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Gray And White Matter Abnormality In Patients With T2dm-Related Cognitive Dysfunction: A Systemic Review And Meta-Analysis, Yu Han, Wen Wang, Lin-Feng Yan, Guang-Bin Cui

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Aims/hypothesis

Brain structure abnormality in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM)-related cognitive dysfunction (T2DM-CD) has been reported for decades in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies. However, the reliable results were still unclear. This study aimed to make a systemic review and meta-analysis to find the significant and consistent gray matter (GM) and white matter (WM) alterations in patients with T2DM-CD by comparing with the healthy controls (HCs).

Methods

Published studies were systemically searched from PubMed, MEDLINE, Cochrane Library and Web of Science databases updated to November 14, 2021. Studies reporting abnormal GM or WM between patients with T2DM-CD and …

Good Scientific Practice In Eeg And Meg Research: Progress And Perspectives, Madison A Elliott, Karim Jerbi, Vanja Kovic, Katia Lehongre, Steven J Luck, Manuel Mercier, John C Mosher, Yuri G Pavlov, Aina Puce, Antonio Schettino, Daniele Schön, Walter Sinnott-Armstrong, Bertille Somon, Anđela Šoškić, Suzy J Styles, Roni Tibon, Martina G Vilas, Marijn Van Vliet, Maximilien Chaumon

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Good scientific practice (GSP) refers to both explicit and implicit rules, recommendations, and guidelines that help scientists to produce work that is of the highest quality at any given time, and to efficiently share that work with the community for further scrutiny or utilization. For experimental research using magneto- and electroencephalography (MEEG), GSP includes specific standards and guidelines for technical competence, which are periodically updated and adapted to new findings. However, GSP also needs to be regularly revisited in a broader light. At the LiveMEEG 2020 conference, a reflection on GSP was fostered that included explicitly documented guidelines and technical …

Accuracy Of Iol Power Calculation Formulas For Acrysof Sn60wf Versus Tecnis Zcb00 Intraocular Lenses

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

PURPOSE: To compare the accuracy of various intraocular lens power formulas for two monofocal hydrophobic foldable lenses, the AcrySof SN60WF and the Tecnis ZCB00.

METHODS: This retrospective study included 409 eyes from 409 patients who underwent uncomplicated cataract surgery (299 eyes with SN60WF and 110 eyes with ZCB00). Biometry was performed for all eyes with an IOLMaster 700. Predicted refraction from five different IOL power formulas (Barrett Universal II, Haigis, Hoffer-Q, Holladay 2, and SRK/T) was compared to postoperative refraction at one to three months for the following axial length strata: short eyes (

RESULTS: In patients with medium eyes, …

Effectiveness Of A Targeted Telephone-Based Case Management Service On Activity In An Emergency Department In The Uk: A Pragmatic Difference-In-Differences Evaluation, Julian Elston, Felix P. Gradinger, Adam J. Streeter, Stephen Macey, Susan Martin

Peninsula Medical School

Abstract Background This study evaluates the effectiveness of a targeted telephone-based case management service that aimed to reduce ED attendance amongst frequent attenders, known to disproportionately contribute to demand. Evidence on the effectiveness of these services varies. Methods A 24-month controlled before-and-after study, following 808 patients (128 cases and 680 controls (41 were non-compliant)) who were offered the service in the first four months of operation within a UK ED department. Patients stratified as high-risk of reattending ED within 6 months by a predictive model were manually screened. Those positively reviewed were offered a non-clinical, nurse-led, telephone-based health coaching, consisting …

Microengineering Aligned Collagen Substrates In Microfluidic Systems, Adeel Ahmed

Theses

Cells in vivo are surrounded by a fibrous matrix of proteins and macromolecules called the extracellular matrix (ECM), of which type I collagen is the major constituent. During tissue development or cell-matrix interactions, collagen fibers organize into aligned domains with defined degrees of alignment and directionality. Aligned fibers guide stem cell differentiation and influence cell-cell communication and cell motility. In the tumor microenvironment, aligned fibers guide tumor cell invasion and have been linked to poor patient outcomes. Since fiber alignment instructs cell behavior in vivo, there is a need for in vitro models to replicate fiber alignment and thus provide …

