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Background Cooked dried beans are commonly consumed in many countries and are known in Egypt as Ful medames. Adding synthetic colors to keep the dishes more attractive may have toxic effects on the human body, as it may be unsafe to consume potentially microbial contaminated foods, especially when obtained from street vendors. Aim The aim of this study was to detect the types of artificial colors added to cooked faba bean (Ful medames) by street vendors in Egypt and highlight their health hazards and microbial hazards. Materials and methods A total of 100 convincing samples were collected from street vendors from four large Egyptian cities. The coloring agents were extracted and purified from samples using the hydrochloric acid extraction method followed by separation using ascending paper chromatography. Total bacterial counts, coliforms, Bacillus cereus, Staphylococcus aureus, and mold and yeast counts were used for microbial tests on 24 samples obtained from Cairo and Giza cities. Findings Artificial colors were detected in 46% of samples. From the total positive samples, sunset yellow, tartrazine, or both combined were identified in 26.1, 30.4, and 41.3%, respectively. Carmoisine was detected combined with tartrazine in only one sample. Giza and Cairo cities recorded the highest positive samples (64.3 and 42.9%, respectively), followed by Mansoura (10%). No added colors were detected in Mahala samples. Coliforms, mold, yeast, and bacillus were detected in most of the samples that were subjected to microbiological examination, whereas S. aureus was not found in any of the examined samples. Conclusion Overall, 46% of the examined samples from street vendors contained artificial colors, mainly tartrazine and sunset yellow, although the authorities of Egyptian standards do not allow any artificial additives to these types of food. Most positive samples were from more urban cities. Microbial contaminants found in the examined samples may be due to unhygienic approaches in such areas and lack of sanitary practices of street vendors. This also predisposes consumers to the risk of severe public health challenges. Recommendations The society should be made aware about the health hazards of the incessant usage of synthetic food colors. The public should be encouraged to add natural food coloring, such as carrots, through home cooking instead. Moreover, strict monitoring of street vendors for food safety regulation should be done by competent authorities.

This article examines the impact of frailty on postoperative outcomes in patients undergoing open and endoscopic resection of olfactory groove meningiomas. The study included 19 patients, with 6 undergoing endoscopic resection and 13 undergoing open craniotomy. The results showed that frailty metrics, such as the Charlson Comorbidity Index and modified 5-item frailty index, were not associated with postoperative complications or poor neurologic outcomes. However, a prior history of cranial radiation was associated with complications in open cases. The study suggests a need to reconsider traditional frailty measures in these surgical procedures. [Extracted from the article]

This article discusses the assessment of carotid vasculitis in head and neck cancer patients who undergo different types of radiation therapy. The study compares the effects of proton radiation therapy, photon radiation therapy, and a combination of both on the incidence of inflammation in the carotid arteries. The results indicate that the combined therapy approach causes significantly more inflammation compared to individual proton or photon therapy. The study suggests that future research should include longer follow-up scans and clinical data related to vasculitis. [Extracted from the article]

This article, published in the Journal of Neurological Surgery, explores factors associated with the recurrence of intracranial meningiomas after surgical resection. The study reviewed patients who underwent craniotomy for meningioma resection at a specific institution between January 2018 and October 2022. The researchers collected data on demographic information, tumor characteristics, clinical characteristics, adjuvant treatment, and recurrence rates. The findings suggest that higher WHO and Simpson grades, higher Ki-67 index, subtotal resection, and middle/posterior fossa locations were associated with higher rates of recurrence. The study also found that residual tumor left on the parenchyma was associated with a higher risk of recurrence. The authors recommend close radiological observation or adjuvant radiotherapy for high-risk patients based on surgical and clinical features that predict a higher recurrence rate. [Extracted from the article]

