Phubbing, or snubbing others in face-to-face interactions by attending to one's phone, has become an increasingly pervasive social behavior with important psychological and relational consequences. This systematic review, following PRISMA guidelines, synthesizes empirical research from the past decade to examine the antecedents, consequences, and mechanisms of phubbing across social contexts. A comprehensive search of the ScienceDirect database identified 22 peer-reviewed studies spanning romantic relationships, friendships, family interactions, educational environments, and workplace settings. Findings revealed that problematic smartphone and social media use, along with psychological vulnerabilities such as fear of missing out, social comparison, and attachment anxiety, are strong predictors of phubbing. Environmental and normative factors also contribute, as observed phubbing behaviors reinforce its social acceptability. Across contexts, phubbing undermines relational quality by reducing intimacy, satisfaction, trust, and responsiveness, while increasing conflict, jealousy, and feelings of exclusion. Notably, subjective perceptions of being phubbed often cause greater harm than enacted behaviors themselves, underscoring the significance of relational interpretation. Beyond interpersonal effects, phubbing is associated with loneliness, depression, reduced life satisfaction, and maladaptive technology use. This review also highlights phubbing's cyclical and intergenerational nature, with behaviors transmitted across peers and families, reinforcing digital dependency. Future research should employ longitudinal and experimental designs, objective usage tracking, and cross-cultural comparisons to address current limitations. Interventions promoting digital etiquette, mindful technology use, and relational resilience are critical for mitigating phubbing's adverse effects in an era of pervasive connectivity.
Skeletal muscle in teleost fish is traditionally regarded as a contractile tissue supporting locomotion; however, increasing evidence in vertebrates suggests that muscle also participates in immune regulation, stress adaptation, and tissue homeostasis. Despite this, the baseline spatial distribution of immune- and stress-associated proteins in teleost skeletal muscle remains insufficiently characterized. Here, we applied an integrated multiscale imaging approach combining histology, histochemistry, immunohistochemistry, semithin sectioning, and transmission electron microscopy to define the structural organization and molecular landscape of skeletal muscle in the molly fish (Poecilia sphenops). Light microscopy revealed highly organized W-shaped myomeres separated by connective myosepta, while ultrastructural analysis demonstrated well-defined sarcomeric architecture with abundant mitochondria, sarcoplasmic reticulum, and glycogen deposits, consistent with high metabolic activity. Immunohistochemical analysis demonstrated constitutive localization of proteins associated with inflammatory signaling (IL-1β, NF-κB, iNOS), oxidative stress regulation (Nrf2), growth modulation (myostatin, TGF-β), calcium-binding and signaling (S100), and developmental regulation (SOX9) within skeletal muscle fibers. These findings establish the presence of a broad group of immune- and stress-related molecular components in teleost skeletal muscle under physiological conditions. Collectively, this study provides a comprehensive structural and molecular baseline map of P. sphenops skeletal muscle and introduces a reproducible multiscale imaging framework for comparative, environmental, and experimental investigations of muscle biology in teleosts.
Tomato is the third most produced crop in the world, with Spain being the ninth largest producer worldwide. However, its production, as well as that of many other crop species, is being threatened by edaphoclimatic pressure resulting from climate change, especially rising temperatures and soil salinization. The use of plant biostimulants, especially those derived from higher plants (hPDBs), is gaining ground as an approach to improve crop performance and yield in plants growing in adverse conditions. In this research, a biostimulant derived from elicited grapevine cell cultures, grapevine biostimulant (GvB), has been evaluated regarding its effect on improving the growth of tomato plants, as well as the mechanisms of action that strengthen their tolerance to salt and heat stress. The results demonstrated an improvement in water relations and photosynthetic processes, the assimilation of elements and molecules essential for mineral nutrition, as well as a promotion of molecular defence mechanisms in tomato plants, especially when subjected to stress conditions. Therefore, GvB constitutes a next-generation biostimulant capable of improving physiological and defence processes in tomato plants, increasing their tolerance to abiotic stress.
