bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effect of Solvent Type, Extraction Temperature, Agitation Speed and Microwave
Power on Phenolic Compound Extraction and Antioxidant Activity
of Apricot Kernels ((Prunus armeniaca L.)
Authors: Teffane Mohand , Boudries Hafid , Bey Mostapha Bachir , Kadi Ahcene , Boukhalfa Farid
Published: February 2021

Background:

Prunus armeniaca L. is widely cultivated around the world. High consumption
of its fruit produces a large quantity of the apricot kernel. The valorization of this byproduct
in terms of polyphenol compounds seems to be important.

Objective:

The aim of the present study is to investigate the best conditions of phenolic compound
extraction from apricot kernels in order to determine the effects of different parameters, namely
time, stirring speed, solvent type, temperature, and microwave power, on polyphenol yield.

Methods:

In this study, the effect of many parameters, such as the type of solvent (ethanol,
methanol, acetone and water), the acetone concentration (40-70%, v/v), the extraction time, power
of the microwave (100-900 W) and stirring speed on the extraction of Total Phenolic Content (TPC)
from apricot kernels was studied, using the approach of single factor experiments.

Results:

The importance of agitation speed was determined for polyphenol compound extraction
from apricot kernels besides time, temperature and microwave power, whereas the linear agitation
in the water bath had no significant effect on the extraction of phenolic compounds. The best extraction
conditions were 60% acetone, 300 W of microwave power for 5 min of extraction time,
which gave a high TPC of 249.44 ±15.83 mg GAE/g DW. All the extraction conditions showed a
significant effect (p <0.05) on the TPC. The antioxidant capacity (DPPH-RSA) of the extract was
positively correlated with TPC in all tested methods.

Conclusion:

It can be concluded that the importance of agitation speed was determined for the extraction
of phenolic compounds from apricot kernels by maceration. However, the linear agitation
in the water bath had no significant effect on the extraction. Apricot kernel seems to be a good
source of polyphenols compared to other sources mentioned in the previous studies present in literature.
Antioxidant Properties and Polyphenol Screening of the Leaves of Native
Hungarian Oak (Quercus) Species
Authors: Hofmann Tamás , Visi-Rajczi Eszter , Albert Levente
Published: February 2021

Due to their ecological significance and timber value, Quercus species are especially important
in Hungary. Nevertheless, the leaves of these species lack a dedicated utilization field and
are considered a waste biomass.

Materials and Methods:

The present study comprehensively analyses three selected oak species
(Q. petraea, Q. pubescens, Q. cerris) native to Hungary to assess their antioxidant capacity (FRAP,
ABTS, DPPH) and provide information on their polyphenol pool using state-of-the-art liquid chromatographic/
tandem mass spectrometric technique. To the best of our knowledge, no such investigation
has yet been conducted for the assigned species.

Results:

According to the results, the antioxidant capacity of the three species’ leaves are roughly
equal. Altogether, 109 compounds have been tentatively identified and described, including phenolic
acid derivatives, tannins, flavonoid glycosides, and catechins. Compared to other oak leaf samples
and other types of plant tissues, the investigated samples contained a large number (24) of acylated
polyphenols.

Conclusion:

The recent findings on the excellent antioxidant and antibacterial properties of acylated
polyphenols suggest that the investigated samples could also be beneficial to human health, requiring
further analysis.
Drug-induced Neuropsychiatric Adverse Events Using Post-Marketing
Surveillance
Authors: Hosohata Keiko , Wakabayashi Tomohito , Nakatsuji Takahiro , Kambara Hiroko , Niinomi Iku , Oyama Saki , Inada Ayaka , Ueno Sayaka , Uchida Mayako , Iwanaga Kazunori , Iida Tatsuya
Published: February 2021

Background:

Several studies reported that abnormal behavior was noted in pediatric patients
receiving several drugs, including neuraminidase inhibitors (NIs). However, the information on
drugs associated with abnormal behavior in a real-world setting remains limited. The purpose of this
study was to clarify the drugs associated with abnormal behavior using a spontaneous reporting system
database.

Methods:

We performed a retrospective pharmacovigilance disproportionality analysis using the Japanese
Adverse Drug Event Report database. Adverse event reports submitted to the Pharmaceuticals
and Medical Devices Agency were analyzed, and the reporting odds ratio at 95% confidence interval
were calculated.

Results:

A total of 1,144 reports of abnormal behavior were identified. The signals were detected
through the association of 4 neuraminidase inhibitors (oseltamivir, zanamivir, laninamivir, and peramivir)
with the abnormal behaviour. These signals were stronger for oseltamivir than other neuraminidase
inhibitors. The signals were also detected for acetaminophen and montelukast.

Conclusion:

Our results should be able to raise physicians’ awareness of drugs associated with abnormal
behavior, but further investigation of these medications is warranted.
Uncovering the Key miRNAs and Targets of the Liuwei Dihuang Pill in Diabetic
Nephropathy-Related Osteoporosis based on Weighted Gene Co-Expression
Network and Network Pharmacology Analysis
Authors: Liu Ming Ming , Lv Nan Ning , Geng Rui , Hua Zhen , Ma Yong , Huang Gui Cheng , Cheng Jian , Xu Hai Yan
Published: February 2021

Background:

Diabetic nephropathy-related osteoporosis (DNOP) is the most common
comorbid bone metabolic disorder associated with diabetes mellitus (DM). The Liuwei Dihuang
Pill (LWD) is a traditional Chinese herbal medicine widely used to treat diabetic complications, including
diabetic nephropathy (DN). This study aimed to identify the biomarkers of the mechanisms
of DNOP in LWD with systems biology approaches.

