bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Use of Upcycled Grape Pomace as a Functional Ingredient in Biscuits
Authors: Komlenić Daliborka Koceva , Jukić Marko , Lukinac Jasmina , Planinić Mirela , Perković Gabriela , Vidakušić Valentin , Špoljarić Katarina Mišković , Šelo Gordana , Martinović Josipa , Bucić-Kojić Ana
Published: December 2023

Grape pomace (GP) is a winemaking residue that can be used as a functional ingredient due to its phenolic content, among others. The influence of GP, grape pomace extract (GPE) and encapsulated grape pomace extract (BGPE) on the phenolic compounds content, physical, textural and sensory properties of the functional biscuit (FB) was studied. In the production of FB, 10-30 % of the wheat flour in the standard biscuit was replaced by GP or by adding GPE and BGPE in amounts equivalent to the phenolic content of GP. The highest content of phenolic compounds was found when 30 % of GP was used. The antioxidant activity (AA) correlated well with the phenolic compound content (R > 0.87). The antiproliferative activity of biscuit extracts against cancer cell lines is in the following order: SW620 > Caco-2 > Hep G2, but the positive correlation with phenols and AA was not found. Textural properties of biscuits with GPE and BGPE addition were worse compared to GP and standard biscuits, i.e. they were harder. Biscuits with BGPE addition received the highest overall sensory score. The results indicate that biscuits enriched with phenolics from grape pomace could be a promising functional food with good sensory properties.
Synthesized Ligands of Amino Phenyl TIPS-pentacene and Tetraphenylporphyrin for Singlet Fission
Authors: Abdalbaqi Shaimaa
Published: December 2023

A hybrid organic molecules as ligands and inorganic NCs in this research combines the chemical properties of organic semiconductors with the chemical stability of inor- ganic nanoparticles like PbS. It is possible to improve the ligand exchange and PbS-NCs' distribution by adding Amino phynel anchor group to TIPs-pentacene and Carboxylic anchor group to Tetraphenylporphyrin molecules. By adding anchor groups to one or two sides of these molecules, they would convert the molecules to ecient ligands to obtain superlattice coupled organic-inorganic nanostrcuture semicondcutor layers (COINs). Adding on side group would cap the PbS nanoparticles while adding two an- chor group would play a linker role between two PbS NCs. This morophology enhance- ment paves the way to manipulate the physical properties of the COINs and fabricate solar cells. Singlet ssion phenomena demonstrates pentacene molecule's advantage for high eciency in organic solar cells and its ability to overcome the Schockley-Queisser limit. Ultraviolet photo-emission spectroscopy (UPS) determines the highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) and the work function of COINs, while the lowest unoccu- pied molecular orbital (LUMO) of COINs were calculated subsequently by adding both the exciton binding energy and the optical band gap to the measured HOMO energy. The current versus voltage characteristics and impedance spectroscopy were studied for these molecules as well.
Effects of Plant Polysaccharides Combined with Boric Acid on Digestive Function, Immune Function, and Harmful Gas and Heavy Metal Contents in Faeces of Finishing Pigs
Authors: Deng Juan , Zhang Feng , Fan Haoran , Zheng Yuxuan , Zhao Chufang , Ren Man , Jin Erhui , Gu Youfang
Published: December 2023

To investigate the effects of plant polysaccharides combined with boric acid on digestive function, immune function, and harmful gas and heavy metal contents in faeces of finishing pigs, for this study, 90 healthy three-way cross-bred pigs were selected and randomly divided into five groups: Con) A control, fed basic feed; BA) fed basic feed supplemented with 40 mg/kg of boric acid; BA+APS) fed basic feed supplemented with 40 mg/kg of boric acid and 400 mg/kg of Astragalus polysaccharides; BA+GLP) fed basic feed supplemented with 40 mg/kg of boric acid with 200 mg/kg of Ganoderma lucidum polysaccharides; and BA+EPS) fed basic feed supplemented with 40 mg/kg of boric acid and 500 mg/kg of Echinacea polysaccharides. Compared with the Con, the average daily gain (ADG) and trypsin activity were higher in BA, along with there being increased glutathione peroxidase (p < 0.05); furthermore, lower malondialdehyde content and harmful substance emissions from manure were observed (p < 0.05). Compared with BA, increases in ADG, gain-to-feed ratio (G/F), trypsin, and maltase activities were observed in BA+EPS (p < 0.05), as well as a lower NH3 emissions (p < 0.05). Compared with BA, BA+APS exhibited higher ADG, average daily feed intake (ADFI), G/F, trypsin, and maltase activities (p < 0.05), while H2S emissions were lower (p < 0.05). And Taken together, our findings reveal that supplementation with boric acid and plant polysaccharides in the diet of finishing pigs synergistically improved their growth performance, trypsin and maltase activities, and immune function, while also discovered the intestinal digestive enzymes, serum inflammatory factors, oxidative stress responseand emissions of harmful gases and heavy metals from feces and urine were tightly related, further reducing the impact of fecal pollution generated by modern animal husbandry on the environment.
Adaptive Responses of Biofortified Common Bean Lines to Acidic Soil and High Temperature in the Amazon Region of Colombia
Authors: Suárez Juan Carlos , Contreras Amara Tatiana , Urban Milan O. , Grajales Miguel Angel , Beebe Stephen E. , Rao Idupulapati M.
Published: December 2023

