bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Kontribusi Pengetahuan, Kesadaran, dan Digitalisasi Pajak terhadap Kepatuhan Wajib Pajak
Authors: Setiawan Junardi , Yanti Lia Dama
Published: December 2024

Kepatuhan wajib pajak (WP) menjadi komponen penting dalam meningkatkan penerimaan negara, yang berperan dalam mendukung pengeluaran pemerintah dan pembangunan. Kajian ini ditujukan untuk menganalisis dampak dan keterkaitan pengetahuan pajak, kesadaran wajib pajak, dan digitalisasi pajak pada kepatuhan wajib pajak. Kajian ini mempergunakan pendekatan deskriptif kuantitatif, dengan data primer yang diperoleh dari kuesioner yang diisi oleh 100 responden Wajib Pajak Orang Pribadi (WPOP) di Kecamatan Neglasari. Teknik pengambilan sampel dengan teknik non-probability sampling dan metode convenience sampling dan diolah dengan metode analisis regresi linear berganda dengan  bantuan aplikasi SPSS versi 29. Hasilnya menemukan bukti bahwa pengetahuan pajak berdampak signifikan pada kepatuhan wajib pajak, dengan nilai t 14,070 dan signifikansi < 0,001. Kesadaran wajib pajak juga berdampak signifikan, dengan nilai t 10,647 dan signifikansi < 0,001. Namun, digitalisasi pajak tidak memiliki pengaruh signifikan pada kepatuhan, dengan nilai t -0,372 dan signifikansi 0,711, menunjukkan bahwa pengetahuan dan kesadaran lebih berperan dalam meningkatkan kepatuhan pajak dibandingkan digitalisasi.
Pengaruh Influencer Marketing, Perceived Quality, dan Bundling Product terhadap Keputusan Pembelian Produk Daviena Skincare di Tiktokshop (Studi pada pengguna Tiktok)
Authors: Fadilah Adilah Nur , Jaya Rama Chandra
Published: December 2024

The ultimate goal of this research is to assess the level of impact of Influencer Marketing, Perceived Quality and Bundling Product on Purchasing Decisions. The approach used is quantitative using a test sample of 100 sources. The results of this observation state that Influencer Marketing causes purchasing decisions and sig score 0.000 < 0.05 then t score of 8.559 > t  distribution table 1.985. The Perceived Quality causes purchasing decisions and sig score 0.031 < 0.05 then t score of 2.193 > t distribution table 1.985. The Bundling Product causes purchasing decisions and sig score of 0.035 < 0.05 then t score of 2.134 > t distribution table 1.985. And simultaneously F count 103.231 > F distribution table 2.47 along with relevant scales of 0.000 < 0.05. This condition proves that the Influencer Marketing, Perceived Quality, and Product Bundling causes purchasing decisions. The squared correlation coefficient score in this research is 0.763 or 76.3% and 23.7% are other components not analyzed in this research.
Factors Associated With Nurse’s Professional Quality Of Life
Authors: Nguyen Viet Phuong , Nguyen Van Tuan , Le Kim Tha , Le Hoang Hanh , Dang Van Thach , Trinh Xuan Quang , Do Thi Nhu Mai , Tran Tue Nhi , Le Thi Cam Tu , D. Edreck Estioko
Published: December 2024

Nursing is a profession characterized by substantial difficulties and challenges, highlighting the need to prioritize and enhance their professional quality of life. To assess nurses' professional quality of life and identify associated factors. A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted with 202 nurses at a Grade I public hospital in southern Vietnam. Self-assessment surveys were administered using a structured questionnaire, incorporating the ProQOL scale. Statistical analyses included T-tests, ANOVA, Pearson, and linear regression with significance at p < 0.05. Most responses indicated an average professional quality of life among nurses. Significant correlations were observed among the components of professional quality of life; gender was associated with compassion satisfaction while on-call duty was linked to secondary traumatic stress in nurses. Nursing administrators should prioritize enhancing nurses' professional quality of life.
КОНЦЕПТ ЯК СТРУКТУРНА ОДИНИЦЯ МОВНОЇ КАРТИНИ СВІТУ
Authors: Боса Тетяна Сергіївна
Published: December 2024

У статті досліджується роль концепту як однієї з основних одиниць, що формують мовну картину світу. Особлива увага приділяється його структурним характеристикам і місцю в системі мови. Концепт розглядається як багатовимірне явище, що об'єднує в собі різні аспекти людського досвіду, культурних традицій та національної ментальності. Аналізуємо способи репрезентації концептів у мові, їх зв'язок з когнітивними процесами та вплив на формування світогляду індивідів і суспільства в цілому. Розглядаються сучасні підходи до вивчення концептів у лінгвістиці, зокрема когнітивний, психолінгвістичний та етнолінгвістичний, що дозволяє ширше зрозуміти феномен мовної картини світу. Визначається роль концептів у міжкультурній комунікації та їх значення для кроскультурного порозуміння. Стаття також присвячена вивченню понять мовної та концептуальної картин світу, а також їх різновидів. Мовна картина світу складається з мовних одиниць. Концептуальна картина світу є підгрунтям мовної картини світу. Концептуальна картина світу може бути представлена як когнітивна, оскільки вона є результатом когніциї дійсності та виступає у вигляді сукупності впорядкованих знань – концептосфери. Пізнання світу неможливе без мови, у результаті чого виникає мовна картина світу, представлена у вигляді матеріального втілення концептуальних структур у мові. Узагальнено основні теоретичні засади інтерпретації термінів картина світу та концепт на підставі аналізу основних теоретичних студій із когнітивної лінгвістики. Проаналізовано основні підходи до розуміння концепту. Зазначено проблеми розуміння мовної картини світу і концепту в лінгвістичній парадигмі, визначення взаємозв’язку між цими поняттями.
Reaktualisasi Reformasi Birokrasi Melalui Pemangkasan Birokrasi (Studi Kasus: BKPSDM Provinsi Bali)
Authors: Wahyuni Desak Ayu Candra , Subanda I Nyoman
Published: December 2024

