Additional Beneficial Effects Research Articles

Comparison of Two Different Doses of Nalbuphine With Isobaric Ropivacaine in Patients Undergoing Lower Segment Cesarean Section Under Subarachnoid Block: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Obstetric analgesia and anesthesia is a challenge in itself. It requires an understanding of the physiological changes during pregnancy and labor and the effect of anesthetic agents on the fetus and newborn. Because neuraxial techniques provide superior analgesia and materno-fetal benefits, their use have increased significantly over the past three decades or so. A combination of local anesthetics like ropivacaine with opioids like nalbuphine has been shown to have additive beneficial effects in subarachnoid block (SAB) in lower segment cesarean section (LSCS). However, the optimal dose combination of ropivacaine and nalbuphine to maximize their benefits and minimize side effects remains to be established. Our study has compared the clinical efficacy and safety of 0.75% isobaric ropivacaine (15 mg) with two different doses of nalbuphine (0.4 mg and 0.6 mg) when given intrathecally for LSCS in terms of quality of sensory and motor blocks, hemodynamic parameters, duration of effective analgesia, Apgar score in newborn, and associated side effects. In this prospective, randomized, double-blind study, a total of 69 parturients between the age of 20-45 years, belonging to American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) grade I and II, undergoing cesarean section under SAB were evaluated. Patients were randomly allocated into three groups of 23 each by using the draw-of-lots technique. The patient and the observer were kept blinded as to which dose of drug (intrathecal) was being given to the patient. Patients in Group A received 0.75% isobaric ropivacaine 15 mg (2 ml) + 0.3 ml normal saline; patients in Group B received 0.75% isobaric ropivacaine 15 mg (2 ml) + 0.4 mg of nalbuphine (0.2 ml) + 0.1 ml normal saline; patients in Group C received 0.75% isobaric ropivacaine 15 mg (2 ml) + 0.6 mg of nalbuphine (0.3 ml). The total volume of drug solution in all three groups was 2.3 ml. We found that the time to onset of sensory block was shortest in Group A (5.87±1.290 minutes) followed by Group C (6.00±1.087 minutes) and Group B (6.17±1.696 minutes); time to two-segment regression of sensory block was longest in Group C (101.74±8.996 minutes) followed by Group B (85.87±15.348 minutes) and Group A (65.00±7.071 minutes); duration of effective analgesia was longest in Group C (206.09±18.766 minutes) followed by Group B (183.91±15.880 minutes) and Group A (121.74±11.833 minutes); and time from SAB to complete regression of motor block was longest in Group C (216.52±15.553 minutes) followed by Group B (203.48±20.138 minutes) and Group A (174.78±14.731 minutes). Side effectswere comparable among all three groups. The optimal dose combination in SAB for cesarean section was 15 mg of 0.75% isobaric ropivacaine + 0.6 mg nalbuphine, with minimal side effects.

Effect of pelvic floor muscle training on reports of urinary incontinence in obese women undergoing a low-calorie diet before bariatric surgery — protocol of a randomized controlled trial

BackgroundObesity represents a growing threat to health with multiple negative impacts including urinary incontinence. Pelvic floor muscle training (PFMT) is the first line of treatment for urinary incontinence. Both surgical and conservative weight loss results in improvement of urinary incontinence reports in obese women and we hypothesize that a low-calorie diet in combination with PFMT would result in additional beneficial effects to urinary symptoms in women with UI compared would with weight loss alone.ObjectiveTo assess the effect of a low-calorie diet plus PFMT protocol in obese women’s urinary incontinence reports.MethodsThis is a protocol for a randomized controlled trial that will include obese women reporting UI and being able to contract their pelvic floor muscles. The participants will be randomly allocated in two groups: group 1 will participate in a 12-week protocol of low-calorie diet delivered by a multi-professional team at a tertiary hospital; group II will receive the same low-calorie diet protocol during 12 weeks and will additionally participate in 6 group sessions of supervised PFMT delivered by a physiotherapist. The primary outcome of the study is self-reported UI, and severity and impact of UI on women’s quality of life will be assessed by the ICIQ-SF score. The secondary outcomes will be adherence to the protocols assessed using a home diary, pelvic floor muscle function assessed by bidigital vaginal palpation and the modified Oxford grading scale, and women’s self-perception of their PFM contraction using a questionnaire. Satisfaction with treatments will be assessed using a visual analog scale. The statistical analysis will be performed by intention to treat and multivariate analysis of mixed effects will be used to compare outcomes. The complier average causal effects (CACE) method will be used to assess adherence. There is an urgent need for a high-quality RCT to investigate if the association of a low-calorie diet and PFMT can provide a larger effect in the improvement of urinary incontinence reports in women with obesity.Trial registrationClinical Trials NCT04159467. Registered on 08/28/2021.

