Antimicrobial Activity of Some Commercial Toothpastes and Antibiotics on Two Oral Pathogenic Bacteria—An in-Vitro Study

Oral health problems such as periodontal diseases, dental caries, and endodontic infections have a significant negative impact on oral health and impose a substantial financial burden on the global population. The prevalence of these issues is increasing due to the buildup of bacterial plaque and the growing resistance of bacteria to antimicrobial treatments. The aims of this study to evaluate the anti-bacterial activity of four types of antibiotics (Amoxicillin, Augmentin, Azithromycin and Metronidazole) and four types of toothpastes (Sensodyne, ipana, denta and cariax Gingival Kin) on two oral pathogenic bacteria (Streptococcus mutans and Staphylococcus epidermidis). Bacterial samples of previously isolated Streptococcus mutans and Staphylococcusepidermidis were used as test organisms and the Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion method was employed to assess the antibacterial efficacy of various antibiotics and evaluate the impact of different toothpastes using a filter paper disc agar measurement technique. Each filter disc was saturated with toothpaste solution in a test tube for approximately 30 to 40 seconds, after which they were placed on Mueller-Hinton broth bacterial cultures in petri dishes. These Petri dishes were then incubated at 37°C for 24 hours, and the clear zone’s diameter (inhibition zone in mm) was subsequently measured and the results were recorded. The results demonstrated that Sensodyne toothpaste and Metronidazole antibiotic were ineffective against both types of bacteria, while Augmentin and Amoxicillin were effective by high diameter inhibition zones of growth against S. mutans and Azithromycine against S. epidermidis. Also Ipana, Denta, and Cariax Gingival Kin toothpastes exhibited a moderate effect against the two bacteria. This study suggests that certain antibiotics and toothpastes can effectively inhibit the growth of harmful oral bacteria, but not all of them are effective.

Advancing Malaria Prediction in Uganda through AI and Geospatial Analysis Models

The resurgence of locally acquired malaria cases in the USA and the persistent global challenge of malaria transmission highlight the urgent need for research to prevent this disease. Despite significant eradication efforts, malaria remains a serious threat, particularly in regions like Africa. This study explores how integrating Gregor’s Type IV theory with Geographic Information Systems (GIS) improves our understanding of disease dynamics, especially Malaria transmission patterns in Uganda. By combining data-driven algorithms, artificial intelligence, and geospatial analysis, the research aims to determine the most reliable predictors of Malaria incident rates and assess the impact of different factors on transmission. Using diverse predictive modeling techniques including Linear Regression, K-Nearest Neighbor, Neural Network, and Random Forest, the study found that;Random Forest model outperformed the others, demonstrating superior predictive accuracy with an R2 of approximately 0.88 and a Mean Squared Error (MSE) of 0.0534, Antimalarial treatment was identified as the most influential factor, with mosquito net access associated with a significant reduction in incident rates, while higher temperatures correlated with increased rates. Our study concluded that the Random Forest model was effective in predicting malaria incident rates in Uganda and highlighted the significance of climate factors and preventive measures such as mosquito nets and antimalarial drugs. We recommended that districts with malaria hotspots lacking Indoor Residual Spraying (IRS) coverage prioritize its implementation to mitigate incident rates, while those with high malaria rates in 2020 require immediate attention. By advocating for the use of appropriate predictive models, our research emphasized the importance of evidence-based decision-making in malaria control strategies, aiming to reduce transmission rates and save lives.

Hydrological Assessment for Watershed Health in a Headwater Sub-Basin of the Rio Grande de Arecibo, Puerto Rico

The Río Grande de Arecibo (RGA) Watershed is a crucial source of water for the residents of the Island of Puerto Rico, including those living in the San Juan metropolitan area that are supplied by the North Coast Super Aqueduct. It is also significant for forest conservation, with five state forests providing around 10% of the watershed’s protected forest area. However, land cover changes in the region are putting the watershed’s sustainability at risk, as is the case in many places worldwide. This study takes an integrated socioecological approach to examine environmental changes in a headwater sub-basin of the RGA Watershed over a 20-year period (2001-2021). Using the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT), we assessed the impact of land cover changes on water sustainability. Our findings indicated that the headwater sub-basin of the RGA showed a decrease in both Forest Land and Range Land and an increase in Urban Built-up Land cover 20 years later. The results from SWAT provided the information to establish a “less healthy” condition 20 years later, due to the increase in the surface runoff metric and a decrease in the lateral flow metric. The study provides a baseline for future socioecological watershed studies and sustainable management actions, and its novel approach, combining geospatial analysis with hydrological modeling, could be applied to other watersheds, particularly in the tropics, where such studies are scarce.

