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Background Determining the clinical neurological state of the patient is essential for making decisions and forecasting results. The Glasgow Coma Scale and the Full Outline of Unresponsiveness (FOUR) Scale are commonly used tools for measuring behavioral consciousness. This study aims to compare scales among patients with neurological disorders in intensive care units (ICUs) in the West Bank. Methods A prospective cross-sectional design was employed. All patients admitted to ICUs who met inclusion criteria were involved in this study. Data were collected from from An-Najah National University, Al-Watani, and Rafedia Hospital. Both tools were used to collect data. Results: A total of 84 patients were assessed, 69.0% of the patients were male, and the average length of stay was 6.4 days. The mean score on the Glasgow Coma scale was 11.2 on admission 11.6 after 48 hours, and 12.2 on discharge. The mean FOUR Scale score was 12.2 on admission, 12.4 after 48 hours, and 12.5 at discharge. Conclusions This study indicates that both the Glasgow Coma Scale and the FOUR scale are effective in predicting outcomes for neurologically deteriorated critically ill patients. However, the FOUR scale proved to be more reliable when assessing outcomes in ICU patients.

SUMMARY: Dietary supplementation with aluminosilicates is a field-practical and cost-effective strategy to reduce the toxicity of feedborne aflatoxins in poultry. Importantly, not all types of aluminosilicates have the same decontaminating efficiency; thus, a full characterization of the protective properties of each single material would assist in selecting the most appropriate binder. Hydrated sodium calcium aluminosilicate (HSCAS) has been proven protective against many of the deleterious effects produced by aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) in broiler chickens. However, to date, there is no information specifically concerning its ability to counteract AFB1-induced impairment of nutrient digestibility in these animals. Therefore, expanding on previous research, we sought to fill this gap by incorporating new analyses on nutrient digestibility in a typical panel of aflatoxicosis-relevant endpoints. The aflatoxicated chickens that did not receive HSCAS showed many of the commonly reported signs of aflatoxicosis, including growth depression, liver injury, impaired immune function. Interestingly, some less common aflatoxicosis manifestations were also observed, such as increased serum glucose and cholesterol levels, and increased relative weight of abdominal fat. An unexpectedly low sensitivity to the challenge with AFB1 was recorded for the digestibility-related parameters. In AFB1-exposed chickens that received HSCAS, most of the abovementioned signs of aflatoxicosis were not observed, and the few still-occurring ones were substantially mitigated. Interestingly, some of the production- and health-related variables investigated showed significant improvement even when compared with control chickens. Overall, this study brings new knowledge regarding the potential manifestations of aflatoxicosis in broiler chickens and spectrum of HSCAS' beneficial effects, thereby contributing to better identification and control of an aflatoxin problem in poultry farms.

This study investigated the influence of lactoferrin (LF) and N-acetylcysteine (NAC) on the growth rate and immune response of Egyptian Baladi goats. Thirty-five goat kids (2.765 ± 0.135) were comprised seven groups, each with five individuals. The control group received neither LF nor NAC. The subsequent groups received daily doses at 50 mg, 100 mg, or 200 mg NAC. Similarly, the other groups were administered LF at 50 mg, 100 mg, or 200 mg per day. Biweekly assessments were used to measure the weight and daily weight gain (DWG) of the offspring. Additionally, blood samples were collected every 20, 40, and 60 days post-treatment for hemoglobin, total leukocyte counts, and subtypes. Additionally, blood serum was analyzed for total protein, albumin, globulin, creatinine, and alanine aminotransferase levels. The findings showed significant enhancements in the DWG, hemoglobin concentration, total leukocyte count, and various white blood cell types in the groups treated with LF and NAC compared to those in the control group. Notably, the group receiving LF at 200 mg/ml exhibited the most significant improvements with control and other level of LF. LF at 50 mg/ml/day resulted in higher total protein, albumin, and creatinine levels than did both the control and the other treatments with similar dose of 50 mg/mg/day of NAC. Administration of either LF or NAC notably enhanced the growth rate and blood parameters compared to those of the control group. In conclusion, our findings underscore the potential of daily LF and NAC administration during the weaning phase for Egyptian Baladi goat kids to enhance their immune response and accelerate their growth rate.

