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Signaling via the mTOR complex 1 (mTORC1) maintains cellular and organismal homeostasis. Here the authors show that the AAA + ATPase Thorase binds mTOR to promote disassembly and inactivation of mTORC1 to fine tune TOR signaling according to amino acid availability.

This study investigates the mechanism and effects of incorporating different ZrO 2 nano-particles into SAC0307 solder alloys. ZrO 2 nano-powder and nano-fibers in 0.25-0.5 wt% were added to the SAC0307 alloy to prepare composite solder joints by surface mount technology. The solder joints were shear tested before and after a 4000 h long 85 °C/85% RH corrosive reliability test. The incorporation of ZrO 2 nano-particles enhanced the initial shear force of the solder joint, but they decreased the corrosion resistance in the case of 0.5 wt%. SEM, EDS, and FIB analysis revealed intensive growth of SnO 2 on the solder joint surfaces, leading to the formation of Sn whiskers. Density functional theory (DFT) simulations showed that, despite Sn being able to bond to the surface of ZrO 2 , the binding energy was weak, and the whole system was therefore unstable. It was also found that ZrO 2 nano-particles refined the microstructure of the solder joints. Decreased β-Sn grain size and more dispersed intermetallic compounds were observed. The microstructural refinement caused mechanical improvement of the ZrO 2 composite solder joints by dispersion strengthening but could also decrease their corrosion resistance. While ZrO 2 nano-particles improved the solder joint mechanical properties, their use is recommended only in non-corrosive environments, such as microelectronics for space applications.

Identifying highly stable, cost-effective, platinum-free, and efficient electrocatalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) remains a formidable challenge. The ORR is important for advancing fuel cell and zinc-air battery (ZAB) technologies towards cost-efficiency and environmental sustainability. This work presents the utilization of economically viable materials through a straightforward synthesis process, exhibiting the development of efficient Mo 2 C/Fe 3 C-NC catalysts ingeniously derived from phosphomolybdic acid (PMA) and iron phthalocyanine (FePc). The results demonstrate that the optimized Mo 2 C/Fe 3 C-NC3 catalysts exhibit remarkable electrochemical performance, evidenced by an impressive onset potential of ∼1.0 V versus RHE, a half-wave potential of 0.89 V, and a superior current density of about 6.2 mA cm -2 . As for their performance in ZABs, the optimized catalysts reach a peak power density of 142 mW cm -2 at a current density of 200 mA cm -2 . This synergy, coupled with the uniform distribution of Mo 2 C and Fe 3 C nanoparticles, greatly enhances the active catalytic sites and promotes electrolyte diffusion. Our approach diverges from traditional methods by employing an in situ self-assembled heterostructure of Mo 2 C/Fe 3 C on nitrogen-doped carbon tubes, avoiding the conventional high-temperature hydrogen gas reduction process. Beyond serving as feasible alternatives to commercially available Pt/C catalysts, these materials hold promise for large-scale production owing to their affordability and the simplicity of the synthesis technique. Such a breakthrough paves the way towards the realization of sustainable energy technologies and lays the groundwork for further exploration into amplifying the scalability and efficiency of ORR catalysts.

In Sarawak, Malaysia, several exceptional safety precautions and measures were adopted to prevent the outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic from spreading. Individuals' attitudes and opinions have impact on their obedience toward control procedures. Sarawak residents' attitudes and opinions toward COVID-19 were investigated in the present study. An online questionnaire developed using Google Forms was completed by 1,462 residents from all 12 divisions in Sarawak. The findings show that most Sarawak residents have positive attitudes and opinions about current standard operating procedures (SOPs) toward COVID-19. More than half of the respondents stand unbiased for the effectiveness of these SOPs, while most respondents have a neutral standpoint regarding the current law enforcement. The partial least square regression results found using the WarpPLS 7.0 software indicate that Sarawak residents' attitudes, opinions about current SOPs, and their effectiveness are significantly linked to practices for the prevention of COVID-19 outbreak, whereas these residents' opinions about current law enforcement were observed to have no significant relationship with proper practices for measures.

Zinc (Zn) is an excellent material for use as an anode for rechargeable batteries in water-based electrolytes. Nevertheless, the high activity of water leads to Zn corrosion and hydrogen evolution, along with the formation of dendrites on the Zn surface during repeated charge-discharge (CD) cycles. To protect the Zn anode and limit parasitic side reactions, an artificial solid electrolyte interphase (ASEI) protective layer is an effective strategy. Herein, an ASEI made of a covalent organic framework (COFs: HqTp and BpTp) was fabricated on the surface of a Zn anode via Schiff base reactions of aldehyde and amine linkers. It is seen that COFs can regulate the Zn-ion flux, resulting in dendritic-free Zn. COFs can also mitigate the formation of an irreversible passive layer and the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). Zn plating/stripping tests using a symmetrical cell suggest that HqTpCOF@Zn shows superior stability and greater coulombic efficiency (CE) compared to bare Zn. The full cell having COFs@Zn also displays much improved cyclability. As a result, the COF proves to be a promising ASEI material to enhance the stability of the Zn anode in aqueous media.

