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Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) nanofibers were synthesized by electrospinning and then composited with TiO2 nanoparticles. In this study, PET nanofibres were dipped into TiO2 nanoparticles, which were then operated for the photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue (MB) in an aqueous solution. A Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and a scanning electron microscopy were used to study the surface of the nanofibre morphology. UV–visible spectrophotometry was applied to define the methylene blue (MB) concentration after photodegradation. The photodegradation of MB in this study showed that the degradation efficiency was affected by time. The results have proved that TiO2/PET nanofibres acquired high photodegradation efficiency 88% of the dye at 10 min. The activity is principally attributed to the availability of more active binding sites exposed on the surface of TiO2.

IMPORTANCE: Although effective vaccines against COVID-19 have been developed, additional vaccines are still needed. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy and adverse events of 2 inactivated COVID-19 vaccines. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: Prespecified interim analysis of an ongoing randomized, double-blind, phase 3 trial in the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain among adults 18 years and older without known history of COVID-19. Study enrollment began on July 16, 2020. Data sets used for the interim analysis of efficacy and adverse events were locked on December 20, 2020, and December 31, 2020, respectively. INTERVENTIONS: Participants were randomized to receive 1 of 2 inactivated vaccines developed from SARS-CoV-2 WIV04 (5 µg/dose; n = 13 459) and HB02 (4 µg/dose; n = 13 465) strains or an aluminum hydroxide (alum)–only control (n = 13 458); they received 2 intramuscular injections 21 days apart. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: The primary outcome was efficacy against laboratory-confirmed symptomatic COVID-19 14 days following a second vaccine dose among participants who had no virologic evidence of SARS-CoV-2 infection at randomization. The secondary outcome was efficacy against severe COVID-19. Incidence of adverse events and reactions was collected among participants who received at least 1 dose. RESULTS: Among 40 382 participants randomized to receive at least 1 dose of the 2 vaccines or alum-only control (mean age, 36.1 years; 32 261 [84.4%] men), 38 206 (94.6%) who received 2 doses, contributed at least 1 follow-up measure after day 14 following the second dose, and had negative reverse transcriptase–polymerase chain reaction test results at enrollment were included in the primary efficacy analysis. During a median (range) follow-up duration of 77 (1-121) days, symptomatic COVID-19 was identified in 26 participants in the WIV04 group (12.1 [95% CI, 8.3-17.8] per 1000 person-years), 21 in the HB02 group (9.8 [95% CI, 6.4-15.0] per 1000 person-years), and 95 in the alum-only group (44.7 [95% CI, 36.6-54.6] per 1000 person-years), resulting in a vaccine efficacy, compared with alum-only, of 72.8% (95% CI, 58.1%-82.4%) for WIV04 and 78.1% (95% CI, 64.8%-86.3%) for HB02 (P

ObjectivesStudies have shown that acute kidney injury (AKI) occurrence post SARS-CoV-2 infection is complex and has a poor prognosis. Therefore, more studies are needed to understand the rate and the predications of AKI involvement among hospitalized COVID-19 patients and AKI’s impact on prognosis while under different types of medications.Patients and methodsThis study is a retrospective observational cohort study conducted at Bahrain Defence Force (BDF) Royal Medical Services. Medical records of COVID-19 patients admitted to BDF hospital, treated, and followed up from April 2020 to October 2020 were retrieved. Data were analyzed using univariate and multivariate logistic regression with covariate adjustment, and the odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence (95% CI) interval were reported.ResultsAmong 353 patients admitted with COVID-19, 47.6% developed AKI. Overall, 51.8% of patients with AKI died compared to 2.2% of patients who did not develop AKI (p< 0.001 with OR 48.6 and 95% CI 17.2–136.9). Besides, deaths in patients classified with AKI staging were positively correlated and multivariate regression analysis revealed that moderate to severe hypoalbuminemia (ConclusionsThe incidence of AKI in hospitalized COVID-19 patients and the mortality rate among AKI patients were high and correlated with AKI staging. Furthermore, laboratory testing for serum albumin, hypercoagulability and cardiac injury markers maybe indicative for AKI development. Therefore, clinicians should be mandated to perform such tests on admission and follow-up in hospitalized patients.

This article was withdrawn and retracted by the Journal of Fundamental and Applied Sciences and has been removed from AJOL at the request of the journal Editor in Chief and the organisers of the conference at which the articles were presented (www.iccmit.net). Please address any queries to editor@jfas.info.

Acute urinary retention (AUR) is regarded as the most serious hazard of untreated benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). a-Blockers are frequently used for AUR as they have proved to be of value for successful trial without catheter (TWOC) after AUR and to decrease the need for BPH-related surgery. Objective: To evaluate the significance of alfuzosin 10 mg once daily (OD) for successful TWOC in patients with AUR and long-term management. Patients and Methods: A total of 245 enrolled AUR patients were catheterized and randomly given either alfuzosin 10 mg OD or a placebo for 3 days (first phase), all the failed patients extended their treatment for another 3 days for a second TWOC (second phase). The successful patients from both phases were again randomly given alfuzosin 10 mg OD or a placebo for 12 months, the outcomes were the recurrence of AUR or the need for surgery (third phase). Results: In the first phase, alfuzosin had a significant value for successful TWOC compared to a placebo (62.3 vs. 32.7%, p = 0.0001), in the second phase still of significance in comparison to a placebo (32.6 vs. 9.5%, p = 0.002) while in the third phase, alfuzosin compared to a placebo was of statistical significance regarding the reduction of the recurrence of AUR only in the first month (1.8 vs. 11.3%, p = 0.04) and the third month (3.7 vs. 16.9%, p = 0.02), also regarding decreasing the need for surgery it was significant only in the first month (3.7 vs. 15.0%, p = 0.04) and the third month only (7.4 vs. 20.7%, p = 0.04), respectively. This corresponds to a risk reduction of surgery in the alfuzosin group of 76% in the first month and 65% in the third month. Conclusion: Alfuzosin 10 mg OD is of value for successful TWOC after AUR, and a second trial of voiding in those who failed the first trial is recommended. It reduced the recurrence of AUR and the need of related surgery especially during the first 3 months of treatment.