Atypical symptoms with typical signs in a patient with Propionibacterium acnes related mitral valve endocarditis

Infective endocarditis (IE) is a serious medical condition associated with an increase in morbidity and mortality if not treated promptly and adequately. The clinical outcome depends on the early diagnosis and aggressiveness of the causative organism. Patients usually present with typical features suggestive of Infective endocarditis but in some circumstances the presentations are atypical, and if not diagnosed and treated, may lead to serious consequences. We present a case of atypical presentations of infective endocarditis caused by Propionibacterium acnes organism with no classical features of endocarditis and had symptoms suggestive of urinary tract infection. The diagnosis of IE can be very difficult in patients with atypical clinical presentation, particularly caused by low-pathogenicity organisms. Appropriate clinical assessment and high level of suspicious especially in the patients with previous history of infective endocarditis or having prosthetic valves in situ is crucial

Educational Intervention Program to Tackle Health Risk Behaviors among Male Secondary School Students (Tawjjehi) in Khan Younis Governorate - Gaza Strip

Health-risk behaviors are established during childhood, extend into adulthood, and are interrelated. It contributes to the leading causes of mortality and morbidity among children. The aim of this study was to design, implement and evaluate an Educational Intervention Program to tackle Health Risk Behaviors among Male Secondary School Students, (Tawjjehi), Khan Younis - Gaza Strip. A Quasi-experimental design was used in this study, the study sample was 366 students, (92 science students and 274 Humanities students), half of them were for intervention group and the others for control group, the study sample were  selected by random sampling method. Data were obtained through four main channels; I. self-structure questionnaire for personal information, demographics characteristics, health risk behaviors (tobacco use, recreation facilities, dietary behaviors, school violence, intentional and un intentional injuries), II. student's records, III. anthropometric measurements and IV. hemoglobin level test in Male Secondary School Students, (Tawjjehi), Khan Younis - Gaza Strip . The main results three months after the program show that: Healthy students behaviors were significantly higher than post and follow up test after the educational intervention program implementation than for pretest for intervention group and greater than control group for all domains. The study concluded that the educational intervention program had a positive effect on students regarding all health risk behaviors. The study recommended that physical activities should be continued from sport teacher's, start the educational intervention program for the younger age (prep school students) and replicate the study in other setting with a larger sample of students. Keywords: Intervention Education Program, Health risk factors, male secondary school student

Energy performance analytical review of semi-transparent photovoltaics glazing in the United Kingdom

This work reviews the recent achieved advancement in semi-transparent photovoltaics (STPV) glazing systems, which are considered as a possible solution to improve the thermal performance of buildings. A numerical model was developed utilising EnergyPlus to investigate the impact of integrating STPV glazing systems in the United Kingdom. The simulation investigated the overall energy consumption under different Window-to-Wall ratio (WWR) for south-oriented STPV glazing systems with different transparencies and materials. The results indicated that employing clear double-glazing in small glazing situation at WWR = 30% would reduce the overall energy consumption by (7.5–26) % depending on the implemented STPV glazing systems. Furthermore, applying STPV glazing system in large glazing (WWR ≥70%) would lead to a decrease in the overall energy performance by 40% compared with the conventional clear double-glazing systems. However, utilising STPV glazing systems in medium-sized glazing is dependent on the solar material that is used. The results indicated that employing a-Si STPV glazing system is inefficient when the glazing cover (30% < WWR <70%) comparing to the clear double-glazing system. This result is a consequence of to the thermal and optical characteristics of a-Si solar cells. These characteristics would eventually lead to a higher heating and lighting requirements

Diethylenetriamine/diamines/copper (II) complexes [Cu(dien)(NN)]Br2: Synthesis, solvatochromism, thermal, electrochemistry, single crystal, Hirshfeld surface analysis and antibacterial activity

Two dicationic water soluble mixed triamine/diamine copper (II) complexes, of general formula [Cu(dien)NN]Br2(1–2) [dien = diethelenetriamine and NN is en = ethylenediamine or Me4en = N,N′,N,N′-tetramethylethylenediamine] were prepared under ultrasonic mode with a relatively high yield. These complexes were characterized by elemental microanalysis, UV visible IR spectroscopy, and thermal and electrochemical techniques. In addition, complex 2 structure was solved by X-ray single crystal and Hirshfeld surface analysis. The complex exhibits a distorted square pyramidal coordination environment around Cu(II) centre. The solvatochromism of the desired complexes was investigated in water and other suitable organic solvents. The results show that the Guttmann’s DN parameter values of the solvents have mainly contributed to the shift of the d–d absorption band towards the linear increase in the wavelength of the absorption maxima of the complexes. The complex 1 showed higher antibacterial activity against the studied microorganisms compared to complex 2. Both complexes revealed promising antibacterial activities.The authors would like to extend their sincere appreciation to the Deanship of Scientific Research at King Saud University for its funding of this Research group NO (RG-0257-1435-1436)

Electrochemical oxidation of dihydronicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) : Comparison of highly oriented pyrolytic graphite (HOPG) and polycrystalline boron-doped diamond (pBDD) electrodes

