Dietary supplementation with copper nanoparticles enhances broiler performance by improving growth, immunity, digestive enzymes, and gut microbiota.

The aim of this work is to measure the influence of copper nanoparticles (CuNPs) on growth performance, carcass traits, renal and hepatic indices, immunity, lipid profile, antioxidant status, blood minerals, digestive enzymes, and cecal microbiota in broilers. 300 unsexed one-week-old Arbor Acre broiler chicks in total were randomly assigned into 5 treatment groups of 60 chicks per eachwhich were divided into 5 replicates of 12 chicks. The 1st group (G1) was given basal diet (only); the 2nd group (G2), the 3rd group (G3), the 4th group (G4) and the 5th group (G5) were given basal diet treated with CuNPs at a rate of 5, 10, 15, and 20 mg/kg diet, respectively. The result revealed a significant improvement (P < 0.01) in performance paramters where the best values of body weight, weight gain, and feed conversion ratio were achieved at 15 mg/kg diet (CuNPs). Moreover, CuNPs supplementation significantly (P < 0.05) improved carcass traits specially carcass, dressing, giblets, and liver percentage, particularly at 15 mg/kg diet which revealed the best results. Furthermore, CuNPs supplementation at all tested levels increased the immune organ's weight (spleen and thymus). Plasma total protein and globulin were increased with CuNPs supplementation at levels 10 to 20 mg/kg diet. CuNPs supplementation (10-20 mg/kg diet) significantly improved liver and renal function by lowering the levels of AST, creatinine and uric acid. Moreover, CuNPs supplementation significantly (P < 0.05) improved lipid profile indicated by decreased the levels of cholesterol, triglyceride, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, very low-density lipoprotein cholesterol as well as malondialdehyde (MDA). CuNP supplementation significantly improved broiler immunity indicated by increased IgA, IgM, complement (C3) and lysozyme, where CuNPs at 15 and 20 mg/kg diet revealed the best results. CuNPs supplementation increased reduced glutathione (GSH), total antioxidant capacity (TAC), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) as well as increased blood minerals (Cu, Fe, P, and Ca). Also, the digestive enzymes of broiler chicks treated with CuNPs significantly increased (P < 0.05), such as lipase, protease, and amylase enzymes. The findings revealed a significant elevation in total bacterial count (TBC) and lactic acid bacteria and significantly decreased total yeast and mold count (TYMC), E. coli, Salmonella and Coliform. In conclusion, CuNPs supplementation significantly improves performance, carcass yield, renal and hepatic indices, lipid profile, immunity, antioxidants, blood minerals, digestive enzymes, and cecal microbiota of broiler chicks.

Effect of parsley (Petroselinum crispum) oil as feed additive on broiler performance, carcass, liver and kidney functions, antioxidant, lipid profile, and immunity.

The current study evaluated the effects of parsley essential oil on broiler growth performance, carcass features, liver and kidney functions, immunity and antioxidant activity, and lipid profile. A total of 160 unsexed 7-day broiler chicks (Cobb500) were distributed into five groups; each group contained five replicates with eight birds each. The treatments were (1) basal diet (no additive, T1), (2) basal diet + 0.5 mL parsley essential oil/kg (T2), (3) basal diet + 1 mL parsley essential oil/kg (T3), (4) basal diet + 1.5 mL parsley essential oil/kg (T4), and (5) basal diet + 2 mL parsley essential oil/kg (T5). According to GC-MS analysis, parsley oil contains D-limonene, hexadecanoic acid, α-cyclocitral, globulol, α-pinene, myristicin, cryophyllene, bergapten, α-chamigrene, etc. The current results indicated that the most abundant molecules in parsley oil were D-limonene (18.82%), oleic acid (14.52%), α-cyclocitral (11.75%), globulol (11.24%), α-guaiene (7.34%), apiol (5.45%), and hexadecanoic acid (4.69%). Adding parsley essential oil to the broiler diet quadratically increased body weight (BW) during 1-3 weeks of age. The T5 group recorded the highest value (869.37 g) of BW in comparison to other treatments and the control group. The cholesterol, triglyceride, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, and total immunoglobulin, including immunoglobulin G (IgG) and immunoglobulin M (IgM) levels in the birds fed parsley essential oil were not affected. The T3 group recorded the highest value (159 ng/mL) of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and the lowest value (2.01 ng/mL) of malondialdehyde (MDA) when compared to the control and other treatment. In conclusion, we recommend using parsley oil at levels of 1 mL/kg diet of broiler chicks.

