bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Comparative Assessment of Nutrient Composition of Aquacultured and Wild Catfish (Clarias gariepinus) in Cross Rivers State Nigeria
Authors: Okonkwo Chibuzor Onyinye , Onyenweaku Eridiong , Uwujibha Jombo Okey 
Published: August 2020

Aim: Aquafarming of catfish has become very popular in Nigeria recently, raising concerns about the nutritional benefits of this fish to consumers especially when compared to the wild catfish.
Study Design: Fishes were obtained from Calabar Cross Rivers State Nigeria. A total of 30 catfishes were harvested, 15 aquacultured and 15 wild. The fishes weighed between 150 – 200 g at the time of harvest.
Place and Duration of Study: The study was carried out at the central laboratory of the University of Calabar, Nigeria and lasted for a period of 6 months.
Methodology: Fishes were cleaned and dried under the sun for a period of 14 days. Dried fishes were eventually ground into fine powder which was used for the nutrient analysis. The proximate, mineral and vitamin contents of aquacultured and wild catfish were investigated. The results revealed that aquacultured catfish contained significantly higher amounts of protein than the wild catfish.
Conclusion: While the aquacultured fish may be preferable for children, young adults and pregnant women who require a lot of protein for body-building, growth and development, the wild catfish may be more suitable for the maintenance of general health, water and electrolyte balance and optimum productivity being richer in most minerals.
Measurement and Estimation of Annual Variability of Water Loss at Njuwa Lake Using Class ‘A’ Pan Evaporation Method
Authors: Sadiq A. A. 
Published: August 2020

Aim: To measure and estimate the annual variability of water loss at Njuwa Lake using Class ‘A’ Pan Evaporation Method.
Place and Duration of Study: Njuwa Lake in Yola South LGA, Adamawa State Nigeria between November, 2019 and May, 2020.
Methodology: Direct measurements of morphometric characteristics of the lake were adopted using simple bathymetric method. Evaporation rates data and other related weather variable for the periods of ten (2007-2016) years were obtained from Upper Benue River Basin Development Authority located near the lake where the volume of water in the lake and the annual water loss were estimated using FAO estimate of water requirement procedures.
Results: The results revealed that Njuwa Lake has morphometric characteristics of 1, 325 m average length, 180m average width, average depth 3.4 m, 238, 500 m2 of surface area, 1,445 m shoreline length and 0.834 m shoreline development with an estimated water volume of 810, 900 m3 respectively. Similarly, highest Class ‘A’ Pan evaporation rates were found in the year 2011, 2007 and 2008 with the corresponding total annual values of 2688.06 mm, 2403.64 mm and 2389.63 mm having an estimated values of water lost from the lake of 641, 102.310 m3 (79.07%), 573, 268.140 m3(70.7%) and 569, 926.755 m3 (70.29 %) correspondingly. Conversely, the year 2013,2012 and 2014 were found with the lowest measured Pan evaporation rates (1585.00 mm, 1611.54 mm and 1663.27 mm) with an estimated water lost on the lake of about 378, 022.500 m3 (46.6 %), 384, 352.290 m3 (47.4 %) and 396, 689.895 m3 (48.9 %).
Conclusion: The rate of water loss was through evaporation was estimated to be greater than the stored water in the Lake in most of the years under study which led to untimely drying of the lake thereby affecting the irrigation farming in the area. Valuable strategies of water use efficiency and irrigation scheduling for effective utilization of the limited stored water in the lake for sustainable food production should be therefore adopted. The research work, however, need further work to make a comparison between the class ‘A’ Pan method and other empirical models method to revalidate the reliability.
Coagulation Parameters among Women with Obstetric Complications in Specialist Hospital Sokoto, Nigeria
Authors: Uchechukwu Onuigwe Festus , Tudu Khadija Bello , Osaro Erhabor , Ali Buhari Hauwa , Ibrahim Bagudo Aliyu , Ifechukwudebelu Amilo Grace , Chitogu Ibeh Nancy 
Published: August 2020