Methods:

Herein, we performed an integrated analysis of the GSE51674 and GSE63446 datasets
from the GEO database via weighted gene co-expression network and network pharmacology
(WGCNA) analysis. In addition, a network pharmacology approach, including bioactive compounds,
was used with oral bioavailability (OB) and drug-likeness (DL) evaluation. Next, target
prediction, functional enrichment analysis, network analysis, and virtual docking were used to investigate
the mechanisms of LWD in DNOP.

Results :

WGCNA successfully identified 63 DNOP-related miRNAs. Among them, miR-574 was
significantly upregulated in DN and OP samples. A total of 117 targets of 22 components associated
with LWD in DNOP were obtained. The cellular response to nitrogen compounds, the AGERAGE
signaling pathway in diabetic complications, and the MAPK signaling pathway were related
to the main targets. Network analysis showed that kaempferol and quercetin were the most significant
components. MAPK1 was identified as a potential target of miR-574 and the hub genes in
the protein-protein interaction (PPI) network. The docking models demonstrated that kaempferol
and quercetin had a strong binding affinity for Asp 167 of MAPK1.

Conclusion:

This study demonstrated that miR-574 may play important roles in DNOP, and the
therapeutic effects of kaempferol and quercetin on LWD in DNOP might be mediated by miR-574
by targeting MAPK1. Our results provide new perspectives for further studies on the anti-DNOP
mechanism of LWD.
Oral Health Knowledge, Behaviour, and Access to Dental Care in Visually Impaired Individuals in Jordan: A Case-Control Study
Authors: Alshatrat Sabha , Bakri Isra AL , Omari Wael AL , Tabnjh Abedelmalek
Published: February 2021

Aim:

The study aimed to assess oral health knowledge, dental behaviors, and use of dental services in individuals with vision impairment in Jordan and identify barriers that affect their access to dental care in comparison with individuals without vision impairment.

Materials and Methods:

A case-control study was carried out among 399 parents/caregivers of individuals with vision impairment and individuals without vision impairment, which involved the completion of a self-designed questionnaire. A closed-ended, validated self-designed questionnaire was distributed. The questionnaire included questions addressing participants’ oral health knowledge, oral health behaviour, dental service use and barriers to accessing dental care. Data were analyzed using SPSS® software Version 22 with a 0.05 level of significance. A Chi-square test and contingency-table analysis were performed on the data.

Results:

Individuals with vision impairment in Jordan were significantly less knowledgeable about different oral health aspects than sighted counterparts. In addition, individuals with vision impairment used toothbrush, dental floss, and mouth rinse less frequently. They also visited dentists less regularly and mostly when only feeling pain. Limited access to dental services was observed among individuals with vision impairment compared to sighted individuals. Barriers, including embarrassment (22%), lack of knowledge of how to treat people with disabilities among dentists (12.5%), and inadequate facilities (13.7%), were significantly (P<0.05) more likely to be reported by visually impaired participants than the controls.

Conclusion:

Visually impaired individuals and their families should be given appropriate education about oral health care by oral health professionals to reduce the risk of having dental problems and oral disease and enhance their quality of life. Furthermore, recognizing the challenges in accessing dental care for this population could help oral health professionals to minimize these difficulties.
Porosity Pattern of 3D Chitosan/Bioactive Glass Tissue Engineering Scaffolds Prepared for Bone Regeneration
Authors: Hammad Hoda G.H. , Salama Miral Nagy F.
Published: February 2021

Aim:

The study was conducted to investigate the obtained external and internal porosity and the pore-interconnectivity of specific fabricated bioactive composite tissue engineering scaffolds for bone regeneration in dental applications.

Materials and Methods:

In this study, the bioactive glass [M] was elaborated as a quaternary system to be incorporated into the chitosan [C] scaffold preparation on a magnetic stirrer to provide bioactivity and better strength properties for the attempted composite scaffolds [C/ M] of variable compositions. The homogenous chitosan/bioactive glass mix was poured into tailor-made cylindrical molds [10cm×10cm]; a freeze-dryer program was used for the creation of uniform and interconnected macropores for all prepared chitosan-based scaffolds. The morphology of fabricated chitosan [C] and chitosan-bioactive glass [C/ M] composite scaffolds was studied by a scanning electron microscope [SEM] and a mercury porosimeter. In addition, the in-vitro biodegradation rate of all elaborated scaffolds was reported after immersing the prepared scaffolds in a simulated body fluid [SBF] solution. Furthermore, for every prepared scaffold composition, characterization was performed for phase identification, microstructure, porosity, bioactivity, and mechanical properties using an X-ray diffraction analysis [XRD], an X-ray Fourier transfer infrared spectroscopy [FTIR], a mercury porosimetry, a scanning electron microscopy [SEM] coupled to an energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometry [EDS] and a universal testing machine, respectively.

Results:

All the prepared porous chitosan-based composite materials showed pore sizes suitable for osteoblasts seeding, with relatively larger pore sizes for the C scaffolds.

Conclusion:

The smart blending of the prepared bioactive glass [M] with the chitosan matrix offered some advantages, such as the formation of an apatite layer for cell adhesion upon the scaffold surfaces, the reasonable decrease in scaffold pore size, and the relative increase in compressive strength that were enhanced by the incorporation of [M]. Therefore, the morphology, microstructure, and mechanical behavior of the elaborated stress loaded biocomposite tissue engineering scaffolds seem highly dependent on their critical contented bioactive glass.
Nano Silver Coated Surgical Apparels and Phaco Needles for Safety of Ophthalmic Surgeons in View of COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Dnyanmote Santosh , Alio Jorge , Dnyanmote Anuradha
Published: February 2021

Background:

In view of the recent outbreak of the pandemic caused by novel corona virus 19 (n-covid) which has thrown the overall healthcare system that has created fear, apprehension and anxiety amongst all surgeons. Ophthalmic surgeons are no exceptions. The new corona virus is a respiratory virus of theCoronoviridaefamily containing a single strand of RNA which spreads primarily through droplets generated when an infected person coughs or sneezes or through droplets of saliva or discharge from the nose. A person can get infected by the virus if the person is within 1 meter of a person with COVID 19 or by touching contaminated surface and then touching eyes, nose or mouth.

