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Background. The high HIV prevalence and incidence in South Africa makes it suitable for recruitment of participants for large-scale HIV preventive vaccine trials. However, fear of vaccine-induced seropositivity (VISP) may be a barrier for community acceptability of the trial, for volunteers to participate in HIV preventive vaccine trials and for uptake of an efficacious vaccine. Prior to 2015, when the first phase 1 safety HIV vaccine trial was undertaken at Setshaba Research Centre, Soshanguve, the local community stakeholders and healthcare workers were naive about HIV vaccine research and HIV preventive vaccines. Objective. To explore knowledge and perceptions regarding VISP among community stakeholders and healthcare workers in peri-urbanb Soshanguve, Tshwane. Methods. Using a quantitative-qualitative mixed-methods study design, surveys (n=50) and in-depth interviews (n=18) were conducted during July - August 2015. Participants included community stakeholders, community advisory board members and healthcare workers, who were >18 years old and had attended community educational workshops during September 2014 - May 2015. Audio recordings of interviews were transcribed verbatim and coded using content thematic analysis. Data were further analysed by sex, age and educational level. Results. Of a maximum score of 2 on knowledge on VISP, the 50 survey participants (mean age 33.78 years; 45 females) obtained an average of 0.88 (44%). Of 17 in-depth interviewees (one interview could not be transcribed; mean age 30.9 years; 12 females), 8 (47%) displayed some knowledge about VISP, of whom only 5 defined VISP correctly. Women were more knowledgeable about VISP than men; 5 of 12 women (42%) came close to defining VISP correctly, while none of the 5 men did so. The main fear of trial participation expressed by most participants (n=6) was testing HIV-positive as a result of the vaccine. While some participants believed that the community’s perceptions of VISP would negatively affect HIV vaccine trial support and recruitment efforts, others noted that if trial participants understand the concept of VISP and are part of support groups, then they would have the information to combat negative attitudes within their community. Conclusion. Most participants had an inaccurate and incomplete understanding of VISP. Many feared testing HIV-positive at clinics; therefore, education on improving a basic understanding of how vaccines work and why VISP occurs is essential. In addition, assessing participant understanding of HIV testing, transmission and VISP is critical for recruitment of participants into HIV vaccine trials and may improve acceptability of an HIV preventive vaccine.

Blast and fragmentation of a scaled down model of standard artillery shell is investigated experimentally and numerically. Simple experimental techniques are employed in this study to measure the fragments’ velocity, mass and spatial distribution. Fragments of mass ranging from tens of milligram(s) to 6.4 grams are produced with velocities ranging from 960 to 1555 m/s. The cylindrical part of the shell has larger contribution among high velocity fragments ~1369-1555m/s than the conical and rear parts due to higher charge to mass (C/M) ratio. Overpressure of 44.2psi (304.7kPa) is measured at stand-off distance of 0.550m. The numerical simulation of fragmentation is carried out using Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics (SPH) solver available in ANSYS AUTODYN. A coupled Euler-ALE (Arbitrary Lagrangian-Eulerian) approach is used to simulate the shell blast propagation in the surrounding air. A good agreement is achieved between the simulation and experimental results. The investigation can help in the development of protective configurations against the damaging effects of blast and fragmentation.

The present study was conducted to elucidate the effect of different antioxidants on the semen quality of cryopreserved yak semen. The ejaculates found suitable were extended (1:10) with 4 different Tris extenders by split sample technique containing different antioxidants in each of 3 extenders, viz. Taurine @ 50 mM, Trehalose @ 100 mM or vitamin E @ 2 mM and one control (without additive). The sperm motility, live sperm, HOSTreacted sperm, total incidence of acrosomal changes and extracellular release of ALT and AST differed significantly between antioxidants. Total sperm motility, live sperm and HOST-reacted sperm were significantly higher and total incidence of acrosomal changes and extracellular release of AST were significantly lower in extender containing antioxidants than that in control. The difference between taurine, trehalose and vitamin E was not significant for parameters like sperm motility, HOST-reacted sperm and extracellular release of ALT. The per cent live sperm was significantly higher and total incidence of acrosomal changes was significantly lower for taurine than for trehalose and vitamin E. The extracellular release of ALT was significantly lower in extender containing taurine or trehalose than in control while the extracellular release of AST was significantly lower in the extender containing taurine than that in containing trehalose, vitamin E and control. The findings of the present study revealed that addition of taurine, trehalose and vitamin E in Tris extender significantly improved the post thaw quality of yak semen. Among the antioxidants evaluated, 50 mM of taurine in Tris extender could be effectively used to obtain better quality of frozen thawed yak semen.

