| 1. |
|
|
| 2. |
- Bravo, L, et al.
(author)
-
- 2021
-
swepub:Mat__t
|
|
| 3. |
- Thomas, HS, et al.
(author)
-
- 2019
-
swepub:Mat__t
|
|
| 4. |
- Tabiri, S, et al.
(author)
-
- 2021
-
swepub:Mat__t
|
|
| 5. |
- Aad, G, et al.
(author)
-
- 2015
-
swepub:Mat__t
|
|
| 6. |
|
|
| 7. |
|
|
| 8. |
- Drake, TM, et al.
(author)
-
Surgical site infection after gastrointestinal surgery in children: an international, multicentre, prospective cohort study
- 2020
-
In: BMJ global health. - : BMJ. - 2059-7908. ; 5:12
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Surgical site infection (SSI) is one of the most common healthcare-associated infections (HAIs). However, there is a lack of data available about SSI in children worldwide, especially from low-income and middle-income countries. This study aimed to estimate the incidence of SSI in children and associations between SSI and morbidity across human development settings.MethodsA multicentre, international, prospective, validated cohort study of children aged under 16 years undergoing clean-contaminated, contaminated or dirty gastrointestinal surgery. Any hospital in the world providing paediatric surgery was eligible to contribute data between January and July 2016. The primary outcome was the incidence of SSI by 30 days. Relationships between explanatory variables and SSI were examined using multilevel logistic regression. Countries were stratified into high development, middle development and low development groups using the United Nations Human Development Index (HDI).ResultsOf 1159 children across 181 hospitals in 51 countries, 523 (45·1%) children were from high HDI, 397 (34·2%) from middle HDI and 239 (20·6%) from low HDI countries. The 30-day SSI rate was 6.3% (33/523) in high HDI, 12·8% (51/397) in middle HDI and 24·7% (59/239) in low HDI countries. SSI was associated with higher incidence of 30-day mortality, intervention, organ-space infection and other HAIs, with the highest rates seen in low HDI countries. Median length of stay in patients who had an SSI was longer (7.0 days), compared with 3.0 days in patients who did not have an SSI. Use of laparoscopy was associated with significantly lower SSI rates, even after accounting for HDI.ConclusionThe odds of SSI in children is nearly four times greater in low HDI compared with high HDI countries. Policies to reduce SSI should be prioritised as part of the wider global agenda.
|
|
| 9. |
- Cossarizza, A., et al.
(author)
-
Guidelines for the use of flow cytometry and cell sorting in immunological studies (second edition)
- 2019
-
In: European Journal of Immunology. - : Wiley. - 0014-2980 .- 1521-4141. ; 49:10, s. 1457-1973
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- These guidelines are a consensus work of a considerable number of members of the immunology and flow cytometry community. They provide the theory and key practical aspects of flow cytometry enabling immunologists to avoid the common errors that often undermine immunological data. Notably, there are comprehensive sections of all major immune cell types with helpful Tables detailing phenotypes in murine and human cells. The latest flow cytometry techniques and applications are also described, featuring examples of the data that can be generated and, importantly, how the data can be analysed. Furthermore, there are sections detailing tips, tricks and pitfalls to avoid, all written and peer-reviewed by leading experts in the field, making this an essential research companion.
|
|
| 10. |
- Adam, A, et al.
(author)
-
Abstracts from Hydrocephalus 2016.
- 2017
-
In: Fluids and Barriers of the CNS. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 2045-8118. ; 14:Suppl 1
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)
|
|
| 11. |
- Ademuyiwa, Adesoji O., et al.
(author)
-
Determinants of morbidity and mortality following emergency abdominal surgery in children in low-income and middle-income countries
- 2016
-
In: BMJ Global Health. - : BMJ Publishing Group Ltd. - 2059-7908. ; 1:4
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background: Child health is a key priority on the global health agenda, yet the provision of essential and emergency surgery in children is patchy in resource-poor regions. This study was aimed to determine the mortality risk for emergency abdominal paediatric surgery in low-income countries globally.Methods: Multicentre, international, prospective, cohort study. Self-selected surgical units performing emergency abdominal surgery submitted prespecified data for consecutive children aged <16 years during a 2-week period between July and December 2014. The United Nation's Human Development Index (HDI) was used to stratify countries. The main outcome measure was 30-day postoperative mortality, analysed by multilevel logistic regression.Results: This study included 1409 patients from 253 centres in 43 countries; 282 children were under 2 years of age. Among them, 265 (18.8%) were from low-HDI, 450 (31.9%) from middle-HDI and 694 (49.3%) from high-HDI countries. The most common operations performed were appendectomy, small bowel resection, pyloromyotomy and correction of intussusception. After adjustment for patient and hospital risk factors, child mortality at 30 days was significantly higher in low-HDI (adjusted OR 7.14 (95% CI 2.52 to 20.23), p<0.001) and middle-HDI (4.42 (1.44 to 13.56), p=0.009) countries compared with high-HDI countries, translating to 40 excess deaths per 1000 procedures performed.Conclusions: Adjusted mortality in children following emergency abdominal surgery may be as high as 7 times greater in low-HDI and middle-HDI countries compared with high-HDI countries. Effective provision of emergency essential surgery should be a key priority for global child health agendas.
|
|
| 12. |
|
|
| 13. |
|
|
| 14. |
|
|
| 15. |
- Alimena, Juliette, et al.
