bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Rapid and parallel changes in activity and mRNA of intestinal peptidase to match altered dietary protein level in juvenile house sparrows (Passer domesticus)
Authors: Brun Antonio , Magallanes Melisa E. , Karasov William H. , Caviedes-Vidal Enrique
Published: December 2020

Although dietary flexibility in digestive enzyme activity (i.e., reaction rate) is widespread in vertebrates, mechanisms are poorly understood. When laboratory rats are switched to higher protein diet, the activities of apical intestinal peptidases increase within 15 h, in some cases by rapid increase in enzyme transcription followed by rapid translation and translocation to the intestine's apical, brush border membrane (BBM). Focusing on aminopeptidase-N (APN), we studied intestinal digestive enzyme flexibility in birds, relying on activity and mRNA data from the same animals. Our model was nestling house sparrows (Passer domesticus), already known to modulate intestinal peptidase activity when switching between lower and higher protein diets. Twenty-four hours after a switch from an adequate, lower protein diet to a higher protein diet, APN activity was increased in both whole intestinal tissue homogenates and in isolated BBM, but not at 12 h post-diet switch. Twenty-four hours after a reverse switch back to the lower protein diet, APN activity was decreased, but not at 12 h post-diet switch. Changes in APN activity in both diet switch experiments were associated with parallel changes in APN mRNA. Although transcriptional changes seem an important mechanism underlying dietary modulation of intestinal peptidase in both nestling house sparrows and laboratory rodents, the time course for modulation in nestlings seemed slower (to take approximately twice as long) compared to laboratory rodents. It may be ecologically advantageous if nestlings biochemically restructure their gut in response to a sustained increase in insects and protein intake rather than one or a few lucky insect meals.
Διερεύνηση των παραγόντων που επιδρούν στην πρόθεση συμπεριφοράς για μείωση του οικολογικού αποτυπώματος στο πλαίσιο της εκπαίδευσης για την αειφορία σε βιοσυστήματα
Authors: Γιαννακόπουλος Ευάγγελος
Published: December 2020

Η παρούσα μελέτη διερευνά τους παράγοντες που επιδρούν στην πρόθεση για διαμόρφωση συμπεριφοράς (Behavioral Intention) με στόχο την μείωση του οικολογικού αποτυπώματος (Ecological Footprint) σε βιοσυστήματα (biosystems). Εκατόν τριάντα τέσσερα άτομα από την περιοχή Μεσολογγίου, περιοχή που γειτνιάζει με βιότοπο προστατευμένο από συνθήκη Natura 2000, απάντησαν σε ερωτηματολόγιο το οποίο δομήθηκε με βάση την θεωρία της Προσχεδιασμένης Συμπεριφοράς (Theory of Planned Behavior-TPB). Τα δεδομένα αναλύθηκαν με δείκτες περιγραφικής στατιστικής προκειμένου να εξεταστούν οι  μεταβλητές που διαμορφώνουν την πρόθεση της συμπεριφοράς του ατόμου για  Αειφορία (Αειφόρο Σχολείο). Το μοντέλο βρέθηκε να είναι στατιστικά σημαντικό (p<0.05), ενώ το 61.90% της διακύμανσης της πρόθεσης συμπεριφοράς ερμηνεύτηκε με βάση τις ανεξάρτητες μεταβλητές του μοντέλου. Τα αποτελέσματα δείχνουν ότι το μοντέλο της TPB αποτελεί ένα σημαντικό εργαλείο πρόθεσης συμπεριφοράς και ευαισθητοποίησης μιας τοπικής κοινότητας προς την αειφόρο ανάπτυξη αναδεικνύοντας την ανακύκλωση στην πηγή, μέσω της κομποστοποίησης, ως μια αειφορική δράση που μπορεί να οδηγήσει στην  μείωση του οικολογικού αποτυπώματος στον τοπικό οικοσύστημα.
Βιβλιοπαρουσίαση "Θεωρία και Πράξη στην Περιβαλλοντική Εκπαίδευση. Οι προσωπικές θεωρίες των εκπαιδευτικών"
Authors: Π.Ε.Α. ΕΛ.Ε.ΕΤ.
Published: December 2020

Βιβλιοπαρουσίαση
Βιβλιοπαρουσίαση "Από την Περιβαλλοντική Εκπαίδευση στην Εκπαίδευση για την Αειφόρο Ανάπτυξη"
Authors: Π.Ε.Α. ΕΛ.Ε.ΕΤ.
Published: December 2020

Βιβλιοπαρουσίαση
ANALYSIS OF COMPLIANCE OF THE ARCHITECTURAL AND CONSTRUCTION PART OF THE PROJECT WITH FIRE PROTECTION AND DEVELOPMENT OF ENGINEERING AND TECHNICAL SOLUTIONS TO ENSURE SECURITY AT SOCIAL FACILITIES IN THE SERVICE SECTOR
Authors: Zvyaginceva Alla , Sazonova Svetlana , Popov Valeriy
Published: December 2020

A systematic survey of compliance of the architectural and construction part of the project with fire safety requirements for basic indicators that ensure fire resistance and fire safety of the building was carried out. Engineering and technical solutions to ensure fire safety of the building and protection of people by deterministic factors have been installed. Structural and planning solutions to prevent the spread of fire in the building of the object were diagnosed. Technical solutions are formulated: for evacuation routes and exits, for fire protection and communication systems of the building, for ensuring measures that ensure the successful work of firefighters to extinguish a fire.
DEVELOPMENT OF A TEST CRYSTAL IN THE DESIGN OF CMOS TECHNOLOGY CHIPS
Authors: Zolnikov Vladimir , Oksyuta O. , Chubur K. , Kvasov Oleg
Published: December 2020

