bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Downregulation of UQCRC1 exacerbates hypoxia-induced mitochondrial damage in H9C2 cardiomyocytes
Authors: Xu Fangjing , Liu Guozhen , Chai Zhi , Fang Kebao , He Jing , Yang Lan , Fan Yucheng
Published: July 2024

Ubiquinol cytochrome c reductase core protein I (UQCRC1) is a critical component of mitochondrial proteins, and abnormal expression or dysfunction of UQCRC1 may be associated with the occurrence and progression of certain diseases. Our previous study found significant changes in the content of UQCRC1 protein in myocardial cells in a mouse acute myocardial ischemia model. However, there have been no reports on how changes in UQCRC1 protein content affect mitochondrial function in myocardial cells. In this study, we silenced the UQCRC1 gene in rat myocardial cells under hypoxic conditions using a constructed shRNA expression vector. Experimental techniques such as Hoechst staining system, inverted fluorescence microscopy, electron microscopy, and CCK-8 assay were utilized to observe the apoptosis rate of H9C2 cells and pathological changes in mitochondrial ultrastructure. Additionally, cellular viability, lactate dehydrogenase levels, reactive oxygen species, ATP expression, and mitochondrial membrane potential changes were measured in H9C2 cells to preliminarily elucidate the impact of the UQCRC1 gene on mitochondrial function in rat hypoxic myocardial cells from both morphological and functional aspects. Our study sheds light on the partial mechanisms underlying the occurrence and prognosis of ischemic heart disease cardiomyopathy through the UQCRC1 pathway.
Comprehensive statistical analysis of the pharmacokinetics, safety and clinical benefit rate of MitoTam in a single-center phase I/Ib trial in patients with metastatic solid tumors
Authors: Bartosova Olga , Bielcikova Zuzana , Stursa Jan , Pesta Michal , Neuzil Jiri , Bursova Miroslava , Slanar Ondrej , Netikova Irena Stenglova , Werner Lukas
Published: July 2024

Background
MitoTam, the first mitochondrial inhibitor to disrupt complex I (CI)-dependent respiration, previously showed antitumor activity against renal cell carcinoma (RCC) with a good safety profile. We investigated the relationships of pharmacokinetic (PK) parameters, biodistribution, and patient baseline diagnosis with the clinical outcome and toxicity of MitoTam.
Methods
In the phase I/Ib MitoTam-01 trial, patients with metastatic solid tumors were treated with MitoTam monotherapy. PK parameters were calculated separately for the doses used in both trial phases. Data were analyzed descriptive analyses and using the generalized linear model framework as stochastic test.
Results
The non-compartmental analysis of PK parameters showed that the extent of exposure was positively correlated with the dose. Most of the PK profiles suggested that MitoTam was redistributed from the tissues or from protein binding back into the blood circulation, with very low accumulation. The exposure‒efficacy relationship did not show significant differences between responders and non-responders in phase Ib. However, the AUC0-t and Cmax values were greater in RCC patients than in responders with other diagnoses. These data are consistent with the preclinical findings showing preferential MitoTam accumulation in kidneys and the high clinical benefit rate in RCC patients in the phase Ib part.
Conclusion
These comprehensive analyses demonstrate the impact of MitoTam on the clinical benefit rate that is related to the dose and corresponding PK parameters, as well the underlying diagnosis. The PK data supported the previously recommended dose of 3.0 mg/kg weekly for future trials.
Registration:
EudraCT 2017-004441-25 (November 1, 2017)
Impact of zinc oxide nanoparticles on the behavior and stress indicators of African catfish (Clarias gariepinus) exposed to heat stress
Authors: Mahmoud Amr S. , Sayed Alaa El Din H. , Mahmoud Usama T. , Mohammed Ahmed A. A. , Darwish Madeha H. A.
Published: July 2024

This study was designed to assess the role of nano-zinc oxide in mitigating the deleterious effects of heat stress in African catfish (Clarias gariepinus) by evaluating parameters such as aggressive behavior (biting frequency and chasing duration), hematological indicators, and stress-related biochemical markers. A total of 96 catfish were divided into four distinct groups (24 fish/group): The first group (CON) served as the control group, receiving a diet free of nano-zinc oxide. The second group (HS) was exposed to heat stress at 35°C ± 1°C. The third group (ZN) was fed a diet containing nano-zinc oxide at 30 mg/kg of the diet, and the fourth group (ZHN) was exposed to heat stress (35°C ± 1°C) and fed a diet containing nano-zinc oxide at 30 mg/kg of the diet. The results clarified that the aggressive behavior and cortisol levels were significantly higher (p < 0.05) in the HS group compared to the CON and ZHN groups. Additionally, the level of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) was significantly lower (p < 0.05) in the HS group compared to the CON and ZHN groups. Meanwhile, a significant (p < 0.05) decrease in red blood cells, hemoglobin, packed cell volume, white blood cells, alkaline phosphatase, and lymphocytes, was observed in fish belonging to the HS group, while the levels of alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, neutrophils, and monocytes showed a significant increase (p < 0.05). Supplementation with nano-zinc oxide significantly recovered most hematological and biochemical parameters. In conclusion, nano-zinc oxide contributed significantly to the regulation of the negative impacts of heat stress on fish by reducing aggressive behavior and cortisol levels. Additionally, it improved the levels of AChE and certain hematological and biochemical parameters.
The Heavy Metal Pollution Status and Health Risks Associated with 50 Tea Samples Marketed in Guangzhou, China
Authors: Yi Zhenke , Liang Yuting , Qiu Qiting , Xu Kailin , Wang Kang , Wu Yingxia , Zeng Yingxuan , Zhu Xinyan , Tuerxun Subi , Zhou Zhifeng , Ye Jufeng
Published: July 2024

