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This study examined the water uptake (WU) behavior of recycled high-density polyethylene (RHDPE). The biocomposites made of palm waste Washingtonia (PWW) fibers were treated with 3% sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3) for 24 h. Several RHDPE materials reinforced with different concentrations of PWW fibers (5 to 30 wt.%) until saturation, or roughly 25 days, were developed to investigate the WU kinetics and diffusion in biocomposites. An artificial neural network (ANN) and the response surface methodology (RSM) methods were applied to model the behavior of uptake measured in experiments and optimize the immersion period and PWW fiber content in RHDPE/PWW biocomposite WU. The WU moved swiftly during the first test phase and was completed after 400 h of soaking. The outcomes demonstrated a perfect fit between the observed and anticipated data. Findings showed that the ANN models’ training, test, and validation correlation coefficients were 0.9984, 0.9955, and 0.9723, respectively, for predicting WU. Concerning accuracy and reliability, the ANN model outperformed the RSM model, making it suitable for various industrial uses. The results offer helpful information for professionals to consider when developing and implementing PWW fiber biocomposites.

Abstract Introduction The incidence of periprosthetic distal femur fractures (PDFF) is increasing as the number of total knee replacements becomes more common. This study compared the demographics, fracture characteristics, treatment, and outcomes of periprosthetic versus native distal femur fractures (NDFF). Materials and methods This was a retrospective cohort study of patients ≥ 18 who underwent surgical fixation of NDFF or PDFF from 2012 to 2020 at a level-1 trauma center. The main variables collected included demographics, AO/OTA fracture classification, fixation construct, concomitant fractures, polytrauma rates, bone density, and reduction quality. Primary outcomes were unexpected return to the operating room (UROR), hospital length of stay, and quality of reduction. T-tests, Fisher’s exact tests, and multivariate analyses were used for statistical analysis. Results 209 patients were identified, including 70 PDFF and 139 NDFF. PDFF patients were elderly females (81%) with isolated (80%) and comminuted (85%) 33 A.3 (71%) fractures. NDFF patients included 53% females, were commonly middle-aged, and displayed comminuted (92%) 33 C.2 fractures. 48% of NDFF patients had concomitant fractures. Intramedullary nailing was the primary fixation for both groups, followed by nail-plate combination (37%) for PDFF and lateral locking plates (21%) for NDFF. NDFF patients experienced significantly longer hospital stays, higher UROR rates, and worse quality of reduction (p

Background:. Sacral (S1) pedicle screw misplacement in posterior percutaneous fixation (PPF) can be related to anatomical variability and a lack of reliable radiographic landmarks. This study highlights a reproducible anatomical landmark (the “V” sign) for the safe localization of the S1 pedicle entry point under fluoroscopy. Methods:. Human cadavers (n = 14) were dissected for the anatomical description of the “V” landmark and its relationship with the entry point of the S1 pedicle screw. The “V” landmark was defined medially by the lateral border of the superior articulating process of S1 and laterally by the posterior projection of the sacral ala. The mean distance was measured between the bottom point of the “V” landmark and the anatomical entry point to the S1 pedicle (V-S1 entry point distance). A similar measurement was conducted on computed tomography (CT) scans of 135 patients who underwent PPF using the “V” sign as a landmark for S1 pedicle screw placement (270 screws). These were retrospectively evaluated for appropriateness of S1 screw entry points and for proper S1 screw alignment and breaches. Results:. In the 14 cadavers, irrespective of the laterality and sex, the V-S1 entry point distance averaged 11.7 mm. On the medial-lateral axis, all entry points converged within 2 mm of a vertical line intersecting the base of the “V.” Additionally, the CT scan analysis (135 patients, 270 screws) revealed an optimal entry point for 100% of the screws and a 3.3% (n = 9 screws) breach rate. Six of the 9 identified breaches were minor, and only 1 (0.4% of the 270 screws) warranted revision. Conclusions:. The “V” sign serves as a reliable anatomical and radiographic landmark for identifying the S1 pedicle entry point under fluoroscopic guidance. This landmark can help surgeons overcome the radiographic ambiguity of the sacral anatomy and ultimately reduces the rate of S1 pedicle screw misplacement. Level of evidence:. Diagnostic Level IV. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

The building sector is one of the most dynamic in terms of energy consumption, consuming about 40% of the world’s energy. This same sector is also responsible for about 1/3 of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions. In recent years, the adoption of composite materials, particularly those strengthened through the use of natural fibers is growing in all areas. This increase is the direct result of the important performances offered by these materials and that includes lightness, thermal, and acoustic insulation along with respect for the environment. This led to the integration of materials, such as bio composites or bio sandwiches, into various building structures constructions relating to civil engineering. However, numerous researches related to bio composites showed the need to explore them further particularly concerning the issue of moisture absorption as the presence of water affects the behavior of plant fibers both in terms of swelling and degradation. It is within this context that the present study focuses on modeling the water absorption behavior of bio sandwich materials having an agglomerated cork core associated with fibers extracted from the plant Quercussuber L. Fick’s law and Artificial Neural Network (ANN) are applied to model the experimental results pertaining to this absorption behavior. The experimental investigation starts by placing the original samples in tank filled with distilled water at an ambient temperature of 25°C. Mass samples are later and periodically taken on specimen with cork core having different thicknesses (5, 10, and 20 mm) as well as on laminated skin sandwiches made of short flax fibers until saturation that lasted around 25 days. The two Fick’s diffusion characteristic parameters represented by the mass gain at saturation (Mm) and the diffusion coefficient (D) were determined analytically and water absorption kinetics behavior was recorded and later compared to the curves predicted by Fick’s laws. Statistical processing of the results was carried out through the application of the analysis of variance ANOVA.

Natural fiber composites are being increasingly used in several fields, owing to their considerable cost, weight, and environmental benefits. The objective of this research is to study the effect of water absorption on the behavior of laminated biocomposites using flax (F) and sisal (S) fiber biocomposites with different stacking sequences (3S and 3F) and fiber orientation at 90° (F090s and S090s), as well as hybridizations (F/4S90/F and S/4F90/S) to reinforce an epoxy matrix. The kinetics of water diffusion within the proposed biocomposites was monitored and analyzed through a model-based optimization approach using artificial neural network (ANN) method. The results of this study showed that the amount of water absorbed by different types of biocomposites increased with time according to Fick’s law. Non-hybrid flax and sisal fiber composites (UD and (0/90°)s oriented) had lower water absorption rates than the hybrid orientation. It was also observed that sisal fiber was most sensitive to water absorption than flax. A high correlation of experimental data with the model was revealed which denoted that the ANN learning process was perfectly performed. Therefore, it was inferred that the ANN approach can accurately predict biocomposites water absorption.

Artificial neural networks (ANN) and response surface method (RSM) modeling were used to study the effect of water absorption on the behavior of jute (JF/epoxy) and sisal (SF/epoxy) biocomposite. The specimens were laminated with short fibers of different lengths (5 mm, 10 mm, and 15 mm) of jute and sisal until saturation lasted about 25 days. The kinetic behavior of water uptake was recorded and then compared to the curves predicted by the two models. The results showed that the water absorption of the jute and sisal biocomposites was fairly lower for the 5 mm length compared to the 10 mm and 15 mm lengths. The optimized solution is attained with 1.00 desirability for 14.73 mm fiber length and 482.85 h immersion time. The RSM model error percentages were higher than the ANN model indicating better accuracy in predicting the water uptake of biocomposites by the ANN model compared to RSM. The results of this investigation offer benefits for the application of jute and sisal fiber biocomposites at the elaboration and application stage; it is easy for engineers to identify the swelling factor of these biocomposites without the need for experiments, thus avoiding costs and time.