Long-term properties of self-cleaning alkali-activated slag-based mortars with titanium dioxide nanoparticles

Titanium dioxide (TiO2) is considered one of the most efficient photocatalysis to produce self-cleaning cementitious materials. At the same time, alkali activated binders have become one of the most interesting low-carbon alternatives to Portland cement. For this, the addition of titanium dioxide nanoparticles in one-part alkali-activated slag-based (AAS) mortars was analyzed to evaluate the effect on the rheological and mechanical properties, dirt pick-up resistance as well as self-cleaning capability. This paper reports a two-year campaign of outdoor exposure in an industrial environment in Northern Italy to investigate the natural photoactivity of the mortars doped with different TiO2 dosages. The experimental results indicated limited effect of nanoparticles on the rheology and mechanical properties of AAS mortars. It was also highlighted the beneficial effect of TiO2 addition in self-cleaning capability under natural and accelerated conditions and the fundamental role in photocatalytic efficiency of the alkali content.

Comparison of two strategies enhancing the antagonistic effect of lactic acid bacteria in edible coating against Listeria monocytogenes on fresh-cut apple slices

Listeria monocytogenes is a psychrotrophic pathogen and could be associated with ready-to-eat fresh-cut fruits stored at chilled temperatures. This study explored two different strategies in enhancing the antagonistic effect of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) against L. monocytogenes on fresh-cut apple slices. First, it was shown that pre-fermentation of a probiotic LAB, Lactiplantibacillus plantarum 299v with glucose and yeast extract exhibited remarkable enhancement in L. monocytogenes inhibition on fresh-cut apples. Second, psychrophilic LAB (pLAB) which are metabolically active at low temperatures were screened and one isolate named I29, identified as Leuconostoc gelidum subsp. gelidum, showed remarkable anti-Listeria effect. As a comparison, a pre-fermentation of L. plantarum 299v (LAB counts 7.7 ± 0.1 log CFU/g) with glucose (2% w/v) and yeast extract (0.06% w/v) showed equivalent inhibition effect on L. monocytogenes (a cocktail of SSA151, LM24, LM44, and BAA-839) with L. gelidum I29 cells (pLAB counts 6.7 ± 0.1 log CFU/g). In conclusion, both strategies were potential in inhibiting L. monocytogenes on fresh-cut apple slices, with respective advantages of accomplishing additional health beneficial effect from using the probiotic L. plantarum 299v and being economical and less laborious from using L. gelidum I29.

Enhanced redox performance of LaFeO3 perovskite through in-situ exsolution of iridium nanoparticles for chemical looping steam methane reforming

Chemical looping steam methane reforming (CL-SMR) can produce high-purity hydrogen without additional separation units. However, the low reactivity of LaFeO3 oxygen carrier towards methane restricts the overall process performance. To enhance the redox activity of widely used LaFeO3 perovskite, a small amount of iridium was introduced to LaFeO3. The presence of iridium significantly enhanced both particle reduction and oxidation, and the particle preparation pathways of oxygen carriers greatly affected the long-term performance. The overall enhancement from the incorporation of iridium was demonstrated by density functional theory calculations. Despite these beneficial effects of iridium addition, surface iridium species prepared by an impregnation method were severely aggregated during successive redox cycling, leading to deactivation of the particles. In contrast, B-site incorporation of iridium leads to the exsolution of IrOx nanoparticles anchored on the perovskite host as well as to enhanced redox stability, which is essential for the long-term operation of the chemical looping process.