While concerns exist regarding teas’ heavy metal contamination, originating from geological factors and anthropogenic activities, the study aims to evaluate the prevailing levels of contamination and assess the potential health hazards linked to tea consumption in Guangzhou. A total of 50 tea samples (comprising black tea, green tea, oolong tea and dark tea) were systematically collected from three districts of Guangzhou (Baiyun, Tianhe and Haizhu) in 2023. These samples underwent analysis utilizing inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) to ascertain the actual concentrations of six heavy metal elements, specifically arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), lead (Pb) and mercury (Hg). Our findings reveal that both tea variety and district influence the heavy metal content of tea, while there is no interaction between these two facts. The mean concentrations of these elements were arranged in the sequence of Cu＞Cr＞Pb＞As＞Cd＞Hg. Furthermore, we computed the Estimated Daily Intake (EDI), Hazard Index (HI), Target Hazard Quotient (THQ) and Incremental Lifetime Cancer Risk (ILCR) for the six elements in different tea and districts. When categorized by tea types, the HI exposed on the order of dark tea>green tea> black tea＞oolong tea, while classified by districts is Baiyun>Haizhu>Tianhe. Also study suggests that the carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic hazards posed by the six trace elements in samples are deemed minimal.
Bacterial Foraging Optimization Algorithm with Deep Learning Method to EnhanceBreast Cancer Detection using Digital Mammography
Authors: D Banumathy , D Karthikeyan , G Mohanraj , R Sarathkumar
Published: July 2024

This study focuses on improving the detection of breast cancer at an early stage. The standard approach for diagnosing breast cancer is mammography, but it is pretty tedious as it is subject to subjective analysis. The study will examine how deep learning-based techniques are used in mammography analysis to improve the screening process in order to overcome these obstacles. Various computer vision models, including Visual Geometry Group (VGG) 19, inceptionV3, and custom 20 Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) architecture, are investigated using the Digital Database for Screening Mammography (DDSM) mammogram dataset. The DDSM is widely used for mammographic image analysis in the research community. In the domain of CNNs, the models have demonstrated considerable promise due to their efficacy in various tasks, such as image recog- nition and classification. It is also seen that the CNN model’s performance is enhanced using hyperparameter optimization. However, manually tuning hyper- parameters is laborious and time-consuming. To overcome this challenge, CNN’s automatic hyperparameter optimization uses metaheuristic approaches based on the population. This automation mitigates the time required for finding optimal hyperparameters and boosts the CNN model’s efficacy. The proposed approach uses the Bacterial Foraging Optimization (BFO) algorithm to optimize CNN to enhance breast cancer detection. BFO is utilized to optimize various hyperparam- eters, such as filter size, number of filters, and hidden layers in the CNN model. It is demonstrated through experiments that the proposed BFO-CNN method achieves better performance than other state-of-the-art methods by 7.62% for the VGG 19, by 9.16% for the inceptionV3, and by 1.78% for the custom CNN- 20 layers. In conclusion, this work aims to leverage deep learning techniques and automatic hyperparameter optimization to enhance breast cancer detec- tion through mammogram analysis. The BFO-CNN model has much potential to improve breast cancer diagnosis accuracy compared to conventional CNN architecture.
Rethinking water resources: Harnessing The Gambia River with pressure-driven membrane processes for sustainable supply
Authors: Boussouga Youssef-Amine , Lin Zhi-Fu , Schmidt Matthias , Schaefer Andrea
Published: July 2024

