Spinal brucellosis without apparent risk factors: a case-based diagnostic approach and literature review

Brucellosis is a zoonotic infection often linked to direct or indirect exposure to animals or unpasteurized dairy products. Atypical presentations in patients without classical risk factors pose significant diagnostic and management challenges. A 68-year-old woman presented with a 2-month history of burning pain involving cervical and lumbar regions, associated with weight loss, decreased appetite, and subjective fever. Examination revealed paravertebral tenderness and left knee swelling with effusion. Previous MRI showed multifocal marrow edema and soft tissue thickening in the lumbar spine, suggesting infection or inflammation. The patient denies exposure to unpasteurized dairy products, raw meat, or animals. Brucella serology revealed positive IgG with Brucella melitensis titer 1:160, later confirmed by blood cultures. PET imaging demonstrated multifocal metabolically active arthritic changes involving the spine, shoulders, and knees. Arthrocentesis confirmed inflammatory arthritis due to brucellosis. The patient was started on doxycycline, rifampin, and a 14-day course of intravenous gentamicin. During hospitalization, management was complicated by persistent knee pain and swelling requiring multimodal analgesia. Spinal brucellosis in the absence of classical risk factors is an odd presentation, emphasizing the importance of maintaining a high index of suspicion in endemic regions. Advanced imaging and microbiological confirmation are pivotal procedures in diagnosis. Early recognition of atypical brucellosis is critical to prevent complications and improve outcomes.

Karishma Karishma

Sulphate and chloride resistance of vermiculite blended concrete

In the construction industry lot of natural sand is being used in the preparation of concrete. Levels of natural sand are depleting day by day. The cost of natural sand is also increasing every day. Therefore, there is a need for alternative materials to natural sand. In this study, exfoliated vermiculite is replacing natural sand partially. Vermiculite at 5%, 10%, and 15% is used for replacement. The concrete cubes are cast for M 30 grade to determine the optimal percentage of replacement of natural sand by vermiculite. In this study, coarse aggregate used includes both normal aggregate and recycled aggregate. The water-cement ratio of 0.45 is adopted. The durability tests conducted include the sulfate resistance Test and the chloride resistance test. The cost analysis was also done and results are presented. The test results are promising when vermiculite was used to replace natural sand at 10%.

Kiran kumar narasimhan

Geotextile can be worth their cost in pavement

Geotextiles have been successfully used for reinforcement of soils to improve the bearing capacity. In this study geotextile as a tensional material have been used for reinforcement of granular soils. Laboratory California Bearing Ratio (CBR) tests were performed to investigate the load-penetration behavior of reinforced soils with geotextile. Samples of granular soil are selected and tested without reinforcement. Then CBR tests were performed by placing geotextile in one or two layers at various depths in soil sample. The effect of the number of geotextile on the increase in bearing capacity of reinforced granular soil is discussed.

Mayura

Muslim heritage in medicine: a concise review on greco-arabic contribution

The presented review was an attempt to share the contribution of Greco Arabic Muslim scientists in the field of medicine. In this regard, al-Andalusi, al-Antaki, al-Baghdadi, al-Jawhari, al-Kindi, al-Nafis, alRazi, al-Tabari, al-Zahrawi, Ibn Abdallah Ibn Idris al Qurtubi, Ibn al-Jazzar, Ibn al-Baitar, Ibn alHaitham, Ibn El-Quff, Ibn Haiyan, Ibn Sina, Ibn Wahshiyyah and Ibn Zuhr with their contribution has discussed.

Dr. Salman Ahmed Dr. salman ahmed

Investigating students’ attitudes toward poverty and impoverished persons - a case study: ho chi minh city open university, data of vietnam

Efforts to understand the causes of poverty, how poverty is perceived have become important in the fight to mitigate poverty. In Vietnam, studies on the attitudes of poverty in specific populations, such as Vietnamese students, are rare. Thus, this dataset reports the results collected from 180 social work students and non-social work students of Ho Chi Minh City Open University through attitudes toward poverty and poor people in Vietnam. The Attitude toward Poverty Short Form 21-item scale, developed by Yun & Weaver, was used for the data collection. The survey results showed that when looking for causes of poverty, social work students and non-social work students put the most emphasis on structural factors of poverty. However, social work students, compared with non-social work students, consider personal deficiency and stigma more important. In future, this dataset can serve as a reference source for comparative studies on student’ attitudes toward poverty and impoverished persons and for social work education.