Malic Enzyme 1 Absence In Synovial Sarcoma Shifts Antioxidant System Dependence And Increases Sensitivity To Ferroptosis Induction With Acxt-3102, Caitlyn B Brashears, Bethany C Prudner, Richa Rathore, Katharine E Caldwell, Sara E S Lange, Jennifer K Sehn, Dirk Spitzer, Regis O'Keefe, Jason M Held, William Hawkins, Brian A Van Tine, Carina A. Dehner, Et Al

2020-Current year OA Pubs

PURPOSE: To investigate the metabolism of synovial sarcoma (SS) and elucidate the effect of malic enzyme 1 absence on SS redox homeostasis.

EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: ME1 expression was measured in SS clinical samples, SS cell lines, and tumors from an SS mouse model. The effect of ME1 absence on glucose metabolism was evaluated utilizing Seahorse assays, metabolomics, and C13 tracings. The impact of ME1 absence on SS redox homeostasis was evaluated by metabolomics, cell death assays with inhibitors of antioxidant systems, and measurements of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS). The susceptibility of ME1-null SS to ferroptosis induction was interrogated in vitro …

Vascular Implications Of Covid-19: Role Of Radiological Imaging, Artificial Intelligence, And Tissue Characterization: A Special Report., Narendra N Khanna, Mahesh Maindarkar, Anudeep Puvvula, Sudip Paul, Mrinalini Bhagawati, Puneet Ahluwalia, Zoltan Ruzsa, Aditya Sharma, Smiksha Munjral, Raghu Kolluri, Padukone R Krishnan, Inder M Singh, John R Laird, Mostafa Fatemi, Azra Alizad, Surinder K Dhanjil, Luca Saba, Antonella Balestrieri, Gavino Faa, Kosmas I Paraskevas, Durga Prasanna Misra, Vikas Agarwal, Aman Sharma, Jagjit Teji, Mustafa Al-Maini, Andrew Nicolaides, Vijay Rathore, Subbaram Naidu, Kiera Liblik, Amer M Johri, Monika Turk, David W Sobel, Gyan Pareek, Martin Miner, Klaudija Viskovic, George Tsoulfas, Athanasios D Protogerou, Sophie Mavrogeni, George D Kitas, Mostafa M Fouda, Manudeep K Kalra, Jasjit S Suri

Heart and Vascular Articles

The SARS-CoV-2 virus has caused a pandemic, infecting nearly 80 million people worldwide, with mortality exceeding six million. The average survival span is just 14 days from the time the symptoms become aggressive. The present study delineates the deep-driven vascular damage in the pulmonary, renal, coronary, and carotid vessels due to SARS-CoV-2. This special report addresses an important gap in the literature in understanding (i) the pathophysiology of vascular damage and the role of medical imaging in the visualization of the damage caused by SARS-CoV-2, and (ii) further understanding the severity of COVID-19 using artificial intelligence (AI)-based tissue characterization (TC). …

Unplanned Dilution Prediction In Open Stope Mining: Developing New Design Charts Using Artificial Neural Network Classifier, Sultan Korigov, Amoussou Coffi Adoko, Fhatuwani Sengani

Journal of Sustainable Mining

Minimizing dilution is essential in open stope mine design as excessive unplanned dilution can compromise the operation's profitability. One of the main challenges associated with the empirical dilution graph method used to design open stopes is how to determine the boundary of the dilution zones objectively. Hence, this paper explores the implementation of machine learning classifiers to bridge this gap in the conventional dilution graph method. Stope performance data consisting of the stope dilution (unplanned dilution), the modified stability number, and the hydraulic radius were compiled from a mine located in Kazakhstan. First, the conventional dilution graph methods were used …

Computer Mediated Communication Technologies (Cmct) And Librarian’S Interactions With Users For Effective Service Delivery In Delta State University Library, Emmanuel Okwu Phd, Diseiye Oyighan Cln

