Search

Water hammer (WH) is a critical phenomenon in fluid-filled piping systems that can lead to severe pressure surges and structural damage. The characteristics of the pipe material, geometry, and support conditions play a crucial role in the fluid–structure interaction (FSI) during WH events. This study investigates the impact of various pipe parameters, including material, length, thickness, and diameter, on the WH behavior using an FSI-based numerical approach. A comprehensive computational model was developed based on the algorithm presented in Delft Hydraulics Benchmark Problem (A) to simulate the WH phenomenon in pipes made of different materials, such as steel, copper, ductile iron, PPR (polypropylene random copolymer), and GRP (glass-reinforced plastic). This study examines the influence of pipe parameters on WH performance in pipelines, utilizing FSI to analyze the phenomenon. The results show that the pipe material has a significant influence on the pressure wave speed, stress wave propagation, and the overall system response during WH. Pipes with lower modulus of elasticity, such as PPR and GRP, exhibit lower pressure wave speeds but higher stress wave speeds compared with steel pipes. Increasing the elastic modulus, pipe wall thickness, length, and diameter enhances the pipe's stiffness and impacts the timing, magnitude of pressure surges, and the likelihood of cavitation. The findings of this study provide valuable insights into the design and mitigation of WH in piping systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cucumber plants are often attacked by various pathogens, which can considerably decrease production and cause significant losses. One of the most prevalent fungal diseases is powdery mildew, caused by an obligate pathogen, Podosphaera xanthii. It is a serious disease that causes significant damage to the whole plant, i.e., leaves, fruits, and stems, under both greenhouse and field conditions. The main objective of this result is to assess the effectiveness of Bacillus spp. against cucumber powdery mildew under in vitro and in vivo conditions. Treatment with B. licheniformis and B. aerius culture filtrates reduced the conidial germination of the pathogen by 60 and 85%, respectively. Under greenhouse conditions, spraying cucumber plants with both microorganisms was effective at reducing powdery mildew disease severity. High reductions of disease severity were achieved by treatment of B. licheniformis as a cell suspension and B. aerius strain as culture filtrate, 45.3 and 77.3%, respectively, two days before inoculation. Additionally, treatment with these bacterial strains resulted in a significant increase in the fresh and dry weights of the cucumber plants. The highest increase of fresh and dry weight was found with B. licheniformis CS and B. aerius strain CF treatment at two days before or after infection. After treatment with the bioagents, the content of total phenols, polyphenol oxidase, and peroxidase was enhanced in treatment plants. The use of B. licheniformis and B. aerius as foliar sprays significantly induced resistance to P. xanthii in cucumber plants and stimulated many biochemical functions. Therefore, we propose B. licheniformis and B. aerius as an effective alternative to harmful chemicals.

Background Ventral hernia repair is one of the most common operations performed today, yet when complex and huge, it presents a true challenge for the surgical team. Patients and methods Based on our prospective randomized study, a few preliminary conclusions can be drawn. There was no significant difference in most outcomes between patients who underwent repair with the Transversus abdominis muscle release (TAR) technique or with perforator-preserving component separation when using the same type of polyprolene mesh and in the same retro-muscular position. Results The mean hospital stay was slightly higher when performing the TAR technique (5.2 days), while it was 4.3 days after the perforator-preserving approach. There is a nearly equal incidence of postoperative wound complications and also no statistically significant difference in the rate of recurrence between the two methods, and the rate of wound complications and recurrence is significantly lower than the classic, commonly used method of anterior component separation. Conclusion After this comparative study, both the TAR and anterior component separation (perforator preserving) techniques are effective and reliable methods in experienced hands, and if there is no special indication for one of them, the choice between both should depend on surgeon preference and experience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background The links between attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and substance use disorder (SUD) have been the subject of many studies, showings a high prevalence rate of ADHD in substance-abusing population as well as an increased risk of SUD in patients with ADHD that may be independent of other psychiatric conditions. Objectives We tried to estimate the frequency of adult and childhood ADHD in patients with SUDs attending Minia Hospital for Mental Health and Addiction Treatment. Results We included 119 patients diagnosed with SUDs. Three-quarters of our sample were polysubstance users, the most common substance used as reported by patients was tramadol (68.9%), and the most severely affected domains according to Addiction Severity Index among subjects of the study were drug use, family/social, and psychiatric problems. Overall, 10.1% had alcohol dependence/abuse diagnosis in addition to their substance use. The duration of substance uses in the whole sample ranged from 1 to 27 years, with a mean of 10±5.5 years. The mean age for the first-time drinking alcohol was 18.7±4.9 years, ranging from 9 to 40 years, and for