bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Examining the Impact of Maternally Administered Bisphenol-A on Rat Kidney Development
Authors: MEYDAN Dilek , TAN Semih , ÖZDAMAR Saim , ÇETİN Hülya
Published: August 2023

Aim: Bisphenol-A (BPA) is an estrogenic chemical used today in the production of epoxy resin and as an additive in other non-polymer plastics. Due to the widespread use of BPA today, human exposure is inevitable. This exposure causes harmful effects on various body systems. The aim of this study is to investigate the effects on the development of the kidneys of the offspring of mother rats exposed to BPA during pregnancy and lactation, as a result of the offspring being exposed to BPA through the placenta and milk.

Material and Methods: In this study, 13 adult Wistar albino female rats were divided into 3 groups. In Group 1 (Control group), rats were only administered 1 ml/kg/day corn oil intraperitoneally. Group 2 (25 mg BPA group) rats were administered 25 mg/kg/day BPA; Group 3 (50 mg group) rats were administered 50 mg/kg/day BPA intraperitoneally for 5 weeks. At the end of the experiment, the intracardiac blood and kidney tissues of the offspring rats were taken and examined for urea, total protein, creatinine, TAS, TOS, MDA values.

Results: At the end of the study, it was determined that BPA increased serum urea, creatinine and total protein levels, induced the formation of reactive oxygen species causing oxidative damage in kidney tissue, and caused serious structural damages

Conclusion: Only mother rats exposed to BPA. BPA transferred to pups via placenta and milk, causing structural damage: narrowing in Bowman's space of renal corpuscle, dilatation in proximal/distal tubules and collecting ducts, occasional cell loss, vacuolization in tubule epithelia.
Cap I. Recorrido por la ciencia y el conocimiento
Authors:   Universidad César Vallejo, Chunga Diaz Tito Orlando , Jacobi-Romero Dante Jesus ,   Universidad César Vallejo
Published: August 2023

El objetivo fue analizar la producción literaria sobre el conocimiento y ciencia mediante una revisión sistemática, con un análisis documental de la base datos SCOPUS, comprendida entre los años 2019 y 2023, usando los operadores booleanos y el gestor bibliográfico Mendeley, luego se procesó la información pertinente con el método PRISMA, siendo seleccionados 21 artículos para la base de datos en este estudio. En los resultados se evidencia que el desarrollo del conocimiento, la ciencia y la investigación es una construcción humana, social, gradual y progresiva, que se verifica, transmite y se almacena en repositorios y gestores bibliográficos, es así, que el docente tiene un rol importante en la enseñanza e investigación, recuperando saberes previos para el desarrollo del conocimiento, en las ciencias sociales y de la información. Se concluye que la construcción del conocimiento científico, la ciencia y la investigación evolucionan y permiten atender las necesidades de las personas y la sociedad. En este sentido, las ciencias sociales están enmarcadas en un paradigma positivista, mientras las ciencias de la información están basadas en conocer una posverdad a través de una ciencia posnormal.
MCDM MODEL FOR CRITICAL SELECTION OF BUILDING AND INSULATION MATERIALS FOR OPTIMISING ENERGY USAGE AND ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECT IN PRODUCTION FOCUS
Authors: Ulutaş Alptekin , Balo Figen , Mirković Katarina , Stević Željko , Mostafa Mohamed M. H.
Published: August 2023

In the context of sustainable buildings, an ecological study of building and insulating materials is critical since it may assist affirm or shift the path of new technology development. Utilising sustainable material is a part of the sustainable improvement. For this reason, material fabrication is the primary process for the energy usage and release of intense environmental gaseous. The fabrication of the insulation and building materials, as in every fabrication process, comprises an energy consumption of crude materials in addition to the pollutants’ release. In buildings, insulation is a relevant technological resolution for cutting energy usage. This study aims to assess the primary energy consumption and the environmental effects of the fabrication of building and thermal isolation materials by using a new hybrid MCDM model. The proposed new hybrid MCDM model includes Fuzzy FUCOM, CCSD and CRADIS methods. While the subjective weights of the criteria were determined with the fuzzy FUCOM method, the objective weights of the criteria were determined with the CCSD method. Construction materials were listed with the CRADIS method. According to the fuzzy FUCOM method, the most important criterion was determined as the CR3 criterion, while the most important criterion according to the CCSD method was determined as the CR1 criterion. According to the combined weights, the most important criterion was determined as the CR3 criterion. According to the CRADIS method, the material with the best performance was determined as Cement Plaster. The methodology used in this study is a novel approach therefore it has not been used in any study before. In addition, since the CRADIS method is a newly developed MCDM method, the number of articles related to this method is low. Therefore, this research gap will be filled with this study.
An Optical Distortion Solution for the Keck I OSIRIS Imager
Authors: Freeman Matthew S. R. , Lu Jessica R. , Lyke Jim , Gautam Abhimat , Kupke Renate , Ghez Andrea , Sakai Shoko , Anderson Jay , Bellini Andrea
Published: August 2023

