Milk production and milk fatty acid profile as a response to feeding dairy cows with flax products during the persistence period.

The response of enhanced dietary dairy cows with linolenic-rich sources during the persistence period was studied to determine its effectiveness on some blood constituents, milk yield and milk fatty acid profile. A complete randomized design experiment was conducted in the spring and involved 20 Friesian cows (60 days in milk) that were divided into four groups of five animals by milk production according to different types of flax source in isonitrogenous and isoenergetic rations: a traditional diet with no flax source (CO), a diet contains flaxseed meal (FLM), a diet contains whole flaxseed (FLS) and a diet contains flax oil (FLO). DM intake and DMI% of weight were increased for cows fed FLM. However, Omega-3 intake was reduced for cows fed on CO ration. Although, blood serum metabolites did not differ among treatments (p < 0.05) except serum cholesterol which was increased with FLO cows, and serum total lipid which was reduced with FLM cows. Cows fed on flax product and control peaked in milk production at the same time (8-week post-partum), and cows fed on FLM continued in peak production for a longer period. Using flax products enhanced milk production, cows fed FLM had higher milk yield than those fed CO (20.76 vs.16.32 kg/d), and there was no difference between cows fed FLO (17.87 kg/d) and those fed FLS (18.01 kg/d). Also, energy-corrected milk yield and 3.5 fat-corrected milk yield were increased with cows fed on FLM as compared with cows fed CO ration. Flax products had no significant effect on milk fat and protein %, whereas cows fed FLM had the greatest fat% value (3.35%) and FLS had the greatest protein% value (2.66%). Moreover, fat and protein yield increased significantly in treatment groups compared to the CO group, whereas they were the greatest in FLM g (0.700 and 0.540 kg/d), respectively. Concentrations of omega-3-fatty acids in milk fat were increased by using FLO in the ration; using flaxseed meal enhanced conjugated linoleic acids in milk fat and resulted in the highest omega-6-to-omega-3-fatty-acids ratio. The data suggest that flax seed meals can be used as a fat source in the diet of dairy cows during the persistence period with a good response to milk production and its health properties. Moreover, flax oil should be protected before use in rations to prevent its components from saturation or being changed in the rumen.

Assessment of Biomechanical Behavior of Endodontically Treated Premolar Teeth Restored with Novel Endocrown System.

OBJECTIVE: Despite the increased popularity of endocrowns, there is no clear consensus considering their effectiveness to restore severely-destructed endodontically treated premolars. This study aimed to assess the biomechanical behavior of endodontically treated maxillary first premolars restored with a novel endocrown system compared to the conventional one. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty sound human maxillary first premolars were collected. After endodontic treatment, they were divided into 2 groups (n=10) according to the system used for endocrown fabrication. Group C (Control): conventional monolithic IPS e.max CAD endocrowns. Group P: novel bi-layered endocrowns (Pekkton ivory coping veneered with cemented IPS e.max CAD). All specimens were subjected to 10000 thermal cycles followed by 240000 dynamic load cycles. Surviving specimens were subjected to fracture resistance test followed by qualitative analysis using Stereomicroscopy and Scanning Electron Microscopy. RESULTS: A significantly higher load was observed for Group P (1831.37 ± 240.69 N) than Group C (1433.47 ± 174.39 N) (p ⟨ 0.001). A statistically significant difference was observed considering the failure mode (p = 0.036), with more favorable fractures detected with Group P. CONCLUSIONS: The tested novel endocrown system improved the biomechanical behavior of the tooth/ restoration complex in the restored endodontically treated maxillary first premolars. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: The tested novel endocrown system with a PEKK coping veneered with cemented IPS e.max CAD can be considered a promising option for restoration of severely-destructed endodontically treated premolar teeth. It can be considered as a conservative alternative option to the conventional treatment modalities.

Ability of computed tomography to predict right heart strain on an echocardiogram in patients with acute pulmonary embolus.