This study aims to determine the process of re-realization of bureaucratic reform through the implementation of bureaucratic simplification in the BKPSDM of Bali Province and the obstacles faced in realizing bureaucratic reform in the implementation of bureaucratic simplification. This study uses a qualitative descriptive research method. The results of the study indicate that the process of reactualization of bureaucratic reform has gone well by referring to regulations that are oriented towards results and are applicable, the implementation process is measurable, synergistic, so that innovation of the apparatus and its implementation are monitored. In fact, several aspects such as the efficiency of resource use, the effectiveness of adaptation of new work systems, the realism of hierarchy reduction and the consistency of preparing individual employee skills and expertise have not been implemented optimally. The obstacles faced are the lack of competency development for functional position holders due to equalization, bureaucratic simplification regulations that still need to be reviewed and evaluated, there are still functional position holders with old work pattern mindsets, and limited implementation time targets. Implications for further research can use more complete aspects of bureaucratic simplification and can conduct research in several other Regional Devices (PD) in order to get more comprehensive results.
Iran’s Sacred Duty: Advocating Palestine in the Face of National Identity Challenges
Authors: Akgül Nazife Selcen Pınar
Published: December 2024

The Islamic Republic of Iran’s approach to the Palestinian issue since the revolution is characterized by its complexity and intricacy. This article proposes a framework centered on the dynamic interaction between 'self and other' to analyze how identity shapes Iran's policy toward Palestine. Departing from the premise that Iran's foreign policy on this issue is influenced by multiple identities rather than a singular one, the study underscores the notion that these identities can both contest and complete each other. The research seeks the narratives articulated by Iranian elites regarding the Palestine issue. It also handles the Iran decision-maker’s discourses regarding developments after October 7, 2023, and the invasion of Gaza. While the aim is to focus on how Iran’s national identity has been tested and challenged on the Palestinian matter, the analysis also tries to illuminate how elite discourse has reshaped foreign policy narratives.
Çatışmadan Uzlaşıya Suudi Arabistan-İran İlişkilerinin Evrimini Anlamak
Authors: Üçağaç Ahmet
Published: December 2024

Bu çalışma, Körfez bölgesinin iki rakip gücü olan İran ve Suudi Arabistan arasında son yıllarda yaşanan yumuşama ve normalleşme sürecini açıklamayı ve bu sürecin oluşmasını mümkün faktörleri ortaya koymayı amaçlamaktadır. Amerika Birleşik Devletleri’nin (ABD) 2003 yılında Irak’ı işgal etmesinden sonra, Körfez bölgesi üç kutuplu bir yapıdan iki kutuplu bir yapıya dönüştü. Irak’ın işgal edilmesiyle bölgedeki üçlü denge bozularak yerini, güvenlik ikilemi ile şekillenen İran ve Suudi Arabistan arasında şiddetli bir rekabete bıraktı. Bu rekabet, 2003’ten 2021’e kadar artan bir yoğunlukla devam etti. Ancak, 2021’den sonra, bu aktörler arasındaki şiddetli rekabet yerini yumuşamaya bırakmaya başladı. Bölgenin iki kilit ülkesinin ilişkilerinde yaşanan bu dönüşüm yerel, bölgesel ve küresel siyasette önemli kırılmalara işaret ederken, çözümlenmesi gereken önemli bir sorunsalı da gün yüzüne çıkardı. Bu bağlamda, mevcut araştırma, “2003’ten sonra artan Körfez bölgesel güvenlik sistemindeki şiddetli rekabet son zamanlarda yerini neden ve nasıl yumuşama ve normalleşmeye bıraktı?” sorusuna yanıt aramaktadır. Bölgesel Güvenlik Kompleksi Teorisi çalışmaya teorik bir çerçeve olarak rehberlik ederken, 2003-2023 arası dönemde Körfez güvenlik kompleksindeki dönüşümlerde rol oynayan düşünsel ve materyal faktörlerin etkisini anlamak için süreç izleme yöntemi kullanılacaktır.
DDSA’larda (Devlet Dışı Silahlı Aktörler) Özerklik ve Çatışmalarda Üstlenilen Role Etkisi: Hizbullah ve Fatımi Tugayı Örnekleri
Authors: Özdemir Ömer Behram
Published: December 2024