The article discusses methods and technologies for testing chips using test crystals and describes the structure of such crystals developed as a chip for research. Diagrams of the I / O element verification block, the core element verification block, and the ring generator block, as well as diagrams of a number of ring generators, are presented.
THE MODEL OF RISK MANAGEMENT IN THE FIELD OF AVIATION MEDICINE IN THE ASPECT OF THE ACTIVITIES OF THE MILITARY INSTITUTE OF AVIATION MEDICINE
Authors:   Department of Flight Simulator Innovations, Military Institute of Aviation Medicine, Dereń Mirosław
Published: December 2020

Abstract: The Military Institute of Aviation Medicine is subject to complex legal conditions resulting from the existence of legislative and executive bodies of the state and their subordinate organs. These conditions, customers and other stakeholders have an impact on the context of the organization. The integrated management system of WIML, which is compliant with ISO 9001:2015 [8], ISO 27001:2017 [6] and AQAP 2120:2016 [1] standards, systematizes individual scopes of activities so that the requirements of all stakeholders are met. The article presents the risk management model on the basis of which the risk management methodology of the Military Institute of Aviation Medicine was developed.
Carbon removal from a mirror-like gold surface by UV light, RF plasma, and IR laser exposure: a comparative study
Authors: Yadav P. K. , Gupta R. K. , Choubey A. K. , Ali S. , Goutam U. K. , Modi M. H.
Published: December 2020

A decrease in photon intensity due to carbon contamination on optical elements is a serious issue in synchrotron radiation (SR) beamlines. Photon intensity can be regained by refurbishment of optical elements using suitable techniques. In the literature, three suitable techniques [radio frequency (RF) plasma, ultraviolet (UV) radiation (

λ
=

172

n
m

), and infrared (IR) laser (

λ
=

1064

n
m

) exposure] are reported to remove carbon contaminations from optical elements. These techniques are used independently to remove carbon, and, to the best of our knowledge, no systematic study is available on their relative efficiencies and effects on a mirror surface. We have applied these techniques independently for removal of carbon contamination from a gold surface, and detailed surface characterizations are carried out using soft x-ray reflectivity, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and atomic force microscopy techniques. Characterization results suggest that all three techniques are capable of removing carbon contamination with certain limitations. Here, detailed relative effects on a gold surface after cleaning experiments with three techniques are discussed.
Long-range density patterns in a six-beam optical lattice from polarization interference
Authors: Alfaro Castro Wilber , Connolly Patrick , Roach Timothy
Published: December 2020

We report a correlation between periodic patterns of cold-atom density and field polarization that gives new insight into a nearly 30 year old question about the role of optical phases in laser cooling. The laser field of three intersecting pairs of counter-propagating

σ
+

−

σ
−

beams is widely used for cooling of atoms in magneto-optical traps and optical molasses. This six-beam optical lattice differs from four-beam lattices in having two “excess” phase constants of the optical standing waves. These relative time phases are independent degrees of freedom that affect key lattice properties, such as the polarization of the potential wells and the sub-Doppler cooling process. In this work, we create one-dimensional and two-dimensional spatial gradients of the optical phases in a six-beam lattice by slightly tilting the retro-reflected beams. This tilt imparts a long-range periodicity (

∼

m
m

) to the lattice polarization, creating a superlattice in which atoms are seen to diffuse into a periodic density distribution over several milliseconds. We find that high density is correlated with low field ellipticity; atoms move preferentially into regions where the field is linearly polarized. Such a non-uniform density may be important in cold collision experiments and may have applications in the preparation of atoms for atomic clocks and quantum computation.
Anionic fluorophore-assisted fabrication of gold microstructures inside a hydrogel by multi-photon photoreduction
Authors: Machida Manan , Shen Weilu , Onoe Hiroaki , Hiruta Yuki , Heisterkamp Alexander , Mazur Eric , Terakawa Mitsuhiro
Published: December 2020

The fabrication of accentuated gold microstructures is demonstrated by multi-photon photoreduction inside an anionic fluorophore-containing hydrogel. We attempted to facilitate gold-ion photoreduction near the focal point of laser pulses, expecting the donation of electrons by the oxidation of fluorophores in the vicinity of gold ions. The presence of anionic FITC-dextran also inhibited the spontaneous reduction in untargeted zones, which is attributed to the coordination of gold ions and the anionic FITC-dextran. Simultaneous facilitation and inhibition are promising for the fabrication of dense metal microstructures in the targeted zone while maintaining the hydrogel’s light permeability.
Epidemic risk of arboviral diseases: Determining the habitats, spatial-temporal distribution, and abundance of immature Aedes aegypti in the Urban and Rural areas of Zanzibar, Tanzania
Authors: Saleh Fatma , Kitau Jovin , Konradsen Flemming , Kampango Ayubo , Abassi Rahibu , Schiøler Karin Linda
Published: December 2020

Background

In Zanzibar, little is known about the arboviral disease vector Aedes aegypti in terms of abundance, spatio-temporal distribution of its larval habitats or factors associated with its proliferation. Effective control of the vector requires knowledge on ecology and habitat characteristics and is currently the only available option for reducing the risk of arboviral epidemics in the island nation of Zanzibar.

