bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Increased exercise intensity is associated with reduced risk of death in patients with COPD: a study from the 2007-2012 NHANES database
Authors: Zhang Rong , Lu Xueyu , Pang Liyuan , Zhao Yongjuan , He Kan
Published: April 2024

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a common chronic disease, and its harm to people's health is on the rise in recent years. With the increasing incidence and mortality of COPD, its prevention and the care of patients with the disease are becoming increasingly important in order to improve the life expectancy of patients and reduce the mortality rate. COPD patients often do not dare to exercise because of breathing difficulties and weakness, which is not conducive to the maintenance and improvement of their heart and lung function, and will worsen their condition. Our aim was to investigate the association between exercise and the risk of death in patients with COPD. The study included 6,723 participants aged > 40 years with complete data on COPD prevalence and physical activity from the 2007–2012 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). Multivariate COX regression analysis was used to establish three model analyses with the exercise intensity of the groups as independent variables, taking full account of various covariates (demographic factors, prevalence of underlying diseases, and detection of biochemical indicators), respectively, to analyze the expected death risk of patients. The restricted cubic spline (RCS) was used to fit the relationship between exercise intensity and the risk of death in COPD patients, and the exercise intensity at critical risk of death was obtained. Our findings suggest that moderate, high-intensity exercise contributes to a reduction in the risk of death in patients with COPD. Within a certain range, the greater the intensity of exercise, the lower the risk of death. These findings suggest that moderate physical activity can be beneficial to the health of people with COPD and can extend their life expectancy, especially if there are underlying conditions. It is necessary for COPD patients to increase their exercise and doctors to give them appropriate exercise guidance and rehabilitation programs.
Altered Cerebro-Cerebellar Functional Connectivity Associated with Working Memory Decline after Sleep Deprivation
Authors: Wu Ziyao , Feng Sitong , Zheng Sisi , Dong Linrui , Jia Hongxiao , Ning Yanzhe
Published: April 2024

It has been demonstrated that the cerebellum plays a critical role not only in motor function but also in cognitive function. Numerous studies have revealed altered functional connectivity (FC) in cerebral cortex underlying working memory (WM) decline after acute sleep deprivation (SD). However, whether the altered cerebro-cerebellar functional connectivity (FC) is associated with WM impairment after acute SD remains unclear. In this study, 26 healthy participants with regular sleep performed an n-back task and underwent resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scans before and after 24 h of SD. The FC between the cerebrum and cerebellum and its relationship with WM function were analyzed in recruited participants. Our results showed a significantly longer RT for the 1-back and 2-back tasks and lower accuracy of the 2-back task after SD. We found a marked reduction in FC between ten pairs of regions in the cerebellum and cerebrum after SD. Furthermore, the altered FC between the right lobule X of the cerebellum and left precentral gyrus was positively correlated with a decline in WM performance. Our findings reveal that the disrupted FC between the cerebellum and cortical regions may contribute to the declined WM after acute SD.
Ursolic acid attenuates cuprizone-induced alteration in cortical ceramide synthase-2, sphingomyelin synthase-1, and serine palmitoyl transferase-1 expression in rodent model of multiple sclerosis
Authors: Babu Raja , Pancholi Bhaskaranand , Prashar Vikash , Rao Amarjeet , Mohapatra Abhipsa , Arora Tania , Parkash Jyoti , Garabadu Debapriya
Published: April 2024

Ceramide plays an important role in the myelination process; thus, the ceramide biosynthetic pathway could be considered a potential target in managing multiple sclerosis (MS). Fingolimod, an approved drug for MS, is considered a standard modulator of the ceramide biosynthetic pathway in the experimental model of MS. Ursolic acid (UA) exhibited neuroprotective activity in Cuprizone (CPZ)-induced animal model of MS. However, the protective activity of UA is yet to be established in the experimental model of MS. Therefore, the objective of the study was to evaluate the effect of UA (50, 100, and 200 mg/kg; p.o.) on the level of expression of ceramide synthase 2 (CS2), sphingomyelin synthase 1 (SMS1) and serine palmitoyl transferase 1 (SPTLC1) in CPZ-induced animal model of MS. CPZ (6 mg/kg; p.o.) was administered for 30 days once daily to male Swiss Albino mice to induce MS. CPZ significantly caused a decrease in the number of squares crossed in Open field, decrease in the muscular strength in Kondziela’s inverted screen, decrease in the ratio between open to closed arm in elevated plus maze, and decrease in the number of head dip in hole board tests in the animals. Further, CPZ increased the levels of reactive oxygen species, GFAP, and Iba-1 and decreased the levels of MBP, NeuN, and Olig2 in mice cortex. Interestingly, CPZ increased the levels of CS2 and SPTLC1, and decreased the level of SMS1 in mice cortex. UA (100 and 200 mg/kg) significantly attenuated CPZ-induced behavioural, biochemical and molecular parameters in the animals. Thus, UA could be a potential therapeutic alternative in the management of MS. Further, the biomarkers of ceramide biosynthetic pathway such as CS2, SMS1, and SPTLC1 could be potential therapeutic targets in the management of MS.
Impact of Legislation of Suicide Prevention Act on Suicide Rates in the Republic of Korea: An Interrupted Time-series Analysis
Authors: Lee Yuri , Kawachi Ichiro , Oh Juhwan
Published: April 2024

