bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Clinico-Pathologycal Study in Women with Hirsutism in a Rural Tertiary Hospital of Bangladesh
Authors: Walid KM
Published: September 2024

The objective of the study was to find out the status of clinical features, gonadotrophins, testosterone and ovarianultrasonography with hirsutism in female of Bangladesh, in addition to socio-demographic characteristics of the respondents.A descriptive cross-sectional record review was done among 51 patients with hirsutism in Diabetic Association MedicalCollege, Faridpur during the period from February, 2015 to April, 2017 using preformed checklist. History of ovariandysfunction and BMI were assessed and testosterone, LH, FSH and ovarian ultrasonography findings were recorded. Inclusioncriteria included hirsutism in reproductive age, between menarche to 40 years of age with exclusion of any known cause forhirsutism. Among the patients 16 (31.37%) were within twenty years and 30 (58.83%) were between twenty-one to thirty yearsof age. 7 (13.72%) patients were overweight and 31 (60.78%) patients were obese. 46 (90.2%) patients had eitheroligomenorrhoea or amenorrhea. Only 5 (9.8%) of the patient had raised testosterone while 43 (84.31%) had LH:FSH >1.Abdominal ultrasonography showed 17 (33.33%) patients had obvious polycystic ovary and 20 (39.22%) had normal ovary.Polycystic ovarian syndrome is the commonest cause of hirsutism in Bangladesh. Usually the patients are below thirty years ofage and above normal bodyweight, most of them have altered LH to FSH ratio but not raised testosterone.
Study on Knowledge, Attitude and Practice of Mothers on the Use of Oral Rehydration Salt (ORS) in Children with Diarrhoea
Authors: Miah MAM
Published: September 2024

This descriptive cross sectional study was carried out among 394 purposively selected mothers in a rural area of Jakigong,Sylhet to study the status of knowledge, attitude and practice of mother on Oral Rehydration Salt (ORS) in diarrhoea. Data werecollected by face to face interview by using a semi structured questionnaire. About 68.3% mothers defined diarrhoeaappropriately and majority (88.8%) of the respondents used ORS till diarrhea cure. Among the respondents majority (93.4%)said right answer and rest (6.4%) of them gave wrong answer regarding amount of water use for ORS preparation. About 16.5%used boiled cool water, 11.2% used tap water and 72.3% were used tube-well water to dissolve packet ORS. Only 37.6%mothers use ½ liter water bottle for measuring of water. Although 33% knew that the prepared ORS could be used for 6 hoursand 28.4% didn't know about it. Most (82.7%) of the mother used handmade ORS when packed ORS were not available. About95.5% reported that ORS is good in diarrhea and 86% did not stop ORS feeding during diarrhea. About half of the respondentsconsult with their doctor, 47.7% feed at home and only 1.5% waits when their children suffer from diarrhoea and dehydration.About 58.6% did not stop ORS feeding during vomiting and 41.4% stopped it during vomiting. Among all the respondents72.1% used anti-diarrheal drug during diarrhea and 27.9% didn't use any drug. Awareness campaigns can improve the use ofORS and can pay regular visits by the health workers can improve knowledge, attitude as well as practice regarding the use ofORS among rural people.
Evaluation of Efficacy and Safety of Methyldopa and Labetalol in the Management of Pregnancy Induced Hypertension
Authors: lslam R
Published: September 2024

The aim of the study was to compare the efficacy and compliance of methyldopa and labetalol in controlling blood pressure inpregnancy induced hypertension (PIH). A total of 120 patients having pregnancy induced hypertension (PIH) were taken anddivided in to two groups. Group A was given Tab. Methyldopa 250mg and group B Tab. Labetalol 100 mg. In both the groupsnd th stpre and post treatment blood pressure was measured on day 2 , 7 and day 21 was compared. Reduction of blood pressure andside effects of methyldopa and labetalol were observed. The mean pre treatment blood pressure in group A was 157/104±10th th stmmHg which was reduced to 137/89±10 mmHg on 48 hours, 127/85±10 mmHg by 7 day and 120/78±10 mmHg by the 21thday. In group B mean pre treatment blood pressure was 162/108±10 mmHg which was reduced to 130/84±10 mmHg on 48sthours, 122/80±10 mmHg by 7th day and 115/74±10 mmHg by the 21 day. Methyldopa and Labetalol have effectivelycontrolled the blood pressure in pregnancy induced hypertensive patients. The level of blood pressure in pregnancy inducedhypertensive patients in both Methyldopa and Labetalol treated groups were significantly reduced after intervention but nostatistically significant difference was observed between the two groups. The present study indicates that both Methyldopa andLabetalol reduced the blood pressure in PIH patients.
Bartter Syndrome
Authors: Saha B K
Published: September 2024

In 1962 Bartter et al. described a new disease entity in two African American who presented with metabolic alkalosis,hyperplasia of juxtaglomerular apparatus, and normotensive hyperaldosteronism. Over the years, several phenotypic andgenotypic variants of the original descriptions of Bartters syndrome (BS) have been identified. It is an uncommon inheritedrenal tubular disorder with hyponatremia, hypokalemia, hypochloremic metabolic alkalosis, hypereninemia with normalblood pressure associated with increased urinary loss of sodium, potassium, calcium and chloride. A history of consanguineousmarriage is present in many families. Most cases of BS are present in neonates. Prenatally, neonatal BS can be diagnosed byfinding elevated amniotic fluid chloride and aldosterone levels.
Anxiety Disorder among Urban Elderly People
Authors: howdhury S
Published: September 2024

Objective: To determine the level of anxiety disorder among urban elderly people in addition to socio-demographic characteristics and chronic associated diseases.

