bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Customer Perception of Online Food Delivery and Analysis of Factors Affecting Customers – Based on Young Chinese Customer Behavior Survey
Authors: Yu Tian , Sakurai Seiichi
Published: September 2022

The online food delivery industry has great potential for development in China. As a new type of service industry, online food delivery has changed with time and China's economic development. Therefore, understanding customer needs and requests requires constant updating. Only by better understanding the needs of customers can more targeted suggestions be provided for Chinese food delivery development. This study was conducted in the early stage of the COVID-19 outbreak in China, which represents a unique point in time. As described in this study, a binary logistic regression model is adopted to analyze factors that affect food delivery orders. Empirical studies have found that living expenses of 2001-4000 yuan, 4001-7000 yuan, and bad weather have a significant positive effect on purchasing behavior. Online food delivery users assign a high degree of emphasis on the taste of meals. These results suggest some strategies to attract Chinese online food delivery users: improving food safety supervision, maintaining the taste of meals, and increasing review system credibility.
Effect of Online Training on Employee Engagement During the COVID-19 Era
Authors: Hashem Mariam , Sfeir Elizabeth , Hejase Hussin J. , Hejase Ale J.
Published: September 2022

Employee engagement and training and development (T&D) are widely used terms nowadays, especially in the business world. Researchers and studies show that T&D influences the engagement of the employees. However, amid a dynamic environment full of change, studies need to follow suit and assess the impact of change too. Therefore, as the COVID-19 pandemic has arisen, new studies are needed in this era. Motivated by this reason, this study focuses on the "Effect of Online Training on Employee Engagement during COVID-19 Era (Remote Working)". It aims at exploring and investigating whether there is a link between online training and engagement by using the Towers Perrin-ISR Model of engagement which contains three components cognitive thinking, affective feeling, and behavioral acting components. This research uses a quantitative, deductive, and positivist approach. A structured questionnaire is designed and administered to a sample of 54 administrative employees at five different universities in Lebanon. It consists of 20 questions related to the chosen employee engagement model with five demographic factors. Statistical analysis was performed using the Statistical Product and Service Solutions, SPSS version 25. Descriptive statistics, Cronbach alpha, cross-tabulations, factor analysis, and regression analysis are applied. Results found did not find a statistically significant relationship between employee engagement and online training. However, an alternative model resulted in emphasizing the importance of having well-prepared institutions that foster their values, culture, and respect for the employees leading to a successful relationship and causing the acceptance and success of online training. This study is concluded within certain limitations and recommendations for future work as presented in this paper.
Wine is not an alcoholic beverage like any other.
Authors: Raffray Ronan
Published: September 2022

Wine remains a central theme in public discussion, in particular with regard to its relationship with other alcoholic beverages.
This article was first published in french by Dalloz Editions, which the author thanks for their permission to publish on the OpenWineLaw Journal.
High Piezoelectric Output Voltage from Blue Fluorescent N,N-Dimethyl-4-Nitroaniline Nano Crystals into Poly-L-Lactic Acid Electrospun Fibers
Authors: Baptista Rosa M. F. , Silva Bruna , Oliveira João , Isfahani Vahideh B. , Almeida Bernardo , Pereira Mário R. , Cerca Nuno , Castro Cidália , Rodrigues Pedro V. , Machado Ana , Belsley Michael , Gomes Etelvina de Matos
Published: September 2022

N,N-dimethyl-4-nitroaniline (NNDM4NA, C8H10O2N2), is a superelastic and superplastic charge-transfer molecular crystal with a high molecular dipole moment, µ=7.95 D, which crystal-lizes in the acentric polar point group 2. Highly aligned poly-l-lactic acid (PLLA) polymer micro-fibers with embedded NNDM4NA nanocrystals were fabricated using the electrospinning tech-nique. The composite fibers display an extraordinarily high piezoelectric output response, where for a small stress of 5.0x103 Nm-2, an effective piezoelectric voltage coefficient of geff=3.6 VmN-1 was obtained. The fibers were found to display solid state blue fluorescence with a long (147 ns) life-time decay. Furthermore, the composite fibers exhibit an average increase of 67% on the Young modulus reaching 55 MPa, while the tensile strength reaches 2.8 MPa when compared with solely PLLA fibers. The results show that nanocrystals, from small organic molecules, with elastic and piezoelectric properties form hybrid functional 2-dimensional luminescent array which are me-chanical strong and generate high output voltages making them promising for applications in energy harvesting and as solid-state blue emitters.
Ensemble Weighting Strategy For Federated Learning To Handle Heterogeneous Data Distributions
Authors: Richter Lucas , Dontsov Ilja , Jacob Tania
Published: September 2022

Increasingly measured data in the context of smart cities can be used to develop new and innovative business models to increase efficiency and the value of life. A time-series classification algorithm can support to automatize many different processes such as forecasting services. In order to ensure data security and privacy, Federated Learning trains a global model collaboratively on multiple clients. Having different data-distributions and data-quantities across participating clients, neural networks suffer from slow convergence and overfitting. Based on different data-distributions, data-quantities and number of clients, we develop and evaluate different data-clustering strategies to update global model weights in comparison to the state of the art. We use public time-series data, generate various synthetic datasets and train a Relational-Regularized Autoencoder for classification purposes. Our results show an improvement of model performance concerning generalization.
Introducing Uncertainties in the Impact Chain Risk Assessment Framework: The UNTIC tool.
Authors: Melo-Aguilar Camilo , Agulles Miguel , Jordà Gabriel
Published: September 2022

