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Background: Psoriasis is a prevalent inflammatory skin condition that can be recognized by silvery‐white scales on plaques and erythematous papules, despite the fact that psoriasis appears to have multiple causes. Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) has been investigated recently as a potential infectious etiological component. Aims: The objective of the study was to evaluate the prevalence of H. pylori infection in psoriatic patients compared to that of healthy controls and determine whether the degree of psoriasis and H. pylori infection were related. Patients and methods: The dermatology, venerology, and andrology department at South Valley University Outpatient Clinic carried out this cross‐sectional study. Psoriatic patients of both sexes and ages were included. In addition to the control group, H. Pylori antigen was measured from psoriatic and control groups by using H. pylori stool antigen‐enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (HpSA‐ELISA), a test for H. pylori stool antigen. More than 20 ng/mL of antigen proved positive, or less than 15 ng/mL proved negative. Results: There was a significant difference between psoriatic patients and control regarding H. pylori infection (p = 0.046): (30.66%) positive in controls, (45.33%) positive in psoriatic patients. Both groups were matched for age (p = 0.908), that is, the mean age of psoriatic patients was 37.44 ± 15.79 years, and the control group was 37.15 ± 15.15 years. Twenty‐five psoriatic patients in each group: mild, moderate, and severe psoriasis according to the Psoriasis Area Severity Index (PASI) score. No significant correlation between H. pylori infection and PASI, age, or duration of illness in psoriatic patients. Conclusions: Patients with psoriasis had greater rates of H. pylori infection but didn't affect the severity of psoriasis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study aimed to study the effects of administration with a multistrain probiotic formulation (MPF) initiated from the prepartum stage on lactation performance, digestibility, rectal microbiota, and blood metabolites of postpartum dairy cows. A total of 30 multiparous crossbred (Holstein Friesian × Balady) dairy cows were randomized into three groups: control (no MPF supplementation), MPF1 (0.5 g MPF/cow/d), and MPF2 (1 g MPF/cow/d). The administration of MPF started 28 days before calving and continued for 84 days after. The results revealed that cows in the MPFI and MPF2 groups had higher milk production, 3.5% FCM, and ECM than those in the control group. The MPF‐supplemented cows had significantly greater milk energy output, DMI, and yields of solids‐not‐fat, lactose, total solids, ash, fat, and protein. The MPF supplementation significantly enhanced feed conversion and significantly interacted with milk solids‐not‐fat, lactose, total solids, and protein. Hematological indicators did not significantly alter between the MPF and control groups. However, cows receiving MPF supplements had higher levels of Hct. Serum biochemical measurements showed lower serum concentrations of LDL, total cholesterol, and VLDL in MPF‐fed cows than in the control group. The digestibility of organic and dry matter tended to be higher in MPF‐supplemented cows. The populations of lactobacillus, bacillus, and total bacterial count increased due to MPF administration, while the count of Clostridium, Salmonella, E. coli, and coliforms decreased in MPF‐fed cows. In summary, administering MPF during late gestation and early lactation period improved milk production, fecal microbial composition, and overall health of dairy cows. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two halo‐benzothiazoles, namely, 2‐amino‐6‐bromo‐benzo[d]thiazole and 2‐amino‐6‐fluoro‐benzo[d]thiazole were utilized to modify poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) and gave two modified PVC samples for biomedical applications. Prepared glucose‐fatty acid esters of palmitic, oleic, and octanoic acids were exploited as plasticizers to produce phthalate‐free eco‐friendly antimicrobial PVC. The chemical structures of all prepared compounds were confirmed via Fourier‐transform infrared spectroscopy. The thermal properties of modified PVC was determined using thermo gravimetric analysis and differential scanning calorimetry while weight loss and degree of discoloration were used to assess the photostability after UV irradiation whereas references heat and UV absorbers were applied for comparison. The plasticizing effect of each glucose‐fatty acid ester at 20% by weight on the mechanical properties of modified PVC was determined and referenced to diethylhexylphthalate. The results revealed that the mechanical properties as well as the thermal stability of plasticized modified PVCs were enhanced. Plasticizers migration from the polymeric matrix was also determined and the results showed low extent of migration of the prepared plasticizers. So, modified plasticized PVC samples exhibited improved physicochemical properties. Antimicrobial properties of all samples, using disc diffusion agar method, were evaluated against some Gram +ve bacteria like Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus mutans and Gram −ve bacteria like Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumonia, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa and fungi strains used were Candida albicans, Aspergillus niger, and Aspergillus ochraceous. All investigated compounds showed improved antibacterial and antifungal activities. Highlights: PVC was chemically modified with two halo‐benzothiazoles to obtain antimicrobial PVC.Glucose‐fatty acids esters were prepared as eco‐friendly plasticizers for PVC.Halo‐benzothiazoles improved both the thermal‐ and photo‐stability of PVC.Glucose‐fatty acid plasticizers enhanced the mechanical properties of PVC.The extent of migration of prepared plasticizers is lower than that of reference plasticizer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phytochemical‐conjugated silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are believed to act as a bridge between nanotechnology and therapy. There is a significant need for green and mass production of such materials due to their extensive applications, especially in the biomedical sector. In this study, morin‐stabilized silver nanoparticles (morin/AgNPs) were synthesized on a massive scale using a one‐pot solid‐state technique. The reaction is achieved by ball milling of morin and silver nitrate powders at ambient temperature without any solvent or toxic reagent. The prepared morin/AgNPs exhibited a semi‐hexagonal shape and ranged in size from 21 to 43 nm. The x‐ray diffraction results elucidated the formation of highly crystalline AgNPs. Fourier transform infrared and x‐ray photoelectron spectroscopic analyses prove that the hydroxyl, carbonyl, and aromatic functionalities in morin are playing major roles in the reduction and stabilization of AgNPs. The antioxidant potential of morin/AgNPs was evaluated utilizing 2,2‐Diphenyl‐1‐picryl‐hydrazyl (DPPH) assay. Morin/AgNPs exhibited better free radical scavenging activity (IC50 = 11.7 μg/mL) than morin (IC50 = 14.8 μg/mL). Furthermore, the synthesized AgNPs showed promising antimicrobial activity against Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumonia, Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus mutans, and Candida albicans. The largest inhibition zones were observed against S. aureus (21.2 ± 0.6 mm) and K. pneumonia (20.3 ± 0.5 mm) bacteria. The foregoing results highlighted the prospective application of morin/AgNPs as a promising antioxidant and antimicrobial material for safe medical applications. Research Highlights: A simple green route for the large‐scale production of AgNPs was developed.Morin acts as reducing/stabilizing agent in solid‐state synthesis of AgNPs.Morin/AgNPs exhibited promising antimicrobial and antioxidant activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study