bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Correlation Between Fine-Needle Aspiration Cytology, Cell Block Cytology, and Histopathology in the Diagnosis of Thyroid Lesions
Authors: Jambhulkar Mohit , Bhatia Jasvinder K. , Singh Samresh K.
Published: July 2022

Context:

Fine-needle aspiration cytology is considered the gold standard screening test in the evaluation of a thyroid nodule. We studied whether cell block cytology can be used in addition to conventional smears for the evaluation of tissue from fine-needle aspirations or fluid aspirations and also compared it with histopathological diagnosis.

Aims:

The primary aim of this study was to know the utility of cell blocks in the diagnosis of thyroid lesions.

Settings and Design:

This was a prospective observational study conducted from June 2018 to September 2020 at a tertiary Care Hospital in Eastern India. Ethical approval was obtained from the Ethics Committee of the institution. Patients above 18 years who presented with goiter were included in the study. Thirty patients were enrolled in the study after informed consent.

Methods and Material:

Smears prepared from the aspirates were stained with Leishman-Giemsa (LG) and Pap stain. The remnant from the needle hub was transferred to a sterile container. Cell blocks were prepared from the remnants. Smears were scored based on cell obscuration by blood, cellularity, cell degeneration, and cell architecture. The results were compared with histopathology.

Statistical Analysis Used:

Data were recorded using Microsoft Excel. Descriptive statistics, frequency, and proportion were used to describe demographic variables.

Results:

The majority of the patients (23.3%) were in their third decade of life, followed by 16.7% of the patients in their fourth and fifth decades. The patient age ranged from 25 to 80 years, with a mean age of 50.83 years and a standard deviation of 16.72. The largest number of patients were females accounting for 80% (24/30) of the total participants. The majority of the patients (36.7%) (11/30) had thyroid gland enlargement for a period of 15 days to three months. 14% of the participants were not able to recall its duration. The majority (60%) (18/30) had left lobe lesions, followed by 33.3% (10/30) who had right lobe lesions, and 6.7% (2/30) who had bilateral lobe swelling. The mean size of the lesion was 2.84 cm. 50% were found to be Bethesda II lesions, while 13.3% were Bethesda IV, and 36.7% were found to be Bethesda VI lesions. The cell block score (7) was found to be better compared to Fine Needle Aspiration Cytology (FNAC) (4.7). Tissue Coagulum Clot and Clot Scrape methods were found to yield better results compared to the Cytocentrifuge method. The P value was found to be significant (<0.001).

Conclusions:

Cell blocks were found to improve the cell morphology compared to FNAC alone and can be used as an adjunct to FNAC in the diagnosis of various thyroid lesions.
COVID-19-associated mucormycosis
Authors: Chamola Vinay , Mohammadi Rasoul , Nair Harish , Goyal Adit , Patel Aarya , Hassija Vikas , Bassetti Matteo , Narang Pratik , Paredes Roger , Santos Jose R. , Hashemi Seyed Jamal , Sani Mahnaz Pejman , Shirani Kiana , Alijani Neda , Naeini Bahareh Abtahi , Pourazizi Mohsen , Abtahi Seyed Hamidreza , Khorvash Farzin , Khanjari Mahdi , Ahmadikia Kazem
Published: July 2022

At a time when the COVID-19's second wave is still picking up in countries like India, a number of reports describe the potential association with a rise in the number of cases of mucormycosis, commonly known as the black fungus. This fungal infection has been around for centuries and affects those people whose immunity has been compromised due to severe health conditions. In this article, we provide a detailed overview of mucormycosis and discuss how COVID-19 could have caused a sudden spike in an otherwise rare disease in countries like India. The article discusses the various symptoms of the disease, class of people most vulnerable to this infection, preventive measures to avoid the disease, and various treatments that exist in clinical practice and research to manage the disease.
Validity and reliability of the Persian version of Violence Risk Screening-10 Instrument (V-Risk-10) in admitted patients to the psychiatric ward
Authors: Mostafavian Zahra , Hosseini Golkoo , Masoudi Elham
Published: July 2022

Background:

Violence Risk Screening Tool-10 (V-Risk-10) is one of the few instruments available for violence risk assessment in patients with a psychiatric diagnosis. The present study aimed to validate the Persian version of this instrument in patients admitted to the psychiatric ward.

Materials and Methods:

Eighty patients referred to a psychiatric hospital were enrolled in this cross-sectional methodological study. In the initial phase, seven senior psychiatry residents rated 20 cases independently at the time of their admission and total scale and subscale reliability were examined. Intraclass correlation coefficients were used to assess the inter-rater reliability. After initial confirmation of V-RISK-10 reliability, a senior psychiatry resident assessed 80 patients with V-RISK-10 in the emergency room. The incident of violent behaviors was recorded during the patients' admission period. The receiver operator characteristics curve (ROC-curve) analysis was used to measure the predictive accuracy of the instrument. The convergent validity was assessed by comparing V-RISK-10 scores between the three risk categories and the three outcome recommendations according to clinicians' overall clinical judgment.

Results:

A Cronbach's alpha coefficient was 0.99 for the total scale. During the research period, 47.5% of patients demonstrated various degrees of aggression and violent behavior. The ROC area under the curve was 0.89 (P < 0.001) with 87% sensitivity, 69% specificity, 72% positive predictive value, and 85% negative predictive value at the cutoff point of 8.5.

