bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Graphene Quantum Dots-Based Composites for Biomedical Applications
Authors: Alam Noor , Ihsan Hena , Khan Samreen , Ullah Kefayat
Published: February 2024

Carbon derivatives, such as graphene-based nanocomposites, have garnered significant global attention due to their remarkable optical and electrical properties. In this study, the authors examined nanohybrid materials based on graphene quantum dots (GQDs) for biomedical applications. The biocompatibility of GQDs makes them ideal materials for a range of medical applications, including biosensing, drug delivery, and various therapeutic uses. The authors also addressed issues related to controlled production and composites involving GQDs. Similarly, they discussed factors that affect the applicability and viability of these materials.
Hybrid Nanomaterials as Next-Generation Corrosion Inhibitors for Metals and Alloys
Authors: Thakur Abhinay , Kumar Ashish
Published: February 2024

Corrosion is a major problem in many industries, causing economic losses and safety and environmental issues. Traditional methods fall short of modern demands, so innovative solutions are vital. Hybrid nanomaterials are promising for corrosion prevention due to their unique properties. This chapter explores their use, mechanisms, and impact. It starts with corrosion's widespread impact and traditional limitations, introducing hybrid nanomaterials. The chapter covers their classifications, fabrication techniques, and properties, including organic-inorganic, inorganic-inorganic, and composite hybrids. It discusses their corrosion inhibition mechanisms and their incorporation into coatings and materials. Real-world applications in aerospace, automotive, oil and gas, and marine industries are highlighted with case studies. Environmental concerns, toxicity, and economic viability are addressed.
Introduction to Hybrid Nanomaterial
Authors: Bukhari Rahat
Published: February 2024

Hybrid nanomaterials are structures with improved or synergistic capabilities that mix two or more distinct forms of nanomaterials, such as nanoparticles, nanotubes, or nanosheets. As a general rule, a hybrid nanomaterial is described as one that is “formed of a close mixture of molecules of one or both types of inorganic and organic nanoparticles.” Hybrid nanomaterials are technically advantageous because of their huge surface area to volume ratio, biocompatibility, and distinctive structure. Hybrid nanomaterials show interest in a wide range of industries. They improve therapeutic procedures, imaging technologies, and drug delivery systems in biomedicine, hence raising the efficacy of medical care. They are also helpful in environmental cleanup, effectively eliminating air and water pollutants and tackling important pollution control issues. Hybrid nanomaterials are versatile instruments with a wide range of applications in developing technology and addressing challenging issues due to their use and multifunctionality.
Nanosized Catalytic Particles for the Decomposition of Green Propellants as Substitute for Hydrazine
Authors: Amrousse Rachid , Elidrissi Abderrahim Najah , Bachar Ahmed , Mabrouk Assia , Toshtay Kainaubek , Azat Seitkhan
Published: February 2024

In the current chapter, the synthesis of nanosized catalytic particles posed a significant challenge, aimed at facilitating the thermal decomposition of various green propellants, such as hydroxylammonium nitrate (HAN) and ammonium dinitramide nitrate (ADN), with the intention of replacing conventional hydrazine as a monopropellant for satellite reaction control systems (RCS). This chapter delves into the methods employed for preparing catalytic nanoparticles and their impact on the thermal decomposition and combustion characteristics of these propellants. Additionally, the utilization of the developed systems combining {propellants + catalysts} in actual missions and within the industrial sector will be presented, thoroughly examined, and guided.
Review on Current Progress of MnO2-Based Nanocomposites for Supercapacitor Application
Authors: Tale Bhagyashri , Nemade Kailash , Tekade Pradip
Published: February 2024

Supercapacitors can store energy and release it with high power capability as well as high current density in a short time interval. A supercapacitor is an electrochemical device, which found to have more energy density as compared to common capacitors. The metal oxides in pristine form have not been able to achieve performance for practical application for energy storage in supercapacitors. The composites electrodes possess synergistic properties of two or more materials which are used to prepare composite and it found to perform better as compared to single material. Thus, performance of the supercapacitor material can be enhanced by formation of composite of MnO2. MnO2 nanoparticles are considered an excellent electrode material for supercapacitor application because of their advantages, such as low cost, abundance in earth, ecofriendliness, and showing a higher performance in energy capacity than other metal oxides.
Study on the Growth of the OTT Platform During Lockdown and Its Future Scope
Authors: Raj Sakshi
Published: February 2024

This research tries to review the growth of OTT platforms throughout the lockdown. It's vital to understand the extent of increase within the popularity of OTT platforms throughout lockdown to understand their future scope. It's evident that, since their launch, OTT platforms have solely discovered an upward curve in their usage, and because of the pandemic and lockdown there has been exponential increase in its popularity because of the modification in consumption patterns of individuals for diversion through numerous media platforms. This analysis conducted a survey and analyzed the opinions of individuals relating to OTT platforms, their consumption patterns, and its comparison with cinema to examine if OTT platforms were slowly taking on the foremost fashionable standard medium of diversion. It had been found that individuals used OTT over the other platforms outside of TV and YouTube to pass their time or for diversion.
The Role of South African Streamed Soap Operas in Contemporary Cultural
Authors: Chibike Jennings Joy
Published: February 2024

