bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Air-stable and visible-light-active p-type organic long-persistent-luminescence system by using organic photoredox catalyst
Authors: Jinnai Kazuya , Kabe Ryota , Lin Zesen , Adachi Chihaya
Published: February 2021

Organic long-persistent-luminescent (OLPL) materials that exhibit hour-long photoluminescence have advantages over inorganic materials, such as a sustainability, flexibility, and processability. The OLPL materials store the absorbed energy in an intermediate charge-separated state, but this charge-separated state is unstable to oxygen and does not exhibit persistent luminescence in air. The excitation wavelength of OLPL can be controlled by electron-donor and -acceptor materials, but previous materials require absorption mainly in the ultraviolet region. Here, we show OLPL systems that exhibit a persistent luminescence in air and can be excited by a wavelength from 300-nm to 600-nm. By using cationic photoredox catalysts as an electron-accepting dopant, stable charge-separated states are generated by the hole-diffusion process, as opposed to previous OLPL systems that depend on electron diffusion. By using a hole-diffusion mechanism and reducing the energy level of the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital, the OLPL system becomes stable in air and can be excited by visible light. The addition of hole-trapping material increases the LPL duration.
Mortality Risk Factors Among Hospitalized Children with Severe Pertussis.
Authors: Shi Tingting , Wang Ling , Du Shuling , Fan Huifeng , Yu Minhua , Ding Tao , Xu Xuehua , Zhang Dongwei , Huang Li , lu gen
Published: February 2021

Background: Some children hospitalized for severe pertussis infection require intensive care; moreover, some children die because of disease deterioration alone or in combination with other complications. The purpose of this study was to identify mortality risk factors among hospitalized children with severe pertussis.Methods: This study evaluated the medical records of 144 hospitalized children with severepertussis at the Guangzhou Women and Children’s Medical Center between January 2016 and December 2019.Results: The median age of patients was 2 months (IQR, 1–4 months), with 90.1% of the patients aged <6 months and 56.9% of the patients aged <3 months. A total of 13 patients died, and the mortality of severe pertussis was 34.2%, with patients younger than 6 weeks accounting for 76.9% of the deaths. On multivariate analysis, the independent risk factors for death were WBC >70.0×109/L (odds ratio [OR], 230.66; 95% confidence interval [CI], 5.16–10319.09 P = 0.005) and pulmonary hypertension (PH) (OR, 323.29; 95% CI, 16.01–6529.42; P<0.001).Conclusion: Severe pertussis mainly occurred in children aged <3 months. The mortality of severe pertussis was 34.2%, with patients younger than 6 weeks accounting for the majority of the deaths. We recommend the first dose of diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis (DTP) should be advanced to the age of 2 months or even 6 weeks. The presence of a WBC >70.0×109/L and PH were the prognostic variables independently associated with death.
Nutritional inequalities among under-5 children: An analysis of cross-country and within-country hotspots and cold spots in the developing world
Authors: Amir-ud-Din Rafi , Fawad Sakina , Naz Lubna
Published: February 2021

Undernutrition of under-five children is a severe public health issue of the developing world. Around 45% of deaths among children under five years are linked to undernutrition. According to 2019 global estimates, 21% of under-five children were stunted, 7% were wasted, and 13% were underweight in 2019. However, there are wide disparities in the distribution of undernutrition within countries and across countries. As an illustration, 38% of under-five children in Pakistan are stunted. However, the stunting rate in Islamabad Capital Territory is 24% but 52% in FATA, according to Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) data. Such disparities in undernutrition may reflect policy failures or the genetic vulnerabilities of population subgroups. To the best of our knowledge, very few studies have analyzed the geography of the undernutrition inequalities among under-five children. We analyzed the geographical patterns in child undernutrition in developing countries. First, we mapped the prevalence of undernutrition in the developing world. Secondly, using the LISA (local indicator of spatial association) technique, we analyzed the geographical patterns in the distribution of undernutrition to highlight the localized hotspots (regions with high undernutrition prevalence surrounded by similar other regions), cold spots (regions with low undernutrition prevalence surrounded by similar other regions), and outliers (regions with high undernutrition surrounded by low undernutrition and vice versa showing inequalities in the distribution in undernutrition). Additionally, we used Moran’s I to find global patterns in malnutrition.We used data from Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) data from 73 developing countries for our study.The Global Moran’s I and LISA techniques used to estimate the global and within-country malnutrition patterns, respectively, confirm significant spatial clustering of malnutrition among under-five children. South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa are global hotspots of child malnutrition, and Latin America and the Caribbean, and Europe and Central Asia are global cold spots of child malnutrition. There are few outliers: areas of low child malnutrition surrounded by high malnutrition and vice versa. One important policy implication of this study is that it will help identify the areas with i) high undernutrition and ii) high nutritional inequalities and help targeted health interventions in the geographical areas with a high need population.
First morphological and molecular identification of third-stage larvae of Anisakis typica (Nematoda: Anisakidae) from marine fishes in Vietnamese water
Authors: Van Hien Hoang , Thi Dung Bui , Ngo Ha Duy , Doanh Pham Ngoc
Published: February 2021

