bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
You Watch Once More: A More Effective CNN Architecture for Video Spatio-Temporal Action Localization
Authors: Qin Yefeng , Chen Lei , Ben Xianye , Yang Mingqiang
Published: July 2023

The task of spatio-temporal action localization (STAL) needs to detect the action and position of individuals in the scene. Many works focus on how to improve the accuracy, but they usually ignore inference speed and practical applications. To address the above problems, we propose a new end-to-end spatio-temporal action localization network called You Watch Once More (YWOM). In this work, there are three measures proposed to improve the accuracy of positioning and recognition while guaranteeing the inference speed. First, a new feature fusion mechanism based on frequency channel attention (FCA) is proposed, which can effectively fuse the features extracted by different backbones. In addition, a new loss function is proposed to speed up the regression and convergence of the bounding box. Specifically, the SIOU regression loss function instead of the smooth L1 loss function is applied to help the model converge stably. Moreover, a lateral connection mechanism is designed to apply more backbones to our network structure. The experimental results demonstrate that YWOM can achieve online inference speed and has good performance of spatio-temporal action localization tasks. YWOM has superiority over other related works including YOWO on the UCF101-24 dataset. The frame-mAP and the video-mAP (0.2) are improved by 4.23% and 1.63% respectively.
Kynureninase knockdown inhibits cisplatin resistance in vivo and in vitro and impacts the prognosis of cervical adenocarcinoma
Authors: Zhang Jun-wen , Wang Ya-nan , Zhong Mei-ling , Liang Mei-rong
Published: July 2023

Background
Chemotherapy resistance is a leading cause of treatment failure in cases of cervical adenocarcinoma (ADC), and no effective treatment approach has yet been found. We previously identified the differentially expressed kynureninase (KYNU) mRNA in cervical adenocarcinoma cells (HeLa) and cervical adenocarcinoma cisplatin resistance cells (HeLa/DDP) using gene chips. However, the role and potential mechanism of KYNU in the cisplatin resistance of cervical adenocarcinoma remain unclear.
Methods
We verified the expression of KYNU in the cells and tissues of ADC patients and analyzed its correlation with patient prognosis. A stable HeLa/DDP cell line with KYNU mRNA knockdown was constructed. We then used a CCK8 assay to detect cell survival, a transwell assay to evaluate cell migration and proliferation and flow cytometry to measure apoptosis. The effect of KYNU silence on cisplatin sensitivity was evaluated in an orthotopic model of metastatic ADC. Immunohistochemistry was performed to determine the changes in relevant drug resistance-associated protein expression, aiming to explore the underlying mechanism of KYNU-mediated drug resistance.
Results
KYNU is overexpressed in HeLa/DDP cells and tissues and is associated with the poor prognoses of patients with ADC. After KYNU mRNA knockdown, the invasion, migration, and proliferation of HeLa/DDP cells in the cisplatin environment significantly reduced, while the apoptosis rate of HeLa/DDP cells significantly increased. Meanwhile, KYNU knockdown improved the DDP sensitivity of ADC in vivo. Furthermore, silencing KYNU decreased the expressions of CD34 and the drug-resistance related proteins P-gp, MRP1, and GST-π and increased the level of the proapoptotic regulatory protein Bax.
Conclusion
KYNU deficiency enhanced DDP sensitivity by suppressing cell proliferation, migration, and invasion and promoting apoptosis in DDP-resistant ADC cells in vitro. Furthermore, KYNU knockdown improved the drug sensitivity of ADC in vivo. The results showed that KYNU is involved in the chemotherapy resistance of cervical adenocarcinoma.
Microstate Analysis of Infant EEG: Tutorial and Reliability
Authors: Bagdasarov Armen , Brunet Denis , Michel Christoph M. , Gaffrey Michael S.
Published: July 2023

Microstate analysis of resting-state EEG is a unique data-driven method for identifying patterns of scalp potential topographies, or microstates, that reflect stable but transient periods of synchronized neural activity evolving dynamically over time. During infancy – a critical period of rapid brain development and brain plasticity – microstate analysis offers a unique opportunity for characterizing the spatial and temporal dynamics of brain activity. However, whether measurements derived from this approach (e.g., temporal properties, transition probabilities, neural sources) show strong psychometric properties (i.e., reliability) during infancy is unknown and key information for advancing our understanding of how microstates are shaped by early life experiences and whether they relate to individual differences in infant abilities. A lack of methodological resources for performing microstate analysis of infant EEG has further hindered adoption of this cutting-edge approach by infant researchers. As a result, in the current study, we systematically addressed these knowledge gaps and report that all microstate-based measurements of brain organization and functioning except for transition probabilities were highly stable and reliable with as little as 2–3 minutes of video-watching resting-state data and provide a step-by-step tutorial, accompanying website, and open-access data for performing microstate analysis using a free, user-friendly software called Cartool. Taken together, the current study supports the reliability and feasibility of using EEG microstate analysis to study infant brain development and increases the accessibility of this approach for the field of developmental neuroscience.
A novel nomogram and risk classification system for predicting overall survival in mucinous gastric adenocarcinoma：a population-based study
Authors: Wang Pengchao , Xia Qingcheng , Lu Ming , Shi Yexin , Song Qingyu , Wang Zijun , Zhao Qinghong , Ma Xiang
Published: July 2023

