bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Microalgae–methanotroph cocultures for carbon and nutrient recovery from wastewater
Authors: Wang Jin , He Q. Peter
Published: December 2023

Wastewater produced from municipal, agricultural, and industrial processes has caused detrimental impacts on local communities and environments. In addition, wastewater is the fifth largest anthropogenic source of methane emissions globally. Although anaerobic digestion is a proven waste management technology with many environmental benefits, its application is limited to large-scale water resource recovery facilities. This is due to the poor return-on-investment caused by the contaminants present in raw biogas and nutrient-rich liquid digestate that require further treatments, some of which are costly. In this chapter, we discuss our recent development of a microalgae–methanotroph coculture-based platform for integrated biogas valorization and nutrient recovery. Development of coculture-based biotechnology faces many technical challenges, including tracking the growth of individual species in the coculture over time, quantifying and understanding inter-species metabolic interactions, and developing kinetic models for the coculture. There are also many practical considerations when applying coculture-based biotechnology for wastewater treatment. We discuss our proposed solutions to address these technical challenges and practical concerns. We also offer our perspective on future directions.
Algae for wastewater treatment and biofuel production
Authors: Velasquez-Orta S. B.
Published: December 2023

Biofuels can be used for the provision of electricity, heating, and transport. Interest in biofuels has been sparked by their suitability to decrease carbon emissions and fossil fuel dependency without major modifications to our existing energy infrastructure. Microalgae grown in wastewater are a suitable feedstock to produce two of the most utilized types of biofuels: bioethanol and biodiesel. Biodiesel is obtained as fatty acid methyl esters from microalgae via a chemical reaction known as transesterification. Bioethanol is produced from biomass by microbial fermentation. So far, microalgae growing in wastewater has been characterized for containing a mixture of lipids, carbohydrates, and proteins. Hence, another area of interest is the use of wastewater-derived microalgae for the sequential production of bioethanol, biodiesel, and protein compounds. A biorefinery concept emerges for the generation of multiple co-products from the wastewater-derived microalgae that can maximize the use of unit operations and the valorization of microalgal biomass. In this chapter, concepts for biodiesel and bioethanol production are evaluated and a biocircular economy prospected.
High performance of membrane capacitive deionization with ZnS/g-C3N4 composite electrodes
Authors: Wei Shiyu , Feng Ling , Zhang Xuliu , Sun Zhumei , Bai Hongjuan , Liu Pengxiao
Published: December 2023

Capacitive deionization (CDI) is considered a promising technology for desalination of sea or brackish water. In this study, a ZnS/g-C3N4 composite was synthesized through a one-step high-temperature method and used as the main material to fabricate CDI electrodes. The results of SEM and TEM showed that spherical-like nanoparticles of ZnS were uniformly distributed on the g-C3N4 sheet. The g-C3N4 phase facilitates the ZnS particles precipitate and restrain their agglomeration, which contributes to a high specific surface area of ZnS. Furthermore, the electrochemical test results indicated that ZnS/g-C3N4 composite had a good capacitance characteristic, low resistance, and high electrochemical stability. Finally, the desalinization performance of the ZnS/g-C3N4 composite electrodes was tested in traditional mode and membrane capacitive deionization (MCDI) mode. The results showed that ZnS/g-C3N4//ZnS/g-C3N4 (MCDI) exhibited an optimal desalination capacity. The adsorption amount was 27.65, 50.26, and 65.34 mg/g for NaCl initial concentration of 200, 400, and 600 mg/L, respectively, with the voltage of 1.2 V and flow rate of 5 mL/min. Increasing initial concentration enhanced the conductivity and ion migration rate so as to increase the NaCl adsorption amount. ZnS/g-C3N4 composite can be used as potential electrode material for high performance of MCDI.
Structural Shifts of the Parvovirus B19 Capsid Receptor-binding Domain:
A Peptide Study
Authors: Khrustalev Vladislav Victorovich , Stojarov Aleksander Nicolaevich , Akunevich Anastasia Aleksandrovna , Baranov Oleg Evgenyevich , Popinako Anna Vladimirovna , Samoilovich Elena Olegovna , Yermalovich Marina Anatolyevna , Semeiko Galina Valeryevna , Sapon Egor Gennadyevich , Cheprasova Victoria Igorevna , Shalygo Nikolai Vladimirovich , Poboinev Victor Vitoldovich , Khrustaleva Tatyana Aleksandrovna , Khrustaleva Olga Victorovna
Published: December 2023

Background::

Binding appropriate cellular receptors is a crucial step of a lifecycle for
any virus. Structure of receptor-binding domain for a viral surface protein has to be determined before
the start of future drug design projects.

Objective::

Investigation of pH-induced changes in the secondary structure for a capsid peptide
with loss of function mutation can shed some light on the mechanism of entrance.

Methods::

Spectroscopic methods were accompanied by electrophoresis, ultrafiltration, and computational
biochemistry.

