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Abstract Background Myocardial fibrosis is the potential outcome of dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). Cardiac MRI is considered one of the most essential imaging methods in DCM evaluation by using the late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) sequence and native T1 mapping technique. The study aimed to assess the diagnostic accuracy and reliability of the native T1 mapping technique for detecting myocardial fibrosis in DCM patients and correlate the values with the LGE in such a patient population. Results LGE was present in ten patients (33.33%) and 46 out of 480 myocardial segments (9.58%). T1 native values were significantly higher in the LGE group compared to the non-LGE group (P

Egypt is endowed with huge reserves of filler minerals, such as silica sand which form approximately 95% of the Earth's crust. The silica sand industry is used in many fields, such as pharmaceutical practices, chemicals, glass, ceramics, electronics, and photovoltaic industries. The aim of this study is to remove impurities from silica sand and apply surface modification processes to enhance its value for various industrial manufacturing applications. Various processing techniques, including classification, attrition scrubbing, magnetic separation, ultra-fine grinding and surface modification, were conducted throughout the study. The results indicated that attrition scrubbing to the classified size fraction of -0.6 + 0.1 mm was capable of reducing the iron concentration from 0.068% to 0.045%. Utilizing the Box-Behnken design, the optimal conditions for magnetic separation were identified, resulting in a decrease in iron content down to 0.012%. Simultaneously, the silica content increased from 99.05% to 99.76%. The results of ultrafine grinding using an attritor mill revealed that a grinding time of 2 hours is sufficient to reach a size suitable for the coating process. Surface modification of the produced ultrafine sand was conducted using polymers and silanes. The treated sand was characterized using SEM, zeta potential, adsorption density, and FTIR measurements. Notably, hydrophobicity increased, accompanied by an increase in particle size. Simultaneously, the surface becomes flatter, indicating the formation of a thin layer. Consequently, the coated sand proved to be a satisfactory material that met the criteria to be used as a filler in coating and paints.

Abstract Many dangerous bacteria have become highly resistant to traditional antibiotics, which is a huge public health concern. This study investigated the use of silver nanoparticles biosynthesized in a culture filtrate of Lactobacillus acidophilus as antimicrobials. UV–visual spectrophotometry, Fourier-transform-infrared spectroscopy, X-ray power diffraction, and scanning electron microscopy have all validated the findings. The biosynthesized nanoparticles ranged in size from 33 to 90 nm. The cytotoxicity of the nanosilver generated was then investigated using nine 200 g BW rats separated into three groups. When compared to the control group, the treated rats showed little signs of toxicity; parameters of physiological function, including alanine transaminase, aspartate aminotransferase, albumin, creatinine, and urea were significantly different in treated and non-treated animals. Moreover, the antibacterial role of the generated silver nanoparticles was examined in multi-drug resistant (MDR) pathogenic bacteria, Proteus vulgaris, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and Klebsiella pneumoniae, revealing high antibacterial activity against the examined bacteria. For more demonstration of the effect of the nanosilver on transcription and gene regulation of treated and non-treated bacteria differential display droplet digital-PCR was used, and the results revealed that several genes were up- and down-regulated. Some genes were selected for DNA sequencing and according to the sequence analysis, these genes were mecA, beta-lactam, and unidentified protein genes, and these have been deposited in the GenBank Database with the following accession numbers: Staphylococcus MZ748472 and Klebsiella MZ748473. We conclude that silver nanoparticles biosynthesized by L. acidophilus are environmentally friendly and have antibacterial activities against MDR pathogenic bacteria.

To the best of our knowledge, such a detailed study on polychrome wooden shawabtis of King Tutankhamun (18th Dynasty in ancient Egypt) has not been reported in the literature, so the purpose of our study is to noninvasively identify the polychrome layers and previously applied materials for a number of wooden shawabtis that belong to King Tutankhamun through a protocol based on imaging techniques integrated with single-spot spectroscopic techniques. In the first step, imaging techniques (visible, ultraviolet induced visible luminescence, ultraviolet reflected, visible-induced infrared luminescence, infrared reflected, and infrared false color) and optical microscopy were applied to gather information and provide evidence on the distribution of original and previously applied materials on the polychrome surfaces. In the second step of our work, we analyzed the selected areas with single-spot analyses (handheld X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy and visible reflectance spectroscopy) and X-ray diffraction analysis. The materials of the previous restoration interventions were studied by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The application of a protocol based on imaging techniques integrated with data obtained from single-spot spectroscopic techniques allowed the characterization of a remarkable number of polychrome layers and some previous restoration materials and mapping of their distribution on the original surface, which provides not only essential data for the follow-up treatment and conservation works but also offers important information for the study of polychrome wooden shawabtis of other periods in ancient Egypt.

A series of novel pyrimidine-based derivative compounds were synthesized and evaluated for antiviral activity against Tobacco mosaic virus (TMV). All chemical structures of the prepared compounds were identified and characterized by IR, NMR, and elemental analysis. Under greenhouse conditions, the preliminary bioassays revealed that all compounds exhibited anti-TMV activity ranging from 23.5 % to 90.1% at 50 µg/mL concentration, indicating potential antiviral efficacy. Among the new compounds, the benzylidene derivative 3a was the most potent and demonstrated the highest inhibition effect of 90%, with a significant reduction in the TMV accumulation level of 91.4%. Furthermore, the curative activity of 3a was associated with a considerable decrease in H2O2 and MDA (nonenzymatic oxidative stress markers) compared to the TMV treatment. In addition, significant increases in the transcriptional levels of pathogenesis-related proteins (PR-1, PR-3, PR-4, and PR-5) at 4 and 6 dpi were shown to induce systemic resistance against TMV. Furthermore, molecular docking investigation demonstrated that the benzylidene derivative 3a was strongly lodged in the binding sites of TMV-coat protein at position 2. Consequently, the obtained results suggest that the new 3a compound could be applied as a safe control agent against plant viral infection.

Tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) causes severe damage and economic losses of tomato in crop yield production and quality worldwide. Tomato plants infected with TMV usually show a mosaic pattern and chlorosis symptoms that result from affected chloroplasts. To elucidate tomato–TMV interactions, the transcriptional profiles of tomato tissues at different time intervals were analysed using a differential display-polymerase chain reaction technique. Compared to mock-inoculated plants, and based on gene expression changes in tomato plants, the representative down- and up-regulated genes were selected for further analysis. The Basic Local Alignment Search Tool at the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI-BLAST) analysis revealed that the three up-regulated gene transcripts at 15 days post-inoculation were coding for chloroplast (MG565980 and MG565979) and kinesin-like proteins (MG565981). Additionally, the down-regulated gene was a chloroplast-related gene (MG565978). Interestingly, the two chloroplast genes, MG565978 and MG565980, shared more than 96% sequence identity, and their transmembrane profiles were nearly identical. On the other hand, many protein kinase C phosphorylation, casein kinase II phosphorylation and N-myristoylation sites were detected within the MG565981 gene. Moreover, the high similarity between the kinesin gene and many Arabidopsis defensin genes indicated that it might play an important role in the plant defence system against TMV infection. It should be stressed that studies of the pathways in which chloroplast and kinesin-like protein genes are involved may elucidate the mechanisms of tomato tolerance to viral infection and can lead us to a more comprehensive understanding of tomato–TMV interactions.

