bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Effects of UV Light and Methyl Salicylate on Phytochemical Constituents and Nutritional Traits in Common Bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.)
Authors: Ha P.T.T. , Tran N. T. B. , Tuyen P. T. , Mason P. , Henry R.J. , Loi T. T.
Published: November 2023

Background: Mutagenesis has also been used to improve many desirable traits such as earliness, darkness, resistance or tolerance to biotic and abiotic stress, seed yield and oil quality. There are numerous mutagen agents, both chemical and physical, available to create and obtain valuable mutations in crop plants. Methods: The experiment was done at the laboratory of the Faculty of Applied Sciences, Ton Duc Thang University in Vietnam from September 2021 to December 2022. This study examined the effects of ultraviolet B-light (UV-B) and methyl salicylate (MeSA) treatment on phytochemical constituents (total phenols and flavonoids) and nutritional characteristics (protein and fat content) in a common bean cultivar, GRIS2. Result: The results show that UV irradiation for 3 hours increased the phenolic content in M1 seeds when compared to the control and other treatments. Furthermore, compared to the control and other treatments, UV-B irradiation for up to 5 hours increased the phenolic, protein and lipid content in the pod (in the immature pod, mature pod and seed). Alternatively, treatment with MeSA considerably decreased the levels of these same compounds. Treating the seed with 0.05 mM MeSA did increase the flavonoid content. These findings demonstrate the potential of UV-B treatment for improving bean nutritional quality. On the other hand, the negative general implications of the higher MeSA treatment suggest exogenous treatments should be kept at lower concentrations to ensure the minimization of nutritional losses.
EMPIRICAL STUDY: LEADERSHIP, ORGANIZATION CULTURE, EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT IN INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT ADOPTION
Authors:   DBA Research Scholar, SP Jain School of Global Management, Dubai ∙ Mumbai ∙ Singapore ∙ Sydney, Reddy Akepati Suresh Kumar , Seetharaman Arumugam ,   PhD, Professor, SP Jain School of Global Management, Dubai ∙ Mumbai ∙ Singapore ∙ Sydney, Maddulety K. ,   PhD, Professor cum Deputy Director, SP Jain School of Global Management, Dubai ∙ Mumbai ∙ Singapore ∙ Sydney, Gururajan Raj ,   PhD, Professor of Information Systems, University of Southern Queensland, Queensland, Australia & Adjunct Professor, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Chennai, India
Published: November 2023

Continuous Improvements (CI) is well-known for its significance in driving and facilitating process and products improvements in organizations. For decades, large organizations used CI to improve and streamline process and workforce. CI thinking and adoption is critical for IT functions to improve aspects such as innovation, team productivity, service reliability, and cost optimization. The role of organization culture, leadership, employee engagement become key for adoption of CI to ensure stability, scalability, and sustainability to business functions through right tools, technologies, and services. There is need for research on the influence of trio on adoption of CI in the context of IT. The trio are interrelated components that play a crucial role in the success and sustainability of any organization. The aim of this study is to evaluate these three factors, its influence on adoption of CI by IT function using a quantitative approach. This study engages IT stakeholders from ITES, global companies which have their global IT development centres in India to ascertain their views. The finding of the study shows organization culture has a strong influence on adoption of CI in IT. This study can provide critical insights to management in streamlining IT practice, design organization mechanisms for better adoption of CI in IT.
SUBSTANCE OF AMULETS AND CULTURAL DUTY
Authors:   Ph.D., Department of Design, Faculty of Decorative Arts, Silpakorn University, Thailand, Junpitakchai Jantra
Published: November 2023

Since ancient times, each culture had an object called an “amulet” as a spiritual anchor to protect people from negative energy, evil, and injury. Humans were born in the world, and they need to confront many things for living their lives and survival. These things occurred with fear, pain, suffering, and others. Hence, amulets were created to strengthen mental power for getting ready to fight against what humans were unable to overcome. Humane belief in amulets has been passed down from generation to generation until today, the era of technological advancement and goodness. Those prosperities are a tool that humans can use to eliminate problems and feelings reasonably, such as small Buddha images, amulets, and symbols in different forms. Thus, this article aims to reveal knowledge or some theoretical opinions to support the legitimacy of amulet art containing history, art, culture, and phenomena by proof and references from research studies that present the importance of objects or amulet art in terms of how they have an effect or produce any factor on humans and what is the main purpose of amulet art that can be proven by scientific theories (scientific tools) from utilization and mental development and restoration rather than credulity.
A COMPARATIVE OBSERVATIONAL STUDY ON EFFECTIVENESS OF PROBIOTICS AND ANTIBIOTICS IN BACTERIAL VAGINOSIS
Authors: B Sowmya , Kar Dattatreya , Panigrahy Rajashree , Pati Basanta
Published: November 2023