Abstract Purpose Anti-angiogenic therapies are among the most commonly used drugs in renal cell carcinoma. Tumor vascularity, defined by microvessel area, may be associated with response to these drugs. Clinical studies suggest that metastatic sites are more responsive than primary tumors. Our purpose was to characterize microvessel area (MVA) in matched primary and metastatic samples and in samples of different histologies. Methods We employed a method of automated, quantitative analysis of in situ tumor components to identify the area of CD-34 staining endothelial cells within renal cell carcinoma tumors. MVA was assessed in corresponding primary and metastatic samples from 34 patients, as well as in 334 primary nephrectomy specimens with variable histologies. Results MVA measurements from different parts of the same tumor correlated well (R = 0.75), indicating that MVA was fairly uniform within a tumor. While MVA was slightly higher in primary tumors than corresponding metastatic sites, the difference was not statistically significant (P = 0.1). MVA in paired primary and metastatic samples correlated moderately well (R = 0.36). MVA was higher in clear cell than papillary histology and oncocytomas (P Conclusions Lack of significant differences MVA in matched primary and metastatic samples suggests that both types of tumors should respond to anti-angiogenic drugs. This should be confirmed on additional cohorts. Given the small cohort, future predictive biomarker studies entailing MVA measurements should include specimens from both sites. Clear cell carcinomas are more vascular than other histologic subtypes, which may explain the higher response rates to anti-angiogenic therapies in clear cell tumors.

Abstract Background Chrysanthemic acid (CHA) is a major product from the photodecomposition of pyrethrin which is an important class of pesticide compounds. In the following paper, Hybrid density functional theory (DFT) calculations of the potential energy surface (PES) for three possible channels decomposition of chrysanthemic acid (cis-trans isomerization, rearrangement and fragmentation) have been carried at the B3LYP/6-311+G** level of theory. DFT was employed to optimize the geometry parameters of the reactants, transition states, intermediates and products based on detailed potential energy surfaces (PES). Results Our results suggest that all three pathways of CHA are endothermic. DFT calculations revealed that the activation barriers for cis-trans isomerization are low, leading to a thermodynamically favorable process than other two pathways. We also investigated the solvent effect on the PES using the polarizable continuum model (PCM). In addition, time-dependent density functional theory (TDDFT) calculations showed that these reactions occur in the ground state rather than in an excited state. Conclusion The rearrangement process seems to be more favorable than the decomposition of CHA to carbene formation. The solvent effect calculations indicated no changes in the shape of the PES with three continua (water, ethanol and cyclohexane), although the solvents tend to stabilize all of the species.

Abstract Background PI3K and mTOR are key components of signal transduction pathways critical for cell survival. Numerous PI3K inhibitors have entered clinical trials, while mTOR is the target of approved drugs for metastatic renal cell carcinoma (RCC). We characterized expression of p85 and p110α PI3K subunits and mTOR in RCC specimens and assessed pharmacologic co-targeting of these molecules in vitro. Methods We employed tissue microarrays containing 330 nephrectomy cases using a novel immunofluorescence-based method of Automated Quantitative Analysis (AQUA) of in situ protein expression. In RCC cell lines we assessed synergism between PI3K and mTOR inhibitors and activity of NVP-BEZ235, which co-targets PI3K and mTOR. Results p85 expression was associated with high stage and grade (P < 0.0001 for both). High p85 and high mTOR expression were strongly associated with decreased survival, and high p85 was independently prognostic on multi-variable analysis. Strong co-expression of both PI3K subunits and mTOR was found in the human specimens. The PI3K inhibitor LY294002 and rapamycin were highly synergistic in all six RCC cell lines studied. Similar synergism was seen with all rapamycin concentrations used. NVP-BEZ235 inhibited RCC cell growth in vitro with IC50s in the low ηM range and resultant PARP cleavage. Conclusions High PI3K and mTOR expression in RCC defines populations with decreased survival, suggesting that they are good drug targets in RCC. These targets tend to be co-expressed, and co-targeting these molecules is synergistic. NVP-BEZ235 is active in RCC cells in vitro; suggesting that concurrent PI3K and mTOR targeting in RCC warrants further investigation.

Many contaminants from scattered sources constantly endanger streams that flow through heavily inhabited areas, commercial districts, and industrial hubs. The responses of transplanted mussels in streams in active biomonitoring programs will reflect the dynamics of environmental stream conditions. This study evaluated the untargeted metabolomic and proteomic responses and free radical scavenging activities of transplanted mussels Sinanodonta woodiana in the Winongo Stream at three stations (S1, S2, S3) representing different pollution levels: low (S1), high (S2), and moderate (S3). The investigation examined untargeted metabolomic and proteomic responses in the gills and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) activities in the gills, mantle, and digestive glands. Metabolomic analysis revealed a clear separation between mussel responses from the three stations after 28 days of exposure, with specific metabolites responding to different pollution levels. Proteomic analysis identified β-Actin protein in all stations. The β-Actin protein sequence of unexposed mussels had coverage of 17%, and increased to 23% at S1 on day 28 and 34% at S2 and S3 on day 28. All tissues showed increased DPPH and ABTS activities from day 3 to day 28, mainly in stations S2 and S3. These findings underscore the impact of pollution levels on the metabolomic and proteomic responses of S. woodiana and the importance of these discoveries as early indicators (biomarkers) of long-term aquatic environmental problems. In the face of current environmental challenges, this research raises concerns about the health of water bodies. It underscores the importance of developing robust, standardized, and dependable analytical techniques for monitoring the health of aquatic environments., Competing Interests: Compliance with ethical standards. Conflict of interest: The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2025. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Urine amylase levels are usually used to diagnose acute pancreatitis. However, there are reported cases where urine amylase levels are slightly increased in individuals without pancreatitis. Herein, we report the case of a young lady who presented with acute abdominal pain for 3 days. Her urine amylase level was 1717 U/L upon admission, and her condition was initially treated as acute pancreatitis. Unfortunately, the patient demonstrated abdominal guarding after 24 h; thus, urgent computed tomography (CT) was performed. CT revealed the presence of a dilated small bowel. She underwent emergency laparotomy, wherein a gangrenous small bowel with no evidence of saponification at the lesser sac was noted. Due to the non-specific nature of hyperamylasaemia, an alternative diagnosis other than acute pancreatitis should be considered if the clinical symptoms are not suggestive of pancreatitis or the condition worsens despite conservative management., Competing Interests: None., (© Academy of Family Physicians of Malaysia.)

