Search results for: treatment technologies

Authors: Hazel James P. Agngarayngay, Arnold R. Elepaño

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Mango is the third most important export fruit in the Philippines. Despite the expanding mango trade in world market, problems on postharvest losses caused by pests and diseases are still prevalent. Many disease control and pest disinfestation methods have been studied and adopted. Heat treatment is necessary to eliminate pests and diseases to be able to pass the quarantine requirements of importing countries. During heat treatments, temperature and time are critical because fruits can easily be damaged by over-exposure to heat. Modeling the process enables researchers and engineers to study the behaviour of temperature distribution within the fruit over time. Understanding physical processes through modeling and simulation also saves time and resources because of reduced experimentation. This research aimed to simulate the heat transfer mechanism and predict the temperature distribution in ‘Carabao' mangoes during hot water treatment (HWT) and extended hot water treatment (EHWT). The simulation was performed in ANSYS CFD Software, using ANSYS CFX Solver. The simulation process involved model creation, mesh generation, defining the physics of the model, solving the problem, and visualizing the results. Boundary conditions consisted of the convective heat transfer coefficient and a constant free stream temperature. The three-dimensional energy equation for transient conditions was numerically solved to obtain heat flux and transient temperature values. The solver utilized finite volume method of discretization. To validate the simulation, actual data were obtained through experiment. The goodness of fit was evaluated using mean temperature difference (MTD). Also, t-test was used to detect significant differences between the data sets. Results showed that the simulations were able to estimate temperatures accurately with MTD of 0.50 and 0.69 °C for the HWT and EHWT, respectively. This indicates good agreement between the simulated and actual temperature values. The data included in the analysis were taken at different locations of probe punctures within the fruit. Moreover, t-tests showed no significant differences between the two data sets. Maximum heat fluxes obtained at the beginning of the treatments were 394.15 and 262.77 J.s-1 for HWT and EHWT, respectively. These values decreased abruptly at the first 10 seconds and gradual decrease was observed thereafter. Data on heat flux is necessary in the design of heaters. If underestimated, the heating component of a certain machine will not be able to provide enough heat required by certain operations. Otherwise, over-estimation will result in wasting of energy and resources. This study demonstrated that the simulation was able to estimate temperatures accurately. Thus, it can be used to evaluate the influence of various treatment conditions on the temperature-time history in mangoes. When combined with information on insect mortality and quality degradation kinetics, it could predict the efficacy of a particular treatment and guide appropriate selection of treatment conditions. The effect of various parameters on heat transfer rates, such as the boundary and initial conditions as well as the thermal properties of the material, can be systematically studied without performing experiments. Furthermore, the use of ANSYS software in modeling and simulation can be explored in modeling various systems and processes.

Keywords: heat transfer, heat treatment, mango, modeling and simulation

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Authors: Suzan Ghaddar, Aline Pinon, Manuel Gallardo-villagran, Mona Diab-assaf, Bruno Therrien, Bertrand Liagre

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Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common cancer and exhibits a consistently rising incidence worldwide. Despite notable advancements in CRC treatment, frequent occurrences of side effects and the development of therapy resistance persistently challenge current approaches. Eventually, innovations in focal therapies remain imperative to enhance the patient’s overall quality of life. Photodynamic therapy (PDT) emerges as a promising treatment modality, clinically used for the treatment of various cancer types. It relies on the use of photosensitive molecules called photosensitizers (PS), which are photoactivated after accumulation in cancer cells, to induce the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) that cause cancer cell death. Among commonly used metal-based drugs in cancer therapy, ruthenium (Ru) possesses favorable attributes that demonstrate its selectivity towards cancer cells and render it suitable for anti-cancer drug design. In vitro studies using distinct arene-Ru complexes, encapsulating porphin PS, are conducted on human HCT116 and HT-29 colorectal cancer cell lines. These studies encompass the evaluation of the antiproliferative effect, ROS production, apoptosis, cell cycle progression, molecular localization, and protein expression. Preliminary results indicated that these complexes exert significant photocytotoxicity on the studied colorectal cancer cell lines, representing them as promising and potential candidates for anti- cancer agents.

Keywords: colorectal cancer, photodynamic therapy, photosensitizers, arene-ruthenium complexes, apoptosis

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Authors: Mannan Mridha, Usama Gazay, Kosovare V. Aslani, Hugo Linder, Alice Ravizza, Carmelo de Maria

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In most developing countries, although the vast majority of the people are living in the rural areas, the qualified medical doctors are not available there. Health care workers and paramedics, called village doctors, informal healthcare providers, are largely responsible for the rural medical care. Mishaps due to wrong diagnosis and inappropriate medication have been causing serious suffering that is preventable. While innovators have created many devices, the vast majority of these technologies do not find applications to address the needs and conditions in low-resource settings. The primary motive is to address the acute lack of affordable medical technologies for the poor people in low-resource settings. A low cost smart medical device that is portable, battery operated and can be used at any point of care has been developed to detect breathing rate, electrocardiogram (ECG) and arterial pulse rate to improve diagnosis and monitoring of patients and thus improve care and safety. This simple and easy to use smart medical device can be used, managed and maintained effectively and safely by any health worker with some training. In order to empower the health workers and village doctors, our device is being further developed to integrate with ICT tools like smart phones and connect to the medical experts wherever available, to manage the serious health problems.

Keywords: e-health for low resources settings, health awareness education, improve patient care and safety, smart and affordable medical device

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Authors: Mirosław Krzemieniewski, Marcin Zieliński, Marcin Dębowski

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This publication presents a device for depolymerisation of plant substrates applicable to agricultural biogas plants and closed-chamber sewage treatment plants where sludge fermentation is bolstered with plant mass. The device consists of a tank with a cover equipped with a heating system, an inlet for the substrate, and an outlet for the depolymerised substrate. Within the tank, a magnet shaft encased in a spiral casing is attached, equipped on its upper end with an internal magnetic disc. A motoreducer is mounted on an external magnetic disc located on the centre of the cover. Depolymerisation of the plant substrate allows for substrate destruction at much lower power levels than by conventional means. The temperature within the reactor can be lowered by 40% in comparison to existing designs. During the depolymerisation process, free radicals are generated within the magnetic field, oxidizing the conditioned substrate and promoting biodegradation. Thus, the fermentation time in the fermenters is reduced by approximately 20%.

