Dispersion Test Research Articles

Acylated Inulin as a Potential Shale Hydration Inhibitor in Water Based Drilling Fluids for Wellbore Stabilization.

Shale hydration dispersion and swelling are primary causes of wellbore instability in oil and gas reservoir exploration. In this study, inulin, a fructo-oligosaccharide extracted from Jerusalem artichoke roots, was modified by acylation with three acyl chlorides, and the products (C10-, C12-, and C14-inulin) were investigated for their use as novel shale hydration inhibitors. The inhibition properties were evaluated through the shale cuttings hot-rolling dispersion test, the sodium-based bentonite hydration test, and capillary suction. The three acylated inulins exhibited superb hydration-inhibiting performance at low concentrations, compared to the commonly used inhibitors of KCl and poly (ester amine). An inhibition mechanism was proposed based on surface tension measurements, contact angle measurements, Fourier-transform infrared analysis, and scanning electron microscopy. The acylated inulin reduced the water surface tension significantly, thus, retarding the invasion of water into the shale formation. Then, the acylated inulin was adsorbed onto the shale surface by hydrogen bonding to form a compact, sealed, hydrophobic membrane. Furthermore, the acylated inulins are non-toxic and biodegradable, which meet the increasingly stringent environmental regulations in this field. This method might provide a new avenue for developing high-performance and ecofriendly shale hydration inhibitors.

Microfluidic sperm sorting selects a subpopulation of high-quality sperm with a higher potential for fertilization.

Is a microfluidic sperm sorter (MSS) able to select higher quality sperm compared to conventional methods? The MSS selects sperm with improved parameters, lower DNA fragmentation, and higher fertilizing potential. To date, the few studies that have compared microfluidics sperm selection with conventional methods have used heterogeneous study population and have lacked molecular investigations. The efficiency of a newly designed MSS in isolating high-quality sperm was compared to the density-gradient centrifugation (DGC) and swim-up (SU) methods, using 100 semen samples in two groups, during 2023-2024. Semen specimens from 50 normozoospermic and 50 non-normozoospermic men were sorted using MSS, DGC, and SU methods to compare parameters related to the quality and fertilizing potential of sperm. The fertilizing potential of sperm was determined by measurement of phospholipase C zeta (PLCζ) and post-acrosomal sheath WW domain-binding protein (PAWP) expression using flow cytometry, and the chromatin dispersion test was used to assess sperm DNA damage. In both normozoospermic and non-normozoospermic groups, the MSS-selected sperm with the highest progressive motility, PLCζ positive expression and PLCζ and PAWP fluorescence intensity the lowest non-progressive motility, and minimal DNA fragmentation, compared to sperm selected by DGC and SU methods (P < 0.05). The major limitations of our study were the low yield of sperm in the MSS chips and intentional exclusion of severe male factor infertility to yield a sufficient sperm count for molecular experiments; thus testing with severe oligozoospermic semen and samples with low count and motility is still required. In addition, due to ethical considerations, at present, it was impossible to use the sperm achieved from MSS in the clinic to assess the fertilization rate and further outcomes. Our research presents new evidence that microfluidic sperm sorting may result in the selection of high-quality sperm from raw semen. This novel technology might be a key to improving clinical outcomes of assisted reproduction in infertile patients. The study is funded by the Iran University of Medical Sciences and no competing interest exists. N/A.

Development of lipid-based SEDDS using digestion products of long-chain triglyceride for high drug solubility: Formulation and dispersion testing

A self-emulsifying drug delivery system (SEDDS) containing long chain lipid digestion products (LDP) and surfactants was developed to increase solubility of two model weakly basic drugs, cinnarizine and ritonavir, in the formulation. A 1:1.2 w/w mixture of glyceryl monooleate (Capmul GMO-50; Abitec) and oleic acid was used as the digestion product, and a 1:1 w/w mixture of Tween 80 and Cremophor EL was the surfactant used. The ratio between LDP and surfactant was 1:1 w/w. Since the commercially available Capmul GMO-50 is not pure monoglyceride and contained di-and-triglycerides, the digestion product used would provide 1:2 stoichiometric molar ratio of monoglyceride and fatty acid after complete digestion in gastrointestinal fluid. Both cinnarizine and ritonavir had much higher solubility in oleic acid (536 and 72 mg/g, respectively) than that in glyceryl monooleate and glyceryl trioleate. Therefore, by incorporating oleic acid in place of glyceryl trioleate in the formulation, the solubility of cinnarizine and ritonavir could be increased by 5-fold and 3.5-fold, respectively, as compared to a formulation without the fatty acid. The formulation dispersed readily in aqueous media, and adding 3 mM sodium taurocholate, which is generally present in GI fluid, remarkably improved the dispersibility of SEDDS and reduced particle size of dispersions. Thus, the use of digestion products of long-chain triglycerides as components of SEDDS can enhance the drug loading of weakly basic compounds and increase dispersibility in GI fluids.