Introduction
Suicide is a global public health problem, and the Republic of Korea has one of the highest suicide rates worldwide. In 2011, the Act on the Prevention of Suicide and the Creation of Culture of Respect for Life (Suicide Prevention Act) was introduced in the Republic of Korea to promote necessary matters for suicide prevention policies. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of the Act in reducing suicide rates and identify the differential effects of the legislation by age and region.
Methods
We retrieved the suicide rates by sex, age, region, and district from the Korean Statistical Information Service (KOSIS). We investigated the impact of the Suicide Prevention Act on suicide rates between 1983 and 2021. We used interrupted time-series analysis to assess whether the trends of suicide rates changed following the introduction of the enactment and enforcement of the Suicide Prevention Act.
Results
The Suicide Prevention Act significantly impacted reducing suicide rates in South Korea. Suicide rates had steadily increased before the Act was introduced, but after enforcement, the trend reversed with decreasing rates in both men (β3=-1.600, P-value < 0.001) and women (β3=-0.097, P-value < 0.001). Age-stratified results showed the legal effectiveness in reducing suicide rates over 30 years old, but there was no change in 20–29 years old and 10–19 years old. The Act's effectiveness in reducing suicide rates varied regionally, with the law not significantly impacting suicide rates in Ulsan (β2=-0.128, P-value = 0.944, β3=-0.380, P-value = 0.220). At the district level, around 86.2% of the regions demonstrated a positive impact, with most districts having a considerable effect and others showing a slight result on suicide prevention methods.
Conclusion
Enactment and enforcement of the Suicide Prevention Act helped reduce suicide rates nationwide, suggesting that legal measures can be essential in implementing an integrated suicide prevention strategy. Further research should verify reasons and contexts in which the effects of suicide prevention regulations and guidelines appeared differently by age and region, as well as the mechanism of how the law could affect health indicators.
Association between loneliness and computation of relationship value is modulated by autonomic nervous functions
Authors: Matsunaga Masahiro , Ishii Keiko , Ohtsubo Yohsuke , Uenoyama Katsuya , Noguchi Yasuki , Yamasue Hidenori , Suzuki Kohta
Published: April 2024

In recent years, loneliness and social isolation have become common social problems. Previous research has shown that loneliness affects the structure and function of the brain as well as function of the autonomic nervous system. Our previous study found that loneliness has a negative impact on the computation of relationship value in response to commitment signals from friends. In this study, we investigated whether heart rate variability (HRV), which is thought to reflect autonomic nervous function, is related to loneliness in young Japanese adults and whether experimental improvement of autonomic nervous activities alters the relationship value computation process in response to friends’ commitment signals. In Experiment 1, Japanese undergraduate students were assessed for loneliness and a resting electrocardiogram to determine HRV. In Experiment 2, other undergraduate students, separated into control and treatment groups, participated in a psychological task assessing responses to commitment signals from friends. The treatment group was subjected to autonomic nervous modulation prior to and while performing the task. Experiment 1 indicated a negative correlation between loneliness and percentage of the high frequency (HF) component in the total power of HRV, and a positive correlation between loneliness and the low-frequency (LF) component/HF ratio. Experiment 2 indicated that experimental improvement of HRV improved the subjective rating of the perceived commitment-confirming effect related to loneliness. These findings suggest that changes in cognitive functions caused by loneliness are not irreversible, and indicate that by improving autonomic nervous function, it is possible to improve cognitive functions that have changed due to loneliness.
Research and application of advanced detection simulation of Electrical resistivity tomography(ERT) based on ANSYS
Authors: Gao Weifu , Dong Xufeng , Chen Houcheng , Li Zuowen , Wang Lidong , wang Kewei
Published: April 2024

In the process of tunneling, it is crucial to explore the geological body before excavation. The three-dimensional direct current method has been widely used in mining working face exploration for its advantages of strong anti-interference ability, simple operation, and without the blind zone. However, the direct current method's advanced detection has not been widely used, resulting in difficulties with the immature theory and data processing. In this paper, Based on the spherical shell theory, ANSYS realizes the forward modeling of direct current method advanced exploration and analyzes the feasibility of different arrays in advanced roadway exploration in the roadway. The research results show that the location of the shallow low-resistivity geological body can be accurately obtained by the least square inversion(by RES2D) of the correction data through the joint application of various arrays, and the three-dimensional direct current method based on the spherical shell theory is feasible for advanced exploration in the roadway.
Neuroprotective Potentials of Berberine in Rotenone-induced Parkinson's Disease-like Motor Symptoms in Rats
Authors: Tseng Hsiang-Chien , Wang Mao-Hsien , Fang Chih-Hsiang , Lin Yi-Wen , Soung Hung-Sheng
Published: April 2024

