bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Stereotactic radiosurgery for Koos grade IV vestibular schwannoma in young patients: a multi-institutional study
Authors: Pikis Stylianos , Mantziaris Georgios , Xu Zhiyuan , Anand Rithika Kormath , Nabeel Ahmed M. , Sheehan Darrah , Sheehan Kimball , Reda Wael A. , Tawadros Sameh R. , Abdelkarim Khaled , El-Shehaby Amr M. N. , Eldin Reem Emad , Peker Selcuk , Samanci Yavuz , Kaisman-Elbaz Tehila , Speckter Herwin , Hernández Wenceslao , Isidor Julio , Tripathi Manjul , Madan Renu , Zacharia Brad E. , Daggubati Lekhaj C. , Moreno Nuria Martínez , Álvarez Roberto Martínez , Langlois Anne-Marie , Mathieu David , Deibert Christopher P. , Sudhakar Vivek R. , Cifarelli Christopher P. , Icaza Denisse Arteaga , Cifarelli Daniel T. , Wei Zhishuo , Niranjan Ajay , Barnett Gene H. , Lunsford L. Dade , Bowden Greg N. , Sheehan Jason P
Published: August 2022

Purpose
Surgery is the treatment of choice for large vestibular schwannomas (VS). Stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) has been suggested as an alternative to resection in selected patients. However, the safety and efficacy of SRS in Koos grade IV patients ≤45 years old has not been evaluated. The aim of this study is to describe the clinical and radiological outcomes of Koos grade IV in young patient managed with a single-session SRS.
Methods
This retrospective, multicenter analysis included SRS-treated patients, ≤45 years old presenting with non-life threatening or incapacitating symptoms due to a Koos Grade IV VS and with follow-up ≥ 12 months. Tumor control and neurological outcomes were evaluated.
Results
176 patients (median age of 36.0 (IQR 9) and median tumor volume of 9.3 cm3 (IQR 4.7)) were included. The median prescription dose was 12 Gy (IQR 0.5). Median follow-up period was 37.5 (IQR 53.5) months. The 5- and 10-year progression-free survival was 90.9 and 86.7%. Early tumor enlargement occurred in 10.9% of cases and was associated with tumor progression at the last follow-up. The probability of serviceable hearing preservation at 5- and 10-years was 56.8% and 45.2%, respectively. The probability of improvement or preservation of facial nerve function was 95.7% at 5 and 10-years. Adverse radiation effects were noted in 19.9%. New-onset hydrocephalus occurred in 4.0%.
Conclusion
Single-session SRS is a safe and effective alternative to surgical resection in selected patients ≤45 years old particularly those with medical co-morbidities and those who decline resection. Longer term follow up is warranted.
In Silico and Experimental Outcomes of the Expression of miR508-5p and miR-635 in Tumor Compared with Non-Tumor Adjacent Tissues of Patients with Breast Cancer
Authors: Sehrig Fatemeh Zeinali , Zaefizadeh Mohammad , Ahmadizadeh Changiz , Alivand Mohammad Reza , Ghorbian Saeid
Published: August 2022

Background: Breast cancer (BC) is a malignant tumor that occurs in the epithelial tissue of the breast gland and has become the most common malignancy in women. Various studies have reported the effect of epigenetic changes, including DNA methylation and microRNAs, on breast carcinogenesis. microRNAs play an important role in the post-transcriptional regulation of genes and are important regulators of oncogenic pathways. Studying microRNAs in BC facilitates the development of targeted therapies and early detection of this cancer. This study aimed to evaluate the expression level of miR-508-5p and miR-635 in BC tumor tissues compared to healthy marginal tissues.Methods and Materials: In silico analysis confirmed microarray datasets (GSE40525, GSE44124 and GSE45666) downloaded from the GEO database. The analysis was defined using the Affy packages in R software to screen remarkably dysregulated miRNAs attended by utilized to predict the potential biological processes and molecular pathways of miR-508-5p and miR-635. Experimental statistical significance of differences in miRNA relative expression results was analyzed by pair-wise fixed reallocation randomization test as a statistical model included in the REST (relative expression software tool).Result: GEO microarray data set, similar to qPCR results, showed that miR-508-5p was downregulated in the sample group by a mean factor of 0.327 (S.E.M range is 0.031-2.000). Moreover, miR-635 was upregulated in the sample group by a mean factor of 2.361 (S.E.M range is 0.250-16.000).Conclusion: MiR-508-5p was downregulated, while miR-635 was upregulated in BC tissues. They may be proposed as diagnostic and therapeutic biomarkers for patients with BC.
Evaluation of a probe hybridization quantitative polymerase chain reaction assay for Cryptosporidium serpentis in eastern indigo snakes (Drymarchon couperi)
Authors: Bogan James E. , Wellehan James F.X. , Garner Michael M. , Childress April L. , Jackson Bethany
Published: August 2022

