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Background: The purpose of this paper was to report a case of retrobulbar optic neuritis as the first manifestation of multiple sclerosis, with atypical presentations which include a sudden painless reduction in vision, without optic disc swelling and presence of unilateral inferior altitudinal visual field defect. Case report: A 17-year-old girl presented to our clinic with right eye sudden painless drop in visual acuity to counting finger associated with headache. Her right eye optic nerve function tests were positive, but her optic disc was not swollen. Bjerrum’s visual field chart noted right eye unilateral inferior altitudinal visual field defect with foveal involvement. Her blood investigations were normal, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of brain and orbit was suggestive of multiple sclerosis. She was commenced on three days of high dose intravenous steroi, and was referred to neuromedical team for further management. At 3-month follow up, her right eye visual acuity improved to 6/6 with the restoration of normal colour vision. Conclusions: In presence of atypical presentation of optic neuritis, multiple sclerosis must be thought of especially in young patients. Hence early co-management with neuromedical discipline is important to reduce the frequency and severity of attacks in the future.

In computer vision, one of the most difficult problems is human gestures in videos recognition Because of certain irrelevant environmental variables. This issue has been solved by using single deep networks to learn spatiotemporal characteristics from video data, and this approach is still insufficient to handle both problems at the same time. As a result, the researchers fused various models to allow for the effective collection of important shape information as well as precise spatiotemporal variation of gestures. In this study, we collected the dynamic dataset for twenty meaningful words of Arabic sign language (ArSL) using a Microsoft Kinect v2 camera. The recorded data included 7350 red, green, and blue (RGB) videos and 7350 depth videos. We proposed four deep neural networks models using 2D and 3D convolutional neural network (CNN) to cover all feature extraction methods and then passing these features to the recurrent neural network (RNN) for sequence classification. Long short-term memory (LSTM) and gated recurrent unit (GRU) are two types of using RNN. Also, the research included evaluation fusion techniques for several types of multiple models. The experiment results show the best multi-model for the dynamic dataset of the ArSL recognition achieved 100% accuracy.

Blue rubber bleb nevus syndrome (BRBNS) is a rare disease that presents as cutaneous and extra-cutaneous vascular malformations, most commonly affecting the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. We report a case of adult onset BRBNS in an African American male with vascular lesions isolated to the jejunum without any cutaneous manifestations. Physicians should recognize that BRBNS can present without skin involvement and may have complications from visceral organ involvement. Treatment of BRBNS is mainly symptomatic and aims at preserving the GI tract as much as possible. BRBNS may also present as delayed recurrence after surgical or endoscopic interventions.

D-galactose (D-gal) is a reducing sugar drug can induce artificial senescence and aging process that mimic natural aging along with the accompanying brain and liver injury in experimental animals. Therefore, chronic D-gal administration is widely used to induce cognitive impairment, Alzheimer disease and aging in rodents' models. Aging is a phenomenon in which oxidative stress and apoptosis play a vital role. Geraniol (GNL) belongs to the acyclic isoprenoid monoterpenes, presents in essential oils such as those from Cinnamomum tenuipilum and Valeriana officinalis. In the present study, we examined the effects of GNL on D-gal-induced oxidative stress and neuro-inflammation mediated memory loss in mice. Analyzing the behavioral differences between control and treated groups, including the elderly mice, revealed that GNL significantly improved memory in mice treated with D-gal-induced memory loss (supplementary videos are provided). The anti-inflammatory and the anti-oxidative role of GNL were confirmed by both histopathological investigations and biochemical analyses. Mechanistically, GNL appears to activate PI3K/Akt and thus upregulates the nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) and the heme oxygenase 1 (HO-1) to reduce the oxidative stress and apoptosis induced after D-gal treatment leading to easing of neurological deficits and cognitive dysfunction in D-gal-induced aging mouse models. Accordingly, our comprehensive behavioral analysis and bioassays suggest GNL as a promising agent preventing cognitive impairment and neurological deficits associated with aging.