presents the synthesis and characterization of a bio‐adsorbent (A‐C2‐G3) based on the acrylated epoxidized soybean oil (AESO) for the efficient removal of methylene blue (MB) dye from aqueous solutions. The adsorbent was synthesized by incorporating chitosan and nano graphene oxide into the AESO matrix, followed by crosslinking through the UV curing process. The effects of various parameters, including pH, contact time, initial dye concentration, adsorbent dosage, and ionic strength, on the adsorption performance were systematically investigated. The experimental data were best fitted by the Langmuir isotherm model, suggesting a monolayer adsorption process, with a maximum adsorption capacity of 263.87 mg g−1. The adsorption kinetics followed the pseudo‐second‐order model, indicating the significance of electron exchange between the adsorbate and adsorbent during the process. Three primary interaction mechanisms at the interface between MB and A‐C2‐G3 and the A‐C2‐G3 bio‐adsorbent were identified: electrostatic interactions, hydrogen bond formation, and π–π stacking. The reusability of the synthesized adsorbent was evaluated through a series of adsorption–desorption cycles, maintaining high adsorption capacities for up to three cycles. These findings highlight the potential of the AESO‐based bio‐adsorbent for effective MB dye removal from wastewater. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Business strategy's impact on firm cash holdings and dividend payouts has largely remained unexplored. We identify a fundamental and direct link between a firm's business strategy and its cash holdings and dividend payouts. Analysing two large samples of data on US firms over the period 1992–2017, we find strong evidence that prospectors (defenders) are likely to hold more (less) cash and pay less (more) dividends than other firms. Further analysis suggests that prospectors pay dividends less frequently than do defenders. The results are robust to a battery of robustness checks and additional analysis. Overall, the results suggest that identifying a firm's business strategy significantly helps to understand a firm's cash holdings and dividend payout decisions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The rapid switching of the gradient fields induces eddy currents in neighboring metallic structures, causing undesirable effects. Numerical computations are thus required to understand eddy‐currents effects for designing/implementing mitigation (involving passive shielding) and compensating techniques (using pre‐emphasis). Previously, the network‐analysis (NA) method was introduced to compute z‐gradient eddy currents, although limited to a circularly symmetric and unconnected coil. Multi‐layer integral method (MIM) method was recently introduced, modifying the circuit equation involving stream functions. We tailor MIM (TMIM) for a more general eddy‐currents analysis in thin structures. Z‐gradient eddy currents are analyzed and then compared using three methods (NA, TMIM, and Ansys). The analysis helps to evaluate the efficiency of passive shielding and to compensate eddy currents. Methods: NA and TMIM computational frameworks for harmonic and transient eddy‐currents analysis were implemented and cross‐validated against Ansys Maxwell. A pre‐emphasis pulse was modeled for compensating eddy currents. Results: Eddy‐currents analysis of an unconnected z‐gradient coil in both the passive shield and cryostat were computed, and results were comparable to the least computationally efficient Ansys simulations. Although NA computations are fast, TMIM is implemented with reasonable efficiency and applied to circularly unsymmetric geometries. TMIM computations were further validated against Ansys using a connected z‐gradient. Our computations allowed the effective evaluation of the performance of three various passive‐shielding configurations, non‐capped, capped, and slitted (for the first time), and an effective pre‐emphasis compensation model was computed. Conclusion: Three eddy‐currents analysis methods were studied and compared. Computationally efficient TMIM allows both harmonic and transient eddy‐currents analysis involving different/complex gradient configurations/situations as well as involved shielding structures. Eddy‐currents pre‐emphasis compensation was demonstrated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main objective of this work is to fabricate scaffold material for tissue engineering and using Vero (monkey kidney cells)/Paulownia tomentosa cells as model cells. For this objective, copolymer blends of poly(vinyl butyral) (PVB) and Zein, the main constituent, have been fabricated as thin films. Fouriertransform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), differential scanning calorimeter (DSC), and x-ray diffraction (XRD) were used to characterize the copolymer blends. The findings showed that Zein component degradation caused the gel fraction percentage to decrease with higher irradiation doses. Zein's thermal characteristics are also decreased by the addition of PVB polymer, but they are improved by irradiation to 10 kGy through promoting phase adhesion and the generation of free radicals at boundary surfaces. Vero (Monkey kidney) cells proliferate more rapidly in the blend Zein/ PVB (85/15%) irradiated to 45 kGy than in the unirradiated one. On the other hand, the Paulownia tomentosa cells proliferation was died. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wind energy is one of the speedy processing technologies in the energy generation industry and the most economical methods of electrical power generation. For the reliability of system, it is wanted to improve highly appropriate wind speed forecasting methods. The wavelet transform is a powerful mathematical technique that converts an analyzed signal into a time-frequency representation. This technique has proven useful in a nonstationary time series forecasting. The aims of this study are to propose a wavelet function by derivation of a quotient from two different Lucas polynomials, as well as a comparison between an artificial neural network (ANN) and wavelet-artificial neural network (WNN). We used the proposed wavelet, Mexican hat, Morlet, Gaussian, Haar, Daubechies, and Coiflet to transform the wind speed data using the continuous wavelet transform (CWT). MATLAB software was used to implement the CWT and ANN. The proposed models were applied in the meteorological field to forecast the daily wind speed data that were collected from the meteorological directorate of Sulaymaniyah which is a city located in the Kurdistan region of Iraq for the period (Jan. 2011–Dec. 2020). Five different performance criteria during calibration and validation, the root mean square error (R M S E), mean square error (M S E), mean absolute percentage error M A P E , mean absolute error M A E , and coefficient of determination ( R 2 ), were evaluated. When studying, analyzing, and comparing these models, the results of the study concluded that the proposed wavelet-ANN is the best result (M S E = 0.00072 , R M S E = 0.02683 , M A P E = 2.32400 , and R 2 = 0.99983 . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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

In the present work, we used molecular dynamics (MD) and TD‐DFT calculations to investigate the formation of the heteroternary complexes formed by cucurbit[8]uril (CB8) with amino acids (AAs), tryptophan, phenylalanine and tyrosine in the presence of different auxiliary ligands (ALs): methyl viologen (MV), 2,7‐dimethyldiazaphenanthrenium (DPT) and tetramethyl benzobis(imidazolium) (MBBI). All complexes exhibited encapsulation of the hydrophobic side chain of each AA; complexes with sufficient inclusion of AL exhibited AA‐AL π‐π stacking. MM‐PBSA yielded favorable complex binding free energies, with favorable electrostatic and van der Waals contributions. The AAs bind to 1 : 1 CB8 complexes with ALs more favorably than to CB8 by ∼0.5–4.5 kcal mol−1. TD‐DFT was used to compute the UV‐Visible spectra of the ternary complexes; results revealed the appearance of new bands for some complexes that were not present in the spectra of the free molecules. These bands originate from transitions corresponding to AA‐AL charge transfer (CT) complexes confined in the CB8 cavity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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

