bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
EFFECT OF A VALUE-ADDED FORMULATION OF VATA PALLAVA MALATHYADI LEPA IN MUKHADUSHIKA
Authors: S Kavitha , V Padmaja , Titus Jacob M
Published: November 2020

Mukhadushika is one of the skin diseases described under kshudra roga. It is having close resemblance with acne vulgaris. It is the 8th most common disease worldwide. In conventional medicine various topical therapies are available, but long-term use of these drugs observed to have some adverse effects. Owing the gravity of situation, need was felt for search of new safe and effective medicine. So, the formulation Vata pallava malathyadi lepa is selected. Vata pallava malathyadi lepa mentioned in Sharangadhara Samhita consists of six drugs. Research works of single drugs shows anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities. Value addition is a relative proposition assuming magnanimous importance in today’s dynamic world. In general, adding value is the process of changing or transforming a product from its original state to a more valuable state. Value added Vata pallava malathyadi lepa is very convenient and user-friendly dosage form. An effort was made to assess the effect of value-added formulation of vata pallava malathyadi lepa in Mukhadushika. The trial drug was used as an external application. The clinical trial was undertaken as before and after trial with 30 patients for a period of one month and data was collected. Global Acne Grading System (GAGS) is used for the assessment. Grading of pain, swelling, discoloration and oozing before and after treatment were also assessed. The data was tabulated and analyzed using Wilcoxon Signed Rank list. The trial drug showed highly significant effect in reducing acne vulgaris with p value < 0.001.
EFFECT OF TRIPHALA GUGGULU AND PUNARNAVA MANDOOR IN THE MANAGEMENT OF OBESITY: AN OBSERVATIONAL STUDY
Authors: Mangal Anil , Mangal Uma , Jadhav A D , Murthy S N
Published: November 2020

Obesity has become an increasing global health problem among all socio-economic groups and leading to various complications like diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and osteoarthritis knee which are responsible for morbidity and mortality. Ayurvedic approach is to provide solution in managing rising cases of obesity among population. Aim of this study was to assess the clinical efficacy and safety of an Ayurvedic preparations Triphala guggulu and Punarnava mandoor in the management of obesity through clinical sign and symptoms, body mass index (BMI), measurement of abdomen, chest, thigh, arm circumference and laboratory investigation. The trial was conducted on 58 subjects aged between 12-60 years of both sexes of obesity. Triphala guggulu 1 g (2 tablets of 500 mg) and Punarnava Mandoor 500 mg (1 tablet of 500 mg) thrice daily with lukewarm water for 12 weeks were used in all study participants. Clinical sign and symptoms, BMI and circumference of body parts reduced from baseline to the end of the treatment in completed 47 subjects out of 58.
A STUDY ON DEMOGRAPHIC STATUS OF MORBIDITY PATTERN IN CHILDREN UNDER 5 YEARS
Authors: Sinha Nitu , Ojha Nisha Kumari
Published: November 2020

Children are more susceptible to infections due to less immunity power. Frequent illnesses among children influence adversely on their growth and development. So the health status of this vulnerable age group (under 5 years age) is very much important as morbidities affect their health which influences the overall health status of the country. More than half of the children (53.7%) are suffering from some form of illness. Recurrent respiratory infection, recurrent diarrhea, recurrent fever, etc. are the most common causes of morbidity in immune-compromised children. The present study was planned to provide the demographic status of the morbidity pattern in children less than 5 years in a defined population. A cross sectional study was conducted from July 2018 to February 2019 by attending and participating in various health camps in various villages in periphery of Jaipur organized by PG Department of Kaumarabhritya, NIA, Jaipur. The sample size was calculated 501 (n = 501). All children from 06 months to 5 years were included in the study. During the study period, the sample size was 501, in which 187 (37.33%) children were found with morbidity features of either sex. Mainly 161 (32.14%) subjects were infected with recurrent RTIs, 98 (19.56%) subjects with anemia, 63 (12.57%) subjects with recurrent fever, 26 (5.19%) subjects with recurrent diarrhea and 17 (3.39%) subjects with skin infections. For enhancing the immunity of children and awareness about health, many Swarnaprashana camps and health checkup camps in various preschools situated in Jaipur were organized by PG Department of Kaumarabhritya, NIA and Jaipur.
EVALUATION OF PHARMACOECONOMICS AND PRESCRIPTION TRENDS OF ANTIHYPERTENSIVE MEDICATIONS AT VARIOUS CLINICAL SETTINGS OF HYDERABAD, PAKISTAN
Authors: Eiman Fatima , Iqbal Arain Mudassar , Imran Suheryani , Abdullah Dayo , Ali Ghoto Muhammad , Ammarah Jabeen , Ramesha Anwar
Published: November 2020