(author)
-
Searching for long-lived particles beyond the Standard Model at the Large Hadron Collider
- 2020
-
In: Journal of Physics G. - : IOP Publishing. - 0954-3899 .- 1361-6471. ; 47:9
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Particles beyond the Standard Model (SM) can generically have lifetimes that are long compared to SM particles at the weak scale. When produced at experiments such as the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at CERN, these long-lived particles (LLPs) can decay far from the interaction vertex of the primary proton-proton collision. Such LLP signatures are distinct from those of promptly decaying particles that are targeted by the majority of searches for new physics at the LHC, often requiring customized techniques to identify, for example, significantly displaced decay vertices, tracks with atypical properties, and short track segments. Given their non-standard nature, a comprehensive overview of LLP signatures at the LHC is beneficial to ensure that possible avenues of the discovery of new physics are not overlooked. Here we report on the joint work of a community of theorists and experimentalists with the ATLAS, CMS, and LHCb experiments-as well as those working on dedicated experiments such as MoEDAL, milliQan, MATHUSLA, CODEX-b, and FASER-to survey the current state of LLP searches at the LHC, and to chart a path for the development of LLP searches into the future, both in the upcoming Run 3 and at the high-luminosity LHC. The work is organized around the current and future potential capabilities of LHC experiments to generally discover new LLPs, and takes a signature-based approach to surveying classes of models that give rise to LLPs rather than emphasizing any particular theory motivation. We develop a set of simplified models; assess the coverage of current searches; document known, often unexpected backgrounds; explore the capabilities of proposed detector upgrades; provide recommendations for the presentation of search results; and look towards the newest frontiers, namely high-multiplicity 'dark showers', highlighting opportunities for expanding the LHC reach for these signals.
|
|
| 16. |
|
|
| 17. |
|
|
| 18. |
- Godoy, Patricio, et al.
(author)
-
Recent advances in 2D and 3D in vitro systems using primary hepatocytes, alternative hepatocyte sources and non-parenchymal liver cells and their use in investigating mechanisms of hepatotoxicity, cell signaling and ADME
- 2013
-
In: Archives of Toxicology. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0340-5761 .- 1432-0738. ; 87:8, s. 1315-1530
-
Research review (peer-reviewed)abstract
- This review encompasses the most important advances in liver functions and hepatotoxicity and analyzes which mechanisms can be studied in vitro. In a complex architecture of nested, zonated lobules, the liver consists of approximately 80 % hepatocytes and 20 % non-parenchymal cells, the latter being involved in a secondary phase that may dramatically aggravate the initial damage. Hepatotoxicity, as well as hepatic metabolism, is controlled by a set of nuclear receptors (including PXR, CAR, HNF-4 alpha, FXR, LXR, SHP, VDR and PPAR) and signaling pathways. When isolating liver cells, some pathways are activated, e.g., the RAS/MEK/ERK pathway, whereas others are silenced (e.g. HNF-4 alpha), resulting in up- and downregulation of hundreds of genes. An understanding of these changes is crucial for a correct interpretation of in vitro data. The possibilities and limitations of the most useful liver in vitro systems are summarized, including three-dimensional culture techniques, co-cultures with non-parenchymal cells, hepatospheres, precision cut liver slices and the isolated perfused liver. Also discussed is how closely hepatoma, stem cell and iPS cell-derived hepatocyte-like-cells resemble real hepatocytes. Finally, a summary is given of the state of the art of liver in vitro and mathematical modeling systems that are currently used in the pharmaceutical industry with an emphasis on drug metabolism, prediction of clearance, drug interaction, transporter studies and hepatotoxicity. One key message is that despite our enthusiasm for in vitro systems, we must never lose sight of the in vivo situation. Although hepatocytes have been isolated for decades, the hunt for relevant alternative systems has only just begun.
|
|
| 19. |
- Jucker, Tommaso, et al.
(author)
-
Tallo: A global tree allometry and crown architecture database
- 2022
-
In: Global Change Biology. - : Wiley. - 1354-1013 .- 1365-2486. ; 28:17, s. 5254-5268
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Data capturing multiple axes of tree size and shape, such as a tree's stem diameter, height and crown size, underpin a wide range of ecological research—from developing and testing theory on forest structure and dynamics, to estimating forest carbon stocks and their uncertainties, and integrating remote sensing imagery into forest monitoring programmes. However, these data can be surprisingly hard to come by, particularly for certain regions of the world and for specific taxonomic groups, posing a real barrier to progress in these fields.To overcome this challenge, we developed the Tallo database, a collection of 498,838 georeferenced and taxonomically standardized records of individual trees for which stem diameter, height and/or crown radius have been measured. These data were collected at 61,856 globally distributed sites, spanning all major forested and non-forested biomes. The majority of trees in the database are identified to species (88%), and collectively Tallo includes data for 5163 species distributed across 1453 genera and 187 plant families. The database is publicly archived under a CC-BY 4.0 licence and can be access from: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6637599.To demonstrate its value, here we present three case studies that highlight how the Tallo database can be used to address a range of theoretical and applied questions in ecology—from testing the predictions of metabolic scaling theory, to exploring the limits of tree allometric plasticity along environmental gradients and modelling global variation in maximum attainable tree height. In doing so, we provide a key resource for field ecologists, remote sensing researchers and the modelling community working together to better understand the role that trees play in regulating the terrestrial carbon cycle.
|
|
| 20. |
- Akel Hasan, A., et al.
