Morphological study of the testis of adult Sudanese Chicken : gallus domesticus

Morphological study of the testis of adult Sudanese Chicken : gallus domesticus The adult chicken testes were two bean - shaped , large and soft , the left testis is usually higher in position and larger in size than the right one . The testis is active during cold weather with the mean diameter of the seminiferous tubules being 126^m in the chicken . it is less active during the hot season with the mean diameter of the seminiferous tubules being 135^m in the chicken. The non - breeding season seemed to be characterized by a decline in the spermatogenic activity only and not by complete spermatogenesis

Identification of pathological subtypes of early lung adenocarcinoma based on artificial intelligence parameters and CT signs

Objective: To explore the value of quantitative parameters of artificial intelligence and computed tomography (CT) signs in identifying pathological subtypes of lung adenocarcinoma appearing as ground-glass nodules (GGNs). Methods: CT images of 224 GGNs from 210 individuals were collected retrospectively and pathologically classified into atypical adenomatous hyperplasia (AAH)/adenocarcinoma in situ (AIS), minimally invasive adenocarcinoma (MIA), and invasive adenocarcinoma (IAC) groups. Artificial intelligence was used to identify GGNs and to obtain quantitative parameters, and CT signs were recognized manually. The mixed predictive model based on logistic multivariate regression was evaluated. Results: Of the 224 GGNs, 55, 93, and 76 were AAH/AIS, MIA, IAC, respectively. In terms of artificial intelligence parameters, from AAH/AIS to MIA, and IAC, there was a gradual increase in two-dimensional mean diameter, three-dimensional mean diameter, mean CT value, maximum CT value, and volume of GGNs (all P < 0.0001). Except for the CT signs of the location, and the tumor-lung interface, there were significant differences among the three groups in the density type, shape, vacuole signs, air bronchogram, lobulation, spiculation, pleural indentation, and vascular convergence signs (all P < 0.05). The areas under the curve (AUC) of predictive model 1 for identifying the AAH/AIS and MIA and model 2 for identifying MIA and IAC were 0.779 and 0.918, respectively, which were greater than the quantitative parameters independently (all P < 0.05). Conclusion: Artificial intelligence parameters are valuable for identifying subtypes of early lung adenocarcinoma, and when combined with CT signs to improve its diagnostic efficacy.

The effect of using different Biodiesel fuels on jet development in a Diesel engine

The fuel properties and the injection rate-shape play an important role in the improvement of the combustion process of Diesel engines. In this work, the influences of using the forthcoming renewable biodiesel fuels on fuel jet development utilizing a computer simulation model created with the AVL Hydsim software were studied. Biodiesel fuels B20, B30 and B100 were considered and compared with the original pure Diesel fuel D100. The injection system behaviour under research was that one existing on a tractor engine equipped with Delphi DP200 pump and Delphi injectors. Two engine speeds of 1400 rpm and 2400 rpm were considered representative for the engine operation. For these speeds, the fuel jet characteristics as penetration, spray cone angle and Sauter mean diameter were analyzed. It can emphasize that in similar conditions of needle lift and injection rate-shape variation the usage of biodiesel fuels does not significantly alter the injection pressure and the Sauter mean diameter. However, the specific physical properties of biodiesel fuels affect substantially the spray penetration and its cone angle.

EARLY OUTCOMES OF FLEXIBLE INTRAMEDULLARY NAILING IN PEDIATRIC SHAFT OF FEMUR FRACTURES

Objective: To study the early outcomes and complications of fixation of pediatric shaft of femur fractures using flexible intramedullary nail. Study Design: Prospective observational study. Place and Duration of Study: Orthopedic Department, Bahawal Victoria Hospital Bahawalpur, from Jan to Jun 2021. Methodology: Children between the ages of 5-11 years with shaft of femur fractures were included in the study. Fixation of fracture was done using elastic intramedullary nail. Final outcomes of fixation were observed using Flynn and Schwend Scoring System. Six-month follow-up was done in all cases. Data was analyzed using SPSS-20. Results: Total 70 cases having shaft of femur fracture were included in the study. Age range of cases was 5-11 years with mean age of 7.75 ± 1.66 years and mean weight of 24.44 ± 4.77 kilograms. Mean diameter of femur medullary canal was 7.48 ± 0.63 millimeters and mean diameter of flexible nail was 3.03 ± 0.26 millimeters. Mean post-operative period of radiological union of fracture was 8.57 ± 1.05 weeks. Per-operatively, fracture site was approached in 4 (5.7%) cases. Migration of nail was not seen in any case. Final outcomes according to Flynn and Shwend Score were excellent in 62 (88.5%), satisfactory in 7 (10%) and poor in 1 (1.4%) case. Conclusion: Fixation of shaft of femur fracture using flexible intramedullary nailing technique is safe and reliable with good outcomes among children between 5-11 years of age.

