bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
In Silico Study on the Interactions, Molecular Docking, Dynamics and Simulation of Potential Compounds from Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal Root against Cancer by Targeting KAT6A
Authors: Deshpande Sanjay H. , Muhsinah Abdullatif Bin , Bagewadi Zabin K. , Ankad Gireesh M. , Mahnashi Mater H. , Yaraguppi Deepak A. , Shaikh Ibrahim Ahmed , Khan Aejaz Abdullatif , Hegde Harsha V. , Roy Subarna
Published: January 2023

Cancer is characterized by the abnormal development of cells that divide in an uncontrolled manner and further take over the body and destroy the normal cells of the body. Although several therapies are practiced, the demand and need for new therapeutic agents are ever-increasing because of issues with the safety, efficacy and efficiency of old drugs. Several plant-based therapeutics are being used for treatment, either as conjugates with existing drugs or as standalone formulations. Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal is a highly studied medicinal plant which is known to possess immunomodulatory activity as well as anticancer properties. The pivotal role of KAT6A in major cellular pathways and its oncogenic nature make it an important target in cancer treatment. Based on the literature and curated datasets, twenty-six compounds from the root of W. somnifera and a standard inhibitor were docked with the target KAT6A using Autodock vina. The compounds and the inhibitor complexes were subjected to molecular dynamics simulation (50 ns) using Desmond to understand the stability and interactions. The top compounds (based on the docking score of less than −8.5 kcal/mol) were evaluated in comparison to the inhibitor. Based on interactions at ARG655, LEU686, GLN760, ARG660, LEU689 and LYS763 amino acids with the inhibitor WM-8014, the compounds from W. somnifera were evaluated. Withanolide D, Withasomniferol C, Withanolide E, 27-Hydroxywithanone, Withanolide G, Withasomniferol B and Sitoindoside IX showed high stability with the residues of interest. The cell viability of human breast cancer MCF-7 cells was evaluated by treating them with W. Somnifera root extract using an MTT assay, which showed inhibitory activity with an IC50 value of 45 µg/mL. The data from the study support the traditional practice of W. somnifera as an anticancer herb.
Phenolic Constituents, Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Activity and Clustering Analysis of Propolis Samples Based on PCA from Different Regions of Anatolia
Authors: Altuntaş Ümit , Güzel İsmail , Özçelik Beraat
Published: January 2023

This study aimed to evaluate the biochemical composition and biological activity of propolis samples from different regions of Türkiye to characterize and classify 24 Anatolian propolis samples according to their geographical origin. Chemometric techniques, namely, principal component analysis (PCA) and a hierarchical clustering algorithm (HCA), were applied for the first time to all data, including antioxidant capacity, individual phenolic constituents, and the antimicrobial activity of propolis to reveal the possible clustering of Anatolian propolis samples according to their geographical origin. As a result, the total phenolic content (TPC) of the propolis samples varied from 16.73 to 125.83 mg gallic acid equivalent per gram (GAE/g) sample, while the number of total flavonoids varied from 57.98 to 327.38 mg quercetin equivalent per gram (QE/g) sample. The identified constituents of propolis were phenolic/aromatic acids (chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, p-coumaric acid, ferulic acid, and trans-cinnamic acid), phenolic aldehyde (vanillin), and flavonoids (pinocembrin, kaempferol, pinobanksin, and apigenin). This study has shown that the application of the PCA chemometric method to the biochemical composition and biological activity of propolis allows for the successful clustering of Anatolian propolis samples from different regions of Türkiye, except for samples from the Black Sea region.
Aspergillus oryzae Fermentation Extract Alleviates Inflammation in Mycoplasma pneumoniae Pneumonia
Authors: Lee Hui-Yu , Chen Chun-Chia , Pi Chia-Chen , Chen Chun-Jen
Published: January 2023

The filamentous fungus Aspergillus oryzae, also known as koji mold, has been used for centuries in the production of fermented foods in East Asia. A. oryzae fermentation can produce enzymes and metabolites with various bioactivities. In this study, we investigated whether A. oryzae fermentation extract (AOFE) has any effect on Mycoplasma pneumoniae (Mp) pneumonia. We performed solid-state fermentation of A. oryzae and obtained the ethanol extract. AOFE was analyzed by HPLC, and the major component was identified to be kojic acid. In vitro, AOFE suppressed Mp growth and invasion into A549 lung epithelial cells as determined by the gentamicin protection assay. AOFE treatment also suppressed Mp-stimulated production of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α and interleukin (IL)-6 at mRNA and protein levels in murine MH-S alveolar macrophages. In a mouse model of Mp pneumonia, Mp infection induced a marked pulmonary infiltration of neutrophils, which was significantly reduced in mice pre-treated orally with AOFE. AOFE administration also suppressed the production of proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines in the lungs. Collectively, our results show that AOFE has the potential to be developed into a preventive/therapeutic agent for Mp pneumonia.
Successive Solvent Extraction, Characterization and Antioxidant Activities of Cardoon Waste (Leaves and Stems) Extracts: Comparative Study
Authors: Hajji Nabih Meryem , Boulika Hamza , El Hajam Maryam , Alghonaim Mohammed I. , Kandri Noureddine Idrissi , Alsalamah Sulaiman A. , Boufahja Fehmi
Published: January 2023

