In this research, the effects of induced delamination on the variation of the mechanical properties of composite laminates subjected to bending loads are investigated using a micromechanical model. For this purpose, the variation of the mechanical properties of delaminated laminates is determined using stress analysis of damaged ply and classical laminate theory (CLT) relationships. Using the proposed model and CLT, the fracture toughness due to induced delamination formation is presented in cross-ply laminates. Subsequently, the variation of strain energy release rate (SERR) is calculated in terms of crack density using analytical and finite element models to detect dominant failure modes in different crack densities. The results are compared with those of matrix cracking propagation. The results obtained by the proposed analytical model are in good agreement with those obtained by existing numerical and experimental approaches. The proposed model can be utilized to predict induced delamination formation in composite laminates subjected to bending loads.

Background: Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) which is characterized by persistent airflow restriction and respiratory symptoms. Studies demonstrated that cardiac arrhythmias, cardiovascular mortality and cardiac death increased in these patients due to altered myocardial repolarization. Frontal QRS-T angle is a novel marker of myocardial depolarization and repolarization heterogeneity. In this study, we aimed to investigate the relationship between frontal QRS-T angle and COPD severity in patients with newly diagnosed COPD. Methods: A total of 104 newly diagnosed COPD patients without any significant comorbidities were included in this study. Patients were divided into two groups according to GOLD stage as follows: patients with mild and moderate COPD (group I) and severe and very severe COPD (group II). Frontal QRS-T angle was calculated from the automatic report of the electrocardiography device . Results: Frontal QRS-T angle was significantly higher in group II patients compared to in group I patients (43.0 [25.5-60.0] vs. 20.0 [12.0-32.0], P < 0.001). The best cut-off value of frontal QRS-T angle for predicting severe-very severe COPD was ≥ 34.5°. Correlation analysis showed that frontal QRS-T angle was negatively correlated with FEV1/FVC (r = –0.524, P < 0.001) and MEF25-75 (r = –0.453, P < 0.001). In linear regression analysis, It was found that MEF25-75 (β: –0.593, P = 0.006) was the only independent predictor of the frontal QRS-T angle. Conclusions: Frontal QRS-T angle, an easily obtainable marker form surface electrocardiography. In this study, we have shown for the first time that frontal QRS-T angle was significantly increased in patients with severe and very severe COPD.

Objective: The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of family counseling on anxiety, depression, and stress levels in mothers with disabled children. Method: The research was conducted on the mothers of 80 randomly selected kids out of 200 disabled children studying at a Private Education and Rehabilitation Center. Six family counseling sessions were provided to the mothers in the study groups as eight participants per group. The primary outcomes of the study were changes in Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), and Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) scores of the mothers at the beginning of the study; right after the counseling was finished, and three months later. The mean PSS, BDI, and BAI scores in the second tests performed right after the six counseling sessions were significantly lower than the average scores in the first tests (p<0.001, p<0.001, and p<0.001, respectively). There was no significant difference between the 1st and 2nd PSS, BDI, and BAI mean scores of the mothers in the control group (p>0.05). Conclusion: Mothers of disabled children were exposed to anxiety, depression, and stress more than other society members. Thus, they need more psychological support. Family counseling can meet disabled children’s mothers’ support needs. The counseling program we applied had positive effects on mothers’ anxiety, depression, and stress scores. By expanding this counseling service in primary health care services, mothers with disabled children can cope more easily with their psychological burden.