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

Abstract

The study examined Computer Mediated Communication Technologies (CMCT) and Librarian’s Interaction with Users for Effective Service Delivery in Delta State University Library. The purpose was to identify the relationship between CMCT and librarian’s interaction with users for effective service delivery. The study adopted a descriptive survey design. The population of the study comprised the total of 56 staff working in the university library (library assistant, library officers and librarians). Census sampling was used to sample the entire population because of its manageable size. Questionnaire served as the primary instrument. Out of 56 copies of questionnaire administered 46 copies valid …

The Vasorelaxant Effect Of Adiantum Capillus-Veneries Extract In The Vascular Activity Of Goat’S Isolated Renal Artery, Aveen Muhsen Asaad, Ismail Salih Ibraheem

Polytechnic Journal

The current study represents the first attempt to investigate the effect of Adiantum capillus-veneris extract (ACVE) on goat’s isolated renal artery smooth muscle’s cell. Therefore, this research aims to investigate the possible action of Adiantum capillus-veneris extract (ACVE) (1×10-4–10-9 mg/ml) in the vascular activity of goat isolated renal artery by using the organ bath and PowerLab data acquisition system, and the phytochemical analysis for the ACVE extract was done by using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC/MS). The results of the current study showed that ACVE caused concentration-dependent relaxation of endothelium intact renal artery rings precontracted with a high level of KCl …

Comparative Study Of He – Ne And Green Lasers Effect On Normal Human Blood Invitro Using Ftir Techniques, Hero O. Hamad, Venos S. Abdullah, Fouad H. Kamel, Nawroz I. Hassan

Polytechnic Journal

The contact of lasers with biomaterials liketissues, blood, and skin is acentralfield of research. Invitro irradiation of human blood with laser beams has been studied for decades, to understand the biostimulatory effects on the different blood cells. Laser tissue associations are determined by employingspectroscopic and cutting-edge microscopic technicality. In this study, blood was extracted under standard laboratory settings from healthy human subjects. The samples were exposed to He-Ne laser (wavelength ʎ= 650nm, power p= 100mW) and green laser (wavelength ʎ= 530nm, power p= 500mW).Complete blood count (CBC) and FTIR spectra for non-irradiated samples were comparedto CBC and FTIR spectra of …

Genotyping Of The Cat Flea (Ctenocephalides Felis) Parasitizing Domestic Small Ruminants In Erbil – The Kurdistan Region Of Iraq, Hemdad H. Mawlood, Khalis A. Hamad, Nawzad K. Bawaker, Hawri H. Mohammed, Omer M. Amin

Polytechnic Journal

Small ruminants such as sheep and goats are deemed an important economic source in the Kurdistan region. Infestations with haematophagous ectoparasites such as fleas, which are common vectors in transmitting serious bacterial diseases, pose a great menace on the public health and animal welfare. To meet the requirements of the study, convenient sampling and molecular characterization were used to investigate infestations of sheep and goats with the cat flea, Ctenocephalides (C.) felis in Erbil governorate. A total of 400 samples (200 of sheep and 200 of goats) from 12 ruminant farms at five districts from intensive and semi- intensive breeding …

Performance Against Cavity Index And Discharge Coefficient Between Broad And Sharp Crested Weirs, Abdulla A. Abo

Polytechnic Journal

The purpose of this research is examining the performance of rectangular broad and sharp crested weirs in terms of cavity index and discharge coefficient. For this purpose, a computational fluid dynamics CFD code FLUENT is applied. Firstly, the code verified by applies on the experiments work of Hagre et al 1994 the results show excellent agreements between CFD and Hager et al 1994. Secondly the code applied on both broad and sharp crested weirs. The results demonstrate that broad crested weirs have a lower discharge coefficient than sharp crested weirs, implying that broad crested weirs have a lower ability to …

Heavy Metal Accumulation And Contamination Of Edible Plants Irrigated By Wastewater In Erbil- Kurdistan Region Of Iraq, Dilshad Abdulkhaliq Rasul, Karzan M. Khalid, Faeza Burhan Omer