The critical influencing factors responsible for the particle cracking in UMo/Zr dispersion fuel plates during post-irradiation anneal tests

The post-irradiation anneal tests for dispersion fuel plates are commonly employed to determine the blistering threshold temperature in order to evaluate their resistance to accidents. In this study, a three-dimensional simulation method for UMo/Zr dispersion fuel plates is developed to predict the normal stresses in the fuel skeleton and some related variables during in-pile irradiation and out-of-pile anneal tests. The effects of the intrusion of extra fission gas atoms into gas bubbles are investigated, and the contributions of the creep performances of fuel particles and the matrix are examined. The predictions reveal the following insights: (1) the thermo-mechanical behaviors during anneal tests are strongly dependent on the intrusion of extra fission gas atoms into gas bubbles and the additional fission-gas induced swelling during post-irradiation anneal tests; the maximum tensile stress in the fuel skeleton increases significantly, from 57.4 MPa to 346.0 MPa, as the fraction of generated fission gas atoms in gas bubbles shifts from approximately 23.4 % to 100 % in the annealing process; (2) the thermo-mechanical responses during anneal tests are greatly influenced by the creep performances of fuel particles and the matrix; the significantly weakened creep ability of fuel particles is found to be the critical factors responsible for particle cracking in the annealing process; the fuel particle fracture will hardly occur when the irradiation creep rate model is maintained during the considered annealing scheme, because the skeleton tensile stress does not appear. It is important to note that the particle cracking and the subsequent blister behaviors under in-pile neutron irradiation conditions are possible to occur if a rapid temperature increase takes place under accident conditions. Consequently, the out-of-pile annealing tests are of significance.

Validation and Adaptation of Questionnaires on Interest, Effort, Progression and Learning Support in Chilean Adolescents

In order to understand interest, effort and progress in learning as dispositional and contextual variables in the field of education, the activities and strategies that encourage student motivation have been continuously sought, given that they have a fundamental role in sustainability to promote the improvement of their citizenship skills and the achievement of SDGs 3 (health and well-being) and 4 (quality education) set by the UN. The objective of this study is to validate and adapt the Interest, Effort and Progress in Learning (IEPA) and contextual Student Assistance (AYES) questionnaires in the Chilean adolescent population and thus support the sustainable development SDGs. For this purpose, they were applied to a sample in two phases, first with 339 schoolchildren, and secondly, replicated with 3172 students. For their analysis, a data matrix was constructed with distribution and dispersion tests (mean, standard deviation, skewness, kurtosis and range) using the IBM SPSS.27 statistical program. Subsequently, the dimensionality of the scale was studied by applying an exploratory factor analysis with the FACTOR program, version 11, updated in 2021. Finally, a confirmatory factor analysis was performed with the M-PLUS.7.3 program. It is concluded that the instruments provide a method that is valid, reliable, simple to apply and adapted to adolescents, allowing the evaluation of three dispositional variables in students: interest, effort and progression in learning. These data indicate that they have adequate psychometric properties, which allows for a valid and reliable evaluation to contribute to the sustainability of permanent improvement in education.

Analysis of harmful compounds concentrations in the exhaust behind a vehicle with compression ignition engine

The article presents issues related to the assessment of concentrations of harmful substances in the exhaust gas cloud behind a compression-ignition passenger vehicle. The introduction discusses the subject of optical measurement methods and refers to Lambert Beer's law describing the phenomenon of absorption of electromagnetic radiation when passing through a partially absorbing and scattering medium. The vehicle used during the tests was characterized by a four-cylinder drive unit with a maximum power of 110 kW at 4000 rpm and a maximum torque of 320 Nm at 2000 rpm. The vehicle was type-approved in accordance with the Euro 4 standard. Exhaust gas dispersion tests behind the vehicle were carried out both in stationary conditions (a specially prepared laboratory stand) and in real operating conditions. PEMS testing equipment was used for this type of measurements. During the measurements, concentrations of harmful exhaust gas compounds were analyzed in relation to the distance of the measuring probe from the exhaust system. In stationary conditions, the influence of the engine speed on the dispersion of pollutants was also studied. The tests carried out show that the concentrations obtained behind a moving vehicle significantly decrease with the distance of the measuring probe, and their dispersion in most cases is much smaller than in the case of stationary tests. This is the basis for recognizing that thanks to this, it is possible to analyze the concentrations obtained and conduct tests using the emission gate.

