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Al-doped ZnO (AZO) at different doping concentrations are synthesized by the chemical bath deposition process. The X-ray diffraction results are confirmed the formation of hexagonal structure of ZnO. The doping concentration of Al in ZnO is varied the shape and size of AZO structures. These AZO structures are used for the fabrication of the heterojunction (ZnO/CuO) solar cell. The photoluminescence results are shown a smaller number of defects in AZO thin films. The potential barrier and ideality factor are obtained at 0.855 eV and 2.89 for 3 mol% doping of Al-doped thin-film solar cell diode. The interface of ZnO/CuO is analyzed by impedance spectra and Capacitance-frequency results. The maximum efficiency for device is recorded with a high fill factor at 3 mol% Al doped ZnO thin film based solar cell. This increased in the power conversion efficiency of device is originated from enhanced the optical properties, outstanding charge extraction efficiency, and suppressed the recombination of charge on the interface of CuO and AZO (3 mol%) layers, as revealed by the measurement of electrical, optical, and impedance spectroscopy.

Natural disasters and pandemics are evolving as major global threats that are posing an enormous challenge to socio-economic and environmental wellbeing. Using a real time analysis of the impressive role played by Community Forest User Groups (CFUGs) in Nepal in responding to the 2015 earthquakes (Earthquake-15) and COVID-19, this paper explores the scopes, capacities, institutional strengths and attributes required for community-based institutions such as CFUGs to become effective in managing and responding natural or other disasters. Our findings suggest that being an autonomous and well-recognized community based institution with trusted social capital (trust, connectedness, norms and network) for collective action together with its scope and mandate to democratically manage and mobilize its physical, financial, natural and human assets, CFUGs have become the most effective institution to provide immediate support to disaster affected communities. While most of other agencies including non-governmental organizations spend a lot of time exploring avenues for immediate response to the disasters, CFUGs have immediate access and infrastructure to support millions of people in rural areas. We argue that this contribution needs to be recognized, and CFUGs can provide a valuable institutional framework for the preparedness, response and recovery from disasters and to build resilience in the future.

A common hormonal condition that affects women during their reproductive years is polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). The clinical features quoated for Garpavaayu more or less correlates with the symptoms of (PCOS) Polycystic ovary syndrome. Garpavaayu comes under the diseases of Vaatham. The human body contains three humours. In this Increased vatham obstructs Abanan and develops problem in regular menstrual cycle. The significance of taste is more focused on health and wellbeing in Siddha tradition. Taste influences how we perceive food and functions as a therapeutic tool. It is crucial in determining how different foods affect the balance of our bodies. According to Siddha science, there are five fundamental elements that make up everything in the universe. "Food itself is medicine and medicine itself is food," is the fundamental tenet of Siddha science. These fundamental components are also found in the six tastes of food materials. The taste of Inippu (sweet) can be taken to reduce vaatham. Therefore, the qualities opponent to the qualities of vaatham can be adviced. Millets can play a beneficial role in the management of PCOS (Garpavaayu). As per, Siddha literatures the taste of Inippu (sweet) millets Like Sorghum (Solam), Pearl millet (Kambu), Kodo millet (Varagu), Finger millet (Kelvaragu), Wheat (Gothumai), Little millet (Saamai) can be taken if vaatham is reduced. In this article, we'll discuss how PCOSaffected women can emphasize a healthy diet by including traditional millets in their daily diet plans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Giorgio Lorenzo Colombo,1 Calogero Cammà,2 Adolfo Francesco Attili,3 Roberto Ganga,4 Giovanni Battista Gaeta,5 Giuseppina Brancaccio,5 Jean Marie Franzini,6 Marco Volpe,6 Giuseppe Turchetti7 1Department of Drug Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy; 2Section of Gastroenterology, Di.Bi.M.I.S., University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy; 3Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Rome (La Sapienza) Rome, Italy; 4Clinical Medicine Division, Ospedale Brotzu, Cagliari, Italy; 5Viral Hepatitis Unit, Second University, Naples, Italy; 6Business Integration Partners S.p.A., Milan, Italy; 7Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna, Pisa, Italy Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a severe health condition associated with high hospitalizations and mortality rates, which also imposes a relevant economic burden.Purpose: The aim of the present survey is to investigate treatment strategies and related costs for HCC in