Background: To determine the frequency of breastfeeding of mothers working in primary care, the differences between different employment groups, and the effective factors. Methods: This descriptive research study was conducted with a self-report online survey design. The snowball sampling method was used for the sample selection, and 151 family physicians and 126 family health professionals were included in the study during the research period (June 2019-December 2019). A 35-item survey was used to collect data. The response rate was 44.9% (49.5% family physicians/40.3% family health professionals). Results: The mean duration of exclusive breastfeeding was 3.9 ± 2.0 months, and the mean duration of total breastfeeding was 16.7 ± 8.5 months. There was no significant difference between the family physicians and family health professionals in terms of exclusive breastfeeding (P = 0.580) and total breastfeeding (P = 0.325) durations. The most common reasons for weaning was reduced milk supply (25.6%) and not being able to use breastfeeding leave (23.1%) due to problems at work. Of the sample, 41.3% had problems with their co-workers and 41.9% had problems related to patient care when taking breastfeeding leave. Working in a baby-friendly center (P = 0.010), prolonged exclusive breastfeeding (P < 0.001), and increased hours of breastfeeding leave taken (P = 0.001) had a positive effect on breastfeeding for ≥24 months while experiencing problems with co-workers in taking breastfeeding leave (P = 0.023) had a negative effect on this variable. Conclusions: All of the factors that were determined to affect the continuation of breastfeeding for ≥24 months are modifiable. It is very important for relevant authorities to undertake necessary action to improve the conditions of working mothers based on these results. Health professional that can maintain the balance between family and work will work more efficiently.

INTRODUCTION: We evaluated the re-transurethral resection (re-TUR) pathologies and the comparison of pathology results between transurethral resection of bladder (TUR-B) and re-TUR for non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC). Additionally we assessed the factors affecting the re-TUR pathology and tried to define the more valuable re-TUR patient groups. We also aimed to evaluate the effect of re-TUR on recurrence and progression. METHODS: We performed re-TUR to intermediate/high risk NMIBC patients, 4-6 weeks after the index TUR-B. Both TUR-B and re-TUR pathology characteristics, including tumor stage, grade, size, number, lymphovascular invasion (LVI), carcinoma in situ (CIS), variant pathology and intermediate/high risk status were analysed. The recurrence and progression rates were also evaluated according to re-TUR. RESULTS: A total of 78 patients with NMIBC were included to the study. The index TUR-B pathologies were Ta-Low: 6 (7,7%), Ta-High: 5 (6,4%), T1-Low: 14 (17,9%), T1-High: 53 (67,9%). Re-TUR positivity was n: 40 (51 %), and upstaging/upgrading at re-TUR was n: 11 (14 %) in all groups. Re-TUR positivity was significantly higher in high-risk compared to intermediate-risk NMIBC (p:0,026). Re-TUR positivity was higher in patients with hydronephrosis, CIS, LVI, differentiation, size (>3 cm) and multiple tumour presence (p<0,05). There was no significant relationship between recurrence / progression and re-TUR (p>0,05). CONCLUSION: Residual tumour was common after the index TUR-B and upstaging after re-TUR was very important. Re-TUR is critically important in high-risk NMIBC, presence of hydronephrosis, CIS, LVI, variant pathology, size (>3 cm) and multiple number of tumor.

Introduction: Human Immunodeficiency virus is a chronic infection that attacks the immune system of the human body, particularly CD4 T lymphocytes. Combined antiretroviral therapies are highly effective in virological suppression of human immunodeficiency virus infection. It has been shown that some retroviral therapies have a higher nephrotoxicity potential. As a result of renal injury, serum creatinine increases, and the estimated glomerular filtration rate is reduced. The aim of our study was to assess changes in kidney function during a 24-month period in HIV-positive patients who were begun on combined antiretroviral therapy. Material-method: A total of 127 HIV positive patients were enrolled. The patients were divided into five groups; patients who received no therapy were designated as Group 1; those that received Dolutegravir/Abacavir/Lamivudine combination as Group 2; those that received Elvitegravir/Cobicistat/Emtricitabine/Tenofovir Alafenamide Fumarate combination as Group 3; those that received Emtricitabine/Tenofovir Disoproxil Fumarate/Dolutegravir combination as Group 4; and those that received Emtricitabine/Tenofovir Disoproxil Fumarate/Raltegravir combination as Group 5. We compared the effects of these drugs on estimated glomerular filtration rate during a 24-month follow-up period. Results: At the 24th month of therapy, a significant difference was observed between the eGFR levels of the study groups (p:<0.001). eGFR level was significantly higher in Group 4 compared to Groups 1, 2, and 3 (p:0.009, p:<0.001, p:<0.001, respectively) while it was significantly lower in Group 5 than groups 1, 2, and 3 (p:0.005, p:<0.001, p:<0.001, respectively). No significant eGFR difference was found between Group 4 and Group 5 (p>0.05). Serum creatinine level was significantly higher in Groups 4 and 5 compared to the other groups (p<0.001). Conclusion: The use of TDF-containing regimens causes renal dysfunction. Therefore, we recommend close monitoring of renal function, especially in patients treated with TDF.

