bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Importance of Protected Areas for Socioeconomic Sustainability
Authors: Asteriou Marios Alkiviadis , Zarotiadis Grigoris
Published: August 2023

The unprecedented macroeconomic challenges emerging from the coronavirus pandemic has searing impact on the global economy altering the existing status quo. The unusual situation created by COVID-19 has clearly undermined the general approach toward sustainability. The impacts of COVID-19 questioned the progress on SDGs, threatening decades of development gains and further delaying the urgent transition to a greener world. The origins of emerging diseases correlate with environmental –land use change, human population density, and wildlife diversity. To prevent future pandemics and promote sustainable development, it is necessary to further embed ecosystem services into socioeconomic development. To this direction, it is evident that protected areas could play a crucial role, as their aim is to maintain the benefits provided by natural ecosystems. As the pandemic has devastating effects on fragile economies, further research implications emerge for the implementation of green development paths that favor conservation and sustainable development.
Toxicological Parameters and Risk Assessment of Some Novel Insecticides
Authors: Chand Akanksha
Published: August 2023

Pesticides are widely used in agriculture, horticulture, and public health to protect crops and control pests. However, pesticides can also pose a significant risk to human health and the environment, especially when used improperly or in excessive amounts. The toxicity of a pesticide is often expressed in terms of its lethal dose (LD) or lethal concentration (LC) values, which provide an estimate of the amount of the pesticide that can cause death in a specified population. In this chapter, the authors review the LD and LC values and explore the different factors that influence pesticide toxicity, such as the mode of action and formulation. Additionally, they present the toxicity ranges of selected pesticides commonly used in agriculture and public health and discuss the health effects associated with acute and chronic exposure to these chemicals. The chapter will conclude with a discussion of the regulatory frameworks governing pesticide use and the need for sustainable and integrated pest management practices.
A Comprehensive Study on Smart Farming for Transforming Agriculture Through Cloud and IoT
Authors: Poonia Ajay , Lakshmi D. , Garg Tanmay , Vishnuvarthanan G.
Published: August 2023

The amount of food produced in fields is directly proportional to the Earth's growing population. Taking into account the deteriorating climatic conditions and ineffective agricultural productivity, we must modernize our agricultural methods immediately. India is second in terms of agricultural performance. The main concerns that farmers have are crop rotation, fertilizer use, and irrigation. Due to technological advancements, farmers nowadays are unable to produce their crops to their maximum potential. The main focus is on utilizing contemporary technology in agriculture and using it to boost yield. We can now better estimate crop output thanks to the deployment of IoT in agriculture and cloud computing. Implementing IoT and cloud computing strategies is a way to overcome challenges in agriculture. This chapter gives a brief summary of the integration of cloud and IoT (internet of things) technologies into agricultural practices, which will make agricultural practices smarter.
Anti-Cancer Activity of Herbal Plants
Authors: Bharath A.
Published: August 2023

The human body is composed of millions of tiny cells, and each a self-contained living unit. Normal cells in the body grow and divide for a period of time and then stop growing and reproduce themselves as necessary to replace defective or dying cells. Cancer occurs when abnormal cellular reproduction process proceeds out of control. The abnormal growth and division of cells observed in cancer cells are caused by damage in these cells' DNA. The cellular DNA can become damaged and defective. As cancer cells divide and replicate themselves, they often form into a clump of cancer cells known as a tumour and cause the symptoms of cancer by destroying surrounding non-cancerous cells. Cancer treatment includes surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, biological therapy, hormone therapy, etc. Chemotherapy causes an array of traumatic side effects which includes sleep disturbance, appetite loss, hair loss, sore mouth, changes in taste, fever and infection, anxiety, depression, nausea, and vomiting.
Mushroom Polysaccharides as Biological Response Modifiers in Cancer Therapy
Authors: Meera C.R.
Published: August 2023

The rise in cancer statistics around the world is quite alarming. Cancer is treated by conventional methods like surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy. But all these methods have adverse side effects on the host and considerably weaken the immune system. A new promising strategy to manage cancers is immunotherapy which can be used in conjunction with conventional methods without affecting their efficacy. Mushrooms are a rich repertoire of various pharmacologically active components including anticancer agents. Mushroom polysaccharides are generally grouped under biological response modifiers (BRMs). Six mushroom-derived polysaccharides, Lentinan, Schizophyllan, Active hexose correlated compounds, Maitake D-fraction, Polysaccharide-Krestin, and Polysaccharide-Protein complex are commercially available as anticancer drugs in different parts of the world. Mushroom-derived drugs are safe for long-term use and will not produce any side effects. This chapter summarises the immunomodulatory mushroom polysaccharides and their usefulness in the prevention and treatment of cancer.
Is Prompt the Future?
Authors: Zhu Zhen , Wang Liting , Gu Dongmei , Wu Hong , Janfada Behrooz , Minaei-Bidgoli Behrouz
Published: August 2023