Seminal Oxidative Stress and Sperm DNA Fragmentation in Men from Couples with Infertility or Unexplained Recurrent Pregnancy Loss

(1) Background: This case–control study examined whether men from couples with unexplained recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL) or infertility exhibited higher seminal oxidative stress (OS) and sperm DNA fragmentation (SDF) compared to fertile controls. (2) Methods: The study included 30 participants from each group: unexplained RPL, unexplained infertility, and proven fertility. Data were collected at Aalborg University Hospital tertiary RPL and fertility treatment clinics (Aalborg, Denmark), excluding couples with mixed conditions for homogeneity. Semen samples were analyzed using computer-aided sperm analysis (CASA) for concentration, motility, and morphology. SDF was assessed via a CASA-based sperm chromatin dispersion test. OS was measured as static oxidation-reduction potential (sORP). (3) Results: The results showed no significant OS differences between groups. The RPL group had significantly lower SDF levels than the control group. A significant positive correlation between SDF and OS was observed in the infertility group. Overall, this study did not find significant differences in OS levels between men from couples with unexplained RPL or infertility and fertile controls, while SDF levels were lower in the RPL group compared to controls. (4) Conclusion: In conclusion, despite the existing literature suggesting that OS and SDF are negative prognostic factors, our findings suggest they may not be reliable diagnostic markers for RPL and infertility.

Paediatric orodispersible lozenges produced by moulding process: quality and stability control

Abstract Objectives Active pharmaceutical ingredients for paediatric patients are formulated at hospital pharmacy services and compounding pharmacies when they are not commercially available. This work evaluated the quality and stability of lozenges, an orodispersible dosage form, elaborated by a simple and low-cost moulding process. Methods The lozenges were formulated with 10 mg of hydrochlorothiazide as an active pharmaceutical ingredient and a commercial excipient suitable for paediatric use (Natatroche®). A High-Performance Liquid Chromatography system was used to quantify the active pharmaceutical ingredient from pure and extracted from dosage form samples. The quality of the lozenges was checked by the European Pharmacopeia tests indicated for oromucosal preparations, and additional quality tests specified for orodispersible and dispersible tablets. The stability of this dosage form was evaluated by the International Conference of Harmonization indications. Results The chromatographic method could quantify the active pharmaceutical ingredient extracted from excipient matrix. This formulation met uniformity of dosage units test for oromucosal dosage forms and, in addition, met the disintegration time test for orodispersible tablets and the fineness of dispersion test for dispersible tablets. Hydrochlorothiazide in lozenges was stable for 60 days when stored at 5 °C. Conclusions Moulded hydrochlorothiazide tablets are quick-to-prepare dosage forms that can be prepared in a simple, low-cost manufacturing process. They are safe and stable, disintegrate quickly in the mouth, and are therefore a recommended option for children, or other patients with swallowing problems.

A mechanistic study of asphaltene formation and aggregation in presence of metallic-based nanoparticles