This chapter is bent at, through audience perspectives, examining the role of over-the-top media; precisely, streamed South African soap operas in the creation of hybrid cultures and the impact of these cultures on the nation building exercise in Zimbabwe. This qualitative chapter utilises the uses and gratifications theory and the reception theory as theoretical toolkits. Its empirical data is drawn from in-depth interviews with sampled Zimbabwean journalists who stream South African soap operas. The chapter fleshes out that South African soap operas have cultivated new and hybrid cultures in Zimbabwe—among them acceptance of the LGBT community, acceptance of ATR, the use of different languages during communication processes and the appreciation of traditional dressing among others. Empirical data from the participants further exhibits that these hybrid cultures have subsequently become an ideological engineering hub for nation building motives as they carry discourses that can be used for unifying the Zimbabwean people.
Analyzing the Narrative Structure of a Tent-Pole Bollywood Film vs. Exclusive Indian OTT Cinema
Authors: Arya Kanika , Verma Manish , Jain Anisha
Published: February 2024

The chapter is an attempt to compare and contrast the narrative structure of a tent-pole popular Indian cinema film and an exclusive to OTT Indian popular cinema release. Indian popular cinema has followed some conventions of storytelling since its inception, which gives it unique storytelling character compared to global cinema. Though popular Indian cinema has been severely criticized by critics and filmmakers around the world, it has survived the criticism and the competition by international film industries for survival in the ever-growing Indian market, and also has been able to garner a faithful reception. OTT and streaming brought a plethora of entertainment options to the audience besides mainstream cinema, one very successful among these is exclusive to OTT Indian cinema. Analysis of the storytelling technique of both cinemas has been done using case of two films Jab We Met and Meenakshi Sundareshwar which helps us understand how cinematic storytelling has been and is gradually changing in India with interesting twists and turns.
Digital Streaming Content
Authors: Deshpande Vidya , Kalorth Nithin
Published: February 2024

The way we consume video content has undergone a radical transformation. Gone are the days of VCRs and brick-and-mortar video lending stores. Today, digital streaming platforms using the internet have become a global business. The seeds of streaming were sown in the 1990s when audio compression technologies like MP3 came into being and services like RealPlayer and Microsoft's Windows Media Player allowed users to listen to music of their choice. This laid the groundwork for video streaming. The 2000s saw the launch of digital video streaming, changing the entertainment landscape forever. YouTube, founded in 2005, paved the way for user-generated content. Netflix, initially a DVD rental service, switched to an unlimited viewing streaming service in 2007, based on a monthly model. These platforms faced challenges like bandwidth and piracy, but fueled by technological advancements and an insatiable consumer demand for on-demand entertainment, they thrived.
Can Employer-Academic Partnerships and Artificial Intelligence (AI) Improve Students' Performance at Job Interviews?
Authors: Mironko Arkadiusz , Sutyniec Nella
Published: February 2024

In a rapidly evolving job market influenced by the rise of artificial intelligence (AI), the integration of mock interviews and internships into higher education curricula takes on new significance. This chapter delves into the pivotal role these experiences play in preparing students for entering the workforce. It highlights the importance of feedback mechanisms to enhance academic preparation through the impact of mock interviews and internships while emphasizing the need for clear learning outcomes that encompass both technical and soft skills. Encouraging reflection and portfolio building enables students to deepen their understanding of their growth and bolster their professional profiles. Furthermore, it underscores the necessity of continuous improvement, as institutions must adapt to AI's impact on job requirements and the job search process, ensuring that mock interviews and internships remain pertinent tools for navigating the evolving world of work.
The Perceived Scarcity of Town Planning Skills in South Africa
Authors: Jeeva Zaakirah
Published: February 2024

The scarcity of town planning skills in South Africa has been an ongoing challenge, despite various policies and initiatives aimed at addressing this issue. Policies such as JIPSA, LGTAS, ASGISA, and NDP have highlighted the scarcity, but the profession still struggles to find skilled professionals. To gain a better understanding, a total of 105 young planners were interviewed to assess their skills upon graduation. The study also examined the requirements set by LGSETA. The findings revealed there is a scarcity in the profession which is not due to a lack of individuals seeking employment. Instead, the scarcity is driven by skills gaps, unclear policies, lack of professional registration, broad-based black economic empowerment (B-BEE) policies, and the complex operating environment. To address this scarcity, the study offers recommendations to bridge the skills gaps and reduce the barriers hindering the profession. By addressing these issues, South Africa can work towards building a stronger and more sustainable town planning workforce.
Custom Network Protocol Stack for Communication Between Nodes in a Cloudlet System
Authors: Kakade Manoj Subhash , Anupama K.R. , Nayak Sushil , Garang Swarnab
Published: February 2024