The Gambia River is a tidal and tropical river that covers 12% of the area of The Gambia and is to date not harnessed for drinking water supply purposes. While the freshwater region of the river is mainly used for irrigation, groundwater wells are predominantly used for drinking water. Salinity intrusion and wastewater treatment requirements are challenging current practices. Previous investigation on water quality indicated that the upper regions, with permanent and pristine freshwater, would be well suited for drinking water supply after ultrafiltration (UF) treatment. At 120 km from the river mouth to the coast, where the water becomes saline, desalination is required. With sea level rise, this saline region is expanding further inland, requiring increasingly energy-intensive treatments such as nanofiltration/reverse osmosis (NF/RO), while also affecting groundwater quality. In the urban area near the river mouth, there is potential for water reuse to increase water availability, while addressing the increasing load of micropollutants from the discharged wastewater effluents.
UF could decrease the turbidity to ≤0.5 NTU with partial removal of dissolved organic carbon (DOC). During UF operation at controlled flux, an increase in transmembrane pressure was observed, attributed to fouling caused by the high turbidity (up to 140 NTU) of the water samples from the freshwater region. Dense NF/RO membranes removed salinity and achieved the WHO recommended guideline for drinking water (< 1 g/L as TDS) in the tidal regions with salinities up to 4 g/L during the beginning of the dry season between Tendaba and Jasobo at 100-120 km from the river mouth. The more open NF membrane could treat salinities in the tidal regions below 2 g/L at 100-110 km from the river mouth.
Micropollutants (MP), with a total concentration of up to 26.3 µg/L for pesticides, 38.4 µg/L for pharmaceuticals, and 2.1 µg/L for hormones, were found in a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) effluent discharged 500 m near the ocean. This led to water quality degradation of the nearby stream, connected to The Gambia River, in which most of the MP concentrations were surpassing surface water quality standards. NF/RO membranes were able to remove most of the MP to concentrations below the surface water guidelines. With an appropriate pretreatment to mitigate fouling, and thus reduce energy consumption and process overall cost, NF/RO technology is well suited for water supply from desalination of the tidal region of The Gambia River and municipal water reuse for non-potable purposes, such as irrigation. The quality requirements will depend on membrane selection and water salinity. The findings of this research on desalination and water reuse can be extended beyond the local context and can contribute to addressing similar challenges in other countries worldwide
Oscillatory mechanoluminescence of SrZnOS: Mn2+ in dynamic response to rapid compression
Authors: Lin Chuanlong , Wang Hao , Zhao Tingting , Li Mei , Li Junlong , Liu Ke , Peng Shang , Liu Xuqiang , Zhao Bohao , Chen Yanlong , An Jiao , Chen XiaoHui , Jiang Sheng , Yang Wenge
Published: July 2024

Photon emission may be continuously produced from mechanical work through the piezoelectrically-induced excitation (PIE) and self-recovery mechanoluminescence (ML) process. Significant progress has been made in high-performance ML materials in last decades, but the rate-dependent ML kinetics remains poorly understood. Here, we have conducted systematic studies on the self-recoverable ML of SrZnOS: Mn2+ under rapid compression up to ~10 GPa. A rate-dependent distinct kinetics is revealed: a diffuse-like ML behavior below ~1.2 GPa/s, oscillatory emission with a series of ML peaks at critical rate of ~1.2-1.5 GPa/s, and suppression above 1.5 GPa/s. Analysis from the rate-independent structural evolution and photoluminescence under high pressures show that the oscillatory ML emission at the critical rate corresponds to multi-cyclic PIE and self-recoverable processes. Both characteristic time (τ) for the PIE and self-recovery processes are minimized at the critical rate, indicating the time limit of ML in the dynamic response to rapid compression. The temperature is slightly favorable for PIE, but is unfavorable for the self-recovery process. The present work uncovers the temporal characteristics of self-recoverable ML, which provides a new insight into understanding the rate-dependent ML kinetics in the mechanical-photon energy conversion, conducive to the design of optoelectronic devices.
Switching off Competing Hydrogen Formation in CO2 Electroreduction via Substrate Defect Engineering
Authors: Wang Lei , Yang Haozhou , Guo Na , Xi Shibo , Zou Haiyuan , Chen Jiayi , Fan Lei , Xiao Yukun , He Qian , Duan Lele , Wei Pengfei , Wang Guoxiong , Zhang Chun
Published: July 2024

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have emerged as effective substrates for immobilizing molecular catalysts towards many electrocatalytic reactions, such as CO2 reduction (CO2R). However, despite the prevailing notion of strong π-π stackings between the molecular catalyst and CNTs, our understanding of their interactions remains inadequate. Here, we employ functionalized nickel phthalocyanines (NiPc), established CO2R catalysts, immobilized on CNTs as a model system to investigate the catalyst/substrate interactions. Firstly, we find that NiPc-catalysts preferentially anchor on the defects on CNTs rather than adhering via π-π interaction with the ideal graphene-like CNT surface, a finding further validated by theoretical simulations. Consequently, we observe the least uniform NiPc-catalysts distributions on CNTs when the defect-content is the lowest. Notably, this combination exhibits the highest CO2R selectivity and activity despite the non-uniform catalyst distributions. Through operando X-ray adsorption spectroscopy and theoretical simulations, we reveal that high CNT defect-contents tend to induce substantial D4h symmetry breaking of the NiPc plane under cathodic potential, consequently resulting in reduced CO2R selectivity and activity. Therefore, maintaining a low to moderate defect level on CNTs is critical. Guided by this understanding, we fine-tune the defect-level of CNTs through graphitization, achieving an unprecedently high selectivity for CO2 to CO conversion (CO to H2 molar ratio exceeding 16100:1, a remarkable suppression of hydrogen evolution by three orders of magnitude) and improved intrinsic-activity (turnover frequency of 1072 s−1 at −0.60 V vs. reversible hydrogen electrode) on an optimized Ni-Pc/CNTs composite. Furthermore, we achieved practical relevant CO production in a zero-gap electrolyzer (electrode size of 100 cm-2), reaching high current (up to 50 A), with high CO selectivity (> 95%) and reasonably low cell voltage (approximately 3.5 V), substantially outperforming the state-of-the-art silver catalyst. Moreover, we extend this knowledge to a Co-based molecular catalyst, achieving a high Faradaic efficiency (over 50%) towards methanol production with a high partial current density over 150 mA cm−2. Overall, our findings underscore the significance of tuning defect levels on CNT substrates for achieving desired performance for immobilized molecular catalysts.
Sulfate as an Alternative Electron Acceptor: A Potential Strategy to Mitigate N2O Emissions in Upland Arable Soils
Authors: LEE HYUN HO , HONG CHANG OH , KIM HANBEEN , PARK YELIM , YUN JEONGEUN , Lee Jaehyun , Kang Hojeong , KIM JEONGEUN , Ahn Jinho , Toyoda Sakae , KIM SANG YOON , Horn Marcus
Published: July 2024

