bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Market surveys and social media provide confirmation of the endangered giant freshwater whipray Urogymnus polylepis in Myanmar
Authors: Grant Michael I. , Bicknell Anthony W. J. , Htut Thaung , Maung Antt , Maung Thu , Myo Myo Khin , Rein Thu , San Min Khan , White William T. , Ya Kyaw Zay , Mizrahi Meira
Published: April 2022

The giant freshwater whipray Urogymnus polylepis is a threatened species that is vulnerable to riverine and coastal marine pressures. Despite its threatened status, the range of U. polylepis is still being determined. In this study, photographic evidence of U. polylepis in Myanmar was provided through market surveys (2017–2018) and social media (Sharks and Rays of Rakhine Facebook page, 2021). Urogymnus polylepis is exposed to fisheries and habitat degradation pressures in Myanmar; therefore, conservation management is likely needed to ensure populations persist into the future.
Patient susceptibility to over‐trust: The case of off‐label prescribing
Authors: Fitzgerald M. Paula , Reshadi Farnoush , Sarkees Matthew
Published: April 2022

Consumer researchers focus on two primary constructs when studying pharmaceuticals: benefit and risk perceptions. Herein, we propose three variables that can influence how consumers view the benefit‐to‐risk profile of a drug: (1) trust in the doctor, (2) susceptibility to over‐trust and (3) perceived maverickism. We find that the more the consumer trusts a doctor, the greater the perceived benefits of an off‐label drug prescribed by that doctor. This relationship is magnified when consumers are susceptible to over‐trusting their doctor. Off‐label prescribing also increases the perception that a doctor is a maverick. We test the boundaries of these effects by considering agency breach perceptions arising from pharmaceutical firms' payments to prescribing doctors. Agency breach perceptions reduce post‐encounter doctor trust. Overall, this work suggests that trust reduces the likelihood that consumers will engage in the behaviors needed for the marketplace to correct itself.
Fear of the Russian bear? Negotiating Finnish national identity online
Authors: Nortio Emma , Jasinskaja‐Lahti Inga , Hämäläinen Mikko , Pakkasvirta Jussi
Published: April 2022

National identities are an important tool for collective political persuasion and mobilisation among political elites and lay people. Recent research on nationalism has shown that the negotiating of national identities, like any political deliberations and operations, increasingly occur on the Internet. In this study, we contribute to this research by examining the relational construction of Finnish identity online. More specifically, we focus on how the users of the largest discussion forum in Finland constructed Russia as a threat. A massive dataset spanning 12 years enables us to map the recurring patterns and temporal shifts in the discussions. We show that the construction of Russia as a threatening national other was used to both oppose and support Finland's alliance with the West, namely, becoming a member of NATO.
Swing segment stenosis: An unresolved challenge
Authors: Gunawardena Thilina , Ridgway Dan
Published: April 2022

The native arteriovenous fistula is considered the gold standard among all dialysis access options. Compared with alternatives such as grafts and central venous catheters, their use is associated with a lower risk of infective and thrombotic complications. This leads to better patient outcomes and reduced healthcare‐associated costs. Recognizing these advantages, there is a global drive to increase the creation and use of such fistulas in hemodialysis patients. Swing segment stenosis is a common problem encountered with the creation and use of these fistulas that can hurt their maturation and longevity. A “swing segment” in an arteriovenous fistula is defined as a segment of vein that pursues a sharp, curved course. Due to poorly understood reasons, these swing segments tend to develop stenotic lesions that are extremely challenging to treat. This review aims to provide an overview of the pathophysiology, incidence, management, and prevention of these swing segment lesions. We believe that such knowledge will be useful for clinicians who deal with dialysis access creation and maintenance.
How does mindfulness help university employees cope with emotional exhaustion during theCOVID‐19 crisis? The mediating role of psychological hardiness and the moderating effect of workload
Authors: Phungsoonthorn Tipnuch , Charoensukmongkol Peerayuth
Published: April 2022

The COVID‐19 crisis has had severe adverse psychological effects on people globally. Although previous research has shown that mindfulness helps people cope with stressful situations, we do not know whether mindfulness can help people cope with the effects of the pandemic. This research examined the effect mindfulness has on emotional exhaustion on the part of employees who work at private international universities in Thailand that are affected by COVID‐19. Grounded in the Conservation of Resources (COR) theory, this research proposed that the level of psychological hardiness mindful employees have mediates the effect of mindfulness in reducing emotional exhaustion. The Job Demands‐Resource (JD‐R) model was used as an additional theory to test the moderating effect of workload, which may reduce the benefit mindfulness has in alleviating emotional exhaustion. Questionnaire survey data were collected from 300 employees at two universities. Data analysis was conducted using partial least squares structural equation modeling, and the model showed that psychological hardiness mediated the effect mindfulness has on emotional exhaustion fully. Further, the analysis supported the moderating role workload plays in suppressing the effect of psychological hardiness on emotional exhaustion significantly. A simple slope analysis indicated as well that the negative association between psychological hardiness and emotional exhaustion was present only in employees with light workloads. By integrating the principle of COR theory with the JD‐R model, this research extended previous research by showing that mindfulness may not help employees cope with stress during an organizational crisis like COVID‐19 when they have to manage a heavy workload.
Benchmarked linear shrinkage prediction in the Fay–Herriot small area model
Authors: Chikamatsu Kentaro , Kubokawa Tatsuya
Published: April 2022

