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Background: Varicocele is one of the most common treatable causes of male infertility, and its treatment may be beneficial for fertility. This study aimed to evaluate fertility rate and DNA fragmentation index (DFI) following varicocelectomy in primary infertile men with clinical varicocele. Materials and Methods: This prospective longitudinal study was conducted on primary infertility men, in a tertiary center from December 2018 to December 2019 with one-year follow-up. Data of the semen parameters, DFI (%), and fertility rate were gathered before, as well as 4 and 12 months after undergoing varicocelectomy. For data analysis, SPSS software and analytical test were used. Results: Out of 76 patients who were analyzed, 22 (29%) became fertile and 54 (71%) remained infertile. Semen parameters and DFI (%) were improved significantly following varicocelectomy (P<0.001). Smoking history, occupational heated exposure, body mass index (BMI), and infertility duration were determined as predictors associated with fertility status (P<0.05). Conclusion: Although varicocele repair improved the DFI, the fertility rate was achieved in less than one-third of patients; it seems that the other parameters, such as the history of smoking, occupational heated exposure, overweight, and duration of infertility should be considered as predictors of fertility status, in primary infertile men who are a candidate for varicocelectomy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Protein language models learn from diverse sequences spanning the evolutionary tree and have proven to be powerful tools for sequence design, variant effect prediction and structure prediction. What are the foundations of protein language models, and how are they applied in protein engineering? [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Deep-learning language models have shown promise in various biotechnological applications, including protein design and engineering. Here we describe ProGen, a language model that can generate protein sequences with a predictable function across large protein families, akin to generating grammatically and semantically correct natural language sentences on diverse topics. The model was trained on 280 million protein sequences from >19,000 families and is augmented with control tags specifying protein properties. ProGen can be further fine-tuned to curated sequences and tags to improve controllable generation performance of proteins from families with sufficient homologous samples. Artificial proteins fine-tuned to five distinct lysozyme families showed similar catalytic efficiencies as natural lysozymes, with sequence identity to natural proteins as low as 31.4%. ProGen is readily adapted to diverse protein families, as we demonstrate with chorismate mutase and malate dehydrogenase. A generative deep-learning model designs artificial proteins with desired enzymatic activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Z -source inverter is a desirable power converter topology for voltage source and current source converter applications, which is an exciting alternative for replacing the popular conventional type. This paper presents a novel method for designing voltage-type Z -Source inverters that are innovated based on good voltage source and D C -Link prerequisites such as its current and voltage value. This method is caused to reduce the size of the capacitor and inductor as well as the total cost of the converter, which is applicable in hybrid electric vehicle development. Z -Source inverter's output based on its input variables and effects has been investigated to propose to optimize the design/control method. State space equations are obtained, and its model is analyzed to illustrate how the undesired effects of these changes can be omitted or compensated. It has been used to optimize the designed parameters. A prototype experimental Z-Source inverter with a rated power of 500 W and switching frequency of 20 kHz is developed to demonstrate the validity of the design process. The Simulation and experimental results verify that the proposed method successfully optimizes the x-shape Impedance design. • An effective design method for fewer values of C and L in the voltage type ZSI • Effect of LC of X-shape in voltage type ZSI on dynamic behavior versus input changes • A new strategy for healing dynamic behavior of voltage type ZSI versus input changes • Simulation and excremental results are presented To prove the mathematical theory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Varicocele is one of the leading causes of infertility in men. Resistance index (RI) in testis is a parameter indicating parenchymal perfusion and microvascular functions. Increased RI in the testis of patients with varicocele might be a sign of impairments in microvascularization and a significant decrease in testicular perfusion. In the present study, RI in capsular and intraparenchymal testicular arteries was evaluated in patients with varicocele who underwent varicocelectomy. Methods: This prospective cohort study was performed in 2019-2020 in Guilan, Iran. Sixty-six patients were included. Semen analysis was also done before surgeries. Patients with at least one disorder in semen analysis entered the study. RI in testicular arteries was measured by an experienced radiologist before surgeries. Six months after varicocelectomy, all patients underwent the same semen analysis and ultrasound imaging. Data were analyzed using SPSS software. The tests for analysis included McNemar Test and Wilcoxon and p<0.005 was considered as the significance level. Results: According to the results, 42 patients (63.6%) had positive changes in sperm analysis after surgeries. Sperm analysis showed a significant increase in number, concentration, morphology, and motility of sperm after surgeries (p<0.001). Further measurements of capsular and intratesticular RI in all patients also indicated a significant decrease (p<0.001). Conclusion: Increased RI might be associated with impaired microperfusion in testis followed by impairments in semen. Moreover, mean capsular and intratesticular RI in patients decreased after surgeries and this decrease was significantly more in patients who had improvement in their semen parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Varicocele represents the main cause of male infertility. Right-sided varicocele is rare and can be due to renal malignancy or a venous abnormality. The most common anomaly of the inferior vena cava (IVC) is interruption of IVC with azygos continuation, which is recognized as an uncommon congenital anomaly. The prevalence of the interruption of IVC is less than 0.3% in the healthy population. We describe the case of a 26-year-old man who had right varicocele because of a right-sided IVC with a retro-aortic left renal vein and azygos continuation. The right and left IVCs received the right and left common iliac veins, respectively, and the left renal