Computational analysis of blood flow and stress patterns in the aorta of patients with Marfan syndrome

Personalised external aortic root support (PEARS) was designed to prevent progressive aortic dilatation, and the associated risk of aortic dissection, in patients with Marfan syndrome by providing an additional support to the aorta. The objective of this thesis was to understand the biomechanical implications of PEARS surgery as well as to investigate the altered haemodynamics associated with the disease and its treatment. Finite element (FE) models were developed using patient-specific aortic geometries reconstructed from pre and post-PEARS magnetic resonance (MR) images of three Marfan patients. The wall and PEARS materials were assumed to be isotropic, incompressible and linearly elastic. A static load on the inner wall corresponding to the patients’ pulse pressure was applied with a zero-displacement constraint at all boundaries. Results showed that peak aortic stresses and displacements before PEARS were located at the sinuses of Valsalva but following PEARS surgery, they were shifted to the aortic arch, at the intersection between the supported and unsupported aorta. The zero-displacement constraint at the aortic root was subsequently removed and replaced with downward motion measured from in vivo images. This revealed significant increases in the longitudinal wall stress, especially in the pre-PEARS models. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) models were developed to evaluate flow characteristics. The correlation-based transitional Shear Stress Transport (SST-Tran) model was adopted to simulate potential transitional and turbulence flow during part of the cardiac cycle and flow waveforms derived from phase-contrast MR images were imposed at the inlets. Qualitative patterns of the haemodynamics were similar pre- and post-PEARS with variations in mean helicity flow index (HFI) of -10%, 35% and 20% in the post-PEARS aortas of the three patients. A fluid-structure interaction (FSI) model was developed for one patient, pre- and post-PEARS in order to examine the effect of wall compliance on aortic flow as well as the effect of pulsatile flow on wall stress. This model excluded the sinuses and was based on the laminar flow assumption. The results were similar to those obtained using the rigid wall and static structural models, with minor quantitative differences. Considering the higher computational cost of FSI simulations and the relatively small differences observed in peak wall stress, it is reasonable to suggest that static structural models would be sufficient for wall stress prediction. Additionally, aortic root motion had a more profound effect on wall stress than wall compliance. Further studies are required to assess the statistical significance of the findings outlined in this thesis. Recommendations for future work were also highlighted, with emphasis on model assumptions including material properties, residual stress and boundary conditions.Open Acces

Voltage stability maximization based optimal network reconfiguration in distribution networks using integrated particle swarm optimization for marine power applications

1949-1956This paper addresses a novel method to optimize network reconfiguration problem in radial distribution network considering voltage stability maximization and power loss reduction without violating the system constraints. In nature inspired population based standard particle swarm optimization (PSO) technique, the flight path of current particle depends upon global best and particle best position. However, if the particle flies nearby to either of these positions, the guiding rule highly decreases and even vanishes. To resolve this problem and to find the global best position, integrated particle swarm optimization (IPSO) is utilized for finding the optimal reconfiguration in the radial distribution network. The performance and effectiveness of the method are validated through IEEE 33 and 69 buses distribution networks and is compared with other optimization techniques published in recent literature for optimizing network reconfiguration problem. The simulated results simulate the fact that to attain the global optima, IPSO requires less numbers of iterations as compared to the simple PSO. The present method facilitates the optimization of modern electric power systems by empowering them with voltage stability

Navigating the complexity of osmotic demyelination syndrome in the elderly: insight from three cases

Osmotic demyelination syndrome (ODS) results from rapid shifts in serum osmolality and can be triggered by various factors such as hyponatremia, hyperglycaemia, malnutrition, alcohol abuse, and liver disease. Although hyponatremia prevalence increases with age, ODS typically manifests between ages 30 to 50, indicating a complex age-susceptibility relationship. Its pathophysiology involves brain volume restoration adaptation, with rapid correction of osmolality leading to dehydration and subsequent demyelination. Hyperglycaemia-induced ODS results from rapid correction of hyperosmolar states, overwhelming neuronal compensatory mechanisms. Neuroimaging, usually MRI, is crucial for diagnosis, revealing hyperintense lesions. Clinical manifestations vary widely, from dysarthria and dysphagia to spastic quadriparesis, with poor outcomes, especially in older patients. Below, three cases of ODS in elderly patients are presented, each with distinct clinical presentations and outcomes. Case1 highlights the association between rapid correction of hyperglycaemia and ODS while Case 2 and 3 illustrates the consequences of overly rapid correction of hyponatremia. Diagnosing Osmotic Demyelination Syndrome (ODS) in the elderly poses challenges due to overlapping clinical features with conditions like encephalopathy, delirium, and postictal confusional states, which closely mimic ODS. Further research is needed to better understand the pathophysiology and optimize management approaches, especially in vulnerable populations like the elderly

