Street food trading solves major social and economic problems in developing countries through the provision of ready-made meals at relatively inexpensive prices and employment for teeming rural and urban populace alon...Street food trading solves major social and economic problems in developing countries through the provision of ready-made meals at relatively inexpensive prices and employment for teeming rural and urban populace along its value chain.However,due to informal nature of the enterprise,the activities of the practitioners are not regulated.This gives ample room for unwholesome practices.The results are the risks such activities pose to the health and safety of practitioners along the value chain.This review paper,a summary of literature reports on risk factors in street food trade in developing countries and recommended safety intervention,is written with the hope of providing global baseline for intervention to ensure safe food practices.Adoption of safety approaches that permeates the entire chain of street food business from good agricultural practices through hazard analysis critical control points strategy to good hygiene practices by farmers,vendors and consumers would significantly reduce risks in street food consumption.Above all,active collaboration of all stakeholders toward the strengthening and proper enforcement of public health policies to ensure safe practices and engender safer and healthier society is recommended.展开更多
Unemployment is one of the major vices in our contemporal society, which weigh greatly on the economy of such nation. It is also, a fact that knowing ones enemy before battle gives 50 per cent chance of victory;thus, ...Unemployment is one of the major vices in our contemporal society, which weigh greatly on the economy of such nation. It is also, a fact that knowing ones enemy before battle gives 50 per cent chance of victory;thus, this research aimed at providing understanding about dynamics of unemployment with consideration for retirement and possible control criterion. And the objectives are;formulation of mathematical model using the concept of deterministic model and mathematical epidemiology;then, model analysis. The model analysis includes, a numerical semi-analytical scheme for investigating validity of analytical solutions. The result of the analysis were that: 1) the model was mathematically well-pose and biologically meaningful 2) two equilibria points exist, and 3) a threshold for recruitment from the pool of unemployment, assuring victory in the fight against unemployment was also, obtained. The threshold is required to be well managed in order to win the battle against the socio-vice (unemployment) in the contemporary society. In addition, variational iterative method (VIM) is the numerical semi-analytic scheme employed to solve the model;thus, the approximate solution gave a practical meaningful interpretation supporting the analytical results and proof of verdict of assumptions of the model. The article concluded with three points;everyone has roles to play to curtail the socio-menace, beseech government and policy makers to look kindly, and create policy(ies) to sustain population growth, and the retiree should also, plan live after service, because over dependence on pension scheme could be died before death because of corruption in the scheme.展开更多
In this paper, we prove the existence and the global exponential stability of the unique weighted pseudo almost-periodic solution of shunting inhibitory cellular neural networks with mixed time-varying delays comprisi...In this paper, we prove the existence and the global exponential stability of the unique weighted pseudo almost-periodic solution of shunting inhibitory cellular neural networks with mixed time-varying delays comprising different discrete and distributed time delays. Some sufficient conditions are given for the existence and the global exponential stability of the weighted pseudo almost-periodic solution by employing fixed point theorem and differential inequality techniques. The results of this paper complement the previously known ones. Finally, an illustrative example is given to demonstrate the effectiveness of our results.展开更多
Objective:In this study,an anti-haemorrhoid herbal recipe containing bark of Alstonia boonei and dried cloves–Syzygium aromaticum was investigated for cytogenotoxicity,mutagenicity and histopathological effects follo...Objective:In this study,an anti-haemorrhoid herbal recipe containing bark of Alstonia boonei and dried cloves–Syzygium aromaticum was investigated for cytogenotoxicity,mutagenicity and histopathological effects following the micronucleus and sperm morphology assays using Wistar albino rats.Methods:The rats were administered anti-haemorrhoid herbal recipe at 25.0%,50.0%and 100.0%,while distilled water and 0.05%sodium azide were the negative and positive controls,respectively.Phytochemicals in the herbal recipe were elucidated using the Fourier Transform Infrared(FTIR)and Gas Chromatography Flame Ionization Detection(GC-FID)techniques.Results:In the treated rats,there was increase in body weight,cells division inhibition,micronucleated polychromatic/normochromatic erythrocytes(MNPCEs&MNNCEs)and abnormal sperm cells were significantly induced at 100.0%(P<0.05),whereas 25.0%herbal recipe promoted cell division.The herbal recipe at 50.0%and 100.0%did not cause any histopathological damages on the liver,kidney and testis except at 25.0%.Polyphenolics,terpenoids and alkaloids were detected in this anti-haemorrhoid herbal recipe which could be cytotoxic,clastogenic and spermatotoxic at a high concentration(100.0%).Conclusion:These results necessitate regulation and control of consumption of the anti-haemorrhoid herbal recipe by people through the authorized government agencies in Nigeria.展开更多