Devlet dışı silahlı aktörler (DDSA) Ortadoğu’daki çoğu çatışma bölgesinde diğer DDSA’lara veyahut devletlere karşı savaşta rol almaktadırlar. Bölgedeki pek çok çatışmaya müttefiki DDSA’lar üzerinden dahil olarak bölgedeki nüfuzunu arttıran İran ise DDSA’lar ve sponsor devletler üzerine yapılan çalışmalarda ön plana çıkan bir vaka konumundadır. Irak, Lübnan, Yemen ve Suriye’de İran destekli DDSA’lar çatışmaların ve bölge politikalarının önemli aktörleri haline gelmiştir. Bu çalışmada odaklanılacak Suriye iç savaşında ise İran bölgeye yönlendirdiği onlarca DDSA üzerinden savaş sahasına müdahil olmuştur. Bu çalışmada Suriye’deki İran destekli milisler içerisinden Hizbullah ve Fatımi Tugayı’nın İran ile ilişkileri özerklik ve savaşta üstlenilen rol bağlamında ele alınacaktır. DDSA’lar ve DDSA’ların özerkliğine dair literatür ışığında her iki örgütün tarihi arka planına, Suriye iç savaşındaki rollerine ve özerklik kapasitelerine odaklanılacaktır. Vakaların özerklik kapasiteleri insani, mali ve askeri kaynakları üzerinden analiz edilecektir. Örgütlerin İran ile ilişkilerde sahip oldukları özerkliğin Suriye iç savaşında üstlendikleri roller üzerindeki etkisi çalışmanın bir diğer çıktısı olacaktır.
Fertility Status of Agricultural Soils in İstanbul Province
Authors: Kayalı Emel , Yüksel Orhan
Published: December 2024

As a region of geopolitical significance and industrialization, İstanbul province has a traditional production system in which intensive agricultural production is carried out, especially in Silivri and Çatalca districts, where sunflower and wheat agriculture is carried out in alternation under irrigated conditions due to sufficient rainfall. These agricultural areas, which are also under intense urbanization pressure, need to be protected in order to be used sustainably. For this purpose, it is a priority to determine the current productivity status of agricultural areas. There is no study in the literature that reveals the current agricultural productivity status of İstanbul province. In this study, some physical and chemical soil properties of the agricultural areas where the same agricultural production system has been practiced for many years were determined in terms of sustainable agriculture. In order to determine these soil properties, surface soil sampling (0-20 cm) was carried out according to the grid system at 2.5 × 2.5 km intervals covering all agricultural areas and a total of 196 soil samples were taken and the field study was completed. All soil samples were analyzed for texture, pH, EC, organic matter, available phosphorus, available potassium and the current fertility status of the agricultural areas in the province of İstanbul was determined. According to the results of the research, the agricultural soils of İstanbul province are generally medium-heavy and heavy textured, medium alkaline and neutral pH, without salinity problems, 50% of them have very low CaCO3 content and the rest are calcareous soils with varying levels of CaCO3. It was determined that the high CaCO3 content in 11% of the soils was due to the rendzina great soil group formed on marl parent material. In terms of organic matter, 59% were classified as low, 26% as moderate, 50% as high and very high in terms of available phosphorus, and 79% as high and very high in terms of extractable potassium. After the classification of all analyzed parameters, the distribution maps of a parameter were created by using Geographical Information Systems (GIS). IDW, which is an inverse distance weighting method widely used in soil science, was used to create the distribution maps.
Trade secret and protection of whistleblowers under the legislation of the EU and Ukraine
Authors: Lenho Yuliia
Published: December 2024

In order to bring Ukrainian legislation closer to European Union legislation, there is a need to study national legislation on the relationship between the protection of trade secrets and the protection of whistleblowers. This article contains an analysis of the legislation of the EU and Ukraine on the relationship between the legal regulation of the protection of trade secrets and the protection of whistleblowers.The analysis conducted in the article found that EU legislation on the protection of whistleblowers complements the legislation on the protection of trade secrets. In Ukraine, there is no special legislation on the protection of trade secrets. The legislation on the protection of whistleblowers in Ukraine has a limited effect and applies only to whistleblowers who disclose information about corruption acts. A trade secret is not protected if it is illegally acquired, used, or disclosed to protect public interests. A whistleblower is exempted from liability for disclosing trade secrets obtained legally if they had reasonable grounds to believe the disclosure was necessary to identify the offence. Reporting information about an offence that discloses a trade secret and is subject to a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) is not a violation of trade secret rights, except in the case of knowingly false reporting. It is necessary to ensure protection for whistleblowers from any form of retaliation, and to provide guarantees for the protection of their labour rights. Protection should also be extended to employers who may suffer from a whistleblower who unreasonably disclosed a trade secret when reporting an alleged offence. In Ukraine, there is a need to createspecial legislation that will define cases where commercial secrets can be disclosed without negative consequences, such as legal liability.It was concluded that in Ukraine, it is necessary to create a consolidated legislative act to strengthen legislative guarantees for the protection of trade secrets and the protection of whistleblowers, which will comply with Directive (EU) 2016/943 and Directive (EU) 2019/1937.
Social Work Policy Practice in a National Crisis: How Legitimate Is It?
Authors: Makaros Ayelet
Published: December 2024

Social workers’ involvement in policy change processes sometimes raises a question regarding the legitimacy of promoting the issue that requires change during a national crisis or disaster. Despite the grave sorrow caused by extreme crises, they call the issue to attention, offer an opportunity for action. The article presents two examples for successful activities taken in Israel to change policies in a crisis, and recommendations for the sensitivity required on the professional, ethical and moral levels.
Scale characteristics and growth process of shallow water delta under different lake levels— based on Delft3D numerical simulation research
Authors: Liu Jianning , Zhou Dejun
Published: December 2024

