bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Clinical outcomes of Group D Retinoblastoma at a tertiary care hospital in Pakistan
Authors: Javed Khawaja Muhammad Ammar Ali , Vayani Usman , Javed Anum , Chatni Muhammad Hanif
Published: April 2023

Purpose
To retrospectively analyse globe salvage rates in group D retinoblastoma (RB) with currently available treatment options in Pakistan over a period of nine years.
Methods
A retrospective, cross-sectional analysis including all patients who presented with Group D RB according to the International Classification of Retinoblastoma (ICRB), from April 2013 to December 2022 at Patel Hospital, Karachi, Pakistan. Indirect ophthalmoscopy done under anaesthesia was used to visualise and evaluate tumour characteristics and clinical response to the treatment offered. Globe salvage was attempted with systemic chemotherapy, local consolidative therapy along with intravitreal melphalan. Survival analysis was performed using Kaplan-Meier curves on SPSS version 26.
Results
The mean age at diagnosis was 17.2 months.14 (93%) patients had bilateral disease and one (7%) had unilateral disease. Globe salvage was achieved in 11 out of 15 eyes (73.33%) in a mean follow up time of 57.5 weeks (range 7–263 weeks). All eyes received laser therapy, 5 required additional cryotherapy and 1 eye was given adjuvant intravitreal melphalan. 4 eyes underwent secondary enucleation. All eyes amongst this group received systemic chemotherapy, laser, cryotherapy and 3 eyes received intravitreal melphalan (4 cycles). Kaplan-Meier survival analysis showed an overall globe salvage rate of 93%, 76%, and 65% at 1, 2 and 3 years, respectively. No metastasis or deaths were reported.
Conclusion
Intravenous chemotherapy (IVC) coupled with local therapy remains an effective mode of treatment in select patients with Group D RB despite advancements in treatment modalities like intra-arterial chemotherapy. This is especially promising for developing countries with limited resources and socioeconomic barriers.
Identification of Biomarkers Associated with Diagnosis of Diabetic Nephropathy Patients Based on Bioinformatics and Machine Learning
Authors: Yin Guicao , Zheng Shengqi , Xie Zisong , Tian Haoyu , Hua Tianchi , Li Junhui , Tian Feng , Wang Xiaoxiang , Fan Qibing , Zhu Zhenpeng , Qi Lezhong , Li Yifan
Published: April 2023

Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is a common microvascular complication of diabetes, and early diagnosis is crucial for the prognosis of patients. The purpose of this study was to identify novel diagnostic biomarkers of DN and to analyze possible associations between key genes and infiltrating immune cells. Download the GSE1009, GSE30528, and GSE47183 datasets, including human DN and normal samples, from the GEO dataset. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified in 33 DN cases and 26 control cases. SVM-RFE analysis and LASSO regression model were used to screen for possible markers. The composition patterns of 22 immune cell components in DN were determined by using CIBERSORT technique. In this study, 57 genes were identified as significantly up-regulated and 80 genes as significantly down-regulated. Analysis of KEGG signaling pathway showed that complete and coalition cascades, PI3K-Akt signaling pathway, focal adhesion, RAP1 signaling pathway and age-rage signaling pathway were significantly enriched. Based on the results of machine learning, we identified C1orf21, TGFBI, ATF3, and BHMT as key diagnostic genes for DN, which were further confirmed by ROC analysis. Immunocyte infiltration analysis revealed four key diagnostic gene expressions associated with multiple immunocytes in DN. Overall, our findings may offer some new insights into the exploration of new markers for the diagnosis of DN. Key genes and their relationship with immune infiltration may provide new insights into the development of DN.
A new integrated strategy for high purity pinolenic acid production from Pinus koraiensis Sieb. et Zucc seed oil and evaluation of its hypolipidemic activity in vivo
Authors: Wu Xiaodan , Bao Sansan , Yu Liang , Wang Tao , Qin Bingyang , Shao Guansong , Wang Zihan , Fu Yujie
Published: April 2023

Pinolenic acid is a polyunsaturated fatty acid present only in Pinus koraiensis Sieb. et Zucc seed oil. It can inhibit and eliminate the adverse effects of other fatty acids on the body. In order to solve the structural instability problem of polyunsaturated fatty acids, pinolenic acid of P. koraiensis seed oil was effectively isolated and purified by the integrated strategy of ethyl esterification followed by urea inclusion for the first time. Under the optimal conditions after the Box-Benhnken Design experimental, ethyl pinolenate with high purity 94.95% could be obtained, and the average content of PNAEE can still reach 86.18%. Then ethyl pinolenate was characterized by Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, Fourier transform infrared, and Nuclear magnetic resonance spectra, results showed that ethyl pinolenate was successfully prepared. In addition, the hypolipidemic activity of ethyl pinolenate had been tested in vivo and showed that ethyl pinolenate had obvious hypolipidemic activity. The new strategy for high purity ethyl pinolenate production from P. koraiensis seed oil possesses great potential in food healthy field in the future.
Evaluation of a 12-week app-guided exercise intervention in patients with knee osteoarthritis (re.flex): a study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.
Authors: Dieter Valerie , Martus Peter , Janssen Pia , Krauss Inga
Published: April 2023

Background

The current health care demonstrates an insufficient provision and utilization of physical exercises that are recommended as first-line treatment in clinical guidelines for patients with knee osteoarthritis. Mobile health (m-health) technologies offer new opportunities to guide and monitor home-based exercise programs by using mobile devices and inertial sensors in combination with a digital application (app). This study evaluates patients benefit using the specific digital health application re.flex for patients with knee osteoarthritis (OA).