Background and Aim: Obstetric complications are part of the leading causes of maternal mortality worldwide. This study was carried out to investigate the effect of complications on the Prothrombin time (PT), activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), and platelet count (PLC). Women with obstetric complications were recruited as subjects). Pregnant women without complications were included as controls.
Study Design: This is a case-control study.
Place and Duration of Study: The study took place in Obstetrics and Gynaecology Department of Specialist Hospital Sokoto and the duration was six months.
Methodology: Pregnant women aged 18–41 years (mean age 29.5 years) were recruited for the study. The determination of PT and APTT was done by manual methods using commercially prepared Agappe reagent kits, whereas PLC was done by manual methods using a haemocytometer (Improved Neubauer counting chamber). Data were analyzed using SPSS version 23.
Results: The results of PT and APTT were significantly higher among women with obstetric complications (14.26±0.23 seconds and 31.32±0.70 second) compared to normal pregnant women (13.00 ± 0.13 seconds and 29.66±0.33) (P<0.05). The PLC was significantly lower among women with obstetric complications compared to women without obstetric complications (P< 0.05).Obstetric complications in subject show a significant association when compared with PT and APTT (P< 0.05). The age group of subjects shows a significant association when compared with APTT (P< 0.05).
Conclusion: Findings from this study have shown that obstetric complications causes decrease in platelet count and prolongation in PT and APTT. There is need to assess the PT, APTT and Platelet count routinely for pregnant women to improve the ante-natal care in Specialist Hospital Sokoto.
Age and Gender Differences in the Pattern of Antiplatelet Agents Prescribing
Authors: Ahmed Nehad J. 
Published: August 2020

Aim: There is a scarcity of data regarding gender and age related aspects of antiplatelet drugs utilization in the outpatient setting. Thus, the objective of the present study was to determine the age-and gender-related differences in the outpatient use of antiplatelet drugs in Alkharj.
Methodology: This is a retrospective study that include the assessment of electronic prescriptions in the outpatient setting that include an antiplatelet drug in 2018.
Results: Ticagrelor was prescribed mainly for patients more than 60 years old (84.62%). Clopidogrel was prescribed mainly for patients more than 50 years old (79.76%) and aspirin also was prescribed mainly for patients more than 50 years old (71.67%). Generally, most of the patients who received antiplatelet agents were male (52.76%).
Conclusion: The present study showed that there were differences in prescribing antiplatelet agents between different gender and different ages. So it is important to know the prescribing trends and to give the appropriate drugs based on several factors such as gender and age. It is expected that in the future, antiplatelet therapy may be based on age and on endogenous sex hormone level or genetic female/male differences.
Super Porous Hydrogels: A Review
Authors: Kumari P. V. Kamala , Sharmila M. , Rao Y. Srinivasa 
Published: August 2020

Super porous hydrogels (SPHs) basically developed initially create as a novel drug delivery system to absorb and continue to hold the drugs in the gastric medium which allows absorption in stomach and upper part of the gastrointestinal tract. These systems get swollen in the stomach instantly and in the harsh stomach environment they maintain their integrity, while the pharmaceutical active ingredient is being released. Instant and fast swelling property of hydrogel is based on water absorption through open porous structure by capillary force. SPHs have the poor mechanical strength which has got over by developing the second-generation SPH composites (SPHCs) and the third-generation SPH hybrids (SPHHs). The present review has been focused on the preparation, characterization and application of SPHs.
Genotyping of Canine Distemper Virus Lineage in Clinically Infected Dogs in Puducherry, Southern India
Authors: Abirami Megavarnan , Srinivas Mouttou Vivek , Vasu Jayalakshmi , Antony Prabhakar Xavier , Thanislass Jacob , Muthaiah Muthuraj , Mukhopadhyay Hirak Kumar 
Published: August 2020

Aims: This study aimed to determine the Canine Distemper Virus (CDV) lineage circulating in the Puducherry region (Southern India) and how they are genetically and antigenically related to the vaccine and other known CDV lineages around the world.
Study Design: The study involved genetic characterization of the canine distemper virus strains/lineages circulating in the clinically suspected dogs in the field.
Place and Duration of Study: Department of Veterinary Clinical Complex, Animal Husbandry Department, Private Veterinary Clinics, NGOs like Bark India, People for Animals organization, Puducherry between January 2018 and December 2019.
Methodology: The ocular and nasal swabs were collected from 40 dogs suspected for canine distemper from Puducherry state (Southern India). Following viral RNA Extraction and cDNA synthesis; the cDNAs were screened for virus by targeting the CDV Nucleocapsid (N) gene using Reverse Transcriptase PCR. Further, the N gene positive cDNAs were genetically characterized for sequence analysis of the CDV hemagglutinin (H) gene.
Results: A total of 15 (37.5%) out of 40 ocular/ nasal swabs were found to be CDV positive by RT-PCR targeting the N gene. The sequence analysis of the H gene revealed forty-nine non-synonymous and thirty-three synonymous mutations (out of 356 amino acids) in comparison with vaccine strain. The vaccine virus (Onderstepoort strain), which is related to the America 1 lineage, possessed high level of (30 – 35 i.e. more than 10%) amino acid divergence with the CDV sequences analysed in this study. The Phylogenetic analysis revealed that the present CDV sequences formed a separate monophyletic group with the CDV sequences of other Indian dogs and the Indian wildlife (Lion) and is clustered away from the vaccine strain. The CDV sequences were closer to the CDVs of Africa - 2 lineage than the other Asian lineages. The Recombination analysis revealed no potential breakpoints and recombination events.
Conclusion: Together, these findings highlighted the possible existence of the novel Indian CDV lineage/s distinct from the vaccine strain and from other known Asian lineages.
Visual Outcome after Manual Small Incision Cataract Surgery for Phacolytic Glaucoma
Authors: Noman Shams Mohammad , Karim M. A. 
Published: August 2020