Methods:

Standard recommendations to prevent the spread of COVID-19 include frequent cleaning of hands using alcohol based hand rubs or soap and water. Covering the nose and mouth with a proper mask, covering skin, eyes, hair, hands and legs with proper apparel is important.

Just like elderly members of the society, the healthcare workers who have some co-morbidity are susceptible to COVID-19 invasion.

Asymptomatic carriers who may present with senile or pre-senile cataract can be a potential source of infection to other patients, hospital staff, surgeons and others.

Conclusion:

It is important that all the microsurgical instruments which will be used for phacoemulsification be properly sterilized. The surfaces of these instruments should remain free of contaminants as these instruments will be used multiple times in other patients as well.
Factors Affecting Students’ Preference for Nursing Education and their Intent to Leave: A Cross-sectional Study
Authors: Kandil Faten , El Seesy Naglaa , Banakhar Maram
Published: February 2021

Introduction:

Insufficient research has been conducted into the factors that prompt young students to select nursing education as a profession in Saudi Arabia.

Aim:

The aim of the study is to identify factors affecting students' preference for nursing education and their intent to leave.

Methods:

This study follows a descriptive cross-sectional research design, with data collected by adapting the Tan-Kuick questionnaire to measure second-year nursing students’ (n=162) preference for nursing education and intent to leave one academic institution in Saudi Arabia.

Results:

Nursing image is identified as the major factor influencing the nursing students’ preference for nursing education in Saudi Arabia (69.89 ± 16.49), and parents' image of nursing is identified as the factor with the least amount of influence (34.52 ± 22.04). Additionally, more than half of the nursing students surveyed report intending to leave the nursing profession. Regarding the reasons for their intent to leave, a total of 70% of the surveyed nursing students report having no interest in the nursing profession. Family disagreement and societal image are also identified as common prompts to leave nursing.

Conclusion:

The study recommends the use of media to enhance the image of the nursing profession through the presentation of role models that talk to the students and encourage and motivate them to engage in the working life of a nurse. In addition, the study suggests replicating the longitudinal study for the same group in their third and fourth year of study to see if they leave the nursing profession.
Insulin Growth Factor-1 as a Predictor for the Progression of Hepatic Disease in Chronic Hepatitis B Virus Infection
Authors: Mohamed Amal Ahmed , Abd-Elsalam Sherief , El-Daly Mai M. , Kamal Noha , Saed Salma Mohamed , Mohamoud Seham , Abed Hala Ali , Abdelghany Reda S. , Ahmed Shereen Helmy
Published: February 2021

Background & Aims:

The aim of this study was to assess IGF-1 in chronic liver diseases associated with HBV infection and describe the impact of liver status on IGF-1 variables.

Methods:

This cohort study included 348 subjects and conducted between December 2018 and December 2019 at El-Sahel Teaching Hospital, Cairo, Egypt. Subjects were divided into 4 groups: group I included HBV positive hepatocellular carcinoma patients “HCC” (n= 87), group II included HBV positive patients with liver cirrhosis “LC” (n = 87), group III included chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients with neither HCC nor cirrhosis “CHB” (n = 87) and group IV of healthy volunteers as controls (n = 87). Serum IGF-1 was measured quantitatively using a commercially available enzyme immunoassay.

Results:

Serum levels of IGF-1 were measured in each of the 4 groups. The comparison showed marked differences in IGF1-related measures. It was found to be significantly reduced in HCC patients (32.08 ± 9.2 ng/ml), LC patients (50.6±14.1ng/ml) and CHB patients (61.4±14.3 ng/ml) in comparison to healthy subjects (140.4±49.9 ng/ml). The reduction of IGF-1 levels was also statistically significant between both HCC and LC patients and CHB patients also between HCC and LC patients.

Conclusion:

Serum IGF-1 levels are significantly reduced with the progression of hepatic disease in HBV patients and it may be a promising serological marker alone or in association with others for prediction of development of liver cirrhosis and HCC in chronic HBV patients.
A Critical Review of the Biological Processes in the Chemical Absorption- Biological Reduction Integrated System for NO Removal
Authors: Li Wei
Published: February 2021

Exploring low-cost, green, and safe technologies to provide an alternative to
the conventionally selective catalytic reduction process is key to control the NOx emission
from small-scale boilers and other industrial processes. For meeting this demand,
the chemical absorption-biological reduction integrated system has been developed recently.
This system applies Fe(II)EDTA for NO absorption and for the absorbent regeneration
by iron-reducing and denitrifying bacteria . Many studies have focused on the enhancements
of mass transfer and biological reaction, among which the biological processes
were the rate-limiting steps. This review summarizes the current researches on the
biological processes in the CABR system, which focuses on the mechanism and enhancement
of biochemical reactions, and it also provides the possible directions for future
research.
Hemşirelik Öğrencilerinin Cinsel Yolla Bulaşan Hastalıklar Konusunda Bilgi Düzeylerini Arttırmaya Yönelik İki Eğitim Yönteminin Etkinliğinin Değerlendirilmesi
Authors: KURT Gönül , AÇIKSÖZ Semra , ARSLAN Hamide
Published: February 2021

