Neural Controller Utilizing Genetic Algorithm Technique For Dynamic Systems

Kajian ini mengemukakan kaedah pembelajaran rangkaian neural (NN) pelbilang lapisan dengan menggunakan teknik algoritma genetik (GA). Teknik evolusionari berasakan GA ini dikaji dan digunakan untuk skima model rujukan kawalan suai (MRAC) bagi loji-loji yang berbeza. This research presents a method of learning multilayer Neural Network (NN) using Genetic Algorithms (GAs) techniques. The evolutionary techniques based on GAs are studied and employed for the Model Reference Adaptive Control (MRAC) scheme of different plants

Aberrant Right Hepatic Duct Draining into the Cystic Duct: Clinical Outcomes and Management

Background. Aberrant right hepatic duct (ARHD) draining into cystic duct (CD) is relatively rare but clinically important because of its susceptibility to injuries during cholecystectomy. These injuries are often-times missed or diagnosed late and as a result can develop serious complications. Methods. Four consecutive patients diagnosed with ARHD draining into CD were identified for inclusion. Results. The mean age of patients was 42.5 years. The diagnosis in one of the patient was incidental during a routine endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP). Other three patients were diagnosed post-cholecystectomy- one presented with suspected intra-operative biliary injury, one with persistent bile leak and another with recurrent cholangitis. Inadequate filling of the segment of liver on ERCP with dilation of intrahepatic ducts in the corresponding segment on imaging was present in two patients with complete obstruction of ARHD which was managed surgically. In another patient, the partially obstructed ARHD was managed by endoscopic therapy. Conclusion. ARHD draining into the CD can have varied clinical manifestations. In appropriate clinical settings, it should be suspected in patients with persistence of bile leak early after cholecystectomy, segmental dilation of intrahepatic-bile ducts on imaging and paucity of intrahepatic filling in a segment of liver on ERCP

Effect of chlorpromazine on intact and irradiated aliquot ctdsDNA samples

Bagkground:Chlorpromazine is widely used in human medicine in the therapy of schizophrenia, organic psychosis and the manic phase of manic depressive illness. It expressed a selective cytotoxicity and the results of genotoxicity were positive. Objectives: This study is designed to explore the effect of chlorpromazine on irradiated and non irradiated calf thymus double strands DNA (ctdsDNA) molecule. Methods: Aliquots of irradiated (subjected to UVB light) and non-radiated ctdsDNA samples were incubatyed with different concentrations of chlorpromazine. Further series of experiments studied the simultaneous effects of chlorpromazine and UVB light on aliquots of ctdsDNA, The changes in optic densities of ctdsDNA aliquots were mointered and recorded bu UVspectrophotometer at 260 nm. Results: Chlorpromazine exerts dual effects on non-radiated ctdsDNA aliquots represented by hyperchromasia and hypochromasia in regard to its concentration. It potentiates the effect of UVB radiation on ctdsDNA molecules. Its effect is differed in respect to the radiation status. Conclusion: chlorpromazine exerts several effects on aliquot ctdsDNA samples which are related to the nature of DNA molecule as well as to the concentration of chlorpromazine.Also chlorpromazine potentiates the hyperchromasic effect of UVB radiation on aliquot ctdsDNA samples but it produces completely damage of DNA molecule when the aliquot ctdsDNA samples irradiated in presence of chlorpromazine

Seasonal Variances in General Urine Examination Findings among Al-Yarmouk Teaching Hospital Patients

