bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Vaccination with intravenous BCG protects macaques with pre-existing SIV infection from tuberculosis
Authors: Larson Erica , Ellis-Connell Amy , Rodgers Mark , Gubernat Abigail , Gleim Janelle , Moriarty Ryan , Balgeman Alexis , Ameel Cassaundra , Jauro Solomon , Tomko Jaime , Kracinovsky Kara , Maiello Pauline , Borish Henry , White Alexander , Klein Edwin , Bucsan Allison , Darrah Patricia , Seder Robert , Mason Rosemarie , Lin Philana , Flynn JoAnne , O'Connor Shelby , Scanga Charles
Published: April 2023

Tuberculosis (TB) is the most common cause of death in people living with HIV. BCG delivered intradermally (ID) is the only licensed vaccine to prevent TB. However, it offers little protection from pulmonary TB in adults. Intravenous (IV) BCG, but not ID BCG, confers striking protection against Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) infection and disease in rhesus macaques. We investigated whether IV BCG could protect against TB in macaques with a pre-existing SIV infection. There was a robust influx of airway T cells following IV BCG in both SIV-infected and SIV-naïve animals, with elevated antibody titers in plasma and airways. Following Mtb challenge, all 7 SIV-naïve and 9 out of 12 SIV-infected vaccinated animals were completely protected, without any culturable bacilli in their tissues. PBMC responses post-challenge indicated early clearance of Mtb in vaccinated animals regardless of SIV infection. These data support that IV BCG is immunogenic and efficacious in SIV-infected animals.
Comparative study of turning two engineering plastics (POM-C and PA-6) and optimisation using GA, SA, GRA and COPRAS with and without weighting (Entropie, critic, Swara, ROC)
Authors: Kaddeche Mounia , Boucherit Septi , Belhadi Salim , Yallesse Mouhamed A.
Published: April 2023

This paper focuses on a comparative study of the machinability of two semi-crystalline polymers (POM-C) and (PA-6), during dry turning operations. The aim is to experimentally examine the impact of cutting parameters, namely cutting speed, feed, and depth of cut on surface roughness, cutting force, cutting power, and material removal rate. A series of experiments according to a Taguchi L18 plan was implemented. The ANOVA analysis revealed that the type of material a substantial effect on surface roughness, followed by feed, whereas cutting force and cutting power are more affected by depth of cut. Linear regression models with interactions proved effective in predicting the studied responses, and single-objective optimization using SA and GA methods were applied to optimize each response. The GRA and COPRAS methods coupled with weighting methods CRITIC, ROC, SWARA, and Entropy are used for multi-objective optimization of the considered responses. The results showed that the combination of the COPRAS method with the SWARA method provides a better compromise, which is of crucial interest for researchers in the field of optimization in polymer material machining.
Protective effect of polysaccharides isolated from Sargassum horneri against H 2 O 2 -induced oxidative stress in vitro in Vero and in vivo in zebrafish
Authors: Wei Shuang-yan , Wang Li , Yang Jia , Xu Rui-hang , Tong Yu-pei , Jia Rui
Published: April 2023

The authors have requested that this preprint be removed from Research Square.
Fabrication and characterization of antimicrobial hybrid electrospun polyvinylpyrrolidone/kafirin nanofibers activated by Zataria Multiflora essential oil
Authors: Abdollahi-Kazeminezhad Nazila , Esmaiili Mohsen , Almasi Hadi , Hamishehkar Hamed
Published: April 2023

Nanofiber films were prepared using a polymer blend of kafirin and polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) by electrospinning. The zataria multiflora boiss. essential oil (ZEO) was encapsulated in the electrospun nanofibers and the morphology, structural characteristics, thermal, antibacterial and release properties were investigated. The concentrations of ZEO selected for addition to the polymer solution were 7, 10 and 15% (v/v). It was found that the produced electrospun nanofibers, regardless of ZEO concentration, possessed a homogeneous morphology without beads and there was a positive correlation between ZEO addition and nanofiber diameter. Moreover, the electrospun nanofibers were found to be effective carriers of ZEO and were able to control the release of compounds. The nanofibers exhibited antibacterial activity against common foodborne bacteria (Listeria monocytogenes, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli 0157:H7, Salmonella enterica, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa). The fiber prepared with 15% (v/v) ZEO was the most effective against all microorganisms tested. The Fick model, was used to describe the release profiles of ZEO at different temperatures (4, 25 and 37 °C) and with different food simulants (50 % and 98 % ethanol). The findings revealed that diffusion phenomenon plays an increasingly important role in the delivery of ZEO. It is believed that the developed nanofibers have potential applications in active food packaging to reduce microbial contamination.
Hematological damage and risk factors prediction in HIV-infected patients with secondary malignancies：A single-center study from China
Authors: Tang Ping , Zhang Nan , Chen Guopeng , Lv Xiaoyan , Shen Hui , Li Pengpeng , Pang Wenwen , Zhou Fuling
Published: April 2023