Amaç: Bu araştırma ile hemşirelik öğrencilerinin cinsel yolla bulaşan hastalıklar (CYBH) konusunda bilgi düzeylerinin ve farkındalıklarının arttırılmasına yönelik uygulanan iki farklı eğitim yönteminin etkinliğini değerlendirmek amaçlanmıştır. Yöntem: Müdahale tipindeki bu araştırma, bir hemşirelik yüksekokulunda öğrenim görmekte olan 1. ve 2. sınıf hemşirelik öğrencileri ile yürütülmüştür. Araştırmanın uygulama aşamasında 1. sınıf öğrencilerine akran eğitimi (n=123), 2. sınıf öğrencilerine ise broşür eşliğinde uzman bir eğitimci tarafından eğitim (n=77) verilmiştir. Araştırma verilerinin toplanmasında Katılımcı Tanılama Formu ve Cinsel Yolla Bulaşan Hastalıklara İlişkin Bilgi Formu kullanılmıştır. Araştırma verileri eğitim öncesi ve eğitim verildikten bir ay sonra toplanmıştır. Araştırma verileri SPSS 22.0 paket programı kullanılarak değerlendirilmiştir. Verilerin analizinde Mann Whitney U testi, Ki-kare testi ve Wilcoxon Signed Ranks testi kullanılmıştır. Bulgular: Araştırma kapsamında her iki eğitim grubundaki öğrencilerin eğitim öncesi CYBH konusunda bilgi düzeylerinin orta düzeyde olduğu ve CYBH ilişkin bilgi düzeyi açısından gruplar arasında fark olmadığı saptanmıştır (p>0,05). Eğitim öncesi, her iki eğitim grubundaki öğrencilerin en yüksek oranda CYBH’nin cinsel ilişki dışında kan yolu ile bulaştığını bildikleri belirlenmiştir. Aynı zamanda eğitim öncesi akran eğitimi grubundaki öğrenciler CYBH açısından en yüksek oranda çok eşli olan kişilerin risk altında olduğunu, broşür+uzman eğitimi grubundaki öğrenciler ise en yüksek oranda seks işçilerinin risk altında olduğunu bildirmiştir. Eğitim sonrası ise broşür eşliğinde uzman eğitimci tarafından eğitim verilen öğrencilerin, akran eğitimi verilen öğrencilere göre CYBH konusunda bilgi düzeylerinin daha yüksek olduğu saptanmıştır (p<0,001). Sonuç: Broşür+uzman eğitimi verilen öğrencilerin eğitim sonrası CYBH konusundaki bilgi düzeyleri akran eğitimi verilen öğrencilere göre daha yüksektir. Öğrencilerin CYBH’ye ilişkin bilgi düzeylerini ve farkındalıklarını arttırmada broşür+uzman eğitimi vermenin etkili bir yöntem olduğu bulunmuştur. Her iki eğitim grubundaki öğrencilerin çoğunun eğitim öncesinde CYBH açısından risk altında olan grupları ve cinsel ilişki dışında bulaşma yollarından birini bildikleri saptanmıştır. Gençlerin CYBH konusunda bilgi düzeylerini arttırmada farklı ve etkinliği kanıtlanmış yöntemler ile eğitimlerin verilmesi, cinsel sağlık ve üreme sağlığının korunmasını ve geliştirilmesini sağlayacaktır.
Aile Hekimliği Polikliniğine Başvuran Hastaların Geleneksel ve Tamamlayıcı Tıp Uygulamaları Hakkında Bilgi ve Davranışları
Authors: ODABAŞ Öznur Kübra , AĞADAYI Ezgi
Published: February 2021

Amaç: Kırsal bir bölgede aile hekimliğine başvuran hastaların geleneksel ve tamamlayıcı tıp (GETAT) uygulamaları hakkındaki bilgi düzeyini ve davranış biçimlerini belirlemektir. Yöntem: Tanımlayıcı kesitsel bir araştırmadır. Katılımcılara araştırmacılar tarafından oluşturulan 13 soruluk anket uygulanmıştır. Araştırma Ankara iline bağlı Bala ilçesinde bir aile sağlığı merkezinde yürütülüştür. On sekiz yaşından büyük ve araştırmaya katılmayı kabul eden gönüllüler çalışmaya dahil edilmiştir. Verilerin istatistiksel analizi için SPSS programı kullanılarak Shapiro-Wilk, Mann-Whitney U ve Ki-kare testleri uygulanmıştır. Bulgular: Çalışmaya katılmak için 256 kişi gönüllü oldu. Yaş ortalamaları 58,8±15,0 idi. Katılımcıların %52’si (n=133) kadın, %48’i (n=123) erkekti. Katılımcıların en sık bildiği GETAT yöntemleri sülük (%70,3; n=180), kupa (%54,7; n=140) ve akupunktur (%50; n=128)’du. Bu konuda en sık bilgi edindikleri kaynak medya (%64; n=146) iken en nadir olarak doktordan (%11,8, n=27) bilgi alıyorlardı. Katılımcıların %14,8’i (n=38) daha önce herhangi bir GETAT yöntemi yaptırmıştı. En sık yaptırdıkları GETAT yöntemleri kupa (%7; n=18), sülük (%3,5; n=9) ve akupunktur (%3,5; n=9) idi. GETAT yaptıranların %60,5’i (n=23) bu uygulamayı ev ortamında yaptırmıştı. Sonuç: GETAT yöntemleri halk tarafından ilgi gören ve dünyada da popülariterisi giderek artan uygulamalardır. Bu uygulamaları Sağlık Bakanlığı tanımaktadır ve bu konuda ilgili bir mevzuatı vardır. Bu düzenlemelere rağmen halkın GETAT hakkında doğru bilgiye ulaşmak konusunda medyayı tercih ediyor olması ve en sık bu uygulamayı yaptırdıkları yerin ev ortamı olması endişe verici bulgulardır. Bu konuda Sağlık Bakanlığı tarafından halkı eğitici yayınlar ve eğitimler düzenlenmesi faydalı olacaktır. Ayrıca sağlık çalışanları eğitim ve uygulama ayağında daha aktif yer almalıdır.
The Importance of Fecal Occult Blood in Preventive Health Services and the Concept of Chromatography
Authors: ÖZTÜRK Onur , GÖKTEPE Muhammed Emin , FİDANCI İzzet , OKUYUCU Muhammed
Published: February 2021