Introduction: Bacterial vaginosis is a common vaginal dysbiosis in women of reproductive age. Bacterial vaginosis is a dysbiosis characterized by a reduction of Lactobacillus species, such as L. crispatus, L. gasseri, and L. Jensenii. Anti-microbial resistance of BV pathogens and low long-term cure rates have been increasing in the few years. Aim: Probiotics are proposed as an alternative treatment for BV applying live micro-organisms with the capacity to confer health benefits to the patient. Methods: Patients with white discharge per vagina with or without foul smell, and itching visiting Obstetrics and Gynecology OPD are subjected to Amsel criteria. Those test positive for 3 out of 4 are diagnosed to have bacterial vaginosis and were enrolled in the study. Result: Highest prevalence of bacterial vaginosis was at the age group of 26-30 years (28%), with the lowest prevalence (16%) above 40 years of age. Among group A (probiotics),  68% and 32% of women were in not working and working groups, respectively, when compared with group B (antibiotics), 64% and 36% of women were in not working and working groups. Nulligravida (28% and 32%), Singleton Pregnancy (32% and 16%) in Group A and Group B. We observed that patients treated with both antibiotics (50%) and probiotics (50%) had similar recurrence rates of BV. Conclusion: Hence it would be prudent to prefer probiotics in patients with BV, as they colonize other normal commensals and have similar efficacy as that of antibiotics. The other beneficial factors of probiotics include acceptability to patients and nil side effect profile.
HOSPITAL UTILIZATION IN MALUKU PROVINCE, INDONESIA
Authors: Sillehu Sahrir , Laksono Agung Dwi , Wulandari Ratna Dwi , Khoiri Abu
Published: November 2023

Introduction: Maluku is a region characterized by an archipelago with approximately 1,340 islands and an area of 712,479.69 km2. Most of the site is water (92.4%), while the land area is only around 7.6%. Aims: This study aimed to analyze the determinant of hospital utilization in Maluku Province, Indonesia. Methods: This cross-sectional study surveyed 788 respondents. The variables examined included hospital utilization, age group, gender, education level, work type, marital status, health insurance, transportation cost, and time travel. The author used binary logistic regression in the final stage. Results: The results show that the 30-39 age group was 2.293 times more likely than the ≥ 50 age group to utilize the hospital (OR 2.293; 95% CI 1.177 – 4.466). Married people were more likely to use the hospital 1.764 times than those with the never-married category (OR 1.764; 95% CI 1.074 – 2.898). Christians were 1.599 times more likely than Muslims to utilize the hospital (OR 1.599; 95% CI 1.146 – 2.231). Conclusion: The study concluded that three variables are determinants of hospital utilization among people in Maluku Province, Indonesia. The three were age group, marital status, and religion. The study's results were significant for local policymakers to provide specific directions to accelerate the increase in hospital utility in Maluku Province in Indonesia.
Dual visible-light and NHC-catalyzed radical relay trifunctionalization of unactivated alkenes
Authors: Feng Jian-Quan , Li Luning , Wang Jingyi , Ni Aoting , Wei Zexuan , Du Ding , Feng Jie
Published: November 2023

Radical trifunctionalization of unactivated alkenes remains rare and challenging, although they can provide a robust tool for the construction of molecules with high added value from simple materials. This work presents the relay dual N-heterocyclic carbene organocatalytic and visible-light photocatalytic multi-component trifunctionalization of alkyl alkenes via the merger of remote 1,4-cyano migration and alkylacylation. The method features a broad substrate scope and good compatibility of diverse functional groups. Density functional theory calculations were also carried out to rationalize the origin of this reaction. The cooperative N-heterocyclic carbene and photoredox catalysis enabled reductive single-electron transfer reaction of acyl azolium species and subsequent radical-radical cross-coupling, allowing for the facile construction of three new C−C bonds in one-pot reactions with high regioselectivity.
TARGET INDICATORS OF UKRAINE'S LOW-CARBON POWER SECTOR DEVELOPMENT
Authors: Nechaieva Tetiana
Published: November 2023

