bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Synthesis and Evaluation of 99mTc-labeled PSMA-targeted Tracers Based on the Lys-urea-Aad Pharmacophore for Detecting Prostate Cancer with Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography
Authors: Lu Kelly , Zhang Chengcheng , Zhang Zhengxing , Kuo Hsiou-Ting , Colpo Nadine , Bénard François , Lin Kuo-Shyan
Published: June 2023

Prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) is a well validated prostate cancer marker, but reported PSMA-targeted tracers derived from the Lys-urea-Glu pharmacophore including the clinically validated [99mTc]Tc-EDDA/HYNIC-iPSMA have high off-target uptake in kidneys, spleen and salivary glands. In this study, we synthesized and evaluated three novel 99mTc-labeled PSMA-targeted tracers and investigated if the tracers derived from the Lys-urea-Aad pharmacophore could have minimized uptake in off-target organs/tissues. In vitro competition binding assays showed that compared with HYNIC-iPSMA, the three novel ligands had slightly weaker PSMA binding affinity (average Ki = 3.11 vs 8.96 - 11.6 nM). Imaging and ex vivo biodistribution studies in LNCaP tumor-bearing mice showed that [99mTc]Tc-EDDA/HYNIC-iPSMA and the three novel tracers successfully visualized LNCaP tumor xenografts in SPECT images and were excreted mainly via the renal pathway. The average tumor uptake at 1 h post-injection varied from 5.40 to 18.8 %ID/g, and the tracers derived from the Lys-urea-Aad pharmacophore had much lower uptake in spleen and salivary glands. Compared with the clinical tracer [99mTc]Tc-EDDA/HYNIC-iPSMA, the Lys-urea-Aad derived [99mTc]Tc-EDDA-KL01127 had lower background uptake and superior tumor-to-background contrast ratios, and is therefore promising for clinical translation to detect prostate cancer lesions with SPECT.
Educational Model of Electric Potential, Electrochemical Reactions, and Species Transport in PEM Fuel Cell
Authors: Kregar Ambrož , Zelič Klemen , Kravos Andraž , Katrašnik Tomaž
Published: June 2023

The use of hydrogen fuel cells as a mobile source of electricity might prove to be a keystone in future decarbonization of heavy duty road and marine transport. Due to complex interplay of various physicochemical processes in the fuel cells, further development of these devices will rely on concerted effort of researchers from various fields, e.g. chemistry, physics, electric and mechanical engineering. This results in knowledge gaps which are filled by the information, dispersed in wide range of literature, but rarely covered in a short and condensed form. To address this issue and with the aim of providing a concise and simple explanation of fuel cell operation, we propose a simple educational model of the most relevant processes in the fuel cell, aimed at proper description of causal relations. The derivation of model equations provides an intuitive understanding of electric potentials acting on protons on the microscopic level and relates this knowledge to the common terminology in fuel cell research community, such as catalyst electric overpotential and internal membrane resistance. The results of the model fit well with experimental data, indicating that a simple description, provided in the paper, is sufficient for intuitive understanding of fuel cell operation.
Is there a risk for Semaglutide Misuse? Focus on the Food and Drug Administration-FDA Adverse Events Reporting System (FAERS) pharmacovigilance dataset
Authors: CHIAPPINI STEFANIA , Vickers-Smith Rachel , Papanti Duccio Gabriele , Corkery John Martin , Guirguis Amira , Martinotti Giovanni , Sensi Stefano L. , Schifano Fabrizio
Published: June 2023

Recent media reports commented about a possible antidiabetics’ misuse issue related to molecules promoted as a weight-loss treatment in non-obese people. We here evaluated available pharmacovigilance misuse/abuse signals related to semaglutide, a glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) analogue, in comparison to other GLP-1 receptor agonists (albiglutide; dulaglutide; exenatide; liraglutide; lixisenatide; tirzepatide) and the phentermine-topiramate combination. To that aim, we analysed the Food and Drug Administration-FDA Adverse Events Reporting System (FAERS) dataset, performing a descriptive analysis of adverse event reports (AER) and calculating related pharmacovigilance measures, including the reporting odds ratio (ROR) and the proportional reporting ratio (PRR).
During January 2018-December 2022, a total of 31,542 AER involving the selected molecules were submitted to FAERS; most involved dulaglutide (n=11,858; 37.6%) and semaglutide (n=8,249; 26.1%). In comparing semaglutide vs the remaining antidiabetics, the AER ‘drug abuse’, ‘drug withdrawal syndrome’, ‘prescription drug used without a prescription’ and ‘intentional product use issue’ respective PRR values were 4.05, 4.05, 3.60 and 1.80 (all<0.01). The same comparisons of semaglutide vs the phentermine-topiramate combination were not associated with any significant differences.
To our best, this is the first study documenting the misusing/abusing potential of semaglutide in comparison with other novel antidiabetics and the phentermine-topiramate combination. Current findings will need to be confirmed by further empirical investigations to fully understand the safety profile of those molecules.
Negative Contrast: A Simple And Efficient Image Augmentation Method In Crop Disease Classification
Authors: Li Jiqing , Yin Zhendong , Li Dasen , Zhao Yanlong
Published: June 2023