Patients with submassive pulmonary embolism (PE) resulting in right heart strain (RHS) have an increased risk of mortality compared to those with a preserved right ventricular function. This study aimed to investigate the predictive value of computed tomography pulmonary angiogram (CTPA) findings of right heart strain in patients with computed tomography (CT)-proven PE for the diagnosis of right heart strain by echocardiogram (ECHO). The institutional review board (IRB) approved retrospective chart review of the adult emergency department patients diagnosed with an acute PE between 2012 and 2016. A total of 128 patients diagnosed with RHS by CT who had received an ECHO during their hospitalization were included in the study. Descriptive statistics were run for the variables of interest. The majority of patients (101 patients) with reported findings of RHS on CT had similar findings on ECHO. In our cohort, a finding of enlarged right atrium (RA) on CT was 100% predictive of RHS diagnosis on ECHO, whereas having interventricular septal bowing alone on CT was the least predictive of RHS on subsequent ECHO (61%). The 2 remaining subgroups: right ventricle (RV) enlargement alone and RV enlargement with either interventricular septal bowing/hepatic vein blood reflux or both lies somewhere in between, with 80% of these patients showing strain on ECHO. We found that signs of RHS on CT are predictive of strain on an ECHO (78%) and RA enlargement in any combination was the most predictive finding of RHS on ECHO (100%). Future prospective randomized investigations are needed to confirm such findings.

Persistence of Influenza A (H1N1) Virus on Stainless Steel Surfaces.

UNLABELLED: As annual influenza epidemics continue to cause significant morbidity and economic burden, an understanding of viral persistence and transmission is critical for public health officials and health care workers to better protect patients and their family members from infection. The infectivity and persistence of two influenza A (H1N1) virus strains (A/New Caledonia/20/1999 and A/Brisbane/59/2007) on stainless steel (SS) surfaces were evaluated using three different surface matrices (2% fetal bovine serum, 5 mg/ml mucin, and viral medium) under various absolute humidity conditions (4.1 × 10(5) mPa, 6.5 × 10(5) mPa, 7.1 × 10(5) mPa, 11.4 × 10(5) mPa, 11.2 × 10(5) mPa, and 17.9 × 10(5) mPa) for up to 7 days. Influenza A virus was deposited onto SS coupons (7.07 cm(2)) and recovered by agitation and sonication in viral medium. Viral persistence was quantified using a tissue culture-based enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to determine the median (50%) tissue culture infective dose (TCID50) of infectious virus per coupon. Overall, both strains of influenza A virus remained infectious on SS coupons, with an approximate 2 log10 loss over 7 days. Factors that influenced viral persistence included absolute humidity, strain-absolute humidity interaction, and time (P ≤ 0.01). Further studies on the transfer of influenza A virus from fomites by hand and the impact of inanimate surface contamination on transmission should be performed, as this study demonstrates prolonged persistence on nonporous surfaces. IMPORTANCE: This study tested the ability of two influenza A (H1N1) virus strains to persist and remain infectious on stainless steel surfaces under various environmental conditions. It demonstrated that influenza A (H1N1) viruses can persist and remain infectious on stainless steel surfaces for 7 days. Additional studies should be conducted to assess the role played by contaminated surfaces in the transmission of influenza A virus.

Efficacy of Crocus sativus L. on reduction of cadmium-induced toxicity on spermatogenesis in adult rats.

Cadmium is a toxic heavy metal element, which probably cause infertility by impairment in spermatogenesis. The present work aimed (i) to study the toxic effect of cadmium on spermatogenesis in rat, as well as (ii) the protective effect of Crocus sativus L. on cadmium-intoxicated rats. Cadmium chloride was administered intraperitoneally during 16 days at intervals of 48 h between subsequent treatments. Crocus sativus L. was pre-treated in both of control and cadmium-injected rats. Animals were sacrificed on day 17 after the first treatment. The left cauda epididymis was removed and immediately immersed into Hank's balanced salt solution for the evaluation of sperm count and viability, and left testis was fixed in 10% formalin for histological evaluation. Following contamination with cadmium, a decrease was observed in the number and viability of cauda epididymis sperm, which were increased by Crocus sativus L. pre-treatment (P < 0.05). In addition, cadmium decreased both cell proliferation and Johnsen Scores in the seminiferous tubules, which were reversed by Crocus sativus pre-treatment (P < 0.05). Furthermore, cadmium-induced decrease in the amount of free serum testosterone as well as an increase in lipid peroxidation activity in the testicular tissue was reversed by Crocus sativus L. (P < 0.05). These findings may support the concept that Crocus sativus L. can improve the cadmium toxicity on spermatogenesis.