(author)
-
A review of solar thermal cooling technologies in selected Middle East and North African countries
- 2022
-
In: Sustainable Energy Technologies and Assessments. - : Elsevier Ltd. - 2213-1388 .- 2213-1396. ; 54
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Cooling loads are a substantial part of the total electricity demands of countries in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). Fortunately, because of its warm and sunny climate, the MENA region is naturally suited to solar cooling technologies. This article summarizes the most recent research and developments in solar thermal cooling technologies. The working principles and a general literature survey of solar thermal cooling technologies including absorption, adsorption, and desiccant is presented. This is followed by a summary of the literature specific to the MENA region, along with a survey of the prototypes and commercial installation of solar cooling across the MENA region. Based on this review, pilot solar cooling projects in the region are around 1180 kWc, which are split between space conditioning and industrial refrigeration applications. Most of the pilot projects are of absorption cooling type using an ammonia–water binary cycle and parabolic trough solar collectors. However, a few adsorption cooling systems are employed with a water–silica working pair and flat plate collectors. Finally, desiccant cooling systems are still in their infancy, as research and experimental systems in educational institutes.
|
|
| 21. |
- Dawod, Ahmed, et al.
(author)
-
Efficacy of Ficus sycomorus (Sycamore Fig) Extract on Intestinal Coccidiosis in Experimentally Infected Rabbits
- 2022
-
In: Life. - : MDPI. - 2075-1729. ; 12:6
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- This study was conducted to investigate the effect of the Ficus sycomorus extract on Eimeria intestinalis in experimentally infected rabbits. For this purpose, forty male 30-day-old rabbits (Blanc de Bouscat) were divided into four groups (n = 10 in each group). Rabbits kept in the first group served as negative control (non-treated-non-infected). Rabbits kept in the second, third, and fourth groups were challenged at 10 weeks old with 3 x 10(4) E. intestinalis sporulated oocysts. The third and fourth groups were treated orally with diclazuril 10% (0.05 mg/kg body weight) and F. sycomorus (100 mg/Kg) for three consecutive days, respectively. The efficacy was assessed based on the growth performance parameters, clinical symptoms, oocyst shedding, histopathological findings, and hematological parameters for 16 days post challenge. The study revealed that rabbits treated with F. sycomorus methanolic extract and diclazuril showed mild clinical symptoms with a significant decrease in oocyst shedding compared with the positive control. Moreover, the diclazuril-treated group showed the highest leukocytic count and the lowest monocytes percentage compared with other groups. Furthermore, the lowest lymphocytes percentage was recorded in the control positive group. Histopathologically, moderate coccidia infestation in the intestinal mucosa and moderate hydropic degeneration of hepatocytes were observed in the diclazuril treated group compared with the negative control. However, mild coccidia infestation in the intestinal mucosa and slight coagulative necrosis of hepatocytes was found in the F. sycomorus treated group. In conclusion, F. sycomorus methanolic extract had promising effects on the live performance, oocyst count, and blood variables, while it possesses adverse consequences on the hepatic tissues. Further studies are required to optimize the dose and extraction method to mitigate its side effects.
|
|
| 22. |
- Dawod, Ahmed, et al.
(author)
-
UPLC-QToF Nanospray MS and NMR Analysis of Ficus sycomorus Stem Bark and Its Effects on Rabbit
- 2021
-
In: Processes. - : MDPI. - 2227-9717. ; 9:7
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- In the present study, a phytochemical of Ficus sycomorus (Moraceae family) was screened, and the effect of this extract on rabbit performance indices, immunity, and carcass quality measures was determined. Ficus sycomorus samples were collected, air-dried, and extracted with 70% methanol to prepare a solution of 100 mg/mL concentration. The extract was subjected to high-resolution mass spectrometric measurements via ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight-nanospray mass spectrometry (UPLC-QToF-MS) and 1H NMR analysis. Forty-eight male rabbits, one-month-old, belonging to the Blanc de Bouscat and New Zealand White breeds were selected and distributed equally in a 2 x 3 factorial trial. The rabbits within each breed received F. sycomorus extract at the dose of 0, 100, and 200 mg/kg for 60 days. Blood samples were collected and serum obtained for the detection of liver enzymes, serum lipids, and proteins. The results of UPLC-QToF-MS and molecular networking analysis revealed the presence of procyanidin B2, procyanidin A1, genistein, eriodyctiol, catechin, luteolin, biochanin A, and chlorogenic acid that might exhibit various pharmaceutical activities. However, the F. sycomorus extract reduced rabbit performance indices and carcass quality measures. In addition, this extract significantly depressed the low-density lipoprotein and triglycerides, which may indicate the antidyslipidemia effect of this extract on rabbits.
|
|
| 23. |
- El-Seedi, Hesham, et al.
