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Background: In the investigation of sexual assault cases, a standard practice involves examining female genitalia to identify injuries. The majority of research was done to examine findings in the child age group, but very little research was done on the adult age group. There is a need for guidelines to follow for the interpretation of adult female findings as they hold the same significance as in children. The Dammam Forensic Medicine Center conducted a retrospective chart review study in the period from 2014 to 2021 to examine adult female genital findings utilizing photographic documentation. Results: One hundred sixty-three cases involving adults between the ages of 18 and 52 were examined. Cases were divided into two groups to focus on hymenal findings that fell in the class of no expert consensus. The first group included self-defined virgins, who denied having ever experienced vaginal penetration in their entire lives, including the reported incidence, which represented 38 cases. The rest of the cases had at least a single incident of vaginal penetration. The normal genitourinary findings were found comparable to those in the child age group. All of the participants who showed notches or clefts, below the 3 o'clock or 9 o'clock location, which extends nearly to the base of the hymen, but is not a complete transection belonged to the group with a history of vaginal penetration. The three participants who showed a notch or a cleft in the hymen rim at 3 o'clock or 9 o'clock which extends nearly to the base of the hymen, but is not a complete transection belonged to the same group. Conclusions: Findings that lack expert consensus in the child age group are likely the result of injury in the study participants. This result gives valuable information on genital findings in self-identified virgin adult females, which can be utilized in conjunction with other studies to establish standards for the assessment of cases of alleged sexual assault in adult females. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background In the investigation of sexual assault cases, a standard practice involves examining female genitalia to identify injuries. The majority of research was done to examine findings in the child age group, but very little research was done on the adult age group. There is a need for guidelines to follow for the interpretation of adult female findings as they hold the same significance as in children. The Dammam Forensic Medicine Center conducted a retrospective chart review study in the period from 2014 to 2021 to examine adult female genital findings utilizing photographic documentation. Results One hundred sixty-three cases involving adults between the ages of 18 and 52 were examined. Cases were divided into two groups to focus on hymenal findings that fell in the class of no expert consensus. The first group included self-defined virgins, who denied having ever experienced vaginal penetration in their entire lives, including the reported incidence, which represented 38 cases. The rest of the cases had at least a single incident of vaginal penetration. The normal genitourinary findings were found comparable to those in the child age group. All of the participants who showed notches or clefts, below the 3 o’clock or 9 o’clock location, which extends nearly to the base of the hymen, but is not a complete transection belonged to the group with a history of vaginal penetration. The three participants who showed a notch or a cleft in the hymen rim at 3 o’clock or 9 o’clock which extends nearly to the base of the hymen, but is not a complete transection belonged to the same group. Conclusions Findings that lack expert consensus in the child age group are likely the result of injury in the study participants. This result gives valuable information on genital findings in self-identified virgin adult females, which can be utilized in conjunction with other studies to establish standards for the assessment of cases of alleged sexual assault in adult females.

