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Big-medical-data classification and image detection are crucial tasks in the field of healthcare, as they can assist with diagnosis, treatment planning, and disease monitoring. Logistic regression and YOLOv4 are popular algorithms that can be used for these tasks. However, these techniques have limitations and performance issue with big medical data. In this study, we presented a robust approach for big-medical-data classification and image detection using logistic regression and YOLOv4, respectively. To improve the performance of these algorithms, we proposed the use of advanced parallel k-means pre-processing, a clustering technique that identified patterns and structures in the data. Additionally, we leveraged the acceleration capabilities of a neural engine processor to further enhance the speed and efficiency of our approach. We evaluated our approach on several large medical datasets and showed that it could accurately classify large amounts of medical data and detect medical images. Our results demonstrated that the combination of advanced parallel k-means pre-processing, and the neural engine processor resulted in a significant improvement in the performance of logistic regression and YOLOv4, making them more reliable for use in medical applications. This new approach offers a promising solution for medical data classification and image detection and may have significant implications for the field of healthcare. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vertebral tumors have a percentage of back pain that causes other vertebral region-born symptoms. Cancers that affect the vertebral column are visceral organ cancer metastases that are mostly seen in older patients. Vertebral dysfunction and neurological failure vertebral column cancers are the most important occurred cancers for patients. In the past, only few methods have been used to combat main and metastatic vertebral tumors. These methods are accessible for short-term monitoring and possess standardized classification consistency for vertebral diagnosis. In this paper, geometric rough propagation neural network has been used for the identification of genetic factors in the examination of a clinical sample with vertebral columns. The proposed neural network has C-statistics of 79.1%, a parameter pitch of 96.1%, and configuration for measurement in the study range with the Brier's score of 95.6%. The algorithm shows great net gain on the decision curve study, with promising performance results of 98.5% on internal testing for preoperative non-routine estimation of discharges with 0.5% error rate and 96% accuracy range. Also, these models have been externally validated by the online healthcare careers cloud-based open access web application on Internet of Medical Things Platform with 97.9% specificity ratio. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Freshwater unionid mussels are among the most imperiled fauna in North America, and their decline has been partially attributed to sediment from anthropogenic activities. However, there remains a debate regarding the role played by sediment in mussel declines due to a lack of field and laboratory evidence. If sediment is responsible for mussel declines, then a lack of information will likely impede efforts to mitigate species declines and protect remaining habitat. However, if the impacts of sediment are overstated, time and resources may be wasted on a threat that has little bearing on mussel declines or habitat loss. Given this knowledge gap, the purpose of this paper is to review the literature focused on the potential impact of suspended sediment and sedimentation on freshwater mussels. We focused our search on suspended sediment, expressed either as suspended sediment concentration (SSC) or total suspended solids (TSS), and sediment deposition and scour. We found increases in suspended solids could impact mussels by decreasing food availability, physically interfering with filter feeding and respiration, and impeding various aspects of the mussel–host relationship. We also found mussel–sediment thresholds, wherein certain concentrations of sediment caused significant declines in population performance, which could serve as reference points for ecological research and management. Specifically, we found clearance rates (a measure of feeding) were negatively impacted by TSS concentrations >8 mg/L, and respiratory stress occurred at ∼600 mg/L. Declines in fertilization success and glochidial (i.e., mussel larvae) development were observed at TSS values of 15 mg/L, and reproductive failure occurred at 20 mg/L. Impacts on host fish attachment and glochidial encystment occurred at TSS concentrations of 1250–5000 mg/L. Impacts on fish varied depending on the biological endpoint but typically occurred at TSS values ranging from 20 to 5000 mg/L. We also found mussels were sensitive to smothering and mortality occurred at depths as low as 0.6–2.5 cm of substrate. Finally, we found relative shear stress (RSS) values >1, which is a measure of substrate stability in response to scour and entrainment, resulted in significant declines in mussel biodiversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study presents a data-driven system analysis approach intended to improve greywater reuse at the household/community level using a case study of ¨Granular Activated Carbon-Membrane Integrated-Multigrade Effluent¨(GAC-MI-ME) treatment system. It consists of a matrix of advanced filtration units and provides multi-grade water reuse options. Using experimental data with varying greywater strengths, artificial neural networks were applied to develop effluent prediction models for water quality parameters including turbidity, total dissolved solids, five-day biochemical oxidation demand, oxidation redox potential and pH. The results show that the GAC-MI-ME can improve water quality with terminal removal efficiency of 99% and above for turbidity and BOD. At the same time, the model simulations can effectively predict effluent quality, which can be applied as decision-making tools in selecting and the treatment trains of GAC-MI-ME. The concept may help broaden the greywater reuse by ensuring it meets the requirements of diverse water reuse regulations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nowadays, a lot of people have the oral health problems due to continuous changes in the lifestyle such as the person's speech which can be affected by the malocclusion in teeth and the crooked teeth. The dental problems can cause cavity and bacterial infection. The dental and speech problems mostly can be related to the Alzheimer disease, and cognitive changes. Therefore, the dental information is collected from patients and analyzed by applying intelligent machine learning techniques. The gathered dental information is normalized by standardized min max approach. Further, different statistical parameters are derived which are huge in dimension. The optimal features are selected using grey wolf optimized approach. The method effectively selects the optimum dental features and the selected features are processed using bacterial optimized associative deep neural network. The network collects the Alzheimer disease features and compare them with the collected dental features to establish the brain related issues with dental features. The efficiency of the system is evaluated using experimental results and discussion. Thus, the introduced intelligent bacterial optimized associative deep neural network recognizes the relationship up to 98.98% of accuracy which is the maximum accuracy compared to other methods. Further, IBADNN-based Alzheimer detection system approach attains maximum predicting and selecting disease features (precision 98.65% and recall 99.03%) whereas other approaches such as OLVQ (precision 95.03% and recall 96.23%), HACANN (precision 96.36% and recall 96.91%) and GCNN (precision 97.47% and recall 97.512%) and attains low predicting and selecting accuracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An enduring and formidable challenge in nanozyme catalysis is low sensitivity and operational instability, which impedes their biological usage. In this contribution fluorite-structured cerium oxide nanocrystals (CeO2 NCs) with ∼23.04% Ce3+ fraction were found to possess recyclable (10 cycles) peroxidase (POD)-like activity capable of catalyzing the oxidation of 3,3′,5,5′-tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) when hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) serves as oxidant, and exhibit high