The empirical best linear unbiased predictor (EBLUP) is a linear shrinkage of the direct estimate toward the regression estimate and useful for the small area estimation in the sense of increasing precision of estimation of small area means. However, one potential difficulty of EBLUP is that the overall estimate for a larger geographical area based on a sum of EBLUP is not necessarily identical to the corresponding direct estimate like the overall sample mean. To fix this problem, the paper suggests a new method for benchmarking EBLUP in the Fay–Herriot model without assuming normality of random effects and sampling errors. The resulting benchmarked empirical linear shrinkage (BELS) predictor has novelty in the sense that coefficients for benchmarking are adjusted based on the data from each area. To measure the uncertainty of BELS, the second‐order unbiased estimator of the mean squared error is derived.
Lactate induces vascular permeability via disruption of VE-cadherin in endothelial cells during sepsis
Authors: Yang Kun , Fan Min , Wang Xiaohui , Xu Jingjing , Wang Yana , Gill P. Spencer , Ha Tuanzhu , Liu Li , Hall Jennifer V. , Williams David L. , Li Chuanfu
Published: April 2022

Circulating lactate levels are a critical biomarker for sepsis and are positively correlated with sepsis-associated mortality. We investigated whether lactate plays a biological role in causing endothelial barrier dysfunction in sepsis. We showed that lactate causes vascular permeability and worsens organ dysfunction in CLP sepsis. Mechanistically, lactate induces ERK-dependent activation of calpain1/2 for VE-cadherin proteolytic cleavage, leading to the enhanced endocytosis of VE-cadherin in endothelial cells. In addition, we found that ERK2 interacts with VE-cadherin and stabilizes VE-cadherin complex in resting endothelial cells. Lactate-induced ERK2 phosphorylation promotes ERK2 disassociation from VE-cadherin. In vivo suppression of lactate production or genetic depletion of lactate receptor GPR81 mitigates vascular permeability and multiple organ injury and improves survival outcome in polymicrobial sepsis. Our study reveals that metabolic cross-talk between glycolysis-derived lactate and the endothelium plays a critical role in the pathophysiology of sepsis.
Candida albicans Filamentation Does Not Require the cAMP-PKA Pathway
In Vivo
Authors: Wakade Rohan S. , Kramara Juraj , Wellington Melanie , Krysan Damian J.
Published: April 2022

The fungus
Candida albicans
causes a wide range of disease in humans from common diaper rash to life-threatening infections in patients with compromised immune systems. As such, the mechanisms for its ability to cause disease are of wide interest.
Cefotaxime Exposure Selects Mutations within the CA-Domain of
envZ
Which Promote Antibiotic Resistance but Repress Biofilm Formation in Salmonella
Authors: Trampari Eleftheria , Zhang Chuanzhen , Gotts Kathryn , Savva George M. , Bavro Vassiliy N. , Webber Mark
Published: April 2022

Understanding mechanisms of antibiotic resistance is crucial to guide how best to use antibiotics to minimize emergence of resistance. We used a laboratory evolution system to study how
Salmonella
responds to cefotaxime in both planktonic and biofilm conditions.
Supplemental Material: Accumulation of windblown sand in impact craters on Mars
Authors: Gunn Andrew , al. et
Published: April 2022

Supplemental text and figures. 
Supplemental Material: Recurrent tectonic activity in northeastern Brazil during Pangea breakup: Constraints from U-Pb carbonate dating
Authors: Ganade Carlos E. , al. et
Published: April 2022

Detailed analytical procedures and U-Pb geochronology dataset. 
An Efficient Aggregation Method for the Symbolic Representation of Temporal Data
Authors: Chen Xinye , Güttel Stefan
Published: April 2022

Symbolic representations are a useful tool for the dimension reduction of temporal data, allowing for the efficient storage of and information retrieval from time series. They can also enhance the training of machine learning algorithms on time series data through noise reduction and reduced sensitivity to hyperparameters. The adaptive Brownian bridge-based aggregation (ABBA) method is one such effective and robust symbolic representation, demonstrated to accurately capture important trends and shapes in time series. However, in its current form, the method struggles to process very large time series. Here, we present a new variant of the ABBA method, called fABBA. This variant utilizes a new aggregation approach tailored to the piecewise representation of time series. By replacing the k-means clustering used in ABBA with a sorting-based aggregation technique, and thereby avoiding repeated sum-of-squares error computations, the computational complexity is significantly reduced. In contrast to the original method, the new approach does not require the number of time series symbols to be specified in advance. Through extensive tests, we demonstrate that the new method significantly outperforms ABBA with a considerable reduction in runtime while also outperforming the popular SAX and 1d-SAX representations in terms of reconstruction accuracy. We further demonstrate that fABBA can compress other data types such as images.
MWCNT Aided Cobalt Antimony Sulfide Electrocatalyst for Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells and Supercapacitors: Designing Integrated Photo-Powered Energy System
Authors: Peter I. John , Vijaya S. , Anandan S. , Karazhanov Smagul , Nithiananthi P.
Published: April 2022

