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Abstract Background Previous studies from the US and UK suggest that neighbourhood ethnic composition is associated with health, positive or negative, depending on the health outcome and ethnic group. We examined the association between neighbourhood ethnic composition and self-reported health in these groups in Amsterdam, and we aimed to explore whether there is spatial variation in this association. Methods We used micro-scale data to describe the ethnic composition in buffers around the home location of 2701 Turks and 2661 Moroccans. Multilevel regression analysis was used to assess the association between three measures of ethnic composition (% co-ethnics, % other ethnic group, Herfindahl index) and three measures of self-reported health: self-rated health, Physical and Mental Component Score (PCS, MCS). We adjusted for socioeconomic position at individual and area level. We used geographically weighted regression and spatially stratified regression analyses to explore whether associations differed within Amsterdam. Results Ethnic heterogeneity and own ethnic density were not related to self-rated health for both ethnic groups. Higher density of Turks was associated with better self-rated health among Moroccans at all buffer sizes, with the most significant relations for small buffers. Higher heterogeneity was associated with lower scores on PCS and MCS among Turks (suggesting worse health). We found spatial variation in the association of the density of the other ethnic group with self-rated health of Moroccans and Turks. We found a positive association for both groups, spatially concentrated in the sub-district Geuzenveld. Conclusions Our study showed that the association of ethnic composition with self-reported health among Turks and Moroccans in Amsterdam differed between the groups and reveals mainly at small spatial scales. Among both groups, an association of higher density of the other group with better self-rated health was found in a particular part of Amsterdam, which might be explained by the presence of a relatively strong sense of community between the two groups in that area. The study suggests that it is important to pay attention to other-group density, to use area measurements at small spatial scales and to examine the spatial variation in these associations. This may help to identify neighbourhood characteristics contributing to these type of area effects on urban minority health.

BackgroundTo integrate immigrants into their societies, European countries have adopted different types of policies, which may influence health through both material and psychosocial determinants. Recent studies have suggested poorer health outcomes for immigrants living in countries with poorly rated integration policies.ObjectiveTo analyse mortality differences of immigrants from the same country of origin living in countries with distinct integration policy contexts.MethodsFrom the mortality dataset collected in the Migrant Ethnic Health Observatory (MEHO) project, we chose the Netherlands (linked data from 1996-2006), France (unlinked; 2005-2007) and Denmark (linked; 1992-2001) as representatives of the inclusive, assimilationist and exclusionist policy models, respectively, based on the Migrant Integration Policy Index. We calculated for each country sex- and age-standardized mortality rates for Turkish-, Moroccan- and local-born populations aged 20-69 years. Poisson regression was used to estimate the mortality rate ratios (MRRs) for cross-country and within-country comparisons. The analyses were further stratified by age group and cause of death.ResultsCompared with their peers in the Netherlands, Turkish-born immigrants had higher all-cause mortality in Denmark (MRR men 1.92; 95% CI 1.74-2.13 and women 2.11; 1.80-2.47) but lower in France (men 0.64; 0.59-0.69 and women 0.58; 0.51-0.67). A similar pattern emerged for Moroccan-born immigrants. The relative differences between immigrants and the local-born population were also largest in Denmark and lowest in France (e.g., Turkish-born men MRR 1.52; 95% CI 1.38-1.67 and 0.62; 0.58-0.66, respectively). These patterns were consistent across all age groups, and more marked for cardiovascular diseases.ConclusionsAlthough confounders and data comparability issues (e.g., French cross-sectional data) may affect the findings, this study suggests that different macro-level policy contexts may influence immigrants' mortality. Comparable mortality registration systems across Europe along with detailed socio-demographic information on immigrants may help to better assess this association.

Abstract Green synthesis is an easy, safe, and environmentally beneficial nanoparticle creation method. It is a great challenge to simultaneously improve the capping and stabilizing agent carrier separation efficiency of photocatalysts. Herein, Zn-doped Titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanoparticles with high exposure of 360 nm using a UV/visible spectrophotometer were prepared via a one-step hydrothermal decomposition method. A detailed analysis reveals that the electronic structures were modulated by Zn doping; thus, the responsive wavelength was extended to 600 nm, which effectively improved the visible light absorption of TiO2. We have optimized the different parameters like concentration, time, and temperature. The peak for TiO2 is located at 600 cm-1 in FTIR. A scanning electron microscope revealed that TiO2 has a definite shape and morphology. The synthesized Zn-doped TiO2NPs were applied against various pathogens to study their anti-bacterial potentials. The anti-bacterial activity of Zn-doped TiO2 has shown robust against two gram-ve bacteria (Salmonella and Escherichia coli) and two gram + ve bacteria (Staphylococcus epidermidis and Staphylococcus aureus). Synthesized Zn-doped TiO2 has demonstrated strong antifungal efficacy against a variety of fungi. Moreover, doping TiO2 nanoparticles with metal oxide greatly improves their characteristics; as a result, doped metal oxide nanoparticles perform better than doped and un-doped metal oxide nanoparticles. Compared to pure TiO2, Zn-doped TiO2 nanoparticles exhibit considerable applications including antimicrobial treatment and water purification.

