Search

Beker Ahmed Hussein,1 Beyene Sisay Damtew,1 Hinsermu Bayu Abdi,1 Temesgen Worku Gudayu2 1Department of Midwifery, College of Health Sciences, Arsi University, Asella, Ethiopia; 2Department of Clinical Midwifery, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Gondar, Gondar, EthiopiaCorrespondence: Beker Ahmed Hussein, Email bek50ahmed60@gmail.comBackground: The decision to delivery time is the interval between the decision and the childbirth by emergency caesarean delivery. The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommend that the decision to delivery time interval is less than 30 min. Additionally, the decision to delivery time varies across institutions and countries.Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the decision to delivery time and its predictors among women who underwent emergency cesarean delivery at selected hospitals of Northwest Ethiopia, 2023.Methods: An institutional-based prospective cohort study was conducted at selected hospitals of Northwest Ethiopia, among women who underwent emergency cesarean delivery from November 1 to January 30, 2023. A total of 285 participants were enrolled, and data collected using structured and pre-tested questionnaires. A systematic sampling technique was used. Data were entered into Epi-Data version 4.6 and then exported to STATA 15 for further analysis. The log rank test was utilized to compare group differences. The time is estimated by using the Kaplan–Meier curve and Cox proportional-hazard regression analysis was carried out to determine the predictors.Results: From 285 participants, 56 (21.8%) women delivered within the recommended 30 min. The overall median survival time was undetermined and the restricted mean survival time was 48.9 min (95% CI: 47.4– 50.5). The average decision to delivery time is affected among women who hesitate to accept consent (AHR: 0.17, 95% CI: 0.02– 1.25), cord prolapses (AHR: 1.36, 95% CI: 0.46– 3.94), rank of surgeon (AHR: 0.42. 95% CI: 0.42– 1.08), no free operation room table (AHR: 0.27, 95% CI: 0.28– 0.94), regional anesthesia (AHR: 0.56, 95% CI: 0.25– 1.28), and use of a bladder flap (AHR: 0.33, 95% CI: 0.16– 0.85).Conclusion: Overall decision to delivery times among women who underwent emergency cesarean section at selected hospitals were longer than the recommended time.Keywords: decision time, emergency cesarean delivery

Herein we report the synthesis of organic selenide-based maleanilic and succinanilic acids in good yields (up to 95%). Their structural identities were elucidated by spectroscopic techniques (e.g., IR, 1H- & 13C-NMR, and MS). The ADMET analysis, molecule electrostatic potential map, DFT, and frontier molecular orbital were used to study the organoselenium compounds’ pharmacokinetics, drug-likeness characteristics, geometries, and chemical and electronic properties. Moreover, a molecular docking tool was employed to investigate the organic selenides’ ability to inhibit the SARS-CoV-2 Mpro target (PDB: 7BFB). Within this context, organic selenides exhibited promising binding affinities to the SARS-CoV-2 Mpro receptor in the following order (12 > 11 > 10 > 9 > 7 > 8). Furthermore, molecular dynamics simulations were also carried out for 200 ns to evaluate the exact behavior of the most active compound (12) within the Mpro binding pocket of SARS-CoV-2 compared with its co-crystallized inhibitor (Co).

Abstract This study presents a comprehensive evaluation of Copper Indium Gallium Selenide (CIGS) solar technology, benchmarked against crystalline silicon (c-Si) PERC PV technology. Utilizing a newly developed energy yield model, we analyzed the performance of CIGS in various environmental scenarios, emphasizing its behavior in low-light conditions and under different temperature regimes. The model demonstrated high accuracy with improved error metrics of normalized mean bias error (nMBE) ~ 1% and normalized root mean square error (nRMSE) of ~ 8%–20% in simulating rack mounted setup and integrated PV systems. Key findings reveal that the CIGS technology, while slightly underperforming in integrated, low-irradiance setups, shows comparable or superior performance to c-Si PERC technology in high-irradiance and high-temperature conditions. A significant focus of the study was on the low-light performance of CIGS, where it exhibited notable voltage losses. Our research highlights the importance of reducing the diode ideality factor for enhancing CIGS power conversion efficiency, particularly In low-light conditions. These insights provide a pathway for future research and technological improvements, emphasizing defect engineering, passivation strategies to advance the understanding and application of the CIGS technology.

Abstract Mycotoxins are toxic secondary metabolites produced by fungi, pose significant health risks when present in plant-based supplements (PBS), necessitating thorough risk assessment to ensure consumer safety. This study evaluates the health risks associated with mycotoxins, specifically aflatoxins (AFB1, AFB2) and ochratoxin A (OTA), in PBS sold in Malaysia. Contamination levels of AFB1, AFB2, and OTA were quantified in 14 PBS samples using Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry. All samples tested positive for AFB2, while 28.57% and 42.86% tested positive for AFB1 and OTA, respectively with some levels exceeding the regulatory limits set by the Malaysian Food Act 1983 and European regulations. The estimated daily intake of these mycotoxins was calculated based on the recommended daily intake of each supplement. To assess risk, Margin of Exposure (MOE) values were determined, showing that all AFB2-positive samples had MOE values below the critical threshold of 10,000, indicating an urgent need for risk management. A quantitative cancer risk assessment also estimated the percentage of hepatocellular carcinoma and kidney cancer attributable to mycotoxin exposure. The findings emphasize the significant public health risks posed by mycotoxins, particularly in samples B2 and B10, where all three mycotoxins studied were present at concerning levels. This study highlights the urgent need for stricter regulations and better monitoring of mycotoxin levels in PBS to protect consumer’s health.

Abstract Background Hydatid disease, also known as echinococcosis, is a zoonotic parasitic infection caused by the larvae of the Echinococcus tapeworm. It is endemic in various regions worldwide, particularly in rural areas of countries in southern South America, Central Asia, China, parts of Africa, the Mediterranean, and parts of the Middle East. The disease primarily affects the liver (60–70% of cases) and the lungs (10–25% of cases), but it can involve any organ, including the brain, bones, and rarely the pelvic region, as seen in our case report. Hydatid disease typically follows an asymptomatic course in the early stages of the primary infection and may remain so potentially for years or even permanently. If symptoms occur, they depend on various factors, such as the number, size, and location among other factors. Typically, hydatid disease presents with nonspecific symptoms. Common symptoms include abdominal pain, hepatomegaly, as well as anaphylaxis in case of cyst rupture. Extrahepatic intra-abdominal isolated hydatic cyst is a rare finding (6–11%). Case presentation In our case, a 70 year-old Asian white male presented with right thigh pain radiating to the lower leg, which is an atypical presentation for an extrahepatic intraabdominal hydatid cyst. Primary intraabdominal hydatid cysts involving the pelvic region are relatively rare, and such cases pose diagnostic and management challenges. Conclusion This case report underscores the challenges in diagnosing and managing extrahepatic intraabdominal hydatid cysts, particularly in atypical presentations. A combination of clinical evaluation, serological studies, and imaging techniques facilitates accurate diagnosis.

Background: Functional neurological disorder (FND) causes motor or sensory symptoms without a neurological cause, leading to disability and distress. Neuroimaging shows structural brain changes in regions linked to pain and emotional regulation. Objectives: This study examines brain volumetric differences between FND patients and healthy controls, focusing on areas involved in emotion regulation and motor control. Patients and methods: The study included 50 FND patients and 40 healthy controls. Cognitive assessments used the Trail Making Test (TMT) A and B and the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA). Brain volumetric analyses were performed using the VolBrain tool on sagittal T1-weighted MRI scans. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 24. Results: FND patients had higher TMT-A (45.8 vs. 27.1, p < 0.001) and TMT-B (68.3 vs. 40.5, p < 0.001) scores, and lower MoCA scores (19.4 vs. 24.3, p < 0.001). Brain volumetry revealed decreased white matter (415.9 vs. 551.3, p < 0.001) and brainstem volumes (21.1 vs. 24.5, p < 0.001). Significant correlations were found between cognitive test scores and brain volumes. Conclusions: Significant brain volumetric differences were found between FND patients and healthy controls, particularly in white matter and brainstem volumes. These structural abnormalities are linked to cognitive impairments in FND patients, emphasizing the need for integrated diagnostic and therapeutic approaches. Further research is needed to understand the mechanisms underlying FND.

