bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Enhancement of Mechanical Properties and Hydrophilicity of PMMA Using Varying Concentrations of ZrO2 Nanoparticles for Dental Applications
Authors: Surana Kaustubh , Rengasamy Gayathri , Veeraraghavan Vishnu Priya , Kasi Rajan Hema Shree
Published: February 2025

Background:

This study aims to assess the effects of varying concentrations of zirconium dioxide (ZrO2) nanoparticles on the mechanical and surface properties of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) resins.

Materials and Methods:

PMMA resins were reinforced with ZrO2 nanoparticles at concentrations of 1.5%, 3%, and 5%. Various tests, including flexural strength, surface hardness, and hydrophilicity through contact angle measurements, were performed.

Results:

The incorporation of ZrO2 nanoparticles significantly enhanced the mechanical properties of PMMA. The contact angle measurements indicated increased hydrophilicity with rising ZrO2 concentrations.

Conclusion:

The findings suggest that ZrO2 nanoparticles can improve the mechanical and surface properties of PMMA resins, indicating their potential for dental applications.
Evaluation of antimicrobial activity of platelet-rich fibrin and titanium platelet-rich fibrin with and without incorporation of antibiotics on Porphyromonas gingivalis and Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans: An in vitro study
Authors: Jhansi A. , Yellarthi Sandhya Pavankumar , Murthy Raja V.
Published: February 2025

Background:

Infection control is of paramount importance after any periodontal therapy to achieve proper wound healing and regeneration of periodontal tissues. Clinicians continuously strive to provide procedures and/or materials that allow for enhanced and rapid wound healing. The regenerative potential of platelet concentrates like platelet-rich fibrin (PRF) has been explored for their anti-inflammatory action and liberation of growth factors; however, research is lacking on the antibacterial properties of platelet-rich gels. The present in vitro study was done to assess the antimicrobial activity of PRF and titanium PRF (T-PRF) alone or with antibiotics on periodontal pathogens.

Materials and Methods:

Thirty-three individuals who were willing to donate blood (12 ml) were included in the study. Amoxicillin (AMOX) + metronidazole (METRO) combination or clindamycin (CLINDA) was incorporated into the blood drawn, and this blood was subjected to centrifugation so as to obtain T-PRF and PRF with antibiotics. The antibacterial activity of all the groups was tested on both bacteria that were cultured in their respective media for up to a 4-day period. The data were subjected to independent t-test, Tukey post hoc test, repeated analysis of variance (ANOVA), and ANOVA.

Results:

All individual parameters were compared for antimicrobial activity on both bacteria on all 4 days. A highly statistical difference (P = 0.0001) was observed in all the groups, with the highest inhibition zone produced by PRF-CLINDA, followed by T-PRF-CLINDA. Antimicrobial activity was evident for the observed 4-day period, which declined from day 1 to day 4.

Conclusion:

T-PRF/PRF with and without antibiotics exhibited antimicrobial activity on Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans and Porphyromonas gingivalis over the observed 4-day period.
Cone-beam computed tomography assessment of palatal-nasal recess of maxillary sinus in dentulous and edentulous subjects
Authors: Mishra Akriti , Talwar Avaneendra , Castelino Renita
Published: February 2025

Background:

Implant placement in the posterior maxilla is challenging in the case of maxillary sinus pneumatization. Increasing the vertical dimension by grafting the sinus floor is a common surgical modality. Cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) scans are used to assess the presurgical anatomic variations of the maxillary sinus and determine the difficulty that might be encountered while performing sinus elevation. The sinus membrane is elevated from both the lateral and mesial walls of the sinus. The location and angulation of the palatal-nasal recess (PNR) on the medial wall of the sinus could complicate the elevation of the sinus membrane in this region. This study aimed to assess the angulation of the PNR and its position with respect to the alveolar crest in dentulous and edentulous subjects in the 1st molar region on CBCT scans.

Materials and Methods:

One hundred and fifty-two scans were selected from the department database. Sagittal sections including the 1st molar region were selected and measurements made. The PNR height was measured from the alveolar crest in millimeters and angulation in degrees and compared between the dentulous and edentulous groups.

Results:

The dentulous group showed a statistically significant greater distance (10.4 ± 2.8 mm) between the alveolar crest and PNR as compared to the edentulous group (8.08 ± 3.1 mm). The edentulous group showed a statistically significant greater PNR angle (139.6o ± 13.6o) as compared to the dentulous group (133.4o ± 16.4o).

Conclusion:

Maxillary sinuses with acute-angled PNR and lesser distance from the alveolar crest should be carefully evaluated to avoid complications such as membrane perforation during their elevation from the bony wall of the sinus.
Chest radiology quiz in an unusual case of chronic cough
Authors: Ghinassi Giacomo , Ielo Simone , Viani Magda , Scala Raffaele
Published: February 2025

Welcome to this radiology challenge. Follow the clues to diagnose a young woman presenting with an unusual and persistent cough. Let us dive into the clinical case and see if you can figure out the cause.
Life after lung lobectomy: The road to recovery and well-being – A descriptive study
Authors: Ghosh Nandita , Singh Neena V. , Kaur Sukhpal , Singh Harkant
Published: February 2025

Background:

Pulmonary lobectomy significantly impacts the quality of life (QOL) in lung cancer patients. This study investigates QOL in lung lobectomy patients, identifying challenges and influencing factors to inform strategies for improving care and outcomes and enhancing recovery and long-term well-being.