The development of biofortified and stress tolerant common bean lines contribute to counteract micronutrient malnutrition in the current condition of climate variability. Our objective was to evaluate the adaptive responses of biofortified common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) lines under acidic soils and high temperature stress conditions in the Amazon region of Colombia. Adaptive responses were evaluated based on phenological, physiological and agronomic differences under combined stress conditions. A total of 247 common bean lines from the Mesoamerican gene pool were evaluated under field conditions at Florencia, Caquetá, Colombia. The common bean lines evaluated included 146 from F4 families with high iron (Fe) content and 99 common bean lines from F5 families that were obtained from simple crosses, double crosses and backcrosses among different bean lines. Lines with tolerance to combined stress conditions of acidic soil and high temperature were found with grain yields greater than 1,400 kg ha-1 from the F5 (lines: 859, 805, 865, 657) and F4 (lines: 2853, 2796) families. This improved agronomic response is likely due to the greater partitioning of photosynthates from canopy biomass (CB) toward pod formation (pod partitioning index, PPI) and grain filling (pod harvest index, PHI; harvest index, HI), which translated into higher grain yields (GY). GY was correlated with CB (r = 0.36), PPI (r = 0.6), PHI (r = 0.68), and HI (r = 0.8, P<0.001). The physiological responses that contributed toward superior agronomic performance of biofortified common bean lines include greater allocation of energy to the photosynthetic machinery (ΦII) and its dissipation in the form of heat (ΦNPQ) as the leaf temperature differential (LTD) increased under combined stress conditions. Six biofortified common bean lines (F5 lines: 859, 805, 865, 657; F4 lines: 2853, 2796) were identified with multiple stress resistance traits and these lines can serve as parents for further genetic improvement of common bean for multiple stress tolerance in the Amazon region of Colombia.
The Smart Cane Based on 2D LiDAR and RGB-D Camera Sensor Realizing Navigation and Obstacle Recognition
Authors: Mai Chunming , Chen Huaze , Zeng Lina , Li Zaijin , Liu Guojun , Qiao Zhongliang , Qu Yi , Li Lianhe , Li Lin
Published: December 2023

In this paper, an intelligent blind guide system based on 2D LiDAR and RGB-D camera sensing is proposed, and the system is mounted on the smart cane. The intelligent guide system relies on 2D LiDAR, RGB-D camera, IMU, GPS, Jetson nano B01, STM32 and other hardware. The main advantage of the intelligent guide system proposed by us is that the distance between the smart cane and obstacles can be measured by 2D LiDAR based on Cartographer algorithm, thus achieving Simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM). At the same time, through the improved yolov5 algorithm, pedestrians, vehicles, pedestrian crosswalks, traffic lights, warning posts, stone piers, tactile paving and other objects in front of the visually impaired can be quickly and effectively identified. Laser SLAM and improved yolov5 obstacle identification tests were carried out inside a teaching building on the campus of Hainan Normal University and on a pedestrian crossing on Longkun South Road in Haikou City, Hainan Province. The results show that the intelligent guide system developed by us can drive the wheels and omnidirectional wheels at the bottom of the smart cane, and give the smart cane a self-leading blind guide function like a "guide dog", which can effectively guide the visually impaired to avoid obstacles and reach the predetermined destination, and can quickly and effectively identify the obstacles on the way out. The laser SLAM speed of this system is 25~31FPS, which can realize the short-distance obstacle avoidance and navigation function both in indoor and outdoor envionments. The improved yolov5 helps to identify 86 types of objects, the recognition rate for pedestrian crosswalks and for vehicles are 84.6% and 71.8%, respectively; the overall recognition rate for 86 types of objects is 61.2%, and the obstacle recognition rate of the intelligent guide system is 25-26FPS.
Investigating Novel IspE Inhibitor of MEP Pathway in Mycobacterium
Authors: Choi Seoung-ryoung , Narayanasamy Prabagaran
Published: December 2023

In a recent effort to mitigate harm from human pathogens, many biosynthetic pathways are extensively evaluated for their ability to inhibit pathogen growth and determine drug targets. Among those, one of the important products/targets of such pathways is isopentenyl diphosphate, the universal precursor of isoprenoids, which are essential for the normal functioning of microorganisms. In general, two biosynthetic pathways lead to the formation of isopentenyl diphosphate: 1) the mevalonate pathway in animals and 2) the non-mevalonate or methylerythritol phosphate (MEP) in many bacteria, some protozoa, and plants. Because the MEP pathway is not found in mammalian cells, it is considered an attractive target for the development of antimicrobials against a variety of human pathogens, including Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M.tb). In the MEP pathway, 4-diphosphocytidyl-2-c-methyl-d-erythritol kinase (IspE) phosphorylates 4-diphosphocytidyl-2-C-methyl-D-erythritol (CDPME) to form 4-diphosphocytidyl-2-C-methyl-D-erythritol 2-phosphate (CDPME2P), followed by cyclization to 2-C-methyl-D-erythritol 2,4-cyclodiphosphate (MECPP) by 2-C-methyl-D-erythritol 2,4-cyclodiphosphate synthase (IspF). A virtual high throughput screening was done by docking IspE protein with commercially available compounds and identified an active heterotricyclic compound. Hence, we designed, synthesized, and tested similar new heterotricyclic compounds. This study will provide the critical insight necessary for the ability to develop novel antimicrobials that target the MEP pathways in pathogens.
Microbiological Collections in Brazil: Current Status and Perspectives
Authors: Glienke Chirlei , Petters-Vandresen Desirrê Alexia Lourenço , Souto Aline da Silva Soares , Silva Manuela da , Marinoni Luciane
Published: December 2023

