Highly transparent RF magnetron-sputtered indium tin oxide films for a-Si:H/c-Si heterojunction solar cells amorphous/crystalline silicon

Hussain, S. Q.,Oh, W. K.,Ahn, S.,Le, A. H. T.,Kim, S.,Iftiquar, S. M.,Velumani, S.,Lee, Y.,Yi, J. Elsevier Science B.V., Amsterdam. 2014 Materials science in semiconductor processing Vol.24 No.-

Camel Milk as an Adjuvant Therapy for the Treatment of Type 1 Diabetes: Verification of a Traditional Ethnomedical Practice

Ragaa Hosny Mohamad,Zekry Khalid Zekry,Hussain A. Al-Mehdar,Omar Salama,Siad Ebrahim El-Shaieb,Amany A. El-Basmy,Mohamad Gamil Abdel Monem Al-said,Sabry Mohamed Sharawy 한국식품영양과학회 2009 Journal of medicinal food Vol.12 No.2

There is a traditional belief in the Middle East that regular consumption of camel milk may aid in prevention and control of diabetes. The aim of this work was to evaluate the efficacy of camel milk as an adjuvant therapy in young type 1 diabetics. This 16-week randomized study enrolled 54 type 1 diabetic patients (average age 20 years) selected from those attending the outpatient diabetes clinic of the Menofia University Hospital, affiliated with Egypt's National Cancer Institute. Subjects were randomly divided into two groups of 27 patients: one received usual management (diet, exercise, and insulin), whereas the other received 500 mL of camel milk daily in addition to standard management. A control group of 10 healthy subjects was also assessed. The following parameters were evaluated at baseline and at 4 and 16 weeks: hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), human C-peptide, lipid profile, serum insulin, anti-insulin antibodies, creatinine clearance, albumin in 24-hour urine, body mass index, and Diabetes Quality of Life score. The following parameters were significantly different between the usual-management group versus the camel milk group after 16 weeks: fasting blood sugar (227.2 ± 17.7 vs. 98.9 ± 16.2 mg/dL), HbA1c (9.59 ± 2.05[%] vs. 7.16 ± 1.84[%]), serum anti-insulin antibodies (26.20 ± 7.69 vs. 20.92 ± 5.45 μU/mL), urinary albumin excretion (25.17 ± 5.43 vs. 14.54 ± 5.62 mg/dL/24 hours), daily insulin dose (48.1 ± 6.95 vs. 23 ± 4.05 units), and body mass index (18.43 ± 3.59 vs. 24.3 ± 2.95 kg/m2). Most notably, C-peptide levels were markedly higher in the camel milk group (0.28 ± 0.6 vs. 2.30 ± 0.51 pmol/mL). These results suggest that, as an adjunct to standard management, daily ingestion of camel milk can aid metabolic control in young type 1 diabetics, at least in part by boosting endogenous insulin secretion.

Camel Milk as an Adjuvant Therapy for the Treatment of Type 1 Diabetes: Verification of a Traditional Ethnomedical Practice

Al-Tahtawy, Ragaa Hosny Mohamad,Zekry, Zekry Khalid,Al-Mehdar, Hussain A.,Salama, Omar,El-Shaieb, Siad Ebrahim,El-Basmy, Amany A.,Al-said, Mohamad Gamil Abdel Monem,Sharawy, Sabry Mohamed The Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition 2009 Journal of medicinal food Vol.12 No.2

