bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Design and validation of a new machine-learning-based diagnostic tool for the differentiation of dermatoscopic skin cancer images
Authors: Tajerian Amin , Kazemian Mohsen , Tajerian Mohammad , Akhavan Malayeri Ava
Published: April 2023

Background

Skin cancer is the most common cancer in the United States. Current estimates are that one in five Americans will develop skin cancer in their lifetime. A skin cancer diagnosis is challenging for dermatologists requiring a biopsy from the lesion and histopathological examinations. In this article, we used the HAM10000 dataset to develop a web application that classifies skin cancer lesions.

Method

This article presents a methodological approach that utilizes dermoscopy images from the HAM10000 dataset, a collection of 10015 dermatoscopic images collected over 20 years from two different sites, to improve the diagnosis of pigmented skin lesions. The study design involves image pre-processing, which includes labelling, resizing, and data augmentation techniques to increase the instances of the dataset. Transfer learning, a machine learning technique, was used to create a model architecture that includes EfficientNET-B1, a variant of the baseline model EfficientNET-B0, with a global average pooling 2D layer and a softmax layer with 7 nodes added on top. The results of the study offer a promising method for dermatologists to improve their diagnosis of pigmented skin lesions.

Results

The model performs best in detecting melanocytic nevi lesions with an F1 score of 0.93. The F1 score for Actinic Keratosis, Basal Cell Carcinoma, Benign Keratosis, Dermatofibroma, Melanoma, and Vascular lesions was consecutively 0.63, 0.72, 0.70, 0.54, 0.58, and 0.80.

Conclusions

We classified seven distinct skin lesions in the HAM10000 dataset with an EfficientNet model reaching an accuracy of 84.3%, which provides a promising outlook for further development of more accurate models.
Investing to gain others’ trust: Cognitive abstraction increases prosocial behavior and trust received from others
Authors: van Houwelingen Gijs , van Dijke Marius
Published: April 2023

Being trusted has many positive implications for one’s wellbeing (e.g., a better career, more satisfying interpersonal relationships). Scholars have suggested that people actively attempt to earn trust. However, it is not clear what makes people invest in actions that may earn them trust. We propose that cognitive abstraction (more than concreteness) facilitates seeing the long-term benefits of performing behaviors (i.e., prosocial behaviors) for gaining trust. We conducted a survey among employees and their supervisors and two yoked experiments—total N = 1098 or 549 pairs. In support of our claim, we find that cognitive abstraction leads to more prosocial behavior, which subsequently increases trust received. Furthermore, the effect of abstraction on the performance of prosocial behavior is limited to situations where such behavior can be observed by others (and thus be a basis for gaining observers’ trust). Our research shows when and why people decide to act in ways that may gain them trust and clarifies how cognitive abstraction influences the display of prosocial behavior and the subsequent trust received from fellow organization members.
NP and 9311 are excellent population parents for screening QTLs of potassium-efficient rice
Authors: Liu Tingchang , Bai Liangli , Huang Lifang , Mao Donghai
Published: April 2023

High and stable rice yields are critical to global food security, and potassium-deficient soils in East Asia have seriously limited rice production in the regions. It is feasible to screen potassium efficient quantitative trait locus(QTLs) from existing rice varieties to cope with rice production in potassium-deficient areas, and the selection of population parents is the key to locating major QTLs. After a long period of natural selection, potassium efficient rice varieties mainly exist in the region where the soil potassium level is low. The present study chose the representative twelve high-yielding rice varieties in east Asia, firstly, to measure plant height, fresh sheath weight, and fresh blade weight under hydroponic conditions. Based on the difference and consistency of the three parameters, NP as low potassium tolerant, and 9311 as low potassium sensitive rice variety were screened. We further analyzed the relative values of the six parameters of NP and 9311 treated with a culture medium containing different potassium (K+) concentrations and showed that the two varieties significantly differed in multiple low potassium concentrations. Meanwhile, we calculated the coefficient of variation of twelve rice varieties and most of those parameters reached a maximum at 4 mg/L K+, indicating that this concentration was suitable for screening potassium-efficient rice. We also measured the potassium content and the potassium-related traits in NP and 9311 tissues, and found that NP and 9311 significantly differed in potassium translocation. These differences may be responsible for the long-distance transport of potassium from the root to the aboveground part. In conclusion, we identified a pair of parents with significant differences in potassium translocation, which can be used to locate the relevant QTLs with high potassium efficiency to cope with the crisis of soil potassium deficiency in East Asia.
Conserved intramolecular networks in GDAP1 are closely connected to CMT-linked mutations and protein stability
Authors: Sutinen Aleksi , Paffenholz Dirk , Nguyen Giang Thi Tuyet , Ruskamo Salla , Torda Andrew E. , Kursula Petri
Published: April 2023

Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMT) is the most common inherited peripheral polyneuropathy in humans, and its subtypes are linked to mutations in dozens of different genes, including the gene coding for ganglioside-induced differentiation-associated protein 1 (GDAP1). The main GDAP1-linked CMT subtypes are the demyelinating CMT4A and the axonal CMT2K. Over a hundred different missense CMT mutations in the GDAP1 gene have been reported. However, despite implications for mitochondrial fission and fusion, cytoskeletal interactions, and response to reactive oxygen species, the etiology of GDAP1-linked CMT is poorly understood at the protein level. Based on earlier structural data, CMT-linked mutations could affect intramolecular interaction networks within the GDAP1 protein. We carried out structural and biophysical analyses on several CMT-linked GDAP1 protein variants and describe new crystal structures of the autosomal recessive R120Q and the autosomal dominant A247V and R282H GDAP1 variants. These mutations reside in the structurally central helices ⍺3, ⍺7, and ⍺8. In addition, solution properties of the CMT mutants R161H, H256R, R310Q, and R310W were analysed. All disease variant proteins retain close to normal structure and solution behaviour. All mutations, apart from those affecting Arg310 outside the folded GDAP1 core domain, decreased thermal stability. In addition, a bioinformatics analysis was carried out to shed light on the conservation and evolution of GDAP1, which is an outlier member of the GST superfamily. GDAP1-like proteins branched early from the larger group of GSTs. Phylogenetic calculations could not resolve the exact early chronology, but the evolution of GDAP1 is roughly as old as the splits of archaea from other kingdoms. Many known CMT mutation sites involve conserved residues or interact with them. A central role for the ⍺6-⍺7 loop, within a conserved interaction network, is identified for GDAP1 protein stability. To conclude, we have expanded the structural analysis on GDAP1, strengthening the hypothesis that alterations in conserved intramolecular interactions may alter GDAP1 stability and function, eventually leading to mitochondrial dysfunction, impaired protein-protein interactions, and neuronal degeneration.
Development of a promising antigenic cocktail for the global detection of Babesia caballi in horse by ELISA
Authors: El-Sayed Shimaa Abd El-Salam , Rizk Mohamed Abdo , Baghdadi Hanadi B. , Ringo Aaron Edmond , Sambuu Gantuya , Nugraha Arifin Budiman , Igarashi Ikuo
Published: April 2023

In this study, we designed novel truncated Babesia caballi (B. caballi) recombinant proteins from the previously used B. caballi proteins; 134-Kilodalton Protein (rBC134) and Merozoite Rhoptry 48 Protein (rBC48). Then, we evaluated the diagnostic performance of the newly designed proteins when used as a single antigen or when used as cocktail antigen consists of rBC134 full length (rBC134f) + newly designed rBC48 (rBC48t) or newly designed rBC134 (rBC134t) + rBC48t for the detection of B. caballi infection in horse using indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (iELISA). We used one dose and a half of each antigen in the cocktail formulas. The serum samples were collected from different endemic areas in addition to the sera collected from horses experimentally infected with B. caballi were used in the present study. Cocktail antigen in full dose of (rBC134f + rBC48t) exhibited the highest optical density (OD) values with B. caballi–infected sera and showed the lowest OD values with normal equine sera or B. caballi, and Theileria equi mixed infected sera in comparison with the single antigen. Interestingly, the same cocktail antigen exhibited the highest concordance rate (76.74%) and kappa value (0.79) in the screening of 200 field serum samples collected from five B. caballi endemic countries, including South Africa (n = 40), Ghana (n = 40), Mongolia (n = 40), Thailand (n = 40), and China (n = 40) using iELISA and the results were compared to those of indirect fluorescent antibody test (IFAT) as a reference. Moreover, the identified promising cocktail full dose antigen (rBC134f + rBC48t) showed that it can detect the infection as early as the 4th day post-infection in sera collected from experimentally infected horses. The obtained results revealed the reliability of the rBC134f + rBC48t cocktail antigen when used in full dose for the detection of specific antibodies to B. caballi in horses which will be useful for epidemiological surveys and control of equine babesiosis.
The RNA-binding protein NANOS1 controls hippocampal synaptogenesis
Authors: Maschi Darío , Fernández-Alvarez Ana J. , Boccaccio Graciela Lidia
Published: April 2023

Proteins from the NANOS family are conserved translational repressors with a well-known role in gonad development in both vertebrates and invertebrates. In addition, Drosophila Nanos controls neuron maturation and function, and rodent Nanos1 affects cortical neuron differentiation. Here we show that rat Nanos1 is expressed in hippocampal neurons and that the siRNA-mediated knockdown of Nanos1 impairs synaptogenesis. We found that both dendritic spine size and number were affected by Nanos1 KD. Dendritic spines were smaller and more numerous. Moreover, whereas in control neurons most dendritic PSD95 clusters contact pre-synaptic structures, a larger proportion of PSD95 clusters lacked a synapsin counterpart upon Nanos1 loss-of-function. Finally, Nanos1 KD impaired the induction of ARC typically triggered by neuron depolarization. These results expand our knowledge on the role of NANOS1 in CNS development and suggest that RNA regulation by NANOS1 governs hippocampal synaptogenesis.
Estimating the Volume of Direct Runoff from Built-up Areas in the Kathmandu Valley
Authors: Pathak Lalit , Pathak Sarad
Published: April 2023

