Search results for: blended wing body

Authors: Luna Degife, Desalegn Belay, Yoseph Worku, Tigist Tesfaye, Assefa Tufa, Abyot Bekele, Zegeye Hailemariam, Abay Hagos

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Half of the world’s population is at risk of Dengue Fever (DF), a highly under-recognized and underreported mosquito-borne viral disease with high prevalence in the tropical and subtropical regions. Globally, an estimated 50 to 200 million cases and 20, 000 DF deaths occur annually as per the world health organization report. In Ethiopia, the first outbreak occurred in 2013 in Diredawa administration city. Afterward, three outbreaks have been reported from the eastern part of the country. We received a report of the fifth DF outbreak for Ethiopia and the second for Diredawa city on October 4, 2015. We conducted the investigation to confirm the outbreak, identify the risk factors for the repeatedly occurrence of the disease and implement control measures. We conducted un- matched case-control study and defined a suspected DF case as any person with fever of 2-7 days and 2 or more of the following: a headache, arthralgia, myalgia, rash, or bleeding from any part of the body. Controls were residents of Diredawa city without DF symptoms. We interviewed 70 Cases and 140 controls from all health facilities in Diredawa city from October 7 to 15; 2015. Epi Info version 7.1.5.0 was used to analyze the data and multivariable logistic regression was conducted to assess risk factors for DF. Sixty-nine blood samples were collected for Laboratory confirmation.The mean age for cases was 23.7±9.5 standard deviation (SD) and for controls 31.2±13 SD. Close contact with DF patient (Adjusted odds ratio (AOR)=5.36, 95% confidence interval(CI): 2.75-10.44), nonuse of long-lasting insecticidal nets (AOR=2.74, 95% CI: 1.06-7.08) and availability of stagnant water in the village (AOR=3.61, 95% CI:1.31-9.93) were independent risk factors associated with higher rates of the disease. Forty-two samples were tested positive. Endemicity of DF is becoming a concern for Diredawa city after the first outbreak. Therefore, effective vector control activities need to be part of long-term preventive measures.

Keywords: dengue fever, Diredawa, outbreak, risk factors, second

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Authors: Douglas MacCutcheon, Florian Pausch, Robert Ljung, Lorna Halliday, Stuart Rosen

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Contemporary classrooms are increasingly inclusive of children with mild to moderate disabilities and children from different language backgrounds (bilinguals, multilinguals), but classroom environments and standards have not yet been adapted adequately to meet these challenges brought about by this inclusivity. Additionally, classrooms are becoming noisier as a learner-centered as opposed to teacher-centered teaching paradigm is adopted, which prioritizes group work and peer-to-peer learning. Challenging listening conditions with distracting sound sources and background noise are known to have potentially negative effects on children, particularly those that are prone to struggle with speech perception in noise. Therefore, this research investigates two groups vulnerable to these environmental effects, namely children with a mild to moderate hearing loss (MMHLs) and sequential bilinguals learning in their second language. In the MMHL study, this group was assessed on speech-in-noise perception, and a number of receptive language and cognitive measures (auditory working memory, auditory attention) and correlations were evaluated. Speech reception thresholds were found to be predictive of language and cognitive ability, and the nature of correlations is discussed. In the bilinguals study, sequential bilingual children’s listening comprehension, speech-in-noise perception, listening effort and release from masking was evaluated under a number of different ecologically valid acoustic scenarios in order to pinpoint the extent of the ‘native language benefit’ for Swedish children learning in English, their second language. Scene manipulations included target-to-distractor ratios and introducing spatially separated noise. This research will contribute to the body of findings from which educational institutions can draw when designing or adapting educational environments in inclusive schools.

Keywords: sequential bilinguals, classroom acoustics, mild to moderate hearing loss, speech-in-noise, release from masking

Procedia PDF Downloads 326

Authors: Munkhtuul G., Bolortsetseg Z., Lutzul M., Sugar N., Nyamdorj D., Nomundari B., Zesemdorj O., Erdenebayar N., Lkhagvasuren T. S., Munkhbayarlakh S., Bayasgalan T. Uurtuya S. H.

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Background: Elevated serum uric acid (SUA) levels are observed in metabolic and cardiovascular conditions as an early predictor of metabolic syndrome (MS). Hyperuricemia, characterised by high uric acid levels in serum, increases the risk of developing MS by 1.6 times. Being overweight and obese significantly contributes to developing MS and cardiovascular disorders. In Mongolia, the prevalence of overweight and obesity is reaching 48.8% among individuals aged 15 to 49 years, indicating a potential surge in the incidence of MS, cardiovascular disorders, diabetes mellitus, and gout.Objective: This study aimed to determine the SUA levels in men diagnosed with MS and investigate the factors influencing these levels.Methods: A total of 119 men aged 30-60, who underwent preventive examinations and resided in Ulaanbaatar city, were included in the study. The criteria established by the International Diabetes Federation (IDF), American Heart Association (AHA), and the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) were employed to define metabolic syndrome. Hyperuricemia was defined as SUA levels ≥7 mg/dL. Dietary intake was evaluated through the 24-hour recall method.Results: The study revealed that the prevalence of MS among the participants was 42.9% (n=51), with hyperuricemia observed in 16.8% (n=20) of the individuals. Among men diagnosed with MS, 21.3% (n=10) exhibited hyperuricemia. The mean SUA levels were as follows: 4.7±0.8 mg/dL in the healthy group, 5.9±1.1 mg/dL in men without MS but presenting central obesity, and 6.2±1.3 mg/dL in men with MS. After adjusting for age and body mass index (BMI), a positive correlation was observed between SUA levels and triglycerides (β=0.93) as well as lipid accumulation product (LAP) (β=0.92) in men with MS. In the central obesity group, SUA levels exhibited a positive correlation with triglycerides (β=0.91), visceral adiposity index (VAI) (β=0.73), LAP (β=0.92), and cardiometabolic index (CMI) (β=0.69). The risk of hyperuricemia increased by 3.29 times with elevated triglycerides and 3.53 times with an increased LAP.Conclusion: The findings indicate that abdominal fat accumulation, as indicated by elevated triglyceride levels and LAP, is associated with increased SUA levels in men with MS. However, no significant relationship was observed between SUA levels and dietary intake.

Keywords: central obesity, obesity, triglycerides, hyperuricemia

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Authors: Caspar S. Carson, Gabriel W. Prather, Nicholas E. Wong, Jeffery R. Anton, William H. McCoy

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Cutibacterium acnes is a commensal bacterium found on human skin that has been linked to acne. C. acnes can also be an opportunistic pathogen when it infiltrates the body during surgery. This pathogen can cause dangerous infections of medical implants, such as shoulder replacements, leading to life-threatening blood infections. Compounding this issue, C. acnes resistance to many antibiotics has become an increasing problem worldwide, creating a need for special forms of treatment. C. acnes expresses the protein RoxP, and it requires this protein to colonize human skin. Though this protein is required for C. acnes skin colonization, its function is not yet understood. Inhibition of RoxP function might be an effective treatment for C. acnes infections. To develop such reagents, the McCoy Laboratory generated four unique anti-RoxP antibodies. Preliminary studies in the McCoy Lab have established that each antibody binds a distinct site on RoxP. To assess the potential of these antibodies as therapeutics, it is necessary to specifically characterize these antibody epitopes and evaluate them in assays that assess their ability to inhibit RoxP-dependent C. acnes growth. To provide material for these studies, an antibody expression construct, Fv-clasp(v2), was adapted to encode anti-RoxP antibody sequences. The author hypothesizes that this expression strategy can produce sufficient amounts of >95% pure antibody fragments for further characterization of these antibodies. Four anti-RoxP Fv-clasp(v2) expression constructs (pET vector-based) were transformed into E. coli BL21-Gold(DE3) cells and a small-scale expression and purification trial was performed for each construct to evaluate anti-RoxP Fv-clasp(v2) yield and purity. Successful expression and purification of these antibody constructs will allow for their use in structural studies, such as protein crystallography and cryogenic electron microscopy. Such studies would help to define the antibody binding sites on RoxP, which could then be leveraged in the development of certain methods to treat C. acnes infection through RoxP inhibition.