the intermediate and advanced stages of the disease. Patients and methods: The survey was conducted in four Italian centers through structured interviews with physicians. Information regarding the stage of disease, treatments performed, and related health care resource consumption was included in the questionnaire. Direct health care cost per patient associated with the most relevant treatments such as sorafenib, transarterial chemoembolization (TACE), and transarterial radioembolization (TARE) was evaluated.Results: Between 2013 and 2014, 285 patients with HCC were treated in the four participating centers; of these, 80 were in intermediate stage HCC (Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer Classification [BCLC] B), and 57 were in the advanced stage of the disease (BCLC C). In intermediate stage HCC, the most frequent first-line treatment was TACE (63%) followed by sorafenib (15%), radiofrequency ablation (14%), and TARE (1.3%). In the advanced stage of HCC, the most frequently used first-line therapy was sorafenib (56%), followed by best supportive care (21%), TACE (18%), and TARE (3.5%). The total costs of treatment per patient amounted to €12,214.54 with sorafenib, €13,418.49 with TACE, and €26,106.08 with TARE. Both in the intermediate and in the advanced stage of the disease, variability in treatment patterns among centers was observed.Conclusion: The present analysis raises for the first time the awareness of the overall costs incurred by the Italian National Healthcare System for different treatments used in intermediate and advanced HCC. Further investigations would be important to better understand the effective health care resource usage. Keywords: disease costs, drugs cost, transarterial embolization, sorafenib

Background/Aim: To compare the quality of life (QOL) in patients undergoing transhiatal esophagectomy (THE) with or without chemotherapy, who were admitted to the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh and enrolled in the study, from July 2004 to October 2005. Patients and Methods: Thirty patients of esophageal carcinoma by purposive sampling were randomized into two groups i.e., patients undergoing THE after chemotherapy and patients undergoing THE without chemotherapy. Two QOL questionnaires, one generic i.e., EORTC-QLQ C-30 (European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer) and other esophageal cancer-specific i.e., EORTC OES-18 were utilized to assess the QOL. Result: Physical functional scales were better in patients, who received neoadjuvant chemotherapy. The role and social aspects of functional scales deteriorated after completion of treatment in both groups. This was primarily due to the effect of surgery. However, they were better from an emotional and cognitive point of value after surgery and radiotherapy. Fourteen out of 30 patients experienced vomiting and diarrhea due to radiotherapy. Conclusion: THE in esophageal carcinoma improves global health scales and majority of symptom scales in all patients. QOL improvement in general was better in patients who were administered neoadjuvant chemotherapy along with surgery.

This article investigates a prey–predator model incorporating a novel refuge proportional to prey and inverse proportion to the predator. We find conditions for the local asymptotic stability of fixed points of the proposed prey–predator model. This article presents Neimark–Sacker bifurcation (NSB) and period‐doubling bifurcation (PDB) at particular parameter values for positive equilibrium points of the proposed refuge‐based prey–predator system. The system exhibits the chaotic dynamics at increasing values of the bifurcation parameter. The hybrid control methodology will control the chaos of the proposed prey–predator dynamical system and discuss the chaotic situation for different biological parameters through graphical analysis. Numerical simulations support the theoretical outcome and long‐term chaotic behavior over a broad range of parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Different molar concentrations (0.05–0.2 M) of vanadium pentoxide nanoparticles were synthesized with and without polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) using hydrothermal method. The growth mechanism with different molar concentrations as well as the effect of PVP on the structural, optical, and electrical properties have been investigated. The size of the particles was measured from transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and x‐ray diffraction spectroscopy (XRD). Optical properties were analyzed through photoluminescence and absorption measurement. The electrical transport properties were analyzed by impedance spectroscopy and Van der Pauw method. From impedance measurements, dominance of grain boundary resistance over grain resistance was observed. The resistivity also decreased with increasing molar concentrations of nanoparticles with and without PVP. The highest temperature coefficient of resistance (TCR) value of −2.33 %/K with the lowest resistivity of 0.02 Ω. cm for V2O5 nanoparticle of 0.2 M concentration without using PVP was observed. Therefore, such V2O5 nanoparticles are a potential material for