Objective:

To assess the quality of life of patients who underwent lung lobectomy.

Methods:

Using a descriptive study design, 50 patients who had undergone lung lobectomy at least 3 months before and were attending CTVS OPD at a tertiary hospital were enrolled consecutively. Apart from collecting the clinical and socio-demographic profiles of patients, the EORTC-QLQ-C30 scale was used to assess QOL of patients.

Results:

The mean (standard deviation [SD]) age of the patients was 45.34 (15.19) years. Male patients outnumbered females (62%). The most common diagnosis was non-small cell lung cancer (28%). Around 18% of patients had a history of treatment for pulmonary tuberculosis. The majority (76%) of patients had a higher QOL, with a mean (SD) score of 64.50 (19.27). Age and socioeconomic status were linked to fatigue and pain, respectively. Alcohol consumption history was associated with fatigue (P = 0.02), while smoking history was linked to pain (P = 0.04) and dyspnoea (P = 0.02), revealing significant correlations between lifestyle factors and postoperative symptoms. In addition, patients in the postoperative period of 3–6 months tended to have poorer QOL.

Conclusion:

There is a need to plan comprehensive support, considering the age, health habits and socioeconomic status of patients to optimise recovery and QOL. Proper care and education can help patients adapt and make positive outcomes in post-surgery rehabilitation.
An uncommon cause of acute hypercapnic respiratory failure managed with endoscopic ultrasound
Authors: Raj Vishal , Ahuja Aman , Gupta Monika , Chaudhry Dhruva , Singh Pawan Kumar
Published: February 2025

Mediastinal cysts can occasionally cause severe respiratory symptoms. A 60-year-old female smoker presented with acute hypercapnic respiratory failure. Imaging revealed a posterior mediastinal cyst compressing the trachea. Bronchoscopic ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration (EUS-B FNA) provided both diagnostic clarity and symptomatic relief. This case underscores the importance of considering mediastinal cysts in differential diagnoses of acute respiratory distress and demonstrates the efficacy of EUS-B FNA for both diagnosis and immediate therapeutic intervention.
Thoracic endometriosis syndrome diagnosed by dry thoracoscopy: Novel diagnostic method for a rare disease
Authors: Sharma Parul , Karmakar Saurabh , Wani Abdul Raouf , Venugopal Vinay , Maji Debapriyo
Published: February 2025

Endometriosis is an ectopic implantation of uterine tissue and can affect the thoracic cavity, resulting in Thoracic Endometriosis Syndrome (TES). TES is rare and presents with catamenial pneumothorax, haemothorax, and hemoptysis, often coinciding with menstruation. We report a case of a 46-year-old female with a decade-long history of hemoptysis and periodic chest pain associated with her menstrual cycle. High-resolution CT scans revealed persistent pneumothorax and pleural nodules. A dry thoracoscopy was performed, and biopsies confirmed the diagnosis of TES through histopathology and immunohistochemistry. This case highlights the importance of considering TES in women with cyclic respiratory symptoms and demonstrates the diagnostic value of dry thoracoscopy in benign conditions of the pleura. Raising awareness among clinicians is crucial for timely diagnosis and management of TES, reducing patient morbidity.
Hypertension Prevalence and Related Factors among Schoolteachers: A Cross-sectional Study from India
Authors: Kumar Vikash , Bharati Dharamvir R. , Prasad Nidhi , Kumar Sanjay , Chandrasekaran Sundhareshwaran
Published: February 2025

Background:

The physical and mental well-being of teachers directly impacts their ability to impart knowledge effectively. There is a scarcity of studies on the burden of hypertension (Hypertension) among schoolteachers in Patna, India. This study was done to determine the prevalence and determinants of Hypertension among government school teachers of Patna.

Materials and Methods:

A cross-sectional study was conducted among 1350 government school teachers of Patna. A pre-tested, semi-structured questionnaire was used for data collection.

Results:

The prevalence of Hypertension was found to be 14.1%. Consuming fast food more than 3–4 times a week, non-vegetarian diet, excess salt in the diet and sedentary lifestyle were found to be the risk factors associated with it.

Conclusion:

Addressing the factors contributing to Hypertension among teachers can lead to improved overall health and well-being, fostering a conducive environment for effective teaching and student learning outcomes.
The effect of Acalypha wilkesiana leaf extract on the haematology, amylase and lipase activities in Wistar rats exposed to 1, 2-dimethylhydrazine
Authors: Olubodun Stella Oghomwen , Henry Ekoriko Udo , Edafewhare Merit , Fawole Dorcas Odunayo , Okolie-Odega Ngozi Blessing
Published: February 2025