Measurements of dielectric parameters followed by permeability tests are performed on soil samples of infiltration basin. The dielectric parameters are obtained by TDR （time domain reflectrometry） measurements from ...Measurements of dielectric parameters followed by permeability tests are performed on soil samples of infiltration basin. The dielectric parameters are obtained by TDR （time domain reflectrometry） measurements from which it is found that the measurement of the permittivity, the electrical conductivity and the relaxation time of compacted soil allows the mapping of the values of the coefficient of permeability at the surface of an infiltration basin. With the distribution of the coefficient of permeability, the areas of water stagnation can be detected before the basin filling. The study proves that the TDR measurements for the detection of these zones can be used for the management of infiltration basins for sustainable working and their remediation can be undertaken before the rainy seasons.展开更多
The exponential increase in new coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19)cases and deaths has made COVID-19 the leading cause of death in many countries.Thus,in this study,we propose an efficient technique for the automatic ...The exponential increase in new coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19)cases and deaths has made COVID-19 the leading cause of death in many countries.Thus,in this study,we propose an efficient technique for the automatic detection of COVID-19 and pneumonia based on X-ray images.A stacked denoising convolutional autoencoder(SDCA)model was proposed to classify X-ray images into three classes:normal,pneumonia,and COVID-19.The SDCA model was used to obtain a good representation of the input data and extract the relevant features from noisy images.The proposed model’s architecture mainly composed of eight autoencoders,which were fed to two dense layers and SoftMax classifiers.The proposed model was evaluated with 6356 images from the datasets from different sources.The experiments and evaluation of the proposed model were applied to an 80/20 training/validation split and for five cross-validation data splitting,respectively.The metrics used for the SDCA model were the classification accuracy,precision,sensitivity,and specificity for both schemes.Our results demonstrated the superiority of the proposed model in classifying X-ray images with high accuracy of 96.8%.Therefore,this model can help physicians accelerate COVID-19 diagnosis.展开更多
Abdominal wall reconstruction is a relevant and important topic not only in plastic and reconstructive surgery,but in the practice of general surgeons.The ideal anatomic location for mesh placement during the repair o...Abdominal wall reconstruction is a relevant and important topic not only in plastic and reconstructive surgery,but in the practice of general surgeons.The ideal anatomic location for mesh placement during the repair of ventral hernias has been debated;however,the most common anatomic locations include onlay,inlay,sublay-retromuscular,sublaypreperitoneal,and sublay-intraperitoneal techniques,as defined by the European Hernia Society.Additionally,the availability of numerous synthetic and biologic meshes on the market provides for several options for the practicing surgeon.In this review,we provide a summary of the available literature of both the ideal mesh plane and the appropriate opportunities to use both synthetic and biologic meshes.展开更多
Introduction: The objective of our work was to describe the epidemiological, clinical and biological profile of Buruli ulcer in “Centre de Dépistage et de traitement de l’ulcère de Buruli” (CDTUB) in Alla...Introduction: The objective of our work was to describe the epidemiological, clinical and biological profile of Buruli ulcer in “Centre de Dépistage et de traitement de l’ulcère de Buruli” (CDTUB) in Allada. Methods: A descriptive and retrospective study focused on new cases of Buruli ulcer received in the CDTUB of Allada from 2010 to 2014. The diagnosis of Buruli ulcer was based on epidemiological, clinical and biological arguments. Results: Over 5 years, 274 new cases of Buruli ulcer have been diagnosed. The average age of the patients was 12 years and the sex ratio was 0.8. The average time to first consultation was 45 days. Clinically, 61% had a joint functional limitation. Lesions were ulcerated in 69% of cases, category I (26%), category II (53%), category III (21%) and were present on the lower limbs in 57% of cases. Microscopy was positive in 65.7% of cases and PCR in 78.1% of cases. Microscopy supplemented by PCR confirmed the diagnosis in 81% of cases. Conclusion: The epidemiological, clinical and biological profile of Buruli ulcer in Allada was characterized by a predominant disease in children, a predominance of ulcerated forms and a decisive contribution of PCR to the diagnosis.展开更多