Methodology

We conducted entomological surveys in households and surrounding compounds from February to May 2018 in the urban (Mwembemakumbi and Chumbuni) and rural (Chuini and Kama) Shehias (lowest government administrative unit) situated in the Urban-West region of Unguja island, Zanzibar. Larvae and pupae were collected, transported to the insectary, reared to adult, and identified to species level. Characteristics and types of water containers were also recorded on site. Generalized linear mixed models with binomial and negative binomial distributions were applied to determine factors associated with presence of Ae. aegypti immatures (i.e. both larvae and pupae) or pupae, alone and significant predictors of the abundance of immature Ae. aegypti or pupae, respectively.

Results

The survey provided evidence of widespread presence and abundance of Ae. aegypti mosquitoes in both urban and rural settings of Unguja Island. Interestingly, rural setting had higher numbers of infested containers, all immatures, and pupae than urban setting. Likewise, higher House and Breteau indices were recorded in rural compared to the urban setting. There was no statistically significant difference in Stegomyia indices between seasons across settings. Plastics, metal containers and car tires were identified as the most productive habitats which collectively produced over 90% of all Ae. aegypti pupae. Water storage, sun exposure, vegetation, and organic matter were significant predictors of the abundance of immature Ae. aegypti.

Conclusions

Widespread presence and abundance of Ae. aegypti were found in rural and urban areas of Unguja, the main island of Zanzibar. Information on productive habitats and predictors of colonization of water containers are important for the development of a routine Aedes surveillance system and targeted control interventions in Zanzibar and similar settings.
Assessment of the relationships between agroecosystem condition and the ecosystem service soil erosion regulation in Northern Germany
Authors: Rendon Paula , Steinhoff-Knopp Bastian , Saggau Philipp , Burkhard Benjamin
Published: December 2020

Ecosystems provide multiple services that are necessary to maintain human life. Agroecosystems are very productive suppliers of biomass-related provisioning ecosystem services, e.g. food, fibre, and energy. At the same time, they are highly dependent on good ecosystem condition and regulating ecosystem services such as soil fertility, water supply or soil erosion regulation. Assessments of this interplay of ecosystem condition and services are needed to understand the relationships in highly managed systems. Therefore, the aim of this study is twofold: First, to test the concept and indicators proposed by the European Union Working Group on Mapping and Assessment of Ecosystems and their Services (MAES) for assessing agroecosystem condition at a regional level. Second, to identify the relationships between ecosystem condition and the delivery of ecosystem services. For this purpose, we applied an operational framework for integrated mapping and assessment of ecosystems and their services. We used the proposed indicators to assess the condition of agroecosystems in Northern Germany and regulating ecosystem service control of erosion rates. We used existing data from official databases to calculate the different indicators and created maps of environmental pressures, ecosystem condition and ecosystem service indicators for the Federal State of Lower Saxony. Furthermore, we identified areas within the state where pressures are high, conditions are unfavourable, and more sustainable management practices are needed. Despite the limitations of the indicators and data availability, our results show positive, negative, and no significant correlations between the different pressures and condition indicators, and the control of erosion rates. The idea behind the MAES framework is to indicate the general condition of an ecosystem. However, we observed that not all proposed indicators can explain to what extent ecosystems can provide specific ecosystem services. Further research on other ecosystem services provided by agroecosystems would help to identify synergies and trade-offs. Moreover, the definition of a reference condition, although complicated for anthropogenically highly modified agroecosystems, would provide a benchmark to compare information on the condition of the ecosystems, leading to better land use policy and management decisions.
The meaning of home questionnaire revisited: Psychometric analyses among people with Parkinson’s disease reveals new dimensions
Authors: Andersson Nilla , Nilsson Maria H. , Slaug Björn , Oswald Frank , Iwarsson Susanne
Published: December 2020

Background

Research addressing perceptions of housing in people with Parkinson’s disease (PD) is rare, and existing instruments capturing perceived aspects of housing are rarely used. Perceived housing comprises of several domains and is associated with health in general older populations. One such domain is meaning of home, captured by the Meaning of Home Questionnaire (MOH). The aim of this study was to evaluate psychometric properties of the MOH among people with PD.

Materials and methods

The MOH was administrated to 245 participants with PD (mean age = 69.9 years; mean PD duration = 9.7 years). The instrument consisted of four sub-scales with 28 items, each with 11 response options (strongly disagree = 0; strongly agree = 10). We evaluated data quality, structural validity (factor analysis), construct validity (i.e., testing correlations with relevant constructs according to pre-defined hypotheses), corrected item total correlations, floor and ceiling effects and internal consistency.

Results

The data quality was high (0–1.2% missing data). The exploratory factor analysis suggested removal of five items and revealed three new factors; “My home is my castle”, “My home is my prison” and “My home is my social hub”. The 23-item MOH showed statistically significant correlations with life satisfaction, usability and ADL dependence, while not correlated with number of environmental barriers. These findings were largely as hypothesised, thus supporting construct validity (both convergent and discriminant). The corrected item total correlations were >0.3 for all items and the internal consistency was >0.70 for all sub-scales. No floor or ceiling effects were reported except for the sub-scale “My home is my castle” (ceiling effect = 15.6%).