Effects of immersing Japanese quail eggs in various doses of riboflavin on reproductive, growth performance traits, blood indices and economics.

This investigation aimed to evaluate the impact of immersion (IM) riboflavin treatment on the hatchability, production efficiency, and carcass characteristics of Japanese quail eggs. A total of 260 eggs of Japanese quail birds were used for hatching and were randomly divided into 4 treatments with 5 replicates (13 eggs/replicate) in a fully randomized design. Hatching eggs were immersed in riboflavin for 2 min before incubation. The experiment treatments were designed as follows: G1 control group with no treatment, G2 treated with 3 g/L vit. B2 (IM), G3 treated with 4 g/L vit. B2 (IM) and G4 were treated with 5 g/L vit. B2 (IM). After hatching, 128 Japanese quail chicks, aged 7 d, were randomly grouped into 4 treatment groups, with 32 birds in each group. When quails were given vitamin B2 via immersion, they demonstrated significant enhancements in live body weight, body weight gain, feed consumption, and feed conversion ratio at different stages compared to the control group. Compared to control and other groups, the carcass parameters of Japanese quails given a 4 g/L immersion solution showed a significant improvement (P < 0.05). Hatchability and fertility (%) were considerably raised by Vit.B2 treatments of 3, 4, and 5g; the group immersed in 5 g/L had the highest percentages compared to the other groups. Furthermore, treated chickens with all concentrations of vitamin B2 had significantly higher blood indices than the controls. During the exploratory phase (1-6 wk) of age, the highest returns were reported in G4 treated with 5g/L vit. B2 (IM). Treating Japanese quail eggs with different dosages of vitamin B2 by immersion may be recommended to improve their productive and reproductive performance, blood indices, carcass traits, and economic efficiency.

Integration of measurable residual disease by WT1 gene expression and flow cytometry identifies pediatric patients with high risk of relapse in acute myeloid leukemia.

Background: Molecular testing plays a pivotal role in monitoring measurable residual disease (MRD) in acute myeloid leukemia (AML), aiding in the refinement of risk stratification and treatment guidance. Wilms tumor gene 1 (WT1) is frequently upregulated in pediatric AML and serves as a potential molecular marker for MRD. This study aimed to evaluate WT1 predictive value as an MRD marker and its impact on disease prognosis. Methods: Quantification of WT1 expression levels was analyzed using the standardized European Leukemia Network real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction assay (qRT-PCR) among a cohort of 146 pediatric AML patients. Post-induction I and intensification I, MRD response by WT1 was assessed. Patients achieving a ≥2 log reduction in WT1MRD were categorized as good responders, while those failing to reach this threshold were classified as poor responders. Results: At diagnosis, WT1 overexpression was observed in 112 out of 146 (76.7%) patients. Significantly high levels were found in patients with M4- FAB subtype (p=0.018) and core binding fusion transcript (CBF) (RUNX1::RUNX1T1, p=0.018, CBFB::MYH11, p=0.016). Following induction treatment, good responders exhibited a reduced risk of relapse (2-year cumulative incidence of relapse [CIR] 7.9% vs 33.2%, p=0.008). Conversely, poor responders' post-intensification I showed significantly lower overall survival (OS) (51% vs 93.2%, p<0.001), event-free survival (EFS) (33.3% vs 82.6%, p<0.001), and higher CIR (66.6% vs 10.6%, p<0.001) at 24 months compared to good responders. Even after adjusting for potential confounders, it remained an independent adverse prognostic factor for OS (p=0.04) and EFS (p=0.008). High concordance rates between WT1-based MRD response and molecular MRD were observed in CBF patients. Furthermore, failure to achieve either a 3-log reduction by RT-PCR or a 2-log reduction by WT1 indicated a high risk of relapse. Combining MFC-based and WT1-based MRD results among the intermediate-risk group identified patients with unfavorable prognosis (positive predictive value [PPV] 100%, negative predictive value [NPV] 85%, and accuracy 87.5%). Conclusion: WT1MRD response post-intensification I serves as an independent prognostic factor for survival in pediatric AML. Integration of WT1 and MFC-based MRD results enhances the reliability of MRD-based prognostic stratification, particularly in patients lacking specific leukemic markers, thereby influencing treatment strategies.