The Impact Chain framework for risk assessment has proven to be a robust and effective It is very useful to set up the conceptual framework associated to a given risk and allows accommodating naturally the different components that shape that However, the operationalization of the impact chain may not be straightforward, in particular due to the inherent uncertainties associated to the selected indicators and the assigned In this paper, we introduce an extension to the Impact Chain framework that allows to consider uncertainties in the different components of the risk In the framework of the UNCHAIN project, a web-based tool has been developed to ease the task of implementing that The tool has been applied to a case study on the loss of tourist attractiveness due to heat stress conditions on the Balearic island, Spain, to illustrate how uncertainties in different components of the impact chain can affect the robustness of the final risk Also, the tool provides an estimate of the sensitivity of the final risk to each component, which can be used to guide risk mitigation Finally, a proposal for the validation of the risk assessment is presented.
Dredging on water bodies and margin interventions: effects on fish
Authors: Soinski Thais Aparecida , Gato Camilla de Souza , Matsumoto Anderson Arimura , Brazão Midiã Lima , Smith Welber Senteio
Published: September 2022

The urbanization process deeply affects rivers and streams, with numerous impacts, such as the discharge of sewers, dams, and pipework, causing profound changes in the water bodies characteristics and in their biota. In this scenario, the silting of rivers suffers one of the most impactful changes, as it undergoes a reduction in the depth and width of the rivers, triggering physical and chemical changes in the water, as well as in the structure of fish population, its feeding and reproduction habitats. As a palliative measure, it is normal to carry out the desilting (dredging) of rivers, an activity that is also very impacting. Floodings are one of the main factors that demand dredging to be carried out. This review was made to analyze desilting activities, their effects on biota and migratory fish, as well as to evaluate the best management strategies and mitigation of impacts on fish population. The shifting and removal of sediment from the riverbed can cause burial and massive death of eggs and larvae, in addition to interfering in the upward and downward migration of eggs, larvae, and adults of migratory fish. In addition, breeding and feeding sites can be impacted by sediment movement, dredging, and deposition. Some actions minimize the impacts of the silting activity recovering riparian forests, inspect the use of soil on the banks, move urban settlements away, assess the dredging site, consider the spawning sites and reduce the suspension of bottom sediments, as well as choose the best equipment and time for the performance of activities. Therefore, the development of research on the effect of dredging of water bodies on fish would contribute to a better management of the activity.
Symbol Hermeneutıcs in Paul Ricoeur
Authors: BİNGÖL Sedat
Published: September 2022

Language means something other than what it says, it is blurred, not explicit. In the field of language, another meaning conceals itself within the obvious meaning of discourse. Naming this double meaning region as a symbol, Ricoeur sees metaphor as a transitional stage to symbol in terms of creating double meaning. He determines interpretation as a thought activity that grasps this double meaning in the symbol and decodes these plural meanings. He defines hermeneutics as a method for grasping the ambiguity of meaning, diversity of meaning, and abundance of meaning in the symbol. In this context, the aim of this study is to reveal how the symbol hermeneutics emerges by explaining the relationship between symbol and interpretation, symbol and meaning and symbol and metaphor.
EXPERIENCE AS THE OPPORTUNITY OF TRANSFORMATION: FROM DEWEY AND GADAMER'S PERSPECTIVES
Authors: FAKİOĞLU BAĞCI Hatice
Published: September 2022

This study aims to consider the concept of experience within the framework of human transformation. For this purpose, it includes various meanings of the concept of experience, starting from its dictionary meaning. This study asserts the thesis that experience is a possibility for human transformation based on the thoughts of the American educational philosopher John Dewey and the German philosopher Hans-Georg Gadamer. Today, considering the definition of the concept of education as the real transformation of man by enlightenment, it is obvious that the transformation of man through his experiences is an educational side. If education is to be constantly on the road, experiences are important in terms of allowing people to continue on the road by transforming. This study analyzes the concept of experience in terms of philosophy of education and religious education and explains how it works as an opportunity in human transformation.
THE IMPACT OF DIRECT METHOD AND TOTAL PHYSICAL RESPONSE ON TEACHING BIPA 2 AT KJRI BERN
Authors: Akmal Marsya Fadhia , Ninuk Lustyantie  , Miftahulkhairah Anwar  , Reni Nur Eriyani
Published: September 2022

This research is based on the author's awareness that language is a basic thing that is needed by humans as social beings to be able to communicate with each other in order to complete the needs of human life itself. The main focus of this study is to observe the responses of BIPA learners to the BIPA teaching method conducted at the Indonesian Consulate General in Bern. This research uses the direct method combined and matched with the TPR teaching technique. The data was carried out by taught and observing the BIPA program class, then the author was evaluating the teaching (research) program in order to see the scores received by students as an illustration of the success or failure of the research carried out. The results showed that the combination of the Direct and the TPR method can make BIPA students quickly master the learning material.
Bagaimana konflik pekerjaan-keluarga dapat membahayakan kinerja? Integrasi Conservation of Resources Theory
Authors: Maksum Ikhsan , Fikriah Nur Laili , Hawabi Agus Iqbal
Published: September 2022