Methods: This cross sectional study was conducted among 120 elderly people in urban area of Chittagong city (Bakolia, Chawkbazar) using convenient sampling. Face to face interview was done with semi structural questionnaire and a Geriatric Anxiety Scale to assess anxiety status. Data analysis was done with Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS).

Results: Out of 120 respondents females were higher in number which was 63(52%). Around 86(71.7%) respondents were in 60-69 age groups. In urban area 41(34%) did not have anxiety disorder, while 60(50%) respondents had mild anxiety disorder, 16(13%) had moderate and 3(3%) had severe anxiety disorder. Respondent who were concerned about their finance 61(71.8%) had anxiety disorder. On the other hand 70(68%) respondents were concerned about their health that caused anxiety.

Conclusion: The study findings emphasized the need of attention and demand extended mental health care services for this group of elderly people.
Pulmonary Sarcoidosis with Extra-pulmonary Involvement of Supra- clavicular Lymphnode
Authors: Biswas M A
Published: September 2024

This is a case report of pulmonary sarcoidosis as bilateral hilar lymphadenopathy with extrapulmonary involvement of rightsupraclavicular lymph node. Patient was 32 years old, male, ex-smoker, government service holder hailing from Faridpur andpresented with fever, cough, shortness of breath & supraclaviclar lymphadenopathy. Chest x-ray P/A view showed bilateralhilar lymphadenopathy with pulmonary infiltrations. Serum ACE level was high. Lymph node biopsy is suggestive ofsarcoidosis. Patient responded to steroid.
Violencia política digital contra las mujeres en Costa Rica (2022-2023).
Authors: Salazar-Aguilar José Pablo , Orellana Orellana Adriana , Castillo Alfaro Nazira
Published: September 2024

La dinámica digital se ha caracterizado por el acoso, amenazas, insultos, vulneración de datos privados son prácticas de todos los días en el mundo entero, principalmente de hombres contra las mujeres. Dicho fenómeno está siendo estudiado desde diferentes focos y no debe ser normalizada ni minimizada en la carrera hacia la transformación digital del mundo físico. Solo en Costa Rica, en el último año, se registraron 1.405.668 conversaciones con odio y lenguaje discriminatorio, lo que significa un incremento del 255 % en relación con 2021. La presente investigación analiza el 100 % de la escucha digital política de Costa Rica durante un año, es decir, un volumen de 495.257 menciones públicas sin spam de troles y bots, mediante técnicas que combinan tecnología e ingenio humano. Las mujeres políticas y lideresas costarricenses que intervienen en el debate de ideas son quienes más violencia padecen por diferentes causales que se examinan, con base en decisiones y retóricas coyunturales de la política nacional, al tiempo que la violencia digital permanece como práctica estructural que se intensifica cada día con consecuencias reales y totalizantes de nuevo en el mundo material. Se reflexiona acá sobre dicha realidad y se aportan seis tácticas para cimentar una contranarrativa al odio cultural offline que se ha imbricado en lo digital.
A flexible piezoelectric/pyroelectric dual-function sensor with high temperature resistance
Authors: Li Yin-Hui , Yin Rong-Yan , Liang Jian-Guo , Li Wei-Dong , Fan Kai , Zhou Yun-Lei ,   Micro-Nano System Research Center, School of Electronic Information and Optical Engineering, Taiyuan University of Technology, Taiyuan 030024, China,   Hangzhou Institute of Technology, Xidian University, Hangzhou 311231, China
Published: September 2024

Most of existing piezoelectric polymers have low glass transition temperatures, so they can only operate at lower temperatures (<150 ℃). Once the operating temperature is exceeded, the piezoelectric performance of the device rapidly decreases. At higher temperatures, dense chain motion can interfere with the orientation of dipoles, thus limiting the development of polymer based high-temperature piezoelectric sensors. High-temperature piezoelectric sensor devices are entirely made of inorganic materials, however, inorganic materials are rigid and can only work under small strains. Therefore, enhancing the temperature resistance of piezoelectric polmers and constructing piezoelectric asymmetric structure are the key to fabricating flexible high-temperature resistant piezoelectric/pyroelectric dual functional sensors. In this study, polyacrylonitrile (PAN) nanofiber film is prepared by electrospinning, and then subjected to heat treatment through programmed temperature control. The effects of the different heat-treatment temperatures on the mechanical and electrical performance of PAN nanofiber film are studied systematically, and the results show that PAN high temperature resistant flexible nanofiber film sensors can be used in high temperature environments (>500 ℃). Its output performance is improved with the increase of heat treatment temperature (<260 ℃) and then basically remains unchanged in a temperature range of 260–450 ℃. Finally, the output performance decreases at temperatures higher than 450 ℃. When the heat treatment temperature reaches 260 ℃, the output voltage increases to 10.08 V, and current reaches 2.89 μA. Compared with those of the untreated PAN membranes , its output voltage and current are increase by 3.54 times and 2.83 times, respectively. At the same time, the output of the PAN high temperature resistant flexible nanofiber film sensors is almost unchanged in the high-temperature environments. This is the first time that the pyroelectric effect has been observed in heat-treated PAN nanofiber films and both the open-circuit voltage and short-circuit current have been shown to increase with temperature gradient increasing. Besides, the PAN nanofiber film sensors have durability of more than 5000 cycles at room temperature(25 ℃) even at high temperature (400 ℃). Overall, good flexible, high-temperature resistance, and bifunctional sensing ability make PAN flexible nanofiber film sensors expected to be widely used in high temperature environments such as fire safety, aerospace and other harsh environment.
Investigation of Spatiotemporal Gait Characteristics, Balance, and Pain in Forefoot and Rearfoot Problems: Preliminary Results
Authors: Yıldız Sulenur , Kirdi Elif , Topuz Semra , Bek Nilgun
Published: September 2024

Background: Foot problems are common in the general adult population. Whereas older people experience foot problems because of multiple chronic diseases, younger people often have musculoskeletal foot problems related to overuse. Symptoms and severity may differ depending on the anatomical location of the problem, such as forefoot and rearfoot problems. We aimed to compare the differences in spatiotemporal gait characteristics, balance, and pain in musculoskeletal forefoot and rearfoot problems.