The electro-oxidation of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) is studied at bare surfaces of highly oriented pyrolytic graphite (HOPG) and semi-metallic polycrystalline boron-doped diamond (pBDD). A comparison of these two carbon electrode materials is interesting because they possess broadly similar densities of electronic states that are much lower than most metal electrodes, but graphite has carbon sp2-hybridization, while in diamond the carbon is sp3-hybridised, with resulting major differences in bulk structure and surface termination. Using cyclic voltammetry (CV), it is shown that NADH oxidation is facile at HOPG surfaces but the reaction products tend to strongly adsorb, which causes rapid deactivation of the electrode activity. This is an important factor that needs to be taken into account when assessing HOPG and its intrinsic activity. It is also shown that NADH itself adsorbs at HOPG, a fact that has not been recognized previously, but has implications for understanding the mechanism of the electro-oxidation process. Although pBDD was found to be less susceptible to surface fouling, pBDD is not immune to deterioration of the electrode response, and the reaction showed more sluggish kinetics on this electrode. Scanning electrochemical cell microscopy (SECCM) highlights a significant voltammetric variation in electroactivity between different crystal surface facets that are presented to solution with a pBDD electrode. The electroactivity of different grains correlates with the local dopant level, as visualized by field emission-scanning electron microscopy. SECCM measurements further prove that the basal plane of HOPG has high activity towards NADH electro-oxidation. These new insights on NADH voltammetry are useful for the design of optimal carbon-based electrodes for NADH electroanalysis

A perspective on physical reservoir computing with nanomagnetic devices

Neural networks have revolutionized the area of artificial intelligence and introduced transformative applications to almost every scientific field and industry. However, this success comes at a great price; the energy requirements for training advanced models are unsustainable. One promising way to address this pressing issue is by developing low-energy neuromorphic hardware that directly supports the algorithm's requirements. The intrinsic non-volatility, non-linearity, and memory of spintronic devices make them appealing candidates for neuromorphic devices. Here we focus on the reservoir computing paradigm, a recurrent network with a simple training algorithm suitable for computation with spintronic devices since they can provide the properties of non-linearity and memory. We review technologies and methods for developing neuromorphic spintronic devices and conclude with critical open issues to address before such devices become widely used

Influence of the electrografting method on the performances of a flow electrochemical sensor using modified electrodes for trace analysis of copper (II).

International audienceThe performances of carboxylate- and cyclam-modified graphite felt electrodes prepd. by different electrografting methods for trace anal. of copper (II) were compared to det. the influence of the immobilization process of the linkers on the sensor properties. The derivatization performed by cathodic redn. of diazonium salts and by anodic oxidn. of amines in org. and aq. media was first evaluated by cyclic voltammetry and XPS analyses, showing a higher surface coverage for the redn. process. Cyclam was subsequently attached on the COOH-modified graphite felts by a coupling reaction. The modified electrodes were then employed in a flow anal. system for trace anal. of copper (II) ions. The influence of the surface coverage and the nature of the linker on the electrochem. signal obtained by linear sweep stripping voltammetry anal. after a preconcn. step performed at open circuit was highlighted. The selectivity estd. in the presence of lead used as a common ion interferent was higher when a selective receptor was used and depends on the nature of the linker. [on SciFinder(R)

Lactate Dehydrogenase and Glutamate Pyruvate Transaminase biosensing strategies for lactate detection on screen-printed sensors. Catalysis efficiency and interference analysis in complex matrices: from cell cultures to sport medicine

Lactate detection with electrochemical biosensors is a fundamental part of the sensing and biosensing research field. Together with glucose detection, this topic attracted scientist attention since the 60s. Lactate is a metabolite involved in many processes among several fields of application, from food degradation, to sport medicine, cell cultures analysis, and clinical monitoring. However, few electrochemical lactate biosensors are currently present in the market.In this work, we analyzed and compared the standard Lactate Dehydrogenase catalysis mechanism with a two-enzymes commercial method that proved to dramatically boost the catalysis efficiency from 0.6% to 72.5%. Both the mechanisms result in the production of reduced Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide (NADH). Therefore, we analyzed its electrochemical detection performance using commercial screen-printed carbon electrodes (SPCE), along with the possible interferences of common mediums and buffers. We found that these sensors can be used for NADH detection down to a 10 μM concentration with a sensitivity of 33.14 nA/μM at a 456 mV overpotential. Moreover, we analytically defined the interferences effects of Dulbecco's Modified Eagle Medium on the sensors by Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy measurements and equivalent electrical circuits modeling.Finally, we tested the two-enzyme method in two case studies, i.e., cell cultures lactate monitoring as a valuable tool to evaluate their growth, and lactate quantification in human sweat to monitor physical exercise intensity. We proved the feasibility of the combination of commercial two-enzymes kit and SPCE as a low-cost, accurate, and sensitive lactate biosensor in different applications, regardless of sample interferences. Keywords: Lactic acid, SPCE, Cyclic voltammetry, Sweat, Cell cultures, DME

Amperometric Nitrosothiol Sensor Using Immobilized Organoditelluride Species as Selective Catalytic Layer

A new amperometric sensor capable of responding to various biological S -nitrosothiol species (RSNOs) is described. The sensor is prepared using an organoditelluride-tethered poly(allyamine hydrochloride) (PAH) polymer crosslinked within a dialysis membrane support mounted at the distal surface of an amperometric NO probe. The surface immobilized organoditelluride layer serves as a selective catalyst to decompose various RSNO species to NO in the presence of a thiol reducing agent added to the sample. The proposed sensor responds directly and reversibly to various low molecular weight (LMW) RSNOs in the range of 0.1 14ΜM to 10 14ΜM with nearly equal sensitivity. The main advantage of this sensor over previously reported Cu(II/I) and organodiselenium-based RSNO sensors is its long operational life-time (at least one month). A discussion regarding solution phase transnitrosation reactions potentially allowing the measurement of higher molecular weight S -nitrosoproteins is provided, along with data showing preliminary results in this direction. Further, the direct detection of endogenous RSNO species in diluted fresh whole sheep blood is also demonstrated using this new sensor.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/57918/1/270_ftp.pd