The development of research related to work-family conflict is overgrowing. However, there are still various gaps involving the mediating role to investigate the indirect effect of work-family conflict on performance. This study aims to examine the mediating role of psychological well-being in the pathway of the effect of work-family conflict on performance. The researcher involved 81 respondents, most of whom were college employees. The basic theory in this study uses the conservation of resources theory. The study results found that psychological well-being could fully mediate the indirect effect of work-family conflict on employee performance. Based on the Conservation of Resources Theory, that workers who already have families are more likely to engage with conflicts between work and family. Logically, workers who cannot manage resources, they will channel resources only on one goal, namely at their work. Thus, their family environment lacks attention and ultimately the conflict between work and family will occur in a worker who cannot manage their resources.
A fuzzy epigenetic model for representing degradation in engineered systems
Authors: Seale Maria , Salter R. , Garcia-Reyero, Natàlia , Ruvinsky Alicia
Published: September 2022

Degradation processes are implicated in a large number of system failures, and are crucial to understanding issues related to reliability and safety. Systems typically degrade in response to stressors, such as physical or chemical environmental conditions, which can vary widely for identical units that are deployed in different places or for different uses. This situational variance makes it difficult to develop accurate physics-based or data-driven models to assess and predict the system health status of individual components. To address this issue, we propose a fuzzy set model for representing degradation in engineered systems that is based on a bioinspired concept from the field of epigenetics. Epigenetics is concerned with the regulation of gene expression resulting from environmental or other factors, such as toxicants or diet. One of the most studied epigenetic processes is methylation, which involves the attachment of methyl groups to genomic regulatory regions. Methylation of specific genes has been implicated in numerous chronic diseases, so provides an excellent analog to system degradation. We present a fuzzy set model for characterizing system degradation as a methylation process based on a set-theoretic representation for epigenetic modeling of engineered systems. This model allows us to capture the individual dynamic relationships among a system, environmental factors, and state of health.
Reservoir Conformance Improvement
Authors: Sydansk Robert D. , Romero-Zerón Laura
Published: September 2022

Identification, prediction, and understanding of conformance problems are vital in the optimal design of improved and enhanced oil recovery processes. Reservoir Conformance Improvementbrings together the topics of conformance problems and conformance-improvement techniques; correct application of conformance-improvement techniques can lead to greatly improved oil recovery from conventional oil reservoirs.
Group 1 innate lymphocyte-derived IFN-γ regulates macrophage alternative activation in colon cancer
Authors: Zhang Yandong , Ma Shu , Li Tie , Tian Yu , Zhou Huangao , Wang Hongsheng , Huang Lan
Published: September 2022

Background
Tumor-associated macrophage (TAM) is an important innate immune cell-subset in tumor microenvironment, and that is also a pivotal orchestrator of tumor-promoting inflammation and tumor progression. Evidence proved that TAMs are up-regulated in a great number of cancers, and most of them are alternative activated M2 phenotype, which greatly promote the progress of cancer diseases. Group 1 innate lymphocytes including conventional NK cells and type 1 innate lymphocytes (ILC1s), are abundant in intestinal tissue, and characterized by expressing transcription factor T-bet and secreting interferon (IFN)-γ, which can promote the macrophage to classically activated anti-tumor M1 phenotype. However, the relationship between these two cell subsets remains unclear in colon cancer.
Methods
Flow cytometry was used to detect the percentage of M1 phenotype macrophage, M2 phenotype macrophage and group 1 innate lymphocytes in colon cancer tissue and paracancer healthy colon tissue of AOM/DSS-induced colon cancer mice model. In vitroisolating group 1 innate lymphocytes and inducing bone marrow-derived macrophage to detect the cross-talk when co-cultured. Adoptively transfer or blocking group 1 innate lymphocytes in vivo to explore the role of group 1 innate lymphocytes on tumor-infiltrating macrophage and the tumor growth.
Results
We found that M1 phenotype macrophage and group 1 innate lymphocytes were down-regulated in colon cancer tissue, and they were positively correlated. Group 1 innate lymphocytes promoted macrophage to classically activated M1 phenotype in vitro, and that could be blocked by anti-IFN-γ. In vivo results showed that the administration of group 1 innate lymphocytes-blocking antibody anti-NK1.1 could decrease the number of M1 phenotype macrophages in tumor tissue of MC38 tumor-bearing mice and promote the tumor growth, while adoptively transferring group 1 innate lymphocytes led to tumor-inhibiting and level of M1 phenotype macrophage up-regulating in MC38 tumor-bearing mice.
Conclusions
Our studies preliminarily prove that group 1 innate lymphocytes promote the alternative activation of M1 macrophage by secreting IFN-γ and inhibit the progress of colon cancer for the first time, which may provide an insight in the immunotherapy of colon cancer.
On the differential expansion speeds of Indo-Pacific warm pool and deep convection favoring pool under greenhouse warming
Authors: Leung Jeremy Cheuk-Hin , Zhang Banglin , Gan Qiuying , Wang Lei , Qian Weihong , Hu Zeng-Zhen
Published: September 2022

