The Scientific World Journal最新文献

{"title":"Effect of Retreatment Protocols on the Push-Out Bond Strength of Hydraulic Calcium Silicate Cement in Open-Apex Teeth.","authors":"Faraz Seyedforootan, Noushin Shokouhinejad, Fatemeh Hamidzadeh","doi":"10.1155/tswj/8891215","DOIUrl":"10.1155/tswj/8891215","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>During retreatment, complete removal of previous obturation materials is essential, as remnants may compromise adhesion. This study evaluated the effect of four retreatment protocols on the push-out bond strength of RetroMTA (BioMTA, Seoul, Korea), a fast-setting calcium silicate-based material, used as an apical barrier in teeth with open apices that had been previously obturated with gutta-percha and AH26 sealer.</p><p><strong>Materials and methods: </strong>Sixty extracted single-rooted human teeth were instrumented and obturated using lateral condensation and then stored in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) at 37°C for 4 weeks. Specimens were randomly assigned to four groups (n = 15): mechanical retreatment, mechanical retreatment with passive ultrasonic irrigation (PUI), chloroform-assisted retreatment, and chloroform-assisted retreatment with PUI. After retreatment, the apical 5 mm of each canal was obturated with RetroMTA and stored for another 4 weeks. Push-out bond strength was measured using a universal testing machine. Data were analyzed using two-way ANOVA. The significance level was set at α = 0.05.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Chloroform use did not significantly affect the push-out bond strength of RetroMTA (p = 0.349). In contrast, PUI significantly increased bond strength regardless of solvent use (p < 0.001). No significant interaction was observed between chloroform and PUI.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Within the limitations of this ex vivo study, PUI significantly enhanced the bond strength of RetroMTA to root dentin, whereas chloroform provided no additional benefit.</p>","PeriodicalId":22985,"journal":{"name":"The Scientific World Journal","volume":"2026 1","pages":"e8891215"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13282278/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148284592","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The Differences of Remineralization Potential of Bioactive Resin Infiltration and Conventional Resin Infiltration on Artificial Demineralized Enamel.","authors":"Kemporn Kitsahawong, Apa Juntavee, Niwut Juntavee, Chalita Suwannasuk, Chayapha Siriwatthanamethanon, Nattanicha Buddeesee, Rachata Somsub","doi":"10.1155/tswj/3585365","DOIUrl":"10.1155/tswj/3585365","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Management of demineralized enamel has focused on the use of materials for remineralization. This study compared the remineralization potential of bioactive remineralizing resin (2R) with conventional resin (CR) infiltration on demineralized enamel.</p><p><strong>Material and methods: </strong>Sixty demineralized enamel premolars were generated, allocated for three groups for infiltration with 2R, CR, and no treatment (NT), and subjected to pH cycling. Samples were determined for microhardness of enamel at the levels 50-100-200-300 μm from the external surface. Polarized light microscopy (PLM) and energy dispersive spectroscopy were assessed for infiltration depth and calcium/phosphorus ratio (Ca/P). ANOVA and Fisher's test were analyzed for significant differences in microhardness and Ca/P among groups (α = 0.05).</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>2R exhibited significantly higher hardness and Ca/P to demineralized enamel than CR and NT for every depth (p < 0.05), except for the hardness of 2R versus CR at 50 and 100 μm, and Ca/P of 2R-100 and 200 μm versus CR-50 μm. 2R showed significantly higher infiltration and remineralization to demineralized enamel than CR and NT. PLM denoted a greater decrease in depth of carious lesion for 2R, compared with CR, with no depth reduction for NT.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>2R is capable of penetrating and enhancing the hardness of demineralized enamel more than CR, compared with NT. Increasing Ca/P upon infiltration with 2R over CR and NT denoted the capability of remineralization to carious lesions. A decrease in the depth of carious lesions was observed upon 2R application, more than CR and NT.</p><p><strong>Clinical relevance: </strong>2R infiltration demonstrated an effective remineralization material for handling initial carious lesions in dental practice.