bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Critical thinking, creativity, self-efficacy, and teaching practice in Peruvian teacher trainers
Authors: Arce-Saavedra Boris Jesús , Blumen Sheyla
Published: December 2021

The relationship between dispositions towards critical thinking, creative-innovative performance, self-efficacy and teaching practice was assessed in Peruvian teacher trainers from the Amazonian region of San Martin. Direct and big relationships were found between all variables. A model that explained 42% of the variance of teaching practice is presented, where dispositions towards critical thinking and creative and innovative performance have a direct effect on teacher self-efficacy. In addition, teacher self-efficacy fully mediates the relationship between dispositions toward critical thinking, and partially mediates the relationship between creative-innovative performance and teaching practices. Likewise, results show differences according to sex, work experience, specialization and work place. It is suggested to include other actors to get a holistic view of the teachers’ trainer capacities.
Nuevo diseño y aplicación para secadores solares activos y pasivos en la región Huetar Norte de Costa Rica
Authors: Guzmán-Hernández Tomás de Jesús , Obando-Ulloa Javier Mauricio , Castro-Badilla Guillermo , Arguelles Ulloa Valentina , Ortiz-Martínez Jacobo
Published: December 2021

Los sistemas térmicos solares emplean radiación solar para calentar un fluido, generalmente, constan: de colectores solares que absorben la luz y cubierta de vidrio que protege la instalación y permite conservar el calor, produciendo un efecto invernadero. Según el propósito de uso y las condiciones del lugar pueden presentar modificaciones. Dichos sistemas pueden adaptarse en actividades como la agricultura, por ello, se implementó los sistemas térmicos solares activos forzados híbridos modificados, así como los sistemas pasivos autónomos en diferentes unidades productivas agrícolas y agroindustriales en la región Huetar Norte de Costa Rica. La instalación de estos sistemas se realizó a través de un programa local piloto, financiado por instituciones gubernamentales, desde el 2016 al 2019 para mejorar el proceso de secado de los productos agrícolas en comparación con los sistemas tradicionales. Se pretende que, con el uso de estos sistemas, se logre disminuir los gases de efecto invernadero, tanto a nivel local como global y que estos sistemas sean una alternativa de producción limpia que mejore la eficiencia energética de pequeños y medianos productores. Los sistemas híbridos forzados están equipados con registro de datos computarizados.  Al más actual, se le diseñó y aplicó un suelo radiante, y al pasivo se le adicionó un sistema fotovoltaico de 1 K, el cual le da autonomía. Los resultados han permitido verificar que las unidades productivas beneficiadas mejoraron sus procesos productivos al reducir los tiempos de trabajo y al aumentar la eficiencia de los procesos, la calidad e inocuidad de sus productos.
Consumo eléctrico: una propuesta de gestión desarrollada en R a partir de medidores inteligentes en plantas de generación
Authors: Barquero-Álvarez David Eladio , Rojas-Morales Rodrigo
Published: December 2021

La matriz eléctrica en Costa Rica es considerada renovable, debido al alto porcentaje de participación de fuentes limpias y la casi nula utilización de combustibles fósiles; sin embargo, es posible complementar esa sostenibilidad, mediante una mejora en la gestión del consumo eléctrico en las plantas de generación. Por otra parte, el cambio a medidores inteligentes que registran datos cada 15 minutos es una realidad en el país, lo que implica la oportunidad de proponer nuevas formas de gestión de la información de consumo, que logren utilizar todo su potencial. En relación con lo indicado, este artículo expone el desarrollo de un panel digital interactivo desarrollado en R, desde donde es posible gestionar el consumo eléctrico de dos plantas, una hidroeléctrica y otra térmica, según las necesidades de información requeridas por parte de los usuarios y a partir de la arquitectura de datos existente, incluyendo medidores inteligentes. El panel se ubica en una dirección URL, desde donde los usuarios pueden acceder y navegar para visualizar los análisis definidos, de manera amigable y práctica. La herramienta que se propone, se convierte en una ayuda en la gestión del consumo eléctrico al incrementar la sensibilidad en el uso del recurso. Al ser funcional en dos plantas de tecnologías diferentes, podría considerarse como alternativa para otras instalaciones.
Clasificación del riesgo químico de solventes orgánicos mediante la aplicación del método “CHEM21 selection guide of classical- and less classical-solvents”. Un caso de estudio en cursos de docencia universitaria de química orgánica y bioquímica.
Authors: Mora-Barrantes Jose Carlos , Morera Ramos Leticia , Ulate-Salas Melany , Núñez-Agüero Valery , Acuña-Salazar Edwin , Cordero-Carvajal Mariel
Published: December 2021

Un solvente orgánico (SO) es un compuesto, generalmente líquido, que contiene carbono y que posee la característica de disolver otras sustancias. A nivel industrial, son utilizados en operaciones de disolución de reactivos, extracción, lavado y separación de mezclas, además son empleados en laboratorios de docencia universitaria. A pesar de sus múltiples aplicaciones, la mayor parte de los solventes orgánicos son altamente volátiles, influyendo en la contaminación del aire y agua, así como en la salud de las personas. El objetivo de la presente investigación es evaluar el impacto en la seguridad, la salud y en el ambiente por el uso de solventes orgánicos en cursos de laboratorio de bioquímica, química orgánica I y II, mediante la aplicación de la guía denominada “CHEM21 Selection Guide of Classical-and Less Classical Solvents”.
Se recopilaron las características fisicoquímicas y toxicológicas de los solventes en estudio para clasificarlos de acuerdo con la guía CHEM21. Los resultados clasifican la mayoría de los solventes como “problemáticos” con un porcentaje de 41, un 28% se categorizan como “recomendadas” y 31% como “peligrosos”. Dentro de las características de los SO peligrosos se destacan su bajo punto de ebullición, fusión y los significativos daños a la salud y medio ambiente. De acuerdo con los resultados obtenidos se considera al curso de orgánica I como el de mayor riesgo, debido a su mayor porcentaje de solventes ¨peligrosos¨ y ¨problemáticos¨. Se considera el curso de bioquímica como de menor riesgo, principalmente debido al menor uso de solventes orgánicos.
Study of Quantile-Based Cumulative Renyi Information Measure
Authors: Rekha  , Kumar Vikas
Published: December 2021