Acalypha wilkesiana is traditionally used for different ailments. Dimethylhydrazine (DMH) is an environmental pollutant which pose significant risks to human health. Any process or factors that diminish pancreatic blood flow reduces pancreatic secretions and thus impact health. This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of A. wilkesiana leaf extract on haematological indices, amylase and lipase activities in Wistar rats exposed to DMH. A. wilkesiana leaves were extracted with ethanol using maceration method. Dimethylhydrazine (40 mg/kg) was subcutaneous injected three times a week for 6 weeks to induce colon tumours in rats, followed by oral administration of three doses of A. wilkesiana. The rats were divided into six groups with normal control, DMH control, DMH + Xeloda, (DMH + 200; DMH + 400 and DMH + 800) mg/kg. After 6 weeks of treatment, the rats were sacrificed, blood was recovered for haematology and biochemical analysis. Amylase was significantly lower, while lipase increased in DMH (p < 0.05) rats compared to normal control. However, amylase and lipase were near normal control levels in the extract treated groups with the higher dose having higher values. Haematology also reflected the ameliorating effects of the leaf extract against DMH. The histology of the pancreas confirmed the toxicity of DMH and the ameliorating effects of the leaf extract. This study, indicates that A. wilkesiana ethanol leaf extract influenced the haematological indices and enzyme activities of DMH-induced rats in dose dependant manner.
Effect of chemical and biological pesticides on soil microbial population, enzymatic activities and physicochemical parameters as indicators of soil fertility, soil health and food safety
Authors: Adediran Arinola Becky , Taiwo Lateef Bamidele , Ezaka Emmanuel , Oyedele Adedayo Omowumi , Aforijiku Samuel , Adediran Adebimpe Tejumade
Published: February 2025

In agricultural fields, insect pests are regularly controlled with pesticides in an effort to boost crop yields and alleviate food scarcity. Along with non-target microbial floral and soil physicochemical characteristics, these herbicides also impact the activity and abundance of useful soil microbial communities. Significant ecological repercussions follow from this. Assessing the impact of chemical and biological pesticides on microbial population, enzymatic activities and physicochemical parameters as indicators of soil fertility with a view to promoting soil health and food safety was the aim of this investigation. Soil samples treated with chemical and biological pesticide were evaluated. Microbial counts were carried out by soil dilution plate technique. The enzymatic activities, soil respiration and physicochemical parameters of the soil were done using standard procedures. Microbial population of treated and untreated soil samples ranged from 2.15 ± 0.81 × 103 to 3.40 ± 0.20 × 106 CFU/mL, enzymatic activities (0.00 ± 0.00 to 0.16 ± 0.00 µg), soil respiration (10.15 ± 1.07 to 17.00 ± 0.90 mg/kg), and physiochemical parameters (0.10 ± 0.00 to 177.28 ± 2.00 mg/kg). The application of biological pesticides; tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum), titonia (T.diversifolia), and neems (Azadirachta indica) extracts singly or in combination and most importantly in combination with 10% chemical pesticides when compare to application of 100% chemical pesticides provided optimal microbial population, enzymatic activities and physiochemical parameters which are indictors of excellent soil fertility. This study has revealed the need for farmers to consider the use of the combination of biological pesticides and 10% percentage of chemical pesticides in order to reduce the deleterious effect of 100% use of chemical pesticides and promote soil fertility and health for better food quality and safety.
Fuel Subsidy Removal in Nigeria: Problems and Prospects
Authors: Orluchukwu Godwin , Lilly-Inia Thankgod
Published: February 2025

This study explains the need for fuel subsidy removal and its impact on Nigerians. The policy of fuel subsidy removal was informed by the need to reinvest the huge amount of money that was formerly used for subsidy into the critical sectors of the economy. The main objective of the study is to determine the effect of the removal of fuel subsidy on Nigerians. Specific objectives include to: (i) ascertain the effect of fuel subsidy removal on Nigerians, especially the low income households.(ii) identify the problems created by the removal of fuel subsidy (iii) proffer solutions to the problems of the removal of fuel subsidy in Nigeria. The theory used to explain the removal of fuel subsidy is ‘Public Choice theory.’’ The method ofdata collection is secondary source. Some of the major findings of the study are that: the introduction of fuel subsidy has brought economic hardship to Nigerians, especially the low income house holds. The government has not done enough to address the problems caused by the introduction of fuel subsidy removal in Nigeria. Similarly some of the major recommendations are that the government should implement a Social Safety Net Program, by Providing financial assistance to vulnerable populations, such as the poor, elderly, and disabled, to help them cope with the increased cost of living.Government should provide support for small businesses, such as loans and grants, to help them cope with the increased cost of doing business, occasioned by the fuel subsidy removal.
Interrogating Fiscal Policy for National Economic Growth and Development in Nigeria
Authors: Ereke Kenneth , Offiah Goodness , Ndukwe Chinyere , Adeyemi Henry , Okpata Fidelis
Published: February 2025

This paper explored the role of fiscal policy in driving national economic growth and development in Nigeria through the lens of the Structuralist theory of fiscal policy. The paper identified the strengths and weaknesses of fiscal policies within the context of Nigeria's unique economic structure, marked by its dependence on oil revenues, and highlighted the challenges posed by external factors like global market volatility and internal issues such as lack of public accountability and corruption. The paper found that despite the lessons we ought to have learnt from previous overreliance on oil during the post-independence period, successive democratic administrations in Nigeria continued to depend heavily on oil revenues. It concluded by offering policy recommendations that align with the structuralist perspective to foster inclusive growth, reduce economic disparities and to enhance sustainable development in Nigeria. The study recommended amongst others that Nigeria government should discontinue the use ofexternal debt to finance budget deficit in the economy, but look inward through sustainable internal revenue generation, as well as embrace economic diversification policies, coupled with a drastic cut down on cost of governance in Nigeria.
L’Année Dernière à Marienbad (1961)
Authors: Horner Kierran
Published: February 2025