A vast amount of unstructured data is being generated in the age of big data. Relation extraction (RE) is the critical way to improve the utility of the data by extracting structured data, which has seen a great evolution in recent years. This paper first introduces five paradigms of RE, namely the rule-based paradigm, the machine learning paradigm, the deep learning model-based paradigm, and the two types of current mainstream methods with pretrained language models. Based on the RE scenario, a comprehensive introduction is made for the currently popular paradigm with prompt learning, which is investigated regarding four aspects. The main contributions of this paper are as follows. Since big models are too large to be easily trained, prompt learning has become a promising research direction for RE, our work is, therefore, a systematic introduction to this paradigm for RE and compared with traditional paradigms. In addition, this paper summarizes the current problems faced by RE tasks and proposes valuable research directions with prompt learning.
Corporate Volunteering Impacts
Authors: Alhinho Gil , Proença Teresa , Ferreira Marisa R.
Published: August 2023

Institutions such as the European Commission have committed themselves to promote corporate social responsibility (CSR) in their 2020 Strategy for Europe, being that an increasing number of companies are developing corporate volunteering (CV) as part of their CSR policy. The purpose of this paper is to study the impacts of CV implementation on three stakeholders: the company, the community, and the employees. Through a survey targeting employees with experience in CV, it was possible to conclude, generally, that the main perceived impact is increasing employee satisfaction level; that CV impacts are partially influenced by gender, the respondents' frequency in CV activities, and preferences; and, finally, that CV impacts are mainly explained in the company by self-serving purposes, in the community by the anticipation of benefits, and for employees by the social exchange, attribution, and identification psychological theories.
The Critical Need for Human Capital Measurement Standards and Transparency in Healthcare
Authors: Whiteman Heather , Charas Solange , Bui Hieu , Webster Lee S. , Gaskin James
Published: August 2023

Despite long histories, the disciplines of healthcare performance analytics and human capital analytics followed parallel but separate tracks during the 19th and 20th centuries. Little has been done to integrate these two analytic disciplines to improve the delivery of medical care and the sustainability of healthcare organizations. Today, there is an increased demand for healthcare to meet the aging world population, spiraling healthcare costs, and a shortage of human resources to meet patient needs. It is imperative that healthcare professionals apply innovations to explore and optimize value from a combined discipline of healthcare human capital measurement and reporting.
Effect of TIG-Welding on the Structure and Mechanical Properties of Low-Cost Titanium Alloy Ti-2.8Al-5.1Mo-4.9Fe Welded Joints
Authors: Akhonin S.V. , Belous V.Yu. , Selin R.V. , Schwab S.L.
Published: August 2023

Titanium alloys are widely used in aerospace, automotive, biomedical and marine engineering due to their good hot and cold processing properties, fracture toughness, high specific strength and good deformability. Nevertheless, titanium is also characterized by very high production costs, which are approximately 6 times and 30 times higher, respectively, in comparison to those to obtain the same quantity of aluminum or steel relegating titanium to high demanding sectors. One possible way to reduce the cost of titanium is to use cheaper alloying elements instead of vanadium or niobium to stabilize the body-centred-cubic (B.C.C) β-phase. TIG-welding of high-strength low-cost pseudo-β titanium alloys is complicated, primarily due to the high content of alloying elements, such as iron, molybdenum, as well as the use of oxygen as an alloying elements. By the correct choice of welding modes in most cases, it is possible to obtain welded joints of high-strength pseudo-β titanium alloys with good microstructure and mechanical properties. To study the influence of TIG welding on the structure and mechanical properties of low-cost titanium alloy Ti–2.8Al–5.1Mo–4.9Fe, two types of TIG-welding chosen: standard fusion TIG welding and TIG welding on the thin flux layer.
Welding Joint Made of Two Different Austenitic Materials
Authors: Đorđević Branislav , Vučetić Filip , Sedmak Aleksandar , Aranđelović Mihajlo , Sedmak Simon
Published: August 2023

Using austenitic steel in welding structures requires both destructive and non-destructive testing (NDT) to approve the use of intended welding specification, but also testing of material properties, even if they are guaranteed by manufacturer. In this particular case, X2CrNiMo17-12-2 (commercial trademark AISI 316L) is the material that has to be partly replaced by NiCr21Mo (commercial trademark Incoloy 825) in a piece of process equipment exposed to elevated temperature and highly corrosive environment. This research presents an investigation of overmatching V groove welded joint made of these two austenitic steels. Due to materials properties and specific application conditions, low heat input TIG welding was utilized. Mechanical properties of welded joint have been examined to check criteria which guarantees safe work and integrity of welded components. Chemical composition of used filler material was close to the one of NiCr21Mo alloy, providing weld overmatching, which needs to be checked as well. Mechanical testing (tensile, bending, impact, hardness), macro-and microstructure analysis provided detailed insight into welded joint characteristics and a ground for further investigation concerning heterogeneous austenitic welded joint, taking into account overmatching effect.
Experiments on Gas-Metal-Arc Welding (MAG) with Combined Spin-Arc and Weaving Facilities, for Interdisciplinary Applications
Authors: Câmpurean Adrian M. , Sîrbu Nicuşor Alin , Verbiţchi Victor , Duma Iuliana , Popescu Radu Nicolae
Published: August 2023