Kathmandu Valley, Nepal is facing significant urbanization and land use change, which can have adverse impacts on water resources in the region. In this study, we analyzed the land use data and runoff volume data from 2000 to 2030 to assess the impact of urbanization and land use change on runoff in Kathmandu Valley. The land use data showed an increase in the built-up area from 80.13 sq. km in 2000 to 162.53 sq. km in 2030, while the forest area slightly decreased from 246.53 sq. km in 2000 to 246.39 sq. km in 2030. The runoff volume data showed an increase in the amount of runoff from 89.55 million cubic meters in 2000 to 163.53 million cubic meters in 2030, with a peak in 2030. This increase in runoff volume is attributed to the increase in the built-up area and decrease in forest area. The results of this study highlight the need for sustainable land use planning and management in Kathmandu Valley to minimize the adverse impacts of urbanization on water resources.
A Principled Explanation of the Believe-Type Verb Infinitival Complement Constructions
Authors:   The Society Of Modern Grammar, Kim Huitae
Published: April 2023

The purpose of this study is to present a principled explanation for the believe (B)- type verb infinitival complement constructions. For this, the embedded CP- deletion adopted from the ECM account (Chomsky 1981) and the overt raising-to-VP-Spec of the matrix sentence from LA-based (Chomsky 2014) and MERGE-based approach (Chomsky 2019, 2020, 2021a, 2021b) are posited on the ground of the property of the B-type verb (cf. Bach 1977; cf. Carnie 2002), Chomsky's Agree-upon (1998, 1999, 2001) EF (2005, 2006, 2008), Chomsky’s (2013, 2014) movement of LA and Chomsky’s (2013) Inheritance- IM (cf. Kim 2018a, 2018b, 2021). This postulation operated in the workspace (WS) (Chomsky 2019, 2020, 2021a, 2021b) based on the tripartite prolific domain (Grohmann 2003), (strong) Phase (Chomsky 1999, 2001) and Phase higher evaluation (Chomsky 1999) considers the complete and defective property of the post-verbal NP. Hence, the controversies of the post-verbal NP are solved. Besides, the challenges like the Projection Principle, the θ-criterion, and the placement problem of the matrix B-verb are no longer problematic.
Association between calprotectin and volatile fatty acids in patients with inflammatory bowel diseases
Authors: Stepanov Yu. M. , Klenina I. A. , Tatarchuk O. M. , Stoikevych M. V. , Tarasova Т. S. , Fedorova N. S. , Petishko O. P.
Published: April 2023

Aim. To evaluate the content of calprotectin and volatile fatty acids (VFAs) in feces of patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).
Materials and methods. 61 patients (33 men and 28 women) with IBD aged 20 to 66 years (the mean indicator was 41.80 ± 1.14 years) were examined. The patients were treated in the Department of Intestinal Diseases of SI “Institute of Gastroenterology of the National Academy of Medical Sciences of Ukraine”. All the patients were divided into two groups: Group I – 46 patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) and Group II – 15 patients with Crohn’s disease (CD). The control group consisted of 10 practically healthy people (donors).
Calprotectin detection in fecal samples was carried out using a kit “Immundiagnostik”, Germany. Fecal VFAs were analyzed using a hardware-software complex for medical research with a gas chromatograph Chromatek-Crystal 5000.
Results. A significant increase in the content of fecal calprotectin was found. Its amount depended on the disease nosology and was more expressed in patients with UC (3.5 times higher (P < 0.05) than that in patients with CD). The observed changes were accompanied by an increase in the content of propionic (C3) acid and a decrease in acetic (C2), butyric (C4) acids in coprofiltrates of the examined patients. The detected imbalance in the fecal content of VFAs in patients led to an increase in the amount of fatty acids, which was more pronounced in patients with CD. An association between calprotectin levels and fecal VFA content was identified. Thus, correlation analysis allowed to establish a relationship between calprotectin levels and propionic acid content in patients with IBD (r = 0.370; P = 0.046).
Conclusions. In the case of active bowel inflammation, there is the increase in the fecal content of calprotectin and the decrease in VFAs (acetic and butyric acids) in accordance with the degree of disease activity, which allows the use of these indicators to assess the efficacy of therapies.
The state of the cytokine profile in pregnant women with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease at the stage of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis with varying degrees of comorbid obesity under the influence of the developed complex therapy program
Authors: Bahnii L. V. , Heriak S. M. , Bahnii N. I.
Published: April 2023