The ante-mortem diagnosis of squamate gastric cryptosporidiosis can be elusive if the proper diagnostic test is not performed on the proper sample. Molecular diagnostic tests (e.g., PCR) have been shown to be superior to other tests (e.g., acid-fast stain, IFA, and ELISA) in detecting the presence of Cryptosporidium in a sample. Samples collected from the stomach three days after a meal have a higher likelihood of detecting the presence of Cryptosporidium than other samples (e.g., cloacal swab or feces). A probe-hybridization quantitative polymerase chain reaction assay specific for C. serpentis (qPCR) has been developed and shown to be extremely sensitive in the laboratory, but clinical sensitivity and specificity for this test is lacking. To approximate the sensitivity and specificity of the C. serpentis qPCR, the medical records from a captive snake colony were reviewed and between November 2015 and June 2021, 63 eastern indigo snakes (Drymarchon couperi) were necropsied. Of these 63 snakes, 11 had qPCR performed on gastric biopsies collected at the time of necropsy, 8 had qPCR performed on samples collected by gastric swab within 35 days of necropsy, and 34 had qPCR performed on samples collected by cloacal swab within 84 days of necropsy. The qPCR results were then compared to the post-mortem histological findings, where all three sampling techniques had a 100% specificity. The sensitivity was highest in samples collected at necropsy (100%, CI: 63.06–100%) followed by the ante-mortem testing: gastric swab (87.50%, CI: 42.13–99.64%) and cloacal swab (66.67%, CI: 44.68–84.37%).
Engaging Caregivers to use an Evidence-Based Intervention for Medicaid Beneficiaries with Alzheimer’s Disease: A Pilot Study
Authors: Spoelstra Sandra L. , Sikorskii Alla , Schueller Monica , Basso Viktoria , Baldwin Autumn
Published: August 2022

BackgroundDifficulty with physical and cognitive function occurs in those with Alzheimer’s Disease, and most have an informal caregiver. Caregivers were engaged to assist clinicians with use of an intervention to manage function. The aims were to determine clinician knowledge uptake/satisfaction with training; feasibility, acceptability of and satisfaction with the intervention by caregivers; and intervention effect (pre/post) on outcomes of beneficiaries with Alzheimer’s Disease.MethodsA 5-month qualitative/quantitative methods pilot study was conducted in 3-Medicaid Home and Community-based Services sites in Michigan. Clinicians were trained to engage caregivers to use a toolkit to assist with providing the intervention used in our Parent trial to beneficiaries. Socio-demographic characteristics of participants; clinician knowledge and satisfaction; caregiver self-efficacy, feasibility, acceptability, usability, and satisfaction with intervention; and beneficiary activities of daily living, pain, depression, falls, emergency department visits, and hospitalizations (pre-/post-intervention) were collected. Descriptive statistics, counts, proportion comparisons, paired t-tests, matched pairs t-tests, McNemar’s tests, and thematic analyses were used to examine data.Results116 clinicians, 50 informal caregivers, and 52 beneficiaries consented. Socio-demographic characteristics of participants were as expected. Clinician knowledge and satisfaction were high. Caregiver self-efficacy increased significantly from pre- to post-intervention, and feasibility, acceptability, and usability mean scores ranged between 8 and 9 on a 0–10 scale throughout intervention period. There were no significant changes in beneficiary outcomes over the 5-month time period.ConclusionsEngaging informal caregivers to assist with providing an established intervention to those with dementia was successful.Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03634033; date registered August 16, 2018. https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03634033
High-frequency ultrasound in patients with seronegative rheumatoid arthritis
Authors: Wang Junkui , Wang Miao , Qi Qinghua , Wu Zhibin , Wen Jianguo
Published: August 2022

This study aimed to investigate the value of high-frequency ultrasound (HFUS) in differentiation of the seronegative rheumatoid arthritis (SNRA) and osteoarthritis (OA) and in the diagnosis of SNRA. 83 patients diagnosed with SNRA (SNRA group) and 40 diagnosed with OA (OA group) who received HFUS were retrospectively analyzed. The grayscale (GS) scores, power Doppler (PD) scores, and bone erosion (BE)scores were recorded, and added up to calculate the total scores of US variables. The correlations of the total scores of US variables with the 28-joint disease activity score (DAS28), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and C-reactive protein (CRP) were analyzed. The diagnostic efficacy of the total scores of US variables for SNRA was assessed. In the SNRA group, the detection rate of abnormal US findings in the joints and tendons by GS and PD as well as BE was higher than those in the OA group. There were significant differences between the two groups in GS scores and PD scores of joints and tendons, and BE scores of joints (P < 0.05). In the SNRA group, the total scores of most US variables were positively correlated with CRP, ESR, and DAS28 (P < 0.05), while such correlations were not observed in the OA group (P > 0.05). Among different US variables, the diagnostic value of total PD scores of the joints was the highest for SNRA. HFUS could be used to differentiate SNRA from OA and make a diagnosis of SNRA based on joint and tendon synovial sheath assessment.
Elaboration and characterization of earth-sand adobe bricks reinforced by Alfa fibers
Authors: Sadouri Reda , Benyoucef Mustafa , Cherradi Youssef
Published: August 2022

The main aim of this work is to investigate the effect of Alfa fiber length and quantities on linear shrinkage, mechanical strength, and failure manner of the reinforced material as compared to the unreinforced mix, by the incorporation of Alfa fibers in earth-sand building material. The earth-based composite consisted of a mixture of earth 60 wt% and sand 40 wt% reinforced with various lengths and rates of fibers extracted from the Alfa plant. First, fibers' tensile strength and water absorption were evaluated to understand their behavior. Moreover, tests have been conducted on prismatic specimens 40x40x160 mm3 with different cutting lengths (1, 2, and 3 cm). These fibers were added to soil at various weight ratios (1%, 1.5%, and 2%). The results have indicated that the incorporation of 2%wt of fibers reduced the unit weight from 1849 kg/m3 to 1632 kg/m3, which results in a slight material. The experimental investigation has shown also that the unreinforced adobe specimens had a high linear shrinkage rate and low mechanical behavior compared to fibrous samples. Specially, specimens with a higher fiber content of 2%wt of 3 cm length were revealed to be the most suitable in terms of mechanical behavior. Moreover, fibers prevent and delay crack propagation, where fiber length and content play a principal role in crack attenuating. Despite the improvement of mechanical properties, the microstructural observation of the reinforced composite shows poor fiber/matrix adhesion, which affects negatively the compactness of the adobe specimens.
Impact of Assuming a Circular Orifice on Flow Error Through Elliptical Regurgitant Orifices: Computational Fluid Dynamics and in Vitro Analysis of Proximal Flow Convergence
Authors: Lee Jeesoo , Mitter Sumeet S. , Assche Lowie Van , Huh Hyungkyu , Wagner Gregory J. , Wu Erik , Barker Alex J. , Markl Michael , Thomas James D.
Published: August 2022

