bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Baritone in M. Lysenko’s vocal chamber works
Authors: Dmytro Makliuk
Published: August 2022

Statement of the problem. Mykola Lysenko (1842–1912) as the founder of Ukrainian musical culture has a multifaceted influence on the development of most of its genres. A significant part of M. Lysenko’s creative heritage consists of vocal genres, including opera and cantata, ensembles, choirs, solo art songs, and folk arrangements. This fact is quite natural, since the composer built his creative method on the basis of a thorough study and assimilation of Ukrainian song folklore. Despite the regular coverage in the musicological literature of various aspects related to M. Lysenko’s heritage, in particular chamber vocal works (the recent monographs by R. Skorulska & M. Chueva (2015), S. Verhun, I. Koliada, & Yu. Koliada (2015), articles by H. Karas (2019), L. Bozhko (2013), B. Filts (2014), N. Kharandiuk (2013), B. Kosopud (2017), V. Mitiushkin (2020), Ye. Avramenko (2020), A. Polkanov (2021), O. Bassa (2011) and others), the issues related to the role of the baritone in the composer’s solo songs were actually not involved in scientific studies. Such a situation encourages the intensification of research in the indicated direction and determines the scientific novelty of the obtained results. The purpose of this study is to determine the peculiarities of the baritone’s role in M. Lysenko’s solo songs. The research methods that contributed to the achievement of it were the musicological, semantic and comparative analysis of selected samples of M. Lysenko’s chamber vocal work, as well as the technological analysis of the vocal timbre-role specificity. Results and conclusions. The characteristic features of Lysenko’s vocal chamber works, which relate to the selection of poetic texts, genre typology, and the choice of timbres were examined in the study. Four solo songs for baritone were chosen for analysis. The selected samples were considered taking into account the following aspects: belonging to a certain genre group, ways of form organization, harmony features, nature of the piano texture. A separate point of analysis was the use of expressive capabilities of the baritone timbre in connection with the artistic intent of the songs and some technical characteristics of the voice: the covered range, registers, use of resonators, etc. The results of the analysis allowed us to come to the conclusion that in M. Lysenko’s chamber-vocal work, baritone solo songs are mostly “monologues” of dramatic and socially significant content. In order to embody the corresponding semantic content, the composer chooses namely the baritone – because the low register of the human voice or instruments in musical art often appears as a means of creating dramatic, tragic, philosophical images. So, the baritone in M. Lysenko’s chamber and vocal creative work is mainly the bearer of the lyrical and dramatic principle supplemented by a philosophical component.
Coryphaeus of the Kharkiv piano school. Nataliia Oleksandrivna Yeshchenko. A word about the teacher
Authors: Maryna Bevz
Published: August 2022

Statement of the problem. The article is devoted to the creative personality of Nataliia Oleksandrivna Yeshchenko (1926–2015), an outstanding musician and well-known teacher, Honored Art Worker of Ukraine, Professor of the Special Piano Department at Kharkiv I. P. Kotlyarevsky National University of Arts. The performance and teaching activities of N. Yeshchenko are studied in the context of the birth and development of the Kharkiv piano school. Modern Ukrainian musicology has a number of publications devoted both to the development of Kharkiv I. P. Kotlyarevsky National University of Arts over many years of its glorious history, and to the personalities who formed its composition, performance and pedagogical schools. In the field of piano art and pedagogy, the study of the Kharkiv piano school is carried out through understanding the works of its outstanding representatives. For example, substantial monographs by L. Lysenko, O. Kononova, N. Iniutochkyna, N. Rudenko and a team of authors led by L. Shubina are dedicated to such outstanding pianists as P. Lutsenko, V. Lozova, R. Horowitz, N. Yeshchenko, T. Verkina. The purpose of the article is to draw attention to the creative figure of Nataliia Yeshchenko, one of the most prominent teachers of the special piano department at Kharkiv I. P. Kotlyarevsky National University of Arts, to reveal the features of her performance and teaching activities, her role in the birth and development of the Kharkiv piano school. The theoretical ground of the study is based on the works on piano pedagogy and performance practice, reference books, archival materials, studies of Kharkiv musical culture and historiography of Kharkiv I. P. Kotlyarevsky National University of Arts at that time. The scientific novelty of the work is argued in a multifaceted analysis of Yeshchenko’s performance achievements and pedagogical principles, which developed in the further professional activities of her numerous pupils and in the formation of her own Yeshchenko’s school, as well as in the scientific use of materials from her personal archive. The personality-oriented research method made it possible to single out and comprehend individual episodes of her creative biography; the comparative method helped clarify her individual performance style and pedagogical principles of professional musician training; the historical and cultural approach contributed to the study of N. Yeshchenko’s creative personality in the context of the founding and growth of the Kharkiv piano school in the 2nd half of the twentieth century and led to the conclusion that she played an outstanding role in the development of musical culture and professional piano education in Ukraine at that time.
Behavior of hydropower plant "La Yesca" Mexico, after two year of built
Authors: Marengo-Mogollón Humberto , Constantino Rigoberto Rivera , López Évert V. Hernández , Sandoval Enrique Mena
Published: August 2022

This paper presents the program instrumentation, monitoring and performance of Hydropower Plant “La Yesca”, which is a concrete face rockfill dam, with 207,5 m high (inaugurated on November 6, 2012).  During de filling of the reservoir, high leaks where measured on the drainage gallery of the curtain and on the injection and drainage galleries, particularly on the right bank. To reduce the anomalous seepage in the galleries a series of studies were done to define the source of the leaks and implement corrective measures. Currently the embankments of the dam and the concrete face show a good behavior. They present less than 20 cm of maximum settlement from the reservoir filling and two years of operation. The instruments placed on the joints of the slabs of concrete face show less than 15 mm in opening or settlement as result of the good performance.
Sustentabilidade em sistemas de segurança do trabalho na construção civil
Authors: Ferreira Rafael Vaz , Pereira Vilmar Alves , Silva Rodrigo Florencio da
Published: August 2022

