bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Acceptability and readiness to promote human papillomavirus vaccination at ages 9–10 years: a feasibility study among North Carolina clinics
Authors: Vielot Nadja A. , Lane Robyn M. , Loefstedt Kaitlyn , Cunningham Jennifer L. , Everson Jason , Tiller Eli , Johnson Patel Sarah E. , Smith Jennifer S.
Published: August 2023

While 9-valent human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination is approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for use in adolescents as young as age 9, providers typically recommend it at ages 11–12. Studies suggest that recommending HPV vaccination at 9 or 10 years of age could increase up-to-date vaccination by age 13, which could especially benefit rural populations with reduced access to primary health care and lower HPV vaccination coverage than urban areas. This study aimed to assess the feasibility of the age-9 recommendation of HPV vaccination in rural clinics. We conducted in-depth interviews with providers and staff from two primary care clinics in central North Carolina to understand attitudes toward recommending HPV vaccination to 9- and 10-year-olds. All interviewees agreed that HPV vaccination was important for cancer prevention and should be recommended before the onset of sexual activity, agreeing that HPV vaccination could be initiated before age 11 to improve timeliness and completion of the vaccination series. However, opinions were mixed on whether HPV vaccination should be initiated as young as 9 years old. Two key informants recruited from two university-affiliated clinics described their experiences recommending HPV vaccination to 9- and 10-year-olds, including a modified vaccination schedule that promotes HPV vaccination during routine well-child visits, prior to pubertal onset, and alongside other recommended adolescent vaccines. Age-9 recommendation and administration of HPV vaccination is possible with minimal changes to current clinical practices and could increase the convenience and acceptability of HPV vaccination in under-vaccinated settings.
German guidelines on community-acquired acute bacterial meningitis in adults
Authors: Klein Matthias , Abdel-Hadi Carsten , Bühler Robert , Grabein Beatrice , Linn Jennifer , Nau Roland , Salzberger Bernd , Schlüter Dirk , Schwager Konrad , Tumani Hayrettin , Weber Jörg , Pfister Hans-Walter
Published: August 2023

Introduction

The incidence of community-acquired acute bacterial meningitis has decreased during the last decades. However, outcome remains poor with a significant proportion of patients not surviving and up to 50% of survivors suffering from long-term sequelae. These guidelines were developed by theDeutsche Gesellschaft für Neurologie(DGN) under guidance of theArbeitsgemeinschaft der Wissenschaftlichen Medizinischen Fachgesellschaften(AWMF) to guide physicians through diagnostics and treatment of adult patients with acute bacterial meningitis.

Recommendations

The most important recommendations are: (i) In patients with suspected acute bacterial meningitis, we recommend that lumbar cerebrospinal fluid (with simultaneous collection of serum to determine the cerebrospinal fluid-serum glucose index and blood cultures) is obtained immediately after the clinical examination (in the absence of severely impaired consciousness, focal neurological deficits, and/or new epileptic seizures). (ii) Next, we recommend application of dexamethasone and empiric antibiotics intravenously. (iii) The recommended initial empiric antibiotic regimen consists of ampicillin and a group 3a cephalosporin (e.g., ceftriaxone). (iv) In patients with severely impaired consciousness, new onset focal neurological deficits (e.g. hemiparesis) and/or patients with newly occurring epileptic seizures, we recommend that dexamethasone and antibiotics are started immediately after the collection of blood; we further recommend that —if the imaging findings do not indicate otherwise —a lumbar CSF sample is taken directly after imaging. (v) Due to the frequent occurrence of intracranial and systemic complications, we suggest that patients with acute bacterial meningitis are treated at an intensive care unit in the initial phase of the disease. In the case of impaired consciousness, we suggest that this is done at an intensive care unit with experience in the treatment of patients with severe CNS diseases.

Conclusions

The German S2k-guidelines give up to date recommendations for workup, diagnostics and treatment in adult patients with acute bacterial meningitis.
3D bioprinting of collagen-based materials for oral medicine
Authors: Yang Bosen , Liu Hai , Jiang Linli , Zeng Yiwei , Han Yiyuan , Sha Chuanlu , Xie Xin , Li Hui , Zhou Jiajing , Lin Wei
Published: August 2023

Oral diseases have emerged as one of the leading public health challenges globally. Although the existing clinical modalities for restoration of dental tissue loss and craniomaxillofacial injuries can achieve satisfactory therapeutic results, they cannot fully restore the original complex anatomical structure and physiological function of the tissue. 3D printing of biological tissues has gained growing interest in the field of oral medicine with the ability to control the bioink component and printing structure for spatially heterogeneous repairing constructs, holding enormous promise for the precise treatment of oral disease. Particularly, collagen-based materials have been recognized as promising biogenic bioinks for the regeneration of several tissues with high cell-activating and biocompatible properties. In this review, we summarize 3D printing methods for collagen-based biomaterials and their mechanisms. Additionally, we highlight the animal sources of collagen and their characteristics, as well as the methods of collagen extraction. Furthermore, this review provides an overview of the 3D bioprinting technology for the regeneration of the pulpal nerve and blood vessels, cartilage, and periodontal tissue. We envision that this technique opens up immense opportunities over the conventional ones, with high replicability and customized function, which can ultimately promote effective oral tissue regeneration.

