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‘The rules of nature are changing; every year is unpredictable’: perceptions of climate change by beekeepers of Liguria, NW Italy
Full text linkBeekeeping activity is a privileged lens for looking at the impacts of climate change since this human activity is profoundly and intimately embedded in the local ecology with particular reference to the flora. Therefore, we conducted 47 semi-structured interviews to identify the local perceptions of climate change impacts and their drivers among beekeepers of Liguria, a mountainous region of NW Italy. We found that beekeepers especially noticed changes in bee productivity and behaviour and melliferous flora productivity. Moreover, drought is a significant driver of changes in beekeeping as it affects both bees and melliferous plants. However, other drivers, namely alien species, pesticide spread, and abandonment of small-scale agriculture, also concur synergistically. We conclude that landscape planning sensitive to the needs and requests of beekeepers can further contribute to their adaptation to the impacts of climate change and reduce other detrimental phenomena on honeybee wellbeing by supporting small-scale agriculture to maintain a diverse landscape that provides fodder for pollinators
Surface Modifications of Zirconia Dental Implant for Improving Osseointegration
Full text linkThe aim of the current review is focused on compiling a comprehensive overview of the zirconia surface modification for implant interface osseointegration. Background: The importance of osseointegration for patients has notably gained importance and been accompanied by a dramatic increase in the number of relevant products and procedures over several decades, with a concomitant rise in publications on this topic. An electronic search was conducted across Ovid Medline, complemented by a manual search across individual databases, such as Cochrane, Web of Science databases, and Google Scholar for the purpose of literature analysis on the mentioned topic. The studies were reviewed and compared. This article summarizes the current scientific and clinical opinions through a brief review with regards to the preferred way of zirconia surface treatment and its impact on osseointegration. There are controversies in terms of performing zirconia surface treatment. Surface bio-inertness of zirconia implants result in limited osseointegration compared to titanium implants
The Middle East’s Predominant Issue
Full text linkThe Middle East is one of the global regions most embroiled in turmoil. Yet, the production of oil has made it one of the most lucrative. The region, too, has already witnessed a series of wars at different levels. This paper tries to determine the overarching issue that has triggered much of this turbulence in the Middle East. This will be established by looking at a series of interconnected events and their economic consequences. Document analysis will be employed for this study. Highlighting major events such as the eight-year Iraq-Iran war and tracing subsequent connected episodes such as the invasion of Kuwait by the former Iraqi regime in 1990, economic sanctions on Iraq, the presence of foreign troops in the Arab Gulf states and liberating Kuwait will be covered in this project. Also, this paper claims that relevant events that led to the Arab Spring and its aftermath were brought about for the same reason. All the themes covered will be supported by data-driven evidence, which supports and explains the claim that this paper argues
Synthesis of Benzylpenicillin esters and evaluate the change in the anti-bacterial effects by Docking and bacteriological study
Full text linkBackground: Benzylpenicillin is an antibiotic that possesses effectiveness mainly against gram-positive and some gram-negative bacteria. The carboxylic acid of beta-lactam is essential for its antibacterial activity. However, many prodrugs have been produced through the esterification of this carboxylic acid group, like Pivampicillin.
Objective: To evaluate the antibacterial effects of Benzylpenicillin when the free carboxylic acid mask with different chemical groups of different polarity.
Patients and Methods: Four Benzylpenicillin derivatives (compounds p1-p4) were chemically synthesized through the esterification of the carboxylic acid group with different groups of different polarity, and the antibacterial activities were examined by docking and bacteriological studies.
Results: All the compounds showed different antibacterial results. The docking results showed that; the compound of the highest polarity (compound p1) has the best Binding energy. Also; The results of in vitro antibacterial activity showed that; compound p1 had the largest zones of inhibition and the highest antibacterial activity among all the other compounds.
Conclusion: Masking the free carboxylic acid of benzylpenicillin with polar group will enhance the antibacterial activity
CORRELATION BETWEEN AGE AND GENDER WITH THE PRESENCE OF ANTERIOR MANDIBULAR NUTRIENT CANALS IN A SAMPLE OF PATIENTS VISITED TIU DENTAL HOSPITAL
Full text linkThe aim of this study was to determine the prevalence rate of mandibular nutrient canals in a sample of patients who attended TIU dental hospital and to explore whether a link between age and prevalence rate exists and gender predilection can be observed. This retrospective descriptive radiographic study was conducted on OPGs taken in the Department of Radiology and Oral Diagnosis/ Faculty of Dentistry between September 2017 and September 2020. 6631 OPG’s were collected and all were examined for this research. It was found that out of total of 3,705 OPGs, about 354 (9.554%) of examined OPGs contained observable nutrient canals while 3,351 (90.445%) of OPGs did not. There was (60%) female, (40%) male split, indicating a slight female gender predilection. The mean age of patients whose OPGs demonstrated nutrient canals was (43) years, ranging between 16 to 80 years, with a nutrient canal mean of (1.406) canals. The highest prevalence rate was in the 1960-1969 age group, closely followed by the 1980-1989 age group. The age group with the least amount of prevalence recorded was the 1940-1949 age group. Most (66.38%) OPGs presented only one nutrient canal. Most people did not present with nutrient canals, only 1 out of 10 patients showing one in their OPGs and most who demonstrated NC in their OPG were middle-aged
Vertical Accessibility for Wheelchair Users at Historic Buildings
Full text linkDisability (equality) Acts call to provide disabled people accessibility to all buildings. Historic buildings are special types of existing buildings, and these Acts are applied to them. However, Acts and principles of architectural conservation call for minimum change in historic buildings, but minimum change can often not be possible for providing accessibility into or within historic buildings for persons with disability. This paper aims to review the solutions that were applied for providing vertical accessibility into and within historic buildings for wheelchair users from an architectural conservation point of view. The research methodology depended on a literature review. The results of the study demonstrated that the main difficulties are in applying preservation and restoration approaches, whereas the rehabilitation approach is more flexible regarding providing accessibility. Furthermore, the reconstruction approach has some special situations. It is a new construction legally; this means in the re-construction operation of non-exiting historic buildings, the codes of new buildings regarding accessibility should be applied. In general, providing accessibility will contribute to achieving equality for disabled people, transporting furniture to upper floors, and increasing visitors to historic buildings, including elderly people and families with baby prams who will benefit from physical access. The importance of research resides in accessibility in heritage is a new under-research subject. Careful examination of historic buildings' conservation approaches and beneficial accessibility solutions gives lessons learned for intervention and contributes to developing a code of practice for architectural heritage accessibility
Evaluation of Antibiofilm and Cytotoxic Activity of Microalgae Isolated from Different Sites of betwata- Erbil/Iraq
Full text linkThis in vivo study is aimed to assess the antibiofilm and cytotoxic potential of selected microalgae
isolates. Different concentration of microalgal isolates used for each of antibiofilm and cytotoxic studies.