Papain, bromelain, and ficin are commonly used plant proteases used for meat tenderization. Other plant proteases explored for meat tenderization are actinidin, zingibain, and cucumin. The application of plant crude extracts or powders containing higher levels of compounds exerting tenderizing effects is also gaining popularity due to lower cost, improved sensory attributes of meat, and the presence of bioactive compounds exerting additional benefits in addition to tenderization, such as antioxidants and antimicrobial effects. The uncontrolled plant protease action could cause excessive tenderization (mushy texture) and poor quality due to an indiscriminate breakdown of proteins. The higher cost of separation and the purification of enzymes, unstable structure, and poor stability of these enzymes due to autolysis are some major challenges faced by the food industry. The meat industry is targeting the recycling of enzymes and improving their stability and shelf-life by immobilization, encapsulation, protein engineering, medium engineering, and stabilization during tenderization. The present review critically analyzed recent trends and the prospects of the application of plant proteases in meat tenderization.

ZnO nanoparticles (NPs) can be considered a highly efficient Zn source that has been widely used in agriculture to promote crop development and productivity. The turmeric (Curcuma longa) plant has several medical properties, and its rhizome is utilized as a spice in the food sector. In this work, C. longa leaves were sprayed with various concentrations of ZnO NPs to inspect their effect on growth, yield, and bioactive compound compositions. ZnO NPs considerably increased tumeric productivity, yield, and curcuminoid content versus the control treatment. The ZnO NPs concentration of 10 mgL−1 was found to be the optimum concentration for producing the highest C. longa yields, while the concentration of 40 mgL−1 promoted positive effects on photosynthetic pigments, bisdemethoxycurcumin, demethoxycurcumin, and curcumin contents. This demonstrates that ZnO nano-fertilizer promotes plant growth, yield characteristics, and curcuminoid component synthesis, and its application is therefore notably beneficial for progressive sustainable C. longa agriculture.

This study evaluated the effects of palm shortenings (PS) with varying melting ranges (MR) on the physicochemical, emulsion stability, rheological, thermal, textural, and microtextural properties of chicken meat emulsions. Six emulsions were developed: control (chicken skin), sample A (PS at MR of 33–36 °C), sample B (PS at MR of 38–42 °C), sample C (PS at MR of 44–46 °C), sample D (PS at MR of 45–49 °C), and sample E (PS at MR of 55–60 °C). There were no significant differences in cooking loss, pH, and water-holding capacity between the meat emulsions, with sample E providing a more stable emulsion with the lowest fat content and highest moisture content. The colour profiles and protein thermal stabilities of the fat-replaced meat emulsions were not significantly different from the control. The hardness, shear force, storage, and loss moduli increased when palm shortenings with higher melting range were used, with sample E having the highest values. Sample E also exhibited a smaller pore size and more compact structure, and thus was well-emulsified compared to the other samples. Overall, palm shortenings–particularly those with a melting range of 55–60 °C–have the potential to replace chicken skin in meat emulsions.

In this work, a novel 3D-printed biaxial sensor system for tilt measurement, based primarily on the use of four Fiber Bragg Grating (FBG) devices, has been developed and its performance characterized. The tilt sensor system created is of a compact design and relatively small dimensions, making it ideally suited to a variety of industrial applications. In the system developed, the four FBGs used were spliced in a serial formation and attached to four different sides of the sensor structure designed, to allow biaxial measurements to be made. The wavelengths' shift of the FBGs used were monitored as a function of the tilt of the device, using an Optical Spectrum Analyzer (OSA) for this development work. In the sensor, an average FBG-based responsivity of 0.01 nm/° of tilt was measured for each of the different FBGs used. To provide compensation for temperature changes in the system itself, a further FBG-based approach was used (in which they were configured to be insensitive to the effect of the tilt). They were thus calibrated by being exposed to a range of operational temperatures for the system, showing, as a result, a calibration of 0.011 nm/°C. Prior work on the sensor system had proved it to be highly linear in response, over the tilt range of 0° ± 90°. The experimental results obtained from the performance characterization indicate that the small, compact design of this type yields excellent responsivity, compared to other larger and more complex designs discussed in the literature. The sensor system was also relatively easy to fabricate using the 3D-printing method, creating in that way an inexpensive, temperature-compensated tilt monitoring device that had a wide variety of potential industrial applications.