In developing nations, anaemia is one of the most prevalent medical conditions. It has long been known that parasite infection during pregnancy is one of the main causes of anaemia and an elevated risk of maternal mortality. To ascertain the prevalence and risk factors related to parasite infections and anaemia among pregnant women receiving prenatal care in some selected public health facilities in Kaduna State, Nigeria, an eleven-month cross-sectional study of 180 consenting pregnant women was conducted from February to December 2017. A standardized questionnaire was used to interview the sampled pregnant women. Stool and blood samples of each consented pregnant woman were collected. Formal-ether sedimentation technique, thin and thick blood smears and haematocrit packed cell volume capillary methods were used to screen intestinal helminth parasites, plasmodium species and Packed Cell Volume (PCV) respectively. The result obtained showed parasitic infections prevalence of 102(56.7%) among the study population. Prevalence of Plasmodium species, hookworm, Ascaris lumbricoides and those with co-infection all occurred at 47.2%, 16.7%, 17.8% and 25.0% respectively. Age, educational level, trimester and parity were all significant predictors of Plasmodium species prevalence (p<0.005). Similarly, parity and educational level were significantly (p<0.005) associated with the prevalence of intestinal parasites and co-infection. Anaemia was present in 40.0% of the examined pregnant women. Trimester and educational level were highly significant (p<0.001) predictors of anaemia among the sampled pregnant women. Plasmodium species were the most common parasitic species associated with anaemia as 43.1% of Plasmodium species-infected pregnant women had anaemia compared to those with intestinal helminth infection (30.6%) and co-infection (13.3%). However, statistical analysis revealed a significant association (p<0.05) between the prevalence of anaemia and intestinal helminth infection. Therefore, measures such as improved sanitation and health education are needed to lessen the prevalence of parasitic infections and parasite-related anaemia in the study area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cola nitida, also known as Kola nut, is a tropical plant native to West Africa and has a rich history of traditional medicinal use. In this narrative review, we aim to provide an overview of the protective effects of Cola nitida in various health and disease states. Cola nitida has been traditionally used for its medicinal properties, and its bioactive compounds include caffeine, alkaloids, tannins, flavonoids, and phenolics. These compounds contribute to its potential therapeutic effects. Here, we examine the potential benefits of Cola nitida in several areas of health, discussing its role in cognitive function, cardiovascular health, immune system function, gastrointestinal health, and metabolic and endocrine health. Relevant original articles available from PubMed, African Journals Online (AJOL), SCOPUS, and Google Scholar were retrieved using the keywords “cola” AND “nitida” without date restriction until July 17, 2023. Evidence suggests that Cola nitida may have positive effects on health, with indications of adverse effects only from its chronic usage. However, more research is needed to establish its efficacy and safety. Cola nitida holds promise as a natural remedy for various health conditions. Understanding the benefits and limitations of Cola nitida will contribute to its effective utilization in health and disease management.

The tropical dry forests (TDF) have an enormously rich flora and fauna that offer various ecological services to the surrounding human societies. Biodiversity assessment is mandatory for implementing any sustainable forest management policy, which is why it is one of the important criteria and indicators currently used. Threats to TDF biodiversity are the primary challenges arising from environmental concerns caused by anthropogenic activity leading to global warming issues. The study aimed to investigate the vegetation assessment and several environmental and anthropogenic variables influencing forest biodiversity from 5 threatened forest sites of District Sialkot (Ghalotian, Kishan Garh, Daburgi Chanda Singh, Pir Kot, and Ghulab Garh), Pakistan. We collected 170 distinct plant species, including 135 dicots, 27 monocots, seven pteridophytes, and one bryophyte, categorized into 138 genera and 62 families, divided into 114 herbs, 32 trees, and 24 shrubs. The phytosociological analysis described the quantitative characteristics, including % frequency, % density, % cover, and importance Value Index (IVI) of all forest areas. Gulab Garh forest has the richest biodiversity forest area, and herbs are the dominant species that have been documented. Environmental factors such as temperature, precipitation, organic matter, soil pH, Ca+2, Mg+2, Na+, Cl−, and electric conductivity (EC) strongly affect forest vegetation investigated by principal coordinate analysis. Shannon and Simpson’s diversity indexes reveal that all sites contain loamy and sandy soil and display a significant relationship between alpha diversity and richness. Increasing trends in temperature and decreasing trends in rainfall suggested that climate significantly affects the Sialkot region’s plant biodiversity. SWOT analysis highlighted that population growth leads to increasing anthropogenic activities such as constructing housing societies and roads, inadequate farming, and excessive grazing, impacting the forest vegetation and altering TDF ecosystem properties/services and functioning. Our findings reinforce the vegetational assessment and importance of local forest biodiversity and significant environmental drivers that influence the plant species diversity in TDF areas. Future conservation strategies are suggested to reduce unlawful resource consumption, restore plant biodiversity in designated protected areas, and conserve rare species locally.

