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ABSTRACT The selection of an appropriate production system plays a crucial role in ensuring the health, welfare, and productivity of American Pekin ducks. The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of various rearing production systems on the performance of American Pekin Ducks. A total of 180 straight run ducklings (10 days old) were randomly allocated into three experimental groups: intensive production system (IPS), free-range production system (FRPS), and pool with yard production system (PYPS). The distribution was carried out following a completely randomized design. We investigated the morphological parameters, growth performance, serum chemistry, meat cholesterol and triacylglycerol, cellular immunity, intestinal morphology, and carcass traits of Pekin ducks. The results indicate that PYPS birds exhibited significantly better morphometric parameters compared to IPS and FRPS ones. Ducks raised in PYPS had the highest growth rate till the 75th day as compared to those reared in IPS and FRPS. Triacylglycerol, total lipids, blood and meat fat and triacylglycerol were higher in IPS; whereas albumin, AG ratio, total proteins, glucose, and globulin were higher in PYPS. Similarly, cellular immunity (phagocytic activity, eosinophils, basophils, and monocytes) was increased in PYPS. Intestinal morphology and overall carcass traits were better in birds reared under PYPS than in those of IPS and FRPS. American Pekin ducks raised in PYPS showed improved growth, serum chemistry, cellular immunity, and carcass traits. These results suggest that the PYPS could be a promising production system for raising ducks in sub-tropical regions.

Background/Aims: Portal hypertension complicating liver cirrhosis is associated with vascular resistance, possibly due to overexpression of humoral vasoconstrictors, including endothelin. The study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of serum endothelin-1 levels as a noninvasive predictor of early esophageal rebleeding (within 5 days) following endoscopic treatment. Materials and Methods: Of the patients presented to the endoscopy unit at Mansoura University Hospital, 50 patients were chosen for this study on the basis of endoscopically proven acute esophageal variceal bleeding consequent to hepatitis C viral infection complicated by liver cirrhosis and portal hypertension. Routine laboratory parameters and serum endothelin-1 levels were assessed prior to endoscopic treatment. Patients were divided into 2 groups depending on the development of early postendoscopic rebleeding. Group A consisted of 16 patients who developed rebleeding, while group B included 34 patients who did not. Statistical analysis was performed to determine the predictors of rebleeding. Results: Multivariate logistic regression demonstrated that endothelin-1 level (P < .001) and serum albumin level (P = .04) were independent risk factors for early rebleeding. The most efficient cutoff value for endothelin-1 levels in predicting variceal rebleeding within the 5 days after endoscopic intervention was 65.29, which had an 88.2% specificity, 87.5% sensitivity, 88% accuracy, and area under the curve value of 0.89. In addition, hemoglobin, albumin, and creatinine levels were significantly different between bleeding and nonrebleeding groups (P = .03, P = .014, and P

Introduction The reduction of fluoroscopic exposure during catheter ablation of supraventricular arrhythmias is widely adopted by experienced electrophysiology physicians with a relatively short learning curve and is becoming standard of care in many parts of the world. While observational studies in the USA and some parts of Western Europe have evaluated the minimal fluoroscopic approach, there are scarce real-world data for this technique and generalisability of outcome in other economic regions.Methods and analysis The arrhythmias with as low as reasonably achievable X-ray exposure study is a prospective, observational, multicentre and multinational open-label registry study. Up to 700 patients undergoing catheter ablation for right-sided supraventricular arrhythmias (according to national guidelines) will be enrolled for the routine use of the EnSite Precision 3D mapping system. Participating sites are distributed in 13 countries from Central Eastern Europe, North and South Africa, the Middle East and the CIS (Commonwealth of Independent States), with different levels of expertise using minimal fluoroscopic exposure techniques. After electrophysiological procedure, patients will be followed up for 6 months either in-clinic or via telephone interview. Patients will be asked to complete a study questionnaire at enrolment and 6 months after the invasive procedure to assess quality of life changes secondary to the procedure. The study’s primary objective is to describe ionising radiation exposure during catheter ablation when the EnSite Precision 3D mapping system is used in supraventricular tachycardia ablation. The study’s secondary objective is to assess the safety and efficacy of this method. Furthermore, fluoroscopy timing, total procedure time, success rate and complications will be reported.Ethics and dissemination The study was approved by the ethics committee at Mohammed Bin Khalifa Specialist Cardiac Centre (BDF/R&REC/2020-504) and the medical ethics committees of all participating sites. Participants will be required to provide informed consent before enrolment in the study. The study results will be published and presented at conferences.Trial registration number NCT04716270

