Diagnostic Accuracy of Splenoportal Index for Detection of Esophageal Varices in Patients of Liver Cirrhosis

Background: To determine the diagnostic accuracy of splenoportal index for the prediction of esophageal varices in patients with cirrhosis Methods: In this cross sectional study patients(n= 75) having clinical and laboratory evidence of liver cirrhosis were selected. Sonographic findings of splenic index and portal vein velocity were correlated with the findings of endoscopic examination. P-value ≤ 0.05 considered as significant. Results were analyzed by creating 2 x 2 contingency tables which displayed the number of subjects who were positive on ultrasound and were also positive on endoscopy (true positives), who were ultrasound positive but were negative on endoscopy (false positives), who were ultrasound negatives but were positive on endoscopy (false negatives) and who were ultrasound negative and were also negatives on endoscopy (true negatives). Results: Majority ( 65.0%) patients were males. Patients positive on ultrasound were 70.7 % and patients positive on endoscopy were 72.0% . Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value and accuracy were found to be 96.3%, 95.2%, 98.1%, 90.9% and 96% respectively. Conclusion: Ultrasonography allows non-invasive and cost effective detection of esophageal varices in liver cirrhosis patients, with excellent accuracy

Comparative fire performance of high strength concrete columns with different types of fiber reinforcement

Reinforced concrete (RC) columns made of high strength concrete (HSC) experience faster degradation of capacity and spalling when exposed to fire. To mitigate such fire induced spalling and enhance fire resistance, fibers are often added to HSC mix. This paper presents results from fire resistance tests to illustrate the comparative fire performance of HSC columns with different fiber combinations. Four reinforced concrete (RC) columns made of HSC with plain, polypropylene, steel, and hybrid fibers were tested under design fire conditions and data from tests is utilized to evaluate the comparative fire behaviour of these columns. Results from these fire resistance experiments show that hybrid fiber reinforced HSC columns exhibit improved performance as compared to plain, polypropylene, and steel fiber reinforced columns

Next-gen solutions: deep learning-enhanced design of joint cognitive radar and communication systems for noisy channel environments.

In recent years, the dual-function radar and communication (DFRC) paradigm has emerged as a focal point in addressing spectrum congestion challenges. However, prevailing research heavily relies on computationally complex likelihood-based approaches for communication signals with an added Gaussian noise based single waveform. Note that, a single waveform for diverse scenarios e.g., presence of a communication receiver in the radar main lobe, side lobe, etc., may lead to a deteriorated detection performance in a DFRC design. Therefore, in this paper, we present a cognitive DFRC architecture that utilizes a diverse set of orthogonal waveforms at the transmitter. Specifically, based on a perception-action cycle, a QAM-based waveform is employed for communication when both the radar target and communication receiver are within the main lobe, while a PSK-based waveform is used when the radar target is in the main lobe and the communication receiver is in the side lobes. Furthermore, to enhance the feature-based estimation, the communication receiver integrates a Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) architecture designed to autonomously learn and extract features from received signals with different Signal-to-Noise ratio (SNR). Next, the adaptive nature of the system enables proficient discernment of the received signal type and its corresponding SNR value. Moreover, deep learning techniques are applied in realistic scenarios with various channel impairments to extract features from received signals, departing significantly from likelihood-based methods and reducing computational complexity. The proposed methodology’s effectiveness is validated through Monte Carlo simulations, underscoring its potential to address challenges associated with DFRC under real-world conditions

Reducing the environmental impact of surgery on a global scale: systematic review and co-prioritization with healthcare workers in 132 countries

Abstract Background Healthcare cannot achieve net-zero carbon without addressing operating theatres. The aim of this study was to prioritize feasible interventions to reduce the environmental impact of operating theatres. Methods This study adopted a four-phase Delphi consensus co-prioritization methodology. In phase 1, a systematic review of published interventions and global consultation of perioperative healthcare professionals were used to longlist interventions. In phase 2, iterative thematic analysis consolidated comparable interventions into a shortlist. In phase 3, the shortlist was co-prioritized based on patient and clinician views on acceptability, feasibility, and safety. In phase 4, ranked lists of interventions were presented by their relevance to high-income countries and low–middle-income countries. Results In phase 1, 43 interventions were identified, which had low uptake in practice according to 3042 professionals globally. In phase 2, a shortlist of 15 intervention domains was generated. In phase 3, interventions were deemed acceptable for more than 90 per cent of patients except for reducing general anaesthesia (84 per cent) and re-sterilization of ‘single-use’ consumables (86 per cent). In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for high-income countries were: introducing recycling; reducing use of anaesthetic gases; and appropriate clinical waste processing. In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for low–middle-income countries were: introducing reusable surgical devices; reducing use of consumables; and reducing the use of general anaesthesia. Conclusion This is a step toward environmentally sustainable operating environments with actionable interventions applicable to both high– and low–middle–income countries