In this paper, we proposed a quantile version of cumulative Renyi entropy for residual and past lifetimes and study their properties. We also study quantile-based cumulative Renyi entropy for extreme order statistic when random variable untruncated or truncated in nature. Some characterization results are studied using the relationship between proposed information measure and reliability measure. We also examine it in relation to some applied problems such as weighted and equillibrium models.
An Extended Lindley Distribution with Application to Lifetime Data with Bayesian Estimation
Authors: Alizadeh Morad , Ranjbar Vahid , Eftekharian Abbas , Kharazmi Omid
Published: December 2021

A four-parameter extended of Lindley distribution with application to lifetime data is introduced.It is called extended Marshal-Olkin generalized Lindley distribution. Some mathematical propertiessuch as moments, skewness, kurtosis and extreme value are derived. These properties with plotsof density and hazard functions are shown the high flexibility of the mentioned distribution. Themaximum likelihood estimations of proposed distribution parameters with asymptotic properties ofthese estimations are examined. A simulation study to investigate the performance of maximumlikelihood estimations is presented. Moreover, the performance and flexibility of the new distributionare investigated by comparing with several generalizations of Lindley distribution through two realdata sets. Finally, Bayesian analysis and efficiency of Gibbs sampling are provided based on the tworeal data sets.
Robust Filtering of Sequences with Periodically Stationary Multiplicative Seasonal Increments
Authors: Luz Maksym , Moklyachuk Mikhail
Published: December 2021

We consider stochastic sequences with periodically stationary generalized multiple increments of fractional order which combines cyclostationary, multi-seasonal, integrated and fractionally integrated patterns. We solve the filtering problem for linear functionals constructed from unobserved values of a stochastic sequence of this type based on observations of the sequence with a periodically stationary noise sequence. For sequences with known matrices of spectral densities, we obtain formulas for calculating values of the mean square errors and the spectral characteristics of the optimal filtering of the functionals. Formulas that determine the least favourable spectral densities and the minimax (robust) spectral characteristics of the optimal linear filtering of the functionals are proposed in the case where spectral densities of the sequence are not exactly known while some sets of admissible spectral densities are given.
S&P 500 Stock Price Prediction Using Technical, Fundamental and Text Data
Authors: Zhong Shan , Hitchcock David
Published: December 2021

We summarized both common and novel predictive models used for stock price prediction and combined them with technical indices, fundamental characteristics and text-based sentiment data to predict S&P stock prices. A 66.18% accuracy in S&P 500 index directional prediction and 62.09% accuracy in individual stock directional prediction was achieved by combining different machine learning models such as Random Forest and LSTM together into state-of-the-art ensemble models. The data we use contains weekly historical prices, finance reports, and text information from news items associated with 518 different common stocks issued by current and former S&P 500 large-cap companies, from January 1, 2000 to December 31, 2019. Our study's innovation includes utilizing deep language models to categorize and infer financial news item sentiment; fusing different models containing different combinations of variables and stocks to jointly make predictions; and overcoming the insufficient data problem for machine learning models in time series by using data across different stocks.
A Different Approach for Choosing a Threshold in Peaks over Threshold
Authors: Verster Andrehette , Raubenheimer Lizanne
Published: December 2021

In Extreme Value methodology the choice of threshold plays an important role in efficient modelling of observations exceeding the threshold. The threshold must be chosen high enough to ensure an unbiased extreme value index but choosing the threshold too high results in uncontrolled variances. This paper investigates a generalized model that can assist in the choice of optimal threshold values in the γ positive domain. A Bayesian approach is considered by deriving a posterior distribution for the unknown generalized parameter. Using the properties of the posterior distribution allows for a method to choose an optimal threshold without visual inspection.
Arıtma Tesisi Atık Suyu ile Sulamanın Ak Üçgül (Trifolium repens L.) + Çayır Salkım Otu (Poa pratensis L.) Bitkilerinden Oluşan Karışımın Gelişimi, Bazı Metal ve Metaloid İçeriği Üzerine Kısa Vadeli Etkileri
Authors: EK Hülya , ZORER ÇELEBİ Şeyda , AĞIRAĞAÇ Zübeyir
Published: December 2021