Pharmacoeconomics is the branch of health-economics where cost and outcomes are compared for patient’s treatment therapies and services in a health care system. Hypertension is one of the most common serious medical conditions in Pakistan and throughout the world. A large number of antihypertensive medications alone or in combinations are being prescribed. Pharmaco-economic studies are helpful in prescribing the most appropriate medication with required outcomes at minimum cost. Objective of study was to assess the prescription trends and cost-effectiveness among different classes of antihypertensive medications prescribed at different clinical setups of Hyderabad, Pakistan. A Prospective observational study was carried out at cardiac OPD of Liaquat University Hospital, Hyderabad from April 2018 to April 2019. According to inclusion and exclusion criteria, 400 prescriptions containing antihypertensive Drugs were collected via purposive sampling technique for pharmacoeconomic analysis during the study period. In Government setting, Monotherapy (83%) was more frequent than combination therapy (17%). The most frequent and the most cost-effective monotherapy was Enalapril maleate 5 mg having cost/day 4 Rs. In combination therapies, Lisinopril 20 mg + HTZ 12.5 mg was the most frequent. Spironolactone 50 mg + furosemide 40 mg was found to be the most cost-effective combination with cost/day 5 Rs. In private settings, the trends of antihypertensive monotherapy (75.5%) were more frequent than combination therapy (24.5%). The most frequent monotherapy was Telmisartan 40 mg while the most frequent antihypertensive combination was Amlodipine besylat 10 mg + Valsartan 160 mg. Metoprolol tartarate 100 mg and lisinopril 5 mg were cost-effective monotherapies with cost/day 5 Rs each and the combination of candesartancelexetil 16 mg + HTZ 12.5 mg was the most cost-effective. It is concluded from the current study that the prescription trends of antihypertensive medications were relatively cost-effective at Government setting but overall, the antihypertensive treatment cost was high which puts a substantial economic burden on patients.
Standardization of Poly Herbal Cosmetic Formula on Abnormal Pigmentation in Cutaneous Wound Healing – A Preliminary Study
Authors: Priyadarshani K. A. J. S. , Gunarathna E. D. T. P. , Kulathunga R. D. H.
Published: November 2020

Abnormal pigmentation in cutaneous wound healing has become a major cosmetic issue in the current society. Rising popularity of green labeled cosmetics which are environmentally sustainable with minimum side effects have greater demand in the world cosmetic market.  Standardization of herbal formula is essential in order to assess the quality of drugs. Hence, the research study was designed to standardize the selected herbs based on comprehensive literary study on selected Varnaya Dravya (complexion promoting herbs) mentioned in Ayurveda authentic texts and Sri Lankan traditional manuscripts comprising of Terminalia chebula Retz, Terminalia belerica (Gaertn). Roxb, Phyllanthus emblica Linn, Rubia cordifolia Linn, Curcuma longa Trim, and Sesamum indicum Linn. Authentication of herbal ingreedients has been carried out at Bandaranayaka Memorial Ayurveda Research Institute, Nawinna, Sri Lanka. Microscopic identification, Moisture content, pH value, Total ash content and Colouring matter were tested determind through paper chromatography under WHO (2011) guidelines. Microscopic identification revealed that the poly herbal cosmetic formula in powder form contains yellow colour cells, stone cells, group of elongated stone cells, transparent cells, pitted vessels, spiral vessels, vessels filled with red, small fibers, oil globules, starch granules, needle shape crystals, hair and Trichoid. Moreover, moisture content of the formula was 6.3%, pH - 5.92 and total ash value - 4.45%. Determination of colouring matter indicated formula does not contain synthetic dyes. In addition, secondary plant metabolites like phenolic, tannins and saponins were present. Pharmacodynamics potential of the formula showed 25% kashaya (astringent) and tiktta (bitter) rasa (taste) accordingly. Further, 46% and 27% of formula showed ruksha (dryness) and laghu (lightness) guna (properties) along with 83% and 67% indicated ushna virya.

(hot in potency) and madura (sweet) vipaka respectively. Due to presence of secondary metabolites, the poly herbal formula has anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and anti-oxidant potentials which will be favorable for skin complexion protection from bacteria and fungi. Moreover, Lekhana action gives scraping effect which is important for removing the scar.

The study suggested that parameters found to be sufficient to evaluate the herbal cosmetic powder and could be used as reference standards and applicability of this formulae should be validated with a preclinical and clinical trials.
Effect of Rennet Casein and Whey Protein Concentrate on Extrusion Behavior of Maize Flour
Authors: Ponbhagavathi T. R. Thirumuruga , Singh Ashish Kumar , Raju P. Narender , Upadhyay Neelam
Published: November 2020

The present study was carried out to find out the effect of blending of maize flour (MF) with varying levels of Rennet casein (RC 6, 8%) and Whey protein concentrate-70 (WPC-70  4, 8%) at different feed moisture content (12,14%) on the physico-chemical characteristics (pasting properties, colour, expansion  ratio, bulk density, hardness, water absorption and water solubility index, resistant starch), sensory properties of extrudates and their changes in physico-chemical (TBA and Free Fatty acids) as well as sensory properties of extrudates during storage. Physical parameters like, bulk density, WAI, WSI, expansion ratio, texture profile (hardness and crispiness) shown significant (p<0.05) variation among the treatments. Addition of RC and WPC-70 increased the setback viscosity and decreased the peak, breakdown and final viscosity. The hunter L* value, a* value and b* value were significantly (p< 0.05) affected by the type and level of addition of protein. Incorporation of RC and WPC-70 upto 8% to maize flour was more suitable for protein enriched snack base with good overall acceptability of product. The developed extrudate was packaged in metallized Low Density Polyethylene (LDPE) pouches and stored under 25±1°C and 37±1°C for 1 month and monitored at weekly interval. The resistant starch content of extrudates increased from 45 to 128 mg/ 100 g and 132 mg/ 100 g of sample stored at 25°C and 37°C at the end of storage. Changes in TBA value was non-significant and FFA value increased significantly (p<0.05) due to hydrolytic rancidity. The sensory scores obtained for color and appearance, texture and overall acceptability did not have any significant variation (p>0.05), however the flavour scores decreased significantly (p<0.05) which can be correlated with FFA and TBA value.
Escalating BMI Associated With the Complex Pharmacology of Propranolol: A Case Report
Authors: Barrouq Deena M. S. , Irshaidat Tareq
Published: November 2020

Background: Improving the awareness of the public about the body weight and the body mass index (BMI) criteria is very important as increased body weight may be associated with an increased risk for many dangerous diseases and health complications. Propranolol is generally prescribed for tachycardia while its most common side effects are bradycardia and masking hypoglycemia.

