bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
B cell-mediated antigen presentation promotes adverse cardiac remodeling in chronic heart failure
Authors: Adamo Luigi , Lovell Jana , Duque Carolina , Rousseau Sylvie , Bhalodia Aashik , Bermea Kevin , Cohen Charles
Published: June 2024

Cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of death worldwide. A primary driver of cardiovascular mortality is ischemic heart failure, a form of cardiac dysfunction that can develop in patients who survive myocardial infarction. Acute cardiac damage triggers robust changes in the spleen with rapid migration of immune cells from the spleen to the heart. Activating this “cardio-splenic” axis contributes to progressive cardiac dysfunction. The cardio-splenic axis has, therefore, been identified as a promising therapeutic target to prevent or treat heart failure. However, our understanding of the precise mechanisms by which specific immune cells contribute to adverse cardiac remodeling within the cardio-splenic axis remains limited. Here, we show that splenic B cells contribute to the development of heart failure via MHC II-mediated antigen presentation. We found that the adoptive transfer of splenic B cells from mice with ischemic heart failure promoted adverse cardiac remodeling and splenic inflammatory changes in naïve recipient mice. Based on single-cell RNA sequencing analysis of splenic B cells from mice with ischemic heart failure, we hypothesized that B cells contributed to adverse cardiac remodeling through antigen presentation by MHC II molecules. This mechanism was confirmed using transgenic mice with B cell-specific MHC II deletion, and by analyzing circulating B cells from humans who experienced myocardial infarction. Our results broaden our understanding of B lymphocyte biology, reshape current models of immune activation in response to myocardial injury, and point towards MHC II-mediated signaling in B cells as a novel and specific therapeutic target in chronic heart failure.
Development of Multiplex One-step Point-of-Care Diagnostic Test for SARS- CoV-2 Using Portable Biomeme Thermocycler
Authors: Lee Seonghyeon , Rajoriya Shivani , Park Jieun , Kim Bohyeon , Natasha Augustine , Prayitno Sara Puspareni , Misra Divya , Park Kyungmin , Song Jin-Won , Lee Taek-Kyun , Shin Kyu Sung , Lee Hyungdon , Kim Won-Keun
Published: June 2024

Coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19), caused by Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), poses a critical public health threat due to the high transmissibility, infectivity, and prolonged incubation in humans. The urgent demand for swift and efficient detection assays during the pandemic led to the establishment of Point-of-Care Testing (POCT) methods using RT-qPCR for SARS-CoV-2 detection. However, an accurate and portable diagnostic method for SARS-CoV-2 remains to be developed. To address this challenge, we developed the multiplex one-step RT-qPCR for POC diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 using a portable Biomeme Franklin™ Real-Time PCR thermocycler. The performance of the Biomeme assay was evaluated and validated for the POCT of SARS-CoV-2, based on multiplex detection of the nucleocapsid, envelope, and spike genes. The Biomeme assay demonstrated high sensitivity by detecting the RNA of multiple SARS-CoV-2 variants, including 19A, B.1.617.2, BA.1, BA.2, BA.2.75, BA.5, and BN.1 from 0.01 ng/µl of total RNA and showed no cross-reactivity with other human coronaviruses, such as HCoV-OC43, HCoV-NL63, and HCoV-229E. The diagnostic method exhibited a clinical sensitivity of 95% and a specificity of 100%. Therefore, this study reports a POCT method for the prompt and reliable molecular diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 in resource-limited settings.
The Impact of Positive Emotions on Academic Performance and Well-being among Students and Teachers in Language Learning: A Bibliometric Analysis
Authors: Shubina Ivanna , Kwiatek Piotr
Published: June 2024

This bibliometric study investigates the impact of positive emotions without neglecting the benefits of negative emotions on academic performance and well-being among teachers and students in language education. 382 relevant studies published between 2013 and 2023 were retrieved from highly ranked databases using LENS software. Current study synthesized retrieved data and provided suggestions on current gaps in knowledge and future studies in the field. Descriptive characteristics of the publications showed an increased number of publications in 2015 (n = 76) and 2018 (n = 75). The top two leading authors by publication amount and citation score were J-M. Dewaele (29 papers, 2,090 citations) and P.D. Macintyre (7 papers, 1,097 citations). The results indicated that positive emotions have a significant impact on academic success, development of students’ skills and abilities, what increases overall well-being among students and teachers involved in language education. The findings of this study are useful for researchers interested in an overview of the publication trends in language education, as well as for teachers and students since they encourage a deeper understanding of impact of positive emotions on academic performance in the language learning context and creating efficient learning environment.
Third-order non-linear optical switching and threshold limiting of NiO thin films
Authors: Bhakta Sourav , Panda Rudrashis , Sahoo Pratap Kumar
Published: June 2024