Methods: Twenty-six patients with forefoot (14 participants) and rearfoot (12 participants) problems participated in this prospective study. Spatiotemporal gait characteristics (velocity, cadence, step time, step length, step-extremity ratio, stride length, base support, percentage of swing phase, percentage of stance phase, swing time, and stance time) were evaluated using an electronic walkway, and balance assessment was made using a balance check screener and trainer. The visual analog scale foot and ankle was used to determine patient pain levels. The Mann-Whitney U test was used to determine differences between groups.

Results: There were no significant differences between groups regarding spatiotemporal gait characteristics (P > .05). The eyes closed normal stability and eyes open perturbed stability scores were lower in patients with rearfoot problems (P < .05). Pain intensity evaluated with the visual analog scale foot and ankle was higher in patients with rearfoot problems (P < .05).

Conclusions: Pain levels and balance deficits in this study were higher in patients with rearfoot problems. The balance evaluation and possible effects of pain management on balance should be considered, especially in patients with rearfoot problems, in aspects of treatment.
Serous Atrophy of Bone Marrow in the Feet Diagnosed via Magnetic Resonance Imaging: A Case Report
Authors: Han George J. , Joshi Ganesh M. , Tai Ryan
Published: September 2024

Serous atrophy of bone marrow (SABM) is characterized by focal replacement of bone marrow elements with extracellular gelatinous substances. It has been associated with a wide range of chronic conditions, including anorexia nervosa, malignancy, chronic kidney disease, and certain chronic infections. Previous literature has reported the disorder as primarily diagnosed via bone marrow biopsy and occurring outside of the distal extremities. Herein we describe a case of SABM occurring in the feet diagnosed via magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), a phenomenon that is rarely reported. The patient is a 45-year-old woman with a history of end-stage renal disease, congestive heart failure, type 2 diabetes, and peripheral arterial disease who initially presented with nonhealing, bilateral foot ulcers. She subsequently underwent several podiatric medical surgeries due to persistent foot infections and poor wound healing. During her most recent hospitalization, MRIs of her feet were obtained, and findings of abnormal bone marrow signal were attributed to technical malfunction of the MRI coil or scanner. After troubleshooting sources of malfunction, a repeated MRI of the foot was obtained and again demonstrated the same bone marrow signal abnormalities; at this time, SABM was diagnosed. Knowledge of this condition can prevent the misinterpretation of SABM on MRI and prevent the waste of time and medical resources.
Mir221/222 drive synovial hyperplasia and arthritis by targeting cell cycle inhibitors and chromatin remodeling components
Authors: Roumelioti Fani , Tzaferis Christos , Konstantopoulos Dimitris , Papadopoulou Dimitra , Prados Alejandro , Sakkou Maria , Liakos Anastasios , Chouvardas Panagiotis , Meletakos Theodore , Pandis Yiannis , Karagianni Niki , Denis Maria C , Fousteri Maria , Armaka Maria , Kollias George
Published: September 2024

miRNAs constitute fine-tuners of gene expression and are implicated in a variety of diseases spanning from inflammation to cancer. miRNA expression is deregulated in rheumatoid arthritis (RA); however, their specific role in key arthritogenic cells such as the synovial fibroblast (SF) remains elusive. Previous studies have shown that Mir221/222 expression is upregulated in RA SFs. Here, we demonstrate that TNF and IL-1β but not IFN-γ activated Mir221/222 gene expression in murine SFs. SF-specific overexpression of Mir221/222 in huTNFtg mice led to further expansion of SFs and disease exacerbation, while its total ablation led to reduced SF expansion and attenuated disease. Mir221/222 overexpression altered the SF transcriptional profile igniting pathways involved in cell cycle and ECM (extracellular matrix) regulation. Validation of targets of Mir221/222 revealed cell cycle inhibitors Cdkn1b and Cdkn1c, as well as the epigenetic regulator Smarca1. Single-cell ATAC-seq data analysis revealed increased Mir221/222 gene activity in pathogenic SF subclusters and transcriptional regulation by Rela, Relb, Junb, Bach1, and Nfe2l2. Our results establish an SF-specific pathogenic role of Mir221/222 in arthritis and suggest that its therapeutic targeting in specific subpopulations could lead to novel fibroblast-targeted therapies.
UPRER–immunity axis acts as physiological food evaluation system that promotes aversion behavior in sensing low-quality food
Authors: Liu Pengfei , Liu Xinyi , Qi Bin
Published: September 2024

