Search results for: local forest users group

Authors: Marielle Leijten, Catherine Meulemans, Sven De Maeyer, Luuk Van Waes

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For the diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease (AD), a large variety of neuropsychological tests are available. In some of these tests, linguistic processing - both oral and written - is an important factor. Language disturbances might serve as a strong indicator for an underlying neurodegenerative disorder like AD. However, the current diagnostic instruments for language assessment mainly focus on product measures, such as text length or number of errors, ignoring the importance of the process that leads to written or spoken language production. In this study, it is our aim to describe and test differences between cognitive and impaired elderly on the basis of a selection of writing process variables (inter- and intrapersonal characteristics). These process variables are mainly related to pause times, because the number, length, and location of pauses have proven to be an important indicator of the cognitive complexity of a process. Method: Participants that were enrolled in our research were chosen on the basis of a number of basic criteria necessary to collect reliable writing process data. Furthermore, we opted to match the thirteen cognitively impaired patients (8 MCI and 5 AD) with thirteen cognitively healthy elderly. At the start of the experiment, participants were each given a number of tests, such as the Mini-Mental State Examination test (MMSE), the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS), the forward and backward digit span and the Edinburgh Handedness Inventory (EHI). Also, a questionnaire was used to collect socio-demographic information (age, gender, eduction) of the subjects as well as more details on their level of computer literacy. The tests and questionnaire were followed by two typing tasks and two picture description tasks. For the typing tasks participants had to copy (type) characters, words and sentences from a screen, whereas the picture description tasks each consisted of an image they had to describe in a few sentences. Both the typing and the picture description tasks were logged with Inputlog, a keystroke logging tool that allows us to log and time stamp keystroke activity to reconstruct and describe text production processes. The main rationale behind keystroke logging is that writing fluency and flow reveal traces of the underlying cognitive processes. This explains the analytical focus on pause (length, number, distribution, location, etc.) and revision (number, type, operation, embeddedness, location, etc.) characteristics. As in speech, pause times are seen as indexical of cognitive effort. Results. Preliminary analysis already showed some promising results concerning pause times before, within and after words. For all variables, mixed effects models were used that included participants as a random effect and MMSE scores, GDS scores and word categories (such as determiners and nouns) as a fixed effect. For pause times before and after words cognitively impaired patients paused longer than healthy elderly. These variables did not show an interaction effect between the group participants (cognitively impaired or healthy elderly) belonged to and word categories. However, pause times within words did show an interaction effect, which indicates pause times within certain word categories differ significantly between patients and healthy elderly.

Keywords: Alzheimer's disease, keystroke logging, matching, writing process

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Authors: Shazi Farooqui, Anupam Sharma

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The Mahi River (~600km long) is an important west flowing the river of Central India. It originates in Madhya Pradesh and starts flowing in NW direction and enters into the state of Rajasthan. It flows across southern Rajasthan and then enters into Gujarat and finally debouches in the Gulf of Cambay. In Gujarat state, it flows through all four geomorphic zones i.e. eastern upland zone, shallow buried piedmont zone, alluvial zone and coastal zone. In lower reaches and particularly when it is flowing under the coastal regime, it provides an opportunity to study – 1. Land–Sea interaction and role of relative sea level changes, 2. Coastal/estuarine geological process, 3. Landscape evolution in marginal areas and so on. The Late Quaternary deposits of Mainland Gujarat is appreciably studied by Chamyal and his group of MS University of Baroda, and they have established that the 30-35m thick sediment package of the Mainland Gujarat is comprised of marine, fluvial and aeolian sediments. It is also established that in the estuarine zone, the upper few meter thick sediments package is of marine nature. However, its thickness, characters and the depositional environment including the role of climate and tectonics is still not clearly defined. To understand few aspects of the above mentioned, in the present study, a 17m subsurface sediment core has been retrieved from the estuarine zone of Mahi river basin. The Multiproxy studies which include the textural analysis (grain size), Loss on ignition (LOI), Bulk and clay mineralogy and geochemical studies have been carried out. In the entire sedimentary sequence, the grain size largely varies from coarse sand to clay; however, a solitary gravel bed is also noticed. The lower part (depth 9-17m), is mainly comprised of sub equal proportion of sand and silt. The sediments mainly have bimodal and leptokurtic distribution and deposited in alternate sand-silt package, probably indicating flood deposits. Relatively low moisture (1.8%) and organic carbon (2.4%) with increased carbonate values (12%) indicate that conditions must have to remain oxidizing. The middle part (depth 9–6m) has a 1m thick gravel bed at the bottom and overlain by coarse sand to very fine sand showing fining upward sequence. The presence of gravel bed suggests some kind of tectonic activity resulting into change in base level or enhanced precipitation in the catchment region. The upper part (depth 6–0m; top part of sequence) mainly comprised of fine sand to silt size grains (with appreciable clay content). The sediment of this part is Unimodal and very leptokurtic in nature suggesting wave and winnowing process and deposited in low energy suspension environment. This part has relatively high moisture (2.1%) and organic carbon (2.7%) with decreased carbonate content (4.2%) indicating change in the depositional environment probably under estuarine conditions. The presence of chlorite along with smectite clay mineral further supports the significant marine contribution in the formation of upper part of the sequence.

Keywords: grain size, statistical analysis, clay minerals, late quaternary, LOI

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Authors: Paul Licina, Emma M. Johnston, David Lisle, Mark Young, Chris Brady

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Background: Lumbar pars pathology is a common cause of pain in the growing spine. It can be seen in young athletes participating in at-risk sports and can affect sporting performance and long-term health due to its resistance to traditional management. There is a current lack of consensus of classification and treatment for pars injuries. Previous systems used CT to stage pars defects but could not assess early stress reactions. A modified classification is proposed that considers findings on MRI, significantly improving early treatment guidance. The treatment protocol is designed for patients aged 5 to 19 years. Method: Clinical screening identifies patients with a low, medium, or high index of suspicion for lumbar pars injury using patient age, sport participation and pain characteristics. MRI of the at-risk cohort enables augmentation of existing CT-based classification while avoiding ionising radiation. Patients are classified into five categories based on MRI findings. A type 0 lesion (stress reaction) is present when CT is normal and MRI shows high signal change (HSC) in the pars/pedicle on T2 images. A type 1 lesion represents the ‘early defect’ CT classification. The group previously referred to as a 'progressive stage' defect on CT can be split into 2A and 2B categories. 2As have HSC on MRI, whereas 2Bs do not. This distinction is important with regard to healing potential. Type 3 lesions are terminal stage defects on CT, characterised by pseudarthrosis. MRI shows no HSC. Results: Stress reactions (type 0) and acute fractures (1 and 2a) can heal and are treated in a custom-made hard brace for 12 weeks. It is initially worn 23 hours per day. At three weeks, patients commence basic core rehabilitation. At six weeks, in the absence of pain, the brace is removed for sleeping. Exercises are progressed to positions of daily living. Patients with continued pain remain braced 23 hours per day without exercise progression until becoming symptom-free. At nine weeks, patients commence supervised exercises out of the brace for 30 minutes each day. This allows them to re-learn muscular control without rigid support of the brace. At 12 weeks, bracing ceases and MRI is repeated. For patients with near or complete resolution of bony oedema and healing of any cortical defect, rehabilitation is focused on strength and conditioning and sport-specific exercise for the full return to activity. The length of this final stage is approximately nine weeks but depends on factors such as development and level of sports participation. If significant HSC remains on MRI, CT scan is considered to definitively assess cortical defect healing. For these patients, return to high-risk sports is delayed for up to three months. Chronic defects (2b and 3) cannot heal and are not braced, and rehabilitation follows traditional protocols. Conclusion: Appropriate clinical screening and imaging with MRI can identify pars pathology early. In those with potential for healing, we propose hard bracing and appropriate rehabilitation as part of a multidisciplinary management protocol. The validity of this protocol will be tested in future studies.

Keywords: adolescents, MRI classification, pars interticularis, treatment protocol

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Authors: Neil Singla, Derek Muse, Karen DiDonato, Pamela Palmer

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Introduction: Pain is the most common reason people visit emergency rooms. Studies indicate however, that Emergency Department (ED) physicians often do not provide adequate analgesia to their patients as a result of gender and age bias, opiophobia and insufficient knowledge of and formal training in acute pain management. Novel classes of analgesics have recently been introduced, but many patients suffer from acute pain in settings where the availability of intravenous (IV) access may be limited, so there remains a clinical need for rapid-acting, potent analgesics that do not require an invasive route of delivery. A sublingual sufentanil tablet (SST), dispensed using a single-dose applicator, is in development for treatment of moderate-to-severe acute pain in a medically-supervised setting. Objective: The primary objective of this study was to demonstrate the repeat-dose efficacy, safety and tolerability of sufentanil 20 mcg and 30 mcg sublingual tablets compared to placebo for the management of acute pain as determined by the time-weighted sum of pain intensity differences (SPID) to baseline over the 12-hour study period (SPID12). Key secondary efficacy variables included SPID over the first hour (SPID1), Total pain relief over the 12-hour study period (TOTPAR12), time to perceived pain relief (PR) and time to meaningful PR. Safety variables consisted of adverse events (AE), vital signs, oxygen saturation and early termination. Methods: In this Phase 2, double-blind, dose-finding study, an equal number of male and female patients were randomly assigned in a 2:2:1 ratio to SST 20 mcg, SS 30 mcg or placebo, respectively, following bunionectomy. Study drug was dosed as needed, but not more frequently than hourly. Rescue medication was available as needed. The primary endpoint was the Summed Pain Intensity Difference to baseline over 12h (SPIDI2). Safety was assessed by continuous oxygen saturation monitoring and adverse event reporting. Results: 101 patients (51 Male/50 Female) were randomized, 100 received study treatment (intent-to-treat [ITT] population), and 91 completed the study. Reasons for early discontinuation were lack of efficacy (6), adverse events (2) and drug-dosing error (1). Mean age was 42.5 years. For the ITT population, SST 30 mcg was superior to placebo (p=0.003) for the SPID12. SPID12 scores in the active groups were superior for both male (ANOVA overall p-value =0.038) and female (ANOVA overall p-value=0.005) patients. Statistically significant differences in favour of sublingual sufentanil were also observed between the SST 30mcg and placebo group for SPID1(p<0.001), TOTPAR12(p=0.002), time to perceived PR (p=0.023) and time to meaningful PR (p=0.010). Nausea, vomiting and somnolence were more frequent in the sufentanil groups but there were no significant differences between treatment arms for the proportion of patients who prematurely terminated due to AE or inadequate analgesia. Conclusions: Sufentanil tablets dispensed sublingually using a single-dose applicator is in development for treatment of patients with moderate-to-severe acute pain in a medically-supervised setting where immediate IV access is limited. When administered sublingually, sufentanil’s pharmacokinetic profile and non-invasive delivery makes it a useful alternative to IM or IV dosing.

