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Palladium-catalyzed cross-coupling reactions, including the Suzuki, Stille, and Negishi couplings, have emerged as essential methodologies in contemporary organic synthesis. Nevertheless, there is still a lack of comprehensive understanding of the molecular processes involved in these significant events that lead to the formation of C-C and C-heteroatom bonds. This paper provides a complete analysis of the fundamental mechanistic investigations conducted on the primary crosscoupling processes facilitated by palladium catalysts. The present study focuses on the examination of kinetic aspects of several stages within the catalytic cycle, namely oxidative addition, transmetalation, and reductive elimination, in the context of diverse palladium-catalyzed coupling reactions. This paper examines the influence of ligands, substrates, reaction conditions, and additives on the kinetics and mechanism of the reaction. This study emphasizes the significance of computational investigations in enhancing our understanding of Pd catalyst speciation and the architectures of intermediates. This study aims to identify both overarching patterns and variations in the systems under investigation. Additionally, the present obstacles in comprehensively understanding the specific intricacies of these mechanisms are delineated. A comprehensive comprehension of catalytic pathways will serve as the fundamental basis for the development of enhanced Pd catalysts and the expansion of these reactions to novel substrates. The inclusion of mechanistic information will provide valuable insights to develop more efficient catalytic systems based on palladium. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

According to the available estimates, the problem of infertility is growing in the world. Precise estimation of the population of infertile patients is difficult for three reasons: the difference in deûnitions of infertility (1, 2, or 5 years of attempts to conceive), signiûcant difference in selected populations (large populations vs. epidemiological studies) and specifying whom the diagnosis involves (women, couples, or individuals). The aim of IVF program today is to obtain high quality, developmentally competent embryos, and thus increase live birth rates. Apoptosis in the patient's follicles is among the factors that will determine IVF outcome. Follicular fluid constitutes an important microenvironment, containing apoptotic factors and others, which influence oocyte growth. This study included 90 women undergoing IVF program ages range from 19 to 45 years, blood sample and Follicular Fluid was obtained from each, Blood samples were taken in CD2 and just before oocyte pick and FF was separated and concentration of immune biomarkers measured using ELISA technique. All Patients were classified according to menstrual cycle status to regular and irregular and according to duration of infertility to1-5years, 6-10years, and >10years. The results revealed that there were a significant (pd"0.001) increase in level of CD95 (7.02±1.33) in serum day two of menstrual cycle (MC) of regular menstrual cycle in compared to irregular menstrual cycle group(3.88±0.61). Also a significant (P<0.001) decrease in level of APLIgM (24.89±1.04) in irregular group compared to regular group (29.17±0.63) M.C. and a significant (p£0.05) increase in level of APLIgG (26.27±0.54)in follicular fluid regular group in compared to irregular (23.60±1.17). there were a significant (P<0.05) increase in level of LH hormones(6.06±1.34) in women with duration of infertility(>10 year) in compared to (1-5)year and (6-10) year. Also, there were a significant (P<0.01) increase in level of CD95 (7.95±1.42) in FF in women with duration of infertility (6-10 year) in compared to (1-5) year and (>10). According to distribution study the result showed highly percentage was within regular group 77.78%. While, highly percentage according to duration of infertility was within (1-5) year comprising 57.78 %. In summary, the findings show that irregular menstruation has a clear effect on the CD95/sfas, as well as a significant increase in the concentration of the CD95/sfas in women with a duration of infertility ranging from 6 to 10 years. This confirms the anti-apoptosis effect of CD95/sfas, as well as the fact that the percentage of women with regular menstruation was higher than the percentage of women with irregular menstruation, as well as the high percentage of women with a duration of infertility of 1-5 years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The natural radioactivity levels for radium (226Ra), thorium (232Th) and potassium (40K) have been determined in soil samples selected from different regions in Najaf governorate in Iraq. The samples were collected from the ground surface. Eight samples were measured by gamma ray spectroscopy using high purity germanium detector. The levels of radionuclides concentrations in selected samples 232Th, 226Ra and 40K were in the range of (2.5±0.29 to 7.7±0.52) Bq/kg (6.3±0.43 to 16.4±1.9) Bq/kg and (31.5±3.4 to 204.1±11.9) Bq/kg for, respectively. The mean Radium Equivalent Activity, External and Internal Hazard Indices, the Absorbed Dose Rate in Air and the Annual Effective Doses Equivalent were studied and found these parameter are less than the reported values. Therefore, the radioactivity in the studied area in Najaf does not pose any radiological hazard to the general public. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The activity distribution of natural radionuclides 232Th, 226Ra, 40K and 137Cs were determined in soil samples. The samples were collected from four different regions in Nineveh governorate north-west of Iraq (Tall Kayf, Badush, Al-Hamdaniya, Hammam Al-alil) and measured by the gamma-ray spectrometry with high purity germanium (HPGe) detector with relative efficiency 50 %. The specific radioactive activity of the samples was in the range of 1.75 - 45.56, 8.63 - 43.72, 147.92 - 502.49 and MDL - 69.32 Bq/kg, respectively, at the selected areas. The calculated hazard indices that estimate the potential radiological health risk such as radium equivalent activity (Raeq) were in the range 40.33 - 122.12 Bq/kg. The absorbed dose rate in the air was also calculated for the samples and it was in the range 20.51 - 56.72 nGy/h. External hazard index (Hex) is in the range 0.11 - 0.33, internal hazard index (Hin) is in the range 0.13 - 0.4 and gamma index was 0.32 - 0.89. The annual effective dose equivalent (AEDE), annual gonadal dose equivalent (AGDE), and excess lifetime cancer risk (ELCR) were also calculated and their ranges were 25.15 - 69.56, 151.63 - 396.05 and 0.09∙10-3 - 0.24∙10-3 respectively. This study showed that there is no radiation hazard to the public due to natural radionuclides in the selected areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Purpose: We aim to develop modified clinical indication (CI)-based image quality scoring criteria (IQSC) for assessing image quality (IQ) and establishing acceptable quality doses (AQDs) in adult computed tomography (CT) examinations, based on CIs and patient sizes., Approach: CT images, volume CT dose index ( CTDI vol ), and dose length product (DLP) were collected retrospectively between September 2020 and September 2021 for eight common CIs from two CT scanners at a central hospital in the Kingdom of Bahrain. Using the modified CI-based IQSC and a Likert scale (0 to 4), three radiologists assessed the IQ of each examination. AQDs were then established as the median value of CTDI vol and DLP for images with an average score of 3 and compared to national diagnostic reference levels (NDRLs)., Results: Out of 581 examinations, 60 were excluded from the study due to average scores above or below 3. The established AQDs were lower than the NDRLs for all CIs, except AQDs / CTDI vol for oncologic follow-up for large patients (28 versus 26 mGy) in scanner A, besides abdominal pain for medium patients (16 versus 15 mGy) and large patients (34 versus 27 mGy), and diverticulitis/appendicitis for medium patients (15 versus 12 mGy) and large patients (33 versus 30 mGy) in scanner B, indicating the need for optimization., Conclusions: CI-based IQSC is crucial for IQ assessment and establishing AQDs according to patient size. It identifies stations requiring optimization of patient radiation exposure., (© 2024 Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE).)

Context: Surgical management of lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS)/benign prostatic obstruction (BPO) aims at ablating prostate adenoma by resection, enucleation, or vaporisation. Apart from established ablation modes according to the European Association of Urology guidelines, various technologies have emerged as safe/effective alternatives but remain under investigation., Objective: To explore short-term benefits/harms of emerging technologies for surgical management of LUTS/BPO., Evidence Acquisition: A systematic literature search was conducted using MEDLINE, EMBASE, and CENTRAL via Ovid up to June 18, 2022. We included randomised controlled trials (RCTs) exploring aquablation, prostatic arterial embolisation (PAE), Rezum, prostatic urethral lift (PUL), and temporary implantable nitinol device (iTIND) versus sham/transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP)., Evidence Synthesis: We included ten RCTs (1108 men). Aquablation versus TURP: insignificant change in International Prostate Symptoms Score (IPSS; mean difference [MD] 0.0, 95% confidence interval [CI] -2.44 to 2.44), quality of life (QoL; MD 0.30, 95% CI -0.81 to 0.21), maximum urinary flow rate (Qmax; MD -0.30, 95% CI -3.71 to 3.11), retreatment (risk ratio [RR] 0.18, 95% CI 0.02-1.66), and urinary incontinence (UI; RR 0.71, 95% CI 0.26-1.95). PAE versus monopolar TURP (M-TURP): insignificant change in IPSS (MD 3.33, 95% CI -28.39 to 35.05), QoL (MD 0.12, 95% CI -0.30 to 0.54), International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF-5; MD 3.07, 95% CI -1.78 to 7.92), and UI (RR 0.15, 95% CI 0.01-2.86), and significant change in Qmax (MD -9.52, 95% CI -14.04 to -5.0), favouring M-TURP. PAE versus bipolar TURP: insignificant change in IPSS (MD -2.80, 95% CI -6.61 to 1.01), QoL (MD -0.69, 95% CI -1.46 to 0.08), Qmax (MD -3.51, 95% CI -8.08 to 1.06), UI (RR 0.14, 95% CI 0.01-2.51), and retreatment (RR 1.91, 95% CI 0.19-19.63). PUL versus TURP: insignificant change in QoL (MD 0.40, 95% CI -0.29 to 1.09), UI (RR 0.13, 95% CI 0.02-1.05), and retreatment (RR 0.48, 95% CI 0.12-1.86), and significant change in IPSS (MD 3.40, 95% CI 0.22-6.58), and IIEF-5 (MD 3.00, 95% CI 0.41-5.59) and Qmax (MD -9.60, 95% CI -13.44 to -5.76), favouring PUL and TURP, respectively. Rezum and iTIND have not been evaluated in RCTs against TURP to date., Conclusions: Supporting evidence for clinical use of aquablation, PAE, PUL, Rezum, and iTIND is very limited. Benefits/harms should be investigated further in high-quality RCTs., Patient Summary: This review summarises the evidence for the clinical use of aquablation, prostatic arterial embolisation (PAE), prostatic urethral lift (PUL), Rezum, and temporary implantable nitinol device (iTIND) to manage lower urinary tract symptoms secondary to benign prostatic obstruction. The supporting evidence for the clinical usage of aquablation, PAE, PUL, Rezum, and iTIND is very limited. Benefits and harms should be investigated further in high-quality randomised controlled trials., (Copyright © 2023 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)