Background: Most international bodies recommended against musculoskeletal steroid injection during the COVID-19 pandemic, fearing that the immunosuppressive effects of the steroid could worsen COVID-19 infection, thus prolonging the suffering of patients with severe musculoskeletal disease. The authors' aim is to analyze the risk of COVID-19 infection after musculoskeletal injections., Methods: This is a retrospective study of patients who visited a sports medicine clinic and received musculoskeletal steroid injections between January 1, 2020 and February 28, 2021. The collected data was compared with the national COVID-19 registry to identify positive COVID-19 patients. The patients were only considered positive for COVID-19 following corticosteroid injection within 3 months after injection., Results: Out of 502 steroid injections; 79.7% (n = 400) received a single injection in one day, 19.1% (n = 96) received steroid injections at 2 sites in one day, and 1.2% (n = 6) received steroid injections at 3 sites in one day. Using the Fisher's exact test, there was no statistically significant association of COVID-19 infection between the steroid group and control group (relative risk, 1.44; 95% confidence interval, 0.9-23.1, P = 0.654). Only one patient contracted mild COVID-19 with no post COVID complications., Conclusions: The authors recommend the use of musculoskeletal steroid injections in clinically indicated situation without having increased risk of COVID-19.

Flow batteries possess several attractive features including long cycle life, flexible design, ease of scaling up, and high safety. They are considered an excellent choice for large-scale energy storage. Carbon felt (CF) electrodes are commonly used as porous electrodes in flow batteries. In vanadium flow batteries, both active materials and discharge products are in a liquid phase, thus leaving no trace on the electrode surface. However, zinc-based flow batteries involve zinc deposition/dissolution, structure and configuration of the electrode significantly determine stability and performance of the battery. Herein, fabrication of a compressed composite using CF with polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) is investigated in a Zn-Fe flow battery (ZFB). Graphene (G) is successfully introduced in order to improve its electrochemical activity towards zinc reactions on the negative side of the ZFB. A compressed composite CF electrode offers more uniform electric field and lower nucleation overpotential (NOP) of zinc than a pristine CF, resulting in higher zinc plating/stripping efficiency. Batteries with modified electrodes are seen to provide lower overpotential. Particularly, the G-PVDF-CF electrode demonstrates maximum discharge capacity of 39.6 mAh cm -2 with coulombic efficiency and energy efficiency over 96% and 61%, respectively. Finally, results lead to increased efficiency and cycling stability for flow batteries., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

The oxygen evolution reaction (OER) is a crucial reaction in water splitting, metal-air batteries, and other electrochemical conversion technologies. Rationally designed catalysts with rich active sites and high intrinsic activity have been considered as a hopeful strategy to address the sluggish kinetics for OER. However, constructing such active sites in non-noble catalysts still faces grand challenges. To this end, we fabricate a Ni 2 P@Fe 2 P core-shell structure with outperforming performance toward OER via chemical transformation of rationally designed Ni-MOF hybrid nanosheets. Specifically, the Ni-MOF nanosheets and their supported Fe-based nanomaterials were in situ transformed into porous Ni 2 P@Fe 2 P core-shell nanosheets composed of Ni 2 P and Fe 2 P nanodomains in homogenous dispersion via a phosphorization process. When employed as the OER electrocatalyst, the Ni 2 P@Fe 2 P core-shell nanosheets exhibits excellent OER performance, with a low overpotential of 238/247 mV to drive 50/100 mA cm -2 , a small Tafel slope of 32.91 mV dec -1 , as well as outstanding durability, which could be mainly ascribed to the strong electronic interaction between Ni 2 P and Fe 2 P nanodomains stabilizing more Ni and Fe atoms with higher valence. These high-valence metal sites promote the generation of high-active Ni/FeOOH to enhance OER activity.

Technologies are increasingly independent and play important roles in society. Artificial intelligence (AI) is a branch of science that can improve various environments and processes. The health sector stands out among these contexts, especially ophthalmology and dentistry. Studies evaluating the impact of using these technologies in these contexts are still developing. There are still few studies that assess how AI can impact the decision-making process of health professionals and how it can improve the quality of care provided to these professionals. In this sense, this study aims to evaluate the perception of the impact of AI on the decision-making process of health professionals and the quality of patient care from the perspective of ophthalmologists and dentists. The methodological strategy used was the application of an online questionnaire with eighteen professionals in these areas. Based on the respondents' opinions, we sought to assess how these decision-making processes are affected by the use of technologies and how they impact the quality of patient care. As a result, it was observed that AI has become essential and a facilitator of the diagnostic processes. However, it presents some challenges related to cost, accessibility, AI x   professional responsibility, and incentive of agreements., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest regarding the publication of this article., (Copyright © 2022 Yousif Saleh Ibrahim et al.)

The oxygen evolution reaction (OER) occurs at the anode in numerous electrochemical reactions and plays an important role due to the nature of proton-coupled electron transfer. However, the high voltage requirement and low stability of the OER dramatically limits the total energy converting efficiency. Recently, electrocatalysts based on multi-metal oxyhydroxides have been reported as excellent substitutes for commercial noble metal catalysts due to their outstanding OER activities. However, normal synthesis routes lead to either the encapsulation of excessively active sites or aggregation during the electrolysis. To this end, we design a novel core-shell structure integrating CoMoO 4 as support frameworks covered with two-dimensional γ-FeOOH nanosheets on the surface. By involving CoMoO 4 , the electrochemically active surface area is significantly enhanced. Additionally, Co atoms immerge into the γ-FeOOH nanosheet, tuning its electronic structure and providing additional active sites. More importantly, the catalysts exhibit excellent OER catalytic performance, reducing overpotentials to merely 243.1 mV a versus 10 mA cm -2 . The current strategy contributes to advancing the frontiers of new types of OER electrocatalysts by applying a proper support as a multi-functional platform.

