bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Child Educational Content on Digital Folklore "Pak Lebai Malang": A Qualitative Content Analysis
Authors: Faeruz Ratna , Rahiem Maila D.H. , Surayyah Madhubala Abdullah Nur , Rahmat Romadhon Dzikri , Sari Dewi Ratna , Rahmatullah Rahmatullah , Rosyada Dede
Published: December 2021

Purpose – The purpose of this study was to explore child educational content digital folklore on YouTube, and It is used to teach young children about science, language, and values. The unit analysis on this research was the video of Pak Lebai Malang from West Sumatera, Indonesia.Design/methods/approach – The qualitative content analysis method was used in this study. The content analyzed was digital folklore based on the Minangkabau story Pak Lebai Malang. The process began with downloading the video, creating a transcript, taking notes on the text, language, and context, re-watching the video, comparing and contrasting it to the memo, and eliciting evidence from the video.Findings – The data revealed the following ways in which digital folklore on YouTube teaches science, language, and values: 1) digital technology illustrates science concepts with simple-to-understand videos; 2) by repeating the words and visualizing each spoken word, YouTube videos teach children new vocabulary. 3) the characters’ expressions and intonation in the video teach children about social values.Research implications/limitations – This research could serve as a springboard for future research on the use of digital folklores in early childhood classrooms. It is advised that additional research be conducted to improve the interest, effectiveness, and applicability of digital folklore in the early childhood learning process and design more effective programs for teaching science, language, and value to young people children. The study’s drawback is that it analyzes only one video. If it is compared to other videos, it may provide a complete view. Practical implications – This study informs educators on the potential for using digital folklore to teach science, language, and values. It entails the implementation of more creative strategies in early childhood education. Additionally, the study inspires innovative content creators on YouTube to make their videos more relevant to young children’s learning. Additionally, parents may discover that something as simple as a YouTube video could be an incredible resource for their child’s development.Originality/value – The study explains child educational content based on local wisdom. The digital form of Pak Lebai Malang folklore can facilitate accessibility and acceptability.

Paper type Research paper
Teachers' Strategies in Introducing Literacy to Early Childhood: Lesson from Indonesia
Authors: Febiyanti Anita , Kurniati Euis , Emilly Nzunda Ibrahim
Published: December 2021

Purpose – This study aims to analyze teachers' strategies in introducing literacy to early childhood.Design/methods/approach –The researchers used the case study method. The research subjects are two teachers who teach in early childhood education institutions in Bandung, Indonesia.Findings –The results of this study indicate that in introducing literacy to children, teachers use multiple strategies, such as optimizing role-play activities, stimulation through active teacher conversations that encourage children to communicate (rich teacher talk), utilizing the use of big book media, and focusing on phonological awareness. The study results show that the teacher's role is significant in optimizing literacy learning for children.Research implications/limitations – This case study focuses on literacy learning in early childhood based on the experiences of two teachers in Bandung, Indonesia.Practical implications –This case study shows that multiple strategies are appropriate to introduce early childhood literacy and prepare children for the next level of education.Originality/value – This study contributes to the understanding of literacy in early childhood. In addition, this study recommends that teachers apply multiple strategies in introducing literacy through play activities.

Paper type Case study
Increasing The Character Of Courage In Early Childhood Through Mother Tongue
Authors: Putriyanti Dwi , Selvi Issaura Dwi
Published: December 2021

Each child has a different character. In this case, the role of the family, especially the mother, is very supportive of the child in instilling the child's character according to his potential. The purpose of this study was to improve the character of children's courage through their mother tongue by using the classroom action research method conducted at Aisyiyah Bustanul Athfal Kindergarten in Sungai Pinang Ogan Ilir by researching two cycles consisting of 3 meetings with planning, implementation, observation and reflection stages. Based on the research results in the first cycle, the minimum category developed as expected 67%, with the dominant indicator appearing as the attitude of doing something without worrying about the difficulties. In comparison, the minimum category increased to 87% in the second cycle, indicating that the child can face something with great confidence and great results. This shows that using the mother tongue can improve the character of the courage of early childhood.
Development of Religious and Moral Values Through Cublak-Cublak Suweng Traditional Games To Build Children's Character
Authors: Anggraini Retno , Wahyuni Astri
Published: December 2021

One way to build character early is through games, including traditional games. Apart from building character, this game can also develop aspects of children's religious and moral values. The purpose of this research is to make children's character. The type of research used in this research is descriptive research with an inductive approach, data collection techniques used are primary and secondary data through inductive methods. Based on the results of research that has been carried out, it shows that traditional games performed for early childhood using cublak-cublak suweng games can help train and develop the development of religious and moral values ​​in children aged 4-6 years by training children to behave well, honest, polite behavior, tolerance, train cooperation, and train children's creativity.
Autism spectrum disorder and physical activity
Authors: Durmuş Kübra , Sarol Halil , Gürkan Rıfat Kerem
Published: December 2021

Aim: The aim of the study is to examine the relationship between autism spectrum disorder and physical activity in depth. Findings: Autism was first defined by Bleuler, but the history of autism as a term began with the founding of the first pediatric psychiatry clinic by Kanner. Later, autism was defined and revised in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders of the American Psychiatric Association (APA) in various periods before currently being expressed by criteria, ratings, and classifications. In 2013, the term autism spectrum disorder (ASD) began to be used. According to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, ASD is a continuously increasing situation with the incidence of 1 in 54 children according to 2020 data. The increasing incidence and difficulties experienced in many areas by individuals with ASD like deficiencies
​Extended English summary is in the end of Full Text PDF (TURKISH) file.
 