The astrometric precision and accuracy of an imaging camera is often limited by geometric optical distortions. These must be calibrated and removed to measure precise proper motions, orbits, and gravitationally lensed positions of interesting astronomical objects. Here, we derive a distortion solution for the OSIRIS Imager fed by the Keck I adaptive optics system at the W. M. Keck Observatory. The distortion solution was derived from images of the dense globular clusters M15 and M92 taken with OSIRIS in 2020 and 2021. The set of 403 starlists, each containing ∼1000 stars, were compared to reference Hubble catalogs to measure the distortion-induced positional differences. OSIRIS was opened and optically realigned in 2020 November and the distortion solutions before and after the opening show slight differences at the ∼20 mas level. We find that the OSIRIS distortion closely matches the designed optical model: large, reaching 20 pixels at the corners, but mostly low order, with the majority of the distortion in the 2nd-order mode. After applying the new distortion correction, we find a median residual of [x, y] = [0.052, 0.056] pixels ([0.51, 0.56] mas) for the 2020 solution, and [x, y] = [0.081, 0.071] pixels ([0.80, 0.71] mas) for the 2021 solution. Comparison between NIRC2 images and OSIRIS images of the Galactic center show that the mean astrometric difference between the two instruments reduces from 10.7 standard deviations to 1.7 standard deviations when the OSIRIS distortion solution is applied. The distortion model is included in the Keck AO Imaging data-reduction pipeline and is available for use on OSIRIS data.
The Long-term Spectral Changes of Eta Carinae: Are they Caused by a Dissipating Occulter as Indicated by cmfgen Models?
Authors: Damineli Augusto , Hillier Desmond J. , Navarete Felipe , Moffat Anthony F. J. , Weigelt Gerd , Corcoran Michael F. , Gull Theodore. R. , Richardson Noel D. , Ho Peter , Madura Thomas I. , Espinoza-Galeas David , Hartman Henrik , Morris Patrick , Pickett Connor S. , Stevens Ian R. , Russell Christopher M. P. , Hamaguchi Kenji , Jablonski Francisco J. , Teodoro Mairan , McGee Padric , Cacella Paulo , Heathcote Bernard , Harrison Ken M. , Johnston Mark , Bohlsen Terry , Di Scala Giorgio
Published: August 2023

Eta Carinae (η Car) exhibits a unique set of P Cygni profiles with both broad and narrow components. Over many decades, the spectrum has changed—there has been an increase in observed continuum fluxes and a decrease in Fe ii and H i emission-line equivalent widths. The spectrum is evolving toward that of a P Cygni star such as P Cygni itself and HDE 316285. The spectral evolution has been attributed to intrinsic variations such as a decrease in the mass-loss rate of the primary star or differential evolution in a latitudinal-dependent stellar wind. However, intrinsic wind changes conflict with three observational results: the steady long-term bolometric luminosity; the repeating X-ray light curve over the binary period; and the constancy of the dust-scattered spectrum from the Homunculus. We extend previous work that showed a secular strengthening of P Cygni absorptions by adding more orbital cycles to overcome temporary instabilities and by examining more atomic transitions. cmfgen modeling of the primary wind shows that a time-decreasing mass-loss rate is not the best explanation for the observations. However, models with a small dissipating absorber in our line of sight can explain both the increase in brightness and changes in the emission and P Cygni absorption profiles. If the spectral evolution is caused by the dissipating circumstellar medium, and not by intrinsic changes in the binary, the dynamical timescale to recover from the Great Eruption is much less than a century, different from previous suggestions.
Deuterated Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in the Interstellar Medium: The Aliphatic C–D Band Strengths
Authors: Yang X. J. , Li Aigen
Published: August 2023

Deuterium (D) was exclusively generated in the Big Bang, and the standard Big Bang nucleosynthesis (BBN) model predicts a primordial abundance of D/H ≈ 26 parts per million (ppm). As the Galaxy evolves, D/H gradually decreases because of astration. The Galactic chemical evolution (GCE) model predicts a present-day abundance of D/H ≳ 20 ppm. However, observations of the local interstellar medium have revealed that the gas-phase interstellar D/H varies considerably from one region to another and has a median abundance of D/H ≈ 13 ppm, substantially lower than predicted from the BBN and GCE models. It has been suggested that the missing D atoms of D/H ≈ 7 ppm could have been locked up in deuterated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) molecules. However, we have previously demonstrated that PAHs with aromatic C–D units are insufficient to account for the missing D. Here we explore if PAHs with aliphatic C–D units could be a reservoir of D. We perform quantum chemical computations of the vibrational spectra of superdeuterated PAHs (in which one D and one H share one C atom) and PAHs to which a D-substituted methyl group is attached, and derive the band strengths of the aliphatic C–D stretch (A
4.65). By applying the computationally derived A
4.65 to the observed aliphatic C–D emission at ∼4.6–4.8 μm, we find that PAHs with aliphatic C–D units could have tied up a substantial amount of D/H and marginally account for the missing D. The possible routes for generating PAHs with aliphatic C–D units are also discussed.
An Evenly Spaced LSST Cadence for Rapidly Variable Stars
Authors: Feigelson Eric D. , Bianco Federica B. , Bonito Rosaria
Published: August 2023