Parkinson's disease (PD) causes unique motor and non-motor symptoms. Despite symptomatic treatment with pharmacotherapies, many persons with PD report feelings of loneliness and demoralization as their disease progresses. These symptoms greatly interfere with quality of life, necessitating novel treatment strategies. In this report, we introduce a new student-led program to improve psychosocial well-being among persons with PD by pairing them with college students. Through weekly one-on-one meetings, students gain a deeper understanding of PD, while patients gain a new social outlet and purpose. Based on the program's initial successes, we advocate for the adoption of similar programs at universities worldwide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This investigation was carried out to estimate the genetic parameters for German Angora rabbits using most appropriate animal model comprising additive and maternal effects. The pedigree information and data on growth traits were collected from 5221 rabbits, which descended from 699 does and 294 bucks over a period of 21 yr (2001–2021) kept at Northern Temperate Regional Station, Garsa, Kullu (Himachal Pradesh), India. The average daily gain (ADG) and Kleiber ratio (KR) were calculated at different age intervals. Analyses were carried out by restricted maximum likelihood procedure fitting six animal models with various combinations of direct and maternal effects. The best model was evaluated on the basis of a likelihood ratio test. Analysis revealed that the model including both direct and maternal genetic effects along with permanent effect of the dam was most suitable for all traits except for body weight (BW) at 6th wk of age, ADG from 6th to 12th wk of age and KR associated to ADG from 12th to 18th wk of age. The direct heritability estimates from the best model were ranged from, 0.34±0.05 to 0.49±0.05 for BW; 0.19±0.04, to 0.46±0.06 for ADG and 0.21±0.04 to 0.41±0.05 for KR, respectively. Direct heritability estimates were overestimated when maternal effects were ignored. Maternal effects on BW declined from 0.49±0.04 at weaning to 0.06±0.03 at 12th wk of age and 0.09±0.04 at 18th wk of age. Correlations between direct and maternal effects ranged from −0.44±0.15 to−0.52±0.14 for body weights, indicating biological antagonism between these effects. Genetic correlations among various growth traits were positive and high, indicating scope for correlated response in later expressed traits. Analysis revealed that maternal additive influences were only important until weaning, whereas permanent environmental maternal influences were present in all growth traits considered in this study. The moderate estimates of heritability for growth traits and Kleiber ratio of rabbit in this study indicate that rates of genetic progress may be possible for these traits by selection under the standard management system.

This paper presents a method to identify causal interactions between two time series. The largest eigenvalue follows a Tracy-Widom distribution, derived from a Coulomb gas model. This defines causal interactions as the pushing and pulling of the gas, measurable by the variability of the largest eigenvalue's explanatory power. The hypothesis that this setup applies to time series interactions was validated, with causality inferred from time lags. The standard deviation of the largest eigenvalue's explanatory power in lagged correlation matrices indicated the probability of causal interaction between time series. Contrasting with traditional methods that rely on forecasting or window-based parametric controls, this approach offers a novel definition of causality based on dynamic monitoring of tail events. Experimental validation with controlled trials and historical data shows that this method outperforms Granger's causality test in detecting structural changes in time series. Applications to stock returns and financial market data show the indicator's predictive capabilities regarding average stock return and realized volatility. Further validation with brokerage data confirms its effectiveness in inferring causal relationships in liquidity flows, highlighting its potential for market and liquidity risk management.

This study was carried out on the recently developed intercross sheep developed from Bharat merino and Gaddi sSynthetic in the temperate region in the state of Himachal Pradesh of India. Study aimed to estimate the genetic parameters and (co)variance components for body weights at birth (BW) and 3-month (3BW), 6-month (6BW), 9-month (9BW) and 12-month (12BW) month age in a closed flock of intercross sheep maintained at North Temperate Regional Station of ICAR-CSWRI, Garsa, India. Data records on 1505 sheep descended from 565 dams and 154 sires over the period of 10 years were utilized. Data were corrected for possible fixed environmental effects such as lambing year, parity, sex of lamb, ewe weight at lambing for further genetic analysis. The restricted maximum likelihood procedure fitting animal models with different combinations of direct and maternal effects were used for genetic analysis. Analysis revealed significant influences of lambing year, parity, sex of lamb and ewe weight at lambing on studied traits. Direct heritability estimates for BW, 3BW, 6BW, 9BW and 12BW were 0.14±0.04, 0.18±0.05, 0.00±0.04, 0.05±0.05 and 0.05±0.05, respectively. Maternal effects significantly influenced the BW and estimated maternal heritability for the trait was 0.17±0.03. The correlation among body weights were medium to high except between BW and 12BW and it ranged from 0.16±0.51 to 0.99±0.19. Results suggest that maternal effects were important for initial growth performance. The heritability estimates for weaning weight was moderate and its positive association with other growth traits indicated that the present selection practice at six months may be shifted to early selection at weaning weight for further genetic improvement.

