Rainfall characteristics during the annual rainy season are explored for the Mzingwane catchment of south-western Zimbabwe, for both historic period (1886–1906) and more recent times (1950–2015), ...based on available daily and monthly precipitation series. Annual and seasonal rainfall trends are determined using the modified Mann-Kendall test, magnitude of trends test and Sen’s slope estimator. Rainfall variability is quantified using the coefficient of variation (CV), precipitation concentration index (PCI) and standard precipitation index (SPI). Results suggest that contemporary mean annual rainfall may not have changed from that measured during the historic period of 1886–1906. However, the number of rainy days (≥ 1 mm) has decreased by 34%, thus suggesting much more concentrated and increased rainfall intensity. A notable shift in both the onset and cessation dates of the rainy season is recorded, particularly during the twenty-first century, which has resulted in a significantly reduced (
p
< 0.05) length of the rainy season. The combination of a reduced number of rainy days (≥ 1 mm) and a shortened rainy season suggests that long intra-season dry spells have become more common through time and have considerable negative consequences for agriculture and wetland ecosystem in the region. In addition, high spatio-temporal rainfall variability and seasonal PCI values indicate strong seasonality in the rainy season. Based on the SPI results, the El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) strongly influences rainfall variability. The results further suggest high uncertainty in rain season characteristics, which requires effective planning for water needs.
This work studies the preparation of M-PbS (M = Li, Na, or Cs) on porous CuO (P-CuO) as a photoelectrode for H
2
gas production under sewage water splitting. The preparation of P-CuO was carried out ...in our previous study (Abdelazeez et al in Appl Phys 128:1–10, 2022). The preparation of M-PbS is performed using the hydrothermal method, and then it is cast on P-CuO and dried at 70 °C for 30 min. The chemical structure of M-PbS materials was confirmed through XRD and XPS analyses. Moreover, the morphologies were confirmed using SEM and TEM analyses. These analyses confirmed the formation of quantum dot particles that sometimes agglomerate to form nanoparticles that look like flower shapes. The calculated bandgap values are 1.03, 1.05, 1.06, and 1.07 eV for Cs-PbS, Na-PbS, PbS, and Li-PbS, respectively. The application for the H
2
generation test is carried out using three-electrode cells with sewage water (pH 7.2) as an electrolyte without using any extra electrolytes. The effect of light on/off was studied, and the produced current density (
J
ph
) values were − 1.3 and − 3.42 mA cm
− 2
, respectively. The effect of temperature (25 to 40 °C) is demonstrated by testing the produced J
ph
, which increased with increasing temperature from 3.06 to 3.48 mA cm
− 2
, respectively. The calculated thermodynamic parameters were calculated in which the produced Ea, ΔH*, and ΔS* values were 6.55 KJ mol
− 1
, 4.02 kJ mol
− 1
, and 221 JK
− 1
mol
− 1
, respectively. Soon our team works on developing a prototype of an electrochemical cell that can convert the sewage water into H
2
gas fuel directly for applying inside houses for cooking and worming.
Purpose
Age and etiology play a crucial role in success of endoscopic third ventriculostomy (ETV) as a treatment of obstructive hydrocephalus. Outcome is worse in infants, and controversies still ...exist whether ETV is superior to shunt placement. We retrospectively analyzed 70 patients below 2 years from 4 different centers treated with ETV and assessed success.
Methods
Children < 2 years who received an ETV within 1994–2018 were included. Patients were classified according to age and etiology; < 3, 4–12, and 13–24 months, etiologically; aqueductal stenosis, post-hemorrhagic-hydrocephalus (PHH), tumor-related, fourth ventricle outflow obstruction, with Chiari-type II and following CSF infection. We investigated statistically the predictors for ETV success through computing Kaplan-Meier estimates using patient’s follow-up time and time to ETV failure.
Results
We collected 70 patients. ETV success rate was 41.4%. The highest rate was in tumor-related hydrocephalus and fourth ventricle outlet obstruction (62.5%, 60%) and the lowest rate was in Chiari-type II and following infection (16.7%, 0%). The below 3 months age group showed relatively lower success rate (33.3%) in comparison to older groups which showed similar results (46.4%, 46.6%). Statistically, a previous VP shunt was a predictor for failure (
p
value < 0.05).
Conclusion
Factors suggesting a high possibility of failure were age < 3 months and etiology such as Chiari-type II or following infection. Altered CSF dynamics in patients with PHH and under-developed arachnoid villi may play a role in ETV failure. We do not recommend ETV as first line in children < 3 months of age or in case of Chiari II or following infection.
To determine if human colonic neuromuscular functions decline with increasing age.
Looking for non-specific changes in neuromuscular function, a standard burst of electrical field stimulation (EFS) ...was used to evoke neuronally mediated (cholinergic/nitrergic) contractions/relaxations in
muscle strips of human ascending and descending colon, aged 35-91 years (macroscopically normal tissue; 239 patients undergoing cancer resection). Then, to understand mechanisms of change, numbers and phenotype of myenteric neurons (30 306 neurons stained with different markers), densities of intramuscular nerve fibres (51 patients in total) and pathways involved in functional changes were systematically investigated (by immunohistochemistry and use of pharmacological tools) in elderly (≥70 years) and adult (35-60 years) groups.