Purpose The incidence and mortality of secondary malignant tumors (MT) in people living with HIV(PLWH) are increasing. The purpose of this study is to analyze the characteristics of Complete Blood Count (CBC), bone marrow and immunity in PLWH with secondary MT, so as to provide data reference for diagnosis and risk factor assessment strategies of such patients.Methods We collected 297 patients who were diagnosed with PLWH and required bone marrow examination, including 101 cases of PLWH with secondary MT and 196 cases of PLWH without MT. The CBC, bone marrow and immune index of the two groups of patients were retrospectively analyzed.Results In terms of WBC, RBC, HGB, PLT, NEUT, the granulocyte ratio in bone marrow and CD4 cell counts, both were lower than those of pure PLWH. The independent risk factors of PLWH with secondary MT were HGB < 90g/L (RR = 1.581, 95%CI: 1.030–2.427, P = 0.036), the morphology of RBC in BM showed senescent nuclei and immature cytoplasm (RR = 1.489, 95%CI: 1.006–2.203, P = 0.046) and CD4 cell count < 100 cells/ul (RR = 2.307, 95%CI: 1.406–3.787, P = 0.001). HGB < 60g/L and RBC ratio of bone marrow < 0.2 were the independent risk factors associated with prognosis. The best hematologic predictor of PLWH with secondary MT was HGB (AUC = 0.707, 95%CI: 0.642–0.772, P < 0.001).Conclusion Severe anemia, the abnormal morphology of RBC in bone marrow, severe immune deficiency increase the risk of secondary MT in PLWH. Severe anemia and decreased RBC ratio in bone marrow are independent factors affecting the prognosis of PLWH with secondary MT.
Light is one- dimensional transverse wave
Authors: Tian Yunchuan
Published: April 2023

When particles traverse a medium, they invariably undergo scattering by electrons, resulting in a decrease in transmittance as the thickness of the medium increases. However, in the experiments conducted, the transmittance of light increased even when the angle of incidence increased, and the thickness of the medium tripled. This outcome is unattainable for particles . Furthermore, a series of experiments verified that light manifest as transverse waves on a one-dimensional string . These experimental results can be attributed to the interaction between the amplitude of light and the medium of electrons. Employing the novel refractive-index formula, the refractive indices of gases such as helium, oxygen, and chlorine were calculated with remarkable precision.
Mining Parallel Sentences from Internet with Multi-view Knowledge Distillation for Low-resource Language Pairs
Authors: Zhu Shaolin , Li Shangjie , Gu Shiwei , Xu Lin
Published: April 2023

The neural machine translation (NMT), which relies on a large training data (bilingual parallel sentences, for NMT) to obtain the state-of-the-art performance, is similar with deep learning. In order to construct NMT systems, the number of parallel sentences is very important. However, these bilingual resources are scare to many low-resource language pairs. Although several works attempt to obtain bilingual parallel data from Internet, the quality and quantity of mined bilingual corpus are limited for low-resource language pairs. To address this problem, we propose the multi-view knowledge distillation model (MvKD) that use the knowledge of high-resource language pairs transfer into low-resource languages by leveraging internal language-invariant cross different languages. In particular , we treat the mining bilingual parallel sentence pair task as classifying task and use the multi-view classifier to detect bilingual parallel sentence pair. For multi-view classifier, we use two views to recognize the semantic difference of two sentences:(i) word-level representations (ii) sentence-level representations. We encode sentence-level representations to capture semantically similar of two sentences. Moreover, we encode word-level representations to capture word translations in a pair of parallel sentences to avoid the problem that semantically similar but non-parallel sentences. Experimental results demonstrate that our proposed method can significantly mine amount of bilingual corpus and improve the quality of parallel sentences. In particular, we carry out the experiments on several real-world low-resource situations and achieve excellent results.
Enhancing enterprise risk management (ERM) practices through a risk-driven performance measurement system (PMS): insights from a SME case study
Authors: Bettanti Alberto , Lanati Antonella
Published: April 2023

The relationship between enterprise risk management (ERM) and performance measurement systems (PMS) has garnered increased attention in recent years, as the adoption of ERM frameworks has become more widespread among both large corporations and small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Despite this, there remains a dearth of research on this topic. In this paper, we aim to explore the synergies between risk management and performance management. Through a literature review, it becomes apparent that these two areas have significant potential for alignment, yet this potential remains untapped due to a lack of appropriate management tools and organizational structures to connect them. Our theoretical analysis serves as the foundation for a comprehensive case study examination of the relationship between risk and performance in the context of building a risk-driven PMS in SMEs. Utilizing the grounded theory methodology, a suitable case study was selected among SMEs, and a risk-driven PMS framework was applied in order to address the research question. This inductive-empirical methodology aims to test the assumptions that ERM is often a challenging practice to implement within SMEs and that linking ERM to PMS can help to bolster risk management initiatives within SMEs.
In conclusion, this paper contributes to the existing literature by presenting a case-study based conceptual model of the link between risk and performance, which can serve as a useful tool and managerial practice for enterprise risk managers in identifying risks and facilitating business growth.
Evaluation of the cytotoxic effect of GaFe2O4@Ag magnetic nanocomposite biosynthesized by Spirulina platensis on breast cancer cell line and evaluation of BAX, Bcl-2, CASP9 and MMP1 genes expression
Authors: Mehraban Fatemeh , Esfahani Fariba Heidari , Dorcheh Zahra Mosayebi , Esfahani Erfaneh Heidari , Azadeh Mansoureh , Salehzadeh Ali
Published: April 2023