We have used variational states to analyze the effects of band geometry on the two-dimensional Wigner crystal with one and two electrons per unit cell. At sufficiently low electron densities, we find that increasing Berry curvature drives a transition into a crystalline state composed of spin-triplet pairs carrying relative orbital angular momentum m=-1. The essential features of this transition are captured by an effective two-electron quantum dot problem in the presence of Berry curvature. Our results point to a purely electronic, strong-coupling mechanism for local spin-triplet pairing in correlated two-dimensional electron systems with quantum geometry.
The widespread use of aspartame has raised increasing health concerns, particularly regarding its potential endocrine-disrupting effects and a possible association with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), a condition marked by endocrine and metabolic abnormalities. This study systematically investigated the molecular mechanisms by which aspartame may contribute to PCOS pathogenesis using a network toxicology approach. A total of 281 common targets between aspartame and PCOS were identified. Protein-protein interaction network analysis and five topological algorithms revealed 20 hub targets significantly enriched in pathways such as endocrine resistance, TNF signaling, and progesterone-mediated oocyte maturation. Eight of these targets showed significant differential expression in PCOS patients. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) further demonstrated that several of these hub targets are embedded in co-expression modules positively associated with PCOS phenotypes. Transcription factor prediction indicated that these targets are primarily regulated by FOS and JUN. Molecular docking showed favorable binding affinities between aspartame and both transcription factors. Subsequent molecular dynamics simulations supported the dynamic stability of aspartame binding to FOS and JUN. These findings suggest that aspartame may contribute to PCOS by modulating FOS- and JUN-mediated transcriptional programs, thereby disrupting biological pathways related to endocrine regulation and inflammation. Collectively, this study reveals a potential mechanism by which aspartame mediates PCOS and offers novel insights for toxicological assessment of food additives.
Soil salinization-alkalization is a major abiotic stress factor limiting global crop productivity. Nanomaterials offer promising avenues for application in regulating plant stress tolerance due to their unique physical and chemical properties. In this study, the sol-gel method was optimized to synthesize a type of spherical, monodisperse, amorphous mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) with an average particle size of 40-50 nm and a positive surface charge of 35 mV. A 20 mg L-1 MSN solution was foliarly applied to two soybean cultivars, Hefeng 50 (HF50) and Henong 95 (HN95), in a pot experiment at the R1 stage to investigate its effects on plant growth and yield-related traits under saline-alkali stress (pH 9.2). MSNs treatment significantly alleviated the growth inhibition induced by saline-alkali stress. Specifically, MSN application increased plant height by 18.7% and 15.3%, leaf area by 27.3% and 22.8%, and total root volume by 41.2% and 37.5% for HF50 and HN95 when comparted with the control, respectively. This was accompanied by enhanced root activity (by up to 34.5%) and seed numbers per plant (by up to 28.6%). Mechanistically, reinforced physical barriers by activating cuticle and wax biosynthesis genes, while simultaneously reducing oxidative damage through the enhancement of antioxidant enzyme activities (e.g., SOD and CAT increased by 32.4% and 28.7% in leaves) and suppression of the hyperactive MAPK signaling pathway. Furthermore, MSNs boosted photosynthetic capacity, as evidenced by a 23.6% increase in total chlorophyll content and a 31.2% rise in net photosynthetic rate (Pn). This led to elevated carbohydrate levels in source leaves and, critically, promoted the reallocation of photosynthates to sink organs (seeds and roots) by modulating the activities of key carbon metabolism enzymes like sucrose phosphate synthase (SPS) and invertases. These cumulative effects at the physiological, biochemical, and molecular levels resulted in a significant yield increase, with the 100-seed weight rising by 19.8% and 16.4% and total seed yield per plant increasing by 28.5% and 24.3% for HF50 and HN95 under stress. This study provides a mechanistic understanding and practical technology for leveraging MSNs to enhance crop productivity in saline-alkali soils.
