bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Sintering and Characterization of Alumina Reinforced Tungsten Carbide Cobalt Composite
Authors: Amos Kaisara Zibani , Ogunmuyiwa Enoch Nifise , Ude Albert Uchenna , Sithole Nastassia Thandiwe
Published: May 2023

This paper is aimed at investigating the mechanical properties of spark plasma sintered alumina (Al2O3) reinforced with tungsten-carbide-cobalt (WC-12wt%Co). Pure Al2O3 and admixed-Al2O3 powders were sintered using spark plasma sintering (SPS) technique at a temperature of 1800°C, heating and cooling rates of 100 °C/min and 200 °C/min, a pressure of 48 MPa in an argon atmosphere. The density, hardness (HV) and indentation fracture toughness (KIC) of the sintered samples were measured and compared. Between 9 and 17% increase was observed in the HV values of the additives, while the KIC value recorded an increase between 17 and 63% for all the additive as compared to pure Al. Phase analysis and identification was carried out with X-ray diffraction and microstructure was taken with scanning electron microscope. The results obtained showed the samples potential for cutting tool applications.
Complications of Charge Pumping Analysis for Silicon Carbide MOSFETs
Authors: Lettens Jan , Allerstam Fredrik , Franchi Jimmy , Cambré Sofie , Goovaerts Etienne , Vrielinck Henk , Moens Peter
Published: May 2023

Unexpected behavior is observed when charge pumping is performed on silicon carbide MOSFETs with a thermally grown silicon dioxide gate dielectric. Supported by experimental evidence, two root causes are proposed: the trap density and the channel non-equilibrium. These are difficult to overcome experimentally due to limitations by oxide breakdown and doping variation along the channel, respectively. A correct interpretation then requires a 2D model.
Antibacterial Efficacy of Non-Copper Polymer Based Composite Enhanced with Metallic Particles Using Fused Deposition Modeling
Authors: Ahmed Waleed , Al-Marzouqi Ali H. , Rizvi Tahir A. , Khan Mushtaq , Zaneldin Essam , Nazir Muhammad
Published: May 2023

The aim of this experimental investigation is to assess the antibacterial resistance of a biodegradable Polylactic acid (PLA) based composite material enriched with non-copper metallic particles, notably Stainless Steel, and Aluminum as alternatives to copper. The composite materials were processed using additive manufacturing technology using commercial fused deposition modeling printers to produce samples for antibacterial testing. The antibacterial materials were assessed according to international standards to evaluate the antibacterial efficacy at different time intervals. It has been disclosed that the biodegradable PLA composite enhanced with Stainless Steel or Aluminum demonstrated an excellent resistance against distinct kinds of bacteria through the observed significant reduction in the bacteria levels.
Properties and Applications of Dielectric Materials Derived from Metal-Organic Frameworks - A Review
Authors: Nandi Santosh S. , Kerur Shankramma S. , Adimule Vinayak , Gupta Abhinay , Thirumalaiyammal B. , Mujafarkani N.
Published: May 2023

An electrical insulator known as a dielectric material is a substance that can be solid, liquid, or gaseous. Having a high specific resistance, a dielectric material is a non-metallic substance. A dielectric function as the perfect capacitor, storing and dissipating electrical energy. Due to the rising need for capacitors, semiconductor devices, Liquid Crystal Displays, electrical transformers, and other products, properties including electric susceptibility, dielectric polarisation, dispersion, relaxation, and tunability have received a great deal of attention. Advanced materials must be developed in order to further enhance their performance. Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), a class of porous crystalline solids, have shown to be ideal models for synthesising functional materials that may be used to make supercapacitor electrodes. Greater electrical conductivity, a higher charge capacity, and variable electrochemical activity are just a few benefits that bimetallic MOFs and their derivatives have over monometallic MOFs. This study focuses on the usage of MOF-derived bimetallic in dielectric materials, with particular attention paid to understanding the cause of the enhanced performance and covering the most recent advancements in the area with a variety of applications.
Characterization of Nanocrystalline SnO2-Y2O3 Thin Films Prepared Using Chemical Bath Deposition
Authors: Kadhim Imad Hussein , Nagem Abd Huda
Published: May 2023

Nanocrystalline SnO2-Y2O3 thin film has been successfully prepared by using chemical bath deposition method at low reaction temperature 72 °C on SiO2/Si substrates. The structural and surface morphology of the annealed sample at 500 °C for 2 h in air were investigated using X-ray diffraction, field emission scanning electron microscopy and Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. The crystallization of SnO2-Y2O3 film with tetragonal rutile structure was achieved when the film was exposed to annealing at 500 °C. Where several diffraction peaks that correspond to the (110), (101), (200), (211), (220) and (002) planes that agree very well with standard bulk SnO2 having a tetragonal rutile structure. As well as the diffraction peak that correspond to (111) emerged at θ = 29.48o is matched with bulk Y2O3. The surface morphology appeared as polycrystalline with uniform nanoparticle distribution. The EDX spectra of examined film showed the film consists of O, Sn, Y, and Si elements. The cross-section image and the average thickness of the annealed SnO2-Y2O3 film at 500 °C was approximately 330 nm. Additionally, approximately 880 nm thick layer of SiO2 emerges on the top of the silicon substrate. This finding demonstrates the ability to prepare nonocrystalline SnO2-Y2O3 thin film with high quality by using chemical bath deposition method.
Chemical, Mechanical, and Durability of Composites Developed from Aluminum Slag
Authors: Tladi Motlatso , Mashifana Tebogo
Published: May 2023