Diabetes mellitus poses a significant health challenge globally, often leading to debilitating complications, such as neuropathy and retinopathy. Quercetin, a flavonoid prevalent in fruits and vegetables, has demonstrated potential therapeutic effects in these conditions due to its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and neuroprotective properties. This review summarizes and provides a comprehensive understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying the efficacy of quercetin in ameliorating diabetic neuropathy and retinopathy. A thorough search was carried out across scientific databases, such as SciFinder, PubMed, and Google Scholar, to gather pertinent literature regarding the effect of quercetin on diabetic neuropathy and retinopathy till February 2024. Preclinical studies indicate that quercetin mitigates neuropathic pain, sensory deficits, and nerve damage associated with diabetic neuropathy by improving neuronal function, reducing DNA damage, regulating pro-inflammatory cytokines, enhancing antioxidant enzyme levels and endothelial function, as well as restoring nerve injuries. In diabetic retinopathy, quercetin shows the potential to preserve retinal structure and function, inhibiting neovascularization, preventing retinal cell death, reducing pro-inflammatory cytokines, and increasing neurotrophic factor levels. Moreover, through modulating key signaling pathways, such as AMP-activated Protein Kinase (AMPK) activation, Glucose Transporter 4 (GLUT 4) upregulation, and insulin secretion regulation, quercetin demonstrates efficacy in reducing oxidative stress and inflammation, thereby protecting nerve and retinal tissues. Despite promising preclinical findings, challenges, such as limited bioavailability, necessitate further research to optimize quercetin's clinical application in order to establish its optimal dosage, formulation, and long-term efficacy in clinical settings., (Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.net.)

The global expansion of the COVID-19 outbreak is one of the worst disasters the world has faced in recent decades. This study explored various factors of knowledge, attitude, and practice regarding COVID-19 among Bangladeshi undergraduate university students. In addition, we also look at how COVID-19 based knowledge, attitude, and practice influence each other. Using a random sampling technique and a self-administered structured questionnaire survey, this study collected data from 167 private university students in Bangladesh from 1st October to 30th October 2020. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics (including frequencies, percentages, and means), binary logistic regression, bivariate regression analysis, and factor analysis. The findings suggest that most of the students learned about COVID-19 from various sources, including news media (TV, radio, newspapers, etc.), international organizations (WHO, UN, etc.), various government programs, or from their friends, family members, or neighbors. Most of the students were concerned about becoming sick, keeping social distance, and family members' job insecurity, followed by the university shutdown and the subsequent quarantine. Many students believe Bangladesh's media, government, medical sector, and religious organizations played a significant role during COVID-19. Binary logistic regression demonstrates that students' gender, department, and residency significantly explained their COVID-19 knowledge. In addition, students' attitudes significantly vary with their religion and place of residence. Students' departments and semesters found significant in explaining their practice regarding COVID-19. Moreover, factor analysis results also identified several crucial factors in explaining students' overall knowledge, attitude, and practice of COVID-19. Finally, we found a statistically significant relationship between knowledge, attitude, and practice.

Urban trees and forests play a vital role in maintaining the balance of urban ecosystems and mitigating global warming. However, due to the lack of data and information on the potential of urban forests, their importance remains largely unknown. This study aims to describe citizens' perceptions of trees and assess the forest community's density, diversity, and carbon stock in the residential area of Bobo-Dioulasso, the second-largest city in Burkina Faso. To carry out the study, tree inventories, and interviews were conducted on 240 selected dwellinghouses using a two-stage stratified sampling approach. The sample was allocated proportionally to three strata based on their population size: the center town (20 %), pericenter (20 %), and periphery (60 %). Trees were found in 86 % ± 0.5 % of dwellings, with an average of four trees per dwellinghouse (4 ± 1). About 63 % of households reported planting trees in their homes, including along roadsides. The main motivations for planting trees were for fruits, shading, and ornamental purposes. However, factors such as discomfort, property ownership, and management costs discouraged some residents from planting more trees. A total of 934 trees belonging to 69 species and 30 botanic families were counted in the study sample. The most abundant species families were Anacardiaceae, Moraceae, and Moringaceae. Mangifera indica (41 %), Ficus polita (12 %), and Moringa oleifera (8 %) had the highest relative densities of all species found in dwellings. Using existing allometric equations, the study estimated that the residential area trees stored about 210,000 tons of carbon dioxide equivalent. Based on these findings, it is recommended that city governments implement an action plan to promote urban forestry to strengthen and protect urban forest cover., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2023 The Authors.)

Salmonella spp. is considered one of the most important causes of food-borne illness globally. Poultry and its products are usually incriminated in its spread. Treatment with antibiotics is the first choice to deal with such cases; however, multi-drug resistance and biofilm formation have been recorded in animals and humans. This study aimed to detect the antibiotic profile of isolated traits from different sources and to find innovative alternatives, such as MOFs. A total of 350 samples were collected from randomly selected retailed poultry shops in Beni-Suef Province, Egypt. Their antimicrobial susceptibility against eight different antibiotics was tested, and multi-drug resistance was found in most of them. Surprisingly, promising results toward MOF were detected. Cu/Ni/Co-MOF (MOF3) showed superior antibacterial efficiency to Cu/Ni-MOF (MOF2) and Cu-MOF (MOF1) at p value ≤ 0.01. These findings highlight the tendency of Salmonella spp. to develop MDR to most of the antibiotics used in the field and the need to find new alternatives to overcome it, as well as confirming the ability of the environment to act as a source of human and animal affection.

Bacterial resistance to conventional antibiotics is a serious challenge that requires novel antibacterial agents. Moreover, wastewater from dairy farms might contain countless number of pathogens, organic contaminants and heavy metals that consider a threat to the terrestrial and aquatic environment. Therefore, the development of cost-effective, highly operation-convenient, recyclable multifunctional antimicrobial agents became an urgent necessity. Layered double hydroxides (LDH) have shown promising results as antibacterial agents. However, more work is required to further investigate and improve the antimicrobial performance of LDH structures against pathogens. In this study three Zn-Fe based LDH were investigated for real dairy wastewater disinfection. The three LDH samples were cobalt substituted Zn-Fe LDH (CoZnFe), magnesium substituted Zn-Fe LDH (MgZnFe) and MgZnFe-Triazol LDH (MgZnFe-Tz) nanocomposite. Seventy-five wastewater samples were collected from a dairy farm sewage system. The sensitivity of isolated pathogens was tested against two commonly used disinfectants (Terminator and TH4) and was assessed against the three LDH samples at different concentrations. The overall prevalence of S. agalactiae, S. dysgalactiae and Staph. aureus was significantly at 80.0% (P-value = 0.008, X2 = 9.700). There was variable degree of resistance to the tested disinfectants, whereas the antimicrobial activity of CoZnFe LDH was increased significantly at a concentration of 0.005 mg/L followed by MgZnFe LDH while MgZnFe-Tz LDH showed minor antibacterial potency. It was concluded that CoZnFe LDH showed a better biocidal activity in killing the isolated resistant pathogens, making it a good choice tool in combating the zoonotic microbes in wastewater sources., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Magnetorheological elastomer (MRE), which is capable of exhibiting magnetostriction in the presence of a magnetic field, has a great potential to be used for the development of sensor devices. Unfortunately, to date, many works focused on studying low modulus of MRE (less than 100 kPa) which can hamper their potential application in sensors due to short lifespan and low durability. Thus, in this work, MRE with storage modulus above 300 kPa is to be developed to enhance magnetostriction magnitude and reaction force (normal force). To achieve this goal, MREs are prepared with various compositions of carbonyl iron particles (CIPs), in particular, MRE with 60, 70 and 80 wt.% of CIP. It is shown that both the magnetostriction percentage and normal force increment are achieved as the concentration of CIPs increases. The highest magnetostriction magnitude of 0.075% is obtained with 80 wt.% of CIP, and this increment is higher than that of moderate stiffness MRE developed in the previous works. Therefore, the midrange range modulus MRE developed in this work can copiously produce the required magnetostriction value and potentially be implemented for the design of forefront sensor technology.

