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This article presents a mathematical analysis of thermoelastic skin tissue using an improved thermal conduction theory known as the refined three-phase-lag (TPL) theory. By accounting for the effects of multiple time derivatives, this advanced model provides a more accurate representation of how skin tissue behaves under different temperature conditions. The thin skin tissue is considered to have mechanically clamped surfaces, which are assumed to be one-dimensional. Furthermore, the skin tissue experiences a thermal shock load on its outer surface while maintaining a constant temperature on its inner surface. The proposed model has led to the derivation of certain generalized thermoelasticity theories in previous studies. The Laplace transform and its associated numerical inversion method are employed to calculate the distributions of temperature, displacement, dilatation, and stress in the system. The obtained outcomes are explicitly depicted to analyze the significant influences on the distributions of the field variables. These findings shed light on the behavior of skin tissue when subjected to a particular temperature distribution at the boundary condition, enhancing our knowledge in this area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study focuses on the analysis of the bio-thermoelasticity response exhibited by biological tissues when their inner and outer surfaces are free from stress and exposing the outer surface of the skin to harmonic heating with heatlessness of the inner surface of the skin. The investigation employs a refined Green-Lindsay model for a comprehensive understanding of the phenomenon. A system of partial differential equations is written and the solution is obtained using the Laplace transform and numerical inverse Laplace. The current model's results for temperature, displacement, stress, and strain distributions are presented, and it is compared to various (coupled and uncoupled) models from previous literature. The relaxation times effect on the model with other models is clarified, the effect of time, and some vital parameters are also studied, and tabularly to illustrate the effect of blood perfusion on the four distributions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the use of waste polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottle strips for soil stabilization in the Potohar region. Uncontrolled filling during housing societies development has led to settlement issues and structural cracking. By incorporating PET bottle strips in varying compositions, the engineering properties of the soil were improved, including increased maximum dry density, bearing capacity, and unconfined compression strength. This research paper offers an innovative technique to mitigate settlement problems and presents an eco-friendly waste management solution for sustainable development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a new mathematical perfect of fractional order to deal with the response of skin tissue subjected to ramp-type heating based on the refined Lord--Shulman generalized thermoelasticity model. Three different models; the classical, the simple Lord--Shulman as well as the refined Lord--Shulman will be discussed. The governing equivalences of the present three models are attained. The general solution for the initial and boundary condition problem is found by employing the Laplace transform approach and its inverse. Numerical results are represented in figures with a comparison to the different theories with different values of fractional order to discuss the impact of the fractional order on temperature, displacement, and dilatation distributions. The effect of ramp-type heat is studied numerically and graphically on distributions of temperature, displacement, and dilatation according to different theories. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of animal models to study cell death in the brain is a delicate task. One of the models, that was discovered in the late eighties, is the induction of neurodegeneration through glucocorticoid withdrawal by adrenalectomy in albino rats. Such a model is one of the few noninvasive models for studying neurodegeneration. In the present study, using stereological technique and ultrastructural examination, we aimed to investigate the impact of short-term adrenalectomy (2 weeks) on different hippocampal neuronal populations in Wistar rats. In addition, the underlying mechanism(s) of degeneration in these neurons were investigated by measuring the levels of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) and β-nerve growth factor (β-NGF). Moreover, we examined whether the biochemical and histological changes in the hippocampus, after short-term adrenalectomy, have an impact on the cognitive behavior of Wistar rats. Stereological counting in the hippocampus revealed significant neuronal deaths in the dentate gyrus and CA4/CA3, but not in the CA2 and CA1 areas, 7 and 14 days post adrenalectomy. The ultrastructural examinations revealed degenerated and degenerating neurons in the dentate, as well as CA4, and CA3 areas, over the course of 3, 7 and 14 days. The levels of IGF-1 were significantly decreased in the hippocampus of ADX rats 24 h post adrenalectomy, and lasted over the course of two weeks. However, β-NGF was not affected in rats. Using a passive avoidance task, we found a cognitive deficit in the ADX compared to the SHAM operated rats over time (3, 7, and 14 days). In conclusion, both granule and pyramidal cells were degenerated in the hippocampus following short-term adrenalectomy. The early depletion of IGF-1 might play a role in hippocampal neuronal degeneration. Consequently, the loss of the hippocampal neurons after adrenalectomy leads to cognitive deficits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