The research investigated the chemical, mechanical and durability of composites developed from aluminum slag. Aluminum slag is a hazardous residue product of secondary Aluminum smelting. The objective of this research was to study the chemical and geotechnical properties of Al slag. To investigate the stabilization of Al slag with fly ash and GBFS binder to enhance the pozzolanic reaction. Lastly, to study the properties of developed composites and recommend the application. Aluminum slag can be categorized as black or white, with the black dross (slag) having low metal concentration and a granular-like appearance comparable to sand. White dross (slag) has a high metal concentration and contains small quantities of oxides and salts, forming huge blocks. Aluminum slag is a by-product of the foundry industry that is deposited in landfills, causing pollution such as soil, air, and groundwater contamination, as well as affecting human health. Aluminum slag recycling has become more popular in recent years, and it can now be used to make concrete and bricks instead of cement. When compared to properties obtained from composites produced from cement, Aluminum slag improves several properties of the material in this study. Properties such as compressive strength, workability, and durability of the material are found to be improved. At 40% binder and cured at 80°C, the mortar sample made from Al slag, GBFS binder, and fly ash had the highest unconfined compressive strength (UCS) of 24 MPa. The optimum number of days for curing was found to be 14 days. Based on the overall research, it can be concluded that Aluminum slag produced from the foundry industries can be stabilized with fly ash and GBFS binder to produce bricks and concrete
The Development of the Advanced Inspection System to Screen out the BPDs that Extend to Bar Shaped SSFs under Forward Biasing
Authors: Igarashi Yasuyuki , Takano Kazumi , Matsushita Yohsuke , Shibata Chiyomi
Published: May 2023

We are currently developing an inspection system that will provide a low-cost means of screening prior to shipment by fully visualizing latent 1SSF (single Shockley stacking fault) defects originating from basal plane dislocations (BPDs) that cannot be detected by current defect inspection systems. The system will capture not only the defects that expand into right triangles under relatively low-level forward bias, but also the defects that expand into more serious bar-shaped 1SSFs under relatively high-level forward bias, with a particular focus on capturing TED (threading edge dislocation)-converted BPD at or below the buffer layer/substrate interface. Since these defects are known to cause forward voltage degradation during device operation, so-called "burn-in" (accelerated current stress) screening operation is currently utilized in some device manufacturers to avoid the shipping of the defective devices, but it is very time-consuming process which raises a total cost of production. The system we are developing, which can significantly reduce the screening time, has the potential to replace the "burn-in" operation.
Direct Ink Writing of Tubular Al2O3 Membrane Support Using Agar-Based Ink in 3D-Printing
Authors: Chaisong Kotchaphan , Phuruangrat Anukorn , Kanesom Thanyakamon , Soongprasit Kanit , Lertwittayanon Kowit
Published: May 2023

Direct ink writing was used for 3D printing of tubular Al2O3 membrane support. Agar-based ink mixtures were prepared as a paste with a proper viscoelastic behavior in achieving printing. Using agar only for mixing with Al2O3 slurry in preparing the ink mixtures showed the flow behavior resulting in failure to print the Al2O3 tube due to too low viscosity of the ink mixture—100 Pa at 40°C. However, the introduction of Hydroxyethyl cellulose (HEC) as thickener and Polyethylene glycol 1500 (PEG 1500) as lubricant helped improve the behavior of the ink mixtures to be more proper paste for printing. The amounts of HEC were varied from 0 to 2wt% of solid loading. At 2wt% HEC, the ink mixture was able to be printed highest, compared to the other ink mixtures. However, the 2wt% HEC-using ink mixtures possessed the highest sintering shrinkage at 12%, while its relative density was highest at 70%. The results indicated that it was possible to print the alumina membrane tube if its fidelity was improved further.
Numerical Analysis of the Schottky Contact Properties on the Forward Conduction of MPS/JBS SiC Diodes
Authors: Boccarossa Marco , Borghese Alessandro , Maresca Luca , Riccio Michele , Breglio Giovanni , Irace Andrea
Published: May 2023

In this paper, the impact of the anode contact in SBDs, PiN, JBS and MPS diodes is analyzed through TCAD simulations. The focus of the investigation is the correct simulation of the Schottky barrier height on the different areas of the device to correctly simulate a JBS or MPS structure. It is found that the splitting of the anode contact and an accurate selection of the Schottky barrier height on pzone is necessary to allow the onset of the bipolar conduction in MPS devices. In this way, it is possible to correctly analyze the behavior of an MPS diode, including the snapback phenomenon.
The Upcoming Future of Metal-Organic Frameworks: Challenges and Opportunities
Authors: Mehrotra Ripul , Shukla Satyendra N. , Gaur Pratiksha
Published: May 2023

Metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) belong to the group of porous and crystalline substances that enable the diversity of composition and structure beyond conventional solid-state materials. In the past few years’ MOFs have created enormous interest due to their potential applications in clean energy, becoming a storage medium for H2 and CH4. The luminescent metal-organic frameworks (LMOFs) are recognized for a broad range of applications in chemical sensing, energy-efficient lighting, removal of toxic substances from gases and liquids, bio-imaging, and related fields. The present review highlights the basic methods of synthesis, current challenges in the synthesis of novel MOF materials, various characterization methods, scope, and opportunities available for the future related to MOF research. The application of MOF materials in packaging and catalysis was also discussed.Keywords: Luminescent, Metal–organic frameworks (MOFs), Sensors, Storage energies, Supercapacitors.
High Mobility Silicon Dioxide Layers on 4H-SiC Deposited by Means of Atomic Layer Deposition
Authors: Renz Arne Benjamin , Cao Qinze , Vavasour Oliver James , Gott James A. , Gammon Peter Michael , Dai Tian Xiang , Baker G.W.C. , Mawby Philip  Andrew , Shah Vishal Ajit
Published: May 2023

A study on the impact of different growth and deposition techniques on the reliability of silicon dioxide (SiO2) layers on silicon carbide (SiC) metal-oxide-semiconductor capacitors (MOSCAPs) is presented and compared to channel mobilities that were extracted from lateral metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors (LMOSFETs). Oxide layers were formed using atomic layer deposition (ALD), low pressure chemical vapour deposition (LPCVD) and direct thermal growth, including post-deposition anneals (PDAs) in nitrious oxide and forming gas (FG) for the ALD-and LPCVD-deposited oxides. Electrical characterisation results at elevated temperatures show that a PDA in FG leads to the highest average breakdown electric field of 10.08 MV/cm, outperforming all other device splits. Time-dependent dielectric breakdown (TDDB) results showed that the time to failure of 63% of the investigated samples at 9MV/cm in the FG-annealed samples was about 50% higher than in LPCVD-deposited oxides that had undergone an N2O PDA. Channel mobilities of the FG-treated samples averaged about three to four times higher than in other datasets, showing excellent peak field-effect mobilities of 60 cm2/V.s and 108 cm2/V.s at room temperature and 175°C, respectively.
Chronic prostatitis as possible risk factor for Peyronie's disease: Psychological, sexual and prostatitis-like symptoms in patients with PD
Authors: Paulis Gianni , Paulis Andrea
Published: May 2023

Objective: This study aims to investigate a possible relationship between chronic prostatitis (CP) and Peyronie's disease (PD) and to characterize the psychological profile of patients suffering from PD, with or without concomitant CP. Methods: We included 539 patients with PD, of which 200 were found to have underlying CP. As a comparator population, we selected 2201 patients without PD, referring to our tertiary care clinic. In this population, we detected 384 subjects with CP. All 539 PD patients underwent photographic documentation of the penile deformation, and dynamic penile eco-color Doppler with plaque and volume measurements and answered the following questionnaires: the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7, the Patient Health Questionnaire-9, the Visual Analog Scale for penile pain measurements, the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF), and the NIH-Chronic Prostatitis Symptom Index. Results: The overall prevalence of chronic prostatitis in PD patients was 37.1% compared to a prevalence of 17.4% in the non-PD control population (OR = 2.79 and p < 0.0001). The severity of CP symptom total scores (NIH-CPSI) correlated significantly with the severity of erectile dysfunction (p < 0.0001). Significant anxiety was present in 89.2% of PD patients and it is more prevalent in PD patients with CP than in PD patients without CP (93.0% vs. 87.0%, respectively; p = 0.0434). Significant depression was detected in 57.1% of PD patients and it is more prevalent in PD patients with CP than in PD patients without CP (64.0% vs. 53.09%, respectively; p = 0.0173). Conclusion: Chronic prostatitis (CP) and Peyronie's disease (PD) are frequently associated. Our results demonstrate the strong impact of chronic prostatitis on the mental status of PD patients. Anxiety and depression were significantly more pronounced in PD patients with CP than in PD patients without CP.
Proceedings of the workshop NANO23@uniVR - 8-9 June 2023, University of Verona, Italy
Authors: Committee The Scientific
Published: May 2023

The workshop, organized by the PhD Course in Nanosciences and Advanced Technologies, aims to create a forum on hot topics of current interest in Nanoscience and Nanotechnology such as Nanomedicine, Biotechnology, Energy-nanotech, Environmental nanoscience, Green nanotechnology, Nanoengineering.
Nutritional knowledge and practices of mothers with malnourished children at a regional hospital in northeast Namibia
Authors: Shekutamba Albanus Fillemon , Ashipala Daniel Opotamutale
Published: May 2023

Background. An estimated 159 million children under five are affected by malnutrition, with an additional 101 million children under five being underweight in sub-Saharan Africa. In Namibia, 24% of children under age 5 are stunted and 8% are severely stunted. The Kavango region has the highest rate of stunting (38.8%) in the country. Objective. The purpose of the study was to determine and describe the nutritional knowledge and practices of the mothers with malnourished children regarding feeding at Rundu Intermediate Hospital, Kavango East Region, Namibia. Materials and Methods. A quantitative cross-sectional research design was used. A convenience sampling technique was used to select 199 mothers with malnourished children who were admitted to the paediatric ward. Data were collected via self-administered questionnaires with closed-ended questions. Results. 51.8% of the mothers had correct nutritional knowledge regarding breastfeeding for six months before giving other food, and 74.4% believed that new-borns should be initiated to breastfeeding within an hour after birth, while the same number breastfed their babies on demand. Furthermore, 35.6% of the participants followed appropriate practices regarding feeding. Conclusions. Most mothers (51.8%) had appropriate nutritional knowledge. However, only minority (35.6%) of the mothers had the appropriate practices regarding feeding their children. Hence, there was a knowledge/practice mismatch regarding the significance of exclusive breastfeeding during the first six months, and generally the vitality of breast milk to the child. These findings may be used to develop strategies and target interventions to create awareness among mothers regarding effective breastfeeding practices.
Onychoscopic Features of Nail in Chronic Plaque Psoriasis: A Cross-Sectional Study of 100 Patients
Authors: Patokar Abhishek S , Poulkar Chandrakant B , Chaudhari Nitin , Khatu Swapna S , Kukreja Mahak , Bhasin Gurman Singh
Published: May 2023