Stars exhibit a bewildering variety of rapidly variable behaviors ranging from explosive magnetic flares to stochastically changing accretion to periodic pulsations or rotation. The principal Rubin Observatory Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST) surveys will have cadences too sparse and irregular to capture many of these phenomena. We propose here an LSST microsurvey to observe a single Galactic field, rich in unobscured stars, in a continuous sequence of 30 s exposures for one long winter night in a single photometric band. The result will be a unique data set of ∼1 million regularly spaced stellar light curves. The light curves will constitute a comprehensive collection of late-type stellar flaring, but also other classes like short-period binary systems and cataclysmic variables, young stellar objects, and ultrashort-period exoplanets. An unknown variety of anomalous solar system, Galactic, and extragalactic variables and transients may also be present. A powerful array of statistical procedures can be applied to individual light curves from the long-standing fields of time series analysis, signal processing, and econometrics. Dozens of “features” describing the variability can be extracted and the ensemble of light curves can be subject to advanced machine-learning clustering procedures. This will give a unique, authoritative, objective taxonomy of the rapidly variable sky derived from identically cadenced light curves. This microsurvey is best performed early in the Rubin Observatory program, and the results can inform the wider community on the best approaches to variable star identification and classification from the sparse, irregular cadences that dominate the planned surveys.
The Behavior of Ap/Fp Stars in the Ultraviolet—Paper I: HD 137949 (33 Lib)
Authors: Monier Richard
Published: August 2023

The analysis of six spectra of the F0Vp EuGdSr star HD 137949 recorded by the SWP camera on board the International Ultraviolet Explorer does not reveal any variations of the far-ultraviolet spectral energy distribution shortwards of 1800 Å over slightly more than 2 yr and a half. The five spectra taken consecutively on 1984 February 23 do not show evidence either for rapid variations of the flux over 2 hr and 50 minutes (whereas the main pulsational period is 8.27 minutes for this rapidly oscillating Fp star). This behavior remarkably differs from the 50% flux variability of δ Scuti (F2 III) in the FUV over its 4 hr and 40 minutes period.
Do the Outburst Properties of M31N 2008-12a Depend on the Time Since the Previous Eruption?
Authors: Burris William A. , Shafter Allen W. , Hornoch Kamil
Published: August 2023

Photometric observations spanning the UV to the near-IR during the nine most recent eruptions (2014–2022) of the extragalactic nova M31N 2008-12a are presented and analyzed in order to explore whether the lightcurve properties for a given eruption, specifically the peak magnitudes and fade rates, are correlated with the time interval since the previous eruption. No significant correlation between the pre-eruption interval and the rate of decline was found, however it appears that the brightness at the peak of an outburst may be positively correlated with the time interval since the previous eruption.
Another new species of Dixonius (Squamata, Gekkonidae) from Gia Lai Province in the Central Highlands, Vietnam
Authors: Luu Vinh Quang , Grismer Jesse L. , Hoang Tuoi Thi , Murdoch Matthew L. , Grismer L. Lee
Published: August 2023

Another new species of Dixonius, D. fulbrightisp. nov., is described from Gia Lai Province, in the Central Highlands of Vietnam, using an integrated approach based on morphological, categorical (color pattern), and mitochondrial NADH dehydrogenase subunit 2 gene (ND2) and its flanking tRNAs data. Phylogenetic analyses recovered Dixonius fulbrightisp. nov. as closely related to D. gialaiensis from Gia Lai Province and part of a clade that includes D. minhlei, D. siamensis, and D. somchanhae. Multivariate (PCA, DAPC, and MFA) and univariate (ANOVA) analyses of 15 meristic (scale counts), six morphometric (mensural), and five categorical (color pattern and morphology) characters from 44 specimens of all eight species of Dixonius from Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia clearly demonstrated that Dixonius fulbrightisp. nov. is statistically different and diagnostically distinct from all closely related species of Dixonius. This new species discovery highlights the underestimated gecko diversity and the importance of continued fieldwork in the Central Highlands of Vietnam.
Occurrence and status of the European Pond Turtle, Emys orbicularis hellenica (Valenciennes, 1833), on Aegean and Ionian Islands (Greece, Turkey)
Authors: Broggi Mario F.
Published: August 2023

A study on the occurrence of Emys orbicularis in the Aegean, published in 2012, is here extended to the Ionian Islands. For the first time, a status analysis has also been carried out for the individual islands. Emys orbicularis is found on 11 Greek islands and one Turkish. Its presence on the big islands of Rhodes and Chios has not been ascertained so far, while for four previously mentioned islands there is no confirmation. On Corfu and Lesbos there are still viable larger Emys populations. Most other island occurrences are characterized by small populations. On Kefalonia, Zakynthos, Thassos and Samos, E. orbicularis is in danger of extinction because the wetland biotopes are threatened. In the meantime, many wetlands have been placed under protection. The enforcement of these nature conservation regulations needs to be monitored, and E. orbicularis can be a lead species for such monitoring.
Unbalanced signed graphs with eigenvalue properties
Authors: Ismail Rashad , Hameed Saira , Ahmad Uzma , Majeed Khadija , Javaid Muhammad
Published: August 2023