Purpose
Gastric mucinous adenocarcinoma (MGC) is an uncommon and special malignant tumor. There is currently no research has been conducted on MGC patient survival risk factors. Hence, the objective of this study was to develop and validate a prognostic prediction model for predicting survival outcomes in MGC patients.
Methods
A total of 586 patients diagnosed with MGC between 2004 and 2015 were extracted from the SEER database. Using univariate and multivariate Cox proportional regression models, independent prognostic factors for overall survival (OS) in MGC patients were identified. Based on these factors, a prognostic model for MGC was established. The prediction accuracy and reliability of the novel model were evaluated utilizing concordance-index (C-index), calibration curve, receiver-operator-curve (ROC) and clinicaldecision-curve-analysis (DCA).
Results
Multivariate Cox regression analysis revealed that age at diagnosis, marital status, pT stage, M, surgery status, radiotherapy and chemotherapy are independent influencing factors of OS in patients with MGC. The model C-index and the area-under-the-curve (AUC) values indicted a high level of differentiation. The calibration curve also demonstrates that the predicted values and actual observed values are in good correlation. Additionally, the DCA curve demonstrates that the nomogram is vastly superior to the 8th edition of the TNM staging system, has superior predictive performance, and is more clinically applicable.
Conclusions
The prediction model constructed and validated for the first time has exceptional prediction performance, can accurately estimate the OS of MGC patients, has a certain reference value for clinical patients, and is beneficial to the management of clinical patients.
Modeling the Effect of Meteorological Parameters on Malaria Epidemiology: Identification of an Optimal Model for Application
Authors: Egbom S. E. , Nduka F.O. , Nzeako S.O. , Nwafor G.O. , Bartholomew D.C. , Nwaigwe C.C. , Iwu H.C , Nwokike C.I. , Opara M.C. , Ezenwaka C.O. , Anyanwu E.O. , Akanno F.C.
Published: July 2023

Background:
This study aims to investigate the relationship between meteorological parameters and malaria epidemiology to identify an optimal model for predicting and understanding the spread of malaria in Rivers State of Nigeria. Malaria remains a significant public health concern, particularly in tropical and subtropical regions, where climatic factors play a crucial role in its transmission dynamics. By analyzing historical malaria and meteorological data from Rivers State, we developed a comprehensive modeling framework to quantify the impact of meteorological parameters on malaria incidence.
Method:
Five statistical models for count data were employed to identify the most influential meteorological variables and establish their associations with malaria transmission.
Results:
The results obtained show that, the best count data model out of the five models considered in this study is the Quasi-Poisson Regression Model because it resulted to smaller Mean Absolute Percentage Error (MAPE) and Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) values. The Quasi-Poisson Regression Model showed that none of the meteorological variables used in the models were significant at 5% level of significance in predicting the number of cases of malaria in the study location.
Conclusion:
The findings of this study highlight the need for a multifaceted approach to malaria control in Rivers State, addressing not only the meteorological factors but also the biological, social and economic determinants of the disease. The identified optimal model serves as a valuable resource for policymakers, researchers, and healthcare practitioners, enabling them to make informed decisions and implement targeted interventions to mitigate the impact of malaria outbreaks.
Da “Justiça” ao “Acesso à Justiça”: Representação, processo coletivo e “Véu da Ignorância”
Authors: Osna Gustavo
Published: July 2023

Ao longo das últimas décadas tem se tornado comum, no processo civil brasileiro, a oferta de protagonismo à ideia de acesso à justiça. Também, tem sido cada vez mais corriqueira a defesa de que a proteção coletiva de direitos individuais poderia contribuir para a afirmação desse objetivo. Para avaliar esse discurso, o presente artigo procura recordar que ele deve ser antecedido por uma própria definição suficiente do conceito de justiça. Assim, adota-se como parâmetro exemplificativo a visão desenvolvida sobre o tema por John Rawls, demonstrando que a sua construção teórica, pautada na ferramenta do véu da ignorância, ratifica a adequação da tutela coletiva.
A catastrophe identification method for rainfall time series coupled sequential Mann-Kendall algorithm and Bernaola Galvan algorithm: a case study of the Qinglong River watershed, China
Authors: Liu Xingpo , Jia Chenchen , Chai Yaozhi
Published: July 2023

The identification of rainfall catastrophe characteristics is important for rainfall consistency testing in hydrostatistical analysis. In this study, a new classification method (trend, mean and change-rate catastrophe) was proposed and applied to the Qinglong River watershed, Northern China. Two groups of algorithms were compared to obtain the optimal algorithm: the Cumulative-anomaly method and the Sequential Mann-Kendall (SQ-MK) algorithm, the Pettitt algorithm and the Bernaola-Galvan heuristic segmentation (B-G) algorithm. Its parameters were optimized and its robustness was tested. Results revealed that: (1) The SQ-MK algorithm was suitable for trend catastrophe and sensitive to the length of the time series. The most significant point of trend catastrophe in the Qinglong River watershed was in 2012. (2) The sensitivity of parameter P0 (Range value (R) = 4.333) in the B-G algorithm was greater than that of parameter l0 (R = 2.889). (3) The B-G algorithm was suitable for identifying mean catastrophes and insensitive to the length of the time series. In the Qinglong River watershed, mean catastrophe points were identified in 1997, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2009, 2012, and 2018. (4) There was no change-rate catastrophe point in the Qinglong River watershed. Trend catastrophe and mean catastrophe do not necessarily lead to change-rate catastrophe.
Pyrazole; A Privileged Scaffold of Medicinal Chemistry: A Comprehensive
Review
Authors: Kumar Ram , Sharma Raksha , Sharma Dinesh Kumar
Published: July 2023