The aim of the study: to evaluate the cytokine profile state in pregnant women with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) at the stage of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) with varying degrees of obesity under the influence of the developed complex therapy program.
Material and methods. We examined 197 pregnant women with NAFLD at the stage of NASH in combination with obesity. The main group I consisted of 98 pregnant women with NAFLD at the stage of NASH with varying degrees of obesity, who were divided into 3 subgroups depending on body mass index (BMI). Among them, 26 pregnant women with BMI of 25.0–29.9 kg/m2 were included in IA group, 48 pregnant women with BMI of 30.0–34.9 kg/m2 were included in IB group, and 24 pregnant women with BMI of 35.0–39.9 kg/m2 – in IC group. All pregnant women in the main group were prescribed complex therapy including vitamin E at a dose of 400 IU/day, ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) at a dose of 15 mg/kg/day, and L-carnitine at a dose of 3 g per day. The comparison group consisted of 69 women with NAFLD at the stage of NASH and abdominal obesity, who corresponded to subgroups of the main group (IIA – 23 patients, IIB – 25 women, IIC – 21 pregnant women) and received basic therapy. The control group consisted of 30 healthy women. To evaluate the cytokine profile, levels of IL-1β, IL-6, IL-10 and TNF-α were determined by ELISPOT.
Results. Analysis of the cytokine profile in women with NASH and obesity showed the presence of systemic inflammation links in the examined groups, which was manifested by increased levels of pro-inflammatory and decreased levels of anti-inflammatory interleukins in blood serum of pregnant women. A prescription of the complex treatment contributed to a decreased activity of the inflammatory response, which was manifested by an improvement in the levels of cytokine profile indicators.
Conclusions. NASH during pregnancy is accompanied by significant changes in the cytokine profile. The prescription of complex therapy in the form of vitamin E, UDCA and L-carnitine is effective in the treatment of pregnant women with NAFLD at the stage of NASH due to cumulative and potentiating effects, reducing manifestations of systemic inflammation by normalizing the level of cytokines.
Epidemiology of Alzheimer’s disease in the Odesa region
Authors: Khubetova I. V. , Voloshchuk D. A. , Kosenko К. А. , Vorokhta Yu. M.
Published: April 2023

The aim of the work was to study the epidemiology of Alzheimer’s disease in the Odesa region.
Materials and methods. The study was carried out on the basis of the Regional Mental Health Center (Odesa) in 2016–2021. The data of the primary referral of patients with a verified diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease were analyzed. Statistical processing of the obtained data was performed by frequency analysis methods using standard MS Excel packages (Microsoft Inc., USA). The population of the Odesa region was determined according to the State Statistics Service of Ukraine.
Results. According to the retrospective analysis over the past 5 years, there was a constant increase in the number of identified patients with Alzheimer’s disease, from 4.9 cases per 100,000 population in 2016 to 6.0 cases in 2020 with a slight predominance of women in the structure of cases. Brain MRI was performed only in 29 (4.6 %) patients, EEG in 41 (6.5 %) patients. There were no cases of familial Alzheimer’s disease or early-onset Alzheimer’s disease. In 2020, Alzheimer’s and dementia deaths reached 14,196 or 2.54 % of total mortality in Ukraine.
Conclusions. The prevalence of Alzheimer’s disease was 6.0 cases per 100,000 in the population of the Odesa region at the end of 2021, which was an order of magnitude less than the global average. The mean score on the MMSE scale was 18.6 ± 0.5. The analysis on subscales has shown the prevalence of memory, spatial orientation and verbal disorders. The Ukrainian population is characterized by the small number of patients of the older age group (3.3 %) and the predominance of female patients (59.4 %).
Synthesis and properties of S-alkyl 4-amino-5-(5-(3-fluorophenyl)-pyrazol-3-yl)-1,2,4-triazole-3-thiol derivatives
Authors: Fedotov S. O. , Hotsulia A. S.
Published: April 2023

An important direction of modern pharmaceutical science is the creation of promising biologically active compounds, which in the hands of scientists can be transformed into effective medicinal products. Heterocyclic compounds are the undisputed leader in solving this problem. A well-known fact and a well-founded approach to achieving the desired pharmacological effect is the combination of different heterocyclic fragments in the structure of one molecule. And here it makes sense to focus our attention on such heterocycles as pyrazole and 1,2,4-triazole. After all, a number of well-known medicines have already been invented on their basis. Thus, the construction of a chemical tandem with heterocyclic blocks of the specified nature is an actual and promising direction of scientific work.
The aim of the work was to create a number of S-alkyl derivatives of 4-amino-5-(5-(3-fluorophenyl)pyrazol-3-yl)-1,2,4-triazole-3-thiol and study their properties, as well as preliminary selective establishment biological potential of these compounds.
Materials and methods. The synthesis of the target products of chemical transformation was successfully implemented by the step-by-step use of well-known methods of organic synthesis. Thus, the first stage was successfully implemented with the help of available reagents, the role of which was performed by diethyl oxalate and 1-(3-fluorophenyl)ethan-1-one with the participation of sodium methylate. The next stage involved hydrazinolysis. Subsequently, the corresponding potassium xanthogenate was successfully synthesized, which was subsequently transformed under the action of hydrazine hydrate into the target 4-amino-5-(5-(3-fluorophenyl)pyrazol-3-yl)-1,2,4-triazole-3-thiol. The next stage was S-alkylation. The structure of all synthesized substances was determined with IR spectrophotometry, 1H NMR spectroscopy, and elemental analysis. The individuality of the compounds was confirmed by high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. In silico studies were carried out with well-known software products, namely: AutoDock Vina, Biovia Discovery Studio, Hyper Chem 7.5, and Open Babel. Cyclooxygenase-2, lanosterol 14α-demethylase, and anaplastic lymphoma kinase were used as model enzymes.
Results. The optimal conditions for the stepwise creation of S-alkyl derivatives of 4-amino-5-(5-(3-fluorophenyl)pyrazol-3-yl)-1,2,4-triazole-3-thiol were established and the preparation of the specified compounds was carried out. The use of molecular docking made it possible to determine the perspective of further research on anti-inflammatory, antifungal, and antitumor properties in a number of synthesized structures.
Conclusions. S-alkyl derivatives of 4-amino-5-(5-(3-fluorophenyl)pyrazol-3-yl)-1,2,4-triazole-3-thiol are reasonably promising objects for the study of antifungal activity.
Disorder of purine metabolism in the etiopathogenesis of urate nephrolithiasis
Authors: Vorotyntsev S. I. , Bilai A. I. , Bilai I. M.
Published: April 2023