In internally fertilizing species, an individual's mating history (whether they have previously participated in a successful mating interaction) can influence a range of mating behaviours. For example, mating often leads to a reduction in how responsive individuals are to future mating opportunities, especially for females. This fits the prediction of sexual selection theory that unmated individuals should be highly responsive to sexual stimuli to ensure a mating. This has led many researchers to prefer to use only unmated females in mating experiments, to maximize the likelihood that females will respond to sexual stimuli. However, other studies show contrasting results, and this effect has not yet been quantified formally. There is also some evidence that males of some species become less responsive after mating. This means it is unclear how general this behavioural change is, whether it occurs in both sexes, or whether it differs across taxonomic groups. I present a formal meta-analysis of 41 studies and 38 animal (mostly arthropod) species, which confirmed that female responsiveness to future mating opportunities is significantly reduced after mating. However, I found no consistent evidence for such an effect in males. This may be due to the greater mating potential of males compared to females, meaning that males typically benefit from further matings while females do not. I also collate evidence suggesting that most mating experiments probably exclusively use only unmated females. I use this evidence to consider how male and female mating history should influence how we design mating experiments. • Mating often leads to a reduction in how sexually responsive individuals are. • I performed a meta-analysis comparing the effect of mating on responsiveness. • Across 26 species, female responsiveness is significantly reduced after mating. • I found no consistent evidence for such an effect in males. • Researchers often prefer to use only unmated females in mating experiments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Burdur Theology Journal / Burdur İlahiyat Dergisi is the property of Burdur Mehmet Akif Ersoy Universitesi lahiyat Fakultesi Dergisi and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This work is devoted to studying the wood–polymer composites (WPCs), which are processed by combining Moroccan pinaster (Pinus pinaster) and high-density polyethylene (HDPE) in virgin and recycled forms. The results show that the density increases as the wood content in WPC increases in the presence of 7wt% CaCO3. In addition, it was found that as the wood content in WPC increased, the water absorption and swelling at 2 h and 24 h increased. When using HDPE and 7wt% CaCO3 to develop WPC, the water absorption and swelling properties are reduced. The water saturation of the studied WPC was reached after 31 days. The scanning electron microscopy characterization of WPC samples showed that the morphology of the wood is affected by the polymer content and the amount of added CaCO3. This finding is well confirmed with the results of water absorption and thickness swelling. For all the manufactured composite materials in this work, the value of the diffusion constant n is very close to 0.5 and the water absorption is more likely to be close to the Fick behavior. The water diffusion coefficient in WPC decreases with the increase in polymer content and the addition of 7wt% of CaCO3. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Veterinarska Stanica is the property of Croatian Veterinary Institute and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Since the entry into force of the new French bioethics law, procreation by single women has taken on a much greater importance than anticipated in the requests for medically assisted procreation. Being able to put sexuality aside in procreation is becoming a possibility that some women are seizing as part of an explicit project to procreate on their own, a phenomenon that is evident in the evolution of requests for gametes. If on a subjective level the world of procreation and sexuality are disconnected, are they also in the process of becoming so in the reality of conceiving a child? Procreation among single women, some still very young, some claiming to be asexual, others being biologically virgins and sometimes wishing to remain so, raises questions about a clinical change underway in maternity and its subjective origins. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The role of the Virgin Mary in biblical texts is insubstantial. In fact, except for the first chapter of the Gospel of Luke, Mary never returns as a central figure of any other biblical story. This was one of the reasons for the appearance of the Apocryphal books. They calmed the insatiable curiosity of popular devotion and filled in the gaps of the gospels related to the life of Mary and the infancy of Jesus, which aroused such interest in believers, who were hungry for details. Nevertheless, over centuries, the Virgin cult has reached incredible dimensions. Indeed, today, Mary has many roles in the Catholic Church: Mother of God, perpetual Virgin, immaculately conceived and ascended to heaven in body and soul, where she will reign forever. From being a humble servant of God, she has passed over to being the Queen of Heaven, receiving divine status. This transcendence of the Virgin Mary figure in the Catholic religion is because, more than an historical character, the Virgin is presented as a theological symbol which has filled a deep need of the psyche to balance the excessively masculine in the Judeo-Christian tradition with the feminine