Primary versus deferred ureteroscopy for management of calculus anuria in children: Review article

Background: The incidence of urolithiasis in the pediatric population is on the rise. Urolithiasis in the pediatric age group, although occurring less in adults, causes considerable morbidity. The role of ureteroscopy (URS) in the management of calculus anuria could be primary or deferred. The deferred URS after initial ureteral stenting or percutaneous drainage is the standard one. However, the remarkable progress in the manufacturing of ureteroscopes and lithotripters favored the primary URS.Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the results of primary versus deferred URS for management of obstructive calculus anuria (OCA) in children in previous literatures.Methods: We have searched literature in the American National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), PubMed, Google scholar, Egyptian bank of knowledge, and science direct.Conclusion: Primary URS is a definitive stone management technique and an appropriate option that can reduce hospital stay, prevent multiple anesthesia, and alleviate the costs in children with OCA when performed by skilled endourologists. However the deferred URS is a favored procedure for management of calculus anuria in pediatric patients compared to primary URS

Evaluation of IR Spectral Analysis and Dyeing Parameters for Plasma and /or Nano-Silver Treatments of Polyester and Nylon Fabrics

In our work of this paper, we study the effect of surface modification of polyester and nylon fabrics induced by DC plasma discharge and/ or nano-siliver treatments .DC plasma discharge was employed at first, as a function of plasma device parameters including different time, different current and different hydrostatic pressure using chemically inert working gas: argon or nitrogen. Optimization of the performance of the applied DC plasma discharge with various applied conditions were performed using Fourier Transform Infra-Red (FTIR) Spectroscopy spectral analysis, by following up the changes in the peak intensity values of the characteristic functional groups that characterize polyester fabric. Then the dyeing properties of different pretreated fabrics with plasma by the best conditions are subjected to nano-silver treatment by concentration 50 ppm under the effect of different dye concentrations, different dyeing temperature and different dyeing time. Finally, the fastness properties to light and washing for the treated samples were studied. The results obtained showed that both of the dyeing parameters and fastness properties were highly improved by the treatment of fabrics by either individual plasma treatment or combined DC cold plasma and nano-silver treatments

The Effect Of Temperature On Age Estimation Of Semen Stains On Porous Versus Non-Porous Surfaces Using Messenger Ribonucleic Acid Measurement

Background: While mRNA can be used to identify the type of a body fluid, its degradation can also give some indication of the time interval since it was deposited. This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of temperature on the age estimation of human semen stains using mRNA deposited on porous versus non-porous surfaces at different time intervals. Methods: Ten semen samples were applied on two different media (glass and cotton) and exposed to three different temperatures (4°C, room temperature, 40°C) and examined at three time intervals (0, 45, and 90 days). The semen-specific mRNA markers PRM1 and PRM2 were quantitatively assessed along with a reference gene, beta-actin, using reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Results: Mean Cq values of mRNA markers (PRM1 and PRM2) and the reference gene (beta-actin) increased with time of storage at different temperatures on both examined media. The mean quantification cycle (Cq) values of PRM2 were lower than PRM1, indicating that the levels of PRM2 marker in semen stain were higher than those of PRM1 marker. However, the mean Cq values of PRM2 at each time interval were not significantly different between temperatures, while PRM1 showed statistically significant differences in mean Cq values between temperatures at day 45 on both media. Conclusion: These results indicate that PRM2 can serve as a reliable mRNA marker to estimate the time since deposition of semen stain at different temperatures on two different media

Effect of Casting Conditions on the Fracture Strength of Al-5 Mg Alloy Castings

During the transient phase of filling a casting running system, surface turbulence can cause the entrainment of oxide films into the bulk liquid. Previous research has suggested that the entrained oxide film would have a deleterious effect on the reproducibility of the mechanical properties of Al cast alloys. In this work, the Weibull moduli for the ultimate tensile strength (UTS) and % elongation of sand cast bars produced under different casting conditions were compared as indicators of casting reliability which was expected to be a function of the oxide film content. The results showed that the use of a thin runner along with the use of filters can significantly eliminate the surface turbulence of the melt during mould filling which would lead to the avoidance of the generation and entrainment of surface oxide films and in turn produce castings with more reliable and reproducible mechanical properties compared to the castings produced using conventional running systems

Chemical Profile of Cyperus laevigatus and Its Protective Effects against Thioacetamide-Induced Hepatorenal Toxicity in Rats