In this work, the effects of metallic-based nanostructures including iron oxide (Fe2O3), magnesium oxide (MgO) and zinc oxide (ZnO) on asphaltene precipitation and aggregation were explored. The synthesized nanoparticles were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray fluorescence (XRF), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and Brunauer, Emmett and Teller (BET) methods. Optical microscopy and asphaltene dispersant tests (ADTs) were utilized to discover the effects of nanoparticles on asphaltene stability and the size-growth of asphaltene aggregates in crude oil medium. The interactions of the asphaltene functional groups with metal oxide nanoparticles were evaluated at molecular scale by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA/DTG), FT-IR, and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM). Results of different experiments exhibited that synthesized nanostructures in general postpone the asphaltene onset of precipitation (AOP) and reduce the size of asphaltene aggregates in unstable crude oil medium. MgO nanoparticles with a concentration of 300 ppm had the greatest effect on controlling the asphaltene precipitation and aggregation. The TGA/DTG analysis showed that the oxidation of pure asphaltenes occurs at a temperature of about 425 °C, while the oxidation temperature of asphaltenes adsorbed on ZnO and Fe2O3 nanoparticles occurs at around 330 °C, and for MgO nanoparticles at about 365 °C. In addition, the spectra obtained from the FT-IR analysis for asphaltenes without and with nanoparticles at the wavelengths of 1450 and 2900 cm−1 show the medium C–H stretching bonds that play the most important role in the adsorption of asphaltene on the surfaces of the nanoparticles. Also, the recorded FESEM images of the asphaltene and nanoparticles demonstrated the proper absorption of asphaltenes in the empty spaces between the structures of nanoparticles. According to the results from different experiments and intermolecular analyses, the performance of synthesized nanoparticles for retarding asphaltene precipitation and dispersing the asphaltene aggregates was in order of MgO (300 ppm) > Fe2O3 (300 ppm) > ZnO (700 ppm). The results of intermolecular analyses established the effective adsorption of the asphaltene particles onto the surface of the nanoparticles, which is caused by strong hydrogen interactions between the active sites of the asphaltene and nanoparticles. The findings of this study prove that metal-oxide nanoparticles can be utilized as an economically and environmentally-effective agents for controlling asphaltene formation and aggregation in crude oil.

Identifying humpback whale calving grounds: ensemble modelling and spatial analysis of critical habitat in Bahía de Banderas, Mexico

Abstract Understanding the relationships between cetaceans and their environment is crucial for conservation. This study examined humpback whales in Bahía de Banderas, Mexico, identifying key calving habitats. From 2018 to 2023, 1066 sightings were recorded, including 242 mother–calf groups, 109 mating groups, and 715 other groups. Spatial analysis revealed a non-random distribution; both the Kruskal–Wallis and Wilcoxon–Mann–Whitney tests detected significant differences (P &lt; 0.05) in site preferences. Calving mothers favoured habitats with a mean depth of 59 m and a distance of 2 km from the coast, while mating groups preferred locations at 126 m and 4 km, and other groups chose areas at 149 m and 4 km. All groups were found in relatively flat areas around 2° seafloor slope. A dispersion test indicated a significant relationship between the location of calving mothers and environmental factors. K-means clustering showed 83.6% of calving mothers' sightings at depths less than 40 m and 2 km from the coast. Ensemble species distribution models identified three critical calving areas: one large area (261.8 km2) along the north coast and two smaller areas (9.5 and 5.4 km2) at the southern end of the bay. This study highlights Bahía de Banderas as a vital breeding habitat for humpback whales, providing insights for conservation strategies to protect calving grounds during the breeding season.

Gaussian clustering and quantification of the sperm chromatin dispersion test using convolutional neural networks.

Sperm DNA fragmentation is a sign of sperm nuclear damage. The sperm chromatin dispersion (SCD) test is a reliable and economical method for the evaluation of DNA fragmentation. However, the cut-off value for differentiation of DNA fragmented sperms is fixed at 1/3 with limited statistical justification, making the SCD test a semi-quantitative method that gives user-dependent results. We construct a collection of deep neural networks to automate the evaluation of bright-field images for SCD tests. The model can detect valid sperm nuclei and their locations from the input images captured with a 20× objective and predict the geometric parameters of the halo ring. We construct an annotated dataset consisting of N = 3120 images. The ResNet 18 based network reaches an average precision (AP50) of 91.3%, a true positive rate of 96.67%, and a true negative rate of 96.72%. The distribution of relative halo radii is fit to the multi-peak Gaussian function (p > 0.99). DNA fragmentation is regarded as those with a relative halo radius 1.6 standard deviations smaller than the mean of a normal cluster. In conclusion, we have established a deep neural network based model for the automation and quantification of the SCD test that is ready for clinical application. The DNA fragmentation index is determined using Gaussian clustering, reflecting the natural distribution of halo geometry and is more tolerable to disturbances and sample conditions, which we believe will greatly improve the clinical significance of the SCD test.

"Cohesiveness of Hyaluronic Acid Fillers": Evaluation Using Multiple Cohesion Tests.