Comprehensive Knowledge-Driven AI System for Air Classification Process

Air classifier devices have a distinct advantage over other systems used to separate materials. They maximize the mill’s capacity and therefore constitute efficient methods of reducing the energy consumption of crushing and grinding operations. Since improvement in their performance is challenging, the development of an efficient modeling system is of great practical significance. The paper introduces a novel, knowledge-based classification (FLClass) system of bulk materials. A wide range of operating parameters are considered in the study: the mean mass and the Sauter mean diameter of the fed material, classifier rotor speed, working air pressure, and test conducting time. The output variables are the Sauter mean diameter and the cut size of the classification product, as well as the performance of the process. The model was successfully validated against experimental data. The maximum relative error between the measured and predicted data is lower than 9%. The presented fuzzy-logic-based approach allows an optimization study of the process to be conducted. For the considered range of input parameters, the highest performance of the classification process is equal to almost 362 g/min. To the best of our knowledge, this paper is the first one available in open literature dealing with the fuzzy logic approach in modeling the air classification process of bulk materials.

Impact of engineering properties of grass seeds in developing post-harvest operations and machineries

Engineering properties of grass seeds are most important for the development of post-harvest mechanization and operations. Therefore engineering properties of fluffy as well as true seeds were determined in view of its important in development of post-harvest mechanization. The mean values of length, width, thickness, arithmetic mean diameter, geometric mean diameter, sphericity, surface area, volume, thousands seed mass and bulk density of fluffy Deenanath grass seed were observed in the range of 5.23-7.17 mm, 2.10-3.44 mm, 1.17-2.49 mm, 3.07- 4.13 mm, 2.53- 3.69 mm, 41.01-60.13 %, 19.12-43.70 mm2, 3.70-18.24 mm3, 0.789-0.849 g and 7.41-7.89 kg/m3 respectively. However, for true seeds of Deenanath grass, the range of these values varied from 2.23-2.65 mm, 0.69-0.95 mm, 0.47-0.69 mm, 1.16-1.40 mm, 0.93-1.17 mm, 38.69-47.33 %, 2.67-4.31 mm2, 3.60-9.64 mm3, 0.468-0.488 g and 602.97-624.29 kg/m3 respectively moisture level of 9 % db. Determined properties of fluffy as well as true seeds of Deenanath would be utilized to develop threshing, cleaning, grading, seed storage and packaging operations and machineries.

A Mathematical Model for Predicting the Sauter Mean Diameter of Liquid-Medium Ultrasonic Atomizing Nozzle Based on Orthogonal Design

As a new type of atomizing nozzle with superior atomizing performance, the liquid-medium ultrasonic atomization nozzle has been widely applied in the field of spray dust reduction. In this study, in order to establish a mathematical model for predicting the Sauter mean diameter (SMD) of such nozzles, the interaction between the SMD of the nozzle and the three influencing factors, i.e., air pressure, water pressure, and outlet diameter were investigated based on the custom-designed spraying experiment platform and orthogonal design methods. Through range analysis, it was obtained that the three parameters affecting the SMD of the nozzle are in the order of air pressure > water pressure > outlet diameter. On this basis, using the multivariate nonlinear regression method, the mathematical model for predicting the SMD of the nozzle was constructed. Comparison of the experimental results with the predicted values of the SMD of the nozzle by the multivariate nonlinear regression mathematical model, showed strong similarity with an average relative error of only about 5%. Therefore, the established mathematical model in this paper can be used to predict and calculate the droplet size for liquid-medium ultrasonic atomizing nozzles.

Efficacy and Safety of Fusion Imaging in Radiofrequency Ablation of Hepatocellular Carcinoma Compared to Ultrasound: A Meta-Analysis

Background: Radiofrequency ablation (RFA), generally performed under real-time guidance of ultrasound which is safe and effective, is a common minimally invasive therapy for treating hepatocellular carcinoma. Fusion imaging (FI) is a newly developed imaging method, which integrates CT/MRI accurate imaging and matches the characteristics of real-time ultrasound imaging, thereby providing a new approach to guide tumor ablation therapy. However, the efficacy and safety of FI as opposed to ultrasound in tumor ablation remains unclear.Objective: The present study sought to evaluate the difference in the efficacy and safety between FI and ultrasound in radiofrequency surgery for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma through a metaanalysis.Materials and Methods: Searching for studies comparing the efficacy and safety of FI and ultrasound in radiofrequency of hepatocellular carcinoma in PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases for articles published until April 2021. Random or fixed effect models were used for statistical analysis. Metaanalysis and sensitivity analysis were used on the included studies.Results: A total of six studies met predefined inclusion criteria, and were finally included in the analysis. Sensitivity and subgroup analyses, based on predetermined patient characteristics, allowed minimization of bias. In the RFA of hepatocellular carcinoma, FI decreased 1-year overall survival (OS) when compared with ultrasound. But FI was not significantly different from ultrasound in terms of technical efficiency, 1-, 2-, and 3-year local tumor progression (LTP), complications, as well as 2-year OS. Subgroup analysis, based on tumor mean diameter, showed that FI reduced the rate of 1- and 2-year LTP in patients with tumors of mean diameter ≥15 mm when compared with ultrasound. Moreover, operative complications could be reduced in patients with tumor mean diameter <15 mm using FI, compared with ultrasound.Conclusion: Overall, these results showed that FI may have some effects on improving efficacy and safety of thermal ablation in HCC patients, relative to ultrasound. However, it may be a more effective method for managing large lesions, as well as those that are difficult to ablate. Further large-scale and well-designed randomized controlled trials are needed to validate these findings.

