bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Isolation, Immobilization, and Characterization of Urease from The Seeds of Winged Bean (Psophocarpus tetragonolobus (L.) DC.
Authors: Zusfahair Zusfahair , Ningsih Dian Riana , Fatoni Amin , Bilalodin Bilalodin , Nuraini Aprilia Nafi
Published: March 2023

Urease has been utilized in the field of health and industry. Urease is commonly used in the form of free enzyme, so that the utilization is limited. Urease efficiency can be improved using immobilization enzyme. This research aimed to do the urease isolation, immobilization, and characterization from the winged bean seeds. This research was started by determining the amino-acid content of winged bean seeds using the Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LCMS). The winged bean seeds were germinated and extracted. The obtained crude extract’s activity was determined using Nessler reagent and measured using UV-Vis spectrophotometer with the wavelength of 500 nm. The urease of winged bean seeds was immobilized using the alginate matrix. The optimization of urease-immobilized beads could be made through the variations of natrium alginate concentration and beads formation periods in solution CaCl2. Characterization free and immobilized urease were made using the variations of urea substrate concentration, pH, temperature, and also the repeated utilization of immobilized urease. Winged bean seeds are rich with essential amino acid, such as leucine, isoleucine, histidine, phenylalanine, and valine. The urease obtained from the winged bean seeds had the optimum activity in the germination period of 8 days. The urease immobilization showed the optimum condition in the natrium alginate concentration of 5% (w/v) and beads formation period in solution CaCl2 for 60 minutes. The characterization results of free urease and immobilization had the optimum condition at the urea substrate of 0.2 M, and pH 7. Free urease had the optimum temperature of 35 oC, while the immobilized urease had the optimum temperature of 40 oC. The immobilized urease had the utilization stability up to 5 times with the relative activity of 48%. The EDX analysis results showed that the alginate did not contain N, while alginate urease beads contained N as much as 12%.
Candida auris: an emergent virulent and multidrug-resistant yeast associated with serious health implications
Authors: Yahaya Hassan , Sule Hamza
Published: March 2023

Background to the study: Invasive candidiasis is a critical healthcare-related fungal infection caused by several Candida species. Candida auris is an emerging multidrug-resistant, non-albicans species responsible for nosocomial infections, from skin colonization to invasive candidiasis outbreaks. It causes horizontal transmission, persistent outbreaks, and high mortality rates ranging from 30% to 78% across the affected populations.
ANALYSIS OF THERMAL STATE OF COMPONENT HYDRAULIC SYSTEMS IN TRANSMISSIONS OF SELF-PROPELLED MACHINES
Authors: Shevtsov Vadym , Rezvaya Kseniya
Published: March 2023

An analysis of the components of the hydraulic system in the transmission of the self-propelled machine was carried out in relation to the distribution of thermal energy during operation in the modes of transportation and maximum load. As a result of the analysis, the directions of movement of thermal energy along the internal and external contours of the hydraulic system were determined. The obtained dependences of power and kinematic parameters of the system depending on the load regimes and the thermal state of individual elements. The obtained results have practical value in understanding the behavior of the hydraulic drive from the point of view of the thermal balance of the system. Also, based on the analysis of the distribution of heat flows, it is possible to develop approaches to the method of choosing equipment for the cooling system.
JUSTIFICATION OF THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE WHEELED TRACTOR CAB SUSPENSION SYSTEM
Authors: Kozhushko Andrii , Kalchenko Boris , Yanchyk Alexander , Kobets Hennadii
Published: March 2023

Today, there is a significant mechanization of agriculture, which is designed to facilitate the work of the driveroperator and prevent the driver-operators from getting health problems during the performance of agricultural work. Therefore, such processes become a priority, because the increase in the energy content of tractors, the increase in speed during the execution of technological and transport operations, the variety of machines and tools aggregated by the tractor - inevitably lead to an increase in the impact of vibrations on the body of the operator-driver. In order to create real competition, domestic manufacturers need to implement modern solutions, which is not possible without high-quality cooperation with scientists. Therefore, the material of this article aims to analyze the implementation of the suspension system of the cab of a wheeled tractor on the indicators of smoothness of the wheeled tractor (vertical accelerations on the seat) when moving on various road surfaces. When solving the set goal, a technique was used that involved the use of the Dalembert principle, i.e., in the calculation model of the system from the massive elements, all available bonds were conditionally broken, then the action of the discarded bonds was compensated by the reactions of the bonds. As a result, the dependence of the change in vertical accelerations on the seat of the driver-operator of the KhTZ-160U tractor on the speed of movement (frequency of external influence) when moving on surfaces was obtained. The practical significance of the work lies in the provision of positive evaluation results regarding the reduction of the impact of vibrations on the body of the operator-driver for the domestic tractor industry through the introduction of the cabin suspension system.
INCREASING THE PERFORMANCE CHARACTERISTICS OF CLUTCHES OF VEHICLES WHEN USING FLUOROPLAST
Authors: Ostroverkh Alexander
Published: March 2023