Background:

Nail involvement is a feature of 30%–50% of psoriasis patients. Only 5%–10% of patients have isolated nail psoriasis. Examination of the nail unit using a dermoscope is known as onychoscopy. The usefulness of onychoscopy in the early detection of nail psoriasis needs to be evaluated.

Objective:

The objective of this study was to describe the onychoscopic features in chronic plaque psoriasis patients.

Materials and Methods:

In this cross-sectional study, 100 patients with chronic plaque psoriasis were recruited. Onychoscopy was performed, and results were compared with the same age- and sex-matched controls. The various onychoscopic features were assessed using the Chi-square test (P < 0.05 was considered significant). The statistical analysis was done using the application named Epi Info™.

Results:

Out of 100 psoriasis patients, 39 patients showed clinically evident nail involvement on the naked eye, whereas 64 patients showed nail involvement on onychoscopic examination. The mean age of patients observed in our study was 37.5 years. Out of 64 patients, 43 were male and 21 were female. Pitting was the most common finding seen in 55 (85.93% and P = 0.0001) patients, followed by transverse groove in 18 (28.12% and P = 0.025), subungual hyperkeratosis in 16 (25% and P = 0.035), nail plate crumbling in 16 (25% and P = 0.0009), and oil drop sign in 8 (12.5% and P = 0.010) patients. Only these five parameters were statistically significant. Furthermore, other findings observed were onycholysis in 7 (10.93% and P = 0.166), leukonychia in 12 (18.75% and P = 0.614), splinter hemorrhages in 8 (12.5% and P = 0.099), pseudo-fiber sign in 4 (6.25% and P = 0.127), lunular red spots in 3 (4.68% and P = 0.242), and dilated globose vessels were seen in 4 (6.25% and P = 0.127) patients.

Conclusion:

Onychoscopy is a useful noninvasive method to detect subclinical nail involvement, which may not be visible to the naked eye.
Observational Study of Leprosy Presenting with Solitary Skin Lesion from a Tertiary Care Hospital in South India
Authors: Rao Angoori Gnaneshwar , Karnam Aparna
Published: May 2023

Background:

Leprosy presents with varied clinical morphology, and most often the morphological pattern and distribution of lesions denote a particular spectrum of leprosy; however, it may not be correct in all the cases which can lead to under treatment and dissemination of infection, particularly, in multibacillary leprosy presenting with single skin lesion.

Objective:

The objective of the study was to describe cases of leprosy presenting with solitary skin lesion and to establish the spectrum by slit-skin smear (SSS) and histopathological examination of skin biopsy.

Materials and Methods:

A prospective study involving thirty cases of leprosy presenting with single skin lesion to the department of dermatology of a tertiary care hospital spread over 2 years. Examination of skin lesion and nerves was carried out, and details were recorded. Routine hematological and biochemical investigations were done. SSS from the lesion, both ear lobes, right elbow, left middle finger, and right middle toe and lesional biopsy was done. Bacteriological index and morphological index were calculated in all cases, and the diagnosis was correlated by histopathology.

Results:

Of the thirty cases studied, twenty were males (66.7%) and ten (33.3%) were females with male-to-female ratio of 2:1. The most common age group afflicted was 21–40 years (70%). Hypopigmented patch was the most common presentation 19 (63.3%) in our study. The most common site of patch was forearm in 9 (30%). Of the thirty cases, 20 (66.7%) were diagnosed as borderline tuberculoid, 9 (30%) as tuberculoid tuberculosis, and 1 (3.3%) as indeterminate leprosy. Ulnar nerve was the most common nerve involved (80%). Ten patients (33.3%) were positive and twenty (66.7%) were negative for acid-fast bacilli on SSS examination. Out of the thirty clinically diagnosed leprosy cases, 19 (63.3%) showed positive histopathological correlation.

Conclusions:

The presentation of borderline lepromatous leprosy and lepromatous leprosy as single skin lesion reinforces the fact that certain aspects of the host cell-mediated response and pathophysiology of this disease are still not fully understood. It illustrates the importance of SSS and biopsy in these cases as such cases are undertreated.
A Rare Case of Primary Cutaneous B-Cell Lymphoma in a Child
Authors: Prathibha JP , Cherala Akanksha Prasad , Bhat Ishwara , Mohanthy Suravi
Published: May 2023

Primary cutaneous lymphomas (PCLs) are non-Hodgkin’s lymphomas present in the skin, with no evidence of extracutaneous disease at the time of diagnosis. PCL is uncommon in children, and those that do exist are mostly of the T-cell lineage. PCL of the B-cell linage is most common in the sixth decade of life and is extremely rare in childhood.
Perspective Toward Complementary & Alternative Medicines in the Prevention of COVID-19 Infection
Authors: Agrawal Apurva , Sharma Ashish , Mathur Medha , Sharma Anita , Modi Gaurav , Patel Tarang
Published: May 2023

Background:

Across the globe, people are seeking integrative and holistic measures to prevent coronavirus (COVID-19) infection in the form of complementary and alternative medicines (CAM) with or without conventional medicines. This study was done to know the extent of CAM use for COVID-19 prophylaxis and to know beliefs and attitudes of people related to CAM use in India.