As part of a project ordered by the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation of Brazil, an assessment of Brazilian biological collections was conducted by the Brazilian Societies of Botany, Microbiology, Virology and Zoology to obtain data on the current state of these collections. The goal was to provide subsidies for future public policies, including financial support and prioritization policies. Herein, we present the results of the microbiological collections, which play a fundamental role in the ex situ conservation of biodiversity and support research, development and innovation. A survey was sent to public and private institutions in Brazil and answered by 168 microbiological collections from 79 different institutions. Among these, 73 comprise public research institutions and universities, demonstrating the State's importance in preserving and safeguarding Brazilian microbial diversity. The main taxonomic groups are bacteria (present in 70.24% of the collections) and fungi (52.98% of the collections) from different Brazilian ecosystems and biomes, including several type strains. Furthermore, the collections preserve microorganisms with biotechnological potential for application in environmental protection, public health, industry, and agribusiness. However, despite all these economic and biotechnological potentials, the data analysis showed serious limitations and fragilities, especially regarding physical infrastructure and human resources, and raises alerts about the risk that Brazilian collections are subjected to.
SPHN Strategy to Unravel the Semantic Drift Between Versions of Standard Terminologies
Authors: Unni Deepak , Touré Vasundra , Krauss Philip , Crameri Katrin , Österle Sabine
Published: December 2023

The Swiss Personalized Health Network has developed a national framework for enabling the semantic representation of health data within a Knowledge Graph. This framework has been implemented in all Swiss university hospitals, promoting seamless sharing and integration of clinical routine data with other health-related data, including omics and clinical research data. While research projects often have flexibility in selecting terminologies and specific versions, historical clinical routine data are typically coded for billing or administrative purposes using predefined terminologies in various (sometimes even unknown) versions over time. Some of these terminologies do not adhere to best practices for ontology design, presenting significant challenges to the retrospective re-use of such coded data for research. Common issues with these terminologies include the lack of machine-readable traceability across versions and non-adherence to FAIR principles. Terms from older versions frequently disappear in newer ones, making it challenging to distinguish outdated from invalid terms. Additionally, 'semantic drift' occurs, where the meaning of terms changes across versions. To address these challenges, we have implemented FAIR and historized versions of ATC, CHOP, and ICD-10-GM. We represent each version in RDF using versioned URIs and track meaning changes between versions in a machine-readable way using OWL and RDFS. The integration of these historized terminologies into our quality control framework, based on SHACLs, enables comprehensive data quality control in hospitals and empowers researchers to effectively utilize this data. Our work aims to bridge the gap between health data coded in different terminology versions, ensuring a consistent and reliable semantic representation.
Phytochemical Constituents and Antibacterial Activity of Bark and Flowers Extracts of Four Magnolia Plant Species
Authors: Cristea Ramona Maria (Iancu) , Sava Camelia , Căpățână Ciprian , Kanellou Anastasia
Published: December 2023

This research focuses on exploring the bioactive and antibacterial properties of extracts from the flowers and bark of four Magnolia species (Magnolia champaca, Magnolia denudata, Magnolia grandiflora, and Magnolia officinalis) for possible cosmetic applications. We used ethanol to extract compounds from these plants and conducted various tests including spectrophotometry, HPLC, GC-MS, and microbiological analyses. The extracts, particularly rich in polyphenols (55.18 mg GAE/g), displayed significant antioxidant capabilities, with IC 50 values ranging between 9.99 mg/mL and 23.23 mg/mL. We quantified different compounds: phenolic acids (6.259 to 27.883 mg/g dry weight), aglycone flavonoids (61.224 to 135.788 mg/g dw), glycosidic flavonoids (17.265 to 57.961 mg/g dw), and lignans (150.071 to 374.902 mg/g dw). We identified 76 volatile compounds, predominantly oxygenated monoterpenes and sesquiterpene hydrocarbons, which contribute to the antibacterial effectiveness of the extracts. These extracts showed greater antibacterial activity against Gram-negative bacteria than Gram-positive bacteria. The diverse chemical compounds and their demonstrated activities suggest these extracts could be valuable in cosmetic, pharmaceutical, or food industries.
Effects of Dietary Plant Protein Replacement by Insect and Poultry By-Product Meals on Liver Health and Serum Metabolites of Sea Bream (Sparus aurata) and Sea Bass (Dicentrarchus labrax)
Authors: Donadelli Valeria , Di Marco Patrizia , Mandich Alberta , Finoia Maria Grazia , Cardinaletti Gloriana , Petochi Tommaso , Longobardi Alessandro , Tibaldi Emilio , Marino Giovanna
Published: December 2023