Conclusions

The 23-item MOH version with three new sub-scales is sufficiently reliable and valid for use in PD populations. This paves the way for further research of meaning of home among people with PD, using the 23-item MOH version.
Administration of Lactobacillus paracasei HB89 mitigates PM2.5-induced enhancement of inflammation and allergic airway response in murine asthma model
Authors: Lin Ching-Hung , Tseng Chia-Yi , Chao Ming-Wei
Published: December 2020

PM2.5 causes abnormal immune response and asthma in animals. In this study, a Balb/c mouse animal model was exposed to PM2.5 to induce asthma. Lactobacillus paracasei HB89 was fed at the same time, in order to observe whether L. paracasei HB89 mitigates respiratory tract allergies stimulated by PM2.5. The results showed that PM2.5 stimulated a significant increase in white blood cells and immunoglobulin (IgE) in OVA-induced allergic Balb/c mice, and IgE in the blood further triggered the release of histamine in the lung immune cells. This not only increased overall immune cell counts, but the lymphocyte counts also increased significantly, resulting in significant inhibitions of cytokines INF-r and TGF-β, and induction of IL-4, IL-5, IL-13 and IL-17a. After feeding with HB89, apart from the absence of observable changes in body weight, the total white blood cell count in the animal blood and IgE response were also be reduced; the proliferation of immune cells in the lungs caused by PM2.5 was slowed down; and histamine and cytokines INF-r and TGF-β were secreted in large quantities, but IL- 4, IL-5, IL-13, IL-17a were inhibited, which effectively reduced the possibility of asthma induction.
Towards an understanding of retouch flakes: A use-wear blind test on knapped stone microdebitage
Authors: Chan Benjamin , Francisco Gibaja Juan , García-Díaz Virginia , Hoggard Christian Steven , Mazzucco Niccolò , Rowland Jake Thomas , Van Gijn Annelou
Published: December 2020

The retouching and resharpening of lithic tools during their production and maintenance leads to the production of large numbers of small flakes and chips known as microdebitage. Standard analytical approaches to this material involves the mapping of microartefact densities to identify activity areas, and the creation of techno-typologies to characterise the form of retouch flakes from different types of tools. Whilst use-wear analysis is a common approach to the analysis of tools, it has been applied much less commonly to microdebitage. This paper contends that the use-wear analysis of microdebitage holds great potential for identifying activity areas on archaeological sites, representing a relatively unexplored analytical resource within microartefact assemblages. In order to test the range of factors that affect the identification of use-wear traces on small retouch flakes, a blind test consisting of 40 retouch flakes was conducted. The results show that wear traces can be identified with comparable levels of accuracy to those reported for historic blind tests of standard lithic tools suggesting that the use-wear analysis of retouch flakes can be a useful analytical tool in understanding site function, and in increasing sample sizes in cases where assemblages contain few tools.
Modifying and validating the social responsiveness scale edition 2 for use with deaf children and young people
Authors: Wright Barry , Phillips Helen , Le Couteur Ann , Sweetman Jennifer , Hodkinson Rachel , Ralph-Lewis Amelia , Hayward Emily , Brennan Alice , Mulloy Josie , Day Natalie , Bland Martin , Allgar Victoria
Published: December 2020

A Delphi consensus methodology was used to adapt a screening tool, the Social Responsiveness Scale– 2 (SRS-2), for use with deaf children including those whose preferred communication method is sign language. Using this approach; 27 international experts (The Delphi International Expert Panel), on the topic of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in deaf people, contributed to the review of item content. A criterion for agreement was set at 80% of experts on each item (with 75% acceptable in the final fourth round). The agreed modifications are discussed. The modified SRS-2 research adaptation for deaf people (referred to here as the “SRS-2 Deaf adaptation”) was then translated into British Sign Language using a robust translation methodology and validated in England in a sample of 198 deaf children, 76 with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) and 122 without ASD. The SRS-2 Deaf adaptation was compared blind to a NICE (National Institute for Health and Care Excellence) guideline standard clinical assessment. The area under the Receiver Operating (ROC) curve was 0.811 (95% CI: 0.753, 0.869), with an optimal cut-off value of 73, which gave a sensitivity of 82% and a specificity of 67%. The Cronbach Alpha coefficient was 0.968 suggesting high internal consistency. The Intraclass Correlation Coefficient was 0.897, supporting test-retest reliability. This performance is equivalent to similar instruments used for screening ASD in the hearing population.
Annotating digital text with phonemic cues to support decoding in struggling readers
Authors: Donnelly Patrick M. , Larson Kevin , Matskewich Tanya , Yeatman Jason D.
Published: December 2020

An advantage of digital media is the flexibility to personalize the presentation of text to an individual’s needs and embed tools that support pedagogy. The goal of this study was to develop a tablet-based reading tool, grounded in the principles of phonics-based instruction, and determine whether struggling readers could leverage this technology to decode challenging words. The tool presents a small icon below each vowel to represent its sound. Forty struggling child readers were randomly assigned to an intervention or control group to test the efficacy of the phonemic cues. We found that struggling readers could leverage the cues to improve pseudoword decoding: after two weeks of practice, the intervention group showed greater improvement than controls. This study demonstrates the potential of a text annotation, grounded in intervention research, to help children decode novel words. These results highlight the opportunity for educational technologies to support and supplement classroom instruction.
The route to diagnosis of sarcoma patients: Results from an interview study in the Netherlands and the United Kingdom
Authors: Soomers Vicky L. M. N. , van der Graaf Winette T. A. , Zaidi Shane , Kaal Suzanne E. J. , Hayes Andrew J. , Schreuder Bart H. W. B. , Jones Robin L. , Desar Ingrid M. E. , Husson Olga
Published: December 2020

Introduction

Sarcomas are rare tumours. Early diagnosis is challenging, but important for local control and potentially survival and quality of life(QoL). We investigated (1)the route to diagnosis (RtD) experienced by sarcoma patients, including factors contributing to the length of the RtD from patients’ perspective; (2)the impact of the RtD on QoL and care satisfaction; and (3)differences in aims 1–2 between English and Dutch patients.

Methods

Fifteen sarcoma patients from The Royal Marsden Hospital, United Kingdom, and Radboud University Medical Centre, The Netherlands, were interviewed, exploring RtD experiences. Interviews were analysed according to qualitative content analysis.