Graphical Abstract
Cognitive functions in Arabic-speaking children with velopharyngeal insufficiency and their impact on speech intelligibility
Authors: Aref Essam-Eldin M. , Hameed Zeinab A. Abdel , Mohamed Hanan A.
Published: August 2023

Background

Patients with orofacial cleft are at high risk for neurobehavioral problems including learning disability, impaired language function, psychosocial adjustment issues, and persistently reduced academic achievement. All these factors may be related to decrease intellectual abilities of those patients. The presence of velopharyngeal insufficiency (VPI) leads to affection of speech intelligibility due to atypical consonant productions, abnormal nasal resonance, nasal air emission, compensatory articulatory mechanism, and facial grimace.

Objective

This study aimed at assessing the cognitive functions of patients with (VPI) and their effect on speech intelligibility.

Methodology

Fifty patients with (VPI) were selected from the Outpatient Clinic of the Phoniatric Unit in Assiut University Hospital. All patients were evaluated by protocol of nasality assessment including auditory perceptual assessment of speech, assessment of overall intelligibility of speech, nasoendoscopy, and psychometric evaluation.

Results

The mean intelligence quotient (IQ) of patients with VPI was 75.2 ± 14.5 with a range between 41 and 107. The main defect was present in quantitative potential and then verbal ability followed by visual ability with memory having the highest mean. Patients with repaired cleft palate had the highest score (86.53 ± 9.96), while the least score was reported among those with velopharyngeal disproportion (72.50 ± 9.59). There was a nonsignificant negative correlation between IQ degree and speech unintelligibility (p = 0.82).

Conclusion

About half of the patients with (VPI) have below average mentality. Patients with repaired cleft palate had the highest (IQ) score. Increased (IQ) score was accompanied by decreased speech unintelligibility, although it does not reach the level of significance.
Why projection over convex sets works and how to make it better
Authors: Ravasi Matteo , Luiken Nick
Published: August 2023

Projection over convex sets (POCS) is one of the most widely used algorithms to interpolate seismic data sets. A formal understanding of the underlying objective function and the associated optimization process is, however, lacking to date in the literature. Here, POCS is shown to be equivalent to the application of the half-quadratic splitting (HQS) method to the [Formula: see text] norm of an orthonormal projection of the sought after data, constrained on the available traces. Similarly, the apparently heuristic strategy of using a decaying threshold in POCS is revealed to be the result of the continuation strategy that HQS must use to converge to a solution of the minimizer. In light of this theoretical understanding, another methods able to solve this convex optimization problem, namely the Chambolle-Pock primal-dual algorithm, is shown to lead to a new POCS-like method with superior interpolation capabilities at nearly the same computational cost of the industry-standard POCS method.
The developmental dynamics of the human male germline
Authors: Hargy John , Sasaki Kotaro
Published: August 2023

Male germ cells undergo a complex sequence of developmental events throughout fetal and postnatal life that culminate in the formation of haploid gametes: the spermatozoa. Errors in these processes result in infertility and congenital abnormalities in offspring. Male germ cell development starts when pluripotent cells undergo specification to sexually uncommitted primordial germ cells, which act as precursors of both oocytes and spermatozoa. Male-specific development subsequently occurs in the fetal testes, resulting in the formation of spermatogonial stem cells: the foundational stem cells responsible for lifelong generation of spermatozoa. Although deciphering such developmental processes is challenging in humans, recent studies using various models and single-cell sequencing approaches have shed new insight into human male germ cell development. Here, we provide an overview of cellular, signaling and epigenetic cascades of events accompanying male gametogenesis, highlighting conserved features and the differences between humans and other model organisms.
Synthesis of β-Enaminones via Palladium-catalyzed Dehydrogenative β-Amination of Saturated Ketones
Authors: Ueno Satoshi , Yasuoka Shohei , Minamikawa Ryo , Kuwano Ryoichi
Published: August 2023

A palladium-catalyzed method was developed for the synthesis of β-enaminones from saturated ketones using allyl acetate. In this reaction, allyl acetate acts as a hydrogen scavenger to α,β-dehydrogenate saturated ketones in the presence of a palladium catalyst and diamine ligand. This reaction achieved internal β-carbon–nitrogen bond formation for the first time via the dehydrogenation/conjugate addition protocol, eliminating the need to isolate unstable α,β-unsaturated ketones generated in the reaction.
The Power of Certainty: Experimental Evidence on the Effective Design of Free Tuition Programs
Authors: Burland Elizabeth , Dynarski Susan , Michelmore Katherine , Owen Stephanie , Raghuraman Shwetha
Published: August 2023

Proposed “free college” policies vary widely in design. The simplest set tuition to zero for everyone. More targeted approaches limit free tuition to those who demonstrate need through an application process. We experimentally test the effects of these two models on the schooling decisions of low-income students. An unconditional free tuition offer from a large public university substantially increases application and enrollment rates. A free tuition offer contingent on proof of need has a much smaller effect on application and none on enrollment. These results are consistent with students placing a high value on financial certainty when making schooling decisions. (JEL H52, H75, I22, I23, I28, I32)
Finance, Managerial Inputs, and Misallocation
Authors: Chen Chaoran , Habib Ashique , Zhu Xiaodong
Published: August 2023