Background: Urinalysis is a common test done for several reasons; for instance, in UTI looking for, hematuria or pseudo-hematuria, pyuria, crystalluria and also looking for different microorganisms (etc...), many laboratories perform either a regular test light microscopy, or examine varying dilutions of urine sediment and fields of view with or without the use of stains or polarization, while other laboratories used analysis of urine using automated system. As being a human; the biological sex(female or male) and broadly influences diverse immune phenotypes, including immune responses to diseases at mucosal surfaces, all contribute to how an organism will respond to diseases of the urinary tract, on the other hand, a close relationship between four seasons and the incidence of UTI has been detected in various areas of the world, where the seasons alternate in a year, and the temperature fluctuates widely among these seasons. Methods: present study was conducted on midstream sample was collected for acquiring accurate results from (68899) individuals (40800 females and 28099 males), these subjects were clinically suspected to have UTI, who were referred to the Department of Teaching Laboratories in AL-Yarmouk Teaching Hospital at Baghdad / Iraq, between January 2020 and December 2023, which examined by; Urilyzer 500 PRO (Analyticon) with Urine strips (dipstick) and Optical Microscope BA 210 (Motic). Results: A total of 68899 urine specimens were tested, of which 28099 male (40.8%) and 40800 female (59.2%) with the highest percentage of urinalysis in 2022 (33.2%), furthermore, the higher percentage of urinalysis parameters was scored in 2021 as follows;  pus cells 9012 (49.3%), red blood corpuscles 5284 (48.9%) and crystalluria 3956 (44.2%) with the most common type of crystal was amorphous urate 5032 (56.2%), while highest percentages of microorganisms 1050 (40.3%) in year 2022 , and Bacteria was exhibited the highest percentages 2036 (78.1%). Current study recorded significantly differences between males and females in all urine parameters which was higher percentage in female than male and in the Seasons of (Summer and Autumn) , during the four years of this study. Conclusion: This study registered more accurate diagnostic results of UTI according to the urinary parameters  in the microscopic routine urinalysis(centrifugation at 300xg at 5 min) when compared to machines (Urilyzer 500 PRO test/Urine strips) which frequently miss that , in addition,  hot season in Iraq could affect to increase the seasonally variable incidence of UTI , as well,  increased percentages and frequency of urinary parameters which observed in 2021-2022 out of four study years may indicates,  high likelihood side effects of Covid-19 pandemic disease  in study persons involved

Body Appreciation Around the World: Measurement Invariance of the Body Appreciation Scale-2 (BAS-2) Across 65 Nations, 40 Languages, Gender Identities, and Age

The Body Appreciation Scale-2 (BAS-2) is a widely used measure of a core facet of the positive body image construct. However, extant research concerning measurement invariance of the BAS-2 across a large number of nations remains limited. Here, we utilised the Body Image in Nature (BINS) dataset – with data collected between 2020 and 2022 – to assess measurement invariance of the BAS-2 across 65 nations, 40 languages, gender identities, and age groups. Multi-group confirmatory factor analysis indicated that full scalar invariance was upheld across all nations, languages, gender identities, and age groups, suggesting that the unidimensional BAS-2 model has widespread applicability. There were large differences across nations and languages in latent body appreciation, while differences across gender identities and age groups were negligible-to-small. Additionally, greater body appreciation was significantly associated with higher life satisfaction, being single (versus being married or in a committed relationship), and greater rurality (versus urbanicity). Across a subset of nations where nation-level data were available, greater body appreciation was also significantly associated with greater cultural distance from the United States and greater relative income inequality. These findings suggest that the BAS-2 likely captures a near-universal conceptualisation of the body appreciation construct, which should facilitate further cross-cultural research