An Arabic sign language recognition using two concatenated deep convolution neural network models DenseNet121 & VGG16 is presented. The pre-trained models are fed with images, and then the system can automatically recognize the Arabic sign language. To evaluate the performance of concatenated two models in the Arabic sign language recognition, the red-green-blue (RGB) images for various static signs are collected in a dataset. The dataset comprises 220,000 images for 44 categories: 32 letters, 11 numbers (0:10), and 1 for none. For each of the static signs, there are 5000 images collected from different volunteers. The pre-trained models were used and trained on prepared Arabic sign language data. These models were used after some modification. Also, an attempt has been made to adopt two models from the previously trained models, where they are trained in parallel deep feature extractions. Then they are combined and prepared for the classification stage. The results demonstrate the comparison between the performance of the single model and multi-model. It appears that most of the multi-model is better in feature extraction and classification than the single models. And also show that when depending on the total number of incorrect recognize sign image in training, validation and testing dataset, the best convolutional neural networks (CNN) model in feature extraction and classification Arabic sign language is the DenseNet121 for a single model using and DenseNet121 & VGG16 for multi-model using.

Background Ductus deferens may manifest in a variety of anomalies such as its absence, duplication, ectopy, or diverticulum. Ectopic seminal tract opening has two main types, ectopic ejaculatory duct opening, and ectopic vas deferens opening. Generally, ductus deferens anomalies affect approximately 0.05% of the population. Patients may be asymptomatic or complaining of urinary tract infections and/or epididymitis. Most of these cases are associated with renal dysplasia. To confirm the diagnosis Cystourethroscopy catheterization and retrograde urethrogram should be performed, but the definitive diagnosis is done by vasography. The definitive treatment is complete surgical resection of the pathological urogenital connection. This case is commonly discovered while exploring other findings such as testicular torsion and inguinal hernia. Case presentation We report a rare case of an 11-year-old male who presented with gross hematuria and numerous congenital malformations including a left polydactyly clubfoot, polyorchidism, with several surgical procedures, and left kidney dysgenesis. Surgery was performed for a left inguinal hernia, during which a third undescended testicle was discovered incidentally and was eradicated. A retrograde urethrogram was performed to establish the diagnosis. A fistula- that is connected with the left ureter- was resected. The histopathologic findings confirmed the diagnosis of true duplication of the Vas deferens, with communication between the ureter and the vas deferens. By follow-up, the kidney function tests were within normal limits. Conclusions This case report aims to highlight the early diagnosis and management of the duplicated vas deferens and the associated congenital malformations to improve the prognosis and kidney function and to avoid long-term complications.

Zearalenone are widely occurring food contaminants that cause hepatotoxicity. This research work aimed to investigate how zerumbone, a plant-derived dietary compound, can fight ZEA-induced hepatotoxicity. ZER is found to increase the cells’ toxin resistance. This study was performed on mice challenged with ZEA. The administration of ZER decreased the level of alkaline phosphatase and alanine aminotransferase (ALT). Simultaneously, ZER attenuated the inflammatory response via significantly reducing the levels of pro-inflammatory factors, including interleukin-1β (IL-1β), IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) in serum. Pretreatment with ZER reduced the hepatic malondialdehyde (MDA) concentration, as well as the depletion of hepatic superoxide dismutase (SOD), hepatic glutathione (GSH), and hepatic catalase (CAT). Moreover, it significantly ameliorated ZEA-induced liver damage and histological hepatocyte changes. ZER also relieved ZEA-induced apoptosis by regulating the PI3K/AKT pathway and Nrf2 and HO-1 expression. Furthermore, ZER increasingly activated Bcl2 and suppressed apoptosis marker proteins. Our findings suggest that ZER exhibits the ability to prevent ZEA-induced liver injury and present the underlying molecular basis for potential applications of ZER to cure liver injuries.