Objective: We aimed to investigate the effects of hypotensive anesthesia on oxidative stress with serum thiol/disulfide balance in patients undergoing elective septoplasty procedures under general anesthesia. Methods: Seventy-two patients between the ages of 18-60, with a physical condition I –II, according to the American Society of Anesthesiologists, were included in this prospective observational study. Septoplasty was chosen for standard surgical stress. According to the maintenance of anesthesia, patients were divided into the groups as Hypotensive Anesthesia (n = 40) and Normotensive Anesthesia (n = 32). Serum thiol/disulfide levels were measured by the method developed by Erel & Neşelioğlu. Results: The native thiol and total thiol values of both groups measured at the 60th minute intraoperatively were significantly lower than the preoperative values (both p < 0.01). Intraoperatively, at the 60th minute, there was no significant difference in terms of post-native thiol and post-total thiol levels between hypotensive and normotensive anesthesia groups (p = 0.68, and p = 0.81, respectively). Age > 40 years and female gender were found to have a significant effect on dynamic oxidative stress (p = 0.002, and p = 0.001, respectively). Conclusion: This pilot study has found that hypotensive anesthesia had no adverse effect on dynamic thiol/disulfide balance in elective surgeries.

Introduction: Ablation Index guided ablation according to the CLOSE protocol is very effective in terms of chronic pulmonary vein isolation (PVI). However, the optimal RF power remains controversial. Here, we thought to investigate the efficiency and safety of an AI guided fixed circumferential 50W high power short duration (HPSD) PVI using the CLOSE protocol Methods and results: In a single-centre prospective “proof of concept” trial 40 patients underwent randomized PVI using AI guided RF ablation without oesophageal temperature monitoring. In 20 patient fixed 50W HPSD was used irrespective to the anatomical localization. 20 subjects were ablated with standard power settings (20W posterior and 40W roof and anterior wall). Additionally, 80 consecutive patients were treated according to the HPSD protocol to gather additional safety data. All patients underwent post-procedural oesophago-gastro-duodenoscopy to reveal oesophageal lesions (EDEL). The mean total procedural time was 80.3±22.5 minutes in HPSD compared to control 109.1±27.4 (p<0.001). The total RF-time was significantly lower in HPSD 1379±505 sec vs. control 2374±619 sec (p<0.001).There were no differences in periprocedural complications. EDEL occurred in 13% in the HPSD and 10% in control group. EDEL occurring in the 50W HSDP patients were smaller, more superficial and had a faster healing tendency. Conclusions: A fixed 50W HPSD circumferential PVI relying to the ablation index and CLOSE protocol reduces the total procedure time and the total RF time compared to standard CLOSE protocol, without increasing the complication rates. The incidence of oesophageal lesions was similar using 50W at the posterior atrial wall.

This study conducted simulation and experimental analysis on a dual rotor horizontal axis wind turbine to determine the effect of rotor separation on its performance. An air study was conducted to optimize the turbine blades to a local climate of Trinidad, it was determined that a NACA 64-315 air foil would be the most optimum for the conditions. QBlade software was used for the simulation, the power flow performance for multiple iterations of wind speed was found for the design. The effect of rotor separation on the performance of the dual rotor wind turbine was studied with rotor separation 0.25 m to 3.0 m at an interval of 0.25 m and it was discovered that the smallest rotor separation 0.25 m shows the largest tip speed ratio, while the largest rotor separation distance 3m has the smallest tip speed ratio at a fan speed of 1m/s. Also, as the rotor separation decreases the power coefficient (C P ) and the total power increase, which resulted to high energy output of the DRHAWT. This result is valid for the QBlade simulations and the experimental results.