Methodology:

A pretested and prevalidated questionnaire was circulated on social media. Participants, who completed the online form and gave voluntary consent, were included. The questionnaire included demographic details and questions related to CAM use, preferences with reasons, preparations used, perceived role of CAM in prevention, immunity boosting and side effects, sources of information, etc.

Results:

Out of 514 responses, 495 were analyzed. 47.07% of respondents were males and 52.93% were females. 66.9% were using CAM for COVID-19 prophylaxis. The association between age, gender, and profession with CAM use was statistically significant (P < 0.05). 41.1% reported CAM use in the past. 36.6% of CAM users were taking “Kadha” and 33% were using ayurvedic medicines. Other frequently used CAM preparations were chyavanprash, giloy, tulsi, ginger, pepper, cloves, honey, sudarshanghanvati, arsenic-30, lemon juice, cinnamon, steam inhalation, ashwagandha, swasarivati, coronil, and warm saline water gargles. 46.9% of the CAM users were on self-medication and 52.3% preferred CAM over allopathy.

Conclusion:

Complementary and alternative medicine utilization for COVID-19 prophylaxis is widespread and self-medication is prevalent. As no specific cure is available in conventional systems, people believe in traditional medicines more than conventional, yet confusion exists. There is a need of increasing awareness regarding side effects, drug–drug interactions, and self-medication.
Access to Maternal and Child Health Services during the COVID-19 Pandemic: An Explorative Qualitative Study in Odisha, India
Authors: Mishra Bijaya K. , Kanungo Srikanta , Panda Subhashree , Patel Kripalini , Swain Swagatika , Dwivedy Subhralaxmi , Karna Sonam , Bhuyan Dinesh , Som Meena , Marta Brajesh , Bhattacharya Debdutta , Kshatri Jaya S. , Pati Sanghamitra , Palo Subrata K.
Published: May 2023

Background:

Maternal and child health (MCH) care is one of the essential routine healthcare services, which got affected during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Modeled projections had anticipated an 8.3%–38.6% rise in maternal mortality from different countries globally. In view of limited studies pertaining to issues related to accessing MCH services in the event of a pandemic, this study was carried out on pregnant and postnatal mothers in Odisha, India.

Methods:

An explorative qualitative study through 36 in-depth interviews (IDIs) was conducted among 16 (44.4%) antenatal and 20 (55.5%) postnatal mothers in six of thirty districts of Odisha, India, from February to April 2021. The districts and blocks were randomly selected for better representativeness. The IDIs were conducted using a predesigned and pretested guide among mothers who had undergone delivery or availed of antenatal, postnatal, or child health services from October 2020 to April 2021. The IDIs were conducted till data saturation. The data were analyzed using MAXQDA software.

Results:

The average age of mothers was 27.6 (+/- 2.2) years. Among the participants, 16 (44.4%) were antenatal and 20 (55.6%) were postnatal mothers; 19 (52.8%) were primipara and 17 (47.2%) were multipara. The majority explained that they received enormous support including door-to-door services from the community health workers (CHWs) even during the difficult times of the pandemic. Reduced transportation facility and fear of contracting the infection were reasons behind the unwillingness to visit health facilities and preference for home delivery. Furthermore, the pandemic had physical, mental, social, and financial impacts among pregnant and postnatal women.

Conclusion:

The unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic has affected access to MCH services by antenatal and postnatal mothers. Health system preparedness and appropriate strategies including better community engagement and participation could avert such challenges in the future.
Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) and Psychometric Validation of Healthy Lifestyle and Personal Control Questionnaire (HLPCQ) in India
Authors: Goyal Himani , Aleem Sheema
Published: May 2023

Background:

The silent epidemic of chronic illness has become a significant public health challenge worldwide. The prevention and management of these deadliest health conditions primarily require empowering the individual to make healthy choices every day, e.g., healthy eating, physical exercise, etc., The first step in designing an intervention for this comprises measuring the health empowerment-related factor. However, severe scarcity of practical tools is noted.

Objective:

The present study aimed at the evaluation of psychometric properties of a healthy lifestyle and personal control questionnaire (HLPCQ)’s English Version in the Indian population.

Method:

For this, a cross-sectional study was conducted on 618 people enlisted from the Northern state of India with the help of convenience sampling strategy. Data is collected by sharing the google form of HLPCQ through various online platforms.

Results:

The value of Cronbach alpha and MacDonald’s Omega, was >.70, suggesting HLPCQ has good reliability in the Indian population. While confirmatory factor analysis result shows that the final model with 24 items has a good fit to the data (RMSEA = 0.04, CFI = 0.97, TLI = 0.96, SRMR = 0.03) which implies that HLPCQ has acceptable structural and cultural validity. While the value of average variance extracted (AVE) and composite reliability (CR) for each factor were found to be more than .50 and .70 respectively, indicating the presence of convergent and discriminant validity for HLPCQ.