Treating breast cancer is hardly achieved and finding efficient anticancer nanocompounds has gained great attention. In this work, the cytotoxic effect of GaFe2O4@Ag nanocomposite biosynthesized by Spirulina platensis on breast cancer cell line and expression of the BAX, Bcl-2, CASP9 and MMP1 (Matrix Metallopeptidase 1) genes were evaluated. Physicochemical features of the nanocomposite were determined using the FT-IR, XRD, SEM, TEM, EDX-mapping, VSM, Zeta potential, and DLS analyses. The cytotoxic effect of the nanocomposite for MCF-7 and HEK-293 cells was evaluated by the MTT assay. Flow cytometry analysis, Caspase-3 activation assay, and Hoechst staining were performed to evaluate the apoptosis induction potential of the nanocomposite. Further, the relative expression of the Bcl-2, BAX, and CASP9 genes was determined by quantitative PCR assay. The prepared nanocomposite was spherical with a size range of 35–60 nm. The hydrodynamic size and zeta potential of the nanocomposite were 328 nm and − 31.8 mv, respectively. GaFe2O4@Ag nanocomposite had a higher cytotoxic effect on breast cancer cells than normal human cells with the IC50 of 18.6 and 220 µg/mL, respectively. Treating breast cancer cells with the nanocomposite induced apoptosis among 85.2% of cells, increased caspase-3 activity by 4.3 folds, and caused apoptotic nuclear changes. Also, GaFe2O4@Ag reduced the expression of the Bcl-2 and MMP1 by 1.3 and 0.6 folds and up-regulated the BAX and CASP9 genes by 2.7 and 2.65 folds, respectively. Our results revealed that GaFe2O4@Ag was highly cytotoxic for breast cancer cells via triggering apoptosis pathways and could be considered as a novel and efficient agent against breast cancer, after further in-vivo experiments.
Numerical model of the Shear Stress Variations with the groundwater level variations
Authors: Doan Thy
Published: April 2023

Numerical model (PLAXIS 3D or finite element method) of the Shear Stress Variations with the groundwater level variations presented by the Viet Nam Standard “TCVN 4195:2012”. Results show the value of the maximum shear stress show τmax = 150.7 kN/m2 at Depth 5.0m; τmax = 159.7 kN/m2 at depth 8.0m; τmax = 192.6 kG/cm2 at depth 15.0m; τmax = 219.4 kN/m2 at depth 27.0m. The shear stress increase gradually with the increasing of depths with the constant loading Psn = 50 kN/m2. At the 5.0m; 8.0m; 15.0m; 27.0m depth, the deviation shows the value of 72.7 kN/m2; 72.7 kN/m2; 41.6 kN/m2; 27.1 kN/m2; 91.8 kN/m2. This deviation is very big between the experiment and simulation.
Age-related changes in plasma extracellular vesicles influence neuroinflammation in the brain and neurological outcome after traumatic spinal cord injury
Authors: Lei Zhuofan , Krishnamachary Balaji , Ritzel Rodney M. , Khan Niaz Z. , Li Yun , Li Hui , Brunner Kavitha , Faden Alan I. , Wu Junfang
Published: April 2023

Approximately 20% of all spinal cord injuries (SCI) occur in persons aged 65 years or older. Longitudinal, population-based studies showed that SCI is a risk factor for dementia. However, little research has addressed the potential mechanisms of SCI-mediated neurological impairment in the elderly. We compared young adult and aged C57BL/6 male mice subjected to contusion SCI, using a battery of neurobehavioral tests. Locomotor function showed greater impairment in aged mice, which was correlated with reduced, spared spinal cord white matter and increased lesion volume. At 2 months post-injury, aged mice displayed worse performance in cognitive and depressive-like behavioral tests. Transcriptomic analysis identified activated microglia and dysregulated autophagy as the most significantly altered pathways by both age and injury. Flow cytometry demonstrated increased myeloid and lymphocyte infiltration at both the injury site and brain of aged mice. SCI in aged mice was associated with altered microglial function and dysregulated autophagy involving both microglia and brain neurons. Altered plasma extracellular vesicles (EVs) responses were found in aged mice after acute SCI. EV-microRNA cargos were also significantly altered by aging and injury, which were associated with neuroinflammation and autophagy dysfunction. In cultured microglia, astrocytes, and neurons, plasma EVs from aged SCI mice, at a lower concentration comparable to those of young adult SCI mice, induced the secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines CXCL2 and IL-6, and increased caspase3 expression. Together, these findings suggest that age alters the EVs pro-inflammatory response to SCI, potentially contributing to worse neuropathological and functional outcomes.
Pharmacological characterisation of store‑operated calcium entry in medulloblastoma cell lines
Authors: Sedeeq Mohammed , Dutta Taush , Maklad Ahmed , Heath John A. , Gueven Nuri , Azimi Iman
Published: April 2023

