Utilization of Nanoclay to Reinforce Flax Fabric-Geopolymer Composites

Geopolymer composites reinforced with flax fabrics and nanoclay are fabricated and studied for physical and mechanical properties using X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), and Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM). Nanoclay platelets at a weight of 1.0%, 2.0%, and 3.0% were added to geopolymer pastes. Nanoclay at 2.0 wt.% was found to improve density and decrease porosity while improving flexural strength and post-peak toughness. A microstructural analysis indicated that nanoclay behaves as filler and as an activator supporting geopolymeric reaction while producing a higher content geopolymer gel improving the microstructure of binders. The process enhances adhesion between the geopolymer matrix and flax fibres

Влияние индол-3-масляной кислоты и хлормеквата хлорида на рост растений томата

Relevance. This study aimed to improve fruit set and plant performance to increase tomato productivity by studying the effect of plant growth regulators on tomato plants.Methods. A specific experiment has been carried out to study the effect of plant growth regulators Milagro (1% indol-3-butric acid) and Atlet active substances indol-3-butric acid and chloromequate chloride with applied doses (0.6 M/L, 1.0 M/L and 1.5 M/L) and (1.0, 1.5 and 2.0 M/L) on growth and physiological characteristics of plants (Big Beef F1). The experimental design was a Complete Randomized Blocks Design. Both Hemo bles was applied three times (spraying on plants at 30 DAP, spraying on plants at 60 DAP and spraying on plants 90 DAP).Results. The obtained results showed that, Applying Milagro (1% indol-3-butric acid) had the highest significant Plant height (80.13, 128.77 and 239 cm), number of leaves/plant (18.0, 34.67 and 44.3) and stem diameter (1.07, 1.5 and 2.03 cm), fruit weight (122.0 and 136 g), Flower Clusters number in the plant (4.64, 13.33 and 16.33) and Fruits Number (61.67, 62.0 and 67) Over the three years of study. The results were analyzed using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) followed by Tukey’s HSD test with α = 0.05 with the help of MINITAB (v. 19.0) program.Актуальность. Исследование было направлено на улучшение плодоношения и продуктивности растений для увеличения урожайности томатов путем изучения влияния регуляторов роста растений.Материал и методы. Проведен эксперимент по изучению влияния регуляторов роста растений Милагро (1% индол-3-масляная кислота) и активных веществ Атлет – индол-3-масляной кислоты и хлормеквата хлорида, применяемых в дозах (0,6 м/л, 1,0 м/л) и 1,5 м/л) и (1,0, 1,5 и 2,0 м/л) по росту и физиологическим характеристикам растений (Big Beef F1). Оба регулятора роста наносили три раза (опрыскивание растений при 30 DAP, опрыскивание растений при 60 DAP и опрыскивание растений при 90 DAP).Результаты. Применение Милагро (1% индол-3-масляной кислоты) оказало наибольшее влияние на высоту растений (80,13, 128,77 и 239 см), количество листьев / растений (18,0, 34,67 и 44,3) и диаметр стебля (1,07, 1,5 и 2,03 см), массу плодов (122,0 и 136 г), количество цветочных кистей на растении (4,64, 13,33 и 16,33) и количество плодов (61,67, 62,0 и 67) в течение трех лет исследования. Результаты были проанализированы с использованием одностороннего дисперсионного анализа (ANOVA) с последующим HSD-тестом Тьюки с α = 0,05 с помощью программы MINITAB (v. 19,0)

Measurements of the normal size of spleen and spleen to left kidney ratio among sudanese children up to five years age using ultrasonography

Background: Knowledge of the normal range of spleen size in the population being examined is very important because there are many different pathological conditions that may alter in spleen size. Also, gender, height, weight and BMI of individual, affect the splenic length and could result in incorrect interpretation of splenic measurements, spleen to left kidney ratio is one of recent parameter mention in literature aid in diagnosis of splenomegaly in children.Methods: The study was a cross-sectional study conducted in Khartoum state at Al-Buluk and Gaafar Ibnauf Paediatric Tertiary Hospital during the period from March 2018 to August 2018. A total of 101 children (males and females) with aged ranged 1 month to 5 years included in study. A transabdominal scan was performed, and measurement of spleen and left kidney taken after an ethical verbal consent from their parents, then data analyzed by SPSS, Mean±SD. Deviation for study variables calculated then correlation between patients factors and ultrasound measurements done.Results: The study found that the mean measurements of the normal size of the spleen and spleen to left kidney ratio for children up to five years of age, Splenic length was 7.24±1.12 cm, width was 3.83±0.81 cm , thickness 2.91±0.55 cm and spleen to left kidney ratio was 1.04±0.0.70 ranged (0.86-1.23). The male have larger spleen than female with no statistically significant differences in spleen sizes between the sexes. There was a strong significant correlation between age, weight, height  spleen and left kidney length (p<0.01)respectively and a moderate association with BMI (p<0.05).Conclusions: Spleen and left kidneys was growing rapidly and similarly in infant up to one year of life 1 mm\1 mm for each month and then decreasing growth rate of kidney in relate to spleen for 1 mm growth of spleen kidney grow 0.8 mm in up to five years of age. There was strong significant positive correlation between spleen and left kidney measurement with age, height, weight of individual. The spleen to left kidney ratio for children up to five years ranged (0.86-1.23) with mean 1.04, so if the ratio less or more than this ranged it should be considered in clinical context for diagnosis of splenomegaly or shrunken spleen in children up to five years of age