In the work, a temperature study of friction discs, of the ring and petal type, made of metal asbestos, was carriedout. The SolidWorks program with the COSMOSWorks Designer software module was used to conduct the research.When performing the calculations, simplified models of overlays were created, grids of finite elements wereconstructed, thermal calculation was performed using heat flow. Next, we will conduct a similar study only with afluoroplastic coating applied to the surface of the pressure disc and the clutch flywheel. The use of fluoroplastic allowsto reduce the heat load on the corresponding surfaces with a coating thickness of 0.1 millimeter by at least 10%.
A NEW WAY TO CONTROL THE DISTRIBUTION OF BRAKING FORCES BETWEEN THE AXLES OF THE CAR
Authors: Podrigalo Mikhail , Baitsur Maksym
Published: March 2023

The distribution of braking forces between the axles has a significant impact on the stability of the car when braking. Over the years, dozens of authors have proposed various methods for regulating braking forces and devices for their implementation (brake force regulators - RTS). The regulation process in most of the known technical solutions was carried out by changing the ratio of the pressure of the working fluid (liquid or air) in the actuators of the brake drive of the front and rear brakes. To change the ratio of the specified pressure, the regulation of the working fluid was used, which led to the instability of the regulation characteristics and the failure of the brake system. In this article, a new method for controlling the distribution of braking forces between the axles is proposed and researched, the essence of which is to change the ratio of the total areas of the actuators of the brake drives (the areas of the pistons of the working brake cylinders). The implementation of this method of controlling the distribution of braking forces between the axles became possible due to the creation of open-type multi-piston disc brakes with two pairs of concentrically arranged brake pads. The proposed method makes it possible to increase the stability of the car not only during emergency, but also during service braking. The aim of the study is to increase the stability of the car during emergency and service braking by using a new method of controlling the distribution of braking forces between the axles by discretely changing the size of the active working areas of the working brake cylinders. To achieve this goal, the tasks of determining the value of the coefficient of distribution of the brake force on the front axle of the car with a different combination of the included working brake cylinders on the wheels and rear wheels and determining the threshold values of the car deceleration, at which it is necessary to change the ratio of the included working brake cylinders on the wheels of the front and rear axles, are solved .The results of the study showed that the use of multi-piston disc brakes on the front and rear wheels of a twoaxle vehicle makes it possible to organize the process of impulse control of the distribution of braking forces between the axles.
ASSESSMENT OF UNEVENNESS OF FEEDING SPEED OF TRACK DRIVES WITH A TRIANGULAR CIRCUIT FORM AND UPPER LOCATION OF THE DRIVE WHEEL
Authors: Kalinin Evgeny , Rebrov Oleksii , Kozlov Yuriy
Published: March 2023

In the work, the unevenness of the translational speed of a crawler with a triangular outline shape and the upper location of the drive wheel is analyzed. It was established that the value of the motion unevenness coefficient is a function of the design parameters of the engine. Of all these parameters, only the height of the location of the driving wheel practically cannot be changed, since it is determined by the dimensions of the tire in the wheel modification. Other structural parameters can change during the development of the engine design and, therefore, be the controlling elements in the system, which causes the unevenness of the translational speed.
BALLASTING AND DUAL TIRES USING OF WHEELED AGRICULTURAL TRACTORS UNDER THE CONDITIONS OF FULFILLING AGRO-ECOLOGICAL STANDARDS FOR SOIL INTERACTION
Authors: Rebrov Oleksii
Published: March 2023

The article presents an analytical approach to the implementation of ballasting and dual tires using of agricultural wheeled tractors, which is based on the unconditional fulfilment of agro-ecological standards of tires soil interaction. The necessity of harmonizing the indicators of the position of the centre of gravity of the tractor, the footprint area of the front and rear tires ratio, as well as their load capacity is shown. The need to use equal flotation in tractor’s tires during single and double use has been proven, which determines the need to maintain the position of the centre of gravity during ballasting. The method of selecting the mass of ballast weights for installation in the rear wheel discs and the front linkage system of the tractor, as well as the ballast weight system, which makes it possible to ensure the maximum possible weight of the tractor to meet the agro-ecological requirements regarding the maximum pressure on the soil, is proposed. The perspective of dual tires using to reduce the maximum pressure of the tractor on the soil is shown, and the high efficiency of ballasting the tractor on dual tires is also proven. The example shows the possibility of increasing the part of the territory of Ukraine where it is possible to operate the tractor without violating agro-ecological norms by 20-40% due to the use of dual tires. The possibility of increasing the efficiency of the tractor up to 1.5 times due to ballasting and doubling of tires has also been proven. The obtained data are based on 20 calculation variants of the tractor with different degrees of ballasting and the use of different tire doubling schemes.
ANALYSIS OF METHODS AND DEVICES FOR EVALUATION OF THE TRACTION PROPERTIES TRACTOR
Authors: Lebedev Anatoliy , Shuliak Mykhailo , Stelmakh Andriy
Published: March 2023

The article presents analysis of the methods and means of evaluating of the traction properties tractor. In the previous researches, it was propose to evaluate of the traction properties tractor on their supporting-coupling properties without taking into account the stochastic modes of exploitation and modes of operation. Experimental methods of definitions the traction of tractor require conducting a large number of experiments. Therefore, it is necessary to carry out an analysis of the methods and the means of improving the results of the definitions of the traction of tractor and justify ways to increase the speed of their implementation The conducted analysis made it possible to justify, that method evaluating the traction properties of tractor on the measurement of its accelerations on moving is the best method. Based on the results of experimental research, a conclusion was made about the need for a theoretical research of the effectiveness of tractor ballasting.
Анализ динамики эпидемического процесса COVID-19 в мире за неделю с 18.03.2023 г. по 24.03.2023 г.
Authors: Зимирова Анастасия , Поспелов Михаил , Иванова Александра , Дмитриева Людмила , Чумачкова Елена , Карнаухов Игорь , Щербакова Светлана , Кутырев Владимир
Published: March 2023