This study discusses the nonlinear optical properties of as-grown and annealed NiO thin films using the Z-scan technique. In open aperture measurements, pristine reveal saturable absorption (SA) with a negative sign of nonlinearity, while annealed samples exhibit reverse saturable absorption (RSA) with a positive sign of nonlinearity. In closed aperture conditions, all samples show prefocal minima and postfocal maxima, indicating self-focusing behavior. The observed RSA phenomena are attributed to the two-photon absorption (TPA) process. The influence of surface plasmon resonance on nonlinear absorption is successfully ruled out due to insufficient excitation energy (1.20 eV) to induce resonance in the samples. The increase in bandgap with annealing temperature, associated with TPA, is elucidated with the shifting of Ni-dx2-y2 and Ni-dz2 orbitals in the conduction band, under the framework of Density Functional Theory (DFT). The DFT results are correlated with the observed nonlinear SA and RSA processes. The Ni d-d and Ni-d to O-p transitions contribute to the modulation of nonlinearity in the TPA process. The study suggests that the sample annealed at 4000C exhibits superior optical limiting properties with the highest nonlinear absorption coefficients compared to the other annealed sample, while the as-grown sample is suitable for passive Q-switching applications.
The Role of Puff Volume in Vaping Emissions, Inhalation Risks, and Metabolic Perturbations: A Pilot Study
Authors: Jeon Jennifer , He Xiaojia , Shinde Akshada , Meister Maureen , Barnett Lillie , Zhang Qian , Black Marilyn , Shannahan Jonathan , Wright Christa
Published: June 2024

Secondhand vaping exposure is an emerging public health concern that remains understudied. In this study, saliva and exhaled emissions from ENDS users (secondhand) and non-ENDS users (baseline) were collected, firsthand emissions were generated using an automated ENDS aerosol generation system programmed to simulate puffing topography profiles collected from ENDS users. Particulate concentrations and sizes along with volatile organic compounds were characterized. We revealed puffing topography metrics as potential mediators of firsthand and secondhand particle and chemical exposures, as well as metabolic and respiratory health outcomes. Particle deposition modeling revealed that while secondhand emissions displayed smaller deposited mass, total and pulmonary particle deposition fractions were higher than firsthand deposition levels, possibly due to smaller secondhand emission particle diameters. Lastly, untargeted metabolomic profiling of salivary biomarkers of lung injury due to firsthand ENDS exposures revealed potential early indicators of respiratory distress that may also be relevant in bystanders exposed to secondhand vaping scenarios. By leveraging system toxicology, we identified 10 metabolites, including leukotriene D4, that could potentially serve as biomarkers for ENDS use, exposure estimation, and the prediction of vaping-related disease. This study highlights characterization of vaping behavior is an important exposure component in advancing our understanding of potential health effects in ENDS users and bystanders.
Avifaunal assemblages within fresh and saltwater resources around a national park; the case of Lake Munyanyange, Lake Edward, and Kazinga Channel in Southwestern Uganda
Authors: Aggrey Siya , Akisiimire Hindrah , Nicholas Muhesi , Augustine Hakiza , Moses Tasiwuka , Joel Ongom , Enyel Eric Morris , Baluku Robert
Published: June 2024

Background
Birds play a critical role in sustaining global ecosystems as well as human livelihoods. Despite this value, their populations are declining at unprecedented rates with anthropogenic factors being the main driver. Local monitoring strategies provides data for enhancing monitoring activities while designing conservation interventions. Herein, we present preliminary results from bird monitoring activities undertaken within fresh and salt water sites in Southwestern parts of Uganda.
Methods
Point count method was used during the survey. This included recording of birds seen and or heard from within 100 m radius. This was done periodically (every 10 minutes) in the morning and evening along a transect and birds were identified using identification keys. Diversity indices were computed for the data and One-Way ANOVA was used to compute the differences in counts across different sites. Post-Hoc analysis was computed using Tukey’s HSD test. All analyses were done in R software.
Results
A total of 7476 individuals of birds of 68 different species were recorded during the 558 observations made across the different sites. The freshwater lakes had the highest bird diversity and abundance with Kazinga Channel inside the park scoring the highest (H' = 2.211). Ceryle rudis (29%, n= 7476) had the highest number of individuals followed by Ploceus melanocephalus. The choice of the different sites by the birds did not vary across Lake Edward and Kazinga Channel (P =0.852). Meanwhile for these sites in comparison with Lake Munyanyange, there was a significant difference in being chosen by the birds i.e. P = 0.009 and P = 0.015 respectively. All these lakes had migratory birds that fly across national boundaries
Conclusion
There is a high diversity of birds around salt and fresh water sites in Southwestern Uganda. This includes migratory bird species. Conservation interventions thus ought to be designed targeting these selected sites to enhance stability of bird populations across different scales. This can be done with improved data generated through monitoring activities.
A Multidimensional Approach for Formal Modeling and Analyzing Medical Cyber-Physical Systems
Authors: Bouheroum Ayoub , Benmerzoug Djamel , Hemam Sofiane Mounine , Belala Faiza
Published: June 2024

The combination of integrated software controlling devices, networking capabilities, and sensing/actuation technologies in Medical Cyber-Physical Systems (M-CPS) highlights some research challenges specific to this class of Cyber-Physical Systems (CPS). The major challenge is ensuring the confidentiality of the data or resources that they handle. In this paper, we tackle this problem by proposing a formal approach that combines CA-BRS (Control Agent and Bigraphical Reactive Systems) and BPMN (Business Process Model Notation) to specify and analyze CPS in general, while respecting several dimensions. The CPS structural dimension, which represents the space (physical and cyber entities) in which agents exist and interact, is defined by the Bigraphs. Control agents constituting the virtual dimension observe and control the physical and cyber entities of their environment. The complex and adaptive behavior of a CPS (behavioral dimension) is defined through several types of rules; each manages a possible evolution of a CPS component (physical, cyber or virtual). Two distinctive perspectives are associated with the semantic interpretation of these rules: states and activities. Both perspectives are defined with a particular semantics and notations.
This study focuses on the activities perspective that specifies the behavior of control agents using a BPMN activity diagram. This highlights how these two models (CA-BRS and BPMN) complement each other to assist designers in defining formal models for CPS. Additionally, it reveals how to provide the CA-BRS model with means of controlling unauthorized access to an Electronic Health Record system.
Synthesis of composites with nanoscale silicon and silicate oxides with lithium using three-dimensionally driven ball mill
Authors: Shimoi Norihiro , Aonuma Hirotaka , Komatsu Masae
Published: June 2024

