Using Inspiratory Muscle Training to Improve Respiratory Strength, Functional Capacity, Fatigue, and Stress in Breast Cancer Patients Undergoing Surgery.

Purpose: The main aim of the trial was to assess the effectiveness of inspiratory muscle training on respiratory muscle strength, functional capacity, fatigue, and stress in post-surgical breast cancer survivors. Methods: Forty-seven females who had undergone unilateral post-mastectomy were randomly assigned to an intervention group (IG; n = 24) and a control group (CG; n = 23). Both groups received aerobic exercise training. In addition, the intervention group received inspiratory muscle training 3 days a week for 8 weeks. Maximum inspiratory and expiratory pressure (Pimax) (Pemex), 6-minute walk test, Handgrip strength by hand-held dynamometer, Fatigue Assessment Scale (FAS), and Perceived Stress Scale pss 10 values were measured before the training and then at the eighth week for both groups. Results: No differences were detected between the groups in terms of sample and clinical characteristics 8 weeks post-intervention. In favor of the intervention group, a significant difference with medium to high effect size was found in terms of Pimax, Pemax, FAS, PS, and 6MWT (p < 0.05). However, there was no difference in terms of handgrip strength (p-value: 0.072), with a medium effect size (0.070). Regarding within-group comparisons, IG exhibited substantial differences in all outcome measures (p < 0.05) compared to CG, with the exception of PImax and 6MWT. Conclusion: In post-operative breast cancer survivors, respiratory muscle training combined with aerobic training increases respiratory muscle strength and functional ability while lowering stress and tiredness.

Effects of RBT-1 on preconditioning response biomarkers in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft or heart valve surgery: a multicentre, double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled phase 2 trial.

Background: RBT-1 is a combination drug of stannic protoporfin (SnPP) and iron sucrose (FeS) that elicits a preconditioning response through activation of antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and iron-scavenging pathways, as measured by heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), interleukin-10 (IL-10), and ferritin, respectively. Our primary aim was to determine whether RBT-1 administered before surgery would safely and effectively elicit a preconditioning response in patients undergoing cardiac surgery. Methods: This phase 2, double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled, parallel-group, adaptive trial, conducted in 19 centres across the USA, Canada, and Australia, enrolled patients scheduled to undergo non-emergent coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) and/or heart valve surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass. Patients were randomised (1:1:1) to receive either a single intravenous infusion of high-dose RBT-1 (90 mg SnPP/240 mg FeS), low-dose RBT-1 (45 mg SnPP/240 mg FeS), or placebo within 24-48 h before surgery. The primary outcome was a preoperative preconditioning response, measured by a composite of plasma HO-1, IL-10, and ferritin. Safety was assessed by adverse events and laboratory parameters. Prespecified adaptive criteria permitted early stopping and enrichment. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT04564833. Findings: Between Aug 4, 2021, and Nov 9, 2022, of 135 patients who were enrolled and randomly allocated to a study group (46 high-dose, 45 low-dose, 44 placebo), 132 (98%) were included in the primary analysis (46 high-dose, 42 low-dose, 44 placebo). At interim, the trial proceeded to full enrollment without enrichment. RBT-1 led to a greater preconditioning response than did placebo at high-dose (geometric least squares mean [GLSM] ratio, 3.58; 95% CI, 2.91-4.41; p < 0.0001) and low-dose (GLSM ratio, 2.62; 95% CI, 2.11-3.24; p < 0.0001). RBT-1 was generally well tolerated by patients. The primary drug-related adverse event was dose-dependent photosensitivity, observed in 12 (26%) of 46 patients treated with high-dose RBT-1 and in six (13%) of 45 patients treated with low-dose RBT-1 (safety population). Interpretation: RBT-1 demonstrated a statistically significant cytoprotective preconditioning response and a manageable safety profile. Further research is needed. A phase 3 trial is planned. Funding: Renibus Therapeutics, Inc.

Effects of the putative probiotics Bacillus licheniformis, Bacillus pumilus, and Bacillus subtilis on white leg shrimp, Litopenaeus vannamei, immune response, gut histology, water quality, and growth performance.

