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Pollution by highly toxic contaminants poses a great threat to the aquatic environment and human life. Bimetallic materials have been proven to be efficient for the removal of such contaminants. In this study, the bimetallic Fe0/Ni0/alginate beads have been prepared using solvothermal technique followed by polymerization of alginate. Full-factorial design has been utilized to optimize the preparation conditions including the weight ratios of Fe and Ni, and time of the solvothermal process. The bimetal made from equal weights of Ni and Fe metals along with alginate has shown the best efficiency for the removal of 2,4,6-trichlorophenol (2,4,6-TCP, ~ 70%) as a model organic pollutant under acidic conditions (pH = 2) with minor contribution of alginate component in the removal process. Adsorption followed by reduction has been defined as the removal mechanism using GC/MS/MS chromatography in the case of 2,4,6-TCP. A mathematical model was established to describe the 2,4,6-TCP removal by the optimally prepared material. Differently, Pb2+ ions were removed predominantly by the alginate with minor effect of the bimetal (max. removal = 96.91% at pH 5 and after 2 h contact time). Accordingly, it was difficult to describe this process by a mathematical model. However, in both cases, the optimally prepared material has exhibited superior stability and reusability rather than the neat Fe0/Ni0 bimetal under the same experimental conditions. To sum up, the designed bimetallic Fe0/Ni0/alginate beads can be considered as an efficient catalyst for the removal of highly toxic pollutants from aqueous media. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study was conducted on the cotton pink bollworm, Pectinophora gossypiella (Saunders.) (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) the most devastative insect pest to cotton cultivations in Egypt. It causes great damage and loss in the cotton yield. All experiments were carried out in the laboratory of the environmental study, Department of Plant Protection, Faculty of Agric., Ain Shams Univ. aiming to estimate some biological parameters of P. gossypiella reared on artificial diet at four constant temperatures 18, 20, 25, 30oC with 65±5% RH, then determine threshold of development and thermal constant for each of the developmental stages and complete generation. Obtained results demonstrated that the duration of each developmental stage of P. gossypiella highly affected by the change of temperature. The incubation period of eggs greatly varied at different temperature, these periods were 10.86, 10.29, 6.00 and 4.00 days at 18, 20, 25 and 30oC, respectively. Threshold of development for P. gossypiella egg stage was 12.1oC. The mean of duration for P. gossypiella larvae, pupae were 30.40, 14.10 days and the durations for male, female and generation were 24.72, 26.99 and 57.95 days, respectively. The longest duration of larvae, pupae, male and female moths were 47.61, 20.13, 33.59 and 33.68 days recorded at 18oC while the shortest durations were 16.60, 7.40, 13.75 and 14.64 days recorded at 30oC for larvae, pupae, male and female moths, respectively. The threshold of development for P. gossypiella larval, pupal, male, female stages was 11.6, 12.1, 9.8, 9.5oC, respectively. The threshold of development for P. gossypiella generation was 11.7oC. Based on the estimated threshold of development and duration of each developmental stage at the respective rearing temperature, the average of thermal constant was estimated as 73.59 for egg stage, 298.76 for larvae, 124.98 for pupae, 299.49 for adult male, 338.96 for adult female and 567.8 DDs for P. gossypiella generation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Misr Journal of Agricultural Engineering is the property of Egyptian National Agricultural Library (ENAL) 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.)