Results::

In this study, we showed that a peptide from the receptor-binding domain of Parvovirus
B19 VP1 capsid (residues 13-31) is beta-structural at pH=7.4 in 0.01 M phosphate buffer, but alpha-
helical at pH=5.0, according to the circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy results. Results of infra-
red (IR) spectroscopy showed that the same peptide exists in both alpha-helical and beta-structural
conformations in partial dehydration conditions both at pH=7.4 and pH=5.0. In contrast, the
peptide with Y20W mutation, which is known to block the internalization of the virus, forms mostly
alpha-helical conformation in partial dehydration conditions at pH=7.4. According to our hypothesis,
an intermolecular antiparallel beta structure formed by the wild-type peptide in its tetramers
at pH=7.4 is the prototype of the similar intermolecular antiparallel beta structure formed
by the corresponding part of Parvovirus B19 receptor-binding domain with its cellular receptor
(AXL).

Conclusion::

Loss of function Y20W substitution in VP1 capsid protein prevents the shift into the
beta-structural state by way of alpha helix stabilization and the decrease of its ability to turn into
the disordered state.
Dielectric Properties of Ni-Co Nanoferrites Synthesized using Green
Synthesis Process
Authors: Dhanda Neetu , Thakur Preeti , Thakur Atul
Published: December 2023

Aim:

A series of nickel doped cobalt (NixCo1-xFe2O4, x=0.0 to 1.0) were successfully synthesized using green synthesized process.

Methods:

Tensile strain of all positive slope samples observed from the W-H (Williamson
Hall) plot. It was discovered that as Ni-substitution increased, the dielectric constant (є’) increased from 148.07 to 243.62. Conversely, when the amount of Ni-substitution increases, the
dielectric loss (tan δ from 0.23 to 0.05), imaginary part (є’’ from 98.81 to 17.87), and ac conductivity (σac from 1.62 to 0.15) all decreases at 1MHz frequency.

objective:

The purpose of current work is to investigate Williamson Hall effect and dielectric properties to find out the effects of nickel doping on the vibrational mode and crystal structure of cobalt ferrite.

Results:

This demonstrates that when Ni-substitution increases, energy losses at high frequencies decrease. Dielectric constant and ac conductivity, of all samples act in accordance with
Koop's theory, the Maxwell-Wagner polarization procedure, and electron hopping

Conclusion:

This makes them suitable materials for high-frequency applications
Efecto del tratamiento térmico y de digestibilidad in vitro en compuestos bioactivos de cuatro tipos de papas nativas (Solanum tuberosum spp. andigena)
Authors: Natividad Bardales Angel David , Villanueva Tiburcio Juan Edson , Chamorro Gómez Ruth Esther , Cueto Rosales Cesar Robert , Capcha Godoy Pilar Rocío , Paucar Tito Jose Luis , Mendoza Aguilar Alejandro
Published: December 2023

En Perú se producen más de 3500 variedades de papas, sin embargo, es poca la información disponible sobre las propiedades antioxidantes que poseen. El objetivo de la investigación fue evaluar el efecto de los tratamientos térmicos de hervido y de fritura, y la digestión in vitro en el contenido de polifenoles totales, antocianinas y actividad antioxidante en cuatro variedades de papas nativas. Las papas nativas clon de pulpa rojo (C1), clon de pulpa azul (C2), variedad Elena 1198 (V4) y la variedad Kitipsho (V8) fueron obtenidas del centro poblado de Huallmish a 3500 m s.n.m. para la evaluación de principios activos, las muestras sometidas a cocción y fritura fueron licuadas y se realizaron extracciones con metanol y también se realizó la digestión in vitro. Los resultados en las papas nativas mostraron diferencias en peso, longitud y diámetro, además, tampoco se encontró la presencia de vitamina C. Los tratamientos térmicos mediante hervido, fritura y luego del proceso de digestión in vitro, indujeron variaciones en el contenido de componentes bioactivos (P < 0,05), donde las cuatro variedades de papa mostraron un incremento en su capacidad para inhibir el catión abts, lo que estaría relacionado con el tipo de antioxidante y el potencial de hidrógeno del medio al cual fue sometido durante la digestión in vitro. En conclusión, las muestras de papas nativas luego de los tratamientos de hervido, fritura y digestión in vitro incrementaron la actividad antioxidante para secuestrar el catión ABTS.
Triage Accuracy and the Safety of User-Initiated Symptom Assessment With an Electronic Symptom Checker in a Real-Life Setting: Instrument Validation Study (Preprint)
Authors: Liu Ville , Kaila Minna , Koskela Tuomas
Published: December 2023

BACKGROUND

Previous studies have evaluated the accuracy of the diagnostics of electronic symptom checkers (ESCs) and triage using clinical case vignettes. National Omaolo digital services (Omaolo) in Finland consist of an ESC for various symptoms. Omaolo is a medical device with a Conformité Européenne marking (risk class: IIa), based on Duodecim Clinical Decision Support, EBMEDS.

OBJECTIVE

This study investigates how well triage performed by the ESC nurse triage within the chief symptom list available in Omaolo (anal region symptoms, cough, diarrhea, discharge from the eye or watery or reddish eye, headache, heartburn, knee symptom or injury, lower back pain or injury, oral health, painful or blocked ear, respiratory tract infection, sexually transmitted disease, shoulder pain or stiffness or injury, sore throat or throat symptom, and urinary tract infection). In addition, the accuracy, specificity, sensitivity, and safety of the Omaolo ESC were assessed.

