bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The diagnostic and therapeutic challenges of medial plantar neuropathy in jogger's foot: a case report
Authors: Lopes Bruno Silva , Ermida Vera , Carvalho José Luís
Published: December 2022

Jogger's foot is characterised by a neuropathic pain along the medial arch of the foot caused by compression of the medial plantar nerve. It is more common in runners, especially when there is an anatomical predisposition or some extrinsic factor that may exert compression on the nerve. This article presents the case of a 59-year-old man, who had pain and paraesthesia along the medial plantar arch of the left foot, lasting for several months. Despite having undergone some conservative treatments (plantar orthosis and physiotherapy) and minimal invasive procedures (cortico-anaesthetic injection and shockwave therapy) the symptoms persisted and amyotrophy of the abductor hallucis muscle became clinically evident. At this point, a magnetic resonance image was taken, showing compression of the medial plantar nerve at the intersection of the flexor hallucis longus and the flexor digitorum longus tendons. Ultrasound-guided treatment with pulsed radiofrequency of the medial plantar nerve was then proposed to try and modulate his chronic neuropathic pain. After the procedure, the patient reported immediate relief of the symptoms, which were maintained over 6 months of follow up after the procedure. This case report illustrates a rare and frequently misdiagnosed cause of midfoot pain and its management using electromagnetic modulation of peripheral nerves by pulsed radiofrequency. This seems to be an effective technique, with long-lasting results.
Compact nanosecond Yb:YAG/V:YAG solid-state laser generating switchable radially and azimuthally beams
Authors: Liu Dongyang , Huang Bin , Yi Qian , Yang Lingling , Miao Lili , Zhao Chujun
Published: December 2022

We demonstrated a compact self-starting nanosecond Yb:YAG/V:YAG solid-state laser with cylindrical vector beams output modulated by the intracavity mode converter S-waveplate experimentally. We can deliver the stable Q-switched pulse with the highest repetition rate 3.61 kHz and minimum pulse width 26 ns at the wavelength of 1030.07 nm with the help of the V:YAG crystal. In addition, the switchable radially and azimuthally polarized beams can be realized with polarization extinction ratios of 92.3% and 89.6%, respectively. The compact laser configuration can provide solutions for generating stable nanosecond structured light, and may benefit the applications like micro/nano material processing.
Quantitative detection of high-order Poincaré sphere beams and their polarization evolution
Authors: Yao Junna , Jiang Xinhua , Zhang Jialang , Wang Anting , zhan Qiwen
Published: December 2022

The high-order Poincaré sphere (PS) introduces a mapping whereby any vector beams with spatially homogeneous ellipticity are represented by a specific point on the surface of the sphere. We propose the quantitative detection of high-order PS beams by introducing three sets of nonuniform polarization bases in the high-order Stokes parameters. Overall polarization detection is realized by directly separating and measuring the respective intensity of different nonuniform polarization bases based on S-plate. The polarization evolution of the PS beams on the high-order PS and between the conventional and the high-order PS are achieved by S-plate. The results provide new insights for the generation, evolution and detection of arbitrary beams on the high-order PS.
Reduction of thermal effects in a 2.7-µm Er:Y2O3 ceramic laser with annular pumping
Authors: Chen Bin , Du Tianyi , Wang Jun , Gao Qinggang , Zhang Ning , Zheng Changsheng , Dong Jifei , Zhou Jingjing , Zhang Huiyun , Zhang Yuping , Zhao Yongguang
Published: December 2022

Reduction of thermal effects is a challenging aspect for power scaling of 2.7-µm bulk Er-lasers due to the large quantum defect when pumping at ∼ 0.97 µm. Here, we demonstrate that thermal effects in an Er:Y2O3 ceramic laser can be significantly reduced pumping by an annular beam, thus improving the continuous-wave (CW) laser performance in the 3-µm spectral range. The excitation conditions of the TEM00 mode were determined theoretically by taking into account the propagation characteristics of the annular pump beam. For a comparison, the temperature and stress distributions are at first theoretically studied with three different pump configurations. In the experiment, output power of the Er:Y2O3 ceramic laser improved by ∼ 60% by changing the pump beam from coventional quasi-top-hat to a designed annular one. This work, as a proof-of-principle study, indicates the potential of power scaling of the 2.7-µm bulk Er-lasers pumping with an annular beam.
Number of antenatal care visits and associated factors among reproductive age women in Sub-Saharan Africa using recent demographic and health survey data from 2008–2019: A multilevel negative binomial regression model
Authors: Gebeyehu Fetene Getnet , Geremew Bisrat Misganaw , Belew Aysheshim Kassahun , Zemene Melkamu Aderajew
Published: December 2022

Background

Antenatal care is one of the best strategies for maternal and neonatal mortality reduction. There is a paucity of evidence on the mean number of ANC visits and associated factors in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). This study aimed to investigate the mean number of ANC visits and associated factors among reproductive-age women in Sub-Saharan Africa using the Demographic and Health Survey conducted from 2008 to 2019.

Method

A total of 256,425 weighted numbers of women who gave birth five years before the survey were included. We used STATA version 14 for data management and analysis. A multilevel negative binomial regression model was fitted. Finally, the Adjusted Incident Rate Ratio (AIRR) with its 95% CI confidence interval was reported. Statistical significance was declared at P-value < 0.05.

