bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Physicochemical Characteristics and Nutritional and Biological Properties of Fish Oils in Cameroon: An Overview
Authors: Dongho Dongmo Fabrice Fabien , Fogang Mba Aymar Rodrigue , Manz Koule Jules Christophe , Njike Ngamga Fabrice Hervé , Simo Noutsa Boris , Ngo Hagbe Diana , Zokou Ronice , Tamgue Ousman , Sameza Modeste Lambert , Tchoumbougnang François , Ngono Ngane Rosalie Anne , Gouado Inocent
Published: December 2023

Due to their significant health benefits, fish oils have garnered increasing interest in recent decades. However, Cameroon’s fish oil market remains insignificant, and the few available products are imported, despite the country’s abundant marine resources. Additionally, research on Cameroonian fish oils is relatively recent and scarce. Therefore, this manuscript provides an overview of research on fish oils in Cameroon, focusing on their physicochemical characteristics, as well as their nutritional and biological properties. As of March 2023, 26 studies on fish oils in Cameroon have been published, with a focus on 23 species collected in the littoral, far-north, and west regions of Cameroon. Filets were the main parts used, and the Bligh Dyer and Soxhlet methods were the primary oil extraction techniques. Depending on the species, tissues, and extraction methods, oil contents ranged from 4.57% to 32.10% dry matter or yielded 0.36% to 66.83% wet weight. These oils generally meet recommended standards for markers of acidity and oxidation. Fatty acid profiles from 16 species showed a total of 48 fatty acids, including those that are beneficial to human health. Oils from eight species were found to significantly reduce weight, hyperlipidemia, hyperglycemia, hepatomegaly, and adipomegaly, while four species showed activity against bacteria responsible for food poisoning. Future work should include all fish species found in Cameroon, with a focus on by-products, and explore the physicochemical, functional, nutritional, and biological properties of these oils.
A Bi-Level Optimization Model for Flexible Capacity Allocation with Coordinated Planning and Operation
Authors: Yin Xinyu , Bian Xiaoyan , Zhu Qinran , Zhao Jinbin , Lin Shunfu , Lo Kwok L.
Published: December 2023

Traditional methods for flexible capacity allocation do not take into account the actual operation status of resources, and this can lead to redundancy of allocation results in a high renewable penetration power system. Using collaborative optimization during the flexibility resource planning stage can significantly improve the overall economics and flexibility. Therefore, a bilevel operation-planning joint optimization model for flexible capacity allocation is proposed in this paper. The aim is to optimize the annual total cost and flexibility of the system. The upper planning level introduces the economic costs, flexibility resource capacity, and flexibility index which are used as the evaluation index of system flexibility, while in the lower operation level, a morphological clustering algorithm based on the multiscale and entropy weight method is proposed for obtaining typical scenarios of flexibility demand. On this basis, the lower level simulates production to estimate daily operating costs. In addition, the model is solved iteratively using the nondominated sorting genetic algorithm-II (NSGA-II) and the linear programming method to obtain the Pareto solutions. Case studies are carried out based on a practical town area, and the results verify the validity and rationality of the proposed bilevel capacity allocation model.
Comparison between two gypsum content determination methods applied to the study of soils in arid regions
Authors: Youcef Fouzia , Kairouani Djihane , Boukarkar Fatiha , Hamdi Aïssa Baelhadj
Published: December 2023

With the scarcity, degradation of soils, the growing populations and the need to guarantee their food security, the valorization of gypsum soils widespread in arid and semi-arid regions is becoming a necessity. North African countries have a large part of their land area located in arid regions. It is therefore important to characterize the gypsum content using simple, rapid, economical and, environmentally friendly methods. Several methods have been proposed in the literature (chemical, thermogravimetric, and x-ray techniques). In this work, a comparison between two methods for gypsum determination in soils was undertaken. The first method of Coutinet is chemical and based on the use of BaSO4 for the precipitation of sulfate ions. The second method is Artieda method which is based on measuring the weight difference caused by the loss of crystalline water from gypsum molecules between the temperatures of 70 and 90 °C. To achieve the objective of this work, forty-three soil samples were analyzed. They were taken from two arid regions (Ouargla and Touggourt) located in the northern Sahara (Algeria). The soils contain gypsum accumulations. The results showed that most of the samples are slightly gypsiferous, with 36 and 32 samples for the Coutinet and Artieda methods respectively. A strong positive correlation (R2 = 0.95) exists between the results of the two methods studied. For gypsum contents higher than 2 %, the correlation coefficient is 0.94. However, for samples with contents less than 2 %, the correlation is very weak with R2=0.19. The Artieda method is thus encouraged for the gypsum quantification in soils of arid regions. This method is easy, requiring simple laboratory equipment (mainly a ventilated oven and a precision balance). Chemical methods have the disadvantage of being time-consuming and using expensive chemicals that are dangerous for the environment and human health.
Body image as a mediator in the relationship between psychotic experiences and later disordered eating: A 12-month longitudinal study in high school adolescents
Authors: Fekih-Romdhane Feten , Houissa Lilia , Cheour Majda , Hallit Souheil , Loch Alexandre Andrade
Published: December 2023

Background:

The relationship between psychosis and disordered eating remains a challenging area of research to which little interest was paid. Using longitudinal data, we aimed to explore the hypothesis that the pathways from psychotic experiences (PEs) to disordered eating (DE) and body-mass index (BMI) are mediated by body-image disturbances.

