Effect of aquatic exercise versus aerobic exercise on primary dysmenorrhea and quality of life in adolescent females: A randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Primary dysmenorrhea leads to significant gynecological consultations, school absenteeism, disrupted daily activities, and adversely affects overall quality of life (QOL). PURPOSE: This study compared the effects of aquatic exercise versus aerobic exercise on primary dysmenorrhea and QOL in adolescent females. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Sixty adolescent females suffering from primary dysmenorrhea with moderate to severe intensity were distributed randomly and equally into two groups was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT06129708) the Registration Date, November 13, 2023; group A was treated by aquatic exercise for 12 weeks, while group B was treated by aerobic exercise for 12 weeks. Assessment of both groups before and after treatment involved evaluating dysmenorrhea severity using the WaLIDD Score, measuring pain intensity with the numeric pain rating scale (NPRS), determining pressure pain threshold (PPT) with an algometry, and evaluating the QOL using EuroQol-5 Dimension-3 Level (EQ-5D-3L) and EuroQol-visual analog scale (EQ-VAS). RESULTS: Both groups, A and B, experienced significant reductions in the WaLIDD score, NPRS, and all domains of EQ-5D-3L (p < 0.05), coupled with significant increases in PPT and EQ-VAS (p < 0.05). Posttreatment comparisons between the groups showed insignificant differences in WaLIDD score, NPRS, and PPT (p > 0.05). However, there was a significant decrease in EQ-5D-3L and a significant increase in EQ-VAS, favoring group A (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Both aquatic and aerobic exercises are effective methods in primary dysmenorrhea management and QOL improvement in adolescent females, with a better effect of aquatic exercise in enhancing QOL.

Correction: Synthesis of novel solid scale inhibitors based on silver tungstate loaded KIT-6 for scale removal from produced water: static and modeling evaluation.

Correction for 'Synthesis of novel solid scale inhibitors based on silver tungstate loaded KIT-6 for scale removal from produced water: static and modeling evaluation' by Heba M. Salem, et al., Dalton Trans., 2023, https://doi.org/10.1039/d3dt02594b.

Synthesis of novel solid scale inhibitors based on silver tungstate loaded KIT-6 for scale removal from produced water: static and modeling evaluation.

Oilfield scaling is a major problem in the oil and gas industry. Scaling issues cost the industry millions of dollars in damage and lost production every year as scaling is one of the main causes of global production decline. In this study, solid scale inhibitors based on silver tungstate loaded KIT-6 were synthesized and evaluated using a static scale inhibition test. The synthesized materials were characterized using wide and low XRD, N2 adsorption-desorption, TGA, and FTIR, SEM, and XPS analyses. Small-angle XRD patterns showed that KIT-6 had 3D-mesopore diffraction peaks with a cubic Ia3d space group. Wide-angle XRD patterns of silver tungstate loaded KIT-6 confirmed the crystallinity. The prepared catalysts are characterized by higher surface areas (394-918 m2 g-1), large pore volumes (0.63-0.98 cm3 g-1), narrow pore size distributions (5.3 nm), and high thermal stability up to 1000 °C. The results of this study demonstrate that the inhibition efficiency of the scale inhibitor increases and that of the calcite scale inhibitor decreases with increasing pH (2 to 8). This proposes that the scale inhibitor is more effective under alkaline conditions. An inhibition efficiency of 99% on calcium carbonate can be achieved at an optimal dosage of 7.5 ppm at 55 °C, indicating that the scale inhibitor exhibits a relatively good inhibition performance on calcium carbonate. The use of these materials can potentially lead to more efficient and cost-effective solutions for scale inhibition in various industrial processes.

Sonocatalytic oxidative desulfurization of diesel oil using a novel BiVO4/FeMn LDH nanocomposite.