Efficacy of Ultraviolet Light Exposure Against Survival of Listeria monocytogenes on Conveyor Belts

Listeria monocytogenes has been repeatedly isolated from foods and food-processing facilities including food contact surfaces such as conveyor belts (CB). CBs are often difficult to clean and require rigorous sanitation programs for decontamination. Ultraviolet (UV) light has exhibited microbicidal properties on food contact surfaces and this study was conducted to determine the efficacy of UV against L. monocytogenes on CB made of different materials. A four-strain cocktail of L. monocytogenes (serotypes 3A, 4A, 4B, and 4C) was made to give a suspension of approximately 107 CFU/mL. CBs made from four different types of materials, (1) Ropanyl DM 8/2 A2 + 04 (belt 1), (2) Volta FRMW-3.0 (belt 2), (3) Volta FRMB-3.0 (belt 3), and (4) Ropanyl DM (belt 4), were inoculated with 1 mL of the four-strain cocktail (∼107 CFU/mL) of the bacterial suspension. CBs were treated with UV light (254 nm) for 1 and 3 sec at 5.53 and 5.95 mW/cm2. Three replications of the experiments were conducted. Two-way analysis of variance of survival populations of L. monocytogenes showed that bacterial counts were significantly reduced (p \u3c 0.05) on all belt types irrespective of UV light intensities and times of exposure. L. monocytogenes populations were reduced (p \u3c 0.05) to below detection limits on belts 1, 2, and 3 after exposure to 5.95 mW/cm2 UV light intensity for 3 sec. L. monocytogenes–inoculated CBs that were exposed to 5.53 mW/cm2showed higher (p \u3c 0.05) survival populations of L. monocytogenes compared with 5.95 mW/cm2 on all the four CBs. Belt 4 showed survival populations of L. monocytogenes ranging from 1.42 to 1.73 log10 CFU/cm2 after UV light treatment for 1 and 3 sec. UV light can be effectively used to reduce L. monocytogenes contamination on CBs

PENGARUH PERPUTARAN MODAL KERJA, AKTIVA TETAP, DEBT TO TOTAL ASSETS RATIO DAN EARNING PER SHARE TERHADAP RETURN ON ASSETS PADA PERUSAHAAN TRADE, SERVICE AND INVESTMENT DENGAN CURRENT RATIO SEBAGAI PEMODERASI

Trade, Service and Investment company is one of the fastest growing corporate  sectors  in Indonesia. This is due to the many needs and  desires of the  community are unlimited. Where the company established of course also has the  main  goal  of  obtaining maximum  profit/profit  from  the activities carried out in developing the company. The purpose of this study is to determine the effect of Working Capital Turnover, Fixed Asset Turnover,  Debt To Total Assets Ratio and Earning Per Share  on Return On Assets with Current Ratio  as Moderating. The sampling method used is purposive  sampling. Sampel  used by 29  Trade, Service and Investment companies using secondary data from the Indonesia Stock Exchange for the period 2018-2020. The data analysis models used in this study are multiple linear regression analysis, determination coefficient, simultaneous significance test, individual parameter significance test, and moderation regression analysis model. The final result of this study is Working Capital Turnover, Fixed Asset Turnover,Debt to Total Asset Ratio  and Earning per Share  simultaneously positively and significantly affect profitability in  Trade, Service &Invesment companies listed on the Indonesia Stock Exchange. Partial Turnover of Working Capital, Settlement of Fixed Assets, and  Debt To Total Assets Ratio has no effect and is insignificant to profitability, while Earning Per Share has an effect and is positive and significant to profitability. While the Current Ratio is not a moderation variable, so the Current Ratio cannot strengthen or weaken the relationship between independent and dependent variables. Keywords:       Working Capital Turnover, Fixed Asset Turnover,  Debt To Total Assets Ratio, Earning Per Share,  Return On Assets, Current Ratio