Background Hyaluronic acid fillers can be manufactured using various processes. They have multiple properties, including their concentration, degree of modification, and rheological data. Cohesion is one such property to evaluate gel integrity; however, there is no standardized method for calculating this parameter. This study aimed to evaluate different tests for calculating hyaluronic acid cohesion and discuss the importance of hyaluronic acid cohesion as a consideration when selecting fillers. Methods The cohesion levels of five different hyaluronic acid fillers with different rheological properties were evaluated and compared using the drop weight, compression, tack, and dispersion time tests. Results The cohesion tests yielded different results in the samples. Samples 2 and 4 showed approximately two times the number of droplets when compared with Sample 5 in drop weight test. Samples 1, 2, 3, and 4 were superior to Sample 5 in tack test. Samples 1, 2, and 3 showed cohesive appearances at 95 seconds in most cases in dispersion test. Rheological test results did not reflect the measures of cohesion. Conclusion Although there are no definite standardized tests to evaluate the cohesion of hyaluronic acid fillers, our proposed tests showed similar results for different hyaluronic acid filler products. Further studies are needed to evaluate the cohesion of hyaluronic acid fillers and determine the clinical use of this distinguishing characteristic for clinicians selecting the product of choice. Level of evidence statement: These data are Level IV evidence.

Binary Effect of Tertiary Butylhydroquinone and Butylated Hydroxytoluene Additives with The Addition of Glycerol Monostearate to Improve Oxidative Stability of Palm Oil-Based Biodiesel

Biodiesel is a renewable and environmentally friendly alternative to conventional diesel fuel. However, like any fuel, biodiesel is subject to oxidation, which can negatively impact its quality and performance when kept for long-term. The addition of binary antioxidants such as TBHQ:BHT had been proven to improve oxidation stability of biodiesel. Combining surfactant such as GMS into single antioxidant had been proven to solve its insolubility issue. However, the implementation of mixing binary antioxidants and surfactant has not been done yet. Therefore, this research analyzed the effect of single antioxidant, binary antioxidants, and binary antioxidants with GMS (100 ppm) addition into biodiesel and biodiesel blend B35. The effect was observed within 8 weeks storage period. The result showed that B35 did not have any significant impact. While in pure biodiesel samples, B100-bi and B100-bi+GMS had a slight difference in the results of oxidative parameters. B100-bi showed the best result in induction period and kinematic viscosity. Rancimat test showed 170 hours for B100-bi and 168 hours for B100-bi+GMS. While B100-bi+GMS indicated as the best additives in term of acid number, iodine value, and dispersion test. Hence, the addition of surfactant into binary antioxidants showed similar performance with B100-bi but with slightly better solubility.

Psychiatric Morbidity and Assessment of its Severity in Gynaecologic Oncology Patients: A Cross-sectional Study

Introduction: Several psychological and social factors influence the incidence, treatment, and outcome of cancer patients. Depressive symptoms are more common in cancer patients, particularly in late stages. Women in Indian settings often exhibit delayed treatment-seeking behaviour. Aim: To assess the prevalence, type, and severity of psychiatric morbidity as well as the duration, type, and stage of illness in gynaecological oncology patients. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted among 100 gynaecological oncology patients aged 18 to 65 years, who were attending the gynaecologic Outpatient Department (OPD) and ward at a tertiary care hospital. The study took place at Government Rajaji Hospital, Madurai, between May 2013 and November 2013. Data was collected using a semistructured questionnaire from the patient and a reliable informant, after obtaining informed consent. The data was entered into Microsoft Excel and analysed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) software version 20.0. Central values, dispersion, and Chi-square tests were calculated. Results: The sample comprised 100 gynaecological oncology patients, with 30 (30%) diagnosed with malignancy, 43 (43%) with a benign condition, and 27 (27%) under investigation. Among the 100 patients assessed, 34 (34%) had psychiatric morbidity. There was a significantly higher prevalence among older patients, those with more than six months’ duration of gynaecological morbidity, and those exhibiting non fatal suicidal behaviour. Conclusion: Psychiatric morbidity is highly prevalent in gynaecological oncology patients. Depression was found to be more frequent and severe in patients with cancer. A previous history of suicidal attempts and a family history of psychiatric illness are important predictors of psychiatric morbidity in this population. Future studies on a larger population should explore the biological relationship between gynaecological oncology and psychiatric illness.