Keywords: depolymerisation, pre-treatment, biomass, fermentation

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Authors: Stefano Scippo, Damiana Luzzi, Stefano Cuomo, Maria Ranieri

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Background: In response to the rise in natural disasters linked to climate change, numerous studies on Disaster Risk Reduction Education (DRRE) have emerged since the '90s, mainly using a didactic transmission-based approach. Effective DRRE should align with an interactive, experiential, and participatory educational model, which can be costly and risky. A potential solution is using simulations facilitated by eXtended Reality (XR). Research Question: This study aims to conduct a scoping review to explore educational methodologies that use XR to enhance knowledge among teachers, students, and citizens about environmental risks, natural disasters (including climate-related ones), and their management. Method: A search string of 66 keywords was formulated, spanning three domains: 1) education and target audience, 2) environment and natural hazards, and 3) technologies. On June 21st, 2023, the search string was used across five databases: EBSCOhost, IEEE Xplore, PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science. After deduplication and removing papers without abstracts, 2,152 abstracts (published between 2013 and 2023) were analyzed and 2,062 papers were excluded, followed by the exclusion of 56 papers after full-text scrutiny. Excluded studies focused on unrelated technologies, non-environmental risks, and lacked educational outcomes or accessible texts. Main Results: The 34 reviewed papers were analyzed for context, risk type, research methodology, learning objectives, XR technology use, outcomes, and educational affordances of XR. Notably, since 2016, there has been a rise in scientific publications, focusing mainly on seismic events (12 studies) and floods (9), with a significant contribution from Asia (18 publications), particularly Japan (7 studies). Methodologically, the studies were categorized into empirical (26) and non-empirical (8). Empirical studies involved user or expert validation of XR tools, while non-empirical studies included systematic reviews and theoretical proposals without experimental validation. Empirical studies were further classified into quantitative, qualitative, or mixed-method approaches. Six qualitative studies involved small groups of users or experts, while 20 quantitative or mixed-method studies used seven different research designs, with most (17) employing a quasi-experimental, one-group post-test design, focusing on XR technology usability over educational effectiveness. Non-experimental studies had methodological limitations, making their results hypothetical and in need of further empirical validation. Educationally, the learning objectives centered on knowledge and skills for surviving natural disaster emergencies. All studies recommended XR technologies for simulations or serious games but did not develop comprehensive educational frameworks around these tools. XR-based tools showed potential superiority over traditional methods in teaching risk and emergency management skills. However, conclusions were more valid in studies with experimental designs; otherwise, they remained hypothetical without empirical evidence. The educational affordances of XR, mainly user engagement, were confirmed by the studies. Authors’ Conclusions: The analyzed literature lacks specific educational frameworks for XR in DRRE, focusing mainly on survival knowledge and skills. There is a need to expand educational approaches to include uncertainty education, developing competencies that encompass knowledge, skills, and attitudes like risk perception.

Keywords: disaster risk reduction education, educational technologies, scoping review, XR technologies

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Authors: Efe Gumuslu, Guclu Insel, Gülten Yuksek, Nilay Sayi Ucar, Emine Ubay Cokgor, Tuğba Olmez Hanci, Didem Okutman Tas, Fatoş Germirli Babuna, Derya Firat Ertem, Ökmen Yildirim, Özge Erturan, Betül Kirci

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Although water reclamation and reuse are inseparable parts of sustainable production concept all around the world, current levels of reuse constitute only a small fraction of the total volume of industrial effluents. Nowadays, within the perspective of serious climate change, wastewater reclamation and reuse practices should be considered as a requirement. Industrial sector is one of the largest users of water sources. The OECD Environmental Outlook to 2050 predicts that global water demand for manufacturing will increase by 400% from 2000 to 2050 which is much larger than any other sector. Metal finishing industry is one of the industries that requires high amount of water during the manufacturing. Therefore, actions regarding the improvement of wastewater treatment and reuse should be undertaken on both economic and environmental sustainability grounds. Process wastewater can be reused for more purposes if the appropriate treatment systems are installed to treat the wastewater to the required quality level. Recent studies showed that membrane separation techniques may help in solving the problem of attaining a suitable quality of water that allows being recycled back to the process. The metal finishing factory where this study is conducted is one of the biggest white-goods manufacturers in Turkey. The sheet metal parts used in the cookers production have to be exposed to surface pre-treatment processes composed of degreasing, rinsing, nanoceramics coating and deionization rinsing processes, consecutively. The wastewater generating processes in the factory are enamel coating, painting and styrofoam processes. In the factory, the main source of water is the well water. While some part of the well water is directly used in the processes after passing through resin treatment, some portion of it is directed to the reverse osmosis treatment to obtain required water quality for enamel coating and painting processes. In addition to these processes another important source of water that can be considered as a potential water source is rainwater (3660 tons/year). In this study, process profiles as well as pollution profiles were assessed by a detailed quantitative and qualitative characterization of the wastewater sources generated in the factory. Based on the preliminary results the main water sources that can be considered for reuse in the processes were determined as painting and styrofoam processes.

Keywords: enamel coating, painting, reuse, wastewater

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Authors: Fakieh Alrabai

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This study investigated the effects on learner anxiety of anxiety-reducing strategies utilized by English as foreign language teachers in Saudi Arabia. The study was conducted in two stages. In the first stage, sources of foreign language anxiety for Saudi learners of English (N = 596) were identified using The Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale (FLCAS). In the second stage, 465 learners who were divided almost equally into two groups (experimental vs. control) and 12 teachers were recruited. Anxiety-reducing strategies were implemented exclusively in the treatment group for approximately eight weeks. FLCAS was used to assess learners’ FL anxiety levels before and after treatment. Statistical analyses (e.g. ANOVA and ANCOVA) were used to evaluate the study findings. These findings revealed that the intervention led to significantly decreased levels of FL anxiety for learners in the experimental group compared with increased levels of anxiety for those in the control group.