PurposeGrounded in hydrodynamic theory, proximal isovelocity surface area (PISA) is a simplistic and practical technique widely used to quantify valvular regurgitation flow. PISA provides a relatively reasonable, though slightly underestimated flow rate for circular orifices. However, for elliptical orifices frequently seen in functional mitral regurgitation, PISA underestimates the flow rate. Based on data obtained with computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and in vitro experiments using systematically varied orifice parameters, we hypothesized that flow rate underestimation for elliptical orifices by PISA is predictable and within a clinically acceptable range.MethodsWe performed 45 CFD simulations with varying orifice areas 0.1, 0.3 and 0.5 cm2, orifice aspect ratios 1:1, 2:1, 3:1, 5:1, and 10:1, and peak velocities (Vmax) 400, 500 and 600 cm/s. The ratio of computed effective regurgitant orifice area to true effective area (EROAC/EROA) against the ratio of aliasing velocity to peak velocity (VA/Vmax) was analyzed for orifice shape impact. Validation was conducted with in vitro imaging in round and 3:1 elliptical orifices.ResultsPlotting EROAC/EROA against VA/Vmax revealed marginal flow underestimation with 2:1 and 3:1 elliptical axis ratios against a circular orifice (<10% for 8% VA/Vmax), rising to ≤35% for 10:1 ratio. In vitro modeling confirmed CFD findings; there was a 8.3% elliptical EROA underestimation compared to the circular orifice estimate.ConclusionPISA quantification for regurgitant flow through elliptical orifices produces predictable, but generally small, underestimation deemed clinically acceptable for most regurgitant orifices.
Opportunistic Networks: An Empirical Research of Routing Protocols and Mobility Models
Authors: Ahmad Khaleel , Fathima Muneera , Hossen Md. Sharif , Alduailij Mona , Alduailij Mai
Published: August 2022

Opportunistic Networks (OppNets) are a sub-part of DTN but are quite different from DTN. OppNets do not need any end to end path between the nodes, as they forward the message in the store-carry-forward method. Due to the absence of an end to end path, nodes forwarding messages may face a delay. The nodes have zero or partial information about its neighboring node due to which uncertainty arises. OppNets are infrastructure-less networks, so they can be implemented in such situation where human reach is not possible. Due to these features, they have gained much interest in researches. OppNets work well when designed in an efficient manner. The two parameters to design a good OppNet are Mobility Model and Routing Protocols. Mobility models define the pattern of movement of the nodes and the routing protocols define the best, shortest, and efficient path so that a node can reach its destination in the least time possible. Proper selection of the mobility model and routing protocol is crucial in designing an efficient routing protocol. There have been many mobility models and routing protocols defined till date, and this paper has designed and identified the efficient models.
Urinary microbiota shift is associated with a decline in renal function in the aging kidney
Authors: Yonglin Wu , Miaomiao Pan , Zheng Zou , Xingyu Rong , Hao Yang , Zhenming Xiao , Huijing Wang , Tao Liu , Wu Huang , Meifang Shi , Zhao Chao
Published: August 2022

Background
The kidney is an important organ for maintaining homeostasis. Kidney-specific senescence plays an important role in aging; however, the mechanism underlying this process is still unclear. We conducted an analysis of renal function impairment in a group of healthy volunteers with a wide range of ages. The aims of this study were to investigate the age profile of kidney-specific aging, the characteristics of symbiotic microorganisms in urine and the aging mechanism related to these microorganisms.
Results
A total of 3342 adults aged 20 to 104 were included in the study. Serum creatinine, urea nitrogen, and glomerular filtration rate were evaluated by blood biochemical analysis to determine a typical age range of 50–65 years for abrupt changes in renal function. Urinary microbiota 16S rDNA sequencing was performed on 74 subjects from a distribution based on quartiles of renal function among cohort members in the age range of 50–65 years. Analysis of the sequencing results revealed significant differences between the flora in males and females, and significant changes in urinary flora with renal aging. Correlation analysis combined with clinical indicators revealed that the dominant microbiota in female subjects in the quartile of poorest renal function was closely associated with altered electrolyte metabolism, inflammatory activation and positive balance of energy metabolism during renal aging. In particular, our analysis suggests that Streptococcus plays an important role.
Conclusions
The age at which early impairment of renal function occurs was confirmed and a multidimensional analysis revealed that changes in urinary commensal bacteria, especially Streptococcus, are closely associated with renal aging.
Three-round learning strategy based on 3D Deep Convolutional GANs for Alzheimer’s disease staging
Authors: Kang Wenjie , Lin Lan , Sun Shen , Zhang Baiwen , Shen Xiaoqi , Wu Shuicai
Published: August 2022