Results

The mean number of ANC visits among women who gave birth five years before the survey in SSA was 3.83 (95% CI = 3.82, 3.84) Individual-level factors such as being aged 36–49 years (AIRR = 1.20, 95% CI = 1.18,1.21), having secondary education &above (AIRR = 1.44, 95% CI = 1.42, 1.45), having rich wealth status (AIRR = 1.08, 95% CI = 1.07, 1.09), media exposure (AIRR = 1.10, 95% CI = 1.09,1.11), and grand multiparity (AIRR = 0.90, 95% CI = 0.89, 0.91) were significantly associated with the number of ANC visits. Furthermore, rural residence (AIRR = 0.90, 95% CI = 0.89, 0.91), Western SSA region (AIRR = 1.19, 95% CI = 1.18, 1.20) and being from a middle-income country (AIRR = 1.09, 95% CI = 1.08, 1.10) were community-level factors that had a significant association with the number of ANC visits.

Conclusion

The mean number of ANC visits in SSA approximates the minimum recommended number of ANC visits by the World Health Organization. Women’s educational status, women’s age, media exposure, parity, planned pregnancy, wealth status, residence, country’s income, and region of SSA had a significant association with the frequency of ANC visits. This study suggests that addressing geographical disparities and socio-economic inequalities will help to alleviate the reduced utilization of ANC services.
Prospective audit of the phenotype, causes and correlates of trachomatous and non- trachomatous trichiasis in a peri-elimination setting
Authors: Gupta Noopur , Vashist Praveen , Meel Rachna , Grover Sumit , Jain Shubhi , Kumar Deepak , Gupta Vivek , Tandon Radhika , Solomon Anthony W.
Published: December 2022

Purpose

To explore the burden, clinical features and associations of trichiasis due to trachomatous and non-trachomatous aetiologies.

Methods

Consenting patients presenting with trichiasis of either eyelid (of one or both eyes) attending the outpatient department, cornea and oculoplasty clinics of a tertiary eye care hospital in New Delhi between August 2018 to March 2020 were included. A comprehensive examination including visual acuity and anterior segment evaluation and photography was performed. Grade of trichiasis, laterality, presence and grade of entropion, and information on corneal opacity, conjunctival scarring, Herbert’s pits, and pannus, if present, were recorded in the case record form.

Results

Overall, 302 patients (454 eyes) with trichiasis were recruited. The most common attributed cause of upper eyelid trichiasis (276 patients, 405 eyes) was trachoma (26% of patients), followed by Stevens-Johnson syndrome (23%), blepharokeratoconjunctivitis (17%) and old age (10%). A total of 296/405 eyes (73%) had some form of corneal involvement. Trachoma was not identified as the cause of trichiasis in any eye with lower eyelid-only disease.

Conclusion

Only about a quarter of upper eyelid trichiasis in this peri-elimination setting was attributed to trachoma. A distinction between trachomatous and non-trachomatous trichiasis is imperative to meaningfully determine whether elimination of trachoma as a public health problem has occurred. These data may have implications for population-based estimates of TT prevalence in India and other peri-elimination settings.
Carotenoids as potential inhibitors of TNFα in COVID-19 treatment
Authors: Taghipour Farzaneh , Motamed Nasrin , Amoozegar Mohammad Ali , Shahhoseini Maryam , Mahdian Soodeh
Published: December 2022

Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) is a multifunctional pro-inflammatory cytokine, responsible for autoimmune and inflammatory disorders. In COVID-19 patients, increased TNF-α concentration may provoke inflammatory cascade and induce the initiation of cytokine storm that may result in fatal pneumonia and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ADRS). Hence, TNFα is assumed to be a promising drug target against cytokine storm in COVID-19 patients. In the present study, we focused on finding novel small molecules that can directly block TNF-α-hTNFR1 (human TNF receptor 1) interaction. In this regards, TNF-α-inhibiting capacity of natural carotenoids was investigated in terms of blocking TNF-α-hTNFR1 interaction in COVID-19 patients with the help of a combination of in silico approaches, based on virtual screening, molecular docking, and molecular dynamics (MD) simulation. A total of 125 carotenoids were selected out of 1204 natural molecules, based on their pharmacokinetics properties and they all met Lipinski’s rule of five. Among them, Sorgomol, Strigol and Orobanchol had the most favorable ΔG with the best ADME (absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion) properties, and were selected for MD simulation studies, which explored the complex stability and the impact of ligands on protein conformation. Our results showed that Sorgomol formed the most hydrogen bonds, resulting in the highest binding energy with lowest RMSD and RMSF, which made it the most appropriate candidate as TNF-α inhibitor. In conclusion, the present study could serve to expand possibilities to develop new therapeutic small molecules against TNF-α.
Psychological rehabilitation for isolated patients with COVID-19 infection: A randomized controlled study
Authors: Jung Jae Hyu , Won Jong Jin , Ko Jin Young
Published: December 2022

Objective

To improve the mental health of isolated patients with COVID-19 by face-to-face psychological rehabilitation program.

Design

Randomized controlled study.

Setting

Single community-based hospital.

Participants

109 patients (52 in experimental group, 57 in control group) with COVID-19 were recruited from May 27 to September 17, 2021.

Interventions

A psychological rehabilitation program that consists of education, craft, and physical activity. The activity program was provided by a multidisciplinary rehabilitation team of doctors, nurses, occupational therapists, and physical therapists. The purpose of the education was to provide accurate information about COVID-19, and craft and physical activity were for improving physical health, occupational balance, participation in activities, and reducing boredom.