(1) Background: Cardiovascular complications are a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in diabetic patients. The effects of obesity and diabesity on the function and structure of ventricular myocytes in the Zucker fatty (ZF) rat and the Zucker diabetic fatty (ZDF) rat compared to Zucker lean (ZL) control rats have been investigated. (2) Methods: Shortening and intracellular Ca2+ were simultaneously measured with cell imaging and fluorescence photometry, respectively. Ventricular muscle protein expression and structure were investigated with Western blot and electron microscopy, respectively. (3) Results: The amplitude of shortening was increased in ZF compared to ZL but not compared to ZDF myocytes. Resting Ca2+ was increased in ZDF compared to ZL myocytes. Time to half decay of the Ca2+ transient was prolonged in ZDF compared to ZL and was reduced in ZF compared to ZL myocytes. Changes in expression of proteins associated with cardiac muscle contraction are presented. Structurally, there were reductions in sarcomere length in ZDF and ZF compared to ZL and reductions in mitochondria count in ZF compared to ZDF and ZL myocytes. (4) Conclusions: Alterations in ventricular muscle proteins and structure may partly underlie the defects observed in Ca2+ signaling in ZDF and ZF compared to ZL rat hearts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography (OCTA) is dye less microvascular visualizing technique. In study we binaries OCTA images of macular vessels in healthy and diabetic subjects without macular oedema using Adobe Photoshop CS3 extended version. Methods: Prospective, single centered, observational study total of 58 eyes of 108 Diabetic Retinopathy (DR) subjects and 20 eyes of 40 normal subjects with mean age of 58.3±10.5 range (40–82) were included in our study. Ten eyes with Non-Diabetic Retinopathy (NDR), twenty-nine eyes with Non-Proliferative Diabetic Retinopathy (NPDR) (mild-10, moderate-7 and severe-12) and nineteen eyes with Proliferative Diabetic Retinopathy (PDR)are studied with images obtained using OCTA between September 2016 to June 2017. Scan area of 6×6 mm was selected to find morphological changes in the superficial retinal layers and deep retinal layers. Captured OCTA images were binarized using automated thresholding algorithm. Macular Vessel Density (MVD) (%) and Foveal Avascular Zone area (mm2) measured for superficial and deep retinal vessel arcade. For comparison, analysis of variance and Kruskal–Wallis test are applied. Results: Diabetic eyes were grouped according to their severity level. MVD and FAZ are compared in all groups. Results are significantly lower in all groups except in controls and NDR. Significant decrease is observed in vascular density of most layers with progress in retinopathy. Conclusion: Adobe Photoshop CS3 extended version is an excellent tool for image binarization. Calculating FAZ area and MVD using OCTA images agreed closely with clinical grading system. Application of this method can be helpful in monitoring disease progression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accurate forecasts of public transportation ridership are key components to a transit agency's management program. These forecasts are used to develop revenue projections that are then imputed into short-term and long-term maintenance, rehabilitation, and capital investment programming. The forecasts are complicated by the fact that many of the causes of the underlying variability, such as socioeconomic and land-use factors, are not constant over the network. Failure to account for these spatial processes will yield biased, inefficient, and inconsistent demand estimates. To overcome these challenges, the current paper presents a spatial Durbin model for analyzing the change in the New York City subway ridership between 2011 and 2016. The results indicate that subway stations experienced a greater increase in ridership over the study period when the stations served more train lines, were located in areas comprised of census tracts with a greater number of tax units (residential, commercial, etc.), or served lower mean household incomes. Furthermore, the subway stations located in areas surrounded by census tracts with more commercial property or higher median family income are also expected to have a greater increase in ridership. Lastly, ridership at a given station decreases due to an increase in ridership at neighboring stations. This may indicate that a change in ridership at a station is due, in part, to riders in a region changing which station they use instead of riders shifting from alternative modes of transportation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, there has been an increasing trend towards viewing complex infrastructure systems in a holistic manner, to better understand their behaviour. This paper extends the holism concept to facilitate comprehension of the deterioration of the three bridge components: the deck, superstructure, and substructure. The hypothesis is that these bridge components deteriorate, not in isolation, but collectively as a system of systems, and therefore their deterioration exhibits substantial interdependency. To investigate these interdependencies, this paper uses National Bridge Inventory (NBI) data. The paper explores the efficacy of using a multivariate three-stage least squares (3SLS) model to describe these interdependencies and to quantify the effects of other explanatory factors on the deterioration of these components. The results of the 3SLS model are compared to traditional linear models estimated using ordinary least squares (OLS), to demonstrate the 3SLS model's ability to return more precise estimates of bridge deterioration effects. The results show that the 3SLS model statistically outperforms the OLS models by an average of 104% and 173%, based on root mean square error and mean absolute percentage error, respectively. These results support the hypothesis that bridge components exhibit system-of-systems behavior as their deterioration levels are influenced by the condition of each other. The results also suggest that such holistic nature can be captured using a simultaneous equation model. Improved condition prediction can enhance confidence in agency bridge management functions and result in a more efficient use of limited public resources for infrastructure maintenance and repair. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article analyzes area‐wide alcohol‐related driving crash rates, with an emphasis on neighborhood effects, edge effects, and spatial effects arising from shared roadways that traverse area boundaries. Using township data for the state of Indiana, spatial Durbin models of alcohol‐related driving crash rates are presented. The results suggest that a township's population composition and its abundance of alcohol‐related businesses impact the alcohol‐related driving crash rates. Moreover, positive spatial dependence is found to be highly significant, cautioning against the reliance on possibly biased OLS estimators. Due to restrictions in access to the crash and alcohol‐related businesses data of the neighboring states, an alternative approach is adopted to address the spatial edge effects that may arise from alcohol consumption of residents from the edge areas of the neighboring states (possibly leading to crashes inside the border townships). Given the variation in alcohol laws and regulations across states, an empirical assessment of the edge effects is particularly relevant where some border crossing may be deliberate so as to avoid more stringent alcohol restrictions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Tunnel Construction / Suidao Jianshe (Zhong-Yingwen Ban) is the property of Tunnel Construction Editorial Office and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Tunnel Construction / Suidao Jianshe (Zhong-Yingwen Ban) is the property of Tunnel Construction Editorial Office and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

OBJECTIVE: To study the outcome of children with retinoblastoma treated with primary chemotherapy. METHODS: This was a hospital-based cohort prospective study of 91 children with retinoblastoma out of which 27 children (32 eyes) fulfilled the inclusion criteria. These children were admitted to Ophthalmology Unit, Lady Reading st st Hospital, Peshawar, Pakistan during the period of 1 January 2011 to 31 December 2013. Diagnosis was established by compatible history and ultrasonographic demonstration of posterior chamber mass with calcification. CT-Scan aided in diagnosis and also excluded extra scleral/intracranial extension. Examination under anesthesia allowed classifying the tumor according to Reese-Ellsworth classification system. Children of consenting parents were started on primary chemotherapy. Secondary treatment consisted of cryotherapy and/or argon laser photocoagulation. RESULTS: The mean age of the cohort was 2.35 years. A total of 72% had advance stage IV or V disease. Secondary treatment was given in 43% eyes, whereas, 57% needed to be enucleated. Chemoreduction salvaged 43% of eyes. The mean survival in the cohort was 67.88 weeks and the Kaplan Meier cumulative 2 year survival rate is 77%. Primary chemotherapy improved survival in the cohort (none died). The test statistic (log rank is 20.04 (df-1); 2 p<0.001). But, was not attributed to preventing globe loss (x²=2.52 (df-1), p=0.112). Preventing globe loss was attributed to the stage of the disease at 2 time of diagnosis (x² =11.476 (df-1), p<0.001). CONCLUSION: Primary chemotherapy improves survival but not globe salvage in children with retinoblastoma. Invariably, the deciding variable for vision and globe salvage is the stage of disease at diagnosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highway agencies seek knowledge of the changes in infrastructure design and management necessary for connected and automated vehicle (CAV) operations. This technical note presents preliminary and partial results of ongoing research. The note establishes a classification of roadway infrastructure, and discusses the challenges and opportunities associated with infrastructure preparation for CAVs. The technical note also identifies stakeholder roles regarding CAV infrastructure provision, and discusses uncertainties regarding CAV market penetration and level of autonomy during the CAV transition period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the past decade, infrastructure-related legislation in the United States has consistently emphasized the need to measure the variation associated with infrastructure project cost estimates. Such cost variability is best viewed from the perspective of the project development phases and how the project cost estimate changes as it evolves across these phases. The article first identifies a few gaps in the cost overrun literature. Then it introduces a methodology that uses risk-based multinomial models and Monte Carlo simulation involving random draws to predict the probability that a project will follow a particular cost escalation pathway across its development phases and that it will incur a given level of cost deviation severity. The article then uses historical data to demonstrate how infrastructure agencies could apply the proposed methodology. Statistical models are developed to estimate the probability that a highway project will follow any specific cost escalation pathway and ultimately, a given direction and severity of cost deviation. The case study results provided some interesting insights. For a given highway functional class, larger project sizes are associated with lower probability of underestimating the final cost; however, such