For a signature function $ \Psi:E({H}) \longrightarrow \{\pm 1\} $ with underlying graph $ H $, a signed graph (S.G) $ \hat{H} = (H, \Psi) $ is a graph in which edges are assigned the signs using the signature function $ \Psi $. An S.G $ \hat{H} $ is said to fulfill the symmetric eigenvalue property if for every eigenvalue $ \hat{h}(\hat{H}) $ of $ \hat{H} $, $ -\hat{h}(\hat{H}) $ is also an eigenvalue of $ \hat{H} $. A non singular S.G $ \hat{H} $ is said to fulfill the property $ (\mathcal{SR}) $ if for every eigenvalue $ \hat{h}(\hat{H}) $ of $ \hat{H} $, its reciprocal is also an eigenvalue of $ \hat{H} $ (with multiplicity as that of $ \hat{h}(\hat{H}) $). A non singular S.G $ \hat{H} $ is said to fulfill the property $ (-\mathcal{SR}) $ if for every eigenvalue $ \hat{h}(\hat{H}) $ of $ \hat{H} $, its negative reciprocal is also an eigenvalue of $ \hat{H} $ (with multiplicity as that of $ \hat{h}(\hat{H}) $). In this article, non bipartite unbalanced S.Gs $ \hat{\mathfrak{C}}^{(m, 1)}_{3} $ and $ \hat{\mathfrak{C}}^{(m, 2)}_{5} $, where $ m $ is even positive integer have been constructed and it has been shown that these graphs fulfill the symmetric eigenvalue property, the S.Gs $ \hat{\mathfrak{C}}^{(m, 1)}_{3} $ also fulfill the properties $ (-\mathcal{SR}) $ and $ (\mathcal{SR}) $, whereas the S.Gs $ \hat{\mathfrak{C}}^{(m, 2)}_{5} $ are close to fulfill the properties $ (-\mathcal{SR}) $ and $ (\mathcal{SR}) $.
Teaching of system reliability based on challenging practical works using a spreadsheet software
Authors: Schutz Jérémie , Sauvey Christophe
Published: August 2023

Systems reliability is usually an integral part of the curriculum for industrial engineering students. Very often, teachers limit themselves to a theoretical approach or simple calculations. Indeed, dedicated software is either expensive or complex for the intended use. Through this article, the objective is to teach students to create, by themselves, simple but adapted calculation tools from simple models given in a spreadsheet given in parallel with this article, allowing them to apply the theoretical knowledge acquired in the field of reliability. They will be able to easily understand the calculation of reliability thanks to the method of the functional diagram of reliability. Autonomously, they will be able to model most of the systems they might encounter in their engineering career. The developed tool will allow students to calculate the reliability of series systems, parallel systems, mixed systems, $ k $-out-of-$ n $ systems, bridge systems and other complex models using the method of decomposition or the event space method. In the end, not only will readers be able to carry out the practical work proposed in this article, but the autonomy and skills they will have developed will allow them to model any industrial system or device in the way they deem appropriate.
Automated tumor segmentation in thermographic breast images
Authors: Trongtirakul Thaweesak , Agaian Sos , Oulefki Adel
Published: August 2023

Identifying and delineating suspicious regions in thermal breast images poses significant challenges for radiologists during the examination and interpretation of thermogram images. This paper aims to tackle concerns related to enhancing the differentiation between cancerous regions and the background to achieve uniformity in the intensity of breast cancer's (BC) existence. Furthermore, it aims to effectively segment tumors that exhibit limited contrast with the background and extract relevant features that can distinguish tumors from the surrounding tissue. A new cancer segmentation scheme comprised of two primary stages is proposed to tackle these challenges. In the first stage, an innovative image enhancement technique based on local image enhancement with a hyperbolization function is employed to significantly improve the quality and contrast of breast imagery. This technique enhances the local details and edges of the images while preserving global brightness and contrast. In the second stage, a dedicated algorithm based on an image-dependent weighting strategy is employed to accurately segment tumor regions within the given images. This algorithm assigns different weights to different pixels based on their similarity to the tumor region and uses a thresholding method to separate the tumor from the background. The proposed enhancement and segmentation methods were evaluated using the Database for Mastology Research (DMR-IR). The experimental results demonstrate remarkable performance, with an average segmentation accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity coefficient values of 97%, 80%, and 99%, respectively. These findings convincingly establish the superiority of the proposed method over state-of-the-art techniques. The obtained results demonstrate the potential of the proposed method to aid in the early detection of breast cancer through improved diagnosis and interpretation of thermogram images.
MAVS Positively Regulates Mitochondrial Integrity and Metabolic Fitness in B Cells
Authors: Wang Hongsheng , Sun Wenxiang , Traba Javier , Wu Juan , Qi Chen-Feng , Amo Laura , Kole Hemanta K , Scott Bethany , Singh Komudi , Sack Michael N , Bolland Silvia
Published: August 2023

Activated B cells experience metabolic changes that require mitochondrial remodeling, in a process incompletely defined. In this study, we report that mitochondrial antiviral signaling protein (MAVS) is involved in BCR-initiated cellular proliferation and prolonged survival. MAVS is well known as a mitochondrial-tethered signaling adaptor with a central role in viral RNA-sensing pathways that induce type I IFN. The role of MAVS downstream of BCR stimulation was recognized in absence of IFN, indicative of a path for MAVS activation that is independent of viral infection. Mitochondria of BCR-activated MAVS-deficient mouse B cells exhibited a damaged phenotype including disrupted mitochondrial morphology, excess mitophagy, and the temporal progressive blunting of mitochondrial oxidative capacity with mitochondrial hyperpolarization and cell death. Costimulation of MAVS-deficient B cells with anti-CD40, in addition to BCR stimulation, partially corrected the mitochondrial structural defects and functionality. Our data reveal a (to our knowledge) previously unrecognized role of MAVS in controlling the metabolic fitness of B cells, most noticeable in the absence of costimulatory help.
Prediabetes Progression and Regression on Objectively- Measured Physical Function: A Prospective Cohort Study
Authors: Qiu Shanhu , Zhu Yiming , Xie Bo , Chen Wenji , Wang Duolao , Cai Xue , Sun Zilin , Wu Tongzhi
Published: August 2023

