Background We sought to determine the efficacy and safety of perioperative treatment with methylprednisolone on the development of lung injury after pulmonary thromboendarterectomy. Methods This was ...a randomized, prospective, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of 98 adult patients with chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension who were undergoing pulmonary thromboendarterectomy at a single institution. The patients received either placebo (n = 47) or methylprednisolone (n = 51) (30 mg/kg in the cardiopulmonary bypass prime, 500 mg IV bolus following the final circulatory arrest, and 250 mg IV bolus 36 h after surgery). The primary end point was the presence of lung injury as determined by two independent, blinded physicians using prospectively defined criteria. The secondary end points included ventilator-free, ICU-free, and hospital-free days and selected levels of cytokines in the blood and in BAL fluid. Results The incidence of lung injury was similar in both treatment groups (45% placebo, 41% steroid; P = .72). There were no statistical differences in the secondary clinical end points between treatment groups. Treatment with methylprednisolone, compared with placebo, was associated with a statistically significant reduction in plasma IL-6 and IL-8, a significant increase in plasma IL-10, and a significant reduction in postoperative IL-1ra and IL-6, but not IL-8 in BAL fluid obtained 1 day after surgery. Conclusions Perioperative methylprednisolone does not reduce the incidence of lung injury following pulmonary thromboendarterectomy surgery despite having an antiinflammatory effect on plasma and lavage cytokine levels.
This review discusses the discovery, epidemiology, pathophysiology, genetic etiology, molecular diagnosis, and medication-based management of fragile X syndrome (FXS). It also highlights the ...syndrome's variable expressivity and common comorbid and overlapping conditions. FXS is an X-linked dominant disorder associated with a wide spectrum of clinical features, including but not limited to intellectual disability, autism spectrum disorder, language deficits, macroorchidism, seizures, and anxiety. Its prevalence in the general population is approximately 1 in 5000-7000 men and 1 in 4000-6000 women worldwide. FXS is associated with the fragile X messenger ribonucleoprotein 1 (FMR1) gene located at locus Xq27.3 and encodes the fragile X messenger ribonucleoprotein (FMRP). Most individuals with FXS have an FMR1 allele with > 200 CGG repeats (full mutation) and hypermethylation of the CpG island proximal to the repeats, which silences the gene's promoter. Some individuals have mosaicism in the size of the CGG repeats or in hypermethylation of the CpG island, both produce some FMRP and give rise to milder cognitive and behavioral deficits than in non-mosaic individuals with FXS. As in several monogenic disorders, modifier genes influence the penetrance of FMR1 mutations and FXS's variable expressivity by regulating the pathophysiological mechanisms related to the syndrome's behavioral features. Although there is no cure for FXS, prenatal molecular diagnostic testing is recommended to facilitate early diagnosis. Pharmacologic agents can reduce some behavioral features of FXS, and researchers are investigating whether gene editing can be used to demethylate the FMR1 promoter region to improve patient outcomes. Moreover, clustered regularly interspaced palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/Cas9 and developed nuclease defective Cas9 (dCas9) strategies have promised options of genome editing in gain-of-function mutations to rewrite new genetic information into a specified DNA site, are also being studied.
The sewage purification sector has not yet begun to grow. Indeed, low cost materials with stable and effective photocatalytic activity remain a goal for researchers. In this work, a novel CdS/
α
-Fe
...2
O
3
(CSH) core–shell structure has been created using a straightforward solid-state reaction. The mixture of
α
-Fe
2
O
3
weight content was adjusted, and samples were described and tested for photocatalytic activity. The average crystallite sizes for all samples were found in the range of 54–60 nm. The Fourier transform infra-red spectroscopy analysis showed the small peaks near 616 cm
−1
and 679 cm
−1
are assigned to Cd-S bond vibrations. Maximum photocatalytic activity was observed for CSH3 (20%
α
-Fe
2
O
3
in the mixture) demonstrating the synergy between the two semiconductors for this activity. With this kind of construction, it is possible to use free solar energy, and it can be recycled with minimal mass loss using a straightforward magnetic bar.