Niche theory predicts specialists will be more sensitive to environmental perturbation compared to generalists, a hypothesis receiving broad support in free-living species. Based on their niche breadth, parasites can also be classified as specialists and generalists, with specialists infecting only a few and generalists a diverse array of host species. Here, using avian haemosporidian parasites infecting wild bird populations inhabiting the Western Ghats, India as a model system, we elucidate how climate, habitat and human disturbance affects parasite prevalence both directly and indirectly via their effects on host diversity. Our data demonstrates that anthropogenic disturbance acts to reduce the prevalence of specialist parasite lineages, while increasing that of generalist lineages. Thus, as in free-living species, disturbance favors parasite communities dominated by generalist vs. specialist species. Because generalist parasites are more likely to cause emerging infectious diseases, such biotic homogenization of parasite communities could increase disease emergence risk in the Anthropocene

Dissolved oxygen is one of the prime parameters for assessing the water quality of any stream and the health status of aquatic life. The dissolved oxygen present in the water body plays an essential role in deciding water treatment processes to enhance water quality up to the design standards for the specified water use. Thus, the accurate estimation of dissolved oxygen concentration is necessary to evolve measures for maintaining the riverine ecosystem and designing the appropriate water treatment plants. Machine learning techniques are becoming useful tools for the prediction and simulation of water quality parameters. With these viewpoints, a study was carried out in the Delhi stretch of Yamuna River, India, and physiochemical parameters were examined for five years to simulate the dissolved oxygen using different machine learning techniques. Simulation and prediction competencies of ANFIS grid partitioning (ANFIS-GP) and ANFIS subtractive clustering (ANFIS-SC) were tested on various water quality parameters. Variation in dissolved oxygen was examined on various combinations of parameters. ANFIS-GP has been designed using the Gaussian function, and ANFIS-SC works on the likelihood of cluster centers. Results obtained from the models were evaluated using root mean square error (RMSE) and coefficient of determination (R2) to identify the optimum solution and appropriate combination of parameters that simulate the observed dissolved oxygen. Results of ANFIS-GP and ANFIS-SC indicate that both the models produce suitable solutions for the prediction; however, ANFIS-GP outperforms the ANFIS-SC and could act as a useful tool for defining, planning, and management of water quality parameters.

Accurate diagnoses of vulnerability of seawater intrusion (SWI) into aquifers are required to ensure sustainable utilization of groundwater resources in coastal areas. GALDIT was selected to assess the SWI vulnerability on western coastal areas of South Korea. Climate change trends are updated every year. The existing GALDIT method has various scores to express the changing observed values. However, they are limited because of their sensitivity in the assessment of regional characteristics or climatic change due to low weight flexibility. Therefore, this study assessed vulnerability to SWI by classifying the existing GALDIT into static and dynamic parameters. The static parameters include groundwater occurrence (G), aquifer hydraulic conductivity (A), and distance from the shore (D), whereas the dynamic parameters include height to groundwater level above sea level (L), impact of existing status of seawater intrusion (I), and aquifer thickness (T). The monthly mean was used as the dynamic index to reflect monthly variations. To indicate the temporal trend of parameter L was calculated based on the data observed at the sea level station adjacent to the groundwater level station. To sensitively reflect the monthly changes in values, the range of scores was divided into 10 parts. The calculated GALDIT index showed that the most vulnerable month was September. In the progress of SWI, vulnerability was assessed monthly to highlight the differences in parameters that fluctuate seasonally. The proposed method can be used to apply intensive countermeasures to vulnerable sites and build an operation plan considering the vulnerability period.