a trend is not exhibited by very large projects (total cost exceeding $30M). For a given project size, higher class roads were generally observed to have a lower probability of underestimating the final cost, compared to lower class roads and this gap in probability narrows as the project size increases. It was determined that a project's most likely pathway of cost escalation is not a guarantee that it will yield any particular direction of cost deviation. The case study results also confirmed the findings of a few past studies that the probabilities of cost escalation pathways and the cost overruns differ significantly across highway districts, and attributed this to differences in administrative culture and work practices across the districts. Infrastructure managers can use the developed methodology to identify which projects are likely to experience a particular pathway of cost escalation, the direction and severity of cost deviation, and to develop more realistic project contingency estimates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The liquid and semisolid matrix technology, filling liquids, semi-solids and gels in hard gelatin capsule are promising, thus, there is a need of enhanced research interest in the technology. Therefore, the present study was aimed to investigate isoniazid (freely soluble) and metronidazole (slightly soluble) gels filled in hard gelatin capsules for the effect of poloxamers of different viscosities on release of the drugs. Gel of each drug (10% w/ w, particle size 180-250 μm), prepared by mixing poloxamer and 8% w/ w hydrophilic silicon dioxide (Aerosil® A200), was assessed for rheology, dispersion stability and release profile. Both the drugs remained dispersed in majority of gels for more than 30 days, and dispersions were depended on gels' viscosity, which was further depended on viscosity of poloxamers. A small change in viscosity was noted in gels on storage. FTIR spectra indicated no interactions between components of the gels. The gels exhibited thixotropic and shear-thinning behaviour, which were suitable for filling in hard gelatin capsules without any leakage from the capsules. The release of both drugs from the phase-stable gels for 30 days followed first-order kinetics and was found to be correlated to drugs' solubility, poloxamers' viscosity, polyoxyethylene contents and proportion of block copolymer (poloxamers) in the gels. The findings of the present study indicated that release of drugs of different solubilities (isoniazid and metronidazole) might be modified from gels using different poloxamers and Aerosil® A200. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The consequences of chronic exposure of organophosphorus compounds (OPCs) on diabetic subjects have been seldom reported. The aim of the present study was to assess the impact of non-lethal dose of terbufos sulfone (TS), an organophosphate, on the kidney of non-diabetic and streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats. The diabetogenic effect of TS was also examined. Male Wistar rats were treated for two weeks with 130 µg/kg body weight/day of TS. This dose was 1/20 of LD50 and produces less than 10% inhibition of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) in non-diabetic rats. No observable symptoms of poisoning were noted. Weight, glucose and in vivo red blood cell (RBC)-AChE were measured on day 7 and 15 of the study. Serum biochemistry, urine analysis, and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) of kidney were performed to assess the toxicity at the end of the 15-day study. Our results did not reveal diabetogenic effect of TS treatment. Blood glucose level was significantly increased and RBC-AChE activity was significantly decreased in diabetic-TS treated rats compared to untreated diabetic and normal control animals. TEM of kidney revealed structural damage to kidney, which was more severe in diabetic-TS treated rats compared to controls. Toxicity to kidney by TS was further confirmed by urine and blood biochemistry. Our results conclude that non-lethal dose of TS aggravates the nephrotoxicity in diabetic rats. Further studies with other OPCs are needed to be able to generalize the diabetogenic effect of TS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cellular homeostasis is a continuous phenomenon that if compromised can lead to several disorders including cancer. There is a need to understand the dynamics of cellular proliferation to get deeper insights into the prevalence of cancer. Mechanistic Target of Rapamycin (mTOR) is implicated as the central regulator of the metabolic pathway involved in growth whereas its two distinct complexes mTORC1 and mTORC2 perform particular functions in cellular propagation. To date, mTORC1 is a well defined therapeutic target to inhibit uncontrolled cell division, while the role of mTORC2 is not well characterized. Therefore, the current study is designed to understand the signaling dynamics of mTOR and its partner proteins such as PI3K, PTEN, mTORC2, PKB (Akt), mTORC1, and FOXO. For this purpose, a qualitative model of mTOR-associated Biological Regulatory Network (BRN) is constructed to predict its regulatory behaviors which may not be predictable otherwise. The depleted expression of PTEN and FOXO along with the overexpression of PI3K, mTORC2, mTORC1 and Akt is predicted as a stable steady state which is in accordance with their observed expression levels in the progression of various cancers. The qualitative model also predicts the homeostasis of all the entities in the form of qualitative cycles. The significant qualitative (discrete) cycle is identified by analyzing betweenness centralities of the qualitative (discrete) states. This cycle is further refined as a linear hybrid automaton model with the production (activation) and degradation (inhibition) time delays in