There is a traditional belief in the Middle East that regular consumption of camel milk may aid in prevention and control of diabetes. The aim of this work was to evaluate the efficacy of camel milk as an adjuvant therapy in young type 1 diabetics. This 16-week randomized study enrolled 54 type 1 diabetic patients (average age 20 years) selected from those attending the outpatient diabetes clinic of the Menofia University Hospital, affiliated with Egypt's National Cancer Institute. Subjects were randomly divided into two groups of 27 patients: one received usual management (diet, exercise, and insulin), whereas the other received 500 mL of camel milk daily in addition to standard management. A control group of 10 healthy subjects was also assessed. The following parameters were evaluated at baseline and at 4 and 16 weeks: hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), human C-peptide, lipid profile, serum insulin, anti-insulin antibodies, creatinine clearance, albumin in 24-hour urine, body mass index, and Diabetes Quality of Life score. The following parameters were significantly different between the usual-management group versus the camel milk group after 16 weeks: fasting blood sugar ($227.2\;{\pm}\;17.7$ vs. $98.9\;{\pm}\;16.2\;mg/dL$), HbA1c ($9.59\;{\pm}\;2.05$[%] vs. $7.16\;{\pm}\;1.84$[%]), serum anti-insulin antibodies ($26.20\;{\pm}\;7.69$ vs. $20.92\;{\pm}\;5.45\;{\mu}U/mL$), urinary albumin excretion ($25.17\;{\pm}\;5.43$ vs. $14.54\;{\pm}\;5.62\;mg/dL$/24 hours), daily insulin dose ($48.1\;{\pm}\;6.95$ vs. $23\;{\pm}\;4.05$ units), and body mass index ($18.43\;{\pm}\;3.59$ vs. $24.3\;{\pm}\;2.95\;kg/m^2$). Most notably, C-peptide levels were markedly higher in the camel milk group ($0.28\;{\pm}\;0.6$ vs. $2.30\;{\pm}\;0.51\;pmol/mL$). These results suggest that, as an adjunct to standard management, daily ingestion of camel milk can aid metabolic control in young type 1 diabetics, at least in part by boosting endogenous insulin secretion.

Psychiatric Co-morbidity in Patients With Irritable Bowel Syndrome at a Tertiary Care Center in Northern India

( Yuman Kawoos ),( Zaid A Wani ),( Showkat A Kadla ),( Irfan A Shah ),( Arshad Hussain ),( M Maqbool Dar ),( Mushtaq A Margoob ),( Kouser Sideeq ) 대한소화기기능성질환·운동학회(구 대한소화관운동학회) 2017 Journal of Neurogastroenterology and Motility (JNM Vol.23 No.4

Background/Aims Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a chronic psycho-physiological disorder. It is considered to be the most common functional gastrointestinal disorder, and about 50-90% of IBS patients have associated psychiatric co-morbidity. We aimed to study psychiatric co-morbidities in patients with IBS visiting a tertiary care center. Methods This was a cross-sectional case-control study conducted over a duration of one and a half years from January 2014 to July 2015. Patients were selected from the out-patient department of gastroenterology. About 160 patients with IBS who fulfilled the inclusion criteria and who gave written informed consent were selected as study cases. The healthy attendants of cases were selected as controls. A total of 200 controls were selected. Rome-III criteria were used to diagnose IBS. For diagnosing psychiatric disorders, we used the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview Schedule Plus. Results Mean age of our cases and controls was 39.7 ± 11.4 and 37.7 ± 9.6 years, respectively. Females outnumbered males in our cases as well as their controls by a ratio of 2:1 approximately. Psychiatric disorders were seen in 84.4% of IBS patients as compared to 41.5% in controls. Major psychiatric disorders seen in our patients were generalized anxiety disorders (30.0%) and depression (28.0%). Conclusions The majority of patients with IBS who present to a tertiary care center have co-morbid psychiatric disorders. We need to screen these patients for such co-morbidities and develop a holistic approach for better outcome in such cases. (J Neurogastroenterol Motil 2017;23:555-560)

TNF-α-Inhibition Improves the Biocompatibility of Porous Polyethylene Implants In Vivo

Hussain Timon,Gellrich Donata,Siemer Svenja,Reichel Christoph A.,Eckrich Jonas,Dietrich Dimo,Knauer Shirley K.,Stauber Roland H.,Strieth Sebastian 한국조직공학과 재생의학회 2021 조직공학과 재생의학 Vol.18 No.2