Anisakid nematodes are parasites of cetaceans, their larval stages live in marine fishes. The third-stage larvae of some Anisakis species are also the etiological agents of human anisakiasis caused by consumption of raw or undercooked infected fish. Thus, identification of Anisakis larvae at the species level is crucial for their ecology and epidemiology. In Vietnam, although Anisakis larvae have been reported, they have not been identified to the species level. The aim of this study was, therefore, to identify third-stage larvae of Anisakis collected from marine fishes in Vietnamese water, based on morphological characteristics and molecular analysis. All Anisakis larvae found in this study were morphologically similar to each other and identical to Anisakis typica. In addition, molecular analysis based on ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 sequences confirmed them as A. typica. Vietnamese A. typica population was genetically close to those from Asian countries and Australia. The third-stage larvae of A. typica were collected from eight fish species from three localities in the South of Vietnam. Among them, seven were recorded as new intermediate hosts of A. typica. This is the first identification of A. typica larvae in Vietnamese water with records of new fish hosts.
Tangent-space methods for truncating uniform MPS
Authors: Vanhecke Bram , Van Damme Maarten , Haegeman Jutho , Vanderstraeten Laurens , Verstraete Frank
Published: February 2021

An essential primitive in quantum tensor network simulations is the problem of approximating a matrix product state with one of a smaller bond dimension. This problem forms the central bottleneck in algorithms for time evolution and for contracting projected entangled pair states. We formulate a tangent-space based variational algorithm to achieve this goal for uniform (infinite) matrix product states. The algorithm exhibits a favourable scaling of the computational cost, and we demonstrate its usefulness by several examples involving the multiplication of a matrix product state with a matrix product operator.
Demographic problems of the village: causes and consequences (on the example of the Chuvash Republic)
Authors: Васильева О.Г. , Пучкова Л.М.
Published: February 2021

Произведен анализ демографической ситуации в Чувашской Республике в разрезе городского и сельского населения. На основе изучения основных тенденций последних лет выделены угрозы, потенциально способные углубить состояние депрессии, в которой находится демография. Обозначены признаки критического уровня угроз на селе.

The analysis of the demographic situation in the Chuvash Republic in the context of the urban and rural population is carried out. Based on the study of the main trends of recent years, the authors have identified threats that potentially can deepen the state of depression in which the demography is located. Signs of a critical level of threats in the countryside are indicated
Trends and problems of retail Bank lending in modern conditions on the example of «Sberbank of Russia»
Authors: Мандрон В.В. , Ефименко А.Ю. , Свиридов Д.Г.
Published: February 2021

Эффективное развитие механизмов кредитования физических лиц оказывает положительное влияние не только на рынок недвижимости, автомобильную промышленность, потребительский рынок, но и на темпы развития банковской системы, что значительно влияет на рост национальной экономики и улучшает качество жизни населения РФ. Исследование посвящено ключевым тенденциям и проблемам функционирования рынка розничного кредитования в современных условиях. Определены главные проблемы, которые оказывают существенное влияние на организацию рынка розничного кредитования, его объемы и качество.
Проведен анализ данных отражающих состояние рынка розничного кредитования на современном этапе. На состояние данного сегмента кредитного рынка оказывает влияние как общее экономическое состояние государства, курс денежно-кредитной политики Банка России, уровень реальных доходов населения, а также форс-мажорные ситуации.
В статье дается оценка объема, состава и структуры кредитного портфеля одного из крупнейших финансово-кредитных институтов страны – ПАО «Сбербанк России». Особое внимание уделено кредитованию физических лиц в разрезе отдельных форм и видов кредитных инструментов, отражается связь состояния национальной экономики и качества кредитного портфеля банка.

Effective development of mechanisms for lending to individuals has a positive impact not only on the real estate market, automotive industry, consumer market, but the pace of development of the banking system, which greatly affects the growth of the national economy and improves the quality of life of the Russian population. The research is devoted to the key trends and problems of functioning of the retail lending market in modern conditions. The main problems that have a significant impact on the organization of the retail lending market, its volume and quality are identified.
The analysis of data reflecting the state of the retail lending market at the present stage is carried out. The state of this segment of the credit market is influenced by the General economic state of the state, the rate of monetary policy of the Bank of Russia, the level of real income of the population, as well as force majeure situations.
The article provides an assessment of the volume, composition and structure of the loan portfolio of one of the largest financial and credit institutions in the country-PJSC Sberbank of Russia. Special attention is paid to lending to individuals in the context of individual forms and types of credit instruments, reflecting the relationship between the state of the national economy and the quality of the Bank's loan portfolio.
Modern features of accounting and taxation in budget organizations
Authors: Викулина Е.В.
Published: February 2021

Современный бухгалтерский учет и налогообложение в бюджетных организациях подчинены действующему, систематически обновляемому законодательству и регламентированы в строгом порядке. Бюджетному учету присущи очевидная специфика и отраслевые особенности, но в целом его принципиальные положения и стандарты учета схожи с аналогичными параметрами в коммерческой среде.
В «сердце» учета бюджетных организаций находится специфическая бюджетная классификация, требуемая для соизмеримости бюджетных параметров по уровням единого бюджетного комплекса России. На основании такой классификации выработаны бухгалтерские счета в соответствующих учреждениях.