Background Cooked dried beans are commonly consumed in many countries and are known in Egypt as Ful medames. Adding synthetic colors to keep the dishes more attractive may have toxic effects on the human body, as it may be unsafe to consume potentially microbial contaminated foods, especially when obtained from street vendors. Aim The aim of this study was to detect the types of artificial colors added to cooked faba bean (Ful medames) by street vendors in Egypt and highlight their health hazards and microbial hazards. Materials and methods A total of 100 convincing samples were collected from street vendors from four large Egyptian cities. The coloring agents were extracted and purified from samples using the hydrochloric acid extraction method followed by separation using ascending paper chromatography. Total bacterial counts, coliforms, Bacillus cereus, Staphylococcus aureus, and mold and yeast counts were used for microbial tests on 24 samples obtained from Cairo and Giza cities. Findings Artificial colors were detected in 46% of samples. From the total positive samples, sunset yellow, tartrazine, or both combined were identified in 26.1, 30.4, and 41.3%, respectively. Carmoisine was detected combined with tartrazine in only one sample. Giza and Cairo cities recorded the highest positive samples (64.3 and 42.9%, respectively), followed by Mansoura (10%). No added colors were detected in Mahala samples. Coliforms, mold, yeast, and bacillus were detected in most of the samples that were subjected to microbiological examination, whereas S. aureus was not found in any of the examined samples. Conclusion Overall, 46% of the examined samples from street vendors contained artificial colors, mainly tartrazine and sunset yellow, although the authorities of Egyptian standards do not allow any artificial additives to these types of food. Most positive samples were from more urban cities. Microbial contaminants found in the examined samples may be due to unhygienic approaches in such areas and lack of sanitary practices of street vendors. This also predisposes consumers to the risk of severe public health challenges. Recommendations The society should be made aware about the health hazards of the incessant usage of synthetic food colors. The public should be encouraged to add natural food coloring, such as carrots, through home cooking instead. Moreover, strict monitoring of street vendors for food safety regulation should be done by competent authorities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Supplemental oxygen therapy is one of the main therapies used to manage respiratory distress; it must be given in a way that is both safe and efficient. To provide standardized care, competency-based training should be designed to prioritize the practical skills and talents of the nurses over the provision of theoretical knowledge. The study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of competency-based training on nurses’ performance regarding oxygen administration safety for infants with respiratory disorders. The setting: The study was conducted at the pediatric critical care units at Mansoura University Hospital. Design: The quasi-experimental study was used. The sample: A convenient sampling technique was used for recruiting pediatric critical care nurses and the infants who were admitted in the previous setting. Data collection: three tools were utilized in this study: the first was a structured interview questionnaire encompassing the socio-demographic characteristics of the studied nurses and infants. The second tool is nurses’ knowledge and an observation checklist to assess nurse practices regarding oxygen administration safety. The third tool, the nurse competence scale (NCS). Results: pediatric critical care nurses’ standardization (knowledge, practice, and knowledge application) through pre- and post-intervention. It showed a marked improvement in mean score and standard deviation in the post compared to pre, and the total mean was in the post (15.9 ± 3.8) compared to pre (33.5 ± 7.2) with a p-value

Objective The main goals of this investigation were to i) assess the population structure and genetic diversity and ii) determine the efficiency of the ongoing breeding program in a closed flock of Angora rabbits through pedigree analysis. Methods The pedigree records of 6,145 animals, born between 1996 to 2020 at NTRS, ICAR-CSWRI, Garsa were analyzed using ENDOG version 4.8 software package. The genealogical information, genetic conservation index and parameters based on gene origin probabilities were estimated. Results Analysis revealed that, 99.09% of the kits had both parents recorded in the whole dataset. The completeness levels for the whole pedigree were 99.12%, 97.12%, 90.66%, 82.49%, and 74.11% for the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th generations, respectively, reflecting well-maintained pedigree records. The maximum inbreeding, average inbreeding and relatedness were 36.96%, 8.07%, and 15.82%, respectively. The mean maximum, mean equivalent and mean completed generations were 10.28, 7.91, and 5.51 with 0.85%, 1.19%, and 1.85% increase in inbreeding, respectively. The effective population size estimated from maximum, equivalent and complete generations were 58.50, 27.05, and 42.08, respectively. Only 1.51% of total mating was highly inbred. The effective population size computed via the individual increase in inbreeding was 42.83. The effective numbers of founders (fe), ancestors (fa), founder genomes (fg) and non-founder genomes (fng) were 18, 16, 6.22, and 9.50, respectively. The fe/fa ratio was 1.12, indicating occasional bottlenecks had occurred in the population. The six most influential ancestors explained 50% of genes contributed to the gene pool. The average generation interval was 1.51 years and was longer for the sire-offspring pathway. The population lost 8% genetic diversity over time, however, considerable genetic variability still existed in the closed Angora population. Conclusion This study provides important and practical insights to manage and maintain the genetic variability within the individual flock and the entire population.