The study of squeezing fluids is considered to be one of the most important areas of scientific research due to its various engineering and bioapplications such as the squeezing processes that occur in the brake mechanisms in trucks and Piston’s systems, liquid metal lubrication systems, polymer processing and compression/injection molding as well as the contraction processes in the arteries and veins. This work deals with the study of one of these applications through modeling using the basic equations governing the squeezing fluids and their boundary conditions, and the presence of some external thermal influences such as the magnetic field and linear/nonlinear thermal radiation in its basic form as a nonlinear partial differential equations system, then converting this system into nonlinear ordinary differential equations that were solved numerically and analytically for special cases. The results focused on showing the thermal and flow behavior of the fluid at different concentrations of nanoparticles, which induce the effect of thermal forces represented by the magnetic field and thermal radiation. These results were demonstrated through a set of graphs and tables and discussed in detail, and in summary, some important results were found from the physical analysis. For some of these results, the use of different types and concentrations of particles increases the viscosity of the fluid, which causes an increase in temperature ranging between 17% and 45%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The normal penetration of armor-piercing projectiles into single and multi-layered steel plates has been investigated. An experimental program has been conducted to study the effect of spaced and in-contact layered targets on their ballistic resistance. Armor piercing projectiles with caliber of 7.62 mm were fired against a series of single and multi-layered steel targets. The projectile impact velocities were ranged from 300-600 m/s, whereas the total thicknesses of the tested single, spaced and in-contact layered steel targets were 3 mm. The penetration process of different tested target configurations has been simulated using Autodayn-2D hydrocode. The experimental measurements of the present work were used to discuss the effect of impact velocity, target configurations and number of layers of different spaced and in-contact layered steel targets on their ballistic resistance. In addition, the post-firing examination of the tested targets over the used impact velocity range showed that the single and each layer of spaced and in-contact laminated steel targets were failed by petalling. Finally, the obtained experimental measurements were compared with the corresponding numerical results of Autodyn-2D hydrocode, good agreement was generally obtained.

The prevalence of vision impairment is increasing at an alarming rate. The goal of the study was to create an automated method that uses optical coherence tomography (OCT) to classify retinal disorders into four categories: choroidal neovascularization, diabetic macular edema, drusen, and normal cases. This study proposed a new framework that combines machine learning and deep learning-based techniques. The utilized classifiers were support vector machine (SVM), K-nearest neighbor (K-NN), decision tree (DT), and ensemble model (EM). A feature extractor, the InceptionV3 convolutional neural network, was also employed. The performance of the models was evaluated against nine criteria using a dataset of 18000 OCT images. For the SVM, K-NN, DT, and EM classifiers, the analysis exhibited state-of-the-art performance, with classification accuracies of 99.43%, 99.54%, 97.98%, and 99.31%, respectively. A promising methodology has been introduced for the automatic identification and classification of retinal disorders, leading to reduced human error and saved time., (© 2024 IOP Publishing Ltd.)

Background: Femoral neck fractures in children are uncommon, making up little more than 1% of all paediatric fractures. It's not apparent which type of internal fixation-closed or open-is preferable in these situations when it comes to therapeutic options. When treating children with displaced femoral neck fractures, serious problems can arise., Methods: Five databases were examined: Medline Plus, PubMed, Scopus, Science Direct, and Web of Science. The outcomes that were relevant for the meta-analysis were non-union, coxa vara, and avascular necrosis. Using the RevMan file, we extracted the data and carried out the analysis (Review Manager Version 5.3)., Results: 294 patients had ORIF procedures and 266 patients had CRIF procedures in the included trials. Regarding the outcome of avascular necrosis, we discovered that there was no statistically significant difference between the two groups (RR = 0.84, [95% confidence range (CI) = 0.60, 1.18], P = 0.32). There was homogeneity in the data (P = 0.22, I2 = 27%). When it came to coxa vara, there was no statistically significant difference between the two groups (RR = 0.69, [95% CI = 0.30, 1.58], P = 0.38). There was homogeneity in the data (P = 0.22, I2 = 27%). Regarding non-union, the similar outcome was seen (RR = 0.45, [95% CI = 0.16, 1.14], P = 0.12). There was homogeneity in the data (P = 0.49, I2 = 0%)., Conclusion: Regarding reducing the risk of non-union, coxa vara, and avascular necrosis, we did not find any difference between CRIF and ORIF. To validate this outcome, however, additional research on the various variables (fracture type, age, displacement, fixation technique, and duration of surgery) is required. Sorting patients based on the kind of fracture will ensure that the right approach is used for each type., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflicts of interest., (© 2024 Professor P K Surendran Memorial Education Foundation. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: Malnutrition presents a major global health burden. In Egypt, it remains an important issue in children under 5 years especially in rural communities., Aim of the Study: The aim of the study was to screen 2-5 years old children enrolled from Egyptian hospitals in rural and urban areas for the risk of malnutrition using Screening Tool for Assessment of Malnutrition in Pediatric (STAMP) and to evaluate the effectiveness of nutritional intervention programs., Subjects and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 90 patients recruited from two hospitals in urban and rural Cairo, Dietary history and anthropometric measurements were assessed. Patients at intermediate and severe risk of malnutrition according to STAMP were given tailored nutritional programs., Results: In the rural hospital, 4.4% of the screened children were underweight, 22.2% were marginally underweight, and 73.3% had normal weight. Regarding the urban hospital, 15.6% were marginally underweight, 84.4% had normal weight and no underweight patients. Among the rural group 35.6% were at high risk according to STAMP score results compared to 20% in the urban group. Nevertheless, the only significant differences were the more stunting and higher BMI in rural hospital patients. After nutritional intervention, high-risk category patients decreased in both groups coupled by significant improvement in the anthropometric parameters and nutrition data with no significant differences between them., Conclusion: Nutritional education and prompt implementation of nutritional rehabilitation program for malnourished children detected by screening tools result in improvement in their nutritional status disregards their location whether urban or rural., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest All co-authors have shared in this work and have approved the final manuscript. Ethical committee approval at the pediatric department, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University was obtained, and the parents or care givers of each patient gave an informed consent before participating in the study., (Copyright © 2023 European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The mechanical performance of the Ilizarov system is closely related to the biologic status of the fracture or osteotomy line. The aim of this study was to compare the mechanical performance of 2 different Ilizarov frame configurations. Two different frame models were applied to cow tibiae, 1 with 2 rings only, 1 proximal and another distal, vs the conventional 4 rings, 2 proximal and 2 distal. The 2 models were applied to both tibiae of the same animal to overcome variations between the animal's bones. The midpoint of the tibial bones was osteotomized, and the osteotomy was distracted for 2 cm. Six identical samples for each model were created, and each identical sample of each model was tested under axial compression. Mechanical testing was performed with a load cell of 20,000 N and a speed of 2 mm/min. Measurements were evaluated using load cell and goniometric grading; load deformation was calculated using load-deformation graphs. Our comparison showed that the 4-ring frame had 37.5% greater stiffness than the 2-ring frame under direct loading under larger loads ( P <.01). A comparison between the 4- and 2-ring configurations demonstrated that the 4-ring frame had 7% greater stiffness than the 2-ring frame under direct loading under smaller loads ( P >.05). An excellent outcome can be achieved by using a conventional 4-ring frame, but the use of the 2-ring frame remains an available option for fixation of fractures in low-weight patients. [ Orthopedics . 2023;46(3):152-157.].

Background: Shoulder abduction is an essential movement for placement of the hand in space and thus for upper limb function. The objective of this study was to introduce and test the effectiveness of a new technique of latissimus dorsi tendon transfer to deltoid insertion to restore shoulder abduction., Methods: We prospectively included 10 male patients with a lost deltoid function. Their mean age was 34.6 years (range, 25-46). We describe a new technique to compensate for the loss of the deltoid function using a latissimus dorsi tendon transfer augmented with a semitendinosus tendon graft. The tendon graft is passed over the acromion and attached to the anatomical deltoid insertion. Postoperatively, a shoulder spica in 90° abduction was used for six weeks followed by physiotherapy., Results: Patients were followed up for a mean of 25.4 months (range, 12-48). The mean range of active shoulder abduction rose to 110° (range, 90-140°) with a mean gain of 83° of abduction., Conclusions: This procedure can be a useful technique for restoration of a significant range and strength of active shoulder abduction., (© The Author(s) 2021.)