The objective of this study is to demonstrate low-cost Pt-free Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells (DSSCs) and an electrode for supercapacitor. Cobalt Antimony Sulfide (CoSbS) and Multiwalled Carbon Nanotubes supported CoSbS (CoSbS/MWCNT) composites are synthesized by a simple hydrothermal technique and are used as an electrocatalyst for the reduction of tri-iodide to iodide (

I

3

−

/

I

−

). The crystalline structure, morphology, and quantum states of the synthesized samples are analyzed. In a series of electrochemical studies, the CoSbS/MWCNT demonstrated superior electroconductivity and electrocatalytic activity over pristine CoSbS. Notably, the Power Conversion Efficiency (PCE) is reached 6.0% with the CoSbS/MWCNT counter electrode, outpacing the corresponding CoSbS (4.4%) and Co9S8 (1.8%). It is also an effective material for supercapacitors. Moreover, CoSbS/MWCNT has the maximum specific capacity of 382 C g−1 with 3 A g−1 with the acceptable capacitance retention of around 82% over 1000 charge-discharge cycles and excellent rate capability (∼143 C g−1 at 3 A g−1). Through these findings, it can be discovered that CoSbS/MWCNT is not only a feasible substitute for the standard Pt counter electrode in DSSCs but also has the capacity to store energy. The excellent conversion and storage performance highlight the potential of CoSbS/MWCNT for a photo-powered energy system.
Melanocortin MC4R receptor is required for energy expenditure but not blood pressure effects of angiotensin II within the mouse brain
Authors: Oliveira Vanessa , Riedl Ruth A. , Claflin Kristin E. , Mathieu Natalia M. , Ritter McKenzie L. , Balapattabi Kirthikaa , Wackman Kelsey K. , Reho John J. , Brozoski Daniel T. , Morgan Donald A. , Cui Huxing , Rahmouni Kamal , Burnett Colin M. L. , Nakagawa Pablo , Sigmund Curt D. , Morselli Lisa L. , Grobe Justin L.
Published: April 2022

The brain renin-angiotensin system (RAS) is implicated in control of blood pressure (BP), fluid intake, and energy expenditure (EE). Angiotensin II (ANG II) within the arcuate nucleus of the hypothalamus contributes to control of resting metabolic rate (RMR) and thereby EE through its actions on Agouti-related peptide (AgRP) neurons, which also contribute to EE control by leptin. First, we determined that although leptin stimulates EE in control littermates, mice with transgenic activation of the brain RAS (sRA) exhibit increased EE and leptin has no additive effect to exaggerate EE in these mice. These findings led us to hypothesize that leptin and ANG II in the brain stimulate EE through a shared mechanism. Because AgRP signaling to the melanocortin MC4R receptor contributes to the metabolic effects of leptin, we performed a series of studies examining RMR, fluid intake, and BP responses to ANG II in mice rendered deficient for expression of MC4R via a transcriptional block ( Mc4r-TB). These mice were resistant to stimulation of RMR in response to activation of the endogenous brain RAS via chronic deoxycorticosterone acetate (DOCA)-salt treatment, whereas fluid and electrolyte effects remained intact. These mice were also resistant to stimulation of RMR via acute intracerebroventricular (ICV) injection of ANG II, whereas BP responses to ICV ANG II remained intact. Collectively, these data demonstrate that the effects of ANG II within the brain to control RMR and EE are dependent on MC4R signaling, whereas fluid homeostasis and BP responses are independent of MC4R signaling.
Dynamic Pricing Model of Service-Oriented Educational Products Based on Revenue Management
Authors: Zeng Jing , Lin Ling
Published: April 2022

As the economic environment changes, more and more loopholes appear in the actual application of traditional pricing methods. Existing methods cannot accurately predict changes in consumer demand and cannot accurately mine potential consumer demand. Existing methods cannot achieve the maximization of corporate profits, which has become a difficult problem for service-oriented corporate revenue management. This article mainly studies the pricing of service-oriented products in the context of revenue management. By studying and reviewing relevant literature on the dynamic pricing of service-oriented products, this article clarifies the characteristics of service-oriented products and several loopholes in the current pricing of service-oriented products. Based on the current research results of dynamic pricing at home and abroad, this article summarizes the influencing factors of dynamic pricing and establishes the dynamic pricing model of this article. This article selects the current hotspot and the reinforcement learning method that conforms to the multidimensional characteristics to solve the calculation of the model. Through analysis, the optimal state-action pair of the model in this article is obtained, and the optimal path of environment and behavior is formed to obtain the maximum profit.
A Case of Markedly Elevated Isolated Alkaline Phosphatase in the Third Trimester of Pregnancy
Authors: Connolly Courtney T. , Grubman Olivia , Al-Ibraheemi Zainab , Kushner Tatyana
Published: April 2022