With the integration of distributed generation (DG) into a microgrid, fault detection has become a major task to accomplish. A scheme for microgrid feeder protection based on a newly proposed feature, $\Delta \pmb{RP}$, defined as the ratio of the sum of positive-sequence real power (PSRP) at the two ends of the feeder to the larger of the PSRPs among the two ends, is proposed. If $\Delta \pmb{RP}$ is larger than a threshold, an internal fault is detected; otherwise, the fault is external or there is no fault. The proposed scheme is tested in various scenarios, including fault type, fault resistance, fault location, fault inception angle, varying DG penetration levels, and simultaneous, evolving, and composite faults. In addition to this, the proposed scheme offers a robust performance when subjected to noise, synchronization error, changes in sampling frequency, and changes in the topology of a microgrid. The dominancy of the proposed scheme is proven by a comprehensive comparative study with various available recent schemes. Test results on the IEEE 13-bus network indicate the viability of the proposed protection scheme for a microgrid. Finally, the proposed scheme has been validated on a real-time simulator.

In order to provide quick and accurate fault detection in a DC microgrid, a new protection strategy is developed in this study. It is based on the multi-resolution analysis of travelling waves. The multi-resolution analysis of travelling waves is carried out using discrete wavelet transform (DWT). The dyadic filter bank theory is used to obtain the DWT coefficient of the voltage travelling wave. The energy of the DWT coefficient is then determined, and the fault will be identified if this energy content exceeds the predetermined threshold value. Initially, the efficacy of the proposed algorithm is verified on a 500 V ring-type bipolar DC microgrid test model, which is developed with MATLAB/Simulink environment. Then the results obtained were later validated with the real-time simulator Opal-RT. The various simulation results indicate that the proposed algorithm can successfully be implemented in both modes, i.e., grid-integrated and islanded. It can also provide protection against high resistance fault (HRF) up to 900 Ω in grid-integrated mode, and up to 1,300 Ω in islanded mode. The operating time of the proposed algorithm is also quite fast, i.e., 0.64 m.

This study aimed to assess the effect of genetic and non-genetic factors on growth, wool yield and wool characteristics of German Angora rabbit. Data was collected on 607 adult rabbits over a period of four years (2018-2021). The least squares means of body weights (g) at various ages, wool yield (g) at I, II, III and IV clip and wool characteristics assessed by staple length (cm) and fiber diameter (μ) were estimated. Sires of the rabbit progenies demonstrated highly significant effect (P

Fuzzy min-max neural network (FMN), proposed by Simpson is a well-known supervised neuro-fuzzy classifier that has been successfully used by many researchers for pattern recognition. However, the FMN represents the learned knowledge with exhaustive details in a 'fine-grained' manner that reduces its per-formance for pattern recognition in terms of the recall time per pattern. In this paper, we adapt the basic architecture of the FMN to represent the learned knowl- edge in a compact way that is in a 'coarse-grained' manner, which is closed to human thinking. The working of the proposed method that is fuzzy min-max neu- ral network with knowledge compaction (FMN-KC) is illustrated using the Fisher Iris dataset. The potential of using the FMN-KC for supervised outlier detection is demonstrated using a time-series disk defect dataset published by NASA and KDD cup 99 dataset available in UCI repository. The proposed method achieves around 50% gain in the recall time as compared to the original FMN and the recognition rate is also comparable. We strongly recommend using the proposed architecture FMN-KC for supervised outlier detection in the real time applications, where recall time per pattern is one of the key parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, comprehensive evaluation of the technologies on waste heat recovery technologies for maritime applications has been carried out. We have focused our research on exhaust gas turbine system (EGT), thermodynamic organic rankine cycle (RC), Kalina cycle (KC) and thermoelectric generators (TG), which are the most appropriate and most up - to - date techniques for recovering power from marine engines. Each technology has its own advantages and disadvantages, so the comprehensive evaluation of these technologies is essential to accurately determine which technology will be applied to which target. This belongs to the multi-criteria decision (MCDM) process. The combined assessment methodology, consisting of gray correlation and analysis hierarchy processes, has been applied to evaluate four waste heat recovery techniques in terms of technical, economic, social and environmental aspects. According to the comparison results, the exhaust gas turbine system has been evaluated as the most promising technology among the various WHR technologies that can be applied to marine engines. Sensitivity analysis suggests that if investment cost of TG falls to about the same level as the one of EGT, TG could be the best method among these technologies. Reduction of investment cost of TG technology could be realized by development of low cost thermoelectric material. We have analyzed the correlation between each cost through DOE analysis and investigate the effect of individual costs on the total cost.This work helps in identifying the most suitable heat recovery technologies for marine engine. Keywords: Waste heat recovery, Marine engine, Grey relational analysis, Analytic hierarchy process, Comprehensive evaluation