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

A series of biologically active metal complexes was yielded from the reactions of 2‐(4‐bromophenylamino)acetohydrazide ligand (HL) with Co(II), Ni(II), Cu(II), Cd(II) chlorides, CuBr2, Cu(CH3COO)2, and Cu(ClO4)2 salts. The structure and stereochemistry of the afforded complexes were elucidated by means of elemental analyses, molar conductance, magnetic susceptibility, thermal analyses (TG/DTG), and spectral techniques (mass, IR, UV‐Vis, and 1H NMR). Elemental analyses along with molar conductance data demonstrated that all metal complexes are nonelectrolyte and were formed with 1L:1M, 1L:2M, and 2L:1M stoichiometry. IR spectral data provided an evidence for the neutral bidentate behavior of the hydrazide ligand toward metal ions via carbonyl oxygen and amino nitrogen atoms (ON donor). Magnetic susceptibility along with electronic absorption spectral results authenticated that all complexes have an octahedral geometry except, CuCl2 complex (3), which possessed a square planar one. The hydrazide ligand and some of its synthesized metal complexes were screened in vitro for their antitumor and apoptotic activity. The results showed that CuBr2 complex (4) has promising anticancer activities against breast MCF7, liver HepG2, and colorectal HCT 116 cancerous cells through induction of proapoptotic gene (Bax) and inhibit the antiapoptotic gene (Bcl‐2), thus increase the Bax/Bcl‐2 ratio. Moreover, these newly synthesized compounds were most potent and can be used as a therapeutic chemoprevention against these cancerous cells compared with doxorubicin (DOX), the currently available anticancer drug against solid tumors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The formation of heterobimetallic complexes from parent cyclic trinuclear complexes (CTCs) of gold(I) has become straightforward in recent years with this team and others showing that the strategy leads to strengthened Au−M' bonding and optoelectronic properties. A new gold(I)‐vinylimidazolate CTC, 1, was prepared and the formation of highly emissive sandwich adducts with the soft metal cations Cu+, Ag+, and Tl+, 2–4, respectively, was investigated. Compound 1 does not exhibit peculiar emissive properties at room or cryogenic temperatures as the adducts do. Its unit cell packing displays an unprecedented collection of repeating units for CTCs. While the intermolecular Au...Au distances are versatile (3.470, 3.673, and 4.045 Å), they connect only single Au centres from adjacent CTCs and form extended circular networks. Hirshfeld surface analyses mapped the new CTC contours underlining the possible cooperative effects of not only metallophilic interactions but also C−H...π and hydrogen bonding in the packing of 1 (as opposed to the dominance of the former in most other reported CTCs). DFT calculations validate the formation of sandwich‐like structures for compounds 2–4 with averaged Au−M distances of 2.665 Å, 2.802 Å, and 3.036 Å, respectively, close by to experimental crystal data obtained for similar sandwich compounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Four chitosan‐poly(vinyl chloride), Cs‐PVC, conjugates were synthesized by primarily reacting amino‐PVC with chloroacetyl chloride to give 2‐chloro‐N‐(2‐aminoethyl) acetamide‐functionalized PVC (PVC‐AcCl) followed by conjugation with chitosan to yield a derivative of acetamide‐functionalized PVC chitosan (Cs‐AcPVC). On the other hand, a one‐pot reaction between PVC‐chloroacetyl chloride, benzimodazole, and chitosan produced benzimodazole‐functionalized PVC conjugates (PVC1). The above one‐pot reaction was repeated with incorporating silver nanoparticles, AgNPs, via in situ reduction of Ag salt to give PVC2 whereas silver treated titanium dioxide (Ag/TiO2)NPs was simply mixed with PVC1 to afford PVC3. Fourier‐transform infrared spectroscopy FTIR spectroscopic analyses of all the synthesized materials were studied. Morphological investigation such as scanning and transmission electron microscopy, and thermal gravimetric analysis were also carried out. The antibacterial activities of the synthesized conjugates were investigated against two Gram‐negative (Escherichia coli, and Salmonella typhimurium) and two Gram‐positive (Staphylococcus aureus, and Listeria monocytogenes) bacterial strains. The antibacterial assay showed that all PVC‐Cs conjugates exhibited excellent bacterial inhibition (five‐log10 reduction) at a concentration of 500 mg/L after 30 min and almost complete inhibition after 120 min. Minimum inhibition concentration investigation showed that conjugates PVC‐chloroacetyl chitosan and PVC3 were more potent than PVC1 and PVC2 against both Gram‐negative and Gram‐positive strains at 250 mg/L. These results suggested that all four polymeric conjugates might afford a revolutionary antibacterial polymeric material that can be useful in many applications such as water sanitization, food packaging, and biomedical devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Azithromycin (AZM) is commonly used in Covid‐19 patients based on low‐quality evidence, increasing the risk of developing adverse events and antimicrobial resistance. The current systematic review and meta‐analysis investigated the safety and efficacy of AZM in treating Covid‐19 patients using published randomized controlled trials. Google Scholar, PubMed, Scopus, Cochrane Library, Clinical Trials.gov, MEDLINE, bioRxiv and medRxiv were searched for relevant studies. The random‐effects model was used to pool estimates using the Paule–Mandel estimate for heterogeneity. The odds ratio and raw difference in medians were used for dichotomous and continuous outcomes, respectively. The analysis included seven studies with 8822 patients (median age, 55.8 years; 61% males). The risk of bias was assessed as 'low' for five of the seven mortality results and as 'some concerns' and 'high' in one trial each. There were 657/3100 (21.2%) and 1244/5654 (22%) deaths among patients randomized to AZM and standard of care, respectively. The use of AZM was not associated with mortality in Covid‐19 patients (OR = 0.96, 95% CI 0.88–1.05, p = 0.317 based on the random‐effect meta‐analysis). The use of AZM was not associated with need for invasive mechanical ventilation (OR = 0.96, 95% CI 0.49–1.87, p = 0.85) and length of stay (Δ = 1.11, 95% CI −2.08 to 4.31, p = 0.49). The results show that using AZM as routine therapy in Covid‐19 patients is not justified due to lack of efficacy and potential risk of bacterial resistance that is not met by an increased clinical benefit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Providing security for transmitted data through the e-commerce environment requires using a fast and high secure encryption algorithm. Balancing between the speed and the security degree is a problem that many of the encryption algorithms suffer from. Increasing the security degree requires increasing the level of complexity which results in increasing encryption time. On the other hand, increasing the algorithm speed may reduce the complexity degree which affects the security level. This paper aims to design an encryption algorithm that balances time and complexity (speed and security). This is done by suggesting a security environment that depends on creating and providing an agent software to be settled into each customer device that manages the purchase and security process without customer interference. The suggested encryption algorithm is applied within this environment. Several modifications are performed on the AES encryption algorithm. The AES was chosen due to