Main outcome measures

The primary outcome was degree of anxiety assessed using the Zung Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS). Secondary outcomes were severity of depression, and quality of sleep assessed using the Zung Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS), Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), Visual Analysis Scale (VAS), and the Korean version of the Insomnia Severity Index (ISI-K).

Results

Isolated patients complained of anxiety, depression, and insomnia the most in the early stages of hospitalization and isolation. In addition, the psychological rehabilitation program significantly improved mental health scale, including scores of SAS (F = 12.46, p = .001), SDS (F = 6.76, p = .01), and ISI-K (F = 4.41, p = .04).

Conclusions

The psychological rehabilitation program is effective for improving anxiety, depression, and quality of sleep for isolated patients with COVID-19.
A comparison study of dental pulp stem cells derived from healthy and orthodontically intruded human permanent teeth for mesenchymal stem cell characterisation
Authors: Lau May Nak , Kunasekaran Wijenthiran , On Yue Yuan , Tan Li Jin , Zaharin Nurshafiqah Athirah , H. A. Ghani Sarah , Musa Sabri , M. Razi Roziana , Mohan Gokula
Published: December 2022

The objective of this study was to compare the characteristics of Dental Pulp Stem Cells (DPSCs) derived from healthy human permanent teeth with those that were orthodontically-intruded to serve as potential Mesenchymal Stem Cells (MSC). Recruited subjects were treated with orthodontic intrusion on one side of the maxillary first premolar while the opposite side served as the control for a period of six weeks before the dental pulp was extracted. Isolated DPSCs from both the control and intruded samples were analyzed, looking at the morphology, growth kinetics, cell surface marker profile, and multilineage differentiation for MSC characterisation. Our study showed that cells isolated from both groups were able to attach to the cell culture flask, exhibited fibroblast-like morphology under light microscopy, able to differentiate into osteogenic, adipogenic and chondrogenic lineages as well as tested positive for MSCs cell surface markers CD90 and CD105 but negative for haematopoietic cell surface markers CD34 and HLA-DR. Both groups displayed a trend of gradually increasing population doubling time from passage 1 to passage 5. Viable DPSCs from both groups were successfully recovered from their cryopreserved state. In conclusion, DPSCs in the dental pulp of upper premolar not only remained viable after 6 weeks of orthodontic intrusion using fixed appliances but also able to develop into MSCs.
Associations between red blood cell count and metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease(MAFLD)
Authors: Dai Xinyi , Zhou Guowei , Xu Luzhou
Published: December 2022

Background

Some studies found that red blood cell count (RBC) was an unrecognized risk factor for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). While the epidemiological data underpinning the evidence is very limited. As there are some differences between the latest criteria of metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) and NAFLD, itis necessary to evaluate the relationship between RBC and MAFLD.

Methods

We performed a cross-sectional analysis of the National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey (NHANES)2017-2018 cohort, including 4477 participants. Hepatic steatosis was determined when the value of controlled attenuation parameter (CAP) obtained by Fibroscan was ≥274 dB/m. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to estimate the association between RBC and MAFLD. We estimated the adjusted odds ratio (OR) of RBC for MAFLD, and the nonlinear relationship between RBC and MAFLD was further described using smooth curve fittings and threshold-effect analysis.

Results

We found that MAFLD risk was significantly higher according to RBC quartiles. The adjusted odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs)for the highest RBC quartile were 1.5(1.0, 2.3) for male and 1.1 (0.8, 1.6) for female, respectively. As for male, a non-linear relationship was discovered between RBCs and MAFLD, with a RBC threshold of 4.2. The effect sizes and confidence intervals on the right side of the inflection point were 1.5 (1.0, 2.0) (P for nonlinearity = 0.027). The sensitivity analysis showed a similar result.

Conclusion

We demonstrated that that elevated RBC level is associated with the higher risk of MAFLD in male. The positive relationship was not significant in females after full adjustment. Our finding provided novel evidence indicating that RBCs might be a potential biomarker for MAFLD.
Cloud-based healthcare framework for real-time anomaly detection and classification of 1-D ECG signals
Authors: Nawaz Menaa , Ahmed Jameel
Published: December 2022

Real-time data collection and pre-processing have enabled the recognition, realization, and prediction of diseases by extracting and analysing the important features of physiological data. In this research, an intelligent end-to-end system for anomaly detection and classification of raw, one-dimensional (1D) electrocardiogram (ECG) signals is given to assess cardiovascular activity automatically. The acquired raw ECG data is pre-processed carefully before storing it in the cloud, and then deeply analyzed for anomaly detection. A deep learning-based auto-encoder(AE) algorithm is applied for the anomaly detection of 1D ECG time-series signals. As a next step, the implemented system identifies it by a multi-label classification algorithm. To improve the classification accuracy and model robustness the improved feature-engineered parameters of the large and diverse datasets have been incorporated. The training has been done using the amazon web service (AWS) machine learning services and cloud-based storage for a unified solution. Multi-class classification of raw ECG signals is challenging due to a large number of possible label combinations and noise susceptibility. To overcome this problem, a performance comparison of a large set of machine algorithms in terms of classification accuracy is presented on an improved feature-engineered dataset. The proposed system reduces the raw signal size up to 95% using wavelet time scattering features to make it less compute-intensive. The results show that among several state-of-the-art techniques, the long short-term memory (LSTM) method has shown 100% classification accuracy, and an F1 score on the three-class test dataset. The ECG signal anomaly detection algorithm shows 98% accuracy using deep LSTM auto-encoders with a reconstructed error threshold of 0.02 in terms of absolute error loss. Our approach provides performance and predictive improvement with an average mean absolute error loss of 0.0072 for normal signals and 0.078 for anomalous signals.
Nerve abnormalities in lumbar disc herniation: A systematic review and meta-analysis of diffusion tensor imaging
Authors: Wang Nan , Sun Daoxi , Zhang Xiaoyu , Xi Zhipeng , Li Jingchi , Xie Lin
Published: December 2022

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to examine the values of fractional anisotropy (FA) and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) in diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) for diagnosing patients with nerve impairment due to lumbar disc herniation (LDH).

