A Novel Approach for Missing Combat Support Aircraft Search Acceleration using VTOL UAS

In this paper, an approach to accelerate search operations for a missing combat support aircraft using a portable waterproof autonomous vertical takeoff and landing unmanned aerial system called “flying locator beacon” is described. The latter is connected with both flight data and cockpit voice recorders with a parallel bus and may be deployed from the empennage during extreme emergency scenarios, which is detected when few flight parameters are overrun leading to an air crash stimulating behavior. Landing of the flying locator beacon strictly takes place on global latitude and longitude coordinates only of integer values enabling significant minimization of search time and cost

Mortality from gastrointestinal congenital anomalies at 264 hospitals in 74 low-income, middle-income, and high-income countries: a multicentre, international, prospective cohort study

Summary Background Congenital anomalies are the fifth leading cause of mortality in children younger than 5 years globally. Many gastrointestinal congenital anomalies are fatal without timely access to neonatal surgical care, but few studies have been done on these conditions in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs). We compared outcomes of the seven most common gastrointestinal congenital anomalies in low-income, middle-income, and high-income countries globally, and identified factors associated with mortality. Methods We did a multicentre, international prospective cohort study of patients younger than 16 years, presenting to hospital for the first time with oesophageal atresia, congenital diaphragmatic hernia, intestinal atresia, gastroschisis, exomphalos, anorectal malformation, and Hirschsprung’s disease. Recruitment was of consecutive patients for a minimum of 1 month between October, 2018, and April, 2019. We collected data on patient demographics, clinical status, interventions, and outcomes using the REDCap platform. Patients were followed up for 30 days after primary intervention, or 30 days after admission if they did not receive an intervention. The primary outcome was all-cause, in-hospital mortality for all conditions combined and each condition individually, stratified by country income status. We did a complete case analysis. Findings We included 3849 patients with 3975 study conditions (560 with oesophageal atresia, 448 with congenital diaphragmatic hernia, 681 with intestinal atresia, 453 with gastroschisis, 325 with exomphalos, 991 with anorectal malformation, and 517 with Hirschsprung’s disease) from 264 hospitals (89 in high-income countries, 166 in middleincome countries, and nine in low-income countries) in 74 countries. Of the 3849 patients, 2231 (58·0%) were male. Median gestational age at birth was 38 weeks (IQR 36–39) and median bodyweight at presentation was 2·8 kg (2·3–3·3). Mortality among all patients was 37 (39·8%) of 93 in low-income countries, 583 (20·4%) of 2860 in middle-income countries, and 50 (5·6%) of 896 in high-income countries (p<0·0001 between all country income groups). Gastroschisis had the greatest difference in mortality between country income strata (nine [90·0%] of ten in lowincome countries, 97 [31·9%] of 304 in middle-income countries, and two [1·4%] of 139 in high-income countries; p≤0·0001 between all country income groups). Factors significantly associated with higher mortality for all patients combined included country income status (low-income vs high-income countries, risk ratio 2·78 [95% CI 1·88–4·11], p<0·0001; middle-income vs high-income countries, 2·11 [1·59–2·79], p<0·0001), sepsis at presentation (1·20 [1·04–1·40], p=0·016), higher American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) score at primary intervention (ASA 4–5 vs ASA 1–2, 1·82 [1·40–2·35], p<0·0001; ASA 3 vs ASA 1–2, 1·58, [1·30–1·92], p<0·0001]), surgical safety checklist not used (1·39 [1·02–1·90], p=0·035), and ventilation or parenteral nutrition unavailable when needed (ventilation 1·96, [1·41–2·71], p=0·0001; parenteral nutrition 1·35, [1·05–1·74], p=0·018). Administration of parenteral nutrition (0·61, [0·47–0·79], p=0·0002) and use of a peripherally inserted central catheter (0·65 [0·50–0·86], p=0·0024) or percutaneous central line (0·69 [0·48–1·00], p=0·049) were associated with lower mortality. Interpretation Unacceptable differences in mortality exist for gastrointestinal congenital anomalies between lowincome, middle-income, and high-income countries. Improving access to quality neonatal surgical care in LMICs will be vital to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 3.2 of ending preventable deaths in neonates and children younger than 5 years by 2030

Effects of nonsurgical periodontal therapy on C-reactive protein and serum lipids in Jordanian adults with advanced periodontitis