In standard macrofinance models, financial constraints mainly affect small or young firms but not large or old ones due to the self-financing mechanism, and the dispersion of marginal revenue product of capital (MRPK) of a firm cohort is less persistent than in the data. We extend a standard model by allowing firms to hire managers, and large firms hire disproportionately more managers, consistent with data. In our model, financial constraints and the dispersion of MRPK persist, and even large firms are likely to be constrained. The productivity loss from financial frictions is also substantially amplified. (JEL D24, D25, G32, L25, M10, O16, P31)
Seasonal assessment of climate conditions favouring drought with the use of downscaling methods under different climate change scenarios
Authors: Πολίτη Κωνσταντίνα
Published: August 2023

Τις τελευταίες δεκαετίες, η Ελλάδα βιώνει έναν αυξανόμενο αριθμό διαφόρων ακραίων γεγονότων, όπως κύματα καύσωνα, ξηρασία, πυρκαγιές και πλημμύρες, με σοβαρές περιβαλλοντικές και κοινωνικοοικονομικές παρατηρήσεις, που θα μπορούσαν να αποδοθούν στην κλιματική αλλαγή λόγω της υπερθέρμανσης του πλανήτη. Στην παρούσα διατριβή, επιλέχθηκε η τεχνική δυναμικής υποκλιμάκωσης για την εκτέλεση μελλοντικών εκτιμήσεων της ξηρασίας στην Ελλάδα λόγω κλιματικής αλλαγής, χρησιμοποιώντας το μοντέλο Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) και το παγκόσμιο κλιματικό μοντέλο EC-EARTH για το RCP4.5 και το RCP8.5. Πραγματοποιήθηκαν ιστορικές και μελλοντικές προσομοιώσεις σε χωρική ανάλυση 5 km, για την παραγωγή υψηλής ανάλυσης δεδομένων, με στόχο την αποτύπωση των πολύπλοκων τοπογραφικών χαρακτηριστικών της χώρας. Οι υψηλές αναλύσεις αποσκοπούσαν αρχικά στη διερεύνηση της κλιματικής ανωμαλίας των βασικών κλιματικών παραμέτρων, όπως είναι οι μέσες εποχιακές και ετήσιες ελάχιστες και μέγιστες θερμοκρασίες, η συνολική βροχόπτωση καθώς και οι προβλεπόμενες αλλαγές όσον αφορά τους δείκτες των ακραίων τιμών. Στη συνέχεια, μελετήθηκε η μεταβολή των μελλοντικών χαρακτηριστικών της ξηρασίας στην Ελλάδα, όπως είναι η σοβαρότητα, η διάρκεια και η ένταση της. Αυτά τα χαρακτηριστικά υπολογίστηκαν με την χρήση κατάλληλων δεικτών ξηρασίας Standardized Precipitation Index και Standardized Evapotranspiration Index, οι οποίοι παρείχαν μια ολοκληρωμένη ερμηνεία των χαρακτηριστικών των επεισοδίων ξηρασίας για τις εξεταζόμενες περιόδους και σενάρια. Η μελέτη έδειξε ότι η Ελλάδα θα αντιμετωπίσει σχετικά σοβαρές και παρατεταμένες συνθήκες ξηρασίας τα επόμενα χρόνια. Αυτή η έρευνα αποκάλυψε επίσης μια μετατόπιση του φαινομένου της ξηρασίας στις δυτικές περιοχές της χώρας, μέχρι το τέλος του 21ου αιώνα, και στα δύο σενάρια. Επιπλέον, λόγω της υψηλής χωρικής ανάλυσης που χρησιμοποιήθηκε, βρέθηκαν σημαντικές διαφορές στα χαρακτηριστικά της ξηρασίας σε μελλοντικές προβλέψεις μεταξύ των περιοχών, που ποικίλλουν σε μεγάλο βαθμό χωροχρονικά στα δύο σενάρια εκπομπών. Στο πλαίσιο αυτό, οι προβλεπόμενες αλλαγές υψηλής χωρικής ανάλυσης στην παρούσα μελέτη μπορούν να χρησιμοποιηθούν ως αξιόπιστη βάση για εκτιμήσεις επιπτώσεων της κλιματικής αλλαγής με βάση τα χαρακτηριστικά της ξηρασίας για την περιοχή της Ελλάδας.
ASEAN as network governance: An alternative lens to evaluate policymaking and performance
Authors: Sundram Pushpanathan
Published: August 2023

Background: This article offers a new perspective of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) as network governance (NG) using the policy network theory (PNT) for the analysis.

Methods: Two case studies were selected from the ASEAN Community to examine the applicability and effectiveness of NG in promoting ASEAN cooperation. These case studies were chosen due to their prominence and the prevalence of critical comments about their effectiveness in promoting cooperation. The content analysis utilised primary data from ASEAN reports, documents, research articles and processes, and studies on NG and policy networks. A literature review was conducted using online academic databases and ASEAN-related websites. The search covered the period from June 2019 to March 2021, with further searches conducted between January and July 2023. These data collection efforts provided a robust analysis of the case studies within the NG and ASEAN integration contexts.

Results: The findings show ASEAN as a hybrid structure which has supported its survival and relevance. This approach provides legitimacy for ASEAN globally by purposefully adopting structures similar to the EU without the supranational elements. It also showcases ASEAN’s motivation for asserting its centrality. Adopting a hybrid structure has led to ASEAN's soft institutionalisation, driven by its norms and characterised by a less empowered secretariat, where the member states are the decision-makers and implementors of policies. It opens a pathway to recognising ASEAN states’ autonomy, where the actors’ will and interests affect decision-making and defines performance.