Analysis of salicylic acid, arbutin and corticosteroids in skin whitening creams available in Pakistan using chromatographic techniques.

BACKGROUND: A simple, new and efficient reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography method was developed and validated for the separation of most popular ingredients in skin whitening creams. METHODS: For RP-HPLC analysis, a Hibar(®) C18 250 mm × 4.6 mm, 5 µm column (Merck Millipore, Carolina, USA) as stationary phase with a mobile phase consisting a mixture of acetonitrile, methanol and water 40 : 40 : 20 (pH 7.0), respectively, at flow rate of 0.8 mL min(-1) (total run time 10 min) at room temperature was used. Detection was performed at 254 and 280 nm using photodiode array detector. The method was validated in accordance with ICH guidelines with respect to linearity, accuracy, precision, specificity, limit of detection and quantification. RESULTS: The method results in excellent separation of skin whitening agents in cosmetic creams. The method is specific for salicylic acid, arbutin, cortisone, hydrocortisone, betamethasone valerate and betamethasone dipropionate. The calibration curve of skin whitening agents was linear with the regression analysis showed r(2) ≥ 0.999. %RSD for inter- and intraday precision were determined as 0.461 and 0.329 for salicylic acid, 0.427 and 0.317 for arbutin, 0.360 and 0.346 for cortisone, 0.336 and 0.350 for hydrocortisone, 0.463 and 0.339 for betamethasone valerate and 0.385 and 0.372 for betamethasone dipropionate, respectively. LOD and LOQ were calculated as 0.48 and 1.20 µg mL(-1) for salicylic acid, 0.09 and 0.22 µg mL(-1) for arbutin, 0.07 and 0.18 µg mL(-1) for cortisone, 0.06 and 0.24 µg mL(-1) for hydrocortisone, 0.07 and 0.20 µg mL(-1) for betamethasone valerate and 0.02 and 0.06 µg mL(-1) for betamethasone dipropionate. The recovery of skin whitening agents were 97.18% for salicylic acid, 97.99% for arbutin, 98.30% cortisone, 97.63% for hydrocortisone, 98.65% for betamethasone valerate and 98.18% for betamethasone dipropionate, respectively. According to this study, salicylic acid is present in 87.88% skin whitening creams, arbutin in 96.97%, cortisone in 60.60%, hydrocortisone in 48.48%, betamethasone valerate in 15.15% and betamethasone dipropionate present in 12.12% cosmetic creams available in Pakistan.

Radioactivity concentration levels and potential radiotoxicity risk assessment of aquatic superfoods case study of algae supplements.

It has been found that algae have a variety of health benefits, although investigations showed that they contain radiotoxic elements, including 226Ra, 232Th, 40K, and 137Cs, which may affect human health. This study is connected to activity concentration measurements of the above radionuclides in the algae supplements available in the Middle East markets. The annual effective radiation doses of measured radionuclides in analyzed algal supplements have been calculated. The highest values of annual effective doses have been estimated for 226Ra in Ecklonia (13.39 µSv/y) and for 232Th in Red Marine Algae (11.80 µSv/y), both from South Korea. In algal "superfoods", the effective dose of 137Cs is not significantly affected by the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant. Based on these results, it can be concluded that the activity levels of radionuclides are low, the naturally occurring radionuclides provide the most effective doses, and algae supplements can be considered safe.