Rotenone (RTN) induces neurotoxic and motor impairments in rats that parallel pathophysiological features of Parkinson's disease (PD), such as striatal oxidative and nitrosative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, and alterations in neural cytoarchitecture, making RTN a useful model for studying PD. Berberine (BBR), an isoquinoline alkaloid known for its antioxidative, anti-inflammatory, and neuroprotective properties, was tested for its protective effects against RTN-induced dysfunctions in this study. Rats were administered RTN subcutaneously at 0.5 mg/kg for 21 days, leading to weight loss and significant motor deficits as assessed by various tests including open-field, bar catalepsy, beam-crossing, rotarod, and grip strength measurements. BBR was given orally at doses of 30 or 100 mg/kg, 60 minutes prior to RTN, for the same duration and was effective in preventing many RTN-induced motor impairments. Additionally, BBR treatment decreased RTN-induced nitric oxide (NO) and lipid peroxidation (LPO) levels, increase anti-oxidation power, enhanced the activity of mitochondrial enzymes such as succinate dehydrogenase (SDH), ATPase, and the electron transport chain (ETC), and reduced neuroinflammation and apoptosis markers in the striatum. However, the introduction of trigonelline (TGN), an inhibitor of the nuclear factor erythroid-2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) pathway, significantly reduced the protective effects of BBR, suggesting that BBR's neuroprotective actions are mediated through the Nrf2 pathway. These findings highlight BBR's potential to mitigate motor impairments similar to those seen in PD, suggesting its relevance in potentially delaying or managing PD symptoms. Further studies are necessary to translate these preclinical findings into clinical applications, deepening our understanding of BBR's therapeutic potential in PD.
Removal of U(VI) from aqueous solution by Al 0 /Ni 0 bimetallic material
Authors: Ma Mengyue , Sang Weixuan , Zhang Yishuo , Li Xiaoyan
Published: April 2024

The widespread use of nuclear energy has led to a growing concern over environmental pollution resulted from uranium which has prompted global attention on wastewater treatment. Al0 and Ni0 metals have been used by numerous researchers both domestically and internationally to removal U(VI) from aqueous solution due to their unique chemical properties. In this work, Al0/Ni0 bimetallic material (Al0/Ni0-BM) was prepared by synchronous liquid-phase reduction method. Due to the structure of bimetallic material and synergistic effect, it exhibited a higher removal rate compared with single zero valent metal. The uranium removal rate was 98.90%, well-fitting with the pseudo-second-order kinetic model, reduction model and Langmuir isothermal adsorption model. The high removal performance was attributed to the electron transfer mechanism between material and U element and the adsorption effect of corresponding hydroxides. The thermodynamic parameters demonstrated that the adsorption of U(VI) on the Al0/Ni0-BM was an endothermic and spontaneous process controlled by physical and chemical adsorptions. In conclusion, Al0/Ni0-BM showed an excellent potential for understanding U(VI) removal from aqueous solution by zero valent bimetallic materials.
Fruit flesh thickness analysis in local cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) genotypes through morphological and marker-based assay
Authors: Murthy Bindu , Subbareddy Shyamalamma , K Harshitha C , A Guruprasad S , V Vidyashree H
Published: April 2024

Cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) is one of the commercially important and widely cultivated cucurbitaceous vegetable grown throughout the world. The immature fruits are consumed as salad or pickled. The present study involved 22 local cucumber genotypes collected from different places of Karnataka, India. Cucumber flesh thickness is an important trait for cucumber fruit quality and a central determinant of yield. Among the evaluated genotypes, the fruit flesh thickness (1.92 cm), fruit diameter (6.87 cm) and yield per plant (3.05 kg) were higher in genotype (CSSL) collected from Shiralakoppa (Shivamogga) region. The higher fruit length (31.48 cm) and lower fruit flesh thickness (0.84 cm) was recorded in genotype (VLD) collected from Dharwad. The analysis of variance revealed significant differences for all the traits. Higher GCV, PCV and high heritability coupled with high GAM were recorded for fruit weight, fruit diameter, fruit flesh thickness, seed cavity width and yield per plant. The fruit flesh thickness in 22 local cucumber genotypes was analysed using candidate gene (Csa2M058670.1) markers. Among 13 SSR primers, SSR23420 and SSR10849 have shown higher PIC (0.37) and higher gene diversity (0.50). The cucumber genotypes such as CSSL, CSWL, CSHLC-1 and CSHL were found to be promising for fruit quality traits such as fruit length, diameter, flesh thickness and yield.
Practices of Community Pharmacists Towards COVID-19 Treatment in Vietnam: A Simulated Client Study
Authors: Nguyen Hoa Quoc , Duong Suong Thi-Thanh , Quan Phuong Bao , Du Tuyen Thanh , Truong Uyen Uyen-Thao , Nguyen Bao Dang Gia , Nguyen Nga TQ. , Nguyen Tuan-Dung
Published: April 2024