Strain localization is a significant issue that poses interesting research challenges in viscoelastic materials because it is difficult to accurately predict the damage evolution behavior. Over time, the damage mechanism in the amorphous structure of viscoelastic materials leads to subsequent localization into a shear band, gradually jeopardizing the materials' elastic sustainability. The primary goal of this study is to further understand the morphological effects and the role of shear bands in viscoelastic materials precipitated by strain localization. The current study aims to consolidate the various failure mechanisms of a sample and its geometry (surface-to-volume ratio) used in torsional testing, as well as to understand their effects on stress relaxation durability performance. A torsional shear load stress relaxation durability test was performed within the elastic region on an isotropic viscoelastic sample made of silicon rubber and a 70% weight fraction of micron-sized carbonyl iron particles. Degradation was caused by a shear band of localized plasticity that developed microscopically due to stress relaxation durability. The failure pattern deteriorated as the surface-to-volume ratio decreased. A field-emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM) and a tapping-mode atomic force microscope (AFM) were used for further observation and investigation of the sample. After at least 7500 cycles of continuous shearing, the elastic sustainability of the viscoelastic materials microstructurally degraded, as indicated by a decline in stress performance over time. Factors influencing the formation of shear bands were observed in postmortem, which was affected by simple micromanipulation of the sample geometry, making it applicable for practical implementation to accommodate any desired performance and micromechanical design applications.

The incidence of infective endocarditis is estimated to be around 30 cases per million inhabitants/year. It can be responsible for various neurological complications such as cerebral infarction, meningitis, cerebral abscesses, and cerebral hemorrhage due to ruptured mycotic aneurysms. Several germs have been incriminated in this condition including Staphylococcus , Streptococcus , and Enterococcus . We report the case of a 64-year-old patient who presented with an acute motor deficit of the left upper limb associated with dysarthria. MRI showed infarcts in both cerebral hemispheres, and the TOF sequence showed an amputation of M2. On transesophageal ultrasound, there was evidence of vegetations at the mitral valve. Blood culture isolated Streptococcus oralis . With antibiotic treatment, the evolution was marked by a stable apyrexia with regression of the dysarthria. Before her surgery, she suddenly developed aphasia with worsening of the motor deficit. CT scan showed a right fronto-parietal hematoma which was related to a ruptured cerebral aneurysm. She underwent endovascular embolisation and subsequent cardiac surgery., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Alassane Mamadou Diop et al.)

Filler additive is used to provide superior bonding in rubber matrix to enhance the storage modulus of magnetorheological elastomer (MRE). However, the magneto-induced modulus is reduced as the initial storage modulus increases. Therefore, this paper aims to increase the magneto-induced modulus and maintain the initial storage modulus by combining filler and plasticizer additives. Both types of additives have different functions, where cobalt ferrite (CoFe 2 O 4 ) is capable of enhancing the maximum storage modulus and silicone oil (SO) reduces the initial storage modulus. Thus, four MRE samples have been fabricated using (a) no additive, (b) CoFe 2 O 4 , (c) SO, and (d) a combination of CoFe 2 O 4 and SO. The sample's hardness and magnetic properties were investigated via Durometer Shore A and Vibrating Sample Magnetometer (VSM), respectively. Furthermore, the rheological properties of MRE samples in terms of storage modulus were investigated upon the frequency and magnetic field sweep using a rheometer. The results demonstrated that the storage modulus of the MRE samples has increased with increasing the oscillation frequency from 0.1 to 50 Hz. Interestingly, the combination of additives has produced the largest value of magneto-induced modulus of 0.90 MPa as compared to other samples. Furthermore, their initial storage modulus was in between samples with SO (lowest) and without additive (highest). Therefore, fundamental knowledge in adding the combination of additives can offer solutions for a wide range of stiffness in MR device applications such as vibration and noise control devices, sensing devices, and actuators.

The effect of thymol and ivermectin on the development and embryonation of Toxocara vitulorum ( T. vitulorum ) eggs, as well as their migration in albino rats was investigated both in vitro and in vivo. A total of forty male albino rats were divided into four groups for an in vivo experiment. The first group was uninfected; the second group was infected but left untreated; the third group was infected and received thymol at a dose of 40 mg/kg; and the fourth group was infected and received ivermectin (0.2 mg/kg). In vitro, thymol inhibited the development of Toxocara larvae within the eggs. However, ivermectin, produced inconsistent results. The in vivo results indicated that the recovery rates of Toxocara larvae from the liver and lungs on day 7 post-infection were significantly lower in the thymol or ivermectin-treated groups than in the infected untreated control. Albumin levels were significantly increased in the thymol-treated group as compared to the positive control and ivermectin groups. Nitric oxide, IL-4, and IFN- levels in the serum of the thymol or ivermectin-treated groups were significantly lower than that of the positive control group. Histopathological examination demonstrated that thymol and ivermectin were effective in reducing larval load, reducing the number and size of granulomas in the absence of larvae, and improving tissue architecture. The current study concluded that thymol possessed anti- Toxocara activity in a rat model. Additionally, thymol possessed ovicidal properties and may be used as a disinfectant., Competing Interests: Conflict of interestThe authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (© Indian Society for Parasitology 2022.)

The complexity of prescribing safe and effective drug therapy is still challenging. Due to the increased number of medications taken by patients, the potential for drug-drug interactions has clinically important consequences. This study focuses on the potential drug-drug interaction between azithromycin and etoricoxib and the possibility of counteracting this adverse reaction by giving ascorbic acid intraperitoneally to male albino rats. Sixty adult male albino rats weighing 150-180 g were used. The rats were allocated into six equal groups. One group was a control, and the others were given azithromycin, etoricoxib, either alone or combination, with one group treated with ascorbic acid and the last group treated with the drug combination and ascorbic acid. Blood samples were collected for measuring AST, ALT, LDH, CK-MB, and troponin alongside antioxidant enzymes and histopathological examination for both liver and heart tissue. The results showed both hepatic and cardiac damage in azithromycin and etoricoxib groups represented by increasing levels of heaptoc enzymes (ALT, AST, LDH, CK-MB, and troponin) with declining antioxidant enzymes and elevation of malondialdehyde and the appearance of hepatic and cardiac toxicities. Upon administration, ascorbic acid ameliorated all the mentioned biochemical parameters. In conclusion, ascorbic acid has great antioxidant capacities and hepatic and cardiac ameliorative effects and can alleviate drug interaction toxicity.