Prenatal asfotase alfa-mediated enzyme replacement therapy restores delayed calcification in a severe infantile form of hypophosphatasia model mice

Hypophosphatasia (HPP) is a congenital disorder caused by mutations in the tissue-nonspecific alkaline phosphatase (TNALP) gene. The pathogenesis of HPP varies, ranging from severe cases in which there is total absence of fetal bone calcification, which leads to stillbirth, to relatively mild cases in which the effects are confined to the teeth, such as early loss of the primary teeth. In recent years, the establishment of enzyme supplementation as a treatment method has prolonged survival in patients; however, this approach does not provide sufficient improvement for failed calcification. Furthermore, the effects of enzyme replacement therapy on the jawbone and periodontal tissues have not yet been studied in detail. Therefore, in this study, we investigated the therapeutic effects of enzyme replacement therapy on jawbone hypocalcification in mice. Recombinant TNALP was administered to mothers before birth and newborns immediately after birth, and the effect of treatment was evaluated at 20 days of age. The treated HPP mice had improved mandible (mandibular length and bone quality) and tooth quality (root length of mandibular first molar, formation of cementum), as well as improved periodontal tissue structure (structure of periodontal ligament). Furthermore, prenatal treatment had an additional therapeutic effect on the degree of mandible and enamel calcification. These results suggest that enzyme replacement therapy is effective for the treatment of HPP, specifically in the maxillofacial region (including the teeth and mandible), and that early initiation of treatment may have additional beneficial therapeutic effects.

Effects of vaccination against COVID-19 on the emotional health of older adults

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic significantly impacted the mental and emotional health of the elderly, especially those from low to middle-income countries. However, COVID-19 vaccination may reduce this influence. Therefore, we aimed to estimate the effect of vaccination against COVID-19 on the emotional health of older adults. Methods: We selected a national, random, and stratified sample of non-hospitalized adults aged 60 to 79 years from Peru who intended to receive or had already received the COVID-19 vaccine during recruitment. During June and July 2021, the assessed outcomes were fear, anxiety, and worry about COVID-19, general anxiety, and depression at baseline and after a month. We estimated the adjusted odds ratios (aOR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) for each altered emotional health outcome in those who had one and two doses, compared with those who were not vaccinated using multilevel logistic regression with mixed effects. Results: We recruited 861 older adults with 20.8% of loss to follow-up. At baseline, 43.9% had received only one dose of the vaccine, and 49.1% had two doses. In the analysis during follow-up, those who had two doses had less fear (aOR: 0.19; CI 95%: 0.07 to 0.51) and anxiety to COVID-19 (aOR: 0.45; CI 95%: 0.22 to 0.89), compared to unvaccinated. Also, those with two doses were significantly less likely to have fear of COVID-19 (aOR: 0.35; CI 95%: 0.21 to 0.59), anxiety about COVID-19 (aOR: 0.48; CI 95%: 0.34 to 0.68), and worry about COVID-19 (aOR: 0.58; CI 95%: 0.37 to 0.94), compared to those who had only one dose. We observed no effects in those with only one dose compared to unvaccinated. Conclusions: Two doses of COVID-19 vaccination in older adults improves their perception of COVID-19 infection consequences. This information could be integrated into the vaccination campaign as an additional beneficial effect.

