The hypothesis of the present investigation underlined with determination of possible synergistic effects of serpentine mineral additive on Li
2
B
4
O
7
glasses. A group of Li
2
B
4
O
7
glasses with ...serpentine mineral additive were synthesized by melt-quenching technique. The elemental analysis of two different Li
2
B
4
O
7
glasses with different amount of serpentine additive is tested using energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX) technique. Next, the surface morphology of synthesized serpentine glasses was investigated with scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The optical features of synthesized serpentine glasses were determined along the wavelength ranged from 200 to 900 nm. Lastly, nuclear radiation shielding properties of Li
2
B
4
O
7
glasses with serpentine mineral additive were determined for gamma rays, neutrons and charged particles. MCNPX (version 2.6.0) general-purpose Monte Carlo code has been utilized for mass attenuation coefficients calculations. The results showed that the spectra are decreasing with wavelength with an observed peak centered at 450 nm. Moreover, it is observed that serpentine mineral additive improves the gamma protecting capacity of Li
2
B
4
O
7
glasses. It was also noticed that the addition of serpentine mineral also enhanced the neutron and charged particle absorption of the glasses.
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DOBA, EMUNI, FIS, FZAB, GEOZS, GIS, IJS, IMTLJ, IZUM, KILJ, KISLJ, MFDPS, NLZOH, NUK, OBVAL, OILJ, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, SBMB, SBNM, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK, VKSCE, ZAGLJ
•DG10, DG20, DG30 and DG40 with different compositions is tested using energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) technique.•The surface morphology of fabricated glasses was investigated with scanning electron ...microscopy (SEM).•Nuclear radiation shielding properties of dolomite glasses were determined.•The results showed that dolomite additive improves the gamma protecting capacity of lithium borate glasses.
The elemental analysis of dolomite CaMg(CO3) doped glasses encoded DG10, DG20, DG30 and DG40 with different compositions is tested using Energy Dispersive X-ray (EDX) technique. Next, the surface morphology of fabricated glasses was investigated with scanning electron microscopy (SEM). On the other hand, the optical properties of fabricated the Dolomite additive were evaluated along the wavelength ranged from 300 to 900 nm. At last, nuclear radiation shielding properties of dolomite glasses were determined for gamma-rays. It is observed from the optical absorption spectra that the surface becomes smooth with no agglomerations with Dolomite%30 and %40. In addition, the results showed that Dolomite additive improves the gamma protecting capacity of lithium borate glasses. As a result, it can be referred that a glass sample with the highest Dolomite additive encoded DG40 has better shielding efficiency in terms of radiation shielding.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
A TiO
/GO/CuFe
O
heterostructure photocatalyst is fabricated by a simple and low-cost ball-milling pathway for enhancing the photocatalytic degradation of chlorinated pesticides under UV light ...irradiation. Based on the advantages of graphene oxide, TiO
, and CuFe
O
, the nanocomposite exhibited visible light absorption, magnetic properties, and adsorption capacity. Integrated analyses using XRD, SEM, TEM, and UV-visible techniques demonstrated that the nanocomposite exhibited a well-defined crystalline phase, sizes of 10-15 nm, and evincing a visible light absorption feature with an optical bandgap energy of 2.4 eV. The photocatalytic degradations of 17 different chlorinated pesticides (persistent organic pollutants) were assayed using the prepared photocatalyst. The photocatalytic activity of the nanocomposite generated almost 96.5% photocatalytic removal efficiency of typical pesticide DDE from water under UV irradiation. The superior photocatalytic performance was exhibited by the TiO
/GO/CuFeO
catalyst owing to its high adsorption performance and separation efficiency of photo-generated carriers. The photocatalyst was examined in 5 cycles for treating uncolored pesticides with purposeful separation using an external magnetic field.
