bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Effects of Tamarindus indica Fruit Pulp Powder on Blood and Serum Profile of Fluorosed Rats
Authors: Meenu Kumari , Sharma J. D. 
Published: September 2021

Aims: Water containing a fluoride concentration of up to 1.0 mg/L is safe. It was found that the level of fluoride in groundwater is higher than surface water, which may lead to various health problems related to fluorosis. T. indica fruit pulp powder may help to reduce fluorosis condition in rats.
Methods: In the present study, healthy adult rats of Wister strain (Rattus norvegicus) weighing between 180-200gm were used for experiments. The animal was divided into five groups. Group I, control rats received only tap water (0.9ppm F). Group II rats were treated with Tamarindus indica fruit pulp powder (4mg/day/rat) for 60 days. Group III rats were exposed to Fluoride water (100ppm F) for 60 days. Group IV treated with fluoride water (100ppm F) along with T. indica fruit pulp powder (4mg/day/rat) for 60 days. whereas, group V rats were ingested fluoride water (100ppm F) for 60 days and Withdrawal from treatment for 30 days. After respective treatment animals were autopsied and biochemical parameters of blood (erythrocyte and leukocyte count, hemoglobin, hematocrits); serum (protein, glucose, cholesterol); serum enzyme activity of SGOT SGPT, Acid phosphatase, and serum fluoride and calcium level was estimated using standard techniques.
Results: Results revealed that total erythrocyte, hemoglobin, and hematocrit values were (P=.01) reduced significantly after rats were exposed to fluoride (100 ppm) water for 60 days. whereas total leucocyte count increased with fluoride (100ppm) water exposure for 60 days as compared to control values. The serum enzyme activity of SGOT, SGPT, and alkaline phosphate elevated significantly (P=.01), whereas enzyme activity of acid phosphatase diminished following fluoride water treatment to rats, as composed to control value. The level of serum fluoride enhanced significantly (P=.01) in fluorotic rats as compared to the control value. However, when fluorosed rats were treated with T. indica for 60 days restored all altered parameters almost to control value. Withdrawal of fluoride water for 30 days revealed that there is partial recovery in all parameters studied.
Conclusion: Fluoride water consumption increases free radical generation, limits enzyme activity, and results in altered hematological and blood biochemistry. Tamarindus indica pulp powder was found to be beneficial in mitigating fluoride toxicity in rats.
Rudimentary Pharmacological Inspection of the Ethanolic Extract of Grewia hirsute Vhal
Authors: Begum Mst Marium , Alim Mohammad Abdul , Ahmed Md. Razu , Mamun Abdullah Al , Das Munny , Begum Rayhana , Islam Azharul , Moni Md. Marufur Rahman , Alam Sumiya , Akter Wahida , Rahman Md. Sohanur 
Published: September 2021

Background: Screening of plant kingdom for various pharmacologic activities with an aim of discovering new active constituents is a continuous process and a part of systemic analysis.
Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate hypoglycemic, hypolipidemic, anti-ulcer, and thrombolytic effects of the ethanolic extract of Grewia hirsuta Vahl. (EEGH) in different in vivo and in vitro paradigms in both Swiss Albino mice and Long Evans rats.
Materials and Methods: After an oral acute toxicity study, adult male mice and rats according to the testing procedure were treated with EEGH (200, 400, 2000 and 4000 mg/kg, p.o.) and (1000 mg/70kg B.W. p.o Metformin, 10 mg/70kg, B.W. p.o Simvastatin, and 30 mg/70kg, B.W. p.o Omeprazole), and subjected to three in vivo tests and one in vitro test according to various established testing protocol.
Results: After testing glucose tolerance test, for hypoglycemic activities, 400 mg/kg EEGH both in 6 weeks and 12 weeks exhibited moderate anti-diabetic effect (8.89 ± 0.09 and 8.12±0.28 mmol/L respectively). Additionally, combination therapy of both 400 mg/kg EEGH + Metformin revealed a substantial fall of sugar level from 16.78± 0.1 to 6.4 ± 0.04 mmol/L, confirming a sign of moderate potentiation. No lipid-lowering effect was observed in the timed-treatment procedure. In the anti-ulcer effect, n-butanol showed a comparable ulcer inhibition index (90.56%) compared to the standard Omeprazole inhibition index of 91%. Additionally, ethyl acetate fraction showed 62% and 66% clot lysis capacity by 200 and 400 mg/kg EEGH, whereas standard Streptokinase’s capacity was 80%. The EEGH showed notable anti-ulcer activities and moderate anti-diabetic and thrombolytic activities.
Conclusion: Results extend the current understanding of the impacts of Grewia hirsuta Vahl. on biological parameters and indicate that this plant might be promising for the management of diabetes mellitus, anticoagulant, and gastric ulcer disorders prominently.
The Perspective of General Practitioners about Mental Illness: A Cross-sectional Observational Study from a Tertiary Care Centre, Pakistan
Authors: Afridi Muhammad Iqbal , Dars Jawed Akbar , Lal Chooni , Kumar Rakesh , Sadia . , Rajper Ali Bux , Shaikh Ubedullah 
Published: September 2021