Achieving Sustainable Development Goal 7 (SDG 7) in carbon-intensive cement manufacturing requires balancing cleaner production with financial affordability. This paper develops a down-and-out call (DOC) option model to assess the equity of the cement company. This model investigates how pollutant emissions, environmental taxes, and two facets of circular efficiency-namely, the incremental efficiency of cement output and the efficiency of emission reduction-shape both the scale of emissions and default risk embedded in a cement company's equity returns, across alternative multiproduct production technologies. The findings are that (i) increasing pollutant output in a multiproduct setting erodes pollutant-specific economies of scale and elevates default risk. (ii) A steeper environmental tax expands pollutant scale and default risk, yet neither effect remains significant once technology shifts from superadditive to subadditive. (iii) Enhancing the circular efficiency of additional cement output raises pollutant scale and default risk. (iv) Improving efficiency in cutting emissions increases pollutant scale while reducing default risk. Lower pollution costs and higher default risk both discourage cement firms from investing in clean-energy solutions, undermining SDG 7. Policymakers could subsidize cement producers so they can adopt CCUS (carbon capture, utilization, and storage), reducing emissions and financial risk while boosting circularity in cement and power generation.
The valorization of alkali lignin, an abundant by-product of the pulp and paper industry, is crucial for advancing circular bioeconomy goals. In the present study, its chemical looping pyrolysis (CLP) using CoFe2O4 as an oxygen carrier was studied. Thermogravimetric analysis revealed that the incorporation of CoFe2O4 accelerated lignin decomposition, with peak temperatures declining from 466-493°C to 399-442°C. Fourier transform infrared spectrometry and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry analyses showed a shift in product distribution, with relative abundance of acetone increasing from 14% to 56.34%, while phenolic compounds significantly decreased. The activation energies decreased from an average of 245.39 kJ mol-1 for alkali lignin to 174.93 kJ mol-1 for lignin/CoFe2O4 blend. Linear lnA versus Ea correlation was observed and isokinetic temperatures were found to be 967.34 K and 942.99 K, respectively, supporting the appropriateness of A2 model for lignin conversion and F2 mechanism for the CLP process. Thermodynamic analysis showed a decrease in Gibbs free energy from 175.36 to 159.90 kJ mol-1, indicating enhanced thermodynamic favorability. Additionally, compensation effect analysis revealed compensation temperatures of 740.21 K for lignin and 681.96 K for the blend, confirming a consistent thermodynamic mechanism. These findings underscored the potential of CoFe2O4 to enhance the selectivity of biomass pyrolysis, offering promising prospects for sustainable biofuel and bio-based chemical production.
Amyloid-β (Aβ) is a neurotoxic substance, and studies have found that its excessive deposition in the brain, forming senile plaques, is a major pathological feature of Alzheimer's disease (AD). In previous studies, Ribisin A, a benzofuran compound, was purified from Phellinus ribis and found to have neuroprotective effects. This study aims to elucidate the neuroprotective mechanism of Ribisin A in an Aβ25-35-damaged PC12 cell model. This study established an in vitro AD model using PC12 cells damaged by Aβ25-35. We applied methyl tetrazolium (MTT), enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kits, flow cytometry, and western blotting techniques to study the effects of Ribisin A on the Aβ25-35 injury model and the relationship with the ERK pathway from the aspects of cell injury degree, cytokine content, Calcium ion (Ca2 +) concentration, mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), and the ERK pathway-related protein expression. Results indicate that Ribisin A reduced lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), reactive oxygen species (ROS), tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), and interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels in the Aβ25-35-induced cellular injury model while increasing superoxide dismutase (SOD) levels. Furthermore, it inhibited Aβ25-35-induced increases in Ca²⁺ concentration and decreases in MMP, leading to upregulation of ERK pathway-related proteins TrkB, p-ERK1/2, and p-CREB, with significant elevations in p-ERK/ERK and p-CREB/CREB ratios (P < 0.01). Ribisin A can reduce oxidative damage, inhibit inflammation, restore mitochondrial function, and reduce apoptosis. The neuroprotective mechanism of Ribisin A may involve regulation of the TrkB-mediated ERK/CREB signaling cascade. Our study provides evidence for the neuroprotective mechanism of Ribisin A in an Aβ25-35-induced cellular injury model.