Fecal occult blood (FOB) is an inexpensive, easily applicable, reliable and efficient test that is used to detect colon pathologies. FOB is applied as a screening program in family medicine practice that is a part of preventive health services in many countries. The main objective of the scanning program is to perform a FOB test at every two years for everyone between the ages 50-70 in the standards set in Turkey. The patients that are tested positive as a result of this screening which is also actively applied in Turkey are directed to secondary care for further examination by the primary care physicians. Scanning is performed by using the test kits that are based on chromatography and developed by means of immunochemical method. In this article, the importance of FOB in preventive health services and the concept of chromatography will be discussed.
Turkish Validity and Reliability of the Reproductive Coercion Scale
Authors: ÖZTÜRK Ruşen , GÜNER Özlem
Published: February 2021

Purpose: The aim of the study was to determine the validity and reliability of the Reproductive Coercion Scale by adapting it to Turkish. Material and Methods: The present research was methodologically planned to determine the validity and reliability of the Reproductive Coercion Scale which was adapted to Turkish. The study was carried out with 150 healthy women who met the research criteria and applied to the Gynecology Polyclinic between 01 July and October 2020 in a state hospital. In the validity of the scale; Factor analysis tests (KMO, Bartlett Test, Principal Component Analysis, Varimax Rotation Method) were used to evaluate the expert opinions.In the reliability of the scale; Cronbach Alpha, pearson correlation, independent group t-test and split half values were used. Results: After ensuring the language equivalence of the Reproductive Coercion Scale, it was determined that the experts agreed on the content of the items as a result of the opinions of 10 experts (p = 0.153) for the content validity of the five items in the scale. In the item analysis of the Reproductive Coercion Scale, the total correlation value of all items of the scale was found above 0.25. As a result of this finding, no item was removed from the scale. The average score of the participants from the scale is 0.872 + 1.24. The internal consistency reliability coefficient of the scale was found to be 0.72 and the internal consistency of the scale was found to be quite reliable. The results of the analysis of the scale's invariance against time and split half reliability also support the reliability. Conclusion: The Turkish version of the Reproductive Coercion Scale can be used validity and reliability in women.
Interactoma de predisposición y resistencia a SARS-CoV-2. Proteínas, genes y funciones.
Authors: Paz-y-Miño César , Karina Zambrano Ana , Leone Paola E.
Published: February 2021

Se ha informado que la infección por SARS-CoV-2 tiene al menos tres aspectos: la capacidad patogénica del virus, la susceptibilidad y la interacción virus-huésped en un ambiente. Para varios virus, está demostrado que tienen receptores celulares específicos de unión con las células y son determinantes en la entrada o no del virus a las células. Para el virus SARS-CoV-2, se conoce que el receptor ACE2 (Enzima Convertidora de Angiotensina 2), es clave para que el virus se adhiera a la membrana celular del epitelio pulmonar, al neumocito. El receptor ACE2 tiene su gen específico con el mismo nombre localizado en el cromosoma Xp22.2 y tiene a su vez interacciones con algunos genes. Nos propusimos encontrar interacciones de proteínas que tengan relación con la entrada, sintomatología y progreso de la COVID-19 y con otras proteínas similares o coadyuvantes. Estas interacciones son extremadamente importantes para entender la fisiopatología de la enfermedad y los diversos grados de afectación que se han observado asintomáticos, leves, moderados, graves y críticos, lo que se conoce como heterogeneidad clínica. La heterogeneidad en los síntomas es probable que refleje una heterogeneidad de interacciones de proteínas que se encuentran interrelacionadas con la infección por el virus COVID-19 y su correlación entre sí. La meta final es encontrar los genes que comandan estas interacciones proteicas y asociarlas con la variación clínica. Este es un estudio inicial de interactoma proteico para continuar con el análisis de proteínas específicas y sus variantes en la población ecuatoriana.
Avances en tecnologías de propagación y domesticación de plantas de interés económico y ambiental en Argentina.
Authors: Weber C , Cellini M , Lien V. , Boeri P , Roussy L , Sceglio P. , Ramilo D , Galarco S , Sharry E. Sandra
Published: February 2021

En el Laboratorio de Estudios de la Madera de la Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias y Forestales de la Universidad Nacional de La Plata, Argentina, se implementa el proyecto de desarrollo tecnológico denominado Métodos y tecnologías de propagación y domesticación de plantas para el desarrollo de una bioeconomía local basada en la biodiversidad. El objetivo del mismo es desarrollar, optimizar y adaptar nuevas metodologías y tecnologías de propagación y conservación de recursos genéticos vegetales para la producción de plantas en nuevo escenario de la bioeconomía nacional. La diversidad está en la base de la bioeconomía, y muchas veces el material vegetal para plantar para diferentes fines es escaso. Las especies contempladas en éste proyecto son: Quercus sp.; Polylepis tarapacana; Prosopis alpataco, Eranthemun pulchelum y Heteropteris angustifolia Griseb . En este trabajo se comunican algunos de los avances alcanzados aplicando diferentes enfoques para la producción de plantas de calidad (semillas, cultivo de tejidos in vitro, macropropagación y plantines en contenedores)
Caracterización química y nutricional de harina de chañar de diferente distribución geográfica.
Authors: Maschio JI , Boeri P , Dalzotto D , Piñuel L , Sharry Sandra
Published: February 2021