In this paper, we analyze and provide innovative soliton solutions for a (2+1)-dimensional generalized Korteweg-de Vries (gKdV) problem. We obtain phase shifts and dispersion relations by using the generalized Arnous technique and the Riccati equation approach, thus allowing different soliton solutions to be developed. Several precise solutions with special structural properties, including kink and solitary soliton solutions, are included in our study. This detailed examination demonstrates the complex behavior of the model and its capability to explain a large scale of nonlinear wave occurrences in many physical settings. Thus, in scientific domains such as fluid mechanics, plasma physics, and wave propagation in media ranging from ocean surfaces to optical fibers, our results are crucial to comprehend the principles behind the production and propagation of many complicated phenomena. Finally, we provide 2D and 3D graphs for various solutions that have been obtained using Maple.

Abstract Background Type 1 diabetes (T1DM) in children is frequently associated with sleep disorders. The prevalence of these disorders varies by region attributable to variations in co-sleeping customs, nocturnal rituals, and environmental influences. This study aims to assess sleep problems and their related characteristics among children diagnosed with T1DM in the Upper Egypt region. This cross-sectional study involved 118 children with T1DM, aged 6 to 12 years. The outcomes from the Children’s Sleep Habits Questionnaire-Abbreviated (CSHQ-A) were utilized to categorize the subjects into two groups: the first group comprised individuals with sleep problems (N = 70), and the second group included individuals with non-sleep problems (N = 48). All participants were evaluated using the Socioeconomic Scale, the Clinical Evaluation of Emotional Regulation–9 (CEER-9), the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire, the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory, and the Children’s Alexithymia Measure (CAM). Results Sleep problems were prevalent in 59.3% of participants. Children with sleep problems had elevated rates of overweight/obesity, ocular problems increased medication usage, exercise difficulties, diminished quality of life, higher mean scores on the emotional regulation scale, and greater levels of alexithymia as compared to those without sleep disorders. The prevalence of conduct and hyperactivity problems was greater in children with sleep problems compared to those without sleep problems. Regression analysis revealed that increased BMI, presence of ocular issues, higher alexithymia scores, and poor quality of life were associated with a greater likelihood of experiencing sleep problems. Conclusions Nearly two-thirds of children with T1DM in Upper Egypt experienced sleep problems. These issues were associated with higher BMI, ocular problems, elevated alexithymia scores, and poorer quality of life.

Abstract Background Pulmonary arterial hypertension is a life-threatening disorder of the pulmonary vascular system that can lead to right-sided heart failure, respiratory failure, and death. Still, more knowledge is needed to understand this complex disease. The study objective is to evaluate the clinicolaboratory characteristics of group 1 pulmonary hypertension patients and their survival in the Assiut University pulmonary hypertension unit throughout the study time. Patients and methods Consecutive patients were referred to the Assiut University Chest Department Pulmonary Hypertension unit in collaboration with the cardiology department for diagnosis and management. Patients were diagnosed as group 1 pulmonary hypertension (PH) included in the study. Patient demographic data, clinical presentation, electrocardiography, laboratory data, and invasive and noninvasive hemodynamics at presentation were recorded. The patients were followed through the study time to identify their survival. Results Out of 40 patients referred to the pulmonary hypertension unit throughout the study period, 29 patients have group 1 PH and were included. Their mean age was 44.10 ± 15.14 years, most of them were females (86.2%), 44.8% of patients presented with WHO functional class II, 48.3% of patients with FC III, and 6.9% of patients with FC IV. The mean 6 min walking distance was 256.97 ± 89.46 m. Pulmonary artery catheterization hemodynamic parameters were mean pulmonary artery pressure 52.48 ± 18.24 mmHg, pulmonary vascular resistance 13.32 ± 7.31 WU, cardiac index 2.32 ± 0.83 L/min/m2, and mixed venous oxygen saturation 59.6 ± 7%. The mean follow-up duration is 12.6 ± 8.8 months, and their survival at the end of study time was 82.35%. Serum uric acid, pulmonary vascular resistance, pulmonary artery systolic pressure, and age are predictors of disease progression and mortality. Conclusion Group 1 pulmonary hypertension is an uncommon complex disease with a difficult early diagnosis. Its clinical presentation varies from insidious breathlessness, syncope, palpitation, and obvious right heart failure. Some factors as serum uric acid, pulmonary vascular resistance, pulmonary artery systolic pressure, and age are associated with prognosis. One-year survival was 82.35%. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov ID: NCT0479145.