Background: A commercially significant species in the aquaculture sector globally, particularly in Egypt, is Litopenaeus vannamei. Aim: The experiment's objective was to ascertain how Sanolife PRO-F impacted the growth, water quality, immunological response, and intestinal morphometry of L. vannamei. Methods: In the current investigation, which lasted 12 weeks, Sanolife PRO-F was administered to shrimp post-larvae at diet doses of 0 (control), 1 (group one), 2 (group two), and 3 (group three) g/kg diet, respectively. Each experimental group had three repetitions. Results: In the current study, shrimp fed on probiotic-treated diets showed a considerable improvement in growth performance measures and survival rate, and the nonspecific immune response was also enhanced. Shrimp fed probiotic diets had longer and more intestinal villi overall. Shrimp fed on the G2 and G3 diets showed no appreciable differences in growth or intestinal morphology. With the G2 and G3 diet, the water had lower concentrations of nitrite and ammonia. Conclusion: The study's findings indicate that Sanolife PRO-F treatment at 2-3 g/kg feed promotes the growth of shrimp, immunological response, gut health and function, and water quality.

Efficient broadband fractal antenna for WiMAX and WLAN.

This article presents a new design of a compact fractal antenna that operates across various wireless communication applications with wideband functionality. With a peak gain of 6.8 dB and a radiation efficiency ranging from 91% to 94%, the designed antenna operates in the frequency range of 3.2-7.5 GHz. The antenna consists of a rectangular radiator with integrated rectangular slots on one side of an FR4 substrate, while a partial ground plane is etched on the other side. The fabricated prototype was tested and measured. The results present a good agreement with the simulated results. The results presented by this antenna demonstrate high competitiveness for wireless communication applications such as Wi-Fi and WLAN and presents a promising solution to meet the increasing demand for compact and high-performance wireless communication devices. Additionally, the antenna has a small size of only 34 × 30 × 1.6 mm3, making it suitable for applications where space is limited. Overall, this paper provides an innovative and efficient design that offers excellent performance and is suitable for various wireless communication applications.

Comparing Safety and Efficacy Outcomes of Gastric Bypass and Sleeve Gastrectomy in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Sleeve Gastrectomy (SG) could be done by the removal of a big portion of the stomach, leading to reduced amounts of food taken as a result of the smaller stomach size. In contrast, Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass (RYGB) can be done by creating a small stomach pouch and rerouting a part of the small intestine, employing combined mechanisms of restriction and malabsorption to limit food intake and modify nutrient absorption. Our aim is to identify the most effective and safest surgical intervention for individuals with both Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) and obesity, considering both short and long-term outcomes. We will assess participants undergoing either SG or RYGB to determine the optimal surgical approach. We made a thorough search of PubMed, Cochrane Library, Scopus, and Web of Science databases up to November 2023. Our focus was on randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing the safety and efficacy of RYGB and SG in T2DM regarding any extractable data. We excluded studies of other designs, such as cohorts, case reports, case series, reviews, in vitro studies, postmortem analyses, and conference abstracts. Utilizing Review Manager 5.4, we performed a meta-analysis, combining risk ratios (RR) with a 95% confidence interval (CI) conducted for binary outcomes, while mean with SD and 95% CI are pooled for the continuous ones. The total number of participants in our study is 4,148 patients. Our analysis indicates superior outcomes in the group undergoing RYGB surgery compared to the SG group (RR = 0.76, 95% (CI) (0.66 to 0.88), P = 0.0002). The pooled data exhibited homogeneity (P = 0.51, I2 = 0%) after employing the leave-one-out method. For the 1-3 year period, six studies involving 332 patients with T2DM yielded non-significant results (RR = 0.83, 95% CI (0.66 to 1.06), P = 0.14) with homogeneity (P = 0.24, I2 = 28%). Conversely, the 5-10 year period, with six studies comprising 728 DM patients, demonstrated significant results (RR = 0.69, 95% CI (0.56 to 0.85), P = 0.14) and homogeneity (P = 0.84, I2 = 0%). In terms of total body weight loss, our findings indicate significantly higher weight loss with RYGB (mean difference (MD) = -6.13, 95% CI (-8.65 to -3.6), P > 0.00001). However, pooled data exhibited considerable heterogeneity (P > 0.00001, I2 = 93%). Subgroup analyses for the 1-3 year period (five studies, 364 DM patients) and 5-10 year period (six studies, 985 DM patients) also revealed significant differences favoring RYGB, with heterogeneity observed in both periods (1-3 years: P > 0.00001, I2 = 95%; 5-10 years: P = 0.001, I2 = 75%). RYGB demonstrated significant long-term improvement in diabetes remission and superior total body weight loss compared to SG. While no notable differences were observed in other efficacy outcomes, safety parameters require further investigation. no significant distinctions were found in any of the safety outcomes: hypertension (HTN), high-density lipoprotein (HDL), hyperlipidemia, fasting blood glucose, vomiting, low-density lipoprotein (LDL), and total cholesterol. Further research is essential to comprehensively assess safety outcomes for both surgical approaches.