Controlling solidification cracks during remote laser welding of AA6005 alloy using Al2O3 alumina nanoparticles dispersed coating

Solidification cracks are among the most common defects observed in the remote laser welding (RLW) of 6xxx aluminium alloys. This study assesses a novel route to mitigating solidification cracking during RLW of the AA6005 alloy using alumina nanoparticles (Al2O3) within the fusion zone. The AA6005 sheets were electrodeposited using a CuSO4 bath containing 40 nm sized Al2O3 at different concentrations and deposition time. Characterisation of the welds was conducted using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), electron backscattered diffraction (EBSD), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) and mechanical lap shear testing. The results show that the incorporation of Al2O3 nanoparticles can be effective in producing centreline crack-free welds. Furthermore, the microstructural analysis also reveals grain refinement by 65% with increasing of Al2O3 concentration from 1 to 5 g/L, this corresponds to a 10% improvement in shear strength of the welds, compared to a standard un-coated AA6005 alloy.

Antibacterial properties of elastomers modified with chitosan

Purpose Bacterial infections pose a serious threat to human health. For many years, materials have been sought to inhibit their growth. In the present study, different elastomeric materials with chitosan were investigated and the best one with antibacterial and physico-mechanical properties was selected. Methods Mixtures based on silicone, acrylonitrile-butadiene rubber, natural rubber and ethylene-propylene-diene rubber were formulated and tested for antibacterial and physico-mechanical properties, cytotoxicity, chitosan dispersion testing and water-affinity were investigated. Results Three blends with the best antibacterial and physico-mechanical properties and very good chitosan dispersion were selected. These were blends based on silicone, silicone with a platinum catalyst and natural rubber. For these blends, tests were carried out to measure the release of compounds into water. Cytotoxicity tests showed that these materials were not toxic to cells. The best bactericidal properties against E. coli and S. aureus bacterial strains (&gt;99.0-99.9 per cent bacterial kill) were demonstrated for samples made of silicone and silicone with platinum catalyst and chitosan addition. Conclusions Materials with natural rubber and silicone rubber with a platinum catalyst showed the best durability properties. Samples with silicone-based chitosan and silicone with platinum catalyst showed the best bactericidal properties against E. coli and S. aureus bacterial strains (&gt;99.0-99.9% bacterial kill). The materials are non-toxic to cells and do not adversely affect cell viability and proliferation when in contact with the extracts in direct culture tests. They can come into contact with water, which would be of great importance for medical applications, among others.

An insight into fine cassiterite recovery: A novel surfactant-phenylpropylhydroxamic acid and its adsorption mechanism

The effective recovery of fine-grained cassiterite is a difficult problem in tin ore beneficiation. For enhancing the performance of the traditional collector for fine cassiterite flotation, a novel surfactant phenyl propyl hydroxamic acid (PHA) was designed by introducing one ethyl group (–CH2-CH2-) into benzohydroxamic acid (BHA).The study of flotation properties and the adsorption mechanism of PHA onto cassiterite surface were systematically investigated by scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy testing (SEM-EDS), adsorption measurements, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and Density functional theory (DFT). The results indicate that PHA has an excellent flotation performance for fine cassiterite compared with BHA and salicylhydroxamic acid (SHA), and the interaction between PHA and the surface of mineral mainly exhibited chemisorption attributed to new Sn-O chemical bonds. Meanwhile, DFT calculations showed that PHA adsorbed on the cassiterite surface via chelating interaction by the formation of a five-membered chelate ring.

Gender-Based Heat Map Images of Campus Walking Settings: A Reflection of Lived Experience.

Fear of crime can influence our view of and experience with the world around us. This can be problematic for individuals seeking physical activity, including from walk commuting. Prior work shows fear is especially evident among women, who report fear of rape and sexual abuse by men as a primary concern. We present the results of a cross-sectional survey (n = 571) where participants were shown images from college campus (n = 4 campuses) depicting different lighting (daytime, nighttime), and entrapment levels (high, low; i.e., able to easily escape if needed, with high entrapment being difficult and low being easy), and using the Qualtrics heat map tool, selected features that stood out to them most. Data were segregated by gender and analyzed to determine similarity of heat maps for the same base image. Heat map images were analyzed using canonical correlation (Rc) to determine the relationship between the two groups; dispersion testing to decipher spatial uniformity within the images; the Structural Similarity Index (SSIM) to characterize the nature of image patterns differences; and, the Breslow-Day Test to specify pattern locations within images. Several heat map images are also presented in the results. Overall, female and male participants appear to "see" different things when imagining walk-commuting (as seen by poor Rc values) and the nature of what they were looking at were different (as seen by poor SSIM values). Female participants tended to focus on areas outside the walking path, such as bushes and dark areas, whereas men's focus was on the path ahead [χ2(1) = 4.29, p = 0.04]. Furthermore, women were more likely to select areas outside the walking path during high entrapment settings [χ2(1) = 15.49, p < 0.001] and at nighttime [χ2(1) = 4.98, p = 0.02]. Our study demonstrates point-of-view differences in female-male walking space assessments. Viewing walking safety through the lens of lived experience could be productive for holistic community walking safety.