Temperature is one of the most influential factors affecting the performance of elastomer matrix in magnetorheological elastomer (MRE). Previous studies have utilized silica as a reinforcing filler in polymer composite and as a coating material in MRE to improve the thermal stability of the base material. However, the usage of silica as an additive in the thermal stability of MRE has not been explored. Thus, in this study, the effect of silica as an additive on the temperature-dependent mechanical and rheological properties of ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM)-based MREs was investigated by using 30 wt.% carbonyl iron particles (CIPs) as the main filler, with different contents of silica nanoparticles (0 to 11 wt.%). The microstructure analysis was examined by using field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), while the thermal characterizations were studied by using a thermogravimetric analyzer and differential scanning calorimetry. The tensile properties were conducted by using Instron Universal Testing Machine in the absence of magnetic field at various temperatures. Meanwhile, the rheological properties were analyzed under oscillatory loadings in the influence of magnetic field, using a rotational rheometer at 25 to 65 °C. The results revealed that the temperature has diminished the interfacial interactions between filler and matrix, thus affecting the properties of MRE, where the tensile properties and MR effect decrease with increasing temperature. However, the presence of silica capable improved the thermal stability of EPDM-based MRE by enhancing the interactions between filler and matrix, thus reducing the interfacial defects when under the influence of temperature. Consequently, the incorporation of silica nanoparticles as an additive in EPDM-based MRE requires more exploration, since it has the potential to sustain the properties of MRE devices in a variety of temperature conditions. Thus, the study on the temperature-dependent mechanical and rheological properties of MRE is necessary, particularly regarding its practical applications.

Magnetorheological elastomer (MRE) consists of magnetic particles known as carbonyl iron (CIPs), which have been locked in a silicone-based matrix, in various alignments. However, current MRE exhibits inadequate rheological properties due to several issues such as particle alignments. Therefore, in this study, a new approach of the particle alignment of CIPs in MRE, namely fountain-like structure, is introduced. It is expected that this kind of MRE exhibits enhancement rheological responses, in off- and on-state conditions. This work includes the development of a new mold that can produce various directions of magnetic flux lines in order to have fountain-like structures of CIPs in MRE, during the curing process. Three types of particle alignments in MRE, namely isotropic, fountain-like and inverted fountain-like, are fabricated. The rheological properties of MRE in terms of storage modulus and MR effect are measured in an oscillatory shear mode using a rheometer. The results have revealed that fountain-like MRE exhibits higher storage modulus than the isotropic MRE, approximately 0.6 MPa of increment in the strain sweep test, in an on-state condition. Furthermore, it has been demonstrated from strain, frequency and the current sweep test that the rheological properties of fountain-like MRE related to storage modulus and magnetorheological (MR) effect are higher compared to the inverted fountain-like MRE.

This study introduces a novel platform to predict complex modulus variables as a function of the applied magnetic field and other imperative variables using machine learning. The complex modulus prediction of magnetorheological (MR) elastomers is a challenging process, attributable to the material's highly nonlinear nature. This problem becomes apparent when considering various possible fabrication parameters. Furthermore, traditional parametric modeling methods are limited when applied to solve larger-scale cases involving large databases. Consequently, the application of non-parametric modeling such as machine learning has gained increasing attraction in recent years. Therefore, this work proposes a data-driven approach for predicting multiple input-dependent complex moduli using feedforward neural networks. Besides excitation frequency and magnetic flux density as operating conditions, the inputs consider compositions and curing conditions represented by magnetic particle weight percentage and the curing magnetic field, respectively. Extreme learning machines and artificial neural networks were used to train the models. The simulation results obtained at various curing conditions and other inputs confirm that the predicted complex modulus has high accuracy with an R 2 of about 0.997, as compared to the experimental results. Furthermore, the predicted complex modulus pattern and magnetorheological effect agree with the experimental data using both the learned and unlearned data., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Background: Wadi El Natrun microorganisms have been considered as a new resource for natural products due to its extreme condition of salinity and alkalinity. Therefore, this study was devoted to generate metagemic library from soils collected from such an extreme environment in order to clone a novel cellulase for physique industrial applications., Results: Total soil-DNA was successfully extracted, and then digested by different restriction enzymes. Purified fragments ranged ~ 200-6500 bp were ligated and were cloned into plasmid cloning vector (pUC19) by using Escherichia coli DH5α (E. coli) host cells. A constructed metagenomic library composed of 270 clones was screened on carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) agar plate where the active clones had been characterized by the formation of the yellowish halo zone. Thereafter, clone 1 was selected as the most active as being based on cellulase activity quantification (19 μ/ml). Plasmid related to clone 1 encoded cellSNSY gene of approximately 1.5 kb was subjected to molecular characterization; the obtained partial sequence of 861 bps encoded 287 amino acids showing 76% similarity to the endoglucanase gene of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens. The recombinant cellSNSY was expressed under lacz promoter at 1 mM of isopropyl β-d-1-thiogalactopyranoside (IPTG), giving 21 μ/ml cellulase after ~ 27 h. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and an activity staining of the recombinant cellSNSY which revealed an active band with a molecular mass ~ 59 kDa appeared in the induced sample. The maximum enzyme activity of crude cellSNSY was observed at 45 °C and for a pH of 8.5. Interestingly, the enzyme activity was slightly inhibited by ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid (EDTA) and methanol. It showed high resistance to the tested heavy metals and the surfactant which ordered Zn> (SDS,Fe)>Mn>Cu., Conclusions: This study established an easy and a skillful way to clone/express a new found cellulase gene(s) under lacZ promoter. The isolated recombinant cellSNSY showed 76% similarity to endoglucanase gene, and the enzyme showed tolerance to the mostly tested agents including heavy metals, surfactant, solvents, and EDTA. Additionally, the studied recombinant showed a high stability up to 55 °C and for alkaline pH 8.5. These features make it an ample and viable for many applications., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

In this study, magnetorheological elastomer (MRE) was fabricated using an electromagnetic device with a new configuration mold at the orientation of 0°, 45° and 90°. This new curing concept enhanced the alignment of carbonyl iron particles (CIPs) within the silicone matrix in the presence of silicone oil (SO) during solidifying, by eliminating air gaps to prevent magnetic flux losses. Using a mold made of steel, which is a magnetic material, the mold functions as a guide for concentrated magnetic flux of 0.315 T to pass through the MRE sample. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to observe the surface morphology of the fabricated MRE samples particularly the alignment of the CIPs. The field-dependent dynamic properties of the MREs were measured using a rheometer. The analysis implied that the effectiveness of the MRE operating under shear deformation with this curing concept provided the highest magneto-induced modulus of 1.01 MPa when a 45° orientation mold is used, with relative magnetorheological (MR) effect value up to 918%, followed by 0° mold orientation with 0.79 MPa magneto-induced modulus and 646% relative MR effect. The high modulus properties offered by this MRE are believed to be potentially useful in industrial applications where a high range of stiffness is required particularly in the shear direction.