Bu çalışmada, ak üçgül (Trifolium repens L.) ve çayır salkım otu (Poa pratensis L.) bitkilerinden oluşan karışımın, Türkiye-Van Edremit İleri Biyolojik Atık Su Arıtma Tesisi çıkış suyunun farklı konsantrasyonları ile sulanması konusu ele alınmıştır. Bu kapsamda, araştırma; atık suyun, bitkilerin ayrı ayrı ve karışım gelişimine etkisinin araştırılması amacıyla yürütülmüştür. Ayrıca, atık suyun toprak ve bitkide bazı metal ve metaloid içeriği üzerine kısa vadeli etkilerinin belirlenmesi de amaçlanmıştır. Çalışmada, denemeler 2018 yılında iklim odasında saksılarda tesadüf parselleri deneme desenine göre üç tekrarlamalı olarak yürütülmüştür. Araştırmada uygulamalar; % 100 saf su kontrol (100S), % 25 atık su + % 75 saf su (25A75S), % 50 atık su + % 50 saf su (50A50S) ve % 75 atık su + % 25 saf su (75A25S) şeklinde yapılmıştır. Araştırma sonuçlarına göre, bitki boyu her biçimde atık su uygulama miktarına bağlı olarak artış göstermiş olup; en yüksek bitki boyu ortalaması ak üçgülde 10.70 cm ile 75A25S, çayır salkım otunda 11.42 cm ve 11.21 cm ile sırasıyla kontrol ve 75A25S uygulamasından elde edilmiştir. Ak üçgülün yaş ve kuru ağırlığı atık su uygulamalarına bağlı olarak artmış, çayır salkım otunda ise atık su uygulamalarının etkisi görülmemiştir. Bitkilerin ve hasat sonrası toprağın metal ve metaloid içeriği uygulamalara bağlı olarak genelde artmıştır. Çayır salkım otunda molibden (Mo), ak üçgülde ise bakır dışında incelenen metal ve metaloid içerikleri 75A25S uygulamasında en yüksek değerlere ulaşmıştır. Hasat sonrası toprakta Mo, kurşun ve kadmiyum içeriğinde bir değişiklik olmamış, ancak diğer metal ve metaloid içerikleri artmıştır. Hasat sonrası alınan toprak örneklerinde atık su uygulamaları ile pH değerinde bir düşüş olduğu belirlenmiştir. Atık su uygulama konsantrasyonları arttıkça toprağın elektriksel iletkenlik değerinde de artış belirlenmiştir. Bu sonuçlar ışığında, kullanılan atık suyun bitki büyüme ve gelişmesi üzerine olumlu etkileri belirlenmiş ancak toprak üzerine etkileri için uzun süreli çalışmalara ihtiyaç olduğu kanısına varılmıştır.
Identification of Seedborne Fungi on Soybean (Glycine max L.) Seeds Grown in Mediterranean Region of Turkey
Authors: ÜSTÜN Rüstem , ÇAT Ahmet , ÇATAL Mürsel , UZUN Bülent
Published: December 2021

Soybean (Glycine max L.) is one of the most valuable oilseed crops in the world. It is not only an oil seed crop and feed for livestock, but also valuable mineral and vitamins sources for the human diet. The soybean yield is affected by various biotic and abiotic stress factors in all growing seasons. Diseases are one of the most significant biotic factors that reduce soybean growth and yield. Fungi are important pathogens affecting yield and quality by attacking plants during the growth period and after harvest. This study was conducted to detect and identify the seed-borne fungi associated with the soybean seed. From this context, 150 soybean seeds were randomly chosen from the experimental fields of Akdeniz University in Antalya province of Turkey. These seeds were sterilized with 70% ethanol for 1 min, followed by 10% sodium hypochlorite for 1 min and then rinsed with sterile water and then placed in Petri plates by using the agar plate method. A total of four seed-borne fungi species namely Aspergillus spp., Penicillium spp., Cladosporium spp. and Fusarium spp. were isolated from the soybean seeds. Additionally, Genomic DNAs of these fungal species were extracted and the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region of ribosomal DNA was amplified with the ITS-1 and ITS-4 primers using a thermal cycler. After sequencing of amplified products, the sequences were aligned. BLASTn analysis of each sequence showed that the sequences of the fungi had the similarity (99%) to the fungal isolates deposited in the GenBank.
Fizyografyadaki Değişimin Profil Gelişimine ve Toprak Özellikleri Üzerine Etkisi
Authors: DEMİR Sinan , BAŞAYİĞİT Levent
Published: December 2021

Kayaların ve organik girdilerin ana materyale ve toprağa dönüştürülmesi, fiziksel, kimyasal ve biyolojik faktörler tarafından kontrol edilen dinamik bir süreçtir. Bu süreçte ana materyal, iklim, topografya, organizma ve zaman oluşum faktörleri olarak bilinmektedir. Fizyografyadaki farklılıklarda diğer oluşum faktörlerinin etkisiyle toprak özelliklerinde değişkenliğe yol açmaktadır. Bu çalışmada, fizyografik değişkenliğin profil morfolojisine nasıl yansıdığı ve bu yansımanın toprak özelliklerinde istatistik olarak etkilerinin ortaya konması amaçlanmıştır. Değişen fizyografik birimleri (üst etek, alçak plato düzlüğü, alt etek) temsil etmek üzere güney -kuzey doğrultusu üzerinde dört toprak profilinin (PI, PII, PIII, PIV), morfolojik tanımlamaları yapılarak, horizon esasına göre alınan toprak örneklerinin bazı fiziksel ve kimyasal özellikleri belirlenmiştir. Ayrıca, toprak özelliklerindeki değişkenler bazı istatistiksel parametreler ile değerlendirilmiştir. Çalışma sonucunda, tüm profiller Lithic Xerorthent / Petrocalcic Leptosol olarak sınıflandırılmıştır. Üst ve alt eteklerdeki profiller benzer özelliğe sahip iken, alçak düzlükte yer alan profilin horizon derinliği ve kalınlığı, toprak rengi, kireç içeriği, bünye ve su karakteristikleri yönünden farklılık gösterdiği belirlenmiştir. Bu çalışma ile toprak özelliklerindeki değişimin istatistiksel yaklaşımlarla değerlendirilmesi sonucu ilişkilerin daha net açıklanabileceği ortaya konmuştur.
LAPAROSCOPY FOR ACUTE SURGICAL PATHOLOGY IN PREGNANT WOMEN
Authors: Turbin M. V , Cherkasov M. F , Cherkasov D. M , Lesovaya V. Yu , Bondarenko V. A , Melikova S. G , Anufrieva V. G
Published: December 2021