order to analyze the real-time constraints for its existence. The analysis of the hybrid model provides a formal proof that during homeostasis the inhibition time delay of Akt is less than the inhibition time delay of mTORC2. In conclusion, our observations characterize that in homeostasis Akt is degraded with a faster rate than mTORC2 which suggests that the inhibition of Akt along with the activation of mTORC2 may be a better therapeutic strategy for the treatment of cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A significant portion of highway infrastructure life-cycle costs can be attributed to maintenance expenditures, particularly in the later years of an infrastructure's life. These expenditures are a key input for agency functions including cost allocation, financial planning and needs assessment, and investment evaluation. Thus, agencies seek improved techniques for forecasting future maintenance expenditures. Evidence from empirical data suggests that maintenance expenditure data exhibits significant spatial and temporal variations. If this is not addressed, the analysis could be impaired by disturbance correlation and yield potentially inefficient model estimates. In addressing this issue this paper introduces and validates (for highway pavement sections) a random-effects panel-data methodology to account for variations in routine highway maintenance expenditures at different locations and years. The results suggest that the annual maintenance expense (AMEX) values are: $250-$1,120/lane-km [$400-$1,800/lane-mile(mi)] for interstates, $125-$650/lane-km ($200-$1,000/lane-mi) for U.S. routes, and $125-$310/lane-km ($200-$500/lane-mi) for state roads, depending on the pavement age, surface type, climate, and traffic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tetanus is initiated by the release of neurotoxins. The progressive paralysis of several muscles is due to contamination of the wound by the toxin. The case under discussion was about a patient with the tetanus infection after ear piercing due to unsterilized instruments and lack of awareness of complications. Due to the late presentation to the hospital, leading to a delay in treatment, the child could not survive. Physicians need to have a vigilant eye to have a high suspicion for tetanus at a very early stage and immediate initiation of advanced critical care, which can favour lifesaving interventions. Prophylactic tetanus toxoid should be administered before any body piercing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Recent advancements in technology have enabled railway organizations to shift from manual to computer based automated interlocking systems for increasing their efficiency and profits. Since automated systems are complex and interlocking systems are safety critical systems, these systems should be modeled and verified against safety requirements to weed out any design bugs which might lead to catastrophes during their system life cycles. In this study, we model software based automated interlocking control system of a train station, located at Rawalpindi Cantt (Pakistan). Methods: We have modeled software based automated interlocking control system using timed automata and verified its correctness using UPPAAL model checking software. Timed automata have successfully been used for the modeling and verification of real-time systems. Results: We constructed a real-time model of railyard interlocking system by employing a model-checking approach to determine behavior of the model under various conditions. The model checker ascertains the absence of errors in a system by inspecting all the possible states or scenarios of the modeled system. The results show that important properties related to the safety of the designed interlocking system of the railyard management system can be verified using our presented approach. These properties ranged from collision and de-railment avoidance to checking the correct error handling functionality of the timed automata models. Conclusions: The final modular design can easily adapt to the route upgrades and changes within the station by simple variable adjustments. Based on the laid down methodology and verification techniques, this study can be further built upon, extended and linked to cover the shunting aspect of the train station operations, run through operations, introducing automatic train stop (ATS) functionality and recommend three to four aspect traffic signaling for the train station. This study takes a first step in providing an indigenous solution to an indigenous problem of designing an upgraded and verified signaling infrastructure for Pakistan Railway's Rawalpindi Cantt train station. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Newly-constructed and reconstructed highway pavements under the effect of traffic loading and climatic severity deteriorate progressively and need preservation intervention after a certain number of years following their construction. In the literature, the term ‘rest period’ has been used to refer to the number of years that elapse between the construction completion to the application of first major repair activity. The rest period is a critical piece of information that agencies use to not only plan and budget for the first major repair activity but also to develop more confidently, their life-cycle activity schedules for life cycle costing, work programming, and long-term plans. However, the literature lacks established procedures for predicting rest periods on the basis of pavement performance thresholds. In the absence of such resources, highway agencies rely mostly on expert opinion for establishing the rest periods for their pavement sections. In addressing this issue, this paper presents a statistical methodology for establishing the rest periods for newly-constructed or reconstructed pavements. The