Preparation and characterization of iron-ore-imbedded silicone rubber materials for radiation protection

Iron-ore-imbedded silicone rubber materials were produced for radiation shielding. Samples were tested against a Co-60 gamma source, which is widely used in nuclear technology and medicine. Decreasing the particle size of iron ore resulted in better gamma radiation protection owing to more homogenous distribution. In addition, the materials had flexible properties up to the addition of 60 wt% iron ore content. Further, 0.5 mm Pb E gamma protection was provided by using 2.06-mm-thick SDT-60 as the Co-60 source. Iron ore–silicone rubber composites are candidate materials for lead-free flexible radiation protection systems owing to their relatively inexpensive and easy production.

阿根廷Yungas雨林特有翼手类和有袋类(英文)

有学者根据植物组成等特性将Yungas雨林定性为独立的生物地理单元,但这些特性主要是定性的且未包括其动物区系组成。Yungas雨林被认为是动植物种类分布丰富的多样性的区域。然而,尚未有研究评估其动物分布记述的状况。在生物地理学上Yungas雨林使人充满兴趣,它函盖不连续分布的雨林且延伸至温带干旱和半干旱地带。该研究分析了Yungas最南端地区小型哺乳动物特有种分布记录,对比了飞行物种(蝙蝠类)和非飞行物种(有袋类)的分布。结果显示小型哺乳动物特有种是Yungas地区的有效指标;所分析的80%小型有袋类物种和55%蝙蝠类物种支持所鉴定的区域作为特有种区域。所研究的区域与阿根廷西北部及其以下的Yungas的植物学定义一致。该区域以前尚未正式用定量方法评测。结果还发现非飞行特有种较之飞行特有种更合适作为区域尺度上的特有种指标,作者认为飞行特物种作为特有种指标比以前所认为的要更好。

日本西南部四国增生复合体中的锰矿分布(英文)

Bedded manganese ore deposits occur in many localities within the accretionary belts of the Shikoku region,SW Japan.The deposits occur mostly in bedded chert or its metamorphosed equivalent.These chert-hosted manganese deposits are considered to have been manganese nodule/crust-bearing siliceous sediments on deep-sea floor and have been converted to manganese ores by low-grade metamorphism through subduction-accretion process.The mineral assemblages of the ores reflect the metamorphic grade of the accretionary complexes.On the other hand,iron-manganese deposits and some manganese deposits occurring directly over basalt are considered to have been the hydrothermal precipitates associated with submarine volcanism.

Effect of surfactant on the dielectric and electrorheological properties of zinc borate/silicone oil dispersions

Zinc borate(ZB)particles dispersed in silicone oil(SO)at concentrations of φ=5vol%-20vol% were subjected to dielectric analysis to elucidate their polarization strength,time,and mechanism.Results revealed that all virgin dispersions lacked polarization.Triton X-100,a non-ionic surfactant,was added to ZB/SO dispersions to enhance the polarizability of ZB particles.The addition of 1vol% Triton X-100 enhanced the polarizability of ZB/SO dispersions,and the 15vol% ZB/SO system provided the highest dielectric difference Δε′(the difference in ε′values at zero and infinite frequency,Δε′=ε0–ε∝)of 3.64.The electrorheological(ER)activities of the ZB/SO/Triton-X dispersion system were determined through the ER response test,and viscoelastic behaviors were investigated via oscillation tests.A recoverable deformation of 36% under an applied electrical field strength of 1.5 kV/mm was detected through creep and creep recovery tests.