В обзоре представлен анализ эпидемиологической ситуации в странах мира по COVID-19 за неделю с 18.03.2023 г. по 24.03.2023 г.
Распространение вариантов вируса SARS-COV-2, вызывающих интерес (VOI) и субвариантов Omicron, находящихся под наблюдением (VUM), на основе количества их геномов, депонированных в базу данных GISAID за неделю с 18.03.2023 г. по 24.03.2023 г.
Authors: Дмитриева Людмила , Краснов Ярослав , Чумачкова Елена , Осина Наталья , Зимирова Анастасия , Иванова Александра , Карнаухов Игорь , Караваева Татьяна , Щербакова Светлана , Кутырев Владимир
Published: March 2023

В обзоре представлена информация по циркулирующим в настоящее время вариантам вируса SARS-COV-2 вызывающих интерес (VOI) и субвариантов Omicron, находящихся под наблюдением (VUM), геномные последовательности которых размещены в международной базе данных GISAID за неделю с 18 по 24 марта 2023 г.
Vybavení interiérů domácností na panství Sovinec ve světle pozůstalostních inventářů ze 17. a 18. století
Authors: Svoboda Josef
Published: March 2023

The study deals with the furnishing of households in Sovinec region on the basis of books of inheritance inventories and testaments written in German from the 17th and 18th centuries in comparisn with other areas and source types. The main emphasis is placed on the equipment of the interiors, namely the furniture and decoration. The author examines what kind of equipment appears in the inventories, how often they appear, or what equipment can be classified as standard in the period under review, and what equipment or material used spread to the countryside later.
Drosophila Oocytes: Preparations for Live Imaging
Authors: Endow Sharyn A.
Published: March 2023

This protocol describes methods for preparing Drosophila oocytes for live imaging by fluorescence microscopy. Live imaging is preferable to fixation for localization of specific proteins to oocytes, given that it can be performed without time-consuming and exacting procedures required to remove the oocyte outer chorion and vitelline membrane. Live imaging is also well suited for analyzing dynamic changes in oocytes that occur rapidly on time scales of seconds. Preparation of oocytes requires only ~12-15 minutes, not including imaging time, which can require 30-60 minutes depending on the experimental objectives and design. Methods are also presented for activating oocytes to induce re-entry into meiosis and progression through the meiotic divisions.
Tolerance optimization of non-normal distribution characteristics for mechanical parts based on asymmetric cubic quality loss
Authors: Jin Kai , Liu Xintian , Liu Miao
Published: March 2023

Purpose: The error distribution of product quality is different, not all follow the normal distribution, and sometimes there is a non-normal distribution of the product. Therefore, the triangular distributions and trapezoidal distributions are investigated based on asymmetric cubic quality loss.
Design: Appropriate changes in the process mean value can effectively reduce the quality loss of the product. In order to study the optimization problem of the process mean with linear asymmetric quality loss, a mathematical model for calculating the expected quality loss considering the optimization of the process means is established.
Finding: The proposed model is solved, and the analytical solution of the optimal process mean is obtained. Moreover, a numerical model of inherent reliability that conforms to the triangular distribution is introduced. Due to the existence of measurement fluctuations, it will bring fluctuation loss. The measurement loss is improved. Finally, the objective function calculates the optimal tolerance is calculated with the minimum total cost. An example is given to illustrate the effectiveness of the model.
Evaluation of Shortest path of a Network Using Fuzzy Floyd Warshall Algorithm based on the uncertain environment
Authors: Raut Prasanta Kumar , Behera Siva Prasad , Broumi Said , Kar Pallab Kumar
Published: March 2023

Solving the shortest path problem (SPP) by the Floyd-Warshall algorithm (FWA) is often found in the literature. In this article, we propose a fuzzy Floyd-Warshall algorithm for resolving the SPP in fuzzy circumstances with fuzzy parameters. In reality, the problems encountered are inherently unknown, and one of the most important issues is evaluating the shortest paths in different networks. Here we apply the canonical operation procedure on the fuzzy trapezoidal number to improve the Floyd-Warshall method and name it the fuzzy (FWA). Furthermore, we compare our algorithm with the existing FWA and the rectangular algorithm, and also we take the node (vertices) as the crisp number and the edges (links) value as a trapezoidal fuzzy number to solve most of the shortest path issues on a given network. Finally, we cite one numerical example to demonstrate the validity of our algorithm.
An Inquire of Cost and Benefits of Structural Interventions: The Case of Medical Legal Partnerships for People Living with HIV in Philadelphia, PA
Authors: DelaCruz Juan J , Munoz-Laboy Miguel , Martinez Omar
Published: March 2023