Keywords: structural biology, protein expression, infectious disease, antibody, therapeutics, E. coli

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Authors: Chao Wang

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Under rapid innovation of information technology, the media plays a very important role in the dissemination of information, and it has a totally different analogy generations face. However, the involvement of narrative images provides more possibilities of narrative text. "Images" through the process of aperture, a camera shutter and developable photosensitive processes are manufactured, recorded and stamped on paper, displayed on a computer screen-concretely saved. They exist in different forms of files, data, or evidence as the ultimate looks of events. By the interface of media and network platforms and special visual field of the viewer, class body space exists and extends out as thin as sebum layer, extremely soft and delicate with real full tension. The physical space of sebum layer of confuses the fact that physical objects exist, needs to be established under a perceived consensus. As at the scene, the existing concepts and boundaries of physical perceptions are blurred. Sebum layer physical simulation shapes the “Topical-Similarity" immersing, leading the contemporary social practice communities, groups, network users with a kind of illusion without the presence, i.e. a non-real illusion. From the investigation and discussion of literatures, digital movies editing manufacture and produce the variability characteristics of time (for example, slices, rupture, set, and reset) are analyzed. Interactive eBook has an unique interaction in "Waiting-Greeting" and "Expectation-Response" that makes the operation of image narrative structure more interpretations functionally. The works of digital editing and interactive technology are combined and further analyze concept and results. After digitization of Interventional Imaging and interactive technology, real events exist linked and the media handing cannot be cut relationship through movies, interactive art, practical case discussion and analysis. Audience needs more rational thinking about images carried by the authenticity of the text.

Keywords: sebum layer, topical and similarity, interactive technology, image narrative

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Authors: Katarzyna Palus, Jarosław Całka

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Gastrointestinal disorders, especially acid-related diseases, including peptic and duodenal ulcers, gastroesophageal reflux disease, upper GI bleeding or stress-related mucosal disease, are currently serious health issues encountered very frequently in patients worldwide. However, to date, the response of sympathetic neurons to gastric mucosal injury and local inflammation following hyperacidity is unknown. Thus, the present study was designed to determine possible changes in expression of galanin (GAL) in the CSMG neurons supplying the prepyloric area of the porcine stomach in a physiological state and following experimentally-induced hyperacidity by using combined retrograde tracing and double-labelling immunohistochemistry. The choice of the domestic pig as an experimental model in the present study is not accidental and is justified by the high degree of physiological and anatomical similarity to human digestive system functions. In this experiment ten juvenile female pigs of the Large White Polish breed were used. The animals were divided into two groups: control and animals with hydrochloric acid infusion (HCl). The neuronal retrograde marker Fast Blue (FB) was injected into the anterior prepyloric wall of the stomach of all animals. After 23 days, animals of the HCl-group were reintroduced into a state of general anesthesia and intragastrically given 5 ml/kg of body weight of 0.25 M aqueous solution of hydrochloric acid. On the 28th day, all animals were euthanized. The CSMG complexes were then collected and the CSMG cryostat sections were stained immunocytochemically for GAL and TH (tyrosine hydroxylase). Immunohistochemistry revealed that in the control group 8.40 ± 0.53 % out of 200 FB-positive CSMG neurons contained GAL. In HCl group upregulation of the GAL-IR neurons to 22.52 ± 1.18 % were observed. All GAL-IR neurons in both groups showed the simultaneously TH immunoreactivity. Increase in the expression of GAL in FB-positive neurons of the HCL group may suggest its participation in the protective mechanisms of neurons in different pathological processes, such as gastric hyperacidity.

Keywords: coeliac-superior mesenteric ganglion complex, gastric innervation, hyperacidity, immunohistochemistry

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Authors: Akram Sadat Jafari Roodbandi, Farzaneh Akbari, Vafa Feyzi, Zahra Zare, Zohreh Foroozanfar

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Introduction: Circadian rhythm or sleep-awake cycle in 24 hours is one of the important factors affecting the physiological and psychological characteristics in humans that contribute to biochemical, physiological and behavioral processes and helps people to set up brain and body for sleep or active awakening during certain hours. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between the characteristics of circadian rhythms on the sleep quality and sleepiness according to their demographic characteristics such as age. Methods: This cross-sectional descriptive-analytic study was carried out among the general population of Kerman, aged 15-84 years. After dividing the age groups into 10-year demographic characteristics questionnaire, the type of circadian questionnaire, Pittsburgh sleep quality questionnaire and Euporth sleepiness questionnaire were completed in equal numbers between men and women of that age group. Using cluster sampling with effect design equal 2, 1300 questionnaires were distributed during the various hours of 24 hours in public places in Kerman city. Data analysis was done using SPSS software and univariate tests and linear regressions at a significance level of 0.05. Results: In this study, 1147 subjects were included in the study, 584 (50.9%) were male and the rest were women. The mean age was 39.50 ± 15.38. 133 (11.60%) subjects from the study participants had sleepiness and 308 (26.90%) subjects had undesirable sleep quality. Using linear regression test, sleep quality was the significant correlation with sex, hours needed for sleep at 24 hours, chronic illness, sleepiness, and circadian rhythm amplitude. Sleepiness was the meaningful relationship with marital status, sleep-wake schedule of other family members and the stability of circadian rhythm. Both women and men, with age, decrease the quality of sleep and increase the rate of sleepiness. Conclusion: Age, sex, and type of circadian people, the need for sleep at 24 hours, marital status, sleep-wake schedule of other family members are significant factors related to the sleep quality and sleepiness and their adaptation to night shift work.

Keywords: circadian type, sleep quality, sleepiness, age, shift work

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Authors: Ounassa Adjroud

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Potassium dichromate (K2Cr2O7) is one of the most toxic elements to which man can be exposed at work or in the environment. The purpose of the current work is to compare the effect of K2Cr2O7 using variations in the dose, route of administration and duration of exposure in male and female Wistar albino rats with a special focus on biochemical parameters. K2Cr2O7 was subcutaneously administered alone (10, 50 and 100 mg/kg body weight) to female Wistar albino rats. Male rats received in their drinking water K2Cr2O7 30 mg/L/day) for 20 consecutive days. The Biochemical parameters were evaluated on days 3, 6 and 21 after subcutaneous (sc.) treatment in female rats and on days 10 and 20 after oral administration in male rats. The subcutaneous (s.c.) administration of 25 mg/kg of K2Cr2O7 to Wistar albino rats induced a slight change in plasma glucose levels during the experiment period. On the contrary, a significant decrease in plasma glucose levels was observed with 50 mg/kg mainly on days 3 (-26%) and 21 (-48%) after treatment compared to controls females rats. On the other hand, the higher dose provoked a significant increase in plasma glucose concentrations on days 6 (+31%) and 21 (+60%). similarly, the lower dose of chromium had no effect on the plasma urea levels. Conversely, a significant increase (122%) in this parameter was obtained during the first three days after treatment. In addition, a significant decrease in plasma glucose levels was observed with 50 mg/kg mainly on days 3 (-26%) and 21 (-48%) after treatment. On the other hand, the higher dose provoked a significant increase in plasma glucose concentrations on days 6 (+31%) and 21 (+60%). similarly, the lower dose of chromium had no effect on the plasma urea levels. Conversely, a significant increase in this parameter (122%) was obtained during the first three days after treatment. In addition, administration of 100 mg/kg of K2Cr2O7 by s.c markedly augmented the levels of plasma urea on days 3 (62%) and 6 (121%). Administration of 30 mg/L/day of K2Cr2O7 in the drinking water induced a significant augmentation in both of plasma glucose (27%) and urea (126%) during the first ten days of treatment. These results suggested that K2Cr2O7 administered subcutaneously or in the drinking water may induce harmful effects on biochemical parameters.