Colon cancer is a disease characterized by the unusual and uncontrolled development of cells that are found in the large intestine. If the tumour extends to the lower part of the colon (rectum), the cancer may be colorectal. Medical imaging is the denomination of methods used to create visual representations of the human body for clinical analysis, such as diagnosing, monitoring, and treating medical conditions. In this research, a computational proposal is presented to aid the diagnosis of colon cancer, which consists of using hyperspectral images obtained from slides with biopsy samples of colon tissue in paraffin, characterizing pixels so that, afterwards, imaging techniques can be applied. Using computer graphics augmenting conventional histological deep learning architecture, it can classify pixels in hyperspectral images as cancerous, inflammatory, or healthy. It is possible to find connections between histochemical characteristics and the absorbance of tissue under various conditions using infrared photons at various frequencies in hyperspectral imaging (HSI). Deep learning techniques were used to construct and implement a predictor to detect anomalies, as well as to develop a computer interface to assist pathologists in the diagnosis of colon cancer. An infrared absorbance spectrum of each of the pixels used in the developed classifier resulted in an accuracy level of 94% for these three classes., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Ammar Akram Abdulrazzaq et al.)

Optical wireless communication (OWC) technology is one of several alternative technologies for addressing the radio frequency limitations for applications in both indoor and outdoor architectures. Indoor optical wireless systems suffer from noise and intersymbol interference (ISI). These degradations are produced by the wireless channel multipath effect, which causes data rate limitation and hence overall system performance degradation. On the other hand, outdoor OWC suffers from several physical impairments that affect transmission quality. Channel coding can play a vital role in the performance enhancement of OWC systems to ensure that data transmission is robust against channel impairments. In this paper, an efficient framework for OWC in developing African countries is introduced. It is suitable for OWC in both indoor and outdoor environments. The outdoor scenario will be suitable to wild areas in Africa. A detailed study of the system stages is presented to guarantee the suitable modulation, coding, equalization, and quality assessment scenarios for the OWC process, especially for tasks such as image and video communication. Hamming and low-density parity check coding techniques are utilized with an asymmetrically clipped DC-offset optical orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (ADO-OFDM) scenario. The performance versus the complexity of both utilized techniques for channel coding is studied, and both coding techniques are compared at different coding rates. Another task studied in this paper is how to perform efficient adaptive channel estimation and hence equalization on the OWC systems to combat the effect of ISI. The proposed schemes for this task are based on the adaptive recursive least-squares (RLS) and the adaptive least mean squares (LMS) algorithms with activity detection guidance and tap decoupling techniques at the receiver side. These adaptive channel estimators are compared with the adaptive estimators based on the standard LMS and RLS algorithms. Moreover, this paper presents a new scenario for quality assessment of optical communication systems based on the regular transmission of images over the system and quality evaluation of these images at the receiver based on a trained convolutional neural network. The proposed OWC framework is very useful for developing countries in Africa due to its simplicity of implementation with high performance.

In this work, the quantitative determination of an erectile dysfunctional drug avanafil in the presence of its acid-induced degradation product was achieved via the application of a pre-optimized novel spectrofluorimetric method. The fluorescence emission wavelength was recorded at 370 and 407 nm, after being excited at 268 and 271 nm for avanafil and its acid-induced degradation product, respectively. Direct determination of avanafil based on its native fluorescence is restricted because the emission spectra of both components are heavily overlapped. Therefore, to overcome this constraint, a novel second derivative synchronous fluorescence method was evolved to eliminate this overlapping. The ideal determination wavelength was found to be 377 nm. Augmentation of lean six sigma (LSS) with response surface methodology (RSM) play a significant role in the development of robust specifications to ensure quality at the six sigma level with a high level of statistical confidence and targeted performance. All of the experimental conditions were optimized using D-optimal design as a RSM to select the optimal parameters. In addition, this work includes a graphical representation of the relationships between various variables that can greatly affect the results and the intensity of the synchronous fluorescence., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest., (This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry.)