To achieve high-performance electrochemical anodes properties, active materials of anodes with improved cycle performance were composited using Cu alloys, silicon oxides and Li compounds within a composite by a simple mechanochemical milling process. The three-dimensionally driven ball mill used as a mechanochemical apparatus in this study can independently control two axes and can perform combined milling and frictional movements realized by adjusting the rotational speed of the vessel. The composite consisting of silicon, lithium oxide and copper oxide using these movements has Si nanoparticles, amorphous silicon monoxide, and Si–Cu alloy compounds, and a layer of silicon oxide on its surface. The prepared composite achieved higher retention capacity, higher coulomb efficiencies of approximately 90% and longer-cycle performance than Si particles, indicating a considerable optimisation of electrical and ionic conductivities in the composite. As a result, the method developed enabled the control of Li content to compensate for the lack of Li ions in the composite and optimised cycle performance with Cu alloys, oxides and Li compounds in the composite.
Mechanistic insights into antifungal potential of Alexidine dihydrochloride and Hexachlorophene in Candida albicans: A Drug repurposing approach
Authors: Ansari Ayesha , Kumar Darshan , Gupta Payal , Poluri Krishna Mohan , Rai Nishant , Ameen Faud , Kumar Navin
Published: June 2024

Candida albicans has been listed in critical priority group by the WHO in 2022 depending upon its contribution in invasive candidiasis and increased resistance to conventional drugs. Drug repurposing is an efficient and cost-effective solution to develop alternative therapeutics where alexidine dihydrochloride (AXD) and hexachlorophene (HCP) are FDA approved anti-cancer and anti-septic drugs, respectively. In this study, we have shown antifungal properties of AXD and HCP against C. albicans and clinical isolates. The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC50) of AXD and HCP against C. albicans ranged between 0.2-0.4 µg/ml and 8-10 µg/ml, respectively. The biofilm inhibitory and eradication concentration of AXD and HCP also ranged in permissible range for C. albicans biofilm. Further investigations were performed to understand the antifungal mode of action of AXD and HCP by studying virulence features like cell surface hydrophobicity, adhesion, and yeast to hyphae transition, were also reduced upon exposure to both the drugs. Ergosterol content in cell membrane of the wild type strain was upregulated on exposure to AXD and HCP both. Biochemical analyses of the exposed biofilm indicated reduced contents of carbohydrate, protein, and e-DNA in the extracellular matrix of the biofilm when compared to the untreated control biofilm. AXD exposure downregulated activity of tissue invading enzyme, phospholipase in the reference strain. In wild type strain, ROS level, and activities of antioxidant enzymes were found elevated upon exposure to both drugs. FESEM analysis of the drug treated biofilms revealed degraded biofilm. This study has indicated mode of action of antifungal potential of alexidine dihydrochloride and hexachlorophene in C. albicans.
Whipple's disease with early central nervous system damage: a case report
Authors: Meng Xuefang , Liang Qian , Wei Yingxiu , Wei Xiaorong , Wei Yanping , Li Qijun
Published: June 2024

Background: Whipple's disease (WD) is a rare, complex, multisystemic infection caused by Trophoryma whipplei (TW). Clinical diagnosis is challenging because of the low incidence rate, diversity of clinical manifestations, and lack of specificity in imaging examinations and routine laboratory tests.
Case presentation: We report a case of early central nervous system involvement in a patient with obesity and type II diabetes. After three days of fever and coughing, the patient’s condition aggravated with convulsive seizures and coma. Chest CT tomography revealed pulmonary inflammation, and brain Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) were normal. The concentrations of chloride and sugar in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) were normal. The amount of cellular components was not significantly increased, but the protein level was slightly elevated. TW in bronchoalveolar lavage samples was confirmed using metagenomics next-generation sequencing (mNGS) after three weeks of meropenem combined with doxycycline and hormone treatment, and the patient’s symptoms were completely alleviated.
Conclusions: This case indicates that certain WD patients have early impairment of the central nervous system. If clinicians are aware of the presence of rare pathogenic bacterial infections and immediately apply mNGS for the early identification and treatment with targeted antibiotics, it can improve the prognosis of patients with WD.
Social pain and physical pain: a cohort study to explore the association of social isolation and loneliness with chronic pain among older adults in China
Authors: Han Xinru , Qiao Yiwei , Tan Jialong , Luo Zhi , Nicholas Stephen , Maitland Elizabeth , Han Lu , Xu Zhihao , Wang Jian
Published: June 2024