Tetanus is an acute non-contagious and infectious disease caused by Clostridium tetani exotoxins that affect many animal species and humans. It is associated with high mortality rate, ranging from 58% to 80% in Equida...Tetanus is an acute non-contagious and infectious disease caused by Clostridium tetani exotoxins that affect many animal species and humans. It is associated with high mortality rate, ranging from 58% to 80% in Equidae. This study investigated the seroprevalence of C. tetani antibodies in donkeys in Kaduna State. A total of 384 donkeys were sampled from the study area, 5 ml of blood was collected aseptically from the jugular vein and sera was harvested and tested for tetanus using ELISA kits. A seroprevalence of C. tetani of 295/384 (76.8%) was recorded. Male donkeys had a higher sero-prevalence (89.9%) than female (64.1%), young donkeys had 78.5% compared to 75.7% for adults;donkeys with wounds had a seroprevalence of 92.1% while those without wounds (42.4%). Donkeys from free range had a higher seroprevalence of 88.0%. Donkeys with BCS of 1 and 2 had 87.8% being the highest value, based on breeds, the Fari and Idabari had the higher seroprevalence (85.7% and 87.2% respectively), It was concluded that the donkeys in the Northern Kaduna had a high seroprevalence to C. tetani and also sex, age, breeds and presence of wounds were the main risk factors to C. tetani infection in donkeys and it was recommended that the use of donkeys in production of tetanus antitoxins and toxoid should be investigated.展开更多
Objective: To evaluate the antioxidant and antidiabetic activities of Sutherlandia montana E. Phillips & R.A. Dyer leaf extracts using the in vitro model.Methods: The antioxidant activities of aqueous, decoction, ...Objective: To evaluate the antioxidant and antidiabetic activities of Sutherlandia montana E. Phillips & R.A. Dyer leaf extracts using the in vitro model.Methods: The antioxidant activities of aqueous, decoction, ethanol and hydro-ethanol extracts of the plant were determined using seven different assays; the antidiabetic potential was evaluated through the inhibition of key carbohydrate hydrolysing enzymes(aamylase and a-glucosidase), while the modes of the enzymes inhibition were assessed using enzyme kinetic analysis.Results: The ethanol extract exhibited the best scavenging activity(IC_(50): 0.47, 0.36,0.20, 0.29 and 0.01 mg/m L) against the tested radicals like 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl,2, 20-azinobis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid), nitric oxide, hydroxyl and superoxide anion, respectively. It also showed the best reducing power efficiency when compared with the standard(silymarin), while the decoction extract displayed the strongest metal chelating potential(IC_(50): 0.71 mg/m L). The ethanol(IC_(50): 5.52 mg/m L)and decoction(IC_(50): 0.05 mg/m L) extracts exhibited mild and strong inhibitory effects on the specific activities of a-amylase and a-glucosidase respectively, through an uncompetitive and non-competitive mode of action.Conclusions: The observed properties might be linked to the presence of active principles as shown by the results of the phytochemical analyses of the extracts. This research has validated the folkloric application of Sutherlandia montana as a potential antidiabetic agent, which is evident from the inhibition of specific activities of key enzymes involved in carbohydrate metabolism.展开更多
In the last decade, the phosphate reserves have started to decrease. In this study, both phosphate of Oum El Khacheb's(O.E.K) region(South of Tunisia) and its big rejections were characterized mineralogically and ...In the last decade, the phosphate reserves have started to decrease. In this study, both phosphate of Oum El Khacheb's(O.E.K) region(South of Tunisia) and its big rejections were characterized mineralogically and chemically by several analysis methods such as the binocular magnifying glass, X-rays diffraction technique, Technicon auto-analyzer, atomic absorption spectroscopy, and carbon sulfur analyzer. Then,this work focuses on the coarse rejections of O.E.K's phosphorites which can be valorized by the wet grinding method. Therefore, we have used the methodology of experimental research to determine the optimal grinding conditions. Results found by Doelhert matrix are: a duration at about 4 min, a pulp on solid concentration of 45.00%, a number of cycles equals to 60 rpm and 3.87 as the jar's loading.The enhancement of the weight yields of phosphate recuperation increased significantly by 46.39% from big rejections with 24.60% of P_2O_5 concentration.展开更多