Case Presentation: A tachycardia was diagnosed in a young overweight woman and treated successfully with propranolol but this treatment, unpredictably, was associated with a rapid increase in the weight that classified her as obese.

Discussion: The physical (body weight and heart rate) and the biochemical (blood glucose level) monitoring and analysis including the lifestyle provided a deeper insight into the principal details and helped to design a personalized treatment protocol.  

Conclusion: A therapeutic dose of propranolol could be linked to uncommon mounting weight change which was associated with a decrease in the blood glucose level and an appetite enhancement.
Noise Pollution in Nigeria’s Institutions of Higher Learning: A Review
Authors: Agbo Cornelius Ogbodo Anayo
Published: November 2020

Education is the cradle of development and must be properly guarded. Higher institutions are citadels of learning engaging in high intellectual discourse that require quiet ambience. The high noise level in Nigeria’s institutions of higher learning has become a growing concern. This paper reviewed the studies done concerning noise pollution vis-à-vis the noise sources, its effects and abatement measures put in place if any. Modular mini electric generators, road traffics and religious organization’s activities were found culpable to the majority of noises produced both inside the institutions and their neighbourhoods. More than 90% of the institutions' community are exposed to disturbing noise levels. The review showed that most of the institutions’ measured noise levels range between 50 dB(A) and 110 dB(A). Also, the majority of the exposed persons feels helpless while hoping to habituate with the conditions. There is a need, therefore, for the school management to collaborate with the government to ensure that sustainable noise mitigation measures are put in place in the institutions to avert its negatives consequences on students’ performance and staff output.
Reversibly Transforming a Highly Swollen Polyelectrolyte Hydrogel to an Extremely Tough One and its Application as a Tubular Grasper
Authors: Yu Hai Chao , Zheng Si Yu , Fang Lingtao , Ying Zhimin , Du Miao , Wang Jing , Ren Ke‐Feng , Wu Zi Liang , Zheng Qiang
Published: November 2020

Poly(2‐acrylamido‐2‐methyl‐1‐propanesulfonic acid) and its copolymer hydrogels are typical polyelectrolyte gels with extremely high swelling capacity that are widely used in industry. It's common to consider these hydrogels as weak materials that are difficult to toughen. Reported here is a facile strategy to transform swollen and weak poly(acrylamide‐co‐2‐acrylamido‐2‐methyl‐1‐propanesulfonic acid) [P(AAm‐co‐AMPS)] hydrogels to tough ones by forming strong sulfonate–Zr4+ metal‐coordination complexes. The resultant hydrogels with moderate water content possess high stiffness, strength, and fracture energy, which can be tuned over 3–4 orders of magnitude by controlling the composition and metal‐to‐ligand ratio. Owing to the dynamic nature of the coordination bonds, these hydrogels show rate‐ and temperature‐dependent mechanical performances, as well as good self‐recovery properties. This strategy is universal, as manifested by the drastically improved mechanical properties of hydrogels of various natural and synthetic sulfonate‐containing polymers. The toughened hydrogels can be converted to the original swollen ones by breaking up the metal‐coordination complexes in alkaline solutions. The reversible brittle–tough transition and concomitant dramatic volume change of polyelectrolyte hydrogels afford diverse applications, as demonstrated by the design of a tubular grasper with holding force a thousand times its own weight for objects with different geometries. It is envisioned that these hydrogels enable versatile applications in the biomedical and engineering fields.
Halogen Bond‐Catalyzed Friedel−Crafts Reactions of Furans Using a 2,2’‐Bipyridine‐Based Catalyst
Authors: Zhang Huimiao , Toy Patrick H.
Published: November 2020

A halogen bond donor based on a 2,2’‐bipyridine framework has been synthesized, and used to catalyze Friedel−Crafts reactions of furans. Electrophiles used successfully in these reactions included various enones, an aldehyde, and a carboxylic acid anhydride. The yields of the reactions were generally good using a moderate catalyst loading (0.025 or 0.1 equiv.) at a relatively low temperature (room temp. or 50 °C) in acetonitrile. The catalyst used was designed with a biaryl scaffold so that if it indeed proved to be an efficient halogen bond donor organocatalyst, an enantioenriched version of it could potentially serve as a stereoselective catalyst.

magnified image
Vibrational Spectra of the OH Radical in Water: Ab Initio Molecular Dynamics Simulations and Quantum Chemical Calculations Using Hybrid Functionals
Authors: Apostolidou Christina
Published: November 2020