Background Accelerated by population aging, social isolation and loneliness have correlated significantly with the health of older adults. This study investigates the association of social isolation and loneliness on the prevalence of chronic pain among Chinese older adults.
Methods Participants from waves of the Chinese Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) with no chronic pain in baseline 2011, and their conditions of chronic pain in wave 2018, were analyzed. The exposure factors were social isolation and loneliness. Social isolation was assessed by a comprehensive multi-factor measure, while loneliness and the outcome variable, chronic pain, were self-reported. The association of the exposure factors on the prevalence of chronic pain was conducted by logistic regression.
Results 2,477 older adults who did not suffer from chronic pain at baseline 2011 were enrolled, of whom 1,335 participants (53.90%) developed chronic pain over a span of seven years. The results showed that social isolation (OR:1.19, 95%CI: 1.01 to 1.41) and loneliness (OR:1.53, 95%CI: 1.26 to 1.87) were associated with an elevated risk of chronic pain over seven years. It showed no statistically significant interaction associations between social isolation and feelings of loneliness.
Conclusions Older adults with social isolation or loneliness tended to experience chronic pain, emphasizing the importance of incorporating social support and community engagement into chronic pain treatment strategies.
Formation and sustenance mechanism of bacterial diversity in nutrient-deficient environment of indoor stadium
Authors: Sun Lei , Wen Xiao , Li Lei , Li Min , Xing Xiaodong , Zhang Zhiyong , DONG Chen
Published: June 2024

Bacterial diversity has been found in indoor stadiums which can be considered as a specific nutrient-deficient environment (NDE), it remains a mystery and opens to new ideas why the bacterial diversity can be formed and maintained in NDE of indoor stadiums, since it is obvious to violate the famous competitive exclusion principle (CEP) in ecology. In the article, five most common genera, Pseudomonas, Acinetobacter, Exiguobacterium, Sphingobacterium, Chryseobacterium in indoor stadiums were selected and periodically sampled to supervise the dynamic characteristics of bacterial community. Based on quorum sensing (QS) and non-monotonic interspecific interaction (NMII) in combination with microbial ecology, clustering analysis and experimental observation, a new hypothesis was put forward to elucidate QS with NMII of substrate location information (SLI) mechanism driving bacterial community succession with high diversity in NDE of indoor stadium. A valid cellular automation (CA) model was derived from assumptions directly, and the CA simulation sufficiently proved that as a cell conducted either intraspecific and interspecific competition without SLI broadcasting and intraspecific and interspecific cooperation with SLI broadcasting, which were totally dependent on the number and type of cells occupying on its eight nearest neighboring grids, and could effectively weaken interspecific competition to form and sustain the bacterial diversity during bacterial community succession in NDE of indoor stadium. The CA simulation results proved that the proposed hypothesis can shed light on the underlying succession mechanism of bacterial community in NDE, and adequately explain observed phenomena and data. The finding of study offered a new insight on how bacterial diversity was formed and sustained in NDE of indoor stadium, and the succession mechanism confirmed by CA simulation can set up a theoretical framework for comprehensive apprehension about ecological effect of QS with NMII of SLI sharing on formation and sustenance of bacterial diversity in NDE of indoor stadium.
Socioeconomic equity in maternal health services use in Bangladesh: The role of service readiness in health facilities during the period 2001–2016
Authors: Ahsan Karar Zunaid , Angeles Gustavo , Curtis Siân L , Streatfield Peter Kim , Singh Kavita
Published: June 2024

Background
Equity in health services use is related to utilizing equal treatment for equal health needs, irrespective of socioeconomic status. Inequity in maternal health services use in low- and middle-income countries has become a central public health policy and research issue in recent years to achieve universal health coverage by 2030. For Bangladesh, we examined if the socioeconomic equity for selected maternal health services use (viz., antenatal care from a medically trained provider, facility delivery, and management of complications) improved more in districts with high facility readiness than in the rest of the country during 2001‒2016.
Methods
We used data from three rounds of the Bangladesh Maternal Mortality and Health Care Survey and corresponding rounds of the Bangladesh Health Facility Survey to estimate the differential effect of facility readiness on equity in maternal health services use during 2001‒2016. We applied an adaptation of the Difference-in-Differences (DID) model based on linear probability models on a pooled dataset of 2001, 2010, and 2016 household surveys linked to corresponding health facility surveys.
Results
Bangladesh has made impressive improvements in the overall use of maternal health services, but the increase was not uniform for all the population groups. Though there have been modest improvements in equity for ANC and treatment for complications, inequity for facility delivery increased noticeably between 2001 and 2016. The nonpoor-poor gap in the high facility readiness districts increased faster than in the low readiness districts during 2001‒2016, resulting in a more inequitable distribution of facility delivery services (p < 0.05). We also found that ANC became more equitable between 2001 and 2016 among women living < 1 hour from a private facility (p < 0.05).
Conclusions
This is the first systematic investigation of the role of facility readiness on maternal health equity in Bangladesh using nationally representative data. This study found persistent socioeconomic inequities in the use of all three key maternal health services, and for facility delivery, socioeconomic inequity worsened over time. The empirical evidence and policy measures presented here provide a way forward for policymakers to provide equitable care for safe delivery services in Bangladesh.
Detection of Narcoleptic and Veer tendencies using Machine Learning and Sensors
Authors: Dubey Saurav K. , PRASAD RAKESH K. , Singh Dilip K.
Published: June 2024

