bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A qualitative study exploring the experiences and perspectives of patients with cancer attending a 12-week exercise program
Authors: Borsati Anita , Marotta Angela , Ducoli Valentina , Dodi Alessandra , Belluomini Lorenzo , Schena Federico , Milella Michele , Pilotto Sara , Lanza Massimo , Avancini Alice
Published: July 2023

Purpose

Physical activity is associated with a reduction in mortality and recurrence risks in patients with cancer. Despite the well-recognized benefits of exercise, patients’ adherence to an exercise program remains a challenge. The present study aimed to assess the experiences of patients with cancer participating in a 12-week exercise program.

Methods

A total of 21 survivors participated in focus group discussions after the conclusion of the exercise intervention. Semi-structured interview questions were developed according to the theory of the Health Belief Model. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis and categorized into perceived benefits, barriers, and cues to action.

Results

Patients described a series of benefits achieved during the exercise program, from physical to psychological domains. Treatment-related side effects and logistic factors, including distance from the gym facility, were the most commonly reported barriers to adherence. Concerning cues to action, expected benefits from exercise were the most important reason to participate, while a patient-center program, supervised by skilled experts, highly stimulated patients to complete the program.

Conclusion

Overall, patients with cancer reported a positive experience participating in a supervised exercise program. A variety of factors influencing participation and adherence were individuated. This study may help design and develop effective and sustainable programs addressing individuals’ needs.
Optimizing total ammonia–nitrogen concentration for enhanced microbial fuel cell performance in landfill leachate treatment: a bibliometric analysis and future directions
Authors: Ishaq Aliyu , Said Mohd Ismid Mohd , Azman Shamila Binti , Abdulwahab Mohd Firdaus , Jagun Zainab Toyin
Published: July 2023

Untreated landfill leachate can harm the environment and human health due to its organic debris, heavy metals, and nitrogen molecules like ammonia. Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) have emerged as a promising technology for treating landfill leachate and generating energy. However, high concentrations of total ammonia–nitrogen (TAN), which includes both ammonia and the ammonium ion, can impede MFC performance. Therefore, maintaining an adequate TAN concentration is crucial, as both excess and insufficient levels can reduce power generation. To evaluate the worldwide research on MFCs using landfill leachate as a substrate, bibliometric analysis was conducted to assess publication output, author-country co-authorship, and author keyword co-occurrence. Scopus and Web of Science retrieved 98 journal articles on this topic during 2011–2022; 18 were specifically evaluated and analysed for MFC ammonia inhibition. The results showed that research on MFC using landfill leachate as a substrate began in 2011, and the number of related papers has consistently increased every 2 years, totaling 4060 references. China, India, and the USA accounted for approximately 60% of all global publications, while the remaining 40% was contributed by 70 other countries/territories. Chongqing University emerged as one of the top contributors among this subject’s ten most productive universities. Most studies found that maintaining TAN concentrations in the 400–800 mg L−1 in MFC operation produced good power density, pollution elimination, and microbial acclimatization. However, the database has few articles on MFC and landfill leachate; MFC ammonia inhibition remains the main factor impacting system performance. This bibliographic analysis provides excellent references and future research directions, highlighting the current limitations of MFC research in this area.
Sewage sludge pretreatment: current status and future prospects
Authors: Ćwiertniewicz-Wojciechowska Magdalena , Cema Grzegorz , Ziembińska-Buczyńska Aleksandra
Published: July 2023

Sewage sludge is regarded by wastewater treatment plants as problematic, from a financial and managerial point of view. Thus, a variety of disposal routes are used, but the most popular is methane fermentation. The proportion of macromolecular compounds in sewage sludges varies, and substrates treated in methane fermentation provide different amounts of biogas with various quality and quantity. Depending on the equipment and financial capabilities for methane fermentation, different methods of sewage sludge pretreatment are available. This review presents the challenges associated with the recalcitrant structure of sewage sludge and the presence of process inhibitors. We also examined the diverse methods of sewage sludge pretreatment that increase methane yield. Moreover, in the field of biological sewage sludge treatment, three future study propositions are proposed: improved pretreatment of sewage sludge using biological methods, assess the changes in microbial consortia caused with pretreatment methods, and verification of microbial impact on biomass degradation.
Concomitant evaluation of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular controls via Geweke spectral causality to assess the propensity to postural syncope
Authors: Porta Alberto , Gelpi Francesca , Bari Vlasta , Cairo Beatrice , De Maria Beatrice , Tonon Davide , Rossato Gianluca , Faes Luca
Published: July 2023

The evaluation of propensity to postural syncope necessitates the concomitant characterization of the cardiovascular and cerebrovascular controls and a method capable of disentangling closed loop relationships and decomposing causal links in the frequency domain. We applied Geweke spectral causality (GSC) to assess cardiovascular control from heart period and systolic arterial pressure variability and cerebrovascular regulation from mean arterial pressure and mean cerebral blood velocity variability in 13 control subjects and 13 individuals prone to develop orthostatic syncope. Analysis was made at rest in supine position and during head-up tilt at 60°, well before observing presyncope signs. Two different linear model structures were compared, namely bivariate autoregressive and bivariate dynamic adjustment classes. We found that (i) GSC markers did not depend on the model structure; (ii) the concomitant assessment of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular controls was useful for a deeper comprehension of postural disturbances; (iii) orthostatic syncope appeared to be favored by the loss of a coordinated behavior between the baroreflex feedback and mechanical feedforward pathway in the frequency band typical of the baroreflex functioning during the postural challenge, and by a weak cerebral autoregulation as revealed by the increased strength of the pressure-to-flow link in the respiratory band. GSC applied to spontaneous cardiovascular and cerebrovascular oscillations is a promising tool for describing and monitoring disturbances associated with posture modification.