Pyrazole is considered an important active scaffold that possesses various types of pharmacological
activities. The overwhelming literature reported earlier reflects the immense biological
potential of pyrazole derivatives. The presence of this moiety in various FDA-approved drugs,
including celecoxib (anti-inflammatory), apixaban (anticoagulant), rimonabant (anti-obesity), difenamizole
(analgesic), and sildenafil (for erectile dysfunction), has proved its pharmacological potential.
Owing to its diversity in the biological field, this nucleus has attracted the attention of
many researchers to study its skeleton chemically and biologically. This review highlights the literature
supporting the research of the past 10 years related to the structures of pyrazole derivatives
with their corresponding biological activities. The findings of this review may open new avenues
for an upcoming scientific breakthrough.
Detection of Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease with Non-invasive Tools
in Turkish People Living with HIV and with Apparently Normal Liver
Function
Authors: Başaran Nursel Çalık , İdilman İlkay , Tokuçoğlu Hayriye Altunay , Onur Mehmet Ruhi , Sönmezer Meliha Çağla , Özışık Lale , Karçaaltıncaba Muşturay , İnkaya Ahmet Çağkan , Ünal Serhat
Published: July 2023

Background:

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has become a significant cause of
mortality and morbidity in people living with HIV.

Objective:

We aimed to investigate NAFLD presence by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) methods,
including MRI-derived proton density fat fraction (MRI-PDFF) and MRE, and ultrasound elastography
among Turkish people living with HIV (PLWH), and identify factors correlated with fatty liver.

Methods:

We included 57 PLWH attending outpatient clinics on antiretroviral therapy (ART) for
more than six months, without HBV/HCV co-infection, significant alcohol consumption, active opportunistic
infection, previously diagnosed hepatobiliary disease, T2DM, and hyperlipidemia. We
performed MRI, MRE, and US elastography on all participants.

Results:

The mean age of the participants (M/F, 47/10) was 41.7± 12 years. The median duration of
HIV infection was 3 (0.5-19 years) years. The mean MRI-PDFF was 4.4 ± 3.8 %, and 11 had fatty
liver. The mean MRE value was 2.27 ± 0.6 kPa, inflammation was present in 16, and 4 participants
had values consistent with fibrosis. The mean US elastography of the study population was 4.1±2.4
kPa. The mean right and left CCA intima-media of the study population was 0.65± 0.23 mm and
0.66± 0.25 mm; 16 had increased intima-media thickness. In patients with fatty liver, a significant
positive correlation was present between MRE and CCA intima-media thickness (rs=0.82, p:0.006 for
MRE-left CCA; r=0.68, p=0.042 for MRE-right CCA).

Conclusion:

We demonstrated that even a significant proportion of PLWH individuals with normal
transaminase levels have fatty liver. Future prospective trials are warranted to understand and mitigate
the risk factors, course of NAFLD, and accurate non-invasive tests, predicting fibrosis in people living
with HIV.
In-silico Study of Secondary Metabolites as Potential Inhibitors of NEF and P24 Protein of HIV-1
Authors: Singh Krishna Vijay Kumar
Published: July 2023

Introduction:

Acquired immune deficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) has been a major global health concern for over 38 years. No safe and effective preventive or therapeutic vaccine has been developed although many products have been investigated.

Methods:

This computational study was conducted on plant-based active compounds against HIV-1 NEF and p24 protein to obtain and complexes with high binding scores were used for two-dimensional interaction studies via Ligplot to explore hydrogen bond and hydrophobic bond formation. ADMET analysis for best phytocompounds was performed using DruLito, ALOGPS, and PROTOX II.

Results:

According to the study conducted, phytocompounds like, Protostrychnine, Isostrychnine, Pseudo-Alpha-Colubrine, Alpha-Colubrine, Camptothecin, Benzo[f]quinoline, and (+) -Camptothecin are safe to be considered as a potential drug candidate after experimental validation against NEF and p24 proteins of HIV-1. While, Picrasidine M, Chaetochromin, 3’,3’-Binaringenin, and Sequoiaflavone displayed high binding scores of -10.8, -8.2, -9.5, -9.2 and -9.0, -8.8, -10.6, -9.0 respectively for NEF and p24 protein. All drugs belong to the toxicity class of either 4 or 5. They are inactive for hepatotoxicity and carcinogenicity but active for immunogenicity.

Conclusion:

For further validation of the results the phytocompounds can be extracted through solvent extraction method and tested on cell lines or animal models for their effectiveness.
The Effect of Renal Replacement Therapy in a Patient with Mercaptopurine
Toxicity: Time to Revise Guidelines
Authors: Quaedvlieg H.J.L. , Polderman F.N. , Borkent M. , Jonge De H.J.M. , Annema P.A. , Derijks L.J.J. , Sikma M.A. , Bethlehem C.
Published: July 2023

Introduction:

Mercaptopurine, a thiopurine, is used in various disorders of immune regulation,
such as autoimmune hepatitis. Thiopurine metabolism is complex with risk for overdosing,
especially when metabolism is impaired by liver dysfunction. Hepatotoxicity may be due to mercaptopurine
overdose and is often reversible after prompt cessation of the drug.

Case Presentation:

Treatment of thiopurine toxicity is mainly supportive and literature on enhanced
elimination by renal replacement therapy is ambiguous.