Two types of modified nano-montmorillonite (MNM) were developed by ion-exchange reactions using two different surfactants; sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) and cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CETAB), to prepare MNMSDS and MNMCETAB, respectively. Both MNM types were on the nano-scale and had higher cation-exchange capacity values than NM clay. The MNMCETAB had the highest zeta potential (−27 mV) compared with the other clays. Effects of MNM types on in vitro ruminal batch culture fermentation, nutrient degradability, and methane (CH4) emission compared with monensin were evaluated in vitro using a semi-automatic gas production system. The experimental treatments were the control (0 supplementations), monensin (40 mg/kg DM), and NM (5 g NM/kg DM), and two levels of MNMSDS and MNMCETAB were supplemented at 0.05 (low) and 0.5 (high) g/kg DM to the control basal feed substrate. Among the experimental treatments, the high dose of both MNM types reduced (p < 0.01) CH4 production and ammonia concentrations compared with the control, while only MNMCETAB treatment tended to increase (p = 0.08) the truly degraded organic matter compared with monensin. All MNM treatments increased (p < 0.01) acetate molar proportions compared with monensin. The high MNMCETAB increased (p < 0.01) the in vitro ruminal batch culture pH compared with the control and monensin. The MNMCETAB supplemented at 0.5 g/kg DM is the most efficient additive to reduce CH4 emission with the advantage of enhancing the in vitro nutrient degradability of the experimental feed substrate. These results indicated that MNM could modulate the in vitro ruminal fermentation pattern in a dose- and type-dependent manner.

Toxin-contaminated foods and beverages are a major source of illness, may cause death, and have a significant negative economic impact worldwide. Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) is a potent toxin that may induce cancer after chronic low-level exposure. This study developed a quantitative recombinant AflR gene antiserum ELISA technique for aflatoxin B1 detection in contaminated food products. Aflatoxin B1 residuals from 36 food samples were analyzed with HPLC and VICAM. DNA was extracted from aflatoxin-contaminated samples and the AflR gene amplified using PCR. PCR products were purified and ligated into the pGEM-T vector. Recombinant plasmids were sequenced and transformed into competent E. coli (BL21). Molecular size and B-cell epitope prediction for the recombinant protein were assessed. The purified protein was used to induce the production of IgG antibodies in rabbits. Serum IgG was purified and labeled with alkaline phosphatase. Finally, indirect-ELISA was used to test the effectiveness of polyclonal antibodies for detection of aflatoxin B1 in food samples.

In this study, ethanol whole plant extract (WPE) of Haplophyllum tuberculatum was characterized and tested for its antifungal and antiviral activities against Fusarium culmorum, Rhizoctonia solani and tobacco mosaic virus (TMV). High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) analysis showed that the main phytochemical constituents of H. tuberculatum WPE were resveratrol (5178.58 mg/kg), kaempferol (1735.23 mg/kg), myricetin (561.18 mg/kg), rutin (487.04 mg/kg), quercetin (401.04 mg/kg), and rosmarinic acid (387.33 mg/kg). By increasing H. tuberculatum WPE at concentrations of 1%, 2%, and 3%, all of the fungal isolates were suppressed compared to the two positive and negative controls. Under greenhouse conditions, WPE-treated Chenopodium amaranticolor plants strongly inhibited TMV infection and significantly reduced TMV accumulation levels when compared to non-treated plants. Moreover, the induction of systemic resistance with significant increases in the transcriptional levels of the pathogenesis-related protein-1 (PR-1), chalcone synthase (CHS), and hydroxycinnamoyl-CoA quinate transferase (HQT) genes for treated plants were noticed at 3 and 5 days post-inoculation (dpi) for both assays. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first reported observation of the antiviral activity of H. tuberculatum extract against plant viral infections. Finally, the results obtained suggest that H. tuberculatum WPE can be considered a promising source of both antifungal and antiviral substances for practical use and for developing plant-derived compounds for the effective management of plant diseases.

Iris yellow spot virus (IYSV) causes severe damage and economic losses in onion production. Differential display-PCR was used to study changes in the gene expression of IYSV-infected onion plants. Representative up-regulated and down-regulated genes were selected for further study. Based on sequence analysis, the up-regulated genes were identified as retrotransposon protein, disease resistance-like proteins, chitinase, pathogenesis-related protein, cytochrome oxidase, cytochrome c, pentatricopeptide repeat-containing protein and pectin methylesterase. A DNA-binding transcriptional repressor protein gene was greatly down-regulated. . Most of the identified genes are known to play essential roles in plant defence systems, and are newly identified in onion sequences.

Methanol extracts from five medicinal plants (Eucalyptus tereticornis Sm., Ammi visnaga (L.) Lam., Azadirachta indica A. Juss., Rheum Palmatum L., and Adansonia digitata L.) were assessed in vitro for antifungal activity against Rhizoctonia solani Kühn, the causal agent of Rhizoctonia root rot of maize. All tested extracts showed antifungal activity with varied extents. Ammi visnaga (khella) extract showed the greatest activity compared with the untreated experimental controls. Observations using transmission electron microscopy showed ultrastructural changes in hyphal cells as a response to exposure to khella extract. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometric analysis of khella extract showed the presence of 69 compounds. The antifungal properties of the extracts were mainly attributed to their content of coumarins and fatty acids. In the greenhouse experiment, treatment of maize plants with khella extract at 15% gave the least incidence of Rhizoctonia root rot. Results of DD-PCR showed up- and down- regulations of some genes in maize as response to the treatment with khela extract. Identification of the randomly selected genes from DD-PCR revealed that they were defense-related, as S-domain class receptor-like kinase 3 and glutathione-S-transferase1. Real-time PCR showed induction in the gene expression of the pathogenesis-related protein chitinases (2.36 fold) and thaumatin-like proteins (8.99 fold) by treatment with khella extract at 15%, which was greater expression than detected at 10 and 20%. This indicates triggering effects from the extract on the maize immune system against the R. solani infection in a concentration-dependent manner. The efficient, low-cost and eco-friendly characteristics of khella extract indicate that it could be used for the control of Rhizoctonia root rot of maize.

This paper presents a fast and simple method for human action recognition. The proposed technique relies on detecting interest points using SIFT (scale invariant feature transform) from each frame of the video. A fine-tuning step is used here to limit the number of interesting points according to the amount of details. Then the popular approach Bag of Video Words is applied with a new normalization technique. This normalization technique remarkably improves the results. Finally a multi class linear Support Vector Machine (SVM) is utilized for classification. Experiments were conducted on the KTH and Weizmann datasets. The results demonstrate that our approach outperforms most existing methods, achieving accuracy of 97.89% for KTH and 96.66% for Weizmann.

Diolefinic antibacterial laser dye namely 1,4-Bis[2-(4-Pyridyl) Vinyl] Benzene (4PVB)have been investigated electrochemically using cyclic voltammetry, chronoamperometry, convolution and deconvolution voltammetry combined with digital simulation techniques at a platinum electrode in 0.1 mol / L Tetra Butyl Ammonium Perchlorate (TBAP) in solvent 1,2-dichloroethane. The diolefinic species were reduced by consuming two sequential electrons to form radical anion and dianion. The second electron transfer was followed by chemical step i.e the electrode reaction proceed as EEC scheme. In scanning the potential to positive direction, the diolefinic laser dye compound was oxidized by loss of one electron, which was followed by a fast chemical process ( isomerization or association). The pathway of electrode reaction and the electrochemical parameters of the investigated compound were discussed & determined using cyclic voltammetry and chronoamperometry techniques. The extracted electrochemical parameters were verified and confirmed via digital simulation and convolutive voltammetry methods.

Introduction: Successful treatment of knee comminuted periarticular fractures associated with osteoporosis and pre-existing arthritis is a challenging task. Methods: This is a prospective study on 27 patients who had comminuted intra and periarticular knee fractures and pre-existing arthritis. Fractures were classified according to Muller's AO classification. Primary knee arthroplasty was performed ± internal fixation following 4 weeks of splinting. A stem was added to the tibial tray and Legacy Constrained Condylar Knee (LCCK) or Rotating Hinge (RH) prosthesis were used depending on the level of ligament damage and bone defects. The Knee Society Score (KSS) and radiological evaluation were performed at 3, 6 and 12 months then annually thereafter. Results: The average age of this group of patients was 63 years (range 59–74). Sixteen knees received primary femoral component and Posterior Stabilized insert, while 8 had LCCK. RH implants were chosen in 2 and distal femoral replacement was necessary in one knee. Twenty five patients were available for the final review at an average 6 years in whom the KSS was 80 (range 75–89) points. All patients achieved full knee extension and average knee flexion of 110° (range 90–135°). One knee needed re-admission for early Debridement Antibiotic Irrigation and Retention (DAIR) but none of the knees was revised or awaiting revision. Conclusion: Knee arthroplasty achieves highly successful outcome when performed as a primary treatment for comminuted intra and periarticular knee fractures in elderly patients. Survival of implants and functional range of movement at midterm are excellent.