Nanotechnology has garnered significant attention for its wide-ranging applications in biomedicine, energy, and environmental science. The synthesis of nanomaterials with specific properties is crucial for advancing these fields. Among various methods, thermal treatment has emerged as a promising technique for producing diverse nanostructures. However, thermal treatment alone often leads to larger particle sizes and poor uniformity, limiting the practical applications of the resulting nanomaterials. Incorporating polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) as a capping agent addresses these challenges by reducing particle size and enhancing uniformity. Optimizing parameters such as PVP concentration, molecular weight, temperature, and precursor ratios is key to improving the performance of the PVP-assisted thermal treatment method. This paper reviews recent progress in synthesizing nanostructures using PVP-assisted thermal treatment, including key characterization techniques. It also examines the applications of these nanostructures in fields such as biomedicine, energy, and environmental science. The review identifies challenges in the synthesis and characterization process, while also outlining potential future directions for enhancing this method. The insights provided will be valuable to researchers working in nanotechnology and related disciplines.

Abstract Zinc oxide (ZnO) nanorods and ZnO nanostructures composited with silver (Ag) and multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) have been synthesized by a simple impregnation–calcination method and have been shown to be suitable for use as antimicrobial agents. The preparation method used for composite materials is very simple, time-effective, and can be used for large-scale production. Several analytical techniques, including X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron spectroscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and Fourier transmission infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), have been used to characterize the prepared ZnO-Ag-MWCNT composite materials. The effects on structural, morphological, and antimicrobial properties of (ZnO)100-x (Ag)x nanocomposites at various weight ratios (x = 0, 5, 10, 30, and 50 wt%) have been investigated. The antimicrobial properties of ZnO composited with Ag nanoparticles and MWCNTs towards both gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria species were studied. The effect of raw MWCNTs and MWCNTs composited with ZnO and Ag on the cell morphology and chemical composition of Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) and Escherichia coli (E. coli) was studied by SEM and EDS, respectively. It was found that composite materials made of ZnO-Ag-MWCNTs exhibit greater antibacterial activities toward the microorganisms E. coli and S. aureus than ZnO-Ag, which could be beneficial for efficient antimicrobial agents in water and air treatment applications.

Abstract Background Chronic hepatitis C (CHC) infection is a potentially life‐threatening condition characterized by various complications, including end‐stage liver disease and cirrhosis. The mortality rate associated with CHC has been increasing due to the presence of comorbidities and the use of chronic medications. Therefore, the objective of this study was to investigate the impact of these comorbidities and chronic medications on the treatment plan for CHC. Methods To achieve this objective, a cross‐sectional retrospective study was conducted at a tertiary hospital in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The study population included patients aged 12 years and above who were diagnosed with CHC between 2016 and 2021. Patients below the age of 12 were excluded from the study. A total of 170 patients with CHC were included in the analysis. The study aimed to evaluate the relationship between CHC complications and the treatment approach. Results The mean age of the study participants was 66.78 years, with a higher proportion of female patients. The findings revealed a significant association between hypertension (p = 0.042) and cirrhosis (p = 0.007) with changes in the treatment plan for CHC. Moreover, the presence of diabetes mellitus (p = 0.045), renal diseases (p

Recently, air pollution has received much attention as a result of reflections on environmental issues. Accordingly, the hub location problem (HLP) seeks to find the optimal location of hub facilities and allocate points for them to meet the demands between source-destination pairs. Thus, in this study, decisions related to location and allocation in a hub network are reviewed and a multi-objective model is proposed for locating and allocating capacity-building facilities at different time periods over a planning horizon. The objective functions of the model presented in this study are to minimize costs, reduce air pollution by diminishing fuel consumption, and maximize job opportunities. In order to solve the given model, the General Algebraic Modeling System (GAMS) along with innovative algorithms are utilized. The results presented a multi-objective sustainable model for full-covering HLP, and provided access to a hub network with minimum transport costs, fuel consumption, and GHG (greenhouse gas) emissions, and maximum job opportunities in each planning horizon utilizing MOICA (multi-objective imperialist competitive algorithm) and GAMS to solve the proposed model. The study also assessed the performance of the proposed algorithms with the aid of the QM, MID, SM, and NSP indicators, acquired from comparing the proposed meta-heuristic algorithm based on some indicators, proving the benefit and efficiency of MOICA in all cases.

Oil-immersed transformers are mostly installed equipment in electrical power networks. Thus, ensuring the reliability of these equipment is paramount. Fault identification is one of the measures taken to ensure the reliability. Concerning fault identification mechanisms, several methods exist; one of which is the dissolved gas analysis (DGA) tool that has been widely used purposefully for oil-immersed transformers. The tool is used to capture and analyze the gases dissolved in the oil. Studies have proposed various fault identification methods based on this tool such as the Dornenburg, key gas, and International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) standards methods using DGA data. However, the accuracy of these methods seems to be limited by the context, such as the type and number of parameters used. In this study, the novel hybrid fault identification method based on multilayer neural networks (MLANN) and expert knowledge is proposed to improve the accuracy fault identification process by considering the specific characteristic parameters extracted from the historical DGA dataset. The proposed hybrid method improves accuracy by 14.46% when compared to 12 benchmark methods. This improvement portrays that our method can be integrated into a scheduling platform for maintenance decision support in an electrical power network with accuracy. Furthermore, the promising accuracy in transformer fault identification is expected to increase safety and power reliability.

Ketosis is an energy-related metabolic disease that primarily occurs during the early lactation period in dairy cattle. Ketosis adversely affects production, animal health, and reproduction. The present study determines the prevalence and risk factors associated with ketosis in dairy cattle during early lactation in Egypt. A total of 1179 dairy cows from 37 dairy farms were screened for ketosis using a semi-quantitative cow-side milk strip test. A questionnaire was constructed to include the hypothesized risk factors. Risk factors were assessed on both the cow and herd levels using logistic regression model. The findings showed that the prevalence of ketosis was 6.35% (75/1179 cases). On the cow level, the final logistic regression model revealed a significant association between ketosis and parity ≥4 (P= 0.040, OR: 1.74, CI 95%: 1.025–2.95), cows with a dry period length ≥ 65 days (P =0.02, OR: 1.88, CI 95%: 1.1–3.18), calving season (P=0.037, OR: 1.73, CI 95%: 1.03–2.89), BCS>3.5 (P= 0.010, OR: 2.03, CI 95%: 1.19–3.47), milk yield ≥25L/day (P= 0.033, OR 2.04, CI 95%: 1.06-3.92), dystocia (P< 0.001; OR: 3.18, CI 95%: 1.75–5.77), retained placenta (P= 0.006, OR: 2.85, CI 95%: 1.35-6.032), and displaced abomasum (P< 0.001, OR: 26.28; CI 95%: 7.20–95.90). On the herd level, there was an association between ketosis and insufficient prepartum feeding of a total mixed ration (P= 0. 021, OR: 6.29, CI 95%: 1.325–29.86), and in herds deficient-lactation supplementa­tion propylene glycol (P= 0.047, OR: 4.86, CI 95%: 1.020–23.19). In conclusion, ketosis is an existing problem in dairy farms in Egypt; therefore, identification of risk factors may provide a useful approach for the prevention and control such metabolic problems. Razširjenost in potencialni dejavniki tveganja, povezani s ketozo na mlečnih kmetijah v Egiptu Izvleček: Ketoza je z energijo povezana presnovna bolezen, ki se pojavlja predvsem v zgodnjem obdobju laktacije pri kravah molznicah. Ketoza negativno vpliva na proizvodnjo, zdravje živali in reprodukcijo. V tej študiji smo določali razširjenost in dejavnike tveganja, povezane s ketozo pri mlečnem govedu v zgodnji laktaciji v Egiptu. Na ketozo je bilo pregledanih 1179 krav molznic iz 37 mlečnih farm z uporabo semikvantitativnega testa na mlečnem traku. Sestavili smo vprašalnik, ki je vključeval domnevne dejavnike tveganja. Dejavnike tveganja smo ocenili na ravni krave in črede z uporabo logističnega regresijskega modela. Ugotovitve so pokazale, da je bila razširjenost ketoze 6,35 % (75/1179 primerov). Na ravni krave je končni logistični regresijski model pokazal pomembno povezavo med ketozo in pariteto ≥ 4 (P= 0,040, OR: 1,74, CI 95 %: 1,025-2,95), kravami z dolžino sušnega obdobja ≥ 65 dni (P=0,02, OR: 1,88, CI 95 %: 1,1-3,18), sezono telitve (P=0,037, OR: 1,73, CI 95 %: 1,03-2. 89), BCS>3,5 (P= 0,010, OR: 2,03, CI 95 %: 1,19-3,47), mlečnostjo ≥25L/dan (P= 0,033, OR 2,04, CI 95 %: 1,06-3,92), distociji (P< 0,001; OR: 3. 18, CI 95 %: 1,75-5,77), zadržani posteljici (P= 0,006, OR: 2,85, CI 95 %: 1,35-6,032) in dislokacijo siriščnika (P< 0,001, OR: 26,28; CI 95 %: 7,20-95,90). Na ravni črede smo ugotovili povezavo med ketozo in nezadostnim krmljenjem s skupnim mešanim obrokom pred porodom (P= 0. 021, OR: 6,29, CI 95 %: 1,325-29,86), v čredah s pomanjkljivo laktacijo pa z dodatkom propilenglikola (P= 0,047, OR: 4,86, CI 95 %: 1,020-23,19). Zaključimo lahko, da je ketoza obstoječa težava na mlečnih kmetijah v Egiptu, zato lahko opredelitev dejavnikov tveganja predstavlja uporaben pristop za preprečevanje in nadzor teh presnovnih težav. Ključne besede: krava molznica; ketoza; dejavniki tveganja; BHBA