Methods

A literature search of databases (PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Library and Embase) was systematically performed to identify articles published before September 2021 that were relevant to this study. FA and ADC estimates of compressed nerve roots due to LDH and healthy controls in the same segment were compared, with either fixed or random effects models selected according to I2heterogeneity. Additionally, subgroup analysis, sensitivity analysis, potential publication bias analysis and meta-regression analysis were also performed.

Results

A total of 369 patients with LDH from 11 publications were included in this meta-analysis. The results showed significantly lower FA values (Weighted Mean Difference (WMD): -0.08, 95% confidence interval (CI): -0.09 to -0.07, P ≤ 0.001, I2= 87.6%) and significantly higher ADC values (WMD: 0.25, 95% CI: 0.20 to 0.30, P ≤ 0.001, I2= 71.4%) of the nerve on the compressed side due to LDH compared to the healthy side. Subgroup analysis indicated that different countries and magnetic field strengths may be associated with higher heterogeneity. Furthermore, meta-regression analysis further revealed that segment and field strength did not have a significant effect on the results, regardless of the FA or ADC values. Contrastingly, in FA, the year of publication, country, b value and directions showed an effect on the results.

Conclusions

This meta-analysis showed a significant decrease in FA and a significant increase in ADC in patients with nerve damage due to LDH. The results favourably support the presence of nerve impairment in patients with LDH.
Small group size promotes more egalitarian societies as modeled by the hawk-dove game
Authors: Lin Kai-Yin , Schank Jeffrey C.
Published: December 2022

The social organization of groups varies greatly across primate species, ranging from egalitarian to despotic. Moreover, the typical or average size of groups varies greatly across primate species. Yet we know little about how group size affects social organization across primate species. Here we used the hawk-dove game (HDG) to model the evolution of social organization as a function of maximum group size and used the evolved frequency of hawks as a measure of egalitarian/despotism in societies. That is, the lower the frequency of hawks, the more egalitarian a society is, and the higher the frequency of hawks, the more despotic it is. To do this, we built an agent-based model in which agents live in groups and play the HDG with fellow group members to obtain resources to reproduce offspring. Offspring inherit the strategy of their parent (hawk or dove) with a low mutation rate. When groups reach a specified maximum size, they are randomly divided into two groups. We show that the evolved frequency of hawks is dramatically lower for relatively small maximum group sizes than predicted analytically for the HDG. We discuss the relevance of group size for understanding and modeling primate social systems, including the transition from hunter-gather societies to agricultural societies of the Neolithic era. We conclude that group size should be included in our theoretical understanding of the organization of primate social systems.
Infection control and radiation safety practices in the radiology department during the COVID-19 outbreak
Authors: Abuzaid Mohamed M. , Elshami Wiam , Tekin H. O.
Published: December 2022

Rationale and objectives

Radiology personnel must have good knowledge, experience and adherence to radiation protection and infection control practices to ensure patient safety and prevent the further spread of the COVID-19 virus. This study analysed compliance and adherence to radiation protection and infection control during COVID-19 mobile radiography.

Methods

A cross-sectional using online survey was conducted from September to December 2021. Data on demographic characteristics, adherence to radiation protection and infection control practice were collected during mobile radiography for COVID-19 patients in the study. A random sample of the radiographers working in COVID-19 centres in the United Arab Emirates.

Results

Responses were received from 140 participants, with a response rate of 87.5%. Females were the predominant participants (n = 81; 58%). Participants aged ages between 18–25 years (n = 46; 33%) and 26–35 years (n = 42; 30%), (n = 57; 41%) had less than five years of experience, followed by participants who had more than 15 years (n = 38; 27%). Most participants (n = 81; 57.9%) stated that they performed approximately 1–5 suspected or confirmed COVID-19 cases daily. The participants had moderate to high adherence to radiation protection, with a mean and standard deviation of 42.3 ± 6.28. Additionally, infection control adherence was high, with 82% of the participants showing high adherence.

Conclusion

Continuous guidance, training and follow-up are recommended to increase adherence and compliance to radiation protection and infection control compliance. Educational institutions and professional organisations must collaborate to provide structured training programmes for radiology practitioners to overcome the practice and knowledge gap.
Menstrual food restrictions and taboos: A qualitative study on rural, resettlement and urban indigenous Temiar of Malaysia
Authors: Syed Abdullah Sharifah Zahhura
Published: December 2022