The article presents experiments for the development of the welding technology for plates of the steel S355JR, according to EN 10025-2:2004, for ship building and harbor structures.Marine steel plate grades for ship hull, according to ABS, American Bureau of Shipping, are presented, compared with the S355JR steel.For applications on board ships, the standard EN ISO 5778:1998 is also mentioned. It specifies the materials and quality levels for small weathertight steel hatches.The filler metal is the copper-coated, manganese-silicon-alloyed solid wire, type SG-3, according to EN ISO 14341:2020. The shielding gas is the gas mixture CORGON 18/82, according to EN ISO 14175:2008, type M21.As a welding travel unit, the modular drive system MDS-1, made by the company BUG-O Systems, of USA was used. It has the following main components: 1- rack-based track; 2- carriage; 3- master drive unit; 4- clutch; 5- weaver control module; 6- linear weaver unit; 7- linear weaver cross arm; 8- gun mounting group; 9- welding gun.The welding source is the Inverter MIG 300 A type, manufactured by Mahe GmbH, Germany.The sizes of the two plates for the welding test piece are: length 700 mm; width 200 mm; thickness 15 mm, I groove with 8 mm gap.The welding parameters used for all the layers (root, fill #1 - fill #4) are presented in a common table, for comparison.The parameter ranges are as follows: welding current 177-251 A; welding voltage 21.9-23.1 V; wire advance speed 6.5-7.2 m/min; shielding gas flow rate 20.8-21.8 liters/min; welding speed 20-45 cm/min. A special spin-arc welding method was applied on all weld layers. The execution of the welding test piece is described with specific details and photos.Upon visual inspection after the execution of each layer, the appearance is adequate. No defects or imperfections are observed.On ultrasonic examination, the results are adequate.Metallographic examination, tensile, bending and Charpy V impact tests are presented with appropriate results.The conclusions mention the adequate results obtained, regarding the ranges of the welding parameters and the use of the innovative spin-arc technology. Possible applications of the S355JR steel are recommended.The references present titles related to ship building steels, filler metal, shielding gas, welding equipment and some specific technologies.
Determination of Mechanical Properties for Laser Welded Turbine Rotor Assemblies for Automotive Turbocharger Applications
Authors: Duma Iuliana , Popescu Radu Nicolae , Geana Alexandru Adrian , Marin-Corciu Matei , Perianu Ion Aurel , Mnerie Gabriela-Victoria
Published: August 2023

To meet the demands of higher speeds, higher power density and the ability to adapt to harsh operating environments over a long period of time, structural designers use various materials to fabricate rotor parts for turbine assemblies. This introduces high requirements for stable rotation and rotor life. It is therefore important to analyse and determine the mechanical properties for a turbine rotor taking into account the manufacturing process. This paper focuses on laboratory mechanical testing for determination and analysis of turbine components consisting of a rotor, from 42CrMo4 (DIN EN 10083-3) and a turbine, made from Inconel 713C in laser welded assembly. The tests carried out consists of tensile testing for the turbine – rotor assembly, microhardness measurements, macro and microscopic examinations of the welded joint. The obtained results stand as a validation for the welding process technology used for this type of application ensuring the superior mechanical characteristics required for operation in harsh enviornments.
Theoretical Investigation of Optoelectronics Properties of Titanium Dichalcogenides Materials TiX2 (X=S, Se, Te) Using Quantum Espresso
Authors: Guesmi Ibtissam , Bouammali Mohammed Amine , Malki Siham , Darhi Zakariae , Challioui Allal , El Farh Larbi
Published: August 2023

In this work, we present the results of the calculation of the electronic and optical properties of titanium dichalcogenide materials TiX2 (X=S, Se, Te). These calculations were performed using the QUANTUM-ESPRESSO package, based on the density functional theory and the pseudopotential technique. The results obtained showed that TiS2 is a semi-metallic compound, this character is due to a very small overlap between the density of states p-orbitals of S and d-orbitals of the Ti atom in the vicinity of the Fermi level. While TiSe2 and TiTe2 indicate the metallic characters. At the Fermi level, the total density of states is 0.77 states/eV and 1.13 states/eV for both compounds respectively. On the other hand, the optical properties of these materials such as the real and imaginary parts of dielectric function ε1 and ε2, respectively, the refractive index, the absorption, the reflectivity, and the loss function were investigated based on Kramers-Kroning relations in the energy range of 0 to 20 eV. In the infrared region, the reflectivity spectrum R(ω) is close to 100% for TiX2 (X= S, Se, Te), suggesting their potential application as a good coating material.
Examination of Three-Layered Clinch Joints
Authors: Kovács Péter Zoltán , Jónás Szabolcs
Published: August 2023

The reliable operation of an engineering structure is highly influenced by the joints of its structural elements. The selection of the applied joints is often determined by the function of the structure. In addition, the requirements for joints must be considered: strength, elongation, sealing, mobility, assembly, safety against loosening, feasibility, economy, design, etc. of the joint. The range of sheet materials used in the vehicle industry is very broad: manufacturers can choose the most suitable materials for a given purpose from a wide selection of materials, and it is also common to use sheets of several types of materials, with different thicknesses and physical and chemical properties, within a structural element. However, these sheets need to be combined in some way to produce a proper final product design. For combining thin sheet material, several different joining technologies are known. The aim of the study is the examination of clinched joints made of aluminium due to the highly increasing percentage of aluminium sheet usage in car bodies. The applied materials are EN AW 5754 and EN AW-1050 with different thicknesses. The joints were analysed by FEA and experimentally tested as well.
Review of Recent Laser Technology of Development Multi Qubit Gates Using Ion Trap Method
Authors: Atiya Abdulkader H. , Al-Temimi Mohammed
Published: August 2023