A multiwavelength Brillouin/erbium fiber laser （BEFL） with low threshold power is realized. A low threshold power of 3 mW and a wide tuning range of 18 nm can be achieved by controlling the reflected power in the no...A multiwavelength Brillouin/erbium fiber laser （BEFL） with low threshold power is realized. A low threshold power of 3 mW and a wide tuning range of 18 nm can be achieved by controlling the reflected power in the nonlinear optical loop mirror （NOLM）. Up to 24 lines with a wavelength spacing of 0,086 nm are generated at the Brillouin pump and at the 1 480-nm pump with -0.5 dBm （0.9 roW） and 25 mW of power, respectively.展开更多
We herein report the removal of amodiaquine, an emerging drug contaminant from aqueous solution using [Zn2（fum）2（bpy）] and [Zn4 O（bdc）3]（fum = fumaric acid; bpy =4,4-bipyridine; bdc = benzene-1,4-dicarboxylate...We herein report the removal of amodiaquine, an emerging drug contaminant from aqueous solution using [Zn2（fum）2（bpy）] and [Zn4 O（bdc）3]（fum = fumaric acid; bpy =4,4-bipyridine; bdc = benzene-1,4-dicarboxylate） metal–organic frameworks（MOFs） as adsorbents. The adsorbents were characterized by elemental analysis, Fourier transform infrared（FT-IR） spectroscopy, and powder X-ray diffraction（PXRD）. Adsorption process for both adsorbents were found to follow the pseudo-first-order kinetics, and the adsorption equilibrium data fitted best into the Freundlich isotherm with the R2 values of 0.973 and0.993 obtained for [Zn2（fum）2（bpy）] and [Zn4 O（bdc）3] respectively. The maximum adsorption capacities foramodiaquine in this study were found to be 0.478 and 47.62 mg/g on the[Zn2（fum）2（bpy）] and [Zn4 O（bdc）3] MOFs respectively, and were obtained at p H of 4.3 for both adsorbents. FT-IR spectroscopy analysis of the MOFs after the adsorption process showed the presence of the drug. The results of the study showed that the prepared MOFs could be used for the removal of amodiaquine from wastewater.展开更多
Context: In case of diabetes, persistent and chronic hyperglycaemia may generate free radicals and reactive oxygen species (ROS), which trigger an oxidative stress. Garlic (Allium sativum) is a rich source of bioactiv...Context: In case of diabetes, persistent and chronic hyperglycaemia may generate free radicals and reactive oxygen species (ROS), which trigger an oxidative stress. Garlic (Allium sativum) is a rich source of bioactive compounds and is used in folk medicine for the treatment of various diseases, including diabetes. Besides, α-tocopherol and magnesium have been shown to possess antioxidative properties. Objective: Protective effects of either a garlic aqueous extract or an association of α-tocopherol and magnesium association upon oxidative stress and dysfunctions in kidney and brain of alloxan-diabetic rats were investigated. Results: Both garlic extract and the combination of α-tocopherol and magnesium were found to normalize many parameters which were shifted to pathological values as a consequence of the alloxan-induced diabetes: plasma creatinine and urea levels were decreased, protein leakage in urine was reduced and cortisol level was brought back to control value. In addition, superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GPX) activities, which were lowered in kidney and brain of diabetic animals, were restored by both treatments and, consequently, level of lipids peroxidation was reduced in these organs, as compared to diabetic animals. Conclusion: Both garlic extract and α-tocopherol + magnesium association display beneficial effects upon nephropathy and oxidative stress in alloxan-diabetic rats. The protective effect of garlic is mainly attributed to antioxidant properties and the presence of phenolic acids and flavonoids.展开更多
In this work a new technique for global perceptual codes (GPCs) extraction using genetic algorithms (GA) is presented. GAs are employed to extract the GPCs in order to reduce the original number of features and to pro...In this work a new technique for global perceptual codes (GPCs) extraction using genetic algorithms (GA) is presented. GAs are employed to extract the GPCs in order to reduce the original number of features and to provide meaningful representations of the original data. In this technique the GPCs are build from a certain combination of elementary perceptual codes (EPCs) which are provided by the Beta-elliptic model for the generation of complex handwriting movements. Indeed, in this model each script is modelled by a set of elliptic arcs. We associate to each arc an EPC. In the proposed technique we defined four types of EPCs. The GPCs can be formed by many possible combinations of EPCs depending on their number and types. So that, the problem of choosing the right combination for each GPC can be regarded as a global optimization problem which is treated in this work using the GAs. Several simulation examples are presented to evaluate the interest and the efficiency of the proposed technique.展开更多
