Nahda University

Purpose This study aims to evaluate the efficacy of laser therapy and motor control training in patients with lumbar disc prolapse and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Material and methods In this randomized controlled trial, 60 male and female patients with lumbar disc prolapse and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, aged 45 to 77, were randomly assigned to two equal-sized intervention groups: Group A and Group B. While Group A only received Low-Level Laser treatment, Group B received both Low-Level Laser and Motor Control Exercises. Primary outcome measures, including pain intensity via the visual analog scale, measurements of lumbar spine range of motion via tape measure, and measurement of functional ability via the Oswestry lower back pain questionnaire, were assessed prior to administering the intervention and at four weeks post-treatment. Outcome measures were collected at both pre and post-intervention. Results The current study employed a two-way mixed model multivariate analysis of variance to scrutinize the therapeutic outcomes. The findings reported that participants who underwent Low-Level Laser treatment exhibited a statistically significant enhancement in their visual analog scale, extension, and Oswestry lower back pain questionnaire scores (with P-values of 0.001, 0.001, and 0.001, respectively). Regrettably, no significant improvement was observed in flexion, right side bend, or left side bend post-intervention (with P-values of 0.326, 0.326, and 0.264, respectively). In contrast, the cohort that received adjunct Low-Level Laser and Motor Control Exercises showed a substantial improvement in visual analog scale scores, flexion, extension, right side bend, left side bend, and Oswestry lower back pain questionnaire (with P-values of <0.001 in all comparisons). Conclusions Low-level laser therapy and Motor Control Exercises frequently relieve pain, increase the lumbar spine's active range of motion, and improve functional ability in patients with low back pain.

Osteomyelitis of the hand is relatively uncommon and often results from penetrating trauma or postoperative infection. Rare pathogens such as Actinomyces radingae and Finegoldia magna pose diagnostic and therapeutic challenges due to their slow growth, frequent involvement in polymicrobial infections, and limited antibiotic susceptibility data. A 66-year-old male sustained a crush injury being caught in a door to his right thumb over two years prior, leading to repeated episodes of redness, swelling, pain, and restricted motion. Despite undergoing surgical intervention three months earlier at another hospital, his symptoms persisted. Radiography revealed cortical irregularity and surrounding soft tissue swelling of the distal phalanx. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed bone marrow edema of the distal phalanx and adjacent soft tissue inflammation, raising suspicion for underlying osteomyelitis in the appropriate clinical context. Laboratory markers of infection were within normal limits. The patient underwent surgery including necrotic bone removal, extensor tendon reconstruction with muscle transposition, and nail bed debridement. Intraoperative findings included purulent drainage, nail deformity, and tendon necrosis. Metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS)of bone tissue identified Actinomyces radingae (8,019 reads) and Finegoldia magna (4,223 reads). Based on the chronic clinical course, imaging findings, intraoperative evidence of necrotic bone, and pathogen identification by metagenomic next-generation sequencing, a diagnosis of chronic osteomyelitis of the distal phalanx was established. Postoperatively, the patient received ertapenem (1g QD) with good clinical response. This case highlights the importance of considering uncommon pathogens in chronic post-traumatic hand infections and demonstrates the utility of mNGS in identifying atypical bacteria, enabling targeted therapy and improved outcomes.

In our search for new antimicrobial agents from nature, the initial antimicrobial effect of the marine-derived fungus Aspergillus terreus strain 15F6 against Staphylococcus aureus and MRSA demonstrated promising effect. Large scale fermentation and bio-guided isolation led to the isolation of two natural butyrolactones ( 1 and 2 ). To study the structure activity relationship, we have prepared a few semisynthetic butyrolactone analogues with different substituents. Surprisingly, the semisynthetic analogue 1a demonstrated promising antimicrobial effect against MRSA but not S. aureus with MIC below 3 µM. Using in silico studies to unlock the potential mechanisms behind these observations, we have found that the new semisynthetic butyrolactone analogues successfully bind to the Mur-B binding site.

It is challenging to diagnose hepatic cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) at an early stage since non-invasive markers are not specific and do not identify the early stage. Serum microRNA-192 could represent an early and critical pathogenetic factor in different liver diseases. 92 participants were allocated into four equal groups (n = 23): control, compensated liver cirrhosis, decompensated cirrhosis, and HCC groups. Decompensated cirrhosis and HCC showed significantly elevated Serum Alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, bilirubin, alpha-fetoprotein, and microRNA-192. Serum microRNA-192 can predict decompensated liver cirrhosis and HCC with high sensitivity and specificity.