Özet
Amaç: Araştırmanın amacı, otizm spectrum bozukluğu ve fiziksel aktivite ilişkisini derinlemesine incelemektir. Bulgular: İlk defa Beuler tarafından tanımlanan otizm teriminin; Kanner’in çocuk psikiyatri kliniğini kurması ile birlikte tarihsel süreç içerisinde kullanılmaya başlandığı görülmektedir. Sonraki süreçlerde otizm özellikle Amerikan Psikiyatri Birliği Ruhsal Bozuklukların Tanısal ve İstatistiksel El Kitabında (APA) çeşitli dönemlerde tanımlanmış ve çeşitli revizyonlar yapılarak günümüze gelen kriterleri, dercelendirmeleri, sınıflandırmaları ile ifade edildiği görülmektedir. 2013 yılında otizm spektrum bozukluğu (OSB) olarak kullanılmaya başlanmıştır. Hastalık Kontrol Önleme Merkezi’nin verileri kapsamında OSB, 2020 verilere göre 54 çocukta 1 olarak görülme sıklığı sürekli artan bir durum olarak karşımıza çıkmaktadır. Sıklığının artması ve OSB’li bireylerde yaşanan çeşitli, sözel ya da sözel olmayan iletişim davranışlarında eksiklikler, kalıplaşmış ya da kısıtlayıcı motor hareketler gibi birçok alandaki aksaklıklar bireylerin yaşamlarını olumsuz yönde etkilemekte ve fiziksel aktiviteye katılımlarında ise birer engel olarak karşımıza çıkmaktadır. OSB’li bireylerin her açıdan daha sağlıklı birer birey olmalarında fiziksel aktivitenin önemli bir etkisi bulunmaktadır. Sonuç: Tüm bireyler için katılımı önemli olan fiziksel aktivite, OSB’li bireylerin motor becerilerinden, psikolojik, sosyal ve aile yaşantısına kadar etki eden pek çok alanda önemli katkılar sağlamaktadır. Bu olumlu etkiler özellikle OSB’li bireylerin yaşam kalitesine önemli ölçüde etki etmektedir.
Evaluation of water loss and solute uptake during osmotic treatment of white radishes (Raphanus sativus L.) in salt-sucrose solution
Authors: Thuy Nguyen Minh , Tham Nguyen Thi Ngoc , Minh Vo Quang , Vu Pham Thanh , Tai Ngo Van
Published: December 2021

White radish, scientifically known as Raphanus sativus L., is a yearly vegetable. Currently, it was being grown and widely used in the world, including Vietnam. These plants have been used as food or food processing. The osmotic treatment of vegetables involves the removal of water from plants in which the solids from the osmotic solution are transported to the plant material by osmosis. By this procedure, sucrose and saline solution are usually performed. White radishes were dehydrated in different hypertonic solutions by combined sucrose and NaCl at three different concentrations, including 9 runs. Mass transfer behaviour was applied according to three common models such as Fick’s second law, Weibull and Peleg’s equations based on the change of moisture and solid content of white radish during osmotic dehydration. The obtained results showed that the mass transfer was fast at initial stage and became slowly at the later stage. The effective moisture (Dm) and solid diffusivities (Ds) were ranged from 1.0186 to 1.2826x10-8 and from 1.0692 to 2.3322x10-8 (m2/s) respectively. The Peleg’s equation was found to be the best fitting for water loss and solid uptake thanks to the high determination coefficient (>97.64%) and the low average relative error (<3.174%). Raised up solution concentration resulted in higher water loss and mass gain.
Combination of yeast antagonists and Acibenzolar-S-Methyl reduced the severity of Fusarium head blight of wheat incited by Fusarium graminearum sensu stricto
Authors: Shude Sinegugu Precious Nothando , Mbili Nokwazi Carol , Yobo Kwasi Sackey
Published: December 2021

The combination of yeast antagonists and Acibenzolar-S-Methyl (ASM) was tested against Fusarium graminearum on a spring wheat cultivar PAN3471. Two strains of Papiliotrema flavescens (Strains WL3 and WL6) and a strain of Pseudozyma sp. (MGO1) were combined with full strength ASM at anthesis, half strength ASM at anthesis and quarter strength ASM at late boot stages. The yeast and ASM treatments were applied prior to F. graminearum inoculation and disease progress was assessed over time. The combination of yeast and ASM treatments effectively reduced Fusarium Head Blight (FHB) severity and deoxynivalenol (DON) concentration compared to when the treatments were used alone. A positive correlation was observed between the Area Under Disease Progress Curve (AUDPC) and Percentage Seed Infection (PSI) (r = 0.44) whereas a negative correlation was observed between AUDPC and Hundred Seed Weight (HSW) (r = -0.77) and PSI and HSW (r = -0.44). The best combination treatment providing the highest reduction in final disease severity (41.83%), high HSW and moderate PSI was 0.075 g/l ASM at anthesis plus P. flavescens strain WL3. The highest DON reduction (19.35%) was by the treatment 0.075 g/l ASM at anthesis plus P. flavescens strain WL6. The best treatment was P. flavescens combined with 0.075 g/l ASM at anthesis. Although Pseudozyma sp. strain MGO1 did not provide the best FHB and DON reduction, its combination with ASM application improved disease control efficacy. To the best of our knowledge, this study presents the first report of the combination of P. flavescens and ASM in the management of FHB caused by F. graminearum in wheat plants.
FİKİR KULÜPLERİ FEDERASYONUNDA TÜRKİYE İŞÇİ PARTİSİ – MİLLÎ DEMOKRATİK DEVRİM HAREKETİ MÜCADELESİ (1965-1969)
Authors: ÖZTÜRK Emine
Published: December 2021