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IJS, KILJ, NUK, UL, UM, UPUK
ZnO/TiO2 core/shell heterojunction arrays were fabricated via the atomic layer deposition (ALD) of various ultrathin TiO2 layers on hydrothermally-synthesized hexagonal ZnO micro/nanorods. ...Current-voltage (I-V) characteristics of the photoanodes made using 10–75 cycles of TiO2 showed significant suppression in the dark current. Specifically, the sample made of 50 ALD cycles of TiO2 exhibited a 45% decrease in the dark current compared to the bare ZnO electrodes. Further increase in number of deposition cycles resulted in stability deterioration. The decay time constant measurements revealed electron lifetimes in the core/shell electrodes that are longer than those in pristine ZnO electrodes. Finally, Mott−Schottky analysis and the positron annihilation measurements confirmed the decrease in the donor density and surface defects for the core/shell electrodes. The results attained in this study represent a step towards a facile method to stabilize ZnO photoanodes from photodeterioration under the harsh operating conditions of water splitting.
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•The 50 ALD cycles of TiO2 exhibited a 45% decrease in the dark current.•Electron lifetimes in the core/shell electrodes are longer than those in pristine ZnO.•Mott−Schottky analysis revealed the increase in the donor density.•Positron annihilation analysis revealed the effect of surface defects.•The suppression in the dark current was due to the partial passivation of defects.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZRSKP
The majority of approaches proposed in the past few decades to solve life test problems have differed markedly from those used for closely related, yet broader, issues. Due to the complexity of data ...that are generated each day in many practical domains, as a result of the development of scales for rating the success or failure of reliability, a new domain of reliability has been created. This domain is referred to as life classes, where specific probability distributions are presented. In this study, it is shown that the use of the quality-of-fit technique to solve problems involving life testing makes sense, and produces simpler processes that are roughly equivalent or superior to those used in traditional procedures. They may also behave better in limited samples. This work investigates a novel quality-of-fit test statistic; it is based on an exponential transform and is compared to the best renewal used Laplace test in increasing convex ordering (NBRULC). Evidence for approach normality is provided. The calculated variables include powers, Pitman asymptotic effectiveness, and critical points. Methods on how to handle censored data were also studied. Our experiments have real-world applications in the fields of medicine and engineering.
Nanocrystalline lithium ferrite LiFe5O8 powders were synthesized by the sol gel auto-combustion method from the corresponding metal nitrates using urea as a fuel. DTA results showed that the LiFe5O8 ...phase started to form at temperature around 385°C. X-ray diffraction analysis indicates that all compositions were formed in a single-phase cubic spinel structure at different annealing temperatures from 400 to 800°C for 2h. The lattice parameter was found to decrease whereas the particle size was increased with annealing temperature. The frequency exponent “s” of lithium ferrite lies in the range 0.5≤s≤1, which confirmed the electron hopping between Fe2+ and Fe3+ ions. The electron mobility in LiFe5O8 samples ranged from 0.05 to 0.29eV, which clearly indicated that the present lithium ferrites have semiconductor-like behavior. The saturation magnetization was increased on increasing the annealing temperature up to 800°C. High saturation magnetization (Ms=51.9emu/g) was achieved for the ferrite powders produced at annealing temperature 800°C for 2h.
•LiFe5O8 phase was prepared at low temperature 400°C.•Microstructure was temperature dependent.•Electron mobility ranged from 0.05 to 0.29eV.•Frequency exponent “s” lies in the range 0.5≤s≤1•Good magnetization was achieved.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common primary liver malignancy in Egypt. Genetic and environmental factors play a role in its development. This study explored the association between the ...long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) MEG3 rs7158663 polymorphism, MEG3 expression, and the risk of HCC and other clinicopathologic characteristics in an Egyptian population.
This case-control study included 114 patients with HCC and 110 healthy controls. TaqMan Real-time PCR was used to analyze lncRNA MEG3 rs7158663. Serum MEG3 expression levels were measured using RT-PCR.
The AA, GA+AA, and A alleles were associated with increased risk for HCC (adjusted odds ratio (OR) 11.84%, 95% CI 4.07-34.45, p < 0.0001; adjusted OR 3.18, 95% CI 1.79-5.67, p < 0.0001; and adjusted OR 2.87, 95% CI 1.91-4.34, p < 0.0001, respectively). The mutant genotype and allele were linked to an increased risk in male patients and patients ≥ 50 years old. MEG3 serum expression level was downregulated in HCC patients. The rs7158663 G > A polymorphism and downregulated MEG3 were significantly associated with larger tumor size and advanced disease stage.