The aim of this research is an evaluation of polyelectrolytes. In the application of zinc-iodine batteries (ZIBs), polyelectrolytes have high stability, good cationic exchange properties and high ionic conductivity. Polyelectrolytes are also cost-effective. Important component of ZIBs are cation exchange membranes (CEMs). CEMs prevent the crossover of iodine and polyiodide from zinc (Zn) electrodes. However, available CEMs are costly and have limited ionic conductivity at room temperature. CEMs are low-cost, have high stability and good cationic exchange properties. Herein, polyelectrolyte membranes prepared from carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) are examined. It is seen that an increase in the ratio of PVA leads to enhanced ionic conductivity as well as increased iodine and polyiodide crossover. ZIBs using polyelectrolytes having 75:25 wt.% CMC/PVA and 50:50 wt.% CMC/PVA show decent performance and cycling stability. Due to their low-cost and other salient features, CMC/PVA polyelectrolytes prove they have the capacity for use as cation exchange separators in ZIBs., (© 2020 Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Introduction: Kikuchi-Fujimoto (KF) disease is a rare and self-limiting disorder of unknown aetiology characterized by cervical lymphadenopathy (CLN) and fever. The pathophysiology remains unclear and may be triggered by an infectious agent leading to a self-limiting autoimmune process. There are no confirmatory laboratory tests and lymph node biopsy is required to differentiate KF disease from other serious conditions., Materials and Methods: We report 11 cases of KF disease diagnosed at Hamad General Hospital, Qatar, between 2006 to 2016. The diagnosis is based on clinical presentation, investigations and histopathological examination of lymph nodes., Results: All patients had painful neck swelling (average duration of 2.9 weeks) and 10 had fever (average duration of 3.2 weeks). Five patients developed mild leucopenia which resolved completely. HIV and tuberculosis (TB) screening including sputum for AFB, a PPD skin test and chest x-ray was done for all patients and came back negative. Autoimmune screening was done for all patients and excluded any rheumatological disease. Ultrasound and CT of the neck confirmed cervical lymphadenopathy. Except for hepatomegaly in one patient, CT scans of the chest and abdomen were negative for any lymphadenopathy or organomegaly (performed in seven patients). Diagnosis was confirmed on lymph node excision biopsy. Histopathological examination showed findings consistent with the diagnosis of histiocytic necrotizing lymphadenitis (KF disease)., Conclusion: KF disease should be kept in mind for patients presenting with fever and CLN. Lymphoma, TB and autoimmune diseases like systemic lupus erythematosus should be excluded in such patients. LEARNING POINTS: Kikuchi-Fujimoto (KF) disease should be kept in mind in patients presenting with fever and cervical lymphadenopathy with or without other constitutional symptoms.There are no confirmatory blood tests and KF disease requires histopathological examination of involved lymph nodes for confirmation.Autoimmune disease like systemic lupus erythematosus, tuberculosis, lymphoma and other malignancies should be ruled out by appropriate investigations.Recurrence of disease, although rare, is a possibility and needs histopathology for confirmation., Competing Interests: Conflicts of Interests: The Authors declare that there are no competing interests., (© EFIM 2020.)

The authors would like to make the following corrections to their paper published in the International Journal of Molecular Science [...].

A 17-year-old female was diagnosed with Wilson disease and commenced on oral zinc therapy. She re-presented 6 months later with a fall and had classical signs of subacute combined degeneration of the spinal cord confirmed on nerve conduction studies, as a result of zinc-induced copper deficiency. After 6 months of copper therapy, she made a complete recovery with no residual neurological deficits. Early detection of zinc-induced copper deficiency and stringent follow-up mechanisms are crucial. Early initiation of copper replacement may both limit and completely reverse neurological deficits., (© 2020 Royal Australasian College of Physicians.)

Multiple Emulsions (MEs) contain a drop laden with many micro-droplets. A single-step microfluidic-based synthesis process of MEs is presented to provide a rapid and controlled generation of monodisperse MEs. The design relies on the interaction of three immiscible fluids with each other in subsequent droplet formation steps to generate monodisperse ME constructs. The design is within a microchannel consists of two compartments of cross-junction and T-junction. The high shear stress at the cross-junction creates a stagnation point that splits the first immiscible phase to four jet streams each of which are sprayed to micrometer droplets surrounded by the second phase. The resulted structure is then supported by the third phase at the T-junction to generate and transport MEs. The ME formation within microfluidics is numerically simulated and the effects of several key parameters on properties of MEs are investigated. The dimensionless modeling of ME formation enables to change only one parameter at the time and analyze the sensitivity of the system to each parameter. The results demonstrate the capability of highly controlled and high-throughput MEs formation in a one-step synthesis process. The consecutive MEs are monodisperse in size which open avenues for the generation of controlled MEs for different applications.

Rechargeable zinc-air batteries are deemed as the most feasible alternative to replace lithium-ion batteries in various applications. Among battery components, separators play a crucial role in the commercial realization of rechargeable zinc-air batteries, especially from the viewpoint of preventing zincate (Zn(OH) 4 2- ) ion crossover from the zinc anode to the air cathode. In this study, a new hydroxide exchange membrane for zinc-air batteries was synthesized using poly (2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene oxide) (PPO) as the base polymer. PPO was quaternized using three tertiary amines, including trimethylamine (TMA), 1-methylpyrolidine (MPY), and 1-methylimidazole (MIM), and casted into separator films. The successful synthesis process was confirmed by proton nuclear magnetic resonance and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, while their thermal stability was examined using thermogravimetric analysis. Besides, their water/electrolyte absorption capacity and dimensional change, induced by the electrolyte uptake, were studied. Ionic conductivity of PPO-TMA, PPO-MPY, and PPO-MIM was determined using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy to be 0.17, 0.16, and 0.003 mS/cm, respectively. Zincate crossover evaluation tests revealed very low zincate diffusion coefficient of 1.13 × 10 -8 , and 0.28 × 10 -8 cm 2 /min for PPO-TMA, and PPO-MPY, respectively. Moreover, galvanostatic discharge performance of the primary batteries assembled using PPO-TMA and PPO-MPY as initial battery tests showed a high specific discharge capacity and specific power of ~800 mAh/g Zn and 1000 mWh/g Zn , respectively. Low zincate crossover and high discharge capacity of these separator membranes makes them potential materials to be used in zinc-air batteries.