A 71-year-old woman who was resuscitated from cardiac arrest after pericardial drainage, was admitted to our hospital. Enhanced computed tomography demonstrated pericardial effusion due to rupture of posterior ventricular myocardium. She underwent emergent surgical repair. A 20-mm tear in the extensively necrotic left ventricular posterior wall and active hemorrhage were identified. Sutureless repair using three sheets of TachoSil (CSL Behring, Tokyo, Japan) and fibrin glue was performed. To reduce ventricular pressure to avoid re-rupture and formation of ventricular aneurysm, deep sedation was followed in the intensive care unit for 2 weeks. The patient returned to her normal daily life and is progressing well for more than 5 months after the surgery.

Abstract Background: Graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) is a common and undesirable complication of hematopoietic cell transplant (HCT) for non-malignant disorders (NMD). Understanding the incidence and risk factors for GVHD in children with NMD is an important step in developing strategies for its prevention. Study Design: This is a retrospective, registry, study that included children with NMD receiving HCT in 5 centers in Florida between 2010 and 2019. Results: Among 183 patients evaluable for GVHD, acute GVHD (aGVHD) grades I, II, III, and IV were present in 18%, 12.6%, 3.8% and 5.5% of patients, respectively. Limited and extensive chronic GVHD (cGVHD), were observed in 8.7% and 12.6% of patients. Patients with aGVHD grade III/IV had significantly lower 3-year survival rates than those without aGVHD, or those with aGVHD grade I/II (52.9% [95% confidence interval (CI) 34-83] vs. 90.1% [95% CI 84-96], vs. 98.1% [95%CI 95-100], p<0.001). Patients without cGVHD and those with limited and extensive cGVHD had 3-year survival rates of 88.9% [95%CI 84-94], 91.7% [95%CI 77-100], and 84.8% [95%CI 70-100], respectively, log rank p=0.3. Receiving transplant from an HLA-mismatched unrelated donor (MMUD), as compared to a matched related donor (MRD), increased the risk for aGVHD grade III/IV (Odds ratio 10.4 [95% CI 2.5-47.6]). There were no cases of aGVHD grade III/IV among recipients of mismatched related/haploidentical transplants. Conclusions: Grade III/IV aGVHD, which significantly reduced overall survival, was reported in 9.3% of children with NMD receiving HCT. Risk factors included HCT from a MMUD but not mismatched related donors.

Background Previous studies have explored post-hematopoietic cell transplant (HCT) outcomes by race in adults; however, pediatric data addressing this topic are scarce. Procedure This retrospective registry study included 238 White (W) and 57 Black (B) children with hematologic malignancies (HM) receiving first allogeneic HCT between 2010 and 2019 in one of five Florida pediatric HCT centers. Results We found no differences between W and B children by transplant characteristics, other than donor type. There was a significant difference in use of HLA-mismatched donors (HLA-MMD) (53% W, 71% B, p=0.01). When comparing HLA-MMD use to fully HLA-matched donors, B had RR of 1.47 [95% CI 0.7-3] of receiving a mismatched unrelated donor (MMUD), RR of 2.34 [95% CI 1.2-4.4] of receiving a mismatched related donor (MMRD), and a RR of 1.9 [95% CI 0.99-3.6] of receiving a mismatched cord blood donor (MMCBD) HCT, respectively. There was no significant difference in the incidence of aGVHD (48% W, 35% B), p=0.1 or cGVHD (19% W 28% B, p=0.1), or primary cause of death. Overall 24-month survival was 61% [95% CI 54-68%] for W, and 60% [95% CI 38-68] for B children, log-rank p=0.72. While HLA matching improved survival in W children, the number of B children receiving HLA-matched HCT was too small to identify the impact of HLA matching on survival. Conclusions In this contemporary cohort of children with HM we found that B children were more likely to receive HLA-MMD transplants, but this did not adversely affect survival or GVHD rates.