its performance (security and speed), which makes it suitable for encrypting transmitted data over the Internet. These modifications involve adding preprocessing steps (padding and zigzag), eliminating Sub Byte step, and reducing the number of rounds. The experimental results showed that the suggested algorithm provides more security and speed in the encryption and decryption process. The randomness degree has increased by 29.5%. The efficiency is increased because the encryption and decryption times are reduced, as is the CPU usage. The throughput for the suggested algorithm is increased by 10% for the encryption process and is increased by 9.3% for the decryption process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acquiring a polymeric nanocomposite with biocompatibility, desirable dynamic‐mechanical‐thermal properties, and piezoelectricity, as well as high loading capacity, is challenging for design polymeric systems with potential applications in tissue engineering and biosensing. In this work, polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), poly(ε‐caprolactone) (PCL), and KIT‐6 mesoporous silica particles were used to prepare PVDF/PCL blends and their nanocomposites as potential candidates to meet the characteristics mentioned above. Hence, we deeply investigated the effect of the addition of PCL and KIT‐6 on the compatibility, crystallinity, and engineering properties of immiscible PVDF/PCL blends. PVDF/PCL blends without KIT‐6 particles and 75/25 PVDF/PCL blend containing various amounts of KIT‐6 particles were prepared by solution casting/annealing technique. It was found that PCL decreased the crystallization temperature and melting points of the PVDF component in the blends. The crystallinity and β‐phase content of PVDF reached maximum values for 75/25 PVDF/PCL blend; interestingly, KIT‐6 prevented PVDF crystallization and decreased β‐phase content. The results of thermogravimetric analysis and dynamic‐mechanical thermal analysis revealed that the presence of PCL reduced the thermal stability of the blends. On the other hand, KIT‐6 increased the thermal decomposition temperature and storage modulus of the polymeric matrix. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, by using the Nash-collative approach for a differential game problem between N -governments and terrorist organizations, we study governments' cooperation and the role of each government for counterterrorism. Furthermore, we discuss the intertemporal strategic interaction of governments and terrorist organizations, where all world governments have to cooperate to fight terrorism. Also, we study the necessary conditions for finding the optimal strategies for each government to fight terrorism; we discuss the existence of the solution of the formulated problem and the stability set of the first kind of the optimal strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adenine was used as a precursor to obtain antibacterial poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC). Adenine functionalized PVC has been prepared, characterized, and its antibacterial activity was evaluated. Chemical modification reaction of PVC was performed with adenine in two molar ratios (2:1 and 4:1). Fourier‐transform infrared spectroscopy and 1HNMR spectroscopic analyses confirmed the chemical structure of the adenine‐modified PVC and indicated the incorporation of adenine molecule in the backbone chains of PVC. Photostability of the prepared modified PVC was determined by measuring the changes in molecular weights using Gel permeation chromatography technique as well as the extent of discoloration of UV irradiated samples while thermal stability was studied by measuring the rate of dehydrochlorination and thermogravimetric analysis. Morphological investigation in terms of scanning electron microscopy was studied. Antibacterial activities of the two modified PVC samples were investigated against two types of Gram‐positive bacterial strains (Bacillus subtitles, Staphylococcus aurous, and Streptococcus faecalis) while the other types (Escherichia coli, Neisseria gonorrhea, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa) represented the Gram‐negative type bacteria. Antibacterial activity of PVC‐adenine blend was also investigated for comparison. Minimum inhibition concentration was performed for some PVC samples under study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The current study aims at evaluating the role of circulating or cell‐free long noncoding ribonucleic acid (lncRNA) growth arrest‐specific 5 (GAS5) in plaque psoriasis and at investigating its relationship with the presented clinical data. Methods: This case‐control study was conducted on 180 subjects, divided into two main categories as follows: 90 cases with plaque psoriasis and 90 age‐ and sex‐matched healthy controls. Full history taking, thorough general examination, and full dermatological examination with determination of number and site of lesions were performed. Disease severity was assessed by Psoriasis Area Severity Index (PASI) score. Relative quantification of the expression level of cell‐free lncRNA (GAS5) was performed using real‐time polymerase chain reaction (RT‐PCR) technique. Results: There was significant increase of GAS5 expression level in cases when compared with controls (U = 719.0, P < 0.001). Indeed, there was significant positive correlation between GAS5 and PASI score (r = 0.0.668, P < 0.001). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve showed that GAS5 could identify patients from controls: GAS5 at a cut‐off value ≥0.31 provides a sensitivity of 95.56% and a specificity of 82.22%; at a cut‐off value ≥0.75, it can differentiate between mild and moderate cases, at a sensitivity of 77.78% and a specificity of 91.43%; at a cut‐off value ≥1.61, it can discriminate between moderate and severe cases, with a sensitivity of 71.43% and a specificity of 74.07%. Conclusion: lncRNA GAS5 expression could be considered as a diagnostic marker of plaque psoriasis and indicator of its severity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two chromatographic techniques were developed and validated for simultaneous determination of the newly co‐formulated antidiabetic combination linagliptin and empagliflozin in their pure form and film‐coated tables. The first technique was UPLC; the separation and resolution of both analytes were achieved using a Zorbax eclipse plus C18 column applying an isocratic elution based on phosphate buffer pH 4–acetonitrile (65:35, v/v) as a running mobile phase at flow rate 1.5 ml/min and the effluent was monitored at 220 nm. Augmentation of Lean Six Sigma with UPLC and HPTLC methods had a major impact on the development of robust specifications to ensure that the quality at six sigma level has a high level of statistical confidence and target performance. On the chromatogram, empagliflozin and linagliptin appeared at retention times of 1.417 and 2.453 min, respectively. The second technique was HPTLC; both analytes were fairly well resolved and separated using a developing mobile phase composed of ethyl acetate–chloroform–acetonitrile (55:25:20 by volume). The values of retention factor (RF) were 0.29 and 0.53 for linagliptin and empagliflozin, respectively. All variables were investigated to adjust the whole conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Iron overload-induced oxidative stress and transfusion-acquired hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection are the main reasons of liver damage in beta thalassemia major (β-TM).Objectives: Based on metformin's hepatic benefits in nondiabetic populations, the study aims to investigate the safety and the potential hepatoprotective effect of metformin in HCV-infected β-TM adolescent patients.Methods: This was a prospective, randomised, parallel, controlled, open-label study in which 60 HCV-infected β-TM adolescent patients aged 11 to 18 years and receiving no antiviral therapy were selected and randomly assigned to treatment