Store-operated Ca2+ entry (SOCE) is the primary pathway of Ca2+ entry into mammalian cells. Re-modelling of the SOCE pathway has been suggested as the driving mechanism for many tumour phenotypes, such as cancer cell proliferation, migration, and metastasis. Although SOCE has been studied in many cancer types, calcium signalling, especially the SOCE pathway, is largely unexplored in medulloblastoma (MB). MB is the most common malignant paediatric brain tumour, and previously, we reported that some key SOCE components are upregulated in MB. The present study aimed to functionally characterise SOCE in MB cells. Using RT-PCR, the expression of different SOCE-regulating genes was examined cells of different MB subgroups. Our data indicate that specific subgroups of MB cells differentially express SOCE genes. For example, one key regulatory gene, ORAI1, showed a higher expression in the invasive MB subgroups 3. This difference was also reflected by a higher SOCE in these cells compared to cells from MB subgroups associated with lower invasive potential. Overall, the results highlight that distinct MB subgroups rely on differential gene expression that affects their SOCE activity. Future studies will require a functional characterisation to delineate if altered SOCE is causal for the invasiveness of MB, which will be a critical to understand the potential of SOCE as a therapeutic target for the treatment of MB.
Could the Trustworthiness in RAndomized Controlled Trials (TRACT) checklist be trusted?
Authors: Alinany Hesham
Published: April 2023

Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) are considered the gold standard study design in clinical effectiveness research, albeit some RCTs have been found to be fraudulent post-publication. The Trustworthiness in RAndomized Controlled Trials (TRACT) checklist examines RCT integrity through an assessment covering seven domains. While the authors claim that it can identify problematic trials, it has never been validated. A critical appraisal of the checklist highlights major failures in terms of health measurement methodology, including the arbitrary nature of items chosen. We applied the checklist to 16 RCTs coauthored by the checklist developer, and identified potential violations related to retrospective registration, ethical implications, authorship, methodology, implausible timeframes, zero participants to follow-up, implausible baseline characteristics, and excessive inter-group within trial as well as inter-trial similarities. In addition, we identified inconsistencies between the trials’ registration and data in the final published manuscripts. If we uncritically assume that the checklist is valid, then a formal institutional investigation into the trial portfolio its developer is warranted; especially targeting these 16 trials objectively shown to be problematic. The checklist should be considered as neither investigative nor conclusive of potential problems with RCTs until it is further refined and validated.
Mathematical model and simulation of cooperative manoeuvres among a ship and tugboats
Authors: Sano Masaaki
Published: April 2023

Assisting harbour tugboats are essential for safe navigation in ports and for berthing/unberthing operations. Because the port infrastructure needs to be updated in the coming age of autonomous ships, autonomous tugboats or remotely controlled tugboats are expected to be part of the navigation assistance provided by future ports. Although there have been some studies on the design of cooperative control of tugboats, few studies have focused on the mathematical model of their cooperative manoeuvres. Particularly, in the case of pushing assistance, tugboats have often been treated simply as a kind of side thrusters attached to the assisted ship. Thus, we present a new framework of the mathematical model for cooperative manoeuvres that considers the coupled motions among tugboats and a ship as precisely as possible. Solving the dynamics of all tugboats as well as the assisted ship can render the model more advanced and realistic, and is the most significant contribution of this study. The simulation tool based on the proposed model can be used as a plant model in designing and verifying the tugboat’s manoeuvring control system in the future. In this study, as examples, considering a tentative control method, some unique scenarios were simulated to demonstrate the cooperative manoeuvres.
Resin Matrix CAD/CAM Materials
Authors: BAŞPINAR ALPER Seval
Published: April 2023

CAD/CAM stands for computer-aided design and computer-aided manufacturing. CAD/CAM systems are used to speed up the design and production process in dentistry. With three-dimensional design and milling, various restorations can be fabricated without the need for a physical model. It is possible to scan the oral cavity and take digital impressions. The restoration can be designed with the software's help and fabricated in a shorter time without laboratory stages. In addition, the mechanical strength and edge compatibility of the restorations are improved and the fabrication of aesthetic restorations is aimed. CAD/CAM technology offers advantages such as time savings, elimination of potential errors, ease of use, and treatment quality. With the increasing demand for CAD/CAM restorations, various materials have been developed. Nowadays, CAD/CAM materials are widely available on the market and restorations can be produced from prefabricated blocks and discs. In this review, resin matrix CAD/CAM materials, which are relatively new on the market and claimed to have some positive properties for dental restorations, are described.
Janusz Bogumił Gilas - characteristics of scientific achievements
Authors: Mik Cezary , Menkes Jerzy
Published: April 2023

Janusz Bogumił Gilas - characteristics of scientific achievements
Biosynthesis and Bioapplications of Nanomaterials from Mushroom Products
Authors: Rai Sachchida Nand , Mishra Divya , Singh Payal , Singh Mohan P. , Vamanu Emanuel , Petre Alexandru
Published: April 2023