Modern accounting and taxation in budget organizations are subject to the current, regularly updated legislation and are regulated in a strict manner. Budget accounting has obvious specifics and industry-specific features, but in General its principles and accounting standards are similar to similar parameters in the commercial environment.
At the heart of accounting for budget organizations is a specific budget classification required for the comparability of budget parameters at the levels of the unified budget complex of Russia. Based on this classification, accounting accounts have been developed in the relevant institutions.
Clustering of regions and modeling of relationships between socio-economic indicators of crime against the interests of the service in commercial organizations
Authors: Дианов Д.В. , Васильев М.К.
Published: February 2021

Научная статья посвящена возможностям применения статистического инструментария для комплексного анализа одного из негативных социально-экономических явлений, таких как преступность против интересов коммерческих организаций. Учёт специфики явления, факторов, определяющих его закономерности и тенденции, региональные особенности данного группы экономических преступлений предопределили сложность формирования массива исходных данных, так как рассматриваемые показатели должны максимально точно давать описание процесса посредством кластеризации регионов и эконометрических моделей, цель построения которых заключается в обеспечении ведомственного и регионального управления необходимой аналитической и информационной базой.

The scientific article is devoted to the possibilities of using statistical tools for a comprehensive analysis of one of the negative socio-economic phenomena, such as crime against the interests of commercial organizations. The specific phenomena, factors determining its patterns and trends, regional characteristics of this group of economic crimes, determined the complexity of forming the array of input data, as the indicators in question should most accurately describe the process through clustering of the regions and econometric models, the goal of building which is to ensure that departmental and regional management the necessary analytical and information base.
Application of steganography in the corporate environment
Authors: Хорев П.Б. , Сергеев А.В.
Published: February 2021

В работе проанализированы основные виды учетных записей, возникающие при их использовании риски информационной безопасности; предложена модель использования стеганографии в качестве одного из метода внедрения системы учета действий привилегированных учетных записей и передачи собранной информации

In this article analyzes the main types of accounts, information security risks arising from their use, and suggests a model for using steganography as one of the methods for implementing a system for recording the actions of privileged accounts and transmitting the collected information.
Using Big Data technologies for real estate valuation
Authors: Царькова Н.И. , Конова О.С.
Published: February 2021

Основная цель статьи – показать на практике возможности технологий Big Data и проанализировать ситуацию на рынке недвижимости. В качестве примера используются данные онлайн площадок по купле/продаже недвижимости, содержащие в себе порядка миллиона строк. Для исследования рынка была произведена качественная оценка сложившейся ситуации в России в 2020 году с учётом последних событий. Исходные данные были использованы для поверхностного анализа и предварительной оценки складывающейся стоимости недвижимости в городе по административным округам. Анализ проводился при помощи языка программирования Python. Полученные результаты исследования были визуализированы с использованием возможностей программных средств. Произведено сравнение результатов проведённого анализа для определения дальнейших целей исследовательской работы.

The main purpose of the article is to show in practice the capabilities of Big Data technologies and analyze the situation on the real estate market. As an example, we use data from online real estate purchase/sale sites that contain about a million lines. For market research, a qualitative assessment of the current situation in Russia in 2020 was made, taking into account recent events. The initial data were used for a superficial analysis and preliminary assessment of the emerging value of real estate in the city by administrative districts. The analysis was performed using the Python programming language. The results of the study were visualized using the capabilities of software tools. The results of the analysis are compared to determine the further goals of the research work.
Modernization of the control system of the winder of the steel cord machine
Authors: Белый А.В.
Published: February 2021

В статье приводится описание модернизированной системы управления намо­точного аппарата машин для производства металлокорда. Новая система по­зволила производить учет длины материала, намотанного на катушку или смотанного с катушки, в режиме устранения аварийных ситуаций, связанных с обрывом корда в процессе работы машины. Реализация предлагаемых алго­ритмов на базе программируемых реле позволила добиться выполнения требо­ваний по точности заданной длины готовой продукции.

he article describes the modernization of the control system of the winding appara­tus of machines for the production of steel cord. The new system made it possible to keep track of meters wound on a reel or reeled off a reel, in the mode of eliminating emergency situations associated with a cord breakage during machine operation. The implementation of the proposed algorithms based on programmable relays made it possible to meet the requirements for the accuracy of a given length of the finished product.
Assessment of the safety of aircraft crew members when using emergency exit systems based on detonation elongated charges
Authors: Алферов М.В. , Усачев Д.В. , Сосунов М.В.
Published: February 2021

В статье анализируются результаты оценки безопасности членов экипажа летательных аппаратов при применении систем образования аварийных выходов, выполненных на основе детонационных удлинённых зарядов, на примере некоторых теоретических и экспериментальных работ.