Crop disease classification has always been a critical and persistent problem in the field of agricultural and forestry sciences, where often we do not have access to a sufficient number of samples to know the distribution of real-world samples. How to make full use of the existing data is the starting point of our thinking. To address this problem, this paper proposes a supervised image augmentation method Negative Contrast, which uses the contrast images of existing disease samples after removing disease areas as negative samples for image augmentation when samples are relatively scarce. Numerous experiments have shown that several classical models using this augmentation method have improved in disease classification of four crops, rice, wheat, corn, and soybean, with a maximum accuracy improvement of 30.8%. In addition, the comparative analysis of attentional heat map shows that the model using Negative Contrast is more accurate and intense on the area of interest of diseases, and thus reflects better generalization ability in real-world disease classification. Our dataset and codes can be found in https://www.kaggle.com/datasets/w970704112/corn-wheat-rice-soybean and https://github.com/hiter0/contrastaug .
A Comparative Study of the Effect of Water Susceptibility on Polyethylene Terephthalate–Modified Asphalt Mixes Under Different Regulatory Procedures
Authors: Movilla-Quesada D. , Raposeiras Aitor C. , Guiñez E. , Frechilla-Alonso MA
Published: June 2023

Water damage is one of the main causes of roads’ deterioration throughout their service life. This effect harms the adhesion and cohesion parameters of the asphalt mix, which leads to a decrease in the structural and functional characteristics of the road surface. This research focuses on studying the water susceptibility of hot mix asphalt mixtures using three different procedures: (1) UNE-EN 12697-12, (2) ASTM D4867, and (3) AASHTO T-283. The tests are carried out on reference mixtures and mixtures modified with polyethylene terephthalate (PET) particles as an additive. The results indicate that the incorporation of 6% PET allows the limits established by the UNE-EN 12697-12 standards to be exceeded, reaching 86% of the tensile strength ratio (TSR). However, for the ASTM D4867 and AASHTO T-283 standards, the results obtained concerning the water susceptibility of the bituminous mixtures were not as satisfactory because the established minimum limits were not reached (< 75%), which indicates that the procedure applied in a test can significantly modify the results of a later application.
Oxidation Effects on Short-Term Creep Response in Air of Commercially Pure Titanium (CP-2 Ti)
Authors: Spigarelli Stefano , Regev Michael , Santoni Alberto
Published: June 2023

The creep response of commercially pure titanium was investigated in air at 550, 600 and 650°C, to assess the effect of oxidation on the mechanical response. Experiments demonstrated that exposure at high temperature produced a marked reduction of the minimum creep rate under a given applied stress. Microhardness measurements showed that a hardened zone forms in proximity of the surface, due to oxygen penetration into metal. A simplified composite-model was then used to describe the creep response. In this model, the sample consisted of two zones, the hard case, enriched in oxygen, and the soft pure-titanium core, both creeping with similar strain rates. Calculation led to an estimation of the dependence of the minimum creep rate on stress and temperature for the hard high-oxygen zone. The simplified composite-model here presented gave an excellent description of experimental creep data for pure titanium tested in air and also provided a reliable picture of the effect of oxidation on complex Ti-alloys.
Studying Anti-virulence Activity of Meta-Bromo-Thiolactone against Staphylococcus aureus and MRSA Phenotypes
Authors: Alfaraj Rihaf , Eltayb Esra K , AlFayez Bashayer M , Abohamad Amjad S , Eltaher Eram , Alenazi Naifa A , Hababah Sandra , Alkahtani Hamad M , Almangour Thamer A. , Alqahtani Fulwah Y , Aleanizy Fadilah Sfouq
Published: June 2023

Of late, the focus has been shifted towards quorum sensing inhibitors which reduce bacterial virulence and lower the probability of resistance and refining infections. In this work, meta-bromo-thiolactone (mBTL), a potent quorum and virulence inhibitor against Staphylococcus aureus and MRSA phenotypes, was formulated in chitosan nanoparticles (ChNPs) using ionic gelation method. mBTL-loaded-ChNPs were characterized for particle size, polydispersity index, zeta potential. Morphology was visualized by Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), drug release profile and antibiofilm analysis using Confocal Laser Scanning Microscope (CLSM) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) were performed. Synthesized mBTL-loaded-CNPs showed homogenized nano-size particles ranging from 158+1.3 to 284+5.6 nm with spherical particles that exhibited sustainable release profile over 48 hr at 37 °C. These findings revealed successful preparation of mBTL-loaded-ChNPs, that further showed effective antibiofilm activity at MIC50 (0.5 mg/mL) where all strains displayed reduced biofilm formation compared to untreated strains. CLSM results showed a significant reduction in the number of viable cells, indicating the effectiveness of m-BTL as an antibacterial agent. SEM analysis permitted visualization of biofilm structure in relation to the spatial localization of important biofilm matrix components, the formed biofilms were clearly distinguished in the SEM images. Bacterial cells in the control group were enclosed in thick biofilms. In contrast, there was a considerable reduction in biofilm production when mBTL was present, where bacterial cells seemed less ordered and more scattered with no detectable biofilms. In conclusion, mBTL-loaded-ChNPs is a potential alternative treatment to overcome antimicrobial resistance and condensed MRSA infections.
Effectiveness of Silymarin, Sulforaphane, Lycopene, Green Tea, Tryptophan, Glutathione and Escin on Human Health: Results of a Narrative Review
Authors: Sebastiani Francesco , D'Alterio Carlo , Vocca Cristina , Gallelli Luca , Palumbo Fabrizo , Cai Tommaso , Palmieri Alessandro
Published: June 2023