METHODS

This is a clinical validation study in a real-life setting performed at multiple primary health care (PHC) centers across Finland. The included units were of the walk-in model of primary care, where no previous phone call or contact was required. Upon arriving at the PHC center, users (patients) answered the ESC questions and received a triage recommendation; a nurse then assessed their triage. Findings on 877 patients were analyzed by matching the ESC recommendations with triage by the triage nurse.

RESULTS

Safe assessments by the ESC accounted for 97.6% (856/877; 95% CI 95.6%-98.0%) of all assessments made. The mean of the exact match for all symptom assessments was 53.7% (471/877; 95% CI 49.2%-55.9%). The mean value of the exact match or overly conservative but suitable for all (ESC’s assessment was 1 triage level higher than the nurse’s triage) symptom assessments was 66.6% (584/877; 95% CI 63.4%-69.7%). When the nurse concluded that urgent treatment was needed, the ESC’s exactly matched accuracy was 70.9% (244/344; 95% CI 65.8%-75.7%). Sensitivity for the Omaolo ESC was 62.6% and specificity of 69.2%. A total of 21 critical assessments were identified for further analysis: there was no indication of compromised patient safety.

CONCLUSIONS

The primary objectives of this study were to evaluate the safety and to explore the accuracy, specificity, and sensitivity of the Omaolo ESC. The results indicate that the ESC is safe in a real-life setting when appraised with assessments conducted by triage nurses. Furthermore, the Omaolo ESC exhibits the potential to guide patients to appropriate triage destinations effectively, helping them to receive timely and suitable care.

INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT

RR2-10.2196/41423
The Mechanism of Identification in the External Dissemination of the Discourse of “Community of a Shared Future for Mankind”
Authors: Tao Huimin
Published: December 2023

The “Community of a Shared Future for Mankind” has emerged as a pivotal notion in contemporary international relations and global governance. Drawing from President Xi Jinping’s public speeches concerning the topic, this article explores the rhetorical strategies by using Kenneth Burke’s Identification Theory. With the help of word cloud API and the Doccano text annotation tool, the research conducts a systematic analysis to delve into the application and tangible impacts of the identification mechanism in the external dissemination of the discourse. It is founded that the strategies of identification by sympathy and inaccuracy are predominant in the discourse, with identification by antithesis as a supplementary method.
De la discordia a la armonía: Estrategias pedagógicas para mejorar la convivencia escolar y construir una cultura de paz
Authors: Díaz-Porras Jorge Alonso , Alfaro-Salas Hazel , Arguedas-Cordero Luis Diego
Published: December 2023

El comportamiento inadecuado de algunos estudiantes afecta la paz y convivencia escolar, por lo que es crucial crear ambientes propicios para la convivencia pacífica en las instituciones educativas. La «cultura de paz» se define como formas de relacionarse pacíficamente, al respetarse las diferencias, adoptar diversas perspectivas, mejorar relaciones y resolver conflictos constructivamente. Este artículo aborda el análisis de la paz y la convivencia escolar, centrándose en su manifestación dentro de las clases de matemáticas, inglés y estudios sociales. A través de una metodología cualitativa de Investigación Acción, se describen situaciones concretas de convivencia y contextos de interacción en una comunidad educativa conformada por 24 docentes de secundaria. Los hallazgos indican que las habilidades educativas para resolver conflictos son fundamentales. La principal conclusión es que las estrategias de convivencia escolar impactan positivamente en la calidad de vida del estudiantado, ya que mejoran su bienestar emocional, relaciones interpersonales y rendimiento académico.
Exploring leadership and organizational culture’s impact on CSR performance through organizational behavior
Authors: Poddar Arup Kumar
Published: December 2023

This paper explores the relationship between organizational behavior, leadership styles, organizational culture, and corporate social responsibility (CSR) outcomes by synthesizing relevant academic literature and real-world case studies. The growing emphasis on CSR in the business environment has led to a greater understanding of the intricate connections between an organization’s internal processes and its capacity to deliver effective CSR initiatives. The primary objectives of this study are to identify key indicators of successful CSR initiatives, examine the role of leadership styles in driving CSR performance, and analyze the impact of organizational culture on CSR outcomes. The findings reveal that employee engagement, ethical organizational culture, and committed leadership significantly influence CSR performance, while the case studies demonstrate how organizations with strong cultures of social responsibility can achieve successful CSR initiatives and create lasting positive impacts on society and the environment. This study explores the relationships between organizational behavior, leadership, culture, and CSR performance (Aguinis & Glavas, 2012; McWilliams & Siegel, 2001), providing insights and recommendations for enhancing CSR initiatives and their societal impact. The research method applied involved a comprehensive literature review, analyzing and synthesizing academic publications and real-world case studies to explore the relationships between organizational behavior, leadership styles, culture, and CSR outcomes. By providing valuable insights and recommendations, this paper aims to guide organizations in enhancing their CSR performance and contributing to a sustainable future for all stakeholders.
Experimental study of the effect of coal dust on the flame dynamics of partially premixed gas-coal dust explosion in a vertical pressure relief pipe-line
Authors: Liu Chuang , Jing Guoxun , Sun Yue , Li Pengliang
Published: December 2023

