Excellent Condition Research Articles

Tratamento homeopático para hematoma aural em gato: Relato de caso

Aural hematoma is defined by the accumulation of serosanguineous fluid within the ear pinna in small animals, typically stemming from traumatic incidents. Inadequate treatment may lead to recurring episodes and structural deformities in the patient's ear. In veterinary clinical practice, this condition exhibits a high incidence among dogs, but is relatively rare in cats. Conventional treatments employed for the physiological and aesthetic restoration of the affected area are typically invasive and often entail significant costs. Therefore, this article aims to present a case study involving a 15-year-old female mixed-breed feline diagnosed with an aural hematoma. The patient had previously undergone various forms of conventional treatment, none of which proved successful. Thus, a complementary treatment approach utilizing oral homeopathy was selected, as it represented the sole available option at that particular juncture. The homeopathic medicines were selected according to the law of similars. The treatment consisted of the following medications: Arsenicum album 30CH; Bellis perennis 30CH and Rhus Toxicodendron 30CH. After 20 days of treatment, the animal exhibited an ear pinna devoid of fluid accumulation and recurrence. The ear pinna was in excellent condition, except for the presence of scars along the ear, resulting in a residual deformation. Hence, homeopathic therapy holds significant promise as a therapeutic modality for managing aural hematomas in cats, obviating the necessity for invasive procedures. Under this perspective, this article represents one of the initial reports documenting such a treatment approach in feline cases.

Landscape Composition and Its Effect on the Urban Thermal Environment in Kendari City

The rapid urbanization activities in Kendari City over the last decade have changed its natural landscape, including demands for infrastructure development such as residential areas, which is currently one of the most massive activities. The purpose of this study was to analyse the effect of landscape composition on the urban thermal environment in the Kendari City area in relation to LST and UHI parameters based on UTFVI thresholds. Landsat 8 time series data for 2019 – 2023 is used to observe urban thermal environmental conditions in the study area. The results showed that during the last four years LST in Kendari City tends to increase every year with R 2 > 0.09. As a result of this increasing trend the UHI area in Kendari City also experienced an increase. More than 25% of the Kendari City area is indicated to experience the UHI phenomenon with SUHI ranging from 24 °C to the highest temperature and the concentration increases linearly with the density of the impervious surface area. However, this does not happen in areas with a landscape composition that is categorized as green space. As for the UTFVI results, more than 28% of the areas experiencing the UHI phenomenon are within the UTFVI threshold > 0.020 and more than 60% of the area in Kendari City is denoted as an area with relatively excellent conditions within the range ecological evaluation indices then the rest is in good and normal condition.

BIOCLIM Modeling for Predicting Suitable Habitat for Endangered Tree Tapiscia sinensis (Tapisciaceae) in China

Climate change jeopardizes species survival, particularly for endangered species. This risk extends to the endangered Chinese endemic tree Tapiscia sinensis. The factors underpinning T. sinensis’s habitat distribution are poorly understood, and its potential response to future climate scenarios remains unclear. With six shortlisted climate factors and 117 occurrence records, we modeled T. sinensis’s potential distribution across China using the BIOCLIM model. We applied principal component analysis to examine the primary climate factors restricting its geographical range. The findings indicate that T. sinensis’ range is principally located in China’s middle subtropical climatic zone at low–mid altitudes. The principal component analysis identified two critical factors representing temperature and precipitation. Temperature was the most critical factor limiting T. sinensis distribution, especially the effect of temperature seasonality and isothermality. The habitat suitability model generated by BIOCLIM under current climate conditions demonstrated strong concordance between the predicted suitable areas and the present actual distribution range. These results verify that the model can reliably identify habitats conducive to T. sinensis growth and survival. However, under a hypothetical future climate scenario of doubled atmospheric CO2 concentrations for 2100, the model indicates a precipitous reduction and fragmentation in the areas with excellent suitability conditions. This predicted decline highlights the considerable threats posed by climate change to the long-term survival of this endangered species in China. Our habitat modeling yields critical insights that inform the development of science-based strategies and best practices to improve conservation management plans for research, protection, nursery cultivation, and sustainable planting in China. Habitat suitability knowledge could aid introduction and cultivation efforts for T. sinensis globally in places with analogous climates.

