Skeletal manifestations of scurvy: A case report from dubai

Introduction: Nutritional deficiencies are rarely reported in developed countries. We report a child of Pakistani origin brought up in Dubai who developed skeletal manifestations of scurvy due to peculiar dietary habits. Case Presentation: A 4.5 year old boy presented with pain and swelling of multiple joints for three months and inability to walk for two months. Dietary history was significant for exclusive meat intake for the preceding two years. On examination the child\u27s height and weight were below the 5th percentile for his age. He was pale and tachycardic. There was significant swelling and tenderness over the wrist, knee and ankle joints, along with painful restriction of motion. Basic blood workup was unremarkable except for anemia. However, X-rays showed delayed bone age, severe osteopenia of the long bones, epiphyseal separation, cortical thinning and dense zone of provisional calcification, suggesting a radiological diagnosis of scurvy. The child was started on vitamin C replacement therapy. Over the following two months, the pain and swelling substantially reduced and the child became able to walk. Repeat X-rays showed improvement in the bony abnormalities. Conclusion: Although scurvy is not a very commonly encountered entity in the modern era, inappropriate dietary intake can lead to skeletal abnormalities which may be confused with rickets. A high index of suspicion is thus required for prompt diagnosis of scurvy in patients with bone and joint symptoms

CASUAL COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF INCIDENCE & EXTENT OF ERECTILE DYSFUNCTION AMONG SMOKERS & NON-SMOKERS PRESENTING AT A MALE SEXUAL HEALTH CLINIC IN HYDERABAD

Background: The term ‘‘erectile dysfunction’’ (ED) is defined as the inability to achieve and maintain an erection sufficient for satisfactory sexual performance. ED affects millions of men throughout the world, with a strong negative effect on the quality of life and well-being of men and couples. The etiology of ED once was considered to be mainly psychogenic. However, because of advances in the understanding of the physiology of erection and the development of modern diagnostic techniques, it is now generally agreed that the etiology of ED is often multifactorial, with psychological, neurological, endocrine, vascular, traumatic or iatrogenic causes.Objective: Smoking, among many other causes, is believed to be associated with smoking. This study hopes to compare the incidence and extent of erectile dysfunction (ED) among smokers and non-smokers presenting at a male sexual health clinic in an attempt to further understand the association. Methodology: This casual-comparative analysis was conducted upon a total of 64 male patients presenting with erectile dysfunction at a sexual health clinic. Inquiries regarding the habit of smoking were made using a structured interview based questionnaire and extent of erectile dysfunction was investigated using the “International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF-5) Questionnaire”. The data obtained was analyzed using MS. Excel 2017 and SPSS v. 21.0. Results: Smokers showed a markedly high incidence when compared to non-smokers. The extent of erectile dysfunction too was observed to be significantly high among smokers in comparison to non-smokers. Ex-smokers too showed a more worrisome IIEF-5 score, when compared to non-smokers. Conclusion: The results obtained, make it abundantly clear that, the association between the incidence and extent of erectile dysfunction and smoking is strong. Although, the research does not attempt to control co-founding variables, the results can be regarded as reliable due to the sheer difference in incidence and extent of erectile dysfunction between smokers and non-smokers. Keywords: Erectile Dysfunction, Smoking, The International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF-5) Questionnaire, Sexual Health & Sex Related Quality of Life

CROSS-SECTIONAL ANALYSIS OF INTER-RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN INSULIN RESISTANCE AND HYPERTENSION AMONG PATIENTS AT LIAQUAT UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL

Background: Insulin resistance and hypertension often stem from the same genotypic and phenotypic phenomenon. It is well established that a sedentary lifestyle, and a plentiful diet rich in sodium and energy are the likely culprits that over the years have contributed to the rise of both ailments. However, the inter-relationship too is worthy of exploration. Objective: This research hopes to study the inter-relationship between insulin resistance and hypertension among patients by eyeing the co-presentation of both diseases in patients and by evaluating the time elapsed in diagnosis of each disease to assess which disease preceded the other. Methods: This observational was carried out on patients presenting at the medicine outpatient department of Liaquat University Hospital with a joint complaint of insulin resistance and hypertension from 1st Dec 2015 to 10th February 2016. Data was collected using an interview based structured questionnaire administered to the patients after taking written informed consent. The data was analyzed in SPSS v. 16.0. Results: During the course of the study, a total of 248 patients presented with the complaint of insulin resistance, 356 patients presented with the complaint of hypertension. While 136 patients presented with a joint complaint of insulin resistance and hypertension. Majority (70.588%) of the patients reportedly developed insulin resistance prior to developing hypertension. The chief complaint of 120 (88.24%) of the patients was insulin resistance. 42 (30.88%) of the patients, despite suffering from hypertension, were not taking treatment. Conclusion: The inter-relationship of both diseases is marked. For every 10 patients suffering from insulin resistance, 3.7 suffered from hypertension as well. While for every 10 patients suffering from hypertension, 2.8 suffered from insulin resistance as well. Thus patients suffering from insulin resistance are more likely to be hypertensives. Keywords: Insulin resistance, Hypertension, Cardiac comorbidities, Diabetes and Insulin

The application of proximal visible and near-infrared spectroscopy to estimate soil organic matter on the Triffa Plain of Morocco

Soil organic matter (SOM) is a fundamental soil constituent. The estimation of this parameter in the laboratory using the classical method is complex time-consuming and requires the use of chemical reagents. The objectives of this study were to assess the accuracy of two laboratory measurement setups of the VIS-NIR spectroscopy in estimating SOM content and determine the important spectral bands in the SOM estimation model. A total of 115 soil samples were collected from the non-root zone (0-20 cm) of soil in the study area of the Triffa Plain and then analysed for SOM in the laboratory by the Walkley-Black method. The reflectance spectra of soil samples were measured by two protocols, Contact Probe (CP) and Pistol Grip (PG)) of the ASD spectroradiometer (350-2500 nm) in the laboratory. Partial least squares regression (PLSR) was used to develop the prediction models. The results of coefficient of determination (R-2) and the root mean square error (RMSE) showed that the pistol grip offers reasonable accuracy with an R-2 = 0.93 and RMSE = 0.13 compared to the contact probe protocol with an R-2 = 0.85 and RMSE = 0.19. The near-Infrared range were more accurate than those in the visible range for predicting SOM using the both setups (CP and PG). The significant wavelengths contributing to the prediction of SOM for (PG) setup were at: 424, 597, 1432, 1484, 1830,1920, 2200, 2357 and 2430 nm, while were at 433, 587, 1380, 1431, 1929, 2200 and 2345 nm for (CP) setup

Potential Challenges and Solutions for Implementing NOMA in Smart Grid

Efficient two-way communication is crucial for Smart Grid (SG) networks, enabling real-time monitoring, data collection, and control. This study introduces the novel integration of Non-Orthogonal Multiple Access (NOMA) into SG systems to enhance spectral efficiency and support numerous smart devices, addressing the limitations of traditional communication methods. A comprehensive survey of existing wired and wireless communication technologies was conducted, followed by the implementation of a NOMA scheme tailored for SG environments. Results demonstrate that NOMA significantly improves spectral efficiency, enables access to a large number of smart meters, and enhances the system\u27s resilience to electromagnetic interference. Additionally, the study addresses challenges such as impulse noise, optimizing spectral and energy efficiency tradeoffs, and power consumption in interference cancellation. These findings underscore the potential of NOMA to revolutionize SG communication infrastructure. Conclusively, integrating NOMA in SG networks offers a robust solution for future smart grid communication needs

Potential Challenges and Solutions for Implementing NOMA in Smart Grid

Efficient two-way communication is crucial for Smart Grid (SG) networks, enabling real-time monitoring, data collection, and control. This study introduces the novel integration of Non-Orthogonal Multiple Access (NOMA) into SG systems to enhance spectral efficiency and support numerous smart devices, addressing the limitations of traditional communication methods. A comprehensive survey of existing wired and wireless communication technologies was conducted, followed by the implementation of a NOMA scheme tailored for SG environments. Results demonstrate that NOMA significantly improves spectral efficiency, enables access to a large number of smart meters, and enhances the system\u27s resilience to electromagnetic interference. Additionally, the study addresses challenges such as impulse noise, optimizing spectral and energy efficiency tradeoffs, and power consumption in interference cancellation. These findings underscore the potential of NOMA to revolutionize SG communication infrastructure. Conclusively, integrating NOMA in SG networks offers a robust solution for future smart grid communication needs