The Indo-Pacific warm pool (IPWP), which affects the global climate system through supporting tropical convection, has been reported to expand significantly under greenhouse warming. Although early research revealed that the sea surface temperature (SST) threshold for deep convection (σSST_conv) increases with global warming, many latest works on the IPWP expansion were still conducted based on the traditional IPWP definition (e.g., static SST=28°C threshold, and is referred to as the oceanic warm pool, OWPSST=28). Here, using the latest observations and climate model simulations, by considering the long-term variability σSST_conv, we define the deep convection favoring pool (DCFP) over the Indo-Pacific Ocean, which reflects the region where with local SST favors occurrence of deep convections, under past and future climate change. Result based on observations from 1979–2020 shows that because of the increase of σSST_conv under climate change, the DCFP expands at a rate 2.6 times slower than the OWPSST=28, and is more consistent with the change in deep convection area. In the future climate (2015–2100), CMIP6 models projected that the σSST_conv¬ will further increase, with a larger trend under higher emission scenarios. As a result, the increasing trend of the DCFP area is 12–27 times smaller than that of OWPSST=28 under the SSP1-2.6, SSP2-4.5 and SSP5-8.5 scenarios. While the OWPSST=28 expands to the eastern Pacific, the DCFP will remain within the Indian Ocean and western Pacific Ocean regardless of the emission levels. The consistency between the area changes of the DCFP and deep convection area implies that the IPWP expansion estimated based on the fixed σSST_conv may not reflect the direct impacts of Indo-Pacific warming on the climate system under greenhouse warming. This study emphasizes the necessity of considering the response of the relationship between deep convection and SST to climate change when studying the long-term variability of the IPWP, and claims that the DCFP serves as a more reasonable reference of IPWP expansion.
Preparation of three-dimensional biochar-based porous aerogels and the highly efficient removal of Cu2+ and methylene blue
Authors: Li Baoqing , Zheng Zhiran , Fang Jianzhang , Fang Zhanqiang
Published: September 2022

A new type of biochar-based aerogel beads was prepared to overcome the low adsorption efficiency and the difficult recovery of powdered biochar (BC) after removing Cu 2+ and methylene blue (MB) in wastewater. Graphene oxide (GO) and sodium alginate (SA) were initially introduced into BC matrix to obtain BC-GO-SA aerogel beads with chemical cross-linking, followed by freeze-drying technology. Series of analytical technologies, such as Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Raman, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), were applied to test the properties of the adsorbents. Adsorption performances of BC-GO-SA on Cu 2+ and MB as well as its reusability, thermodynamic, and co-adsorption performances were investigated. The results demonstrated that the introduction of GO and SA into BC increased the potential adsorption sites to Cu 2+ and MB, which possessed 3D network structure, abundant oxygen-containing functional groups, good thermodynamic, and excellent mechanic properties. The Langmuir isotherm models fitted the adsorption process of Cu 2+ and MB onto aerogel beads better and the maximum adsorption capacity of Cu 2+ and MB were 137.86 mg/g and 232.22 mg/g, respectively, which was larger than that of reported adsorbents. The results of thermodynamic adsorption analysis indicated that both adsorption processes of Cu 2+ and MB onto aerogel beads occurred spontaneously. The adsorption processes was exothermic reaction for Cu 2+ , while an endothermic reaction for MB. More importantly, BC-GO-SA could be separated and recycled as an environmentally friendly adsorbent to maintain a small amount of adsorption loss after five adsorption/desorption cycles. In addition, adsorption experiments of the binary mixture system revealed that Cu 2+ and MB exhibited a competitive adsorption effect and the inhibitory effect of MB on Cu 2+ adsorption was stronger than that of Cu 2+ on MB adsorption.
Global analysis of the association between pig muscle fatty acid composition and gene expression using RNA-Seq
Authors: Valdés-Hernández Jesús , Ramayo-Caldas Yuliaxis , Passols Magí , Sebastià Cristina , Criado-Mesas Lourdes , Crespo-Piazuelo Daniel , Esteve-Codina Anna , Castelló Anna , Sánchez Armand , Folch Josep M.
Published: September 2022

