Tuning Intermediate Band Solar Cell Efficiency: The Interplay of Electric Fields, Composition, Impurities, and Confinement.

In this study, we investigated the influence of structural parameters, including active region dimensions, electric field intensity, In-composition, impurity position, and potential profiles, on the energy levels, sub-gap transitions, and photovoltaic characteristics of a p-GaN/i-(In, Ga)N/GaN-n (p-QW-n) structure. The finite element method (FEM) has been used to solve numerically the Schrödinger equation. We found that particle and sub-gap energy levels are susceptible to well width, electric field, and impurity position.

Enhancing the Photovoltaic Efficiency of InGaN/GaN Quantum Well Intermediate Band Solar Cells Using Combined Electric and Magnetic Fields.

This study presents a theoretical investigation into the photovoltaic efficiency of InGaN/GaN quantum well-based intermediate band solar cells (IBSCs) under the simultaneous influence of electric and magnetic fields. The finite element method is employed to numerically solve the one-dimensional Schrödinger equation within the framework of the effective-mass approximation. Our findings reveal that electric and magnetic fields significantly influence the energy levels of electrons and holes, optical transition energies, open-circuit voltages, short-circuit currents, and overall photovoltaic conversion performances of IBSCs.

Corneal confocal microscopy detects early nerve regeneration after pharmacological and surgical interventions: Systematic review and meta-analysis.

Corneal confocal microscopy (CCM) is an ophthalmic imaging technique that enables the identification of corneal nerve fibre degeneration and regeneration. To undertake a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies utilizing CCM to assess for corneal nerve regeneration after pharmacological and surgical interventions in patients with peripheral neuropathy. Databases (EMBASE [Ovid], PubMed, CENTRAL and Web of Science) were searched to summarize the evidence from randomized and non-randomized studies using CCM to detect corneal nerve regeneration after pharmacological and surgical interventions.

Trainee Involvement and ERCP Complications: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Background: Therapeutic endoscopy and gastroenterology fellows often participate in endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) during their training period. However, it is generally feared that trainee involvement may increase ERCP-related complications, mainly because of the side-viewing nature of the endoscope and the higher risk of pancreatic duct cannulation. There is no concrete evidence to support this notion.

Measuring the needs of older adult patients in intensive care units: A translation and validation study of the NAPinICU questionnaire.

The NAPinICU questionnaire, specifically designed to assess the needs of older adult patients in intensive care units, serves as a valuable tool for understanding and addressing their unique requirements. This study applied a cross-cultural translation process, followed by a cross-sectional survey to measure patients' needs and evaluate the psychometric properties of the Arabic-translated version of the NAPinICU questionnaire. The older adults' translated questionnaire demonstrated high content validity, good test-retest reliability and acceptable internal consistency.

Shedding Light on the Role of ERAP1 in Axial Spondyloarthritis.

Spondyloarthritis (SpA) is a multifactorial chronic inflammatory disease affecting the axial skeleton (axSpA) and/or peripheral joints (p-SpA) and entheses. The disease's pathogenesis depends on genetic, immunological, mechanical, and environmental factors. Endoplasmic reticulum aminopeptidase 1 (ERAP1) is a multifunctional enzyme that shapes the peptide repertoire presented by major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I molecules.

Biomechanics and clinical outcomes of various conduit configurations in valve sparing aortic root replacement.

Background: Several conduit configurations, such as straight graft (SG), Valsalva graft (VG), anticommissural plication (ACP), and the Stanford modification (SMOD) technique, have been described for the valve-sparing aortic root replacement (VSARR) procedure. Prior studies have evaluated the impact of conduit configurations on root biomechanics, but the mock coronary artery circuits used could not replicate the physical properties of native coronary arteries. Moreover, the individual leaflet's biomechanics, including the fluttering phenomenon, were unclear.

Predictors of post-stroke cognitive impairment at three-month following first episode of stroke among patients attended at tertiary hospitals in Dodoma, central Tanzania: A protocol of a prospective longitudinal observational study metadata.

Introduction: Neurocognitive deficits after stroke are a common manifestation and pose a significant impact on the quality of life for patients and families; however, little attention is given to the burden and associated impact of cognitive impairment following stroke. The study aims to determine the prevalence and predictors of post-stroke cognitive impairment (PSCI) among adult stroke patients admitted to tertiary hospitals in Dodoma, Tanzania.