Diagnostic effectiveness of deep learning-based MRI in predicting multiple sclerosis: A meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVES: The brain and spinal cord, constituting the central nervous system (CNS), could be impacted by an inflammatory disease known as multiple sclerosis (MS). The convolutional neural networks (CNN), a machine learning method, can detect lesions early by learning patterns on brain magnetic resonance image (MRI). We performed this study to investigate the diagnostic performance of CNN based MRI in the identification, classification, and segmentation of MS lesions. METHODS: PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, the Cochrane Library, CINAHL, and Google Scholar were used to retrieve papers reporting the use of CNN based MRI in MS diagnosis. The accuracy, the specificity, the sensitivity, and the Dice Similarity Coefficient (DSC) were evaluated in this study. RESULTS: In total, 2174 studies were identified and only 15 articles met the inclusion criteria. The 2D-3D CNN presented a high accuracy (98.81, 95% CI: 98.50-99.13), sensitivity (98.76, 95% CI: 98.42-99.10), and specificity (98.67, 95% CI: 98.22-99.12) in the identification of MS lesions. Regarding classification, the overall accuracy rate was significantly high (91.38, 95% CI: 83.23-99.54). A DSC rate of 63.78 (95% CI: 58.29-69.27) showed that 2D-3D CNN-based MRI performed highly in the segmentation of MS lesions. Sensitivity analysis showed that the results are consistent, indicating that this study is robust. CONCLUSION: This metanalysis revealed that 2D-3D CNN based MRI is an automated system that has high diagnostic performance and can promptly and effectively predict the disease.

Culturing Cardiac Tissue Slices Under Continuous Physiological Mechanical Stretches.

Testing drugs in vivo and in vitro have been essential elements for the discovery of new therapeutics. Due to the recent advances in in vitro cell culture models, such as human-induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes and 3D multicell type organoid culture methods, the detection of adverse cardiac events prior to human clinical trials has improved. However, there are still numerous therapeutics whose adverse cardiac effects are not detected until human trials due to the inability of these cell cultures to fully model the complex multicellular organization of an intact human myocardium. Cardiac tissue slices are a possible alternative solution. Myocardial slices are a 300-micron thin snapshot of the myocardium, capturing a section of the adult heart in a 1 × 1 cm section. Using a culture method that incorporates essential nutrients and electrical stimulation, tissue slices can be maintained in culture for 6 days with full viability and functionality. With the addition of mechanical stimulation and humoral cues, tissue slices can be cultured for 12 days. Here we provide detailed methods for how to culture cardiac tissue slices under continuous mechanical stimulation in the cardiac tissue culture model (CTCM) device. The CTCM incorporates four essential factors for maintaining tissue slices in culture for 12 days: mechanical stimulation, electrical stimulation, nutrients, and humoral cues. The CTCM can also be used to model disease conditions, such as overstretch-induced cardiac hypertrophy. The versatility of the CTCM illustrates its potential to be a medium-throughput screening platform for personalized drug testing.

The incorporation of sumac seed powder (Rhus coriaria L.) into the diet of quail breeders as a novel feed additive.