A new, simplified, drying protocol to prepare tardigrades for scanning electron microscopy.

A new protocol for preparation of tardigrades for scanning electron microscope (SEM) analysis is proposed. The more conventional protocols require various steps and a long time to obtain good drying of water bears, together with specific and uncommon instruments (i.e., critical point dryer) or highly volatile toxic compounds (i.e., hexametildisilazane). The new protocol can be performed using few and simple instruments and materials, all easily accessible, and produces a high yield in terms of dried animals in excellent condition for the observation of external morphological structures with SEM. The acquired data exhibit considerable promise, and the proposed methodology shows potential for application to other meiofaunal groups, including small arthropods, nematodes, and rotifers. RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS: Cheap, safe, and fast new method for Tardigrada preparation for SEM. With the new protocol, the number of animals required for SEM studies is minimized. New protocol is potentially applicable to the study of other meiofaunal soft-bodied taxa.

Diagnostic Assessment in the Wet and Dry Seasons of Simple Weirs Constructed by Small-Scale Farmers in the Northern Region Provinces of Zambia

An intervention recently made in Zambia is the promotion of small-scale irrigation using simple weirs, which aims to encourage small-scale farmers in the country’s rural areas to engage in irrigated food production throughout the dry season. This irrigation method relies on conventional weirs to divert the river’s flow. This study was carried out in three northern region provinces of Zambia between November 2022 and January 2023 to conduct a functional diagnostic assessment of simple weirs during the dry and rainy seasons. In this study, 15 simple weirs were chosen for investigation. The goal of this study was to determine their physical status, identify their problems and scope, and evaluate simple weirs’ potential for river water diversion. According to this study, 26% of the weirs had broken sections and 67% were in excellent condition (being recently maintained and restored). Despite the challenges mentioned earlier, farmers have continued to construct them because they cannot afford to purchase stone or concrete irrigation structures due to the location and/or small-scale area available for irrigation development. Simple weirs may act as a beneficial supplement to irrigation technologies. The use of local building materials and the use of traditional skills is encouraged by this technology.

Safety and Efficacy Outcomes Following Spinal Endoscopic Procedures for Thoracic Ligamentous Ossification: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

A systematic review and meta-analysis. This study systematically reviewed and evaluated the safety and efficacy of spinal endoscopic techniques as a treatment for thoracic ligamentum flavum ossification (TOLF). The use of spinal endoscopic techniques for the treatment of TOLF has increased in recent years. The present study is the first comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis focused on the use of spinal endoscopic techniques for TOLF. The Cochrane Central, PubMed, Web of Science, and Embase databases were systematically searched for studies focused on patients undergoing spinal endoscopic techniques to treat symptomatic TOLF. This meta-analysis included 23 studies. We included 323 patients (177 males, 146 females) with a mean age of 58.40±10.06 years, with 304 total recorded lesion locations of which 245 were located in the lower thoracic spine. Complications affected 35/323 patients, and the mean operative duration for 305 patients was 108.15±47.34 minutes. For 187 patients, the mean operative bleeding was 25.13±12.54 mL,while for 87 patients the mean duration of hospitalization was 4.59±1.93 days. At last follow-up, functional assessment was performed for 260 patients, of whom 200 were in excellent condition, visual analog scale (VAS) scores were assessed for 160 patients, with a mean improvement of 4.40 (3.95, 4.86) Japanese Orthopedic Association (JOA) scores were recorded for 115 patients, with a mean improvement of 3.49 (2.79,4.18), and modified Japanese Orthopedic Association (mJOA) scores were recorded for 208 patients, with a mean improvement of 3.62 (2.89,4.35). These results support several advantages of spinal endoscopic techniques for the treatment of symptomatic TOLF. These include low complication rates, rapid postoperative recovery, and good functional recovery when used for single-segment, non-nodular ossification and no combined dural ossification.

Fragment Reattachment: A 4-Year Case Report of an Uncomplicated Dental Fracture.