Continuous consumption of sachet and tap water in Nigeria is of public health significance as the potential bacterial water contaminants could develop resistance to commonly used antimicrobials. This study was carried out to assess the bacteriological quality and TLC-Bio autographic profile of water samples using M. oleifera leaf extract. One hundred samples comprising 50 sachets and 50 tap water were collected from five different locations in Katsina metropolis. Most probable number (MPN) was used to identify indicator bacteria and characterized using biochemical tests followed by 16S rRNA gene sequencing identification. The results showed that the pH and temperature level of all the samples were significantly different. Turbidity (0.2-0.47NTU), dissolved oxygen (1.34-2.03mg/L and 0.85-2.45mg/L) and biological oxygen demand (0.49-1.09mg/L and 0.19-0.59mg/L) were below the minimum permissible limits set by WHO and NAFDAC (=5). Total coliform counts exceeded limits of 2 MPN/100ml and Escherichia coli was detected from tap water of Kofar Marusa, Kofar Durbi and Kofar Kaura as well as the sachet water of Kofar Marusa and Kofar Keke. However, there was no statistically significant difference (P=0.05) between the total coliform counts of both sachet and tap water. The 16S rRNA gene identification showed the presence of Escherichia marmotae and Enterobacter kobei in both sachet and tap water. The GC-MS demonstrated that M. oleifera leaf extract contained 9,12,15-Octadecatrienoic acid, ethyl ester, Octadec-9-enoic acid and Hexadecanoic acid, The TLC-bioautography result indicate antibacterial activity, with inhibition zones ranging from 15±0.00 to 19.5±4.95mm (E. coli) to 23.5±6.36mm (E. faecalis) and 20±0.00 to 22±1.41mm (E. faecium). Waterborne faecal bacterial contaminants were found associated with the sachet and tap water analyzed. M. oleifera leaf has bioactive principles with nobility to be used as candidate for drug development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study delves into the application of Logistic Regression through a Voting Classifier to predict liver disease prevalence within the Indian demographic, specifically analyzing data from the NorthEast of Andhra Pradesh. Employing a dataset encompassing 584 patient records, the research utilizes a 5-fold cross-validation approach to evaluate the model's performance across accuracy, precision, recall, and F1-Score metrics. The findings reveal accuracy rates ranging from 69.23% to 74.14%, with variable precision and recall, indicating a promising yet improvable predictive capability of the model. The study significantly contributes to the existing body of knowledge by demonstrating the potential of Logistic Regression in medical diagnostics, especially in the context of liver disease, and highlighting the critical role of machine learning models in enhancing diagnostic processes. Through a detailed discussion, the research aligns with previous studies on the efficacy of machine learning in healthcare, advocating for the integration of more comprehensive data and suggesting further exploration into the model's applicability across diverse populations. The study's implications extend to healthcare professionals and policymakers, underscoring the necessity for advanced diagnostic tools in the early detection of liver diseases.

Abstract Objectives This study investigated whether exosomes from LPS pretreated bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (LPS pre-MSCs) could prolong skin graft survival. Methods The exosomes were isolated from the supernatant of MSCs pretreated with LPS. LPS pre-Exo and rapamycin were injected via the tail vein into C57BL/6 mice allografted with BALB/c skin; graft survival was observed and evaluated. The accumulation and polarization of macrophages were examined by immunohistochemistry. The differentiation of macrophages in the spleen was analyzed by flow cytometry. For in vitro, an inflammatory model was established. Specifically, bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMDMs) were isolated and cultured with LPS (100 ng/ml) for 3 h, and were further treated with LPS pre-Exo for 24 h or 48 h. The molecular signaling pathway responsible for modulating inflammation was examined by Western blotting. The expressions of downstream inflammatory cytokines were determined by Elisa, and the polarization of macrophages was analyzed by flow cytometry. Results LPS pre-Exo could better ablate inflammation compared to untreated MSC-derived exosomes (BM-Exo). These loaded factors inhibited the expressions of inflammatory factors via a negative feedback mechanism. In vivo, LPS pre-Exo significantly attenuated inflammatory infiltration, thus improving the survival of allogeneic skin graft. Flow cytometric analysis of BMDMs showed that LPS pre-Exo were involved in the regulation of macrophage polarization and immune homeostasis during inflammation. Further investigation revealed that the NF-κB/NLRP3/procaspase-1/IL-1β signaling pathway played a key role in LPS pre-Exo-mediated regulation of macrophage polarization. Inhibiting NF-κB in BMDMs could abolish the LPS-induced activation of inflammatory pathways and the polarization of M1 macrophages while increasing the proportion of M2 cells. Conclusion LPS pre-Exo are able to switch the polarization of macrophages and enhance the resolution of inflammation. This type of exosomes provides an improved immunotherapeutic potential in prolonging graft survival.

Abstract Background Vascular malformations are common but complicated types of disease in infants, with unclear causes and lack of effective prevention. The symptoms usually do not disappear and tend to progress without medical intervention. It is extremely necessary to choose correct treatment options for different types of vascular malformations. A large number of studies have confirmed that sclerotherapy has a tendency to become the first-line treatment in near future, but it is also associated with mild or severe complications. Furthermore, to our knowledge, the serious adverse event of progressive limb necrosis has not been systematically analyzed and reported in the literature. Case presentation Three cases (two females and one male) were presented who were all diagnosed as vascular malformations and were treated by several sessions of interventional sclerotherapy. Their previous medical records showed the use of several sclerosants in different sessions including Polidocanol and Bleomycin. The sign of limb necrosis did not occur during the first sclerotherapy, but after the second and third sessions. Furthermore, the short-term symptomatic treatment could improve the necrosis syndrome, but could not change the outcome of amputation. Conclusion Sclerotherapy undoubtedly tends to be the first-line treatment in near future, but the adverse reactions still remain major challenges. Awareness of progressive limb necrosis after sclerotherapy and timely management by experts in centers of experience of this complication can avoid amputation.