Navigation of autonomous mobile robots in dynamic and unknown environments needs to take into account different kinds of uncertainties. Type-1 fuzzy logic research has been largely used in the control of mobile robots...Navigation of autonomous mobile robots in dynamic and unknown environments needs to take into account different kinds of uncertainties. Type-1 fuzzy logic research has been largely used in the control of mobile robots. However, type-1 fuzzy control presents limitations in handling those uncertainties as it uses precise fuzzy sets. Indeed type-1 fuzzy sets cannot deal with linguistic and numerical uncertainties associated with either the mechanical aspect of robots, or with dynamic changing environment or with knowledge used in the phase of conception of a fuzzy system. Recently many researchers have applied type-2 fuzzy logic to improve performance. As control using type-2 fuzzy sets represents a new generation of fuzzy controllers in mobile robotic issue, it is interesting to present the performances that can offer type-2 fuzzy sets by regards to type-1 fuzzy sets. The paper presented deep and new comparisons between the two sides of fuzzy logic and demonstrated the great interest in controlling mobile robot using type-2 fuzzy logic. We deal with the design of new controllers for mobile robots using type-2 fuzzy logic in the navigation process in unknown and dynamic environments. The dynamicity of the environment is depicted by the presence of other dynamic robots. The performances of the proposed controllers are represented by both simulations and experimental results, and discussed over graphical paths and numerical analysis.展开更多
Background:Acupuncture studies have used neuroradiology procedures to examine the role of the central nervous system (CNS) in body acupuncture, but none of these previous studies investigated CNS relationships to auri...Background:Acupuncture studies have used neuroradiology procedures to examine the role of the central nervous system (CNS) in body acupuncture, but none of these previous studies investigated CNS relationships to auriculotherapy.展开更多
文摘Street food trading solves major social and economic problems in developing countries through the provision of ready-made meals at relatively inexpensive prices and employment for teeming rural and urban populace along its value chain.However,due to informal nature of the enterprise,the activities of the practitioners are not regulated.This gives ample room for unwholesome practices.The results are the risks such activities pose to the health and safety of practitioners along the value chain.This review paper,a summary of literature reports on risk factors in street food trade in developing countries and recommended safety intervention,is written with the hope of providing global baseline for intervention to ensure safe food practices.Adoption of safety approaches that permeates the entire chain of street food business from good agricultural practices through hazard analysis critical control points strategy to good hygiene practices by farmers,vendors and consumers would significantly reduce risks in street food consumption.Above all,active collaboration of all stakeholders toward the strengthening and proper enforcement of public health policies to ensure safe practices and engender safer and healthier society is recommended.
文摘Unemployment is one of the major vices in our contemporal society, which weigh greatly on the economy of such nation. It is also, a fact that knowing ones enemy before battle gives 50 per cent chance of victory;thus, this research aimed at providing understanding about dynamics of unemployment with consideration for retirement and possible control criterion. And the objectives are;formulation of mathematical model using the concept of deterministic model and mathematical epidemiology;then, model analysis. The model analysis includes, a numerical semi-analytical scheme for investigating validity of analytical solutions. The result of the analysis were that: 1) the model was mathematically well-pose and biologically meaningful 2) two equilibria points exist, and 3) a threshold for recruitment from the pool of unemployment, assuring victory in the fight against unemployment was also, obtained. The threshold is required to be well managed in order to win the battle against the socio-vice (unemployment) in the contemporary society. In addition, variational iterative method (VIM) is the numerical semi-analytic scheme employed to solve the model;thus, the approximate solution gave a practical meaningful interpretation supporting the analytical results and proof of verdict of assumptions of the model. The article concluded with three points;everyone has roles to play to curtail the socio-menace, beseech government and policy makers to look kindly, and create policy(ies) to sustain population growth, and the retiree should also, plan live after service, because over dependence on pension scheme could be died before death because of corruption in the scheme.
文摘In this paper, we prove the existence and the global exponential stability of the unique weighted pseudo almost-periodic solution of shunting inhibitory cellular neural networks with mixed time-varying delays comprising different discrete and distributed time delays. Some sufficient conditions are given for the existence and the global exponential stability of the weighted pseudo almost-periodic solution by employing fixed point theorem and differential inequality techniques. The results of this paper complement the previously known ones. Finally, an illustrative example is given to demonstrate the effectiveness of our results.