The accurate diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and its early stage is essential for early dementia detection and treatment planning. For 2D Convolutional neural networks (CNNs), the networks pre-trained on ImageNet always outperformed the models trained from scratch. 3D CNN is easily to lead to an overfitting problem due to the lack of 3D neuroimage datasets. To alleviate the overfitting caused by small to medium-sized datasets, a three-round learning strategy based on 3D Deep Convolutional Generative Adversarial Networks (DCGAN) is used for staging the spectrum of AD. In the first round, the common features of sMRI were trained in the context of 3D DCGAN by unsupervised learning. In the second round, the pre-trained discriminator (D) of the DCGAN with residual architecture was transferred and fine-tuned for the classification task between AD and cognitive normal (CN). In the last round of the transfer learning approach, the weights learned in the AD versus CN classification task were transferred to MCI diagnosis. The proposed model attained accuracies of 92.8 %, 78.1 %, and 76.4 % in the classification of AD versus CN, AD versus MCI, and MCI versus CN, respectively. The experimental results demonstrate that our proposed model has a good classification performance on staging the AD spectrum with small to medium-sized datasets, compared with other state-of-the-art studies.
Sulfurimonas aquatica sp. nov., a sulfur-oxidizing bacterium isolated from water of a brackish lake
Authors: Kojima Hisaya , Kato Yukako , Watanabe Tomohiro , Fukui Manabu
Published: August 2022

A novel chemolithoautotrophic bacterium, strain H1576T, was isolated from water of a brackish lake. Strain H1576T grew aerobically on inorganic sulfur compounds. Hydrogen gas did not support autotrophic growth, and heterotrophic growth was not observed. Cells were rod-shaped, motile, 1.5–2.7 µm in length and 0.6–0.7 µm in width. Growth was observed at 3–22°C with an optimum growth temperature of 13–15°C. The pH range for growth was 6.0–7.4 with an optimum pH of 6.6–6.8. Major fatty acids were summed feature 3 (C16 : 1ω7c and/or C16 : 1ω6c). The complete genome of strain H1576T consists of a circular chromosome and a plasmid, with total length of 2.8 Mbp and G + C content of 46.4 mol%. Phylogenetic analyses indicated that strain H1576T belongs to the genus Sulfurimonas but distinct from representatives of existing species. On the basis of genomic and phenotypic characteristics, a new species named Sulfurimonas aquatica sp. nov. is proposed with the type strain of strain H1576T (= BCRC 81254T = JCM 35004T).
The 3D-trabecular architecture of cervical vertebra
Authors: Gay Max , Müller-Gerbl Magdalena
Published: August 2022

The successful integration of orthopedic implants can rely on site-specific placement. In this study, we determined compartment-specific trabecular architecture in the cervical vertebra. We examined the micro-computed tomography scans of seven prospectively healthy C4 vertebrae, evaluated their microstructure parameters (bone volume fraction (BV/TV), bone surface density (BS/BV), trabecular thickness (Tb.Th), trabecular separation (Tb.Sp), trabecular number per volume(Tb.N), connectivity density (Conn.D), structure model index (SMI), and degree of anisotropy (DA)., and compared the trabecular architecture in twelve predefined volumes of interest (VOI); the cranial and caudal 0–10%, 10–15%, and 25–50% in both the ventral and dorsal half. Tb.Sp and Tb.N were the only two parameters that displayed significant differences in averaged values of VOI. Nonetheless, distinct, consistent ventral-dorsal modulations were seen in matched sample ventral-dorsal comparison in the BV/TV, BS/BV, and SMI overall levels, as well as in Tb.Th in the three caudal levels. In a simplification the vertebra was split into ventral-cranial, dorsal-cranial, ventral-caudal, and dorsal-caudal equal quarters. The ventral quarters display higher BV/TV, respectively lower BS/BV and SMI than their sample paired dorsal quarters. The ventral-cranial quarter shows the lowest BV/TV and the highest BS/BV and SMI, describing spacious cancellous bone with rod-like trabeculae. In contrast, the dorsal-caudal quarter exhibits the highest BV/TV and Tb.Th and the lowest BS/BV and SMI, illustrating thicker, denser, and more plate-like trabecula. The dorsal-cranial and ventral-caudal quarters are comparable and represent intermediate characteristics. The dorsal quadrants are "stronger" than their ventral counterparts and caudal quarters are "stronger" than their adjacent cranial segments. This suggests that the strongest part is the caudal dorsal part, and the weakest is the cranial ventral one.
Seismic Performance of RC Bridge After Series of Aftershocks Following a Major Earthquake
Authors: Badal Pradej , Motra Gokarna
Published: August 2022

This study aimed to understand the seismic performance of a typical reinforced concrete (RC) bridge considering number of aftershocks following a major earthquake. The primary objectives of this research are to compare the performance of RC bridge comparing mainshock only fragility and mainshock aftershocks sequence fragility and also evaluate the performance after a major earthquake and its aftershocks. Real suite of mainshock aftershock sequences were applied to perform Incremental dynamic analysis (IDA) in a nonlinear model of typical RC bridge in Nepal using Opensees and damage classification was done using Park-Ang damage index. Fragility curves and fragility surfaces were constructed using the probabilistic seismic demand model (PSDM) form IDA analysis. The results shows that there is underestimation of bridge fragility using only mainshock data for computing fragility curves. Also, the expected seismic performance of the bridge after a major earthquake and its aftershocks were computed using fragility surface with the concept of multi-hazard analysis.
Impact of Higher Vocational Education and Training on the Development of Novice Teachers’ Skills: An Empirical Analysis
Authors: Jiahui Jin , (Retired) Prof. Salman Yousaf , Ahmad Prof. Nur Syakirah
Published: August 2022