Variations of successive combustion cycles are associated with power losses, vibration and fluctuations in the engine speed, torque and work done. Previous studies declared that the elimination of cycle-to-cycle variation (CCV) could improve the engine power by 10 %. This work aims at correlating cyclic variability to engine operating conditions to determine the relevant operating conditions that affect the CCV and help designers to predict it. Experimental work was carried out on spark ignition, 4-stroke, 4-cylinder, 2.2 liters, with an 8.85:1 compression ratio and a maximum power of 85 kW at 5,000 rpm. The cyclic variability of many indicators is calculated from the measured in-cylinder pressure data. Results have been used to introduce new correlations considering the effect of normalized speed and load on cyclic variability with acceptable fit. These correlations could be a useful tool in early design calculations, CCV modeling and control.

Abstract Background MDCT cholangiography can be utilized to identify variant biliary anatomy to guide preoperative planning of biliary surgery, and determine the cause and level of biliary obstruction. Early tumor detection and staging of biliary cancer are key factors for a possible cure by surgical resection. Between December 2019 and October 2020, 69 patients with clinically suspected biliary obstruction were enrolled in the study, subjected to clinical assessment (full history taking and clinical examination) and imaging assessment by MDCT cholangiography. Our findings were correlated to standard reference examinations including operative/ERCP/biopsy and histopathology findings. Results The most affected age was between 60 and 70 years old, and males were more affected. The commonest clinical presentation was yellowish discoloration of the skin and sclera followed by biliary colic. Right hypochondrial tenderness was the main clinical finding on clinical examination. Our patients were categorized according to the etiology of biliary obstruction into 7 groups: malignant stricture 52.2% (36 patients), calcular 24.6% (17 patients), iatrogenic 5.8% (4 patients), portahepatis lesions 5.8% (4 patients), benign stricture 4.3% (3 patients), inflammatory 4.3% (3 patients), and congenital 1.4% (1 patient). The malignant group shows dominant mass, moderate biliary obstruction, and arterial and venous enhancement. The overall sensitivity was 94% for malignancy. Conclusion MDCT cholangiography is non-invasive, fast, and highly sensitive and specific in the diagnosis of different causes and levels of biliary obstruction and is useful in the characterization of the lesion in cases of malignant obstruction and differentiating it from benign stricture. It can be used as an effective alternative to ERCP or PTC.

This work experimentally investigates the most imperative parameters that control the injection and combustion processes in a multi-injection HCCI Diesel engine namely; fuel-line pressure, timing of multi-injection events and the resulting in-cylinder pressure. These parameters in addition to the heat release rates are evaluated at different engine loads and speeds over up to 42 successive cycles. The main inter-relations of these parameters are also discussed.

Studying the linkage between manufacturing industry and logistics industry is conducive to explore and improve the efficiency of the common development of them. In order to study the interaction of logistics industry on the development of manufacturing industry and the development of two-industry-linkage, it first calculates the high-quality development level of logistics industry and manufacturing industry, then uses the coupling coordination model to theoretically analyze and empirically test the coupling and coordinated development level of high-quality development of logistics industry and manufacturing industry from three aspects: coupling degree, coordination degree and coupling coordination degree, and based on the perspective of integration field theory, it takes the three basic synthetic fields of logistics integrator, logistics base-nuclear and logistics connection-key as the analysis dimension, PVAR model was introduced for in-depth analysis the impact of logistics industry on manufacturing industry and the level of the two-industry-linkage. It was found that the high-quality development of China’s logistics industry and manufacturing industry is close on the whole, and the development trend is consistent, the high-quality development of them is mainly caused by the change of scale, but there is no obvious change in technical efficiency, which also provides a way for the high-quality development of the two-industry-linkage in the future. The two-industry-linkage mostly belongs to the situation of low-level mutual restriction, which has not yet reached a high level of mutual promotion, resulting in the overall coupling coordination degree basically in a state of barely coordination. The development of logistics industry and manufacturing industry need to go through certain practice and running in, when there is an error matching between the two, the logistics industry will inhibit the two-industry-linkage. When the economy develops to a certain extent, the expansion of the logistics system scale to the level of the two-industry-linkage is not necessarily beneficial, blindly exceeding the demand for logistics investment will cause a waste of resources, which is not conducive to the high-quality development of the logistics industry and the coupling and coordinated development of the two industries. In the long run, the change of the logistics basic-nuclear capacity, the logistics integrator scale and logistics connection-key level will have a positive impact on the change of green total factor productivity in manufacturing industry.

Chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are common liver diseases that lead to death in Egypt, especially in men. The current study aimed to evaluate the diagnostic sensitivity of arginase (ARG) activity, alpha-1 antitrypsin (AAT), and alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) in the sera of patients with HCV (with without viremia) and HCC. A total of 190 men classified as 40 healthy used as control (G1), 100 infected with HCV (subdivided into 50 with viremia (G2) and 50 without viremia (G3), and 50 with HCC (G4). The activity of ARG significantly decreased in HCV and HCC groups along with significant elevation in the level of AAT and AFP as compared with the control. Although a non-significant variation was scored in AST/ALT, significant differences were observed among AST/ARG and ARG/ALT in the pathogenic groups as compared with the healthy group. Moreover, significant variations in ARG, AAT, AFP, AST/ARG, and ARG/ALT were observed between viremia and non-viremia. Although AFP scored significant change among the viremia and HCC, the rest parameters scored non-significant changes between both groups. Furthermore, a receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) showed the diagnostic ability for the selected parameters with high sensitivity and multiple linear regressions exhibited good associations between those parameters. These findings suggest the using possibility of ARG, AAT, and AFP in the diagnosis and/or follow-up of patients with HCV or HCC.

Abstract Background Iron deposition distorts the local magnetic field exerting T2* signal decay. Biopsy, serum ferritin, echocardiography are not reliable to adjust iron chelation therapy. Quantified MRI signal decay can replace biopsy to diagnose iron burden, guide treatment, and follow up. The objective of this study is to evaluate the role of T2* in quantification of the liver and heart iron burden in thalassemia major patients. This cross-sectional study included 44 thalassemia patients who were referred to MRI unit, underwent T2* MRI. Results Twenty-one male (47.7%) and 23 female (52.3%) were included (age range 6–15 years, mean age 10.9 ± 2.9 years). Patients with excess hepatic iron show the following: 11/40 (27.5%) mild, (13/40) 32.5% moderate, and (14/40) 35% severe liver iron overload. High statistical significance regarding association between LIC and liver T2* (p = 0.000) encountered. Cardiac T2* values showed no relationship with age (p = 0.6). Conclusion T2* is a good method to quantify, monitor hepatic and myocardial iron burden, guiding chelation therapy and prevent iron-induced cardiac complications.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0236292.].

Three species of Malaysian edible seaweed (Eucheuma denticulatum, Sargassum polycystum and Caulerpa lentillifera) were analyzed for their carotenoid composition using a combination of high-performance thin layer chromatography (HPTLC) and ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-ESI-MS/MS), while the antioxidant capacities were determined by 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) assays. The HPTLC analysis exhibited a distinct carotenoid pattern among the three seaweed groups. The UHPLC-ESI-MS/MS analysis showed fucoxanthin as the major carotenoid present in S. polycystum while lutein and zeaxanthin in E. denticulatum. For C. lentillifera, β-carotene and canthaxanthin were the major carotenoids. Some of the carotenoids, such as rubixanthin, dinoxanthin, diatoxanthin and antheraxanthin, were also tentatively detected in E. denticulatum and S. polycystum. For antioxidant activity, S. polycystum (20 %) and E. denticulatum (1128 μmol TE/g) showed the highest activity in the DPPH and ORAC assays, respectively. The findings suggest the three edible varieties of seaweeds may provide a good dietary source with a potential to reduce antioxidative stress.