The net benefits of medical legal partnerships (MLP), providers of legal service for HIV-infected individuals in clinical settings, is gaining importance in the economic evaluation literature. MLP are structural interventions designed to improve HIV care continuum outcomes beyond the epidemiological and behavioral approaches. This paper introduces a theoretical framework for the economic evaluation and impact of MLP as well as identifies the highest return on the program based on costs, resources, and risk involved. The intervention package includes training for all MLP care providers, a screening tool and protocol that is designed to identify PLWH patients’ health-harming legal needs, and provision of legal support through partnership with a local public interest law clinic. The intervention is conceptualized as a clustered-randomized small-scale trial in two HIV treatment services organizations in Philadelphia, PA. Our approach to addressing health-harming legal needs for PLWH is based on integrated care principles and co-location of services. A cost-benefit analysis will determine the program’s feasibility.
Trends in survival following dementia diagnosis: a multinational cohort study
Authors: Luo Hao , Koponen Marjaana , Roethlein Christoph , Becker Cornelia , Bell Simon , Beyene Kebede , Chai Yi , Chan Amy H. Y. , Chui Celine Sze Ling , Haenisch Britta , Hartikainen Sirpa , Hsu Amy T. , Ilomaki Jenni , Kim Ju Hwan , Knapp Martin , Kunkel Elizabeth , Lai Edward Chia-Cheng , Lau Kui Kai , Lau Wallis C.Y. , Lee Hyesung , Liao Tzu-Chi , Lum Terry Y.S. , Man Kenneth , Shin Ju-Young , Tolppanen Anna-Maija , Wong Gloria H.Y. , Wong Ian
Published: March 2023

This multinational cohort study examines the trends in relative mortality risk following dementia diagnosis in the UK, Germany, Finland, Canada (Ontario), New Zealand, South Korea, Taiwan, and Hong Kong. A common protocol was applied to population-based data of individuals aged 60+ with an incident dementia diagnosis recorded between 2000 and 2018. Data from 1,272,495 individuals showed that the standardised mortality ratios (SMRs) for dementia ranged from 1.27 (95% CI 1.27-1.28; UK) to 2.90 (2.87-2.93; New Zealand). Both adjusted SMRs and hazard ratios (HRs) estimated from Cox proportional hazard models declined consistently over the study period in the UK, Canada, South Korea, Taiwan and Hong Kong, which accounted for 84% of all participants. This study found a steady trend of decreasing risk of mortality in five out of eight databases, which signals the potential positive effect of dementia plans and associated policies and provides reference for future policy evaluation.
Uveitic Complications Associated with Smoking Status
Authors: Samalia Priya , Kang Grace , Sims Jo , Niederer Rachael
Published: March 2023

Background/Objectives: Smoking is a modifiable health risk factor that can worsen various health outcomes. The primary objective of this study was to determine the association between the development of uveitic complications and smoking status.
Subjects/Methods: This was a retrospective observational study consisting of 2 946 subjects with uveitis with documented smoking status from January 2008 to December 2020. Uveitic complications were examined in ex-smokers, current smokers and non-smokers.
Results: Current smokers accounted for 9.9% and ex-smokers for 15.5%. Māori and Pacific Peoples were over-represented in ex-smokers and current smokers (p<0.001). On univariate analysis, current smoking was associated with higher odds of posterior synechiae (OR = 1.452, p = 0.009). When controlled for age and gender, current smoking was still associated with higher odds of posterior synechiae (OR = 1.367, p = 0.031). When controlled for age, gender and ethnicity, posterior synechiae was no longer significantly associated with current smoking (OR = 1.272, p = 0.108). There was a tendancy towards a lower odds of occlusive vasculitis in current smokers when controlled for demographics, although this did not quite reach significance (OR 0.400, p=0.082).
Conclusion: Smoking may be an important factor in the development of some uveitic complications such as posterior synechiae. Ethnic disparities in smoking cessation need to be addressed in a culturally sensitive way and it is important for treating ophthalmologists to counsel patients on smoking cessation for their overall general health.
Network Meta-Analysis on the Mechanisms underlying Type 2 Diabetes Augmentation of COVID-19 Pathologies
Authors: Kim Ryan J. , Khan Mohammed A.S. , Khan Maryam , Chang Sulie L.
Published: March 2023

Coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) is caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. SARS-CoV-2 virus is internalized by surface receptors, e.g., angiotensin-converting enzyme-2 (ACE2). Clinical reports suggest that non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (DM-II) may enhance COVID-19. This study investigated how DM-II augments COVID-19 complications through molecular interactions with cytokines/chemokines, using QIAGEN Ingenuity Pathway Analysis (IPA) and CLC Genomics Workbench 22 (CLCG-22). RNA-sequencing of islet β-cell genomes through CLCG-22 (SRA SRP287500) were analyzed to identify differential expression of islet β-cell genes (Iβ-CG). IPA’s QIAGEN Knowledge Base (QKB) was also used to retrieve 88 total molecules shared between DM-II and SARS-CoV-2 infection to characterize and identify Iβ-CG, due to close association with DM-II. Molecules directly associated with ACE2 and cytokines/chemokines were also identified for their association with SARS-CoV-2 infection. Using IPA, 3 Iβ-CG in common with both diseases, SCL2A2, PPARγ, and CPLX8, were downregulated by DM-II. Their downregulation occurred due to increased activity of cytokines/chemokines and ACE2. Collectively, this network meta-analysis demonstrated that interaction of SARS-CoV-2 with ACE2 could primarily induce endothelial cell dysfunction. Identification of common molecules and signaling pathways between DM-II and SARS-CoV-2 infection in this study may lead to further discovery of therapeutic measures to simultaneously combat both diseases.
Irreversible atrophy in memory brain regions over 7 years is predicted by glycemic control in type 2 diabetes without cognitive decline
Authors: Canario Nadia , Crisóstomo Joana , Duarte João , Moreno Carolina , Quental Hugo , Gomes Leonor , Oliveira Francisco , Castelo-Branco Miguel
Published: March 2023