This study was conducted to understand how higher vocational education and training affect the development of the skills and abilities of novice teachers in Dalian City, Liaoning Province, China. The Sample was collected from sixteen Dalian city vocational education and training institutes. Data was collected with the help of a questionnaire, and Statistical tests were applied to test the hypothesis and achieve the research objectives. It was concluded that Higher Vocational education and training significantly impact novice teachers' skill development in Dalian city, China. The quality of teaching and learning resources impact substantially on the development of novice teachers’ skills in Dalian City, China. The significant impact of teaching quality and curriculum on the skills development of novice teachers in Dalian City, China. There is a significant relationship between the quality of infrastructure provided by higher vocational education institutions and the skill development of novice teachers. Therefore, higher vocational education and training infrastructures have contributed to novice teachers' skills development in Dalian city, China.
Modified histopathological classification with age-related glomerulosclerosis for predicting kidney survival in ANCA-associated glomerulonephritis
Authors: Aydın Mehmet Fethullah , Yıldız Abdülmecit , Oruç Ayşegül , Vuruşkan Berna Aytaç , Akgür Suat , Ayar Yavuz , Güllülü Mustafa , Dilek Kamil , Yavuz Mahmut , Ortaç Hatice , Ersoy Alparslan
Published: August 2022

Background
The histopathological classification of ANCA-GN divides patients into four groups based on signs of glomerular injury. However, this classification did not consider age-related glomerulosclerosis. In this study, we aimed to compare the prediction of renal survival between Berden's ANCA-GN histopathological classification and ANCA-GN histopathological classification modified with age-related glomerulosclerosis.
Methods
Between January 2004 and December 2019, 65 patients diagnosed with ANCA-GN were enrolled. Demographic, laboratory, and histopathologic findings were retrospectively analyzed. Renal survival analyzes were compared according to classical and modified ANCA-GN histopathological classifications. The multivariate Cox regression analysis for the factors affecting renal survival was performed.
Results
In Berden's ANCA-GN histopathological classification, 15 patients were in the focal group, 21 in the crescentic, 21 in the sclerotic, and 8 in the mixed group. The ANCA-GN histopathological classification model generated statistically significant predictions for renal survival (p = 0.022). When the histopathological classification was modified with age-related glomerulosclerosis, 8 of the 9 patients previously classified in the sclerotic group were classified in the mixed and 1 in the crescentic groups. Modification of histopathological classification with age-related glomerulosclerosis increases the statistical significance in renal survival analysis (p = 0.009). The multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that the disease-related global sclerotic glomeruli percentage and serum creatinine level were the significant independent factors.
Conclusion
Modification of Berden's ANCA-GN histopathological classification model with age-related glomerulosclerosis may increase the statistical significance of the histopathological classification model.
Priming Strategies for Parsley Seedling Production
Authors: Ribeiro da Silva Andre Luiz Biscaia , de Barros Marcos Fabricio Landim , Foshee Wheeler , Candian Joara Secchi , Diaz-Perez Juan Carlos
Published: August 2022

Parsley seeds are known for nonuniform and long germination; consequently, vegetable nurseries commonly use priming techniques to improve the production of parsley seedlings. The objectives of this study were 1) to characterize the imbibition curve of parsley seeds, 2) to evaluate the effect of different priming agents on parsley seedling production, and ultimately 3) to compare priming techniques for emergence and vigor of parsley’s seedlings, thus providing an optimal priming strategy for parsley seedling production. Using three priming agents—water (seeds imbibed for 24, 48, 72, and 96 hours), polyethylene glycol 6000 (PEG6000) (seeds imbibed at –0.5, –1.0, –1.5, and –2.0 MPa for 29, 58, 87, and 116 hours), and gibberellic acid (GA) (seeds imbibed at 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, and 2.0 g·L−1 a.i. of solution for 15, 30, 45, and 60 minutes), and two parsley cultivars (Krausa and Titan), three experiments evaluated parsley seedling parameters, including emergence speed index (ESI) and total emergence (TE) in a complete randomized block design (n = 4) each. In Expt. 1 (hydropriming), increasing water imbibition time (IT) reduced ESI on both parsley cultivars. In addition, the TE quadratically reduced with the increase of water IT. In Expt. 2 (osmopriming), there was no significant main effect or interaction of treatments on ESI. Regardless of PEG6000 concentration, the TE had a linear increase with the increase of IT for cultivar Krausa but not for cultivar Titan. In Expt. 3 (hormonal priming), there was a significant increase in ESI and TE with the increase in GA rate. Ultimately, strategies for analysis of best priming were water at 24 hours of IT, PEG6000 at –2.0 MPa for 116 hours of IT, and GA at 2.0 g·L−1 a.i. of solution for 15 minutes of IT. Once compared with an untreated seeds treatment, priming strategies of water imbibition for 24 hours and PEG6000 at –2.0 MPa for 116 hours had the highest ESI and TE.
The Effect of Scarification Treatments and Seed Moisture Content on the Hardseededness of ‘Taitung No.1’ Winged Bean (Psophocarpus tetragonolobus) Seeds
Authors: Han Chia Ting , Sung Yu , Hsueh Ming-Tung
Published: August 2022