Conclusion:

These findings indicate that the HLPCQ has sound psychometric properties and can be used in the Indian population.
Adverse Events among Beneficiaries who Received a Dose of Sputnik V Vaccine at a Tertiary Care Hospital in Coastal Karnataka, India
Authors: Ameer Basma R. , Akshaya Kibballi Madhukeshwar , Bhargava Madhavi , Jamal Jeshela
Published: May 2023

Introduction:

Vaccination has played a vital role in containing the COVID-19 pandemic. Sputnik V was the third vaccine approved for emergency use in India. The objectives of the present study were to document the adverse events following Sputnik V vaccination and the factors associated with adverse events.

Methodology:

This cross-sectional study was conducted during September and October 2021 in a teaching hospital of Karnataka. Ethics approval and CTRI registration were obtained before collecting the data. All persons receiving at least one dose of vaccine were invited to participate and baseline information was collected after written informed consent. They were contacted telephonically to enquire about the adverse events. Data were entered in Microsoft Excel and analyzed using SPSS Version 23 to describe percentages and proportions.

Results:

The median age of 2532 participants was 31 (IQR 25-39) years and 60.4% were males. Minor adverse events were seen among 29.4% participants. Most common symptoms with first dose were fever, vaccination site tenderness, myalgia and headache, and with second dose were fever, myalgia, headache, and vaccination site tenderness. No severe adverse events were reported in our study. The adverse events were seen more among females (P< 0.05) and with the first dose (P< 0.05).

Conclusion:

Most common adverse events were similar to symptoms suggested by the vaccine manufacturers with fever being the most common one. A follow-up after a longer lag time may be recommended to enquire whether the vaccinees developed serious adverse events.
Awareness and Hesitancy of COVID-19 and other Vaccines among People Living with HIV/AIDS Attending Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) Center in North India
Authors: Singh Aman Dev , Upal Naina , Oberoi Simmi , Singh Namrata , Garg Archit , Kaur Avneet , Kaur Ashujot
Published: May 2023

Introduction:

Approximately 40 years have passed since we first learned about the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), but several people living with HIV (PLHIV) in developing countries such as India cannot avail treatments. This makes preventive measures, such as vaccinations, critical in these persons to avoid vaccine preventable diseases (VPDs). However, little is known about the willingness and perceptions of PLHIV regarding these vaccines. Therefore, we explored vaccine awareness and hesitancy, especially during the recent COVID-19 pandemic.

Objectives:

The primary objective was to determine the uptake of the Covid-19 vaccine and other VPD’s among PLHIV and factors affecting the same in Antiretroviral therapy (ART) centers in a tertiary care hospital in North India.

Research Design and Methods:

This was a cross-sectional study of HIV patients who attended our Antiretroviral Therapy center (ART). Clinical data were collected using a questionnaire on general profile, disease information, knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) regarding vaccinations, and vaccination status for different VPDs.

Results/Findings:

We enrolled 300 subjects and found that 82% of the patients attending our ART center were aware of vaccinations, most of whom were aware of the polio vaccine (n=91, 30.33%), followed by tuberculosis (n=61, 20.33%), and the majority of them were not aware of vaccines indicated in PLHIV. We also found that the majority (n= 240, 80.23%) of patients had vaccine hesitancy, especially regarding the new COVID-19 vaccine.

Conclusion:

There is a need to create awareness among people about the benefits and uses of vaccination to achieve the greater goal of reduced morbidity and mortality among PLHIV. There is a need for free vaccination programs for VPDs in PLHIV patients.
A Number of Modern Industries and Toxicants Release: A Review
Authors: Fasih-Ramandi Fatemeh , Shahtaheri Seyed Jamaleddin
Published: May 2023

Aim:

The present study seeks to help the experts and specialists by investigating documents relevant to the harmful chemical compounds and toxic substances used in the production processes of a few novel industries so that, the information gap is identified by recognizing such toxicants and taking steps to fill such gap.

Methods:

By making the use of keywords related to the objective of the study (keywords such as toxicity, modern toxicity, modern industries (MIs), new toxins, modern/new chemical compounds), the indexed articles were searched from 2000 to 2022 in ProQuest, Science Direct, Pub Med, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar databases aiming at access to the toxic compounds in several MIs. In this study, out of 116 articles searched as full text and following the inclusion and exclusion criteria, 46 articles were wholly selected.

Results:

According to the results, the issues include the nanotechnology industry (silver-nanoparticles, gold-nanoparticles, titanium dioxide, zinc-oxide, cerium-dioxide, and iron-oxide nanoparticles), nuclear technology (cobalt [60 Co and 58 Co], uranium [235U], and plutonium [Pu4+]), semiconductor industries (arsenic compounds, phosphorus, dopants, acids, photoactive compounds, etc.), liquid crystal display industries (indium compounds and indium tin oxide), pharmaceutical and medical (cytotoxic and platinum-based drugs), modern dentistry (resins, silica-nanofillers, barium-glass, and beryllium compounds), as well as the MIs involved in silica, nickel, and dioxin nanoparticles, were documented and discussed.

Conclusion:

Developing MIs and equipping the traditional industries with new technologies have confronted humankind with different chemicals and toxins resulting from producing and using products that require attention, study, and research. It is hoped that the present review study will pave the way for extensive studies on occupational health and toxicology in MIs.
General Health Status and its Related Factors of Medical Staff during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Study in the Hospital
Authors: Esmaeili Sayed Vahid , Habibi Ehsanollah , Dehghan Habibollah , Paridokht Fatemeh
Published: May 2023

Aim:

This study aimed to verify the general health status and its related factors of medical staff during the COVID-19 pandemic in Daran Shahid Rajaee Hospital.

