Red deer algorithm-based selective harmonic elimination technique for multilevel inverters

This paper proposed a red deer algorithm (RDA)-based selective harmonic elimination (SHE) method for multilevel inverters (MLIs). To eliminate the desired harmonic orders, the optimum switching angles of the MLI have been calculated using the proposed RDA. The calculated switching angles have been applied to the 3-phase cascaded H-bridged 11-level inverter. In addition, the performance of the proposed RDA method was compared with the results of methods such as the Newton-Raphson (NR) method, LSHADE/EpSin technique (LSHADE), whale optimization algorithm (WOA), and particle swarm optimization (PSO) used for the SHE problem in the literature. The results obtained prove that the proposed RDA optimization solves the SHE problems more effectively than other methods. It has also been observed that RDA produces good solutions in different modulation indexes

Effect of Arabidopsis extracts on the Status of Liver Histology of Alloxan-induced Diabetic Mice

Arabidopsis is a member of the Brassicaceae family, which includes important crops. It has no agronomic significance, but offers important advantages for basic research in genetics and molecular biology . Insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1), known as “somatomedin C”,” found in Arabidopsis thaliana seeds. Anti-diabetic medical plants are general known to exert their beneficial effects on diabetes via various modes and mechanism depending on the phytochemicals and bioactive agents endowed in such plants. In this study the Arabidopsis thaliana ethanolic seed extract has hyperglycemic. In conclusion, the present results showed that Arabidopsis consumption reversed most of the histological changes in the diabetic mice. This effect was due to the hypoglycemic effect of the Arabidopsis and improving the insulin resistance. In addition, in diabetes there was an increase in the oxidative stress which was significantly reduced by Arabidopsis consumption owing to its antioxidant effect. Key words: Arabidopsis thaliana, Brassicaceae family, ethanolic seed extract, Insulin-like, hyperglycemic

Lung Transplantation in a Patient with COVID-19-Associated Acute Respiratory Failure

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is currently a significant cause of acute respiratory failure worldwide, leading to irreversible fibrotic lung disease. In patients with persistent respiratory failure after acute COVID-19 infection, lung transplant is an emerging option. Here, we have presented a case where the patient required venovenous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VV-ECMO) support for 33 days until a bilateral lung transplant was performed on day 71 after the initial COVID-19 infection. The early outcomes have been favorable. Currently, no guidelines exist for an acceptable time period after initial COVID-19 infection, duration of negative COVID polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing, or negative Vero cell culture in the setting of persistent positive COVID PCR testing before listing for a lung transplant. Due to a lack of standardized guidelines, this patient was not listed for a lung transplant until the COVID-19 PCRs came negative on days 47 and 49 after the infection

The effect of Pomegranate Peels Aqueous Extract against Streptococcus Mutans and the Adherence to tooth surface in Comparison to Chlorhexidine Gluconate (in Vitro Study)

For centuries, nature has been an enormous source of agents of medical importance and this study was conducted to evaluate the antibacterial activity of aqueous extract of pomegranate peels against Streptococcus mutans by using agar diffusion technique and the adherence to tooth surface in comparison to chlorhexidine gluconate in vitro was also studied. This study revealed that pomegranate peels exhibit good antibacterial activity and this activity was found to be increased as the concentration of extract increased and the result also showed that the pomegranate peels aqueous extract was effective in inhibiting the adherence of Streptococcus mutans to tooth surface Keywords: pomegranate peels, streptococcus mutans, adherenc

On the Usage of the Faraday Effect as an Authentication Technique for Vegetable Oils

In this study we report on the measurements of the Verdet constant for olive and other vegetable oils. Study of samples stored for different periods at different storage conditions showed that each olive oil sample has a Verdet constant value depending on: production year, history of the sample (i.e. storage conditions) and geographical region. Photo and auto oxidations are found to have reverse effects on the value of the measured Verdet constant, on the one hand, photo-oxi- dation tends to decrease the Verdet constant, but on the other hand auto-oxidation tends to increase it. It is known that oils stored in room light had significantly lower tocopherol, carotenoid, and chlorophyll contents than did the same oils kept in the dark. For other vegetable oil samples, each vegetable oil was found to have a distinct Verdet constant value. Thus it is possible to differentiate vegetable oils making use of their respective Verdet constants. Preliminary results indicated the possibility to detect olive oil adulteration using the Faraday Effect, i.e. the effect could be suggested as a food authentication technique if calibration curves and standard Verdet constants values could be prepared for com-parison with those of samples under investigation

Effect of Motivational Program on Modification of Impulsivity among Cairo University' Nursing Students

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of developed Motivational Program titled "Motivation Program for Change of Impulsive Behavior" on modification of impulsive behaviors of Cairo University' nursing students – into controlled socially acceptable behavior as compared with the comparison group. The development of this program is based on the Trans-theoretical model of change (TTMC) and composed of 15 semi-structured sessions. A mixed design of both quantitative and qualitative methods was used in this study.  It included a quasi experimental nonequivalent comparison groups (pre / post test) and semi structured interviewing sessions. Purposive sample for the study group was  recruited from all nursing students of the faculty of nursing (target population) who were screened for highest scores of impulsive behavior using the "Impulsive Behavior Scale"  and accepted to participate in the study (n=17). In addition to the Impulsive Behavior Scale another two tools for data collection were used in the current study; the Demographic and some personal data sheet and Video recording of the interviewing sessions. Results showed that, more than ninety percent of the target population had moderate to severe impulsivity and about ten percent had mild impulsivity. A highly statistically significant difference was found between pre and post program regarding improvement on the "Impulsive Behavior Scale" as well as between the study and comparison groups post program. Qualitative results showed the control of emerged new seven major themes of students' impulsivity. In conclusion, the study proved that "Motivation Program for Change of Impulsive Behavior" had significant effect on changing the impulsive behavior of the study group post the program and in comparison with the nonequivalent comparison group. Therefore, this study recommends establishment of a center for modification of Cairo University nursing students' impulsive behaviors using this program. Keywords: Motivational Program, Impulsive Behaviors, Cairo University, Nursing Student