Modern bays and lakes typically develop shallow deltas dominated by rivers, with lake levels playing a significant role in their formation. However, the precise effects of lake level height on the scale and growth dynamics of these deltas remain unclear. To address this, this study employs the sedimentary numerical simulation software Delft3D to model delta development under high, medium, and low lake levels. By analyzing flow velocity distribution, sediment accumulation, and sediment thickness, the study quantitatively assesses the impact of varying lake levels on shallow deltas. The results indicate that: (1) the areal extent of the delta is inversely related to the lake level, whereas sediment thickness is directly proportional to it; (2) within the same simulation period, higher lake levels tend to produce fewer breach distributary channels, while lower levels are more conducive to forming numerous breach distributary channels; however, the impact of lake level on active distributary channels is minimal; (3) deltas consist of multiple complexes. Under high lake levels, a single complex typically exhibits a bird-foot shape, characterized by active distributary channels and mouth bars, with sediment thickness decreasing from the source. In contrast, under low lake levels, a single complex tends to have a flower shape, with active distributary channels, mouth bars, and multiple breach distributary channels, resulting in a more evenly distributed sediment thickness. This research result can provide new ideas for the comparative evolution of deltas under different lake level water levels.
A bibliometric study of identity construction in English writing for academic purposes
Authors: Tian Yuhan , Liu Donghong
Published: December 2024

Identity construction is a crucial factor in assessing and enhancing the quality of academic writing. However, identity is elusive and difficult to capture due to its abstract nature. Most existing literature discussed academic writing in a general way, overlooking specific studies on identity construction in articles, theses, and dissertations. This study aims to provide a comprehensive review of studies on identity construction in typical academic writing and assist readers in understanding the development, discoveries, and future trends in this field. It seeks to enlighten scholars and students regarding future research directions and to improve academic writing quality in practice. A bibliometric tool, CiteSpace, was used together with manual close reading. The data were primarily retrieved from the Web of Science database. Keyword co-occurrence and cluster analyses were conducted to describe the current state of research and predict future hotspots. It was found that the literature in this field generally showed an upward trend before 2020. High-frequency keywords primarily relate to literacy, doctoral education, pedagogy, plagiarism, and gender, representing this field’s primary research area. Most clusters exhibit a high level of novelty but have not yet received the attention they deserve because they are situated in the second quadrant of the coordinate diagram as potential clusters. Clusters focusing on socio-cultural identity and the pedagogy of identity construction are more prominent than the other areas. Those focusing on academic (professional) development related to authorial and academic identity are more novel.
Use of conjoint analysis to weight biosecurity practices on pasture-based dairy farms to develop a novel audit tool—BioscoreDairy
Authors: O Donovan Siobhan M. , McAloon Conor G. , O'Grady Luke , Geraghty Timothy , Burrell Alison , McCarthy Marie-Claire , Donlon John , Tratalos Jamie A. , Mee John F.
Published: December 2024

Risk assessments are important tools to identify deficits in biosecurity management practices. A major strength of some existing tools is that they facilitate cross-country comparisons. However, a weakness is their failure to account for unique intra-national farming enterprise structures such as, for example, pasture-based dairying. Currently, there are no suitable biosecurity risk assessment tools applicable to pasture-based dairying as practiced in Ireland. In addition to a need for enterprise-specific biosecurity risk assessment tools, the weighting of risk scores generated by these tools needs to be context-specific to ensure validity in assessing biosecurity risks in the farming sector of interest. Furthermore, existing biosecurity audits rely exclusively on respondent recall to answer questions about management practices. To address each of these limitations of existing biosecurity risk assessment tools we developed and optimised a new biosecurity risk assessment tool (BioscoreDairy) designed to assess the biosecurity status of pasture-based dairy farms in Ireland. It consists of two parts, a biosecurity questionnaire and a cattle movement records audit. A questionnaire was developed on biosecurity management practices appropriate for a pasture-based dairy system. Multiple national expert groups were leveraged to provide weightings for the different management practices in the questionnaire using the best-worst scaling methodology of MaxDiff. The results of this process provided a numerical categorisation that could then be used to assign scores to the individual biosecurity management practices. These practices were grouped into three biosecurity areas; risk of disease entry, speed of disease spread and diagnosis of infection. Within each of these three areas, a traffic light system was used to compare a farm’s biosecurity risks to other similar farms—least risk (green; within the top third of farms), concerning practice (amber; middle third) and worst practice or greatest risk (red; lowest third). In addition to these scores, the cattle introduction profile of a herd over the previous 3 years, based on nationally recorded data, was audited, compared amongst dairy farm enterprise subtypes, and included in the BioscoreDairy report. BioscoreDairy is therefore the first biosecurity risk assessment tool tailored to pasture-based dairy farm systems, both for individual farm reporting and for benchmarking against comparable farms.
Enhanced Control of Nonlinear Systems Under Control Input Constraints and Faults: A Neural Network-Based Integral Fuzzy Sliding Mode Approach
Authors: Yang Guangyi , Bekiros Stelios , Yao Qijia , Mou Jun , Aly Ayman A. , Sayed Osama R.
Published: December 2024