Graphical Abstract
Characterization of Gas-Atomized Equiatomic AlCoCrFeNi Powder for Additive Manufacturing
Authors: Karimi J. , Kollo L. , Prashanth K. G.
Published: July 2023

The powder particle properties in additive manufacturing processes such as selective laser melting (SLM) influence the material properties. The microstructure, hardness, and chemical composition of gas-atomized AlCoCrFeNi powder particles were investigated, which showed a biphasic structure, consisting of FCC and BCC with a significant deviation in hardness. SLMed samples, consisting of BCC phase, indicated poor printability, inhomogeneous microstructure, and cracks. Microstructural inhomogeneity of SLM AlCoCrFeNi parts must reflect the inhomogeneity inherited from the atomized powder.

Graphical Abstract
Visual rating and the use of image analysis for assessing canopy density in a pecan provenance collection during leaf fall
Authors: Pisani Cristina , Bock Clive H. , Randall Jennifer
Published: July 2023

A collection representing the native range of pecan was planted at the USDA − ARS Southeastern Fruit and Tree Nut Research Station, Byron, GA. The collection (867 trees) is a valuable genetic resource for characterizing important horticultural traits. Canopy density during leaf fall is important as the seasonal canopy dynamics provides insights to environmental cues and breeding potential of germplasm. The ability of visual raters to estimate canopy density on a subset of the provenance collection (76 trees) as an indicator of leaf shed during autumn along with image analysis values was explored. Mean canopy density using the image analysis software was less compared to visual estimates (11.9% vs 18.4%, respectively). At higher canopy densities, the raters overestimated foliage density, but overall agreement between raters and measured values was good (ρc = 0.849 to 0.915), and inter-rater reliability was high (R2 = 0.910 to 0.953). The provenance from Missouri (MO-L), the northernmost provenance, had the lowest canopy density in November, and results show that the higher the latitude of the provenance, the lower the canopy density. Based on regression, the source provenance latitude explained 0.609 of the variation using image analysis, and 0.551 to 0.640 when based on the rater estimates of canopy density. Visual assessment of pecan canopy density due to late season leaf fall for comparing pecan genotypes provides accurate and reliable estimates and could be used in future studies of the whole provenance collection.
Establishment of a successful robotic pediatric general surgery practice
Authors: Raymond Steven L. , Sharafeddin Fransua , Sacks Marla A. , Srikureja Daniel , Gomez Nephtali , Moores Donald , Radulescu Andrei , Khan Faraz A. , Tagge Edward P.
Published: July 2023

Robotic-assisted surgery (RAS) has a variety of theoretical advantages, including tremor filtration, optimal visualization, and improvement of surgeon ergonomics. Though it has achieved wide application in pediatric urology, the majority of pediatric general surgeons do not employ RAS. This study reports our institution’s experience with RAS on a pediatric general surgery team. Following IRB approval, a retrospective review of all pediatric patients at our academic children’s hospital who underwent RAS between 2017 and 2022 for pediatric general surgical conditions was performed. Patient demographics, operation performed, operating time, complications, and recovery were evaluated. A total of 159 children underwent RAS, increasing from 10 patients in 2017 to 59 patients in 2022. The median age and weight were 15.3 years and 76.4 kg, and 121 (76.1%) were female. The application of RAS was successful in all cases. There were no intraoperative complications and no conversions to an open approach. Eleven patients (6.9%) had unplanned presentations to the emergency department within 30 days. Five of these patients (3.1%) required admission to the hospital. This study demonstrates that the application of RAS in an academic pediatric general surgery practice is feasible and safe. The application of RAS to pediatric general surgery should continue to increase as operative teams increase their experience and comfort.

Level of evidence Level IV.
Evaluation of simple diagnostic parameters in acute kidney injury in hospitalized patients—diagnostic recommendations for non-nephrologists
Authors: Buckenmayer Anna , Siebler Nadja , Haas Christian S.
Published: July 2023