ZrO2 is a fascinating metal oxide with rich physical phenomenon and promised applications. In this study, the effects of chemical doping with Co+2 ions on nanostructure, electronic, optical, photoluminescence (PL), and magnetic properties of Zr1-xCoxO2 thin films (x = 0.0, 0.05, 0.1, and 0.15) prepared by sol–gel spin-coating method were investigated. The films exhibited a tetragonal structure with crystallinity improved with Co doping. Pure ZrO2 film showed a smooth surface morphology consisting of small particle size of 22 nm. The Co-doped ZrO2 films exhibited well-ordered holes, and their size and number increased with Co doping up to x = 0.1 and then decreased at x = 0.15. Root-mean-square roughness increased from 1.1 nm for pure ZrO2 to 16.5 nm for film x = 0.15. The Co ions in the films existed in a 2 + valence state. Energy band gap decreased with Co doping and had values of 4.40, 4.396, 4.392, and 4.170 eV for the films with x = 0.0, 0.05, 0.1, and 0.15, respectively. The PL spectra of films x = 0.00 and 0.05 are mainly comprised of two emission peaks; intense peak centred at 370 nm and broad peak centred about 500 nm. As the Co concentration increased, two intense and sharp emission peaks emerged at 335 and 373 nm. The films showed soft hysteresis loop, and their magnetization was enhanced with the increase of Co content.

Background Social vulnerability impacts the natural history of diabetes as well as cardiovascular disease (CVD). However, there are little data regarding the social vulnerability association with diabetes‐related CVD mortality. Methods and Results County‐level mortality data (where CVD was the underlying cause of death with diabetes among the multiple causes) extracted from the Centers for Disease Control multiple cause of death (2015–2019) and the 2018 Social Vulnerability Index databases were aggregated into quartiles based on their Social Vulnerability Index ranking from the least (first quartile) to the most vulnerable (fourth quartile). Stratified by demographic groups, the data were analyzed for overall CVD, as well as for ischemic heart disease, hypertensive disease, heart failure, and cerebrovascular disease. In the 5‐year study period, 387 139 crude diabetes‐related cardiovascular mortality records were identified. The age‐adjusted mortality rate for CVD was higher in the fourth quartile compared with the first quartile (relative risk [RR], 1.66 [95% CI, 1.64–1.67]) with an estimated 39 328 excess deaths. Among the youngest age group (

Background In the past few decades, diabetes‐related cardiovascular mortality has been steadily declining. However, the impact of the COVID19 pandemic on this trend has not been previously defined. Methods and Results Diabetes‐related cardiovascular mortality data were extracted for each year between 1999 and 2020 from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Wide‐Ranging Online Data for Epidemiologic Research (WONDER) database. Regression analysis was used to calculate the trend in the 2 decades before the pandemic (1999–2019) and thereby estimate the excess cardiovascular mortality in 2020. There was a 29.2% fall in the diabetes‐related cardiovascular age‐adjusted mortality rate between 1999 to 2019, largely driven by a 41% decrease in ischemic heart disease deaths. In comparison to 2019, there was an overall 15.5% increase in the diabetes‐related cardiovascular age‐adjusted mortality rate in the first year of the pandemic, mainly due to a 14.1% rise in ischemic heart disease deaths. Younger patients (under 55 years) and the Black population experienced the greatest increase in diabetes‐related cardiovascular age‐adjusted mortality rate (24.0% and 25.3%, respectively). Trend analysis estimated 16 009 excess diabetes‐related cardiovascular deaths in 2020, with the majority due to ischemic heart disease (8504). Black and Hispanic or Latino populations had at least one‐fifth of their 2020 diabetes‐related cardiovascular age‐adjusted mortality rate as excess deaths (22.3% and 20.2%, respectively). Conclusions There was a sharp rise in diabetes‐related cardiovascular mortality during the first pandemic year. Black, Hispanic or Latino, and young people showed the largest increases in diabetes‐related cardiovascular mortality. Targeted health policies could help address the disparities observed in this analysis.

Pure NiSe nanoparticles were successfully produced using an adapted thermal treatment technique and an alternate nitrogen flow. Throughout a range of calcination temperatures of 500 °C–800 °C, a number of techniques were utilised in order to examine the optical, structural and magnetic characteristics of the attained NiSe nanoparticles. Ultraviolet-visible absorption spectrophotometry was employed to ascertain the optical characteristics. These evidenced a reduction in the NiSe nanoparticle conduction band with elevated calcination temperatures, i.e. from 3.58 eV to 3.37 eV at 500 °C and 800 °C, respectively. This was attributed to a higher degree of attraction between the conduction electrons and the metallic ions with rising particle dimensions, equating to a larger atom population comprising the metal nanoparticles. This means that the findings can be applied to a wide range of energy applications. The lack of impurities within the produced NiSe nanoparticles was verified utilising Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy and energy dispersive X-ray analysis. At calcination temperatures of ≥ 500 °C, powder X-ray diffraction demonstrated that the specimen, amorphous at room temperature, had undergone conversion into hexagonal crystalline nanostructures. Transmission electron microscopy confirmed the evolution of size NiSe nanoparticles; mean particle dimensions increased from 21 nm to 54 nm at calcination temperatures of 500 °C and 800 °C, respectively. Electron spin resonance spectroscopy, used to identify the magnetic properties, supported the presence of unpaired electrons.