To further study the gas-coal dust explosion hazards under complex conditions. Experiments were conducted in pipe-line systems containing explosive pipe-line and pressure relief pipe-line. The effect of coal dust concentration and particle size on the flame dynamics of gas-coal dust explosion was investigated. The flame structure in the explosion pipe-line is divided into two-stages: spherical and round-finger. In the pressure relief pipe-line, the flame structure e varies at working conditions. Flame front position increases with time, showing a class exponential growth trend. The flame front velocity increases in the explosion pipe-line, has a short drop during the entry into the pressure relief pipe-line, and then increases. With the increase of coal dust concentration, flame propagation time has been increasing in the pipe-line system and the explosion pipe-line, with the shortest time at 25 g/m?. Flame propagation time first increases and then decreases in the pressure relief pipe-line, the shortest time at 50 g/m?. The maximum flame front velocity first increases and then decreases. The maximum flame front velocity is maximized at 50 g/m?. With the increase of coal dust particle size, flame propagation time has been increasing in the pipe-line system, and in the explosion pipe-line, flame propagation times have been decreasing in the pressure relief pipe-line. The maximum flame front velocity first increases, then decrease, and increases again. The maximum flame front velocity is minimal at 45 ?m.
Relocating earthquakes in clusters based on variations in the intervals between their first P- and S-waves
Authors:   Carpathian Branch of Subbotin Institute of Geophysics of the NAS of Ukraine, Gnyp Andriy , Malytskyy Dmytro ,   Carpathian Branch of Subbotin Institute of Geophysics of the NAS of Ukraine
Published: December 2023

The length of the interval between the first P- and S-waves is routinely used as a rough estimator of epicentral distance. We propose an algorithm for the relocation of earthquakes occurring in clusters, based on the simultaneous comparison of a large number of intervals. Variations in the intervals at each station are measured by cross-correlation between the respective portions of records directly and without a reference to any absolute times. In the current version of the algorithm, it is assumed that the size of the cluster is much smaller than the distance to the stations; the azimuths of the stations, as well as the angles of the emergence of the first P- and S-waves, are more or less accurately known for at least one (reference) earthquake; and the rays of the first waves lie in the vertical plane that contains the earthquake and the station. Under these assumptions, the relationship between the locations and the variations in the intervals becomes purely geometrical and linear, and the corresponding system can easily be solved. A series of synthetic experiments with different numbers and configurations of stations, levels of noise in the observed data, sparse data, and inaccuracies in azimuths and angles of emergence have demonstrated the stable and reliable performance of the algorithm and its potential applicability to real data. Due to the large number of constraints on each location, the algorithm can be used primarily in the case of small earthquakes or sparse networks when a large portion of data is missing. It can be used independently, to validate the locations determined by other methods, or be integrated into them, thereby improving their reliability by providing a large number of additional constraints.
Conflicts With Novelty: Intelligibility Crisis and the Case of the Yugoslav Narrative
Authors: LUKIĆ Vladimir
Published: December 2023

This paper deals with the notion of intelligibility crisis in terms of conflict and harmony. Namely, we will analyze the notion of intelligibility from MacIntyre’s philosophical opus and apply it to the historical case. Intelligibility, according to MacIntyre, is the notion which provides us with contextual meaning and embeds our actions with sense within the specific tradition. Intelligibility crisis is the term that is coined to provide a descriptive account of the phenomenon when we cannot connect ourselves with a new social context in which we find ourselves in. To further elaborate on this and apply it onto an example, we shall use the historical case of the Yugoslavian nation. We will provide analysis between three different contextual narratives – pre-Yugoslav narrative, Yugoslav narrative, and post-Yugoslav narrative. After applying the notion of intelligibility crisis onto this historical case study, we will notice how people of one social narrative lose intelligibility by going into another social narrative. Furthermore, we shall consider the notions of conflicts and harmony as those that are connected to intelligibility. The main argument from the descriptive state of things which was offered would be the following – conflicting sentiments arise when we are not in harmony with the narrative within which we have attained intelligibility.
The Artwork as a Force Field: Theodor W. Adorno’s Aesthetic Configuration of Antagonisms
Authors: VILLANI Elettra
Published: December 2023

In this paper, my purpose is to take into serious consideration Adorno’s explicit conception of the artwork as a force field. With this expression he intends to emphasize the inner constitution of the artwork as a movement of antagonistic tensions, a dynamic of elements that are not simply juxtaposed, but dialectically interacting with one another. In a similar configuration, the aesthetic experience of the artwork consists in letting their friction explode to its extreme, achieving a balance which remains nevertheless substantially precarious and inconclusive, ready to be immediately set in motion again. Thanks to the aesthetic trait of the force field, these tensions are brought to unity in a way that it does not suppress the enactment of antagonisms, but keeps their multiplicity alive: Homer’s tale of Penelope as an allegory of art.
Beliefs About the Future – How What Will Have Been Decides on How We Are Justified
Authors: NEUMANN Saskia Janina
Published: December 2023