All-solid photonic bandgap fibers (PBGFs) were designed and fabricated to work as low-pass filters in 2-μm region. They were used for manipulating thulium doped fiber laser (TDFL) operating in the 2-μm region via amplified spontaneous emission suppression. A sharp lasing peak at 1915 nm was achieved using a single-stage TDFL with full width at half maximum and optical signal-to-noise ratio of 0.3 nm and 39.5 dB, respectively. This lasing is achieved using the fabricated PBGF low-pass filter with cutoff wavelength at 1945 μm and loss of more than 25 dB. In this respect, the resultant TDFL performed better than the one that did not employ the low-pass filter. In this paper, we present a few representative cases involving the all-solid PBGF. We have shown that by increasing the diameter of the fabricated PBGF from 142 to 189 μm, their cutoffs related to their bandgaps shifted from 1727 nm toward longer wavelengths, 2079 nm. As a result, lasers with different wavelengths were generated within 2-μm region.

The paper discusses an implementation of an internet-connected monitoring system to optimize waste collection within office space environment. The implementation consists of four parts – the physical dustbin module, network, middleware and user interface. The implementation uses NodeMCU board with embedded microcontroller to sense and transmit waste level data to a middleware over 802.11 wireless network, while the middleware aggregate data from all registered dustbins within the office area. The aggregated data is then stored in a database server for further analysis. The web-based user interface is used to monitor the dustbins waste level as well as historical data report. This information is vital for waste level management planning and prediction. Additionally, a Technology Acceptance Model survey result has shown that the monitoring system is perceived to be easy to use and useful for office management in monitoring and managing their waste.

In this work, a new nanohybrid saturable absorber (SA) is successfully fabricated from reduced graphene oxide (rGO) nanosheets and titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanoparticles. The nanohybrid material is synthesized using the simple and inexpensive hydrothermal technique. The SA is fabricated by depositing the nanohybrid solution onto a D-shaped fiber in an erbium-doped fiber (EDF) laser cavity. The evanescent wave interaction between the incident light and rGO-TiO2 nanohybrid material induces mode-locking in the EDF laser at the threshold pump power of 100.80 mW. A stable soliton pulse with a center wavelength of 1560.45 nm and 3-dB bandwidth of 2.47 nm is obtained. The generated pulses have a repetition rate and pulse width of 11.19 MHz and 1.05 ps at the highest pump power of 268.10 mW. The proposed rGO-TiO2 nanohybrid of this work is a promising SA material for generating mode-locking in an EDF laser for optical modulation applications.

Graphene was successfully synthesized by activating rice husk ash (RHA) using potassium hydroxide (KOH) at 800 oC with 1:2 impregnation ratio. Raman spectroscopy analysis confirmed the presence of graphitic structure. The demonstrated methodology utilizes RHA as carbon source and used as sacrifice to prevent oxidation during synthesis process on the mixture of KOH and RHA against air at high temperature. The novelty of this synthesis methodology use environmentally-friendly biomass resource as a starting material, does not utilize catalysts, and prove that graphene can be synthesized at a relatively low synthesis temperature.

This study examined the impact of access to working capital and microenterprise development training programmes on microenterprise income and assets among participants from various development initiatives in the eKasih (National Poverty Data Bank) in Peninsular Malaysia. Adopting a cross-sectional design, we collected data from randomly selected 300 micro-entrepreneurs from the list of development organizations available in the eKasih (National Poverty Data Bank), located in four states in Peninsular Malaysia. Quantitative data were collected through structured interviews from October to November 2017. Findings revealed that the ‘length of participation in development programs’ increased microenterprise income and assets among low-income participants in Peninsular Malaysia. The total amount of economic loan received was also found to increase microenterprise assets. However, the effect on microenterprise income was not clear. In addition, development training programmes were found to have no substantial effect on both microenterprise income and assets. This article ascertained a mixed result of participation in development programmes on microenterprise income and assets among low-income households in Peninsular Malaysia. Development policymakers and organizations should review the effectiveness of the programmes and redesign their products and services to achieve their objectives.

