Search

The current study was conducted to investigate the role of alpha lipoic acid (ALA) against testicular toxicity- induced by lead acetate (PbAc) in rats. Four groups of adult Wistar albino rats (8 for each) were intubated daily for 56 days as follows; control (C)received dislled water; lead acetate at dose of 5mg/kg b.w (T1); ALA at dose of 60mg/kg b.w (T2) and and group T3 received both of PbAc + ALA at the same doses of above. Blood samples were collected at 0, 28 and 56 day of the experiment, then the sera were collected for determination of testosterone(T) and follicular stimulating hormone (FSH). At the end of the experiment, body weight, testes weight and epididymal sperm parameters was studied. Furthermore, histo-morphometric and histopathological study changes were examined. The results revealed a significant decrease in testes weight to body weight ratio, serum testosterone, sperm concentration and motility, diameters of seminiferous tubules, height of seminiferous epithelia and number of Leydig cells, moreover the results showed a significant increase in serum FSH, dead sperm and abnormal sperm morphology in group T1 when compared with the other groups. Comparing to lead acetate treated rats, group T3 showed an improvement at the level of the studied parameters, accompanied with mild congestion in the interstitial tissue with a marked developing proliferation of spermatogenic cells, as well as presence of mature spermatozoa in the seminiferous tubules. In conclusion, subchronic exposure of rats to lead acetate showed an amelioration of all reproductive parameters near to normal values due to the antioxidant effects of ALA and the histological changes of the testes confirmed such change in serum parameters and the beneficial role of ALA.

An Air Conditioning Unit with magnetic field and different tubes was designed, fabricated and evaluated in this study. The Effect of magnetic field and different types of tubes on the performance of Air Conditioning was studied experimentally. A testing system of Air Conditioning Unit was developed as the test rig. The modified tubes as a straight tube before the condenser and after the evaporator were replaced by a finned bended tube with five bends and a coil finned tube with five turns. The experimental results for the temperature of refrigerant and the coefficient of performance for an air conditioning unit were presented. Changing the tubes and introducing electric charging has a significant effect on the performance of the unit. The electric charging has a positive effect of the performance of the system. The electric charging enhanced the performance by 76% in case of bent tube and by 177% in case of coil tube. The bent pipe increases the refrigerant temperature between 50% and 200%, while the coil pipe increases the temperature between 18 % and 190 %.• This method increases the refrigerant temperature for Air Conditioning system.• This method provides simple technical testing of Air Conditioning Unit with magnetic field and different tubes• This method can be useful to enhance the performance of Air Conditioning Unit.

Background: Omentin is a newly identified adipokine that has beneficial influence against cardiovascular disorders. Hence, considering the impact of anti-diabetic drug on omentin levels may provide an adjuvant strategy to protect diabetic patients against valuable clinical hazards. Aim of the Study: To investigate the influence of metformin alone or in combination with gliclazide on the level of serum omentin among patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Patients and Methods: A total of 70 newly diagnosed patients with T2DM were enrolled in this randomized, double-blind prospective study, and divided into two equal groups based on treatment regimen in which Group 1 treated with metformin (1000 mg) and Group 2 treated with metformin (1000 mg) plus gliclazide (80 mg). Blood glucose levels, HbA1C, insulin levels, and serum omentin-1 were measured at baseline and after 12 weeks of treatment. Result: Use of gliclazide as an add-on therapy to metformin in patients with T2DM result in better glycemic control evidenced by significant reductions in the levels of blood glucose levels and HbA1C and much more improvement in insulin sensitivity evidenced by significant decreased in insulin resistance index, whereas it has adverse impact on serum omentin-1 levels evidenced by significant decrement in omentin-1 level in comparison to their pretreatment levels among Group 2 patients. Conclusions: Adding of gliclazide to metformin in treatment of patients with T2DM might extend the therapeutic action of metformin in regarding much better controlling of glycemic indices, but, at the same time, it might attenuate the cardioprotective effects of metformin by its adverse influence on serum omentin-1 levels.

