bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Establishing the instances of empathy and friendship among youth peer groups involved in the four juvenile sports clubs
Authors: Hogan Conor
Published: July 2023

Sports participation can develop the minds and bodies of young people. It can also facilitate positive social interaction. In this world of growing online interaction, young people can benefit from what sport gives to them and develop them into good citizens. Within this paper, the instances of empathy and friendship among youth peer groups from 11 to 18 years old involved in the four juvenile sports clubs on the east side of Galway city, Ireland are identified. These clubs include the participation of males and females in amateur sports. As a result of this paper, the young sporting participants demonstrated consistent empathy, are affected by others’ emotions, and are aware of their feelings. Within this article, a discussion of the results occurs to emphasise how these sporting clubs are a place for developing good human skills as well as providing the more obvious physical benefits of sports participation and positive real life social interaction.
A mixed method study on the impact of COVID-19 on mental healthcare in Ghana: rethinking Mental Health service delivery
Authors: Zobi Michael , Abrokwa Seth Kofi , Dordoye Eugene , Phuti Angel
Published: July 2023

Background Since its emergence, Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has caused severe health, social and economic challenges. Mental healthcare has been significantly affected globally, and even worse in developing countries. An emerging economy like Ghana in West Africa was not spared its disruptive effects. This study aimed to elucidate the impact of the coronavirus disease 2019, the COVID-19 pandemic (caused by SARS-CoV-2), on Ghana's mental healthcare system.Methods A cross-sectional study using a mixed-method design was conducted in all three psychiatric hospitals in Ghana and the mental health department of a new teaching hospital. Data from the hospital registry and semi-structured interviews were collected and analy’sed.Results In 2020, hospital attendance and admissions declined substantially in all four facilities when compared to the previous year, 2019. The main facility-specific protocol amendments to contain and curb the spread of COVID-19 included changes in patients’ admissions, adherence counselling, dispensing of medications, and treatment modes. These amendments, along with other factors such as stigma, the fear of contracting SARS-CoV-2 among healthcare workers, medication shortages, and logistical challenges, were reported to significantly affect mental health services during the pandemic. Anxiety, increased workload, and stress among healthcare workers were notable effects of challenges due to the pandemic.Conclusion This study highlights the challenges in mental healthcare during the COVID-19 pandemic in Ghana. The experiences encountered present an opportunity to gain insights into future pandemic preparedness and establish a framework for optimal mental healthcare delivery in Ghana.
Oxidative stress and inflammatory markers in ovarian follicular fluid of women with diminished ovarian reserve during in vitro fertilization
Authors: Huang Yan , Cheng Yi , Zhang Min , Xia Yan , Chen Xiaoyan , Xian Yexing , Lin Dewei , Xie Suyan , Guo Xinyu
Published: July 2023

Background
Follicular microenvironment has been proposed as an important factor for oocyte grown and maturation. We sought to evaluate the oxidative stress and inflammatory levels in follicular fluid and association with embryo quality in patients with diminished ovarian reserve (DOR).
Methods
The current research included 46 DOR cases and 56 NOR cases.Twelve representative oxidative stress markers and eight representative inflammatory factors were measured in thefollicular fluid (FF).
Results
Oxidative stress markers T-GSH was decreased in the FF from women with DOR compared with that in NOR group (P = 0.041). More modest differences were observed for reduced GSH and reduced GSH/GSSG. Women with DOR compared to controls had higher level of TNF-α (P = 0.000) and lower level of IL-18 (P= 0.013). Correlation analysis revealed that GSSG was negatively correlated with normal fertilization ratein NOR group (r = -0.358, P = 0.008), and GSH was negatively correlated with normal fertilization rate in DOR group (r = -0.299, P = 0.049). Moreover, as the regression analysis data showed, the GSSG level was significantly associated with embryo quality indicator.
Conclusions
DOR was accompanied by increased oxidative stress and inflammatory levels in the FF. Follicular development of women with DOR might be influenced by unusual IL-18 level in the FF. And oxidative stress level in theFF contributed to embryo quality.
The mechanism by which ADAM10 cleaves Notch2 and upregulates RAB5 to regulate exosome secretion in pancreatic cancer
Authors: Xu Minxue , Ji Jie , Lin Renjie , Jin Dandan , Wu Tong , Huang Yuxuan , Qian Jiawen , Xu Weisong , Jiang Feng , Tan Zhonghua , Xiao Mingbing
Published: July 2023

Background
At present, the clinical diagnosis and treatment of pancreatic cancer (PC) are challenging, and there are still in gaps in the knowledge about its malignant progression. In particular, there is not enough information about the mechanism by which exosomes released by PC cells are significantly increased and involved in promoting malignant progression.
Results
In the present study, the expression of the metalloproteinase ADAM10 on cell membranes was found to be increased significantly in PC tissues and cell lines. Further, PC cells with high ADAM10 expression had stronger migration and invasion ability and were able to release more exosomes. Moreover, ADAM10 was found to affect the expression of RAB GTPase, a key regulatory molecule involved in the production of exosomes in cells, especially RAB5, which is associated with the formation of early endosomes. Further analysis indicated that ADAM10 may upregulate the transcription level of RAB5 by increasing the Notch2 signal intensity in PC cells, thus promoting the generation and secretion of exosomes in PC cells and further regulating the occurrence and development of PC.
Conclusions
These results reveal that ADAM10 plays a key role in regulating exosome secretion and may have potential as a therapeutic target for the clinical treatment of PC.
The ecological role of the European rabbit in the Magellanic/Fuegian ecosystem of southernmost Chile
Authors: Mann-Vollrath Francisca , Correa-Cuadros Jennifer Paola , Ávila-Thieme María Isidora , Duclos Melanie , Jaksic Fabian M.
Published: July 2023