Ensuring water potability is paramount for public health and safety. This research aimed to assess the efficacy of the Decision Tree classification algorithm in predicting water potability using the Water Quality and Potability dataset. Employing a 5-fold cross-validation technique, the model showcased a moderate performance with an average accuracy of approximately 54.33%. While the Decision Tree provides a baseline and interpretable mechanism for classification, the results emphasize the need for further exploration using more intricate models or ensemble methods. This study contributes to the broader effort of leveraging machine learning techniques for water quality assessment and provides insights into the potential and limitations of such models in predicting water safety

With the global advancement of maritime autonomous surface ships (MASS), the critical task of verifying their key technologies, particularly in challenging conditions, becomes paramount. This study introduces a synthetic maritime traffic generation system (S-MTGS) designed for the efficient and safe verification of these technologies. The S-MTGS encompasses a maritime traffic generator integrating a generator based on absolute position (GAP) and a generator based on relative position (GRP). This innovative system leverages historical maritime data to create various scenarios or generate virtual ships based on their interactions with and proximity to other ships. The virtual ships adeptly navigate and perform collision avoidance maneuvers with nearby vessels enabled by the integrated collision avoidance algorithm. The S-MTGS’s ability to generate a wide range of maritime traffic information mirroring actual maritime conditions is pivotal for thoroughly verifying the performance of MASS technology under both standard and extreme situations. The development of the S-MTGS represents a significant advancement in maritime safety and technology. It can evaluate collision avoidance and navigation systems in MASS, featuring a virtual environment for realistic scenario testing and an intelligent navigation system focused on route tracking and collision avoidance.

Flooding is Pakistan's most common natural hazard, and it is exacerbated by increased rainfall and urbanization. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK), Pakistan flood-prone zones were determined by superimposing six flood parameters in an ArcGIS environment: elevation, slope, rainfall accumulation, land cover, soil geometry, and gap/buffer from water channel. Cellular automata based on artificial neural network (CA-ANN) along QGIS plugin module of Land Use Change Simulations (MOLUSCE) was used for predicting year 2050 land use, with a kappa value of 0.83. The results indicated that of the 75775 km2 land area covered by this research region, 3.37% (2553.62 km2) falls in extremely high risk, 18.44% (13972.91 km2) falls in high risk, 11.26% (8532.27 km2) falls in moderate risk, 0.51% (386.45 km2) falls in low risk, and just 66.42% (50329.76 km2) falls in very low risk areas. In KPK, like in any other place, a multi-criteria flood risk-vulnerability assessment is consequently necessary for preparation and post-hazard planning. Without a doubt, the outcomes reported here are crucial for flood risk assessments and hazard management decision-making. Key words: natural disasters; floods; remote sensing; geographic information system, multi-criteria evaluation; weighted overlay.

Expansive soils are problematic for direct engineering applications in their natural state because of the shrink-swell phenomenon. Numerous stabilizers and methods have been used to stabilize expansive soils as an effort to make them more practical for construction purposes. Searching for suitable soil stabilizers to overcome difficulties caused by the expansive soils is the key issue, not only in terms of achieving the required soil geotechnical characteristics but also in terms of environmental and economic concerns. The purpose of this article was to assess the current trends, challenges, and opportunities of various admixtures utilized for expansive soil improvement, as well as their economic and environmental consequences. A critical review of various admixtures commonly used as soil stabilizers, including marble waste powder, fly ash, eggshell powders, stone waste, and lime powder is conducted. Furthermore, a the review was also focused to analyze the offered stabilizers in terms of soil geotechnical properties and sustainability in the field application.

Sleep apnea is a common problem with health implications ranging from excessive daytime sleepiness to serious cardiovascular disorders. The method for detecting and measuring sleep apnea is through breathing monitoring (polysomnography), which is time consuming and relatively expensive. Cardiovascular which is closely related to heart performance activities allows the use of electrocardiogram (heart rate variability) features to detect sleep apnea. This study aims to compare the results of sleep apnea detection using several machine learning algorithms. A total of 2,445 data were divided into 1,834 data as learning sets and 611 data as test sets. Evaluation of 10-fold cross-validation using all HRV features shows that neural network algorithm has the best performance compared to decision tree algorithm, k-nearest neighbor, and support vector machine with an accuracy rate (82.44% in the learning set, 79.21% in the test set consecutively), precision (85.54% and 82.70%), f-measure (87.70% and 85.67%), and AUC (0.867 and 0.832). Based on the results of performance testing using only selected HRV features (CVRR, HF, SD1/SD2 Ratio, and S-Region), the K-Nearest Neighbors, Support Vector Machine, and Neural Network algorithms experienced a decrease in performance. The use of all HRV features is recommended compared to only using selected HRV features, so it can help detect the presence/absence of sleep apnea much better.