Results

The main themes were: patient interval, diagnostic interval, reflection on the RtD and recommendations for improvement. Patient interval was long if symptoms were attributed as benign, did not interfere with daily life or were expected to cease. An incorrect working diagnosis, ineffective process of additional investigations, long referral times and lack of a lead clinician lengthened the diagnostic interval. Long waiting times, false reassurance and inadequate information provision led to dissatisfaction and a high emotional burden. Factors for improvement included increasing awareness of patients and healthcare providers, empowering patients, and having a lead clinician.

Conclusion

The RtD of sarcoma patients is complex. Increasing awareness of patients and healthcare providers may contribute to shorten the RtD.
Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio predicts early mortality in females with metastatic triple-negative breast cancer
Authors: de la Cruz-Ku Gabriel , Chambergo-Michilot Diego , Torres-Roman J. Smith , Rebaza Pamela , Pinto Joseph , Araujo Jhajaira , Morante Zaida , Enriquez Daniel , Flores Claudio , Luque Renato , Saavedra Antonella , Lujan Maria , Gomez Henry , Valcarcel Bryan
Published: December 2020

Background

The aim of this study was to determine the utility of the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) as a biomarker for predicting early-mortality (<2 years) among females with metastatic triple-negative breast cancer (mTNBC).

Methods

We reviewed 118 medical records of females with mTNBC. The cut-off value for the NLR (<2.5 and ≥2.5) was determined with receiver operating characteristic curves (area under the curve: 0.73; 95% CI: 0.62–0.85). Survival curves were estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method and compared with the Log-rank test. Multivariate Cox regression was used to identify the risk of mortality at two years. Moreover, we performed sensitivity analyses with different cut-off values and a subgroup analysis in females that only received chemotherapy.

Results

The median follow-up was 24 months. Females with NLR ≥2.5 had a poor overall survival compared to females with NLR <2.5 (6% vs. 28%, p<0.001) at two years. This outcome remained when we stratified for females that only received chemotherapy (8% vs. 36%, p = 0.001). Multivariate analyses identified NLR ≥2.5 as a poor prognostic risk factor for mortality in the entire population (HR: 2.12, 95% CI: 1.32–3.39) and among females that received chemotherapy (HR: 2.68, 95% CI: 1.46–4.92).

Conclusion

The NLR is an accessible and reliable biomarker that predicts early mortality among females with mTNBC. Our results suggest that females with high NLR values have poor prognosis despite receiving standard chemotherapy. Health providers should evaluate the possibility to enroll these patients in novel immunotherapy trials.
Pain prevalence in hospitalized patients at a tertiary academic medical center: Exploring severe persistent pain
Authors: Wu Chieh-Liang , Hung Yin-Lurn , Wang Yan-Ru , Huang Hui-Mei , Chang Chia-Hui , Wu Chih-Cheng , Hung Chih-Jen , Yeh Te-Feng
Published: December 2020

Objective

The pain prevalence of inpatients is not a well-studied medical issue in Asia. We have aimed to evaluate pain prevalence and characterize those patients who have suffered from severe, persistent pain.

Methods

We investigated pain prevalence using a quota sampling from 19 general wards during the year 2018. Using a structured questionnaire, eight interviewers visited patients at an age ≥ 20 years, and who had been staying in general wards for ≥ 3 days. Those patients were excluded if they were unable to respond to the interview questions. If they reported pain during hospitalization, the maximum pain level and the duration of pain suffered in the past 24 hours were assessed. Care-related pain was also surveyed.

Results

A total of 1,034 patients (M/F, 537/497) completed the survey. Amongst them, 719 patients (69.5%) experienced pain, with moderate and severe pain levels being 27.3% and 43%, respectively. Surgery was considered as it related to pain, including significantly severe pain. The top 3 care-related pain causes were needle pain, wound dressing, and change in position/chest percussion. Change in position/chest percussion and rehabilitation were associated with severe, persistent pain.

Conclusions

Pain is common in approximately 70% of inpatients, with surgery being associated with severe pain. Mobilization and rehabilitation may lead to severe, persistent pain. The periodic study of pain prevalence is essential in order to provide precise pain management.
RP-HPLC Method for Determination of Salbutamol and Bromhexine in Syrup:
Modelling and Optimization by Response Surface Methodology
Authors: Dinh Chung Duong , Ngoc Thi Yen Nguyen , Nguyen Huu Khanh Quan , Nguyen Duy Chinh , Dat Ung Thanh , Thi Thuy Ca
Published: December 2020

In present work, the RP-HPLC method was established for the determination of bromhexine and
salbutamol in syrup by using a design of experiment approach. The Plackett-Burman design was
applied to screen the influence of independent variables (ratio of organic solvent and pH in mobile
phase, flow rate, column temperature, sample injection volume and detection wavelength) on the
output data of chromatographic signals (peak area, tailing factor, theoretical plates, resolution) of
bromhexine and salbutamol. The Pareto diagram shows that the selected variables affect mainly target
function. A central composite design has been used to optimize the values of main factors and Design
expert® software predicts the interaction and quadratic model to evaluate the impact of input parameters
on output. The optimal conditions were determined with the support of response surface methodology
for flow rate 0.9 mL/min, temperature 25 °C and 60% methanol in water with 0.06% orthophosphoric
acid as the mobile phase. Good linearity was observed in the concentration range of 8-48 μg/mL for
bromhexine and 4-24 μg/mL for salbutamol with a significantly high correlation coefficient (R >
0.999). The limit of detection and limit of quantitation were 0.32 and 0.96 μg/mL, respectively for
bromhexine and 0.08 and 0.25 μg/mL, respectively for salbutamol. This method was validated according
to ICH guidelines.
Comparative Evaluation of Essential Oils of Helichrysum petiolare Hilliard & B.L. Burtt
Obtained from Solvent-Free Microwave and Hydrodistillation Extraction Methods
Authors: Aladejana A.E. , Bradley G. , Afolayan A.J.
Published: December 2020