In this study, we demonstrate the reflectance spectrum of one-dimensional photonic crystals comprising two different types of metamaterials. In this regard, the designed structure can act as a simple and efficient detector for fat concentrations in milk samples. Here, the hyperbolic and gyroidal metamaterials represent the two types of metamaterials that are stacked together to construct the candidate structure; meanwhile, the designed 1D PCs can be simply configured as [ G ( ED ) m ] S . Here, G refers to the gyroidal metamaterial layers in which Ag is designed in a gyroidal configuration form inside a hosting medium of TiO 2 . In contrast, ( ED ) defines a single unit cell of the hyperbolic metamaterials in which two layers of porous SiC ( E ) and Ag ( D ) are combined together. It is worth noting that our theoretical and simulation methodology is essentially based on the effective medium theory, characteristic matrix method, Drude model, Bruggeman's approximation, and Sellmeier formula. Accordingly, the numerical findings demonstrate the emergence of three resonant peaks at a specified wavelength between 0.8 μm and 3.5 μm. In this context, the first peak located at 1.025 μm represents the optimal one regarding the detection of fat concentrations in milk samples due to its low reflectivity and narrow full bandwidth. Accordingly, the candidate detector could provide a relatively high sensitivity of 3864 nm/RIU based on the optimal values of the different parameters. Finally, we believe that the proposed sensor may be more efficient compared to other counterparts in monitoring different concentrations of liquid, similar to fats in milk.

Sepsis is an inevitable stage of bacterial invasion characterized by an uncontrolled inflammatory response resulting in a syndrome of multiorgan dysfunction. Most conventional antibiotics used to treat sepsis are efficacious, but they have undesirable side effects. The green synthesised Ag NPs were synthesized by 5 g of the earthworm extract dissolved in a volume of 500mL of distilled water and then added to 2,500 mL aqueous solution of 1mM silver nitrate at 40 °C. After 4 h, the mixture was then allowed to dry overnight at 60 °C. Later, Ag NPs were washed and collected. They were characterized by X-ray diffraction, ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. Sepsis model as induced by feces-intraperitoneal injection method. Eighteen male mice were assigned into three main groups: the control group, the sepsis-model group, and the Ag NPs-treated group. The control group received a single oral dose of distilled water and, after two days, intraperitoneally injected with 30% glycerol in phosphate buffer saline. The Sepsis-model group received a single oral dose of distilled water. Ag NPs - The treated group received a single oral dose of 5.5 mg/kg of Ag NPs. After two days, the sepsis-model group and Ag NPs-treated group were intraperitoneally injected with 200 µL of faecal slurry. Ag NPs treatment in septic mice significantly decreased liver enzyme activities, total protein, and serum albumin. Moreover, Ag NPs significantly enhanced kidney function, as indicated by a significant decrease in the levels of creatinine, urea, and uric acid. In addition, Ag NPs showed a powerful antioxidant effect via the considerable reduction of malondialdehyde and nitric oxide levels and the increase in antioxidant content. The histopathological investigation showed clear improvement in hepatic and kidney architecture. Our findings demonstrate the protective efficacy of biogenic Ag NPs against sepsis-induced liver and kidney damage., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Introduction: This cross-sectional study assesses the prevalence of metronidazole resistance-associated mutations and virulence genotypes in Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) strains isolated from the Egyptian population. H. pylori infection is a significant public health concern, with antibiotic resistance challenging its eradication., Methods: Gastric biopsy samples were collected from symptomatic patients referred for upper gastrointestinal endoscopy at selected healthcare facilities. The study included 250 participants with symptoms suggestive of H. pylori infection and aged 18 years or older. Biopsy samples were obtained using standard endoscopic techniques, and H. pylori strains were isolated and identified in the laboratory. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was conducted using standard methods. Molecular analysis, including polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and sequencing, was performed to identify metronidazole resistance-associated mutations (rdxA and frxA) and virulence genotypes (cagA and vacA)., Results: Antimicrobial susceptibility testing revealed that 43.6 % of the isolates were resistant to metronidazole, while 11.8 %, 4.5 %, and 55.4 % were resistant to clarithromycin, amoxicillin, and levofloxacin. Molecular analysis identified rdxA and frxA mutations in 36.3 % and 31.8 % of the isolates, respectively, indicating metronidazole resistance-associated mutations. Additionally, 60.0 % of the isolates were positive for the cagA gene, and 80.0 % had the vacA s1 type, both associated with increased virulence. A significant association was found between metronidazole resistance and the presence of cagA gene, vacA s1 type, rdxA mutation, and frxA mutation. Statistical analysis revealed associations between specific mutations and virulence genotypes with respective odds ratios, indicating higher likelihoods of metronidazole resistance in isolates exhibiting these genetic characteristics., Conclusions: This study highlights the prevalence of metronidazole resistance and the association between specific mutations and virulence genotypes in H. pylori strains isolated from the Egyptian population. The findings underscore the importance of monitoring antibiotic resistance patterns and understanding the genetic determinants of virulence in H. pylori for effective management and treatment strategies., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest There are no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Japanese Society of Chemotherapy, Japanese Association for Infectious Diseases, and Japanese Society for Infection Prevention and Control. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Phononic crystal (PnC) sensors are recognized for their capability to control acoustic wave propagation through periodic structures, presenting considerable potential across various applications. Despite advancements, the effects of fluid viscosity on PnC performance remain intricate and inadequately understood. This study theoretically investigates the influence of shear (dynamic) and bulk viscosity on acoustic wave damping in defective one-dimensional phononic crystal (1D PnC) sensors designed for detecting liquid analytes. Acetic acid with varying viscosities is considered to fill a cavity layer intermediated by a multilayer stack of lead and epoxy. The effects of dynamic and bulk viscosity on the resonance characteristics of the defective mode were analyzed. Numerical results reveal that increased dynamic viscosity leads to substantial broadening and decreased intensity of resonance peaks, accompanied by a shift to higher frequencies due to enhanced elastic wave attenuation and damping. At low dynamic viscosity (η = 0.2 η d ), numerous resonance peaks with varying intensities are observed. However, at higher viscosities (η = 2.0 η d to η = 10.0 η d ), only one prominent peak appears in the spectrum. The intensity of this resonant peak starts at 98% for η = 2 η d and decreases to 58.8% as the dynamic viscosity increases to η = 10 η d . Additionally, the combined effect of dynamic and bulk viscosity introduces further damping, causing a strong shift of the resonance peak to higher frequencies, along with an increase in the full width at half maximum (FWHM) and a decrease in the quality factor (QF). These findings emphasize the necessity of incorporating both shear and bulk viscosity in the design of PnC sensors to enhance their sensitivity and accuracy in practical applications. This theoretical framework provides critical insights for optimizing sensor performance and bridging gaps between theoretical predictions and experimental observations, especially in 1D PnCs, offering potential solutions to challenges in real-world PnC sensor applications., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