Denitrification remains widely recognized as a significant contributor to N2O emissions in upland arable soils. This study evaluated metal sulfates (MSs) and zero-valent metals (ZVMs) as potential alternative electron acceptors (EAs) to reduce N2O emissions through microcosm experiments, functional gene analyses, microbial profiling, isotope mapping, and field-based manipulation experiments. ZVMs increased N2O emissions, whereas MSs significantly reduced them mainly by inhibiting denitrification rather than affecting nitrification. Isotopic mapping and NH4+ and NO3- concentration trends strongly supported these findings. Additionally, changes in microbial communities were noted, with a more general presence capable of using both NO3- and SO42-. SO42- could act as an EA alongside NO3- in anaerobic respiration, effectively reducing N2O emissions. Field experiments demonstrated the feasibility of MS applications, reducing yield-scaled N2O emissions by 7.6% to 21.5% compared to conventional practice without negatively impacting crop yields, highlighting the potential of SO42- materials as soil amendments in sustainable agriculture.
Estimation of Safe Operating Area for EV Battery
Authors: Kamboj Rahul Kumar , Singh Mukesh , Singh Ashima , Bala Anju
Published: July 2024

In recent times, electric vehicles (EVs) have experienced battery pack failures due to various factors such as short circuits, thermal imbalances, fires, and explosions. This research paper employs a machine-learning approach to estimate lithiumion batteries safe operating area (SOA). It explores the factors that influence battery safety levels and discusses the safe operating area for charging and discharging based on real-time data. The SOA concept is a critical consideration in the design, operation, and management of EV batteries, as it defines the limits within which the battery can operate safely without compromising performance or endangering the vehicle. The significance of SOA analysis for EV batteries and its implications on battery design, thermal management, charging strategies, and overall vehicle safety. This paper pecifically addresses the estimation of the safe operation of a battery using ML in relation to voltage and temperature with respect to time. It emphasises the importance of understanding the interplay between these parameters to establish safe operational limits.
Speaking Up: A qualitative review of residents’ perceptions of training
Authors: Obrien Katherine , Schwartzberg Joanne , Yaghmour Nicholas A , Sardo Peyman Adeli , McKoy June M.
Published: July 2024

Introduction: In 2013, the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) invited all trainees at ACGME approved programs to complete an optional, anonymous well-being survey; 22, 476 trainees responded, with 1,782 respondents detailing more personal experiences in the open comments section of the survey. We believe this to be the largest sample ever subjected to systematic analysis aimed at identifying both known and unknown sources of issues unique to the training environment of US residents.
Methods: We performed a retrospective, qualitative review of 1,200 of the 1,782 comments written by trainees; the comments were analyzed independently by three coders. Each coder reviewed all entries and separately characterized concepts. These three coders then met periodically and used an iterative process to reach consensus and content reliability on over-reaching concepts and themes; individual raters identified various quotes that exemplified each of the themes.
Results: Overall, the comments analyzed encompassed all medical specialties and some subspecialties. Respondents who provided comments had a similar demographic profile to the larger residency population as a whole. Six major concepts were identified: children at home, satisfaction with the program, unprofessional behaviors/mistreatment, slavery, financial pressures, and duty hours. The overarching theme of all the comments was disconnect between expectation and reality.
Conclusion: Our analysis highlights six major concepts and one overarching theme related to medical training from the perspective of medical residents. These valuable insights can potentially be a focus for creating more innovative, supportive graduate training programs in the future. Moving forward, the novel concepts discovered from analysis of these comments should be recognized as essential components of well-being and should become a focus for future research.
The $g$-function and defect changing operators from wavefunction overlap on a fuzzy sphere
Authors: Zhou Zheng , Gaiotto Davide , He Yin-Chen , Zou Yijian
Published: July 2024

Defects are common in physical systems with boundaries, impurities or extensive measurements. The interaction between bulk and defect can lead to rich physical phenomena. Defects in gapless phases of matter with conformal symmetry usually flow to a defect conformal field theory (dCFT). Understanding the universal properties of dCFTs is a challenging task. In this paper, we propose a computational strategy applicable to a line defect in arbitrary dimensions. Our main assumption is that the defect has a UV description in terms of a local modification of the Hamiltonian so that we can compute the overlap between low-energy eigenstates of a system with or without the defect insertion. We argue that these overlaps contain a wealth of conformal data, including the gg-function, which is an RG monotonic quantity that distinguishes different dCFTs, the scaling dimensions of defect creation operators \Delta^{+0}_\alphaΔα+0 and changing operators \Delta^{+-}_\alphaΔα+− that live on the intersection of different types of line defects, and various OPE coefficients. We apply this method to the fuzzy sphere regularization of 3D CFTs and study the magnetic line defect of the 3D Ising CFT. Using exact diagonalization and DMRG, we report the non-perturbative results g=0.602(2),\Delta^{+0}_0=0.108(5)g=0.602(2),Δ0+0=0.108(5) and \Delta^{+-}_0=0.84(5)Δ0+−=0.84(5) for the first time. We also obtain other OPE coefficients and scaling dimensions. Our results have significant physical implications. For example, they constrain the possible occurrence of spontaneous symmetry breaking at line defects of the 3D Ising CFT. Our method can be potentially applied to various other dCFTs, such as plane defects and Wilson lines in gauge theories.
Un taller en herramientas web para la sistematización de datos. Una experiencia de actualización de conocimientos
Authors: Mariño Sonia I. , Alfonzo Pedro L. , Cavalieri Juan I.
Published: July 2024