With the advent of internet of things (IoT), new network paradigms have emerged. One such technology is cloudlets. Cloudlets are being increasingly used in various IoT-based applications such as smart homes, smart cities, healthcare, and industrial automations. Cloudlets have an advantage of proximity to the end-device while offering services similar to the cloud. Existing cloudlets use IEEE 802.11 for communication between nodes. In this paper, the authors present a protocol customized for usage in cloudlets, which also considers various limitations of the node that constitute the cloudlet. The nodes on the cloudlet are generally constrained in terms of power and memory when compared to nodes on a cloud. The custom protocol also incorporates fault-tolerance, time synchronization, and factors such as task affinities for communication. The protocol proposed in this paper gave an excellent packet delivery ratio, the lowest being 91% even with increased bandwidth usage when compared to IEEE 802.11.
The Study on Software Architecture Smell Refactoring
Authors: Jong-Yih Kuo , Ti-Feng Hsieh , Yu-De Lin , Hui-Chi Lin
Published: February 2024

Maintenance and complexity issues in software development continue to increase because of new requirements and software evolution, and refactoring is required to help software adapt to the changes. The goal of refactoring is to fix smells in the system. Fixing architectural smells requires more effort than other smells because it is tangled in multiple components in the system. Architecture smells refer to commonly used architectural decisions that negatively impact system quality. They cause high software coupling, create complications when developing new requirements, and are hard to test and reuse. This paper presented a tool to analyze the causes of architectural smells such as cyclic dependency and unstable dependency and included a priority metric that could be used to optimize the smell with the most refactoring efforts and simulate the most cost-effective refactoring path sequence for a developer to follow. Using a real case scenario, a refactoring path was evaluated with real refactoring execution, and the validity of the path was verified.
New South African keywords
Authors: Van Eeden Elize S.
Published: February 2024

No abstract available.
Taking stock of land reform in Namibia from 1990 to 2005
Authors: Ingle Mark
Published: February 2024

The land reform debate in Namibia has been predicated on a number of questionable assumptions and is atypical of the scenarios presented by other SADC countries. The one point of similarity is that the progress of Namibian land reform has been very slow. The evidence suggests that land reform has served as an expedient rhetorical device which the ruling party resorts to as and when it suits its political agenda. It has also served as a means by which high-ranking officials have enriched themselves at the expense of the peasantry. Namibia’s financial commitment to land reform was negligible when considered alongside some of its ruler’s more grandiose personal projects. This article contends that land reform in Namibia has been a minor issue and was always unlikely to compromise the political stability that has led to Namibia’s robust performance as a tourism mecca.
George Bremner, Graaff-Reinet and “A State of Feeling”, 1848-1859
Authors: Ludlow Helen
Published: February 2024

This article explores a young Scottish teacher’s attempt to implement the ambitious plans for government education in Graaff-Reinet in the mid 19th century. Designed for the whole population, the New System (or Established System) represents a moment in the racialised history of South Africa when there was an imagination of an inclusive, though very British, education system. The focus of the article is on the identity of an able, well-qualified teacher attempting to fulfil his charge in GraaffReinet, a town of growing affluence and regional importance. While Bremner, as government teacher, proves to be a catalyst for local efforts to improve the quality of education, this is largely a sad story of frustration and failure. Entrenched racial attitudes, class aspirations, and the failure of the state adequately to resource the New System combine to undermine his ambitious efforts and challenge his personal worldview. So too does the teacher’s fiery defence, particularly in his public writing, both of his project and the status and reputation which he believed to be his due.
Regional, local, urban and rural history as nearby spaces and places: Historiographical and methodological reflections
Authors: Van Eeden Elize S.
Published: February 2024

The purpose of this article is to review the almost 50 years of formal regional and local history research practices in South Africa under the umbrella of a variety of rural and urban trends, themes and phenomena. This revisit of research practice is not approached from the traditional angle of critically debating the visibility of the research in historiography through publications (it is, after all, an extraordinarily broad field of study to cover, which may not correctly serve each author in the broader and/or local history). Rather the focus is on analysing where and when regional or local history in South Africa got its momentum and how historians have broadly assessed their progress and future in presenting and carrying out regional and local history research. International influences on historians and other academics in the humanities and social sciences which surface are also discussed. The reader is also exposed to a concise exposition of modern-day efforts in the field of integrative research that have been necessary in regional and/or local history research for decades. Local research methodologies used in the past have been combined with integrative methodology models to create an integrative multidisciplinary research methodology required for carrying out regional and local research in modern-day practice. Because no single definition of the concepts of local and regional history exists, its meaning in literature is first thrashed out to strengthen understanding of the term and the approach to it in this discussion. This debate, among others, was inspired by, and is part of, the commemoration of the journal New Contree’s 35 years of existence. The journal’s involvement in the dissemination of regional and urban history, especially during the early part of its existence, is discussed. It is hoped that this article’s review of the past will inspire South African historians to revisit regional, local, urban and/or rural spaces and places in South Africa. This could be done perhaps with the view to strengthening the methodologies used in regional history studies and to ambitiously embrace possibilities for engaging in a variety of integrative research from bottom-up and top-down perspectives. This may be the only way to progress towards inclusive regional histories as contributions to the understanding of regions.
Reading revolution: Shakespeare on Robben Island
Authors: Dick Archie L.
Published: February 2024