The OH radical has remarkable features in aqueous environments. Studies of vibrational properties can uncover more information about this omnipresent radical. However, infrared spectra of the OH radical in water represent a challenging task. This work studies the OH⋆ stretching vibration from the gas phase for OH⋆‐wn (w = water, n = 0–5) clusters to the bulk phase for OH⋆‐w31 via ab initio molecular dynamics (AIMD) simulations with B3LYP‐D3 and the maximally localized Wannier function scheme. The infrared spectrum of pure liquid water reveals from an AIMD simulation with 32 water molecules a characteristic bulk phase. The OH⋆ stretching vibration is continuously red‐shifted from the gas phase to liquid water. This fact is supported by static DFT and RI‐MP2 calculations. A comparison of Wannier and radical Voronoi tessellation spectra leads to the same result for all clusters, which implies the absence of delocalized electrons. Despite the use of van der Waals radii, the Voronoi approach is able to distinguish between strong and weak hydrogen bonds, emphasizing the flexibility of this approach toward different hydrogen bond types. The stretching vibration of the OH⋆ in the gas phase appears as a doublet due to the coupling of rotation and stretching.
Extremely Stable, High Performance Gd and Li Alloyed ZnO Thin Film Transistor by Spray Pyrolysis
Authors: Saha Jewel Kumer , Bukke Ravindra Naik , Jang Jin
Published: November 2020

The simultaneous doping effect of Gadolinium (Gd) and Lithium (Li) on zinc oxide (ZnO) thin‐film transistor (TFT) by spray pyrolysis using a ZrOx gate insulator is reported. Li doping in ZnO increases mobility significantly, whereas the presence of Gd improves the stability of the device. The Gd ratio in ZnO is varied from 0% to 20% and the Li ratio from 0% to 10%. The optimized ZnO TFT with codoping of 5% Li and 10% Gd exhibits the linear mobility of 25.87 cm2 V−1 s−1, the subthreshold swing of 204 mV dec−1, on/off current ratio of ≈108, and zero hysteresis voltage. The enhancement of both mobility and stability is due to an increase in grain size by Li incorporation and decrease of defect states by Gd doping. The negligible threshold voltage shift (∆VTH) under gate bias and zero hysteresis are due to the reduced defects in an oxide semiconductor and decreased traps at the LiGdZnO/ZrOx interface. Li doping can balance the reduction of the carrier concentration by Gd doping, which improves the mobility and stability of the ZnO TFT. Therefore, LiGdZnO TFT shows excellent electrical performance with high stability.
The clinical effect of psychosomatic interventions on empty nose syndrome secondary to turbinate‐sparing techniques: a prospective self‐controlled study
Authors: Tian Peng , Hu Junwu , Ma Yun , Zhou Chao , Liu Xiang , Dang Hua , Zou Hua
Published: November 2020

Background

Individuals affected by empty nose syndrome secondary to turbinate‐sparing techniques (ENS‐type) experience decreased productivity and lifestyle disruption owing to considerable nasal‐associated discomfort. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of psychosomatic intervention on ENS‐type.

Methods

A prospective self‐controlled study was conducted, and 28 patients suffering from ENS‐type who met the diagnostic criteria for somatic symptom disorder (SSD) according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th edition (DSM‐5) received cognitive and behavioral therapy (CBT) plus antidepressants. Nasal symptom burden was evaluated using the 25‐item Sino‐Nasal Outcome Test (SNOT‐25). Somatic symptom burden, anxiety severity, and depression severity were assessed by the 25‐item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ‐15), the 9‐item PHQ (PHQ‐9), and the 7‐item Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD‐7) scale, respectively. Patient assessments were completed prior to treatment and 3 and 12 months after the intervention.

Results

The total scores of the SNOT‐25 declined posttreatment, showing a significant difference at the 3‐month and 12‐month follow‐ups compared with the baseline scores (p < 0.001). The severity of the 5 most common subjective symptoms, including “nose is too open,” “waking up at night,” “lack of a good night's sleep,” “difficulty falling asleep,” and “reduced concentration,” declined significantly at 3 and 12 months posttreatment compared to baseline levels. Statistically significant changes in the PHQ‐15, PHQ‐9, and GAD‐7 scores were observed at 3 and 12 months posttreatment compared to baseline scores (p < 0.001).

Conclusion

This study showed that some patients with ENS‐type meeting the diagnostic criteria for SSD might benefit from psychiatric treatment.
Synthesis of polymeric dyes based on self‐colored network of castor oil‐based waterborne polyurethane
Authors: Li Xinxiang , Zeng Tengchao , Yin Yunjie , Wang Chaoxia
Published: November 2020

The development of vegetable oil‐based polymers was particularly suitable for the era of increasingly scarce petroleum. Self‐colored castor oil‐based waterborne polyurethanes (PUs) were successfully synthesized based on castor oil and 1‐amino‐4‐hydroxy‐2‐(6‐hydroxyhexyl) anthraquinone (DR) as polyols. The UV–Vis spectrum showed that the addition of carboxylic acid groups make the spectrum of the PU produce the hyperchromic effect under alkaline conditions. Castor oil‐based waterborne colored PUs possessed excellent stability under weak alkaline conditions. The connection of castor oil caused the PU to constitute soft polymer networks. PU coatings on cotton fabrics possessed excellent color properties. The urethane groups in the PUs formed hydrogen bonds with the hydroxyl groups on the cotton fibers and the polymer network structure formed by the PU coating itself made the color fastness of the cotton coatings reached grade 5. With the increase of castor oil content, the degradation rate of castor oil‐based waterborne colored PU increased from 3.45% to 3.65%. This work provides a way to impart excellent color properties and fastness to PU coatings by inserting dye molecules and vegetable oils into the PU macromolecular chain.
Activating Iron Based Materials for Overall Electrochemical Water Splitting via the Incorporation of Noble Metals
Authors: Sayeed Md Abu , Heron Jonathan , Love Jonathan , O'Mullane Anthony P.
Published: November 2020