Background. Alkaline phosphatase (ALP) is an enzyme produced by the liver, small intestine, bone, and kidneys as well as the placenta during pregnancy. ALP levels may increase up to twice the normal limit during pregnancy secondary to placental release and fetal bone growth. Rare case reports of extremely elevated levels of ALP during pregnancy have demonstrated possible association with adverse pregnancy outcomes. Case. The patient is a 36-year-old G2P1001 who was found to have extremely elevated ALP levels during pregnancy after presenting with bilateral lower leg swelling and rash after receiving the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine. She subsequently developed intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy and preeclampsia. ALP peaked at 2,601 U/L immediately prior to delivery at 36 weeks 1 day. She was followed postpartum, and her ALP levels had nearly normalized by 15 weeks postpartum. Conclusion. Our case demonstrates a rare report of an extremely elevated level of ALP in the setting of multiple adverse pregnancy outcomes, including preterm delivery, preeclampsia without severe features, and intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy.
Experimental and Mechanism Study of Superheated SAGD vs. Conventional SAGD Technique: A Cost-Effective Scheme for Superheated SAGD
Authors: Huang Ke , Huang Siyuan , Jiang Qi , Liu Yang
Published: April 2022

Steam-assisted gravity drainage (SAGD) is one of the steam injection techniques to exploit heavy oil and extra heavy oil resources, where the nature of steam is crucial to the production efficiency. Replacing saturated steam with superheated steam can effectively improve the steam quality at the bottom of the well and the production efficiency. In this study, based on the 2-D SAGD experiments, the recovery mechanisms of SAGD under the 220°C saturated steam and 260°C (superheated degree of 40°C) and 300°C (superheated degree of 80°C) superheated steam are compared and analyzed. The numerical model was developed based on experimental results, and the influence of steam superheated degree on the recovery degree of the SAGD process was further investigated. The physical experiment results and numerical simulation results show that the advantages of high enthalpy and large specific volume of superheated steam are significant at the horizontal expansion stage of the steam chamber stage compared to those of saturated steam. However, although the superheated steam can improve the recovery degree, the economic efficiency may decrease with the addition of superheated steam since it requires higher energy to generate the superheated steam. Thus, the SOR (steam-oil ratio) cannot appropriately describe the energy and economic efficiency when superheated steam is considered. Therefore, the cumulative FOR (fuel-oil ratio) is proposed, and the optimal superheated degree, optimal injection strategy, and its relation with the recovery mechanisms are studied. The results indicate that using superheated steam at 80°C superheated degree during the steam chamber horizontal expansion stage can increase the recovery factor around 12% and also reduce the cumulative FOR around 5.3 compared to the conventional SAGD strategy.
Distributionally Robust Optimal Dispatching of CHP Microgrid considering Concentrating Solar Power and Uncertainty
Authors: Ma Zhao , Zhao Huiru , Su Qun , Wang Xuejie
Published: April 2022

In order to solve the problem of diversified low-carbon energy supply with renewable energy as the main body, concentrating solar power (CSP) stations are introduced to act as cogeneration units. Taking full advantage of the flexible coupling and multienergy complementarity of electric, heat, and gas, an economic dispatch method for combined heat and power microgrid systems (CHP microgrid) with interconnected electric, heat, and gas is proposed. First, build the CSP-CHP microgrid structure and model the main equipment. Then, aiming at the minimum operating cost of the system, a regular scheduling model of the CSP-CHP microgrid system is established. On this basis, in order to deal with the uncertainty of renewable energy output, a distributionally robust optimization (DRO) model is introduced. In the DRO model, the Kullback–Leibler (KL) divergence is used to construct an ambiguity set about the predicted error of renewable energy output, and finally, the CSP-CHP microgrid DRO economic dispatch model is established. Finally, the system is simulated and analyzed in a typical CSP-CHP microgrid system, and the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed method are verified by analysis. In addition, the necessity of introducing CSP and the advantages of the DRO model is further explained by comparison.
Research on the Mining of Intangible Cultural Heritage Digital Resources in the Manual Online Teaching System of Preschool Education
Authors: Jun Zhao , Li Xingping
Published: April 2022

Our country’s international status as a cultural power has been further enhanced, and the protection of intangible cultural heritage containing the essence of traditional culture is also gradually being carried out. In addition, with the rapid development of the digital environment, the public’s cultural needs continue to grow, and the contradiction between the supply and demand of public digital cultural services continues to intensify. Converting intangible cultural heritage into digital form for protection and providing resource services for the public has become an important trend in the protection and inheritance of intangible cultural heritage at home and abroad, and it is also an inevitable requirement to solve the contradiction between supply and demand. Improving public cultural services is one of the key projects. At present, our country’s research and practice of intangible cultural heritage digitization and services are also in progress, but there is no research on intangible cultural heritage digital resource services and system construction from the perspective of information service elements. Based on the digital resource service of intangible cultural heritage, the manual course is one of the main skill courses for preschool education majors. At this stage, the short class hours of manual courses, the lack of class hours, the low utilization rate of teaching materials, and the disconnection between the content and the needs of the kindergarten are all problems that need to be solved at present. Just relying on cross-references between schools, the manual knowledge and skills mastered by graduates are not comprehensive enough to complete the manual tasks assigned by the kindergarten. This paper implements the concept of intangible cultural heritage and hopes that by studying the manual knowledge and skills that today’s kindergarten teachers need to possess, the content of existing manual courses can be adjusted in a targeted manner, so that the electronic culture dissemination of manual curriculum resources for preschool education is more reasonable, meeting the requirements of kindergarten teachers in terms of manual knowledge and skills.
The Method for Identifying Employees’ Emotions in Adverse States Incorporating PSO-kNN Algorithm and Multiple Physiological Parameters
Authors: Han Jiaonan
Published: April 2022

