Asymmetric wave transmission through one dimensional lattices with cubic-quintic nonlinearity

One dimensional lattice with an on-site cubic-quintic nonlinear response described by a cubic-quintic discrete nonlinear Schr\"odinger equation is tested for asymmetric wave propagation. The lattice is connected to linear side chains. Asymmetry is introduced by breaking the mirror symmetry of the lattice with respect to the center of the nonlinear region. Three cases corresponding to dimer, trimer and quadrimer are discussed with focus on the corresponding diode-like effect. Transmission coefficients are analytically calculated for left and right moving waves via backward transfer map. The different transmission coefficients for the left and right moving waves impinging the lattice give rise to a diode-like effect which is tested for different variations in asymmetry and site dependent coefficients. We show that there is a higher transmission for incoming waves with lower wavenumbers as compared to the waves with comparatively larger wavenumbers and a diode-like effect improves by increasing the nonlinear layers. We also show that in the context of transport through such lattices, the cooperation between cubic and quintic nonlinear response is not "additive". Finally, we numerically analyse Gaussian wave packet dynamics impinging on the CQDNLS lattice for all three cases.Comment: 10 pages, 17 figure

Two particle entanglement and its geometric duals

We show that for a system of two entangled particles, there is a dual description to the particle equations in terms of classical theory of conformally stretched spacetime. We also connect these entangled particle equations with Finsler geometry. We show that this duality translates strongly coupled quantum equations in the pilot-wave limit to weakly coupled geometric equations.Comment: 10pp, Typos corrected, Accepted versio

Does 10mg versus 12.5mg of 0.5% hyperbaric bupivacaine influence the incidence of epigastric discomfort encountered during caesarean section under spinal anesthesia?

Objective: To determine effect of two different volumes of 0.5 % hyperbaric bupivacaine in relation to epigastric discomfort during Cesarean section under spinal anaesthesia. Study design: Randomized double blind study. Place and Duration of study: Department of anaesthesiology, Combined Military Hospital Lahore over period of twelve months from June 2020 to May 2021. Methodology: A total of 168 women presenting for elective Cesarean section were divided in two equal groups. In group A, 2 milliliters of hyperbaric 0.5% bupivacaine was given in intrathecal space while in group B, 2.5 milliliters of hyperbaric 0.5% bupivacaine was given after standard volume loading. Presence or absence of epigastric/visceral pain was observed. Mean arterial pressure was also recorded at 1, 5, 10, 20 and 40 minutes.    Results: Demographic data including age, body mass index and American society of anesthesiology status was comparable in both groups. Hypotension was seen in 44 (52.38%) in group A whereas it was seen in 52 (61.9%) in group B. This difference was insignificant with p-value of 0.212. In group A, 22 (26.19%) patients complained of epigastric discomfort, while in group B, 12 (14.29%) patients complained of epigastric discomfort. Though fewer patients in group B suffered epigastric discomfort but this difference was statistically insignificant with a p-value of 0.055. Conclusion: There was no statistically significant difference between 2 ml and 2.5 ml 0.5% hyperbaric bupivacaine in terms of frequency of visceral pain

Recent advances in the role of rehabilitative therapies for Parkinson’s disease: A literature review

Regardless of medical therapies and surgical interventions for Parkinson’s disease, patients develop progressive disability. The role of therapies is to maximize functional ability and minimize secondary complications through movement rehabilitation within a context of education and support for the whole person. The overall aim is to optimize independence, safety and wellbeing, thereby enhancing quality of life. Trials have shown that physiotherapy has short-term benefits in Parkinson’s disease. However, which physiotherapy intervention are most effective remains unclear. This article provides a guidance framework rather than a ’recipe’ for treatment. This review shows that a wide range of rehabilitative therapy interventions to treat Parkinson’s disease have been tested. There is a need for more specific trials with improved treatment strategies to underpin the most appropriate choice of therapy intervention and the outcomes measured. According to research in the literature, this review is of particular importance because it discusses many rehabilitation therapies for patients with Parkinson\u27s disease in a single paper, for the first time. The aim of this review article is to evaluate the effectiveness of one therapy intervention compared with a second approach in patients with Parkinson’s disease