Bu çalışmada, Fikir Kulüpleri Federasyonunun (FKF) Türkiye İşçi Partisi (TİP) etkisindeki bir öğrenci kuruluşundan, millî demokratik devrim (MDD) tezini savunan bir öğrenci kuruluşuna dönüşme süreci anlatılmaktadır. FKF, Türkiye’de sosyalist gençliğin ilk büyük örgütü olması ve sonraki yıllarda da devam edecek olan sol akımlara kaynaklık etmesi bakımından tarihsel öneme sahip bir kuruluştur. FKF’nin temellerini oluşturan fikir kulüpleri deneyiminden gelen birikim, TİP Gençlik Kollarında sol siyasetle buluşmuştur. Ancak gençler, TİP yönetiminden yeterince destek bulamamış, Parti içinde önemli bir rol üstelenememiş ve örgütsel özerklik elde edememiştir. TİP’e kitlesel destek sağlamak amacıyla kurulan FKF, gençlerin örgütsel bağımsızlığını elde etmesini de sağlamıştır. Sosyalizme geçiş konusunda farklı stratejileri savunan TİP ile MDD hareketi arasındaki mücadeleyi doğrudan doğruya FKF içindeki tartışmalardan izlemek mümkündür. FKF yönetimini kazanmak, bu iki akım için başlı başına bir mücadele alanı olmuştur. TİP, demokratik devrimini büyük ölçüde tamamladığını öne sürdüğü Türkiye’nin sorunlarının sokakta çözülemeyeceğini, sosyalizmin işçi sınıfının partisi olan TİP’in iktidarında, parlamenter demokratik yoldan inşa edilebileceğini savunmaktadır. MDD hareketi ise, Türkiye gibi demokratik devrimi yarıda kalmış olan azgelişmiş bir ülkenin sosyalizme doğrudan geçişinin mümkün olmadığı tezinden hareketle, küçük burjuvazinin bir kanadıyla birlikte gerçekleştirilecek demokratik devrimi işçi sınıfının öncülüğündeki sosyalist devrimin izleyeceği bir aşamalı devrim stratejisini savunmaktadır. İlk döneminde, sosyalizme ilgi duyan üniversite öğrencileri arasında büyük heyecan yaratan TİP, zamanla bu desteğini yitirmiş ve kendi içinden doğan gençlik muhalefetinin MDD saflarına geçmesini ve nihayet FKF’nin MDD hareketinin örgütsel kalesi hâline gelişini engelleyememiştir.
Navigating and resisting the compulsory military service in Iran: embodied experiences of non-heterosexual Iranian men
Authors: Naeimi Mohammad , Kjaran Jón Ingvar
Published: December 2021

In the homosocial space of the all male military service, (hetero)masculinity and gender normativity are promoted and bravery and warrior mentality are highly valued. On this basis, policing gender and sexuality is a relevant issue, aiming to reward heteronormativity and hyper masculinity and marginalize non heterosexuality and gender nonconforming performances. In the Iranian context, since the Iran Iraq war (1980–1988), military service has produced a feature of militarized (hetero)masculinities through the cult of martyrdom. It enforces soldiers to stand up against the enemy, be willing to seek martyrdom and sacrifice themselves in order to protect the Islamic Iranian homeland. It is a symbol of entering adulthood and during that time young men are expected to embody the official ideology which revolves around heteronormativity and strict gender norms. In this context, the focus of this paper is the embodied experiences of those young conscripts who do not embody the (hetero)masculine ideal, because they are either non heterosexual or do not fit into the strict regime of gender. Drawing on ethnographic data, and policy documents, this paper shows how the idea of the (hetero)masculine ideal has been translated into practice through the dispositif of the sarbazi and how some young Iranian non heterosexual men try to resist conscription while others try to find ways to carve out a liminal heterotopic space during their military service.
Theranostics – present and future
Authors: Królicki Leszek , Kunikowska Jolanta
Published: December 2021

Theragnostics in nuclear medicine constitute an essential element of precision medicine. This notion integrates radionuclide diagnostics procedures and radionuclide therapies using appropriate radiopharmaceutics and treatment targeting specific biological pathways or receptors. The term theragnostics should also include another aspect of treatment: not only whether a given radioisotopic drug can be used, but also in what dose it ought to be used. Theragnostic procedures also allow predicting the effects of treatment based on the assessment of specific receptor density or the metabolic profile of neoplastic cells. The future of theragnostics depends not only on the use of new radiopharmaceuticals, but also on new gamma cameras. Modern theragnostics already require unambiguous pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic measurements based on absolute values. Only dynamic studies provide such a possibility. The introduction of the dynamic total-body PET-CT will enable this type of measurements characterizing metabolic processes and receptor expression on the basis of Patlak plot.
Investigating the efficacy of Curcuma longa against Desulfovibrio desulfuricans influenced corrosion in low-carbon steel
Authors: Sharma Akansha , Ramachandran Manivannan , Selvam Noyel Victoria
Published: December 2021