Background: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is associated with a high risk of cardiovascular diseases (CVD). Visfatin is an adipocytokine with insulin-like action and it’s closely related to the amount of visceral fats. The objective of our study was to evaluate serum visfatin levels among women with PCOS. Also, to evaluate the association between serum visfatin and cardio-metabolic risk factors as well as clinic-morphological features of PCOS. Methods: Case control study enrolled 120 women diagnosed with PCOS and 80 healthy control women. PCOS cases were stratified according to their fasting plasma glucose (FPG) into three subgroups: those with normal glucose tolerance (NGT), impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Serum visfatin levels (ng/ml) were assessed by ELISA. Results: Our results revealed higher values of cardio-metabolic risks; total cholesterol, triglycerides, LDL cholesterol, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), fasting serum insulin (FSI), HbA1c, HOMA-IR, and FPG in PCOS compared to healthy women. In addition, compared with healthy women (28.66 ± 10.63), PCOS patients (87.98 ± 17.96) had significantly higher levels of serum visfatin. Among PCOS group, T2DM patients (119.59 ± 14.52) had significantly higher levels of serum visfatin compared to IGT (81.03 ± 15.81) and NGT (85.09 ± 11.01). Receiver operating characteristic analyses revealed that serum visfatin was a useful biomarker discriminating PCOS from control, the AUC was 0.989 with sensitivity = 99.2%, specificity = 99.8%, Additionally, the sensitivities and the specificities of visfatin in differentiating T2DM from NGT were (93.3% and 98.2%). Stepwise multiple linear regression analysis revealed that androstenedione, LH, free androgen index and ovarian volume were the main predictors of visfatin levels among PCOS. Conclusion: Serum visfatin levels could discriminate PCOS from healthy control and T2DM from NGT PCOS women. Moreover, vesfatin was positive correlated to cardio-metabolic risk factors. Interestingly, the sensitivity and specificity power of vesfatin were high. Thus, it could be early predicting of cardio-metabolic risks among PCOS women and might be useful in therapeutic intervention in future. Keywords: Cardiometabolic, PCOS, Visfatin, T2DM

Background: Menopause associated with hormone-sensitive co-morbidity such as breast cancer, endometrial cancer, osteoporosis, and cardiovascular disease. Autoimmunity is one of the leading causes of primary ovarian insufficiency (POI). Thyroiditis is the most common associated autoimmune disease. The aim of our study was to estimate the role of Anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) as predictor of POI among women with autoimmune thyroiditis and to assess the prevalence of thyroid dysfunction in different menopausal stages. Method of study: A cross-sectional study included 200 unrelated women with autoimmune thyroiditis classified according to menopausal stages, anti-thyroglobulin (anti-TG), anti-thyroid peroxidase (anti-TPO) and AMH were measured. Results: In postmenopausal women (natural and premature) AMH levels were significantly lower. Linear regression analysis test explored that AMH levels were independently correlated with age, anti TG and ovarian volume. The prevalence of subclinical hypothyroidism (SCHT) was the highest among thyroid disorders. Conclusion: AMH levels were decreased in both natural and premature postmenopausal women and could be used as predictor of menopause among women with autoimmune thyroiditis. Keywords: Anti-thyroglobulin, Anti-thyroid peroxidase, Postmenopausal

Background: Chronic low-grade inflammation is a common feature of obesity and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). There is dysregulation of transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1 in women with PCOS, soluble endoglin (sEng) is a non-signaling coreceptor of the TGF-β modulating its responses. We aimed for the first time to investigate the impact of obesity on sEng and TGF-β1 in women with PCOS. Methods: Case control study enrolled seventy patients diagnosed with PCOS and50 control group. High sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) and sEng levels were assessed using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Results: Our results revealed that, PCOS patients had higher values of TGF-β1 and lower levels of sEng. Among both control and PCOS patients, obese subjects had higher values of TGF-β1 and lower levels of sEng. Receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) analysis revealed that, the power of sEng was more sensitive and specific than TGF-β1 in diagnosis of PCOS and in differentiating obese from lean group. Nonetheless, the diagnostic power of both TGF-β1 and sEng was highly significant. Conclusion: Obese subjects of control and PCOS groups had higher values of TGF-β1 and lower values of plasma sEng level than lean subjects, the diagnostic power of both TGF-β1 and sEng was highly significant thus, sEng and TGF-β1 could be a useful diagnostic biomarker of PCOS. Keywords: Obesity, PCOS, TGF-β1, Soluble endoglin

Purpose: Is to compare the role of 128 MDCT in quantitative evaluation of left ventricle function in patients with coronary artery disease compared to 2D echocardiography. Patients and methods: Fifty patients with suspected coronary artery disease underwent contrast enhanced MDCT using retrospective gating without dose modulation. Ten phases of cardiac cycle were processed to assess end-systolic and end-diastolic phase at LV short-axis view. 2DSE was performed in the same day. LVSV, LVDV, LFEF, LVSV were calculated using the Simpson's method in MDCT and modified Simpson's method in echocardiography. Results: LVSV, LVDV, LVSV, LFEF were 74.30 ± 24.92, 185.46 ± 56.25, 84.15 ± 33.16, 48.88 ± 13.32 respectively on MSCT and 71.43 ± 21.93, 182.31 ± 56.49, 81.74 ± 32.88, 47.82 ± 13.64 respectively on echocardiography with excellent correlation between the modalities (P