Objectives: To assess the general practitioner's perspective on mental illness in a tertiary health care setting.
Study Setting and Duration: Online seminar in March 2020, Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre, Karachi.
Study Design: Cross-sectional, Observational study
Methodology: A total of 152 general practitioners were enrolled in the study. All house officers, psychiatric specialists, staff members, and patients were excluded from the study. An online survey instrument was used to collect data from general practitioners through social media. The questionnaire was related to the biodata of the physicians and their perspective on mental health disorders. Data was analyzed by using SPSS Version 26.
Results: A total of 152 general practitioners participated in the study. The mean age of participants was 39.76 (11.540) years. The majority of them were male and married with an average experience of 12.80 (10.90) years. According to the participants, the most common symptoms experienced by patients with mental disorders were loss of appetite, hopelessness, and the loss of interest in day to day activities. The majority of the doctors confessed they find the treatment and management of psychiatric illnesses the hardest. Most of the participants were aware of the diagnostic criteria used for common mental health disorders. Over a hundred (66.4%) participants considered mental health disorders to be a medical disorder while 16 (10.5%) assumed it is the possession by supernatural creatures. 65 (42.7%) of the doctors confessed that they would not feel comfortable having a coworker or befriending a person with a diagnosed mental health issue.
Conclusion: Our findings suggest that general physicians had good knowledge about common mental illnesses; however they found the management of these patients difficult. Mental health awareness and training intervention tools are needed to help improve the perspective of health care professionals towards patients with suspected mental illnesses.
Ten Years ofGynandropsis gynandraResearch for Improvement of Nutrient‐Rich Leaf Consumption: Lessons Learnt and Way Forwards
Authors: Achigan‐Dako Enoch G. , Sogbohossou Dêêdi E.O. , Houdegbe Carlos A. , Salaou Mouizz A. , Sohindji Fernand S. , Blalogoe Jelila , Chataika Barthlomew Y. , Zohoungbogbo Herbaud F. , Adje Charlotte A.O. , Fassinou Hotegni Nicodème V. , Francisco Rachidi , Abukutsa‐Onyango Mary O. , Schranz M. Eric 
Published: September 2021

AbstractThis article reveals progress and gaps in spider plant (Gynandropsis gynandraSyn.Cleome gynandra) research to date. It synthesises the current knowledge in systematics and botany, geographical distribution, nutrient content, and health values as well as the agronomic practices related to the species. This article further presents the germplasm availability, status, and places of conservation around the world to exploit the extant genetic diversity for genomics‐assisted breeding and seed systems development. It describes how various parts of the plant have been used and the potential for economical revamping and further industrial valorisation. Nutrient content and phytochemical diversity across cultivation systems and geographical ranges and known health attributes were analysed to identify gaps and bottlenecks for fostering further investigations for industrial food and drug production.
Low‐Temperature Solution‐Processed Transparent QLED Using Inorganic Metal Oxide Carrier Transport Layers
Authors: Yu Yang , Liang You , Yong Jason , Li Tianzhi , Hossain Md Sharafat , Liu Yutong , Hu Yihong , Ganesan Kumaravelu , Skafidas Efstratios 
Published: September 2021