Methods:

A prospective longitudinal study was performed. High-school students ( N = 510, 61.2% females, mean age of 16.05 ± 1.01 years) were asked to complete three scheduled assessments (Baseline, 6 months, and 12 months).

Results:

Two body image components, that is, Overweight Preoccupation and Body Area Satisfaction, mediated the prospective association between baseline PEs and DE 12 months later. Direct effects were significant. After accounting for indirect effects through more severe body image concerns at 6 months, higher baseline PEs were significantly associated with greater DE at 12 months. Baseline PEs and 6-month body image explained a significant proportion of variance in 12-month DE. However, we did not find evidence of a direct prospective association between PEs and BMI.

Conclusion:

This study is the first to assess the mediating role of body image between PEs and DE. Findings offer promising new avenues for early intervention to help mitigate the effects of PEs on DE in adolescents.
Politics of Identity and Minority Quest for Self-Rule in Federal Ethiopia: The Case Study of Kabena People in South Central Ethiopia
Authors: Halabo Temesgen Thomas , Dube Engida Esayas
Published: December 2023

The ethnic federal system was formally institutionalised in Ethiopia in 1991. This federal system has introduced instrumentalist conceptions of ethnic identity and renegotiation of identity, control of ‘ethnic territory’, and ethnic autonomy. Using the concept of ‘formal ethnicism’ as an analytical frame, the study has analysed identity politics and the minority quest for separate self-rule by taking Kabena People as a case study from the Gurage zone in the period from 1991 to 2022. Methodologically, the study used a qualitative approach and a case study research design. For data collation, both primary and secondary sources were used. This analytical model has been used to analyse how politicised ethnicity in the context of Kabena has led to the renegotiation of identity and a violent quest for separate ethnic autonomy. The study shows that after the formalisation of ethnicity as a leading political order, ethnic identities have been articulated to the extent of inter-group polarization between Gurage and Kabena due to new trends of subsuming a minority group under locally dominant groups without putting relevant institutional mechanism to prevent possible local level marginalization and domination. The findings further reveal that the subsumed status of Kabena has created a fragile and polarized inter-ethnic relation with the dominant Gurage which has been easily changed into inter-ethnic conflict. The key dynamics behind such conflict include competing interests, prolonged contestation, and protracted conflict for separate self-rule at the special woreda level and demand for the ownership of Wolkite town administration, which is the capital city of Gurage zone and located at the historic land of Kabena. The article concludes that the Kabena quest for self-rule took on an ethnic dimension within the context of ethnic politics and formalized ethnicity that hardened inter-group boundaries. Synchronizing the historic trajectory and inter-ethnic relationships with Gurage along with the contemporary scenario; the article tries to shed some light on the dynamics of identity politics, the quest for separate self-rule and control of Wolkite town in the context of Kabena vis-à-vis Gurage, focusing particularly on the post-1991 political order in Ethiopia and its local implications.
Proactive Corporate Social Responsibility Strategies in Financial Misreporting
Authors: Guo Jun , Kim Sungsoo , Shi Linna
Published: December 2023

We investigate whether a proactive reputation-building strategy exists in misreporting firms and study the effect of such a strategy on misreporting managers. Using a sample of fraudulent U.S. firms from 2000 to 2013, we find that firms significantly increase their proactive corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities during periods when they misreport financial information. This finding is consistent with anecdotal evidence that firms may opportunistically invest in CSR reputation-building. We then examine the effects of this strategy on misreporting managers and find that (a) it delays the detection of misreporting, and (b) it reduces the possibility of forced CEO turnover upon the discovery of financial misreporting. Collectively, our results provide empirical evidence that managers could use proactive CSR strategies for self-serving purposes. This finding merits the attention of both researchers and regulators.

JEL Classifications: M14; M41; G34
The role of L2 input in developing a novel L2 contrast phonetically and phonologically: Production evidence from a residence abroad context
Authors: Turner James
Published: December 2023

This study analyses the production of French /y/ and /u/ by 42 native English learners of French (ELoF) at the start and end of a Residence Abroad (RA) in a French-speaking country. As an approximation of both phonological and phonetic development, categorical change is teased apart from gradient change using k-medoid clustering of acoustic data and different input measures are tested as predictors of both types of development. Results of the phonological analysis reveal that while no change occurs for /y/, the proportion that learners correctly use their back vowel in /u/ contexts increases over the RA. The quantity of French input declared over the RA is a significant predictor of this categorical change, especially the amount of auditory and visual engagement (e.g. listening and reading in French). Results of the phonetic analysis indicate, instead, that /y/ becomes more target-like over the RA, while /u/ makes less progress, suggesting a partial mismatch between the phonological and phonetic levels. Nevertheless, the phonetic development of /u/ is more substantial for individuals who: (1) have been learning French longer, (2) have yet to experience naturalistic exposure by the start of the RA, and (3) are English language teachers over the RA rather than students at a foreign institution. Taken together, these results have implications for the link between second language (L2) input and L2 production, the assumptions of L2 speech models, and the relationship between different levels of linguistic representation in L2 speech learning.
Risk factors for fraud victimization: The role of socio-demographics, personality, mental, general, and cognitive health, activities, and fraud knowledge
Authors: Koning Luka , Junger Marianne , Veldkamp Bernard
Published: December 2023