Se expone una experiencia de actualización de conocimientos en herramientas para la generación de aplicaciones web, desarrollada en el ámbito universitario, orientada a fomentar el desarrollo personal y profesional de los participantes. En el trabajo se explicita la estrategia didáctica aplicada, los resultados obtenidos siendo sus destinatarios estudiantes avanzados y principiantes con diversos conocimientos respecto a los temas abordados.
Career Pursuits of Female Graduates of a Private Medical College and their Hurdles
Authors: Manzoor Iram , Naurin Shumaila , Nasir Mehreen , Yousaf Qurat ul Ain , Azhar Nimra , Mazhar M. Usman
Published: July 2024

Background:
There is a global shortage of health workforce. Females do not continue their careers due to a number of reasons. This study aims to find out the career pursuits of female doctors & their associated hurdles.
Methods:
After approval from IRB, this analytical cross-sectional study was conducted on 255 female doctors who graduated from a private medical college in Lahore from July to December 2022. Simple random sampling was done after getting lists of graduated female doctors from the medical college. The self-structured questionnaire consisted of sociodemographic data, hurdles of career pursuits, and harassment at the workplace. Data were entered and analyzed by SPSS version 23, and the chi-square test was applied to find an association between the hurdles in practicing and non-practicing female graduates. A p-value of <0.05 was considered statistically significant.
Results:
255 participants were included in the study. Out of which 222 were practicing. 36(14%) experienced harassment at the workplace. The most frequently faced hurdles for career pursuits were less pay, increased workload, difficulty to take time off, and difficulty to give time to family.
Conclusion:
81.7% of the female graduates of the college were working but are facing hurdles during their careers. Harassment in the workplace is common even in the medical profession. There is a lack of support from the family or in-laws, the expectation from women to be the homemaker, and women feeling guilty about prioritizing their careers over their children and family life.
Laparoscopic VS Open Radical prostatectomy. Comparison of perioperative and early postoperative outcomes in the Management of Localized Prostate Cancer. A Single-Center Quasi-Experimental Study in Ireland
Authors: Nusrat Nadeem Bin , Zafar Nauman , Muhammad Shujah , Rehman Assad ur , Walsh Kilian , Durkan Gareth , Imtiaz Saira
Published: July 2024

Background: Laparoscopic radical prostatectomy has emerged as a minimally invasive alternative to open radical prostatectomy for the management of localized prostate cancer. Despite ongoing debates regarding their comparative benefits and drawbacks, comprehensive evaluations of perioperative and early postoperative outcomes are essential.
Objectives: To compare perioperative and early postoperative outcomes between laparoscopic and open radical prostatectomy techniques in the management of localized prostate cancer.
Methods: This single-center quasi-experimental study was initiated after approval in January 2015 from College of Medicine, Nursing, and Health Sciences Research Ethics committee with approval no: NN29. In two years, retrospective analysis of 66 case of laparoscopic group (LG) and 59 cases of open group (OG) of radical prostatectomy cases performed. Predefined criteria guided patient selection, and data were collected prospectively on perioperative factors. Statistical analyses were conducted to compare outcomes between the two surgical approaches. Consent was taken from participants.
Results: Mean ages were LG 57.95±6.68 years and OG 60.13±5.45 years. Preoperative prostate-specific antigen levels were LG 6.68±2.78 ng/mL and OG 8.85±4.32 ng/mL. Distribution of preoperative grades differed between both groups. Mean operating times were LG 195.6 minutes±26.11 and OG 167.5 minutes±30.50. Blood loss averaged LG 406.6 mL±144.64 and OG 1057 mL±620.68. Postoperative stay durations were LG 4.94 days±2.91 and OG 6.46 days±1.93. Histological stages and grades varied postoperatively in both groups.
Conclusion: Laparoscopic radical prostatectomy's advantages over open surgery for localized prostate cancer, citing reduced blood loss, shorter hospital stays, and quicker recovery. Despite longer operating times, laparoscopic cases demonstrate benefits, contributing to the debate on surgical approaches.
Exploring Sleep Hygiene Practices and Their Relation to Sleep Quality among Medical Students at Nishtar Medical University Multan
Authors: Ijaz Bushra , Bukhari Mehreen , Kareem Owais
Published: July 2024