The qubit technology using Trapped ions are taking the systems for practical quantum computing (QC). The normal requirements to achieve quantum supremacy have all been studied with ions, and quantum algorithms use ion-qubit systems have been implemented. I cover in this study many points regarding the concept of Qubit through Ion Trap, near application, and experiments also explore the Multi gates, Hybrid gates implementations
Transport Properties Study of ZnSb Compound Using BoltzTrap First-Principles
Authors: Malki Siham , Darhi Zakaria , Guesmi Ibtissam , El Farh Larbi , Challioui Allal
Published: August 2023

In the last few years, materials that may have favorable thermoelectric properties have aroused great interest, because they have the ability to generate electricity through the thermoelectric effect. In this work, the temperature effect on the transport properties of a ZnSb compound having an orthorhombic structure is studied, using the local density approximation with the modified approach of Becke and Johnson (LDA + mBJ), within the framework of density functional theory (DFT). To do this, we use the BoltzTrap package implemented in the Wien2k code, with a constant relaxation time of the charge carriers. All transport properties were studied in the temperature range of 300 to 600 K. Moreover, for high temperatures, the prediction of the figure of merit of ZnSb indicates that the compound is much more suitable for thermoelectric devices. Also, the Pauli magnetic susceptibility of zinc antimonide showed that this material is non-magnetic.
The Behaviour of Hybrid Aluminium-Steel Resistance Spot Welded Joints in Case of Dynamic Loading
Authors: Cserépi Mariann Fodorné , Meilinger Ákos
Published: August 2023

Hybrid joints between aluminium and steel are used sometimes in case of thin sheets for example for a car body. Resistance welding for this joining challenge is not frequently used, but the resistance welded joints basically have good mechanical properties. During resistance spot joining of these hybrid joints, fusion between the two materials cannot occur, but with the right technological parameters an intermetallic compound (IMC) appears in the joint line. The properties of the IMC have significant effect to the joint properties, because the researchers basically investigate this. The original static mechanical tests can show good, comparable results for the joint properties. If we see the dynamic tests basically really difficult to find results in case of spot welding of steels and joining of hybrid aluminium – steel joints. The aim of this paper to show the dynamic properties of these hybrid joints. During our investigation DP600 dual-phase steel was used as the steel part because this grade is frequently used in a car chassis. For the aluminium part, two types of aluminium were applied: non-heat treatable 5754-H22 alloy, and heat-treatable 6082-T6 alloy. The different aluminium alloys have different properties, so different technological parameter combinations were used. To test the resistance of hybrid joints against dynamic loading, instrumented impact tests were performed. This special impact test is considered as an impact-bending test, because the load is perpendicular to the welded point joint. Force – time diagrams of impact tests were shown too in this paper. The intermetallic compound is necessary for joint, but it is very brittle with very big hardness, but in case of dynamic testing this hardness has no significant effect, so these specimens show good result in case of dynamic loading. The two different aluminium – steel joints show different resistance against dynamic loading, and the fracture modes were different too.
Comparative Analysis of the Quality of some Welded Joints Made in Maintenance Interventions in the Food Industry
Authors: Nagy Vasile , Mnerie Gabriela-Victoria , Popescu Radu Nicolae , Milea Cristian
Published: August 2023

In the food industry, food safety largely depends on the quality of the surfaces that meet the food. Their various imperfections can become dangerous areas of contamination. The manufacturer of industrial equipment has imposed rules in this regard. This paper highlights certain violations of these rules in the maintenance interventions, carried out in improper conditions at the food processor's headquarters. Some quality control methods of these welded joints are presented, specifying some correlations of surface imperfections with the risks of contamination of the food product. Some corrective measures contained in the European hygienic design guide are also highlighted, with the particularities imposed on welding technologies.
Capacitor Energy Storage Welding of Ni63Cr12Fe4Si8B13 Amorphous Ribbons
Authors: Draganescu Dragos , Codrean Cosmin , Buzdugan Dragoş , Bena Traian , Mitelea Ion , Perianu Ion Aurel
Published: August 2023

Ni-based metallic amorphous alloys in ribbons shape are used in the manufacture of electrical resistances due to their high electrical resistivity, a value that does not change with temperature. The production of such resistances involves joining processes of amorphous ribbons. The amorphous alloys are difficult to weld by conventional melting processes, even in the presence of inert gas. Consequently, this paper presents the research carried out regarding the capacitor energy storage welding technique of Ni63Cr12Fe4Si8B13 amorphous ribbons. The structural analysis was done by microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and differential scanning calorimetry, and the mechanical behavior was determined by nanoindentation. The joints obtained showed that the proposed welding technology is appropriate for this type of joint.
Prevalence of overweight and obesity among women in two medical officer of health areas in Kalutara District
Authors: Herath Deshani , Kasturiratne Anuradhani
Published: August 2023