The European rabbit has invaded numerous ecosystems around the world, but rarely steppes. We studied the food web in the Magallanes region of southernmost Chile, where the rabbit is now a key player, interacting with species at different trophic levels. Because the rabbit is currently well embedded in the Magellanic/Fuegian ecosystem, especially in the steppe, any changes in its local abundance can spread out through trophic interactions and generate unwanted impacts in the regional food web. We used a multi-species trophic network approach and built the food web of the Magellanic/Fuegian steppe based on the rabbit interspecific relationships through a bibliographic review. We evaluated its topological properties and performed a species extinction analysis to assess the relative importance of the rabbit. The network has 222 nodes (64% native, 12% exotic, and 23% mixed), 576 links, and a connectance of 0.011. The rabbit was the most connected node of the network, had the second largest dietary breadth, and was the sixth with the highest number of predatory species. Our results suggest that rabbit control could trigger several ecological impacts on other regional species, such as releasing herbivory pressure on plants of various genera. In addition, by reducing or removing a staple prey resource for predators, they may decrease their abundance or change their diet to alternative prey, generating unexpected effects. The multi-species network approach could be a complementary tool to apply a more holistic management of the rabbit, which would allow the identification of non-target species that should be monitored when control is being applied, and thereby generate early warnings against unwanted impacts.
Sn-based Perovskite Solar Cells: A simulation study on defect states
Authors: Oppong-Antwi Louis , Huang Shihua
Published: July 2023

Perovskite photovoltaics are gaining prominence as highly efficient solar cell alternatives, surpassing 22% efficiency. However, the use of environmentally harmful lead poses a challenge. Tin (Sn) has emerged as a promising replacement for lead. This study employed SCAPS-1D software to simulate lead-free perovskite solar cells and investigate the impact of interface defect density. Various cell parameters, such as the doping concentration of the perovskite absorption layer and defect density of the perovskite absorber layer, were examined. Lowering the defect density in the perovskite absorption layer significantly improved overall cell performance. Two interface layers, TiO2/perovskite and perovskite/hole transport material (HTM), were introduced to assess their effect on cell performance. The TiO2/perovskite interface had a greater impact due to higher carrier density and increased recombination rates. Through parameter optimization, a maximum efficiency of 24.63% was achieved.
Systematic detection of co-infection and intra-host recombination in more than 2 million global SARS-CoV-2 samples
Authors: Pipek Orsolya , Medgyes-Horváth Anna , Stéger József , Papp Krisztián , Visontai Dávid , Koopmans Marion , Nieuwenhuijse David , Munnink Bas Oude , Group VEO Technical Working , Csabai István
Published: July 2023

Systematic monitoring of SARS-CoV-2 co-infections between different lineages and assessing the risk of intra-host recombinant emergence are crucial for forecasting viral evolution. Here we present a comprehensive analysis of more than 2 million SARS-CoV-2 raw read datasets submitted to the European COVID-19 Data Portal to identify co-infections and intra-host recombination. Co-infection was observed in 0.35% of the investigated cases. Two independent procedures were implemented to detect intra-host recombination. We show that sensitivity is predominantly determined by the density of lineage-defining mutations along the genome, thus we used an expanded list of mutually exclusive defining mutations of specific variant combinations to increase statistical power. We call attention to multiple challenges rendering recombinant detection difficult and provide guidelines for the reduction of false positives arising from chimeric sequences produced during PCR amplification. Additionally, we identify three recombination hotspots of Delta – Omicron BA.1 intra-host recombinants.
Theoretical Prediction of Grüneisen parameter for nano Lead Sulfide at different compressions
Authors: Pandey Anjani K. , Srivast Shivam , Singh Prachi , Tripathi Shipra , Dixit Chandra K.
Published: July 2023

In the current study, we have theoretically predicted the value of bulk modulus, first pressure derivative of bulk modulus and Grüneisen parameter at different compression. In this work we have used three different EOSs viz. Brennan-Stacey EOS, Vinet-Rydberg EOS, and Hama-Suito EOS. The theoretically calculated values for pressure and bulk modulus are in agreement with the available facts validates our work. The agreement of present work with the available facts also leads to the conclusion that these EOSs which are generally used to calculate pressure for bulk materials can also be used to perform calculations in case of nano PbS. Further, the graph between Grüneisen parameter and volume compression ratio is straight line this is also in agreement with the available fact that the ratio γ/Ω (where Ω = V/V0) the Grüneisen parameter to volume compression ratio is constant for solids which also leads to validation of our work.
Evaluation of endothelial dysfunction in hypertensive children and adolescents
Authors: Doğan Kenan , Başar Eviç Zeynep , Aytaç Mehmet Baha , Şahin Nihal , Bayrak Yunus Emre , Bek Kenan , Güngör Hüseyin Salih , Sönmez Hafize Emine , Babaoğlu Kadir
Published: July 2023