The main interest in the valorization of vegetable wastes is due to the peculiarity of their chemical composition in substances that present important properties. Among these substances, antioxidants could replace those industrially manufactured. In the present study, three solvents of different polarities (hexane, ethanol, and water) were applied for the extraction of phenolic compounds from Cynara cardunculus L. waste using two extraction methods: Soxhlet Extraction (SE) and Ultrasonic-Assisted Extraction (UAE). The obtained extracts were then characterized by Fourier-Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and spectrophotometric determination of Total Phenolics (TPC), Total Flavonoids (TFC), and Condensed Tannins (CT). Total Antioxidant Capacity (TAC) and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenging activity of ethanol and water extracts of leaves and stems were also evaluated. High extraction yields were obtained by UAE. Water extracts had high yield regardless of the technique used for leaves and stems, and these extracts showed high TAC of 534.72 ± 3.83 mg AAE/g FM for leaves and 215.70 ± 8.87 mg AAE/g FM (mg of ascorbic acid equivalent per g of FM) for stems, and IC50 of 2077.491 μg/mL for leaves and 1248.185 μg/mL for stems. We explain the latter by the high total phenolic contents (TPCs), which reach 579.375 ± 3.662 mg GAE/g FM (mg of gallic acid equivalents per g of fresh matter) for leaves and 264.906 ± 3.500 mg GAE/g FM for stems. These results confirmed that the leaves and stems of the studied cardoon waste were, indeed, interesting sources of natural antioxidants.
The Role of Oxidative Stress in Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Narrative Literature Review
Authors: Membrino Valentina , Di Paolo Alice , Alia Sonila , Papiri Giulio , Vignini Arianna
Published: January 2023

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a multifaceted neurodevelopmental disorder that comprises a complex aetiology, where a genetic component has been suggested, together with multiple environmental risk factors. Because of its increasing incidence in the paediatric population and the lack of successful curative therapies, ASD is one of the most puzzling disorders for medicine. In the last two decades and more, the relationship between oxidative stress (OS) and ASD has been recurrently documented. For this reason, the former hypothesis, according to which reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (ROS and RNS) play an important role in ASD, is now a certainty. Thus, in this review, we will discuss many aspects of the role of OS in ASD. In addition, we will describe, in the context of the most recent literature, the possibility that free radicals promote lipid peroxidation, as well as an increase in other OS biomarkers. Finally, we will outline the possibility of novel nutritional interventions aimed at counteracting ROS production in people with ASD. In fact, new strategies have investigated the possibility that ASD symptoms, as well behavioral anomalies, may be improved after interventions using antioxidants as supplements or included in foods.
Non-Conventional Hybrid Microporous Layers for Enhanced Performance and Durability of PEM Fuel Cells
Authors: Latorrata Saverio , Mariani Marco , Basso Peressut Andrea , Balzarotti Riccardo , Dotelli Giovanni
Published: January 2023

In this work, novel microporous layers (MPLs) were developed based on fluorinated ethylene propylene (FEP), as a hydrophobic agent, and carboxymethylcellulose (CMC), as a wettability modulator and rheology controller for the inks, which were deposited onto pre-hydrophobized macroporous gas diffusion layers (GDLs). Higher CMC amounts led to higher dynamic viscosities of the inks, which induced the formation of a more compact and less cracked MPL surface. Different concentrations of CMC were tested and the experimental measurements showed a threshold limit pointing out an optimal composition that positively affected the electrochemical performances at medium-low relative humidity (RH), which is important to mitigate the need of saturating inlet gases. Durability of the best performing samples was assessed by means of an ad hoc developed accelerated stress test (AST) and compared to one of the conventional FEP-based GDMs. It was found that a lower decrement of both the output power density and the overall cell efficiency can be obtained upon the ASTs with the novel samples.
Evaluating Permafrost Degradation in the Tuotuo River Basin by MT-InSAR and LSTM Methods
Authors: Zhou Ping , Liu Weichao , Zhang Xuefei , Wang Jing
Published: January 2023

Permafrost degradation can significantly affect vegetation, infrastructure, and sustainable development on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (QTP). The permafrost on the QTP faces a risk of widespread degradation due to climate change and ecosystem disturbances; thus, monitoring its changes is critical. In this study, we conducted a permafrost surface deformation prediction over the Tuotuo River tributary watershed in the southwestern part of the QTP using the Long Short-Term Memory model (LSTM). The LSTM model was applied to the deformation information derived from a time series of Multi-Temporal Interferometry Synthetic Aperture Radar (MT-InSAR). First, we designed a quadtree segmentation-based Small BAseline Subset (SBAS) to monitor the seasonal permafrost deformation from March 2017 to April 2022. Then, the types of frozen soil were classified using the spatio-temporal deformation information and the temperature at the top of the permafrost. Finally, the time-series deformation trends of different types of permafrost were predicted using the LSTM model. The results showed that the deformation rates in the Tuotuo River Basin ranged between −80 to 60 mm/yr. Permafrost, seasonally frozen ground, and potentially degraded permafrost covered 7572.23, 900.87, and 921.70 km2, respectively. The LSTM model achieved high precision for frozen soil deformation prediction at the point scale, with a root mean square error of 4.457 mm and mean absolute error of 3.421 mm. The results demonstrated that deformation monitoring and prediction using MT-InSAR technology integrated with the LSTM model can be used to accurately identify types of permafrost over a large region and quantitatively evaluate its degradation trends.
Securing Optical Networks Using Quantum-Secured Blockchain: An Overview
Authors: Sharma Purva , Choi Kwonhue , Krejcar Ondrej , Blazek Pavel , Bhatia Vimal , Prakash Shashi
Published: January 2023