Background: Recently the role of nutraceutical compounds in the prevention of human diseases is rapidly increasing. Here, we aim to evaluate the beneficial effect of dietary supplementation with seven active principles, lycopene, sulphoraphane, silymarin, glutathione, escin, tryptophan, green tea catechins, on human health. Methods: An extensive search of PubMed and Medline database was performed with the following keywords: “silymarin”, “sulforaphane”, “lycopene”, “green tea catechins”, “tryptophan”, “glutathione” and “escin” accompanied by the keywords “supplement”, “supplementation”, “nutraceutics”. All pre-clinical and clinical trials have been considered for this review. Results: One-hundred and eighteen full-text articles were eligible for inclusion in this review. The papers examined presented considerable variability due to the wide heterogeneity of dosages administered, population involved and outcomes pursued. Conclusion: Nutritional supplementation with lycopene, sulphoraphane, silymarin, glutathione, escin, tryptophan and green tea catechins appears to exert a wide range of benefits on human health, ranging from mood and cognition to cardiovascular health, fertility, metabolism, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory capabilities, potential anti-cancer effects. Further studies are required to better define the potential synergic effect, optimal dosage, mechanism of action and tolerability profile of these substances.
Intermittent and Mild Cold Stimulation Maintains the Immune Function Stability by Increasing the Levels of Intestinal Barrier Genes of Broilers
Authors: Xing Lu , Li Tingting , Zhang Yong , Bao Jun , Wei Haidong , Li Jianhong
Published: June 2023

In order to improve the adaptability of broilers to low-temperature environments and their ability to resist acute cold stress (ACS), 240 one-day-old broilers were selected and randomly divided into three groups. The control treatment (CC) was raised at the conventional feeding temperature from 1-43 days (d), the cold stimulation treatments (CS) were kept at 3 °C below the temperature of CC at 1-d intervals for 3 and 6 hours from 15 to 35 d, namely CS3 and CS6, respectively. Then all broilers were kept at 20 °C from 36 to 43 d. ACS was then carried out at 44 d, and the ambient temperature was dropped to 10 °C for 6 hours. The study investigated the production perfor-mance, as well as levels of intestinal barrier genes (including Claudin-1, E-cadherin, Occludin, ZO-1, ZO-2 and Mucin2), secretory IgA in duodenum and jejunum, and immunoglobulins (IgA and IgG) in serum. The results showed that IMCS could increase the daily weight gain and decrease the feed conversion ratio. During the IMCS, the expression levels of intestinal barrier genes were up-regulated and the content of secretory IgA was increased. When IMCS ceased for one week, the level of immunoglobulins in serum stabilized, and the expression levels of Occludin, ZO-2 and Mucin2 still maintained high levels. After ACS, broilers that received IMCS training maintained the high levels of intestinal barrier genes and secretory IgA.
Roux-En-Y Gastric Bypass Improves Adiponectin to Leptin Ratio and Inflammatory Profile in Severely Obese Women With and Without Metabolic Syndrome: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Moreira Sandra M.B.P. , Bachi Andre L. L. , Jirjos Elias I. , Malheiros Carlos A. , Vencio Sergio , Alves Vera Lúcia dos Santos , Sousa Alan R. T. , Felipe Lucenda A. , Perez Eduardo A. , Lino Maria E. M. , Souza Shayra K. A. , Santos Juliana M. B. , Oliveira Miriã C. , Fonseca Adriano Luís , Silva Carlos H. M. , Vieira Rodolfo P , Insalaco Giuseppe , Freitas Júnior Wilson R. , Oliveira Luis V. F.
Published: June 2023

Obesity is a troubling public health problem worldwide as it increases risks of respiratory complications, systemic arterial hypertension, type 2 diabetes mellitus, sleep disorders, cardiovascular diseases, and metabolic syndrome (MetS). As a measure to counteract comorbidities associated with severe obesity, bariatric surgery stands out. This study aimed to investigate the adiponectin/leptin ratio in women with severe obesity with and without MetS undergone Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass (RYGB) and to characterize the biochemical, glucose, and inflammatory parameters of blood in women with severe obesity before and after RYGB. Were enrolled female with severe obesity undergoing RYGP with MetS (n=11) and without (n=39). Anthropometric data and blood samples were obtained before and 6 months after RYGB to analyze total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL), high- density lipoprotein (HDL), non-HDL total cholesterol, and glucose; and circulating levels of adiponectin and leptin. Significant reductions in weight, body mass index, and glucose, total cholesterol, LDL, and leptin were observed after surgery, with higher levels of HDL, adiponectin, and adiponectin/leptin ratio observed after surgery compared to preoperative values. This study demonstrated that weight loss induced by RYGB in patients with severe obesity with or without MetS improved biochemical and systemic inflammatory parameters, particularly the adiponectin/leptin ratio.
Effect of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Rates and Epidemiology of Clostridioides difficile Infection in One VA Hospital
Authors: Wright Lorinda M. , Skinner Andrew M. , Cheknis Adam , McBurney Conor , Ge Ling , Pacheco Susan , Leehey David , Gerding Dale N. , Johnson And Stuart
Published: June 2023