Conclusions: This article demonstrates NG's viability in promoting ASEAN's centrality in regional cooperation and institutional arrangements and allows for a nuanced assessment of its performance considering the context of the issue and ASEAN's history and emphasising the member states' primacy in policymaking. The NG framework contributes to ASEAN’s legitimacy, regional cooperation and performance despite its inherent limitations.
Complementary and alternative medicine use by Bangladeshi adult patients with diabetes and hypertension: A multicenter study
Authors: Mohsin Faroque Md. , Gupta Sudipta Das , Hasan Shahriar , Mahmud Sarah Tahera , Yasmin Irin , Hossain Md. Anwar , Alam Md. Mahbub , Islam Md. Nazrul
Published: August 2023

Background: The use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) in Bangladesh is widespread, but scarce information exists about its use in treating hypertension and diabetes in adults. The study aimed to understand the distribution and determinants of CAM use among Bangladeshi adult patients with hypertension and diabetes.

Methods: This multicenter cross-sectional study was conducted among 400 adult patients with hypertension (n=200) and diabetes (n=200). Data were collected from two specialised diabetes and hypertension treatment centers. Interviews were used to gather socio-demographic data, while medical records were used to obtain information on hypertension and diabetes. A multivariate logistic regression model was used to identify the most influential predictors of CAM usage.

Results: Overall, 29% (n=116) of patients used CAM for diabetes and hypertension, with 37.5% (n=41) for hypertension and 37.5% (n=75) for diabetes. Older patients (aged >59) were 7.5 times more likely to use CAM  (OR=7.527; 95% CI: 3.224 to 17.574, p<0.001) than young adults (aged <35 years). The currently employed patients were less likely to be CAM users (OR=0.429; 95% CI: 0.264 to 0.697, p<0.001) than the unemployed patients. It was less common for patients from nuclear families to use CAM (OR=0.178; 95% CI: 0.111 to 0.286, p<0.001) than those from extended families. Patients with hypertension were less likely (OR=0.430; 95% CI: 0.275 to 0.672, p<0.001) to be CAM users than patients with diabetes.  Most of the CAM users were influenced by media and family members. The most common reasons for CAM use were its perceived effectiveness, fewer side effects, and low cost.

Conclusions: The study observed a high prevalence of CAM users among patients with hypertension and diabetes. The most common CAM modalities were homeopathy, ayurveda and unani medicine. The findings suggest future directions for research and have practical implications for chronic disease treatment.
Fast Continuous and Integer L-Shaped Heuristics Through Supervised Learning
Authors: Larsen Eric , Frejinger Emma , Gendron Bernard , Lodi Andrea
Published: August 2023

We propose a methodology at the nexus of operations research and machine learning (ML) leveraging generic approximators available from ML to accelerate the solution of mixed-integer linear two-stage stochastic programs. We aim at solving problems where the second stage is demanding. Our core idea is to gain large reductions in online solution time, while incurring small reductions in first-stage solution accuracy by substituting the exact second-stage solutions with fast, yet accurate, supervised ML predictions. This upfront investment in ML would be justified when similar problems are solved repeatedly over time—for example, in transport planning related to fleet management, routing, and container yard management. Our numerical results focus on the problem class seminally addressed with the integer and continuous L-shaped cuts. Our extensive empirical analysis is grounded in standardized families of problems derived from stochastic server location (SSLP) and stochastic multi-knapsack (SMKP) problems available in the literature. The proposed method can solve the hardest instances of SSLP in less than 9% of the time it takes the state-of-the-art exact method, and in the case of SMKP, the same figure is 20%. Average optimality gaps are, in most cases, less than 0.1%.

History: Accepted by Alice Smith, Area Editor (for this paper) for Design and Analysis of Algorithms–Discrete.

Funding: Financial support from the Institut de Valorisation des Données (IVADO) Fundamental Research Project Grants [project entitled “Machine Learning for (Discrete) Optimization”]; Canada Research Chairs; the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada [Collaborative Research and Development Grant CRD-477938-14]; and the Canadian National Railway Company Chair in Optimization of Railway Operations at Université de Montréal is gratefully acknowledged. E. Frejinger holds a Canada Research Chair. Computations were made on the supercomputer Béluga, managed by Calcul Québec and Digital Research Alliance of Canada. The operation of this supercomputer is funded by the Canada Foundation for Innovation; the Ministère de l’Économie, de la Science et de l’Innovation du Québec; and the Fonds de Recherche du Québec – Nature et Technologies.
Employee Satisfaction, Labor Market Flexibility, and Stock Returns Around the World
Authors: Edmans Alex , Pu Darcy , Zhang Chendi , Li Lucius
Published: August 2023

Studying 30 countries, we find that the link between employee satisfaction and stock returns is significantly increasing in a country’s labor market flexibility. This result is consistent with employee satisfaction having greater recruitment, retention, and motivation benefits where firms face fewer hiring and firing constraints and employees have greater ability to respond to satisfaction. Labor market flexibility also increases the link between employee satisfaction and current valuation ratios, future profitability, and future earnings surprises, inconsistent with omitted risk factors and identifying channels through which employee satisfaction may affect stock returns. The findings have implications for the differential profitability of socially responsible investing strategies around the world—in particular, the importance of considering institutional factors when forming such strategies.

This paper was accepted by Lin William Cong, finance.