L’Année dernière à Marienbad [Last Year at Marienbad] is a black and white film of 1961, directed by Alain Resnais and scripted by the nouveau romancier (‘new novelist’) Alain Robbe-Grillet. The film is considered an example of the cinematic modernist works of the French Nouvelle Vague. It is one of a sequence of films from Resnais’s early career – including Nuit et Brouillard [Night and Fog] (1955) and Hiroshima mon Amour (1959, scripted by another new novelist, Marguerite Duras) – which question the veracity of collective, historical memory. The association with this avant-garde, literary group alone could position these films in a modernistic lineage, yet it was Resnais’s editing, which evolved through this period and matured in Hiroshima and Marienbad, that was especially innovative. The plot, such as it is, concerns a man (simply referred to as ‘X’ in the script) attempting to persuade a woman (‘A’) that the previous year they met in a palatial hotel or spa and agreed to meet one year later to run away together. The modernist style ensures the narrative is elliptical and hypnagogic, which has inspired a proliferation of academic debate. For example, ‘X’, in voiceover, often suggests a shared history, which is then contradicted in the images, or repeated with differences, allowing for disparate readings. This inherent ambiguity suggests a level of human isolation and disorientation that is a prevailing theme of the art-cinema canon of the 1960s, such as in the films of Ingmar Bergman and Michelangelo Antonioni.
A Page of Madness (1926)
Authors: Gerow Aaron
Published: February 2025

A Page of Madness [Kurutta ichipeiji or ippeiji] is a black and white silent Japanese film directed by Kinugasa Teinosuke that has been celebrated for its experimental use of cinematic form. Kinugasa was assisted by members of the Shinkankakuha (New Impressionist School), a literary group that explored the new sensations of modernity. Kawabata Yasunari helped write the story, but the film was eventually made with additions by Kinugasa, Inuzuka Minoru, and Sawada Banko. The narrative features an old man who works as the custodian of a mental institution where his wife has been admitted. When their daughter announces her impending marriage, the man experiences a series of delusions about her and his wife. Depicting these moments, Kinugasa used rapid cutting, optical distortions, double exposures, mobile framing, and other devices influenced by French Impressionist film and German Expressionism, but achieved a level of experiment that to some surpassed any film made at that time. The film was released without intertitles but with a benshi (Japanese silent film narrator) narration in 1926 and spurred debates about its cinematic form and melodramatic story. The film was considered lost until Kinugasa discovered a print in 1971. It was re-released, but in a version a fourth shorter than the original.
Un Chien Andalou (1929)
Authors: Mitchell Ryan Robert
Published: February 2025

Un Chien Andalou [An Andalusian Dog] (1929) is a short Surrealist film by Luis Buñuel and Salvador Dalí, who collaborated on the scenario. The opening sequence of the film is one of the most famous within the experimental film tradition: the image of a thin sliver of cloud crossing in front of the moon is then immediately doubled by an extreme close-up of a straight razor slashing open a woman’s eyeball. This sequence exemplifies one of the Surrealist intentions for cinema, as Buñuel would later claim, to ‘express the world of dreams, of emotions, of instinct’ (Buñuel 1958: 138). For the Surrealists, one of the revolutionary goals for art and politics was to liberate both desire and imagination, allowing the spectator to see the world with a new eye unconditioned by repressive bourgeois morality. The rest of the film, which purposefully defies any coherent narrative or definitive interpretation, is full of images intended to shock and disrupt the spectator’s supposedly safe position: ants crawl out of a hole in a man’s hand; a man pulls two grand pianos holding dead, rotting donkeys with two live priests dragging behind; a beautiful androgynous woman casually pokes at a severed hand with a stick before being hit by a car. Buñuel was incensed that his film was positively received by bourgeois critics as a titillating aesthetic experience, notoriously stating that they ‘found beautiful or poetic something that was basically a desperate, passionate call to murder’ (Buñuel 1929: 34). While this work was one of the few uncontested films within the so-called Surrealist film canon, its subsequent influence was felt in diverse and disparate examples, such as the experimental film and video tradition, music videos, and filmmakers like David Lynch and Guy Maddin.
The Theatre of Cruelty
Authors: Taylor-Batty Mark
Published: February 2025

‘Le théâtre de la cruauté’ (The Theatre of Cruelty) was the name given by the French actor, director, poet, and essayist Antonin Artaud (1896–1948) to a theatrical project he pursued between 1931 and 1935. His 1938 book Le théâtre et son double (The Theatre and Its Double) was a collection of his writings on the theatre that related to that project. The use of the word ‘cruelty’ was intended to imply rigour and discipline, and the permanence of cruelty in existence. The approach to theatre-making that Artaud advocated grew from a belief in the potential of the stage to generate and project a language of its own, one that possibly included textual material but alongside visual and kinetic elements. In his two manifestoes for the Theatre of Cruelty, Artaud gave examples of the form the theatre might adopt, and the kinds of subject matter it might approach.
SNSF Datastory - Funded research creates knowledge for innovation in business and society
Authors: Schnyder Daniel , Gorin Simon
Published: February 2025