Till date, no study has ever looked into the effect of extraction method on the chemical constituents of
the essential oil of Helichrysum petiolare. This study therefore evaluated the effect of hydrodistillation
and solvent free microwave extraction (SFME) methods on the chemical constituents of H. petiolare
derived essential oils. The SFME derived essential oil was deep yellow and of higher yield than the
pale yellow essential oil obtained through the hydrodistillation. There were substantial amounts of
monoterpenes, monoterpene alcohols, sesquiterpenes, and sesquiterpene alcohols in both essential
oils obtained. The SFME derived essential oil had 62 compounds as against the 52 derived through
hydrodistillation. The SFME derived essential oil can therefore be suggested to be of better quality
than of the hydrodistillation method. The compounds obtained in the essential oils have high
pharmaceutical and cosmetic values, and as observed in this study, their quantity is dependent on
method of extraction.
Spectral Characterization, Antioxidant, Cytotoxic and Molecular Docking Studies of
Nanosized Cu(II) Hybrid with 2-Hydroxyphenylethylideneamino)quinolin-2(1H)-one
Authors: Anazy Murefah M. , Alturiqi Amani S. , Al-Farraj Eida S. , Ammar Reda A.
Published: December 2020

Nanosized Cu(II) hybrids derived 2-hydroxyphenylethylideneamino)quinolin-2(1H)-one (HPEAQ)
was synthesized and characterized by spectroscopic and TGA analysis. The IR, 1H & 13C NMR spectra
revealed that the HPEAQ coordinated its CH=N, C=O and deprotonated hydroxyl groups in coordination
with Cu(II) ions (1-4). The geometries of copper(II) hybrids are octahedral geometry. The XRD and
SEM images unequivocally definite the nanosized copper chelate (2). The antioxidant, cytotoxic
activities and molecular docking technique of the compounds have also been screened.
Effect of Sulfur Doped Nanotitania for Degradation of Remazol Yellow and Phenol
Authors: Manurung Posman , Situmeang Rudy , Sinuhaji Perdinan , Sembiring Simon
Published: December 2020

Nanocrystalline TiO2 and sulfur-doped TiO2 were synthesized using the sol-gel method. Tween-80,
titanium tetraisopropoxide (TTIP), and sulfuric acid were employed as raw materials for the synthesis
of TiO2. All the synthesized samples were heated for 3 h at 500 ºC. Each cell parameter of the prepared
samples was explored by employing the Rietveld refinement of X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns. For
sulfur-doped TiO2 and TiO2 samples, considerable differences were observed in their cell parameters.
Under ultraviolet (UV) irradiation, the phenol and remazol yellow (RY) photodegradation of the sintered
samples was analyzed. Physical properties were studied using Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) and
transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analyzes to measure the surface area. The XRD results
confirmed that except nano-anatase, no other phase was present in any sample. The particle size range
is 10-15 nm. BET surface results showed that doping concentrations influenced the surface area. On
the samples with a larger surface area, photodegradation is superior, which coincides with a higher
doping concentration.
Doping Effect of Lead(II) on Structural and Optical Properties of Chromium Oxide Nanoparticles
Authors: Kalaiselvi N. , Madhu K.U.
Published: December 2020

In this work, the effects of doping post transition metal (Pb2+) on the structural, morphological, elemental
and optical properties of pure chromium oxide nanoparticles are reported. The structural and
morphological properties were examined by X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy (SEM).
The elemental composition of the prepared nanoparticles were estimated from energy dispersive X-ray
(EDX) absorption spectra. The band gap energies of the prepared nanoparticles (4.72-3.78 eV) obtained
from UV-vis absorption spectroscopy is higher than that of bulk Cr2O3 (3.3 eV), which ensures that the
prepared nanoparticles were successfully synthesized in the nano-region.
Diversity and Oriented Synthesis of Clopidogrel Drug Derivatives
Authors: Tejeswararao D.
Published: December 2020

An efficient synthetic route has been developed for the synthesis of new clopidogrel drug derivatives.
Key step of this method is to replacement of mesyl protected alcohol group with various aliphatic
amines in presence of base. Various clopidogrel drug derivatives have been prepared in good yields.
All the new compounds were confirmed by spectral studies and mass analysis. The main advantage of
the new synthetic route has low cost and is fit for industrial applications.
Assessment of Traditional Rice Beer Quality Manufactured by
Different Ethnic Tribes of Assam, India
Authors: oswami Bijoy S. G , Borgohain Purnima , Updhya Puja , Barthakur Manoj
Published: December 2020