Antimicrobial resistance among migrants in Europe: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND: Rates of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) are rising globally and there is concern that increased migration is contributing to the burden of antibiotic resistance in Europe. However, the effect of migration on the burden of AMR in Europe has not yet been comprehensively examined. Therefore, we did a systematic review and meta-analysis to identify and synthesise data for AMR carriage or infection in migrants to Europe to examine differences in patterns of AMR across migrant groups and in different settings. METHODS: For this systematic review and meta-analysis, we searched MEDLINE, Embase, PubMed, and Scopus with no language restrictions from Jan 1, 2000, to Jan 18, 2017, for primary data from observational studies reporting antibacterial resistance in common bacterial pathogens among migrants to 21 European Union-15 and European Economic Area countries. To be eligible for inclusion, studies had to report data on carriage or infection with laboratory-confirmed antibiotic-resistant organisms in migrant populations. We extracted data from eligible studies and assessed quality using piloted, standardised forms. We did not examine drug resistance in tuberculosis and excluded articles solely reporting on this parameter. We also excluded articles in which migrant status was determined by ethnicity, country of birth of participants' parents, or was not defined, and articles in which data were not disaggregated by migrant status. Outcomes were carriage of or infection with antibiotic-resistant organisms. We used random-effects models to calculate the pooled prevalence of each outcome. The study protocol is registered with PROSPERO, number CRD42016043681. FINDINGS: We identified 2274 articles, of which 23 observational studies reporting on antibiotic resistance in 2319 migrants were included. The pooled prevalence of any AMR carriage or AMR infection in migrants was 25·4% (95% CI 19·1-31·8; I2 =98%), including meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (7·8%, 4·8-10·7; I2 =92%) and antibiotic-resistant Gram-negative bacteria (27·2%, 17·6-36·8; I2 =94%). The pooled prevalence of any AMR carriage or infection was higher in refugees and asylum seekers (33·0%, 18·3-47·6; I2 =98%) than in other migrant groups (6·6%, 1·8-11·3; I2 =92%). The pooled prevalence of antibiotic-resistant organisms was slightly higher in high-migrant community settings (33·1%, 11·1-55·1; I2 =96%) than in migrants in hospitals (24·3%, 16·1-32·6; I2 =98%). We did not find evidence of high rates of transmission of AMR from migrant to host populations. INTERPRETATION: Migrants are exposed to conditions favouring the emergence of drug resistance during transit and in host countries in Europe. Increased antibiotic resistance among refugees and asylum seekers and in high-migrant community settings (such as refugee camps and detention facilities) highlights the need for improved living conditions, access to health care, and initiatives to facilitate detection of and appropriate high-quality treatment for antibiotic-resistant infections during transit and in host countries. Protocols for the prevention and control of infection and for antibiotic surveillance need to be integrated in all aspects of health care, which should be accessible for all migrant groups, and should target determinants of AMR before, during, and after migration. FUNDING: UK National Institute for Health Research Imperial Biomedical Research Centre, Imperial College Healthcare Charity, the Wellcome Trust, and UK National Institute for Health Research Health Protection Research Unit in Healthcare-associated Infections and Antimictobial Resistance at Imperial College London

Oral semaglutide adequate glycaemia control with safe cardiovascular ‎profile

BackgroundType 2 diabetes is a chronic and progressive disease that ‎associated with series complication such as major adverse ‎cardiovascular events. Adequate glycaemic control proven ‎to reduce this risk. Orally administered semaglutide ‎promising medication in managing patient with type 2 ‎diabetes.‎AimsTo assess the cardiovascular safety and efficacy of semaglutide, a recently approved glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonist (GLP-1 RA) for type 2 diabetes.Methods Pub Med, ‎Google Scholar, and EBSCO ‎ databases were ‎systematically search for relevant articles. The terms‎ diabetes‎, Glucagon-like peptide, semaglutide‎ were used. Out of hundred twenty-two records, only ‎four fulfilled ‎the inclusion criteria.Results Four placebo-controlled studies with oral semaglutide ‎were included. Single study concern about the cardiovascular safety of oral semaglutide ‎and showed that, ‎compared with placebo, semaglutide ‎ was not associated ‎with increased in the cardiovascular events. On the other ‎hand, the remaining trials shown that, semaglutide ‎ can ‎effectively control the blood glucose as evident by ‎reduction in HA1c.ConclusionOral semaglutide can effectively and safely lower blood glucose without increase in the major adverse ‎cardiovascular events‎‎ (MACE).