Background: Prediabetes leads to declines in physical function in older adults, but the impact of prediabetes progression or regression on physical function is unknown. This study assessed this longitudinal association, with physical function objectivelymeasured by grip strength, walking speed, and standing balance, based on the Health and Retirement Study enrolling United States adults aged >50 years.Methods: Participants with prediabetes were followed-up for 4-year to ascertain prediabetes status alteration (maintained, regressed, or progressed), and another 4-year to assess their impacts on physical function. Weak grip strength was defined as <26 kg for men and <16 kg for women, slow walking speed was as <0.8 m/sec, and poor standing balance was as an uncompleted fulltandem standing testing. Logistic and linear regression analyses were performed.Results: Of the included 1,511 participants with prediabetes, 700 maintained as prediabetes, 306 progressed to diabetes, and 505 regressed to normoglycemia over 4 years. Grip strength and walking speed were declined from baseline during the 4-year followup, regardless of prediabetes status alteration. Compared with prediabetes maintenance, prediabetes progression increased the odds of developing weak grip strength by 89% (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.04 to 2.44) and exhibited larger declines in grip strength by 0.85 kg (95% CI, –1.65 to –0.04). However, prediabetes progression was not related to impairments in walking speed or standing balance. Prediabetes regression also did not affect any measures of physical function.Conclusion: Prediabetes progression accelerates grip strength decline in aging population, while prediabetes regression may not prevent physical function decline due to aging.
Prostate health index can stratify patients with Prostate Imaging Reporting and Data System score 3 lesions on magnetic resonance imaging to reduce prostate biopsies
Authors: Leung John Shung-Lai , Ma Wai-Kit , Ho Brian Sze-Ho , Chun Stacia Tsun-Tsun , Na Rong , Zhan Yongle , Ng Chi-Yuen , Ip Chi-Ho , Ng Ada Tsui-Lin , Lam Yiu-Chung
Published: August 2023

We aim to evaluate prostate health index as an additional risk-stratification tool in patients with Prostate Imaging Reporting and Data System score 3 lesions on multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging. Men with biochemical or clinical suspicion of having prostate cancer who underwent multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging in two tertiary centers (Queen Mary Hospital and Princess Margaret Hospital, Hong Kong, China) between January 2017 and June 2022 were included. Ultrasound-magnetic resonance imaging fusion biopsies were performed after prostate health index testing. Those who only had Prostate Imaging Reporting and Data System score 3 lesions were further stratified into four prostate health index risk groups and the cancer detection rates were analyzed. Out of the 747 patients, 47.3% had Prostate Imaging Reporting and Data System score 3 lesions only. The detection rate of clinically significant prostate cancer in this group was 15.0%. The cancer detection rates of clinically significant prostate cancer had statistically significant differences 5.3% in prostate health index <25.0, 7.4% in prostate health index 25.0–34.9, 17.9% in prostate health index 35.0–54.9, and 52.6% in prostate health index ≥55.0 (P < 0.01). Among the patients, 26.9% could have avoided a biopsy with a prostate health index <25.0, at the expense of a 5.3% risk of missing clinically significant prostate cancer. Prostate health index could be used as an additional risk stratification tool for patients with Prostate Imaging Reporting and Data System score 3 lesions. Biopsies could be avoided in patients with low prostate health index, with a small risk of missing clinically significant prostate cancer.
Comparison of cytokine levels in prostatic secretion between the IIIa and IIIb subtypes of prostatitis
Authors: Han Cheng-Lin , Deng Yu-Xuan , Hu Peng , Hu Bin-Tao , Wang Tao , Liu Ji-Hong , Li Ming-Chao
Published: August 2023

Chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CP/CPPS), also known as National Institutes of Health (NIH) type III prostatitis, is a common disorder with an unclear etiology and no known curative treatments. Based on the presence or absence of leukocytes in expressed prostatic secretion (EPS), CP/CPPS is classified further into IIIa (inflammatory) and IIIb (noninflammatory) subtypes. However, the severity of symptoms is not entirely consistent with the white blood cell (WBC) count. Following the preliminary finding of a link between inflammatory cytokines and CP/CPPS, we performed this clinical study with the aim of identifying cytokines that are differentially expressed according to whether the prostatitis subtype is IIIa or IIIb. We found that granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF), interleukin-18 (IL-18), and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) levels were significantly elevated and interferon-inducible protein-10 (IP-10) and platelet-derived growth factor-BB (PDGF-BB) levels were downregulated in the EPS of patients with type IIIa prostatitis. In a word, it is a meaningful study in which we investigate the levels of various cytokines in EPS according to whether prostatitis is the IIIa or IIIb subtype. The combination of G-CSF, IL-18, MCP-1, IP-10, and PDGF-BB expression levels could form a basis for classification, diagnosis, and therapeutic targets in clinical CP/CPPS.
Sperm acrosin activity may be a useful factor in choosing between ICSI and IVF for infertile male patients
Authors: Hu Ye-Na , Hu Liang , Yin Xin-Yu , Zhang Huan , Peng Yang-Qin , Liu Gang , Lin Ge , Li Wei-Na
Published: August 2023