This paper seeks to progress the field of topological photonic crystals (TPC) as a promising tool in face of construction flaws. In particular, the structure can be used as a novel temperature sensor. In this regard, the considered TPC structure comprising two different PC designs named PC 1 and PC 2 . PC 1 is designed from a stack of multilayers containing Silicon (Si) and Silicon dioxide (SiO 2 ), while layers of SiO 2 and composite layer named hyperbolic metamaterial (HMM) are considered in designing PC 2 . The HMM layer is engineered using subwavelength layers of Si and Bismuth Germinate, or BGO ( Bi 4 Ge 3 O 12 ). The mainstay of our suggested temperature sensor is mainly based on the emergence of some resonant modes inside the transmittance spectrum that provide the stability in the presence of the geometrical changes. Meanwhile, our theoretical framework has been introduced in the vicinity of transfer matrix method (TMM), effective medium theory (EMT) and the thermo-optic characteristics of the considered materials. The numerical findings have extensively introduced the role of some topological parameters such as layers' thicknesses, filling ratio through HMM layers and the periodicity of HMM on the stability or the topological features of the introduced sensor. Meanwhile, the numerical results reveal that the considered design provides some topological edge states (TESs) of a promising robustness and stability against certain disturbances or geometrical changes in the constituent materials. In addition, our sensing tool offers a relatively high sensitivity of 0.27 nm/°C., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

The current investigation theoretically presents a one-dimensional phononic crystal (PnC) as a fluidic sensor. The sensor under consideration aims to distinguish the concentration of acetic acid. The primary configuration of the proposed sensor is constructed with lead, epoxy, and a defect layer in the middle of the structure, that is filled with acetic acid (vinegar). As a result of the rise in density and decline in the speed of sound at a 100% concentration of acetic acid in comparison to pure water, the peak frequency of the output has shifted towards lower frequencies. Given that the maximum permissible concentration of acetic acid in water for vinegar is above 30%, sensor simulations were conducted within the concentration range of 25-35% with a step size of 1%. Interestingly, the sensitivity of the sensor exhibits a polynomial change in response to the concentration of acetic acid. Consequently, the highest level of sensitivity, which corresponds to the lowest concentration of vinegar, is recorded as 48.44 × 10 6 (Hz). The proposed system exhibits a remarkable value of the quality factor of 2802.91. Furthermore, the optimal figure of merit (FOM) is achieved when the concentration is at its lowest, with a value of 94.00. Furthermore, the temperature effects are taken into account for a wide range between 10 and 60 °C. A pronouncing sensitivity is obtained for all temperatures changes and the highest one reached the value of 1.57 × 10 6 (Hz/°C) at a temperature of 25 °C. Considering the present circumstances, the suggested sensor configuration has the potential to cater to a diverse array of other fluids, specifically their concentration and temperature, thereby offering a broad scope of applications., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

In this study, a theoretical examination is conducted to investigate the biosensing capabilities of different surface plasmon resonance (SPR) based hybrid multilayer structures, which are composed of two-dimensional (2D) materials. The transfer matrix formulation is implemented to calibrate the results of this study. A He-Ne laser of wavelength = 632.8 nm is used to simulate the results. Many permutations and combinations of layers of silver (Ag), aluminum oxynitride (AlON), and 2D materials were utilized to obtain the optimized structure. Ten dielectrics and twelve 2D materials were tested for a highly sensitive multilayer hybrid sensing design, which is composed of the prism (Ohara S-FPL53)/Ag/AlON/WS 2 /AlON/sensing medium. The optimized biosensing design is capable of sensing and detecting analytes whose refractive variation is limited between 1.33 and 1.34. The maximum sensitivity, which is achieved by using the proposed design is 488.2° per RIU. Additionally, the quality factor, figure of merit, detection limit, and qualification limit values of the optimized design were also calculated to obtain a true picture of the sensing capabilities. The designing approach based on the multilayer hybrid SPR biosensors has the potential to develop various plasmonic biosensors that are related to food, chemical, and biomedical engineering fields., Competing Interests: The authors declare they have no conflicts of interests., (This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry.)

The Matlab program has been utilized in this study to examine the absorption spectral properties of a one-dimensional photonic crystal (1DPCs) comprising two composite metamaterials through near IR wavelengths. The composite metamaterials are designed from Ag of a gyroidal geometry (layer A) and hyperbolic metamaterial (layer B). Therefore, the introduced design is labeled as [Formula: see text] with n and m to define the periodicity of the hyperbolic metamaterial and the whole structure, respectively. The numerical findings have been introduced in the vicinity of the effective medium theory, transfer matrix method and the Drude model as well. In this regard, the numerical results demonstrate the appearance of some spectral absorption bands ranging from 0.7 µm to 3 µm for both TM and TE polarizations. Additionally, these bands are almost insensitive to the changes in the angle of incidence. Interestingly, we have considered the role played by some parameters such as the permittivities and thicknesses of both layers on the introduced absorption bands. Finally, we believe that the investigated results could be promising through many applications such as wavelength selective absorbers, solar energy, and smart windows as well., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

For sensing various samples of polluted water and various sodium chloride concentrations using an angular surface plasmon resonance (ASPR), we have introduced a conventional structure and a hybrid heterostructure in the current research. The suggested structures are composed of silver metal, dielectric layers, silver nanocomposite, and a sensing medium. The reflectance spectra of all structures in the visible region were obtained through the utilization of the transfer matrix method by using the angular interrogation method depending on the Kretschmann configuration. Through our findings, five substrate parameters have been optimized to attain the utmost level of sensitivity across all structures: the thickness of Ag-metal, the type and thickness of dielectric materials, the host material type and the volume fraction of nanoparticles for the nanocomposite layer. In this regard, the suggested sensor provides excellent performance with a sensitivity of 448.1°[Formula: see text], signal-to-noise ratio of 0.787, sensor resolution of 0.284°, and figure of merit of 78.766 RIU -1 . Therefore, we believe that the introduced design of our ASPR sensor presents a good candidate for an accurate and efficient detection of low concentrations of contaminated water and sodium chloride as well., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

This paper introduces a novel design of a thin-film solar cell based on CZTS and ZnO composite materials with the help of ITO as the front contact layer. This study primarily focuses on how the cells' optical absorbance at visible wavelengths can be improved. COMSOL Multiphysics is employed as a powerful tool for the investigation of the numerical simulation. The numerical findings showed that the optimum thicknesses of the ITO and ZnO are 80 and 350 nm, respectively. In this regard, with a normal incidence, a wide range of incoming light wavelengths from 450 nm to 800 nm might result in optical absorption of the examined cell of above 0.9. However, this value decreased significantly to reach less than 0.75 when the angle of incidence increased to 50°. To minimize this reduction, on the top surface of the cell, a texture-designed anti-reflective coating designed from a single period of well-known one-dimensional photonic crystals is deposited. The findings demonstrated that the cell's absorption at normal incidence could reach over 0.96 through the overall incident wavelengths. Therefore, CZTS/ZnO thin-film solar cells with an anti-reflecting coating of texturing configuration showed enormous potential for manufacturing effective solar cells., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry.)

Detecting of the levels of greenhouse gases in the air with high precision and low cost is a very urgent demand for environmental protection. Phononic crystals (PnCs) represent a novel sensor technology, particularly for high-performance sensing applications. This study has been conducted by using two PnC designs (periodic and quasi-periodic) to detect the CO 2 pollution in the surrounding air through a wide range of concentrations (0-100%) and temperatures (0-180 °C). The detection process is physically dependent on the displacement of Fano resonance modes. The performance of the sensor is demonstrated for the periodic and Fibonacci quasi-periodic (S 3 and S 4 sequences) structures. In this regard, the numerical findings revealed that the periodic PnC provides a better performance than the quasi-periodic one with a sensitivity of 31.5 MHz, the quality factor (Q), along with a figure of merit (FOM) of 280 and 95, respectively. In addition, the temperature effects on the Fano resonance mode position were examined. The results showed a pronounced temperature sensitivity with a value of 13.4 MHz/°C through a temperature range of 0-60 °C. The transfer matrix approach has been utilized for modeling the acoustic wave propagation through each PnC design. Accordingly, the proposed sensor has the potential to be implemented in many industrial and biomedical applications as it can be used as a monitor for other greenhouse gases., (© 2023. Springer Nature Limited.)