Manganese oxide (MnO 2 ) is one of the most promising intercalation cathode materials for zinc ion batteries (ZIBs). Specifically, a layered type delta manganese dioxide (δ-MnO 2 ) allows reversible insertion/extraction of Zn 2+ ions and exhibits high storage capacity of Zn 2+ ions. However, a poor conductivity of δ-MnO 2 , as well as other crystallographic forms, limits its potential applications. This study focuses on δ-MnO 2 with nanoflower structure supported on graphite flake, namely MNG, for use as an intercalation host material of rechargeable aqueous ZIBs. Pristine δ-MnO 2 nanoflowers and MNG were synthesized and examined using X-ray diffraction, electron spectroscopy, and electrochemical techniques. Also, performances of the batteries with the pristine δ-MnO 2 nanoflowers and MNG cathodes were studied in CR2032 coin cells. MNG exhibits a fast insertion/extraction of Zn 2+ ions with diffusion scheme and pseudocapacitive behavior. The battery using MNG cathode exhibited a high initial discharge capacity of 235 mAh/g at 200 mA/g specific current density compared to 130 mAh/g which is displayed by the pristine δ-MnO 2 cathode at the same specific current density. MNG demonstrated superior electrical conductivity compared to the pristine δ-MnO 2 . The results obtained pave the way for improving the electrical conductivity of MnO 2 by using graphite flake support. The graphite flake support significantly improved performances of ZIBs and made them attractive for use in a wide variety of energy applications.

Microinjection is an effective actuation technique used for precise delivery of molecules and cells into droplets or controlled delivery of genes, molecules, proteins, and viruses into single cells. Several microinjection techniques have been developed for actuating droplets and cells. However, they are still time-consuming, have shown limited success, and are not compatible with the needs of high-throughput (HT) serial microinjection. We present a new passive microinjection technique relying on pressure-driven fluid flow and pulsative flow patterns within an HT droplet microfluidic system to produce serial droplets and manage rapid and highly controlled microinjection into droplets. A microneedle is secured within the injection station to confine droplets during the microinjection. The confinement of droplets on the injection station prevents their movement or deformation during the injection process. Three-dimensional (3D) computational analysis is developed and validated to model the dynamics of multiphase flows during the emulsion generation. We investigate the influence of pulsative flows, microneedle parameters and synchronization on the efficacy of microinjection. Finally, the feasibility of implementing our microinjection model is examined experimentally. This technique can be used for tissue engineering, cells actuation and drug discovery as well as developing new strategies for drug delivery.

Objective: Comparative study between the effect of LSG and LMGB on patients with type 2 DM and BMI ≥ 35 kg/m 2 ., Study Design: A prospective comparative study which included 40 obese patients with type 2 DM(20 patients were operated for laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) and 20 patients for laparoscopic mini-gastric bypass (LMGB)), with mean age at LSG group 42.95 ± 7.63 with range of 31-59 years, at LMGB group was 42.9 ± 6.17 with range of 34-58 years., Results: In SG cases; complete remission occurred in 11 patients with percentage of 55% and failure of remission occurred in 9 patients with percentage of 45%. No cases developed partial remission in SG cases. In MGB cases; 15 developed diabetic remission with percentage of 75% (11 (55%) patients developed complete remission, 4 (20%) patients developed partial remission). Failure of remission occurs in 5 patients in MGB cases with percentage of 25%., Conclusion: Based on our results, LSG and LMGB are efficient operations for reducing weight in morbidly obese patients and also in diabetic control in T2DM. LMGB might be superior to LSG in %EWL and T2DM remission after 1.5 year follow up., (Copyright © 2018 Diabetes India. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The extraction of powdered nutraceuticals is challenging due to the low water content and high concentration of matrix components that can lead to significant matrix effects in liquid chromatography-positive ion electrospray ionization-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-ESI⁺-MS/MS). In this study we assess the feasibility of using pressurized solvent extraction with ethyl acetate to reduce the co-extraction of polar matrix components. Pigment attributed to chlorophyll was removed with in-cell clean-up utilizing Anasorb 747, Florisil ® , and C18. Visible inspection of the extracts showed that pigment was removed from matcha, a powdered green tea sample. Pressurized solvent extraction with in-cell clean-up can be utilized to remove pigments from powdered samples such as nutraceuticals. Average matrix effect of the 32 target analytes that observed mass spectrometric signal suppression or soft MS signal enhancement was -41 ± 19% with the majority of analytes having a protonated molecular ion with m / z of 250 to 412. As generally moderate signal suppression was observed for conazole fungicides and structurally related compounds analyzed by LC-ESI⁺-MS/MS, it is recommended that matrix matched or standard addition calibration is used for quantitation. Catachins, other polyphenols, and caffeine are expected to contribute to the matrix effects observed in LC-ESI⁺-MS/MS. Diniconazole, fenbuconazole, and tebufenozide were the only target analytes with severe MS signal enhancement. Low levels (0.002⁻0.004 mg/kg) of prothioconazole-desthio and flusilazole were detected, along with trace levels of tebuthiuron in matcha.