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is very common in hospitalized patients, affecting patient’s mortality and morbidity. Major causes are prerenal AKI and acute tubular necrosis (ATN). Even though a variety of parameters/indices exist, their reliability and practicability are controversial: in fact, there is a need for a simple diagnostic approach for AKI in in-patients with parameters easily obtained in any hospital. The objective of the study was: (1) to assess reliability of simple laboratory parameters/indices to differentiate pre-/intrarenal AKI; (2) to evaluate the most reliable and feasible parameters/indices; and (3) to identify the possible impact of confounding factors. Retrospectively, in-patients with AKI hospitalized in 2020 in a university nephrology department were included. Spot urine and 24-h collection urine was analyzed with urine sodium (UNa), urine specific gravity (USG), fractional excretion of sodium (FENa), fractional excretion of urea (FEUrea), urine osmolality (UOsm), urine to plasma creatinine ratio (UCr/PCr) and renal failure index (RFI). Overall, 431 patients were included. UNa, UOsm, USG and RFI showed high specificity > 85% for prerenal AKI, UNa and RFI provided good specificity for ATN. Loop diuretics, ACE inhibitors/AT1 blockers or pre-existing chronic kidney disease had no impact. In patients with AKI, UNa, USG and RFI: (1) proved to be very specific for prerenal AKI and showed high sensitivity for ATN; (2) can be easily determined using serum and spot urine; and (3) are not confounded by medication or comorbidities. These parameters/indices are helpful to identify the aetiology of AKI and to guide therapy, thereby improving patients’ safety and outcome.
Flares in Lupus Nephritis: Risk Factors and Strategies for Their Prevention
Authors: Banos Aggelos , Bertsias George
Published: July 2023

Purpose of Review

Discuss the prognostic significance of kidney flares in patients with lupus nephritis, associated risk factors, and possible preventative strategies.

Recent Findings

Recently performed clinical trials and observational cohort studies underscore the high frequency of relapses of kidney disease, following initial response, in patients with proliferative and/or membranous lupus nephritis. Analysis of hard disease outcomes such as progression to chronic kidney disease or end-stage kidney disease, coupled with histological findings from repeat kidney biopsy studies, have drawn attention to the importance of renal function preservation that should be pursued as early as lupus nephritis is diagnosed. In this respect, non-randomized and randomized evidence have suggested a number of factors associated with reduced risk of renal flares such as attaining a very low level of proteinuria (< 700–800 mg/24 h by 12 months), using mycophenolate over azathioprine, adding belimumab to standard therapy, maintaining immunosuppressive/biological treatment for at least 3 to 5 years, and using hydroxychloroquine. Other factors that warrant further clarification include serological activity and the use of repeat kidney biopsy to guide the intensity and duration of treatment in selected cases.

The results from ongoing innovative studies integrating kidney histological and clinical outcomes, together with an expanding spectrum of therapies in lupus nephritis, are expected to facilitate individual medical care and long-term disease and patient prognosis.
Effect of Household Cooking Treatments on the Stability of β-glucans, Ergosterol, and Phenolic Compounds in White-Button (Agaricus bisporus) and Shiitake (Lentinula edodes) Mushrooms
Authors: Morales Diego , Bal Monika Anna , Figueredo Sara , Soler-Rivas Cristina , Ruiz-Rodríguez Alejandro
Published: July 2023

White-button (Agaricus bisporus) and shiitake (Lentinula edodes) mushrooms are widely consumed worldwide because of their organoleptic properties but also their bioactive compounds such as β-glucans, ergosterol, and phenolic compounds. Although these mushrooms can be eaten as raw food, they are usually subjected to household cooking treatments, so their effect on the stability of these molecules was evaluated in this work. The results showed that frying reduced β-glucan and ergosterol content but protected mushrooms from the loss of phenolic compounds that were mainly affected by boiling, being this procedure able to increase β-glucans and ergosterol concentrations. It can be concluded that culinary treatments had differential effects depending on the specific molecule, so they should be applied or avoided considering the target compound. Moreover, further research is encouraged to fully understand the mechanisms involved in the content variations and the impact on the biological activity of these mushrooms.
Improvement of Learning and Memory by Elevating Brain D-Aspartate in a Mouse Model of Fragile X Syndrome
Authors: Li Yu-Jiao , Zhang Kun , Sun Ting , Guo Yan-Yan , Yang Qi , Liu Shui-Bing , Wu Yu-Mei , Zhao Ming-Gao
Published: July 2023

Fragile X syndrome (FXS) is an inherited human mental retardation that arises from expansion of a CGG repeat in the Fmr1 gene, causing loss of the fragile X mental retardation protein (FMRP). It is reported that N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR)-mediated facilitation of long-term potentiation (LTP) and fear memory are impaired in Fmr1 knockout (KO) mice. In this study, biological, pharmacological, and electrophysiological techniques were performed to determine the roles of D-aspartate (D-Asp), a modulator of NMDAR, and its metabolizing enzyme D-aspartate oxidase (DDO) in Fmr1 KO mice. Levels of D-Asp were decreased in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC); however, the levels of its metabolizing enzyme DDO were increased. Electrophysiological recordings indicated that oral drinking of D-Asp recovered LTP induction in mPFC from Fmr1 KO mice. Moreover, chronic oral administration of D-Asp reversed behavioral deficits of cognition and locomotor coordination in Fmr1 KO mice. The therapeutic action of D-Asp was partially through regulating functions of NMDARs and mGluR5/mTOR/4E-BP signaling pathways. In conclusion, supplement of D-Asp may benefit for synaptic plasticity and behaviors in Fmr1 KO mice and offer a potential therapeutic strategy for FXS.
A Scenario-based optimization model to design a hub network for covid-19 medical equipment management
Authors: Rahimi Amir , Azadnia Amir Hossein , Aghdam Mohammad Molani , Harsej Fatemeh
Published: July 2023