Keywords: glucose, potassium dichromate, Wistar albino rat, urea

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Authors: Min Chang Shin, Byung Hun Jeong, Jeong Sik Han, Jung Hoon Park

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In modern times, as flight speeds have increased due to improvements in aircraft and missile engine performance, thermal loads have also increased. Because of the friction heat of air flow with high speed on the surface of the vehicle, it is not easy to cool the superheat of the vehicle by the simple air cooling method. For this reason, a cooling method through endothermic heat is attracting attention by using a fuel that causes an endothermic reaction in a high-speed vehicle. There are two main ways of cooling the fuel through the endothermic reaction. The first is physical heat absorption. When the temperature rises, there is a sensible heat that accompanies it. The second is the heat of reaction corresponding to the chemical heat absorption, which absorbs heat during the fuel decomposes. Generally, since the decomposition reaction of the fuel proceeds at a high temperature, it does not achieve a great efficiency in cooling the high-speed flight body. However, when the catalyst is used, decomposition proceeds at a low temperature thereby increasing the cooling efficiency. However, when the catalyst is used as a powder, the catalyst enters the engine and damages the engine or the catalyst can deteriorate the performance due to the sintering. On the other hand, when used in the form of pellets, catalyst loss can be prevented. However, since the specific surface of pellet is small, the efficiency of the catalyst is low. And it can interfere with the flow of fuel, resulting in pressure loss and problems with fuel injection. In this study, we tried to maximize the performance of the catalyst by preparing a hollow fiber type pellet for zeolite ZSM-5, which has a higher amount of heat absorption, than other conventional pellets. The hollow fiber type pellet was prepared by phase inversion method. The hollow fiber type pellet has a finger-like pore and sponge-like pore. So it has a higher specific surface area than conventional pellets. The crystal structure of the prepared ZSM-5 catalyst was confirmed by XRD, and the characteristics of the catalyst were analyzed by TPD/TPR device. This study was conducted as part of the Basic Research Project (Pure-17-20) of Defense Acquisition Program Administration.

Keywords: catalyst, endothermic reaction, high-speed vehicle cooling, zeolite, ZSM-5

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Authors: Asif Khaliq, Sayeeda A. Sayed

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The drug information centers provide drug related information to the requesters that include physicians, pharmacist, nurses and other allied health care professionals. The International Pharmacist Federation (FIP) describes basic functions of a drug and poison information centers as drug evaluation, therapeutic counseling, pharmaceutical advice, research, pharmaco-vigilence and toxicology. Continuous advancement in the field of medicine has expanded the medical literature, which has increased demand of a drug and poison information center for the guidance, support and facilitation of physicians. The objective of the study is to determine the need of drug and poison information centers in public and private hospitals of Karachi, Pakistan. A cross sectional study was conducted during July 2013 to April 2014 using a self-administered, multi-itemed questionnaire. Non Probability Convenient sampling was used to select the study participants. A total of 307 physicians from public and private hospitals of Karachi participated in the study. The need for 24/7 Drug and poison information center was highlighted by 92 % of physicians and 67% physicians suggested opening a drug information center at the hospital. It was reported that 70% physicians take at least 15 minutes for searching the information about the drug while managing a case. Regarding the poisoning case management, 52% physicians complaint about the unavailability of medicines in hospitals; and mentioned the importance of medicines for safe and timely management of patients. Although 73% physicians attended continued medical education (CME) sessions, 92 % physicians insisted on the need of 24/7 Drug and poison information center. The scarcity of organized channel for obtaining the information about drug and poisons is one of the most crucial problems for healthcare workers in Pakistan. The drug and poison information center is an advisory body that assists health care professional and patients in provision of appropriate drug and hazardous substance information. Drug and poison information center is one of the integral needs for running an effective health care system. Provision of a 24 /7 drug information centers with specialized staff offer multiple benefits to the hospitals while reducing treatment delays, addressing awareness gaps of all stakeholders and ensuring provision of quality health care.

Keywords: drug and poison information centers, Pakistan, physicians, public and private hospitals

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Authors: Emma Roberts

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The Rome II Regulation has established a uniform regime of conflict of law rules across the European Union (except for Denmark) which determines the law applicable in non-contractual obligations disputes. It marks a significant development towards the Europeanization of private international law and aims to provide the most appropriate connecting factors to achieve both legal certainty and justice in individual cases. Many non-contractual obligations are recognised to present such distinct factors that, to achieve these aims, a special rule is provided for determining the applicable law in cases in respect of product liability and environmental torts, for example. Throughout the legislative process, the European Parliament sought to establish a separate rule for road traffic accidents, recognising that these cases too present such novel situations that a blanket application of a lex loci damni approach would not provide an appropriate answer. Such attempts were rejected and, as a result, cases arising out of road traffic accidents are subject to the Regulation’s general lex loci damni rule along with its escape clause and limited exception. This paper offers a critique of the Regulation’s response to cross-border road traffic accident cases. In England and Wales, there have been few cases that have applied the Regulation’s provisions to date, but significantly the majority of such cases are in respect of road traffic accidents. This paper examines the decisions in those cases and challenges the legislators’ decision not to provide a special rule for such incidences. Owing to the diversity in compensation systems globally, applying the Regulation’s general rule to cases of road traffic accidents – given the breadth of matters that are to be subject to the lex cause – cannot ensure an outcome that provides ‘justice in individual cases’ as is assured by the Regulation's recitals. Not only does this paper suggest that the absence of a special rule for road traffic accidents means that the Regulation fails to achieve one of its principal aims, but it further makes out a compelling case for the legislative body of the European Union to implement a corrective instrument.