Background/Objectives: Tranexamic acid (TXA) is a synthetic antifibrinolytic agent that inhibits plasminogen activation, thereby reducing bleeding. The aim of this systematic review was to investigate its role in aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH)—a condition indicated by bleeding between two layers of brain tissue—to stop rebleeding and improve patient outcomes. Methods: We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials from 1981 to 2024, focusing on the efficacy and safety of TXA in treating aneurysmal SAH (PROSPERO registration: CRD42024504834). Our comprehensive search of the PubMed and Cochrane Library databases identified studies assessing TXA at dosages of 3 to 6 g per day and examining outcomes such as rebleeding incidence, mortality, thromboembolic events, and other adverse effects. Results: From six included studies involving 2990 patients, the meta-analysis showed TXA largely lowered rebleeding risk (OR 0.54 95% CI 0.43–0.68; p < 0.00001), yet mortality rates were not largely different between the TXA group (385 out of 1201), and the control group (344 out of 1193) (OR 1.18 95% CI 0.98–1.40; p = 0.07). Likewise, there were no large differences in the occurrence of cerebral ischemia and blood clot-related events between the groups. Conclusions: TXA effectively reduces the risk of rebleeding in SAH patients, but does not significantly alter mortality or the incidence of thromboembolic complications. These findings back the careful use of TXA and demonstrate the need for further research to better its clinical use and assess long-term impacts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nutrients in sandy soil are limited due to low absorption capacity and are easily leached or evaporated. Biosilica and humic acid extracted from compost and husk ash can improve the soil structure and absorption capacity to optimize the availability and uptake of nutrients. Therefore, this research aims to examine the optimal application dose of biosilica and humic acid to improve the chemical properties of soil with a sandy texture. The experiment was structured based on a completely randomized design (CRD). Factor 1 consisted of biosilica doses of 0, 0.5, 1.0, and 1.5 tons ha-1, while factor 2 comprised humic acid doses of 0, 20, 40, and 60 kg ha-1. Data analysis was performed using ANOVA, followed by Tukey’s Honest Significant Difference (HSD) test, correlation, and determination analysis. The study results indicate that the combination of biosilica and humic acid contributes to the changes in nutrient availability. The impact of the treatment was observed 90 days after application on the parameters of soil pH, organic C, total N, and exchangeable K. The effects of the treatment were also evident in plant nutrient uptake, specifically in total N in the roots and total K in the stems. The optimal combination for improving soil nutrient availability and nutrient uptake in plant tissues was a biosilica dose of 1.0 tons ha-1 (S2) and humic acid at 40 kg ha-1 (H2).

Soil characteristic and properties are essential determinants for effective land management. Soil genesis results from the interaction of various pedogenic factors, which are influenced by environmental conditions, thereby producing diverse soil types in different locations. This study was conducted in the Wonosalam sub-district, an area characterized by diverse regional conditions due to its varied physiographic features. The physiographic and climatic conditions in this region significantly influence soil formation processes. This research focused on monitoring soil development at several locations within Wonosalam, specifically at the UPN "Veteran" Jawa Timur experimental field. The study included five observation points, categorized by land map units: PW1, PW2, PW3, PW4, and PW5. Morphological analyses indicate the presence of two distinct soil types among the five observation points. The soils in PW1, PW2, PW3, and PW4 are classified under the Alfisols order, specifically within the Typic Hapludalf subgroup. In contrast, the soil at PW5 belongs to the Inceptisols order, specifically the Typic Humudepts subgroup. This diversity suggests that the area encompasses soils of different orders. The soil characteristic data obtained from the UPN "Veteran" Jawa Timur experimental field can be utilized as a basis for planning the management of the area.

The Lapindo mud disaster in Porong, Sidoarjo, Indonesia, resulted from mining activities, leading to severe iron (Fe) contamination in the soil. This contamination has adversely impacted agricultural productivity in the affected areas. Phytoremediation, utilizing humic acid as a chelating agent and hyperaccumulator grasses, is a potential solution to mitigate this pollution. This study employed a factorial completely randomized design (CRD) to evaluate this approach with two factors: the application of 600 ppm humic acid and the use of different grasses (vetiver, elephant grass, nutgrass, and gotu kola). Observed parameters included plant dry weight and total iron content in soil and plant tissues. These data were used to determine the bioconcentration factor (BCF), translocation factor (TF), and absorption efficiency (%). The results indicated that humic acid significantly increased plant dry weight and iron uptake in plant tissues. The combination of gotu kola and humic acid showed the highest phytoremediation potential, with a BCF of 0.3121, TF of 1.4871, and an absorption efficiency of 55.7538%. This study highlights the effectiveness of humic acid and hyperaccumulator grasses in phytoremediation of iron-contaminated soils, offering a sustainable approach to improving soil health and agricultural productivity in polluted areas.