We introduce the pushy random walk, where a walker can push multiple obstacles, thereby penetrating large distances in environments with finite obstacle density. This process provides a minimal model for experimentally observed interactions of active particles with dense, deformable media. Using scaling arguments and numerical simulations, we show that in one dimension the walker carves out an obstacle-free cavity whose length grows subdiffusively with time. In two dimensions, increasing obstacle density drives a transition from free diffusion to localized behavior, where the walker is trapped within a cavity whose radius again grows subdiffusively with time. These results show how tracer-induced rearrangements qualitatively reshape transport in crowded media.
Morais, JE and Barbosa, TM. Why swimmers go faster: Discriminating swimming velocity using propulsive force and arms coordination. J Strength Cond Res XX(X): 000-000, 2026-The aim of this study was to determine whether propulsive force (PF) was associated with changes in the index of coordination (IdC) and whether both metrics were associated with swimming velocity in the front crawl stroke. The sample comprised 12 swimmers (9 males and 3 females) with an average age of 17.5 ± 1.2 years. Two swimming paces were considered: 200- and 50-m (all-out) paces. A univariate general linear model was used to examine the effect of the independent variables on the dependent variables, and effect sizes (Cohen's d and eta square-η2) were also calculated. Swimming velocity (p < 0.001, d = 2.02) and PF (p < 0.001, d = 1.71) increased between 200- and 50-m pace. The IdC changed between paces (p < 0.001, d = 3.16), shifting from a catch-up to superposition mode. The IdC model retained the PF as a predictor (p = 0.026, η2 = 0.21). The swimming velocity model retained the PF (p = 0.004, η2 = 0.35) and IdC (p = 0.050, η2 = 0.18) as predictors. Altogether, these findings indicate that greater PF and a superposition IdC were responsible for the fastest velocities. Coaches and researchers should be aware that increasing PF will promote a change in the swimmers' IdC (less time between propulsive phases), ultimately allowing swimmers to achieve the fastest velocities.
We report controllable two-dimensional (2D) Hermite-Gaussian (HG) lasing in a compact plano-concave cavity by exploiting the intrinsic birefringence of an a-cut Nd:YVO4 crystal. The birefringence-induced astigmatism provides modal discrimination against tilted one-dimensional (1D) competitors, allowing axis-aligned HGm,n modes to oscillate under 2D off-axis pumping. By increasing the birefringent crystal length, the output evolves from tilted 1D modes to axis-aligned 2D HG modes. We further show that cavity-length design can enhance the same modal discrimination, enabling 2D HG oscillation in a shortened-cavity configuration. These results verify a simple and compact route to controllable two-index HG lasing without pump shaping or intracavity loss elements.
High-throughput sequencing requires breaking the resolution limit to support higher-density DNA Nanoball (DNB) arrays, thereby reducing cost and increasing sequencing throughput. Traditional multi-frame super-resolution methods, such as structured illumination microscopy (SIM), sacrifice imaging speed, leading to reduced throughput. This paper proposes a non-deep-learning single-frame super-resolution algorithm based on sequencing scene priors, named SFS-seq. It requires no training data or GPU, directly decoupling DNB brightness from a single wide-field image with O(N) per iteration. Experiments show that SFS-seq reconstructs brightness highly consistent with SIM, achieving a correlation coefficient as high as 0.9852, and its base calling accuracy significantly outperforms direct use of wide-field images. SFS-seq combines speed, accuracy, and low cost, providing a single-frame solution for high-throughput sequencing.
Cancer incidence and mortality vary substantially across regions, whereas direct population-based survival data remain limited in many settings, including Iran. The mortality-to-incidence ratio (MIR) is increasingly used as a population-level proxy for cancer survival and health system performance where survival registries are incomplete. This study examined long-term subnational trends and geographic disparities in MIR for six major cancers across 31 Iranian provinces from 1990 to 2019. This ecological study used Global Burden of Disease 2019 estimates. Age-standardized incidence rates (ASIRs) and mortality rates (ASMRs) were extracted for prostate, stomach, and colorectal cancers in men, and breast, stomach, and colorectal cancers in women. MIR was calculated annually as ASMR divided by ASIR for each province, cancer type, sex, and year. Joinpoint regression estimated annual percent change (APC) and average annual percent change (AAPC) with 95% confidence intervals. ASIRs increased for prostate and colorectal cancers in men and for breast and colorectal cancers in women, while stomach cancer incidence declined modestly in both sexes. MIR declined significantly for all cancers studied. The greatest reductions were observed for prostate cancer in men (AAPC = -1.77%, p < 0.001) and breast cancer in women (AAPC = -1.54%, p < 0.001). Colorectal cancer MIR also declined in men (AAPC = -1.02%, p < 0.001) and women (AAPC = -0.56%, p < 0.001). Stomach cancer showed smaller reductions in men (AAPC = -0.32%, p < 0.001) and women (AAPC = -0.30%, p < 0.001), with high MIRs across most provinces. Sistan and Baluchistan remained a high-MIR province for several cancers. MIR-based cancer outcomes improved in Iran, but marked cancer-specific and provincial disparities remained. High MIRs for stomach cancer and in underserved provinces highlight the need for targeted early diagnosis, timely treatment, and equitable cancer control strategies.