vein crossed posteriorly to the aorta and joined the right IVC. The right IVC continued cephalad as the azygos vein within the retrocrural space. Isolated right-sided varicoceles are uncommon, but practitioners should be aware of such a condition. In case of a venous anomaly, clinicians should aware of the association with other important clinical presentations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Several medical therapies have been proposed for the treatment of premature ejaculation (PE). Paroxetine and tramadol were both reported to be effective in treatment of PE. In this study, the therapeutic effects of tramadol, paroxetine and placebo were compared in treatment of primary PE. Methods: In this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial, 150 patients were divided into 3 groups. One group was treated with tramadol 50 mg ondemand, the other group took paroxetine 20 mg on-demand and the third group was treated with placebo. Before starting treatment and after 12 weeks, patients were asked to measure their average intravaginal ejaculation latency time (IELT) and fill the PEP (Premature Ejaculation Profile) questionnaire. Results: At the end of the 12th week, the mean IELT and average of PEP scores improved in all 3 groups. The increase in tramadol group was significantly higher than the paroxetine and placebo groups (p<0.0001). There were no significant differences in terms of side effects between the 3 groups. Conclusion: The results showed that despite an increase in mean IELT and PEP scores in all 3 groups, the rate of improvement in tramadol group was significantly more than the others. Thus, tramadol may be considered as an appropriate alternative therapeutic option for lifelong PE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Protein structure prediction with a language model improves accuracy for orphan and designed proteins. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bacterial adhesion to collagen, the most abundant protein in humans, is a critical step in the initiation and persistence of numerous bacterial infections. In this study, we explore the collagen binding mechanism of the multi-modular cell wall anchored collagen adhesin (CNA) in Staphylococcus aureus and examine how applied mechanical forces can modulate adhesion ability. The common structural-functional elements and domain organization of CNA are present across over 50 genera of bacteria. Through the use of molecular dynamics models and normal mode analysis, we shed light on the CNA’s structural and conformational dynamics and its interactions with collagen that lead to collagen binding. Our results suggest that the linker region, CNA165-173, acts as a hinge exhibiting bending, extensional, and torsional modes of structural flexibility and its residues are key in the interaction of the CNA-collagen complex. Steered molecular dynamics simulations were conducted with umbrella sampling. During the course of these simulations, the ‘locking’ latch from the CNA N2 domain was dissociated from its groove in the CNA N1 domain, implying the importance of the latch for effective ligand binding. Finally, we observed that the binding efficiency of the CNA N1-N2 domains to collagen decreases greatly with increasing tensile force application to the collagen peptides. Thus, CNA and similar adhesins might preferentially bind to sites in which collagen fibers are cleaved, such as in wounded, injured, or inflamed tissues, or in which the collagenous tissue is less mature. As alternative techniques for control of bacterial infection are in-demand due to the rise of bacterial antibiotic resistance, results from our computational studies with respect to the mechanoregulation of the collagen binding site may inspire new therapeutics and engineering solutions by mechanically preventing colonization and/or further pathogenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A low cost recipe for thin film deposition of Potassium Sodium Niobate, (Na,K)NbO (KNN) is pursued. The use of expensive noble metals as electrodes was avoided and instead highly doped silicon was used for both the structural layer and the bottom electrode. Nickel was used for the top electrode. In order to evaluate the outcome, the films were studied in terms of stoichiometry, crystal structure and leakage current density. RF sputtering of thin films of KNN at room temperature was successfully done. Proper crystal structure (Perovskite structure) was achieved after post deposition annealing. Though the leakage current density exhibited high dependency on the polarity of the applied voltage, a leakage current density of 1 × 10 A/cm at 100 kV/ cm was measured. A stoichiometry study revealed that the relative ratio of the volatile elements (Na and K) in the samples was within the acceptable range, however, a total loss of about 25-33 % was observed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction. Phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors PDE5Is are less effective in diabetic men with erectile dysfunction ( ED); however, the effect of combination therapy with folic acid and PDE5Is in these patients has not been investigated. Aim. To evaluate the efficacy and safety of combination therapy with folic acid and tadalafil for the management of ED in men with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Methods. Eighty-three patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and ED were included in this randomized double-blind clinical trial. They were randomly divided into two groups. Group A was treated with tadalafil 10 mg every other day plus folic acid 5 mg daily and group B received tadalafil 10 mg every other day plus placebo daily for 3 months. The mean International Index of Erectile Function ( IIEF) scores before and after treatment in each groups were recorded. Men with diagnosis of psychological ED, spinal cord injury, or who used folic acid in the past 3 months and patients with any contradiction for use of PDE5Is were excluded. Main Outcomes Measures. The cross tabulation and independent t-test were used to evaluate the difference between baseline characteristic of the patients in the two groups. Wilcoxon signed-ranks test and Mann- Whitney U-test were used to evaluate the IIEF score and also its changes before and after treatment in the two groups. Results. The mean IIEF scores before and after treatment were 11.65 ± 2.67 and 16.80 ± 4.03 in group A ( P < 0.001) and 12.70 ± 2.31 and 14.37 ± 2.17 in group B ( P < 0.001), respectively. The difference of mean IIEF score after treatment between the two groups was significant (16.80 ± 4.03 vs. 14.37 ± 2.17 in groups A and B, respectively) ( P = 0.002). Also, the mean IIEF score was significantly increased in group A as compared with group B (5.14 ± 3.84 vs. 1.68 ± 0.99 in groups A and B, respectively) ( P < 0.001). Both folic acid and tadalafil were well tolerated by all the patients. Conclusion. Sexual function in diabetic patients with ED treated with the combination of tadalafil and