Keywords: accidents abroad, applicable law, cross-border torts, non-contractual obligations, road traffic accidents

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Authors: Andrew Shugyo Daijo Bonnici

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Core-Self Intelligence (CSI) is an absolutely still, non-verbal, non-cerebral intelligence. Our still core-self intelligence is felt at our body's center point of gravity, just an inch below our navel, deep within our lower abdomen. The still sub-quantum depth of core-Self remains untouched by the conditioning influences of family, society, culture, religion, and spiritual views that shape our personalities and ego-self identities. As core-Self intelligence is inborn and unconditioned, it exists within all human beings regardless of age, race, color, creed, mental acuity, or national origin. Our core-self intelligence functions as a wise and compassionate guide that advances our health and well-being, our mental clarity and emotional resiliency, our fearless peace and behavioral wisdom, and our ever-deepening compassion for self and others. Although our core-Self, with its absolutely still non-judgmental intelligence, operates far beneath the functioning of our ego-self identity and our thinking mind, it effectively coexists with our passing thoughts, all of our figuring and thinking, our logical and rational way of knowing, the ebb and flow of our feelings, and the natural or triggered emergence of our emotions. When we allow our whole inner somatic awareness to gently sink into the intelligent center point of gravity within our lower abdomen, the felt arising of our core- Self’s inborn stillness has a serene and relaxing effect on our ego-self and thinking mind. It naturally slows down the speedy passage of our involuntary thoughts, diminishes our ego-self's defensive and reactive functioning, and decreases narcissistic reflections on I, me, and mine. All of these healthy cognitive benefits advance our innate wisdom and compassion, facilitate our personal and interpersonal growth, and liberate the ever-fresh wonder and curiosity of our beginner's heartmind. In conclusion, by studying, exploring, and researching our core-Self intelligence, psychologists and psychotherapists can unlock new avenues for advancing the farther reaches of our mental, emotional, and spiritual health and well-being, our innate behavioral wisdom and boundless empathy, our lucid compassion for self and others, and our unwavering confidence in the still guiding light of our core-Self that exists at the abdominal center point of all human beings.

Keywords: intelligence, transpersonal, beginner’s heartmind, compassionate wisdom

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Authors: Amadou Wurry Jallow, Adama N. S. Bah, Karamo Bah, Shih-Ye Wang, Kuo-Chung Chu, Chien-Yeh Hsu

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Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a major public health challenge with high prevalence, rising incidence, and serious adverse consequences. Developing effective risk prediction models is a cost-effective approach to predicting and preventing complications of chronic kidney disease (CKD). This study aimed to develop an accurate machine learning model that can dynamically identify individuals at risk of CKD using various kinds of diagnostic data, with or without laboratory data, at different follow-up points. Creatinine is a key component used to predict CKD. These models will enable affordable and effective screening for CKD even with incomplete patient data, such as the absence of creatinine testing. This retrospective cohort study included data on 19,429 adults provided by a private research institute and screening laboratory in Taiwan, gathered between 2001 and 2015. Univariate Cox proportional hazard regression analyses were performed to determine the variables with high prognostic values for predicting CKD. We then identified interacting variables and grouped them according to diagnostic data categories. Our models used three types of data gathered at three points in time: non-laboratory, laboratory, and metabolic indices data. Next, we used subgroups of variables within each category to train two machine learning models (Random Forest and XGBoost). Our machine learning models can dynamically discriminate individuals at risk for developing CKD. All the models performed well using all three kinds of data, with or without laboratory data. Using only non-laboratory-based data (such as age, sex, body mass index (BMI), and waist circumference), both models predict chronic kidney disease as accurately as models using laboratory and metabolic indices data. Our machine learning models have demonstrated the use of different categories of diagnostic data for CKD prediction, with or without laboratory data. The machine learning models are simple to use and flexible because they work even with incomplete data and can be applied in any clinical setting, including settings where laboratory data is difficult to obtain.

Keywords: chronic kidney disease, glomerular filtration rate, creatinine, novel metabolic indices, machine learning, risk prediction

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Authors: Fariba Tadayon, Elmira Hassanlou, Hasan Bagheri, Mostafa Jafarian

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Heavy metals are released into water, plants, soil, and food by natural and human activities. Lead has toxic roles in the human body and may cause serious problems even in low concentrations, since it may have several adverse effects on human. Therefore, determination of lead in different samples is an important procedure in the studies of environmental pollution. In this work, an ultrasonic assisted-ionic liquid based-liquid-liquid microextraction (UA-IL-DLLME) procedure for the determination of lead in zucchini, pomegranate, and lettuce has been established and developed by using flame atomic absorption spectrometer (FAAS). For UA-IL-DLLME procedure, 10 mL of the sample solution containing Pb2+ was adjusted to pH=5 in a glass test tube with a conical bottom; then, 120 μL of 1-Hexyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluoro phosphate (CMIM)(PF6) was rapidly injected into the sample solution with a microsyringe. After that, the resulting cloudy mixture was treated by ultrasonic for 5 min, then the separation of two phases was obtained by centrifugation for 5 min at 3000 rpm and IL-phase diluted with 1 cc ethanol, and the analytes were determined by FAAS. The effect of different experimental parameters in the extraction step including: ionic liquid volume, sonication time and pH was studied and optimized simultaneously by using Response Surface Methodology (RSM) employing a central composite design (CCD). The optimal conditions were determined to be an ionic liquid volume of 120 μL, sonication time of 5 min, and pH=5. The linear ranges of the calibration curve for the determination by FAAS of lead were 0.1-4 ppm with R2=0.992. Under optimized conditions, the limit of detection (LOD) for lead was 0.062 μg.mL-1, the enrichment factor (EF) was 93, and the relative standard deviation (RSD) for lead was calculated as 2.29%. The levels of lead for pomegranate, zucchini, and lettuce were calculated as 2.88 μg.g-1, 1.54 μg.g-1, 2.18 μg.g-1, respectively. Therefore, this method has been successfully applied for the analysis of the content of lead in different food samples by FAAS.

Keywords: Dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction, Central composite design, Food samples, Flame atomic absorption spectrometry.

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Authors: Sophia Yakhlef

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Norm-critical pedagogy is an approach originating from intersectional gender pedagogy, feminist pedagogy, queer pedagogy, and critical pedagogy. In the Swedish context, the norm critical approach is rising in popularity, and norms that are highlighted or challenged are, for example, various dimensions of power such as ’whiteness norm’, discourses of ’Swedishness’, ’middle class norm’, heteronormativity, and body functionality. Instead of seeing students as a homogenous group, intersectional pedagogy focuses on the consequences of differences and on critically paying attention to differences. The perspective encourages teachers to assess their teaching methods, material, and the course literature provided in their education. The classical sociological literature that most students encounter when studying behaviour science or sociology has, in recent years, been referred to as the sociological canon. The sociological perspectives of the classical scholars included in the canon have, in many ways, shaped how we perceive the history of sociology and theories of the modern world in general. The sociological canon has, in recent decades, been challenged by, amongst others, feminist, post-colonial, and queer theorists. This urges us to further investigate the implications that this might have on sociological and behavioural science education, as well as on pedagogical considerations and teaching methods. This qualitative case study focuses on the experiences of implementing a norm critical pedagogical perspective in an online behavioural science programme at Kristianstad University in Sweden. Interviews and informal conversations were conducted in 2022 with teachers regarding their experiences of teaching online, of implementing a student-centred learning approach, and their experiences of implementing a norm critical perspective in sociology and criminology courses. The study demonstrates the inclusion aspect of online education, the benefits of adopting a norm critical perspective, the challenges that arise when updating course literature, and the urgent need for guidance and education for teachers regarding inclusion and paying attention to power asymmetry.