The effectiveness of Curcuma longa extract in the control of low-carbon steel corrosion caused by sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) in Baar’s medium was investigated. The SRB taken for the study was Desulfovibrio desulfuricans. Specimens in contact with the medium containing SRB exhibited a corrosion rate more than 10 times that of the specimens in contact with the medium without SRB. The weight loss studies showed that the addition of 50 ppm C. longa extracts to the medium containing SRB resulted in an average inhibition efficiency of 91.2% for a four week immersion period. The inhibitor extract altered the reaction rates of both cathodic and anodic reactions which were confirmed from the potentiodynamic polarization (PP) studies. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) studies showed a reduction in the number of sessile bacteria upon inhibitor addition which was confirmed by the microscopy. Severe pitting was observed in the morphological analysis of the specimen in the absence of inhibitor treatment. Apart from adsorption onto the specimen surface to minimize the biocorrosion, the inhibitor extract also served as an anti-film forming and antibacterial agent.
The COVID-19 Inflation Weighting in Israel
Authors: Benchimol Jonathan , Caspi Itamar , Levin Yuval
Published: December 2021

Significant shifts in the composition of consumer spending as a result of the COVID-19 crisis can complicate the interpretation of official inflation data, which are calculated by the Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS) based on a fixed basket of goods. We focus on Israel as a country that experienced three lockdowns, additional restrictions that significantly changed consumer behavior, and a successful vaccination campaign that has led to the lifting of most of these restrictions. We use credit card spending data to construct a consumption basket of goods representing the composition of household consumption during the COVID-19 period. We use this synthetic COVID-19 basket to calculate the adjusted inflation rate that should prevail during the pandemic period. We find that the differences between COVID-19-adjusted and CBS (unadjusted) inflation measures are transitory. Only the contribution of certain goods and services, particularly housing and transportation, to inflation changed significantly, especially during the first and second lockdowns. Although lockdowns and restrictions in developed countries created a significant bias in inflation weighting, the inflation bias remained unexpectedly small and transitory during the COVID-19 period in Israel.
Phonaesthemic alternations in Flemish dialects: a matter of language contact in the emergence of phonaesthesia?
Authors: Robbe Joost , Willemsen Jeroen
Published: December 2021

In this article, we present and analyse phonaesthemic alternations as they appear in Flemish dialects of Dutch, that is when a root-initial consonant or consonant cluster is replaced by a post-alveolar affricate /ʧ/ or /ʤ/ in order to create a phonaesthemically marked variant of a neutral base word. Although no longer productive in Flemish dialects, we show that such phonaesthemic alternations exhibit strong functional similarities to those found in other languages, in particular the evaluative notions of diminutivity and augmentativity. We also show that, formally speaking, Flemish phonaesthemic alternations differ from those attested in other languages in only targeting a single consonant or consonant cluster. We then put forward the hypothesis that Flemish speakers may have copied this mechanism to produce phonaesthemic alternations from Picard speakers, corroborating the notion that phonaesthemic alternations may emerge from language contact.
Ground motion of the Ms7.0 Jiuzhaigou earthquake
Authors: Wang Wencai , Chen Jifeng , Su Xiaoyun , Wu Lina , Chen Lijun , Jiang Zhijie , Shi Wenbing , Wang Yan , Liu Hongmei
Published: December 2021

Eighty-eight free-field strong ground motion observation datasets obtained by the National Strong Motion Observation Network System of China for the Jiuzhaigou Ms7.0 earthquake were used to study the characteristics of the strong ground motion and the site response. In this study, we calculated the VS30 of the near field station and compared the observed values of the horizontal peak acceleration and peak velocity with the CB2014 ground motion prediction models developed by Campbell et al. (2014). The results indicate that the observed values of the horizontal peak acceleration and peak velocity of the Jiuzhaigou earthquake are both smaller than the predicted values obtained from the ground motion prediction equations. By regressing the spatial variation curves of the D
SR (5–95%) and D
SR (5–75%) ground motion durations, and comparing them with Bommer’s (2009) ground motion duration prediction curve, it was found that the duration of the Jiuzhaigou earthquake was greater than that obtained from the global empirical prediction equation. The scope of the source duration corresponding to the D
SR (5–75%) duration is 2.76–4.28 s, and the scope of the source duration corresponding to the D
SR (5–95%) duration is 8.88–10.36 s, which are close to the peak time and completion time of the seismic moment release during the source rupture process. The linear elastic acceleration response spectra of 11 stations within 100 km of the fault were calculated for comparison with the design spectrum. It was concluded that the range of the predominant period of the response spectrum was 0.05–0.26 s, which is less than the natural vibration period of the local multistory building. However, the response spectrum value recorded by station 51JZZ is greater than the design spectrum of the 8° rare earthquake and the observation values of the nearby strong ground motion stations. Through analysis of the H/V spectrum ratio and the case of station 51JZZ, which is closest to the epicenter, this phenomenon was concluded to be related to the magnification effect of the near-surface soil layer and the nonlinear response of the site under the action of strong earthquakes.
Water quality assessment and spatial–temporal variation analysis in Erhai lake, southwest China
Authors: Chen Xuekai , Liu Xiaobo , Li Bogen , Peng Wenqi , Dong Fei , Huang Aiping , Wang Weijie , Cao Feng
Published: December 2021