Memory-related impairments in type 2 diabetes maybe be mediated by insulin resistance and hyperglycemia. Previous cross-sectional studies have controversially suggested a relationship between metabolic control and a decrease in hippocampal volumes, but only longitudinal studies can test this hypothesis directly. We performed a longitudinal morphometric study to provide such a direct test of a possible role of higher levels of glycated hemoglobin (HbA1C) with long term brain structural integrity in key regions of the memory system – hippocampus, parahippocampal gyrus and fusiform gyrus. Grey matter volume was measured at two different times – baseline and after ~ 7 years. We found an association between higher initial levels of HbA1C and grey matter volume loss in all three core memory regions, even in the absence of cognitive decline. Importantly, these neural effects persisted in spite of the fact that patients had significantly improved their glicemic control. This suggests that early high levels of HbA1c are irreversibly associated with subsequent long-term atrophy in the medial temporal cortex and that early intensive management is critical.
Statistical Computational Analysis in Luxury hotels in the era of COVID-19 : The Cretan case
Authors: Asmargiannakis Petros , Galariotis Emilios , Zopounidis Constantin
Published: March 2023

The goal of this research is to identify the investment preferences of top managers and owners of four- and five-star hotels and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on their investment planning. The study examines various factors, including the individual characteristics of executives (such as gender, age group, education level, and position held in the hotel unit), and their perceptions of the pandemic's effects on their investment planning. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first attempt to capture the pandemic's impact on investment options, planning, and spending for luxury hotels. The study first conducted a structured questionnaire survey to record investment priorities under two distinct scenarios: one prior to the pandemic and another after the pandemic's spread and containment measures. Statistical tests were then used to compare the results between the two periods, revealing clear differences in investment choices among top executives and owners. Chi-square tests were also employed to examine the impact of individual characteristics on executives' perceptions of the pandemic's impact on their investment planning and their willingness to limit investment spending. Ordinal regressions were used to explore association further. The findings show that participants' age group was associated with their perception of the pandemic's negative impact on investment planning and their willingness to limit investment spending. Participants' position in the hotel unit partially explained their willingness to reduce investment resources during the pandemic. Therefore, the research highlights that the age of higher management in luxury hotels impacts the business's ability to adapt to the post-COVID-19 environment. The results also suggest that policy makers' public measures aimed at enhancing executives' willingness to invest during difficult periods should consider these factors.
Distributed Environment Online Monitoring System Based on SOA
Authors: Li Ru , Chen Shancheng
Published: March 2023

Environmental contamination caused by energy extraction and processing is a persistent issue, and China’s environmental monitoring of mines is becoming increasingly rigorous as the 14th Five-Year Plan moves forward. This study proposes a distributed environmental online monitoring system to realize intelligent environmental monitoring in open-pit mines. The collection terminal utilizes PM2.5, PM10, temperature, and noise sensors for data collection. The hardware design employs an STM32 microcontroller as the control core. The communication design uses GPRS and RS-485 communication technologies to transmit data, and the software architecture utilizes a modular approach for data cleaning, data analysis, and data mining to achieve early warning and environmental quality evaluation in mining zones. The distributed environmental online monitoring system is tested in a mine, and the test data show the feasibility and effectiveness of the system. Good results on intelligently monitoring the environmental quality of the mine site are obtained.
Preparation and viscoelasticity of a novel hydrophobic associating polymer with salt stimulation responsiveness by functional monomer modification for fracturing fuids
Authors: Lai Xiaojuan , Liu Guiru , Liu Yong , Dong Xinping , Liu Xiaoqing , Mukhtar Yasir , Wang Lei , Wen Xin , Lu Lijuan
Published: March 2023

In this study, a salt-resistant hydrophobic association polymer (PZDY) is synthesized by acrylamide, octadecyl dimethylallyl ammonium chloride and decane polyoxyethylene ether acrylate by aqueous polymerization. The infrared spectroscopy, fluorescence spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy and other characterization methods were used to study its properties, and the rheological properties of PZDY solution is analyzed. The results showed that when concentration of NaCl is less than 5 wt% and CaCl2 is less than 1 wt%, the viscosity of 0.4 wt% PZDY increases with the increase of salt concentration. When the salt concentration continued to increase, the PZDY viscosity gradually decreased. Investigation of the rheological behavior showed that 0.6 wt% PZDY in 5 wt% NaCl and 1 wt% CaCl2 solution, could withstand a temperature up to 180 °C, after being sheared for 2500 s at 170 s−1, and its viscosity was greater than 50 mPa·s. Moreover, the viscosity of 0.6 wt% PZDY in 5 wt% NaCl increased from 104 to 205 mPa·s and the viscosity of 0.6 wt% PZDY in 1 wt% CaCl2 increased from 110 to 157 mPa·s, when at a shear rate of 170 s-1, at 180 ° C and the shear time was less than 500 s. Meanwhile, SEM results showed that salt addition enhanced the quasi-spatial network structure, with closer clustering of PZDY molecules in NaCl solution than in CaCl2 solution. The storage modulus (G′) and loss modulus (G") increased with the increase of PZDY concentration. Therefore, PZDY can be used to improve the heat and shear resistance of fracturing fluids and enhance oil recovery.
Prevalence and Intensity of Human Schistosomiasis in Selected Rural Communities of Mecha District and Bahir Dar town Administration, West Gojjam, Northwestern Ethiopia
Authors: Getu Asmamaw Abat
Published: March 2023