Menstruation is arguably the first stage in a woman’s reproductive cycle. Among the Temiar, as in many other traditional societies, menstruation represents a time during which a woman is considered to be vulnerable or polluted and there may be food or behavior avoidances and restrictions. The Temiar is one of the eighteen indigenous sub-ethnic groups in Peninsular Malaysia. The objective of this study was to examine the food restrictions and taboos imposed on menstruating Temiar women. A total of 38 participants from four different locations took part in five focus group discussions which represents different lifestyle experiences of the Temiar sub-ethnic group. The findings unfolds many practices: foods to be avoided and spirit in the landscape in order to protect the menstruating woman; isolating the menstruating woman in order to protect the community; consequences of not observing the menstruation food taboos and maintenance of the menstrual taboos. The menstruating women in all locations were prohibited from consuming salt, cooking oils, wild or domesticated animals, and Monosodium glutamate to protect themselves from the excessive flow of menstrual blood and future ill-health. They must eat separately from others because they are deemed polluted and dangerous to the community. The study concludes that the taboos directed towards the menstruating women often do have a caring and protective intention. Menstrual restrictions function not only to protect the menstruating women and the community but also to keep intact the symbolic boundary between human and the non-human world from which disease and weakness comes.
Burden of and factors associated with poor quality antibiotic, antimalarial, antihypertensive and antidiabetic medicines in Malawi
Authors: Chiumia Francis Kachidza , Nyirongo Happy Magwaza , Kampira Elizabeth , Muula Adamson Sinjani , Khuluza Felix
Published: December 2022

Objective

To assess the prevalence and factors associated with substandard and falsified (SF) medicines among antibiotic, antimalarial, antihypertensive and antidiabetic medicines in Malawi.

Methods

We conducted a cross-sectional study in 23 public, faith-based and private health facilities in Zomba, Machinga and Nsanje districts. We analyzed oral medicine samples of commonly used medicines among antibiotics, antimalarial, antihypertensive and antidiabetics in accordance with Malawi Essential Medicines List and local treatment guidelines. These medicines were subjected to visual inspection for any defects and screening for the content of active pharmaceutical ingredient and disintegration of dosage units. Samples that failed during screening and at least 10% of those that passed were subjected to pharmacopeia assay and dissolution test for confirmation. We used thin layer chromatography and disintegration test methods provided in the Global Pharma Health Fund minilab®for the screening purposes. We conducted confirmatory test using High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) or ultra-violet/visible spectrophotometer and dissolution.

Results

Of the 293 medicine samples collected, 14.3% were SF medicines. Among the SF medicines were 12.5% of Amlodipine (1/8), 19.2% of Amoxicillin (5/26), 72.2% of Atenolol (8/11), 21.2% of Ciprofloxacin (7/33), 14.3% of Enalapril (1/7), 44.4% of Flucloxacillin (4/9), and 35.7% of sulfadoxine/ pyrimethamine (10/28). Medicine quality was associated with therapeutic medicine class, stated origin of manufacturer, primary packaging material and geographical location. Antimalarial and antidiabetic medicines were of better quality as compared to antibiotics, odds ratio OR 4.2 (95% CI 1.7–9.49), p < 0.002 and OR 5.6 (95% CI 1.21–26.09), p < 0.028 respectively. In terms of stated country of origin, the prevalence of SF medicines was 30% (15/50), 33% (9/27), 26.7% (4/15) and 6.6% (8/122) for medicines stated to be manufactured in Malawi, China, Kenya and India respectively.

Conclusion

This study presents the first findings on the assessment of quality of medicines since the establishment of the national pharmacovigilance center in 2019 in Malawi. It is revealed that the problem of SF medicines is not improving and hence the need for further strengthening of quality assurance systems in Malawi.
Australian women writers’ popular non-fiction prose in the pre-war period: Exploring their motivations
Authors: Owens Alison , Brien Donna Lee
Published: December 2022

Since the 1970s, feminist scholars have undertaken important critical work on Australian women’s writing of earlier eras, profiling and promoting their fiction. Less attention has been afforded to the popular non-fiction produced by Australian women writers and, in particular, to that produced before the Second World War. Yet this writing is important for several reasons. First, the non-fiction writing of Australian women was voluminous and popular with readers. Second, this popular work critically engaged with a tumultuous political, social and moral landscape in which, as women’s rights were increasingly realized through legislation, the subjectivity of women themselves was fluid and contested. Third, as many of these women were also, or principally, fiction writers, their non-fiction can be shown to have informed and influenced many of their fictional interests, themes and characters. Lastly, and critically, popular non-fiction publication helped to financially sustain many of these writers. In proposing a conceptual framework informed by the work of Pierre Bourdieu to analyse examples of this body of work, this article not only suggests that important connections exist between popular and mainstream non-fiction works – newspaper and magazine articles, essays, pamphlets and speeches – and the fictional publications of Australian women writers of the early twentieth century but also suggests that these connections may represent an Australian literary habitus where writing across genre, form and audience was a professional approach that built and sustained literary careers.
Intraocular pressure and cardiovascular effects of dexmedetomidine premedication and tiletamine-zolazepam for anesthetic induction in dogs
Authors: Kusolphat Pradipa , Soimala Tanawan , Sunghan Jutapoln
Published: December 2022