Seeds of some winged bean varieties have low germination due to the presence of water-impermeable hardseeds. Seeds of ‘Taitung No.1’ winged bean had only 31% germination because the remaining 69% of seeds had a water-impermeable seedcoat. Sandpaper abrasion and sulfuric acid immersion for 15 and 25 min effectively removed hardseededness of the seeds, resulting in more than 89% germination. As seed moisture content (MC) decreased from 14.8% to 7%, the percentage of seeds with a water-impermeable seedcoat increased. Seed lots with 14.8%, 11%, 9%, and 7% MC had 7%, 38%, 56%, and 78% of hardseeds, respectively, on day 7 in the germination test. It was found that the hilum was responsible for water loss from the whole seed, and the seedcoats began to become water-impermeable at 12% MC. The lens and micropylar regions were initial water entry sites in the Vaseline-blocking experiment.
Microbial and chemical risk from reclaimed water use for residential irrigation
Authors: Weidhaas Jennifer , Olsen McKinley , McLean Joan E. , Allen Niel , Ahmadi Leila , Duodu Kwame , Dupont Ryan
Published: August 2022

Arid and semi-arid locations are increasingly utilizing nontraditional irrigation water including reclaimed wastewater. Human health risk associated with reclaimed wastewater use was determined by testing reservoir, distribution line and home spigot water (n=190) and 14 types of vegetables and fruits (n=90) harvested from 5 home gardens for 7 waterborne pathogens, 47 antibiotic resistance genes and 12 pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs). Based on surveys of the residents’ use of the reclaimed wastewater, two exposure routes were modeled: irrigation of fruits and vegetables and drinking from irrigation hoses. Probabilistic quantitative microbial risk assessment indicated that consumption of raw vegetables and fruits exceeded a 0.015 benchmark illness rate due to adenovirus and enterococci. Chemical risk assessments indicated that consumption of tons of vegetables per day and hundreds to millions of gallons of water per day would be needed to reach an unacceptable risk among the 10 PPCPs detected in home spigot water, indicating de minimis risk from PPCPs. Eight different drug resistance gene families were detected in the water samples and crops indicating that antibiotic-resistant organisms are present on foods irrigated with reclaimed water containing pharmaceuticals. These results elucidate the combined risk from pathogens and PPCPs from reclaimed wastewater irrigation.
Automating process design by coupling genetic algorithms with commercial simulators: a case study for hybrid MABR processes
Authors: Yang Cheng , Belia Evangelia , Daigger Glen T.
Published: August 2022

The development of commercial software and simulators has progressed to assist engineers to optimize design, operation, and control of wastewater treatment processes. Commonly, manual trial-and-error approaches combined with engineering experience or exhaustive searches are used to find candidate solutions. These approaches are becoming less favorable because of the increasingly elaborate process models, especially for new and innovative processes whose process knowledge is not fully established. This study coupled genetic algorithms (GAs), a subfield of artificial intelligence (AI), with a commercial simulator (SUMO) to automatically complete a design task. The design objective was the upgrade of a conventional Modified Ludzack-Ettinger (MLE) process to a hybrid membrane aerated biofilm reactor (hybrid MABR). Results demonstrated that GAs can (1) accurately estimate five influent wastewater fractions using eleven typical measurements – 3 out of 5 estimated fractions were nearly the same and the other two were within 7% relative errors and (2) propose reasonable designs for the hybrid MABR process that reduce footprint by 17%, aeration by 57%, and pumping by 57% with significantly improved effluent nitrogen quality (TN<3 mg-N/L). This study demonstrated that tools from AI promote efficiency in wastewater treatment process design, optimization and control by searching candidate solutions both smartly and automatically in replacement of manual trial-and-error methods. The methodology in this study contributes to accumulating process knowledge, understanding trade-offs between decisions, and finally accelerates the learning pace for new processes.
Isolation of Bacillus sp. with high laccase activity for green biodecolorization of synthetic textile dyes
Authors: Yang Jing , Xu Hao , Zhao Jian , Zhang Ning , Xie Jingcong , Jiang Jianchun
Published: August 2022

New Bacillus sp. strains with spore-laccase activity were isolated from rotten wood and soil samples and were identiﬁed as Bacillus sp. FM-78 and Bacillus paramycoides FM-86 by 16S rDNA gene sequence analysis. Both laccases were stable at broad pH range and high temperature. The laccase of strain FM-78 showed preferable activity and stability, with no loss of activity after 7 days incubation at pH 9.0, and 20.36% of its initial activity obtained after 10 h at 80 °C. 1 mmol/L EDTA, NaN3 and SDS resulted in about 46–59% inactivation and strongly inhibition (87.88%) was caused by 1 mmol/L L-cysteine. However, the spore laccase could tolerate towards 0.5 mol/L NaCl as well as 10% of organic solvents. Reactive black 5, reactive blue 19 and crystal violet were decolorized by the spore laccase in the absence of mediator. The decolorization process was efﬁciently promoted with the presence of acetosyringone, and the color removal ratio was more than 80% in 1 h with the pH values of 6.6 or 9.0. Finally, the above unusual properties of Bacillus sp. spore laccase indicated it as a potential candidate in the dye decolorization in an ecofriendly and cost-effective way.
Application of Nano-based Drug Loading Systems in the Treatment of Neurological
Infections: An Updated Review
Authors: Sadigh-Eteghad Saeed , Shahi Shahriar , Mahmoudi Javad , Farjami Afsaneh , Bazmani Ahad , Naghili Behrooz , Dizaj Solmaz Maleki , Salatin Sara
Published: August 2022