A novel BiVO4/FeMn layered double hydroxide (LDH) nanocomposite was fabricated and applied for green and efficient ultrasound-assisted oxidative desulfurization (UAODS) of real fuel (hydrotreated oil). The physicochemical properties of the prepared BiVO4/FeMn LDH nanocomposites are elucidated using techniques such as XRD, FT-IR, BET, SEM, XPS, Raman, and TGA. The desulfurization results revealed that both BiVO4 and FeMn LDH were crucial in the UAODS process in the presence of H2O2 as a green oxidant and acetonitrile as an extracting solvent. The desulfurization activity was optimized by varying the process conditions (time, catalyst weight, type of oxidant, O/S molar ratio, ratio of solvent to oil, and type of sonicator). The prepared nanocomposite exhibited remarkable desulfurization performance, reaching up to 99.8% under the optimized reaction conditions. Moreover, the catalyst exhibited high stability and could be reused four times without a notable decline in the performance. Significantly, this research reveals the robustness of the newly synthesized nanocomposite for efficient UAODS in a short time and low catalyst dosage. The proposed desulfurization mechanism was investigated.

Nuclear envelope morphology change upon repetitive treatment with modified antisense oligonucleotides targeting Hutchinson-Gilford Progeria Syndrome.

We present the influence of treating progeroid fibroblasts with two modified antisense oligonucleotides (ONs) on the nuclear envelope. Two modified ONs were designed to block ribosome binding during translation and spliceosome binding at the cryptic splice site. We analysed the changes in the nuclear morphology of progeria cell nuclei after repetitive transfection with modified ONs as a physical analysis tool for estimating alteration of the gene expression at the protein level. Confocal microscopy was used to image the nuclei, and the nuclear lobulations were quantified to study the changes in the morphology of the nuclear envelope upon treatment. PCR was used to identify the changes in the expression of lamin A and progerin after antisense treatment at the RNA level. We found a significant decrease in the number of nuclear envelope lobulations and a lower progerin expression in progeria cells after transfection with modified ONs.

Novel methods to characterise spatial distribution and enantiomeric composition of usnic acids in four Icelandic lichens.

Usnic acid is an antibiotic metabolite produced by a wide variety of lichenized fungal lineages. The enantiomers of usnic acid have been shown to display contrasting bioactivities, and hence it is important to determine their spatial distribution, amounts and enantiomeric ratios in lichens to understand their roles in nature and grasp their pharmaceutical potential. The overall aim of the study was to characterise the spatial distribution of the predominant usnic acid enantiomer in lichens by combining spatial imaging and chiral chromatography. Specifically, separation and quantification of usnic acid enantiomers in four common lichens in Iceland was performed using a validated chiral chromatographic method. Molecular dynamics simulation was carried out to rationalize the chiral separation mechanism. Spatial distribution of usnic acid in the lichen thallus cross-sections were analysed using Desorption Electrospray Ionization-Imaging Mass Spectrometry (DESI-IMS) and fluorescence microscopy. DESI-IMS confirmed usnic acid as a cortical compound, and revealed that usnic acid can be more concentrated around the algal vicinity. Fluorescence microscopy complemented DESI-IMS by providing more detailed distribution information. By combining results from spatial imaging and chiral separation, we were able to visualize the distribution of the predominant usnic acid enantiomer in lichen cross-sections: (+)-usnic acid in Cladonia arbuscula and Ramalina siliquosa, and (-)-usnic acid in Alectoria ochroleuca and Flavocetraria nivalis. This study provides an analytical foundation for future environmental and functional studies of usnic acid enantiomers in lichens.

Novel assemblies based on oligonucleotides containing intercalating nucleic acid monomers.

This is the first report exploring the capability of twisted intercalating nucleic acid (TINA) and naphthalene-functionalized non-nucleosidic linkers to stabilize and engage in double-helical structures. Four designs were studied with respect to the formation of duplexes and/or other types of self-assemblies. One of the constructs involving TINA provides a thermostable duplex. The biophysical properties of the individual constructs were investigated by UV thermal melting experiments, circular dichroism, and fluorescence emission spectroscopy. Molecular modeling studies were performed in attempts of explaining the biophysical measurements for the duplex based on the TINA-containing oligonucleotide strands.