Doppler ultrasound of umbilical artery in prediction of fetal outcome in pregnancy induced hypertension Sudanese population

The pregnancy induced hypertension increase the fetal mortality and morbidity and the using of Doppler umbilical artery indices decrease the fetal mortality and morbidity however, there is few complete data about the most frequently altered Doppler US parameters to predict fetal outcome in pregnancy induced hypertension . Methods This ia cohort prospective study done in two hundred and six women of second and third trimester presenting to antenatal clinic in Soba University Hospital at the department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, in the fetus unit and critical pregnancy in the period From June 2008 to April 2013 to assess the Doppler indices of umbilical artery in pregnancy induced hypertension for prediction of prenatal outcome; 105 pregnancy induced hypertension patients and 101 women with uneventful pregnancies as normal control group included in this study . Baseline investigations and color Doppler of umbilical artery were done. Statistical analysis of data were done using SPSS, Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was performed and the area under the curve (AUC) used to determine sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV) of umbilical artery Doppler indices to predict fetal outcome.Results The study determine that there was significant difference in Doppler indices in PIH and control group ( p<0.01, the mean indices of umbilical artery is higher in PIH group compared with normal pregnancy group , the mean different of S/D ratio was 0.40, mean difference of RI was 0.06 and the mean different of PI index was 0.16, high percentage of adverse fetal outcome had been reported in in Pregnancy Induced Hypertension group than in control , which was more in absent and reversed flow velocity in umbilical artery in Pregnancy Induced Hypertension compared with group of Pregnancy Induced Hypertension with present end diastolic flow velocity. Systolic/Diastolic ratio was most accurate in predicting adverse outcome in pregnancy induced hypertension patients, followed by the Pulastility index then the Resistance index (75%, 66% and 57% respectively).ConclusionThis study concluded that pregnancy induced hypertension leads to worsen placental insufficiently, which appears on the higher Doppler indices of umbilical artery to PIH patients when compared with normal pregnancy. A low diastolic flow and higher indices characterized the pregnancies with abnormal outcomes. Doppler of the umbilical artery was useful to predict fetal well being in PIH patients, high percentage of adverse fetal outcome had been reported in absent and reversed end diastolic flow velocity in umbilical artery compared with group of present flow velocity

Fabrication on the microscale : a two-photon polymerized device for oocyte microinjection

Open Access funding enabled and organized by CAUL and its Member Institutions. KRD is supported by a Mid-Career Fellowship from the Hospital Research Foundation (C-MCF-58–2019). KD acknowledges funding from the UK Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (grant EP/P030017/1). This study was funded by the Australian Research Council (ARC) Centre of Excellence for Nanoscale BioPhotonics (CE140100003).Purpose Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) addresses male sub-fertility by injecting a spermatozoon into the oocyte. This challenging procedure requires the use of dual micromanipulators, with success influenced by inter-operator expertise. We hypothesized that minimizing oocyte handling during ICSI will simplify the procedure. To address this, we designed and fabricated a micrometer scale device that houses the oocyte and requires only one micromanipulator for microinjection. Methods The device consisted of 2 components, each of sub-cubic millimeter volume: a Pod and a Garage. These were fabricated using 2-photon polymerization. Toxicity was evaluated by culturing single-mouse presumptive zygotes (PZs) to the blastocyst stage within a Pod, with several Pods (and embryos) docked in a Garage. The development was compared to standard culture. The level of DNA damage/repair in resultant blastocysts was quantified (γH2A.X immunohistochemistry). To demonstrate the capability to carry out ICSI within the device, PZs were microinjected with 4-μm fluorescent microspheres and cultured to the blastocyst stage. Finally, the device was assessed for oocyte traceability and high-throughput microinjection capabilities and compared to standard microinjection practice using key parameters (pipette setup, holding then injecting oocytes). Results Compared to standard culture, embryo culture within Pods and a Garage showed no differences in development to the blastocyst stage or levels of DNA damage in resultant blastocysts. Furthermore, microinjection within our device removes the need for a holding pipette, improves traceability, and facilitates high-throughput microinjection. Conclusion This novel device could improve embryo production following ICSI by simplifying the procedure and thus decreasing inter-operator variability.Publisher PDFPeer reviewe