Framework for assessing bridges construction impact on work zone traffic using BrIM.

This research presents a framework for visualizing bridge construction impact on work zone traffic using Bridge Information Modelling (BrIM) and Google Maps API. The framework consists of four modules. The first module contains the construction data of the bridge by reporting the construction's daily progress. The second module is designated to model traffic data of the work zone using Google Maps API, traffic Survey counting, and Google Earth Images. The third module performs a traffic simulation for the work zone, and calculating the user cost of different stages. The fourth module visualizes the bridge's construction using Bridge Information Modelling (BrIM) and virtual reality in the Twinmotion engine to demonstrate the construction stages and the corresponding traffic states. An actual case study of El-Nahas Bridge in Cairo city-Egypt is presented to demonstrate the main features of the developed framework and its practical aspects. The case study results reveal that the impact of the construction stages varies on work zone traffic throughout the project period. The impact greatly influences the traffic status at the beginning of the project associated with high user costs. Then, the impact declines in later stages depending on the type of construction activities in each stage.

Modeling climate change adaptation for sustainable coastal zones using GIS and AHP.

The world is currently confronting one of its biggest environmental challenges: combating climate change. Coastal zones are one of the areas thought to be most sensitive to current and future climate change threats. The paper integrates Remote Sensing (RS), Geographic Information System (GIS) techniques, and Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) to detect vulnerable areas from climate change impacts in coastal zones in order to recommend adaptation systems in new coastal zones that can withstand various climatic changes. The proposed decision-making framework was developed in three phases: 1) climate data collection and processing; 2) Coastal Climate Impact Assessment (CCIA) model development; and 3) implementation and adaptation system selection. The climate data collection and processing phase involves determining the most significant climate change parameters and their indicators that affect coastal zone stability, extracting climatic data indicators from different climate database sources, and prioritizing the selected indicators. The indicators' weights were estimated using the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) through a questionnaire survey shared with experts in climate change impacts. A CCIA model development phase involves the formulation of the proposed model using GIS technique to discover the vulnerable areas according to the most dominant impact. The implementation and adaptation system selection phase involves the application of the framework to Al-Alamein New City in Egypt. A sensitivity analysis was conducted to measure the behavior of several climate change parameters to identify the most critical parameter for climate change in Al-Alamein New City. The results showed that the geology of the region is the most crucial component influenced by climate change. It is capable of producing a very sensitive area in the coastal zone while also taking other factors into account. When creating new urban neighborhoods, the erosion of the shoreline is the least important factor to consider. This is because coastal deterioration is caused by both the influence of metrological data on the region and the impact of human activity. Shoreline deterioration will be reduced if climate conditions are maintained while limiting the impact of human activities. To adapt to the long-term effects of climate change on coastal zones, a combination of soft and hard protection systems should be considered.

The use of lidocaine infusion in laparoscopic cholecystectomy: An updated systematic review and meta-analysis.