A segurança do trabalho é uma área de estudo de muita importância, visto que toda a economia mundial depende das atividades laborais e, com isso, torna-se importante proteger as pessoas envolvidas nesse processo. É um consenso comum de que se deve preservar a vida dos trabalhadores, entretanto há uma objeção no que diz respeito aos custos que essa proteção pode gerar. Em um mercado competitivo, onde as empresas precisam reduzir custos, não se pode considerar de forma utópica de que devemos proteger os trabalhadores a qualquer custo, pois assim a empresa não consegue controlar suas finanças e, consequentemente, não consegue se posicionar de forma competitiva no mercado. Na construção civil não é diferente. Por se tratar de uma das áreas da economia que mais emprega pessoas e uma das que apresenta maiores riscos à vida dos trabalhadores, acaba sendo também uma das áreas que tem maior índice de acidentes. Nesse cenário, a segurança do trabalho se encarrega de atuar para minimizar todos esses riscos e danos, sendo necessário que se realize estudos como este que se encarregue de maximizar a segurança oferecida aos trabalhadores com o menor custo possível, apresentando-se como uma boa alternativa para ambos os lados. Este trabalho se trata de um estudo de casos cujo objetivo é analisar situações de riscos em construção de edificações e classificar as proteções mais comum de forma a obter o melhor custo/benefício. O intuito é verificar se há sistemas mais eficientes que outros, considerando investimentos similares, sendo possível priorizar essas alternativas, permitindo ao gestor da empresa adotar as melhores medidas, de forma sustentável e economicamente viável. Os resultados apontam que os sistemas de retenção contra queda em altura, como linha de vida e ancoragem, são os que apresentam melhor relação custo-benefício.
Diabetic retinopathy, prevention and treatment on the Brazilian public health system: a literature review
Authors: Lima Ana Luisa Dias , Parry Denis Carvalho
Published: August 2022

This study aimed to elucidate the diagnosis of diabetic retinopathy, to show the importance of early diagnosis in primary services and to point out the misinformation of patients about it. A systematic review was made in the databases Scielo, PubMed and Lilacs, selecting 32 articles from the last 11 years. The diabetic patients’ misinformation on this condition is high, getting up to 76%. Also, most primary health services do not make exams such as fundoscopy, so the patients only discover the disease when losing visual acuity. Implementing the knowledge and the fundoscopy to these professionals can provide an early tracking of cases, decreasing the irreversible blindness through early treatment, avoiding greater suffering and sparing public money by preventing, instead of treating it.
Pembuatan Papan Komposit dengan Memanfaatkan Limbah Pelepah Kelapa Sawit dan Plastik Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) Daur Ulang
Authors: Meldayanoor Meldayanoor , Darmawan Muhammad Indra , Norhalimah Norhalimah
Published: August 2022

Limbah pelepah  kelapa sawit merupakan salah  satu limbah perkebunan kelapa sawit yang belum termanfaatkan dengan optimal. Limbah pelepah kelapa sawit dapat dimanfaatkan dan diolah menjadi produk dalam pembuatan papan komposit. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk membuat formulasi papan komposit dan menganalisis kualitas karakterisasi fisik papan komposit dari limbah pelepah kelapa sawit dan plastik Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) daur ulang dalam pembuatan papan komposit berdasarkan sifat fisis yang terdiri dari kerapatan, kadar air, daya serap air, dan pengembangan  tebal. Bahan baku papan komposit dibuat perbandingan  pelepah  kelapa sawit : plastik Polythylene Therepthalate (PET) dengan perbandingan 100% : 0%, 87,5% : 12%, 75% : 25%, 62,5% : 37,5%, dan 50% : 50%. Papan komposit dibuat dengan  ukuran  13 cm ×13  cm × 1 cm dan menggunakan perekat lem putih Poly Vinyl Acetate (PVAc) sebanyak 100 gram. Pengujian sifat fisis papan komposit terdiri dari kerapatan, kadar air, daya serap air, dan pengembangan tebal. Data yang diperoleh dibandingkan dengan SNI 03-2105-2006. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa formulasi terbaik papan komposit yaitu pada perlakuan 50% : 50% dapat dilihat dari hasil uji sifat fisis kerapatan 0,78 g/cm3 termasuk dalam kategori kerapatan sedang, kadar air 11,02%, daya serap air 17,27% dan pengembangan tebal 7,91%. Semakin kecil nilai kadar air, daya serap air dan pengembangan tebal maka kualitas papan semakin baik.
Studi Komparasi Metode EOQ Dan POQ Dalam Efisiensi Biaya Persediaan Tepung Terigu Di PT. XYZ
Authors: Darmawan Muhammad Indra , Maydah Maydah , Ilmannafian Adzani Ghani
Published: August 2022