Quantitative grading and classification of the severity of facial paralysis (FP) are important for selecting the treatment plan and detecting subtle improvement that cannot be detected clinically. To date, none of the available FP grading systems have gained widespread clinical acceptance. The work presented here describes the development and testing of a system for FP grading and assessment which is part of a comprehensive evaluation system for FP. The system is based on the Kinect v2 hardware and the accompanying software SDK 2.0 in extracting the real time facial landmarks and facial animation units (FAUs). The aim of this paper is to describe the development and testing of the FP assessment phase (first phase) of a larger comprehensive evaluation system of FP. The system includes two phases; FP assessment and FP classification. A dataset of 375 records from 13 unilateral FP patients was compiled for this study. The FP assessment includes three separate modules. One module is the symmetry assessment of both facial sides at rest and while performing five voluntary facial movements. Another module is responsible for recognizing the facial movements. The last module assesses the performance of each facial movement for both sides of the face depending on the involved FAUs. The study validates that the FAUs captured using the Kinect sensor can be processed and used to develop an effective tool for the automatic evaluation of FP. The developed FP grading system provides a detailed quantitative report and has significant advantages over the existing grading scales. It is fast, easy to use, user-independent, low cost, quantitative, and automated and hence it is suitable to be used as a clinical tool., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2022 Gaber et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Different arthroscopic repair techniques have been described for various tear types. Several series have reported successful outcomes for arthroscopic repair of superficial tear of the triangular fibrocartilage complex (TFCC) tears using the outside-in technique. Described techniques entail usage of special instruments for passage of sutures and/or use of many incisions. We describe an arthroscopic technique for repair of superficial part of TFCC through the 6R portal by single hypodermic needle, with no additional skin incisions or special equipment., (© 2022 The Authors.)

Purpose: Two different locking plate designs are now being used for volar plating of the distal radius fractures based on the freedom of screw direction; the fixed-angle, and the variable-angle (polyaxial) plates. We investigated the clinical and radiographic outcomes of both designs., Methods: We reviewed 96 patients with 113 unstable distal radius fractures that were operated on with volar locking plates. The patients' mean age was 41 years. Fixed-angle volar locking plates were utilized in 65 fractures and variable-angle volar locking plates in 48 fractures through modified Henry approach or extended carpal tunnel approach. Full clinical and radiographic evaluation was done for all patients with a mean follow-up of 14 months., Results: All patients had acceptable clinical and radiographic parameters. The overall functional results (Mayo score, Quick Disability of Arm, Shoulder, and Hand (Q-DASH) score, Range of motion (ROM), and grip strength) were in favor of the variable-angle plate. The radiographic parameters were better with the variable-angle group. The variable-angle group recorded less operative time but more mean image intensifier exposure time. There were two cases of flexor tendon rupture with the fixed-angle group. Fixation with the fixed-angle system needed K-wire augmentation more than the variable-angle group. There was a positive correlation between hand dominance and the final score., Conclusion: Distal radius volar locking plates yield satisfactory results comparable among different designs. In our series, the variable-angle system showed slightly better function and radiographic outcomes. Supplementary K-wires were needed more frequently with the fixed-angle system., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Purpose: To compare the clinical outcomes of arthroscopically-assisted suture anchor repair and transosseous sutures for repair of foveal triangular fibrocartilage complex tears in patients with distal radioulnar joint (DRUJ) instability., Methods: Sixty patients with triangular fibrocartilage complex foveal detachment associated with DRUJ instability were prospectively recruited and randomized into 2 equal groups-the anchor repair group and the transosseous repair group. The primary outcome was DRUJ function after 2 years, which was assessed by the DRUJ evaluating system. The secondary outcomes were grip strength, visual analog scale for pain, Mayo Modified Wrist ScorePatient-Rated Wrist Evaluation score, and the Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand score., Results: There were no significant differences between the groups for any of the outcome measures. Good-to-excellent outcomes (according to the DRUJ evaluation system) were achieved in 27 (90%) patients in the anchor repair group and 26 (86.7%) patients in the transosseous repair group. Fewer complications were observed in the anchor repair group., Conclusions: Both techniques yielded good and comparable outcomes with a lesser incidence of early complications in the anchor repair group., Type of Study/level of Evidence: Therapeutic II., (Copyright © 2022 American Society for Surgery of the Hand. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The incidence of vision impairment is rapidly increasing. Diagnosis and classifying retinal abnormalities in ophthalmological applications is a significant challenge. Using Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT), the study aims to develop a computer aided diagnosis system for detecting and classifying retinal disorders. Choroidal neovascularization, diabetic macular edema, drusen, and normal cases are the investigated groups. Both deep learning and machine learning are combined to build the system. The SqueezeNet neural network was modified to extract features. The Support Vector Machine (SVM), K-Nearest Neighbor (K-NN), Decision Tree (DT), and Ensemble Model (EM) algorithms were used for disorder classification. The Bayesian optimization technique was also used to determine the best hyperparameters for each model. The model' performance was evaluated through nine criteria using 12,000 OCT images. The results have demonstrated accuracies of 97.39, 97.47, 96.98, and 95.25% for the SVM, K-NN, DT, and EM, respectively. When results are compared to relevant studies in terms of accuracy and tested samples, they show superior performance. As a result, a novel computer-aided diagnosis system for detecting and classifying retinal diseases has been developed, reducing human error while also saving time., (© 2022 Walter de Gruyter GmbH, Berlin/Boston.)