No abstract available.
The Obama factor: Responses in South Korea (2008-2009)
Authors: Du Pisani Jacobus A. , Kim Kwangsu
Published: February 2024

An analysis is made in this article of responses in the South Korean media to the rise of Barack Obama, starting with his appearance on the scene as presidential contender, then being nominated as the official candidate of the Democratic Party, en then being elected to the office of President of the USA. At the outset the context is outlined of relations between South Korea and the USA. Then the opinions and attitudes of South Korean politicians, economists, editors, academics and letter writers from the general public at key moments during 2008 and 2009 in the American presidential election campaign are analysed. The focus is on expectations of Obama among the South Korean citizens mainly with regard to his economic policy and his policy on US foreign relations with South Korea. For the South Koreans Obama’s stance towards North Korea on its development of a nuclear capability and the future of the foreign trade agreement between the USA and South Korea was crucial. The analysis in this article of the reactions to Obama’s rise expressed in the South Korean newspapers confirms that globalisation and glocalisation are concurrent processes in the contemporary world. On the one hand a set of liberal moral values has become dominant among moderates all over the world that unites them in their attitudes towards global events. On the other hand those generic values only assume real significance for people when they are applied to local issues.
“An absolute pillar of strength for her husband and the struggle”: Molly Fischer (1908-1964) – wife, mother and struggle activist
Authors: Haasbroek Hannes
Published: February 2024

This article concentrates on the life and times of Molly Fischer, wife of the renowned Communist and struggle-activist Bram Fischer. Molly and Bram’s life was not only woven together by their love for each other, but also by their love of Socialism and Communism coupled with their sincere endeavours to uplift the black community. She was as fervent a Communist and activist as Bram and in these circles was applauded for the unselfish manner in which she took up the cudgels for the oppressed people in the country. Molly is probably one of the few white women in the struggle-history of South Africa who had an Afrikaans background and who made a notable contribution to this cause. Her contribution remained rather obscured to the general public when compared with that of her famous husband. Therefore, the purpose of this article is to emphasise how she played her part as a struggle-activist and how she, as her husband’s soul mate, supported him throughout his public and political life and, in the interests of their cause, never backed away from the mistrust which they were obliged to endure from their Afrikaner compatriots. Also her role as mother, and for that matter homemaker, is taken into consideration. A great deal of Molly’s everyday life centred on their son’s welfare who suffered from cystic fibrosis.
A cameo from the past: The prehistory and early history of the Kruger National Park
Authors: Van der Merwe Barend
Published: February 2024

No abstract available.
Armblankes
Authors: Visser Wessel
Published: February 2024

No abstract available.
“Wees jouself”: Afrikaner kultuurorganisasies in Rhodesië (1934-1980)
Authors: Hendrich Gustav
Published: February 2024

“Be Yourself”: Afrikaner cultural organizations in Rhodesia (1934- 1980). The problem of minority groups in host countries to preserve their culture is a world-wide phenomenon. In the history of Southern Africa the Afrikaners fundamentally experienced the same obstacles and restrictions concerning their linguistic and cultural rights, especially beyond the borders of South Africa. As a bulwark against potential assimilation, suppression and Anglicisation in predominantly English speaking Rhodesia (present-day Zimbabwe) the Afrikaner minority groups considered it essential to establish cultural organisations. The Afrikaanse Kultuurunie van Rhodesië (AKUR) [Afrikaans Cultural Union of Rhodesia] and the Genootskap van Rhodesiese Afrikaners (GRA) [Association of Rhodesian Afrikaners] thus came to serve as fundamental pillars in the preservation of the Afrikaner culture. These organisations would however not be exclusively concerned with culture, but would also strive for equal minority rights on the political front. This article aims to discuss the history and role of these cultural organisations.
The Graaff-Reinet municipal location: Unemployment and poor relief during the Great Depression of 1929-1933
Authors: Minnaar Anthony
Published: February 2024

By focusing on a medium-sized rural town in South Africa during the period of the Great Depression broadly resulted in showing the effects and reactions that were, in general, indicative of worldwide trends but with specific regional and local impact. The core focus of this article then being those effects on a further microcosm of urban life, the residents of the Graaff-Reinet municipal “location” (township); the efforts to assist these residents as occupying the lowest rungs of the economic ladder; and the efforts through welfare charities and unemployment/poor relief schemes to alleviate the situation in town. But many of these charitable organisations themselves felt the pinch of “hard times” and as a consequence had to further curtail their poor relief programmes, which lead to further hardships for the “poorest of the poor” in town. This article further examines the efforts by various official bodies, inter alia the Town and Divisional Councils, to provide unemployment relief work via a number of work schemes. Among the latter were the road building projects in town and district, and the brickmaking scheme (which provided all the bricks for the building of the new power station started in June 1934).
Kopwond: Vergete slagoffers van die Bosoorlog
Authors: Coetzee Emile C.
Published: February 2024

No abstract available.
Improvement of potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) micro-tubers formation as effected by nano-particles in-vitro
Authors: Farrag Amal M. , Taha Sahar S. , Darwish Omaima S. , Ashour Shaaban , Mahmoud Abdel Wahab M.
Published: February 2024

Background

Applying nano-fertilizers in the agricultural sector may lead to sustainable development through lower inputs and waste generation, diminishing nutrient losses, and increasing nutrient use efficiency by releasing nutrients at a suitable rate for plant demand compared with conventional chemical fertilizers.