Palliative care is an emerging concept in the countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council, a political and economic union of Arab states bordering the Persian Gulf, namely Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. Clinical pharmacy services have not yet been evaluated in this region. The objectives of this study were to create a baseline inventory of clinical pharmacy interventions in palliative care and to assess the perceived importance of interventions made. This was a prospective, single-center characterization study. Interventions were documented from September 30 to December 1, 2013. They were characterized into predetermined categories and analyzed using descriptive statistics. Physician acceptance rate and intervention rate per patient were calculated. Classification categories were sent to 10 practicing pharmacists in each of Qatar and Canada, who ranked the categories on the basis of perceived importance. A total of 96 interventions were documented, giving 3 interventions per patient and an acceptance rate of 81%. Discontinuing therapy (29%), initiating therapy (25%), and provision of education/counseling (13.5%) were most common. No differences were found between rankings from pharmacists in Qatar or Canada. Clinical pharmacy interventions are frequent, and those relating to alterations in drug therapy are most common. Interventions align with the perceived importance from pharmacists in both Qatar and Canada.

Heart failure, caused by dilated cardiomyopathy and other cardiac disorders such as hypertension, is a major public health problem with high morbidity and mortality. Corin, a cardiac enzyme that cleaves natriuretic peptides, is a promising biomarker of cardiomyopathy and heart failure, but its functional role in these processes is not understood. We evaluated the potential effects of corin in mice with a well-characterized model of dilated cardiomyopathy. Mice with dilated cardiomyopathy developed heart failure, reduced contractile function, cardiac fibrosis, and accelerated mortality in the setting of low corin expression. In wild-type mice, transgenic, cardiac-targeted, overexpression of corin enhanced cyclic guanosine monophosphate and blood pressure responses to pro-atrial natriuretic peptide, but did not affect heart size, contractility, body weights, survival, and blood pressure. In mice with dilated cardiomyopathy, corin overexpression significantly reduced the development of myocardial fibrosis (P<0.05). Corin overexpression also enhanced heart contractile function (fractional shortening and ejection fraction; P<0.01) and it significantly reduced heart failure as assessed by lung water (P<0.05) and alveolar congestion (P<0.001). Consistent with these observations, corin overexpression significantly prolonged life in mice with dilated cardiomyopathy (P<0.0001). These results provide the first experimental evidence that corin expression plays a role in cardiomyopathy by modulating myocardial fibrosis, cardiac function, heart failure, and survival.

We have reported previously that duodenal follicular lymphoma (FL) is distinct from nodal FL and showed more resemblance to mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma, and that FL frequently involved the duodenal second portion. In the present study, we examined duodenal FLs and gastric/colonic FLs to clarify the clinicopathological and immunological differences between the tumor types. We analyzed 8 samples of gastric FL, 17 of duodenal ones, and 5 of colonic/rectal ones, and characterized them by immunohistochemistry, immunogenotyping, and histology. Gastric and colonic FLs presented in submucosal to subserosal areas, whereas duodenal ones presented in the mucosal to submucosal layers. Immunohistochemical analysis revealed that duodenal FLs exhibited the following phenotypes: CD10 (+), B-cell lymphoma 2 (BCL-2) (+), BCL-6 (+), activation-induced cytidine deaminase (AID) (-), BACH2 (+), CD27 (+), MUM-1 (-), Blimp-1 (-), and loose CD21 network (duodenal pattern). Gastric/colonic FLs exhibited the following phenotypes: CD10 (+), BCL-2 (+), BCL-6 (+), AID (+), BACH2 (+), CD27 (-), MUM-1 (-), Blimp-1 (-), and a dense CD21 network (nodal pattern). Expression of AID and CD27 in lymphoma cells and the CD21 network pattern were considerably different between duodenal FLs and gastric/colonic ones. Moreover, in situ hybridization revealed that, in the duodenal FLs, BACH2 was expressed at the periphery of the tumor follicle and tumor villi. The number of immunoglobulin heavy-chain variable domains VH4 and VH5 were higher in duodenal follicular lymphomoas than in gastric FLs. The lymphoma cells of duodenal FLs are different from those of gastric/colonic FLs, and duodenal FL is distinct even within the gastrointestinal tract. Somatic hypermutation in immunoglobulin genes and CD27 expression are hallmarks of memory B cells. We suggest that duodenal FL cells are in the memory B-cell stage, and require BACH2 instead of AID for ongoing mutation.

Objectives: Occupational injuries can have severe socioeconomic consequences; however, little research has examined the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of workers following occupational injuries, especially in developing countries. This study was to employ the European Quality of Life Five Dimensions (EQ-5D) tool to measure HRQoL 6 months following serious occupational injury sustained by insured workers in the East Delta Region of Egypt., Design: This cross-sectional study was conducted from July to December 2008 among workers injured severely enough to be off work for at least 6 months after an occupational injury., Setting: The Nile Insurance Hospital in Qalyubia, Egypt., Participants: Adult workers returning for follow-up evaluation after being given 6 months off work by a physician for an occupational injury., Outcomes: The workers described their health and quality of life using the EQ-5D instrument., Results: Most study participants were male (n=118 (90%)), with mean age of 41.5 years. Fractures were the most common type of injury (n=96 (73%)), mostly involving the lower limbs (n=70 (53%)). Participants identified persistent problems related to mobility (n=78 (60%)), self-care (n=69 (53%)), performing usual activities (n=109 (83%)), pain/discomfort (n=119 (91%)) and anxiety/depression (n=51 (40%)). The perceived HRQoL estimated by the mean (±SD) visual analogue scale (VAS) score among injured workers was 61.6±17.9. Multivariate linear regression showed an association between poor VAS score and amputations, mobility limitation, self-care problems, pain/discomfort and anxiety/depression., Conclusions: Some people with occupational injuries experience significant problems such as pain/discomfort, functional limitations and anxiety/depression, long after the injury. Improvement in pain management strategies and physical and psychological rehabilitation may improve their health-related quality of life.