The Effects of Tillage and Straw Incorporation on Soil Organic Carbon Status, Rice Crop Productivity, and Sustainability in the Rice-Wheat Cropping System of Eastern China

Soil management practices are used to enhance soil organic carbon, fertility, and crop productivity around the world. However, accurate information about the appropriate amount of straw incorporation is not available, because it is generally believed that at least 30% of the soil surface should be covered by straw, which is not implemented in all field environments. Therefore, a two-year (2016–2017) field experiment was conducted to investigate the impact of different percentages of straw incorporation and tillage methods, i.e., reduced tillage (RT) and conventional tillage (CT), on crop yield, soil organic carbon (SOC), total nitrogen (TN), and soil carbon storage (SCS) in rice–wheat cropping systems, under eight treatments. The experimental results showed that the greatest reduction in soil dry bulk density ( ρ b ) was found under CT with 100% straw coverage (9.79%), whereas the least reduction occurred under CT with no straw (1.31%). The mean TN concentration, soil organic matter (SOM), and soil carbon storage (SCS) were significantly higher by 0.98 g/kg, 17.07%, and 14.20%, respectively, under reduced tillage with 60% straw incorporation (RTsi60) compared with all other treatments. Our findings demonstrate that the incorporated wheat residues resulted in the highest rice production (7.95–8.63 t/ha) under RTsi60. We recommend the adoption of reduced tillage with 60% straw incorporation to increase rice yield, improve soil structure, and enhance TN, SOM, and SCS in paddy soil under rice-wheat rotation fields for agricultural sustainability

A Comparative Analysis of BER Performance for NOMA in the Presence of Rayleigh Fading and Impulse Noise

Importance of Study: This research investigates the integration of wired and wireless communication in Smart Grid (SG) systems, addressing the challenges posed by impulse noise and the increasing demand for bandwidth. Novelty statement: The study explores the impact of impulse noise models on Non-Orthogonal Multiple Access (NOMA) performance within fading environments, offering insights into optimizing bandwidth utilization in multi-user SG communication. Material and Method: Numerical simulations validate the derived closed form of the bit error rate (BER) equation, utilizing a NOMA downlink system.  The performance parameters for assessing the effects of impulse noise in a Rayleigh fading channel include instantaneous signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), bit error rate, disturbance ratio, and the trade-off between spectral efficiency and energy efficiency. Result and Discussion: The research reveals that NOMA demonstrates promising performance in SG communication despite the presence of impulse noise, with BER decreasing rapidly with increasing signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). The study highlights a performance trade-off between impulse noise and fading, emphasizing the importance of accurate SNR levels for power allocation in NOMA systems. Concluding Remarks: This study contributes novel insights into the robustness of NOMA under realistic SG conditions, offering valuable implications for enhancing reliability and efficiency in SG communication infrastructure

A Comparative Analysis of BER Performance for NOMA in the Presence of Rayleigh Fading and Impulse Noise

Importance of Study: This research investigates the integration of wired and wireless communication in Smart Grid (SG) systems, addressing the challenges posed by impulse noise and the increasing demand for bandwidth. Novelty statement: The study explores the impact of impulse noise models on Non-Orthogonal Multiple Access (NOMA) performance within fading environments, offering insights into optimizing bandwidth utilization in multi-user SG communication. Material and Method: Numerical simulations validate the derived closed form of the bit error rate (BER) equation, utilizing a NOMA downlink system.  The performance parameters for assessing the effects of impulse noise in a Rayleigh fading channel include instantaneous signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), bit error rate, disturbance ratio, and the trade-off between spectral efficiency and energy efficiency. Result and Discussion: The research reveals that NOMA demonstrates promising performance in SG communication despite the presence of impulse noise, with BER decreasing rapidly with increasing signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). The study highlights a performance trade-off between impulse noise and fading, emphasizing the importance of accurate SNR levels for power allocation in NOMA systems. Concluding Remarks: This study contributes novel insights into the robustness of NOMA under realistic SG conditions, offering valuable implications for enhancing reliability and efficiency in SG communication infrastructure