Objective

The current study’s objective was to develop the ideal procedure for the in vitro creation of virus-free micro-tubers of two potato cultivars using varied doses of phosphorus and potassium nanoparticles (K-NPs) added to the Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium.

Materials and methods

The research was conducted at the Tissue Culture Laboratory, Vegetable Crops Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Cairo University, Egypt, from January 2020 to July 2021. The meristem tips of two potato cultivars were excised and cultured in solid MS medium supplemented with sucrose and agar. The multiplication stage involved re-propagation of the cultivars using nodal segments, which were cultured on MS medium.

Results and conclusion

The effects of potassium 25, 35, and 45 mM or phosphorus 2, 3, and 4 mM nanoparticles on in-vitro micro-tuber formation and growth of two potato cultivars (Lady Rosetta and Spunta) were cultured. Data on the number of branches, plant length, and number of leaflets were recorded after 40 days of culture. The number of micro-tubers/jar, and the fresh weight of micro-tubers were also determined. 25 mM potassium nanoparticles (K-NPs) resulted in the highest number of tubers for both cultivars, while the concentrations (35 mM and 45 mM) decreased tuber formation. For phosphorus nanoparticles (P-NPS), 4 mM resulted in the highest number of tubers and root lengths for both cultivars.
Salvia hispanica L. (chia seeds) alleviates paracetamol-induced acute liver injury in mice by modulating oxidative stress and inflammation
Authors: Ahmed Samya Mahmoud , Masoud Marwa A.
Published: February 2024

Background

Paracetamol [N-acetyl-p-aminophenol (APAP)] is one of the frequently prescribed antipyretics and analgesics; yet going over the recommended dose still poses a major clinical challenge and leads to serious drug-encouraged liver damage.

Objective

Our study aims to discover the hepatoprotective effect of Salvia hispanica L. [chia seeds (CS)] against APAP-induced acute liver injury in male mice.

Materials and methods

Paracetamol (300 mg/kg bw, once a day for two successive days) was orally administered to establish a liver injury model. Forty male albino mice were randomly divided into four groups (10/group); control, APAP group, CS-4%+APAP group: was pretreated with CS (4%) for 21 days before receiving APAP, CS-20%+APAP group: was pretreated with CS (20%) for 21 days before receiving APAP. At the end of the experiment, the levels of liver injury indices, hepatic nitro-oxidative stress, and inflammatory-associated biomarkers along with histopathological examinations were determined. Additionally, inflammatory responses of some primer sequences (nuclear factor kappa B, p38 mitogen-activated protein kinases, monocyte chemoattractant protein-1, and toll-like receptor 4) were determined by quantitative real-time PCR in liver tissues.

Results

CS markedly stabilized the APAP-motivated alterations in liver function markers, cytochrome P450 2E1 level, hepatic nitro-oxidative stress, and pathological changes. The anti-inflammatory activity of CS improved tumor necrosis factor-alpha and myeloperoxidase production. Furthermore, mRNA expression of nuclear factor kappa B, monocyte chemoattractant protein-1, p38 mitogen-activated protein kinases, and toll-like receptor 4 were significantly downregulated. Such effects were found to be responsible for its hepatoprotective effect in a dose-dependent way.

Conclusion

Our results showed evidence that the hepatoprotective effect of CS against APAP-induced liver injury was mediated through the reduction of oxidative stress damage, enhancement of antioxidant status, and inhibition of different inflammatory markers.
Assessing the accuracy of pleural puncture sites in patients with pleural effusion as determined by clinical examination versus ultrasound—A single-centre prospective study
Authors: Asfahan Shahir , Tandon Abhishek , Chauhan Nishant K. , Jalandra Ram N. , Garg Mahendra K. , Bohra Gopal K. , Garg Pawan K. , Bajpai Nitin K. , Bajad Pradeep , Babu Avinash , Dutt Naveen
Published: February 2024

Introduction:

This study aimed to ascertain the accuracy of clinical examination for the determination of pleural puncture sites as compared to the use of ultrasonography in patients with pleural effusion.

Material and Methods:

A single-centre, prospective, observational study was carried out amongst 115 patients with pleural effusion in a tertiary care hospital in western India. Patients were subjected to clinical assessment for determination of pleural puncture sites and the same were confirmed with ultrasonography. All physicians were blinded to the marking of the previous physician to prevent any influence on their assessment.