The deployment of optical network infrastructure and development of new network services are growing rapidly for beyond 5/6G networks. However, optical networks are vulnerable to several types of security threats, such as single-point failure, wormhole attacks, and Sybil attacks. Since the uptake of e-commerce and e-services has seen an unprecedented surge in recent years, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, the security of these transactions is essential. Blockchain is one of the most promising solutions because of its decentralized and distributed ledger technology, and has been employed to protect these transactions against such attacks. However, the security of blockchain relies on the computational complexity of certain mathematical functions, and because of the evolution of quantum computers, its security may be breached in real-time in the near future. Therefore, researchers are focusing on combining quantum key distribution (QKD) with blockchain to enhance blockchain network security. This new technology is known as quantum-secured blockchain. This article describes different attacks in optical networks and provides a solution to protect networks against security attacks by employing quantum-secured blockchain in optical networks. It provides a brief overview of blockchain technology with its security loopholes, and focuses on QKD, which makes blockchain technology more robust against quantum attacks. Next, the article provides a broad view of quantum-secured blockchain technology. It presents the network architecture for the future research and development of secure and trusted optical networks using quantum-secured blockchain. The article also highlights some research challenges and opportunities.
Intelligent Feature Selection for ECG-Based Personal Authentication Using Deep Reinforcement Learning
Authors: Baek Suwhan , Kim Juhyeong , Yu Hyunsoo , Yang Geunbo , Sohn Illsoo , Cho Youngho , Park Cheolsoo
Published: January 2023

In this study, the optimal features of electrocardiogram (ECG) signals were investigated for the implementation of a personal authentication system using a reinforcement learning (RL) algorithm. ECG signals were recorded from 11 subjects for 6 days. Consecutive 5-day datasets (from the 1st to the 5th day) were trained, and the 6th dataset was tested. To search for the optimal features of ECG for the authentication problem, RL was utilized as an optimizer, and its internal model was designed based on deep learning structures. In addition, the deep learning architecture in RL was automatically constructed based on an optimization approach called Bayesian optimization hyperband. The experimental results demonstrate that the feature selection process is essential to improve the authentication performance with fewer features to implement an efficient system in terms of computation power and energy consumption for a wearable device intended to be used as an authentication system. Support vector machines in conjunction with the optimized RL algorithm yielded accuracy outcomes using fewer features that were approximately 5%, 3.6%, and 2.6% higher than those associated with information gain (IG), ReliefF, and pure reinforcement learning structures, respectively. Additionally, the optimized RL yielded mostly lower equal error rate (EER) values than the other feature selection algorithms, with fewer selected features.
Circulant Singular Spectrum Analysis and Discrete Wavelet Transform for Automated Removal of EOG Artifacts from EEG Signals
Authors: Yedukondalu Jammisetty , Sharma Lakhan Dev
Published: January 2023

Background: Portable electroencephalogram (EEG) systems are often used in health care applications to record brain signals because their ease of use. An electrooculogram (EOG) is a common, low frequency, high amplitude artifact of the eye blink signal that might confuse disease diagnosis. As a result, artifact removal approaches in single EEG portable devices are in high demand. Materials: Dataset 2a from the BCI Competition IV was employed. It contains the EEG data from nine subjects. To determine the EOG effect, each session starts with 5 min of EEG data. This recording lasted for two minutes with the eyes open, one minute with the eyes closed, and one minute with eye movements. Methodology: This article presents the automated removal of EOG artifacts from EEG signals. Circulant Singular Spectrum Analysis (CiSSA) was used to decompose the EOG contaminated EEG signals into intrinsic mode functions (IMFs). Next, we identified the artifact signal components using kurtosis and energy values and removed them using 4-level discrete wavelet transform (DWT). Results: The proposed approach was evaluated on synthetic and real EEG data and found to be effective in eliminating EOG artifacts while maintaining low frequency EEG information. CiSSA-DWT achieved the best signal to artifact ratio (SAR), mean absolute error (MAE), relative root mean square error (RRMSE), and correlation coefficient (CC) of 1.4525, 0.0801, 18.274, and 0.9883, respectively. Comparison: The developed technique outperforms existing artifact suppression techniques according to performance measures. Conclusions: This advancement is important for brain science and can contribute as an initial pre-processing step for research related to EEG signals.
Towards a MEMS Force Sensor via the Electromagnetic Principle
Authors: Hartansky Rene , Mierka Martin , Jancarik Vladimir , Bittera Mikulas , Halgos Jan , Dzuris Michal , Krchnak Jakub , Hricko Jaroslav , Andok Robert
Published: January 2023

