bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Benchmarking kao dio strategije unapređenja poslovanja – empirijsko istraživanje poznavanja i primjene od strane menadžera u MSP sektoru u Crnoj Gori
Authors: Melović B. , Šekularac-Ivošević S.
Published: April 2024

Jačanje konkurentske prednosti, u uslovima koje karakterišu izuzetno kompleksni uticaji iz okruženja i kontinuirane promjene, nameću potrebu za preciznijim mjerenjem poslovnih performansi kompanija i njihovim unapređenjem. Relevantna znanja neophodna menadžerima za donošenje optimalnih poslovnih odluka, jednim dijelom mogu se dobiti primjenom benchmarkinga. Otuda se predmet istraživanja u ovom radu odnosi na analizu stepena poznavanja i primjene benchmarkinga u sektoru malih i srednjih preduzeća (MSP) u Crnoj Gori, koja čine najveći procenat crnogorske privrede. Empirijsko istraživanje je sprovedeno na uzorku od 42 preduzeća iz MSP sektora. Rezultati istraživanja pokazuju da menadžeri u Crnoj Gori benchmarking smatraju važnim za unapređenja poslovanja. Međutim, nivo njegove primjene nije na zadovoljavajućem nivou usled nedostatka znanja koje je potrebno za njegovu adekvatnu implementaciju. Menadžeri bolje poznaju i shodno tome više primjenjuju interni i konkurentski benchmarking, u poređenju sa ostalim vrstama, dok benchlearning ima najmanji stepen primjene. Najveći broj ispitanika smatra da su glavne prednosti korišćenja benchmarking koncepta postizanje konkurentske prednosti, otvaranje novih poslovnih mogućnosti i usmjeravanje na postizanje maksimuma u poslovanju. Dobijeni rezultati mogu poslužiti menadžerima u cilju daljeg unapređenja poslovanja i jačanja konkurentske prednosti.
О ЖЕНАМА У ДУШАНОВОМ ЗАКОНИКУ. У КОНТЕКСТУ СТАРИЈИХ И НОВИЈИХ ИСТРАЖИВАЊА
Authors: Костадиновић – Рачић Александра
Published: April 2024

У раду ће бити ријечи о женама у Душановом законику, у контексту старијих и новијих истраживања у српској историографији, односно, упоређујући иста, даћемо осврт на сличности и разлике у њима, стављајући акценат, првенствено, на права и положај жене у тадашњем друштву, конкретније, у тадашњем временском периоду. Сходно томе, указаћемо на њихове привилегије, али и на дискриминацију, у поменутом правном споменику, гдје се жене што директно, што индиректно помињу у двадесетак чланова, међутим ми ћемо се у тексту фокусурати само на оне чланове Законика у којима се жена помиње директно, тачније термином жена или у контексту одреднице женског рода (хришћанка, калуђерица, властелинка...). Другим ријечима, анализираћемо чланове 9, 17, 46, 53, 54, 64, 73, 104, 195 и 196, чије су се одредбе односиле, углавном, на властелин- ке и остале жене, али не и на жене владара, што се да закључити из члана 195. Душановог законика.
МИТРОПОЛИТ ЛЕОНТИЈЕ РАДУЛОВИЋ (1835–1888) – ПРВИ СРБИН ХЕРЦЕГОВАЧКИ МИТРОПОЛИТ ОД УКИДАЊА ПЕЋКЕ ПАТРИЈАРШИЈЕ 1766. ГОДИНЕ
Authors: Радан Лазар
Published: April 2024

Након укидања Пећке Патријаршије 1766. у Херцеговину, као и у друге српске области дошле су грчке владике – фанариоти. Њихово службовање углавном је оставило лош утисак. У Херцеговачкој митропо- лији смијенило се десет фанариотских владика у периоду 1766–1888, до доласка првих Срба на ову катедру. Тема овог рада управо јесте живот, до- лазак и служба истакнутог Херцеговца, митрополита Леонтија Радуловића (1888), првог Србина на катедри херцеговачких митрополита од укидања Пећке Патријаршије. Његов тежак и мученички живот био је само увер- тира за долазак на ову славну светосавску катедру. У раду смо се бавили његовим животним путем и службом, као и дјелимично историјом Митро- полије од постанка до његове службе. Рад је настао на основу релевантне историјске литературе, необјављених и објављених извора и периодике и за циљ има да приближи значај доласка Срба на катедру херцеговачких митрополита за сам православни народ Херцеговине, као и да сачува ус- помену на овог значајног херцеговачког архијереја.
БРОЈ ПОСЛАНИКА ПРВОГ САЗИВА СКУПШТИНЕ СРПСКОГ НАРОДА У БОСНИ И ХЕРЦЕГОВИНИ
Authors: Михаљевић Милена
Published: April 2024

На основу доступне литературе и извора у раду се разма- трају историјске чињенице које су довеле до коначног броја посланика првог сазива Скупштине српског народа у Босни и Херцеговини. Утврдивши да се у до сада објаљеним радовима и монографијама везаним за осни- вање и рад највишег уставотворног и законодавног тијела Републике Српске овај број наводи без адекватног објашњења како је успостављен, циљ је био помјерити границе научног сазнања и разјаснити све оне елементе који су утицали на заокруживање коначног броја посланика првог сазива. Имајући у виду значај ове институције за Републику Српску, како у ратном периоду, тако и данас, било које чињенице везане за њен рад не би тре- бале остати занемарене, а нарочито не оне које се тичу њеног оснивања.
SINERGISTIČKI EFEKAT OLOVO-ACETATA I ALOKSANA NA PRIRAST MASE I ORGANOSOMATSKI INDEKS JETRE WISTAR PACOVA INFICIRANIH EŠERIHIJOM
Authors: Manojlović Maja , Dekić Radoslav , Lolić Svjetlana , Paspalј Jovana , Đeri Aleksandra , Radović Ivica
Published: April 2024