Keywords: communication apprehension, EFL teaching/learning, fear of negative evaluation, foreign language anxiety

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Authors: T. Al-Alawi, N. Shorbaji, E. Rashaidi, M.Alidrisi

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Purpose/Objective(s): The main purpose of this study is to analyze the planning of SBRT treatments for localized prostate cancer with 6FFF and 10FFF energies to see if there is a dosimetric difference between the two energies and how we can increase the plan efficiency and reduce its complexity. Also, to introduce a planning method in our department to treat prostate cancer by utilizing high energy photons without increasing patient toxicity and fulfilled all dosimetric constraints for OAR (an organ at risk). Then toevaluate the target 95% coverage PTV95, V5%, V2%, V1%, low dose volume for OAR (V1Gy, V2Gy, V5Gy), monitor unit (beam-on time), and estimate the values of homogeneity index HI, conformity index CI a Gradient index GI for each treatment plan.Materials/Methods: Two treatment plans were generated for15 patients with localized prostate cancer retrospectively using the CT planning image acquired for radiotherapy purposes. Each plan contains two/three complete arcs with two/three different collimator angle sets. The maximum dose rate available is 1400MU/min for the energy 6FFF and 2400MU/min for 10FFF. So in case, we need to avoid changing the gantry speed during the rotation, we tend to use the third arc in the plan with 6FFF to accommodate the high dose per fraction. The clinical target volume (CTV) consists of the entire prostate for organ-confined disease. The planning target volume (PTV) involves a margin of 5 mm. A 3-mm margin is favored posteriorly. Organs at risk identified and contoured include the rectum, bladder, penile bulb, femoral heads, and small bowel. The prescription dose is to deliver 35Gyin five fractions to the PTV and apply constraints for organ at risk (OAR) derived from those reported in references. Results: In terms of CI=0.99, HI=0.7, and GI= 4.1, it was observed that they are all thesame for both energies 6FFF and 10FFF with no differences, but the total delivered MUs are much less for the 10FFF plans (2907 for 6FFF vs.2468 for 10FFF) and the total delivery time is 124Sc for 6FFF vs. 61Sc for 10FFF beams. There were no dosimetric differences between 6FFF and 10FFF in terms of PTV coverage and mean doses; the mean doses for the bladder, rectum, femoral heads, penile bulb, and small bowel were collected, and they were in favor of the 10FFF. Also, we got lower V1Gy, V2Gy, and V5Gy doses for all OAR with 10FFF plans. Integral dosesID in (Gy. L) were recorded for all OAR, and they were lower with the 10FFF plans. Conclusion: High energy 10FFF has lower treatment time and lower delivered MUs; also, 10FFF showed lower integral and meant doses to organs at risk. In this study, we suggest usinga 10FFF beam for SBRTprostate treatment, which has the advantage of lowering the treatment time and that lead to lessplan complexity with respect to 6FFF beams.

Keywords: FFF beam, SBRT prostate, VMAT, prostate cancer

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Authors: Mohammed Hassan Alshaikhi

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Vocabulary is essential factor of learning and mastering any languages, and it helps learners to communicate with others and to be understood. The aim of this study was to examine whether semantic mapping technique was helpful in terms of improving student's English vocabulary learning comparing to the traditional technique. The students’ age was between 11 and 13 years old. There were 60 students in total who participated in this study. 30 students were in the treatment group (target vocabulary items were taught with semantic mapping). The other 30 students were in the control group (the target vocabulary items were taught by a traditional technique). A t-test was used with the results of pre-test and post-test in order to examine the outcomes of using semantic mapping when teaching vocabulary. The results showed that the vocabulary mastery in the treatment group was increased more than the control group.

Keywords: English language, learning vocabulary, Saudi teachers, semantic mapping, teaching vocabulary strategies

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Authors: Najmeh Hoseini

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Strokerecovery happens through neuroplasticity, which is highly influenced by the environment, including neuro-rehabilitation. Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) may enhance recovery by modulating neuroplasticity. With tDCS, weak direct currents are applied noninvasively to modify excitability in the cortical areas under its electrodes. Combined with functional activities, this may facilitate motor recovery in neurologic disorders such as stroke. The purpose of this case study was to examine the effect of tDCS combined with 30 minutes of traditional physical therapy (PT)on arm function following a stroke. A 29-year-old male with chronic stroke involving the left middle cerebral artery territory went through the treatment protocol. Design The design included 5 weeks of treatment: 1 week of traditional PT, 2 weeks of sham tDCS combined with traditional PT, and 2 weeks of tDCS combined with traditional PT. PT included functional electrical stimulation (FES) of wrist extensors followed by task-specific functional training. Dual hemispheric tDCS with 1 mA intensity was applied on the sensorimotor cortices for the first 20 min of the treatment combined with FES. Assessments before and after each treatment block included Modified Ashworth Scale, ChedokeMcmaster Arm and Hand inventory, Action Research Arm Test (ARAT), and the Box and Blocks Test. Results showed reduced spasticity in elbow and wrist flexors only after tDCS combination weeks (+1 to 0). The patient demonstrated clinically meaningful improvements in gross motor and fine motor control over the duration of the study; however, components of the ARAT that require fine motor control improved the greatest during the experimental block. Average time improvement compared to baseline was26.29 s for tDCS combination weeks, 18.48 s for sham tDCS, and 6.83 for PT standard of care weeks. Combining dual hemispheric tDCS with the standard of care PT demonstrated improvements in hand dexterity greater than PT alone in this patient case.