substrate affinity under acidic conditions. We tuned this catalytic activity at neutral pH (7.4) using adenosine triphosphate (ATP). It was found that ATP stabilizes the oxidation product and improves catalytic performance at neutral pH. Mechanistic investigation reveals that oxidation of TMB originates from catalyst (CeO2 NCs)-directed decomposition of H2O2, which pools hydroxyl (˙OH) radicals under acidic and neutral environments; kinetic studies indicate a Michaelis–Menten enzyme kinetic model. Notably, above pH 4.5, ATP facilitates a drop in catalyst Km values of about 2.5 and 4.79 times for TMB and H2O2, respectively, suggesting high affinity favouring reaction feasibility at neutral pH. Screening of other relevant modulators shows the following order in promoting catalysis at neutral pH: ATP > histidine ≥ ADP >AMP. This pH-tunable POD-mimic CeO2 nanozyme realizes a nanocatalytic strategy for sourcing ˙OH radicals, which contributes to anti-bacterial performance. This study provides new insight for designing nanozymes and expanding the use of nanozymes in biomedicine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thrombosis is one of the leading causes of death worldwide. Out of four, one person is dying of thrombosis; yet, the seriousness of this disease is underappreciated. Its early prediction and prevention continue to be a dilemma that confuses researchers. Nevertheless, a light can be seen at the end of the tunnel; thanks to nanoscience which has led to the development of new generations of nanostructure with different applications in bio-medicine and bio-engineering. The key paradigm for the Internet of Nano Things (IoNT) has allowed for new medical data to be collected which potentially helps achieve more accurate disease prediction. It has enabled real-time health services and turned the physical space of a patient into a smart space. While an enabler for several applications, the artificial nature of Internet of Nano Things devices can be harmful where the implementation of Nano Things may lead to unintended health effects. To overcome this issue, researchers have suggested the novel paradigm of the IoBNT that combines nanotechnology with tools from synthetic biology to provide reengineering of biological embedded computing devices. IoBNT promises many medical applications, such as intra-body sensing and actuation networks, based on biological cells and their characteristics in the biochemical field. In this paper, a novel IoBNT-based model with an optimized Bio-Cyber communication interface that helps predict and analyze blood vessel clots is introduced. The model utilizes a bio-interface to collect information on the blood vessels and convert it into an electrical equivalent format. Furthermore, the optical or thermal responsiveness excites the release of definite nano-carrier molecules such as liposomes which may be devised across the bloodstream and enter the targeted area passively to stimulate suitable nano-devices to predict the clots. The Bio-Cyber interface is used for linking the traditional electromagnetic wave to the Bio-Signaling Network based on the bioluminescence concept. Lab-scale simulation analysis shows prominent outcomes in the prediction of blood vessel clots with 97.66% accuracy and 12.22% tolerance level in error rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims at improving greywater reuse potential. An advanced physical filtration system named as GAC-MI-ME was developed to attain multi-grade effluents for versatile reuse of greywater. It consists of a matrix of treatment trains including coarse filtration, microfiltration, activated carbon, ultrafiltration, ultraviolet, and reverse osmosis. A preliminary set of experiments were conducted to characterize the greywater originating from shower, washbasin, and laundry. The samples were subsequently treated through GAC-MI-ME system. It was observed that the activated carbon along with microfiltration and coarse filtration played vital roles as pre-filtration for ultrafiltration and reverse osmosis. The contaminant load distributions of GAC-MI-ME system were observed with an average of 90.4% turbidity and 53.2% of biochemical oxidation demand (BOD5) as the pre-filtration, whereas the effluents at ultrafiltration and reverse osmosis showed unrestricted water reuse possibilities. The GAC-MI-ME system can be envisioned as advancement to the conventionally applied greywater treatments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of electrically conductive metal sulfide-based polymer nanocomposites for energy storage materials has been a major focus by researchers to solve the energy crisis. In this study, a simple and facile method was used to construct a nanocomposite by combining a mechanically exfoliated MoS 2 (M-MoS 2 ) sheet with polyaniline (Pani) using a simple and scalable in-situ chemical oxidative polymerization method. The as-prepared nanocomposite (M-MoS 2 -Pani nanocomposite) was characterized further by usual basic spectroscopic techniques, such as X-ray powder diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller surface area analysis. The electrochemical supercapacitive characteristics of the M-MoS 2 -Pani nanocomposite was tested in a three-electrode assembly by obtaining cyclic voltammetric (CV) curves and galvanostatic charge-discharge (GCD) measurements. The results were compared with those of a C-MoS 2 -Pani nanocomposite that had been synthesized using bulk MoS 2 . The M-MoS 2 -Pani nanocomposite synthesized using exfoliated MoS 2 exhibited a higher specific capacitance of 510.12 F g −1 at a current of 1 A g −1 than the C-MoS 2 -Pani nanocomposite (225.15 F g −1 ), which was synthesized using bulk C-MoS 2 delivered. The enhanced electrochemical supercapacitive performance was correlated to the synergistic effect and chemical interactions between the Pani and MoS 2 , which provide high electrical conductivity and a sufficient empty state for electrode/electrolyte contact. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Defined as a state function representing an inhibitor's absolute affinity for its target enzyme, the experimentally determined enzyme inhibition constant ( K i ) is widely used to rank order binding affinities of different inhibitors for a common enzyme or different enzymes for a common inhibitor and to benchmark computational approaches to predicting binding affinity. Herein, we report that adsorption of bis(7)-tacrine to the glass container surface increased its K i against Electrophorus electricus acetylcholinesterase ( ee AChE) to 3.2 ± 0.1 nM (n = 5) compared to 2.9 ± 0.4 pM (n = 5) that was determined using plastic containers with other assay conditions kept the same. We also report that, due to binding or “adsorption” of bis(7)-tacrine to the inactive ee AChE, the bis(7)-tacrine K i increased from 2.9 ± 0.4 pM (n = 5) to 734 ± 70 pM (n = 5) as the specific ee AChE activity decreased from 342 U/mg to 26 U/mg while other assay conditions were kept the same. These results caution against using K i s to rank order binding potencies, define selectivity, or benchmark computational methods without knowing detailed assay conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of the present work was to develop and evaluate aeration machine for turfgrass to make under Egyptian condition. The aeration machine was evaluated versus two holes density (24 and 48 hole/m²), two hollow tine diameters (2.5 and 3 cm), three average depths of aeration (4, 6 and 8 cm) and four forward speeds (2, 2.7, 3.6 and 4 km/h). After 7 days from aeration operation the results showed that the lower bulk density and penetration resistance values was 0.960 g/cm³ and 154 kPa, respectively opposite it the higher porosity and void ratio values were 65.09% and 1.865, respectively at 48 hole/m² holes density, 3 cm tine diameter, 8 cm depth of hole and forward speed 2 km/h comparing with control 1.271 g/cm³, 337 kPa, 53.79% and 1.164 for density, penetration resistance, porosity and void ratio, respectively. The higher actual field capacity was (0.941 fed/h) at 24 hole/m² holes density, 2.5 cm tine diameter, 4 cm depth of hole and forward speed 4 km/h. The lower energy required was 16.223 kw.h/fed, at 24 hole/m² holes density, 2.5 cm tine diameter, 4 cm depth of hole and forward speed 4 km/h. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nano-Tin oxide was synthesized using hydrothermal method at 150 °C for 6 h and then thin films were deposited by electrophoretic method at an optimized voltage of 100 V for 5 min on electropolished aluminum substrate. Spherical particles of about 30–50 nm diameters are observed with partial agglomeration when observed under electron microscope, which are tetragonal rutile structure. XPS results showed peaks related to Sn 4 d , Sn 3 d , O 1 s & C 1 s with spin–orbit splitting of 8.4 eV for Sn 3 d . Feasibility studies of enzyme less urea sensing characteristics of nano-tin oxide thin films are exhibited herein. The deposited films have been used for enzyme less urea sensing from 1 to 20 mM concentration in buffer solution. The sensors were characterized electrochemically to obtain cyclic voltammogram as a function of urea concentration and scan rate. The sensitivity is estimated as 18.9 μA/mM below 5 mM and 2.31 μA/mM above 5 mM with a limit of detection of 0.6 mM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A variable response following ductal ligation of feline salivary glands corresponds to the human condition but contrasts with a predictable atrophy in obstructed salivary glands of rodents popularly used as a model for human salivary problems. The present investigation is concerned with a possible reason for the variable response, namely the preservation of the innervation. Ducts of feline submandibular and sublingual salivary glands were ligated with or without the inclusion of the chorda tympani. Inclusion led to a delayed initial response followed by progressive atrophy until the parenchyma was extremely atrophic, whereas avoidance of the chorda led to the variable response in which variable numbers of acini of a similar form to normal persisted. The results establish the atrophic effect of inclusion of the chorda tympani in ductal ligation and indicate the caution that should be exercised in the extrapolation of the rodent model to the human condition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, the leading cause of preventable blindness is diabetic retinopathy (DR). Although there are several undiagnosed and non-treated cases of DR, accurate and adequate retinal screening could facilitate the early detection and treatment of DR. The goal of this research is to develop a reliable DR screening and detection model to reduce the risk of DR-related blindness. DR-infected eyes describe ophthalmologist for further examination and diagnosis might reduce the risk of vision loss and provide timely and accurate diagnostic information. Hence, this paper proposes a hybrid inductive machine learning algorithm (HIMLA) as an automated DR detection diagnostic tool. HIMLA processes and classifies colored fundus images as healthy (no retinopathy) or unhealthy (presence of DR) by identifying the appropriate medical DR cases. The proposed algorithm comprises four stages: pre-processing, segmentation, feature extraction, and classification. At the pre-processing stage, colored fundus images are normalized to a specific brightness level to enhance the quality of the images. In the segmentation stage, the processed image is encoded and decoded to segment the images for improving image quality. Furthermore, feature extraction and classification are performed using multiple instance learning (MIL). The proposed method was evaluated on CHASE datasets for the detection of DR. The accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity of the proposed approach are 96.62%, 95.31%, and 96.88%, respectively. These results indicates that HIMLA outperforms other DR models, such as ML-based neovascularization detection in the optic disc (MLB-NVD), genetic algorithm–based diabetic retinopathy (GAB-DR), DL algorithm diabetic retinopathy (DLA-DR), and diagnostic assessment–based DL for diabetic retinopathy (DAD-DR), which reduces the risk of vision loss. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of cyclic acyl guanidine with carbamate moieties have been synthesized and evaluated in vitro for their AChE and BChE inhibitory activities. Structure−activity relationships identified compound 23 as a nanomolar and selective BChE inhibitor, while compound 32 exhibited nanomolar and selective AChE inhibition, selectivity depending on both the structure of the carbamate substituent as well as the position of guanidines- N substitution. The velocity of enzyme carbamoylation was analyzed and showed similar behavior to physostigmine. Phenolic compounds formed after carbamate transfer to the active site of cholinesterases showed additional neuroprotective properties on a hippocampal neuronal cell line (HT-22) after glutamate-induced intracellular reactive oxygen species generation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Selective and nanomolar acetylcholinesterase inhibitors were obtained by connecting tri- and tetracyclic quinazolinones—previously described as moderately active and unselective cholinesterase (ChE) inhibitors—via a hydroxyl group in para position to an anilinic nitrogen with different amines linked via a three carbon atom spacer. These tri- and tetracyclic quinazolinones containing different alicyclic ring sizes and connected to tertiary amines were docked to a high-resolution h AChE crystal structure to investigate the preferred binding mode in relation to results obtained by experimental structure–activity relationships. While the ‘classical orientation’ locating the heterocycle in the active site was rarely found, an alternative binding mode with the basic aliphatic amine in the active center (‘inverted’ orientation) was obtained for most compounds. Analyses of extended SARs based on this inverted binding mode are able to explain the compounds’ binding affinities at AChE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Stress shielding in the cemented hip prosthesis occurs due to the mismatching in the mechanical properties of metallic stem and bone. This mismatching in properties is considered as one of the main reasons for implant loosening. Therefore, a new stem material in orthopedic surgery is still required. In the present study, 3D finite element modeling is used for evaluating the artificial hip joint stem that is made of Function Graded (FG) material in terms of joint stress distributions and stem length. Method: 3D finite element models of different stems made of two types of FG materials and traditional stems made of Cobalt Chromium alloy (CoCrMo) and Titanium alloy (Ti) were developed using the ANSYS Code. The effects on the total artificial hip joint stresses (Shear stress and Von Mises stresses at bone cement, Von Mises stresses at bone and stem) due to using the proposed FG materials stems were investigated. The effects on the total artificial hip joint system stresses due to using different stem lengths were investigated. Results: Using FG stem (with low stiffness at stem distal end and high stiffness at its proximal end) resulted in a significant reduction in shear stress at the bone cement/ stem interface. Also, the Von Mises stresses at the bone cement and stem decrease significantly when using FG material instead of CoCrMo and Ti alloy. The stresses' distribution along the bone cement length when using FG material was found to be more uniform along the whole bone cement compared with other stem materials. These more uniform stresses will help in the reduction of the artificial hip joint loosening rate and improve its short and long term performance. Conclusion: FE results showed that using FG stem increases the resultant stresses at the femur bone (reduces stress shielding) compared to metallic stem. The results showed that the stem length has significant effects on the resultant shear and Von Mises stresses at bone, stem and bone cement for all types of stem materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objectives of this study were to evaluate the influence of cigarette smoking on gingival bleeding and serum concentrations of cotinine, haptoglobin, and alpha 1-antitrypsin in Malaysian smokers. A total of 197 male smokers and nonsmokers were recruited for this study. Plaque index, bleeding on probing (BOP), and levels of serum cotinine, haptoglobin, and alpha 1-antitrypsin were evaluated. The data were analyzed using SPSS version 20.0, with the significance level set at α ≤ 0.05. Linear regression analyses were performed. The mean cigarette consumption per day was 13.39 ± 5.75 cigarettes; the mean duration was 16.03 ± 8.78 years. Relatively low BOP values (26.05 ± 1.48) and moderate plaque indexes (51.35 ± 11.27) were found. The levels of serum cotinine (106.9±30.71 ng/dL), haptoglobin (76.04 ± 52.48 mg/dL), and alpha 1-antitrypsin (141.90 ± 18.40 mg/dL) were significantly higher in smokers compared to non-smokers. Multiple logistic regression models for all variables and smokers demonstrated