The clinical applications of acrosin activity are limited. We analyzed 61 578 male partners in infertile couples who visited the outpatient department of the Reproductive and Genetic Hospital of CITIC-Xiangya (Changsha, China) between August 2014 and December 2019 to determine the reference ranges and thresholds for acrosin activity in infertile Chinese men; to determine whether correlations exist between acrosin activity and age, sperm concentration, sperm morphology, or sperm motility; and to evaluate whether acrosin activity could serve as an effective prognostic indicator for choosing between in vitro fertilization (IVF) and intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) in the clinic. The cut-off value for the normal reference range of acrosin activity for male partners in infertile couples was 24.78 µIU per 106 sperm. There was no significant association between acrosin activity and age, sperm concentration, semen volume, total sperm count, progressive motility, or total motile spermatozoa. A weak positive correlation was found between acrosin activity and normal sperm morphology. There was a statistically significant difference in abnormal acrosome morphology between the group with high acrosin activity (>24.78 µIU per 106 sperm) and the group with low acrosin activity (<24.78 µIU per 106 sperm). The group with a low IVF fertilization rate had a high index of abnormal acrosomal morphology at 21.2%, while the group with a high IVF fertilization rate had a low index of 0.2%. At an acrosin activity of <24.78 µIU per 106 sperm, in one cycle of the same patient, the fertilization rate, normal fertilization rate, and good-quality embryo rate for ICSI were significantly higher than those for IVF. Therefore, the most promising application of acrosin activity could be in the selection of ICSI over IVF for infertile male patients with complete fertilization failure or a low fertilization rate.
An approach to proptosis: A review
Authors: Mishra Shreya , Sharma Luitel Sushovit , Das Sucharita , Singh Anupam
Published: August 2023

Proptosis is a vision-threatening condition, where abnormal protrusion of one or both eyeballs develop outwards from the orbit. Clinically, it is defined as a protrusion of the eyeball beyond 21 mm from the orbital rim or an asymmetry of more than 2 mm between both eyes. It can be classified based on onset as acute, sub-acute and chronic proptosis. The causes of proptosis can be broadly classified into infectious, inflammatory, autoimmune, endocrine, vascular, traumatic, and neoplastic entities. Quantitative measurement of proptosis is done by exophthalmometers such as Hertel’s, Luedde’s, Naugle and Gormaz exophthalmometers. Proptosis is evaluated using multiple investigations involving laboratory, ocular, radiological and histopathological studies. This article provides insight into various types, etiologies, and approaches toward the evaluation, diagnosis, and management of proptosis.
Relationship between attachment style of 4–7-year-old children and their behavior during dental visit
Authors: Dua Rasleen , Vashisth Pallavi , Naik Sathyajith N. , Sharma Shivangi , De Sriparna , Maheshwari Priya
Published: August 2023

Background:

The general health and quality of life are directly correlated with oral health. Oral health is one of the unique health concerns that apply to all children. Pediatric dentistry is built on effective communication with children, which is also a requirement for providing pediatric dental care. Many pediatric dentists find it difficult to anticipate children’s behavior and how they will respond to therapeutic procedures. The purpose of this study was to evaluate children’s attachment types in order to forecast their behavior during a dentist appointment.

Materials and Methods:

The participants were 120 children between the ages of 4 and 7 who were reported to the Department of Pediatric and Preventive Dentistry, Institute of Dental Sciences, Bareilly. The youngsters were evaluated by a dental graduate student. While they waited in the waiting area, the parents were asked to complete the Kinship Center Attachment Questionnaire regarding their kids. In the second visit, dental work was scheduled for the kids who had met the requirements for inclusion in the first visit. Another pediatric dentistry postgraduate student evaluated the children’s conduct during the dental procedure using a predefined questionnaire and the Frankl scale. The Chi-squared test, t-test, Pearson’s correlation coefficient, and linear regression were used to examine the data.

Results:

According to the findings, 55.8% of the total children were cooperative, among which 59.1% were female and 52.0% were males. The average age of the kids was 6.2 ± 0.95. Moreover, 21.3% of kids had insecure attachment styles and 78.7% of kids had secure attachment types. The child–dentist communication and the insecure ambivalent attachment pattern were significantly correlated. As a result, our study demonstrated that children’s safe attachment styles varied with age. Our results showed that there is an inverse relationship between children’s collaboration and age, with cooperation rising as age increases.

Conclusions:

According to the findings of this study and considering its limitations, in young ages, the attachment style of the mother plays an important role in behavior of children. The significant correlations existed between the insecure ambivalent attachment style and child–dentist communication, as well as the secure attachment type and mother–child separation.
Efficacy of using chitosan and chitosan nanoparticles as final irrigating solutions on smear layer removal and mineral content of intraradicular dentin
Authors: Abdelkafy Heba , Elsheikh Hemat Mostafa , Kataia Mohamed Medhat , Marzouk Rasha Mohamed , Abdeltwab E. , Atta A. , Taher Fatma Abd El-Rahman
Published: August 2023

Background:

This study evaluated the effect of using chitosan, nano-chitosan, and ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) as final irrigating solutions on smear layer cleanliness and Ca/P ratio of dentin.