The liver health of Gilthead sea bream and European sea bass fed fishmeal-free diets including various proportions of plant proteins, insect and poultry by-product meals, was investigated through biochemical and histological analyses using a new Liver Index (LI) formula. Four isoproteic (45% DM) and isolipidic (20% DM) diets were compared: a control, plant-based diet (CV) and other three test ones where 40% of a plant protein-rich ingredient mixture was replaced by Hermetia illucens (H40) or poultry by-product (P40) meals alone or in combination (H10P30). The trials lasted 12 and 18 weeks for sea bream and sea bass, respectively. The results so far ob-tained highlighted species-specific differences in the physiological response to dietary changes. In sea bream, the biochemical and histological responses suggest favorable physiological status and liver health, with higher serum cholesterol (CHO) and triglyceride (TAG) levels and moderate hepatocyte lipid accumulation with the H10P30 diet compared to CV (p<0.05). In sea bass, all diets resulted in elevated serum TAG levels and liver lipid accumulation particularly in fish fed the P40 one (p<0.05) which resulted in the highest LI, coupled with higher frequency of severe lipid accumulation, hypertrophy, cord loss, peripheral nuclei displacement and pyknosis.
In conclusion sea bream well adapted to the test diets, while sea bass exhibited altered hepatic lipid metabolism leading to incipient liver steatosis, likely due to the high lipid content of the diets including the insect and poultry meals. The LI developed in this study proved to be a reliable tool for assessing the effects of dietary changes on liver health of sea bream and sea bass, consistent with biochemical and histological findings.
Economics in Marine Spatial Planning
Authors: Issifu Ibrahim , Dahmouni Ilyass , García–Lorenzo Iria , Sumaila U. Rashid
Published: December 2023

There has been a rapid increase in the use of Marine Spatial Planning (MSP) throughout the world recently, partly due to the continued loss of marine biodiversity and habitat. The sustainability of marine resources is threatened in all regions of the world by major events such as climate change, marine pollution, overfishing, illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing both on the high seas and in country waters. Here, we present a comprehensive review and analysis of how economic information has been applied and used to inform decisions about MSP in British Columbia (BC), Canada and other similar jurisdictions. This focus for the paper was selected because important gaps remain in the literature in terms of incorporating economic questions into MSP. We first present different definitions of MSP, and then we extract useful lessons from MSP regimes with well–tested decision support tools, and use this to guide MSP implementation in BC. We finally present and discuss case studies from Australia, South Africa and Belgium. Our review suggests that applying economic information to support the design and implementation of MSPs would lead to better decisions. This in turn would foster livelihoods, attract finance, increase buy–in and advance United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 14: Life Below Water, thereby achieving Infinity Fish, i.e., ensuring that ocean benefits flow to humanity forever.
ERK1 Is a Regulatory Kinase Coordinating ERK2 Function in Colon Adenocarcinoma
Authors: Parascandolo Alessia , Benincasa Giulio , Corcione Francesco , Laukkanen Mikko O.
Published: December 2023

ERK1/2 phosphorylation is frequently downregulated in the early phase of colon tumorigenesis with subsequent activation of ERK5. In the current work, we studied the advantage of ERK1/2 downregulation for tumor growth by dissecting the individual functions of ERK1 and ERK2. The patient sample data demonstrated decreased ERK1/2 phosphorylation in the early phase of tumorigenesis followed by upregulation of the phosphorylation in late-stage colon adenocarcinomas with intratumoral invasion or metastasis. In vitro results indicated SOD3-mediated coordination of small GTPase RAS regulatory genes in the inhibition of RAS-ERK1/2 signaling. In vitro and in vivo studies suggested that ERK2 has a more prominent role in chemotactic invasion, collective migration, and cell proliferation than ERK1. Noteworthily, simultaneous ERK1 and ERK2 expression inhibited collective cell migration and proliferation but tended to promote invasion, therefore suggesting that ERK1 controls ERK2 function. According to the present data, phosphorylated ERK1/2 at the early phase of colon adenocarcinoma limits tumor mass expansion, whereas reactivation of the kinases at the later phase of colon carcinogenesis is associated with the initiation of metastasis. Additionally, our results suggest that ERK1 is a regulatory kinase, which coordinates ERK2-promoted chemotactic invasion, collective migration, and cell proliferation. Our findings indicate that ROS, especially H2O2, are associated with the regulation of ERK1/2 phosphorylation in colon cancer either increasing or decreasing the kinase activity. The data suggesting a growth-promoting role for ERK2 and a regulatory role for ERK1 could result in new avenues in the developmental strategies for cancer therapy.
Autocatalytic Chemical Reaction by a Soluble Biopolymer Derived from Municipal Biowaste
Authors: Montoneri Enzo , Padoan Elio , Baglieri Andrea , Contillo Francesco , Francavilla Matteo , Negre Michèle
Published: December 2023

A soluble biopolymer (SBP) was obtained by hydrolysis in pH 13 water at 60 °C. The dry product was re-dissolved in plain water at pH 10 and used as control against the same solution added with hydrogen peroxide at 0.1-3 H2O2 moles per SBP carbon mole. The control and test solutions were kept at room temperature, in the dark or in a climatic chamber under irradiation with simulated solar light, until the solutions pH remained constant. Afterwards, the solutions were processed to recover and analyze the crude soluble products. For the control solution, the results indicated significant production of CO2, production of organic carboxyl functional groups and de-polymerization of the pristine SBP organic matter. These findings demonstrate the oxidation of SBP by water, which could only occur through the production of O and OH radicals catalyzed by SBP. The present work reports the results obtained from the control solution and for the test solution treated in the presence and absence of H2O2, with and without pH control, in the dark and under irradiation with simulated solar light. The paper discusses the perspectives of further implementation of the autocatalytic properties of SBP for the realization of a municipal biowaste-based biorefinery producing value added bio-products for consumer’s use.
Advances in Mass Spectrometry of Gangliosides Expressed in Brain Cancers
Authors: Biricioiu Maria Roxana , Sarbu Mirela , Ica Raluca , Vukelić Željka , Kalanj-Bognar Svjetlana , Zamfir Alina D.
Published: December 2023

Gangliosides are highly abundant in the human brain where they are involved in major biological events. In brain cancers, alterations of ganglioside pattern occur, some of which being correlated with the neoplastic transformation, while others with the tumor proliferation. Of all the techniques, mass spectrometry (MS) has proven to be one of the most effective in gangliosidomics, due to its ability to characterize heterogeneous mixtures and discover species with biomarker value. This review highlights the most significant achievements of MS in the analysis of gangliosides in human brain cancers. The first part presents the state-of-the-art in the MS development for discovery of ganglioside markers in primary brain tumors, with a particular emphasis on the ion mobility separation (IMS) MS and its contribution to the elucidation of the gangliosidome associated with aggressive tumors. The second part is focused on the MS of gangliosides in brain metastases, highlighting the ability of matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI)-MS, microfluidics-MS and tandem MS to decipher and structurally characterize species involved in the metastatic process. In the end, several conclusions and perspectives are presented, among which the need for development of a reliable software and a user-friendly structural database as a search platform in brain tumor diagnostics.
Multi-Performance-Degradation System Reliability Analysis with Varying Failure Threshold Based on Copula
Authors: Gan WeiZHeng , Tang JiaYin
Published: December 2023

This paper investigated reliability modeling for systems subject to dependent competing risks considering that the variation of failure threshold is not considered in most studies on competing failure reliability. Firstly, the variation of degradation quantity under shocks was analyzed, and the variation of threshold was considered on this basis. Secondly, the cumulative degradation under the influence of the random shock process was analyzed. The attractive property of copula is symmetry. Then, A linear Wiener process model is applied to model performance degradation failure, and a multi-performance-degradation correlated-competition model based on a Copula function is constructed, which considers the correlated competition between multiperformance degradation failures. Lastly, the micromotor system is used to analyze the applicability of the proposed model for bivariate instances. demonstrating the rationality and effectiveness of the proposed model.
Decoupling and Cloaking of Rectangular and Circular Patch Antennas and Interleaved Antenna Arrays with Coated Metasurfaces at C-Band Frequencies
Authors: Pawar Shefali , Lee Doojin , Skinner Harry , Suh Seong-Youp , Yakovlev Alexander
Published: December 2023

Electromagnetic cloaking approach is employed with the intention to curb the destructive effects of mutual interference for rectangular and circularly shaped patch antennas situated in a tight spacing (sub-wavelength separation is employed). Primarily, we show that by coating the top surface of each patch with an appropriately designed metasurface, it is possible to considerably reduce the mutual coupling between the said antennas. We also demonstrate that, despite the close proximity of these patches, the individual radiation characteristic of each antenna is reinstated to emulate their performance in an isolated scenario. Furthermore, the cloak construct is extended to a tightly spaced, interleaved linear patch antenna array configuration and it is shown that the coated metasurfaces successfully enhance the performance of each array in terms of their matching characteristics, total efficiencies as well as their far-field realized gain patterns for a broad range of beam-scan angles. The decoupling and cloaking action of these metasurfaces are demonstrated by various full-wave numerical simulation results. We believe that the simple planar structure of our metasurface design (according to simulation models) makes it feasible for fabrication and the fact that it is used to accomplish cloaking of an electrically large antenna surface, makes it unique in itself.
NUMERICAL SIMULATION METHOD IN LOW PERMEABLE ANISOTROPIC RESERVOIRS IN ORDER TO INCREASE OIL RECOVERY
Authors: Lubkov Mykhailo , Mosiichuk K. A.
Published: December 2023