The importance of the justification of our beliefs is a long-debated question. The question of how our memory beliefs are justified, however, is a question we have usually neglected as our memory does not seem to draw much attention to itself. As long as it works, we do not even notice that we use it most of the time.
In my opinion, the question of how our memory beliefs are justified, however, should play a bigger role in the philosophical debate. The reason for this claim is that most of our beliefs are memory beliefs. A position, I will argue for in this paper. Based on empirical findings in Cognitive Science, I will explain that our memory is not only involved in forming beliefs about the past but more controversially in forming beliefs about the present, in reasoning processes and even more controversially in forming beliefs about the future.
If beliefs about what has been, about what is the case in the present and even about what will have been the case in the future are memory beliefs, reconsidering our strict focus on the justification of mere beliefs seems to be a change in debate worth considering.
HLA class II antigen (DRB1 and DQB1) and rheumatoid arthritis in a Tunisian population: Relation to autoantibodies and disease severity
Authors: Boussaid Soumaya , Tbini Houssem , Makhlouf Yasmine , Hassayoun Maroua , Lagha Aouatef , Ghazouani Ezzeddine , Kochbati Samir , Rekik Sonia
Published: December 2023

We aimed to evaluate the association of HLA DRB1 and DQB1 alleles with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and to investigate their relationship with anti-citrullinated peptide antibodies (ACPA) and RA severity. We performed a case-control study of 81 RA patients compared with 100 healthy controls. Sociodemographic data, disease activity scores, functional impact, structural damage, ACPA, rheumatoid factor (RF), and HLA DRB1 and DQB1 alleles were determined. Forty-six patients expressed HLA DRB1, predominantly DRB1*04. These alleles were more frequent in RA patients than in controls. DRB1*04:05 was the most associated allele with RA susceptibility, 54.5% of RF-positive patients expressed DRB1*04:05 with a significant correlation. Similarly, a highly significant association with DRB1*15:01 and RF positivity was found. DRB1*01:01, 04:05, 11:01, and 15:01 were associated with the presence of ACPA. Patients with DRB1 alleles had more extraarticular manifestations (EAM). Multivariate analysis concluded that DRB1*04:05 was only associated with ACPA positivity. Regarding DQB1, DQB1*03:02 was the most associated with RA. DQB1*02:01, 03:01, 03:02, 05:01, and 06:01 were associated with RF-positive RA. DQB1*06:01 was associated with ACPA. Only HLA DQB1*02:01 and 06:01 were associated with the presence of EAM. DAS28 was reduced in the presence of DQB1. HAQ > 0.5 were correlated with DQB1 alleles. In addition, there was more structural damage in RA encoding for DQB1. In linear regression, DQB1*06:01 were associated with RF positivity, but there was no association with the other parameters. Our study confirmed that DRB1 and DQB1 expression was significantly associated with ACPA, increased HAQ, increased sharp score, and the presence of EAM.
AMELIORATIVE EFFECT OF CUCURBITA PEPO L. SEED EXTRACT AGAINST LEAD INDUCED EFFECTS ON THE SERUM AND TESTICULAR OXIDATIVE STATUS: AN IN VIVO VALIDATION
Authors: Nair Amrutha B. , PA Raajeswari
Published: December 2023

Lead (Pb) exposure is considered to be an alarming public health problem since evidence has mounted regarding its adverse impact on health and reproduction. The current research was intended to evaluate the ameliorative effects of Cucurbita pepo L. (pumpkin) against lead toxicity-induced oxidative stress in experimental rats. Before the animal study, a preliminary phytochemical screening was done to detect the presence of various phytoconstituents in the seed extract. Thirty adult male wistar rats were selected and randomly divided into five groups for the experimental study. Group 1 served as the control while groups 2, 3, 4 and 5 were treated with 30 mg/kg lead acetate, 1000 mg/kg seed extract alone (high dose), 30 mg/kg lead acetate and 100 mg/kg seed extract (low dose) and 30 mg/kg lead acetate and 1000 mg/kg seed extract (high dose), respectively. Enzymatic antioxidant concentrations in serum and testis were found to check the response of antioxidants to lead toxicity. In lead treated group, increased oxidative stress was observed which was indicated by a significant (p<0.001) decline in the concentration of the enzymatic antioxidants (SOD, CAT and GPx) coupled with a significant increase in lipid peroxidation marked by high MDA level. Interestingly, at high dosage of C. pepo seed extract, enzymatic antioxidant concentration was comparable to control and significantly higher compared to other experimental groups. The study revealed that even in low dosage, C. pepo administration could improve the antioxidant status in the lead-treated group. This investigation recommends C. pepo seeds as a potent natural product promising strong protection against lead toxicity-induced oxidative stress which could be pharmacologically explored for drug synthesis.
Synthesis, structural identification and biological potencies of quinolinium sulfonamide ionic liquids
Authors: Ashokan D. , Rajathi K.
Published: December 2023

Members of the quinoline family include several alkaloids. Alkaloids are found in foods and beverages that humans consume daily, as well as in various stimulants. Among many other activities, they act against inflammation, cancer, bacteria, fungi and pain. Modifications of the alkyl chain after N-alkylation can alter the physicochemical properties and affect its multifunctional properties. This article describes the preparation and structural identification of five quinolinium sulfonamide ionic liquids that differ in N-alkylation functional group and chain length. Functional group and alkyl chain length in the N-alkylation of ionic liquids of quinolinium sulfonamide ionic liquids significantly affected the antioxidant activity and C-1 showed the highest antioxidant activity with the lowest IC50 of 20.56. Variation of substituents in the N-alkylation of ionic liquids of quinolinium sulfonamide also significantly affected its antibacterial and antifungus activity, with C-1 exhibiting the greatest activity. In addition, experimental results indicate that quinolinium sulfonamide ionic liquids significantly prolong the prothrombin time (PT) of normal human plasma.
Formulation Development and Characterization of Lumefantrine Solid Dispersion with Piperine for Solubility Enhancement
Authors: Khade Rajendra R. , Butle Santosh R.
Published: December 2023