Many existing control techniques proposed in the literature tend to overlook faults and physical limitations in the systems, which significantly restricts their applicability to practical, real-world systems. Consequently, there is an urgent necessity to advance the control and synchronization of such systems in real-world scenarios, specifically when faced with the challenges posed by faults and physical limitations in their control actuators. Motivated by this, our study unveils an innovative control approach that combines a neural network-based sliding mode algorithm with fuzzy logic systems to handle nonlinear systems. This proposed controller is further enhanced with an intelligent observer that takes into account potential faults and limitations in the control actuator, and it integrates a fuzzy logic engine to regulate its operations, thus reducing system chatter and increasing its adaptability. This strategy enables the system to maintain regulation in the face of control input constraints and faults and ensures that the closed-loop system will achieve convergence within a finite-time frame. The detailed explanation of the control design confirms its finite-time stability. The robust performance of the proposed controller applied to autonomous and non-autonomous systems grappling with control input limitations and faults demonstrates its effectiveness.
Nuclear Cogeneration to Support a Net-Zero, High-Renewable Electricity Grid
Authors: Matthews Juan , Bodel William , Butler Gregg
Published: December 2024

UK Government projections anticipate increasing electricity use, provided by variable renewables (i.e., wind and solar PV). A side effect of increasing the proportion of variable renewable generation is increased support costs, including curtailment, energy storage, and (most significantly) the cost of supplying electricity for periods of high demand when variable renewable generation is low. As the proportion of variable renewable capacity increases, demand for supporting capacity increases but the capacity factor of the support generation decreases, raising the support costs. Using nuclear power for dedicated baseload supply makes the situation worse. This paper explores in the UK context an original low-cost solution using nuclear cogeneration with hydrogen production as the main application. Electricity is diverted at low cost to the grid at times of high demand when renewables are not available. This ensures nuclear maintains a high capacity factor. When higher temperature advanced systems become available, using thermal energy storage will increase the nuclear electrical capacity. This “Flexible Nuclear” scenario substantially reduces support costs for accommodating variable renewables, saving GBP 14 bn/yr and leading to an 80% reduction in CO2 equivalent emissions, compared to a recent UK Government scenario utilising a large capacity of hydrogen and unabated gas generation at very low capacity factors.
Multi-Field Coupling Models of Coal and Gas and Their Engineering Applications to CBM in Deep Seams: A Review
Authors: Ma Xingying , Zhou Aitao , Cheng Xiaoyu , Cheng Cheng , Zhao Wei
Published: December 2024

In the process of deep coal seam mining, the problem of coal–gas compound disasters is increasingly prominent, with the safe and efficient extraction of gas serving as the key to disaster reduction. A deep coal seam gas extraction project is a complex coupled system involving multiple physical fields, such as stress fields, gas flow fields, and energy. Constructing a systematic theoretical framework of multiphysics field coupling is crucial for improving the safety and efficiency of gas extraction. This paper examines all existing multiphysics field coupling theories. It then suggests a theoretical modeling framework that is based on three important scientific issues: the coal deformation law, the gas flow law, and the coal porosity and permeability spatiotemporal distribution law. We further analyze the application and development of the model in typical coal seam gas extraction engineering on this basis. Finally, this paper points out the shortcomings of the current research and looks forward to the future research directions for the coupled coal and gas multiphysics field model, aiming to provide a theoretical basis and guidance for the model’s construction and application in gas extraction engineering.
Establishment of Novel High-Grade Serous Ovarian Carcinoma Cell Line OVAR79
Authors: Shnaider Polina , Malyants Irina , Ivanova Olga , Gordeeva Veronika , Svirina Ekaterina , Zakharzhevskaya Natalya , Shagaleeva Olga , Selezneva Oksana , Bogomazova Alexandra , Lukina Maria , Aleshikova Olga , Babaeva Nataliya , Slonov Andrey , Shender Victoria
Published: December 2024

High-grade serous ovarian carcinoma (HGSOC) remains the most common and deadly form of ovarian cancer. However, available cell lines usually fail to appropriately represent its complex molecular and histological features. To overcome this drawback, we established OVAR79, a new cell line derived from the ascitic fluid of a patient with a diagnosis of HGSOC, which adds a unique set of properties to the study of ovarian cancer. In contrast to the common models, OVAR79 expresses TP53 without the common hotspot mutations and harbors the rare combination of mutations in both PIK3CA and PTEN genes, together with high-grade chromosomal instability with multiple gains and losses. These features, together with the high proliferation rate, ease of cultivation, and exceptional transfection efficiency of OVAR79, make it a readily available and versatile tool for various studies in the laboratory. We extensively characterized its growth, migration, and sensitivity to platinum- and taxane-based treatments in comparison with the commonly used SKOV3 and OVCAR3 ovarian cell lines. In summary, OVAR79 is an excellent addition for basic and translational ovarian cancer research and offers new insights into the biology of HGSOC.
Sequence-Specific Free Energy Changes in DNA/RNA Induced by a Single LNA-T Modification in Antisense Oligonucleotides
Authors: Tomita-Sudo Elisa , Akita Tomoka , Sakimoto Nae , Tahara-Takamine Saori , Kawakami Junji
Published: December 2024