Background
Recent reports have raised concerns about drug overuse and misuse in self-medication practices for COVID-19 treatment. This study was aimed to assess the availability and appropriateness of medication dispensing provided by community pharmacists to COVID-19 patients in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.
Methods
The simulated client method was used to examine 102 randomly selected community pharmacies from 13 central districts of Ho Chi Minh City between May 2022 and July 2022. Each pharmacy was visited by 2 simulated clients asking to buy medications for a relative with mild COVID-19 symptoms. Characteristics of pharmacies and pharmacists along with medications dispensed were recorded. Factors associated with appropriate medication transaction were explored using the Bayesian Model Averaging method.
Results
Of 102 enrolled community pharmacies, 63 (61.8%) were independent. Most encountered pharmacists were female (90.2%) and were not pharmacists-in-charge (82%). Of 98 transactions with identified medications, cough medicines (93.88%), antipyretics (88.78%), and dietary supplements (80.61%) were frequently dispensed. Moreover, medications dispensed without a medical prescription such as antibiotics (59.18%), corticosteroids (60.20%) and antivirals (7.14%), were also recorded. Additionally, the type of a pharmacy was significantly associated with the practice of dispensing antibiotics (OR = 0.29, 95% CI = 0.12–0.69)
Conclusions
This study recorded high rates of antibiotics and corticosteroids for COVID-19 mild symptoms dispensed without a prescription. Further research is warranted to improve practices of community pharmacists towards COVID-19 treatment
Dynamical AutoCorrelation for Functional Time Series with the Application to fMRI Data
Authors: Torkashvand Elaheh
Published: April 2024

The concept of dynamical correlation is extended to functional time series, FTS. The dynamical autocorrelation is a scalar, not a functional, measure of cor- relation for FTS; i.e., the expectation of linear relationship of coecients/weights of time and/or space dependent functional bases. This introduces the dynamical autocorrelation as a sensitive measure compared to the functional autocorre- lation. The proposed measure of autocorrelation can be obtained for true, i.e., continuously measured, functional data or possibly to approximated functional data. Estimators of the dynamical autocorrelation are presented based on the Karhunen-Lo'eve expression for observed regular FTS. The Central Limit theo- rem is applied to obtain the asymptotic distribution of proposed estimators of the dynamical autocorrelation. Simulation studies are performed to evaluate the ac- curacy of proposed estimators of the dynamical autocorrelation in the functional autoregressive models with a linear autocovariance operator of order one and two as well as their corresponding standard deviation. Finally, the methodology is applied to a functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) dataset in order to measure the tempo-spatial dynamical autocorrelation among brain images. The dynamical autocorrelation can capture the dierence among runs and participants using the ANOVA test. The results confirm the length of time a brain reacts to a stimulus.
Modelling trends and cycles in U.K. meteorological data
Authors: Mills Terence C
Published: April 2024

This report provides an analysis of the wide range of meteorological data for the U.K. that is now publicly available, focusing on the extraction of trends and cycles from monthly observations on various measures of the U.K.’s weather. A brief outline of the report is as follows. After Section 1’s brief introduction, the meteorological data for the U.K. and its districts are presented in Section 2. Section 3 develops the statistical framework, the seemingly unrelated regression (SUR) model, that is used to analyse the various weather measures. Subsequent sections thus analyse temperatures (Section 4), rainfall (Section 5), rain days (Section 6), sunshine hours (Section 7) and frost days (Section 8) using data up to 2022. The measurement of weather volatility is considered in Section 9, while Section 10 focuses on forecasts for the latest available year. 2023. A summary of the various findings are contained in Section 11, from which it is clear that, when attempting to extract the trend and cyclical movements in the weather patterns of the U.K., any analysis must be conducted at the district level, with attention also being focused on seasonal movements. The SUR statistical methodology with flexible Fourier trend-cycle functions proves to be an excellent framework with which to accomplish this.
Lattice regularization of reduced Kähler-Dirac fermions and connections to chiral fermions
Authors: Catterall Simon
Published: April 2024

We show how a path integral for reduced Kähler-Dirac fermions suffers from a phase ambiguity associated with the fermion measure that is an analog of the measure problem seen for chiral fermions. However, unlike the case of chiral symmetry, a doubler free lattice action exists which is invariant under the corresponding onsite symmetry. This allows for a clear diagnosis and solution to the problem using mirror fermions resulting in a unique gauge invariant measure. By introducing an appropriate set of Yukawa interactions which are consistent with ’t Hooft anomaly cancellation we conjecture the mirrors can be decoupled from low energy physics. Moreover, the minimal such Kähler-Dirac mirror model yields a light sector which corresponds, in the flat space continuum limit, to the Pati-Salam GUT model.
Decoding stringy near-supersymmetric black holes
Authors: Chang Chi-Ming , Feng Li , Lin Ying-Hsuan , Tao Yi-Xiao
Published: April 2024

Building on the recent discovery of the first candidate black hole operator in the \mathcal{N}=4𝒩=4 super-Yang-Mills, we explore the near-supersymmetric aspects of the theory that capture lightly excited, highly stringy black holes. We extend the superspace formalism describing the classically supersymmetric (1/16-BPS) sector of \mathcal{N}=4𝒩=4 super-Yang-Mills and compute a large number of one-loop anomalous dimensions. Despite being in the highly stringy regime, we find hints of a gap in the spectrum, similar to that found by a gravitational path integral. We also determine the actual expression of the first candidate black hole operator at weak gauge coupling, going beyond the cohomological construction.
Theoretical Approaches to the Concept of Legal Relations
Authors: Beznosov Dmitrii S.
Published: April 2024