Abstract Background Substance use disorders are often accompanied by irrational beliefs and unfavorable attitudes that contribute to their development and persistence. Metaphor therapy, utilizing stories and imagery, has emerged as a potential intervention to reshape thoughts. This study aimed to investigate the impact of metaphor therapy on irrational beliefs and attitudes among individuals with substance use disorders. A quasi-experimental study was conducted at Assiut University Hospital’s substance use inpatient unit from April to December 2023. A non-probability purposive sample of 115 individuals with substance use disorders was selected but only 100 were recruited and randomly assigned to study and control groups. The study group (n = 50) received six 90-min group metaphor therapy sessions over 6 months, while the control group (n = 50) received no intervention. Irrational beliefs and attitudes toward substance use were assessed using the Irrational Beliefs Scale and Attitude Toward Substance Abuse Questionnaire at pre-treatment, post-treatment, and follow-up. Results The metaphor therapy group demonstrated significant decreases in mean irrational belief subscale and total scores at post-treatment and follow-up compared to pre-treatment. Additionally, this group exhibited higher mean attitude scores, indicating more negative attitudes (rejection of substance use) during post-treatment and follow-up assessments. No significant changes were observed in the control group. Conclusions Metaphor therapy was effective in reducing irrational beliefs and fostering more favorable attitudes toward substance use among individuals with substance use disorders. The finding suggests metaphor therapy could be a valuable intervention for addressing cognitive and attitudinal factors contributing to substance use.

Cryopreservation of sperm cells induces cryo-capacitation like changes. These changes are associated with reduced survival of sperm cells in the female reproductive tract that ultimately associate with poor fertility. The present study was designed with the objective to investigate the cryo-capacitation changes in relation to acrosomal status, transaminases activities, sperm membrane protein and cholesterol content in swamp buffalo spermatozoa. Results revealed that the total mean incidences of acrosome reacted spermatozoa and the mean activity of ALT and AST were significantly higher after equilibration and freezing. The mean level of sperm membrane protein and cholesterol was significantly lower after equilibration and freezing. It may be concluded from the present study that cryopreservation induces capacitation-like changes in swamp buffalo spermatozoa.

IntroductionEchinococcosis is a widespread zoonotic disease caused by tapeworms of the Echinococcus genus, manifesting in mature or larval forms. Cystic echinococcosis (CE) and alveolar echinococcosis (AE) are the primary types affecting humans, linked, respectively, to Echinococcus granulosus and Echinococcus multilocularis. This study is a systematic review and meta-analysis of the risk factors associated with CE and AE in humans.MethodsRelevant English publications were found through a thorough search of eligible databases. The inclusion criteria focused on cross-sectional and case–control studies investigating risk factors for human echinococcosis. Collected data included author, country, study design, demographics, sample size, literacy, occupation, drinking water source, dog ownership, and hand hygiene.ResultsA total of 1,594 studies were found in the initial search, with only 36 papers (involving 1,207,436 cases) meeting the inclusion criteria. Most of the study population (99.35%) showed no echinococcosis infection, while 0.65% were infected. Of the infected cases, 77.92% had CE, while 22.08% had AE. Among 629,996 (52.18%) females, 4,830 (0.76%) were infected, compared to 2,968 (0.52%) infections among 565,872 (46.86%) males (p