The provision of medical equipment during pandemics is one of the most crucial issues to be dealt with by health managers. This issue has revealed itself in the context of the COVID-19 outbreak in many hospitals and medical centers. Excessive demand for ventilators has led to a shortage of this equipment in several medical centers. Therefore, planning to manage critical hospital equipment and transfer the equipment between different hospitals in the event of a pandemic can be used as a quick fix. In this paper, a multi-objective optimization model is proposed to deal with the problem of hub network design to manage the distribution of hospital equipment in the face of epidemic diseases such as Covid-19. The objective functions of the model include minimizing transfer costs, minimizing the destructive environmental effects of transportation, and minimizing the delivery time of equipment between hospitals. Since it is difficult to estimate the demand, especially in the conditions of disease outbreaks, this parameter is considered a scenario-based one under uncertain conditions. To evaluate the performance of the proposed model, a case study in the eastern region of Iran is investigated and sensitivity analysis is performed on the model outputs. The sensitivity of the model to changing the cost parameters related to building infrastructure between hubs and also vehicle capacity is analyzed too. The results revealed that the proposed model can produce justified and optimal global solutions and, therefore, can solve real-world problems.
Labyrinthine Bifurcation of the Facial Nerve
Authors: Saro-Buendía Miguel , Mellidez Acosta Raúl , Bancalari Díaz Catalina , Mazón Miguel , de Paula Vernetta Carlos , Armengot Carceller Miguel
Published: July 2023

The labyrinthine bifurcation of the facial nerve is extremely rare. Diverse congenital temporal bone anomalies usually coexist, and a detailed preoperative evaluation is needed to detect them. We report a case of labyrinthine bifurcation of the facial nerve detected on the preoperative evaluation of a patient with congenital aural atresia.
Adverse events of antibody–drug conjugates on the ocular surface in cancer therapy
Authors: Domínguez-Llamas Sandra , Caro-Magdaleno Manuel , Mataix-Albert Beatriz , Avilés-Prieto Javier , Romero-Barranca Isabel , Rodríguez-de-la-Rúa Enrique
Published: July 2023

Antibody–drug conjugates consist of a monoclonal antibody attached to a cytotoxic therapeutic molecule by a connector. This association allows a highly specific therapy, which increases their effectiveness and decreases their potential toxicity. This new therapy emerged approximately 20 years ago; since then, numerous combinations have appeared in the field of treatment-related neoplasms as an alternative for patients who do not achieve good results with conventional treatment options. Adverse effects of these drugs on the ocular surface are frequent and varied. Their prevalence ranges from 20 to 90% depending on the drug and administration condition, probably due to multiple receptor-mediated factors or mechanisms not mediated by specific receptors, such as macropinocytosis. These adverse events can greatly limit patients’ comfort; thus, the objectives of this article were, in the first place, to compile the information currently available on different types of adverse effects of antibody–drug conjugates on the ocular surface, including pathophysiology, prevalence, and treatment, and in second place, to contribute to the correct identification and management of these events, which will result in a lower rate of cessation of treatment, which is necessary for the survival of candidate patients.
Personal integrity and faking in the workplace: when competition matters
Authors: Seitl Martin , Manuoglu Elif , Krám Tomáš
Published: July 2023

Despite the fact that employee faking or intentional response distortion is a critical concern in many workplace processes, the antecedents of this behavior are poorly understood. Based on signaling theory describing faking behavior as a strategic adaptation to competitive signals, this study examines the influence of personal integrity and perceived competition on faking. An online between-subjects experiment was carried out on a sample of teachers from elementary schools in selected regions of the Czech Republic (N = 470). The experimental group was subjected to competition-inducing instructions during the administration of the Occupational Integrity Scale (OIS) and the Balanced Inventory of Desirable Responding (BIDR-CZ), as an indicator of faking (impression management). Findings provided support for the moderating role of perceived competition on the link between impression management and personal integrity. Those who scored lower in reliability and moral sense (factors of OIS) exposed to competition-inducing instructions scored significantly higher on impression management than respondents in the control group, supporting the critical role of competition manipulation against excessive score inflation. Findings suggested that if organizations are not sure of the level of integrity of employees, they should not utilize competitive cues since individuals with low integrity tend to fake their responses to increase the person-organization fit. The managerial implications of these findings were discussed.
Combination of transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt and antegrade through-the-TIPS coil embolization for bleeding mixed-type ectopic ileal varices
Authors: Michielan Andrea , Vieceli Filippo , Pravadelli Cecilia , Moser Luisa , Agugiaro Flora , Luppi Giacomo , Gatti Francesco Lorenzo , Costa Lorenzo , Rozzanigo Umberto Maria
Published: July 2023