Background – Loss of bone mineral is a common concomitant of the treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) due mainly to chemotherapy, especially with corticosteroids. Osteopenia/osteoporosis may persist long into survivorship. Measurement of bone mineral density (BMD) by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry is limited to two-dimensionality and cannot distinguish trabecular from cortical bone. Methods – A sample of 74 subjects, more than 10 years from diagnosis, underwent peripheral quantitative computed tomography (pQCT) at metaphyseal (trabecular bone) and diaphyseal (cortical bone) sites in the radius and tibia. pQCT provides three-dimensional assessment of bone geometry, density and architecture. Results – Similarities of average values in multiple metrics with those in healthy subjects obscured deficits in both trabecular and cortical bone, as well as bone strength, revealed by Z scores using an ethnically comparable sample of healthy individuals. Connectivity, a measure of bone architecture and a surrogate measure of bone strength, was lower in females than males. Survivors of standard risk ALL had greater connectivity in and more compact trabecular bone than high risk survivors who had received more intensive osteotoxic chemotherapy. There were no statistically significant differences in any of the metrics at any of the sites between subjects who had or had not a history of fracture, cranial irradiation or use of a bisphosphonate. Conclusions – These long-term survivors of ALL have somehat compromised bone health, but data in comparable healthy populations are limited. Longitudinal studies in larger and more ethnically diverse cohorts will provide greater insight into bone health in this vulnerable population.

The enormous complexity of the eukaryotic ribosome has been a real challenge in unlocking the mechanistic aspects of its amazing molecular function during mRNA translation and many non-canonical activities of ribosomal proteins in eukaryotic cells. While exploring the uncanny nature of ribosomal P proteins in malaria parasites Plasmodium falciparum, the 60S stalk ribosomal P2 protein has been shown to get exported to the infected erythrocyte (IE) surface as an SDS resistant oligomer during the early to mid trophozoite stage. Inhibiting IE surface P2 either by monoclonal antibody or through genetic knockdown resulted in nuclear division arrest of the parasite. This very strange and serendipitous finding has led us to explore more about un-canonical cell biology and structural involvement of P2 protein in Plasmodium in the search for a novel biochemical role during parasite propagation in the human host.

A high-quality reference genome is necessary to determine the molecular mechanisms underlying important biological phenomena; therefore, in the present study, a chromosome-level genome assembly of the Chinese shrimp Fenneropenaeus chinensis was performed. Muscle of a male shrimp was sequenced using PacBio platform, and assembled by Hi-C technology. The assembled F. chinensis genome was 1,465.32 Mb with contig N50 of 472.84 Kb, including 57.73% repetitive sequences, and was anchored to 43 pseudochromosomes, with scaffold N50 of 36.87 Mb. In total, 25,026 protein-coding genes were predicted. The genome size of F. chinensis showed significant contraction in comparison with that of other penaeid species, which is likely related to migration observed in this species. However, the F. chinensis genome included several expanded gene families related to cellular processes and metabolic processes, and the contracted gene families were associated with virus infection process. The findings signify the adaptation of F. chinensis to the selection pressure of migration and cold environment. Furthermore, the selection signature analysis identified genes associated with metabolism, phototransduction, and nervous system in cultured shrimps when compared with wild population, indicating targeted, artificial selection of growth, vision, and behavior during domestication. The construction of the genome of F. chinensis provided valuable information for the further genetic mechanism analysis of important biological processes, and will facilitate the research of genetic changes during evolution.

A document by Nicolas Prud'homme. Click on the document to view its contents.

Epidermal melanocyte loss in vitiligo, triggered by stresses ranging from trauma to emo-tional stress, chemical exposure or metabolite imbalance, to the unknown, can stimulate oxidative stress in pigment cells which secrete damage-associated molecular patterns that then initiate innate immune responses. Antigen presentation to melanocytes leads to stim-ulation of autoreactive T cell responses, with further targeting of pigment cell. Studies show a pathogenic basis for cellular stress, innate immune responses and adaptive immun-ity in vitiligo. Improved understanding of the aetiological mechanisms in vitiligo has already resulted in successful use of the Jak-1 inhibitors in vitiligo. In this review we outline the cur-rent understanding of the pathological mechanisms in vitiligo, and locate loci to which therapeutic attack might be directed.