Polymer composites have been widely used as damping materials in various applications due to the ability of reducing the vibrations. However, the environmental and surrounding thermal exposure towards polymer composites have affected their mechanical properties and lifecycle. Therefore, this paper presents the effect of material-temperature dependence on the loss factor and phase shift angle characteristics. Two types of unageing and aging silicone-rubber-based magnetorheological elastomer (SR-MRE) with different concentrations of carbonyl iron particles (CIPs), 30 and 60 wt%, are utilized in this study. The morphological, magnetic, and rheological properties related to the loss factor and phase shift angle are characterized using a low-vacuum scanning electron microscopy, and vibrating sample magnetometer and rheometer, respectively. The morphological analysis of SR-MRE consisting of 30 wt% CIPs revealed a smoother surface area when compared to 60 wt% CIPs after thermal aging due to the improvement of CIPs dispersion in the presence of heat. Nevertheless, the rheological analysis demonstrated inimitable rheological properties due to different in-rubber structures, shear deformation condition, as well as the influence of magnetic field. No significant changes of loss factor occurred at a low CIPs concentration, whilst the loss factor increased at a higher CIPs concentration. On that basis, it has been determined that the proposed changes of the polymer chain network due to the long-term temperature exposure of different concentrations of CIPs might explain the unique rheological properties of the unaged and aged SR-MRE.

This paper presents the effect of the micro-sized particles on the storage modulus and durability characteristics of magnetorheological elastomers (MREs). The initial phase of the investigation is to determine any associations among the microparticles' weight percent fraction (wt%), structure arrangement, and the storage modulus of MRE samples. In order to carry out this, both isotropic and anisotropic types of MRE samples consisting of the silicone rubber matrix and 50, 60, 70, 75, and 80 wt% microparticles of carbonyl iron fractions are prepared. It is identified from the magneto-rheometer that the increase in storage modulus and decrease in linear viscoelastic region limit are observed in varying consistency depending on wt% and particle arrangement. The consistency of this dependency feature is highlighted by superimposing all of the graphs plotted to create the proposed the samples' behavior model. In response to increasing magnetic stimulation, a sample of 70 wt% microparticles with an isotropic arrangement is found to be significant and stable. The experimentally defined fraction is then used for the durability test as the second phase of the investigation. During this phase, the durability evaluation is subjected to stress relaxation for an extended period of time. After undergoing durability testing, storage modulus performance is decreased by 0.7-13% at various magnetic stimulation levels. This result directly indicates that the storage modulus characteristics of different forms of MRE are sensitive to the different iron particle fractions' and microparticles' alignment. Therefore, important treatments to alter the storage modulus can be undertaken before the practical implementation to accommodate any desired performance of MRE itself and MRE application systems.

The widespread use of magnetorheological elastomer (MRE) materials in various applications has yet to be limited due to the fact that there are substantial deficiencies in current experimental and theoretical research on its microstructural durability behavior. In this study, MRE composed of silicon rubber (SR) and 70 wt% of micron-sized carbonyl iron particles (CIP) was prepared and subjected to stress relaxation evaluation by torsional shear load. The microstructure and particle distribution of the obtained MRE was evaluated by a field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM). The influence of constant low strain at 0.01% is the continuing concern within the linear viscoelastic (LVE) region of MRE. Stress relaxation plays a significant role in the life cycle of MRE and revealed that storage modulus was reduced by 8.7%, normal force has weakened by 27%, and stress performance was reduced by 6.88% along approximately 84,000 s test duration time. This time scale was the longest ever reported being undertaken in the MRE stress relaxation study. Novel micro-mechanisms that responsible for the depleted performance of MRE was obtained by microstructurally observation using FESEM and in-phase mode of atomic force microscope (AFM). Attempts have been made to correlate strain localization produced by stress relaxation, with molecular deformation in MRE amorphous matrix. Exceptional attention was focused on the development of molecular slippage, disentanglement, microplasticity, microphase separation, and shear bands. The relation between these microstructural phenomena and the viscoelastic properties of MRE was diffusely defined and discussed. The presented MRE is homogeneous with uniform distribution of CIP. The most significant recent developments of systematic correlation between the effects of microstructural deformation and durability performance of MRE under stress relaxation has been observed and evaluated.

Magnetoactive (MA) foam, with its tunable mechanical properties and magnetostriction, has the potential to be used for the development of soft sensor technology. However, researchers have found that its mechanical properties and magnetostriction are morphologically dependent, thereby limiting its capabilities for dexterous manipulation. Thus, in this work, MA foam was developed with additional capabilities for controlling its magnetostriction, normal force, storage modulus, shear stress and torque by manipulating the concentration of carbonyl iron particles (CIPs) and the magnetic field with regard to morphological changes. MA foams were prepared with three weight percentages of CIPs, namely, 35 wt.%, 55 wt.% and 75 wt.%, and three different modes, namely, zero shear, constant shear and various shears. The results showed that the MA foam with 75 wt.% of CIPs enhanced the normal force sensitivity and positive magnetostriction sensitivity by up to 97% and 85%, respectively. Moreover, the sensitivities of the storage modulus, torque and shear stress were 8.97 Pa/mT, 0.021 µN/mT, and 0.0096 Pa/mT, respectively. Meanwhile, the magnetic dipolar interaction between the CIPs was capable of changing the property of MA foam from a positive to a negative magnetostriction under various shear strains with a low loss of energy. Therefore, it is believed that this kind of highly sensitive MA foam can potentially be implemented in future soft sensor systems.

Background: Lung fibrosis is considered as an end stage for many lung diseases including lung inflammatory disease, autoimmune diseases and malignancy. There are limited therapeutic options with bad prognostic outcome. The aim of this study was to explore the effect of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) derived from bone marrow on Bleomycin (BLM) induced lung fibrosis in albino rats., Methods: 30 adult female albino rats were distributed randomly into 4 groups; negative control group, Bleomycin induced lung fibrosis group, lung fibrosis treated with bone marrow-MSCs (BM-MSCs) and lung fibrosis treated with cell free media. Lung fibrosis was induced with a single dose of intratracheal instillation of BLM. BM-MSCs or cell free media were injected intravenously 28 days after induction and rats were sacrificed after another 28 days for assessment. Minute respiratory volume (MRV), forced vital capacity (FVC) and forced expiratory volume 1 (FEV1) were recorded using spirometer (Power lab data acquisition system). Histological assessment was performed by light microscopic examination of H&E, and Masson's trichrome stained sections and was further supported by morphometric studies. In addition, electron microscopic examination to assess ultra-structural changes was done. Confocal Laser microscopy and PCR were used as tools to ensure MSCs homing in the lung., Results: Induction of lung fibrosis was confirmed by histological examination, which revealed disorganized lung architecture, thickened inter-alveolar septa due excessive collagen deposition together with inflammatory cellular infiltration. Moreover, pneumocytes depicted variable degenerative changes. Reduction in MRV, FVC and FEV1 were recorded. BM-MSCs treatment showed marked structural improvement with minimal cellular infiltration and collagen deposition and hence restored lung architecture, together with lung functions., Conclusion: MSCs are promising potential therapy for lung fibrosis that could restore the normal structure and function of BLM induced lung fibrosis.