XYZ merupakan perusahaan yang bergerak di bidang inflight catering dengan produk olahan utama yaitu roti. Untuk menunjang efisiensi perusahaan perlu dilakukan pengendalian bahan baku utama pembuatan roti yaitu tepung terigu. Tujuan dari penelitian ini adalah menghitung biaya persediaan tepung terigu menggunakan metode EOQ dan POQ serta menganalisis komparasi kedua metode tersebut yang paling efisien. Pengumpulan data primer dilakukan melalui wawancara dan observasi serta pengumpulan data sekunder diperoleh dari data milik PT. XYZ. Data dianalisis menggunakan metode EOQ dan POQ. Hasil penelitian ini menunjukkan bahwa berdasarkan metode EOQ, kuantitas pemesanan bahan baku tepung terigu sebanyak 22 sak dengan periode pemesanan 4 kali pesan per tahun dan total biaya Rp 15.496.649. Sedangkan dengan metode POQ kuantitas pemesanan bahan baku tepung terigu sebanyak 2 sak dengan periode pemesanan 46 kali pesan per tahun dan total biaya Rp 16.728.649. Berdasarkan hasil komparasi kedua metode tersebut didapatkan bahwa metode EOQ lebih efisien.
The Association of Atorvastatin Therapy With COVID-19 Outcomes and Mortality
Authors: Aghaei Meybodi Hamid Reza , Fotook Kiaee Seyedeh Zahra , Akhavan Marjan , Abbasloo Samira , Pejman Sani Mahnaz
Published: August 2022

Background: The world is still witnessing a largely ongoing spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19); therefore, the scientific findings in this area need to be shared promptly. Objectives: This study aimed to assess the usefulness of Atorvastatin treatment in reducing COVID-19 mortality in patients with or without diabetes mellitus (DM) and to correlate them with C-reactive protein (CRP) levels. Methods: This study consecutively enrolled patients with pneumonia symptoms, positive lung CT scan, and confirmed severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) on reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The outcome was defined as intensive care unit (ICU) admission and death. Clinical data and history of atorvastatin administration were evaluated. CRP levels were measured at baseline and repeated after one week in all patients. Results: A total of 200 patients were included. Their mean age was 60.5 (SD=16.5) years, 113 (56.5%) patients were male, 47 (23.5%) with pre-existing diabetes, and 64 (32%) patients were taking atorvastatin routinely. 68 (34%) required ICU admission of all the studied patients. No gender differences were found in ICU admission and death. The baseline CRP was not significantly different, but the secondary CRP was significantly different between DM and non-DM groups. Secondary CRP also showed a significant reduction in patients receiving atorvastatin (P=0.017). The mortality was the same in atorvastatin or non-atorvastatin groups (P=0.715). Conclusion: It seems that taking statin has only some beneficial effects on improving CRP levels in patients with COVID-19. To achieve a reliable result, clinical trials are recommended.
Assessing the Extent and Causes of Cancellation of Surgeries: An Important Issue in Improving the Efficiency of the Hospital
Authors: Jafari Hasan , Jafari Parvin , Rahimi Mohammad Kazem , Arab Saniabadi Roohollah , Zare Banadkooki Farzaneh
Published: August 2022

Background: Canceling surgery imposes the high cost of the healthcare provider system and wasted many energy and time from the patient and the care team. Objectives: This study examined the extent and reasons of canceling of surgeries in one of the hospitals affiliated to Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran. Methods: This was a descriptive-applied study. In order to get the number of operations from April 2018 to March 2020, the hospital used HIS software and then extracted the reasons from the operating room office and the quality improvement office in the hospital. Data were analyzed by SPSS version 21 software. Results: Among 8654 planned surgeries, 0.9% were cancelled. The highest frequency of surgical cancellation is associated with general surgery, and the highest rate of surgical cancellation is associated with the ENT specialty. The highest cancellation rate was 1.82% in August 2018 and 2.87% in February 2019. The lack of preparation of patients and patients did not require surgery was the main and worst reason for discontinuing surgery, respectively. Conclusion: The lack of clinical preparation of the patient was the main reason for the cancellation. Therefore, pre-surgery patient evaluation can help solve this problem, make the operating room more effective, and increase patient satisfaction.
Evaluation of methacholine challenge test results in patients with chronic unexplained cough
Authors: Rabieepour Masome , Sharifi Namin Mahsa , Pashaei Mohammad Reza
Published: August 2022

Introduction: Asthma is one of the most common chronic diseases in adults characterized by variable airway obstruction. Asthma is diagnosed with wheezing and shortness of breath, however it sometimes manifests as a chronic cough that is difficult to diagnose and requires spirometry stimulation tests. Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the relationship between methacholine test results and respiratory symptoms in patients with chronic unexplained cough. Patients and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 102 patients with chronic cough and normal basal spirometry were included. All patients underwent a methacholine challenge test, and their airway irritabilities were assessed. Then, the relationship between methacholine test results and clinical symptoms and also demographic characteristics were investigated. Results: Of 102 patients, 69 (67.6 %) and 33 (32.4%) were female and male, respectively. Most of patients were non-smoker (90.2%). Around 25 (24.5%) patients had a positive methacholine test. Rhinitis had a statistically significant difference between patients with positive and negative tests (positive test group: 48%, negative test group: 23.4%; P = 0.01). Postnasal discharge was reported in 60% of positive methacholine test patients, which was significant compared to the negative group (36.4%; P = 0.03). Most patients who had positive tests were housewives (76%). Logistic regression showed that female gender (OR: 7.75, 95% CI: 1.7-35.2), postnasal discharge (OR: 3.19, 95% CI: 1.25-8.2), rhinitis (OR: 3.02, 95% CI: 1.17-7.79), and allergy symptoms OR: 3.51, 95% CI: 1.35-9.18) were directly associated with a positive methacholine test. Conclusion: The presence of airway hypersensitivity, postnasal discharge, allergic rhinitis, female gender and the housewife’s job were strongly associated with a positive methacholine test.
Tumor budding in gastric adenocarcinoma; reflections on tumor microenvironment and programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression
Authors: Abd El Khalek Safaa M.M. , Halim Mariam I.
Published: August 2022