</p>","PeriodicalId":22985,"journal":{"name":"The Scientific World Journal","volume":"2026 1","pages":"e3585365"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13150433/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147843163","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Geographical Variation in Centella asiatica (L.) Urban: Morphological Adaptations Associated With Distinct Phytochemical Signals and Bioactivity of Extracts.","authors":"Mingle A Pistanty, Okid Parama Astirin, Soerya Dewi Marliyana, Solichatun Solichatun","doi":"10.1155/tswj/3298125","DOIUrl":"10.1155/tswj/3298125","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Centella asiatica (L.) Urban is a medicinal plant whose extract quality can vary with environmental context and associated differences in plant morphology and secondary metabolism. This study examined how geographical variation across three Indonesian agroecological regions (Kediri, Kulon Progo, and Tawangmangu) is associated with morphological variation, qualitative phytochemical profiles, and measured bioactivity of C. asiatica extracts. Comparative analyses revealed distinct region-specific morphological traits that covaried with differences in extraction yield, qualitative phytochemical signals, antioxidant capacity, and photoprotective activity. Among the tested solvent systems, ethanol consistently produced extracts with broader metabolite-class signals and higher measured bioactivity. The high-altitude Tawangmangu accession extracted with ethanol showed the lowest IC₅₀ and the highest SPF values in this dataset, a pattern consistent with the working interpretation of eco-phytochemical association along an environmental gradient. Factorial statistical analyses indicated significant effects of accession, solvent polarity, and their interaction on extract quality and bioactivity. Overall, the findings support the importance of integrating geographical origin and extraction strategy when selecting plant sources for standardized botanical extracts while acknowledging that mechanistic causation was not tested.</p>","PeriodicalId":22985,"journal":{"name":"The Scientific World Journal","volume":"2026 1","pages":"e3298125"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13176621/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147943026","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Impact of Endodontic Treatment of Teeth With Apical Periodontitis on Levels of Inflammatory Biomarkers Associated With Cardiovascular Risk: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.","authors":"Carolina Viana Vasco Lyra, Jéssica Meirinhos Miranda, Renata de Albuquerque Cavalcanti Almeida, Marina da Cunha Isaltino, Ana Virginia Silva Vilela, Marleny Elizabeth Márquez de Martínez Gerbi, Diana Santana de Albuquerque, Natália Gomes de Oliveira","doi":"10.1155/tswj/5896031","DOIUrl":"10.1155/tswj/5896031","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Apical periodontitis (AP) is an inflammatory response to microbial infection of the root canal system. The microorganisms that cause AP can modulate the host's immune response by secreting inflammatory biomarkers, which might be associated with cardiovascular diseases.</p><p><strong>Objective: </strong>To evaluate the existing evidence on the relationship between endodontic treatment of teeth with AP and changes in the levels of inflammatory biomarkers associated with cardiovascular risk.</p><p><strong>Materials and methods: </strong>This systematic review was registered in PROSPERO (CRD42024574082) and followed the PRISMA guidelines (2020) and Cochrane Handbook (2023). Searches were performed in April 2025 in Medline/PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Scopus, Cochrane, LILACS, and gray literature, with no publication year restrictions. The PICO strategy was followed: (1) population: healthy adult patients with AP; (2) intervention: evaluation of the levels of inflammatory biomarkers of cardiovascular disease risk (IL-6, hs-CRP, IL-1β, TNF-α, and others) before and after endodontic procedures; (3) comparison: the same patients before any endodontic intervention; and (4) outcomes: reduction in the levels of cardiovascular disease risk biomarkers.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Twenty clinical studies were included in the qualitative analysis, and 18 reported a reduction in inflammatory biomarkers after endodontic treatment. A meta-analysis evaluated hs-CRP at 1 and 6 months post-treatment, as well as IL-6 and TNF-α at 6 months and 1 year post-treatment and IL-1β at 6 months. There was a significant reduction in hs-CRP 6 months post-treatment. No significant changes were found in the other biomarkers.</p><p><strong>Conclusion and recommendations: </strong>A significant reduction in hs-CRP was observed 6 months after endodontic treatment. However, there was no association between endodontic treatment of teeth with AP and the reduction in the other biomarkers evaluated in this systematic review and meta-analysis. Furthermore, the certainty of evidence was classified as low according to the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) system, mainly because of the heterogeneity across primary studies and the lack of adequate control for potential confounding factors such as marginal periodontitis and smoking, which are linked to increased systemic inflammatory burden. Well-designed clinical trials using rigorous control of these factors, standardized methodologies, and longer follow-up periods are needed to confirm these findings.</p>","PeriodicalId":22985,"journal":{"name":"The Scientific World Journal","volume":"2026 1","pages":"e5896031"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13106982/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147781937","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Evaluation of Arch Dimensions and Bolton Ratio in Manual and Artificial Intelligence Tooth Segmentation.","authors":"Sara M Al-Mashhadany, Dheaa Al-Groosh, Ammar Sh Al-Ubaydi","doi":"10.1155/tswj/7598703","DOIUrl":"10.1155/tswj/7598703","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>A 3D tooth model segmented with the use of deep learning (DL) method program (CephX) as well as MIMICS software (manual segmentation) will be evaluated for reliability in the presented work. In addition, the segmented model was compared with the intraoral scan (IOS)-generated 3D tooth model in terms of the Bolton ratio and arch dimensions.