using drugs was 19.2±6.2 years, with a range from 6 to 43 years. Childhood ADHD was diagnosed in 30(25.2%) patients, whereas adulthood ADHD was diagnosed in 28(23.5%) patients of our sample as measured by Conner's Adult ADHD Diagnostic Interview for DSM-IV. Conclusions Adulthood ADHD and childhood ADHD were frequently co-occurring conditions among patients with SUDs. ADHD diagnosis contributed to an increased addiction severity among adults with SUD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Many studies have shown that many personality traits are associated with breast cancer (BC), worsening both the quality of life and psychological distress of patients. These increased levels of distress increase the risk of depression and anxiety with subsequent adverse effect on compliance to cancer treatment. Despite the high comorbidity of psychopathological disorders in this disease and their association with defense styles, few studies have examined the defense mechanisms used by BC patients. The main aim of our study was to investigate personality disorders and defense mechanisms in BC patients. Objective The aim of this study was to detect psychiatric comorbidity and impact of defense style, personality variables in patients with breast cancer and study their relations with tumor grading and histopathological characteristics. Patients and Methods In this cross-sectional study. About 150 patients with breast cancer were evaluated for having breast cancer according to laboratory, radiological and pathological investigations. Participants were females aged 18 years or older. Patients with history of another cancer, comorbid serious medical condition, in their investigation phase of cancer diagnosis or those who refused to participate in the study were excluded. The tools applied to participants were the Symptom Checklist 90 Revised, Defense style Questionnaire-40 and Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis II (SCID-II). Results One hundred thirteen patients (75.3%) had psychiatric comorbidity; somatization was the most common psychiatric comorbidity (58.7%) followed by depression (40.7%). Patients with and without comorbid psychiatric illness used mature defense mechanisms than neurotic and immature defenses. Personality variables which is related to pattern of use of defense mechanisms, in order of the mean mature defenses came first followed by neurotic followed by immature defense mechanisms and we found that (22%) of patients had criteria of obsessive - compulsive personality, (18.7%) had borderline criteria, (16.7%) had dependent criteria Conclusions Psychiatric comorbidity are common in patients with breast cancer. Personality characteristics and defense style used by breast cancer patients could shape the presenting psychiatric disorder. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neuroinflammation is implicated in the pathophysiology of depression. Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) causes chronic brain inflammatory process and may thus contribute to both depression and its most serious complication, suicidal behavior. In this study, we hypothesized that latent toxoplasmosis may underlie current depression and/or suicidal behavior. Currently depressed individuals (N = 384) and age, sex, and residence-matched healthy controls (HC) (N = 400) were tested for latent toxoplasmosis (i.e., positive serum T. gondii IgG antibodies). Exclusions included positive IgM and negative IgG antibodies indicating acute T. gondii infection and history of cognitive problems. Depression severity and history of lifetime suicide attempts were assessed using Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale, respectively. Participants with seropositive anti-T. gondii IgG antibody had a significantly higher odds of being depressed compared with seronegative participants (OR = 2.9, 95% CI: 1.9–4.3; p < 0.001). BDI score was significantly different between depressed seropositive and depressed seronegative individuals (IgG＋: mean (SD)= 39.65 (11.83) vs. IgG−: mean (SD)= 33.44(9.80); t = 5.03, p < 0.001). Further, seropositive depressed participants were more likely to have prior history of actual suicide attempts compared with seronegative participants (OR= 6.2, 95% CI: 3.4–11.2, p < 0.001). Latent toxoplasmosis may represent be a risk factor for depression and suicidal behavior. Screening for, and treatment of, underlying T. gondii infection may help improve depression and curb the increasing suicide rates. Future studies should prospectively test these hypotheses to be adequately implemented. Latent toxoplasmosis has been linked to history of psychiatric disorders. Depressed individuals have higher positivity rate of T. gondii IgG antibody than healthy controls. Depressed T. gondii seropositive individuals have increased likelihood to have history of suicidal behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adverse life events precede the onset of functional neurological disorder (FND, also known as conversion disorder) more commonly than other neuropsychiatric conditions, but their aetiological role is unclear. We conducted a systematic review and quantitative analysis of the type, timing and number of life events preceding the onset of FND in adults, and a meta-analysis of the proportions of types of events in controlled studies. Fifty-one studies of different designs, covering 4247 patients, were eligible for inclusion. There was no clear majority of any type of preceding event. Family problems were the most common category of events, followed by relationship problems. Females were more likely to experience preceding family/relationship problems than males, who reported more work problems. Family problems were the commonest type of preceding event in studies in developing countries, whereas family and health problems were equally common in developed countries. Abuse was associated with early symptom onset, while patients with later onset were more likely to report family problems. The median number of events was one, and the events occurred closer to onset than in controls. Meta-analysis found that family, relationship and work events were all relatively more common in patients than pathological controls, as were events where symptoms might provide a solution to the stressor. In conclusion, although a range of events precede the onset of FND, they do not appear to do so uniformly. This may support a different aetiological role for stressors than in other disorders, although the support is indirect and the quality generally low. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Laparoscopic fundoplication (LF) is considered when medical treatments for gastroesophageal reflux have failed. However, the definition of failure is largely subjective and clinician dependent. Laparoscopy has revolutionized the surgical management of the disease and has become the preferred approach by most surgeons. There are two main laparoscopic anti-reflux fundoplications that are currently performed; the "total wrap" technique, such as a Nissen fundoplication and the modified Nissen-Rossetti fundoplication, and the "partial wrap" technique. However, choosing the optimal fundoplication procedure remains controversial. Laparoscopic Nissen anti-reflux procedure has replaced the open approach to become the standard surgical procedure for the treatment of medical resistant gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and hiatus hernia. Complications after laparoscopic fundoplication include hiatal hernia, slipped wrap, recurrent GERD, persistent dysphagia, and gas bloat syndrome. Therefore, this study aimed to review a short term outcomes of laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication as a treatment of GERD and hiatus hernia in children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Major depressive disorder (MDD) is associated with impaired attention control and alterations in frontal-subcortical connectivity. We hypothesized that attention control as assessed by Stroop task interference depends on white matter integrity in fronto-cingulate regions and assessed this relationship using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) in MDD and healthy volunteers (HV).Methods: DTI images and Stroop task were acquired in 29 unmedicated MDD patients and 16 HVs, aged 18-65 years. The relationship between Stroop interference and fractional anisotropy (FA) was examined using region-of-interest (ROI) and tract-based spatial statistics (TBSS) analyses.Results: ROI analysis revealed that Stroop interference correlated positively with FA in left caudal anterior cingulate cortex (cACC) in HVs (r = 0.62, p = 0.01), but not in MDD (r = -0.05, p= 0.79) even after controlling for depression severity. The left cACC was among 4 ROIs in fronto-cingulate network where FA was lower in MDD relative to HVs (F(1,41) = 8.87, p = 0.005). Additionally, TBSS showed the same group interaction of differences and correlations, although only at a statistical trend level.Limitations: The modest sample size limits the generalizability of the findings.Conclusions: Structural connectivity of white matter network of cACC correlated with magnitude of Stroop interference in HVs, but not MDD. The cACC-frontal network, sub-serving attention control, may be disrupted in MDD. Less cognitive control may include enhanced effects of salience in HVs, or less effective response inhibition in MDD. Further studies of salience and inhibition components of executive function may better elucidate the relationship between brain white matter changes and executive dysfunction in MDD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Our ability to diagnose renal cell carcinoma (RCC) has increased in the past 30 years as a result of the extensive application of imaging techniques, such as ultrasonography, computed tomography, and magnetic resonance imaging. Multi-detector computed tomography (MDCT) remains the most appropriate imaging modality for the diagnosis and staging of RCC. The aim of this work was to compare the findings of MDCT with surgical pathology to determine the accuracy of delineating tumor size, localization, organ confinement, lymph node metastases, and the extent of tumor thrombus in the renal vein and inferior vena cava. Methods: The clinical, surgical, and anatomo-pathologic records of 99 patients treated by nephrectomy (radical or partial) for solid renal tumors at Theodor Bilharz Research Institute and Nasser Institute from 2005 to 2011 were reviewed retrospectively. All cases were staged pre-operatively with abdominal MDCT (pre- and postcontrast enhancement) in addition to the routine biochemical, hematological, and radiological work-up. The tumors' histologic types were determined according to the WHO classification of renal tumors in adults in 2004, and staging was updated to the TNM 2010 system. Data were analyzed using the t-test. Results: The mean age was 52 (range 21-73). Seventy-eight patients were males, and 21 patients were females (Male/Female ratio: 3.7:1). There were no significant differences in the mean tumor size between radiographic and pathologic assessments in different tumor stages. The overall incidence of lymph node invasion in surgical specimens was 76%, whereas MDCT showed a positive incidence in 68.4% of cases (false negative result in 7 cases, 7.6%). Conclusion: Our findings indicated that MDCT urography is an accurate method to estimate renal tumor size, lymph node, vascular and visceral metastases preoperatively. Also, preoperative staging of renal tumors with MDCT represents a valuable and accurate tool. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]