In recent years, road safety has been a matter of great concern world-wide with increasing number of accidents annually. Narcolepsy and Veer tendencies are a major source for the cause of accidents in today's world. The Drowsiness and Fatigue levels affect the mindset of the drivers which causes accidents. The proposed system uses a hybrid network of computer vision and physical sensor equipped on a prototype. Comparison is done between Yolo and Haar model. The system uses Haar Cascade Classifier to detect the eye iris state and the sensors work as a confirmatory test to validate the results. CHT (Circular Hough Transform) is used to detect the circular shape of the eye and to detect the eye iris state detection. The algorithm localizes tracks and analyses both the driver face and eyes to measure the eye iris visual state. The sensor ADXXL 335 measures the veer tendencies using gravitation acceleration (g) experienced by the prototype during traversing from one direction to the other.
RFCACSP-YOLOv8n: Automatic Detection and Grading of Disk Herniation and Central Canal Stenosis in Lumbar Magnetic Resonance Images
Authors: Guo Yan , Huang Xiaoxiang , Chen Wei , Nakamoto Ichiro , Chen Hua , Feng jie , Wu Jianfeng
Published: June 2024

Background:Low back pain (LBP) is a prevalent symptom worldwide, and lum-bar magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a crucial technique for elucidating the etiology of LBP. However, interpreting these complex MR images is repetitive and time-consuming for radiologists. In addition, medical professionals with different experience levels may make different interpretations. This study evaluated the YOLOv8n model to detect and automatically grade lumbar disk herniation (LDH) and lumbar central canal stenosis (LCCS) in lumbar axial MRI.
Methods: A total of 273 and 100 lumbar axial T2w MR images obtained from the Pingtan Branch of Fujian Medical University Union Hospital from January 2023 to December 2023 were used as training and testing datasets, respectively. Three clinicians annotated all MR images according to the MSU and Schizas grading standards. The receptive-field coordinated attention and cross-stage part YOLOv8n (RFCACSP-YOLOv8n) based on YOLOv8n comprises a backbone network for feature extraction, a neck network for multiscale information fusion, 1 and a head network for regression prediction. Our team has designed a module named RFCACSP to replace the C2f module. The RFCACSP module adopts the concept of a cross-stage partial network and integrates a receptive-field coordinated attention convolutional module that was improved based on coordinated attention. In addition, we reduced the number of layers in the neck network from three to two. The improved model is named RFCACSP-YOLOv8n. We used the YOLOv8n and RFCACSP-YOLOv8n models to detect and automatically grade LDH and LCCS on axial T2w MR images of the lumbar spine and compared the performance of the two models. Box precision (boxes), recall (R), mean average precision at an IoU threshold of 0.5 (mAP50), and mean average precision from an IoU threshold of 0.5–0.95 (mAP50-95) were used to assess the performance of the model on the datasets.
Result:Confusion matrix statistics based on the datasets provided by the Ping-tan Branch of Fujian Medical University Union Hospital found more samples classified as LDH grade 1A and 1C and LCCS grade A2. On the test dataset, RFCACSP-YOLOv8n outperforms YOLOv8n, showing 1.9% and 2.3% improvement in mAP and mAP50-95, respectively. Furthermore, RFCACSP-YOLOv8n could focus on improving the prediction accuracy of the major grades in the region, with grades 1A, 1C, and A2.
Conclusion: The RFCACSP-YOLOv8n model demonstrated excellent performance in detecting and automatically grading LDH and LCCS on axial T2w MR images.
Considering Well-being Orientation: the Eudaimonic and Hedonic Dataset for Well-being-centered Recommender Systems
Authors: Joers Julian Marvin , De Luca Ernesto William
Published: June 2024

Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) is undergoing a paradigm shift toward placing well-being at the center of technology development. Information systems (IS) research is called upon to align business goals with different well-being orientations, particularly those of hedonic and eudaimonic individuals. While hedonic-oriented individuals choose relaxation and pleasure as their goals, eudaimonic-oriented individuals are interested in meaningful experiences that go beyond pleasure. Surprisingly, there is a lack of datasets provided for recommender systems (RS) considering well-being orientations. We developed and thus present the first public dataset in this paper that was created based on an online survey with 229 participants. Respondents were asked to name their favorite movies and books and then the participants were clustered into two orientations using the HEMA-Revised (HEMA-R) Scale. In total, we collected 1,563 items (799 movies and 764 books). The dataset is intended to contribute to the improvement of (group) RS architectures.
Die Rolle digitaler Medien in der Hinwendung zu islamistischer Radikalisierung
Authors: Stein Margit , Bösing Eike , Kart Mehmet , Von Lautz Yannick
Published: June 2024