Conclusion:

Results indicate that the Persian version of V-Risk-10 is a reliable and valid screening tool for violence risk in patients who are admitted into psychiatric wards.
Comparison of proteinase activity, hemolysin production, and adherence ability of Candida albicans isolates obtained from gastroesophageal lesions and urinary tract infections
Authors: Rezvani Forough , Maheronnaghsh Mehrnoush , Mohammadi Rasoul
Published: July 2022

Background:

Adhesion of Candida to host cell receptors, hemolysin production, and proteinase activity are assumed as principal virulence factors and infection establishment. These virulence factors are essential for colonization, biofilm formation, and attack on the host cells.

Materials and Methods:

A total of 97 Candida albicans isolates obtained from gastroesophageal lesions and urinary tract infections were included in the study. Adhesion assay, proteinase activity, and hemolysin production were measured. Statistical analysis was performed using the independent t-test and Chi-square test to compare quantitative and qualitative data between the two groups.

Results:

The adherence ability to the buccal epithelial cells was the same in the two groups. Proteinase activity was seen in all clinical isolates. Hemolytic activities were not statistically significant in the two groups.

Conclusion:

Our results recommend that the pathogenicity of C. albicans in the mucous membranes cannot be connected to the infected site.
Association between serum Vitamin D levels and prognostic factors in nonmetastatic breast cancer patients
Authors: Shahrzad Mohammad Karim , Gharehgozlou Reyhaneh , Fadaei Sara , Hajian Parastoo , Mirzaei Hamid Reza
Published: July 2022

Background:

Breast cancer is among the most common malignancies in women around the world. There is evidence of high prevalence of serum/blood Vitamin D deficiency in Iranian women. Considering the multitude of factors that may be involved in the prognosis and lifespan of breast cancer patients, this study investigated the level of Vitamin D in Iranian patients with nonmetastatic breast cancer.

Materials and Methods:

This cross-sectional study was carried out on 214 women diagnosed with breast cancer, who were referred to the radio-oncology department. Serum Vitamin D level of the patients was measured. Prognostic factors were determined based on demographic and pathological characteristics. The results were analyzed using descriptive statistics tests, Chi-square, one-way analysis of variance, Kaplan–Meier, and Cox regression model in SPSS v22. For all cases, the significance level was considered to be P < 0.05.

Results:

The total mean of 25-hydroxyvitamin D serum level was 25.15 ± 17.68 ng/ml. There was no significant relationship between levels of Vitamin D with disease stage, tumor size, tumor grade, estrogen receptor, progesterone receptor, and Human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (P > 0.05). The mean survival time was 5 years and 45 days.

Conclusion:

No relationship was found between serum Vitamin D levels and the factors affecting the prognosis of nonmetastatic breast cancer. The Cox analysis showed that the survival time was not influenced by Vitamin D as a prognosis factor.
Effect of dietary inclusion of camelina or chia oil on fatty acid digestibility, histology, blood biochemistry and molecular biomarkers in juvenile gilthead sea bream (Sparus aurata, L.)
Authors: Ofori-Mensah Samuel , Yildiz Mustafa , Eldem Vahap , Urku Cigdem , Kaplan Caglayan
Published: July 2022

The present study evaluated fatty acid digestibility, histology, blood biochemistry and gene expression in the gut of juvenile gilthead sea bream, Sparus aurata (initial mean weight, 60.4 ± 4.9 g) fed with iso-proteic (48%) and iso-lipidic (20.7%) diets in which fish oil was partially (60%) or totally (100%) replaced with either camelina or chia oil. Each of the experimental diets was fed to triplicate groups of fish stocked at 10 fish/tank in 150 L tanks for 90 days. Although inclusion of camelina or chia oil altered dietary fatty acid (FA) profile, major differences in digestibility in the individual FAs were not observed. Total replacement of fish oil with camelina or chia oil did not have any effect on blood glucose levels, whereas cholesterol and triglyceride levels were reduced. Results of messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) transcription showed elevated levels in the expression of the elongases and desaturases in gilthead seabream fed with diets devoid of fish oil. Fish fed with camelina or chia oil based diets had increased expression in lipolytic and lipogenic genes, resulting in accumulation of lipid droplets in the gut of fish. Histological examination revealed no pathological disorders in the guts of the fish.
Clinical implications of discrepancies in predicting pediatric mortality between Pediatric Index of Mortality 3 and Pediatric Logistic Organ Dysfunction-2
Authors: Lee Eui Jun , Lee Bongjin , Kim You Sun , Choi Yu Hyeon , Kwak Young Ho , Park June Dong
Published: July 2022