folic acid improved significantly as compared with the placebo group. The use of folic acid and tadalafil is safe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is the main cause of lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) in elderly men. Some patients respond poorly to routine medical therapy and are not well suited for surgery, too. This study was planned to evaluate the effect of Botulinum-A on BPH refractory to current medical therapy in poor surgical candidates. Methods: In this clinical trial, 10 patients with LUTS suggestive of BPH who had responded poorly to medical therapy for at least 6 months and were poor surgical candidates, were received different doses of transurethral Botulinum-A injection based on their prostate volume. The prostate volume, PSA, Qmax, IPSS, PVR and frequency of nocturia were evaluated and compared before and after treatment. Results: The mean IPSS was 24.50 ± 3.8 and 13.40 ± 2.67 before and after the treatment, respectively ( P < 0.001). The mean prostate volume was decreased from 41.50 ± 10.85 mL to 30.40 ± 8.05 mL ( P < 0.001). The Qmax was increased from 7.87 ± 2.01 mL/s to 16.19 ± 1.76 mL/s ( P < 0.001). The mean PSA was 3.12 ± 0.49 ng/mL and 1.71 ± 0.39 ng/mL before and after treatment, respectively ( P < 0.001). The mean PVR was 75.6 ± 51.63 mL and 63.50 ± 36.59 mL before and after treatment, respectively ( P = 0.096). The mean number of nocturia was decreased from 4.1 ± 0.87 to 2.4 ± 0.84 ( P < 0.001). The mean IPSS, Prostate volume, PSA and frequency of nocturia were decreased significantly. Although mean PVR was decreased but it wasn't statistically significant. The mean Qmax was increased significantly. Conclusion: Intraprostatic injection of Botulinum-A may be an effective and safe treatment for symptomatic BPH in selected patients whose medical treatment has faced failure and are poor surgical candidates. Transurethral method could be selected as a preferable technique of injection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It has been suggested that nitrates are potent smooth muscle relaxants that may reduce pain and facilitate ureteral stone passage; therefore it may be an option for medical expulsive therapy in ureteral stones. In a prospective randomized controlled clinical trial, we evaluated the efficacy of medical expulsive therapy with isosorbide-SR 40 mg in patients with ureteral stones (≤10 mm). The patients with ureteral stones in KUB or urinary tract ultrasonography were randomized to receive methylprednisolone plus celecoxib without (control group), and with isosorbide-SR 40 mg (treatment group) for 21 days. 66 patients [33(50%) in control, 33(50%) in treatment group] were entered randomly to our study. The stone expulsion rate was not significantly different between two groups (54.5 vs. 45.5%) ( P = 0.497). The need for surgical procedures were more common in control group within 21 days (9.4 vs. 6.1%) and more common in treatment group after 21 days (33.3 vs. 21.9%) ( P = 0.756).Patients in the treatment group experienced more intractable pain (27.3 vs. 6.1%), intractable vomiting (3 vs. 0%) ( P = 0.046) and hospitalization (3 vs. 0%) ( P = 0.314). Drug side effects including headache and dizziness were more common in treatment group (39.4 vs. 9.1%) ( P = 0.004). In our study, the use of isosorbide-SR in treatment group did not improve the stone expulsion rate in patients with ureteral stones (≤10 mm) but developed more side effects. Then it may not an appropriate alternative for medical expulsive therapy. Of course, further trials are recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inguinal bladder hernia is a rare clinical condition, with 1-3% of all inguinal hernias involving the bladder. Any portion of the bladder may herniate, from a small portion or a diverticulum to most of the bladder. We present a 55-year-old male with an intermittent right scrotal mass of 6 months' duration. The mass lesion protruded through the right inguinal canal before voiding and reduced after that. Scrotal sonography revealed a hypoechoic lesion in the scrotum that stretched cranially to the intra-abdominal portion of the bladder. Excretory urography showed a duplicated system in the left kidney and deviation of the left orifice to the right side of the trigon. Finally, cystography illustrated herniation of the bladder to the right scrotum. Surgical repair of the hernia was done with mesh. Follow-up cystography one month postoperatively revealed no herniation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article examines that standard of conjecture that was developed to sustain the historiographic reality of giants and the implications of such standard for the understanding of early modern historical verse. Topics covered include the representational challenges facing early modern historical poetry, including "Poly Olbion," by Michael Drayton, "Faerie Queene," by Edmund Spenser and "Paradise Lost," by John Milton, accounts of giants in literature and the reality of giants.

Finite element and machine learning modeling are two predictive paradigms that have rarely been bridged. In this study, we develop a parametric model to generate arterial geometries and accumulate a database of 12,172 2D finite element simulations modeling the hyperelastic behavior and resulting stress distribution. The arterial wall composition mimics vessels in atherosclerosis--a complex cardiovascular disease and one of the leading causes of death globally. We formulate the training data to predict the maximum von Mises stress, which could indicate risk of plaque rupture. Trained deep learning models are able to accurately predict the max von Mises stress within 9.86% error on a held-out test set. The deep neural networks outperform alternative prediction models and performance scales with amount of training data. Lastly, we examine the importance of contributing features on stress value and location prediction to gain intuitions on the underlying process. Moreover, deep neural networks can capture the functional mapping described by the finite element method, which has far-reaching implications for real-time and multiscale prediction tasks in biomechanics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Clinical education plays an essential role in shaping the nursing identity and is one of the central elements in the education of nursing students. Today, with the advancement of novel technologies, utilizing mobile phone-based technologies in the education of medical sciences is inevitable. Therefore, this study was conducted with the aim of investigating the impact of the urology educational application on nursing students' cognitive-functional criteria and satisfaction during the internship period. Methods: This experimental educational intervention study was conducted during nursing students' urology internship course at Shahid Beheshti School of Nursing and Midwifery in Rasht. The data collection tools included a demographic characteristics questionnaire, cognitive