methodology was demonstrated using empirical data from in-service pavements in a Midwestern State in the US. The paper’s results show that the rest periods of newlyconstructed and reconstructed highway pavements are significantly influenced by their functional class, surface material type, traffic loading level, and climate severity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes the application of HEC-RAS model to the development of floodplain maps for the part of Kabul river that lies in Pakistan. The intent is to assist policy makers and planners in the development of flood mitigation measures for the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province, which experienced unprecedented floods in July/August 2010 exposing the vulnerability of the province to this natural catastrophe. Owing to its reasonable accuracy and free availability, shuttle radar topography mission digital elevation model was chosen for the extraction of geometrical data for the river. Conventional flood frequency analysis, involving log-normal, Gumbel's, and log-Pearson type III (LP3) distributions, was used to calculate extreme flows with different return periods. Using Kolmogorov-Smirnov (KS) test, LP3 was found to be the best distribution for the Kabul River. The peak floods from frequency analysis were input into HEC-RAS model to find the corresponding flood levels expected along river reaches extending through Warsak dam to Attock. Results obtained with HEC-RAS model were used in combination with ArcGIS to prepare floodplain maps for different return periods. Through floodplain maps, areas that are vulnerable to flooding hazards have been identified. Analysis of floodplain maps indicated that more than 400 % area is likely to be inundated as compared to the normal flow of the river. Most of the area found to be vulnerable to flooding is currently used for agriculture. Comparison of simulation of 2010 flood with the image of the flood taken by MODIS clearly shows a close agreement between the two. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A dissolved oxygen (DO) model is calibrated under low and medium flow conditions, while verification of the model is done under low flow condition, for a heavily polluted river. The Soan River is located in Pakistan, with large flow variations. The biokinetic rate coefficients for nitrogenous biochemical oxygen demand and carbonaceous biochemical oxygen demand (CBOD) are determined through ammonia river profiles and measured CBOD. A close agreement between the DO model results and the field values shows that the verified model can be used to develop DO management strategies for the Soan River. The biokinetic coefficient is known to vary with the degree of treatment (DOT) and needs to be adjusted for a rational water quality management model. The effect of this variation on the level of treatment has been evaluated by using the verified model to attain a DO standard of 4 mg/l in the river using the biokinetic rate coefficient. The required DOT in this case is found to be 92%, while the DOT is 82% if the adjusted biokinetic rate coefficient is used to reflect the effect of wastewater treatment. This concludes the use of appropriate biokinetic coefficients to manage water quality in rivers as highly important. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores the differences between British English and Pakistani English speakers regarding the use of aspiration in unvoiced plosives-bilabial, alveolar and velar- at syllable initial position in both stressed and unstressed syllables through a quantitative and statistical analysis of acoustic co-relate of aspiration-VOT. Such differences may account for establishing and describing the phonetic features of Pakistani English as a non-native/ESL variety of English. It is hypothesized that unlike British English speakers, Pakistani English speakers do not use aspiration at stressed syllable initial positions as an allophonic variety of voiceless stops. 30 university graduates from Seraiki, Punjabi and Urdu languages (10 from each) were given a wordlist (Stimuli) comprising 60 words in the citation form to read out and the VOT values from their recordings were extracted using wavesurfer software. These values were then compared with the values from BE speakers' data. The acoustic analyses showed that there is a stark difference of VOT between BE and PE speakers as PE speakers' highest range of production of bilabial, alveolar and velar plosives at stressed and unstressed position does not go beyond 37 ms as compared to BE speakers' highest range of 94 ms. BE speakers vary in their VOTs at stressed and unstressed syllable initial positions using aspiration at stressed syllable initial positions but PE speakers do not show any variation in VOT at both the positions proving that they do not use aspiration at all at any position. A universal phenomenon observed is the rise in VOT values from bilabial to alveolar and alveolar to velar positions in both PE and BE speaker data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Anticonvulsants are increasingly being used in the symptomatic management of several neuropathic pain disorders. The present observational study was designed to evaluate the efficacy, tolerability, and quality of life (QoL) of carbamazepine use for 12 weeks in patients with painful diabetic neuropathy, in Pakistan. Methods: This was a 12-week, multicenter, open-label, uncontrolled trial in adult type 2 diabetic patients (aged 18-65 years) suffering from clinically confirmed neuropathic pain (Douleur Neuropathique en 4 [DN4] score ≥4). Change in neuropathic pain at week 12 compared with baseline was assessed using the Brief Pain Inventory Scale--Short Form (pain severity score and pain interference score). QoL was determined by the American Chronic Pain Association QoL scale. Safety