Različiti biotički i abiotički agensi svakodnevno izazivaju zdravstvene promjene posebno najosjetlјivijih članova populacije. Dijabetičari, kao veoma osjetlјiv dio populacije, znatno su podložniji bakterijskim infekcijama, kao i toksičnom efektu pojedinih polutanata. Aloksan se univerzalno upotreblјava za izazivanje eksperimentalnog dijabetesa na laboratorijskim pacovima, dajući kliničku sliku kao dijabetes tip 1 kod lјudi. Cilј rada bio je da se utvrdi zajedničko dejstvo olovo-acetata i aloksana na prirast tjelesne mase i organosomatski indeks jetre Wistar pacova inficiranih ešerihijom. Signifikantno slabiji prirast mase (p0,05) ostvarile su testne jedinke izložene dejstvu bakterijske infekcije, kao i one intoksikovane olovom, dok je negativna vrijednost ovog parametra konstatovana za sinergističko dejstvo testnih materija. Organosomatski indeski jetre pacova pokazali su značajan rast vrijednosti kod dijabetičnih jedinki podvrgnutih infekciji u odnosu na kontrolnu grupu i jedinke podvrgnute samo jednom tretmanu. Kod dijabetičara hiperglikemija može narušiti i urođeni i stečeni imunitet čime se smanjuje otpornost na patogene infekcije i prateće bolesti. Kako i polutanti iz spolјašnje sredine, među njima i olovo, mogu izazvati brojne promjene u organizmu dijabetičara, neophodno je da izbjegavaju svaki kontakt sa ovim toksikantom.
Application of Biolog Ecoplate™ Technique for Assessing the Effects of Macrophyte Harvesting on Aquatic Bacterial Communities
Authors: Boteva Silvena , Stanachkova Marieta , Traykov Ivan , Angelova Boyanka , Kenarova Anelia
Published: April 2024

Macrophyte overgrowth in freshwater ecosystems is a worldwide problem, and a common management practice for these ecosystems is to remove the aquatic vegetation. In the study, the short-term effects of macrophyte harvesting in a mountain lake (Trevnoto Lake, Bulgaria) on both bacterial metabolic activity and fingerprints were assessed using Biolog Ecoplate™ assay. Bacterial responses to human activity were manifested by: 1) increased bacterial metabolic activity by 15%, and 2) shifts in bacterial metabolic fingerprints. The most affected carbon sources were those with low availability for aquatic bacteria – 85% of them were influenced and the rates of their utilizations changed from a decrease of 96% to an increase of 681%. In general, a clear trend was formed that the greater the bioavailability of the carbon sources, the less susceptible is their utilization to the environmental change. This preliminary study indicates an immediate impact of macrophyte harvesting on lake bacteria. In this aspect, Biolog Ecoplate™ assay could be useful in lake monitoring programmes in order to develop better sustainable management practices for restoration.
E3 ubiquitin ligase Deltex facilitates the expansion of Wingless gradient and antagonizes Wingless signaling through a conserved mechanism of transcriptional effector Armadillo/β-catenin degradation
Authors: Sharma Vartika , Sachan Nalani , Sarkar Bappi , Mutsuddi Mousumi , Mukherjee Ashim
Published: April 2024

The Wnt/Wg pathway controls myriads of biological phenomena throughout the development and adult life of all organisms across the phyla. Thus, an aberrant Wnt signaling is associated with a wide range of pathologies in humans. Tight regulation of Wnt/Wg signaling is required to maintain proper cellular homeostasis. Here we report a novel role of E3 ubiquitin ligase Deltex in Wg signaling regulation.
Drosophila dx
genetically interacts with
wg a
nd its pathway components. Further, Dx LOF results in a reduced spreading of Wg while its over-expression expands the diffusion gradient of the morphogen. We attribute this change in Wg gradient to the endocytosis of Wg through Dx which directly affects the short and long-range Wg targets. We also demonstrate the role of Dx in regulating Wg effector Armadillo where Dx down-regulates Arm through proteasomal degradation. We also showed the conservation of Dx function in the mammalian system where DTX1 is shown to bind with β-catenin and facilitates its proteolytic degradation, spotlighting a novel step that potentially modulates Wnt/Wg signaling cascade.
Cell autonomous role of leucine-rich repeat kinase in protection of dopaminergic neuron survival
Authors: Kang Jongkyun , Huang Guodong , Ma Long , Tong Youren , Shahapal Anu , Chen Phoenix , Shen Jie
Published: April 2024