Le Minh Tien Le minh tien

Diversity status of beneficial microorganisms in heavy metal polluted tannery effluent treatment area in dindugal, tamil nadu

Industrial waste is one of the most essential sources of contamination in the surface environment. Among different industries, tannery industry releases huge amount of pollutants into the ecosystem. Long term disposal of the tannery wastes has resulted in wide contamination of agricultural land and water sources in different parts of India. An attempt was made to study the diversity status of different microbial organisms in tannery effluent treated samples in Dindugal, Tamil Nadu. It was found that Electrical Conductivity (EC) and heavy metal contents were higher and population density of different beneficial microbes found better. Among different microbes isolated, phosphate solubilizing microbes (PSB) was found maximum which is followed by fungi and actinomycetes. The population density of non-symbiotic and symbiotic nitrogen fixers were found to be low in numbers when compared to other samples screened. Similarly, occurrence and distribution of AM fungal spores were also found low in heavy metal polluted samples as compared to the samples collected from non-polluted outside tannery effluent treatment area. Among different Arbuscular Mycorrhizal (AM) fungi, Glomus species was found to be dominant in the samples collected from outside tannery effluent treatment area as compared to tannery effluent samples.

Dr. SARANYA DEVI K Dr. saranya devi k

Normal cell differentiation potential of cancer stem cells without reprogramming pluripotent factors: a novel strategy in stem cell-based therapy for tissue regeneration

Stem cells hold great promise for tissue regeneration and have the potential to treat many incurable degenerative diseases. Cancer stem cells (CSCs), or cancer initiating cells, have the ability to self-renew and differentiate into heterogeneous lineages of cancer cells. Current stem cell therapies face limitations, such as limited stem cell sources, time consumption, tumor formation, and immune rejection upon allogeneic transplantation. Allogeneic stem cell treatments simplify stem cell manufacturing and reduce transplant time, but their therapeutic potential is limited by human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-matched donors. CSCs retain characteristics essential for tissue regeneration. However, several limitations hinder cancer stem cell reprogramming with pluripotent factors. The development of 3D culture models for tissue imitating extracellular matrix in cancer cell lines aims to enhance CSC enrichment. This mini-review focuses on a new strategy for treating incurable degenerative diseases involving in vitro and in vivo 3D cancer models and the induced differentiation of CSCs into mature normal cell types. This allows tissue survival without immune rejection and offers a safe alternative to cancer stem cell reprogramming with pluripotent factors. In conclusion, preservation and banking of allogeneic CSCs offer an alternative, readily available, and safe strategy that can be used to facilitate stem cell-based cell therapy.

Josita Alloysius Josita alloysius

Antiemetic activity of tithonia diversifolia (hemsl.) a. gray leaves in copper sulfate induced chick emesis model

The current study was designed to explore the antiemetic effect of the methanolic extract of Tithonia diversifolia (Hemsl.) A. Gray., leaves using chick emesis model to validate their folk use in G.I. disorders. Emesis was induced by the oral administration of copper sulfate 50mg/kg body weight to male chicks of four days of age. The antiemetic activity was determined by calculating the mean decrease in the number of retching compared to the control. Tithonia diversifolia leaves extract (150 mg/kg orally) showed a significant (p <0.05) antiemetic effect and was compared with the reference drug chlorpromazine.

Dr. Salman Ahmed Dr. salman ahmed

Two-stage rfid approach for localizing objects in smart homes based on gradient boosted decision trees with under- and over-sampling

Developing automated systems with a reasonable cost for long-term care for elders is a promising research direction. Such smart systems are based on realizing activities of daily living (ADLs) to enable aging in place while preserving the quality of life of all inhabitants in smart homes. One of the research directions is based on localizing items used by elders to monitor their activities with fine-grained details of the progress. In this paper, we shed the light on this issue by presenting an approach for localizing items in smart homes. The presented method is based on applying machine learning algorithms to Radio Frequency IDentification (RFID) tags readings. Our approach achieves the required task through two stages. The first stage detects in which room the selected object is located. Then, the second one determines the exact position of the selected object inside the detected room. Additionally, we present an efficient approach based on gradient boosted decision trees for detecting the location of the selected object in a real-world smart home. Moreover, we employ some techniques of over- and under-sampling with data clustering for improving the performance of the presented techniques. Many experiments are conducted in this work to evaluate the performance of the presented approach for localizing objects in a real smart home. The results of the experiments have shown that our approach provides remarkable performance.