Fraud against individuals is a major and growing problem. Understanding why some people fall victim to fraud, while others do not, is crucial in developing effective prevention strategies. We therefore studied the effect of socio-demographics, personality traits, mental, general, and cognitive health, routine Internet activities, and prior fraud knowledge on general fraud victimization, susceptibility to fraud attempts, and exposure to fraud attempts. We modeled data from a Dutch fraud victimization survey, using an exhaustive fraud taxonomy and a representative sample for which an elaborate set of historical background variables were available. Results show that there is no clear personality or other profile of those most at risk for fraud, except for having low self-control, having a non-Western, immigrant background or being a frequent Internet user. Improving fraud knowledge could be an effective way to prevent fraud victimization by reducing susceptibility to attempts.
Explaining fear of crime among university students: A comparison between national and international students in Istanbul
Authors: Özaşçılar Mine , Mawby Robert I
Published: December 2023

Past studies have highlighted the importance of studying the fear of crime among international students. Interestingly, though, most of this research has been in developed societies and has not directly compared international and indigenous/national students. To fill this gap, the current study aims to examine the determinants of fear of crime among domestic and international students in Turkey. Drawing upon a survey of 377 international students and 579 national university students studying in Istanbul, Turkey, during the Fall 2019 semester, the study finds that international students mostly feared being cheated or ‘conned’. In contrast, for the domestic students the threat from physical attack was of most concern. The results also indicate that among all gender groups for international and domestic students, female international students reported higher levels of fear of crime than all other sub-groups.
Feasibility of a Pilot Virtual National Young Adult Wellbeing Network: Using Art to Heal
Authors: Abraczinskas Michelle , Kennedy Heather , Vines Erin , Chávez Noé Rubén
Published: December 2023

The current study piloted a virtual 8-week National Young Adult Well-being Network (The Network) to inform funding and policy decisions around post-COVID-19 pandemic healing. Arts-based youth participatory action research (YPAR) was utilized. Essential elements were creation of art as data, group processing, and action planning. Fifteen 18 to 23 year old young people (4 male, 11 female) living in three states participated in The Network. The young people identified as Black ( n = 3), White ( n = 5), Latino/a/x ( n = 6), and Native Mexican ( n = 1). The Network was virtual via Zoom. Attendance was documented and post-intervention individual interviews were conducted. Qualitative thematic analysis of the post-intervention individual interviews assessed feasibility via participant satisfaction (strengths, areas for improvement). Two of The Network’s essential elements (art as data, group processing) were deemed feasible based on participant reported satisfaction and strengths. The action phase was truncated, and was discussed by participants as an area for improvement. Participating in art and group processing in The Network was more feasible than meeting with national stakeholders. More work needs to be done to understand how young people can be involved with decisions at the national and funding level.
Look up! Cinq propositions de recherche pour repenser le marketing dans une société post-croissance
Authors: Rémy Eric , Roux Dominique , Arnould Eric , Askegaard Søren , Beudaert Anthony , Galluzzo Anthony , Giannelloni Jean-Luc , Marion Gilles
Published: December 2023

En se concentrant sur la capacité du marketing à participer au réchauffement climatique, à l’érosion de la biodiversité ou aux tensions sur les ressources naturelles, cet article aborde des préoccupations fondamentales. Malgré l’urgence et l’importance de ces problématiques, notre discipline, semble tarder à reconnaître pleinement que les activités humaines sont responsables de conséquences à l’échelle géologique, au point où l’on évoque l’avènement d’une nouvelle période, l’Anthropocène et à en prendre la réelle mesure. Cette réticence peut être attribuée, du moins en partie, aux présupposés implicites du marketing durable qui tendent à minimiser l’ampleur des changements de paradigme nécessaires pour rester dans l’espoir d’une planète habitable. Par conséquent, les approches dominantes en matière de « marketing durable » peinent à remettre en question les principes fondamentaux et les fondements idéologiques du système de marché. C’est pourquoi nous plaidons pour des changements radicaux dans la recherche en marketing afin d’envisager un avenir véritablement soutenable. Nous formulons cinq propositions dans le but d’inviter à de profondes transformations de la discipline.
Performance evaluation of the eight-one six-point occupant restraint system based on experiments
Authors: Hao Donghui , Zhang Jie , Qiang Yi , Peng Shuiyi , Wei Zhe , Li Dechen , Li Bo
Published: December 2023