or control group in 1:1 allocation. Both groups were receiving β-TM standard-of-care regimen, whereas metformin (500 mg, twice daily) was added to the treatment group's regimen only. Patients were prospectively followed up for 6 months with assessment of liver biochemical profile, oxidative stress markers, liver fibrosis, clinical symptom improvement and metformin's adverse effects.Results: Aspartate aminotransferase serum level decreased significantly over time in the treatment group only (P = .013). However, improvement was not clinically significant and did not attain normality. Change in total antioxidant capacity and malondialdehyde serum levels indicated significantly improved oxidative stress status in the treatment group versus significant deterioration in the control group (P < .001). Fibrosis grade improvement was observed in 14 patients in the treatment group versus one improved case in the control group.Conclusion: The use of metformin in HCV-infected β-TM adolescent patients as an adjuvant antioxidant hepatoprotective agent is promising and can improve liver damage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: MicroRNA (miRNAs) are small non‐coding molecules that play an important role in hepatitis C virus (HCV) replication and liver diseases progression. The current study aimed to evaluate serum miRNAs as potential biomarkers for diagnosis, monitoring of fibrosis progression and prediction of responses to direct‐acting antivirals (sofosbuvir + daclatasvir + ribavirin) in HCV genotype‐4 patients. Methods: The serum levels of four miRNAs (miRNA‐21, 199, 448 and 181c) were assessed in 150 HCV patients and 50 healthy controls using quantitative real‐time PCR. The diagnostic accuracy was determined using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. Results: The four studied miRNAs showed significant upregulation in HCV patients compared with controls. There were significant upregulation of MiR‐199 and significant downregulation of miR‐448 in late stages of fibrosis with high diagnostic accuracy (area under the curve "AUC" = 0.989%; P <.001) and (AUC = 0.0.672; P >.001), respectively. Regarding response to treatment, only miR‐199 showed a significant upregulation in non‐responder patients with high diagnostic accuracy (AUC = 0.968; P <.001). Conclusion: miR‐199 and miR‐448 could serve as valuable non‐invasive biomarkers for assessment of liver fibrosis progression. Additionally, miR‐199 could be also a potential biomarker for assessment of treatment efficacy among HCV patients. Therefore, miR‐199 and miR‐448 serum levels should be considered during the treatment of HCV genotype‐4 patients in Egypt and the world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A 60‐day study was conducted to investigate the compensatory growth (CG) responses of sobaity (Sparidentex hasta) and yellowfin (Acanthopagrus latus) seabreams to restricted feeding ration and normal feeding ration phases during the nursery period. Fry stage of S. hasta and A. latus with initial weight (BWi) of 1 and 0.8 g, respectively, were fed a commercial diet at five ration levels (RL) including 2%, 4%, 6%, 8% and 10% of their BWi over a period of 30 days (restricted‐ration phase) and then re‐fed up to visual satiation for another 30 days (normal‐ration period). According to the second‐degree polynomial relationship between specific growth rate and RL, the maintenance, optimum and maximum feeding rates for SGR in S. hasta were estimated to be 0.5%, 3.5% and 8.2%; meanwhile in A. latus, they were 0.3%, 4% and 8%, respectively. At the end of the normal‐ration phase, final body weight (BWf) of S. hasta fed at 10% RL was higher than the other treatments. In addition, A. latus fed at 6% and 8% RL showed full CG regarding BWf compared with fish fed at 10% RL. The findings of this study confirmed partial CG in S. hasta and full CG in A. latus after re‐feeding period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research Question/Issue: A firm's choice to "go green" largely remains unregulated worldwide. This study uses an institutional setting in Bangladesh experiencing a green banking regulatory reform to examine whether banks' green performance translates into improved financial performance and whether this is moderated by banks' political connections. Research Findings/Insights: Results based on a sample of 172 firm‐year observations from 2008 to 2014 suggest that green banking performance is positively associated with a bank's financial performance. Further analysis suggests that cost efficiency mainly drives this relationship. However, banks' political connections negatively affect this relationship by counterbalancing green banking's non‐financial benefits. Our findings are robust to sensitivity tests that examine endogeneity concerns using difference‐in‐differences (DiD) and propensity score matching (PSM) analyses and Heckman's two‐stage analysis. Theoretical/Academic Implications: Most prior studies on corporate social responsibility (CSR) were conducted in voluntary settings: however, our study utilizes a unique regulatory setting in Bangladesh. With this exogenous shock to the banking industry, the regulatory setting helped to alleviate endogeneity concerns arising from voluntary motives behind CSR performance. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to examine any link between green banking performance in a regulatory setting and banks' financial performance. Practitioner/Policy Implications: This study's findings suggest that sustainable business practices promoted through regulatory intervention can improve financial performance. A regulatory green banking initiative can be a win–win for all competing stakeholders. Our findings have significant policy implications for governments and regulatory agencies worldwide in the fight against global warming and climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) was loaded with various contents of Moringa oleifera (MO) leaves extract. The changes in the structure arising after loading MO into the polymeric matrix were monitored. In addition, their rheological and mechanical properties were investigated. Some thermal analyses techniques were performed to demonstrate any change in the thermal stability of PVC before and after adding MO. PVC/MO exhibited noticeable antibacterial efficiency when evaluated against Gram‐positive and Gram‐negative bacteria. A favorable antibacterial efficiency of PVC/MO boosted with increasing of MO content from 5% to 25% by weight when introduced into PVC. The photostability of PVC enriched with MO was investigated. The change in the rate of dehydrochlorination for PVC was detected. It was indicated with liberating HCl from the polymeric matrix. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We experimentally and numerically study the influence of gravity and finite‐size effects on the pressure‐saturation relationship in a given porous medium during slow drainage. The effect of gravity is systematically varied by tilting the system relative to the horizontal configuration. The use of a quasi two‐dimensional porous media allows for direct spatial monitoring of the saturation. Exploiting the fractal nature of the invasion structure, we obtain a relationship between the final saturation and the Bond number SnwF=Bo0.097 using percolation theory. Moreover, the saturation, pressure, and Bond number are functionally related, allowing for pressure‐saturation curves to collapse onto a single master curve, parameterized by the representative elementary volume size and by the Bond and capillary numbers. This allows to upscale the pressure‐saturation curves measured in a laboratory to large representative elementary volumes used in reservoir simulations. The large‐scale behavior of these curves follows a simple relationship, depending on Bond and capillary numbers, and on the flow direction. The size distribution of trapped defending fluid clusters is also shown to contain information on past fluid flow and can be used as a marker