Keywords: acute pain, pain management, sublingual, sufentanil

Procedia PDF Downloads 333

Authors: I. Stathopoulos, V. Syrgiamiotis, E. Karavasilis, A. Ploussi, I. Nikas, C. Hatzigiorgi, K. Platoni, E. P. Efstathopoulos

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Introduction: Brain and central nervous system (CNS) tumors form the second most common group of cancer in children, accounting for 30% of all childhood cancers. MRI is the key imaging technique used for the visualization and management of pediatric brain tumors. Initial characterization of tumors from MRI scans is usually performed via a radiologist’s visual assessment. However, different brain tumor types do not always demonstrate clear differences in visual appearance. Using only conventional MRI to provide a definite diagnosis could potentially lead to inaccurate results, and so histopathological examination of biopsy samples is currently considered to be the gold standard for obtaining definite diagnoses. Machine learning is defined as the study of computational algorithms that can use, complex or not, mathematical relationships and patterns from empirical and scientific data to make reliable decisions. Concerning the above, machine learning techniques could provide effective and accurate ways to automate and speed up the analysis and diagnosis for medical images. Machine learning applications in radiology are or could potentially be useful in practice for medical image segmentation and registration, computer-aided detection and diagnosis systems for CT, MR or radiography images and functional MR (fMRI) images for brain activity analysis and neurological disease diagnosis. Purpose: The objective of this study is to provide an automated tool, which may assist in the imaging evaluation and classification of brain neoplasms in pediatric patients by determining the glioma type, grade and differentiating between different brain tissue types. Moreover, a future purpose is to present an alternative way of quick and accurate diagnosis in order to save time and resources in the daily medical workflow. Materials and Methods: A cohort, of 80 pediatric patients with a diagnosis of posterior fossa tumor, was used: 20 ependymomas, 20 astrocytomas, 20 medulloblastomas and 20 healthy children. The MR sequences used, for every single patient, were the following: axial T1-weighted (T1), axial T2-weighted (T2), FluidAttenuated Inversion Recovery (FLAIR), axial diffusion weighted images (DWI), axial contrast-enhanced T1-weighted (T1ce). From every sequence only a principal slice was used that manually traced by two expert radiologists. Image acquisition was carried out on a GE HDxt 1.5-T scanner. The images were preprocessed following a number of steps including noise reduction, bias-field correction, thresholding, coregistration of all sequences (T1, T2, T1ce, FLAIR, DWI), skull stripping, and histogram matching. A large number of features for investigation were chosen, which included age, tumor shape characteristics, image intensity characteristics and texture features. After selecting the features for achieving the highest accuracy using the least number of variables, four machine learning classification algorithms were used: k-Nearest Neighbour, Support-Vector Machines, C4.5 Decision Tree and Convolutional Neural Network. The machine learning schemes and the image analysis are implemented in the WEKA platform and MatLab platform respectively. Results-Conclusions: The results and the accuracy of images classification for each type of glioma by the four different algorithms are still on process.

Keywords: image classification, machine learning algorithms, pediatric MRI, pediatric oncology

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Authors: Neelofar, Khursheed Alam, Jamal Ahmad

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Protein modification in diabetes mellitus may lead to early glycation products (EGPs) or amadori product as well as advanced glycation end products (AGEs). Early glycation involves the reaction of glucose with N-terminal and lysyl side chain amino groups to form Schiff’s base which undergoes rearrangements to form more stable early glycation product known as Amadori product. After Amadori, the reactions become more complicated leading to the formation of advanced glycation end products (AGEs) that interact with various AGE receptors, thereby playing an important role in the long-term complications of diabetes. Millard reaction or nonenzymatic glycation reaction accelerate in diabetes due to hyperglycation and alter serum protein’s structure, their normal functions that lead micro and macro vascular complications in diabetic patients. In this study, Human Serum Albumin (HSA) with a constant concentration was incubated with different concentrations of glucose at 370C for a week. At 4th day, Amadori product was formed that was confirmed by colorimetric method NBT assay and TBA assay which both are authenticate early glycation product. Conformational changes in native as well as all samples of Amadori albumin with different concentrations of glucose were investigated by various biophysical and biochemical techniques. Main biophysical techniques hyperchromacity, quenching of fluorescence intensity, FTIR, CD and SDS-PAGE were used. Further conformational changes were observed by biochemical assays mainly HMF formation, fructoseamine, reduction of fructoseamine with NaBH4, carbonyl content estimation, lysine and arginine residues estimation, ANS binding property and thiol group estimation. This study find structural and biochemical changes in Amadori modified HSA with normal to hyperchronic range of glucose with respect to native HSA. When glucose concentration was increased from normal to chronic range biochemical and structural changes also increased. Highest alteration in secondary and tertiary structure and conformation in glycated HSA was observed at the hyperchronic concentration (75mM) of glucose. Although it has been found that Amadori modified proteins is also involved in secondary complications of diabetes as AGEs but very few studies have been done to analyze the conformational changes in Amadori modified proteins due to early glycation. Most of the studies were found on the structural changes in Amadori protein at a particular glucose concentration but no study was found to compare the biophysical and biochemical changes in HSA due to early glycation with a range of glucose concentration at a constant incubation time. So this study provide the information about the biochemical and biophysical changes occur in Amadori modified albumin at a range of glucose normal to chronic in diabetes. Although many implicates currently in use i.e. glycaemic control, insulin treatment and other chemical therapies that can control many aspects of diabetes. However, even with intensive use of current antidiabetic agents more than 50 % of diabetic patient’s type 2 suffers poor glycaemic control and 18 % develop serious complications within six years of diagnosis. Experimental evidence related to diabetes suggests that preventing the nonenzymatic glycation of relevant proteins or blocking their biological effects might beneficially influence the evolution of vascular complications in diabetic patients or quantization of amadori adduct of HSA by authentic antibodies against HSA-EGPs can be used as marker for early detection of the initiation/progression of secondary complications of diabetes. So this research work may be helpful for the same.

Keywords: diabetes mellitus, glycation, albumin, amadori, biophysical and biochemical techniques

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Authors: Karen L. Lindsay, Sonja Entringer, Claudia Buss, Pathik D. Wadhwa

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Maternal nutrition and stress are independently recognized as among the most important factors that influence prenatal biology, with implications for fetal development and poor pregnancy outcomes. While there is substantial evidence from non-pregnancy human and animal studies that a complex, bi-directional relationship exists between nutrition and stress, to the author’s best knowledge, their interaction in the context of pregnancy has been significantly understudied. The aim of this study is to assess the interaction between maternal psychological stress and diet quality across pregnancy and its effects on biomarkers of prenatal insulin resistance and inflammation. This is a prospective longitudinal study of N=235 women carrying a healthy, singleton pregnancy, recruited from prenatal clinics of the University of California, Irvine Medical Center. Participants completed a 4-day ambulatory assessment in early, middle and late pregnancy, which included multiple daily electronic diary entries using Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA) technology on a dedicated study smartphone. The EMA diaries gathered moment-level data on maternal perceived stress, negative mood, positive mood and quality of social interactions. The numerical scores for these variables were averaged across each study time-point and converted to Z-scores. A single composite variable for 'STRESS' was computed as follows: (Negative mood+Perceived stress)–(Positive mood+Social interaction quality). Dietary intakes were assessed by three 24-hour dietary recalls conducted within two weeks of each 4-day assessment. Daily nutrient and food group intakes were averaged across each study time-point. The Alternative Healthy Eating Index adapted for pregnancy (AHEI-P) was computed for early, middle and late pregnancy as a validated summary measure of diet quality. At the end of each 4-day ambulatory assessment, women provided a fasting blood sample, which was assayed for levels of glucose, insulin, Interleukin (IL)-6 and Tumor Necrosis Factor (TNF)-α. Homeostasis Model Assessment of Insulin Resistance (HOMA-IR) was computed. Pearson’s correlation was used to explore the relationship between maternal STRESS and AHEI-P within and between each study time-point. Linear regression was employed to test the association of the stress-diet interaction (STRESS*AHEI-P) with the biological markers HOMA-IR, IL-6 and TNF-α at each study time-point, adjusting for key covariates (pre-pregnancy body mass index, maternal education level, race/ethnicity). Maternal STRESS and AHEI-P were significantly inversely correlated in early (r=-0.164, p=0.018) and mid-pregnancy (-0.160, p=0.019), and AHEI-P from earlier gestational time-points correlated with later STRESS (early AHEI-P x mid STRESS: r=-0.168, p=0.017; mid AHEI-P x late STRESS: r=-0.142, p=0.041). In regression models, the interaction term was not associated with HOMA-IR or IL-6 at any gestational time-point. The stress-diet interaction term was significantly associated with TNF-α according to the following patterns: early AHEI-P*early STRESS vs early TNF-α (p=0.005); early AHEI-P*early STRESS vs mid TNF-α (p=0.002); early AHEI-P*mid STRESS vs mid TNF-α (p=0.005); mid AHEI-P*mid STRESS vs mid TNF-α (p=0.070); mid AHEI-P*late STRESS vs late TNF-α (p=0.011). Poor diet quality is significantly related to higher psychosocial stress levels in pregnant women across gestation, which may promote inflammation via TNF-α. Future prenatal studies should consider the combined effects of maternal stress and diet when evaluating either one of these factors on pregnancy or infant outcomes.

Keywords: diet quality, inflammation, insulin resistance, nutrition, pregnancy, stress, tumor necrosis factor-alpha

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Authors: Mamert Mbonimpa, Ousseynou Kanteye, Élysée Tshibangu Ngabu, Rachid Amrou, Abdelkabir Maqsoud, Tikou Belem

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The management of mine wastes (waste rocks and tailings) containing sulphide minerals such as pyrite and pyrrhotite represents the main environmental challenge for the mining industry. Indeed, acid mine drainage (AMD) can be generated when these wastes are exposed to water and air. AMD is characterized by low pH and high concentrations of heavy metals, which are toxic to plants, animals, and humans. It affects the quality of the ecosystem through water and soil pollution. Different techniques involving soil materials can be used to control AMD generation, including impermeable covers (compacted clays) and oxygen barriers. The latter group includes covers with capillary barrier effects (CCBE), a multilayered cover that include the moisture retention layer playing the role of an oxygen barrier. Once AMD is produced at a mine site, it must be treated so that the final effluent at the mine site complies with regulations and can be discharged into the environment. Active neutralization with lime is one of the treatment methods used. This treatment produces sludge that is usually stored in sedimentation ponds. Other sludge management alternatives have been examined in recent years, including sludge co-disposal with tailings or waste rocks, disposal in underground mine excavations, and storage in technical landfill sites. Considering the ability of AMD neutralization sludge to maintain an alkaline to neutral pH for decades or even centuries, due to the excess alkalinity induced by residual lime within the sludge, valorization of sludge in specific applications could be an interesting management option. If done efficiently, the reuse of sludge could free up storage ponds and thus reduce the environmental impact. It should be noted that mixtures of sludge and soils could potentially constitute usable materials in CCBE for the rehabilitation of acid-generating mine sites, while sludge alone is not suitable for this purpose. The high sludge water content (up to 300%), even after sedimentation, can, however, constitute a geotechnical challenge. Adding lime to the mixtures can reduce the water content and improve the geotechnical properties. The objective of this paper is to investigate the impact of the sludge content (30, 40 and 50%) in sand-sludge mixtures (SSM) on their hydrogeotechnical properties (compaction, shrinkage behaviour, saturated hydraulic conductivity, and water retention curve). The impact of lime addition (dosages from 2% to 6%) on the moisture content, dry density after compaction and saturated hydraulic conductivity of SSM was also investigated. Results showed that sludge adding to sand significantly improves the saturated hydraulic conductivity and water retention capacity, but the shrinkage increased with sludge content. The dry density after compaction of lime-treated SSM increases with the lime dosage but remains lower than the optimal dry density of the untreated mixtures. The saturated hydraulic conductivity of lime-treated SSM after 24 hours of cure decreases by 3 orders of magnitude. Considering the hydrogeotechnical properties obtained with these mixtures, it would be possible to design CCBE whose moisture retention layer is made of SSM. Physical laboratory models confirmed the performance of such CCBE.