It is well known that we, as human beings, are prone to a variety of undesirable emotions such as excitement, boredom, and fear, all of which are induced by varying degrees of negative states. In this paper, we designed an emotion-evoking experiment to induce calm, excited, bored, and fearful emotions, as well as low, moderate, and high levels of tension. Based on the six physiological signals such as heart rate and respiration rate of the subjects in these emotion states, feature extraction was performed after removing the baseline preprocessing, combined with particle swarm optimisation algorithm for feature selection, and the k-nearest neighbour algorithm was used to classify the different emotion and tension levels in the undesirable states. By comparing the results of several sets of experiments, we found that with baseline removal and particle swarm feature selection optimisation, our experimental results using k-nearest neighbour classification showed a significant improvement in recognition accuracy compared to the traditional k-nearest neighbour algorithm, which indicates that the proposed method has better recognition results.
Visual Identification of Mobile App GUI Elements for Automated Robotic Testing
Authors: Xue Feng , Wu Junsheng , Zhang Tao
Published: April 2022

Automated robotic testing is an emerging testing approach for mobile apps that can afford complete black-box testing. Compared with other automated testing approaches, automatic robotic testing can reduce the dependence on the internal information of apps. However, capturing GUI element information accurately and effectively from a black-box perspective is a critical issue in robotic testing. This study introduces object detection technology to achieve the visual identification of mobile app GUI elements. First, we consider the requirements of test implementation, the feasibility of visual identification, and the external image features of GUI comprehensively to complete the reasonable classification of GUI elements. Subsequently, we constructed and optimized an object detection dataset for the mobile app GUI. Finally, we implement the identification of GUI elements based on the YOLOv3 model and evaluate the effectiveness of the results. This work can serve as the basis for vision-driven robotic testing for mobile apps and presents a universal approach that is not restricted by platforms to identify mobile app GUI elements.
Construction of College Chinese Mobile Learning Environment Based on Intelligent Reinforcement Learning Technology in Wireless Network Environment
Authors: Zhao Jiao
Published: April 2022

Technological advancements have resulted in the implementation of technology in various fields. Technologies such as wireless network systems and artificial intelligence have opened new doors in education. The Chinese language reflects the rich tradition of the greatest civilization in the world. Therefore, the university courses in a language with excellent traditional and cultural values have to be updated concerning technological growth. This research article will study the construction of a Chinese university language learning mobile environment based on intelligent reinforcement learning technology in a wireless network environment. Reinforcement learning technology (RLT) is a machine learning training technique that provides rewards and penalties. It is a decision-making approach in which artificial intelligence will face a game-like situation. Artificial intelligence either get rewarded or penalized for its actions. This learning method will significantly increase the transmission level between the student and teacher communication. Still, identifying whether the children are attentive while listening to their online classes is one of the hardest things. Once the energy loss has been rectified, it is possible to improve the learning platform in all universities, colleges, and other educational platforms using cloud computing technologies. With the implementation of RLT, the students and the teachers will be rewarded when there is an increased performance for the Chinese learning system. The results have been recorded at a low packet rate with reduced wireless communication technology. When the learning mechanism is compared to the Q-learning (quality learning) mechanism, a 98.78% accuracy rate can be seen.
Development and In Vitro Evaluation of Oral Capsules from Antiaris: A Convenient Substitute for Peripheral Neuropathy
Authors: Archer Mary-Ann , Kumadoh Doris , Gaizer Samuel Nii-Bortier , Mensah Adelaide , Jato Jonathan , Kyene Micheal Odoi , Mintah Susana Oteng , Yeboah Genevieve Naana , Sodzi Paul kwesi , Adi-Dako Ofosua
Published: April 2022

Antiaris is a monoherbal decoction produced by the Centre for Plant Medicine Research (CPMR), Mampong-Akuapem, Ghana. It is prepared from the stem bark of Antiaris africana Engl. (Moraceae), prescribed, and dispensed to patients for the management of nervous disorders. This current formulation presents notable challenges in patients’ adherence to treatment regimen due to its bulkiness and bitterness. These challenges have resulted in a decrease in therapeutic outcome. This study sought to transform Antiaris into oral capsules to mask its bitter taste and reduce bulkiness of the product to improve patients’ convenience. In this study, four (4) conventional release capsule formulations were successfully prepared from the decoction via wet granulation using corn starch, lactose, light magnesium carbonate (LMC), and microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) and labelled A01, A02, A03, and A04 respectively. The drug-excipient compatibility studies on A01, A02, A03, and A04 were investigated using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The flow properties of the granules as well as the quality assessment of the formulations such as dissolution, disintegration, uniformity of weight, and assay tests were evaluated using pharmacopoeial and nonpharmacopoeial methods. Appropriate models were used to investigate the difference factor (f1) and similarity factor (f2) of the dissolution profiles of the formulations and Antiaris. From the study, all formulated granules had excellent flow properties with Carr’s index from 7.83 to 9.56%, Hausner’s ratio from 1.09 to 1.10, and angle of repose from 25.13 to 27.87°. Drug-excipient compatibility studies demonstrated no interaction between extract and used excipients. All formulations passed the uniformity of weight, disintegration, assay, and dissolution tests. Formulation A02 had the highest dissolution efficiency of 100.12%, while A03 recorded the least value of 97.22% in the 1 h dissolution studies. A comparison of their various dissolution profiles, respectively, to that of its decoction demonstrated their similarity, since, in all comparisons, f2 < 15 and f1 > 50. This implies that, any of these four formulations could be a good substitute for Antiaris.
The Alteration of Brain Function by the Improvement of Periodontal Tissues and Occlusal State
Authors: Muraoka Kosuke , Oda Masafumi , Yoshino Kenichi , Tanaka Tatsurou , Morishita Masaki , Nakamura Taiji , Kibune Ryota , Tokunaga Jyunpei , Sonoki Kazuo , Morimoto Yasuhiro , Nakashima Keisuke , Awano Shuji
Published: April 2022