Materials and Methods:

This cross-sectional study was performed by census method on 168 medical staff in Shahid Rajaee Hospital in Daran city during the COVID-19 pandemic. Data were gathered by applying a questionnaire, containing demographic information and a 28-item standard General Health Questionnaire. Eventually, data analysis was performed by Spearman correlation tests and the Mann-Whitney U and Kruskal–Wallis H tests, using the SPSS software V.26.

Results:

The results of the study revealed that the general health score, among the individuals, was at a healthy level with a mean of 20.77 ± 11.8. Spearman correlation test represented a significant interdependency between age and general health and its connected factors, Somatic Symptoms Scale, and depression symptoms scale (P < 0.05) (R = −0.226, R = −0.174, R = −0.168). In addition, a significant correlation was found between the depression symptoms scale and work experience (P = 0.005) (R = −0.214). Based on the results of the Kruskal–Wallis H tests, a statistically significant difference was found between the employment status and the general health (P = 0.04) as well as the depression symptoms scale (P = 0.019).

Conclusion:

In this study, the most vital factors affecting both job efficiency and general health were the variables of age, work experience, and type of employment. Furthermore, the subscales of somatic symptoms and depression symptoms were identified as the most effective subscales on general health.
Effect of Filter Media (Zeolite, Ferrolite, and Manganese Greensand) and Combination of Media on the Levels of Iron and Manganese in Borehole Water
Authors: Zulfikar Zulfikar , Aditama Wiwit , Khairunnisa Khairunnisa , Arianto Budi
Published: May 2023

Aim:

The presence of Fe and Mn content in water, apart from being able to interfere with health, also creates a metallic taste and odor of drinking water and causes a yellow color on the walls and clothes. Thus, it is necessary to use appropriate and effective technologies to lower the amounts of iron and manganese in water. The technology involves the use of Filtration Media for Iron (Fe) and Manganese (Mn) Content in Drilling Wells, including Zeolite, Ferolite, and Manganese Greensand.

Materials and Methods:

The first treatment was for control, and the second, third, fourth, and fifth treatments, each containing zeolite ferrolite, and Mn media and the combination of media, were for the filtration process and repeated four times.

Results:

The results showed that the use of zeolite, ferrolite, and Mn filter media and the combination of media was able to increase Fe level by 11.05%, 5.99%, 21.78%, and 40.98%, respectively. Meanwhile, the use of zeolite, ferrolite, and Mn and the combination of media was able to reduce Mn level by 35.58%, 44.97%, 48.30%, and 75.28%, respectively.

Conclusion:

It is not recommended to use zeolite, ferrolite, and Mn filter media for processing Fe in borehole water. Zeolite, ferrolite, and Mn filter media can be used to reduce Mn levels in the borehole water.
The Possible Ameliorative Effect of Echinacea, Ginger, and Their Combination on Experimentally Induced Diabetic Nephropathy in a Rat Model: Histological and Immunohistochemical Study
Authors: Elsayed Hoda M. , Abdel-Aziz Hekmat Osman , Ahmed Ghada Mohammed , Adly Mohamed Arafa , Mohammed Sherine Ahmed
Published: May 2023

Background:

Diabetes represents a chronic disease characterized by hyperglycemia. Several changes in the renal functions had been detected in diabetic patients.

Aim of the Work:

This study was conducted to compare the possible ameliorative role of both ginger and Echinacea either alone or in combination upon experimentally induced diabetic nephropathy.

Materials and Methods:

Sixty adult male albino rats were used in this study. Rats were divided into three groups. Control (group I) included 20 rats. Diabetic group (group II) included 10 rats. Group III included 30 rats subdivided into three subgroups 10 animals each: Subgroup IIIa diabetic treated with 100 mg/kg Echinacea for 30 days. Subgroup IIIb diabetic treated with 400 mg/kg ginger for 30 days orally. Subgroup IIIc diabetic treated with both 100 mg/kg Echinacea and 400 mg/kg ginger for 30 days orally. Hemotoxylin and eosin staining, Periodic acid Schiff and Masson trichrome were done. Ultrastructural examination was done. Immunohistochemical markers used were caspase-3 for apoptosis and CD68 for macrophages. Morphometric and statistical analyses were done.

Results:

Diabetes caused a significant increase in collagen fibers in the renal cortex, the caspase-3 expression as well as the number of macrophages. Ultrastructurally, there was an irregularly thickened glomerular basement membrane and effacement of podocytes. Ginger treatment alone or in combination with Echinacea exhibited more pronounced improvement of diabetes-induced degenerative changes and a significant decrease in collagen fibers, the caspase-3 expression as well as the number of macrophages compared to Echinacea alone.

Conclusion:

Ginger treatment alone or in combination with Echinacea exhibited more pronounced improvement in diabetes nephropathy.
Development and validation of treatment adherence scale for type 2 diabetes mellitus
Authors: Jadav Vallari , Rathod Hetal , Jadhav Sudhir , Mahajan Anil , Palal Deepu , Borah Nirankush , Verma Prerna , Johnson S , Sohkhlet Gracia Anderson , Nallapu Sandeep
Published: May 2023

Introduction:

Adherence to treatment is crucial in long-term diabetes outcome, and treatment includes many different domains, but when most adherence studies have only focused on medication adherence, few studies have focused on diet, physical activity, and self-care. There is a need to have comprehensive scale which can assess all the domains together. This study aimed at development and validation of treatment adherence scale for type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Materials and Methods:

An initial version of Comprehensive Treatment Adherence Scale (CTAS) was prepared based on literature review and identification of key components. Then experts’ opinion, further review of literature, pilot study, led to many changes in the scale. Finally, a 7-domain CTAS was developed. 240 patients’ data were collected and practicing doctors’ interviews were taken for the final version of the scale. The study was carried out in Pimpri, Pune, India using convenience sampling.