Ethnic communities of North-East India consume various traditional beverages which are mostly
prepared by fermentation of rice of their own. Many ethnic communities reside in Assam, India and
the consumption of fermented drinks is always considered to be their culture and existence of the
ethnic tribes. In present work, eight different rice beer samples are collected from different parts of
Assam representing Ahom, Mising and Karbi community. The samples are characterized with respect
to various physico-chemical analysis and microbiological parameters. In present work, the
methodologies for the process of preparation of rice beers by different ethnic communities are also
carefully observed and properly documented. It has been observed that all the samples are acidic in
nature and the pH values are ranged from 2.83-5.05, while conductance ranged from 0.028-1.86 ms/cm.
The amount of free carbon dioxide varies from 0.105 g/L to 6.81g/L. The amount of hardness varied
from 0.012 g/L to 0.38 g/L. The sugar content of various rice beers ranged from below detection limit
(BDL) to 4.4 g/100 mL while the percentage of ethanol varies from 2.2 to 5.7 g/100 mL. The correlation
matrix study also shows a good positive correlation between conductance and TDS, hardness, free
CO2 and bicarbonate alkalinity. In this study, no coliform bacterial contamination appeared while the
colony forming unit ranged from 0.3 × 105 to 1.68 × 105 cfu mL-1.
Electrochemical and Theoretical Studies of 2-Acetyl Pyridine and Acetophenone Derivatives as Corrosion Inhibitors for Mild Steel in HCl Solution
Authors: Singh Dharmendra Kumar , Singh Mantu Kr.
Published: December 2020

2-Acetyl pyridine nicotinic hydrazone and acetophenone nicotinic hydrazone have prepared and their corrosion inhibition properties for mild steel in 1 M HCl were studied using weight loss, electrochemical and density functional theory (DFT) methods. Both inhibitors showed good inhibition ability and their adsorption on mild obeyed Langmuir adsorption isotherm. Polarization measurements show that they can be classified as inhibitors of mixed type. The inhibition efficiencies of 2-acetyl pyridine nicotinic hydrazone and acetophenone nicotinic hydrazone at 2 mM optimum concentration are 96.5% and 87.7% respectively.
Evaluation of Ultrasonic Velocity Theories on Binary Liquid Mixtures of
Propiophenone with Isomeric Xylenes at Temperatures (T = 303.15 to 318.15 K)
Authors: Devi Nanduri Gayatri , Srinivasa Rao N.V.N.B. , Ramachandran D.
Published: December 2020

Densities (ρ), ultrasonic speeds of sound (u) of binary mixtures containing propiophenone with o-xylene,
m-xylene and p-xylene were measured over the entire composition range at temperatures from
303.15-318.15 K and at atmospheric pressure 0.1 MPa. Experimental data of ultrasonic velocity was
used to compute the theoretical velocities by using the various theories like Nomoto’s relation (UNOM),
impedance relation (UIMP), Van Dael and Vangeel’s relation (UVDV), Rao’s specific velocity relation
(URAO), Jouyban-Acree’s (UJOE) and Junjie’s theory (UJUN). The results are in good agreement with the
experimental data. The relative percentage error, chi square test for goodness of fit and the molecular
interaction parameter (α) values for non-ideality in the binary mixtures were computed and analyzed
in terms of intermolecular interactions between the molecules of the binary mixtures.
Spectroscopic, Thermal and Antimicrobial Study of
Some Transition Metal(II) Complexes of β-Diketones
Authors: Rani Rekha , Kumar Umesh , Kumar Deepak , Yadav Siteshwar Pd. , Sinha Arjun Kr. , Sharma S.
Published: December 2020

A novel heterocyclic based β-diketone has been synthesized by the condensation of
pyrazole-1-acetylchloride and sodium acetophenone. The product 1-phenyl-4-(pyrazole-1-yl)butane-
1,3-dione has been used for complexation with Mn(II), Fe(II) and Co(II) metal ions. The ligand
β-diketone is found to exist in keto-enol tautomeric forms. The comparision of infrared spectra of
complexes clearly indicates the coordination of the ligand from its enolic form. The magnetic moment
and electronic spectra of all the metal complexes leads to the distorted octahedral symmetry around
the metal ion. The ligand as well as its metal complexes has been screened for antimicrobial activity
and antifungal activities. It is observed that the antimicrobial and antifungal activities get enhanced in
complexes in respect to the free ligand.
Optical Sensors based on Surface Plasmon Resonance
Authors: Nguyen Tan Tai , Thi Diem Kieu Vo
Published: December 2020

This brief review presents the recent process in optical sensors based on surface plasmon resonance
(SPR). In particular, it will focus on the optical sensors that employ the change of refractive index as
the sensing transduction signal. Various detection schemes of optical sensors which include phase
modulation, wavelength modulation and intensity modulation are discussed. The performance
advantageous and disadvantageous of the description of optical sensors structure and their respective
experimental configurations are also described. The examples of detection in chemistry, biology and
heavy metals will be presented. Future prospects of surface plasmon resonance (SPR) sensing
technology is also discussed.
Fabrication and Characterization of Chitosan-Polypyrrole/Strontium-Magnesium Substituted
Hydroxyapatite Biocomposite with Potential Application in Tissue Engineering Scaffolds
Authors: Lavanya P. , Vijayakumari N. , Sangeetha R. , Priya G.
Published: December 2020

Biocomposite scaffolds of strontium-magnesium substituted hydroxyapatite (SMHA) with a mixture
of chitosan/polypyrrole (CS-PPY) have been prepared by solvent casting method. The synthesized
SMHA nanoparticles and biocomposite scaffold were characterized by FTIR, XRD and SEM
techniques. The SEM morphology revealed the porous structure of the scaffolds designed for the
muticomponents. The biomineralization and cell viability of the biocomposite were assessed via alkaline
phosphatase activity and MTT assay on the osteoblast cell line. The study demonstrated improved
differentiation and mineralization of osteoblast cells in the designed biocomposite scaffolds. The dye
stained fluorescent microscopic photographs apparent the good scattering and permeability of cells
onto the scaffolds. However, biocomposite demonstrated good antibacterial activity and the excellent
biocompatibility against osteoblast cells offers a possible route for the production of a biocomposite
as a viable replacement for regenerative medicine scaffolding substance.
Screening, Identification and Controlling Effect of
Antifungal Compound from Bacillus megaterium LB01-16
Authors: Wei Luo-Qing , ing Cong-Wen D , Zhou Shang-Ze
Published: December 2020