skills scale, functional skills scale, and satisfaction scale (Stokes, 2001). The data were analyzed using SPSS software version 16, and a significance level was set at 0.05. Results: Out of 48 studied students, 28 (58.3%) were males. The mean age of the students was 20.34 (SD = 1.51) years. In the application group, the mean of students' cognitive skills after the intervention significantly increased by 2.33 units (95% CI: 1.73 to 2.9) (t(23) = 7.97, P < 0.001, d = 1.626). By controlling the scores before the intervention, the adjusted mean score of cognitive skills in the application group was 0.56 units (95% CI: -0.16 to 1.28) higher than the traditional group; however, this difference was not statistically significant (F(1, 45) = 2.42, P = 0.127, η2p = 0.051). There was no statistically significant difference between the mean score of students' functional skills in traditional and application groups (t(46) = 0.63, P = 0.532, d = 0.184). The total mean score of satisfaction with education in the application group was 83.0 (SD: 10.7). According to the values ​​of the quartiles, 75% of the students scored higher than 75.9, 50% scored higher than 83.9, and 25% scored higher than 91.1. Conclusion: According to the results of this study, students' scores of functional and cognitive assessment and satisfaction with the application in urology clinical training were reported as favorable. Therefore, it is recommended that mobile phone-based technologies be used in students' clinical education and internships in combination with the traditional method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the need for high-voltage arc flash (HVAF) assessment for utility workers who are exposed to the line to line voltages above 15 kV. The regulatory requirements will be discussed including OSHA, NESC, etc., to get an understanding of how utilities consider HVAF. Furthermore, the methods for evaluating HVAF, key driving factors, and rule of thumbs, and HVAF personal protective equipment will be discussed and compared in great detail to aid in the selection of a thermal incident energy evaluation method. The article includes an example application of HVAF assessment using various commercially available software. This example illustrates the importance of performing an HVAF assessment for utility applications and highlights the differences between thermal incident energy evaluation methods and how they can be conservatively applied for situations outside their intended application range. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses how healthcare workers are managing the COVID-19 pandemic in Guilan Province in northern Iran. Also cited are the number of patients with acute respiratory syndromes who were tested positive to COVID-19 using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests, and the treatments used like Tamiflu, hydroxychloroquine, and kaletra.

In this study, a new model was developed by fully incorporating the DRAINMOD model into the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT). In this modeling approach, surface flow is simulated using SWAT model and subsurface flow is estimated using the DRAINMOD model. The newly developed model, referred to as SWATDRAIN, has the potential to perform simulations of multiple scenarios such as controlled drainage, subsurface irrigation and wastewater treatment to determine cost-effective water management at the watershed scale. The model was evaluated for Green Belt Watershed, located in southern Ontario. Measured tile drainage and water table depth data from this watershed were used to evaluate the capability of the new model to simulate water balance components for this tile-drained agricultural watershed. Simulations were carried out over the period 1991–1993; 1991 and 1992 data were used for model calibration and 1993 data were used for validation. During both calibration and validation periods, SWATDRAIN simulated the watershed hydrologic response, the water table depth, and tile flow very well. Model accuracy statistics for monthly and daily water table depth over the validation period were, respectively, 0.86 and 0.70 for Coefficient of Determination, 0.11 and 2.90 for Percent Bias, and 0.80 and 0.67 for the Nash Sutcliffe Efficiency. Model accuracy statistics for events, monthly and daily tile drainage over the validation period were, respectively, 0.86, 0.88 and 0.70 for R 2 , 11.7, 13.26 and 13.26 for Percent Bias, and 0.82, 0.86 and 0.69 for Nash Sutcliffe Efficiency. This clearly demonstrates that integrated DRAINMOD approach in SWAT provides an effective water management tool for tile-drained watersheds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To evaluate the potential relationship between scrotal ultrasound findings and abnormal semen analysis. Methods: Eighty-seven patients with varicoceles underwent semen analysis and scrotal sonography. On ultrasound, estimated testes volume and the largest pampiniform vein diameters on the affected side at rest and with Valsalva manoeuvre in both the supine and upright positions were examined. In addition, the differences between the largest venous diameters at rest and during the Valsalva manoeuvre in each position (supine and upright) and also the differences between the largest venous diameter in the supine position and the upright position in each condition (at rest and during the Valsalva manoeuvre) were calculated. The relationship between various ultrasound parameters and impaired semen analysis was evaluated using receiver operating characteristic curves. Results: Seventy-one patients had spermatogenesis impairment, and the remaining 16 had normal semen analysis. The difference in the mean spermatic vein diameter at rest between the supine and upright positions (cut-off point, 0.25 mm) had the highest diagnostic accuracy in differentiating the patients with abnormal sperm analysis from those with normal spermatogenesis with an area under the curve of 0.86. Conclusions: Real-time scrotal ultrasound can be helpful in predicting abnormal sperm analysis in patients with varicoceles. Key Points: • Scrotal ultrasound is a non-invasive method to evaluate spermatic veins in varicoceles. • Ultrasound can evaluate venous dimension change at rest after upright position (ΔD ). • ΔD > 2.5 mm distinguishes patients with abnormal semen analysis. • ΔD has the most accuracy in predicting abnormal spermatogenesis. • Ultrasound findings improve differentiation between patients with abnormal and normal spermatogeneses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder associated with brain development that subsequently affects the physical appearance of the face. Autistic children have different patterns of facial features, which set them distinctively apart from typically developed (TD) children. This study is aimed at helping families and psychiatrists diagnose autism using an easy technique, viz., a deep learning-based web application for detecting autism based on experimentally tested facial features using