Background and Aim: The effect of anesthetic drugs on intraocular pressure (IOP) is an important concern in ophthalmic surgery. The impact of dexmedetomidine (DEX) combined with tiletamine-zolazepam on IOP is scarcely studied. This study aimed to evaluate IOP and cardiovascular effects in dogs after premedication with 5 μg/kg (DEX5) or 10 μg/kg (DEX10) of intramuscular DEX followed by intravenous tiletamine-zolazepam administration for induction of anesthesia in healthy dogs. Materials and Methods: Eighteen dogs, American Society of Anesthesiologists I or II, without ocular abnormality were investigated. All dogs were randomly divided into the DEX5 (n = 9) and DEX10 groups (n = 9). The IOP, heart rate (HR), systolic blood pressure (SBP), oxygen saturation, and sedation scale were measured before premedication (baseline), after premedication at 5, 10, 15, and 20 min, after tiletamine-zolazepam administration, after endotracheal intubation, and post-operative. Results: There were no significant differences between the groups at any time point. The DEX5 and DEX10 groups had significantly decreased HR values at 10 min compared with baseline. The IOP at 20 min was significantly lower compared to the baseline in the DEX10 group. Moreover, the DEX10 group showed increased IOP, HR, SBP, and sedation scale values after induction and intubation compared with 20 min, but these values did not differ significantly from baseline. All parameters of both groups did not change significantly between post-operative and baseline. Conclusion: Intramuscular DEX (10 μg/kg) is an appropriate premedication in ophthalmic examination or surgical procedures. Moreover, it could be combined with tiletamine-zolazepam for generalized anesthesia in dogs with an ophthalmic problem, as it had no clinically significant effects on IOP or cardiovascular values.
Assessment of Biogrowth at Two Different Environments of Nuclear Power
Plant Cooling Water System Located at Southern Coast of India
Authors: Ganesh S. , Retna A. Malar , Wesley S. Godwin , Murthy P. Sriyutha , Rao T. Subba
Published: December 2022

A systematic assessment of biogrowth development on titanium coupons exposed to ambient seawater
(intake) and chlorinated seawater (pump house) environments of a coastal nuclear power plant was
carried out. Titanium coupons were exposed for a period of 2 years and periodically removed at
monthly intervals for biogrowth assessment. Biofouling biomass at the seawater intake station ranged
from 0.8-12.5 kg m-2 during the 2 years of study. Continuous chlorination of 0.2 ± 0.1 mg L-1 and
shock dose chlorination for 1 h/day at residuals of 0.4 ± 0.1 mg L-1 was very effective in reducing the
biofouling load in the cooling water system. A reduction in fouling biomass of 95% was observed on
titanium coupons between the intake and the pump house stations. Biofoulants recruitment was found
to occur throughout the year at varying intensities. Diversity of organisms on the coupon was influenced
by seasonality and distinct successional patterns were observed at the seawater intake. Barnacles were
the dominant fouling organisms followed by mat forming ascidians, bryozoans, oysters, hydroids and
seaweeds at the intake station. Sluggish biofouling development was observed on coupons at the
intake due to the sub-tidal intake system (-5 m), which had a lesser load of meroplanktonic organisms.
The study also showed that low dose continuous chlorination was an effective strategy for biofouling
control in the cooling water system of the tropical power station which uses titanium heat exchangers
for steam condensation.
Spray Deposited Ni Doped Co3O4 Thin Films for Electrochemical Applications
Authors: Jasmin Vijitha S.K. , Mohanraj K. , Jebin R.P.
Published: December 2022

Nickel-doped Co3O4 films were prepared using fluorine doped tin oxide (FTO) substrates at various
nickel concentrations (x = 0.025, 0.05, 0.075 and 0.1) using a spray pyrolyzed process at 300 ºC.
Experimental techniques were used to characterize the materials by XRD, SEM, EDAX, UV-Vis,
FTIR spectroscopy, magnetic susceptibility and cyclic voltammetry. When nickel is present in any
concentration of Co3O4, the structural analysis using XRD confirms the spinel cubic structure of the
material. By using a scanning electron microscope, porous morphological studies are conducted. EDAX
examines the chemical composition of the prepared thin films. A 0.050 M concentrations demonstrated
the ideal structure, good morphological analysis and energy bandgap. Based on the results, the prepared
films were effectively used in the electrochemical performance.
Synthesis and Characterization of Nanomaterial Based
Polymeric Thin Films for Agriculture with Climatic Control
Authors: Jadhav Aniket. S. , Chavan Sachin S. , Chendake Yogesh , Shaikh I.A.
Published: December 2022

Agriculture production is mainly dependent upon the climate and atmospheric condition variations. A
small variation in atmospheric condition has large precursion on agriculture production. Whereas
daily temperature variation upto 10 can be observed in several parts of India. This variation can affect
crop production adversely. Hence, formation and optimization of polycarbonate based polyhouse is
investigated in this work. Further, it was observed that the materials and properties of polysheet would
affect temperature and other condition of polyhouse. In current work, the material optimization was
investigated and observed that an introduction of UV active nanomaterials provides better climatic
control of polycarbonate based polyhouse. Applications of ZnO or TiO2 enhance the absorbance of
UV rays from sunlight and resulted in large control on greenhouse environment. This helps to provide
enhanced control on greenhouse conditions. The effect of presence of polycarbonate with 0.3% TiO2
50 μ showed 13.8 ºC enhancement in temperature control, which makes it highly beneficial for
agriculture applications.
Synthesis of Solid Polymer Blend Electrolytes Based on PVP/PAN/Ammonium
Thiocyanate: Structural, Electrical, Dielectric and Electrochemical Analysis
Authors: Daniel R. , Priscilla S. Janet , Karthikeyan S. , Selvasekarapandian S. , Sivaji K. , Madeswaran S.
Published: December 2022