El chañar (Geoffroea decorticans) es una planta nativa que se distribuye en regiones áridas y semiáridas de sudamérica, cuyos frutos constituyen un recurso alimenticio para las comunidades rurales y originarias. El conocimiento sobre la biodiversidad no solo permite poner en valor estas especies, sino también generar alternativas de uso y consumo de nuevos recursos bio-basados. Los metabolitos secundarios constituyen una fuente importante de aditivos alimenticios, productos farmacéuticos e industriales cuya síntesis y composición está influenciada por las características ambientales de donde crecen las plantas. Dada a su amplia distribución geográfica, la caracterización fitoquímica de los frutos de chañar podría presentar diferencias de acuerdo a su procedencia. Por lo tanto, el objetivo del presente trabajo fue estudiar la composición química y nutricional de los frutos de G. decorticans procedente de dos ecorregiones argentinas: el Chaco árido y Monte Oriental o de transición. Se determinó la composición nutricional de harinas integrales de ambas procedencias y se evaluó el contenido total de polifenoles (CTP), de antocianinas y la actividad antioxidante in vitro, tanto de harinas integrales como de harinas de mesocarpio. La composición nutricional no presentó diferencias significativas entre las muestras evaluadas. El CTP varió entre 87-124 mg GAE/100g de harina base seca, y fue mayor en los extractos de las harinas integrales. El contenido de antocianinas en las muestras de Rio Negro fue un 70% mayor que en las de Catamarca. Los extractos de harina de mesocarpio de Río Negro presentaron un 20% menos de CTP que de las de Catamarca, sin embargo, la actividad antioxidante obtenida por ABTS fue comparable entre ellas. En conclusión, los resultados sugieren que la harina integral de G. decorticans podría utilizarse como una fuente de antioxidantes naturales de uso alimentario.
Colección de cultivos microbianos CIBE (CCM-CIBE): Una colección para la investigación.
Authors: Maridueña-Zavala Maria Gabriela , Quevedo Adela , Aguaguiña Karla , Serrano Lissette , Sosa del Castillo Daynet
Published: February 2021

Los microorganismos han sido fuente de importantes innovaciones industriales y su preservación ha contribuido al desarrollo de investigaciones. Sin embargo, en el Ecuador son pocas las iniciativas que buscan conservar microorganismos con potencial biotecnológico. La Colección de cultivos microbianos CCM-CIBE busca proteger la microbiodiversidad del Ecuador y contribuir a su estudio a través de la identificación, la conservación y la distribución de microorganismos. En nuestra colección empleamos métodos de conservación a largo plazo como conservación en agua, conservación en aceite mineral, crioconservación y liofilización. Así mismo, la CCM-CIBE cuenta con capacidades para brindar servicios de tenencia de microorganismos y recibir depósitos públicos o privados, garantizados a través de controles de viabilidad y seguridad de las cepas, así como de la información relacionada con cada microorganismo. Actualmente la colección cuenta con hongos, levaduras y bacterias patógenos de cultivos agrícolas, controladores biológicos, microorganismos presentes en procesos de fermentación que buscan fomentar el estudio de nuestra microbiodiversidad y contribuir a la mejora de procesos del sector agrícola, industria farmacéutica y de alimentos.
Application of the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence Evidence Standards Framework for Digital Health Technologies in Assessing Mobile-Delivered Technologies for the Self-Management of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: Scoping Review
Authors: Forsyth Jessica R , Chase Hannah , Roberts Nia W , Armitage Laura C , Farmer Andrew J
Published: February 2021

Background

There is a growing role of digital health technologies (DHTs) in the management of chronic health conditions, specifically type 2 diabetes. It is increasingly important that health technologies meet the evidence standards for health care settings. In 2019, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) published the NICE Evidence Standards Framework for DHTs. This provides guidance for evaluating the effectiveness and economic value of DHTs in health care settings in the United Kingdom.

Objective

The aim of this study is to assess whether scientific articles on DHTs for the self-management of type 2 diabetes mellitus report the evidence suggested for implementation in clinical practice, as described in the NICE Evidence Standards Framework for DHTs.

Methods

We performed a scoping review of published articles and searched 5 databases to identify systematic reviews and primary studies of mobile device–delivered DHTs that provide self-management support for adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus. The evidence reported within articles was assessed against standards described in the NICE framework.

Results

The database search yielded 715 systematic reviews, of which, 45 were relevant and together included 59 eligible primary studies. Within these, there were 39 unique technologies. Using the NICE framework, 13 technologies met best practice standards, 3 met minimum standards only, and 23 technologies did not meet minimum standards.

Conclusions

On the assessment of peer-reviewed publications, over half of the identified DHTs did not appear to meet the minimum evidence standards recommended by the NICE framework. The most common reasons for studies of DHTs not meeting these evidence standards included the absence of a comparator group, no previous justification of sample size, no measurable improvement in condition-related outcomes, and a lack of statistical data analysis. This report provides information that will enable researchers and digital health developers to address these limitations when designing, delivering, and reporting digital health technology research in the future.
Verbalization of the Concept of Dignity in Alexander Solzhenitsyn’s Novel “The First Circle”
Authors:   H. S. Skovoroda Kharkiv National Pedagogical University, Minyailo Natalia
Published: February 2021