a convolutional neural network with transfer learning and a flask framework. MobileNet, Xception, and InceptionV3 were the pretrained models used for classification. The facial images were taken from a publicly available dataset on Kaggle, which consists of 3,014 facial images of a heterogeneous group of children, i.e., 1,507 autistic children and 1,507 nonautistic children. Given the accuracy of the classification results for the validation data, MobileNet reached 95% accuracy, Xception achieved 94%, and InceptionV3 attained 0.89%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently developed processes have enabled bottom-up chemical synthesis of graphene nanoribbons (GNRs) with precise atomic structure. These GNRs are ideal candidates for electronic devices because of their uniformity, extremely narrow width below 1 nm, atomically perfect edge structure, and desirable electronic properties. Here, we demonstrate nano-scale chemically synthesized GNR field-effect transistors, made possible by development of a reliable layer transfer process. We observe strong environmental sensitivity and unique transport behavior characteristic of sub-1 nm width GNRs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and purpose: Development of the male phenotype and the initiation of spermatogenesis are intricately dependent on the cellular events that respond to androgens. The actions of androgens are mediated by the androgen receptor (AR). The aim of this study was to investigate the association of AR 5'UTR and codon 211 genetic variation with the risk of idiopathic male infertility. Materials and methods: Genomic DNA was extracted from 60 men with idiopathic infertility and 70 healthy men. The genetic variation of 5'UTR and codon 211 was determined by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP)- and PCR-single strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP), respectively. Results: No mobility shift was seen in the PCR products of 5'UTR in patient and control groups. We did not identify a single mutation at 5'UTR of AR gene in patients and controls. Genotype frequencies of codon 211 in patient group were GG (67%), GA (23%), AA (10%) and in control group there were GG (77%), GA (21%) and AA (1%). No significant differences were found between the two groups in allelic frequencies (÷2=2.40; P=0.3). Conclusion: Our findings suggest no correlation between these polymorphisms and male infertility in the studied patients. However, further studies of AR polymorphisms with their biological functions are needed to understand the role of these polymorphisms in the development of male infertility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Study Type - Therapy (RCT) Level of Evidence 1b What's known on the subject? and What does the study add? Results of our study showed that intravenous papaverine hydrochloride plus suppository sodium diclofenac were more effective than diclofenac sodium suppository alone in the treatment of acute renal colic. Therefore, intravenous papaverine hydrochloride may be a beneficial supplemental therapy to relieve renal colic pain, particularly in combination with NSAIDs. OBJECTIVE To assess the efficacy of papaverine hydrochloride combined with a diclofenac sodium suppository to relieve renal colic compared with diclofenac suppository monotherapy, as the effect of phosphodiesterase inhibitors on ureteric muscles might reduce the pain of renal colic., PATIENTS AND METHODS A prospective, double-blind clinical study was performed., In all, 550 patients aged 17-55 years with acute renal colic were randomised to two groups. Patients in one group (group A) received a diclofenac suppository (100 mg) plus saline 0.9% (placebo) and the other group (group B) received a diclofenac suppository (100 mg) plus intravenous (i.v.) papaverine hydrochloride (1.5 mg/kg up to120 mg)., Pain intensity was assessed using a visual analogue scale (VAS) at 0, 20 and 40 min after treatment. Further analgesia was provided at the patients' request (25 mg pethidine intramuscularly)., RESULTS Baseline characteristics (sex, age, past history of similar pains) were similar in the two groups., There were significant differences in VAS pain scores between 0 and 20 min and 0 and 40 min in both groups ( P < 0.001)., At the end of study, 71.1% of patients in group A and 90.9% of patients in group B reported pain relief and did not require pethidine, respectively., Significantly more patients in group A required further analgesia., CONCLUSIONS According to our results, i.v. papaverine hydrochloride plus a diclofenac suppository were more effective than the diclofenac suppository alone for treating acute renal colic., Therefore, i.v. papaverine hydrochloride is a beneficial supplemental therapy to relieve renal colic pain, particularly combined with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Land application of biosolids from processed sewage sludge may deteriorate soil, water, and plants. We investigated the impact of the N-Viro biosolids land-application on the quality of the soil water that moved through Orthic Humo-Ferric Podzols soil of Nova Scotia (NS) at the Wild Blueberry Research Institute, Debert, NS Canada. In addition, the response of major soilproperties and crop yield was also studied. Wild blueberry (Vaccinium angustifolium. Ait) was grown under irrigated and rainfed conditions in 2008 and 2009. Four experimental treatments including (i) NI: N-Viro irrigated, (ii) NR: N-Viro rainfed, (iii) FI: inorganic fertilizer irrigated, and (iv) FR: inorganic fertilizer rainfed (control) were replicated 4 times under randomized complete block design. Soil samples were collected at the end of each year and analyzed for changes in cation exchange capacity (CEC), soil organic matter (SOM), and pH.Soil water samples were collected four times during the study period from the suction cup lysimeters installed within and below crop root zone at 20 and 40 cm depths, respectively. The samples were analyzed for a range of water quality parameters including conductance, hardness, pH, macro- and micronutrients, and the infectious pathogens Escherichia coli (E. coli) and salmonella. Berries were harvested for fruit yield estimates. Irrigation significantly increased CEC during 2008 and the soil pH decreased from 4.93 (2008) to 4.79 (2009). There were significant influences of irrigation, fertilizer, and their interaction, in some cases, on most of the soil water quality parameters except on the infectious bacteria. No presence of E. coli or salmonella were observed in soil and water samples, reflecting the absence of these bacteria in biosolids used in this experiment. Nutrient concentration in the soil water samples collected from the four treatments were higher in the sequence NI > NR > FI > FR. The irrigation treatment had significant effect on the unripe fruit yield. We conclude that the comparable performance of N-Viro biosolids and the increasing prices of inorganic fertilizers would compel farmers to use economically available