Penurunan produksi komoditas nanas karena pemakaian pupuk kimia secara intensif. Pupuk kimia awalnya dapat meningkatkan produktivitas, namun diberikan secara intensif akan mengakibatkan kerusakan. Upaya memperbaiki kesuburan tanah dilakukan aplikasi kompos sebagai tambahan bahan organik. Tujuan penelitian yaitu mempelajari dan mengetahui hasil aplikasi kandungan bahan organik tanah dari kompos yang diaplikasikan 50 ton/ha pada umur 3 Bulan Setelah Tanam (BST), 5 Bulan Setelah Tanam (BST), dan 9 Bulan Setelah Tanam (BST). Penelitian dilakukan pada bulan November 2022 - Februari 2023, berlokasi pada lahan nanas monokultur PT. Great Giant Food, Lampung Tengah. Penelitian dilakukan dengan metode survey dengan menentukan titik sebanyak 5 titik secara diagonal pada 13 lokasi dan diulang 2 kali sehingga diperoleh 26 sampel. Pengambilan sampel dilakukan dengan mengambil tanah pada kedalaman 0 – 20 cm serta mengkompositkan 5 titik bertujuan untuk mengamati bahan organik tanah dan KTK tanah. Metode pengukuran karbon organik tanah dengan metode walkey and black dan KTK tanah spektrofotometri. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa aplikasi kompos 50 ton/ha mengalami peningkatan kandungan bahan organik tanah. Kandungan bahan organik tanah pada 3 BST 3,56%, pada 5 BST 3,61%, dan 9 BST 4,42%. Bahan organik tanah pada 3 BST ke 5 BST mengalami peningkatan 1.40%, dan pada 5 BST ke 9 BST mengalami peningkatan 22.43%. KTK tanah pada 3 BST 10,41 cmol/kg, pada 5 BST 13,16 cmol/kg, dan 9 BST 13,30 cmol/kg. KTK tanah pada 3 BST ke 5 BST terjadi peningkatan 26,41%, dan pada 5 BST ke 9 BST terjadi peningkatan 1,06%.

Hereditary neurodegenerative diseases (hNDDs) such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, Huntington’s disease, and others are primarily characterized by their progressive nature, severely compromising both the cognitive and motor abilities of patients. The underlying genetic component in hNDDs contributes to disease risk, creating a complex genetic landscape. Considering the fact that growth factors play crucial roles in regulating cellular processes, such as proliferation, differentiation, and survival, they could have therapeutic potential for hNDDs, provided appropriate dosing and safe delivery approaches are ensured. This article presents a detailed overview of growth factors, and explores their therapeutic potential in treating hNDDs, emphasizing their roles in neuronal survival, growth, and synaptic plasticity. However, challenges such as proper dosing, delivery methods, and patient variability can hinder their clinical application.

The design of patrol boats, especially in Indonesian waters with extreme sea conditions, requires good stability capabilities and self-righting moments. These conditions require patrol boats to have anti-capsized capabilities where, with these capabilities, the patrol boat can return to an upright position at extreme heeling angles. This study investigates how changing the center of gravity (CoG) due to the deckhouse height factor improves self-righting moment capabilities. Four different deckhouse heights are examined to find the optimal self-righting roll moment, with a deckhouse height in the 2.01–2.31 m range. In addition, the presence of the self-righting roll moment is also validated by the computational fluid dynamics (CFD) method using three different mesh sizes. The height of the deckhouse can significantly influence the ship’s stability. The initial investigation shows ships with minimum deckhouse heights of 2.06 m have positive righting lever arms at 170° and are classified as anti-capsized ships. It has been discovered that buoyancy and the center of gravity are crucial variables in obtaining the self-righting moment. The deckhouse’s height increases the stability of the ship’s righting arm by enhancing the metacenter point. The findings demonstrate that more excellent stability is achieved with a larger deckhouse height.