Methodology:

Forty-eight decoronated human single-rooted teeth were used. They were divided randomly into four groups (n = 12) based on the final irrigating solution used as follows: (a) control group (IA; n = 6) normal saline, (IB; n = 6) were left unprepared; group II - 0.2% chitosan; group III - 0.2% nano-chitosan; and group IV - 17% EDTA. Samples were prepared using ProTaper Next and irrigated with 2.6% NaOCl 5 ml after each instrument using 31-gauge needle. Final rinse was used 5 ml/3 min according to the assigned group. The specimens were prepared for evaluation.

Results:

Best smear layer removal was observed in group IV. No statistically significant differences (P > 0.05) were observed between the experimental groups (II, III, and IV) coronally; however, a statistically significant difference (P < 0.05) was observed between groups II and IV at middle and apical thirds. Intragroup comparison showed that apical third exhibited the highest mean smear layer score among all experimental groups. The highest mean Ca/P ratio was in the 0.2% nano-chitosan group, while the highest calcium loss was in the 17% EDTA group.

Conclusions:

17% EDTA is a potent chelating agent that can successfully remove the smear layer but compromises the Ca/p ratio of dentin. However, 0.2% chitosan and its nanoparticles have comparable chelating effects and induce remineralization of the root canal dentin.
Urinary iodine excretion after using povidone iodine or chlorhexidine gluconate for topical disinfectant in patients undergoing thyroidectomy due to thyroid carcinoma: When to do radio active iodine therapy?
Authors: Yancheshmeh Soheila Shokrollahi , Firouzfar Alireza , Nazem Masoud , Yancheshmeh Simin Shokrollahi , Pouramini Alireza , Mansourian Marjan , Iraj Bijan
Published: August 2023

Background:

Povidone Iodine (PI) is the most frequent antiseptic used as a topical disinfectant in surgery. It has been reported high transcutaneous iodine absorption due to topical PI usage, but there is a lack of data in periods of excess iodine depletion.

Materials and Methods:

This is a cross-sectional study designed to assess serial urinary iodine concentration (UIC) after topical administration of PI to evaluate the transcutaneous iodine absorption and the proper iodine depletion time for safe administration of Radio Active Iodine (RAI) therapy as ablative or adjuvant therapy.

Results:

Thirty-seven patients with papillary thyroid carcinoma undergoing total thyroidectomy were assigned to the PI group (n = 20) or chlorhexidine gluconate (CHG) group (n = 17). In the PI group, the UIC levels rose to a maximum of 2 times in the 4th week after administration and returned to pre-operative levels in the 8th week after. In the CHG group, there was a decrease in UIC levels due to a low iodine diet (LID) with a significant P-value of 0.001, <0.001, and 0.001 in the 2nd, 4th, and 8th weeks follow up respectively compared to the PI group. The urinary excretion of excess iodine lasts about 8 weeks after total thyroidectomy until iodine levels turn back to pre-operative values.

Conclusion:

If the thyroidectomy was prepared with PI, RAI is better to be performed 6-8 weeks after surgery rather than the standard prescription of 4 weeks.
Endodontic management of two-rooted maxillary central incisor using cone-beam computed tomography: A case report and literature review
Authors: Alaaithy Sarah , Alghofaily Maha
Published: August 2023

Morphological variations of the pulpal chamber are considered a challenge and may affect successful treatment or prognosis. Maxillary central incisors usually present one canal system and one root. In this report, a 47-year-old Saudi male patient presented with symptomatic permanent maxillary left central incisor with two roots associated with draining sinus tract and buccal groove. The tooth was not mobile but was tender to percussion and palpation. The periapical radiograph demonstrated apical radiolucency of the two-rooted central incisors. The endodontic diagnosis was pulpal necrosis with chronic apical abscess. With aid of periapical radiographs and cone-beam computed tomography evaluation, successful nonsurgical root canal treatment was achieved at 1-year follow-up. Careful preoperative clinical and radiographic examinations to identify any anatomical variations are crucial for appropriate management and successful outcome.
Availability of Free-Space Laser Communication Link with the Presence of Clouds in Tropical Regions
Authors: Nguyen Thang , Le Hoa , Pham Hien , Dang Ngoc
Published: August 2023

Free-space laser communication (lasercom), a great application of using free-space optics (FSO) for satellite communication, has been gaining significant attraction. However, despite of great potential of lasercom, its performance is limited by the adverse effects of atmospheric turbulence and cloud attenuation, which directly affect the quality and availability of lasercom links. The paper, therefore, concentrates on evaluating the cloud attenuation in the FSO downlinks between satellite and ground stations in tropical regions. The meteorological ERA-Interim database provided by the European Center for Medium-Range Weather Forecast (ECMWF) from 2015 to 2020 is used to get the cloud database in several areas in tropical regions. This study proposed a novel probability density function of cloud attenuation, which is validated by using a well-known curve-fitting method. Moreover, we derive a closed-form of satellite-based FSO link availability by applying the site diversity technique to improve the system performance. Numerical results, which demonstrate the urgency of the paper, reveal that the impact of clouds on tropical regions is more severe than in temperate regions.
Hepatic small vessel neoplasm: not totally benign, not yet malignant
Authors: Miranda Madison , Howell David , Jabbour Tony El
Published: August 2023