N-Viro biosolids that, coupled with the supplemental irrigation, did not deteriorate the studied soil properties, soil water quality, and the wild blueberry yield during this experiment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A new watershed model, DRAIN–WARMF, was developed to simulate the hydrologic processes and the nitrogen fate and transport that occur in small, predominantly subsurface-drained, agricultural watersheds that experience periodic freezing and thawing conditions. In this modeling approach, surface flow is simulated using a watershed scale model, WARMF, and subsurface flow is estimated using a field-scale model for subsurface-drained shallow water table fields, DRAINMOD 5.1. For subsurface flow calculations, the watershed is subdivided into uniform cells, and DRAINMOD is run on each cell with inputs based on the individual hydrologic characteristics of the cell. The coupling results in a distributed parameter model that calculates the total flow at the outlet of a watershed as well as the nitrogen losses. The model was evaluated for the St. Esprit watershed, located approximately 50km northeast of Montreal. Simulations were carried out from 1994 to 1996; data from 1994 and 1995 was used for model calibration and data from 1996 was used for model validation. The new model was able to adequately simulate the hydrologic response and nitrate losses at the outlet of the watershed. Comparing the observed daily flow/monthly nitrogen with the model''s outputs over the validation period returned an R 2 value of 0.74/0.86 and modeling efficiency of 0.72/0.83. This clearly demonstrates the model''s ability to simulate hydrology and nitrogen losses occurring in small agricultural watersheds in cold climates. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Diagnosis of endoleak following endovascular aortic repair (EVAR) relies on manual review of multi-slice CT angiography (CTA) by physicians which is a tedious and time-consuming process that is susceptible to error. We evaluate the use of a deep neural network for the detection of endoleak on CTA for post-EVAR patients using a novel data efficient training approach. 50 CTAs and 20 CTAs with and without endoleak respectively were identified based on gold standard interpretation by a cardiovascular subspecialty radiologist. The Endoleak Augmentor, a custom designed augmentation method, provided robust training for the machine learning (ML) model. Predicted segmentation maps underwent post-processing to determine the presence of endoleak. The model was tested against 3 blinded general radiologists and 1 blinded subspecialist using a held-out subset (10 positive endoleak CTAs, 10 control CTAs). Model accuracy, precision and recall for endoleak diagnosis were 95%, 90% and 100% relative to reference subspecialist interpretation (AUC = 0.99). Accuracy, precision and recall was 70/70/70% for generalist1, 50/50/90% for generalist2, and 90/83/100% for generalist3. The blinded subspecialist had concordant interpretations for all test cases compared with the reference. In conclusion, our ML-based approach has similar performance for endoleak diagnosis relative to subspecialists and superior performance compared with generalists. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A recently developed model, SWATDRAIN, was used to assess the alterations in water balance components, discharge, and sediment loads due to tile drainage practices in a heavily tile drained watershed in Ontario, Canada. Furthermore, the model was implemented to determine the spatial variability of sediment loads which can be explained by a combination of spatially distributed variables within a watershed, including those controlling the hydrology, geology, soil and land use. Three scenarios were examined across the watershed, including conventional drainage (existing condition), controlled drainage, and no tile drainage. The model predicted that streamflow was not significantly impacted due to tile drainage, while the total runoff and sediment loads from the basin due to controlled drainage were increased by 27.1% and 22.2%, respectively, while removing tile drain infrastructures resulted in 37.1% increase in surface runoff and 55% increase in sediment load from the watershed The areas with high sediment load generation were identified by the model and the impact of tile drainage in producing sediment in those areas was assessed. The results showed that the sediment load generation rate in the areas with the highest load (class V) increased by 8% only due to controlled drainage, while in the second ranked sediment generating areas (class IV), the sediment load generation rate was increased by 32%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water pollution by nitrate removed from agricultural systems through subsurface tile drains is a major environmental concern in Ontario. The control and reduction of the loading of chemicals to water bodies requires knowledge on the contribution of agricultural systems to water pollution under different cropping management practices. In this study, DRAINMOD model was implemented to predict the effects of conventional tillage (CT) and no tillage (NT) treatments on water table depth, tile effluent and NO 3 –N losses through subsurface drainage from a 14 ha agricultural field at the Green Belt Farm of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada in Ottawa, Ontario. During the study period, flow was significantly higher under NT than CT mainly during the snowmelt and spring periods. Total nitrate loss under NT was higher than CT but the difference was not significant during the 4 years of study period. The climate change scenario of PRECIS was then applied to assess the effect of tillage practices under future climate change. In the future, the changes in climate will result in a significant increase in flow and nitrate under both NT and CT practices. It was also noted that, in future, NO 3 –N losses under no till treatment are expected to be significantly higher than those under conventional tillage practices in future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wild blueberry ( Vaccinium angustifolium Ait.) fields in the north east Canada are naturally grown in a course textured thin layer of soil and below this layer is a soilless layer of gravel. The root zone depth of this crop varies from 10 to 15 cm. Investigating the depth to the gravel layer below the course textured soil is advantageous, as it affects the water holding capacity of the root zone. Water and nutrient management are the two primary determinants of crop yield and the amount of leaching. The objective of this study was to estimate the depth to the gravel layer using DualEM-2 instrument. A C++ program written in Visual Studio 2010 was used to develop mathematical models for estimating the depth to the gravel layer from the outputs of DualEM-2 sensor. Two wild blueberry fields were selected in central Nova Scotia, Canada to evaluate the performance of DualEM-2 