Acellular Bone Marrow Extracts Significantly Enhance Engraftment Levels of Human Hematopoietic Stem Cells in Mouse Xeno-Transplantation Models

Hematopoietic stem cells (HSC) derived from cord blood (CB), bone marrow (BM), or mobilized peripheral blood (PBSC) can differentiate into multiple lineages such as lymphoid, myeloid, erythroid cells and platelets. The local microenvironment is critical to the differentiation of HSCs and to the preservation of their phenotype in vivo. This microenvironment comprises a physical support supplied by the organ matrix as well as tissue specific cytokines, chemokines and growth factors. We investigated the effects of acellular bovine bone marrow extracts (BME) on HSC in vitro and in vivo. We observed a significant increase in the number of myeloid and erythroid colonies in CB mononuclear cells (MNC) or CB CD34+ cells cultured in methylcellulose media supplemented with BME. Similarly, in xeno-transplantation experiments, pretreatment with BME during ex-vivo culture of HSCs induced a significant increase in HSC engraftment in vivo. Indeed, we observed both an increase in the number of differentiated myeloid, lymphoid and erythroid cells and an acceleration of engraftment. These results were obtained using CB MNCs, BM MNCs or CD34+ cells, transplanted in immuno-compromised mice (NOD/SCID or NSG). These findings establish the basis for exploring the use of BME in the expansion of CB HSC prior to HSC Transplantation. This study stresses the importance of the mechanical structure and soluble mediators present in the surrounding niche for the proper activity and differentiation of stem cells

EMT Markers in Locally-Advanced Prostate Cancer: Predicting Recurrence?

Background: Prostate cancer (PCa) is the second most frequent cause of cancer-related death in men worldwide. It is a heterogeneous disease at molecular and clinical levels which makes its prognosis and treatment outcome hard to predict. The epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) marks a key step in the invasion and malignant progression of PCa. We sought to assess the co-expression of epithelial cytokeratin 8 (CK8) and mesenchymal vimentin (Vim) in locally-advanced PCa as indicators of EMT and consequently predictors of the progression status of the disease.Methods: Co-expression of CK8 and Vim was evaluated by immunofluorescence (IF) on paraffin-embedded tissue sections of 122 patients with PCa who underwent radical prostatectomies between 1998 and 2016 at the American University of Beirut Medical Center (AUBMC). EMT score was calculated accordingly and then correlated with the patients' clinicopathological parameters and PSA failure.Results: The co-expression of CK8/Vim (EMT score), was associated with increasing Gleason group. A highly significant linear association was detected wherein higher Gleason group was associated with higher mean EMT score. In addition, the median estimated biochemical recurrence-free survival for patients with < 25% EMT score was almost double that of patients with more than 25%. The validity of this score for prediction of prognosis was further demonstrated using cox regression model. Our data also confirmed that the EMT score can predict PSA failure irrespective of Gleason group, pathological stage, or surgical margins.Conclusion: This study suggests that assessment of molecular markers of EMT, particularly CK8 and Vim, in radical prostatectomy specimens, in addition to conventional clinicopathological prognostic parameters, can aid in the development of a novel system for predicting the prognosis of locally-advanced PCa

Investigating Pneumonia Etiology Among Refugees and the Lebanese population (PEARL): A study protocol

Background: Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP), a leading cause of mortality, mainly affects children in developing countries. The harsh circumstances experienced by refugees include various factors associated with respiratory pathogen transmission, and clinical progression of CAP. Consequently, the etiology of CAP in humanitarian crisis situations may differ to that of settled populations, which would impact appropriate case management. Therefore, the Pneumonia Etiology Among Refugees and the Lebanese population (PEARL) study was initiated with the objective of identifying the causal pathogenic microorganisms in the respiratory tract of children and adults from both the refugee and host country population presenting with signs of CAP during a humanitarian crisis. Methods: PEARL, a prospective, multicentric, case-control study, will be conducted at four primary healthcare facilities in Tripoli and the Bekaa valley over 15 months (including two high-transmission seasons/winters). Sociodemographic and medical data, and biological samples will be collected from at least 600 CAP cases and 600 controls. Nasopharyngeal swabs, sputum, urine and blood samples will be analyzed at five clinical pathology laboratories in Lebanon to identify the bacterial and viral etiological agents of CAP. Transcriptomic profiling of host le