COVID-19 and liver injury: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Background and Aims: The prevalence and extent of liver damage in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients remain poorly understood, primarily due to small-sized epidemiological studies with varying definitions of “liver injury”. We conducted a meta-analysis to derive generalizable, well-powered estimates of liver injury prevalence in COVID-19 patients. We also aimed to assess whether liver injury prevalence is significantly greater than the baseline prevalence of chronic liver disease (CLD). Our secondary aim was to study whether the degree of liver injury was associated with the severity of COVID-19.Materials and Methods: Electronic databases (PubMed and Scopus) were systematically searched in June 2020 for studies reporting the prevalence of baseline CLD and current liver injury in hospitalized COVID-19 patients. Liver injury was defined as an elevation in transaminases \u3e3 times above the upper limit of normal. For the secondary analysis, all studies reporting mean liver enzyme levels in severe versus non-severe COVID-19 patients were included. A random-effects model was used for meta-analysis. Proportions were subjected to arcsine transformation and pooled to derive pooled proportions and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Subgroup differences were tested for using the chi-square test and associated p-value. Means and their standard errors were pooled to derive weighted mean differences (WMDs) and corresponding 95% CIs.Results: Electronic search yielded a total of 521 articles. After removal of duplicates and reviewing the full-texts of potential studies, a total of 27 studies met the inclusion criteria. Among a cohort of 8,817 patients, the prevalence of current liver injury was 15.7% (9.5%-23.0%), and this was significantly higher than the proportion of patients with a history of CLD (4.9% [2.2%-8.6%]; p \u3c 0.001). A total of 2,900 patients in our population had severe COVID-19, and 7,184 patients had non-severe COVID-19. Serum ALT (WMD: 7.19 [4.90, 9.48]; p \u3c 0.001; I2 = 69%), AST (WMD: 9.02 [6.89, 11.15]; p \u3c 0.001; I2 = 73%) and bilirubin levels (WMD: 1.78 [0.86, 2.70]; p \u3c 0.001; I2 = 82%) were significantly higher in patients with severe COVID-19 when compared to patients with non-severe disease. Albumin levels were significantly lower in patients with severe COVID-19 (WMD: -4.16 [-5.97, -2.35]; p \u3c 0.001; I2 = 95%).Conclusions: Patients with COVID-19 have a higher than expected prevalence of liver injury, and the extent of the injury is associated with the severity of the disease. Further studies are required to assess whether hepatic damage is caused by the virus, medications, or both

Knowledge and attitudes about tetanus and rabies: a population-based survey from Karachi, Pakistan

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate public knowledge regarding predisposing factors, fatality and prevention of Tetanus and Rabies and attitudes toward vaccination and post-exposure prophylaxis. METHODS: A population-based, cross-sectional survey was conducted in all the 18 towns of Karachi, the largest metropolitan city of Pakistan, from December 2007 to January 2008. Men and women of more than 18 years of age were included in the study which used a self-reporting questionarre as its tool. RESULTS: There were 1201 people interviewed by the study. The majority of respondents had known or heard about Tetanus (n = 973; 81%) and rabies (n = 699; 58%). There were 29 (2.5%) reported dog bites on the subjects themselves and 218(18%) respondents reported dog bites among their family members during the preceeding one year. Only three (11%) of these dog bite victims received some kind of vaccine or post-exposure prophylaxis. The majority of the participants were not aware of the fatality of these diseases and the importance of vaccination and post-exposure prophylaxis. Of the total respondents, 563 (47%) reported an injury or wound during the preceeding one year. Of them, 426 (76%) received a Tetanus injection. Out of the total study population, 1019 (85%) respondents did not know that Tetanus could be a fatal disease, and 844 (70%) did not know that Tetanus could affect and kill newborns. Literate people and males were more likely to have adequate knowledge on multivariate analysis. CONCLUSION: Minor injuries and dog bites are a common occurrence in Karachi. Only a small proportion of these patients received post-exposure treatment. Most of the participants were not aware of the fatality of these diseases and the importance and affordability of vaccination in case of dog bites and minor trauma