microbolometer applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Chyle leak is an uncommon form of ascites occurring due to the accumulation of lipid‐rich lymph into the peritoneal cavity. Traumatic injury to the lymphatic system due to pancreaticobiliary surgery can lead to this phenomenon. Method: We retrospectively evaluated the data of 159 patients of pancreticobiliary surgery from January 2012 to December 2016. Five patients (5/137, 3.6%) sustained a chylous leak following pancreaticoduodenectomy and one patient (1/22, 4.5%) sustained a chylous leak following Roux‐en‐Y hepaticojejunostomy for postcholecystectomy biliary stricture. Results: Average daily output was 441 mL (range: 150–800 mL/day), and total duration of output was 16.5 days (range: 4–35 days). Mean hospital stay increased to 19.1 days (range: 10–40 days). All the patients were successfully managed conservatively with a combination of customized enteral feeds, supplemental parenteral nutrition, and octreotide. One patient required additional percutaneous drainage. Conclusion: Chyle leak can be successfully treated with conservative management but at the cost of increased hospital stay. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Patients with thalassaemia major depend on blood transfusions. In Italy, up to 80% of thalassaemia patients bear HCV antibodies due to HCV contaminated transfusions before 1990. Thalassaemia patients with HCV infection have high risk of developing HCC. Treatment based on Pegylated- IFN (Peg- IFN) and Ribavirin ( RBV) was limited by relevant side effects. Aim To evaluate the impact of Sofosbuvir/Ledipasvir ( SOF/ LDV) fixed dose combination for 12 weeks without RBV, in patients with thalassaemia major and HCV Genotype 1 or 4 ( GT1/4). Methods Open label, historically-controlled, nationwide multicentre study in thalassaemia patients including naïve with cirrhosis and prior treatment failure without cirrhosis. SOF/ LDV single pill was administered for 12 weeks to 100 patients of whom 16% had cirrhosis. The control group included 96 patients with comparable baseline characteristics treated with Peg- IFN/ RBV. The primary end point was sustained virologic response at follow-up week 12 or 24 after IFN-free or Peg- IFN/ RBV, respectively. Results In the study group, sustained virological response (SVR) was reported in 98% of patients (95% CI 95.3%-100%). Cirrhotic as well as prior treatment failure achieved 100% SVR. In the control group, SVR was 47.9% (95% CI 37.9%-57.9%). Adverse events including fatigue, headache, nausea, decrease in haemoglobin or increase in ferritin levels were rare and significantly less common in the study than in the historical control group. Conclusions In conclusion, SOF/ LDV for 12 weeks provides simple, highly effective and safe Peg-IFN/RBV-free treatment for HCV GT1/4 thalassaemia patients. EUDRACT number 2015-002401-1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of interparticle cohesion on powder mixing in a ribbon mixer was studied by means of the discrete element method. It is shown that with an increase in the cohesion, the mixing rate and uniformity of mixing deteriorate, the coordination number increases indicating the loss of the ability of particles to be engaged in free flowing motion, and a majority of particles have a stronger tangential velocity allowing bulk angular motion of particles. Conversely, with a decrease in the cohesion, more particles have larger axial velocities, which will increase convective motion in the axial direction. When the cohesion is reduced, the number of particles having large radial stresses increases, and normal stress in the axial direction remains mostly unchanged. The ribbon mixer can mix cohesive particles in a wide range of the Bond numbers without causing large stresses. © 2015 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 62: 1023-1037, 2016 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study assessed the capacity of non-transgenic (NTG) and growth-hormone transgenic (TG; gene construct EO-1α) Atlantic salmon ( Salmo salar L.), comprised of conventional diploid (DIP) and reproductively-sterile triploid (TRIP) fish, to utilize a diet containing relatively high amounts of plant protein (PP) concomitant with lower levels of fish meal (FM) protein. Triplicate groups of full-sibling NTG/DIP, NTG/TRIP, TG/DIP and TG/TRIP salmon (initial weight, 27–35 g) were held in freshwater and fed two experimental diets until they exceeded 400% growth. Two isonitrogenous (50% crude protein), isolipidic (21% lipid) and isoenergetic (22 MJ/kg gross energy) experimental diets were tested. The control diet (FM) contained 64 and 36%, while PP diet contained 32 and 68% of total dietary protein from FM and PP, respectively. TG and NTG fish achieved the target (> 150 g) weight in 89 and 206 days, respectively. TG fish exhibited significantly higher specific growth rates (SGR) (2.48 vs 0.7%/day) and thermal growth coefficient (TGC) (3.04 vs 0.79) than NTG, regardless of ploidy or diet. TG/TRIP fish had significantly lower growth rates than DIP due to lower feed intake, while no ploidy effect was observed within the NTG group. Feed conversion ratio (FCR) was