Abstract Background Depression is a prevalent psychiatric disorder that can arise at any age and is often present as a co-occurring illness in different illnesses. There is a high comorbidity rate between major depressive disorder and personality disorders (PDs). The current study aimed to investigate the significant impact of personality disorders on depression severity, functional impairment, and suicidal tendencies in individuals with depression. Methods The researchers conducted a cross-sectional observational study involving 120 patients, with an age range from 18 to 56 years of both genders, recruited from Okasha’s Institute of Psychiatry in Cairo, Egypt. Their major depressive disorder diagnosis was verified through the use of the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis I Disorders (SCID-I). Participants underwent evaluations using the SCID-II to evaluate personality disorders, the Hamilton Depression-Rating Scale (HAM-D) to assess the severity of depression, the Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS) to investigate suicidal ideation, and the Global Assessment of Functioning Scale (GAF) to determine functional level. Results Borderline personality disorder and narcissistic personality disorder were the predominant personality disorders in the sample, with prevalence rates of 55.8% and 40.8%, respectively. Sixty-six percent of the participants reported experiencing suicidal thoughts at some point in their lifetime, whereas only 17.5% had actually attempted suicide. Borderline personality disorder showed a strong correlation with more severe depression (P value 0.043), a decline in functioning (P value 0.001), the existence of suicidal thoughts (P value 0.001), and a past of suicide attempts (P value 0.038). Conclusions Personality disorders are highly prevalent in patients with depression, borderline PD, and narcissistic PD were the most common PDs. Borderline PD showed a significant effect on depression severity. PDs, mainly borderline, avoidant, depressive, and narcissistic PDs contribute to more impairment of functioning of the MDD patients. There is a significant effect of the presence of co-morbid personality disorder on suicidal thoughts and suicidal attempts, mainly depressive and borderline PDs.

Abstract Background Poor sleep is associated with bad health outcomes, worse well-being and decreases in performance, productivity and safety at work. Police officers are exposed to several risk factors including extended work schedules, shift work, occupational stress, dangerous and traumatic events and can, as such, develop sleep problems. So, this study aimed to compare quality of life, occupational stress level, between shift and non-shift workers’ policemen working at El-Agouza Police Hospital. This was a cross-sectional comparative study conducted on 64 policemen working in 6 different Police department recruited from sleep clinic neuropsychiatry department at EL-Agouza Police Hospital serving police officers in El-Nile Street, Giza, Egypt. The total included cases were classified to two groups: group I (shift workers) included 32 of shift workers who provide service across, all 24 h of the clock each day of the week (often abbreviated as 24/7), group II (non-shift workers): included 32 of non-shift workers. Results Occurrence of sleep disorders was significantly higher in the shift workers compared to the non-shift worker group (p

Abstract Background Addiction is a medical condition characterized by compulsive engagement in rewarding stimuli, despite adverse consequences and is considered a disorder of the brain’s reward system. Exercise addiction (EA) involves excessive concerns for exercise routines, an abusive practice, and the inability to control one’s own behavior, as well as the presence of psychological processes that are typical of behavioral addictions such as abstinence. The aim of the study is to translate and validate the Exercise Dependence Scale 21 Manual and also to detect the presence of sports addiction among a sample of Egyptian sports clubs’ attendants and to find out the rate of Internet and video gaming addiction among them. Results The Exercise Dependence Scale 21, Internet Addiction Test (IAT) Scale and Video Gaming Addiction Scale were used on a convenient sample regularly practicing sports. The participants were divided into 3 groups according to the result of (EDS21-M): (a) sports addicts (exercise-dependent), (b) symptomatic at risk, and (c) control group (asymptomatic non-dependent). The average age of the group of sports addicts was 28.67 years, 88% of the sample were males, the control group showed significantly higher incidence of problematic gaming of 40.8 % compared to only 33.33% among sports addicts, and higher levels of potential problematic Internet use of 28.57% versus 21.43% in the symptomatic at risk of sports addiction and 22.22% in the sports addicts and also 78.43% of cases with sports addiction or symptomatic at risk had normal Internet use versus 71.43% of the control group. The addicted gamers represented 3.92% of the sports addiction and those symptomatic at risk, and 82.35% of the same group showed no problem with video gaming addiction. There were no correlations between exercise dependence and Internet addiction Conclusions Being addicted to sports may absorb most of the time and energy of the person and compensate him psychologically and in physically and mentally healthy ways than to be indulging and spending the time and effort in video gaming and Internet in a pathological addictive way.