Acute surgical pathology during pregnancy has a number of features, ignorance of which can lead to serious diagnostic errors and to the choice of the wrong treatment tactics. Materials and methods. The experience of management of 68 pregnant patients diagnosed with «acute abdomen» is presented. The gestation period ranged from 7 to 32 weeks. Results. Laparoscopy was performed in 41 cases. Among 36 patients with a clinic of acute appendicitis during laparoscopy, 29 had a confirmed diagnosis (28 patients underwent laparoscopic appendectomy, in one case with a gestational age of 30 weeks appendectomy was performed using the Volkovich - Dyakonov surgical access). One patient was diagnosed with a torsion of the fatty suspension of the large intestine, its video-laparoscopic resection was performed. In 6 cases, no surgical pathology was revealed. In 5 patients with acute intestinal obstruction caused by an adhesive process, laparoscopic dissection of the adhesions was performed. In all cases, there were no postoperative complications. Conclusions. Laparoscopy during pregnancy allows timely verification of surgical pathology, avoid diagnostic errors, and in most cases, perform the surgical operation minimally invasive.
Representação e história da antiga estação ferroviária de Goiânia e da antiga rodoferroviária de Brasília documentadas por sketches
Authors: Silva Eliel Américo Santana da , Guillen-Salas Juan Carlos , Kallas Luana Miranda Esper
Published: December 2021

Com o advento da indústria, o progresso veio com ferrovias, estações e locomotivas, símbolo da modernidade. No Brasil, esse símbolo de avanço e desenvolvimento iniciou-se em 1850 e caiu em desuso em 1970. Em Goiânia, o seu uso durou aproximadamente 30 anos e em Brasília, pouco mais de uma década, sendo reabilitada como terminal do transporte Rodoviário de passageiros, passando a se chamar Rodoferroviária. A primeira estação, em estilo arquitetônico Art Déco é patrimônio tombado desde a década de 2000 e hoje está aberta à exposição e ao atendimento da Prefeitura Municipal de Goiânia; enquanto que a segunda, em estilo modernista não chegou a ser tombada, há uma intenção de torná-la Museu da Ciência e Tecnologia, mas hoje, com nova reabilitação comportar alguns órgãos públicos do Governo do Distrito Federal. Nesse sentido, objetiva-se neste artigo apresentar a história e uma representação da antiga Estação Ferroviária de Goiânia e da antiga Rodoferroviária de Brasília documentada por sketches. A metodologia contempla análise de documentos de fonte primária e secundária. Como resultados, baseado no referencial teórico se identificou por meio dos sketches explicitando a materialidade, espaço, tempo e pessoas, seguida pelas cidades, e os edifícios das estações ferroviárias, seguido pelas conclusões à guisa de comparações sobre a representação e história dos objetos de estudo documentado por sketches.
Determination and dietary risk assessment of neonicotinoid and insect growth regulators in honey
Authors: Abafe Ovokeroye Akpojevwe , Chokwe Tlou
Published: December 2021

Aim: The aim of this study was to determine the presence, concentrations, dietary intake, and risk of residues of neonicotinoids (NEO) and insect growth regulators (IGR) in commercially available honey in South Africa. Methods: Sample preparation for honey was based on the “dilute and shoot” principle, followed by analysis using an internally validated ultra-high-performance liquid chromatographic coupled to tandem mass spectrometric method. Estimated daily intake and acute and chronic hazard quotients were determined to measure human exposure and health risk to NEO and IGR as well as the risk posed to honeybee. Results: NEO and IGR were detected in 50% and 21% of the 115 honey samples, respectively. The average concentration ranged 0.062-6.50 µgkg-1 and 0.479-1.644 µgkg-1 for NEO and IGR, respectively. While acetamiprid was the most detected (24.35%) NEO, imidacloprid presented the highest concentration (16.945 µg kg-1) in a sample. IGR co-occurred at variable concentrations with NEO in honey samples. The estimated daily intakes (EDI) of NEO and IGR ranged from 9.35 × 10-7 to 4.93 × 10-6 mg kg-1 bwd-1. The chronic hazard quotient (HQc) and acute hazard quotient (HQa) for NEO and IGR were considerably < 1, indicating negligible risk to human health and honeybee population. Conclusion: A UHPLC-MS/MS method was validated for the simultaneous determination of neonicotinoids and insect growth regulators in honey. Overall, the result of the present study confirms the widespread occurrence of NEO and IGR in honey consumed in South Africa. The EDIs, HQc, and HQa indicate that exposure to all target NEO and IGR via honey consumption constitutes negligible human health risk; however, the consequences of multiple routes of exposure to NEO and IGR cannot be overemphasized.
PENGEMBANGAN TEPUNG PALADO (Aglaia sp.) SEBAGAI PANGAN ALTERNATIF DARI HUTAN
Authors: Rahman Syamsul , Rauf Awaluddin , Hardiani A. Susilawaty
Published: December 2021

Biji palado (Aglaia sp.) berasal dari tanaman hutan; yang selama ini dijadikan sebagai makanan selingan dengan cara direbus atau disangrai oleh masyarakat. Upaya pengolahan biji palado menjadi tepung diharapkan dapat meningkatkan nilai tambah dan memperpanjang masa simpan untuk dimanfaatkan sebagai bahan pangan alternatif. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menganalisis kandungan gizi makro tepung palado menggunakan analisis proksimat. Parameter yang dianalisis yaitu kadar air ditentukan dengan metode oven, kadar abu ditentukan dengan metode pengabuan di dalam tanur, penetapan kadar lemak dengan metode Soxlet, penetapan protein dengan metode Mikro Kjeldahl, kadar karbohidrat ditentukan dengan metode perbedaan berat (by difference), dan kadar energi dihitung sebagai total berat dari protein kasar, karbohidrat dan lemak total. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa tepung palado memiliki kandungan gizi makro yaitu karbohidrat 66,72%, protein 8,91%, lemak 12,37%, kadar abu 3,61%, dan kadar energi 414 kkal. Tepung palado dapat dijadikan sebagai tepung pangan alternatif, baik sebagai bahan utama maupun substitusi tepung lain dalam pembuatan olahan pangan seperti roti dan mi.
Recovery of Global Symmetries in a 't Hooftian Universe
Authors: Furtado Neto Alexandre
Published: December 2021