The article analyzes the verbal realization of the concept of dignity in O. Solzhenitsyn’s novel «The First Circle». Verbalization of the concept of dignity characterizes the positive characters of the novel and is a part of the ways of reproducing general humanistic issues, revealing the author’s intentions for both positive and negative characters, which creates contrast in describing the then civilizational ambiguous era. The humanistic orientation of the positive characters in the novel, who are marked by dignity, self-sacrifice (Nerzhin, Sologdin, Volodin), courage (Khorobrov, Rubin), honest attitude to work (Potapov, Egorov) is observed. It was found out that the character of Gleb Nerzhin, in whom the reader can recognize O. Solzhenitsyn himself, and the image of Spiridon Egorov are the most comprehensively depicted. The first is a representative of the intelligentsia, the second – of ordinary people. They are united by the inner humanism, which does not depend on historical circumstances or situational trials. This, according to the author, is the basis of the immortality of the people, reveals their deep philosophy, based on humanistic principles. In general, it is determined that dignity/humanity is the leading motive of the novel, supplemented by the elements of motives of male friendship and sincere love in the difficult conditions of tyranny. The images of representatives of the tyrannical government are covered in detail through their dialogues and monologues, including internal ones. Yes, the image of Stalin appears as painted with dark signs in contrast to a sunny day. In the end, the conceptual sphere of humanism is concretized in the motive of the heroes’ struggle for better life for all the people not only of their native country, but of the whole world. It is this motif that characterizes the 1970 Nobel Prize-winning work of Alexander Solzhenitsyn. The issue of the novel is also marked by a certain controversy: for example, the theme of war and the related celebration of victory are very relevant today in both Ukraine and Russia, where this theme is an important ideological factor.
Development of Bench Scale Water Treatment Unit for the Treatment of Medium Turbid Water: The Use of Natural Coagulant
Authors:   Kaduna Refining and Petrochemical Company, Yero Jezhi Paul , Muhammad Idris Misau ,   Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bello Adamu Mohammad ,   Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Yusuf Abdulwadud Abdulkarim ,   Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Musa Atiku Yakubu ,   Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University,   Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University
Published: February 2021

Water purification is a process used to enhance water quality and make it more acceptable for specific end-use. The rising increase for portable drinking water has made natural coagulant application for water purification a welcome development. Most reported researches were on the use of natural coagulants in a laboratory batch scale. Because of those above, a bench-scale laboratory study was carried out on the application of Balanites Aegyptiaca seed as a natural coagulant. The outcome showed its usefulness toward water purification. This paper reported the developed bench-scale water treatment plant's performance utilising Balanites Aegyptiaca seed stock solution and the powdered kennel as bio-coagulant. Some design equations were adopted. The treatment units considered include coagulation/flocculation, sedimentation, and filtration. The total tank design capacity was 20 litres with the overflow area's actual size for sedimentation of 7.46 litres. 0.5 Hp electric motor with a speed of 600 rpm and a speed gear drop of 120 rpm were selected. 0.0127 m pipe flow line diameter connecting the tanks with a corresponding pipe flow velocity of 0.108 m/s was obtained from the design. However, in both the coagulation, sedimentation and filtration units, the material balance obtained showed a steadiness in the material flow across sedimentation and filtration units. However, among the parameters tested in the raw turbid water, the turbid water revealed turbidity of 514 NTU, the colour of 5600 CTU, the conductivity of 276 µs/cm, pH of 7.10 and total coliform bacteria count of 85 CFU/100 mL which were above the recommended set standard of WHO and NIS. The result of the treated water using the stock solution and the powdered kennel (bio-coagulant) on the developed water treatment unit showed a remarkable reduction in the tested parameters in the raw turbid water used for the treatment process. Total coliform count reduces from 85 CFU/100 ml to 10 CFU/ml in both cases. It was observed that conductivity increases after the treatment, but other inorganic constituents reduce significantly though not to WHO and NIS's recommended set standard. The 0-dosage treatment conducted also showed a reduction in all the tested parameters.
Drivers for Off-Campus Students Housing Demand in Malaysia
Authors:   Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Ghani Zubairu Abubakar , Sulaiman Noralfishah ,   Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia
Published: February 2021

Many studies have acknowledged that higher education institutions are growing globally; this may not be unconnected to the continuous increase in the population and higher education demand, which spurred up enrollment. It is evident, clear that HEIs are experiencing consistency growth in students' populations yearly. This paper aims to highlight student housing demand in off-campus living to identify demand drivers. The paper explored qualitative research methodology in data collection and analysis. Three universities (two public and one private) are used as data sources to represent higher education institutions in Malaysia for student housing demand investigation. Personal interview was conducted, and the transcripts were carefully coded according to themes in their respective NVivo nodes. Higher education institutions' student enrollment has been increasing, and student population outrun the available student housing, thereby creating significant off-campus housing demand. Despite the increase in students' enrollment, housing provision does not correspond with enrollment, making student population growth, consistently running ahead of the public higher education institutions students' housing facilities. This is due to the recessionary economic situation and higher demand for higher education; hence, education is a way forward. This necessitated ever-increasing demand for off-campus students housing in private housing rental market.
СОСТОЯНИЕ И ОСНОВНЫЕ НАПРАВЛЕНИЯ РАЗВИТИЯ ЭЛЕМЕНТНОЙ БАЗЫ БОРТОВЫХ КОМПЛЕКСОВ ОБНАРУЖЕНИЯ И БОРЬБЫ С СВКН
Authors: Синани А.И.
Published: February 2021

В работе анализируются ключевые задачи построения современных радиолокационных комплексов обнаружения и борьбы с несанкционированными объектами, обсуждаются перспективы развития системных проектов на основе отечественной элементной базы для решения задач специального и гражданского назначения.
ПАКЕТНАЯ КОММУТАЦИЯ. ПРОГРАММИРУЕМАЯ КОММУТАЦИОННАЯ ФАБРИКА
Authors: Руткевич А.В. , Плотко С.А. , Михайлов А.М.
Published: February 2021