The production of nanoparticles (NPs) from chemical and physical synthesis has ended due to the involvement
of toxic byproducts and harsh analytical conditions. Innovation and research in nanoparticle synthesis
are derived from biomaterials that have gained attention due to their novel features, such as ease of synthesis,
low-cost, eco-friendly approach, and high water solubility. Nanoparticles obtained through macrofungi involve
several mushroom species, i.e., Pleurotus spp., Ganoderma spp., Lentinus spp., and Agaricus bisporus. It
is well-known that macrofungi possess high nutritional, antimicrobial, anti-cancerous, and immune-modulatory
properties. Nanoparticle synthesis via medicinal and edible mushrooms is a striking research field, as macrofungi
act as an eco-friendly biofilm that secretes essential enzymes to reduce metal ions. The mushroom-isolated
nanoparticles exhibit longer shelf life, higher stability, and increased biological activities. The synthesis mechanisms
are still unknown; evidence suggests that fungal flavones and reductases have a significant role. Several
macrofungi have been utilized for metal synthesis (such as Ag, Au, Pt, Fe) and non-metal nanoparticles (Cd,
Se, etc.). These nanoparticles have found significant applications in advancing industrial and bio-medical ventures.
A complete understanding of the synthesis mechanism will help optimize the synthesis protocols and control
the shape and size of nanoparticles. This review highlights various aspects of NP production via mushrooms,
including its synthesis from mycelium and the fruiting body of macrofungi. Also, we discuss the applications
of different technologies in NP high-scale production via mushrooms.
A Comparative Chemoinformatics Analysis of Compounds Extracted from Nyctanthes Arbor-tristis
Authors: Kotharkar Nandini , Bapat Sanket , Vyas Renu , Pathak Pranav
Published: April 2023

Introduction:

Natural products are a rich source of diverse chemical compounds with
interesting therapeutic properties. There is a need for in-depth investigation of this reservoir with
in-silico tools to assert the molecular diversity with respect to clinical significance. Although studies
have been reported on plants such as Nyctanthes arbor-tristis(NAT) and its medicinal importance.
A comprehensive study on comparative analysis of all phyto-constituents has not been
carried out.

Aim:

n the present work, we have carried out a comparative study of compounds obtained from the
ethanolic extracts of various parts such as calyx, corolla, leaf, and bark of the NAT plant.

Methods:

The extracted compounds were characterized by LCMS and GCMS studies. This was
further corroborated by the network analysis, docking, and dynamic simulation studies with validated
anti-arthritic targets.

Results:

The most significant observation from LCMS and GCMS was that the compounds from
calyx and corolla were closer in chemical space to the anti-arthritic compounds. To further expand
and explore chemical space, the common scaffolds were seeded to enumerate a virtual library. The
virtual molecules were prioritized based on the drug-like, leadlike scores and docked against antiarthritic
targets to reveal identical interactions in the pocket region.

Conclusion:

The comprehensive study will be of immense value to medicinal chemists for the rational
synthesis of molecules as well as bioinformatics professionals for getting useful insight into
identifying rich diverse molecules from plant sources.
Role of Nanomedicines in Controlling Malaria: A Review
Authors: Sharma Sakshi , Rawat Kamla , Bohidar Himadri B.
Published: April 2023

Malaria has created havoc since time immemorial. It has actually become a major health concern due to its high prevalence in developing countries where poor sanitary conditions facilitate the seasonal breeding of the vector, the female Anopheles mosquito. Even after tremendous ad-vancements in pest control and pharmacology science, managing this disease has not been success-ful, and the cure for this deadly infection has not proven effective lately. The various conventional drugs used are chloroquine, primaquine, mefloquine, atovaquone, quinine, artemisinin etc. All of these have one or other major disadvantages like multi-drug resistance, high dose requirements, ag-gravated toxicity, non-specificity of conventional drugs, and the emergence of drug-resistant para-sites. Therefore, it is necessary to surpass these limitations and look for an alternative to curb the spread of this disease using an emerging technology platform. Nanomedicine is showing promise as an effective alternative tool for the management of malaria. The idea of this tool resonates well with David J. Triggle’s outstanding suggestion “The chemist is as the astronaut, searching for biological-ly useful space in the chemical universe. This review presents a detailed discussion on various nanocarriers, their mode of action and future perspective in treating malaria. Nanotechnology-based drug delivery methods are highly specific, require a lower dose, offer more bioavailability with pro-longed drug release and stay in the body longer. Recent nano drug encapsulation and delivery vehi-cles comprise nanocarriers like liposomes, and organic and inorganic nanoparticles, emerging as promising alternatives for malaria management.
Experiences of Black South African Single Fathers
Authors: Kabongo Tshisuaka E. , Malose Langa
Published: April 2023

Objective:

This study aimed to bridge the gap in the literature on parenting by investigating the experiences of Black single fathers living in Johannesburg, who raise children on their own.

Methods:

Social constructivism and critical theory served as theoretical frameworks, while narrative interviews were used to collect data. The study involved seven Black male participants, who were selected using a snowball sampling method. Dialogical analysis and Bamberg’s little story approach were used to analyse the data collected.

Results:

Two themes emerged from the thematic analysis: parenting as a single father and life beyond single fatherhood. The study’s objectives were integrated into the discussion of themes and subthemes that emerged.

Conclusion:

The study results revealed that, contrary to the common narrative, not all Black fathers are absent. In addition, it pointed to the fact that single fathers are also capable of being effective parents. However, it was discovered that children benefit the most from the active involvement of both parental figures. Implications for these findings and recommendations for future studies were also discussed.
Computational Analysis, In silico Functional Annotation, and Expression of Recombinant PE_PGRS Protein Biomarkers Found in Mycobacterium tuberculosis
Authors: Moodley-Reddy Avanthi , Chiliza Thamsanqa Emmanuel , Pooe Ofentse Jacob
Published: April 2023

Background:

Over the years, there have been many advances made within the treatment and diagnosis of Mycobacterium Tuberculosis (Mtb). In recent times, the rise of drug resistance has led to higher mortality rates, specifically in poorer countries. There is an urgent need for novel treatment regimens to work against Mtb. Previous studies have identified a gene family within Mtb, known as PE_PGRS proteins, which has shown potential as a drug target. Functional annotations can assist with identifying the role these proteins may play within Mtb.