Although the presence of iron in mixed metal oxide based catalysts has shown significant performance improvement in the oxygen evolution reaction (OER), iron oxides themselves demonstrate much poorer activity. In this study, we investigate improving the performance of iron catalysts via surface decoration with gold or platinum for not only the OER but also the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) for overall water splitting in an alkaline electrolyte. Two types of iron catalysts were synthesised, iron nanocubes and iron oxide via electrochemical deposition methods which were decorated with either Au or Pt via galvanic replacement. It was found that the presence of Au significantly enhanced the OER performance of iron oxide and the HER performance of iron nanocubes. The presence of Pt resulted in moderate improvement in the OER but significant improvement for the HER but did not surpass the performance of gold decorated iron nanocubes. This indicates that the speciation of the iron catalyst and the decorating metal was important for tuning the activity to the OER and the HER. For the OER, the formation of iron oxide/Au interfaces was determined to be an important component for high activity whereas the metallic nature of metal decorated iron nanocubes was important for the HER. Therefore, iron based catalysts can be modified to demonstrate bifunctional behaviour for overall water splitting via the inclusion of gold nanoparticles.
Methods to estimate proportion and number of nonexposed cases in a population
Authors: Becher Heiko , Aigner Annette
Published: November 2020

National mortality statistics commonly provide disease‐specific absolute and relative frequencies of death by sex and age, but not by exposure status. However, it is often of interest to know how many of the diseased individuals, that is the cases, were exposed or not exposed to a specific risk factor. We present two methods to estimate the proportion and the number of exposed and nonexposed cases, both of which require an estimate of the exposure prevalence in the nondiseased population. Method I additionally requires an estimate of the relative effect of exposure, that is a relative risk function if the exposure has a continuous distribution, or a relative risk estimate for each category if the exposure is categorical. Method II additionally requires an estimate of the disease rate among the nonexposed. We provide theoretical justifications, discuss practical limitations, and provide an R script to calculate the probability for nonexposure among the diseased, and compare the approaches. Both methods are subsequently applied to the estimation of the number of never smokers among lung cancer deaths. The two suggested methods rely on the availability of specific data sources and might therefore be applicable in different research settings. Both methods yield unbiased estimates of the number of nonexposed cases, given that the respective underlying assumptions are fulfilled.
Comparing bowel and urinary domains of patient‐reported quality of life at the end of and 3 months post radiotherapy between intensity‐modulated radiotherapy and proton beam therapy for clinically localized prostate cancer
Authors: Bai Miao , Gergelis Kimberly R. , Sir Mustafa , Whitaker Thomas J. , Routman David M. , Stish Bradley J. , Davis Brian J. , Pisansky Thomas M. , Choo Richard
Published: November 2020

Purpose

To prospectively assess acute differences in patient‐reported outcomes in bowel and urinary domains between intensity‐modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) and proton beam therapy (PBT) for prostate cancer.

Methods and Materials

Bowel function (BF), urinary irritative/obstructive symptoms (UO), and urinary incontinence (UI) domains of EPIC‐26 were collected in patients with T1‐T2 prostate cancer receiving IMRT or PBT at a tertiary cancer center (2015‐2018). Mean changes in domain scores were analyzed from pretreatment to the end of and 3 months post‐radiotherapy for each modality. A clinically meaningful change was defined as a score change >50% of the baseline standard deviation.

Results

A total of 157 patients receiving IMRT and 105 receiving PBT were included. There were no baseline differences in domain scores between cohorts. At the end of radiotherapy, there was significant and clinically meaningful worsening of BF and UO scores for patients receiving either modality. In the BF domain, the IMRT cohort experienced greater decrement (−13.0 vs −6.7, P < .01), and had a higher proportion of patients with clinically meaningful reduction (58.4% vs 39.5%, P = .01), compared to PBT. At 3 months post‐radiotherapy, the IMRT group had significant and clinically meaningful worsening of BF (−9.3, P < .001), whereas the change in BF score of the PBT cohort was no longer significant or clinically meaningful (−1.2, P = .25). There were no significant or clinically meaningful changes in UO or UI 3 months post‐radiotherapy.

Conclusions

PBT had less acute decrement in BF than IMRT following radiotherapy. There was no difference between the two modalities in UO and UI.
Neues vom neuen Liquiphant
Authors: Schall Andreas
Published: November 2020

Die neuste Generation des Liquiphant besticht durch gesteigerte Sicherheit und ist bereit für die Industrie 4.0. Davon können bald weitere Anwendungen profitieren – das Prozessportfolio des Grenzschalters wird derzeit für den Einsatz unter extremen Bedingungen komplettiert.
Ultra‐kompakte Radarsensoren für Unternehmen
Authors: Wagner Johannes
Published: November 2020

Im Flugzeug oder auf hoher See ist Radar seit vielen Jahren Alltag, immer öfter wird Radar zudem auch in Autos im „Nahbereich” eingesetzt. Die enormen Fortschritte in der Halbleitertechnologie der vergangenen Jahre erlauben nun einen weiteren Schritt der
Desinfektionsmittel statt Shampoo
Authors: Musat Michael
Published: November 2020

Bedingt durch die aktuell höhere Nachfrage bei Desinfektionsmitteln und anderen Hygieneprodukten stellen zahlreiche Unternehmen in der Kosmetik‐ und Chemiebranche ihre Produktion um. Speziell für die Herstellung von Desinfektionsmitteln sind aufgrund des
Esterification of 2‐keto‐L‐gulonic acid and ethanol by pervapouration using NaA zeolite membrane
Authors: Zhang Lei , Zhang Hao , Shang Huijian
Published: November 2020