Statistical Analysis:

For reliability of the scale, Cronbach’s α was used. Intra-item correlation and inter item correlation were done. Categorical variables were expressed in terms of frequency and percentages (where applicable).

Results:

The Cronbach’s α coefficient was 0.829 for scale. Inter item correlation for scale between different domains was found to have wide range from +0.188 to +0.736 (P < 0.01). The study found that only 105 (43.57%) were advised about all the seven domains of the treatment. Out of 240 patients, 50 (20.83%), 141 (58.75%), 44 (18.33%), and 5 (2.08%) showed excellent, satisfactory, unsatisfactory, and poor treatment adherence, respectively.

Conclusion:

The CTAS for diabetes includes all the important aspects of the treatment. The scale also helps in maintaining a standard treatment protocol for diabetes.
Perceptions and behavioral patterns of Asian Indian adolescents diagnosed with type 1 diabetes
Authors: Manya Velu , Amutha Anandakumar , Latha Pachaiyappan , Unnikrishnan Ranjit , Mohan Viswanathan , Anjana Ranjit Mohan
Published: May 2023

Background:

Type 1 diabetes (T1D) has a significant impact on the well-being and behavioral pattern of affected adolescents, and can lead to affective disorders including depression and anxiety. An emphasis on cognitive and behavioral patterns is necessary to aid the stress and emotions associated with the diagnosis of T1D and is an essential part of optimum care.

Aim:

This study aims to assess the perceptions and behavioral patterns of Asian Indian adolescents diagnosed with T1D.

Materials and Methods:

Twenty-one adolescents with T1D (between the ages of 10 and 19 years) with a duration of diabetes up to 24 months were identified from the electronic medical records of a large chain of diabetes centers in India. Telephonic interviews were conducted to fill out questionnaires regarding dietary habits, insulin treatment, and physical activity of participants.

Results:

The majority (81%) of the adolescents interviewed were adapted to their condition. Most received support from their peers and teachers at school (57%), but 85% continued to have cravings for foods that were restricted from their diet. Almost half (42.9%) of participants and their parents experienced high levels of stress during the initial stages of diagnosis. Most (80%) of them were engaged in physical activities such as jogging, walking, dancing, yoga, and cycling.

Conclusion:

This pilot study suggests that by providing psychological support to adolescents with T1D, it is possible to overcome the stress that accompanies the diagnosis and adaptation to lifestyle changes.
The Coleman correspondence at the free fermion point
Authors: Bauerschmidt Roland , Webb Christian
Published: May 2023

We prove that the truncated correlation functions of the charge and gradient fields associated with the massless sine-Gordon model on

\mathbb{R}^2

with

\beta=4\pi

exist for all coupling constants and are equal to those of the chiral densities and vector current of free massive Dirac fermions. This is an instance of Coleman's prediction that the massless sine-Gordon model and the massive Thirring model are equivalent (in the above sense of correlation functions). Our main novelty is that we prove this correspondence starting from the Euclidean path integral in the nonperturbative regime of the infinite volume models. We use this correspondence to show that the correlation functions of the massless sine-Gordon model with

\beta=4\pi

decay exponentially and that the corresponding probabilistic field is localized.
الأخت في القران الكريم دراسة موضوعية
Authors: د. عبدالرحمن بن محمد بن عبدالله حلواني د. عبدالرحمن بن محمد بن عبدالله حلواني
Published: May 2023

ويشتمل هذا البحث على مقدمة وثلاثة مباحث وخاتمة وفهارس
Automatic Short Answer Grading Using Paragraph Vectors and Transfer Learning Models
Authors: Alreheli Abrar , S. Alghamdi Hanan
Published: May 2023

Grading questions is one of the most duties that consume the time and efforts of instructors. Among different questions formats, short answers measure students’ depth of understanding. Several types of research have been done to grade short answers automatically. Recent approaches attempt to solve this problem using semantic similarity and deep learning models. Correspondingly, paragraph embedding models and the transfer learning models have shown promising results in text-similarity tasks considering the context of the text. This study investigates distributional semantics and deep learning models applied to the task of short answers grading by computing the semantic similarity between students submitted answers and a key answer. We analyze the effect of training two different models on the domain-specific corpus. We suggest to train the models on a domain-specific corpus instead of using pre-trained models. In the first experiment, paragraph vectors are trained on a domain-specific corpus and in the second one, transfer learning selected models were fine-tuned on the domain-specific corpus. The best accuracy achieved by fine-tuning the (roberta-large) masked language model on domain-specific corpus is 0.620 for correlation coefficient, and 0.777 for RMSE.

We compare the achieved results against baseline models and the results of former studies. We conclude that pre-trained paragraph vectors achieve better semantic similarity than training paragraph vectors on a domain-specific corpus. On the contrary, fine-tuning transfer learning models on a domain-specific corpus improve the performance using the pre-trained masked language models.