Methods:

Previous studies indicated PE_PGRS to have potential for further research. The protein biomarkers that showed the most promise were identified as PE_PGRS17, PE_PGRS31, PE_PGRS50, and PEPGRS54. The sequences of these proteins were searched on the Mycobrowser software. Results were designed by entering these sequences into various computational algorithms. PE_PGRS17 showed characteristics of a potential vaccine candidate. Considering this result, expression profiling and purification were conducted on the recombinant PE_PGRS17 Mtb protein biomarker.

Results and Discussion:

The results were calculated using various online software algorithms. Many characteristics were predicted to understand the stability, localization, and function of these proteins. All the proteins have been estimated to produce an immune response or be involved in the process of immunity. The recombinantPE_PGRS17 protein was chosen to be optimally expressed and purified using E.coli as a host cell. These findings specifically on PE_PGRS17, can be expanded in future scientific studies.

Conclusion:

The predicted structures, protein-protein interaction, and antigenic properties of the proteins estimate whether a protein can be used for further studies, specifically as drug/vaccine targets. Ultimately, PE_PGRS17 is seen as the most stable according to its predicted structure, which holds promise as a key factor in future tuberculosis studies.
Revisiting Inhibition Effects of miR-28 as a Metastasis Suppressor in
Gastrointestinal Cancers
Authors: Razi Soofiyani Saiedeh , Minaei Beirami Sohrab , Hosseini Kamran , Mohammadi Nasr Mina , Ranjbar Maryam , Forouhandeh Haleh , Tarhriz Vahideh , Sadeghi Mohammadreza
Published: April 2023

MicroRNAs are critical epigenetic regulators that can be used as diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic biomarkers for the treatment of various diseases, including gastrointestinal cancers, among a variety of cellular and molecular biomarkers. MiRNAs have also shown oncogenic or tumor suppressor roles in tumor tissue and other cell types. Studies showed that the dysregulation of miR-28 is involved in cell growth and metastasis of gastrointestinal cancers. MiR-28 plays a key role in controlling the physiological processes of cancer cells including growth and proliferation, migration, invasion, apoptosis, and metastasis. Therefore, miR-28 expression patterns can be used to distinguish patient subgroups. Based on the previous studies, miR-28 expression can be a suitable biomarker to detect tu-mor size and predict histological grade metastasis. In this review, we summarize the inhibitory effects of miR-28 as a metastasis suppressor in gastrointestinal cancers. miR-28 plays a role as a tumor sup-pressor in gastrointestinal cancers by regulating cancer cell growth, cell differentiation, angiogenesis, and metastasis. As a result, using it as a prognostic, diagnostic, and therapeutic biomarker in the treatment of gastrointestinal cancers can be a way to solve the problems in this field.
Revitalisasi Pendidikan Kewarganegaraan Abad 21: Analisis Keterampilan Abad 21
Authors: Suyato Suyato , Hidayah Yayuk , Arpannudin Iqbal , Septiningrum Lutfia
Published: April 2023

Revitalisasi Pendidikan Kewarganegaraan Abad 21 menjadi isu penting dalam menghadapi tantangan abad 21 yang semakin kompleks dan dinamis. Ketrampilan abad 21 menjadi fokus utama dalam upaya meningkatkan kualitas pendidikan kewarganegaraan, yang bertujuan untuk menghasilkan generasi yang siap menghadapi tantangan global dan menjadi warga negara yang aktif dan berkontribusi pada masyarakat. Penelitian kualitatif ini bertujuan untuk menganalisis data ketrampilan abad 21 yang terkait dengan pendidikan kewarganegaraan di abad 21. Metode penelitian yang digunakan adalah studi kasus dengan melibatkan partisipan dari guru dan siswa pada sebuah sekolah menengah atas di Indonesia. Data dikumpulkan melalui observasi kelas, wawancara, dan analisis dokumen terkait kurikulum dan materi pembelajaran. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa ketrampilan abad 21 yang diajarkan dalam pendidikan kewarganegaraan meliputi kemampuan berpikir kritis, kreatif, komunikasi, kolaborasi, dan kemampuan beradaptasi dengan perubahan. Namun, implementasi pembelajaran ketrampilan abad 21 masih menghadapi beberapa kendala seperti kurangnya pemahaman konsep dan peran ketrampilan abad 21 dalam pendidikan kewarganegaraan serta kurangnya dukungan dari pihak sekolah dan pemerintah. Oleh karena itu, revitalisasi pendidikan kewarganegaraan di abad 21 perlu dilakukan dengan melibatkan semua pihak terkait, baik guru, siswa, maupun pihak sekolah dan pemerintah, agar ketrampilan abad 21 dapat diajarkan dan diterapkan secara efektif dalam pendidikan kewarganegaraan di abad 21.
Measuring antecedents of green consumption in a circular economy: An empirical study of household consumers for moral identity and pro-environmental self-accountability
Authors:   Department of Economics, Faculty of Economics and Administration, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Khan Caroline Mahmood Abdulatif
Published: April 2023