Esterification of 2‐Keto‐gulonic acid is an important process in the production of vitamin C. The traditional esterification reaction process improves the esterification rate with large energy consumption. In this study, the mass transfer model of the pervapouration process was established based on the separation effect of the zeolite membrane. The mass transfer rule was studied, and the reaction‐membrane separation coupling technology was applied to the esterification process of 2‐Keto‐L‐gulonic acid and ethanol. The esterification rate of 2‐Keto‐L‐gulonic acid was increased to 95.37%. At this time, the reaction conditions were as follows: (a) the temperature was 55°C, (b) the alkyd molar ratio was 40.31:1, and (c) and the feed rate was 20.77 mL · min−1.
Effect of biologic materials on the outcomes of horizontal alveolar ridge augmentation: A retrospective study
Authors: Deeb Janina Golob , Reichert Amy , Carrico Caroline K. , Laskin Daniel M. , Deeb George R.
Published: November 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to investigate if the addition of biologic agents to a particulate bone graft enhances horizontal ridge augmentation outcomes in terms of bone dimensions, bone density, and successful implant placement.

Materials and Methods

A retrospective chart review was done to assess the clinical and radiographic outcomes in 52 horizontal ridge augmentation sites in 43 patients. Information was gathered regarding surgical technique, type of graft material, biologic agents used (PRP or rhPDGF‐BB), method of space maintenance, and achieved alveolar ridge width and bone density changes as quantified on CBCT scans.

Results

The use of tenting screws, a resorbable membrane, and a combination of particulate allogenic and xenogenic bone graft material provided an average horizontal bone gain of 3.6 mm in the 52 augmented sites. There was no statistically significant difference observed in the amount of horizontal bone gain between sites treated with the addition of biologic agents (n = 21), or with a particulate bone graft alone (n = 31). A marginally statistically significant difference was found in the density of the grafted bone with the addition of biologics (p value = .0653).

Conclusion

The addition of biologic agents to the graft materials did not have a significant effect on the amount of horizontal bone gain or successful implant placement; however, it marginally enhanced the bone density of the grafted area.
Classical and genomic prediction of hybrid sweet corn performance in organic environments
Authors: Zystro Jared , Peters Tessa , Miller Kathleen , Tracy William F.
Published: November 2020

Plant breeders need efficient systems to identify which inbreds to combine to create new hybrid cultivars. The North Carolina Design II (NC DII) is a useful mating design to evaluate the potential of hybrid varieties and their inbred parents. Genomic best linear unbiased prediction (GBLUP) models, either with or without the inclusion of a dominance term in the model, have been found to be an efficient method for using rich marker sets for prediction. This study used marker data and phenotypic data collected in 11 organic trials across six locations on 40 inbred sweet corn (Zea mays L.) genotypes and 100 hybrid progenies formed from four disconnected NC DII mating blocks to predict performance of untested sweet corn hybrids. In 2017, validation trials of 24 previously untested hybrids were grown in five organic environments to assess the correlation between actual performance and the performance predicted by GBLUP or NC DII general combining abilities (GCAs). Fivefold cross‐validation accuracy ranged from 0.29 to 0.82 for the GBLUP predictions based on additive effects alone (GBLUP‐A) and from 0.70 to 0.91 for GBLUP predictions based on combined additive and dominance effects (GBLUP‐AD). For all traits except flavor, addition of dominance effects to the model increased the cross‐validation accuracy. Correlations between values measured in the 2017 validation trials and values predicted from the 2015 and 2016 training trials ranged from 0.36 to 0.92 for GCA‐based predictions, from 0.34 to 0.94 for the additive GBLUP model, and from 0.38 to 0.92 for the additive plus dominance GBLUP model.
Long noncoding RNA CASC11 promotes hepatocarcinogenesis and HCC progression through EIF4A3‐mediated E2F1 activation
Authors: Song Hang , Liu Yan , Li Xinquan , Chen Shuhua , Xie Rongzhang , Chen Dabao , Gao Huawu , Wang Guoquan , Cai Biao , Yang Xiangyu
Published: November 2020

Background

Growing evidences have been revealing that long noncoding RNAs are vital factors in oncogenesis and tumor development. Among them, cancer susceptibility candidate 11 (CASC11) has displayed an impressively essential role in various kinds of cancers including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Nevertheless, its role and potential mechanism in HCC still remain to be fully investigated.

Methods

CASC11 expression level was evaluated by real‐time polymerase chain reaction, western blotting, and in situ hybridization staining in HCC patients, and its prognostic effect was analyzed. The role of CASC11 in HCC tumorigenesis and progression was investigated by cell proliferation assay, transwell assay, extracellular acidification rate, western blotting, flow cytometry, and an in vivo xenograft model. The interactions among CASC11, E2F transcription factor 1 (E2F1), and eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4A3 (EIF4A3) were explored by using quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction, western blotting, RNA‐binding protein immunoprecipitation assay, and chromatin immunoprecipitation assays.

Results

Upregulation of CASC11 was confirmed in HCC tissues and associated with poor prognosis. Loss of function assays showed inhibition of CASC11 expression suppressed HCC cells proliferation, mobility, and glucose metabolism and promoted apoptosis. E2F1 expression significantly decreased after inhibition of CASC11. Rescue experiments illustrated that E2F1 overexpression alleviated the suppression of CASC11 inhibition on HCC progression in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, CASC11 recruited EIF4A3 to enhance the stability of E2F1 mRNA. CASC11 and E2F1 impacted the activation of the NF‐κB signaling and PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway and further regulated the expression PD‐L1 that is an important target of immunotherapy. In addition, we identified YY1 could modulate CASC11 expression by binding to its promoter.