AbstractQuantum dot light‐emitting diodes (QLEDs) represent an exciting new technology that has many desirable attributes when compared to existing organic LEDs (OLEDs) including increased brightness, contrast, and response time. Solution‐based fabrication approaches have the advantage of being able to produce large‐area electronic systems at reduced costs and critical in applications such as large display fabrication and electronics on curved surfaces including low‐profile augmented reality glasses. In this paper, for the first time, a fully solution‐processed transparent inorganic QLED is described. Traditional QLED fabrication methodologies require the use of air‐sensitive materials that make fabrication of these devices challenging and expensive. Instead of using air‐sensitive organic materials, in the approach, nickel oxide (NiO) is used as the hole transport layer and is deposited using a sol‐gel method. Copper doping of the NiO to reduce the turn‐on voltage of the QLED device is investigated. Importantly, the post‐annealing temperature of the sol‐gel process is below 275 °C, which permits the fabrication of QLEDs on a wide range of substrates. The experimental results are concordant with the COMSOL simulation data and demonstrate the feasibility of fabricating fully transparent inorganic QLED devices using a solution‐based process.
Fermi Velocity Modulation Induced Low‐Bias Negative Differential Resistance in Graphene Double Barrier Resonant Tunneling diode
Authors: Sattari‐Esfahlan Seyed Mehdi , Ilatikhameneh Hesameddin , Fouladi‐Oskouei Javad 
Published: September 2021

AbstractNegative differential resistance (NDR) devices are adequate candidates for the functional devices applicable to the next‐generation integrated circuit technology so‐called “Beyond CMOS.” Here, a graphene velocity‐modulation‐barrier resonant‐tunneling diode operating at room temperature is proposed. The current–voltage characteristics of the device are analyzed using the non‐equilibrium Green's function technique. It is found that the Fermi velocity barrier in the well/barrier region manipulates the tunneling transmission probability by suppressing the Klein region and improving the resonant tunneling leading to NDR. For special values of velocity barriers, resonant states have maximum alignment with each other which increases peak current with a high peak to valley ratio (PVR). The width and the position of the NDR window are controlled and engineered by the device dimensions and the height of potential barriers. The smaller the device showed the better the NDR properties such as larger current density and maximum PVR. Taken together, the results reveal that adequate magnitude of the Fermi velocity in graphene barrier can be an impressive concept for the fabrication of emerging tunneling devices.
Responding to Covid‐19: A thematic analysis of students' perspectives on modified learning activities during an emergency transition to remote human anatomy education
Authors: McWatt Sean C. 
Published: September 2021

AbstractIn March 2020, the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid‐19) global pandemic forced many post‐secondary institutions to move their teaching online, which had a substantial impact on students enrolled in laboratory‐based courses in fields like human anatomy. This descriptive study collected students' perspectives on the transition to remote education, with specific attention to the teaching activities, resources, and assessments used in an undergraduate Clinical Human Visceral Anatomy course at McGill University. Through inductive semantic thematic analysis, student‐held values for effective remote education were identified and grouped into the following themes: (1) preferences for communication, (2) values for remote learning activities and resources, (3) values for remote assessment, and (4) perceived positive and negative impacts of remote education on learning. Students generally valued having clear communication, opportunities for both synchronous and asynchronous learning activities, and flexible assessment formats that maintained alignment with the course outcomes and activities. Many felt that remote education had a net‐negative impact on their learning, course satisfaction, and sense of community. However, there were no significant differences in grades on laboratory quizzes administered before and after the shutdown (P = 0.443), and grades on the remote final examination were significantly higher than those on the in‐person midterm examination (P < 0.001). These findings are discussed in the context of modern educational theories and practices related to remote teaching. Strategies for facilitating a student‐centered environment online are also proposed. Future longitudinal research into skill development, learning outcome attainment, and the evolving perspectives of students and instructors operating in remote education contexts is warranted.
Rarity facets of biodiversity: Integrating Zeta diversity and Dark diversity to understand the nature of commonness and rarity
Authors: Riva Federico , Mammola Stefano 
Published: September 2021

AbstractMeasuring commonness and rarity is pivotal to ecology and conservation. Zeta diversity, the average number of species shared by multiple sets of assemblages, and Dark diversity, the number of species that could occur in an assemblage but are missing, have been recently proposed to capture two aspects of the commonness‐rarity spectrum. Despite a shared focus on commonness and rarity, thus far, Zeta and Dark diversities have been assessed separately. Here, we review these two frameworks and suggest their integration into a unified paradigm of the “rarity facets of biodiversity.” This can be achieved by partitioning Alpha and Beta diversities into five components (the Zeta, Eta, Theta, Iota, and Kappa rarity facets) defined based on the commonness and rarity of species. Each facet is assessed in traditional and multiassemblage fashions to bridge conceptual differences between Dark diversity and Zeta diversity. We discuss applications of the rarity facets including comparing the taxonomic, functional, and phylogenetic diversity of rare and common species, or measuring species' prevalence in different facets as a metric of species rarity. The rarity facets integrate two emergent paradigms in biodiversity science to better understand the ecology of commonness and rarity, an important endeavor in a time of widespread changes in biodiversity across the Earth.
Expansion of woody vegetation on a Missouri River reservoir delta‐backwater
Authors: Beall Catherine C. , Dixon Mark D. , Illeperuma Nadeesha D. , Sweeney Mark R. , Johnson W. Carter 
Published: September 2021