Keywords: mine waste, AMD neutralization sludge, sand-sludge mixture, hydrogeotechnical properties, mine site reclamation, CCBE

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Authors: Azza A. Ali, Toqa M. Elnahhas, Abeer I. Abd El-Fattah, Mona M. Kamal, Karema Abu-Elfotuh

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Background: Environmental pollution with the different aluminium (Al) containing compounds especially those in industrial waste water exposes people to higher than normal levels of Al that represents an environmental risk factor. Cosmetics, Al ware, and containers are also sources of Al besides some foods and food additives. In addition to its known neurotoxicity, Al affects other body structures like skeletal system, blood cells, liver and kidney. Accumulation of Al in kidney and liver induces nephrotoxicity and hepatotoxicity. Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) is a pseudo-vitamin substance primarily present in the mitochondria. It is a powerful antioxidant and acts as radical scavenger. Wheat grass is a natural product that contains carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins, minerals, enzymes and has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anticancer and cardiovascular protection activities. Cocoa is an excellent source of iron, potent antioxidants and can protect against many diseases. Vinpocetine is an antioxidant and anti inflammatory while zinc is an essential trace element involved in cell division and its deficiency is observed in many types of liver disease. Objective: To evaluate and compare the potency of different drugs (CoQ10, wheatgrass, cocoa, vinpocetine and zinc) against nephro- and hepato-toxicity induced by Al in rats. Methods: Rats were divided to seven groups and received daily for three weeks either saline for control group or AlCl3 (70 mg/kg, IP) for Al-toxicity model groups. Five groups of Al-toxicity model (treated groups) were orally received together with Al each of the following; CoQ10 (200mg/kg), wheat grass (100mg/kg), cocoa powder (24mg/kg), vinpocetine (20mg/kg) or zinc (32mg/kg). Biochemical changes in the serum level of Alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), lactate deshydrogenase (LDH) as well as total bilirubin, lipids, cholesterol, triglycerides, glucose, proteins, creatinine and urea were measured. Liver and kidney specimens from all groups were also collected for the assessment of hepatic and nephrotic level of inflammatory mediators (TNF-α, IL-6β, nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB), Caspase-3, oxidative parameters (MDA, SOD, TAC, NO) and DNA fragmentation. Histopathological changes in liver and kidney were also evaluated. Results: Three weeks of AlCl3 (70 mg/kg, IP) exposure induced nephro- and hepato-toxicity in rats. Treatment by the all used drugs showed protection against hazards of AlCl3. The protective effects were indicated by the significant decrease in ALT, AST, ALP, LDH as well as total bilirubin, lipids, cholesterol, triglycerides, glucose, creatinine and urea levels which were increased by Al. Liver and kidney of the treated groups showed decrease in MDA, NO, TNF-α, IL-6β, NF-κB, caspase-3 and DNA fragmentation which were increased by Al, together with significant increase in total proteins, SOD and TAC which were decreased by Al. The protection against both nephro- and hepato-toxicity was more pronounced especially with CoQ10 and wheat grass than the other used drugs. Histopathological examinations confirmed the biochemical results of toxicity and of protection. Conclusion: Protection from nephrotoxicity, hepatotoxicity and the consequent degenerations induced by Al can be achieved by using different drugs as CoQ10, wheatgrass, cocoa, vinpocetine and zinc, but CoQ10 as well as wheat grass possesses the most superior protection.

Keywords: aluminum, nephrotoxicity, hepatotoxicity, coenzyme Q10, wheatgrass, cocoa, vinpocetine, zinc

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Authors: Desireina Delancy, Tannice Hall, Eric Garraway, Dwight Robinson

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Aphis gossypii, as a pest, directly damages its host plant by extracting phloem sap (sucking) and indirectly damages it by the transmission of viruses, ultimately affecting the yield of the host. Due to its polyphagous nature, this species affects a wide range of host plants, some of which may serve as a reservoir for colonisation of important crops. In Jamaica, there have been outbreaks of viral plant pathogens that were transmitted by Aphis gossypii. Three such examples are Citrus tristeza virus, the Watermelon mosaic virus, and Papaya ringspot virus. Aphis gossypii also heavily colonized economically significant host plants, including pepper, eggplant, watermelon, cucumber, and hibiscus. To facilitate integrated pest management, it is imperative to understand the biology of the aphid and its host preference. Preliminary work in Jamaica has indicated differences in biology and host preference, as well as host variety within the species. However, specific details of fecundity, colony growth, host preference, distribution, and insecticide resistance of Aphis gossypii were unknown to the best of our knowledge. The aim was to investigate the following in relation to Aphis gossypii: influence of the host plant on colonization, life span, fecundity, population size, and morphology; the impact of host transfer on fecundity and population size as a measure of host preference and host transfer success and susceptibility to four commonly used insecticides. Fecundity and colony size were documented daily from aphids acclimatized on Capsicum chinense Jacquin 1776, Cucumis sativus Linnaeus 1630, Gossypium hirsutum Linnaeus 1751 and Abelmoschus esculentus (L.) Moench 1794 for three generations. The same measures were used after third instar aphids were transferred among the hosts as a measure of suitability and success. Mortality, and fecundity of survivors, were determined after aphids were exposed to varying concentrations of Actara®, Diazinon™, Karate Zeon®, and Pegasus®. Host preference results indicated that, over a 24-day period, Aphis gossypii reached its largest colony size on G. hirsutum (x̄ 381.80), with January – February being the most fecund period. Host transfer experiments were all significantly different, with the most significant occurring between transfers from C. chinense to C. sativus (p < 0.05). Colony sizes were found to increase significantly every 5 days, which has implications for regimes implemented to monitor and evaluate plots. Insecticides ranked on lethality are Karate Zeon®> Actara®> Pegasus® > Diazinon™. The highest LC50 values were obtained for aphids on G. hirsutum and C. chinense was with Pegasus® and for those on C. sativus with Diazinon™. Survivors of insecticide treatments had colony sizes on average that were 98 % less than untreated aphids. Cotton was preferred both in the field and in the glasshouse. It is on cotton the aphids settled first, had the highest fecundity, and the lowest mortality. Cotton can serve as reservoir for (re)populating other cotton or different host species based on migration due to overcrowding, heavy showers, high wind, or ant attendance. Host transfer success between all three hosts is highly probable within an intercropping system. Survivors of insecticide treatments can successfully repopulate host plants.

Keywords: Aphis gossypii, host-plant preference, colonization sequence, host transfers, insecticide susceptibility

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Authors: Divya Palaniappan

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Early Childhood assessment tools must measure the quality and the appropriateness of a curriculum with respect to culture and age of the children. Preschool assessment tools lack psychometric properties and were developed to measure only few areas of development such as specific skills in music, art and adaptive behavior. Existing preschool assessment tools in India are predominantly informal and are fraught with judgmental bias of observers. The World of Discovery TM curriculum focuses on accelerating the physical, cognitive, language, social and emotional development of pre-schoolers in India through various activities. The curriculum caters to every child irrespective of their dominant intelligence as per Gardner’s Theory of Multiple Intelligence which concluded "even students as young as four years old present quite distinctive sets and configurations of intelligences". The curriculum introduces a new theme every week where, concepts are explained through various activities so that children with different dominant intelligences could understand it. For example: The ‘Insects’ theme is explained through rhymes, craft and counting corner, and hence children with one of these dominant intelligences: Musical, bodily-kinesthetic and logical-mathematical could grasp the concept. The child’s progress is evaluated using an assessment tool that measures a cluster of inter-dependent developmental areas: physical, cognitive, language, social and emotional development, which for the first time renders a multi-domain approach. The assessment tool is a 5-point rating scale that measures these Developmental aspects: Cognitive, Language, Physical, Social and Emotional. Each activity strengthens one or more of the developmental aspects. During cognitive corner, the child’s perceptual reasoning, pre-math abilities, hand-eye co-ordination and fine motor skills could be observed and evaluated. The tool differs from traditional assessment methodologies by providing a framework that allows teachers to assess a child’s continuous development with respect to specific activities in real time objectively. A pilot study of the tool was done with a sample data of 100 children in the age group 2.5 to 3.5 years. The data was collected over a period of 3 months across 10 centers in Chennai, India, scored by the class teacher once a week. The teachers were trained by psychologists on age-appropriate developmental milestones to minimize observer’s bias. The norms were calculated from the mean and standard deviation of the observed data. The results indicated high internal consistency among parameters and that cognitive development improved with physical development. A significant positive relationship between physical and cognitive development has been observed among children in a study conducted by Sibley and Etnier. In Children, the ‘Comprehension’ ability was found to be greater than ‘Reasoning’ and pre-math abilities as indicated by the preoperational stage of Piaget’s theory of cognitive development. The average scores of various parameters obtained through the tool corroborates the psychological theories on child development, offering strong face validity. The study provides a comprehensive mechanism to assess a child’s development and differentiate high performers from the rest. Based on the average scores, the difficulty level of activities could be increased or decreased to nurture the development of pre-schoolers and also appropriate teaching methodologies could be devised.