Background: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a set of reproductive and metabolic symptoms associated with an imbalance of reproductive hormones in women. Macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) is an inflammatory adipocytokine associated with metabolic disorders. Probiotics probably has influence on metabolic and inflammatory conditions. We aimed by this study, for the first time, to evaluate the impact of probiotic supplementation on MIF values, clinical and laboratory feature of PCOS. Furthermore, we aimed to explore the power of MIF for diagnosis PCOS. Methods: Sixty women diagnosed with PCOS were selected in this single-blinded clinical trial and 40 healthy control women. Participants received probiotic supplements for 12-week. Clinical and laboratory measures were evaluated at baseline and after 12 weeks of intervention. High sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) and MIF levels were assessed using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Results: Probiotic supplementation improved clinical, hormonal, and inflammatory biomarkers in women with PCOS. Additionally in PCOS group, logistic regression analysis revealed that MIF and HOMA-IR were independent predictors of probiotic response with odds ratios of 1.641 and 0.335, respectively. Regarding inflammatory biomarkers, hs-CRP and MIF, its value increased in PCOS group compared to healthy group. Receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) analysis revealed that, area under the curve (AUC) for the MIF was 0.981 (95% CI = 0.902–0.898) with sensitivity = 90.2%, specificity = 89.8% and the cutoff values (19.7). Interestingly, the power of MIF was more sensitive and specific than hs-CRP for diagnosis of PCOS. Thus MIF could be a useful diagnostic inflammatory biomarker discriminating PCOS from healthy controls. Moreover in PCOS group stepwise multiple linear regression analysis, detected that HOMA-IR, neutrophil count, hs-CRP and fat mass index (FMI) were main predictors of MIF levels among other clinical and laboratory biomarkers. Conclusion: Regarding the effects of probiotic supplementation on inflammatory and metabolic disorders; our novel findings explored a favorable effect of probiotic supplementation on inflammatory biomarkers; clinical, laboratory features of PCOS, and MIF levels. Furthermore, probiotic could be used for treatment of PCOS and its associated morbidity.

Abstract Background Variations within fat mass and obesity associated (FTO) gene had crosstalk with obesity risk in European and some Asian populations. This study was designed to investigate FTO rs9939609 association with metabolic syndrome (MetS) as well as biochemical parameters as plasma glucose, serum triacylglycerol (TAG), total cholesterol (TC) and transaminases enzymes in Arab female population from Egypt. Methods In order to achieve that, FTO gene rs9939609 (A

BackgroundThis pilot study describes the overall design and results of the Program for the Evaluation and Management of the Cardiac Events registry for the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) Region.MethodsThis prospective, multi-center, multi-country study included patients hospitalized with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and/or acute heart failure (AHF). We evaluated the clinical characteristics, socioeconomic and educational levels, management, in-hospital outcomes, and 30-day mortality rate of patients that were admitted to one tertiary-care center in each of 14 Arab countries in the MENA region.ResultsBetween 22 April and 28 August 2018, 543 AMI and 381AHF patients were enrolled from 14 Arab countries (mean age, 57±12 years, 82.5% men). Over half of the patients in both study groups had low incomes with limited health care coverage, and limited education. Nearly half of the cohort had a history of diabetes mellitus, hypertension, or hypercholesterolemia. Among patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarctions, 56.4% received primary percutaneous interventions, 24% received thrombolysis, and 19.5% received no acute reperfusion therapy. The main causes of AHF were ischemic heart diseases (55%) and primary valvular heart diseases (15%). The in-hospital and 30-day mortality rates were 2.0% and 3.5%, respectively, for AMI, and 5.4% and 7.0%, respectively, for AHF.ConclusionsThis pilot study revealed a high prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors in patients with AMI and AHF in Arab countries, and low levels of socioeconomic and educational status. Future phases of the study will improve our understanding of the impact that these factors have on the management and outcomes of cardiac events in these patient populations.