The COVID-19 pandemic was associated with increases in some healthcare-associated infections. We investigated the impact of the pandemic on rates and molecular epidemiology of Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) within one VA Hospital. We anticipated that the potential widespread use of antibiotics for pneumonia during the pandemic might increase CDI rates given that antibiotics are a major risk for CDI. Hospital data on patients with CDI and recurrent CDI (rCDI) were reviewed pre-COVID-19 pandemic (2015 to 2019) and during the pandemic (2020 - 2021). Restriction endonuclease analysis (REA) strain typing was performed on CD isolates recovered from stool samples collected from 10/2019 – 3/2022. CDI case numbers declined 43.2% in 2020 – 2021 compared to the annual mean over the previous 5 years. Stool test positivity rate was also lower during the COVID-19 pandemic (14.3% vs. 17.2%; P = 0.013). Although inpatient volume declined, rates of CDI among inpatients were reduced by 34.2% in 2020 – 2021. Mean monthly cases of rCDI also declined significantly after 2020 [3.38 (95% CI: 2.89 – 3.87) vs. 1.92 (95% CI: 1.27 – 2.56); P = <0.01]. Prior to the pandemic, REA group Y was the most prevalent CD strain among the major REA groups (27.3%). During the first wave of the pandemic from March 8, 2020, through June 30, 2020, there was an increase in the relative incidence of REA group BI (26.7% vs. 9.1%. After adjusting for CDI risk factors, a multivariable logistic regression model revealed that odds of developing an REA group BI CDI increased during the first pandemic wave (OR 6.41, 95% CI: 1.03 – 39.91) compared to the pre-pandemic period. In conclusion, the incidence of CDI and rCDI decreased significantly during the initial waves of the COVID-19 pandemic. In contrast, REA BI (Ribotype 027), a virulent, previously epidemic CD strain and frequently associated with hospital transmission and outbreaks, reappeared as a prevalent strain during the first wave of the pandemic.
The Role Of Smart Transport In Urban Planning And The Transition From Traditional To Smart Cities In Developing Countries With Sustainability Requirements
Authors: Shojarazavi Niloofar , Mohammadzadeh Shahab , Soleymani Mina , Fathi Sadegh , Golchini Sahar , Kadaei Samireh , González Lezcano Roberto Alonso
Published: June 2023

Background: Smart transport plays a crucial role in urban planning and the transition from traditional to smart cities in developing countries with sustainability requirements.Traditional cities in developing countries often suffer from traffic congestion,air pollution, and inadequate public transportation systems,which can impede economic growth and negatively impact the quality of life for residents. Smart transport solutions can address these challenges by providing more efficient, sustainable.Here is a possible business model for an ITS system in a high-potential city in Iran,Based on IoT analysis, Mashhad city in Iran selected as a high-potential city to be changed to a smart city in the transportation sector.In the localization business model,the Uber smart transportation business model as a successful world experience is considered the base model. Methods: Based on the literature review,various criteria and sub-criteria were identified and determined in designing a new localized transportation business model.A questionnaire was prepared and filled with the help of 11 experts,method IAHP technique; Results:The present study showed the possibility of monthly payments for customers,software development, and the addition of luxury cars are among the most important sub-criteria with high weights;Conclusions: Working with transport companies,schools and universities as key partners solves reaching a strong and sustainable smart transportation system.
ENDS Tobacco Flavors, Public Health, and Toxicity
Authors: Yehao Sun , Lamb Thomas , Prabhu Prital , Li Dongmei , McIntosh Scott , Rahman Irfan
Published: June 2023

On Feb. 6th, 2020, FDA implemented the enforcement priorities against all flavored, cartridge-based e-cigarettes other than menthol and tobacco flavors. This ban undermined the products’ attraction to vapers, so e-cigarette manufacturers added flavorants of other attractive flavors into tobacco-flavored e-cigarettes and re-established attractions. Both the sales of e-cigarettes and posts on social media suggested that the manufacturers’ strategies are likely “successful”. The re-established attraction causes not only a public health issue, but also threats to the health of individual vapers. Research has shown an increase in toxicity associated with the flavorants commonly used in flavored e-cigarettes that are likely added in tobacco-flavored e-cigarettes based on tobacco-derived and synthetic tobacco free nicotine, and these other flavors are associated with higher clinical symptoms not often induced by only natural traditional tobacco flavors. The additional health risks posed by the flavorants are pronounced even without considering the interactions of toxicology of the different tobacco flavorants, and more research should be done to understand the health risks thoroughly and to take proper actions accordingly for regulation of these emerging products.
Enhanced Dyeing of Polypropylene Using Fluorine–Oxygen Gas Mixtures
Authors: Namie Masanari , Kim Jae-Ho , Yonezawa Susumu
Published: June 2023

The surface fluorination of polypropylene (PP) was performed using F2 and O2 gas mixtures with different F2 gas proportions at 25 °C and 13.3 kPa for 1 h. The surface roughness of the fluorinated PP samples was approximately 1.5 times higher than that of the untreated sample (5 nm). The Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) results showed that the PP-derived bonds (-C-C- and -CHx) decreased because they were converted into polar groups (-C–O, -CHF-, and -CFx), which increased the surface electronegativity of PP. The variation in the F2 gas proportion in the gas mixture significantly affected the hydrophilicity and surface composition of PP. At F2 gas proportions of <70%, the hydrophilicity of the fluorinated PP samples improved. Notably, the hydrophilic and negatively charged PP surface enhanced the dyeing of the polymer with basic methylene blue (MB). In contrast, at F2 gas proportions of >90%, the PP surface became hydrophobic owing to increased hydrophobic -CF3 bonds. Thus, enhanced PP dyeing can be controlled based on the composition of the F2 and O2 gas mixture.
Spectral Characterization, Microscopic Images, and Antimicrobial Activity of Chenodeoxycholic Acid Complexes with Zn(II), Mg(II), and Ca(II) Ions
Authors: Almehizia Abdulrahman A. , Al-Omar Mohamed A. , Naglah Ahmed M. , Bhat Mashooq A. , Alanazi Fhdah S. , Alotaibi Fatimah A. , Refat Moamen S. , Adam Abdel Majid A.
Published: June 2023