The article analyzes the results of evaluating the safety of aircraft crew members when using emergency exit education systems based on detonation elongated charges, using the example of some theoretical and experimental works.
Analysis of failures of various spacecraft systems
Authors: Брусков А.А.
Published: February 2021

Рассмотрены и проанализированы вопросы, связанные с анализом отказов различных систем космических аппаратов. Рассмотрен вопрос создания условий для анализа отказов в нескольких состояниях космического аппарата. Проведен сравнительный анализ надежности систем космических аппаратов. Показано, что результаты анализа отказов в нескольких состояниях могут быть использованы для дальнейшего детального изучения «физики аномалий и отказов» отдельных подсистем космического аппарата.

Issues related to the analysis of failures of various spacecraft systems are considered and analyzed. The issue of creating conditions for analyzing failures in several States of the spacecraft is considered. A comparative analysis of the reliability of spacecraft systems is carried out. It is shown that the results of the analysis of failures in several States can be used for further detailed study of the « physics of anomalies and failures» of individual subsystems of the spacecraft.
The continuing control process technology of the flight crew’s psychophysiological state for forecasting and predicting the unregulated actions of commercial pilots
Authors: Иванова К.А. , Левин Д.Н. , Шкурин М.В.
Published: February 2021

В статье описывается разработка технологии непрерывного контроля психофизиологического состояния летного экипажа гражданской авиации как инструмента, направленного на прогнозирование нерегламентированных действий пилотов, выявление их резервных психофизиологических возможностей в известной или прогнозируемой особой ситуации при выполнении полётного задания. Рассматривается значение внедрения психофизиологического и психолингвистического тестирования в организационную структуру кадрового обеспечения авиационного предприятия с целью оптимизации и автоматизации существующего комплекса по подготовке, обучению и переобучению пилотов гражданской авиации для обеспечения безопасности полетов.

The paper deals with the development, structure and implementation of continuing control process technology of the flight crew’s psychophysiological state of the civil aviation as a tool aimed at forecasting and for predicting the unregulated actions of the pilots, revealing their reserve psychophysiological capabilities in known or predicted inflight abnormal circumstances during a flight mission. The creation and implementation of continuing control process technology (CCPT) means the introduction a system of the programs’ psychophysiological and psycholinguistic tests in the organizational structure of the aviation enterprise personnel support and the forecast base for flight safety to optimize and automate the existing complex for training, education and retraining of the commercial pilots to ensure flight safety.
The features of taking into account system of restrictions on using resources during ground stations scheduling
Authors: Кучеров Б.А.
Published: February 2021

Проведен анализ особенностей учёта системы ограничений по использованию средств управления космическими аппаратами (КА) при их распределении. Показано влияние различных видов ограничений на возможность включения в план распределения средств поступивших заявок на использование средств управления КА без изменения их характеристик. Представлена математическая постановка задачи учета ограничений по использованию отдельных средств управления при РСУ КА. Приведена классификация конфликтных ситуаций, вызванных ограничениями по использованию средств управления КА.

The features of taking into account system of restrictions on using ground stations during their scheduling are analyzed. The influence of various types of restrictions on possibilities of including received requests on using ground stations into schedule are shown. The mathematical formulation of taking into account restrictions on using separate ground stations during their scheduling is presented. The classification of conflict situations caused by restrictions on using ground stations is given.
Usage of generative adversarial networks for edge prediction in ontology graphs
Authors: Мосалов О.П.
Published: February 2021

Рассматривается модель машинного обучения для предсказания существования рёбер в графе онтологии, основанная на использовании генеративно-состязательной сети. Проведены вычислительные эксперименты для различных наборов значений гиперпараметров модели. Показано, что модель решает поставленную задачу. Сформулированы направления дальнейшего развития данного подхода.

A machine learning model for edge existence prediction in an ontology graph, based on generative adversarial networks, is considered. Computational experiments for different sets of hyper parameter values are fulfilled. It is shown that the model solves the task. Further steps on this approach research are formulated.
Antimicrobialsusceptibilityof bacteria isolated from goats with subclinical mastitis in the Southern Marmara region of Turkey
Authors: Goncagul Gulsen
Published: February 2021

The mastitis of dairy goats is a disease of the economic importance worldwide and is mostly associated with bacterial infections. The aim of this study was to isolate the bacteriae causing subclinical mastitis, and determine to the susceptibility of some clinical isolates against several antimicrobial agents frequently used to control bacterial subclinical mastitis in dairy goats in the Southern Marmara Region. A total of 68 Saanen goats were used for this investigation and subclinical mastitis was determined by using California Mastitis Test. As a result of bacteriological analysis of milk samples, 30 different bacteria species have been identified and non-aureus staphylococci found to be the predominant bacteria species with the rate of 22.1%. The species with the highest isolation rate among the isolates were Escherichia coli (18.9%), Staphylococcus aureus (15.7%), Streptococcus agalactiae (14.2%) and Staphylococcus epidermidis (7.9%). The antimicrobial susceptibility of the high isolation rate species including Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus agalactiae, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Streptococcus uberis, Enterococcus faecalis, Staphylococcus haemolyticus and Mannheimia haemolytica to twelve antibiotics were determined by disc diffusion method. Bacterial strains analyzed showed highest sensitivity to ofloxacin (87.9%) and followed by cefuroxime (85.8%) and cefazolin (83.6%). In conclusion, subclinical mastitis still remains a problem in dairy goats, and for the elimination of subclinical mastitis, besides protective measures, determination of the bacteriae causing mastitis and their antibiotic sensitivities should be priority.
A Greener Enzymatic Oligoesterification of Biobased Renewable Synthons
Authors: Villavicencio Juan , Orozco Ferley , Benitez Ricardo , Martin Jaime , Rojas Giovanni
Published: February 2021

