Substituting Ti-64 with Aa2099 as material of a commercial aircraft pylon

The aircraft industry is striving to reduce the weight of aircraft to save fuel and hence reduce total cost. New alloys and composites with properties such as low weight and high strength are continuously developed. Titanium alloys have the best strength-to-weight ratio among metals which makes them very suitable for aircraft applications. Ti-64 is the most common Titanium alloy used in aircraft. AA2099 is a 3rd generation Al-Li alloy and has the lowest density among all Aluminium alloys making it very attractive for aircraft applications. Pylons of commercial aircraft are currently made primarily with Ti-64 and this study focused on the replacement of Ti-64 with AA2099. Loading conditions, operating temperature, corrosion resistance, manufacturability and recyclability of the pylon were analysed of both Ti-64 and AA2099. Three critical scenarios were chosen for the loading conditions of the pylon. These were simulated using finite element analysis first using Ti-64 and then AA2099. From the results, it is evident that using AA2099 as the material of the pylon instead of Ti-64 offered weight savings. The operating temperature, manufacturability and recyclability also showed advantages when using AA2099 whereas corrosion factors favoured Ti-64, since AA2099 was found to be very prone to galvanic corrosion

Association Between Lipid Profile and Glyceamic Control in Sudanese Children with Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus at Gezira State, Sudan

Introduction: Diabetes mellitus describes a metabolic disorder of multiple aetiology characterized by chronic hyperglycemia with disturbances of carbohydrate, fat and protein metabolism resulting from defects in insulin secretion, insulin action, or both. Objectives This study aimed to assess the metabolic control of type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) in Sudanese children. Methods: One hundred and seventy four children with type 1 diabetes mellitus were enrolled in this study; 56 healthy non-diabetic children served as a control group. Glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c), total cholesterol (TC), triacylglycerol (TG), low density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C), high density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C) were measured, very low density lipoprotein-cholesterol (VLDL), and LDL-C/HDL-C ratio were calculated. Results: HbA1c,TC, LDL-C LDL-C/HDL-C ratio and TG were significantly higher among diabetic group compared to non-diabetic group (P<0.001 and P<0.05 for TG).In the diabetic group, there was a positive significant correlation of: HbA1c with TC, TG, HDL- C, LDL-C, VLDL and LDL/HDL ratio; TC with TG, HDL- C, LDL-C, VLDL and LDL/HDL; TG with LDL- C, VLDL and LDL/HDL ratio; HDL-C with LDL-C;LDL-C with VLDL and LDL/ HDL;VLDL-C with LDL/HDL ratio. A significant negative correlation was observed between HDL- C and LDL/HDL ratio. Diabetic group with poor metabolic control (HbA1c level >8).had significantly higher levels of TC and LDL-C (P<0.001),TG and VLDL (P<0.01), HDL-C and LDL-C/ HDL-C ratio (P<0.05) compared with diabetic group with good metabolic control (HbA1c <8%). Conclusion: 85.63% of diabetic patients were found to have poor metabolic control (HbA1c level >8). يوصف مرض السكري بأنه من المسببات المرضية المتعددة التي تتميز بفرط  سكر الدم المزمن واضطراب في التمثيل الغذائي ( اضطرابات من الكربوهيدرات والدهون واستقلاب البروتين) الناتج عن نقص في إفراز الأنسولين، عمل الانسولين أو كليهما.هدفت هذه الدراسة لاستخدام التقييم الكيموحيوي لمعرفة مدي التحكم لضبط السكر عند مرضي السكري النوع الاول. إشتملت هذه الدراسه علي 174طفل مصابين مرض السكري و56 أصحاء من نفس العمر.تضمنت هذه الدراسة  القياسات الكيموحيويه الأتيه: خضاب الدم المسكر، الكوليستيرول ، ثلاثي أسيل الجليسرول و الكوليستيرول المرتبط  بالبروتينات الشحميه منخفضة وعاليه الكثافة والبروتينات الشحميه المنخفضة جدا ونسبة البروتينات الشحميه منخفضة الكثافة الي البروتينات الشحميه عالية الكثافة. وجد أن تركيز كل من خضاب الدم المسكر، الكوليستيرول ، الكوليستيرول المرتبط  بالبروتينات الشحميه منخفضة الكثافة ونسبة البروتينات الشحميه منخفضة الكثافة الي البروتينات الشحميه عالية الكثافة وثلاثي أسيل الجليسرول يرتفع إرتفاعا ذا معني عند مجموعة مرضي السكري.مستوي خضاب الدم المسكر يرتبط إرتباطا موجبا ذا معني مع كل من الكوليستيرول ، ثلاثي أسيل الجليسرول والبروتينات الشحميه عالية ومنخفضة الكثافة والبروتينات الشحميه المنخفضة جدا ونسبة البروتينات الشحميه منخفضة الكثافة الي البروتينات الشحميه عالية الكثافة، الكوليستيرول مع كل من ثلاثي أسيل الجليسرول والبروتينات الشحميه عالية و منخفضة الكثافة والبروتينات الشحميه المنخفضة جدا ونسبة البروتينات الشحميه منخفضة الكثافة الي البروتينات الشحميه عالية الكثافة ، يرتبط ثلاثي أسيل الجليسرول مع كل من البروتينات الشحميه منخفضة الكثافة والبروتينات الشحميه المنخفضة جدا ونسبة البروتينات الشحميه منخفضة الكثافة الي البروتينات الشحميه عالية الكثافة . كما أن  مستوي البروتينات الشحميه عالية الكثافة يرتبط إرتباطا ذا معني مع نسبة البروتينات الشحميه منخفضة الكثافة الي البروتينات الشحميه عالية الكثافة.طبقا لتقسيم مجموعة الدارسين لمرض السكري العالميه الأمريكيه أظهرت هذه الدراسه أن نسبة (85.63)  من المرضي يبلغ معدل خضاب الدم المسكر عندهم أكثر من  8% (ضبط غير مقبول) بينما  (%14.37) يبلغ معدل خضاب الدم المسكر عندهم أقل من  8% (ضبط مقبول).  وجدت هذه الدراسة ان مرضي السكري والذين لديهم ضبط غير مقبول لخضاب الدم المسكر ترتفع عندهم مستويات الكوليستيرول ، ثلاثي أسيل الجليسرول و الكوليستيرول المرتبط  بالبروتينات الشحميه منخفضة وعاليه الكثافة والبروتينات الشحميه المنخفضة جدا ونسبة البروتينات الشحميه منخفضة الكثافة الي البروتينات الشحميه عالية الكثافة ارتفاعا ذا معني مقارنة مرضي السكري والذين لديهم ضبط مقبول لخضاب الدم المسكر