In order to further ensure occupant safety, a new type of motor vehicle occupant restraint system is proposed in the paper. According to its structural characteristics, the shoulder belts are shaped like the Chinese number eight (八), the lap belt is shaped like the Chinese number one (一), and it has six fixed points; hence, it is called the “Eight-one six-point occupant restraint system.” The effectiveness of the “Eight-one six-point occupant restraint system” for adult and child occupant protection was verified under frontal impact conditions (50 km/h) and lateral impact conditions (30 km/h) using the Hybrid III 50th percentile dummy and the Q3 child dummy, respectively. Meanwhile, a comparison was made with the safety performance of the typical occupant system. The conclusion indicates that wearing a typical occupant restraint system carries the risk of occupant detachment from the restraint, neck strangulation, and collision interference between occupants on the far side and on the collision side; it also cannot be applied for child occupant protection. However, the “Eight-one six-point occupant restraint” can effectively restrain adult and child occupants within safety areas with a simple and easy-to-wear structure and technological innovation, which has certain application value.
Delineating between scientism and science enthusiasm: Challenges in measuring scientism and the development of novel scale
Authors: Lukić Petar , Žeželj Iris
Published: December 2023

Scientism proposes science to be an all-powerful human enterprise, able to answer not only all practical but also philosophical or moral questions. We are taking a psychological approach to scientism, studying uncritical trust in science and uncritical trust in scientists as a part of a unique attitudinal tendency. Our novel measure assesses both kinds of trust through short Thurstone scales allowing us to establish a clear threshold for endorsing scientism, thus effectively delineating it from science enthusiasm, which previous instruments were unable to do. We built and refined a novel scale through five stages in which we consulted relevant literature, experts, and laypeople. We demonstrated that uncritical trust in science and scientists are interrelated, yet distinct constructs. As expected, these two subscales positively correlated with dogmatism, scientific knowledge, and overclaiming, but not with knowledge overestimation. The results suggest the new instrument is reliable, valid, and suitable for the lay public.
Survey Uses May Influence Survey Responses
Authors: Wolf Melissa G. , Denison Alexander J.
Published: December 2023

Traditional validation processes for psychological surveys tend to focus on analyzing item responses instead of the cognitive processes that participants use to generate these responses. When screening for invalid responses, researchers typically focus on participants who manipulate their answers for personal gain or respond carelessly. In this paper, we introduce a new invalid response process, discordant responding, that arises when participants disagree with the use of the survey and discuss similarities and differences between this response style and protective responding. Results show that nearly all participants reflect on the intended uses of an assessment when responding to items and may decline to respond or modify their responses if they are not comfortable with the way the results will be used. Incidentally, we also find that participants may misread survey instructions if they are not interactive. We introduce a short screener to detect invalid responses, the discordant response identifiers (DRI), which provides researchers with a simple validity tool to use when validating surveys. Finally, we provide recommendations about how researchers may use these findings to design surveys that reduce this response manipulation in the first place.
Trends and Disparities in Perinatal Opioid Use Disorder Treatment in Medicaid, 2007–2012
Authors: Landis Rachel K. , Stein Bradley D. , Dick Andrew W. , Griffin Beth Ann , Saloner Brendan K. , Terplan Mishka , Faherty Laura J.
Published: December 2023

We described Medicaid-insured women by receipt of perinatal opioid use disorder (OUD) treatment; and trends and disparities in treatment. Using 2007 to 2012 Medicaid Analytic eXtract data from 45 states and D.C., we identified deliveries among women with OUD. Regressions modeled the association between patient characteristics and receipt of any OUD treatment, medication for OUD (MOUD), and counseling alone during the perinatal period. Rates of any OUD treatment and MOUD for women with perinatal OUD increased over the study period, but trends differed by subgroup. Compared with non-Hispanic White women, Black and American Indian/Alaskan Native (AI/AN) women were less likely to receive any OUD treatment, and Black women were less likely to receive MOUD. Over time, the disparity in receipt of MOUD between Black and White women increased. Overall gains in OUD treatment were driven by improvements in perinatal OUD care for White women and obscured disparities for Black and AI/AN women.
Clinicopathologic Characterization of Lymphocytic Colitis in the Pediatric Population
Authors: González Iván A. , Conrad Maire , Weinbrom Sarah , Patel Trusha , Kelsen Judith R. , Russo Pierre
Published: December 2023

Background:

Lymphocytic colitis (LC) in the pediatric population has been associated with immune dysregulation.

Methods:

Single-center retrospective study of pediatric LC.

Results:

50 patients (35 female, 70%) with a median age of 12 years at diagnosis (interquartile range: 5.7–15.8) of LC were identified. At presentation, 11 patients (22%) had malnutrition, 16 (32%) had a known underlying immune dysregulation, 4 (8%) had celiac disease (CD), and none had a diagnosis of inflammatory bowel disease. The most common medications prior to diagnosis were non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, proton pump inhibitor, and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (10% each). Colonic biopsies showed a median number of intraepithelial lymphocytes (IELs)/100 epithelial cells of 48 (range: 25–85), and only 10% of cases had neutrophilic cryptitis. Upper gastrointestinal tract findings included lymphocytic esophagitis (4%), and duodenal IELs without and with villous blunting (9% each) (n: 47). Ten patients (23%) had increased IELs in the terminal ileum (n: 43). Treatments including 5-ASA, budesonide, prednisone, and gluten-free diet improved symptoms in <50% of patients (n: 42), and all follow-up colonoscopies showed persistent LC (n: 13).