Polyesters of xylitol and succinic acid were prepared yielding from 70 to 75% by enzymecatalyzed esterification using a molar mass from 1:1 to 2:5 at 120 and 140 °C employing from 1 to 10% m/m of enzyme. Control over branching degree was achieved by tuning the reaction conditions (temperature, time, comonomer ratio, enzyme content). This one-step process from renewable starting materials avoids protection-deprotection techniques, as well as the use of toxic solvents by introducing limonene as solvent for polyesterification for the first time. All materials were structurally characterized by infrared (IR) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR)spectroscopy, their thermal properties were studied by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC)and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and the molecular weight of samples were obtained by gel-permeation chromatography (GPC).
A Catalysis Guide Focusing on C–H Activation Processes
Authors: Carvalho Renato , Dias Gleiston , Pereira Cynthia , Ghosh Pintu , Maiti Debabrata , da Silva Júnior Eufrânio
Published: February 2021

From the recent development of catalytically controlled C-H activation with amenable synthetic routes obviating many challenges, the demand for this strategy has raised significantly to perform complex organic transformations. The impact of the achieved results in both homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysis reflects its efficacy in modern synthetic chemistry. A consolidated report and guidance of the methodologies involved in the previous and ongoing research in this domain would be very useful for the researchers to focus on more specific and selective C-H activation reactions to access desired complex molecular scaffolds. The perspective of this review is to contribute to the scientific community with examples, tips and details of modern development in this field and with a complete illustration of the routes which may be effective for planning of the ubiquitous C-H bond activation and its use for synthesis of relevant organic molecules.
The removal of pollutants and natural organic compounds from acid mine drainage using a combination of bentonite clay and MgSO4
Authors: Ntwampe I. O.
Published: February 2021

200 mL of synthetic acid mine drainage (AMD) sample was poured into five 500 mL glass beakers and treated in a jar test and a shaker in sets of experiments, respectively. The samples were treated in small-scale laboratory experiments using synthetic AMD sample dosed with bentonite clay and MgSO4 respectively, and a flocculant consisting of the same reagents. The pH, EC, turbidity and oxidation reduction potential were measured. The removal of turbid materials in the samples dosed with a flocculant is higher compared to those of the samples dosed with each reagent alone. The samples with flocculant dosage show high removal efficiency of natural organic compounds and toxic metals, slightly higher compared to those with a dosage of a combination of bentonite clay and MgSO4. The removal efficiency of the samples treated in a shaker is better than those with rapid mixing. The SEM micrographs show sorption is a physico-chemical phenomenon.
Short-term water demand predictions coupling an artificial neural network model and a genetic algorithm
Authors: Shirkoohi Majid Gholami , Doghri Mouna , Duchesne Sophie
Published: February 2021

The application of artificial neural network (ANN) models for short-term (15 min) urban water demand predictions is evaluated. Optimization of the ANN model's hyperparameters with a genetic algorithm (GA) and use of a growing window approach for training the model are also evaluated. The results are compared to those of commonly used time series models, namely the Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average (ARIMA) model and a pattern-based model. The evaluations are based on data sets from two Canadian cities, providing 15 min water consumption records over respectively 5 years and 23 months, with a respective mean water demand of 14,560 and 887 m3/d. The GA optimized ANN model performed better than the other models, with Nash–Sutcliffe Efficiencies of 0.91 and 0.83, and relative root mean square errors of 6 and 16% for City 1 and City 2, respectively. The results of this study indicate that the optimization of the hyperparameters of an ANN model can lead to better 15 min urban water demand predictions, which are useful for many real-time control applications, such as dynamic pressure control.
Removal of inorganic arsenic from aqueous solution by Fe-modified ceramsite: batch studies and remediation trials
Authors: Yin Yue , Xu Gaoyang , Li Linlin , Qiao Chunlei , Xiao Yihua , Ma Tao , Liu Changqing
Published: February 2021

During sediment remediation, adsorbent addition is an effective technology for the removal of contaminants but the cost is often high. In this study, a low-cost adsorbent, ceramsite, made from contaminated riverbed sediment was synthesized. The Fe-modified ceramsite (FMC) was used as adsorbent to remove arsenate from aqueous solutions and reduce the inorganic arsenic release from contaminated sediments. Kinetic studies showed that chemisorption mainly governed the adsorption process while batch studies yielded the theoretical adsorption capacity for arsenate of 10.63 mg/g at pH = 7 condition. Co-existing anions and pH have no significant impact on the adsorption process. In the regeneration studies, 91, 86, and 80% of the adsorption capacity were recovered in 3 cycles. In-situ remediation trials revealed that the addition of the adsorbent to sediment surface significantly reduced the release of inorganic arsenic into aqueous system, with a reduction efficiency of 86%. Furthermore, the species of the arsenic in the surface layer was significantly inactivated from an active state to a stable state. These findings highlight the application of the FMC as a facile and cost-effective adsorbent for containment of arsenic in solutions and sediments, demonstrating that they are highly applicable for practical cases.
Mobile Applications for Students with Dyslexia: A Systematic Literature Review
Authors: Aldousari Ahmed
Published: February 2021