Background Atherosclerotic changes can be attributed to early endothelial damage in individuals with hypertension. We aimed to explore the relationship between endothelial dysfunction and hypertension in children, considering CIMT, FMD, and functional capillaroscopy parameters. We also analyzed the differences between dipper and non-dipper patients.
Methods In this cross-sectional study, 20 patients diagnosed with essential hypertension with no target organ damage, such as retinopathy and left ventricular hypertrophy, were enrolled. The patient group comprised newly diagnosed hypertensive individuals not receiving antihypertensive treatment. All evaluations were done before starting antihypertensive therapy. Hypertensive patients were divided into two groups (dipper and non-dipper patients). As a control group, 20 age and sex-matched healthy volunteers were included. Three manual CIMT measurements were taken in each carotid artery and averaged. Basal brachial artery FMD and functional capillaroscopy density were assessed, and post-provocation measurements were obtained after inflating the sphygmomanometer cuff 40-50 mmHg above basal blood systolic pressure.
ResultsAmong the patients, 11 were boys, and 9 were girls, with a median age of 16.0 (11.2-17.7) years. Significant differences were observed between the hypertensive patients and controls in terms of CIMT (p = 0.04), brachial artery FMD (p = 0.02), and capillary density (p <0.001). Hypertensive patients exhibited increased CIMT, reduced brachial artery FMD, and lower capillary density. However, no significant differences were found between the dipper and non-dipper hypertensive groups.
Conclusions Understanding the vascular consequences associated with essential hypertension emphasizes the importance of early detection and management of hypertension to mitigate its adverse effects on vascular structure and function. Further research is warranted to elucidate the underlying mechanisms driving these vascular changes and explore potential therapeutic interventions to restore normal vascular physiology in hypertensive individuals.
The influence of ferroptosis on the in vitro OGD/R model in rat microglia
Authors: Ye Tao , Zhang Ning , Zhang Anbang , Sun Xiuqi , Pang Bo , Wu Xuemei
Published: July 2023

Cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury causes high mortality and incidence of disability in patients. We aimed to explore the influence of ferroptosis on an oxygen-glucose deprivation/reoxygenation (OGD/R) model in primary rat microglia. Primary microglia were extracted from rats and cultured in vitro. The cells were subjected to a hypoxic environment for 6 h in a glucose-free medium, and then re-oxygenated for 24 h in DMEM/F12. Rat microglia were pretreated with the ferroptosis activator erastin and the ferroptosis inhibitor ferrostatin 1 for 24 h, followed by detection of cell cycle progression and apoptosis by flow cytometry. Intracellular total iron levels were measured. In addition, the relative levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS), malondialdehyde (MDA), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) were determined using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The protein levels of 15-lox2, GPX4, SLC7A11, ACSL4, and TFR1 were examined by western blotting. Compared with rat microglia subjected to OGD/R, pretreatment with erastin did not influence cell apoptosis but significantly enhanced total iron levels, MDA, and ROS levels, whereas it reduced SOD levels. Moreover, it upregulated ACSL4, TFR1, and 15-lox2 and downregulated GPX4 and SLC7A11. Pretreatment with ferrostatin 1 significantly inhibited cell apoptosis and cell cycle arrest in the G0/G1 phase. It significantly reduced total iron levels, MDA, and ROS levels and enhanced SOD levels, which also downregulated ACSL4, TFR1, and 15-lox2, and upregulated GPX4 and SLC7A11. Our study showed that inhibition of ferroptosis is favorable against potential OGD/R-induced damage in rat microglia.
Timing of relapse after gastrectomy for advanced gastric cancer: A prediction study on early versus late recurrence
Authors: Liu Chenming , Tao Feng , Ye Minfeng , Zhang Yu , Xu Chuchu , Lu Jialiang , Jing Yuanming , Li Honghai , Park Sungsoo , An Liang
Published: July 2023

Background
There are few studies on the predictive factors and recurrence patterns of early and late postoperative recurrence of advanced gastric cancer (GC). Our study aims to explore the difference of clinicopathological features and recurrence patterns between early and late recurrence in patients with advanced GC after curative intent surgery, and further compare and analyze independent predictors influencing the prognosis respectively.
Materials and Method
Clinical data of patients with GC who received radical gastrectomy in Shaoxing People's Hospital between June 2016 and December 2019 was retrospectively collected. Survival analyses were conducted using the Kaplan-Meier method with log-rank tests. Cox regression analyses were used to identify independent risk factors of influencing post-recurrence survival (PRS).
Results
There was significantly statistical difference in median PRS between the early and late recurrence (4 months vs. 11 months, P = 0.038). Low body mass index (BMI) (HR = 0.86, P = 0.001), elevated monocytes (HR = 4.54, P = 0.003) and neutrophil–lymphocyte ratio (HR = 1.03, P = 0.037) at the time of recurrence were independent predictors of PRS after early recurrence. Low BMI (HR = 0.88, HR = 0.036) and hemoglobin (HR = 0.97, P = 0.008) at the time of recurrence were independent predictors of PRS after late recurrence. There were significant difference in prognosis between the three different BMI ranges for all recurrent patients (4 months vs. 9 months vs. 15 months, P = 0.02), especially for those with early recurrence (4 months vs. 7 months vs. 15 months, P = 0.015).
Conclusion
In view of the different predictive factors of early and late recurrence of GC, individualized treatment strategies can be considered to improve the survival rate in the future.
The Weddell-Scotia Confluence during summer: An ecosystem where ammonium is worth gold
Authors: Paparazzo Flavio Emiliano
Published: July 2023