A total of 150 adult quails, aged 8 wk, were divided into 5 groups to study the effect of sumac seed powder on reproductive and productive parameters, egg quality, digestive enzymes, and quail breeders' blood profiles. Dietary supplements containing sumac powder were formulated as follows: group 1 (G1) (control, only basal diet); group 2 (G2) (basal diet + 1 g sumac powder/kg diet); group 3 (G3) (basal diet + 2 g sumac powder/kg diet); group 4 (G4) (basal diet + 3 g sumac powder/kg diet); and group 5 (G5) (basal diet + 4 g sumac powder/kg diet). The feed conversion ratio was significantly higher at all levels of sumac powder (P < 0.05) compared to the control group (G1). Overall, during the study (8-16 wk), quail-fed 3 g sumac powder/kg diet (G4) showed no significant increase (P > 0.05) in the feed intake compared to the control group. Sumac powder supplementation significantly (P < 0.05) increased egg number, egg weight, egg mass, fertility, and hatchability. While supplementing with sumac powder did not impact other egg quality parameters, it did significantly (P < 0.05) increase yolk percentage, Haugh unit, and unit surface shell weight. Furthermore, when compared to the control group (G1), birds given 2, 3, or 4 g of sumac powder/kg diet showed a significant improvement (P < 0.05) in hematological parameters such as red blood cells, white blood cells, and hemoglobin, as well as a decrease in glucose levels. Feeding quail with a 3 g sumac powder/kg diet (G4) resulted in significantly (P < 0.05) higher globulin levels and improved albumin/globulin ratio compared to other treatments and control (G1). Sumac powder intake significantly (P < 0.05) reduced plasma lipid profile, liver enzymes (aspartate aminotransferase, and alanine aminotransferase), and kidney functions (creatinine, and urea). Furthermore, the supplementation of sumac powder resulted in a substantial increase (P < 0.05) in the levels of amylase, lipase, and protease. Sumac powder administration also significantly (P < 0.05) improves immunity by boosting IgM, IgG, IgA, and lysozyme levels in quail breeders' plasma. Supplementing with sumac powder, on the other hand, increased levels of reduced glutathione, total antioxidant capacity, catalase, and superoxide dismutase. The results of the current study indicated that the addition of 1, 2, 3, and 4 g of sumac powder to the diet of Japanese quail breeders led to improvements in egg quality, digestive enzymes, reproductive and productive performances, and most blood hematological and biochemical parameters.

The role of turmeric and black pepper oil nanoemulsion in attenuating cytokine storm triggered by duck hepatitis A virus type I (DHAV-I)-induced infection in ducklings.

The cytokine storm induced by duck hepatitis A virus type 1 (DHAV-1) infection significantly contributes to severe, rapid deaths and economic losses in the duck industry in Egypt. This study aimed to investigate the potential inhibitory effect of a nanoemulsion containing turmeric and black pepper oil on the immune response and pathogenesis of DHAV-1 in ducklings. A total of 105 ducklings from nonvaccinated breeders were divided into 5 experimental groups, each comprising 21 birds. The negative control group (G1) remained noninfected with DHAV-1 and nontreated with nanoemulsion, while the positive control group (G2) was infected with DHAV-1 but not treated with nanoemulsion. The other 2 groups (G3, the supplemented group which was noninfected with DHAV-1), and group 4 (the prophylactic group G4) which was infected with DHAV-1, both received nanoemulsion throughout the experiment. Group 5 (G5, the therapeutic group), on the other hand, which was infected with DHAV-1 received nanoemulsion only from the onset of clinical signs. At 5 days old, the ducklings in the positive control (G2), the prophylactic (G4), and the therapeutic group (G5) were infected with DHAV-1. All the ducklings in the infected groups exhibited depression, anorexia, and opisthotonos, and their livers displayed various degrees of ecchymotic hemorrhage, liver enlargement, and microscopic pathological lesions. Notably, the positive control group (G2) experienced the most severe and pronounced effects compared to the other infected groups treated with the nanoemulsion. Meanwhile, the viral RNA loads were lower in the liver tissues of the infected ducklings treated with the nanoemulsion (G4, and G5) compared to the positive control group G2. Additionally, the nanoemulsion effectively modulated proinflammatory cytokine expression, antioxidant enzymes, liver enzymes, and lipid profile of treated ducklings. In conclusion, the turmeric and black pepper oil nanoemulsion has the potential to be a therapeutic agent for regulating and modulating the immune response, decreasing DHAV-1-induced cytokine storms, and minimizing mortality and economic losses in the duck business. More research is needed to understand how turmeric and black pepper oil nanoemulsion alleviates DHVA-1-induced cytokine storms and lowers duckling mortality.

The role of chamomile oil against ochratoxin A in quail breeders: productive and reproductive performances, egg quality, and blood metabolites.