Degenerative cervical myelopathy (DCM) is a progressive spinal cord disorder, yet modifiable risk factors that accelerate its progression remain poorly understood. While cigarette smoking worsens surgical outcomes, its influence on disease progression under conservative management is unclear. Heated tobacco products (HTPs) are increasingly used worldwide, but their neurological effects remain unexamined. Authors of this study analyzed the effects of extracts derived from combustible cigarettes and HTPs on the progression of cervical myelopathy and determined whether combustible cigarettes and HTPs exert similar effects. Male Sprague Dawley rats (8 weeks old) underwent laminectomy only (sham group) or cervical spinal cord compression surgery and received intraperitoneal injections of saline (compression model [CM] group), cigarette smoke extract (CSE; compression model based on combustible cigarettes [cCM group]) or HTP extract (compression model based on heated tobacco products [hCM group]) every 5 days for 10 weeks. Motor and sensory function were assessed using the Basso, Beattie, Bresnahan (BBB) Locomotor Rating Scale and the von Frey test, respectively. Histological evaluation was performed postmortem. In vitro, differentiated rat pheochromocytoma (PC12) cells were exposed to CSEs prepared from combustible cigarettes (cCSE) or HTPs (hCSE), and neurite length, cell viability, and apoptosis rates were assessed after 24 hours. The median BBB scale scores at 10 weeks postoperatively were significantly lower in the cCM (median 11 [IQR 11-11], p < 0.01) and hCM (11 [10-11], p < 0.01) groups than in the CM group (13 [13-15]). Hind paw withdrawal thresholds were higher in the cCM (median 26.0 g [IQR 26.0-60.0 g], p < 0.001) and hCM (26.0 g [26.0-60.0 g], p < 0.001) groups than in the CM group (15.0 g [10.0-15.0 g]). Histological analysis revealed increased neuronal loss, gray matter cavitation, and white matter demyelination. In PC12 cells, both extracts reduced neurite length (cCSE 13.4 ± 1.1 μm or hCSE 23.7 ± 11.4 μm vs untreated control 38.2 ± 15.4 μm, p < 0.001 for both), decreased viability (cCSE 0.041 ± 0.007 or hCSE 0.047 ± 0.007 vs untreated control 0.070 ± 0.015, p < 0.01 for both), and increased apoptosis (cCSE 53.6% ± 0.8% or hCSE 52.5% ± 1.2% vs untreated control 6.1% ± 1.0%, p < 0.01 for both). Both combustible cigarette and HTP extracts exacerbated neurological deterioration in a cervical myelopathy model. HTPs, despite their perceived safety, exhibited detrimental effects comparable to those from combustible cigarettes. These findings highlight the need to address all forms of tobacco use in patients with DCM treated conservatively.