Abstract:
Background: Sleep quality is particularly important for medical students who often face demanding schedules, high stress levels and an atypical sleep pattern.
Objective: To evaluate subjective sleep quality among medical students and its association with sleep hygiene practices.
Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study design was carried out on 385 undergraduate medical students enrolled through simple random sampling. The questionnaire had three sections. The first part covered demographic information; the second part evaluated subjective sleep quality by using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index; and the third part was related to a 13-item sleep hygiene questionnaire. Data was entered and analyzed using SPSS version 26. Pearson chi-square test was employed to identify the factors linked to deprived sleep quality. A p-value of ≤ 0.05 was considered statistically significant.
Results: This study revealed that 55.3% of medical students experienced poor sleep quality with a mean PSQI score of 5.17+3.71, which was mostly influenced by subjective sleep quality. 45.19% of the study participants reported poor sleep hygiene practices. The analysis revealed that students with habits of watching television, a lack of exercise and taking daytime naps slept worse. A significant association was observed between poor sleep quality and deficient sleep hygiene practices (p<0.01).
Conclusion: Insufficient sleep hygiene practices are prevalent among students with poor sleep quality. Sleep hygiene education programs must be given due consideration because these will ultimately improve future doctors’ health and enhance their performance in the long term
The The Development of Intolerance of Uncertainty Scale for University Students
Authors: Sajjad Zainab , Jabeen Ayesha
Published: July 2024

Intolerance of uncertainty is a dispositional characteristic, which arises from negative beliefs about uncertainty and shows negative reactionary inclination to uncertain situations.
Objective
To develop an indigenous valid and reliable scale in order to explore intolerance of uncertainty among the university students in cultural context of Pakistan.
 Method
A cross sectional study design was applied and it was conducted in public as well as private sector universities situated in Lahore city. The data was collected from November, 2020 to January 2021. A standardized three step model was used to develop a reliable scale to measure Intolerance of Uncertainty in university students. The interviews were conducted with 10 university students and initially 108 items were generated. The dubious items were eliminated and a list of 56 items was generated. Moreover, a panel comprising experts had reviewed these items for validating empirically and finalized 41 items were given to a group of 14 undergraduate students as pilot project. Hence, IUSS scale with an annotated performa acquiring the age, gender, class, parental educational status etc was provided to 310 students (44.80% male and 55.20% female) through a stratified sampling technique.
Result
A four (04) factor structure of Intolerance of Uncertainty scale was finalized through Exploratory Factor Analysis and the factors were named as apprehension (9 items), lack of Decisiveness (9 items), lack of Stability (11 items) and lack of Acceptance (7 items). Results showed that the indigenously developed self-report measure has good internal consistency (Chronbach’s Alpha=.81), test re-test reliability r= .88 (P <.001), concurrent validity r= .63 (P <.001). Results also showed that 55.2% of participants have mild, 28.4% have moderate and 15.8% have severe level of intolerance of uncertainty.
ConclusionAn indigenous measuring tool containing 36 items with self-reporting features for ascertaining Intolerance of uncertainty in students enrolled in Universities was developed which possess sound psychometric properties.
Surgical Management of Breast Cancer during COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Ali Ghazanfar , Shaukat Ayesha , Sarfraz Uswa , Masood Somer , Jamshaid Kainat
Published: July 2024

Background: Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women worldwide, including Pakistan. Pakistan has the highest prevalence of breast cancer in Asia, according to reports.
Objective: To compare the management of breast cancer patients in pre and post COVID-19 timeline, and to observe for any stage progression in both groups.
Methods: In this retrospective cohort study, conducted at West Surgical Ward, Mayo Hospital Lahore, from July 2019 to Dec 2020, adult female patients aged 18 years or older with a history of breast cancer surgery or who visited the breast clinic with the a diagnosis of breast cancer were enrolled. We divided them into pre and post COVID-19 subgroups assessed in nine months each. Variables including ASA grade, BMI, referral, size of tumor, number of lymph nodes removed, surgical procedure performed including axillary surgery, TNM stage, type of cancer. extracted from patient charts retrospectively. Univariate regression analysis performed for the progression of the stage. P-value ≤0.05 considered significant.
Results: Two hundred and sixty-two (n=262) patients presented during the pre-COVID-19 time (Group A) and one hundred seventy-one (n=171) presented in post-COVID-19 times (Group B). All were female patients, with a mean age of 46.6±10.1 year's in-group A and 45.6±11.8 years in-group B. Significantly, referral patients attendance reduced in group B (10.5%) as compared to group A (70.6%). Metastatic disease (stage 4) also seen in higher number in post COVID-19 (26.2% vs. 35%). Stage progression was real in post Covid-19 group (24.6% vs. 6.5%). Results showed waiting time before visiting the breast clinic (p<0.001) and before radiotherapy (p=0.04) were contributing factors to the progression of the disease.
Conclusion: Stage progression is real in the post-COVID-19 subgroup. Waiting time before visiting the breast clinic and before radiotherapy were main factors for the progression of the disease.
Prevalence of Anatomical Variant Renal arterial diameter, Early Prehilar Branching and Multiplicity on Contrast Enhanced Computed Tomography Scans
Authors: Arshad Jarral Shaista , Tehreem Fatima  , Tariq Mahmood Mirza  , Umar Farooq
Published: July 2024