Ukraine's commitments as a party to the Paris Climate Agreement to reduce greenhouse gas emissions with a gradual increase in ambition provides for low-carbon economic development with decarbonization of its sectors. The Ukraine’s power sector with a 20% contribution to total GHG emissions, due mainly to the fossil fuel combustion at thermal power plants and CHPs with a significant share of coal in the fuel balance, must make a transformation of its structure to reduce the carbon intensity of electricity generation with the expected increase in electricity consumption. The purpose of the article is to review Ukraine's current and prospective obligations regarding its low-carbon development and the formation of relevant target indicators for the development of Ukraine's power sector. The main obligations have been determined regarding low-carbon development contained in the Updated Nationally Determined Contribution of Ukraine with a 65% reduction in GHG emissions in 2030 compared to 1990, the National Economic Strategy for the period until 2030 with the declared achievement of carbon neutrality of the economy by 2060 and carbon neutrality of the energy sector with the maximum reduction of coal use laid down in the Energy Strategy of Ukraine until 2050. The introduction of a carbon border adjustment mechanism with taxation of electricity imported in the EU from 2026 may become a certain obstacle to the import of electricity when the electricity markets of Ukraine and the EU are united, and will become another factor in the need to increase the share of low-carbon and carbon-free generation.
Principles of the American Approach to Relations with PRC: Political Confrontation
Authors: Kuznetsov N.
Published: November 2023

This article reviews the key doctrinal document that has shaped the U.S. policy towards the PRC – the United States Strategic Approach to the People’s Republic of China. The author explores the political principles of the approach, which reflect the fundamental perception of both China itself and its strategy by the American establishment. The article examines the principles defining the American understanding of the PRC’s place in the Indo-Pacific region, the goals of the Chinese Communist Party (CPC), the U.S. attitudes to the Chinese domestic governance model and narratives. It offers a scientific rationale for the principles under analysis, and demonstrates how the American approach to China was transformed by following them. It is stated that these principles stem out of the shift from the strategy of engagement pursued in the 1990s and 2000s to the competitive approach. The new approach, it is noted, reflects Washington’s response to Beijing’s policy of recent decades and is presented as a counterstrategy to China’s thirty-year-old grand strategy. The author identifies the range of experts whose ideas and proposals have created the basis for the principles reviewed. It is indicated that the provisions of the strategy approved by President D. Trump were bipartisan, and were taken by the Biden administration as a basis for the formation of its policy towards China. The article concludes that the redefinition of the American political principles has caused a revision of the entire set of relations with China and directly affected the U.S. policy in other areas of their interaction with the PRC: ideology, security, trade and economic relations.
Race for Nanometers: American Policy Toward Taiwan and Republic of Korea
Authors: Danilin I. , Selyanin Y.
Published: November 2023

Intensive development of manufacturing capabilities of Taiwan and Republic of Korea (RoK) since 1960s leads to their emergence as key global semiconductor asset. Until 2020/2021 TSMC and Samsung supplied almost 100% of most technologically advanced chips. The U. S. considered this situation as critical dependence – both for political (conflict with China, securitization of digital technologies, etc.) and economic reasons (risks of supply distortions). Along with science and technology (S&T) efforts major accent was put on new relations with Taiwan and RoK as sources of investments and competences needed to regain U.S. capabilities. By forcing and stimulating TSMC and Samsung to localize its facilities in the USA, American elites tried to solve set of different tasks. Among them were supporting strategic technological autonomy from Asia, and limiting Chinese potential for development (by requiring non-cooperation with PRC in exchange for subsidies). However, due to economic, regulatory, and competence drawbacks efficiency of this new strategy is questionable. Crisis in the electronic industry since the fall of 2022 makes the situation even more problematic. In the mid-term the strategy may not change the balance of power in microchip manufacturing and architecture of relationship with both Asian economies. This requires further development of American economic diplomacy toward Taiwan, RoK – as well as Japan (a so-called “Chip 4” group). This coincides with changes in market dynamics of semiconductor industry. On one hand, geopolitics and value chain resilience became organic factors defining investments and operational expenses. On the other, we may envision sharp rise of competition among nations and companies. Thus, for the long-term success may be determined only by S&T and Innovations (also through industry restructuring) where USA are still strong, but their success isn’t guaranteed anymore.
The “Afghan Branch” of ISIS as a Threat to Central Asia
Authors: Yashlavskii A.
Published: November 2023

The neighborhood with Afghanistan creates many serious security challenges for the post-Soviet states of the Central Asian region. This is not only due to the general turbulence associated with the collapse of the American-backed regime in Kabul and the rise to power of the radical Islamist movement. The growing activity of the local branch of the transnational jihadist network “Islamic State – Khorasan Province” (ISIL, ISIS, IS – the terrorist organization banned in Russia) gives particular urgency to the danger emanating from the Afghan land. The activities of this extremist group are not limited to terrorist attacks against representatives of the current Afghan authorities. The terrorists acting under the banner of ISIS are actively conducting propaganda activities aimed at the population of the post-Soviet countries of Central Asia (primarily Uzbekistan and Tajikistan), recruiting supporters and undermining the socio-political situation. The article examines the main directions of such activities of the supporters of the “Khorasan project” and expresses thoughts on ways to counteract this danger.
The Position of Turkey and Iran in Transcaucasia in the Context of the Events in Nagorno-Karabakh
Authors: Gegelashvili N.
Published: November 2023

Today, in the context of the unfolding events around Nagorno-Karabakh, especially in terms of its post-conflict building, two major regional players, Turkey and Iran, are becoming more and more active for gaining key positions in the region. At present, Turkey is undoubtedly ahead of Iran in the South Caucasus and the situation around Nagorno-Karabakh after the anti-terrorist operation carried out there by Baku is the best proof for this. As far as Iran is concerned, Tehran, under the sanctions regime and Turkey’s firmly established leadership positions in the region, is trying in every possible way to strengthen its positions there. Also Iran made a start in trying to build its relationships with all participants of the conflict as well as with the other countries in the region on a bilateral and multilateral basis, which, in its opinion, can help strengthen Tehran’s role in the process of constructing regional architecture. However, currently this country is far behind Turkey, whose role and importance in the region are undeniable.
Moldova: Anti-Russian Deadlock
Authors: Astakhova S.
Published: November 2023

The leadership of Moldova is taking the country out of the traditional sphere of Russian influence. Following the course of “European integration”, Chisinau consistently denounces the agreements concluded within the framework of the Commonwealth of Independent States. At the same time, a course has been taken to develop cooperation with NATO. This political course has already led to the collapse of the socio-economic sphere of the republic, to large-scale protest actions of the population, as well as to the growing internal political crisis.
Turkey-Kazakhstan Relations at the Present Stage
Authors: Svistunova I.
Published: November 2023

Turkey and Kazakhstan are the two largest Turkic countries acting as flagships for the development of Turkic ideas. The article analyses the current state of bilateral relations between Ankara and Astana. The two countries pay special attention to maintaining a high level of political dialogue, which is accompanied by the signing of various documents. At the same time, economic ties between the two countries are not developing as actively as political ones. Wide opportunities for rapprochement between Turkey and Kazakhstan are provided by cooperation in education and culture.
Energy Crisis in Central Asian Countries and the Prospects of Their Cooperation with Russia
Authors: Pritchin S.
Published: November 2023

The Central Asian countries, against the background of the rapid growth of electricity and energy consumption in the conditions of the systemic aging of the energy generating infrastructure, have been facing a systemic energy crisis for the past few years. In fact, today all the countries of the region have already overcome the energy “Chubais cross”, when electricity generation in the region and the extraction of energy resources are insufficient for the growing demand of consumption. All this creates a situation when the Central Asian countries face the need to adopt and implement a comprehensive, advanced program for the development of the energy industry, using the full range of opportunities. In the current geopolitical situation, Russia can become the main partner for the countries of the region to overcome the energy crisis by intensifying cooperation in the gas sector with the reversal of the Central Asia-Center gas pipelines, with the construction of at least two large nuclear power plants and the implementation of mini-reactors, as well as the use of the potential of “green” energy.
Metagenomic ecosystem monitoring of soft scale insects and mealybug communities
Authors: Ward Chris M. , Onetto Cristobal A. , Van Den Heuvel Steven , Dixon Robyn , Borneman Anthony R.
Published: November 2023