(author)
-
Insights into the Role of Natural Products in the Control of the Honey Bee Gut Parasite (Nosema spp.)
- 2022
-
In: Animals. - : MDPI AG. - 2076-2615. ; 12:21
-
Research review (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The honey bee is an important economic insect due to its role in pollinating many agricultural plants. Unfortunately, bees are susceptible to many pathogens, including pests, parasites, bacteria, and viruses, most of which exert a destructive impact on thousands of colonies. The occurrence of resistance to the therapeutic substances used against these organisms is rising, and the residue from these chemicals may accumulate in honey bee products, subsequently affecting the human health. There is current advice to avoid the use of antibiotics, antifungals, antivirals, and other drugs in bees, and therefore, it is necessary to develop alternative strategies for the treatment of bee diseases. In this context, the impact of nosema diseases (nosemosis) on bee health and the negative insults of existing drugs are discussed. Moreover, attempts to combat nosema through the use of alternative compounds, including essential oils, plant extracts, and microbes in vitro and in vivo, are documented.
|
|
| 24. |
- Elsayed, Mohamed Hammad, et al.
(author)
-
Overcoming small-bandgap charge recombination in visible and NIR-light-driven hydrogen evolution by engineering the polymer photocatalyst structure
- 2024
-
In: Nature Communications. - 2041-1723. ; 15:1
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Designing an organic polymer photocatalyst for efficient hydrogen evolution with visible and near-infrared (NIR) light activity is still a major challenge. Unlike the common behavior of gradually increasing the charge recombination while shrinking the bandgap, we present here a series of polymer nanoparticles (Pdots) based on ITIC and BTIC units with different π-linkers between the acceptor-donor-acceptor (A-D-A) repeated moieties of the polymer. These polymers act as an efficient single polymer photocatalyst for H2 evolution under both visible and NIR light, without combining or hybridizing with other materials. Importantly, the difluorothiophene (ThF) π-linker facilitates the charge transfer between acceptors of different repeated moieties (A-D-A-(π-Linker)-A-D-A), leading to the enhancement of charge separation between D and A. As a result, the PITIC-ThF Pdots exhibit superior hydrogen evolution rates of 279 µmol/h and 20.5 µmol/h with visible (>420 nm) and NIR (>780 nm) light irradiation, respectively. Furthermore, PITIC-ThF Pdots exhibit a promising apparent quantum yield (AQY) at 700 nm (4.76%).
|
|
| 25. |
- Hammad, Yasser A., et al.
(author)
-
Quality improvement can decrease blood delivery turnaround time : Evidence from a single tertiary-care academic medical center
- 2018
-
In: Middle East Journal of Anesthesiology. - : American University of Beirut. - 0544-0440. ; 25:3, s. 273-281
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Context: Blood transfusion services are critical to any hospitals’ functioning, and timely blood/ component therapy resuscitation is lifesaving. Yet, few blood delivery turnaround time (TAT) studies have been undertaken. Aims: We assessed blood delivery TAT at our institution before and after implementing an intervention. Settings and Design: This before-after study assessed blood delivery TAT at our institution at baseline (first audit, December 2015 - February 2016); analyzed the causes of any delays and implemented a multipronged organizational, educational and operational remedial actions for risk mitigation for 3 months, aiming to shorten the blood delivery TAT; and then 9 months later assessed the blood delivery TAT again (second audit, November 2017 - December 2017). Methods and Material: For each of the two audits, we assessed three indices that comprise TAT: Response time (time from doctor’s request until blood is ready for collection, T1); processing time (time from the arrival of technician to blood bank and start of paperwork processing at the blood bank’s front desk until actual collection of the blood, T2); and, Transport time (time from blood bank to arrival to operating theatre, T3). Statistical analysis used: The observed proportions for categorical variables were reported as percentage and compared using Chi square test. Results: After implementing the remedial actions, the second audit confirmed considerable improvements across all three components that comprise the blood TAT. The transport time significantly decreased from an initial majority of > 15 mins duration, to a majority of < 15 mins transport time after the second audit; there was a 50% improvement in 30 mins response time; and the percentage of requests processed in < 10 mins were significantly higher after the second audit. Conclusions: Our program and its findings in terms of much improved blood delivery TAT after implementing this quality improvement approach represent an appropriate and effective solution to the challenge of making blood available fast enough to meet true hemorrhagic emergencies.
|
|
| 26. |
- Hammad, Yassert A., et al.