This case report aims to describe a detailed clinical protocol to restore two maxillary central incisors utilizing the crown fragment reattachment technique with adhesive systems and composite resin material. A long-term successful outcome was achieved after 4 years of follow up. Patient presented to the clinic with fracture of the maxillary central incisors. A comprehensive intraoral and radiographic examination revealed that both teeth had extended crown fracture with no pulpal exposure (Class II, Ellis and Davis). Teeth fragments were thoroughly cleaned and inspected before being repositioned. Both fragments were in excellent condition with almost no parts missing. Therefore, the proposed treatment was the fragment reattachment technique. After verifying the position and adaptation fractured fragments, a flowable composite was used to perform the reattachment procedure under rubber dam isolation. With current advancements in Adhesive Dentistry, tooth fragment reattachment, if present in good condition, is considered more conservative option that restores the morphological, esthetic and functional aspects. Although one tooth showed signs of irreversible pulpitis, and needed root-canal treatment 2 weeks after the restoration, the 4-year follow-up visits confirmed the success of the restorative treatment based on clinical and radiographic evaluations. The patient showed good function and esthetic outcomes after four years of follow-up.

Screening Approach of the Langley Calibration Station for Sun Photometers in China

A sun photometer is a type of photometer that points at the sun, and it has been playing an increasingly important role in characterizing aerosols across the world. As long as the solar photometer is accurately calibrated, the optical thickness of the aerosol can be obtained from the measured value of this device. When the calibration of a single instrument is not accurate, the inversion quantity varies greatly. The calibration constant of the sun photometer changes during its use process; thus, calibrations are frequently needed in order to ensure the accuracy of the measured value. The calibration constant of the solar photometer is usually determined using the Langley method. Internationally, AERONET has two Langley calibration stations: the Mauna Loa observatory in the United States and the Izaña observatory in Spain. So far, the International Comparison and Calibration System has been established in Beijing, similar to AERONET at GSFC, but the Langley calibration system has not yet been established. Therefore, it is necessary to select a suitable calibration station in China. This paper studies the requirements of the calibration station using the Langley method. We used long-term records of satellite-derived measurements and survey data belonging to the aerosol optical thickness data of SNPP/VIIRS, CERES, MERRA-2, etc., in order to gain a better understanding of whether these stations are suitable for calibration. From the existing astronomical observation stations, meteorological stations, and the Sun–Sky Radiometer Observation Network (SONET) observation stations in China, the qualified stations were selected. According to the statistical data from the Ali observatory, the monthly average of clear sky is 20.21 days, and it is always greater than 15 days. The monthly average of aerosol is not more than 0.15 and is less than 0.3. We believe that the atmosphere above the Ali observatory is stable, and the results show that the Ali observatory has excellent weather conditions. This study can provide a selection of calibration sites for solar photometer calibrations in China that may need to be further characterized and evaluated, and at the same time provide a method to exclude unsuitable calibration sites.

The Impact of Banana Consumption on Bangladeshi Rickshaw Pullers' Assessing Cholesterol, Liver and Blood Pressure Functions

Background: The physical demands of labor, such as those performed by rickshaw puller, have a significant influence on food intake. It is hoped that the findings of this study may be utilized as a consideration to maintain the health of rickshaw puller so that they are kept in excellent physical condition. Eating bananas can enhance energy. The study's objective was to find out how well bananas affected cholesterol, liver, and blood pressure functions. Method: Samples for this experimental investigation were gathered from the entire population of 40 people. Before and after eating bananas, their' blood pressure, liver function, and lipid function were measured. In this study, a paired t test was used to analyze the data. Findings: According to the data analysis, there was no discernible variation in the rickshaw pullers' blood pressure and liver function readings before and after consuming bananas (p>0.05). The findings revealed that there was significant discrepancy in the workers' measurements of lipid function before and after consuming bananas (p˂0.05).