This paper presents a compact, wideband, high-gain circularly polarized (CP) hemispherical dielectric resonator antenna (HDRA) designed for millimeter-wave 5G applications. The proposed antenna employs a linearly polarized (LP) HDRA excited through an annular slot coupled to a 50-Ω microstrip feed, enabling efficient radiation at millimeter-wave frequencies. Wide impedance bandwidth from 20 to 28 GHz is achieved by overlapping multiple adjacent resonant modes of the HDRA. Circular polarization is realized by introducing a frequency-selective surface (FSS) superstrate positioned at an optimized distance above the antenna. To further enhance the axial-ratio bandwidth and gain, a 2 × 2 HDRA array with a sequential-phase feeding network and an additional dielectric superstrate is implemented. The antenna is fabricated and experimentally validated. Measured results demonstrate an impedance bandwidth of 33.3% (20–28 GHz), a peak realized gain of 11.8 dBi, and a 3-dB axial-ratio bandwidth of 31% (20.5–28 GHz). The proposed design offers a compact and efficient solution for millimeter-wave 5G and IoT applications.

The Pharmaceutical Framework for Europe considers the environmental repercussions at every stage in the life span of therapeutic agents, from molecular conception and industrial fabrication through clinical utilization to waste management. During the last decade, the discipline of green and sustainable chemistry has significantly reshaped drug sciences by advancing ecological responsibility and minimizing ecological hazards. This article surveys the contemporary innovations in environmentally benign strategies utilized in medicinal design and chemical production, encompassing fundamental concepts, pioneering tools, and progressive methodologies. Drawing upon the examination of over 80 academic publications, it illustrates the practical incorporation of sustainable chemistry codes into pharmaceutical pipelines, highlighting verified successes and the ecological gains obtained. Consequently, this review emphasizes the constructive transformations driven by eco-conscious chemistry in drug manufacture and stresses the necessity for further exploration into the creation and large-scale preparation of more environmentally sound entities, in addition to advancing measures for contamination control and remediation.

This research assesses the hybridization of an existing wind farm (WF) through the co-location of a photovoltaic PV park to examine the impact of shade from wind turbines WTs tower and blades on the output power of PV panels forming the park. The output power is also affected by self-shading among the PV panels and meteorological factors, like as ambient temperature, wind speed magnitude, and direction. The Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) technique identifies the optimal spacing between panel rows to maximize the output power of $\mathbf{P V}$ panels. The shadow caused by the wind turbine blades decreased the average output power of the PV park from 21.57 MW under exposure to self-shading and WT towers to 16.97 MW. Correspondingly, the contribution of the PV park increases the output power of the WT farm is $\mathbf{7 1. 9 \%}$ and $\mathbf{5 6. 6 \%}$. During the period from 11:00-14:00, around noontime, the ambient temperature, solar radiation, and efficiency of $\mathbf{P V}$ panels recorded values in the ranges $18.7-20^{0} \mathrm{C}, 625-380 \mathrm{~W} / \mathrm{m}^{2}$, and $16.6-18.77 \%$. With the effect of ambient wind, the panels’ efficiency recorded values in the range 19-20.5%.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune inflammatory ailment which preferentially impacts the synovial membranes of joints and ultimately triggers cartilage and bone erosion. Angiotensin II (Ang II) participates in the pathogenesis of RA; hence, Ang II receptor blockade, accomplished through a specific inhibitor such as losartan potassium (LST), may confer an effective therapeutic avenue for RA. This study aimed to develop, optimize, and characterize LST-loaded leciplexes (LST-LPXs) to ameliorate its bioavailability and prolong its therapeutic efficacy for combating RA. To accomplish this objective, LST-LPX dispersions were assembled through a single-step process and optimized via D-optimal design for various physicochemical traits employing Design-Expert® software. Also, pharmacokinetic studies were explored in rats. Additionally, in complete Freund's adjuvant-induced RA in Wistar rats, RF, COMP, NADPH oxidase, NO, IL-6, TNF-α, besides Ang II and its receptors (AT1R & AT2R) were measured. The optimum LST-LPXs formulation elicited acceptable entrapment efficiency (88.05%), nano-scaled spherical morphology (246.71nm), controlled release over 24h (86.33%), and adequate permeation properties through the skin (417.83μg/cm2). The pharmacokinetic analysis disclosed a snowballed bioavailability of the optimized LST-LPXs gel by 3.08- and 1.2-fold versus the oral solution and crude gel, respectively. The optimum LST-LPXs gel divulged accentuated anti-arthritic effects, evidenced by significant suppression of rheumatoid, oxidative stress, and inflammatory biomarkers coupled with corrections of AT1R and AT2R protein expression. Practically, the current findings proposed a compelling proof-of-principle that the transdermal LST-LPXs could serve as a non-invasive promising nanoparadigm for RA tackling.