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EMUNI, FIS, FZAB, GEOZS, GIS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, MFDPS, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, SBMB, SBNM, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK, VKSCE, ZAGLJ
This work suggests a new analytical technique called the fractional homotopy perturbation method (FHPM) for solving fractional differential equations of any fractional order. This method is based on ...He’s homotopy perturbation method and the modified Riemann–Liouville derivative. The fractional differential equations are described in Jumarie’s sense. The results from introducing a modified Riemann–Liouville derivative in the cases studied show the high accuracy, simplicity and efficiency of the approach.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
TiO
2
/SiO
2
(Ti–O–Si) nanocomposite were prepared by a simple solid-phase reaction under natural atmosphere at 500 °C after the incorporation of silica (SiO
2
) nanoparticles, in TiO
2
with varying ...the percentage weight of silica in the mixture (20, 30 and 50%). X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were used to characterize the phase purity, particle size and morphology. UV–vis absorption spectroscopy and optical density measurements (DO) allowed us to investigate the optical properties of our samples and to determine some crucial parameters such as the band gap energy E
g
and the optical density DO. By the same, the band gap energy E
g
achieves higher values as well as the optical density decreases for all the used wavelengths. These observations results from the formation of the Ti–O–Si bond and the presence of amorphous silica around anatase, which would impede the growth of TiO
2
particles. The internal microstructure thus obtained will perform the stability of our composite allowing an enhancement of optical, electrical and catalytic features of TiO
2
.
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EMUNI, FIS, FZAB, GEOZS, GIS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, MFDPS, NLZOH, NUK, OBVAL, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, SBMB, SBNM, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK, VKSCE, ZAGLJ
This paper proposes and implements a super-twisting sliding mode direct power control (SSM-DPC) strategy for a brushless doubly fed induction generator (BDFIG). DPC has fast and robust response under ...transient conditions; however, it suffers from active and reactive power ripples and current distortions, which degrades the quality of the output power. In contrast, vector control has good steady-state current harmonic spectra; however, it is not robust to machine parameters variations, and thus needs a phase-locked loop for synchronous coordinate transformations. The SSM-DPC strategy controls active and reactive power directly without the need of the phase-locked loop. Moreover, its transient performance is similar to DPC and its steady-state performance is the same as vector control. The proposed controller is robust to uncertainties toward parameter variations and achieves constant converter switching frequency by using space vector modulation. Simulation and experimental results of a 2 MW and 3 kW laboratory-scale BDFIG are provided and compared with those of integral sliding mode and DPC to validate the effectiveness, correctness, and the robustness of the proposed strategy.
Switching- on a power transformer creates energizing inrush current (EIC) which in turn leads to sympathetic inrush current (SIC) in adjacent in-service transformers (ITs). Sympathetic inrush current ...changes the waveform and prolongs the duration of its origin EIC. This makes the analysis and estimation of EIC complicated. Occasionally, the stress of EIC can cause internal short circuit in energizing transformer. Detecting short-circuit fault current during EIC is a challenge for transformer differential protection. On the other hand, SIC may mislead the earth-fault protection of in-service-transformer. This paper, first, proposes a new dc equivalent-circuit based on the dc-component of inrush current, which is efficient in analyzing concurrent EIC and SIC. Next, based on this equivalent circuit, new predictive formulas for EIC and SIC are derived. By employing these formulas, the transformer internal fault during inrush current can be detected based on the comparison between the predicted and measured waveforms, which prevents differential protection from fail-to-trip. Also, the predicted SIC waveform can be compared with the measured waveform to prevent IT earth-fault protection from mal-trip, during inrush current. Finally, the proposed equivalent circuit and formulas are verified using the EMTP simulation results of a real grid, under different system conditions.
The magnetic properties, phase diagrams, and hysteresis behavior of a spin-3/2 Blume–Capel multilayer system are studied using the Monte Carlo Simulation. First, we have established the ground-state ...phase diagrams for
T
= 0 K. Then, we have plotted the thermal variations of the two sublattices and total magnetizations, as well as the corresponding phase diagrams in order to investigate the effects of some Hamiltonian parameters, namely the exchange interactions, the crystal field, and the number of layers. Finally, we have analyzed the hysteresis behavior where there is the formation of one or three loops. This study shows the appearance of a certain number of features, especially the existence of second- and first-order phase transition border lines and critical isolated end points.
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EMUNI, FIS, FZAB, GEOZS, GIS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, MFDPS, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, SBMB, SBNM, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK, VKSCE, ZAGLJ
In this paper, simultaneous position/force control of a closed-chain planar manipulator with the last link flexible is studied when the manipulator is in contact with an environment. The proposed ...manipulator consists of a flexible link connected to three rigid linkages whichare optimized for kinematic and force manipulability in the region of interest. The flexible link is modeled as a series of rigid links connected by virtual torsion springs. A hybrid position/force control algorithm is developed and implemented on the manipulator. Experimental results are presented to verify the performance of the controller.
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