation. Objective: We present a case series demonstrating the safety and efficacy of a novel, ultrasound‐guided nerve block technique that allows for pre‐pectoral CIED implantation. The targets are the supraclavicular nerve (SCN) and pectoral nerve (PECS1). Methods: We enrolled 20 patients who were planned for new CIED implantation. Following US‐localization of the SCN and PECS1, local anesthetic (LA) was instilled at least 30–60 min pre‐procedure. Successful nerve block was determined if < 5 mL of intraprocedural LA was used, along with lack of sensation with skin and deep tissue pinprick. Optional sedation was offered to patients' pre‐procedure if discomfort was reported. Results: Seventeen patients (85%) had a successful periprocedural nerve block, with only three patients exceeding 5 mL of LA. SCN and PECS1 success occurred in 19 (95%) and 18 (90%) patients, respectively. The overall success of nerve block by fulfilling all the criteria was demonstrated in 17 out of 20 patients (85%). Patients who reported no pain (VAS score = 0) were distributed as follows: 13 patients (65%) in the immediate post‐procedure interval, 18 patients (90%) at the 1 h post‐implant interval, and 14 patients (70%) at the 24 h post‐ implant interval. The median cumulative VAS score was 0 (IQR = 0 ‐ 1). There were no reported significant adverse effects. Conclusion: SCN and PECS1 nerve blocks are safe and effective for patients undergoing CIED implantation to minimize or eliminate the use of intravenous sedation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Breast self-examination is easy, non-intrusive time- and money-consuming to perform, and it can be done by older as well as younger women. Cancer risk is increased for women who don't undertake BSE. Breast cancer comes in second as the most common illness in women. Objectives: to evaluate the nursing students' understanding of breast self-examination. Methodology: Between November 1st, 2021, and April 1st, 2022, a descriptive and probability study involving (120) female students at the university of Basrah's nursing college was performed. A questionnaire designed to achieve the study's objectives was used to gather data. It has two parts: the first asks about sociodemographic information, and the second gauges respondents' knowledge of breast self-examination and their awareness of the topic. To evaluate the data, descriptive and inferential statistics were employed. Results: Most of the investigation's samples are within the years of 21 and 24, and many of them are single, most are at stage 3, and the bulk don't have any ancestors who have had cancer, according to the study's findings, that the majority of them don't regularly self-examine their breasts, that they live in cities, and that books were their main source of data. Conclusion: Breast self-examination was not well understood by the majority of female nursing trainees. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper introduces a Modified Reptile Search Algorithm (MRSA) designed to optimize the operation of distribution networks (DNs) considering the growing integration of renewable energy sources (RESs). The integration of RESs‐based Distributed Generation (DG) systems, such as wind turbines (WTs) and photovoltaics (PVs), presents a complex challenge due to its significant impact on DN operations and planning, particularly considering uncertainties related to solar irradiance, temperature, wind speed, consumption, and energy prices. The primary objective is cost reduction, encompassing electricity acquisition, PV and WTs unit costs, and annual energy losses. The proposed MRSA incorporates two strategies: the fitness‐distance balance method and Levy flight motion, enhancing its searching capabilities beyond standard Reptile Search Algorithm and mitigating local optima issues. The uncertainties in load demand, energy prices, and renewable energy generation are represented through probability density functions and simulated using Monte Carlo methods. Evaluation involves typical bentchmark functions and a real 112‐bus Algerian DN, comparing MRSA's efficacy with other optimization techniques. Results indicate that the proposed DN optimization program with WTs and PVs integration reduces annual costs by 21.43%, from 6.2715E + 06 to 4.9270E + 06 USD, reduce voltage deviations by 21.67%, from 77.1022 to 60.4007 USD, and enhance system stability by 2.59%, from 2.3699E + 03 to 2.4314E + 03 USD, compared with the base case. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In education, exams are used to asses students’ acquired knowledge; however, the manual assessment of exams consumes a lot of teachers’ time and effort. In addition, educational institutions recently leaned toward distance education and elearning due the Coronavirus pandemic. Thus, they needed to conduct exams electronically, which requires an automated assessment system. Although it is easy to develop an automated assessment system for objective questions. However, subjective questions require answers comprised of free text and are harder to automatically assess since grading them needs to semantically compare the students’ answers with the correct ones. In this paper, we present an automatic short answer grading method by measuring the semantic similarity between the students answer and the correct answer. A semantic network was built to represent the relationship between the words of the two texts to calculate semantic similarity. Representing a text as a semantic network is the best knowledge representation that comes closest to human comprehension of the text, where the semantic network reflects the sentence's semantic, syntactical, and structural knowledge. Several features were extracted from the semantic network and used as input to train the support vector machine (SVM) model to predict the degree of the targeted semantic similarity. The proposed method was tested on the Mohler dataset that is publicly available online. The obtained results were evaluated and reported in terms of Pearson correlation and root mean squared error (RMSE) where it achieved 0.63 and 0.83 respectively. The proposed method outperformed all previous methods on the used dataset. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article "Four Coptic Letters from Thebes" publishes four Coptic letters from Thebes that were found on ostraka. The letters are kept in a warehouse called Abou El-Goud in Luxor. Although the exact origin of the letters is unknown, they were definitely written in the Theban area, particularly in a monastic environment. The letters address topics such as the shipment of wheat, the request for craftsmen, and the inquiry about a specific person named Samuel. The letters are written in Sahidic Coptic and likely date back to the 6th to 8th century. [Extracted from the article]