Conclusion:

In this case of thiopurine toxicity, a patient with autoimmune hepatitis presents with
abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. We show in this case report that renal replacement
therapy had no effect on total body clearance of mercaptopurine.
Discovery of New Quinazoline Derivatives as VEGFR-2 Inhibitors: Design, Synthesis,
and Anti-proliferative Studies
Authors: Dhawale Sachin A. , Dabhade Pratap S. , Mokale Santosh N.
Published: July 2023

Background:

In cancer, Receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) are powerful oncoproteins that can lead to uncontrolled
cell proliferation, angiogenesis, and metastasis when mutated or overexpressed, making them crucial targets for
cancer treatment. In endothelial cells, one of them is vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (VEGFR2), a tyrosine
kinase receptor that is produced and is the most essential regulator of angiogenic factors involved in tumor angiogenesis.
So, a series of new N-(4-(4-amino-6,7-dimethoxyquinazolin-2-yloxy)phenyl)-N-phenyl cyclopropane-1,1-
dicarboxamide derivatives as VEGFR-2 inhibitors have been designed and synthesized.

Methods:

The designed derivatives were synthesized and evaluated using H-NMR, C13-NMR, and Mass spectroscopy.
The cytotoxicity was done with HT-29 and COLO-205 cell lines. The potent compound was further studied for Vegfr-
2 kinase inhibition assay. Furthermore, the highest activity compound was tested for cell cycle arrest and apoptosis.
The molecular docking investigation was also done with the help of the Glide-7.6 program interfaced with Maestro-
11.3 of Schrodinger 2017. The molecular dynamics simulation was performed on the Desmond module of Schrodinger.

Results:

Compound SQ2 was observed to have promising cytotoxic activity (IC50 = 3.38 and 10.55 μM) in comparison
to the reference drug Cabozantinib (IC50 = 9.10 and 10.66 μM) against HT-29 and COLO-205, respectively. The synthesized
compound SQ2 showed VEGFR-2 kinase inhibition activity (IC50 = 0.014 μM) compared to the reference
drug, Cabozantinib (IC50 = 0.0045 μM). Moreover, compound SQ2 strongly induced apoptosis by arresting the cell
cycle in the G1 and G2/M phases. The docking study was performed to understand the binding pattern of the new
compounds to the VEGFR-2 active site. Docking results attributed the potent VEGFR-2 inhibitory effect of the new
compounds as they bound to the key amino acids in the active site, Asp1044, and Glu883, as well as their hydrophobic
interaction with the receptor's hydrophobic pocket. The advanced computational study was also done with the help of
molecular dynamics simulation.

Conclusion:

The findings show that the developed derivatives SQ2 and SQ4 are equally powerful as cabozantinib at
cellular and enzymatic levels. The apoptosis and cell cycle results show that the proposed compounds are potent. This
research has provided us with identical or more potent VEGFR-2 inhibitors supported by the results of docking studies,
molecular dynamics simulation, cytotoxic actions, in vitro VEGFR-2 inhibition, apoptosis, and cell cycle arrest.
Analytical Techniques for Analysis of Metals and Minerals in Water
Authors: Đurović Saša , Šorgić Saša , Popov Saša , Filip Snežana
Published: July 2023

Investigation of the water samples for content of bulk, trace and heavy
metals is of great importance for the humanity. For this purpose, a large number of
analytical techniques have been developed. Beside analytical techniques, there are
systems and methods for pretreatment and preparation of the samples for analysis.
There are also procedures for sampling and sample preservation which are essential for
the final result. There are several available instrumental techniques for the analysis of
metals in water samples (AAS, GFAAS, ICP-OES, ICP-MS, etc.), which can be
divided into several groups such as volumetric, spectrophotometric, electrochemical,
chromatographic, etc. All these techniques may be coupled among themselves and with
techniques for sample preparation such as preconcentration techniques. This improves
the performance of the applied techniques and decrease the possibility of the
contamination of samples. This chapter provides an insight into all these processes and
issues from sampling, sample conservation, pretreatment and preparation to the
application of different analytical techniques for analysis of water samples.
PIXE/PIGE Measurements of Archaeological Glass, its Conceptualization and Interpretation: A Case Study
Authors: Balvanović Roman , Šmit Žiga
Published: July 2023

Reliable scientific answers to questions posed by social sciences, like
archeology, to exact sciences, like physics or chemistry, depend not only on
meaningfully posed questions, well-selected and pretreated samples and accurate and
precise measurements, but also on an area of interpretation that exists between the two
fields. This interdisciplinary area consists of many representations of measurement
data, notions, and concepts that evolve through solving particular problems. However,
this set of concepts is not always determinate, clear and consistent, obscuring the
problem and obstructing the interpretation of results. The chapter explains this starting
with a concrete example of measurements of archaeological glass using simultaneous
PIXE/PIGE measurements, explaining general and technical details of measurements,
and proceeds to show how the measurements are treated, processed, and displayed in
ways to comply with the concepts, interpret the results, and provide adequate answers
to the questions posed by archeology. The chapter also offers some possible
improvements through a few novel concepts and ways of interpretation.
Biosynthesis of Nanomaterials via Plant Extracts
Authors: Fu Li
Published: July 2023

Nanoparticles (NPs) have become a hot research material in many fields,
such as catalysis, sensing, clinical diagnosis, medical treatment, antimicrobial agents,
and environmental remediation, due to their small size, high surface area, high
reactivity, and unique optical, electrical, and thermodynamic properties. The type,
morphology, size, and surface function modification of NPs determine their
performance and application scope. The development of green, simple, and controllable
NP synthesis methods is an important research direction at present. The biosynthesis of
NPs is a kind of green synthesis method that uses organisms or biomolecules to reduce
NP precursors. The reaction conditions are mild, the energy consumption is low, and
there is no need for expensive equipment or harmful chemicals. It has been developed
into an important branch of nanobiotic technology. This chapter summarizes the latest
progress in the synthesis of NPs from different plant tissue extracts. It also summarizes
the biosynthesis mechanism and application of NPs, analyzes the main problems faced
by the biosynthesis method, and prospects its future research direction.
Extraction and Application of Plant Exosomes
Authors: Fu Li
Published: July 2023