Conclusions

Our data revealed that CASC11 promoted the progression of HCC by means of EIF4A3‐mediated E2F1 upregulation, indicating CASC11 is a promising diagnostic biomarker and therapeutic target for HCC.
A correlation study between thyroid imaging report and data systems and the Bethesda system for reporting thyroid cytology with surgical follow‐up‐ an ultrasound‐trained cytopathologist's experience
Authors: Wu Maoxin
Published: November 2020

Introduction

Thyroid Imaging Reporting and Data Systems (TI‐RADS) including a modified system (M TI‐RADS) and American College Radiology (ACR) TI‐RADS are introduced. Correlation studies between both TI‐RADSs and The Bethesda System for Reporting Thyroid Cytology (TBSRTC) for Ultrasound‐guided fine‐needle aspiration (US‐FNA) cases with surgical follow‐up (SFU) are presented.

Materials and Methods

Three hundred and forty six thyroid US‐FNA cases performed at the US‐FNA clinic of Stony Brook University Hospital by an Ultrasound‐trained interventional Cytopathologist between December 1, 2014 to February 28, 2018 were reviewed. All ultrasound images from 346 cases were evaluated and assigned M TI‐RADS scores based on ultrasound features present in Table 1. One hundred and fifty four cases from Dcember 1, 2014 to February 28, 2016 were assigned scores using ACR TI‐RADS.TBSRTC category along with SFU data was collected and correlated with both TI‐RADS scores by using Pearson's correlation coefficient (r). Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV), and overall accuracy for M TI‐RADS and TBSRTC were also calculated using SFU diagnosis as a gold standard. McNemar test was applied to evaluate the significance of the difference between M TI‐RADS and TBSRTC.

Results

Based on 346 thyroid nodules studied, the overall r‐value between M TI‐RADS scores and TBSRTC categories is 0.465. The r‐values between Composition, Echogenicity, Shape, Margin, Echogenic foci, the summary points, and the converted TR level of ACR TI‐RADS and TBSRTC are 0.145, 0.042, 0.259, 0.310, 0.405, and 0.379, respectively. Fifty (14.5%) cases have SFUs. Considering TI‐RADS 5&6 and TBSRTC 5&6 as positives, and TI‐RADS 2 and TBSRTC 2 as negatives, the Sensitivity, Specificity, PPV, NPV, and accuracy are 96%, 53%, 76%, 89%, 79% for TI‐RADS vs 100%, 93%, 96%, 100%, 97% for TBSRTC, respectively (P = .038). The data for indeterminate cases are summarized.

Conclusion

Both TI‐RADSs could be helpful to a moderate degree. M TI‐RADS appeared to correlate to TBSRTC slightly better than that of ACR TI‐RADS. TBSRTC is significantly more accurate than M TI‐RADS for the majority of determined cases.
Low temperature has opposite effects on sex determination in a marine fish at the larval/postlarval and juvenile stages
Authors: Vandeputte Marc , Clota Frédéric , Sadoul Bastien , Blanc Marie‐Odile , Blondeau‐Bidet Eva , Bégout Marie‐Laure , Cousin Xavier , Geffroy Benjamin
Published: November 2020

Temperature‐dependent sex determination (TSD) can be observed in multiple reptile and fish species. It is adaptive when varying environmental conditions advantage either males or females. A good knowledge of the thermosensitive period is key to understand how environmental changes may lead to changes in population sex ratio. Here, by manipulating temperature during development, we confirm that cold temperature (16°C) increases the proportion of fish that develop as females in European sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax) until 56 days posthatching, but show that it has an opposite effect at later stages, with the proportion of males reaching ~90% after 230 days at 16°C. This is the first observation of opposite effects of temperature at different time periods on the sex ratio of a vertebrate. Our results highlight the potential complexity of environmental effects on sex determination.
Challenges of influencing cellular morphology by morphology engineering techniques and mechanical induced stress on filamentous pellet systems—A critical review
Authors: Böl Markus , Schrinner Kathrin , Tesche Sebastian , Krull Rainer
Published: November 2020

Filamentous microorganisms are main producers of organic acids, enzymes, and pharmaceutical agents such as antibiotics and other active pharmaceutical ingredients. With their complex cell morphology, ranging from dispersed mycelia to dense pellets, the cultivation is challenging. In recent years, various techniques for tailor‐made cell morphologies of filamentous microorganisms have been developed to increase product formation and have been summarised under the term morphology engineering. These techniques, namely microparticle‐enhanced cultivation, macroparticle‐enhanced cultivation, and alteration of the osmolality of the culture medium by addition of inorganic salts, the salt‐enhanced cultivation, are presented and discussed in this review. These techniques have already proven to be useful and now await further proof‐of‐concept. Furthermore, the mechanical behaviour of individual pellets is of special interest for a general understanding of pellet mechanics and the productivity of biotechnological processes with filamentous microorganisms. Correlating them with substrate uptake and finally with productivity would be a breakthrough not to be underestimated for the comprehensive characterisation of filamentous systems. So far, this research field is under‐represented. First results on filamentous pellet mechanics are discussed and important future aspects, which the filamentous expert community should deal with, will be presented and critically discussed.
A Brief Review on High‐Performance Capacitive Deionization Enabled by Intercalation Electrodes
Authors: Liu Zhenzhen , Shang Xu , Li Haibo , Liu Yong
Published: November 2020