Advances in nanopatterned surface fabrication have sparked an interest in studying surface topology effects on heat transfer across liquid-solid interfaces (LSIs). In this study, molecular dynamics (MD) simulations are conducted to examine the effects of surface nanopatterning on the thermal resistance across LSIs. It is shown that nanopatterning can strongly influence the wetting behavior and vibrational properties of a solid surface. The combination of these two factors has a direct effect on the degree of vibrational coupling between the adsorbed liquid and the solid surface. A strong correlation exists between this coupling and the resulting LSI thermal resistance.

This paper presents an analysis of the simultaneous incorporation of force and mass source terms into the multi-relaxation-time (MRT) collision operator. MRT force incorporation was obtained through Chapman-Enskog analysis. The numerical scheme was tested on different benchmark problems, including the decay of a shear wave with different bulk and kinematic viscosities and axisymmetric flow.

The first trial to detect G1 genotype in Egyptian human isolates of hydatid cysts (HC) and serum samples to approach diagnosis of cystic echinococcosis (CE) using human sera by PCR. Using strain specific primers, 27/36 confirmed CE patients (75%) showed G1 specific band in their sera at 254 bp. Specificity was 100% without detecting bands for either other parasitosis, or mass occupying lesions. Using PCR, G1 genotype was detected in 83.3% of HC samples, without significant difference between types of human isolates (pulmonary, hepatic, or multi-organ). G1 genotype detection in human sera was in 75% of CE patients compared to 83.3% in HC samples of the same group of patients proved satisfactory, simple and safer than HCF sampling. IHAT gave sensitivity of 58.3% compared to histopathological examination of surgically removed cysts or examination of hydatid cyst fluid (HCF) for protoscolices (gold standards). The specificity was 70% with false positive reactions with other parasitic infections and mass occupying lesions. PCR detection of G1 genotype in Egyptian animal hydatid cysts showed 90% in camel isolates and 80% in sheep isolates, but pig isolates were negative. The presence of this genotype in a high percentage in camel isolates incriminated sheep strain as the source of CE camel infection. The results may give an explanation to the contradicting results of other studies that did not relay upon molecular aspects.

The rapid advances in technology and improved living standard of the society necessitate abundant use of fossil fuels which poses two major challenges to any nation. One is fast depletion of fossil fuel resources; the other is environmental pollution. The porous medium combustion (PMC) has proved to be one of the technically and economically feasible options to tackle the aforesaid problems to a remarkable extent. PMC has interesting advantages compared with free flame combustion due to the higher burning rates, the increased power dynamic range, the extension of the lean flammability limits, and the low emissions of pollutants. This article provides a comprehensive picture of the global scenario of research and developments in PMC and its applications that enable a researcher to decide the direction of further investigation. The works published so far in this area are reviewed, classified according to their objectives and presented in an organized manner with general conclusions. A separate section is devoted for the numerical modeling of PMC.

A nonisotropic tensorial extension of the single-component Shan-Chen pseudopotential Lattice Boltzmann method for nonideal fluids is presented. Direct comparison with experimental data shows that this extension is able to capture relevant features of ferrofluid behavior, such as the deformation and subsequent rupture of a liquid droplet as a function of an externally applied magnetic field. The present model offers an economic lattice-kinetic pathway to the simulation of complex ferrofluid hydrodynamics.

The vaginal washouts from symptomatic and asymptomatic patients were examined by wet mount examination and culture on modified TYM medium. Among the 320 cases examined, 10 were positive for T. vaginalis trophozoites by wet mount examination and culture. Modified TYM medium proved very satisfactory for isolation as well as maintenance of the 10 T. vaginalis isolates. Comparison between the growth patterns of all isolates, by counting the number of viable organisms every 24 hours for 7 days, showed that there is a wide variability in the growth characteristics, as regards lengths of log phase, growth peaks reached, generation times, division rate and number of divisions. Antigenic differentiation of the 10 T. vaginalis isolates through SDS-PAGE demonstrated a total of 34 bands using 10% resolution gel. The bands ranged in molecular weight from 12 to 189 KDa. Most of the bands were common among several isolates while isolate 2 appeared different than other isolates with two characteristic bands; one at 136 KDa and the other at 25 KDa. Also, isolates 4 and 8 had characteristic bands at 163 KDa and 189 KDa respectively.

Comparative study between the prevalence of pathological grading and Giardia genotypes revealed that, in patients infected with Giardia group I and II, out of patients having Giardia genotype I the prevalence of grade 0 was 13.16%, grade I was 21.05%, grade II was 47.37%, grade III was 13.16% and grade IV was 2.26% in comparison to 0%, 30.77%, 46.15%, 7.69% and 15.38% in genotype II (13 patients) and 10%, 40%, 20%, 20% and 10% in group III (10 patients) also in relation to 25%, 43.75%, 18.75%, 6.25% and 6.25% in mixed genotype infections group (16 patients) and 25%, 25%, 35.71%, 10.71% and 3.57% in undetermined infection group (28 patients) for grade 0, I, II, III & IV pathology respectively. There was no statistically significant difference regarding the prevalence of pathological grading in different Giardia genotypes in Gs I & II (P > 0.05). The mean OD of anti-Giardia secretory IgA in relation to Giardia genotypes in patients infected with Giardia Gs I & II was significantly different in the mean OD values of anti-Giardia secretory IgA in patients with different Giardia genotypes which were 1.091 +/- 0.377, 1.079 +/- 0.474, 1.524 +/- 0.503, 1.292 +/- 0.472 & 1.004 +/- 0.31 groups of genotype I, II, III, mixed genotypes infection and undetermined infection group respecttively (P > 0.05), being more increased in patients infected with Giardia genotype III and in mixed genotype infection.

