Imprints of Primordial Non-Gaussianity on Large Scale Structure in the Universe

Philosophiae Doctor - PhDLarge scale structure in the universe is one of the most important probing tools for cosmological modelling. Assuming the hot big bang model of the universe, the expansion history has undergone two phases of acceleration. The primordial phase which had been considered to be responsible for seeding the structure formation and the late phase driven by the mysterious component of the cosmos, Dark Energy. Early inhomogeneity in the structure formation could though leave a signature on the late time universe. We assume the cosmos to have non-Gaussian initial conditions. Gravitational instability is thought to be responsible for late structure evolution. On local scales, non-linear e ects dissipate primordial signal of non-Gaussianity, however on very large scales, the signal is well preserved. Initial non-Gaussianity introduce a scale dependent signature on the galaxy power spectrum on very large scales. This could be very useful to constrain non-Gaussianity parameter via upcoming large scale structure surveys. In this thesis, we show that on very large scales, interacting dark energy perturbations induce a scale-dependent e ect on the galaxy power spectrum on large scales. This could degenerate with primordial non-Gaussianity signal, though a disentanglement between the two signatures are necessary for observational constraints. On small scales, N-body simulations for standard cosmological models are used to investigate the signature of primordial non-Gaussianity on halo mass function. It has a signi cant e ect on very large halos however it is negligible for small mass halos. Interacting Dark Energy is assumed to have a similar e ect on small scales. We prepare the basis for future work that will combine simulations for Interacting Dark Energy models with non-Gaussian initial conditions

Acute vascular rejection after kidney transplantation outcome and effect of different therapeutic modalities

Background: Steroid resistant acute vascular rejection (AVR) is a great obstacle in successful renal transplantation (KTx). The aim of this work was to evaluate the outcome of histologically confirmed acute vascular rejection - which occurred in severe aggressive form in 39 patients following kidney transplantation as well as to study the outcome of therapy. These cases were chosen from 1000 renal allograft recipients who underwent kidney transplantation in the period between March, 1976 and April 1997 in Urology-Nephrology Center, Mansoura, Egypt.Methods: Statistical analysis of risk factors leading to AVR was carried out. The outcome of different rescue therapies used for AVR as well as graft survival functions were also analyzed.Results: Survival analysis for grafts with AVR revealed 60%, 53%, 30 %, 0% graft survival at 1, 2, 5, 10 yrs respectively after Tx. A statistically significant difference was found in comparison to patients who only experienced acute cellular rejection (90%, 84%, 71%, 46% graft survival at 1, 2, 5, 10 years post- KTx respectively) or patients who passed without rejection in their post-transplantation follow up (95%, 91.3%, 83.3%, 65.5% graft survival at 1, 2, 5, 10 yrs respectively). No statistically significant difference on the overall graft survival between the different modalities of therapy was noted. Steroid pulses + plasma exchange were given for 14 patients with AVR, whereas ATG, MAB ± plasma exchange were added to steroid resistant cases (25 patients). Logistic regression analysis of these data showed that prior blood transfusion, donor-recipient consanguinity, retransplantation are the most significant variables related to occurrence of AVR after kidney transplantation. At last follow up, 14 patients 35.9%) were living with functioning grafts, 16 patients (41%) were living on dialysis, 5 patients died with functioning grafts (12.8%) and 4 patients (10.25%) died with failed grafts.In conclusion: AVR remains a major obstacle for renal transplantation as it markedly impaired graft survival and responded poorly to therapy. Prior blood transfusion decreased the incidence of AVR whereas retransplantation and unrelated donation account significantly to the occurrence of AVR after renal Tx

Prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection among children with primary nephrotic syndrome: a cross-sectional study

Background: Limited data are available about the prevalence of helicobacter pylori (H.pylori) infection among primary NS children. Objectives: To assess the frequency and risk factors of H.pylori infection among children with primary NS. Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out in Mansoura University Children\u2019s Hospital, Egypt during the period from 2017 to 2019 including 100 NS children (NS group) and 100 healthy controls. NS group included 88 steroid sensitive (SSNS) and 12 steroid resistant (SRNS) cases. All patients were assessed for H.pylori infection using H.pylori stool antigen (HpSA) test. Statistical analysis was done using chi-square, fisher exact and Mann-Whitney tests. Results: With regard to HpSA test results, no significant differences were detected between control and NS groups (p = 0.193) and between SSNS and SRNS groups (p = 0.286). Concerning total biopsied cases and MCD (proven plus presumed) cases, no significant differences were found between those with positive and negative HpSA test (p = 0.648 and 0.126, respectively). The high dose of steroid therapy was associated with a higher risk of H.pylori infection among NS group (Odds ratio = 3.8; 95% confidence interval = 1.3-11.3). Conclusion: The current study negates the increased risk of H.pylori infection in children with primary NS

A case of probable esomeprazole-induced transient liver injury in a pregnant woman with hyperemesis.