Purpose: Promising advances have been made in mesenchymal stem cell transplantation to reinducethe immune tolerance in neuroinflammatory animal models and multiple sclerosis (MS)patients. The available evidence demonstrated that immunomodulatory effects of mesenchymalstem cell are particularly exerted through releasing exosomes to their environment. Wetherefore, aimed to comparatively assess the potential effect of mesenchymal stem cells andmesenchymal stem cells-derived exosomes on proliferation and function of the CD4+CD25−conventional T cells, isolated from relapsing-remitting MS patients.Methods: Mesenchymal stem cells were isolated from human umbilical cord tissues and usedfor exosome isolation via ultracentrifugation. Both mesenchymal stem cells and mesenchymalstem cells-derived exosomes were evaluated for their anti-inflammatory effects againstthe proliferation of T cells isolated from two groups of individuals in vitro, MS patients andhealthy subjects. Cytokine production of conventional T cells (interferon-γ, interleukin-10, andinterleukin-17) was also assessed, using flow cytometry for the patients and healthy individuals.Results: Here, evidence shows that MSCs and MSC-derived exosomes dampen proliferationand percentage of conventional T cells that produce IFN-γ (healthy control: P

Abstract The oceans play an important role in our daily life and they form the lungs of our planet. Subsequently, the world ocean provides so many benefits for humans and the planet including oxygen production, climate regulation, transportation, recreation, food, medicine, economic, etc. However, the oceans suffer nowadays from several challenges ranging from pollution to climate change and destruction of underwater habitat. Hence, the use of remote sensing technologies, like sensor networks and IoT, is becoming essential in order to continuously monitor the wide underwater areas and oceans. Unfortunately, the limited battery power constitutes one of the major challenges and limitations of such technologies. In this paper, we propose an efficient LOcal and GlObal data collection mechanism, called LOGO, that aims to conserve the energy in remote sensing applications. LOGO is based on the cluster scheme and works on two network stages: local and global. The local stage is at the sensor node and aims to reduce its data transmission by eliminating on-period and in-period data redundancies. The global stage is at the autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) level and aims to minimize the data redundancy among neighboring nodes based on a spatial-temporal node correlation and Kempe’s graph techniques. The simulation results on real underwater data confirm that LOGO mechanism is less energy consumption with high data accuracy than the existing techniques.

Inhalational anesthesia is routinely used in small animal surgery. Selecting a suitable drug combination is vital since it may negatively affect the patient's physiological condition. We conducted this study to examine the sparing effect of butorphanol–lidocaine (BUT–LID) and tramadol–lidocaine (TRM–LID) on sevoflurane's minimum alveolar concentration (MAC) in 10 healthy mongrel dogs aged 1–2 years and weighing 11.5 ± 0.8 kg (mean ± SD). Sevoflurane's MAC was measured on three separate occasions. The three dog treatment groups were control (CONT) anesthetized only with sevoflurane, TRM–LID (TRM, i.v. 1.5 mg kg−1, then 1.3 mg kg−1 h−1 and LID, i.v. 2 mg kg−1, then 3 mg kg−1 h−1) or BUT–LID treatment (BUT, i.v. 0.1 mg kg−1 then 0.2 mg kg−1 h−1 and LID, i.v. 2 mg kg−1, then 3 mg kg−1 h−1). We hypothesized that both TRM–LID and BUT–LID would result in a significant MAC sparing effect in healthy dogs. The TRM–LID treatment resulted in a non-significant MAC reduction. MAC was lowered significantly in the BUT–LID group (p = 0.009). The sevoflurane MAC-sparing effects of TRM–LID and BUT–LID treatments were 7.05 ± 22.20 and 19.90 ± 5.91%, respectively, a difference that was not statistically significant (p = 0.13). Bradycardia was observed in the TRM–LID (p < 0.001) treatment. The esophageal temperature was significantly higher for the TRM–LID treatment than the CONT (p < 0.001) treatment. No statistically significant changes were detected between the three groups in fR, Pe′CO2, and MABP. In conclusion, there was a significant sparing effect after adding BUT–LID co-infusion than the control group. No sparing effect was noticed when adding TRM–LID co-infusion. However, no difference in the MAC sparing percentages between the TRM–LID and BUT–LID treatments. The BUT–LID co-infusion resulted in a sevoflurane MAC reduction superior to TRM–LID in addition to minimal cardiorespiratory changes. Both BUT-LID and TRM-LID may be clinically beneficial to dogs during anesthesia. However, BUT-LID produced higher sparing effect and reduction of sevoflurane MAC value.

[Ar] عن لقب aA n xA، «عظيم قاعة xA» الخاص بـ«باي إف إتشاو إم عاوي نيث» في مصر الصاوية حمل الموظف الكبير المعروف «باي إف إتشاو إم عاوي نيث» الذي كان يعيش في نهاية العصر الصاوي حمل لقب aA n #A أي «عظيم قاعة xA ». وظهرت كلمة xA لأول مرة في الأسرة السادسة، وكانت تشير إلى «قاعة ذات أعمدة». ويشير قاموس برلين أيضًا إلى حدوث هذه الكلمة في الدولة القديمة، والتي تعني «قاعة» أو «قاعة الملك». وقد يشير مخصص هذه الكلمة ( ) إلى غرفة أو مكتب للأنشطة الرسمية. ولقب aA n xA الخاص بـ «باي إف إتشاو إم عاوي نيث» هو لقب عام ولا يحدد أية صلة بمنصب الوزير أو الملك. ولا تُعرف دلالة لقب aA n xA الخاص بـ «باي إف إتشاو إم عاوي نيث» بالضبط في تلك الفترة. وعلاوة على ذلك، لا نعرف مكانة هذه الرتبة أو وظيفة حاملها في ذلك الوقت. ونظرًا لأن وظيفة قاعةxA- كانت مرتبطة بالإدارة واستقبال الجمهور، فقد تكون قاعة xA ذات صلة بالملك؛ لأن جميع ألقاب «باي إف إتشاو إم عاوي نيث» مرتبطة بطريقة أو بأخرى بالبلاط الملكي. ويظهر كل هذا أن «باي إف إتشاو إم عاوي نيث» كانت له علاقات وثيقة ولعب أدوارًا مهمة في القصر الملكي، ربما كان الملك هو أبريس. وإذا كان الأمر كذلك، فربما كان «باي إف إتشاو إم عاوي نيث» مديرًا لقاعة xA لهذا الملك، وربما كان مسؤولاً عن جميع اتصالاتها الخارجية وعن نظامها وأمنها كما كانت هذه الأمور ضمن واجبات الوزير في أوائل عصر الدولة الحديثة. [En] The famous Late Saite high official Payeftjauemawyneith held the title aA n xA «the great one of the xA-hall». The word xA appeared for the first time in the Sixth Dynasty, designating a «columned hall». The Wb also refers to the occurrence of this word in the Old Kingdom, meaning «hall» or «the king’s hall». The determinative of this word ( ) may refer to a room or an office for official activities. The title aA n xA of Payeftjauemawyneith is generic and does not specify any connections with the positions of the king or the vizier. The significance of Payeftjauemawyneith’s title aA n xA is not exactly known at the period. We did not know this rank status or the function of its holder at the time. Since the function of the xA-hall was related to the administration and receiving audience, it might be the xA-hall of the king because all of Payeftjauemawyneith’s titles were related in one way or another to the royal realm. All these show that Payeftjauemawyneith had close connections and played important roles in the royal palace, probably of Apries. Therefore, Payeftjauemawyneith might have functioned as director of this xA-hall of this king and be responsible for all of its external contacts and its order and security as these fell under the duties of the vizier in the early New Kingdom.