significantly better in TG/DIP and TG/TRIP fish having achieved the same target weight with 20–25% less feed due to improved protein utilization and retention efficiency compared to NTG fish. NTG fish had higher digestibility of protein (93% vs 89%), lipid (95% vs 94%) and energy (89% vs 85%) relative to their TG siblings, and was similar between DIP and TRIP fish. Nutrients' digestibility was significantly lower in TG fish fed PP diet than those fed FM diet, regardless of ploidy. At the end of the study, TG fish had significantly lower whole-body protein (56% vs 59%) and higher lipid (36% vs 34%) and energy (2746 vs 2694 kJ/100 g) content than NTG fish. However, as a result of the rapid growth rate and efficient feed utilization, nutrient gain and retention efficiencies were significantly higher in TG than NTG fish. DIP and TRIP TG Atlantic salmon have the ability to maintain accelerated growth even when fed a high PP diet (68% of dietary protein), which may have important benefits for the production of growth hormone transgenic Atlantic salmon. Statement of relevance The results from the present study are innovative and may have important benefits for the optimization and production of growth hormone transgenic Atlantic salmon using sustainable feed ingredients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study was to determine the effect of dietary vitamin E on gilthead seabream ( Sparus aurata) growth and survival, at two different highly unsaturated fatty acids ( HUFAs) levels. Eighteen days old gilthead seabream larvae were fed four formulated experimental diets combining two different dietary levels of HUFAs (M: medium 2.5 + 1.5, DHA + EPA, H: high 5 + 2.5 DHA + EPA g per 100 g) with two different levels of vitamin E (M: medium 540 mg kg−1, H: high 2900 mg kg−1): MM, MH, HM, HH ( HUFA/vitamin E). After 2-week feeding trial, the average survival rate was 52.6% and there were no significant differences found among treatments. Increase in vitamin E up to high level markedly improved larval growth, particularly when dietary HUFA levels were lower, suggesting a higher protection value when these fatty acids are more limiting. At medium dietary HUFA levels, increase in vitamin E from medium to high level enhanced larval growth performance in terms of total length. Moreover, increase in vit E enhanced HUFAs content in the larval polar lipids denoting the anti-oxidative effect of vitamin E. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Aim: To compare the quality of life (QOL) in patients undergoing transhiatal esophagectomy(THE) with or without chemotherapy, who were admitted to the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh and enrolled in the study, from July 2004 to October 2005. Patients and Methods:Thirty patients of esophageal carcinoma by purposive sampling were randomized into two groups i.e.,patients undergoing THE after chemotherapy and patients undergoing THE without chemotherapy. Two QOL questionnaires, one generic i.e., EORTC-QLQ C-30 (European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer) and other esophageal cancer-specific i.e., EORTC OES-18 were utilized to assess the QOL. Result:Physical functional scales were better in patients, who received neoadjuvant chemotherapy. The role and social aspects of functional scales deteriorated after completion of treatment in both groups. This was primarily due to the effect of surgery. However, they were better from an emotional and cognitive point of value after surgery and radiotherapy. Fourteen out of 30 patients experienced vomiting and diarrhea due to radiotherapy. Conclusion: THE in esophageal carcinoma improves global health scales and majority of symptom scales in all patients. QOL improvement in general was better in patients who were administeredneoadjuvant chemotherapy along with surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: Aristolochia tagala Cham. (syn: Aristolochia acuminata Lam.) (Aristolochiaceae), known as Nallayishwari in Telugu, has been of interest to researchers because of its traditional uses for treating rheumatic pains and fever. Objective: The anti-inflammatory activity of the petroleum ether, ethyl acetate, and ethanol extracts of A. tagala roots were investigated for the first time. Materials and Methods: In vivo and in vitro anti-inflammatory effects were investigated employing the carrageenan-induced hind paw edema in rats and the macrophage cell line RAW264.7 stimulated with proinflammatory stimuli (lipopolysaccharide interferon γ or the calcium ionophore A23187) to determine PGE2 or LTB4 release, respectively. Results: All the extracts exhibited anti-inflammatory effects which were found to be significant ( p < 0.001) at 200 and 400 mg/kg, p.o, in rats tested and the ethyl acetate extract inhibited the induction of PGE2 with IC50 == 39.1 mg mL−1 and LTB4 with IC50 == 29.5 mg mL−1. Discussion and conclusion: These findings demonstrate that the A. tagala roots have excellent anti-inflammatory activity and validate the traditional indications of this plant in its origin country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Persistent Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia (SAB-P) is well known but poorly delineated due to unclear definition. We retrospectively studied 78 patients with SAB-P using a stringent definition (bacteremia for ≥7 d), in a single teaching hospital, during 1 January 2002 to 30 June 2003 and 1 November 2005 to 31 December 2006 to determine whether the frequency, risk factors and outcome changed over time. SAB was encountered in 354 and 259 instances during the 2 periods, respectively. Patients' characteristics changed with increasing organ dysfunction score (2.9±1.7 vs 3.4±1.4; p <0.001), patients with invasive devices (27.7% vs 41.3%; p=0.001), hemodialysis dependence (19.2% vs 27.8%; p=0.04), MRSA (50.8% vs 64.5%; p=0.001), and vancomycin treatment (57.9% vs 67.2%; p=0.02). SAB-P frequency increased slightly (11.0% vs 15.1%). Risk (associated) factors for SAB-P (identified by logistic regression) were metastatic infection (OR=5.60; 95% CI 3.00 - 10.47), vancomycin treatment (OR=4.17; 95% CI 2.14 - 8.11), endovascular sources (OR=3.35; 95% CI 1.92 - 5.85) and diabetes (OR=2.14; 95% CI 1.26 - 3.64). SAB- and SAB-P-associated case-fatality did not change (23.2% vs 18.5% and 25.6 vs 30.8%, respectively). All survivors ultimately achieved clearance. These findings suggest that patients with SAB are changing over time. Additionally, SAB-P frequency is higher than previously reported. SAB-P rise is probably due to increasing SAB, MRSA, and patients at risk for complications. Innovative approaches should target novel treatment modalities and risk reduction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We assessed the role of Panton-Valentine leukocidin (PVL) and SCCmec type in community associated (CA) and healthcare associated (HC) Staphylococcus aureus (SA) skin/soft-tissue infections (STI). We prospectively monitored microbiology results (11 January 2005 to 6 January 2006), screened inpatients with SA in tissue samples or blood, and selected adults with STI. We recorded clinical/microbiological characteristics, and tested saved isolates for PVL genes (real time PCR) and SCCmec type (conventional multiplex PCR). We encountered 204 patients. MRSA strains that accounted for 70.5% CA and 66.0% HC cases, caused more abscesses (55.7% vs 29.7%; p=0.001) and were often PVL-positive (68.9% vs 4.8%; p <0.001). PVL-positive isolates caused more abscesses (72.9% vs 26.5%; p<0.001) but similar bacteremia (7.3% vs 7.1%). SCCmec IVa made up 95.8% of PVL-positive strains and accounted for 69.8% of the abscesses. SCCmec II caused higher mortality (14.8% vs 0-3.1%; p=0.02). PVL was a predictor of abscesses (p<0.001). Predictors of bacteremia were age>=65 y (p=0.004), necrotizing infection (p=0.014), and head/neck location (p=0.05). These findings suggest that SCCmec type and PVL status influence STI manifestations and contribute to MRSA-MSSA differences. PVL is implicated in abscess formation but not bacteremia. Bacteremia is likely related to host condition and/or other virulence factors that were not studied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of different levels of substitution of fish oil by vegetable oils rich in oleic, linoleic and linolenic acids on gilthead seabream plasma and leukocyte fatty acid compositions and prostaglandin (PG) and leptin production. Juvenile seabream of 24 g initial body mass were fed four iso-energetic and iso-proteic experimental diets for 281 days. Fatty acid composition of plasma lipids was markedly affected by the inclusion of vegetable oils (VO). ARA (arachidonate), EPA (eicosapentaenoate) and DHA (docosahexaenoate) were preferentially incorporated into polar lipids of plasma, and DHGLA (di-homogammalinoleate) accumulated with increased vegetable oil inclusion. Dietary treatments resulted in alterations of DHGLA/ARA ratios, but not ARA/EPA. ARA-derived PGE2 production in plasma was not affected by vegetable oils, in agreement with similar eicosanoid precursor ratio (ARA/EPA) in leukocytes total lipids and plasma phospholipids among fish fed with the different dietary treatments. Feeding vegetable oils leads to a decrease in plasma EPA which in turn reduced plasma PGE3 concentration. Moreover, PGE3 was the major prostaglandin produced in plasma of fish fed fish oil based diet. Such findings point out the importance of EPA as a precursor of prostaglandins in marine fish, at least for the correct function of the blood cells, and correlates well with the predominant role of this fatty acid in immune regulation in this species. A negative correlation was found between plasma PGE2 and leptin plasma concentration, suggesting that circulating levels of leptin may act as a metabolic signal modulating PGE2 release. The present study has shown that increased inclusion of vegetable oils in diet for gilthead seabream may profoundly affect the fatty acid composition of plasma and leukocytes, specially HUFA (highly unsaturated fatty acids), and consequently the production of PGE3, which can be a major PG in plasma. Alteration in the amount and type of PG produced can be at least partially responsible for the changes in the immune system and health parameters of fish fed diets with high inclusion of VO. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]