Influence of autumn plant condition on cold hardiness of winter cereal crops at different sowing dates

Research on the influence of autumn plant condition as a factor affecting the cold hardiness of winter wheat, rye, and triticale was conducted at the Siberian Scientific Research Institute of Plant Growing and Breeding, a branch of the Institute of Cytology and Genetics, SB RAS, from 2018 to 2021. Morphological indicators of pre-winter plant condition in cereal crops (plant height, number of tillering shoots, and green mass) are primarily associated with the sowing date (contributing to 54.68–85.86%) and genotypic characteristics of winter crops (contributing to 3.63–22.81%). The best morphological indicators were observed with the first sowing date, which decreased by the third sowing date. Over the research period, more vigorous growth, the formation of tillering shoots, and the development of green mass were observed in winter rye compared to triticale and wheat, regardless of the sowing date. In addition to morphological changes in plants, biochemical changes were also observed (sugar content in the tillering node). The accumulation of sugars was influenced by the meteorological conditions of the year (contributing to 30.36%) and determined by the biological characteristics of the crop (contributing to 18.69%). High sugar content in the node of tillering of rye was found in 2020 - 34.3–43.4%, in wheat - 22.8–32.5%, and in triticale - 28.4–37.3%, which can be explained by excellent vegetative conditions promoting the accumulation of more sugars in the node of tillering of plants. At different sowing dates, high sugar content was observed in winter rye: in the first - 36.5%, the second - 26.8%, and the third - 31.3%. Triticale exceeded winter rye in sugar content in the second - 29.5% and third sowing date - 33.0%. Winter rye exhibited high morphological and biochemical indicators in autumn, contributing to its high cold hardiness (80–100%) at different sowing dates. A positive correlation was established with plant height and tillering coefficient (r =0.90*–0.91*), indicating increased cold hardiness with these traits. Wheat and triticale significantly lagged behind rye due to their lower resistance to extreme negative temperatures compared to rye. It was found that an increase in linear growth promotes increased cold hardiness, the formation of tillering shoots, and the amount of sugars in the node of tillering (r =0.34…0.93*) in wheat and the maximum height and number of tillering shoots (r =0.84*…0.94*) in triticale in the autumn period.

Experimental Testing and Residual Performance Evaluation of Existing Hangers with Steel Pipe Protection Taken from an In-Service Tied-Arch Bridge

Background: Tied-arch bridges’ hangers are crucial load-bearing parts, and their excellent condition directly influences bridge safety. However, assessing in-service hangers’ continuing functional performance is irrelevant and incomplete, particularly for unique hangers covered by outer steel tubes. Objective: This research uses a case study of an under-bearing tied-arch bridge with substantial hanger damage to determine the origin of the damage and analyze the hanger’s remaining operational ability. Methodology/approach: This study presents a set of assessment methodologies and procedures for in-service hangers’ remaining functioning performance using field inspection and indoor tests. First, an appearance inspection of the full bridge hanger’s upper and lower anchor heads was carried out, and the categories of anchor head damage and distribution rules are summarized. The causes of major water damage and the lower anchor head’s water infiltration channel were explored. Then, a full interior test was performed on the disassembled sick hanger to establish its present mechanical qualities. Finally, field inspection and indoor test findings assessed the bridge hanger’s operational performance. The findings suggest that the anchor box drainage prevention system should be improved to prevent rainfall and condensation from pooling in the lower anchor box and causing anticorrosive grease failure and anchor head corrosion. Results: The hanger’s mechanical qualities have deteriorated and no longer meet usage standards. Most of the water accumulated in the anchor head of the conventional construction hanger enters from the bridge deck or rope surface, but because of the outer steel pipe, rainwater can flow into the lower anchor box through the upper anchor box along the gap between the hanger and the outer steel pipe, so the waterproof system of the upper anchor box should be checked. Conclusions: This research may be used for safety evaluation and maintenance of the same hanger in service.

Comparative Evaluation of Effectiveness of Rocuronium Bromide vs. Succinyl Choline on Quality of Intubating Conditions during General Anesthesia

Objectives: To compare the quality of intubating conditions and hemodynamic responses to the administration of Rocuronium Bromide and Succinyl Choline during general anesthesia.Methods: This was a comparative study conducted at the anesthesiology department of a tertiary care medical college. Sixty patients undergoing various surgeries under general anesthesia were included in this study based on predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria. Patients were divided into Group S (receiving succinylcholine) and Group R (receiving rocuronium). In all patients, the quality of intubating conditions was assessed. Excellent or good conditions were considered to be acceptable intubating conditions, whereas fair and poor conditions were considered unacceptable.Results: Mean age, weight, gender distribution, and ASA grades were comparable in both groups. The overall quality of intubation was found to be better in group S than in group R, and the difference was statistically significant (P=0.004). The duration of action was significantly longer in group R than in group S (P<0.001). Hemodynamic stability was comparable in both the groups, except for heart rate at 10 min, which was higher in Group R than in Group S. Incidence of fasciculation was significantly more in Group S as compared to Group R, and the difference was found to be highly significant (P=0.0001).Conclusion: Succinylcholine for rapid sequence intubation is associated with better intubation conditions than rocuronium.

