79 research outputs found
Enrich the Physics Curriculum Scheduled for Students of Intermediate School E-Learning and Its Effectiveness in Scientific Thinking and Their Attitude Towards the Development of Physics
The current research aims know the Effectiveness of enriching the physics curriculum for students in middle school electronic learning in the development of their thinking and scientific their direction towards physics, sample formed from second grade students in Sinae intermediate school (64 students). (32) student as experimental group & (32) student as control group. to achieve the goal of research that requires preparation tools, first test of scientific thinking which consisted of (7) skills which are: (a sense of the problem, identify the problem, the imposition of hypotheses, selecting hypotheses, the conclusion, application, and holds tremendous) that distributed to (3) positions The first (the job) and the second (static objects) and third (reflectance total) Each position on the (7) questions and four alternatives, second tool was a measure of the trend towards physics, which consisted of (22) paragraph and followed by (5) alternatives by Likert scale, with a degree (very large, large, medium, and few, very few). the researchers used statistical analysis t- test for two independent samples &t-test for interrelated samples also Pearson correlation coefficient with (spss) statistical program . the equation of alpha - Cronbach (α-cronbach) also used, the researchers found: 1. No statistically significant difference between the mean scores of the two tests dimensional search for members of the two groups (experimental and control) the experimental group better than control one, which was enriched with e-learning teaching method. 2. No statistically significant difference between the mean scores of the trend dimensional scale for members of the two groups of research (experimental and control) the experimental group better than control one, which was enriched with e-learning teaching method. The researchers applied conclusions & number of recommendations including: Work on the provision of computers and the device (data show) in the classroom. so as to allow sufficient time to use for teachers and students. As well as the proposal of some proposals, including: Enrich the physics curriculum for intermediate school with computer and its effectiveness in the development of deductive thinking and orientation towards physics. Keywords: Enrichment, physics, e-learning, scientific thinkin
Effect of Different Packing Types on Storage and Quality of Saidy Dates
This study was conducted during two successive seasons 2020/2021 and 2021/2022 to study the effect of some packing types on the storability and quality of saidy dates (Phoenix dactylifera L.) fruits during the storage period. The post-harvest treatments were packed with perforated or non-perforated polyethylene layers and aluminum foil. The fruits were stored at cold condition 5±1°C with 85-90% RH. Samples of each treatment were randomly taken every two months for 8 months. The results showed that fruit weight loss %, fruit damage %, total soluble solids % and sugar contents were significantly increased with prolonging the storage period. On other hand, the advanced storage period induced a gradual decrease of fruit weight, flesh% and fruit dimensions. All packing with non-perforated either polyethylene or aluminum foil caused a decrease in fruit weight loss and fruit damage percentage as well as fruit weight, flesh% and fruit dimensions compared to use other packing types .Using non-perforated polyethylene result in the least fruit weight loss and fruit damage percentage compared to use other packing types. Using non-perforated polyethylene packing improved the fruit quality during the storage period compared to use perforated polyethylene or either perforated or non-perforated aluminum foil. It could be concluded that using Packing with non-perforated polyethylene maintained fruit freshness without negative effects of fruit quality parameters and seems to be the proper and an ideal packing types to prolong cold storage of saidy dates without great reduction in fruit quality
Review Multi Pass Friction Stir Processing
The aim of this article is to provide a review of multiple passes friction stir processing technology and their effect on the microstructure refinement, improving mechanical properties furthermore enhancement of reducing distortion and defects in materials. Multi-pass FSP achieves uniform dispersion of reinforcement particles in the metal matrix composites. The present paper reviews the work done in the above mentioned areas and concludes the effect of multi-pass FSP on the mechanical properties
Prospects and State of the Glass Industry in Saudi Arabia and a preliminary assessment of the quality of Glass and Glass-Ceramics Fabrication
Although the economic value of glass products and its importance to the Saudi National Economy is vast, not much information is available about the current state of the art of the industry. Likewise little information is available about the geography, potential sites for mining sand as well as the evaluation of sand quality. This paper attempts to bridge this gap by presenting a feasibility study of fabricating normal glass and glass ceramics from Saudi Arabia’s domestically available raw materials. It discusses the current status of glass industry in Saudi Arabia and the Middle East region. It also gives a brief explanation about the sand topography in Saudi Arabia. In order to determine the feasibility of fabricating glass using these raw materials, experimental data on the fabrication of normal glass and glass-ceramics from indigenously available raw materials was obtained and reported as part of the findings of this paper Firstly, normal transparent glass were able to be fabricated without any apparent large defects using sand collected from Ar-Rayis region in Saudi Arabia. Four nano-sized crystallization catalysts, namely VC, WC, TiC and Y2O3, were added to the constituents of the glass in 3 wt.%. For VC, the crystallization process was limited. The glass ceramics of WC consisted of multi-dimensional edges crystals which covered all the matrix. Gray crystalline whiskers were obtained by addition of TiC. The Y2O3- glass ceramics consisted of multi-directionally rosette crystals. Finally, the microhardness values of the added crystallization catalysts glass ceramics were obtained and found to be much higher compared to normal glass. The results show that glass of high quality can be produced specifically for Ar—Rayis region which would be of interest to researchers, glass industry personnel and potential investor
Aflibercept or ranibizumab for diabetic macular edema
Background: Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is the primary substance involved in retinal barrier breach. VEGF overexpression may cause diabetic macular edema (DME). Laser photocoagulation of the macula is the standard treatment for DME; however, recently, intravitreal anti-VEGF injections have surpassed laser treatment. Our aim was to evaluate the efficacy of intravitreal injections of aflibercept or ranibizumab for managing treatment-naive DME.