For the implementation of lake ecological protection, understanding the water pollution status and spatio–temporal variation of water quality has become the most important thing for water safety in the basin. To analyze the water quality in recent years, water quality data in Erhai lake from 2013 to 2017 were first collected from typical nine monitoring stations. Based on the comprehensive water quality index (WQI) method, the temporal and spatial variation characteristics of water quality in Erhai lake were analyzed, and the main factors affecting water quality in Erhai lake were explored. The results indicated that the water quality of Erhai lake was worse than its target water quality, and total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorus (TP) exceeded the Class Ⅱ standards (TN: 0.5 mg L−1, TP: 0.025 mg L−1) of China’s Environmental Quality Standard for Surface Water (GB3838-2002). In terms of changes across seasons, the overall lake water quality in the dry season was better than that in the wet season, and TN and TP reached the peak value in September. In terms of spatial distribution, water quality of the northern area was better than that of the southern area in the dry season, whereas water quality of the southern area was better than that of the northern area in the wet season. At present, Erhai lake is at a critical turning point of water eutrophication, and its nutrition status is mainly affected by both nitrogen and phosphorus. The pollution load from the land area is the main factor affecting the deterioration of Erhai lake. Our results can provide a scientific basis for the treatment of the water environment of Erhai lake.
Digital Resources Integration and Performance Evaluation Under the Knowledge Management Model in Academic Libraries
Authors: Rafi Muhammad , Islam A.Y.M. Atiquil , Ahmad Khurshid , Zheng Jian Ming
Published: December 2021

Leveraging a knowledge management model (KMM), organizing digital resources, and measuring performance beyond digital libraries continue to be hot topics for many organizations. Given its growing importance, the aim of this study was to design a robust integrated research model based on social cognitive theory and KMM to organize resources and improve the productivity of academic librarians to make services effective. Using a quantitative method based on key data collected by librarians at Pakistani universities, the researchers reviewed previously published literature and sought expert opinions to develop a research tool. The authors distributed 350 printed questionnaires to professionals from 190 universities, of which 339 were returned. These were analyzed to test the hypotheses and assess the accuracy of the measurement and structural models. After undergoing rigorous statistical analysis, the seven constructs using Social Cognitive Theory and the Knowledge Management Model have proven to be suitable for digital asset integration, employee productivity measurement, and high-quality academic services. In addition, the model based on social cognitive theory supports the application of KMM to promote knowledge culture, resource organization, and successful integration and innovation of academic services by enhancing the technical and professional skills of staff in academic institutions.
Contemporary nano-architectured drugs and leads for ανβ3 integrin-based chemotherapy: Rationale and retrospect
Authors: Abbas Nahid , Yusuf Mohammad , Akhtar Naseem , Khan Riaz A.
Published: December 2021

The integrins belong to the cell-surface polypeptide family and are the mediating partners among the cells, and extracellular matrix (ECM). They are also involved in the biological processes of cell migration, wound healing, blood clotting, immunological response generation, tissue morphogenesis, leucocyte reticulations, and angiogenesis and are therefore very relevant in stem cell technology and are useful as biomarkers, diagnostic probes, and drug-target ligands. The ανβ3 (alpha-nu-beta3) integrin antagonists are an excellent target example for designing and developing newer drug candidates, drug leads and templates for various diseases, and physiological malfunctioning, including cancers. The current review examines the ανβ3 integrin structural features involved in the drug design and its antagonistic ligands and highlights the development of anti-ανβ3 integrin-antagonists as nano-architectural design-based nanomedicine, especially for cancer chemotherapy. The perspectival review discusses the ανβ3 integrin structure, mode of action, involved pathways, and the concepts utilized in nanomedicine design, and ligands related to integrins. It also covers the latest thyrointegrin approaches toward the development of anti-angiogenesis agents and entails the anti-angiogenesis approach to cancer growth inhibition through targeting by the anti-integrin ligands and related chemical entities. The current perspective on the nano-architectural design approach for the known anti-integrin compounds is also outlined.
Miniaturized peptidomimetics and nano-vesiculation in endothelin types through probable nano-disk formation and structure property relationships of endothelins’ fragments
Authors: Khan Riaz A. , Khan Azra J.
Published: December 2021

Endothelins (ETs), which are multi-functional-peptides with potential for antagonist-based-therapy in various physiological-malfunctionings, including cardiovascular, nephrological, oncologic, and diabetic conditions, may produce newer chemical entities and drug leads. The present study deals with molecular-modeling of the ETs’ sub-types, ET-I, II, and III to find the structure property-relationship (SPR) of the ETs, and individual fragments derived from the ET sub-type ET-I. The ETs peptidic tails’ amino acid (AA) sequence’s structural differences and similarities, various dissected fragments of the ET-I, and SPR comparison with the sarafotoxin-6b (SRT-6b), a structurally-related snake-venom, showed points of dissimilarities for their structural specifications, geometric disposition, and physico-chemical properties. The generation of miniaturized (shortened sequence) peptides towards offering peptidomimetic compounds of near- and far-values compared SPR with estimations for log P, hydration energy, and other molecular and quantitative structure activity relationship (QSAR) were based on random and ordered-fragments derived from the original ET-I AA’s sequence, and sequential distance changes in the original ET-I sequence’s chain of 1–21 AA. The feasibility of alternate and bond length parameters-based possible cysteine–cysteine cyclizations, sequence homology, AA’s positional demarcation, and presence/absence of cysteines, homology-based basic non-cysteine and cysteines-AA based cyclization, total structure and fragments end-to-end cyclizations, and geometrical analogy-based miniaturized sequence of the shorter AAs from the original ET-I sequence, together with mutated replacements with naturally constituent AAs of the ETs, and SRT-6 sequences were utilized. The major findings of the fragmented sequences, and sequences at par with the original ETs to provide structures similar to the size, volume and with molecular and electronic properties of electrostatic potential and total charge density distribution, crucial factors in receptor bindings were investigated. The SPRs, molecular properties, and QSAR values were estimated to compare and validate the findings with the known homologous compounds, ET-I, and its known and potent antagonists. The study resulted in leads of smaller and larger sizes of peptide-based compounds which may have prospects as potent antagonist and in future needs their bioactivity evaluations after the synthesis. Moreover, approach to plausible vesiculation of the ETs, and the involved processes and structural requirements, together with the molecular interactions in settling a nano-vesicle of the peptidic structure with a possible mechanism is also suggested.
Effect of ultrasonic field on the microstructure and mechanical properties of sand-casting AlSi7Mg0.3 alloy
Authors: Yin Peng , Xu Chunguang , Pan Qinxue , Guo Canzhi , Jiang Xiaowei
Published: December 2021