Shadi Abudalfa Shadi abudalfa

Synthesis, characterization and dielectric properties of k1-xnaxnbo3

The samples of K1-xNaxNbO3 (X=0.4, 0.2, 0) ceramics (PSN) have been prepared by the conventional solid state reaction method and sintering process. The prepared samples have been characterized by XRD. All the prepared samples show orthorhombic structure at room temperature. Dielectric and Electrical properties of PSN system have been investigated in the temperature range 450C-2450C, and at 1MHz frequency. It is observed that dielectric constant, loss tangent and electrical conductivity increases with increasing temperature. Near the transition temperature dielectric constant, loss tangent and electrical conductivity of these samples show anomalous behaviour with temperature.

Manish uniyal

Power outages inport harcourt city: problems and solutions

Frequent power outages arising from poor state of electricity infrastructure is hindering Nigeria’s socio-economic growth. Port Harcourt is one of the foremost cities in Nigeria where business and social activities are becoming rapidly more dependent on electricity. Any power outage, even of the shortest duration, in Port Harcourt City has severe socio-economic impacts and there is no likelihood that the phenomenon would abate even in the nearest future. This research investigated the causes of incessant power outages in Port Harcourt City and suggested remedial measures to reverse the trend. The researcher relied on datacollected from primary sources through personal observations, interviews and discussions with residents of the City and from secondary sources such as the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) and current scholarly literature relating to this research, over a period of twelve months. The study used a descriptive and the non-parametric simple percentages technique in analysing the data so collected and in drawing conclusions. It was found that inadequate power generating capacity, shortage of gas, weak and dilapidated electrical transmission and distribution network, inadequate power infrastructure facilities, etc. are the chief causes of incessant power outages in the Port Harcourt metropolis. The paper recommends, among others, immediate upgrade of existing power infrastructure facilities, review of government policy on domestic gas supply and stiff statutory legislation on vandalism as measures to stabilise electricity supply in the Port Harcourt city.

Dr. Hachimenum Amadi Dr. hachimenum amadi

Management of saline and sodic soils

Saline and sodic (alkali) soils can significantly reduce the value and productivity of affected land. By estimation, slightly more than one-fourth of irrigated farmland in the United States is affected by soil salinity. Ions most commonly associated with soil salinity include the anions chloride (Cl–), sulfate (SO4=), carbonate (HCO3–), and sometimes nitrate (NO3–) and the cations sodium (Na+), calcium (Ca++), magnesium (Mg++), and sometimes potassium (K+). Crops differ in ability to tolerate salt accumulation in soils, but if levels are high enough (more than 16 mS/cm), only tolerant plants will survive. As salts accumulate in soil, the soil solution osmotic pressure increases. Reclamation of sodic soils is different; excess sodium must first be replaced by another cation and then leached. Sodic soils are treated by replacing the sodium with calcium from a soluble source.

Svedbergopen

Nonstop mutation in the kisspeptin 1 receptor (kiss1r) gene causes normosmic congenital hypogonadotropic hypogonadism

Purpose: Congenital hypogonadotropic hypogonadism (CHH) is a rare genetic disorder mostly characterized by gonadotropins release and/or action deficiencies. Both isolated (idiopathic hypogonadotropic hypogonadism) and syndromic (Kallmann) forms are identified depending on the olfactory ability. Clinical and genetic heterogeneities of CHH have been widely explored, thus improving our understanding of the disease's pathophysiology. This work aims to (1) provide a detailed clinical and hormonal description of normosmic CHH patients and (2) identify the mutation linked to the studied phenotype. Participants and methods: We investigated three affected patients with normosmic CHH, belonging to a consanguineous Tunisian family. Patients underwent an insulin-induced hypoglycemia test. We performed whole exome sequencing to identify the causal mutation. Results: At first diagnosis, a total gonadotropic deficiency was identified in all patients. The insulin-induced hypoglycemia test has also revealed a reduced cortisol secretion and complete growth hormone deficiency. At 20.8 years, one female exhibited a spontaneous recovery of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis function, unlike her affected siblings who still depend on corticosteroid replacement therapy. Herein, we identified a novel homozygous nonstop mutation (c.1195T>C) in KISS1R gene in all affected subjects. This mutation led to the substitution of the physiologic stop codon by an arginine (p.X399R). Conclusions: Our study highlights the importance of the KISS1R signaling, in gonadotropin-releasing hormone neurons, in the control of reproductive function. Additionally, our data suggests a complex central and peripheral metabolic control of puberty, through the hypothalamic KISS1R signaling. We suggest a mutual link between the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal, -adrenal, and -somatotropic axes.