Background: Pediatric Index of Mortality 3 (PIM 3) and Pediatric Logistic Organ Dysfunction-2 (PELOD-2) are validated tools for predicting mortality in children. Research suggests that these tools may have different predictive performance depending on patient group characteristics. Therefore, we designed this study to identify the factors that make the mortality rates predicted by the tools different.Methods: This retrospective study included patients (<18 years) who were admitted to a pediatric intensive care unit from July 2017 to May 2019. After defining the predicted mortality of PIM 3 minus the predicted mortality rate of PELOD-2 as “difference in mortality prediction,” the clinical characteristics significantly related to this were analyzed using multivariable regression analysis. Predictive performance was analyzed through the Hosmer-Lemeshow test and area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC).Results: In total, 945 patients (median [interquartile range] age, 3.0 [0.0–8.0] years; girls, 44.7%) were analyzed. The Hosmer-Lemeshow test revealed AUROCs of 0.889 (χ2=10.187, P=0.313) and 0.731 (χ2=6.220, P=0.183) of PIM 3 and PELOD-2, respectively. Multivariable linear regression analysis revealed that oxygen saturation, partial pressure of CO2, base excess, platelet counts, and blood urea nitrogen levels were significant factors. Patient condition-related factors such as cardiac bypass surgery, seizures, cardiomyopathy or myocarditis, necrotizing enterocolitis, cardiac arrest, leukemia or lymphoma after the first induction, bone marrow transplantation, and liver failure were significantly related (P<0.001).Conclusions: Both tools predicted observed mortality well; however, caution is needed in interpretation as they may show different prediction results in relation to specific clinical characteristics.
Sacred Folk Songs and the Slovenian Immigrant Community in Switzerland
Authors: Marty Maša K.
Published: July 2022

The article presents the role of sacred folk songs in the liturgy of the Slovenian Catholic Mission in Switzerland. It presents active singing as local ethnic cultural forms that have been transmitted from the “original homeland” and serve to create temporal and local continuity in the diasporic Slovenian Catholic community in Switzerland.
A Classless Society or Your Kingdom Come?
Authors: Rojas Sahurie Pablo
Published: July 2022

The article focuses on the case of Plegaria a un labrador by Víctor Jara and its social biography as a song to show how the utopia of a classless society converges with the idea of the kingdom of God on earth in the Nueva Canción Chilena.
Introduction
Authors: Markoff Irene
Published: July 2022

This special issue of Musicological Annual reflects the acknowledgment and celebration of the official recognition (2021) by the International Council of Traditional Music’s Executive Board of the new Study Group, Sacred and Spiritual Sounds and Practices. The peer-reviewed articles found herein are revised versions of papers presented at the international, multidisciplinary symposium Music – Religion – Spirituality. Held online from August 26–28, 2021 (Ljubljana), with generous funding and support from various Slovenian agencies and institutions, the symposium served to fulfill a requirement for new ICTM Study Group affiliation.
The Readership of Zodiacus vitae in Early Modern Poland, Pomerania and Silesia
Authors: Drzewiecka Ewelina
Published: July 2022

Zodiacus vitae, an influential philosophical poem by Marcello Palingenio Stellato, enjoyed popularity in Early Modern Europe, as evidenced by over sixty foreign editions, several translations and a 16th-century Polish-language paraphrase. Despite the latter being a testimony to Palingenius’work being read by the most prominent Renaissance humanists in Poland, the poem’s readership in Old Polish literature has remained largely unknown. The goal of this article is, therefore, to outline a new map of its readership in Early Modern Poland, Pomerania and Silesia, citing its presence in book inventories, public libraries, book collections and monastery libraries. Zodiacus circulated for instance in the 16th and 17th centuries among booksellers and bookstore owners in the most important printing centre in Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth − Lviv (Piotr of Poznań, Baltazar Hybner) and Cracow (Helena Unglerowa, Franciszek Jakub Mercenich). It was no less popular in the private book collections of the townspeople, physicians, noblemen and aristocracy. Among the owners of the poem can be found for example: famous scholar and professor Jan Brożek, historian at the court of King Stephen Bathory –Giovanni Michele Bruto, poet Jan Gawiński, reformer of education and the mayor of Toruń−Henryk Stroband. Some light on the problem of the Zodiacus’popularity is also shed by an analysis of copious amounts of marginal notes in over seventy extant copies of Palingenius’work preserved in Polish libraries.
Świetliste szczeliny niebios Maciej Kazimierz Sarbiewski, gwiazdy i „etruski poeta”
Authors: Buszewicz Elwir , Ryczek Wojciech
Published: July 2022

Lucent Cracks of Heavens: Maciej Kazimierz Sarbiewski, Stars and an “Etrurian Poet”

The paper tries to display the links between a catalogue of metaphors contained in Maciej Kazimierz Sarbiewski’s handbook entitled Characteres lyrici, seu Horatius et Pindarus and Giambattista Marino’s Canzone delle stelle. Based upon his college lectures (Połock 1626/1627), Sarbiewski’s work offers practical rules for the composition of lyrical poetry and some theoretical considerations. Among many “ornaments related to the lyrical invention”, a very important stylistic device mentioned by the Jesuit poet and theorist is a “definition by accumulation”(definitio conglobata), that is, a series of extended metaphors or other figurative expressions, for example periphrasis, metonymy or allegory. This rhetorical strategy serves as a useful instrument in reintegrating the art of invention with amplification aimed particularly at the accumulation of different words or figures. As the “ornament of the lyric invention”, the definition described by the author appears no to be restricted only to effective searching for ideas and concepts; it is also a valuable tool for achieving unusual power of expression and for exercising composition and style.