aspect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Olive (Olea europaea L.) oil accumulate more diacylglycerols (DAG) than mostly vegetable oils. Unsaturated fatty acids-enriched DAG consumption enhanced wellness in subjects. However, the mechanism of DAG accumulation is not yet fully understood. Methods: In this study, gene network of DAG accumulation and fatty acid composition in the two olive mesocarps ("Chenggu 32" (CG) and "Koroneiki" (QJ)) were investigated by integrating lipidome and transcriptome techniques. Results: A total of 1,408 lipid molecules were identified by lipidomic analysis in olive mesocarp, of which DAG (DAG36:3, DAG36:4 and DAG36:5) showed higher content, and triacylglycerols (TAG54:3, TAG54:4) exhibited opposite trend in CG. Specifically, DAG was rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids (especially C18:2) at the sn- 2 position, which was inconsistent with TAG at the same positions (Primarily C18:1). Transcriptomic analysis revealed that phospholipase C (NPC, EC 3.1.4.3) were up-regulated relative to QJ, whereas diacylglycerol kinase (ATP) (DGK, EC 2.7.1.107), diacylglycerol acyltransferase (DGAT, EC 2.3.1.20), and phospholipid: diacylglycerol acyltransferase (PDAT, EC 2.3.1.158) were down-regulated. Conclusion: We speculated that the non-acyl coenzyme A pathway played a significant role in DAG biosynthesis. Additionally, fatty acyl-ACP thioesterase B (FATB, EC 3.1.2.14), stearoyl [acyl-carrier-protein] 9-desaturase (SAD, EC 1.14.19.2) and omega-6 fatty acid desaturase (FAD2, EC 1.14.19.6) were highly expressed in CG and may be involved in regulating fatty acid composition. Meanwhile, phospholipase A1 (LCAT, EC 3.1.1.32) involved in the acyl editing reaction facilitated PUFA linkage at the sn-2 position of DAG. Our findings provide novel insights to increase the DAG content, improve the fatty acid composition of olive oil, and identify candidate genes for the production of DAG-rich oils. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Composite insulators are popular choice in contemporary power industry due to their numerous advantages. When these insulators are subject to various stresses, their performance gets affected due to the material degradation. One of the methods to improve the material property is to incorporate inorganic nanofillers. In this work, aluminum oxide nanofillers, synthesized in the laboratory using a solution combustion process were used and studied. The nano range was ascertained with X-ray diffraction. Those fillers were mixed in the silicone rubber specimens in 0, 1, 3, and 5 wt % concentrations. They were more rapidly aged under UV radiation, temperature, humidity and electric stresses. Dry and wet flashover tests were carried out on both virgin and aged samples, and the results showed that the concentration of 3 wt % offered a better breakdown voltage. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy revealed percentage variations in the properties of the aged specimens, the aging resistance, degradation resistance, hydrophobicity, oxidation resistance, and erosion resistance were significantly better in 3 wt % Al2O3 filled samples. Scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy images showed that at 3 wt % concentration there was a fairly uniform distribution of nanofillers in the silicone base and there was the least ingress of water at same weight percentage of specimens. Their improvements in the insulation property is primarily attributed to the fair distribution of nano Al2O3 fillers into the silicone base, a good Si–CH3 bond structure, a low carbon cross linking and good percolation, which makes them the best candidates for outdoor insulation of power systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Different species of Drosophila show evolutionary specializations in host preference, habitat choice, and morphology. Therefore, the selection of different species belonging to the Drosophila genus is advantageous for understanding evolutionary adaptations to certain environments. In particular, two taxonomically close species, Drosophila melanogaster and Drosophila suzukii, are known to have distinct habitats; D. melanogaster is mostly found near overripe, decaying, abandoned, and fermented fruits, whereas D. suzukii is attracted to fresh fruits. The infection of microorganisms promotes fruit fermentation accompanied by the production of large amounts of chemicals. Therefore, chemical concentrations are typically higher in fermented fruits than in fresh fruits. Considering the distinct habitats of the two flies, D. melanogaster and D. suzukii are thought to be more attracted to high and low concentrations of chemicals, respectively. In this study, Y-tube olfactometer and electroantennogram assays revealed that D. melanogaster had a higher preference for relatively high concentrations of 2-phenylethanol, ethanol, and acetic acid than that of D. suzukii. In the comparison between virgin and mated females of D. melanogaster, mated flies were more attracted to high concentrations of chemicals than virgin flies. These results suggest that high concentrations of chemicals are an important attraction factor for D. melanogaster seeking appropriate sites for oviposition. Two taxonomically similar Drosophila species, Drosophila melanogaster and Drosophila suzukii, are known to have distinct habitats: D. melanogaster is mostly found near overripe and fermented fruits, whereas D. suzukii is attracted to fresh fruits. Since chemical concentrations are typically higher in overripe and fermented fruits than in fresh fruits, D. melanogaster is hypothesized to be attracted to