Personalized human resource management via HR analytics and artificial intelligence: Theory and implications

This conceptual paper theorizes the emerging concept of personalized human resource management (HRM), which refers to HRM programs and practices that vary across individuals within an organization. As a subset of high-performance work practices (HPWPs), personalized HRM is implemented at the individual level and represents the next generation of HRM, which is characterized by the adoption of advanced HR analytics and artificial intelligence (AI) to provide tailored HR solutions. We argue that personalized HRM constitutes a unique source of sustained firm competitive advantage and offers additional beneficial performance effects on top of other HPWPs. Drawing on the theories of individual differences and person-organization fit, we explain why personalized HRM outperforms traditional standardized HRM in terms of productivity, favorable HR climate, flexibility, return on investment of HRM, and firm financial performance. We also suggest that business strategy is a moderator of the relationship between HRM and firm performance. Building on the AI job replacement theory, we further propose that the mechanical and analytical intelligence (intuitive and empathetic intelligence) required for personalized HRM tasks is positively (negatively) related to the adoption of AI. Lastly, we elaborate on the implications and explain how advanced HR analytics and AI can facilitate the transition toward personalized HRM.

Weak antagonistic fitness effects can maintain an inversion polymorphism.

The study of chromosomal inversion polymorphisms has received much recent attention, particularly in cases where inversions have drastic effects on phenotypes and fitness (e.g. lethality of homozygotes). Less attention has been paid to the question of the maintenance of inversion polymorphisms that show only weak effects. Here, we study the maintenance of such an inversion polymorphism that links 250 genes on chromosome Tgu11 in the zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttata). Based on data from over 6000 captive birds, we estimated the effects of this inversion on a wide range of fitness-related traits. We found that, compared with the ancestral allele A, the inverted allele D had small additive beneficial effects on male siring success and on female fecundity. These fitness-enhancing effects may explain the initial spread of the derived D allele (allele frequency 53%). However, individuals that were homozygous for D had a slightly lower survival rate, which may explain why the D allele has not spread to fixation. We used individual-based simulations to examine how an inversion polymorphism with such antagonistic fitness effects behaves over time. Our results indicate that polymorphisms become stabilized at an intermediate allele frequency if the inversion links an additively beneficial allele of small effect size to a recessive weakly deleterious mutation, overall resulting in weak net heterosis. Importantly, this conclusion remains valid over a wide range of selection coefficients against the homozygous DD (up to lethality), suggesting that the conditions needed to maintain the polymorphism may frequently be met. However, the simulations also suggest that in our zebra finch populations, the estimated recessive deleterious effect of the D allele (on survival in captivity) is not quite large enough to prevent fixation of the D allele in the long run. Estimates of fitness effects from free-living populations are needed to validate these results.

Effectiveness of high intensity interval training on cardiorespiratory fitness and endothelial function in type 2 diabetes: A systematic review

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a chronic metabolic syndrome characterized by insulin resistance and hyperglycemia that may lead to endothelial dysfunction, reduced functional capacity and exercise intolerance. Regular aerobic exercise has been promoted as the most beneficial non-pharmacological treatment of cardiovascular diseases. High intensity interval training (HIIT) seems to be superior than moderate-intensity continuous training (MICT) in cardiovascular diseases by improving brachial artery flow-mediated dilation (FMD) and cardiorespiratory fitness to a greater extent. However, the beneficial effects of HIIT in patients with T2DM still remain under investigation and number of studies is limited. To evaluate the effectiveness of high intensity interval training on cardiorespiratory fitness and endothelial function in patients with T2DM. We performed a search on PubMed, PEDro and CINAHL databases, selecting papers published between December 2012 and December 2022 and identified published randomized controlled trials (RCTs) in the English language that included community or outpatient exercise training programs in patients with T2DM. RCTs were assessed for methodological rigor and risk of bias via the Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro). The primary outcome was peak VO2 and the secondary outcome was endothelial function assessed either by FMD or other indices of microcirculation. Twelve studies were included in our systematic review. The 12 RCTs resulted in 661 participants in total. HIIT was performed in 310 patients (46.8%), MICT to 271 and the rest 80 belonged to the control group. Peak VO2 increased in 10 out of 12 studies after HIIT. Ten studies compared HIIT with other exercise regimens (MICT or strength endurance) and 4 of them demonstrated additional beneficial effects of HIIT over MICT or other exercise regimens. Moreover, 4 studies explored the effects of HIIT on endothelial function and FMD in T2DM patients. In 2 of them, HIIT further improved endothelial function compared to MICT and/or the control group while in the rest 2 studies no differences between HIIT and MICT were observed. Regular aerobic exercise training has beneficial effects on cardiorespiratory fitness and endothelial function in T2DM patients. HIIT may be superior by improving these parameters to a greater extent than MICT.