Sarbiewski quotes an example concerning the stars, taken, as he says, from „a contemporary Etrurian poet”. In his commentary to the edition of Characteres lyrici, Stanisław Skimina identified this poet as Dante, which was subsequently taken for granted by many scholars. Recently, the poet in question has been proved to be Giambattista Marino, famous for his style characterized by many extravagant conceits, excessive figures, and other complicated rhetorical patterns. The authors analyze Sarbiewski’s catalogue in the context of Canzone delle stelle, dealing with the way the Polish poet understands and changes the original. While translating Marino’s poem into Latin and listing metaphorical “definitions”of stars, he retained freedom of creative interpretation. For this reason, in his catalogue one may find far-reaching textual changes, for example misreading of words, omission of some figures or simplification of meanings.
Academiae voluntas mihi potior est… Letters by the Livonian Humanist and Lawyer David Hilchen to the Professors of the Academy of Zamość 1603–1609
Authors: Viiding Kristi
Published: July 2022

Academiae voluntas mihi potior est… Letters by the Livonian humanist and lawyer David Hilchen to the professors of the Academy of Zamość1603–1609

This paper is an annotated edition of 44 letters written by humanist lawyer David Hilchen from Livonia (1561–1610) to the professors of the Academy of Zamość, and a response by poet Szymon Szymonowic to Hilchen. A preliminary analysis of these letters, all from 1603–1609, reveals a dichotomy in Hilchen’s portrayal of the academic environment designed by Jan Zamoyski. In the first decade of its activities (almost until the death of Jan Zamoyski in 1605) it is depicted by Hilchen as a mental locus amoenus, a place for beautiful minds. It should be noted that this expression served a purpose of denoting a specific concept rather than being used as an amplificatio. Zamoyski's death brought on the academy’s decline, which was then depicted by Hilchen using motifs characteristic of the locus desperatus: the loss of light and warmth, the rise of calumny, and the deterioration of the quality of education. Yet according to Hilchen’s letters, despite external political and partly religious pressures, even stronger friendships and greater loyalty developed between the members of the academy. In shaping and describing this strategy of humanist friendship against desperation and calumny in everyday situations, Hilchen referenced inter alia the experiences of his previous correspondent, Justus Lipsius, as expressed in Lipsius’ letters, his treatise De Constantia and his speech De Calumnia. Not being an academic sensu stricto himself, Hilchen therefore stood up for its humanist and academic ideals.
Phraséotraduction: problèmes, méthodes, conceptions
Authors: Sułkowska Monika
Published: July 2022

Phraseotranslation: Problems, Methods, Concepts

The aim of the article is to signal the difficulties and problems that appear when phraseology is translated. The author presents the process of phraseotranslation and selected methods and concepts that are used in translating various polylexical phraseological structures. Furthermore, she analyses the very idea of phraseotranslation as a scholarly term and in relation to the interdisciplinary field of research. An effective translation implies equivalent messages in two different linguistic codes, which becomes extremely difficult in case of phraseology. The multiple-word structures entrenched in natural languages are therefore a major challenge in the process of translation and can be a prominent difficulty even for professional translators.
Evaluation on applying Condensate from Food Waste Dry Process as External Carbon Source to Biological Denitrification Process
Authors: Jeung Jae Hoon , Kim Tae Young , Kim Yu Kyung , Song Jea Jun , Chang Soon Woong , Chung Woo Jin
Published: July 2022

Objectives:In this study, the applicability of dry condensate generated from food waste dry feed conversion process was evaluated as an external carbon source to increase the efficiency of the biological denitrification process.Methods:The experiment was carried out in the form of a batch test, and dry condensate was injected into each reactor according to the COD and T/N ratio (C/N ratio). Then, the reactor was operated under anoxic conditions for 5 hours, and nitrate nitrogen was analyzed at intervals of 1 hour.Results and Discussion:The dry condensate from food waste showed a low nitrogen content (T-N 220 mg/L) compared to a high organic matter content (TCOD 21,863 mg/L), and was analyzed to satisfy the conditions of an external carbon source in the denitrification process. And as a result of the experiment, it was found that the nitrate nitrogen removal efficiency was up to 76% after 5 hours at a C/N ratio 7.50:1, which was significantly increased compared to the control which was without condensed water (removal efficiency 4%). Moreover, the removal efficiency of 28% was exhibited even at the C/N ratio 0.95:1, which exhibited the lowest efficiency. In addition, as a result of calculating the specific denitrification rate (SDNR) for each C/N ratio, 7.50:1 was found to be as 0.0726 mg NO3-/mg VSS/d, which was significantly increased than that of control as 0.0038mg NO3-/mg VSS/d.Conclusion:Based on these results, it is judged that it is possible to utilize the dried condensate of food waste as an external carbon source in the denitrification process.
Carbon Dioxide and Particulate Matter Generation Analysis and Policy Suggestions in Drive-thru Service System
Authors: Kim Junbeum , Kwon Soonbark , Song Jaeryeong
Published: July 2022