Aim: To evaluate the visual outcome after manual small incision cataract surgery (MSICS) as a treatment of phacolytic glaucoma.
Methods: The study included 43 patients with phacolytic glaucoma treated by manual small incision cataract surgery with intraocular lens implantation. Preoperative and postoperative visual acuity and intraocular pressure have been recorded and compared at the end of six weeks after surgery.
Results: The mean preoperative intraocular pressure was 36.23 (± 10.86) mm of Hg. There were no significant intraoperative complications such as posterior capsular tear or expulsive hemorrhage. Post operative mean intraocular pressure (IOP) was 12.58 (± 3.45) mm Hg. Pre operative visual acuity in all the affected eyes were perception of light with projection of rays in all quadrant. Postoperative best corrected visual acuity was 6/6-6/18 in 27 patients (62.80%), 6/24- 6/36 in 10 patients (23.25%) and ≤ 6/60 in 6 patients (13.95%).
Conclusion: Manual small incision cataract surgery is a safe and effective method of treatment for phacolytic glaucoma and the visual outcome and IOP reduction is satisfactory.
MYB‐like transcription factor NoPSR1 is crucial for membrane lipid remodeling under phosphate starvation in the oleaginous microalga Nannochloropsis oceanica
Authors: Murakami Hiroki , Kakutani Natsue , Kuroyanagi Yunato , Iwai Masako , Hori Koichi , Shimojima Mie , Ohta Hiroyuki 
Published: August 2020

Membrane lipid remodeling under phosphate (Pi) limitation, a process that replaces structural membrane phospholipids with nonphosphorus lipids, is a widely observed adaptive response in plants and algae. Here, we identified the transcription factor phosphorus starvation response 1 (NoPSR1) as an indispensable player for regulating membrane lipid conversion during Pi starvation in the microalga Nannochloropsis oceanica. Knocking out NoPSR1 scarcely perturbed membrane lipid composition under Pi‐sufficient conditions but significantly impaired dynamic alteration in membrane lipids during Pi starvation. In contrast, the absence of NoPSR1 led to no obvious change in cell proliferation or storage lipid accumulation under either nutrient‐sufficient or Pi‐deficient conditions. Our results demonstrate a key factor controlling the membrane lipid profile during the Pi starvation response in N. oceanica.
Association of MAPT subhaplotypes with clinical and demographic features in Parkinson’s disease
Authors: Deutschlander Angela B. , Konno Takuya , Soto‐Beasley Alexandra I. , Walton Ronald L. , van Gerpen Jay A. , Uitti Ryan J. , Heckman Michael G. , Wszolek Zbigniew K. , Ross Owen A. 
Published: August 2020