observed differences between BOP, the number of cigarettes per day, and duration of smoking, while serum cotinine, haptoglobin and alpha-1 antitrypsin levels showed no significant differences. Duration of smoking (years) and the cotinine level in serum showed a significant correlation with plaque index. The present analysis demonstrated that the duration of smoking in years, but not the number of cigarettes smoked per day, was associated with reduced gingival bleeding in smokers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alveolar bone resorption is one of the most important facts in denture construction. Porphyromonas gingivalis (Pg) causes alveolar bone resorption, and morphologic measurements are the most frequent methods to identify bone resorption in periodontal studies. This study has aimed at evaluating the effect of Andrographolide (AND) on alveolar bone resorption in rats induced by Pg. 24 healthy male Sprague Dawley rats were divided into four groups as follows: normal control group and three experimental groups challenged orally with Pg ATCC 33277 five times a week supplemented with 20 mg/kg and 10 mg/kg of AND for twelve weeks. Alveolar bones of the left and right sides of the mandible were assessed by a morphometric method. The bone level, that is, the distance from the alveolar bone crest to cementumenamel junction (CEJ), was measured using 6.1: 1 zoom stereomicroscope and software. AND reduced the effect of Pg on alveolar bone resorption and decreased the serum levels of Hexanoyl-Lysine (HEL); furthermore the reduced glutathione/oxidised glutathione (GSH/GSSG) ratio in AND treated groups (10 and 20 mg/kg) significantly increased when compared with the Pg group (P < 0.05). We can conclude that AND suppresses alveolar bone resorption caused by Pg in rats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. This study was performed to develop a biodegradable periodontal chip containing thymoquinone and to evaluate its effectiveness for managing chronic periodontitis. Methods. Chips were formulated from thymoquinone and chitosan. Twelve patients with periodontal pockets measuring ⩾5 mm participated in this study. Overall, 180 periodontal pockets were evaluated. At day zero, all patients were treated with full-mouth scaling and root planning. Periodontal pockets were divided into three groups. Group one served as the control group, while group two received plain chitosan chips. Group three received chips containing thymoquinone. Plaque index, bleeding upon probing, periodontal probing pocket depths, and clinical attachment levels were recorded at days 0 and 60. Results. The statistical significance of differences was tested with a paired sample t-test, a Chi-squared test, and a one-way ANOVA. The results indicated significant improvement in plaque index and bleeding upon probing and a reduction in periodontal pockets from baseline in all four groups (P < 0.05). Gains in clinical attachment levels were significantly higher (P < 0.005) in the group receiving thymoquinone chips compared to other groups. Conclusion. Periodontal chips containing thymoquinone can be used as adjuncts for the treatment of patients with chronic periodontitis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

MIKE SHE is a physically based, integrated water resources model that simulates both surface and subsurface water dynamics. These dynamics include interception, evapotranspiration, overland flow, channel flow, unsaturated flow, and saturated zone flow. The model can also simulate limited surface water quality processes using the advection dispersion equation and groundwater quality with a random-walk tracking method. This article is intended to describe the components of MIKE SHE and its calibration, validation, and applications. Given the deterministic, physically based characteristics of MIKE SHE and the large number of processes it simulates simultaneously, the number of parameters to calibrate can be large. A combination of user experience with the model, knowledge of the problem being solved, and an automatic calibration feature help in selecting the most sensitive parameters to calibrate. A case study describing the use of the MIKE SHE model, coupled with the hydraulic MIKE 11 model, to solve water flow in agricultural reservoirs in south Florida is presented. The problem required the use of the MIKE SHE model due to the high groundwater and overland flow interactions as well as the complex flow patterns inside the reservoir. The horizontal and vertical saturated hydraulic conductivities and the leakage coefficient were identified as the calibration parameters. The model was calibrated and evaluated for two reservoirs using two different time periods. Results showed matching between measured and simulated data for both reservoirs for the calibration and validation periods. The coupled MIKE SHE/MIKE 11 model has the capabilities to simulate complex hydrological processes and their interactions, which few other watershed models can match, and is suitable for current problems, such as the effects of climate change and land use change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Washingtonia is a palm tree that enriched with lignocellulosic biomass, which provided it with the potentiality for various applications. In this study, different biomass from Washingtonia plant, i.e. leaf stalk (W-LS), trunk core (W-TC), and trunk spine (W-TS) fibers, were collectively investigated by characterization. Under scanning electron microscopy (SEM) examination, the spine-shape structure of W-TS fiber along with its small particle size might facilitate it for fabrication reactivity. From chemical and elemental composition analysis, both W-TC and W-TS fibers were found with high cellulose content, while with the closely similar residual elements, suggesting them from the same source of trunk segment. However, the low cellulose content of W-LS fiber with its high ash content had somehow reduced its crystallinity and thermal stability properties. From X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis, the crystallinity was estimated the highest for W-TS (68.2%), and while with the lowest for W-LS fiber (57.3%), which in line with the detected functional groups by Fourier Transform Infrared-ray (FTIR) spectrophotometry. In thermogravimetry (TGA) analysis, all fibers possessed great thermal resistance with Tonset in the range of 307.4–328.1°C and Tpeak in the range of 352.4–347.9°C. Washingtonia fiber had a high potential to be applied as a bio-material for versatile applications in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Uterine leiomyomas (fibroids) are the most common pelvic tumors in women. We assessed the potential therapeutic utility of Ro 41-0960, a synthetic catechol-O-methyl transferase inhibitor (COMTI), in the Eker rat.Methods: We randomized uterine fibroid-bearing Eker rats for treatment with Ro 41-0960 (150 mg/kg/12 h) versus vehicle for 2 and 4 weeks. The fibroids were measured by caliper and subjected to histological evaluation. Urinary levels of 2-hydroxy estrogen (E(2)), 16-hydroxy E2 and DPD (osteoporosis marker) and serum liver enzymes were evaluated. Expressions of Cyclin D1, proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), Poly [ADP-ribose] polymerase1 (PARP1), tumor suppressor gene (P53) and transforming growth factor (TGFβ3) were assessed in fibroids using immunohistochemical analysis or RT-PCR. Apoptosis was confirmed using terminal deoxynucleotidyltransferase-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling (TUNEL).Results: Ro 41-0960-treated rats exhibited fibroid volumes of 86 ± 7% and 105 ± 12% of initial burden, at 2 and 4 weeks post-treatment, respectively, significantly lower than control group (240 ± 15% and 300 ± 18%; P< 0.01). Ro 41-0960 increased the urinary 2-hydroxy E2/16-hydroxy E(2) ratio, level of p53 mRNA and TUNEL positivity (P< 0.05) and decreased PARP1, PCNA and cyclin D1 proteins and TGFβ3 mRNA (P< 0.05). Ro 41-0960 did not change normal tissue histology, liver functions or urinary DPD level.Conclusions: Ro 41-0960 (COMTI) arrested growth/shrunk uterine fibroids in Eker rats. This result may be related to modulation of estrogen-dependent genes involved in apoptosis, proliferation and extracellular matrix deposition via accumulation of 2-hydroxy estrogen. The efficacy and safety of Ro 41-0960 in rats suggest its candidacy for treatment of uterine fibroids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In previous work by Fouad (Medical Engineering and Physics 2010 ), 3D finite element (FE) models for fractured bones with function-graded (FG) bone-plates and traditional bone-plates made of stainless steel (SS) and titanium (Ti) alloy were examined under compressive loading conditions using the ABAQUS Code. In this study, the effects of the presence of the torsional load in addition to the compressive load on the predicted stresses of the fracture fixation bone-plate system are examined at different healing stages. The effects on the stress on the fracture site when using contacted and non-contacted bone-plate systems are also studied. The FE modelling results indicate that the torsional load has significant effects on the resultant stress on the fracture fixation bone-plate system, which should be taken into consideration during the design and the analysis. The results also show that the stress shielding at the fracture site decreases significantly when using FG bone-plates compared to Ti alloy or SS bone-plates. The presence of a gap between the bone and the plate results in a remarkable reduction in bone stress shielding at the fracture site. Therefore, the significant effects of using an FG bone-plate with a gap and the presence of torsional load on the resultant stress on the fracture fixation bone-plate system should be taken into consideration. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: In the present study, different series of High Density Polyethylene (HDPE)/carbon nano-composites were prepared using melt blending in a co-rotating intermeshing twin screw extruder. The morphological, thermal, rheological, viscoelastic, mechanical, and fracture toughness properties of the nano-composites were analyzed. The microscopic examination of the cryogenically fractured surface found a good distribution of carbon nano-particles in the HDPE matrix. The melting temperature was not significantly affected by the addition of nano-carbon. Whereas, the crystallization percentage was slightly affected by adding carbon nano-particles into the matrix. The complex viscosity increased as the percentage of carbon increased. The Dynamic Mechanical Analysis (DMA) showed that the storage modulus increased with increasing the carbon nano-particles ratio and with increasing the testing frequency. The tensile test results showed that with increasing the carbon nano-particles contents, the Young’s modulus, yield strength of HDPE nano-composite increased while the strain at fracture decreased. Similarly, the fracture toughness and the strain energy release rate decreased proportional to the carbon content. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: In the present study, 3D finite element models for fractured bones with function-graded (FG) bone-plates and traditional bone-plates made of stainless steel (SS) or titanium (Ti) alloy are generated using the ABAOUS code. The predicted Von Mises stresses at the fracture site and underlying bone-plate are examined at different healing stages. The effects on the predicted Von Mises stresses at the fracture site of the presence of a gap between the plate and fractured bone are also studied. Based on the analytical results, it is found that the stress shielding at the fracture site at the fully healed stages decreases when using FG bone-plates compared to Ti alloy or SS bone-plates. In the initial healing stages, the Von Mises stresses at the fracture site increase (stress shielding decreases) by 17% and 11% when using FG bone-plates as compared to SS bone-plates for contacted and non-contacted bone-plate system, respectively. The significant effects of using an FG bone-plate with a gap on the resultant Von Mises stresses on the bone underneath the plate and on the bone stress shielding should be taken into consideration during fractured bone fixation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In the present work, both experimental work and Finite Element Modeling (FEM) have been used to study the effects of notch geometry on the stress/strain behaviour and fracture of the ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) at quasi static conditions. The effects of notch profile radii on UHMWPE fracture behaviour, predicted stress/strain distribution, triaxial state of stress and hydrostatic pressure across the neck have been studied. Different techniques have been used to study the effects of notch geometry on the UHMWPE properties. Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) has been used to study the changes in the tested material crystallinity. The universal testing machine has been used to measure the changes in the tested material mechanical properties. The SEM has been used to examine the change in the tested material fracture surface. Finally, the Finite Element Code (ANSYS10) has been used to investigate the effects of notch geometry on the predicted stress/strain distribution across the neck. The results show a notch strengthening behaviour for the tested material, where the axial yield properties increased significantly with the reduction of notch radii, while the axial ultimate properties decreased significantly for the notched specimens compared with plain ones. Also the predicted stress/strain distribution and stress triaxiality show a strong dependence on the notch geometry. The remarkable effects of notch geometry on the predicted stress/strains distributions across the neck show the importance of careful design of UHMWPE artificial joint components with the aim to eliminate the presence of stress risers such as undercuts and fillets. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The present work was undertaken to examine the effect of some environmental media (sodium hydroxide NaOH solution, water, ice, UV irradiation dose and pre-heat treatment) on the mechanical (quasi-static tensile creep-recovery and relaxation) and physical/thermal (melting and crystallinity) behaviour of the ultra high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE-GUR 410-medical grade), that has several biomedical and engineering applications. The results show changes in the mechanical properties due to these environmental effects. The pre-heat treatment has significantly enhanced the tensile properties compared to virgin specimens’ properties. Improvement due to pre-heat treatment at 100°C is more than that at 50°C. Specimens’ storing in ice, NaOH and water has not affected significantly the tensile properties. All properties except fracture strain have enhanced due to specimens exposure to UV irradiation. The differential scanning calorimetry results indicate that environmental media have not any noticeable effects on the melting temperature. However, a significant increase in the degree of crystallinity was observed for all specimens versus that for virgin specimens. The creep and permanent strains of the tested virgin material increase with temperature and lineally increase with applied load. The specimens’ exposure to environmental media has improved the creep resistance and the permanent creep strain when compared with that for virgin ones. Remarkable increase was observed in the initial relaxation and residual stress of the exposed specimens against that for virgin specimens. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

As a result of its relatively high strength, high chemical resistance, low creep and low wear rate, ultra high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) has been widely used as the 'soft' articulating surface for total hip and knee arthroplasty. However, for long term artificial joint replacements, accelerated wear as a result of aging of UHMWPE is one of the most important problems that can lead to joint failure. Therefore, the present work is focused on investigating the effects of thermal and serum aging and UV irradiation dose on the nanomechanical properties (elastic modulus, hardness and visco-elasticity) of UHMWPE (type GUR410) specimens under different deformation rates. The continuous stiffness measurement (CSM) nanoindentation technique is used in the present work to measure the nanomechanical properties. The results show a considerable increase in the nanomechanical properties with increasing deformation rate. It is also demonstrated that the nanomechanical properties of the thermally and serum aged UHMWPE specimens decrease compared to the virgin specimens, while their visco-elastic behaviour increases. For the UV irradiated specimens, the nanohardness and nano-elastic modulus show an increase with irradiation dose especially for small penetration depths. Moreover, a considerable decrease in visco-elastic behaviour was observed for the UV irradiated specimens as a result of the crosslinking effect of