A state governed by the rule of law establishes balanced legal relations. This article describes four scientific and theoretical approaches to the concept of legal relations, i.e., legal, subject-object, moral, and socio-psychological. According to the legal approach, legal relations are regulated by law. The subject-object approach defines legal relations as those that occur between subjects who possess certain rights and exercise them in relation to each other or to the objects in the legal field. According to the moral approach, society builds the system of law based on moral principles. This approach offers a step-by-step formation of law in the process of social development. Stage 1 shapes moral norms as a result of direct communication between community members. Stage 2 is associated with the individual assimilation of norms and the formation of morality. Stage 3 presupposes the arrival of legal norms. Stage 4 ends with the legislative consolidation of legal norms. The theoretical analysis revealed four socio-psychological processes in the development of legal norms: a) informal interpersonal communication yields moral norms, b) moral behavior patterns become internal, and moral consciousness appears; c) moral norms are exteriorized in the public consciousness, thus leading to legal consciousness; d) moral norms are legitimized, and legal norms become law. The socio-psychological approach considers such principles of legal relations as the sense of justice and equality.
Emotional Intelligence of Russia’s Potential Scientific and Technical Elite
Authors: Karabushchenko Natalia B. , Parshutin Igor A. , Bobkov Alexande N.
Published: April 2024

A highly intellectual environment involves intense mental activity, rapid acquisition of new material, creativity, competition, and rivalry. All these aspects may cause a long-time neuropsychic stress. Students of leading technical universities need to be able to overcome such difficult situations. The authors reviewed theoretical approaches to emotional intelligence. They designed a psychological model of scientific and technical elite of modern Russia. The model included emotional-volitional, demand-motivational, value-meaning, socio-psychological, and cognitive-activity components. This paper focuses on the empirical study and confirmation of the emotionalvolitional component in potential engineering, scientific, and technical elite, i.e., junior students of Russia’s leading technical universities. The research revealed some psycho-logical peculiarities in their emotional intelligence and coping-strategies. The sample consisted of first-year engineering and technical students of the National Research Nuclear University MEPHI (n = 111). The psychodiagnostic tools included the coping test developed by R. Lazarus and S. Folkman and adapted by T. L. Kryukova, E. V. Kuftyak, and M. S. Zamyshlyaeva; D. V. Lyusin’s test of emotional intelligence. The data analysis relied on IBM SPSS Statistics V.22.0 and the Kruskal-Wallis H-test method of mathematical statistics. The students proved able to consciously analyze difficult situations, work out solutions, plan and predict the outcomes of their behavior, as well as to resort to past experience and available resources. In general, these overcoming models had a constructive effect on the development of an engineer’s personality. However, the underdevelopment of the emotional sphere and poor expression of feelings affected interpersonal and intragroup relationships. Students of nuclear engineering should develop their emotional sphere and expand the range of coping strategies in stressful situations.
Characterization of biofilm formation and multi-drug resistance amongPseudomonas aeruginosaisolated from hospital wastewater in Dhaka, Bangladesh
Authors: Khan Md Abu Sayem , Islam Zahidul , Shah SM Tanjil , Rahman Sabita Rezwana
Published: April 2024

Hospital wastewater has been identified as a hotspot for the emergence and transmission of multidrug-resistant (MDR) pathogens that present a serious threat to public health. Therefore, we investigated the current status of antibiotic resistance as well as the phenotypic and genotypic basis of biofilm formation in Pseudomonas aeruginosa from hospital wastewater in Dhaka, Bangladesh. The disc diffusion method and the crystal violet assay were performed to characterize antimicrobial resistance and biofilm formation, respectively. Biofilm and integron-associated genes were amplified by the polymerase chain reaction. Isolates exhibited varying degrees of resistance to different antibiotics, in which >80% of isolates showed sensitivity to meropenem, amikacin, and gentamicin. The results indicated that 93.82% of isolates were MDR and 71 out of 76 MDR isolates showed biofilm formation activities. We observed the high prevalence of biofilm-related genes, in which algD+pelF+pslD+ (82.7%) was found to be the prevalent biofilm genotypic pattern. Sixteen isolates (19.75%) possessed class 1 integron (int1) genes. However, statistical analysis revealed no significant association between biofilm formation and multidrug resistance (χ2 = 0.35, P = 0.55). Taken together, hospital wastewater in Dhaka city may act as a reservoir for MDR and biofilm-forming P. aeruginosa, and therefore, the adequate treatment of wastewater is recommended to reduce the occurrence of outbreaks.
Site-specific condition evaluation for managed aquifer recharge (MAR) site selection in granitic aquifers, Ghana
Authors: Acheampong Albert , Anornu Geophrey K. , Owusu-Nimo Frederick , Gyamfi Charles , Abass Gibrilla
Published: April 2024

Water has prominence over all the usable natural resources to humankind due to its very significance to human life. Approximately, 70% of Ghana's populace relies on groundwater exploitation for freshwater consumption. Managed aquifer recharge is capable of sustaining water resources for all livelihood activities. Underperformance of MAR systems is often due to site-specific hydrogeological conditions turning out to be less favorable than anticipated. This study evaluates the site-specific conditions for MAR sites identification in granitic aquifers, integrating in situ hydrogeological factors and GIS-MCDA. One hundred and twenty-one datasets from different boreholes comprising hydro geophysics, borehole drilling and pump test reports were used. The constraint mapping results indicate 92% suitable for MAR application within the study area, implying available enormous bare lands for flooding recharge technique. The suitability analysis discloses that 48 and 51% of the studied area fall within very high and high suitable zones, respectively, showing convincing and great potential to support infiltration ponds for MAR technology application. The valuable information provided through this study can serve as a guide for MAR implementation and for sustainable groundwater resources management within the Upper East region of Ghana.
Research progress and perspective on sludge anaerobic digestion technology: A bibliometric analysis
Authors: Lu Denglong , Song Yang , Yang Zhaoguang , Li Haipu
Published: April 2024