Introduction: Overweight and obesity are rising burdens in the w orld. Gender disparities in its prevalence are more evident in developing countries compared to developed countries. Objectives: To determine the prevalence of overweight and obesity  among 35-44-year-old women in Bandaragama and Horana Medical Officer of Health (MOH) areas Methods: This was a community-based descriptive cross-sectional  study conducted among 770 women aged 35-44 years residing in two MOH areas of Kalutara District for the l ast six months at the time of data collection. Overweight/obesity were assessed on the Asian cutoff values recommended by the WHO based on body mass index (BMI). The prevalence was estimated with 95% confidence interval (CI). Results: The prevalence of overweight in Bandaragama and Horana  MOH areas was 41.35% (95% CI: 37.9, 44.81) and 39.7% (95% CI: 36.3, 43.2), respectively, while the correspondi ng prevalence of obesity was 36.1% (95% CI: 32.8, 39.6) and 26.6% (95% CI: 16.4, 39.1). Conclusions & Recommendations: The prevalence of overweight /obesity among women aged 35-44 years was relatively high. Barriers to a healthy lifestyle, women's role in the  household and existing service gaps at primary healthcare level should be considered when preventive measures ar e introduced to reduce this burden.
A school-based intervention to reduce bullying among adolescents – Experience from a rural setting in Sri Lanka
Authors: Rupananda Dilini , Dissanayake Devani , Lokubalasooriya Ayesha
Published: August 2023

Introduction: Bullying is a widespread problem among school going adolescents which causes significant impact on their mental wellbeing. It is important to implement necessary action to reduce bullying and promote mental health of the students.Objectives: To develop, implement a school-based intervention with multiple approaches and assess the effectiveness of it to reduce bullying among adolescent students of Kegalle District in Sri LankaMethods: Components of the intervention were developed involving different stakeholders related to adolescent mental health promotion in school setting. A quasi-experimental study was conducted in Kegalle Educational Zone and two schools were purposively selected for the intervention and control group.Results: Developed and implemented intervention was effective in reducing overall bullying and physical, verbal and relational bullying victimization among students (p≤0.001).Conclusions & Recommendations: The intervention developed with multiple approaches effectively improved the bullying victimization among school going adolescents in the intervention group after three months of the implementation.
Meteorological data prediction over selected stations in Sub-Sahara Africa: Leveraging on Machine Learning Algorithm
Authors: Adebayo Segun , Aweda Francis O. , Ojedokun Isaac A. , Agbolade James A.
Published: August 2023

This study investigated selected meteorological data prediction leveraging on a Machine Learning Algorithm Approach over five selected stations in Nigeria. The algorithm of Machine Learning was explored using weather parameters such as temperature, wind speed, wind direction and relative humidity to predict the rainfall rate. In the results, five Gaussian models (i.e., Rational Quadratic, Squared Exponential, Matern 5/2, Exponential and Optimized GPR) revealed different Root Mean Square Error (RMSE), Mean Square Error (MSE), and Mean Absolute Error (MAE) with prediction speeds ranging from 15000 to 26000 and the training time included 7.936, 1.8923, 2.3701, 3.267 and 282.19, respectively. The predicted response as against the true response for the two models shows a linear graph passing through the origin which confirmed a perfect regression model, where all the points lie on a diagonal line. Therefore, the relationship between MSE, MAE and RMSE for different models revealed that the optimized GPR has a better performance as compared to others. More so, visualizing the relationship between the output variable (rainfall) and each input variable reveals that some input variables (relative humidity, rainfall, pressure, wind speed and direction) have a strong correlation with the output variable (rainfall), with others having a noisy relationship which is not very clear.
Zooplankton community structure of a tropical lake in a Northcentral State, Nigeria
Authors: Ebesi Elvis Joefaith , Mohammed Yakubu Manbe , Iloba Kate Isioma , Adamu Kabir Mohammed , Adama Solomon Bake
Published: August 2023

One of the biological components that play a vital role in the ecological integrity of an aquatic ecosystem is zooplankton. These organisms are good indicators of stressors, especially anthropogenic stressors in their environment. Thus, there is a need to study the diversity in a diversified freshwater lake (Dangana Lake) in order to provide baseline information and knowledge on the status of the lake for proper and adequate water preservation and conservation. In addition to the zooplankton structure determination, the study also examined the physicochemical parameters of the Lake. Three sampling sites were identified with distinct characteristics where water and zooplankton samples were collected for physicochemical analyses and biotic identification using standard protocols. Sampling was conducted for a duration of eight months. The monitored physicochemical parameters, i.e., temperature, dissolved oxygen (DO), biochemical oxygen demand (BOD5) and pH revealed no significant difference (p>0.05) among sampling sites. However, significance (p<0.05) amongst sampling sites was recorded in electrical conductivity, nitrate and phosphate. Seasonally, there was a significant difference (p<0.05) among sampling months in all the monitored parameters. A total of ten species of zooplankton were recorded with four species each of rotifera and copepoda and two species of cladocera. The order of abundance of zooplankton population was rotifera (56.39%), copepoda (29.18%) and cladocera (14.42%). Zooplankton population was significantly (p<0.05) higher during the dry season than in the rainy season. The Canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) revealed a strong correlation between the zooplankton and physicochemical parameters. Ipso-facto, the lake exhibited spatiotemporal changes in zooplankton composition and physicochemical parameters during the sampling period.
PRPF19 Promotes the Proliferation, Migration, and Inhibits Autophagy in Prostate Cancer by Suppressing SLC40A1
Authors: Zhang Guofei , Zhang Wansong , Dan Mingjiang , Zou Feng , Qiu Chunming , Sun Canbiao
Published: August 2023