ABSTRACT: Being one of the most common abdominal surgical procedures, numerous techniques have been adapted to decrease post-operative pain post cholecystectomy. However, the efficacy of intravenous (IV) lidocaine in managing post operative pain after LC is still controversial, according to many recent studies. This study aims to detect the effectiveness of IV lidocaine compared to other medications in managing post-operative pain. PubMed, Scopes, Web of Science and Cochrane Library were searched for eligible studies from inception to June 2023, and a systematic review and meta-analysis was done. According to eligibility criteria, 14 studies (898 patients) were included in our study. The pooled results of the included studies showed that the pain score after 6, 12 and 24 h after the surgery was significantly lower in those who received IV lidocaine as a painkiller (Visual Analogue Scale [VAS] 6H, mean difference [MD] = -1.20, 95% confidence interval [CI] = -2.20, -0.20, P = 0.02; I2 = 98%, VAS 12H, MD = -0.90, 95% CI = -1.52, -0.29, P = 0.004; I2 = 96% and VAS 24H, MD = -0.86, 95% CI = -1.48, -0.24, P = 0.007; I2 = 92%). In addition, IV lidocaine is associated with a significant decrease in the opioid requirement after the surgery (opioid requirements, MD = -29.53, 95% CI = -55.41, -3.66, P = 0.03; I2 = 98%). However, there was no statistically significant difference in the incidence of nausea and vomiting after the surgery between the two groups (nausea and vomiting, relative risk = 0.91, 95% CI = 0.57, 1.45, P = 0.69; I2 = 50%). Lidocaine infusion in LC is associated with a significant decrease in post operative pain and in opioid requirements after the surgery.

Correction to "Coccoloba uvifera leaves: Polyphenolic profile, Cytotoxicity, and Antioxidant Evaluation".

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.3c04025.].

Chia seeds and coenzyme Q10 alleviate iron overload induced hepatorenal toxicity in mice via iron chelation and oxidative stress modulation.

Iron overload (IOL) can cause hepatorenal damage due to iron-mediated oxidative and mitochondrial damage. Remarkably, combining a natural iron chelator with an antioxidant can exert greater efficacy than monotherapy. Thus, the present study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of Chia and CoQ10 to chelate excess iron and prevent hepatorenal oxidative damage in IOL mice. Male Swiss albino mice (n = 49) were randomly assigned to seven groups: control, dietary Chia, CoQ10, IOL, IOL + Chia, IOL + CoQ10, and IOL + Chia + CoQ10. Computational chemistry indicates that the phytic acid found in the Chia seeds is stable, reactive, and able to bind to up to three iron ions (both Fe2+ and Fe3+). IOL induced a significant (P < 0.05) increase in serum iron, ferritin, transferrin, TIBC, TSI, RBCs, Hb, MCV, MCH, WBCs, AST, ALT, creatinine, and MDA. IOL causes a significant (P < 0.05) decrease in UIBC, platelets, and antioxidant molecules (GSH, SOD, CAT, and GR). Also, IOL elicits mitochondrial membrane change depolarization, and DNA fragmentation and suppresses mitochondrial DNA copies. Furthermore, substantial changes in hepatic and renal tissue, including hepatocellular necrosis and apoptosis, glomerular degeneration, glomerular basement membrane thickening, and tubular degeneration, were observed in the IOL group. Dietary Chia and CoQ10 induced significant (P < 0.05) amelioration in all the mentioned parameters. They can mostly repair the abnormal architecture of hepatic and renal tissues induced by IOL, as signified by normal sinusoids, normal central veins, and neither glomerular damage nor degenerated tubules. In conclusion, the combined treatment with Chia + CoQ10 exerts more pronounced efficacy than monotherapy in hepatorenal protection via chelating excess iron and improved cellular antioxidant status and hepatorenal mitochondrial function in IOL mice.

Coccoloba uvifera Leaves: Polyphenolic Profile, Cytotoxicity, and Antioxidant Evaluation.

This study aimed to investigate the chemical composition of Coccoloba uvifera leaves and evaluate the antioxidant and antitumor effects of the total extract and its major metabolites. Four assays were used to determine the antioxidant activity, including radical scavenging abilities of 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), 2,2'-azinobis-3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS), radical cation, and ferric-reducing power. Additionally, vincristine was used as a reference medication to examine the anticancer activity on Ehrlich aesthete carcinoma cells (EACC). Nine compounds were isolated from C. uvifera leaves aqueous methanol extract. Their structures were identified as gallic acid (1), methyl gallate (2), protocatechuic acid methyl ester (3), protocatechuic acid (4), quercetin 3-O-ß-d-glucopyranoside (isoquercitrin, 5), kaempferol 3-O-ß-D-neohespridoside (6), myricitrin 4″-O-gallate (7), myricetin 3-O-ß-d-glucopyranoside (8), and myricetin 3-O-arabinopyranoside (9). The majority possess noticeable antioxidant and antitumor properties. However, compounds 1, 5, 4, 2, and 7 displayed a strong antioxidant potential in terms of DPPH radical scavenging activity, with values of 85.72 ± 0.30, 82.16 ± 0.20, 81.34 ± 0.20, 79.62 ± 0.29, and 79.34 ± 0.20%, respectively. Compounds 4, 1, 5, 7, and 2 revealed high reducing power activity, with respective values of 1.348 ± 0.043, 1.303 ± 0.011, 1.154 ± 0.020, 1.058 ± 0.032, and 1.056 ± 0.019. Compounds 4 and 1 showed the highest ABTS radical scavenging capabilities (91.90 ± 0.24 and 91.83 ± 0.74%) and ferric-reducing power ability (1979 ± 14.53 and 1965 ± 26.86 µmol Trolox/100 g, respectively). Compound 4 has the highest level of cytotoxicity, resulting in 78.710.21% dead cells.

