Cutaneous leishmaniasis at Wasit governorate

The study included identification of Leishmania parasites from cases of cutaneous leishmaniasis, by examination of smears for LD bodies , isolation of parasites by culture in media , and characterisation of the isolated parasites by Isoenzyme analysis.Out of 100 cases suspected for cutaneous leishmaniasis ; 85 were diagnosed on culture for Leishmania promastigotes and this method was found to be superior to direct microscopy for amastgotes (LD bodies) .The cases included in this study belonged to different areas of Wasit/Iraq. There were 30 cases from Hay, 35 from Badra, and 35 cases from Suwaira.The distribution of infection in different age groups indicated that majority of cases belonged to young and middle aged adults. The infection was detected in both sexes with a predominance in males. The clinical picture of cutaneous lesions was suggessive of both wet and dry types of lesions

Temporal Trends in Childhood Uveitis: Using Administrative Health Data to Investigate the Impact of Health Policy and Clinical Practice

Background: We describe an investigation of temporal trends in the incidence of childhood uveitis-related hospital admissions, hospitalization being a robust indicator of disease severity. Methods: A population-based retrospective study using a hospitalization database, the Hospital Episode Statistics (HES) dataset, capturing data on care between 2013 and 2020. Primary outcomes were rates of pediatric hospital admissions for uveitis-related disorders. Results: During the study period, there were 3,258 reported uveitis-related hospital admissions of children aged 0 to 14 years, comprising 19% of all-age uveitis-related admissions. Anterior uveitis was the most common diagnosis. The annual incidence of childhood uveitis-related hospitalizations declined year on year from a peak incidence of 5.4 per 100,000 children (95% confidence interval 5.0–5.9) in 2015–2016 to 3.3 per 100,000 (95% CI 3.0–3.6) in 2019–2020. Over the same period, the national incidence of juvenile arthropathy-related admissions stayed stable. Conclusion: The decline in admissions nationally may reflect reduced incidence of uveitis complications with increasing use of immunosuppressive therapies

Time-frequency analysis of 3D ship-wave fields in martime waterways

In the last 15 years an increased number of serious damages of protective structures such as groins and revetments have been observed in maritime waterways. The analyses of these damages have shown that the current design approaches for the rubble mound layers of such structures are not sufficient to ensure sufficient stability against ship-induced wave loads. Since these approaches are determined for wind-induced waves, they do not consider the long-period ship-wave components. Within a joint research project, the design loads of ship-induced long-period waves on rubble mound structures in maritime waterways are investigated. By means of first project results, the knowledge gaps with respect to the classification and parameterization of ship waves have been identified. The project has clearly shown the need for a 3D analysis of three-dimensional, nonlinear ship-wave fields. Therefore, another research project was initiated in order to generate the scientific knowledge for the parameterization of ship-induced 3D wave fields as required for the hydraulic design of rubble mound structures in maritime waterways with a special focus on the spatial and nonlinear properties of ship waves

Three-body Casimir effects and non-monotonic forces

Casimir interactions are not pair-wise additive. This property leads to collective effects that we study for a pair of objects near a conducting wall. We employ a scattering approach to compute the interaction in terms of fluctuating multipoles. The wall can lead to a non-monotonic force between the objects. For two atoms with anisotropic electric and magnetic dipole polarizabilities we demonstrate that this non-monotonic effect results from a competition between two- and three body interactions. By including higher order multipoles we obtain the force between two macroscopic metallic spheres for a wide range of sphere separations and distances to the wall.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figure

A clinical study on ectopic pregnancy in a tertiary care hospital over one year

Background: Ectopic pregnancy is a life threatening emergency in obstetrics presenting in the 1st trimester. The incidence is about 1% globally. We have aimed to study the incidence, presentation and management of ectopic pregnancy. Various risk factors were identified which may be helpful in reducing maternal mortality. Methods: A one year retrospective study involving detailed medical records of patients who underwent obstetric hysterectomy between 1st November 2022 and 31st October 2023. Results: The overall incidence of ectopic pregnancy was 0.8% in this study. The incidence was highest in 26-30 year age group (40%) followed by 21-25 year age group (36.4%). 95.2% cases presented with tubal ectopic while 2.4% each of cervical ectopic and caesarean scar ectopic pregnancies. LSCS was the most common risk factor associated with ectopic pregnancy, other risk factors included pelvic inflammatory disease in 33.3% cases, 29.5% patients with infertility treatment. 59% were ruptured ectopic pregnancies, 40% with unruptured ectopic pregnancy and 1% case of chronic ectopic. Multiple signs were seen in majority of patients including tachycardia, hypotension, abdominal tenderness, guarding and rigidity, vaginal forniceal fullness and tenderness. Management included laparotomy (58.8%), laparoscopy (31.7%), dilatation and evacuation (3.5%), medical management (3.5%) and hysterectomy (2.3%). No case of maternal mortality was noted. Conclusions: Ectopic pregnancy is still a major challenge in obstetrical practice because of its bizarre clinical presentation. Maternal outcome depends upon timely diagnosis and urgent management of such patients

The Combined Impact Of IgLON Family Proteins Lsamp And Neurotrimin On Developing Neurons And Behavioral Profiles In Mouse