The fabrication of a silver (Ag) based photodetector on a silicon dioxide/p-silicon (SiO2/p-Si) substrate using direct current (DC) magnetron sputtering is demonstrated. The proposed method deposits a nanoparticle-like Ag thin film that favours the photoconduction mechanism under light illumination at 468 nm and laser illumination at 660 and 980 nm. The thin film is characterized using scanning electron microscope (SEM), energy dispersive x-ray (EDX), x-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman scattering, photoluminescence (PL) and ultraviolet–visible (UV–VIS) analysis. Current–voltage (I–V) analysis and the calculated rectifying ratio (RR) suggests the establishment of good Schottky contacts for incident light/laser at 468, 660 and 980 nm, with good responsivity towards light and laser illumination in the forward and reverse DC bias regions. The responsivity increases as the wavelength decreases from 980 nm → 660 nm → 468 nm, with the highest responsivity of 213.7 mAW−1 at 468 nm indicating better photoconduction at...

Tungsten disulphide (WS2), a member of the transition metal dichalcogenide (TMD) family that is known for its superior optoelectronic properties is used in this work to fabricate a low cost and highly efficient photodetector for operation in the near infrared (NIR) region. The WS2/Si heterojunction photodetector is fabricated using the drop cast method. Sample analysis shows Raman shifts at the E12g and A1g phonon modes located at 349.84 cm−1 and 419.62 cm−1, validating the growth of monolayer 2H-WS2 with a direct bandgap of 2.06 eV. Field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM) analysis reveals an inhomogeneous surface on the film, while energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectroscopy shows non-stoichiometric WS2 layer growth on the Si wafer. Current-voltage (IV) measurements are performed in the NIR region with a 785 nm red laser source under dark and illuminated conditions. From the IV measurements, the threshold voltage is determined to be 2.2 V, and the photocurrent is found to be highly dependent on the laser power. The fabricated photodetector has a high responsivity of 10.46 mA/W and detectivity of 1.17 × 109 Jones for an incident light intensity of 11.696 mW.cm-2. These results are promising as an alternative low-cost fabrication method with potential for the development of photovoltaic and optoelectronic applications.

In this work, a passively Q-switched Thulium/Holmium-doped fibre laser (THDFL) using a molybdenum tungsten disulphide (MoWS2) saturable absorber (SA) is proposed and demonstrated. The MoWS2 nanoshe...

A ternary molybdenum tungsten selenide (MoWSe2) alloy is proposed and demonstrated as a saturable absorber (SA) to induce Q-switching in the 1. 0 μ m , 1. 5 μ m and 2. 0 μ m regions. The MoWSe2 based SA is fabricated by mechanical exfoliation and sandwiched between two fiber ferrules to complete the fiberized SA assembly. The MoWSe2-SA is integrated into ytterbium, erbium and thulium-doped fiber laser cavities, and stable self-starting Q-switched pulses are observed at 1038 nm, 1554 nm and 1964 nm respectively. Maximum repetition rates at 120.2 kHz, 48 kHz and 61.5 kHz are observed at these wavelengths, along with corresponding pulse widths as narrow as 0.96 μ s, 1.9 μ s and 2.4 μ s respectively. These results validate the performance of MoWSe2 as a broadband SA for Q-switching operation, offering new opportunities of ternary transition metal dichalcogenide alloys in future photonics devices.

A semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA) based linear cavity L-band dual wavelength fiber laser (DWFL) with a switchable output is proposed and its operation demonstrated. The DWFL is configured as a linear cavity, with a 1 × 24 arrayed waveguide grating together with two optical switches providing channel spacing tunability. An L-band SOA, with a central operating wavelength of 1580 nm and an operation bandwidth of 1500–1640 nm serves as the gain medium of the proposed laser cavity. The DWFL is able to generate a dual-wavelength output, with the widest spacing obtained being 18.7 nm and the narrowest spacing being 0.8 nm. The generated output is highly stable, with only minor power fluctuations of less than 2 dB as well as having a signal-to-noise ratio of 42 dB. The proposed setup would have numerous uses, particularly for sensor applications.