LC/HRESI-MS/MS screening, phytochemical characterization, and in vitro antioxidant and cytotoxic potential of Jatropha integerrima Jacq. extracts.

Avoiding the probable dangerous side effects of synthetic drugs, this study aims the identification of natural antioxidant and antitumor agents from J. integerrima leaf and floral extracts. A highly efficient and fast UPLC/ESI-qTOF-HRMS/MS screening has led to characterization of 30 flavonoids, i.e. 12 flavonols, 6 flavones, 3 dihydroflavonols, 4 anthocyanins (flower), 2 dihydroflavonols, and 3 isoflavones from both J. integerrima extracts. In addition, six major polyphenols were identified for the first time from leaf extract, and their structures were established as apigenin 7-O-ß-d-neohesperidoside (rhoifolin, 1), apigenin 8-C-ß-D-4C1-glucopyranoside (vitexin, 2), luteolin 6-C-ß-D-4C1-glucopyranoside (isoorientin, 3), 6,6″-di-C-ß-D-4C1-glucopyranosyl-methylene-biapigenin (Jatrophenol-I, 4), (E)-p-coumaric acid methyl ester (5), and (E)-ferulic acid methyl ester (6) with HRESI-MS and NMR analyses. The in vitro antioxidant activity of both extracts and major pure isolates was decided using DPPH, reducing power capability, FRAP, and ABTS radical scavenging assays, and their in vitro cytotoxicity was evaluated on Ehrlich ascites carcinoma cells (EACC), as well.The flower extract and compound 3 have shown the strongest antioxidant and cytotoxic effects. At low concentrations (25 µg/mL), they showed the highest DPPH radical scavenging ability (79.63 ± 0.42 and 76.20 ± 0.35%) regarding BHA (91.44 ± 0.29% at 100 µg/mL). In the parameter of absorbance, they exhibited higher reducing power ability (1.402 ± 0.025 and 1.178 ± 0.019%) than that of BHA (0.975 ± 0.013 at 100 µg/mL). Similarly, they proved superior FRAP (1427 ± 9.61 and 1377 ± 13.61 µmol Trolox/ 100 g) and highest ABTS activity (80.19 ± 0.55 and 68.38 ± 0.19%), which are higher activities compared to BHA (88.42 ± 0.24% at 100 µg/mL). Furthermore, all samples gave noticeable cytotoxicity at the same concentration (100 µg/mL), especially the flower extract and compound 3 which showed a relatively high effect on the viability of EACC (81.12 ± 0.24 and 77.21 ± 0.76 %, respectively) relative to vincristine reference drug (90.64 ± 0.39 %). Based on the findings, the extracts and isolates can be considered as potent antioxidant and cytotoxic natural agents, especially flower extract and isoorientin (3), which may supply novel insight into their likely application in pharmaceutical industries.

Optimizing Sanitation Network Upgrading Projects in Slum Areas.