Results:

The study had 345 physician observations. The overall accuracy of the clinical examination was 94.8%. Multivariate logistic regression of the factors responsible for the accuracy of clinical examination demonstrated a significant role of higher body mass index (BMI) (OR-1.19) and lower zone pleural effusions (OR-4.99) when adjusted for age, gender, side of effusion, and experience of examining doctors. When the effusions were classified according to their location, lower zone pleural effusions and loculated pleural effusions had an error rate of 15.9% and 8.33%, respectively.

Conclusion:

An ultrasound is the standard of care to assess all pleural effusions and guide the best point for aspiration.
Saviour tool now a foreign body
Authors: Kaushal Mohit , Mahant T. S. , Mandal Amit , Sandhu Navreet , Iqbal Zafar , Brar Rahat
Published: February 2024

Foreign bodies are commonly seen in children, here presenting a case of a male adult with an impacted thumb pin in the left lower lobe bronchus. Extraction required fiber-optic bronchoscopy, failure of which led to thoracotomy with bronchotomy.
Treatment of Helicobacter Pylori İnfection and the Colonization of the Gastrointestinal System by Resistant Bacteria
Authors: Araz H , Kocagül-Çelikbaş A , Altunsoy A , Mumcuoğlu İ , Kazcı S , Köseoğlu HT
Published: February 2024

ABSTRACT

Background and Aims:

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infections are widely treated with antibiotic regimens such as “Amoxicillin 1 gr 2 × 1 tablet, Clarithromycin 500 mg 2 × 1 tablet, and Lansoprazole 30 mg 2 × 1 tablet” for 14 days. We conducted a prospective observational study to explore whether this treatment protocol serves as a predisposing factor for the colonization of resistant gastrointestinal microflora, namely vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE), extended-spectrum beta-lactamase Enterobacterales (ESBL-E), and carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales (CRE).

Materials and Methods:

Pre- and post-treatment stool samples from 75 patients diagnosed with H. pylori, without a prior treatment history, were cultured and evaluated based on the European Committee on Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing (EUCAST) criteria.

Results:

Of the 75 evaluated patients, a pronounced surge in ESBL-E positivity was observed. Before initiating antibiotic treatment, 12 patients (16%) had ESBL-E-positive strains in their gastrointestinal tract. Notably, this number surged to 24 patients (32%) after the conclusion of the 14-day treatment regimen. The change was statistically significant, with a P value of less than 0.002, indicating a clear association between treatment for H. pylori and heightened ESBL-E colonization. Notably, VRE and CRE remained undetected in patients throughout the study, suggesting that the treatment regimen may specifically amplify the risk of ESBL-E colonization without affecting VRE and CRE prevalence.

Conclusions:

As the inaugural report from Turkey on this issue, our study suggests that antibiotic regimens for H. pylori eradication contribute to the increased risk of ESBL-positive bacterial colonization in the gastrointestinal tract.
The Evaluation of Invasive Prenatal Diagnostic Tests in North Cyprus: A Retrospective Study
Authors: Avci MZ , Arkut A , Bilgic N , Sutcu H
Published: February 2024

ABSTRACT

Background:

Congenital diseases are still an important medical, social, and economic problem all over the world. In North Cyprus, in addition to other reasons, early prenatal diagnostic measures are undertaken to prevent births with thalassemia major, a locally widespread genetic disease.

Aim:

This study aims to evaluate the results of prenatal invasive diagnostic tests performed in a private obstetrics clinic in Northern Cyprus and show the diagnosis process of thalassemia and chromosomal anomalies.

Materials and Methods:

This study is a retrospective, descriptive study. Chorionic villus sampling (CVS) results and the amniocentesis tests performed between 1990 and 2022 are evaluated. Thalassemia and chromosome analysis of samples obtained by CVS and amniocentesis tests were performed. To diagnose alpha or beta thalassemia and sickle cell, 239 CVS was performed. And to diagnose chromosomal anomalies, 396 CVS and amniocentesis were performed.

Results:

The mean age of the 480 pregnant women included in the study was 31.12 years (18–46) and 30% of them were older than 34 years. The most common indications for invasive prenatal diagnostic test (IPDT) were; mother/father thalassemia minor/major, advanced maternal age, high risk of ultrasonography erase findings, and the noninvasive screening test. The result of IPDT detected 7.3% chromosomal anomaly and 69.5% thalassemia and sickle cell anemia. Of the 239 CVS performed to diagnose alpha or beta thalasemia and sickle cell, 23.4% beta major, 42.3% beta minor, and 2.1% alpha minor were diagnosed. Of the 396 CVS and amniocentesis performed to diagnose chromosomal anormalies; 2.8% of Down syndrome and 4.54% of other chromosomal anomalies were diagnosed.

