But I am a Jock!

After noticing how articulate NBA I started wondering why? Apparently basketball players in the US go through high school and are encouraged to have at least a year of university experience, but how does that effect them both on and off the Court? I interviewed an athlete friend of mine and gathered some information about this topic and created an audio feature of the best bit

Implémentation et vérification de la méthode zonale à coefficients d'absorption multiples

Presentation available online at http://www.sft.asso.fr/Local/sft/dir/user-3775/documents/actes/congres_2011/Communications/167.pdfNational audienceLa méthode zonale à coefficients d'absorption multiples (MACZM) pour la modélisation des facteurs de transferts radiatifs dans les milieux transparents et semi-transparents est implémentée et validée numériquement. Les calculs sont améliorés par l'utilisation de réseaux de neurones artificiels. Une autre méthode efficace de calcul des facteurs de transferts radiatifs, la méthode des flux plans, est aussi décrite. Les deux méthodes sont appliquées simultanément pour le calcul des facteurs d'échanges radiatifs dans un four de réchauffage sidérurgique de brames d'acier et les résultats sont comparés. La validité deMACZM est ainsi démontrée et des temps de calcul réduits de plus de cent fois sont obtenus

Experimental Study on Light Weight Concrete-Filled Steel Tubes

Tests on steel tubular columns of rectangular and circular sections filled with normal and lightweight concrete were performed to investigate the behavior of such columns under axial loadings. Comparison between normal and lightweight concrete filled steel columns for different column cross-sections using Euro Code 4 and BS 5400 codes was also conducted. The test results showed that both types of filled columns failed due to overall buckling; while hollow steel columns failed due to local buckling at the ends. According to these results, further interest was taken onto the replacement of normal concrete by lightweight concrete due to its low specific gravity and thermal conductivity

Helicobacter pylori Western cagA genotype in Egyptian patients with upper gastrointestinal disease

Background: Infection with Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) causes persistent gastritis that may progress to fatal gastric cancer. The cytotoxin-associated gene A protein (CagA), encoded by the cytotoxin-associated gene A (cagA) is the main virulence factor associated with more severe clinical outcomes. It is further divided into Western-type CagA and East Asian-type CagA. The East Asian-type CagA induces more cytoskeleton changes and is more likely to be associated with gastric cancer.Aim of the study: In the current study we aimed to identify the most prevalent H. pylori cagA genotype among Egyptian patients suffering from dyspepsia and to examine its possible correlation with the associated clinical condition.Patients and methods: Four biopsies were obtained from the antrum and angularis from each of 113 adult patients, who underwent upper endoscopy at the Endoscopy Unit, Theodor Bilharz Research Institute (TBRI) Hospital for the analysis of H. pylori by rapid urease test and detection of 16S rRNA. Nested PCR assay was used to determine cagA genotype.Results: Sixty (53.1%) dyspeptic patients were found infected with H. pylori. Although Egypt has a high prevalence of H. pylori infection, low prevalence of cagA was detected (26.5%). Western type cagA is the predominant type (62.5%) while East Asian type was not detected and others (37.5%) remain uncharacterized. Western-genotype cagA genotype was found in 80% of patients with peptic ulcer disease and 40% of patients with gastritis.Conclusion: Absence of the more virulent East Asian cagA genotype, which is the strongest risk factor for gastric carcinogenesis, may explain the very low gastric cancer rate among Egyptian population compared to other parts of the world. This finding demands further molecular studies using whole genome sequencing and more samples to determine the exact uncharacterized cagA genotype to identify the actual risk in developing gastroduodenal diseases in Egypt.Keywords: Helicobacter pylori, Endoscopic findings, Western type cagA, East-Asian cagA, Peptic ulcer, Gastriti

Left atrial diameter in estimating success rates of radio-frequency ablation treating atrial fibrillation.

Background: Ablation devices are being utilized in surgical procedures treating atrial fibrillation. Few studies seek to define a cut-off value for left atrial diameter size beyond which risks of procedure outweigh chance of sinus recovery. This study aims to identify a cut-off value for pre-operative left atrial diameter to assess the efficacy of surgical radio-frequency ablation for treatment of chronic atrial fibrillation in patients undergoing mitral valve surgery. Methods: A prospective 6-month follow-up cohort study was done, in which 40 patients were recruited during the period from May 2016 till April 2018. All patients had rheumatic mitral valve disease and permanent atrial fibrillation. Receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curves were used to calculate the area under the curve and cut-off value for left atrial diameter. The efficacy of the overall survival time was estimated using the Kaplan‐Meier method. Results: Pre-operatively left atrial diameter of 59 mm was significantly associated with decrease in the possibility of reverting to sinus rhythm after surgery (OR 0.292, p-value = 0.001). The cut-off value for left atrial diameter was 59mm (sensitivity = 93.3%, specificity = 96.1%). Kaplan-Meier survival estimates were 175.07 days (156.3 - 193.9) for patients with left atrial diameter < 59mm and 62.64 days (26.6-98.7) for patients with left atrial diameter > 59mm. Conclusion: In patients undergoing mitral valve, higher degrees of success are associated with smaller left atrial diameter in terms of conservation of the sinus rhythm post operatively