Objective. In this study, we have introduced a case in which the effective blood oxygenation level-dependent signal on functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was altered by the improvement of periodontal tissue and occlusal function in a patient with periodontitis Stage II Grade B. Material and Methods. A 61-year-old female patient requiring periodontal treatment was diagnosed as having periodontitis Stage II Grade B via clinical and radiographic examinations. Her past medical history included type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia. Following the patient’s informed written consent, the periodontal initial treatment provided to the patient included tooth brushing instruction and scaling and root planing; however, occlusal adjustment was not performed at this stage. Occlusal force and fMRI results were also evaluated at the initial and reevaluation examinations. Results. After the periodontal initial treatment had been performed, it was noted that the patient’s periodontal tissue and occlusal force had improved. It was also evident from fMRI that cerebral blood flow had been activated in the insula, primary motor cortex, and premotor cortex. Conclusion. This result suggested that the periodontal ligament had recovered and the periodontal ligament neuron had been further subjected to clenching in the insula so that the muscle spindle sensation impacted the motor cortex.
Recurrent Ileal Variceal Bleeding as a Diagnostic and Therapeutic Challenge
Authors: Cingel Marek , Benko Jakub , Samoš Matej , Mokáň Marián
Published: April 2022

Introduction. Massive ileal variceal bleeding is a rare intricate condition that needs rapid management and treatment. The absence of randomized clinical trials in this field leads to a lack of evidence-based diagnostic and therapeutical approaches. We present a case report describing imaging, endoscopic, and surgical procedures leading to the diagnosis and resolution of severe ileal variceal bleeding. Case Report. We admitted a 63-year-old patient for recurrent anemia and ongoing bleeding from the gastrointestinal tract presenting as enterorrhagia. We were not able to elucidate the source by endoscopic, angiographic, or nuclear imaging methods. As a last resort, we carried out a surgical procedure with peroperative enteroscopy and subsequent resection of the affected part of the intestine. Conclusion. We present a patient with a case of ileal variceal bleeding, which required extensive diagnostic and therapeutic effort with a unique peroperative enteroscopic approach.
Voltammetric Determination of Ascorbic Acid Content in Cabbage Using Anthraquinone Modified Carbon Paste Electrode
Authors: Alemu T. , Zelalem B , Amare N
Published: April 2022

In this study, a low-cost, sensitive, and efficient voltammetric method based on anthraquinone modified carbon paste electrode was developed for determination of ascorbic acid in cabbage samples. After cyclic voltammetry was used to investigate the electrochemical behavior of ascorbic acid and to study dependence of oxidative peak current on scan rate and pH, square wave voltammetric method was developed for direct determination of ascorbic acid in cabbage samples. In contrast to the unmodified carbon paste electrode, a remarkable enhancement in oxidative peak current at anthraquinone modified carbon paste electrode confirmed electrocatalytic property of the modifier towards oxidation of ascorbic acid. A better correlation coefficient for the dependence of peak current on the square root of scan rate (R2=0.9963) than on the scan rate (R2=0.9781) indicated that the oxidation of ascorbic acid at anthraquinone modified carbon paste electrode is predominantly governed by diffusion-controlled process. Square wave amplitude, square wave step potential, and square wave frequency are optimized for the investigation of AA in cabbage. The optimized values are 30 mV, 7 mV, and 35 Hz, respectively. Under the optimized method and solution parameters, an excellent linear response was observed between square wave voltammetric peak current of AQMCPE and concentration of ascorbic acid in the range5×10−5to4×10−3 M with a better correlation coefficient (R2=0.9993) and detection limit (LOD=1.84×10−6 M). The ascorbic acid content of the three cabbage samples from three different cabbage growing areas was found in the range3.686±0.026–8.298±0.011 mg/g of powdered cabbage. Excellent recovery results between 95.042 and 96.139% for spiked ascorbic acid in cabbage samples confirmed the potential applicability of the developed method based on AQMCPE for the determination of ascorbic acid in real samples like cabbage.
Low-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol Levels in Coronary Artery Disease Patients: Opportunities for Improvement
Authors: Martin Gary J. , Teklu Meron , Mandieka Edwin , Feinglass Joe
Published: April 2022