Effects of metformin alone or in combination with vitamin C and E on serum glucose concentration and lipid profile in type 2 diabetic patients

The present study was aimed to evaluate the effects of metformin alone or in combination with vitamin C and E on fasting serum glucose (FSG) concentration and lipid profile in type 2 diabetic patients. One hundred and three newly diagnosed type 2 diabetic patients participated in this study. They were divided into 3 groups according to treatment. The first group involved 32 patients were kept on metformin therapy alone. The second group involved 37 patients were kept on combination of metformin and vitamin C and vitamin E . Whereas the third group involved 34 patients were have no drug therapy but kept on diet restriction. The duration of treatment was for 2 months . Another group consisted of 35 healthy subjects participated in the study as a control group. Body mass index (BMI) was calculated by Quetelet index (Weight/Height2). Fasting serum blood samples were used for measuring serum glucose concentrations and lipid profile using special commercial kits. Serum LDL-c concentration was calculated by Friedewald equation and atherogenic Index was calculated as TC /HDL-c . The results found that there were a significant elevation in weight, BMI, FSG, Tc ,TGS, LDL-c and AI and a significant reduction in HDL-c in type 2 diabetic patient before starting treatment as compared with control group. The results also found that metformin group showed a reduction only in weight, BMI, FSG and Tc whereas the combination group showed a highly significant reduction of all studied parameters and significant elevation of HDL-c. The diet group showed non significant changes in all of the studied parameters. This study has been concluded that the addition of Vitamin C and E to metformin therapy produce additional beneficial effects on weight, BMI ,FSG and lipid profile over metformin alone or diet therapy alone in type 2 diabetic patients.

Lactobacillus rhamnosus and L. plantarum Combination Treatment Ameliorated Colitis Symptoms in a Mouse Model by Altering Intestinal Microbial Composition and Suppressing Inflammatory Response.

Changes in composition of intestinal microbes may disrupt the balance of their interaction with a susceptible host, resulting in development of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The study applied in combination two Lactobacillus strains (L. rhamnosus BY-02, L. plantarum BY-05) ("LS treatment"), previously isolates from feces of healthy human infants, in a mouse model of dextran sodium sulfate (DSS)-induced colitis, and evaluates their ameliorative effect and its possible mechanism. LS treatment suppresses weight loss and colon shortening, and reduces disease activity index in the mice. It also has several additional beneficial effects: i) maintains goblet cell numbers and ameliorates intestinal barrier damage in colonic tissue; ii) alters intestinal microbial composition close to normal by increasing abundances of Muribaculaceae, Akkermansia, Clostridia, Oscillospiraceae, and Lachnospiraceae, and decreasing abundance of Escherichia-Shigella; iii) increases content of short-chain fatty acids; iv) reduces content of pro-inflammatory lipopolysaccharides; v) suppresses overactivation of TLR4/NF-κB inflammatory signaling pathway. Combination treatment with two Lactobacillus strains strongly ameliorates colitis symptoms in the mouse model by favorably altering intestinal microbial composition and suppressing inflammatory response.