Methods

This monocentric, two-arm, randomized controlled parallel-group trial evaluates the effectiveness of the app- and sensor-guided exercise program re.flex for patients with moderate to severe knee OA. We aim to recruit 200 participants via newspaper, newsletter and information events. Participants will be randomly allocated to the intervention group (IG) and the control group (C) in a 1:1 ratio. Participants of C do not receive any study intervention or instruction for any change to their previous health care utilization. IG comprises a 12-week home training program with three sessions per week in addition to regular care. Exercises are guided and monitored by use of the training app (re.flex) and two accelerometers that are attached proximally and distally to the affected knee joint. Pre- and post-measurements will take place at baseline (t0) and after 12 weeks (t1). Primary outcomes will be osteoarthritis-specific pain and physical function measured with the Knee Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS) subscales Pain and Function in daily living (ADL). Secondary, further self-reported health outcomes, a performance measurement, app logfiles and safety will be assessed.

Discussion

M-health interventions can be used independently from time and location and allow most patients to get access to this kind of exercise guidance. As such, re.flex can bridge part of the gap between recommendations for strengthening exercises in patients with knee OA and the insufficient actual care situation. This randomized controlled trial is designed to provide conclusions on the effectiveness of the health application re.flex for the population under study and will give further insight into adherence rates and the safety of its use.

Trial registration

The trial was registered on 20/01/2023 at www.drks.de (ID: DRKS00030932).
Influence of polishing after bleaching on color change, enamel surface morphology and sensitivity: a randomized clinical trial
Authors: Barros Antonia , Silva George , Alencar Cristiane , Kuga Milton , Araújo Jesuína , Silva Cecy
Published: April 2023

Objective

This trial evaluated the influence of polishing on enamel color change after in-office bleaching treatment. In addition, it evaluated the influence of polishing on tooth morphology and sensitivity.

Materials and methods

Fifty volunteers were randomized into two groups (n = 25): In-office bleaching with 35% hydrogen peroxide gel for 45 min without polishing (GSEM) or with polishing (GP). The color analysis was performed four times, at baseline, and immediately after the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd session of bleaching with Easyshade spectrophotometer (Vita-Zahnfabrik), using the CIELAB (ΔE) and CIEDE2000 (ΔE00) formulas, and whiteness index (ΔWID). A qualitative analysis of enamel morphology was performed using replicas obtained with epoxy resin observed in a scanning electron microscope (277× and 554× magnification). The tooth sensitivity was assessed daily using the visual analog scale (α = 0.05).

Results

There was no statistically significant difference (p > 0.05) in tooth color change when comparing ΔE, ΔE00, and ΔWID between groups. The enamel surface showed greater areas of irregularities and depressions in the GP group than in the GSEM group. There was no difference in tooth sensitivity (p > 0.05) between groups.

Conclusions

Polishing after in-office tooth whitening does not change the tooth color and sensitivity and promotes greater changes in enamel surface morphology.
Clinical relevance: Polishing immediately after tooth whitening causes greater changes in enamel surface morphology.
A parallel Canny edge detection algorithm based on OpenCL acceleration
Authors: Song Yupu , Li Cailin , Zhou Qinglei , Xiao Han
Published: April 2023

In the process of Canny edge detection, a large number of high complexity calculations such as Gaussian filtering, gradient calculation, non-maximum suppression, and double threshold judgment need to be performed on the image, which takes up a lot of operation time, which is a great challenge to the real-time requirements of the algorithm. In order to solve this problem, a fine-grained parallel Canny edge detection method is proposed, which is optimized from three aspects: task partition, vector memory access, and NDRange optimization, and CPU-GPU collaborative parallelism is realized. At the same time, the parallel Canny edge detection methods based on multi-core CPU and CUDA architecture are designed. The experimental results show that OpenCL accelerated Canny edge detection algorithm can achieve 20.68 times, 3.96 times, and 1.21 times speedup ratio compared with CPU serial algorithm, CPU multi-threaded parallel algorithm, and CUDA-based parallel algorithm, respectively. The effectiveness and performance portability of the proposed Canny edge detection parallel algorithm are verified, and it provides a reference for the research of fast calculation of image big data.
Aberrant morphological brain networks in first-episode, treatment-naive adolescents with major depressive disorder
Authors: Qiu Xiaofan , Li Junle , Pan Fen , Yang Yuping , Zhou Weihua , Chen Jinkai , Wei Ning , Lu Shaojia , Weng Xuchu , Huang Manli , Wang Jinhui
Published: April 2023