With increasing age, EFS was more likely to evoke muscle relaxation in ascending colon instead of contraction (linear regression: n=109, slope 0.49%±0.21%/year, 95% CI), generally uninfluenced by comorbidity or use of medications. Similar changes were absent in descending colon. In the elderly, overall numbers of myenteric and neuronal nitric oxide synthase-immunoreactive neurons and intramuscular nerve densities were unchanged in ascending and descending colon, compared with adults. In elderly ascending, not descending, colon numbers of cell bodies exhibiting choline acetyltransferase immunoreactivity increased compared with adults (5.0±0.6 vs 2.4±0.3 neurons/mm myenteric plexus, p=0.04). Cholinergically mediated contractions were smaller in elderly ascending colon compared with adults (2.1±0.4 and 4.1±1.1 g-tension/g-tissue during EFS; n=25/14; p=0.04); there were no changes in nitrergic function or in ability of the muscle to contract/relax. Similar changes were absent in descending colon.
In ascending not descending colon, ageing impairs cholinergic function.
We report results from a reanalysis of data from the Cryogenic Dark Matter Search (CDMS II) experiment at the Soudan Underground Laboratory. Data taken between October 2006 and September 2008 using ...eight germanium detectors are reanalyzed with a lowered, 2 keV recoil-energy threshold, to give increased sensitivity to interactions from weakly interacting massive particles (WIMPs) with masses below ∼10 GeV/c(2). This analysis provides stronger constraints than previous CDMS II results for WIMP masses below 9 GeV/c(2) and excludes parameter space associated with possible low-mass WIMP signals from the DAMA/LIBRA and CoGeNT experiments.
Display omitted
•New core-shell pigment based on Al foil waste was prepared.•Solvent-based system based on polyurethane.•Waterborne system based on acrylic emulsion.•Both systems were integrated with ...the prepared pigment.•The corrosion & mechanical properties of the systems and parent polymers were tested.
Pipelines are the most important part of oil and gas production and transportation processes. Protective coatings are tremendously important to maintain the pipelines body; it works like our human skin forming the physical and chemical barrier which is always ready and prepared to defend the body from prejudicial materials. Nowadays, the ongoing trend on protective coatings industry is heading to gradual substitution of the coatings containing hazardous materials by eco-friendly ones. The main stream in this context is to develop a new eco-friendly water-based coating for protection of steel pipelines from corrosion. This coating includes blends of acrylic emulsion (AC) with different dosages of polyurethane (PU) polymer (7 %, 15 % and 30 %) using traditional physical blend method. Moreover, the modified acrylic emulsion (AC-PU) was then enriched with novel mixed metal pigment of (CoO.ZnO.Al3O4) based on bauxite ore as natural source of alumina. The used polymers and the prepared pigment were subjected to comprehensive characterization methods to evaluate their chemical structure and morphology. After that, the anticorrosive performance of the formulated coatings containing the modified acrylic emulsions and prepared pigment was investigated in 3.5 % NaCl and 10 % HCl solutions. The results showed that, the coating formulated with acrylic emulsion mixed with 15 % polyurethane in presence of the prepared pigment offered higher corrosion protection compared to the other formulations and the parent polymers.
Colorectal cancer is the third leading cause of cancer deaths worldwide. Given the recent increasing trends in colorectal cancer incidence globally, up-to-date information on the colorectal cancer ...burden could guide screening, early detection, and treatment strategies, and help effectively allocate resources. We examined the temporal patterns of the global, regional, and national burden of colorectal cancer and its risk factors in 204 countries and territories across the past three decades.
Estimates of incidence, mortality, and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) for colorectal cancer were generated as a part of the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries and Risk Factors Study (GBD) 2019 by age, sex, and geographical location for the period 1990–2019. Mortality estimates were produced using the cause of death ensemble model. We also calculated DALYs attributable to risk factors that had evidence of causation with colorectal cancer.
Globally, between 1990 and 2019, colorectal cancer incident cases more than doubled, from 842 098 (95% uncertainty interval UI 810 408–868 574) to 2·17 million (2·00–2·34), and deaths increased from 518 126 (493 682–537 877) to 1·09 million (1·02–1·15). The global age-standardised incidence rate increased from 22·2 (95% UI 21·3–23·0) per 100 000 to 26·7 (24·6–28·9) per 100 000, whereas the age-standardised mortality rate decreased from 14·3 (13·5–14·9) per 100 000 to 13·7 (12·6–14·5) per 100 000 and the age-standardised DALY rate decreased from 308·5 (294·7–320·7) per 100 000 to 295·5 (275·2–313·0) per 100 000 from 1990 through 2019. Taiwan (province of China; 62·0 48·9–80·0 per 100 000), Monaco (60·7 48·5–73·6 per 100 000), and Andorra (56·6 42·8–71·9 per 100 000) had the highest age-standardised incidence rates, while Greenland (31·4 26·0–37·1 per 100 000), Brunei (30·3 26·6–34·1 per 100 000), and Hungary (28·6 23·6–34·0 per 100 000) had the highest age-standardised mortality rates. From 1990 through 2019, a substantial rise in incidence rates was observed in younger adults (age <50 years), particularly in high Socio-demographic Index (SDI) countries. Globally, a diet low in milk (15·6%), smoking (13·3%), a diet low in calcium (12·9%), and alcohol use (9·9%) were the main contributors to colorectal cancer DALYs in 2019.