2′,4′-methylene bridged nucleic acid/locked nucleic acid (2′,4′-BNA/LNA; LNA) is a modified nucleic acid that improves the function of antisense oligonucleotide therapeutics. In particular, LNA in the DNA strand increases its binding affinity for the target RNA. Predicting the binding affinities of LNA-containing antisense oligonucleotides and RNA duplexes is useful for designing antisense oligonucleotides. The nearest neighbor parameters may be useful for binding affinity prediction, similar to those for natural nucleic acids. However, the sequence dependence of the thermodynamic stability of DNA/RNA duplexes containing LNA remains unexplored. Therefore, in this study, we evaluated the thermodynamic stabilities of DNA/RNA duplexes containing a single LNA modification in the DNA strand. We found that LNA-stabilized DNA/RNA duplexes averaged −1.5 kcal mol−1. Our findings suggest that the thermodynamic stabilization effect of LNA is sequence-specific.
Assessing Cytotoxicity, Proteolytic Stability, and Selectivity of Antimicrobial Peptides: Implications for Orthopedic Applications
Authors: Campoccia Davide , Bottau Giulia , De Donno Andrea , Bua Gloria , Ravaioli Stefano , Capponi Eleonora , Sotgiu Giovanna , Bellotti Chiara , Costantini Silvia , Arciola Carla Renata
Published: December 2024

In orthopedics, the use of anti-infective biomaterials is considered the most promising strategy to contrast the bacterial contamination of implant surfaces and reduce the infection rate. KSL, KSL-W, and Dadapin-1 are three antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) that possess significant antibacterial properties, making them promising candidates for producing anti-infective biomaterials not based on antibiotics. To fully assess their true potential, this study explores in detail their cytocompatibility on human osteoblast-like MG63 cells, murine fibroblastoid L929 cells, and hMSCs. To this end, the cytotoxicity of the AMPs in terms of IC50 was tested over a range of concentrations of 450–0.22 µg/mL using the ATP bioluminescence assay. The tests were performed both in the presence and absence of bovine serum to assess the effects of serum components on peptide stability. IC50 values obtained under the most stringent conditions were used to extrapolate the selectivity index (S.I.) toward salient bacterial species. In medium containing serum, all AMPs exhibited minimal to no cytotoxicity, with IC50 values exceeding 100 µg/mL. Dadapin-1 was the peptide that exhibited the lowest cytotoxicity, KSL-W exhibited the highest stability, and KSL exhibited the highest selectivity. Overall, these findings highlight the potential of these AMPs for the future production of anti-infective materials.
Advancing Immunoassay Precision: A Novel Preanalytical Method for Enhancing Thyroglobulin Measurement in the Presence of Tg Antibodies
Authors: Đorić Ilona , Todorović Aleksandra , Gnjatović Marija , Golubović Snežana , Žarković Miloš , Janković Miljuš Jelena , Išić Denčić Tijana , Šelemetjev Sonja
Published: December 2024

Thyroglobulin (Tg) is a reliable marker for detecting recurrence in differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) patients, but frequently occurring Tg antibodies (TgAbs) can hinder accurate measurement. We aimed to develop a preanalytical protocol for precise Tg detection in TgAb presence using the immunoradiometric assay (IRMA) platform. This study involved forty-five patients who underwent IRMA Tg and radioimmunoassay (RIA) TgAb measurements, including two patients monitored for recurrence and one with confirmed recurrence. All three had undetectable Tg levels. We evaluated three preanalytical methods in aiming to separate Tg from TgAbs: buffer only (Protocol 1), micro-spin filters only (Protocol 2), and a combination of both (Protocol 3). All preanalytical protocols showed high concordance with the original test (r = 0.981, 0.985, 0.971, respectively, p < 0.001), regardless of TgAb values. Protocols 1 and 3 yielded higher Tg levels than the original test (p < 0.001), especially in the group with a high TgAb titer. Protocol 1 managed to detect Tg in two patients under follow up with initially unmeasurable Tg and high TgAb titers and in one confirmed recurrent case. Sample pre-processing positively influenced Tg detection in TgAb-positive cases. These preanalytical approaches show promise, but further testing with larger sample sizes and more investigated conditions is warranted.
Halogenated Cobalt Bis-Dicarbollide Strong Acids as Reusable Homogeneous Catalysts for Fatty Acid Esterification with Methanol or Ethanol
Authors: Kaule Pavel , Šícha Václav , Macháček Jan , Naumkina Yelizaveta , Čejka Jan
Published: December 2024

The most commonly used homogeneous catalyst for fatty acid esterification is a corrosive sulphuric acid. However, this requires costly investment in non-corrosive equipment, presents a safety risk, is time consuming, and increases effluent generation. In this study, inorganic 3D heteroborane cluster strong acids are employed for the first time as homogeneous catalysts. Three novel isomeric tetrachlorido and tetrabromido derivatives of 3,3′-commo-bis[undecahydrido-closo-1,2-dicarba-3-cobaltadodecaborate](1−) [1−] were synthesised and fully characterised using a range of analytical techniques, including NMR, TLC, HPLC, MS, UV-Vis, melting point (MP), CHN analyses, and XRD. Ultimately, H3O[8,8′-Cl2-1−] was identified as the most efficient, reusable, and non-corrosive homogeneous catalyst for the esterification of four fatty acids. The reactions are conducted in an excess of alcohol at reflux. The effective absorption of water vapour provided by the molecular sieves maximises acid conversion. The hydrophobic dye Sudan black B was employed as an acid-base indicator to facilitate a comparison of the H0 acidity function of sulphuric acid and halogenated heteroboranoic acids when dissolved together in methanol. The 23Na NMR analysis demonstrated that the application of dry methanol resulted in the displacement of Na+ ions from zeolite, which subsequently exchanged the H3O+ ions of the acid. This process led to a gradual reduction in the efficiency of the catalysts, particularly with repeated use. The solution to this issue is to regenerate the catalyst on the ion exchanger following each reaction. In contrast to the published methods, our new approach meets 10 of 12 green chemistry principles.
MicroRNA-Based Liquid Biopsy for Cervical Cancer Diagnostics and Treatment Monitoring
Authors: Kepsha Maria A. , Timofeeva Angelika V. , Chernyshev Vasiliy S. , Silachev Denis N. , Mezhevitinova Elena A. , Sukhikh Gennadiy T.
Published: December 2024