Background. We sought to characterize the level of LDL-C control and identify opportunities for improvement and characteristics of patients who were undertreated. Methods. Study patients were from a large multihospital system, age <90, with documentation of at least two encounters with a CAD diagnosis or procedure before a first measured LDL-C level and a last recorded LDL-C measurement over a minimum six-month (median = 22 months, IQR = 15–26 months) follow-up from January 2017 to September 2019. Linear regression analysis for last recorded LDL-C level was used to analyze the effects of statin intensity and patient characteristics. Results. Among 15,111 eligible patients, mean age was 68.4 (SD = 10.8), 68.7% were male, and 79.4% were non-Hispanic White. At follow-up, 87.8% of patients were prescribed a statin, 9.7% were on ezetimibe, and 0.5% were on a PCSK9 inhibitor. Mean LDL-C at follow-up was 75.6 mg/dL and 45.5% of patients were on high-intensity treatment. Higher LDL-C values were associated with female sex, younger patients, non-Hispanic Black patients, high poverty or out of state zip code, Medicaid, or angina as the qualifying diagnosis. For 332 clinicians with >10 patients in the cohort, mean last recorded LDL-C values ranged from 47 to 102 mg/dL. Conclusions. There were important variations in LDL-C control between patients in our health system with the same indication for treatment. Variation in treatment among physicians is an area ripe for quality improvement interventions. This study may be easily reproduced by other medical centers and used for highlighting both patient and physician opportunities for improvement.
Analysis of Turning Performance on AISI O1 Steel Using VO+nMoS2 as Coolant
Authors: Sivaraman V. , Hans S. J. Davis , Palani Kumaran , Atiso Tsegaye Alemayehu , JM Jafferson , Ross Nimel Sworna
Published: April 2022

AISI O1 cold work steel is a hard-to-machine material as a reason of its good temperature resistance, superficial hardness, and lesser response to wear. Hence, material removal from such hard materials is both cost- and time-consuming. Conventional cutting fluids fail to lessen the hotness at the tool-work junction. This research work explores the effects of a uniquely prepared and eco-friendly cutting fluid on the cutting performance of AISI O1 steel using tool inserts of three different materials. The prepared cutting fluid, molybdenum disulfide nanoparticle (MoS2) blended in biodegradable vegetable oil (VO) was distributed into the cutting zone with the help of the minimum quantity lubricant (MQL) technique. The integrated approach of Taguchi’s average normalized S/N ratio-based RSM method was employed to model the parameters for better responses. The optimal condition predicted by the approach (the type of insert – CBN, Vc – 110.12 m/min, f – 0.08 mm/rev, and DOC – 0.20076 mm) was observed to produce noteworthy improvements in tool wear and lessen the cutting force in addition to a good surface finish. The study will offer the required guidance for tool and die industries handling AISI O1 steel and help researchers work towards sustainable machining.
Preparation of a Low-Calorie, Gluten-Free All-in-One Cake Mix, Containing Bacillus Coagulans Using Quinoa and Inulin Functionality
Authors: Amini Khatereh , Sharifan Anousheh , Ghiassi Tarzi Babak , Azizinezhad Reza
Published: April 2022

Celiac patients must follow a strict gluten-free diet along the life that leads to many nutritional deficiencies. This study aimed to produce an “all-in-one gluten-free cakemix based on quinoa flour” for celiac patients and other gluten-sensitive people. Nine treatments were provided with quinoa flour (25, 27.5, and 30% of total formula), inulin as a prebiotic, fat replacer and natural sweetener (2.4, 3.2, and 4% of total formula). The content of oil was reduced using oil powder consisting of sunflower oil and wall materials (resistant starch and maltodextrin 50 : 50). Bacillus coagulans was added as a probiotic bacteria. A commercial cakemix was considered as a control sample. The nutritional and chemical properties of cake mixes (percentage of moisture, protein, mineral, carbohydrate, crude fiber, fat, and calorie) and physical and textural properties of cakes (springiness, specific volume, porosity, chewiness, browning reaction, moisture, and water activity) were tested. Data were analyzed by https://graphpad.ir/prism/software using one way analysis of variance (ANOVA). After sensory evaluation, the treatment number 5 was selected as the most acceptable cake among all treatments. Its amino acid profile, fatty acid profile, and peroxide index were determined. The minerals, protein, and fiber of quinoa cake mixes were significantly higher, and the fat, carbohydrate and calorie were lower than control. Addition of quinoa reduced springiness, specific volume, porosity, chewiness, and increased the browning reaction. But these changes did not have a very negative effect in general. The moisture, water activity, and bacteria count changes were followed during four days of cakes preservation in refrigerator. The reduction trend of quinoa cakes moisture and water activity was slower than control. The number of bacteria was enough to be considered as a probiotic product after 4 days. Quinoa flour could improve the nutritional and functional properties of gluten-free cake mixes.
miR-21 Regulates Immune Balance Mediated by Th17/Treg in Peripheral Blood of Septic Rats during the Early Phase through Apoptosis Pathway
Authors: Liu Cheng , Zou Qi
Published: April 2022