The study was conducted in Selected Rural Communities of Mecha District and Bahir Dar Town Administration, West Gojjam, Northwestern Ethiopia, to determine the prevalence and intensity of human schistosomiasis. A total of 490 stool and urine specimens were collected using stool cup and test tubes respectively. The overall prevalence and intensity of Schistosoma mansoni was 10.4% and 128.03 eggs per gram of stool (EPG) respectively. The prevalence of infection ranging from 7.8% in Wotet Abay Peasant Associations to 12.9% Kudmi Peasant Associations. The prevalence of Schistosoma mansoni infection among males and females was 13.2% and 7.5%, respectively, and the intensity of infection was 132.37 EPG and 120.42 EPG, respectively. The prevalence of Schistosoma mansoni infection among different age groups ranging from 3.9% in ≥ 30 years to 20.5% in 10–14 years whereas, the intensity of infection was ranging from 89.47 EPG in ≥ 30 years to 168.22 EPG in 10–14 years. It signifies the fact that the age groups 10–14 and 15–19 years are the highest risk groups. It is recommended that to control schistosomiasis in the areas should target at the youngest segment of the population.
Linkage and next generation sequencing (NGS) data in six large Danish families with dyslexia
Authors: Eiberg Hans , Hansen Lars
Published: March 2023

Dyslexia is a common learning disability exhibited as a delay in acquiring reading skills despite adequate intelligence, and reading single real words are impaired in many dyslexics. Reading disability or developmental dyslexia (DD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder affecting children globally, and the molecular mechanisms underlying it are largely underdetermined, while loci and susceptibility genes are suggested by genetic mapping in families or cohorts and by genome wide association studies (GWAS). To identify a possible genetic cause, we genotyped and performed genome wide linkage analysis employing the programs LIPED and SNP6-LINK of six multigenerational families with autosomal dominant inherited dyslexia. The linkage analyses resulted in informative haplotypes segregating with the dyslectic trait in all families and a LOD score of Z>4 at 13q12.3 and 19p13.3, and a LOD score of Z>3 at 15q23-q24.1, 18q11.21, and 21q22.3. The five mapped regions are supported by previous linkage or associations studies of dyslexia. Whole genome sequencing (WGS) of affected individuals in the six family’s revealed rare regulatory variants in the mapped regions.
Characteristics of broadleaved woody phytoliths and their preservation in soils in the mid-subtropical zone of China
Authors: Liu Lidan , Liu Hengyu , Liu Hongyan
Published: March 2023

Background and aims
Phytolith analysis is a promising tool for paleovegetation reconstruction. However, compared with grass phytoliths, there are few studies that have classified the phytoliths of trees. Therefore, reliable definitions of phytolith types in woody plants and studies of representative woody phytoliths in soils are needed to provide an improved basis for reliable phytolith-based vegetation reconstruction.
Methods
To explore the morphology of woody phytoliths and their preservation in soils, we described the phytolith morphology of 60 common broadleaved woody plants in the mid-subtropical zone of China, based initially on anatomical origin, and then on shape and finally on texture. We also for the first time established an index (R value) to explore the preservation of broadleaved phytoliths in soil in this region.
Results
We divided the phytoliths of broadleaved woody plants into 6 major types and 36 sub-types. The 6 major types are: epidermal phytoliths, silicified stomata, tracheid, favose phytoliths, hair, and others. We found some degree of correspondence between different phytolith types and the parent plants. Fagaceae, Lauraceae, Magnoliaceae, Rosaceae, Anacardiaceae and Euphorbiaceae could be clearly distinguished from other families based on phytoliths. Only eight types of broadleaved phytoliths were present in the soils. Elongate attenuate, elongate tenuous psilate, and blocky regulate were better preserved in soils than the other types (elongate attenuate entire, tabular sinuate, hair, sclereid, and favose phytoliths).
Conclusion
Our results provide an important basis for the further application of phytoliths in paleovegetation reconstruction.
The Pashto Corpus and Machine Learning Model for Automatic POS Tagging
Authors: Haq Ijazul , Qiu Weidong , Guo Jie , Peng Tang
Published: March 2023

