Paaskeowens7987

The knowledge of sustainable development believes that natural resources should be treated limited, and waste must be managed rationally. This idea and the constant striving to reduce production costs make the use of waste materials potential substitutes for traditionally used raw materials. In cement concrete technology, there are many possibilities to use waste materials either as cement replacement or aggregate in concrete production. The basic aim of this research work is to study the impact of wooden ash (WA) as binding material in proportions 10%, 20%, and 30% by weight of cement on high strength ductile cementitious composite concrete. The fresh property was evaluated through the slump cone test, while the mechanical property was evaluated through compressive and split tensile strength test. Load deflection curve, ductility index, and maximum and minimum crack were also studied to find flexure cracking behaviors of reinforced cement concrete (RCC) beam. The durability of high-strength ductile concrete was studied through water absorption and acid attacks test. Pozzolanic activity of wooden ash was studied through XRD analysis.This study aimed to reveal changes in the quality of life (QOL) of children with neurodevelopmental disorders and their parents, and the interaction between their QOL and parental mental state during the coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Eighty-nine school-aged children and parents participated in surveys in May 2020 (T1) and May 2021 (T2). The parents completed questionnaires that assessed their QOL, depression, parenting stress, and living conditions. Children's temporary mood status was evaluated using the self-reported visual analog scale (VAS). Children's QOL and VAS at T2 were higher than their QOL at T1. Parents' QOL at T2 was lower than their QOL at T1. Severe parental depression at T1 had a synergistic effect on severe parenting stress and severe depressive state at T2. Additionally, children's high QOL at T1 had a synergistic effect on low parenting stress and children's high QOL at T2. Furthermore, children's low VAS scores and parents' low QOL at T2 were associated with deterioration of family economic status. Children and parents' QOL changed during the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic. Improvement in children's QOL was influenced by reduced maternal depressive symptoms. Public support for parental mental health is important to avoid decreasing QOL.China suffers from frequent large-scale earthquakes, posing a significant challenge to the development and integrity of its rural water supply system (RWSS). The earthquake resilience of water supply systems is understood to be a function of multifaceted factors, which are time- and space-dependent. Measuring the seismic-resilience of RWSS in China remains a challenge. This paper proposes a multi-stage comprehensive evaluation framework, focusing on the relationship between multi-dimensional factors and the seismic- resilience of RWSS in rural areas, across three stages before, during and after earthquake events. This study comprises four steps (1) Development of a multi-stage evaluation conceptual framework; (2) identification of seismic-resilience factors; (3) verification of the relationships between factors and stages; and (4) formation of the final evaluation framework. The relationship between multi-dimensional factors is confirmed by a method of triangulation through the quantitative analysis of PLS-SEM combined with the qualitative literature analysis, highlighting the causal approach of the resilience of RWSSs, so as to better understand the resilience state of each stage of disaster. Understanding these factors and their influence on the seismic capacity of RWSS will enable local authorities to recognize the existing advantages and disadvantages of these factors, so as to carry out better resilience practice in all stages of disasters.

Cross-sectional study.

To evaluate the reliability and calculate the measurement error of the Trunk Assessment Scale for Spinal Cord Injury (TASS) and trunk control test (TCT-SCI) in individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI).

Rehabilitation Hospital in Japan.

The evaluations of TASS and TCT-SCI for individuals with SCI were video-recorded. The inter-rater reliability (two physiotherapists) was confirmed using the videos. ICC (2,1), kappa coefficient (κ) were used to determine the reliability of the total score and each item. Each minimal detectable change (MDC) was calculated.

The TASS and TCT-SCI total scores showed excellent inter-rater reliability (ICC = 0.99, and 1.00). The kappa coefficients of TASS were acceptable to excellent for 8 items (κ = 0.76-1.00), below acceptable for 1 item (κ = 0.62). The kappa coefficients of TCT-SCI were excellent for 12 items (κ = 0.83-1.00), below acceptable for 1 item (κ = 0.68). The inter-rater MDC of the TASS total score was 4.07 points, and the MDC of the TCT-SCI total score was 1.13 points. The intra-rater MDC of the TASS total score was 3.86 points.

Both TASS and TCT-SCI showed high reliability. Differences of less than four points in TASS and one point in TCT-SCI were interpreted as measurement errors between the two raters.