Urinary stone disease (USD) is a polyetiological urological disease caused by both exogenous and endogenous factors, including hereditary ones. It is characterized by the appearance of stones in the kidneys and urinary tract, and a tendency to relapse, often with a severe course. Almost 25 % of stones consist of uric acid (UA). The leading role in the pathogenesis of urate nephrolithiasis (UN) is played by disorders of purine metabolism, which are characterized by the development of hyperuricemia (HU) and hyperuricuria.
The aim of the work is to review modern literary sources on the role of purine metabolism disorders in the etiopathogenesis of UN.
Results. The development of UN depends on the constancy of the acidic urine pH, as well as on a decrease in diuresis, HU and hyperuricuria. UA is the final metabolite of purine metabolism and the main stone-forming substance in patients with UN. HU develops both due to uncompensated disorders of purine metabolism with a decrease in renal secretion and intestinal uricolysis (excretion pathway) and excessive intake of purine bases in the body and their increased synthesis in vivo (metabolic pathway).
Citric acid, as one of the main metabolites of the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle, is connected through the corresponding substrates to the formation of purines and the metabolite of amino acid metabolism, glutamine. TCA is connected to the cycles of urea, glyoxylate and purine bases through α-ketaglutaric acid. It is a substrate of citric acid, and it affects the synthesis of glutamate, which combines with ammonia to form glutamine, used in the cycle of purine synthesis.
Conclusions. The role and diagnostic value of purine metabolism upsets, disorders of the TCA (citric acid), amino acid metabolism (glutamine), the activity of xanthine oxidase is a key enzyme in purine synthesis which passes through TCA with the participation of its metabolite α-ketaglutarate, have been established. TCA is bound to glutamine, rich in nitrogen, which is necessary for the synthesis of purine bases.
Rola Straży Granicznej w kontekście funkcjonowania umów o małym ruchu granicznym. Casus pogranicza polsko-rosyjskiego
Authors: Bieńkowska Anna
Published: April 2023

Celem artykułu jest analiza roli Straży Granicznej w kontekście funkcjonowania umowy o małym ruchu granicznym z Rosją w latach 2012–2016 oraz wpływu tej formacji na stan bezpieczeństwa wschodniej granicy RP. Zwrócono uwagę na konieczność zmian, jakim (po akcesji Polski do struktur unijnych) ulec musiał cały system ochrony granic, w tym służb porządku publicznego. Analizie poddano instytucję małego ruchu granicznego obowiązującego na pograniczu polsko-rosyjskim. Na podstawie danych statystycznych zarejestrowanych przez Warmińsko-Mazurski Oddział Straży Granicznej przedstawiono zakres zmian w intensywności ruchu granicznego odbywającego się przez przejścia graniczne podległe Warmińsko-Mazurskiemu Oddziałowi Straży Granicznej oraz wskazano system naruszeń wynikających z niedostosowywania się do przepisów regulujących zasady reżimu.
PRE-QUALIFICATION AND PREFERENCE IN PUBLIC PROCUREMENT: A CRITICAL REFLECTION ON MINISTER OF FINANCE V AFRIBUSINESS NPC
Authors: Volmink Peter
Published: April 2023

The ruling by the Constitutional Court in Minister of Finance v Afribusiness NPC sounded the death knell for the 2017 Preferential Procurement Policy Framework Act (PPPFA) regulations. By a narrow majority, the Court dismissed an appeal by the Minister against a ruling by the SCA which declared the regulations invalid. This article offers a critique of both the majority and minority judgments. It calls into question the fundamental premise on which the majority’s reasoning was based, namely, that the Minister acted in breach of s 2(1) of the PPPFA which granted authority to organs of state (not the Minister) to determine their own preferential procurement policies. The article also criticizes the majority for not having used the opportunity to deal decisively with the question of pre-qualification criteria in tender processes. In his critique of the minority judgment, the author submits that the PPPFA and its regulations cannot be “rescued” through a strained interpretive process. The more candid approach is to acknowledge that the framework created by the PPPFA falls far short of the standard envisaged in s 217(2), and that it should be replaced as a matter of urgency. The article concludes that, while the PPPFA is in force, organs of state should exercise caution before incorporating prequalification criteria in their procurement policies. The author argues that whilst there is no constitutional problem with the use of prequalification criteria based on race or gender per se, this cannot be attained through a moribund piece of legislation, such as the PPPFA. New legislation is needed, which harmonizes the principle of legality with the imperative of remedial equality.
Structural comparison of different isolated eucalyptus lignins and analysis of their interaction mechanism with bovine serum albumin solution under QCM-D
Authors: Zhang Haonan , Liu Qi , Zhu Yanchen , Feng Zhang , Ren Hao , Zhai Huamin
Published: April 2023

In this study, representative lignin samples differing in hydroxyl content, molecular weight, linkage composition and lignin units ratio were prepared from eucalyptus wood by different isolation means and modification means: milled wood lignin (MWL), kraft lignin classified at different pH (KL), lignocresol (LC), lignoresorcinol (LR), lignopyrogallol (LP) as well as lignocresol secondary functional switched samples (LC 2ndderiv). The structure of various lignins was characterized in detail by Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, gel permeation chromatography (GPC) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). In order to eliminate the interference of other factors, bovine serum albumin (BSA) with relatively simple protein structure and different kinds of lignin and their derivatives were selected as the research objects. The adsorption/desorption behavior and mechanism between lignin samples and BSA were studied by quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation monitoring (QCM-D). The results showed that the content of phenolic hydroxyl was the main factor affecting the interaction of lignin and BSA, but in addition, the molecular size, linkages composition and the types of lignin units also had important effects on its adsorption behavior. The research will provide theoretical guidance and all-round reliable basic data for the interaction of lignin on lignocellulose hydrolysis enzymes in industrial application.
Are Searches in OCR-generated Archives Trustworthy?
Authors: Burchardt Jørgen
Published: April 2023

Digitised archives are revolutionary tools for research that, in a few seconds, generate results that earlier often took years to obtain. But do they provide all results for the terms searched for? The accuracy of searches was tested by performing sample searches of leading newspaper databases. The test revealed several weaknesses in the search process, including an average 18 percent error rate for single words in body text, and a far higher error rates for advertisements. Such high error rates encourage a critical look at the 20-year-old sector. Although these errors can be reduced by a re-digitation and with new improved OCR engines and new search algorithms, searches will nevertheless return manipulated results. In response, and to identify infringed bias and skewed representation, database owners need to provide thorough metadata to ensure source criticism.
Hidden Value: Provenance as a Source for Economic and Social History
Authors: Rother Lynn , Mariani Fabio , Koss Max
Published: April 2023

Building on the extensive production of provenance data recently, this article explains how we can expand the purview of computational analysis in humanistic and social sciences by exploring how digital methods can be applied to provenances. Provenances document chains of events of ownership and socio-economic custody changes of artworks. They promise statistical and comparative insights into social and economic trends and networks. Such analyses, however, necessitate the transformation of provenances from their textual form into structured data. This article first explores some of the analytical avenues aggregate provenance data can offer for transdisciplinary historical research. It then explains in detail the use of deep learning to address natural language processing tasks for transforming provenance text into structured data, such as Sentence Boundary Detection and Span Categorization. To illustrate the potential of this pioneering approach, this article ends with two examples of preliminary analysis of structured provenance data.
Distributed feedback laser grating order effects on optical systems with NRZ-RZ line coding scheme performance signature
Authors: Bhoompally Suneela , Reddy Mittamidi Madhusudhan , Kak Anwer Twana Mohammed , Ahammad Shaik Hasane , Hossain Md. Amzad , Ferdous A. H. M. Iftekharul , Zaki Rashed Ahmed Nabih , Ezzat Ahmed
Published: April 2023

This work demonstrated the distributed feedback laser grating order effects on optical system in the presence of NRZ-RZ line coding schemes. Max lighted signal form power variations are studied with spectral base wavelength band variations through optical fiber based on first various distributed based band feedback laser (DFB) grating order. The total lighted form base power band through optical fiber based on first different DFB laser grating order is estimated. The max electrical base signal band power form variations with spectral base frequency form band variations through photo-detector based on various DFB laser grating order is demonstrated. Total electrical based power band form through photo-detector based on various DFB laser grating order is also clarified. Max base band power form band amplitude with time through photo-detector based on different DFB laser grating order is clarified. Max Q base band form is studied numerically with DFB laser grating order variations.
Computational chemistry in the undergraduate inorganic curriculum
Authors: Canal John P.
Published: April 2023

The introduction of computation chemistry has increased in the undergraduate chemistry curriculum. Our method of instruction is centred on an online, self-paced approach where students interact with the material through an instructional handbook, videos, and assignments. In our inorganic undergraduate curriculum students explore computational chemistry though optimization of organometallic complexes, modelling the infrared (IR) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectra and investigation of the shape and energy of molecular orbitals. These results are compared to experimentally determined data. The effectiveness of introducing students to computational chemistry to characterize organometallic compounds will be highlighted.
SSR Markers are Useful Tools in Wheat Varietal Purity and Genetic Diversity Assessment
Authors: Vasile Valentina , Tîrziu Adina , Nicolae Elena , Ciucă Matilda , Cornea Călina Petruţa
Published: April 2023