Background: Dengue has become a major public health problem in Bangladesh with gradually increasing infectivity and severity. Most vulnerable population are children especially children below 5 years of age. However, data regarding dengue among this age group is limited. The objectives of this study were to see the clinical and laboratory profile of dengue fever (DF) in children below 5 years of age and their outcome. Methods: This cross - sectional observational study was carried out in the department of Paediatrics, BIRDEM General Hospital from May 2023 to September 2023. One hundred eighty nine confirmed dengue cases were enrolled in the study. Their clinical profile and laboratory findings including haemoglobin (Hb%), haematocrit (Hct), total count of white blood cells (TC), platelet count (PC), serum alanine aminotransferase (S. ALT), serum aspartate aminotransaminase (S. AST), prothrombin time (PT), international normalized ratio (INR), activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT), serum calcium and serum sodium level were documented and analyzed. Results: Among 189 children 57(30.1%) were infants and 132(69.8%) patients were aged 1 to 5 years. Depending upon the severity of dengue 98(51.8%) were classical dengue fever, 65(34.3%) and 14(7.4%) presented with dengue shock syndrome (DSS) and dengue heamorrhagic fever (DHF) respectively. Fever was present in all children, other common features were vomiting (34.9%), cough (25.9%), dehydration (26.9%), pleural effusion (34.3%), ascites (23.2%) and skin rash (18.5%). Shock were present in 41.1% cases. Warning signs like restlessness, lethargy, altered level of consciousness, convulsion was present in 16.4%, 9.5%, 2.6% and 11.6% respectively. All the children were improved and discharged. Conclusion: In this study dengue presented classically in most of the children. Dengue shock syndrome and dengue haemorrhagic fever were below 10%. The outcome was excellent with no modality. Early reporting to hospital appeared important. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was designed to demonstrate the effect of using different levels of naringin and hesperidin on some blood and biochemical indicators and antioxidant status in aged broiler roosters. To achieve this goal, the birds were randomly distributed into six treatments as follows: The first treatment without any feed additions (NC). The second supplemented with vitamin E (20 IU per kg of feed) (PC). The third and fifth treatments received an addition of (250 mg/kg of feed) of both hesperidin and naringin, denoted as HS1 and NA1 respectively. The fourth and sixth were treated with an addition of (500 mg/kg of feed) of hesperidin and naringin, labeled as HS2 and NA2 respectively. The study aimed to investigate blood characteristics, certain biochemical indicators. When compared to treatments HS1, HS2, NC, and PC, the NA2 treatment clearly outperformed them in MCH and MCV. In comparison to the other treatments, the PC treatment showed a significant increase in (Hb), (PCV), and (TRBC). HS2 and NA2 treatments reduced WBC compared to NC. The hesperidin and naringin treatment resulted in lower quantities of Malondialdehyde. Additionally, HS2 and NA2 showed improvement in activity of the enzymes GOT and GPT, and glutathione concentrations. Conclusions derived from the study's findings imply that the addition of hesperidin and naringin enhanced the birds' immunological capacities. This improvement was followed by a possible decline in MDA levels, which may have resulted from an increase in liver functioning and antioxidant status. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The treatment of N-Phenylmorpholine-4-carbothioamide (HPMCT) with bivalent metal ions in a 2:1 mol ratio without a base present affords [MCl2(κ1S-HPMCT)2] {M = Cu(1), Pd(2), Pt(3), and Hg(4)} in a good yield. Furthermore, the reaction of two equivalents of HPMCT and one equivalent of bivalent metal ions in the presence of Et3N has afforded [M(κ2S,N-PMCT)2] {M = Ni(5), Cu(6), Pd(7), Pt(8), Zn(9), Cd(10), and Hg(11)}. Infrared, 1H, 13C Nuclear Magnetic Resonance molar conductivity, and elemental analysis were used to characterize the synthesized complexes. The results suggest that HPMCT is bonded as monodentate via an S atom in Complexes (1–4), whereas linkage as a bidentate chelating ligand via S and N atoms gives two chelate rings. Moreover, the synthesized ligand and the complexes were screened for antibacterial activity, which displayed that the very best antibacterial activities for Complexes (1), (6), and (3). In addition, the cytotoxic activity of the HPMCT ligand, [PdCl2(HPMCT)2] (2), and [PtCl2(HPMCT)2] (3) were screened on breast cancer cell lines (MCF-7), and Complex (3) reveals the most promising activity with an IC50 value 12.72 ± 0.4 μM. Using the B3LYP method and 6-311++G(d,p) basis sets for the ligand and the SDD basis set for the central metal, the synthesized complexes utilizing the prepared ligand were optimized. Various quantum parameters such as hardness, electron affinity, dipole moment, vibrational frequencies, and ionization energy for the ligand and its complexes have been calculated. In general, a favorable agreement was found between the experimental results and the obtained theoretical results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

On Quartz substrates, high purity transparent conductive the Di-Oxide of the (SHfO2) Nano and micro-structure films were successfully coated. The method of (PLD) Deposition using Pulsed Laser, and the influence of laser energy was investigated. The XRD results revealed two distinct phases, cubic and monoclinic crystal shapes. Peaks in the Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectra showed that HfO2 nanofilm was forming. The findings of the optical characteristics reveal an excellent transparency of nearly 80% (89 percent). As the laser wavelength decreases, the optical energy band gap values for Nanostructure of HfO2 were prepared, with values ranging from 5.24 to 5.53 eV. Also, the EDX results showed the appearance of hafnium peaks and oxygen peaks in varying proportions, which confirms that hafnium oxide is definitely obtained The results of the AFM reveal that when the pulsed laser intensity increases, the average grain diameter values increase from 52.96 to 74.54 nm. With regard to optimum pulsed laser energy, the based on I-V characterization, the generated factor ideality for created diodes was discovered to be decreasing, and the corresponding values of the barrier height grew. The ideality factor of the diode made the optimum pulsed laser energy (1800 mJ) was greater (n=3.1). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Conventional coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) and mitral valve replacement (MVR) is the best definitive treatment for patients with ischemic heart disease (IHD) complicated with severe ischemic mitral regurgitation (IMR). Yet the procedure itself entails high intraoperative and early postoperative risks added to the higher preoperative risk profile of its candidates. The higher risk values are largely attributed to the longer duration taken for the combined procedures with mandatory prolonged aortic cross clamping time with the risk of longer cardiac arrest state and prolonged cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) time. Objective: This study primarily aimed at tracing the impact of a modified strategy adopting CABG on beating on-pumped non-aortic cross clamped heart conserving cardiac ischemia only for the MVR step of the surgery. Patients and Methods: This retrospective observational non-randomized study included 56 patients presented with IHD complicated with severe IMR. They had been operated upon by CABG and MVR. They had anginal pain grade III according to Canadian Cardiovascular Society (CCS) grading of angina pectoris. Intraoperative aortic cross clamping time, CPB time and mortality, postoperative mortality, morbidity outcomes, overall hospital complications rate, left ventricular ejection fraction per cent (LVEF%), CCS grading and overall one-year survival rate were evaluated. Results: No intraoperative mortality happened. The in-hospital mortality was 5.35%. Multivariable analysis showed that old age (OR: 1.15 (95% CI: 1.090-1.210); p= 0.001), females (OR: 3.25 (95% CI: 1.030-10.801); p= 0.041) and critical preoperative condition (OR: 3.78 (95% CI: 1.179-12.798); p= 0.027) were the foreshows of operative mortality and showed that old age (OR: 1.16 (95% CI: 1.100-1.122); p= 0.001) and critical preoperative condition (OR: 4.68 (95% CI: 1.378-15.395); p= 0.008) were those of in-hospital morbidity. The overall hospital complication rate was 23.21%. The overall one-year survival rate was 94.64% with statistically significant improvement of LVEF% with a mean 51.53±3.41 (p<0.001) and CCS grade whereas 92.45% were in CCS grade I and 7.54% in CCS grade II (p<0.001). Conclusion: The adopted stepwise approach showed markedly better operative and postoperative outcomes than reported with statistically significant improvement in both functional clinical statuses, LVEF% and survival at one-year follow-up. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nested hippocampal oscillations in the rodent give rise to temporal dynamics that may underlie learning, memory, and decision making. Although theta/gamma coupling in rodent CA1 occurs during exploration and sharp-wave ripples emerge in quiescence, it is less clear that these oscillatory regimes extend to primates. We therefore sought to identify correspondences in frequency bands, nesting, and behavioral coupling of oscillations taken from macaque hippocampus. We found that, in contrast to rodent oscillations, theta and gamma frequency bands in macaque CA1 were segregated by behavioral states. In both stationary and freely moving designs, beta2/gamma (15-70 Hz) had greater power during visual search whereas the theta band (3-10 Hz; peak ~8 Hz) dominated during quiescence and early sleep. Moreover, theta-band amplitude was strongest when beta2/slow gamma (20-35 Hz) amplitude was weakest, instead occurring along with higher frequencies (60-150 Hz). Spike-field coherence was most frequently seen in these three bands (3-10 Hz, 20-35 Hz, and 60-150 Hz); however, the theta-band coherence was largely due to spurious coupling during sharp-wave ripples. Accordingly, no intrinsic theta spiking rhythmicity was apparent. These results support a role for beta2/slow gamma modulation in CA1 during active exploration in the primate that is decoupled from theta oscillations. The apparent difference to the rodent oscillatory canon calls for a shift in focus of frequency when considering the primate hippocampus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The transition to Electric Vehicles (EV) in place of traditional internal combustion engines is increasing societal demand for electricity. The ability to integrate the additional demand from EV charging into forecasting electricity demand is critical for maintaining the reliability of electricity generation and distribution. Load forecasting studies typically exclude households with home EV charging, focusing on offices, schools, and public charging stations. Moreover, they provide point forecasts which do not offer information about prediction uncertainty. Consequently, this paper proposes the Long Short-Term Memory Bayesian Neural Networks (LSTM-BNNs) for household load forecasting in presence of EV charging. The approach takes advantage of the LSTM model to capture the time dependencies and uses the dropout layer with Bayesian inference to generate prediction intervals. Results show that the proposed LSTM-BNNs achieve accuracy similar to point forecasts with the advantage of prediction intervals. Moreover, the impact of lockdowns related to the COVID-19 pandemic on the load forecasting model is examined, and the analysis shows that there is no major change in the model performance as, for the considered households, the randomness of the EV charging outweighs the change due to pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Trauma is a hidden disease in Egypt, and its significance on public health has been underestimated for decades. Road traffic accidents are the leading cause of injuries presented to hospitals in Egypt. Trauma systems in developed countries effectively reduced the morbidity and mortality associated with injuries in crowded cities. Developing a trauma system in Egypt is mandatory with the exploding population growth, increasing incidence of injuries, and the vast expansion of the infrastructures in the road network. However, the implementation of the trauma system in Egypt will not be devoid of challenges, including a lack of mandatory healthcare infrastructures such as adequate pre-hospital care, poor quality of data, and a shortage of adequately trained emergency physicians across the country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a case of a 41-year-old man with adenosine-sensitive tachycardia terminated by a late coupled PVC. Topics discussed include the mechanism of tachycardia termination involving a "double loop," the role of anterograde and retrograde conduction through atrioventricular pathways, and the significance of comprehensive evaluation during ablation to prevent supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) recurrence.