This study aimed to evaluate the beneficial role of chamomile essential oil in improving productive and reproductive performances, egg quality, and blood metabolites and reducing the toxic effect of Ochratoxin A (OTA) in quail breeder's diets. A total of 144 mature quails, 8 wk old, were divided into 6 groups. The treatments were: G1 (the control), G2 (supplemented with OTA 1 mg/kg diet), G3 (supplemented with chamomile oil 0.5 g/kg diet), G4 (supplemented with chamomile oil 1 G/kg diet), G5 (supplemented with OTA 1 mg/kg diet + chamomile oil 0.5 g/kg diet), and G6 (supplemented with OTA 1 mg/kg diet + chamomile oil 1 g/kg diet). The OTA administration alone significantly decreased egg production and mass in quail breeders (P < 0.0001). Moreover, poor feed conversion ratio (FCR), fertility percentage (P < 0.0001), and hatchability percentage (P < 0.0009) were recorded. A significant decline (P < 0.05) in the levels of serum protein (total protein and globulin) was also recorded in OTA-contaminated groups, along with elevated serum levels of liver enzymes such as alanine transaminase (ALT) and Aspartate transaminase (AST) and kidney function test as urea and creatinine levels (P < 0.05). Ochratoxin A-contaminated feed resulted in a significant elevation (P < 0.05) in total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), and very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL), along with a significant reduction (P < 0.05) in antioxidant status and immunological response. The supplementation of chamomile essential oil, either 0.5 g/kg or 1g/kg, to the basal diet or OTA-supplemented feed, revealed a significant increase in hatchability %, fertility, egg mass, and egg production and better FCR, egg quality, and immunological status when compared to OTA only. Moreover, chamomile essential oil supplementation improves liver and kidney function markers, decreases LDL, VLDL), TG, and TC. Along with a significant increase (P < 0.05) in terms of antioxidant status as glutathione peroxidase enzyme (GPX), total antioxidant capacity (TAC), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) and significantly (P < 0.05) improves immunological response as IgM, IgG, lysozyme and complement 3. In summary, chamomile oil supplementation, either separate or combined with OTA, reduced the adverse effects of OTA and led to improved productive and reproductive performance, egg quality, and blood metabolites in Japanese quail breeders.

Complication Rates and Risk of Recurrence After Percutaneous Radiofrequency Ablation and Microwave Ablation for the Treatment of Liver Tumors: a Meta-analysis.

RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES: The rate of complications and risk of local recurrence following percutaneous radiofrequency ablation (RFA) and microwave ablation (MWA) for liver tumors varies significantly between investigations. This meta-analysis aimed to assess complication rates and risk of local recurrence after percutaneous RFA and MWA. MATERIALS AND METHODS: PubMed, Medline, Web of Science, the Cochrane Library, Embase, Google Scholar, and CINAHL were systematically searched from database inception until August 2022 to retrieve articles reporting the complication rates and risk of recurrence after percutaneous RFA and MWA for the treatment of liver tumors. Pooled odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated and displayed by forest plots. To measure heterogeneity, Cochran Q and I2 statistics were also applied. Egger's test and funnel plots were also performed to assess any potential publication bias. Additionally, subgroup analysis was done to investigate the source of heterogeneity. RESULTS: 26 studies including 2026 and 1974 patients for RFA and MWA, respectively, were included. The rate of minor complications was significantly higher after MWA compared to RFA, yielding an overall OR of 0.688 (95% CI: 0.549-0.862, P = 0.001). Similarly, the rate of major complications was significantly higher after MWA than RFA (P = 0.012), yielding an overall OR of 0.639 (95% CI: 0.450-0.907). No significant difference was found between RFA and MWA in terms of local recurrence after ablation (P > 0.05). In addition, there was no statistical evidence of publication bias. CONCLUSION: When most factors are considered equally, percutaneous RFA and MWA can be considered safe modalities for the treatment of liver tumors, with RFA superior in terms of the incidence of minor and major complications.

Biological Selenium Nanoparticles in Quail Nutrition: Biosynthesis and its Impact on Performance, Carcass, Blood Chemistry, and Cecal Microbiota.

This study was conducted to examine the influence of dietary supplementation of biological nano-selenium (BNSe) on productive performance, hematology, blood chemistry, antioxidant status, immune response, cecal microbiota, and carcass traits of quails. In total, 180 Japanese quails (1 week old) were randomly allocated into four groups, with five replicates of nine chicks each in a complete randomized design. The 1st group was fed a control diet without BNSe, and the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th treatments were fed diets supplemented with BNSe (0.2, 0.4, and 0.6 g /kg feed, respectively). The best level of BNSe in body weight (BW) and body weight gain (BWG) parameters was 0.4 g/kg diet. Feed conversion was improved (P < 0.01) by adding BNSe in quail feed compared with the basal diet without any supplementation. The inclusion of different BNSe levels (0.2, 0.4, 0.6 g/kg) exhibited an insignificant influence on all carcass traits. The dietary addition of BNSe (0.4 and 0.6 g/kg) significantly augmented aspartate aminotransferase (AST) activity (P = 0.0127), total protein and globulin (P < 0.05), white blood cells (WBCs) (P = 0.031), and red blood cells (RBCs) (P = 0.0414) compared with the control. The dietary BNSe supplementation significantly improved lipid parameters, antioxidant and immunological indices, and increased selenium level in the blood (P < 0.05). BNSe significantly increased (P = 0.0003) lactic acid bacteria population number and lowered the total number of yeasts, molds, total bacterial count, E. coli, Coliform, Salmonella, and Enterobacter (P < 0.0001). In conclusion, adding BNSe up to 0.4 and 0.6 g/kg can boost the growth, lactic acid bacteria population number, hematology, immunological indices, antioxidant capacity, and lipid profile, as well as decline intestinal pathogens in growing quail.