Chenodeoxycholic acid (CA) is a naturally occurring bile acid that is produced in the liver from cholesterol. Three CA complexes using Zn(II), Mg(II), and Ca(II) ions were synthesized to examine the chelation tendencies of CA towards these metal ions. The complexation reaction of CA with the metal ions under investigation was conducted with a 1:1 molar ratio (CA to metal) at 60-70°C in natural media (pH 7-8), which consisted of a binary solvent of MeOH and H2O (1:1). The resulting CA complexes were characterized using analytical data (metal, H, C, and Cl, analysis) and spectral data (UV-visible, FT-IR, and 1H NMR) to elucidate the complexes’ structures. The results suggested that CA in anion form utilized oxygen atoms of the carboxylate group (-COO−) to capture Zn(II), Mg(II), and Ca(II) ions. This produced complexes with the general compositions of [Zn(CA)(H2O)Cl], [Mg(CA)(H2O)Cl]H2O, and [Ca(CA)(H2O)Cl]2H2O, respectively. The Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion assay was then used to explore the bioactivity of the CA complexes toward three fungal species, three Gram-positive bacteria, and two Gram-negative bacteria. The Ca(II) and Mg(II) complexes exhibited marked inhibitory effects on the cell growth of the fungal species Aspergillus niger with potency equal to 127% and 116% of the activity of the positive control, respectively. The Zn(II) and Ca(II) complexes strongly inhibited the growth of Penicillium sp., while the Zn(II) and Mg(II) complexes showed strong growth inhibition towards the Gram-negative species Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
Insights into the SARS-CoV-2 ORF6 Mechanism of Action
Authors: Krachmarova Elena , Petkov Peicho , Lilkova Elena , Ilieva Nevena , Rangelov Miroslav , Todorova Nadezhda , Malinova Kristina , Hristova Rossitsa , Nacheva Genoveva , Gospodinov Anastas , Litov Leandar
Published: June 2023

ORF6 is responsible for suppressing the immune response of cells infected by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. It is also the most toxic protein of SARS-CoV-2, and its actions are associated with the viral pathogenicity. Here we study in silico and in vitro the structure of the protein, its interaction with RAE1, and the mechanism of action behind its high toxicity. We show both computationally and experimentally that SARS-CoV-2 ORF6, embedded in the membranes of the endoplasmic reticulum, binds to RAE1 and sequesters it in the cytoplasm, thus depleting its availability in the nucleus and impairing nucleocytoplasmic mRNA transport. This negatively affects the cellular genome stability by compromising the cell cycle progression into the S-phase and by promoting the accumulation of RNA-DNA hybrids. Understanding the multiple ways in which ORF6 affects DNA replication may also have important implications for elucidating the pathogenesis of SARS-CoV-2 and developing therapeutic strategies to mitigate its deleterious effects on host cells.
Determinants of Child Nutritional Status among Scheduled Tribes in West Bengal
Authors: Barman Manabindra , Roy Chowdhury Dr. Indrajit
Published: June 2023

Malnutrition is the main cause of child mortality in developing nations, especially in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asian countries. This undernutrition status is predominantly higher among primitive tribal (ST) children under 5 years of age. The nutritional status of tribal children is a serious concern in India. For this, there should be intends to examine the prevalence and determinants of primitive tribal children's nutritional status. To investigate the effect of household, child’s & maternal characteristics on biological children under 5 years of age. The study aims to find out the association between some selected determinants on scheduled tribe child’s nutritional status. The study used some selected variable of scheduled tribe mothers, household characteristics and their children anthropometric indices from DHS datasets of India, which was published by the NFHS datasets of India. In this study People datasets and Children (Under 5 years of age) of interviewed women file datasets of NFHS-IV & V is taken. The datasets of West Bengal, ST mothers, and their child into consideration as per the research interest. Then to analyze the determinants of ST children (U5 age) nutritional status, some determinant factors are taken from mothers, children and household characteristics. Children’s stunting, wasting and underweight as dependent variable and the mothers, child’s and household’s characteristics as independent variable. The statistical analysis was done by using Pearson Chi square test used to analyze the association between dependent and independent variables. The study results shows that the mother’s educational status, child’s age, birth order, size of child at birth, type of residence had significant associations with stunting. Mother's anemia status and mother age had significant associations with wasting. Mother education, currently breastfeeding, child age, sex of the child, birth order, size of child at birth, type of residence, wealth, toilet facility, and cooking fuel shows a significant association with underweight. The results found that many determinant factors had a significant role among ST children's (U5 age) nutritional status. Thus, the findings will help to achieve tentative resource allocation, and utilization through various programs and policies to improve the ST children (U5 age) nutritional status. There is a need to take a multisectoral and multidimensional approach to develop for those primitive tribal children.
Visual Static Hand Gesture Recognition Using CNN
Authors: Eid Ahmed , Schwenker Friedhelm
Published: June 2023