To survive in challenging environments, animals must develop a system to assess food quality and adjust their feeding behavior accordingly. However, the mechanisms that regulate this chronic physiological food evaluation system, which monitors specific nutrients from ingested food and influences food-response behavior, are still not fully understood. Here, we established a low-quality food evaluation assay system and found that heat-killed E. coli (HK-E. coli), a low-sugar food, triggers cellular UPRER and immune response. This encourages animals to avoid low-quality food. The physiological system for evaluating low-quality food depends on the UPRER (IRE-1/XBP-1) - Innate immunity (PMK-1/p38 MAPK) axis, particularly its neuronal function, which subsequently regulates feeding behaviors. Moreover, animals can adapt to a low-quality food environment through sugar supplementation, which inhibits the UPRER -PMK-1 regulated stress response by increasing vitamin C biosynthesis. This study reveals the role of the cellular stress response pathway as physiological food evaluation system for assessing nutritional deficiencies in food, thereby enhancing survival in natural environments.
The potassium channel subunit KV1.8 (Kcna10) is essential for the distinctive outwardly rectifying conductances of type I and II vestibular hair cells
Authors: Martin Hannah R , Lysakowski Anna , Eatock Ruth Anne
Published: September 2024

In amniotes, head motions and tilt are detected by two types of vestibular hair cells (HCs) with strikingly different morphology and physiology. Mature type I HCs express a large and very unusual potassium conductance, g
K,L
, which activates negative to resting potential, confers very negative resting potentials and low input resistances, and enhances an unusual non-quantal transmission from type I cells onto their calyceal afferent terminals. Following clues pointing to K
V
1.8 (KCNA10) in the Shaker K channel family as a candidate g
K,L
subunit, we compared whole-cell voltage-dependent currents from utricular hair cells of K
V
1.8-null mice and littermate controls. We found that K
V
1.8 is necessary not just for g
K,L
but also for fast- inactivating and delayed rectifier currents in type II HCs, which activate positive to resting potential. The distinct properties of the three K
V
1.8-dependent conductances may reflect different mixing with other K
V
subunits that are reported to be differentially expressed in type I and II HCs. In K
V
1.8-null HCs of both types, residual outwardly rectifying conductances include K
V
7 (KCNQ) channels.Current clamp records show that in both HC types, K
V
1.8-dependent conductances increase the speed and damping of voltage responses. Features that speed up vestibular receptor potentials and non-quantal afferent transmission may have helped stabilize locomotion as tetrapods moved from water to land.
Identification of novel myelodysplastic syndromes prognostic subgroups by integration of inflammation, cell-type composition, and immune signatures in the bone marrow
Authors: Gerlevik Sila , Seymen Nogayhan , Hama Shan , Mumtaz Warisha , Thompson I Richard , Jalili Seyed R , Kaya Deniz E , Iacoangeli Alfredo , Pellagatti Andrea , Boultwood Jacqueline , Napolitani Giorgio , Mufti Ghulam J , Karimi Mohammad M
Published: September 2024

Mutational profiles of myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) have established that a relatively small number of genetic aberrations, including SF3B1 and SRSF2 spliceosome mutations, lead to specific phenotypes and prognostic subgrouping. We performed a multi-omics factor analysis (MOFA) on two published MDS cohorts of bone marrow mononuclear cells (BMMNCs) and CD34 + cells with three data modalities (clinical, genotype, and transcriptomics). Seven different views, including immune profile, inflammation/aging, retrotransposon (RTE) expression, and cell-type composition, were derived from these modalities to identify the latent factors with significant impact on MDS prognosis. SF3B1 was the only mutation among 13 mutations in the BMMNC cohort, indicating a significant association with high inflammation. This trend was also observed to a lesser extent in the CD34 + cohort. Interestingly, the MOFA factor representing the inflammation shows a good prognosis for MDS patients with high inflammation. In contrast, SRSF2 mutant cases show a granulocyte-monocyte progenitor (GMP) pattern and high levels of senescence, immunosenescence, and malignant myeloid cells, consistent with their poor prognosis. Furthermore, MOFA identified RTE expression as a risk factor for MDS. This work elucidates the efficacy of our integrative approach to assess the MDS risk that goes beyond all the scoring systems described thus far for MDS.
Encoding of cerebellar dentate neuron activity during visual attention in rhesus macaques
Authors: Flierman Nico A , Koay Sue Ann , van Hoogstraten Willem S , Ruigrok Tom JH , Roelfsema Pieter , Badura Aleksandra , De Zeeuw Chris I
Published: September 2024

The role of cerebellum in controlling eye movements is well established, but its contribution to more complex forms of visual behavior has remained elusive. To study cerebellar activity during visual attention we recorded extracellular activity of dentate nucleus (DN) neurons in two non-human primates (NHPs). NHPs were trained to read the direction indicated by a peripheral visual stimulus while maintaining fixation at the center, and report the direction of the cue by performing a saccadic eye movement into the same direction following a delay. We found that single-unit DN neurons modulated spiking activity over the entire time course of the task, and that their activity often bridged temporally separated intra-trial events, yet in a heterogeneous manner. To better understand the heterogeneous relationship between task structure, behavioral performance, and neural dynamics, we constructed a behavioral, an encoding, and a decoding model. Both NHPs showed different behavioral strategies, which influenced the performance. Activity of the DN neurons reflected the unique strategies, with the direction of the visual stimulus frequently being encoded long before an upcoming saccade. Moreover, the latency of the ramping activity of DN neurons following presentation of the visual stimulus was shorter in the better performing NHP. Labeling with the retrograde tracer Cholera Toxin B in the recording location in the DN indicated that these neurons predominantly receive inputs from Purkinje cells in the D1 and D2 zones of the lateral cerebellum as well as neurons of the principal olive and medial pons, all regions known to connect with neurons in the prefrontal cortex contributing to planning of saccades. Together, our results highlight that DN neurons can dynamically modulate their activity during a visual attention task, comprising not only sensorimotor but also cognitive attentional components.
Genetic investigation of population structure in Atlantic chub mackerel, Scomber colias Gmelin, 1789 along the West African coast
Authors: Sbiba Salah eddine , Quintela María , Øyro Johanne , Dahle Geir , Jurado-Ruzafa Alba , Iita Kashona , Nikolioudakis Nikolaos , Bazairi Hocein , Chlaida Malika
Published: September 2024