Hematopoietic effect of echinochrome on phenylhydrazine-induced hemolytic anemia in rats.

Background: Hemolytic anemia (HA) is a serious health condition resulting from reduced erythrocytes' average life span. Echinochrome (Ech) is a dark-red pigment found in shells and spines of sea urchins. Aim: Studying the potential therapeutic effect of Ech on phenylhydrazine (PHZ)-induced HA in rats. Methods: Eighteen rats were divided into three groups (n = 6): the control group, the phenylhydrazine-induced HA group and the Ech group, injected intraperitoneally with PHZ and supplemented with oral Ech daily for 6 days. Results: Ech resulted in a considerable increase in RBCs, WBCs, and platelets counts, hemoglobin, reduced glutathione, catalase, and glutathione-S-transferase levels, and a significant decrease in aspartate & alanine aminotransferases, alkaline phosphatase, gamma-glutamyl transferase, bilirubin, creatinine, urea, urate, malondialdehyde & nitric oxide levels in anemic rats. Histopathological examination of liver and kidney tissue samples showed marked improvement. Conclusion: Ech ameliorated phenylhydrazine-induced HA with a hepatorenal protective effect owing to its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.

Nutritional Assessment of Adult Patients Undergoing Maintenance Hemodialysis in the Gaza Strip.

Malnutrition is a common condition in patients undergoing hemodialysis (HD), and it is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. The main objective of the study was to evaluate the nutritional status of patients on maintenance HD. After applying eligibility criteria, 141 HD patients attending major governmental dialysis centers were randomly recruited in this cross-sectional study and assessed for nutritional status using the Patient-Generated Subjective Global Assessment (PG-SGA) tool. The PG-SGA categorizes patients as well-nourished, moderately malnourished, and severely malnourished. Different anthropometric measurements, laboratory investigations, blood pressure measurements, and 24-h dietary recall were collected from each patient. According to PG- SGA results, 78% of patients were moderately malnourished and 22% of patients were severely malnourished. The mean body mass index was 27.8 kg/m2, and 5.7% of patients were underweight. There were significant differences in the mid-upper arm muscle circumference (P = 0.020) between the PG-SGA groups. The total energy and protein intake were significantly (P <0.001) less than the recommended dietary intake by 1268.9 kcal and 41.4 g, respectively. The albumin level in 37.6% of patients was less than the normal level, and the results indicated that there were significant differences in serum iron (P = 0.022) between the moderately and severely malnourished patients. The results of this study indicated that all HD patients were suffering from different degrees of malnutrition and, unfortunately, most of their energy and nutrient intake was far less than the requirements, which might be the reason why they face nutritional and health risks.

Physical, optoelectronic and thermoelectric characteristics of double perovskite (Sr2ScBiO6) for green energy technology using ab initio computations.