Evaluation of clinical efficacy of Ginkgo biloba extract in the treatment of knee osteoarthritis: a randomized clinical trial

Background: Osteoarthritis (OA) is a degenerative joint disease characterized by deteriorating articular cartilage. Most patients may not get enough control of symptoms in spite of the availability of various treatment options. Because of the synergistic impact of flavonoids and ginkgolides, Ginkgo biloba (GB) has been shown to possess antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties besides its generally safe profile. This study aims to assess the efficacy and safety of the Ginkgo biloba extract (GBE) in patient with Knee OA . Methods: This is a randomized double blinded clinical trial conducted in a private orthopaedic clinic in Al-Najaf Government-Iraq between 1st November 2021 to 1st June 2022. Patients were randomized into two groups; Group A administered the standard treatment (diclofenac capsule 100 milligram sustained released with paracetamol 1 gram twice daily) with GBE capsule 120 milligram twice daily, while Group B administered the standard treatment with placebo (starch) capsule only. The Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS) was performed to assess the efficacy of the GBE in patient with Knee OA for eight weeks.Results: 60 patients (Group A: mean age 54.2±8.6, male 24.24%, female 75.76%; Group B: mean age 58.0±8.4, male 22.22%, female 77.78%) successfully completed the eight weeks follow up. Pain, symptoms, sport, activity of daily living (ADL) scores showed significant improvement in Group A from the first two weeks after treatment with GB in comparison with group B. however, scores of quality of life (QOL) were not significantly improved in two group comparison at each assessment week. Only 10 patients (group A:8, group B:2) reported gastrointestinal adverse effects during the study which were all mild. Conclusions: GB may provide additional beneficial health effects to patients with knee OA based on KOOS scores when add to the standard treatment regime. Registration: ClincialTrials.gov (NCT05398874, https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT05398874).

Effect of H2 addition on the local extinction, flame structure, and flow field hydrodynamics in non-premixed bluff body stabilized flames

We examined the effect of hydrogen (H2) enrichment on the primary fuel methane (CH4) in a canonical non-premixed bluff-body stabilized burner operating under typical central jet-dominated flame mode. In the chosen mode of operation, globally, the flow field and flame feature three important successive spatial zones: the recirculation zone, the neck zone, and the jet-like flame zone. The flame is exposed to a higher stretch rate in the neck zone in such a configuration and eventually undergoes local extinction. Such local extinction and subsequent re-ignition/reconnection of broken flame branches have substantial implications for the hydrodynamic instability of the coaxial annular air shear layer. It is well known that H2 addition increases the flame extinction strain rate (κext) and thus alters the local extinction phenomenon. To understand this, we performed experiments at 0%, 10%, 20%, 30%, 50%, 80%, and 100% hydrogen proportion in the H2-CH4 blend. High repetition rate (5 kHz) Particle Image Velocimetry and OH Planar Laser Induced Fluorescence (PLIF) measurements are simultaneously implemented to gain quantitative insight into the flow field and flame structure. A detailed analysis performed over the instantaneous OH–PLIF datasets reveals the absence of local extinctions in flames with H2 enrichment >30% due to an increased extinction strain rate (κext). Furthermore, it is found that H2 enrichment plays a significant role in the reconnection/re-ignition of the broken flame branches formed during the local extinction. For instance, a high reconnection probability is observed in flames with an H2 addition of ≥20%. Consequently, variations in the mean reaction zone height are witnessed for different H2 enrichment levels. Further analysis of the influence of variation in reaction zone height on flow field hydrodynamics is explored using Proper Orthogonal Decomposition (POD) and Continuous Wavelet Transform (CWT). The results obtained from POD and CWT indicated the suppression of vortex shedding at the annular air shear layer for H2 addition greater than 20% and irregular wrinkling of flame fronts. Thus, they quantified the beneficial effect of H2 addition in turbulent flame stabilization.

Cognitive reserve and dementia risk management in people with an intellectual disability.

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Thrombectomy in M2 occlusion compared to M1 occlusion: treatment effects of Thrombolysis In Cerebral Infarction (TICI) 2b and TICI 3 recanalization on functional outcome

BackgroundEmerging data suggest that mechanical thrombectomy (MT) might also be safe and efficient for medium and distal occlusions. This study aims to compare average treatment effects on functional outcome of...