</p><p><strong>Methods and materials: </strong>A total of 30 patients attending the College of Dentistry/University of Baghdad with records of IOSs and CBCT scans were included. CBCT has been transformed into a 3D digital tooth model segmented with the use of MIMICS software and an AI-based program (CephX), and the Bolton ratio and arch dimensions (length and width) were measured utilizing Geomagic Control X software. Statistical analyses, including the mean and standard deviation, were performed, and a paired t-test was used to assess the systematic bias between the three methods. Bland-Altman plots and intraclass correlation (ICC) analysis were used to assess the agreement between the three methods.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The means of CephX, MIMICS, and IOS of all analyses were mostly similar, and the difference between them was greatest in the anterior Bolton ratio of IOS and CephX images. The systematic bias demonstrated no significant difference (p value > 0.05) between CephX and MIMICS, but CephX versus IOS and MIMICS versus IOS demonstrated significant differences (p value < 0.05) in several measurements, such as Bolton ratios and arch length. Agreement using ICC revealed good to excellent reliability overall, but moderate agreement in overall Bolton between MIMICS-IOS and between CephX-IOS, anterior Bolton and interpremolar distance between CephX-MIMICS, and poor agreement in anterior Bolton between MIMICS-IOS and between CephX-IOS was found. Bland-Altman plots showed that CephX and MIMICS were consistent, implying minimal systematic bias.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Digital and AI-driven tooth segmentation (MIMICS and CephX), and IOS methods generally provide consistent and reliable measurements in terms of the Bolton ratio and arch dimensions. However, caution is advised when interpreting certain Bolton ratio values because discrepancies and lower agreement may occur.</p>","PeriodicalId":22985,"journal":{"name":"The Scientific World Journal","volume":"2026 1","pages":"e7598703"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13178285/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147949605","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Oxidative Stress, Antioxidant Capacity, Dyslipidemia and Cardiovascular Risk in Sickle Cell Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.","authors":"Josué Louokdom Simo, Romaric De Manfouo Tuono, Maryline Seuko Njopwouo, Claude Tagny Tayou","doi":"10.1155/tswj/8864775","DOIUrl":"10.1155/tswj/8864775","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Background: &lt;/strong&gt;Sickle cell disease is a human hemoglobinopathy associated with high hemolytic capacity. Hemoglobin S (HbS) polymerization is a primary pathophysiological event in sickle cell anemia. Despite numerous studies conducted to understand the pathophysiology of the disease, including oxidative imbalance and cardiovascular risk, questions still arise. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to evaluate studies linking oxidative stress, lipid profile, and dyslipidemia in sickle cell patients, predisposing them to atherogenic risk.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Methods: &lt;/strong&gt;The systematic review of databases and search engines was conducted over 24 years (2000-2024) worldwide, according to the guidelines of PRISMA and the Cochrane Handbook. Research articles were searched in the PubMed and Web of Science databases. Only case-control articles were retained. Data were extracted from the articles and analyzed using R version 4.3.2, with a common-effect model for meta-analyses. Heterogeneity was assessed using I&lt;sup&gt;2&lt;/sup&gt; statistics. The standardized mean difference (SMD) was used to assess the extent of the disease on the different parameters studied. Heterogeneity across individual studies was assessed using Higgins's inconsistency Q statistics and reported as I&lt;sup&gt;2&lt;/sup&gt; and p-values. ROBINS-E was used to assess the risk of bias in the included studies.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Results: &lt;/strong&gt;A total of 405 studies were initially identified; after the elimination of duplicates and studies not meeting the objectives of the review, 25 studies were finally included in the meta-analyses. The reported SMDs using a common-effect model were 1.15 [0.96; 1.34] (p &lt;0.01) for Lactate Dehydrogenase (LDH), 1.03 [0.48; 1.53] (p &lt;0.01) for Myeloperoxidase (MPO), and 1.13 [0.96; 1.29] (p &lt;0.01) for Malondialdehyde (MDA), reflecting the strong influence of sickle cell disease on hemolysis and the production of lipid peroxidation markers compared with normal controls. The antioxidant markers Glutathione Peroxidase (GPx), Reduced Glutathione (GSH), catalase, Superoxide Dismutase (SOD), and Total Antioxidant Capacity (TAC) reported respective SMDs of -1.97 [-2.32; -1.63] (p &lt;0.01), -3.01 [-3.50; -2.52] (p &lt;0.01), -1.39 [-1.58; -1.20] (p &lt;0.01), -1.99 [-1.92; -1.47] (p &lt;0.01), and-1.58 [-1.90; -1.25] (p &lt;0.01), reflecting the strong negative influence of sickle cell