Keywords: tDCS, stroke, case study, physical therapy

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Authors: Fujia Yang

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Alongside technological innovation, the current “double reduction” policy and English Curriculum Standards for Compulsory Education in China both emphasise and encourage appropriately integrating educational technologies into the classroom. Therefore, schools are increasingly using digital means to engage students in English reading, but the impact of such technologies on Chinese pupils’ reading achievement remains unclear. To serve as a reference for reforming English reading education in primary schools under the double reduction policy, this study investigates the effects and primary influencing factors of a specific reading programme, Accelerated Reader (AR), on Chinese primary school students’ reading achievement. A quantitative online survey was used to collect 37 valid questionnaires from teachers, and the results demonstrate that, from teachers’ perspectives, the AR program seemed to positively affect students’ reading achievement by recommending material at the appropriate reading levels and developing students’ reading habits. Although the reading enjoyment derived from the AR program does not directly influence students’ reading achievement, these factors are strongly correlated. This can be explained by the self-paced, independent learning AR format, its high accuracy in predicting reading level, the quiz format and external motivation, and the importance of examinations and resource limitations in China. The results of this study may support reforming English reading education in Chinese primary schools.

Keywords: educational technology, reading programme, primary students, accelerated reader, reading effects

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Authors: Agnieszka Stempniewicz, Piotr Ceranowicz, Wojciech Macyk, Jakub Cieszkowski, Beata Kuśnierz-Cabała, Katarzyna Gałązka, Zygmunt Warzecha

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Objectives: There are numerous strategies for the prevention or treatment of oral mucositis. However, their effectiveness is limited and does not correspond to expectations. Recent studies have shown that obestatin exhibits a protective effect and accelerates the healing of gastrointestinal mucosa. The aim of the present study was to examine the influence of obestatin administration on oral ulcers in rats. Methods: lingual ulcers were induced by the use of acetic acid. Rats were treated twice a day intraperitoneally with saline or obestatin(4, 8, or 16 nmol/kg/dose) for five days. The study determined: lingual mucosa morphology, cell proliferation, mucosal blood flow, and mucosal pro-inflammatory interleukin-1β level(IL-1β). Results: In animals without induction of oral ulcers, treatment with obestatin was without any effect. Obestatin administration in rats with lingual ulcers increased the healing rate of these ulcers. Obestatin given at the dose of 8 or 16 nmol/kg/dose caused the strongest and similar therapeutic effect. This result was associated with a significant increase in blood flow and cell proliferation in gingival mucosa, as well as a significant decrease in IL-1β level. Conclusions: Obestatin accelerates the healing of lingual ulcers in rats. This therapeutic effect is well-correlated with an increase in blood flow and cell proliferation in oral mucosa, as well as a decrease in pro-inflammatory IL-1β levels. Obestatin is a potentially useful candidate for the prevention and treatment of oral mucositis. Acknowledgment: Agnieszka Stempniewicz acknowledges the support of InterDokMed project no. POWR.03.02.00- 00-I013/16.

Keywords: oral mucositis, ulcers, obestatin, lingual mucosa

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Authors: Boce Zhang, Yaguang Luo

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Ripening of climacteric fruits, such as bananas and avocados, are usually initiated days prior to the retail marketing. However, upon the onset of irreversible ripening, they undergo rapid spoilage if not consumed within a narrow climacteric time window. Controlled ripening of climacteric fruits is a critical step to provide consumers with high-quality products while reducing postharvest losses and food waste. There is a high demand for technologies that can retard the ripening process or enable accelerated ripening immediately before consumption. In this work, metal−organic framework (MOF) was developed as a solid porous matrix to encapsulate gaseous hormone, including ethylene, for subsequent application. The feasibility of the on-demand stimulated ripening of bananas and avocados is also evaluated. MOF was synthesized and loaded with ethylene gas. The MOF−ethylene was placed inside sealed containers with preclimacteric bananas and avocados and stored at 16 °C. The fruits were treated for 24-48 hours, and evaluated for ripening progress. Results indicate that MOF−ethylene treatment significantly accelerated the ripening-related changes of color and textural properties in treated bananas and avocados. The average ripening period for both avocados and bananas were reduced in half by using this method. No significant differences of quality characteristics at respective ripening stages were observed between produce ripened via MOF-ethylene versus exogenously supplied ethylene gas or endogenously produced ethylene. Solid MOF matrices could have multiple advantages compared to existing systems, including easy to transport and safe to use by minimally trained produce handlers and consumers. We envision that this technology can help tackle food waste challenges at the critical retail and consumer stages in the food supply chain.

Keywords: climacteric produce, controllable ripening, food waste challenge, metal organic framework

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Authors: Junbeom Lee, Jaehyuck Cho, Wookyeong Jeong, Jonghan Won, Jungmin Hwang, Youngseok Song, Taikyeong Jeong

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This paper investigates and analyzes meta-learning technologies that use multiple-cameras to monitor and check abnormal behavior in people in real-time in the area of healthcare fields. Advances in artificial intelligence and computer vision technologies have confirmed that cameras can be useful for individual health monitoring and abnormal behavior detection. Through this, it is possible to establish a system that can respond early by automatically detecting abnormal behavior of the elderly, such as patients and the elderly. In this paper, we use a technique called meta-learning to analyze image data collected from cameras and develop a commercial product to determine abnormal behavior. Meta-learning applies machine learning algorithms to help systems learn and adapt quickly to new real data. Through this, the accuracy and reliability of the abnormal behavior discrimination system can be improved. In addition, this study proposes a meta-learning-based abnormal behavior detection system that includes steps such as data collection and preprocessing, feature extraction and selection, and classification model development. Various healthcare scenarios and experiments analyze the performance of the proposed system and demonstrate excellence compared to other existing methods. Through this study, we present the possibility that camera-based meta-learning technology can be useful for monitoring and testing abnormal behavior in the healthcare area.

Keywords: artificial intelligence, abnormal behavior, early detection, health monitoring

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Authors: Ling-Lang Huang

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Research Background: Historically, the evolution of medicine has not only aimed to extend life but has also inadvertently introduced suffering in the process of maintaining life, presenting a contemporary challenge. We must carefully assess the conflict between the length of life and the quality of living. Evidence-Based Medicine (EBM) exists primarily to ensure the quality of cures. However, EBM alone does not fulfill our ultimate medical goals; we must also evaluate Value-Based Medicine (VBM) to find the best treatment for patients. Research Methodology: We can attempt to integrate EBM with VBM. Within the five steps of EBM, the first three steps (Ask—Acquire—Appraise) focus on the physical aspect of humans. However, in the fourth and fifth steps (Apply—Assess), the focus shifts from the physical to applying evidence-based treatment to the patient and assessing its effectiveness, considering a holistic approach to the individual. To consider VBM for patients, we can divide the process into three steps: The first step is "awareness," recognizing that each patient inhabits a different life-world and possesses unique differences. The second step is "integration," akin to the hermeneutic concept of the Fusion of Horizons. This means being aware of differences and also understanding the origins of these patient differences. The third step is "respect," which involves setting aside our adherence to medical objectivity and scientific rigor to respect the ultimate healthcare decisions made by individuals regarding their lives. Discussion and Conclusion: After completing these three steps of VBM, we can return to the fifth step of EBM: Assess. Our assessment can now transcend the physical treatment focus of the initial steps to align with a holistic care philosophy.

Keywords: shared decision-making, evidence-based medicine, values-based medicine, holistic healthcare

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Authors: Sharmila Rathee

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Individuals with disability/ies often face negative attitudes, discrimination, exclusion, and inequality of treatment due to stigmatization and stigmatized treatment. While a significant number of studies in field of stigma suggest that group-identification has positive consequences for stigmatized individuals, ironically very miniscule empirical work in sight has attempted to investigate in-group identification as a coping measure against stigma, humiliation and related experiences among disability group. In view of death of empirical research on in-group identification among disability group, through present work, an attempt has been made to examine the experiences of stigma, humiliation, and in-group identification among disability group. Results of the study suggest that use of in-group identification as a coping strategy is not uniform across members of disability group and degree of in-group identification differs across different sub-groups of disability groups. Further, in-group identification among members of disability group depends on variables like degree and impact of disability, factors like onset of disability, nature, and visibility of disability, educational experiences and resources available to deal with disabling conditions.

Keywords: disability, stigma, in-group identification, social identity

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Authors: A. Elain, M. Le Fellic, A. Le Pemp, N. Hachet

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Iodinated Compounds (IC) are widely detected contaminants in most aquatic environments including sewage treatment plant, surface water, ground water and even drinking water, up to the µg.L-1 range. As IC contribute in the adsorbable organic halides (AOX) level, their removal or dehalogenation is expected. We report here on the biodegradability of a mixture of IC from an industrial effluent using a microbial consortium adapted to grow on IC as well as the native microorganisms. Both aerobic and anaerobic treatments were studied during batch experiments in 500-mL flasks. The degree of mineralization and recovery of iodide were monitored by HPLC-UV, TOC analysis and potentiometric titration. Providing ethanol as an electron acceptor was found to stimulate anaerobic reductive deiodination of IC while sodium chloride even at high concentration (22 g.l-1) had no influence on the degradation rates nor on the microbial viability. Phylogenetic analysis of 16S RNA gene sequence (MicroSeq®) was applied to provide a better understanding of the degradative microbial community.

Keywords: iodinated compounds, biodegradability, deiodination, electron-accepting conditions, microbial consortium

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Authors: M. Alam, P. Seshaiyer

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The rupture predictability of intracranial aneurysm is one of the most important parameters for physicians in surgical treatment. As most of the intracranial aneurysms are asymptomatic, still the rupture potential of both symptomatic and asymptomatic lesions is relatively unknown. Moreover, an intracranial aneurysm constrained by a nerve tissue might be a common scenario for a physician to deal with during the treatment process. Here, we perform a computational modeling of nerve tissue constrained intracranial saccular aneurysm to show a protective role of constrained tissue on the aneurysm. A comparative parametric study of the model also performs taking long constraint, medium constraint, short constraint, point contact, narrow neck aneurysm, wide neck aneurysm as parameters for the analysis. Results show that contact constraint aneurysm generates less stress near the fundus compared to no constraint aneurysm, hence works as a protective wall for the aneurysm not to be ruptured.

Keywords: rupture potential, intracranial saccular aneurysm, anisotropic hyper-elastic material, finite element analysis

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Authors: Woravit Kitjaroenpaiboon, Kanyarat Getkham

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This corpus analysis is a quantitative study which intended to investigate the uses of four main interactional metadiscourse devices including fourteen sub-devices in the introduction and the discussion sections of the twenty communication arts research articles taken from Online Journal of Communication and Media technologies by applying ‘AntConc’ software and PASW 18.0. The findings reveal that the three most frequently used devices in the introduction parts are attitudinal marker (adjective), booster (verb), and hedge (modal verb) while the three most frequently found devices in the discussion sections are attitudinal marker (adjective), hedge (modal verb) and booster (verb). There are nine sub-interactional metadiscourse devices among each of which significant difference exist in both introduction and discussion sections. They are attitudinal marker (adverb), attitudinal marker (adjective), booster (verb), booster (adverb), booster (adjective), hedge (modal verb), hedge (lexical verb), hedge (adverb), and hedge (adjective), while another five sub-interactional metadiscourse devices; self-mention, attitudinal marker (verb), attitudinal marker (noun), hedge (noun), and Hedge (phraseology) are found to have has no significant difference between the uses of each device in the introduction and discussion sections. The results also revealed that low and positive relationships exist among thirteen devices. One device which has no relationship with others is attitudinal marker (verb).

Keywords: corpus analysis, interactional metadiscourse devices, communication arts research articles, media technologies

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Authors: M. Mirmohammadi, S. Taghdisi, F. Anali

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Gossypol is a yellow anti-nutritional compound found in the cotton plant. This substance exists in the cottonseed and other parts of the cotton plant, such as bark, leaves, and stems. Chemically, gossypol is a very active polyphenolic aldehyde compound, and due to this polyphenolic structure, it has antioxidant and therapeutic properties. On the other hand, this compound, especially in free form, has many toxic effects, that its excessive consumption can be very dangerous for humans and animals. In this study, gossypol was extracted as a derivative compound of gossypol acetic acid from cottonseed using the n-hexane solvent with an efficiency of 0.84 ± 0.04, which compared to the Gossypol extracted from cottonseed oil with the same method (cold press) showed a significant difference with its efficiency of 1.14 ± 0.06. Therefore, it can be suggested to use cottonseed oil to extract this valuable compound. In the other part of this research, cottonseed extracts and cotton bolls extracts were obtained by two methods of soaking and Soxhlet with hydroalcoholic solvent taken with a ratio of (25:75), then by using extracts and corn starch powder, four herbal medicine code was created and after receiving the code of ethics (IR.SSU.REC.1398.136) the therapeutic effect of each one on the Cutaneous leishmaniasis resistant to drugs (caused by the leishmaniasis parasite) was investigated in real patients and its results was compared with the common drug glucantime (local ampoule) (n = 36). Statistical studies showed that the use of herbal medicines prepared with cottonseed extract and cotton bolls extract has a significant positive effect on the treatment of the disease’s wounds (p-value > 0.05) compared to the control group (only ethanol). Also, by comparing the average diameter of the wounds after a two-month treatment period, no significant difference was found between the use of ointment containing extracts and local glucantime ampoules (p-value < 0.05). Bolls extract extracted with the Soxhlet method showed the best therapeutic effects, although there was no significant difference between them (p-value < 0.05). Therefore, there is acceptable reliability to recommend this medicine for the treatment of Cutaneous leishmaniasis resistant to drugs without the side effects of the chemical drug glucantime and the pain of injecting the ampoule.

Keywords: cottonseed oil, gossypol, cotton boll, cutaneous leishmaniasis

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Authors: Ghimire K., Mehta R. S., Parajuli P., Chettri R.

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Background: Malnutrition is a common hallmark of Human Immuno Virus (HIV) disease. It plays a synergistic role in immunosuppression which is initiated by Human Immuno Virus itself, and malnutrition forms an independent risk factor for disease progression. Objectives: The objective of the study is to assess the nutritional status of the people living with Human Immuno Virus/Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome attending the Anti-Retro viral Treatment Clinic and find the association of nutritional status with different socio-demographic variables. Methods: A total of 101 people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) were selected by convenient sampling technique. The study was conducted at the ART clinic of BPKIHS. A subjective global assessment tool was used for data collection. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used for data analysis. Results: The study demonstrated that the mean age of the respondents was 40.97+8.650 years. 65.3% were well-nourished, and 34.7% of the participants were mildly/moderately malnourished, whereas none of them were severely malnourished. BMI was statistically significant with education status, family income, and duration of illness of the participants, and nutritional status was statistically significant with gender, marital status, education status, and family history of HIV. Conclusion: On the basis of the result, it can be concluded that more than half of the respondents were well nourished. Gender, marital status, and education are associated with nutritional status.

Keywords: nutritional status, people living with HIV/AIDS, ART treatment, Nepal

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Authors: A. ElZawam, D. McLean, A. Tibary

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In alpaca, age at puberty is variable and the factors regulating the pattern of puberty and sexual maturation are a subject of controversy. Plasma testosterone level is often used as an indicator of sexual maturity. Our hypothesis is that hCG treatment will cause an increase in testosterone level that is correlated with animal age. The specific aim was to investigate the testicular tissue response to a single hCG injection by monitoring the serum testosterone concentration. Eighty four (n=84) males ranging in age from 6 to 60 months were used. Alpacas were grouped based on their ages into 15 groups. Each group had three to five male animals. Blood samples were collected from the jugular vein before treatment with hCG and 2 hours after intravenous administration of 3000 IU of hCG (Chorulon®). The serum was harvested and stored at -20ºC until the analysis. The effect of age on basal testosterone level and response to hCG treatment was evaluated by Analysis of Variance. As a result, basal serum testosterone concentrations were very low (<0.1ng/ml) until 9 months of age. Although basal serum testosterone concentrations increased steadily with age there was a significant variation amongst males within the same age group. Administration of 3000 IU of hCG, resulted in an average increase of 50% (P<0.05) in serum testosterone concentration after 2 hours. The percentage increase in serum testosterone in response to hCG stimulation varied from 51 to 81%. There was no correlation between the degree of response and age. However, the response to hCG injection presented two modes of increase depending on the age of animals. The first mode occurred at ages 9 to 14 months and the second mode was observed between 22 and 36 months. In conclusion, our results suggest that testicular growth and sensitivity to LH stimulation may be bimodal in the male alpaca with a rapid increase in growth and sensitivity between 9 and 14 months of age and a second phase of increased responsiveness after 21 months of ages.

Keywords: alpaca, testosterone, hCG, animal science

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Authors: Deanne McArthur, Melinda Wall, Claire Hanlon, Dana Agnolin, Krista Davis, Melanie Dennis, Elizabeth Glidden, Anne Marie Smith, Claudette Thomson

Abstract:

In Canada, as prevalence rates and severity of illness have increased among patients suffering from eating disorders, wait times have grown substantially. Patients in Canada often face wait times in excess of 12 months. It is known that delaying treatment for eating disorders contributes to poor patient outcomes and higher rates of symptom relapse. Improving interim services for adult patients awaiting outpatient treatment is a priority for an outpatient eating disorders clinic in Ontario, Canada. The clinical setting currently provides care for adults diagnosed with anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa and binge eating disorder. At present, the only support provided while patients are on the waitlist consists of communication with primary care providers regarding parameters for medical monitoring. The significance of this study will be to test the feasibility, acceptability and efficacy of an intervention to support adult patients awaiting outpatient eating disorder treatment for anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa and binge eating disorder. Methods: An intervention including psychoeducation, supportive resources, self-monitoring, and auxiliary referral will be pilot-tested with a group of patients in the summer of 2022 and detailed using a prospective cohort case study research design. The team will host patient focus groups in May 2022 to gather input informing the content of the intervention. The intervention will be pilot tested with newly-referred patients in June and July 2022. Patients who participate in the intervention will be asked to complete a survey evaluating the utility of the intervention and for suggestions, they may have for improvement. Preliminary findings describing the existing literature pertaining to waitlist interventions for patients with eating disorders, data gathered from the focus groups and early pilot testing results will be presented. Data analysis will continue throughout 2022 and early 2023 for follow-up publication and presentation in the summer of 2023. The aim of this study is to contribute to the body of knowledge pertaining to providing interim support to those patients waiting for treatment for eating disorders and, by extension, to improve outcomes for this population.

Keywords: eating disorders, waitlist management, intervention study, pilot test

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Authors: Arnab Majumdar, Sanjoy Sadhukhan

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Although gun barrel steels are an important variety from defense view point, available literatures are very limited. In the present work, an IF grade Ni-Cr-Mo-V high strength low alloy steel is produced in Electric Earth Furnace-ESR Route. Ingot was hot forged to desired dimension with a reduction ratio of 70-75% followed by homogenization, hardening and tempering treatment. Sample chemistry, NMIR, macro and micro structural analyses were done. Mechanical properties which include tensile, impact, and fracture toughness were studied. Ultrasonic testing was done to identify internal flaws. The existing high strength low alloy Ni-Cr-Mo-V steel shows improved properties in modified processing route and heat treatment schedule in comparison to properties noted earlier for manufacturing of gun barrels. The improvement in properties seems to withstand higher explosive loads with the same amount of steel in gun barrel application.

Keywords: gun barrel steels, IF grade, chemistry, physical properties, thermal and mechanical processing, mechanical properties, ultrasonic testing

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Authors: Eheneden Iyobosa, Rongchang Wang, Adesina Odunayo Blessing, Gaoxiang Chen, Haijing Ren, Jianfu Zhao

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In the treatment of ammonium-rich wastewater with 500 μg/L sulfamethoxazole (SMX) antibiotic by a Microalgae-Bacteria Consortium, diverse parameters were monitored to assess treatment efficacy. Over 14 days, residual SMX concentrations decreased markedly from 500 μg/L to 45.6 μg/L, and removal rates declined from 102.4 to 9.9 μg/L/day. Biomass exhibited consistent growth, reaching a peak of 542.6 mg/L on day 10. Chlorophyll-a, chlorophyll-b, and carotenoid levels varied over time, reflecting fluctuations in microalgal activity. Extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) production showed temporal variations, with protein content ranging from 69.4 to 162.3 mg/g Dry cell weight (DCW) and polysaccharides content from 50.6 to 82.8 mg/g DCW. Ammonium nitrogen concentration decreased steadily from 300 mg/L to 5 mg/L throughout the treatment period. The bacterial community composition was significantly altered in the presence of antibiotics, with notable increases in Bacteroidota and Proteobacteria. Community richness and diversity indices were higher in the antibiotics-treated group than in the control group, as evidenced by the Chao index (258 compared to 181), Shannon index (1.8085 compared to 1.1545), and Simpson index (0.5032 compared to 0.6478), indicating notable shifts in microbial community structure. These findings demonstrate the efficacy of the Microalgae-Bacteria Consortium in removing SMX from wastewater and suggest its potential to mitigate antibiotic pollution while maintaining microbial diversity.

Keywords: ammonium-rich wastewater, microalgae-bacteria consortium, sulfamethoxazole removal, microbial community diversity, biomass growth

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Authors: Julianne Macmullen

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Due to advances in technology and early detection and treatment of cancer, many cancer patients are surviving longer than five years post-diagnosis. Most cancer patients suffer from depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) at some point during diagnosis, treatment, and survivorship. A subgroup of patients will continue to suffer from depression and PTSD and require early intervention. Support groups provide patients with the emotional and informational support they require while also giving survivors a sense of community, friendship, and purpose. This type of support is recognized by researchers to improve the quality of life while also decreasing depression and PTSD symptoms. The gaps in the literature include cultural diversity, minorities, and support groups involving cancer types other than breast cancer. Another gap in the literature includes the perceptions of cancer patients as well as longitudinal studies to determine the relationships between support groups and decreased depression and PTSD rates over time. Future research is required to fill the gaps in the literature mentioned previously. Future research is also needed to analyze the difference in age groups and different types of support groups such as professionally-led, peer-led, and online. Implications for practice involve providers assessing for the symptoms of depression and PTSD in order to offer prompt treatment and support services to those patients. In conclusion, social support by way of support groups improves the quality of life, gives survivors a sense of purpose to help others while also gaining the support they need, and reduces the rate of depressive episodes related to PTSD.

Keywords: cancer survivor, survivorship, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, support groups

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Authors: Saimir Heta, Ilma Robo, Nevila Alliu, Tea Meta

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Background: Plasma levels of inflammatory markers are the expression of the infectious wastes of existing periodontitis, as well as of existing inflammation everywhere in the body. Materials and Methods: The study consists of the clinical part of the measurement of inflammatory markers of 23 patients diagnosed with chronic periodontitis and the recording of parental periodontal parameters of patient periodontal status: hemorrhage index and probe values, before and 7-10 days after non-surgical periodontal treatment. Results: The level of fibrinogen drops according to the categorization of disease progression, active and passive, with the biggest % (18%-30%) at the fluctuation 10-20 mg/d. Fluctuations in fibrinogen level according to the age of patients in the range 0-10 mg/dL under 40 years and over 40 years was 13%-26%, in the range 10-20 mg/dL was 26%-22%, in the 20-40 mg/dL was 9%-4%. Conclusions: Non-surgical periodontal treatment significantly reduces the level of non-inflammatory markers in the blood. Oral health significantly reduces the potential source for periodontal bacteria, with the potential of promoting thromboembolism, through interaction between thrombocytes.