Background and Purpose: Many psychotherapeutic drugs, including clozapine, display polypharmacology and act on GABAA receptors. Patients with schizophrenia show alterations in function, structure and molecular composition of the hippocampus, and a recent study demonstrated aberrant levels of hippocampal a5 subunit-containing GABAA receptors. The purpose of this study is to investigate tricyclic compounds in a5 subunit-containing receptor subtypes.Experimental Approach: Functional studies of effects by seven antipsychotic and antidepressant medications were performed in several GABAA receptor subtypes by two‐electrode voltage‐clamp electrophysiology using Xenopus laevis oocytes. Computational structural analysis was employed to design mutated constructs of the a5 subunit, probing a novel binding site. Radioligand displacement data complemented the functional and mutational findings. Key Results: We show that the antipsychotic drugs clozapine and chlorpromazine exert functional inhibition on multiple GABAA receptor subtypes, including a5-containing ones. Based on a chlorpromazine binding site observed in a GABA-gated bacterial homologue, we identified a novel site in a5 GABAA receptor subunits and demonstrate differential usage of this and the orthosteric sites by these ligands.Conclusion and Implications: Despite high molecular and functional similarities among the tested ligands, they reduce GABA currents by differential usage of allosteric and orthosteric sites. The C C C C C C site we describe here is a new potential target for optimizing antipsychotic medications with beneficial polypharmacology. Further studies in defined subtypes are needed to substantiate mechanistic links between the therapeutic effects of clozapine and its action on certain GABAA receptor subtypes.

Bas et al. report the clinical measurement, using High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC), of asymmetric dimethyarginine in two groups of patients undergoing aortic coarctation repair.

Soil is the major natural resource on which human life depends for the production of food, feed, fiber, renewable energy and raw materials, as well as the protection of the planet's natural ecosystems and climate system. Increasing soil degradation and subsequent ecosystem degradation is a current concern in agriculture and the environment. Soil degradation poses many challenges to feed the world's growing population. This food insecurity will also reduce the income of the agricultural sector, which will lead to a decrease in economic income. Soil degradation will lead to environmental threats, the extinction of animals and plants, the reduction of biodiversity, water loss, and disruption of water and carbon cycles. The use of new technologies such as biological crusts has provided great hope for the recovery and restoration of degraded ecosystems. Inoculation of biological crusts, especially cyanobacteria, has had positive results on improving soil conditions and restoration degraded soils. In this article, has been introduced the biocrusts communities considering cyanobacteria species to restore degraded soils. We reported the results of cyanobacteria applications in soil conservation in arid environments of Iran.

Abstract Background: To ascertain the estrogenic effect of Zhuang Medicated Thread Moxibustion (ZMTM) and explore its time-sensitive impact on estradiol in female perimenopausal rats. Methods: Female rats were randomized into four groups of 10 rats, each consisting of the control, model, ZMTM, and acupuncture groups. The perimenopausal syndrome was induced in the last three groups with a daily subcutaneous dose of 80 mg/kg of 4- vinylcyclohexene diepoxide for 15 days. Afterward, rats in the model and control groups were fed routinely, while rats in the ZMTM and acupuncture groups were treated with six ZMTM and acupuncture courses, respectively. The rats’ general condition and estradiol (E2) levels in the rats’ serum were assessed. Results: Following the six courses of treatment, the E2 level in the model group was significantly the lowest, while the regular group was the highest (P < 0.05). There was also a gradual increase in the E2 level of the ZMTM group compared to the model and acupuncture groups, such that after the 5th and 6th courses of treatment, their E2 level was significantly higher than the model and acupuncture groups (P < 0.05). The control group had a better condition than all other groups, while the ZMTM group was better than the model and acupuncture groups. Conclusion: ZMTM can improve perimenopausal induced rats’ estrogen level, and this effect becomes better with each further treatment course.