Objectives:Recently, during two-three years of the COVID-19 pandemic, the drive-thru service system has been one of the most actively used non-face-to-face systems to reduce the risk of infection. The business of coffee shops and fast-food restaurants using drive-thru service systems keeps growing. However, carbon dioxide and particulate matter problems in idle running, including traffic congestion and pedestrian safety issue, were brought up in the drive-thru service systems. In this study, carbon dioxide and particulate matter generation were calculated. Also, we proposed existing problems, improvements, and policy issues.Methods:We calculated the carbon dioxide and particulate matter generation in the idle running of vehicles in drive-thru service using several assumptions, the number of vehicles, the idle running time, and emission factors.Results and Discussion:We provided the carbon dioxide and particulate matter generation in the drive-thru service system. Also, we proposed and explained the existing problems, improvements, and policy issues; employees’ respiratory health problems, installation of particulate matter reduction and monitoring system, “Idle Stop & GO” and eco mode use, Performance of environmental improvement charge, single-use cup & product and collection issue.Conclusion:More accurate calculations and studies are needed using more good data such as the number of vehicles, the idle running time, and emission factors. More active policy applications should be considered with revealed problems and proposed improvements in this study.
Lower-Limb Arterial Stiffness: Assessment, Novel Physiological Insight and Clinical Potential.
Authors:   , Stone Keeron
Published: July 2022

There is an urgent need to identify novel cardiovascular biomarkers which can improve cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk prediction and permit timely-efficacious treatment; necessary to combat the unabated rise in global CVD. Arterial stiffness, representing the ability of an artery to accommodate changes in blood pressure by corresponding changes in dimension, has emerged as an important biomarker of CVD risk. Central (aortic) arterial stiffness, assessed using carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (cfPWV), is the reference standard, improving the prediction of cardiovascular events beyond conventional risk factors. Whilst cfPWV is a powerful discriminator of CVD risk, its dependence on blood pressure limits its clinical utility. In contrast to cfPWV, the clinical value of lower-limb arterial stiffness has received little attention and its role in CVD risk is not well understood; its measurement may well improve CVD risk prediction by providing unique CVD risk information. The purpose of this thesis is to identify the clinical utility of lower-limb arterial stiffness, assessed using femoral-ankle PWV (faPWV). Using experimental and epidemiological research approaches, this thesis demonstrated that faPWV can be assessed simply with accuracy and precision and provides additional CVD risk information beyond conventional risk factors and existing lower-limb arterial health measures. The assessment of faPWV also permits determination of the aortic-femoral arterial stiffness gradient (af-SG), a novel biomarker of promising clinical utility. This thesis demonstrated that the af-SG has stronger associations with CVD than cfPWV alone, can be determined with acceptable precision, and is blood pressure independent. These findings indicate that the assessment of lower-limb arterial stiffness could be of clinical utility and may permit better identification of CVD risk.
Modularising Verification Of Durable Opacity
Authors: Bila Eleni , Derrick John , Doherty Simon , Dongol Brijesh , Schellhorn Gerhard , Wehrheim Heike
Published: July 2022

Non-volatile memory (NVM), also known as persistent memory, is an emerging
paradigm for memory that preserves its contents even after power loss. NVM is
widely expected to become ubiquitous, and hardware architectures are already
providing support for NVM programming. This has stimulated interest in the
design of novel concepts ensuring correctness of concurrent programming
abstractions in the face of persistency and in the development of associated
verification approaches.
Software transactional memory (STM) is a key programming abstraction that
supports concurrent access to shared state. In a fashion similar to
linearizability as the correctness condition for concurrent data structures,
there is an established notion of correctness for STMs known as opacity. We
have recently proposed durable opacity as the natural extension of opacity to a
setting with non-volatile memory. Together with this novel correctness
condition, we designed a verification technique based on refinement. In this
paper, we extend this work in two directions. First, we develop a durably
opaque version of NOrec (no ownership records), an existing STM algorithm
proven to be opaque. Second, we modularise our existing verification approach
by separating the proof of durability of memory accesses from the proof of
opacity. For NOrec, this allows us to re-use an existing opacity proof and
complement it with a proof of the durability of accesses to shared state.
Regression Analysis with Scikit-learn (part 2 - Logistic)
Authors: Lavin Matthew J.
Published: July 2022

This lesson is the second in a two-part lesson focusing on regression analysis. It provides an overview of logistic regression, how to use Python (scikit-learn) to make a logistic regression model, and a discussion of interpreting the results of such analysis.
The genome of the mustard hill coral, Porites astreoides
Authors: Wong Kevin H. , Putnam Hollie M.
Published: July 2022

Anthropogenic effects have contributed to substantial declines in coral reefs worldwide. However, some corals are more resilient to environmental changes and have increased in relative abundance, thus these species may shape future reef communities. Here, we provide the first draft reference genome for the mustard hill coral, Porites astreoides, collected in Bermuda. DNA was sequenced via Pacific Biosciences (PacBio) HiFi long-read technology. PacBio read assembly with FALCON UnZip resulted in a 678-Mbp assembly with 3051 contigs with an N50 of 412,256 and the BUSCO completeness analysis resulted in 90.9% of the metazoan gene set. An ab initio transcriptome was also produced with 64,636 gene models with a transcriptome BUSCO completeness analysis of 77.5% versus the metazoan gene set. Functional annotation was completed for 86.6% of proteins. These data are valuable resources for improving biological knowledge of P. astreoides, facilitating comparative genomics for corals, and supporting evidence-based restoration and human-assisted evolution of corals.
La unidad del saber en John Henry Newman
Authors: Aznar Sala Francisco Javier
Published: July 2022