(author)
-
Quality, safety and efficiency in practice : Risk assessment and standardisation of anesthesia equipment and supplies in operating theaters of high-volume tertiary-care academic medical center
- 2019
-
In: Middle East Journal of Anesthesiology. - : American University of Beirut. - 0544-0440. ; 26:1, s. 3-9
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background: Operating theatres (OTs) are valuable and costly resources that need to be appropriately designed and stocked for efficient, quality and safe patient care. We assessed the logistic inefficiency including the availability and location layout of necessary supplies across OTs of a high-volume tertiary-care academic medical center. Methods: A blinded observer (anesthesia technologist) was allocated to 10 OTs. For each OT, the availability, quantity and time spent to locate and obtain a set of required items were recorded (baseline values). We then developed an OT mapping plan to determine the specific item/s to be stocked in specific locations, and one OT was standardized to this configuration map. A blinded observer was then allocated to this standardized OT and time spent to obtain the same set of items was again recorded. Six of our regular OTs were then standardized to the same configuration, and the time to obtain the items by a blinded observer were again recorded for each OT. T tests compared the time required to locate items in the standardized OT vs. regular OTs; paired t tests compared the time required in each OT vs. itself before and after standardization. Results: The observer required significantly more time in each of the 10 regular OTs compared to the standardized OT. The time spent by the observer to obtain the required items significantly and considerably decreased in each of 6 OTs after their standardization, compared to the time required before their standardization. Conclusion: This quality improvement project successfully reduced the time required to identify and locate different supplies, which impacts on the efficiency and quality of patient care. For anesthesia staff moving from one anesthetizing location to another within the institution, consistencies in location and number of anesthesia equipment and supplies create higher levels of safety and professionalism.
|
|
| 27. |
- Akhtar, Muneeba, et al.
(author)
-
Response Surface Methodology (RSM) approach to formulate and optimize the bilayer combination tablet of Tamsulosin and Finasteride
- 2024
-
In: Saudi Pharmaceutical Journal. - : Elsevier. - 1319-0164 .- 2213-7475. ; 32:3
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- An orally administered bilayer tablet with Tamsulosin (TAM) as the sustained release (SR) and Finasteride (FIN) as immediate release (IR) was manufactured. A response surface methodology was employed to formulate bilayer tablets with individual release layers, i.e., sustained and immediate release (SR and IR). Independent variables selected in both cases comprise hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) as SR polymer, and avicel PH102 in the inner layer while Triacetin and talc in the outer layer, respectively. Tablets were prepared by direct compression, a total of 11 formulations were prepared for inner layer TAM, and 9 formulations for outer layer FIN were designed; these formulations were evaluated for hardness, friability, thickness, %drug content, and %drug release. A central composite design was employed in response surface methodology to design and optimize the formulation. The percentage of drug released was evaluated by in-vitro USP dissolution method of optimized formulation for 0.5, 2, and 6 hrs, and results were 24.63, 52.96, and 97.68 %, respectively. Drug release data was plotted in various kinetic models using a D.D solver, where drug release was first order that is concentration dependent and was best explained by Korsmeyer–Peppa kinetics, as the highest linearity was observed (R2 = 0.9693). However, a very close relationship was also noted with Higuchi kinetics (R2 = 0.9358). The mechanism of drug release was determined through the Korsmeyer model, and exponent "n" was found to be 0.4, indicative of an anomalous diffusion mechanism or diffusion coupled with erosion.
|
|
| 28. |
|
|
| 29. |
- Hammad, A., et al.
(author)
-
Multi-scale cross-attention transformer encoder for event classification
- 2024
-
In: Journal of High Energy Physics (JHEP). - : Springer. - 1126-6708 .- 1029-8479. ; 2024:3
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- We deploy an advanced Machine Learning (ML) environment, leveraging a multi-scale cross-attention encoder for event classification, towards the identification of the gg -> H -> hh -> b b b b process at the High Luminosity Large Hadron Collider (HL-LHC), where h is the discovered Standard Model (SM)-like Higgs boson and H a heavier version of it (with m( H) > 2m (h) ). In the ensuing boosted Higgs regime, the final state consists of two fat jets. Our multi-modal network can extract information from the jet substructure and the kinematics of the final state particles through self-attention transformer layers. The diverse learned information is subsequently integrated to improve classification performance using an additional transformer encoder with cross-attention heads. We showcase that our approach surpasses current alternative methods used to establish sensitivity to this process in performance, whether solely based on kinematic analysis or combining this with mainstream ML approaches. Then, we employ various interpretive methods to evaluate the network results, including attention map analysis and visual representation of Gradient-weighted Class Activation Mapping (Grad-CAM). Finally, we note that the proposed network is generic and can be applied to analyse any process carrying information at different scales. Our code is publicly available for generic use.
|
|
| 30. |
- Hammad, A., et al.
(author)
-
Search for mono-Higgs signals in bb? : final states using deep neural networks
- 2023
-
In: Physical Review D. - : American Physical Society. - 2470-0010 .- 2470-0029. ; 107:7
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- We study mono-Higgs signatures emerging in an illustrative new physics scenario involving Standard Model Higgs boson decays to bottom quark pairs using hybrid deep neural networks. We use a multilayer perceptron to analyze the kinematic observables and optimize the signal-to-background discrimination. The global color flow structure of hard jets emerging from the decay of heavy particles with different color charges is crucial to single out the mono-Higgs signature. Upon embedding the different color flow structures for signal and backgrounds into constructed images, we use a convolution neural network to analyze the latter. Specifically, the approach takes initially mono-type data as input, frittering away invaluable multisource and multiscale information. We then discuss a general architecture of hybrid deep neural networks that supports instead mixed input data. In comparison with single input deep neural networks, like multilayer perceptron or convolution neural networks, the hybrid deep neural networks provide higher capacity in feature extraction and thus in signal versus background classification performance. We provide reference results for the case of the high-luminosity Large Hadron Collider.
|
|
| 31. |
- Hammad, A., et al.