Carbonyl iron particles (CIPs) is one of the key components in magnetic rubber, known as magnetorheological elastomer (MRE). Apart from the influence of their sizes and concentrations, the role of the particle' shape is pronounced worthy of the attention for the MRE performance. However, the usage of CIPs in MRE during long-term applications may lead to corrosion effects on the embedded CIPs, which significantly affects the performance of devices or systems utilizing MRE. Hence, the distinctions between the two types of MRE embedded in different shapes of spherical and plate-like CIPs, at both conditions of non-corroded and corroded CIPs were investigated in terms of the field-dependent rheological properties of MRE. The plate-like shape was produced from spherical CIPs through a milling process using a rotary ball mill. Then, both shapes of CIPs individually subjected to an accelerated corrosion test in diluted hydrochloric (HCl) at different concentrations, particularly at 0.5, 1.0, and 1.5 vol.% for 30 min of immersion time. Eight samples of CIPs, including non-corroded for both CIPs shapes, were characterized in terms of a morphological study by field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM) and magnetic properties via vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM). The field-dependent rheological properties of MREs were analyzed the change in the dynamic modulus behavior of MREs via rheometer. From the application perspective, this finding may be useful for the system to be considered that provide an idea to prolong the performance MRE by utilizing the different shapes of CIPs even when the material is fading.

Engineering rubber composites have been widely used as main components in many fields including vehicle engineering and biomedical applications. However, when a rubber composite surface area is exposed to heat or sunlight and over a long-term accelerated exposure and lifecycle of test, the rubber becomes hard, thus influencing the mechanical and rheological behavior of the materials. Therefore, in this study, the deterioration of rheological characteristics particularly the phase shift angle (δ) of silicone rubber (SR) based magnetorheological elastomer (MRE) is investigated under the effect of thermal aging. SR-MRE with 60 wt% of CIPs is fabricated and subjected to a continuous temperature of 100 °C for 72 h. The characterization of SR-MRE before and after thermal aging related to hardness, micrograph, and rheological properties are characterized using low vacuum scanning electron microscopy (LV-SEM) and a rheometer, respectively. The results demonstrated that the morphological analysis has a rough surface and more voids occurred after the thermal aging. The hardness and the weight of the SR-MRE before and after thermal aging were slightly different. Nonetheless, the thermo-rheological results showed that the stress-strain behavior have changed the phase-shift angle (δ) of SR-MRE particularly at a high strain. Moreover, the complex mechanism of SR-MRE before and after thermal aging can be observed through the changes of the 'in-rubber structure' under rheological properties. Finally, the relationship between the phase-shift angle (δ) and the in-rubber structure due to thermal aging are discussed thoroughly which led to a better understanding of the thermo-rheological behavior of SR-MRE.

Magnetorheological (MR) material is a type of magneto-sensitive smart materials which consists of magnetizable particles dispersed in a carrier medium. Throughout the years, coating on the surface of the magnetic particles has been developed by researchers to enhance the performance of MR materials, which include the improvement of sedimentation stability, enhancement of the interaction between the particles and matrix mediums, and improving rheological properties as well as providing extra protection against oxidative environments. There are a few coating methods that have been employed to graft the coating layer on the surface of the magnetic particles, such as atomic transfer radical polymerization (ATRP), chemical oxidative polymerization, and dispersion polymerization. This paper investigates the role of particle coating in MR materials with the effects gained from grafting the magnetic particles. This paper also discusses the coating methods employed in some of the works that have been established by researchers in the particle coating of MR materials.

The freezing-thawing method has been commonly used in the preparation of polyvinyl alcohol hydrogel magnetorheological plastomer (PVA HMRP). However, this method is complex and time consuming as it requires high energy consumption and precise temperature control. In this study, PVA HMRP was prepared using a chemically crosslinked method, where borax is used as crosslinking agent capable of changing the rheological properties of the material. Three samples of PVA HMRP with various contents of carbonyl iron particles (CIPs) (50, 60, and 70 wt.%) were used to investigate their rheological properties in both steady shear and dynamic oscillation modes. Results showed the occurrence of shear thickening behaviour at low shear rate (γ > 1 s -1 ), where the viscosity increased with the increased of shear rate. Moreover, the storage modulus of the samples also increased increasing the oscillation frequency from 0.1 to 100 Hz. Interestingly, the samples with 50, 60 70 wt.% of CIPs produced large relative magnetorheological (MR) effects at 4916%, 6165%, and 10,794%, respectively. Therefore, the inclusion of borax to the PVA HMRP can offer solutions for a wide range of applications, especially in artificial muscle, soft actuators, and biomedical sensors.

The increase in death and spread-related coronavirus (COVID-19) has shifted the world focus to the containment of the disease by emphasising measures to prevent spread in the general population. Such a complex, threatening, and unprecedented situation has left the psycho-social wellbeing needs of general public unaddressed. This paper aims to review the current COVID-19 scenario and its effects on the psycho-social wellbeing of people; and an attempt to shed some light on the aforementioned questions. Furthermore, the review will propose some recommendations for overcoming the mental illness issues, during and after the COVID-19 outbreak. We extracted information from reliable published international and national literature and reviewed anecdotes from media content from January to June 2020. The mental health implications of this outbreak will be long-lasting; however, by prioritising, investing diligently, and taking a collective approach, this challenge can be dealt with in a promising manner. Key Words: Mental health, Psycho-social interventions, COVID-19, Pakistan.

Background: Short-term peripheral venous catheter-related bloodstream infection (PVCR-BSI) rates have not been systematically studied in resource-limited countries, and data on their incidence by number of device days are not available., Methods: Prospective, surveillance study on PVCR-BSI conducted from September 1, 2013, to May 31, 2019, in 727 intensive care units (ICUs), by members of the International Nosocomial Infection Control Consortium (INICC), from 268 hospitals in 141 cities of 42 countries of Africa, the Americas, Eastern Mediterranean, Europe, South East Asia, and Western Pacific regions. For this research, we applied definition and criteria of the CDC NHSN, methodology of the INICC, and software named INICC Surveillance Online System., Results: We followed 149,609 ICU patients for 731,135 bed days and 743,508 short-term peripheral venous catheter (PVC) days. We identified 1,789 PVCR-BSIs for an overall rate of 2.41 per 1,000 PVC days. Mortality in patients with PVC but without PVCR-BSI was 6.67%, and mortality was 18% in patients with PVC and PVCR-BSI. The length of stay of patients with PVC but without PVCR-BSI was 4.83 days, and the length of stay was 9.85 days in patients with PVC and PVCR-BSI. Among these infections, the microorganism profile showed 58% gram-negative bacteria: Escherichia coli (16%), Klebsiella spp (11%), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (6%), Enterobacter spp (4%), and others (20%) including Serratia marcescens. Staphylococcus aureus were the predominant gram-positive bacteria (12%)., Conclusions: PVCR-BSI rates in INICC ICUs were much higher than rates published from industrialized countries. Infection prevention programs must be implemented to reduce the incidence of PVCR-BSIs in resource-limited countries.