In this work, a solution casting technique was used to prepare stable and free-standing films of blend
polymer electrolytes composed of polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP) and polyacrylonitrile (PAN) complexed
with ammonium thiocyanate (NH4SCN) salt in various compositions. The physical characterization
by X-ray diffraction (XRD) was performed to study the structural properties of the samples.
Characteristics of these electrolytes were also examined using impedance technique, dielectric studies,
transport number measurement (TNM) and linear sweep voltammetry (LSV). The results showed that
cationic transport predominated in highly amorphous films. Impedance spectroscopy was utilized to
determine the dependence of electrical properties on both composition and temperature. The temperature
dependence of the electrical conductivity showed behaviour similar to that of Arrhenius type. It was
found that the highest ion conducting polymer blend electrolyte led to lower activation energy.
Biological Activities of Essential Oil of Vitex altissima Leaves and Inhibition
Potential towards Phosphoinositide-3 Kinase (PI3K) Enzyme by Molecular Docking
Authors: Sunitha S. , Anoopkumar A.N. , Aneesh Embalil Mathachan , Rajesh K. , Nath G. Rathika
Published: December 2022

This study aims to employ molecular docking to verify the efficacy of a few bioactive compounds of
pharmacological significance extracted from Vitex altissima. GC/MS and GC/FID were used for
chemical profiling. An in vitro study for anticancer potential done using MTT assay with DLD-1 cancer
cell line and L929 normal cell line. All the bioactive compounds were docked against phosphoinositide-3
kinase (PI3K) using AutoDock 4.2.6 software. The identified 22 compounds (89.91%) with
allo-aromadendrene (29.82%), E-phytol (16.08%) α-humulene (14.04%), β-caryophyllene (4.18%),
α-santalol (3.64%) and spanthulenol (2.23%) as the dominant sesquiterpenoid compounds. The study
indicates effective anticancer and antioxidant potential with the oil. Apoptosis evaluation revealed
that the cells experience necrosis after treatment with Vitex altissima leaf oil. The deregulation of
enzyme PI3K is liable for various types of cancers. The ADMET properties of respective compounds
reveal their pharmacokinetic properties. All compounds subjected to docking satisfied Lipinski’s rule
of five, indicating the scope for their use as oral drugs.
Antimicrobial and Antioxidant Study of Some Newly
Synthesized Chalcones and Cyclohexenone Derivatives
Authors: Sapnakumari M. , Divya K. , Aswin K.B. , Dalin J.
Published: December 2022

Chalcones and cyclohexenone derivatives obtained from various substituted aldehydes and substituted
acetophenones are described. Chalcones were obtained by the Claisen-Schmidt condensation reaction
of aldehydes with substituted acetophenones. Base catalyzed cyclocondensation of ethyl acetoacetate
to chalcones under microwave irradiation leads to the formation of cyclohexenone derivatives. The
prepared compounds are characterized by IR, 1H NMR and 13C NMR spectral methods. These are
screened for their antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Aspergillus
niger, Aspergillus flavus and also, for their antioxidant properties.
Synthesis and Evaluation of 1,2,4-Triazole Derivatives for
Antioxidant, Anti-inflammatory, Cytotoxicity and QSAR Analysis
Authors: Begum Shaheen , Kumari V. Anitha , Arifa Begum S.K. , Reddemma M. , Tejaswini K. , Bharathi K.
Published: December 2022

A series of novel 4-amino-5-substituted-1,2,4-triazole-3-thiol derivatives (B1-B18) were synthesized
and characterized by spectral analysis. Equimolar portions of thiocarbohydrazide and different acids
(substituted aryl/heteroaryl/aliphatic) were fused to synthesize the title compounds. The compounds
were evaluated for cytotoxicity, in vitro anti-inflammatory activity and antioxidant activities.
Cytotoxicity studies highlighted B4 (2,4-dichloro analog) as the potent cytotoxic molecule with IC50
value of 20.35 μM against MCF-7 cell line compared to cisplatin (IC50 = 12.06 μM). B4 (2,4-dichloro),
B18 (oleayl) and B14 (2-hydroxy) showed significant membrane-stabilizing activity with IC50 values <
35 μM, whereas B11 (3,4-dimethoxy), B4 (2,4-dichloro) and B14 (2-hydroxy) displayed moderate proteinase
inhibitory activity with IC50 values < 72 μM. Compounds possessing phenolic hydroxyl group
(B12−B14) demonstrated an appreciable antioxidant activity in the studied antioxidant models. QSAR
analysis revealed the important contribution of molecular connectivity, ionization potential and mass
of the compounds for optimum cytotoxicity. Present results suggested compound B4 as a potential
lead molecule to design novel and potent cytotoxic and anti-inflammatory agents.
Synthesis, Spectral Studies and Antimicrobial Activity of Zinc(II) Azide Complexes with
N,N-Donor and N,N,S-Donor Schiff Base Ligands Derived from 2-Pyridinecarboxaldehyde
Authors: Sunar Shiva Lall , Kundu Sajal , Singh Keisham Surjit , Singh S. Sureshkumar , Roy Manojit
Published: December 2022