Antibiotic-induced gut microbe dysbiosis alters neurobehavior in mice through modulation of BDNF and gut integrity.

Gut microbiota is essential for intestinal integrity and brain functions. Herein we aimed to investigate the effects of alteration of gut microbiome using broad-spectrum antibiotics on CD 1 male mice (germ-modified group (GM). Moreover, we co-administrated probiotics with or without antibiotics for four weeks and evaluated if probiotics could reverse these behavioral and intestinal effects. GM, co-administered antibiotics and probiotics, and probiotics-only groups were compared to control mice of the same sex, age, and weight that did not receive either drug (n=12 in all groups). Cultivation of aerobic and anaerobic bacteria was evaluated by fecal culture of all groups. We tested exploratory behavior, anxiety, memory, depression-like behavior, and hippocampal and frontal lobe BDNF protein level alterations in response to antibiotics and its downstream effect on the PI3K/Akt1/Bcl2 pathway. Intestinal integrity was evaluated using gene expression analysis of ZO-1, claudin, and occludin genes. Additionally, the inflammatory TLR4 and p-p38 MAPK pathways in the intestines were investigated. Twice-daily administration of oral antibiotics for four weeks significantly reduced total bacterial count and upregulated TLR4 and p-p38.GM mice showed a significant reduction in BDNF(P =0.04), impaired spatial memory, and long-term memory as evidenced by decreased T maze correct alternation trails and shortened retention time in the passive avoidance test in GM(P =0.01). Passive avoidance showed significantly increased latency after probiotics intake. Depressive-like behavior was more pronounced in GM mice as assessed by the tail suspension test (P =0.01). GM showed significant upregulation(p<0.001) of the TLR4 and p-p38 MAPK pathway. Co-administration of probiotics with antibiotics showed an increase in BDNF levels, and upregulation of the cell survival PI3K/Akt1/Bcl2 pathway, significantly higher relative abundance in the firmucutes members, a significant decrease in the Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio and downregulation of TLR4 and p-p38 MAPK. The tight junction proteins ZO-1, claudin and occludin were downregulated by antibiotic administration for four weeks and restored by probiotics. Collectively, the data suggest that long-term use of antibiotics appears to disrupt the intestinal epithelial barrier and alter neurobehavioral qualities specifically, long-term memory and exploratory drive, possibly through the reduction of BDNF, and probiotics partially reverse these effects. Our study emphasizes the effect of prolonged intake of antibiotics on production of dysbiosis as well as the impact of the antibiotic induced intestinal inflammation on neurobehavioral aspects in mice as the memory and anxiety-like behavior. We also reveal that co-administration of probiotics can reverse these changes.

Nuclear power plant biological complications on marine biota from a probabilistic accident - A case study.

An accident at the Barakah Nuclear Power Plant (BNPP) would result in a significant radionuclide release into the semi-closed marine environment. In this research, the released radionuclide distribution pattern and dose rate in the Persian/Arabian (Gulf) were calculated using a combined hydrodynamic/radiobiological model. Simulations of the dispersion of artificial radionuclide concentrations were conducted using a HYSPLIT model. To assess prospective hazards in case of an incident, environmental risk from ionizing contaminants: assessment and management (ERICA) tools were used. Using the Fukushima nuclear power accident as a model, the scenario source term profile was developed. The volumetric concentrations levels of pollutants ranged between 1 × 104 mBq m-3 to 1 × 1010 mBq m-3 in the radius of 200 km after 48 h. Based on the dose rates of the various marine biotas, Polychaete worms, and Pelagic fish, they had the highest and lowest dose contribution.

Modified conformable double Laplace-Sumudu approach with applications.

In this study, we combine two novel methods, the conformable double Laplace-Sumudu transform (CDLST) and the modified decomposition technique. We use the new approach called conformable double Laplace-Sumudu modified decomposition (CDLSMD) method, to solve some nonlinear fractional partial differential equations. We present the essential properties of the CDLST and produce new results. Furthermore, five interesting examples are discussed and analyzed to show the efficiency and applicability of the presented method. The results obtained show the strength of the proposed method in solving different types of problems.

