bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Thyroid Hormone Mediates the Effect of Antidepressants on Cognitive Function in Patients with Depression: A Mediation Analysis in a Longitudinal Study
Authors: Zhao Mingming , Liu Zengxun
Published: December 2022

Background: Patients with depression frequently experience cognitive impairment. Our purpose is to determine whether thyroid hormones mediate the effect of depression on cognitive impairment.
Methods: A total of 119 depressed patients were enrolled (mean age 32 years, 56.30% female). The Montreal Cognitive Assessment Scale, the 17-item Hamilton Depression Scale, and thyroid hormone levels, including free triiodothyronine (FT3), free thyroxine (FT4), and thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), were evaluated at intervals of 8 weeks. In order to describe the temporal relationship between depression and cognitive impairment, we initially used cross-lagged panel analysis. After that, linear regression analysis was utilized to show how depression and thyroid hormones are related to one another. To further investigate the causal role of thyroid hormones in depression and cognitive impairment, a causal mediation model was created.
Results: The cross-lagged panel analysis showed that there was a significant cross-lagged path coefficient from baseline depression to follow-up cognition(β=－0.284, P=0.002) . Baseline depression had an impact on FT3 (F = 1.880, P＜0.05) and FT4 (F = 2.466, P＜0.05), according to a linear regression analysis. Baseline depression were affected by baseline FT4 ( = 0.316, t = 2.687, P＜0.05). The link between baseline depression and follow-up cognitive performance was revealed to be partially mediated by serum FT4 levels, according to the causal mediation analysis (a=0.008, se=0.004, p=0.022, CI=0.001/0.016).
Conclusion: Serum FT4 levels may be biological markers of cognitive impairment in patients with depression and may mediate the effect of depression on cognitive impairment.
Arterial tortuosity syndrome: phenotypic features and cardiovascular manifestations in 4 newly identified patients.
Authors: Esmel-Vilomara Roger , Valenzuela Irene , Riaza Lucía , Rodríguez-Santiago Benjamín , Rosés-Noguer Ferran , Boronat Susana , Sabaté-Rotés Anna
Published: December 2022

Background and purpose: Arterial tortuosity syndrome (ATS) is an autosomal recessive connective tissue disease caused by biallelic variants in the SLC2A10 gene and characterized by tortuosity and elongation of the aorta and medium-sized arteries, focal stenosis and aneurysm formation. It’s considered an extremely rare disease; only 106 individuals with genetically confirmed ATS have been identified to date. The aim of this study is to contribute to the phenotypic and cardiovascular description of this disease, as well as its genetic characterization.
Methods and results: Four cases of ATS from two families are described: 3 siblings born from healthy consanguineous parents with an homozygous variant in SLC2A10: c.510G>A (p.Trp170Ter) and a child with two heterozygous variants: c.417T>A (p.Tyr139Ter), classified as pathogenic, and c.899T>G (p.Leu300Trp), not previously described as pathogenic but with an allegedly deleterious effect in compound heterozygosis. The presented clinical spectrum is wide; two cases with diaphragmatic hernia and a complex uropathy are highlighted. Regarding the vascular involvement, a predominant supra-aortic affectation stands out with less involvement in abdominal aorta, visceral branches and lower extremities. No aneurysms were observed and only 1 case of focal stenosis (renal artery). All presented severe intracranial tortuosity. No case of intracardiac involvement is described. To reduce hemodynamic stress on the arterial wall, beta-adrenergic blocking treatment was prescribed.
Conclusions: four novel pediatric cases are described, contributing to the clinical delineation of the entity. A case with complex uropathy, reported in the literature only 11 times, is included. Moreover, a not previously described mutation is presented; with an allegedly deleterious effect in association with another pathogenic variable.
Foveal and retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness in children with a history of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) treated with Bevacizumab; A cross sectional study
Authors: milani Amir Eftekhari , Javani Bahareh , Ahoor Mohamadhosein , shahshahani Mehdi Abdi , Farhadi Fereshteh
Published: December 2022

Purpose
the purpose of this study is to investigate effects of bevacizumab on structure of retina such as the thickness of the nerve fiber layer and macula with OCT in ROP patients.
Methods
300 eyes from 150 children underwent Fundus examination, refraction and OCT in 3 groups consist of 100 eyes with a history of ROP that were treated with bevacizumab, 100 eyes with a history of ROP that improved spontaneously and the third group 100 eyes of preterm children without a history of ROP.
Results
Foveal thickness was 235.46 ± 11 µm in the group receiving bevacizumab, 267.70 ± 12 µm in the group with spontaneous improvement of ROP, and in the group with no ROP, it was 269.48 ± 10 micrometers. So the mean thickness of the fovea in the group receiving bevacizumab was significantly lower than the other two groups. Also in the group receiving bevacizumab, the thickness of the nerve layer of the retina was less than the other two groups (P < 0.005).
Conclusion
The findings of this study allow us to extend our understanding of the development of the premature fovea to hypothesize the possible clinical and long-term effects of these abnormal changes on adulthood visual acuity. Comparison of laser treated eyes in future designed studies with these groups is recommended in order to extend understanding of the development of the premature fovea and other aspects of ROP decreasing preventable blindness from this condition.
A pruned feed-forward neural network (pruned-FNN) approach to measure air pollution exposure
Authors: Gong Xi , Liu Lin , Huang Yanhong , Zou Bin , Sun Yeran , Luo Li , Lin Yan
Published: December 2022

Environmental epidemiology studies require accurate estimation of exposure intensities to air pollution. The process from air pollutant emission to individual exposure is however complex and nonlinear, which poses significant modeling challenges. This study aims to develop an exposure assessment model that can strike a balance between accuracy, complexity, and usability. In this regard, neural networks offer one possible approach. This study employed a custom-designed pruned feed-forward neural network (pruned-FNN) approach to calculate the air pollution exposure index based on emission time and rates, terrain factors, meteorological conditions, and proximity measurements. The model performance was evaluated by cross validating the estimated exposure indexes with ground-based monitoring records. The pruned-FNN can predict pollution exposure indexes (PEIs) that are highly and stably correlated with the monitored air pollutant concentrations (Spearman rank correlation coefficients for 10-fold cross validation (mean ± standard deviation: 0.906 ± 0.028), for random cross validation (0.913 ± 0.024)). The predicted values are also close to the ground truth in most cases (95.5% of the predicted PEIs have relative errors smaller than 10%) when the training datasets are sufficiently large and well-covered. The pruned-FNN method can make accurate exposure estimations using a flexible number of variables and less extensive data in a less money/time-consuming manner. Compared to other exposure assessment models, the pruned-FNN is an appropriate and effective approach for exposure assessment that covers a large geographic area over a long period of time.
Virtual screening of flavonoids against Plasmodium vivax Duffy binding protein utilizing molecular docking and molecular dynamic simulation
Authors: Yasir Muhammad , Park Jinyoung , Han Eun-Taek , Park Won Sun , Han Jin-Hee , Kwon Yong-Soo , Lee Hee-Jae , Chun Wanjoo
Published: December 2022

Plasmodium vivax (P. vivax) is one of the highly prevalent human malaria parasites. Due to the presence of extravascular reservoirs and recurrent infections from latent liver stages, P. vivax is extremely challenging to manage and eradicate. Traditionally, herbs have been widely used to combat various diseases. Flavonoids from plants are investigated against viral and infectious diseases and showed some promising results to combat these disorders. In the present study, in silico approaches are utilized to study the effect of flavonoids against P. vivax to inhibit malarial invasion of human red blood cells (RBC). Duffy binding protein (DBP) is a malarial protein responsible for binding the Duffy antigen receptor for chemokines (DARC) on human red blood cells and causes malarial invasion. The main focus is to block the DBP binding site to restrict the formation of the DBP-DARC complex. A molecular docking study was performed to analyze the interaction of flavonoid molecules with the DARC-binding site of DBP of P. vivax. Furthermore, molecular dynamic simulation studies are carried out to study the stability of top-docked complexes. The results showed the good effectiveness of flavonoids such as daidzein, genistein, kaempferol, and quercetin in the DBP binding site. These flavonoids bind with DBP and blocked its active site. Furthermore, the binding of these four ligands was maintained throughout the 50 ns simulation maintaining stable hydrogen bond formation with the active site residues of DBP. The present study suggests that flavonoids might be good candidates and novel agents against DBP-mediated RBC invasion of P. vivax.
Synthesis of polymeric Schiff bases and their application in carbon dioxide adsorption
Authors: Siai Amira , Policicchio Alfonso , Alzahrani Abdullah Y. A. , Ahmed Zakarya , Charradi Khaled , Keshk M. A. S. Sherif , Chtourou Radhouane
Published: December 2022

The emission of carbon dioxide (CO2) is not only the primary cause of global warming but also results in severe environmental issues like an increase in Earth's average temperature. Herein, polymeric Schiff bases, OPVA-ED and OPVA-HMD, are synthesized via the condensation of partially oxidized polyviny1 alcohol (OPVA) with 1,2-ethylene diamine (ED) and 1,6-hexamethylene diamine (HMD), respectively, and their potential toward CO2 adsorption is investigated. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), 1H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), and X-ray diffraction (XRD) are employed for the structural elucidation of these Schiff bases, and their physical properties are determined using thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and gas adsorption experiments. The capture/release of CO2, using these Schiff bases as adsorbent, is assessed at 25°C. The results suggest that OPVA-ED is a more efficient adsorbent for CO2 as compared to OPVA-HMD, as the capacity of CO2 adsorption reaches up to 0.22 mmol/g and 0.18 mmol/g at 15 bars for OPVA-ED and OPVA-HMD, respectively.
Thermal Aging Effect on In-plane and Cross-plane Thermal Diffusivities of Plasma Sprayed Thermal Barrier Coating
Authors: Akoshima Megumi , Takahashi Satoru
Published: December 2022

Thermal barrier coatings (TBCs) are used to shield from heat and wear of components which are used at high temperature situation, for example, the blades of gas turbines. There is a pressing need to evaluate the thermal conductivity of TBCs in the thermal design of advanced gas turbines with high energy efficiency. In the case of gas turbines, these TBCs consist of a ceramic-based top-coat (TC) and a bond-coat (BC) on a superalloy substrate. TBCs are commonly prepared by plasma spraying process. The TC is expected to play the role of a thermal shield. Thus, thermal conductivity of thickness direction of TBC has been investigated. However, plasma sprayed TC was known that they have anisotropic microstructure. We have been investigating in-plane and cross-plane thermal diffusivities of a plasma-sprayed Yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) TCs at 300 K in detail in a previous study. From the results of thermal diffusivity measurements for four kinds of TCs, it was found that plasma sprayed TCs had significantly anisotropic thermal diffusivity depending on their microstructures. In this study, we measured in-plane and cross-plane thermal diffusivities of typical two plasma-sprayed TCs from 300 K to 1200 K in vacuum. And we also measured in-plane and cross plane thermal diffusivities of annealed TC specimens with different aging time. It was found that anisotropy estimated from in-plane and cross-plane thermal diffusivities was not change from 300 K to 1200 K. There was a tendency that thermal diffusivity value and anisotropy slightly increased by thermal aging effects.
Oryzalin impairs maternal-fetal interaction during early pregnancy via ROS-mediated mitochondrial dysfunction leading to a decrease in ATP
Authors: Ham Jiyeon , Song Jisoo , Song Gwonhwa , Lim Whasun
Published: December 2022

Oryzalin is a dinitroaniline pesticide for the control of weed growth via suppression of microtubule synthesis. There are studies about the deleterious effects of dinitroaniline pesticides on the reproductive system. Therefore, we attempted to demonstrate the toxic mechanisms of oryzalin on early pregnancy using porcine uterine epithelial cells (pLE) and trophectoderm (pTr) cells. According to our results, the viability and proliferation of pLE and pTr cells were suppressed in response to oryzalin exposure, and cell cycle progression was affected. Additionally, oryzalin induced apoptotic cell death and impaired mitochondrial membrane polarity in pLE and pTr cells. Moreover, we confirmed that oryzalin significantly downregulated adenosine triphosphate (ATP) production via the oxidative phosphorylation system (OXPHOS) and upregulated reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation in both pLE and pTr cells. The oryzalin-induced ROS generation was mitigated by N-acetylcysteine, a ROS scavenger, and further upregulation of phosphor-P38 MAPK/AKT/P70S6K protein expression was ameliorated in both pLE and pTr cells. We also confirmed that the suppression of migration and proliferation in oryzalin-treated pLE and pTr cells was restored upon oxidative stress mitigation. In summary, we revealed that the cytotoxic mechanisms of oryzalin-induced implantation failure were mediated by ROS-induced mitochondrial dysfunction and intracellular signaling regulation in pLE and pTr cells.
Email Spoofing: In Today’s Era
Authors: Chauhan Prashant D. , Shah Apurva M.
Published: December 2022

Email spoofing has been there since many years making it one of the main choices of the attackers or spammers who wish to gain access to some private information of victims to misuse it or to get some kind of financial benefit. We all know that email spoofing is possible only because of the fact that the entire email system works on SMTP which doesn’t provide any mechanism to check authentication of the sender of the email. With the increasing research in the field of security many protocols have been designed to overcome the problem of spoofing of email address. In this paper, we try to find out whether email spoofing is still possible or not by the end of the year 2022.
The Strategic Crisis Response of International Chinese Education : Based on 5W Communication Mode
Authors: zhao jing
Published: December 2022

This paper considers the external risks to the efficacy of international Chinese education (ICE) in the post-COVID-19 era using PEST analysis and explores four internal aspects of the shortcomings of ICE: platforms, teachers, teaching materials, and methods. This study constructs a helpful risk-coping strategy model based on the 5W mode of communication. This model may also provide a reference for analyzing other language education problems in the context of public emergencies.
Eco-Physiology of the Rhododedron anthopogon D. Don a dwarf aromatic shrub of the Indian Himalaya
Authors: Trivedi Vijay Laxmi , Maurya Shiva Ji , Sati Pallavi , Jamloki Abhishek , Chandra Sudeep , Nautiyal Mohan Chandra
Published: December 2022

Rhododendrons are the Himalayan ecological, cultural, aesthetic, and economic entity; some of its varieties are edible and medicinal.Rhododendron anthopogonD. Don is an alpineRhododendronthat grows above tree lines in the Himalaya. This is a dwarfRhododendronwith fragrant leaves that are employed in numerous traditional Himalayan medical systems. This plant's essential oil is pale and contains antibacterial, antioxidant, and insecticidal effects. This manuscript comprises an eco-physiological investigation ofR. anthopogonon an altitudinal and seasonal basis in the Tungnath Himalaya of Uttarakhand, India. We observed that the altitudinal gradient shapes the phyto-sociology ofR. anthopogon, which is one of the dominant species in its habitat. Leaf morphology and phytochemicals (pigments, total soluble sugar, starch and protein, total phenolic content, Malondialdehyde content, Superoxide dismutase and Peroxidase enzyme activities) of theR. anthopogonleaves showed altitudinal and seasonal variations, indicating their importance in thriving in the harsh alpine conditions. The seed germination experiment inR. anthopogonwas also carried and observed that the synergistic effect of cold stratification and GA3reduced the mean germination time while increasing the final germination percentage.
MEMS-based Electronic Textiles Fabricated with Multi-robot Collaboration
Authors: Wei Danming , Challa Sushmita , Islam Mohammad S. , Beharic Jasmin , Harnett Cindy K. , Popa Dan O.
Published: December 2022

This paper presents a methodology to fabricate wafer-scale electronic textiles that is a combination of MEMS-based microclamps and fabric textiles. We describe the capability of deterministic aligning and fastening textile layers with MEMS clamps to create electronic textiles using multi-robot collaboration in the NeXus, a custom additive manufacturing robotic system. To fabricate MEMS clamps, photolithography masks were designed based on the specific locations of intersections in the fabric textiles. The intersection identification was realized via a high-resolution image from the microscope based on a custom image processing algorithm in MATLAB®. To complete the deterministic alignment process of the fabric and clamps, two industrial robotic arms and one custom positioner were employed within our NeXus custom manufacturing system. Also, different robotic process tools were used during the aligning and fastening process of these substrates. Overall, a semi-automated interface was programmed and integrated with the robotic tool change process, visual servoing, target detection, and UV curable adhesive printing functions within the NeXus. The yield of alignment results of the MEMS clamps was assessed, and the completed corresponding fabric intersections were more than 95%.
Factors that Influence the Adoption of Rehabilitation Technologies: A Multi-Disciplinary Qualitative Exploration
Authors: Mitchell Jessie , Shirota Camila , Clanchy Kelly
Published: December 2022

Background
Technological innovation is recognised as having the potential to enhance rehabilitation for people with disability. Yet, resistance to, and abandonment of, rehabilitation technology is prevalent and the successful translation of technology into rehabilitation settings remains limited. Therefore, the aim of this work was to develop an in-depth, multi-stakeholder perspective on what influences the adoption of rehabilitation technologies.
Methods
Semi-structured focus groups were conducted as part of a larger research project aiming to facilitate the co-design of a novel neurorestorative technology. Focus group data were analysed using a five-phase inductive approach to qualitative data analysis.
Results
Focus groups were attended by 43 stakeholders with expertise in one or more of the following fields: people with disability, allied health, human movement science, computer science, design, engineering, ethics, funding, marketing, business, product development, and research development. Six main themes influencing the adoption of technology in rehabilitation were identified: cost beyond the purchase price, benefits to all stakeholders, trust to be earned in technology, ease of technology operation, ability to access technology, and the ‘co’ in co-design. All six themes were found to be interrelated; in particular, the importance of direct stakeholder engagement in the development of rehabilitation technologies (the ‘co’ in co-design) was prevalent in all themes.
Conclusions
A range of complex and interrelated factors influence the adoption of rehabilitation technologies. Importantly, many of the issues that have the potential to negatively impact rehabilitation technology adoption may be addressed during development by utilising the experience and expertise of stakeholders who influence its supply and demand. Our findings state that a wider cohort of stakeholders needs to be actively engaged in the development of rehabilitation technologies to better address the factors that contribute to technology underutilisation and abandonment and facilitate better outcomes for people with disability.
Effect of Benzimidazole Compound on Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress and Unfolded Protein Response Signaling Pathways in Hydrogen Peroxide-Induced BEAS-2B Cells
Authors: Sakar Aysel Eraslan , Kucuk Meral Urhan , Ersan Ronak Haj , Algul Oztekin
Published: December 2022

The main aim of the study was to reveal the effects of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress on human bronchial epithelial cells BEAS-2B at gene and protein levels under oxidative stress conditions. The second aim of the study was to investigate whether the benzimidazole compound RHE-231 has a protective effect on ER stress and unfolded protein response (UPR) signaling pathways. To determine subtoxic doses of H2O2 and RHE-231 on cell viability were examined using MTT assay. To determine cellular lipid oxidation of H2O2 was examined using MDA assay. PERK, ATF6, IRE1α, GRP78 mRNA levels and ATF4 and IRE1α protein levels were investigated by quantitative real-time PCR and western blotting, respectively. MDA levels were significantly higher at concentrations of 10 and 20 µM for 24 h compared to the control group. A significant increase in IRE1α and PERK gene expression levels were found at groups of 20 µM H2O2 + 5 µM RHE-231 and 20 µM H2O2 + 10 µM RHE-231 compared to the control group. There were no significant difference observed in ATF6 and GRP78 gene expression levels in any group compared to the control group. According to the results of the western blot analysis, a significant increase were observed at groups of 20 µM H2O2, 20 µM H2O2 + 5 µM RHE-231, and 20 µM H2O2 + 10 µM RHE-231 in the expression of IRE1α and ATF4 compared to the control group. H2O2 mediated oxidative stress in BEAS-2B cells, stimulated ER stress, and activated the UPR pathway. Protein expression was also decreased in some samples where the benzimidazole compound was tested, but this was not in a concentration-dependent manner.
Identification of the Presence of a Novel Variant of CC2D1A Linked to Autosomal Recessive Intellectual Disability 3 in an Iranian Family and Investigating the Structure and Pleiotropic Effects of this Gene
Authors: Rashvand Zahra , Najmabadi Hossein , Kahrizi Kimia , Mozhdehipanah Hossein , Moradi Mohammad , Estaki Zohreh , Taherkhani Khadijeh , Nikzat Nooshin , Najafipour Reza , Omrani Mir Davood
Published: December 2022

Background: Intellectual disability (ID) is a major health problem in our society and it is highly heterogeneous and complex. Numerous genes are involved in the development and normal function of the brain and defects in any of them can result in intellectual disability. Considering that many of these genes have not yet been identified, and those that have been identified have only been found in a small number of patients, therefore, no complete description of the phenotype created by these genes is available. CC2D1A is one of the genes whose loss-of-function mutation leads to a rare form of non-syndromic intellectual disability-3(OMIM*610055), and four pathogenic variants have been reported in this gene so far.
Methods: In the current study, two affected females were included with an initial diagnosis of ID who were from an Iranian family with consanguineous marriage. Whole-exome sequencing was used to identify the probable genetic defects. The Genotypic and phenotypic characteristics of the patients were compared with a mutation in the CC2D1A gene, then the structure of the gene and its reported variants were investigated.
Results: The patients carried a novel homozygous splicing variant (NM_017721, c.1641+1G>A) in exon 14, which is pathogenic according to the ACMG guideline. Loss-of-function mutations in CC2D1A have severe phenotypic consequences such as ID, autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and seizures. However, missense mutations lead to ASD with or without ID, and in some patients, they cause ciliopathy.
Conclusion: This study reports the fifth novel, probably pathogenic variant in the CC2D1A gene. Comparing the clinical and molecular genetic features of the patients with loss-of-function mutation helped to describe the phenotype caused by this gene more precisely. Studying the mutations and structure of the CC2D1A gene revealed that this gene has pleiotropic functions, and the DM14 domain is more critical in causing more severe clinical symptoms such as ID than the C2 domain.
Notes from the field: Descriptive Exploration of childhood tuberculosis frequency and risk factors of zoonotic bovine tuberculosis in Moroto district, Uganda
Authors: Nakayiza Suzan , Walekhwa Abel Wilson , Conlan Andrew , Musewa Angella , Bazeyo William , Kabasa John David
Published: December 2022

Background: Tuberculosis (TB) in children below 15 years is a public health problem in Uganda. Pastoral communities in Moroto district have close association with cattle and have a high burden of TB. This study assessed the frequency of TB among children below 15 years and investigated their anti-TB drug completion rate. In addition, we assessed the knowledge level of community members in pastoral communities on bovine tuberculosis and its risk factors in Moroto district.
Methods: We reviewed registers of TB from five health care centers in Moroto district between September 2020 to May 2021 and data on childhood TB cases was extracted. Community members from pastoral villages were interviewed with a structured questionnaire to assess their knowledge levels on bovine tuberculosis and its risk factors.
Results: A total of 746 tuberculosis cases were recorded in the five TB treatment centers of which, 352 (47 %) cases occurred in children below 15 years. The anti-TB drug completion rate was 222 (63%). Majority of the respondents, 86 % had good knowledge on bovine TB. The common risk factors for bovine TB were sharing water sources with livestock 12 (48 %) and drinking raw milk 21 (84 %).
Conclusion: Childhood TB frequency of 47 % in Moroto district was higher than the national average of 13 %. The Ministry of Health can focus TB health education to childcare takers to reduce transmission and improve drug completion rate. The TB intervention needs to be expanded to develop acceptable practical solutions to overcome the identified risk factors for bovine TB.
OPTIONS FOR REFORMING THE TAXATION OF PRIORITY AND SOCIALLY SIGNIFICANT SECTORS OF THE ECONOMY OF THE RUSSIAN REGIONS BASED ON THE TAX BURDEN CALCULATOR
Authors:   North-West Institute of Management, branch of RANEPA (Moscow), Saint Petersburg, Vylkova E. , Viktorova N. ,   Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University, Saint Petersburg, Naumov V. ,   North-West Institute of Management, branch of RANEPA (Moscow), Saint Petersburg, Pokrovskaya N. ,   Saint Petersburg State University, Saint Petersburg
Published: December 2022

We made an analysis of the total tax burden and average salary in St. Petersburg for 2020 based on the scale of companies and types of economic activity, with a focus on priority and socially significant sectors of the economy. The object of the study is priority and socially important sectors of the economy of the Russian regions. The subject of study is economic relations in the process of taxation of enterprises of priority and socially important sectors of the economy of St. Petersburg. The study has been carried out in order to justify the reform of tax measures to support selected sectors using data from the official digital resource of the Federal Tax Service of the Russian Federation. The tasks are solved on the basis of modeling in the STATA program, where the dependent variables characterizing state support for priority and socially significant sectors are the tax burden and the average salary. The study is based on the method of dispersion analysis. A two-way analysis of variance of the dependence of these variables on the size of the organization and on the industry shows that the average salary depends on the size of the organization and on the sector; and the tax burden only on the type of activity. A one-way dispersion analysis of variables depending on the different scales and types of activity of companies revealed that the type of activity has an impact on the tax burden, and the relationship between the industry and the average salary is weak. To refine the results of a single-factor analysis of variance, dummy variables of the R language are used. It is revealed that the level of state support for priority and socially significant sectors is insufficient today and it is advisable to introduce additional tax preferences for them. Options for reforming the taxation of these industries are proposed: reducing the rate of mandatory payments to the system of compulsory social insurance and providing funding for the reimbursement of personal income tax paid for employees of small and medium-sized enterprises in these industries. Further research on the issues under study can be carried out by expanding time horizons; extrapolating methods and results to other domestic regions; substantiating in detail and concretizing proposals for reforming the taxation of priority and socially significant sectors of the relevant territory
David Frank Adjaye Design Thinking
Authors: Putra Hadi Jaya , Sutanty Prisca Bicawasti Budi , Nadia Sarah
Published: December 2022

Title: David Frank Adjaye’s Design Thinking: The Unfold Cinematically Approach
 
Design thinking is fundamental to every designer because it becomes a strategy that creatively solves design problems. Adjaye, an architect with various degrees and awards, explicitly stated that the approach used was "The Unfold Cinematically". The excellence of this approach deserves to be expressed to provide insight and inspiration, that designing is not by generalizing the form of design, because every place has its uniqueness. The method used is descriptive qualitative. Data was collected from literature studies, books, articles, and official websites that refer to Adjaye and his works. The results of this study show that this approach reflects his life journey from moving countries so that the character to respect differences in cultural values is formed. "The Unfold Cinematically" then developed into a link between the process consisting of "The Inside" and "The Outside". The conclusion is that the formation of design thinking is a process of a long life journey. Sensitivity to various conditions determines the formation of an architect’s design thinking. The approach of "The Unfold Cinematically" summarizes Adjaye’s focus on the livelihood of social activities and physical forms that are formed from the environment of values held by the community.
Students' Perceptions in The Utilization of Zoom Video Conferencing on Speaking Ability in Distance Learning
Authors: Kaniadewi Nita
Published: December 2022

This research examined students’ perception of the use of Zoom Video Conferencing in successful speaking ability during the COVID-19 outbreak. This research aimed to obtain valid evidence about EFL college students’ own decent or wicked perception of the utilization of Zoom Video Conferencing for sharpening their speaking competencies. The researcher used mix methods approach convergent design with a combination between a quantitative approach and a qualitative approach. In assembling the data, the researcher involved university students in some different majors with 102 participants gathered by sharing the close-ended and open-ended questionnaires in the form of Google Forms in the research. The researcher analyzed the data from close-ended questionnaire results and open-ended questionnaire responses. The results showed that the close-ended questionnaire discovered good perceptions and positive attitudes of students in increasing speaking skills towards Zoom Video Conferencing. Therefore, Zoom Video Conferencing can be a medium in teaching activity during distance learning applications especially in improving speaking ability as it can raise students’ positive attitude and speaking ability in EFL classrooms.
Actualizing the Business English Course by Using an E-Commerce Platform
Authors: Dinamika Soraya Grabiella , Siregar Elitaria Bestri Agustina
Published: December 2022

The rapid development of digital technology has become a trigger for educators to create and demonstrate up-to-date yet flexible learning methods. Educators are challenged to integrate lessons with the medium of available technology. In this study, the researcher encourages students to engage in real business (buying and selling) activities by utilizing electronic commerce (e-commerce) platform to actualize the purpose of the Business English course. The descriptive qualitative method used employs questionnaires for data collection. The objectives of this study are: to find out the role of e-commerce platforms in Business English learning and the student’s course achievement. Since this learning integration is experiential to the students, the researchers adopt the concept of experiential learning by Wolfe & Byrne with several adjusted phases, grouping, designing, conducting, transaction, final report, evaluation, and feedback. Thus, the results showed that the students gave positive feedback towards the e-commerce project and the students gained a lot of course achievements such as real business experience, the ability to operate e-commerce platforms, selling, promotion, marketing knowledge, and teamwork management since the e-commerce platform was employed in the Business English course. This research might be advantageous for enhancing and evaluating the running and the upcoming Business English course. Meanwhile, this project would be a fostering supplement for the students to grow their entrepreneurial spirit in the future.
Digital Extensive Reading in Indonesia: A Critical Review
Authors: Janah Karunia Eka Nafilatul , Retnaningdyah Pratiwi , Mustofa Ali
Published: December 2022

Several previous studies have revealed that extensive reading is essential for supporting the success of EFL students’ language learning. Due to the advancement of technology that has entered the language classroom, the implementation of extensive reading programs in Indonesia has shifted to digital extensive reading, where both EFL students and teachers utilize digital materials or tools through various applications or online platforms. Hence, this paper aims to critically review digital extensive reading in Indonesia to provide an overview or information regarding the implementation of digital extensive reading in Indonesia. Following George’s (2008) Literature Reviews model, twelve articles related to digital extensive reading in Indonesia that were published from 2019 to 2022 in reputable national journals were critically reviewed. It was revealed that the digital extensive reading in Indonesia was implemented variously through several digital or online platforms for extensive reading, such as Let’s Read! application, Blogging, Mobile-Assisted, Xreading, Wattpad, Webtoon, and other various online platforms, such as WhatsApp, Zoom, and Google Classroom. Last but not least, it can be concluded that the implementation of digital extensive reading through those various digital or online platforms has been proven to be useful in supporting the success of EFL students’ digital extensive reading activities as well as the success of EFL students’ language learning.
Coupled coordination of water resources–economy–ecosystem complex in the Henan section of the Yellow River basin
Authors: Wang Shunsheng , Yang Jinyue , Wang Aili , Yan Yongfang , Liu Tengfei
Published: December 2022

This study investigates the coordination of factors in the three coupled systems of water resources, economy and ecosystem. The study data were economic, social, environmental and water resource indicators of the Henan section of the Yellow River basin from 2000 to 2019. Data were analyzed using a model of coupling coordination, grey relational analysis and a combined sparrow search algorithm–back propagation (SSA-BP) prediction model. Evaluation, analysis and prediction of the water resources–economy–ecosystem complex were undertaken. The results show that: (1) the degree of coupling coordination of the water resources–economy–ecosystem complex in the Henan section of the Yellow River basin showed an increasing trend that reached 0.8105 in 2019, which indicates good coordination; (2) the water resources subsystem had the greatest influence on the overall degree of coupling coordination, followed by the economic and natural environment subsystems; and (3) the SSA-BP model predicted that the degree of coupling coordination would remain good for the next six years and reach 0.8333 in 2025. To ensure the sustainability of expected rapid economic development, Henan Province must increase the utilization efficiency of water resources, strengthen environmental protection, and coordinate development in the region.
A global gridded municipal water withdrawal estimation method using aggregated data and artificial neural network
Authors: Yan Jiabao , Jia Shaofeng
Published: December 2022

Municipal water withdrawal (MWW) information is of great significance for water supply planning, including water supply pipeline networks planning, optimization and management. Currently most MWW data are reported as spatially aggregated over large-area survey regions or even lack of data, which is unable to meet the growing demand for spatially detailed data in many applications. In this paper, six different models are constructed and evaluated in estimating global MWW using aggregated MWW data and gridded raster covariates. Among the models, the artificial neural network-based indirect model (NNM) shows the best accuracy with higher R2 and lower NMAE and NRMSE in different spatial scales. The estimates achieved from the NNM model are consistent with census and survey data, and outperforms the existing global gridded MWW dataset. At last, the NNM model is applied to mapping global gridded MWW for the year 2015 at 0.1 × 0.1° resolution. The proposed method can be applied to a wider aggregated output learning problem and the high-resolution global gridded MWW data can be used in hydrological models and water resources management.
Exploring the potential mechanism of Yixiang capsule immune-enhancing function based on Network Pharmacology, Molecular docking, and Animal function experiment
Authors: Wang Jing , Bai Weirong , Ding Yan , Deng Chenchen , Wang Zhenzhong , Xiao Wei
Published: December 2022

Background:

The Yixiang capsule with traditional Chinese herbs Cistanches Herba, Hedysarum multijugum Maxim,Fructus Ligustri Lucidi,and Fructus lycii are the main raw materials in a modern herbal medicine preparation containing corresponding bioactive ingredients after extraction and processing. This study aimed to investigate the immune-enhancing function of the Yixiang capsule and explore its potential mechanism.

Methods:

After oral administration of the Yixiang capsule to mice for 30 days, the spleen lymphocyte transformation activity, NK cell activity, DTH, macrophage phagocytosis, HC50 value, amounts of antibody-producing cells, carbon particle clearance rate, spleen, and thymus index were determined to evaluate the regulation effect of the Yixiang capsule on immune function. The potential mechanism underlying the immune-enhancing function of the Yixiang capsule was studied based on network pharmacology and molecular docking.

Results:

The results showed that the Yixiang capsules can obviously increase the HC50 values in all groups, significantly enhance the DTH reaction of mice, the carbon clearance function in medium and high dose groups,and the phagocytic function of macrophages in high dose groups, but had no significant effect on NK cell activity, T lymphocyte proliferation, body weight and immune organ weight of mice. A total of 78 compounds of the Yixiang capsule may affect 123 metabolic pathways and 1022 GO terms by regulating 232 targets, such as the cancer signaling pathway and the signal pathways of response to lipopolysaccharide, and the key targets predicted could stably bind to the core active components of the Yixiang capsule.

Conclusion:

These results suggested that the Yixiang capsule could enhance the immune function of mice and have the characteristics of a multi-component and multi-target synergistic effect on the enhanced immunity function, which provides the basis for the follow-up study.
Preparation of Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles Assisted by Okra Mucilage and
Evaluation of its Biological Activities
Authors: Marzban Abdolrazagh , Shakib Pegah , Mirzaei Seyedeh Zahra , Lashgarian Hamed Esmaeil , Saki Reza , Goudarzi Gholamreza , Alsallameh Sarah , Cheraghipour Kourosh
Published: December 2022

Background:

In this study, zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs) were biologically synthesized from Abelmoschus esculentus L. (Okra) mucilage fraction (OM).

Methods:

Analytical techniques were employed to study the formation and properties of OM-ZnO NPs, including their morphology, shape, size distribution, and surface charges. Additionally, OM-ZnO NPs were assessed for their antimicrobial, antioxidant, and cytotoxic properties.

Results:

UV-visible spectroscopy confirmed the formation of OM-ZnO NPs, evident by the appearance of an SPR peak at 368.8 nm. The FTIR spectroscopy demonstrated that OM functional groups contribute to the formation and stability of the NPs. Micrographs from TEM and SEM showed that OM-ZnO NPs ranged from 15-40 nm in diameter, whereas hydrodynamic diameter and surface charge values obtained from Zeta and DLS were 72.8 nm and 14.6 mv, respectively. XRD analysis indicated the OM-ZnO NPs were crystalline with a wurtzite structure and a crystallite size of 27.3 nm, while EDX revealed a zinc: oxygen ratio of 67.5:34. Further, the OM-ZnO NPs demonstrated significant antimicrobial activity in response to different types of bacteria. In the antioxidant assay, the OM-ZnO NPs scavenged DPPH with 68.6 % of the efficiency of ascorbic acid (100 %).

Conclusion:

The present study demonstrated the cytotoxic efficacy of MO-ZnO NPs against MCF7 cells with an IC50 of 43.99 µg/ml. Overall, the green synthesis of ZnO NPs by OM was successful for many biological applications, such as antimicrobial, antioxidant, and anticancer. Moreover, OM-ZnO NPs can be applied as a biologically-derived nanotherapeutic agent.
Mass Spectrometry-based Alkaloid Profiling of Cyclea peltata Roots and
Evaluation of In vitro Cytotoxic Activity
Authors: Nekrakaleya Bhagya , Ramaiah Chandrashekar Konambi
Published: December 2022

Background:

Cyclea peltata (Lam.) Hook. f. and Thoms., an ethnomedicinal herb with
antitoxin and anti-herpes activities, is used to cure smallpox, wounds, diabetic disorders of the
skin, and its use as a cooling agent. In the present study, an attempt has been made to screen different
alkaloids present in Cyclea peltata roots using LC-ESI-MS/MS and to evaluate the in vitro
cytotoxic activity of alkaloids.

Methods:

The detection of alkaloids in C. peltata root extract was carried out by performing
MRM-based assay using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. The cytotoxic effect of the
acetone crystalized fraction was performed against human pancreatic cancer using MIA PaCa-2
cells.

Results:

The study revealed the presence of tetrandrine and fangchinoline as the major BBI alkaloids
in the roots of this herb, along with cycleacurine, isochondrodendrine, cycleahomine and
tetrandrine mono-N-2’-oxide. Furthermore, the present study also detected two precursors of BBI
alkaloids such as d-Coclaurine, (-)-N-methylcoclaurine. The study also showed a significant
(p<0.05) cytotoxic effect of the acetone crystalized fraction with an IC50 value of 59.85 μg/ml.

Conclusion:

C. peltata root is the major source of tetrandrine and fangchinoline with potent cytotoxic
effect.
Study of Photo-transformation of Ag Nanoparticles under Green LEDs
Light Source and their Changes Induced by Z-scan Technique
Authors: Ortiz-Jimenez O. , Trejo-Durán M. , Alvarado-Méndez E. , Vázquez A. , Castellanos-Águila J.E.
Published: December 2022

Background:

The study of metallic nanoparticles is important since they present nonlinear optical properties crucial for modern photonic science and technology. Moreover, their mechanical, chemical, and optical properties are different from those presented with respect to volumetric material. Said properties can be adjusted by controlling the size and shape of the studied nanoparticles, and various methodologies have been developed to obtain nanoparticles by chemical and physical means.

Methods:

Spherical nanoparticles were synthesized by chemically reducing silver nitrate, sodium borohydride, and sodium citrate precursors. Different amounts of silver nitrate were added to the original spherical nanoparticles and then exposed to a green LED light source to convert the spherical nanoparticles to triangular prisms. The changes in the samples were monitored using absorption spectra obtained with a UV-Vis spectrophotometer. The nonlinear refractive index was determined with Z-scan measurements, and a scanning electron microscope was used to observe the silver nanoparticles before and after laser irradiation.

Results:

The absorption spectra show a band of around 418 nm for the original spherical nanoparticles,
which shifted to blue after the irradiation with green LED light. Furthermore, a new
band was obtained, centered around 565 nm, which indicates the presence of triangular prisms.
From SEM images, it was confirmed that the spherical nanoparticles were transformed into triangular
nanoprisms. The non-linear (negative) refractive index depends on the shape and number
of nanoparticles; however, using the Z-scan technique caused photo-melting and photofragmentation
of the triangular prisms, which was corroborated by SEM images.

Conclusion:

These results suggest that the shape and amount of AgNPs can be controlled with excess silver ions and irradiation time. In addition, the Z-scan technique causes photo-melting and photo-fragmentation of AgNPs, and their nonlinear refraction index is negative due to thermal origin.