Introduction: The significance of tumor budding and programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) has not been established in gastric adenocarcinoma (GAC). Objectives: This study evaluated tumor budding and PD-L1 expression with regard to tumor microenvironment, clinicopathologic parameters, and overall survival in GAC. Patients and Methods: Totally, 102 GAC cases were assessed immunohistochemically. The associations of tumor budding and PD-L1 with clinicopathologic features, tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs), tumor stroma percentage (TSP), and overall survival were analyzed. Results: High tumor budding (42.2% of cases) was correlated with distal tumor location, large tumor size, Helicobacter pylori infection, poor differentiation (P = 0.0008, 0.033, 0.011, and 0.005, respectively), lymphovascular invasion, high tumor and nodal stages, and TSP (all P < 0.0001). Tumor budding was highest in the low TILs/high TSP group. PD-L1 expression (43.1% of cases) was correlated with proximal location (p = 0.00021), poor differentiation (P = 0.036), N stage (P = 0.049), high TILs (P < 0.0001), and low tumor budding (P = 0.002). PD-L1 expression was highest in the low tumor budding / high TILs category (P < 0.0001). Cox regression showed that high tumor budding (hazard ratio [HR]: 15.282, P = 0.024, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.441–162.069) and positive PD-L1 (HR: 7.502, P = 0.015, 95% CI: 1.469–38.31) were independent prognostic factors for overall survival. Conclusion: Tumor budding is correlated with poor prognostic parameters, whereas PD-L1 expression is inversely correlated with tumor budding. Both are independent predictors of short overall survival. Anti-PD-L1 immunotherapy could be effective in GAC with nodal metastasis, especially cases with high TILs and low tumor budding.
Evaluating serum levels of interleukin-8 and interleukin-17 in patients with COVID-19 and their correlation with disease severity
Authors: saebi fatemeh , malaekeh seyed mohammad ali , mohammadi seyed mohammad bagher , chamkouri narges , saeedi Boroujeni ali , koolivand zahra
Published: August 2022

Introduction: In COVID-19 patients, those with underlying disease are relatively more susceptible to respiratory viral infections and are more likely to develop severe symptoms compared to people without underlying disease. Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the serum levels of interleukin (IL)-8 and IL-17 in patients infected with severe acute respiratory syndrome corona virus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) and patients with underlying disease. Patients and Methods: Serum samples were collected before administration of any antiviral and/or immunosuppressive drug. Around 64 adult patients with COVID-19 and 12 adult patients with underlying disease were compared with 16 healthy subjects as controls. The cytokine levels were assessed by ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay) method and the statistical analysis was carried out using the one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). Results: The average levels of these cytokines in the severe group were significantly higher than those in the mild and control group (r=0.48, P<0.016); it is worth noting that patients with underlying disease also displayed a higher level of these cytokines than those with mild and control groups ( r = 0.283, P<0.049). No significant differences were observed between severe and other patients with underlying disease and also between mild and control groups. Conclusion: Our data indicate that IL-17 and IL-8 are involved in inducing and mediating proinflammatory responses and that the elevated level of these inflammatory cytokines could be the effective ground in the severity of COVID-19 and being susceptible in people with underlying disease. Thus, providing a platform of inflammatory signature cytokines in COVID-19 patients with underlying co-morbidities or without as well as in non-COVID-19 patients with underlying diseases might provide a promising solution to COVID-19 disease.
Effect of Erbium, Chromium-doped: Yttrium, Scandium, Gallium and Garnet Laser Tooth Preparation on Gap Formation of Universal Adhesive Bonded to Enamel and Dentin: A Micro-CT and SEM Study
Authors: AlQussier Anfal , Awliya Wedad
Published: August 2022

Introduction: The presence of gaps at the bonding interface of resin composite restorations is known to have an impact on restoration longevity. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of erbium, chromium-doped yttrium, scandium, gallium, and garnet (Er, Cr:YSGG) laser irradiation on gap formation at the tooth–resin interface and to compare the reliability of micro-computed tomography (µCT) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) scans for gap formation assessment. Methods: Thirty standardized non-retentive class V cavities were prepared on sound human premolars using either an Er,Cr:YSGG laser or a round carbide bur (n=15 for each). A universal adhesive and A nano-filled resin composite were applied in accordance with the manufacturer’s recommendations. After water storage for 24 hours at 37°C, the teeth were subjected to thermocycling. Gap formation assessments were performed by µCT (Skyscan 1173 µCT, Brucker, Belgium) and SEM (JEOL JSM-6610LV, Japan), and SPSS version 24.0 (IBM Inc., Chicago, USA) was used to analyze the data at P value<0.05. Descriptive statistics were used to describe the gap formation percentages. To compare the impact of both preparation and assessment methods, a non-parametric Mann–Whitney U test was used. Results: In enamel, similar gap formation values were detected for the two preparation methods (bur and laser). However, the laser-prepared group showed higher gap formation values in dentin. Additionally, higher gap formation values were reported for both preparation methods when µCT was used for assessment. Conclusion: Cavity preparation using a Waterlase laser led to higher gap formation percentages at the dentin–resin interface. In addition, SEM assessment is more reliable for assessing the tooth–resin interface.
Evaluation of Efficacy and Safety of Low-Fluence Q-Switched 1064-nm Laser in Infra-orbital Hyperpigmentation Based on Biometric Parameters
Authors: Alavi Shiva , Goodarzi Azadeh , Nilforoushzadeh Mohammad Ali , Mansouri Parvin , Jafari Mohammad Amin , Hejazi Somayeh , Azizian Zahra
Published: August 2022