Lumefantrine low/variable bioavailability with low aqueous solubility is associated with their crystallinity and P-glycoprotein (P-gp) mediated efflux. Herein, to improve the dissolution and hence the oral bioavailability, amorphous solid dispersions (SD) of lumefantrine (LUMF) containing piperine (PIP), a P-gp and CYP3A4 inhibitor, were prepared with Copovidone/Kollidon® VA 64 (KOL) at three different ratios with increasing content of the polymer. The PIP-LUMF-KOL SD at ratio of 1:6:18 demonstrated higher aqueous solubility of LUMF and hence were characterized by DSC, FTIR and XRD. The improved dissolution resulting due to loss of crystallinity of LUMF was confirmed by DSC thermogram and XRD diffractogram of LUMF-PIP-SD while FTIR studies investigated the possible intermolecular interactions between LUMF and PIP and /or KOL. DSC and dissolution experiments validated the stability of LUMFPIP-Sol SD for 90 days under stressed humidity and temperature conditions. Overall, the data suggest that the SD of LUMF incorporated with P-gp inhibitor PIP, enhances dissolution and hence could improve the bioavailability of LUMF.
Molecular Characterization of Maturase K Gene and Protein Prediction of Vanda spathulata (L.) - An Ayurinformatics Approaches
Authors: Rani J Jeline , V Nandagopalan
Published: December 2023

Vanda spathulata (L.) Spreng. is an important plant of the orchid family of botanical and horticultural importance in the Ayurvedic medicinal system. The Maturase K (matK) gene of plant chloroplast is a strong marker in studying plant molecular systematics, evolution, and genetic polymorphism and is considered as the standard DNA barcode for plants. The gene has an important role in the phylogenetic reconstruction of terrestrial plants. The present study investigated the phylogenetic characterization of matK gene obtained from the plant species Vanda spathulata (L.) through extraction, purification, PCR amplification, and gel elution. The Nucleotide BLAST search revealed similarity with 103 sequences in various closely and distantly related orchid taxa. Mega software and a real-time divergence tree discovered Apostasia odorata has the primitive species for all the sequences including the Vanda spathulata which diverged about 114 million years ago. Limited gene flow was observed among the Vanda and related taxa and the Tajima neutrality test was negative indicating the purifying selection in the matK gene sequence, that evolutionary selection had played a major role rather than the neutral evolution.  The species and related other species exhibited higher polymorphism at the nucleotide level. Secondary structure was predicted for the single-stranded matK gene of V. spathulata and the ancestor plant species A. odorata using the Zucker MFold web server and translated through a comparison of ORF with NCBI and BLASTN. The protein was modeled in SWISS MODELLER and compared between the two species. The sequence had high similarity with its ancestor gene sequence and the protein modeled showed complex structure than the ancestor protein as a result of significant evolutionary changes.
Selective Separation and Mass Spectral Characterization of Degradants in Viloxazine by LC-MS/MS
Authors: Pallekona Sushma , Pawar Amgoth Krishnamanjari , Molleti Divya
Published: December 2023

This research describes a novel technique for the selective separation of degradants from API employing HPLC and online coupling of a triple quadrupole mass analyzer and PDA detector with a SCIEX QTRAP 5500 mass spectrometer. Chromatography was used to separate all degradants on the column Agilent eclipse XDB (150 mm x 4.6 mm, 3.5 μ) with mobile phase ACN: 0.1% TEA (40:60) %v/v. The highest absorption was found to occur at 220 nm, which allows for simultaneous detection without being impacted by the placebo matrix. According to the general ICH recommendations, the suggested RP-HPLC method was accepted. All of the metrics- specificity, linearity, LoD, LoQ, accuracy, precision and robustness of validation were deemed sufficient. The proposed method exhibits strong correlation and great linearity over the range of (12.5–75 μg/mL). The accuracy trials produced consistent recoveries (95–105%), while the precision experiments' percent RSD was less than 2%. The intrinsic stability of the drug molecules in the current formulation could be ascertained by conducting forced degradation studies to assess the degradation products produced under various stress settings. The degradants produced were well separated and further characterized by MS/MS studies. The newly devised approach was demonstrated to be stable and sensitive to all degradants during validation tests. Validation trials demonstrate that the newly developed method was also accurate, precise, resilient, selective, and linear within the necessary operating range.
EVALUATION OF BAICALEIN LOADED HYDROGEL FOR MANAGEMENT OF DIABETIC WOUND HEALING
Authors: Baviskar Kiran D. , Lodhi Santram
Published: December 2023