Infrastructure upgrading projects are a key element in enhancing the livelihood of residents in slum areas. These projects face significant constructability challenges common to dense-urban construction coupled with the unique socioeconomic challenges of operating in slums. This research focuses on sanitation network upgrading projects in slum areas and proposes a novel methodology capable of (1) accounting for the unique constructability challenges for these projects, (2) accelerating the provision of sanitation services, and (3) optimizing construction decisions. The key contribution of this research to the body of knowledge is in developing a comprehensive construction planning framework capable of achieving these three objectives. The proposed framework focuses specifically on sewer lines upgrading within the larger sanitation networks upgrading projects. This framework consists of five main models that can guide planners in selecting the appropriate equipment sizes, trench system configuration, and optimal equipment routing, in addition to identifying all possible execution sequences along with the corresponding construction cost and duration of each sequence. Most notably, this framework proposes an approach to assess the serviceability of different construction plans measured by how fast sanitary services can be provided to slum dwellers. A multi-objective, genetic algorithms optimization model is developed to identify the optimal construction plans that accelerate the sanitary service provision to residents while minimizing construction costs. A real-world example is presented to demonstrate the model capabilities in optimizing construction plans.

Bromelain mitigates liver fibrosis via targeting hepatic stellate cells in vitro and in vivo.

Various therapeutic approaches are conducted for regression of liver fibrosis and prevent possible further carcinogenic transformation. This study was aimed to assess the prospective therapeutic potential of bromelain against thioacetamide (TAA)-induced liver fibrosis using in-vitro and in vivo approaches. In vitro study, HSC-T6 cell line was used to evaluate the effect of bromelain on HSC-T6 cell viability and apoptosis. In vivo, Rats were treated by TAA for 6 weeks for induction of hepatic fibrosis followed by post treatment by different doses of bromelain and silymarin for further 4 weeks to assess the regression of hepatic fibrosis. The in-vitro findings indicated that bromelain hindered the proliferation of HSCs in concentration dependent manner compared with the untreated cells. The in vivo study revealed that treatment of TAA fibrotic rats with different doses of bromelain and silymarin induced a significant restoration in liver function biomarkers, attenuation of oxidative stress, upregulation of total antioxidant capacity and thereby decline of fibrotic biomarkers and improving histopathological and immunohistochemical changes. In conclusion, This study indicates that bromelain can regress TAA induced hepatic fibrosis in rats via inhibiting HSCs activation, α-SMA expression and the ECM deposition in hepatic tissue in addition to its antioxidants pathway, these findings prove the promising therapeutic potential of bromelain as a novel therapeutic approach for chronic hepatic fibrotic diseases.

A framework for smart construction contracts using BIM and blockchain.

Poor payment practices are perceived as one of the biggest challenges facing the construction industry. Since payments are issued according to project contract terms, the project's cash flow is inherently affected by the contract and how parties fulfill their obligations. This research proposes a framework for payment automation in construction projects to achieve smart construction contracts. Payments are automatically issued upon satisfying contract conditions using blockchain. Cryptocurrency is proposed to be utilized in the framework to execute the contract terms with no need for a third party to process project payments. 5D BIM is used to model the geometry of buildings and visualize project progress together with payment status using Autodesk Revit, Navisworks, and Primavera P6. The developed framework has the potential to reduce the consequences of poor payments. An actual case study for a construction project in Cairo, Egypt is worked out to demonstrate the main features of the proposed framework. The results of the case study reveal that project cash flow is secured and payments are instantly issued. Moreover, electronic records of payments are kept on the blockchain.

Biological Investigation of 2-Thioxo-benzo[g]quinazolines against Adenovirus Type 7 and Bacteriophage Phi X174: An In Vitro Study.

Mortality and morbidity caused by viruses are a global health problems. Therefore, there is always a need to create novel therapeutic agents and refine existing ones to maximize their efficacy. Our lab has produced benzoquinazolines derivatives that have proven effective activity as antiviral compounds against herpes simplex (HSV 1 and 2), coxsackievirus B4 (CVB4), and hepatitis viruses (HAV and HCV). This in vitro study was aimed at investigating the effectiveness of benzoquinazoline derivatives 1-16 against adenovirus type 7 and bacteriophage phiX174 using a plaque assay. The cytotoxicity against adenovirus type 7 was also performed in vitro, using a MTT assay. Most of the compounds exhibited antiviral activity against bacteriophage phiX174. However, compounds 1, 3, 9, and 11 showed statistically significant reductions of 60-70% against bacteriophage phiX174. By contrast, compounds 3, 5, 7, 12, 13, and 15 were ineffective against adenovirus type 7, and compounds 6 and 16 had remarkable efficacy (50%). Using the MOE-Site Finder Module, a docking study was carried out in order to create a prediction regarding the orientation of the lead compounds (1, 9, and 11). This was performed in order to investigate the activity of the lead compounds 1, 9, and 11 against the bacteriophage phiX174 by locating the ligand-target protein binding interaction active sites.