Background: We report the results of International Nosocomial Infection Control Consortium (INICC) surveillance study from January 2012 to December 2017 in 523 intensive care units (ICUs) in 45 countries from Latin America, Europe, Eastern Mediterranean, Southeast Asia, and Western Pacific., Methods: During the 6-year study period, prospective data from 532,483 ICU patients hospitalized in 242 hospitals, for an aggregate of 2,197,304 patient days, were collected through the INICC Surveillance Online System (ISOS). The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention-National Healthcare Safety Network (CDC-NHSN) definitions for device-associated health care-associated infection (DA-HAI) were applied., Results: Although device use in INICC ICUs was similar to that reported from CDC-NHSN ICUs, DA-HAI rates were higher in the INICC ICUs: in the medical-surgical ICUs, the pooled central line-associated bloodstream infection rate was higher (5.05 vs 0.8 per 1,000 central line-days); the ventilator-associated pneumonia rate was also higher (14.1 vs 0.9 per 1,000 ventilator-days,), as well as the rate of catheter-associated urinary tract infection (5.1 vs 1.7 per 1,000 catheter-days). From blood cultures samples, frequencies of resistance, such as of Pseudomonas aeruginosa to piperacillin-tazobactam (33.0% vs 18.3%), were also higher., Conclusions: Despite a significant trend toward the reduction in INICC ICUs, DA-HAI rates are still much higher compared with CDC-NHSN's ICUs representing the developed world. It is INICC's main goal to provide basic and cost-effective resources, through the INICC Surveillance Online System to tackle the burden of DA-HAIs effectively., (Copyright © 2019 Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

There is a growing trend to implement biosecurity measures in small commercial broiler flocks and trying to replace ineffective antimicrobial with alternative materials to interevent a strategy for the control of Campylobacter bacteria in these farms. This study was designed to determine the prevalence rate of Campylobacter spp. in broiler flocks and their environment. Thereafter, assess the efficiency of chitosan, zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs), and chitosan/ZnO NPs composite against Campylobacter strains to adopt a novel control strategy based on the ability to use those nanocomposites. A total of 220 samples were collected from broiler flocks, their environment, and farm attendants that direct contact with birds. All samples were subjected to microbiological investigation for isolation, then molecular identification of bacteria using PCR. ZnO NPs and chitosan/ZnO NPs composite were synthesized then characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier-transform infrared spectrum (FT-IR), and X-ray diffraction (X-RD). The efficiency of testing compounds was examined against 30 strains of Campylobacter coli (C. coli) to determine the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC). The highest percentages of C. coli were isolated from the manure storage area, and broiler litter followed by flies, and feeders (66.7, 53.3, 40.0, and 33.3%, respectively). Both chitosan/ZnO NPs and ZnO NPs at a concentration of 0.5 μg/mL and 1.5 μg/mL, respectively showed complete efficiency (100%) against C. coli compared with chitosan compound. In conclusion, manure storage area and broiler litter represented the main reservoir of Campylobacter bacterial contaminant followed by flies in broiler poultry farms. Chitosan/ZnO NPs composite can be used in any biosecurity program of poultry farms as an alternative to ineffective antimicrobial agents.

The existing mold concept of fabricating magnetorheological elastomer (MRE) tends to encounter several flux issues due to magnetic flux losses inside the chamber. Therefore, this paper presents a new approach for enhancing particle alignment through MRE fabrication as a means to provide better rheological properties. A closed-loop mold, which is essentially a fully guided magnetic field inside the chamber, was designed in order to strengthen the magnetic flux during the curing process with the help of silicone oil (SO) plasticizers. The oil serves the purpose of softening the matrix. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to observe the surface morphology of the fabricated MRE samples. The field-dependent dynamic properties of the MREs were measured several ways using a rheometer, namely, strain sweep, frequency sweep, and magnetic field sweep. The analysis implied that the effectiveness of the MRE was associated with the use of the SO, and the closed-loop mold helped enhance the absolute modulus up to 0.8 MPa. The relative magnetorheological (MR) effects exhibited high values up to 646%. The high modulus properties offered by the MRE with SO are believed to be potentially useful in industry applications, particularly as vibration absorbers, which require a high range of stiffness., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest

A combined use of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) with different types of disinfectants as antimicrobial might be useful in mitigating the problem of development of bacterial resistance with a strong enhancement of the biocidal effect of disinfectants. To evaluate the biocidal activity of silver nanoparticles and its loaded forms, five commercial disinfectants (quaternary ammonium compounds (benzalkonium chloride (BC) and TH 4+ ), Virkon®S, sodium hypochlorite, and hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 )) were used against Listeria monocytogenes (L. monocytogenes) isolates at different concentrations and exposure times to reveal intra-species variability and the percentage of resistance to antimicrobial agents used. Therefore, a total of 260 specimens from animal and human stool as well as environmental samples from dairy cattle farms were cultured for isolation of L. monocytogenes. Thereafter, bacterial isolates were identified using PCR. Silver nanoparticle was synthesized using chemical reduction. Both silver nanoparticles and its loaded forms were characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The sensitivity test of 60 strains of L. monocytogenes bacteria to AgNPs and its loaded forms was evaluated using broth macrodilution method. Virkon®S/AgNPs 2.0% exhibited the highest bactericidal effect (100%) against L. monocytogenes strains followed by H 2 O 2 /AgNPs 5.0% and TH 4+ /AgNPs 1.0% (90% each). Furthermore, the percentage of resistance of L. monocytogenes was 0.0% to both H 2 O 2 /AgNPs 5.0% and Virkon®S/AgNPs 2.0%. In conclusion, monitoring the main source of contamination with Listeria monocytogenes in dairy cattle farms is an essential factor to achieve an efficient control. Moreover, the use of the disinfectants, Virkon®S 2.0%, H 2 O 2 5.0%, and TH 4+ 1.0%, loaded on silver nanoparticles composite had the strong bactericidal effect against L. monocytogenes.

Background: We report the results of International Nosocomial Infection Control Consortium (INICC) surveillance study from January 2010-December 2015 in 703 intensive care units (ICUs) in Latin America, Europe, Eastern Mediterranean, Southeast Asia, and Western Pacific., Methods: During the 6-year study period, using Centers for Disease Control and Prevention National Healthcare Safety Network (CDC-NHSN) definitions for device-associated health care-associated infection (DA-HAI), we collected prospective data from 861,284 patients hospitalized in INICC hospital ICUs for an aggregate of 3,506,562 days., Results: Although device use in INICC ICUs was similar to that reported from CDC-NHSN ICUs, DA-HAI rates were higher in the INICC ICUs: in the INICC medical-surgical ICUs, the pooled rate of central line-associated bloodstream infection, 4.1 per 1,000 central line-days, was nearly 5-fold higher than the 0.8 per 1,000 central line-days reported from comparable US ICUs, the overall rate of ventilator-associated pneumonia was also higher, 13.1 versus 0.9 per 1,000 ventilator-days, as was the rate of catheter-associated urinary tract infection, 5.07 versus 1.7 per 1,000 catheter-days. From blood cultures samples, frequencies of resistance of Pseudomonas isolates to amikacin (29.87% vs 10%) and to imipenem (44.3% vs 26.1%), and of Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates to ceftazidime (73.2% vs 28.8%) and to imipenem (43.27% vs 12.8%) were also higher in the INICC ICUs compared with CDC-NHSN ICUs., Conclusions: Although DA-HAIs in INICC ICU patients continue to be higher than the rates reported in CDC-NSHN ICUs representing the developed world, we have observed a significant trend toward the reduction of DA-HAI rates in INICC ICUs as shown in each international report. It is INICC's main goal to continue facilitating education, training, and basic and cost-effective tools and resources, such as standardized forms and an online platform, to tackle this problem effectively and systematically., (Copyright © 2016 Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)