Introduction: Dark circles and wrinkles under the eyes are common cosmetic problems, caused by various conditions, especially aging and overproduction of melanin in the epidermis or dermis of the skin. Iin addition to the application of topical lightening agents, different types of lasers, especially the Q-Switched ND:YAG laser, have been used for the treatment of cutaneous hyperpigmentation. Because of a high prevalence of idiopathic eye dark circles (EDCs) or periorbital melanosis and a poor response to available therapies, we decided to evaluate the efficacy and safety of the Fractional QS 1064 nm ND:YAG Laser through a before-after trial. Methods: 18-65-year-old patients with skin Fitzpatrick phototype of I-V and without any usage of a topical or systemic therapeutic regimen (2-4 weeks before the trial) were enrolled in the study. Each patient was treated with 6 sessions of the Fractional QS 1064 nm ND:YAG Laser at 2-week intervals and assessed for response and possible side effects or recurrences through 4 outcome measures, including Visoface-based color and erythema, melanin index and lightness (Before the fourth and sixth sessions of the therapy; also 1 week and 3 months after finishing the trial). Results: The changes of Visoface-based color and erythema, the melanin pigment amount by the Mexameter (melanin index) and the degree of lightness by the Colorimeter of patients after 6 months of intervention were statistically significant (P<0.001). Conclusion: The fractional QS 1,064 nm ND:YAG Laser is an effective and safe therapy in EDCs since objective outcomes like the reduction of the melanin index and improving lightness and subjective ones like the reduction of darkness and erythema were confirmed.
Photodynamic Therapy in Root Canal Disinfection: A Case Series and Mini-Review
Authors: Shahbazi Soheil , Esmaeili Saharnaz , Feli Mojgan , Asnaashari Mohammad
Published: August 2022

Introduction: Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is now a widely used treatment modality in many fields of dentistry, including endodontics. The most common application of PDT in endodontics is to disinfect root canals. The purpose of this study was to present the experience of using PDT in root canal disinfection of three patients. Case Presentation: Three patients referred to the Endodontics Department of Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences were treated using 0.1 mg/mL Toluidine Blue (FotoSan® agent; CMS Dental, Denmark) irradiated with a light-emitting diode (LED) lamp (FotoSan®; CMS Dental, Denmark) with a mean wavelength of 630 nm and a mean power density of 3 W/cm2 over two 30-second periods. Conclusion: PDT using LED lighting can be used in conjunction with conventional root canal treatment (RCT) to achieve great results.
Myocardial Ischemia Detection by a Sensitive Pump-Probe Atomic Magnetometer
Authors: Zamani Amin , Ranjbaran Maliheh , Tehranchi Mohammad Mehdi , Hamidi Seyedeh Mehri , Khalkhali Seyed Mohammad Hosein
Published: August 2022

Introduction: Magnetocardiography (MCG) based on optical atomic magnetometers has shown promise for detecting heart diseases accurately. Different methods were introduced to improve the sensitivity of detecting magnetic fields during cardiac activity. Methods: In this paper, an optical pump-probe magnetometer operated on the ground-state Hanle effect based on the zero-field level crossing technique was developed and the laser output signal was optimized in an unshielded environment. Then, the optical magnetometer was utilized to record the simulated MCG trace of different stages of myocardial ischemia. Results: The probe output light intensity followed the variation of cardiac magnetic field (MCG trace) generated by Helmholtz coil accurately. Conclusion: Based on the results, the feasibility of our highly sensitive optical magnetometer in tracing showed no change in the P-QRS-T waveform associated with ischemic heart disease (IHD), where P indicates atrial depolarization, QRS is responsible for ventricular depolarization, and T represents ventricular repolarization.
The relationship of nutrition status and dietary intake with hospitalization and mortality in hemodialysis patients; a single-center observational cohort study
Authors: Diaz-Martinez Janet , Bejar Carlos , Delgado-Enciso Ivan
Published: August 2022

Introduction: No single nutrition parameter can accurately assess nutritional status, to predict outcomes and to drive the priorities for nutrition care in patients undergoing hemodialysis (HD). Objectives: The aim of this study was to assess the nutritional status of HD patients using two validated assessment tools; the "7-point subjective global assessment" (SGA) and "malnutrition inflammation score" (MIS); to determine participants’ daily energy intakes (DEI) and daily protein intakes (DPI); and also to examine the relationship of these parameters with hospitalization and mortality. Patients and Methods: This is a 12-month prospective, single HD-center study that recruited 77 HD participants from an outpatient center in South Florida. For the purpose of this analysis, participants with SGA ≤ 5 and MIS > 7 and were considered to have an inadequate nutritional status represented by SGA-I and MIS-I, respectively. Inadequate energy (DEI-I) and inadequate protein (DPI-I) intake were defined using cutoff values. The outcomes and endpoints of this study were hospitalizations and mortality, registered over 12 months. Results: Fifty-five male and 22 female patients from a single HD center participated in the study. During the 12-month study, 63.6% of participants were hospitalized, 7% transplanted and 13% died. The group of participants with an inadequate nutritional status (defined as SGA-I and MIS-I) and inadequate energy intake (defined as DEI-I) had an increased hazard ratio for mortality [SGA-I and DEI-I [HR: 7.18 (95% CI: 1.18-43.43; P= 0.032] and [MIS-I and DEI-I [HR: 13.23, 95% CI: 2.1-83.2; P=0.006] and the likelihood of hospitalization increased almost 3-fold [HR: 2.73, 95% CI: 1.09-6.842; P=0.031], in the case of MIS-I. Conclusion: These results indicated that energy intake lower than 25 kcal/kg/day increases the risks of hospitalization and mortality for those HD patients with an impaired nutritional status.
The role of pharmacists in the management of AKI patients: What recent studies added to our knowledge?
Authors: Nahas Abdul Rahman Mahmoud F.
Published: August 2022