Conclusion:

Our study supports the association of LC with immune-mediated conditions, most commonly celiac disease. Symptomatic improvement was seen in <50% of patients with none of the patients with repeat colonoscopy showing histologic improvement.
Drug-induced secondary haemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis in hairy cell leukaemia
Authors: Stark Katherine , Rowe Cormac , Mathur Abhinav , Matossian James , Lawrie Alastair
Published: December 2023

Haemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) is a rare, aggressive, excess immune activation syndrome. Diagnosis can be challenging due to its several clinical mimics including sepsis. There are multiple aetiologies of HLH; in adults, it is most commonly triggered by infection, malignancy, drugs and autoimmune processes. Failure to rapidly diagnose and treat this condition can be fatal. The management of HLH includes identifying and removing the trigger, supportive management and immunosuppression. Identifying the trigger is essential to inform the most appropriate type of immunosuppression. Here, we report a case of likely drug-induced HLH in a patient recently treated for hairy cell leukaemia. The culprit drug was thought to be co-trimoxazole and this case report highlights a very rare complication of this commonly used drug. We discuss our management approach with steroid monotherapy and withdrawal of co-trimoxazole.
Youth Rights in Postsecondary Transition: Gibson v. Forest Hills (2016)
Authors: Prince Angela Tuttle
Published: December 2023

A transition-aged youth with an individualized education program has the right to free, appropriate public education that includes postsecondary transition planning and services. The documented transition supports need to meet both procedural and substantive requirements. While many court cases have included transition components, few have been decided at the appellate court level. In Gibson v. Forest Hills (2016), Chloe Gibson, a transition-aged youth with intellectual and developmental disabilities, was provided inadequate postsecondary transition planning and services. According to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, Chole’s right to a free, appropriate public education was violated due to procedural errors related to inviting her to individualized education program (IEP) meetings, conducting age-appropriate transition assessments, and including programming leading to supported competitive employment in a community setting. This decision supports the federal requirements of including a transition-aged student’s strengths, interests, preferences, and needs when planning their life after high school.
Średniowieczna inskrypcja z murowanej przegrody w prezbiterium kościoła poklasztornego w Gościkowie-Paradyżu
Authors: Grabowska Bożena
Published: December 2023

W kościele opactwa cystersów w Gościkowie-Paradyz˙u (Paradisus Sanctae Mariae) w woj. lubuskim podczas prac konserwatorskich prowadzonych w latach 2010–2017 natrafiono na polichromię z drugiej połowy XV wieku. Zdobi jedną z arkad ostatniego przęsła prezbiterium, które zamurowano w epoce baroku. Otwór jest przesłonięty do połowy ażurową, murowaną balustradą z napisem określonym jako cytat ze św. Bernarda z Clairvaux. Po bliższej analizie okazało się, że przypisane w średniowieczu autorstwo tekstu nie jest pewne. Inskrypcja jest cytatem z medytacji nieznanego autora, której jedyny znany odpis przechowywany jest w bibliotece klasztoru Franciszkanów w Reekhem w Holandii.
The Impact of Flexural/Torsional Coupling on the Stability of Symmetrical Laminated Plates
Authors: Mataich Hafid , Amrani Bouchta El
Published: December 2023

In this study, we will evaluate the effect of bending/torsion coupling on the buckling instability and free vibration behavior of symmetrical laminated plates. We will load these plates in-plane with bi-axial or uni-axial, uniform or non-uniform mechanical loads. To quantify this behavior, we’ll compare the results obtained with those of specially orthotropic symmetrical plates (where bending/torsion coupling is absent). A parametric study will be carried out by varying the plate’s aspect ratio, anisotropy ratio and/or lamination angle. The aim of these studies is to construct a planar loading margin for the plate while remaining elastically stable, and to determine a physically admissible limit where we can approximate the behavior of symmetrical laminates to that of specially orthotropic plates (easy to study). We will base ourselves on a Rayleigh-Ritz energy formulation of the problem because of the difficulty of finding closed-form solutions. Following validation of this formulation, a numerical survey of the results will be carried out to quantify the effect of bending/torsion coupling on the instability of this type of plate. Various conditions on the plate boundaries will be used.
Evaluation of Piezoelectric-based Composite for Actuator Application via FEM with Thermal Analogy
Authors: Kevin Alexander , Akbar Mahesa , Gunawan Leonardo , Aulia Darryl Khalid , Agung Rizqy , Rawikara Seno Sahisnu , Sasongko Rianto Adhy , Widagdo Djarot
Published: December 2023

In the present work, a new study on the piezoelectric-based structure by means of Finite Element Method (FEM) is conducted. Currently, the piezoelectric model in the FEM-based commercial software is only applicable via 2D plane stress and 3D solid elements. However, piezoelectric structures are usually manufactured as thin-walled structures, i.e., plates and disks. Therefore, it is more convenient to model a piezoelectric-based structure with 2D shell elements. In this study, FEM with a thermal analogy approach is implemented. Thermal coupling characteristics are utilised as the equivalent of electromechanical properties. Thermal analysis is much more established in FEM-based software; thus, applications with various types of elements are enabled. Therefore, the evaluation of piezoelectric structure via shell element with a thermal analogy approach could be performed. Static and dynamic analyses are conducted with experimental and numerical validations. As depicted in some details in this paper, the shell model with thermal analogy shows an excellent agreement with the 3D solid piezoelectric elements with insignificant variances, less than 0.3%.
Development and evaluation of a multiplex polymerase chain reaction in real-time for differential diagnosis of Moraxella-induced keratoconjunctivitis in livestock
Authors: Strochkov Vitaliy , Sattarova Rano , Boranbayeva Karlygash , Bakiyeva Flyura , Shynybayev Kuandyk , Aitzhanov Batyrbek , Kassenov Markhabat
Published: December 2023