instrument in estimating the rootzone depth above the gravel layer. The mid points of squares created by grid lines were used as the sampling points at each experimental site. The actual depth to the interface was measured manually at selected grid points ( n = 50). The apparent ground conductivity (EC) values of DualEM-2 were recorded and the depth to the interface was estimated for the same sampling points within the selected fields. The fruit yield samples were also collected from the same grid points to identify the impact of the depth to the gravel layer on crop yield. After calibrations, comprehensive surveys were conducted and the actual and estimated depths to the interface were established. The interpolated maps of fruit yield, and the actual (z) and estimated ( $$ {\text{z}}_{\text{in}}^{*} $$ ) depths to the interface were created in ArcGIS 10 software. Results indicated that the z was significantly correlated with $$ {\text{z}}_{\text{in}}^{*} $$ for the North River ( R = 0.73; RMSE = 0.27 m) and the Carmel ( R = 0.45; RMSE = 0.20 m) sites. Results revealed that the areas with shallow depth to the gravel layer were low yielding, indicating that the variation in the depth to the gravel layer can have an impact on crop productivity. Non-destructive estimations of the depth to the gravel layer can be used to develop erosion control strategies, which will result in an increased crop production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Enzymes belonging to the glutathione-S-transferase (GST) and cytochrome P450 (CYP) families are involved in a 2-stage detoxification process of a wide range of environmental toxins and carcinogens. In order to investigate whether there is a genetic association of the biotransformation enzymes and idiopathic male fertility, we studied GSTT1, GSTM1, and CYP1A1*2A polymorphisms in 150 infertile men and 200 healthy men as controls from Northern Iran. Genotyping of the GSTT1 and GSTM1 genes were performed using the multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR). However, the CYP1A1 polymorphism was determined using PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP). The GSTM1 and GSTT1 null genotypes were present at frequencies of 0.61 and 0.34 in infertile cases, whereas in controls the frequencies were 0.33 and 0.17, respectively. Double-null genotype was found to be elevated among infertile men (odds ratio [OR] = 3.75, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 2.42-6.45; P < .0001). The frequency of TT, TC, and CC genotypes of CYP1A1 polymorphism in the controls were 42.5%, 45.5%, and 12%, respectively, while those in the infertile men were 38.7%, 48%, and 13.3%. The CYP1A1*2A did not display any association with male infertility. We observed an association between male infertility and the GSTM1 and GSTT1 null deletion, but not with the CYP1A1 polymorphism in North Iranian men with idiopathic infertility. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The hydrologic performance of DRAINMOD 5.1 was assessed for the southern Quebec region considering freezing/thawing conditions. A tile drained agricultural field in the Pike River watershed was instrumented to measure tile drainage volumes. The model was calibrated using water table depth and subsurface flow data over a two-year period, while another two-year dataset served to validate the model. DRAINMOD 5.1 accurately simulated the timing and magnitude of subsurface drainage events. The model also simulated the pattern of water table fluctuations with a good degree of accuracy. The R2 between the observed and simulated daily WTD for calibration was >0.78, and that for validation was 0.93. The corresponding coefficients of efficiency ( E) were >0.74 and 0.31. The R2 and E values for calibration/validation of subsurface flow were 0.73/0.48 and 0.72/0.40, respectively. DRAINMOD simulated monthly subsurface flow quite accurately ( E > 0.82 and R2 > 0.84). The model precisely simulated daily/monthly drain flow over the entire year, including the winter months. Thus DRAINMOD 5.1 performed well in simulating the hydrology of a cold region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A paired stream approach was used to assess ecosystem health in two rural Nova Scotia streams (Thomas Brook and Sharpe Brook) with varying land-use practices. The objectives of the study were to assess stream health within an agricultural catchment, the Thomas Brook Watershed, and to identify parameters that could be used to characterize the impacts of agricultural land use on stream ecosystem health within intensively farmed watersheds in Nova Scotia. General water quality (nutrient concentrations, turbidity, pH, temperature) and the hydrology of both watersheds were monitored from May to October 2006. In addition, continuous dissolved oxygen (DO) and chlorophyll a data were collected in both streams, and benthic invertebrate populations were characterized during the study period. Diurnal DO data were analyzed to determine photosynthesis and respiration ratios. Macroinvertebrate data provided information on productivity, and on a number of other relevant metrics. Findings determined that agricultural land-use generally led to high nutrient concentrations, large dissolved oxygen variability, turbid waters, high chlorophyll a content, and impacted macroinvertebrate populations in streams. Forested land-use demonstrated typically unimpacted conditions. It was concluded that DO dynamics and macroinvertebrate metrics would be very useful for providing a generalized assessment of stream health in agricultural watersheds. Une approche de jumelage de ruisseaux jumelés a été utilisée pour évaluer la santé des écosystèmes dans deux ruisseaux ruraux de Nouvelle-Écosse (le ruisseau Thomas et le ruisseau Sharpe) qui ont des utilisations du territoire différentes. Les objectifs de cette étude étaient d’évaluer la santé des ruisseaux dans un bassin hydrologique agricole, le bassin hydrologique du ruisseau Thomas, et d’identifier les paramètres qui pourraient être utilisés pour caractériser les impacts de l’utilisation du territoire sur la santé des écosystèmes des ruisseaux dans les bassins hydrologiques fortement agricoles de Nouvelle-Écosse. La qualité générale de l’eau (concentrations en nutriments, turbidité, pH, température) ainsi que l’hydrologie des deux bassins hydrologiques ont été surveillés de mai à octobre 2006. De plus, les données continues d’oxygène dissous et de chlorophylle a ont été collectées dans les deux ruisseaux; les populations d’invertébrés benthiques ont été caractérisées durant cette période d’étude. Les données d’oxygène dissous diurnes ont été analysées afin de déterminer les rapports de photosynthèse et de respiration. Les données sur les macro-invertébrés ont fourni de l’information sur la productivité ainsi que sur certains autres paramètres pertinents. Les conclusions ont déterminé que l’utilisation agricole du territoire engendrait généralement des concentrations élevées en nutriments, une grande variabilité