All fundamental Planck scale symmetries are restored on a global level when a new charge is postulated in a finite, closed, Euclidean discrete space. Gravity emerges as a residual effect of the electromagnetic force in this scenario, resulting in a deterministic toy universe driven by a single input parameter. The model is developed using a constructive approach. Randomness is identified using a Chaintin argument. Aleph0 definite value is tied to the size of the universe. This is not an interpretation of Quantum Mechanics, but a deeper attempt to describe nature.
Improve the Three-phase Unbalance Rate of Railway System Under 2% By Three Kinds of Special Transformer Wiring
Authors: Chen Chien-Hsu , Lin Chin E.
Published: December 2021

Because imbalanced power will cause the loss of the propulsion motor of the railway vehicle, and the increase in temperature will shorten the service life of the electric vehicle. Not only this, but also increase the cost of electricity and maintenance. In the past, the industry only focused on methods to improve power quality such as load capacity, relay setting, and harmonic resolution. Now, the consider of three-phase unbalance rate (TPUR) must be applied. I propose special transformers wiring (STW) to improve the three unbalance rates and provide different transformer wiring methods. According to the IEEE Committee, in the future, power companies will need to install balanced relay stations to improve three-phase unbalance rate. the internal regulations of Taipower must be less than 4.5% (voltage unbalance rate (NPSUR)of 2.5% and motor temperature rise of 12.5%). the derivation of the transformer "three-phase unbalance rate" model is the focus of the railway system. This research is based on the model derivation of different wiring methods to improve the hot problem caused by the three-phase imbalance and improve the service life of the train. And pointed out that Scott, Le-Blanc, Modified-Woodbridge three wiring methods can be applied to future railway system routes to improve the three-phase unbalance rate, in line with the IEEE standard of less than 2%.
Characterization of the pVHL Interactome in Human Testis Using High-Throughput Library Screening
Authors: Falconieri Antonella , Minervini Giovanni , Quaglia Federica , Sartori Geppo , Tosatto Silvio C.E.
Published: December 2021

Functional impairment of the von Hippel-Lindau (pVHL) tumor suppressor is causative of a familiar increased risk to develop cancer. As E3 substrate recognition particle, pVHL marks for degradation the hypoxia inducible factor 1α (HIF-1α) in normoxic conditions, thus acting as a key regulator of both acute and chronic cell adaptation to hypoxia. Further evidence showed pVHL to also play relevant roles in microtubules stabilization, participate in the formation of the extracellular matrix, as well as to regulate cell senescence and apoptosis. Male mice model carrying VHL gene conditional knockout present significative abnormalities in testis development paired with defects in spermatogenesis and infertility, indicating that pVHL exerts testis-specific roles, at least in mice. Here, we describe 55 novel interactors of the human pVHL obtained by testis-tissue library screening. We show that pVHL interacts with multiple human proteins directly involved in spermatogenesis and reproductive metabolism, suggesting that, in addition to its role in cancer formation, pVHL may be pivotal in the correct gonads development also in human.
Impact of Formulation Conditions on Lipid Nanoparticle Characteristics and Functional Delivery of CRISPR RNP for Gene Knock-Out and Correction
Authors: Walther Johanna , Wilbie Danny , Tissingh Vincent S.J. , Öktem Mert , van der Veen Heleen , Lou Bo , Mastrobattista Enrico
Published: December 2021

The CRISPR-Cas9 system is an emerging therapeutic tool with the potential to correct diverse ge-netic disorders. However, for gene therapy applications an efficient delivery vehicle is required, capable of delivering the CRISPR-Cas9 components into the cytosol of the intended target cell population. Once there, the ribonucleoprotein complex (RNP) can be transported into the nucleus. Lipid nanoparticles (LNP) serve as promising candidates for delivery of CRISPR-Cas9 RNP. These delivery vehicles have been optimized for the delivery of nucleic acids, such as mRNA. Co-delivery of Cas9 encoding mRNA with the accompanying sgRNA leads to translation of the Cas9 protein and formation of the Cas9 RNP inside the cell. Only recently, direct delivery of the CRISPR-Cas9 RNP complexes has been explored, which requires adjustments to the LNP formulation. In this study, the importance of buffer composition and cationic charge during RNP and ssDNA en-trapment in LNP are demonstrated. After optimizing several formulation parameters, LNP were prepared that were colloidally stable in human plasma and efficiently deliver the SpCas9 RNP and ssDNA for HDR-correction in reporter cells. Under optimal formulation conditions, gene knock-out and gene correction efficiencies as high as 80% and 20%, respectively were achieved at nanomolar CRISPR-Cas9 RNP concentrations.
Wings’ Descriptive and Geometric Morphometry Analyses Support Distinct Phlebotomus sergenti Parrot Populations in Central Morocco
Authors: Abou-Elaaz Fatima-Zara , Sereno Denis , Himmi Oumnia , Ghamizi Mohamed , Guernaoui Souad
Published: December 2021