Introduction: Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a complex syndrome requiring special management. It also complicates the prognosis of many hospitalized patients. Some essential yet nephrotoxic medications and the use of certain procedures that may alter renal hemodynamics further complicate the management of AKI patients. Fortunately, as part of the renal care team, pharmacists can have a significant role in the multidisciplinary approach used to optimize renal patients’ health-related quality of life by delivering safe and effective pharmaceutical care. Objective: The present review aims to explore pharmacists’ contributions to the management of patients with AKI as well as their influence on improving renal patients’ care. Methods: An online search was performed in the databases PubMed, Scopus, and ScienceDirect for relevant articles published in English between 1 January 2015 and 31 December 2021. Review articles, books, guidelines, websites, and conference proceedings were excluded. Results: Only 12 articles out of 51 initially gathered met the eligibility criteria for this review. The three main roles that pharmacists play in the management of AKI patients are patients’ education, collaborating with other renal care practitioners, and identifying and solving drug-related problems (DRPs). The latter task span includes medication reconciliation, dosage adjustments, and identifying adverse drug reactions. Conclusion: In view of the complexity of the AKI course, trained pharmacists, as members of the renal care team, can play a pivotal role in managing AKI patients and minimizing their medications burden. This can positively impact the overall renal care process as well as the patient’s outcome. Further studies can provide more support to the importance of pharmacists’ role in managing AKI.
Successful pregnancy in an end-stage renal disease woman on chronic hemodialysis
Authors: Yaghoubi Fatemeh , Tavakoli Farnaz , Dalil Davood , Iranzadeh Saeid
Published: August 2022

Successful conception in a female patient on hemodialysis (HD) is considered a high-risk pregnancy and associated with maternal and fetal complications. Thus, most such pregnancies lead to abortion or termination to preserve maternal health. Here, we report a successfully-delivered case of a 19th-week-diagnosed pregnancy in a 35-year-old mother with end-stage renal disease (ESRD). We present the case of a 35-year-old female with ESRD, diagnosed 10 years ago secondary to glomerulonephritis. The patient underwent the deceased–donor renal transplantation once, which unfortunately was rejected. During the initial tests for second-time kidney transplantation, a human chorionic gonadotropin-beta (beta-hCG) positive with a level of 9953 mIU/mL was reported, suggesting the pregnancy. The transvaginal ultrasonography confirmed the pregnancy at an approximate gestational age of 19 weeks. As a result, the patient underwent four and half hours of intensive HD five times a week and continued until 36 weeks of pregnancy. At 36 weeks, the patient presented to Shariati hospital, Tehran, Iran, with low- back pain. Consequently, a cesarean section (C/S) was performed, and the baby boy was born with a nine of ten Apgar score. Although successful pregnancy is possible for women with ESRD, it requires special multidisciplinary care. Intensive HD and regular fetal monitoring have improved the pregnancy outcome in this population. However, the risk of severe complications is still for the health of the mother and her offspring.
Proportions of hyperphosphatemia in different stages of chronic kidney disease
Authors: Iskandar Akbar , Rasyid Haerani , Bakri Syakib , Kasim Hasyim , Aman Andi Makbul , Syahriani Femy , Daud Nu’man AS , Seweng Arifin
Published: August 2022

Introduction: In chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients, calcium and phosphate homeostasis disorders occur. Decreased kidney function will result in decreased phosphate excretion. In stage 3b CKD, the kidneys are no longer able to compensate for the phosphate load sufficiently and hyperphosphatemia is resulted. Objectives: This research aimed to figure out the proportions of hyperphosphatemic patients at different levels of glomerular filtration rate in CKD. Patients and Methods: An observational study with a cross-sectional approach involving 80 CKD subjects, distributed into stage 3 (n = 20), stage 4 (n = 20), stage 5 non-dialysis (n = 20) and stage 5 dialysis CKD subjects(n = 20), at Wahidin Sudirohusodo hospital and Unhas hospital, Makassar, from April through August 2021. Phosphate concentrations were measured using ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay) kit (Immutopics). A result of the statistical test would be significant if P < 0.05. Results: The average phosphate concentrations at stage 3, stage 4, stage 5 non-dialysis and stage 5 dialysis were 4.14 ± 1.85 mg/dL, 4.17 ± 1.12 mg/dL, 6.43 ± 3.09 md/dL and 5.42 ± 3.09 mg/dL, respectively. Based on the avergae phosphate concentration by CKD stage, stage 3 was not significantly different from stage 4 (P = 0.969), however there was a significant difference between stage 3 and stage 5 non-dialysis (P = 0.004) and also between stage 4 and stage 5 non-dialysis (P = 0.005). The proportions of hyperphosphatemic patients (serum phosphate >4.5 mg/dL) with stage 3, stage 4, stage 5 non-dialysis and stage 5 dialysis CKD were 15% (n = 3), 20% (n = 4), 75% (n = 15) and 43.3% (n = 9), respectively. Conclusion: The porportion of hyperphosphatemic subjects increased with the decline in the kidney function. Dialysis process reduces phosphate levels and the proportion of patients with hyperphosphatemia.
Procalcitonin for diagnosis of asymptomatic bacteriuria in kidney transplant recipients
Authors: zarouk ahimahalle tahere , Razeghi Effat , Lessan-Pezeshki Mahboob , Ahmadi Farrokhlagha
Published: August 2022