BackgroundLocal and regional anesthetic procedures are valuable tools in veterinary practice. Caudal epidural administration of local anesthetic agents is widely reported for surgical interventions of the tail, anus, rectum, vulva, vagina, urethra, and bladder in the standing horse. Epidural analgesia is also obtained using various drugs such as alpha-2 adrenoceptor agonists, dissociative anesthetics, and opioids. The present study evaluates the anti-nociceptive and sedative effects of epidural administration of romifidine, a romifidine–lidocaine combination, and lidocaine alone in donkeys.Materials and methodsIn a randomized prospective study, twenty-four healthy adult donkeys were assigned to four groups (three experimental and one control; n = 6) received either 50 μg/kg of romifidine, 0.30 mg/kg of lidocaine, combined romifidine (50 μg/kg) and lidocaine (0.30 mg/kg) diluted in 0.9% sterile normal saline solution to a total injection volume of 12 ml, or an equivalent volume of sterile saline epidurally. After epidural injection of each treatment, the onset, degree, and duration of sedation and anatomical extension of anti-nociception were documented. Observations began immediately (time 0) pre-administration and at 5, 15, 30, 45, 60, and 30-min intervals subsequently until 210 min after drug injection. Time to onset of perineal analgesia was documented every minute after the epidural injection by evaluating the animal's response to pinpricks.ResultsOnly romifidine and romifidine-lidocaine induced mild to moderate sedation. Romifidine, romifidine-lidocaine, and lidocaine induced complete bilateral caudal epidural analgesia with loss of sensation in the perineum, tail, inguinal region, caudal aspect of the upper hind limb, chest areas, and extended distally to the dorsal metatarsal area. Sedation lasted longer (p < 0.05) with romifidine (160 ± 15.4 min) than with romifidine-lidocaine (141.6 ± 13.2 min). Longer-lasting analgesia (p < 0.05) was obtained with romifidine (158.3 ± 9.8 min) and romifidine-lidocaine (165 ± 9.4 min) than with lidocaine (75.8 ± 8 min).ConclusionsEpidural administration of a single dose of romifidine or a combination of romifidine-lidocaine produced mild to moderate sedation and complete anti-nociception in the perineal and inguinal regions of donkeys. The clinical usefulness of epidural romifidine or romifidine-lidocaine combinations to perform obstetric procedures in donkeys needs to be assessed.

The concept and theory of equilibrium in conventional economics is one of the central points in economic theory. The relationship between the concept of equilibrium and the coordination of economic individuals' behavior is a key point in understanding the equilibrium theory i.e., in the market system, to achieve collective interest without the direct intervention of governments. In many works on Islamic economics, monetary and real equilibrium in different markets have been extracted without mentioning the basis of this concept. In fact, it has been viewed with a value perspective. After a brief overview of the concept of equilibrium in conventional economics, this article goes on to concisely discuss equilibrium application in works on Islamic economics. The main idea of the article is that if people's interaction with each other and the theory of government intervention in Islamic economics is not clarified, speaking of equilibrium in the conventional sense is a kind of misplaced assumption. In some works, such as Iqtisaduna "Our Economy"a book by Muhammad Baqir al-Sadr, one can find important distances with an equilibrium perspective. An alternative approach can be seen due to the presentation of a different picture of government intervention and people participation in the economy. The present paper dealt with this important issue by reviewing and comparing texts.

The effects of graphene addition on the phase formation and superconducting properties of (Bi1.6Pb0.4)Sr2Ca2Cu3O10 (Bi-2223) ceramics synthesized using the co-precipitation method were systematically investigated. Series samples of Bi-2223 were added with different weight percentages (x = 0.0, 0.3, 0.5 and 1.0 wt.%) of graphene nanoparticles. The samples’ phase formations and crystal structures were characterized via X-ray diffraction (XRD), while the superconducting critical temperatures, Tc, were investigated using alternating current susceptibility (ACS). The XRD showed that a high-Tc phase, Bi-2223, and a small low-Tc phase, Bi-2212, dominated the samples. The volume fraction of the Bi-2223 phase increased for the sample with x = 0.3 wt.% and 0.5 wt.% of graphene and slightly reduced at x = 1.0 wt.%. The ACS showed that the onset critical temperature, Tc-onset, phase lock-in temperature, Tcj, and coupling peak temperature, TP, decreased when graphene was added to the samples. The susceptibility–temperature (χ′-T) and (χ″-T) curves of each sample, where χ′ and χ″ are the real and imaginary parts of the susceptibility, respectively, were obtained. The critical temperature of the pure sample was also measured.

Purpose: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a debilitating neuroinflammatory disorder of the central nervous system. It is believed to result from an impaired immune response against myelin components especially myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG). Some efforts have been made to bioconjugate the MOG peptides to tolerogenic particles like poly (lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) for treating animal models of autoimmune disorders. Accordingly, we aimed to elucidate the tolerogenic effects of MOG-PLGA particles on experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). Methods: PGLA nanoparticles were synthesized using water/oil/water procedure. Next, the MOG or ovalbumin (OVA) peptides covalently linked to the PLGA particles. These particles were then intravenously or subcutaneously administered to nine groups of C57BL/6 mice before and after EAE induction. The brain tissues were assessed for the infiltration of immune cells. The Tolerogenic effect of the vaccine was also assessed on the quantity of the Treg cells. Moreover, the amount of interferon-γ (IFN-γ), interleukin-10 (IL-10), and interleukin-17 levels produced by splenic lymphocytes were then quantified by ELISA. Results: Intravenous administration of PLGA500-MOG35-55 nanoparticles before EAE induction ameliorated EAE clinical scores as well as infiltration of immune cells into the brain. In the spleen, the treatment increased CD4+CD25+FoxP3+ Treg population and restored the homeostasis of IFN-γ, IL-10, and IL-17 (all P values

Abstract Traditional grain cleaning methods are labor-intensive, time-consuming, and yet very inefficient. The use of available mechanical seed cleaners is widely limited since they are expensive to own, operate, and maintain. A Pedal Operated Seed Cleaner (PoS-Cleaner) was developed and its performance evaluated. Appropriate engineering principles and methodologies were used in the sizing and construction of the machine. The cleaner consists of a bicycle-like pedaling system, hopper, a centrifugal fan, and three cleaning sieves which include two inside interlocking sieves (one sieve fixed and the other adjustable); whose meshes can be adjusted to be larger than the size of the unclean seeds by longitudinally translating the second sieve to achieve the appropriate seed size. This allows trapping of impurities larger than the seeds. Cleaning rates of 576.5 kg/h, 375.8 kg/h, and 377.4 kg/h for maize, beans, and groundnuts were obtained respectively. Maize, beans, and groundnuts had their highest cleaning efficiencies of 95.09%, 87.61%, and 81.67% at inner sieve sizes of 13 mm, 16 mm and 10 mm respectively, pedaling speed of 60 rpm. The PoS-Cleaner presents a more viable cleaning option for smallholder farmers in rural and remote areas with no access to the national grid, therefore producing high-quality seeds. This will eventually facilitate agricultural value addition and increase individual family incomes in Uganda. Article highlights A pedal operated multi-seed cleaner was developed. Achieved 5 times higher seed cleaning rates compared to traditional cleaning technologies. Attained higher separation efficiencies of seed and externalities compared to traditional technologies.

This study aims to synthesize the (Cr2O3)x (NiO)1-x nanoparticles at lower and higher precursor values using the calcination method. There is a lack in regard to investigating the lower and higher precursor values on structural and optical properties of the (Cr2O3)x (NiO)1-x nanoparticles. To synthesize the (Cr2O3)x (NiO)1-x nanoparticles, Cr (III) acetate hydrate and Ni (II) acetate tetrahydrate were reacted with poly (vinyl alcohol). Several techniques, including X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), have been employed to characterize the synthesized sample. The XRD pattern analysis indicated that, following calcination, nanoparticle formation occurred, indicating hexagonal crystalline structures (HCP) and face-centred cubic (FCC) of (Cr2O3)x (NiO)1-x nanoparticles. FT-IR verified the existence of Ni–O and Cr–O as the original compounds of ready (Cr2O3)x (NiO)1-x nanoparticle samples. In term of average particle size, this varied from 5 to 16 nm when the precursor concentration rised from x = 0.20 to x = 0.80, as reflected in the TEM results. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) was employed to measure the valence state and surface composition of the prepared product nanoparticles. To identify the optical band gap using the Kubelka–Munk equation, diffuse UV–visible reflectance spectra were employed, which revealed that the energy band gap fell with a rise in the value of x. In addition, photoluminescence (PL) spectra indicated that the photoluminescence intensity was related to a directly proportional way to particle size. Hence, the results can be employed with a broad range of applications in solar cell energy applications at higher x values and antibacterial activity at lower x values.