Force measurement is a science discipline that experiences significant progress with the introduction of new materials and evaluation methods. Many different sensor types, working on different principles, have been developed and reviewed and have found use in medicine as well as many other industries. New trends and demands require a size reduction and simple applicability, with the use of, for example, micro electromechanical systems (MEMS). For purposes of this study, the initial MEMS body is supplemented by its scaled version. Force measurement in this study works on the force to time-delay conversion principle. A compact compliant mechanical body (CCMB) with an embedded parallel resonant circuit (PRC) acting as a transducer realizes the conversion. Depending on the resonant frequency of the transducer (CCMB or MEMS), we have measured the applied force based on the reverse influence of the transducer on the surrounding EM field. The analysis shows that the transducer’s resonant frequency has a detectable reverse influence on the voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO) DC supply current. The force influencing the transducer is determined by the DC supply current ripple position during the VCO frequency sweep. The study presents the method proposal and mathematical analysis, as well as its function verification by simulation and prototype measurements. The proposed principle was validated on a CCMB prototype capable of measuring forces up to ∼2.5 N at a sampling frequency of ∼23 kHz, while the measured time-delay ranges from 14.5 µs to 27.4 µs.
Securing Smart Grid Enabled Home Area Networks with Retro-Reflective Visible Light Communication
Authors: Salas Mathew , Shao Sihua , Salustri Adrian , Schroeck Zachary , Zheng Jun
Published: January 2023

Smart appliances’ run schedule and electric vehicles charging can be managed over a smart grid enabled home area network (HAN) to reduce electricity demand at critical times and add more plug-in electric vehicles to the grid, which eventually lower customers’ energy bills and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Short range radio-based wireless communication technologies commonly adopted in a HAN are vulnerable to cyber attacks due to their wide interception range. In this work, a low-cost solution is proposed for securing the low-volume data exchange of sensitive tasks (e.g., key management and mutual authentication). Our approach utilizes the emerging concept of retro-reflector based visible light communication (Retro-VLC), where smart appliances, IoT sensors and other electric devices perform the sensitive data exchange with the HAN gateway via the secure Retro-VLC channel. To conduct the feasibility study, a multi-pixel Retro-VLC link is prototyped to enable quadrature amplitude modulation. The bit error rate of Retro-VLC is studied analytically, numerically and experimentally. A heterogeneous Retro-VLC + WLAN connection is implemented by socket programming. In addition, the working range, sniffing range, and key exchange latency are measured. The results validate the applicability of the Retro-VLC based solution.
Hybrid CNN-SVR Blood Pressure Estimation Model Using ECG and PPG Signals
Authors: Rastegar Solmaz , Gholam Hosseini Hamid , Lowe Andrew
Published: January 2023

Continuous blood pressure (BP) measurement is vital in monitoring patients’ health with a high risk of cardiovascular disease. The complex and dynamic nature of the cardiovascular system can influence BP through many factors, such as cardiac output, blood vessel wall elasticity, circulated blood volume, peripheral resistance, respiration, and emotional behavior. Yet, traditional BP measurement methods in continuously estimating the BP are cumbersome and inefficient. This paper presents a novel hybrid model by integrating a convolutional neural network (CNN) as a trainable feature extractor and support vector regression (SVR) as a regression model. This model can automatically extract features from the electrocardiogram (ECG) and photoplethysmography (PPG) signals and continuously estimates the systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP). The CNN takes the correct topology of input data and establishes the relationship between ECG and PPG features and BP. A total of 120 patients with available ECG, PPG, SBP, and DBP data are selected from the MIMIC III database to evaluate the performance of the proposed model. This novel model achieves an overall Mean Absolute Error (MAE) of 1.23 ± 2.45 mmHg (MAE ± STD) for SBP and 3.08 ± 5.67 for DBP, all of which comply with the accuracy requirements of the AAMI SP10 standard.
A Survey on Optimization Techniques for Edge Artificial Intelligence (AI)
Authors: Surianarayanan Chellammal , Lawrence John Jeyasekaran , Chelliah Pethuru Raj , Prakash Edmond , Hewage Chaminda
Published: January 2023

Artificial Intelligence (Al) models are being produced and used to solve a variety of current and future business and technical problems. Therefore, AI model engineering processes, platforms, and products are acquiring special significance across industry verticals. For achieving deeper automation, the number of data features being used while generating highly promising and productive AI models is numerous, and hence the resulting AI models are bulky. Such heavyweight models consume a lot of computation, storage, networking, and energy resources. On the other side, increasingly, AI models are being deployed in IoT devices to ensure real-time knowledge discovery and dissemination. Real-time insights are of paramount importance in producing and releasing real-time and intelligent services and applications. Thus, edge intelligence through on-device data processing has laid down a stimulating foundation for real-time intelligent enterprises and environments. With these emerging requirements, the focus turned towards unearthing competent and cognitive techniques for maximally compressing huge AI models without sacrificing AI model performance. Therefore, AI researchers have come up with a number of powerful optimization techniques and tools to optimize AI models. This paper is to dig deep and describe all kinds of model optimization at different levels and layers. Having learned the optimization methods, this work has highlighted the importance of having an enabling AI model optimization framework.
Fault Detection and Classification of CIGS Thin-Film PV Modules Using an Adaptive Neuro-Fuzzy Inference Scheme
Authors: Eltuhamy Reham A. , Rady Mohamed , Almatrafi Eydhah , Mahmoud Haitham A. , Ibrahim Khaled H.
Published: January 2023