Background and Objective: Data on whether periodontal therapy affects serum CRP levels are inconclusive. The aim of this study was to determine if nonsurgical periodontal therapy has any effect on CRP and serum lipid levels in patients with advanced periodontitis. Material and Methods: Thirty-six systemically healthy patients, ‡ 40 years of age and with advanced periodontitis, were recruited for the study. Patients were randomized consecutively to one of two groups: the treatment group (n = 18) or the control group (n = 18). Treated subjects received nonsurgical periodontal therapy, which included oral hygiene instructions and subgingival scaling and root planing. Systemic levels of inflammatory markers [C-reactive protein (CRP) and the lipid profile] were measured at baseline and 3 mo after periodontal therapy. Results: Nonsurgical periodontal therapy in the treatment group resulted in a significant reduction in the serum CRP level. The average CRP level decreased from 2.3 mg/dL at baseline to 1.8 mg/dL (p < 0.005) after 3 mo of periodontal therapy. The average reduction (95% confidence interval) in CRP was 0.498 (95% confidence interval = 0.265–0.731). In the treatment group, the reduction in CRP was significantly, linearly and directly correlated with the reduction in the plaque index, the gingival index and the percentage of sites with pocket depth ‡ 7 mm (Pearson correlation coefficient = 0.746, 0.425 and 0.621, respectively). Nonsurgical periodontal therapy had no effect on the lipid parameters. Conclusion: This study demonstrated that nonsurgical periodontal therapy results in a significant reduction in the serum CRP level. The effect of this outcome on systemic disease is still unknown

Characterization of neurobehavioral pattern in a zebrafish 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6- tetrahydropyridine (MPTP)-induced model: a 96-hour behavioral study

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is the most common brain motor disorder, characterized by a substantial loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNpc). Motor impairments, such as dyskinesia, bradykinesia, and resting tremors, are the hallmarks of PD. Despite ongoing research, the exact PD pathogenesis remains elusive due to the disease intricacy and difficulty in conducting human studies. Zebrafish (Danio rerio) has emerged as an ideal model for researching PD pathophysiology. Even though 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) has been used to induce PD in zebrafish, behavioural findings are frequently limited to a single time point (24 hours post-injection). In this sense, we aim to demonstrate the effects of MPTP on zebrafish swimming behaviour at multiple time points. We administered a single dosage of MPTP (200μg/g bw) via intraperitoneal injection (i/p) and assessed the locomotor activity and swimming pattern at 0h, 24h, and 96h post-injection through an open field test. Analysis of the behaviour revealed significant reductions in swimming velocity (cm/s) and distance travelled (cm), concurrent with an increase in freezing maintenance (duration and bouts) in zebrafish injected with MPTP. In addition, the MPTP-injected zebrafish exhibited complex swimming patterns, as measured by the turn angle, meander, and angular velocity, and showed abnormal swimming phenotypes, including freezing, looping, and erratic movement. To conclude, MPTP administration into adult zebrafish induced hypolocomotion and elicited motor incoordination. Plus, the effects of MPTP were observable 24 hours after the injection and still detectable 96 hours later. These findings contribute to the understanding of MPTP effects on adult zebrafish, particularly in terms of swimming behaviours, and may pave the way for a better understanding of the establishment of PD animal models in the future

Serum Vitamin D level in Jordanian patients with exfoliation syndrome and exfoliative glaucoma

AIM: To compare the level of serum Vitamin D in patients with exfoliation syndrome(XFS)and exfoliative glaucoma(XFG)with that in control subjects.METHODS: Serum levels of 25-hydroxy Vitamin D(Vitamin D)were measured using liquid chromatography. Variables like age, sex and medical history of hypertension, diabetes mellitus and ischemic heart disease were reported.RESULTS: This study included a total of 55 patients with XFS/XFG and 60 control subjects. Patients with XFS/XFG were significantly older than control subjects(mean age: 71.8y vs 67.5y, P=0.002). Gender distribution was similar. The prevalence rates of diabetes, hypertension, and ischemic heart disease were not significantly different between the two groups. The mean of Vitamin D was 14.7 ng/mL for patients with XFS/XFG and 14.9 ng/mL for control subjects with no significant difference. Although Vitamin D level was lower in the XFS/XFG group but multivariate analysis did not show significant difference in Vitamin D deficiency between the two groups after adjusting for age, gender, and medical conditions.CONCLUSION: The outcomes of our study are different from those in the literature. Vitamin D levels were low in both the XFS/XFG group and the control group being lower in the first one but that difference was not statistically significant. XFS and Vitamin D deficiency share common associations with certain systemic diseases. Further studies with larger numbers are needed to elaborate more on these associations and to support further the controversial literature

The promise of the Zebrafish model for Parkinson’s disease: today’s science and tomorrow’s treatment