disease on the activity of these enzymes. The evaluated lipid profiles reported dyslipidemia and an atherogenic risk characterized by a significant negative influence on plasma concentrations of Total Cholesterol (TC), High-Density Lipoprotein cholesterol (HDLc), and Low-Density Lipoprotein cholesterol (LDLc), with respective SMDs of -1.32 [-1.42; -1.21] (p &lt;0.01), -0.84 [-0.94; -0.73] (p &lt;0.01), and-2.54 [-3.15; -1.93]. Conversely, a significant influence of sickle cell disease was observed on the triglycerides/HDL-c ratio and triglycerides, characterized by respective SMDs of 1.58 [1.41; 1","PeriodicalId":22985,"journal":{"name":"The Scientific World Journal","volume":"2026 1","pages":"e8864775"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13140369/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147445229","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Urban and Home-Based Vegetable Gardening Practices in Ethiopia: A Review on Challenges, Opportunities, and Perspectives.","authors":"Mengistu Wubie Birhanu, Zebyder Temesgen Negussie","doi":"10.1155/tswj/6484062","DOIUrl":"10.1155/tswj/6484062","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Rapid urbanization, driven by the search for better opportunities and improved living conditions, has led to rising unemployment and limited access to nutritious and affordable food. Urban and home-based vegetable gardening has emerged as a practical strategy to address food insecurity, malnutrition, and environmental degradation in rapidly urbanizing areas. This review synthesizes evidence from peer-reviewed articles published between 2015 and 2025 (following PRISMA protocol) to assess the status, challenges, and opportunities of home vegetable gardening in Ethiopia. It highlights key challenges, including limited access to land and clean water, gendered barriers to women, limited technical knowledge, inadequate extension services, and weak institutional support, all of which hinder production and sustainability. Moreover, the widespread use of untreated wastewater for irrigation poses significant health and environmental risks due to heavy metal contamination and causes soil-transmitted infectious diseases. Despite these challenges, opportunities such as utilizing vacant urban lots, promoting vertical gardening, and supporting local seed production remain untapped. Furthermore, although government support for urban gardening has grown recently, its implementation remains inconsistent. This review also identifies a significant geographical gap within the literature, with gardening practices and interventions concentrated in Addis Ababa, Sidama, Amhara, and Tigray. Effective interventions should focus on expanding and scaling up, enhancing institutional capacity, strengthening extension systems, encouraging sustainable practices, and integrating urban vegetable gardening into broader food system planning. Addressing these issues can enhance the role of vegetable gardening as a vital element of resilient urban development and food system transformation.</p>","PeriodicalId":22985,"journal":{"name":"The Scientific World Journal","volume":"2026 1","pages":"e6484062"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13434222/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148670654","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Bridging the Maize Yield Gap: Empirical Evidence on the Adoption of BH660 Hybrid Variety in West Gojjam, Ethiopia.","authors":"Belete Animaw, Silabat Enyew, Gebyaw Demeke","doi":"10.1155/tswj/1556629","DOIUrl":"10.1155/tswj/1556629","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The adoption of agricultural technology by smallholder farmers plays a pivotal role in accelerating Ethiopia's economic transformation, particularly within the agricultural sector. Despite government policy initiatives that actively support agricultural technology, there is still a significant adoption gap among smallholder farmers because of institutional, environmental, and resource limitations. This study is aimed at exploring the factors influencing the adoption of the improved maize variety, BH660, among smallholder farmers in Womberma district, West Gojjam Zone, Amhara Regional State. The research utilized primary cross-sectional data collected from a total sample of 370 smallholder farmers. A multistage sampling method was employed, with respondents selected using a probability proportional technique. The collected data were analyzed using a binary logit model to identify the most significant determinants of BH660 adoption. With 79.08% of the observations properly classified (80.85% sensitivity and 77.20% specificity), the empirical model showed a strong fit. The results of the regression analysis showed that BH660 adoption was positively and statistically significantly impacted by gender, educational attainment, and access to training, market information, positive behavioral attitudes, and agricultural experience. In particular, calculated marginal effects showed that the likelihood of adopting the hybrid seed was raised by 43.5% and 28.4%, respectively, by having a favorable behavioral attitude and receiving regular market information. Adoption likelihood was also raised by 25.4%, 28.2%, and 25.5% for men, literacy, and training and by 0.8% for every year of farming experience. Based on these results, regional policy actors can take advantage of these important drivers by putting in place functional adult literacy programs, growing Farmer Training Center activities, and adopting gender-responsive extension frameworks to effectively increase adoption rates and foster sustainable agricultural development.