Owing to the advantages of cost‐effectiveness, environmental‐friendliness and high desalination capacity, capacitive deionization (CDI) has emerged as an advanced desalination technique. Recently, the ions intercalation materials inspired by sodium ion batteries have been widely implemented in CDI due to their exceptional salt removal capacity. They are able to extract sodium ions from the brine through intercalation or redox reactions, instead of electrostatic forces associated with the carbonaceous electrode. As a result, the ions intercalation materials have caught the attention of the CDI research community. In this article, the recent progress in various sodium ion intercalation materials as highly‐efficient CDI electrodes is summarized and reviewed. Further, an outlook on the future development of ion intercalation electrodes is proposed.
Emotion processing and regulation in major depressive disorder: A 7T resting‐state fMRI study
Authors: Ebneabbasi Amir , Mahdipour Mostafa , Nejati Vahid , Li Meng , Liebe Thomas , Colic Lejla , Leutritz Anna Linda , Vogel Matthias , Zarei Mojtaba , Walter Martin , Tahmasian Masoud
Published: November 2020

Dysfunctions in bottom‐up emotion processing (EP), as well as top‐down emotion regulation (ER) are prominent features in pathophysiology of major depressive disorder (MDD). Nonetheless, it is not clear whether EP‐ and ER‐related areas are regionally and/or connectively disturbed in MDD. In addition, it is yet to be known how EP‐ and ER‐related areas are interactively linked to regulatory behavior, and whether this interaction is disrupted in MDD. In our study, regional amplitude of low frequency fluctuations (ALFF) and whole‐brain functional connectivity (FC) of meta‐analytic‐driven EP‐ and ER‐related areas were compared between 32 healthy controls (HC) and 20 MDD patients. Then, we aimed to investigate whether the EP‐related areas can predict the ER‐related areas and regulatory behavior in both groups. Finally, the brain–behavior correlations between the EP‐ and ER‐related areas and depression severity were assessed. We found that: (a) affective areas are regionally and/or connectively disturbed in MDD; (b) EP‐ER interaction seems to be disrupted in MDD; overburden of emotional reactivity in amygdala may inversely affect cognitive control processes in prefrontal cortices, which leads to diminished regulatory actions. (c) Depression severity is correlated with FC of affective areas. Our findings shed new lights on the neural underpinning of affective dysfunctions in depression.
Contrast‐Enhanced Ultrasonography–Based Hepatic Perfusion for Early Prediction of Prognosis in Acute Liver Failure
Authors: Kuroda Hidekatsu , Abe Tamami , Fujiwara Yudai , Nagasawa Tomoaki , Suzuki Yuji , Kakisaka Keisuke , Takikawa Yasuhiro
Published: November 2020

Background and Aims

Acute liver failure (ALF) is a rare but dramatic clinical syndrome characterized by massive hepatic necrosis leading to multiorgan failure. It is difficult to predict the outcomes in patients with ALF using existing prognostic models. We aimed to analyze hepatic perfusion using contrast‐enhanced ultrasound and Doppler ultrasound in patients with ALF and investigate its utility as a prognostic biomarker.

Approach and Results

In this prospective observational study, 208 patients with acute liver injury/ALF were enrolled from 2015 to 2019. We evaluated 50 consecutive patients with ALF with Doppler ultrasound and contrast‐enhanced ultrasound performed on admission. The cases were divided into the following two groups: survivors (recovered without surgical intervention) and nonsurvivors (died of ALF or underwent liver transplantation). The time to peak and peak intensity of hepatic artery, portal vein, hepatic vein, and liver parenchyma were calculated using the time‐intensity curve analysis. The hepatic artery (HA) resistive index was calculated using the fast Fourier transform analysis of Doppler ultrasound. The time interval (TI) between the time to peak of HA and liver parenchyma (LP) was significantly shorter in the nonsurvivors than in the survivors (P < 0.0001). The area under the receiver operating curve values for TI (HA, LP), Japanese scoring system, HE prediction model, Model for End‐Stage Liver Disease score, and King’s College Hospital criteria for the prediction of poor prognosis were 0.953, 0.914, 0.861, 0.816, and 0.731, respectively. The most appropriate cutoff value of TI (HA, LP) was 6.897 seconds; the sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values were 94.4%, 90.6%, 85.0%, and 96.7%, respectively.

Conclusions

TI (HA, LP) accurately predicts the outcome in patients with ALF and may be useful in clinical decision making.
Electrochemistry: Retrospect and Prospects
Authors: Shukla Ashok , Prem Kumar T.
Published: November 2020

Since the beginning of modern civilization, static electricity and later current electricity have been used to get to grips with many situations. The publication of Gilbert's De magnete in 1600 triggered a series of inventions such as Leyden jar (1745: von Kleist; van Musschenbrock) and torsion balance (1784: Charles Coulomb). Current electricity was discovered at the end of the eighteenth century. Humphry Davy's remarkable prescience that electricity could overcome the normal ‘chemical affinity’ that holds elements together was a gamechanger, ushering in an explosion of electrochemical science. Today, electrochemistry has transformed human life in ways unimaginable only decades ago. This article is an effort to reflect upon the role of electrochemistry in our search for solutions to everyday problems and its continuing forays into areas spanning the mundane to outer space.