Hand gestures are an essential part of human-to-human communication and interaction, and therefore for technical applications, the aim is increasingly to achieve interaction between humans and computers that is as natural as possible, for example by means of natural language or hand gestures. In the context of human-machine interaction research, these methods are consequently being explored more and more. However, the realization of natural communication between humans and computers is a major challenge. In the field of hand gesture recognition, research approaches are being pursued that use additional hardware such as special gloves to classify gestures with high accuracy. Recently, deep learning techniques using artificial neural networks have been increasingly proposed for the problem of gesture recognition without using such tools. In this context, in our approach convolutional neural network (CNN) will be explored in detail for the task of hand gesture recognition. CNN is a deep neural network that can be used in the field of visual object processing and classification. The goal of this work is to recognize ten types of static hand gestures in front of complex backgrounds and different hand sizes based on raw images without the use of extra hardware. We achieved good results with a CNN network architecture consisting of seven layers. Through data augmentation and skin segmentation, a significant increase of the model accuracy was achieved. On public benchmarks the ten gestures have been classified almost perfectly with a testing accuracy of 96.5%
Regulatory Roles of Flavonoids in Caspase-11 Non-canonical Inflammasome-mediated Inflammatory Responses and Diseases
Authors: Yi Young-Su
Published: June 2023

Inflammasomes are multiprotein complexes that activate inflammatory responses by inducing pyroptosis and secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Along with many previous studies on inflammatory responses and diseases induced by canonical inflammasomes, an increasing number of studies have demonstrated that non-canonical inflammasomes, such as mouse caspase-11 and human caspase-4 inflammasomes, are emerging key players in inflammatory responses and various diseases. Flavonoids are natural bioactive compounds found in plants, fruits, vegetables, and teas and have pharmacological properties in a wide range of human diseases. Many studies have successfully demonstrated that flavonoids play an anti-inflammatory role and ameliorate many inflammatory diseases by inhibiting canonical inflammasomes. Others have demonstrated the anti-inflammatory roles of flavonoids in inflammatory responses and various diseases, with a new mechanism by which flavonoids inhibit non-canonical inflammasomes. This review discusses recent studies that have investigated the anti-inflammatory roles and pharmacological properties of flavonoids in inflammatory responses and diseases induced by non-canonical inflammasomes and further provides insight into developing flavonoid-based therapeutics as potential nutraceuticals against human inflammatory diseases.
Burying Hatchets into Endemic Diagnoses: Disseminated Blastomycosis in a Novel Occupational Exposure
Authors: Davar Kusha , Jeng Arthur , Donovan Suzanne
Published: June 2023

Blastomycosis is an endemic fungal disease seen prominently in the northern regions of North America, manifested as pulmonary disease, however also with dissemination to the skin, bones, and genitourinary tract. We describe a case of a patient in Southern California diagnosed with disseminated blastomycosis due to a novel occupational exposure of axe throwing.
Soil Sustainability in an Integrated Production System in a Brazilian Semi-Arid Region
Authors: De Brito Neto José Félix , Chaves Fabrícia de Fátima Araújo , Silva André Luiz Pereira da , Mesquita Evandro Franklin de , Soares Cláudio Silva , Cruz Gislayne Kayne Gomes da , Ferraz Rener Luciano de Souza , Paiva Fernanda Ramos de , Araújo Kaíque Romero da Costa , De Melo Alberto Soares
Published: June 2023

Soil quality is a factor which is directly related to the sustainability of agricultural production and can be compromised through the use of inadequate management practices. In this work, soil edaphic respiration and changes in microbial biomass promoted by cover crops in an integrated crop-livestock system (ICLS) were evaluated using soil quality indicators by the respirometry method. The design used was completely randomized in a 3x6 factorial scheme and multivariate principal components analysis (PCA) was performed according to MANOVA. The edaphic respiration was determined based on the respirometry technique. From the results, it was found that edaphic soil respiration was significant in the nine evaluation periods, demonstrating the importance of grass cover on this edaphic respiration arising from the biological activity of microorganisms, which is directly related to the amount of organic carbon in the soil. It was concluded that the use of cover crops contributed to producing organic matter in the soil and consequently greater microbial respiratory activity.
IMPROVING MANEUVERABILITY OF A WHEELED VEHICLE BY IMPROVING TURN CONTROL METHOD
Authors: Mikhail Podrigalo Mikhail , Garmash Vyacheslav , Horielyshev Stanislav , Baulin Dmitro , Yarovyi Hennadii , Sydorenko Irya Iryna
Published: June 2023