Attenuation Value in Adrenal Incidentalomas: A Longitudinal Study

ContextA tendency to grow has been reported in adrenal incidentalomas. However, long-term data regarding attenuation value, a measure of lipid content, are not available.AimThis study aims to collect radiological data (diameter in mm and attenuation value in Hounsfield units, HU) with computed tomography (CT) in adrenal incidentalomas, in order to compare baseline characteristics with the last follow-up imaging.DesignThis is a longitudinal study which included patients with a new diagnosis of adrenal incidentaloma, evaluated from January 2002 to June 2020.SettingReferral University-Hospital center.PatientsTwo hundred seventy-seven patients with 355 different cortical adenomas (baseline group) were evaluated at the first outpatient visit; the follow-up cohort consists of 181 patients with 234 adenomas (12–175 months after baseline). Inclusion criteria were conservative management and radiological features able to minimize malignancy or risk of progression.Main Outcome MeasureCT modification according to endocrine function: autonomous cortisol secretion (ACS) if cortisol >50 nmol/L after 1-mg dexamethasone test (DST).ResultsAt baseline CT, mean diameter was 18.7 mm and attenuation value was 0.8 HU (higher in ACS, 66 cases >10 HU), without modification in early imaging (12–36 months). The size increased over time (r = 0.289), achieving the largest differences after at least 60 months of follow-up (mean diameter, +2 mm; attenuation value, −4 HU), combined with a reduction in the attenuation value (r = −0.195, especially in patients with ACS). Lipid-poor adenomas (>10 HU) presented a reduced cortisol suppression after 1-mg DST, an increase in size and the largest decrease in attenuation value during follow-up. Univariate analysis confirmed that larger adenomas presented reduced suppression after DST and increase in size during follow-up.ConclusionsGrowth is clinically modest in adrenal incidentaloma: the first follow-up CT 5 years after baseline is a reasonable choice, especially in ACS. Mean density is increased in patients with ACS and overt hypercortisolism. Mean density reduces during follow-up in all adrenal adenomas, suggesting an increase in lipid content, especially in those with ACS.

Increased Coral Larval Supply Enhances Recruitment for Coral and Fish Habitat Restoration

Loss of foundation reef-corals is eroding the viability of reef communities and ecosystem function in many regions globally. Coral populations are naturally resilient but when breeding corals decline, larval supply becomes limiting and natural recruitment is insufficient for maintaining or restoring depleted populations. Passive management approaches are important but in some regions they are proving inadequate for protecting reefs, therefore active additional intervention and effective coral restoration techniques are needed. Coral spawning events produce trillions of embryos that can be used for mass larval rearing and settlement on degraded but recoverable reef areas. We supplied 4.6 million Acropora tenuis larvae contained in fine mesh enclosures in situ on three degraded reef plots in the northwestern Philippines during a five day settlement period to initiate restoration. Initial mean larval settlement was very high (210.2 ± 86.4 spat per tile) on natural coral skeleton settlement tiles in the larval-enhanced plots, whereas no larvae settled on tiles in control plots. High mortality occurred during early post-settlement life stages as expected, however, juvenile coral survivorship stabilised once colonies had grown into visible-sized recruits on the reef by 10 months. Most recruits survived and grew rapidly, resulting in significantly increased rates of coral recruitment and density in larval-enhanced plots. After two years growth, mean colony size reached 11.1 ± 0.61 cm mean diameter, and colonies larger than 13 cm mean diameter were gravid and spawned, the fastest growth to reproductive size recorded for broadcast spawning corals. After three years, mean colony size reached 17 ± 1.7 cm mean diameter, with a mean density of 5.7 ± 1.25 colonies per m–2, and most colonies were sexually reproductive. Coral cover increased significantly in larval plots compared with control plots, primarily from A. tenuis recruitment and growth. Total production cost for each of the 220 colonies within the restored breeding population after three years was United States $17.80 per colony. A small but significant increase in fish abundance occurred in larval plots in 2018, with higher abundance of pomacentrids and corallivore chaetodontids coinciding with growth of A. tenuis colonies. In addition, innovative techniques for capturing coral spawn slicks and larval culture in pools in situ were successfully developed that can be scaled-up for mass production of larvae on reefs in future. These results confirm that enhancing larval supply significantly increases settlement and coral recruitment on reefs, enabling rapid re-establishment of breeding coral populations and enhancing fish abundance, even on degraded reef areas.