The Uptake of nitrogen sources in the Weddell-Scotia Confluence shows different nutritional conditions than other oceanic and neritic sectors. In this ecosystem, ammonium plays a leading role, either as a product of biological activities or as a trigger for them. During the summer of 2012, aboard the R/V Puerto Deseado, the area was visited and a series of stations were sampled. The objective of this work was to study the use of nitrogen sources and complement with associated parameters to link them to biological production. Experiments were carried out on board to estimate the uptake of nitrogen sources, and temperature and salinity were measured in situ. In addition, nitrate (NO3−), ammonium (NH4+), phosphate (PO4 − 3), silicic acid (Si(OH)4) and chlorophyll-a (Chlo-a) concentration was measured in the CESIMAR laboratory. The spatial interpretation was complemented with satellite images of sea surface temperature and chlorophyll-a. The main results were: high allochthonous macronutrients (NO3−: 13.36–25.53 µM; PO4 − 3: 1.51–1.90 µM; Si(OH)4: 34.5–62.8 µM) and low Chlo-a (0.44–0.76 mg.m− 3) concentration; nitrate uptake apparently limited by factors unrelated to its availability; a strong preference for ammonium uptake as a nitrogen source (negatively correlated; r = -0.99); low primary productivity estimated as total nitrogen uptake (TNU: 8.9-14.23 nM.d− 1); and its consequent low export rate of carbon. Due to the importance of this ecosystem for relevant biological species such as krill, and the important role it plays in the formation of deep waters, it is essential to keep a monitoring over time that allow estimating its evolution.
Integrative medicine utilization among infertility patients
Authors: Sehgal Shruti , Dyer Ashley , Warren Christopher , Galic Isabel , Jain Tarun
Published: July 2023

Background
Previous research suggests that some women are using integrative and complementary holistic approaches to optimize their own health and treat infertility. We aimed to determine patterns of integrative medicine use among those seeking fertility optimization by 1) Characterizing patterns of integrative medicine use to increase fertility; 2) Identifying demographic predictors associated with such integrative medicine use; and 3) Exploring cultural and religious influences on use of integrative medicine.
Methods
Cross-sectional self-reported survey data were collected from 1460 patients presenting to an academic fertility center in Chicago, Illinois. Variables were described with univariate frequencies and proportions, unadjusted bivariate comparisons were made between patient-level factors and reported integrative modality use, and multivariable logistic regression evaluated the strength of covariate-adjusted predictors of reported integrative medicine utilization.
Results
80.4% of respondents reported using at least one integrative medicine modality to treat infertility (Acupuncture: 38.5%, Yoga: 27.6%, Massage: 25.8%, Meditation: 16.7%, and Herbal supplements: 18.5%). Diet therapy was the most frequently utilized modality (74.0%) followed by body therapy (45.2%), traditional alternative medicine (42.0%), mind therapy (32.1%), and senses therapy (23.0%). Any integrative medicine modality use was 4.03 times more likely among Hindu respondents compared to participants that identified as not religious (95% CI 1.2-13.7, p<0.026). Significant differences in specific modality use were observed by race, religious affiliation, age, income, and insurance coverage.
Conclusion
Most infertility patients in our study reported using at least one integrative medicine modality to help them conceive. Utilization was associated with age of participant, religious affiliation, annual income, and insurance coverage. Further research is needed to assess the impact of integrative medicine utilization on patient quality of life and outcomes.
Quantitative evaluation of diffusion-weighted MRI for differentiating benign and malignant thyroid nodules larger than 4 cm
Authors: Zheng Tingting , Xie Xiaoli , Ni Zhaoxian , Tang Lang , Wu Pu-Yeh , Song Bin
Published: July 2023

Purpose
We aimed to diagnose the benign or malignant of large thyroid nodules by quantitative analysis of diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI).
Methods
82 thyroid nodules were investigated retrospectively and divided them into benign (n = 62) and malignant groups (n = 20). DWI data were acquired, and apparent diffusion coefficients (ADCs) were calculated. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression were conducted to identify independent predictors, and develop a prediction model. We performed receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis to determine the optimal threshold of risk factors, and constructed combined threshold models. Diagnostic performance metrics, including area under the ROC curve (AUC), accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV), and the ratio of unnecessary fine-needle aspiration biopsy (UFNAB) of all models were calculated and compared with the American College of Radiology Thyroid Imaging Reporting and Data System (ACR-TIRADS) result.
Results
Two independent predictors of malignant nodules were identified by multivariate analysis: DWI signal intensity ratio (DWISIR, P = 0.007) and minimum ADC (ADCmin, P < 0.001). At a cutoff value of 0.198, the multivariate prediction model had an AUC of 0.946. The combined threshold model of DWISIR and ADCmin had the highest specificity up to 100% and the lowest UFNAB rate of 0%.
Conclusion
Quantitative DWI demonstrated favorable malignant thyroid nodule diagnostic efficacy. Combined thresholds of DWISIR and ADCmin greatly reduced the UFNAB.
Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on outpatient appointments of rheumatic patients in a low- and medium-risk area of China
Authors: Xie Tianhua , Wang Dong , Yang Qingrui , Sun Hongsheng , Zhang Yijing , Li Ming
Published: July 2023