In this work, a 2.0-µm mode-locked thulium doped fiber laser is demonstrated using zinc oxide (ZnO) as the saturable absorber (SA) in a thulium doped fiber laser (TDFL). The ZnO nanorods was prepared by the facile hydrothermal method, and then embedded in polyethylene oxide composite film to form the SA. The laser is capable of generating soliton pulses at a central wavelength of 1945.45 nm with a 3-dB bandwidth of 3.47 nm. The pulse width is measured to be 1.395 ps, only slightly higher than the calculated transform-limited pulse width of 1.15 ps. The peak power of the generated mode-locked pulses is then calculated to be as high as 41.88 W, with a signal-to-noise ratio of 50.5 dB. The fabricated ZnO film in this work would allow the generation of mode-locked pulses, which could be useful for applications in spectroscopy and medicine due to the eye-safe and highly sensitive nature of the 2.0-µm region.

Hierarchical fuzzy systems (HFSs) have been regarded as a useful solution for overcoming the major issues in fuzzy logic systems (FLSs), i.e., rule explosion due to the increase in the number of input variables. In HFS, the standard FLS are reformed into a low-dimensional FLS subsystem network. Moreover, the rules in HFS usually have antecedents with fewer variables than the rules in standard FLS with equivalent functions, because the number of input variables in each subsystem is less. Consequently, HFSs manage to decrease rule explosion, which minimises complexity and improves model interpretability. Nevertheless, the issues related to the question of “Does the complexity reduction of HFSs that have multiple subsystems, layers and different topologies really improve their interpretability?” are not clear and persist. In this paper, a comparison focusing on interpretability and complexity is made between two HFS’ topologies: parallel and serial. A detailed measurement of the interpretability and complexity with different configurations for both topologies is provided. This comparative study aims to examine the correlation between interpretability and complexity in HFS.

Objectives: To evaluate effect of supporting superior pedicle by central glandular pedicle in reduction mammoplasty in improving aesthetic outcome and reducing the incidence of nipple areola necrosis and postoperative NAC loss of sensation.Background: Superior pedicle reduction mammoplasty provides good aesthetic outcome, but has high possibility of nipple areola complex loss of sensation, therefor keeping the central glandular portion as support to superior pedicle ensures good blood and sensory supply to NAC Methods: This study included 37 patients presented by breasts hypertrophy from March 2019 to March 2021. All patients’ breasts were examined for suprasternal notch to nipple distance, areolar diameter, nipple to infra mammary fold distance. Postoperative assessment included: Nipple areola complex vascularity, nipple areola complex sensitivity and patients’ satisfaction about breast contour, projection, symmetry, scars and overall aesthetic outcome using a score out of 4. Patients underwent marking using wise pattern for skin incision. Intraoperative; excision of skin, fat and glandular tissue inferior to NAC, starting from skin and went directly to chest wall keeping central breast mound with the superior pedicle. Finally closure was in vertical or inverted T pattern according to skin excess to be removed. Results: In this study we operated upon 37 patients who were asking for breast reduction aged between 20 and 57 years with mean age 39.6 years. The overall complication percentage 14.8% excluding poor scarring. We had no cases of total Nipple areola complex loss, low incidence of nipple areola complex persistent reduced sensation after 1 year of follow up (2.7%) and no complete loss of sensation in any patient. Aesthetic outcome accepted by 97.3% of patients. Conclusion: Superior pedicle reduction mammoplasty supported by central glandular pedicle helps in ensuring reliable blood perfusion and sensory nerve supply to nipple areola complex which reduces possibility of post-operative nipple areola complex necrosis and loss of sensation, while patient gets pleasant and long standing aesthetic outcome. Key words: superior pedicle - reduction- mammoplasty- supported by – central – glandular - pedicle