Ultraviolet Germicidal Irradiation (UVGI) is an effective and flexible air disinfection method. However, without air mixing, the disinfection efficacy of an upper-room UVGI system is significantly compromised, as bioaerosols can remain in areas not effectively irradiated. Rotating lamps have been reported as an effective enhancement measure, but the underlying mechanism and applicable conditions remain unclear. In this study, bioaerosol decay by Ultraviolet (UV) inactivation alone under non-mixing conditions in a chamber (5.00 m × 2.25 m × 2.30 m) was simulated to investigate the enhancement effect of rotating lamps. Three lamp placements were examined: X-diagonal, X-middle, and Y-middle, which produced chamber-averaged UVGI levels of 0.78, 0.83, and 0.93 μW/cm², respectively. Two bioaerosol distribution patterns were considered by releasing aerosols from different injection locations. Compared with stationary lamps, rotating lamps increased the germicidal irradiance received by indoor bioaerosols under non-mixing conditions, thereby enhancing disinfection performance. Switching from stationary to rotating mode improved the Equivalent Air Change Rate (EACH) from 2.6/h-13.7/h to 9.8/h-17.5/h, corresponding to disinfection enhancements of 27.7-276.9%. When non-UV loss and thermal-plume-induced air mixing were included, the enhancement in EACH provided by rotating lamps diminished but remained appreciable, highlighting that lamp rotation is a reliable enhancement measure in practice.
In patients with mild traumatic brain injury (TBI; Glasgow Coma Scale scores 13-15), the presence of anticoagulant or antiplatelet therapy, collectively referred to as blood thinners (BTs), has been presumed to elevate the risk of intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) progression. Current Brain Injury Guidelines (BIG) automatically classify all patients receiving BTs as high-risk (modified BIG [mBIG] 3), requiring hospital admission and repeat imaging. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether BTs independently increase the risk of hemorrhage progression, surgical intervention, or mortality in mild TBI with ICH, and whether risk varies by specific BT agent. The authors conducted a retrospective cohort study of 2312 adult patients presenting with mild TBI and traumatic ICH at a level 1 trauma center (2016-2021). Patients were categorized by mBIG criteria and then reclassified using hemorrhage characteristics (reclassified mBIG [RmBIG]), excluding BT status. Outcomes included radiographic progression, surgical intervention, and in-hospital mortality. A subgroup analysis was performed to assess outcomes by specific BT type. Radiographic progression occurred in 14.1% of mBIG 3 patients versus 1.7% and 6.8% of mBIG 1 and 2 patients, respectively. Among reclassified patients, those receiving BTs had similar progression rates to non-BT patients within the same RmBIG category. Patients classified as mBIG 3 based only on BT use had significantly lower progression rates (11.9%) compared with those classified based on hemorrhage severity (18.1%, p < 0.001). Mortality and surgical intervention rates did not differ overall by BT status. In the BT subgroup analysis, warfarin was the only agent significantly associated with increased radiographic progression (OR 1.93, p = 0.01). Anticoagulant and antiplatelet therapy might not warrant automatic classification of all patients with mild TBI as high risk. While warfarin represents the upper end of the risk spectrum, most agents did not increase adverse outcomes. Refining BIG to incorporate hemorrhage features and agent-specific risk might improve patient care and resource utilization.
Spinal nerve sheath tumors (SNSTs) are most commonly benign tumors that present with pain. The aim of the study was to assess factors associated with new neurological deficits and recurrence in surgically treated SNSTs. All surgically treated SNSTs at a single institution over a 10-year period (2014-2023) were identified by searching the institution's histopathological database and neuro-oncology multidisciplinary team conference. Patient demographics, presenting symptoms, tumor characteristics, surgical procedures, use of intraoperative monitoring, neurofibromatosis (NF) status, neurological outcomes, and complications were recorded. There were 169 tumors in 165 patients (52.7% female, mean age 48.6 years) included in this analysis. The median duration of symptoms was 8.5 months (range 0.5-120 months). Presenting symptoms were pain (71.6%), motor deficit (26.6%), sensory deficit (22.5%), and bladder incontinence (5.9%), with incidental findings in 7.7% of cases. The median tumor diameter was 2.5 cm (range 0.6-21 cm). The gross-total resection rate was 63.9% and subtotal resection (STR) rate was 36.1%. Intraoperative neurophysiological monitoring (IONM) was used in 21.9% of cases. NF (NF type 1, NF type 2, or schwannomatosis) was present in 18.9%. Schwannoma was the most common diagnosis (82.8%, 140/169), followed by neurofibroma (13.6%, 23/169) and malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor (MPNST) (3.6%, 6/169). Four of 6 cases (66.6%) of MPNST were concurrent with NF. The overall complication rate was 22.5% (38/169). New motor weaknesses were seen in 5.3% of cases and were associated with larger tumors (p = 0.007). Nerve root sacrifice of motor nerves produced new motor deficit in 14.3% of cases that were intact preoperatively. The rate of new sensory deficit was 3.6% (6/169). Tumor recurrence occurred in 7.1% (12/169) of cases and was associated with female sex, STR, MPNST, and NF. The median time to recurrence was 22 months (range 1-48 months). IONM use was not associated with fewer complications. These findings suggest that surgical treatment of SNST is a safe and effective procedure. There was low risk of new motor weakness, with or without nerve root sacrifice, following surgery. Recurrence rates were low; however, the risk was increased for patients with STR, NF, MPNST, or neurofibroma. MPNST and SNST in NF are complex and difficult to manage, behaving differently than benign and sporadic nerve sheath tumors.