Value Addition of Agricultural Produce: A Road towards Food Security

No living creature can live without food as food is necessary for survival. Even every food plant gets its food supplement from the earth. Undoubtedly, food security is one of the most burning topics of the current world.  But in past some decades, the attainment of food security has become the biggest challenges for the country in the new millennium. As regards to the term food security, it reasonably implies that all people at all time have access to safe and nutritious food to maintain health to lead active life. In this connection, it may be well asserted that our country has remarkably progress in term of food production in recent plan periods.  Indian Agriculture has made massive progress in the past 50 years, but food security has always been on the priority. The modern concept of ‘food security’ goes beyond mere increase in food production. The rapid increase in urbanization and growth in the production of agricultural produce has affected the dietary habits of people to a great extent there has been a significant change in the consumption pattern of people. Value addition has become the need of hour. This paper focuses on how the value addition to agricultural produce can lead towards food security in which the Food Processing Industries play a major significant role. It is important to appreciate that ‘growing’ and ‘processing’ are complementary and thus need to be promoted together. Considering the growth in the production of major agricultural produce and its value addition through food processing sector can led to the most effective and economical way of increasing per capita food availability by reducing the agricultural wastages which in turn will lead towards food security

Low digestible starch and food industry: A changing paradigm

Globally, starch based foods including staples are consumed most as they contribute maximum towards the daily per capita energy. While the carbaholic nature resulting high post prandial glycemic response has led to a starch dilemma and innovative low glycemic profile grains as well as products are thus the need of the hour. The presence of two nutritional fractions – slowly digestible starch (SDS) and resistant starch (RS) which endorse the low glycemic potency is thus supplemented in food industry for developing low glycemic food prototypes. The unique characteristic of RS like bland flavour, white colour, low water holding capacity along with its prebiotic potential has made them a valuable component in functional foods. Many strategies are currently applied to increase the proportion of SDS and RS including physical, chemical, enzymatic as well as their combinations. Thus, considering the changing paradigm, the aim of this review is to understand the basic concepts of starch digestibility, inherent factors affecting digestibility, applications in food industry, current strategies, commercial counterparts as well as existing dietary regulations

A holistic view on c-Kit in cancer: Structure, signaling, pathophysiology and its inhibitors

Receptor tyrosine kinases play an important role in many cellular processes, and their dysregulation leads to diseases, most importantly cancer. One such receptor tyrosine kinase is c-Kit, a type-III receptor tyrosine kinase, which is involved in various intracellular signaling pathways. The role of different mutant isoforms of c-Kit has been established in several types of cancers. Accordingly, promising c-Kit inhibition results have been reported for the treatment of different cancers (e.g., gastrointestinal stromal tumors, melanoma, acute myeloid leukemia, and other tumors). Therefore, lots of effort has been put to target c-Kit for the treatment of cancer. Here, we provide a comprehensive compilation to provide an insight into c-Kit inhibitor discovery. This compilation provides key information regarding the structure, signaling pathways related to c-Kit, and, more importantly, pharmacophores, binding modes, and SAR analysis for almost all small-molecule heterocycles reported for their c-Kit inhibitory activity. This work could be used as a guide in understanding the basic requirements for targeting c-Kit, and how the selectivity and efficacy of the molecules have been achieved till today

Low digestible starch and food industry: A changing paradigm

830-841Globally, starch based foods including staples are consumed most as they contribute maximum towards the daily per capita energy. While the carbaholic nature resulting high post prandial glycemic response has led to a starch dilemma and innovative low glycemic profile grains as well as products are thus the need of the hour. The presence of two nutritional fractions – slowly digestible starch (SDS) and resistant starch (RS) which endorse the low glycemic potency is thus supplemented in food industry for developing low glycemic food prototypes. The unique characteristic of RS like bland flavour, white colour, low water holding capacity along with its prebiotic potential has made them a valuable component in functional foods. Many strategies are currently applied to increase the proportion of SDS and RS including physical, chemical, enzymatic as well as their combinations. Thus, considering the changing paradigm, the aim of this review is to understand the basic concepts of starch digestibility, inherent factors affecting digestibility, applications in food industry, current strategies, commercial counterparts as well as existing dietary regulations

RdRp (RNA-dependent RNA polymerase): A key target providing anti-virals for the management of various viral diseases

With the arrival of the Covid-19 pandemic, anti-viral agents have regained center stage in the arena of medicine. Out of the various drug targets involved in managing RNA-viral infections, the one that dominates almost all RNA viruses is RdRp (RNA-dependent RNA polymerase). RdRp are proteins that are involved in the replication of RNA-based viruses. Inhibition of RdRps has been an integral approach for managing various viral infections such as dengue, influenza, HCV (Hepatitis), BVDV, etc. Inhibition of the coronavirus RdRp is currently rigorously explored for the treatment of Covid-19 related complications. So, keeping in view the importance and current relevance of this drug target, we have discussed the importance of RdRp in developing anti-viral agents against various viral diseases. Different reported inhibitors have also been discussed, and emphasis has been laid on highlighting the inhibitor's pharmacophoric features and SAR profile. (c) 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved