bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Comparative genomic analysis of Halomonas campaniensis wild-type and ultraviolet radiation-mutated strains reveal genomic differences associated with increased ectoine production
Authors: Wang Zhibo , Li Yongzhen , Gao Xiang , Xing Jiangwa , Wang Rong , Zhu Derui , Shen Guoping
Published: November 2022

Ectoine is a natural amino acid derivative and one of the most widely used compatible solutes produced by Halomonas species that affects both cellular growth and osmotic equilibrium. The positive effects of UV mutagenesis on both biomass and ectoine content production in ectoine-producing strains have yet to be reported. In this study, the wild-type H. campaniensis strain XH26 (CCTCCM2019776) was subjected to UV-mutagenesis to increase ectoine production. Eight rounds of mutagenesis were used to generate mutated XH26 strains with different UV-irradiation exposure times. Ectoine extract concentrations were then evaluated among all strains using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis, alongside whole genome sequencing with the PacBio RS II platform and comparison of the wild type strain XH26 and the mutant strain G8-52 genomes. The mutant strain G8-52 (CCTCCM2019777) exhibited the highest cell growth rate and ectoine yields among mutated strains in comparison with strain XH26. Further, ectoine levels in the aforementioned strain significantly increased to 1.51 ± 0.01 g L− 1 (0.65 g g− 1 of cell dry weight), representing a two-fold increase compared to wild-type cells (0.51 ± 0.01 g L− 1) when grown in culture medium for ectoine accumulation (CMEA). Concomitantly, electron microscopy revealed that mutated strain G8-52 cells were obviously shorter than wild-type strain XH26 cells. Moreover, strain G8-52 produced a relatively stable ectoine yield (1.50 g L− 1) after 40 days of continuous subculture. Comparative genomics analysis suggested that strain XH26 harbored 24 mutations, including 10 nucleotide insertions, 10 nucleotide deletions, and unique single nucleotide polymorphisms. Notably, the genes orf00723 and orf02403 (lipA) of the wild type strain mutated to davT and gabD in strain G8-52 that encoded for 4-aminobutyrate-2-oxoglutarate transaminase and NAD-dependent succinate-semialdehyde dehydrogenase, respectively. Consequently, these genes may be involved in increased ectoine yields. These results suggest that continuous multiple rounds of UV-mutation represents a successful strategy for increasing ectoine production, and that the mutant strain G8-52 is suitable for large-scale fermentation applications.
Bayesian analysis of linear regression models with autoregressive symmetrical errors and incomplete data
Authors: Garay Aldo William Medina , Medina Francyelle Lima , de Freitas Suelem Torres , Davila Victor Hugo Lachos
Published: November 2022

Observations collected over time are often auto correlated rather than independent, and sometimes include incomplete information, e.g. censored values reported as less or more than a level of detection and/or missing values. Another complication arises when the data departs significantly from normality, such as asymmetry and fat tails. In this paper, we propose Bayesian analysis of linear regression models with autoregressive symmetrical errors. The model considers the symmetric class of scale mixture of normal distributions, which include the normal, slash, contaminated normal and Student-t distributions as special cases. A Markov-chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) algorithm is tailored to obtain Bayesian posterior distributions of the unknown quantities of interest. The likelihood function is utilized to compute some Bayesian model selection measures. We evaluate the proposed model under different settings of censored and/or missing levels using simulated data. Finally, we illustrate the usage of our proposal through the analysis of a real dataset.
Genetic diversity analysis and EST-SSR fingerprinting construction of natural Populus euphratica and Populus pruinosa populations
Authors: Chen Xiang X. , Gai Zhong S. , Zhai Jun T. , Guo Xue F. , Wu Zhi H. , Li Zhi J.
Published: November 2022

Populus euphratica and Populus pruinosa are important tree species in northwest China. In this study, the codominant EST-SSR markers related to drought resistance genes was used to reveal the genetic diversity of P. euphratica and P. pruinosa populations. The results showed that those populations exhibited rich genetic diversity levels. Compared with other P. euphratica and P. pruinosa populations respectively, the genetic diversity of populations in southern Xinjiang was all the highest. The average fixed index of different populations indicated that the genetic relationship among P. euphratica populations was relatively far, while the relationship among the P. pruinosa populations was closer. The molecular variance analysis showed that the variation within populations was bigger than that among populations in the P. euphratica and P. pruinosa populations respectively. The cluster analysis showed that P. euphratica and P. pruinosa populations could be mainly classified into two clades represented by southern and northern Xinjiang respectively. The population structure and principal co-ordinates analysis indicated that the 47 natural P. euphratica populations have been divided into 4 clades, represented by the two populations in southern or southern Xinjiang respectively. The 17 natural P. pruinosa populations had been divided into 4 clades, consisted by the three County in southern Xinjiang, and Nilka County in northern Xinjiang. At the same time, The EST-SSR fingerprintings of 47 natural Populus euphratica and 17 natural Populus pruinosa have been constructed successfully. This study laid the foundation for the later priority protection of the genetic diversity populations of excellent drought resistance.
Immunotherapy targeting different immune compartments in combination with radiation therapy induces regression of resistant tumors
Authors: Rudqvist Nils-Petter , Charpentier Maud , Lhuillier Claire , Wennerberg Erik , Spada Sheila , Sheridan Caroline , Zhou Xi , Zhang Tuo , Formenti Silvia , Sims Jennifer , Alonso Alicia , Demaria Sandra
Published: November 2022

Radiation therapy (RT) increases tumor response to CTLA-4 inhibition (CTLA4i) in mice and in some patients, yet deep responses are rare. This raises the possibility that effector T cells are insufficiently activated by the combination. To address this question we use mouse models of triple negative breast cancer highly resistant to immunotherapy. We find that CTLA4i promotes the expansion of CD4+ T helper cells, whereas RT enhances T cell clonality and enriches for CD8+ T cells with an exhausted phenotype. Combination therapy decreases regulatory CD4+ T cells and increases CD8+ T cells with effector memory, early activation and precursor exhausted phenotype. A combined gene signature comprising these three CD8+ T cell clusters is associated with survival in triple negative breast cancer patients. Despite the expression of multiple immune checkpoints on intratumoral T cells, response to RT+CTLA4i is not increased by targeting additional checkpoints, including PD1. In contrast, agonistic CD40 therapy enhances responses in mice, indicating the need to target different immune compartments to increase responses to combinations of RT and CTLA4i.
Fabrication and Characterization of Electrospun Cellulose Acetate Nanofibers Derived from Rice Husk for Potential Wound Healing Application
Authors: Nasir Aryanny , Razak saiful Izwan , Adrus Nadia , Suan Chua Lee , Rahmat Zaidah , Bohari Siti Pauliena Mohd
Published: November 2022

As one of the world’s most abundant biomass, lignocellulosic materials such as rice husk (RH) has been recognized for its various potential usages. Electrospun nanofibrous mats have been fabri-cated from various natural and synthetic polymers and offers a wide range of promising criteria suitable for wound dressing applications. Natural polymers have grabbed considerable attention due to their desirable properties. Therefore, the application of cellulose-derived materials from agricultural waste becomes crucial as a green alternative to produce electrospun wound dressing with excellent wettability, porosity and tunability to promote wound healing at relatively low costs. Interestingly, a specific study on the utilization of cellulose extracted from RH to produce electrospun nanofibrous mat remains unreported. Therefore, this work aimed to investigate the feasibility of using RH as a source of raw materials to create nanofibrous mats for use as pro-spective wound dressing materials. In this paper, cellulose extracted from RH will be converted into its derivate, cellulose acetate (CA) and electrospun. The nanofiber will be characterized by Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), Attenuated Total Reflectance- Fourier transform spectros-copy (ATR-FTIR), water contact angle to evaluate the main properties of the electrospun nano-fibrous mat.
Engaging physicians and nurses in balanced scorecard evaluation - An implication at Palestinian hospitals and recommendations for policy makers
Authors: Amer Faten
Published: November 2022

Introduction
A balanced scorecard (BSC) is a thorough performance evaluation (PE) instrument. A recent review concluded that hospitals must take into account PE from six perspectives: financial, customer, internal, external, knowledge and growth, and managerial. However, healthcare workers (HCWs) were seldom involved in BSC deployments. This study attempts to involve Palestinian HCWs in BSC implementation to generate health policy recommendations.
Methodology
In this cross-sectional study, the BSC-HCW1 survey was distributed to engage HCWs in the PE of 14 hospitals between January and October 2021. The differences between physicians’ and nurses’ evaluations were assessed by the Mann‒Whitney U test. The causal relationships between factors were analyzed using multiple linear regression. Multicollinearity of the model was checked. Path analysis was performed to understand the BSC strategic maps based on the Palestinian HCWs’ evaluations.
Results
Out of 800 surveys, 454 were retrieved. We found low performing factors and KPIs. Specifically, the financial incentives, the sufficiency of time spent with the patients, the HCWs’ education updates on medications and diseases, the hospital equipment quality and maintenance, the inclusion of strengths and weaknesses explanations in HCWs’ appraisals, the HCWs’ intent to stay or leave, and their satisfaction rate. No evaluation differences among physicians and nurses were found. HCWs’ work-life balance and time management (WTLB), quality and development initiatives (QUALDEV), and managerial performance evaluation (MGMTEVAL) have a direct effect on improving HCWs’ loyalty attitudes (LOY). HCW engagement (ENG), MGMTEVAL, and LOY have a direct effect on enhancing the respect toward managers (MTR). QUALDEV, WTLB, LOY, and MGMTEVAL had a direct effect on improving the perceived patient respect toward HCWs. Financial incentives had an indirect effect on improving LOY and PTR. Technology had an indirect effect on QUALDEV improvement.
Conclusion
BSC-HCW1 successfully engaged HCWs in BSC PE at Palestinian hospitals. This research highlights gaps in the PE of Palestinian hospitals and provides evidence on the importance of improving HCWs’ work-life balance, quality development initiatives, managerial performance, engagement, financial incentives, technology, and loyalty attitudes. Hospital managers should enhance HCWs’ feedback and engagement culture in Palestinian hospitals and link PE with practical action plans and targets.
Experimental demonstration of input-output indefiniteness in a single quantum device
Authors: Guo Yu , Liu Zixuan , Tang Hao , Hu Xiao-Min , Liu Bi-Heng , Huang Yun-Feng , Li Chuan-Feng , Guo Guang-Can , Chiribella Giulio
Published: November 2022

At the fundamental level, the dynamics of quantum fields is invariant under the combination of time reversal, charge conjugation, and parity inversion. This symmetry implies that a broad class of effective quantum evolutions are bidirectional, meaning that the exchange of their inputs and outputs gives rise to valid quantum evolutions. Recently, it has been observed that quantum theory is theoretically compatible with a family of operations in which the roles of the inputs and outputs is indefinite. However, such operations have not been demonstrated in the laboratory so far. Here we experimentally demonstrate input-output indefiniteness in a photonic setup, demonstrating an advantage in a quantum game and showing incompatibility with a definite input-output direction by more than 69 standard deviations. Our results establish input-output indefiniteness as a new resource for quantum information protocols, and enable the table-top simulation of hypothetical scenarios where the arrow of time could be in a quantum superposition.
Risk factors for neck pain in college students: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Gao Yifang , Chen Zhiming , Chen Shaoqing , Wang Shizhong , Lin Jianping
Published: November 2022

Background
During the COVID-19 epidemic, the prevalence of neck pain among college students has increased due to the shift from offline to online learning and increasing academic and employment pressures. Therefore, this systematic review aimed to identify the personal, occupational, and psychological factors associated with the development of neck pain to promote the development of preventive strategies and early intervention treatment.
Methods
Seven electronic databases were searched from inception to April 2022 for cross-sectional studies, cohort studies, case-control studies, and randomized controlled trials (RCT) on neck pain. The quality of the selected studies was assessed by American Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) or the Newcastle-Ottawa scale (NOS). Pooled odds ratios (ORs) with corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated to evaluate the effects of the included risk factors on neck pain.
Results
Twenty-six studies were included, including 16,826 participants, and a total of 30 potentially associated risk factors were identified, with 20 factors only listed as risk factors in one or two studies. Ultimately, 10 risk factors were included in the meta-analysis, and all results were statistically significant (P < 0.05). The factors supported by strong evidence mainly include the improper use of the pillow (OR = 2.20, 95% CI: 1.39 to 3.48), lack of exercise (OR = 1.88, 95% CI: 1.53 to 2.30), improper sitting posture (OR = 1.97, 95% CI: 1.39 to 2.78), and history of neck and shoulder trauma (OR = 2.32, 95% CI: 1.79 to 3.01), senior grade (OR = 2.86, 95% CI: 2.07 to 3.95), staying up late (OR = 1.80, 95% CI: 1.35 to 2.41), and long-time electronic product usage daily (OR = 1.45, 95% CI: 1.27 to 1.65), long-time to bow head (OR = 2.04, 95% CI: 1.58 to 2.64), emotional problems (OR = 2.09; 95% CI: 1.66, 2.63). Risk factors supported by moderate evidence were high pressure (OR = 1.91, 95% CI: 1.50 2.42).
Conclusion
Improper use of the pillow, lack of exercise, improper sitting posture, history of neck and shoulder trauma, senior grade, staying up late, long-term electronic product usage daily, long time to bow head, high pressure, and emotional problems affect neck pain in college students. More studies have been conducted to prove the risk and relevance of the remaining 20 factors.
High-throughput Characterization of Fruit Phenotypic Diversity among New Mexican Chile Pepper (Capsicum spp.) Using the Tomato Analyzer Software
Authors: Khokhar Ehtisham S. , Lozada Dennis N. , Nankar Amol N. , Hernandez Samuel , Coon Danise , Kaur Navdeep , Nourbakhsh Seyed Shahabeddin
Published: November 2022

Fruit architecture and morphology-related traits are among the determinants of fruit diversity and are major contributors to yield and yield potential in chile pepper (Capsicum spp.). This study aimed to characterize 105 genotypes of a Capsicum diversity panel consisting of cultivars, breeding lines, landrace, and wild species belonging to twelve different pod (fruit) types, for 32 morphometric Tomato Analyzer (TA) descriptors. Hierarchical cluster analysis grouped the genotypes into eight clusters based on the TA descriptors. A multivariate principal component analysis yielded two principal components, PC1 and PC2, which explained 53.24% and 10.11% of the variation in fruit diversity, respectively. The basic measurements—namely, perimeter, area, width midheight, maximum width, height midwidth, maximum height, and curved height were the most discriminating descriptors with a maximum contribution to the overall fruit shape. There was a strong, positive correlation for basic measurements and fruit shape index, whereas blockiness was negatively correlated with distal angle macro. Additive genetic effects and high heritability for the fruit traits were observed. Results of this study will provide valuable information to breed high-yielding chile pepper cultivars based on fruit morphology traits.
Thermal and dissipative effects on the heating transition in a driven critical system
Authors: Choo Kenny , Lapierre Bastien , Kuhlenkamp Clemens , Tiwari Apoorv , Neupert Titus , Chitra Ramasubramanian
Published: November 2022

We study the dissipative dynamics of a periodically driven
inhomogeneous critical lattice model in one dimension. The closed system
dynamics starting from pure initial states is well-described by a driven
Conformal Field Theory (CFT), which predicts the existence of both
heating and non-heating phases in such systems. Heating is inhomogeneous
and is manifested via the emergence of black-hole like horizons in the
system. The robustness of this CFT phenomenology when considering
thermal initial states and open systems remains elusive. First, we
present analytical results for the Floquet CFT time evolution for
thermal initial states. Moreover, using exact calculations of the time
evolution of the lattice density matrix, we demonstrate that for short
and intermediate times, the closed system phase diagram comprising
heating and non-heating phases, persists for thermal initial states on
the lattice. Secondly, in the fully open system with boundary
dissipators, we show that the nontrivial spatial structure of the
heating phase survives particle-conserving and non-conserving
dissipations through clear signatures in mutual information and energy
density evolution.
CARACTERISATION DES INFESTATIONS DE LA MINEUSE DE LEPI DU MIL, HELIOCHEILUS ALBIPUNCTELLA DE JOANNIS, DANS LA BANDE SUD DU NIGER
Authors:   Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique du Niger (INRAN), BP 240 Maradi, Niger., Nassirou Oumarou Mahamane , Boukary Baoua Ibrahim ,   Universite Dan DickoDanKoulodo de Maradi, BP 465 Maradi, Niger., Amadou Laouali ,   Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique du Niger (INRAN), BP 240 Maradi, Niger.
Published: November 2022

Heliocheilusalbipunctella de Joannis est un ravageur endemique de la zone sahelienne qui occasionne dimportants degats sur la culture de mil. Durant les saisons pluviales 2016 a 2018, une etude relative a ses infestations a ete conduite dans la bande sud agricole du Niger. Des pieges lumineux ont ete installes dans 9 localites des regions de Maradi, Tahoua et Tillabery. Des donnees sur les populations embryonnaires et larvaires ont ete collectees dans la region de Maradi au niveau des 2 villages en 2016 et 3 villages en 2017. Les resultats ont montre que 1) lemergence des papillons de H. albipunctella a debutee 58,22 jours apres semis, correspondant a la troisieme decade de juillet et leur vol a dure 33,37 jours. 2) Les premieres infestations du mil ont ete observees au debut aout par la presence des Å“ufs et des jeunes larves du ravageur sur les epis emerges. 3) Les Å“ufs ont ete observes sur les epis durant 24,78 jours et les larves pendant 44,5 jours. 4) Il est note un delai dau moins deux semaines entre lapparition des jeunes larves et lobservation des premiers signes de degats du ravageur. Ces informations peuvent contribuer a la planification de la lutte preventive et la gestion efficace de ce ravageur.
U.S. small bank failures and the Financial Crisis of 2007–2009
Authors: Downs John , J. Cebula Richard , Johansen Doug , Foley Maggie
Published: November 2022

This study utilizes logistic regression to identify annual financial statement and performance ratio factors that influenced the failure rate of U.S. small banks before and after the Financial Crisis identified during December 2007 through June, 2009. The study includes rates of small bank failure before and Financial Crisis spanning the years 2001 through 2014. The aim of the paper is to describe in large increase in U.S. small bank failure after the Financial Crisis. The Financial Crisis created drastic sustained changes of the financial system that were designed for large financial institutions. These changes may have created undue hardship for small banks and elevated the rate of small bank failures in the post-Financial Crisis period. Post-Financial Crisis bank failures had lower capital ratios and increased loan portfolio risk relative to the prior period. The combined effect of expansionist monetary policy, increased regulatory costs, and possession of illiquid real estate assets contributed to the higher rate of failure. The identification of factors that contribute to the increase in small bank failures after the Financial Crisis should assist bank managers, policy analysts, and scholars in developing alternative solutions for the future.
Financial literacy and SME loan repayments in South Africa during the COVID-19 era
Authors: Sthembiso Msomi Thabiso , Nzama Smangele
Published: November 2022

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are the primary victims of the COVID-19 outbreak because they lack adequate resources and are poorly prepared for such interruptions. For SMEs to expand, they need financial assistance such as loans and advances from financial service providers. However, they struggle to repay these loans and advances because they are small in size and do not make large turnovers, and owners lack adequate financial literacy. This study aims to investigate the relationship between financial literacy and loan repayment of SMEs. The study followed a positivist paradigm, and a quantitative approach was employed. A total of 110 self-completed Likert questionnaires were distributed, only 107 were filled correctly and analyzed using SPSS. The results from Pearson’s correlation coefficient showed a strong and significant relationship between financial literacy and SME loan repayments at r = 0.324, P < 0.0005. Regression analysis showed a significant linear relationship between financial literacy and SME loans repayments, F (1.152) = 17.806; P < 0.0005. P < 0.0005 is less than the independent variable (SME loans repayments), B = 0.324, P < 0.0005. The results imply that if SME owners are well-versed in finance, they will be capable of repaying outstanding loans and advances timely.
National Mechanisms of the Enforcement of Agreements Resulting from Mediation: EU Experience and Ukrainian Perspectives
Authors: Tsuvina Tetiana
Published: November 2022

Topicality. The article addresses domestic mechanisms for the enforcement of agreements resulting from mediation, which is relevant from both theoretical and practical points of view, because the existence of such mechanisms is a relevant factor of the effectiveness of mediation in particular jurisdiction.
The purpose of the article. The purpose of the article is to analyze the national mechanisms for the enforcement of agreements resulting from mediation in the EU Member States and to develop relevant proposals for Ukraine.
Research methods. In the article the author uses general philosophical, general scientific and special research methods, in particular, dialectical, system-structural, logical and comparative legal methods, method of analysis and synthesis.
Results. Based on the analysis of the provisions of Directive 2008/52/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 21.05.2008 on certain aspects of mediation in civil and commercial matters, the author concludes that Member States enjoy a wide discretion on the issue of implementing the provisions of the Directive and numerous different approaches may be embraced with a view to ensure enforceability of agreements resulting from mediation. Based on the analysis of the legislation of the EU Member States, the following mechanisms for the enforcement of agreements resulting from mediation are identified: a) recognizing the agreement as an enforceable civil law contract; b) making the agreement enforceable through the approval by the court; c) making the agreement enforceable through the approval by the arbitral tribunal; d) making the agreement enforceable through the approval by the notary (notarial deed); e) making the agreement enforceable through the approval by some other specially created bodies; f) automatic enforcement. For Ukrainian Law the author suggests, first, diversification of mechanisms for judicial approval of agreements resulting from mediation and, second, allowing notaries to approve agreements resulting from mediation.
The significance of the results. The article is addressed to legal scholars and practitioners, mediators and students of higher law schools.
The Specifics оf Citizens` Participation іn Public Administration Under the Martial Law іn Ukraine
Authors: Yaitska Daria
Published: November 2022

Topicality. The article is devoted to the peculiarities of citizens' participation in public administration under the conditions of martial law in Ukraine, introduced starting from February 24, 2022, which continues until now. The subject of the study is the tools of public influence on the state management process, which are relevant in the current conditions of existence of Ukraine and are actively used. The content of the article combines the analysis of current national legislation and the practice of its implementation in this area.
The purpose of the article. The author aims to determine the specifics of the interpretation of the concept of "public administration" in the conditions of martial law, to analyze the actual mechanisms of citizen participation in public administration.
Research methods. The research will use general scientific and special methods of scientific knowledge. For the most part, the purpose and tasks of the research involve the analysis and synthesis of information obtained from the outlined sources, the comparison of the tools of citizen participation in public administration in terms of their effectiveness, as well as the formulation of the author's conclusions on certain issues, providing recommendations for theoretical and practical use.
Results. The article examines the tools of public participation in management, which are used both at the initiative of citizens themselves and at the initiative of state bodies and local self-government bodies. Emphasis is placed on strengthening the role of digital means of influencing citizens on decision-making by authorized entities at the national and regional levels. The implemented online survey mechanism through the Diya portal was considered. The advantages and disadvantages of this form of citizen participation in public administration are determined. In addition, the author analyzed the shortcomings of the legal regulation of electronic appeals in Ukraine, as well as the existing practice of publicizing and reviewing petitions.
The significance of the results. Based on the conducted research, the article formulates conclusions and provides recommendations for improving the legal regulation of citizens' participation in public administration and the practice of implementing the norms of legislation on public participation.
A GREEN AND RELIABLE TITRIMETRIC METHOD FOR TOTAL ORGANIC CARBON DETERMINATION WITH POTASSIUM PERMANGANATE
Authors: Lã Otavio , de Azevedo Caroline , Barra Cristina , Netto-Ferreira Julia , de Sousa Érica , Rocha Jr. José
Published: November 2022

The determination of total organic carbon in soils, fertilizers, sewage sludge, sediments, and humic extracts is widely performed by chemical oxidation methods with K2Cr2O7. The Yeomans-Bremner (YB) method is currently the one that stands out the most. The drawback of these methods is the large amount of concentrated H2SO4 used, which generates a large amount of hazardous waste. This work proposes using KMnO4 as an alternative to K2Cr2O7 for a lower consumption of H2SO4. The method uses the back titration of Fe2+ added to consume both the MnO2 produced and the excess KMnO4 that was not consumed in the OM oxidation. A non-trivial and yet not explored stoichiometry was applied for this purpose, providing a success not yet achieved in using permanganate to determine TOC by titration. The ideal condition for the oxidation of OC was determined by the analysis of a potassium hydrogen phthalate standard and involved the use of 0.125 mol L-1 H2SO4 and temperature of 70 °C, obtaining a significant advantage over the YB method (concentrated H2SO4 and 170 °C). The proposed method was applied to the analysis of soil samples, producing conversion factors for soil organic carbon that varied between 0.652 and 1.12.
Role of a novel cationic gemini surfactant (CGS) on a one-step sol–gel process and photocatalytic properties of TiO2 powders
Authors: Koç Keşir Melek , Yıldız İkbal Sarıkaya , Bilgen Selçuk , Sökmen Münevver
Published: November 2022

TiO2 nanoparticles were prepared using a sol–gel process in combination with a novel cationic gemini surfactant (CGS) with amide functional groups at low temperatures. Titanium (IV) isopropoxide (TIP) and CGS were used as the starting materials and as effective agents, respectively, to orient the nanoparticles during the sol–gel synthesis. To reveal both the structural and morphological properties of the nanopowders prepared in this work, they were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis, scanning electron microscope (SEM), and Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) surface area apparatus. The pore volume and pore size were calculated using the Barrett–Joyner–Halenda (BJH) model on the desorption branch. The experimental results show that the surface area and average crystallite size of the obtained TiO2 nanopowders vary between 160–203 m2/g and 27–49 nm, respectively. It was observed that the N2 adsorption–desorption isotherms for almost all samples of TiO2–X% CGS (X: mass of CGS) show the typical Type I with a hysteresis loop of H4. The photocatalytic activities of the CGS-modified nanocomposites are evaluated not only by the photocatalytic degradation of methyl orange (MO) but also by the reduction of Cr(VI) as model pollutants in the presence of visible light.

HIGHLIGHTS

Excitable TiO2/CGS composites were prepared by the sol-gel method. XRD, SEM, BET, and N2 adsorption-desorption measurements were done for structural properties. Photocatalytic activity of TiO2/CGS nanocomposite was evaluated on both the photoreduction of Cr(VI) ions and photooxidation of methyl orange under irradiation from a 365 nm lamp. Utilized in this survey is a cationic gemini surfactant that has a similar CTAB structure and has two long chains and cationic head groups and is a preferred morphology agents. Compared to one head group with CTAB, a novel synthesized cationic surfactant with two long chains is anticipated to positively affect both the properties of catalyst structures and data of photocatalytic degradation of model pollutants.
A Review on Chemical Synthesis of Leaf Alcohol
Authors: Ou Wenhua , Liu Hao , Wang Ruolin
Published: November 2022

Leaf alcohol is a flavor and fragrance compound and has been shown to possess an
intense characteristic grassy-green odor of freshly cut green grass and leaves, which is widely
used as an added flavor in fragrances, food flavors and tobacco flavors to provide a fresh
grassy note. However, the market has been unable to meet this surge in demand, resulting in a
frequent shortage of leaf alcohol. At present, there are two processes used in industrial production:
the process for the hydrogenation of 3-hexyn-1-ol and the process for the ring opening
reaction of 6-methyl-3,6-dihydro-2H-pyran. The reason for the shortage is that there are certain
difficulties and shortcomings in the current methods of synthesizing leaf alcohol. The
disadvantages of the process for the hydrogenation of 3-hexyn-1-ol are the production
security and dependability, the prime cost of catalyst and equipment. The disadvantages of
the process for the ring opening reaction of 6-methyl-3,6-dihydro-2H-pyran are the product quality, production
dependability, and the prime cost of the equipment. To solve this contradiction between supply and demand,
many research groups are investigating chemical synthetic methods that could be applied in industrial production
easily and economically. Since the discovery of leaf alcohol, much has happened in the synthesis of leaf alcohol.
Many developments became market realities, so after all these years, it seemed appropriate to sum up the current
trends in the synthesis of leaf alcohol. In this review, we bring a collection of various synthetic approaches leading
to leaf alcohol.
Emerging Strategies to Improve the Stability and Bioavailability of
Insulin: An Update on Formulations and Delivery Approaches
Authors: Tan Pak Kheong , Kuppusamy Umah Rani , Chua Kek Heng , Arumugam Bavani
Published: November 2022

One of the primary goals of diabetes management is to maintain blood glucose levels within a
normal range, and insulin plays a vital role in achieving this. All Type 1 DM patients and advanced
Type 2 DM patients require insulin. Insulin is administered subcutaneously, which may cause patient
discomfort from the use of needles. Therefore, developing alternative routes of insulin administration
has always been a major focus of diabetes research. This review aims to provide an update on the insulin
formulations and delivery routes as well as strategies used to improve its stability and bioavailability
for the treatment of diabetes.
High Prevalence of Cerebral Microbleeds in Young Ischemic Stroke
Patients
Authors: Qin Wei , Deng Rui , Li Xuanting , Li Xianze
Published: November 2022

Background and Purpose:

Most studies of cerebral microbleeds place more emphasis on
the elderly, which made it difficult to obtain data on youth, particularly young ischemic stroke patients.
Our study sought to investigate the incidence and related risk factors of cerebral microbleeds
in young ischemic stroke patients.

Methods:

Young ischemic stroke patients who sought medical advice at Beijing Chaoyang Hospital
between June 2016 and September 2020 were included in our study. The clinical and imaging data
of these patients were collected and assessed. These patients were grouped by cerebral microbleed
presence, count, and location. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed
to investigate the association between these groups and screen the influencing factors of
cerebral microbleeds in young patients with ischemic stroke.

Results:

Among the 187 young ischemic stroke patients, the prevalence of microbleeds was 16%.
The presence of cerebral microbleeds was associated with hypertension (odds ratio [OR] 8.787, 95%
confidence interval [CI] 1.016-76.006, P=0.048), lower estimated glomerular filtration rate (OR
0.976, 95%CI 0.957-0.995, P=0.014) and moderate/severe white matter hyperintensity (OR 10.681,
95%CI 3.611-31.595, P<0.001) in young ischemic stroke patients.