Fatty acids (FAs) play an essential role as mediators of cell signaling and signal transduction, affecting metabolic homeostasis and determining meat quality in pigs. However, FAs are transformed by the action of several genes, as those encoding desaturases and elongases of FAs in lipogenic tissues. The aim of the current work was to identify candidate genes, biological processes and pathways involved in the modulation of intramuscular FA profile fromlongissimus dorsi(LD) muscle. FA profile by gas chromatography of methyl esters and gene expression by RNA-Seq were determined in 129 Iberian × Duroc backcrossed pigs. An association analysis between the muscle transcriptome and its FA profile was performed, followed by a concordance and functional analysis. Overall, a list of well-known (PLIN1,LEP, ELOLV6, SC5D,NCOA2,ACSL1, MDH1, LPL,LGALS12,TFRC, GOT1andFBP1) and novel (ENSSSCG00000017801, ENSSSCG00000015889, ENSSSCG00000011196andENSSSCG00000038429) candidate genes was identified, either in association with specific or several FA traits. Likewise, several of these genes belong to biological processes and pathways linked to energy, lipid, and carbohydrate metabolism, which seem determinants in the modulation of FA compositions. This study can contribute to elucidate the complex relationship between gene expression and FA profile in pig muscle.
Risk factor modelling of antimicrobial resistance in cancer patients: A systematic review
Authors: Danielsen Anders Skyrud , Franconeri Léa , Page Samantha , Myhre Anders Eivind , Tornes Ragnhild Agathe , Kacelnik Oliver , Bjørnholt Jørgen Vildershøj
Published: September 2022

Background
Infections are major causes of disease in cancer patients and pose a major obstacle to the success of cancer care. The global rise of antimicrobial resistance threatens to make these obstacles even greater and hinder continuing progress in cancer care. To prevent and handle such infections, a better understanding of the risk factors are needed. This internally funded systematic review (PROSPERO registration: CRD42021282769) aims to review what risk factors for resistant infections and deaths due to resistant infections have been investigated, and with what methodological approaches.
Methods
We employed two broad searches of antimicrobial resistance in cancer patients, using terms associated with antimicrobial resistant infections, in MEDLINE and Embase through Ovid, in addition to Cinahl through EBSCOhost and Web of Science Core Collection. Primary, observational studies in English from January 2015 to November 2021 on human cancer patients that explicitly modelled infection or mortality associated with antimicrobial resistance in a multivariable model were included. We extracted data on the study populations and their malignancies, risk factors, the microbial aetiology, methods for variable selection, and assessed the risk of bias using the NHLBI Study Quality Assessment Tools.
Results
Two searches yielded a total of 27151 unique records, of which 144 studies were included after screening and reading. Of the outcomes studied, mortality was the most common (68/144, 47%). Forty-five percent (65/144) of the studies focused on haemato-oncological patients, and 27% (39/144) studied several bacteria or fungi. Studies included a median of 200 patients and 46 events. One-hundred-and-three (72%) studies used a p-value-based variable selection. Studies included a median of seven variables in the final (and largest) model, which yielded a median of 6.9 events per variable. An in-depth example of vancomycin-resistant enterococci was reported.
Conclusions
We found the current research on this topic to be heterogeneous, in both the methodological and epidemiological approach. Methodological choices resulting in very diverse models made it difficult or even impossible to draw statistical inferences and summarise what risk factors were of clinical relevance. The development and adherence to more standardised protocols that build on existing literature is urgent.
Perceived barriers and opportunities for implementing integrated psychological intervention for depression in adolescents living with HIV in Tanzania
Authors: Njau Tasiana , Mwakawanga Dorkasi L. , Sunguya Bruno , Minja Agape , Kaaya Sylvia , Fekadu Abebaw
Published: September 2022

Background
Adolescents living with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) have an increased risk of depression that may affect their adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART) and, therefore, their treatment outcomes. Integrating mental health care in HIV care and treatment settings may help to improve access to comprehensive care. However, this remains challenging in Tanzania and other countries with similar contexts. We, therefore, explored challenges to accessing mental health care and opportunities for implementing an integrated, evidence-based psychological intervention to manage adolescent depression in HIV care and treatment centers (HIV-CTC) in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
Methods
This cross-sectional study utilizing a qualitative design through a phenomenological approach was conducted among adolescents living with HIV, health care providers (HCP), and caregivers. Forty-five in-depth interviews were conducted in three HIV-CTCs in Kinondoni Dar es salaam. Audio records were transcribed verbatim and analyzed with NVIVO computer software-aided data analysis.
Results
We found a low level of mental health awareness to be a cross-cutting challenge among caregivers, adolescents, and HCPs, limiting access to mental healthcare and the quality of care received. Psychological health caregiving was challenged by mental disorders stigma, poor communication between adolescents and HCPs, limited knowledge and skills to manage depression among HCPs, and limited information on treatment coverage for mental disorders. Nevertheless, health system opportunities for integration were apparent. In each HIV-CTC, there were available counseling rooms, nurse counselors delivering HIV and adherence counseling, and well-organized youth clubs indicating a potential for utilizing the existing structures. In addition, positive attitudes about psychological interventions in all groups of participants provide further opportunities to provide mental health care.
Conclusion
Despite several modifiable barriers to accessing mental health care for adolescents living with HIV, there were evident opportunities for implementing an integrated, evidence-based psychological intervention to address depression in adolescents living with HIV in Kinondoni Dar es Salaam Tanzania.
Eco-friendly synthesis of ZnO-nanoparticles using Phoenix dactylifera L. polyphenols: physicochemical, microstructural and functional assessment
Authors: ABDULLAH JOHAR AMIN AHMED , Jiménez-Rosado Mercedes , Guerrero Antonio , Romero Alberto
Published: September 2022