Background: Chronic kidney disease is a widespread condition that significantly contributes to the global disease burden, especially in South Asia and particularly in Pakistan. 
Objective: To find out the prevalence of anatomical variations of renal arteries in terms of vessel luminal diameter, early pre-hilar branching, multiple renal arteries, their laterality, and any potential correlation with gender within our population.
Methods: This was an observational, cross-sectional study using non-probability consecutive sampling of contrast-enhanced computed tomography scans of male and female subjects in age range from 18 to 80 years, with no known renal or vascular disease, conducted at the Radiology Department of Combined Military Hospital, Lahore.
Results:  The study analyzed 300 contrast-enhanced computed tomography scans, including 167 (55.7%) male and 133 (44.3%) female subjects. The mean value of luminal diameter of renal artery was 6.44±1.41 on right and 6.54±1.54 on left, but not significant association with laterality or gender. Pre-hilar branching was noted in 89 (29.8%) of subjects on the right renal artery and 144 (48%) subjects on the left renal artery. Prehilar branching in males was 58(34%) for right and 92(55%) for left side, while in the females it was 31(23%), for the right and 52(39%), for the left side. A statistically significant correlation between gender and pre-hilar branching on both the right (p = .035) and left (p = .006) sides. Bilateral prehilar branching in 61(20%) of total patients, 37(60.6%) being male and 24(39.3%) females. A supernumerary renal artery was present in 35(11.6%) of total with 17 (5.6%) in right renal and 18 (6%) in the left renal vasculature, and 22(7.3%) in males and 13(4.3%) in females (p=0.788).
Conclusion: The study showed variations in the renal artery caliber, branching pattern and the existence of accessory renal arteries within our local population. The most common variation was Presence of prehilar branching with statistically significant association with left renal artery and male gender in our study population.
Efficient functioning of a sewer system: application of novel hybrid machine learning methods for the prediction of particle Froude number
Authors: Kumar Sanjit , Kirar Bablu , Agarwal Mayank , Deshpande Vishal , Rathnayake Upaka
Published: July 2024

Sewer systems are usually built with a self-cleaning system that keeps the bottom of the channel free of sediment to lessen the effects of the constant buildup of sediment particles. Because of this, it is important to accurately predict the particle Froude number (Fr) when making sewer systems. For the prediction of Fr, five different sets of input variables were looked at. For the training and testing of the machine learning (ML) model, we used 10-fold cross-validation methodologies to prevent overfitting. M5Prime (M5P) model as a standalone and Bagging-M5P as a hybrid model were utilized, and the results were compared with the empirical equations proposed in the literature. Models perform best when all input variables are used for training and testing of models. The hybrid BA-M5P model performed better than the M5P model and empirical equations. We performed sensitivity analysis and compared the result based on MAE and MSE value, and we found sediment concentration (Svc) is the most important variable to predict the particle Froude number under non-deposition with deposited bed by best performing model BA-M5P. Hence, for the self-cleaning system, we prefer the BA-M5P ML model with Svc the most required variable.
MOVIMENTO FEMINISTA NA ARGENTINA E A MARÉ VERDE
Authors: De Lima Silva Everton William , De Souza Fábio Marques
Published: July 2024

Este trabalho pretende trazer inicialmente uma contextualização histórica com um breve relato sobre o movimento feminista na Argentina destacando acontecimentos, datas e personagens relevantes. Em seguida pretende-se analisar o impacto da legalização do aborto na vida das mulheres na Argentina com destaque ao movimento “Panuelos Verdes”. Trata-se de uma pesquisa de cunho bibliográfico. Diante desta reflexão, pudemos observar, por meio da literatura, o lugar da mulher na cultura do liberalismo político e as conquistas de direitos adquiridos, mediante suas mobilizações sociais.
Possibilidades e limites das práticas de projetos de Turismo Pedagógico nos Anos Iniciais do Ensino Fundamental
Authors: Saidelles Rossi Andréia , Maris Giordani Estela
Published: July 2024

RESUMO
 
O turismo pedagógico (TP) teórico e prático contempla aulas-passeio nos espaços que acolhem escolas e universidades. O principal objetivo da pesquisa é refletir acerca das possibilidades e limites das práticas de projetos de TP nos anos iniciais do ensino fundamental do município de Santa Maria - RS. A metodologia utilizada é de abordagem qualitativa, do tipo estudo de caso e foi realizada em uma escola municipal de ensino fundamental do campo. A coleta de dados foi com entrevistas semiestruturadas, realizada com dez professores. Os dados foram analisados através da técnica de análise de conteúdo. Os resultados alcançados com esta pesquisa tratam-se do trabalho de TP, um dispositivo educativo que vem para qualificar os processos formativos docentes e discentes, além de desenvolver valores humanos. Nota-se por meio deste estudo que TP põe em vista facilidades e dificuldades no desenvolvimento de visitas escolares e extraescolares, bem como no aperfeiçoamento de aulas-passeio com as turmas. Os conselhos dos professores para os futuros docentes que irão trabalhar com projetos de TP focam em aulas simples e complexas que levem mais vida e que aproxime os saberes teóricos com os fazeres práticos no ambiente escolar e universitário.
Colorimetric Indicator Displacement Assays (CIDAs)
Authors: Rather Ishfaq Ahmad , Ali Rashid
Published: July 2024