Ulcerative colitis (UC), a chronic autoimmune disease of the gut with a relapsing and remitting nature, considers a major health-care problem. DSS is a well-studied pharmacologically-induced model for UC. Toll-Like Receptor 4 (TLR4) and its close association with p-38-Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase (p-38 MAPK) and nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) has important regulatory roles in inflammation and developing UC. Probiotics are gaining popularity for their potential in UC therapy. The immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory role of azithromycin in UC remains a knowledge need. In the present rats-established UC, the therapeutic roles of oral probiotics (60 billion probiotic bacteria per kg per day) and azithromycin (40 mg per kg per day) regimens were evaluated by measuring changes in disease activity index, macroscopic damage index, oxidative stress markers, TLR4, p-38 MAPK, NF-κB signaling pathway in addition to their molecular downstream; tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα), interleukin (IL)1β, IL6, IL10 and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS). After individual and combination therapy with probiotics and azithromycin regimens, the histological architecture of the UC improved with restoration of intestinal tissue normal architecture. These findings were consistent with the histopathological score of colon tissues. Each separate regimen lowered the remarkable TLR4, p-38 MAPK, iNOS, NF-κB as well as TNFα, IL1β, IL6 and MDA expressions and elevated the low IL10, glutathione and superoxide dismutase expressions in UC tissues. The combination regimen possesses the most synergistic beneficial effects in UC that, following thorough research, should be incorporated into the therapeutic approach in UC to boost the patients' quality of life., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS.. All rights reserved.)

We have presented in the current work a novel idea for simulating the irradiation behaviors of the nuclear fuel pellets in nuclear reactors by using a one-dimensional defective phononic crystal (1D-DPnC) design was presented. The transmission spectra of the incident mechanical waves were considered basic data for expressing the characteristics of different nuclear fuel-pellets. Herein, the density, sound speed, and Young's modulus of the fuel-pellets represent the key parameters that are influenced by the irradiation behaviors of these pallets. Mixed plutonium-uranium oxide (MOX) nuclear fuel is considered the main fuel in the present study. In addition, a comparison is performed for this fuel with other types of nuclear fuels. Moreover, the mechanical properties of these MOX-pellets are dependent on the porosity, the ratio of oxygen-to-metal (O/M), and the plutonium (Pu-content). The theoretical treatments depend on the transfers matrix method to compute the transmission spectra through the 1D-DPnC. The numerical findings provided that the MOX-pellet has the highest performance compared to other fuel pellets and with sensitivity equal to 59.388 × 10 3  Hz s/m. It was also reported that the effects of the percentage of the O/M and Pu- content in MOX had a minor effect in a comparison with the impact of porosity. The theoretical simulation agreed extremely with the experimental data reported for these nuclear fuels. Because of the close relationship between sound speed and density, this sensor can be utilized to monitor the porosity, O/M, Pu-content, and density of fuel-pellets as a quick and non-destructive evaluation technique in a nuclear fuel fabrication laboratory. This article has proven theoretically that MOX fuel produced from nuclear waste of uranium dioxide and plutonium dioxide gives excellent results compared to other types of nuclear fuels, and this agrees with experimental researches. Thus, it may contribute in preserving the environment from nuclear waste, and this can be considered a novel kind of purification of environmental pollution treatment., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

This research presented a comprehensive study of a one-dimensional (1D) porous silicon phononic crystal design as a novel fluidic sensor. The proposed sensor is designed to detect sulfuric acid (H 2 SO 4 ) within a narrow concentration range of 0-15%. Sulfuric acid is a mineral acid extensively utilized in various physical, chemical, and industrial applications. Undoubtedly, its concentration, particularly at lower levels, plays a pivotal role in these applications. Hence, there is an urgent demand for a highly accurate and sensitive tool to monitor even the slightest changes in its concentration, which is crucial for researchers. Herein, we presented a novel study on the optimization of the phononic crystal (PnC) sensor. The optimization process involves a comparative strategy between binary and ternary PnCs, utilizing a multilayer stack comprising 1D porous silicon (PSi) layers. Additionally, a second comparison is conducted between conventional Bragg and local resonant PnCs to demonstrate the design with the highest sensitivity. Moreover, we determine the optimum values for the materials' thickness and number of periods. The results revealed that the ternary local resonant PnC design with the configuration of {silicone rubber/[PSi1/PSi2/PSi3] N /silicone rubber} is the optimal sensor design. The sensor provided a super sensitivity of 2.30 × 10 7 Hz for a concentration change of just 2%. This exceptional sensitivity is attributed to the presence of local resonant modes within the band gap of PnCs. The temperature effects on the local resonant modes and sensor performance have also been considered. Furthermore, additional sensor performance parameters such as quality factor, figure of merit, detection limit, and damping rate have been calculated to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed liquid sensor. The transfer matrix method was utilized to compute the transmission spectra of the PnC, and Hashin's expression was employed to manipulate the porous silicon media filled with sulfuric acid at various concentrations. Lastly, the proposed sensor can serve as an efficient tool for detecting acidic rain, contaminating freshwater, and assessing food and liquid quality, as well as monitoring other pharmaceutical products.

In the present work, we demonstrate the transmittance properties of one dimensional (1D) quasi-periodic photonic crystals that contain a superconductor material and a hyperbolic metamaterial (HMM). A HMM layer is engineered by the subwavelength undoped and doped Indium Arsenide (InAs) multilayers. Many resonance peaks with angle stability are obtained from the proposed Fibonacci sequence structure using the transfer matrix method (TMM). In this case, the Fibonacci sequence serves as the mainstay in the design of our structure. The permittivity of the utilized superconductor and the HMM are also analyzed, respectively. The numerical findings showed that the incident angle has no effect on the wavelength positions of the resonance peaks. The effects of many parameters such as the superconductor material thickness, Fibonacci sequence number, and sequence type are discussed for the proposed structure. At various operating temperatures and superconductor material types, the transmittance characteristics of the proposed structure were also examined. The designed structure can serve as a combination of pass/stop band filters for near-infrared (NIR) applications., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts to declare., (This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry.)

Background and Purpose: Collagen cross-linking (CXL) has evolved as an essential therapeutic approach for corneal infections, allowing for rapidly eliminating the infecting microorganism while reducing inflammation. This study aims to evaluate the efficacy of CXL as a monotherapy for managing infectious keratitis caused by Fusarium solani and Pseudomonas aeruginosa., Materials and Methods: Forty-eight white New Zealand rabbits weighing approximately 1.5-2 KG were included. The cornea of one eye of each rabbit was inoculated with either Fusarium solani or Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Group A served as a control and was subdivided into two subgroups, A1 and A2; each subgroup consisted of 8 eyes and was injected with either Fusarium solani or Pseudomonas aeruginosa, respectively. Group B (16 eyes) was inoculated with Fusarium solani, while group C (16 eyes) were inoculated with Pseudomonas aeruginosa. All animals in Group B and C received CXL treatment one week after inoculation of the organisms and after corneal abscess formation was confirmed. At the same time, animals in Group A were left untreated., Results: There was a statistically significant reduction in the number of colony-forming units (CFU) in Group B following CXL. No growth existed in any samples at the end of the 4th week. There was a statistically significant difference in the number of CFU between group B and the control group (p < 0.001). In group C, there was a statistically significant reduction in the CFU at the end of the first week after CXL. However, there was regrowth in all samples afterward. All 16 models in Group C showed uncountable and extensive growth during the subsequent follow-ups. There was no statistically significant difference between the number of CFU in Group C and the control group. Histopathology showed lesser corneal melting in CXL-treated Pseudomonas aeruginosa., Conclusions: Collagen cross-linking is promising monotherapy and alternative treatment in managing infective keratitis caused by Fusarium solani but is less effective in Pseudomonas aeruginosa as monotherapy., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