Background: To improve the biocompatibility of porous polyethylene (PPE) implants and expand their application range for reconstructive surgery in poorly vascularized environments, implants were coated with tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα) inhibitor Etanercept. While approved for systemic application, local application of the drug is a novel experimental approach. Microvascular and mechanical integration as well as parameters of inflammation were analyzed in vivo. Methods: PPE implants were coated with Etanercept and extracellular matrix (ECM) components prior to implantation into dorsal skinfold chambers of C57BL/6 mice. Fluorescence microscopy analyses of angiogenesis and local inflammatory response were thrice performed in vivo over a period of 14 days to assess tissue integration and biocompatibility. Uncoated implants and ECM-coated implants served as controls. Results: TNFα inhibition with Etanercept led to a reduced local inflammatory response: leukocyte-endothelial cell adherence was significantly lowered compared to both control groups (n = 6/group) on days 3 and 14, where the lowest values were reached: 3573.88 leukocytes/mm-2 ± 880.16 (uncoated implants) vs. 3939.09 mm-2 ± 623.34 (Matrigel only) vs. 637.98 mm-2 + 176.85 (Matrigel and Etanercept). Implant-coating with Matrigel alone and Matrigel and Etanercept led to significantly higher vessel densities 7 and 14 days vs. 3 days after implantation and compared to uncoated implants. Mechanical implant integration as measured by dynamic breaking strength did not differ after 14 days. Conclusion: Our data show a reduced local inflammatory response to PPE implants after immunomodulatory coating with Etanercept in vivo, suggesting improved biocompatibility. Application of this tissue engineering approach is therefore warranted in models of a compromised host environment. Background: To improve the biocompatibility of porous polyethylene (PPE) implants and expand their application range for reconstructive surgery in poorly vascularized environments, implants were coated with tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα) inhibitor Etanercept. While approved for systemic application, local application of the drug is a novel experimental approach. Microvascular and mechanical integration as well as parameters of inflammation were analyzed in vivo. Methods: PPE implants were coated with Etanercept and extracellular matrix (ECM) components prior to implantation into dorsal skinfold chambers of C57BL/6 mice. Fluorescence microscopy analyses of angiogenesis and local inflammatory response were thrice performed in vivo over a period of 14 days to assess tissue integration and biocompatibility. Uncoated implants and ECM-coated implants served as controls. Results: TNFα inhibition with Etanercept led to a reduced local inflammatory response: leukocyte-endothelial cell adherence was significantly lowered compared to both control groups (n = 6/group) on days 3 and 14, where the lowest values were reached: 3573.88 leukocytes/mm-2 ± 880.16 (uncoated implants) vs. 3939.09 mm-2 ± 623.34 (Matrigel only) vs. 637.98 mm-2 + 176.85 (Matrigel and Etanercept). Implant-coating with Matrigel alone and Matrigel and Etanercept led to significantly higher vessel densities 7 and 14 days vs. 3 days after implantation and compared to uncoated implants. Mechanical implant integration as measured by dynamic breaking strength did not differ after 14 days. Conclusion: Our data show a reduced local inflammatory response to PPE implants after immunomodulatory coating with Etanercept in vivo, suggesting improved biocompatibility. Application of this tissue engineering approach is therefore warranted in models of a compromised host environment.

DEVELOPMENT OF OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION AND POSITION DETECTION FOR INTELLIGENT SAFETY SYSTEM

M. A. HANNAN,A. HUSSAIN,S. A. SAMAD,A. MOHAMED,D. A. WAHAB,A. K. ARIFFIN 한국자동차공학회 2006 International journal of automotive technology Vol.7 No.7

Occupant classification and position detection have been significant research areas in intelligent safety systems in the automotive field. The detection and classification of seat occupancy open up new ways to control the safety system. This paper deals with a novel algorithm development, hardware implementation and testing of a prototype intelligent safety system for occupant classification and position detection for in-vehicle environment. Borland C++ program is used to develop the novel algorithm interface between the sensor and data acquisition system. MEMS strain gauge hermatic pressure sensor containing micromachined integrated circuits is installed inside the passenger seat. The analog output of the sensor is connected with a connector to a PCI-9111 DG data acquisition card for occupancy detection, classification and position detection. The algorithm greatly improves the detection of whether an occupant is present or absent, and the classification of either adult, child or non-human object is determined from weights using the sensor. A simple computation algorithm provides the determination of the occupant’s appropriate position using centroidal calculation. A real time operation is achieved with the system. The experimental results demonstrate that the performance of the implemented prototype is robust for occupant classification and position detection. This research may be applied in intelligent airbag design for efficient deployment.