Keywords: child development, early childhood assessment, early childhood curriculum, quantitative assessment of preschool curriculum

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Authors: R. Di Lorenzo, S. Laneri, A. Sacchi

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Hair surface properties affect hair texture and shine, whereas the healthy state of the hair cortex sways hair ends. Even if cosmetic treatments are intrinsically safe, there is potentially damaging action on the hair fibers. Loss of luster, frizz, split ends, and other hair problems are particularly prevalent among people who repeatedly alter the natural style of their hair or among people with intrinsically weak hair. Technological and scientific innovations in hair care thus become invaluable allies to preserve their natural well-being and shine. The study evaluated restoring keratin-like ingredients that improve hair fibers' structural integrity, increase tensile strength, improve hair manageability and moisturizing. The hair shaft is composed of 65 - 95% of keratin. It gives the hair resistance, elasticity, and plastic properties and also contributes to their waterproofing. Providing exogenous keratin is, therefore, a practical approach to protect and nourish the hair. By analyzing the amino acid composition of keratin, we find a high frequency of hydrophobic amino acids. It confirms the critical role interactions, mainly hydrophobic, between cosmetic products and hair. The active ingredient analyzed comes from vegetable proteins through an enzymatic cut process that selected only oligo- and polypeptides (> 3500 KDa) rich in amino acids with hydrocarbon side chains apolar or sulfur. These chemical components are the most expressed amino acids at the level of the capillary keratin structure, and it determines the most significant possible compatibility with the target substrate. Given the biological variability of the sources, it isn't easy to define a constant and reproducible molecular formula of the product. Still, it consists of hydroxypropiltrimonium vegetable peptides with keratin-like performances. 20 natural hair tresses (30 cm in length and 0.50 g weight) were treated with the investigated products (5 % v/v aqueous solution) following a specific protocol and compared with non-treated (Control) and benchmark-keratin-treated strands (Benchmark). Their brightness, moisture content, cortical and surface integrity, and tensile strength were evaluated and statistically compared. Keratin-like treated hair tresses showed better results than the other two groups (Control and Benchmark). The product improves the surface with significant regularization of the cuticle closure, improves the cortex and the peri-medullar area filling, gives a highly organized and tidy structure, delivers a significant amount of sulfur on the hair, and is more efficient moisturization and imbibition power, increases hair brightness. The hydroxypropyltrimonium quaternized group added to the C-terminal end interacts with the negative charges that form on the hair after washing when disheveled and tangled. The interactions anchor the product to the hair surface, keeping the cuticles adhered to the shaft. The small size allows the peptides to penetrate and give body to the hair, together with a conditioning effect that gives an image of healthy hair. Results suggest that the product is a valid ally in numerous restructuring/conditioning, shaft protection, straightener/dryer-damage prevention hair care product.

Keywords: conditioning, hair damage, hair, keratin, polarized light microscopy, scanning electron microscope, thermogravimetric analysis

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Authors: Saraswati Kerketta

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Tea industry is one of the oldest organised sector of India. It employs roughly 1.5 million people directly. Since the last decade Indian tea industry, especially in the northern region is experiencing worst crisis in the post-independence period. Due to many reason the prices of tea show steady decline. The workers are paid one of the lowest wage in tea industry in the world (1.5$ a day) below the UN's $2 a day for extreme poverty. The workers rely on addition benefits from plantation which includes food, housing and medical facilities. These have been effective means of enslavement of generations of labourers by the owners. There is hardly any change in the tea estates where the owners determine the fate of workers. When the tea garden is abandoned or is closed all the facilities disappear immediately. The workers are the descendants of tribes from central India also known as 'tea tribes'. Alienated from their native place, the geographical and social isolation compounded their vulnerability of these people. The economy of the region being totally dependent on tea has resulted in absolute unemployment for the workers of these tea gardens. With no other livelihood and no land to grow food, thousands of workers faced hunger and starvation. The Plantation Labour Act which ensures the decent working and living condition is violated continuously. The labours are forced to migrate and are also exposed to the risk of human trafficking. Those who are left behind suffers from starvation, malnutrition and disease. The condition in the sick tea plantation is no better. Wage are not paid regularly, subsidised food, fuel are also not supplied properly. Health care facilities are in very bad shape. Objectives: • To study the socio-cultural and demographic characteristics of the tea garden labourers in the study area. • To examine the social situation of workers in sick estates in dooars region. • To assess the magnitude of deprivation the impact of economic crisis on abandoned and closed tea estates in the region. Data Base: The study is based on data collected from field survey. Methods: Quantative: Cross-Tabulation, Regression analysis. Qualitative: Household Survey, Focussed Group Discussion, In-depth interview of key informants. Findings: Purchasing power parity has declined since in last three decades. There has been many fold increase in migration. Males migrates long distance towards central and west and south India. Females and children migrates both long and short distance. No one has reported to migrate back to the place of origin of their ancestors. Migrant males work mostly as construction labourers and as factory workers whereas females and children work as domestic help and construction labourers. In about 37 cases either they haven't contacted their families in last six months or are not traceable. The families with single earning members are more likely to migrate. Burden of disease and the duration of sickness, abandonment and closure of plantation are closely related. Death tolls are likely to rise 1.5 times in sick tea gardens and three times in closed tea estates. Sixty percent of the people are malnourished in the sick tea gardens and more than eighty five per cent in abandoned and sick tea gardens.

Keywords: migration, trafficking, starvation death, tea garden workers

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Authors: E. Locatelli, I. Monaco, R. C. Martin, Y. Li, R. Pini, M. Chiariello, M. Comes Franchini

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Despite the many advantages of application of nanomaterials in the field of nanomedicine, increasing concerns have been expressed on their potential adverse effects on human health. There is urgency for novel green strategies toward novel materials with enhanced biocompatibility using safe reagents. Photothermal ablation therapy, which exploits localized heat increase of a few degrees to kill cancer cells, has appeared recently as a non-invasive and highly efficient therapy against various cancer types; anyway new agents able to generate hyperthermia when irradiated are needed and must have precise biocompatibility in order to avoid damage to healthy tissues and prevent toxicity. Recently, there has been increasing interest in magnesium as a biomaterial: it is the fourth most abundant cation in the human body, and it is essential for human metabolism. However magnesium nanoparticles (Mg NPs) have had limited diffusion due to the high reduction potential of magnesium cations, which makes NPs synthesis challenging. Herein, we report the synthesis of Mg NPs and their surface functionalization for the obtainment of a stable and biocompatible nanomaterial suitable for photothermal ablation therapy against cancer. We synthesized the Mg crystals by reducing MgCl2 with metallic lithium and exploiting naphthalene as an electron carrier: the lithium–naphthalene complex acts as the real reducing agent. Firstly, the nanocrystal particles were coated with the ligand 12-ethoxy ester dodecanehydroxamic acid, and then entrapped into water-dispersible polymeric micelles (PMs) made of the FDA-approved PLGA-b-PEG-COOH copolymer using the oil-in-water emulsion technique. Lately, we developed a more straightforward methodology by introducing chitosan, a highly biocompatible natural product, at the beginning of the process, simultaneously using lithium–naphthalene complex, thus having a one-pot procedure for the formation and surface modification of MgNPs. The obtained MgNPs were purified and fully characterized, showing diameters in the range of 50-300 nm. Notably, when coated with chitosan the particles remained stable as dry powder for more than 10 months. We proved the possibility of generating a temperature rise of a few to several degrees once MgNPs were illuminated using a 810 nm diode laser operating in continuous wave mode: the temperature rise resulted significant (0-15 °C) and concentration dependent. We then investigated potential cytotoxicity of the MgNPs: we used HN13 epithelial cells, derived from a head and neck squamous cell carcinoma and the hepa1-6 cell line, derived from hepatocellular carcinoma and very low toxicity was observed for both nanosystems. Finally, in vivo photothermal therapy was performed on xenograft hepa1-6 tumor bearing mice: the animals were treated with MgNPs coated with chitosan and showed no sign of suffering after the injection. After 12 hours the tumor was exposed to near-infrared laser light. The results clearly showed an extensive damage to tumor tissue after only 2 minutes of laser irradiation at 3Wcm-1, while no damage was reported when the tumor was treated with the laser and saline alone in control group. Despite the lower photothermal efficiency of Mg with respect to Au NPs, we consider MgNPs a promising, safe and green candidate for future clinical translations.

Keywords: chitosan, magnesium nanoparticles, nanomedicine, photothermal therapy

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Authors: Yen Yen Tan, Lynn Lam, Cynthia Lam, Angela Koh, Edwin Seng

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Entrepreneurial education plays a crucial role in nurturing future innovators and change-makers. Over time, significant progress has been made in refining instructional approaches to develop the necessary skills among learners effectively. Two highly valuable frameworks, Kearney's "4 Principles of Entrepreneurial Pedagogy" and Bloom's "Three Domains of Learning," serve as guiding principles in entrepreneurial education. Kearney's principles align with experiential and student-centric learning, which are crucial for cultivating an entrepreneurial mindset. The potential synergies between these frameworks hold great promise for enhancing entrepreneurial acumen among students. However, despite this potential, their integration remains largely unexplored. This study aims to bridge this gap by building upon the Business Essentials through Action (BETA) module and investigating its contributions to nurturing the entrepreneurial mindset. This study employs a quasi-experimental mixed-methods approach, combining quantitative and qualitative elements to ensure comprehensive and insightful data. A cohort of 235 students participated, with 118 enrolled in the BETA module and 117 in a traditional curriculum. Their Personal Entrepreneurial Competencies (PECs) were assessed before admission (pre-Y1) and one year into the course (post-Y1) using a comprehensive 55-item PEC questionnaire, enabling measurement of critical traits such as opportunity-seeking, persistence, and risk-taking. Rigorous computations of individual entrepreneurial competencies and overall PEC scores were performed, including a correction factor to mitigate potential self-assessment bias. The orchestration of Kearney's principles and Bloom's domains within the BETA module necessitates a granular examination. Here, qualitative revelations surface, courtesy of structured interviews aligned with contemporary research methodologies. These interviews act as a portal, ushering us into the transformative journey undertaken by students. Meanwhile, the study pivots to explore the BETA module's influence on students' entrepreneurial competencies from the vantage point of faculty members. A symphony of insights emanates from intimate focus group discussions featuring six dedicated lecturers, who share their perceptions, experiences, and reflective narratives, illuminating the profound impact of pedagogical practices embedded within the BETA module. Preliminary findings from ongoing data analysis indicate promising results, showcasing a substantial improvement in entrepreneurial skills among students participating in the BETA module. This study promises not only to elevate students' entrepreneurial competencies but also to illuminate the broader canvas of applicability for Kearney's principles and Bloom's domains. The dynamic interplay of quantitative analyses, proffering precise competency metrics, and qualitative revelations, delving into the nuanced narratives of transformative journeys, engenders a holistic understanding of this educational endeavour. Through a rigorous quasi-experimental mixed-methods approach, this research aims to establish the BETA module's effectiveness in fostering entrepreneurial acumen among students at Singapore Polytechnic, thereby contributing valuable insights to the broader discourse on educational methodologies.

Keywords: entrepreneurial education, experiential learning, pedagogical frameworks, innovative competencies

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Authors: P. C. Kutschera, Elena C. Tesoro, Mary Grace Talamera-Sandico, Jose Maria G. Pelayo III

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Second generation military Filipino Amerasians comprise a formidable contemporary segment of the estimated 250,000-plus biracial Amerasians in the Philippines today. Overall, they are a stigmatized and socioeconomically marginalized diaspora, historically; they were abandoned or estranged by U.S. military personnel fathers assigned during the century-long Colonial, Post-World War II and Cold War Era of permanent military basing (1898-1992). Indeed, U.S. military personnel remain stationed in smaller numbers in the Philippines today. This inquiry is an outgrowth of two recent small sample studies. The first surfaced the impact of the U.S. military prostitution system on formation of the ‘Derivative Amerasian Family Construct’ on first generation Amerasians; a second, qualitative case study suggested the continued effect of the prostitution systems' destructive impetuous on second generation Amerasians. The intent of this current qualitative, multiple-case study was to actively seek out second generation sex industry toilers. The purpose was to focus further on this human phenomenon in the post-basing and post-military prostitution system eras. As background, the former military prostitution apparatus has transformed into a modern dynamic of rampant sex tourism and prostitution nationwide. This is characterized by hotel and resorts offering unrestricted carnal access, urban and provincial brothels (casas), discos, bars and pickup clubs, massage parlors, local barrio karaoke bars and street prostitution. A small case study sample (N = 4) of female and male second generation Amerasians were selected. Sample formation employed a non-probability ‘snowball’ technique drawing respondents from the notorious Angeles, Metro Manila, Olongapo City ‘AMO Amerasian Triangle’ where most former U.S. military installations were sited and modern sex tourism thrives. A six-month study and analysis of in-depth interviews of female and male sex laborers, their families and peers revealed a litany of disturbing, and troublesome experiences. Results showed profiles of debilitating human poverty, history of family disorganization, stigmatization, social marginalization and the ghost of the military prostitution system and its harmful legacy on Amerasian family units. Emerging were testimonials of wayward young people ensnared in a maelstrom of deep economic deprivation, familial dysfunction, psychological desperation and societal indifference. The paper recommends that more study is needed and implications of unstudied psychosocial and socioeconomic experiences of distressed younger generations of military Amerasians require specific research. Heretofore apathetic or disengaged U.S. institutions need to confront the issue and formulate activist and solution-oriented social welfare, human services and immigration easement policies and alternatives. These institutions specifically include academic and social science research agencies, corporate foundations, the U.S. Congress, and Departments of State, Defense and Health and Human Services, and Homeland Security (i.e. Citizen and Immigration Services) It is them who continue to endorse a laissez-faire policy of non-involvement over the entire Filipino Amerasian question. Such apathy, the paper concludes, relegates this consequential but neglected blood progeny to the status of humiliating destitution and exploitation. Amerasians; thus, remain entrapped in their former colonial, and neo-colonial habitat. Ironically, they are unwitting victims of a U.S. American homeland that fancies itself geo-politically as a strong and strategic military treaty ally of the Philippines in the Western Pacific.

Keywords: Asian Americans, diaspora, Filipino Amerasians, military prostitution, stigmatization

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Authors: Narottam Puri, Gurvinder Kaur

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Background: The National Accreditation Board for Hospitals & Healthcare Providers (NABH) is India’s apex standard setting accrediting body in health care which evaluates and accredits healthcare organizations. NABH requires accredited organizations to become reaccredited every three years. It is often though that once the initial accreditation is complete, the foundation is set and reaccreditation is a much simpler process. Fortis Hospital, Shalimar Bagh, a part of the Fortis Healthcare group is a 262 bed, multi-specialty tertiary care hospital. The hospital was successfully accredited in the year 2012. On completion of its first cycle, the hospital underwent a reaccreditation assessment in the year 2015. This paper aims to gain a better understanding of the challenges that accredited hospitals face when preparing for a renewal of their accreditations. Methods: The study was conducted using a cross-sectional mixed methods approach; semi-structured interviews were conducted with senior leadership team and staff members including doctors and nurses. Documents collated by the QA team while preparing for the re-assessment like the data on quality indicators: the method of collection, analysis, trending, continual incremental improvements made over time, minutes of the meetings, amendments made to the existing policies and new policies drafted was reviewed to understand the challenges. Results: The senior leadership had a concern about the cost of accreditation and its impact on the quality of health care services considering the staff effort and time consumed it. The management was however in favor of continuing with the accreditation since it offered competitive advantage, strengthened community confidence besides better pay rates from the payors. The clinicians regarded it as an increased non-clinical workload. Doctors felt accountable within a professional framework, to themselves, the patient and family, their peers and to their profession; but not to accreditation bodies and raised concerns on how the quality indicators were measured. The departmental leaders had a positive perception of accreditation. They agreed that it ensured high standards of care and improved management of their functional areas. However, they were reluctant in sparing people for the QA activities due to staffing issues. With staff turnover, a lot of work was lost as sticky knowledge and had to be redone. Listing the continual quality improvement initiatives over the last 3 years was a challenge in itself. Conclusion: The success of any quality assurance reaccreditation program depends almost entirely on the commitment and interest of the administrators, nurses, paramedical staff, and clinicians. The leader of the Quality Movement is critical in propelling and building momentum. Leaders need to recognize skepticism and resistance and consider ways in which staff can become positively engaged. Involvement of all the functional owners is the start point towards building ownership and accountability for standards compliance. Creativity plays a very valuable role. Communication by Mail Series, WhatsApp groups, Quizzes, Events, and any and every form helps. Leaders must be able to generate interest and commitment without burdening clinical and administrative staff with an activity they neither understand nor believe in.

Keywords: NABH, reaccreditation, quality assurance, quality indicators

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Authors: Reza Nematirad, Anil Pahwa, Balasubramaniam Natarajan

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Time series data consist of successive data points collected over a period of time. Accurate prediction of future values is essential for informed decision-making in several real-world applications, including electricity load demand forecasting, lifetime estimation of industrial machinery, traffic planning, weather prediction, and the stock market. Due to their critical relevance and wide application, there has been considerable interest in time series forecasting in recent years. However, the proliferation of sensors and IoT devices, real-time monitoring systems, and high-frequency trading data introduce significant intricate temporal variations, rapid changes, noise, and non-linearities, making time series forecasting more challenging. Classical methods such as Autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) and Exponential Smoothing aim to extract pre-defined temporal variations, such as trends and seasonality. While these methods are effective for capturing well-defined seasonal patterns and trends, they often struggle with more complex, non-linear patterns present in real-world time series data. In recent years, deep learning has made significant contributions to time series forecasting. Recurrent Neural Networks (RNNs) and their variants, such as Long short-term memory (LSTMs) and Gated Recurrent Units (GRUs), have been widely adopted for modeling sequential data. However, they often suffer from the locality, making it difficult to capture local trends and rapid fluctuations. Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs), particularly Temporal Convolutional Networks (TCNs), leverage convolutional layers to capture temporal dependencies by applying convolutional filters along the temporal dimension. Despite their advantages, TCNs struggle with capturing relationships between distant time points due to the locality of one-dimensional convolution kernels. Transformers have revolutionized time series forecasting with their powerful attention mechanisms, effectively capturing long-term dependencies and relationships between distant time points. However, the attention mechanism may struggle to discern dependencies directly from scattered time points due to intricate temporal patterns. Lastly, Multi-Layer Perceptrons (MLPs) have also been employed, with models like N-BEATS and LightTS demonstrating success. Despite this, MLPs often face high volatility and computational complexity challenges in long-horizon forecasting. To address intricate temporal variations in time series data, this study introduces Times2D, a novel framework that parallelly integrates 2D spectrogram and derivative heatmap techniques. The spectrogram focuses on the frequency domain, capturing periodicity, while the derivative patterns emphasize the time domain, highlighting sharp fluctuations and turning points. This 2D transformation enables the utilization of powerful computer vision techniques to capture various intricate temporal variations. To evaluate the performance of Times2D, extensive experiments were conducted on standard time series datasets and compared with various state-of-the-art algorithms, including DLinear (2023), TimesNet (2023), Non-stationary Transformer (2022), PatchTST (2023), N-HiTS (2023), Crossformer (2023), MICN (2023), LightTS (2022), FEDformer (2022), FiLM (2022), SCINet (2022a), Autoformer (2021), and Informer (2021) under the same modeling conditions. The initial results demonstrated that Times2D achieves consistent state-of-the-art performance in both short-term and long-term forecasting tasks. Furthermore, the generality of the Times2D framework allows it to be applied to various tasks such as time series imputation, clustering, classification, and anomaly detection, offering potential benefits in any domain that involves sequential data analysis.

Keywords: derivative patterns, spectrogram, time series forecasting, times2D, 2D representation

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Authors: Jesus Carretero, Mario Vasile, Javier Garcia-Blas, Felix Garcia-Carballeira

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Supporting cross-border secure and reliable exchange of data and documents and to promote data interoperability is critical for Europe to enhance sector (like eFinance, eJustice and eHealth). This work presents the status and results of the European Project MADE, a Research Project funded by Connecting Europe facility Programme, to provide secure e-invoicing and e-document exchange systems among Europe countries in compliance with the eIDAS Regulation (Regulation EU 910/2014 on electronic identification and trust services). The main goal of MADE is to develop six new AS4 Access Points and SMP in Europe to provide secure document exchanges using the eDelivery DSI (Digital Service Infrastructure) amongst both private and public entities. Moreover, the project demonstrates the feasibility and interest of the solution provided by providing several months of interoperability among the providers of the six partners in different EU countries. To achieve those goals, we have followed a methodology setting first a common background for requirements in the partner countries and the European regulations. Then, the partners have implemented access points in each country, including their service metadata publisher (SMP), to allow the access to their clients to the pan-European network. Finally, we have setup interoperability tests with the other access points of the consortium. The tests will include the use of each entity production-ready Information Systems that process the data to confirm all steps of the data exchange. For the access points, we have chosen AS4 instead of other existing alternatives because it supports multiple payloads, native web services, pulling facilities, lightweight client implementations, modern crypto algorithms, and more authentication types, like username-password and X.509 authentication and SAML authentication. The main contribution of MADE project is to open the path for European companies to use eDelivery services with cross-border exchange of electronic documents following PEPPOL (Pan-European Public Procurement Online) based on the e-SENS AS4 Profile. It also includes the development/integration of new components, integration of new and existing logging and traceability solutions and maintenance tool support for PKI. Moreover, we have found that most companies are still not ready to support those profiles. Thus further efforts will be needed to promote this technology into the companies. The consortium includes the following 9 partners. From them, 2 are research institutions: University Carlos III of Madrid (Coordinator), and Universidad Politecnica de Valencia. The other 7 (EDICOM, BIZbrains, Officient, Aksesspunkt Norge, eConnect, LMT group, Unimaze) are private entities specialized in secure delivery of electronic documents and information integration brokerage in their respective countries. To achieve cross-border operativity, they will include AS4 and SMP services in their platforms according to the EU Core Service Platform. Made project is instrumental to test the feasibility of cross-border documents eDelivery in Europe. If successful, not only einvoices, but many other types of documents will be securely exchanged through Europe. It will be the base to extend the network to the whole Europe. This project has been funded under the Connecting Europe Facility Agreement number: INEA/CEF/ICT/A2016/1278042. Action No: 2016-EU-IA-0063.