Interaction of Nonlinear Schr\"odinger Solitons with an External Potential

Employing a particularly suitable higher order symplectic integration algorithm, we integrate the 1-$d$ nonlinear Schr\"odinger equation numerically for solitons moving in external potentials. In particular, we study the scattering off an interface separating two regions of constant potential. We find that the soliton can break up into two solitons, eventually accompanied by radiation of non-solitary waves. Reflection coefficients and inelasticities are computed as functions of the height of the potential step and of its steepness.Comment: 14 pages, uuencoded PS-file including 10 figure

Evaluation of the Perception of Community Pharmacists Regarding their Role in Pakistan's Healthcare System: A Qualitative Approach

Purpose: To explore the perception of community pharmacists regarding their role in Pakistan's healthcare system.Methods: A qualitative study design was adopted. A semi-structured interview guide was developed and face to face interviews were conducted. The participants were community pharmacists and were recruited through one of the researcher’s personal contacts in two cities of Pakistan (Islamabad and Lahore) from April to June 2008. The interviews were conducted at the pharmacists’ work-place. Arrangements for the time and place of interview were made during initial contacts. Written consent was obtained from the participants prior to the interview.Results: Among the respondents interviewed, seven were male and three female community pharmacists aged between 25 and 50 years. All the participants regularly dispensed > 50 prescriptions daily. Thematic content analysis yielded 5 major themes: (a) provision of pharmacy services to consumers, (b) counseling at pharmacy, (c) application of Good Pharmacy Practice (GPP), (d) Pakistan Pharmacy Association (PPA) contribution towards pharmacy profession, and (e) strategies to improve community pharmacies.Conclusion: Community pharmacies in Pakistan currently face shortage of pharmacists. This has resulted in non-provision of patient counseling; rather services are more focused more on the management of pharmacies than clients. As a result, there is little public awareness of the pharmacist’s role in health care.Keywords: Perception, Community pharmacist, Patient care, Pakistan, Qualitative methodology

Reconnection and acoustic emission of quantized vortices in superfluid by the numerical analysis of the Gross-Pitaevskii equation

We study numerically the reconnection of quantized vortices and the concurrent acoustic emission by the analysis of the Gross-Pitaevskii equation. Two quantized vortices reconnect following the process similar to classical vortices; they approach, twist themselves locally so that they become anti-parallel at the closest place, reconnect and leave separately.The investigation of the motion of the singular lines where the amplitude of the wave function vanishes in the vortex cores confirms that they follow the above scenario by reconnecting at a point. This reconnection is not contradictory to the Kelvin's circulation theorem, because the potential of the superflow field becomes undefined at the reconnection point. When the locally anti-parallel part of the vortices becomes closer than the healing length, it moves with the velocity comparable to the sound velocity, emits the sound waves and leads to the pair annihilation or reconnection; this phenomena is concerned with the Cherenkov resonance. The vortices are broken up to smaller vortex loops through a series of reconnection, eventually disappearing with the acoustic emission. This may correspond to the final stage of the vortex cascade process proposed by Feynman. The change in energy components, such as the quantum, the compressible and incompressible kinetic energy is analyzed for each dynamics. The propagation of the sound waves not only appears in the profile of the amplitude of the wave function but also affects the field of its phase, transforming the quantum energy due to the vortex cores to the kinetic energy of the phase field.Comment: 11 pages, 16 figures, LaTe

Ibrutinib-associated sever skin toxicity: A case of multiple inflamed skin lesions and cellulitis in a 68-year-old male patient with relapsed chronic lymphocytic leukemia Case report and literature review

Introduction: Ibrutinib is an oral inhibitor of Bruton's tyrosine kinase that is used for a variety of B cell hematological malignancies. Skin and subcutaneous tissue manifestations have been reported and were witnessed in up to 32% of the patients on ibrutinib. The mechanism in which ibrutinib can cause skin toxicities has been thought due to the inhibition of epidermal growth factor; c-Kit and platelet-derived growth factor receptor). Here, we report a case of an elderly chronic lymphocytic leukemia patient who developed multiple inflamed lesions and lower limb cellulitis in 100 days after initiating ibrutinib therapy. Case report: A 68-year-old male patient with relapsed chronic lymphocytic leukemia was started on ibrutinib 420 mg orally daily following multiple lines of therapy. Three months following ibrutinib, the patient developed multiple hyper pigmented lesions over both forearms then over both thighs; buttocks and lower limbs. The lesions were labeled as ecthyma and cellulitis that started as papules, which progressed to pustules. Management and outcomes: The patient required admission in which he received prolonged course of antibiotics. Biopsy from the wound showed soft tissue fragment infiltrated by acute and chronic inflammatory cells with necrosis; rare foreign body giant cells and granulation tissue formation; suggestive of abscess. Subsequently, ibrutinib was stopped permanently. Discussion: This is the first case description of an ibrutinib-associated sever skin toxicity in Qatar. The provided information regarding the clinical descriptions of toxicity profiles in general and skin-based in particular is valuable information for daily clinical practice, especially when selecting the optimum first-line treatment for the patient.Scopu