Previous studies have shown that major depressive disorder (MDD) is associated with disrupted topological organizations of large-scale brain networks. However, the disruptions and their clinical and cognitive relevance are not well established for morphological brain networks in adolescent MDD. In this study, twenty-five first-episode, treatment-naive adolescents with MDD and nineteen healthy controls underwent T1-weighted MRI and a battery of neuropsychological tests. Individual morphological brain networks were constructed separately based on 4 morphological features, whose topological organizations were quantified by graph-based approaches. Permutation testing and partial correlation were used to examine between-group differences and clinical and cognitive relevance of the differences, respectively. Finally, support vector machine was used to classify the patients from controls. Compared with the controls, the patients exhibited topological alterations mainly in cortical thickness-based networks characterized by higher nodal centralities in parietal (left PriMary Sensory Cortex) but lower centralities in temporal (left ParaBelt Complex, right Perirhinal Ectorhinal Cortex, right Area PHT and right Ventral Visual Complex) regions. Moreover, decreased nodal centralities of some temporal regions were correlated with cognitive dysfunction and course of illness of the patients. These results were largely reproducible for binary and weighted network analyses. Finally, topological properties of the cortical thickness-based networks were able to distinguish the patients from controls with 87.6% accuracy. In short, adolescent MDD is associated with abnormal local organizations of morphological brain networks, which provide potential biomarkers for diagnosing and monitoring the disease.
The gut metabolite indole-3-propionic acid activates ERK1 to restore social function and hippocampal inhibitory synaptic transmission in a 16p11.2 microdeletion mouse model
Authors: Jiang Jian , Chang Jinlong , Wang Dilong , Yang Xiuyan , Zhu Wenhui , Yao Peijia , Jiang Youheng , Song Kun , Chang Shuwen , Zhang Xue-Song , Li Huiliang , Li Ningning
Published: April 2023

Background
Microdeletion of the 16p11.2 region of the human chromosome is a prevalent genetic factor for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and other neurodevelopmental disorders, but its pathogenic mechanism remains unclear, and effective treatments for 16p11.2 microdeletion syndrome are lacking. Emerging evidence suggests that the gut microbiota and its metabolites are inextricably linked to host behavior through the gut-brain axis, and are therefore implicated in ASD development. However, the functional roles of microbial metabolites in the context of 16p11.2 microdeletion are yet to be elucidated. This study aims to investigate the therapeutic potential of indole-3-propionic acid (IPA), a gut microbiota metabolite, in addressing behavioral and pathological deficits associated with 16p11.2 microdeletion, as well as the underlying molecular mechanisms.
Results
Mice with the 16p11.2 microdeletion (16p11.2+/−) showed dysbiosis of the gut microbiota and a significant decrease in IPA levels in feces and blood circulation. Further, these mice exhibited significant social and cognitive impairments, and abnormal activation of hippocampal dentate gyrus neurons, which was accompanied by an imbalance of inhibitory synaptic transmission in this region. However, oral supplementation of IPA significantly mitigated these alterations, thereby ameliorating the social and cognitive deficits of the mice. Remarkably, IPA administration significantly increased the phosphorylation level of ERK1, a protein encoded by the Mapk3 gene in the 16p11.2 region, without affecting the transcription and translation of the Mapk3 gene.
Conclusions
Our study reveal that 16p11.2+/− leads to a decline in gut metabolite IPA levels, and that supplementation with IPA can reverse the associated histological and electrophysiological changes and behavioral defects in 16p11.2+/− mice. These findings provide new insights into the critical role of gut microbial metabolites in ASD pathogenesis and presents a promising treatment treatment strategy for social and cognitive deficit disorders, such as 16p11.2 microdeletion syndrome.
Biodegradable PLA-based materials modified by hemp extract
Authors: Tutek Karol , Masek A.M.
Published: April 2023

Biodegradable and compostable polymers are sensitive to environmental factors. For this reason, they require stabilisers that inhibit ageing and degradation processes. Until now, synthetic stabilisers have been used in the polymer industry, but in recent years, in the era of environmentally friendly solutions, naturally occurring compounds have started to be used. It has become increasingly popular to create composites that are entirely of natural origin. An example of a natural stabiliser is hemp extract, which is presented and studied in this paper. It was applied to a polymer matrix made of polylactide. The samples were subjected to weathering and thermo-oxidative ageing, followed by infrared spectroscopic, spectrophotometric, static-mechanical and surface-free energy analyses. The results obtained confirm the validity of the assumption of an inhibitory ageing effect of hemp extract in the case of thermo-oxidative ageing and, very interestingly, of a catalytic effect in the case of weathering. Research on the use of this type of stabiliser in polymer composites is a scientific novelty that no one has investigated in polymer materials to date. This topic needs to be explored further due to the increasing interest and importance of hemp and its derivatives as materials and functional substances.
Environmental Kuznets Curve Hypothesis in Ethiopia: Is Environmental Development a Priority Over Economic Development for Ethiopia?
Authors: Derege Alemayehu Ethiopia , Alemu Seboka
Published: April 2023

This study used regional panel data from Ethiopia to examine the degree to which Ethiopia adhere to the environmental Kuznets curve hypothesis and, in turn, estimate the extent to which its people are willing to contribute to environmental development. According to the research, the country complies with the environmental Kuznets curve hypothesis; yet, in the short run, people cannot afford to pay more for environmental development. Compared to less urbanized places, those who live in more urbanized states are more prepared to pay for a cleaner environment. The study concludes that economic development takes precedence over environmental development and suggests pro-growth economic policies supported by environmental-focused foreign development assistance.
Assessment, Sizing, and Economic Evaluation of a CCHP Plan for an Office Facility
Authors: Sedighi Mohammad , Ayoobi Ahmadreza , Farmani Mohammad , Sattari Amir Mohammad
Published: April 2023