higher concentrations of volatiles than D. suzukii. Therefore, the chemical preferences of the two flies were compared via Y-tube olfactometer assays and electroantennogram (EAG) experiments using various concentrations of 2-phenylethanol, ethanol, and acetic acid. D. melanogaster exhibited a higher preference for high concentrations of all the chemicals than that of D. suzukii. In particular, since acetic acid is mostly produced at the late stage of fruit fermentation, the EAG signal distance to acetic acid between the two flies was higher than those to 2-phenylethanol and ethanol. This supports the hypothesis that D. melanogaster prefers fermented fruits compared to D. suzukii. When comparing virgin and mated female D. melanogaster, mated females showed a higher preference for high concentrations of chemicals than that of virgin females. In conclusion, high concentrations of volatiles are important attraction factors for mated females seeking appropriate sites for oviposition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This entry traces the development of the Christian understanding of virginity with specific attention to theology and embodied, ecclesial practice. Often reductively assumed to be the bodily state of one (usually a woman) who has not had sexual intercourse, this entry examines virginity more broadly as a rich and complex theological tradition in Christianity. Throughout the Christian tradition, virginity is associated with the integrity, or intactness, of the virginal person and of the church as embodied and represented by that virginal person. Whether ordained as a consecrated virgin, avowed as a nun or lay virgin, or pledged to virginity temporarily, Christian virgins are understood as bound to Christ in an intimate relationship. While Western and Eastern Christianity maintain different emphases regarding virginity, in general virgins represent the body of Christ, their physical bodies functioning as icons, intact against the incursion of heresy, and as exemplary witnesses of purity.

Obstructed hemivagina and ipsilateral renal anomaly (OHVIRA) is a rare malformation that not only causes severe menstrual cramps shortly after menarche but can also lead to endometriosis and infection in the future. We report a case of OHVIRA successfully managed by vaginoscopic excision of the vaginal septum. A 12‐year‐old virgin girl presented to our hospital with dysmenorrhea and lower abdominal pain. OHVIRA was diagnosed using magnetic resonance imaging. Vaginoscopic surgery was performed for drainage of hematocolpos and excision of the vaginal septum. Vaginoscopic excision of the vaginal septum was performed using a resectoscope, without a vaginal speculum. The procedure was completed safely without injuring the hymen. This is the first case report of successful excision of the vaginal septum by vaginoscopic surgery for OHVIRA in Japan. Vaginoscopic excision may be one of the effective options for the treatment of vaginal obstruction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates how the translation of the word 'virgin' in the Igbo Bible has expanded the Igbo lexicon and how this lexical enrichment has spread among Igbo speakers. Although prior to their encounter with Christian missionaries in the 19th century and the subsequent translation of the Bible into Igbo, Igbo people had words that referred to virgin, these words were polysemous as they were also used for young and unmarried persons. In the course of translating the Bible into Igbo, Christian missionaries transferred the biblical euphemism for sex, 'to know', into the Igbo Bible and used same to innovate terms for 'virgin', thereby distinguishing a virgin from an unmarried or young person who might have had sex. Adapting the concept of language elaboration, this study analyses the lexical processes involved in creating these new terms. Then it presents findings from a questionnaire survey on the spread of the innovated terms among Igbo speakers. The survey findings demonstrate that the biblical innovations have not only spread among Igbo speakers but also became a springboard for further lexical innovations. This article accentuates the impact of Bible translation in reshaping the Igbo language. It also reveals the involvement of the language users in the process of language change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The water absorption and diffusion properties of wood flour/polymer composites were studied according to the different compositions. We have chosen to work with similar particle size either for the wood flour or for the chosen polymer. Diffusion and absorption of moisture in virgin (WPCv) or recycled (WPCr) composites were carried out at different immersion times in water at ambient temperature. Also, the measurements of absorption, swelling and diffusion coefficients were carried out for all WPC composites at different wood flour contents. The results showed that the response of WPCr to water immersion strongly depends on the content of wood powder. Any increase in wood content leads to an increase in water uptake. CaCO3 additives reduce swelling and water absorption. WPCv expressed higher swelling and water absorption values than WPCr. The highest diffusion coefficients were detected in the composites with a high wood content. The study of water absorption in WPCs has clearly indicated that the process follows kinetics and mechanisms described by Fick's law. The understanding of water-polymeric composites interactions is achieved through the measurements of static water contact angles on the surfaces of the WPCr by indicating the hydrophobicity of the polymer and hydrophilicity of the wood. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Der Gynäkologe is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Introduction: Olive oil is one of the most useful vegetable oils. The climatic conditions, cultivars, cultivation methods, harvesting time and processing method determine the final qualities of olive oil, recognizing the best olive oil for leaching seems to be necessary. Materials and Methods: This study aimed to evaluate the chemical composition, acidity index, iodine and soap number of virgin olive oil derived from Amygdal, Manzanilla, Arbicen and mixed vegetable oils grown in Darab, Shiraz. Results and Discussion: The results showed that all the oil acidity index the limit set by the Codex and IOOC were higher. The maximum and a minimum number of olive oil acid, was observwd in the amygdala (83.7%) and Arbicen (83.1%) respectively. The highest and lowest amount of iodine was seen in olive cultivar Manzanilla (78.06) and Arbicen (81.6122), respectively. No significant difference in soap numbers in the samples was observed. During the study of tecopherolone compounds, alpha-tocopherol was the highest in all samples, after which the levels of alpha-tocopherol and gamma-tocopherol were higher than all compounds. Delta-tocopherol and Delt- tocutriol were not observed in any of the examined specimens. The highest total Techenological compound was in Manzanilla (1691.88%). oleic fatty acid abundant in all samples. The content of oleic and linoleic acid show that oleic acid and linoleic acid content is always an inverse correlation. Also, the linoleic acid content increases with the reduction of oleic acid. Investigation of conjugated compounds showed that the samples were Virgin.

The United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA) recently adopted a resolution with a mandate to negotiate a new international legally binding instrument (a treaty) on plastic pollution. The mandate includes the need to ‘prevent’ as well as ‘reduce’ and ‘eliminate’ plastic pollution through a ‘comprehensive approach that addresses the full life cycle of plastic’. Unsustainable production and consumption of virgin (primary) plastic polymers represents the single greatest threat to preventing plastic pollution and risks undermining the incoming treaty. However, current discussions on a global plastics treaty overlook upstream measures that address virgin plastic production and consumption, focusing instead on midstream and downstream measures on product design and waste management. This article presents the justification for and benefits of a stepwise approach for controlling virgin plastic production and consumption internationally, inspired by the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer;

The Pokuttia Carpathians are located in the south-eastern part of the north-ern mega-slope of the Ukrainian Carpathians, covering an area of 659.7 square km, which is about 3% of the Ukrainian Carpathians area. The forest area of the Pokuttia Carpathians is 39.1 thousand hectares, including 8.2 thousand hectares of the natural spruce forests or 21% of the forests of study region. The forests of the Pokuttia Carpathians where studied in the framework of the WWF-Ukraine project «The identification of the virgin forest of the Ukrainian Carpathians» to identify their belonging to virgin, quasi-virgin and natural spruce groups of protected forests. The main assessment characteristics and the successions dynamics in the spruce forests are analyzed based on the example of a permanent research plot in the spruce forest. Its characteristics are very close to the virgin forest in the con-ditions of moist pure highland spruce forests. The studied natural forest сorre-sponds to almost all the features of spruce virgin forests, except the area (less than 20 hectares). The field studies were conducted since 2010 with five-year intervals in ac-cordance with the method of second level environmental monitoring under the program "ISR-Forest". The assessment results on the condition and structure of natural spruce communities of the Pokuttia Carpathians are presented in the pa-per. An interactive map of the virgin and quasi-virgin forests distribution at the study area has been developed. The dynamics of the quantitative characteristics of natural spruce stands over the past 10 years indicates a little rate of the total number of trees decreas-ing. During 2015-2020 there was a significant increase of the spruce-trees number in the second layer, while the number of trees in the third layer is consistently low. The number of live trees of the first tier during the 10-year observation peri-od decreased significantly (by almost 24%). The trees are located in the stand as a biogroups. The crowns in the bi-ogroups ranges from 0.8 to 1. Forest herbaceous species (34 species) form a fair-ly dense cover. Their projective cover is 85% in the presence of more than 30 species. At the same time, the processes of vegetation transformation in natural spruce ecosystems are observed. The recent monitoring shows some decreasing of the indices at the category of condition, vitality, marketability and crown length of spruce trees and increas-ing of the indices at the category deadwood volume and variety of damages (compared to 2010). The reason is, first of all, in climate change. Spruce forests very sensitive to such changes. The study of the state and structure of natural spruce forests in the Pokuttia Carpathians in the dynamics provides an opportunity to foresee the future devel-opments of spruce virgin and quasi-virgin forests in the Ukrainian Carpathians.