A 61-year-old man with alcoholic cirrhosis and a history of severe cholecystitis leading to secondary thrombosis of the recanalized paraumbilical vein was admitted to our hospital for recurrent gastrointestinal bleeding and severe anemia. Capsule endoscopy and CT angiography detected profuse bleeding in the proximal ileum from ectopic ileal varices. Hepatic venous-portal gradient (HVPG) measurement was consistent with severe portal hypertension. Persistent bleeding despite transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) placement required a combined approach with antegrade through-the-TIPS coil embolization of the ileal varices.
Status of the neonatal follow-up system in China: survey and analysis
Authors: Zhou Qi , Cao Yun , Zhang Lan , Erejep Nurya , Xiu Wen-Long , Shi Jing-Yun , Cheng Rui , Zhou Wen-Hao , Lee Shoo K.
Published: July 2023

Background

There is little information about neonatal follow-up programs (NFUPs) in China. This study aimed to conduct a survey of hospitals participating in the Chinese Neonatal Network (CHNN) to determine the status of NFUPs, including resources available, criteria for enrollment, neurodevelopmental assessments, and duration of follow-up.

Methods

We conducted a descriptive study using an online survey of all 72 hospitals participating in CHNN in 2020. The survey included 15 questions that were developed based on the current literature and investigators’ knowledge about follow-up practices in China.

Results

Sixty-four (89%) of the 72 hospitals responded to the survey, with an even distribution of children’s (31%), maternity (33%) and general (36%) hospitals. All but one (98%) hospital had NFUPs, with 44 (70%) being established after 2010. Eligibility criteria for follow-up were variable, but common criteria included very preterm infants < 32 weeks or < 2000 g birth weight (100%), small for gestational age (97%), hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (98%) and postsurgery (90%). The average follow-up rate was 70% (range: 7.5%–100%). Only 12% of hospitals followed up with patients for more than 24 months. There was significant variation in neurodevelopmental assessments, follow-up schedule, composition of staff, and clinic facilities and resources. None of the staff had received formal training, and only four hospitals had sent staff to foreign hospitals as observers.

Conclusions

There is significant variation in eligibility criteria, duration of follow-up, types of assessments, staffing, training and facilities available. Coordination and standardization are urgently needed.
Environmental insults and compensative responses: when microbiome meets cancer
Authors: Nagpal Sunil , Mande Sharmila S.
Published: July 2023

Tumor microenvironment has recently been ascribed a new hallmark—the polymorphic microbiome. Accumulating evidence regarding the tissue specific territories of tumor-microbiome have opened new and interesting avenues. A pertinent question is regarding the functional consequence of the interface between host-microbiome and cancer. Given microbial communities have predominantly been explored through an ecological perspective, it is important that the foundational aspects of ecological stress and the fight to ‘survive and thrive’ are accounted for tumor-micro(b)environment as well. Building on existing evidence and classical microbial ecology, here we attempt to characterize the ecological stresses and the compensative responses of the microorganisms inside the tumor microenvironment. What insults would microbes experience inside the cancer jungle? How would they respond to these insults? How the interplay of stress and microbial quest for survival would influence the fate of tumor? This work asks these questions and tries to describe this underdiscussed ecological interface of the tumor and its microbiota. It is hoped that a larger scientific thought on the importance of microbial competition sensing vis-à-vis tumor-microenvironment would be stimulated.
Granular biomass technology for providing drinking water: microbial versatility and nitrate performance in response to carbon source
Authors: Muñoz-Palazon Barbara , Rodriguez-Sanchez Alejandro , Gonzalez-Lopez Jesus , Rosa-Masegosa Aurora , Gorrasi Susana , Vilchez-Vargas Ramiro , Link Alexander , Gonzalez-Martinez Alejandro
Published: July 2023

The aerobic granular biomass technology was optimized for treating nitrate-polluted groundwater based on the biological denitrification processes in order to provide drinking water. Reactors inoculated with granular biomass were operated at progressively lower C/N rate using acetate and methanol to encourage heterotrophic denitrification, in order to meet the recommended requirements described by European Drinking Water Framework Directive. The granulation and long-term stability of granular biomass under low C/N were successful for all stages, demonstrated compactness of granules and absence of filamentous microorganisms. The nitrate removal was similar in methanol- and acetate-fed reactors, occurring in both cases nitrate removal ratios > 80%, and fact allows the selection of one of both depending groundwater polluted case. Also, feeding reactors with 2 C/N ratio showed nitrate removal values of ≥ 95%, treating highly polluted groundwater (100 mg·L−1). The microbial diversity was higher in the methanol-fed reactor with representative phylotypes as Flavobacterium, Cytophagaceae, NS9 marine group, while species richness was higher in the acetate-fed reactor, which was mainly represented by Flavobacterium genus. Statistical analyses revealed the higher resilience of bacterial population on granules fed with acetate, showing more resistance under drop C/N ratio. Oscillating pollution in groundwater during seasonal periods should be treated using acetate as carbon source for denitrification carried out by granular biomass, while stable pollution concentrations over time allow the use of methanol as a carbon source since the greater microbial diversity allows the elimination of other contaminants present in groundwater.
Experimental and modeling analysis on the performance of 2-mercaptobenzimidazole corrosion inhibitor in hydrochloric acid solution during acidizing in the petroleum industry
Authors: Khormali Azizollah , Ahmadi Soroush
Published: July 2023