Recently, nanoparticles (NPs) synthesis has evolved into a green nanotechnology field, requiring more eco-synthesis of nanoparticles due to the high costs of other chemical-physical methods. Among the most commonly used nanomaterials, ZnO-NPs are highly valuable due to their specific, thermal, optical, and electronic features. Thus, the main objective of this work was to investigate the green synthesis of ZnO-NPs employing Phoenix dactylifera L. extract, which is rich in polyphenols, as a reducing agent. In this way, the effect of the concentration of both the precursors and the reducing agent was evaluated.The NPs were compared through X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Fourier infrared transformation spectroscopy (FTIR). Additionally, we evaluated the antioxidant properties (TAC and DPPH) and antibacterial activity of these nanoparticles against Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) and Gram-negative Escherichia coli (E. coli) pathogenic strains. The results show that it is possible to obtain ZnO-NPs using a green reducing agent (polyphenol extract), presenting a particle size between 18.1 and 61.6 nm. In addition, this synthesis highlighted the antioxidant and antibacterial activities of these nanoparticles. In conclusion, this method could be a suitable substitute for typical toxic methods for the synthesis of metallic nanoparticles.
Environmental heterogeneity determines patterns of abundance and distribution of aquatic organisms in small forested wetlands
Authors: Jara Fabian G. , García Patricia E. , García Roberto D. , Sganga Julieta V. , Pueta Mariana
Published: September 2022

Small wetlands have a high conservation value due to their importance as biodiversity hot spots. Despite this, they are nowadays at risk due to global change variables. We surveyed a set of seasonal wetlands located in Andean Patagonian forests which are the less studied aquatic systems. The wetlands selected presented different degrees of human impact, and some of them were geographically close and others were faraway and insulated. We registered environmental variables and the diversity and abundance of common pond animals in each wetland. Wetlands were described performing a principal component analysis considering the environmental variables. The main explanatory variables were dissolved organic carbon, water color, total nitrogen, and depth of the wetlands. The diversity of the aquatic organisms was studied using the Shannon index, and the relationship between environmental variables and aquatic organism was analyzed using canonical correspondence analysis (CCA). The rotifers showed the greatest diversity in the zooplankton assemblage, and the trichopterans were the most diverse of the benthic groups studied. The CCA showed that different variables explained the distribution of zooplankton and caddisfly/amphibian larvae assemblages. Each wetland presented a particular assemblage of species, and shared few species among them. Despite the differences in human impact and geographical distance, none of these factors appears to influence the diversity of these wetlands. We postulate that the high environmental heterogeneity found in these wetlands drives the diversity and abundance pattern of the aquatic biota observed.
Testing Environmental Kuznets Curve Hypothesis for Sub-Saharan African Countries: The Role of Income Inequality and Economic Freedom
Authors: Hundie Shemelis Kebede , Bekele Dagim Tadesse , Degu Adisu Abebaw
Published: September 2022

The rise in atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) concentrations has become one of the world’s major environmental concerns nowadays. It has prompted many scholars to investigate the factors that influence CO2 emissions. Many researchers, but overlook the role of economic freedom and income inequality in analyzing the EKC in Sub-Saharan African (SSA) countries. Taking 16 countries based on data availability, this study examines the effect of economic freedom and income disparity on CO2 emissions under the environmental Kuznets curve hypothesis, using balanced quarterly data straddling from 2000 to 2015. To undertake pre-estimation tests, we applied the second-generation panel cross-sectional dependence, slope homogeneity, and unit root tests. By applying cointegration and Granger tests that take heterogeneity into account, the study examined the cointegration status and direction of causality between the variables under scrutiny. PMG/ARDL estimation technique was applied to estimate the long-run coefficients. Results from the PMG/ARDL reveal that economic freedom has no statistically significant effect on CO2 emissions. The result supports the EKC hypothesis. Income inequality, industrialization, and non-renewable energy consumption have statistically significant positive effects on CO2 emissions in the long run. Economic freedom does not affect the environmental quality in the panel of countries studied. The results from the Granger causality analysis indicate that economic freedom, income inequality, renewable energy consumption, non-renewable energy consumption, industrialization, urbanization, and economic growth Granger cause CO2 emissions with a feedback effect except for economic freedom and industrialization. Policies intended to lessen income inequality can enhance environmental quality.
A Z-scheme BiYO3/g-C3N4 heterojunction photocatalyst for the degradation of organic pollutants under visible light irradiation
Authors: Sasikala Parthasarathy , BAVANI Thirugnanam , Selvaraj Manickam , Preeyanghaa Mani , Neppolian Bernaurdshaw , Murugesan Sepperumal , Madhavan Jagannathan
Published: September 2022