Plant extracellular vesicles (EVs) are membranous vesicles secreted by plant
cells, with a lipid bilayer as the basic skeleton, which encapsulates various active
substances such as proteins and nucleic acids. Plant exosomes are nanoscale vesicles
secreted by plant cells, containing DNA, small RNA, sRNA, microRNA, miRNA and
proteins, which mediate cell-to-cell communication. Plant exosomes play antiinflammatory, antiviral, anti-fibrosis, anti-tumor and other roles through the substances
contained in them, and participate in the defense response to pathogen invasion. Plant
exosome nanoparticles are mostly edible and can be used as delivery vehicles for
specific drugs without toxicity or side effects. In this chapter, the recent literature
reports on plant exosomes are reviewed, and the sources and functions of plant
exosomes are summarized and analyzed.
Good Guy vs. Bad Guy: The Opposing Roles of Nanoparticles in Plant
Authors: Fu Li
Published: July 2023

The increasingly wide application of artificial nanomaterials is bound to lead
to a large number of nanomaterials in the ecological environment, so the possible
environmental pollution and ecological effects of nanomaterials have also attracted
great attention. Plants are an important part of the ecosystem. On the one hand,
nanomaterials may affect the development and growth of plants. On the other hand, the
metabolic activities of plants can affect the migration and transformation behavior of
nanomaterials in the environment and their transmission in the food web. This chapter
reviews recent studies on the interaction between nanomaterials and plants, and
discusses the toxic effects of different nanomaterials on plants from the plant to the
plant cell level, as well as the process of plant uptake and transport of nanomaterials.
Antioxidant activity of bioactive peptides from peanuts protein hydrolysate
Authors: Rachmawati Maulidya , Intan Prastiwi Wahyu , Narsito Wulan Siti
Published: July 2023

Peanut protein hydrolysate was produced from peanut protein isolate hydrolyzed using Alcalase® 2.4 L. Hydrolysis conditions were optimized using a response surface methodology. The two independent variables were the substrate/enzyme ratio and the hydrolysis time with lower and upper limits of (20:1-50:1 v/v) and (1-3 hours), respectively. Both were designed at three levels of central composite design from the response surface methodology and the degree of hydrolysis as the dependent variable. This study aimed to obtain the optimum conditions for enzymatic hydrolysis of peanut protein isolate using Alcalase to produce protein hydrolysate with the maximum degree of hydrolysis. The optimum hydrolysis conditions obtained were the substrate/enzyme ratio of 20:1 (v/v) and the hydrolysis time of 3 hours with a predicted degree of hydrolysis of 40.54%. The actual experimental results obtained a degree of hydrolysis of 40.35% (p>0.05), which showed no difference between the predicted and experimental results. The highest antioxidant activity was obtained from the combination of these treatments, indicated by IC50 of 5.61 ppm.
The effect of brewing time on the antioxidant properties and consumer's preference of green tea and jasmine tea
Authors: Hartanti Dwi , Hamad Alwani
Published: July 2023

Jasmine tea is a popular tea type obtained from scenting tea (Camellia sinensis (L.) Kuntze) leaves with jasmine (Jasminum sambac (L.) Aiton) flowers. This study aimed to evaluate the antioxidant properties and sensory aspects of jasmine and green tea brewed at different times. The commercial jasmine and green tea were brewed in boiling water at a ratio of 1:100 for 0.5, 1, 2.5, 5, 10, 30, and 60 min. The obtained tea was evaluated for colour, pH, total flavonoid content (TFC), total phenolic content (TPC), 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) scavenging activity, and ferric-reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) by standard methods. Thirty-three untrained consumers evaluated the preference for tea from different brewing times. Jasmine tea exerted darker colour, lower pH, higher TFC and TPC, and higher FRAP than green tea. The values of those parameters increased with longer brewing time, with the optimum time being 30 min. However, the longer brewing generated tea liked less by consumers. The most favoured tea was jasmine green tea brewed for 5 min with aroma as the most preferred attribute. Our study suggested that brewing tea for a longer time benefited with better antioxidant properties but disadvantaged in sensory aspects.
Effect of relative humidity and light exposure on fluorescence compound dynamics, soluble solid and acidity of Japanese Citrus Iyokan during postharvest treatment
Authors: Muharfiza Muharfiza , Firmanda Al-Riza Dimas , Sen Nie , Kohno Yasushi , Suzuki Tetsuhito , Kuramoto Makoto , Ogawa Yuichi , Kondo Naoshi
Published: July 2023