Junge Menschen bewegen sich in hybriden Sozialräumen. Dies machen sich auch ex­tremistische Akteur:innen zunutze. Zur zeitgemässen Präsentation ihrer rückwärtsgewandten Inhalte nutzen islamistische und jihadistische Prediger und Gruppierungen stark die Möglichkeiten digitaler Medien, etwa von Videokanälen, Chat-, Messenger- oder Telegram-Diensten, um insbesondere junge muslimische Menschen in Westeuropa für ihre Inhalte zu gewinnen (BMI 2023). Durch die niedrigschwelligen Möglichkeiten der Zugänglichkeit und der Teilhabe an digitalen Kommunikationsformaten erreichen islamistische Gruppierungen auf digitalem Wege insbesondere junge Adressat:innen in Krisensituationen und mit Identitätskonflikten (von Lautz et al. 2023a; Schramm et al. 2023). Präventionsakteur:innen stehen vor der Herausforderung, diesen dynamischen Entwicklungen zu begegnen. Hierzu gehört neben der Vermittlung kritischer Medienkompetenz, auf deren Basis junge Menschen in der Lage sind, Desinformationen zu dechiffrieren und mediale Strategien radikaler Gruppen zu hinterfragen, auch digitale Informations- und Präventionsangebote bereitzustellen und Menschen mit latenten oder manifesten Radikalisierungstendenzen sowie ihre Angehörigen online zu beraten und zu begleiten. Daran anknüpfend beschäftigt sich der Beitrag auf Basis narrativer Fallinterviews mit Fachkräften aus der Beratungs- und Präventionsarbeit sowie einer ehemals radikalisierten Person mit den Herausforderungen und den Präventions- und Interventionsmöglichkeiten gegenüber islamistischer Radikalisierung im Kontext hybrider Lebenswelten.
SwyftCard
Authors: Proctor Len
Published: June 2024

If you had to type "LOAD CODE.TOAST" into your toaster to make it work, how often would you take the time to make toast for breakfast? Jef Raskin, C.E.O. for Information Appliance, Inc. suggests that the average toaster user would not accept this type of operating system. The next logical question is, why do computer users in general and microcomputer users in particular accept a complex procedure to get their systems up and running. I suspect that the answer is, as Captain Grace Hopper would say, "its because we've always done it that way."
Nephroprotective Effect of Ferula assa-foetida Oleo Gum Resin on Type 2 Diabetic Rats
Authors: Bagheri Seyyed Majid , Hakimizadeh Elham , Allahtavakoli Mohammad
Published: June 2024

Objective:

Diabetic nephropathy is one of the main causes of kidney failure in the end stage of diabetes
worldwide. On the other hand, asafoetida is a gum whose hypoglycemic effects have been proven. The
present study was conducted with the aim of using asafoetida to prevent diabetic nephropathy.

Methods:

Diabetes was induced by a high-fat diet (60%) and streptozotocin injection (35 mg/kg) in rats. Diabetic
rats were treated with an oral dose of 50 mg/kg of asafoetida for 8 weeks. At the end of the experiment,
serum and urine parameters were examined. Antioxidant enzymes and lipid peroxidation levels in the kidney
were also determined along with its histological examination. The expression levels of tumor necrosis factor-alpha
and Transforming growth factor beta genes were also evaluated.

Results:

Glucose, cholesterol, triglyceride, and HbA1c concentrations were significantly reduced in the asafoetida
50. On the other hand, in the treatment group, serum creatinine, urea, and albumin levels decreased and
increased in urine. Antioxidant enzymes in the kidney improved significantly, and the expression of tumour necrosis
factor-alpha and transforming growth factor-beta genes decreased. Histopathological examination also
showed that necrosis, epithelial damage, and leukocyte infiltration increased in the diabetic and decreased in
the treatment group.

Conclusion:

The result of biochemical analysis, enzymatic, and histological examinations showed that asafoetida
may delay the progression of diabetic nephropathy due to the presence of anti-inflammatory and antioxidant
activities.
Network Pharmacology and Molecular Docking Validation to Explore the Pharmacological Mechanism of Zhuling Decoction against Nephrotic Syndrome
Authors: Chen Na , Chu Yanqi , Su Su , Zhang Qingxia , Zhang Lan
Published: June 2024

Background:

In recent years, the incidence and prevalence of Nephrotic Syndrome (NS) have been
increasing. Zhuling decoction (ZLD), a classical Chinese medicine, has been clinically proven to be effective
for the treatment of NS. However, its underlying mechanism and pharmacodynamic substances remain unclear.

Objective:

This study aimed to explore the mechanism of action and chemical components of ZLD against NS
using network pharmacology and molecular docking.

Methods:

Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology (TCMSP), Bioinformatics Analysis Tool for
Molecular Mechanism of Traditional Chinese Medicines (BATMAN-TCM), and SwissTargetPrediction
databases were used to screen the principal ingredients and the associated targets of ZLD. NS-related targets
were obtained from the Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man (OMIM), GeneCards, Therapeutic Target
Database (TTD), and Drugbank databases. Shared targets were derived by the intersection of ZLD- and NS-associated
targets. Protein-interaction relationships were analyzed using the STRING database and Cytoscape. A
visualized drug-active compound-target network of ZLD was established using Cytoscape. Analyses of gene
enrichment were performed using Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes
(KEGG) methods by the Database for Annotation, Visualization, and Integrated Discovery (DAVID) database.
Molecular docking was performed to assess the binding activity between active components and hub targets.

Results:

Polyporusterone E, cerevisterol, alisol B, and alisol B 23-acetate were the primary potential ingredients
of ZLD. HMGCR, HSD11B1, NOS2, NR3C1, and NR3C2 were the hub targets of ZLD against NS.
Molecular docking showed that polyporusterone E, cerevisterol, and alisol B had high binding activities with
targets HMGCR, HSD11B1, and NOS2.