A large number of scientific works and design developments are devoted to the study and improvement of the properties of maneuverability, which is also a complex (complex) property. At one time, the need to reduce the building volume required the installation of swivel wheels on the front steering axle of the car. However, in this case, additional resistance to the movement of the machine arose, which is due to the discrepancy between the trajectories of the movement of the front outer and inner guide wheels with their trajectories during an ideal turn. The development of the designs of electric vehicles and hybrid vehicles allows for separate control of the front wheels. The analysis of the whole variety of indicators and criteria of maneuverability in general and individual properties was carried out. Unlike other systematization of these indicators and criteria, it is proposed to divide these indicators and criteria into three main groups. All indicators and criteria used to assess the maneuverability of vehicles are also used to assess the maneuverability of wheeled tractors with a center of mass shifted to the rear axle and, therefore, have low controllability. Force and energy criteria can be used in the design of cars and tractors to ensure the ability of the latter to maneuver. In addition, as a result of the study, a combined method for controlling the movement of a two-axle swivel bogie of a wheeled vehicle has been improved due to the fact that its rotation is carried out by two torque control moments. The first of these control torques is generated by the driver through the steering and power cylinder. The second torque control moment is created due to the difference in torques on the wheels of the outer and inner sides of the two-axle swivel bogie. The implementation of these rules for regulating the distribution of traction forces between the sides makes it possible to overcome the resistance to rotation of a two-axle swivel bogie and improve the quality of motion control of the specified bogie and wheeled vehicle.
Keywords: maneuverability, separate control, wheeled vehicle, control method, two-axle swivel bogie
CALCULATION AND EXPERIMENTAL STUDY OF THE STRESS-STRAIN STATE OF ELEMENTS OF TECHNOLOGICAL SYSTEMS WITH USING OF THE METHOD OF FINITE ELEMENTS AND HOLOGRAPHIC INTERFEROMETRY
Authors: Tkachuk Mykola А. , Saverska Mariia , Grabovskiy Andrey , Tkachuk Mykola M. , Kutsenko Serhii , Tkachuk Hanna , Klochkov Illia , Pinchuk Natalija , Kokhanovska Olha , Zhadan Yuliya , Marusenko Svitlana , Khramtsova Iryna , Bondarenko Liudmyla , Cymbal Ganna , Aleksandrov Yehor , Sоprunov Igor
Published: June 2023

The work describes computational and experimental studies of the stress-strain state of elements of technological systems. The distribution of movements of individual surfaces is determined on the example of vice-type adjustable machine tools. In the course of experimental studies, normal displacements are determined from the pattern of stripes on the hologram. The components of the displacement vector in the plane of the investigated surfaces are determined by scanning speckle interferograms. The obtained distributions of the displacement components were compared with the distributions determined by the finite element method. Satisfactory convergence of the results of numerical and experimental studies has been confirmed. The constructed calculation models can be used for further studies of the behavior of the housings of vice-type devices under the action of complex loads. The advantage of the developed version of the calculation-experimental method of studying the stress-strain state is its direct focus on the verification of the calculation model. The basic results are the results of experimental studies in the form of patterns of interference bands. These pictures describe the distribution of displacement fields of points on the surfaces of the bodies under study. With this picture, which was obtained on a natural object, the pictures of displacement fields, which were obtained during calculations with the application of the finite element method, are compared. Numerically calculated pictures are modified depending on the boundary conditions that are applied, as well as on the characteristics of the finite element models that are being built. In order to determine adequate boundary conditions and acceptable variants of finite-element models, the functional of the discrepancy of the displacement distribution fields obtained, on the one hand, numerically, and on the other - experimentally, is minimized. This construction of the calculation model verification algorithm demonstrated its efficiency and effectiveness.
Keywords: stress-strain state; technological system; machine tool; finite element method; contact interaction
INTEGRATED CALCULATION AND EXPERIMENTAL TECHNOLOGY FOR ANALYSIS OF CONTACT INTERACTION WITH ACCOUNT OF ELASTIC INTERMEDIATE LAYER
Authors: Tkachuk Mykola M. , Hrechka Iryna , Tkachuk Mykola А. , Sierykov Volodymyr , Grabovskiy Andrey , Pinchuk Natalia , Tkachuk Нanna , Klochkov Illia , Tsendra Heorgii , Shevchenko Andriy , Kyrychuk Vladyslav , Friziuk Dmytro
Published: June 2023

The work delivers solution to a relevant scientific problem of solid mechanics. It consists  in developing theoretical basis for computational and experimental research of contact interaction of complex-shaped bodies with account for micromechanical models of roughness and other intermediate or surface layers. New methods and models have been developed for the analysis of contact interaction of complex-shaped bodies with account for the micromechanical properties of surface and intermediate layers characterized by nonlinear local contact stiffness. The developed methods and models as well as the numerical analysis tools have been applied to a series of model and applied problems. The deformation behaviour of novel materials with network microstructures of one-dimensional elements has been determined. Macroscopical properties of these materials have been evaluated based on the special microscopic models and the homogenization methods. Regularities in contact distribution and its dependence on geometrical and physical factors have been determined for various complexshaped bodies. New design solutions for machine elements that improve their strength and durability have been justified. The developed methods and analysis tools have been introduced into the design of new engineering products. Their implementation resulted in improved technical characteristics of protection, structural and functional elements of transport vehicles of special purpose, gear transmissions, technical equipment, hydrovolumetric drives and so on. The conducted computational and experimental studies showed good agreement with the real response of network materials and the observed behavior of interacting elastic bodies with intermediate contact layer.
Keywords: solid mechanics, complex-shaped body, contact interaction, contact pressure, intermediate layer
THE ROLE OF SOCIAL INVESTING EFFICACY IN MEDIATING THE EFFECT OF INDIVIDUAL VALUES ON ETHICAL INVESTMENT DECISIONS
Authors:   Universitas Brawijaya, Hanifa Khoiro Uma , Atmini Sari ,   Universitas Brawijaya
Published: June 2023