The injection of ultrasonic wave into a melt during casting can refine grain size, improve grain distribution, and thereby enhance casting performance. The available studies on ultrasonic-assisted casting are mostly about inserting a transducer directly into the melt. Such a method is not suitable for sand casting. Therefore, the study of ultrasonic sand casting by indirectly injecting ultrasonic waves into an aluminum alloy melt through a sand mold was proposed and carried out in this study. The effects of ultrasonic waves of different powers at different solidification stages on the microstructure and mechanical properties of the melt were studied. Compared to conventional sand casting, the samples prepared by ultrasonic sand casting have finer grains and better grain distribution, as well as higher mechanical properties. Moreover, the sample’s performance improves to different levels when the same ultrasonic wave is injected at different periods, when compared to the injection of ultrasonic waves with different powers in the same period.
Big data analytics opportunities for applications in process engineering
Authors: Sadat Lavasani Mitra , Raeisi Ardali Nahid , Sotudeh-Gharebagh Rahmat , Zarghami Reza , Abonyi János , Mostoufi Navid
Published: December 2021

Big data is an expression for massive data sets consisting of both structured and unstructured data that are particularly difficult to store, analyze and visualize. Big data analytics has the potential to help companies or organizations improve operations as well as disclose hidden patterns and secret correlations to make faster and intelligent decisions. This article provides useful information on this emerging and promising field for companies, industries, and researchers to gain a richer and deeper insight into advancements. Initially, an overview of big data content, key characteristics, and related topics are presented. The paper also highlights a systematic review of available big data techniques and analytics. The available big data analytics tools and platforms are categorized. Besides, this article discusses recent applications of big data in chemical industries to increase understanding and encourage its implementation in their engineering processes as much as possible. Finally, by emphasizing the adoption of big data analytics in various areas of process engineering, the aim is to provide a practical vision of big data.
Hypoalgesia after exercises with painful vs. non-painful muscles in healthy subjects – a randomized cross-over study
Authors: Hansen Simon , Petersen Kristian Kjær , Sloth Emilie , Manum Line Appelon , McDonald Anita Kjær , Andersen Per Grünwald , Vaegter Henrik Bjarke
Published: December 2021

Objectives

Exercise-induced hypoalgesia (EIH) is a decrease in the pain sensitivity after exercise. Individuals with chronic pain show less EIH after one exercise session compared with pain-free individuals possibly due to pain in exercising muscles. The primary aim of this randomized controlled cross-over study was to compare the EIH response at the exercising thigh muscle following exercises performed with painful vs. non-painful muscles. Secondary aims were to explore if a reduced EIH response was confined to the painful muscle, and whether the muscle pain intensity and the EIH responses were negatively associated.

Methods

In two sessions, 34 pain-free participants received a painful (hypertonic saline, 5.8%) injection and a control (isotonic saline, 0.9%) injection in the right thigh muscle before performing a 3 min isometric wall squat exercise. Pressure pain thresholds (PPTs) were assessed at both thighs and the left neck/shoulder at baseline, after injections and after exercise. Pain intensities in the thighs were rated on numerical rating scales (NRS: 0–10).

Results

Hypertonic saline induced moderate thigh pain at rest (NRS: 4.6 ± 2.1) compared to the control injection (NRS: 0.3 ± 0.4; p<0.001). EIH at the thighs and neck/shoulder were not different between sessions (Injected thigh: 0 kPa; 95% CI: −51 to 52; Contralateral thigh: −6 kPa; 95% CI: −42 to 30; neck/shoulder: 19 kPa; 95% CI: −6 to 44). No significant associations between pain intensity ratings immediately after the Painful injection and EIH responses at any assessment sites were found (right thigh: β=0.08, 95% CI: −12.95 to 20.64, p=0.64, left thigh: β=−0.33, 95% CI: −27.86 to 0.44, p=0.06; neck/shoulder: β=−0.18, 95% CI: −15.11 to 4.96, p=0.31).

Conclusions

Pain in the area of an exercising muscle did not reduce local or systemic EIH responses.

Trial registration number

NCT04354948.
MAP3K1 SNP rs889312 potential risk and MAP3K9 SNP rs11628333 menopause dependent association for breast cancer
Authors: Abbasi Samina Asghar , Baig Ruqia Mehmood , Ahmed Mehvish Naseer , Ismail Muhammad , Khan Rashida , Mehmood Humera , Mansoor Qaisar
Published: December 2021

Objectives

Breast cancer is the leading cause of mortality in today’s world. An alarming rise in cancer incidence has been observed in the South Asian region. The aberrant molecular mechanisms regulating cell proliferation and development contribute to cancer development. A better understanding of the detailed molecular mechanisms at genetic and epigenetic levels can help to treat breast cancer more efficiently. The present study is aimed to identify the possible association of MAP3K1 SNP rs889312 and MAP3K9 rs11628333 in breast cancer in the South Asian region.