Rational disposal of sludge is an ongoing concern. This work is the first attempt for in-depth statistical analysis of anaerobic digestion (AD) research in recent three decades (1986–2022) using both quantitative and qualitative approaches in bibliometrics to investigate the research progress, trends and hot spots. All publications in the Web of Science Core Collection database from 1986 to April 4, 2022 were analyzed. Results showed that the research on AD started in 1999 and the number of papers significantly increased since 2012. The research about the disposal of sewage sludge mainly focuses on energy recovery (e.g. methane and short chain volatile organic acids) by AD. Besides, different pretreatment technologies were studied in this study to eliminate the negative effects on the disposal of sludge caused by hydrolysis (rate-limiting step of AD), water content (increasing the costs) and heavy metal (toxic to the environment) of sludge. Of those, the treatment technologies related to direct interspecies electron transfer were worth further studied in the future. Towards that end, iron conductive material, iron-based advanced oxidation and biological treatment were concluded as the prospective technologies and worth to further study.
Adesão religiosa e carreiras sexuais
Authors: Coelho Júnior Carlos Lacerda
Published: April 2024

O artigo tem como escopo apresentar a partir de investigações realizadas através de pesquisa de campo na Igreja Batista do Pinheiro, situada na cidade de Maceió (AL), os processos de mutação da visão de mundo sobre a relação entre religiosidade cristã e sexualidades não hegemônicas de cinco membros homossexuais, mediante fragmentos de suas histórias de vida. A passagem de uma compreensão negativa, focada no conceito de pecado, para uma noção positiva, ancorada na cosmovisão de que Deus não faz acepção de pessoas, é explorada como um dado chave, refletindo disputas travadas no tecido social, destacando igualmente os papéis da Igreja do Pinheiro e de outros elementos internos e externos ao grupo religioso na construção de uma estrutura capaz de fornecer reconhecimento e coesão aos adeptos gays, remodelando os esquemas mentais que impulsionam a ação social desses atores dentro e fora do templo religioso.
Polyphenols Modulate the miRNAs Expression that Involved in Glioblastoma
Authors: Rezaie Maede , Nasehi Mohammad , Shimia Mohammad , Ebrahimnezhad Mohamad , Yousefi Bahman , Majidinia Maryam
Published: April 2024

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Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), a solid tumor that develops from astrocytes, is one of
the most aggressive types of brain cancer. While there have been improvements in the efficacy of
treating GBM, many problems remain, especially with traditional therapy methods. Therefore, recent studies have extensively focused on developing novel therapeutic agents for combating glioblastoma. Natural polyphenols have been studied for their potential as chemopreventive and chemotherapeutic agents due to their wide range of positive qualities, including antioxidant, antiinflammatory, cytotoxic, antineoplastic, and immunomodulatory activities. These natural compounds have been suggested to act via modulated various macromolecules within cells, including
microRNAs (miRNAs), which play a crucial role in the molecular milieu. In this article, we focus
on how polyphenols may inhibit tumor growth by influencing the expression of key miRNAs that
regulate oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes
Harnessing the Therapeutic Potential of Dillenia indica: An Overview of Recent Dosage Form Developments
Authors: Bora Aditya , Kalita Pallab , Kalita Parimita , Adhikari Rudra Prasad , Das Aaditya , Zaheer Rizuwan , Laskar Mustaf Alam , Pathak Kalyani
Published: April 2024

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Dillenia indica, commonly known as Elephant Apple, is a significant medicinal plant
found in Assam, North-East India. This evergreen shrub or small to medium-sized tree possesses
not only tasty components but also a plethora of beneficial therapeutic characteristics. This review
article aims to explore the potential use of Dillenia indica in the treatment of diabetes and other
diseases, as well as discuss various patents associated with this plant. The study focuses on identifying
different formulations derived from various parts of Dillenia indica. These formulations encompass
a range of dosage forms, including mucoadhesive buccal dosage forms, buccal patches,
microbeads, emulgel, and mucoadhesive nasal gel. Each of these dosage forms offers unique advantages
and applications. Mucoadhesive buccal dosage forms are designed to adhere to the oral
mucosa, allowing for controlled drug release and enhanced absorption. Buccal patches provide a
convenient and localized delivery system for specific therapeutic agents. Microbeads offer a versatile
approach for encapsulating drugs and facilitating their controlled release. Emulgels combine
the benefits of both emulsions and gels, providing improved drug delivery and stability. Mucoadhesive
nasal gels offer a non-invasive route for drug administration, allowing for rapid absorption
through the nasal mucosa. By exploring these different formulations, researchers aim to harness
the therapeutic potential of Dillenia indica in a variety of diseases, including diabetes. The study
also highlights the importance of patents associated with Dillenia indica, indicating the growing
interest in its medicinal properties and potential commercial applications. Dillenia indica holds
promise as a valuable medicinal plant, with its diverse therapeutic characteristics and tasty components.
The study discussed various formulations derived from different parts of the plant, showcasing
their potential applications in the treatment of diseases. Further research and development in
this field may lead to the discovery of novel treatments and contribute to the advancement of pharmaceutical
science.
Ligand-Free, Copper-Catalyzed Coupling Reaction of Aryl Aluminum
Reagents with N-Aryl Thiosuccinimides
Authors: Zhang Zhihao , Jia Xiaoying , Pu Jiaxia , Han Lirong , Hou Jinsong , Li Qinghan
Published: April 2024