Phlebotomus (Paraphlebotomus) sergenti Parrot, 1917, the proven vector of Leishmania tropica Wright, 1903, the causative agent of anthroponotic cutaneous leishmaniasis, is widely distributed in Morocco. Previous works using molecular markers (ITS2 rDNA and Cyt b mtDNA) have hy-pothesized the existence of multiple closely related populations of sandfly species (cryptic species) that would exhibit distinct vectorial capacities. In this work, descriptive characteristics of wings (size and shape of the right and left wings) were measured in samples collected from fourteen sta-tions in central Morocco. These analyses support the existence of distinct P. sergenti populations, enlightening significant phenotypic variations of P. sergenti’s wings, regarding their size and shape, depending on geographic origin. In addition, geomorphometric analyses of wing’s length, centroid size, alpha, and beta distances allowed clear discrimination of P. sergenti sub-populations. These data pinpoint the adaptative ability of P. sergenti to local environmental conditions. Additional studies are now required to further shed light on the genetic structure of P. sergenti populations in Morocco.
Changes in the Local Conformational States Caused by Simple Na+ and K+ Ions in Polyelectrolyte Simulations: Comparison of Seven Force Fields With and Without NBFIX and ECC Corrections
Authors: Lukasheva Natalia , Tolmachev Dmitry , Martinez-Seara Hector , Karttunen Mikko
Published: December 2021

Electrostatic interactions have a determining role in conformational and dynamic behavior of polyelectrolyte molecules [1]. In this study, anionic polyelectrolyte molecules, poly(glutamic acid) (PGA) and poly(aspartic acid) (PASA), in water solution with the most commonly used K+ or Na+ counterions were investigated using atomistic molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. Seven common force fields, AMBER99SB-ILDN, AMBER14SB, AMBER-FB15, CHARMM22*, CHARMM27, CHARMM36m and OPLS-AA/L, both with their native parameters and with the non-bonded fix (NBFIX) and electronic continuum corrections (ECC) to were studied. These corrections have bene introduced to correct for the problem of overbinding of ions to the charged groups of polyelectrolytes. Physical properties, such as molecular sizes, local structure and dynamics, were studied using two types of common counterions, potassium and sodium. The results show that in some cases, the macroion size and dynamics depend strongly on the models (parameters) for the counterions due to strong overbinding of ions and charged side chain groups. The local structures and dynamics are more sensitive on dihedral angle parameterization resulting in a preference for defined monomer conformations amd the type of correction used.
Proses PEMBUATAN BUBUK DAUN KELOR (Moringa oleifera) SEBAGAI TAMBAHAN MAKANAN FUNGSIONAL BERDASARKAN SUHU DAN LAMA PENGERINGAN YANG BERBEDA
Authors: Zainuddin Nurul Muchlisah , Hajriani Sri
Published: December 2021

Kelor (Moringa oleifera) sudah dikenal selama berabad-abad sebagai tanaman multiguna, padat nutrisi dan berkhasiat sebagai obat. Namun pembuatan kelor menjadi tepung atau bubuk serta pengembangannya menjadi tambahan makanan fungsional belum banyak dilakukan. Salah satu upaya yang dapat dilakukan adalah membuat tepung dari daun kelor sebagai tambahan makanan fungsional kaya nutrisi. Kandungan utama daun kelor ini ternyata akan lebih tinggi jika daun kelor diolah terlebih dahulu menjadi bentuk kering atau tepung. Tujuan dari penelitian ini adalah untuk mengetahui suhu pengeringan dan lama pengeringan yang terbaik yang digunakan pada proses pembuatan bubuk daun kelor berdasarkan analisis kimia yaitu kadar vitamin C dan kadar air dan untuk mengetahui sifat organoleptik tepung daun kelor berdasarkan suhu dan lama pengeringan yang berbeda. Metode penelitian yang dilakukan adalah menentukan suhu pengeringan dan lama pengeringan terbaik dengan menggunakan suhu pengeringan (35 oC, 50 oC, dan 65oC). Lama pengeringan (5 jam, 6 jam dan 7 jam). Suhu dan lama pengeringan yang terbaik akan ditentukan dengan pengujian analisis kimia dari tepung daun kelor, yaitu dilakukan uji vitamin C dan kadar air serta uji organoleptik yaitu dengan metode uji kesukaan (hedonic). Hasil dari penelitian formulasi bubuk daun kelor terbaik berdasarkan hasil analisis vitamin C dan kadar air adalah perlakuan suhu pengeringan 35 oC dan lama pengeringan 5 jam. Sifat organoleptik berupa tekstur, citarasa dan aroma yang paling disukai yaitu pada perlakuan suhu pengeringan 65 oC dan lama pengeringan 7 jam sedangkan untuk warna yang paling disukai yaitu pada perlakuan 35 oC dan lama pengeringan 5 jam.
Double Crush Syndrome of the Upper Extremity
Authors: Phan Amy , Shah Shalin , Hammert Warren , Mesfin Addisu
Published: December 2021

» The double crush hypothesis originally proposed that compression of a peripheral nerve at a proximal site increases its susceptibility to additional distal lesions.

» The etiology of double crush syndrome is likely multifactorial as mechanical, systemic, pharmacologic, or environmental factors may increase a patient’s susceptibility to this syndrome.

» To date, there remains no standardized definition of double crush syndrome, and there is no consensus on its exact pathophysiology or diagnostic criteria.