Geochronological Constraints on the Haftcheshmeh Porphyry Cu-Mo-Au Ore Deposit, Central Qaradagh Batholith, Arasbaran Metallogenic Belt, Northwest Iran

The Haftcheshmeh porphyry Cu-Mo-Au deposit in the Arasbaran metallogenic belt （AMB） of NW Iran contains more than 185 Mt of ore, with a grade ranging from 0.3% to 0.4%. It is hosted within a porphyritic diorite to granodiorite intruded into an older gabbro - diorite intrusion. 40Ar/39Ar analyses of primary magmatic hornblende from the granodiorite porphyry and gabbro - diorite show plateau ages of 26.41 ± 0.59 Ma, with an inverse isochron age of 25.9 ± 1.0 Ma and a plateau age of 27.47 ± 0.17 Ma, with an inverse isochron age of 27.48 ± 0.35 Ma for these two rock types, respectively. Comparing these new age data with those from the nearby Sungun （20.69 ± 0.35 Ma） and Kighal porphyry deposits defines a northwest-southeast Cu-Mo-Au mineralization zone extending for 20 km over the time span of-27 to 20 Ma. Geochemically, Haftcheshmeh rocks are calc-alkaline with high potassium affinities with tectonic setting in relation to volcanic arc setting. Large ion lithophile elements （LILE） such as Th, U and K show enrichment on a primitive mantle normalized diagram （specially Pb）, and are depleted in high field strength elements （HFSE） such as Ti and Nb, pointing to a mantle magma source contamination with crustal materials by subducted oceanic crust.

Jurassic Amber in Lebanon

Reports of amber predating the Lower Cretaceous are unusual and scarce; they mostly refer to amber pieces of millimetric dimension. In the present study, we report the discovery of 10 new outcrops of Jurassic amber in Lebanon. Some of these had large centimetric-sized pieces of amber. The new localities are described, amber is characterized, and its infrared spectra given. Although the new Jurassic amber yielded to date no more than fungal inclusions, this material is significant and promising. The discovery, of several Jurassic outcrops provides crucial information on the prevailing paleoenvironment of that time.

Symbol Detection Based on Back Tracking Search Algorithm in MIMO-NOMA Systems

One of the most important methods used to cope with multipath fading effects,which cause the symbol to be received incorrectly in wireless communication systems,is the use of multiple transceiver antenna structures.By combining the multi-input multi-output(MIMO)antenna structure with non-orthogonal multiple access(NOMA),which is a new multiplexing method,the fading effects of the channels are not only reduced but also high data rate transmission is ensured.However,when the maximum likelihood(ML)algorithm that has high performance on coherent detection,is used as a symbol detector in MIMO NOMA systems,the computational complexity of the system increases due to higher-order constellations and antenna sizes.As a result,the implementation of this algorithm will be impractical.In this study,the backtracking search algorithm(BSA)is proposed to reduce the computational complexity of the symbol detection and have a good bit error performance for MIMO-NOMA systems.To emphasize the efficiency of the proposed algorithm,simulations have been made for the system with various antenna sizes.As can be seen from the obtained results,a considerable reduction in complexity has occurred using BSA compared to the ML algorithm,also the bit error performance of the system is increased compared to other algorithms.

Evaluation of Potential Fodder Sorghum Genotypes for Prussic Acid,Lignin and Cellulose Content

Sorghum is a potential fodder crop for an alternative source of livestock feed in Kenya.A study was done to determine the levels of prussic acid,lignin and cellulose content in potential fodder sorghum varieties at Egerton University Field Station in Kenya.Twenty-five sorghum genotypes were grown in a randomized complete block design(RCBD)and replicated three times.The genotypes were sampled at 3-leaf stage and analyzed for prussic acid,lignin and cellulose.The data were subjected to statistical analysis of variance and correlation using Statistical Analysis System(SAS)program version 9.1.Prussic acid levels were significantly different even at an early stage,with local varieties producing more.Lignin and cellulose had an inverse relationship with respect to concentration.Fodder sorghum genotypes varied significantly in prussic acid,lignin and cellulose,even at an early growth stage.

Zariski 3-Algebra Model of M-Theory

We review on Zariski 3-algebra model of M-theory. The model is obtained by Zariski quantization of a semi-light-cone supermembrane action. The model has manifest N=1 supersymmetry in eleven dimensions and its relation to the supermembrane action is clear.

On Supersymmetry of the Covariant 3-Algebra Model for M-Theory

We examine a natural supersymmetric extension of the bosonic covariant 3-algebra model for M-theory proposed in [1]. It possesses manifest SO(1,10) symmetry and is constructed based on the Lorentzian Lie 3-algebra associated with the U(N) Lie algebra. There is no ghost related to the Lorentzian signature in this model. It is invariant under 64 supersymmetry transformations although the supersymmetry algebra does not close. From the model, we derive the BFSS matrix theory and the IIB matrix model in a large N limit by taking appropriate vacua.

