A novel algorithm for the non-invasive detection of bladder outlet obstruction in men with lower urinary tract symptoms

Contains fulltext : 181594.pdf (publisher's version ) (Open Access)OBJECTIVE: To determine the ability of bladder wall thickness (BWT) in combination with non-invasive variables to distinguish patients with bladder outlet obstruction (BOO). PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients completed the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) questionnaire and prostate size was measured by transrectal ultrasonography (US). Pressure-flow studies were performed to determine the urodynamic diagnosis. BWT was measured at 250-mL bladder filling using transabdominal US. Recursive partition analysis (RPA) recursively partitions data for relating independent variable(s) to a dependent variable creating a tree of partitions. It finds a set of cuts of the dependent variable(s) that best predict the independent variable, by searching all possible cuts until the desired fit is reached. RPA was used to test the ability of the combined data of BWT, maximum urinary flow rate (Qmax), post-void residual urine volume (PVR), IPSS, and prostate size to predict BOO. RESULTS: In all, 72 patients were included in the final analysis. The median BWT, voided volumes, PVR, mean Qmax, and IPSS were significantly higher in patients who had an Abrams/Griffiths (A/G) number of >40 (55 patients) compared to those with an A/G number of </=40 (17 patients). RPA revealed that the combination of BWT and Qmax gave a correct classification in 61 of the 72 patients (85%), with 92% sensitivity and 65% specificity, 87% positive predictive value, and 76% negative predictive value (NPV) for BOO (area under the curve 0.85). The positive diagnostic likelihood ratio of this reclassification fit was 2.6. CONCLUSIONS: It was possible to combine BWT with Qmax to create a new algorithm that could be used as a screening tool for BOO in men with lower urinary tract symptoms

Imaging a relic of complex tectonics: the lithosphere-asthensphere structure in the Eastern Mediterranean

The crust and upper mantle structure of the Eastern Mediter- ranean is investigated through the nonlinear inversion of Raleigh wave dispersion curves extracted from broadband records in the region along two profiles crossing the Hellenic and Cyprian arcs. Corresponding density models are con- structed, consistent with the observed gravity anomalies. The modelled profiles exhibit a continental crust type overlain by a thick sedimentary cover and underlain by a thick lithospheric mantle. The lithosphere-asthenosphere system exhibits fea- tures, which suggest the presence of upducted asthenosphere exhumed to the north of the Hellenic arc, where the slab extension is limited to depths of about 220 km

Synthesis, Characterization and Catalytic Activity of Cu/Cu2O Nanoparticles Prepared in Aqueous Medium

Copper/Copper oxide (Cu/Cu2O) nanoparticles were synthesized by modified chemical reduction method in an aqueous medium using hydrazine as reducing agent and copper sulfate pentahydrate as precursor. The Cu/Cu2O nanoparticles were characterized by X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Energy Dispersive X-ray Fluorescence (EDXRF), Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), and Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM). The analysis revealed the pattern of face-centered cubic (fcc) crystal structure of copper Cu metal and cubic cuprites structure for Cu2O. The SEM result showed monodispersed and agglomerated particles with two micron sizes of about 180 nm and 800 nm, respectively. The TEM result showed few single crystal particles of face-centered cubic structures with average particle size about 11-14 nm. The catalytic activity of Cu/Cu2O nanoparticles for the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide was investigated and compared with manganese oxide MnO2. The results showed that the second-order equation provides the best correlation for the catalytic decomposition of H2O2 on Cu/Cu2O. The catalytic activity of hydrogen peroxide by Cu/Cu2O is less than the catalytic activity of MnO2 due to the presence of copper metal Cu with cuprous oxide Cu2O. © 2015 BCREC UNDIP. All rights reservedReceived: 6th January 2015; Revised: 14th March 2015; Accepted: 15th March 2015How to Cite: Badawy, S.M., El-Khashab, R.A., Nayl, A.A. (2015). Synthesis, Characterization and Catalytic Activity of Cu/Cu2O Nanoparticles Prepared in Aqueous Medium. Bulletin of Chemical Reaction Engineering &amp; Catalysis, 10 (2): 169-174. (doi:10.9767/bcrec.10.2.7984.169-174) Permalink/DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.9767/bcrec.10.2.7984.169-174  </p

Verification of the optimal kinetics behaviour during the methyl blue dye adsorption onto quaternized starch derivative

This paper reports the adsorption of methyl blue dye onto a quaternized starch derivative (S-Quat) from an aqueous solution. The starch derivatization was achieved via the reaction between (3-chloro-2-hydroxypropyl) tri-methyl ammonium chloride (Quat-188) and maize starch in the presence of aqueous sodium hydroxide. Various instrumental characterization techniques were deployed to confirm the presence of important functional groups, crystalline structure and surface texture/morphology, which played key roles during the dye uptake. The Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) surface area and pore size of the S-Quat were recorded as 41.328 ​m2. g−1 and 1.763 ​nm, respectively. The effect of solution pH, contact time and adsorbent concentration on the adsorption capacity of the S-Quat were examined via batch mode. Maximum adsorption of ∼260 ​mg/g was achieved at pH 2.0 ​and 75 ​min contact time. Furthermore, the kinetic data modelling showed that the Fractional power, Brouser–Weron–Sotolongo (BWS), and Fractal-like PFO (FPFO) models, respectively, were the top three models of best fit. Thus, the quaternized starch derivative (S-Quat) showed good dye adsorption potentials