The use of artificial intelligence to automate PV module fault detection, diagnosis, and classification processes has gained interest for PV solar plants maintenance planning and reduction in expensive inspection and shutdown periods. The present article reports on the development of an adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (ANFIS) for PV fault classification based on statistical and mathematical features extracted from outdoor infrared thermography (IRT) and I-V measurements of thin-film PV modules. The selection of the membership function is shown to be essential to obtain a high classifier performance. Principal components analysis (PCA) is used to reduce the dimensions to speed up the classification process. For each type of fault, effective features that are highly correlated to the PV module’s operating power ratio are identified. Evaluation of the proposed methodology, based on datasets gathered from a typical PV plant, reveals that features extraction methods based on mathematical parameters and I-V measurements provide a 100% classification accuracy. On the other hand, features extraction based on statistical factors provides 83.33% accuracy. A novel technique is proposed for developing a correlation matrix between the PV operating power ratio and the effective features extracted online from infrared thermal images. This eliminates the need for offline I-V measurements to estimate the operating power ratio of PV modules.
The Influence of Pitch Dimensions during Small-Sided Games to Reach Match Physical and Physiological Demands on the Youth Soccer Players
Authors: Castillo-Rodríguez Alfonso , Durán-Salas Álvaro , Giménez Jesús Vicente , Onetti-Onetti Wanesa , Suárez-Arrones Luis
Published: January 2023

The aims of this study were to (i) analyze the physical and physiological responses of four matches competition and (ii) to investigate the relationships among three different pitch dimensions of small-sided game (SSG) on the youth soccer players. Fifteen male U19 soccer players (age 17.3 ± 0.5 years, height 175.7 ± 5.6 cm, weight 68.5 ± 8.6 kg, playing experience 7.8 ± 1.4 years) were randomly assigned to three play areas: small (50 m2), medium (SSG-m, 150 m2) and large (SSG-l, 250 m2) area per player including goalkeeper. During the 4-week intervention, both groups performed three sets of 8 min with a passive rest period of 5 min between games. Differences in time-motion characteristics of players were measured with the Global Positioning System and assessed using a repeated measures ANOVA to compare the three game conditions and the magnitude-based inference to evaluate the pairwise comparison effects. The results showed that only the variables distance covered between 7.0–12.9 km·h−1 was not statistically significantly different among game conditions (p < 0.05; η = 0.21; small) and physiological response (i.e., hear rate of playing time spent 85–89% HRmax) also showed differences (p < 0.05; η = 0.25; small). The responses in SSG-m and SSG-l established them ass the format sizes ideal for replicating the physical responses during match competition. These findings could provide relevant information for coaches for use adequate pitch size (areas of 150 m2 and 250 m2) to reach the match-play scenarios found in match competition.
Isolation and Characterization of Compounds from Ochreinauclea maingayi (Hook. f.) Ridsd. (Rubiaceae) with the Aid of LCMS/MS Molecular Networking
Authors: Osman Norfaizah , Zahari Azeana , Hazni Hazrina , Wan Othman Wan Nurul Nazneem , Rasol Nurulfazlina Edayah , Ismail Nor Hadiani , Champy Pierre , Beniddir Mehdi A. , Litaudon Marc , Awang Khalijah
Published: January 2023

Phytochemical investigation of the dichloromethane crude extract from the bark of Ochreinauclea maingayi with the aid of LCMS/MS-based molecular networking guided the isolation and accelerated the elucidation of known and new indole alkaloids. The molecular networking analysis produces two main clusters, along with 41 non-prioritized clusters and self-loop nodes. Each cluster has several nodes which depict the fractions contained within those nodes. An implementation of a fraction mapping for each node represents the molecular weight and key fragment data of each compound. From the analysis of each cluster and node, we can deduce the indole alkaloids are the scaffold of interest. Indole scaffold can be found between F5 and F10 that contain several types of indole alkaloids. In total, we have successfully purified nine indole alkaloids, including 9H-β-carboline-4-carboxylate 2, norharmane 3, harmane 4, naucledine 10, neonaucline 15, 1,2,3,4-tetranorharmane-1-one 16, naulafine 19, cadambine 9, and a new monoterpene indole alkaloid dihyrodeglycocadambine 7 from F5 to F10 using a chromatographic technique. Their structures were confirmed by 1D-NMR, 2D-NMR, UV, IR, LCMS, and MS2LDA. Several clusters and nodes contain ions that could not be annotated, suggesting that they may possess novel compounds that are yet to be discovered.
Phytochemical Investigation, Antiulcer, Cyclooxygenase-2, and 15-Lipoxygenase Inhibitory Activities of Echinops erinaceus Kit Tan
Authors: Sweilam Sherouk Hussein , Abdel Bar Fatma M. , Foudah Ahmed I. , Alqarni Mohammed H. , El-Gindi Omayma D. , El-Sherei Moshera M. , Abdel-Sattar Essam
Published: January 2023