This study was conducted to screen for Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Brevibacillus species from soil and investigate their ability to biodegrade low density polyethylene materials. The organisms were isolated using phenotypic characterization and molecular identification by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The PCR confirmed the presence of two different strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and absence of Brevibacillus specie from the soil sample. The bacteria were inoculated in a nutrient broth to which 2% polyethylene was amended for a period of three weeks in a shaker incubator at 180rpm. Effect of temperature, pH and concentration of polyethylene on the biodegradation process was also studied. The initial and final dry weights of the polyethylene were recorded and the % degraded was calculated. It was found that both strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa were capable of degrading the polyethylene. Strain C3 produced a maximum degradation of 20% at 37°C and pH 6. Strain B3 achieved a maximum degradation of 15% at 37°C at pH 6 and 7. In addition, it was found that both strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa were able to survive up to 6% of polyethylene producing a maximum degradation of 55%. Therefore strains B3 and C3 of Pseudomonas aeruginosa can be effective in biodegradation of polyethylene in dump sites if their potentials are well exploited. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Internal thoracic arteries (ITAs) are considered to be the standard conduits used for coronary revascularization. Recently minimally invasive procedures are performed to harvest ITAs. The aim of this retrospective cohort study is to observe the effect and safety of less invasive LIMA harvesting approaches in the learning curve compared to conventional harvesting. Methods We retrospectively analyzed the data of 138 patients divided into three different groups based on the LIMA harvesting techniques: conventional sternotomy LIMA harvesting, CSLH (n: 64), minimally invasive direct LIMA harvesting, MIDLH (n: 42), and robotic-assisted LIMA harvesting, RALH (n: 32). The same 138 patients were also divided into sternotomy (n: 64), and non-sternotomy (n: 74) groups keeping both MIDLH and RALH in the non-sternotomy category. Parameters associated with LIMA’s quality and some other perioperative parameters such as harvesting time, LIMA damage, perioperative myocardial infarction, ventilation time, 24 h drainage, ICU stay, hospital mortality, computed tomographic angiography (CTA) LIMA patency on discharge, and after one year were recorded. Results The mean LIMA harvesting time was 36.9 ± 14.3, 74.4 ± 24.2, and 164.7 ± 51.9 min for CSLH, MIDLH, and RALH groups respectively (p

Stress in children can affect the way they think, act, and feel. The habit of using gadgets has several advantages and disadvantages, but there has been no in-depth study of the effect of using gadgets on stress levels in children. This study aims to determine the representation of the physiological condition of using gadgets on stress levels in children. A total of 18 electrocardiogram data were extracted with poincaré plot features. This research has found that there is no difference in the level of stress in children between before and after using gadgets in terms of autonomic nervous activity (Sig. > 0.05). However, there is an increase in sympathetic activity that occurs in children even though they have finished using gadgets. Such conditions certainly need to get more attention, especially related to the duration of gadget use and accessible content.

Abstract Duckweed (Lemna minor L.) is an aquatic macrophyte and grows profoundly on the surface of polluted water reservoirs of Pakistan. The plant can be used as a potential alternative for the fish and poultry industry to meet the promptly growing demand for feed. Our study investigates the effect of varying concentrations (ppm) of nutrients like N, P, and their combination, NP on biomass production, carbohydrate, lipid, protein, and mineral (Ca, Mg, Fe, Mn & Zn) contents of L. minor. The varying concentrations of N and P substantially affected the above-stated parameters. The highest biomass yield was recorded in the 30 ppm NP tank as 172 g/m2 day in comparison with the control tank. Higher protein, lipid, and carbohydrate contents were recorded for 30 ppm NP, 20 ppm NP, and 10 ppm NP respectively. Minerals like Ca, Mg, Fe, Mn & Zn increased in 20 ppm P and all N concentrations. The combined application of NP was more effective in boosting the protein, carbohydrate, and lipid content whereas less effective in increasing the mineral contents. A rise in the concentration of N and P showed a positive correlation with the nutritional composition of L. minor.

BackgroundSchwannomas are benign tumors originating from Schwann cells, frequently occurring in the spinal cord and peripheral nerves. Intraosseous schwannomas, a rare subset, account for approximately 0.2% of schwannomas. Intraosseous schwannomas commonly impinge the mandible, followed by the sacrum and the spine. By far, only three cases of radius intraosseous schwannomas have been reported in PubMed. The tumor was treated differently in all three cases, resulting in different outcomes.Case presentationA 29-year-old male construction engineer who complained of a painless mass on the radial aspect of the right forearm was diagnosed with an intraosseous schwannoma of the radius based on radiography, three-dimensional computed tomography reconstruction, magnetic resonance imaging, pathological examination, and immunohistochemistry. A different surgical approach was employed to reconstruct the radial graft defect using bone microrepair techniques, resulting in more reliable bone healing and early functional recovery. Meanwhile, no clinical and radiographic findings suggestive of recurrence were observed at the 12-month follow-up.ConclusionVascularized bone flap transplantation combined with three-dimensional imaging reconstruction planning might yield better results for repairing small segmental bone defects of the radius caused by intraosseous schwannomas.

Plasmodium ovale consists of two subspecies – P. ovale wallikeri and P. ovale curtisi. Increased reports of imported malaria ovale in non-endemic regions and mixed infection of P. ovale with other Plasmodium species suggest that P. ovale might be under-detected during routine surveillance. Areas endemic with P. ovale have mostly been reported in African and Western Pacific countries. A recent case report in Indonesia indicated that regions with P. ovale endemicity are not only distributed in Lesser Sunda and Papua, but also in North Sumatra.