AbstractObjectiveTo determine whether distinct microtubule‐associated protein tau MAPT H1 subhaplotypes are associated with clinical and demographic features in Parkinson’s disease.MethodsA retrospective cohort study included 855 unrelated Caucasian patients with Parkinson’s disease who were seen by Movement Disorder specialists at the Mayo Clinic Florida between 1998 and 2016. The primary outcome measures were specific demographic and clinical features of Parkinson’s disease, including age at onset, disease progression, survival, motor signs, dementia, dystonia, dyskinesia, autonomic dysfunction, impulse control disorder, psychiatric features, REM sleep behavior disorder, restless legs syndrome, and Parkinson’s disease subtype. Specific clinical features were measured at the initial visit and most recent visit. These outcomes were assessed for association with MAPT H1 subhaplotypes, which were defined by six haplotype tagging variants.ResultsMedian onset age was 64 years (range: 22‐94 years); 548 (64%) of patients were male. Significant associations (P < 0.0029) were observed between MAPT H1b and orthostatic hypotension (OR = 1.72, P = 0.001); between H1j and rest tremor (OR = 0.15; P < 0.001) as well as REM sleep behavior disorder (OR = 3.87, P < 0.001); between H1r and bradykinesia (OR = 0.11; P < 0.001); and between H1v and restless legs syndrome (OR = 4.02, P = 0.002).InterpretationFour MAPT H1 subhaplotypes, but not the H2 haplotype, were significantly associated with specific clinical features in Parkinson’s disease. MAPT haplotypic structure may explain some of the phenotypic variability in disease. Replication of our findings will be critical to fully resolve the Parkinson’s disease risk association signal at Chr17q21.
Trends in Systemic Sclerosis Mortality Over Forty‐Eight Years, 1968–2015: A US Population–Based Study
Authors: Yen Eric Y. , Singh Devanshu R. , Singh Ram R. 
Published: August 2020

ObjectiveTo identify secular trends associated with systemic sclerosis (SSc) mortality over a 48‐year period.MethodsUsing national mortality data compiled by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Wide‐Ranging Online Data for Epidemiologic Research, and population data from the US Census Bureau, we calculated an age‐standardized mortality rate (ASMR) for SSc and non‐SSc (all other causes), and we also calculated the ratio of the SSc ASMR to the non‐SSc ASMR for each year from 1968 to 2015. We then used a joinpoint regression model to evaluate mortality trends overall and by sex and race.ResultsFrom 1968 to 2015, there were 46,798 deaths with SSc recorded as the “underlying” cause of death and 106,058,839 non‐SSc deaths. There were an additional 9,063 deaths with SSc recorded as a “contributing” cause of death from 1999 to 2015. Whereas the non‐SSc ASMR decreased throughout the 48‐year time period, the SSc ASMR increased from 1968 to 2000, followed by decreases each year from 2001 to 2015. The SSc ASMR also decreased for deaths where SSc was a contributing cause from 1999 to 2015. Women and Black persons had higher SSc ASMRs and SSc ASMR to non‐SSc ASMR ratios than men and White persons, respectively. Additionally, SSc ASMRs and SSc ASMR to non‐SSc ASMR ratios increased at higher rates in women and White persons than in men and Black persons, respectively, during the initial three decades.ConclusionMortality attributable to SSc increased from 1968 to 2000, followed by a steady decline from 2001 to 2015. However, SSc mortality relative to non‐SSc mortality remains high. SSc mortality has disproportionately changed by sex and race over the 48‐year period assessed in the present study.
Post‐Pictet‐Spengler Cyclization (PPSC): A Strategy to Synthesize Polycyclic β‐Carboline‐Derived Natural Products and Biologically Active N‐Heterocycles
Authors: Singh Rahul , Kumar Sunil , Patil Madhuri T. , Sun Chung‐Ming , Salunke Deepak B. 
Published: August 2020

AbstractPictet‐Spengler reaction is a typical condensation reaction of β‐arylethylamine or Tryptamine with an aldehyde or ketone followed by ring closure to generate tetrahydroisoquinoline (THIQ) and Tetrahydro‐β‐carboline (THβC), respectively. Both these key skeletons represent huge range of structurally diverse naturally occurring isoquinoline and indole alkaloids. Nature has synthesized structurally complex Reserpine, Ajmalicine as well as other related alkaloids using various biosynthetic pathways via Pictet‐Spengler reaction followed by post‐Pictet‐Spengler cyclization (PPSC) stratergy. This biosynthetic process is the short and reliable method to access diverse range of polycyclic heterocycles. Over the period of last sixty years, several researchers have synthesized complex alkaloids without highlighting the synthetic utility of the post‐Pictet‐Spengler cyclization strategy. We summarized the synthesis of numerous natural products and related natural product inspired heterocyclic scaffolds which follow the PPSC strategy to demonstrate its usefulness for the construction of diverse compound collection.magnified image
Evaluating biological and oil‐based fungicides for dollar spot suppression on turfgrass
Authors: Koch P.L. , Hockemeyer K. , Buczkowski E. 
Published: August 2020