Photocatalysis is one of the fascinating fields for the wastewater treatment. In this regard, the present study deals with an effective visible light active BiYO3/g-C3N4 heterojunction nanocomposite photocatalyst with various ratio of BiYO3 and g-C3N4 (1:3, 1:1 and 3:1), synthesised by wet chemical approach. The as-synthesised nanocomposite photocatalysts were investigated via different physicochemical approaches like Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), transmission electrons microscopy (TEM), UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS), photoluminescence (PL) and photoelectrochemical studies to characterise the crystal structure, morphology, optical absorption characteristics and photoelectrochemical properties. The photocatalytic degradation ability of the prepared photocatalytic samples were also analysed through the degradation of RhB in the presence of visible light irradiation. Of all the synthesised photocatalysts, the optimised CB-1 composite showed a significant photocatalytic efficiency (88.7%), with excellent stability and recyclability after three cycles. O2.− and •OH radicals were found to act a major role in the RhB degradation using optimised CB-1 composite and it possessed ~ 1 times greater photocurrent intensity than the pristine g-C3N4 and BiYO3. In the present work, a direct Z-scheme heterojunction BiYO3/g-C3N4 with a considerably improved photocatalytic performance is reported.
Trilinguals who have low deceptive tendency prefer lying in their mother tongue
Authors: huang qiuyan , ou meijun , wu hairu , pan keqi , yuan jie
Published: September 2022

This study investigated the function of authentic mother tongue in trilinguals, the person who masters speaking Cantonese, Mandarin, and English were taken as the Participants. Meanwhile, considering the influence of individual deceptive tendencies, this study will further explore the relationship between language, lying behavior, and deceptive tendencies. The Spot-the-Difference Task and the False Statement Task were adopted, and the result showed that using English to lie is most difficult, but there is no difference between Cantonese and Mandarin when lying. When lying, People who have a low deceptive tendency prefer to use their mother tongue, while people who are a high deceptive tendency have no preference when choosing the language. It means people who are a high deceptive tendency can use language freely to lie. The experiment suggested that lying tendency will affect what language people choose for lying. Overall, the study not only discusses the role of Cantonese as a real mother tongue, but also puts forward that we should pay attention to personal morality when research lies.
Case Report of a Healthy Pregnancy in a Woman of Advanced Maternal Age at Sixteen Months Post-Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass Revision
Authors: Khasnabish Srijesa , Irving Dondre , Nahidi Seyed Mohammad , Engler Christopher , Ahmed Leaque
Published: September 2022

Background/Objective: Obesity (body mass index > 30 kg/m2) complicates maternal and neonatal pregnancy outcomes. Bariatric surgery (BS) is an option for weight reduction in reproductive-aged women. However, there is a lack of data regarding the ideal time interval between BS and pregnancy.
Methods:We report the case of a 43-year-old Hispanic female who underwent an initial Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) in 2011 followed by a revision eight years later in 2019. The revision occurred 16 months prior to conception of her second pregnancy.
Results: Despite advanced maternal age and nutritional challenges following BS, she delivered a healthy male baby and sustained a net weight loss compared to her preoperative weight. Factors leading to this positive outcome included the patient’s adherence to dietary recommendations following the procedure and the use of phentermine to promote post-procedure weight loss.
Conclusion: An interval of sixteen months between RYGB revision and conception can lead to positive pregnancy outcomes, even in women of advanced maternal age. Adherence to post-procedure nutrition and weight gain protocols are crucial to this outcome. Further studies are needed to explore the time interval that ensures a healthy pregnancy, as well as the use of medications as weight loss adjuncts following BS.
An insight into the acute effects of cannabidiol on human brain function and their relationship with the brain expression of its molecular targets: a neuroimaging meta-regression analysis
Authors: Gunasekera Brandon , Davies Cathy , Blest-Hopley Grace , Wilson Robin , Filho Geraldo Busatto , Crippa José Alexandre , Duran Fabio , Zuardi Antonio Waldo , Veronese Mattia , Radua Joaquim , Bhattacharyya Sagnik
Published: September 2022

Background
Cannabidiol (CBD) is a non-intoxicating substance present in the extract of Cannabis sativa popularised by its therapeutic potential. A limited number of neuroimaging studies have investigated CBD effects on brain function primarily in healthy individuals, people with early/ clinical high risk of psychosis, and social anxiety disorder. As a result of heterogeneity in the population examined, imaging modality and neurocognitive paradigm, the acute brain effects of CBD and the molecular mechanisms that may underlie its effects remain unclear.
Methods
We meta-analysed neuroimaging studies that examined the acute effects of CBD, relative to placebo, on human brain function using SPECT and fMRI while performing diverse cognitive tasks. Subsequently, we examined the relationship between the spatially distributed pooled effects of CBD on brain signal and the distribution of candidate mechanistic targets for the effects of CBD including fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH), dopamine D2, serotonin and cannabinoid-type-1 receptors as indexed by their gene expression data.
Results
CBD modulated the function of several brain regions, including the medial frontoparietal, midcingulo-insular, pericentral, lateral frontoparietal, and dorsal frontoparietal networks as well as the striatum and cerebellum. There was a significant inverse relationship between the magnitude of pooled CBD effect on brain activation and expression of FAAH but not the other targets.
Discussion
These preliminary findings suggest that the effect of CBD in the human brain may be linked to local FAAH availability and suggests that there is a strong case for directly examining whether the effects of CBD on FAAH underlie its effects on brain function and behaviour.
Comparative transcriptome analysis reveals the function of SlPRE2 in multiple phytohormones biosynthesis, signal transduction and stomatal development in tomato
Authors: Zhu Zhiguo , Luo Menglin , Li Jialing , Liu Zixin , Fu Dapeng , Zhou Huiwen , Zhou Anpei
Published: September 2022