In this study we developed a corpus of the low-resource language – Pashto. The corpus consists of 5 million words, labeled for explicit word-boundaries. And at the time of writing this paper, around 2 million of the words are tagged for Part-of-speech (POS) information. Pashto has no explicit word-delimiter like whitespace in English. The word-boundary markers added to the corpus are not only useful in this study for splitting the text into words, but can also be used in the development of a specialized word segmenter for Pashto. The process of POS tagging was carried out in several rounds where each Round has two sub phases, the automatic POS assignment and manual correction. A specialized web application is developed for manual correction and quality control. The tagset used for tagging is very concise and pragmatic that is developed on the guidelines compatible with the previous standard corpora. In the first Round, the baseline Lexicon-based approach was used for tagging a chunk of 230K word and then manually corrected. Using these tagged words as training data, a Machine Learning (ML) model was trained for tagging the remaining corpus. The purpose of incorporating ML was to improve the accuracy of automatic POS assignment, thus to speed-up the tagging process and reduce the manual effort. Tagging results of the final ML-based model are very satisfactory, which yields an accuracy of 99% and F1-score of 98%. Besides building an automatic POS tagger, the proposed corpus is aimed to be used in countless open research areas in Pashto NLP such as homographs disambiguation, NER, word segmentation, text proofing, constituency and dependency parsing and language modeling etc.
Examination the effect of Jervin purified from the Veratrum album on changes in testicular tissue of varicocele-induced rats
Authors: YİĞİT Serdar , BINGÖL Seyit ALI , YAYLA Muhammed , ATALAY Fadime DUMLU , EYERCI Nilnur , AYDIN Tuba , KACI Fatma Necmiye
Published: March 2023

In this study, it was aimed to investigate the effects of jervine, which was isolated from Veratrum album, on testicular tissue obtained from induced varicocele rats by using histological, immunohistochemical, biochemical and molecular techniques. In this experimental study, 40 male Sprague Dawley rats of 8-week-old with an average weight of 180–200 g were used. Rats were randomly divided into 6 groups; varicocele, healthy + jervine (10 mg/kg), varicocele + jervine (5 mg/kg) and varicocele + jervine (10 mg/kg), control, sham. After the left testes were dissected and excised, tissues were divided into three parts for histological, biochemical and Real-Time PCR examinations. It was observed that seminiferous tubules were normal in the control, sham and healthy + jervine (10 mg/kg) groups but it was found that seminiferous tubules were destroyed in the varicocele and varicocele + jervine groups. TNF-α immunoreactivity was stronger in the varicocele group than that of others. It was found that SOD activity was decreased and CAT activity was raised in varicocele group matched to the control group. TNF and p53 gene expression were downregulated due to the effects of jervine. In summary, we conclude that jervine promotes sperm morphology and contributes to preventing varicocele-induced damage by reducing TNF-α and p53 levels in experimental varicocele rats.
Coarctation of Aorta Fluid Dynamics after Three-Dimensional Reconstruction: A Case Report and Literature Review
Authors: Ou YangDa , Pan Bo , Lv Tiewei , Liu Lifei , Qin Jin jie , Jin Xin , Tian Jie
Published: March 2023

Objective
To investigate the clinical significance of hydrodynamics analysis in diagnosing and treating coarctation of the aorta after three-dimensional reconstruction of CTA.
Methods
The clinical data and imaging data were retrospectively analyzed for a child with coarctation of the aorta and analyzed using computational fluid dynamics combined with relevant literature.
Results
Through the computational fluid dynamics analysis after three-dimensional reconstruction of a child with coarctation of arch, the changes in pressure gradient in the main coarctation section of children's aortic path were deeply discussed and analyzed. The pressure in the coarctation section decreased sharply, the relevant values met the diagnostic criteria, and the hemodynamics could be relieved after surgical anastomosis. Reduced risk of postoperative constriction and postoperative hypertension made surgical intervention feasible. If the hemodynamics of a child could not be alleviated after surgical intervention, interventions such as balloon dilatation or stent could be considered.
Conclusion
Fluid dynamics analysis after three-dimensional reconstruction, under ideal circumstances, could be used to evaluate the overall aortic arch pressure change process more accurately and intuitively with lower cost, less patient pressure, and uncertainty, and has a more comprehensive and systematic guiding significance for the diagnosis and treatment of children with coarctation of the aorta.
One to one marketing management via customer complaint
Authors: Kunathikornkit Shawanluck , piriyakul Intaka , piriyakul Rapepun
Published: March 2023

For companies to retain customers and ensure effective management-level resolution, they need to anticipate customer churn and determine the root cause of complaints. To achieve this, analyzing personalized complaints from the customer's perspective is crucial. This research advocates for a multidisciplinary approach that combines language behavior, relevance feature extraction, feature weighting, and sentiment analysis to extract the underlying problem in real time. Applying this approach to the CFPB database sample yielded an accuracy rate of 82% and a system validity of 75%, which can help improve customer service and protect consumers in the financial and other service industries. By addressing individual customer issues that cause dissatisfaction, businesses can enhance customer satisfaction and retention levels. Thus, by analyzing complaints from a personalized standpoint, companies can identify the root cause of the problem, improve their services, and establish stronger customer relationships.
Thyrotropin releasing hormone and its cyclised C-terminal peptide inhibit thyroglobulin release from thyroid follicular cells: evidence for acute regulation of hormone production at the thyroid gland
Authors: Sun Dijue , Garcia Edwin , The Crystallynn Skye , Raja Umma , Kindt Laura , Collis Dominic W.P. , Azevedo Helena S. , Korbonits Márta , Ghilchik Margaret , King Peter J. , Smyth Derek G.
Published: March 2023