Mutations in leucine-rich repeat kinase 2 (LRRK2) are the most common genetic cause of Parkinson’s disease (PD), which is the leading neurodegenerative movement disorder characterized by the progressive loss of dopaminergic (DA) neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNpc). However, whether LRRK2 mutations cause PD and degeneration of DA neurons
via
a toxic gain-of-function or a loss-of-function mechanism is unresolved and has pivotal implications for LRRK2-based PD therapies. In this study, we investigate whether LRRK2 and its functional homologue LRRK1 play an essential, intrinsic role in DA neuron survival through the development of DA neuron-specific
LRRK
conditional double knockout (cDKO) mice. We first generated and characterized floxed
LRRK1
and
LRRK2
mice and then confirmed that germline deletions of the floxed
LRRK1
and
LRRK2
alleles result in null mutations, as evidenced by the absence of
LRRK1
and
LRRK2
mRNA and protein in the respective homozygous deleted mutant mice. We further examined the specificity of Cre-mediated recombination driven by the
dopamine transporter
-
Cre
(
DAT-Cre
) knockin (KI) allele using a GFP reporter line and confirmed that
DAT-Cre
-mediated recombination is restricted to DA neurons in the SNpc. Crossing these validated floxed
LRRK1
and
LRRK2
mice with
DAT-Cre
KI mice, we then generated DA neuron-restricted
LRRK
cDKO mice and further showed that levels of LRRK1 and LRRK2 are reduced in dissected ventral midbrains of
LRRK
cDKO mice. While DA neuron-restricted
LRRK
cDKO mice of both sexes exhibit normal mortality and body weight, they develop age-dependent loss of DA neurons in the SNpc, as demonstrated by the progressive reduction of DA neurons in the SNpc of
LRRK
cDKO mice at the ages of 20 and 24 months but the unaffected number of DA neurons at the age of 15 months. Moreover, DA neurodegeneration is accompanied with increases of apoptosis and elevated microgliosis in the SNpc as well as decreases of DA terminals in the striatum, and is preceded by impaired motor coordination. Taken together, these findings provide the unequivocal evidence for the importance of LRRK in DA neurons and raise the possibility that LRRK2 mutations may impair its protection of DA neurons, leading to DA neurodegeneration in PD.
Deep learning insights into the architecture of the mammalian egg-sperm fusion synapse
Authors: Elofsson Arne , Han Ling , Bianchi Enrica , Wright Gavin J , Jovine Luca
Published: April 2024

A crucial event in sexual reproduction is when haploid sperm and egg fuse to form a new diploid organism at fertilization. In mammals, direct interaction between egg JUNO and sperm IZUMO1 mediates gamete membrane adhesion, yet their role in fusion remains enigmatic. We used AlphaFold to predict the structure of other extracellular proteins essential for fertilization to determine if they could form a complex that may mediate fusion. We first identified TMEM81, whose gene is expressed by mouse and human spermatids, as a protein having structural homologies with both IZUMO1 and another sperm molecule essential for gamete fusion, SPACA6. Using a set of proteins known to be important for fertilization and TMEM81, we then systematically searched for predicted binary interactions using an unguided approach and identified a pentameric complex involving sperm IZUMO1, SPACA6, TMEM81 and egg JUNO, CD9. This complex is structurally consistent with both the expected topology on opposing gamete membranes and the location of predicted N-glycans not modeled by AlphaFold-Multimer, suggesting that its components could organize into a synapse-like assembly at the point of fusion. Finally, the structural modeling approach described here could be more generally useful to gain insights into transient protein complexes difficult to detect experimentally.
Stochastic parabolic growth promotes coexistence and a relaxed error threshold in RNA-like replicator populations
Authors: Paczkó Mátyás , Szathmáry Eörs , Szilágyi András
Published: April 2024

The RNA world hypothesis proposes that during the early evolution of life, primordial genomes of the first self-propagating evolutionary units existed in the form of RNA-like polymers. Autonomous, non-enzymatic, and sustained replication of such information carriers presents a problem, because product formation and hybridization between template and copy strands reduces replication speed. Kinetics of growth is then parabolic with the benefit of entailing competitive coexistence, thereby maintaining diversity. Here, we test the information-maintaining ability of parabolic growth in stochastic multispecies population models under the constraints of constant total population size and chemostat conditions. We find that large population sizes and small differences in the replication rates favor the stable coexistence of the vast majority of replicator species (‘genes’), while the error threshold problem is alleviated relative to exponential amplification. In addition, sequence properties (GC content) and the strength of resource competition mediated by the rate of resource inflow determine the number of coexisting variants, suggesting that fluctuations in building block availability favored repeated cycles of exploration and exploitation. Stochastic parabolic growth could thus have played a pivotal role in preserving viable sequences generated by random abiotic synthesis and providing diverse genetic raw material to the early evolution of functional ribozymes.
Leveraging mobility data to analyze persistent SARS-CoV-2 mutations and inform targeted genomic surveillance
Authors: Spott Riccardo , Pletz Mathias W , Fleischmann-Struzek Carolin , Kimmig Aurelia , Hadlich Christiane , Hauert Matthias , Lohde Mara , Jundzill Mateusz , Marquet Mike , Dickmann Petra , Schüchner Ruben , Hölzer Martin , Kühnert Denise , Brandt Christian
Published: April 2024

Given the rapid cross-country spread of SARS-CoV-2 and the resulting difficulty in tracking lineage spread, we investigated the potential of combining mobile service data and fine-granular metadata (such as postal codes and genomic data) to advance integrated genomic surveillance of the pandemic in the federal state of Thuringia, Germany. We sequenced over 6500 SARS-CoV-2 Alpha genomes (B.1.1.7) across 7 months within Thuringia while collecting patients’ isolation dates and postal codes. Our dataset is complemented by over 66,000 publicly available German Alpha genomes and mobile service data for Thuringia. We identified the existence and spread of nine persistent mutation variants within the Alpha lineage, seven of which formed separate phylogenetic clusters with different spreading patterns in Thuringia. The remaining two are subclusters. Mobile service data can indicate these clusters’ spread and highlight a potential sampling bias, especially of low-prevalence variants. Thereby, mobile service data can be used either retrospectively to assess surveillance coverage and efficiency from already collected data or to actively guide part of a surveillance sampling process to districts where these variants are expected to emerge. The latter concept was successfully implemented as a proof-of-concept for a mobility-guided sampling strategy in response to the surveillance of Omicron sublineage BQ.1.1. The combination of mobile service data and SARS-CoV-2 surveillance by genome sequencing is a valuable tool for more targeted and responsive surveillance.
Decoding contextual influences on auditory perception from primary auditory cortex
Authors: Englitz Bernhard , Akram Sahar , Elhilali Mounya , Shamma Shihab
Published: April 2024