In this work, the corrosion inhibition of carbon steel in 1 molar HCl solution was evaluated by experimental and modeling approaches using 2-mercaptobenzimidazole (2-MBI). To this end, an experimental design for the weight loss method using response surface methodology (RSM) was carried out and the corrosion rate (CR) and inhibition efficiency (IE) were determined. The study was completed at various values of temperature, exposure time, and inhibitor concentration to determine the optimal conditions for corrosion prevention. Using experimental data on the corrosion rate and inhibition efficiency of 2-MBI, new models were developed, the significance of which was tested using ANOVA-analysis of variance. The developed RSM-based CR and IE models were highly accurate and reliable, and their P-values were less than 0.0001. The novelty of this study lies in the newly developed model for the evaluation of 2-MBI inhibition performance and its application to high-temperature conditions in the petroleum industry. Besides, the R2-statistics (R2, adjusted-R2, and predicted-R2), adequate precision and diagnostic plots were used as main measures to verify the accuracy and adequacy of both CR and IE models. In addition, it was observed that inhibitor concentration had the most impact on both CR and IE models compared to other parameters due to its largest F-values (561.65 for CR and 535.56 for IE models). Moreover, the results indicated that adding 140–150 ppm of 2-MBI at low-level temperatures of 30–35 °C had the most interaction effect on the performance of the corrosion inhibition process. In this case, the CR was less than 0.9 mm/y and the IE more than 94%, even after a high exposure time of 105 h. Furthermore, numerical optimization of the corrosion inhibition process for 2-MBI showed that the optimum conditions for maximum IE and minimum CR were achieved at a concentration of 115 ppm, temperature of 30.7 °C, and exposure time of 60.4 h. Under these conditions, the efficiency and corrosion rate were 92.76% and 0.53 mm/y, respectively. Finally, the adsorption of 2-MBI on the sample surface was studied at various exposure times and temperatures. In all cases, the adsorption behavior obeyed the Langmuir isotherm. In this case, the Gibbs adsorption free energy varied from − 33 to − 37 kJ/mol, which reflects both physical and chemical adsorption of the corrosion inhibitor at all tested temperatures and test times.
Urethane dimethacrylate-based photopolymerizable resins for stereolithography 3D printing: A physicochemical characterisation and biocompatibility evaluation
Authors: Pitzanti Giulia , Mohylyuk Valentyn , Corduas Francesca , Byrne Niall M. , Coulter Jonathan A. , Lamprou Dimitrios A.
Published: July 2023

Vat photopolymerisation (VP) three-dimensional printing (3DP) has attracted great attention in many different fields, such as electronics, pharmaceuticals, biomedical devices and tissue engineering. Due to the low availability of biocompatible photocurable resins, its application in the healthcare sector is still limited. In this work, we formulate photocurable resins based on urethane dimethacrylate (UDMA) combined with three different difunctional methacrylic diluents named ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (EGDMA), di(ethylene glycol) dimethacrylate (DEGDMA) or tri(ethylene glycol) dimethacrylate (TEGDMA). The resins were tested for viscosity, thermal behaviour and printability. After printing, the 3D printed specimens were measured with a digital calliper in order to investigate their accuracy to the digital model and tested with FT-IR, TGA and DSC. Their mechanical properties, contact angle, water sorption and biocompatibility were also evaluated. The photopolymerizable formulations investigated in this work achieved promising properties so as to be suitable for tissue engineering and other biomedical applications.

Graphical abstract
Green synthesis of SiO2 nanoparticles from Egyptian white sand using submerged and solid-state culture of fungi
Authors: Hasanien Yasmeen A. , Mosleh Mahmoud A. , Abdel-Razek Alaa S. , El-Sayyad Gharieb S. , El-Hakim Elham H. , Borai Emad H.
Published: July 2023

This work aims to successfully produce silica nanoparticles (SNPs) from Egyptian white sand using the fungal bioleaching process as a cost-effective and eco-friendly approach. The impact of fungus cultivation techniques (submerged culture SMC and solid-state culture SSC) on the characteristics of the produced SNPs has been investigated. In addition, the most promising fungal isolates for each culture method were selected and identified by morphological and molecular methods. The biosynthesized SNPs were fully characterized by DLS, FTIR, XRD, SEM, EDX, and HRTEM studies. DLS results showed that Aspergillus niger solid-state culture had developed SNPs with a mean particle size distribution of about 3.6 nm, whereas Penicillium crustosum submerged culture developed SNPs with 50.7 nm. SEM images revealed that the prepared SNPs under SMC and SSC have sphere-shaped particles with smooth surfaces and semi-homogeneous characteristics. Moreover, the HRTEM imaging confirmed the spherical shape with an average size of 3.5 and 28.8 nm for the nanosilica synthesized during solid-state and submerged culture, respectively. Based on the results, we recommended using SSC to produce silica nanoparticles from white sand with a small nano-size, high purity, and better economical production. The scientific advances focused on some particular fungi's capacity to manufacture SNPs with high purity, small size, and techniques that were both economical and environmentally beneficial.