Keywords: norm critical pedagogy, online-education, sociological canon, sweden

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Authors: Mamatha Hosapatna, Anne D. Souza, Vrinda Hari Ankolekar, Antony Sylvan D. Souza

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Introduction: The lower extremity of the femur is characterized by an anterior groove in which patella is held during motion. This groove separates the two lips of the trochlea (medial and lateral), prolongation of the two condyles. In humans, the lateral trochlear lip is more developed than the medial one, creating an asymmetric groove that is also specific to the human body. Because of femoral obliquity, contraction of quadriceps leads to a lateral dislocation stress on the patella, and the more elevated lateral side of the patellar groove helps the patella stays in its correct place, acting as a wall against lateral dislocation. This specific shape fits an oblique femur. It is known that femoral obliquity is not genetically determined but comes with orthostatism and biped walking. Material and Methodology: To measure the various dimensions of the Femoropatellar groove (FPG) and femoral condyle using digital image analyser. 37 dried adult femora (22 right,15 left) were used for the study. End on images of the lower end of the femur was taken. Various dimensions of the Femoropatellar groove and FP angle were measured using image J software. Results were analyzed statistically. Results: Maximum of the altitude of medial condyle of the right femur is 4.98± 0.35 cm and of the left femur is 5.20±.16 cm. Maximum altitude of lateral condyle is 5.44±0.4 and 5.50±0.14 on the right and left side respectively. Medial length of the groove is 1.30±0.38 cm on the right side and on the left side is 1.88±0.16 cm. The lateral length of the groove on the right side is 1.900±.16 cm and left side is 1.88±0.16 cm. Femoropatellar angle is 136.38◦±2.59 on the right side and on the left side it is 142.38◦±7.0 Angle and dimensions of the femoropatellar groove on the medial and lateral sides were measured. Asymmetry in the patellar groove was observed. The lateral lip was found to be wider and bigger which correlated with the previous studies. An asymmetrical patellar groove with a protruding lateral side associated with an oblique femur is a specific mark of bipedal locomotion. Conclusion: Dimensions of FPG are important in maintaining the stability of patella and also in knee replacement surgeries. The implants used in to replace the patellofemoral compartment consist of a metal groove to fit on the femoral end and a plastic disc that attaches to the undersurface of the patella. The location and configuration of the patellofemoral groove of the distal femur are clinically significant in the mechanics and pathomechanics of the patellofemoral articulation.

Keywords: femoral patellar groove, femoro patellar angle, lateral condyle, medial condyle

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Authors: Marina Arino Martin, John McEvoy, Eakalak Khan

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Endoxifen is an active metabolite responsible for the effectiveness of tamoxifen, a chemotherapeutic drug widely used for endocrine responsive breast cancer and chemo-preventive long-term treatment. Tamoxifen and endoxifen are not completely metabolized in human body and are actively excreted. As a result, they are released to the water environment via wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). The presence of tamoxifen in the environment produces negative effects on aquatic lives due to its antiestrogenic activity. Because endoxifen is 30-100 times more potent than tamoxifen itself and also presents antiestrogenic activity, its presence in the water environment could result in even more toxic effects on aquatic lives compared to tamoxifen. Data on actual concentrations of endoxifen in the environment is limited due to recent discovery of endoxifen pharmaceutical activity. However, endoxifen has been detected in hospital and municipal wastewater effluents. The detection of endoxifen in wastewater effluents questions the treatment efficiency of WWTPs. Studies reporting information about endoxifen removal in WWTPs are also scarce. There was a study that used chlorination to eliminate endoxifen in wastewater. However, an inefficient degradation of endoxifen by chlorination and the production of hazardous disinfection by-products were observed. Therefore, there is a need to remove endoxifen from wastewater prior to chlorination in order to reduce the potential release of endoxifen into the environment and its possible effects. The aim of this research is to isolate and identify bacteria strain(s) capable of degrading endoxifen into less hazardous compound(s). For this purpose, bacteria strains from WWTPs were exposed to endoxifen as a sole carbon and nitrogen source for 40 days. Bacteria presenting positive growth were isolated and tested for endoxifen biodegradation. Endoxifen concentration and by-product formation were monitored. The Monod kinetic model was used to determine endoxifen biodegradation rate. Preliminary results of the study suggest that isolated bacteria from WWTPs are able to growth in presence of endoxifen as a sole carbon and nitrogen source. Ongoing work includes identification of these bacteria strains and by-product(s) of endoxifen biodegradation.

Keywords: biodegradation, bacterial degraders, endoxifen, wastewater

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Authors: N. Haj Salem, M. Belhadj, S. Ben Jomâa, R. Dhouieb, S. Saadi, M. A. Mesrati, A. Chadly

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Introduction: The hyoid bone is considered as one of many bones used to identify a missed person. There is a specificity of each population group in human identifications. Objective: To analyze the relationship between age, sex and metric parameters of hyoid bone in Tunisian population sample, using CT-scan. Materials and Methods: A prospective study was conducted in the Department of Forensic Medicine of FattoumaBourguiba Hospital of Monastir-Tunisia during 4 years. A total of 240 samples of hyoid bone were studied. The age of cases ranged from 18 days to 81 years. The specimens were collected only from the deceased of known age. Once dried, each hyoid bone was scanned using CT scan. For each specimen, 10 measurements were taken using a computer program. The measurements consisted of 6 lengths and 4 widths. A regression analysis was used to estimate the relationship between age, sex, and different measurements. For age estimation, a multiple logistic regression was carried out for samples ≤ 35 years. For sex determination, ROC curve was performed. Discriminant value finally retained was based on the best specificity with the best sensitivity. Results: The correlation between real age and estimated age was good (r²=0.72) for samples aged 35 years or less. The unstandardised canonical function equation was estimated using three variables: maximum length of the right greater cornua, length from the middle of the left joint space to the middle of the right joint space and perpendicular length from the centre point of a line between the distal ends of the right and left greater cornua to the centre point of the anterior view of the body of the hyoid bone. For sex determination, the ROC curve analysis reveals that the area under curve was at 81.8%. Discriminant value was 0.451 with a specificity of 73% and sensibility of 79%. The equation function was estimated based on two variables: maximum length of the greater cornua and maximum length of the hyoid bone. Conclusion: The findings of the current study suggest that metric analysis of the hyoid bone may predict the age ≤ 35 years. Sex estimation seems to be more reliable. Further studies dealing with the fusion of the hyoid bone and the current study could help to achieve more accurate age estimation rates.

Keywords: anthropology, age estimation, CT scan, sex determination, Tunisia

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Authors: Gilad Padva, Sigal Barak Brandes

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This research centers on an unexpected Israeli advertising campaign for Elemento, a local furniture company, which eroticizes male nudity. The discussed campaign includes a series of printed ads that depict naked male models in effeminate positions. This campaign included a series of ads published in Haaretz, a small-scaled yet highly prestigious daily newspaper which is typically read by urban middle-upper-class left-winged Israelis. Apparently, this campaign embodies an alternative masculinity that challenges the prevalent machismo in Israeli society and advertising. Although some of the ads focus on young men in effeminate positions, they never expose their genitals and anuses, and their bodies are never permeable. The 2010s Elemento male models are seemingly contrasted to conventional representation of manhood in contemporary mainstream advertising. They display a somewhat inactive, passive and self-indulgent masculinity which involves 'conspicuous leisure'. In the process of commodity fetishism, the advertised furniture are emptied of the original meaning of their production, and then filled with new meanings in ways that both mystify the product and turn it into a fetish object. Yet, our research critically reconsiders this sensational campaign as sophisticated patriarchal parody that does not subvert but rather reconfirms and even fetishizes patriarchal premises; it parodizes effeminacy rather than the prevalent (Israeli) machismo. Following Pierre Bourdieu's politics of cultural taste, our research reconsiders and criticizes the male models' domesticated masculinity in a fantasized and cosmopolitan hedonistic habitus. Notwithstanding, we suggest that the Elemento campaign, despite its conformity, does question some Israeli and global axioms about gender roles, corporeal ideologies, idealized bodies, and domesticated phalluses and anuses. Although the naked truth is uncovered by this campaign, it does erect a vibrant discussion of contemporary masculinities and their exploitation in current mass consumption.