of past flow speed and direction. Key Points: During slow drainage, the residual saturation can be obtained as a scaling law of the Bond number or the system sizeA general pressure‐saturation law is obtained for primary drainage arising from hydrostatic effects, fractal properties, and the system sizeThe final saturation after drainage allows to obtain information on the flux while it took place [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, mononuclear Co(II), Ni(II), and Cu(II) chelates of the potentially tridentate O, N, S donor ligand (E)‐4‐(1,5‐dimethyl‐3‐oxo‐2‐phenyl‐2,3‐dihydro‐1H‐pyrazol‐4‐yl)‐1‐(3‐hydroxynaphthalen‐2‐yl)methylene) thiosemicarbazide (H2L) were synthesized and characterized by elemental analyses, conductivity measurements, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, UV–visible spectroscopy, magnetic susceptibility, electron spin resonance (ESR) spectral analysis, thermal thermogravimetric analyses, cyclic voltammetry, and theoretical density functional theory (DFT) and time dependent density functional theory (TD‐DFT) studies. The potential donors O (phenolic) and N (azomethine) are found in a syn configuration due to a strong intramolecular hydrogen bond [O–H .... N(1)] as shown in the 1H NMR spectrum of the free ligand. In addition, analytical results revealed the formation of the metal chelates in a ligand‐to‐metal molar ratio of 1:1. The organic ligand (H2L) coordinated to the metal center through azomethine nitrogen, phenolate oxygen, and thione/thiolate sulfur groups with the formation of a five‐ and six‐membered rings. The magnetic and spectral results supported the formation of tetrahedral geometry around the Co(II) and Ni(II) centers, while Cu(II) centers were assumed to have a square planar geometry. The time dependent density functional theory (TD‐DFT) calculation outputs were used to expect and explain the experimental bathochromic and hypsochromic shifts resulting from the ligand chelation. The antibacterial activity of the compounds under study was evaluated in vitro against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli demonstrating Gram‐positive and Gram‐negative bacteria, respectively. It was found that among synthesized compounds, Cu(II) chelate 5 showed the most inhibitory activity against both Gram‐positive and Gram‐negative bacteria when compared to the organic ligand as well as to the other prepared chelates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel approach on fluorescence quenching of tyrosine and l‐tryptophan is presented for spectrofluorimetric determination of aniracetam in drug substances and products. The quenching mechanism was investigated using Stern–Volmer plots and ultraviolet spectra figures of quencher–fluorophore mixtures. Binding constant and stoichiometry were calculated using double‐log plots. The spectrofluorimetric method was optimized for the experimental conditions affecting fluorescence quenching including fluorophore concentration, diluent, and reaction time. Moreover, the pH‐rate profile of aniracetam was studied using simple kinetics and found to be stable within the pH range 5–8. Fluorescence quenching of tyrosine and l‐tryptophan were observed on addition of aniracetam in aqueous medium at pH 5.5–6.5. Aniracetam quenched the fluorescence of tyrosine and l‐tryptophan in the concentration range 1–20 μg/ml and 0.3–20 μg/ml, respectively, with binomial relationships between quenching values (ΔF) and aniracetam concentration. Limits of detection were found to be 0.10 μg/ml for tyrosine–aniracetam and 0.14 μg/ml for l‐tryptophan–aniracetam. Method validation was performed as per ICH guidelines and demonstrated that the developed spectrofluorimetric method was accurate, precise, specific, and suitable for analysis of aniracetam in routine quality control laboratories. All experimental materials and solvents used are eco‐friendly, indicating that the cited spectrofluorimetric procedure is an excellent green method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Hospital-acquired infections caused by K pneumoniae are difficult to eradicate since K pneumoniae carries resistance genes for many antimicrobials, including carbapenems. The study aimed to determine the prevalence of hospital-acquired infections caused by multiple drug-resistant K pneumoniae and identify carbapenem and fluoroquinolone resistance by phenotypic and genotypic methods amongst hospitalised patients.Methods: Two hundred and fifty samples from patients with hospital-acquired infections were included. Identification and susceptibility testing for K pneumoniae isolates was performed by standard methods. The detection of carbapenemase resistance (blaKPC , blaVIM-1 and blaOXA-48 ) and plasmid-mediated quinolone resistance (PMQR; qnrA, qnrB and qnrS) genes was performed using PCR assay.Results: Out of 250 samples, 42 (16.8%) were multiple drug-resistant K pneumoniae, and the frequency of K Pneumoniae isolation was higher in urine samples, in the age group (<10 years), in ICU and in patients with longer hospital stay. Twenty-four (57%) of the isolates were resistant to Meropenem, 13 (31%) were resistant to Imipenem and 35 (83.3%) were resistant to Ciprofloxacin. blaOXA-48 gene was detected in 9 (21.4%) of isolates, and blaVIM-1 gene was detected in 6 (14.3%) of isolates. However, no isolate harboured blaKPC gene. PMQR genes were detected in 100% of ciprofloxacin resistant isolates, and qnrS was the dominant.Conclusion: Multidrug-resistant K pneumoniae isolates harbouring blaOXA-48, blaVIM-1 and PMQR genes are emerging in hospitals particularly with long hospital stays. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Tropical Medicine & International Health is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

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

Focusing only on operating accruals in accrual‐based studies results in a loss of information and noisy measures of both accrual and cash flow components of earnings. Thus, we examine the relative importance of working capital accruals, non‐current operating accruals, and financing accruals with regard to future cash flows from operations (CFO). Using Australian data, we provide evidence that both working capital and non‐current operating accruals are important for explaining future CFO but that the contribution of financing accruals is not significant. Moreover, the asset component of accruals plays a more important role in explaining future CFO than the liability component. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: We aimed to assess the safety and efficacy of propofol versus midazolam in cirrhotic patients undergoing upper GI endoscopy. Methods: Ninety compensated cirrhotic patients (all met class I–III criteria according to the American Society of Anesthesia) were enrolled in this comparative study. They were classified into three groups according to scheduled pre‐endoscopy sedation drugs; the midazolam group, which included 30 patients who received IV weight‐dependent midazolam (0.05 mg/kg with additional doses of 1 mg every 2 min when necessary, up to a maximum dose of 0.1 mg/kg or 10 mg); the propofol group, which included 30 patients who received a propofol bolus dose according to age and weight (0.25 mg/kg with additional doses of 20–30 mg every 30–60 s when necessary, up to a maximum dose of 400 mg); and the combined group, which included 30 patients who received half a dose of midazolam and of propofol. Results: Prolonged postendoscopy recovery times were reported in the midazolam group, while shorter recovery times were reported in the propofol and combined groups. All patients in the propofol and combined groups gained consciousness shortly postendoscopy; however, only half of the midazolam group's patients gained consciousness after the standard recovery time (10–30 min). Highly significant differences were found among the three groups regarding consciousness level according to the Glasgow coma scale, as well as regarding the occurrence of hypoxia during