Soft scale insects and mealybugs are phloem-feeding Hemipterans that are considered major pests in agriculture and horticulture throughout the world. However, correct taxonomic identification in the field can be difficult, making it hard for growers to implement control strategies. In viticulture, soft scale insects are a major issue due to their ability to secrete honeydew, which facilitates the development of sooty mould, and their propensity for being transmission vectors of several viral diseases of grapevine. To facilitate the rapid identification and quantification of vineyard-associated insects a metagenomic-based bioinformatic pipeline (MitoMonitor) was developed for generalised ecosystem monitoring, which automated the assembly and classification of insect mitochondrial genomes from shotgun sequencing data using the Barcode of Life Database API. The proof-of-concept application of MitoMonitor on metagenomic data obtained from eight samples from South Australian vineyards led to the identification of Parthenolecanium corni (European fruit scale)—which was thought to be absent in Australian vineyards—as the dominant coccoid species across the samples, with less frequent, and also lower abundance of Pseudococcus viburni (obscure mealybug) and Pseudo. longispinus (long-tailed mealybug). In addition, parisitoidism by Coccophagus scutellaris (Aphelinidae) wasps was also detected. The discovery of Parth. corni as a member of scale communities in these samples has significant implications for the development of effective control strategies for this important group of pests in affected areas.
Modelling and Simulation of the Combined Use of IABP and Impella as a Rescue Procedure in Cardiogenic Shock. An Alternative for non-Transplant Centres?
Authors: De Lazzari Beatrice , Capoccia Massimo , Badagliacca Roberto , De Lazzari Claudio
Published: November 2023

The treatment of critically ill patients remains an evolving and controversial issue. Mechanical circulatory support through a percutaneous approach for the management of cardiogenic shock has taken place in recent years. The combined use of IABP and Impella 2.5 device may have a role to play for this group of patients. A simulation approach may help with a quantitative as-sessment of the achievable degree of assistance. In this paper, we analyse the interaction be-tween Impella 2.5 pump applied as LVAD and IABP using the numerical simulator of the cardi-ovascular system developed in our laboratory. Starting with pathological conditions reproduced using literature data, the simulations were performed setting different rotational speeds for the LVAD and driving the IABP in full mode (1:1) or partial mode (1:2, 1:3 and 1:4). The effects in-duced by drug administration during the assistance were simulated too. The haemodynamic pa-rameters under investigation were: mean aortic pressure, systolic and diastolic aortic pressure, mean pulmonary arterial pressure, mean left and right atrial pressure, cardiac output, cardiac index, left and right ventricular end-systolic volume, left ventricular end-diastolic volume and mean coronary blood flow. The energetic variables considered in the study were: left and right ventricular external work and left and right atrial pressure-volume area. The outcome of our simulations shows that the combined use of IABP and Impella 2.5 achieves adequate support in the acute phase of cardiogenic shock compared to each standalone device. This would allow fur-ther stabilisation and transfer to a transplant centre should escalation of treatment be required.
FL* Approach to the Coexistence of Fermi Arcs with Metal-Insulator Crossover in Strongly Underdoped Cuprates
Authors: Marchetti Pieralberto
Published: November 2023

We propose that the coexistence of gapless Fermi arcs with the metal-insulator crossover of in-plane resistivity in strongly underdoped cuprates can be explained by the FL* fractionalized Fermi liquid nature of these systems and it is not due simply to disorder effects. The particle excitations of this FL* system derived from variants of the t-J model are: the gapless holon carrying charge with small Fermi momentum proportional to the doping, the gapful spinon carrying spin 1/2, gauge fluctuations coupling them and the hole as a spinon-holon bound state or resonance due to gauge binding with a Fermi surface respecting the topological Luttinger theorem. In our proposal Fermi arcs are determined by the hole resonance, whereas the metal-insulator crossover is dominated by spinon-spinon (with subleading holon-holon) gauge interactions and this dichotomy is able to explain their coexistence.
New Die-Compaction Equations for Powders as a Result of Known Equations’ Correction. Part 1. Review and Analysis of Various Die-Compaction Equations
Authors: Laptiev Anatolii
Published: November 2023