Keywords: male body, campaign, advertising, gender studies, men's studies, Israeli culture, masculinity, parody, effeminacy

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Authors: Masato Saeki

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Presented herein is a novel algorithms for calculating the damping performance of particle dampers. The particle damper is a passive vibration control technique and has many practical applications due to simple design. It consists of granular materials constrained to move between two ends in the cavity of a primary vibrating system. The damping effect results from the exchange of momentum during the impact of granular materials against the wall of the cavity. This damping has the advantage of being independent of the environment. Therefore, particle damping can be applied in extreme temperature environments, where most conventional dampers would fail. It was shown experimentally in many papers that the efficiency of the particle dampers is high in the case of resonant vibration. In order to use the particle dampers effectively, it is necessary to solve the equations of motion for each particle, considering the granularity. The discrete element method (DEM) has been found to be effective for revealing the dynamics of particle damping. In this method, individual particles are assumed as rigid body and interparticle collisions are modeled by mechanical elements as springs and dashpots. However, the computational cost is significant since the equation of motion for each particle must be solved at each time step. In order to improve the computational efficiency of the DEM, the new algorithms are needed. In this study, new algorithms are proposed for implementing the high performance DEM. On the assumption that behaviors of the granular particles in the each divided area of the damper container are the same, the contact force of the primary system with all particles can be considered to be equal to the product of the divided number of the damper area and the contact force of the primary system with granular materials per divided area. This convenience makes it possible to considerably reduce the calculation time. The validity of this calculation method was investigated and the calculated results were compared with the experimental ones. This paper also presents the results of experimental studies of the performance of particle dampers. It is shown that the particle radius affect the noise level. It is also shown that the particle size and the particle material influence the damper performance.

Keywords: particle damping, discrete element method (DEM), granular materials, numerical analysis, equivalent noise level

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Authors: Anastasios Rodis

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Background: Case studies of walkers, climbers, and campers exposed to cold and wet conditions without limb water/windproof protection revealed experiences of muscle weakness and fatigue. It is reasonable to assume that a part of the fatigue could occur due to an alteration in substrate utilization, since reduction of performance in extreme cold conditions, may partially be explained by higher anaerobic glycolysis, reflecting higher carbohydrate oxidation and an increase accumulation rate of blood lactate. The aim of this study was to assess the effects of pre-exercise lower limb cooling on substrate utilization rate during sub-maximal exercise. Method: Six male university students (mean (SD): age, 21.3 (1.0) yr; maximal oxygen uptake (V0₂ max), 49.6 (3.6) ml.min⁻¹; and percentage of body fat, 13.6 (2.5) % were examined in random order after either 30min cold water (12°C) immersion utilized as the cooling strategy up to the gluteal fold, or under control conditions (no precooling), with tests separated by minimum of 7 days. Exercise consisted of 60min cycling at 50% V0₂ max, in a thermoneutral environment of 20°C. Subjects were also required to record a diet diary over the 24hrs prior to the each trial. Means (SD) for the three macronutrients during the 1 day prior to each trial (expressed as a percentage of total energy) 52 (3) % carbohydrate, 31 (4) % fat, and 17 (± 2) % protein. Results: The following responses to lower limb cooling relative to control trial during exercise were: 1) Carbohydrate (CHO) oxidation, and blood lactate (Bₗₐc) concentration were significantly higher (P < 0.05); 2) rectal temperature (Tᵣₑc) was significantly higher (P < 0.05), but skin temperature was significantly lower (P < 0.05); no significant differences were found in blood glucose (Bg), heart rate (HR) and oxygen consumption (V0₂). Discussion: These data suggested that lower limb cooling prior to submaximal exercise will shift metabolic processes from Fat oxidation to CHO oxidation. This shift from Fat to CHO oxidation will probably have important implications in the surviving scenario, since people facing accidental localized cooling of their limbs either through wading/falling in cold water or snow even if they do not perform high intensity activity, they have to rely on CHO availability.

Keywords: exercise in wet conditions, leg cooling, outdoors exercise, substrate utilization

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Authors: Jolanta Uszko, Tomasz Wloch, Aneta Pirowska, Roman Nowobilski

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Introduction: Phantom phenomena are often reported by subjects who have undergone limb amputation. Mostly, patients feel the amputated part of the limb as if it was still attached to the body. Two types of phantom phenomena: painless (phantom sensation) and painful (phantom pain) were described. Triggers of phantom sensations and phantom pain, as well as fully effective treatment, have not been clearly described yet. Purpose: To assess the influence of psychosocial factors and some clinical conditions on the occurrence of phantom phenomena in amputee athletes. Subjects: 21 men (age: 31 years, SD = 7.5 years) after lower or upper extremity amputation, who regularly performed high-intensity sports (Amp Football Team Players) were included to the study. Method and equipment: In the research, the following method and tools were used: Questionnaire [Pirowska] adapted for athletes with disabilities, Numerical Rating Scale (NRS) - for phantom pain assessment, McGill Pain Assessment Questionnaire (short version), Beck's Depression Inventory (BDI), State Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI): X-1 and X-2, shortened version of The World Health Organization Quality of Life (WHOQOLBREFF). Results: In the study group, the lower leg amputations with traumatic etiology were predominant. Phantom sensations were present in all subjects. Half of the respondents claimed to experience phantom sensations at least once a day, paroxysmally. There was a prevalence of phantom sensations characterized as incomplete, immobile limb. Phantom pain was reported by over 85% of respondents. The nature of phantom pain was frequently described as stabbing, squeezing, shooting, pulsing, tiring. There was a significant correlation between phantom pain intensity and anxiety, quality of life, depressive tendencies, perception of phantom pain as the obstacle in daily functioning and intensity of the limb pain before amputation. Conclusions: The etiology of phantom phenomena is complex. Psychological factors seem to have a significant influence on the intensity of the phantom pain. Particular attention should be paid to patients who complain about persistent limb pain before the amputation. These are patients with an increased risk of the phantom pain of relatively high intensity.

Keywords: amputation, phantom pain, phantom sensations, adaptive sports

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Authors: Katherine van Kampen, Reva Qiu, Patricia Farrugia

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Orthopedic surgery has fallen behind when it comes to gender diversity despite medical school classes reaching gender parity. Studies have shown that orthopedic surgery would require 117 years to reach gender parity with the trainee population, the longest time than any other specialty, including neurosurgery, urology, and otolaryngology. The barriers that face women in orthopedic surgery have been well researched, with contributing factors being on-going stereotypes of the field, lack of women mentors, and gender roles outside of the hospital. Furthermore, women in orthopedic surgery face barriers to achieve promotion, publications, and leadership roles leading to a “leaky pipeline,” resulting in less and less women in key academic roles in the field. It is a complex topic with barriers and challenges faced in medical school, residency, and throughout employment. Our scoping review seeks to understand these challenges across a temporal timeline and to further characterize such barriers and the driving factors behind them. To this date, authors did not find a scoping review that seeks to look broadly at factors impacting the decreased amount of women entering orthopedics and the factors that cause women to hit a “glass ceiling”, the idea that women will not achieve the same success as men despite the same qualifications, upon entering the field. This scoping review is the first of its kind to attempt to summarize the large body of research focusing on women in orthopedic surgery from the preconceptions in medical school impacting their desire to pursue orthopedics all the way to employment, including challenges to academic success and financial success. Literature databases will be searched with the following key terms: women, gender inequity, workforce, orthopedics, and citations will be hand searched and collected. Articles included will discuss gender inequality within orthopedics with non-english, patient related articles excluded. Full-text review will seek to characterize the specific barriers faced by women across medical school, residency, and employment. Themes that are expected to be highlighted are workforce data, women in orthopedic leadership, medical student perspectives on the specialty, and gender bias and discrimination in the field.