Metabolite changes in blood predict the onset of tuberculosis

Immunogenetics and cellular immunology of bacterial infectious disease

Identification of Proteus Mirabilis on Banknotes Using 16s rRNA gene in Khartoum State

Background: The presence of pathogenic bacteria in circulated currency was recorded as a public health hazard. In this study, all examined Sudanese banknotes (100%) were found to be contaminated by gram-negative bacteria. Proteus mirabilis were recovered from 10 examined notes (22.2%, f = 10), E. coli (13.3%, f = 6) and Klebsiella spp. (8.9%, f = 4) were also identified. Only the most resistant P. mirabilis isolate was identified using culture-based and 16S rRNA gene sequencing techniques. Methods: Proteus isolates were identified phenotypically and tested for their susceptibility to 16 of commonly used antibiotics, then most resistant isolate was confirmed genotypically via 16S rRNA gene amplification and sequencing. Bioinformatics analysis using BLAST for sequence similarity search, Clustal W program for multiple sequence alignment, MEGA7 software for phylogenetic analysis. Tree was constructed to show the evolutionary relationships of the obtained sequencewith similar sequences in the databases using. Results: The obtained sequence was found to be 100% identical to P. mirabilis 16S rRNA gene using BLAST. The phylogenetic tree was constructed to show the evolutionary relationships of the obtained sequence with similar sequences in the databases using MEGA7 software, and the closest strain was found to be P. mirabilis strain from India (EU411047) Conclusion: This study has shown that some currency notes circulated at Khartoum transportation are carriers of antimicrobial-resistant P. mirabilis that could be potential source for their transmission in public

In-beam fast-timing measurements in 103,105,107Cd

Fast-timing measurements were performed recently in the region of the medium-mass 103,105,107Cd isotopes, produced in fusion evaporation reactions. Emitted gamma-rays were detected by eight HPGe and five LaBr3:Ce detectors working in coincidence. Results on new and re-evaluated half-lives are discussed within a systematic of transition rates. The $7/2_1^+$ states in 103,105,107Cd are interpreted as arising from a single-particle excitation. The half-life analysis of the $11/2_1^-$ states in 103,105,107Cd shows no change in the single-particle transition strength as a function of the neutron number

Vitrification within a nanoliter volume : oocyte and embryo cryopreservation within a 3D photopolymerized device

Open Access funding enabled and organized by CAUL and its Member Institutions. KRD is supported by a Mid-Career Fellowship from the Hospital Research Foundation (C-MCF-58–2019). KD acknowledges funding from the UK Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (grants EP/P030017/1). This study was funded by the Australian Research Council (ARC) Centre of Excellence for Nanoscale BioPhotonics (CE140100003).Purpose Vitrification permits long-term banking of oocytes and embryos. It is a technically challenging procedure requiring direct handling and movement of cells between potentially cytotoxic cryoprotectant solutions. Variation in adherence to timing, and ability to trace cells during the procedure, affects survival post-warming. We hypothesized that minimizing direct handling will simplify the procedure and improve traceability. To address this, we present a novel photopolymerized device that houses the sample during vitrification. Methods The fabricated device consisted of two components: the Pod and Garage. Single mouse oocytes or embryos were housed in a Pod, with multiple Pods docked into a Garage. The suitability of the device for cryogenic application was assessed by repeated vitrification and warming cycles. Oocytes or early blastocyst-stage embryos were vitrified either using standard practice or within Pods and a Garage and compared to non-vitrified control groups. Post-warming, we assessed survival rate, oocyte developmental potential (fertilization and subsequent development) and metabolism (autofluorescence). Results Vitrification within the device occurred within ~ 3 nL of cryoprotectant: this volume being ~ 1000-fold lower than standard vitrification. Compared to standard practice, vitrification and warming within our device showed no differences in viability, developmental competency, or metabolism for oocytes and embryos. The device housed the sample during processing, which improved traceability and minimized handling. Interestingly, vitrification-warming itself, altered oocyte and embryo metabolism. Conclusion The Pod and Garage system minimized the volume of cryoprotectant at vitrification—by ~ 1000-fold—improved traceability and reduced direct handling of the sample. This is a major step in simplifying the procedure.Publisher PDFPeer reviewe