Keywords: chronic periodontitis, atherosclerosis, risk factor, inflammatory markers

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Authors: Khosro Mohammadi

Abstract:

In order to study the effect of different resources of farmyard manure, compost and biofertilizers on grain yield and quality of canola (Talaieh cultivar), an experiment was conducted at Kurdistan region. Experimental units were arranged in split-split plots design based on randomized complete blocks with three replications. Main plots consisted of two locations with difference in soil texture (L1): Agricultural Research Center of Sanandaj and (L2): Islamic Azad University of Sanandaj, as location levels. Also, five strategies for obtaining the base fertilizer requirement including (N1): farmyard manure; (N2): compost; (N3): chemical fertilizers; (N4): farm yard manure + compost and (N5): farm yard manure + compost + chemical fertilizers were considered in split plots. Four levels of biofertilizers were (B1): Bacillus lentus and Pseudomonas putida; (B2): Trichoderma harzianum; (B3): Bacillus lentus and Pseudomonas putida & Trichoderma harzianum; and (B4): control. Results showed that location, different resources of fertilizer and interactions of them have a significant effect on grain yield. The highest grain yield (4660 kg/ha) was obtained from treatment, that farmyard manure, compost and biofertilizers were co application in clay loam soil (Gerizeh station). Different methods of fertilization have a significant effect on leaf chlorophyll. Highest amount of chlorophyll (38 Spad) was obtained from co application of farmyard manure, chemical fertilizers and compost (N5 treatment). Location, basal fertilizers and biofertilizers have a significant effect on N, S and N/S of canola seed. Oil content was decreased in Gerizeh station, but oil yield had a significant increasing than Azad University station. Co application of compost and farmyard manure produced highest percent of oleic acid (61.5 %) and linoleic acid (22.9 %). Co application of compost and farmyard manure has a significant increase in oleic acid and linoleic acid. Finally, L1N5B3 treatment, that compost, farmyard manure and biofertilizers were co application in Gerizeh station in compare to other treatments, selected as a best treatment of experiment.

Keywords: soil texture, organic fertilizer, chemical fertilizer, oil, Canola

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Authors: Z. Hormozi Moghaddam, M. Mokhtari-Dizaji, M. Movahedin, M. E. Ravari

Abstract:

Mechanical index (MI) is used for quantifying acoustic cavitation and the relationship between acoustic pressure and the frequency. In this study, modeling of the MI was applied to provide treatment protocol and to understand the effective physical processes on reproducibility of stem cells. The acoustic pressure and MI equations are modeled and solved to estimate optimal MI for 28, 40, 150 kHz and 1 MHz frequencies. Radial and axial acoustic pressure distribution was extracted. To validate the results of the modeling, the acoustic pressure in the water and near field depth was measured by a piston hydrophone. Results of modeling and experiments show that the model is consistent well to experimental results with 0.91 and 0.90 correlation of coefficient (p<0.05) for 1 MHz and 40 kHz. Low intensity ultrasound with 0.40 MI is more effective on the proliferation rate of the spermatogonial stem cells during the seven days of culture, in contrast, high MI has a harmful effect on the spermatogonial stem cells. This model provides proper treatment planning in vitro and in vivo by estimating the cavitation phenomenon.

Keywords: ultrasound, mechanical index, modeling, stem cell

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Authors: Željka Rogač, Dejan Stevanović, Sara Bečanović, Ljubica Božić, Aleksandar Dimitrijević, Dragana Bogićević, Dimitrije Nikolić

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Children with epilepsy face changes in cognitive functioning, the appearance of symptoms of psychopathology and a decline in their quality of life. Factors related to epileptic seizures and the side effects of AEDs are considered to be potential causes of these changes.These changes can be prevented by prompt action, replacement of AEDs, psychological and psychiatric treatment, and social support. However, a review of literature has not yielded a conclusion as to when it is best to react, i.e., when changes in the functioning of children with newly-diagnosed epilepsy appears. The primary goal of this study was to investigate the impact of the most commonly used AEDs on cognitive status, behavior, anxiety and depression, as well as quality of life of children with newly-diagnosed epilepsy, during the first six months of treatment. This is a non-interventional, prospective study involving six-month monitoring of cognitive status, internalizing and externalizing symptoms, as well as quality of life of children with newly-diagnosed epilepsy, and the impact of antiepileptic drugs on these domains. Children with new-onset epilepsy and their parents, immediately after the introduction of antiepileptic drugs as well as six months later, filled out appropriate questionnaires (RCADS, NCBRF, CHEQOL-25, KIDSCREEN-10, AEP). At the same time, a psychologist performed the psychological testing of the child (REVISK). At the very beginning of REVISK treatment, a reduced VIQ was established, while after six months there was a significant decrease in IQ, VIQ and especially PIQ, under the influence of primary cognitive potentials and the development of depressive symptoms. All scores of the RCADS and NCBFR questionnaires were significantly elevated after six months while internalizing and externalizing symptoms affected each other. The development of depressive symptoms was significantly influenced by AED. The scores of the CHEQOL25 and KIDSCREEN10 questionnaires were significantly reduced, influenced by the adverse effects of AED and quality of life at the start of treatment. Side effects of AEDs, were significantly associated with depressive symptoms and reduced quality of life and did not significantly affect cognitive decline, anxiety, ADHD, and behavioral disorders during the first six months.

Keywords: epilepsy, children, AEDs, cognition, behavior, ADHD, anxiety, depression, QOL

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