(author)
-
The dark Z ' and sterile neutrinos behind current anomalies
- 2022
-
In: Physics Letters B. - : Elsevier. - 0370-2693 .- 1873-2445. ; 827
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- We show how, in the B - L extension of the SM (BLSM) with an Inverse Seesaw (IS) mechanism for neutrino mass generation, a light Z' state with moderate couplings to SM objects, hence 'dark' in its nature, can be associated, in conjunction with light sterile neutrinos, to some present day data anomalies, such as the anomalous magnetic moment of the muon as well as a possible signal indicating the existence of sterile neutrinos in neutrino beam experiments.
|
|
| 32. |
|
|
| 33. |
- Janssens, Rosanne, et al.
(author)
-
How can patient preferences be used and communicated in the regulatory evaluation of medicinal products? : Findings and recommendations from IMI PREFER and call to action
- 2023
-
In: Frontiers in Pharmacology. - : Frontiers Media S.A.. - 1663-9812. ; 14
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Objective: Patients have unique insights and are (in-)directly affected by each decision taken throughout the life cycle of medicinal products. Patient preference studies (PPS) assess what matters most to patients, how much, and what trade-offs patients are willing to make. IMI PREFER was a six-year European public-private partnership under the Innovative Medicines Initiative that developed recommendations on how to assess and use PPS in medical product decision-making, including in the regulatory evaluation of medicinal products. This paper aims to summarize findings and recommendations from IMI PREFER regarding i) PPS applications in regulatory evaluation, ii) when and how to consult with regulators on PPS, iii) how to reflect PPS in regulatory communication and iv) barriers and open questions for PPS in regulatory decision-making.Methods: PREFER performed six literature reviews, 143 interviews and eight focus group discussions with regulators, patient representatives, industry representatives, Health Technology Assessment bodies, payers, academics, and clincians between October 2016 and May 2022.Results: i) With respect to PPS applications, prior to the conduct of clinical trials of medicinal products, PPS could inform regulators' understanding of patients' unmet needs and relevant endpoints during horizon scanning activities and scientific advice. During the evaluation of a marketing authorization application, PPS could inform: a) the assessment of whether a product meets an unmet need, b) whether patient-relevant clinical trial endpoints and outcomes were studied, c) the understanding of patient-relevant effect sizes and acceptable trade-offs, and d) the identification of key (un-)favorable effects and uncertainties. ii) With respect to consulting with regulators on PPS, PPS researchers should ideally have early discussions with regulators (e.g., during scientific advice) on the PPS design and research questions. iii) Regarding external PPS communication, PPS could be reflected in the assessment report and product information (e.g., the European Public Assessment Report and the Summary of Product Characteristics). iv) Barriers relevant to the use of PPS in regulatory evaluation include a lack of PPS use cases and demonstrated impact on regulatory decision-making, and need for (financial) incentives, guidance and quality criteria for implementing PPS results in regulatory decision-making. Open questions concerning regulatory PPS use include: a) should a product independent broad approach to the design of PPS be taken and/or a product-specific one, b) who should optimally be financing, designing, conducting, and coordinating PPS, c) when (within and/or outside clinical trials) to perform PPS, and d) how can PPS use best be operationalized in regulatory decisions.Conclusion: PPS have high potential to inform regulators on key unmet needs, endpoints, benefits, and risks that matter most to patients and their acceptable trade-offs. Regulatory guidelines, templates and checklists, together with incentives are needed to foster structural and transparent PPS submission and evaluation in regulatory decision-making. More PPS case studies should be conducted and submitted for regulatory assessment to enable regulatory discussion and increase regulators' experience with PPS implementation and communication in regulatory evaluations.
|
|
| 34. |
- Mallhi, Tauqeer Hussain, et al.
(author)
-
Incidence, risk factors and outcomes of acute kidney injury among COVID-19 patients : A systematic review of systematic reviews
- 2022
-
In: Frontiers in Medicine. - : Frontiers Media S.A.. - 2296-858X. ; 9
-
Research review (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The COVID-19 associated acute kidney injury (CAKI) has emerged as a potential intricacy during the management of patients. Navigating the rapidly growing body of scientific literature on CAKI is challenging, and ongoing critical appraisal of this complication is essential. This study aimed to summarize and critically appraise the systematic reviews (SRs) on CAKI to inform the healthcare providers about its prevalence, risk factors and outcomes. All the SRs were searched in major databases (PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science) from inception date to December 2021. This study followed SR of SRs methodology, all the records were screened, extracted and subjected to quality assessment by assessing the methodological quality of systematic reviews (AMSTAR-2). The extracted data were qualitatively synthesized and tabulated. This review protocol was registered in PROSPERO (CRD42022299444). Of 3,833 records identified; 42 SRs were included in this overview. The quality appraisal of the studies showed that 17 SRs were of low quality, while 8 moderate and 17 were of high-quality SRs. The incidence of CAKI ranged from 4.3% to 36.4% in overall COVID-19 patients, 36%-50% in kidney transplant recipients (KTRs), and up to 53% in severe or critical illness. Old age, male gender, cardiovascular disease, chronic kidney disease, diabetes mellitus and hypertension were frequently reported risk factors of CAKI. The need of renal replacement therapy (RRT) was up to 26.4% in overall COVID-19 patients, and 39% among those having CAKI. The occurrence of acute kidney injury (AKI) was found independent predictor of death, where mortality rate among CAKI patients ranged from 50% to 93%. This overview of SRs underscores that CAKI occurs frequently among COVID-19 patients and associated with high mortality, need of RRT and adverse outcomes. However, the confidence of these results is moderate to low which warrants the need of more SRs having established methodological standards.
|
|
| 35. |
- Muhammad, Khayal, et al.