Introduction: The postpartum period is a high-risk time for unintended pregnancies. A short inter-pregnancy interval leads to a series of complications for both the mother and the fetus. Postpartum contraceptive knowledge helps women decide the time frame for future pregnancy and prepare. The study aimed to find out the prevalence of postpartum family planning among women undergoing deliveries in a tertiary care hospital. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted from hospital records of all postpartum women delivering in a tertiary care hospital from Jan 2017 to Jan 2019. Ethical approval was taken from the Institutional Review Committee (IRC) of Kathmandu University School of Medical Sciences/Dhulikhel Hospital (reference number: 62/19). Convenience sampling was done. Data was entered and analyzed using Statistical Package of the Social Sciences version 26. Point estimate at 95% Confidence Interval was calculated along with frequency and proportion for binary data. Results: Out of 4205 deliveries, 1211 (28.7%) (27.33-30.06 at 95% Confidence Interval) women utilized postpartum family planning. Depot-medroxyprogesterone acetate was adopted by a majority of the participants 802 (19.1%). Conclusions: The use of postpartum contraception in this study was similar to the findings from studies done in national data and studies.

OmH, KumarS&DhimanSD (2005) Dormancy and viability ofPhalaris minorseed in a rice–wheat cropping system.Weed Research45, 140–148.Seed placement, soil temperature and soil moisture content influenced the process of after-ripening inPhalaris minorseeds. Seeds ofP. minorcollected from the soil just after wheat harvesting exhibited higher germination than seeds fromP. minorthreshed directly. There was a pronounced impact of periodic inhabitation of seed into the soil on germination after its dispersal. Germination was strongly inhibited when the seed was kept in soil at more than field capacity (FC) or in water. Maximum germination of seed incubated in soil at FC occurred at 30°C while a temperature of 40°C favoured after-ripening of seed when mixed with dry soil or kept dry without any medium. Release from conditional dormancy was quicker in the seed retrieved from the soil kept at 20°C than at 10°C. Seed release from conditional dormancy and germination increased with a rise in temperature from 30 to 40°C when the seed was retrieved from incubation in soil at FC for 70 days. The seed kept immersed in water was least responsive to a rise in temperature. Seed recovered from dry soil, or kept without any medium, responded quickly at both temperatures. Light enhanced the germination ofPhalaris minorseed. The seedbank subjected to rice (Oryza sativa) field management conditions lost vigour in comparison with the seed stored in laboratory. There was significant variability in seed viability when exposed to differential water management conditions in rice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Objective To describe nursing workload in Intensive Care Units (ICU) in different countries according to the scores obtained with Nursing Activities Score (NAS) and to verify the agreement among countries on the NAS guideline interpretation. Method This cross-sectional study considered 1-day measure of NAS (November 2012) obtained from 758 patients in 19 ICUs of seven countries (Norway, the Netherlands, Spain, Poland, Egypt, Greece and Brazil). The Delphi technique was used in expertise meetings and consensus. Results The NAS score was 72.8% in average, ranging from 44.5% (Spain) to 101.8% (Norway). The mean NAS score from Poland, Greece and Egypt was 83.0%, 64.6% and 57.1%, respectively. The NAS score was similar in Brazil (54.0%) and in the Netherlands (51.0%). There were doubts in the understanding of five out 23 items of the NAS (21.7%) which were discussed until researchers’ consensus. Conclusion NAS score were different in the seven countries. Future studies must verify if the fine standardization of the guideline can have a impact on differences in the NAS results.