Sustainable management of transboundary fish stocks hinges on accurate delineation of population structure. Genetic analysis offers a powerful tool to identify potential subpopulations within a seemingly homogenous stock, facilitating the development of effective, coordinated management strategies across international borders. Along the West African coast, the Atlantic chub mackerel (Scomber colias) is a commercially important and ecologically significant species, yet little is known about its genetic population structure and connectivity. Currently, the stock is managed as a single unit in West African waters despite new research suggesting morphological and adaptive differences. Here, eight microsatellite loci were genotyped on 1,169 individuals distributed across 33 sampling sites from Morocco (27.39°N) to Namibia (22.21°S). Bayesian clustering analysis depicts one homogeneous population across the studied area with null overall differentiation (FST = 0.0001ns), which suggests panmixia and aligns with the migratory potential of this species. This finding has significant implications for the effective conservation and management of S. colias within a wide scope of its distribution across West African waters from the South of Morocco to the North-Centre of Namibia and underscores the need for increased regional cooperation in fisheries management and conservation.
The Effect of Teacher Coaching on Pedagogical Competence in Public Secondary Schools in Kenya
Authors: Omega Kennedy Amadi , Echaune Manasi , Kirwa Tecla
Published: September 2024

Aims: To determine the effect of teacher coaching on pedagogical competence in public secondary schools in Kenya.
Study Design: The study used mixed methods research design, grounded in pragmatism philosophical approach.
Place and Duration of Study: The study was carried out in Public Secondary Schools in Kenya from December 2023 to December 2024.
Methodology: Target population was 105,234 teachers from 8,933 public secondary schools in 47 counties in Kenya. A sample size of 440 respondents comprising 72 Principals, 184 teacher mentors and 184 novice/teacher mentees. Data were collected using focused group discussion (FGD) and online questionnaires and analyzed qualitatively in themes as well as quantitatively using frequencies, means, standard deviations, Pearson correlation, ANOVA and simple linear regression analysis.
Results: The findings revealed that teacher coaching has statistically significant effect on pedagogical competence in public secondary schools in Kenya, (t= 7.325, B=0.000) p = .0001).
Conclusion: The results suggest that teacher coaching has a significant effect on pedagogical competence. An increase of 1 unit in effects of Teacher coaching leads to an increase in pedagogical competence by 0.095 units. Further it was found most teachers had a good understanding of teacher coaching and had participated in teacher coaching practices which influenced their strong pedagogical competence. It was also found that some schools had adequate teacher coaching programmes in place.
Graduation Condition in Nigerian University: A Nudge towards Doctorateness?
Authors: Nnam Imaobong Judith
Published: September 2024

With the recent expansions in higher education, research has found quality of higher education to be a vital part in the growth of the knowledge economy which is hoped will find the solution to numerous challenges of the African nation. A step up in the graduation condition requiring doctoral student to publish and present a paper at a conference before graduation is hoped will bring a push in the quality of PhD. The study explains doctorateness and the associated theories of threshold and liminality. And these are used as a lens to examine the impact of the new graduation condition on the doctoral students to see if they experience liminality and if doctorateness is achieved. Using a mixed method which include interviews and questionnaires, four doctoral candidates’ supervisors and thirty doctoral candidates form the research sample. Specifically, the 2021/2022 cohorts are used given their experiences with these concepts. The study finds that the graduation condition nudges doctoral candidates into liminality and towards doctorateness. This quality is hoped will bring about the needed emancipation through knowledge. Recommendation includes among others, adoption of pedagogies which ensures early exposure to literature.
Effect of Mid-Season Drainage, Sulphate Addition and Blue Green Algae on the Yield, Methane Emission and Carbon Flux from Rice Fields
Authors: S. K. Natarajan, , J. Kavitha Mary, , K. Senthilraja, , K.S. Usharani, , V. Geethalakshmi, , J. Bhuvaneswari,
Published: September 2024

The current study was undertaken with the objective of estimating methane emission and carbon flux with modified management practices (mid season drainage, zero tillage and sulphate application) using DNDC model and calibration and validation of the model at field scale. Methane (CH4) and carbon dioxide (CO2), two greenhouse gases (GHG) linked to agricultural activities are key contributors to climate change caused by human activity. Crop management techniques such stubble manuring, puddling, sowing or transplanting, water management, and harvesting have a significant impact on the carbon exchange between rice fields and the atmosphere. Mid-season irrigation water pond draining stops the ongoing submergence. The research studies reported that mid-season drainage reduced CH4 emissions. Hence an experiment was conducted at Agricultural Research Station, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Bhavanisagar with an objective of identification of management practices which emits low level of methane gas from rice ecosystem using rice variety CO 50 as test crop and modified management practices and sulphate application as treatments. Biometric observations were recorded and methane emission was quantified at 15 days interval from transplanting to harvest. Ten clumps of rice plants were sampled and Photosynthetically Active Radiation (PAR) was recorded at 15 days interval. The DeNitrification-DeComposition (DNDC) model was run for the treatment conditions. The field observations revealed that methane emission was low (41%) in the treatment of mid-season drainage when compared to control. The combination of mid-season drainage as well as Blue Green Algae (BGA) + Methylotroph along with Recommended Dose of NPK (T7) application reduced the methane emission up to 48 per cent compared to control. The results generated from the DNDC model also revealed the similar results. The DNDC model captures the major impacts of water and N on GHG emissions from paddy cultivation. The analysis suggested that the model can be applied for studying the GHG related issues in rice cropping systems.
The Effect of Combination of Azotobacter, Trichoderma and Chemical Fertilizers on Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) Yield in Gwalior Region, Madhya Pradesh, India
Authors: Vidya Annabatula Sree , Sharma Jaidev
Published: September 2024