We report a case of 22-year-old primigravida presented to Women's Hospital - Hamad Medical Corporation emergency with severe epigastric pain, nausea, and vomiting. On admission, she was dehydrated with remarkably worsening symptoms. Laboratory findings revealed significantly elevated liver enzymes with unknown etiology. Her past medical history showed an admission for nausea and vomiting 3 weeks previously and she was discharged on antiemetics, and esomeprazole for the first time. Due to the predominantly elevated liver enzymes, the clinical pharmacist discussed the possibility of esomeprazole-induced adverse effects and suggested to suspend esomeprazole based on the evidence from literature review. The liver enzymes showed a substantial improvement within days after the discontinuation of the drug; however, a rechallenge was not done since it could have adversely affected the mother or the fetus. Using the Naranjo Adverse Drug Reaction Probability scales, the adverse reaction due to esomeprazole was classified as 'probably'

Cap-Assisted Technique versus Conventional Methods for Esophageal Food Bolus Extraction: A Comparative Study

Background/Aims Food bolus impaction is the most common form of esophageal foreign body impaction observed in adults. Clinical guidelines recommend using the push technique or retrieval methods in such cases. The push technique can cause injuries in certain clinical situations. Notably, conventional retrieval methods are time and effort consuming. Cap-assisted endoscopic extraction of an impacted food bolus is an easy and effective technique; however, more data are needed for its validation. This study compared the capassisted extraction technique with conventional methods. Methods This prospective observational multicenter study compared the success and en bloc removal rates, total procedure time, and adverse events in both techniques.. Results The study included 303 patients who underwent food bolus extraction. The push technique was used in 87 patients (28.7%) and a retrieval procedure in 216 patients (71.3%). Cap-assisted extraction was performed in 106 patients and retrieval using conventional methods in 110 patients. The cap-assisted technique was associated with a higher rate of en bloc removal (80.2% vs. 15%, p<0.01), shorter procedure time (6.9±3.5 min vs. 15.7±4.1 min, p<0.001), and fewer adverse events (0/106 vs. 9/110, p<0.001). Conclusions Cap-assisted extraction showed no adverse events, higher efficacy, and a shorter procedure time compared with conventional retrieval procedures

Allelic Discrimination of Vitamin D Receptor Polymorphisms and Risk of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Case-Controlled Study

(1) Background: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is one of the rapidly growing healthcare problems, and several vitamin D receptor (VDR) polymorphisms seem to modulate the risk of T2DM. Our research was designed to investigate the allelic discrimination of VDR polymorphisms and T2DM occurrence risk. (2) Methods: This case-control research included 156 patients with T2DM and 145 healthy control subjects. Most of the study population were males 56.6% vs. 62.8% in the case and control groups, respectively. Genotyping for VDR single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), rs228570 (Fok1), rs7975232 (Apa1), and rs1544410 (Bsm1) was compared between both groups. (3) Results: There was a negative link between vitamin D levels and insulin sensitivity. A significant difference was noted in the allelic discrimination of VDR polymorphism rs228570 and rs1544410 between the study groups (p \u3c 0.001). No difference was observed in the allelic discrimination of VDR polymorphism rs7975232 between the groups (p = 0.063). Moreover, T2DM patients had significantly higher levels of fasting blood sugar (FBS), glycated hemoglobin HbA1c, 2-h post-prandial blood sugar (PP), serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (SGOT), serum glutamic-pyruvic transaminase (SGPT), total cholesterol, and triglycerides (p \u3c 0.001), while High-Density Lipoprotein (HDL) Cholesterol (HDL-C) was significantly decreased (p = 0.006). (4) Conclusions: VDR polymorphisms had a positive association with T2DM risk among the Egyptian population. Further large-scale research using deep sequencing of samples is strongly urged to investigate different vitamin D gene variants and interactions, as well as the influence of vitamin D on T2DM