文摘Objective:In this study,an anti-haemorrhoid herbal recipe containing bark of Alstonia boonei and dried cloves–Syzygium aromaticum was investigated for cytogenotoxicity,mutagenicity and histopathological effects following the micronucleus and sperm morphology assays using Wistar albino rats.Methods:The rats were administered anti-haemorrhoid herbal recipe at 25.0%,50.0%and 100.0%,while distilled water and 0.05%sodium azide were the negative and positive controls,respectively.Phytochemicals in the herbal recipe were elucidated using the Fourier Transform Infrared(FTIR)and Gas Chromatography Flame Ionization Detection(GC-FID)techniques.Results:In the treated rats,there was increase in body weight,cells division inhibition,micronucleated polychromatic/normochromatic erythrocytes(MNPCEs&MNNCEs)and abnormal sperm cells were significantly induced at 100.0%(P<0.05),whereas 25.0%herbal recipe promoted cell division.The herbal recipe at 50.0%and 100.0%did not cause any histopathological damages on the liver,kidney and testis except at 25.0%.Polyphenolics,terpenoids and alkaloids were detected in this anti-haemorrhoid herbal recipe which could be cytotoxic,clastogenic and spermatotoxic at a high concentration(100.0%).Conclusion:These results necessitate regulation and control of consumption of the anti-haemorrhoid herbal recipe by people through the authorized government agencies in Nigeria.
文摘Measurements of dielectric parameters followed by permeability tests are performed on soil samples of infiltration basin. The dielectric parameters are obtained by TDR （time domain reflectrometry） measurements from which it is found that the measurement of the permittivity, the electrical conductivity and the relaxation time of compacted soil allows the mapping of the values of the coefficient of permeability at the surface of an infiltration basin. With the distribution of the coefficient of permeability, the areas of water stagnation can be detected before the basin filling. The study proves that the TDR measurements for the detection of these zones can be used for the management of infiltration basins for sustainable working and their remediation can be undertaken before the rainy seasons.
基金The authors extend their appreciation to the Deanship of Scientific Research at King Saud University for funding this work through research Group No.RG-1441-379 and for their technical support.
文摘The exponential increase in new coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19)cases and deaths has made COVID-19 the leading cause of death in many countries.Thus,in this study,we propose an efficient technique for the automatic detection of COVID-19 and pneumonia based on X-ray images.A stacked denoising convolutional autoencoder(SDCA)model was proposed to classify X-ray images into three classes:normal,pneumonia,and COVID-19.The SDCA model was used to obtain a good representation of the input data and extract the relevant features from noisy images.The proposed model’s architecture mainly composed of eight autoencoders,which were fed to two dense layers and SoftMax classifiers.The proposed model was evaluated with 6356 images from the datasets from different sources.The experiments and evaluation of the proposed model were applied to an 80/20 training/validation split and for five cross-validation data splitting,respectively.The metrics used for the SDCA model were the classification accuracy,precision,sensitivity,and specificity for both schemes.Our results demonstrated the superiority of the proposed model in classifying X-ray images with high accuracy of 96.8%.Therefore,this model can help physicians accelerate COVID-19 diagnosis.
文摘Abdominal wall reconstruction is a relevant and important topic not only in plastic and reconstructive surgery,but in the practice of general surgeons.The ideal anatomic location for mesh placement during the repair of ventral hernias has been debated;however,the most common anatomic locations include onlay,inlay,sublay-retromuscular,sublaypreperitoneal,and sublay-intraperitoneal techniques,as defined by the European Hernia Society.Additionally,the availability of numerous synthetic and biologic meshes on the market provides for several options for the practicing surgeon.In this review,we provide a summary of the available literature of both the ideal mesh plane and the appropriate opportunities to use both synthetic and biologic meshes.
文摘Introduction: The objective of our work was to describe the epidemiological, clinical and biological profile of Buruli ulcer in “Centre de Dépistage et de traitement de l’ulcère de Buruli” (CDTUB) in Allada. Methods: A descriptive and retrospective study focused on new cases of Buruli ulcer received in the CDTUB of Allada from 2010 to 2014. The diagnosis of Buruli ulcer was based on epidemiological, clinical and biological arguments. Results: Over 5 years, 274 new cases of Buruli ulcer have been diagnosed. The average age of the patients was 12 years and the sex ratio was 0.8. The average time to first consultation was 45 days. Clinically, 61% had a joint functional limitation. Lesions were ulcerated in 69% of cases, category I (26%), category II (53%), category III (21%) and were present on the lower limbs in 57% of cases. Microscopy was positive in 65.7% of cases and PCR in 78.1% of cases. Microscopy supplemented by PCR confirmed the diagnosis in 81% of cases. Conclusion: The epidemiological, clinical and biological profile of Buruli ulcer in Allada was characterized by a predominant disease in children, a predominance of ulcerated forms and a decisive contribution of PCR to the diagnosis.