In this study, the biosensing capabilities of conventional and hybrid multilayer structures were theoretically examined based on surface plasmon resonance (SPR). The transfer matrix method is adopted to obtain the reflectance spectra of the hybrid multilayer structure in the visible region. In this regard, the considered SPR sensor is configured as, [prism (CaF 2 )/Al 2 O 3 /Ag/Al 2 O 3 /2D material/Al 2 O 3 /Sensing medium]. Interestingly, many optimization steps were conducted to obtain the highest sensitivity of the new SPR biosensor from the hybrid structure. Firstly, the thickness of an Al 2 O 3 layer with a 2D material (Blue P/WS 2 ) is optimized to obtain an upgraded sensitivity of 360° RIU -1 . Secondly, the method to find the most appropriate 2D material for the proposed design is investigated to obtain an ultra-high sensitivity. Meanwhile, the inclusion of black phosphorus (BP) increases the sensor's sensitivity to 466° RIU -1 . Thus, black phosphorus (BP) was obtained as the most suitable 2D material for the proposed design. In this regard, the proposed hybrid SPR biosensing design may pave the way for further opportunities for the development of various SPR sensors to be utilized in chemical and biomedical engineering fields., Competing Interests: The authors declare they have no conflicts of interests., (This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry.)

The resonant acoustic band gap materials have introduced an innovative generation of sensing technology. Based on the local resonant transmitted peaks, this study aims to comprehensively investigate the use of periodic and quasi-periodic one-dimension (1D) layered phononic crystals (PnCs) as a highly sensitive biosensor for the detection and monitoring of sodium iodide (NaI) solution. Meanwhile, a defect layer is introduced defect layer inside the phononic crystal designs to be filled with NaI solution. The proposed biosensor is developed based on the periodic PnCs structure and quasi-periodic PnCs structure. The numerical findings demonstrated that the quasi-periodic PnCs structure provided a wide phononic band gap and a large sensitivity compared to the periodic one. Moreover, many resonance peaks through the transmission spectra are introduced for the quasi-periodic design. The results also show that the resonant peak frequency changes effectively with varying NaI solution concentrations in the third sequence of the quasi-periodic PnCs structure. The sensor can differentiate between concentrations ranging from 0 to 35% with a 5% step, which is extremely satisfying for precise detection and can contribute to a variety of issues in medical applications. Additionally, the sensor provided excellent performance for all the concentrations of the NaI solution. For instance, the sensor has a sensitivity of 959 MHz, a quality factor of 6947, a very low damping factor of 7.19 × 10 -5 , and a figure of merit of 323.529., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest., (This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry.)

In recent years, the detection of water pollution with low levels of heavy metals has attracted the great attention of many researchers as a result of the imminent danger of this type of pollution to all mankind. Meanwhile, we introduce a theoretical approach based on the one-dimensional phononic crystals (1D-PnCs) with a central defect layer as a novel platform for the highly sensitive detection of heavy metal pollution in freshwater. Therefore, the creation of a resonant peak in the transmittance spectrum related to this defect layer is highly conceivable. In this regard, the detection of cadmium chloride (CdCl 2 ) as a dangerous, toxic, and extremely hazardous heavy metal could be investigated based on the small displacement in the position of this resonant peak with the changes in the CdCl 2 concentration. Notably, any change in CdCl 2 concentration has a direct impact on its acoustic properties. The theoretical framework of our research study is essentially based on the 2 × 2 transfer matrix method and the acoustic properties of the constituent materials as well. The optimization of all sensor parameters represents the mainstay of this study to get the best sensor performance. In this regard, the proposed sensor has a remarkably high sensitivity (S = 1904.25 Hz/ppm) over a concentration range of 0 - 10000 ppm. In addition, the sensor has a high quality factor (QF), and figure of merit of 1771.318, and 73529410 -5 (ppm -1 ), respectively. Finally, we believe this sensor could be a key component of a feasible platform for detecting low concentrations of different heavy metal ions in freshwater., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has a wide-ranging spectrum of clinical symptoms, from asymptomatic/mild to severe. Recent research indicates that, among several factors, a low vitamin D level is a modifiable risk factor for COVID-19 patients. This study aims to evaluate the effect of vitamin D on hospital and laboratory outcomes of patients with COVID-19.Five databases (PubMed, Embase, Scopus, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library) and clinicaltrials.gov were searched until July 2022, using relevant keywords/Mesh terms. Only randomized clinical trials (RCTs) that addressed the topic were included. The Cochrane tool was used to assess the studies' risk of bias, and the data were analyzed using the review manager (RevMan 5.4).We included nine RCTs with 1586 confirmed COVID-19 patients. Vitamin D group showed a significant reduction of intensive care unit (ICU) admission (risk ratio = 0.59, 95% confidence interval (CI) [0.41, 0.84], P = 0.003), and higher change in vitamin D level (standardized mean difference = 2.27, 95% CI [2.08, 2.47], P < 0.00001) compared to the control group. Other studied hospital and laboratory outcomes showed non-significant difference between vitamin D and the control group (P ≥ 0.05).In conclusion, vitamin D reduced the risk of ICU admission and showed superiority in changing vitamin D level compared to the control group. However, other outcomes showed no difference between the two groups. More RCTs are needed to confirm these results., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

In this research, we have a theoretical simple and highly sensitive sodium chloride (NaCl) sensor based on the excitation of Tamm plasmon resonance through a one-dimensional photonic crystal structure. The configuration of the proposed design was, [prism/gold (Au)/water cavity/silicon (Si)/calcium fluoride (CaF 2 ) 10 /glass substrate]. The estimations are mainly investigated based on both the optical properties of the constituent materials and the transfer matrix method as well. The suggested sensor is designed for monitoring the salinity of water by detecting the concentration of NaCl solution through near-infrared (IR) wavelengths. The reflectance numerical analysis showed the Tamm plasmon resonance. As the water cavity is filled with NaCl of concentrations ranging from 0 g l -1 to 60 g l -1 , Tamm resonance is shifted towards longer wavelengths. Furthermore, the suggested sensor provides a relatively high performance compared to its photonic crystal counterparts and photonic crystal fiber designs. Meanwhile, the sensitivity and detection limit of the suggested sensor could reach the values of 24 700 nm per RIU (0.576 nm (g l) -1 ) and 0.217 g l -1 , respectively. Therefore, the suggested design could be of interest as a promising platform for sensing and monitoring NaCl concentrations and water salinity as well., Competing Interests: The authors declare they have no conflicts of interests., (This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry.)

In this research, a theoretical investigation of the one-dimensional defective photonic crystals is considered for the detection of gamma-ray radiation. Each unit cell of the considered one-dimensional photonic crystals (1D PhCs) is composed of two layers designed from porous silicon infiltrated by poly-vinyl alcohol polymer doped with crystal violet (CV) and carbol fuchsine (CF) dyes (doped-polymer) with different porosity. In addition, a single layer of doped-polymer is included in the middle of the designed 1D PhCs to stimulate the localization of a distinct resonant wavelength through the photonic band gap. In particular, the appearance of this resonant mode represents the backbone of our study towards the detection of γ-ray radiation with doses from 0 to 70 Gy. The Bruggeman's effective medium equation, the fitted experimental data to the refractive index of the doped-polymer, and the Transfers Matrix Method (TMM) serve as the mainstay of our theoretical treatment. The numerical findings provide significant contributions to some of the governing parameters such as the thicknesses of the considered materials on the performance of the presented sensor, the effect of incidence angle and the porosity of the considered materials on the resonance wavelength. In this regard, at optimum values of these parameters the sensitivity, quality factor, signal-to-noise ratio, detection limit, sensor resolution, and figure of merit that are obtained are 205.7906 nm RIU -1 , 9380.483, 49.315, 2.05 × 10 -5 RIU, 3.27 × 10 -5 , and 2429.31 RIU -1 , respectively. Therefore, we believe that the suggested design could be of significant interest in many industrial, medical, and scientific applications., Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing interests., (This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry.)