Plants of the genus Echinop (Asteraceae) are traditional medicinal plants used to treat several GIT ailments, owing to their diverse bioactive secondary metabolites, including sesquiterpenoids, triterpenoids, phytosterols, phenolics, flavonoids, alkaloids, and essential oils. Echinops erinaceus Kit Tan is a wild perennial herb of the genus Echinops which is endemic to Oman, Saudi Arabia, and Yemen. Currently, there are no previous reports exploring its anti-ulcer and anti-inflammatory effects. Additionally, few reports have described the chemical profile of E. erinaceus Kit Tan. In the current study, the CHCl3 fraction of the aerial parts of the plant was subjected to chromatographic isolation and spectroscopic identification via 1D and 2D NMR, and MS. The plant afforded two new compounds, designated erinaceolic acid (E3) and erinaceoside (E5), in addition to five known compounds, namely taraxasterol acetate (E1), taraxasterol (E2), apigenin (E4), stigmasterol-3-O-β-D-glucoside (E6), and speranskoside (E7). The evaluation of the gastric ulcer protective activity of the total extract and successive fractions of E. erinaceus, using the in vivo ethanol-induced ulcer in rats model, revealed the significant effect of the tested extracts and fractions on the percentage of gastric ulcer protection and ulcer index (500 mg/kg) compared to antodine (20 mg/kg). The tested extracts and fractions also reduced the stomach contents of TNF-α and reduced IL-6 as compared to the untreated group. Histopathological examination of the gastric mucosal tissues of rats supportedprevious results. In addition, the main subfractions and their isolates were assessed for their in vitro anti-inflammatory activity against COX-2 and 15-LOX enzymes. The new compounds erinaceolic acid (E3) and speranskoside (E7) exhibited strong inhibition against COX-2 (3.41 and 2.62 µg/mL) and 15-LOX (10.05 and 5.51 µg/mL), respectively. A molecular docking study was performed to reveal the binding interaction modes of the most active compounds against the binding sites of COX-2 (PDB ID 3LN1) and 15-LOX (PDB ID 1LOX) proteins. Speranskoside (E7) showed a dual binding affinity better than that of the cocrystallized references, celecoxib and (2E)-3-(2-oct-1-yn-1-ylphenyl)acrylic acid (RS7) against both enzymes. This study shed a light on the potential use of E. erinaceus in the protection and treatment of gastric ulcers.
Recent Clay-Based Photocatalysts for Wastewater Treatment
Authors: Chuaicham Chitiphon , Trakulmututa Jirawat , Shu Kaiqian , Shenoy Sulakshana , Srikhaow Assadawoot , Zhang Li , Mohan Sathya , Sekar Karthikeyan , Sasaki Keiko
Published: January 2023

Photocatalysis is a remarkable methodology that is popular and applied in different interdisciplinary research areas such as the degradation of hazardous organic contaminants in wastewater. In recent years, clay-based photocatalyst composites have attracted significant attention in the field of photocatalysis owing to their abundance, excellent light response ability, and stability. This review describes the combination of clay with focusing photocatalysts such as TiO2, g-C3N4, and Bi-based compounds for degrading organic pollutants in wastewater. Clay-based composites have more active surface sites, resulting in inhibited photocatalyst particle agglomeration. Moreover, clay enhances the creation of active radicals for organic pollutant degradation by separating photogenerated electrons and holes. Thus, the functions of clay in clay-based photocatalysts are not only to act as a template to inhibit the agglomeration of the main photocatalysts but also to suppress charge recombination, which may lengthen the electron–hole pair’s lifespan and boost degrading activity. Moreover, several types of clay-based photocatalysts, such as the clay type and main photocatalyst, were compared to understand the function of clay and the interaction of clay with the main photocatalyst. Thus, this study summarizes the recent clay-based photocatalysts for wastewater remediation and concludes that clay-based photocatalysts have considerable potential for low-cost, solar-powered environmental treatment.
Substantiation of the risk of absconding when applying pre-trial restriction measures related to the limitation of a constitutional person’s right
Authors: Serhieieva Diana , Іskenderov Elchin , Sukhachova Iryna , Pohoretskyi Mykola , Lysachenko Yelyzaveta
Published: January 2023

The article examines the features of the prosecutor's substantiation of the risk of absconding from the pre-trial investigation bodies and / or the court when applying measures related to the restriction of the constitutional rights of a person. Statistical data show a trend towards an increase in the number of cases of refusals by investigating judges to approve petitions of prosecutors as subjects of proving on the use of means of criminal procedural evidence, in particular, security measures, which indicates, among other things, the low level of validity of the petitions filed. Thus, in 2018, investigating judges refused to satisfy 5,970 petitions out of a total of 37,193 petitions for the application of precautionary measures (16.5%); in 2019 - 5,733 out of 34,780 (about 16.4%); in 2020 - 5,693 out of 31,547 (18.1%); for 2021 - 5,277 out of 30,408 (17.3%); for January-March 2022 - 799 out of 4,526 (17.6%). This is due to the fact that the problems of the prosecutor's exercise of his powers in proving in the pre-trial investigation, in particular in substantiating the presence of the risk of absconding, have not yet been subjected to a comprehensive theoretical study.