DECISION FUSION OF A MULTI-SENSING EMBEDDED SYSTEM FOR OCCUPANT SAFETY MEASURES

M. A. HANNAN,A. HUSSAIN,A. MOHAMED,S. A. SAMAD,D. A. WAHAB 한국자동차공학회 2010 International journal of automotive technology Vol.11 No.1

The need for an embedded system that can fuse incomplete, inconsistent, and imprecise decisions from several sensing systems is a crucial step in achieving an effective decision for occupant safety measures. This paper deals with the decision fusion strategies of a multi-sensing embedded system to achieve significant enhancement in the reliability of occupant safety through the fused decisions. Multi-sensing approaches to determine weight, vision, and crash sensing are developed for occupant detection, classification, position calculation, and crash detection. A rule-based decision fusion algorithm is then developed to fuse the multi-sensing decisions. The developed sensing systems are incorporated into an embedded device. To execute the embedded system, a system interface between the software and hardware is developed using Lab Window/CVI with the C programming language. The experimental results demonstrated that the real time operation of the embedded system validate the effectiveness of the decision fusion algorithm, characterize the safety measures and monitor the decision application. Several events were tested that prove the performance of the embedded system is robust towards occupant safety measures.

Comprehensive analysis of plant rapid alkalization factor (RALF) genes

Sharma, A.,Hussain, A.,Mun, B.G.,Imran, Q.M.,Falak, N.,Lee, S.U.,Kim, J.Y.,Hong, J.K.,Loake, G.J.,Ali, A.,Yun, B.W. Elsevier Science B.V., Amsterdam. 2016 Plant Physiology and Biochemistry Vol. No.

<P>Receptor mediated signal carriers play a critical role in the regulation of plant defense and development. Rapid alkalization factor (RALF) proteins potentially comprise important signaling components which may have a key role in plant biology. The RALF gene family contains large number of genes in several plant species, however, only a few RALF genes have been characterized to date. In this study, an extensive database search identified 39, 43, 34 and 18 RALF genes in Arabidopsis, rice, maize and soybean, respectively. These RALF genes were found to be highly conserved across the 4 plant species. A comprehensive analysis including the chromosomal location, gene structure, subcellular location, conserved motifs, protein structure, protein-ligand interaction and promoter analysis was performed. RALF genes from four plant species were divided into 7 groups based on phylogenetic analysis. In silico expression analysis of these genes, using microarray and EST data, revealed that these genes exhibit a variety of expression patterns. Furthermore, RALF genes showed distinct expression patterns of transcript accumulation in vivo following nitrosative and oxidative stresses in Arabidopsis. Predicted interaction between RALF and heme ligand also showed that RALF proteins may contribute towards transporting or scavenging oxygen moieties. This suggests a possible role for RALF genes during changes in cellular redox status. Collectively, our data provides a valuable resource to prime future research in the role of RALF genes in plant growth and development. (C) 2016 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.</P>

Giant strain, thermally-stable high energy storage properties and structural evolution of Bi-based lead-free piezoceramics

Malik, R.A.,Hussain, A.,Maqbool, A.,Zaman, A.,Song, T.K.,Kim, W.J.,Kim, M.H. Elsevier Sequoia 2016 Journal of Alloys and Compounds Vol.682 No.-