Methods: This single-center, retrospective, interventional, comparative study included eyes with visual impairment due to treatment-naive DME that underwent intravitreal injection of either aflibercept 2 mg/0.05 mL or ranibizumab 0.5 mg/0.05 mL at Al-Azhar University Hospitals, Egypt between March 2023 and January 2024. Demographic data and full ophthalmological examination results at baseline and 1, 3, and 6 months post-injection were collected, including the best-corrected distance visual acuity (BCDVA) in logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution (logMAR) notation, slit-lamp biomicroscopy, dilated fundoscopy, and central subfield thickness (CST) measured using spectral-domain optical coherence tomography.
Results: Overall, the 96 eyes of 96 patients with a median (interquartile range [IQR]) age of 57 (10) (range: 20–74) years and a male-to-female ratio of 1:2.7 were allocated to one of two groups with comparable age, sex, diabetes mellitus duration, and presence of other comorbidities (all P >0.05). There was no statistically significant difference in baseline diabetic retinopathy status or DME type between groups (both P >0.05). In both groups, the median (IQR) BCDVA significantly improved from 0.7 (0.8) logMAR at baseline to 0.4 (0.1) logMAR at 6 months post-injection (both P = 0.001), with no statistically significant difference between groups at all follow-up visits (all P >0.05). The median (IQR) CST significantly decreased in the aflibercept group from 347 (166) µm at baseline to 180 (233) µm at 6 months post-injection, and it decreased in the ranibizumab group from 360 (180) µm at baseline to 190 (224) µm at 6 months post-injection (both P = 0.001), with no statistically significant differences between groups at all follow-up visits (all P >0.05). No serious adverse effects were documented in either group.
Conclusions: Ranibizumab and aflibercept were equally effective in achieving the desired anatomical and functional results in patients with treatment-naive DME in short-term follow-up without significant differences in injection counts between both drugs. Larger prospective, randomized, double-blinded trials with longer follow-up periods are needed to confirm our preliminary results. 
Energy recovery and nutrients recycling from municipal sewage sludge
Hydrothermal Liquefaction (HTL) could be a promising and better alternative to other techniques for energy recovery from municipal sewage sludge (MSS). However, the nutrients (i.e., N, and P) recovery potential from the byproducts, generated in the HTL of MSS, needs to be studied so that a comprehensive sludge management practice could be adopted. In this study, HTL process temperature (275–400 °C), and reaction time (30–120 min) were first investigated for biocrude yield and release of the nutrients to the aqueous phase liquid (APL) and biochar. The maximum energy recovery (i.e., 59%) and maximum energy return on investment (i.e., 3.5) were obtained at 350 °C and 60 min of holding time. With the increase in HTL reaction time, the concentration of nitrogen in the APL increased (5.1 to 6.8 mg/L) while the concentration of phosphorus decreased (0.89 to 0.22 mg/L); the opposite was observed for the biochar. The nutrient recycling efficiency from the APL using microalgae was found to be strain-specific; nitrogen recycling efficiency by Picochlorum sp. and Chlorella sp. were 95.4 and 58.6%, respectively. The APL, derived from 1 kg MSS, could potentially produce 0.49 kg microalgal biomass. Since the concentrations of various metals in the biochar samples were substantially lower compared to their concentrations in raw MSS, the application of biochar as a soil conditioner could be very promising. Overall, net positive energy could be recovered from MSS using the HTL process, while the nutrients in the APL could be used to cultivate specific microalgae, and biochar could be applied to enhance the soil quality.The authors would like to acknowledge the support of Qatar National Research Fund (QNRF, a member of Qatar Foundation) for providing the funding (under grants UREP21-101-2-045, and NPRP8-646-2-272) for this study. The authors thank Ms. Noora from Environmental Science Center (ESC), QU, for the GC–MS analysis of the biocrude samples. The authors would also like to acknowledge the support of Mr. Solaiman from Central laboratory Unit (CLU) of Qatar University for the ICP-OES analyses of the samples
Evaluation of In Vitro Antioxidant, Anti-Obesity, and Anti-Diabetic Activities of