Conclusion:

IPDT is important in correctly diagnosing fetal anomalies at the prenatal stage to help families decide at the right time.
Correlation Between the Clinical Diagnosis and Sonographic Diagnosis in Women with First-Trimester Vaginal Bleeding
Authors: Anajuba OC , Okafor CO , Nwosu CS , Okafor CI , Nwabunike MO , Emegoakor AC , Azubuike CG , Uzukwu IO , Aguwamba UA , Okoye KU , Eze KC
Published: February 2024

ABSTRACT

Background:

Vaginal bleeding is the most common cause of presentation at the emergency department in the first trimester. Clinical presentation helps determine the likely cause of first-trimester vaginal bleeding. However, ultrasound imaging is required to reach a definitive diagnosis.

Objective:

To determine the relationship between clinical diagnosis and ultrasonographic findings in women with first-trimester vaginal bleeding.

Methods:

A prospective longitudinal study was conducted on 94 pregnant patients with a history of bleeding per vagina (PV) in the first trimester by using transvaginal ultrasound.

Results:

PV spotting was noted in 64.9% and heavy bleeding in 35.1%. The most common clinically associated symptom was abdominal pain (68, 72.3%), and the least common clinically associated symptom was vesicle expulsion (2.1%). The most common predisposing factor was fever (31, 33.0%). The most frequent clinical diagnosis was threatened abortion (48, 51.1%), and the least common clinical diagnosis was gestational trophoblastic disease (GTD) and inevitable abortion (1, 1.1%). The most common ultrasound diagnosis at the initial scan was incomplete abortion (19.2%), while at follow-up scans, it was threatened abortion (48, 51.1%). The overall concordance between clinical diagnosis and ultrasound was 38.8%, with both complete abortion and GTD showing a concordance of 100%. The least concordance was seen in missed abortions (25%).

Conclusion:

Clinical assessment is insufficient in the identification of the cause of vaginal bleeding due to the overall low concordance rate. A combination of clinical assessment and ultrasonography is required for decision-making in every case.
A Dosimetric Comparative Study of Carbon-Ion Radiotherapy Versus X-ray Volumetric Modulated Arc Therapy for Stage III Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer
Authors: Li X-J , Li C-R , Ye Y-C , Zhang Y-S , Zong X-Q , Feng CL
Published: February 2024

ABSTRACT

Background:

Compared to photon beam, carbon-ion radiotherapy (CIRT) has both physical and biological advantages.

Aim:

To examine whether two-dimensional (2D) CIRT is dosimetrically superior to photon beam volume-modulated arc therapy (VMAT) in protecting the normal tissues for stage III non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Subjects and Methods:

A retrospective study was conducted. Thirteen patients with stage III NSCLC treated in our center with curative CIRT and a sham photon beam VMAT treatment planning with the same normal tissue dose constraints were included for analysis. Target dose distributions and the homogeneity index (HI) within the planning target volumes were compared.

Results:

Both CIRT and VMAT plans have good tumor coverage with no significant differences in D98, D95, and D50 of Planning target volume 1 (PTV1) between the two plans. The HIs between the two plans are similar. The HI of PTV2 is superior in the CIRT plan (CIRT vs. VMAT: 0.08 vs. 0.16, P < 0.05). In general, CIRT results in a lower dose of the organ-at-risk (OAR) than the photon plans. The V5, V10, V20, V30, V40, and Dmean of the contralateral lung in the CIRT plan are significantly lower than that of the photon VMAT. For the ipsilateral lung, the V5 of CIRT is significantly lower. The CIRT also had significantly lower spinal cord Dmax, esophageal Dmean and V50, V10 and V30 of bone, and V50 of the trachea and bronchial tree.

Conclusions:

Compared with photon VMAT, 2D-CIRT using the passive beam scanning technique significantly reduces the radiation dose to the OARs in curative radiotherapy of stage III NSCLC, suggesting a better protection of the normal tissues.
Contemporary concepts of prevention and management of gastroesophageal variceal bleeding in liver cirrhosis patients
Authors: Garbuzenko Dmitry Victorovich
Published: February 2024

This editorial describes the contemporary concepts of prevention and management of gastroesophageal variceal bleeding in liver cirrhosis (LC) patients according to the current guidelines. Gastroesophageal variceal bleeding is the most dangerous complication of portal hypertension in LC patients. Risk stratification and determination of an individual approach to the choice of therapeutic measures aimed at their prevention and management has emerged as one of the top concerns in modern hepatology. According to the current guidelines, in the absence of clinically significant portal hypertension, etiological and non-etiological therapies of LC is advisable for the primary preventing gastroesophageal variceal bleeding, whereas its presence serves as an indication for the administration of non-selective β-blockers, among which carvedilol is the drug of choice. Non-selective β-blockers, as well as endoscopic variceal ligation and transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt can be used to prevent recurrence of gastroesophageal variceal bleeding. Pharmacotherapy with vasoactive drugs (terlipressin, somatostatin, octreotide), endoscopic variceal ligation, endovascular techniques and transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt are recommended for the treatment of acute gastroesophageal variceal bleeding. Objective and accurate risk stratification of gastroesophageal variceal bleeding will allow developing individual strategies for their prevention and management, avoiding the first and further decompensation in LC, which will improve the prognosis and survival of patients suffering from it.
Evaluation of G3BP1 in the prognosis of acute and acute-on-chronic liver failure after the treatment of artificial liver support system
Authors: Li Wen-Yuan , Wang Lu-Wen , Dong Jin , Wang Yao
Published: February 2024

BACKGROUND

The increased expression of G3BP1 was positively correlated with the prognosis of liver failure.