Background: Open reduction internal fixation (ORIF) is the gold standard management of fractures of the distal humerus. Stable fixation to allow early mobilization is not always possible in cases with comminuted fracture patterns and bone loss, with a high failure rate. We propose augmentation of internal fixation in these unstable situations with a spanning plate across the elbow to protect the fixation construct temporarily until bone union., Methods: Eighteen patients with complex distal humeral fractures were managed with standard ORIF technique augmented with a temporary plate spanning across the elbow as an internal fixator. Cases included were either very distal, comminuted (6 cases) or insufficiency fractures (4 cases) or revision fixation cases (8 cases). The temporary spanning plate was removed as soon as signs of early radiographic union were detected., Results: Seventeen patients were available for final follow up at a mean 28.3 months. The spanning plate was removed after 3.4 months on average. At the final follow-up, the mean elbow total arc of motion was 86.3°. The mean Mayo Elbow Performance Score (MEPS) was 80, and the mean Quick Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (Q-DASH) score was 27., Conclusion: Spanning the elbow temporarily with a plate in adjunct to standard ORIF technique is both simple and effective in achieving fracture stability and union and minimizes failure rates after fixation of comminuted, very distal fractures, osteoporotic cases, or revision fixation cases with bone loss., Level of Evidence: Level IV, Therapeutic study., (© 2021. The Author(s).)

Purpose: This study aims to histologically compare the median nerve in the arm, forearm, and wrist, to help understand how cervical radiculopathy in a double crush phenomenon causes distal nerve dysfunction at the carpal tunnel and median nerve with concurrent absence of symptoms at the forearm. Methods: The study was performed on 12 fresh cadaveric upper limbs free from any injury or operation. Male cadavers in the age range of 35-40 years were used. The dissection of the median nerve and the histological examination of the specimens from the arm, forearm, and wrist were conducted to evaluate variations in the epineurium thickness (μm), perineurium thickness (μm), number of fascicles per nerve trunk, area percent of myelin covering, and area percent of neurolemmal sheath. Results: Morphometric and statistical results of the cadaveric median nerve trunk revealed that the mean epineurium and perineurium thickness measured in H&E-stained sections in the forearm were significantly greater than those in the arm and wrist specimens. Further, the mean percent area of the myelin covering in the forearm was significantly lower than that in the arm and wrist specimens in the sections stained with osmium oxide ( p < 0.001). There were, however, no significant differences in the neurolemmal sheath among the arm, forearm, and wrist specimens in the silver-stained sections. Conclusion: The histological differences explained the high concomitant occurrence of carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) and cervical radiculopathy and the concurrent absence of symptoms at the forearm. Hence, we suggest cautious evaluation of patients with upper limb symptoms, since the management of these conditions requires a different approach., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2021 Abdalbary, Abdel-Wahed, Amr, Mahmoud, El-Shaarawy, Salaheldin and Fares.)