Implementation of mental health services in conflict and post-conflict zones: Lessons from Syria

Objective: We describe the challenges confronted and lessons learned in implementing mental healthcare during the Syrian war to inform effective services for conflict-affected Syrian populations. Materials and Methods: We searched the academic and gray literature. We draw on the experiences of Syrian-American mental health professionals with nine years of experience providing clinical and programmatic mental healthcare in combat settings, siege, internally displaced person camps, and refugee camps. Results: Collaboration with nonprofessional personnel was essential due to the shortage of formally trained mental healthcare professionals in Syria. The use of psychological and diagnostic terms increased stigma, whereas asking about the patient\u27s identified problem, suffering, or challenges supported engagement. War-related trauma and horizontal violence commonly affect Syrian children, adolescents, and adults. Resilience and engagement were enhanced by sensitivity to patients\u27 dignity, religious acceptance, and faith. Conclusions: The Syrian war remains an ongoing public health and humanitarian crisis in which mental healthcare must adapt rapidly to specific needs and resources of the patient and community. Psychiatrists can increase the acceptability and efficacy of their care by being sensitive to Syrian patients\u27 experiences of horizontal violence, loss of dignity, stigma, worldviews in which religion and faith may be important sources of resilience, and culturally acceptable modes of communication

SERUM MAGNESIUM LEVELS DERANGEMENTS IN PATIENTS WITH CHRONIC OBSTRUCTIVE PULMONARY DISEASE (COPD).

Background; chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) leads to significant morbidity and poor quality of life among patients. This study was conducted to evaluate serum magnesium levels among patients with COPD as there is no such study done in Pakistan on this topic. Material and Methods; A total of 137 patients presenting with COPD were registered from Department of medicine, Nishtar Hospital, Multan in this cross-sectional study from June 2016 to June 2017. Once registered in the study, all the relevant baseline investigations were done. Venous blood sample was taken (3 ml) and sent to central laboratory of Nishtar Hospital Multan, for serum Mg levels. Statistical analysis was performed by entering all the data in SPSS version 20. Results; Of these 137 study cases, 84 (61.3%) were male patients while 53 (38.7%) were female patients. Mean age of our study cases was 56.79 ± 4.81 years. Of these 137 study cases, 41 (29.9%) were from rural areas while 96 (70.1%) were from urban areas and 109 (79.6%) were poor. Diabetes was present in 28 (20.4%) and hypertension in 56 (40.9%) our patients. Mean height of our patients was 152.24 ± 10.87 centimeters while mean weight of our study cases was 66.41 ± 7.23 kilograms and mean body mass index was 24.87 ± 4.13 kg/m2. Our study results reported 66 (48.2 %) were normal weight, 41 (29.9 %) were overweight and 30 (21.9 %) were obese. Smoking was noted in 53 (38.7 %) of our study cases. Mean duration of illness was 30.81 ± 14.74 months and 112 (81.8%) had disease duration more than 18 months. Mean serum magnesium level of our patients was 1.52 ± 0.54 meq/liter (Range; 1.15 meq/liter to 2.75 meq/liter) and hypomagnesemia was present in 50 (36.5 %) patients. Conclusion; Frequency of hypomagnsemia among patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease was very high in our study. Hypomagnesemia was significantly associated with male gender, increasing age, poor socioeconomic status, diabetes, hypertension, smoking and prolonged disease duration. Clinicians treating such patients should monitor their serum magnesium levels on regular basis to improve their prognosis and to decrease disease morbidity. Keywords; Chronic Obstructive pulmonary disease, hypomagnesemia, frequency.