Aims: This study aims to evaluate the influence of Azotobacter and Trichoderma viride, along with chemical fertilizers, on wheat yield and economics in the Gwalior region of Madhya Pradesh, India.
Study Design: With ten treatment and three replications, the experiment was carried out using RBD (Randomized Block Design).
Place and Duration of Study: During the Rabi season of 2023, the field trial was carried out at the experimental field of Crop Research Centre (CRC) of ITM University in Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh.
Methodology: Different combinations of 50%, 75% and 100% recommended doses fertilisers, Azotobacter and Trichoderma viride, had been included in the treatments. The wheat variety Raj-4037 has been used and yield parameters were noted. Analysis was also done on economic variables.
Results: The treatment with 100% RDF + Azotobacter + Trichoderma viride (T8) produced the highest grain yield (4127.17 kg ha-1), straw yield (4474.35 kg ha-1), and biological yield (9162.91 kg ha-1). This treatment also achieved the highest gross income (₹119,071.87), net income (₹ 78,281.67), and benefit-cost ratio (1.92). The results indicated that combining microbial inoculants with chemical fertilizers significantly enhances wheat yield and economic returns.
Conclusion: The combined application of Azotobacter, Trichoderma viride, and chemical fertilizers significantly improves wheat yields and economic returns, making it a viable strategy for enhancing wheat productivity in the Gwalior region.
Attractiveness of Posed and Spontaneous Smiles in Orthodontic Patients: Insights from Dentists, Orthodontists, and Laypeople
Authors: Iunes Augusto , Cotrin Paula , Vercelino Celia Regina Maio Pinzan , Oliveira Renata Cristina Gobbi de , Oliveira Ricardo Gobbi de , Valarelli Fabricio Pinelli , Freitas Karina Maria Salvatore
Published: September 2024

Objective: The objective of this study was to compare the attractiveness of the posed and spontaneous smile at the end of orthodontic treatment in the view of dentists, orthodontists, and laypersons.
Methods: The sample comprised the photographs and videos of 5 orthodontically treated patients, capturing the posed and the spontaneous smiles. The smile attractiveness was judged using a scale from 0 to 10, with 0 being the least attractive and 10 being the most attractive. One hundred fifty-nine dentists, 191 orthodontists, and 126 laypeople of both sexes evaluated the smiles on a google forms questionnaire sent by Whatsapp. The age range of the evaluators varied from 18 to 70 years of age. A T-test was used to compare the attractiveness score between the posed and the spontaneous smiles. One-way ANOVA and Tukey tests were used to compare the attractiveness scores of the posed and spontaneous smiles between the three groups of evaluators.
Results: The spontaneous smile was significantly more attractive than the posed smile, and there was no difference in the attractiveness of the posed smiles between dentists, orthodontists, and laypeople. Laypeople considered spontaneous smiles significantly more attractive than dentists, and dentists also found them significantly more attractive than orthodontists.
Conclusion: The spontaneous smile was considered more attractive than the posed smile in orthodontically treated patients.
Phytotoxic Effect of Paperboard Effluent on Seed Germination and Seedling Growth of Gingelly Crop (Sesamum indicum L. Var. VRI 4)
Authors: Vaishnavi P. , Rajammal T. Sherene Jenita , Baskar M.
Published: September 2024

The present study has been conducted to assess the impact of treated paperboard effluent on the seed germination and seedling growth of the gingelly (Sesamum indicum L. var. VRI 4). This large amount of wastewater must be treated to meet environmental quality standards before reusing it. In the last ten years, many regions in India have experienced repeated droughts. Consequently, the shortage of irrigation water has prompted the search for alternative irrigation methods to sustain crop production. An experiment was conducted with the different concentrations viz., 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100% along with a control. The treated paperboard effluent was analyzed for characteristics such as color, pH, electrical conductivity (EC), total solids (TS), total dissolved solids (TDS), total suspended solids(TSS), chemical oxygen demand (COD), biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), dissolved oxygen (DO), calcium (Ca2+), magnesium(Mg2+), sodium(Na+), potassium(K+), chloride(Cl-), sulphate(SO42-), carbonate(CO32-), bicarbonate(HCO3-) and micronutrients. The growth parameters such as germination percentage, seedling vigor, shoot length, root length, fresh and dry weight, tolerance index, and phytotoxicity were measured at 14th DAS (days after sowing). The results indicate that lower concentrations of treated paperboard effluent significantly increase the percentage of seed germination and other growth parameters, but increasing concentrations decrease the germination and other growth parameters.
Effect of Embedding Media on the Quality of Tinted Chrysanthemum (Dendranthema grandiflorum) cv. Pusa Shwet Flowers Dried in Hot Air Oven
Authors: Singh Jujhar , Saini Prabhjot , Kaur Harpreet
Published: September 2024