Superior vena cava tear during transvenous lead extraction: Medical management in hemodynamically stable patients.

INTRODUCTION: Superior vena cava (SVC) tear is the most lethal complication during transvenous lead extraction (TLE) with a mortality rate as high as 50%. Treatment involves aggressive attempts to maintain cardiac output and immediate sternotomy to localize and repair the vascular tear. Occlusion balloons have been developed to provisionally occlude the lacerated SVC and to provide hemodynamic stability allowing time for surgery. In case of mediastinal hematoma without hemodynamic instability, the strategy remains unclear. METHODS AND RESULTS: We describe two cases of SVC tear during TLE. The first case was a 60-year-old man who presented with a right ventricular single-chamber defibrillator lead fracture and innominate vein stenosis. The RV lead was removed using a laser sheath causing a mediastinal hematoma with no active bleeding during surgical exploration few hours later. The second case was a 28-year-old man that presented with a right atrial (RA) lead fracture and RV lead insulation failure in a dual-chamber defibrillator (ICD). CONCLUSION: Both the RA and RV leads were removed with mechanical sheaths, and a mediastinal hematoma was medically managed.

Ultra-Wideband Compact Fractal Antenna for WiMAX, WLAN, C and X Band Applications.

In this paper, a compact dual-wideband fractal antenna is created for Bluetooth, WiMAX, WLAN, C, and X band applications. The proposed antenna consists of a circularly shaped resonator that contains square slots and a ground plane where a gap line is incorporated to increase the gain and bandwidth with a small volume of 40 × 34 × 1.6 mm3. The patch was supported by the FR4 dielectric, which had a permittivity of 4.4 and tan δ = 0.02. A 50 Ω microstrip line fed this antenna. The antenna was designed by the HFSS program, and after that, the simulated results were validated using the measured results. The measurement results confirm that the suggested antenna achieves dual-band frequencies ranging from 2.30 to 4.10 GHz, and from 6.10 GHz to 10.0 GHz, resonating at 2.8, 3.51, 6.53, and 9.37 GHz, respectively, for various applications including commercial, scholarly, and medical applications. Moreover, the antenna's ability to operate within the frequency range of 3.1-10.6 GHz is in accordance with the FCC guidelines for the use of UWB antennas in breast cancer detection. Over the operational bands, the gain varied between 2 and 9 dB, and an efficiency of 92% was attained. A good agreement between the simulation and the measured results was found.

Antiviral activity of some benzo[g]quinazolines against coxsackievirus B4: biological screening and docking study.

BACKGROUND: Serotype coxsackievirus B (CVB) infection has been linked to viral myocarditis, dilated cardiomyopathy, meningitis, and pancreatitis in children and young adults. As of yet, no antiviral drug has been authorized for the treatment of coxsackievirus infection. Therefore, there is perpetual demand for new therapeutic agents and the improvement of existing ones. Benzo[g]quinazolines, the subject of several well-known heterocyclic systems, have risen to prominence and played a significant role in the development of antiviral agents, particularly those for anti-coxsackievirus B4 infection. METHODS: This study investigated the cytotoxicity of the target benzo[g]quinazolines (1-16) in the BGM cells line as well as their anti-coxsackievirus B4 activity. Determination of CVB4 titers using a plaque assay. RESULTS: Most of the target benzoquinazolines exhibited antiviral activity, however, compounds 1-3 appeared to be the most effective (reduction percentages of 66.7, 70, and 83.3%, respectively). The binding mechanisms and interactions of the three most active 1-3 with the constitutive amino acids in the active site of the multi-target of coxsackievirus B4 (3Clpro and RdRp) targets were also investigated using molecular docking. CONCLUSION: The anti coxsackievirus B4 activity has resulted, and the top three active benzoquinazolines (1-3) have bonded to and interacted with the constitutive amino acids in the active region of the multi-target coxsackievirus B4 (RdRp and 3Clpro). Further research is required in the lab. to determine the exact benzoquinazolines mechanism of action.