Perception can be highly dependent on stimulus context, but whether and how sensory areas encode the context remains uncertain. We used an ambiguous auditory stimulus – a tritone pair – to investigate the neural activity associated with a preceding contextual stimulus that strongly influenced the tritone pair’s perception: either as an ascending or a descending step in pitch. We recorded single-unit responses from a population of auditory cortical cells in awake ferrets listening to the tritone pairs preceded by the contextual stimulus. We find that the responses adapt locally to the contextual stimulus, consistent with human MEG recordings from the auditory cortex under the same conditions. Decoding the population responses demonstrates that cells responding to pitch-changes are able to predict well the context-sensitive percept of the tritone pairs. Conversely, decoding the individual pitch representations and taking their distance in the circular Shepard tone space predicts the opposite of the percept. The various percepts can be readily captured and explained by a neural model of cortical activity based on populations of adapting, pitch and pitch-direction cells, aligned with the neurophysiological responses. Together, these decoding and model results suggest that contextual influences on perception may well be already encoded at the level of the primary sensory cortices, reflecting basic neural response properties commonly found in these areas.
Synchronous Ensembles of Hippocampal CA1 Pyramidal Neurons Associated with Theta but not Ripple Oscillations During Novel Exploration
Authors: Chen En-Li , Chen Tsai-Wen , Schreiter Eric R , Lin Bei-Jung
Published: April 2024

Synchronous neuronal ensembles play a pivotal role in the consolidation of long-term memory in the hippocampus. However, their organization during the acquisition of spatial memory remains less clear. In this study, we used neuronal population voltage imaging to investigate the synchronization patterns of CA1 pyramidal neuronal ensembles during the exploration of a new environment, a critical phase for spatial memory acquisition. We found synchronous ensembles comprising approximately 40% of CA1 pyramidal neurons, firing simultaneously in brief windows (∼25ms) during immobility and locomotion in novel exploration. Notably, these synchronous ensembles were not associated with ripple oscillations but were instead phase-locked to local field potential theta waves. Specifically, the subthreshold membrane potentials of neurons exhibited coherent theta oscillations with a depolarizing peak at the moment of synchrony. Among newly formed place cells, pairs with more robust synchronization during locomotion displayed more distinct place-specific activities. These findings underscore the role of synchronous ensembles in coordinating place cells of different place fields.
Recording γ-secretase activity in living mouse brains
Authors: Hou Steven S , Ikegawa Yuya , Kwon Yeseo , Wieckiewicz Natalia , Houser Mei CQ , Lundin Brianna , Bacskai Brian J , Berezovska Oksana , Maesako Masato
Published: April 2024

γ-Secretase plays a pivotal role in the central nervous system. Our recent development of genetically encoded Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET)-based biosensors has enabled the spatiotemporal recording of γ-secretase activity on a cell-by-cell basis in live neurons in culture. Nevertheless, how γ-secretase activity is regulated in vivo remains unclear. Here, we employ the near-infrared (NIR) C99 720–670 biosensor and NIR confocal microscopy to quantitatively record γ-secretase activity in individual neurons in living mouse brains. Intriguingly, we uncovered that γ-secretase activity may influence the activity of γ-secretase in neighboring neurons, suggesting a potential ‘cell non-autonomous’ regulation of γ-secretase in mouse brains. Given that γ-secretase plays critical roles in important biological events and various diseases, our new assay in vivo would become a new platform that enables dissecting the essential roles of γ-secretase in normal health and diseases.
Liquid racism in Greek online satirical news
Authors: Tsakona Villy
Published: April 2024

The present study explores the infiltration of racism in humorous texts which at first sight appear to have antiracist intentions, in particular in satirical news coming from popular Greek websites and targeting majority people for their racist practices towards migrants. The analysis reveals that distinguishing between antiracist and racist interpretations is not an easy or straightforward matter: humour seems to blur the boundary between racism and antiracism. In this context, the concept of liquid racism (Weaver, 2016) is exploited to account for the ambiguities of humorous discourse when it involves racist and antiracist meanings. Furthermore, given that this paper is part of a special issue on “Humour and the public sphere”, the latter understood in Habermas’s (1989/1962) sense, I will venture some observations concerning the (in)compatibility between Habermas’s conceptualisation of the public sphere and humour/satire. Perhaps a broader and more inclusive definition of the public sphere than the one initially proposed by Habermas is called for, which will allow for the ambiguities of satirical humour.
Transcriptome differential expression analysis of defoliation of two different lemon varieties
Authors: Dong Meichao , Yin Tuo , Gao Junyan , Zhang Hanyao , Yang Fan , Wang Shaohua , Long Chunrui , Fu Xiaomeng , Liu Hongming , Guo Lina , Zhou Dongguo
Published: April 2024