Tungsten (VI) oxide reinforced antimony glasses for radiation safety applications: A throughout investigation for determination of radiation shielding properties and transmission factors.

We report the functional assessment of tungsten (VI) oxide on gamma-ray attenuation properties of 60Sb2O3-(40-x)NaPO3-xWO3 antimony glasses. The elemental mass-fractions and glass-densities of each glass sample are specified separately for the MCNPX Monte Carlo code. In addition to fundamental gamma absorption properties, Transmission Factors throughout a broad radioisotope energy range were measured. According to findings, holmium (Ho) incorporation into the glass structure resulted in a net increase of 0.3406 g/cm3, whereas cerium (Ce) addition resulted in a net increase of 0.2047 g/cm3. The 40% WO3 reinforced S7 sample was found to have the greatest LAC value, even though seven glass samples exhibited identical behavior. The S2 sample had the lowest HVL values among the glass groups evaluated in this work, computed in the energy range of 0.015-15 MeV. The lowest EBF and EABF values were reported for 40% WO3 reinforced S7 sample with the highest LAC and density values. According to the findings of this research, WO3 will likely make a significant contribution to the gamma ray absorption properties of antimony glasses, which are employed for optical and structural modification. Therefore, it can be concluded that WO3 may be treated monotonically and can be employed successfully in circumstances where gamma-ray absorption characteristics, optical properties, and structural qualities need to be enhanced.

Lead-Free Ternary Glass for Radiation Protection: Composition and Performance Evaluation for Solar Cell Coverage.

Solar cells in superstrate arrangement need a protective cover glass as one of its main components. The effectiveness of these cells is determined by the cover glass's low weight, radiation resistance, optical clarity, and structural integrity. Damage to the cell covers brought on by exposure to UV irradiation and energetic radiation is thought to be the root cause of the ongoing issue of a reduction in the amount of electricity that can be generated by solar panels installed on spacecraft. Lead-free glasses made of xBi2O3-(40 - x)CaO-60P2O5 (x = 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, and 30 mol%) were created using the usual approach of melting at a high temperature. The amorphous nature of the glass samples was confirmed using X-ray diffraction. At energies of 81, 238, 356, 662, 911, 1173, 1332, and 2614 keV, the impact of various chemical compositions on gamma shielding in a phospho-bismuth glass structure was measured. The evaluation of gamma shielding revealed that the results of the mass attenuation coefficient of glasses increase as the Bi2O3 content increases but decrease as the photon energy increases. As a result of the study conducted on the radiation-deflecting properties of ternary glass, a lead-free low-melting phosphate glass that exhibited outstanding overall performance was developed, and the optimal composition of a glass sample was identified. The 60P2O5-30Bi2O3-10CaO glass combination is a viable option for use in radiation shielding that does not include lead.

Exploring the Potential of Zirconium-89 in Diagnostic Radiopharmaceutical Applications: An Analytical Investigation.

This study highlights the use of 89Zr-oxalate in diagnostic applications with the help of WinAct and IDAC2.1 software. It presents the biodistribution of the drug in various organs and tissues, including bone, blood, muscle, liver, lung, spleen, kidneys, inflammations, and tumors, and analyzes the maximum amount of nuclear transformation per Bq intake for each organ. The retention time of the maximum nuclear transformation and the absorbed doses of the drug in various organs and tissues are also examined. Data from clinical and laboratory studies on radiopharmaceuticals are used to estimate the coefficients of transition. The accumulation and excretion of the radiopharmaceutical in the organs is assumed to follow an exponential law. The coefficients of transition from the organs to the blood and vice versa are estimated using a combination of statistical programs and digitized data from the literature. WinAct and IDAC 2.1 software are used to calculate the distribution of the radiopharmaceutical in the human body and to estimate the absorbed doses in organs and tissues. The results of this study can provide valuable information for the biokinetic modeling of wide-spectrum diagnostic radiopharmaceuticals. The results show that 89Zr-oxalate has a high affinity for bones and a relatively low impact on healthy organs, making it helpful in targeting bone metastases. This study provides valuable information for further research on the development of this drug for potential clinical applications.