Sin duda alguna John Henry Newman (1801-1890) fue una figura importante y relevante dentro del mundo religioso y universitario, no en vano se trata de una autoridad eclesial y académica y de perenne referencia cuando se quiere hablar de educación superior. Todas y cada una de sus ideas han ido jalonando el ideario de lo que ha de ser una universidad que se precie en llamarse católica, pues supo darle el toque de calidad que una universidad de este nivel ha de poseer en sus estudios. Para Newman la unidad de vida es algo sustantivo de la cultura católica y esta línea de actuación fue la que guio sus pasos cuando recibió en encargo en 1851 de fundar la Universidad Católica en Dublín. El mundo universitario representa para el cardenal Newman la totalidad del saber sin exclusión alguna. Su legado no muere y se presenta en pleno siglo XXI como una de las perspectivas más adecuadas para entender el quehacer universitario en todos sus ámbitos, sea de ideario católico o de otro tipo de inspiraciones.
One-Step conversion of high FFA Crude Karanja oil (Pongamia pinnata) to Bio-diesel Using Portland cement as excellent heterogeneous catalyst
Authors: Ekeoma M. O. , Okoye P. A. C. , .Ajiwe V.I.E , Hameed B. H.
Published: July 2022

Heterogeneous catalyst was prepared from Portland cement. The prepared heterogeneous catalyst was tested for catalytic activity in the transesterification of non-edible, high free fatty acid feedstock, such as crude karanja oil (CKO), for biodiesel production, at methanol reflux temperature. Gas chromatographic (Gc) analysis technique was used to determine the fatty acid methyl ester yield. The preparation of heterogeneous catalyst from low-cost sources, and the use of non-edible feedstock, only at methanol reflux temperature, were all aimed at reducing the cost of biodiesel production. Insight into the catalytic activities of catalyst was obtained by characterizations for their textural properties, using Brunnear-Emmet-Teller (BET) analysis technique, surface scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and electron dispersive x-ray (EDX) for microstructure, surface morphology and chemical composition; x-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier-Transform Infra-Red (FTIR) spectroscopy for structural and functional groups analyses, respectively. Differential thermal and thermogavimetric (DTA/TGA) analyses were performed to determine the proper temperature ranges for the dehydration, decomposition, desorption and oxidation of sample via the TGA curves and their melting points and changes in crystal structures via the DTA curves, for effective determination of calcination temperature. The application of Portland Cement-derived heterogeneous catalyst in the transesterification reaction revealed excellent activity in the transesterification of crude karanja oil, with excellent fatty acid methyl ester yield of over 97.87 %. Operational conditions such as methanol/oil mole ratio (1:3 - 18), catalyst loading (3 - 9 % by wt) and reaction time (0.5 – 7 hours), were investigated to obtain the optimum reaction conditions for the feedstock, while the reaction temperature was kept constant at methanol reflux temperature, to minimise cost of production, in line with the objective of this investigation. Calcined heterogeneous catalysts gave over 80% fatty acid methyl ester yields than the raw counterpart, which were attributed to changes in crystal structures and phases of catalysts, observed in the characterization of catalysts, after calcination. Keywords: Portland cement, heterogeneous catalyst, Crude Karanja oil, transesterification reaction, Feedstock
BIOSORPTION OF Pb(II) AND Cu(II) IONS FROM AQUEOUS SOLUTION USING COFFEE SENNA (Senna occidentalis) LEAVES AS BIOMASS
Authors: Lawal R. A. , Lohdip Y. N. , Gongden J. J. , Gungshik J. R.
Published: July 2022

Conventional reagents for the remediation of heavy metals from wastewaters are expensive. Plant materials are being investigated to serve as alternative. The potential of Senna occidentalis leaves in removing Pb (II) and Cu (II) ions from aqueous solution was investigated using Batch adsorption method. The process was subjected to different experimental conditions such as initial metal concentration, solution pH, contact time, biosorbent dose, temperature and shaking speed. Atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS) was employed in the determination of metal ion concentrations in solution after agitation, and characterization of plant biomass was done using infrared (IR) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analytical techniques. The adsorption process vary with the pH of the reaction medium. The optimum adsorption of Pb (II) and Cu (II) ions was achieved at pH 6 and 4 with percent uptake recorded at 97.70% and 82.32% respectively. At optimum temperatures of 40oC & 60oC for Pb (II) and Cu (II) ions, reaction equilibrium was attained after 120 min and 90 min of contact with 20 mg and 40 mg doses of the biomass respectively. The adsorption data for Pb (II) ion fitted well to Langmuir, Freundlich, Temkin and Dubbinin-Radushkevich isotherms. However, Cu (II) ion adsorption mechanism showed exception to Langmuir adsorption isotherm. The plant material was found to be effective in removing Pb (II) and Cu (II) ions and thus, can serve as a substitute for costly adsorbents in the remediation of Pb (II) and Cu (II) ions from wastewaters.
EVALUATIONS OF CORROSION INHIBITION OF MILD STEEL USING EXTRACT FROM CHROMOLAENA ODORATA(SAIM WEED) IN ACIDIC MEDIA
Authors: Ali B. , Chiedozie N. A. , Arinzechukwu C. M.
Published: July 2022