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A highly efficient and simple cross-coupling reaction of N-aryl aluminum reagents with Naryl
thiosuccinimides for the synthesis of diarylsulide derivatives using CuCl (20 mol%) as a catalyst
is reported. Under the optimum reaction conditions, the coupling reaction between aryl aluminum
reagents with different substituents and N-aryl thiosuccinimides with different substituents can be
carried out smoothly with 18-94% isolated yields of diarylsulides. The method avoids the use of expensive
transition metals, such as Pd, Ir, or Rh, phosphine ligands, and has the advantages of simple
operation and high reaction efficiency. The structures of all the target compounds are confirmed by
1HNMR and 13CNMR.
Association between Frequency of Seizures and Number of Antiseizure Medications (ASM) in Patients with Epilepsy
Authors: de Almeida Souza Tedrus Glória Maria , Ravelli Michele Novaes , de Moraes Giovanna Gigolotti Jacober , Leandro-Merhi Vania Aparecida
Published: April 2024

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The literature has shown the relevance of nutritional and metabolic aspects in patients
with epilepsy. This study evaluated the relationship between clinical variables and plasma proteins
and compared the variables between seizure frequency and neurological examination. A pilot study
was carried out with eighty-four (n = 84) adults patients with epilepsy. The relationship between
clinical variables of the disease (age at disease onset, neurological examination, current type and
frequency of seizures, duration of disease, amount of antiseizure medications-ASM used and type
and etiology of epilepsy) and plasma proteins (albumin and transferrin) was investigated. In the statistical
analysis, the chi-square, Fisher, Mann-Whitney, Kruskal-Wallis tests, Spearman coefficient
and univariate logistic regression were used. There was a significant association between the use of
antiseizure medications (ASM) (p = 0.0105) and altered neurological examination (p = 0.0049),
compared with the frequency of seizures, and between albumin and gender (p = 0.0005), and albumin
and etiology of epilepsy (p = 0.0186). There was a significant low-intensity and inverse linear
correlation (coefficient = -0.31363, p = 0.0037) between albumin and disease duration. In the logistic
regression model, a significant association was only observed between the number of ASM
and the frequency of seizures (p = 0.0120; OR = 3.368; 95% CI = 1.305-8.691). There was no association
between plasma proteins and the outcomes of seizure frequency and neurological examination.
The number of ASM and not protein metabolism was associated with frequency of seizures in
patients with epilepsy.
Pre-strain correction of forming limit curves
Authors: ARETZ Holger
Published: April 2024

Abstract. Inherent features of the Nakajima test to determine forming limit curves (FLC) are inevitable bending strains and pre-strains originating from evolving punch contact in the early stage. Both effects are very annoying and bias the resulting FLC considerably, so that a direct comparison of materials with different gauges is impossible. In the present work, a simple computational procedure is developed to remove both effects from FLC data. Application examples demonstrate its capabilities.
The non-proportional loading of mild steel
Authors: HAZRA Sumit
Published: April 2024

Abstract. The effect of proportional loading on formability has been extensively studied. However, non-proportional loading occurs frequently in a stamping operation and its impact on formability has been studied less. Non-proportional loading occurs in two areas of stamping: continuously during the draw stage of a complex geometry and discontinuously through stamping stages. Studies on non-proportionality (eg. [1]) show that it can change the formability of a material compared to when it is loaded proportionally. This paper introduces an experimental method that allows a comparison of the deformation in mild steel subject to continuous and discontinuous loading mechanisms. A notable innovation of the method is that it can be carried out inside the chamber of a scanning electron microscope, allowing in-situ measurements of plastic deformation. The experiments show that the plastic behavior of the material under the continuous mode is distinct to when it is deformed discontinuously
Formability analyses of AA6016-T4 aluminum alloy sheets subjected to roping
Authors: TVEIT Sigbjørn
Published: April 2024

Abstract. Due to its good formability characteristics, AA6xxx aluminum alloys have become popular as a light-weight alternative to steel for car bodywork components produced by stamping. In the design of forming operations, numerical simulations are often used, and accurate material models to describe plasticity and forming limits are important to successfully design optimized products and production processes to avoid the reliance on trial and error. For aluminum alloys used in sheet metal forming, the anisotropic plasticity characteristics caused by the directional rolling process has therefore been subject to extensive research over the last decades. A previous experimental program on AA6016-T4 sheets showed that the formability of the material is strongly affected by roping caused by rolling. In this paper, models of anisotropic plasticity, isotropic hardening, instability, and fracture, along with an approach to describe the effects of roping for proportional strain paths are used to predict forming and fracture limits in LS-DYNA.
Local ductility in steel sheet, towards a practical and robust measurement method
Authors: LINGBEEK Roald
Published: April 2024