Background
We aimed to determine the impact of different strategies of outpatient appointments of rheumatic patients in a low- and medium-risk area of China against the COVID-19 pandemic.
Methods
Three hospitals in Shandong Province were investigated to compare the number of outpatient appointments of rheumatic patients before and after the COVID-19 pandemic.
Results
The number of outpatient appointments of rheumatic patients in 2020 decreased significantly under strict restrictive COVID-19 prevention measures compared to prior to the pandemic. The impact on Western medicine hospitals was greater than that on a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) hospital. After COVID-19, first-level public health emergency responses were degraded, and the number of outpatient appointments increased rapidly, exceeding the numbers in 2019 before the COVID-19 pandemic.
Conclusion
In the early stage of the pandemic, severe restrictive policies were effective measures in limiting the spread of COVID-19, but outpatient appointments in the three hospitals were significantly affected. The impacts on these three hospitals were different, with the designated Western medicine hospital for COVID-19 treatment suffering the greatest impact.
Reliability and validity of the Arabic version of the Swiss Spinal Stenosis Questionnaire Among Saudi Patients with Lumbar Spinal Stenosis
Authors: Abdulmajeed Alzakri
Published: July 2023

Background: The Swiss spinal stenosis questionnaire is a standard tool to assess the Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQoL) in patients suffer from lumbar spinal stenosis but, because of cultural differences limited use among Arabic patients. The aim is to perform a cross-cultural adaptation and validation of Arabic version of Swiss spinal stenosis questionnaire and test it on Saudi patients with lumbar spinal stenosis.
Methods: This a cross sectional study run between January 2021 and December 2022 recruited 120 patients. The cross-cultural adaptation process was performed using the American Association of Orthopedic Surgeons (AAOS) Outcomes Committee method. All patients had completed the Arabic version of Swiss spinal stenosis questionnaire and SF-12 preoperatively and 6-months postoperatively. The validity and internal consistency were tested using the intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC), Cronbach alpha, Pearson correlation coefficient, and confidence interval (CI).
Results: We analyzed the result of 120 female patients. The average age is 64 ± 6.4 years (range from 55-75 years). The overall Cronbach alpha (CA) of all domains of Swiss spinal stenosis questionnaire is 0.90. However, the Cronbach alpha for the symptom-severity scale (Q1-7) and, functional disability scale (Q8-12) is 0.92 and 0.88 respectively. The ICC were 0.92, 0.93 and 0.84 for all items, symptom-severity scale and functional disability scale respectively. High Pearson correlation coefficients found between the SF-12 score and Swiss spinal stenosis total score.
Conclusion: The Arabic version of the Swiss spinal stenosis questionnaire is a reliable and valid instrument and can be applied to evaluate the surgical outcome of patients with lumbar spinal stenosis.
Enhancing Thiazine Dye Removal using Pyrolyzed Mytella falcata Shells: Characterization, Kinetics, Isotherm, and Regeneration through Photolysis and Peroxidation
Authors: Lima Renata Silva , Tonholo Josealdo , Rangabhashiyam Selvasembian , Fernandes Daniel Pinto , Zanta Carmem Lucia , Meili Lucas
Published: July 2023

The potential of pyrolyzed Mytella falcata shells as an adsorbent for removing thiazine dye from aqueous solutions was investigated. The study found that the adsorbent produced at 600°C of pyrolysis temperature, with an adsorbent mass of 0.5 g, particle diameter 0.297 − 0.149 mm, and pH 12.0, demonstrated the highest dye removal efficiency of 82.41%. The material's porosity was observed through scanning electron microscopy (SEM), which is favorable for adsorption, while FTIR and XRD analyses confirmed the presence of calcium carbonate (CaCO3) in the crystalline phases. The pseudo-second order model was found to be the best fit for the data, suggesting that the adsorption mechanism involves two steps: external diffusion and diffusion via the solid pores. The Redlich-Peterson isotherm model better represented the equilibrium data, and the methylene blue adsorption was found to be spontaneous, favorable, and endothermic. The hydrogen peroxide with UV oxidation was found to be the most efficient method of regeneration, with a regeneration percentage of 63% achieved using 600 mmol.L− 1 of oxidizing agents. The results suggest that pyrolyzed Mytella falcata shells could serve as an economically viable alternative adsorbent, reducing the amount of waste produced in the local environment while removing pollutants from water. The material's adsorption capacity remained almost constant in the first adsorption-oxidation cycles, indicating its potential for repeated use.
The Relationship of Serum Fetuin-A Levels with Survival and Mortality in Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation
Authors: COSKUN Abuzer , DEMIRCI Burak , ALTINBILEK Ertugrul , ELGORMUS Cagrı Serdar , MISIRLIOGLU Naile Fevziye , Uzun Hafize
Published: July 2023