There has been an increase in the prevalence of erectile dysfunction (ED) in the general population especially among hypertensive patients. This seems to be neglected problem in low-income countries especially our environment with huge attendance consequences. Measures to address the risk factors are advocated as to reduce the burden of the disease and its financial impact on the economy. It is an important public health problem by the National Institute of Health Consensus Development Conference Panel. It has been found to be more associated with chronic medical conditions such as hypertension and diabetes mellitus. This study assessed erectile dysfunction and its associated risk factors among adult hypertensive patients attending a tertiary care centre, with a view to screening for erectile dysfunction, advocating for lifestyle modification in order to reduce the burden of the disease. It was a hospital-based cross-sectional comparative design which involved two hundred and thirty-six adult male patients recruited via a systematic random sampling technique. Data collection was done using a semi-structured researcher-administered pretested questionnaire to obtain information on the socio-demographic characteristics, past medical history, behavioural characteristics, clinical assessment and erectile dysfunction assessment using Sexual Health Inventory for Men (SHIM). Data was analyzed with SPSS (version 23). Chi square test, fisher's test and logistic regression were used for analysis. The mean age of respondents was 42.1±15.17 years. Out of the 41.1% young age category; 40.7% and 41.5% were hypertensive and non-hypertensive respectively. An overall prevalence of erectile dysfunction of 44.1% with higher prevalence in hypertensive (54.2%) than non-hypertensive (33.9%) respondents was noted. There was a significant difference when ED was compared in the two groups (hypertensive and non-hypertensive) (p<0.05). The study also revealed that body mass index has a significant association with erectile dysfunction (P<0.05). The logistic regression showed that blood pressure (SBP and DBP) and BMI were predictors of erectile dysfunction (p=0.010), (OR=2.026, 95% CI=1.180-3.479) and (p= 0.048), (OR=0.688, 95% CI= 0.372-1.271). In as much as smoking and the class of anti-hypertensive medications used by the respondents had no significant association with erectile dysfunction, hypertension and obesity were independently associated with erectile dysfunction. Alcohol use was also significantly associated with erectile dysfunction, but such as an associated vanished on elimination of cofounders.
Column length is traditionally considered a primary determinant of separation performance in liquid chromatography, with resolution expected to increase with increasing column length (efficiency). However, in gradient elution mode, this assumption neglects the potential intercorrelation between column length, gradient conditions, and selectivity. In this work, the role of column length in gradient separations is revisited. Model calculations were performed to analyze resolution as a function of column length and gradient time for systems exhibiting either "efficiency-limited" or "selectivity-limited" behavior. A selectivity sensitivity parameter (χ) was introduced to distinguish between these regimes. It is shown that in efficiency-limited systems, resolution increases monotonically with column length, consistent with classical chromatographic theory. In contrast, selectivity-limited systems exhibit a finite optimum column length due to gradient-induced compression of peak spacing, leading to conditions where shorter columns provide higher resolution than longer ones, at a specific gradient time. These findings demonstrate that column length optimization in gradient liquid chromatography requires simultaneous consideration of efficiency and selectivity. Although this study represents a proof-of-concept (based on model systems), it provides a foundation for the development of graphical tools and optimization strategies for practical method development.