The tendency to use natural organic wastes is one of the environmentally safe applications in crop production. Therefore, the presented study aimed to determine the effect of adding mushroom and sulfur residues to gypsiferous soil and their efficiency in improving the production of broccoli 'Balimo F1' (Brassica oleracea var. 'Italica'). The study set out in a randomized complete block design with three replications. The 10 combined treatments of the spent mushroom substrate (SMS) and sulfur residues consisted of 0% and 15% (SMS), and 0, 1000, 2000, 3000, and 4000 S kg ha-1. The interaction of the spent mushroom substrate with sulfur showed significant differences for most growth and yield-related traits of broccoli, including leaf length, leaves per plant, roots per plant, head diameter, head weight, total yield, and harvest index, as compared with the control treatments. Among all the treatments in broccoli, the highest total yield (148,702 kg ha-1) resulted in the treatment SMS - 15% + Sulfur - 3000 kg ha-1, followed by the total yields of 111,608 and 105,663 kg ha-1 produced by the treatments SMS - 15% + Sulfur - 4000 kg ha-1 and SMS - 15% + Sulfur - 2000 kg ha-1, respectively. However, the minimum total yield in broccoli (28,295 kg ha-1) came from the treatment SMS - 0% + Sulfur - 3000 kg ha-1, followed by a total yield of 33,793 kg ha-1 obtained in the treatment SMS - 0% + Sulfur - 4000 kg ha-1. Overall, and compared with the control, a significant influence occurred due to the interaction of spent mushroom substrate and sulfur with levels of 15% and 3000 kg ha-1, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Construction of huge metro projects in congested areas in Cairo City, Egypt, calls for optimization of the underground excavation process. The soil profile in Cairo city, Egypt, is generally characterized as soft soil containing layers of clay and sand. To control the ground movements and shotcrete stresses, it is necessary to optimize the ground surface settlements and excavation step. In this paper, several tunnel sections were compared to illustrate how the tunnel shape affects the soil deformations and straining actions results. Results of numerical modeling using plane-strain finite elements are presented; different types of sequences for the tunneling excavation of each section are compared. Analysis results from different models show that using different tunnel section excavation sequences affects the soil behavior differently, and that suitability of the sequence is determined by the soil properties and the dimensions of the tunneling section. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An experimental investigation on the mixed convection heat transfer of air flowing in circular conduits of a solar collector is conducted. The test rig consists of three different copper pipes with a length of 70 cm. The pipes are heated at constant heat flux. The effect of the pipe inclination angle (θ = 0°, 60°, and 90°), length-to-diameter ratio (L/D = 13.8, 18.4, and 36.7), and heat rate (Q = 5, 11, 19.6, 30, 40.5, and 57.8 W) is studied in the present study. The influences of Richardson number (Ri), inclination angle, and length-to-diameter ratio on the average Nusselt number are examined as well. The results show that the Nusselt number (Nu) is improved by 41.5% as the inclination angle is changed from 0° to 90° at L/D = 13.8. Further, as the length-to-diameter ratio was reduced from 36.7 to 13.8 at 90°, up to 54.9% enhancement in heat transfer is found. Also, it is seen that by increasing the heat rate from 5 W to 57.8 W at 90° and L/D = 13.8, the exchange in heat is improved by 44%. Three empirical correlations were proposed for each studied pipe inclination angle. A good agreement was found between the measured Nu and the calculated Nu from the proposed correlations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of metal complexes of Ni(II), Zn(II), Sb(III), and U(VI) were synthesized by reacting the corresponding metal salts with the Schiff base ligand, S-benzyl-3-(4-methoxybenzylidine)dithiocarbazate. These metal complexes were structurally characterized by elemental analysis, IR, 1H and 13C NMR, and electronic absorption spectroscopy. The molecular structures of the synthesized complexes were also explored by quantum computational calculations based on the density functional theory (DFT). The outcome of the spectroscopic and theoretical data revealed that the ligand was linked with metals through N and S donor atoms of the Schiff base. Based on analytical data, metal-ligand stoichiometry in complex formation was found to be a 1 : 2 molecular ratio. Analytical data allied with spectroscopic studies spilled that the Ni(II) and Zn(II) complexes preferred square planar geometry and tetrahedral geometry, whereas Sb(III) and U(VI) complexes offered octahedral geometry, respectively. Both the Schiff base and its complexes were screened for antibacterial activity against some pathogenic bacterial species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new one parameter distribution recently was proposed for modelling lifetime data called half logistic-geometric (HLG) distribution. In this paper, appropriate transformation is considered for HLG distribution and a new distribution is derived called unit half logistic-geometric (UHLG) distribution for modelling bounded data in the interval (0, 1). Some important statistical properties are investigated with a closed form quantile function. Some methods of parameter estimation are introduced to evaluate the distribution parameter and a simulation study is introduced to compare these different methods. A real data application in the insurance field is introduced to show the flexibility of the new distribution modelling such data comparing with other distributions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Oxidative stress is a key player in the development of idiopathic male infertility (IMI), and various antioxidants have been used for the treatment of IMI with inconsistent results. Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) is a cofactor and an antioxidant that may improve semen parameters and reduce oxidative stress in patients with idiopathic oligoasthenospermia (OA). Therefore, this study aimed to explore the effect of CoQ10 on semen parameters and antioxidant markers in patients with idiopathic OA. Methods: Fifty patients with idiopathic OA and 35 fertile controls were enrolled in this prospective controlled study. All participants underwent a comprehensive fertility assessment. All patients received CoQ10 (300 mg/day) orally once daily for 3 months. Semen parameters, seminal CoQ10 levels, reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, total antioxidant capacity (TAC), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) were measured in patients and controls at the start of the study and after 3 months. Results: Treatment with CoQ10 resulted in increased sperm progressive motility (p<0.05), total motility (p<0.01), seminal TAC (p<0.01), SOD (p<0.05), GPx (p<0.001), and seminal CoQ10 (p<0.001) levels and reduced ROS (p<0.01) in patients as compared to baseline. Sperm concentration and motility were also significantly correlated with antioxidant measures and seminal CoQ10 levels (r=0.38-0.57). Conclusion: CoQ10 therapy (300 mg/day for 3 months) improved sperm motility and seminal antioxidant markers in patients with idiopathic OA. Therefore, CoQ10 could be a promising treatment for patients with idiopathic infertility and may improve their fertility potential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Memory for events from the distant past relies on multiple brain regions, but little is known about the underlying neural dynamics that give rise to such abilities. We recorded neural activity in the hippocampus and retrosplenial cortex of two female rhesus macaques as they visually selected targets in year-old and newly acquired object-scene associations. Whereas hippocampal activity was