MEG3 rs7158663 single nucleotide polymorphisms and downregulated lncRNA MEG3 were associated with HCC risk and may represent diagnostic and bad prognostic factors for HCC patients.
Most patients admitted to intensive care units (ICUs) with severe Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pneumonia receive antibacterial antibiotics with little evidence of bacterial infections.
This ...study was designed to review the profiles of patients with severe COVID-19 pneumonia requiring intensive care, the rate of bacterial coinfection, the antibiotics used, and their relation to patient outcomes (death or recovery).
This was a retrospective study that reviewed the medical records of all patients with confirmed COVID-19 (n = 120) severe pneumonia admitted directly from the emergency room to the intensive care unit, at a public hospital during the period from May 2020 to April 2021. The data collected included patients' demographic and laboratory data, comorbidities, antibiotic treatment, and their outcome. Descriptive statistics, bivariate inferential analysis tests (chi-square and unpaired T-Tests) and multivariable binary logistic regression were performed.
The mean age of the patients was 56.8 ± 16.5 years old, and among them, 74 (62.7%) were males. Of the included patients, 92 (77.0%) had comorbidities, 76 (63.3%) required mechanical ventilation and 30 (25%) died. All patients received empirical antibiotics for suspected bacterial coinfection. The most common antibiotics used were azithromycin (n = 97, 8%) and imipenem (n = 83, 9%). Ninety patients (75%) were on two empirical antibiotics. Early positive cultures for pathogens were found only in four patients (3.3%), whereas 36 (30%) patients had positive cultures 5-10 days after admission. The most frequently isolated pathogens were
(n = 16) and coagulase-negative Staphylococci (n = 14). In bivariate analysis empirical treatment with azithromycin resulted in a significantly lower mortality rate (p = 0.023), meanwhile mechanical ventilation, days of stay in intensive care unit, morbidities (e.g., lung disease), linezolid and, vancomycin use associated with mortality (p< 0.05). The adjusted logistic regression, controlling for age and gender, revealed that azithromycin antibiotic was more likely protective from mortality (OR= 0.22, 95%CI 0.06-0.85, p=0.028. However, patients with lung diseases and under mechanical ventilation were 35.21 and 19.57 more likely to die (95%CI =2.84-436.70, p=0.006; 95%CI=2.66-143.85, p=0.003, respectively).
Bacterial coinfection with severe COVID-19 pneumonia requiring intensive care was unlikely. The benefit of Azithromycin over other antibiotics could be attributed to its anti-inflammatory properties rather than its antibacterial effect.
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This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of hormonal treatments on ovarian activity and reproductive performance in Barki and Rahmani ewes during non‐breeding season. Forty‐eight ...multiparous ewes, 24 Barki and 24 Rahmani ewes were divided into two groups, 12 lactating and 12 dry ewes for each breed. Controlled internal drug release (CIDR) device was inserted in all ewes for 14 days in conjunction with intramuscular 500 IU equine chronic gonadotrophin (eCG) at day of CIDR removal. Data were analysed using PROC MIXED of SAS for repeated measures. Breed, physiological status and days were used as fixed effects and individual ewes as random effects. Barki ewes recorded higher (p < .05) total number of follicles, number of large follicles, serum estradiol concentration and estradiol: progesterone (E2:P4) ratio compared to Rahmani ewes. Lactating ewes recorded higher (p < .05) number of small follicles and lower concentration of total antioxidant capacity (TAC) compared to dry ewes. Number and diameter of large follicles recorded the highest (p < .05) values accompanied with disappearance of corpora lutea at day of mating. Serum progesterone concentration recorded lower (p < .05) value at day of mating and the highest (p < .05) value at day 35 after mating. CIDR‐eCG protocol induced 100% oestrous behaviour in both breeds, but Rahmani ewes recorded longer (p < .05) oestrous duration compared to Barki. Conception failure was higher (p < .05) in Barki compared to Rahmani ewes. In conclusion, CIDR‐eCG protocol was more potent in improving ovarian activity in Barki compared to Rahmani ewes, but this protocol seems to induce hormonal imbalance in Barki ewes that resulted in increasing conception failure compared to Rahmani ewes.
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BFBNIB, FZAB, GIS, IJS, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, SBCE, SBMB, UL, UM, UPUK
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