Opuntia ficus cladodes (OFC) are considered one of the wastes that result from opuntia cultivation, and their disposal by traditional methods results in many environmental problems. Therefore, this study was conducted with two aims. The first was the production of OFC gel, and the evaluation of its in vitro antioxidant (by two methods, DPPH and ABTS), anti-obesity, and anti-diabetic activities. The second was an investigation of the effects of different concentrations of this gel (0, 50, and 100%) as an edible coating on the quality of shrimp during 8 days of refrigerated storage. The results showed that this gel was characterised by a high content of ash (10.42%), total carbohydrates (75.17%), and total phenols (19.79 mg GAE/g). OFC gel contained six types of sugars: arabinose, xylose, galactose, rhamnose, glucose, and uronic acid, and the most abundant was xylose (36.72%). It is also clear from the results that the OFC gel had high antioxidant properties, which were higher against DPPH than ABTS at the same concentration. OFC gel showed a high inhibition activity against lipase, α-glycosidase, and α-amylase enzymes, and their IC50 values were 1.43 mg/mL, 0.78 mg/mL, and 0.57 mg/mL, respectively. The results also stated that shrimp coated with OFC gel had lower pH, drip loss, TVB-N, and TBA values through the days of refrigerated storage. Moreover, the shrimp coated with 100% OFC gel were better than those coated with 50% OFC gel. In conclusion, OFC gel showed high potency as active antioxidant, for its enzyme anti-activities, and as an edible coating for shrimp
Effect of Tadalafil on Penile Duplex parameters in Erectile Dysfunction Patients
Background: Tadalafil is a PDE-5 (phosphodiesterase inhibitor) inhibitor that supports endogenous nitric oxide's vasodilatory actions and aids in erection maintenance. The penile duplex has proven to be very useful for imaging superficial structures and for determining the reasons of erectile dysfunction (ED).
Objectives: To assess the effect of daily oral tadalafil 5mg for 3 months on penile duplex parameters in erectile dysfunction patients.
Patients and Methods: A case control study involved 30 Egyptian patients ED. Appropriate clinical history and penile duplex examination before and after treatment with daily oral tadalafil mg for 3 months were performed.
Results: The mean age of the patients was 53.17 ± 7.8 years. We founded that there was significant (p < 0.001) improvement in the level of erection after treatment. The rate of erection E1 and E2 was decreased from 53.3% to 3.3%. Likewise, the rate of E3-E5 was increased from 46.7% to 96.7%. Moreover, the mean duration of erection was elongated from 24.7 ± 5.3 to become 37.4 ± 3.8 and this was statistically significant (p < 0.001). Also, the mean peak systolic volume (PSV) was significantly (p = 0.001) increased after treatment (38.4 ± 9.1 cm/s) compared with the pre-treatment levels (23.9 ± 6.1 cm/s). Unlikely, the mean end diastolic volume (EDV) was insignificantly (p = 0.340) lower in post-treatment (2.25 ± 0.5 mL) compared with pre-treatment levels (2.97 ± 0.4 mL). Likely, the mean resistant index (RI) showed insignificant difference (p = 0.965) after treatment (0.9 ± 0.02) compared with before treatment (0.9 ± 0.08). For penile artery diameter, there was significant (p = 0.009) increase in the diameter after treatment (0.9 ± 0.1 mm) compared with before treatment (0.8 ± 0.1 mm).
Conclusion: Oral daily tadalafil 5mg for 3 months is considered an effective treatment for ED according to penile duplex parameters
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
Burnout among surgeons before and during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic: an international survey
Background: SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has had many significant impacts within the surgical realm, and surgeons have been obligated to reconsider almost every aspect of daily clinical practice. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study reported in compliance with the CHERRIES guidelines and conducted through an online platform from June 14th to July 15th, 2020. The primary outcome was the burden of burnout during the pandemic indicated by the validated Shirom-Melamed Burnout Measure. Results: Nine hundred fifty-four surgeons completed the survey. The median length of practice was 10 years; 78.2% included were male with a median age of 37 years old, 39.5% were consultants, 68.9% were general surgeons, and 55.7% were affiliated with an academic institution. Overall, there was a significant increase in the mean burnout score during the pandemic; longer years of practice and older age were significantly associated with less burnout. There were significant reductions in the median number of outpatient visits, operated cases, on-call hours, emergency visits, and research work, so, 48.2% of respondents felt that the training resources were insufficient. The majority (81.3%) of respondents reported that their hospitals were included in the management of COVID-19, 66.5% felt their roles had been minimized; 41% were asked to assist in non-surgical medical practices, and 37.6% of respondents were included in COVID-19 management. Conclusions: There was a significant burnout among trainees. Almost all aspects of clinical and research activities were affected with a significant reduction in the volume of research, outpatient clinic visits, surgical procedures, on-call hours, and emergency cases hindering the training. Trial registration: The study was registered on clicaltrials.gov "NCT04433286" on 16/06/2020
- …