Background and Aim: Infectious bovine keratoconjunctivitis (IBK) is a prevalent ocular disease that affects livestock, leading to substantial economic losses due to reduced production and culling of infected animals. Moraxella spp. is common bacterial pathogens that can cause keratoconjunctivitis in livestock. Therefore, rapid and accurate diagnosis is crucial for effective treatment and disease control. This study aimed to develop a multiplex real-time polymerase chain reaction (mRT-PCR) assay for the detection and differentiation of Moraxella bovoculi, Moraxella ovis, and Moraxella bovis.

Materials and Methods: Three reference strains of Moraxella as positive controls and 36 lacrimal swab samples collected from cattle were used to evaluate the developed mRT-PCR assay DNA extraction that was performed using the RIBO-sorb DNA/RNA extraction kit. Primers and probes were designed using the SpeciesPrimer pipeline. The annealing temperature, primer and probe concentrations, and sensitivity and specificity of the assay were optimized.

Results: An mRT-PCR assay was developed to detect pathogens associated with IBK in cattle on the basis of optimized parameters. The specificity and sensitivity of this assay were confirmed using samples containing individual pathogens (O – M. ovis, B – M. bovis, and BO – M. bovoculi), combinations of two pathogens (O-B, B-BO, and O-BO), and when the DNA of all three pathogens was present in a single reaction (O-B-BO). The analytical sensitivity of mRT-PCR for detecting M. ovis and M. bovoculi DNA was 21 copies or 50 fg per reaction, whereas that for M. bovis was 210 copies or 500 fg per reaction. In addition, this assay has been tested on samples isolated from the affected eyes of cattle in the Akmola region of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

Conclusion: For the first time in the Republic of Kazakhstan, the proposed mRT-PCR assay for the simultaneous detection of three Moraxella spp. pathogens has been developed. This assay exhibits the required specificity and high sensitivity for mRT-PCR, facilitating the timely implementation of effective measures for disease control and the prevention of economic losses. These losses are linked to a reduction in livestock breeding value, a reduction in meat and milk production, a reduction in the reproductive performance of heifers, resulting in fewer offspring, as well as costs related to the treatment of affected animals.

Keywords: Moraxella bovis, Moraxella bovoculi, Moraxella ovis, Moraxella spp., multiplex real-time polymerase chain reaction, Pinkeye.
Adsorption of Lead(II) from Aqueous Solution by Synthetic Barium Hexaferrite Magnetic Nanoparticles
Authors: Rattanaburi Parintip , Porrawatkul Paweena , Pimsen Rungnapa , Nuengmatcha Prawit
Published: December 2023

In this study, the sol-gel auto-combustion method is employed to synthesize barium hexaferrite (BaFe12O19) using carboxymethyl cellulose as chelating agent. The properties and identity of the synthesized BaFe12O19 nanoparticles were verified with X-ray  diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), energy dispersive spectroscopy  (EDS) and vibrating sample magnetometry (VSM). The adsorption efficiency of the prepared nanoparticles toward lead(II) metal ions  was estimated using atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS). The synthesized BaFe12O19 was utilized as an adsorbent for removing  lead(II) from the aqueous solution. The utilization enhancement studies of the synthesized nanoparticles were influenced by several  factors, which include incubation time, pH of metal ion solutions, adsorbent doses, initial lead(II) metal ion concentration and  temperature. Under optimum conditions, when 0.20 g of adsorbent was used with 5 mg/L of lead(II) ion solution at a pH 6, the  adsorption percentage was found to be 91.53%. Endothermic adsorption and the Langmuir isotherm models were found to best fit the  data of lead(II) adsorption. Notably, the maximum adsorption capacity (qm) for lead adsorption was 4.57 mg/g. These findings  demonstrated that the novel single material BaFe12O19 magnetic nanoparticles can function as a highly effective nanosorbent for the  treatment of wastewater and they can effectively remove lead(II) ions.
Chemical Constituents of Goniothalamus elegans Leaves and their Anticancer Activity
Authors: Noichan Jirawan , Senawong Thanaset , Tontapha Sarawut , Amornkitbumrung Vitttaya , P. Suchaichit Natcha , Moosophon Panawan
Published: December 2023