Despite prevention strategies, cervical cancer remains a significant public health issue. Human papillomavirus plays a critical role in its development, and early detection is vital to improve patient outcomes. The incidence of cervical cancer is projected to rise, necessitating better diagnostic tools. Traditional screening methods like the cytological examination and human papillomavirus testing have limitations in sensitivity and reproducibility. Liquid-based cytology offers some improvements, but the need for more reliable and sensitive techniques persists, particularly for detecting precancerous lesions. Liquid biopsy is a non-invasive method that analyzes cancer-derived products in biofluids like blood, offering potential for real-time monitoring of tumor progression, metastasis, and treatment response. It can be based on detection of circulating tumor cells (CTCs), circulating free DNA (cfDNA), and microRNAs (miRNAs). This review particularly underlines the potential of microRNAs, which are transported by extracellular vesicles. Overall, this article underscores the importance of continued research into non-invasive diagnostic methods like liquid biopsy to enhance cervical cancer screening and treatment monitoring.
An Investigation on the Spark Plasma Sintering Diffusion Bonding of Diamond/Cu Composites with a Cr Interlayer
Authors: Zhou Ying , Hu Daochun , Chen Minghe , Wu Taowen , Ouyang Jindong , Xiong Degan
Published: December 2024

Spark plasma sintering (SPS) is an effective technique for studying the diffusion bonding of diamond/Cu composites, and has the potential to advance the application of copper matrix composites. This study investigates the SPS diffusion bonding of diamond/Cu composites using a chromium (Cr) interlayer. The effects of process parameters on the microstructure and mechanical properties of the bonding interface were evaluated through shear strength testing and SEM analysis. The results show that shear strength increases with interlayer thickness up to a certain point, after which it decreases. As the bonding temperature, holding time, and bonding pressure increase, defects such as cracks and voids at the diffusion-bonded interface are reduced, resulting in improved shear strength. Under suitable conditions (10 μm interlayer, 810 °C, 60 min, and 10 MPa), the bonding interface is defect-free, achieving a maximum shear strength of 139.89 MPa and a thermal conductivity (TC) of 700.97 W/(m·K), indicating high-quality diffusion bonding.
Assessment of Change in Enamel Color and Surface Hardness Following the Use of ICON Resin Infiltration and Remineralizing Agent: An In Vitro Study
Authors: Almosa Naif , Alaman Khalid , Alkhudairi Fares , Alhaqbani Muhannad , Alshalawi Mohammed , Zawawi Rahaf
Published: December 2024

This study aimed to evaluate the change in enamel color and surface micro-hardness following the use of resin-infiltration concept material (ICON) and casein phosphopeptide-amorphous calcium fluoride phosphate (CPP-ACFP) remineralizing agent. Fifty-four extracted human third molars were collected and randomly divided into three groups: group A: control with no surface treatment; group B: treated using ICON; and group C: treated using CPP-ACFP. The change in color and micro-hardness of the enamel surface were measured using spectrophotometer and Vickers hardness number, respectively. The measurements were taken at three timelines; baseline (BL), after demineralization (DM), and after surface treatment (TX). The three groups showed no significant differences in enamel color change after demineralization (p < 0.05). However, after surface treatment in relation to the baseline, groups B and C had a significant increase in color change compared to the control group (p < 0.05), and group B showed a statistically significant increase in enamel color changes compared to group C. Additionally, all groups exhibited a significant reduction in enamel micro-hardness after demineralization in comparison to their baseline (p < 0.05). Group C showed a significant increase in micro-hardness after surface treatment compared to groups A and B (p < 0.05), while group B showed a significant decrease in enamel micro-hardness compared to groups A and C (p < 0.05). These findings suggest that teeth treated with CPP-amorphous calcium fluoride phosphate (CPP-ACFP) show a significant improvement in enamel surface color after demineralization compared to the teeth treated with resin infiltration (ICON) and the non-treated teeth. Additionally, enamel surfaces treated with CPP-ACFP show significant enamel hardness regaining, while resin infiltration (ICON) compromises enamel surface hardness.
Fine Tuning the Glass Transition Temperature and Crystallinity by Varying the Thiophene-Quinoxaline Copolymer Composition
Authors: Pan Xun , Andersson Mats R.
Published: December 2024