Doxorubicin increases endothelial permeability, hence increasing cardiomyocytes’ exposure to doxorubicin (DOX) and exposing myocytes to more immediate damage. Reactive oxygen species are major effector molecules of doxorubicin’s activity. Mangiferin (MGN) is a xanthone derivative that consists of C-glucosylxanthone with additional antioxidant properties. This particular study assessed the effects of MGN on DOX-induced cytotoxicity in human umbilical vein endothelial cells’ (HUVECs’) signaling networks. Mechanistically, MGN dramatically elevated Nrf2 expression at both the messenger RNA and protein levels through the upregulation of the PI3K/AKT pathway, leading to an increase in Nrf2-downstream genes. Cell apoptosis was assessed with a caspase-3 activity assay, transferase-mediated dUTP-fluorescein nick end labeling (TUNEL) staining was performed to assess DNA fragmentation, and protein expression was determined by Western blot analysis. DOX markedly increased the generation of reactive oxygen species, PARP, caspase-3, and TUNEL-positive cell numbers, but reduced the expression of Bcl-2 and antioxidants’ intracellular concentrations. These were effectively antagonized with MGN (20 μM), which led to HUVECs being protected against DOX-induced apoptosis, partly through the PI3K/AKT-mediated NRF2/HO-1 signaling pathway, which could theoretically protect the vessels from severe DOX toxicity.

OBJECTIVE / SCOPEThe Black Sea is a Mesozoic-Cenozoic closed sea system representing one of the last few exploration frontiers in the vicinity of the European market. The overall prospectivity of the basin and associated regional prospective trends have been delineated using the integrated Play-Based Exploration approach. The tectonic evolution, basin formation, sedimentary infilling history, petroleum systems, and sedimentary plays have been investigated to search for new hydrocarbon potential in the basin.METHODS, PROCEDURES, PROCESSThe seismic interpretation and mapping were based on 26 sparse 2D seismic lines (ION SPAN), which were acquired and processed in 2011-2012 by ION GTX. The multi-client data from offshore Russia, Crimea, and Ukraine were excluded due to geopolitical sanction. The seismic interpretation which was completed in the depth domain (PSDM depth) was calibrated using three Deep Sea Drilling Project (DSDP) wells namely Sites 379, 380, and 381 (Fig. 1) which penetrated only the shallower section namely the Top Miocene and Top Pliocene. However, the seismic markers where lacking well penetration were primarily interpreted based on seismic stratigraphy. Interpretation of the acoustic basement as well as crustal types were supplemented with gravity and magnetic data from Getech Globe’s database. Three key seismic lines (Fig. 1) were then selected to illustrate the overall basin geomorphology, structural evolution, and to subsequently identify play potential within the basins. The structural analysis was integrated with the seismic sequence stratigraphic analysis to understand the sedimentation history, depositional trends, kinematic evolution, and tectonic history.

A 3D-printed tilt fiber sensor using a two-mode fiber interferometer (TMFI) as the sensing mechanism has been demonstrated. The TMFI was constructed by splicing single-mode fibers (SMF-28s) at both ends of a two-mode fiber (TMF) to generate a comb-like interference spectrum that is sensitive to bending. A 3D-printed cantilever with a weight attached to one end was used to induce bending as the structure was tilted and by embedding the TMFI onto the 3D printed cantilever, different tilt angles can be measured, as a result of the bending of the fiber. The TMFI exhibited a linear response towards the tilt angles, $\theta $ , with a responsivity of $1\times 10^{-2}$ nm/deg at negative $\theta$ (0 to −90°) and $5 \times 10^{-3}$ nm/deg at positive $\theta$ (0 to 90°), respectively. The sensor was able to detect small angle changes in increments as small as 1° and it performs better than embedded FBG sensors. The tilt sensor proposed has a small formfactor and simple design, as well as being cost-effective and light-weight, thus showing significant potential for a variety of civil engineering applications.