Assessing genetic similarity and purity degree among wheat cultivars is important in breeding programmes and SSR markers have all the features that make them suitable for this purpose. The aim of this study was to assess the varietal purity and genetic diversity among wheat cultivars
grown in Romania using 22 SSR markers and to choose the most informative markers. The 40 samples included in the study consisted of seeds from certified and non-certified wheat cultivars, and from other related species. To establish that varietal purity is maintained, seeds from 14 certified
wheat cultivars were analysed from two harvesting campaigns (years 2019 and 2020) and seeds of four of them were also compared with the authors' seeds. The most polymorphic SSR marker was Xwmc596 (seven alleles), followed by Xwmc603 and Xwmc474 (six); Xgwm71, Xbarc347 and Xbarc074 (five);
Xgwm469, DuPw004, Xgwm155 and Xbarc184 (four); Xwmc418, Xbarc170, Xwmc533, DuPw167, DuPw115, Xgwm413 and Xgwm372 (three); and DuPw217, DuPw205, Xgwm003 and Xgwm095 (two). SSR marker Xgwm052 showed low polymorphism (one). No contamination of the varieties was observed in these harvesting campaigns
since all SSRs markers showed high similarity in the certified wheat cultivars harvest analysis; genetic diversity between genotypes was also observed.
Sophisticated Thinking Blended Laboratory (STB-LAB) Learning Model: Implications on Virtual and Real Laboratory for Increasing Undergraduate Student's Argumentation Skills
Authors: Agustina R. D. , Putra R. P.
Published: April 2023

Laboratory activities require scientific processes. The crucial scientific process in laboratory activities is aligning with 21st Century skills. Argumentation skills in laboratory activities are needed to make laboratory activities run efficiently, effectively, and without misinformation. Sophisticated Thinking Blended Laboratory (STB-LAB) in laboratory activities is considered capable of improving argumentation skills because of its syntax, disposition, and argumentation stage, allowing students to train their argumentation skills. This study intends to determine whether the STB-LAB learning model can improve students' argumentation skills in virtual and real laboratory activities. The method uses quantitative research with a one-group pretest-posttest design in which the N-Gain will be generated from the pretest and posttest, and find the difference in pretest and posttest, t-test using independent sample t-test, and effect size using Cohen's D. The results show that N-Gain obtained in virtual laboratory activities, only two aspects were categorized as quite effective, namely warrant, and backing aspects. In addition, N-Gain obtained in real laboratory activities only has three aspects categorized as quite effective: evidence, warrant, and rebuttal. The hypothesis obtained in both laboratory activities is 0.000 at Sig. (2-tailed), and the Effect Size obtained in both laboratory activities is 0.91 and 0.79. Thus, STB-LAB can improve argumentation skills using two media, with the virtual laboratory getting the highest results in its improvement. This shows that STB-LAB is appropriate for improving argumentation skills at the undergraduate level.
Mobile Augmented Reality in Socioscientific Issues-Based Learning: The Effectiveness on Students' Conceptual Knowledge and Socioscientific Reasoning
Authors: Annisa D. N. , Subiantoro A. W.
Published: April 2023

This research investigated the impact of newly developed instructional materials that integrate mobile augmented reality technology called Mobile Augmented Reality of Respiratory System (MARRS) in socioscientific issues-based biology learning. A quasi-experimental research with a nonequivalent pretest-posttest control group design was employed to compare the MARRS and conventional SSI instructional materials using PowerPoint and students' worksheets. Two classes with 72 eleventh-grade students were randomly assigned to experimental or control groups. This research evaluated two outcome variables: conceptual knowledge and socioscientific reasoning. Results indicated no significant difference in the overall conceptual knowledge, but a significant difference was found in socioscientific reasoning between the two groups. Moreover, MARRS is shown to be better in promoting students' analyzing skills and their perspectives and inquiry of socioscientific reasoning. Overall, it can be concluded that MARRS positively impacts being integrated into socioscientific issue-based biology learning.
Academic Resilience and Science Academic Emotion in Numeration under Online Learning: Predictive Capacity of an Artificial Neural Network
Authors: Mahmudah U. , Lola M. S. , Fatimah S. , Suryandari K. C.
Published: April 2023

The main objective of this study is to predict student academic resilience based on academic emotions in studying numeration and science under online learning. Many researchers have analyzed student academic resilience and online learning. Unfortunately, only a few similar research topics focus on numeration and science. 191 students at a university in Central Java Province have been randomly selected as research samples. Academic resilience is classified into three groups: low, medium, and high. The academic emotions were measured using three indicators: class-related emotions, learning-related emotions, and test emotions. This study uses an artificial neural network (ANN) to obtain predictive values. The results indicate that the level of academic resilience and academic emotion in numeration and science under online learning is in the medium category. The results also show that the relative error provides a fairly small percentage, namely 19.7% at the training stage and 25% at the testing stage. This refers to the prediction results having a good level of accuracy. Predictive estimation results also indicate that class-related emotions are predicted to be the aspect that has the most crucial impact on students’ academic resilience, in which the normalized importance value is 100.0%. It is followed by the aspect of learning-related emotions (65.0%) and test emotions (24.3%). The implication is that the aspect of class-related emotions should get better attention from lecturers and students so that students can increase their chances of getting a good level of academic resilience in numeration and science.
Assessment on Digitalization of Basic Physics Courses: Need Analysis on the Use of Digital-based Assessment
Authors: Nurlina N. , Marisda D. H. , Riskawati R. , Sultan A. D. , Sukmawati S. , Akram A.
Published: April 2023