Recently, the pollution of fresh water with heavy metals due to technological and industrial breakthroughs has reached record levels. Therefore, monitoring these metals in fresh water has become essentially urgent. Meanwhile, the conventional periodic one-dimensional phononic crystals can provide a novel platform for detecting the pollution of heavy metals in fresh water with high sensitivity. A simplified design of a defective, one-dimensional phononic crystals (1D-PnC) structure is introduced in this paper. The sensor is designed from a lead-epoxy multilayer with a central defect layer filled with an aqueous solution from cadmium bromide (CdBr 2 ). The formation of a resonant peak through the transmittance spectrum is highly expected. This study primarily aims to monitor and detect the concentration of cadmium bromide in pure water based on shifting the position of this resonant peak. Notably, any change in cadmium bromide concentration can affect the acoustic properties of cadmium bromide directly. The transfer matrix method has been used to calculate the transmission spectra of the incident acoustic wave. The numerical findings are mainly based on the optimization of the cadmium bromide layer thickness, lead layer thickness, epoxy layer thickness, and the number of periods to investigate the most optimum sensor performance. The introduced sensor in this study has provided a remarkably high sensitivity (S = 1904.25 Hz) within a concentration range of (0-10,000 ppm). The proposed sensor provides a quality factor (QF), a resolution, and a figure of merit of 1398.51752, 48,875,750 Hz, and 4.12088 × 10 -5 (/ppm), respectively. Accordingly, this sensor can be a potentially robust base for a promising platform to detect small concentrations of heavy metal ions in fresh water.

The light-slowing effect near band endpoints is frequently exploited in photonic crystals to enhance the optical transmittance. In a one-dimensional binary photonic crystal (1DPC) made of hyperbolic metamaterials (HMMs), we theoretically examined the angle-dependent omnidirectional photonic bandgap (PBG) for TM polarization. Using the transfer matrix approach, the optical characteristics of the 1DPC structure having dielectric and HMM layers were examined at the infrared range (IR). As such, we observed the existing of numerous PBGs in this operating wavelength range (IR). Meanwhile, the HMM layer is engineered by the subwavelength dielectric- nanocomposite multilayers. The filling fraction of nanoparticles have been explored to show how they affect the effective permittivity of the HMM layer. Furthermore, the transmittance properties of the suggested structure are investigated at various incident angles for transverse magnetic (TM) and transverse electric polarizations. Other parameters such as, the permittivity of the host material, the filling fraction of nanoparticles, and the thickness of the second layer (HMM) are also taken into account. Finally, we investigated the effect of these parameters on the number and the width of the (PBGs). With the optimum values of the optical parameters of the nanocomposite (NC) layer, this research could open the way for better multi-channel filter photonic crystals., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

We have theoretically demonstrated and explored the transmittance characteristics of a one-dimensional binary photonic crystal composed of metamaterial (MM) and nanocomposite (NC) layers. The NC layer was designed from silver nanoparticles (Ag-NPs) in a host material as Yttrium oxide (Y 2 O 3 ). Using the transfer matrix approach (TMM), the optical properties of a one-dimensional binary periodic structure having MM and NC layers in the Giga Hertz (GHz) range were examined. The filling fractions of nanoparticles have been explored to see their effect on the effective permittivity of NC materials. Furthermore, the transmittance properties of the suggested structure were investigated at various incident angles for the transverse electric (TE) polarization. In addition to that, different parameters, such as the thickness of the MM layer, the permittivity of the host dielectric material, the filling fraction, and the thickness of the NC layer are also taken into account. We also discussed the effect of these parameters on the width of the photonic bandgap (PBG). With the optimum values of the optical parameters of NC layer, this research could open the way for better photonic crystal circuits, splitters, switches and others., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

In this research, we propose a novel nonlinear delta-function photonic crystal for detecting sodium iodide (NaI) solution of different concentrations. The suggested structure comprises 50 delta stacks of GaP in an aqueous solution of NaI. These stacks are considered to have weak defocusing nonlinearity in the order of 10 -6 (V/m) -2 . Due to nonlinearity of the design, a defect-like resonance is formed within the photonic band gap. Thus, the detection of NaI with different concentrations can be easily investigated without the inclusion of a defect through the photonic crystal structure. The effects of both the linear part of the refractive index of GaP layers and nonlinear coefficient on the transmittance value are thoroughly discussed. The numerical findings investigate that the resonant peak begins to split at some critical nonlinearity. In our proposed structure, splitting occurs at about - 12 × 10 -6 (V/m) -2 . In this regard, the suggested sensor provides a high sensitivity of 409.7 nm/RIU and a wonderful detection limit of 0.0008., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

This work presents a theoretical verification for the detection of Sodium iodide (NaI) solution with different concentrations in the vicinity of Tamm plasmon (TP) resonance. The proposed sensing tool is constituted of {prism/Ag/cavity/(GaN/CaF 2 ) 15 /air}. The essential foundation of this study is based on the displacement of the TP resonance by varying the concentration of an aqueous solution of sodium iodide (NaI) that fills the cavity layer. The resonant TP dip is shifted downwards the shorter wavelengths with the increment of the Ag layer thickness. Nevertheless, the resonant TP dip is shifted upwards to longer wavelengths with the increment of NaI refractive index/concentration. Also, the sensitivity of the sensing tool decreases with the increment of the NaI refractive index. However, the minimum result is not less than the value of 9913 nm RIU -1 for a concentration of 25%. Finally, the performance of our sensor in the form of the quality factor, detection limit, and figure of merit showed significant improvements in designing a high-performance liquid and biosensor., Competing Interests: The authors declare they have no conflicts of interests., (This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry.)

We introduce in this research a simple, accurate, safe, and efficient design for the detection of ethyl butanoate that be present in the dry exhaled breath. In particular, the presence of ethyl butanoate in the dry exhaled breath could be utilized as a platform for the diagnosing of COVID 19. The main idea of this theoretical investigation is based on the inclusion of a cavity layer between a thin layer of Au and the well-known one-dimension photonic crystals. Accordingly, the cavity layer is filled with dry exhaled breath. The numerical results are investigated in the vicinity of the Drude model and transfer matrix method. The investigated results show the appearance of Tamm plasmon resonance in the reflectance spectrum of our design through the IR region. Such resonant mode provides very high sensitivity with the change in the concentration of ethyl butanoate. We have examined the performance of the proposed sensor by calculating its sensitivity, detection limit, detection accuracy, quality factor and figure of merit. The designed sensor could receive sensitivity of 0.3 nm/ppm or 260,486 nm/RIU, resolution of 7 ppm and quality factor of 969., Competing Interests: Conflict of interestsThe authors declare that they have no competing interests., (© The Author(s) 2022.)