» Patients with double crush syndrome should be counseled that surgical repair may produce inferior outcomes compared with those who are treated for isolated entrapment neuropathies.
Interaction of Long-Chain Alcohol with Dry Yeast, Cholesterol, and Sea Firefly Luciferase
Authors: Nagasaki Kibo , Nagasaki Shinya
Published: December 2021

Background: A hand sanitizer containing alcohol, usually ethanol or isopropanol, is typically used for disinfection, but given that cholesterol is one of the main components of virus envelopes, long-chain alcohol may be more effective. To better understand the potential disinfection activity of long-chain alcohols, we studied their interactions with dry yeast, cholesterol, and sea firefly luciferase. Methods and Results: We measured, at 30oC and 39oC, the minimum inhibition concentration (MIC) of dry yeast fermentation and the stability of cholesterol and sea firefly luciferase with alcohols, diols, cetyltrimethylammonium chloride, and stearyltrimethylammonium chloride. The MIC decreased with the chain length at C≤12 for dry yeast and cholesterol with alcohol at 30oC. At C13 and higher, the cut-off region was observed. At 39oC, the cut-off region shifted to C15 and higher. The reduction of MIC was measured with the diol or sea firefly luciferase at C≤14. Conclusion: The presence of the cut-off region is suggested to be related to whether the alcohol is in the liquid state. For the liquid alcohol, the longer the chain length, the lower the MIC. This suggests a potential disinfection activity of long-chain alcohol.
Endometrial Cytokines in Women with Reproductive Disorders
Authors: Danusevich Irina , Lazareva Lyudmila , Nemchenko Uliana , Kolesnikova Lyubov
Published: December 2021

The purpose of this research was to study changes in endometrial cytokine concentrations in women suffering from reproductive disorders with and without chronic endometritis (CE) to justify pathogenetic treatment. Methods and Results: The study included 100 women of reproductive age with reproductive disorders. Group 1 included 50 patients with reproductive disorders and CE; Group 2 included 50 patients with reproductive disorders and without CE. Later on, all patients were divided into the following subgroups: Sub1A (n=31), and Sub2A (n=16) with an isolated bacterial flora, Sub1B (n=19) and Sub2B (n=34) with the absence of bacterial flora. The control group consisted of 31 fertile women. Endometrial aspiration pipe biopsy was performed on days 4-9 of the menstrual cycle (middle proliferative phase) using a disposable intrauterine probe (Taizhou Kechuang Medical Apparatus Co., Ltd, China) followed by histological examination of endometrial tissue. Laboratory diagnostics for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) was performed using the bacterial culture method. For the diagnosis of viral infection (HPV, HSV, CMV), cervical samples were studied using PCR. If STIs were detected, the patients were excluded from further research. Ultrasound examination of the pelvic organs was performed using the Aloka-5500 device with a 7MHz vaginal probe in two-dimensional visualization mode. The concentration of cytokines (IL-1β, INF-γ, TNF-α, ILs-4,6,8,10) in the endometrium was determined using the Protein Contour test systems (Saint Petersburg) and Multiskan EX ELISA Analyzer (Germany). In both groups, reproductive disorders were accompanied by hypoprogesteronemia and relative hyperestrogenemia, significantly apparent in CE. We found a 3-fold increase in the level of tissue pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, IL-4,6,10, INF-γ), and a 4-fold increase in the level of TNF-α and IL-8 in Group 1, compared to the CG. In Group 2, we found a 1.4-fold increase in the levels of IL-1β and INF-γ, compared to the CG. In Sub 1a, the levels of IL-6 and IL-8 were significantly higher than in the control group. In Sub1A, the isolated bacterial flora caused a cytokine inflammatory response characterized by a significant increase in the concentration of INF-γ and TNF-α, compared to Sub2A and Sub2B (P<0.05). In Sub1A, we found a tendency towards a decrease in the tissue levels of IL-4 compared to Sub1B and Sub2B; the IL-10 level was significantly lower than in Sub2B (P=0.0009) Conclusion: The results obtained in the present study showed the peculiarities of changes in cytokines at the level of endometrial tissue both in chronic inflammation of the endometrium and in its absence in women with reproductive disorders. The severity of the immune response is significantly higher in patients with CE, with the most significant change in the role of IL-10.
MTHFR and MDR1 Gene Polymorphisms in Yakut Patients with Non-Syndromic Orofacial Clefts
Authors: Diakonova Aleksandra , Pavlova Nadezhda , Alekseev Vladislav , Mironova Lyubov , Kurtanov Khariton , Dodokhov Vladimir , Ushnitsky Innokenty
Published: December 2021

The aim of our study was to investigate the relationship between the MDR1 and MTHFR gene polymorphisms and non-syndromic cleft lip with or without cleft palate (NSCL/P) in the Yakut population in the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia). Methods and Results: The sample of examined persons consisted of 60 children with NSCL/P. The NSCL/P group was divided into the CLP (cleft lip with cleft palate) subgroup (n=31), CLO (cleft lip only) subgroup (n=14), and CPO (cleft palate only) subgroup (n=15). The comparison group (control) included 174 healthy volunteers who did not have relatives with OFCs. The study of the MDR1 rs1045642 SNP and the MTHFR rs1801133 SNP was performed by PCR and RFLP analysis. Analysis of the frequency distribution of alleles and genotypes depending on the severity of clefts showed that the carriage of the TT homozygous genotype of the MDR1 rs1045642 SNP was associated with significant risk for the development of NSCL/P (OR=2.52, 95% CI: 1.19-5.32, P=0.02). Analysis of the recessive model (TT vs CC + TC) also found a significant risk of NSCL/P with the TT genotype carriage (OR=2.20, 95% CI: 1.06-4.57, P=0.04). Analysis of the over-dominant model (TC vs TT + CC) showed that the heterozygous TC genotype had a protective effect (OR=0.41; 95% CI: 0.22-0.77, P=0.01) on the development of NSCL/P. Subgroup analysis according to NSCL/P subtypes (CLO, CPO and CLP) showed that the MDR1 rs1045642 SNP was significantly associated with a high risk of CPO in three genetic models: heterozygous [(TT vs TC): OR=5.03; 95% CI: 1.55-16.32; P=0.01], recessive [(TT vs CC + TC): OR=3.96; 95% CI: 1.32-11.95; P=0.02], and over-dominant [(TC vs TT + CC): OR=0.23; 95% CI: 0.08-0.66; P=0.01]. Conclusion: A study of two SNPs in the MDR1and MTHFR genes revealed a statistically significant increased risk for NSCL/P in carriers of the TT genotype of the MDR1 rs1045642 SNP.
The Effectiveness of Laser Treatment for Diabetic Retinopathy in Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease
Authors: Ponomareva Maria , Petrov Ivan , Gribanova² Evgeniya
Published: December 2021