Methods

Female breast cancer patients were recruited in the study. DNA was isolated from the blood samples collected from the patients. PCR-RFLP was used for genotyping, and data analysis was done by SPSS software.

Results

Genotyping data for MAP3K1 SNPrs889312 showed statistically significant association with breast cancer, while MAP3K9 SNPrs11628333 showed characteristic association of rare allele heterozygote’s and homozygotes in pre and post-menopausal patients, respectively.

Conclusions

The study concludes a strong association of the rs889312 with breast cancer in the Pakistani population and a characteristic association of unique genotypes TC and CC in pre- and post-menopausal breast cancer patients. These findings can provide a ready tool as a breast cancer marker in south Asian populations.
Intrasession and Intersession Reliability of Isometric Squat, Midthigh Pull, and Squat Jump in Resistance-Trained Individuals
Authors: Ishida Ai , Suarez Dylan G. , Travis S. Kyle , Slaton Jake A. , White Jason B. , Bazyler Caleb D. , Stone Michael H.
Published: December 2021

Ishida, A, Suarez, DG, Travis, SK, Slaton, JA, White, JB, Bazyler, CD, and Stone, MH. Intrasession and intersession reliability of isometric squat, midthigh pull, and squat jump in resistance-trained individuals. J Strength Cond Res 37(1): 18–26, 2023—The purposes of this study were to investigate intrasession and intersession reliability of variables obtained from squat jump (SJ), shortened isometric midthigh pull (IMTP), and isometric squat (ISQ) protocols and to evaluate relationships between isometric and dynamic performance and 1 repetition maximum (1RM) back squat (BSQ). Eleven moderately resistance-trained men participated (27.8 ± 3.9 years; 175.0 ± 7.2 cm; 87.2 ± 11.4 kg). Subjects completed familiarization in the IMTP and ISQ, followed by 1RM BSQ at least 48 hours before the first performance test. Two performance tests occurred at 7-day intervals including SJ, IMTP, and ISQ. SJ variables included jump height (SJH), body mass (BM), peak force (PF), and peak power (PP). Isometric midthigh pull and ISQ variables included isometric peak force (IPF); relative IPF; rate of force development at 90, 200, and 250 milliseconds; and impulse at 90, 200, and 250 milliseconds. SJ, IMTP, and ISQ kinetic variables were considered reliable if intraclass correlations (ICCs) and coefficients of variations (CVs) were >0.80 and <10%. Intrasession and intersession reliability criteria were met for SJH, BM, PF, and PP (ICC = 0.91–1.00, CV = 0.5–9.1%). Isometric peak force and impulse at 200 and 250 milliseconds met intrasession and intersession reliability criteria for IMTP and ISQ (ICC = 0.90–0.99, CV = 2.1–8.1%). Significant large correlation was observed between 1RM BSQ and ISQ peak force (p = 0.038, r = 0.63), but not between 1RM BSQ and shortened IMTP peak force (p = 0.11, r = 0.50). Shortened IMTP and ISQ peak force and impulse are reliable kinetic variables, and ISQ peak force is indicative of 1RM BSQ in moderately resistance-trained men.
Effects of Maturation on Lower-Body Neuromuscular Performance in Youth Tennis Players
Authors: Fernandez-Fernandez Jaime , Canós-Portalés Jose , Martinez-Gallego Rafael , Corbi Francisco , Baiget Ernest
Published: December 2021

Fernandez-Fernandez, J, Canós-Portalés, J, Martinez-Gallego, R, Corbi, F, and Baiget, E. Effects of maturation on lower body neuromuscular performance in youth tennis players. J Strength Cond Res 37(1): 167–173, 2023—The aim of this study was to examine the maturational status differences in neuromuscular performance of young tennis players. One hundred fifty-five junior tennis players (91 boys and 64 girls; age 13.1 ± 2.2 years, body mass 50.0 ± 12.2 kg, height 159.7 ± 12.4 cm, and estimated age at peak height velocity [PHV] 12.7 ± 1.6 years) participated in the study and were divided into pre-PHV (n = 57), circa-PHV (n = 50), and post-PHV (n = 48) groups. Physical tests included speed (5, 10, and 20 m), modified 5-0-5 change of direction (COD) test, hexagon test, and bilateral or unilateral countermovement jump (CMJ). The main results showed that compared with the post-PHV, pre-PHV players presented lower levels of performance in CMJs (p < 0.001; effect size [ES]: 0.76–0.88), linear sprints, and COD ability tests (p < 0.001; ES: 1.4–1.5). In addition, compared with circa-PHV, pre-PHV players also demonstrated lower performance levels in both linear sprints (p < 0.001; ES: 0.93–1.12) and COD abilities (p < 0.01; ES: 0.58–0.94). On the contrary, COD deficit (CODDEF) was significantly lower in the pre-PHV group than the circa-PHV (p < 0.001; ES: 0.76–0.79) and post-PHV (p < 0.001; ES: 1.04–1.05) groups. These results highlight the need to use the maturity stage (i.e., PHV) instead of chronological age as a more appropriate parameter when designing training programs. Furthermore, based on the differences found between groups, specific training strategies, such as neuromuscular training and COD workouts, related to the different maturation stages should be recommended.
Understanding Bench Press Biomechanics—Training Expertise and Sex Affect Lifting Technique and Net Joint Moments
Authors: Mausehund Lasse , Krosshaug Tron
Published: December 2021

