Evaluating the impact of urban sprawl on the urban ecological status using GIS and remote sensing from 2000 to 2021: a case study of Herat City, Afghanistan.

Urbanization often incurs environmental costs, as fertile agricultural and forested lands are converted into urban areas. Herat City is currently undergoing significant urban transformation. This research aims to assess the impact of urban sprawl on Herat City's urban ecological status during 2000, 2013, and 2021, using GIS and remote sensing.

Salvage of Circumferential Multiplane Degloving Injury of Hand with Single Viable Finger - Case Report.

Introduction: Circumferential multiplanar degloving injuries of hand and wrist are devastating injuries which can severely compromise what is salvageable for achieving a functional hand, ending in amputations if not well managed.

Case Report: We described a complete multiplanar degloving injury of hand in a 27-year-old Asian male due to a compressing machine, which was successfully salvaged with a complete free latissimus dorsi flap cover with skin graft for coverage.

Conclusion: An unconventional one-stage surgical option for soft-tissue coverage using a complete latissimus dorsi free flap ending in a reasonably functional two-fingered hand.

A single step wet chemical approach to bifunctional ultrathin (ZnO)(FeO) dendritic nanosheets.

At the ultrathin scale, nanomaterials exhibit interesting chemical and physical properties, like flexibility, and polymer-like rheology. However, to limit the dimensions of composite nanomaterials at the ultrathin level is still a challenging task. Herein, by adopting a new low temperature single step and single pot wet chemical approach, we have successfully fabricated two dimensional (2D) mixed oxide ZnO-FeO dendritic nanosheets (FZDNSs).

Controlling basal plane sulfur vacancy in water splitting MoSx/NiF electrocatalysts through electric-field-assisted pulsed laser ablation.

Eco-friendly, efficient, and durable electrocatalysts from earth-abundant materials are crucial for water splitting through hydrogen and oxygen generation. However, available methods to fabricate electrocatalysts are either hazardous and time-consuming or require expensive equipment, hindering the large-scale, eco-friendly production of artificial fuels. Here, we present a rapid, single-step method for producing MoS/NiF electrocatalysts with controlled sulfur-vacancies via electric-field-assisted pulsed laser ablation (EF-PLA) in liquid and deposition on nickel foam, enabling efficient water splitting.

H3 G34-mutant high-grade gliomas: integrated clinical, imaging and pathological characterisation of a single-centre case series.

Background: Diffuse hemispheric glioma, H3 G34-mutant, is a novel paediatric tumour type in the fifth edition of the WHO classification of CNS tumours associated with an invariably poor outcome. We present a comprehensive clinical, imaging and pathological review of this entity.

Methods: Patients with confirmed H3 G34R-mutant high-grade glioma were included in a single-centre retrospective cohort study and examined for clinical, radiological and histo-molecular data.

Health literacy levels in patients with type 2 diabetes in an affluent Gulf country: a cross-sectional study.

Objectives: To identify health literacy levels in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Intervention: Nationwide cross-sectional survey.

Setting And Participants: Individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus attending outpatient diabetes clinics in all emirates of the UAE were surveyed between January 2019 and May 2020.

A versatile interferometric technique for probing the thermophysical properties of complex fluids.

Laser-induced thermocapillary deformation of liquid surfaces has emerged as a promising tool to precisely characterize the thermophysical properties of pure fluids. However, challenges arise for nanofluid (NF) and soft bio-fluid systems where the direct interaction of the laser generates an intriguing interplay between heating, momentum, and scattering forces which can even damage soft biofluids. Here, we report a versatile, pump-probe-based, rapid, and non-contact interferometric technique that resolves interface dynamics of complex fluids with the precision of ~1 nm in thick-film and 150 pm in thin-film regimes below the thermal limit without the use of lock-in or modulated beams.

Efficient Recovery of Lithium Cobaltate from Spent Lithium-Ion Batteries for Oxygen Evolution Reaction.

Owing to technological advancements and the ever-increasing population, the search for renewable energy resources has increased. One such attempt at finding effective renewable energy is recycling of lithium-ion batteries and using the recycled material as an electrocatalyst for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) step in water splitting reactions. In electrocatalysis, the OER plays a crucial role and several electrocatalysts have been investigated to improve the efficiency of O gas evolution.

Real world outcomes related to providing an annual supply of short-acting hormonal contraceptives.

Objective: To compare pregnancy rates among women provided a 12-month supply or less than a 12-month supply of short-acting hormonal contraceptives.

Study Design: This retrospective cohort study examined data from an integrated health plan in California, collected about people aged 10-50 years, who filled at least one contraceptive prescription between January 2017 and September 2018. We examined outcomes following index contraceptive prescriptions for up to 15 months, end of membership, initiation of a long-acting contraceptive, or death, whichever occurred first.

Compositional Engineering Study of Lead-Free Hybrid Perovskites for Solar Cell Applications.

Hybrid organic-inorganic perovskite solar cells (HOIPs), especially CHNHPbI (MAPbI), have received tremendous attention due to their excellent power conversion efficiency (25.2%). However, two fundamental hurdles, long-term stability and lead (Pb) toxicity, prevent HOIPs from practical applications in the solar industry.

Hydrogen evolution reaction from bare and surface-functionalized few-layered MoS nanosheets in acidic and alkaline electrolytes.

Hydrogen is considered as an ideal and sustainable energy carrier because of its high energy density and carbon-free combustion. Electrochemical water splitting is the only solution for uninterrupted, scalable, and sustainable production of hydrogen without carbon emission. However, a large-scale hydrogen production through electrochemical water splitting depends on the availability of earth-abundant electrocatalysts and a suitable electrolyte medium.

Intramedullary Percutaneous Fixation of Extra-Articular Proximal and Middle Phalanx Fractures.