As a member of the basic/helix-loop-helix family transcription factors, the atypical bHLH Paclobutrazol Resistances (PREs) regulate plant morphology, cell size, pigment metabolism and abiotic stress in response to different phytohormones. However, little is known about the network regulation mechanisms of PREs regulated plant growth and development. In this study, the function and mechanism of SlPRE2 in tomato plant growth and development were investigated. The Quantitative RT-PCR results showed that the expression of SlPRE2 was regulated by multiple phytohormones and abiotic stresses. And it showed a light-repressed expression in photoperiod. The RNA-seq results revealed that the SlPRE2 regulated many genes involved in photosynthesis, chlorophyll metabolism, phytohormone metabolism and signaling, and carbohydrate metabolism, suggesting the role of SlPRE2 in gibberellin, brassinosteroid, auxin, cytokinin, abscisic acid and salicylic acid regulated plant development process. Moreover, the SlPRE2 overexpression plants showed widely opened stomata in young leaves, and four genes involved in stomatal development showed changed expression. Overall, the results demonstrate the regulation mechanism of SlPRE2 regulated phytohormone and stress response and the function of SlPRE2 in stomatal development in tomato. These findings provide useful clues for understanding the molecular mechanisms of SlPRE2 regulated plant growth and development in tomato.
Salidroside rescues barium chloride-induced skeletal muscle injury
Authors: Shen Yuntian , Li Ming , Xie Huimin , Wang Lingbin , Liu Hua , Wang Wei , Ji Yanan , Yu Miaomei , Shen Hongmei , Zhou Songlin
Published: September 2022

Skeletal muscle, as an important part of the human body, participates in a variety of body functions. The imbalance of homeostasis in skeletal muscle may be closely related to skeletal muscle growth or atrophy of skeletal muscle and the decrease of muscle function. Salidroside (Sal) is a bioactive component extracted from Rhodiola rosea. It has various pharmacological properties, including antioxidant, anti-aging and anti-fatigue properties. However, there are few studies about the effect of Sal on skeletal muscle injury induced by Barium chloride (BaCl2), which damages muscle fibers by depolarizing sarcolemmal and cause Ca2+ overload and membrane rupture. Sal significantly inhibited and reversed the decrease in cross-sectional area and diameter of muscle fibers induced by BaCl2 with HE staining, and increased the expression of myogenic differentiation 1 (MyOD1). Additionally, Sal administration enhances the regeneration potential of satellite cells and accelerates the regenerative process. In other words, Sal shows some degree of protective effects on chemical skeletal muscle injuries.
Furosemide exacerbated the impairment of renal function, oxygenation and medullary damage in a rat model of renal ischemia/reperfusion induced AKI.
Authors: Dilken Olcay , Ince Can , Kapucu Aysegul , Heeman Paul M. , Ergin Bülent
Published: September 2022

Background: Perioperative Acute Kidney Injury (AKI) caused by Ischemia-Reperfusion (IR) is a significant contributor to mortality and morbidity after major surgery. Furosemide is commonly used in postoperative patients to promote diuresis and reduce tissue edema. However, its effects on renal microcirculation, oxygenation and function after AKI are poorly understood. Herein, we investigated the effects of furosemide in rats subjected to IR insult.
Methods: 24 Wistar albino rats were divided into 4 groups, with 6 in each; Sham-operated Control (C), Control + Furosemide (C+F), ischemia/reperfusion (IR), and IR+F. After induction of anaesthesia (BL), supra-aortic occlusion was applied to IR and IR+F groups for 45 minutes followed by ongoing reperfusion for 15 minutes (T1) and 2 hours(T2). Furosemide infusion was initiated simultaneously in the intervention groups after ischemia. Renal blood flow (RBF), vascular resistance (RVR), oxygen delivery (DO2ren) and consumption (VO2ren), sodium reabsorption (TNa+), oxygen utilization efficiency (VO2/TNa+), cortical (CμO2) and medullar (MμO2) microvascular oxygen pressures, urine output (UO) and creatinine clearance (Ccr) were measured. Biomarkers of inflammation, oxidative and nitrosative stress were measured and kidneys were harvested for histological analysis.
Results: IR significantly decreased RBF, mainly by increasing RVR, which was exacerbated in the IR+F group at T2 (2198 vs 4223 dyne/s/cm5, p<0.05). CμO2 (61.65±6.8 vs 86.02±6.67 mmHg) and MμO2 (51.18±4.16 vs 68.79±4.98 mmHg, p<0.05) were both reduced after IR and did not improve by Furosemide. Moreover, VO2/TNa+ deteriorated in the IR+F compared to IR (78,5±63% vs IR+F:422,5±707% compared to BL values, p=0,07) suggesting a possible harm. Ccr did not change and plasma creatinine increased significantly in IR+F. Histopathology revealed widespread damage both in the cortex and medulla in IR+F and C+F groups.
Conclusion: Renal oxygen delivery, medullar and cortical oxygenation and oxygen utilization all declined by furosemide administration after IR insult. Our study suggests that furosemide may cause additional structural and functional impairment to the kidney following ischemic injury and should be used with caution.