Рассматриваются решения по построению микросхем для пакетной коммутации: фиксированные коммутационные матрицы и коммутационные фабрики с программируемыми алгоритмами разбора заголовков и трактов обработки.
ПОДХОД К ГЕНЕРАЦИИ ПРОГРАММ ТЕСТИРОВАНИЯ МЕХАНИЗМА КОГЕРЕНТНОСТИ МНОГОЯДЕРНЫХ ПРОЦЕССОРОВ "ЭЛЬБРУС"
Authors: Агафонов В.А. , Мешков А.Н. , Фролов П.В.
Published: February 2021

Сформированы требования к тестам механизма когерентности. Разработана методика описания областей памяти и соответствующих им типов обращений при помощи карт памяти. Рассмотрен подход к реализации генератора тестов на основе карт памяти.
ВЫСОКОУРОВНЕВАЯ СИСТЕМА ПАРАЛЛЕЛЬНОГО ПРОГРАММИРОВАНИЯ СЕТИ МНОГОЯДЕРНЫХ ГИБРИДНЫХ ПРОЦЕССОРОВ
Authors: Биконов Д.В. , Черников А.В. , Павлов П.А. , Дадашев М.С. , Бражкин А.А. , Пузиков А.Д. , Сивцов А.С. , Зимин П.А. , Эйсымонт Л.К.
Published: February 2021

Рассматриваются многопроцессорные платы на базе процессоров-ускорителей GPU Ampere, Gaudi и Colossus для узлов суперкомпьютеров, варианты многопроцессорных плат с процессорами-ускорителями NeuroMatrix NM6408MP (1879ВМ8Я), вопросы разработки для таких плат библиотеки управления процессами и их взаимодействиями БУПВ/МХ на базе ранее разработанной библиотеки БУПВ/М для одного NM6408MP.
ВЫСОКОУРОВНЕВАЯ СИСТЕМА ПАРАЛЛЕЛЬНОГО ПРОГРАММИРОВАНИЯ МНОГОЯДЕРНОГО ГИБРИДНОГО ПРОЦЕССОРА
Authors: Биконов Д.В. , Бражкин А.А. , Пузиков А.Д. , Сивцов А.С. , Дементьев В.В. , Спесивцев Д.А. , Эйсымонт Л.К.
Published: February 2021

Объясняется выбор набора функций библиотеки управления процессами и их взаимодействиями (БУПВ/М), поддерживающего модели параллельных программ типа MPI и PGAS, предназначенных для реализации на процессоре-ускорителе NeuroMatrix NM6408MP (1879ВМ8Я). Описываются функции этой библиотеки и их реализация.
МАСШТАБИРУЕМЫЙ ВЫЧИСЛИТЕЛЬНЫЙ ТРАКТ ВЫСОКОПРОИЗВОДИТЕЛЬНЫХ СЕТЕВЫХ КОММУТАТОРОВ ДЛЯ ПЕРСПЕКТИВНЫХ ПОДХОДОВ ОБРАБОТКИ ТРАФИКА
Authors: Елизаров С.Г. , Гончаров С.В. , Лукьянченко Г.А. , Монахов А.М. , Смелянский Р.Л.
Published: February 2021

Представлена архитектура программируемого конвейера сетевого коммутатора, удовлетворяющая требованиям перспективных средств управления трафиком, включая поддержку произвольных протоколов второго и третьего уровня на скорости коммутации и изменение правил обработки пакетов за время порядка сотен нс.
PSEUDO-MULTIVARIATE LSTM NEURAL NETWORK APPROACH FOR PURCHASE DAY PREDICTION IN B2B
Authors: Ćirić Milica , Predić Bratislav
Published: February 2021

This research focuses on trying to predict the moment of the next purchase for a customer in vendor-customer B2B scenario using an LSTM neural network and comparing prediction results from different input features. In a previous research we performed predictions for a specific customer product pair and used previous purchases for that pair as input data, but  the number of such previous purchases was often very limited which resulted in low accuracy of predictions. By aggregating purchase data for all products a customer purchased, we were able to get more precise predictions of the next purchase. Additionally, expanding our input feature set yielded even better results. We performed an evaluation of LSTM networks trained with the most successful combination of input features for a six month period. Each of the networks was trained with purchase data up to the starting point of the selected period and the predictions were performed, after which additional input for the following seven days was added to the network. This process was then repeated for the entire six month period and a slight downward trend can be noticed for error metrics, leading to the conclusion that the network would perform even better over time with the addition of future purchases.
STABILITY, FINITE-TIME STABILITY AND PASSIVITY CRITERIA FOR DISCRETE-TIME DELAYED NEURAL NETWORKS
Authors: Stojanović Sreten , Stevanović Miloš , Antić Dragan , Stojanović Milan
Published: February 2021

In this paper, we present the problem of stability, finite-time stability and passivity for discrete-time neural networks (DNNs) with variable delays. For the purposes of stability analysis, an augmented Lyapunov-Krasovskii functional (LKF) with single and double summation terms and several augmented vectors is proposed by decomposing the time-delay interval into two non-equidistant subintervals. Then, by using the Wirtinger-based inequality, reciprocally and extended reciprocally convex combination lemmas, tight estimations for sum terms in the forward difference of LKF are given. In order to relax the existing results, several zero equalities are introduced and stability criteria are proposed in terms of linear matrix inequalities (LMIs). The main objective for the finite-time stability and passivity analysis is how to effectively evaluate the finite-time passivity conditions for DNNs. To achieve this, some weighted summation inequalities are proposed for application to a finite-sum term appearing in the forward difference of LKF, which helps to ensure that the considered delayed DNN is passive. The derived passivity criteria are presented in terms of linear matrix inequalities. Some numerical examples are presented to illustrate the proposed methodology.