Cell surface neural adhesion proteins are critical components in the complex orchestration of cell proliferation, apoptosis, and neuritogenesis essential for proper brain construction and behavior. We focused on the impact of two plasticity-associated IgLON family neural adhesion molecules, Neurotrimin (Ntm) and Limbic system associated membrane protein (Lsamp), on mouse behavior and its underlying neural development. Phenotyping neurons derived from the hippocampi of Lsamp−/−, Ntm−/− and Lsamp−/−Ntm−/− mice was performed in parallel with behavioral testing. While the anatomy of mutant brains revealed no gross changes, the Ntm−/− hippocampal neurons exhibited premature sprouting of neurites and manifested accelerated neurite elongation and branching. We propose that Ntm exerts an inhibitory impact on neurite outgrowth, whereas Lsamp appears to be an enhancer of the said process as premature neuritogenesis in Ntm−/− neurons is apparent only in the presence of Lsamp. We also show interplay between Lsamp and Ntm in regulating tissue homeostasis: the impact of Ntm on cellular proliferation was dependent on Lsamp, and Lsamp appeared to be a positive regulator of apoptosis in the presence of Ntm. Behavioral phenotyping indicated test-specific interactions between Lsamp and Ntm. The phenotypes of single mutant lines, such as reduced swimming speed in Morris water maze and increased activity in the elevated plus maze, were magnified in Lsamp−/−Ntm−/− mice. Altogether, evidence both from behavioral experiments and cultured hippocampal cells show combined and differential interactions between Ntm and Lsamp in the formation of hippocampal circuits and behavioral profiles. We demonstrate that mutual interactions between IgLON molecules regulate the initiation of neurite sprouting at very early ages, and even cell-autonomously, independent of their regulation of cell-cell adhesion

Soil characteristics of the deciduous forests in Central Ontario and their relationships with site indicies of sugar maple, American beech and red oak

Tolerant hardwood forests occupy a broad geographic range in Ontario and they are important for their ecological and economical values. Although sugar maple (Acer saccharum Marsh.), American beech (Fagus grandifolia Ehrh.), and red oak (Quercus rubra L.) are among the most common species in these forests, our knowledge about their ecological factors is limited. Also, local foresters have to use models developed in other regions to predict the quality and productivity of sites associated with those hardwood species. In this study, 61 plots of sugar maple, American beech, and red oak were established in Algonquin Park, Haliburton Forest, and North Bay area. At each plot 3-9 undamaged dominant study trees with no indication of previous disturbance were felled for stem analysis and producing site index. At each plot, three soil pits were dug and soil samples from H, A, and B horizons were collected. Physical characteristics including texture, coarse fragment content, thickness of horizons, and depth of rooting system and chemical characteristics including pH and both concentration and pool of C, N, P, Ca, Mg, Na, and K were measured. In the second chapter, the measured variables were compared/contrasted among the study species. In almost all cases, significant differences were found between beech and red oak, while sugar maple was associated with either of them. Beech and sugar maple occurred on deeper soil with higher pH, P, Mg, and Ca in A horizon and silt content, pH, Ca, and P in B horizon. Also red oak and sugar maple were found on soils with higher C:N ratio and P in H horizon and lower N and Na in H and A horizon and Na in B horizon. In the third chapter, the soil variables were used to produce appropriate models to indirectly estimate site index of three study species in the region. The samples for sugar maple were stratified into three regions and the best models had of 0.51, 0.50, and 0.94 for Algonquin Park, Haliburton Forest, and North Bay area respectively. Also, the regression models for red oak and beech had R^ of 0.73 and 0.72 respectively. In the fourth chapter, the nutrient concentrations were compared/contrasted within site quality classes of study species in order to find possible trends which could be used in quantifying soil nutrient regime (SNR). American beech was found to be a better site species indicator since more nutrients had linear trend within its site quality classes. Moreover, P concentration was found a better element for quantification of soil nutrient regime. Soil moisture regime (SMR), on the other hand, showed no linear relationships with site quality classes of any of those three species

Do adolescents with impaired vision have different intentions and ambitions for their education, career and social outcomes compared to their peers? Findings from the Millennium Cohort Study

BACKGROUND/AIMS: To investigate if impaired vision adversely impacts the intentions/ambitions of adolescents concerning their future education, careers and social outcomes. METHODS: Population-based birth cohort study in the UK comprising 9273 participants from the Millennium Cohort Study who were followed up to age 17 years. Children were classified as having normal vision or unilateral or bilateral impaired vision caused by significant eye conditions based on detailed parental-structured questionnaire data on sight problems and treatment coded by clinicians. Ten domains covering education, career and social outcomes by age 30 were investigated. RESULTS: Adjusted regression models showed few differences by vision status. Bilateral impaired vision was associated with increased odds of intending to remain in full-time education after statutory school age (adjusted OR (aOR) 2.00, 95% CI 1.08 to 3.68) and of home ownership at age 30 (aOR 1.83, 95% CI 1.01 to 3.32). Impaired vision was not associated with intending to attend university. A significantly higher proportion of parents of children with bilateral or unilateral impaired vision thought that their child would not get the exam grades required to go to university than parents of those with normal vision (29% or 26% vs 16%, p=0.026). CONCLUSION: Adolescents with impaired vision have broadly the same intentions/ambitions regarding future education, careers and social outcomes as their peers with normal vision. The known significant gaps in attainment in these domains among young adults with vision impairment are therefore likely to be due to barriers that they face in achieving their ambitions. Improved implementation of existing interventions is necessary to ensure equality of opportunities

In Vitro Study of MefenamateStarch as Drug Delivery System

Mefenamic acid was esterified with starchwith[1:1] Molar ratio, as drug substituted with natural polymer, to prolongthe period of hydrolysis of drug polymer with other advantages. The new prodrug starch was characterized by FT-IR and UV-Visible and 1H-NMR spectroscopies. The physical properties were studied and controlled drug release was studied in different pH values at 37oC. The stability of drug was carried out by measuring the absorbance of mefenamic starch which hydrolyzed in HCl solution of pH 1.1 (artificial gastric fluid) and phosphate buffer of pH 7.4 (simulating intestinal fluid SIF) at 37oC for several days. The thermal analysis such as DSC was studied