The increase in incidence rates in people younger than 50 years requires vigilance from researchers, clinicians, and policy makers and a possible reconsideration of screening guidelines. The fast-rising burden in low SDI and middle SDI countries in Asia and Africa calls for colorectal cancer prevention approaches, greater awareness, and cost-effective screening and therapeutic options in these regions.
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
Herein, we demonstrate the sample and low coast hydrothermal synthesis of a nanocomposite of Bi
2
O
3
/MoSe
2
for hybrid photocatalyst. The structure of as-synthesized samples was characterized by ...using several techniques, including XRD spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, XPS, SEM, BET, and UV-visible absorption spectroscopy. The nitrogen adsorption-desorption measurements show that the samples have a mesoporous texture with slits like pores. The Bi
2
O
3
/MoSe
2
nanocomposite had BET surface areas of 36.439 m
2
/g, which were more than those of Bi
2
O
3
(18.342 m
2
/g) and MoSe
2
(12.923 m
2
/g). Under visible illumination, the photocatalytic activities of pure samples ( Bi
2
O
3
and MoSe
2
) and the hybrid Bi
2
O
3
/MoSe
2
sample for the disintegration of methylene blue were assessed. The results show that the Bi
2
O
3
/MoSe
2
sample showed the highest photocatalytic degradation efficiency (i.e. 96.5% after an exposure time of 80 min). The increased photocatalytic activity is due to the mixed sample's high crystallinity and surface area, as well as the small particle size.
Abstract
BACKGROUND
Intraoperative monitoring of brainstem auditory evoked potentials (BAEPs) has been implemented to reduce the risk of hearing impairment during microvascular decompression for ...hemifacial spasm.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate intraoperative monitoring of BAEPs during microvascular decompression in patients with hemifacial spasm for predicting the risk of hearing impairment after surgery.
METHODS
This prospective study included 100 patients. BAEPs were recorded for all patients. We established a scoring system for the changes in wave I amplitude, I-III interpeak latency, and wave V amplitude and latency. For each change, total points were calculated, and a score out of 6 was assigned to every patient. We classified the patients based on the points scored into 3 risk groups: low-risk (0-3), medium-risk (4-5), and high-risk (6). Further, the correlation between the score and the hearing outcome was evaluated to detect the incidence and degree of hearing impairment.
RESULTS
Eighty-seven patients scored 0 to 3, 10 scored 4 to 5, and 3 scored 6. The degree of hearing impairment was proportionate to the score recorded at the end of surgery, and patients in the low-risk group showed no impairment; medium-risk group, deterioration of maximum 2 grades according to World Health Organization classification of hearing impairment; and high-risk group, deterioration of 3 to 4 grades.
CONCLUSION
Intraoperative monitoring of BAEPs evaluated through our scoring system was valuable in predicting hearing impairment after surgery.
All-inorganic perovskite solar cells (IPSCs) have gained massive attention due to their less instability against common degradation factors (light, heat, and moisture) than their organic–inorganic ...hybrid counterparts. Inorganic perovskites bear a general formula of CsPbX3 (X = Cl, I, Br). The mixed halide CsPbIBr2 perovskite possesses an intermediate band gap of 2.03 eV with enhanced stability, which is still available for photovoltaic applications and the research focus of this work. We present a synergistic approach of pre-heated solution dropping with inorganic additive inclusion to deposit the organic-free triple anion CsPbIBr2 PSC. Erbium (Er)-passivated triple-anion CsI(PbBr2)0.97(ErCl3)0.03 IPSCs with inorganic carrier selective layers (CTLs), that is, organic-free, are fabricated with enhanced carrier diffusion length and crystalline grain size while lessening the grain boundaries near perovskite active layer (PAL)-bulk/carrier selective interfaces. As a result, the trap-state densities within the perovskite bulk were suppressed with stabilized CTL/PAL interfaces for smooth and enhanced carrier transportation. Therefore, for the first time, we contradict the common belief of V OC loss due to halide segregation, as a nice V OC of about 1.34 V is achieved for an organic-free IPSC through enriching initial radiative efficiency, even when halide segregation is present. The optimized organic-free IPSC yielded a power conversion efficiency of 11.61% and a stabilized power output of 10.72%, which provides the potential opportunity to integrate into agrivoltaics (AgV) projects.
PDF