The well-known equations for the process of powder compaction (PCP) in a rigid die published over the period from the beginning of the last century to the present are considered. Most of the considered equations are converted into the dependence of the densification pressure on the relative density. The equations were analyzed and their ability to describe PCP was assessed by determining the coefficient of determination when approximating experimental data on the compaction of various powders. It is shown that most of the equations contain two constants, the values of which are determined by fitting the mathematical dependence to the experimental curve. Such equations are able to describe PCP with high accuracy in the case of compaction of powders up to a relative density of 0.9-0.95. It is also shown that different equations can describe PCP in the range of density change from the initial to 0.9 with the same and sufficiently high accuracy, but when the process of compaction is extrapolated to higher values of density, the curves diverge. This indicates the importance of equations that can unambiguously describe PCP to a relative density equal to or close to 1.0. For an adequate description of PCP to a relative density greater than 0.95, equations containing three or four constants have proven themselves well.
Phytochemical Screening and Synthesis of Silver Nanoparticles and Investigation of Antibacterial and Antioxidant Activities of Silybum Marianum Leaf
Authors: Unegbu Immaculata Amarachi , Abdullateef Abdulrahman , Mishelia Emmanuel Mshelia
Published: November 2023

Silybum marianum is a therapeutic plant belonging to the family Asteraceae. It contains silymarin, as its principal component, and has been reported to demonstrate hepatoprotective activity. The study was aimed to investigate the phytochemical constituents, synthesis of nanoparticles, antioxidant activity and antimicrobial effects of the leaf extract. Extracts were synthesized from AgNO3 and characterized via FT-IR, U.V and XRD. The antioxidant activity was determined using DPPH, H2O2 and β-carotene assays. Similarly, all extracts expressed significant DPPH inhibition (IC50) of 5.1, 5.0, 4.7, 2.3, 4.3 and 1.1 (ug/mL), H2O2 of 1.3, 2.2, 4.7, 5.6, 4.0 and 1.0 (ug/mL) from the methanol/water extract, nanoparticles, n-Hexane, ETOAC, n-Butanol and Ascorbic acid (standard) respectively. The extract exerted scavenging activity on β-carotene with a significant IC50 inhibition of 1.5, 0.8, 5.2, 0.8, 2.7, 4.8 at 0 hour and 1.5, 0.8, 5.2, 0.8, 2.7 and 4.8 (ug/mL) after 2 hours water bath incubation at 50°C in the order of the extracts above. Additionally, nanoparticles and plant extracts significantly (p<0.0001) inhibited the growth of bacteria with mean zone of inhibition ranging 7-13 mm and 4-11 mm. This study demonstrated that extracts from different solvents of S. marianum possess significant antioxidant activity, as well as antimicrobial effects which are all concentration dependent. Thus, the result suggests that methanolic/water leaf extract of S. marianum could serve as a potential source of antioxidants and can be explored as a therapeutic agent in free radical induced diseases.
Quintessential Water from Cosmic Dust: A Possible Origin of Dark Matter, Dark Energy, and Life in the Universe
Authors: Johnson Keith
Published: November 2023

The creation of protonated water nanoclusters from amorphous water-ice under laboratory conditions suggests the possible ejection of such nanoclusters from ubiquitous amorphous water-ice-covered cosmic dust to interstellar space. The quantum properties of these quintessential water entities introduce a tantalizing prospect that bridges the origins of dark matter, dark energy, and life in the universe. The quantum-entangled diffuse Rydberg electronic states inherent to cosmic water nanoclusters make them plausible candidates for baryonic dark matter. Moreover, they exhibit the capacity to absorb, through the microscopic dynamical Casimir effect, virtual photons originating from zero-point-energy vacuum fluctuations occurring above the water-nanocluster vibrational frequency cutoff. This selective interaction leaves only vacuum fluctuations below these frequencies with gravitational significance, cancelling the vacuum-energy catastrophe and yielding a shared genesis for dark matter and dark energy. Moreover, this theory extends its implications to the origins of life itself, proposing that RNA protocells on Earth and habitable exoplanets may have emerged from the interactions between cosmic water nanoclusters and prebiotic organic molecules, thus yielding an anthropic narrative. Collectively, these findings coalesce into a cosmological framework depicting a cyclic universe, with cosmic water nanoclusters constituting a quintessence scalar field, instead of adhering to the multiverse concept based on cosmic inflation theory. Recent observations of CMB birefringence support this quintessence.
Making Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Participatory and Locally Visible – a Prototype Solution
Authors: Atzmanstorfer Karl , Bartling Mona , Zurita Arthos Leonardo , Grubinger-Preiner Judith , Feil Christian , Eitzinger Anton
Published: November 2023