Background and aim. Asymptomatic bacteriuria (ASB) is a frequent finding in allograft kidney transplant recipients and may be associated with a higher incidence of urinary tract infections in this population. We aimed to investigate the potential utility of serum procalcitonin (PCT) concentrations, an early marker of infection, for ASB diagnosis. We also compared its diagnostic performance with white blood cell (WBC) count, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), and highly sensitive C-reactive protein (hsCRP). Methods. In a single-center, cross-sectional study, 37 kidney transplant recipients with no clinical signs or symptoms of urinary tract infections were included. ASB was assessed by means of urine culture. Serum PCT concentrations were determined by the electrochemiluminescence immunoassay technique. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was used to determine the diagnostic performance of PCT and other classifiers. Results. Seventeen patients (46%) had ASB. Serum PCT concentrations were significantly higher in ASB+ patients (0.14 vs. 0.08 ng/ml, p=0.009). PCT concentrations significantly correlated with serum creatinine (r=0.408, p=0.012) and ESR (r=0.466, p=0.004). Of the four tested classifiers (PCT, WBC count, ESR, and hsCRP), only PCT was able to significantly distinguish between ASB+ and ASB- patients [area under the curve: 0.74, (95% CI: 057-0.91) p=0.012]. Adjustment of the ROC model for serum creatinine showed that the ability of PCT in classifying patients by ASB status is not affected by creatinine concentrations (crude vs. adjusted area under the curve: 0.74 vs. 0.72, test of AUC difference: p=0.891). A cut-point of 0.10 ng/ml of PCT correctly classified ASB+ patients with a sensitivity and specificity of 64.7% and 80.0%, respectively. Conclusion. PCT might be a useful surrogate marker for ASB diagnosis among kidney transplant recipients. Diagnostic performance of PCT is superior to that of WBC count, ESR, and hsCRP. Further, diagnostic ability of PCT appears to be independent of renal function.
The association between preeclampsia and COVID-19; a narrative review on recent findings
Authors: Hassanzadeh Rad Afagh , Chatrnour Gelayol , Ghazanfar Tehran Samaneh , Fakhre Yaseri Amirhossein
Published: August 2022

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an infectious disease first diagnosed in December 2019. Regarding previous studies that indicated the potential association between preeclampsia (PE) and COVID-19, it is pertinent to assess these conditions’ clinical manifestations and laboratory findings comprehensively. We performed this narrative review, considering the importance of pregnancy and its maternal and fetal outcomes and the lack of a definite mechanism of COVID-19 in pregnant women with PE. It is noteworthy that both conditions may have overlapped characteristics that may affect the outcomes during pregnancy.
ANÁLISIS PRELIMINAR DE ANTOCIANINAS EN FRUTO DE ICACO (Chrysobalanus icaco L.)
Authors: Vargas-Simón Georgina , Soto-Hernández Ramón Marcos , Rodríguez-González María Teresa
Published: August 2022

El icaco (Chrysobalanus icaco L.) es una planta nativa, poco domesticada de América y África, distribuida en algunas zonas tropicales del mundo; sus usos son como alimento, medicinal y ornamental, principalmente. Sus frutos se caracterizan por tener diferencias morfológicas, particularmente en la pigmentación debida a la presencia de antocianinas. La identificación de estos compuestos serviría de base para estudios posteriores en el área quimiotaxonómica, ecológica y fisiológica. Por medio de técnicas cromatográficas en papel descendente y espectrales, se identificaron de forma cualitativa las antocianinas de los exocarpos de frutos rojos como cianidina 3-arabinósido y a la delfinidina 3,5-diglucósido en los de frutos morados, por comparación con estándares obtenidos de fuentes conocidas.
TEMPERATURA BASE Y TASA DE EXTENSIÓN FOLIAR DEL MAÍZ
Authors: García-Pacheco Alejandro D. , López-Castañeda Cándido
Published: August 2022

El objetivo del presente trabajo fue estudiar la tasa de extensión foliar (TEF) y la temperatura base (Tb), de plántulas de nueve variedades de maíz (Zea mays L.) de diferentes regiones ecológicas de México, expuestas a variaciones térmicas nocturnas bajo condiciones de luz artificial. Se realizaron dos experimentos; el experimento I (EI) y el experimento II (E-II), en Montecillo, Edo. de México. Se sembraron semillas de todas las variedades en macetas de poliestireno de 1 L de volumen; las plántulas se mantuvieron al ambiente durante la noche, con luz artificial y en cuarto oscuro durante el día. La TEF se determinó midiendo diariamente la longitud de la hoja 1 a las 18:00 y a las 6:00 h desde la emergencia de las plántulas hasta que la hoja 2 mostró la lígula. La Tb se determinó mediante un modelo de regresión lineal simple entre la TEF y la temperatura media diaria del aire a la intemperie, extrapolando la línea de regresión a un valor de cero crecimiento. En el experimento E-I, las variedades Chiautla I, Huehuetlán I y CP-560, y los compuestos Mixteca Alta A-I y Mixteca A-P, registraron mayor TEF que la variedad CP-562 y en el experimento E-II, los compuestos S y Mixteca A-P, tuvieron mayor TEF que los compuestos Pinto Salvatori y Zapalote Precoz, y la variedad CP-560. No se observaron diferencias significativas de Tb entre las variedades;el valor promedio de ésta fue 7.5 °C.
PROCESAMIENTO DIGITAL DE IMÁGENES PARA LA ESTIMACIÓN DE TEXTURA DE ENDOSPERMO EN LÍNEAS DE MAÍZ
Authors: Leyva-Ovalle Otto Raúl , Carballo-Carballo Aquiles , Mejía-Contreras José Apolinar , Vázquez-Carrillo María Gricelda
Published: August 2022