Determination of the corrosion inhibition of chromolaena odorata extract was carried out on mild steel at the different concentrations for 1M HCL and 0.5M H2SO4. The results show that the corrosion rate of mild steel increases with increasing temperature and decreases with an increase in the concentration of the extract. While the inhibitory effect of plant extract was more noticeable in 0.5M H2SO4than in 1M HCL even at higher concentrations. The observed trend in temperature and inhibition efficiency (1.E%) was because of the molecules of the extract absorbed on the surface of the mild steel as the concentrations increases.
COMPARATIVE ASSESSMENT OF PHYTOCHEMICALS, ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITY AND ANTIMICROBIAL ACTIVITY OF Cola acuminata, Garcinia kola and Vernonia amygdalina
Authors: Ugwuowo B. O. , Ahmed A. , Oluwasola H. O. , Ukoha P. O.
Published: July 2022

Folin Ciocalteu’ s method was employed to screen Vernonia amygdalina leaf and the seeds of Garcinia kola and Cola accuminata for total polyphenols. The in vitro antioxidant activities of the extracts were evaluated by 1, 1 -diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazyl (DPPH) assay. The result of the total polyphenol content indicated 3211.6, 1826.2 and 892.8mg (GAE)/100g dry weight of sample and the antioxidant activity ranged from 50.80, 46.00 to 36.32 for C. acuminata, G. kola and V amygdalia respectively. A high level of correlation (r2 = 0.927) was observed for total polyphenols and antioxidant activity. The methanol, chloroform and ethyl acetate extracts were also assessed for antimicrobial activity using agar well diffusion method. Screening for major classes of phytochemicals was done using standard chemical tests. The preliminary phytochemical test revealed the presence of flavonoids, tannins, saponins, phenols, alkaloids and steroids as the major chemical groups in these plant extracts. The plant extracts showed antibacterial activity against the test organisms. However, the highest spectrum of activity was indicated by Garcinia Kola as it was active against B. subtilis and S. mutans at a low concentration of 1.25mg/mi (l4 & l2mm). The results obtained in the present investigation showed that the use of these plants as nutraceuticals may reduce the risk of microbial infections and diseases associated with oxidative stress.
EVALUATION OF ALLANBLACKIA FLORIBUNDA SEED OIL FOR POTENTIAL USE IN SOAP MAKING.
Authors: MaduelosI N. J. , Okwechime U. J. , Suannu-Nna L.
Published: July 2022

Allanblackia floribunda seed oil was extracted and used for soap production, as an alternative to palm oil and other frequently used vegetable oils in industries. The physico-chemical properties of the oil in terms of density, melting point, saponification value and iodine value were measured using American oil chemists’ society (AOCS) standard methods. Medicated Allanblackia floribunda soap was produced by reaction of the oil produced with caustic soda, water, pine oil, chloroxylenol, colour, fillers of different percentages. The physiochemical parameter measured show that the oil has iodine value of 39, melting point of 37 0C, density of 0.914 g/ml, peroxide value of 0.86 mEq/kg, saponification value of 198 mgKOH/g, moisture content of 0.16 % and percentage free fatty acid of 1.15%. The values of the physico-chemical properties of Allanblackia soap made were: soap weight = 81.8 g, soap texture - soft, foam height = 59.6 ml, percentage moisture content = 8.56 %, percentage free caustic alkali = 0.01 %, percentage alcohol insoluble matter = 4.0 %, percentage water insoluble matter = 1.6 % and percentage total fatty matter = 72.0 %. There were little deviations in the values of the parameters of the soap produced with the Allanblackia floribunda seed oil from that of the commercial medicated soaps (tetmosol and dettol) analysed. The results from the study show that the soap produced from Allanblackia floribunda seed oil is good and can serve as an alternative to palm oil.
ISOLATION AND CHARACTERISATION OF LUPEOL AND LUPEOL ACETATE FROM PROPOLIS OBTAINED FROM BENUE STATE
Authors: Ipav S. S. , Igoli J. O. , Tor-Anyiin T. A. , Anyam And J. V.
Published: July 2022

Propolis obtained from various geographical regions has yielded various phyto-constituents and exhibited several biological activities. The aim of the present study was to isolate and characterize chemical compounds from hexane and ethyl acetate extract of propolis obtained from Gboko. To isolate compounds, extract was subjected to column chromatography by gradient elution using two solvent mixtures - hexane: ethyl acetate and ethyl acetate: methanol. The structure of the isolated compound was established using 1H-NMR and data on the compound was further verified by comparison with literature reports. Pharmacologically active pentacyclic triterpenoids; lupeol and lupeol acetate, were isolated from the ethyl acetate extract of this propolis.
Dynamic Traffic Control System
Authors: Zaidi Subiya , Yadav Harshita , Kumar Chaudhary Hemant , Puri Hrithik , Saraswat Kartikeya
Published: July 2022

A country with a population of 1.3 billion and almost 300 million vehicles, India is one of the biggest contributors to traffic jams, vehicle- specific pollution, and chronic lung diseases. To manage the footfall of this gigantic urban population, and the vehicles, our country has blindly poured in resources towards both active and passive traffic management, investing in measures such as smart traffic management systems and deploying enormous armies of traffic police to handle intersections and exits. The paper aims, towards showcasing a dynamic, fully autonomous model, that uses real-time feeds from existing traffic junctions/ intersection cameras, process them and provide an intensity score based on the density of traffic in each adjoining lane. The system, based upon the intensity scores, provides suitable traffic go time to each lane. The model also scans for emergency vehicles in each lane, to provide a priority pass to such vehicles.
PRAVNA SIGURNOST NAMIRENjA STEČAJNIH POVERILACA KROZ INSTITUT ZABRANE INDIVIDUALNOG IZVRŠENjA I NAMIRENjA U STEČAJNOM POSTUPKU
Authors:   University of Zagreb, Faculty of Law, Božić Vanda
Published: July 2022