Graphical Abstract
Anti-factor H antibody-positive C3 glomerulonephritis secondary to poststreptococcal acute glomerulonephritis with diabetic nephropathy
Authors: Oba Yuki , Mizuno Hiroki , Taneda Sekiko , Sawai Toshihiro , Oda Takashi , Ikuma Daisuke , Yamanouchi Masayuki , Suwabe Tatsuya , Kono Kei , Kinowaki Keiichi , Ohashi Kenichi , Sawa Naoki , Ubara Yoshifumi
Published: July 2023

Poststreptococcal acute kidney glomerulonephritis (PSAGN) has been seen in adults in recent years, especially in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus, and the renal prognosis has not always been good. There have been cases of PSAGN in which complete remission was not achieved and hematuria and proteinuria persisted, leading to end-stage renal disease. Previous reports showed that the patients subjected to PSAGN have an underlying defect in regulating the alternative pathway of complement, and they identified that antibodies to the C3 convertase, C3 nephritic factors (C3NeF), are involved. C3NeF stabilizes C3 convertase, sustains C3 activation, and causes C3 glomerulonephritis (C3GN). On the other hand, factor H is a glycoprotein that suppresses the overactivation of the alternative pathway by decaying the C3 convertase. Anti-factor H (aFH) antibodies interfere with factor H and cause the same activation of the alternative pathway as C3NeF. However, a limited number of reports describe the clinical course of C3GN with aFH antibodies. We encountered a 49-year-old Japanese man with type 2 diabetes mellitus. He was referred to our hospital because of his elevated serum creatinine, proteinuria, hematuria, and developed edema on both legs. He was diagnosed as PSAGN at the first kidney biopsy, and his renal function improved and edema and hematuria disappeared, but proteinuria persisted after 5 months. He was diagnosed as C3GN at the second kidney biopsy. In our case, no C3NeF was detected. However, a high titer of aFH antibodies was detected in stored serum from the initial presentation, providing a unified diagnosis of aFH antibody-positive C3GN secondary to PSAGN. He progressed to end-stage renal disease (ESRD) and hemodialysis was started. The persistence of high levels of aFH autoantibodies may have caused C3GN secondary to PSAGN due to activating the alternative complement pathway, which eventually worsened the nephropathy and led to ESRD.
Human Endometrium Derived Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells Are Amenable to Directed Erythroid Differentiation
Authors: Kim Hyun Kyung , Cho SiHyun , Choi Young Sik , Lee Byung Seok , Kim Sinyoung , Kim Hyun Ok , Park Joo Hyun
Published: July 2023

BACKGROUND:

A protocol for using human endometrium derived induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) to derive hematopoietic and erythroid lineages will be elaborated, through a two-phase culture system.

METHODS:

Discarded endometrial tissues were obtained from women receiving hysterectomy in their 4th to 5th decade due to benign uterine conditions. pCE-Sox2, Oct4, Klf4, L-Myc and Lin28 episomal vectors were used to electrotransfect the endometrial stromal cells. The first 8 days involves commitment to hematopoietic stem cells through embryoid body with robust expansion on murine bone marrow stromal cells. The second phase involves feeder free conditions with hydrocortisone, stem cell factor, interleukin-3, and recombinant EPO. After 22 days of feeder free culture, the expression profiles of CD235a+, CD34+, CD43+ and CD 71+ were analyzed by flow cytometry and Wright-Giemsa staining for differential counting. The oxygen carrying capacity of cultured RBCs was measured using a hemoxanalyser.

RESULTS:

As a result of inducing these cells via co-culture with murine stromal fibroblasts, all endometrium derived iPSCs were differentiated into erythroblasts with a stable yield of approximately 80% for polychromatic and orthochromatic normoblasts. The protocol for complete induction of erythroid lineage cells starting from human endometrial tissue via iPS cells has been optimized.

CONCLUSION:

Successful directed erythroid differentiation has occurred from human endometrium-derived iPS cells. A comprehensive process of actually deriving iPS cells using discarded surgical hysterectomy specimens to the erythroid fate has significance in that the scope of using human iPSC cell lines for tissue regeneration could be expanded in the future.
Application of Liquefied Wood Products for Particleboard Manufacturing: a Meta-analysis Review
Authors: Janiszewska-Latterini Dominika , Pizzi Antonio
Published: July 2023

Purpose of Review

The development of eco-friendly panels is one of the major issues for the wood industry, particularly in terms of developing new adhesive systems for reducing harmful emissions and dependence from fossil fuel resources. Among the plethora of various possible solutions, liquefied wood products have demonstrated promising features to decrease the use of petroleum-based amino resins. A meta-analysis was carried out to develop a quantitative synthesis of the state of the art of the application of liquefied wood products for particleboard manufacturing, investigating their effects on the board’s properties.

Recent Findings

The results from meta-analysis revealed that the application of liquefied wood products does not significantly deteriorate the mechanical properties of particleboards. It has also been observed that there is no negative influence on the formaldehyde content of the panel, mostly when liquefied wood products are applied in mixture with commercial resin. The most interesting observation is that the performance of the boards was not affected by the type of feedstock used for liquefaction.