Con la finalidad de realizar selección para textura de endospermo en líneas de maíz, utilizando como parámetros los porcentajes de endospermo córneo y endospermo harinoso en granos, se evaluó una técnica que permite la estimación de estos componentes estructurales de manera rápida y confiable, basada en la aplicación de un método de procesamiento digital de imágenes, al que se conoce como umbral "threshold"; generalmente aplicado a las imágenes en escala de grises para posteriormente transformarlas a binarias mediante un contraste entre el fondo y los objetos. Su aplicación en 22 líneas de maíz fue comparada estadísticamente con la técnica de textura por disección, adoptada por la industria de la harina de maíz nixtamalizado. Se evaluaron granos con diferente proporción de endospermo córneo y harinoso, desde cristalinos hasta completamente harinosos. La técnica de procesamiento de imágenes también permite la posibilidad de la estimación de los porcentajes de embrión y pedicelo. Los resultados indicaron que los valores porcentuales de endospermo córneo y harinoso, obtenidos con la técnica de procesamiento de imágenes, sobrestiman en alrededor de 4 y 8 % respectivamente, a los obtenidos con los de textura por disección, pero no hubo diferencias estadísticas entre ellos.
EFECTO DE LA APLICACIÓN DE CERA COMESTIBLE Y AGUA CALIENTE EN LA CONSERVACIÓN DE MELÓN RETICULADO
Authors: Báez-Sañudo Reginaldo , Saucedo-Veloz Crescenciano , Pérez-Rivero Bárbara , Bringas-Taddei Elsa , Mendoza-Wilson Ana María
Published: August 2022

El melón (Cucumis melo L.) es un fruto de gran demanda en Estados Unidos y Europa. Sin embargo por su alta sensibilidad al marchitamiento, incidencia de pudriciones y pérdidas de la firmeza, su tiempo de almacenamiento y transporte resulta limitado. El objetivo del trabajo fue evaluar el efecto del tratamiento combinado de ceras comestibles y agua caliente, sobre el mantenimiento de la calidad de melones cantaloupe, almacenados en condiciones de mercadeo y refrigeración. Se cosecharon frutos cv Primo con ¾ de desprendimiento de la guía y se expusieron a los siguientes tratamientos: Agua caliente a 55 °C/3 min, cera a temperatura ambiente, (23-25 °C/3 min), cera caliente a 55 °C/3 min, agua caliente más cera a temperatura ambiente, y agua a 23-25 °C/3 min como testigo. Un sublote de frutos de cada tratamiento se almacenó por 9 días a 20 ºC y 60-65 % HR (condiciones de mercadeo) y otro por 20 días a 1 ºC y 90-95 % HR + 6 días a 20 ºC. Durante el almacenamiento se realizaron determinaciones de velocidad de respiración, producción de etileno, pérdida de peso, contenido de sólidos solubles totales y firmeza de pulpa. Los resultados revelaron que la cera comestible (temperatura ambiente o caliente) permitió mantener una mejor calidad (mejor firmeza y más sólidos solubles), mayor control del metabolismo del fruto (respiración y producción de etileno) y disminuyó la pérdida de humedad, en comparación con el uso de agua caliente (con y sin cera) y el testigo. El empleo de cera caliente mostró ser un tratamiento aceptable para almacenar melones cv Primo a 1 ºC por 20 días + 3 días a 20 ºC.
MEDIAS Y VARIANZAS EN VARIEDADES SINTÉTICAS DE MAÍZ CON DIFERENTES FUENTES DE GERMOPLASMA DE TEOCINTLE
Authors: Padilla-García José Miguel , Sánchez-González José de Jesús , Ramírez-Díaz José Luis , Casas-Salas Juan Francisco , Ron-Parra José , Chuela-Bonaparte Margarito , Aguilar-Sanmiguel Mario
Published: August 2022

Los parientes silvestres de las especies cultivadas representan un recurso genético potencial para incrementar la diversidad genética, y con ello mejorar la resistencia a factores adversos y el rendimiento económico. En el caso del teocintle (Zea spp.), existen resultados alentadores de su uso para mejorar líneas élite de maíz (Zea mays L.), pero hay poca información del comportamiento de poblaciones de maíz con germoplasma de teocintle y de su uso potencial en el mejoramiento genético. El objetivo de esta investigación fue estimar el efecto de seis fuentes de germoplasma de teocintle en las medias y varianzas de variedades sintéticas de maíz, en varias generaciones de recombinación. Siete sintéticos F2, F3 y F4 se evaluaron en Tlajomulco y Ameca, Jalisco, México, en punta de riego y temporal o secano, respectivamente. En cada localidad se estableció un experimento factorial en bloques completos al azar con cuatro repeticiones; los factores fueron las seis fuentes de teocintle y las generaciones (F2, F3 y F4). Se hicieron pruebas de homogeneidad de varianzas para cada variable en cada uno de los tratamientos. Ninguna de las fuentes de germoplasma de teocintle causó incrementos significativos en el rendimiento de grano o sus componentes, respecto al sintético original. Las fuentes de teocintle JAL (Zea mays ssp. parviglumis) y ZD (Zea diploperennis) parecen ser las más prometedoras para usarse en programas de mejoramiento genético de maíz de áreas subtropicales, debido a que mostraron la mayor variabilidad y valores medios. Las varianzas de algunos sintéticos no son consistentes a través de localidades pero se demostró que las fuentes de teocintle modifican los niveles de variabilidad y en varios casos superaron significativamente al sintético original.