unchanging with memory age, the retrosplenial cortex responded with greater magnitude alpha oscillations (10-15 Hz) and greater phase locking to memory-guided eye movements during retrieval of old events. A similar old-memory enhancement was observed in the anterior cingulate cortex but in a beta2/gamma band (28-35 Hz). In contrast, remote retrieval was associated with decreased gamma-band synchrony between the hippocampus and each neocortical area. The increasing retrosplenial alpha oscillation and decreasing hippocampocortical synchrony with memory age may signify a shift in frank memory allocation or, alternatively, changes in selection among distributed memory representations in the primate brain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: High voltage electrical burn is one of the most devastating burn injuries involving upper limbs in Bangladesh. It causes serious disfigurement and may lead to loss of the whole upper limb. The aim of this study was to see the severity of electric burn injury involving upper limbs pausing amputations at different levels in two tertiary level referral hospitals of Bangladesh. Methods: A prospective observational study was designed to collect the data from Burn and Plastic Surgery Unit, Dhaka Medical College Hospital and Sheikh Hasina National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery from January 2019 to December 2019. One hundred and sixty-nine (169) patients with high voltage electrical burn injury involving upper limb underwent amputation were analyzed according to the severity based on clinical assessment. Results: Male predominance (89%) was observed where right upper limb was involved in 49% of the cases and in 11% cases amputation was bilateral. The most alarming finding was 57.4% patients were below the age of 21 years. Below elbow amputation was done in 48.5% cases followed by above elbow amputations in 32.54% cases. Conclusion: Male sex and younger age are the two most common association with electric burn and subsequent limb amputation. The incidence in higher in upper limbs. This study will help us to create the awareness and for prevention of electric burn. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Valproic acid (VPA) is one of antiepileptic drugs that causes neurodevelopmental disorders, including the autism spectrum disorder. Folic acid is essential for DNA synthesis and its periconceptional supplementation protects against several birth defects. Objective: To clarify the folic acid’s protective potential against the valproic acid induced neurodevelopmental toxicity on rat cerebellar cortex. Material and Methods: 60 pregnant albino rats were divided into three groups; group I (control, received saline), group II (valproic acid 50 mg/kg once daily) and group III (valproic and folic acid (400 mg/kg) once daily). The offspring rats were sacrificed at day 15 and 17 prenatally, newborn, and at day 15 and 21 postnatally. Samples of cerebellar cortex were prepared for light and electron microscopic examination, immunohistochemical GFAB study as well as for histomorphometric analysis. Results: In group II, the rat offspring’s cerebellar cortex showed marked degenerative changes, mostly in Purkinje cells. The cells appeared shrunken, irregular with vacuolated cytoplasm contained damaged organelles and nuclei. The external granular layer appeared decreased in thickness and contained less cells with deeply stained nuclei. The cerebellar cortex of the group III showed restoration of the normal architecture. GFAB immunoreaction in group III appeared comparable to control against the strong positive reaction (gliosis) in group II. All studied morphometric parameters in group III were close to the control group and markedly reduced in group II. Conclusion: Periconceptional folic acid supplementation reduces VPA neurotoxic effects on rat cerebellar cortex development pre and postnatally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The potential of rooftop solar photovoltaic (PV) in the context of the political, economic, social, technical and environmental (PESTLE) framework in Africa. • The prospect of dual use of building integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) in Africa. • Implementing appropriate energy policy and financing schemes in African cities. • Promoting a sustainable path for cost effective recycling and reuse of end-of-life PV in African cities. Power outage is a regular occurrence in most African cities due to increasing energy demand from population growth and commercial activities outstripping the grid capacity. This results in disruption to normal life putting stress on businesses and affecting development across the continent. This review paper investigates the potential of solar photovoltaic (PV) in African cities from three perspectives. Firstly, the potential of rooftop PV in the context of the political, economic, social, technical, legal and environmental aspects (PESTLE) is evaluated. Thereafter, sustainable waste management of solar PV panels is reviewed in anticipation for the upcoming wave of end-of life solar panels. Finally, the prospect of dual use building integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) as power generators and building components is investigated from case studies in Africa. Most studies highlight the strong potential of rooftop PV and BIPV due to the availability of high radiance in the continent. However, our review shows that affordability and lack of investment acts as a significant barrier to mass adoption of this technology which could be remedied by implementing appropriate energy policy and financing schemes. Alternative financing of PV products and service solutions such as leasing, pay monthly, pay-as-you-go, and subscriptions are emerging as popular options, and these approaches seem to act as drivers to market expansion. The review also emphasizes on the need for effective and sustainable waste management of solar PV products through implementing appropriately designed recycling schemes. This will need to be adopted now to ensure success and to prevent a waste management crisis in the future for the African continent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cell regenerative therapy is a modern solution for difficult-to-heal wounds. Keratinocytes, the most common cell type in the skin, are difficult to obtain without the creation of another wound. Stem cell differentiation towards keratinocytes is a challenging process, and it is difficult to reproduce in chemically defined media. Nevertheless, a co-culture of keratinocytes with stem cells usually achieves efficient differentiation. This systematic review aims to identify the secretions of normal human keratinocytes reported in the literature and correlate them with the differentiation process. An online search revealed 338 references, of which 100 met the selection criteria. A total of 80 different keratinocyte secretions were reported, which can be grouped mainly into cytokines, growth factors, and antimicrobial peptides. The growth-factor group mostly affects stem cell differentiation into keratinocytes, especially epidermal growth factor and members of the transforming growth factor family. Nevertheless, the reported secretions reflected the nature of the involved studies, as most of them focused on keratinocyte interaction with inflammation. This review highlights the secretory function of keratinocytes, as well as the need for intense investigation to characterize these secretions and evaluate their regenerative capacities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Never Events (NE) are serious clinical incidents that are wholly preventable if appropriate institutional safeguards are in place and followed. They are often used as a surrogate of the quality of healthcare delivered by an institution. Most NEs are surgical and orthopaedic surgery is one of the most involved specialties. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to identify common NE themes associated with orthopaedics within the National Health Service (NHS) of England. METHOD: We conducted an observational study analysing the annual NE data published by the NHS England from 2012 to 2020 to collate all orthopaedic surgery-related NE and construct relevant recurring themes. RESULTS: We identified 460 orthopaedic NE out of a total of 3247 (14.16%) reported NE to NHS England. There were 206 Wrong implants/prostheses under 8 different themes. Wrong hip and knee prosthesis were the commonest "wrong implants" (n = 94; 45.63% and n = 91; 44.17% respectively). There were 197 "wrong-site surgery" incidents in 22 different themes. The commonest of these was the laterality problems accounting for 64 (32.48%) incidents followed by 63 (31.97%) incidents of wrong spinal level interventions. There were 18 (9.13%) incidents of intervention on the wrong patients and 17 (8.62%) wrong incisions. Retained pieces of instruments were the commonest retained foreign body with 15 (26.13%) incidents. The next categories were retained drill parts and retained instruments with 13 (22.80%) incidents each. CONCLUSION: We identified 47 different themes of NE specific to orthopaedic surgery. Awareness of these themes would help in their prevention. Site marking can be challenging in the presence of cast and on operating on the digits and spine. Addition of a real-time intra-operative implant scan to the National Joint Registry can avoid wrong implant selection while fiducial markers, intraoperative imaging, O-arm navigation, and second time-out could help prevent wrong level spinal surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Approximately 15% of the world's couples suffer from infertility during their reproductive period of which the male factor is responsible for 50% of cases. Male factor infertility is multifactorial in origin, and sperm DNA fragmentation (SDF) has also been linked to male infertility including idiopathic male infertility. Some degree of controlled DNA nicking is essential for adequate DNA compaction, but excessive SDF is usually associated with reduced male fertility potential, reduced fertilisation, poor embryo quality, recurrent pregnancy loss and poor assisted reproductive techniques (ARTs) outcomes. Although semen analysis remains the gold standard for diagnosis of male factor infertility worldwide, its limitations motivated the search and the development of complementary tests of sperm function and integrity. SDF assay is an emerging diagnostic tool in infertile men, and several indications for SDF testing in infertile couples have also been proposed. The use of SDF in routine male infertility assessment is, however, still controversial. Furthermore, both direct and indirect SDF tests are now available. Hence, the present review was conducted to summarise the recent evidence of SDF, underlying mechanisms, clinical indications, diagnostic tests, as well as the role of SDF in male factor infertility, pregnancy and ART outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Journal of Bangladesh College of Physicians and Surgeons (JBCPS), all the go by 'BCPS Journal', is the official organ of BCPS inclusive of academic, extra-academic and official matters. The journal started its journey in August 1983, now in the fourth decades is embedded in the fanfare of Golden Jubilee of BCPS. It commensurate with the fellows' desire that a supplement of the JBCPS shall be published as the official organ of the college on behalf of the education, training, research and publication to Showcase the college image in the academic arena. The special editorial board is tasked to marinate a document of the sojourn of the JBCPS, for now and then. The authors have tried to pick up pieces of information from all available local libraries and online resources to build up an edifice to be added on from time to time. It has been tried to fullfill the mandate through expanded and extended search and find the tenets of the emergence and evolution of the JBCPS with an endeavor to bring out a canvas of the paintings of the stories of the Odyssey. Bangladesh Medical Journal (BMJ) published by Bangladesh Medical Association (BMA) is the oldest journal of the country first published 50 years ago in July 1972. Then the Bangladesh Medical Research Council Bulletin (BMRC Bulletin), published in December 1975. JBCPS is the third in this sequence. Prof Golam Rasul was the first editor in chief and so far, fifteen chiefs navigated the journal so far. The first editorial board consisted of five members and present editorial board embracing almost all the subjects including editors from abroad. JBCPS is online since 2004 and is available in the Bangladesh Journals Online (BanglaJOL) since 2006. With Continued relentless untiring efforts of the editorial board and collaboration from the executive committee of BCPS the JBCPS is now one of the top ranked & prestigious peer reviewed journal of the country. The next endeavor shall be to enlist the journal in PubMed which is expected very soon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Different antioxidants including coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) have been tried to treat idiopathic male infertility (IMI) with variable results. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the clinical and biochemical predictors of pregnancy outcome and time to pregnancy (TTP) in infertile men with idiopathic oligoasthenospermia (OA) pre‐ and post‐CoQ10 therapy. This prospective controlled clinical study included 178 male patients with idiopathic OA and 84 fertile men (controls). Patients received 200 mg of oral CoQ10 once daily for 6 months. Demographics, semen parameters, seminal CoQ10 levels, reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, total antioxidant capacity (TAC), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), sperm DNA fragmentation (SDF) and body mass index were measured and compared at baseline and after 6 months. All participants were followed up for another 18 months for pregnancy outcome and TTP. CoQ10 therapy for 6 months significantly improved semen parameters, antioxidant measures and reduced SDF. The pregnancy rate was 24.2% and TTP was 20.52 ± 6.72 months in patients as compared to 95.2% and 5.73 ± 6.65 months in fertile controls. After CoQ10 therapy, CoQ10 level, sperm concentration, motility and ROS were independent predictors of pregnancy outcome and CoQ10 level, male age, sperm concentration, motility, ROS and GPx were independent predictors of TTP in patients. In conclusion, CoQ10 therapy of 6 months is a potential treatment for men with idiopathic OA. CoQ10 level, male age, semen parameters, ROS and GPx could potentially be used as diagnostic biomarkers for male fertility and predictors for pregnancy outcome and TTP in these patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Finding similarities in texts is important in many areas such as information retrieval, automated article scoring, and short answer categorization. Evaluating short answers is not an easy task due to differences in natural language. Methods for calculating the similarity between texts depend on semantic or grammatical aspects. This paper discusses a method for evaluating short answers using semantic networks to represent the typical (correct) answer and students' answers. The semantic network of nodes and relationships represents the text (answers). Moreover, grammatical aspects are found by measuring the similarity of parts of speech between the answers. In addition, finding hierarchical relationships between nodes in networks. The similarity is then calculated, and students' answers are evaluated. The best results are for weights (α = 0.1, = 0.6, γ = 0.3) = 1.82 from 5, giving more weight in nodes similarity by 6, least similarity by relationships by 3, and least similarity by parts of speech by 1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Patients with end‐stage heart failure frequently have significant congestive hepatopathy requiring hepatology assessment prior to heart transplantation listing. An elevated Model for End‐stage Liver Disease score with modification to exclude INR (MELD‐XI) has been associated with increased mortality following heart transplantation (HT). This study's primary aim was to examine whether Child‐Turcotte‐Pugh (CTP) classification is associated with post‐transplant mortality in patients bridged to transplant with left ventricular assist devices. Methods and Results: We conducted a retrospective analysis of 134 patients from our center. Age, CTP class, and MELD‐XI at HT were included in the multivariate model for the primary outcome, which demonstrated a significant association between 1‐year mortality and CTP class (CTP‐A HR:.08, CI.01–.46, P <.01; CTP‐B HR:.25, CI.05–1.2, P =.08; reference group CTP‐C), and MELD‐XI (HR: 1.15; CI: 1.03–1.28; P =.01), but no significant difference for age (HR:.97; CI:.93–1.01; P =.15). Only 13/33 patients with CTP improvement after assist device also had improvement in MELD‐XI. Conclusions: Patients with relatively low MELD‐XI scores with discordantly high CTP classification may be a distinct subset for whom MELD‐XI underestimates the risk of mortality after heart transplantation compared to CTP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polyethylene and polyvinyl chloride have been being used as a modifier of bitumen (asphalt cement), whereas application of waste polyethylene (WPE) and waste polyvinyl chloride (WPVC) are quite introductory in the field of bituminous pavement. This research studied the effects of soaking periods on the compressive strength of compacted modified bituminous mixes with WPE and WPVC. 11% WPE and 8% WPVC, the optimum modifier contents, were utilised in modifying the bitumen, which was found from an investigation of Marshall properties. Index of retained strength (IRS) of Mix-I, Mix-II, and Mix-III satisfied the standard limit of 75%, until 62.4, 84, and 67.2 h of soaking periods, respectively. WPE and WPVC showed excellent performance in submergence, encouraging the use of modified bitumen in the flood-prone region. WPE is suitable in cold climate as well as the warmer region, while WPVC is recommended only for the warmer climate. Utilisation of WPE and WPVC resulted in saving asphalt cement of 0.11 and 0.08 kg/kg, respectively, and reduce environmental pollution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Oxidative stress and sperm DNA fragmentation (SDF) have been linked to idiopathic male infertility (IMI). Various antioxidants have been tried to improve semen parameters and fertility potential in IMI patients, but with inconsistent results. The study aimed to compare the effects of coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) and Centrum multivitamins on semen parameters, seminal antioxidant capacity, and SDF in infertile men with idiopathic oligoasthenospermia (OA). Methods: This prospective controlled clinical study involved 130 patients with idiopathic OA and 58 fertile controls. The patients were divided randomly into two groups: the first group received CoQ10 (200 mg/day orally) and the second group received Centrum multivitamins (1 tablet/day) for 3 months. Semen parameters, CoQ10 levels, reactive oxygen species (ROS), total antioxidant capacity (TAC), catalase, SDF, and serum hormone levels (follicle-stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone, testosterone, and prolactin) were compared at baseline and after 3 months. Results: Both CoQ10 and Centrum improved sperm concentration and motility, but the improvement was greater with Centrum therapy (p<0.05). Similarly, both therapies improved antioxidant capacity, but TAC and catalase improvement was greater (p<0.01 and p<0.001 respectively) with CoQ10, whereas ROS (p<0.01) and SDF (p<0.001) improvements were greater with Centrum administration. Centrum therapy was associated with reduced serum testosterone (p<0.05). Conclusion: In conclusion, both CoQ10 and Centrum were effective in improving semen parameters, antioxidant capacity, and SDF, but the improvement was greater with Centrum than with CoQ10. Therefore, Centrum--as a source of combined antioxidants--may provide more effective results than individual antioxidants such as CoQ10 in the treatment of infertile men with idiopathic OA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We examine the potential of cadmium sulfide when combined with plasmonic nanostructures to support photo-induced catalysis. Super-bandgap irradiation of a silver nanowire and cadmium sulfide composite for the probe molecule p-aminothiophenol (PATP) showed the formation of dimercaptoazobenzene (DMAB) from PATP. Our results demonstrate that cadmium sulfide can be used as an alternative material to semiconductors, such as titanium dioxide, for plasmonic photocatalysis applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Huntington's disease (HD) is an inheritable autosomal-dominant disorder that targets mainly the striatum. 