Funding: This work was supported by Deloitte Institute of Innovation and Entrepreneurship.

Supplemental Material: The data files and online appendix are available at https://doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2023.4889 .
Carotid-cavernous fistula following mechanical thrombectomy of the tortuous internal carotid artery: A case report
Authors: Qu Lin-Zhuo , Dong Guang-Hui , Zhu En-Bo , Lin Ming-Quan , Liu Guang-Lin , Guan Hong-Jian
Published: August 2023

Insulin, a small protein with 51 amino acids synthesized by pancreatic β-cells, is crucial to sustain glucose homeostasis at biochemical and molecular levels. Numerous metabolic dysfunctions are related to insulin-mediated altered glucose homeostasis. One of the significant pathophysiological conditions linked to the insulin associated disorder is diabetes mellitus (DM) (type 1, type 2, and gestational). Insulin resistance (IR) is one of the major underlying causes of metabolic disorders despite its association with several physiological conditions. Metabolic syndrome (MS) is another pathophysiological condition that is associated with IR, hypertension, and obesity. Further, several other pathophysiological disorders/diseases are associated with the insulin malfunctioning, which include polycystic ovary syndrome, neuronal disorders, and cancer. Insulinomas are an uncommon type of pancreatic β-cell-derived neuroendocrine tumor that makes up 2% of all pancreatic neoplasms. Literature revealed that different biochemical events, molecular signaling pathways, microRNAs, and microbiota act as connecting links between insulin disorder and associated pathophysiology such as DM, insuloma, neurological disorder, MS, and cancer. In this review, we focus on the insulin-related disorders and the underlying mechanisms associated with the pathophysiology.
Dialdehyde Starch-Lysine Conjugates: Chemical, Structural and Functional Properties
Authors: Nguyen Vinh Tien , Vo Thi Nga , Trinh Khanh Son
Published: August 2023

We produced a novel starch derivative in two steps: periodate oxidation to obtain dialdehyde starch (DAS) and conjugation of DAS with lysine in a Maillard-type reaction. Compared to the native tapioca starch, DAS has significantly lower intrinsic viscosity, molecular weight, relative crystallinity, smoothness of granule surface, and swelling power, but higher solubility and light transmittance. When produced using increasing periodate concentrations from 0.05 to 3.0 N, DAS had higher carbonyl contents and swelling powers but lower recovery efficiency, intrinsic viscosity, relative crystallinity, and solubility. When produced from DAS with higher carbonyl contents, the DAS-lysine conjugates had higher degree of lysine conjugation and swelling power but lower intrinsic viscosity, relative crystallinity, granule integrity and paste transparency. This approach of conjugation can be used in slow-release applications, where different amino acids, peptides, or even proteins can be conjugated with DAS, and then cleaved and released in the stomach or other acidic media.
Synthesis and Molecular Docking Analysis of New Thiazo-isoindolinedione Hybrids as Potential Inhibitors of the SARS-CoV-2 Main Protease
Authors: Shaaban Saad , Al-Karmalawy Ahmed A. , G. Alhamzani Abdulrahman , Abou–Krisha Mortaga M. , Al–Qudah Mahmoud A. , Yousef Tarek A.
Published: August 2023

Herein, we report the synthesis of novel thiazo-isoindolinedione derivatives in excellent yields (up to 92%) from the reaction of thiazolidinedione and isoindoline-dione. The structures of the novel compounds were elucidated by 1H-, 13C-NMR, and MS analyses. Furthermore, molecular docking analysis was performed to study the potential inhibition of the SARS-CoV-2 main protease (Mpro) by the new thiazo-isoindolinediones. The present study revealed that the new thiazo-isoindolinediones could inhibit the Mpro and represent a promising platform for the experimental development of new antiviral drugs based on thiazo-isoindolinedione scaffolds.
Invitro Antidiarrheal and Antimicrobial Assessments of Phytofabricated Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles Through Curculigo Orchioides
Authors: Kanmani R. , Florence J. Felicita , Joice J. Amala Infant , Megala R. , Kavitha M.
Published: August 2023

The green approach was discovered to be a cost-effective and environmentally sustainable technique for the production of metal oxide and metallic nanoparticles. In this study, Curculigo orchioides' aqueous leaf extract was used to create zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO Nps) utilizing a plant-mediated component. The important medicinal herb Curculigo orchioides plant extract and zinc acetate were used to effectively prepare the ZnO Nps. For the manufacture of ZnO Nps, 0.1 M zinc acetate and plant extract were combined in various ratios of 5:5, 6:4, 7:3, 8:2, and 9:1. The 5:5 ratio was fixed. The subsequent yellow adhesive was fully dried, gathered, and packaged for further investigation. The UV-Vis spectroscopic absorption band, which is unique to ZnO Nps, was seen at 357 nm. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) pattern was utilized to assess the average size of ZnO Nps. Results from Energy Dispersive Spectrum (EDX) analysis revealed the constitution of zinc and oxygen, with values of 41.59% and 30.89%, accordingly. FT-IR spectroscopy study revealed the Zn-O bonding absorption peak to be around 400 and 600 cm-1. Additionally, the antimicrobial and antidiarrheal assessments of the produced ZnO Nps were examined through the disc diffusion technique. This research led to the conclusion that numerous biomedical activities are employed by this plant.
Analysis of Fish Productivity in Mohabala Lake, Bhadravati, Maharashtra, India
Authors: Salahuddin Salahuddin
Published: August 2023