de l’oxygène dissous, des eaux turbides, un contenu élevé en chlorophylle a et qu’il y avait un impact sur les populations de macro-invertébrés dans les ruisseaux. L’utilisation forestière du territoire montre peu d’impact sur les conditions. Il a été conclu que la dynamique de l’oxygène dissous et les paramètres des macro-invertébrés pourraient être très utiles pour fournir une évaluation générale de la santé des ruisseaux dans les bassins hydrographiques agricoles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Four years of performance data from a free-water surface constructed wetland receiving dairy wastewater in Nova Scotia was used to compute first order reaction rate constants (Ka) for several parameters including BOD5, TP, TKN, NH4+-N, FC, and TSS. Flow rates at the inlet and outlet of the 5 m wide × 20 m long wetland were continuously measured to assess how external hydrologic influences affected the water budget of the wetland and the system treatment performance. The Ka values were calculated using inlet and outlet concentrations and an assumption of plug flow hydraulics. Adjusted rate constants (Kac) were also computed, in which the effects of dilution and concentration on pollutant concentrations were considered. Precipitation, runoff, and evapotranspiration had a large influence on the wetland water budget. Values of Ka were higher than Kac for all wastewater parameters, illustrating the effects of dilution on outlet pollutant concentrations and the importance of accurately characterizing wetland hydrology when determining or using rate constants. The Kac values did not appear to be influenced by temperature or solar radiation, but were positively correlated with the hydraulic loading rate for most parameters. Rate constants were lower than those reported in the literature for livestock wastewater treatment wetlands operating in warmer climates. This could be due to differences in climate, but could also be attributed to the relatively high strength wastewater and low hydraulic loading rate (0.1 m month–1) used in this study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Freezing and thawing cycles in soil can have a significant effect on field hydrology, which, in turn, can have a major influence on the fate and transport of agricultural chemicals. This study was conducted to evaluate the hydrological performance and NO3 −-N movement of the DRAINMOD 5.1 model with respect to freezing/thawing conditions. Measurements made in the years 1999 and 2000 at an experimental site in Truro, Nova Scotia, Canada on four test plots receiving inorganic fertilizer were used to test the model. Monthly subsurface drainage outflows, simulated using the original and DRAINMOD 5.1, were compared with the observed values. The results showed that the original DRAINMOD overestimated drain outflows during the colder months. The average difference between the monthly drainage outflows, simulated with DRAINMOD 5.1, and the observed values ranged from −0.35 to −1.42mm. Since the new model predicted the timing and magnitude of drainage events quite well and also did a much better job of simulating the hydrology of a colder region, as compared to the original model, it was used to simulate fate and transport of nitrogen compounds. The model was calibrated with the data from two test plots, and validated with the data from the remaining two plots. The difference between the simulated and observed total NO3 −-N losses over a period of 2 years were, respectively, 1.32 and 1.40kgN/ha for the calibration plots. For validation plots, they were −1.64 and 0.97kgN/ha, respectively. These results indicate that the DRAINMOD 5.1 model, performed satisfactorily, and may be used to estimate NO3 −-N losses through drainage outflow in colder regions. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Efforts were made to predict pesticide concentrations at three different depths in the soil profile, using models developed with Multivariate Adaptive Regression Splines (MARS), a regression analysis model. The models were developed with independently collected data from the Eugene E Whelan Experimental Farm (Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Woodslee, Ontario, Canada) from 1992 to 1994. Data from 16 plots, subjected to four different tillage treatments and two different water table management practices, were used. The fate of three herbicides, namely atrazine [2-chloro-4-ethylamino-6-isopropylamino-1,3,5-triazine], metribuzin [4-amino-6-(1, 1-dimethylethyl)-3-(methylthio)-1,2,4-triazin-5(4H)-one], and metolachlor 12-chloro-N-(2-ethyl-6-methylphenyl)-N-(-2-methoxyl-1-methylethyl) acetamide], at three different soil depths were studied. The input variables for the models included Julian day, days after application of pesticide, measured herbicide concentrations, and cumulative figures for rainfall depth, air temperature, soil temperature, and potential evapotranspiration. Considering the limited size of the data set, a 10-fold cross-validation was performed to test and validate the model. Model predictions at the 0-10 cm depth were very close to the measured values, with model efficiencies varying from 83% to 99%. The predictions at the 10-15 cm depth generally varied from 33% to 83%, while the ones at the 15-20 cm depth were within 42% to 95%, with a few exceptions where the model predicted a single value, of the average observed concentrations. These results demonstrate that MARS was able to do a commendable job in simulating pesticide fate and transport in soil with limited data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The MTCP1 gene is involved in the t(X;14)(q28;q11) translocation associated with T-cell prolymphocytic leukemia and related conditions. This gene is unusual in that it codes for two distinct proteins: a small mitochondrial protein, p8MTCP1, and a putative oncogenic protein, p13MTCP1. Scarcity of material from t(X;14)-associated proliferations and very low levels of mRNA expression have so far prevented a thorough description of p13MTCP1-encoding transcripts. Here, we characterize two additional t(X;14) bearing leukemias allowing this analysis. In one case, with a breakpoint located 5′ to the MTCP1 gene, the level of transcription of previously described p13MTCP1-encoding transcripts is enhanced. In the second case, with a breakpoint within the MTCP1 intron I, an alternative transcription initiation site is demonstrated in the tumor cells at 229 bp upstream to exon II. The identification of this internal promoter, together with the similarity between TCL1 and MTCP1 genomic structures, allow us to propose a model in which the duplication of an ancestral gene was followed by the insertion of one copy within the intron of a p8-encoding gene, accounting for the unusual feature of the MTCP1 gene. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A correction to the article "Field Evaluation of Drainmod 5.1 Under a Cold Climate: Simulation of Daily Midspan Water Table Depths and Drain Outflows" is presented.