AbstractConstruction of dams in the mid‐20th century reduced channel dynamism, sediment transport, and regeneration of riparian trees on the Missouri River. Opportunities for forest regeneration, however, may occur where the Missouri River or tributaries deposit sediments in reservoir headwaters, forming deltaic and associated upstream backwater areas. One such delta‐backwater occurs at the confluence of the Niobrara and Missouri rivers upstream from Lewis and Clark Lake in southeastern South Dakota and northeastern Nebraska. We investigated spatiotemporal patterns of tree recruitment through vegetation sampling in 2017–2018, dendrochronology, and analysis of aerial photography from 2006 to 2016. We sampled woody vegetation in 47 plots and took tree‐ring samples from one to two trees within each plot to determine establishment dates. Woody vegetation was dominated by Populus deltoides (cottonwood) and Salix amygdaloides (peachleaf willow) in the tree layer and Salix interior (sandbar willow) in the shrub layer. Tree establishment occurred primarily in 2010–2012 and was distributed throughout the study area, including at the delta‐reservoir interface. LiDAR data showed that most of the delta‐backwater experienced a 0.5‐m increase in elevation in 2005–2011, a period that included high flows in 2010 on the Niobrara River and 2011 on the Missouri River. Woody vegetation decreased 8% from 2006 to 2012, but doubled from 2012 to 2016, colonizing areas of previous sandbar and herbaceous vegetation. These woodlands represent early successional habitat that is in decline elsewhere along the river. Understanding vegetation dynamics within reservoir delta‐backwaters may be vital for forecasting changes in regulated riverine landscapes, assessing biodiversity values of these ecosystems, and informing sustainable reservoir management.
Confirmation of infantile spasms resolution by prolonged outpatient EEGs
Authors: Yuskaitis Christopher J. , Mysak Kate , Godlewski Brianna , Zhang Bo , Harini Chellamani 
Published: September 2021

AbstractObjectiveThere is no consensus on the type or duration of the posttreatment EEG needed for assessing treatment response for infantile spasms (IS). We assessed whether outpatient electroencephalograms (EEGs) are sufficient to confirm infantile spasms (IS) treatment response.MethodsThree‐year retrospective review identified new‐onset IS patients. Only presumed responder to IS treatment at 2 weeks with a prolonged (>90 minutes) outpatient EEG to assess treatment response and at least 3‐month follow‐up were included. Hypsarrhythmia, electroclinical spasms, and sleep were evaluated for the first hour and for the duration of the EEG.ResultsWe included 37 consecutive patients with new‐onset IS and presumed clinical response at 2 weeks posttreatment. Follow‐up outpatient prolonged EEGs (median: 150 minutes, range: 90‐240 minutes) were obtained 14 days (IQR: 13‐17) after treatment initiation. EEGs detected ongoing IS in 11 of 37 (30%) presumed early responders. Prolonged outpatient EEG had a sensitivity of 85% (confidence interval [CI] 55%‐98%) for detecting treatment failure. When hypsarrhythmia and/or electroclinical spasms were not seen, EEG had a negative predictive value 92% (CI: 75%‐99%) for confirming continued IS resolution. Outpatient EEG combined with clinical assessment, however, identified all treatment failures at 2 weeks. Compared with the entire prolonged EEG, the first‐hour recording missed IS in 45% (5/11). While sleep was captured in 95% (35/37) of the full EEG recording, the first hour of recording captured sleep in only 54% (20/37).SignificanceInfantile spasms treatment response can be confirmed with a clinical history of spasm freedom and an outpatient prolonged EEG without evidence for ongoing spasms (hypsarrhythmia/electroclinical spams on EEG). Outpatient prolonged EEG, but not routine EEGs, represents an alternative to inpatient long‐term monitoring for IS posttreatment EEG follow‐up.
Spatial channel correlation for local scattering with linear MMSE‐based estimator and detector in multi‐cell large scale MU‐MIMO networks
Authors: A. Alammari Amr , Sharique Mohd 
Published: September 2021