Along with the development of global issues regarding climate change, inequality, and pandemics, ethical investors now can integrate environmental and social aspects through sustainable- and responsible-based investment decisions which allow them to not only focus on financial goals. This study aims to investigate whether individual values, i.e., religiosity, altruism, and egoism, directly influence sustainable- and responsible-based investment decisions. This study also aims to find empirical evidence that those individual values (religiosity, altruism, and egoism) indirectly influence sustainable- and responsible-based investment decisions through social investing efficacy (SIE). The respondents of this study are 96 short-term Indonesian individual investors. Using structural equation modeling, this study does not succeed in finding evidence that religiosity, altruism, and egoism have direct influences on sustainable- and responsible-based investment decisions. However, this study documents that religiosity, altruism, and egoism indirectly influence sustainable- and responsible-based investment decisions through social investing efficacy.
Manajemen Risiko Sistem Informasi Ujian Secara Daring Di Sekolah Tinggi Manajemen Asuransi Trisakti
Authors: Syahrial Sidik Syahrial Sidik , Wahyuari Wahyuari
Published: June 2023

Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menegtahui manajemen risiko  Sistem Informasi Ujian secara Daring di Sekolah Tinggi Manajemen Asuransi Trisakti (STMA Trisakti). Penelitian ini menggunakan data yang bersifat primer yang didapat dari sumber datanya yakni wakil ketua I, kepala bidang Kompti, dosen dan mahasiswa, dianalisa sesi proses manajemen risiko yakni Komunikasi dan Konsultasi, Penentuan Konteks, Penilaian Risiko, Perlakuan Risiko, monitoring dan review. Teknik sampling yang digunakan adalah  non-probability sampling (purposive sampling) dan resiko akan dianalisa menggunakan probability impact matrix. Berdasarkan hasil analisis risiko Sistem Informasi Ujian secara Daring terdapat 3 risiko dengan kategori medium yaitu : Sistem informasi ujian online sesuai prosedur ujian online, Pengelolan risiko ujian online terkendali (manageable) oleh KOMPTI, Pemeliharaan sistem tinggi.
A Study on Drug Repositioning Clue Extraction Pipeline Based on Network Analysis in Social Network Services
Authors: Lee Wongyun , Lee Seunghee , Kim Jong-Yeup , Lee Suehyun
Published: June 2023

Objectives: In this study, we intend to propose a network analysis-based pipeline for drug repositioning using social network service data.Methods: We collected and analyzed 778 final posts on Cozaar-tab, a representative antihypertensive drug, from posts (2008-2022) of Naver Cafe, the largest social channel in Korea. For the analysis, we defined three filter dictionaries of the Cozaar-tab based on WHO-ART, an international classification system for drug side effects, and completed a network map by visualizing the extracted keywords.Results: We discussed to prepare evidence for drug repositioning from Cozaar-tab’s unexpected keyword ‘drowsiness’ to sleep inducing agent.Conclusions: Although this process is a narrow pipeline performance for a specific drug, it is expected to contribute to laying the foundation for data-based drug repositioning by supplementing it through clinical off-label review, additional data acquisition, and network analysis advancement in the future.
Study on Youth Activities and Happiness: Focused on Mediating Effect of Academic Engagement
Authors: Ko Mi-Suk , Oh Hye-Kyung
Published: June 2023

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of youth activities (participation and satisfaction) on happiness, focused on the mediating effect of academic engagement.Methods: The empirical analysis data of this study was extracted from the 3rd wave data of the Korean Children and Youth Panel Survey (KCYPS, 2018). The subjects of this study were 9th grade 2,384 adolescents. The data were analyzed with Pearson’s correlation coefficient, regression analysis, and the Sobel test.Results: The significant factors related to academic engagement were youth participation (B=-0.22, p<0.05) and satisfaction (B=0.34, p<0.001). A higher level of satisfaction with youth activities was associated with a higher level of happiness (B=0.04, p<0.001). Academic engagement was a partial mediator between the satisfaction of youth activities and happiness.Conclusions: The findings of this study suggest that further research is needed on practical methods and educational programs that can increase satisfaction with youth activities, and improve academic engagement in order to promote happiness in adolescents.
The Impact of Social Activity Participation on Health-related Quality of Life among Older Koreans Living Alone
Authors: Kwak Minju , Song Inmyung
Published: June 2023

Objectives: This study aims to determine the impact of social activity participation on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) among older Koreans living alone.Methods: We analyzed the data of 27,261 Korean adults aged 50 years and older, who participated in the 2019 Community Health Survey. HRQoL was measured as EuroQol-5 dimension (EQ-5D) using five questions regarding mobility, self-care, usual activities, pain/discomfort, and anxiety/depression. The study subjects were characterized using descriptive statistics. The t-test and ANOVA test were used to compare the mean EQ-5D indices between groups. Three multiple regression models were run to examine the impact of participating in social activities (friendship, leisure, religious, and volunteering) on EQ-5D indices.Results: The mean age of all respondents was 68.2 years old. The majority (66.1%) were women. 28.7% of respondents rated themselves to be unhealthy. 47.5% and 20.8% participated in friendship and leisure activities, respectively. On average, men had higher EQ-5D indices than women (0.908 vs. 0.849, p<0.001). The EQ-5D index was highest among participants who perceive themselves to be very healthy (Mean=0.969, p<0.001). The EQ-5D index was positively associated with only friendship and leisure activities (B=0.024 and 0.011, respectively, p<0.001).Conclusions: Among all types of social activities, only friendship and leisure activities may influence the HRQoL of older adults living alone. Therefore, the role of these activities should be emphasized in developing interventions to improve the HRQoL of the vulnerable population.