Keywords: orthopedics, gender equity, workforce, women in surgery

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Authors: Jinlai Bian, Zailin Yang, Guanxixi Jiang, Xinzhu Li

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The problem of elastic wave propagation in inhomogeneous medium has always been a classic problem. Due to the frequent occurrence of earthquakes, many economic losses and casualties have been caused, therefore, to prevent earthquake damage to people and reduce damage, this paper studies the dynamic response around the circular inclusion in the whole space with inhomogeneous modulus, the inhomogeneity of the medium is reflected in the shear modulus of the medium with the spatial position, and the density is constant, this method can be used to solve the problem of the underground buried pipeline. Stress concentration phenomena are common in aerospace and earthquake engineering, and the dynamic stress concentration factor (DSCF) is one of the main factors leading to material damage, one of the important applications of the theory of elastic dynamics is to determine the stress concentration in the body with discontinuities such as cracks, holes, and inclusions. At present, the methods include wave function expansion method, integral transformation method, integral equation method and so on. Based on the complex function method, the Helmholtz equation with variable coefficients is standardized by using conformal transformation method and wave function expansion method, the displacement and stress fields in the whole space with circular inclusions are solved in the complex coordinate system, the unknown coefficients are solved by using boundary conditions, by comparing with the existing results, the correctness of this method is verified, based on the superiority of the complex variable function theory to the conformal transformation, this method can be extended to study the inclusion problem of arbitrary shapes. By solving the dynamic stress concentration factor around the inclusions, the influence of the inhomogeneous parameters of the medium and the wavenumber ratio of the inclusions to the matrix on the dynamic stress concentration factor is analyzed. The research results can provide some reference value for the evaluation of nondestructive testing (NDT), oil exploration, seismic monitoring, and soil-structure interaction.

Keywords: circular inclusions, complex variable function, dynamic stress concentration factor (DSCF), inhomogeneous medium

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Authors: Jinhee Kang, Kwangman Park, Ruhee Song, Suhee Kim, Do-Hyeon Yu, Kyoungseong Choi, Jinho Park

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Statement of the Problem: Animal blood components maintain homeostasis when animals are healthy, and changes in chemical composition of the blood and body fluids can be observed if animals have a disease. In particular, newborn calves are susceptible to disease and therefore hematologic tests and serum chemistry tests could become an important guideline to the diagnosis and the treatment of diseases. Diarrhea in newborn calves is the most damaging to cattle ranch, whether dairy or cattle fattening, and is a large part of calf atrophy and death. However, since the study on calf electrophoresis was not carried out, a survey analysis was conducted on it. Methodology and Theoretical Orientation: The calves were divided into healthy calves and disease (diarrhea) calves, and calves were classified by 1-14d, 15-28d, and more than 28d, respectively. The fecal state was classified by solid (0-value), semi-solid (1-value), loose (2-value) and watery (3-value). In the solid (0-value) and semi-solid (1-value) feces valuable pathogen was not detected, but loose (2-value) and watery (3-value) feces were detected. Findings: ALB, α-1, α-2, α-SUM, β and γ (Gamma) were examined by electrophoresis analysis of healthy calves and diarrhea calves. Test results showed that there were age differences between healthy calves and diarrheic calves. When we look at the γ-globulin at 1-14 days of age, we can see that the average calf of healthy calves is 16.8% and the average of diarrheal calves is 7.7%, when we look at the figures for the α-2 at 1-14 days, we found that healthy calves average 5.2% and diarrheal calves 8.7% higher than healthy cows. On α-1, 15-28 days, and after 28 days, healthy calves average 10.4% and diarrheal calves average 7.5% diarrhea calves were 12.6% and 12.4% higher than healthy calves. In the α-SUM, the healthy calves were 21.6%, 16.8%, and 14.5%, respectively, after 1-14 days, 15-28 days and 28 days. diarrheal calves were 23.1%, 19.5%, and 19.8%. Conclusion and Significance: In this study, we examined the electrophoresis results of healthy calves and diseased (diarrhea) calves, gamma globulin at 1-14 days of age were lower than those of healthy calves (diarrhea), indicating that the calf was unable to consume colostrum from the mother when it was a new calf. α-1, α-2, α-SUM may be associated with an acute inflammatory response as a result of increased levels of calves with diarrhea (diarrhea). Further research is needed to investigate the effects of acute inflammatory responses on additional calf-forming proteins. Information on the results of the electrophoresis test will be provided where necessary according to the item.

Keywords: alpha, electrophoretogram, serum protein, γ, gamma

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Authors: Umamaheswari Shanmugam, Silvia Ronchi

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Software, artificial intelligence, and machine learning can improve healthcare through innovative and advanced technologies that can use the large amount and variety of data generated during healthcare services every day; one of the significant advantages of these new technologies is the ability to get experience and knowledge from real-world use and to improve their performance continuously. Healthcare systems and institutions can significantly benefit because the use of advanced technologies improves the efficiency and efficacy of healthcare. Software-defined as a medical device, is stand-alone software that is intended to be used for patients for one or more of these specific medical intended uses: - diagnosis, prevention, monitoring, prediction, prognosis, treatment or alleviation of a disease, any other health conditions, replacing or modifying any part of a physiological or pathological process–manage the received information from in vitro specimens derived from the human samples (body) and without principal main action of its principal intended use by pharmacological, immunological or metabolic definition. Software qualified as medical devices must comply with the general safety and performance requirements applicable to medical devices. These requirements are necessary to ensure high performance and quality and protect patients' safety. The evolution and the continuous improvement of software used in healthcare must consider the increase in regulatory requirements, which are becoming more complex in each market. The gap between these advanced technologies and the new regulations is the biggest challenge for medical device manufacturers. Regulatory requirements can be considered a market barrier, as they can delay or obstacle the device's approval. Still, they are necessary to ensure performance, quality, and safety. At the same time, they can be a business opportunity if the manufacturer can define the appropriate regulatory strategy in advance. The abstract will provide an overview of the current regulatory framework, the evolution of the international requirements, and the standards applicable to medical device software in the potential market all over the world.