Background and Objectives Cancer carries one of the heaviest burdens globally in terms of mortality. Lebanon is a middle-income Middle East country also plagued with cancer, as such a study and analysis of cancer trends and projections would serve a great benefit in the fight against the disease. Materials and Methods All data pertaining to cancers in Lebanon were extracted from the National Cancer Registry of Lebanon Web site. Data were analyzed to produce trends over the years of our study (2008–2015). Ten-year projections were further calculated for the top cancers by the primary site using logarithmic models. Results The top cancers in Lebanon are the breast, lung, colorectal, bladder, and prostate. The top cancers affecting females are the breast, lung, and colorectal. The top cancers affecting males are the prostate, lung, and bladder. Cancer cases are projected to increase in Lebanon over the next 10 years. Conclusion Lebanon had a steady incidence rate of cancer cases during the time of our study. A more complete understanding of cancer trends and their ultimate reduction will require further research into the origins of specific cancers and the means of prevention and control.

Abstract Background Only few studies describe the impact of nutritive factors on chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP), an inflammatory disease of the peripheral nervous system. The active component of chili pepper, capsaicin, is the direct agonist of the transient receptor potential channel vanilloid subfamily member 1. Its anti-inflammatory effect in the animal model experimental autoimmune neuritis (EAN) has been previously demonstrated. Methods In the present study, we describe the anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative influence of capsaicin on Schwann cells (SCs) in an in vitro setting. Hereby, we analyze the effect of capsaicin on Schwann cells’ gene expression pattern, major histocompatibility complex class II (MHC-II) presentation, and H2O2-induced oxidative stress. Furthermore, the effect of capsaicin on myelination was examined in a SC-dorsal root ganglia (DRG) coculture by myelin basic protein staining. Finally, in order to investigate the isolated effect of capsaicin on SCs in EAN pathology, we transplant naïve and capsaicin pre-treated SCs intrathecally in EAN immunized rats and analyzed clinical presentation, electrophysiological parameters, and cytokine expression in the sciatic nerve. Results In SC monoculture, incubation with capsaicin significantly reduces interferon gamma-induced MHC-II production as well as toll-like receptor 4 and intercellular adhesion molecule 1 mRNA expression. Calcitonin gene-related peptide mRNA production is significantly upregulated after capsaicin treatment. Capsaicin reduces H2O2-induced oxidative stress in SC in a preventive, but not therapeutic setting. In a SC-DRG coculture, capsaicin does not affect myelination rate. After intrathecal transplantation of naïve and capsaicin pre-treated SCs in EAN-immunized rats, naïve, but not capsaicin pre-treated intrathecal SCs, ameliorated EAN pathology in rats. Conclusions In conclusion, we were able to demonstrate a direct immunomodulatory and anti-oxidative effect of capsaicin in a SC culture by reduced antigen presentation and expression of an anti-inflammatory profile. Furthermore, capsaicin increases the resistance of SCs against oxidative stress. A primary effect of capsaicin on myelination was not proven. These results are in concordance with previous data showing an anti-inflammatory effect of capsaicin, which might be highly relevant for CIDP patients.

Abstract The aim of this study was to evaluate the water quality of Shatt Al-Arab River (SAR) and investigate the influences on the variations of heavy metals levels. The surface water and bed sediments samples at four stations have been collected (4 months) during 2017–2018, and seven heavy metals (Ni2+, Cr3+, Pb2+, As3+, Hg2+, U4+ and Cd2+), as well as 11 parameters including total dissolved solids, the concentration of hydrogen ions, dissolved oxygen, nitrate, chlorides, turbidity, total hardness, electrical conductivity and alkalinity were investigated. The results indicated that the water quality in the SAR depend on the combined effects of natural and anthropogenic factors. The variation of water quality of SAR influenced by the chemical ions inflow from the Tigris River and the marine salt from Arabian Gulf. The highest value of TDS was in S4 it reached to 42,844 mg/l. The results showed that most of the ions increase their concentration by more than 200%, especially in summer season at Fao area due to the effect of the seawater intrusions. In comparison to the sediments, low concentrations and a uniform distribution of most metals were observed in the river water. The river sediments were polluted with heavy metals, while pollution levels in the water were still within permissible limits for drinking, irrigation and aquatic life. These findings indicated that the major sources of river contamination with heavy metals were the atmospheric deposit of gaseous emissions from oil production and electric generators and the surface runoff from agricultural areas after rainfall. Additionally, the tide greatly controls the distribution heavy metals in the river.

إن الله تعالي أنزل كتابه لهداية البشرية ، و إخراجهم من الظلمات الي النور ؛ ففيه الحق و الهدي، و النور و الضياء كما قرر الله جل و علا ذلك بقوله : { إِنَّ هَذَا الْقُرْآنَ يَهْدِي لِلَّتِي هِيَ أَقْوَمُ وَيُبَشِّرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ الَّذِينَ يَعْمَلُونَ الصَّالِحَاتِ أَنَّ لَهُمْ أَجْرًا كَبِيرًا }(الإسراء/9) و لأجل ذلك عظمت عناية المسلمين به منذ نزوله و إلي أن تقوم الساعة ، و ما زال المسلمون يعكفون عليه تعلّماً و تعليماً ، و تدبراً و فقهاً و فهماً، و من مزيد تشريفه، وصور تعظيمه أن خُصَّ بكيفيةٍ من الأداء ، و طريقةٍ في الأخذ و التلقي ، منذ نزوله علي النبي (7) ؛ يدرك ذلك كلُ من نظر في النصوص الشرعية الواردة في هذا الشأن ، و هي تدلُّ مجتمعة علي أن هناك كيفية مخصوصة لتلقي القرآن و أدائه و قد وردت في النصوص الشرعية عدةُ مسميات تدلُّ علي أن تحسين الصوت بالقراءة مطلب معتبر عند تلاوة القرآن، و في ثنايا هذا البحث المختصر سيتم الوقوفُ عند صفة ورد بها النصُ ، و جاء بها الأثر ، و صحّت بها الرواية؛ و هي صفة التغنّي بالقرآن، فقد وردت في صحيح سنة النبي (7) ، فأردت أن أتناول في ثنايا هذا البحث ما دلَّ عليه هذا الوصف، و ما هو من لازمه، و قد وردت في النصوص أوصاف متعددة لكيفية القراءة ؛ كالترتيل، و تحسين الصوت، و غيرها مما هو مذكور في كتب التجويد و الأداء، و الذي يمكن أن يتلخص من ثنايا هذا البحث هو أن جميع المعاني المذكورة للتغني بالقرآن معاني صحيحة و لكن يليق ترجيح تحسين الصوت و الترجيع المشروع لقراءة القرآن نظرا إلي أن القرآن كتاب يجب أن يوثر علي قلب مستمعه و تاليه و ذلك لا يمكن إلا أن يتلي بصوت جميل و ترجيع مشروع بحيث يجعل القاري و السامع يتفكر فيه و يتدبر آياته و يوثر القرآن علي غيره من الكتب و لا شك أن التدبر في آيات القرآن أمرمطلوب شرعا، و قد قيل إنه يجب علي المسلم التدبر في آيات الله و حصوله أنما يمكن بتلاوة القرآن مع تحسين الصوت و تزيينه..

Samarium orthoferrite, SmFeO3 (SFO), is a multifunctional material with promised applications. In this paper, SFO thin films were prepared by sol–gel method onto a quartz substrate at different annealing temperatures (T = 700, 750, 800 and 850 °C) and onto LaNiO3 (LNO) buffered quartz substrate using T = 800 °C. The phase formation, microstructure, electronic, optical, magnetic and ferroelectric properties of the films were investigated and compared. Minimal annealing temperature (T) from thermogravimetric analysis was about 720 °C. From X-ray diffraction analysis, film T = 700 °C showed mixed phases of SFO and a trace amount of Sm2O3 while single phase of SFO was observed for films T = 750 – 850 °C. The lattice parameter c and microstrain reduced for films T = 700 – 800 °C and then increased for film T = 850 °C. From Atomic force microscopy analysis, the porosity, root mean square roughness and particle size of the films increased with the rise of T. All films exhibited high optical transmittance (∼79 – 95 %) in 800 – 550 nm wavelength range and showed two main optical absorptions peaks at about 285 and 385 nm. At lower energy transition, the band gap (Eg) reduced from ∼ 2.79 to 2.72 eV for films T = 700 – 800 °C and then increased to ∼ 2.79 eV for film T = 850 °C. The film’s magnetisation (Ms) tended to increase with T increment. The SFO/LNO film showed higher Ms and Eg than film T = 800 °C.