Hepatic small vessel neoplasm (HSVN) is a rare vascular tumor with few reports in the literature. While imaging findings may show characteristic enhancement patterns, limited available literature may not reveal the full potential for image-based diagnosis. Histologically, HSVN mimics other entities, though certain morphologic and immunohistochemical findings provide clues for diagnosis. However, HSVN still provides diagnostic challenges, especially on core biopsies with limited material for morphologic and molecular evaluation. While current recommendations are surgical resection and close observation, the long-term course of the tumor is unknown. We report a case of HSVN in a liver with additional feature of organized lymphoid aggregates necessitating additional hematopathology consultation and workup to rule out concurrent entities.
Remembering Zoltan Dienes, a Maverick of Mathematics Teaching and Learning: Applying the Variability Principles to Teach Algebra
Authors: Gningue Serigne M.
Published: August 2023

This paper is written in honor of Zoltan Paul Dienes, an internationally renowned mathematician and educator, who passed away in January 2014. It is an attempt to describe, analyze and apply Dienes' theory on how mathematical structures can be taught by applying his four principles of learning upon which he believed a teacher can base concept development around the use of multiple embodiments through manipulatives, how such usage leads to abstraction, and the implications for teaching mathematics in today's mathematics classroom. It illustrates how abstraction can result from the passage of concrete manipulations of objects to representational mapping of such manipulations and then to formalizing such representations into rule structures through the application of Dienes' four principles to teach the concepts and processes of simplification of algebraic expressions.
Mechanically ventilated COVID-19 patients admitted to the intensive care unit in the United States with or
without respiratory failure secondary to COVID-19 pneumonia: a retrospective comparison of characteristics and outcomes
Authors: Johnson Jesse A. , Mallari Kashka F. , Pepe Vincent M. , Treacy Taylor , McDonough Gregory , Khaing Phue , McGrath Christopher , George Brandon J. , Yoo Erika J.
Published: August 2023

Background: There is increasing heterogeneity in the clinical phenotype of patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), and reasons for mechanical ventilation are not limited to COVID pneumonia. We aimed to compare the characteristics and outcomes of intubated patients admitted to the ICU with the primary diagnosis of acute hypoxemic respiratory failure (AHRF) attributed to COVID pneumonia with those of patients admitted for an alternative diagnosis.Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study of adults with confirmed severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection admitted to one of nine ICUs between March 18, 2020, and April 30, 2021, at an urban university institution. We compared characteristics between the two groups using appropriate statistics and performed logistic regression to identify risk factors for death in the mechanically ventilated COVID-19 population. Results: After exclusions, the final sample consisted of 319 patients with respiratory failure secondary to COVID pneumonia and 150 patients intubated for alternative diagnoses. The former group had higher rates of ICU mortality (57.7% vs. 36.7%, P<0.0001) and hospital mortality (58.9% vs. 39.3%, P<0.0001). Patients with AHRF secondary to COVID-19 pneumonia also had longer lengths of stay in the ICU (12 vs. 6 days, P<0.0001) and hospital (20 vs. 13.5 days, P=0.0001). Following risk adjustment, these COVID-19 patients had 2.25 times greater odds of death (95% confidence interval, 1.42¬–3.56; P=0.001).Conclusions: Mechanically ventilated patients admitted to the ICU with COVID-19–associated respiratory failure are at higher risk of hospital death and have worse utilization outcomes than those whose reason for ICU admission is unrelated to COVID pneumonia.
aws-s3-integrity-check: an open-source bash tool to verify the integrity of a dataset stored on Amazon S3
Authors: García-Ruiz Sonia , Reynolds Regina Hertfelder , Grant-Peters Melissa , Gustavsson Emil Karl , Fairbrother-Browne Aine , Chen Zhongbo , Brenton Jonathan William , Ryten Mina
Published: August 2023

Amazon Simple Storage Service (Amazon S3) is a widely used platform for storing large biomedical datasets. Unintended data alterations can occur during data writing and transmission, altering the original content and generating unexpected results. However, no open-source and easy-to-use tool exists to verify end-to-end data integrity. Here, we present aws-s3-integrity-check, a user-friendly, lightweight, and reliable bash tool to verify the integrity of a dataset stored in an Amazon S3 bucket. Using this tool, we only needed ∼114 min to verify the integrity of 1,045 records ranging between 5 bytes and 10 gigabytes and occupying ∼935 gigabytes of the Amazon S3 cloud. Our aws-s3-integrity-check tool also provides file-by-file on-screen and log-file-based information about the status of each integrity check. To our knowledge, this tool is the only open-source one that allows verifying the integrity of a dataset uploaded to the Amazon S3 Storage quickly, reliably, and efficiently. The tool is freely available for download and use at https://github.com/SoniaRuiz/aws-s3-integrity-check and https://hub.docker.com/r/soniaruiz/aws-s3-integrity-check.