PREDICTORS OF POST STROKE DEPRESSION AMONG STROKE SURVIVORS.

Background; Post stroke depression is an important factor limiting recovery and rehabilitation in acute stroke patients. This study was done to ascertain frequency of depression and role of different underlying factors among patients with ischemic stroke in our local population of Southern Punjab. Material and methods; All the cases of ischemic stroke (96), fulfilling inclusion criteria were recruited from outdoor of Department of medicine, Nishtar Hospital Multan and patients were assessed for depression using hospital anxiety and depression scale. The patients were categorized having depression the basis of hospital anxiety and depression scale (HADS) scoring. Data was entered and analyzed by SPSS-18. Results; Of these 96 study cases, 50 (52.1 %) were male patients while 46 (47.9 %) were female patients. Mean age of our study cases was 49.17± 9.10 years. Of these 96 study cases, 45 (46.9 %) were from rural area while 51 (53.1 %) from urban areas, 29 (30.2 %) were diabetic and 58 (60.4 %) were hypertensive. Mean body mass index (BMI) of our study cases was 24.12 ± 2.88 kg/m2 and obesity was present in 17 (17.7 %). History of smoking was present in 21 (21.9 %). Mean disease duration of our study cases was 8.36 ± 4.31 months and 50 (52.1 %) had disease duration more than 6 months while 67 (69.8%) had monthly family income up to Rs. 25000 and history of alcohol consumption was zero. Previous history of stroke was present in 16 (16.7 %) while family history of stroke was noted in 17 (17.7 %) of our study cases and 67 (69.8 %) were illiterate and 29 (30.2 %) were literate. Depression was noted in 63 (65.6%) of our study cases. Conclusion; Very high frequency of depression was observed in our study among patients having ischemic stroke. Depression was significantly associated with gender, residential status, smoking, hypertension, educational level, smoking, prolonged duration of illness and occupation. Clinicians treating patients should anticipate depression and diagnose them to treat them in early stages. Keywords; Depression, Ischemic stroke, Frequency.

Enhancement in thermal and mechanical properties of bricks

A new type of porous brick is proposed. Sawdust is initially well mixed with wet clay in order to create voids inside the brick during the firing process. The voids will enhance the total performance of the brick due to the reduction of its density and thermal conductivity and a minor reduction of its compressive stress. All these properties have been measured experimentally and good performance has been obtained. Although a minor reduction in compressive stress has been observed with increased porosity, this property has still been larger than that of the common used hollow brick. Data obtained by this work lead to a new type of effective brick having a good performance with no possibility that mortar enters inside the holes which is the case with the common used hollow bricks. The mortar has a determent effect on thermal properties of the wall since it has some higher thermal conductivity and density than that of brick which increases the wall overall density and thermal conductivity of the wall

Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension With Transcribriform Plate Intranasal Meningocele Without Cerebrospinal Fluid Rhinorrhea: A Case Report

Idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH) is a rare disorder of unclear pathogenesis occurring commonly in obese women of childbearing age and characterized by increased intracranial pressure in the absence of intracranial space-occupying lesion or cerebrospinal fluid outflow obstruction. We report a rare case of a middle-aged obese female with intractable headache referred to the department of radiology for neuroimaging on account of suspected dural sinus thrombosis and brain Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) which revealed signs of IIH with asymptomatic transcribriform plate intranasal meningocele with a view to underscore the quiddity of IIH in middleaged obese females and also emphasize the need for radiologists to diligently review previous patient’s images where available for possible finding that could contribute to a suspected diagnosis

Acclimatization of drought tolerance with Somaclonal variants of sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum L.)