In this paper, we apply an effective method to evaluate relative tectonic activity by applying several morph-tectonic indices that are useful in evaluating topography and tectonics. These indices include stream length-gradient, asymmetric factor, hypsometric index, hypsometric curves, valley floor width to valley height ratio, drainage basin shape, and mountain front sinuosity. The study region of Wadi Al-Arish in northern Sinai Peninsula in northern Egypt is a natural laboratory to examine relative tectonic activity levels for calculating morpho-tectonic indices of several catchments and sub-catchments rather than an individual catchment. Northern Sinai, comprising the Waid Al-Arish area, is characterized by several large inversion anticline folds. The cumulative results extracted from morpho-tectonic indices ae presented as a new index, namely relative tectonic activity level (RTAL), which we classified into four levels: low, moderate, high, and very high relative tectonic activity. Therefore, the study region provides different levels of relative tectonic activity resulting from fault patterns affecting the northern Sinai inversion forms. The paper examines the concept that regions with various levels of tectonic activity are associated with specific values of RTAL.

The purpose of this study was to provide a systematic meta-analysis on echocardiographic measurements in normal Thoroughbred and Standardbred horses. The current systematic meta-analysis followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA). All the available published papers on the reference values of echocardiographic assessment via M-mode echocardiography were searched, and fifteen studies were finally selected for analysis. In both fixed and random effect, the confidence interval (CI) for the interventricular septum (IVS) was 2.8–3.1 and 4.7–7.5; for the left ventricular free-wall (LVFW) thickness, it was 2.9–3.2 and 4.2–6.7; and for the left ventricular internal diameter (LVID), it was −5.0–4.6 and −10.0–−6.7, respectively. For IVS, the Q statistic, I-squared, and tau-squared were 925.3, 98.1, and 7.9, respectively. Similarly, for LVFW, all the effects were on the positive side of zero, with a range of 1.3–68.1. The CI indicated a significant variation among the studies (fixed, 2.9–3.2; random, 4.2–6.7). The z-values of LVFW for fixed and random effects were, respectively, 41.1 (p < 0.001) and 8.5 (p < 0.001). However, the Q statistic was 886.6 (p < 0.001). Moreover, the I-squared was 98.08, and the tau-squared was 6.6. By contrast, the effects of LVID fell on the negative side of zero, (2.8–83.9). The present meta-analysis provides an overview of the echocardiographic measurements of cardiac diameters in healthy Thoroughbred and Standardbred horses. The meta-analysis indicates variations in results among different studies. This result should be considered when evaluating a horse for heart disease and each case should be evaluated independently.

Different concentrations of polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) have been successfully employed to prepare high purity tetragonal cassiterite nanoparticles, and control the growth of particle size. The effect of PVP on the structural, morphological, size, composition, and optical properties of the prepared cassiterite nanoparticles has been investigated. It has been found that various characteristics of tetragonal cassiterite nanoparticles could be optimized by simply changing the values of PVP. The pure tetragonal cassiterite nanoparticles have been produced at the optimum calcination temperature. The XRD and SEM results indicated the structural and morphological properties of the tetragonal cassiterite nanoparticles, respectively. The particles' size and their distribution have been displayed by TEM images. The composition phase and the surface composition of the prepared samples have been evaluated via FTIR and XPS, respectively. The optical properties of the prepared tetragonal cassiterite nanoparticles have been studied using UV-vis and PL spectroscopy. Outcomes cassiterite nanoparticles are useful for antibacterial activity and application of solar energy.

A bulk YBa2Cu3O7−δ (Y-123) superconductor synthesized by a thermal treatment method was added with different weight percentages (x = 0.0, 0.2, 1.0, 1.5, and 2.0 wt.%) of BiFeO3 (BFO) nanoparticle. X-ray diffraction (XRD), alternating current susceptibility (ACS), and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) were used to determine the properties of the samples. From the XRD results, all samples showed an orthorhombic crystal structure with a Pmmm space group. The sample x = 1.0 wt.% gave the highest value of Y-123. The high amounts of BFO degraded the crystallite size of the sample, showing that the addition did not promote the grain growth of Y-123. From ACS results, the Tc-onset value was shown to be enhanced by the addition of the BFO nanoparticle, where x = 1.5 wt.% gave the highest Tc value (91.91 K). The sample with 1.5 wt.% showed a high value of Tp (89.15 K). The FESEM analysis showed that the average grain size of the samples decreased as BFO was introduced. However, the small grain size was expected to fill in the boundary, which would help in enhancing the grain connectivity. Overall, the addition of the BFO nanoparticles in Y-123 helped to improve the superconducting properties, mainly for x = 1.5 wt.%.

The Gulf of Suez area represents one of the most famous tectonic structures in the Red Sea, with a long history of low-, moderate-, and high-intensity earthquakes. This paper provides geomorphic analytics of the fault-initiated mountain front sinuosity (Smf) and the stream gradients that cross various segments of the fault scarps. The results from the mountain front sinuosity index (Smf) and the valley floor width to valley height ratio index (Vf) suggest different levels of activities along the different fault segments. The analysis of the stream gradient index reflects that streams running through the fault segments mostly have higher river gradient values identified by knickpoint spots. With regard to the strike variation in the mountain front sinuosity, valley floor width to valley height ratio, and stream river gradients, the results are compatible with the predominant mountain front’s relief. Finally, the calculated geomorphic results show that the eastern segments might reflect higher seismic signals with respect to the central and western segments of the entire Wadi Araba basin. Thus, more careful studies are required to investigate seismic hazard possibilities.

One of the primary difficulties we have recently is environmental degradation. The deterioration of the environment was visible in the rise in carbon dioxide emissions, which has a detrimental impact on various life matters. A variety of factors caused this growth. Inappropriate human behaviors caused the majority of them. This study aimed to ascertain how energy consumption and economic growth with its components in the Czech Republic, affected CO2 emissions. The relationship between CO2 emissions, economic growth, agriculture, and energy consumption was studied using econometric analysis, specifically the Johansen, Vector Error Correction (VEC) Model, and granger causality. The findings revealed that all variables are cointegrated. Economic growth, agricultural, and energy consumption output are all positively correlated with CO2 emissions. There is a unidirectional Granger Causality between economic growth, and Agriculture towards carbon dioxide emissions. A unidirectional Granger Causality agriculture towards economic growth, and energy consumption. In addition, there is no Granger Causality between energy consumption and CO2 emissions, and economic growth. This is the first study to use the most recent data to empirically evaluate the environmental impact of economic growth and energy use in the Czech Republic. This study includes pertinent advice for reducing emission ns and supporting the environment by increasing renewable energy sources and adhering to the Czech Ministry of Environment’s strategy.

Indium substituted BiFe1-xInxO3 (x = 0.0, 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4, 0.5, 0.6) ceramics were synthesised via solid reactions method. The samples’ microstructure, dielectric, electrical and magnetic properties were investigated by X-rays diffractions (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), dielectric analyser, electrometer and vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM). From XRD, pristine BFO sample exhibited single phase rhombohedral crystal structure, space group R3c 161. Introduction of In+3 into BFO matrix promoted the growth of BiInO3 and Bi25FeO40 phases, however, BFO remained the dominant phase up to x = 0.4. Form SEM results, BFO exhibited large homogeneous grain morphology with average grain size 2.04 µm, that get distorted, decreased with introduction of In+3. From magnetic analysis, pure BFO showed antiferromagnetic behaviour while weak ferromagnetic was observed with In3+ substitution. The highest magnetisation 0.04 emu/g and magnetic remanence 6.22 × 10−4 emu/g were recorded for sample x = 0.3. Dielectric measurement showed increasing of dielectric constant εʹr from 26.5 for pure BFO to 372 for sample x = 0.6. The leakage current density was reduced with x from 9.24 × 10−4 A/cm2 for pure BFO to 9.8 × 10−7 for sample x = 0.6. A/cm2. Impedance spectroscopy and dielectric modulus were used to further understand the dielectric behaviour of the samples and the relevant results were analysed and discussed in detail.