The Present study aimed to perform a detailed in-vivo study of prepared baicalein (BCA) loaded hydrogel for wound healing effect and effect was compared with the marketed formulation. Prepared hydrogels were characterized and optimized already in previous study. Baicalein-loaded hydrogel (GG-GC-HGs) was prepared by using glycol chitosan gellan gum polymers. Prepared hydrogels were evaluated for wound healing effect using diabetic wound model (Streptozotocin induced) in rats. The wound healing effect was observed by measurement of wound contraction and biochemical estimation (Hydroxyproline, protein content and antioxidant assay) in the wound tissue after treatment. Histological examination of wound tissue was observed. Results of study showed that percent wound contraction of baicalein loaded GG-GC-HGs treated animal group showed a significant (p < 0.05) reduction after 10th day of treatment and healed completely on 18th day. Hydroxyproline and protein content were increased significantly with treatment of baicalein-loaded GG-GC-HGs and results were comparable with reference group (Hydroheal Gel) of animals. Antioxidant status was restored after treatment with BCA loaded GG-GC-HGs. The histological observation of wound tissues supported these results. In conclusion, baicalein loaded hydrogel showed prominent wound healing effect through increasing epithelialization, fibroblast proliferation and reducing oxidative stress in diabetic condition.
Acute Intermittent Hypoxia Therapy alters cognitive behavioral parameters in wistar albino rats
Authors: Roshan Syed Aasish , Gunaseelan Dharani , Benazsir Sherin , Pandian Nithya , Jayachandran Swaminathan , Kandasamy Mahesh , Muthusamy Anusuyadevi
Published: December 2023

Cognitive disorders, including dementia and Alzheimer's disease, pose substantial global health challenges, demanding effective prevention and treatment strategies. Intermittent Hypoxia Therapy (IHT), involving brief exposures to reduced oxygen levels, is a novel approach with potential cognitive benefits. This study investigates the effects of Intermittent Hypoxia Therapy (IHT) on cognitive behavior in Wistar albino rats through comprehensive behavioral experiments, including the Open Field Test (OFT) and Morris Water Maze (MWM). The results reveal that IHT promotes locomotor activity, reduces anxiety-related behaviors, and positively impacts cognitive flexibility. In the OFT, the IH group exhibited increased grid crossings and distance traveled, indicating heightened locomotion, which may be associated with cognitive improvement. Furthermore, IH significantly reduced thigmotaxis behavior and the number of fecal boli, indicating reduced anxiety levels compared to the control group. While IHT did not significantly enhance spatial memory acquisition in the MWM, it improved platform recognition during the probe test. The IH group spent more time in the target quadrant, suggesting enhanced memory retrieval and recognition. Additionally, in the reverse MWM, IH demonstrated moderate improvements in cognitive flexibility, with faster latency on trial 1. These findings suggest that IHT holds promise as a non-invasive intervention for cognitive enhancement, particularly in terms of locomotor activity, anxiety reduction, and certain aspects of memory and cognitive flexibility. Further research is warranted to elucidate the underlying mechanisms and explore the potential therapeutic applications of IHT in cognitive disorders. In summary, this study highlights the cognitive benefits of IHT in rats, paving the way for future investigations and potential clinical applications in the realm of cognitive disorders.
In silico studies of quinazolinone analogues to distinguish their hypothetical binding mode using the X-ray crystal structure human carbon anhydrase II (HCAII) enzyme complex with sugar sulfamate for anticonvulsant activity
Authors: Amrutkar Rakesh D. , Ranawat Mahendra Singh
Published: December 2023

The quinazolinone moiety is a significant pharmacophore depicts various types of pharmacological activities as shown in recent exhaustive ligatures serve. Quinazolinone exhibit potent central nervous system (CNS) activities like anti-anxiety, analgesic, anti-inflammatory and anticonvulsant. To develop these views and application profiles, attempt have been made to report a drug/ligand or receptor/protein interactions by identifying the suitable active site against X-ray crystal structure of Human Carbonic Anhydrase II (HCA II) enzyme for anticonvulsant activity using Vlife MDS version 4.6 Software because the protein-ligand interaction plays a significant role in structural based drug designing. The interaction was evaluated based on the score comparison between quinazolinone derivatives with sugar sulfamate. The quinazolinone ring forms hydrophobic and hydrogen bond contacts amino acid residues. The ligands 4t and 4s were shown to possess minimum dock score i.e. minimum binding energy in Kcal/mole i.e. these molecules has more affinity for active site of receptor. Clearly, Molecules having low dock score and binding energy shows more affinity towards the receptor. The data reported in this article may be helpful for the medicinal chemists who are working in this area.
Synthesis, antimicrobial activity and Molecular docking study of some novel isoxazole incorporated benzimidazole derivatives
Authors: Sharma Pankaj Kumar , Sharma Chandra Shekhar
Published: December 2023

A series of novel isoxazole-incorporated benzimidazole derivatives was synthesized and investigated for antimicrobial activity. The structures of all synthesized compounds were confirmed by means of elemental analysis, infrared spectroscopy (IR), proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H-NMR), and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS). All compounds were evaluated for antimicrobial activity cup plate method against Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus anthracis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherchia coli, Candida albicans and Aspegillus niger. The 4d, 4f and 4j compounds showed significant activity against gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. On the basis of the interaction energy criterion, compound 4f showed the best docking interactions equal to 7.0 kcal/mol.
Development and optimization of enzalutamide nanosuspension by design of experiments for dissolution enhancement
Authors: PATEL RAJENDRA , PARMAR KOMAL
Published: December 2023