This work presents the investigation of physical characteristics including structural, electronic, elastic, optical and thermoelectric, of the double perovskite (DP) oxide Sr2ScBiO6 with the aid of the FP-LAPW method, dependent on DFT combined with BoltzTraP code. To incorporate the inclusion of exchange as well as correlation effects, approximations like LDA and three different forms of GGA [PBE-GGA, WC-GGA & PBEsol-GGA] are applied. The mBJ-GGA method including spin-orbital coupling (SOC) & not including SOC was utilised in this investigation and it was carried out in the WIEN2k code. In addition, the TB-mBJ exchange potential analysis classified Sr2ScBiO6 as having a p-type semiconducting nature with an indirect bandgap value of 3.327 eV. Additionally, the mechanical properties analysis and the related elastic constants demonstrate the anisotropic nature of Sr2ScBiO6 with decent mechanical stability. Apart from that, the Sr2ScBiO6 was considered a brittle non-central force solid with dominant covalent bonding. The varying optical parameter evaluations highlighted the potential use of Sr2ScBiO6 in visible-light (vis) and ultraviolet (UV)-based optoelectronic devices. Moreover, the semiconducting nature of Sr2ScBiO6 was verified through its thermoelectric response, which revealed that the charge carriers mostly consist of holes. Over a wide temperature range (100-1200 K), several transport metrics like the Seebeck coefficient (S), electrical conductivity (σ/τ), thermal conductivity (κ/τ), and power factor (PF) are investigated. An optimal value of figure of merit (ZT) ∼ 0.62 at T = 1200 K is accomplished. The extremely lower value of thermal conductivity as well as higher electrical conductivity leads to a higher figure of merit of the investigated system. The Sr2ScBiO6 verified a high ZT value, confirming that the material would be beneficial in renewable energy and thermoelectric (TE) applications.

Endovascular Interventions for Peripheral Arterial Disease in Saudi Patients: A Cross-Sectional Study Assessing Efficacy and Economic Impact.

Introduction Peripheral Arterial Disease (PAD) is characterized by arterial narrowing or blockage, causing pain and reduced quality of life. Endovascular interventions, like angioplasty and stenting, offer less invasive treatment options with potential benefits. This study, conducted in the Al-Ahsa region of Saudi Arabia from January to August 2023, aims to assess the impact of these interventions on PAD management in Saudi patients. Specifically, we aim to evaluate their effectiveness in improving clinical outcomes, such as symptom relief and quality of life, and their cost-effectiveness in the Saudi healthcare system. By addressing these objectives, our research provides evidence to support informed clinical decisions and healthcare policy in Saudi Arabia, ultimately enhancing patient care. Methods In this study, a cross-sectional design was used to assess the impact of endovascular interventions on PAD management in Saudi patients in the Al-Ahsa region. Data collection took place from January to August 2023. The study focused on a sample of 385 or more Saudi patients who had undergone endovascular interventions. Inclusion criteria involved diagnosed PAD patients who had received these interventions, while non-Saudi patients and those without PAD or interventions were excluded. Data was collected through an online questionnaire distributed in hospitals. The study considered demographic and clinical/economic variables to evaluate intervention effectiveness and cost-effectiveness. Results The findings of this study emphasize the significance of variables such as gender, education level, employment status, and geographic location in shaping perceptions concerning the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of endovascular interventions for the management of PAD. Participants in the study reported substantial improvements in symptom relief, quality of life, and daily activities following endovascular interventions. Moreover, the study revealed divergent perceptions regarding the cost-effectiveness of these interventions among participants. Conclusion This study highlights a positive association between the use of endovascular interventions and improved clinical outcomes in Saudi patients diagnosed with PAD. The results of this research indicate that endovascular interventions are not only more cost-effective when compared to alternative treatment modalities for PAD management but also lead to significant enhancements in symptom relief, quality of life, and daily activities among patients. The implications of these findings for the Saudi healthcare system are substantial, underscoring the importance of evidence-based decisions in the adoption of endovascular interventions for PAD management.

Individual Participant Data Meta-Analysis of LR-5 in LI-RADS Version 2018 versus Revised LI-RADS for Hepatocellular Carcinoma Diagnosis.