Mariam moalla Mariam moalla

Phosphate type kidney stone (brushite) formation in gel: a morphological study on growth patterns to evaluate natural antiurolithiatic drugs

Brushites are the most commonly found phosphate stones in the kidneys, ureters and urinary bladder. The study was conducted to observe the possible growth patterns of brushite crystals in the gel for 14 days. The crystal formation was observed as a bullet, needle, platy, columnar shaped and their aggregates. Magono and Lee's meteorological classification further explained these shapes. Besides the morphology, the average size, number and weight of crystals were also observed on the 7th and 14th days. Energy Dispersive X-ray, Fourier Transform Infra Red spectroscopy and Scanning Electron Microscopy were used to characterize the crystals. These results can help to determine the promotion, modulation and inhibition of the crystals, which will be helpful in evaluating the risk factors and prophylactic management of brushite-type urinary stones.

Dr. Salman Ahmed Dr. salman ahmed

Critical process parameters evaluation of modified nanoprecipitation method on lomustine nanoparticles and cytostatic activity study on l132 human cancer cell line

This work was focused on identification and evaluation of process parameters of modified nanoprecipitation method, for fabrication of lomustine nanoparticles, with the aim of reducing cancer cell viability at low concentration of lomustine. The parameters controlling particle size, mostly in nanosize, were solvent/nonsolvent composition and emulsification speed of homogenizer along with aqueous phase volume. This controlled particle size is below 250 nm. The stabilizer concentration controlled particle size is within 68 nm ± 0.89 to 137 ± 0.94 nm with PDI 0.06 ± 0.008 to 0.25 ± 0.001. But, the stabilizer addition mode showed more uniform size distribution with PDI 0.085 ± 0.004. Entrapment efficiency was maintained well above 47 ± 0.23%. The drug release pattern was monophasic with controlled release over 24 hrs. In the method used, drug content was affected by ratio of polymer to drug to organic solvent, as well as homogenization speed and time. Percentage viable cells of L132 human lung cancer cell line remained, were only 5% at 100 μg/ml lomustine equivalent PLA nanoparticles.

Archana Mehrotra Archana mehrotra

Environmental social and governance performance in banking sector: a bibliometric study

Financial sector needs special attention pertaining to incorporation of the ESG criteria. Economic and financial issues coupled with climate change would have negative impact on the stability of financial institutions. This research paper attempts to synthesize and summarise scholarly articles published in Scopus database on ESG domain with reference to banking sector using bibliometric analysis. The objective of this review paper is to understand from past literature the trajectory of studies in the domain of ESG. There is a substantial growth in frequency of publication in the year 2022 along with annual growth of around 30 percent during 2015-2023. Bibliometric with MS-Excel, R-Studio and VOS-viewer were used to identify and analyze research trends related to the number of studies, research fields, authors, nations, institutions, and keywords. The important keywords identified in the bibliometric analysis were sustainability, corporate social responsibility, sustainable finance, banks performance.

Dr. Mohammed Nizamuddin Dr. mohammed nizamuddin

Mapping the bisexual experience of a keralite woman: glimpses into india

India is not known as a country to be in for a bisexual person. Homosexual acts even within wedlock are a punishable offence in India. Legal battles over provisions in the Indian Penal Code which criminalizes any sexual act “against the order of nature” are rife. Even though Kerala has been hailed as a paradox inside India (mainly due to its human development parameters), the social, cultural and legal environment in the state is hostile to individuals who question hetero-normativity. Non-judgemental and unbiased scientific therapy or counselling are seldom available to sexual minorities. This paper is an attempt to map the experiences of a female who is openly bisexual, and is living in Kerala. An ethnographic interview was conducted where the experiences of the participant are explored, from the relationship dynamics as seen by her, to sexual experiences and difficulties in relationships. A reference is also made to the personal and social support systems that are in place for the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender (LGBT) community in Kerala and their role in initiating discourses regarding the topic. A few pointers for future studies in the topic, especially within the context of Kerala are also put forward.