Introduction/aims:
Cardiopulmonary arrest can occur with different rhythms in in-hospital and out-of-hospital cases. Early and effective cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is the most important practice affecting survival in these patients. It was aimed to determine the relation of fetuin-A level, which is a new protein, with the collapse rhythm, prognosis, and mortality in patients who underwent CPR.
Methods:
One hundred four patients who had cardiopulmonary arrest as witnesses in the emergency department were included in prospective study. The patients were divided into four groups according to their collapse rhythm: asystole, pulseless electrical activity, pulseless ventricular tachycardia, and ventricular fibrillation. According to the mortality status, they were divided into three groups as alive, exitus at the emergency department (EXED), and exitus at intensive care unit (EXIC).
Results:
The average age of the patients included in the study was 63.38±12.38 years, 42 (40%) of them were women. Fetuin-A was 0.183±0.18 ng/ml in the EXED group, 0.183±0.22 ng/ml in the EXIC group, and 0.201±0.16 ng/ml in the survival group (p=0.001). The fetuin-A level was the highest in the pulseless electrical activity group with 0.206±0.10 ng/ml and the lowest in the ventricular fibrillation group with a value of 0.183±0.20 ng/ml (p=0.002). There was a strong negative correlation between fetuin-A and rhythm (p=0.001).
Conclusion:
In cardiopulmonary resuscitated patients, the fetuin-A level may be a helpful value in defining prognosis and mortality.
PTSD Symptoms Comparison EMDR and NFB with IPV Survivors: Ex-Post-Facto Study by
Authors: Shaikh Huda
Published: July 2023

Given the prevalence of post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms in intimate partner violence survivors, the need for personalized treatment plans for intimate partner violence (IPV) survivor post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) care, and no comparison of eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) and neurofeedback therapy (NFB) in response to PTSD care, the researcher aimed to fill the gap in research. Using archival data, a comparison between EMDR therapy and NFB therapy in response to IPV survivor PTSD was analyzed. While there exists support for each modality in the existing literature, there does not exist a comparison of the two in response to IPV survivor PTSD symptoms. The theoretical lens utilized for the study were the theory of neuroscience (TN) and humanistic person-centered theory (PCT). The applied research methodology was quantitative, and the research design was ex-post-facto quasi-experimental. Findings did not support a statistically significant difference between the EMDR group and the NFB group in response to pre and post PTSD symptoms thereby failing to reject the null hypothesis for the main research question of the study. Findings pertaining to the sub-questions however noted a statically significant decrease in pre-and post-mean scores within the EMDR group and the NFB group thereby rejecting the null hypotheses for both sub-questions. The study’s findings suggest that NFB carries similar relief of PTSD symptoms as EMDR does. Several limitations pertaining to the study sample’s characteristics, external factors, and the study’s design exist. For example, given the study’s design, a control group was not present. Recommendations for future research include considering the interventions, ENDR and NFB, during the conceptualization and development of theories to test into practice while also testing the efficacy of other alternative therapeutic interventions that serve to be helpful for PTSD care. By doing so, researchers may be able to develop appropriate, effective, and restorative care for IPV survivors suffering from PTSD symptoms along with a wide variety of other mental health concerns.
Prevalence of Hamstring Tightness in Physically Active and Inactive College Going Students
Authors: Pusegaonkar Rutuja
Published: July 2023

Background
The hamstring is a very important part of flexibility in the human body. The tightness in the muscle is due to the decrease in the ability of the muscle to deform. It is the inability to achieve more than 160º of knee extension when the hip is flexed to 90º due to tightness. The study was carried out to find the prevalence of hamstring tightness in physically active & inactive college-going students.
Method
In this non-experimental cross-sectional study 100 participants were included. The study was performed on normal healthy individuals. The study excluded persons with low back pain and recent hamstring injury within less than 2 months. The tightness was measured by using the AKE test. Three measurements were taken and an average of their reading was noted.
Result
This study concludes that there is an equal prevalence of developing hamstring tightness in both young male & female participants. Hence increased physical activity is advised to prevent musculoskeletal disorders.
Conclusion
The prevalence of hamstring tightness is very high among college-going students in the age group between 18–25 years between the angle 45º-60º.
Magnesium supplementation therapy to prevent cisplatin-induced acute nephrotoxicity in pediatric cancer: A randomized phase 2 trial
Authors: Matsui Motohiro , Makimoto Atsushi , Chin Motoaki , Koh Katsuyoshi , Tomotsune Masako , Kaneko Tetsuji , Morikawa Yoshihiko , Hamada Riku , Yuza Yuki
Published: July 2023

Background:
The present study aimed to examine the effect of magnesium (Mg) supplementation on cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity (CIN) in pediatric cancer patients.
Methods:
The present phase II, open-label, multicenter, randomized controlled trial enrolled patients aged less than 20 years who were scheduled to receive cisplatin-containing chemotherapy and randomly allocated them at a ratio of 1:1 to a Mg supplementation arm with even-numbered chemotherapy courses (arm AB) or another arm with odd-numbered courses (arm BA). Analysis objects were reconstructed into two groups depending on whether the chemotherapy course had Mg supplementation (group B) or not (group A). The primary outcome was the proportion of chemotherapy courses resulting in elevating serum creatinine per chemotherapy course. The secondary outcomes included efficacies evaluated using other biomarkers and the safety of the Mg supplementation.
Results:
Twenty-eight patients were randomly allocated to either group (16 to arm AB and 12 to arm BA). The baseline characteristics of the groups were similar. There was no significant difference in elevated serum creatinine between the groups (group A: 10% vs. group B: 6%; P = 0.465), nor was any significant difference observed in other biomarkers during any chemotherapy course. The Mg value during chemotherapy was significantly higher in group B than in group A. No adverse events related to magnesium administration were observed.
Conclusions:
The study design, which treated a single chemotherapy course as a study object, failed to detect a statistically significant benefit of Mg supplementation for preventing CIN in pediatric cancer patients.
Trial registration
JRCT (https://jrct.niph.go.jp/) Identifier UMIN000029215 jRCTs031180251.
Vulnerable Server under Bernoulli Vacation and Non-Persistent Customer
Authors: Bharathi J , Nandhini S
Published: July 2023