3-Nitropropionic acid (3-NP) induces obvious deleterious behavioral, neurochemical, and histological effects similar to the symptoms of HD. Our study aimed to examine the neuroprotective activity of tropisetron, an alpha-7 neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (α-7nAChR) agonist, against neurotoxic events associated with 3-NP-induced HD in rats. Forty-eight rats were randomly allocated into four groups. Group I received normal saline, while Groups II, III and IV received 3-NP for 2 weeks. In addition, Group III and IV were treated with tropisetron 1 h after 3-NP administration. Meanwhile, Group IV received methyllycaconitine (MLA), an α-7nAChR antagonist, 30 min before tropisetron administration. Treatment with tropisetron improved motor deficits as confirmed by the behavioral tests and restored normal histopathological features of the striatum. Moreover, tropisetron showed an anti-oxidant activity via increasing the activities of SDH and HO-1 as well as Nrf2 expression along with reducing MDA level. Tropisetron also markedly upregulated the protein expression of p-PI3K and p -Akt which in turn hampered JAK2/NF-κB inflammatory cascade. In addition, tropisetron showed an anti-apoptotic activity through boosting the expression of Bcl-2 and reducing Bax expression and caspase-3 level. Interestingly, all the aforementioned effects of tropisetron were blocked by pre-administration of MLA, which confirms that such neuroprotective effects are mediated via activating of α-7nAChR. In conclusion, tropisetron showed a neuroprotective activity against 3-NP-induced HD via activating PI3K/Akt signaling and suppressing JAK2/NF-κB inflammatory axis. Thus, repositioning of tropisetron could represent a promising therapeutic strategy in management of HD. [Display omitted] • Tropisetron attenuated 3-NP-induced neurotoxicity and motor deficits. • Tropisetron enhanced neuro-survival signaling and stimulated PI3K/Akt axis. • Tropisetron mitigated neuro-inflammatory status and inhibited JAK/NF-κB p65 cascade. • Tropisetron increased SDH and OH activities as well as Nrf2 and decreased MDA. • Tropisetron boosted Bcl2 and reduced Bax and Caspase-3. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The free piston engine linear generator (FPELG) is a simple engine structure with few components, making it a promising power generation system. However, because the engine works without a crankshaft, the handling of the piston motion control (PMC) is the main challenge influencing the stability and performance of FPELGs. In this article, the optimal operating parameters of FPELG for maximising engine performance and reducing exhaust gas emissions were studied. Moreover, the influence of adding hydrogen (H 2) to compressed natural gas (CNG) fuel on FPELG performance was investigated. The influence of operating parameters on in-cylinder pressure was also analysed. The single-piston FPELG fuelled by CNG blended with H 2 was used to run the experiments. The response surface methodology (RSM), including the central composite design (CCD), was used. Then, adequacy models were developed and verified by ANOVA. Three independent factors on seven responses were utilised for optimisation. Results showed that the optimal operating conditions of lambda, ignition velocity, and injection position were 0.96, 0.53 m/s, and −14.9 mm, respectively. The best-predicted values were as follows: indicated mean effective pressure (IMEP) of 7.6 bar, in-cylinder pressure of 27.87 bar, combustion efficiency of 39.64%, CO of 9531.41 ppm, CO 2 of 2.4%, HC of 551.75 ppm, and NO X of 113.737 ppm. Furthermore, results showed that the experimental data could be fitted well with the predicted quadratic model. [Display omitted] • Three independent factors on seven responses were used for the optimisation. • The adequacy models were developed in RSM and verified by ANOVA. • The operating parameters of FPELG were optimised using RSM. • Maximum performance and minimum emission of FPELG were obtained. • The effect of operating parameters on FPELG performance was investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ion emission properties of laser-produced plasmas as a function of laser intensities between 4–50 GW cm − 2 and varying angles with respect to the target normal were investigated. The plasmas were produced by focusing 1064 nm, 6 ns pulses from an Nd:YAG laser on various metal targets. The targets used for this study include Ti, Mo, and Gd (Z = 22 , 42 , 64). It is noted that all ion profiles are composed of multiple peaks—a prompt emission peak trailed by three ion peaks (ultrafast, fast, and thermal). Experimentally, it is shown that each of these ion peaks follows a unique trend as a function of laser intensity, angle, and distance away from the target. Theoretically, it is shown that simple analytical models can be used to explain the properties of the ions. The variations in the ion velocity and density as a function of laser intensity are found to be in good agreement with theoretical models of sheath acceleration, isothermal self-similar expansion, and ablative plasma flow for various ion peaks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To determine the predictors of postoperative acute kidney injury (AKI) following nonemergent cardiac surgery among patients with variable preoperative estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) levels.Methods: A retrospective study of patients who underwent elective or in-hospital cardiac surgical procedures was performed between January 2006 and November 2015. The procedures included isolated coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), isolated aortic valve replacement (AVR), or combined CABG and AVR. The primary outcome AKI (any stage) following nonemergent cardiac surgery utilizing the 2012 Kidney Disease-Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) criteria. Patients were categorized based on the following renal outcomes: mild AKI, severe AKI (KDIGO stage 2 or 3), and postoperative dialysis. Patients with G5 preoperative kidney function (including dialysis patients) were excluded.Results: A total of 6675 patients were included in our study. The mean age was 66.8 years (SD ± 10.4), with 76.3% being males. A total of 4487 patients had normal or mildly decreased eGFR (G1 or G2) preoperatively (67.2%), while 1960 patients were in the G3 category (29.4%). Only 228 patients (3.4%) had G4 renal function. A total of 1453 (21.7%) patients experienced postoperative AKI. The need for postoperative dialysis occurred in 3.2% of the AKI subgroup. In-hospital mortality was higher among the AKI subgroup (7.2% vs. 0.5%; p < .0001). In an adjusted model, a lower preoperative eGFR category was the strongest predictor of AKI. A practical scorecard for the preoperative estimation of severe AKI for nonemergent cardiac procedures incorporating these parameters was developed.Conclusions: Preoperative eGFR is the strongest predictor of postoperative AKI in individuals undergoing nonemergent cardiac surgery. A practical scorecard incorporating preoperative predictors of AKI may allow informed decision-making and predict AKI following nonemergent cardiac surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]