The study of the practice of the European Court of Human Rights allows us to reveal the essence of the risk of absconding as a basis for the application of measures related to the restriction of the constitutional rights of a person, as well as to find out what factors should be taken into account by the prosecutor when substantiating the risk of absconding.
Implementation of system of socio-economic competence development of future officers in the process of continuing education
Authors: Dyiak Vadym , Tushko Klavdiia , Pavlenko Oleh , Kovalska Iryna , Potapchuk Nataliia
Published: January 2023

The article reveals the system of socio-economic training (SET) of officers in the process of continuing education. The structure of socio-economic competence of border guard officers studying to get Bachelor and Master degrees was determined, including motivational-ideological, informational-content, conative-deontological, personal-reflexive components. Formation of the socio-economic competence was diagnosed according to the following criteria: motivational, cognitive, activity-based, developing. To implement the SET for cadets and students at the academy was created an optimal educational environment built in compliance with specific pedagogical conditions of SET. The substantiation of these pedagogical conditions was carried out on the basis of expert evaluation, and reliability of results of the experts' work was proven by using dispersion factor analysis. The developed system of SET demonstrates its dynamism, integral properties and is characterized by stable, repeated cause-and-effect relationships. A structural-functional model of the process was designed. Generalization of the results made it possible to prepare methodological recommendations for the teaching staff on the development of socio-economic competence of cadets and students. Verification of the reliability of the results of the formation of socio-economic competence of cadets and students of the Bachelor and Master degrees was carried out by calculating and comparing the Fischer F-criterion. It was found that optimal level of socio-economic competence of the border guard officers can be achieved if the SET of cadets and Master degree students in the process of continuous education at the Academy is organized in accordance with proposed structural-functional model and pedagogical conditions.
Comparative analysis of short-term intensive and long-term adaptive language teaching curriculum
Authors: Celik Bunyamin , Kapukaya Kenan
Published: January 2023

Teaching and learning a foreign language are challenging and time-consuming endeavors. Being proficient in a foreign language takes hard work for learners.

This qualitative research was conducted at Language Preparatory School (LPS) in Tishk International University (TIU), a private university in Erbil in Iraq where teachers currently follow a short-term intensive teaching program for English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners. To collect data, a survey was created and sent to 15 teachers at Tishk International University Language Preparatory School (TIULPS) through Google form. Three open-ended questions and five Likert-scale items were used in the qualitative research and subsequently the data was analyzed. According to research findings, it is suggested that EFL students in TIULPS should be taught in a long-term adaptive language teaching schedule. Therefore, there is an emergency to set up a new curriculum for language learners at language preparatory schools due to the allocated duration for proficiency level. These research findings can suggest a change in language teaching programs at education institutions at tertiary level in general.
The effects of time management workshops on students` academic success: A study on foundation english students at Tishk International University
Authors: Abdulrahman Soran Abubakr
Published: January 2023

Time management skills have been considered fundamental to improve 21st century skills related to learning, literacy and life. Commanding the time precisely can facilitate people`s lives in many aspects. Conversely, people who are terrible at managing their time can encounter many problems throughout their lives. In this regard, the main aim of this study which was conducted by a mixed method design was to measure the effects of time management workshops on students` overall success in Foundation English course at Tishk International University located in Erbil, Iraq in 2021-2022 Academic Year. Correspondingly, 30 students in 5 different departments were chosen by convenience sampling method for this study which had a span of 8 weeks. The participants in the control group received a traditional instruction with printed copies on time management, while participants in the experimental group underwent a training period with three time management workshops. The data were collected via a questionnaire, an interview and two exams. SPSS 27 and MAXQDA were primary instruments to analyze the data. The former one was used to analyze the exams through independent samples t test, whereas the latter one was used to transcribe the expressions in the interview. The findings revealed that the students in experimental group outperformed in terms of success in the exams, the level of motivation and transforming their lives positively. The implications of this study can pave the way to integrate time management workshops into the curriculum at educational institutions globally.
Psychological health of personnel of educational and scientific organizations under conditions of war (Ukrainian experience)
Authors: Bilozerska Svitlana , Leshchenko Iryna , Cherusheva Halyna , Roksoliana Bukliv , Ushakova Iryna
Published: January 2023