Dr. Chinchu C Dr. chinchu c

Possible implications of the anthropocene on climate change and soil health

Anthropogenic and climatic factors influence soil’s physical, chemical, and biological properties, setting the stage for agriculture’s sustainability. Soil is a primary carbon sink crucial for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, making soil health essential for mitigating climate change. Healthy soil enhances climate resilience by maintaining or increasing carbon content and lowering emissions. The overuse of fertilisers pollutes the environment and inadequate application damages soil fertility and microbial activity. The conversion of forests and pastures to agricultural land has resulted in significant carbon losses from the soil. Additionally, soil sealing, air pollution, and industrial contamination all contribute to climate change. Harmful practices such as heavy tillage, land neglect, monoculture cultivation, and excessive chemical use, driven by the pressure to meet growing food demand, have led to soil compaction, degradation, pollution, and nutrient imbalances. Current mismanaged crop and soil techniques deteriorate soil quality; however, by increasing carbon storage in mineral soils and removing emissions from organic soils, sustainable management can contribute to climate neutrality. Climate change can be exacerbated by the release of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere from unsustainable farming practices and poorly managed soils. The purpose of this study is to investigate the detrimental impacts of anthropogenic (Anthropocene) effects on the environment and soil health from a comprehensive perspective and to formulate potential recommendations. The European Union’s Green Deal, Bioeconomy, and Farm to Fork initiatives aim to sustainably transform agriculture in response to climate challenges. These strategies aim to reduce chemical pesticide use by 50%, fertilizer use by 20%, and nutrient losses by 50% by 2030 to preserve soil fertility. These management practices include efficient fertilizer use to maintain soil health and mitigate climate change effects. Restoring degraded soils and implementing conservation measures can reduce greenhouse gas emissions and increase carbon storage capacity. Sustainable soil and crop management, including crop rotation, minimizing post-harvest ploughing, preserving vegetation cover, boosting organic matter, and using fertilizers sensibly, is urgently needed to minimize greenhouse gas emissions and store atmospheric carbon dioxide in soil.

International journal of agricultural and applied sciences (ijaas)

Influence of demographic and socio-economic factors on locus of control on residents of select suburbs in mumbai city

The orientation he/she chooses has a bearing on his/her long-term success. This orientation is known as your "locus of control." Its study dates back to the 1960s, with Julian Rotter's investigation into how people's behaviours and attitudes affected the outcomes of their lives. Locus of control has been defined as the degree to which an individual perceives having control over the environment (Rotter, 1966). According to Rotter (1975), there are two types of control, internal and external, which anchor a continuum that approximates a normal distribution. People are said to have an internal locus of control when they believe reinforcements are contingent upon their own behaviour or stable personal characteristics. External locus of control results when people believe that reinforcements are due to luck, fate, or powerful others outside of their control. Current study focuses on investigating the influence of demographic variables (age, gender, education level), marital status and socio economic status (occupation, income) on the level of internal/ external locus of control with the help of data collected from residents (aged between 20 and 50) of a select suburbs in Mumbai city. On analysing the data so collected, it is found that age has a major influence on an individual’s level of internal locus of control.

Nandini Nandini

The influence of ai-generated content on trust and credibility within specialized online communities: a brief review on proposed conceptual framework

The increasing prevalence of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in creating content signifies a notable change in the digital communication landscape. While the broader effects on widespread media platforms have been extensively discussed, the specific consequences within specialized online communities remain less explored. These communities, frequently founded and established on shared interests, mutual confidence, and perceived genuineness, are particularly susceptible to alterations in the origin and trustworthiness of content. This paper challenges three questions: (1) How AI content affects credibility perceptions, (2) Verification methods used by communities, (3) Consequences for trust dynamics. A hypothetical framework would be used to investigate the potential impact of AI-produced content on the dynamics of trust and credibility within these focused digital environments. By drawing upon existing academic work in media studies, the behavior of online communities, and the concept of source credibility, a theoretical model and outline a potential research strategy were encouraged to examine how the presence, identification, and interpretation of content authored by AI might modify member interactions, processes for verifying information, and the overall unity of the community. The hypothetical outcome suggests that the subtle integration of AI content could diminish perceived authenticity, complicate established indicators of trust, and potentially lead to the fragmentation or decline of communities that depend on authentic human connection and collective expertise. The article concludes by considering the ramifications for those who manage communities, design platforms, and participate as members, stressing the importance of greater openness and digital literacy in navigating the evolving digital media landscape.

Mostafa Eissa Mostafa eissa

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