‘Allen Eureka’ is a bud variety of Eureka lemon with excellent fruiting traits. However, it suffers from severe winter defoliation that leads to a large loss of organic nutrients and seriously affects the tree’s growth and development as well as the yield of the following year, and the mechanism of its response to defoliation is still unclear. In order to investigate the molecular regulatory mechanisms of different leaf abscission periods in lemon, two lemon cultivars (‘Allen Eureka’ and ‘Yunning No. 1’) with different defoliation traits were used as materials. The petiole abscission zone (AZ) was collected at three different defoliation stages, namely, the pre-defoliation stage (CQ), the mid-defoliation stage (CZ), and the post-defoliation stage (CH). Transcriptome sequencing was performed to analyze the gene expression differences between these two cultivars. A total of 898, 4,856, and 3,126 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were obtained in CQ, CZ, and CH, respectively, and the number of DEGs in CZ was the largest. GO analysis revealed that the DEGs between the two cultivars were mainly enriched in processes related to oxidoreductase, hydrolase, DNA binding transcription factor, and transcription regulator activity in the defoliation stages. KEGG analysis showed that the DEGs were concentrated in CZ and involved plant hormone signal transduction, phenylpropanoid biosynthesis, glutathione metabolism, and alpha-linolenic acid metabolism. The expression trends of some DEGs suggested their roles in regulating defoliation in lemon. Eight gene families were obtained by combining DEG clustering analysis and weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA), including β-glucosidase, AUX/IAA, SAUR, GH3, POD, and WRKY, suggesting that these genes may be involved in the regulation of lemon leaf abscission. The above conclusions enrich the research related to lemon leaf abscission and provide reliable data for the screening of lemon defoliation candidate genes and analysis of defoliation pathways.
Influence of honey bee (Apis mellifera) breeding on wing venation in Serbia and neighbouring countries
Authors: Kaur Hardeep , Nedić Nebojša , Tofilski Adam
Published: April 2024

In order to improve the productivity of honey bees (Apis mellifera), some of their traits are selected by breeding. On one hand, breeding is mainly based on the natural geographical variation of this species; on the other hand, mass production and distribution of artificially selected queens can significantly affect the natural geographic variation of honey bees. In this study, we have compared honey bee wings originating from breeding and non-breeding populations in Serbia. In the comparison, we have also used data from a large area of south-eastern Europe. The wings were measured using the 19 landmarks indicated on the wing images. The coordinates were analysed using the methodology of geometric morphometrics. We found that honey bees obtained from honey bee queen breeder differed in wing venation from surrounding populations, which are under natural selection. Therefore, we argue against including populations under artificial selection in the analysis of the natural geographical variation of honey bees. In our analysis of non-breeding samples, we found that in south-eastern Europe there is continuous variation in wing venation and no clear boundaries between A. m. carnica, A. m. cecropia, and A. m. macedonica.
Application of prohexadione-calcium priming affects Brassica napus L. seedlings by regulating morph-physiological characteristics under salt stress
Authors: Deng Peng , Khan Aaqil , Zhou Hang , Lu Xutong , Zhao Huiming , Du Youwei , Wang Yaxin , Feng Naijie , Zheng Dianfeng
Published: April 2024

Salinity stress imposes severe constraints on plant growth and development. Here, we explored the impacts of prohexadione-calcium (Pro-Ca) on rapeseed growth under salt stress. We designed a randomized block design pot experiment using two rapeseed varieties, ‘Huayouza 158R’ and ‘Huayouza 62’. We conducted six treatments, S0: non-primed + 0 mM NaCl, Pro-Ca+S0: Pro-Ca primed + 0 mM NaCl, S100: non-primed + 100 mM NaCl, Pro-Ca+S100: Pro-Ca primed + 100 mM NaCl, S150: non-primed + 150 mM NaCl, Pro-Ca+S150: Pro-Ca primed + 150 mM NaCl. The morphophysiological characteristics, and osmoregulatory and antioxidant activities were compared for primed and non-primed varieties. Our data analysis showed that salt stress induced morph-physiological traits and significantly reduced the antioxidant enzyme activities in both rapeseed varieties. The Pro-Ca primed treatment significantly improved seedlings, root, and shoot morphological traits and accumulated more dry matter biomass under salt stress. Compared to Huayouza 158R, Huayouza 62 performed better with the Pro-Ca primed treatment. The Pro-Ca primed treatment significantly enhanced chlorophyll content, net photosynthetic rate (Pn), stomatal conductance (Gs), transpiration rate (Tr), and actual photochemical quantum efficiency (ФPSII). Furthermore, the Pro-Ca primed treatment also improved ascorbic acid (ASA) content, superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD), catalase (CAT), and ascorbate peroxidase (APX) activity, and stimulated the accumulation of soluble proteins. These findings strongly suggested that the Pro-Ca primed treatment may effectively counteract the negative impacts of salinity stress by regulating the morph-physiological and antioxidant traits.
Clinicoaetiological Profile of Infantile Tremor Syndrome in a Tertiary Care Hospital, Punjab, India: An Observational Study
Authors: Bansal Anuradha , Bains Harmesh Singh
Published: April 2024

Introduction: Infantile Tremor Syndrome (ITS) is a condition that mainly affects infants aged 6-24 months. Although predominantly considered a disorder of vitamin B12 deficiency, there have been some reports of an association of other micronutrient deficiencies in ITS babies. Aim: To assess the clinicoaetiological profile of cases of ITS admitted to the tertiary care centre. Materials and Methods: This was a retrospective observational study conducted at Punjab Institute of Medical Sciences, Jalandhar, Punjab, India. All cases of ITS admitted to the Paediatric ward from April 2022 to March 2023 were enrolled. Their case records were studied for clinical signs and symptoms like presenting complaints, demographic profile, feeding history, history of tremors, and developmental milestones. Examination findings were studied for the degree of malnutrition, presence of anaemia, knuckle hyperpigmentation, sparse hypopigmented hair, other evidence of micronutrient deficiency, hepatosplenomegaly, and any focal neurological deficit. Laboratory parameters, mainly blood counts, haemoglobin, Mean Corpuscular Haemoglobin (MCH), Mean Corpuscular Volume (MCV), Mean Corpuscular Haemoglobin Concentration (MCHC), peripheral smear findings, vitamin D and B12 levels, and serum albumin, were analysed to ascertain the clinicoaetiological profile of ITS. Results: A total of 19 cases were included in the study. All of them had sparse hypopigmented hair and anaemia. Thirteen (68.4%) had knuckle hyperpigmentation, 11 (58%) had tremors, and 16 (84.2%) had developmental delay/regression without any other underlying cause. Only 9 (47.4%) had laboratory evidence of vitamin B12 deficiency, while 14 (73.7%) had vitamin D deficiency. All the babies were discharged home, and tremors resolved in all of them after vitamin D, B12, and zinc therapy. Conclusion: In addition to vitamin B12, Vitamin D deficiency was seen in most cases of ITS. Hence, all patients with ITS need to be evaluated and treated for vitamin B12 as well as vitamin D deficiency for optimal treatment of this disorder.
A Variant Dorsalis Pedis Artery and Its Relationship with the Deep Fibular Nerve
Authors: Sakthivel Sulochana , Banu Jahira , Dhakshnamoorthy Nithya
Published: April 2024