Abstract. Local ductility has become a useful and significant mechanical property of sheet metal, particularly for advanced-high-strength-steels (AHSS) [1, 2]. The widely accepted hole expansion test (HET) [3] has two problems: It mixes up the effects of shear cutting with the intrinsic material ductility, and the variance of test results is large. As a complementary approach, a workgroup consisting of universities, steel producers, automotive suppliers and OEMs have developed VDA-guideline 238-110 [4] for industrial application of the TTS (True Thickness Strain at fracture at minimum thickness) and TFS (True Fracture Strain from area reduction), to quantify local ductility based on the postmortem microscope analysis of the fracture surface of tensile test samples. In 18 laboratories, more than 1440 tensile tests have been performed on a sample batch of 3 AHSS grades (CR440Y780T-DH, CR780Y980T-CP, and HR660Y760T-CP). Using ASTM, JIS and ISO tensile specimens, each laboratory determined the conventional mechanical properties as well as TTS and TFS. For comparison HET were also performed. The measurement results were analyzed statistically in terms of gauge repeatability and reproducibility (GRR). Measurement variance for TTS is comparable to elongation at breakage and significantly lower than HET. TTS results clearly show superior local ductility of the -CP steels over -DH. An analysis of fracture morphology shows differences between the hot-rolled and cold-rolled -CP grades and a tendency for the -DH steel to fail at the edge. For -CP steels, TTS and TFS results are indistinguishable, for the -DH grade, the TFS value is slightly higher than TTS, likely a side-effect of higher global ductility.
Rope-driven biaxial tensile testing apparatus with specified load ratio
Authors: TAKIZAWA Hideo
Published: April 2024

Abstract. A novel biaxial tensile apparatus that can be installed on a universal testing machine is proposed. A tensile load was applied using a looped rope and pulley. The biaxial load can be changed by varying the angle of the rope hanging on the movable pulleys, and the ratio of the biaxial tensile force can be specified. A small cruciform specimen with a stress evaluation area of 12.5 mm square was used for preliminary tests. Biaxial tensile tests were conducted on mild steel sheets to measure the stress points on the contours of equal plastic work. A comparison with the yield surface measured using a standard biaxial tensile testing machine revealed that biaxial tensile tests using the proposed method can be performed appropriately.
Improving the structural integrity of challenging to manufacture LPBF components with toolpath correction
Authors: JENSCH F.
Published: April 2024

Abstract. This work deals with the influence of optimised exposure strategies on the distortion and microstructure of components susceptible to overheating and warpage. Therefore, different distortion-prone specimen geometries of 316L were fabricated with the standard parameters, as well as with exposure strategies optimised by machine learning, which were generated using the AMAIZE software package. The manufactured samples were analysed with regard to distortion. The results of the distortion analysis were then linked with the results of the digital tomography from AMAIZE. Furthermore, components were manufactured that tend to overheat due to their geometry and orientation on the substrate plate. The influence of overheating during the LPBF process on the microstructure and porosity was investigated along the build-up direction by means of an EBSD analysis and a porosity analysis. With the presented approach for optimising the exposure strategy with AMAIZE, it could be shown that a successful production of distortion-prone components with a porosity of less than 1 % is possible in the first trial.
Residual formability analysis of bent and remanufactured thin steel sheets
Authors: FARIOLI D.
Published: April 2024

Abstract. This study examines the plastic deformation and remaining formability of DC04 mild steel, a material frequently used in automotive applications, after undergoing V-bending and subsequent cold or warm flattening processes. The research aims to determine if previously bent sheets maintain sufficient ductility for an additional forming cycle, a key factor in advancing circular economy practices. Samples were cold-formed into V-bends of various angles and then reshaped through flattening, with critical process parameters controlled. Tensile tests were performed on both the original sheets and reshaped samples to study the impact of the bending index, dwell force, dwell time, and flattening temperature on mechanical properties. Geometric characterization of the samples before and after flattening showed localized permanent deformation and an “M” profile near the bend line, leading to a spring-forward effect and a “U” shape of the samples. Analysis of tensile stress-strain curves and regression models indicated a decrease in elongation at maximum stress with an increasing bending index, while the ultimate tensile strength remained relatively constant. Yield stress showed a minor increase with a higher bending index and flattening temperature. These results underscore the potential for reusing end-of-life vehicle sheets, providing a more sustainable alternative to conventional recycling methods.
Influence of remelting lasing strategies on the fracture toughness of Hastelloy X manufactured by laser powder bed fusion
Authors: KELLER Clément
Published: April 2024

Abstract. Additive manufacturing and, in particular, Laser Powder Bed Fusion Processes (LPBF), are known to generate non-equilibrium microstructures having a strong impact on the mechanical properties such as tensile of fatigue ones. To better control this impact, optimized lasing strategies can be employed. Among them, relasing or remelting ones have been proved to reduce the porosity and the surface roughness as well as to increase the ductility [1,2]. This particular manufacturing strategy seems, hence, to be a promising tool to modify the microstructure and mechanical properties of LPBF alloys and to optimize the mechanical properties. The objective of this study is to assess the influence of such relasing and its characteristics on the fracture toughness of Hastelloy X superalloys.