To enhance the aesthetic beauty of chrysanthemum (Dendranthema grandiflorum) cv. Pusa Shwet, tinting is successful approach to achieve desired colors at post harvest stage. Artificial colouring to white flowers fetches more prices as compared to white florets. To preserve tinted chrysanthemum flowers for long time, drying medias with different combinations were used in the experiment entitled, “Effect of embedding media on the quality of tinted chrysanthemum (Dendranthema grandiflorum) cv. Pusa Shwet flowers” in hot air oven. To determine the best colour and embedding media in hot air oven, six different combinations were used for drying tinted chrysanthemum flowers i.e., sand, borax, silica gel, sand + borax (1:1v/v), sand + silica gel (1:1v/v), borax + silica gel (1:1v/v). The data was recorded on different parameters like percentage moisture loss, sensory parameters and percent reducing sugar were subjected to analysis with Factorial CRD. The findings of experiment concluded that sand is the most suitable media for drying tinted chrysanthemum flowers in hot air oven. Among used edible food dye colours, yellow colour showed more uniform colour on florets of chrysanthemum when dried in hot air oven.
Diversifikasi Olahan Bawang: Upaya Peningkatan Manfaat dan Nilai Ekonomi
Authors: Rosyidah Afifah , Ediati Ratna , Murwani Irmina Kris
Published: September 2024

Bawang putih dan bawang merah banyak digunakan sebagai penyedap alami karena mempunyai rasa yang kuat pada bumbu alami berbagai jenis masakan. Menambahkan bawang putih atau bawang merah pada berbagai jenis masakan apapun akan menghasilkan aroma dan rasanya menjadi lebih gurih, nikmat dan lezat, baik pada berbagai menu rebusan maupun tumisan. Kian hari harga bawang terus bergerak meningkat, keadaan ini seringkali terjadi akibat pasokan yang semakin berkurang di pasaran. Curah hujan yang tidak stabil di beberapa wilayah, kenaikan bahan bakar transportasi, serta musim panen yang mulai berakhir di beberapa sentra penghasil bawang merupakan faktor dominan naik turunnya harga bawang putih dan bawang merah ini.  Keadaan ini seringkali membuat kuwatir para pelaku UMKM kuliner, ibu rumah tangga bahkan industri makanan rumahan, termasuk kelompok usaha yang bergerak di sektor makanan, tidak terkecuali UMKM kuliner yang ada di wilayah Keputih Surabaya; mengingat fungsi penting bawang pada bumbu makanan-makanan yang diolah. Keadaan tersebut terkadang menjadi pilihan yang sangat sulit, di satu sisi kalau harga jual dinaikkan konsumen cenderung lari namun apabila tidak dinaikkan harga jualnya maka untuk modal berikutnya UMKM ini akan mengalami kesulitan. Oleh karena itu biasanya diambil jalan tengah, harga tetap namun ukuran penjualan ke konsumen agak dikurangi. Pelaksanaan Kegiataan Pengabdian Kepada Masyarakat berbasis Produk ini didasarkan sebagai fasilitas memberikan solusi permasalahan-permasalahan tersebut, sehingga upaya kelangsungan kegiatan jual beli yang selama ini telah dilakukan tidak terhenti dan upaya untuk terus meningkatkan pendapatan masyarakat dapat terlaksana. Pada kegiaatan ini melibatkan UMKM kuliner, pemasok bawang, ibu-ibu PKK, karang taruna dan remaja di wilayah Keputih Surabaya; yang tertarik untuk mengembangkan modifikasi dan diversifikasi olahan bawang. Teknologi pengelolaan dalam modifikasi dan diversifikasi olahan bawang yang dimaksud adalah transfer ilmu dan metoda serta pendampingan yang terus-menerus dilakukan oleh pengabdi mulai dari awal stok bawang segar diterima, cara penyimpanan, pengelolaan suhu dan kelembaban, proses produksi serta variasi modifikasi produk olahan bawang; tidak hanya bawang goreng namun bisa juga diolah menjadi bawang serbuk, pasta bawang, minyak bawang ataupun bawang aneka rasa. Produk ini juga akan dianalisa komposisi hasil produksi yang didapatkan serta terus menerus dimonitor supaya sesuai dengan SNI sehingga memenuhi kecukupan gizinya.
Edukasi Pelaporan Perpajakan Pekerja Gereja untuk Meningkatkan Kepatuhan Pajak
Authors: Dogi Dean Charlos Padji , Mangoting Yenni , Widuri Retnaningtyas , Toly Agus Arianto
Published: September 2024

Terdapat kesenjangan pengetahuan yang signifikan dalam memahami kewajiban untuk mendaftarkan diri guna memperoleh Nomor Pokok Wajib Pajak (NPWP) bagi orang pribadi yang telah memenuhi persyaratan subjektif dan objektif sesuai dengan ketentuan perpajakan. Kesenjangan ini menyebabkan tingkat ketidakpatuhan perpajakan yang tinggi, khususnya di kalangan pekerja gereja, yang sering kali belum sepenuhnya memahami tanggung jawab perpajakan mereka. Akibat dari ketidakpahaman ini adalah ketidakpatuhan yang berpotensi menimbulkan masalah hukum dan finansial di kemudian hari. Oleh karena itu, pengabdian masyarakat ini bertujuan untuk meningkatkan pemahaman dan kepatuhan perpajakan para pekerja gereja dalam melaksanakan kewajiban pelaporan Surat Pemberitahuan Tahunan (SPT) Wajib Pajak Orang Pribadi. Kegiatan ini dilaksanakan melalui dua tahap edukasi yang terstruktur. Pada tahap pertama, pekerja gereja diberikan pemahaman mendalam mengenai konsep dasar perpajakan, yang mencakup definisi, tujuan, serta manfaat pajak bagi pembangunan negara Indonesia. Selain itu, mereka juga dibekali dengan pengetahuan tentang kewajiban gereja atau organisasi pengelola gereja untuk melakukan pemotongan pajak sesuai dengan peraturan yang berlaku, termasuk peran mereka sebagai pemotong pajak yang sah. Pada tahap kedua, para pekerja gereja mengikuti pelatihan praktis pengisian SPT 1770, yang difasilitasi oleh mahasiswa, dosen, dan praktisi perpajakan berpengalaman. Hasil dari kegiatan pengabdian masyarakat ini menunjukkan antusiasme yang tinggi dari para pekerja gereja dalam memahami berbagai aspek kewajiban perpajakan, serta peningkatan kemampuan mereka dalam melaksanakan kewajiban pelaporan SPT 1770 dengan benar.
A mutant form of 3-ketosteroid-Δ1-dehydrogenase gives altered androst-1,4-diene-3, 17-dione/androst-4-ene-3,17-dione molar ratios in steroid biotransformations by Mycobacterium neoaurum ST-095
Authors: Shao Minglong , Zhang Xian , Rao Zhiming , Xu Meijuan , Yang Taowei , Li Hui , Xu Zhenghong , Yang Shangtian
Published: February 2016