Due to its potential for greater thermal efficiency compared to standalone power production systems, Combined Cooling, Heating and Power (CCHP) systems have drawn significant attention over the past few decades. The primary goal of this investigation is to provide insights on implementing a CCHP system in an Iranian office building. Choosing the right amount of equipment capacity is one of the most important factors in achieving this goal. Regarding to this, various scenarios and alternatives are introduced based on the gas turbine capacity. The optimal alternative is determined based on a technical and economic analysis, regarding the availability of each alternative. In the end, a study is conducted and pertinent data are provided on decreasing pollutant emissions owing to the implementation of a CCHP system in this office building. In light of Iran's present energy situation, it's important to design the prime mover's optimal capacity so that its electricity generating capacities (based on peak load) are in line with the building's electric demand. In addition, this office building's natural gas and residential electricity usage have an estimated annual impact on the surrounding neighborhood of $80,000.
Comprehensive analysis reveals RANBP17 as a potential biomarker for prognosis and immunotherapy in glioblastoma
Authors: Tang Hai , Liu Xuemei , Li Huahan , Huang Huacong , Ran Chao , Wen Baoying , Liu Qundi , Lu Huaisun , Jing Meilian , Zhou Lingqi
Published: April 2023

Objective: RAN binding protein 17 (RANBP17) gene is a member of the nuclear transport receptor imoprtin family, and have a close relation to the tumorigenesis. However, the role and mechanism of RANBP17 in glioblastoma (GBM) remains unclear. Here, we comprehensively explored the expression, prognostic value, epigenetic modification, immune filtration, tumor stemness, tumor heterogeneity, upstream miRNA and biological function of RANBP17 in GBM combined bioinformatics analysis with functional experiments in vitro.
Methods: The expression of RANBP17 mRNA in GBM was analyzed by TIMER, UALCAN and CCGA databases. The prognostic value of RANBP17 was conducted by LinkedOmics, PrognoScan, and CGGA databases. Mutation status and type of RANBP17 was investigated by cBioportal database and COSMIC database, respectively. The RNA modification and DNA methylation of RANBP17 were analyzed by SangerBox and MethSurv databases. The relationships between RANBP17 expression and tumor heterogeneity, tumor stemness, and tumor immunity in human cancers were analyzed via the SangerBox, TISIDB and TIMER databases. Genes related to RANBP17 were screened by Linkedomics database, and Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analyses were analyzed by DAVID and STRING database, and the protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was constructed by Cytoscape software. Furthermore, miRWalk, ENCORI and miRDB database was used to predict upstream miRNA of RANBP17. Moreover, the counting kit 8 (CCK-8) assay, flow cytometry, and transwell assays were conducted to evaluate the impact of RANBP17 on the proliferation, apoptosis, migration and invasion in U251 cell.
Results: The expression of RANBP17 was downregulated and related to IDH mutation status, MGMT methylation status and 1p19q codeletion in GBM, which was associated with poor prognosis. RANBP17 was closely related to mRNA methylation genes, tumor heterogeneity and tumor stemness. GO and KEGG enrichment analysis indicated that RANBP17 was involved in neutrophil degranulation, response to estradiol and inflammatory response. Furthermore, the expression of RANBP17 was negatively correlated with B cell, CD4+ T cell, Macrophage, Neutrophil and dendritic cell, and positively correlated with tumor purity and CD8+ T cell. RANBP17 was also associated with hsa-miR-650, hsa-miR-361-5p, hsa-miR-421, hsa-miR-9-5p, hsa-miR-3612, hsa-miR-299-5p, hsa-miR-2115-3p and hsa-miR-19b-3p. Moreover, cell functional experiments in vitro demonstrated that overexpression of RANBP17 decreased cell proliferation, migration, invasion and facilitated apoptosis in GBM.
Conclusions: These findings revealed that RANBP17 was anticipated to be a promising prognostic and immunotherapeutic biomarker in GBM.
Augmented Reality and Ontology-based Approach for Enhancing Arabic Text Recognition and Visualization
Authors: OUALI Imene , HALIMA Mohamed BEN , MASMOUDI Nesrine , AYADI Manel , ALMUQREN Latifa , WALI Ali
Published: April 2023

Written text is a commonly used means of transferring information in our daily lives, and it is especially crucial in unfamiliar environments where we rely on written text to achieve our goals. In such scenarios, signs or signboards help us navigate and determine the direction we should take. However, various factors, such as prolonged exposure to the text, text obstructions, and poor lighting, may hinder our ability to read the text accurately, leading to erroneous readings. A single incorrectly read letter can lead to a false interpretation of the entire text, potentially resulting in serious consequences. To address this issue, we propose an approach to correct letter imperfections in a word and display it in an improved manner. Our approach consists of two phases: the pre-treatment phase and the letter imperfection recovery phase. The pre-treatment phase relies on Augmented Reality technology to detect and recognize text with letter imperfections. In the letter imperfection recovery phase, we employ ontology and a database to correct the letter imperfections. To enhance the accuracy of our results, we apply Augmented Reality technology to obtain a 3D image for perfect visualization. We conducted an evaluation and experimentation phase by administering a questionnaire to a group of participants to obtain feedback on our approach. The results were encouraging and demonstrated the effectiveness of our approach.
Beyond the surgical margin: Patterns of recurrence in WHO grade II intracranial meningiomas
Authors: Obiri-Yeboah Derrick , Soni Pranay , Oyem Precious C. , Almeida João Paulo , Murayi Roger , Recinos Pablo F. , Kshettry Varun R.
Published: April 2023