AbstractScalable Multi‐antenna systems are designed to gain improvement in energy and spectral efficiency under different propagation conditions by equipping the BSs with hundreds or even more antennas. A better understanding of such systems leads to overcome the essential challenges, which is important for the beneficial deployment in future networks. In wireless communication systems, channel models describe the main characteristics of the propagation environment and are essential for systems performance evaluation. This article considers a multi‐cell large scale multiuser MIMO (LS‐MU‐MIMO) system with a physical correlated channel model and linear‐based MMSE estimator and detector. A physical local scattering geometric‐based stochastic channel model for dense urban and suburban scenarios is presented in this article to illustrate the impact of propagation environment on signal transmission in a general framework of antenna spatial correlation. Also, a pilot signaling‐based channel estimation in the uplink scenario, the effect of pilot contamination (PC), and spatial correlation on the channel estimation are studied. The effect of PC and channel estimation on the performance of LS‐MU‐MIMO system is investigated by applying MMSE‐based channel estimator and detector over uniform linear arrays (ULA) of BS antennas in different scattering environments. Moreover, different pilot reuse patterns are considered, and their impact on the average sum SE has been investigated. The simulation results show that LS‐MU‐MIMO system can provide higher performance for dense urban scenarios where the user terminals (UTs) have limited mobility and higher coherence time than suburban scenarios. Furthermore, while higher spatial correlation will result in improvement in the channel estimation quality, it contributes imperfectly to the channel hardening effect.
Investigation of asymmetric wall temperature and concentration on free convection of conducting fluid in a microchannel
Authors: Pattnaik J. R. , Mishra S. R. , Ali Bagh , Pattnaik P. K. 
Published: September 2021

AbstractIt is of great practical interest to study the fluid flow phenomena using buoyancy‐induced flow in a microchannel. The present problem is concerned with the natural convection in a vertical microchannel within electrically nonconducting surfaces with asymmetric wall temperature and concentration distributions. The interplay of velocity slip, temperature, and concentration jump at the walls contribute to salient features of the analysis. The governing equations of the fully developed flow are solved analytically as well as numerically. The results of both methods are in good agreement, providing the consistency and reliability of the applied numerical method. The striking outcome of the present study is that temperature, as well as concentration jump conditions at the walls, lead to flow reversal and non‐laminarity distributions of the induced current intensity and magnetic field. The higher rarefaction parameter, which ascribes the microchannel flow characteristics, prevents the growth of negative current intensity, whereas it favors the growth of velocity with induced magnetization.
Soluble CD127 potentiates IL‐7 activity in vivo in healthy mice
Authors: Aloufi Nawaf A. , Ali Alaa K. , Burke Schinkel Stephanie C. , Molyer Bengisu , Barros Priscila O. , McBane Joanne E. , Lee Seung‐Hwan , Angel Jonathan B. 
Published: September 2021

AbstractIntroductionSoluble forms of cytokine receptors can be involved in the endogenous regulation of cytokine activity. Soluble interleukin 7 receptor α (sCD127) naturally binds IL‐7, therefore there is interest in its potential application as an immunotherapeutic agent to regulate IL‐7. With the hypothesis that sCD127 enhances IL‐7 activity, thus promoting T‐cell proliferation in vivo, we sought to assess the effect of sCD127, IL‐7 or IL‐7 + sCD127 treatment on CD4+ and CD8+ T‐cells in the blood and spleen of mice.MethodsPeripheral blood mononuclear cells and splenocytes were prepared, and analyzed for T‐cell number, phenotype and proliferation (Ki67+) by flow cytometry.ResultsIL‐7 treatment induced T‐cell proliferation, increased T‐cell number, and triggered T‐cell differentiation each of which was enhanced with the addition of sCD127. IL‐7 + sCD127 treatment significantly increased spleen weight over that seen with IL‐7 treatment alone. More pronounced proliferation and a greater increase in cell number was observed in CD8+ T‐cells relative to the effect on CD4+ T‐cells.ConclusionsThese findings suggest that the addition of sCD127 enhances IL‐7‐mediated T‐cell proliferation and suggests a potential therapeutic use for sCD127.