The option to apply liquefied wood products has the potential to significantly decrease the application of commercial formaldehyde-based resins without leading to a deterioration of the properties of the panels. It is however important to note that there is currently a limited number of studies on this topic. The meta-analysis showed a notable variability of the effect sizes in the trials. Further study is needed to determine the outcomes and the benefits for the use of liquefied wood products on an industrial level.
European position paper on polypharmacy and fall-risk-increasing drugs recommendations in the World Guidelines for Falls Prevention and Management: implications and implementation
Authors: van der Velde Nathalie , Seppala Lotta J. , Hartikainen Sirpa , Kamkar Nellie , Mallet Louise , Masud Tahir , Montero-Odasso Manuel , van Poelgeest Eveline P. , Thomsen Katja , Ryg Jesper , Petrovic Mirko ,   The EuGMS Task, Finish Group on Fall-risk-increasing drugs
Published: July 2023

Falls prevention and management in older adults is a critical global challenge. One of the key risk factors for falls is the use of certain medications. Therefore, to prevent medication-related falls, the following is recommended in the recent World Guidelines for Falls Prevention and Management: (1) assess for fall history and the risk of falls before prescribing potential fall-risk-increasing drugs (FRIDs), (2) use a validated, structured screening and assessment tool to identify FRIDs when performing a medication review, (3) include medication review and appropriate deprescribing of FRIDs as a part of the multifactorial falls prevention intervention, and (4) in long-term care residents, if multifactorial intervention cannot be conducted due to limited resources, the falls prevention strategy should still always include deprescribing of FRIDs.

In the present statement paper, the working group on medication-related falls of the World Guidelines for Falls Prevention and Management, in collaboration with the European Geriatric Medicine Society (EuGMS) Task and Finish group on FRIDs, outlines its position on how to implement and execute these recommendations in clinical practice.

Preferably, the medication review should be conducted as part of a comprehensive geriatric assessment to produce a personalized and patient-centered assessment. Furthermore, the major pitfall of the published intervention studies so far is the suboptimal implementation of medication review and deprescribing. For the future, it is important to focus on gaining which elements determine successful implementation and apply the concepts of implementation science to decrease the gap between research and practice.
No cause for collapse
Authors: Gooßens Dustin , Tedder Andrew
Published: July 2023

We investigate a hitherto under-considered avenue of response for the logical pluralist to collapse worries. In particular, we note that standard forms of the collapse arguments seem to require significant order-theoretic assumptions, namely that the collection of admissible logics for the pluralist should be closed under meets and joins. We consider some reasons for rejecting this assumption, noting some prima facie plausible constraints on the class of admissible logics which would lead a pluralist admitting those logics to resist such closure conditions.
Investigation of Facilitating English Speaking of Elementary School Students in Authentic Contexts with UEnglish
Authors: Zhao Xiang-Jun , Hwang Wu-Yuin , Hoang Anh , Su Yun-Chi
Published: July 2023

Despite the importance of English in various aspects of life, students learning English as a foreign language often lack sufficient opportunities to practice speaking in their daily lives. To address these issues, this study proposes an innovative mobile app called Ubiquitous English (UEnglish) that facilitates English speaking learning in authentic contexts anytime and anywhere. Leveraging advanced technologies, UEnglish incorporates automatic speech recognition (ASR), cloud machine translation (MT), and text-to-speech (TTS) functionalities. The primary aim of this study is to assess the impact of UEnglish on students’ English speaking ability, specifically focusing on the quality and quantity of their spoken English when describing comic pictures and authentic pictures. To investigate the learning behaviors and the influence on English speaking learning achievement in this study, 56 fifth-grade students were employed, including 28 students in an experimental group (EG) using UEnglish and 28 students in a control group (CG) with a paper-based teaching method. The results indicated that, after the experiment, EG outperformed CG and EG had significant differences in the quality and quantity of English speaking in the context of describing comic pictures and authentic pictures. Students’ learning portfolios revealed that EG students not only could use more English words and more complex sentences to express their thoughts but also easily applied what they learned when encountering similar contexts. Our findings suggested that authentic contextual English learning with UEnglish was helpful for students to practice speaking English related to their surroundings.
Fixed Point Theory and Variational Principles in Metric Spaces
Authors: Ansari Qamrul Hasan , Sahu Daya Ram
Published: July 2023

The book is designed for undergraduates, graduates, and researchers of mathematics studying fixed point theory or nonlinear analysis. It deals with the fixed point theory for not only single-valued maps but also set-valued maps. The text is divided into three parts: fixed point theory for single-valued mappings, continuity and fixed point aspects of set-valued analysis, and variational principles and their equilibrium problems. It comprises a comprehensive study of these topics and includes all important results derived from them. The applications of fixed point principles and variational principles, and their generalizations to differential equations and optimization are covered in the text. An elementary treatment of the theory of equilibrium problems and equilibrium version of Ekeland's variational principle is also provided. New topics such as equilibrium problems, variational principles, Caristi's fixed point theorem, and Takahashi's minimization theorem with their applications are also included.