In order to screen, identify high active compound and investigate its controlling effect on anthracnose
disease in postharvest mangos, the bioassay-guided fractionation was used to screen and isolate antifungal
components from fermented broth of Bacillus megaterium LB01-16 and the inhibition zone diameter of
active components isolated against Colletotrichum gloeosporioides were measured with a disk diffusion
test. The results revealed that four monomer compounds were separated from the fermentation broth,
and only one monomer with strong antifungal activity, numbered 007, was obtained and identified as
glucopyranosyl 12-hydroxyjasmonic acid by 1H & 13C NMR and by comparing with literature. This
study confirmed that the glucopyranosyl 12-hydroxyjasmonic acid produced from Bacillus megaterium
LB01-16 can inhibit the anthracnose disease of postharvest mangos by directly reducing mycelium
growth and inhibiting the spore germination of Colletotrichum gloeosporioides, thus providing a
promising strategy for controlling of anthracnose disease in postharvest mangos.
Design and Synthesis of 2-Mercapto Benzoxazole coupled Benzyl
Triazoles as Anti-inflammatory Agents Targeting COX-2 Enzyme
Authors: Kumar K. Praveen , Prashanthi Y. , Rambabu G. , Rahman Md. Ataur , Yadav J.S.
Published: December 2020

In this study, we report the design, synthesis and the biological evaluation of 19 analogues of 2-mercapto
benzoxazole coupled benzyl triazoles (BOTs) based on analysis of the binding site and literature of
chemical space. These BOTs were evaluated both in vitro and in vivo for their anti-inflammatory
activity. Eleven compounds showed less than 10 μM in vitro COX-2 enzyme activities. The most
potent analogue among the BOT analogues were BOT15, BOT3 and BOT19 with IC50 3.40 μM, 4.50
μM and 4.57 μM respectively against COX-2. The in vivo anti-inflammatory activity of two BOTs has
significantly higher than that of standard drug, ibuprofen. 2-Mercapto benzoxazole coupled benzyl
triazoles (BOTs) were also tested for their antioxidant capacity and proved to be an as active scavenger,
better than ascorbic acid.
Design, Synthesis, Molecular Docking and in vitro Evaluation of
N-(4-Methoxyphenylsulfonyl)pyrrolidine-2-carboxylic Acid Analogues
as Antiangiogenic and Anticancer Agents on Multiple Myeloma
Authors: Sarker K. , Ghosh A. , Mishra S. , Saha A. , Sen S.
Published: December 2020

A series of N-(4-methoxyphenylsulfonyl)pyrrolidine-2-carboxylic acid analogs were designed as
bioisosteres of a major metabolite of thalidomide, i.e., N-(o-carboxybenzoyl)-D,L-glutamic acid.
Compounds 2b, 2d, 2f, 2i and 2k exhibited anticancer activity on multiple myeloma (RPMI 8226) by
MTS assay and were tested for primary antiangiogenic activity on HUVEC cell line by MTT assay.
Compound 2f was excluded from further study as it was found to be cytotoxic to normal epithelial
cells. 2b, 2d, 2i and 2k were found to have primary antiangiogenic activity along with low cytotoxicity
on normal vero cells in MTT assay indicating selective cytotoxicity towards highly angiogenic multiple
myeloma. Antiproliferative assay of compounds 2b, 2d, 2i and 2k on HUVECs was carried out using
the dye exclusion method with trypan blue. Molecular docking study of compound 2b calculated the
binding energy -89.78 kcal/mol and displayed five hydrogen bonds with critical amino acid residues.
The compounds are potential candidate drugs for advanced investigations.
Studies on Inclusion Complexes of β-Cyclodextrin with Some Metal
Complexes of Isatinylsemicarbazone and Isatinylthiosemicarbazone
Authors: Kumar Rajeev , Kumar Sanjay , Bala Madhu
Published: December 2020

The complexes of Co(II), Ni(II), Zn(II) and Cd(II) with isatinylsemicarbazone (IstscabH) and
isatinylthiosemicarbazone (IsttscabH) of composition ML2·2H2O [M = Co(II) or Ni(II) and LH =
IstscabH or IsttscabH] and ML2 [M = Zn(II) or Cd(II) and LH = IstscabH or IsttscabH] have been
synthesized and their antibacterial activity has been investigated. Their inclusion complexes with
β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) having composition [ML2(β-CD)·2H2O] or M(C60H88N8O39S2)], [M = Co(II) or
Ni(II) and LH = IstscabH or IsttscabH] and [ML2(β-CD) or M(C60H84N6O-37S2)], [M = Zn(II) or Cd(II)
and LH = IstscabH or IsttscabH] have also been isolated in solid states. All the synthesized metal
complexes have been characterized by analytical data, molar conductance, magnetic susceptibility,
electronic and infrared spectral studies. The tetrahedral geometry for Zn(II) and Cd(II) and octahederal
geometry for Co(II) and Ni(II) have been assigned on the basis of magnetic susceptibility, UV electronic
transitions and IR spectral bands assignments. The structures are retained in inclusion products. A
biological activity of Schiff bases, their metal complexes and inclusion products for bacteria Escherichia.
coli, Bacillus subtilis and Staphylococcus aureus have been screened and activity explained.