Grass harvesting eliminates the beneficial effects of legume addition on soil nematode communities in a tall grass pasture

Legume is an important type of plant functional group that can provide a myriad of ecosystem services. In general, the legume can promote the developments of soil fertility, soil biota, and other plants due to its ability to fix nitrogen. In practice, the legume-rhizobium system is one of the most ancient and successful biotic management strategies in anthropogenic ecosystems. However, little is known about how legumes interact with other agricultural management practices and affect soil biota. In this study, a full factorial design was employed to investigate the effects of a shrubby legume (Amorpha fruticosa) addition in conjunction with grass harvesting frequency on soil nematode communities in a hybrid napiergrass (Pennisetum hydridum) pasture. There were three grass harvest frequencies as two, four, and six times annually, as well as three legume densities including no legume, low legume density, and high legume density. During two-year monitoring, the results showed that the legume addition considerably enhanced abundances of total nematodes and bacterivorous nematodes as well as metabolic activities of total nematodes, bacterivores, and omnivore-predators for production and respiration, and the effects increasing with legume density. However, increased frequency of grass harvesting eliminated the effect of legume addition on soil nematode communities. The results suggest that frequent aboveground biomass export from the ecosystem may eliminate the bottom-up control of legumes on soil biota. Our findings could provide a better understanding of legume-soil interactions.

No Time to Die-How Islets Meet Their Demise in Transplantation.

Islet transplantation represents an effective treatment for patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) and severe hypoglycaemia unawareness, capable of circumventing impaired counterregulatory pathways that no longer provide protection against low blood glucose levels. The additional beneficial effect of normalizing metabolic glycaemic control is the minimisation of further complications related to T1DM and insulin administration. However, patients require allogeneic islets from up to three donors, and the long-term insulin independence is inferior to that achieved with solid organ (whole pancreas) transplantation. This is likely due to the fragility of islets caused by the isolation process, innate immune responses following portal infusion, auto- and allo-immune-mediated destruction and β-cell exhaustion following transplantation. This review covers the specific challenges related to islet vulnerability and dysfunction that affect long-term cell survival following transplantation.

Microstructure and mechanical properties of TiC nanoparticles reinforced 7075 aluminium alloy fabricated by oscillating laser-arc hybrid additive manufacturing

In this work, TiC nanoparticles (TiCps) reinforced 7075 aluminium alloy was fabricated via an oscillating laser-arc hybrid additive manufacturing process. To show the beneficial effect of TiCps addition on microstructure and mechanical properties, a conventional 7075 aluminium alloy was also manufactured for comparison. Upon the addition of TiCps, remarkable grain refinement was achieved with a decrease in average grain size from 111.8 to 12.5 µm, and grain boundary segregation was alleviated. It was also found that many secondary phases precipitated at the grain interior in the deposit with TiCps. Owing to the refined microstructure and favourable precipitation, as-deposited 7075 aluminium alloy with TiCps showed enhanced tensile properties of ultimate tensile strengths of 346 and 355 MPa along scanning and build directions.

Selenium Biofortification: Strategies, Progress and Challenges

Selenium (Se) is an essential trace element for humans and animals. Its necessity for plants is still under examination. Due to the contradictory nature of Se and its significance, it has received much interest in recent years. Se deficiency can be harmful to humans, yet almost a billion people are deficient. Its deficiency has been associated with cancers, impairment of organs, and a number of other ailments. The biofortification of plants and livestock is a guaranteed practice to increase human selenium consumption. Strategies such as foliar spraying, the direct application of Se in plants and Se feed, and injections in livestock have been employed. Se biofortification has been shown to have additional beneficial effects in plants and livestock. In plants, it has been reported to mitigate different types of stress and increase yield. In animal biofortification, Se has been shown to reduce the detrimental effects of ailments and promote healthy growth. Se biofortification, nevertheless, confronts a number of difficulties. For instance, the bulk of biofortified products must be prepared before consumption, lowering the Se concentration. The objective of this review is to convey the current understanding of the Se biofortification of plants and animals, as well as its difficulties, taking into account both the detrimental consequences of Se deficiency and benefits of Se biofortification.