was assessed based on patient reported adverse events (AEs) and serious AEs. Results: Of the total 500 screened patients, 452 enrolled and completed the study. The mean (± standard deviation [SD]) pain interference score decreased from 4.5±2.0 at baseline to 3.1±1.9 at week 12 (P<0.001). The mean (± SD) pain severity score decreased from 5.8±2.0 at baseline to 3.6±2.2 at week 12 (P<0.001). There was a decrease of ≥30% in the pain severity score between visits. The mean (± SD) QoL scale score improved from 5.9±1.6 at baseline to 8.0±1.7 at week 12. A total of ten (2.2%) patients reported AEs during the study period. No patient discontinued the study due to AEs. Conclusion: In this real-life experience study, carbamazepine, when prescribed for 12 weeks to adult diabetic patients suffering from neuropathic pain, showed pain-relief effect, with reduced mean pain severity and mean pain interference scores and with improved QoL and good tolerability profile. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT There is an increasing belief that organophosphorus compounds (OPCs) impair glucose homeostasis and cause hyperglycemia and diabetes mellitus. The present study was undertaken to investigate the putative diabetogenic effect of sub-lethal and sub-chronic exposure to paraoxon (POX), an extremely hazardous OPC used in pesticides. The effect of paraoxon on streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats was also examined. Each rat was injected with 100 nmol of POX 5 days per week for 6 weeks. Blood glucose levels and red blood cell acetylcholinesterase activity were measured weekly. Biochemical analysis and morphological studies were performed at the end of the experiment. The results revealed that POX neither induces nor exacerbates diabetes mellitus in experimental rats. Liver and kidney/body weight ratios revealed statistically insignificant differences when compared with controls. Biochemical analysis of urine samples showed a small but not significant increase in protein level in all groups. Urine bilirubin was significantly higher in the diabetes + POX group when compared with the control group. The number of blood cells in urine was significantly higher in the POX-treated group compared with the control group. Hyperglycemia was noted in the diabetes and diabetes + POX groups, but neither in the saline control nor in POX-treated normal rats. Electron microscopy of POX-treated pancreas did not show any morphological changes in beta cells. These results suggest that POX does not cause diabetes mellitus at sub-lethal sub-chronic exposure. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This study aimed to formulate a water-in-oil emulsion (formulation) of Terminalia chebula versus its vehicle (base) as control, and investigate its effects on skin melanin, skin erythema, skin moisture content, and transepidermal water loss (TEWL). Material and Methods: Base containing no active material, and formulation containing 5% concentrated extract of T. chebula, were developed. Different stability parameters were monitored at 8, 25, and 40 °C, as well as 40 °C + 75% relative humidity, for a period of 4 weeks. It was concluded that the creams remained stable at all storage conditions. Both base and formulation were applied to the cheeks of human volunteers for a period of 8 weeks. Different skin parameters were monitored every week to measure any effect produced by these creams. Results: Changes in TEWL produced by base and formulation were insignificant (p > 0.05) with respect to time while significant (p ≤ 0.05) with respect to base and formulation. The skin moisture content increased after the application of formulation throughout the study period; this effect was insignificant (p > 0.05) with respect to time while significant (p ≤ 0.05) with respect to base and formulation. Both base and formulation showed insignificant (p > 0.05) effects on skin melanin content with respect to time. Skin erythema was reduced by the formulation. Both base and formulation produced statistically insignificant (p > 0.05) effects on skin sebum. Conclusion: Both creams were aesthetic with respect to sensory evaluation. T. chebula topical cream showed a positive rejuvenating effect on human skin. Hopefully, this study will encourage more attention towards the research and utilization of herbal medicines. Copyright © 2012 S. Karger AG, Basel [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and aims: We studied long-term application of cream containing green tea extract, to obtain knowledge of its effects on epidermal mechanics by 2-mm diameter Cutometer probe. Methods: Using this non-invasive device, we assessed the effects of green tea extract cream on skin mechanical properties. Healthy male volunteers (n=10) were included in this study, which lasted 60 days. The biomechanical properties of the skin were examined by a non-invasive suction device (Cutometer) and the cheeks were defined as the test area. Results: Statistically significant (p<0.05) results were notable for the R6 (Uv/Ue) parameter with respect to time (ANOVA); R0, R2 (Ua/Uf) and R7 (Ur/Uf) parameters were found statistically not significant by ANOVA. This study demonstrates that green tea formulation has a certain effect on R6 (Uv/Ue) parameter when applied regularly for a certain period of time. Conclusions: These results indicate that the formulation has no pronounced overall effects on skin elastic or biological properties, but significant R6 (Uv/Ue) values indicate that it does have definite effects on the viscoelastic properties of the skin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study investigated the effect of diabetes mellitus on lacrimal gland morphology and function. Materials and Methods: The lacrimal glands of rats (n = 6) were removed 8 weeks after the onset of diabetes and processed for electron