Conclusion:

Cerebral microbleeds were common in young ischemic stroke patients and were associated
with hypertension, lower estimated glomerular filtration rate, and moderate/severe white matter
hyperintensity.
Polymeric Adsorbents: Innovative Materials for Water Treatments
Authors: Mazumder Mohammad Abu Jafar
Published: November 2022

Background:

Removing heavy metal ions and various organic contaminants from water (surface water, groundwater, drinking water, and wastewater) using inexpensive and readily available adsorbents is essential in all environmental and human aspects. This study aims to explore the various adsorbents with a particular emphasis on polymeric adsorbents for their applications in the removal of heavy metal ions and emerging contaminants from water.

Methods:

A brief review as a perspective article on polymeric adsorbents with a particular emphasis on their applications in water treatment, consequences, challenges, and relevant issues/ perspectives that need to be resolved in the future is highlighted.

Results:

Due to the increasing global human population with rapid urbanization, industrialization, and environmental change, removing heavy metals and emerging contaminants from water fonts has become a primary environmental concern and a huge challenge to ensure safe water supplies. This directs an utmost demand to develop various water treatment and recycling methods. Different types of adsorbents, including polymeric adsorbents, have also been discussed. The study indicates the presence and structural behaviors (e.g., functional groups, degradation, adsorption, desorption), adsorption-desorption process, regeneration, safe removal and disposal procedure, and toxicity of the adsorbents are vital to use them safely for an extended period in the application of water treatment.

Conclusion:

A brief discussion on adsorption, methods, various types of polymeric adsorbents, and their applications for removing organic and/or heavy metal contaminants from water and wastewater is presented in this review as a perspective article. A better understanding of the preparation of polymers from inexpensive, readily available, natural sources and toxicity issues is still needed to be considered, particularly in the human-related exposure and relevant risk on the water and wastewater treatment.
Comparison of Gene Selection Methods for Clustering Single-cell RNA-seq
Data
Authors: Peng Xiaoqing , Zhu Xiaoshu , Wang Jianxin , Li Rongruan
Published: November 2022

Background:

In single-cell RNA-seq data, clustering methods are employed to identify
cell types to understand cell-differentiation and development. Because clustering methods are sensitive
to the high dimensionality of single-cell RNA-seq data, one effective solution is to select a subset
of genes in order to reduce the dimensionality. Numerous methods, with different underlying
assumptions, have been proposed for choosing a subset of genes to be used for clustering.

Objective:

To guide users in selecting suitable gene selection methods, we give an overview of different
gene selection methods and compare their performance in terms of the differences between
the selected gene sets, clustering performance, running time, and stability.

Results:

We first review the data preprocessing strategies and gene selection methods in analyzing
single-cell RNA-seq data. Then, the overlaps among the gene sets selected by different methods are
analyzed and the clustering performance based on different feature gene sets is compared. The analysis
reveals that the gene sets selected by the methods based on highly variable genes and high mean
genes are most similar, and the highly variable genes play an important role in clustering. Additionally,
a small number of selected genes would compromise the clustering performance, such as SCMarker
selected fewer genes than other methods, leading to a poorer clustering performance than M3Drop.

Conclusion:

Different gene selection methods perform differently in different scenarios. HVG
works well on the full-transcript sequencing datasets, NBDrop and HMG perform better on the 3’
end sequencing datasets, M3Drop and HMG are more suitable for big datasets, and SCMarker is
most consistent in different preprocessing methods.
Molecular Docking and Study of the Anti-inflammatory Effect of Triterpene
and Diarylheptanoid Isolated from Pellacalyx axillaris
Authors: Mousa Tariq Hussein , Abed Salam Ahmed , Alkhafaji Sura Latif
Published: November 2022

Objective:

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are a group of drugs widely
used around the world for their analgesic, antipyretic and anti-inflammatory effect, but still have many
limitations due to their side effects. So, these lead to the development of a new approach to search for a
new product from natural plants that have similar therapeutic effects without common side effects like
gastrointestinal ulcers.

Method:

The anti-inflammatory effect of β-amyrin palmitate (1) as triterpene and 1,7-bis (4-
hydroxyphenyl) hept-4-en-3-one (2) as diarylheptanoid, isolated from Pellacalyx axillaris was studied
by molecular docking to find the probability of binding position and binding strength of new compounds with particular Prostaglandin G/H synthase 2 (PDB ID: 1CX2). In vivo acute anti-inflammatory
activity of the isolated compounds (1 and 2) was evaluated in rats using the egg-white induced edema
model of inflammation in a dose correspondent to 3 mg/Kg of Diclofenac Sodium.

Result:

The tested isolated compounds showed a high activity to inhibit the swelling in paw edema
and their anti-inflammatory effect began shortly after the injection of the egg white and continued to
the end of the experiment in comparison to the reference and control.