Students with dyslexia often face many challenges in their learning process. Some of the challenges could be trying to understand the content when they lack the ability to read properly. Teachers, however, and all other professional stakeholders have a duty to find ways to help these students meet quality education and exploit their maximum potential despite their challenges. By incorporating technological solutions in the classrooms, academic challenges for learners can be reduced, ensuring that students with dyslexia get the most out of the education process. Therefore, this systematic literature review aims to explore what mobile applications are available that can be used to enhance the learning experience for students with dyslexia and what the literature says about how the overall learning experience of these students might change by providing mobile applications. Nine articles met the criteria for review and were included. The results showed that the introduction of mobile applications can effectively enhance the learning process, essentially pertaining to individuals with dyslexia. Furthermore, the various systems being developed in the form of m-learning applications are proving to be useful, especially on pre-literacy and dyslexic learning. The new developments are poised to increase students with dyslexia motivations for learning since they grant them an opportunity and avenue to make the learning process easy for them. The review concludes that there is a need for more research to determine what development components are needed to evaluate the mobile application that being used for students with dyslexia.
Biotechnological Eminence of Chitinases: A Focus on Thermophilic Enzyme Sources, Production Strategies and Prominent Applications
Authors: Akram Fatima , Akram Rabia , Haq Ikram ul , Nawaz Ali , Jabbar Zuriat , Ahmed Zeeshan
Published: February 2021

Background:

Chitin, the second most abundant polysaccharide in nature, is a constantly
valuable and renewable raw material after cellulose. Due to advancement in technology, industrial
interest has grown to take advantage of the chitin.

Objective:

Now, biomass is being treated with diverse microbial enzymes or cells for the production
of desired products under best industrial conditions. Glycosidic bonds in chitin structure are degraded
by chitinase enzymes, which are characterized into number of glycoside hydrolase (GHs)
families.

Methods:

Thermophilic microorganisms are remarkable sources of industrially important thermostable
enzymes, having ability to survive harsh industrial processing conditions. Thermostable
chitinases have an edge over mesophilic chitinases as they can hydrolyse the substrate at relatively
high temperatures and exhibit decreased viscosity, significantly reduced contamination risk, thermal
and chemical stability and increased solubility. Various methods are employed to purify the enzyme
and increase its yield by optimizing various parameters such as temperature, pH, agitation,
and by investigating the effect of different chemicals and metal ions etc.

Results:

Thermostable chitinase enzymes show high specific activity at elevated temperature
which distinguish them from mesophiles. Genetic engineering can be used for further improvement
of natural chitinases, and unlimited potential for the production of thermophilic chitinases has been
highlighted due to advancement in synthetic biological techniques. Thermostable chitinases are
then used in different fields such as bioremediation, medicine, agriculture and pharmaceuticals.

Conclusion:

This review will provide information about chitinases, biotechnological potential of
thermostable enzyme and the methods by which they are being produced and optimized for several
industrial applications. Some of the applications of thermostable chitinases have also been briefly
described.
Beyond B-Cell Epitopes: Curating Positive Data on Antipeptide Paratope Binding to Support Peptide-Based Vaccine Design
Authors: C. Caoili Salvador Eugenio
Published: February 2021

Background:

B-cell epitope prediction is a computational approach originally developed
to support the design of peptide-based vaccines for inducing protective antibody-mediated immunity,
as exemplified by neutralization of biological activity (e.g., pathogen infectivity). Said approach
is benchmarked against experimentally obtained data on paratope-epitope binding; but such
data are curated primarily on the basis of immune-complex structure, obscuring the role of antigen
conformational disorder in the underlying immune recognition process.

Objective:

This work aimed to critically analyze the curation of epitope-paratope binding data that
are relevant to B-cell epitope prediction for peptide-based vaccine design.

Methods:

Database records on neutralizing monoclonal antipeptide antibody immune-complex
structure were retrieved from the Immune Epitope Database (IEDB) and analyzed in relation to
other data from both IEDB and external sources including the Protein Data Bank (PDB) and published
literature, with special attention to data on conformational disorder among paratope-bound
and unbound peptidic antigens.

Results:

Data analysis revealed key examples of antipeptide antibodies that recognize conformationally disordered B-cell epitopes and thereby neutralize the biological activity of cognate targets (e.g., proteins and pathogens), with inconsistency noted in the mapping of some epitopes due to reliance on immune-complex structural details, which vary even among experiments utilizing the same paratope-epitope combination (e.g., with the epitope forming part of a peptide or a protein).

Conclusion:

The results suggest an alternative approach to curating paratope-epitope binding data based on neutralization of biological activity by polyclonal antipeptide antibodies, with reference to immunogenic peptide sequences and their conformational disorder in unbound antigen structures.
Epigenetic Modifications of the Nuclear Factor Kappa B Signalling Pathway and its Impact on Inflammatory Bowel Disease
Authors: Papoutsopoulou Stamatia , Campbell Barry J.
Published: February 2021

Background:

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a multifactorial condition influenced by the immune
system, the intestinal microbiota, environmental factors, genetic and epigenetic factors. Genetic- and environment-
induced dysregulation of the Nuclear Factor-kappa B (NF-κB) transcription factor pathway has been
linked to IBD pathogenesis.

Objective:

To assess the current evidence in relation to the contribution of the classical and alternative NF-κB
pathways in IBD and to discuss the epigenetic mechanisms that impact on NF-κB function.

Methods:

A Medline search for ‘NF-kappaB/NF-κB’, in combination with terms including ‘inflammatory bowel
disease/IBD’, 'intestinal inflammation', ‘Crohn's disease’, ‘ulcerative colitis’, 'colitis'; ‘epigenetics’, ‘DNA
methylation’, ‘histones’, ‘microRNAs/miRNAs’ and ‘short non-coding/long non-coding RNAs’ was performed.

Results:

Both NF-κB pathways contribute to the chronic inflammation underlying IBD by regulating the inflammatory
immune responses and homeostasis of the intestinal epithelium (classical pathway) or regulating bowel
inflammation and epithelial microfold (M) cell function (alternative pathway). DNA methylation is a common
epigenetic modification in intestinal inflammation, including NFKB1 and RELA loci. Conversely, little is understood
regarding epigenetic effects on genes encoding other NF-κB subunits, particularly those of the alternative
pathway, and in the context of IBD. However, NF-κB interaction with chromatin modifiers is also seen to be an
essential mechanism of regulation of downstream target genes relevant to NF-κB-mediated inflammatory responses.

Conclusion:

Further research is clearly warranted in this area, as understanding the cell-specific regulation of
the NF-κB pathways will bring researchers into a position to achieve more efficient stratification of IBD patients,
and more targeted and effective choice of treatment.
UPLC-ESI-Q-TOF/MS Based Metabolic Profiling of Protosappanin B in Rat Plasma, Bile, Feces, Urine and Intestinal Bacteria Samples
Authors: Chen Wei-Ying , Liang Guang-Yan , Zheng Zuo-Liang , Wu Yun-Shan , Xu Fang-Fang , Liu Bo , Guo De-an
Published: February 2021

Background:

Caesalpinia sappan L. is a traditional medicinal plant that is used to promote blood circulation
and treat stroke in China. Protosappanin B (PTB) is a unique homoisoflavone compound isolated from Sappan
Lignum (the heartwood of Caesalpinia sappan L). In a previous study, the metabolic fate of PTB remained unknown.

Objective:

To explore whether PTB is extensively metabolized, the metabolites of PTB in bile, plasma, urine, feces,
and intestinal bacteria samples in rats were investigated.

Methods:

The biosamples were investigated by ultraperformance liquid chromatography combined with time-offlight
mass spectrometry (UPLC-TOF-MS/MS) with MetabolitePilot software.

Result:

28 metabolites were identified in the biosamples: 18 metabolites in rat bile, 8 in plasma, 20 in feces, 7 in
urine and 2 in intestinal bacteria samples. Both phase I and phase II metabolites were observed. Metabolite conversion
occurred via 9 proposed pathways: sulfate conjugation, glucuronide conjugation, bis-glucuronide conjugation,
glucose conjugation, dehydration, oxidation, hydrolysis, methylation and hydroxymethylene loss. The metabolic
pathways differed among biosamples and exhibited different distributions. Among these pathways, the most important
was sulfate and glucuronide conjugation.

Conclusion:

: The results showed that the small intestinal and biliary routes play an important role in the clearance
and excretion of PTB. The main sites of metabolism in the PTB chemical structure were the phenolic hydroxyl and
the side-chains on the eight-element ring.
Prophylactic and Therapeutic Role of Vitamin D3 in Combination with Fluconazole Against Vaginal Candidiasis in a Murine Model
Authors: Allemailem Khaled S.
Published: February 2021

Objective:

In the present study, we assessed the adjunct effect of vitamin D3 in combination
with Fluconazole (FLZ) against Vulvovaginal Candidiasis (VVC) in mice.

Methods:

Prophylactic effect was assessed by pretreating mice with vitamin D3 before exposure of
mice with 2 X 106 CFUs of Candida albicans followed by treatment with FLZ. To determine the
combined therapeutic efficacy, C. albicans infected mice were treated with a combination of vitamin
D3 (10 μg/kg) and FLZ (10 and 20 mg/kg). The efficacy of the treatment was assessed by analyzing
the fungal load and blood cell count. Moreover, the levels of inflammatory cytokines, including IL-
1β, IL-17 and TNF-α, were analyzed in the vaginal tissues. The histological analysis of the vaginal
tissue from the untreated and treated mice was performed to assess the efficacy of the treatment.