Objective. To study the mechanism by which miR-21 regulates the differentiation and function of Th17/Treg cells in sepsis. Methods. A rat model with sepsis was made by cecal ligation and puncture (CLP). Then, some of the septic rats were transfected with miR-21 mimic or inhibitor by liposome. At 48 hours, lymphocytes and plasma from septic rats were isolated for further experimental detection. The expression of miR-21 in lymphocytes was detected by Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR); the differentiation of Th17/Treg cells was counted by flow cytometry; lymphocyte apoptosis was observed by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP-biotin nick end labeling (TUNEL) assay. The caspase-3/9 proteins were tested by Western blot; IL-10 and IL-17 were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Results. Compared with the sepsis group (SP group), the Th17 cells increased significantly, the Treg cells decreased significantly, the apoptosis rate of lymphocytes decreased significantly, the mRNA and proteins of caspase-3/9 decreased significantly, the IL-17 decreased, and the IL-10 increased in the sepsis group transfected with miR-21 (SP + miR-21 mimic group). After transfection of miR-21 inhibitor, the results were almost opposite to those of SP + miR-21 mimic group. Conclusions. The differentiation and function of Th17/Treg cells were regulated by miR-21 in sepsis through caspase pathway.
Habitual Phytoestrogen Intake Is Associated with Breast Composition in Girls at 2 Years after Menarche Onset
Authors: Lesser Constanza , Mericq Verónica , Reyes Marcela , Garmendia María Luisa , Shepherd John A. , Michels Karin B. , Corvalán Camila , Pereira Ana
Published: April 2022

Background:

High phytoestrogen intake during adolescence is associated with a reduced risk of breast cancer. Breast density (BD) is a strong predictor of breast cancer and can be considered an early marker. We aim to assess the association between the mean habitual intake of isoflavones, lignans, and total phytoestrogens intake during puberty until 2 years after menarche onset and absolute fibroglandular volume (AFGV) and percentage of fibroglandular volume (%FGV) in Hispanic girls at the end of puberty.

Methods:

Longitudinal study set up in the Growth and Obesity Chilean Cohort Study (GOCS). We included 329 girls with dietary data (multiple 24-hours recalls) from puberty until 2 years after menarche onset (81% had 2–4 recalls). Two international datasets were used to estimate isoflavones, lignans, and total phytoestrogens in the diet. Breast composition was measured by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry at 2 years after menarche. Multiple linear regression models were used to assess the association between isoflavones, lignans, and total phytoestrogens intake and AFGV and %FGV.

Results:

The average total phytoestrogen intake was 1 mg/day and %FGV was 50.7% (SD = 15.2) and AFGV 218.8 cm3 (SD = 79.3). An inverse association was found between consumption of isoflavones and AFGV, as well as, with total phytoestrogens [Q4 vs. Q1 adjusted model ß = −49.2 cm3; 95% CI (−85.5 to −13.0)].

Conclusions:

Girls with a higher intake of total phytoestrogens and isoflavones during puberty until 2 years after menarche onset had significantly lower AFGV.

Impact:

Although the intake of phytoestrogens is low in Western populations, higher consumption of them during a critical period of life like puberty could be beneficial to reduce breast cancer during adulthood.
Double Trouble: Whole-Genome Doubling Distinguishes Early from Late Ovarian Cancer
Authors: Yang Shih Yu Cindy , Pugh Trevor J. , Oza Amit M.
Published: April 2022

Dramatic differences in outcome between early- and late-stage high-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSC) suggest perhaps distinct genetic origins due to differences in exposures to mutational processes. Evidence to support this hypothesis was recently reported by comparative analysis of copy-number signatures between early- and late-stage HGSCs.

See related article by Cheng et al., p. 2911
Comparison Of Normal-Based and Beta-Based Regression Models on Ratio/ Proportion Data
Authors: Sihombing Pardomuan Robinson
Published: April 2022

This study compares the regression using the assumption of a normal distribution with a beta distribution on ratio/proportion data. The data used is the Gini ratio data as the dependent variable and the percentage of the poor, economic growth and unemployment as independent variables in 2021. The data used is sourced from the Central Statistics Agency. The criteria for selecting the best model are based on the smallest AIC and BIC criteria. The results obtained by the beta regression model are better than the model based on the normal distribution. This result is reflected by the probability value of the model suitability test and the error value which the smaller AIC and BIC reflect. The poverty variable has a significant effect on the Gini ratio. On the other hand, there is not enough evidence that the variables of economic growth and open unemployment affect the Gini ratio. From the results obtained, it is hoped that the government will be able to implement appropriate policies in overcoming inequality so that every level of society can feel welfare without exception.
The Effect of Corporate Income Tax on Investment in Japan
Authors: Andriati Reny , Aan Andriatno
Published: April 2022

The purpose of this research is to analyse and examine the effect of corporate income tax on the investment in Japan from 1987 to 2016. It is an associative-causal research. The secondary data are taken form International Monetary Fund, International Financial Statistics and data files using World Bank. The hypotheses were tested by using the multiple linear regression analysis. The results of this research showed that, simultaneously, corporate income tax rate and interest rate have highly significant effect on investment. After the research is conducted and it was analysed with partial test, corporate income tax rate negatively affects investment in Japan. It is highly recommended that Japan government should reduce the corporate income tax on companies so that there will be more investment in Japan.

JEL Classification: E22, H32