Abstract: In “Literary Archetypes and Female Role Alternatives: The Woman and the Novel in Latin America,” Jane S. Jaquette divides the female characters in García Márquez’s Cien Años de Soledad into three archetypes: Mother, Witch/Mysterious Woman, and Wife/Concubine. Jaquette’s proposal is a departure from the traditional archetypes of women in Latin American literature of the Virgin, the Mother, and the Whore, all of which have their genesis in biblical literature. Unfortunately, Jaquette’s archetypal schema is inadequate, for only a few of Cien Años’s characters manage to fit into her three categories; she ignores important main characters that are neither mothers, nor witches, nor wives.This paper explores the archetypes of the Virgin, the Mother, and the Whore, and how García Márquez applied and bent these traditional female roles in his classic Cien Años de Soledad (1967). This paper also explores how García Márquez’s novel laid the groundwork for Isabel Allende’s La Casa de los Espíritus (1982), which delved deeply into the psyche of these female archetypes—and broke them.

The Jewish Law found in Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy defines, among others, conjugal and family relations. They reveal the patriarchal organization of the Israelite community. The conjugal and family prescriptions mainly protect the rights of a man and a father. We pose a question what position was given to a woman. We analyse the legal relation between a husband and a wife in the Jewish law and partly in the rabinical interpretation. We use exegetical and comparative methodology. We state that a woman/wife was subordinate to a man/husband, yet she was granted a relatively good legal position. We confront it with Jesus' interpretation of some laws. We look for the foundations of Jesus' different approach in the Old and in the New Testaments. We assert that Jesus reveals a holistic view of a human being, of a man and a woman, as it is contained in the Jewish law, yet nobody perceived it as him. Within this new view a man/husband and a woman/wife are able to live in a renewed dignity and harmony.

Two taxonomically similar Drosophila species, Drosophila melanogaster and Drosophila suzukii, are known to have distinct habitats: D. melanogaster is mostly found near overripe and fermented fruits, whereas D. suzukii is attracted to fresh fruits. Since chemical concentrations are typically higher in overripe and fermented fruits than in fresh fruits, D. melanogaster is hypothesized to be attracted to higher concentrations of volatiles than D. suzukii. Therefore, the chemical preferences of the two flies were compared via Y-tube olfactometer assays and electroantennogram (EAG) experiments using various concentrations of 2-phenylethanol, ethanol, and acetic acid. D. melanogaster exhibited a higher preference for high concentrations of all the chemicals than that of D. suzukii. In particular, since acetic acid is mostly produced at the late stage of fruit fermentation, the EAG signal distance to acetic acid between the two flies was higher than those to 2-phenylethanol and ethanol. This supports the hypothesis that D. melanogaster prefers fermented fruits compared to D. suzukii. When comparing virgin and mated female D. melanogaster, mated females showed a higher preference for high concentrations of chemicals than that of virgin females. In conclusion, high concentrations of volatiles are important attraction factors for mated females seeking appropriate sites for oviposition.