Polytechnic Journal

Heavy metals are important factor for metabolic reaction in edible plants, and also needed by different organs of human body, but their relatively excessive accumulation is hazardous and health risk. Therefore, their concentration in edible plants must be ranged in line, otherwise considered as contaminants. In this study, three edible plants (E. sativa Mill., A. graveolens L. and L. Sativum L.) were harvested and separated to root and shoot parts, then followed by determining some essential and non-essential metals (Pb, Zn, Cd, Cu, Mn and Ni), using ICP-MS. As a result, the maximum mean values for those metals were (46.58 …

Road Traffic Accidents And Environmental Risk Factors In Erbil City, Hayman Mohammed Saeed, Kameran Hassan Ismail

Polytechnic Journal

Motorization has improved the lives of people and societies; these benefits have to go with a value. Though the number of lives lost in road accidents in high-income nations points to a downward style in recent decades, for many of the world's population, the liability of road-traffic injury in terms of social and economic costs is rising considerably. This study aims to determine the prevalence of the environmental factors associated with the outcomes in Erbil city. A community-based cross-sectional descriptive household visits survey study was carried out from March-November 2021 and was composed of 3743 individuals selected through a multi‐stage …

Prevalence Of Mortality Among Covid-19 Patients In Kurdistan Region And Various Parts Of The World And The Role Of Ecological And Environmental Factors In Shaping Sars-Cov-2 Virulence, Muayad A. Mahmud

Polytechnic Journal

Evolutionary theories predict that virulence (host death due to a pathogen) positively associates with the pathogen transmission rates to new susceptible hosts. Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS- CoV-2), the causative agent of coronavirus disease 2019 (covid-19) pandemic, like other RNA viruses, has quite variable genetic content due to its unique nucleus enzymes thus mutations can continuously occur during viral replications. Phenotype variations among new viral progeny can include individuals with different replication rates, infectivity, stability in the abiotic environment, and transmission rate. Here, the rate of transmission to new susceptible hosts may be affected by the pathogen’s vitality …

Comparison Of Full Crushed Aggregate (Harsh Mix Of Sandstone) And Partially Crushed Aggregate On Some Properties Of Hma, Ismael Azeez Mohammed, Faris Mohammed Jasim

Polytechnic Journal

Aggregate angularity has an important effect on the performance of HMA. More angular aggregates particles can increase the stone-on-stone interlocking and consequently reduce the permanent deformation. The performance of dense graded asphalt mixture is significantly influenced by the angularity, shape, and surface texture of aggregates. This study determines the effect of using Harsh aggregate (full crushed) and normal aggregate in asphalt mixture, and evaluates the volumetric properties of both mixtures. Marshall Test was carried out in order to assess the resistance of stability of mixtures. It was found that a mixture with harsh aggregate needs (0.2 %) more asphalt compared …

Breastfeeding Knowledge Among A Sample Of Women Attending Maternal And Pediatric Hospital Of Soran City, Kareem Jamal Hamad, Hiwa Abdulrahman Awlla

Polytechnic Journal

Breastfeeding is the ideal method suited for the physiological and psychological needs of an infant and the most vital intervention for reducing infant mortality and ensuring optimal growth and development of a child. Human breast milk is considered the healthiest form of milk for children and contains essential nutrients, vitamins, and minerals during the first six months. The purpose of this study was to find out about breastfeeding knowledge and its relationship with women’s socio-demographic characteristics.

Evaluation Of Antibacterial And Antifungal Activity Of Pistacia Atlantica Subsp. Kurdica Oil Gum Extract From Halabja Province/ Kurdistan Region Of Iraq, Peshawa Y. Aziz, Hassan H. Hamaamin, Shokhan H. Azeez

Polytechnic Journal

The Pistica atlantica subsp. kurdica, or Ghazwan in Kurdish, which is widely distributed in Kurdistan region, Northern Iraq, is a native plant of this region and the major source of a Kurdish gum. This study investigates the antibacterial and antifungal effect of essential oil extracted from the gum. The gum was collected in June-July 2019 from the region of Halabja, a city in the north of Iraq. Essential oil was extracted by using hydro distillation method; the antibacterial activity was evaluated by agar well diffusion test and the inhibition zone (in mm) was determined against six selected bacterial strains which …