The methanol extract from the Goniothalamus elegans leaves showed potent antiproliferative effect on human cancer cells. After purification, goniothalamin (1), goniomicin C (2), pinocembirn (3), stigmasterol (4), trans-cinnamic acid (5), and benzoic acid (6) were isolated from the extract. Their structures were elucidated by spectroscopic analysis and comparison with literature data. The antiproliferative activity of compounds on cancer cell lines were determined by MMT assay and found that 1 displayed strong cytotoxicity towards human colon (HCT116), cervical (HeLa), and breast (MCF-7) cancer cells (IC50 0.35-2.36 µg/mL). The extract and compound 1 showed stronger inhibitory effect on three cancer cells than standard drug cisplatin, while, their antiproliferation on non-cancer cells showed close. Moreover, compound 2 showed cytotoxicity to MCF-7 cells without showing cytotoxicity against non-cancer cells. These results reveal that the extract and compound 2 are potent human cancer cells proliferation and needed further investigations the mechanism as chemotherapeutic agents.
Effect of Lanthanum Loading on the Photocatalytic Degradation of Brilliant Yellow and Acid Blue Dyes in Visible Light and Sunlight over La2O3-TiO2 Nanocomposites
Authors: Vasantha Amrutha , Vijayalaxmi Burri , Venkatesham Kothabai , Rohitha Nappunni , Aytam Hari Padmasri
Published: December 2023

La-doped TiO2 nanocomposites were synthesized using the sol-gel process with different proportions of lanthanum doping (1-5 wt.%). The synthesized nanocomposites were analyzed thoroughly by X-ray diffraction (XRD), nitrogen adsorption, scanning electron  microscopy (SEM) with extended X-ray diffraction (EDAX), transmission electron microscopy, ultraviolet-visible DRS spectra for optical  properties, photoluminescence (PL) for emission behaviours, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy (FTIR) for chemical  bonding analysis and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) for surface chemical composition. The XRD analysis confirmed the  anatase phase for all synthesized La-TiO2 nanocomposites. The UV-Vis spectra showed an increased absorption in the visible range  and a slight red shift of binding energy as the % La doping increased from 1-5 wt.%. Similarly, the binding energy values varied from  3.02 to 2.75 eV with increased La doping. These nanocomposites exhibited the photocatalytic activity achieving 99% degradation of acid blue dye and 96% degradation of brilliant yellow dye in the presence of visible light irradiation. Scavenger studies indicated that the  dye degradation was suppressed, suggesting the involvement of superoxide (O2–), hydroxyl radical (OH•) and holes (h+) in the reaction  mechanism.
Extraction of Lignin from Agro-Waste Coir Fiber by Mild Alkali Treatment: A Statistical Approach for Process Optimization through Response Surface Methodology
Authors: Sujatha M , Aparna Roy
Published: December 2023

Lignin, a biomass with a wide range of applications, can be produced from agro-industrial waste, which can contributes to a reduction in the costs of production as well as the pollution load from the environment. The lignin content in coconut coir fiber is fairly high (40-45%) compared to other biomass. In current study, lignin is extracted from coconut coir fiber using a mildly alkaline solution and moist heat under pressure in an autoclave. Three factors were taken into consideration while designing the experiments: the variation in  NaOH concentration, the variation in time and the variation in temperature. The optimal lignin extraction of 305.9742 mg/100 mL was  achieved at 107 ºC and a heating time of 130 min by using a central composite design (CCD) of the response surface methodology  (RSM).
Characterization of Prasugrel Degradation Profile by Several Oxidative Reagents using HPLC and LC-MS/MS Technique
Authors: Bhukya Vijay Nayak , Beda Durga Prasad
Published: December 2023

Prasugrel, a derivative of thienopyridine functions as a prodrug that exerts irreversible inhibition on platelet ADP receptors by  specifically targeting the P2Y12 receptor. In pharmaceuticals, the stability of the product plays a crucial role in establishing the shelf life of product. The second common degradation pathway next to hydrolysis is the oxidation. In practice, the oxidative stress studies were carried out using hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), free radicals, oxygen purging, transition metals, singlet oxygen, Fenton reagent, etc. This study compares the oxidative degradation behaviour of prasugrel hydrochloride using different oxidative stressors and was analyzed by HPLC using a method that could separate degradation products individually and from the drug. The degradation products formed under different stress conditions were characterized using LC-TOF-MS/MS. Analysis of accelerated stability samples of prasugrel formulation revealed that the degradation products formed under azobisisobutyronitrile (AIBN) and H2O2 stress conditions were simulated with the stability data. This study on prasugrel showed that the degradation products formed with H2O2 were also observed under hydrolytic conditions. In the pharmaceutical industry, H2O2 is the only oxidative stressor (< 95%) used to study the oxidation degradation of the sample. The present work has demonstrated that AIBN serves as a valuable oxidative stressor for accurately assessing the oxidative stability of drug.
Metal Contents in Traditional Alcoholic Rice Beers Prepared by Rabha and Sonowal Kachari Tribes of Assam, India
Authors: Bhattacharya Bhaskarjyoti , Deka Dibakar Chandra
Published: December 2023