Methodology: A prospective longitudinal study is conducted at tertiary hospitals in the Dodoma region, central Tanzania.

Effect of sulfur doping of zinc-imidazole coordination polymer (ZnIm CP) as a novel photocatalyst for degradation of ionic dyes.

Zinc-Imidazole coordination polymer (ZnImCP) was simply synthesized hydrothermally at relatively low temperature (70 °C) from zinc acetate and imidazole. ZnImCP was treated by sulfide solution to produce sulfur-doped samples (S-ZnImCPs). Structures of the synthesized ZnImCP and S-ZnImCPs were characterized through FTIR, PXRD, and, Raman, SEM/EDX, N-BET, UV-VIS DRS, and pH analyses.

Designing bimetallic zeolitic imidazolate frameworks (ZIFs) for aqueous catalysis: Co/Zn-ZIF-8 as a cyclic-durable catalyst for hydrogen peroxide oxidative decomposition of organic dyes in water.

ZIF-8 is well known hybrid material that is self-assembled from inorganic and organic moieties. It has several potential applications due to its unique structure. One of these potential applications is in advanced oxidation processes (AOP) a heterogeneous catalysis system.

Spergularia marina: a potential source of a novel calcium channel blocker with antihypertensive and diuretic activities.

Unlabelled: OBJECTIVE: Spergularia marina (L.) Griseb. (S.

Predictors of critical care nurses' stress, anxiety, and depression in response to COVID-19 pandemic.

Background: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic directly affects the psychological well-being of critical care nurses. Several studies had investigated the psychological impact of the pandemic on nurses caring for patients with COVID-19, but few were conducted to identify the predictors of this impact.

Aims: The objective of this study is to identify the predictors of critical care nurses' stress, anxiety, and depression in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Reducing postoperative opioid pill prescribing via a quality improvement approach.

Background: The opioid epidemic has been fueled by prescribing unnecessary quantities of opioid pills for postoperative use. While evidence mounts that postoperative opioids can be reduced or eliminated, implementing such changes within various institutions can be met with many barriers to adoption.

Objective: To address excess opioid prescribing within our institutions, we applied a plan-do-study-act (PDSA)-like quality improvement strategy to assess local opioid prescribing and use, modify our institutional protocols, and assess the impacts of the change.

Advances of the highly efficient and stable visible light active photocatalyst Zr(IV)-phthalate coordination polymer for the degradation of organic contaminants in water.

This work presents the restoration of the Zr-phthalate coordination polymer (Zr-Ph CP) via valuable application in photocatalysis. Zr-Ph CP was facilely synthesized using a soft hydrothermal method at 70 °C, and was characterized utilizing FTIR, Raman Spectrosopy, XPS, PXRD, SEM/EDX, BET, and a hyperspectral camera. Assessment of its photocatalytic degradation potential was performed against two different dyes, the cationic methylene blue (MB) and the anionic methyl orange (MO), as frequent models of organic contaminants, under properly selected mild visible illumination (9 W) where the bandgap energy (Eg) was determined to be 2.

Synthesis of a novel Ce(iii)/melamine coordination polymer and its application for corrosion protection of AA2024 in NaCl solution.

We present the synthesis of a new cerium(iii)-melamine coordination polymer (CMCP) by a mixed-solvothermal method and its characterization. Characterization techniques included Raman, Fourier Transformation Infra-Red (FTIR), X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) and Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), in which the change in the electronic environment and the crystallinity were tracked. The characterization results confirm the coordination of cerium(iii) with melamine through -NH groups, instead of the N atoms of the triazine ring, for which we propose a mechanism of interaction.

The effect of reverse Trendelenburg position versus semi-recumbent position on respiratory parameters of obese critically ill patients: A randomised controlled trial.

Aims And Objectives: To investigate the effect of reverse Trendelenburg position versus semi-recumbent position on respiratory parameters of obese critically ill patients.

Background: Reverse Trendelenburg position is recommended for obese patients; however, the effect among critically ill patients, especially those on mechanical ventilation, has limited study.

Design: Randomised, controlled pretest, repeated post-test trial with two parallel groups.