Synthesis And Characterization Of Au/ Sb 2 O 3 Ultrathin Nanosheet/Au As A High-Performance Uv-Photodetector, Nageb T. Rassam

Polytechnic Journal

Ultrathin antimony trioxide (Sb2O3) was synthesized on ITO substrate by a solvothermal method using ethanol as a solvent. The structure, morphological variations, and optical properties of the as-prepared sample were characterized. The results indicated that the homogeneously grown sheet of cubic phase of ultrathin Sb2O3has an elliptical cross-section with a thickness of 20 nm and diameter of 400-500 nm. Further, an ultraviolet (UV) performance photodetector based on the (Au/Sb2O3/Au) was fabricated and examined. The measured Current-Voltage (IV) curves in the dark and under illumination (UV-395 nm) of different intensities indicate the presence of the Schottky barrier at the interfaces between …

Avist: A Benchmark For Visual Object Tracking In Adverse Visibility, Mubashir Noman, Wafa Al Ghallabi, Daniya Najiha, Christoph Mayer, Hisham Cholakkal, Salman Khan, Luc Van Gool, Fahad Shahbaz Khan

Computer Vision Faculty Publications

One of the key factors behind the recent success in visual tracking is the availability of dedicated benchmarks. While being greatly benefiting to the tracking research, existing benchmarks do not pose the same difficulty as before with recent trackers achieving higher performance mainly due to (i) the introduction of more sophisticated transformers-based methods and (ii) the lack of diverse scenarios with adverse visibility such as, severe weather conditions, camouflage and imaging effects. We introduce AVisT, a dedicated benchmark for visual tracking in diverse scenarios with adverse visibility. AVisT comprises 120 challenging sequences with 80k annotated frames, spanning 18 diverse scenarios …

Relationship Between Death Anxiety And Using Social Media Among Chronic Disease Patients In The Time Of Covid 19 In Erbil City The Capital Of Iraqi Kurdistan Region, Vian H. Rasul, Nihayet A. Sheck, Dler M. Saeed, Hashm H. Abdullah, Abdulwahid A. Xalil

Polytechnic Journal

The dangers of the fear of death have become a large part and an important aura of life in the human experience and this anxiety is more understandable for the persons who affected by chronic disorders. Death anxiety and the influence of social and electronic media on it, during COVID – 19 exposure was studied in some other countries, but it don’t studied in our country well. A descriptive correlational study was conducted at primary health care centers / chronic disease units in Erbil city. Data were collected from12th December 2020 to 10th June 2021. A random sample consists of …

Relevance Of Medullary Vein Sign In Neurosarcoidosis, Richard Liberio, Emily Kramer, Anza B. Memon, Ryan Reinbeau, Parissa Feizi, Joe Joseph, Janet Wu, Shitiz Sriwastava

Neurology Articles

BACKGROUND: Central nervous system involvement is uncommon in patients with sarcoidosis. It remains a diagnostic challenge for clinicians, as there is a broad differential diagnosis that matches the presenting neurological signs. Often, the imaging findings also overlap with other disease entities. One understudied finding in patients with neurosarcoidosis is the presence of medullary vein engorgement on SWI imaging, termed the "medullary vein sign", which has been postulated to be a specific sign for neurosarcoidosis. This study aims to provide an understanding of the diagnostic potential of the medullary vein sign.

METHODS: Thirty-two patients who presented with neurologic signs concerning for …

The Evolution Of Municipal Asset Management Maturity In Canada: Surveying Mid-Sized Cities And Evaluating Federal And Provincial Policies To Spur Municipal Asset Management Practice, Dan Ditaranto

MPA Major Research Papers

In today’s global economy, Canada’s cities play a key role in the country’s economic growth and prosperity. They must build and maintain significant amounts of public infrastructure. However, the large and ever-growing national infrastructure deficit threatens to undermine the country’s competitiveness and quality of life. Since the turn of the century, the federal and provincial governments have increased reinvestment in infrastructure and employed several policy approaches to spur municipalities towards formalized asset management (AM) practice, which is widely recognized as the optimal means for determining long-term maintenance and funding requirements. Given the varied policy approaches, the state of municipal AM …