The Miyauchi iyokan (iyokan) citrus fruit is typically harvested in late December to prevent damage from the winter weather. At the time of harvest, the ratio of Soluble Solids (SS) to acid content is generally low, commonly used to assess the quality of the juice. Therefore, the goal during postharvest treatment is to decrease the acid content and improve the SS levels. The quality of citrus can be influenced by environmental factors such as relative humidity (RH) and exposure to light, so it is important to monitor their effects. Hence, this study aims to observe the changes in internal quality indicators, such as the SS/acid ratio and fluorescence compounds, under different RH and light conditions to understand how the citrus characteristics are affected. The postharvest treatment involved storing the citrus fruit at temperatures between 5-10°C for two months under various conditions i.e., in the dark and exposed to light, with high RH (80-90%) and low RH (40-50%). The SS/acid ratio did not show significant changes during the two months of storage under any treatments. However, the high RH condition resulted in a slightly higher SS/acid ratio. Similarly, the Tryptophan-like compound did not exhibit any significant response to the different treatments. However, the intensity of fluorescence from polymethoxylated flavones (PMFs) was higher in the dark treatment compared to the light treatment. PMFs play various roles in signaling and defense mechanisms in plants. Additionally, there was a notable increase in PMFs after thirty days of storage, indicating a response to light-induced stress.
Pulsed electric field and pre-heating treatment effect on free fatty acid (FFA), pH, vitamin C, and organoleptic properties of milk
Authors: Dany Priyanto Anugerah , Estiasih Teti , Wahyu Putranto Angky , Widyasari Widyasari , Sampe Tola Pardi
Published: July 2023

The pulsed electric field (PEF)has been extensively studied in milk processing. However, treatment conditions still need to be improved to meet safety for consumption. This study aimed to determine optimum conditions by varying PEF and preheating treatment time. Free fatty acids (FFA), pH, and vitamin C are used to assess the milk quality. Preheating temperature is fixed at 70°C and the treatment time: 10, 20, and 30 minutes. PEF parameters are electric field, 66 μs pulse width, and the applied time of 2, 4, and 6 minutes. The pH value and preheating treatment time show a negative linear relationship in the range of 6.75-7.15, while PEF treatment time did not significantly affect pH. The FFA linearly increases as preheating treatment time increases from 0.0053-0.0097%. Vitamin C decreases as preheating treatment time increase from 0.003-0.0049 mg/ml. PEF treatment significantly affects vitamin C, where vitamin C decreases as treatment time increases. Preheating and PEF treatment time show positive effects on the organoleptic properties of milk. The organoleptic properties values are flavor 3.93, aroma 4.00, and color 3.9 out of 5.
Modelos de regresión simple para estimar el área foliar en Melina Gmelina arborea Roxb. ex Sim. en el sistema silvopastoril SINPAR
Authors: Vásquez Rojas Carlos Augusto , Sarmiento Estupiñán Javier , Contreras Castro Jorge Humberto , Canchila Asencio Emiro Rafael
Published: July 2023

La melina Gmelina arborea Roxb. ex Sim. es considerada una especie potencial para ser utilizada en programas de restauración y sistemas silvopastoriles por su caracterización bromatológica, producción de forraje verde y propiedades maderables, sin embargo, se requiere de establecer variables relacionadas con la producción de biomasa foliar, como el área foliar, por ser un elemento dinámico en los procesos fisiológicos vegetales. Por lo anterior, el presente trabajo tuvo como objetivo definir un modelo de regresión simple para estimar el área foliar en esta especie, donde se realizó un estudio observacional transversal correlacional basado en un muestreo aleatorio simple, con un tamaño de muestra de 18 árboles, corte de 93 ramas y colecta de 3368 hojas y en el laboratorio se midió el largo y el ancho máximo foliar para establecer el área foliar. Sobre el material se aplicó estadística descriptiva desde medidas y gráficas representativas, como también estadística inferencial soportada en la estimación y la selección del modelo de regresión simple linealizado (lineal, cuadrático, cúbico) y no linealizado (logarítmico, potencial, exponencial). Para la selección del modelo propuesto, se establecieron como criterios de bondad de ajuste: coeficiente de determinación (R2), error cuadrático medio (ecm), p-valor de coeficientes [(p)βx], análisis de residuos (normalidad, homocedasticidad, dispersión de residuos vs. valores ajustados) y Akaike (aic) y se concluye que la estimación del área foliar en melina está relacionada con las variable largo y ancho foliar desde los modelos de regresión exponencial af = 28,0105*e(0,1192*LF) y af = 35,2523*e(0,1421*AnF). Además, estos modelos tienen un alto grado de confiabilidad para su uso en predicciones del área foliar en esta especie.
Association between the transition to metabolically unhealthy obesity and lifestyle behavior: A nationwide cohort study (Preprint)
Authors: Lee HyunHae , Shin Hyerine , Kim Ji-Su
Published: July 2023

BACKGROUND

Metabolic syndrome and obesity, known as major risk factors for chronic diseases, are closely related. This has led to two new concepts—“metabolically healthy obesity” (MHO) and “metabolically unhealthy obesity” (MUO)—with a high risk of transition from MHO to MUO. MHO has a lower likelihood of progressing to secondary chronic diseases compared with MUO, highlighting the importance of maintaining a metabolic, healthy status and prolonging this state.

OBJECTIVE

To identify the characteristics of individuals transition from MHO to MUO and to identify factors influencing the change.

METHODS

Data from the National Health Insurance Service in Korea was used. We collected data from individuals diagnosed with MHO during health screenings in 2009 and 2010, and those who were still identified with obesity four years later. We examined sociodemographic characteristics, physical examinations, blood test results, and lifestyle behaviors. Factors related to the transition to MUO were determined using logistic regression analysis by adjusting sociodemographic and physical characteristics.