Although several sample preparation methods for analyzing microplastics (MPs) in environmental matrices have been implemented in recent years, important uncertainties and criticalities in the approaches adopted still persist. Preliminary purification of samples, based on oxidative digestion, is an important phase to isolate microplastics from the environmental matrix; it should guarantee both efficacy and minimal damage to the particles. In this context, our study aims to evaluate Fenton's reaction digestion pre-treatment used to isolate and extract microplastics from environmental matrices. We evaluated the particle recovery efficiency and the impact of the oxidation method on the integrity of the MPs subjected to digestion considering different particles' polymeric composition, size, and morphology. For this purpose, two laboratory experiments were set up: the first one to evaluate the efficacy of various digestion protocols in the MPs extraction from a complex matrix, and the second one to assess the possible harm of different treatments, differing in temperatures and volume reagents used, on virgin and aged MPs. Morphological, physicochemical, and dimensional changes were verified by Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) and Fourier Transformed Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The findings of the first experiment showed the greatest difference in recovery rates especially for polyvinyl chloride and polyethylene terephthalate particles, indicating the role of temperature and the kind of polymer as the major factors influencing MPs extraction. In the second experiment, the SEM analysis revealed morphological and particle size alterations of various entities, in particular for the particles treated at 75 °C and with major evident alterations of aged MPs to virgin ones. In conclusion, this study highlights how several factors, including temperature and polymer, influence the integrity of the particles altering the quality of the final data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present study, two sets (I and II) of needle-punched nonwoven fabrics using virgin and recycled polyester fibers were prepared varying machine parameters. In the set first (set I) three different parameters namely grams/m2 (GSM), needling density and blend ratio with three different levels and in the second set (set II) three different parameters, i.e. calender roller pressure, calender roller temperature and calender roller speed with three different levels were used. For the first set fabrics, it has been seen that the bursting strength increased with the increase in GSM, needling density as well increased virgin polyester fiber in the blend. In the second set increase in calender roller pressure, roller temperature caused increase in bursting strength, but with the increase in roller speed it decreased. The comparison of both sets fabric revealed that set II fabric formation is economical since there is less consumption of polyester fibers. The investigation of two arrangements of fabrics uncovers that legal choice of calendering parameters may result economical nonwoven fabrics by requiring lesser fibrous strands for the assembling of needle bonded fabrics, moreover it will lessen the contamination by using the waste polyester bottles additionally the reliance on normal oil-based virgin polyester will be reduced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study aimed to investigate whether adult males could fertilize immature female pupae in the leek (L1) and tobacco-associated (T) Thrips tabaci lineages and to investigate the potential effects of mother to son inbreeding on the appearance of deuterotokous females in the T lineage. To confirm the pupal insemination, a single female pupa was exposed to a single adult male for 24 hours. The removal of a male from the tube that contained the female pupa was made before the female pupa emerged to adulthood. Emerged female adults were isolated and reared individually and the sex of their progeny was determined in the larval stages. To examine a mother and son inbreeding, a single female adult was exposed to her son for 48 hours, and for two consecutive generations, the mode of reproduction was determined by identifying the sex of the progeny. This result showed that pupal insemination was not successful; thus, all the tested females produced only male progeny. Virgin inbred females produced both male and female progeny that refers to deuterotokous reproduction mode. Three virgin females produced a total of 20 females and 75 males in two consecutive generations. A study concluded that deuterotokous mode of reproduction is not a persistent mode of reproduction in the T lineage but is a result of irregularity in the mode of reproduction, and it might be changed because of brother and sister inbreeding and need further studies.