Production of Hybrid Nanocomposites Based on Iron Waste Reinforced with Niobium Carbide/Granite Nanoparticles with Outstanding Strength and Wear Resistance for Use in Industrial Applications.

The main objective of this work is to recycle unwanted industrial waste in order to produce innovative nanocomposites with improved mechanical, tribological, and thermal properties for use in various industrial purposes. In this context, powder metallurgy (PM) technique was used to fabricate iron (Fe)/copper (Cu)/niobium carbide (NbC)/granite nanocomposites having outstanding mechanical, wear and thermal properties. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) examinations were used to investigate the particle size, crystal size, and phase composition of the milled samples. Additionally, it was investigated how different volume percentages of the NbC and granite affected the sintered specimens in terms of density, microstructure, mechanical and wear properties, and coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE). According to the findings, the milled powders included particles that were around 55 nm in size and clearly contained agglomerates. The results showed that the addition of 4 vol.% NbC and 8 vol.% granite nanoparticles caused a reduction in the Fe-Cu alloy matrix particle sizes up to 47.8 nm and served as a barrier to the migration of dislocations. In addition, the successive increase in the hybrid concentrations led to a significant decrease in the crystal size of the samples prepared as follows: 29.73, 27.58, 22.69, 19.95 and 15.8 nm. Furthermore, compared with the base Fe-Cu alloy, the nanocomposite having 12 vol.% of hybrid reinforcement demonstrated a significant improvement in the microhardness, ultimate strength, Young's modulus, longitudinal modulus, shear modulus, bulk modulus, CTE and wear rate by 94.3, 96.4, 61.1, 78.2, 57.1, 73.6, 25.6 and 61.9%, respectively. This indicates that both NbC and granite can actually act as excellent reinforcements in the Fe alloy.

Diagnosis of group A streptococcal pharyngitis in the paediatric emergency department using a fluorescence-based RADT: predicted impact on antibiotic prescription.

Introduction. Using rapid antigen diagnostic tests (RADTs) in clinical practice has shown excellent specificity but often has diminished sensitivity.Gap Statement. Local data for evaluating the diagnostic performance of a new fluorescence-based RADT and its influence on the antibiotic prescription rate are not available.Aim. To evaluate the accuracy of fluorescent immunoassay (FIA)-RADTs for diagnosing group A streptococcal (GAS) pharyngitis among children and its estimated effect as a point of care test (POCT) on the antibiotic prescription rate at the paediatric emergency department.Methodology. A prospective study was conducted, comprising children 3 to 14 years old presenting with pharyngitis. Throat swab culture and FIA-RADTs were performed on all samples. Conventional PCR was performed on the discordant samples.Results. A total of 246 children were included in this study. The sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values of the FIA-RADT, based on culture results and PCR detection combined, were 95.6, 96.8, 94.6 and 97.4 %, respectively. Antibiotics have been prescribed to 162 (65.9 %) children; however, if FIA-RADTs had been added in the clinical practice as a POCT, only 92 (37.4 %) children would have received antibiotics in total. Additionally, implementation of FIA-RADTs would significantly reduce the antibiotic prescription rate from 48.8 and 60.6 % to 9.5 and 31.9 % among patients with clinical scores of 2 and 3, respectively.Conclusion. The new FIA-RADT is simple, prompt and reliable. It is helpful in clinical settings and may be used to reduce antibiotic overprescription, especially for children who have a low risk for GAS pharyngitis, according to the clinical score.

Identifying the Challenges of Child Abuse Detection Among Emergency, Pediatrics, and Family Medicine Practitioners in Saudi Arabia.