First preliminary figures: In 2024, the SNSF invested 960 million francs in new projects, fellowships and publications as part of its regular funding schemes. A further 189 million francs were allocated to transitional measures.
Revisiting the Role of Technology Shocks in Climate Change-Stock Markets Nexus: Renewable and Non-Renewable Energy Stocks Perspective
Authors: Ebeh Joy E. , Sule Abubakar , Yusuf Lawal D. , Mohammed Musa J.
Published: February 2025

Growing investor awareness of climate-related risks to their portfolios has created a new perspective. There is now a widespread belief that investors who creatively apply novel technologies are better positioned to both protect the environment and withstand the impacts of climate change. Thus, we hypothesize that technology can moderate the effect of climate change on stock performance. Utilizing a GARCH-MIDAS model, we show results that give credence to technological innovation as an effective means to moderate the volatility effect of climate change in stock markets. We confirm the robustness of this finding for both renewable and non-renewable stocks.
Comparative Analysis of Climate Change Financing Potential of Renewable and Non-Renewable Energy Stocks: A Predictive Approach
Authors: Alehile Kehinde S. , Mohammed Salam S. , Musa Nuhu , Ali Muhammad
Published: February 2025

With the pressing need for green finances to combat climate change, there has been a growing advocacy for investing in renewable energy stocks. However, the investment landscape continues to favor non-renewable energy stocks. To understand this financial decision, which seems to contradict the global push for sustainability, we employ the GARCH-MIDAS model to compare the resilience of renewable and non-renewable energy stocks to climate-related risks. Our findings indicate that both RE and NRE are vulnerable to the effects of climate change. However, our results suggest that investors may perceive RE stocks as more resilient and stable considering climate-induced shocks.
Global Energy Market Uncertainty and Exchange Rate Pass-Through to Food Inflation
Authors: Balcilar Mehmet , Usman Ojonugwa
Published: February 2025

In this study, we investigate the exchange rate pass-through (ERPT) to food inflation for 39 countries during low and high global energy market uncertainties. Using data for the period 2010Q1 to 2022Q2 and a nonlinear panel threshold model, the study reveals that the ERPT to food inflation is 0.2021% for a 1% change in the local currency. This occurs only when global energy market uncertainty crosses a threshold level of 0.3851 (38.51%). The implication of our results is that the ERPT is incomplete and regime dependent. These findings could help the central banks to formulate an optimal monetary policy to reduce the vulnerability to external shocks, especially from the global energy markets.
Do Price Controls Stabilize Exchange Rate?
Authors: Abraham Joel , Prasad Biman Chand
Published: February 2025

Price controls carry dua objectives: namely, enhancement of consumer and producer welfare and, as a result, macroeconomic stability. In this note, we explore whether price control policies, as led by the Fijian Competition and Consumer Commission, has reduced Fiji’s exchange rate volatility. Using an empirical framework, we test this hypothesis with respect to exchange rate volatility and find that each month of price regulations reduce Fiji’s exchange rate volatility by around 3.5%.
EVALUATION OF THE PROTECTION PERFORMANCE OF Securidaca longipedunculata PLANT EXTRACTS ON STEEL CORROSION
Authors: Egga S. E. , Brett C. M. A. , Ghica M. E. , Ekwenchi M. M. , Mamuru S.  A.
Published: February 2025

The efficiency of Securidaca longipedunculata (SL) leaves extracts against mild steel (MS) corrosion has been investigated in near neutral solution. The open circuit potential (OCP), potentiodynamic curves (Tafel plots), and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) were used in the experiment. The results indicate that the corrosion protection capability of SL rises with increasing concentration, reaching a maximum of 91.9 % at 1.0 (w/v %). The surface analysis of the corroded surfaces was performed using visual examination, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and energy disperse X-ray (EDX) spectroscopy in the absence and presence of the plant extract. Phytochemical screening, UV-visible spectroscopy, and FT-IR spectroscopy were used to examine and characterize the extract. Corrosion inhibition efficiency was measured as a function of the extraction solvent, the extracts concentration, and surface analysis. The Adejo-Ekwenchi, El-Awady, Flory-Hggins, Freundlich, Langmuir, and Temkin isotherms were used to conduct the adsorption studies. All the procedures used yielded consistent results, indicating that the ethanol extracts of SL have significant potential to act as an inhibitor of mild steel corrosion in near neutral solution.
Impact of Semantic Fields on AI and Human Translation of Camel, Alcohol and Rain
Authors: Mohammed Abdullah Saleh Aziz
Published: February 2025

This paper highlights the significance of culture while translating between Arabic and English with reference to two semantic fields, and suggests ways of handling such problems. Using machine and human translations, the study adopts componential analysis to compare the translation of camel vocabulary in Arabic vis-à-vis inebriation vocabulary in English as fields where translation and acculturation can be difficult due to their inherent attachment to local cultural context. The study participants were 17 undergraduates (9 males and 8 females) in their final year at an English Department at a Yemeni university, and Reverso and DeepL (both use Artificial Intelligence (AI)) were used to obtain machine-translated data for the selected semantic fields. The responses were analysed using the componential analysis method. Moreover, the changes in the rain metaphor in modern Arabic literature are shown as an example of literary and psychological acculturation and epistemological shift. The study concludes that while some semantic fields allow for varying degrees of acculturation, other semantic fields pose challenges to translators due to culture-specificity.
Impacto del Sistema de Costeo por Procesos en la Rentabilidad de la Producción de Pitahaya en Palora, Morona Santiago
Authors: Farez Jaramillo Hailideline Ariana , Mitiap Vargas David Lenin , Cambisaca Ortiz Cristian Eduardo , López Jara Ana Alexandra
Published: February 2025