Two water soluble Zn(II) Schiff base complexes of composition [Zn(L1)3][Zn(N3)4] (1) and
[Zn(L2)2][Zn(N3)4] (2) were synthesized using bidentate N,N-donor (L1) and tridentate N,N,S-donor
(L2) of Schiff base ligands viz. (E)-1-phenyl-N-(pyridin-2-ylmethylene)methanamine (L1) and
(E)-2-((pyridin-2-ylmethylene)amino)benzenethiol (L2). Different spectroscopic tools such as FT-IR,
UV-Vis, 1H NMR and fluorescence spectroscopy have been employed to characterize complexes 1
and 2. Efforts for getting single crystals suitable for X-ray crystal structure could not be achieved.
However, from the spectroscopic data and on the basis of the structures of the related zinc(II) complexes
reported earlier in the literature, the complexes could be proposed to adopt six coordinated octahedral
geometries in one zinc centre coordinated to the ligands and while the other zinc centre has four azides
(N3) terminally coordinated resulting in the octahedral and tetrahedral metal geometries around zinc
metal atoms. The compounds behave as electrolytes in acetonitrile solution. In vitro antimicrobial
activity of the Zn(II) complexes were studied against some microbes like Aspergillus niger, Fusarium
ventricossum and Fusarium chlamydosporum. Effective antifungal activity of complex 2 was found
against the tested fungal strains.
Synthesis of New Piperidine based N(2)-Alkylated 1,2,3-Triazole Hybrids in Basic Medium
Authors: Murthy Appala Venkata Ramana , Bhavani Anagani Kanaka Durga , Pasula Aparna
Published: December 2022

The nucleophilic reaction of 1H-triazole derivatives with piperidines under basic conditions is the
essential step in the synthesis of a new series of dibenzyl N(2)-C-linked triazolyl piperidines. The
triazole derivative was synthesized via the CuAAc reaction of 1-phenylprop-2-yn-1-ol (1a-b) with
azidomethyl pivalate. Compound 3a-b underwent dehydroxylation and deprotection reactions using
TFA, triethyl silane and 1 M NaOH respectively, yielding monobenzyl 1H-1,2,3-triazole (4a-b). The
N(2)-piperidinyltriazoles (6a-j) were synthesized in significant amounts by nucleophilically reacting
1H-triazole derivatives (4a-b) with 4-mesyl-1-boc-piperidine (5) under basic conditions using sodium
hydride, which further on acidic deprotection followed by benzylation reaction furnished dibenzyl
N(2)-C-linked triazolyl piperidines (9a-j).
Synthesis and Characterization of Graphene Oxide and Chitosan Decorated Nano Zerovalent
Iron for Efficient Adsorptive Removal of Hazardous Azo Dye from Aqueous Medium
Authors: Thakur Monika , Kumar Rupesh
Published: December 2022

The main aim of the study was to synthesize nano zerovalent iron (NZVI) modified with graphene
oxide (GO) and chitosan (CS) in the form of a magnetic ternary nanocomposite. Three ternary
nanocomposites i.e. GO-CS-NZVI, GO-NZVI-CS and CS-NZVI-GO were synthesized to further
understand the possible binding tendencies among these components in the final ternary composite.
These ternary composites were characterized by FTIR, SEM and EDS techniques to understand the
effect of mutual interaction of the three components during synthesis on the overall structure and
morphology of the ternary composite. Furthermore, these ternary nanocomposites were employed in
the removal of Congo red (an anionic, carcinogenic, azo dye) and also a mixture of dyes Congo red
and Rhodamine B (a cationic, carcinogenic dye). A maximum of 98% removal of Congo red and
98.7% removal from the mixture of dyes was observed with ternary nanocomposite GO-CS-NZVI
within 30 min. Equilibrium adsorption efficiency (qe) was calculated to be 48.15 and 79 mg/g for
Congo red and mixture of dyes (Congo red & Rhodamine B), respectively. A comparative analysis of
bare NZVI with these ternary nanocomposites was also conducted to further understand the effect of
modification of NZVI with graphene oxide and chitosan on the structure, morphology and its dye
removal efficiency.
Synthesis and Anticancer Activity of Novel Thiazolo-Coumarin Derivatives
Authors: Babu R. Swethan , Palaniappan Senthilkumar , Kathiravan M.K.
Published: December 2022

As a starting point for creating new inhibitor scaffolds, a molecular hybridization approach was applied
in designing the novel molecules using coumarin-thiazole hybrids as mPGES-1 enzyme inhibitors.
Thus, in present work, the novel thiazolo coumarin derivatives (8-35) were synthesized and characterized
by 1H NMR, IR and ESI-MS spectra. All the synthesized molecules (8-35) were also investigated for
their anticancer activity on MCF-7 (breast cancer), caco-2 (colon cancer), HeLa (Cervix cancer) cell
lines. Studies revealed that compounds (8-14) and (22-28) showed inhibition (IC50) at different
concentrations of 12.5, 50, 100 μg/mL and more than 100 μg/mL.
Mechanical Characterization of B4C-Gr Al2618 Based Composites Synthesized by Stir Casting Method
Authors: Nagaraju Sharath Ballupete , Somashekara Madhu Kodigarahalli , Govindaswamy Pradeep Dyavappanakoppalu , Puttegowda Madhu , Girijashankar Premkumar Bagade , Sathyanarayana Karthik
Published: December 2022

Aerospace and automotive industries rely heavily on aluminium alloys because of their advantageous physical and mechanical properties. This paper presents studies on the performance of stir cast B4C (Boron carbide) and Gr (graphite) reinforced aluminium metal matrix composite (AMMC). Particulate reinforcement of B4C and Gr is in the ratio 2:1 (wt.%). Characterization of AMMC's mechanical properties reveals that the composite has enhanced mechanical properties compared to Al2618. Through Scanning electron microscope(SEM), it is identified that microstructure of AMMC and distribution of B4C and Gr particles in Al2618 are found to be uniform. Based on the results of the experiments, it was determined that the best AMMC mixture for improving the material's mechanical properties is a combination of B4C and Gr, with the proportions at 8:4. As a result, the automobile sector stands to benefit greatly from the use of this AMMC in the production of engine components.