(author)
-
Physicians' perception about the side effects of covid-19 vaccine and their role in vaccination program
- 2022
-
In: Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness. - : Cambridge University Press. - 1935-7893 .- 1938-744X. ; 16:6, s. 2290-2292
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Introduction: The Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused many problems in the health sector. Effective and safe vaccines are the only tool to combat the COVID-19 disease. Researchers and regulatory agencies have made efforts to develop such vaccines and healthcare professionals were prioritized for the vaccination program as first-line care providers. Considering this prioritization, we aimed to assess the physicians' perceptions regarding the side effects of the COVID-19 vaccine.Methods: An interview-based study was conducted from May 5 May to November 5, 2021 (6 months) in a teaching hospital in the capital city of Islamabad, Pakistan.Results: Among the 200 physicians who agreed to participate in the interview, 74% were male. A total of 94% did not experience any side effects after receiving the COVID-19 vaccine, regardless of the type of vaccine; 6% experienced side effects. Furthermore, 90% of physicians were afraid of side effects due to the high number of vaccine doses.Conclusion: Conclusively, physicians had a positive perception regarding the COVID-19 vaccine. Healthcare authorities and related departments must take precautions to ensure the effective and safe COVID-19 vaccine to change the perceptions of physicians who had a negative perception. This will not only reduce the reluctance among physicians regarding administering COVID-19 vaccine, but will also boost and facilitate the vaccination program for the general public as well.
|
|
| 36. |
- Qazi, Sohaib A., et al.
(author)
-
A High-Resolution Reconfigurable Sigma-Delta Digital-to-Analog Converter for RF Pulse Transmission in MRI Scanners
- 2017
-
In: 2017 IEEE NORDIC CIRCUITS AND SYSTEMS CONFERENCE (NORCAS): NORCHIP AND INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM OF SYSTEM-ON-CHIP (SOC). - : IEEE. - 9781538628447
-
Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- In Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scanners Radio Frequency (RF) signals are important to accurately excite target tissues. RF signals depend on Digital-to-Analog Converters (DAC) output which depends on sequence numbers issued from control room. This paper presents a sigma-delta modulator (SDM), followed by a DAC architecture that can be reconfigured while an MRI scanner is operating and pipelining is not required. The reconfigurable SDM is implemented in a 65nm CMOS technology and operates at an oversampling ratio (OSR) of 64 times. The modulator clocks at 2 GHz frequency with a 1.2-V supply voltage. The modulator occupies an area of 2 9 x 3 2 sq.mu m and consumes 319.1 mW. The proposed SDM-DAC is well-suited for the RF transmitter in the MRI scanner. The reconfigurability feature allows to select different resolutions for various types of RF pulses and can thereby target specific tissues more accurately. (1)
|
|
| 37. |
- Qazi, Sohaib A., et al.
(author)
-
ASIC modelling of SENSE for parallel MRI
- 2019
-
In: Computers in Biology and Medicine. - : PERGAMON-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD. - 0010-4825 .- 1879-0534. ; 109, s. 53-61
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is widely used in medical diagnostics and image reconstruction is a vital part of MRI systems. In Parallel MRI (pMRI), imaging process is accelerated by acquiring less data (undersampled) using multiple receiver coils and offline reconstruction algorithms are applied to reconstruct the fully sampled image. In this research, an Application Specific Integrated Circuits (ASIC) model of SENSE (a pMRI algorithm) is presented which reconstructs the image from the undersampled data right on the data acquisition module of the scanner. The proposed ASIC HDL architecture is compared with SENSE reconstruction model implemented on FPGAs, Multi-core CPU and Graphics Processing Units. The proposed architecture is validated using simulated brain data with 8-channel receiver coils and a human cardiac dataset with 20-channel receiver coils. The quality of the reconstructed images is analyzed using Artifact Power (0.0098), Peak Signal-to-Noise Ratio (53.4) and Structured Similarity Index (0.871) which validate the quality of the reconstructed images using the proposed design. The results show that the proposed ASIC HDL SENSE reconstruction model is similar to 8000 times faster as compared to the multi-core CPU reconstruction, similar to 700 times faster than the GPU implementation and similar to 16 times faster as compared to the FPGA reconstruction model. The proposed architecture is suitable for image reconstruction right on the data acquisition system of the scanner and will open new ways for faster image reconstruction on portable MRI scanners.
|
|
| 38. |
|
|
| 39. |
|
|
| 40. |
|
|
| 41. |
- Ullah, Hammad, et al.