Fibre reinforced polymer composite have been utilised in applications that require high strength-to-weight ratio and durability like automotive and spacecraft components. The literatures has indicated that there is a gap of knowledge in fatigue failure mechanism, and reliable prediction of fatigue life for glass and carbon fibre laminates. This study is to address experimentally the stress level dominated the composite failure mode and how to avoid stress concentration in fatigue design. In addition, it contributes to the scientific knowledge and to further increase the understanding the fatigue behaviour of composite materials structures. To accomplish this investigation goals, three types of materials were fabricated and tested; glass/epoxy, carbon/epoxy, and chopped glass/epoxy. Traditional hand layup technique for composite processing was used to fabricate the composite specimens. It involves manually positioning the reinforcement woven roving in an open mould and pouring, brushing, the resin onto the composites. This study details the experimental results of the ultimate tensile strength and high cycle fatigue, with a stress ratio of 0.1, using ASTM. Results showed that carbon fibre composite had the highest ultimate tensile strength. The power curves conducted from this paper were used to estimate the number of cycles which the material can endure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: The World Health Organization (WHO) was notified by China on December 31, 2019, of a pneumonia outbreak severe acute respiratory syndrome-associated coronavirus-19 virus infection in Wuhan. This outbreak was declared by the WHO from the Public Health Emergency of International Concern to formal declaration as a pandemic on March 11, 2020. Because the public health measures like lockdown, the eye care delivery system was markedly impacted. The aim of this study was to find out if any pattern change of red eye cases among patients who attended eye accident and emergency (A and E) in a tertiary care hospital during COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 compared to 2019 and 2018. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a cohort retrospective study which included all patients who presented to eye A and E clinic with red eye from March 1 to July 31 in 2018, 2019, and 2020. Data were analyzed using statistical tools in the SPSS software. Furthermore, the clinical records of 578 inpatients with proven COVID-19 were reviewed for any red eye problem. RESULTS: Out of 7895 eye patients attended eye A and E clinic during March–July of 2018, 2019, and 2020, 1573 (19.9%) patients had red eye. Males were slightly dominant with 59%, and unilateral cases were the majority among them. The most common causes of red eye in 2018 and 2019 were injury, conjunctivitis, and keratitis; whereas in 2020, a clear dominance of injury and keratitis cases was found. Only 10 (2.03%) patients out of the 493 outpatients with red eye during the 5-month period in 2020 reported a prior contact to a COVID-19 positive case; of whom nine patients had conjunctivitis, and one had a right eye open globe injury. Of the 578 inpatients with proven COVID-19, only 1 (0.17%) patient had red eye with the diagnosis of conjunctivitis. CONCLUSION: There was relatively increased number of adults reporting with red eye in 2020. Eye injuries were the most common among all years, followed by conjunctivitis and keratitis. Ocular problems, however, might be a primary or secondary COVID-19 complaint and seem to be relatively uncommon in COVID-19 individuals.

The study area was selected in the Najaf Governorate. It's adjacent to the southern part of Al- Najaf Sea and its area ​​(17150.5 ha), located between the longitudes 425594E and 445138E and between the Latitudes 3521842N and 3538169N (UTM), it's covered the soil types and its geomorphological units which located within the sedimentary environment of Al- Najaf Sea. The semi details soil survey was carried out to selected area for study by grade soil system and according to soil texture examination results, ten heterogeneous sites were selected and geographically determined using a GPS device. In every study area, the pedon was digger and morphologically soil units soil units descripted. The samples were then taken from each diagnostic horizon and transferred to the laboratory for some chemical analysis and physical measurements. According to the results, the soil of the study areas was classified from the level of the order to level the family according to the American system (2014) and was completed to the level of the series based on the classification system of soil proposed by Al-Aqadi (1976 and 1982). The lands of the region were classified according to the productive capacity proposed by Klingebiel and Montgomery (1961). The results showed that there is a variation in the morphological characteristics, whether within the single pedon or the study area, due to the effect of the topographic factor, which was reflected in the characteristics and thickness of the horizons and the nature of their arrangement and the accompanying characteristics of each horizon. The pidogenical processes, mainly washing, loss and gain, salinization have been reflected in the presence of some subsurface diagnostic horizons like the calcic, gypsic and salic horizons, with the supremacy of the primordial evolution diagnostic surface horizon, represented by the Ochric horizon. The results of the texture class showed a difference in the soil content of the soil separators indicated that there was a difference in the soil content of the soil from the main soil separators, depending on the topographical location. The results of the cartographic analysis of the texture class map for the first meter indicated the dominance of moderately fine varieties (43.6%), while the coarse texture showed lowest percentage(5.3%). The studied soils was different with carbonate content and had a different distribution with depth due to the effect of situational conditions. The values ​​of this component ranged from 145 to 500 gm.Kg-1, the state of variation in the distribution pattern of this component in the study pedons is consistent with the state of variation in the calcification activity and the observed elevation of this component values in the sub-surface horizons due mainly to the nature of the parent material. The soil content of the gypsum ranged between 6 to 665 gm.Kg-1, with a general trend of high soil content of this component with depth. The percent of sodium exchange percentage was ranged between 3.2 to 8.4, and did not exceed the risk limits (15%). Classification of studied area showed existence two soil orders, The majority was within Aridisols order, which formed (92.5%)from studied area. The most common great soil groups were Typic Calcigypsids(44.75%), followed by Gypsic Aquisalids (29.53%), Typic Aquisalids (5.76%), Leptic Haplogicids (6.42%) and Typic Hapiogpsids by 6.04%. The Entisol order formed 7.5%, diagnosed in great sub group under the Typic Torrifluvents. The classification of the study area lands according to the determinants of productivity indicated that the IV class had the highest percentage of the total area (48.19%), while the I class did not exceed (5.23%). The following determinants were recorded: the texture, the drainage, salinity and gypsum percentage, which emphasizes the need to take the necessary administrative measures when exploiting these agricultural lands in the future.