The aim of this work was to study radiation and the effects of temperature on conductivity properties of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)-based potassium hydroxide (KOH) and propylene carbonate (PC), where the ionic conduction preferentially occurs in the amorphous phase by free radicals ions through gamma-irradiation. Alkaline composite polymer electrolyte (ACPE) consisting of PVA, KOH and PC of different concentration ratios were prepared by solvent-casting technique. The ACPE were irradiated with different doses from 5 kGy up to 200 kGy. The conductivity properties of the electrolyte films were measured at different frequencies in the range 20 Hz to 1 MHz using LCR meter. The results showed that the conductivity properties were dependent on the radiation dose, temperature and the concentration of the polymer blends.

After ingestion by Culex pipiens and Anopheles pharoensis 4th instar larvae, spores of Bacillus sphaericus strain faiyoum rapidly germinated inside live mosquito midgut. Bacterial counts and electron microscopic observations on intoxicated larvae revealed that the number of viable spores rapidly decreased during the first 12 h, with a maximum between 12 and 24 h. In cadavers, the number of heat-resistant spores quickly increased between the first and second day post-feeding. After one week, the number of spores inside dead larvae reached approximately 20 times the number of ingested spores for both mosquito species (4 x 16(5) spores/larva). Ultrathin sections of recycled spores showed the presence of a crystalline inclusion identical to that initially present in spores before ingestion. Bioassay on Cx pipiens 4th instar larvae showed a similar toxicity between in vivo recycled spores (LC50 = 1.1 +/- 0.3 x 10(5) spores/ml after 24h exposure) and culture-medium-grown spores of B. sphaericus strain faiyoum (LC50 = 1.7 +/- 10(5) spores/ml).

Objectives: To study the epidemiology of Hepatitis B virus (HBV) and Hepatitis C virus (HCP) in a relatively new industrial community in Yanbu, and to find out whether any relationship exists between increased serum Alanine Transferase (ALT) and HBV infection., Method: A group of Saudi male workers (n=332) (mean age = 32 years) were screened for Hepatitis B core antibody (anti-HBc), Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), Hepatitis C virus antibody (anti-HCV), and Alanine Transferase (ALT) level and the results were correlated with age and marital status., Results: Overall, the prevalence of anti-HBc, HBsAg, and anti-HCV were 23.2%, 7.7% and 0.6% respectively. Age-related HBsAg carrier rates were 7.8%, 6.4% and 9.4% for age groups 18-20, 21-30 and over 30 years respec-tively. Anti-HBc positivity rates lucre 7.8%, 24.3% and 23.1 M for the same age groups. Anti-HCV was positive in only two cases (0.6%) of all subjects. Con-sidering marital status, HBsAg and anti-HBc positivity rates were 7.8% and 20.5% for single subjects compared with 7.4% and 24.5% for married subjects (P=> 0.5 and > 0.5). Twenty-two percent of all subjects had ALT levels above 35 U/L with no correlation between the increase of ALT and anti-HBc or HBsAg positivity., Conclusions: THE FINDINGS OF THIS WORK: (1) Support the notion of relatively low prevalence of HCV in the Saudi Population as compared to HBV. (2) Provide clues regarding possible routes of transmission of HBV in Saudis that may help in vaccination policies for control of HBV infection. (3) Emphasize the fact that ALT level is an independent factor of HBV infection, and (4) Signify the need to screen industrial workers fir non-viral causes of liver disease.

Microscopic examination of faecal samples collected from naturally infected blackcap warbler, Sylvia atricapilla revealed the presence of a new Isospora species; I. ashmoonensis. Oocysts were subspherical to oval, measuring 24.0 (21.0-25.0) microns in length and 20.0 (19.0-20.5) microns in width. A micropyle and an oocyst residuum were absent whereas one polar granule was seen. Ellipsoidal sporocysts contained a stieda body and measured 17.0 (16.0-18.5) x 9.2 (9.0-10.0) microns. Sporulation took place within 50 hrs. at room temperature. Developmental stages of the parasite in epithelial cells of the posterior third of the ileum were also described.

Children living in institutions as orphanages are more exposed to intestinal parasitism, since crowding and behavioral pattern contribute greatly to the spread of parasitic infection. The present study was conducted on 100 children living in Ain-Shams and El-Mowassa orphanages, Cairo. Twenty children living under appropriate health conditions were studied as controls. Ages of both groups ranged from 6-12 years. The results of this study revealed that 69/100 (69%) orphanage children were positive for parasitic infection, while 8/20 (40%) control subjects were positive for parasitic infection; the difference was statistically significant. Enterobius vermicularis was the commonest parasite among both groups. Other parasitic infections detected were; Giardia lamblia, Entamoeba histolytica, Hymenolepis nana and Entamoeba coli with a prevalence of 10%, 9%, 2% and 9% respectively in the study group compared to 15%, 10%, 0% and 5% in the control group; the differences were statistically not significant. Cryptosporidium oocysts were not detected in both groups.