The effect of hemispherical cavity confinement on the laser-generated plasma plume has been studied and revealing a fivefold signal intensity enhancement in the spectra of copper. The plasma temperature ($T$) and electron density ($N_{e}$) with and without cavity confinements have been determined. The plasma parameters ($T$ and $N_{e}$) in the cavity confinement configuration remain the same for the first few microseconds and thereafter decay exponentially. The trend of constant plasma parameters for the first few microseconds is attributed to the competition of two processes; compression of the plasma plume by the reflected shock waves and cooling of the plasma plume by losing its kinetic energy due to the collision of the ambient gases. The signal intensity enhancement can be attributed to the reheating or compression of plasma plume by the reflected shock waves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Genus Pinus is a widely dispersed genus of conifer plants in the Northern Hemisphere. However, the inadequate accessibility of genomic knowledge limits our understanding of molecular phylogeny and evolution of Pinus species. In this study, the evolutionary features of complete plastid genome and the phylogeny of the Pinus genus were studied. A total of thirteen divergent hotspot regions (trnk-UUU, matK, trnQ-UUG, atpF, atpH, rpoC1, rpoC2, rpoB, ycf2, ycf1, trnD-GUC, trnY-GUA, and trnH-GUG) were identified that would be utilized as possible genetic markers for determination of phylogeny and population genetics analysis of Pinus species. Furthermore, seven genes (petD, psaI, psaM, matK, rps18, ycf1, and ycf2) with positive selection site in Pinus species were identified. Based on the whole genome this phylogenetic study showed that twenty-four Pinus species form a significant genealogical clade. Divergence time showed that the Pinus species originated about 100 million years ago (MYA) (95% HPD, 101.76.35–109.79 MYA), in lateral stages of Cretaceous. Moreover, two of the subgenera are consequently originated in 85.05 MYA (95% HPD, 81.04–88.02 MYA). This study provides a phylogenetic relationship and a chronological framework for the future study of the molecular evolution of the Pinus species.

Influence of co-dopings of divalent ions such as Mg2+, Zn2+, Cd2+ and Sr2+ ions in Mn4+-doped CaAl12O19 red phosphor on its photoluminescence characteristics has been investigated. Samples of Mn4+-doped CaAl12O19 and co-doped with Mg2+, Zn2+, Cd2+ and Sr2+ ions were synthesized by a solid-state reaction method. Significant enhancement of photoluminescence intensity was observed, when Mg2+ and Zn2+ were co-doped in Mn4+-doped CaAl12O19, while only slight enhancement was seen with Cd2+ and Sr2+ co-dopings. To investigate these differences in photoluminescence enhancement, change in local environment of Mn4+ ions due to co-dopings of divalent ions was examined by electron spin resonance (ESR) measurements and first principles calculations within a density functional theory. From these experimental and theoretical analysis, it has been confirmed that the local environment of Mn4+ changes significantly with Mg2+ and Zn2+ co-dopings, while Cd2+ and Sr2+ alter minimally the local environment of Mn4+ due to different substitution site.

Long-time ischemia worsening transplant outcomes in vascularized composite allotransplantation (VCA) is often neglected. Ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) is an inevitable event that follows reperfusion after a period of cold static storage. The pathophysiological mechanism activates local inflammation, which is a barrier to allograft long-term immune tolerance. The previous publications have not clearly described the relationship between the tissue damage and ischemia time, nor the rejection grade. In this review, we found that the rejection episodes and rejection grade are usually related to the ischemia time, both in clinical and experimental aspects. Moreover, we summarized the potential therapeutic measures to mitigate the ischemia-reperfusion injury. Compare to static preservation, machine perfusion is a promising method that can keep VCA tissue viability and extend preservation time, which is especially beneficial for the expansion of the donor pool and better MHC-matching.