Infection of the central nervous system (CNS) is a global healthcare concern with high rates of death
and disease. CNS infections mainly include meningitis, encephalitis, and brain abscesses. Bacteria, viruses,
fungi, protozoa, and parasites are the most common causes of neuroinfections. There are many types of medications
used in the treatment of CNS infections, but drug delivery through the blood-brain barrier (BBB) is a major
challenge to overcome. The BBB is a specialized multicellular barrier separating the neural tissue from the
peripheral blood circulation. Unique characteristics of the BBB allow it to tightly control the movement of ions
and molecules. Thus, there is a critical need to deal with these conditions with the aim of improving novel antimicrobial
agents. Researchers are still struggling to find effective drugs to treat CNS infections. Nanoparticle
(NP)-mediated drug delivery has been considered a profound substitute to solve this problem because NPs can
be tailored to facilitate drug transport across the BBB. NPs are colloidal systems with a size range of 1-1000
nm, which can be used to encapsulate therapeutics, improve drug transport across the BBB, and target specific
brain areas in CNS infections. A wide variety of NPs has been displayed for the CNS delivery of therapeutics,
especially when their surfaces are coated with targeting moieties. This study aimed to review the available literature
on the application of NPs in CNS infections.
Narrative on Hydrogen Therapy and its Clinical Applications: Safety and Efficacy
Authors: Ahmad Aqeel , Baig Atif Amin , Hussain Mubashir , Saeed Muhammad Usama , Bilal Muhammad , Ahmed Naveed , Chopra Hitesh , Hassan Muhammad , Rachamalla Mahesh , Putnala Sravan Kumar , Khaliq Muniba , Tahir Zirwah , Kamal Mohammad Amjad
Published: August 2022

Molecular hydrogen proved itself as a novel therapeutic candidate and has been thriving from the beginning with its potential clinical significance, higher affinity, and cellular integrity and permeability. Hydrogen Therapy (HT) has gained scientists' attention with the proven clinical ability to attenuate chronic inflammation, diminish oxidative stress, restrict apoptosis, minimize cellular injury, and refine tissue functioning. Therapeutic Implementation of H2 for disease prevention and treatment is a newly emerging field with limited knowledge available on formulations, tissue-specific effects, efficacy, and safety. This article will discuss HT's therapeutic potential for its efficacy and safety in cardiovascular, respiratory, hematological, metabolic, infectious, and neurodegenerative disorders. In addition to this, the molecular mechanisms and nanotechnological implications of hydrogen therapy will be discussed in detail. Finally, the article will provide insight into advancements and automation, future perspectives, and recommendations. There is a need to study and conduct higher-scale trials targeting personalized treatments under molecular and genetic vitals.
COVID-19: Pathophysiology, Transmission, and Drug Development for Therapeutic
Treatment and Vaccination Strategies
Authors: Singh Vishal Kumar , Chaurasia Himani , Mishra Richa , Srivastava Ritika , Yadav Aditya K. , Dwivedi Jayati , Singh Prashant , Singh Ramendra K.
Published: August 2022

COVID-19, a dreaded and highly contagious pandemic, is flagrantly known for its rapid prevalence across the world. Till date, none of the treatments are distinctly accessible for this life-threatening disease. Under the prevailing conditions of medical emergency, one creative strategy for the identification of novel and potential antiviral agents gaining momentum in research institutions and progressively being leveraged by pharmaceutical companies is target-based drug repositioning/repurposing. A continuous monitoring and recording of results offer an anticipation that this strategy may help to reveal new medications for viral infections. This review recapitulates the neoteric illation of COVID-19, its genomic dispensation, molecular evolution via phylogenetic assessment, drug targets, the most frequently worldwide used repurposed drugs and their therapeutic applications, and a recent update on vaccine management strategies. The available data from solidarity trials exposed that the treatment with several known drugs, viz. lopinavir-ritonavir, chloroquine, hydroxychloroquine, etc had displayed various antagonistic effects along with no impactful result in diminution of mortality rate. The drugs like remdesivir, favipiravir, and ribavirin proved to be quite safer therapeutic options for treatment against COVID-19. Similarly, dexamethasone, convalescent plasma therapy and oral administration of 2DG are expected to reduce the mortality rate of COVID-19 patients
A Novel Idea of Sulfamic Acid as an Efficient Catalyst for the Synthesis of
2-Azapyrrolizidine Derivatives
Authors: Tafer Radia , Boulcina Raouf , Debache Abdelmadjid
Published: August 2022

Background:

The synthesis of 2-azapyrrolizidine scaffolds has fascinated scientists due to their potential biological activities.

Objective:

An efficient and environmentally sustainable synthetic method has been presented to synthesize structurally various 2-azapyrrolizidines via three-component reaction.

Methods:

The condensation of aldehydes, hydantoin, and malononitrile in the presence of green and sustainable sulfamic acid as catalyst in mild conditions has been achieved.

Results:

The present protocol leads in most cases to the desired products in high yields.