Measuring Public Value Through Local E-Government, Kevin De Leebeeck

MPA Major Research Papers

In response to the fulfillment of public expectations and the shortcomings of new public management, one alternative approach that has received recent attention is the concept of public value. The use of information and communication technologies (ICTs) has provided an affordance for the development of e-government profiles that principally aim to create public value. As evaluative research, this project contributes to the quantitative development of the public value construct by establishing and assessing relationships between ICT and public value frameworks. Through the use of common website metrics and other previously used dichotomous indicators, the levels of digital public value are …

Identifying Challenges And Advantages Of Internet Voting And Assessing The Impact On Voters Turnout In Municipal Elections, Abdul Katawazy

MPA Major Research Papers

The paper identifies obstacles, opportunities, and more significant potential for elections through e-voting. The study uses litterateur review and statistical data assessments of e-voting in Ontario municipal elections to identify the impacts of e-voting on voter turnout. The research's anticipated findings show e-voting presents substantial challenges for governments, including privacy and data protection and constantly updating policies to keep up with evolving technologies. The challenges must be addressed while maintaining voters' privacy and trust in the voting processes. The research provides literature and recommendations for further research on e-voting in the municipalities that will support developing a strategy ensuring a …

Recruiting For The Cao Role: An Evaluation Of The Existing Recruitment Processes In Low And Single Tier Municipalities In Ontario, Ashley Bilodeau

MPA Major Research Papers

It is no secret that there are challenges associated with the retainment of Chief Administrative Officer position in municipal governments throughout Ontario. This is related to an aging population (O’Flynn; Mau, 2014), a younger generation that is not committed to one employer (Strategy Corp, 2019), a significant turnover rate associated with the political nature of Council (Coulter, 2011) and fierce competition with the private sector (Strategy Corp, 2019). The Chief Administrative Officer role is unique as Siegel argues. He quotes Rost’s definition of the leadership role of the municipal CAO, as someone who “has the ability to move the municipality …

“Analysing The Gap” If And What Is Causing The Gap In Voter Turn Out Between National And Local Elections, Max Rubin

MPA Major Research Papers

Local governments touch citizens’ lives every day. They build and repair the roads we drive on. They pick up our garbage and recycling that we place on our curbs. They build and maintain green space and ensure water comes from our taps. Each day a citizen in a municipality relies on a feature of their local government works. In contrast, our federal government is remote. They deal with national issues such as the environment, defence, and fisheries. They work on global, not local, agreements and relationships with other national governments. Yes, they set out income tax and regulations, but for …

Conditional Grants In Ontario: A Case Study Of The Municipal Modernization Program, Elizabeth Reimer

MPA Major Research Papers

The intent of the 2019 Regional Government Review (Review) was to find ways to expand service delivery and reduce costs in 82 Ontario municipalities. However, no changes resulted. Instead, the Province allocated significant funding to the existing Municipal Modernization Program (MMP) for municipalities to utilize in hopes of achieving the same results the Review had. Accordingly, this paper looks at whether the MMP, a provincial conditional grant, is effectively achieving its stated intended purposes. It is clear that intergovernmental relations as they pertain to grants is a much-researched topic, with a vast collection of research to draw upon spanning much …

Development Charges: The Price Is Right? An Evaluation Of The Patterns, Processes And Outcomes Of Development Charge By-Laws In Ontario Regional Municipalities, David Gundrum

MPA Major Research Papers

In Ontario, Development Charges (DCs) are a revenue tool designed to assist municipalities with paying for growth-related capital costs arising from the expanded infrastructure required to accommodate new development. The Development Charges Act, 1997 grants municipalities the authority to levy DCs through adopting By-laws of Council and defines the rules and structure they must follow when implementation and revision of charge systems occurs. Where implemented, DCs are meant to ensure that existing municipal ratepayers (property owners) are not required to pay the capital costs associated with new services and facilities that are needed to accommodate new development. The revenue collected …