An non- Population Study: Antimicrobial Resistance Genes (ARGs).

non- species are becoming common etiologic agents of nosocomial infections. Furthermore, clinical isolates belonging to this group of bacteria are usually resistant to one or more antibiotics. The current information about antibiotic resistance genes in the different non- species has not yet been studied as a whole.

Gum Arabic polymer-stabilized and Gamma rays-assisted synthesis of bimetallic silver-gold nanoparticles: Powerful antimicrobial and antibiofilm activities against pathogenic microbes isolated from diabetic foot patients.

In this research, irradiation by gamma rays was employed as an eco-friendly route for the construction of bimetallic silver-gold nanoparticles (Ag-Au NPs), while Gum Arabic polymer was used as a capping agent. Ag-Au NPs were characterized through UV-Vis., XRD, EDX, HR-TEM, FTIR, SEM/mapping and EDX analysis.

Initial absolute monocyte count as an immune biomarker for clinical response in acute myeloid leukemia with monocytic differentiation.

Background: Absolute monocyte count (AMC) correlates with survival outcomes in various hematologic malignancies. However, its role in myeloid malignancies including AML needs to be highlighted. So, this prospective cohort study aimed to assess the effect of AMC on the treatment outcome and survival in a 56 adult de novo AML patients with monocytic differentiation, admitted to the Clinical Hematology Unit, Internal Medicine Department, in a tertiary referral hospital in Egypt, from July 2016 to June 2019.

Corrosion protection mechanism of Ce/organic inhibitor for AA2024 in 3.5% NaCl.

Cerium is a rare earth element that has been widely proposed for the corrosion protection of aluminium alloys (AA). Both cerium salts, Ce and Ce, have been used in combination with other compounds to offer synergistic inhibition, however, the inhibitive corrosion mechanism when using Ce with organic compounds is still not clear. In this study, the synergistic inhibition effect of Ce and melamine (M) on the corrosion of aluminium alloy 2024 (AA2024) in 3.

Factorial design-optimized and gamma irradiation-assisted fabrication of selenium nanoparticles by chitosan and Pleurotus ostreatus fermented fenugreek for a vigorous in vitro effect against carcinoma cells.

The novelty of the present work looks in the synthesis of aqueous dispersed selenium nanoparticles (Se NPs) using gamma rays with the aid of various natural macromolecules such as citrus pectin (CP), sodium alginate (Alg), chitosan (CS) and aqueous extract of fermented fenugreek powder (AEFFP) using Pleurotus ostreatus for investigating their impact in vitro toward carcinoma cell. The synthesized Se NPs were characterized by XRD, UV-Vis., DLS, HRTEM, SEM, EDX and FTIR.

Cortical tau burden and behavioural dysfunctions in mice exposed to monosodium glutamate in early life.

Although monosodium glutamate (MSG)-induced neurotoxicity has been recognized for decades, the potential similarities of the MSG model to Alzheimer's disease (AD)-type neuropathology have only recently been investigated. MSG-treated mice were examined behaviourally and histologically in relation to some features of AD. Four-week old mice received 5 subcutaneous MSG (2 g/kg) injections on alternate days, or saline.

Therapeutic and diagnostic potential of nanomaterials for enhanced biomedical applications.

Biomedical applications of nanomaterials have received considerable attention and interest from many researchers over the past decade due to the key role they can play in enhancing public health. Different types of nanomaterials possess both diagnostic and therapeutic potential owing to their outstanding properties compared to their bulk counterparts. Herein, we present, analyze and provide significant insights and recent advances about the promising biomedical applications of nanoparticles including bioimaging of biological environments and its role as a significant tool for early detection of many diseases with respect to traditional means, explaining their types and limitations.

Characterizing the binding of dopamine D1-D2 receptors in vitro and in temporal and frontal lobe tissue total protein.

Dysfunction of the dopaminergic pathway is linked to numerous diseases of the nervous system. The D1-D2 receptor heteromer is known to play a role in certain neuropsychiatric disorders, such as depression. Here, we synthesized an eight amino acid residue peptide, EAARRAQE, derived from the third intracellular loop of the D2 receptor and show that the peptide binds to the D1 receptor with comparable efficiency as that of the full-length D2 receptor protein.