Prostate cancer (PCa) is a common cancer and the leading cause of cancer-related death in men. To investigate the role of pre-mRNA processing factor 19 (PRPF19) in proliferation, migration of PCa, and evaluate the potential ability of PRPF19 as a therapeutic target. PRPF19 expression was analyzed from The Cancer Genome Atlas and GEPIA databank. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was performed to evaluate the transcription of PRPF9 and solute carrier family 40 member 1 (SLC40A1). Immunohistochemistry (IHC) was used to test PRPF9 expression in PCa tissues. The cell viability and 5-ethynyl-2′-deoxyuridine incorporation analysis were performed to assess cell proliferation. Transwell assay was performed to investigate the migration and invasion of cancer cells. Western blot was used to measure the expression level of PRPF9, E-cadherin, Vimentin and α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), SLC40A1, LC3, Beclin-1 and ATG7. Immunofluorescence assay was performed to measure LC3 expression in PCa cells. The bioinformatic analysis revealed PRPF19 was highly expressed in PCa which was certified by qRT-PCR, western blot and IHC detection in PCa tissues. The proliferation of PCa cells could be promoted by PRPF19 overexpression and suppressed by PRPF19 knockdown. Moreover, the migration and invasion of PCa cells could be positively regulated by PRPF19 which promoted the expression of E-cadherin, Vimentin, and α-SMA. Furthermore, the expression of LC3, Beclin-1, and ATG7 was negatively regulated by PRPF19, indicating that PRPF19 inhibited autophagy in PCa cells. In the double knockdown of PRPF19 and SLC40A1, PRPF19 repressed the mRNA and reduced protein level of SLC40A1, and SLC40A1 antagonized effects of PRPF19 on proliferation, migration and autophagy of PCa cells. PRPF19 promoted proliferation and migration, and inhibited autophagy in PCa by attenuating SLC40A1 expression, indicating PRPF19 was a potential therapeutic target for PCa treatment.
B-Cell Lymphoma of Mandible: A Unique Case Report with Diagnostic Perplexity
Authors: Chatterjee Rudra Prasad , Shome Sayani , Dutta Kaushik
Published: August 2023

Lymphoma in the jaw bone is a rare malignant neoplasm with heterogeneous nature diagnosis of which requires utmost knowledge of cellular morphology and tissue architecture. The lineage of the neoplastic lymphocytes, whether it is B- or T-cell or mixed in nature, is designated by cluster of differentiation numbers. Broad classification of malignant lymphoma includes Hodgkin’s and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma which have various subtypes. An unusual case of a B-cell lymphoma in the mandible in a middle-aged male patient is presented herewith clinicopathological and immunohistochemical features.
Electrophysiological Study in the Right Upper and Lower Limbs in Infants with Lumbosacral Meningomyelocele and in Normal Infants: A Case–control Study
Authors: Debbarma Aparna , Chowdhary Sarita , Bhagat Priyanka
Published: August 2023

Objective:

The study aimed to assess the electrophysiological parameters (Hofmann reflex [H-reflex] and motor nerve conduction velocity [MNCV]) on children’s upper and lower limbs with lumbosacral meningomyelocele (MMC) and age-matched control to see the effect of the MMC on the cervical segment of the spinal cord.

Materials and Methods:

The present study was performed on infants with lumbosacral MMC. Twenty-five infants were examined with a mean age of 50 days of either sex. Out of them, 13 infants were in control and the remaining 12 were diagnosed with MMC. The H-reflex parameter and MNCV were recorded in these children’s right upper and lower limbs.

Results:

H-reflex was elicited in all the control group babies. In MMC, the H-reflex was elicited in the upper limbs. However, H-reflex was not elicited in the lower limbs of a few MMC babies. The upper limb’s H-reflex parameters and conduction velocity were significantly higher than those corresponding lower limbs in control babies. In MMC, where the H-reflex was elicited, such differences in the lower and upper limbs were not observed. However, the values of MNCV in the upper limb (right median nerve) were significantly less, and the values of Hmax in the lower limb (soleus muscle) were significantly more in MMC babies than in the control group.