Summary: This study was planned to determine the relationship between semen quality parameters and the levels of biochemical constituents of seminal plasma of Teddy (Capra hircus) buck semen. For this purpose, semen ejaculates were collected from five mature healthy Teddy bucks. All the experimental bucks were kept under natural environmental conditions. Semen was collected twice in a week for the duration of 6 weeks by Artificial Vagina (AV) in the breeding season (February‐April). Two successive ejaculates of single buck were pooled at time of collection, and a total of 60 semen samples were processed for semen analysis. Sperm per cent motility, sperm concentration, dead sperm percentage, morphological abnormal spermatozoa, plasma membrane integrity were correlated with biochemical constituents of seminal plasma. The mean per cent motility (89.18% ± 0.37%), sperm concentration (1.86 ± 0.04 × 109/ml), dead sperm percentage (8.08% ± 0.29%), morphological abnormal spermatozoa (6.05% ± 0.29%) and plasma membrane integrity (88.22% ± 0.34%) were recorded. The seminal plasma contained Na+ (144.12 ± 1.59 mEq/L), K+ (27.38 ± 0.49 mEq/L), Cl− (65.73 ± 0.45 mEq/L), Ca++ (9.34 ± 0.22 mg/dl), P (19.32 ± 0.97 mg/dl), aspartate aminotransferase (AST; 26.48 ± 1.30 IU/L), alanine aminotransferase (ALT; 168.47 ± 5.18 IU/L), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH; 215.98 ± 6.06 IU/L), albumin (1.90 ± 0.10 g/dl), globulins (2.08 ± 0.11 g/dl) and total protein (3.98 ± 0.20 g/dl). The collected data were analysed by applying Pearson's correlation coefficients. Dead sperm percentage had negative correlation with sodium (r = −.278, p < .05), albumin (r = −.294, p < .05), globulin (r = −.266, p < .05) and total protein (r = −.295, p < .05). Phosphorus was negatively associated with sperm concentration (r = −.262, p < .05). AST was negatively correlated with plasma membrane integrity (r = −.292, p < .05). It was concluded that most of the semen quality parameters of Teddy bucks were positively correlated with biochemical constituents, but opposite trends were found in case of dead sperm percentage. The seminal biochemical constituents dynamically interact with each other. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The vanadium dioxide (VO2) thin films were deposited on silicon (100) substrate using the pulsed laser deposition technique. The thin films were deposited at different substrate temperatures (500°C, 600°C, 700°C, and 800°C) while keeping all the other parameters constant. X‐ray diffraction confirmed the crystalline VO2 (B) and VO2 (M) phase formation at different substrate temperatures. X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis showed the presence of V4+ and V5+ charge states in all the deposited thin films which confirms that the deposited films mainly consist of VO2 and V2O5. An increase in the VO2/V2O5 ratio has been observed in the films deposited at higher substrate temperatures (700°C and 800°C). Scanning electron microscope micrographs revealed different surface morphologies of the thin films deposited at different substrate temperatures. The electrical properties showed the sharp semiconductor to metal transition behavior with approximately 2 orders of magnitude for the VO2 thin film deposited at 800°C. The transition temperature for heating and cooling cycles as low as 46.2°C and 42°C, respectively, has been observed which is related to the smaller difference in the interplanar spacing between the as‐deposited thin film and the standard rutile VO2 as well as to the lattice strain of approximately −1.2%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of robotics in executing agricultural tasks has significantly improved productivity over the years as a result of automation in performing such activities as spray, harvesting, planting etc. In order to optimize both crop yield and quality while minimizing costs, there will be need for the application of navigation strategies. These will provide optimal as well as autonomous navigation capability which is built entirely upon field coverage plan thereby making robot navigation approach a paramount scheme. In this paper, the autonomy of an agricultural mobile robot is enhanced in a structured environment (greenhouse farm) to locate an optimum route such that the robot performs a selective and variable spray of pesticides to the plants. To realize this, a robust vehicle routing problem (VRP) scheme is designed to navigate the robot autonomously while making intelligent decisions to fulfil the pesticide demands at each node (infected plants). The improved non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm (INSGA-III) is adopted to solve this fully integer problem based on three (3) test cases carried out with 8, 32 and 56 infected plants respectively for validation. The results obtained show a trade-off solution as the Optimal INSGA-III is significantly lower than NSGA-III in terms of solution quality. On the other hand, a significant reduction in run times of between 66% and 76% and 76–93% was obtained for all test case scenarios for population sizes of 100 and 1500 respectively.

Printed flexible electronics have been extensively studied for their potential use in various applications. In this paper, a simple, low-cost, high-conductivity (0.2Ω/sq) flexible electronic circuit fabrication method is demonstrated. The commercial PET film is used as a flexible substrate, and then nanoparticle silver ink was inkjet printed on its surface, and then the flexible Ag circuit was obtained after sintering with 150 °C hot air. Although the conductance is somewhat reduced, the electronic circuits made in this way remain functional even under different folding angles or after repeated folding. The proposed development technique allows cheap, efficient, and large-scale production of flexible electronic circuits with excellent mechanical and electrical properties.

TENG (triboelectric nanogenerator) has shown unique application prospect as a powerful way of harvesting renewable energy in micro-scale self-powered systems. The contact-separation (CS) arched TENG is so convenient that made a great progress in the past years. Laser ablated micro-nano structure on the surface of TENG triboelectric layers possesses a critical impact on its performance. However, arbitrary laser parameters do not provide a direct enhancement of the TENG output, but rather a different degree of degradation. The UV-nanosecond laser (Ultraviolet nanosecond laser) engraving parameters were optimised during the enhancement of the arched TENG using UV-nanosecond laser etching. Evaluation and analysis of the engraved friction layer coupling, electrode substrate arrangement and optimization curves was carried out, which provides an important reference for UV nanosecond laser etching TENG contribute to large-scale application of renewable energy.

Environmental increase in the spilled diesel creates serious damages to our natural ecosystems. Biodegradation provide the best removal alternative for such diesel contamination. This study was carried out to monitor the bacteria survival response during diesel oil biodegradation. Bacteria isolation was carried out using plating technique and screened at varying diesel concentrations (0 to 10%, v/v) before being identified using the 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Bacteria consortia were formulated using the screened isolates through mathematical permutation approach. Prepared bacteria resting cells of the selected consortium was grown at 2%, v/v diesel oil which was co-contaminated with varying concentrations of Mg++, Mn++, Zn+, Co++ and Fe++ (0 to 4 g/L) in mineral salts medium. Total of 47 different bacteria strains were isolated and the finally screened isolates were identified as Alcaligenes sp., Ochrobactrum sp., Alcaligenes aquatilis and Alcaligenes faecalis UMYU001 (MN519483.1). These bacteria were found to be compatible with one another despite being obtained from different environments. Of the prepared consortia, combination 11 (CST11) was found to produce the highest population of 1.6 x 104 cfu/mL after 48 hours at 2% v/v diesel oil. This CST11 survived optimally at 35°C, 7.0, and 2% v/v of the temperature, pH and diesel oil respectively. Also, the resistance thresholds of the metals for CST11 include Mg++ (3.5 g/L) while Mn++, Zn++, Co++ and Fe++ were only resisted at 1 g/L. This recommends the consortium as good enough in surviving at the sole expense of diesel oil even in the presence of heavy metals co-contaminants.