Purpose
To characterize and classify the location of recurrence in surgically resected World Health Organization (WHO) grade II intracranial meningiomas that did not receive adjuvant radiation, and compare the recurrence pattern of those that underwent gross total (GTR) versus subtotal resection (STR).
Methods
A retrospective review of patients who underwent surgical resection of WHO grade II meningiomas at our institution between 2006 and 2019 was performed. Patients that were observed postoperatively without adjuvant radiation and subsequently developed a recurrence were included. Recurrence was defined as evidence of radiographic progression on postoperative surveillance MRI. Location of recurrence were categorized as: (1)central - growth observed inside the area of the previously resected tumor more than 1 cm inside the original tumor margin; (2)marginal - growth observed within 1 cm (inside or outside) of the original tumor margin; and (3)distant - growth observed more than 1 cm outside of the original tumor margin.
Results
A total of 22 patients matched the inclusion criteria. Twelve (55%) underwent GTR while ten (45%) underwent STR. Of the GTR patients, ten (83.3%) had central recurrence, 11 (91.7%) had marginal recurrence, and only 4 (33.3%) had distant recurrence. Of the STR patients, 9 (90.0%) had central recurrence, all 10 (100.0%) had marginal recurrence, and only 4 (40.0%) had distant recurrence.
Conclusion
The present study evaluating patterns of recurrence for WHO grade II meningiomas after surgical resection showed that recurrence occurred centrally and/or at the original tumor margin, with only a minority recurring > 1cm outside the original tumor margin.
Novel Bayesian Procrustes Variance-based Analysisin Geometric Morphometrics (Part 1)
Authors: CHATTERJEE DEBASHIS
Published: April 2023

Procrustes shape analysis is an essential sub-discipline under Geometric Morphometrics. Compared to classical statistics-based literature, very little Bayesian literature exists for any sub-discipline of Geometric Morphometrics. This paper takes a novel Bayesian approach for considerable advantages of Bayesian over classical. This paper presents a novel Bayesian Procrustes shape analysis methodology for shape parameter distributions (part 1: 2D landmark data & isotropic variance assumption of landmark data). Here we consider the posterior of Procrustes shape variance as morphological variability indicators, which is on par with various laws of mathematical population genetics like Hardy-Weinberg law (Stern, 1943; Masel, 2012). The proposed Bayesian approach does not require any PCA (Principal component analysis) type approximations. This paper also proposes novel Bayesian statistical tests for model validation of new species discovery using morphological variation reflected in the posterior distribution of landmark-variance objects studied under Geometric Morphometrics. We applied our proposed Bayesian Procrustes Analysis on “apes” data of O’Higgins and Dryden (1993). We compared the posterior variance of the shape of females vs. males for each of the Gorillas, chimpanzees, and orangutans. The statistical conclusion favors the novel hypothesis on face shape: “male primate manifests more fluctuation in face shape than females,” which suggests further research in the future.
All the computations and R code done in this paper are organized into a novel, simple R package BPviGM1 (”Bayesian Procrustes Variance-based inferences in Geometric Morphometrics 1”) kept in Github, which essentially contains the R code implementations of the computations for proposed models and methodologies.
Enantioselective Chan-Lam S-Arylation of Sulfenamides
Authors: liang qingjin , Zhang Xinping , Rotella Madeline E. , Xu Zeyu , Kozlowski Marisa C. , Jia Tiezheng
Published: April 2023

Chan-Lam coupling constructs C-N, C-O and C-S bonds by coupling nucleophiles with boronic acids using copper complexes. Such methods benefit from inexpensive and sustainable catalysts, simple and mild reaction conditions, and the potential to generate products with structural diversity. However, control of the stereochemistry in this textbook transformation has proven to be a formidable challenge. We report a highly chemoselective and enantioselective Chan-Lam S-arylation of sulfenamides with arylboronic acids to deliver an array of thermodynamically disfavored diaryl sulfilimines containing a sulfur stereocenter, a class of chiral molecules of great value in chemistry and biology that were synthetically intractable previously. A combined experimental and computational study establishes the reaction mechanism and unveils the origin of chemoselectivity and stereoselectivity.
Revisiting the Obturator Nerve Anatomy with a Nerve Blocking Perspective
Authors: Koç Turan , Beger Orhan , Rumeli Şebnem , Örs Alev Bobuş , Öztürk Nail Can
Published: April 2023

Purpose: Proper nerve blocking is significant for the success of locally anesthetized assisted surgeries. Dis-acknowledging the anatomical variations of targeted nerve anatomy can be problematic for the success of anesthetic fundamentals. Considering the diverse nature of obturator nerve (ON), blockage of ON (ONB) during clinical procedures can be counted within such problematic. Current focus is to revisit the ON anatomy via exemplifying at adult cadavers and fetuses, and then intensively discuss its relevance to ONB from an anatomical perspective.
Methods: ON and its branches were exposed at the posterior wall of the abdomen, lateral wall of the lesser pelvis and anterior aspect of the thigh region in 47 fetuses and 10 adult cadavers. Thereafter, several anatomical motifs and morphometric of ON were meticulously assessed and measured.
Results: Presence of anterior branches (AB) / posterior branches (PB) divergence in the obturator channel and extra-pelvic territory were detected as 40 and 60% respectively, while intra-pelvic occurrence wasn’t observed among the adult cadavers. In fetuses, regional distribution of ON divergence was scattered as 8.5% intra-pelvic, 33% in the channel and 58.5% distal to the channel. Concerning the muscular branching of ON, three fully traceable branching from AB and single one from PB were evident in all the adult cadavers. Significant morphometric distances were also provided in detail.
Conclusion Our discussion regarding the variable motifs of ON anatomy from a nerve-blocking window, covering the results of the current and just few existed anatomical data sets might be helpful for anesthesiologists to improving the success of ONB.
Molecular Detection of Harmful Raphidophyte Chattonella subsalsa Biecheler by Whole-Cell Fluorescence in situ Hybridisation Assay
Authors: Winnie Lik Sing Lau  , Sing Tung Teng  , Hong Chang Lim  , Kieng Soon Hii  , Sandric Chee Yew Leong  , Chui Pin Leaw  , Po Teen Lim
Published: April 2023