The effect of oil palm (Elaeis guineensis) fruit aqueous extract (OPF) on glucose uptake activity of three different cell lines was investigated. The cell lines were incubated with different concentrations of OPF to evaluate the stimulatory effect of OPF towards glucose uptake activity of L6 myotubes, 3T3F442A adipocytes and Chang liver cell line. The glucose uptake activities of all tested cells were enhanced in the presence of OPF extract (basal condition). Nevertheless in combination of OPF extract and 100 nM insulin, the glucose uptake activity was only significantly enhanced in L6 myotubes and 3T3F442A adipocytes cell lines. The extracts enhanced the glucose uptake into cells through either insulin-mimetic or insulin-sensitizing property or combination of these two properties. It can be suggested that the OPF extract exerts its antihyperglycemic action partly by mediated glucose uptake into the glucose-responsive disposal cells, muscle, adipose and liver.

Background: cryotherapy application is commonly used as a physical therapy tools with many advantages, however numerous researchers have stated decrease in subject balance which affects quality of movement following cryotherapy application, thus the purpose of study was to investigate the immediate and late effect of cryotherapy on ankle dominant joint on static balance and test the difference in static balance change between both sexes. Methods: Thirty healthy subjects, Subjects had their static balance tested during two conditions: (1) an experimental condition where the subject received the cryotherapy application by using cooled gel pack to the dominant ankle joint for 15 minutes immediately before static balance testing and (2) a control condition finished at room temperature. Using coin flip for randomization the order of examining condition. Biodex balance system was used to measure static balance. Results: analysis of data using ANOVA and unpaired test, show insignificantly statistically effect in all aspect of static balance within female group and within male group with p-value of overall stability index for female=0.669, for male =0.382, Anterior/posterior stability index for female =0.196, for male=0.552 and medial/lateral stability index for female =0.989, for male=0.46 and insignificant statistically difference between male and female in all aspect of static balance. Conclusion: the result of the study suggest that using cold gel pack for fifteen minutes of cold gel pack on dominant ankle extremity have no effect on static balance on both sexes.

Butter may be adulterated with cheaper animal fats, such as chicken fat (CF). Thus, the detection and quantification of butter adulteration with CF was monitored using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, combined with chemometric of partial least square (PLS) at the frequency regions of 1200-1000cm–1. FTIR measurements were made on pure butter and that adulterated with varying concentrations of CF (0-100% w/w in butter). PLS calibration exhibits a good relationship between actual and FTIR predicted values of CF with a coefficient of determination (R2) of 0.981. The root means standard error of calibration (RMSEC) and during cross validation (RMSECV) obtained using six principal components (PCs) are 2.08 and 4.33% v/v, respectively.

Background: Hamstring muscles involve a rate of intense musculoskeletal injuries. Hamstring flexibility, shorting, and exhaustion are hazard variables connected with hamstring strain. Enhanced flexibility has for quite some time been viewed as an imperative part in anticipation of musculotendinous strain. Expanding hamstring flexibility can assume a vital part in counteracting lower furthest point injuries. In any case, few research has been performed on the best technique. This study was conducted to correlate the effect of different therapeutic techniques (active release, muscle energy and Mulligan) on increasing hamstring flexibility. Methods: Fifty seven normal healthy male subjects with hamstring tightness were assigned randomly to one of the four study groups: Group (1)13subjects received active release technique. Group (2)15subjects received muscle energy technique. Group (3) 12subjects received Mulligan’s technique. Group (4)17subjects did not get any intercession. Popliteal angle (active knee extension test) and sit-reach flexibility test were measured pre and post the intervention period. Results: MANOVA test for active knee extension test and sit-reach test among the four groups for post intervention values there was no significant difference between Group 1 and Group 2 in the post values of AKE with both groups showed significant increases than Group 3. Group 1 versus Group 3: p < 0.0001, CI: 3.5-11.8; Group 2 versus Group 3: p < 0.0001, CI: 4.6-12.8). Conclusion: It can be reasoned that both active release and muscle energy techniques have similar impact in enhancing hamstring flexibility than Mulligan technique in normal male adults.

Power prediction for WIG crafts is challenging. This is due to the lack of information about its performance data, and hence, there is no simple method for power prediction yet available that can be used in preliminary design stage. In this paper, a method to predict the required power for WIG craft is presented. The authors assume that WIG craft is a prismatic planing hull facilitated with wings and longitudinal stabilizer. The hydrodynamic and aerodynamic characteristics which describe pitching moment, lift, drag, and different centers of each force are represented in a developed mathematical model. An iterative computer program is structured using FORTRAN language. The output of this proposed method gives the logic and acceptable performance of WIG craft compared to related planing hull. An illustrative example is included to determine the required horsepower, running trim and take-off speed.