Owing to the unique advantages of naked eye color detection in the sensing
of various important analytes, colorimetric indicator displacement assay (C-IDA) has
received its recognition as the principal evolutionary extension of IDA. This chapter,
besides dealing with all conceptual details of C-IDA, also offers basic criteria for the
development and classification of chromogenic sensing ensembles. A plethora of
examples in order to elucidate the C-IDA sensing mechanism for the detection of
anionic, cationic, and neutral analytes via prominent UV-vis spectral changes have
been revealed. Besides, the recognition of several biologically essential analytes viz.
phosphate and saccharides have also been discussed in detail through numerous
examples. The authors believe that this chapter on C-IDA will offer new dimensions to
the design and fabrication of IDA-based colorimetric sensors.
Fluorescence Indicator Displacement Assays (FIDAs)
Authors: Rather Ishfaq Ahmad , Ali Rashid
Published: July 2024

Owing to the ease in their usage and versatility, fluorescent chemosensors
have attracted the remarkable attention of researchers across the globe. In fact, the
dawn of supramolecular chemistry has begun a new journey in the design, construction,
and development of diverse fluorescent chemosensors. Fluorescent indicator
displacement assays (F-IDAs) in principle utilize fluorescent indicators and emission
phenomenon for the construction of various IDA-based Turn-ON/OFF fluorescent
sensors. Particularly, F-IDAs have been found valuable in pattern-based recognition,
where slightly different multiple sensors are constructed from diverse receptors simply
by swapping fluorescent indicators in and out of receptors or even varying the
concentration ratio. These F-IDAs offer huge potential to develop proficient optical
sensors from numerous supramolecular receptors and imply the effective molecular
recognition event via competitive assay of receptors with an indicator and an analyte.
Besides conceptual and mechanistic details, authors have ensured the significance of FIDAs in the recognition of biologically and environmentally essential cationic, anionic,
and neutral analytes through various examples.
Neurological Disorders and Epilepsy among Adolescents
Authors: Nandy Abhishek , Shukla Chhavi , Singh Aditi
Published: July 2024

Adolescence includes phases of both significant social role shifts and
biological growth, both of which have evolved over the previous 100 years. A
relatively prevalent neurologic condition throughout adolescence is epilepsy. Growth,
hormonal, psychological, and social circumstances all undergo significant change
during adolescence. It can be extremely challenging for many young women with
epilepsy to manage the developmental and emotional challenges of adolescence while
still having to deal with the reality of seizures, medication, stigma, and restriction.
These young women's everyday functioning and quality of life are further impacted by
the additional load of comorbidities like depression. It is crucial to spend time with
these teenagers discussing the effects of epilepsy and giving them the information and
resources they need to succeed in regaining their confidence and control over their
lives. Teenagers frequently struggle to embrace the chronic nature of their epilepsy and
to take their medications as prescribed, which can lead to bodily harm and real or
imagined barriers to employment and lower morale. Additionally, it was discovered
that children and teenagers with epilepsy are more likely to exhibit depressive and
anxious symptoms. Additionally, teenagers also suffer from other neurological
disorders that are common but less reported, like multiple sclerosis. The aim of this
chapter is to focus on some of the neurological diseases that are present mainly in the
adolescent period mainly epilepsy and some other neurological diseases.
Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders and Diseases in Adolescents
Authors: Sah Nishtha , Panchadhyai Kuhu , Nandy Abhishek
Published: July 2024

The medical professional continues to see a lot of adolescents with
gastrointestinal illnesses, which have a big emotional and financial toll. One cannot
overstate how crucial it is to identify gastrointestinal disorders correctly. Diseases like
Lactose intolerance and Celiac disease cause nutrition deficiency among many
adolescents. Gastrointestinal disorders are illnesses that comprise a variety of chronic
or recurrent symptoms that cannot be fully explained by structural or biochemical
research at this time. One cannot overstate the significance of correctly diagnosing
gastrointestinal diseases in children. Children and their parents need to be aware that
their diagnosis is not only psychological but also medical. The physiological and
psychological factors that contribute to symptom manifestation must be considered
throughout management and therapy. The chapter focuses on illnesses that affect
adolescents, including appendicitis and ailments of the colon, rectum, small and large
intestines, and stomach.
Diabetes and its Associated Gastrointestinal Disorders in Adolescents
Authors: Verma Divyansh , Mishra Palak , Sachdeva Palak , Nandy Abhishek , Bisen Varad Vardhan
Published: July 2024

An adolescent with diabetes faces very different challenges than a young
adult or grownup with diabetes. Failure to acknowledge and address this will result in
noncompliance and absence from the clinic. Type I diabetes is the most prevalent
metabolic illness in childhood and adolescence, although Type II diabetes in
adolescents is frequently associated with obesity, which may contribute to these
increased risks. Obesity impairs the body's capacity to utilize insulin, resulting in
elevated blood sugar levels. Among younger people, early identification of type II
diabetes as well as dedication to controlling overweight and obesity are critical. As a
result, a number of people with diabetes mellitus who have had it for a long time
experience chronic and recurrent clinical symptoms related to the disordered motility of
almost the entire GI tract, such as esophageal and epi-pharyngeal dysphagia,
gastroparesis, constipation, diarrhea, and fecal incontinence. Dietary changes are one of
the therapeutic methods used to treat chronic recurrent symptoms caused by autonomic
dysfunction. Dietary manipulations and several medications, including dopamine
antagonists, antibiotics, and hormones, promote peristalsis. On the other hand,
gastrointestinal symptoms related to acute metabolic problems are self-limited and
resolve quickly after the normal metabolic environment has been restored.