In recent years, the design and synthesis of high-performing conjugated materials for the application in organic photovoltaics (OPVs) have achieved lab-scale devices with high power conversion efficiency. However, most of the high-performing materials are still synthesised using complex multistep procedures, resulting in high cost. For the upscaling of OPVs, it is also important to focus on conjugated polymers that can be made via fewer simple synthetic steps. Therefore, an easily synthesised amorphous thiophene−quinoxaline donor polymer, TQ1, has attracted our attention. An analogue, TQ-EH that has the same polymer backbone as TQ1 but with short branched side-chains, was previously reported as a donor polymer with increased crystallinity. We have synthesised copolymers with varied ratios between octyloxy and branched (2-ethylhexyl)oxy-substituted quinoxaline units having the same polymer backbone, with the aim to control the aggregation/crystallisation behaviour of the resulting copolymers. The optical properties, glass transition temperatures and degree of crystallinity of the new copolymers were systematically examined in relation to their copolymer composition, revealing that the composition can be used to fine-tune these properties of conjugated polymers. In addition, multiple sub-Tg transitions were found from some of the polymers, which are not commonly or clearly seen in other conjugated polymers. The new copolymers were tested in photovoltaic devices with a fullerene derivative as the acceptor, achieving slightly higher performances compared to the homopolymers. This work demonstrates that side-chain modification by copolymerisation can fine-tune the properties of conjugated polymers without requiring complex organic synthesis, thereby expanding the number of easily synthesised polymers for future upscaling of OPVs.
Dielectric, Electric, and Pyroelectric Properties of Ba1−xCaxTiO3 Ceramics
Authors: Feliksik Kamil , Makowska Jolanta , Bartkowska Joanna A. , Pikula Tomasz , Panek Rafał , Starczewska Oliwia , Adamczyk-Habrajska Małgorzata
Published: December 2024

In this study, we investigate the dielectric, electric, and pyroelectric properties of Ba1−xCaxTiO3 (BCT) ceramics with compositions of x = 0.2, 0.25, and 0.3. The ceramics were synthesized using the solid-state reaction method. A microstructural analysis was performed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), revealing that calcium concentration influences grain size and morphology, with BCT20 showing larger, hexagonal grains, while BCT25 and BCT30 exhibited smaller, irregular grains. Phase composition and crystalline structure were characterized via X-ray diffraction (XRD), which confirmed the absence of secondary phases and a predominantly tetragonal P4mm structure for BCT20 and BCT25. However, BCT30 showed an additional orthorhombic (Pbam) phase at 5.9 wt. % alongside the dominant tetragonal phase. Dielectric measurements revealed that increasing the calcium concentration shifts the temperature of dielectric permittivity maximum to lower values, correlating with a shift in the ferroelectric–paraelectric phase transition. Pyroelectric measurements indicated the highest pyroelectric current for BCT25, while BCT30 showed the maximum thermally stimulated depolarization current.
Impact of Water Purity and Oxygen Content in Gas Phase on Effectiveness of Surface Cleaning with Microbubbles
Authors: Ulatowski Karol , Szczygielski Patryk , Sobieszuk Paweł
Published: December 2024

Cleaning of surfaces without complex cleaning agents is an important subject, especially in food, pharmaceutical, and biomedical applications. The subject of microbubble and nanobubble cleaning is considered one of the most promising ways to intensify this process. In this work, we check whether and how the purity of water used for microbubble generation, as well as the gas used, affects the effectiveness of cleaning stainless-steel surfaces. Surfaces contaminated with Pluronic L-121 solution were cleaned by water of three purities: ultrapure water (<0.05 μS/cm), water after reversed osmosis (~6.0 μS/cm), and tap water (~0.8 mS/cm). Similarly, three different gases were supplied to the generation setup for microbubble generation: air, oxygen, and nitrogen. Stainless steel plates were immersed in water during microbubble generation and cleaned for a given time. FTIR (Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy) and contact angle analysis were employed for the analysis of surfaces. The results of cleaning were repeatable between plates and showed different cleaning effects depending on both the purity of water (concentration of ions) and gas composition. We have proposed different mechanisms that are dominant with respect to specific combinations of ion concentration and oxygen content in gas, which are directly connected to the microbubble stability and reactivity of gas.
Facile Synthetic Access Towards Sulfur- and Selenium-Functionalized Boron-Based Multiresonance TADF Emitters
Authors: Güven Zeynep , Dolati Hadi , Wessel Leo , Frank René
Published: December 2024

Thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) materials with high photoluminescence quantum yields and a fast reverse intersystem crossing (RISC) are of the highest interest for organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs). In the past decade, triaryl boranes with multiple resonance effect (MR) have captured significant attention. The efficiency of MR-TADF emitters strongly depends on small singlet–triplet energy gaps (ΔEST), but also on large reverse intersystem crossing (RISC) rate constants (kRISC). The latter effect has strongly been focused on very recently and has drawn attention to heavier elements, including sulfur and selenium, the large spin–orbit coupling (SOC) of which accelerates RISC effects. Within the context of MR-TADF emitters, the 5,9-X2-13b-boranaphtho [3,2,1-de]anthracene scaffold (X-B-X, X = donor heteroatom, e.g., N, O, S, Se) has been recognized as a promising narrowband-emissive TADF material. However, the incorporation of sulfur and selenium as highly SOC-inducing elements has proven to be difficult. Most synthetic strategies apply protocols initially suggested by Hatakeyama to obtain nitrogen- and oxygen-doped materials. We present an alternative route over the established methodology, which affords highly sought-after sulfur- and selenium-doped materials with a high yield and purity.