The object of study is the filtration process in weakly permeable anisotropic formations (SAP). The work is devoted to the evaluation of the process of oil-bearing formation depletion, using as a criterion the distribution of reservoir pressure near the system of production and injection wells, taking into account the anisotropy of the permeability of the oil phase. In the course of the study, a combined numerical modeling method based on the finite element and finite difference methods is presented, which allows determining the value of reservoir pressure at any point in the computational domain. The finite-element-difference method proposed in this paper, which combines the advantages of the finite-element method and the finite-difference method to solve the nonstationary piezoelectric conductivity problem, taking into account the heterogeneous distribution of various filtration parameters within the deformed formation and at its boundaries, allows us to adequately calculate the distribution of reservoir pressure in real-world well operation conditions, which gives a number of advantages over existing methods. It was found that the effect of oil phase permeability in the shear direction dominates the effect of permeability in the axial directions. This is due to the fact that, according to the information obtained, for the effective use of anisotropic low-permeability formations, it is necessary to place production and injection wells in areas with relatively low anisotropy of formation permeability, especially to avoid areas with the presence of shear permeability of the formation. It is important to locate wells so that, on the one hand, there is no blockage of oil from the low permeability side, and, on the other hand, there is no rapid depletion of the formation from the high permeability side and the mutual exchange between the production and injection wells does not stop. When placing a system of production and injection wells in anisotropic formations of an oil field, it is necessary to conduct a systematic analysis of the surrounding anisotropy of the formations in order to place them in such a way that would ensure effective dynamics of filtration processes around these wells and increase oil recovery.
DESIGNING OF A NEW HARDWARE AND TECHNOLOGICAL SCHEME OF THE PROCESS OF ORGANIC SUBSTANCES MIXTURES SULPHING
Authors: Dzevochko Oleksandr , Podustov Mykhaylo , Dzevochko Alyona
Published: December 2023

The article states that surfactants based on higher alcohols fr. C12 - C14 are mainly used in a wide range of personal hygiene products, such as shampoos, foaming agents for baths, toothpastes, dishwashing liquid, and delicate laundry detergents. The use of surfactants based on a mixture of higher alcohols fr. C12 - C14 and monoethanolamides of higher fatty acids of coconut oil makes it possible to significantly improve the quality characteristics of personal hygiene products. It is stated that the main element of the apparatus and technological scheme of the sulfation process of mixtures of organic substances is a tubular film absorber. It is shown that for the sulfation of two-component mixtures of organic substances based on higher alcohols fr. C12 - C14 and monoethanolamides of higher fatty acids of coconut oil must use a tubular film absorber, which has two-stage cooling - the upper part 1/3 of the length of the absorber, the lower part 2/3 of the length of the absorber. The speed of the gasair flow is maintained at Vg = 20 m/s, the molar ratio of reagents is 1.08 : 1.0, the concentration of sulfur trioxide in the gas-air flow is 3.7% vol., the temperature of the initial reactants: liquid phase is 313 K, gas-air flow is 303 K, cooling water - 293 K. Based on such initial data, an industrial tubular absorber was calculated. The data of such a calculation are given. It is stated that the calculation of the industrial tubular film absorber was carried out according to the developed algorithm and program in the MatLab language, the iterative method of calculation was used in the program. The calculation of the number of pipes of an industrial absorber is given. It is shown that the absorber consists of the following main elements - an upper elliptical cover, a gas-air flow distribution plate, a chamber for distributing a mixture of organic substances, film formers, two cooling chambers, and a lower elliptical cover. It is stated that on the basis of an industrial tubular film absorber, a new equipment and technological scheme has been designed and presented. The main technical, economic and environmental indicators of the implementation of such a hardware and technological scheme are presented.
ANALYSIS OF THE TECHNOLOGY OF GENERATING MICROWAVE RADIATION WITH THE DEFINITION OF AN ADAPTIVE TYPE OF DIODES FOR THE FURTHER DESIGN OF DEVICES FOR DISINFECTION
Authors: Kundenko M.P. , Mardzyavko V. A. , Rudenko A. Yu.
Published: December 2023

The need to find an actual method of decontamination of grain products is more relevant than ever in our time. The needs of agro-producers should be embodied in multifunctional devices that give the opportunity to influence not only the aspect of disinfection, but also would allow to stimulate biological processes. This technique includes the use of ultrahigh-frequency (UHF) radiation. Installations used to solve decontamination issues have one main similar feature, namely the use of diodes in the generation system. Considering the main typical design of the microwave generator, it is possible to observe the main problem of the losses of the useful effect of the generation system - these are the losses in the diodes. For high-quality use and implementation, it is necessary to take into account the quality of processing of grain products, high indicators can be achieved due to the use of radio equipment. Modernization generally occurs by replacing the outdated generating part of the installation with a new one with better technical performance and greater variability of frequency and power ranges. First of all, what this tells us is that each crop has its own radio-physical characteristics, this factor is important for increasing processing efficiency. Studies show that the flexibility and controllability of the plant for agricultural processing is ensured by the use of modernized diodes. The paper examines the main types of diodes used in generating units, describes the main three loss zones, in general and directly in the avalanche diode (Reed diode). During the study of losses, the materials used in semiconductor technology were superficially considered in order to improve the conductivity of the diode. On the basis of the conducted research, reasonable conclusions were made in accordance with the topic of the research. The basic element of the installation is the use of pulse generators, but the use of outdated generators is irrational and pointless. It is clear that the success of this processing method depends on the development of radio technology. Continued efforts in this direction will help preserve and improve the effectiveness of this technology.
LIGNITE AS A RAW MATERIAL FOR THE PRODUCTION OF WATER-SOLUBLE SORBENTS
Authors: Sinitsyna A.O. , Karnozhytskyi P. P.
Published: December 2023