The principal focal point of the current review is the second-grade nanofluid (SGNF) stream with slanted magnetohydrodynamics and viscous disintegration impacts across a moving level flat surface with entropy investigation. Here, we have done a comparative study on copper–methanol and iron–methanol second-grade nanoliquids. The governing conditions of the SGNF model are changed into ordinary differential equations (ODEs) by using supportive changes. To tackle the non-straight ODEs, the Runge-Kutta Fehlberg-45 procedure is utilized. The result reveals that the velocity gradient of copper–methanol second-grade nanoliquid is strongly affected by suction, magnetic, and second-grade fluid parameters and declines faster when compared to iron–methanol second-grade nanoliquid. Copper–methanol SGNF shows improved heat transfer than iron–methanol SGNF for improved values of Eckert and Biot numbers.

Background: End-stage renal disease (ESRD) is an increasing health problem worldwide. Older age, diabetes mellitus and hypertension, acute kidney damage are among some of the factors that play a role in ESRD. This study aims at exploring liver morbidity (LM) among Egyptian hemodialysis (HD) patients. Methods: The study included 142 patients free from overt hepatitis B virus (HBV) or hepatitis C virus (HCV); their data were retrieved from files and all were clinically assessed and tested for liver functions, serological markers and viremia of HCV and HBV. Results: Of 142 eligible HD patients, two seroconverted to overt HCV, and five showed occult HCV. According to the laboratory and ultrasonography (US) data, three patterns of LM were found in 62 (43.7%), non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in 30 (48.4%), liver fibrosis in 19 (30.6%), and hepatitis in 13 (21%). The mean durations of renal impairment (7.6 ± 5.91), hemodialysis (9 ± 6.1269), and total dialysis sessions (976.26 ± 683.69) were significantly higher in patients with LM compared to others (6.78 ± 4.82, 5.38 ± 3.69, and 699.4 ± 467.1). Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and Aspartate aminotransferase (AST) levels were elevated in 14 (22.6%) and 13 (21%) of patients with LM. However, the ROC curve revealed ALT and AST cut-off points of 16.5 and 25.5 IU/L to discriminate LM. Conclusion: LM is common among EDRD patients undergoing hemodialysis despite the low levels of ALT and AST. The use of the US and the new lower levels of ALT and AST could improve the screening approach of LM.

The investigation of thermal transport in the nanofluid over a curved Riga surface is significant and extensively used in many industries as well as in engineering. Therefore, the study is conducted to analyze the thermal transport rate in H2O composed of nanomaterial, namely, carbon nanotubes (CNTs). To improve the thermal conductance, a thermal conductivity correlation based on the length and radius of CNTs is plugged in the energy equation. After that, the flow model was reduced into a self-similar form via feasible transformations and tackled numerically. From the plotted results, it is experienced that the nanofluid velocity drops against a more curved surface. The momentum boundary layer intensifies against larger curvature. An enhanced temperature is experienced in the nanofluid due to varying the parameters. Further, thermal conductivity of the nanofluids rises due to the high volume fraction factor, which plays a significant role in thermal transport. Moreover, the local thermal performance rises linearly against M.