El presente estudio analizó el sistema de costeo por procesos y su impacto en la rentabilidad de la producción de pitahaya en el cantón Palora, provincia de Morona Santiago, con el objetivo de optimizar costos y mejorar la competitividad del sector. Se identificaron las etapas del cultivo y comercialización de la pitahaya, y se evaluaron las variaciones en el costeo por procesos en relación con los factores que afectan la rentabilidad, como condiciones climáticas, costos de producción, plagas y fluctuaciones del mercado. La metodología incluyó la recopilación de datos del sector y el análisis de fuentes primarias y secundarias. Los resultados mostraron que la implementación de un costeo adecuado permite una mejor asignación de recursos y control de costos, favoreciendo la rentabilidad, especialmente en escenarios de alta demanda internacional. Además, la exportación de pitahaya ha mostrado un crecimiento significativo, consolidándola como un motor de desarrollo económico para la región, aunque persisten desafíos como la dependencia de intermediarios y la falta de tecnificación en ciertos aspectos del cultivo. Se concluye que el costeo por procesos constituye una herramienta clave para la sostenibilidad económica del sector, mientras que la diversificación de mercados y la capacitación técnica de los productores son esenciales para enfrentar los retos actuales y garantizar el crecimiento futuro de la industria.
Estándares de calidad en el servicio del laboratorio clínico conforme a la norma ISO 15189
Authors: Salas Tapia Andrea Micaela , Balladares Saltos Aida Mercedes
Published: February 2025

El control de calidad es un conjunto de acciones, procedimientos que deben ser aplicados en los laboratorios clínicos con el fin de certificar la veracidad de los resultados clínicos obtenidos en el análisis de las muestras obtenidas, cumpliendo con el objetivo de especificar los estándares de calidad de los servicios de laboratorios clínicos, mediante el análisis de la norma ISO 15189. Se aplicó una encuesta a 32 laboratoristas a través de un muestreo no probabilístico de tipo intencional a los participantes que tenían experiencia asociada con la norma. El instrumento denoto una confiabilidad aceptable (?=0,954 – 26 ítems). Los resultados en los laboratorios clínicos mejoraron significativamente la calidad del diagnóstico clínico, aumentó la precisión y confiabilidad de los resultados, impactando positivamente en la seguridad y satisfacción del paciente. Se observaron mejoras notables en la gestión de riesgos y el uso de métricas de calidad, lo que resalta la importancia de la evaluación continua y la capacitación sobre estándares de calidad. Los resultados del estudio resaltan que la implementación efectiva de sistemas de gestión de calidad es esencial para cumplir con los estándares internacionales y mejorar continuamente la calidad de los servicios prestados, así como la necesidad del compromiso de educación continua y el reconocimiento de los estándares de calidad para mantener y mejorar la calidad los servicios de laboratorio.
The rising of extramodernity and its cultural metaphors: savages, cyborgs, and robots
Authors: Ramos Castro David
Published: February 2025

The aim of the article is to analyze the notions of savage, cyborg, and robot, placing them in the historical and sociocultural context of the representations of Western modernity and its relations with otherness. It relies on an interpretative and critical method based on the discussion of a multimodal corpus (bibliographical, but also allusive to cinema and music), which takes these three figures as cultural metaphors of modern historicity that reaches up to contemporary technoscientific versions. Throughout the paper, the ideas of civilization and progress, the imaginaries of the human articulated by posthumanism and transhumanism are reviewed, and the notion of extramodernity is proposed as a way of grasping the cultural dilemmas of our time. In conclusion, the validity of an anthropological humanism different from the rationalist and Eurocentric one is defended.
intuitive number conversion system employing gestural recognition for students with special educational needs in Computer Science
Authors: P. R. Renjith , Jose Jeeva
Published: February 2025

Duty of a teacher is to effectively engage the different types of students in the classroom into the teaching-learning environment. Each class has a variety of students varying in intelligence, communication, understanding levels, problem solving skills, learning and mathematical abilities. It is the need of the hour to make the differently abled learners with learning or intellectual disabilities to compete with regular students to avoid a social divide in class. Computer science curriculum has many topics/areas that pose learning difficulty for the differently abled. The problems faced by such learners were not taken care of sufficiently, which leaves them behind in the learning process. The paper proposes a hand gesture method, implemented using AI for number conversions, which can be used by teachers and differently abled learners. The efficiency of the hand gesture tool to understand hand gestures is tested for various classifiers and an average accuracy of 96.97% is obtained across various number systems. The hand gesture based method is evaluated among learners and proved efficient in retention and recovery of concepts. Learners showed greater improvement from pre-test to post-test scores across all categories. This method proved very helpful in engaging students, enhancing understanding, enjoyable learning, notable clarity, effectiveness, and ease of use, making it a valuable educational tool.
Artificial Intelligence in MOOCs
Authors: Delgado-Algarra Emilio José , Vela-Romero José Antonio , Palomero Ilardia Irene M. , Pastor Blázquez María Montserrat
Published: February 2025