Background: Panretinal photocoagulation (PRP) remains one of the effective methods of treatment in pre- and proliferative forms of retinopathy with high efficiency. The aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy of PRP depending on the somatic status, laboratory parameters, and the severity of chronic kidney disease (CKD) in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) and a history of diabetic retinopathy (DR). Methods and Results: The study included 76 patients (50 women and 26 men) with T2D who underwent PRP for DR (152 eyes) using a VISULAS® 532s solid-state laser (ZEISS). The patients were divided into two groups depending on the severity of CKD. Group 1 (n=32, 64 eyes) included patients with CKD Stage 1, Group 2 (n=44, 88 eyes) included patients with CKD Stage 2. All patients underwent standard ophthalmological examination: visometry, tonometry, perimetry, biomicroscopy of the anterior segment of the eye and vitreous body, and fundus ophthalmoscopy. Thickness map of the retina was obtained using the RTVue-100 OCT (Optovue, Fremont, CA) EMM5 scan protocol and the Stratus OCT (Carl Zeiss Meditec, USA) radial scan protocol. Laboratory methods included a general blood test, PPG, FG, HbA1c, general urine analysis, and the assessment of blood levels of creatinine, ALT, and AST. PRP was carried out according to the standard method, gradually, in three stages; the interval between the stages of laser treatment was 1 month. After laser treatment, all patients, regardless of the treatment stage, were prescribed topical Broxinac® (Bromfenac ophthalmic solution 0.09%). The dynamics of corrected visual acuity (CVA) parameters and the retinal thickness of the macular region were assessed before PRP and 3 months after the complex treatment. Multivariate analysis revealed a linear and nonlinear effect of lipid spectrum indicators (TC and LDL) on the formation of CL (crystalline lens) pathology. After treatment, a significant increase in CVA was noted in both study groups. The effectiveness of PRP coagulation depended on the severity of the CKD stage in T2D patients with DR. Normalization of morphometric parameters of the macular region of the retina was noted in 93.8% of cases in Group 1 and in 86.4% of cases in Group 2. The decrease in the effectiveness of treatment was associated with the presence of macroangiopathy (CAD), concomitant diseases (CHF, AH and dyslipidemia), and CKD stage. Conclusion: Prolonged administration of the non-steroidal, anti-inflammatory drug Bromfenacum® for a month after each stage of PRP is effective.
Effect of Total Acid Number and Recovery Mode on Low-Salinity Enhanced Oil Recovery in Carbonates
Authors: Uetani Takaaki , Kaido Hiromi , Yonebayashi Hideharu
Published: December 2021

Low-salinity water (LSW) flooding is an attractive enhanced oil recovery (EOR) option, but its mechanism leading to EOR is poorly understood, especially in carbonate rock. In this paper, we investigate the main reason behind two tertiary LSW coreflood tests that failed to demonstrate promising EOR response in reservoir carbonate rock; additional oil recovery factors by the LSW injection were only +2% and +4% oil initially in place. We suspected either the oil composition (lack of acid content) or the recovery mode (tertiary mode) was inappropriate. Therefore, we repeated the experiments using an acid-enriched oil sample and injected LSW in the secondary mode. The result showed that the low-salinity effect was substantially enhanced; the additional oil recovery factor by the tertiary LSW injection jumped to +23%. Moreover, it was also found that the secondary LSW injection was more efficient than the tertiary LSW injection, especially in the acid-enriched oil reservoir. In summary, it was concluded that the total acid number (TAN) and the recovery mode appear to be the key successful factors for LSW in our carbonate system. To support the conclusion, we also performed contact angle measurement and spontaneous imbibition tests to investigate the influence of acid enrichment on wettability, and moreover, LSW injection on wettability alteration.
Theory-Guided Data Science, A Petrophysical Case Study from the Diyab Formation
Authors: Leseur Nicolas , Mendez Alfredo , Baig Muhammad Zeeshan , Goiran Pierre-Olivier
Published: December 2021

A practical example of a theory-guided data science case study is presented to evaluate the potential of the Diyab formation, an Upper Jurassic interval, source rock of some of the largest reservoirs in the Arabian Peninsula.

A workflow base on a three-step approach combining the physics of logging tool response and a probabilistic machine-learning algorithm was undertaken to evaluate four wells of the prospect. At first, a core-calibrated multi-mineral model was established on a concept well for which an extensive suite of logs and core measurements had been acquired. To transfer the knowledge gained from the latter physics-driven interpretation onto the other data-scarce wells, the relationship between the output rock and fluid volumes and their input log responses was then learned by means of a Gaussian Process Regression (GPR). Finally, once trained on the key well, the latter probabilistic algorithm was deployed on the three remaining wells to predict reservoir properties, quantify resource potential and estimate volumetric-related uncertainties. The physics-informed machine-learning approach introduced in this work was found to provide results which matches with the majority of the available core data, while discrepancies could generally be explained by the occurrence of laminations which thickness are under the resolution of nuclear logs.

Overall, the GPR approach seems to enable an efficient transfer of knowledge from data-rich key wells to other data-scarce wells. As opposed to a more conventional formation evaluation process which is carried out more independently from the key well, the present approach ensures that the final petrophysical interpretation reflects and benefits from the insights and the physics-driven coherency achieved at key well location.