Conclusion:

The synthetic efficiency and operational simplicity make the present procedure cost effective, time efficient and eco-friendly for the synthesis of substituted 2-azapyrrolizidines.
Development of Micronutrient-rich Food Products
Authors: Chiplonkar Shashi A.
Published: August 2022

Dietary diversification and modification include changes in habitual diet
with micronutrient-dense foods and choosing proper food preparation methods for
increasing micronutrient bioavailability. Natural plant foods provide us with nutrients
as well as non-nutrients such as phytochemicals, which together contribute to multiple
health benefits. This chapter illustrates different methods to develop nutritious food
products at household or community levels, specific for various age groups like infants,
toddlers, adolescents, and adults. To devise micronutrient-rich food products, raw
foods with high nutrient contents from different food groups are listed in the tables for
ready reference. Practical tips for combining various foods to enhance micronutrient
quality of the food product are provided. Furthermore, proper methods of preparation
of recipes to minimise nutrient loss are recommended. Good practices in pre-cooking
and cooking methods that can retain nutritional quality and digestibility of foods are
explained. Many authentic recipes are presented with scientific information about their
laboratory-estimated nutrient contents. The extent of difference in micronutrient
contents of healthy recipes vs commonly consumed snacks is highlighted. This chapter
also provides useful tips to enable the development of recipes of one’s choice, that will
contain the essential nutrients. Lastly, dietary guidelines are described explaining the
desired quantity of foods from different food groups in daily diet so as to have
complete nourishment that may not be met from fortified foods. 
Interrelationships of Phytochemicals, Micronutrients, Gut Microbiome and Health
Authors: Chiplonokar Shashi A.
Published: August 2022

Many plants and herbs have been known for healing a variety of health
disorders since the ancient practice of medicine. Recent advances in laboratory
methods have now identified the chemical compounds in plants (phytochemicals) that
are responsible for the health-promoting effects. There are thousands of
phytochemicals known so far which have no nutritional value but can help in many
biological processes in the human body. The phytochemicals mainly include
flavonoids, carotenoids, phenolic acids and lignans. They play a role in many body
functions and are equally important as micronutrients in maintenance of health and
wellbeing. The synergistic actions of phytochemicals and micronutrients as
antioxidative and anti-inflammatory agents may contribute towards disease prevention
and betterment of health. Food sources of phytochemicals, their role in various
metabolic functions, and health effects are described in this chapter. Gut microbiome,
which comprises of intestinal microbial population, performs important functions like
digestion of food, regulation of immune system and shares an interactive relationship
with dietary nutrients and non-nutrients. Phytochemicals that can influence the gut
microbiome have recently been studied as adjuvants for the treatment of obesity,
diabetes, cardiovascular disease and inflammatory diseases. The effect of different
phytochemicals on gut microbiota and their beneficial health effects are elucidated.
New developments related to potential of probiotics as prophylaxis or their therapeutic
use in treating the COVID-19 infection is briefly mentioned.
O grito do 'griot' e o serviço da palavra: declamação e oratória na poesia de Abdias do Nascimento
Authors: Scudeller Gustavo
Published: August 2022

This article aims to discuss the relationship between poetry and prose in the works of Abdias Nascimento. The analysis focuses on some audio recordings made by the author months before the publication of Axés do Sangue e da Esperança. (Orikis), his first book of poetry. Those readings stress some discursive and colloquial core aspects of his poems. Neither prose poems nor poetic prose, the recorded readings place the poems between one form and other, creating a sort of oratory poetry that, through declamation, takes part in both poetry and prose values.
A Representação de conteúdos textuais referente ao conceito de linguagem a partir de resumos do GT 01 do ENANCIB
Authors: Nogueira Fernanda Parolo de Mattos , Gracioso Luciana de Souza , Silva Marco Donizete Paulino da , Campli Graziella De
Published: August 2022

Considering the inseparable relationship between the studies of information and language, it was verified which theories of language have been used as a contribution to the understanding and uses attributed to language, in the context of the Brazilian research in Information Science (IS) produced in GT1: Historical and Epistemological. Studies in Information Science, at ENANCIB, with the objective of presenting a panoramic description on the subject with the selection of specific works in Language for the application of a hermeneutic-dialectical analysis. A bibliographic survey was carried out in the BENANCIB database, using the term “Language” as a search strategy. Fromthe hermeneutic-dialectical analysis, it was identified that the theoretical contributions of Language, relatively predominant in epistemological research in IS, in theestablished contexto are: Philosophy of Pragmatic Language, by L. Wittgenstein,and Theory of Communicative Action, by J Habermas, considering the occurrence of a discontinuous communicative process around the theoretical framework in question
Os processos e sistemas em Organização do Conhecimento análise de verbetes da Enciclopédia da ISKO
Authors: Silva Amanda Mendes da , Tolares Jéssica Beatriz , Oliveira Alessandra Nunes de
Published: August 2022

The Knowledge Organization Systems (KOS) as tools used to interpret knowledge structuresare considered, helping in the organization, representation and retrieval of information. It is discussed to what extent the entries as Knowledge Organization (KO)tools contribute to understanding and greater applicability, in the sense of contributing to the Information Science area in what concerns information retrieval. For this, a data survey was carried out considering the terms retrieved in ISKO, identified by the ISKO Encyclopedia of Knowledge Organization(IEKO). The analysis was performed using the content analysis methodology. Based on the approach proposed by this work, 32 articles were retrieved to discuss the concepts of KOSin the Brazilian Information Science literature. As a result, we identified the entries that made it possible to direct some theoretical and practical contributions in the context of KO. The entries retrieved in IEKO are classification systems and showthat this system orders and highlights the KOprocess for its particular use, butthat its practice does not contribute for the knowledge to be retrieved, being necessary theconjunction with another process, such as indexing, so that it can be retrieved by subject, which allows us to conclude that indexing assigns representative terms based on the concepts of the material, allowing us to observe how IEKOhas understood the KO processes and systems. For several authors, KOis approached from different thoughts and points of view: the KOSas a process addresses the representation, organization, description of documents, using classification, indexing and cataloging as a procedure; and KOSas a tool, uses rules and standards such as classification systems, thesauri, ontologies and so on.