AIM

To investigate the effect of G3BP1 on the prognosis of acute liver failure (ALF) and acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) after the treatment of artificial liver support system (ALSS).

METHODS

A total of 244 patients with ALF and ACLF were enrolled in this study. The levels of G3BP1 on admission and at discharge were detected. The validation set of 514 patients was collected to verify the predicted effect of G3BP1 and the viability of prognosis.

RESULTS

This study was shown that lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) and prothrombin time were closely related to the prognosis of patients. After the ALSS treatment, the patient’ amount of decreased G3BP1 index in difference of G3BP1 between the value of discharge and admission (difG3BP1) < 0 group had a nearly 10-fold increased risk of progression compared with the amount of increased G3BP1 index. The subgroup analysis showed that the difG3BP1 < 0 group had a higher risk of progression, regardless of model for end-stage liver disease high-risk or low-risk group. At the same time, compared with the inflammatory marks [tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin (IL)-1β and IL-18], G3BP1 had higher discrimination and was more stable in the model analysis and validation set. When combined with AFP and LDH, concordance index was respectively 0.84 and 0.8 in training and validation cohorts.

CONCLUSION

This study indicated that G3BP1 could predict the prognosis of ALF or ACLF patients treated with ALSS. The combination of G3BP1, AFP and LDH could accurately evaluate the disease condition and predict the clinical endpoint of patients.
Cardiac Tuberculosis: A Case Series from Ethiopia, Italy, and Uganda and a Literature Review
Authors: Cotugno Sergio , Guido Giacomo , Manco Cesari Giorgia , Ictho Jerry , Lochoro Peter , Amone James , Segala Francesco Vladimiro , De Vita Elda , Lattanzio Rossana , Okori Samuel , De Iaco Giuseppina , Girma Adisu , Sura Abata , Hessebo Eriballo Tariku , Balsemin Franco , Putoto Giovanni , Ronga Luigi , Manenti Fabio , Facci Enzo , Saracino Annalisa , Di Gennaro Francesco
Published: February 2024

Extrapulmonary tuberculosis (TB) is estimated to account for up to 20% of active cases of TB disease, but its prevalence is difficult to ascertain because of the difficulty of diagnosis. Involvement of the heart is uncommon, with constrictive pericarditis being the most common cardiac manifestation. Diagnostic research for cardiac disease is frequently lacking, resulting in a high mortality rate. In addition to direct cardiac involvement, instances of cardiac events during antitubercular therapy are described. This case series describes five cases of TB affecting the heart (cardiac TB) from Italy and high-burden, low-income countries (Ethiopia and Uganda), including a case of Loeffler syndrome manifesting as myocarditis in a patient receiving antitubercular therapy. Our study emphasizes how cardiac TB, rare but important in high-burden areas, is a leading cause of pericardial effusion or pericarditis. Timely diagnosis and a comprehensive approach, including imaging and microbiological tools, are crucial. Implementing high-sensitivity methods and investigating alternative samples, such as detection of tuberculosis lipoarabinomannan or use of the GeneXpert assay with stool, is recommended in TB control programs.
Recombinase-Aided Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification on Human Plasmodium knowlesi
Authors: Lai Meng Yee , Abdul Hamid Mohd Hafizi , Jelip Jenarun , Mudin Rose Nani , Lau Yee Ling
Published: February 2024

Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) is a nucleic acid amplification technique that can amplify specific nucleic acids at a constant temperature (63–65°C) within a short period (<1 hour). In this study, we report the utilization of recombinase-aided LAMP to specifically amplify the 18S sRNA of Plasmodium knowlesi. The method was built on a conventional LAMP assay by inclusion of an extra enzyme, namely recombinase, into the master mixture. With the addition of recombinase into the LAMP assay, the assay speed was executed within a time frame of less than 28 minutes at 65°C. We screened 55 P. knowlesi samples and 47 non–P. knowlesi samples. No cross-reactivity was observed for non–P. knowlesi samples, and the detection limit for recombinase-aided LAMP was one copy for P. knowlesi after LAMP amplification. It has been reported elsewhere that LAMP can be detected through fluorescent readout systems. Although such systems result in considerable limits of detection, the need for sophisticated equipment limits their use. Hence, we used here a colorimetric detection platform for the evaluation of the LAMP assay’s performance. This malachite green–based recombinase-aided LAMP assay enabled visualization of results with the naked eye. Negative samples were observed by a change in color from green to colorless, whereas positive samples remained green. Our results demonstrate that the LAMP assay developed here is a convenient, sensitive, and useful diagnostic tool for the rapid detection of knowlesi malaria parasites. This method is suitable for implementation in remote healthcare settings, where centralized laboratory facilities, funds, and clinicians are in short supply.