Evaluation of the effects of hydroxytyrosol on human sperm parameters during cryopreservation

Human sperm cryopreservation is a routine procedure in assisted reproductive technology, but it has detrimental effects on different sperm parameters due to oxidative stress. Our objective was to assess the impacts of hydroxytyrosol (HT), as an antioxidant, on human sperm parameters following cryopreservation. In the first phase, 20 normal human semen samples were cryopreserved using the rapid freezing method with different concentrations of HT including 0, 50, 100, 150, and 200 μg/mL. In the second phase, 20 normal semen samples were collected and cryopreserved with 50 and 100 μg/mL HT. The beneficial effects of HT were determined by evaluation of motility (computer-assisted sperm analysis; CASA), viability (Eosin-nigrosine stain), DNA integrity (sperm chromatic dispersion test, SCD), reactive oxygen species (DCF and DHE staining by flowcytometry) lipid peroxidation (malondialdehyde, MDA test) and mitochondrial membrane potential (JC1 staining by flowcytometry) of sperm after cryopreservation. After thawing, sperm motility had an increasing trend in 50 and 100 μg/mL HT groups in comparison with other groups, althought the difference was not significant. However, sperm viability was significantly increased at 50 and 100 μg/mL HT. Our data also showed that sperm DNA fragmentation was significantly decreased after thawing at 100 μg/mL in comparison with 0 and 50 μg/mL HT. However, the level of intracellular reactive oxygen species, lipid peroxidation and mitochondrial membrane potential were not significantly different between groups. Our results showed that HT may have protective effects on the viability and DNA integrity of human sperm during the freezing-thawing process.

Urinary concentrations of bisphenol A, parabens and benzophenone-type ultra violet light filters in relation to sperm DNA fragmentation in young men: A chemical mixtures approach

People are daily exposed to multiple endocrine disruptor compounds (EDCs) that may interfere with different molecular and cellular processes, promoting a potential estrogenic, androgenic, or anti-androgenic state. However, most epidemiological studies attempting to establish relationships between EDCs exposure and health effects are still considering individual compounds. A few studies have shown associations between exposure to individual non-persistent EDCs and sperm DNA fragmentation (SDF) in different male populations. Thus, the aim of this study was to investigate associations between combined exposure to non-persistent EDCs and SDF index in young men. A cross-sectional study was conducted with 158 healthy university students from Southeaster Spain. The participants provided spot urine and semen samples on the same day. The concentrations of urinary bisphenol A (BPA), benzophenones [2,4-dihydroxybenzophenone (BP-1); 2,2′,4,4′-tetrahydroxybenzophenone (BP-2), 2-hydroxy-4-methoxybenzophenone (BP-3), 2,2′-dihydroxy-4-methoxybenzophenone (BP-8), 4-hydroxybenzophenone (4OHBP)], and parabens (methylparaben, ethylparaben, propylparaben, butylparaben) were measured by dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction and ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry detection. SDF was analysed using a Sperm Chromatin Dispersion test. Statistical analyses were carried out using Bayesian Kernel Machine Regression models to evaluate associations between combined exposure to these compounds and SDF index while adjusting by relevant covariates. The increase in urinary concentration of 4OHBP was found to be the most important contributor to the negative association between urinary EDCs concentrations and SDF index, being of −5.5 % [95 % CI: −10.7, −0.3] for those in percentile 50, and − 5.4 % [95 % CI: −10.8, −0.1] for those in percentile 75. No significant associations were observed between other EDCs and SDF index. Our findings show that urinary 4OHBP levels may be associated with a decrease in the SDF index. Nonetheless, the effects we observed were likely to be small and of uncertain clinical significance. Further research is needed to replicate our findings in other male populations.