Species of the genus Chattonella (Raphidophyceae) are a group of marine protists that are commonly found in coastal waters. Some are known as harmful microalgae that form noxious blooms and cause massive fish mortality in finfish aquaculture. In Malaysia, blooms of Chattonella have been recorded since the 1980s in the Johor Strait. In this study, two strains of Chattonella were established from the strait, and morphological examination revealed characteristics resembling Chattonella subsalsa. The molecular characterisation further confirmed the species’ identity as C. subsalsa. To precisely detect the cells of C. subsalsa in the environment, a whole-cell fluorescence in- situ hybridisation (FISH) assay was developed. The species-specific oligonucleotide probes were designed in silico based on the nucleotide sequences of the large subunit (LSU) and internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS2) of the ribosomal DNA (rDNA). The best candidate signature regions in the LSU-rRNA and ITS2-rDNA were selected based on hybridisation efficiency and probe parameters. The probes were synthesised as biotinylated probes and tested by tyramide signal amplification with FISH (FISH-TSA). The results showed the specificity of the probes toward the target cells. FISH-TSA has been proven to be a potential tool in the detection of harmful algae in the environment and could be applied to the harmful algal monitoring program.
Comparative Morpho-Anatomical Studies of two Philippine Endemic Species of Amyema Tiegh. (Loranthaceae)
Authors: Romeo M. Tubongbanua  , Noe P. Mendez  , Victor B. Amoroso
Published: April 2023

Amyema are epiphytic hemiparasitic plants on different types of woody host plants and are abundant in temperate, subtropical, and tropical regions. In Marilog Forest Reserve, Southern Philippines, two Philippine endemic species of Amyema were recorded, viz., Amyema curranii (Merr.) Danser and A. seriata (Merr.) Barlow. In this study, these two species were compared and examined for their morphology and anatomy. Data revealed that the two Amyema species are morphologically distinct, with A. curranii having lanceolate leaves, pink flowers and red fruits, whereas A. seriata has obovate leaves, red flowers, and red fruits. For the morpho-anatomy, A. curranii has a single-layered epidermis, paracytic stomata, collateral open vascular bundles, the Eustele type of stele with pith at the centre, and the inferior free central type with a hairy ovary wall. Meanwhile, A. seriata has a pinkish, single-layered epidermis, paracytic stomata, collateral open vascular bundles, a eustele type of stele with the presence of pith at the centre, and an inferior free central ovary type. As a result, employing these species’ gross morphology and anatomy could scrutinise future evaluations and taxonomic placements.
Molybdenite-bearing vugs in microgranite in the Preissac pluton, Québec, Canada: Relicts of aqueous fluid pockets?
Authors: Mulja Thomas , Williams-Jones Anthony E.
Published: April 2023

Field, petrochemical, and stable isotope data from peraluminous microgranite dikes and their molybdenite-bearing vugs in the Archean Preissac-Lacorne batholith, Québec, provide evidence for the transport and deposition of molybdenum by an aqueous fluid that exsolved from a felsic magma. A model is proposed in which the microgranite-forming liquid fractionated from a magma that was parental to and intruded less-evolved muscovite monzogranite. Fluid saturation is interpreted to have occurred immediately prior to emplacement, allowing sufficient time for small spherical pockets of fluid to form and rise through the liquid but insufficient time for them to leave the system. These fluid pockets scavenged molybdenum and other components during their migration but were frozen in situ to form molybdenite-bearing vugs as a result of the quenching of the magma. We therefore conclude that the vugs are relicts of the exsolved fluid pockets and that the molybdenite in them reflects the concentration of molybdenum in the fluid, estimated from volumetric relationships to have reached ~7800 ppm.
Tool Box for Product Safety: Modern Chromatography and Mass Spectrometry
Authors: Dai Susie Y.
Published: April 2023

Modern chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry is a powerful analytical tool to analyze and characterize regulated products based on the physical separation through chromatography and atomic/molecular characterization of the separated analytes.  Gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (LC-MS) are particularly applicable to the measurement of complex mixtures, assisted with proper pre-sample treatment. Particularly, LC-MS can be used as a screening, confirmation, and quantification tool for hundreds, or even thousands, of chemical components of the target matrices in one analysis. Advantages of LC-MS over other techniques, such as many traditional wet chemistry and biochemistry methods (i.e. gravimetric analysis, volumetric analysis) include selectivity, sensitivity, and high throughput. This issue in Journal of Regulatory Science focuses on several studies examining nutritional components and contaminants in food and dietary supplements. Liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry platforms have discovered the new applications in product safety testing, averting from the traditional medical and pharmaceutical field.https://doi.org/10.21423/jrs-v03n02pi (DOI assigned 8/7/2019)
The Principles of Nigerian Environmental Law
Authors: Olawuyi Damilola
Published: April 2023