Conclusion:

In summary, this study suggests that the main active compounds (polyporusterone E, cerevisterol,
alisol B) may have important roles for ZLD acting against NS by binding to hub targets (HMGCR, HSD11B1,
and NOS2) and modulating PI3K-Akt, Ras, MAPK, and HIF-1 signaling pathways.
Synthesis of Polynuclear Aromatic Hydrocarbons by Palladium-catalyzed C-H Bond
Functionalization
Authors: Dewan Mitali , Bera Sachinath , Samanta Shubhankar , Kundu Debasish , Jana Rathin
Published: June 2024

:

Nowadays palladium-catalyzed C–H bond activation is a useful
approach for the synthetic transformation of organic compounds due to
step economy, the use of non-prefunctionalized substrates and reduced
chemical wastes. Among the various synthetic strategies, palladium catalyzed
intra and inter-molecular C–H bond activation has recently drawn a
lot of interest to synthesize the decorated π-conjugated polycyclic aromatic
hydrocarbon. In this review, we have focused on recent progress
along with previous strategies to synthesize various polynuclear aromatic
hydrocarbons (PAHs) by the use of Pd-catalyzed C–H bond activation.
We have also discussed the mechanistic details of the reaction intra and
inter-molecular C–H bond activation.
In silico/vitro Study of Antibacterial Effects of Non-toxic Cinnamic Amidoesters on Artemia salina
Authors: Almeida-Júnior Alexandre , Souza Helivaldo Diógenes da Silva , Sousa Abraão Pinheiro de , Dantas Maria Vitória Oliveira , Sampaio Fabio Correia , Luis Jose Alixandre de Sousa , Rodrigues-Junior Valnês da Silva , Barbosa-Filho José Maria , Fiss Gabriela Fehn , Athayde-Filho Petrônio Filgueiras de
Published: June 2024

According to the PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases Journal, infection caused by the Gram-negative
bacterium Escherichia coli is a neglected tropical disease. Staphylococcus aureus is the most dangerous Grampositive
bacterium among staphylococcal bacteria. Moreover, resistance to Mycobacterium tuberculosis is an
urgent public health issue. In this sense, cinnamic acid and acetamide derivatives have been used as strategic
nuclei in the design of antimicrobial agents. With the aim of investigating whether antibacterial activity is improved
with the junction of cinnamic and acetamide nuclei, cinnamic amidoesters were planned and evaluated
as potential antibacterial agents. In silico (ADMET test and molecular docking) and in vitro (antibacterial and
antituberculosis evaluation, and toxicity on Artemia salina larvae) studies were performed. Twelve cinnamic
amidoesters were synthesized, which present positive characteristics for possible drug candidates, and showed
subtle activity against E. coli, however, against S. aureus, unsubstituted and para-substituted compounds (R3 =
H, Me, Cl, Br) showed significant activity, with MIC = 156.25-625 μg.mL-1. Only one para-substituted compound
(R3 = Bu) showed discrete activity against M. tuberculosis, with MIC = 200 μM. For the most active
compounds against S. aureus, the molecular docking study demonstrated affinity with the TtRNA enzyme,
which plays a central role in the assembly of amino acids into polypeptide chains. The most active compounds
against S. aureus and M. tuberculosis were non-toxic on A. salina, with LC50 > 1000 μg.mL-1. According to in
silico/vitro studies, the non-toxic compound 5h (R3 = Cl) stands out as a potential antibacterial agent for further
studies.
Exploring the Pharmacological Potential of Chlorogenic acid as an Anti-Cancer Agent and a Call for Advance Research
Authors: Singh Sonia , Varshney Mahima
Published: June 2024

Chlorogenic acid (CHA) is a phenolic substance found in various edible plants, such
as tea and green coffee extracts. This chemical has demonstrated significant efficacy in reducing
the probability of many diseases in preclinical and clinical environments. Chlorogenic acid
(CHA) possesses several pharmacological attributes, such as anticancer, hepatoprotective, antimicrobial,
immune-suppressant, antioxidant, and antidiabetic activities. Its applications extend to
multiple industries, such as food, chemicals, medicine, and healthcare. Studies have shown that
CHA can exert its anticancer effects through numerous mechanisms. It can hinder the process of
cell division, trigger cell apoptosis, and suppress an increase in cancerous cell growth. The literature
research conducted for this study revealed a variety of molecular and cellular processes influencing
distinct signaling pathways. These mechanisms include angiogenesis, invasion and migration,
oxidative stress, inflammation, cell cycle arrest, and proliferation.However, significant
issues surround the use of CHA, primarily due to its limited bioavailability in animal models.
This review focuses on the chemistry, natural sources, pharmacokinetics, and underlying mechanisms
of action of CHA and its clinical utility in treating life-threatening diseases, such as cancer.
The manuscript provides insight into novel formulation approaches.
Self-emulsifying Drug Delivery Systems: Concept to Applications, Regulatory Issues, Recent Patents, Current Challenges and Future Directions
Authors: Maharana Rajib Lochan , Swain Suryakanta , Mahapatra Santosh Kumar , Jena Bikash Ranjan
Published: June 2024