A total extract of 10 μL MTT was added to each well with LB broth, plates were read using microtiter
plate spectrophotometer at 490 nm and 630 nm, respectively. The cell viability was determined in CCD18℃ cells (3x103
cells/well) by MTT assay at 590 nm. The microalgae isolates showed antibiofilm
affect after 48 hrs on Pseudomonas aeruginosa PA01 and this effect was observed to be higher than
those of S. aureus. Chlorella sp. which showed the maximum antibiofilm activity while Arthrospira
platensis had no biofilm inhibition activity. Chlorella sp. inhibited about 82.67% of the biofilm at 5
mg/mL concentration. Moreover, the antibiofilm effects of Chara sp. and Spyrogyra sp.1 reached
79.01% and 76.31% at 1 mg/mL, respectively. Among all microalgal isolates, a moderate inhibitory
effect was observed on Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilm with Chlorella sorokiniana. Cell viability was
not changed significantly at higher doses extracts. More than 73% of the cells were viable in all
concentration of the algae extracts. All of the microalgal samples were found to have biofilm inhibition
activity. The findings suggested that future development of microalgal samples as a means of inhibiting
Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilms is possible. Colonic epithelial cells may become cytotoxic in
response to algae extracts. Further research is necessary to verify that extracts are safe for human
consumption, which may have been hypothesized
Evolution of the Italian pasta ripiena: the first steps toward a scientific classification
Full text linkIn this study, phylogenetic and biogeographic methods are used to investigate the evolutionary relationships between various types of Italian pasta ripiena (filled pasta) and related representatives from across Eurasia, using information from their geography, shape, content and cooking methods. Our results showed that, with the exception of the Sardinian Culurgiones, all the other pasta ripiena from Italy likely had a single origin in the northern parts of the country. Based on the proposed evolutionary hypothesis, the Italian pasta are divided into two main clades: a ravioli clade mainly characterized by a more or less flat shape, and a tortellini clade mainly characterized by a three-dimensional shape. The implications of these findings are further discussed
QSAR and docking based lead optimization of nitrogen heterocycles for enhanced prostaglandin EP2 receptor agonistic potency
Full text linkIn the existing effort, a dataset of 309 experimentally screened molecules for in vitro (Ki) agonist potential for Prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) receptor 2 subtype (EP2), which is a metabolite of arachidonic acid that binds with and regulates cellular responses to PGE2, was investigated in the QSAR (Quantitative structure–activity relationship) study. A six-parameter QSAR model was developed that meets the specified values for internal and external validation as well as random parameters such as R2tr = 0.808, Q2LMO = 0.794, R2ex = 0.781. Insightful and quantitative opinion reveals several underappreciated and distinct structural features that are responsible for the agonist potency of these molecules on Prostaglandin EP2 receptor such as; the hydrogen atom is correct 2 bonds from the donor atom, the sp2 hybridized carbon atom is correct 2 bonds from the cyclic nitrogen atom, and so on. The developed QSAR model captures the narrative as well as the novel pharmacophoric features. The QSAR effect was further demonstrated using the reported crystalline buildings of CP533536 with the Prostaglandin EP2 receptor activity. The evaluation led to the identification of valuable new pharmacophoric properties that will be used to optimize lead compounds in the future
Green synthesis and characterization of polyphenol-coated magnesium-substituted manganese ferrite nanoparticles: Antibacterial and antioxidant properties
Full text linkMagnesium-substituted manganese ferrite (Mn0.9Mg0.1Fe2O4) nanoparticles were obtained through a wet chemical method and coated with green-extracted polyphenol from Punica granatum peel. The obtained spinel nanocomposite was fully characterized. The X-ray diffraction pattern revealed a single phase with an average crystalline size of 3.33–8.74 nm, confirming the cubic-spinel structure. The FESEM micrograph showed a quasi-spherical shape with nearly uniform particles, indicating mild agglomeration. The mean size of the Mn0.9Mg0.1Fe2O4 was 13.66 nm with a standard deviation of 2.05. The BET isotherms indicated a surface area of 85.45 m2/g. The basic groups attached to the external surface of Mg-doped spinel ferrite were discovered. The resulted superparamagnetic modified doped-nanoferrite particles showed antibacterial activity as well as antioxidant efficiency through studying Catalase (CAT), Glutathione (GSH), and Glutathione Peroxidase (GSH-Px) parameters. The outcomes highlight the promising potential of polyphenol-functionalized Mn0.9Mg0.1Fe2O4 magnetite nanosized particles for the development of novel anti-biofilm agents