In a climate of media interest in artificial intelligence (AI), growth of services and applications associated with this technology and intense debates on its use, the educational offer on this topic is in full bloom. In this sense, focusing attention on MOOCs (massive open online courses), an exponential growth of the educational offer on AI has been observed in recent years. This research is part of a broader investigation into the technical and pedagogical dimensions of AI MOOCs. The main objective of this study is to understand the predominant profile of AI MOOCs. Using a statistically representative sample of 292 MOOCs and based on a category system on AI content, a descriptive and factorial statistical analysis of the data is carried out. The analysis concludes that the three predominant MOOC profiles are: focused on AI coding, focused on AI learning and focused on AI educational value.
The use of supplementary feed with ethanol extract of Syzygium nervosum leaf to prevent acute hepancreatic necrosis (AHPND) in white shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei)
Authors: Truong Hoa T. , Ho Tung T. , Tran Ha N. , Tran Van Q. K. , Hoang Manh N.
Published: February 2025

This study evaluated the effects of supplementing shrimp diets with an ethanol extract of Syzygium nervosum leaf on growth performance, survival rate, immune parameters, and resistance to AHPND in white shrimp (L. vannamei). Shrimp juveniles (weighing 1.05 ± 0.04 g) were fed diets supplemented with varying concentrations of S. nervosum leaf extract, including 12.5 g/kg (NT1), 25.0 g/kg (NT2), 37.5 g/kg (NT3), and a control diet without S. nervosum leaf extract (DC). After 28 days of feeding, the shrimp were challenged with Vibrio parahaemolyticus. The results showed no significant differences in growth performance and feed conversion ratio between the experimental groups and the control group (p>0.05). However, the survival rates of shrimp in the supplemented groups (93.4-94.1%) were significantly higher than those in the control group (90.0%) (p<0.05). Furthermore, shrimp in the experimental groups exhibited higher total haemocyte counts, phenoloxidase activity, and lysozyme activity than the control (p<0.05). After 14 days of being challenged with V. parahaemolyticus, the cumulative mortality of shrimp in the supplemented groups was significantly lower than that of the control group (p<0.05). The study recommends supplementing shrimp diets with S. nervosum leaf extract at a concentration of 12.5 g/kg as the optimal level for practical application in white shrimp farming.
DEVELOPMENT OF TECHNICAL DATASHEETS BASED ON FRUIT CHARACTERISTICS OF OLD TRADITIONAL APPLE VARIETIES FROM SĂLAJ COUNTY, A DATABASE WITH REAL STORIES OF APPLE SPECIMENS IDENTIFIED IN HNV AREAS
Authors: Denes Anamaria Raluca
Published: February 2025

In the gardens of Sălaj county, you can still find apple specimens from old traditional varieties. They represent both a genetic heritage and a very valuable raw material for processing, from which new value-added products can be obtained. This study presents the apple specimens of old traditional varieties from the gardens of farmers in the communes located in Sălaj County, with GPS coordinates, nominal identification and technical datasheets for each individual apple variety, with the observed fruit characteristics. Using a data sheet, which looks like a variety determiner, helps farmers and processors recognize the apple variety more easily and with greater precision, based only on the morphological characteristics of the fruit. The identified and studied old apple varieties from the HNV areas in Sălaj county were Raluca apple variety, Oarzăn apple variety (BARLEY), Poinic apple variety, Mărul Anii apple variety (ANII'S APPLE), Dulce apple variety (SWEET), Clar Alb apple variety (CLEAR WHITE), London Pepping apple variety, Cormoș apple variety, Zguros apple variety (SLAGGY APPLE), Gustav apple variety, Albuț apple variety (LITTLE WHITE), Pătul apple variety (BED APPLE), Mărul din Mierța apple variety (APPLE from MIERȚA), Șovar apple variety (GRAY APPLE), Dulce Roșu apple variety (SWEET RED), Statin apple variety (RED STETTIN), Mustos apple variety (JUICY), Vară apple variety (SUMMER), Parmen Auriu apple variety (GOLD PARMEN), Jonathan apple variety, Franc apple variety, Ronean apple variety, Țigănesc apple variety (GYPSY APPLE), Roșu apple variety (RED), some, also known in other geographical areas. The identified apple trees are between 40 and 100 years old and still productive. Among the established apple varieties, those with yellow or shades of yellow are: Cormoș, Albuț, Dulce, Mărul Ralucăi, Oarzăn, Zguros, Poinic, Clar Alb, London Pepping. The apple varieties with a sweet taste are Poinic, Dulce, Gustav, Măr din Mierța, Roșu Dulce, Jonathan, while the apple varieties with a sour or sweet-sour taste are Mărul Ralucăi, Oarzăn, London Pepping, Mărul Anii, Clar Alb, Zguros, Albuț, Pătul, Cormoș, Șovar, Statin, Țigănesc, Parmen Auriu, Vară, Mustos, Roșu. The fruits of Jonathan, Şovar, Franc, Pătul, Statin, London Pepping, Vară and Poinic varieties contained worms inside the pulp, showing that the varieties have no resistance and have some predisposition to infestation, which leads to difficulty in processing and use.
Comparative Analysis of Selected Heavy Metals and Trace Elements Content in Hair Dyes Products at Sudanese Market and Their Health Implications
Authors:   Collage of Pharmacy, Karary University, Sudan., Mohamed Fatima A. H.
Published: February 2025