Results:

Prophylactic treatment with vitamin D3 (10 and 20 μg/kg) significantly increased the therapeutic
effect of FLZ against VVC. In a therapeutic experiment, mice in the infected control group
showed the highest vaginal fungal load of 83627 ± 10058 CFUs. Treatment with FLZ at a dose of 10
mg/kg reduced fungal load to 55523 ± 14823 CFUs, whereas the mice treated with a combination of
vitamin D3 and FLZ (10 mg/kg) had the fungal burden of 12156 ± 3219. Similarly, treatment with
FLZ (20 mg/kg) reduced fungal load to 36394 ± 5648 CFUs, whereas the addition of vitamin D3 to
FLZ (20 mg/kg) further reduced the fungal burden to 2179 ± 1188. The leukocyte numbers in the
infected mice increased to 9802 ± 505 as compared to 5152 ± 778 in normal control mice. Whereas,
a combination of vitamin D3 with FLZ (10 and 20 mg/kg) reduced leukocyte numbers to 7284 ± 607
and 5739 ± 1126. The histological analysis data revealed epithelial necrosis, shedding and ulceration
in the vaginal wall. Treatment with FLZ or a combination of FLZ and vitamin D3 brought regenerative
changes in the vaginal epithelium and lamina proparia.

Conclusion:

The results of the present work recommend that the addition of vitamin D3 may be
considered to increase the efficacy of FLZ against VVC.
Heuristics in Role of Human Glutathione S-transferase Mu 1 as Nitric Oxide Carrier and its Engineered Variants for Enhanced Activity
Authors: Aravilli R. Kowshik , Kohila V. , Vikram S. Laveen
Published: February 2021

Background:

Human glutathione S-transferases (hGSTs) are phase-II detoxification enzymes
that catalyze the conjugation of electrophilic compounds and glutathione. Anomalous excess
production of NO in the cellular environment under diseased or stressed condition results in
lethal effects to the cell. Studies have reported that the evolution of tyrosine-based GSTs as a defense
mechanism by the cell to mitigate Nitric Oxide (NO) toxicity. The dual role of hGSTP1 as
NO carrier and scavenger is a prelude for the research forthwith.

Objective:

A plausible role of hGSTM1 as NO carrier is considered. Being a prominent cellular
messenger and secondary metabolite, excess production of NO is lethal to the cell. Moreover,
hGSTM1 polymorphisms lead to diminished catalytic activity that promotes a diseased state.
Hence, it is compelling to generate hGSTM1 mutants that have more catalytic efficacy compared
to Wild Type (WT).

Methods:

hGSTM1 mutants with enhanced efficiency were generated using in silico and in vitro
Site-Directed Mutagenesis (SDM). WT and mutant proteins were overexpressed and purified using
affinity chromatography. The catalytic activity and binding efficiency of WT and mutant proteins
towards CDNB (1-chloro-2, 4-dinitrobenzene) & NO were determined.

Results:

NO assay reveals the probable interaction of WT hGSTM1 with NO. In silico, SDM studies
provided E129K and Q109K mutants with superior NO binding efficiency as compared to WT.
The catalytic activity (GST and NO assays) of the mutants corroborate the in silico results.

Conclusion:

WT hGSTM1 is recognized as a positive NO carrier. The novel mutant enzymes
E129K and Q109K are inferred to possess superior NO carrying capacity.
Phospho-eIF4E: a new target for acute myeloid leukemia
Authors: Jia Xiao feng , Zhou Hong
Published: February 2021

:

The eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4E (eIF4E) is dysregulated in a wide variety of cancers. Higher expression of eIF4E promotes tumorigenesis and has been implicated in cancer development and progression. Regulation of eIF4E is particularly controlled through phosphorylation yielding phospho-eIF4E (p-eIF4E). p-eIF4E is a signaling molecule that participate in several pathways, including regulating various cancer-related processes. The role of phosphorylation of eIF4E at Serine 209 on oncogenic transformation has been appreciated for the last 10 years and has been under active investigation as a therapeutic target for cancers including acute myeloid leukemia (AML), but the expression of p-eIF4E in the nucleus and the specific molecular mechanism of action remain largely unresolved. It is selectively and highly expressed in AML where its expression was associated with poor outcomes and prognosis. The purpose of this review is to describe p-eIF4E as an indicator prognosis and a potential anticancer target for biological therapy of AML.
Overview of the Biological Activities of Pyrimido[4,5-d]pyrimidines
Authors: Cruz Jacqueline Santos , de Aguiar Alcino Palermo
Published: February 2021

Over the years, the development of bioactive heterocycles has aroused the interest of the
scientific community, because in general, these heterocycles are strategic in maintaining life. Research
into bioactive heterocycles is associated with the development of methods of synthesis and the biological
evaluation of different nuclei. In consequence, there has been a growing interest in the nucleus of
fused pyrimidine, which has diversified pharmacological activities, including diuretic, antimicrobial,
antifolate, tyrosine kinase, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, anthelminthic, and antiviral activities. This
review focuses on describing a diverse set of structures derived from pyrimido[4,5-d]pyrimidines and
contemplates the main bioactivities of these nuclei.