</p>","PeriodicalId":22985,"journal":{"name":"The Scientific World Journal","volume":"2026 1","pages":"e1556629"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13409030/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148607665","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Ethnobotanical Survey of Medicinal Plants Utilized by Traditional Healers in Managing Respiratory Tract Infections in the Kagera Region, Tanzania.","authors":"Neema Gideon Mogha, Pamela Epaphra Sola, Elbert Anyambilile Mbukwa, Olivia John Kalokora","doi":"10.1155/tswj/5274014","DOIUrl":"10.1155/tswj/5274014","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Respiratory tract infections (RTIs) are the primary cause of morbidity and mortality in many low-and middle-income countries. In most of these countries, including Tanzania, medicinal plants (MPs) are primarily used to manage various ailments, though the majority are not yet documented. Therefore, this study is aimed at documenting MPs used by traditional healers (THs) in managing respiratory infections (RTIs) in the Kagera region. A cross-sectional survey was conducted in the Bukoba, Misenyi and Karagwe districts of the Kagera region using interviews, a semistructured questionnaire and field excursions. Ethnobotanical information on MPs' local names, plant parts used, preparation methods, route of administration, and threats were documented. Twenty-eight plant species from 21 families were recorded, whereby Lamiaceae (14.3%) was the dominant family. Out of 28 MPs documented Ocimum gratissimum L. (Lamiaceae) had the highest relative frequency of citation (RFC) (0.56), followed by Eucalyptus camaldulensis Dehnh. (Myrtaceae) and Citrus limon Osbeck (Rutaceae) (0.33 each). Informant consensus factor (ICF) for RTIs was 0.70. Trees (50%) and leaves (57.1%) were the most prevalent growth form and plant part used, respectively. Decoction (64%) was the most common method used to prepare remedies, and most remedies were administered orally (68%). Urbanisation (29%) and agricultural expansion (24%) reported to threaten MPs existence in the study areas. The findings from this study revealed that the local people from Kagera region are using MPs for management of RTIs, and THs have high level of agreements regarding the specific plant species to manage RTIs, which indicated by extensive knowledge of using them. Most of species reported have been proven to possess different bioactive compounds with pharmacological activities. Therefore, plants reported in this study are important candidate for further studies on their safety and toxicology. Moreover, following MP threats reported in this study, education on conservation initiatives is recommended to ensure their survival and sustainable utilisation.</p>","PeriodicalId":22985,"journal":{"name":"The Scientific World Journal","volume":"2026 1","pages":"e5274014"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13366101/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148438176","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Investigating the Adsorption of Congo Red From Aqueous Solutions on Naturally Occurring and Acid-Activated Libyan Bentonite.","authors":"Salha M Aghila, Hana A Jamhour, Abdulhakim A Jangher, Basher M Mahara, Ibrahim M Hamammu, Daefalla M Tawati","doi":"10.1155/tswj/6075083","DOIUrl":"10.1155/tswj/6075083","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This study investigates the potential of Libyan bentonite as an eco-friendly and sustainable adsorbent for the removal of Congo red (CR) dye from aqueous solutions. Natural and acid-activated bentonite samples were collected from the Umm al-Razm region of Libya. Experimental conditions, such as initial CR concentrations (10-60 ppm), pH values (5-10), contact times (5-120 min), temperatures (25°C-55°C), and adsorbent doses (0.001-0.007 g), were applied to natural and acid-activated bentonite samples drawn from Umm al-Razm, Libya, using a batch adsorption approach. Acid activation significantly improved the adsorption performance compared to the natural material. The Freundlich isotherm model describes the adsorption of the CR onto both materials, according to equilibrium data. This conformance highlights the heterogeneous adsorption process involving multilayer formation. Furthermore, thermodynamic analysis definitively proved the process to be endothermic and spontaneous, confirming that increasing the temperature enhances the adsorption capacity. These results offer critical insights into the physicochemical modifications induced by acid activation and illustrate the basic concepts of the mechanism governing CR uptake. The findings offer important insights for developing targeted surface engineering strategies that effectively tackle the inherent electrostatic challenges faced in the design of adsorbent materials.</p>","PeriodicalId":22985,"journal":{"name":"The Scientific World Journal","volume":"2026 1","pages":"e6075083"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13181331/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147963812","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}