Development of mortar filled honeycomb sandwich panels for resistance against repeated ballistic impacts

Growing security threats demand structures offering exceptional energy absorption and heat dissipation capabilities with minimum damage. Sandwich structures are adopted widely for resisting ballistic impacts. Honeycombs filled with composites propose significant resistance by energy absorption or heat dissipation due to localized encapsulated damage. Therefore, this research focuses on developing composite sandwich panels that can resist multiple ballistic impacts to a considerable degree. It constituted a core of Aluminum Honey Combs (AHC) Al3003 and Al5052 filled with cement mortar containing tire rubber dust (15%), iron powder (20%), glass powder (25%), and polyvinyl (PVA) fibers (1.5%) and wrapped with C-230 Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymers (CFRP). These panels experimented with CEN 1063 standard in a controlled testing environment against 19 mm (640 J), 45 mm (1800 J), and 51 mm (3270 J) bullets. All samples resisted ballistic impacts of 19 mm and 45 mm with indentation within 25 mm Back Face Signature (BFS). However, ballistic impacts of 51 mm bullets pierced through and caused only localized damage maintaining structural integrity, compactness, and durability

γ-Aminobutyric acid is involved in overlapping pathways against chilling injury by modulating glutamate decarboxylase and defense responses in papaya fruit

The effect of γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) treatment at two concentrations (1 mM or 5 mM) on papaya fruit stored at 4°C and 80%–90% relative humidity for 5 weeks was investigated. The application of GABA at 5 mM apparently inhibited chilling injury, internal browning, electrolyte leakage, malondialdehyde (MDA), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), polyphenol oxidase (PPO), phospholipase D (PLD), and lipoxygenase (LOX) activities of papaya fruit. Fruit treated with 5 mM GABA enhanced the activities of ascorbate peroxidase (APX), catalase (CAT), glutathione reductase (GR), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutamate decarboxylase (GAD), and phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL). In addition, GABA treatment significantly displayed higher levels of proline, endogenous GABA accumulation, phenolic contents, and total antioxidant activity than the nontreated papaya. The results suggested that GABA treatment may be a useful approach to improving the chilling tolerance of papaya fruit by reducing oxidative stress and enhancing the defense system

Ameliorative effects of half-dose saffron and chamomile combination on Psycho-endocrinological changes in a diabetic murine model

Introduction: Diabetes mellitus is a chronic metabolic disorder with an increasing prevalence worldwide. Reduction in blood insulin level alters brain function by inducing oxidative stress with changes in dopamine and norepinephrine neurotransmission, ultimately leading to neuropsychological symptoms. The efficacy of currently available psychotropic drugs is not satisfactory. Therefore, this study was conducted to explore the beneficial effects of a combination of the natural herbs, saffron and chamomile, in treating diabetes and its resultant neuropsychological effects using a rodent model of diabetes mellitus.Method: The rats were randomly divided in to eight groups (n = 10), healthy control (HC), diabetic control (DC) and six groups of diabetic rats treated with various concentrations and combinations of saffron and chamomile. Diabetic treatment groups individually received methanolic extract and water decoction of chamomile (30 mg/kg) and saffron (10mg/kg) and their combined half doses (saffron 5mg/kg and chamomile 15mg/kg) for two weeks. Open field test (OFT) and forced swim test (FST) were used to measure the anxiolytic and antidepressant effects of herbs, respectively. Finally, biochemical, and neurochemical estimations were made.Results: The present study suggests the therapeutic effects of herbs especially in co-administrated decoction, against diabetes with improved antioxidant profile and enhanced levels of dopamine and norepinephrine. Anxiolytic and antidepressant effects were evident with improvements in the OFT and FST. Examination of the cortex of the diabetic group revealed cellular damage and tangle formation, which indicates advanced stages of dementia.Conclusion: This study shows that the use of a combination of saffron and chamomile improves diabetes control and reduces its related psychiatric effects

Surfactin conjugated silver nanoparticles as an antibacterial and antibiofilm agent against pseudomonas aeruginosa

The emergence of antimicrobial resistance is an alarming global health concern and has stimulated the development of novel functional nanomaterials to combat Multidrug resistant (MDR) bacteria. In this work, we demonstrate for the first time the synthesis and application of surfactin coated silver nanoparticles as an efficient antibacterial and antibiofilm agent against the drug resistant bacteria Pseudomonas aeruginosa for safe dermal applications. Our in vivo studies showed no significant superficial dermal irritation, edema and erythema whilst microscopic analysis revealed that surfactin coated silver nanoparticles caused no pathological alterations at the applied concentrations. These results support the potential use of surfactin coated silver nanoparticles against drug resistant bacterial, biofilm infections and in skin wound dressing application