Conclusions:

The values of electrophysiological parameters were higher in the upper limbs as compared to the corresponding lower limbs in control. These values were not altered in the upper limbs than those corresponding lower limbs of MMC, suggesting that motor function development was impaired/delayed in the spinal segment cranial to MMC lesion, and motor impairment in MMC children is mostly a result of upper motor neuron dysfunction.
Prevalence of High-dose Antipsychotic Prescribing in Schizophrenia: A Clinical Audit in a Regional Queensland Mental Health Service
Authors: Luthra Shalini , Duggan Lorna , Agrawal Aanchal , Kaur Gurpreeti , Luthra Neeru
Published: August 2023

Background:

Antipsychotic medication is widely recognized as a critical intervention in both acute and ongoing treatments of schizophrenia. Guidelines endorse the routine practice of monotherapy with antipsychotic medication at the minimum effective dose. Despite the recommendations, high-dose antipsychotic prescribing and polytherapy appear to be common practice.

Objective:

The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of high-dose antipsychotic prescribing in adult patients with schizophrenia in a regional Queensland hospital and to know if the prescribing practices are in keeping with the international guidelines and with the local policy introduced in December 2017.

Methods:

This was a cross-sectional survey/clinical audit of 358 adult patients with schizophrenia open to the service in both community and inpatient settings. The individual prescribing practices of psychiatrists were also examined.

Results:

A minority (15%) were prescribed high doses (high-dose single agent and high dose by polytherapy) and 20% were prescribed polytherapy (including high dose and within normal dose range).

Conclusion:

Eighty-five percent of the patients with the diagnosis of schizophrenia open to the service were prescribed antipsychotic within the dose range. In this respect, prescribing was aligned with current evidence-based guidelines.
Targeting CXCR4-expressing Cancer Cells with Avidin-poly (lactic-co-glycolic acid) Nanoparticle Surface Modified with Biotinylated DV1 Peptide
Authors: Ansari Shiba , Mudassir Madeeha , Vijayalekshmi B. , Chattopadhyay Parthaprasad
Published: August 2023

Background:

Chemokine receptor CXCR4 is frequently present in cells of various cancers. Hence, targeted therapy using CXCR4 ligands, such as DV1 peptide, on drug-loaded nanoparticles, has the potential to enhance the efficiency of cancer treatment.

Aim:

The present study created a CXCR4-targeting drug delivery system using avidin-poly (lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) nanoparticle surface tagged with biotinylated DV1 peptide ligand.

Materials and Methods:

A double-emulsion solvent evaporation technique was employed to prepare avidin-PLGA nanoparticles and characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and dynamic light scattering. Uptake was studied by confocal microscopy after incorporating fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)-labeled albumin inside the nanoparticles during their synthesis. Peptide-biotin-avidin-PLGA nanoparticles were tested in vitro on CXCR4-expressing U87MG cells. Photomicroscopy was done by a Nikon A1 Confocal Microscope, and pictures were analyzed by Nikon NIS-Elements BR software.

Results:

Experimental results confirmed the specificity of DV1 peptide-tagged avidin-PLGA nanoparticles for cells expressing CXCR4 receptors. The avidin-PLGA nanoparticles were successfully synthesized and the same was confirmed by tagging them with FITC-labeled biotin.

Conclusion:

Avidin-PLGA nanoparticle surface tagged with biotinylated DV1 peptide ligand has potential clinical application in the treatment of various cancers as targeted therapy for CXCR4-expressing cancer cells.
A Comparative Study on Effectiveness of Parental Presence versus Sedative Premedication for Reducing Anxiety in Children Undergoing General Anesthesia
Authors: Jain Shalini , Patel Suruchi , Arora Kishore Kumar , Sharma Aseem
Published: August 2023

Background:

Preoperative anxiety is an important, yet often unattended problem in children. Minimizing anxiety and distress at the time of anesthetic induction may reduce adverse psychological and physiological outcomes. Sedative premedication and parental presence during anesthesia induction are among the most commonly employed strategies for reducing child anxiety.

Aims and Objective:

The study aimed to compare the effectiveness of a pharmacological intervention (premedication with midazolam) versus behavioral intervention (parental presence) in reducing preoperative anxiety in children undergoing general anesthesia.

Methodology:

Sixty patients of age group of 4–12 years, of ASA Grade 1 and 2 and either sex posted for elective surgery under general anesthesia were divided into two groups of 30 each Group M (midazolam group) and Group P (parental presence). Group M received intravenous midazolam 0.03–0.05 mg/kg preoperatively and anxiety was measured in preoperative room, during separation from parents and during introduction of anesthesia mask, whereas in Group P, parents accompanied the child inside the operation theater and anxiety was measured at preoperative room and during introduction of mask. Parental anxiety was measured in both groups at preoperative room and waiting room. Modified Yale Preoperative Anxiety Scale (mYPAS) and State Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) tool was used to measure anxiety in children and parents, respectively.

Results:

The mean mYPAS score while the introduction of anesthesia mask in Group M was 31.30 ± 12.04 and in Group P was 63.19 ± 25.31, and the difference was found to be statistically significant (P = 0.001). In preoperative room, there was no significant difference in anxiety in the two study groups. The mean STAI score in Group P was 45.63 ± 1.45 and in Group M was 41.10 ± 1.69, and the difference was found to be statistically significant (P = 0.001). In preoperative room, parental anxiety was found to be comparable among the two groups. The mean duration of induction of anesthesia in Group M was 5.53 ± 1.01 min, and in Group P, it was 8.77 ± 2.03 min. The difference was found to be statistically significant (P = 0.001).