the radiation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of organic amendments on vegetable crop production, phosphorus (P), and trace element (Zn, Cu, Mn, B, Cd, Pb, Ni) concentrations in groundwater were investigated on calcareous and sandy soils in south Florida. Treatments consisted of applying yard trash and food compost, biosolids compost, a co-compost of municipal solid waste and biosolids, and inorganic fertilizer. A randomized complete block design with four replications was used at both study sites. Total Kjeldahl phosphorus (TKP) and soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP) were periodically measured in grab samples collected for two years for both soils from wells above and below the spodic horizon at Ft. Pierce and from one depth at Homestead. Treatments were similar (P > 0.05) except on two sampling dates from the deep wells in the sandy soil at Ft. Pierce, one for SRP and one for TKP. Phosphorus concentrations for all treatments averaged < 1.2 mg SRP L-1 at Ft. Pierce and 0.04 mg SRP L-1 for the calcareous soil at Homestead. From solely a P consideration, organic P sources could be used to offset all or a portion of P required to satisfy vegetable crop nutrient requirements. This statement is consistent with crop yields at Ft. Pierce where yields from the three organic sources were equal to or exceeded inorganic fertilization yields. Micronutrient and trace element concentration responses to organic treatments were more pronounced at Ft. Pierce, perhaps due to soil chemical conditions including lower soil pH. The cocompost should be used cautiously to avoid contamination problems, especially when application rates are based on N fertilization as in this study. Due to the calcareous soil at Homestead, trace element concentrations in the groundwater were considerably lower than Ft. Pierce concentrations. However, the cocompost source was elevated for lead (Pb) (P < 0.05) compared with all other treatments, although higher concentrations were observed only on one sampling date. Results from this study indicated that, combined with the environmental benefits of recycling waste, the use of these organic amendments is a viable alternative to inorganic P fertilizers in the sandy and calcareous soils of peninsular Florida. The compost treatments were comparable to inorganic fertilizer with regard to P concentrations in the groundwater white producing similar or higher vegetable crop yields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In the present work, a dynamic thermo-mechanical analysis technique has been used to investigate the effect of pre-heat treatments on the visco-elastic properties of Ultra-High Molecular Weight Polyethylene (UHMWPE) as a function of frequency and temperature. These properties include storage modulus (E′) and loss modulus (E″). The UHMWPE specimens were pre-heated at 50, 80 and 100°C for periods of 2 and 4h, respectively. The effect of these pre-heat treatments on the quasi-static mechanical properties (Young''s modulus, yield strength, fracture strength, ductility and micro-hardness) has also been investigated. Finally, the degree of crystallinity of the UHMWPE has been measured as a function of pre-heat treatment time and temperature. The results show a strong dependence of most of these properties on the degree of crystallinity which is a function of pre-heat treatment temperature and duration. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Experiments were conducted on calcareous and sandy soils to investigate the effects of organic amendments for vegetable production on groundwater nitrogen (N) concentration in south Florida. The treatments consisted of applying yard and food residuals compost, biosolids compost, a cocompost of the municipal solid waste and biosolids, and inorganic fertilizer. Nitrate nitrogen (NO3-N), ammonium nitrogen (NH4-N), and total N concentrations were collected for a period of two years for both soils. Statistical analysis results revealed that for the three species tested, there were no significant differences among treatments. NO3-N concentrations for all treatments remained less than the maximum contamination level (10 mg/L). NO3-N transport to groundwater was higher in calcareous soil (mean=5.3 mg/L) than in sandy soil (mean=0.6 mg/L). NH4-N concentrations ranged from 0 to 13.6 mg/L throughout the experiment. Calcareous soil had lower NH4-N concentrations (mean=0.1 mg/L) than sandy soils (mean=0.7 mg/L). Total N ranged from 0.4 to 21.7 mg/L for all treatments for both soils reflecting high adsorption of dissolved organic N in both soils. Overall, results indicated that all the compost treatments were comparable to inorganic fertilizer with regard to N leaching and N concentrations in the groundwater while producing similar or higher yields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A two-dimensional finite element based overland flow model was developed and used to study the accuracy and stability of three numerical schemes and watershed parameter aggregation error. The conventional consistent finite element scheme results in oscillations for certain time step ranges. The lumped and the upwind finite element schemes are tested as alternatives to the consistent scheme. The upwind scheme did not improve on the stability or the accuracy of the solution, while the lumped scheme provided stable and accurate solutions for time steps twice the size of time steps needed for the consistent scheme. A new accuracy based dynamic time step estimate for the two-dimensional overland flow kinematic wave solution is developed for the lumped scheme. The newly developed dynamic time step estimates are functions of the mesh size, and time of concentration of the watershed hydrograph. Due to lack of analytical solutions, the time step was developed by comparing numerical solutions of various levels of discretization to a reference solution using a very fine mesh and a very small time step. The time step criteria were tested on a different set of problems and proved to be adequate for accurate and stable solutions. A sensitivity analysis for the watershed slope, Manning’s roughness coefficient and excess rainfall rate was conducted in order to test the effect of parameter aggregation on the stability and accuracy of the solution. The results of this analysis show that aggregation of the slope data resulted in the highest error. The roughness coefficient had a smaller effect on the solution while the rainfall intensity did not show any significant effect on the flow rate solution for the range of rainfall intensity used. This work pioneers the challenge of providing guidelines for accurate and stable numerical solutions of the two-dimensional kinematic wave equations for overland flow. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Solving the kinematic wave equations for overland flow using the conventional consistent Galerkin finite element scheme is known to result in numerical oscillations due to the non-symmetric first spatial derivative terms in the kinematic wave equations. In this paper the lumped and the upwind finite element schemes are evaluated as alternatives to the consistent Galerkin finite element scheme. Stability analysis of the upwind scheme shows that the damping effect, that could reduce the oscillations, is small for the high Courant numbers encountered in overland flow problems. The upwind scheme, using upwind factors of 0.1 and 1.0, did not provide any improvement to the stability of the lumped and the consistent schemes. The lumped scheme considerably reduces oscillations without significant reduction in the overall solution accuracy. No analytical guidelines for time-step criteria that will insure stability and accuracy were provided by the stability analysis performed for the three schemes. Problem specific accuracy-based dynamic time-step criteria was developed and evaluated for the lumped scheme. These time-steps were found to be on average, double the size of the dynamic time-steps for the consistent scheme. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Conocarpus fiber is an abundantly available and sustainable cellulosic biomass. With its richness in cellulose content, it is potentially used for manufacturing microcrystalline cellulose (MCC), a cellulose derivative product with versatile industrial applications. In this work, different samples of bleached fiber (CPBLH), alkali-treated fiber (CPAKL), and acid-treated fiber (CPMCC) were produced from Conocarpus through integrated chemical process of bleaching, alkaline cooking, and acid hydrolysis, respectively. Characterizations of samples were carried out with Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), Energy Dispersive X-ray (EDX), Fourier Transform Infrared-Ray (FTIR), X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Thermogravimetric (TGA), and Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC). From morphology study, the bundle fiber feature of CPBLH disintegrated into micro-size fibrils of CPMCC, showing the amorphous compounds were substantially removed through chemical depolymerization. Meanwhile, the elemental analysis also proved that the traces of impurities such as cations and anions were successfully eliminated from CPMCC. The CPMCC also gave a considerably high yield of 27%, which endowed it with great sustainability in acting as alternative biomass for MCC production. Physicochemical analysis revealed the existence of crystalline cellulose domain in CPMCC had contributed it 75.7% crystallinity. In thermal analysis, CPMCC had stable decomposition behavior comparing to CPBLH and CPAKL fibers. Therefore, Conocarpus fiber could be a promising candidate for extracting MCC with excellent properties in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Traditional health care system fails to predict the exact patient health information. • For the above issue, an IoT sensor with AI is used to predict exact patient details. • Healthcare mobile application is used to collect the patient's information easily. • The gathered patient details are processed according to the IGDBN. Internet of Things (IoT) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) play a vital role in the upcoming years to improve the assistance systems. The IoT devices utilize several sensor devices that able to collect a large volume of data in different domains which is processed by AI techniques to make the decision about the assistance problems. Among several applications, in this work, IoT with AI is used to examine the healthcare sectors to improve patient assistance and patient care in the future direction. Traditional health care assistance system fails to predict the exact patient health information and needs which reduces the accuracy of patient assistance process. For these issues, an IoT sensor with AI is used to predict the exact patient details such as fitness tracker, medical reports, health activity, body mass, temperature, and other health care information which helps to choose the right assistance process. Healthcare mobile application is used to achieve this goal and collect the patient's information. This information is shared in the cloud environment, which is accessed and processed by applying the optimized machine learning techniques. The gathered patient details are processed according to the iterative golden section optimized deep belief neural network (IGDBN). The introduced network examines the patient's details from the previous health information which helps to predict the exact patient health condition in the future direction. The efficiency of IoT sensor with an AI-based health assistance prediction process is developed using MATLAB tool. Excellence is determined in terms of precision (99.87), loss error (0.045), simple matching coefficient (99.71%), Matthews correlation coefficient (99.10%) and accuracy (99.86%). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An innovative, biomimetic, green synthesis approach was exploited for the synthesis of humane and environmental friendly nanomaterials for biomedical applications. Ultrafine bonelike apatite (BAp) 2D plate-like structures were prepared using fenugreek seed extract during the biosynthesis wet-chemical precipitation route. The chemical analysis, morphology and structure of the prepared 2D nanoplates were characterized by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES), electron microscopy (SEM and TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. A 2D plate-like nanostructure of BAp with an average width (length) of 12.67 ± 2 nm and thickness of 3.8 ± 1.2 nm was obtained. BAp 2D crystals were tuned by interaction with the fenugreek organic molecules during the fabrication process. In addition to Ca and P ions, bone mineral sources such as K, Mg, Na, SO4 and CO3 ions were incorporated into BAp nanoplates using fenugreek seed extract. The overall organic molecule concentration in the reaction process increased the effectiveness of hydroxyl groups as nucleation sites for BAp crystals. Accordingly, the size of the biosynthesized BAp plate-like structure was reduced to its lowest value. Biosynthesis BAp 2D plate-like nanocrystals showed good viability and higher growth of MC3T3 osteoblast-like structures than that of the control sample. BAp 2D nanoplates prepared by a facile, ecofriendly and cost-effective approach could be considered a favorable osteoconductive inorganic biomaterial for bone regeneration applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Currently, polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) is the most popular denture base material. Most fractures of dentures that occur during function are due to its insufficient mechanical strength. The major drawbacks of PMMA are insufficient ductility, strength, and viscoelastic behavior. The purpose of this study was to evaluate a polymethylmethacrylate denture base material modified with TiO2 nanoparticles in terms of nanomechanical, creep-recovery, and relaxation. Additionally, the effects of addition TiO2 nanoparticles on the thermal and antimicrobial adhesion behaviors were investigated. Differential scanning calorimetry and thermogravimetric analysis indicated that the effect of small amounts of TiO2 nanoparticles (1 wt. %, 2 wt. %, and 3 wt. %) on the degradation behavior of PMMA denture bases was insignificant. The nanomechanical test results of the PMMA and PMMA/TiO2 nanocomposites indicated that the hardness and modulus in the nanoscale range improved due to TiO2 addition. At a 1200-nm penetration depth, the modulus increased by 10%, 16%, and 29% and hardness increased by 18%, 24%, and 35% with the addition of 1 wt. %, 2 wt. %, and 3 wt. % TiO2, respectively. Furthermore, the creep-recovery and relaxation behaviors of PMMA were significantly improved due to the addition of TiO2. The creep strain decreased from 1.41% to 1.06%, 0.66%, and 0.49% with the addition of 1 wt. %, 2 wt. %, and 3 wt. % TiO2, respectively. The relaxation test results showed that the initial stress under 1% strain improved to 19.9, 21.2, and 22 MPa with the addition of 1 wt. %, 2 wt. %, and 3 wt. % TiO2, respectively. The improvement in the nanohardness, modulus, creep recovery, and relaxation behavior of PMMA due to the addition of TiO2 nanoparticles indicated the role of the nanoparticles in increasing the PMMA matrix stiffness by reducing its mobility and free volume. TiO2 nanoparticles also improved the antimicrobial behavior of PMMA by significantly reducing bacterial adherence with increasing TiO2 ratio. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A library of N-benzylpyridinium-based compounds, 7a-j and 8a-j, was designed and synthesised as potential acetylcholinesterase) AChE (inhibitors. An in vitro assay for the synthesised compounds showed that most compounds had significant AChE inhibitory activities at the nanomolar and submicromolar levels. The benzyl (8a) and fluoro (8b) derivatives were the most active, with IC50 values ≤56 nM. Compound 7f, which had a benzyl moiety, showed the highest potency among all the target compounds, with an IC50 value of 7.5 ± 0.19 nM against AChE, which was higher than that of the activities of tacrine (IC50 = 30 ± 0.2 nM) and donepezil (IC50 = 14 ± 0.12 nM). Compounds with vanillin moieties exhibited antioxidant activity. Among the tested compounds, four derivatives (7f, 7 g, 8f, and 8 g) exhibited superior AChE inhibitory activity, with Ki values of 6–16 nM, which were potent in the same range as the approved drug, donepezil. These compounds showed moderate antioxidant activities, as indicated by the results of the ABTS assay. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, porous polyethylene scaffolds were examined as bone substitutes in vitro and in vivo in critical-sized calvarial bone defects in transgenic Sprague-Dawley rats. A microscopic examination revealed that the pores appeared to be interconnected across the material, making them suitable for cell growth. The creep recovery behavior of porous polyethylene at different loads indicated that the creep strain had two main portions. In both portions, strain increased with increased applied load and temperature. In terms of the thermographic behavior of the material, remarkable changes in melting temperature and heat fusion were revealed with increased the heating rates. The tensile strength results showed that the material was sensitive to the strain rate and that there was adequate mechanical strength to support cell growth. The in vitro cell culture results showed that human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells attached to the porous polyethylene scaffold. Calcium sulfate–hydroxyapatite (CS–HA) coating of the scaffold not only improved attachment but also increased the proliferation of human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells. In vivo, histological analysis showed that the study groups had active bone remodeling at the border of the defect. Bone regeneration at the border was also evident, which confirmed that the polyethylene acted as an osteoconductive bone graft. Furthermore, bone formation inside the pores of the coated polyethylene was also noted, which would enhance the process of osteointegration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Now a days the major oral health issues of man is crucial an area of research. • This paper traces classification, segmentation and pre-processing of dental images. • Histogram based adaptive approach is used in the radiographic X-ray 2d dental Image. • This is useful to distinguish the foreground teeth & the regions of background bones. In the present scenario the major oral health issues of man is crucial an area of research. The Data mining techniques, image processing, and Computational intelligence techniques are playing a vital role in biomedical research. Dental image processing helps to improve the early detection and classification of the diagnostic process to make accurate decisions. The radiographic 2d dental image is widely utilized for analytic thinking of several dental disorders. In this paper traces the complete steps such as classification and segmentation as well as pre-processing of dental images has been carried out. In the pre-processing, histogram based on adaptive approach is used to stretch the contrast and equalize the brightness throughout the radiographic X-ray 2d dental Image. This operation is useful to distinguish the foreground teeth and the regions of background bones. Separation of dental 2d images into regions corresponding to the objects is a fundamental step of segmentation. The hybrid graph cut segmentation is used to segment the oral cavity and its tissues. In this research deep learning based convolution neural network (CNN) has been used to process the dental image and shows promising outcomes with 97.07% accuracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although several interventions are utilized for pain management, opioids remain the most effective intervention for moderate to severe pain. Despite opioids being the most potent analgesics used in different pain settings, several factors impede the optimal prescribing of opioids. The study seeks to identify and address the barriers physicians face to prescribing opioids in managing pain. This study was conducted in a tertiary care center in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. It involved distributing questionnaires to the participants. The questionnaires sought to identify prescribers' knowledge and current practices as well as obstacles that they face when prescribing opioids. A total of 109 questionnaires were completed by participants. More than half [59.6%] of the respondents thought that opioid use was an optimal way to treat moderate to severe pain. About 33% chose "never" when asked if they fear legal sanctions when prescribing opioids. Fear of side effects limited almost 90% of the respondents from prescribing opioids. The study confirmed the perception that opioids are the most potent pharmacological intervention in treating pain. Several barriers were identified and discussed in this study. Further studies from different settings to understand these barriers are highly recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent times, much attention has been paid to explore economic and highly active precious metal free electrocatalysts for energy conversion and storage systems due to the expensiveness of Pt-based catalysts. Here we developed a mesoporous core-shell like nanospheres composed of a metallic cobalt oxide core wrapped with a polypyrrole nanoshell (PPy/Co 3 O 4 ) for methanol electrooxidation. The performance of the core-shell PPy/Co 3 O 4 nanospheres as anodic catalyst material was measured in 1 M KOH electrolyte and the results obtained demonstrated that the hybrid possesses high catalytic activity in terms of current density and onset voltage. The core-shell PPy/Co 3 O 4 delivers an oxidation current density of ∼111 mA/cm 2 at 0.5 V with superior stability long run stability. The observed electrocatalytic performance of the porous PPy/Co 3 O 4 nanospheres is attributed to the integrative effects of both Co-species and layered carbon shell and presence of exceptionally numerous mesopores. Results show evidence that the earth abundant PPy/Co 3 O 4 provide a potential electrode material for methanol electrooxidation with a satisfactory reaction activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The performance polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) and alkaline fuel cells (AFCs) relays on the kinetics of oxygen reduction reaction at the cathode side of the fuel cell. Efficient electrocatalyst with high activity and selectivity are of great importance to achieve ORR with four-electron reaction pathway. Targeting robust and cost-effective alternatives to noble metal electrocatalysts, we skillfully fabricated nitrogen doped carbon supported cobalt phosphide (N-C@CoP) nanorod arrays as an earth abundant material for catalyzing ORR. The obtained N-C@CoP composite with relatively high surface area and favorable mesoporous features exhibits intriguing ORR catalytic performances in alkaline conditions due to ease mass diffusion, fast charge transport, and abundance of electroactive sites as a result of doped nitrogen moieties. In addition, the composite catalyst exhibits remarkable durability through an 80,000 s test compared to benchmark Pt catalyst, demonstrating excellent structure stability. The enhanced ORR performances of N-C@CoP catalyst suggest it as a potential non-Pt containing electrocatalyst for efficient ORR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) is one of the most often used polymers in biomedical applications. The limitations of HDPE are its visco-elastic behavior, low modulus and poor bioactivity. To improve HDPE properties, HA nanoparticles can be added to form polymer composite that can be used as alternatives to metals for bone substitutes and orthopaedic implant applications.Method: In our previous work (BioMedical Engineering OnLine 2013), different ratios of HDPE/HA nanocomposites were prepared using melt blending in a co-rotating intermeshing twin screw extruder. The accelerated aging effects on the tensile properties and torsional viscoelastic behavior (storage modulus (G') and Loss modulus (G")) at 80°C of irradiated and non-irradiated HDPE/HA was investigated. Also the thermal behavior of HDPE/HA were studied. In this study, the effects of gamma irradiation on the tensile viscoelastic behavior (storage modulus (E') and Loss modulus (E")) at 25°C examined for HDPE/HA nanocomposites at different frequencies using Dynamic Mechanical Analysis (DMA). The DMA was also used to analyze creep-recovery and relaxation properties of the nanocomposites. To analyze the thermal behavior of the HDPE/HA nanocomposite, Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) was used.Results: The microscopic examination of the cryogenically fractured surface revealed a reasonable distribution of HA nanoparticles in the HDPE matrix. The DMA showed that the tensile storage and loss modulus increases with increasing the HA nanoparticles ratio and the test frequency. The creep-recovery behavior improves with increasing the HA nanoparticle content. Finally, the results indicated that the crystallinity, viscoelastic, creep recovery and relaxation behavior of HDPE nanocomposite improved due to gamma irradiation.Conclusion: Based on the experimental results, it is found that prepared HDPE nanocomposite properties improved due to the addition of HA nanoparticles and irradiation. So, the prepared HDPE/HA nanocomposite appears to have fairly good comprehensive properties that make it a good candidate as bone substitute. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]