Consumption of heavy metals in food is considered a health hazard. Rabhas and Sonowal Kacharis of Assam prepare their traditional alcoholic beverages for their own consumption in day-to-day life, and there is possibility that heavy metals get entry into this food item from different sources of ingredients used in the preparation. Investigation to find the presence of heavy metals in the alcoholic beverages of these two communities by using atomic absorption spectroscopy shows the concentration of eleven metals like cadmium, chromium, cobalt, copper, iron, lead, manganese, nickel, potassium, sodium, and zinc. The metal contents (mg/L) in the samples are in the range of 0.002-0.008 for cadmium, 0-0.012 for chromium, 0-0.008 for cobalt, 0.092-0.121 for copper, 1.09-1.56 for iron, 0.09-0.19 for lead, 1.67-2.53 for manganese, 0.024-0.094 for nickel, 175.8-290.8 for potassium, 9.7-25.8 for sodium, 0.639-1.678 for zinc and all these values are compared with maximum permissible limits prescribed by WHO. The estimated daily intake and target hazard quotient for each metal in different alcoholic beverage samples are also reported. This study reveals that all the samples can be marked as safe as the metal concentrations are within the permissible limits of WHO. Sticky rice beer of Pati Rabhas has highest total hazard quotient, still it can be marked as safe by comparing with WHO permissible limit and it is almost free from contamination of toxic metals like cobalt and chromium.
A Facile One Pot Synthesis and Anticorrosion Potential of Carbazole Linked Quinoline Moiety
Authors: Panneerselvi V. , Muthukrishnan P. , Shankar K. , Prabakaran K.
Published: December 2023

A facile and efficient one pot synthesis has been developed for the preparation of quinoline-substituted carbazoles 3-(4-carboxyquinolin-2-yl)-9-methyl-9H-carbazole (Cbz-QCA) and 3-(4-chloroquinolin-2-yl)-9-methyl-9H-carbazole (Cbz-ClQ) by treating 3-acetyl-9-methyl-9H-carbazole (3Ac-Cbz), with isatin under Pfitzinger reaction conditions and utilizing anthranilic acid in the presence of POCl3 through the modified Niementowski method, respectively. The synthesized compounds have been comprehensively characterized through spectral data. The effect of 3Ac-Cbz (1), Cbz-QCA (2) and Cbz-ClQ (3) were assessed as a steel corrosion inhibitor in molar hydrochloric acid using weight loss, potentiodynamic polarization, and electrochemical methods. The inhibitory effect rises with tested inhibitor concentration, reaching above 84% at higher concentrations of all tested inhibitors. These results indicated that tested inhibitors have a good corrosion inhibition. An increase in the inhibitor’s concentration leads to a higher percentage of inhibition efficiency, driven by the adsorption of inhibitor molecules onto the metal surface.  Results from scanner electron microscopy (SEM) support the experimental inhibition tests have yielded successful outcomes and validate the adsorption process.
Terrain Complexity and Maximal Poisson-Disk Sampling-Based Digital Elevation Model Simplification
Authors: Dong Jingxian , Ming Fan , Kabika Twaha , Jiang Jiayao , Zhang Siyuan , Chervan Aliaksandr , Natallia Zhukouskaya , Hou Wenguang
Published: December 2023

With the rapid development of lidar, the accuracy and density of the Digital Elevation Model (DEM) point clouds have been continuously improved. However, in some applications, dense point cloud has no practical meaning. How to effectively sample from the dense points and maximize the
preservation of terrain features is extremely important. This paper will propose a DEM sampling algorithm that utilizes terrain complexity and maximal Poisson-disk sampling to extract key feature points for adaptive DEM sampling. The algorithm estimates terrain complexity based on local terrain
variation and prioritizes points with high complexity for sampling. The sampling radius is inversely proportional to terrain complexity, while ensuring that points within the radius of accepted samples are not considered new samples. This way makes more points of concern in the rugged regions.
The results show that the proposed algorithm has higher global accuracy than the classic six sampling methods.
I2-FaçadeNet: An Illumination-invariant Façade Recognition Network Leveraging Sparsely Gated Mixture of Multi-color Space Experts for Aerial Oblique Imagery
Authors: Huang Shengzhi , Hu Han , Zhu Qing
Published: December 2023

Façade image recognition under complex illumination conditions is crucial for various applications, including urban three-dimensional modeling and building identification. Existing methods relying solely on Red-Green-Blue (RGB) images are prone to texture ambiguity in complex
illumination environments. Furthermore, façades display varying orientations and camera viewing angles, resulting in performance issues within the RGB color space. In this study, we introduce an illumination-invariant façade recognition network (I2-FaçadeNet)
that leverages sparsely gated multi-color space experts for enhanced façade image recognition in challenging illumination environments. First, RGB façade images are converted into multi-color spaces to eliminate the ambiguous texture in complex illumination. Second, we train
expert networks using separate channels of multi-color spaces. Finally, a sparsely gated mechanism is introduced to manage the expert networks, enabling dynamic activation of expert networks and the merging of results. Experimental evaluations leveraging both the International Society for
Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing benchmark data sets and the Shenzhen data sets reveal that our proposed I2 -FaçadeNet surpasses various depths of ResNet in façade recognition under complex illumination conditions. Specifically, the classification accuracy for poorly
illuminated façades in Zurich improves by nearly 8%, while the accuracy for over-illuminated areas in Shenzhen increases by approximately 3%. Moreover, ablation studies conducted on façade images with complex illumination indicate that compared to traditional RGB-based ResNet,
the proposed network achieves an accuracy improvement of 3% to 4% up to 100% for overexposed images and an accuracy improvement of 3% to 10% for underexposed images.