During a cadaveric dissection session, a distinctive neurovascular pattern was identified in the left leg of a 66-year-old female cadaver. The Anterior Tibial Artery (ATA), while maintaining a normal origin and luminal diameter, exhibited a shortened course, terminating in the upper third of the leg. In the lower third of the leg, the Fibular Artery (FA), known as the peroneal artery, traversed through the interosseous membrane to the anterior compartment, persisting as the Dorsalis Pedis Artery (DPA). The Deep Fibular Nerve (DFN), displaying a usual course in the upper two-thirds of the leg, crossed the variant DPA posteriorly and divided into two terminal branches on its posterolateral side. The medial terminal branch proceeded to cross the artery anteriorly within the anterior tarsal tunnel. This distinctive relationship between the DFN and the variant DPA renders the nerve susceptible to compression and may result in “anterior tarsal tunnel syndrome”.
Examining the Scope of Rooftop Rainwater Harvesting for the Production of Vegetables in the District of Nadia, India
Authors: Ghosh Uddipta , Banerjee Debargha , Das Debasish , Banik Aditya , Gorai Arpan , Roy Manisha , Sarkar Debashis , Mondal Arijit , Ghosh Ananya
Published: April 2024

In order to determine the extent of groundwater overexploitation and investigate potential mitigation strategies such as artificial groundwater recharge, an investigation was carried out for each block in the district of Nadia, West Bengal. The current farming methods have irrigation water needs of 0.48 BCM, with the except the monsoon month. It was discovered that the ground water recharge was 0.48 BCM. Therefore, if ground water is completely sufficient to meet irrigation needs, 0.00042 BCM of ground water is discovered to be overexploited annually. The overexploitation of 2.73x10-4 m3 might be reduced if a 31830.13 m2 rooftop water collection structure and recharging facilities were built. The cost of this facility to build found Rs. 54.76 crore. The construction of this plant may potentially have a significant impact on the district's arsenic-contaminated ground water supply and the residential water supply.
Evaluation of Chemical Composition, Physicochemical and Anti-nutritional Properties of Giant Yellow Mulberry Fruit (Myrianthus arboreus)
Authors: Ntube Neola Etame Ekaney , Tiencheu Bernard , Dibanda Romelle Feumba , Eboue Ferdinand Lanvin Edoun , Djikeng Fabrice Tonfack , Moses Carl Mbofung
Published: April 2024

The study aimed at evaluating the nutritional value of the pulp and seeds of the giant mulberry (Myrianthus arboreus) fruit, and determine the physicochemical properties of its seed oil. Using the complete randomized design, mature ripe fruits of the fruits were harvested from Fontem, South west region, Cameroon and analyzed at the life science laboratory of the University of Buea following standard procedures. Results revealed the proximate composition of the pulps and seeds were 5.03% and 28.06% for carbohydrates, 17.22% and 24.40% for proteins, 6.50% and 42.05% for lipids respectively. Antinutritional analyses revealed moderately low content of phytate, tannin and oxalate. The oil quality indices demonstrated acceptable values for acid, saponification value, iodine, peroxide and P-anisidine. Fatty acid profiling showed that the oil was 45.06% saturated and 54.94% unsaturated fatty acids accounts. These findings suggest that M. arboreus fruit as potentials as a nutritious food source with health benefits.
Long-Term Effect of Rice and Non-rice Ecology on Pools of Carbon in Surface and Deep Soil in Farmer’s Field
Authors: Kumar Kolagani Hari , Kundu M. C.
Published: April 2024

The greatest terrestrial sink of carbon (C) is soil. In addition to improving soil quality, carbon absorption in soil helps reduce atmospheric CO2 loading. Not only the surface soil, but also the deep sub-soil act as a storehouse of C. Besides, the study of C dynamics in tropical rice soil is important in countries like India where rice is the predominant crop and soil C sequestration is at risk due to high temperatures. In this context, this study tried to understand the C dynamics in surface as well as deep soil under rice and non-rice ecology. Representative soil samples were collected from five sites of rice-rice (rice ecology) and vegetable-vegetable (non-rice ecology) cropping systems from three depths viz., 0-20 cm, 100-120 and 120-140 cm from long-term farmer’s field of Nadia district of West Bengal belonging to Alfisols to compare C dynamics of surface and deep soils as well as rice and non-rice ecology. Results indicated that surface soils exhibited higher amount of total C, total organic C and inorganic C in comparison to deep soil irrespective of crop ecologies. The rice ecology showed higher total C and total organic C in comparison to non-rice soil. As per water solubility, water-soluble (room temperature) C and hot water-soluble C which were highest in surface soil compared to deep soil as the former usually receives maximum amount of fresh C input compared to deep soil.  Irrespective of crop ecology, water-soluble C (WSC), hot water-soluble C (HWC), recalcitrant C (RC) were highest in surface soil compared to deep soils. Again, irrespective of soil depth, WSC and RC were highest in rice ecology and lowest in non-rice ecology. But, HWC content was highest in non-rice ecology and lowest in rice ecology. Irrespective of crop ecology, per cent contribution of labile pool of C (WSC+ HWC) and that of RC pool towards TOC was the highest and the lowest respectively.  However, irrespective of soil depth, per cent contribution of labile pool of C and that of recalcitrant pool of C towards TOC was highest and lowest in soils under non-rice ecology and rice ecology respectively. Thus, this study conclusively indicated the potential of subsoil layer to act as a C sink in comparison to surface soil. The rice soil also has been identified as a niche for soil C sequestration.
Stress among Women during Menopause- impact on Mental Health
Authors: Haritha Y. D. , Bilquis .
Published: April 2024