This paper’s goal is to investigate how consumers' moral identities and pro-environmental self-accountability combine to influence their green consumption behavior. In this study, the researcher looked at the latest literature in the area and hypotheses were framed. Previous research on structural relationships is lacking in the literature on antecedents of green consumption. Due to gaps in the literature, this research combines the theories of social-cognitive perspective moral identity theory, and self-accountability theory on the relationship between moral identity and green consumption as well as examines the impact of pro-environmental self-accountability on green consumption. The hypotheses were tested after data was collected through questionnaires. A measurement model and structural models were also assessed. The results demonstrate that consumers' moral identities affect their green consumption. In particular, consumer green consumption is impacted when they are encouraged to have a high level of self-accountability. This study adds to the body of knowledge on how to increase consumer green consumption, which has managerial and governmental policy implications. However, the dependent measures are likewise constrained as the authors only included household consumers as participants. Future studies can use different sample types and dependent metrics to test the conclusion's generalizability.
“EN-GAWA SERVICE” Concept for Long-Term Care Service Institution, Tainan YMCA
Authors: You Ru-Yuh , Zhang Heng , Lu Chi-Pang
Published: April 2023

In the face of the changes in the structure of the elderly and low birth rate, the continuous expansion of social security expenses, and the constant update of the burden ratio of long-term care services, new service models are needed in the future to meet the demands of extended life in the community. If the long-term care service institution implements a communication space called "EN-GAWA in Japanese" concept that connects with the community regularly and provides various informal care services to promote cross-generational communication in the community, community residents can have more networks and support.
Evaluation of an Electronic Care and Rehabilitation Planning Tool With Stroke Survivors With Aphasia: Usability Study
Authors: Davoody Nadia , Eghdam Aboozar , Koch Sabine , Hägglund Maria
Published: April 2023

Background

Patients with chronic illnesses with physical and cognitive disabilities, particularly stroke survivors with aphasia, are often not involved in design and evaluation processes. As a consequence, existing eHealth services often do not meet the needs of this group of patients, which has resulted in a digital divide.

Objective

The aim of this study was to examine the effectiveness and user satisfaction of an electronic care and rehabilitation planning tool from the perspective of stroke survivors with aphasia. This would help us gain knowledge on how such a tool would need to be adapted for these patients for further development.

Methods

Usability tests were conducted with 9 postdischarge stroke survivors with aphasia. Effectiveness was measured using task-based tests, and user satisfaction was studied through qualitative interviews at the end of each test. All tests were audio recorded, and each test lasted approximately 1 hour. The data were analyzed using qualitative content analysis. As the tool can be used by stroke survivors either independently or with some support from their next of kin or care professionals, the research group decided to divide the participants into 2 groups. Group 1 did not receive any support during the tests, and group 2 received some minor support from the moderator.

Results

The results showed that the care and rehabilitation planning tool was not effective for stroke survivors with aphasia, as many participants in group 1 did not accomplish the tasks successfully. Despite several usability problems and challenges in using the tool because of patients’ disabilities, the participants were positive toward using the tool and found it useful for their care and rehabilitation journey.

Conclusions

There is a need to involve patients with chronic illnesses more in the design and evaluation processes of health information systems and eHealth services. eHealth services and health information systems designed for this group of patients should be more adaptable and flexible to provide them with appropriate functionalities and features, meet their needs, and be useful and easy to use. In addition, the design and evaluation processes should be adapted, considering the challenges of this patient group.
Using Twitter-Based Data for Sexual Violence Research: Scoping Review
Authors: Xue Jia , Zhang Bolun , Zhang Qiaoru , Hu Ran , Jiang Jielin , Liu Nian , Peng Yingdong , Li Ziqian , Logan Judith
Published: April 2023

Background

Scholars have used data from in-person interviews, administrative systems, and surveys for sexual violence research. Using Twitter as a data source for examining the nature of sexual violence is a relatively new and underexplored area of study.

Objective

We aimed to perform a scoping review of the current literature on using Twitter data for researching sexual violence, elaborate on the validity of the methods, and discuss the implications and limitations of existing studies.

Methods

We performed a literature search in the following 6 databases: APA PsycInfo (Ovid), Scopus, PubMed, International Bibliography of Social Sciences (ProQuest), Criminal Justice Abstracts (EBSCO), and Communications Abstracts (EBSCO), in April 2022. The initial search identified 3759 articles that were imported into Covidence. Seven independent reviewers screened these articles following 2 steps: (1) title and abstract screening, and (2) full-text screening. The inclusion criteria were as follows: (1) empirical research, (2) focus on sexual violence, (3) analysis of Twitter data (ie, tweets or Twitter metadata), and (4) text in English. Finally, we selected 121 articles that met the inclusion criteria and coded these articles.

Results

We coded and presented the 121 articles using Twitter-based data for sexual violence research. About 70% (89/121, 73.6%) of the articles were published in peer-reviewed journals after 2018. The reviewed articles collectively analyzed about 79.6 million tweets. The primary approaches to using Twitter as a data source were content text analysis (112/121, 92.5%) and sentiment analysis (31/121, 25.6%). Hashtags (103/121, 85.1%) were the most prominent metadata feature, followed by tweet time and date, retweets, replies, URLs, and geotags. More than a third of the articles (51/121, 42.1%) used the application programming interface to collect Twitter data. Data analyses included qualitative thematic analysis, machine learning (eg, sentiment analysis, supervised machine learning, unsupervised machine learning, and social network analysis), and quantitative analysis. Only 10.7% (13/121) of the studies discussed ethical considerations.