Cyperus species represent a group of cosmopolitan plants used in folk medicine to treat several diseases. In the current study, the phytochemical profile of Cyperus laevigatus ethanolic extract (CLEE) was assessed using UPLC-QTOF–MS/MS. The protective effect of CLEE at 50 and 100 mg /kg body weight (b.w.) was evaluated on hepatorenal injuries induced by thioacetamide (100 mg/kg) via investigation of the extract’s effects on oxidative stress, inflammatory markers and histopathological changes in the liver and kidney. UPLC-QTOF–MS/MS analysis of CLEE resulted in the identification of 94 compounds, including organic and phenolic acids, flavones, aurones, and fatty acids. CLEE improved the antioxidant status in the liver and kidney, as manifested by enhancement of reduced glutathione (GSH) and coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10), in addition to the reduction in malondialdehyde (MDA), nitric oxide (NO), and 8-hydroxy-2′-deoxyguanosine (8OHdG). Moreover, CLEE positively affected oxidative stress parameters in plasma and thwarted the depletion of hepatorenal ATP content by thioacetamide (TAA). Furthermore, treatment of rats with CLEE alleviated the significant increase in plasma liver enzymes, kidney function parameters, and inflammatory markers. The protective effect of CLEE was confirmed by a histopathological study of the liver and kidney. Our results proposed that CLEE may reduce TAA-hepatorenal toxicity via its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties suppressing oxidative stress

Mortality and pulmonary complications in patients undergoing surgery with perioperative SARS-CoV-2 infection: an international cohort study

Background: The impact of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) on postoperative recovery needs to be understood to inform clinical decision making during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. This study reports 30-day mortality and pulmonary complication rates in patients with perioperative SARS-CoV-2 infection. Methods: This international, multicentre, cohort study at 235 hospitals in 24 countries included all patients undergoing surgery who had SARS-CoV-2 infection confirmed within 7 days before or 30 days after surgery. The primary outcome measure was 30-day postoperative mortality and was assessed in all enrolled patients. The main secondary outcome measure was pulmonary complications, defined as pneumonia, acute respiratory distress syndrome, or unexpected postoperative ventilation. Findings: This analysis includes 1128 patients who had surgery between Jan 1 and March 31, 2020, of whom 835 (74·0%) had emergency surgery and 280 (24·8%) had elective surgery. SARS-CoV-2 infection was confirmed preoperatively in 294 (26·1%) patients. 30-day mortality was 23·8% (268 of 1128). Pulmonary complications occurred in 577 (51·2%) of 1128 patients; 30-day mortality in these patients was 38·0% (219 of 577), accounting for 81·7% (219 of 268) of all deaths. In adjusted analyses, 30-day mortality was associated with male sex (odds ratio 1·75 [95% CI 1·28–2·40], p\textless0·0001), age 70 years or older versus younger than 70 years (2·30 [1·65–3·22], p\textless0·0001), American Society of Anesthesiologists grades 3–5 versus grades 1–2 (2·35 [1·57–3·53], p\textless0·0001), malignant versus benign or obstetric diagnosis (1·55 [1·01–2·39], p=0·046), emergency versus elective surgery (1·67 [1·06–2·63], p=0·026), and major versus minor surgery (1·52 [1·01–2·31], p=0·047). Interpretation: Postoperative pulmonary complications occur in half of patients with perioperative SARS-CoV-2 infection and are associated with high mortality. Thresholds for surgery during the COVID-19 pandemic should be higher than during normal practice, particularly in men aged 70 years and older. Consideration should be given for postponing non-urgent procedures and promoting non-operative treatment to delay or avoid the need for surgery. Funding: National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), Association of Coloproctology of Great Britain and Ireland, Bowel and Cancer Research, Bowel Disease Research Foundation, Association of Upper Gastrointestinal Surgeons, British Association of Surgical Oncology, British Gynaecological Cancer Society, European Society of Coloproctology, NIHR Academy, Sarcoma UK, Vascular Society for Great Britain and Ireland, and Yorkshire Cancer Research

Mutual Coupling Effect on Ultrawideband Linear Antenna Array Performance

This paper studies the mutual coupling effect between array elements of two- and four-element ultrawideband (UWB) linear arrays on their performances. For simplicity, it is assumed that both antenna arrays are fed by independent microstrip lines with the same power amplitudes and equal phases. From our study, array bandwidth improvement is achieved for both array types when the mutual coupling is strong enough or interelement spacing is small. The mutual coupling also enhances the array realized gain especially in the midfrequency band (5–8.5 GHz) while it deteriorates the gain outside that frequency range. Proper tuning for interelement spacing with enough mutual coupling enhances the array realized gain at most frequencies and makes it more stable across the desired frequency range. From the radiation pattern results, the grating lobes appear in UWB arrays when the element spacing is greater than two wavelengths at the upper edge frequency, 10.6 GHz, or half wavelength at the lower edge frequency 3.1 GHz. Two fabricated array prototypes with corporate feed are fabricated and tested to validate the theoretical analysis. The effect of using T-junction power divider is clear on the reflection coefficient |S11|. Both numerically simulated and experimental results successfully demonstrate our analysis