Keywords: artificial intelligence, machine learning, SaMD, regulatory, clinical evaluation, classification, international requirements, MDR, 510k, PMA, IMDRF, cyber security, health care systems

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Authors: Muhammad Ali Siddiquee, Md. Alauddin, Md. Omar Faruque, Zakir Hossain Howlader, Mohammad Asaduzzaman

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Rice bran (RB) and rice bran oil (RBO) are explored as prominent food components worldwide. In this study, fermented rice bran (FRB) was produced by employing edible gram-positive bacteria (Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus bulgaricus, and Bifidobacterium bifidum) at 125 x 10⁵ spore g⁻¹ of rice bran, and investigated to evaluate nutritional quality. The crude rice bran oil (CRBO) was extracted from RB, and its quality was also investigated compared to market-available rice bran oil (MRBO) in Bangladesh. We found that fermentation of rice bran with lactic acid bacteria increased total proteins (29.52%), fat (5.38%), ash (48.47%), crude fiber (38.96%), and moisture (61.04%) and reduced the carbohydrate content (36.61%). We also found that essential amino acids (methionine, tryptophan, threonine, valine, leucine, lysine, histidine, and phenylalanine) and non-essential amino acids (alanine, aspartate, glycine, glutamine, proline, serine, and tyrosine) were increased in FRB except methionine and proline. Moreover, total phenolic content, tannin content, flavonoid content, and antioxidant activity were increased in FRB. The RBO analysis showed that γ-oryzanol content (10.00mg/g) was found in CRBO compared to MRBO (ranging from 7.40 to 12.70 mg/g) and Vitamin-E content 0.20% was found higher in CRBO compared to MRBO (ranging 0.097 to 0.12%). The total saturated (25.16%) and total unsaturated fatty acids (74.44%) were found in CRBO, whereas MRBO contained total saturated (22.08 to 24.13%) and total unsaturated fatty acids (71.91 to 83.29%), respectively. The physiochemical parameters were found satisfactory in all samples except acid value and peroxide value higher in CRBO. Finally, animal experiments showed that FRB and CRBO reduce the body weight, glucose, and lipid profile in high-fat diet-induced animal models. Thus, FRB and RBO could be value-added food supplements for human health.

Keywords: fermented rice bran, crude rice bran oil, amino acids, proximate composition, gamma-oryzanol, fatty acids, heavy metals, physiochemical parameters

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Authors: H. Haseena Banu, D. Karthick, R. Stalin, E. Nandha Kumar, T. P. Sachidanandam, P. Shanthi

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Background of the study: Type 2 diabetes is emerging as the predominant metabolic disorder in the world among adults characterized mainly by the resistance of the insulin sensitive tissues towards insulin followed by the decrease in the insulin secretion. The treatment for this disease usually involves treatment with oral synthetic drugs which are known to cause several side effects. Therefore, identification of new biomarkers as therapeutic target is the need of the hour. miRNAs are small, non–protein-coding RNAs that negatively regulate gene expression by promoting degradation and/or inhibit the translation of target mRNAs and have emerged as biomarkers in predicting diabetes mellitus. Objective of the study: To elucidate the therapeutic role of gallic acid in modulating the alterations in glucose metabolism induced by miRNAs 194 and 135a in Type 2 diabetic rats. Materials and Methods: T2D was induced in rats by feeding them with a high fat diet for 2 weeks followed by intraperitoneal injection of 35 mg/kg/body weight (b.wt.) of streptozotocin. Microarrays were used to assess the expression of miRNAs in control, diabetic and gallic acid treated rats. Gene expression studies were carried out by RT PCR analysis. Results: Forty one miRNAs were differentially expressed in Type 2 diabetic rats. Among these, the expression of miRNA 194 was significantly decreased whereas miRNA 135a was significantly increased in Type 2 diabetic rats. The glucose metabolism was also altered significantly in skeletal muscle of Type 2 diabetic rats. Conclusion: T2D is associated with alterations in the expression of miRNAs in skeletal muscle. Both these miRNAs 194 and 135a play an important role in glucose metabolism in skeletal muscle of diabetic rats. Gallic acid effectively ameliorated the alterations in glucose metabolism. Hence, both these miRNAs can serve as biomarkers and therapeutic targets in diabetes mellitus. The study also establishes the role of gallic acid as therapeutic agent. Acknowledgment: The financial assistance provided in the form of ICMR women scientist by ICMR DHR INDIA is gratefully acknowledged here.

Keywords: gallic acid, high fat diet, type 2 diabetes mellitus, miRNAs

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Authors: Sheraz Gul

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The requirements for progressing a compound to clinical trials is well established and relies on the results from in-vitro and in-vivo animal tests to indicate that it is likely to be safe and efficacious when testing in humans. The typical data package required will include demonstrating compound safety, toxicity, bioavailability, pharmacodynamics (potential effects of the compound on body systems) and pharmacokinetics (how the compound is potentially absorbed, distributed, metabolised and eliminated after dosing in humans). If the desired criteria are met and the compound meets the clinical Candidate criteria and is deemed worthy of further development, a submission to regulatory bodies such as the US Food & Drug Administration for an exploratory Investigational New Drug Study can be made. The purpose of this study is to collect data to establish that the compound will not expose humans to unreasonable risks when used in limited, early-stage clinical studies in patients or normal volunteer subjects (Phase I). These studies are also designed to determine the metabolism and pharmacologic actions of the drug in humans, the side effects associated with increasing doses, and, if possible, to gain early evidence on their effectiveness. In order to reach the above goals, we have developed a pre-clinical high throughput Absorption, Distribution, Metabolism and Excretion–Toxicity (ADME–Toxicity) panel of assays to identify compounds that are likely to meet the Lead and Candidate compound acceptance criteria. This panel includes solubility studies in a range of biological fluids, cell viability studies in cancer and primary cell-lines, mitochondrial toxicity, off-target effects (across the kinase, protease, histone deacetylase, phosphodiesterase and GPCR protein families), CYP450 inhibition (5 different CYP450 enzymes), CYP450 induction, cardio-toxicity (hERG) and gene-toxicity. This panel of assays has been applied to multiple compound series developed in a number of projects delivering Lead and clinical Candidates and examples from these will be presented.

Keywords: absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion–toxicity , drug discovery, food and drug administration , pharmacodynamics

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Authors: Clifford Lewis

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This paper aims to advance the conversation of an alternative view of leadership, namely ‘leadership as the management of meaning’. Here, leadership is considered as a social process of the management of meaning within an employment context, as opposed to a psychological trait, set of behaviours or relational consequence as seen in mainstream leadership research. Specifically, this study explores the relationship between intersectional identities and the management of meaning. Design: Semi-structured, one-on-one interviews were conducted with women and men of colour working in the South African private sector organisations in various leadership positions. Employing an intersectional approach using gender and race, participants were selected by using purposive and snowball sampling concurrently. Thematic and Axial coding was used to identify dominant themes. Findings: Findings suggest that, both gender and race shape how leaders manage meaning. Findings also confirm that intersectionality is an appropriate approach when studying the leadership experiences of those groups who are underrepresented in organisational leadership structures. The findings points to the need for further research into the differential effects of intersecting identities on organisational leadership experiences and that ‘leadership as the management of meaning’ is an appropriate approach for addressing this knowledge gap. Theoretical Contribution: There is a large body of literature on the complex challenges faced by women and people of colour in leadership but there is relatively little empirical work on how identity influences the management of meaning. This study contributes to the leadership literature by providing insight into how intersectional identities influence the management of meaning at work and how this impacts the leadership experiences of largely marginalised groups. Practical Implications: Understanding the leadership experiences of underrepresented groups is important because of both legal mandates and for building diverse talent for organisations and societies. Such an understanding assists practitioners in being sensitive to simplistic notions of challenges individuals might face in accessing and practicing leadership in organisations. Advancing the conversation on leadership as the management of meaning allows for a better understanding of complex challenges faced by women and people of colour and an opportunity for organisations to systematically remove unfair structural obstacles and develop their diverse leadership capacity.

Keywords: intersectionality, diversity, leadership, sensemaking

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