The Principles of Nigerian Environmental Law provides an outline of the fundamental principles governing the protection, conservation and sustainable utilization of the environment in Nigeria. It takes a comparative and international approach in analyzing and discussing the distinctive normative frameworks and toolboxes for environmental protection in Nigeria. Starting with a theoretical and jurisprudential examination of the term 'environment'; the book then moves to discuss the nature and scope of laws designed to regulate specific environmental problems in Nigeria such as water pollution, air pollution, marine pollution, oil spillage, gas flaring, climate change, stratospheric depletion of the ozone layer and transboundary movement of hazardous wastes. The book provides environmental stakeholders from all backgrounds including students, administrators, lawyers, government representatives, judges, analysts and pundits, a ready tool to digest, assimilate, understand and appreciate the legal and institutional framework for environmental regulation and protection in Nigeria. For anyone interested in learning about the importance of law in the protection of the environment, this book is a must-have.
Short Change. An Introduction to Managing Change
Authors: Badham Richard
Published: April 2023

Short Change is a short and accessible introduction to managing change. It is useful for undergraduate or postgraduate students as well as practitioners handling change in their organizations and private lives. Further illustration, argument and case study material can be obtained from the author. Richard J. Badham is a Professor of Management at the Macquarie Graduate School of Management with extensive experience as an action researcher and consultant on leading change.
World financial crisis: causes, consequences, ways of overcoming
Authors: Kozmenko Serhiy , Vasylieva Tetiana
Published: April 2023

The goals of the monograph's publication: generalization of ideas of prominent researchers from different countries of the world regarding the causes and consequences of the world financial crisis, determination of specific features of its development in different countries, and generalization of experience regarding the ways of overcoming the crisis.
Çirkin ve Hizmetçiler Oyunlarında Biyoiktidar Kavramı
Authors: Keçicioğlu Simel
Published: April 2023

Bu makalede Marius von Mayenburg’un Çirkin oyunu ve Jean Genet’nin Hizmetçiler oyunu, Foucault’nun biyoiktidar, özne ve beden kavramları çerçevesinden okunmuştur. Çirkin oyunu, absürd sonrası dönem açısından barındırdığı absürdist ögeler bağlamında incelenmiştir. Jean Genet’nin Hizmetçiler oyunu Foucaultcu bir perspektiften iktidar, toplumsal sınıf farklılıkları, kimlik ve özne inşası gibi ögeler bağlamında pek çok paralel kavram sunmaktadır. Çirkin oyunu ise, varoluşçu bir zemin taşımasıyla birlikte, karakter inşası, döngüselliği, aksiyon biçimi bağlamında absürd sonrası oyunlar bakımından absürd akımla benzerlik kurulabilen bir oyundur. Son derece çirkin olduğunu fark eden Lette’nin estetik ameliyat sonrası altüst olan yaşamı ve çevresindeki dünyanın, dış görünüşle birlikte bir kişiyi neye dönüştürebilme potansiyeli olduğunu gösterir. Çirkin oyunu bedenin toplumsal algısı, özne inşası, biyoiktidar ve Foucault’nun söylemler kavramları açısından önemli ögeler barındırmaktadır.
Russia and Finland: Petrographic collections of N.G.Nordenskiöld in the collection of the Mining Museum
Authors:   Mining Museum of St Petersburg Mining University, Tumanova Karina V.
Published: April 2023

The collection of the Mining Museum of the Mining University in St Petersburg contains a variety of minerals, ores and rocks from almost all corners of the globe. Mineralogical and petrographic collections collected by the outstanding Finnish scientist Nils Gustaf Nordenskiöld are always of particular interest. His petrographic collection, which was received by the museum in 1836 and 1841 from Finland, remained for a long time without due attention. The first collection was delivered to the Mining Museum from N.G.Nordenskiöld in 1836. Now there are 80 items in the petrographic collection of the Mining Museum (two items are missing): basically, these are minerals, various rocks, distributed by the places of finds — the provinces of the Grand Duchy of Finland. Some complexity of linking the sample to a specific place is due to the fact that it is difficult to make out the spelling of a particular locality on the label due to poor handwriting, as well as the use of Latin and Cyrillic letters in one word. Besides, in Finland, many localities still have equal Finnish and Swedish names. It is impossible to predict which option will be used for naming a particular place. There are slightly more than half of petrographic samples in the collection — 49 items, the rest (31 samples) are minerals and ores. It is actually a mixed, combined, author’s collection. The second petrographic collection from N.G.Nordenskiöld entered the museum in 1841. The research of the collection recorded as “Finnish marbles” including 23 items was carried out. The “marbles” were selected on a regional basis. Materials were taken for the manufacture of grinds in order to more thoroughly study their petrographic composition. As a result of the research of the grinds, it was not possible to unambiguously determine the “marble”. The collection identified: 10 items of marble, 9 items of limestones, 2 items of sandstones. Single samples of dolomite and slate were also identified. The author concludes that the collections of N.G.Nordenskiöld, the father of Finnish mineralogy, the founder of the Finnish Scientific Society, head of the Mining Department, must be preserved in the Mining Museum in its entirety, “without fragmentation”.
Experimental investigation and modelling of rainfall-induced erosion of semi-arid region soil under various vegetative land covers
Authors: Al Balasmeh Odai , Karmaker Tapas , Babbar Richa
Published: April 2023