Kondisi Sosial Ekonomi Masyarakat Korban Bencana Lumpur Lapindo Pada Kawasan Permukiman Di Desa Panggreh

May 29 2006 is the day when the Lapindo Mud disaster occurred in Sidoarjo Regency. This natural disaster is a disaster where the ground releases gas along with hot mud with a temperature of 100 degrees Celsius. The Lapindo Mud disaster has inundated several villages located in several sub-districts in Sidoarjo Regency, where until now the condition of hot mudflow around the center of the eruption is still increasing. The village of Panggreh, situated in the Jabon District, Sidoarjo Regency, serves as a resettlement area for the victims of the Lapindo Mudflow. The region has a settlement where a portion of the Lapindo mudflow disaster victims have been relocated. The objective of this study is to comprehend the socio-economic situation of the Lapindo Mud Disaster victims in Panggreh Village. This research applies primary and secondary data collection methods along with descriptive qualitative research methodology that uses photo mapping techniques. The study's findings reveal that the educational facilities in Panggreh Lengap village are in excellent condition, the buildings were still sturdy and very decent, the educational services were very good. Health facilities and services are also good. The economy of the middle to lower class community. The majority of people feel the negative impact of moving their residence because of the Lapindo.

Pagyvenusių žmonių patiriamas stresas ir jo pasekmės psichinei sveikatai

If not managed properly, stress can interfere with the ability of elderly people to maintain their well-being.
 Mental health is an important part of health care that needs to be talked about not only in mental health settings but also in society.
 Typically, people prepare for retirement only in the financial sphere and not in other social aspects. Many older people feel unappreciated and lonely. Such situations are usually stressful for older people. As for stress in general, if an elderly person is unable to cope with it, it can lead to the physical decline of the elderly person. Older people are stressed by changes in their lifestyle. A lot of routine with excellent physical conditions is a dream for elderly people. Some elderly people without financial stability still must perform routine activities without good physical conditions [11,12].
 The study was based on scientific articles and other scientific literature found in the medical databases UpToDate and PubMed. The search was carried out using the following keywords and combinations: stress, mental health, elderly person. The aim was to review the scientific literature on the stress experienced by elderly people and its consequences for mental health.
 Conclusions. A review of the scientific literature suggests that with the rapid increase in the number of elderly people in the world, it is important to maintain a good physical and emotional state of health. Poorly managed stress can have a negative impact not only on a person's daily activities, but also on physical health and emotional well-being.
 Constant stress reduces quality of life and communication with the outside world. Anxiety leads to excessive feelings of fear or frustration, which ultimately have a negative impact on a person's health. Participation in leisure activities has been shown to significantly improve social support and mental health for elderly people.

Radio-continuum decrements associated to shadowing from the central warp in transition disc DoAr 44

ABSTRACT Warps have often been used to explain disc properties, but well-characterized examples are important due to their role in disc evolution. Scattered light images of discs with central gaps have revealed sharp warps, such that the outer rings are shadowed by tilted inner discs. The near-infrared intensity drops along the ring around T-Tauri star DoAr 44 have been interpreted in terms of a central warp. We report new ALMA observations of DoAr 44 in the continuum at 230 and 350 GHz (at ∼10 au), along with a new epoch of Spectro Polarimetric High-contrast Exoplanet REsearch (SPHERE)/Infrared Dual-band Imager and Spectrograph differential polarized imaging taken during excellent weather conditions. The ALMA observations resolve the ring and confirm the decrements proposed from deconvolution of coarse 336 GHz data. The scattered light image constrains the dips, which correspond to a misaligned inner disc with a relative inclination ξ = 21.4 $^{+6.7}_{-8.3}$ deg. The SPHERE intensity profile shows a morphological change compared to a previous epoch that may be interpreted as a variable orientation of the inner disc, from ξ ∼ 30 deg to ξ ∼ 20 deg. The intensity dips probably correspond to temperature decrements, as their mm-spectral index, $\alpha ^{230 \textrm {GHz}}_{350 \textrm {GHz}} \sim$ 2.0 ± 0.1, is indicative of optically thick emission. The azimuth of the two temperature decrements are leading clockwise relative to the infrared-dips, by η = 14.95 deg and η = 7.92 deg. For a retrograde disc, such shifts are expected from a thermal lag and imply gas surface densities of Σg = 117 ± 10 g cm−2 and Σg = 48 ± 10 g cm−2. A lopsided disc, with contrast ratio fr = 2.4 ± 0.5, is also consistent with the large continuum crescent.