Assessment is essential to measure students' achievement of learning objectives. Assessments in Basic physics courses are still categorized as manual, unstructured, and outdated. Using descriptive statistics, this study aims to investigate the need for digital assessments in Basic physics courses. The samples were taken from two public universities, two private universities, and a university with Physics Education Study Programs. They were half of each university students’ number per class. The number of respondents from Public university A, Public university B, Private University C, Private University D, and University E were 91, 49, 25, 20, and 29 students, respectively. Data collection was carried out using a questionnaire via a google form. Data obtained was analyzed by calculating the percentage for each indicator. Research indicators consist of the availability of teaching materials, the application of blended models, students' interest in basic physics, and the availability of assessments of the physics learning process. The results show that the five institutions that provide Basic Physics courses have not implemented digital assessments optimally. Of the five tertiary institutions that became the research sample, only one institution achieved the minimum target, with a score of 55.31% in the class of 2021 at university A. Meanwhile, the other four tertiary institutions did not achieve 50% in the last five batches. Therefore, lecturers must develop digital assessments in basic physics courses using the Kahoot application.
Combined Effect of Pesticides Containing Active Ingredients of Chlorpyrifos and Mancozeb on the DNA Damage of Chlorella Sorokiniana Shihira and Krauss
Authors: Nadar Y. E. , Nugroho A. P.
Published: April 2023

The intensive use of pesticides in agricultural areas can leave residues of pesticide mixtures on the soil surface. Surface run-off can carry pesticide residues, enter water bodies, and then may affect non-target organisms. Chlorpyrifos and mancozeb are active ingredients commonly contained in pesticides applied in shallot farming. This study aims to evaluate the combined effect of pesticides containing active ingredients of chlorpyrifos and mancozeb on the growth and DNA damage of the microalgae Chlorella sorokiniana. The test organism was exposed to the combined concentration of chlorpyrifos:mancozeb, i.e., 0:0, 20%:20%, 20%:80%, 80%:20%, and 80%:80% of the individual EC50 of each pesticide with sampling time at hours 0, 6, 24, and 48. Microalgae growth was estimated by cell counting method, and DNA damage was analyzed by alkaline comet assay method with parameters, i.e., Tail Intensity (TI%), Head Intensity (HI%), Tail Moment (TM), Olive Tail Moment (OTM), and Tail Factor (TF). The results showed that the combined pesticides inhibited the growth of C. sorokiniana, with the highest growth inhibition being at a combined concentration of 80%:80%. The TM and OTM values of C. sorokiniana increased with the increase of combined concentrations at an exposure period of up to 24 hours. In conclusion, the combined exposure could induce growth inhibition and DNA damage of Chlorella sorokiniana, mainly in the first 24 hours. The TM and OTM can be used as sensitive biomarkers for biomonitoring pesticide pollution.
The Effect of Applying the Ethno-STEM-Project-based Learning Model on Students' Higher-order Thinking Skill and Misconception of Physics Topics Related to Lake Tempe, Indonesia
Authors: Martawijaya M. A. , Rahmadhanningsih S. , Swandi A. , Hasyim M. , Sujiono E. H.
Published: April 2023

This study aims to determine the effect of applying the Ethno-STEM-Project Based Learning model about the concept of physics related to Lake Tempe on students’ conceptual understanding of physics, which is characterized by higher-order thinking skills and the level of misconceptions. The sample in this study was eleventh-grade students in senior high school. Students are exposed to local wisdom-based learning strategies integrating science, technology, engineering, and mathematics through group project assignments. Students are given a pre-Achievement Test (PAT) to determine their initial Higher-Order Thinking Skill of physics concepts in everyday life. Then after being treated through project work, they are asked to do a Post-Achievement Test (PAT). A three-tier test was carried out before and after treatment to determine the level of misconceptions. In addition, focus group interviews were conducted with several students to strengthen the pre and post-test results. Student responses to focus group interviews and the PAT’s open-ended questions were analyzed using the N-Gain Score equation. The data in the initial and final tests were analyzed quantitatively and qualitatively. Based on the analysis results, it was found that using the Ethno-STEM-PjBL model affected the understanding of physics concepts. It was marked by increases in higher-order thinking skills and decreases in misconceptions on several physics topics related to students’ activities around Lake Tempe.
Argumentation Skill Assessment for Diagnosing Students' Understanding of Factual, Conceptual, Procedural, and Metacognitive Knowledge: Characteristics of Initial Needs
Authors: Walid A. , Winarni E. W. , Yanti F. A.
Published: April 2023

This study aims to synthesize the characteristics of the initial needs for argumentative skills assessment instruments to diagnose students’ understanding of factual, conceptual, procedural, and metacognitive knowledge. This study used a quasi-experimental method. The technique used was quantitative descriptive research. The research subjects were taken from 50 students who used argumentative patterns in problem-solving on aquatic ecology material so that they were synthesized using argumentation skill indicators. This research was quantitative, with instrument construct design criteria in the cognitive domain based on the taxonomy of science education. The data in the study were collected through several tests to determine argumentation skills. Supporting data were obtained through questionnaires to be analyzed regarding content and learning tools. The data analysis technique calculated the average score of the test questions with criteria according to the skills of argumentation and analysis in terms of content and learning tools. The result of this research is a matrix of rigid test areas with the achievement of indicators of a neatly arranged argumentation skill questionnaire and the results of content analysis and learning tools that support the argumentation instrument.