Both TASS and TCT-SCI showed high reliability. Differences of less than four points in TASS and one point in TCT-SCI were interpreted as measurement errors between the two raters.Tuberculosis (TB) is fatal in elephants, hence protecting elephants from TB is key not only in the conservation of this endangered animal, but also to prevent TB transmission from elephants to humans. Hormones antagonist Most human TB cases arise from long-term asymptomatic infections. Significant diagnostic challenges remain in the detection of both infection and disease development from latency in elephants due to their huge bodies. In this study, we assessed cryopreserved sera collected for over 16 years, from the first Japanese treatment case of elephant TB. Semi-quantification of IgG levels to 11 proteins showed high detection levels of 3 proteins, namely ESAT6/CFP10, MPB83 and Ag85B. The level of IgG specific to these 3 antigens was measured longitudinally, revealing high and stable ESAT6/CFP10 IgG levels regardless of onset or treatment. Ag85B-specifc IgG levels were largely responsive to onset or treatment, while those of MPB83 showed intermediate responses. These results suggest that ESAT6/CFP10 is immunodominant in both asymptomatic and symptomatic phases, making it useful in the detection of infection. On the other hand, Ag85B has the potential to be a marker for the prediction of disease onset and in the evaluation of treatment effectiveness in elephants.BACKGROUND Curcumol is a hydrogenated austenitic compound with hemiketal. In this study we evaluated the effects of curcumol on local inflammatory response, cell proliferation, and metastasis in endometriosis, and elucidated the underlying mechanisms. MATERIAL AND METHODS Ectopic endometrial stromal cells were treated with increasing doses of curcumol. The MTT assay was used to assess cell viability. FITC-labeled annexin-V/PI double-staining method and flow cytometry were used to determine cell apoptosis. Cell migration was evaluated using a wound healing assay. ELISA kits were used to detect the levels of TNF-alpha, IL-6, and IL-1ß. Western blot assay was used to examine the phosphorylation degree of JAK2 and STAT3 and the expression of Bax, Bcl2, and caspase-3 proteins. Autologous endometrial transplantation was used to establish a rat model to assess the anti-EMS effect of curcumol in vivo. RESULTS Curcumol can inhibit the proliferation of ectopic endometrial stromal cells, promote cell apoptosis, and weaken cell migration ability. Curcumol can reduce the expression of Bax and caspase-3 protein and increase the expression of Bcl2 protein. Curcumol also can inhibit the secretion of inflammatory cytokines, including tumor necrosis cytokines (TNF)-alpha, interleukin (IL)-6, and IL-1ß, by ectopic endometrial stromal cells. In addition, curcumol can also inhibit the phosphorylation of JAK2 and STAT3. In vivo experiments also proved that curcumol could inhibit the growth of ectopic lesions in EMS model rats. CONCLUSIONS Curcumol can inhibit the JAK2/STAT3 pathway, reduce the inflammatory cytokines secreted by ectopic endometrial stromal cells, inhibit cell proliferation and migration, and reduce the volume of ectopic lesions.BACKGROUND Prolonged fever in pediatric patients is often a diagnostic challenge. Clinicians tend to associate prolonged fever with COVID-19-related diseases in patients with a history of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Here we present a patient who was admitted with a clinical suspicion of multi-inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) and was finally diagnosed with a renal abscess. CASE REPORT A 16-year-old girl with prolonged fever, bilateral non-purulent conjunctivitis, weight loss, muscle pain, general malaise, cough, and yellow sputum was admitted to Heim Pál National Pediatric Institute, Budapest, Hungary. She had proven SARS-CoV-2 infection 3 weeks prior to admission. Although inflammatory markers were elevated, repeated urine analyses, aerobic and anaerobic urine cultures, hemoculture, chest X-ray, and otorhinolaryngology examinations were negative. Based on clinical and laboratory criteria, the diagnosis of MIS-C was eventually ruled out. Abdominal ultrasound revealed a 17×20×15 mm simplex cyst at the edge of the parenchyma in the upper third of the left kidney. Magnetic resonance imaging was performed, showing a multi-compartment, septated, thick-walled parenchymal lesion of 50×40×52 mm in the upper pole of the right kidney, which showed signal characteristics of an abscess, and 20×16 mm and 8 mm lesions in the upper pole of the left kidney, which appeared to be cysts. After being unresponsive to intravenous wide-spectrum antibiotic therapy (meropenem 2 g tid for 5 days), surgical intervention was needed to remove the abscess. CONCLUSIONS This case demonstrates that during the COVID-19 pandemic, besides the obvious post-COVID etiology, other life-threatening conditions should be investigated in the first line.

Valid and reliable methods for diagnosing depression are essential. The present study aimed to test the performance of a new diagnostic interview for depression focusing on the core symptoms of depression.

We developed a diagnostic interview for depression the CORE Diagnostic Interview, CORE-DI, which assesses each of the core features of depression on the four dimensions quality, reactivity, globality, and fluctuations over time. The diagnostic performance of this interview was tested in a clinical study including 83 individuals presenting with various depressive symptoms, who were interviewed independently (1) by means of the CORE-DI and the Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview (M.I.N.I.), and (2) by highly skilled specialists in depression representing gold standard diagnoses.

We compared the outcome of the CORE-DI, the M.I.N.I., and the diagnosis made by clinicians, respectively, versus the gold standard diagnosis, using diagnostic efficiency statistics. The CORE-DI diagnosed depression witE-DI might be different in other settings with higher or lower prevalence or severity of depressive symptoms.

The CORE-DI increased the specificity of the depression diagnosis substantially compared to clinical diagnoses and the diagnoses obtained by M.I.N.I. The results point to the usefulness of an elaborated and systematic assessment of the core symptoms in the examination of patients with depressive symptoms and thereby indicate a way for further development of specific diagnostic tools for depression in both clinical and research settings. However, it should be noted that the sensitivity of the CORE-DI was modest, and the psychometric properties of the CORE-DI might be different in other settings with higher or lower prevalence or severity of depressive symptoms.