In recent time lakes are deteriorated by twin congenital and anthropogenic exercises. Generally, lakes bring off the activities precisely interrelated to their substantial, alchemical and organic probity to conclude the condition of water. The objective of the study is to develop the freedom of water and fishes from the Lake. Various rheological parameters such as pH(MPH), Electrical Conductivity (MEC), Dissolved Oxygen (MDO), Total Alkalinity (MTA), Total Hardness (MTH), Chloride (MCL), Nitrates (MN), Phosphate (MP), Turbidity(MTB) and Total Dissolved Solids (MTDS) of lake water is inspected during the month of June. The result shows that due to some parameters Mohabala lake water is not suitable for the freeness of fishes. Hence some special appraisal needed for the cultivation of fishes.
Primate Visionary: Peter Dickinson’s Eva and the Environmental Uncanny
Authors: Tannert-Smith Barbara
Published: August 2023

Abstract: Peter Dickinson’s YA novel Eva is thematically concerned with the bioethics of the posthuman in an age of ecological catastrophe. Eva also in many ways exemplifies the new materialist challenge to species ontologies, not least in its affirmation of how transspecies neuroplasticity undoes ontological divisions between humans and apes and so destabilizes taxonomy and selfhood. But Eva also demonstrates, in its visionary placement of the human within the nonhuman and subsequent meditation upon the complexities of symbiogenetic form, that the most effective YA speculative fiction engaging ecological catastrophe and its impact on the adolescent body may have to do so by engaging an environmental uncanny whose “interventions” (Ghosh, 31) of the nonhuman confound conventional strategies of representation.
SpeckleCam: high-resolution computational speckle contrast tomography for deep blood flow imaging
Authors: Maity Akash Kumar , Sharma Manoj Kumar , Veeraraghavan Ashok , Sabharwal Ashutosh
Published: August 2023

Laser speckle contrast imaging is widely used in clinical studies to monitor blood flow distribution. Speckle contrast tomography, similar to diffuse optical tomography, extends speckle contrast imaging to provide deep tissue blood flow information. However, the current speckle contrast tomography techniques suffer from poor spatial resolution and involve both computation and memory intensive reconstruction algorithms. In this work, we present SpeckleCam, a camera-based system to reconstruct high resolution 3D blood flow distribution deep inside the skin. Our approach replaces the traditional forward model using diffuse approximations with Monte-Carlo simulations-based convolutional forward model, which enables us to develop an improved deep tissue blood flow reconstruction algorithm. We show that our proposed approach can recover complex structures up to 6 mm deep inside a tissue-like scattering medium in the reflection geometry. We also conduct human experiments to demonstrate that our approach can detect reduced flow in major blood vessels during vascular occlusion.
Effect of oceanic turbulence on the propagation behavior of a radially polarized Laguerre–Gaussian Schell-model vortex beam
Authors: Xu Yonggen , Xu Qian , Liu Wenli
Published: August 2023

Optical wireless communications applications are restricted by oceanic media-induced beam quality degradation. However, modulating the coherence and polarization structures of the laser beams can effectively diminish the negative influence of oceanic turbulence on the beams. The average intensity of a radially polarized Laguerre–Gaussian Schell-model vortex (RPLGSMV) beam propagating through oceanic turbulence is explored by employing the extended Huygens–Fresnel principle. We found that the average intensity of an RPLGSMV beam is greatly affected by oceanic turbulence with a large rate of dissipation of the mean-square temperature and a large relative strength of the temperature and salinity fluctuations as well as the small rate of dissipation of the turbulent kinetic energy per unit mass of fluid and small Kolmogorov microscale. It was also found that a RPLGSMV beam with a larger radial index, topological charge, initial coherent length, and beam waist has a stronger anti-turbulence ability. Our numerical findings may be of great significance for the detection and imaging of oceanic optical telecommunications links.
Phylogenetic inference of the emergence of sequence modules and protein-protein interactions in the ADAMTS-TSL family
Authors: Dennler Olivier , Coste François , Blanquart Samuel , Belleannée Catherine , Théret Nathalie
Published: August 2023

Numerous computational methods based on sequences or structures have been developed for the characterization of protein function, but they are still unsatisfactory to deal with the multiple functions of multi-domain protein families. Here we propose an original approach based on 1) the detection of conserved sequence modules using partial local multiple alignment, 2) the phylogenetic inference of species/genes/modules/functions evolutionary histories, and 3) the identification of co-appearances of modules and functions. Applying our framework to the multidomain ADAMTS-TSL family including ADAMTS (A Disintegrin-like and Metalloproteinase with ThromboSpondin motif) and ADAMTS-like proteins over nine species including human, we identify 45 sequence module signatures that are associated with the occurrence of 278 Protein-Protein Interactions in ancestral genes. Some of these signatures are supported by published experimental data and the others provide new insights (e.g. ADAMTS-5). The module signatures of ADAMTS ancestors notably highlight the dual variability of the propeptide and ancillary regions suggesting the importance of these two regions in the specialization of ADAMTS during evolution. Our analyses further indicate convergent interactions of ADAMTS with COMP and CCN2 proteins. Overall, our study provides 186 sequence module signatures that discriminate distinct subgroups of ADAMTS and ADAMTSL and that may result from selective pressures on novel functions and phenotypes.
Perceived challenges in implementing halal standards by halal certifying bodies in the United States
Authors: Al-Mahmood Omar A. , Fraser Angela M.
Published: August 2023