Conclusion:

Both interventions were effective in reducing anxiety in children, but midazolam was more effective compared to parental presence. Parents in Group M were less anxious in the waiting room than Group P. Children in Group M were more compliant during the induction of anesthesia, hence a lesser duration of induction than Group P.
Dimensional Approach to Gender Dysphoria in Nigeria: Association with Socio-Demographic and Psycho-Sexual Variables
Authors: Chikani UN , Bisi-Onyemaechi AI , Onu JU , Nduagubam O , Mbanefo NR , Ohuche IO , Chime PU , Onyia JOT , Ogugua CF , Ugege MO
Published: August 2023

ABSTRACT

Background:

Recent changes across the world with respect to gender transitioning of children and adolescents have generated a bio-psycho-socio-cultural discourse among interest groups.

Aim:

This study sought to examine gender dysphoric symptoms among adolescents and young persons in an African population, using a dimensional approach.

Method:

A total of 747 primary/secondary school and university students aged 10–24 years were studied using the 27-item Gender Identity/Gender Dysphoria Questionnaire for Adolescents and Adults (GIDYQ-AA). Participants were divided into early, mid- and late adolescents. The composite and domain scores were calculated using the criteria described by Deogracias, and comparison of the median scores was done using Mann–Whitney U-test and Kruskal–Wallis test as appropriate. Dunnett’s post-hoc test was used for pairwise comparisons.

Results:

The prevalence of self-identified transgender and self-reported non-heterosexuals was 0.9% (95%CI: 0.36–1.92) and 18.6% (15.85–21.59), respectively. The participants as a group scored 4.56 out of a possible 5 on the gender dysphoria scale, indicating less gender dysphoric symptoms in this cohort. However, participants in mid- and late adolescents had significantly lower scores when compared with early adolescents (P = 0.009). Self-reported transgender had significantly lower scores in the social (P = 0.001) and socio-legal (P < 0.001) indicators of the scale.

Conclusion:

The findings of this study, although, preliminary demonstrated less gender dysphoric symptoms in this cohort of Nigerian adolescents and young adults compared to the Western population. Nevertheless, some degree of GD was noticed, revealing that this condition is existent in our society.
Medical Ozone Treatment on Prevention of Epidural Fibrosis in the Rat Model
Authors: Dayanır H , Dayanır D , Emmez G , Emmez H , Akyol SN , İşeri N , Uludağ OM , Kavutçu M , Özoğul C , Babacan AC
Published: August 2023

ABSTRACT

Background/Aim:

Epidural fibrosis is one of the problems that can be seen after spinal surgery. The aim of this study was to investigate the possible preventive role of medical ozone (O) treatment on epidural fibrosis.

Materials and Methods:

Twenty-four Sprague Dawley rats were randomly split into four groups: control (C), O, laminectomy (L), and L+O groups. Animals in the C group were sacrificed at the beginning of the experiment. The L and L+O groups had L procedure, while O treatment was supplied for the O and O+L groups. After 42 days of follow-up, for histological evaluation and biochemical measurements, the ratio of epidural fibrosis and catalase (CAT) with malondialdehyde (MDA) levels in serum, respectively, were analyzed in terms of statistical differences.

Results:

Histologically, a distinct difference was o bserved in the epidural space after O treatment. A significant difference in epidural fibrosis areas is found to be between the O, L, and O+L groups (P < 0,0001). There was no statistically significant difference between CAT and MDA levels that were obtained by spectrophotometric analysis.

Conclusion:

Histological results suggest that medical O treatment after L can be used as an alternative method to prevent epidural fibrosis. Further studies with wide cohorts and interval measures are required to detail the effects of doses.
Effectiveness of Cold Application and Lavender Oil on Pain during Drain Removal: A Randomized Clinical Trial
Authors: Çelebi C , Sivrikaya I , Ölmez H , Güvenç Sİ , Urkan M
Published: August 2023

ABSTRACT

Background and Aim:

Analgesics are frequently used to prevent acute pain while removing the drain. Additional non-pharmacological methods have come to the agenda as a result of the fact that the pain cannot be fully controlled, and the pharmacological treatment response is variable. Our research was intended to determine the effectiveness of lavender aromatherapy and cold application in controlling pain during drain removal procedure.

Materials and Methods:

The sample of the prospective randomized controlled study consisted of 121 patients. Patient data were collected using the introductory information form and the numerical pain scale. Four groups of patients were formed (lavender oil, oxygen, cold application, control), respectively. In all groups, vital signs and pain levels were evaluated before the drain removal procedure, as soon as and 15 minutes after it was withdrawn.

Results:

Within the limits of study, lavender aromatherapy and cold application to the drainage area were found to be effective in reducing pain during drainage. When the effect on vital signs was evaluated, it was found that the pre-procedure systolic blood pressure was higher in both the lavender group and the cold application group than the post-procedure systolic blood pressure, and the respiratory rate was higher in the control group during the procedure.

Conclusions:

According to the study, it was found that applying lavender and cold application to the patients before the drainage procedure was effective in controlling pain.