Multiple methods have been described for treating unstable proximal and middle phalangeal fractures. Irrespective of using an open or closed technique of fixation, stiffness and extensor lag at the proximal/distal interphalangeal joint almost always occur. This issue can be avoided by allowing the patients to mobilize the fingers out of plaster or splint as early as possible from the day of surgery.

Schizophrenia-associated methylomic variation: molecular signatures of disease and polygenic risk burden across multiple brain regions.

Genetic association studies provide evidence for a substantial polygenic component to schizophrenia, although the neurobiological mechanisms underlying the disorder remain largely undefined. Building on recent studies supporting a role for developmentally regulated epigenetic variation in the molecular aetiology of schizophrenia, this study aimed to identify epigenetic variation associated with both a diagnosis of schizophrenia and elevated polygenic risk burden for the disease across multiple brain regions. Genome-wide DNA methylation was quantified in 262 post-mortem brain samples, representing tissue from four brain regions (prefrontal cortex, striatum, hippocampus and cerebellum) from 41 schizophrenia patients and 47 controls.

Laparoscopic Peptic Ulcer Perforation Closure: the Preferred Choice.

Peptic ulcer perforation is a common life-threatening emergency needing immediate intervention. Laparoscopic closure of perforation is now widely practiced over conventional open closure. This study aimed to compare laparoscopic peptic ulcer perforation closure with conventional open closure in terms of operative time, postoperative analgesia, complications, hospital stay, and return to routine activities.

Methylomic profiling of human brain tissue supports a neurodevelopmental origin for schizophrenia.

Background: Schizophrenia is a severe neuropsychiatric disorder that is hypothesized to result from disturbances ine arly brain development. There is mounting evidence to support a role for developmentally regulated epigenetic variation in the molecular etiology of the disorder. Here, we describe a systematic study of schizophrenia-associated methylomic variation in the adult brain and its relationship to changes in DNA methylation across human fetal brain development.

Brain distribution of dipeptide repeat proteins in frontotemporal lobar degeneration and motor neurone disease associated with expansions in C9ORF72.

A hexanucleotide (GGGGCC) expansion in C9ORF72 gene is the most common genetic change seen in familial Frontotemporal Lobar Degeneration (FTLD) and familial Motor Neurone Disease (MND). Pathologically, expansion bearers show characteristic p62 positive, TDP-43 negative inclusion bodies within cerebellar and hippocampal neurons which also contain dipeptide repeat proteins (DPR) formed from sense and antisense RAN (repeat associated non ATG-initiated) translation of the expanded repeat region itself. 'Inappropriate' formation, and aggregation, of DPR might therefore confer neurotoxicity and influence clinical phenotype.

A rare cause of lower GI bleeding.

The authors present a rare case of lower gastrointestinal (GI) bleed due to GI amyloidosis secondary to multiple myeloma. A 79-year-old lady who presented with bloody diarrhoea for 4 weeks. Flexible sigmoidoscopy showed slight oedematous mucosa extending up to the sigmoid colon.

A comparative clinical, pathological, biochemical and genetic study of fused in sarcoma proteinopathies.

Neuronal intermediate filament inclusion disease and atypical frontotemporal lobar degeneration are rare diseases characterized by ubiquitin-positive inclusions lacking transactive response DNA-binding protein-43 and tau. Recently, mutations in the fused in sarcoma gene have been shown to cause familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and fused in sarcoma-positive neuronal inclusions have subsequently been demonstrated in neuronal intermediate filament inclusion disease and atypical frontotemporal lobar degeneration with ubiquitinated inclusions. Here we provide clinical, imaging, morphological findings, as well as genetic and biochemical data in 14 fused in sarcoma proteinopathy cases.

Dendritic cell-based vaccination of patients with advanced pancreatic carcinoma: results of a pilot study.

Background And Aims: Dendritic cell (DC)-based vaccination can induce antitumor T cell responses in vivo. This clinical pilot study examined feasibility and outcome of DC-based tumor vaccination for patients with advanced pancreatic adenocarcinoma.

Methods: Tumor lysate of patients with pancreatic carcinoma was generated by repeated freeze-thaw cycles of surgically obtained tissue specimens.

Methyl- and acetyltransferases are stable epigenetic markers postmortem.

Postmortem brain tissue has been reported to be suitable to delineate regional pattern of possible disturbances underlying epigenetic functionality. However, from many parameters that have been detected in postmortem brain regions it is noteworthy that an effect of postmortem interval (PMI), storage time and premortem parameters should not be underestimated. Our previous investigation revealed that tryptophan (TRP) levels in postmortem brain tissue is affected by PMI and storage time.

Ocular complications after inferior alveolar nerve block: a case report.

Ocular complications, transient loss of vision and diplopia, and blanching of the skin of the infraorbital region were reported in a female patient after an inferior alveolar nerve block for extraction of the permanent mandibular left third molar tooth. Injection of the anesthetic solution into the maxillary artery could result to such complications. The anatomy related to this case, with suggestions for management of such a patient is discussed.

Tryptophan is a marker of human postmortem brain tissue quality.

Postmortem human brain tissue is widely used in neuroscience research, but use of tissue originating from different brain bank centers is considered inaccurate because of possible heterogeneity in sample quality. There is thus a need for well-characterized markers to assess the quality of postmortem brain tissue. Toward this aim, we determined tryptophan (TRP) concentrations, phosphofructokinase-1 and glutamate decarboxylase activities in 119 brain tissue samples.

Lack of biochemical hypogonadism in elderly Arab males with low bone mineral density disease.

The aim of the study is to study the relationship between androgen levels and bone mineral density (BMD) in elderly Arab males. Forty-five elderly Arab males underwent Dual X-ray absorptiometry for measurement of BMD. The outcomes were defined as per WHO description.