Morphology in forest soils has developed over a long time due to the non-intensive management of forest soils. Damage to forest soil occurs when there is logging activity, fire, or land use change. Some forest was used as productive land for example agroforestry and forest production. As with landuse in agriculture, intensive management of forests can also reduce soil productivity. Inaccuracy forest land use would cause environmental or economic damage, so basic soil management data in forest areas is needed. However, the soil morphology of the Ayer Hitam Forest Reserve (AHFR) in Malaysiahas never been observed. The objective of this study is to assess the soil characteristic and soil morphological properties of the AHFR. Studying the characteristics of soil morphology in toposequent conditions is necessary to find out the differences in soil from different heights and the effects of erosion, transportation, and deposition on the soil. This study was conducted in the AHFR, Puchong, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Peninsular Malaysia. Mapping of the area under investigation was carried out by conventional soil survey techniques with a physiographic approach using maps with a scale of 1:30,000. The results showed that AHFR has some different soil morphological characteristics and classification in subgroupamong five different slope positions with similar soil order, which is a Ultisol soil. The soil in the AHFRis formed from highly weathered soil due to high rainfall in this location. The results of this study are important for soil development, identification management, and land use priority such as erosion control on steep-slope forest areas, regeneration and reforestation, and it can also be used for forest education, practice, research, and training activities. Keywords: Ayer Hitam Forest Reserve, forest soil, soil morphology, toposequent, Ultisol soil

The influence of topography on soil morphology, classification and characteristic is poorly understood in Ayer Hitam Forest Reserved, Malaysia. Topographic vegetation-soil interrelations are important because the existing plants are used to indicate environmental conditions and potential forest productivity. This study aims to identify the effect of toposequence on soil morphology, soil classification, soil characteristic and forest vegetation. Five plots surveyed on 100-150 cm soil profile depth to identify soil development, soil classification and nutrient status (i.e. organic matter, Al, pH, K, Na, Ca, Mg, CEC, Base Saturation). Besides, the distribution of forest vegetation serve as the basis to evaluate the trees’ basal area and diversity. Soil subgroups ranged from Fragic Hapludults in the ridge, Typic Hapludults and Plintic Hapludults on the middle slope, Typic Hapludults on the lower slope, and Typic Hapludults in footslope. Each soil subgroup has its characteristics at various elevations (Morphology and Physio-chemical). Vegetation on each plot was dominated by species of Euphorbiaceae, Myrtaceae, Dipterocarpaceae Malvaceae, Moraceae, Verbenaceae, Phylanthaceae, and Santalaceae.

Background: Omentin is a newly identified adipokine that has beneficial influence against cardiovascular disorders. Hence, considering the impact of anti-diabetic drug on omentin levels may provide an adjuvant strategy to protect diabetic patients against valuable clinical hazards. Aim of the Study: To investigate the influence of metformin alone or in combination with gliclazide on the level of serum omentin among patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Patients and Methods: A total of 70 newly diagnosed patients with T2DM were enrolled in this randomized, double-blind prospective study, and divided into two equal groups based on treatment regimen in which Group 1 treated with metformin (1000 mg) and Group 2 treated with metformin (1000 mg) plus gliclazide (80 mg). Blood glucose levels, HbA1C, insulin levels, and serum omentin-1 were measured at baseline and after 12 weeks of treatment. Result: Use of gliclazide as an add-on therapy to metformin in patients with T2DM result in better glycemic control evidenced by significant reductions in the levels of blood glucose levels and HbA1C and much more improvement in insulin sensitivity evidenced by significant decreased in insulin resistance index, whereas it has adverse impact on serum omentin-1 levels evidenced by significant decrement in omentin-1 level in comparison to their pretreatment levels among Group 2 patients. Conclusions: Adding of gliclazide to metformin in treatment of patients with T2DM might extend the therapeutic action of metformin in regarding much better controlling of glycemic indices, but, at the same time, it might attenuate the cardioprotective effects of metformin by its adverse influence on serum omentin-1 levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]