BACKGROUND: Child abuse is a significant issue across many countries. Despite the situation's innate understanding, many children are not reported to authorities and continue to experience abuse, sometimes even death. Healthcare professionals must be alert for abuse in any child who appears with injuries that are out of the ordinary because it is easy for indicators of child abuse to go unnoticed in a busy emergency department. The current study aims to evaluate and detect the challenges in diagnosing and reporting cases of child abuse among healthcare practitioners in emergency, pediatrics, and family medicine. METHODS: A self-administered online disseminated questionnaire was used for data collection during the period from October 1 to December 30, 2022. A cross-sectional study was conducted on emergency, pediatrics, and family medicine healthcare practitioners working in hospitals in healthcare centers in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. All data were collected, tabulated, and statistically analyzed using SPSS 23.0 for (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY) Windows. RESULTS: The study sample constituted 200 physicians working in the front lines of healthcare like emergency, pediatrics, and family medicine primary care services, 50.5% were males and 49.5% were females. 36.5% of participants were 31-39 years old. 42% were family medicine physicians, 36.5% were pediatricians, and 21.5% were emergency medicine. About 43% of participants attended an educational workshop on child abuse. Nineteen percent of participants are very familiar with the diagnosis of child abuse and 36% of participants reported one to three cases of child abuse in the emergency department in the last year, 5% reported four to six cases and 56.5% reported none. Forty-seven percent of participants reported diagnosing one to five cases of child abuse throughout their whole career, 13% reported 11-15 cases, 6.5% reported six to 10 cases and 28.5% reported none. Causes of underdiagnosis of child abuse by healthcare providers were reported as 63% inexperience, 59% inadequate time for physical examination, 59% lack of diagnosis protocol, 51% lack of confidence in communicating with parents, 36% physicians' cultural background, and 38% lack of confidence in the diagnosis. 93.5% of participants think that healthcare practices need further education for child abuse. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, physicians in Saudi Arabia who participated in the study had good knowledge to diagnose a case of child abuse. Inexperience, inadequate time for physical examination, lack of diagnosis protocol, lack of confidence in communicating with parents, and physicians' cultural background were the main identified challenges for diagnosing child abuse. Familiarity with cases of child abuse was significantly associated with physicians' age, specialty, and level of training.

Enteropathogenic e.coli sustains iodoacetamide-induced ulcerative colitis-like colitis in rats: modulation of IL-1ß, IL-6, TNF-α, COX-2, and apoptosisi.

Pathogenic or non-pathogenic bacteria from flora may play a key role in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) pathogenesis. However, a specific infectious agent causing IBD has not been identified. This study assessed the impact of enteropathogenic E. coli (EPEC) on the modulation of IL-1beta, IL-6, TNF- alpha, COX-2, BAX and Bcl-2 expression, in sustaining inflammation of a rat colitis model. Two hundred male Sprague-Dawley rats (4 groups) were inoculated weekly or bi-weekly for 70 days, with 1 percent methylcellulose (MC), (b) 6 percent iodoacetamide (IA) in 1 percent MC, (c) 4x108 CFU of EPEC, and (d) IA+EPEC. After a month, treatment was stopped in half of the animals in each group. IL-1beta, IL-6, TNF-alpha, COX-2, BAX and Bcl-2 expression were measured in colonic mucosa scrapings. IL-1beta, IL-6, TNF-alpha, and COX-2 were significantly increased in colonic mucosa of the IA+EPEC group and to a lesser but significant level in the IA group compared to controls, or EPEC alone, both in continued and discontinued treatment groups. Additionally, the BAX/Bcl-2 ratio decreased, indicating less apoptosis in the IA+EPEC group which exhibited more necrosis. These effects increased with experiment duration. This work provides new arguments favouring the role of bacteria in IBD pathogenesis.

Motor competence across the life span: A cross-sectional study of Iranians aged 5 to 85 years.