Mausehund, L and Krosshaug, T. Understanding bench press biomechanics—Training expertise and sex affect lifting technique and net joint moments. J Strength Cond Res 37(1): 9–17, 2023—The purpose of this study was to compare normalized net joint moments (NJMs), moment arms, and muscle activity in the bench press exercise between powerlifters and recreationally strength-trained lifters and between women and men. Thirty-four healthy adults, including 12 powerlifters (6 women and 6 men) and 22 recreational lifters (9 women and 13 men), performed a 6–8 repetition maximum set of the bench press, while elbow and shoulder NJMs and moment arms and electromyographic (EMG) activity of 6 upper extremity muscles were recorded. The results showed that training expertise and sex affected bench press technique substantially. Powerlifters applied a different bar path which impacted joint kinematics to a greater extent and joint kinetics to a lesser extent. Specifically, powerlifters had lower normalized peak elbow NJMs and shorter joint ROMs than recreational lifters (p ≤ 0.05), yet no differences in normalized shoulder NJMs and muscle activity were observed. Women showed lower normalized mean shoulder NJMs, higher normalized peak elbow NJMs, and higher mean elbow to shoulder NJM ratios than men (p ≤ 0.05). The muscle activity of the long head of the triceps brachii and the elbow to shoulder EMG ratio were higher, yet muscle activity of the sternocostal and abdominal head of the pectoralis major was lower for female than for male subjects (p ≤ 0.05). In conclusion, powerlifters and men are more shoulder dominant when performing the bench press than recreational lifters and women, respectively. These findings will have implications for resistance training program design, expected training adaptations and bench press performance.
Is the Position of Boris Johnson Safe?
Authors:   Institute of Europe of Russian Academy Sciences, Ananieva Elena
Published: December 2021

Since November, the highest echelons of the Conservative Party have been involved in a series of scandals – violation of the rules of lobbying, anti–covid measures, donor contributions to the party treasury – which also affected PM Boris Johnson. The ratings of the ruling party and the head of the Cabinet began to decline rapidly, and the authority of B. Johnson as leader is questioned by the parliamentary fraction and the public. The popularity of the Labour Party and its leader K. Starmer has risen amid the crisis in the ruling party. However, the Tories face a dilemma – changing the party leader, and, consequently, the PM, can put early general elections on the agenda so that the new leader confirms his mandate with the voters. Will the Conservatives take risks in difficult times, having a significant majority in the House of Commons?
Çalışma sermayesinin firma kârlılığı üzerindeki etkisi: BİST KOBİ sanayi işletmelerinde bir araştırma
Authors: Ayrıçay Yücel , Kılıç Meltem , Güner Yasemin
Published: December 2021

Çalışmanın amacı, çalışma sermayesi yatırım ve finansman değişkenlerinin firma kârlılığı üzerindeki etkisini incelemektir. Bu amaçla 2013 ve 2019 yılları arasında Borsa İstanbul’da (BİST) kayıtlı KOBİ Sanayi Sektöründe (XKOBI) faaliyet gösteren 28 firmanın mali tabloları incelenmiştir. Firmaların çalışma sermayesi değişkenlerinin firma kârlılığı üzerindeki etkisini incelemek için panel veri regresyon analizinden yararlanılmıştır. Regresyon analizinde bağımlı değişkenler olarak öz sermaye kârlılığı (ROE) ve aktif sermaye kârlılığı (ROA) kullanılırken, bağımsız değişkenlerde çalışma sermayesi yatırım politikaları, çalışma sermayesi finansman politikası, kontrol değişkeni olarak ise kaldıraç oranı ve satışların büyüklüğü kullanılmıştır. Ampirik analiz sonucunda, BİST’e kayıtlı KOBİ’lerin çalışma sermayesi yatırım ve finansman politikalarının ROA’yı pozitif yönde etkilediği sonucuna ulaşılmıştır. Diğer bağımlı değişken olan ROE ile yapılan testler sonucunda çalışma sermayesi yatırım politikasının özsermaye kârlılığını pozitif etkilemektedir. Diğer bir bağımsız değişken olan çalışma sermayesi finansman politikasının özsermaye kârlılığı üzerinde anlamlı bir etkisinin olmadığı tespit edilmiştir.
COVİD-19 ve seyahat riski algılarının seyahat davranışına etkisi: Bursa örneği
Authors: Demirci Barış , Üstün Sümeyye
Published: December 2021

Araştırmanın amacı, COVİD-19 ve seyahat riski algılarının seyahat davranışı üzerindeki etkisini belirlemektir. Bu amaç kapsamında Bursa’da kolayda örnekleme yöntemine göre Mart-Mayıs 2021 tarihlerinde 346 kişiden veri toplanmıştır. Elde edilen veriler analiz edilmiş ve araştırmanın amacına uygun olarak yorumlanmıştır. Analizler sonucunda COVİD-19 ve seyahat riski algılarının seyahat davranışı üzerinde istatistiksel olarak anlamlı bir etkisinin olduğu ortaya konulmuştur. Bununla birlikte değişkenlerin demografik özelliklere göre anlamlı farklılık gösterip göstermediği test edilmiş ve istatistiksel olarak anlamlı bulunan farklılıklar raporlanmıştır.