Islamic dietary laws inform halal standards, defining which foods are halal (lawful and permissible). Many halal foods are produced in non-Muslim majority countries increasing the likelihood they might be haram (prohibited). Halal certification is one way to operationalize halal standards, hence protecting Muslim consumers. At present there is no unified halal standard guiding halal certification. The aim of this study was to determine the perceived challenges in implementing halal standards in the United States. Semi-structured in-depth interviews were done with a representative from 6 of the 11 halal certifying bodies (HCBs) in the United States. All reported their role was to verify food safety records for compliance with government regulations but not to monitor food safety practices. Two main issues—forged halal certificates and expired halal logos were identified as significant issues. Three HCBs stated there is no problem with having multiple halal standards, but all believed it is necessary to have one universal halal standard with minimum standards followed by everyone. The findings of this study can be beneficial to the U.S. halal industry as it highlights the challenges and issues they face.
Duration and dosing of systemic corticosteroids for acute exacerbation of COPD, protocol for a systematic review with meta-analysis of randomized trials and cohort studies
Authors: Yin Raymond , Wang Yiyang , Ying Yue , Ding Mutian , Ouyang Yunqing , Yuan Emily , Ye Daniel , Yuan Shirley , Li Guanying , Hou Winston
Published: August 2023

Purpose

Acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD) is a leading cause of deterioration in patients with otherwise stably controlled COPD. Treatments of AECOPD often require the use of corticosteroid therapy in conjunction with bronchodilators and antibiotics. However, the duration and dosage of corticosteroids still remain unclear. We propose to perform this systematic review and meta-analysis of all available randomized control trials (RCTs) and observational cohort studies to comprehensively assess the efficacy and safety of different corticosteroid duration and dosing regimen in the current body of evidence.

Methods

We will search MEDLINE, EMBASE, CENTRAL via Ovid as well as CINAHL and Web of Science for available literature comparing different corticosteroid duration and dosage in the treatment of AECOPD. We will perform title and full text screening in duplicate, then extract relevant data using a pre-piloted extraction form. We will define short duration as less than 14-day duration of treatment and long duration as greater than 14-day treatment. We will report mortality difference as our primary outcome, with additional comparisons in incidence of re-exacerbation, hospital length of stay, lung function, incidence of hyperglycemia and infection. We will perform risk of bias assessment using the ROB2.0 and ROBINS-I tool, as well as the GRADE assessment to assess the quality of evidence.

Results

We will publish the full results of our systematic review and meta-analysis in a peer-reviewed journal.

Discussions

To our knowledge, this represents an updated and most comprehensive review of the literature comparing different duration and dosing regimen of corticosteroid treatments in AECOPD, as we will include both RCTs and observational studies without date or language restrictions. We aim to validate prior meta-analyses and study findings on the efficacy of short duration corticosteroid therapy over longer treatments and to inform future research directions in dosing regimens.
Growing up with a sibling with depression: A qualitative study in Israel
Authors: Levkovich Inbar , Labes Michal
Published: August 2023

Depression has major consequences for the entire family, among them emotional distress, disrupted daily routine and social damage caused by negative stigmas. The aim of this study was to explore the retrospective experiences of young adults who lived with a sibling with depression while they were adolescents. The present study adopted a qualitative-phenomenological approach. The research participants were recruited via purposive sampling on social networks across Israel from May to September 2022. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 21 participants aged 18–29 who lived with a sibling with depression during their adolescence. Data collection continued until saturation of concepts was reached. The results underwent thematic analysis. Three themes emerged from the qualitative analyses: 1) “I felt like I was living in a minefield”: Adolescence while living with a sibling with depression; 2) “One step forward and two steps back”: Siblings’ coping strategies; 3) “My parents were not there for me when I needed them”: Participants’ experiences with their parents during their adolescence. The research findings indicate that adolescents who grew up with a sibling affected by depression had to cope with an acute family crisis, whose serious ramifications required emotional and social support. Mental health professionals and counselors working within educational institutions and the broader community should provide support and intervention for adolescents who have siblings struggling with depression. This intervention may take the form of individual or group therapy that aims to foster a sense of belonging and help affected individuals. Creating a supportive environment that meets the needs of the affected siblings is also crucial in addressing this issue effectively.
Function and regulation of a steroidogenic CYP450 enzyme in the mitochondrion of Toxoplasma gondii
Authors: Asady Beejan , Sampels Vera , Romano Julia D. , Levitskaya Jelena , Lige Bao , Khare Pratik , Le Anne , Coppens Isabelle
Published: August 2023