This article discusses a neglected funerary monument of the 1340s and its much-embellished architectural setting in the north aisle of the parish church of Ducklington (Oxon.). The monument takes the unusual form of a Tree of Jesse while the walls carry a series of sculptural reliefs depicting scenes from the Life of the Virgin. It is argued that the space was a Lady chapel housing a chantry, and that the sculpture draws on imagery associated with the liturgy of the Mass and the liturgical hours to create an integrated devotional and commemorative programme of benefit to patrons and parishioners alike. The patrons have been traditionally identified as members of the Dyve family, long-standing proprietors of Ducklington manor until the mid-14th century. The connection is fully explored for the first time, drawing on antiquarian accounts of lost stained glass. Martha, widow of Henry Dyve (d. 1327) who held the manor in dower, is proposed as the likely originator of the monument. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Endometrial cancer is the third most common gynecologic cancer, and mainly occurs in menopausal women and rare in women of reproductive age. Endometrial cancer in young women can be difficult to diagnose, where the dysfunctional uterine bleeding is the most common cause. Most of these patients present with clinical evidence of polycystic ovarian disease but in some reports the patients lacked these features. The causes of endometrial cancer in this age group may be familial, associated with Lynch syndrome, or sporadic1,2. In postmenopausal women, endometrial thickness is positively correlated with the presence of endometrial malignancy and endometrial biopsy can be decided according to the endometrial thickness, however in women of reproductive age, there is no clinical guideline to determine when the endometrial biopsy should be performed3. With this background we present a case of endometrial carcinoma in a young woman who had presented with prolonged vaginal bleeding. A 33-year-old virgin visited gynecology department complaining from abnormal uterine bleeding. An endometrial biopsy revealed FIGO (International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics) grade II endometrial adenocarcinoma. In the treatment of endometrial cancer, conservative management should be considered if the patient is nulliparous or wants the fertility preservation. However, this patient offered radical hysterectomy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Akut genital ülser (AGU) özellikle virjin genç kadınlarda ortaya çıkan genital ağrılı bir ülserasyondur. Ayırıcı tanıda cinsel yolla geçen bulaşıcı enfeksiyonlar ve cinsel yolla geçmeyen bulaşıcı enfeksiyonlar, enfeksiyöz olmayan hastalıklar, ilaç reaksiyonları, otoimmün durumlar, travmatik nedenler ve vulvar kanser vardır. Bununla birlikte, AGU'nun etiyolojisi ve patogenezi hala bilinmemektedir. Hastalık anksiyete, ateş, miyalji, faringotonsillit, lenfadenopati ve baş ağrısı gibi grip benzeri semptomlar ile akut başlayan, vulvada, labia majör iç kısmında, tek veya çoklu, derin ve ağrılı genellikle bir biri ile öpüşen ülserler ile karakterize bir hastlalıktır. AGU özellikle uzak bir enfeksiyon ve inflamasyona kaynağına sekonder bir immünolojik reaksiyon ile ilişkilidir. Bu yazının amacı, akut genital ülserin doğal seyrini göstermek, tanı koymak, ayırıcı tanıları belirlemek ve tedavi seçenekleri sunmaktır.

Although several sample preparation methods for analyzing microplastics (MPs) in environmental matrices have been implemented in recent years, important uncertainties and criticalities in the approaches adopted still persist. Preliminary purification of samples, based on oxidative digestion, is an important phase to isolate microplastics from the environmental matrix; it should guarantee both efficacy and minimal damage to the particles. In this context, our study aims to evaluate Fenton’s reaction digestion pre-treatment used to isolate and extract microplastics from environmental matrices. We evaluated the particle recovery efficiency and the impact of the oxidation method on the integrity of the MPs subjected to digestion considering different particles’ polymeric composition, size, and morphology. For this purpose, two laboratory experiments were set up: the first one to evaluate the efficacy of various digestion protocols in the MPs extraction from a complex matrix, and the second one to assess the possible harm of different treatments, differing in temperatures and volume reagents used, on virgin and aged MPs. Morphological, physicochemical, and dimensional changes were verified by Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) and Fourier Transformed Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The findings of the first experiment showed the greatest difference in recovery rates especially for polyvinyl chloride and polyethylene terephthalate particles, indicating the role of temperature and the kind of polymer as the major factors influencing MPs extraction. In the second experiment, the SEM analysis revealed morphological and particle size alterations of various entities, in particular for the particles treated at 75 °C and with major evident alterations of aged MPs to virgin ones. In conclusion, this study highlights how several factors, including temperature and polymer, influence the integrity of the particles altering the quality of the final data.