This research paper depicts the experimental investigation of the impact of stone dust as an admixture on the geotechnical characteristics of expansive soils that shrink and swell during the wet and dry seasons. As a result, expansive soil causes the differential settlement of structures. Thus the stabilization of expansive soil is important to overcome potential pavement failure. For this purpose research studies were carried out on the reuse of stone industry wastage for the improvement of expansive soil. Also, this research is beneficial to utilize the stone dust waste for strengthening the soil and making the environment pollution-free. Stone dust was used to stabilize the geotechnical characteristics of the weak soil such as shear strength, unconfined compressive strength (UCS), index properties, maximum dry density (MDD), optimum moisture content (OMC), and California bearing ratio (CBR). The percentages of stone dust employed in the studies were 0%, 7%, 14%, 21%, and 28% by dry weight of soil, which substantially reduced the soil's swelling properties. The results show significant improvements in the desirable geotechnical characteristics of the expansive soil. The optimal quantity of stone dust was concluded based on the findings for treating the subgrade of weaker expansive soil.

Pinus is one of the most economical and ecological important conifers, model specie for studying sequence divergence and molecular phylogeney of gymnosperms. The less availability of information for genome resources enable researchers to conduct evolutionary studies of Pinus species. To improve understanding, we firstly reported, previously released chloroplast genome of 72 Pinus species, the sequence variations, phylogenetic relationships and genome divergence among Pinus species. The results displayed 7 divergent hotspot regions (trnD-GUC, trnY-GUA, trnH-GUG, ycf1, trnL-CAA, trnK-UUU and trnV-GAC) in studied Pinus species, which holds potential to utilized as molecular genetic markers for future phylogenetic studies in Pinnus species. In addition, 3 types of repeats (tandem, palindromic and dispersed) were also studied in Pinus species under investigation. The outcome showed P. nelsonii had the highest, 76 numbers of repeats, while P. sabiniana had the lowest, 13 13 numbers of repeats. It was also observed, constructed phylogenetic tree displayed division into two significant diverged clades: single needle (soft pine) and double-needle (hard pine). Theoutcome of present investigation, based on the whole chloroplast genomes provided novel insights into the molecular based phylogeny of the genus Pinus which holds potential for its utilization in future studies focusing genetic diversity in Pinnus species.

The hydrogenated amorphous carbon nitride (a-CNx:H) thin films were synthesized on the SS-304 substrates using a dense plasma focus device. The a-CNx:H thin films were synthesized using CH4/N2 admixture gas and 20 focus deposition shots on substrates placed at different distances from the anode top. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and Raman analysis confirmed different C-N bonding in the a-CNx:H thin films. A decrease in the N/C ratio as well as the sp3/sp2 ratio with an increase in the substrate distance has been observed. The higher amount of C-N formation for the film synthesized at 10 cm is observed which decreases with increasing distance. The X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and Raman analysis affirmed the C ≡ N presence in all the thin films synthesized at different distances. The morphology of the synthesized a-CNx:H thin films showed nanoparticles and nanoparticle clusters formation at the surface. The hardness results showed comparatively lower hardness of the a-CNx:H thin films due to the presence of C ≡ N. The C-N formation with lower amount of C ≡ N and a higher N/C ratio as well as a higher sp3/sp2 ratio for the films synthesized at 10 cm show reasonably higher hardness. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Previous studies from the US and UK suggest that neighbourhood ethnic composition is associated with health, positive or negative, depending on the health outcome and ethnic group. We examined the association between neighbourhood ethnic composition and self-reported health in these groups in Amsterdam, and we aimed to explore whether there is spatial variation in this association. Methods: We used micro-scale data to describe the ethnic composition in buffers around the home location of 2701 Turks and 2661 Moroccans. Multilevel regression analysis was used to assess the association between three measures of ethnic composition (% co-ethnics, % other ethnic group, Herfindahl index) and three measures of self-reported health: self-rated health, Physical and Mental Component Score (PCS, MCS). We adjusted for socioeconomic position at individual and area level. We used geographically weighted regression and spatially stratified regression analyses to explore whether associations differed within Amsterdam. Results: Ethnic heterogeneity and own ethnic density were not related to self-rated health for both ethnic groups. Higher density of Turks was associated with better self-rated health among Moroccans at all buffer sizes, with the most significant relations for small buffers. Higher heterogeneity was associated with lower scores on PCS and MCS among Turks (suggesting worse health). We found spatial variation in the association of the density of the other ethnic group with self-rated health of Moroccans and Turks. We found a positive association for both groups, spatially concentrated in the sub-district Geuzenveld. Conclusions: Our study showed that the association of ethnic composition with self-reported health among Turks and Moroccans in Amsterdam differed between the groups and reveals mainly at small spatial scales. Among both groups, an association of higher density of the other group with better self-rated health was found in a particular part of Amsterdam, which might be explained by the presence of a relatively strong sense of community between the two groups in that area. The study suggests that it is important to pay attention to other-group density, to use area measurements at small spatial scales and to examine the spatial variation in these associations. This may help to identify neighbourhood characteristics contributing to these type of area effects on urban minority health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]