As an obligate intracellular parasite, Toxoplasma gondii must import essential nutrients from the host cell into the parasitophorous vacuole. We previously reported that the parasite scavenges cholesterol from host endocytic organelles for incorporation into membranes and storage as cholesteryl esters in lipid droplets. In this study, we have investigated whether Toxoplasma utilizes cholesterol as a precursor for the synthesis of metabolites, such as steroids. In mammalian cells, steroidogenesis occurs in mitochondria and involves membrane-bound type I cytochrome P450 oxidases that are activated through interaction with heme-binding proteins containing a cytochrome b5 domain, such as members of the membrane-associated progesterone receptor (MAPR) family. Our LC-MS targeted lipidomics detect selective classes of hormone steroids in Toxoplasma, with a predominance for anti-inflammatory hydroxypregnenolone species, deoxycorticosterone and dehydroepiandrosterone. The genome of Toxoplasma contains homologs encoding a single type I CYP450 enzyme (we named TgCYP450mt) and a single MAPR (we named TgMAPR). We showed that TgMAPR is a hemoprotein with conserved residues in a heme-binding cytochrome b5 domain. Both TgCYP450 and TgMAPR localize to the mitochondrion and show interactions in in situ proximity ligation assays. Genetic ablation of cyp450mt is not tolerated by Toxoplasma; we therefore engineered a conditional knockout strain and showed that iΔTgCYP450mt parasites exhibit growth impairment in cultured cells. Parasite strains deficient for mapr could be generated; however, ΔTgMAPR parasites suffer from poor global fitness, loss of plasma membrane integrity, aberrant mitochondrial cristae, and an abnormally long S-phase in their cell cycle. Compared to wild-type parasites, iΔTgCYP450mt and ΔTgMAPR lost virulence in mice and metabolomics studies reveal that both mutants have reduced levels of steroids. These observations point to a steroidogenic pathway operational in the mitochondrion of a protozoan that involves an evolutionary conserved TgCYP450mt enzyme and its binding partner TgMAPR.
Antifungal Activity of ZnO Nanobullets against Schizosaccharomyces pombe
Authors: MOHAPATRA BANDITA
Published: August 2023

In this study, an enhanced antifungal response of ZnO nanobullets (NBs) against Schizosaccharomyces pombe is reported. The ZnO NBs were prepared by alkali precipitation method and confirmed by microscopic, morphological and optical studies using SEM, EDX, TEM, HRTEM and photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopic techniques. Growth kinetics and MIC studies were conducted following the growth inhibition percentage studies. Colony forming assay, well diffusion, disc diffusion, N-acetyl cysteine (NAC) effect on S. pombe growth, trypan blue study, cellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) quantification using H2DCFDA dye, Bradford assay, DNA fragmentation and all other relevant protocols were performed in antifungal studies. ZnO nanobullets (NBs) were shown by SEM and TEM examinations to have an average size of 50 nm. The hexagonal wurtzite structure of ZnO NBs was confirmed by HRTEM’s lattice fringe findings. Defectrelated visible emissions at 412, 436, 457 and 564 nm were confirmed via PL analysis. It was found that ZnO NBs resulted in complete growth inhibition of S. pombe at 200 μg/mL. When S. pombe was treated with ZnO NBs, the Bradford assay revealed enhanced protein leakage, but the TBARS assay revealed lipid peroxidation brought on by reactive oxygen species (ROS). When S. pombe was exposed to ZnO NBs, the H2DCFDA assay revealed increased ROS generation, whilst the trypan blue assay revealed increased cell membrane fusion and lower viability. According to present study, the treatment with ZnO NBs caused S. pombe to develop damaged cell walls, leaky proteins and DNA breakage.
A Clinico-Pathological Correlation of Breast Lumps in a Tertiary Care Centre
Authors: Irine Kuzhipallil Mathew  , Ajesh Gopal
Published: August 2023

BACKGROUND

Breast lump is one of the most prevalent ailments that women face. Mostly these lumps are benign, but breast malignancy is the most common form of cancer and is the second leading cause of malignancy deaths in women. Fibroadenoma is the most common benign breast mass and invasive ductal carcinoma is the most common malignancy. Delay in the detection causes the malignancy to progress to an advanced stage. Early detection of malignancies in initial stages is done using triple test to decrease mortality. Incidence of breast cancer can be reduced by 30% by the routine mammographic screening of healthy women. We wanted to correlate the clinical and pathological diagnosis in patients presenting with palpable breast lumps and assess the reliability of clinical examination as a pre-procedural diagnostic tool in this study.

METHODS

A prospective observational study was done in a total of 100 women. Detailed clinical history and examination were done and then compared to histopathological results. The final results were statistically analyzed.

RESULTS

The clinical examination exhibited a sensitivity of 97.96% and a specificity of 96.08% for the identification of cancer when the data were considered collectively. The clinical examination's positive predictive value was 95.84%, and its negative predictive value was 98.08%.

CONCLUSIONS

A significant correlation was also observed between the clinical diagnosis and final pathological diagnosis. So routine clinical examination would definitely be helpful in early diagnosis.
Complementary Experimental and Simulation-based Characterization of Transient Arcs
Authors: Baeva Margarita , Methling Ralf , Gonzalez Diego , Uhrlandt Dirk , Gortschakow Sergery , Ehrhardt Arnd , Schmausser Sebastiam , Schneider Olga
Published: August 2023

Electric arcs generated by transient lightning-type surge currents in protection devices for low voltage appliances are studied by optical emission spectroscopy and spectra simulations. A surge pulse amplitude of 5kA and 8/20µs shape are applied. The arc radiation is recorded by a 3/4m spectrometer and a high-speed camera equipped with metal interference filters for the O I (777nm) and Hα (656nm) lines. Absolute calibration was realized using a tungsten strip lamp. The arc images indicate a non-symmetrical shape. To determine the plasma properties, accompanying simulation solving the equation of radiative transfer for a given pressure and a temperature profile was carried out assuming local thermodynamic equilibrium. Line broadening due to the Stark effect is taken into account. The computed and measured spectra are compared. The conditions are varied until the measured and computed spectra match.