Keywords: security, e-delivery, e-invoicing, e-delivery, e-document exchange, trust

Procedia PDF Downloads 233

Authors: Nicki Mohammadi, Emma Reford, Natalia Romano Spica, Laura Tabacof, Jenna Tosto-Mancuso, David Putrino, Christopher P. Kellner

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Introductory Statement: The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic demanded an unprecedented need for the rapid development, dispersal, and application of infection testing. However, despite the impressive mobilization of resources, individuals were incredibly limited in their access to tests, particularly during the initial months of the pandemic (March-April 2020) in New York City (NYC). Access to COVID-19 testing is crucial in understanding patients’ illness experiences and integral to the development of COVID-19 standard-of-care protocols, especially in the context of overall access to healthcare resources. Succinct Description of basic methodologies: 18 Patients in a COVID-19 Remote Patient Monitoring Program (Precision Recovery within the Mount Sinai Health System) were interviewed regarding their experience with COVID-19 during the first wave (March-May 2020) of the COVID-19 pandemic in New York City. Patients were asked about their experiences navigating COVID-19 diagnoses, the health care system, and their recovery process. Transcribed interviews were analyzed for thematic codes, using grounded theory to guide the identification of emergent themes and codebook development through an iterative process. Data coding was performed using NVivo12. References for the domain “testing” were then extracted and analyzed for themes and statistical patterns. Clear Indication of Major Findings of the study: 100% of participants (18/18) referenced COVID-19 testing in their interviews, with a total of 79 references across the 18 transcripts (average: 4.4 references/interview; 2.7% interview coverage). 89% of participants (16/18) discussed the difficulty of access to testing, including denial of testing without high severity of symptoms, geographical distance to the testing site, and lack of testing resources at healthcare centers. Participants shared varying perspectives on how the lack of certainty regarding their COVID-19 status affected their course of recovery. One participant shared that because she never tested positive she was shielded from her anxiety and fear, given the death toll in NYC. Another group of participants shared that not having a concrete status to share with family, friends and professionals affected how seriously onlookers took their symptoms. Furthermore, the absence of a positive test barred some individuals from access to treatment programs and employment support. Concluding Statement: Lack of access to COVID-19 testing in the first wave of the pandemic in NYC was a prominent element of patients’ illness experience, particularly during their recovery phase. While for some the lack of concrete results was protective, most emphasized the invalidating effect this had on the perception of illness for both self and others. COVID-19 testing is now widely accessible; however, those who are unable to demonstrate a positive test result but who are still presumed to have had COVID-19 in the first wave must continue to adapt to and live with the effects of this gap in knowledge and care on their recovery. Future efforts are required to ensure that patients do not face barriers to care due to the lack of testing and are reassured regarding their access to healthcare. Affiliations- 1Department of Neurosurgery, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 2Abilities Research Center, Department of Rehabilitation and Human Performance, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY

Keywords: accessibility, COVID-19, recovery, testing

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Authors: Geraldine Macdonald, Oliver Perra, Nina O’Neill, Laura Neeson, Kathryn Higgins

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Background: Despite improvements in recent years, almost one in six children in Northern Ireland (NI) leaves primary school without achieving the expected level in English and Maths. By early adolescence, this ratio is one in five. In 2010-11, around 9000 pupils in NI had failed to achieve the required standard in literacy and numeracy by the time they left full-time education. This paper reports the findings of an experimental evaluation of a programmed designed to improve educational outcomes of a cohort of children starting primary school in areas of high social disadvantage in Northern Ireland. The intervention: ‘Ready to Learn’ comprised two key components: a literacy-rich After School programme (one hour after school, three days per week), and a range of activities and support to promote the engagement of parents with their children’s learning, in school and at home. The intervention was delivered between September 2010 and August 2013. Study aims and objectives: The primary aim was to assess whether, and to what extent, ‘Ready to Learn’ improved the literacy of socially disadvantaged children entering primary schools compared with children in schools without access to the programme. Secondary aims included assessing the programme’s impact on children’s social, emotional and behavioural regulation, and parents’ engagement with their children’s learning. In total, 505 children (almost all) participated in the baseline assessment for the study, with good retention over seven sweeps of data collection. Study design: The intervention was evaluated by means of a cluster randomized trial, with schools as the unit of randomization and analysis. It included a qualitative component designed to examine process and implementation, and to explore the concept of parental engagement. Sixteen schools participated, with nine randomized to the experimental group. As well as outcome data relating to children, 134 semi-structured interviews were conducted with parents over the three years of the study, together with 88 interviews with school staff. Results: Given the children’s ages, not all measures used were direct measures of reading. Findings point to a positive impact of “Ready to Learn” on children’s reading achievement (comprehension and fluency), as assessed by the York Assessment of Reading Comprehension (YARC) and decoding, assessed using the Word Recognition and Phonic Skills (WRaPS3). Effects were not large, but evidence suggests that it is unusual for an after school programme to clearly to demonstrate effects on reading skills. No differences were found on three other measures of literacy-related skills: British Picture Vocabulary Scale (BPVS-II), Naming Speed and Non-word Reading Tests from the Phonological Assessment Battery (PhAB) or Concepts about Print (CAP) – the last due to an age-related ceiling effect). No differences were found between the two groups on measures of social, emotional and behavioural regulation, and due to low levels of participation, it was not possible directly to assess the contribution of the parent component to children’s outcomes. The qualitative data highlighted conflicting concepts of engagement between parents and school staff. Ready to Learn is a promising intervention that merits further support and evaluation.

Keywords: after-school, education, literacy, parental engagement

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Authors: A.Cifarelli, L. Boggioni, F. Bertini, L. Magon, M. Pitalieri, S. Losio

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Nowadays, the growing environmental awareness and the dwindling of fossil resources stimulate the polyurethane (PU) industry towards renewable polymers with low carbon footprint to replace the feed stocks from petroleum sources. The main challenge in this field consists in replacing high-performance products from fossil-fuel with novel synthetic polymers derived from 'green monomers'. The bio-polyols from plant oils have attracted significant industrial interest and major attention in scientific research due to their availability and biodegradability. Triglycerides rich in unsaturated fatty acids, such as soybean oil (SBO) and linseed oil (ELO), are particularly interesting because their structures and functionalities are tunable by chemical modification in order to obtain polymeric materials with expected final properties. Unfortunately, their use is still limited for processing or performance problems because a high functionality, as well as OH number of the polyols will result in an increase in cross-linking densities of the resulting PUs. The main aim of this study is to evaluate soy and linseed-based polyols as precursors to prepare prepolymers for the production of polyurethane foams (PUFs) or waterborne-polyurethanes (WPU) used as coatings. An effective reaction route is employed for its simplicity and economic impact. Indeed, bio-polyols were synthesized by a two-step method: epoxidation of the double bonds in vegetable oils and solvent-free ring-opening reaction of the oxirane with organic acids. No organic solvents have been used. Acids with different moieties (aliphatic or aromatics) and different length of hydrocarbon backbones can be used to customize polyols with different functionalities. The ring-opening reaction requires a fine tuning of the experimental conditions (time, temperature, molar ratio of carboxylic acid and epoxy group) to control the acidity value of end-product as well as the amount of residual starting materials. Besides, a Lewis base catalyst is used to favor the ring opening reaction of internal epoxy groups of the epoxidized oil and minimize the formation of cross-linked structures in order to achieve less viscous and more processable polyols with narrower polydispersity indices (molecular weight lower than 2000 g/mol⁻¹). The functionality of optimized polyols is tuned from 2 to 4 per molecule. The obtained polyols are characterized by means of GPC, NMR (¹H, ¹³C) and FT-IR spectroscopy to evaluate molecular masses, molecular mass distributions, microstructures and linkage pathways. Several polyurethane foams have been prepared by prepolymer method blending conventional synthetic polyols with new bio-polyols from soybean and linseed oils without using organic solvents. The compatibility of such bio-polyols with commercial polyols and diisocyanates is demonstrated. The influence of the bio-polyols on the foam morphology (cellular structure, interconnectivity), density, mechanical and thermal properties has been studied. Moreover, bio-based WPUs have been synthesized by well-established processing technology. In this synthesis, a portion of commercial polyols is substituted by the new bio-polyols and the properties of the coatings on leather substrates have been evaluated to determine coating hardness, abrasion resistance, impact resistance, gloss, chemical resistance, flammability, durability, and adhesive strength.

Keywords: bio-polyols, polyurethane foams, solvent free synthesis, waterborne-polyurethanes

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Authors: Marit D. Murry, Amy K. Marks

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The transition to college is a critical period that affords abundant opportunities for growth in conjunction with novel challenges for emerging adults. During this time, emerging adults are garnering experiences and acquiring hosts of new information that they are required to synthesize and use to inform life-shaping decisions. This stage is characterized by instability and exploration, which necessitates a diverse set of coping skills to successfully navigate and positively adapt to their evolving environment. However, important sociocultural factors result in differences that occur developmentally for minority emerging adults (i.e., emerging adults with an identity that has been or is marginalized). While the transition to college holds vast potential, not all are afforded the same chances, and many individuals enter into this stage at varying degrees of readiness. Understanding the nuance and diversity of student preparedness for college and contextualizing these factors will better equip systems to support incoming students. Emerging adulthood for ethnic, racial minority students presents itself as an opportunity for growth and resiliency in the face of systemic adversity. Ethnic, racial identity (ERI) is defined as an identity that develops as a function of one’s ethnic-racial group membership. Research continues to demonstrate ERI as a resilience factor that promotes positive adjustment in young adulthood. Adaptive coping responses (e.g., engaging in help-seeking behavior, drawing on personal and community resources) have been identified as possible mechanisms through which ERI buffers youth against stressful life events, including discrimination. Additionally, trait mindfulness has been identified as a significant predictor of general psychological health, and mindfulness practice has been shown to be a self-regulatory strategy that promotes healthy stress responses and adaptive coping strategy selection. The current study employed a person-centered approach to explore emerging patterns across ethnic identity development and psychological well-being criterion variables among college freshmen. Data from 283 incoming college freshmen at Northeastern University were analyzed. The Brief COPE Acceptance and Emotional Support scales, the Five Factor Mindfulness Questionnaire, and MIEM Exploration and Affirmation measures were used to inform the cluster profiles. The TwoStep auto-clustering algorithm revealed an optimal three-cluster solution (BIC = 848.49), which classified 92.6% (n = 262) of participants in the sample into one of the three clusters. The clusters were characterized as ‘Mixed Adjustment’, ‘Lowest Adjustment’, and ‘Moderate Adjustment.’ Cluster composition varied significantly by ethnicity X² (2, N = 262) = 7.74 (p = .021) and gender X² (2, N = 259) = 10.40 (p = .034). The ‘Lowest Adjustment’ cluster contained the highest proportion of students of color, 41% (n = 32), and male-identifying students, 44.2% (n = 34). Follow-up analyses showed higher ERI exploration in ‘Moderate Adjustment’ cluster members, also reported higher levels of psychological distress, with significantly elevated depression scores (p = .011), psychological diagnoses of depression (p = .013), anxiety (p = .005) and psychiatric disorders (p = .025). Supporting prior research, students engaging with identity exploration processes often endure more psychological distress. These results indicate that students undergoing identity development may require more socialization and different services beyond normal strategies.