Stress is a necessary component of life. All living things go through periods of stress at some point in their existence. The word "stress" has become widely used in everyday speech in recent years. Stress, in Lazarus's definition, is an internal process that arises when an individual perceives that a demand exceeds their capacity to adequately respond to it, and when failing to meet that capacity can have significant negative repercussions [1]. The body reacts to stress in a manner akin to how it reacts to danger. A condition of wellbeing known as mental health can motivate people to make positive decisions. In a similar vein, when someone is dealing with an issue, it negatively impacts their mental health and causes their mental wellness to decline. In industrialized nations, menopause typically begins between the ages of 40 and 58. 52 is the average age in the United States (Trusted Source). Some will experience it sooner as a result of a medical condition or treatment (ovaries removed, for example). Hormonal changes brought on by menopause might result in mood swings, heat flashes, and other symptoms. The main focus of the study was to swot on “Stress among Women during Menopause- Impact on Mental Health”. Women who are in the age group of 45 -55 years were selected for the study. The sample consists of 60 women belongs to Madakasira village, Sathya Sai district for the study. Menopause problems questionnaire was developed by the researcher with the guidelines of subject experts it was pre-tested to other sample before going to actual sample. According to the study, women experience a great deal of irritation and fury during menopause, along with anxiety, forgetfulness, low self-esteem, confidence loss, low mood, and feelings of melancholy or despair. These symptoms are sometimes referred to as "brain fog" and/or "lost words."
A Review on Extraction and Chromatographic Techniques for Organophosphate Pesticidal Residue Analysis in Paddy and Rice Bran
Authors: Verma Rana Vinay Kumar , Sharma Jyoti
Published: April 2024

Organophosphorus pesticides (OPPS) are extensively employed in agricultural techniques and may expose people to them via food intake. We offer an analytical approach for detecting OPPS in paddy, rice grains and or rice bran that combines solid-phase extraction with a high-performance liquid chromatography detector. Acetonitrile extraction was used before SPE–HPLC–MSMS to isolate specific residues, which helped decrease matrix disruptions and identify a broad array of numerous residues in rice grains. Accordingly, ranges of quantitative determination ranged from 0.01mg/kg to more than 1.0 mg/kg, with coefficients extending from 0.995 to more than 0.999. At three stimulating intensities, high recuperation was reported, suggesting excellent precision. The relative SD of all residues confirmed the technique’s accuracy. Using this, various OPPS were quantified, ranging from just below to maximum permissible limits to exceeding the limit. According to a sample study of different rice grain varieties accessible in the international market. This study focuses on the techniques of organophosphate pesticide residue extraction from paddy and rice ban. The study further discusses chromatographic techniques for the same.
Integrated Crop Management Practices on Yield and Economics of Brinjal at Tiruvallur District of Tamil Nadu, India
Authors: Sathish G. , Sundharaiya K. , Tamilselvi C. , Vijayashanthi V.A. , Yogameenakshi P. , Arasu P.Arul , Sivakumar V. , Geethalakshmi I.
Published: April 2024

The present study highlights the Integrated crop management in brinjalfor their yield and economics. A field experiments was in tiruvallur district of ICAR-Krishi Vigyan Kendra during 2017-2018.  The implementation of scientific technology through optimal resource utilization is the primary driver for horticulture's development. Due to a lack of acceptance of cutting-edge technologies, low production is one of the main obstacles facing conventional brinjal cultivation. Frontline demonstration's primary goals were to persuade farmers to adopt brinjal production technologies in order to facilitate the wider spread of newly released crop production, protection, and management practices in their fields and farming situations, as well as to demonstrate these technologies in action. To increase the production, productivity and quality of agricultural produce, front line demonstrations are being conducted at various farmer’s field. There was significantly increased in brinjal yield (36.7 per cent), net return and B:C ratio after conduct of frontline demonstrations as compared to farmers practice. The adoption and implementation of integrated crop management practices through FLD programme, showed positive impact on brinjal growth, yield and economics.
Demonstration plot recorded higher technology gap (22.0 t/ha), extension gap (6.0 t/ha) and technology index (36.6 per cent), compare to local variety and also showed high percentage yield increase over farmer’s practice and recorded 20 per cent increase yield means technology was accepted by the farmers.As a result, 50 farmers initiated the small scale farming of brinjal in the district with the technical guidance provided from ICAR-KVK, Tirur, Tiruvallur. Therefore, a study on effect of integrated crop management practices on yield and economics of Brinjal in Tiruvallur district of tamilnadu was conducted during 2017-18.
Protein‐Release Behavior of Self‐Assembled PEG–β‐Cyclodextrin/PEG–Cholesterol Hydrogels
Authors: van de Manakker Frank , Braeckmans Kevin , Morabit Najim el , De Smedt Stefaan C. , van Nostrum Cornelus F. , Hennink Wim E.
Published: July 2009