Conclusions

We described the current state of using Twitter data for sexual violence research, developed a new taxonomy describing Twitter as a data source, and evaluated the methodologies. Research recommendations include the following: development of methods for data collection and analysis, in-depth discussions about ethical norms, exploration of specific aspects of sexual violence on Twitter, examination of tweets in multiple languages, and decontextualization of Twitter data. This review demonstrates the potential of using Twitter data in sexual violence research.
Screening and Retaining Adolescents Recruited Through Social Media: Secondary Analysis from a Longitudinal Clinical Trial (Preprint)
Authors: Weisblum Margaret , Trussell Emma , Schwinn Traci , Pacheco Andrea R , Nurkin Paige
Published: April 2023

BACKGROUND

Social media has become a popular method to recruit participants, particularly for studies with hard-to-reach populations. These studies still face challenges in data quality and, for longitudinal studies, sample retention. However, in addition to aiding in recruitment, social media platforms can help researchers with participant verification and tracking procedures during the study. There is limited previous research describing how longitudinal studies can use social media to screen and retain participants.

OBJECTIVE

This paper describes strategies implemented to screen and retain a nationwide sample of sexual minority youth who were recruited through social media platforms for a longitudinal study testing a drug abuse prevention program.

METHODS

Our screening strategies for participants included collecting necessary demographic information (name, phone, email, and social media accounts), verifying this information using publicly available web-based records, and sending confirmation emails to ensure working email addresses and correct dates of birth. Retention strategies included communications designed to develop positive participant relationships, incentives for survey completion, regular updating of participant contact information, targeting hard-to-reach participants, and using social media as an alternative means of contacting participants.

RESULTS

During enrollment, although the only demographic data required were a phone number and an email address, 87.58% (1065/1216) of participants provided their Instagram as an alternative means of contact. This form of alternative communication remains the most preferred with 87.40% (1047/1198) of participants continuing to provide an Instagram username as of January 2023, about 3 years after recruitment began. In comparison, other alternative means of contact (eg, Facebook and alternative email) were provided by only 6.43% (77/1198) to 56.18% (673/1198) of participants. Direct messaging on Instagram was used to successfully confirm participant identity, remind participants to take annual follow-up surveys, and update lost participant contact information. Screening and retention strategies used in the study have helped achieve 96.30% (1171/1216) to 96.79% (1177/1216) sample retention across 3 waves of data collection.

CONCLUSIONS

Though social media can be a helpful tool to recruit participants, attrition and participant authenticity difficulties may be associated with this method. Screening and retention strategies can be implemented to improve retention. Internet searches are effective for screening youth to ensure they meet eligibility requirements. Additionally, social media—Instagram in this study—can help to track and locate participants who do not respond to traditional contact methods.

CLINICALTRIAL

ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03954535; https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT03954535
Radiological Progression of Degenerative Cervical Myelopathy in a Clinically Stable Patient: Case Report (Preprint)
Authors: Umeria Rishi , Mowforth Oliver , Veremu Munashe , Davies Benjamin , Kotter Mark
Published: April 2023

UNSTRUCTURED

Degenerative cervical myelopathy (DCM) is a common neurological condition, with disease progression that is both variable and difficult to predict. Here, we present a case of DCM in a gentleman in his late 60s with significant radiological disease progression without consequent change in clinical symptoms. The case serves as a reminder of an enduring medical aphorism that clinical history and examination should be prioritized above more complex data, such as imaging investigations. In addition, the case also highlights that guidelines should be contextualized within individual clinical circumstances.
Increasing Performance of Multiclass Ensemble Gradient Boost uses Newton-Raphson Parameter in Physical Activity Classifying
Authors: Wungo Supriyadi La , Aziz Firman
Published: April 2023

The sophistication of smartphones with various sensors they have can be used to recognize human physical activity by placing the smartphone on the human body. Classification of human activities, the best performance is obtained when using machine learning methods, while statistical methods such as logistic regression give poor results. However, the weakness of the logistic regression method in classifying human activities is corrected by using the ensemble technique. This paper proposes to apply the Multiclass Ensemble Gradient Boost technique to improve the performance of the Logistic Regression classification in classifying human activities such as walking, running, climbing stairs, and descending stairs. The results show that the Multiclass Ensemble Gradient Boost Classifier by Estimating the Newton-Raphson Parameter succeeded in improving the performance of logistic regression in terms of accuracy by 29.11%.
Internet of Things (IoT) Arduino-Based Classroom Monitoring Utilizes Temperature Sensors And CO2 Sensors
Authors: Suratno Tri , Saputra Edi , Abidin Zainil , Arsa Daniel , Syarief Norman
Published: April 2023

Comfort room temperature is determined by indoor air quality, such as temperature and CO2 gas. This study aims to determine the comfort of a class by reviewing the number of students, CO2 gas, and temperature in an Arduino-based classroom using an automatic IoT system with a Completely Randomized Design (CRD) method. Research proves that there is a significant effect between the number of students on the concentration of CO2, but it does not directly affect the air temperature in the room. The lecture hall is still relatively safe but not ideal and requires a temperature reduction of -7oC.