Keywords: adjustment, coping, college, emerging adulthood, ethnic-racial identity, psychological well-being, resilience

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Authors: Maria Corazon Tapang-Lopez, Alyn Joy Dela Cruz Baltazar, Bobby Jones Villanueva Domdom

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The requisite for an organization implementing quality management system to sustain its compliance to the requirements and commitment for continuous improvement is even higher. It is expected that the offices and units has high and consistent compliance to the established processes and procedures. The Development Academy of the Philippines has been operating under project management to which is has a quality management certification. To further realize its mandate as a think-tank and capacity builder of the government, DAP expanded its operation and started to grant graduate degree through its Graduate School of Public and Development Management (GSPDM). As the academic arm of the Academy, GSPDM offers graduate degree programs on public management and productivity & quality aligned to the institutional trusts. For a time, the documented procedures and processes of a project management seem to fit the Graduate School. However, there has been a significant growth in the operations of the GSPDM in terms of the graduate programs offered that directly increase the number of students. There is an apparent necessity to align the project management system into a more educational system otherwise it will no longer be responsive to the development that are taking place. The strongly advocate and encourage its students to pursue internal and external improvement to cope up with the challenges of providing quality service to their own clients and to our country. If innovation will not take roots in the grounds of GSPDM, then how will it serve the purpose of “walking the talk”? This research was conducted to assess the diverse flow of the existing internal operations and processes of the DAP’s project management and GSPDM’s school management that will serve as basis to develop a system that will harmonize into one, the Learning Management System. The study documented the existing process of GSPDM following the project management phases of conceptualization & development, negotiation & contracting, mobilization, implementation, and closure into different flow charts of the key activities. The primary source of information as respondents were the different groups involved into the delivery of graduate programs - the executive, learning management team and administrative support offices. The Learning Management System (LMS) shall capture the unique and critical processes of the GSPDM as a degree-granting unit of the Academy. The LMS is the harmonized project management and school management system that shall serve as the standard system and procedure for all the programs within the GSPDM. The unique processes cover the three important areas of school management – student, curriculum, and faculty. The required processes of these main areas such as enrolment, course syllabus development, and faculty evaluation were appropriately placed within the phases of the project management system. Further, the research shall identify critical reports and generate manageable documents and records to ensure accuracy, consistency and reliable information. The researchers had an in-depth review of the DAP-GSDPM’s mandate, analyze the various documents, and conducted series of focused group discussions. A comprehensive review on flow chart system prior and various models of school management systems were made. Subsequently, the final output of the research is a work instructions manual that will be presented to the Academy’s Quality Management Council and eventually an additional scope for ISO certification. The manual shall include documented forms, iterative flow charts and program Gantt chart that will have a parallel development of automated systems.

Keywords: productivity, quality, learning management system, agency-based graduate school

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Authors: Michael Ray Brunt

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China has been the site of some of the most significant earthquakes in history; however, earthquake monitoring has long been the provenance of universities and research institutions. The China Digital Seismographic Network was initiated in 1983 and improved significantly during 1992-1993. Data from the CDSN is widely used by government and research institutions, and, generally, this data is not readily accessible to middle and high school students. An educational seismic network in China is needed to provide collaboration and research opportunities for students and engaging students around the country in scientific understanding of earthquake hazards and risks while promoting community awareness. In 2022, the Tsinghua International School (THIS) Seismology Team, made up of enthusiastic students and facilitated by two experienced teachers, was established. As a group, the team’s objective is to install seismographs in schools throughout China, thus creating an educational seismic network that shares data from the THIS Educational Seismic Network (THIS-ESN) and facilitates collaboration. The THIS-ESN initiative will enhance education and outreach in China about earthquake risks and hazards, introduce seismology to a wider audience, stimulate interest in research among students, and develop students’ programming, data collection and analysis skills. It will also encourage and inspire young minds to pursue science, technology, engineering, the arts, and math (STEAM) career fields. The THIS-ESN utilizes small, low-cost RaspberryShake seismographs as a powerful tool linked into a global network, giving schools and the public access to real-time seismic data from across China, increasing earthquake monitoring capabilities in the perspective areas and adding to the available data sets regionally and worldwide helping create a denser seismic network. The RaspberryShake seismograph is compatible with free seismic data viewing platforms such as SWARM, RaspberryShake web programs and mobile apps are designed specifically towards teaching seismology and seismic data interpretation, providing opportunities to enhance understanding. The RaspberryShake is powered by an operating system embedded in the Raspberry Pi, which makes it an easy platform to teach students basic computer communication concepts by utilizing processing tools to investigate, plot, and manipulate data. THIS Seismology Team believes strongly in creating opportunities for committed students to become part of the seismological community by engaging in analysis of real-time scientific data with tangible outcomes. Students will feel proud of the important work they are doing to understand the world around them and become advocates spreading their knowledge back into their homes and communities, helping to improve overall community resilience. We trust that, in studying the results seismograph stations yield, students will not only grasp how subjects like physics and computer science apply in real life, and by spreading information, we hope students across the country can appreciate how and why earthquakes bear on their lives, develop practical skills in STEAM, and engage in the global seismic monitoring effort. By providing such an opportunity to schools across the country, we are confident that we will be an agent of change for society.

Keywords: collaboration, outreach, education, seismology, earthquakes, public awareness, research opportunities

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Authors: Ekta Yadav, Sukanta Bhattacharya, Brijesh Yadav, Ariel Hus, Jagjit Yadav

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Background and Significance: Respiratory exposure to toxicants (chemicals or particulates) causes disruption of lung homeostasis leading to lung toxicity/injury manifested as pulmonary inflammation, edema, and/or other effects depending on the type and extent of exposure. This emphasizes the need for investigating toxicant type-specific mechanisms to understand therapeutic targets. Aquaporins, aka water channels, are known to play a role in lung homeostasis. Particularly, the two major lung aquaporins AQP5 and AQP1 expressed in alveolar epithelial and vasculature endothelia respectively allow for movement of the fluid between the alveolar air space and the associated vasculature. In view of this, the current study is focused on understanding the regulation of lung aquaporins and other targets during inhalation exposure to toxic chemicals (Cigarette smoke chemicals) versus toxic particles (Carbon nanoparticles) or co-exposures to understand their relevance as markers of injury and intervention. Methodologies: C57BL/6 mice (5-7 weeks old) were used in this study following an approved protocol by the University of Cincinnati Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC). The mice were exposed via oropharyngeal aspiration to multiwall carbon nanotube (MWCNT) particles suspension once (33 ugs/mouse) followed by housing for four weeks or to Cigarette smoke Extract (CSE) using a daily dose of 30µl/mouse for four weeks, or to co-exposure using the combined regime. Control groups received vehicles following the same dosing schedule. Lung toxicity/injury was assessed in terms of homeostasis changes in the lung tissue and lumen. Exposed lungs were analyzed for transcriptional expression of specific targets (AQPs, surfactant protein A, Mucin 5b) in relation to tissue homeostasis. Total RNA from lungs extracted using TRIreagent kit was analyzed using qRT-PCR based on gene-specific primers. Total protein in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid was determined by the DC protein estimation kit (BioRad). GraphPad Prism 5.0 (La Jolla, CA, USA) was used for all analyses. Major findings: CNT exposure alone or as co-exposure with CSE increased the total protein content in the BAL fluid (lung lumen rinse), implying compromised membrane integrity and cellular infiltration in the lung alveoli. In contrast, CSE showed no significant effect. AQP1, required for water transport across membranes of endothelial cells in lungs, was significantly upregulated in CNT exposure but downregulated in CSE exposure and showed an intermediate level of expression for the co-exposure group. Both CNT and CSE exposures had significant downregulating effects on Muc5b, and SP-A expression and the co-exposure showed either no significant effect (Muc5b) or significant downregulating effect (SP-A), suggesting an increased propensity for infection in the exposed lungs. Conclusions: The current study based on the lung toxicity mouse model showed that both toxicant types, particles (CNT) versus chemicals (CSE), cause similar downregulation of lung innate defense targets (SP-A, Muc5b) and mostly a summative effect when presented as co-exposure. However, the two toxicant types show differential induction of aquaporin-1 coinciding with the corresponding differential damage to alveolar integrity (vascular permeability). Interestingly, this implies the potential of AQP1 as a differential marker of toxicant type-specific lung injury.

Keywords: aquaporin, gene expression, lung injury, toxicant exposure

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Authors: M. H. Pazandeh, M. Doudi, S. Barahimi, L. Rahimzadeh Torabi

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The use of antibiotics is essential in reducing the occurrence of adverse effects and inhibiting the emergence of antibiotic resistance in microbial populations. The necessity for a novel methodology concerning local administration of antibiotics has arisen, with particular focus on dealing with localized infections prompted by bacterial colonization of medical devices or implant materials. Bioactive glasses (BG) are extensively employed in the field of regenerative medicine, encompassing a diverse range of materials utilized for drug delivery systems. In the present investigation, various drug carriers for imipenem and tetracycline, namely single systems BG/SnO2, BG/NiO with varying proportions of metal oxide, and nanocomposite BG/SnO2/NiO, were synthesized through the sol-gel technique. The antibacterial efficacy of the synthesized samples was assessed through the utilization of the disk diffusion method with the aim of neutralizing Staphylococcus aureus as the bacterial model. The current study involved the examination of the bioactivity of two samples, namely BG10SnO2/10NiO and BG20SnO2, which were chosen based on their heightened bacterial inactivation properties. This evaluation entailed the employment of two techniques: the measurement of the pH of simulated body fluid (SBF) solution and the analysis of the sample tablets through X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The sample tablets were submerged in SBF for varying durations of 7, 14, and 28 days. The bioactivity of the composite bioactive glass sample was assessed through characterization of alterations in its surface morphology, structure, and chemical composition. This evaluation was performed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction spectroscopy. Subsequently, the sample was immersed in simulated liquids to simulate its behavior in biological environments. The specific body fat percentage (SBF) was assessed over a 28-day period. The confirmation of the formation of a hydroxyapatite surface layer serves as a distinct indicator of bioactivity. The infusion of antibiotics into the composite bioactive glass specimen was done separately, and then the release kinetics of tetracycline and imipenem were tested in simulated body fluid (SBF). Antimicrobial effectiveness against various bacterial strains have been proven in numerous instances using both melt and sol-gel techniques to create multiple bioactive glass compositions. An elevated concentration of calcium ions within a solution has been observed to cause an increase in the pH level. In aqueous suspensions, bioactive glass particles manifest a significant antimicrobial impact. The composite bioactive glass specimen exhibits a gradual and uninterrupted release, which is highly desirable for a drug delivery system over a span of 72 hours. The reduction in absorption, which signals the loss of a portion of the antibiotic during the loading process from the initial phosphate-buffered saline solution, indicates the successful bonding of the two antibiotics to the surfaces of the bioactive glass samples. The sample denoted as BG/10SnO2/10NiO exhibits a higher loading of particles compared to the sample designated as BG/20SnO2 in the context of bioactive glass. The enriched sample demonstrates a heightened bactericidal impact on the bacteria under investigation while concurrently preserving its antibacterial characteristics. Tailored bioactive glass that incorporates hydroxyapatite, with a regulated and efficient release of drugs targeting bacterial infections, holds promise as a potential framework for bone implant scaffolds following rigorous clinical evaluation, thereby establishing potential future biomedical uses. During the modification process, the introduction of metal oxides into bioactive glass resulted in improved antibacterial characteristics, particularly in the composite bioactive glass sample that displayed the highest level of efficiency.