Large lignite reserves are concentrated in the Dnipro lignite basin of Ukraine. It is profitable to extract it by open-pit mining, as the seams are shallow. Ukrainian lignite is predominantly earthy, subbituminous, which in turn is characterized by a high content of free humic acids. Despite the significant lignite reserves in Ukraine and favourable conditions, its production is insignificant. Most of the lignite is used as fuel, and a small part of it is used as raw material. We have studied the lignite of the Oleksandriya deposit of Ukraine, which contains a large amount (about 80 %) of humic acid, which is the basis to produce effective water-soluble sorbents. The article investigates and determines the efficiency of using lignite from the Oleksandriya deposit to produce humic substances, their elemental composition, and the yield of humic acids from them. The efficiency of the use of humic substances obtained from lignite of the Alexandria deposit in the binding of heavy metal ions (Pb2+, Cd2+) using the method of complexation - ultrafiltration - was determined. The performance of ultrafiltration membranes with a humate solution was determined. The retention coefficient of metal ions, which depends on the concentration of humic substances, was calculated. The conducted studies allow us to assert that the application of the ultrafiltration-complexation method using complexing agents based on humic substances of lignite from the Alexandria deposit can significantly increase the degree of purification of aqueous solutions from heavy metal ions. These studies are relevant and expand the possibilities of using lignite. It has been shown that Ukrainian lignite can be used to produce an environmentally friendly and cheap complexing agent. An important priority for the use of water-soluble humic substances is the large lignite reserves in Ukraine, which can also contribute to improving economic performance. Also, the studies conducted suggest that the application of a combined method that combines ultrafiltration with complexation when using complexing agents based on lignite humic substances can significantly increase the degree of purification from heavy metal ions.
The COVID-19 Pandemic and Moderate-to-vigorous Physical Activity among Daegu Citizens
Authors: Jin Soo Hee
Published: December 2023

Objectives: Daegu Metropolitan City was a region that experienced the pandemic in the early stages of the COVID-19 outbreak, and the rate of physical activity practice decreased significantly compared to other regions in 2020. Three years later, in 2022, when social distancing was lifted, although the rate of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) in other cities recovered to the pre-COVID-19 levels, Daegu’s recovery was the lowest among special and metropolitan cities.Methods: We investigated to the characteristics of the group whose practice rate of moderate to high physical activity has not recovered to its pre-COVID level by changes in the practice rate of MVPA from 2019 to 2022 according to sociodemographic characteristics, by using data from the Daegu City Community Health Survey.Results: In difference (%p) between years, the rate of practicing MVPA in those who had a high rate of that before COVID-19 decreased significantly. In 2019, before the outbreak of COVID-19, the groups with the lowest rates of MVPA were women, over 70 years old, low-income, other occupations (students, housewives, unemployed), hypertension, and diabetes. In increase/decrease rate, the groups that decreased the most in 2020 were women, over 70 years old, low-income, agriculture · forestry · fisheries, hypertension, and diabetes. The groups with the lowest recovery in 2022 were women, 60s, low-income, agriculture · forestry · fisheries, hypertension, and diabetes.Conclusions: The group whose MVPA was most vulnerable in 2019 decreased the most in 2020, and the group that decreased the most significantly was found to be the group with the lowest recovery in 2022. The gap between the vulnerable and privileged groups has widened as the former has become more vulnerable due to the pandemic. Therefore, it is crucial for the local government to intervene for vulnerable groups because the groups that in socioeconomic may be more affected by reduced physical activity.
Factors Affecting Entrepreneurial Intention of Clinical Nurses in Korea: A Cross-sectional Study
Authors: Hong Jieon , Kim Yunsoo , Lee Kyu Eun
Published: December 2023

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to identify the factors influencing the entrepreneurial intention of clinical nurses.Methods: The study subjects were 173 nurses working at the advanced general hospital located in G city. Data collection was conducted from May 18th to June 3rd, 2022. Data analysis were analyzed using percentage, mean and standard deviation, independent t-test, ANOVA, Scheffé test, Pearson’s correlation coefficient, and hierarchical multiple regression with the SPSS 25.0.Results: Entrepreneurial intention had a significant positive correlation with attitude toward entrepreneurship, subjective norm toward entrepreneurship, perceived behavior control toward entrepreneurship, innovativeness, proactiveness, risk-taking incentives and entrepreneurial self-efficacy. As a result of a hierarchical multiple regression analysis, gender (β= 0.09, p= 0.046), turnover intention (β= 0.01, p= 0.016), attitude toward entrepreneurship (β= 0.51, p< 0.001), and proactiveness (β= 0.16, p< 0.016) were found to significantly influence entrepreneurial intention of clinical nurses. The explanatory power of the model was 70.5% (F = 35.87, p< 0.001).Conclusions: Entrepreneurship for nurses can broaden the range of career options available to nurses, and it can be a way to broaden their practice experience and provide a work-life balance. It is necessary to devise measures to activate nursing entrepreneurship based on the results of this study.
The Effects of Music-Based Auditory Training on Hearing-Impaired Older Adults With Mild Cognitive Impairment
Authors: Park Sihun , Park Kyoung Ho , Han Woojae
Published: December 2023