Mycobacterium neoaurum ST-095 and its mutant M. neoaurum JC-12, capable of transforming phytosterol to androst-1,4-diene-3,17-dione (ADD) and androst-4-ene-3,17-dione (AD), produce very different molar ratios of ADD/AD. The distinct differences were related to the enzyme activity of 3-ketosteroid-Δ1-dehydrogenase (KSDD), which catalyzes the C1,2 dehydrogenation of AD to ADD specifically. In this study, by analyzing the primary structure of KSDDI (from M. neoaurum ST-095) and KSDDII (from M. neoaurum JC-12), we found the only difference between KSDDI and KSDDII was the mutation of Val366 to Ser366. This mutation directly affected KSDD enzyme activity, and this result was confirmed by heterologous expression of these two enzymes in Bacillus subtilis. Assay of the purified recombinant enzymes showed that KSDDII has a higher C1,2 dehydrogenation activity than KSDDI. The functional difference between KSDDI and KSDDII in phytosterol biotransformation was revealed by gene disruption and complementation. Phytosterol transformation results demonstrated that ksdd  I and ksdd  II gene disrupted strains showed similar ADD/AD molar ratios, while the ADD/AD molar ratios of the ksdd  I and ksdd  II complemented strains were restored to their original levels. These results proved that the different ADD/AD molar ratios of these two M. neoaurum strains were due to the differences in KSDD. Finally, KSDD structure analysis revealed that the Val366Ser mutation could possibly play an important role in stabilizing the active center and enhancing the interaction of AD and KSDD. This study provides a reliable theoretical basis for understanding the structure and catalytic mechanism of the Mycobacteria KSDD enzyme.
Metabolic engineering ofRhodopseudomonas palustris for squalene production
Authors: Xu Wen , Chai Changbin , Shao Lingqiao , Yao Jia , Wang Yang
Published: February 2016

Squalene is a strong antioxidant used extensively in the food, cosmetic and medicine industries. Rhodopseudomonas palustris TIE-1 was used as the host because of its ability to grow photosynthetically using solar energy and carbon dioxide from atmosphere. The deletion of the shc gene resulted in a squalene production of 3.8 mg/g DCW, which was 27-times higher than that in the wild type strain. For constructing a substrate channel to elevate the conversion efficiency, we tried to fuse crtE gene with hpnD gene. By fusing the two genes, squalene content was increased to 12.6 mg/g DCW, which was 27.4 % higher than that resulted from the co-expression method. At last, the titer of squalene reached 15.8 mg/g DCW by co-expressing the dxs gene, corresponding to 112-fold increase relative to that for wild-type strain. This study provided novel strategies for improving squalene yield and demonstrated the potential of producing squalene by Rhodopseudomonas palustris.
Clinical management of endometriosis‐associated infertility
Authors: Khine Yin Mon , Taniguchi Fuminori , Harada Tasuku
Published: February 2016

Endometriosis is a common chronic benign disease that affects reproductive age women and causes chronic pelvic pain and infertility. Despite its prevalence, the exact mechanisms of the pathogenesis of endometriosis‐associated infertility are unknown, and precise standards of management have not yet been established. Medical and surgical treatments for endometriosis have different effects on the chance of conception, either spontaneously or via assisted reproductive technologies (ART). In this manuscript, we review the literature from years 1979 to 2015 to report on the proposed mechanism of endometriosis‐associated infertility, the staging system of endometriosis for pregnancy outcomes and the current management of patients with endometriosis‐associated infertility.
Developmental lead exposure and lifespan alterations in epigenetic regulators and their correspondence to biomarkers of Alzheimer's disease
Authors: Eid Aseel , Bihaqi Syed Waseem , Renehan William E. , Zawia Nasser H.
Published: February 2016

Introduction

Early life lead (Pb) exposure results in a latent increase in Alzheimer's disease (AD)–related proteins, and cognitive deficits late in life in both rodents and primates. This study was conducted to investigate if these late life changes were accompanied by epigenetic alterations.

Methods

Western blot analysis and RT‐PCR were used to measure Deoxyribonucleic acid methylation regulators (DNMT1, DNMT3a, MeCP2, MAT2A) and histone proteins (H3K9Ac, H3K4me2, H3K27me3).

Results

Cerebral levels of DNMT1 and MeCP2 were significantly reduced in mice exposed to Pb early in life, whereas the expression of DNMT3a was not altered. Levels of MAT2a were increased in the Pb‐exposed mice across the lifespan. H3K9Ac and H3K4me2, involved in gene activation, were decreased, whereas the repressive mark H3K27me3 was elevated.

Discussion

Epigenetic modifiers are affected by the developmental exposure to Pb and may play a role in mediating the latent increases in AD‐related proteins in the brain.