In this paper, we suggest a descent modification of the conjugate gradient method which converges globally provided that the exact minimization condition is satisfied. Preliminary numerical experiments on some benchmark problems show that the method is efficient and promising.  

Statement of the Problem. The use of orthodontic fixed appliances may adversely affect oral health leading to demineralizing lesions and the development of gingival problems. Aims of the Study. The study aimed to coat orthodontic archwires with chlorhexidine hexametaphosphate nanoparticles (CHX-HMP NPs) and to evaluate the elusion of CHX from CHX-HMP NPs. Materials and Methods. A solution of CHX-HMP nanoparticles with an overall concentration of 5 mM for both CHX and HMP was prepared, characterized (using atomic force microscope and Fourier transformation infrared spectroscopy), and used to coat orthodontic stainless steel (SSW) and NiTi archwires (NiTiW). The coated segments were characterized (using scanning electron microscopy

Hepatitis, an inflammation of the liver, has a number of infectious and non-infectious causes. Two of the viruses that cause hepatitis (hepatitis A and E) can be transmitted through water and food; hygiene is therefore important in their control. First, to assess the importance of HAV and HEV as a possible diagnosis for clinically diagnosed patients with acute viral hepatitis. Second, to assess the prevalence of hepatitis A and E in all provinces of Iraq and study its association with age, gender. This study consisted of two groups: The first group consisted of 2975 patients with a clinical diagnosis of acute viral hepatitis. The second group consisted of a total of 9610 persons, which were recruited by surveying a nationally representative

The presence of alkaloids in Crassula ovata is a topic that is still unexplored, as there are no published studies on the matter. This study demonstrates the presence of an alkaloid compound (and its class) for the first time in Crassula ovata. The plant material was defatted with n-hexane, and a Soxhlet apparatus was used for the extraction process, while the acid-base method was used for the isolation of alkaloids from the chloroform fractions. The quaternary alkaloid was precipitated from the aqueous layer spontaneously, in high quantity. By using standard spectroscopic methods (including liquid chromatography - mass spectroscopy) we were able to clarify the structure of the precipi¬tated compound as a tetrahydroprotoberberine a

Diabetic foot ulcer (DFU) or Lower limb ulcers are one of the major complications caused by diabetes mellitus especially when patients fail to maintain tight glycemic control. DFU is linked to multiple risk factors along with the genetic factors and ethnicity which play a significant role in the development of DFUs through their effects on multiple aspects of the pathophysiological process. This narrative review aimed to summarize all the previous studies within the last ten years associating gene polymorphism and DFU. Polymorphism associated with vascular endothelial growth factor (rs699947), the G894T polymorphism of the endothelial nitric oxide synthase gene, interleukin-6–174 G>C gene polymorphism, heat shock protein 70 gene polymorph

Recently, wireless charging based RF harvesting has interfered our lives [1] significantly through the different applications including biomedical, military, IoT, RF energy harvesting, IT-care, and RFID technologies. Wirelessly powered low energy devices become significantly essential for a wide spectrum of sensing applications [1]. Such devices require for low energy resources from sunlight, mechanical vibration, thermal gradients, convection flows or other forms of harvestable energy [2]. One of the emerging power extraction resources based on passive devices is harvesting radio frequency (RF) signals powers [3]–[5]. Such applications need devices that can be organized in very large numbers, so, making separate node battery impractical.

Objectives: Recently, there have been important advances in the clinical application of targeted hybrid near-infrared (NIR) fluorescent-radioactive tracers. ICG-99mTc-nanocolloid, for example, is already being used by some centres for sentinel lymph node biopsy in head and neck cancer. The radioactive component allows imaging at depths which would not be possible with NIR alone and, once exposed, the NIR fluorescence reporter can be imaged at very high resolution. Gamma detection is currently carried out with a separate hand-held gamma camera or with a non-imaging probe. Visualisation of NIR fluorescence during surgery requires a dedicated NIR camera, several of which are available commercially. We describe a novel hand-held hybrid NIR-gamm