Enhancing oil recovery efficiency is vital in the energy industry. This study investigates magnesium oxide (MgO) nanoparticles combined with sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) surfactants to reduce interfacial tension (IFT) and improve oil recovery. Pendant drop method measurements revealed a 70% IFT reduction, significantly improving nanoparticle dispersion stability due to SDS. Alterations in Zeta Potential and viscosity, indicating enhanced colloidal stability under reservoir conditions, were key findings. These results suggest that the MgO-SDS system offers a promising and sustainable alternative to conventional methods, although challenges such as scaling up and managing nanoparticle–surfactant dynamics remain. The preparation of MgO nanofluids involved magnetic stirring and ultrasonic homogenization to ensure thorough mixing. Characterization techniques included density, viscosity, pH, Zeta Potential, electric conductivity, and electrophoretic mobility assessments for the nanofluid and surfactant–nanofluid systems. Paraffin oil was used as the oil phase, with MgO nanoparticle concentrations ranging from 0.01 to 0.5 wt% and a constant SDS concentration of 0.5 wt%. IFT reduction was significant, from 47.9 to 26.9 mN/m with 0.1 wt% MgO nanofluid. Even 0.01 wt% MgO nanoparticles reduced the IFT to 41.8 mN/m. Combining MgO nanoparticles with SDS achieved up to 70% IFT reduction, enhancing oil mobility. Changes in Zeta Potential (from −2.54 to 3.45 mV) and pH (from 8.4 to 10.8) indicated improved MgO nanoparticle dispersion and stability, further boosting oil displacement efficiency under experimental conditions. The MgO-SDS system shows promise as a cleaner, cost-effective Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) method. However, challenges such as nanoparticle stability under diverse conditions, surfactant adsorption management, and scaling up require further research, emphasizing interdisciplinary approaches and rigorous field studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chia seeds offer therapeutic properties that aid in the prevention of a variety of ailments, including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, obesity, and other risk factors. Arsenite, a common environmental chemical, has been identified as a reproductive toxin owing to its negative effects on male reproductive health. It has been shown to inhibit spermatogenesis and generate androgenic effects in men. The primary goal of this research was to look into the effect of Salvia hispanica on testicular toxicity caused by sodium arsenite in male rats. A set of 36 male albino rats was allocated to a negative control cohort. The individuals in this group were given a basic meal and orally given distilled water for a duration of 28 days. The other five groups were given a regular meal and received intra-peritoneal injections of sodium arsenite (NaAsO2) at a concentration of 4 mg/kg body weight that was diluted in a 0.9% NaCl solution. The injections were administered consecutively, with two doses given within a two-day period. Subsequently, the rats were categorized into several groups using the following classification: Group 2 consisted of a positive control cohort, in which the rats were given a typical baseline diet. Groups 3, 4, 5, and 6 were given a basic diet that included varying proportions of ground chia seeds, namely 5%, 10%, 15%, and 20% per 100 g of the diet. After the trial was completed, the rats were euthanized, and further biological examination was conducted. The measurements of the reproductive organs were documented and reported. The research assessed the following characteristics: sperm count, motility, progressive motility, and normal morphology. The research included examining serum sex hormones, namely luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), and testosterone. An evaluation of the activity of antioxidant enzymes was performed in the tissue of the testicles. There were statistically significant improvements in the sperm parameters, serum sex hormone levels, and the activity of antioxidant enzymes, such as GPX, SOD, and CAT, in the therapy groups. The levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) exhibited a noteworthy decrease (p ≤ 0.05) when compared to the positive control group. Salvia hispanica seeds have demonstrated a significant level of effectiveness in reducing sodium arsenite-induced testicular toxicity, which leads to the conclusion. The flavonoid content and antioxidant properties of Salvia hispanica seeds may be to blame for the observed behavior. These indicated characteristics may have therapeutic significance in treating testicular harm induced by arsenite exposure.

Monosodium glutamate (MSG) is one of the most frequently used food additives that endanger public health. The antioxidant, hyperlipidemic, and cytoprotective properties of Lepidium sativum seeds (LSS) as a natural remedy can minimize the harmful effects of MSG. This study investigated the potential protective effect of LSS against MSG-induced hepatotoxicity in rats. Male albino Sprague Dawley rats (n = 24) were equally divided into four groups for 30 days: the control group (G1) received a basal diet without supplement, group (G2) was fed a basal diet + MSG (30 g/kg b.w.) as a model group, group (G3) was fed a basal diet + MSG (30 g/kg b.w.) + LSS (30 g/kg b.w.), and group (G4) was fed a basal diet + MSG (30 g/kg b.w.) + LSS (60 g/kg b.w.). LSS enhanced serum alkaline phosphatase activity as well as total cholesterol, triglyceride, and glucose levels. It can decrease peroxide content in serum lipids and inhibit glutathione reductase and superoxide dismutase in hepatic cells. The dietary supplementation with LSS provided cytoprotection by enhancing the histoarchitecture of the liver and decreasing the number of apoptotic cells. Due to their antioxidant and anti-apoptotic properties, LSS effectively protect against the hepatotoxicity of MSG. These findings are of the highest significance for drawing attention to incorporating LSS in our food industry and as a health treatment in traditional medicine to combat MSG-induced hepatic abnormalities.