The opening of bankruptcy proceedings leads to the interruption of the execution procedure. This means that from the day of opening of the bankruptcy proceedings no enforceable execution can be carried out in order to settle claims on the basis of the execution document. The execution document loses the function of enforceability, but not the property of validity. Namely, bankruptcy and enforcement proceedings involve monetary compulsory execution, but it should be noted that one procedure excludes the other. Individual compulsory execution is carried out in the enforcement procedure, while bankruptcy proceedings include complete compulsory execution. To bankruptcy creditors, the Law on Bankruptcy provides legal certainty in the settlement of their claims through the Institute of Prohibition of Individual Execution and Settlement. The moratorium as an institute of prohibition of individual execution constitutes an obstacle to individual execution and settlement in bankruptcy proceedings and has the consequence of temporarily deferring debt repayments. However, the abolition of the moratorium allows the implementation of the enforcement procedure, which has the consequence of returning the execution to the competence of the public executors.
MINI SUĐENjE (MINI – TRIAL) – NOVI TALAS U REŠAVANjU MEĐUNARODNIH PRIVREDNIH SPOROVA
Authors:   University of Kragujevac, Faculty of Law, Petrović Milena
Published: July 2022

The mini - trial is an alternative dispute resolution (ADR) procedure that is used by businesses to resolve legal issues without incurring the expense and delay associated with court litigation. It does not result in a formal adjudication but is a vehicle for the parties to arrive at a solution through a structured settlement process. It is used most effectively when complex issues are at stake and the parties need or wish to maintain an amicable relationship. The term ’mini - trial’ is a misnomer, as it is not a trial, mini or otherwise. Rather, it is a voluntary, private, informal, confidential and non-binding settlement technique used most frequently in international disputes between corporations from different countries and cultures. It allows the disputants to focus on the merits of the dispute instead of dealing with procedural issues which differ from one legal system to another. Mini- trial is most helpful in case involving complex factual disputes which are always more amenable to consensual resolution processes, although mixed questions of fact and law may be also be appropriate for mini-trial if there is no need for a definitive judgment on the law.
CO-INFECTION WITH BABESIA CANIS AND BORRELIA BURGDORFERI S.L. IN A DOG FROM NORTHEASTERN ROMANIA: A CASE REPORT
Authors: MIRON Liviu Dan , CIUCA Lavinia , ILIE Călin , POTOROACA Andreea , LAZĂR Constantin , MARTINESCU Gabriela-Victoria
Published: July 2022

This study describes a clinical case of a 9-year-old mixed-breed dog co-infected with Babesia canis and Borrelia burgdorferi. This dog was referred to a private clinic in northeastern Romania for a recurrent perianal tumour and a mild inflammation in the right elbow. The dog showed mild haemolytic anaemia, as well as increased alkaline phosphatase and glucose levels. Despite surgery and therapy, after four days, the patient had developed hyperthermia, severe anaemia and an inflammatory syndrome. The blood smear revealed the presence of piroplasm organisms identified as ‘large’ Babesia spp. On the 9th day of hospitalization the patient died during the blood transfusion, before applying the specific therapy for babesiosis. The blood collected before blood transfusion was tested for the following vector-borne diseases: Babesia spp., Anaplasma spp., Ehrlichia spp., Hepatozoon spp. and Borrelia spp. using molecular analysis. The final outcome indicated a co-infection with Babesia canis and Borrelia burgdorferi s.l. In conclusion, the introduction of vector-borne disease screening approach prior any surgical procedure can prevent life-threatening events and improve diagnostic accuracy in dogs infected/co-infected simultaneously with different vector-borne diseases.
Ayurvedic Perspective of Recurrent Pregnancy Loss
Authors: Rajini P
Published: July 2022

Recurrent Pregnancy Loss (RPL) is defined as two or more failed clinical pregnancies confirmed by sonography or histopathology. In majority of patients the etiology cannot be clearly defined, so it is one of the arduous and composite area in the medical field for both doctors and patients to handle. The etiology of Recurrent Pregnancy Loss can be broadly included under genetic, endocrine, anatomic, environmental and immunological factors. As this is a multifactorial entity and is difficult to pinpoint a specific etiology or pathology in majority of cases, a thorough and detailed history taking along with necessary investigations have to be done. Treatment mainly aims in rectifying the cause and psychological support together with counselling in couples with unknown causes will improve the outcome. In Ayurveda Recurrent Pregnancy Loss can be correlated with Garbhasravi vandhya mentioned in Hareetha samhitha and Puthraghni yonivyapth explained in Brhathtrayees based on the clinical features. Ayurveda advises to do Sodhana therapy (purificatory procedures) ending with Uthara vasti in Recurrent miscarriage cases especially with unknown etiology. Acarya Hareetha and Acarya Caraka explained Garbhasravi vandhya and Puthragni yonivapath respectively as loss of pregnancy occurring in first trimester. Susruta says that in this condition, the foetuses after attaining stability are repeatedly destroyed due to bleeding which indicates second trimester abortions. On conclusion both Garbhasravi vandhya and Puthraghni yonivyapath can be considered as Recurrent Pregnancy loss explained in modern science.