microscopy. The lacrimal gland of control rats (n = 6) were processed similarly. Lacrimal tissue samples of diabetic rats (n = 12) were also incubated with different concentrations (10-6 - 10-3M) of acetylcholine and noradrenaline to investigate secretagogue-induced peroxidase release. The lacrimal glands of control rats (n = 12) were treated in a similar manner Results: Diabetic rats and their lacrimal glands gained significantly (p < 0.05) less weight compared to age-matched controls. Lacrimal acinar cells of diabetic rat have significantly (p < 0.001) smaller and more homogenous secretory granules compared to age-matched control. Lacrimal glands of diabetic rats contained significantly (p < 0.05) less peroxidase and secrete significantly less quantity (p < 0.05) of the enzyme in response to either acetylcholine or noradrenaline challenge compared to control glands. Conclusions: The results indicate that diabetes is associated with lacrimal gland insufficiency as a result of abnormal acinar morphology and reduced peroxidase content and secretion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The C57BL/6J mice are inbred strains and develop the metabolic syndrome of obesity, hyperinsulinemia, hyperglycemia, and hypertension, when fed a high-fat diet. These features are similar to those observed in the human metabolic syndrome. This article examined the effect of fat-enriched (FE) diet on the pattern of distribution of insulin-, glucagon-, somatostatin-, and pancreatic polypeptide (PP)-positive cells in the pancreatic islets of C57BL/6J mice using immunohistochemical methods. Insulin-immunoreactive cells were observed in both the peripheral and central regions of the islets of Langerhans in both FE- and control diet-fed mice. The percentage distribution of insulin-positive cells was similar in FE (83.5 ± 6.4) compared to control diet-fed C57BL/6J mice (83.8 ± 6.5). Glucagon-containing cells were discerned in the periphery of pancreatic islets in both FE- and control diet-fed mice. The percentage distribution of glucagon was not statistically different in mice fed with FE (9.9 ± 2.7) compared to control diet (11.3 ± 4.9). Somatostatin-positive cells were seen in the outer part of the islet of Langerhans and constitute 12.1% (±6.3) and 10% (±5.5) of pancreatic islet cells in FE- and control diet-fed mice, respectively. PP-immunoreactive cells were observed in the peripheral region of the pancreatic islets of both FE- and control diet-fed mice. The percentage distribution of PP-positive cells was significantly (2.0 ± 1.2) lower compared to control (5.1 ± 2.4). In conclusion, the number of PP is significantly reduced in FE diet-fed mice and may play a role in the pathogenesis of diet-induced metabolic syndrome in C57BL/6J mice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study was to evaluate the ultra-structural changes in the urinary bladder of diabetic rats in relation to disease duration since the morphological bases of diabetes-induced bladder dysfunction are poorly understood. Urinary bladders were examined chronologically by electron microscopy in a female Wistar-rat model of streptozotocin-induced diabetes mellitus and compared to control samples. Numerous dark mitochondria with swollen cristae and electron lucent, large, calcified and degenerated mitochondria were observed first in the urothelium. Intraepithelial capillaries surrounded by thick collagen were also present. Gap junctions between myocytes were interrupted or extensively widened with reduced mitochondria and caveolae. Collagen accumulation, degenerated nerve fibres and myelin bodies were seen between myocytes with increased collagen content and frequent mast cells, phagocytes and lymphocyte aggregates in the stroma. All ultra-structural lesions became augmented with longer duration of diabetes. Diabetes induces time-dependent pathologic changes in the urinary bladder of rats that might account for bladder dysfunction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To evaluate the efficacy of deep intramuscular methylprednisolone (IMMP) in the treatment of recurrent scleritis. Methods: A total of 15 patients with scleritis (12 anterior, 3 pan) underwent IMMP injection deep into the thigh. Thirteen patients were already being treated with oral non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, oral prednisolone, an oral immunosuppressive agent, or a combination of these drugs. A second IMMP injection was given to nine patients, making a total of 24 injections. Follow-up ranged from 4 to 18 months. Results: There was a documented improvement in scleritis after 21/24 (87.3%) injections with a mean duration of improvement of 5.7 months. No patient required the introduction of oral corticosteroid or immunosuppressive agent, and only one patient required an increase in methotrexate to control the disease. No systemic, injection site, or ocular side effects were noted. Conclusions: Deep IMMP is a safe and effective treatment for scleritis. It ensures compliance, avoids the systemic side effects of oral corticosteroids, and is easily repeatable in the outpatient setting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To report bilateral ocular hypertension in association with ocular sarcoidosis. Methods: Case note review of patients with a diagnosis of sarcoidosis-related uveitis. Results: The authors identified 5 patients who fulfilled the diagnostic criteria for ocular sarcoidosis and who had intraocular pressures of > 40 mmHg in each eye. Conclusions: Physicians should be aware of the association of raised intraocular pressure with ocular sarcoidosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Focuses on the diagnosis and treatment of acute annular outer retinopathy with oral prednisolone and acyclovir. Fundus fluorescein angiogram; Response to viral infection; Indocyanine green angiogram.