Open Russian aggression against Ukraine, which began on February 24, 2022, quite predictably had a negative impact on the whole Ukrainian society. At the same time, employees of pedagogical and scientific industries experienced significant pressure, as they were among the vulnerable categories of the population subjected to special repressions in the occupied territories, and in subordinate Ukraine experienced restrictions due to the general fall of the standard of living. With this in mind, the purpose of the article is to analyze the psychological health of the personnel of educational and scientific institutions during martial law in Ukraine. Methods of comparison, content analysis, systematic approach, abstraction, predictive method, and modeling were used to write the floor. As a result, based on theoretical knowledge and certain empirical generalizations the formation of psychological problems of teachers and mechanisms of their overcoming are demonstrated. Particularly, the constituent parts of professional burnout of pedagogical workers are demonstrated, but also the mechanisms of protection against stressful situations which are available for use even during the continuation of military operations are suggested. The article also draws attention to the problem of the psychological health of scientific workers - it says about the gradual decline of labor prestige and funding of the scientific industry, especially intensified during the war. The average age of scientists in Ukraine is quite high, so it entailed a decrease in the level of self-control and increased dependence on the opinion of others. The conclusions summarize ways to improve the psychological state, noting that the continuation of war and destruction will have a further negative impact.
A social and philosophical analysis of the values of European education
Authors: Ridei Nataliia , Khodunova Victoriia , Voronova Galyna , Tsymbal Svitlana , Bondar Nataliia
Published: January 2023

The modern European education system is strongly influenced by the global trends of civilizational development. In the axiological dimension, there is a balancing act between the dynamic trends of innovativeness and traditional elements of the authenticity of the educational environment. The socio-philosophical value segment in education is at the stage of searching for optimal synergetic interactions at local and global levels. The scientific exploration aims to comprehend the peculiarities of social value elements of the European educational space and to renew a separate axiological cluster of the socio-educational paradigm of modernity. The article aims to structure theoretically outlook and practically dynamic socio-philosophical value concepts and their correlation in the European educational environment. The study used general scientific and scientific-pedagogical methods with the involvement of synergetic methodological principles. The results of the study indicate axiological gaps between traditionality and innovation in the European educational system and the need for the alignment of value constants. A promising direction of research is the formation of a progressive value paradigm, in which the system of values will meet the requirements of the time and become a guide to social development in general. So, in the modern educational system two types of values are relevant: dynamic, practically oriented - mobility, inclusiveness, innovativeness; fundamental, theoretical, and ideological - humanization, tolerance, identity.
Neoliberalism and Individualism: Theoretical Points
Authors: Leme Alessandro Andre
Published: January 2023

In this article, we propose to analyze1neoliberalism in its relationship with individualism, that is, we intend to show that both processes mark the same dynamics of societies and markets today. On the one hand, neoliberalism would be a structural process coercing actors and institutions, however, it would also mark a social dynamic where individuals themselves assume practices and guidelines for conducting their actions in the sense of valuing their own undertaking in the processes of social integration to markets. With this, we aim to show that in contemporary times, reflecting on and analyzing neoliberalism necessarily involves understanding the individualization processes characteristic of modern societies.
Premature Mortality among Patients with Mental Disorders: An International Literature Review
Authors: Е.В. Дарьин, , А.Р. Амбарцумян, , Д.А. Питель,
Published: January 2023

В статье представлен нарративный несистематический обзор литературы на тему причин и структуры преждевременной смертности среди психически больных. Смертность среди людей с психическими заболеваниями стабильно выше, чем в среднем по популяции. Исследования указывают на более высокие риски смертности у данной категории пациентов, чем у населения в целом. Сейчас наибольшее число случаев смерти связаны с сердечно-сосудистыми и респираторными заболеваниями. С увеличением ожидаемой продолжительности жизни среди населения в целом разница в показателях смертности среди людей с психическими заболеваниями и в общей популяции будет увеличиваться. Без разработки альтернативных подходов к укреплению физического здоровья людей с психическими заболеваниями и к их лечению повышенная смертность среди психически больных будет сохраняться. Цель исследования. Изучить и обобщить данные о причинах и показателях смертности пациентов, имеющих психические заболевания, от основных групп соматических заболеваний. Материалы и методы. Проведен несистематический поиск иностранных источников в базе данных PubMed. Поиск статей осуществлен по ключевым словам: «mental disorders», «mortality rate», «mortality causes of death», «mortality statistics». Включались полнотекстовые статьи, находящиеся в открытом доступе, либо без открытого доступа при наличии абстракта.

The article provides a narrative, nonsystematic review of the literature on the causes and structure of premature mortality among the psychiatric population. Mortality rate among people with mental illness is consistently higher than in the population average Research indicates higher mortality risks in these patients if compared to general population. Currently, the largest numbers of mortalities are related to cardiovascular and respiratory diseases. As life expectancy in the general population increases, the difference in mortality rates between individuals with mental illness and the general population is going to widen. Unless alternative approaches to improving physical health and treatment of individuals with mental illnesses are elaborated, the increased mortality rate among psychiatric populations will persist. Purpose of the study. To study and summarize data on reasons and mortality rates in patients with mental illnesses died due to the main groups of somatic diseases. Materials and methods. A non-systematic search for foreign sources in the database PubMed was performed. Articles were searched using such keywords as: "mental disorders," "mortality rate," "mortality causes of death," and "mortality statistics". Full-text articles were included either available in free access or without free access if abstracts were present.