Keywords: antibacterial, bioactive glasses, implant infections, multi drug resistant

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Authors: Asim Abbasi, Muhammad Sufyan, Iqra, Hafiza Javaria Ashraf

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The share of vector-borne diseases (VBDs) in the global burden of infectious diseases is almost 17%. The advent of new drugs and latest research in medical science helped mankind to compete with these lethal diseases but still diseases transmitted by different mosquito species, including filariasis, malaria, viral encephalitis and dengue are serious threats for people living in disease endemic areas. Injudicious and repeated use of pesticides posed selection pressure on mosquitoes leading to development of resistance. Hence biological control agents are under serious consideration of scientific community to be used in vector control programmes. Fish have a history of predating immature stages of different aquatic insects including mosquitoes. The noteworthy examples in Africa and Asia includes, Aphanius discolour and a fish in the Panchax group. Moreover, common mosquito fish, Gambusia affinis predates mostly on temporary water mosquitoes like anopheline as compared to permanent water breeders like culicines. Mosquitoes belonging to genus Toxorhynchites have a worldwide distribution and are mostly associated with the predation of other mosquito larvae habituating with them in natural and artificial water containers. These species are harmless to humans as their adults do not suck human blood but feeds on floral nectar. However, their activity is mostly temperature dependent as Toxorhynchites brevipalpis consume 359 Aedes aegypti larvae at 30-32 ºC in contrast to 154 larvae at 20-26 ºC. Although many bacterial species were isolated from mosquito cadavers but those belonging to genus Bacillus are found highly pathogenic against them. The successful species of this genus include Bacillus thuringiensis and Bacillus sphaericus. The prime targets of B. thuringiensis are mostly the immatures of genus Aedes, Culex, Anopheles and Psorophora while B. sphaericus is specifically toxic against species of Culex, Psorophora and Culiseta. The entomopathogenic nematodes belonging to family, mermithidae are also pathogenic to different mosquito species. Eighty different species of mosquitoes including Anopheles, Aedes and Culex proved to be highly vulnerable to the attack of two mermithid species, Romanomermis culicivorax and R. iyengari. Cytoplasmic polyhedrosis virus was the first described pathogenic virus, isolated from the cadavers of mosquito specie, Culex tarsalis. Other viruses which are pathogenic to culicine includes, iridoviruses, cytopolyhedrosis viruses, entomopoxviruses and parvoviruses. Protozoa species belonging to division microsporidia are the common pathogenic protozoans in mosquito populations which kill their host by the chronic effects of parasitism. Moreover, due to their wide prevalence in anopheline mosquitoes and transversal and horizontal transmission from infected to healthy host, microsporidia of the genera Nosema and Amblyospora have received much attention in various mosquito control programmes. Fungal based mycopesticides are used in biological control of insect pests with 47 species reported virulent against different stages of mosquitoes. These include both aquatic fungi i.e. species of Coelomomyces, Lagenidium giganteum and Culicinomyces clavosporus, and the terrestrial fungi Metarhizium anisopliae and Beauveria bassiana. Hence, it was concluded that the integrated use of all these biological control agents can be a healthy contribution in mosquito control programmes and become a dire need of the time to avoid repeated use of pesticides.

Keywords: entomopathogenic nematodes, protozoa, Toxorhynchites, vector-borne

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Authors: Swaleh Aboud, Mishal Gudka, David Obura

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Background: Coral reefs are becoming increasingly vulnerable due to several threats ranging from climate change to overfishing. This has resulted in increased management and conservation efforts to protect reefs from degradation and facilitate recovery. Recruitmentof new individuals are isimportant in the recovery process and critical for the persistence of coral reef ecosystems. Local coral community structure can be influenced by successful recruit settlement, survival, and growth Understanding coral recruitment patterns can help quantify reef resilience and connectivity, establish baselines and track changes and evaluate the effectiveness of reef restoration and conservation efforts. This study will examine the abundance and spatial pattern of coral recruits and how this relates to adult community structure, including the distribution of thermal resistance and sensitive genera and their distribution in different management regimes. Methods: Coral recruit and demography surveys were conducted from 2020 to 2022, covering 35 sites in 19coral reef locations along the Kenyan coast. These included marine parks, reserves, community conservation areas (CMAs), and open access areas from the north (Marereni) to the south (Kisite) coast of Kenya and across different reef habitats. The data was collected through the underwater visual census (UVC) technique. We counted adult corals (>10 cm diameter)of23 selected genera using belt transects (25 by 1 m) and sampling of 1 m2 quadrat (at an interval of 5m) for all coloniesless than 10 cm diameter. The benthic cover was collected using photo quadrats. The surveys were only done during the northeast monsoon season. The data wereanalyzed using the R program to see the distribution patterns and the Kruskal Wallis test to see whether there was a significant difference. Spearman correlation was also applied to assess the relationship between the distribution of coral genera in recruits and adults. Results: A total of 44 different coral genera were recorded for recruits, ranging from 3at Marereni to 30at Watamu Marine Reserve. Recruit densities ranged from 1.2±1.5recruit m-2 (mean±SD) at Likoni to 10.3± 8.4 recruit m-2 at Kisite Marine Park. The overall densityof recruitssignificantly differed between reef locations, with Kisite Marine Park and Reserve and Likonihaving significantly large differences from all the other locations, while Vuma, Watamu, Malindi, and Kilifi had significantly lower differences from all the other locations. The recruit generadensity along the Kenya coastwas divided into two clusters, one of which only included sites inKisite Marine Park. Adult colonies were dominated by Porites massive, Acropora, Platygyra, and Favites, whereas recruits were dominated by Porites branching, Porites massive, Galaxea, and Acropora. However, correlation analysis revealed a statistically significant positive correlation (r=0.81, p<0.05) between recruit and adult coral densities across the 23 coral genera. Marereni, which had the lowest densityof recruits, has only thermallyresistant coral genera, while Kisite Marine Park, with the highest recruit densities, has over 90% thermal sensitive coral genera. A weak positive correlation was found between recruit density and coralline algae, dead standing corals, and turf algae, whereas a weak negative correlation was found between recruit density and bare substrate and macroalgae. Between management regimes, marine reserves were found to have more recruits than no-take zones (marine parks and CMAs) and open access areas, although the difference was not significant. Conclusion: There was a statistically significant difference in the density of recruits between different reef locations along the Kenyan coast. Although the dominating genera of adults and recruits were different, there was a strong positive correlation between their coral communities, which could indicate self-recruitment processes or consistent distance seedings (of the same recruit genera). Sites such as Kisite Marine Park, with high recruit densities but dominated by thermally sensitive genera, will, on the other hand, be adversely affected by future thermal stress. This could imply that reducing the threats to coral reefs such as overfishingcould allow for their natural regeneration and recovery.

Keywords: coral recruits, coral adult size-class, cora demography, resilience

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Authors: Sara J. Mills, Sally Howell

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The field of special education has long struggled to bridge the research to practice gap. There is ample evidence from research of effective strategies for students with special needs, but these strategies are not routinely implemented in schools in ways that yield positive results for students. In recent years, the field of special education has turned its focus to implementation science. That is, discovering effective methods of implementing evidence-based practices in school settings. Teacher training is a critical factor in implementation. This study aimed to successfully implement Schema-Based Instruction (SBI) for math problem solving in four classrooms in a special primary school serving students with language deficits, including students with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) and Intellectual Disabilities (ID). Using an action research design that allowed for adjustments and modification to be made over the year-long study, two cohorts of teachers across the school were trained and supported in six-week learning cycles to implement SBI in their classrooms. The learning cycles included a one-day training followed by six weeks of one-on-one or team coaching and three fortnightly cohort group meetings. After the first cohort of teachers completed the learning cycle, modifications and adjustments were made to lesson materials in an attempt to improve their effectiveness with the second cohort. Fourteen teachers participated in the study, including master special educators (n=3), special education instructors (n=5), and classroom assistants (n=6). Thirty-one students participated in the study (21 boys and 10 girls), ranging in age from 5 to 12 years (M = 9 years). Twenty-one students had a diagnosis of ASD, 20 had a diagnosis of mild or moderate ID, with 13 of these students having both ASD and ID. The remaining students had diagnosed language disorders. To evaluate the effectiveness of the implementation approach, both student and teacher data was collected. Student data included pre- and post-tests of math word problem solving. Teacher data included fidelity of treatment checklists and pre-post surveys of teacher attitudes and efficacy for teaching problem solving. Finally, artifacts were collected throughout the learning cycle. Results from cohort 1 and cohort 2 revealed similar outcomes. Students improved in the number of word problems they answered correctly and in the number of problem-solving steps completed independently. Fidelity of treatment data showed that teachers implemented SBI with acceptable levels of fidelity (M = 86%). Teachers also reported increases in the amount of time spent teaching problem solving, their confidence in teaching problem solving and their perception of students’ ability to solve math word problems. The artifacts collected during instruction indicated that teachers made modifications to allow their students to access the materials and to show what they knew. These findings are in line with research that shows student learning can improve when teacher professional development is provided over an extended period of time, actively involves teachers, and utilizes a variety of learning methods in classroom contexts. Further research is needed to evaluate whether these gains in teacher instruction and student achievement can be maintained over time once the professional development is completed.

Keywords: implementation science, mathematics problem solving, research-to-practice gap, schema based instruction

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