This paper reports on the degradation and protein release behavior of a self‐assembled hydrogel system composed of β‐cyclodextrin‐ (βCD) and cholesterol‐derivatized 8‐arm star‐shaped poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG8). By mixing βCD‐ and cholesterol‐derivatized PEG8 (molecular weights 10, 20 and 40 kDa) in aqueous solution, hydrogels with different rheological properties are formed. It is shown that hydrogel degradation is mainly the result of surface erosion, which depends on the network swelling stresses and initial crosslink density of the gels. This degradation mechanism, which is hardly observed for other water‐absorbing polymer networks, leads to a quantitative and nearly zero‐order release of entrapped proteins. This system therefore offers great potential for protein delivery.
Syntheses, Li Insertion, and Photoactivity of Mesoporous Crystalline TiO2
Authors: Yue Wenbo , Randorn Chamnan , Attidekou Pierrot S. , Su Zixue , Irvine John T. S. , Zhou Wuzong
Published: July 2009

Ordered mesoporous rutile and anatase TiO2samples are prepared using mesoporous silica SBA‐15 as template and freshly synthesized titanium nitrate and titanium chloride solutions as precursors. The rutile material formed from the nitrate solution is monocrystalline and contains minimal amounts of Si with a Si:Ti ratio of 0.031(4), whereas the anatase material formed from the chloride solution comprises nanocrystals and contains a higher content of Si with a Si:Ti ratio of 0.18(3). It is found that control of temperature and selection of Ti‐containing precursor play important roles in determining the crystal phase and crystallinity. A possible formation mechanism of porous crystalline TiO2is suggested. Characterization of these porous materials is performed by XRD, HRTEM, and nitrogen adsorption/desorption. SBA‐15‐templated mesoporous rutile TiO2exhibits a higher Li ion insertion capability than KIT‐6‐templated TiO2due to its larger surface area. Likewise mesoporous anatase TiO2:SiO2composite has a better photoactivity than bulk TiO2or TiO2‐loaded SBA‐15 for bleaching methylene blue.
Nanoimprinted Polyethyleneimine: A Multimodal Template for Nanoparticle Assembly and Immobilization
Authors: Subramani Chandramouleeswaran , Ofir Yuval , Patra Debabrata , Jordan Brian J. , Moran Isaac W. , Park Myoung‐Hwan , Carter Kenneth R. , Rotello Vincent M.
Published: July 2009

Polyethyleneimine (PEI) is used as a scaffold for integrated top‐down/bottom‐up fabrication. In this synergistic strategy, patterned PEI surfaces are created using thermal nanoimprint lithography (NIL) using a sacrificial polystyrene (PS) overlayer. These imprinted surfaces act as versatile templates for assembling nanoparticles and dyes, with the amine groups of the PEI enabling electrostatic assembly, carbodiimide coupling, and dithiocarbamate attachment to the nanoimprinted features. The efficient assembly of particles and dyes is confirmed through fluorescence and atomic force microscopy. In these studies the PS overlayer serves two roles. First, the PS layer protects the PEI surface during the plasma‐etch removal of the residual layer of the NIL process. Second, the PS overlayer serves as a mask, enabling sequential functionalization of the sides and the tops of the PEI features.
Encapsulation of nanoparticles by polymerization compounding in a gas/solid fluidized bed reactor
Authors: Esmaeili Babak , Chaouki Jamal , Dubois Charles
Published: July 2009

For the first time, a fluidized bed reactor was used for encapsulating nanoparticles by the polymerization compounding approach using Ziegler–Natta catalysts. The polymerization reaction was carried out using a solvent‐free process in a gas‐phase reactor. This direct gas–solid reaction greatly simplified collecting the particles of interest after polymerization because none of the extra steps often found in encapsulation processes, such as filtering and drying, were performed in this work. The grafting of the catalyst to the original surface of particles was confirmed by X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Micrographs obtained by transmission electron microscopy confirmed the presence of a thin layer of polymer, in the order of a few nanometers, around the particles. The thickness of this coating was affected by the operating conditions of the process. The characterization of the modified particles with electron microscopy also revealed that zirconia nanoparticles tend to be coated in an agglomerated state, whereas aluminum particles were mostly individually encapsulated by the polymer. In addition, the effects of temperature and pressure were studied on the encapsulation process and a kinetic analysis was presented based on the available models in the literature. © 2009 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 2009
Verformungsvorhersage von vorgespannten und nicht vorgespannten Betonbauteilen
Authors: Krüger Wolfgang , Mertzsch Olaf , Koch Steffen
Published: July 2009

Im Beitrag wurde leider auf Seite 341 der Beiwert zu Gl. (3) falsch abgedruckt.
Label‐free DNA sensor based on fluorescent cationic polythiophene for the sensitive detection of hepatitis B virus oligonucleotides
Authors: Guan Hongliang , Cai Min , Chen Lu , Wang Yun , He Zhike
Published: July 2009

Water‐soluble fluorescent conjugated polymers can be used as an optical platform in highly sensitive DNA sensors. Here we report a simple label‐free DNA sensor using poly(3‐alkoxy‐4‐methylthiophene) to recognize and detect different oligonucleotide targets related to the YMDD gene mutation of hepatitis B virus. The concentration of surfactant Triton X‐100, NaCl, the oligonucleotide capture probe and the oligonucleotide hybridization conditions have a great impact on fluorescence intensity. Under the optimum conditions, two types of oligonucleotide targets involving YMDD gene mutation of hepatitis B virus were successfully recognized. Moreover, there was a linear relationship between fluorescence intensity and the concentration of oligonucleotide target. The detection limit of the wild‐type hepatitis B virus target is 88 pmol L−1. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.