The forward bias current-voltage (I-V) characteristics of both oxidized Ni/Au and pure Ni metal Schottky contacts on n-type GaN have been investigated in the temperature range 160–400 K. The I-V curves were fitted using thermionic emission (TE) theory. It was found that the zero-bias barrier height (ϕb0) decreases while the ideality factor (η) increases with decreasing temperature (i.e. To effect). As a result, various transport models are considered in the analysis of the I-V experimental data in order to explain the observed anomaly in η and ϕb0. The deviation from linearity in the To effect plot for oxidized Ni/Au can be explained in terms of Schottky barrier height (SBH) inhomogeneity. As a result, a linear correlation between the zero-bias barrier height and ideality factor at different temperatures was found using Tung’s theoretical approach in order to extrapolate the homogenous barrier height (ϕhom). For oxidized Ni/Au, it was found that there are two distinct ϕhom values with one representing the low temperature range (ϕhom_1 = 1.02 eV) and another representing the high temperature range (ϕhom_2 = 1.23 eV). However, for pure Ni, there is no inhomogeneity in the barrier height (i.e. ϕhom = 0.87 eV). Furthermore, the ϕb0-ap vs. q/(2kT) plot also shows evidence of a Gaussian distribution of barrier heights for both oxidezed Ni/Au (ϕb0-mean = 1.45 eV and σs = 141 mV) and pure Ni (ϕb0-mean = 0.92 eV and σs = 69.3 mV). The 1/η vs. 1000/T plot is constructed to investigate the different current transport mechanisms in both oxidized Ni/Au and pure Ni. These various current transport mechanisms at different temperatures can be attributed to the barrier inhomogeneity at the metal–semiconductor interface.

Abstract Background Corticosteroids dominate in the treatment of chronic autoimmune neuropathies although long-term use is characterized by devastating side effects. Methods We introduce the intrathecal application of the synthetic steroid triamcinolone (TRIAM) as a novel therapeutic option in experimental autoimmune neuritis in Lewis rats Results After immunization with neuritogenic P2 peptide, we show a dose-dependent therapeutic effect of one intrathecal injection of 0.3 or 0.6 mg/kg TRIAM on clinical and electrophysiological parameters of neuritis with a lower degree of inflammatory infiltrates (T cells and macrophages) and demyelination in the sciatic nerve. In vitro studies in Schwann cell cultures showed an increased expression of IL-1 receptor antagonist and reduced expression of Toll-like receptor 4 after incubation with TRIAM as well as a protective effect of TRIAM against oxidative stress after H2O2 exposure. Conclusion Intrathecal TRIAM application could be a novel immunomodulatory and potentially neuroprotective option for autoimmune neuropathies with a direct effect on Schwann cells.

The influence of chelating agent on structural and optical properties of copper selenide nanoparticle has been the subject of ongoing debate in copper selenide based material research. In this project we developed a straightforward microwave irradiation technique for the synthesis of copper selenide nanoparticles. Copper selenide nanoparticles were successfully synthesized using CuCl2·2H2O and Na2SeO3 as copper and selenium sources respectively while, the reducing and chelating agents were hydrazine hydrate and tartaric acid respectively. The effect of concentration of tartaric acid on structural and optical properties of CuSe NPs were investigated. The as-prepared product were characterized by means of an X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), field emission scanning electron spectroscopy (FESEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), UV–visible absorption spectroscopy (UV–Vis.), Raman spectroscopy and photoluminescence spectroscopy (PL). XRD results reveal a hexagonal (Klockmannite) crystal structure with size in the range between 73.10 nm and 16.10 nm. The band gap of the as-prepared CuSe NPs were found to increase between 1.80 eV and 2.10 eV. The wavelength of the maximum PL emission was at 600 nm with 400 nm excitation wavelength. Three characteristics vibrational modes belonging to CuSe NPs were detected in the Raman spectra. Therefore, the results obtained in this study provide a new pathway of understanding the effect of tartaric acid concentration on structural and optical properties of CuSe NPs and can explain the use of this novel product as a potential candidate for optoelectronic and solar cell applications.

Egypt is highly exposed to flash flood hazards, particularly in Sinai Peninsula and along the Red Sea coast, causing sudden and huge damages to constructions and huge losses in human lives during a very short time. This paper investigates the dominant characterization of morphometrical features and their relationships with the hydrological behaviors along an important strip of the western Red Sea coast. The study focuses on analyzing the October 2009 and 2019 storm events along the coastal area between EL-Qussier and Marsa Alam in order to intiate a preliminary flood risk assessment model. Morphometric features along the entire study zone provide a complete scenario of the nature of the catchments and sub-catchments development. Numerous morphometric indexes such as catchments geometry, areal indexes, linear indexes, and relief indexes were examined through processing different sets of data. Modern techniques such as remote sensing and geospatial analysis were applied to process different spatial and spectral data. The hydrological model (HEC-HMS) in the WMS software was run to delineate the catchments and sub-catchments and extract the peak flow hydrograph curves for the main catchments. The results of the water amounts and peak flow were calculated using the SCS unit hydrograph approach. The hydrological characteristics of the major catchments reveal conditions for moderate levels of flash flooding. The study ended with a number of recommendations that could minimize the negative effects of the flash flood hazards.

Polypyrrole (PPy′)/zeolite composites were synthesized via chemical oxidation of pyrrole in the presence of zeolite. FeCl3 was used as an oxidant with the FeCl3-to-pyrrole molar ratio (MR) equal to 1. The zeolite contents were 0%, 5%, 10%, 15% and 20% of the total weight of PPy′. For comparison, pure PPy″ with FeCl3–pyrrole MR equal to 2 was also synthesized using the same method. The structural and physical properties of the samples were studied using X-rays diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, field emission electron scanning microscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, van Der Pauw technique and UV–VIS-NIR spectroscopy. The XRD of PPy′/zeolite (5%) revealed a presence of crystalline nature of zeolite in a spectrum of host amorphous PPy′. The XRD peaks increased, became stronger and shifted slightly to higher 2θ in PPy′/zeolite (10–20%) composites. Compared with PPy′, the composites were denser, more compact and had better thermal stability. The composites conductivity increased while their bandgap tended to reduce with increasing of zeolite. PPy′/zeolite (20%) composite had the highest conductivity value of 3.6 S cm−1 with an optical bandgap of 2.21 eV. The results showed that zeolite has been incorporated into PPy′ matrix and improved its physical properties. Keywords: Polypyrrole composites, Band gap, Conductivity, Thermal stability, Zeolite

Abstract Background Autoimmune neuropathies are common PNS disorders and effective treatment is challenging. Environmental influence and dietary components are known to affect the course of autoimmune diseases. Capsaicin as pungent component of chili-peppers is common in human nutrition. An influence of capsaicin on autoimmune diseases has been postulated. Methods We tested capsaicin in the animal model of experimental autoimmune neuritis (EAN) in Lewis rat. Rats were immunized with P2-peptide and were treated with capsaicin in different preventive settings. Electrophysiological, histological, and molecular biological analyses of the sciatic nerve were performed to analyze T-cell and macrophage cell count, TRPV1, and cytokine expression. Moreover, FACS analyses including the intestinal immune system were executed. Results We observed an immunomodulatory effect of an early preventive diet-concept, where a physiological dosage of oral capsaicin was given 10 days before immunization in EAN. A reduced inflammation of the sciatic nerve was significant detectable clinically, electrophysiologically (CMAPs reduced in control group p