RESULTS

We analyzed 1,564,467 individuals. There were statistically significant differences in all sociodemographic, physical, metabolic, and health behavior factors between subjects who transitioned from MHO to MUO and those who did not. Among the male population, the transition to MUO exhibited a positive association with and smoking and alcohol consumption, and a negative association with physical activity. Among females, alcohol consumption also showed a negative correlation. Regardless of age, regular exercise was negatively associated with the transition to MUO for all individuals. Except for older adults, participants of all age groups showed a positive correlation with smoking and alcohol consumption.

CONCLUSIONS

Considering the stronger influence of health behaviors on the transition to MUO in males and individuals under 65 years of age, it is essential to develop and implement interventions that consider gender and age to delay and prevent the onset of MUO. Furthermore, as physical activity significantly impacts reducing the transition to MUO and is an effective antidote intervention for obesity itself, there is a need to develop interventions that enable individuals to practically engage in regular exercise, regardless of age and gender.
Trends in the Ophthalmic Workforce and Eye Care Infrastructure in South India: Cross-Sectional Questionnaire Study (Preprint)
Authors: Pallerla Srinivasa R , Pallerla Madhurima R , Krishnaiah Sannapaneni
Published: July 2023

BACKGROUND

This study is part of broad-based research to determine the impact of blindness control activities in general and with special reference to the Andhra Pradesh Right to Sight Society (APRTSS) activities in the southern Indian states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. As part of the global “VISION 2020: The Right to Sight” initiative, the APRTSS was established in the undivided state of Andhra Pradesh in 2002. Since then, the APRTSS has been actively implementing the strategies of VISION 2020 to reduce visual impairment and blindness in the state.

OBJECTIVE

The availability and distribution of the eye care workforce are essential to reach the goals of VISION 2020: The Right to Sight, the global initiative to eliminate avoidable blindness. This study assessed the trends in the availability and distribution of eye health professionals and eye care infrastructure in 2 southern Indian states: Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.

METHODS

This cross-sectional study used a pretested questionnaire to gather data for the year from 2012 to 2013. Data for 2002 to 2003 were collected from available historical records. The questionnaires were pretested in a pilot study conducted before the main survey. Pretested questionnaires were administered to all eye care professionals—ophthalmologists (n=1712) and midlevel ophthalmic personnel (MLOP; n=1250)—eye care facilities with ≥10 inpatient beds or performing ≥100 cataract surgeries per annum (n=640), local nongovernmental eye care organizations (n=182), and international eye care organizations (n=10). Data were collected for 2 different time periods: the baseline year of 2002 to 2003 and the target year of 2012 to 2013. Data analysis was conducted using SPSS version 19.0.

RESULTS

The response rates were 81.1% (519/640) for eye care facilities, 96.1% (1645/1712) for ophthalmologists, and 67.6% (845/1250) for MLOP. From 2002-2003 to 2012-2013, there has been an increase in eye care facilities, from 234 to 519 (121.8%); ophthalmologists, from 935 to 1712 (83.1%); and MLOP, from 767 to 1250 (63%). The ophthalmologist:population ratio improved from 1:88,260 in 2002-2003 to 1:51,468 in 2012-2013. The MLOP:population ratio improved from 1:168,283 in 2002-2003 to 1:138,117 in 2012-2013 but still falls short of the ideal number.

CONCLUSIONS

Both southern Indian states are able to meet the requirements for ophthalmologists and eyecare infrastructure as per the goals of VISION 2020. However, the number of MLOP falls short of the ideal ratio for the population. This study has some limitations. For example, most of the data collected through questionnaires were based on self-report, which might introduce bias due to memory recall or over or under-reporting of certain information. However, this was addressed by cross-checking the collected data with information from supplementary sources.
Linear perturbations of the Bloch type of space-periodic magnetohydrodynamic steady states. I. Mathematical preliminaries
Authors: Chertovskih Roman , Zheligovsky Vladislav
Published: July 2023

We consider Bloch eigenmodes in three linear stability problems: the kinematic dynamo problem, the hydrodynamic and MHD stability problem for steady space-periodic flows and MHD states. A Bloch mode is a product of a field of the same periodicity, as the state subjected to perturbation, and a planar harmonic wave, exp(iqx). The complex exponential cancels out from the equations of the respective eigenvalue problem, and the wave vector q remains in the equations as a numeric parameter. The resultant problem has a significant advantage from the numerical viewpoint: while the Bloch mode involves two independent spatial scales, its growth rate can be computed in the periodicity box of the perturbed state. The three-dimensional space, where q resides, splits into a number of regions, inside which the growth rate is a smooth function of q. In preparation for a numerical study of the dominant (i.e., the largest over q) growth rates, we have derived expressions for the gradient of the growth rate in q and proven that, for parity-invariant flows and MHD steady states or when the respective eigenvalue of the stability operator is real, half-integer q (whose all components are integer or half-integer) are stationary points of the growth rate. In prior works it was established by asymptotic methods that high spatial scale separation (small q) gives rise to the phenomena of the α-effect or, for parity-invariant steady states, of the eddy diffusivity. We review these findings tailoring them to the prospective numerical applications.
Respect and Responsibility towards Youth
Authors: Kariko Sandor
Published: July 2023

Youth is a grateful topic and has a rich body of scholarly research, particularly in the fields of education, youth sociology, and political science. However, the recognition and appreciation of the philosophical approach is often lacking in research, politics, and public discourse alike. This study aims to draw attention to the importance of the philosophical perspective. It focuses on philosophical ideas found in antiquity, modernity, and postmodernity (from Socrates to Hegel and all the way to Derrida) that remain relevant regardless of historical time or specific societal forms. Drawing philosophical insights is particularly crucial for politics and education. As Derrida believes, no ethics or politics can remain authentic and true if they do not respect the future, that is, the youth. And in this regard, I think we can all agree.
A Study on the Ideological Connotation and Significance of Agricultural Poetry in the Northern Song Dynasty
Authors: Lv Chen
Published: July 2023