Heavy metals are naturally occurring elements that have a high atomic weight. They have been included in many industrial, domestic, medical and agricultural applications. This raised concerns over their health implications and the environment. The present study was conducted in Khartoum state for females utilizing commercial hair dye, aimed to study health implications of selected heavy metals and trace elements in commercially available hair dyes. The main aim of the present research work refers to the high degree of toxicity of some heavy metals, such as cadmium, mercury, lead and others, that are of public health significance. These health implications depend on various factors such as, type of chemical materials, route of exposure, age, gender, nutritional status, etc. In this context, the researcher compared the findings related to the present studied trace elements and heavy metals with other studies in the literature. 313 participants participating in this study, ages between less than 20 years and more than 40 years. Most of them of university education level. Many of participants have gray hair. The results of this study showed the presence of lead, copper, chromium, nickel and cadmium in all of the analyzed hair dye samples. The pure mineral dyes have higher concentrations of the heavy metals than the synthetic dyes studied. Long term and frequent use of these products polluted with such heavy metals should be avoided. They may cause slow release of metals into the human body and may pose serious health risksto their users. Regulatory agencies saddled with maintaining standard of products should regularly monitor these products for long-term health benefits of the users. Heavy metals of Cd, Pb, Cu,, Hg Cr and Ni, were found in all hair dye samples tested. Heavy metals in blood samples of participants cause many symptoms and disease after using hair dyes. The most concentrated heavy metals and trace elements (i.e. Pb, Cd, Mn, Hg, Cu and Ni) in blood samples of participants were tested. Results clarified that the high concentration represented for LEAD in blood samples by FLAME AAS and GF AAS. The results also showed the socio demographic factors for using hair dyes, and factors behind using synthetic hair dyes instead of natural hair dyes. Many studies and researches that focused on the topic of the current study confirmed the presence of heavy metals in the cosmetics of poetry of hair dyes and different types of henna. Some women differ in the presence of heavy metals in their vital components, such as hair and blood, depending on their use of cosmetics and the number of times used.
Life History of Retired Staff at Inifap, Veracruz, Mexico
Authors:   M.Sc Cotaxtla-CIRGOC-INIFAP Experimental Field. Km 34.5 Carretera Federal Veracruz Córdoba, Medellín de Bravo, Veracruz, MexicoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7128-0439, Burela Angel Capetillo
Published: February 2025

This research is focused on knowing the life histories of retired personnel of the general base-field tabulator who worked at INIFAP for the regulatory period, which is more than 30 years of service. The premise of the study is that there are specific cases where sometimes there are people who retire and enjoy their pension very little time because they die in the short time after that stage of retirement. The study was conducted with a naturalistic paradigm through a descriptive case study approach, and the prioritization of qualitative data focused on the life stories of people already retired from INIFAP. In this case, two people already retired some years ago from INIFAP and who were assigned to the Cotaxtla Experimental Field and identified in the document as Participant 1 and 2, respectively, participated. A script for the interviews, as well as an interview recorded with a high-end cell phone were used as instruments in the collection of life histories, in which the information was systematized by means of the aforementioned instrument and thus have the complete chronicle. With this research, it is intended that the approaches expressed in this article serve as support to those who have in their daily life will have similar situations to the one exposed and, specifically, so it is concluded that it was possible to identify several factors that motivated and at the same time satisfied the INIFAP field personnel who retired in previous years.
Compliance on Therapeutic Regimen Among Hypertensive Middle-Aged Adults: Addressing Barriers to Medication Effectiveness
Authors:   Faculty, College of Nursing, Public Health and Midwifery, C. Landingin, MAN, MSN Queenne Kimverlee , Ramos, MD, MsPH, FPAMS Belinda A. ,   Director, Research Development Office University of La Salette, Inc., Santiago City, Isabela, Philippines, 3311
Published: February 2025

Hypertension (HTN), is one of the leading causes of preventable death worldwide, and remains a public health challenge due to low compliance with therapeutic regimens. This study evaluated the therapeutic regimen compliance amongst hypertensive middle-aged adults in Santiago City, Isabela, Philippines. Using a cross-sectional research design, data were collected from two hundred eighty-five hypertensive individuals aged 45-60 years. A survey instrument, the Hill-Bone Compliance to High Blood Pressure Therapy Scale was used to gather the data of the respondents. The findings of the study discovered that about 92.6% of the respondents unveiled very high compliance with their prescribed treatments for hypertension, while only 7.4% showed high compliance, with none demonstrating low or very low compliance. The statistical investigation has shown that there is no significant association between therapeutic regimen compliance and its demographic features such as age, sex, civil status, or educational accomplishment. Also, the study concluded that compliance in their therapeutic regimen in this population is exceptionally high, and unaffected by demographic factors, and recommends reinforcing current healthcare practices to uphold these outcomes.