Objectives. The present study aimed to determine the effect of music-based auditory training on older adults with hearing loss and decreased cognitive ability, which are common conditions in the older population.Methods. In total, 20 older adults diagnosed with both mild-to-moderately severe hearing loss and mild cognitive impairment (MCI) participated. Half of this group were randomly assigned to the auditory training group (ATG), and the other half were designated as the control group (CG). For the ATG, a 40-minute training session (10 minutes for singing a song, 15 minutes for playing instruments, and 15 minutes for playing games with music discrimination) was conducted twice a week for 8 weeks (for a total of 16 sessions). To confirm the training effects, all participants were given tests pre- and post-training, and then a follow-up test was administered 2 weeks after the training, using various auditory and cognitive tests and a self-reporting questionnaire.Results. The ATG demonstrated significant improvement in all auditory test scores compared to the CG. Additionally, there was a notable enhancement in cognitive test scores post-training, except for the digit span tests. However, there was no statistically significant difference in the questionnaire scores between the two groups, although the ATG did score higher post-training.Conclusion. The music-based auditory training resulted in a significant improvement in auditory function and a partial enhancement in cognitive ability among elderly patients with hearing loss and MCI. We anticipate that this music-based approach will be adopted for auditory training in clinical settings due to its engaging and easy-to-follow nature.
Charcot Arthropathy of the Digit
Authors: Rich Matthew D. , Ward Christina M.
Published: December 2023

Case:

Charcot arthropathy (CA) is a progressive degenerative joint disease typically affecting lower extremity weight-bearing joints, with only a few cases reported in the fingers. We present 2 cases of interphalangeal joint CA: the long finger distal interphalangeal joint in a 73-year-old man with severe carpal tunnel syndrome and the ring finger proximal interphalangeal joint of a 71-year-old woman with diabetic neuropathy.

Conclusion:

Two cases of CA of the digits were treated with splinting with resolution of symptoms and no wound complications.
Effects of Facebook Fan Pages on Consumer Brand Loyalty and Purchase Intention
Authors: Jou Tzu-I , Chen Yi-Fen , Yen Wan-Hsin
Published: December 2023

Business organisations use Facebook fan pages to market their brand by tapping into virtual communities to attract customers. This study investigates whether consumers joining Facebook fan pages identify with and trust brand communities by assessing sense of belonging, interactivity and word-of-mouth advertising and whether these factors positively impact brand loyalty and purchase intentions. Through an online survey, 468 questionnaires were obtained. Structural equation modelling was employed to analyse the correlation between variables; the relation between the variables was studied using the modelling results to determine whether these variables could increase customers’ purchase intentions. Sense of belonging and interactivity positively affect brand community identification, and positive word-of-mouth and information value positively impact brand community trust. Moreover, brand community identification has a positive effect on brand community trust, brand community identification and trust positively affect brand loyalty, and brand loyalty positively affects purchase intention.
Solar-Fuel cell based Islanded DC-Microgrid with hybrid Energy Storage Devices
Authors: Gupta S. K. , Laledia Saurabh Singh
Published: December 2023

A sturdy management technique that incorporates several hybrid energy storage alternatives is presented as a means of developing an independent and dependable renewable solar energy system. In this work, a small-scale freestanding power system configuration using the conventional proportional-integral (PI) control technique is illustrated to improve the reliability of solar panels. The suggested system integrates photovoltaics (PVs), fuel cell technology (FCs), supercapacitors, and batteries into a solitary arrangement with integrated energy storage and generating devices. In addition to it, the fuel cell is fed with the self-generated hydrogen from an electrolyzer function module which makes the system a complete hybrid. The system is outlined to maintain a voltage of 300V at the DC load which is supported through different sources depending on the state of charge that is taken in two different cases when the battery SOC is 50\% and when it is 90\%. The production of hydrogen and fuel cell discharge are directly depended on the SOC of the battery. By limiting excessive discharge, the power flow method in the simulation serves to safeguard the battery's health.
The system makes use of a maximum power point tracking (MPPT) circuit and a direct current converter to maximize the power that is produced by the solar panel array. This serves as an unambiguous instance of how the advantages of the network may be used to address the shortcomings of the individual sources and minimize unnecessary consumption of hydrogen. The fundamental system parameters, such as fuel cell current, battery, and SC states of charge (SOC), are controlled via the tried-and-true PI control strategy. For the sake of the objectives for evaluation and tracking, the system was created in MATLAB/Simulink.