Laboratory-scale experiments were conducted to investigate the impact of three different vegetative covers (khus, dry leaves, and wheat straw) on soil erosion and runoff under four different surface slopes and two different types of soils. Results were compared with experiments for bare soil under similar conditions for three major parameters: surface runoff, sub-surface flow, and soil loss. It was found that wheat straw reduced the surface runoff from 60 ml/s (for bare soil) to 20 ml/s, while with leaves and khus, it was 40 ml/s. Wheat straw cover increased the infiltration by 60% and reduced soil loss by 85% compared to bare soil. The findings were validated with the HYDRUS-1D simulations for infiltration and surface runoff in bare soil under similar experimental conditions. Experimental findings were found to agree well with the model simulations. The present study can be treated as a nature-based solution to soil erosion, groundwater recharge, and delayed surface runoff in semi-arid regions.
Detection of antibiotic-resistant bacteria and resistance genes SHV, TEM, and CTX-M in drinking waters in Tehran, Iran
Authors: Atharinia Masomeh , Safaeian Shila , Rahimifard Nahid , Nadoshen Rezvan Mosavi , Pourakbari Babak
Published: April 2023

Nowadays, a difficult problem has been disrupting people's health through treated and untreated water, namely the existence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in these environments. The first is such organisms’ ability to acquire resistance genes through genetic elements, and the second seems to be the substances’ potential toxicity. The health index of supply water is lacking for bacteria such as coliform bacteria, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and intestinal enterococci. The study's main aim was to figure out how these bacteria function as antibiotic resistance pools, not only to find resistant genes like SHV, TEM, and CTX-M but also to depict the dendrogram of clones in water supply samples in Tehran. Over the course of a year, 17 strains of P. aeruginosa were analyzed. In this study, 94.1% of the isolates tested positive for the TEM gene, while only one isolate tested positive for the CTX-M gene, and none tested positive for the SHV gene. This research shows that P. aeruginosa is not as common in drinkable water as previously thought. Nevertheless, it appears that P. aeruginosa can spread acquired antibiotic resistance vertically rather than horizontally.
From waste-activated sludge to algae: a self-reliant cultivation process in photoreactors using saline conditions
Authors: Cao Jinhua , Wang Keli , Chen Fanzhen , Li Cheng , Gu Yue , Fang Zheng , Wang Hao , Lu Jingfang , Meng Fansheng , Huang Wenli , Liu Dongfang , Wang Shaopo
Published: April 2023

In this study, microalgae–bacteria (MB) systems using saline conditions (3 and 5% salinity) were built in order to use waste-activated sludge (AS) as raw material for cultivating lipid-rich microalgae. Algae were observed to be flourishing in 60 days of operation, which totally used the N and P released from the sludge biomass. A prominent improvement of lipid content in MB consortia was obtained under algae growth and salinity stimulation, which occupied 119–136 mg/g-SS rather than a low content of 12.1 mg/g-SS in AS. Lipid enrichment also brought a 3.1–3.3 times total heat release (THR) in the MB biomass. The marine spherical algae Porphyridium, as well as filamentous Geitlerinema, Nodularia, Leptolyngbya were found to be the main lipid producers and self-flocculated to 23.0% (R1) and 33.5% (R2) volume under the effect of residue EPS. This study had a big meaning in not only waste sludge reduction but also in manufacturing useful bioenergy products.
Comparação entre transplantes renais: doadores falecidos e vivos em 5 anos no Rio de Janeiro
Authors: Barros Silva Pedro Henrique , Cordeiro de Sousa Girley
Published: April 2023

O transplante renal é a melhor opção terapêutica para pacientes com doença renal crônica terminal, pois prolonga e melhora sua sobrevida. O objetivo desse estudo é realizar uma análise comparativa entre os dois tipos de doadores disponíveis, entre cada procedimento realizado no Rio de Janeiro, considerando dados como número total de cirurgias, custo médio, taxa de mortalidade e tempo médio de internação. Segundo os resultados, no estado citado, 92,5% dos transplantes utilizaram órgão de doadores falecidos e 7,5% de vivos. Os custos foram de R$ 27.742,49 para procedimento intervivos e R$ 38.973,72 para falecidos. A média de internação foi de 10,2 dias para o procedimento de doador vivo e 16 dias para morto. A taxa de mortalidade e óbitos foram 0,85% e 1, respectivamente, para doadores vivos e 3,17% e 46 para doadores mortos. Em 2016 a quantidade de transplantes realizados foi de 32 doadores vivos e 243 falecidos. Em 2017, 18 e 276. Em 2018, 29 e 295, e 2019: 26 e 362. Já em 2020 houve queda para 12 e 276 transplantes respectivamente. Apesar da predominância de doadores falecidos, esse procedimento apresenta empecilhos para sua realização. E, mesmo com resultados superiores, o transplante intervivos também não é bem aproveitado. Sendo assim, há necessidade de conscientizar a população sobre a importância de ser doador, esclarecer as famílias sobre a morte encefálica, desmentir crenças e incentivar a doação em vida. Somente o estímulo a ambos os tipos de doação poderá reduzir as filas de espera para salvar vidas.