In the domains of fluid mechanics, hydrodynamics, and marine engineering, Bogoyavlensky–Konopelchenko equations are of great interest to mathematicians and physicists as a means of illuminating the diverse dynamics of non-linear wave events. In this study, to pique readers' interest, we investigate the soliton solutions of a dynamical model, which is the mathematical physics equivalent of the (2+1)-dimensional generalized Bogoyavlensky–Konopelchenko equation (GBKE). Utilizing the improved modified extended tanh-function scheme (IMETFS), we generate several innovative solutions. Utilizing the previously described approach, we find new types of solutions that have never been found before to demonstrate their originality for the problem at hand, such as dark, singular soliton, exponential, hyperbolic, singular periodic, Jacobi elliptic function (JEF), and rational solutions. The results show that the computational procedures are clear, informed, and effective. By integrating them with representational calculations, they may be used for more intricate phenomena. The efficacy of our method indicates that it may be utilized to tackle other non-linear challenges in many domains, particularly in soliton theory, since the examined model appears in many applications. Utilizing the computer algebra system, Wolfram Mathematica®, the propagation of the well-furnished results is visualized through contour plots, 2D and 3D visualizations for different values of the required free parameters. All of the research's conclusions are necessary to comprehend the behavior and physical significance of the examined equation, highlighting how crucial it is to examine various non-linear wave phenomena in the field of engineering mathematics and physical sciences.

Solar panels are constantly evolving, with changes occurring in the materials used, panel shapes, and the method used to attach solar cells to the panels. Solar radiation consists of two components: photovoltaic energy, which is used to generate electricity via photovoltaic panels, and thermal energy, which, on the other hand, can reduce the efficiency of photovoltaic panels. Thermal photovoltaic panels are a recent breakthrough in the industry as they use light to generate energy and heat to reheat cryogenic liquid for a variety of purposes. One subtype that is gaining popularity is hybrid photovoltaic thermal panels, which are designed to enhance heat use by adding a heat storage medium, with phase change materials being a noteworthy example. ​ Despite their numerous benefits, these materials have limited heat conductivity, necessitating substantial research efforts to improve this attribute. However, most research focus solely on enhancing conductivity without applying the findings to PV panels in a comprehensive manner. This study fills this gap by reviewing the phase change materials accessible locally, picking Iraqi wax, researching additions, selecting micro- particles of aluminum oxide (Al2O3), investigating the mixing procedure, and calculating the ideal mixing ratio (6% additive to wax). The combination is then placed to a normal solar panel, resulting in a hybrid photovoltaic panel with a complicated phase transition material reinforced with aluminum oxide.

Accurately identifying the kind and amount of dissolved metal salts in wastewater used in oil refining processes is an iconic feature of ultraviolet and visible absorption spectroscopy. This method relies on the dissolved metal salts' ability to absorb light at certain wavelengths after reacting with it. The experiments were conducted in a lab setting with a broadband source (200-800 nm) to measure the absorbance of dissolved element salts and precisely identify the lowest concentration up to 2 ppm. A mixture of the mineral salts from oil refining operations was prepared and diluted to different concentrations using a standard solution. This allowed us to study and compare this result with the absorbance behavior of the wastewater from the Al-Dora Refinery. The two results reinforced that we can accurately estimate the detection parameters for the lowest water contamination. These materials are lead nitrate (PbNO3), phenol, calcium carbonate (CaCO3), sodium chloride (NaCl2), sulfide (SO4), and nitrate (NO3). At wavelengths of 340, 404, and 741 nm, the concentrations (10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, and 100) ppm were found, and for the concentration of 10ppm, the absorbance (0.15323, 0.15326, and 0.14685) was found, respectively. The process that has been tested with varying concentrations is considered and simulates the variation in river water concentrations caused by the river's water level and flow rate changes by the effect of rain abundance and thawing. It is fast, accurate data analysis, and a lower cost compared with the other chemical analysis and conventional methods.