In this study, computing on the cloud is important to current technologies. CC (Cloud Computing) significantly emphasizes task scheduling as one of its most critical components, we examine an M/G/1 queueing system with two service categories and a Bernoulli vacation subject to the active breakdown. On occurrence of a breakdown , the repair on the service channel starts instantly. Furthermore, the nature of the customer is considered as reneging and balking. Significant performance measures for this queueing model are examined in steady-state using the supplementary variable technique and have also discussed a few special cases of this model. This technique handles each task using a Non-Markovian process before its real allocation to cloud resources. This step comes before the actual assignment of tasks. Numerical illustrations of the effects of various parameters on system performance have also been presented.
Metformin increases the expression of proinflammatory cytokines and inhibits supraspinatus fatty infiltration
Authors: Yoon Jong Pil , Park Sung-Jin , Kim Dong-Hyun , Lee Hyun Joo , Jin Park Eugene Jae , Shim Bum-Jin , Kim Jun Sung , Chung Seok Won
Published: July 2023

Background
After a rotator cuff (RC) tendon tear, the supraspinatus (SS) inflammatory response induces fatty infiltration (FI). Metformin has the effect of regulating the initial inflammatory response of atrophic muscles. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the effect of metformin use on modulating the expression of proinflammatory cytokines and SS FI in an acute RC tear rat model.
Methods
This study used 26 male Sprague–Dawley rats. Animals were randomly divided into two groups: The metformin group received metformin for 5 days after cutting the RC tendon, and the control group was administered only with saline after cutting the tendon. Metformin 50 mg/kg was intraperitoneally injected for 5 days. Three rats in each group were sacrificed 5 days after SS tendon rupture surgery, and 10 rats in each group were sacrificed 14 days after surgery. The SS was sampled 5 days after SS tendon tear surgery, and the expression of proinflammatory cytokines was measured by quantitative reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). On day 14 after sampling, histological analysis of the SS was performed using hematoxylin and eosin, Masson’s trichrome, and picosirius red staining.
Results
On day 5 of surgery, the expression values of interferon gamma (increased 7.2-fold, P < .01), tumor necrosis factor alpha (increased 13-fold, P < .05), interleukin-1β (increased 4.7-fold, P < .001), and interleukin-6 (increased 4.6-fold, P < .01) increased significantly in the metformin group compared with those in the control group. As a result of Oil Red O staining, SS FI was significantly suppressed in the metformin group compared with that in the control group (metformin group, 305 ± 50.3 µm2, P < .001; control group, 3136 ± 662.8 µm2, P < .001). In addition, the SS volume of the metformin group was not reduced compared with those of the control group, and the morphology and structure of the SS were better preserved.
Conclusions
The results of this study revealed that metformin can increase the expression of proinflammatory cytokines and suppress SS fat infiltration in delayed sutures.
Computer-Aided Dynamics Intraoperative Navigation in Oral Medicine: A Review
Authors: Jiang Jingang , Zhang Jiawei , Zhang Yongde , Huang Zhiyuan , Qian Kun , Pan Jie
Published: July 2023

Because the oral and maxillofacial areas are adjacent to important organs such as the brain and the eyes and contain a rich network of nerves and blood vessels, this poses a great challenge for surgery of the oral and maxillofacial areas. Traditional treatment protocols rely excessively on the physician's clinical experience and imagination for preoperative planning and do not provide intuitive and reliable intraoperative guidance to the physician during surgery. With the rapid development of medical imaging technology, computer-aided dynamic intraoperative navigation (CADIN) has been introduced into the field of oral and maxillofacial surgery for its ability to accurately locate key anatomical structures intraoperatively and provide the surgeon with a safe surgical boundary in real time. However, the vast majority of surgeries in oral and maxillofacial surgery are still dominated by traditional surgical methods without intraoperative guidance or computer-assisted static navigation (CASN), and CADIN techniques are not widely used. Therefore, this paper presents a systematic review of the application of CADIN technology in the field of oral and maxillofacial surgery from 2018-2023 by searching the PubMed database, discusses the problems faced in the actual clinical application of CADIN technology in the field of oral and maxillofacial surgery, and proposes solutions to improve the accuracy and application scope of CADIN technology in the future.
Caregiving intensity and its association with subjective views of ageing among informal caregivers with different sociodemographic background: a longitudinal analysis from Germany
Authors: Zwar Larissa , König Hans-Helmut , Hajek André
Published: July 2023