Background: Sugarcane is basically a water loving crop and scarcity of water is not only affecting its overall production but its total sugar contents as well. Somaclonal variation is an intriguing phenomenon to study various genetic and cellular mechanism under in vitro conditions. The induction of somaclonal variation generates useful variability without sexual reproduction in sugarcane.Methods: CPF-248, a drought sensitive variety was used to induce stress tolerance using somaclonal variation approach. Various combinations of callogenesis and regeneration media were used to induce soma clonal variations. The plants, thus achieved, were subjected to drought selection pressure using different concentrations of PEG, the selected plants were referred as in vitro selected putative somaclonal variants 1 & 2 (IPSV1 & IPSV2). These two plants were then subjected to acclimatize under greenhouse conditions by planting them in soil filled plastic pots. The in vitro grown seedlings named as in vitro selected putative somaclonal variants along with parent plants were subjected to drought conditions by withholding watering for 8 days. After 10 days of treatment, data for photosynthetic and biochemical attributes were recorded and subjected to comparison. The activity of antioxidants enzymes like superoxide dismutase (SOD), ascorbate peroxidase (APX), catalase (CAT), peroxidase (POD), ascorbate and carotenoid contents was analyzed using standard protocols.Results: A significant increase in chlorophyll a, b and carotenoid contents were recorded in IPSV1 and IPSV2 compared to parent genotype. Antioxidant enzymes (SOD, APX, CAT, POD) also increased significantly in somaclonal variants and displayed tolerance under drought condition. Moreover, osmotic adjustment was observed in the form of higher rate of total free amino acid and proline contents in both somaclonal variants.Conclusion: The finding suggests that sugarcane (CPF-248) somaclones generated through tissue culture approach are found to be drought tolerant with improved photosynthesis and antioxidant response. Further, somaclonal variant IPSVI, exhibited better response than other variant (IPSV2).Keywords: Drought; Antioxidants; Osmoprotectants; Somaclones; Sugarcan

Levels of Total Cholesterol and Triglycerides in Type 2 Diabetic Sudanese Patients

Introduction: Diabetes mellitus is a metabolic disorder characterized by chronic hyperglycaemia with disturbances of carbohydrate, fat and protein metabolism resulting from defects in insulin secretion, insulin action, or both.(1) Objectives This study aimed to estimate the levels of total cholesterol and triglycerides as control  markers of type 2 diabetes mellitus in Sudanese patients. Methods: Seventy Sudanese controlled NIDDM patients of age 42-80 years and of diabetes duration 1-27 years, 30  non diabetic subjects age and sex-matched taken as a control group. Fasting blood glucose, total cholesterol, and triglycerides (TG) were measured and the results obtained were statistically analysed. Results: There were no statistically significant differences between diabetic group and control group observed in TG levels.  The total cholesterol in the diabetic group showed significant increase than the control group (P=0.04), also this study showed, 64.3% of the diabetic group had FBG>140mg/dl , 24.3% had cholesterol level >240 mg/dl and 9% had Triglycerides level >200 mg/dl. Conclusion: This study suggests the need for improving glycemic control in Sudanese diabetic patients, that might lead to  improvement in lipid values and decrease the diabetes-associated complications. الملخص: هدفت  هذه الدراسة لاستخدام التقييم الكيموحيوي لضبط مستوى السكر عند مرضي السكري غير المعتمدين علي الانسولين مقارنه مع أصحاء من نفس النوع والعمر. إشتملت هذه الدراسه علي 100 شخص منهم 70 مريضا بالسكري غير المعتمدين علي الانسولين تتراوح أعمارهم بين 42-80 عاما وتمتد فترة مرضهم بين 1- 27   عاما و30 أصحاء من نفس النوع والعمر . تضمنت هذه الدراسه  القياسات الكيموحيويه الأتيه: سكر دم الصائم، الكوليستيرول ، ثلاثي أسيل الجليسرول ومؤشر كتلة الجسم وحللت النتائج تحليلا إحصائيا.   اظهرت الدراسة عدم وجود  إختلاف ذو معني بين مجموعة مرضي السكري ومجموعة الأصحاء في مستويات ثلاثي أسيل الجليسرول بينما وجد تركيز كل من سكر دم الصائم و الكوليستيرول الكلى مرتفعا إرتفاعا ذا معني عند مجموعة مرضي السكري. مستوي الكوليستيرول اظهر إرتباطا موجبا مع ثلاثي أسيل الجليسرول.   طبقا لتقسيم جمعية مرضى السكري العالميه الأمريكيه أظهرت هذه الدراسه أن نسبة 35.7  يتميزون بدرجة ضبط جيدة (معدل قياس  سكر دم الصائم لديهم أقل من 140مج/ملتر) بينما 75.7% يتميزون بدرجة ضبط جيدة للكوليستيرول (مستوي الكوليستيرول لديهم أقل من  240مج/ملتر) و91% يتميزون بدرجة ضبط جيدة لثلاثي أسيل الجليسرول (مستوي ثلاثي أسيل الجليسرول لديهم أقل من  200مج/ملتر). وعليه يعتبر ان بعض   هؤلاء المرضى غير متمتعين بدرجة ضبط جيده لمرض السكري