AbstractDollar spot (caused by Clarireedia jacksonii) receives more fungicide applications than any other turfgrass disease. Increasing restrictions on fungicide usage and expanding reports of fungicide resistant fungal populations have resulted in renewed interest in biological and plant‐based control of turfgrass diseases. Six commercially available biological fungicides (Actinovate AG, Double Nickel LC, Nortica, Rhapsody, Serende Opti, Zio) and two oil‐based fungicides (Civitas, Timorex Gold) were evaluated for dollar spot control on a creeping bentgrass putting green in Madison, WI, USA in 2017 and 2018. No biological or oil‐based fungicide provided effective full‐season dollar spot control compared to the synthetic fungicide boscalid. However, Civitas mineral oil provided levels of dollar spot control similar to boscalid on 9 of 12 rating dates over both years. The remaining treatments tested provided levels of dollar spot control and turf quality similar to boscalid ranging from 4 to 7 of a possible 12 rating dates. These results indicate that the biological fungicides tested here failed to provide commercially acceptable dollar spot control under moderate disease pressure in the midwestern U.S. The mineral oil Civitas did provide effective suppression under moderate disease pressure, while the tea tree oil Timorex Golf did not. Certain oil‐based fungicides like Civitas can provide effective dollar spot control during periods of low to moderate disease pressure, but more research is needed before biological fungicides can be successfully integrated into a dollar spot management program.
Rapid measurement of gas diffusivity in liquids using a tube‐in‐tube reactor with an unsteady‐state strategy
Authors: Zhou Caijin , Xie Bingqi , Li Shaowei , Zhang Jisong 
Published: August 2020

AbstractIn this work, an unsteady‐state strategy for rapid measurement of gas diffusivity in liquid is proposed, which has a quick perturbation of the liquid flow rate in inner tube for obtaining the change of gas flow rate across the membrane with time. The strategy has taken full advantages of the tube‐in‐tube reactor that possesses a high permeability Teflon AF‐2400 membrane to accelerate the diffusion rate of gas to liquid without direct contact between the two phases. With a developed mathematical model fitting the recorded variation of gas flow rate with time, the gas diffusivity in liquid can be determined within 0.5–3 min compared with the conventional methods of 4–14 hr. In addition, the strategy is demonstrated with several gas–liquid systems (O2‐DMSO, CO2‐[Emim] [NTf2] and CO2‐[Bmim] [BF4]) with varied viscosities and temperatures, showing a good agreement with literature values with less than 10% deviation.
Local and overall gas holdup in an aerated coaxial mixing system containing a non‐Newtonian fluid
Authors: Jamshidzadeh Maryam , Ein‐Mozaffari Farhad , Lohi Ali 
Published: August 2020

AbstractGas dispersion in non‐Newtonian fluids is a challenging task due to the formation of large cavities behind the impeller blades, which leads to the generation of very large bubbles. In this study, the effects of impeller speed, impeller type, pumping direction, and CMC concentration on the local and overall gas holdup inside a coaxial mixing tank comprised of two central impellers and an anchor were investigated through tomography, computational fluid dynamics (CFD), and response surface methodology (RSM). The results showed that an increase in the fluid apparent viscosity resulted in decreasing the gas holdup except for the pitched blade impeller in upward‐pumping mode. Although the highest overall gas holdup was accomplished for the downward pumping and co‐rotating mode, the local gas holdup data revealed a non‐uniform distribution of gas by this configuration. The lowest gas dispersion efficiency was achieved by a system comprised of two Scaba impellers and an anchor.
Resin distribution along axial and circumferential directions of self‐wiping co‐rotating parallel twin‐screw extruder
Authors: Ohara Masatoshi , Tanifuji Shin‐ichiro , Sasai Yuya , Sugiyama Takemasa , Umemoto Sho , Murata Jun‐ichi , Tsujimura Isao , Kihara Shin‐ichi , Taki Kentaro 
Published: August 2020

AbstractA self‐wiping co‐rotating twin‐screw extruder (TSE) is operated in a starved state in which the screws are partially filled with resin. Understanding the resin distribution on the screw surface of a TSE in this state is essential for the design, operation, and maintenance of the twin‐screw extrusion process. Accordingly, in this study, the circumferential and axial distribution of resin in a TSE were simulated using a novel method combining the mathematical formulation of Hele–Shaw flow, the finite element method, and a newly developed down‐wind pressure updating scheme. The results of the simulation were found to be in good agreement with experimental measurements. The proposed simulation method enables the detailed visualization of resin distribution in the entire axial and circumferential directions over the length of a TSE, improving the ability to determine both the devolatilization and fiber attrition during the extrusion process.