Upcycling Waste: Citrus limon Peel-Derived Carbon Quantum Dots for Sensitive Detection of Tetracycline in the Nanomolar Range.

In this work, a sustainable method was developed for the production of water-soluble carbon quantum dots employing a green approach. The synthetic protocol was employed using the microwave pyrolysis technique, while lemon peel served as a carbon precursor. Fabrication of highly fluorescent lemon-peel-derived CQDs (LP-CQDs) having inherent nitrogen functionality was validated by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, FTIR, X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopic analysis, and TEM techniques. The average particle size of fabricated LP-CQDs was 4.46 nm. LP-CQDs yielded a remarkable quantum yield of 49.5%, which displayed excellent salinity, photostability, storage time, conditions, and pH stability. LP-CQDs displayed encouraging results for tetracycline (TC) detection using a PL turn-off approach. The sensitivity of LP-CQDs toward TC was seen in a nanomolar range having a detection limit of 50.4 nM. Method validation was comprehensively studied to ensure the precision of the nanosensor. A complete analysis of different photophysical parameters of LP-CQDs was performed with TC to gain a deeper understanding of the sensing mechanism. Fabricated LP-CQDs showed fluorescence quenching toward TC, elucidated by the inner filter effect (IFE) mechanism. The synthesized nanoprobe demonstrated a lesser detection limit with a broad linear range, enabling facile, cheap, environmentally friendly, and fast detection of TC. Practicality of the detection method was assessed through analysis of real samples, resulting in satisfactory recovery percentage and relative standard deviation with respect to the developed probes. Furthermore, LP-CQDs were used as fluorescent inks and to fabricate paper-based fluorescent strips. This study lays the door for the sensing platform of LP-CQDs toward detection of TC, which may impact the potential role of environmental sustainability.

Functionalized zinc oxide nanorods – polypropylene nonwoven composite with high biological and photocatalytic activity

This work presents a comprehensive approach to elaborating new active polypropylene-zinc oxide composite material with a well-developed specific surface area. Fibrous polypropylene material, made via the melt-blown technique, plays a role of a high-porosity substrate for modification. The hydrothermal chemical bath deposition (CBD) method adjustment is suited to cover its surface with various ZnO nanorods (NRs). Due to the CBD method, it is possible to control the structures of obtained ZnO via the concentration of reagents used in the synthesis. The material analysis allows for determining the crystal form of ZnO, the fiber coverage degree, and the effectiveness of the surface activation process. The investigation also confirmed the bactericidal (differences in microorganism survivability exposed on PP-ZnO material ranged from approx. 50–0%) and photocatalytic (increase in MB decomposition rate constant value from 0.0374 to 0.173 h-1) properties of the developed PP-ZnO composite materials. Aerosol and bioaerosol particles in indoor air may be dangerous, especially for human health, since ventilation and air-conditioning systems create excellent conditions for growing microorganisms. For this reason, an exemplary application of the proposed material is the separation processes. Investigations into the filtration process for solid KCl particles and DEHS droplets (diameters from 20 nm to 2 µm) showed that modified nonwovens maintain their original (before modification) airflow resistance and exhibit increased effectiveness for particles larger than 200 nm (differences in the QF value in the range of 0.001–0.004).

A global turbulence model shows excellent atmospheric optical turbulence conditions over the Ethiopian plateau during non-rainy season

ABSTRACT A worldwide search is currently being conducted to determine the most appropriate sites for the next generation of large optical and infrared telescopes. Here, we report a global map of atmospheric optical turbulence-associated parameter (atmospheric coherence length) based on the fifth generation of European Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasts re-analysis data set and results for atmospheric coherence lengths at European Southern Observatory and Tibetan Plateau locations (all at mid-latitudes). These confirm the accuracy of the global atmospheric optical turbulence model, but also the simulation result reveals that an excellent atmospheric calm site exist at the Ethiopian Plateau (at a latitude of ∼10°N) outside of the rainy season. The Ethiopian Plateau is the highest plateau in Africa, known as the ‘Roof of Africa’, with an average elevation of over 2500 m, and thus potentially provides good opportunities for astronomy and astrophysics. The median atmospheric coherence length at the Ethiopian Plateau was 17.7 cm and approximately 75 per cent of the time above 15.6 cm for dry conditions, indicating a very calm atmosphere. Although favourable atmospheric turbulence conditions at the Ethiopian Plateau were found from the global turbulence model, due to the complete lack of infrastructure it has never been visited, meaning that additional validation experiments are required.

Prognostic biomarker SYK and its correlation with immune infiltrates in glioma.

The tumor microenvironment (TME) provides excellent conditions for the development of glioma. The present study sought to identify the prognostic factors of glioma that could be used to improve the prognosis of patients with this disease. In the present study, Cell-type Identification by Estimating Relative Subsets of RNA Transcripts (CIBERSORT) and Estimation of Stromal and Immune cells in Malignant Tumor tissues using Expression data calculations were employed to estimate the ratio of tumor-infiltrating immune cells and the quantity of immune and stromal components in 698 glioma cases from the Cancer Genome Atlas database. In addition, certain differentially expressed genes were studied by Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes analyses and single genes associated with prognosis were identified by protein-protein interaction (PPI) network and Cox combined analysis. The immune and stromal scores of the TME were significantly associated with glioma patient survival. By using the PPI network and Cox regression analyses, spleen tyrosine kinase (SYK) was eventually identified as the best prognostic factor for patients with glioma. In addition, Gene Set Enrichment Analysis and CIBERSORT analyses were employed. The former indicated that the high-expression SYK group genes were mainly enriched in immune-related activities. The latter revealed that SYK expression was positively associated with T cell cluster of differentiation 4 memory resting and monocytes. The aforementioned experimental analyses provided the theoretical basis for the biological prediction of SYK. The data indicated that SYK contributed to immune predictors in patients with glioma by facilitating the shift of the TME from immune dominance to metabolic activity. Finally, reverse transcription-quantitative PCR and western blotting were used to verify the single gene expression in glioma cells. This may provide prognostic value for the treatment of glioma.

Comparison of Intubating Conditions on the basis of Neuromuscular Monitoring versus Clinical Assessment Guided Tracheal Intubation: A Randomized Interventional Study

Background: Laryngoscopy and endotracheal intubation have been associated with marked hemodynamic responses and hazards. This study was undertaken with the purpose to compare the intubating conditions when the suitable time for intubation was judged by either clinical assessment or train-of-four monitoring.
 Methods: 60 patients without any difficult airway predictors, posted for surgery under general anaesthesia, were randomised into two groups. In Group A patients, the trachea was intubated after train of four counts became zero in adductor pollicis muscle, whereas in Group B patients, intubation was done after clinically judging jaw muscle relaxation. The primary objective was to compare Intubating conditions and mean duration of time between the administration of a neuromuscular blocker and endotracheal intubation. The secondary objectives included number of attempts, changes in hemodynamic parameters. Results were analysed by the Analysis of variance and chi-square tests.
 Results: In all Group A patients excellent and good intubating conditions were observed, whereas 25 out of 30 patients (83%) in Group B showed excellent and good intubation conditions. The mean time required for intubation was significantly longer in Group A compared to Group B (369 ± 79 s vs. 191 ± 5 s). HR and mean arterial pressure were significantly higher in Group B as compared to Group A after laryngoscopy and tracheal intubation (P < 0.05).
 Conclusion: Better intubating conditions and more haemodynamic stability are seen after attaining complete relaxation of laryngeal muscles, as detected by neuromuscular monitoring of adductor pollicis muscle.