(author)
-
Efficacy of a food supplement based on S-adenosyl methionine and probiotic strains in subjects with subthreshold depression and mild-to-moderate depression : A monocentric, randomized, cross-over, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial
- 2022
-
In: Biomedicine and Pharmacotherapy. - : Elsevier BV. - 0753-3322 .- 1950-6007. ; 156
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Depression is one of the most serious chronic psychiatric disorders affecting people worldwide. Subthreshold depression (SD) is a form of subclinical depression with increased risk of major depressive disorder (MDD). Patients diagnosed with SD may not be eligible for antidepressant drugs and, particularly in the case of MDD, these antidepressants may have adverse effects which outweigh their therapeutic effects, leading to discontinuation of therapy. Food supplements could provide an alternative strategy. The aim of this study is to demonstrate the efficacy of a food supplement based on a combination of S-adenosyl methionine (SAMe, 200 mg/day) and probiotics (Lactobacillus helveticus Rosell®−52, Bifidobacterium longum Rosell®−175, 3 ×109 CFU/day) in reducing depression symptoms in a monocentric, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, cross-over clinical trial. 80 Subjects were recruited and offered the food supplement or placebo daily for three months, according to a cross-over clinical trial design, followed by a six-week follow-up period. The efficacy of the food supplement was measured by means of the “Hamilton Depression Rating Scale” (HAM-D) and "Patient Health Questionnaire-9" (PHQ-9), using a mixed analysis of variance model, with random intercept, for statistical analysis. The food supplement showed a significant decrease of PHQ-9 and HAM-D scores resulting in reduced SD and MDD symptoms as compared to placebo. In conclusion, the daily intake of the food supplement based on SAMe and probiotic strains for a period of three months is effective in improving the quality of life of SD subjects who are not eligible for antidepressant therapies, and patients suffering from mild-to-moderate depression who are not sensitive or cannot tolerate conventional drugs.
|
|
| 42. |
- Ullah, Hammad, et al.
(author)
-
In Vitro Antimicrobial and Antibiofilm Properties and Bioaccessibility after Oral Digestion of Chemically Characterized Extracts Obtained from Cistus × incanus L., Scutellaria lateriflora L., and Their Combination
- 2023
-
In: Foods. - : MDPI. - 2304-8158. ; 12:9
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Periodontal diseases are oral inflammatory diseases ranging from gingivitis to chronic periodontitis. Porphyromonas gingivalis is one of the major pathogens responsible for severe and chronic periodontitis. Plant extracts with antimicrobial activity could be considered possible alternatives to chlorhexidine, an antiseptic substance used in oral hygiene thatcan cause bacteria resistance. Here, two commercial extracts obtained from Cistus × incanus L. and Scutellaria lateriflora L. were chemically characterized usingUltra-High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (UHPLC) coupled with a Q-Exactive Hybrid Quadrupole Orbitrap Mass Spectrometer. The extracts were studied for their bioaccessibility after simulated in vitro oral digestion, their antimicrobial activity against P. gingivalis, their protective effects against cellular invasion by P. gingivalis, and their antibiofilm activity. The extracts were found to contain very complex mixtures of polyphenols, which were quite stable after in vitro simulated oral digestion and demonstrated mild, dose-dependent inhibitory activity against P. gingivalis growth. This activity increased with the combination of the two extracts. Moreover, the combination of the extracts induced a reduction in P. gingivalis HaCaT invasiveness, and the reduction in biofilm came to around 80%. In conclusion, a combination of C. incanus and S. lateriflora showed promising effects useful in the treatment of gingivitis.
|
|
| 43. |
- Ullah, Hammad, et al.
(author)
-
In Vitro Bioaccessibility and Anti-Inflammatory Activity of a Chemically Characterized Allium cepa L. Extract Rich in Quercetin Derivatives Optimized by the Design of Experiments
- 2022
-
In: Molecules. - : MDPI AG. - 1431-5157 .- 1420-3049. ; 27:24
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Allium cepa L. is a highly consumed garden crop rich in biologically active phenolic and organosulfur compounds. This study aimed to assess the in vitro bioaccessibility and anti-inflammatory effect of a chemically characterized A. cepa extract rich in quercetin and its derivatives. Different varieties of A. cepa were studied; based on the highest total phenolic content, the “Golden” variety was selected. Its extracts, obtained from the tunicate bulb, tunic, and bulb, were subjected to determination of quercetin and its derivatives with LC-MS analysis and based on the highest total quercetin content, the tunic extract was utilized for further experiments. The extraction method was optimized through a design of experiment (DoE) method via full factorial design, which showed that 40% ethanol and 1 g tunic/20 mL solvent are the best extraction conditions. HPLC analysis of the optimized tunic extract identified 14 flavonols, including 10 quercetin derivatives. As far as in vitro bioaccessibility was concerned, the increases in some quercetin derivatives following the gastro-duodenal digestion process support the bioaccessibility of these bioactive compounds. Moreover, the extract significantly inhibited the production of PGE2 in stimulated J774 cell lines, while no effects of the tunic extract were observed against the release of IL-1β, TNF-α, and nitrites. The study provided insights into the optimized extraction conditions to obtain an A. cepa tunic extract rich in bioavailable quercetin derivatives with significant anti-inflammatory effects against PGE2.
|
|