文摘Tetanus is an acute non-contagious and infectious disease caused by Clostridium tetani exotoxins that affect many animal species and humans. It is associated with high mortality rate, ranging from 58% to 80% in Equidae. This study investigated the seroprevalence of C. tetani antibodies in donkeys in Kaduna State. A total of 384 donkeys were sampled from the study area, 5 ml of blood was collected aseptically from the jugular vein and sera was harvested and tested for tetanus using ELISA kits. A seroprevalence of C. tetani of 295/384 (76.8%) was recorded. Male donkeys had a higher sero-prevalence (89.9%) than female (64.1%), young donkeys had 78.5% compared to 75.7% for adults;donkeys with wounds had a seroprevalence of 92.1% while those without wounds (42.4%). Donkeys from free range had a higher seroprevalence of 88.0%. Donkeys with BCS of 1 and 2 had 87.8% being the highest value, based on breeds, the Fari and Idabari had the higher seroprevalence (85.7% and 87.2% respectively), It was concluded that the donkeys in the Northern Kaduna had a high seroprevalence to C. tetani and also sex, age, breeds and presence of wounds were the main risk factors to C. tetani infection in donkeys and it was recommended that the use of donkeys in production of tetanus antitoxins and toxoid should be investigated.
基金the research committee of the University of the Free State, Qwaqwa Campus for financing the study with Grant number 211527604
文摘Objective: To evaluate the antioxidant and antidiabetic activities of Sutherlandia montana E. Phillips & R.A. Dyer leaf extracts using the in vitro model.Methods: The antioxidant activities of aqueous, decoction, ethanol and hydro-ethanol extracts of the plant were determined using seven different assays; the antidiabetic potential was evaluated through the inhibition of key carbohydrate hydrolysing enzymes(aamylase and a-glucosidase), while the modes of the enzymes inhibition were assessed using enzyme kinetic analysis.Results: The ethanol extract exhibited the best scavenging activity(IC_(50): 0.47, 0.36,0.20, 0.29 and 0.01 mg/m L) against the tested radicals like 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl,2, 20-azinobis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid), nitric oxide, hydroxyl and superoxide anion, respectively. It also showed the best reducing power efficiency when compared with the standard(silymarin), while the decoction extract displayed the strongest metal chelating potential(IC_(50): 0.71 mg/m L). The ethanol(IC_(50): 5.52 mg/m L)and decoction(IC_(50): 0.05 mg/m L) extracts exhibited mild and strong inhibitory effects on the specific activities of a-amylase and a-glucosidase respectively, through an uncompetitive and non-competitive mode of action.Conclusions: The observed properties might be linked to the presence of active principles as shown by the results of the phytochemical analyses of the extracts. This research has validated the folkloric application of Sutherlandia montana as a potential antidiabetic agent, which is evident from the inhibition of specific activities of key enzymes involved in carbohydrate metabolism.
文摘In the last decade, the phosphate reserves have started to decrease. In this study, both phosphate of Oum El Khacheb's(O.E.K) region(South of Tunisia) and its big rejections were characterized mineralogically and chemically by several analysis methods such as the binocular magnifying glass, X-rays diffraction technique, Technicon auto-analyzer, atomic absorption spectroscopy, and carbon sulfur analyzer. Then,this work focuses on the coarse rejections of O.E.K's phosphorites which can be valorized by the wet grinding method. Therefore, we have used the methodology of experimental research to determine the optimal grinding conditions. Results found by Doelhert matrix are: a duration at about 4 min, a pulp on solid concentration of 45.00%, a number of cycles equals to 60 rpm and 3.87 as the jar's loading.The enhancement of the weight yields of phosphate recuperation increased significantly by 46.39% from big rejections with 24.60% of P_2O_5 concentration.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China under Grant No. 60938003
文摘A multiwavelength Brillouin/erbium fiber laser （BEFL） with low threshold power is realized. A low threshold power of 3 mW and a wide tuning range of 18 nm can be achieved by controlling the reflected power in the nonlinear optical loop mirror （NOLM）. Up to 24 lines with a wavelength spacing of 0,086 nm are generated at the Brillouin pump and at the 1 480-nm pump with -0.5 dBm （0.9 roW） and 25 mW of power, respectively.