Purpose: Thyrotropin releasing hormone (TRH), a tripeptide hormone produced in the hypothalamus, controls thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) production from the pituitary gland and hence the production of thyroid hormone. Extra-hypothalamic production and action of TRH has been detected, as has the presence of a C-terminal cyclised derivative, histidyl-proline diketopiperazine (His-Pro DKP). This study investigates the effects of these compounds on thyroglobulin release from thyroid follicular cells.
Methods: DKPs were identified by chromatography and mass spectrometry. Expression of RNAs and proteins were identified in the FTRL-5 thyroid cell line and supernatant using RT-qPCR and immunoblotting.
Results: We show that TRH is expressed by rat follicular thyroid cells, as is Pgpep1, the enzyme required for removal of the N-terminal amino acid of TRH. The rate of His-Pro DKP production from the C-terminal dipeptide of TRH is enhanced by thyroid extract in vitro. Both TRH and His-Pro DKP reduce thyroglobulin release from thyroid follicular cells with the magnitude of this effect attenuated in the presence of TSH, which also inhibits the expression of Pgpep1.
Conclusion: Collectively, these data indicate that TRH and its cyclised dipeptide derivative directly regulate thyroid production within the thyroid gland, potentially in a manner dependent upon the activity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid (HPT) axis. These findings provide further evidence that C-terminal peptide derivatives of classical hormones possess intrinsic biological activities.
End-of-life care in Germany between 2016 and 2020 – A repeated cross-sectional analysis of statutory health insurance data
Authors: Baal Katharina van , Hemmerling Melissa , Stahmeyer Jona Theodor , Stiel Stephanie , Afshar Kambiz
Published: March 2023

Background
The Hospice and Palliative Care Act of 2015 aimed at developing and regulating the provision of palliative care (PC) services in Germany. However, it remains unknown whether the act has impacted end-of-life care (EoLC) in Germany.
Objective
The present study examined trends in EoLC indicators between 2016–2020, in the context of Lower Saxony, Germany.
Methods
Repeated cross-sectional analysis was conducted on data from the statutory health insurance fund AOK Lower Saxony (AOK-LS), referring to the years 2016–2020. EoLC indicators were: (1) the number of patients receiving any form of outpatient PC, (2) the number of patients receiving generalist outpatient PC and (3) specialist outpatient PC in the last year of life, (4) the onset of generalist outpatient PC and (5) the onset of specialist outpatient PC before death, (6) the number of hospitalisations in the 6 months prior to death and (7) the number of days spent in hospital in the 6 months prior to death. Data for each year were analysed descriptively and a comparison between 2016 and 2020 was carried out using t-tests and chi-square tests.
Results
Data from 160,927 deceased AOK-LS members were analysed. The proportion of patients receiving outpatient PC remained consistent over time (2016 vs. 2020 p = 0.077). The number of patients receiving generalist outpatient PC decreased from 28.4% (2016) to 24.5% (2020; p < .001), whereas the number of patients receiving specialist outpatient PC increased from 8.5% (2016) to 11.2% (2020; p < .001). The onset of generalist outpatient PC moved from 106 (2016) to 93 days (2020; p < 0.001) before death, on average. The onset of specialist outpatient PC showed the reverse pattern (2016: 55 days before death; 2020: 59 days before death; p = 0.041).
Conclusion
Despite growing needs for PC at the end of life, the number of patients receiving outpatient PC did not increase between 2016–2020. Furthermore, specialist outpatient PC is being increasingly prescribed over generalist outpatient PC. Although the early initiation of outpatient PC has been proven valuable for the majority of people at the end of life, generalist outpatient PC was not initiated earlier in the disease trajectory over the study period, as was found to be true for specialist outpatient PC. Future studies should seek to determine how existing PC needs can be optimally met within the outpatient sector and identify factors that can support the earlier initiation of especially generalist outpatient PC.
Trial registration
The study “Optimal Care at the End of Life” was registered in the German Clinical Trials Register (DRKS00015108; 22 January 2019).
From ideal to toxic: controlling the nitrogen environment for optimal Rhodomonas salina production
Authors: Fichtbauer Antonia , Temmink Ralph , Russa Marco La
Published: March 2023

The microalga Rhodomonas salina is a widely used species for rearing live feed organisms in the aquaculture feed market. A species specific media is an essential step towards enhancing productivity and decreasing production costs for microalgae cultivation. However, relevant aspects of media composition such as nitrogen source and elemental ratio have not yet been characterized for this alga. This study aimed to optimize the following three aspects of culture media: 1) optimal ratio between nitrogen and phosphorus (N:P ratio); 2) preferred source of nitrogen; and 3) tolerance of R. salina towards free ammonia. To investigate this, we conducted a series of controlled laboratory experiments in shake flasks. Our experiments revealed a 45% increase in growth rate when an N:P ratio of 15:1 was used compared to the standard ratio of 25:1. Ammonium and nitrate were equally well accepted as a nitrogen source, however, a mix of ammonium and nitrate resulted in significant growth reduction. Free ammonia did not affect growth of the alga at the tested concentrations of up to 5 mg ammonia-nitrogen L− 1. We conclude that for optimal R. salina cultivation, an N:P ratio of 15:1 is strongly preferred, as it leads to a significant increase in growth rate. Further, media with a single source of nitrogen promote faster growth over media with mixed sources, and ammonium may safely be used as a nitrogen source, since R. salina tolerates certain levels of free ammonia. Overall, this work provides insights into the optimal cultivation conditions for R. salina, allowing for more efficient and reliable production of this relevant species.