Enzalutamide is an anticancer molecule used for prostate cancer. The goal of the study was to develop a nanosuspension of enzalutamide in order to improve its solubility and dissolution properties. High speed homogenization method was employed to formulate the nanosuspension. Preliminary studies suggested amount of stabilizer, homogenization time and homogenization speed as critical variables to be taken for the optimization process. Box-Behnken design was employed for the optimization of process and formulation variables. Nanosuspension was evaluated for particle size, PDI, zeta potential, and in vitro drug release at 10 min (D10) studies. Regression analysis suggested the influence of independent variables on the responses. The optimized batch obtained from overlay plot exhibited 198.36 nm of particle size, (-33.27 mV of zeta potential and 80.47 % of D10 values. The characterization studies i.e. DSC, and XRD illustrated retention in crystallinity of drug. The drug and formulation were found to be stable over a 6-month period in accelerated stability testing. Using high speed homogenization method, particle size of the formulation was reduced to nano-size which was further responsible for the improvement in dissolution and bioavailability of drug.
Formulation Development and Evaluation Studies of Linezolid Inhaler in the Treatment of Tuberculosis
Authors: Borkar Gauri , Chemate Satyam
Published: December 2023

The primary objective of this study was to prepare and evaluate a linezolid inhaler. Dry powder inhaler liposomes were formulated to investigate the efficacy of pulmonary delivery of Linezolid for tuberculosis. The liposomes were prepared using soya lecithin and cholesterol in different weight ratios, drug in a constant amount, and two different methods: physical dispersion and ethanol injection. The F9 formulation was characterized for physical and chemical properties such as vesicle size, shape, and zeta potential. The results of physical characterization, in vitro testing, and stability studies indicate that liposomes containing Linezolid can be used for the treatment of tuberculosis. The evaluated batch exhibited favorable physicochemical properties, with spherical liposomes having a mean size below 100 nm and high entrapment efficiency (98.8%). The prepared liposomal dry powder inhalers (DPIs) sustained drug release for up to 8 hours. Liposome stability was assessed 90 days after storage at room temperature, revealing its stability. The liposomal formulation had steady zeta potential, good entrapment efficiency, improved stability, and an extended drug release time. In conclusion, linezolid-loaded liposomal inhalers were successfully formulated.
Development and Validation of The Menstrual Health Outcome Questionnaire to evaluate quality of life among women during menstrual cycle
Authors: Parmar Priyanka R. , Deshpande Shrikalp S.
Published: December 2023

Menstruation is a physiological process experienced by adolescent girls and women. Menstruation and premenstrual symptoms affect the Quality of Life. Different scales are available to measure QOL for different gynaecological problems but none scale available to measure QOL during Menstruation. WHO defines Quality of Life as an individual's perception of their position in life in the context of the culture and value systems in which they live and in relation to their goals, expectations, standards and concerns. It is a multidimensional concept that includes domains related to physical, mental, emotional and social functioning. It goes beyond direct measure of population health, life expectancy and causes of death and focuses on the impact health status on quality of life. To develop a comprehensive instrument to assess the health-related QOL among the women during menstruation. The creation of a scale to assess QOL during the menstrual cycle is indeed a significant endeavour. Menstrual Health Outcomes Questionnaire contains 35 questions from different domains. After getting ethical approval pilot and pivotal study conducted. Adolescents were randomly recruited in the study. Data was captured and entered in SPSS version 20. Principle factor analysis was determined to find construct validity among independent and dependent variables. Man-Whitney U test was determined. Questionnaire has Cronbach’s alpha 0.796, determined 35 questions. Intraclass corelation coefficient was found 0.786. KMO and Bartlett’s test was found 0.820 with high significance. (p=0.000) Menstrual Health Outcome Questionnaire has been established as a valid and reliable tool for assessing the QOL among women during menstruation.
Expressive properties of embellishment in vocal music the first halfof the 18th-century
Authors: Kruglova Elena
Published: December 2023

In the modern performance of ancient music, one of the central tasks of singers is the desire to decorate the melody independently. Taking into account the lack of knowledge and skills of Baroque improvisation among domestic performers, the decorations used often represent, in fact, only a technical element that needs to be dealt with. In this case, the ornaments have no artistic value, they sound faded, not corresponding to the main purpose – to emphasize the affect and enhance its expressiveness. The proposed article is aimed at solving topical problems in the field of Baroque performance related to vocal ornamentation and the transmission of the affect of the composition. The author of the article provides historical data on the characteristics of melisms and their focus on the expression of certain affects, which determines the scientific novelty of the study. The research methodology is based on a historical approach. Methods of analysis and synthesis are also of particular importance, thanks to which, when studying disparate data, it was possible to recreate the history of ornamental art in connection with the opera traditions of the first half of the XVIII century. The author's position is that any kind of ornamentation in ancient arias should be used in the melodic line in order to emphasize and enhance the affect of the composition being performed. When performing compositions of the time in question, it is important for a singer to understand the importance of decorating a melody as one of the main means of expression and, accordingly, be guided by the choice of jewelry. The author draws conclusions about the relationship and mutual influence of ornamentation and affect in the Baroque music. The material of the article and the conclusions will be useful to singers performing ancient music for its stylistically correct interpretation.