基金Royal Society of Chemistry for the award of 2016 Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) Research Fund Grant
文摘We herein report the removal of amodiaquine, an emerging drug contaminant from aqueous solution using [Zn2（fum）2（bpy）] and [Zn4 O（bdc）3]（fum = fumaric acid; bpy =4,4-bipyridine; bdc = benzene-1,4-dicarboxylate） metal–organic frameworks（MOFs） as adsorbents. The adsorbents were characterized by elemental analysis, Fourier transform infrared（FT-IR） spectroscopy, and powder X-ray diffraction（PXRD）. Adsorption process for both adsorbents were found to follow the pseudo-first-order kinetics, and the adsorption equilibrium data fitted best into the Freundlich isotherm with the R2 values of 0.973 and0.993 obtained for [Zn2（fum）2（bpy）] and [Zn4 O（bdc）3] respectively. The maximum adsorption capacities foramodiaquine in this study were found to be 0.478 and 47.62 mg/g on the[Zn2（fum）2（bpy）] and [Zn4 O（bdc）3] MOFs respectively, and were obtained at p H of 4.3 for both adsorbents. FT-IR spectroscopy analysis of the MOFs after the adsorption process showed the presence of the drug. The results of the study showed that the prepared MOFs could be used for the removal of amodiaquine from wastewater.
文摘Context: In case of diabetes, persistent and chronic hyperglycaemia may generate free radicals and reactive oxygen species (ROS), which trigger an oxidative stress. Garlic (Allium sativum) is a rich source of bioactive compounds and is used in folk medicine for the treatment of various diseases, including diabetes. Besides, α-tocopherol and magnesium have been shown to possess antioxidative properties. Objective: Protective effects of either a garlic aqueous extract or an association of α-tocopherol and magnesium association upon oxidative stress and dysfunctions in kidney and brain of alloxan-diabetic rats were investigated. Results: Both garlic extract and the combination of α-tocopherol and magnesium were found to normalize many parameters which were shifted to pathological values as a consequence of the alloxan-induced diabetes: plasma creatinine and urea levels were decreased, protein leakage in urine was reduced and cortisol level was brought back to control value. In addition, superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GPX) activities, which were lowered in kidney and brain of diabetic animals, were restored by both treatments and, consequently, level of lipids peroxidation was reduced in these organs, as compared to diabetic animals. Conclusion: Both garlic extract and α-tocopherol + magnesium association display beneficial effects upon nephropathy and oxidative stress in alloxan-diabetic rats. The protective effect of garlic is mainly attributed to antioxidant properties and the presence of phenolic acids and flavonoids.
文摘In this work a new technique for global perceptual codes (GPCs) extraction using genetic algorithms (GA) is presented. GAs are employed to extract the GPCs in order to reduce the original number of features and to provide meaningful representations of the original data. In this technique the GPCs are build from a certain combination of elementary perceptual codes (EPCs) which are provided by the Beta-elliptic model for the generation of complex handwriting movements. Indeed, in this model each script is modelled by a set of elliptic arcs. We associate to each arc an EPC. In the proposed technique we defined four types of EPCs. The GPCs can be formed by many possible combinations of EPCs depending on their number and types. So that, the problem of choosing the right combination for each GPC can be regarded as a global optimization problem which is treated in this work using the GAs. Several simulation examples are presented to evaluate the interest and the efficiency of the proposed technique.
文摘Navigation of autonomous mobile robots in dynamic and unknown environments needs to take into account different kinds of uncertainties. Type-1 fuzzy logic research has been largely used in the control of mobile robots. However, type-1 fuzzy control presents limitations in handling those uncertainties as it uses precise fuzzy sets. Indeed type-1 fuzzy sets cannot deal with linguistic and numerical uncertainties associated with either the mechanical aspect of robots, or with dynamic changing environment or with knowledge used in the phase of conception of a fuzzy system. Recently many researchers have applied type-2 fuzzy logic to improve performance. As control using type-2 fuzzy sets represents a new generation of fuzzy controllers in mobile robotic issue, it is interesting to present the performances that can offer type-2 fuzzy sets by regards to type-1 fuzzy sets. The paper presented deep and new comparisons between the two sides of fuzzy logic and demonstrated the great interest in controlling mobile robot using type-2 fuzzy logic. We deal with the design of new controllers for mobile robots using type-2 fuzzy logic in the navigation process in unknown and dynamic environments. The dynamicity of the environment is depicted by the presence of other dynamic robots. The performances of the proposed controllers are represented by both simulations and experimental results, and discussed over graphical paths and numerical analysis.
文摘Background:Acupuncture studies have used neuroradiology procedures to examine the role of the central nervous system (CNS) in body acupuncture, but none of these previous studies investigated CNS relationships to auriculotherapy.