OBJECTIVES: To measure motor competence among a representative sample of Iranians aged 5-85 years. DESIGN: Cross-sectional. METHODS: Motor competence was assessed quantitatively by the Test of Motor Competence; two fine motor skills (placing and building bricks) and two gross motor skills (heel-to-toe-walking and walking/running in slopes) to assess dynamic balance. Task scores were summed and transformed into standardized scores (z-scores). Data were stratified by 12 chronological age groups and sex. RESULTS: Participants were 500 Iranians aged 5-85 years (females = 64%, age 5-35 years = 82%). There were significant age differences in motor competence and the distribution between age and z-score distribution was u-shaped. Between childhood and adolescence there was a rapid improvement in motor competence with maximal speed (-2 standard deviations) occurring among 19-25-year-olds. For each decade after age 25 years, z-scores progressively decreased approximately 1 standard deviations until age ≥56 years when performance decreased to approximately the same speeds as children (> +3 standard deviations). Sex differences were observed between children and adolescents. CONCLUSIONS: The sample characteristics constrain the generalizability of our findings. The Test of Motor Competence is easy to administer, uses a standardized test battery for people aged 5-85 years, and the quantitative outcome enables longitudinal monitoring of motor competence across the life course. As life expectancy and the proportion of populations aged >65 years increases, understanding how to maintain health in older age is an important public health issue in 21st century.

Utilization of artificial intelligence approach for prediction of DLP values for abdominal CT scans: A high accuracy estimation for risk assessment.

Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate Artificial Neural Network (ANN) modeling to estimate the significant dose length product (DLP) value during the abdominal CT examinations for quality assurance in a retrospective, cross-sectional study. Methods: The structure of the ANN model was designed considering various input parameters, namely patient weight, patient size, body mass index, mean CTDI volume, scanning length, kVp, mAs, exposure time per rotation, and pitch factor. The aforementioned examination details of 551 abdominal CT scans were used as retrospective data. Different types of learning algorithms such as Levenberg-Marquardt, Bayesian and Scaled-Conjugate Gradient were checked in terms of the accuracy of the training data. Results: The R-value representing the correlation coefficient for the real system and system output is given as 0.925, 0.785, and 0.854 for the Levenberg-Marquardt, Bayesian, and Scaled-Conjugate Gradient algorithms, respectively. The findings showed that the Levenberg-Marquardt algorithm comprehensively detects DLP values for abdominal CT examinations. It can be a helpful approach to simplify CT quality assurance. Conclusion: It can be concluded that outcomes of this novel artificial intelligence method can be used for high accuracy DLP estimations before the abdominal CT examinations, where the radiation-related risk factors are high or risk evaluation of multiple CT scans is needed for patients in terms of ALARA. Likewise, it can be concluded that artificial learning methods are powerful tools and can be used for different types of radiation-related risk assessments for quality assurance in diagnostic radiology.

Structure, Mössbauer, electrical, and γ-ray attenuation-properties of magnesium zinc ferrite synthesized co-precipitation method.

For technical and radioprotection causes, it has become essential to find new trends of smart materials which used as protection from ionizing radiation. To overcome the undesirable properties in lead aprons and provide the proper or better shielding properties against ionizing radiation, the tendency is now going to use ferrite as a shielding material. The co-precipitation method was utilized to prevent any foreign phases in the investigated MZN nano-ferrite. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier transmission infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) methods were used to analyze the manufactured sample. As proven by XRD and FTIR, the studied materials have their unique spinel phase with cubic structure Fd3m space group. The DC resistivity of Mg-Zn ferrite was carried out in the temperature range (77-295 K), and its dependence on temperature indicates that there are different charge transport mechanisms. The Mössbauer spectra analysis confirmed that the ferrimagnetic to superparamagnetic phase transition behaviour depends on Zn concentration. The incorporation of Zn to MZF enhanced the nano-ferrite density, whereas the addition of different Zn-oxides reduced the density for nano-ferrite samples. This variation in density changed the radiation shielding results. The sample containing high Zn (MZF-0.5) gives us better results in radiation shielding properties at low gamma, so this sample is superior in shielding results for charged particles at low energy. Finally, the possibility to use MZN nano-ferrite with various content in different ionizing radiation shielding fields can be concluded.