In this study, the mechanism of electric-field-induced phase transition in 0.96[Bi<SUB>0.5</SUB>(Na<SUB>0.84</SUB>K<SUB>0.16</SUB>)<SUB>0.5</SUB>Ti<SUB>1-x</SUB>Ta<SUB>x</SUB>O<SUB>3</SUB>]-0.04SrTiO<SUB>3</SUB>, (where 0.00 @? x @? 0.030, abbreviated as BNKTT-ST) ceramics was discussed based on crystal structure and electromechanical properties. X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) showed a phase transition from mixed rhombohedral-tetragonal to single pseudocubic when x ≥ 0.020. Large electromechanical strain of ~0.42% with a dynamic piezoelectric constant (S<SUB>max</SUB>/E<SUB>max</SUB>) of ~700 pm/V at 6 kV/mm was recorded for 2 mol. % Ta content. Interestingly, at lower field of 4 kV/mm, the S<SUB>max</SUB>/E<SUB>max</SUB> attained the highest value of ~830 pm/V. Poled, unpoled XRD analysis and electrical properties suggest that the relatively high S<SUB>max</SUB>/E<SUB>max</SUB> at x = 0.020 may be attributed to the combined effect of composition and ferroelectric (FE) to ergodic relaxor (ER) phase transition. Furthermore, the energy storage density was studied as a function of both composition and temperature to demonstrate the suitability for capacitor applications. This system also revealed improved energy storage properties. Particularly, for x = 0.020, a nearly temperature-invariant large recoverable energy density (W = 0.65 J/cm<SUP>3</SUP>) was achieved over a wide temperature range (75-150 <SUP>o</SUP>C). These properties demonstrate that the fabricated system might be a promising lead-free candidate for actuators and high temperature energy storage capacitor applications.

Pre-treatment of adsorbents for waste water treatment using adsorption coupled-with electrochemical regeneration

H.M.A. Asghar,S.N. Hussain,E.P.L. Roberts,A.K. Campen,N.W. Brown 한국공업화학회 2013 Journal of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry Vol.19 No.5

With the aim to address waste water treatment problems, a novel and economic water treatment technology was introduced at the University of Manchester. It comprised of a unique combination of adsorption and electrochemical regeneration in a single unit. This process successfully eliminated a number of organic pollutants by using an electrically conducting adsorbent material called NyexTM which was a modified form of synthetic graphite. To expand the scope of other graphite types in waste water treatment applications, natural vein and recycled vein graphite materials were selected for electrochemical surface treatment (pre-treatment) in order to evaluate their adsorptive and electrical properties. New graphite based adsorbents were developed and characterized using a laser diffraction particle size analyser,BET surface area, SEM analysis, X-ray (EDS) elemental analysis, X-ray powder diffraction, Boehm surface titration, Zeta potential electrical bed conductivity and bulk density measurements. Boehm surface titration and EDS (X-ray) elemental analysis showed a significant increase in oxygen containing surface functional groups. Although, no significant improvement in bed electrical conductivity was found to occur after electrochemical surface treatment, however, natural vein and recycled vein graphite materials presented highest bed electrical conductivity amongst competing graphite materials. Aqueous solution of acid violet 17 as a standard pollutant was used to evaluate the comparative performance of these adsorbents. The investigations revealed that electrochemical surface treatment contributed to an increase in the adsorption capacity by a factor of two only for natural vein graphite. Un-treated recycled vein graphite adsorbent delivered the same adsorptive capacity (3.0 mg g-1) to that of electrochemically treated natural vein graphite. The electrochemical regeneration efficiency at around 100% was obtained using a treatment time of 60 and 30 min, current density of 14 mA cm-2, charge passed of 36 and 18 C g-1 for synthetic graphite, natural and recycled vein graphite materials respectively. Relatively a small consumption of electrical energy, 24 J g-1 for regenerating natural vein graphite adsorbent versus 36 J g-1 for synthetic graphite adsorbent, was found to be required for destruction/oxidation of adsorbed acid violet 17. Multiple adsorption/regeneration cycles presented no loss in adsorptive capacity over 5adsorption/regeneration cycles. The use of natural and recycled vein graphite adsorbents offered some advantages over graphite intercalation based adsorbents with reduced electrical energy consumption during regeneration and simpler separation of particulate adsorbent.