Physical Structure Analysis and Optical Properties of Sudan III Thin Film

Background: Sudan III is known red disazo dye possess a hydroxyl group which is sensitively to interact with others molecules such as CO2, O2, SO2 through hydrogen bonding. Methods: Fabrication of Sudan III thin film for sensor technology application has been carried out by using PVD method. The physical structure that is crystallinity of this film has been investigated by using XRD method. Results: The XRD spectra of powder Sudan III shows crystalline structure while the XRD spectra of thin film results of the PVD method, which is deposited on substrate glass slide shows amorphous structure. There are no differences in the crystallinity content of Sudan III thin film that exposure to acetone and alcohol vapor. The interplanar distance of crystals plane is about 28.47 nm, the average crystallite size is about 35.6 nm and the average molecular chain separation is about 37.9 nm. Sudan III thin film result of the PVD method shows an interesting optical characteristic (absorption). There are significantly different between UV-VIS spectra Sudan III thin film compared to the UV-VIS spectra of Sudan III solution. The UV-VIS spectra of the Sudan III thin film shows a decreasing of peak intensity in visible wavelength which indication of orientation effect of molecule on substrate surface. The aborption peak at UV region for Sudan III thin film shows a shifting to the long wavelength compared to the Sudan III in form of solution.

Clay Sorbents in the Area of the Most and Sokolov Basins as a Possible Use in Agriculture Reclamations

This paper is devoted to the possibilities of the reclamation use of claystone sorbents of the Most and Sokolov basins. The properties of phytotoxic areas suitable for the application of sorbents, the locality, and parameters of the main clay sorbents of both brown coal basins are briefly summarized in the paper. Clay sorbents are suitable for the reclamation of phytotoxic surfaces contaminated by coal. This paper provides a brief evaluation of the properties of the claystone sorbents of the North Bohemian and Sokolov basins. In the region of the North Bohemian brown coal basin, potential sorbents can be used for the reclamation works.

Analysis of Nutrient Profile of Finger Millet(Eleusine coracana(L.)Gaertn.)for Baby Food Formulation Using Pigeon Pea(Cajanus cajan(L.)Millsp.)as Protein Source

Finger millet(Eleusine coracana(L.)Gaertn.)is a drought resistant crop with potentially tremendous but under-explored source of nutraceutical properties as compared to other regularly consumed cereals in the era of drawback of nutritional security,these characteristics must be harnessed to develop finger millet as a novel functional food.Under-nutrition caused by inadequate diets,and other factors that influence nutritional status,is the underlying factor in 45%child deaths.In Kenya only 25%of young children are fed adequately diverse diets.The main objective of this study was to prepare baby food formulas using finger millets with pigeon peas as protein source and to analyze their nutritional profiles.Two finger millets varieties(i)Snapping Green Early,low altitude and medium altitude varieties and(ii)U-15)were studied to determine effects of environment on nutrient profiles.This study showed that Snapping Green Early had better nutrient profiles(12.13%protein and is high in Ca,Mg,Fe,Zn and P)than U-15(11.69%protein and lower nutrients(Ca,Mg,Fe,Zn and P)),and hence was selected for use in the malting process as best variety.As expected,the pigeon peas had the highest protein value(21%).The samples malted for 72 h resulted in reduction of tannin concentration from 0.091%to 0.03%and the amount of nutrients(Ca,Mg,Fe and Zn)doubled and in fact the protein profile increased by 8.31%.The appropriate ratio for the formulation of the baby food was 70:30.The composting resulted in 18.5%increase in protein.

Future of Renewable Resources in an Area Burdened by Brown Coal Mining

This contribution is focused on a possible utilization of renewable energy resources in the Podkrušnohoří?region (Chmomutov, Most, Teplice, ústí nad Labem districts) in the northern part of the Czech Republic after the end of brown coal mining in 2055. Results of the research describe current share of renewable energy resources (solar, wind, water, biogas) in the model area, and a future energy potential in order to ensure sustainable development of an anthropogenically burdened region. Aim of this contribution is to determine, which renewable energy resources would be the most suitable for energy production after the end of brown coal mining. It also describes current and possible use of geothermal power as there are registered heat flow anomalies in the area.