Immersive media compression using mpeg immersive video standard

openThe MPEG Immersive Video (MIV) standard, plays an essential role in the coding and representation of immersive media content. This standard, designated as Part 12 within the MPEG-I suite, is invented to support virtual reality and extended reality with Six Degrees of Freedom (6DoF). MIV is designed to work on two formats, Multiview plus depth (MVD) which is the scene captured from multi-cameras arranged in different locations, and Multi Planar (MPI/MSI) which is a representation of a 3D scene that involves multiple layers. MIV standard design to exploit traditional 2D video coding like Advanced Video Codec (H.264), High-Efficiency Video Coding (H.265), and Versatile Video Coding (H.266) which had been developed over two decades. To make it applicable, the input views need to cross multi-steps to be encoded using these 2D techniques. Muti views needed to store efficiently with a new format called Atlases. To make it applicable, the input views need to label as basic views and additional views. Basic views which can be packed as it is in the atlases, while for additional views, a process to delete the redundancy between input views needs to be performed using pruning processes to generate the patches, then these patches will be inserted in Atlases after basic views. And finally, the atlases can be encoded using 2D traditional video coding. MIV provides 3 main profiles to meet diverse user requirements: MIV Main Profile, MIV Extended Profile and Geometry Absent Profile. This research provides an in-depth exploration of the entire MIV workflow, offering both theoretical insights and practical perspectives, with a notable emphasis on the MIV Main Profile. Concluding the research with a crucial phase of quality assessment, which is an essential aspect of any encoding standards evaluation to ensure the alignment with anticipated outcomes.The MPEG Immersive Video (MIV) standard, plays an essential role in the coding and representation of immersive media content. This standard, designated as Part 12 within the MPEG-I suite, is invented to support virtual reality and extended reality with Six Degrees of Freedom (6DoF). MIV is designed to work on two formats, Multiview plus depth (MVD) which is the scene captured from multi-cameras arranged in different locations, and Multi Planar (MPI/MSI) which is a representation of a 3D scene that involves multiple layers. MIV standard design to exploit traditional 2D video coding like Advanced Video Codec (H.264), High-Efficiency Video Coding (H.265), and Versatile Video Coding (H.266) which had been developed over two decades. To make it applicable, the input views need to cross multi-steps to be encoded using these 2D techniques. Muti views needed to store efficiently with a new format called Atlases. To make it applicable, the input views need to label as basic views and additional views. Basic views which can be packed as it is in the atlases, while for additional views, a process to delete the redundancy between input views needs to be performed using pruning processes to generate the patches, then these patches will be inserted in Atlases after basic views. And finally, the atlases can be encoded using 2D traditional video coding. MIV provides 3 main profiles to meet diverse user requirements: MIV Main Profile, MIV Extended Profile and Geometry Absent Profile. This research provides an in-depth exploration of the entire MIV workflow, offering both theoretical insights and practical perspectives, with a notable emphasis on the MIV Main Profile. Concluding the research with a crucial phase of quality assessment, which is an essential aspect of any encoding standards evaluation to ensure the alignment with anticipated outcomes

Liberalising trade in financial Services: the Uruguay Round and the Arab countries

As a result of the Uruguay Round, members of the World Trade Organization (WTO) are committed to initiating gradual liberalization in their service sectors, i.e., to opening their markets to foreign service suppliers. The purpose of this paper is to examine the prospects and problems of trade liberalization in financial services in the Arab countries. The paper draws on the theoretical contributions outlining the case for financial liberalization in developing countries. It reviews the recent performance, structure and regulation of the banking systems in some Arab countries. The main conclusion is that Arab countries do not meet the prerequisites for successful financial liberalization. There is a clear need for internal reform of the financial systems first before opening up to external competition

Pay Satisfaction: An Empirical Test of a Discrepancy Model

Lawler's discrepancy model of pay satisfaction was tested to determine its viability as a predictor of pay satisfaction. An analysis of die data seems to indicate that a substantial portion of the model is not supported. Thirteen out of nineteen proposed variables tested were found to have little or no relationships with pay satisfaction. However, social comparison, wage history, status, actual pay, performance and job difficulty were found to have weak to moderately strong relationships with pay satisfaction. Implications for the design of reward systems in organizations are discussed.