Self-emulsifying drug delivery systems (SEDDS) can increase the solubility and bioavailability
of poorly soluble drugs. The inability of 35% to 40% of new pharmaceuticals to
dissolve in water presents a serious challenge for the pharmaceutical industry. As a result, there
must be dosage proportionality, considerable intra- and inter-subject variability, poor solubility,
and limited lung bioavailability. As a result, it is critical that drugs intended for oral administration
be highly soluble. This can be improved through a variety of means, including salt generation
and the facilitation of solid and complicated dispersion. Surfactants, co-surfactants, and
cosolvents may occasionally be found in SEDDS or isotropic blends. Lipophilic drugs, whose
absorption is limited by their dissolution rate, have been used to demonstrate the effectiveness of
various formulations and techniques. These particles can form microemulsions and suitable oilin-
water emulsions with minimal agitation and dilution by the water phase as they pass through
the gastrointestinal tract. This study summarises the numerous advances, biopharmaceutical
components, variations, production techniques, characterisation approaches, limitations, and
opportunities for SEDDS. With this context in mind, this review compiles a current account of
biopharmaceutical advancements, such as the application of quality by design (QbD) methodologies
to optimise drug formulations in different excipients with controllable ratios, the presence
of regulatory roadblocks to progress, and the future consequences of SEDDS, encompassing
composition, evaluation, diverse dosage forms, and innovative techniques for in-vitro converting
liquid SEDDS to solid forms.
A Comprehensive Review of Drugs Determined by Spectrophotometry using Vanillin as a Chromogenic Reagent in the Past Decade
Authors: Naraparaju Swathi , Barla Karuna Devi , Chaganti Soujanya , Anumolu Pani Kumar D. , Sunkara Sruthi
Published: June 2024

:

Many analytical techniques have been used in quality control, such as spectrophotometry,
spectrofluorimetry, HPLC, and other hyphenated techniques. Among them, spectrophotometry
is considered to be one of the most commonly used simple techniques. Drugs that
lack chromogenic groups can be readily determined by using the chromogenic reagents, which
react with the functional groups present in the drugs and produce a chromogenic group that can
be detected in the visible region using a spectrophotometer. Chromogenic reagents play a vital
role in the estimation of such types of drugs. Vanillin is one of the chromogenic reagents that
possess a carbonyl group that reacts with the drugs that possess amine moiety and results in the
formation of Schiff’s base, which is a yellow-colored compound that can be detected by spectrophotometry.
The present review gives insights into the reaction conditions and applications
of the drugs that are estimated by using vanillin as a chromogenic label.
The Smart Drug Delivery of Rotigotine Using Transdermal Patch for the
Successful Management of Parkinson’s Disease
Authors: Dharmian Jose Prakash , PushpaNathan Angelin Claret Seraphim , Ramakrishnan Prakash , Subramanian Raja Navamani , Levy Jayachandran David , Palani Pavazhaviji , Krishnaswami Venkateshwaran
Published: June 2024

Background:

A Non-Ergot Dopamine Agonist (NEDA) rotigotine has been designed
as a new transdermal drug delivery system.

Aim:

To maintain optimum homogeneity in drug content, the rotigotine transdermal patch was
developed utilizing a solvent casting technique.

Methods:

The characteristics of a transdermal patch, including patch weight, folding endurance,
patch thickness, surface morphology, tensile strength, swelling rate, surface pH, in vitro release
studies, water retention rate, uniformity of drug content, and ex-vivo permeation studies, were
determined.

Results:

In vitro drug release studies unequivocally demonstrated that drug release controlled
polymer interactions. There was no apparent lag period before the drug release rate started to
decline.
The developed patch showed 70 ± 1.18 % of prolongation of drug release within 24 hours. The
result of the penetration studies demonstrated that 61 ± 2.52% of rotigotine permeated through
the epidermal barrier within 24 h.

Conclusion:

The developed transdermal patch comprising rotigotine was evidently placed on
the dermis layer, and an appropriate dose was delivered into circulation for a longer time based
on the aforementioned factors. The findings of this study illustrate the effective approach of
transdermal patches to treat Parkinson's disease.
An Efficient and Magnetically Retrievable Mixed Metal Oxide Nanocatalyst for the Aqueous Media Three-Component Synthesis of Naphtho [1,2-e] [1,3] Oxazine Derivatives Under Green Conditions
Authors: Deldar Fatemeh , Shahri Mahnaz Mahdavi
Published: June 2024

Background:

In recent years, the use of nanomaterials as heterogeneous catalysts has
attracted much attention in organic reactions.

Methods:

A magnetically separable mixed metal oxide, Manganese Zinc Iron Oxide
(Mn2O3/Fe3O4/ZnO) nanoparticles as nanocatalyst (Mmo@NCt) were synthesized using ultrasonic
wave methods in the presence of polyethylene glycol as surfactant. In the second part of the present
study, a practical procedure for the one-pot ternary condensation of aromatic aldehydes, β-naphthol,
and urea in short reaction time for the synthesis of pharmaceutically interesting naphtho[1,2-
e][1,3]oxazine derivatives using Mmo@NCt as an efficient, cost-effective and recyclable nanocatalyst
under green conditions has been developed.

Results:

The analysis of phase purity, magnetic structure, size, and morphology of the as-synthesized
nanocatalyst was characterized by X-ray diffraction, VSM, SEM, and EDX techniques. The
results of SEM imaging showed that all compounds have a spherical morphological structure with
a mean diameter of 16.50 ± 3.94 nm. The structure of the products was confirmed by FT-IR, 1HNMR
spectroscopy, and melting point.

Conclusion:

This project was designed and performed with the use of magnetic nanocatalysts as a
suitable method with high efficiency a shorter time for the synthesis of naphthoxazinones heterocyclic
compounds due to the medicinal importance of water as a green solvent.