endoscopy. Conclusion: Considering safety and efficacy issues, propofol is better than midazolam in gastrointestinal endoscopy, especially in patients with liver cirrhosis. Propofol should replace midazolam in our endoscopic units, especially for cirrhotic patients that are scheduled to undergo upper GI endoscopy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The petrographic and geochemical compositions of the Lower Miocene Moghra siliciclastic sediments in the Qattara Depression, north Western Desert, were investigated to infer their provenance, tectonic setting, palaeoweathering conditions, and diagenetic history. The Moghra Formation (~200 m thick) is dominated by sandstones intercalated with mudstone and carbonates. X‐ray diffraction analysis revealed that smectite, kaolinite, and illite are the dominant clay minerals found in mudstones. The sandstones are mainly subarkose, sublitharenite, and quartzarenite types with an average modal composition of Q89F6L5. The sandstones possess various diagenetic overprints including mechanical infiltration of clay, compaction, cementation, dissolution, and replacement. Major and trace element concentrations suggested that the parent rocks are intermediate to felsic in composition derived from the Neoproterozoic Arabian Nubian Shield. The weathering indices such as the chemical index of alteration and the plagioclase index of alteration implied that the intensity of chemical weathering in the source area was moderate under semi‐arid climatic conditions. On the other hand, the index of chemical variability indicates a low compositional maturity. The tectonic discrimination diagrams demonstrated a collision setting for the Arabian Nubian Shield, which represents the main supplier of sediments to the study area. Statistical parameters, sedimentary structures, and ichnofossil contents suggested that the Moghra sediments were deposited in a tidally‐influenced fluvial environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Some pyridopyrimidine derivatives with high biological activity have been investigated as photostabilizers for rigid Poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC). Their stabilizing efficiencies were evaluated by determining the percentage of weight loss, the amount of formed gel, as well as the intrinsic viscosities, of the photodegraded PVC. The extent of discoloration of the photodegraded polymer was also evaluated. The antimicrobial activities of PVC was evaluated in absence and in presence of the investigated materials. The applied materials reduced the loss in weight that resulted from HCl evolution during photodegradation. Both viscosity and gel content measurements showed also a decrease in their values during the degradation process. The extent of discoloration was also improved. The results have proved a greater stabilizing efficiencies of the antimicrobial pyridopyrimidine derivatives than that of the industrial UV absorber, phenyl salicylate. Photostabilized samples of PVC exhibited good antimicrobial activities against some types of bacteria and fungi. A radical mechanism was proposed to account for the stabilizing action of the investigated products. J. VINYL ADDIT. TECHNOL., 24:208–216, 2018. © 2016 Society of Plastics Engineers [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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

Natural rubber (NR)/clay and styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR)/clay nanocomposites were prepared by mixing with aqueous sodium montmorillonite (Na+-MMT) clay dispersion by different concentrations of Na+-MMT ranging from 2 to 10 phr. These nanocomposites were irradiated with gamma radiation at doses from 10 to 100 kGy. X-ray diffraction (XRD) results indicated well dispersion of rubber latex into clay stacked layers and the platelets have a preferential orientation forming exfoliated NR/Na+-MMT nanocomposites while SBR/Na+-MMT form intercalated nanocomposites. Irradiation overall irradiation dose range together with clay loading improve the mechanical properties of rubber/Na+-MMT nanocomposites. However, SBR nanocomposite attains its higher value at 50 kGy, then decrease. Also, the thermal stability at 50 kGy is higher than 100 kGy. POLYM. COMPOS., 38:E189-E198, 2017. © 2016 Society of Plastics Engineers [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Problem Molecular displaying for the interaction of innate immune cells against pathogen is important for knowing their defense mechanism. This study aimed to visualize the differential gene expression profiles of amniotic epithelium, in response to various infections, using simple reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) techniques. Method of study Antimicrobial activity of human amniotic epithelial cells (HAECs) was verified against three different models of pathogenic microorganisms. RNA was extracted from infected and non-infected cells. Transcripts were visualized by two methods of RT-PCR; one of them targets β-defensin 2 (BDEF2). The other is a novel design method of RNA fingerprinting based on differential length amplification of transcripts (DifLAT) to polymorphism more than 69 coding sequences for antimicrobial proteins. Results The semiquantitative gel analysis indicated that BDEF2 was upregulated during all infections. DifLAT experiment visualized different patterns of HAECs transcripts for each case of infection. Conclusion This study proved that HAECs uses alternative gene expression profiles for fighting different pathogens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Schiff-bases of chitosan (CS) and carboxymethyl chitosan (CMCS)/silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) have been synthesized, characterized, and evaluated as antimicrobial agents against two Gram +ve bacteria (Bacillus cereus and Staphylococcus aureus) and two Gram −ve bacteria (Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa) in addition to Candida albicans as a fungus. The in situ reactions of CS and/or CMCS with some pyrazole aldehyde derivatives in acidic media containing silver nitrate to yield silver nanoparticles loaded onto CS and CMCS/Schiff-bases were carried out. Characterizations of the prepared compounds via FTIR spectroscopy, SEM, TEM, and TGA were carried out. Schiff-bases/silver nanoparticles of CS and CMCS showed higher antimicrobial activity than the blank CS and CMCS. The presence of AgNO3 (3% wt%) displayed high antibacterial efficiencies with inhibition zones in the extent of 19–39 mm. TEM analysis showed that the size of the silver nanoparticles is in the range of 4–28 nm for the prepared nanocomposites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extreme Learning Machine (ELM) is a well-known algorithm for the training of neural networks for two modes of functionality: regression and classification. This paper presents a novel model using ELM in ciphering. The study begins with an investigation of the Real-time Recurrent Neural Network (RRNN) derived from the gradient-based learning for symmetric cipher. The weakness of this cipher is that the error converges to zero, and that the RRNN will not change regardless of how the plaintext is changed. Given the nature of the ELM, a technique with an ELM-based cipher is proposed to provide the capability of performing the training independently from the input and the error gradient. Different simulation scenarios were used to evaluate and validate the effectiveness of the proposed cipher. Results revealed that the ELM-based cipher performed better than RRNNs, especially in terms of security. Moreover, the ELM-based cipher demonstrated significantly competing performance for a wide range of evaluation measures. Using an ELM-based cipher instead of an AES or other type of ciphers has the added advantage of providing an addition level of security-by allowing the user to change the algorithmic core of the cipher by simply changing the weights of the neural network. This allows hardware programmed ciphers to be more secure while costing less compared to other ciphers. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Occult hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection (OCI) was reported in an apparently disease-free state in the absence of liver disease, anti-HCV and HCV-RNA in the serum. The existing data examining the clinical significance of OCI and its potential as a source of HCV infection among hemodialysis patients are very limited. We examined the presence of OCI among patients on maintenance hemodialysis at Minia Governorate, Egypt; an HCV endemic country. A total of 81 subjects with negative markers for HCV were enrolled. HCV-RNA was tested in PBMCs by real-time PCR. For the 81 subjects, the average dialysis duration was 32.7 ± 21.7 months and the average ALT level (±SD) was 26 ± 12 U/L while that of AST was 29 ± 16 U/L. Out of the 81 subjects, three (3.7%) were HCV-RNA positive in PBMCs in the absence of serum anti-HCV and HCV-RNA indicating OCI. The viral load of the OCI subjects ranged from 172 to 4150 IU/ml. History of liver disease was positive in one of the three positive patients. These results highlight the potential risk of HCV transmission from patients within hemodialysis units in Egypt. J. Med. Virol. 88:1388-1393, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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

Background Alcohol impairs drinkers' abilities to inhibit inappropriate responses. Certain stimulus conditions have been shown to facilitate behavioral control. Under conditions where individuals are presented with multiple inhibitory signals, the speed and consistency with which they are able to inhibit a response is improved. Recent research has shown that multisensory signals might protect against the disruptive effects of alcohol on mechanisms of behavioral control. This study examined whether multisensory stop signals can be used to improve inhibitory control, possibly by speeding attentional shifts toward inhibitory 'stop' signals in the environment. Methods Twenty adult social drinkers performed a modified cued go/no-go task that measured the ability to inhibit prepotent responses following 0.64 g/kg alcohol and placebo. Response targets were presented as unimodal (visual) and as multisensory (visual + aural) stimuli. Results Results showed that during unimodal response target trials, participants made more inhibitory failures under 0.64 g/kg alcohol compared to placebo. During multisensory trials, however, there was no significant effect of alcohol on inhibitory control. Conclusions These findings identify multisensory inhibitory signals as a potentially important environmental factor that can reduce the degree to which alcohol disinhibits behavior possibly by intersensory co-activation between the visual and auditory pathways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous studies on the value relevance of board gender and ethnic diversity have produced mixed results. This paper re-examines this relationship using hand-collected data of 245 South African listed firms over the period 2008-2013. We document a positive and significant effect of both board gender and ethnic diversity on firm value. We also find that the increase in firm value is greater when boards have three or more women directors. In contrast, ethnic minority directors contribute less to firm value when there are three or more on the board. Furthermore, we document that ethnicity has a concave relationship with firm value, but gender does not. We demonstrate that in better-governed firms, ethnic diversity is more value relevant than gender diversity. Our results also suggest that financial crisis is associated with the propensity to restructure boards along gender and ethnicity. This paper sheds new light on the effect of board diversity in South African firms as the government increasingly pursues policies aimed at eradicating the effects of apartheid. Our results are robust after controlling for self-selection and various forms of endogeneity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An introduction to the journal is presented in which the editor discusses various reports in the issue on the topics including one on drainage and environmental sustainability, measures to improve drainage water quality and drainage modelling.

Introduction Chronic myeloid leukemia ( CML) is typically associated with the Philadelphia chromosome, resulting in the production of BCR- ABL fusion oncoprotein with upregulated tyrosine kinase activity. We aimed to evaluate a new flow cytometric immunobead assay to detect BCR- ABL protein in a group of patients with CML. Methods We enrolled 49 patients with CML, whose qRT- PCR and/or cytogenetic analysis of Philadelphia chromosome aberration was available, including tyrosine kinase inhibitors ( TKIs)-naïve and ( TKIs)-treated patients with various levels of response. Twenty Philadelphia-negative healthy individuals were also enrolled to obtain analytical negative controls. Peripheral blood samples were analyzed for BCR- ABL fusion protein by flow cytometry. Results The BCR- ABL fusion protein flow cytometric assay seemed efficacious to both diagnose the presence ( P-value <0.0001) and distinguish the levels ( P-value = 0) of the Philadelphia chromosome aberration. Groups of TKI-naïve and TKI-treated patients as well as levels of molecular/cytogenetic response to TKI-therapy were effectively discriminated ( P-value <0.01). The receiver operating characteristic ( ROC) curve analysis indicated the diagnostic value of the assay as excellent ( AUC = 0.95, P-value = 0). Conclusions The evaluated BCR- ABL fusion protein assay might be useful for diagnosing and monitoring Philadelphia chromosome aberration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Radiofrequency (RF) radiometry uses thermal noise detected by an antenna to measure the temperature of objects independent of medical imaging technologies such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Here, an active interventional MRI antenna can be deployed as a RF radiometer to measure local heating, as a possible new method of monitoring device safety and thermal therapy. Methods: A 128 MHz radiometer receiver was fabricated to measure the RF noise voltage from an interventional 3 T MRI loopless antenna and calibrated for temperature in a uniformly heated bioanalogous gel phantom. Local heating (AT) was induced using the antenna for RF transmission and measured by RF radiometry, fiber-optic thermal sensors, and MRI thermometry. The spatial thermal sensitivity of the antenna radiometer was numerically computed using a method-of-moment electric field analyses. The gel's thermal conductivity was measured by MRI thermometry, and the localized time-dependent △T distribution computed from the bioheat transfer equation and compared with radiometry measurements. A "H-factor" relating the 1 g-averaged △T to the radiometric temperature was introduced to estimate peak temperature rise in the antenna's sensitive region. Results: The loopless antenna radiometer linearly tracked temperature inside a thermally equilibrated phantom up to 73 °C to within ±0.3 °C at a 2 Hz sample rate. Computed and MRI thermometric measures of peak AT agreed within 13%. The peak 1 g-average temperature was H = 1.36± 0.02 times higher than the radiometric temperature for any media with a thermal conductivity of 0.15-0.50 (W/m)/K, indicating that the radiometer can measure peak 1 g-averaged △T in physiologically relevant tissue within ±0.4 °C. Conclusions: Active internal MRI detectors can serve as RF radiometers at the MRI frequency to provide accurate independent measures of local and peak temperature without the artifacts that can accompany MRI thermometry or the extra space needed to accommodate alternative thermal transducers. A RF radiometer could be integrated in a MRI scanner to permit "self-monitoring" for assuring device safety and/or monitoring delivery of thermal therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]