Conclusion:

The isolated compounds show a long period of activity with a very potent effect, this may
be related to their suitable acidity and may have perfect hydrophilic –lipophilic balance. This is the
first study of anti-inflammatory effect using Paw edema model and molecular docking.
A Comparative Assessment of Regularized Regression Techniques for Modeling the Mechanical Properties of Rubberized Concrete
Authors: Yasin Bilal , Maraqa Faroq , Al-Sahawneh Eid , Al Adwan Jamal , Alzubi Yazan
Published: November 2022

Background:

Over the last few decades, many researchers have investigated the properties and behavior of concrete mixtures incorporating rubber-based solid wastes as a partial substitution of natural aggregates. Within this context, they have conducted experimental studies and developed numerical models that simulate the nature of rubberized concrete. Some of these mathematical simulations were intended to provide a rapid mixture of proportioning approaches and property estimation methods. Currently, it is believed that regression analysis provides an effective tool to simply construct a mathematical expression that models a set of data. For that reason, multiple linear regression was extensively utilized in predicting rubberized concrete properties in the literature. However, the performances of regularized regression analysis approaches were not evaluated even though they provide better alternatives to traditional regression methods in terms of controlling the overfitting issue.

Objective:

This study aims to assess the performance of Ridge, Lasso, and elastic net regression models in estimating the compressive and tensile strengths, and modulus of elasticity of rubberized concrete. Additionally, it intends to benchmark their capabilities against the traditional multiple linear regression method.

Methods:

Multiple linear regression, Ridge regression, Lasso regression, ElasticNet regression, Bayesian ridge regression, Stochastic gradient descent, Huber regression, and Quantile regression methods were used in the study.

Result:

In general, the research findings illustrated the superior performance of regression assessment in modeling the mechanical properties of rubberized concrete.

Conclusion:

Indeed rubberized concrete mechanical properties can be better modeled using regularized regression techniques, such as ElasticNet-based SGD compared to traditional methods, such as MLR.
Microstructure development in semi-liquid shortenings upon storage
Authors:   UGent, Rondou Kato , De Witte Fien , Van Bockstaele Filip , Dewettinck Koen
Published: November 2022

Saturated fats are widely present as components in fat-rich products because of their structuring and organoleptic properties. Nevertheless, their intake needs to be limited from a nutritional perspective. Therefore, alternative approaches for oil structuring are necessary to produce a solid-like fat with a reduced saturated fat content. However, these products often show instability upon storage. Therefore, this project evaluated the microstructure development in semi-liquid shortenings (6% hardstock in rapeseed oil) upon storage. The shortenings, produced at an industrial pilot plant, were stored at 5, 15 and 20 °C and evaluated from nano- tot macroscale with DSC, rheology, oil binding capacity test, PLM, (U)SAXS and WAXS during storage. Concerning the hardstock types, two of them originated from fully hydrogenated palm oil and two from fully hydrogenated rapeseed oil. In each group, one hardstock mainly contained TAG and one mainly MAG. The aim of my project was to investigate the microstructure development in shortenings and relate this to their stability and their resistance to shear. As function of the storage time, the major changes could be established for the rheological parameters |G*|, d and ty. Regarding storage temperature, the behavior of the TAG-based shortenings was more temperature-dependent compared to MAG-based shortenings. Storage at 5 °C resulted in less rigid shortenings compared to 15 and 20 °C. The most rigid shortenings were those containing mainly MAG derived from palm oil (|G*| ± 104 Pa). The highest recovery (> 65%) and oil binding capacity (oil release < 0.2%) were found for the shortening based on TAG from rapeseed oil when stored at 15 and 20 °C. The crystallite thickness distribution obtained with SAXS could be linked to the quality (rigidity, oil binding capacity) of the shortenings. The USAXS results were in line with other parameters, but further validation is required regarding CNP size and cluster dimensions.
Lipid Derived Block Copolymers as Amphiphilic Nanocarriers for Targeted Delivery
Authors:   University of Alberta, Ullah Aman , Wang Huiqi , Pradhan Rehan
Published: November 2022

Amphiphilic thermoresponsive block copolymers and ABA type PEG-Lipid conjugated macromolecules have been synthesized using microwave-assisted reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization and the copper-catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloaddition, commonly termed “click chemistry”, respectively. Characterization of the block copolymers and conjugates has been carried out with the help of 1H-NMR, FTIR and GPC. These copolymers and conjugates were evaluated for the encapsulation and release of drugs. Carbamazepine, an anticonvulsant drug with poor water solubility was selected to be a hydrophobic drug model in the study. The micellization, drug encapsulation and release behavior of macromolecules was investigated by dynamic light scattering (DLS), transmission electron microscope (TEM) and fluorescence spectroscopy. From the results, it has been concluded that the nanoparticles had different average sizes due to different ratio of hydrophilic contents in the block or conjugate backbone. The particle size and structure could be altered by changing the ratio of hydrophilic and hydrophobic contents. The in vitro drug encapsulations highlighted that all the drug-loaded micelles had spherical or near-spherical morphology. In vitro drug release study showed the controlled release of hydrophobic drug over a period of ~70 hours. The results indicate that there is great potential of renewable lipid-based micelle nanoparticles to be used as amphiphilic drug carriers for targeted delivery applications.