Background A simplification of the Liver Imaging Reporting and Data System (LI-RADS) version 2018 (v2018), revised LI-RADS (rLI-RADS), has been proposed for imaging-based diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Single-site data suggest that rLI-RADS category 5 (rLR-5) improves sensitivity while maintaining positive predictive value (PPV) of the LI-RADS v2018 category 5 (LR-5), which indicates definite HCC. Purpose To compare the diagnostic performance of LI-RADS v2018 and rLI-RADS in a multicenter data set of patients at risk for HCC by performing an individual patient data meta-analysis. Materials and Methods Multiple databases were searched for studies published from January 2014 to January 2022 that evaluated the diagnostic performance of any version of LI-RADS at CT or MRI for diagnosing HCC. An individual patient data meta-analysis method was applied to observations from the identified studies. Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies version 2 was applied to determine study risk of bias. Observations were categorized according to major features and either LI-RADS v2018 or rLI-RADS assignments. Diagnostic accuracies of category 5 for each system were calculated using generalized linear mixed models and compared using the likelihood ratio test for sensitivity and the Wald test for PPV. Results Twenty-four studies, including 3840 patients and 4727 observations, were analyzed. The median observation size was 19 mm (IQR, 11-30 mm). rLR-5 showed higher sensitivity compared with LR-5 (70.6% [95% CI: 60.7, 78.9] vs 61.3% [95% CI: 45.9, 74.7]; P < .001), with similar PPV (90.7% vs 92.3%; P = .55). In studies with low risk of bias (n = 4; 1031 observations), rLR-5 also achieved a higher sensitivity than LR-5 (72.3% [95% CI: 63.9, 80.1] vs 66.9% [95% CI: 58.2, 74.5]; P = .02), with similar PPV (83.1% vs 88.7%; P = .47). Conclusion rLR-5 achieved a higher sensitivity for identifying HCC than LR-5 while maintaining a comparable PPV at 90% or more, matching the results presented in the original rLI-RADS study. © RSNA, 2023 Supplemental material is available for this article. See also the editorial by Sirlin and Chernyak in this issue.

Growth, carcass criteria, and blood biochemical parameters of growing quails fed Arthrospira platensis as a feed additive.

This study investigated the impact of Arthrospira platensis (A. platensis) as a dietary supplement on growth, carcass criteria, liver and kidney function, lipid profile, and immunity of growing Japanese quails. In a 28-day experiment, 240 unsexed 7-day-old quail chicks were used. The quail chicks were divided into 4 treatment sets, each comprising 6 replicates and 10 quail chicks. Group (1) fed the basal diet with no supplements, group (2) fed the basal diet supplemented with 0.25 g A. platensis/kg diet, group (3) fed the basal diet supplemented with 0.50 g A. platensis/kg diet, and group (4) fed the basal diet supplemented with 1.00 g A. platensis/kg diet. The results of this study revealed that the birds that were fed 0.50 g. or 1.00 g A. platensis/kg diet had superior final body weights, body weight gains, feed conversion ratios, and carcass criteria compared to control, furthermore, had significant (P < 0.05) lower levels of liver enzymes and kidney function markers compared to control. Furthermore, birds fed 0.50 g or 1.00 g A. platensis/kg diet had significantly (P < 0.05) reduced cholesterol, triglycerides, and LDL cholesterol levels compared to control. Dietary supplementation of A. platensis at 0.50 and 1.00 g/kg diet significantly (P < 0.05) increased total antioxidant capacity, total immunoglobulin, and lysozyme activity levels. Using A. platensis at 0.5 or 1 g/kg diet levels during the Japanese quails' growth period can improve growth, carcass criteria, liver and kidney function, lipid profile, and immunity.

Reliability constrained dynamic generation expansion planning using honey badger algorithm.

Generation expansion planning (GEP) is a complex, highly constrained, non-linear, discrete and dynamic optimization task aimed at determining the optimum generation technology mix of the best expansion alternative for long-term planning horizon. This paper presents a new framework to study the GEP in a multi-stage horizon with reliability constrained. GEP problem is presented to minimize the capital investment costs, salvage value cost, operation and maintenance, and outage cost under several constraints over planning horizon. Added to that, the spinning reserve, fuel mix ratio and reliability in terms of Loss of Load Probability are maintained. Moreover, to decrease the GEP problem search space and reduce the computational time, some modifications are proposed such as the Virtual mapping procedure, penalty factor approach, and the modified of intelligent initial population generation. For solving the proposed reliability constrained GEP problem, a novel honey badger algorithm (HBA) is developed. It is a meta-heuristic search algorithm inspired from the intelligent foraging behavior of honey badger to reach its prey. In HBA, the dynamic search behavior of honey badger with digging and honey finding approaches is formulated into exploration and exploitation phases. Added to that, several modern meta-heuristic optimization algorithms are employed which are crow search algorithm, aquila optimizer, bald eagle search and particle swarm optimization. These algorithms are applied, in a comparative manner, for three test case studies for 6-year, 12-year, and 24-year of short- and long-term planning horizon having five types of candidate units. The obtained results by all these proposed algorithms are compared and validated the effectiveness and superiority of the HBA over the other applied algorithms.