Purpose: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of MicroPulse® transscleral laser therapy (TLT) in the management of glaucoma patients., Methods: A prospective, interventional, non-comparative case series was conducted in the department of ophthalmology, Ain Shams University Hospital on 61 eyes of 46 patients with various glaucoma types and of severity, ranging from mild to severe. In addition to best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), intraocular pressure (IOP) and the number of glaucoma medications were recorded before and after treatment, along with the postoperative need for systemic carbonic anhydrase inhibitors (CAI), success rates, number of treatment sessions and postoperative complications. Success was defined as an IOP of 6-18 mmHg or at least a 30% decrease from preoperative IOP in the absence of any vision-threatening complications during the 6-month follow-up period., Results: MicroPulse TLT was performed on 61 glaucomatous eyes. Eleven of the 61 eyes (18%) that did not achieve IOP between 6-18 mmHg, or at least a 30% decrease from baseline at 6 months, had a repeat MicroPulse TLT session. At 6 months follow-up post a single MicroPulse TLT session, the mean IOP reduction was 35.9 ± 14.2%; and 6 months after the second session, it was 36.2 ± 17.5% (p < 0.001). The success rate after the first session was 73.8% which increased to 78.7% after the second session. The mean anterior chamber (AC) cell reaction was +1.9 ± 0.8 at 1 day, +1.0 ± 0.7 at 1 week, and +0.2 ± 0.4 at 1 month postoperatively. No cells were detected in any of the cases at 3 and 6 months follow-up (p < 0.001). The average number of anti-glaucoma eye drops before MicroPulse TLT was 2.6 ± 1.0. Postintervention, the average number of anti-glaucoma eye drops was 1.7 ± 1.2, and sustained at 6 months follow-up after the last treatment session (p < 0.001). There were no significant complications were noted. One eye developed transient hypotony for 3 months after MicroPulse TLT., Conclusions: MicroPulse TLT is safe and effective in lowering IOP in a variety of glaucoma types and severity., (Copyright © 2021 Sociedad Española de Oftalmología. Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

New (to the best of our knowledge) photonic crystal optical filters with unique optical characteristics are theoretically introduced in this research. Here, our design is composed of a defect layer inside one-dimensional photonic crystals. The main idea of our study is dependent on the tunability of the permittivity of graphene by means of the electro-optical effect. The transfer matrix method and the electro-optical effect represent the cornerstone of our methodology to investigate the numerical results of this design. The numerical results are investigated for four different configurations of the defective one-dimensional photonic crystals for the electric polarization mode. The graphene as a defect layer is deposited on two different electro-optical materials (lithium niobate and polystyrene) to obtain the four different configurations. The electro-optical properties of graphene represent the main role of our numerical results. In the infrared wavelength range from 0.7 µm to 1.6 µm, the reflectance properties of the composite structures are numerically simulated by varying several parameters such as defect layer thickness, applied electrical field, and incident angle. The numerical results show that graphene could enhance the reflectance characteristics of the defect mode in comparison with the two electro-optical materials without graphene. In the presence of graphene with lithium niobate, the intensity of the defect mode increased by 5% beside the shift in its position with 41 nm. For the case of polystyrene, the intensity of the defect mode increased from 6.5% to 68.8%, and its position is shifted with 72 nm. Such a design could be of significant interest in the sensing and measuring of electric fields, as well as for filtering purposes.

Believing that the detection of hemoglobin possesses a vital role in the discovery of many diseases, we present in this work a simple method for sensing and detecting hemoglobin based on one-dimensional photonic crystals. Implementing hemoglobin as a defect layer inside the proposed photonic crystal results in a resonant peak evolving within the bandgaps. The strong dependence of these resonant peaks on concentration and the consequent refractive index are the essential bases of the detection process. The role played by these parameters together with the angle of incidence on performance and efficiency of our sensor is demonstrated. In the vicinity of the investigated results, we demonstrate the values of sensitivity, figure of merit (FOM), signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), and resolution to optimize the performance of our sensor. The numerical results show a significant effect of polarization mode on performance of this sensor. For TE polarization with an angle of incidence equal to 45°, we investigated sensitivity of 167 n m R I U -1 , SNR of 0.23, FOM of 0.63 R I U -1 , and resolution of 257 nm.

Objective: Consumption of fruits and vegetables (F&V) among adolescents falls below recommendations in many Western countries. The impact of social and emotional aspects of family life on adolescent dietary behaviour may contribute to this, yet remains under-investigated. The present study examines the association between adolescents' perceptions of emotional home atmosphere (EHA) and their F&V consumption frequency., Design: An FFQ was used to assess F&V consumption frequency. EHA was assessed by an eight-item measure with three subscales: perceived home warmth, strictness and relational tension. EHA subscales were used as binary variables: a score equal to or above the median value was considered as a higher perception, while a score below the median was considered as a lower perception of the EHA in question. Country differences in meeting the European 5-a-day recommendations were described. Further, the association between EHA and F&V consumption frequency was investigated using multiple linear regression., Setting: Regional examination centres in eight European countries., Participants: Adolescents (n 3196) aged 12-18 years., Results: The mean F&V consumption frequency was 3·27 (sd 2·84) times/d. Only 16·1 % of boys and 18 % of girls in our study sample met the recommendation of five F&V daily. After controlling for age, sex, education level of the parents and country of origin, perceived home warmth was associated with a 16 (95 % CI 9, 22) % higher F&V consumption frequency (P < 0·001)., Conclusions: F&V consumption frequency was suboptimal in the survey areas. Interventions targeting perceived warmth as a component of EHA could potentially have a positive effect on adolescents' dietary behaviour.

The sensing of protein is of great importance because of its prominent role in building and repairing tissues. In this work, we present a simple design for the detection and sensing of protein using one-dimensional defective photonic crystals. The main idea of our work is included in the theoretical investigation of the transmittance properties of the resonant mode produced inside the photonic band gap. Our study uses the characteristic matrix method and curve fitting. The main reason for our study is to detect the concentration of a protein solution using an efficient, accurate, and simple method. Here, the defect layer is filled with a protein solution. Our idea depends on two hypotheses, and the first one is based on the appearance of a resonant peak on the photonic band gap. The second one depends on a change in the position of this resonant peak with the concentration of the protein solution. The effect of many parameters on the performance of our sensor, such as the thickness of the defect layer and the sensitivity, is demonstrated. The numerical results could present a simple way to design an accurate, stable, efficient, and low-cost protein sensor compared to other current methods and techniques.

Asthma is a complex inflammatory disease, characterized by airway hyperresponsiveness, inflammation, and reversible airway obstruction. Interleukin-37 (IL-37), functions as a fundamental inhibitor of innate inflammatory and immune responses, and it is an important cytokine in the control of asthma by suppressing the production of inflammatory cytokines. This study aimed to reveal the possible role of IL-37 in asthma through assessment of its serum level in controlled and uncontrolled asthmatic children as compared to controls. Serum IL-37 level was measured by ELISA. The serum level of IL-37 was significantly lower in patients than controls and in uncontrolled than in controlled asthma (P < 0.001). It is concluded that there is negative relation between serum level of IL-37 and asthma, which is more evident in uncontrolled asthmatic group, this observation may support the protective role of IL-37 in immune pathogenesis of asthma., (Copyright© by the Egyptian Association of Immunologists.)

Introduction: Coronary artery ectasia is an uncommon disease that has been increasingly noticed as the increase in utilization of coronary angiograms. The aim of this study is to characterize coronary artery ectasia in the population of Saudi Arabia., Methods: This is a retrospective study involved all patient with invasive coronary angiogram that was done at a tertiary hospital in Saudi Arabia from January 2011 to December 2013., Results: A total of 1115 coronary angiograms were reviewed. Coronary artery ectasia was found in 67 patients (6% of all coronary angiograms). The right coronary artery was involved in 73% of cases. And 43% of the cases had severe ectasia., Conclusion: The prevalence of coronary artery ectasia in Saudi Arabia among patient who went for coronary angiography is higher than what has been published in previous studies and a significant number of patients have severe disease.

In this paper, we theoretically investigate the effect of an external magnetic field on the properties of photonic band structures in two-dimensional n-doped semiconductor photonic crystals. We used the frequency-dependent plane wave expansion method. The numerical results reveal that the external magnetic field has a significant effect on the permittivity of the semiconductor materials. Therefore, the photonic band structures can be strongly tuned and controlled. The proposed structure is a good candidate for many applications, including filters, switches, and modulators in optoelectronics and microwave devices.