The agrarian-related poems of the Northern Song Dynasty are far from the realistic creation tradition of the Book of Songs, the Yuefu folk songs of the Han Dynasty, “those who are hungry sing about their food, those who are working about their work”, and the realistic spirit of Du Fu’s “Three officials” and “three different” and Bai Juyi’s New Yuefu Movement, “Only songs live the people’s disease”. Through multiple contrast techniques, they fully show the miserable fate of the peasants under the heavy pressure of land, taxation, labor and other systems in the Northern Song Dynasty. It exposes the social situation of extreme disparity between the rich and the poor and sharp contradictions between classes, and expresses the complex feelings of compassion, hatred and guilt of scholars and literati. Influenced by the social culture of the Song Dynasty, the agriculture-related poems of the Northern Song Dynasty also showed the creative tendency of argumentation and prose culture, which was different from the previous poetry, and demonstrated the unique artistic style of the Song poetry.
AEROBIC BACTERIAL PROFILE AND ANTIBIOGRAM OF BRONCHOALVEOLAR LAVAGES IN PULMONARY INFECTIONS AT A TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL
Authors: M. SRIVALLI , S. SWAPNA , P. RATNA KUMARI , P. KAMALA
Published: July 2023

Objective: Lower respiratory tract infections (LRTIs) are one of the common clinical problems in community and hospital settings and the commonest causes of morbidity and mortality. In pulmonary infections, BAL fluid sample has high sensitivity and reliability in diagnosis. To determine the distribution of bacterial isolates in BAL samples and antibiotic sensitivity patterns in most frequently isolated bacterial pathogens other than Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

Methods: The study was conducted on 218 BAL samples received in the microbiology laboratory, Andhra Medical College from various wards of King George Hospital; Visakhapatnam; Andhra Pradesh, over a period of one year (from January 2022 to December 2022). All samples were processed according to standard microbiology protocols. Antimicrobial susceptibility was tested by the Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion method as per the CLSI guidelines 2022.

Results: Total 218 BAL samples were studied. Among 218 BAL samples, 144(66%) samples were from male patients and 74(34%) samples from female patients. Out of 218 samples, 119(55%) were culture positive and 99(45%) were culture negative. Among 119 bacterial isolates, most predominant pathogen was Klebsiella pneumoniae 51(42.8%) followed by Pseudomonas aeruginosa 46(38.6%), Escherichia coli 11(9.2%), Enterobacter species 6(5.0%), Acinetobacter species 3(2.5%) and Staphylococcus aureus 2(1.68%). Out of these isolated pathogens, Gram-negative bacilli were more. These gram-negative isolates were most sensitive to Piperacillin-Tazobactam (74.3%) followed by Meropenem (71.7%), Amikacin (60.6%) and least sensitive to Ceftazidime (39.3%) and Cefotaxime (37.6%).

Conclusion: The present study shows that gram-negative bacilli were more commonly isolated in BAL samples and the bacterial isolates were most sensitive to Piperacillin-Tazobactam and Meropenem and highly resistance to Cefotaxime and Ceftazidime. Hence, formulating a regular antibiogram in hospitals will help in developing local antibiotic policies, which may provide better patient management and judicious use of antibiotics by clinicians to prevent the risk of the emergence of multidrug-resistant pathogens.
A PROSPECTIVE RANDOMIZED CONTROL STUDY COMPARING POST-OPERATIVE ANALGESIA AFTER WOUND INFILTRATION WITH ROPIVACAINE ALONE AND ROPIVACAINE WITH DEXMEDETOMIDINE IN SPINE FIXATION SURGERIES WITH PROSTHESIS
Authors: KONNUR SHASHI RAVI , LAMBA P. S. , SHIVI
Published: July 2023

Objective: To compare postoperative analgesia after wound infiltration with ropivacaine alone and ropivacaine with dexmedetomidine in spine fixation surgeries with prosthesis. This is aprospective randomized double-blind clinical trial.

Methods: A total of 60 patients were recruited in this study based on inclusion and exclusion criteria. Written informed consent was obtained from every patient. Patients were randomized by computer-generated randomization into two groups. Group R received an injection ropivacaine 0.5% in a dose of 2 mg/kg for wound infiltration, while those in group RD received an injection dexmedetomidine 0.5mcg/Kg along with ropivacaine 0.5% 2 mg/kg for wound infiltration at the end of surgery. Patients were observed till 24 h postoperatively. VAS score, duration of analgesia, total rescue analgesic consumption, any side effects were observed and noted at specified time intervals.

Results: VAS score was found to be lower in group RD at any time interval till 24 h postoperatively, with a p value = 0.004. Time to first rescue analgesic demand was 281.43±11.1 min in group R while it was 912.57±52.61 min in group RD. This difference was found to be statistically significant (p value = 0.01). In group R, 200±39.39 mg of tramadol was consumed as rescue analgesic, while in group RD 136.67±28.42 mg of tramadol was consumed till 24 h post-operatively. Tramadol consumption was found to be significantly low in group RD (p =0.007). No significant side effect was observed in either of the groups.

Conclusion: Based on our study, we conclude that dexmedetomidine as an adjuvant to ropivacaine for local wound infiltration improves analgesic profile, increase analgesia duration and reduces opioid requirement in patients undergoing spine surgeries with prosthesis.