The second most prevalent neurodegenerative disorder in the elderly is Parkinson’s disease (PD). Its etiology is unclear and there are no available disease-modifying medicines. Therefore, more evidence is required concerning its pathogenesis. The use of the neurotoxin 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) is the basis of most animal models of PD. MPTP is metabolized by monoamine oxidase B (MAO B) to MPP + and induces the loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra in mammals. Zebrafish have been commonly used in developmental biology as a model organism, but owing to its perfect mix of properties, it is now emerging as a model for human diseases. Zebrafish (Danio rerio) are cheap and easy to sustain, evolve rapidly, breed transparent embryos in large amounts, and are readily manipulated by different methods, particularly genetic ones. Furthermore, zebrafish are vertebrate species and mammalian findings obtained from zebrafish may be more applicable than those derived from genetic models of invertebrates such as Drosophila melanogaster and Caenorhabditis elegans. The resemblance cannot be taken for granted, however. The goal of the present review article is to highlight the promise of zebrafish as a PD animal model. As its aminergic structures, MPTP mode of action, and PINK1 roles mimic those of mammalians, zebrafish seems to be a viable model for studying PD. The roles of zebrafish MAO, however, vary from those of the two types of MAO present in mammals. The benefits unique to zebrafish, such as the ability to perform large-scale genetic or drug screens, should be exploited in future experiments utilizing zebrafish PD models

Synthesis and biological evaluation of ciprofloxacin – 1,2,3-triazole hybrids as antitumor, antibacterial, and antioxidant agents

Six novel ciprofloxacin-1,2,3-triazole hybrids (6a-f) were synthesized via click reaction, by reacting of methyl 1-cyclopropyl-6-fluoro-4-oxo-7-(4-(3-oxobutanoyl)piperazin-1-yl)-1,4-dihydroquinoline-3-carboxylate (5) with various aryl azides (9a-f). The new compounds were characterized using High-Resolution Mass Spectrometry (HRMS), 1H NMR, 13C NMR, and elemental analysis. Compounds (6a-f) screened for their in vitro anticancer activity against three cell lines, namely, non-small cell lung cancer (A549), glioblastoma (U-87 MG), and breast cancer (MCF7). Hybrids 6a and 6b exhibited remarkable anti-proliferative activity against all three cell-lines. IC50 values of 6b for all cancer cell lines were significantly lower comparing to the standard reference compound IC50. The IC50 of 6b for the normal cell (HDF) line was significantly higher than the reported for cisplatin [IC50 = 170.7 ± 8.1 μM/ml (HDF), (p ≤ 0.001)], indicating less toxicity towards normal cells and thereby has a better therapeutic index, with a selectivity index of 142.3 for U87 cell line. Compounds 6e, 6d, and 6f displayed significant cytotoxic activity against only U-87 and MCF-7 cancer cell lines, compared to normal cells (HDF). Compound 6f [IC50 = 7.9 ± 2.3 μM/ml (U-87) and 10.6 ± 3 μM/ml (MCF-7)] was more potent than cisplatin [IC50 = 28.3 ± 5.3 μM/ml (U-87) and 26.9 ± 4.7 μM/ml (MCF-7)] in displaying anti-proliferative effect against U-87 and MCF-7 cells, with less cytotoxic to normal cells [IC50 = 141.7 ± 4.1] than cisplatin [IC50 = 40.9 ± 5.4]. Moreover, they were tested for their antioxidant activity in DPPH and ABTS assays and antibacterial activity

SARS-CoV-2 vaccination modelling for safe surgery to save lives: data from an international prospective cohort study

Background: Preoperative SARS-CoV-2 vaccination could support safer elective surgery. Vaccine numbers are limited so this study aimed to inform their prioritization by modelling. Methods: The primary outcome was the number needed to vaccinate (NNV) to prevent one COVID-19-related death in 1 year. NNVs were based on postoperative SARS-CoV-2 rates and mortality in an international cohort study (surgical patients), and community SARS-CoV-2 incidence and case fatality data (general population). NNV estimates were stratified by age (18-49, 50-69, 70 or more years) and type of surgery. Best- and worst-case scenarios were used to describe uncertainty. Results: NNVs were more favourable in surgical patients than the general population. The most favourable NNVs were in patients aged 70 years or more needing cancer surgery (351; best case 196, worst case 816) or non-cancer surgery (733; best case 407, worst case 1664). Both exceeded the NNV in the general population (1840; best case 1196, worst case 3066). NNVs for surgical patients remained favourable at a range of SARS-CoV-2 incidence rates in sensitivity analysis modelling. Globally, prioritizing preoperative vaccination of patients needing elective surgery ahead of the general population could prevent an additional 58 687 (best case 115 007, worst case 20 177) COVID-19-related deaths in 1 year. Conclusion: As global roll out of SARS-CoV-2 vaccination proceeds, patients needing elective surgery should be prioritized ahead of the general population