We analyzed whether care time, burden and range of caregiving tasks were associated with informal caregivers’ subjective views of ageing (measured as attitudes towards own age (ATOA), subjective age and onset of old age), and whether these associations differed as a function of the caregivers’ age and gender. Adjusted cluster-robust Fixed Effects regression analyses were conducted with gender and age as moderators using data on informal caregivers (≥ 40 years) of the population-based German Ageing Survey (2014, 2017). All aspect of care intensity were associated with changes in subjective views of ageing and this pattern was a function of the caregiver’s age and gender. Care time was significantly associated with higher subjective age. Care tasks were significantly associated with higher ATOA and lower onset of old age. Age moderated the association between burden and ATOA. Gender moderated the association between care time and ATOA and between care tasks and subjective age. Age- and gender-stratified analysis indicated further differences. Our findings suggest to reduce care time, especially among older and female caregivers, to prevent a worsening of views of ageing. However, variety in care tasks seemed to benefit female caregivers, while male caregivers may benefit from more training with care task diversity.
Cerebellar Nuclei Receiving Orofacial Proprioceptive Signals through the Mossy Fiber Pathway from the Supratrigeminal Nucleus in Rats
Authors: Tsutsumi Yumi , Morita Yayoi , Sato Fumihiko , Furuta Takahiro , Uchino Katsuro , Sohn Jaerin , Haque Tahsinul , Bae Yong Chul , Niwa Hitoshi , Tachibana Yoshihisa , Yoshida Atsushi
Published: July 2023

Proprioception from muscle spindles is necessary for motor function executed by the cerebellum. In particular, cerebellar nuclear neurons that receive proprioceptive signals and send projections to the lower brainstem or spinal cord play key roles in motor control. However, little is known about which cerebellar nuclear regions receive orofacial proprioception. Here, we investigated projections to the cerebellar nuclei from the supratrigeminal nucleus (Su5), which conveys the orofacial proprioception arising from jaw-closing muscle spindles (JCMSs). Injections of an anterograde tracer into the Su5 resulted in a large number of labeled axon terminals bilaterally in the dorsolateral hump (IntDL) of the cerebellar interposed nucleus (Int) and the dorsolateral protuberance (MedDL) of the cerebellar medial nucleus. In addition, a moderate number of axon terminals were ipsilaterally labeled in the vestibular group y nucleus (group Y). We electrophysiologically detected JCMS proprioceptive signals in the IntDL and MedDL. Retrograde tracing analysis confirmed bilateral projections from the Su5 to the IntDL and MedDL. Furthermore, anterograde tracer injections into the external cuneate nucleus (ECu), which receives other proprioceptive input from forelimb/neck muscles, resulted in only a limited number of ipsilaterally labeled terminals, mainly in the dorsomedial crest of the Int and the group Y. Taken together, the Su5 and ECu axons almost separately terminated in the cerebellar nuclei (except for partial overlap in the group Y). These data suggest that orofacial proprioception is differently processed in the cerebellar circuits in comparison to other body-part proprioception, thus contributing to the executive function of orofacial motor control.
Characteristics of Adjacent Segment Disease Following Oblique Lateral Interbody Fusion：A retrospective study
Authors: Chen Junxin , Guo Jiandong , Fan Shunwu , Fang Xiangqian , Xu Wenbin
Published: July 2023

Objective: To retrospectively analyze the characteristics and related factors of adjacent segmental disease (ASD) after oblique lumbar interbody fusion (OLIF).
Methods:
This was a retrospective study of the effect of single- or multiple-segment OLIF combined with Wiltse-approach pedicle screw fixation on adjacent segment. For single-segment (n=92), the preoperative and last follow-up measurements of lumbar lordosis angle (LL), disc degeneration grade(DD), disc height (DH), facet joint degeneration grade (FD), and segmental angle (SA) of adjacent segments were recorded and analyzed statistically. For multiple-segment (n=56), based on the presence of ASD at the final follow-up, they were divided into the ASD group (n = 10) and non-ASD (NASD) group (n = 46). Smoking, hypertension, diabetes, osteoporosis, body mass index (BMI), and preoperative radiological parameters, including DD, FD, DH, and SA of both cranial and caudal adjacent segments, LL, and invasion of the facet joint by pedicle screws were recorded and statistically analyzed in both groups.
Results: For single-segment, there was no ASD occurred during the follow-up period. There was a statistically significant difference in the lumbar lordosis angle between preoperative and last follow-up measurements (t=8.2860, P<0.0001), but no statistical difference in the DD, DH, FD, or SA of caudal and cranial segments. For multiple-segment, ASD occurred only in the caudal segment, specifically L5/S1 segment. For the comparison of ASD and NASD, there were statistically significant differences in the preoperative caudal adjacent DD (χ2=12.2500, P=0.0156*) and DH (t=3.6430, P=0.0004*) , age (t=2.1090, P=0.0396), and proportion of patients with osteoporosis (χ2=12.7800, P=0.0003*), but no statistically significant difference in the LL, cranial adjacent DD or DH, and adjacent caudal or cranial FD, SA, proportion of patients with smoking or hypertension or diabetes or invasion of the facet joint.
Conclusion: ASD is less likely to occur in the early stage after single-segment OLIF, while ASD after multiple-segment OLIF mainly occurs at the caudal end, especially when the caudal vertebral body of the surgical segment is L5. Age, preoperative caudal adjacent segment disc degeneration, and osteoporosis are potential factors related to ASD after multiple-segment OLIF.