Abstract Background Chest computed tomography (CT) has proven its critical importance in detection, grading, and follow-up of lung affection in COVID-19 pneumonia. There is a close relationship between clinical severity and the extent of lung CT findings in this potentially fatal disease. The extent of lung lesions in CT is an important indicator of risk stratification in COVID-19 pneumonia patients. This study aims to explore automated histogram-based quantification of lung affection in COVID-19 pneumonia in volumetric computed tomography (CT) images in comparison to conventional semi-quantitative severity scoring. This retrospective study enrolled 153 patients with proven COVID-19 pneumonia. Based on the severity of clinical presentation, the patients were divided into three groups: mild, moderate and severe. Based upon the need for oxygenation support, two groups were identified as follows: common group that incorporated mild and moderate severity patients who did not need intubation, and severe illness group that included patients who were intubated. An automated multi-level thresholding histogram-based quantitative analysis technique was used for evaluation of lung affection in CT scans together with the conventional semi-quantitative severity scoring performed by two expert radiologists. The quantitative assessment included volumes, percentages and densities of ground-glass opacities (GGOs) and consolidation in both lungs. The results of the two evaluation methods were compared, and the quantification metrics were correlated. Results The Spearman’s correlation coefficient between the semi-quantitative severity scoring and automated quantification methods was 0.934 (p

Abstract Background Different lesions affecting the spinal cord can lead to myelopathy. Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) is widely used to predict the degree of spinal cord microstructure affection and to assess axonal integrity and diffusion directionality. We hypothesized that not all DTI parameters have the same affection with different spinal cord pathologies. The purpose of this study is to assess the value of the quantitative diffusion tensor imaging indices in different spinal cord lesions. Results There is highly statistically significant difference of the fractional anisotropy (FA), relative anisotropy (RA), volume ratio (VR) and secondary eigenvector values (E2 and E3) between various studied cord lesions and control levels. There is no statistically significant difference of the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) and the primary eigenvector value (E1) (ANOVA test). The ROC curve analysis showed the higher sensitivity and accuracy were ‘88% and 62.5%, respectively,’ with FA cutoff value about 0.380. Conclusion The resulted quantitative DTI indices ‘fractional anisotropy, relative anisotropy, volume ratio and secondary eigenvalues’ work as a numerical in vivo marker of overall tissue injury in different pathologies affecting the spinal cord.

Abstract Purpose Visceral artery pseudoaneurysms (VAPAs) are uncommon in clinical practice but may have serious clinical outcomes up to death. Endovascular management is a safe effective alternative option to traditional surgical procedures. This study assesses the outcome of different embolic materials and techniques used in the endovascular management of VAPAs. Materials and methods This is a two-center retrospective analysis of endovascular embolisation of 46 VAPAs, with a mean pseudoaneurysm size of 13 ± 11.35 mm, that were urgently managed between July 2018 and March 2020. Patients’ presentations were GIT hemorrhage, intrabdominal hemorrhage, hematuria, and abdominal pain in 34.78%, 30.43%, 23.91%, and 10.87% respectively. Management using coils only was done in 28/46 patients (60.87%), NBCA glue only in 16/46 patients (34.78%), combined coils and NBCA glue in 1/46 patient (2.17%), and Amplatzer plugs only in 1 patient (2.17%). The management techniques were sac packing in 9/46 patients (19.57%), inflow occlusion in 28/46 patients (60.87%) and trapping in 9/46 patients (19.57%). All patients were followed-up for 1 year after the procedure. Results The overall clinical success and periprocedural complication rates were 93.48%, and 15.22% respectively, and 30-day mortality was zero. Clinical success was 92.86% in the coil subgroup (n = 28), and 93.75% in the NBCA glue subgroup (n = 16). The technical success rate was 100%. Effectiveness of the procedures during the follow-up was 97.83%. Target lesion re-intervention rate was 2.17%. Conclusion Transarterial embolisation can provide high technical and clinical success rates with low periprocedural complication and re-intervention rates, as well as satisfactory procedure effectiveness in the management of VAPAs.