Traditional Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)-programs rarely include participatory components that connect CSR-activities of private companies with their local communities. However, there is an increasing demand to include citizens as well as the resources and expertise of the private sector in the design and implementation of local community planning processes. To assess the potential, opportunities, and challenges of including private companies into participatory community planning at a local level, we analyzed the experiences that we collected during the piloting phase and the commercial roll-out of the ‘Bürgercockpit’-application for citizen participation, as well as the results of a digital CSR-questionnaire that we shared with different companies in Austria. Our research indicates that most of the participating companies are interested in including local communities into their CSR-projects using a digital tool, if this tool is easy-to-use, easy-to-access, and provides a flexible structure to address specific project requirements as well as properly designed features for stakeholder communication and user feedback. The findings of both, the ‘Bürgercockpit’-pilot study and the CSR-questionnaire provided us valuable input for designing a prototype solution of a digital CSR-tool for participatory community planning at a local level as well as recommendations for future research in this topic of growing interest.
The Effects of Intermittent Cold Exposure on Adipose Tissue
Authors: Scott Matthew C. , Fuller Scott
Published: November 2023

Intermittent cold exposure has garnered increased attention in popular culture, largely for its proposed effects on mood and immune function, but there are also suggestions that the energy wasting mechanisms associated with thermogenesis may decrease body weight and fat mass. Considering the continued and worsening prevalence of obesity and type II diabetes, any protocol that can reduce body weight and/or improve metabolic health would be a substantial boon. Here, we present a narrative review exploring the research related to ICE and adipose tissue. Any publicly available original research examining the effects of repeated bouts of ICE with adipose related outcomes was included. While ICE does not consistently lower bodyweight or fat mass, there does seem to be evidence for ICE as a positive modulator of the metabolic consequences of obesity, such as glucose tolerance and insulin signaling. Further, ICE consistently increases the activity of brown adipose tissue (BAT) and transitions white adipose tissue to a phenotype more in line with BAT. Lastly, the combined effects of ICE and exercise do not seem to provide any additional benefit, at least when exercise is done during ICE bouts. The majority of the current literature on ICE is based in rodent models where animals are housed in cold rooms, which does not reflect protocols likely to be implemented in humans such as cold-water immersion. Future research could specifically characterize ICE via cold water immersion in combination with controlled calorie intake to clearly determine the effects of ICE as it would be implemented in humans looking to lower bodyweight via reductions in fat mass.
Bilateral Posterior Bone Graft Augmentation for Severe Glenoid Hypoplasia Without Instability
Authors: Levins James G. , Hoffman Ryan A. , Green Andrew
Published: November 2023

Case:

A 40-year-old man with shoulder pain secondary to severe bilateral glenoid hypoplasia without posterior instability was treated successfully with bilateral posterior glenoid bone graft augmentation.

Conclusion:

While glenoid hypoplasia is associated with a variety of patient presentations, treatment of the stable and nonarthritic shoulder is rarely described. A posterior glenoid bone graft can be used to augment deficient posterior glenoids, increasing the articulating surface area, restoring function, and potentially facilitating future shoulder arthroplasty.
Clinical Diagnosis of Common Overlapping Shoulder and Cervical Spine Disorders
Authors: Sakthivelnathan Vishaal , Somerson Jeremy S. , Alijanipour Pouya
Published: November 2023

» Pain in the shoulder is a common orthopaedic complaint that can be caused by shoulder or neck pathologies.

» Shoulder and neck pathologies often coexist, among which one may be a predisposing factor for the other.

» History, physical examination, and diagnostic injections can be used to discern the cause of shoulder pain and guide treatment.
How can governments engage in adaptation tracking? A protocol for assessing national adaptation policies
Authors: Nowak Andreea C. , Njuguna Lucy , Crumpler Krystal
Published: November 2023

A myriad of frameworks to track adaptation to climate change have been developed in recent years. They have been instrumental in advancing the conversation on assessing adaptation progress and effectiveness across national and global scales. Surprisingly, very little attention is given to how countries can leverage existing policies to engage in adaptation tracking. We developed a Protocol to assess the ability of national policies to deliver comprehensive, coherent, and robust information on adaptation, which would allow governments to leverage existing efforts for engaging in country-driven tracking processes. The Protocol establishes data collection and analytical steps, including document screening, data extraction, quality assurance, and coding rules to ensure consistent interpretation and comparability of results. We applied the Protocol in an assessment of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and National Adaptation Plans (NAPs) of African countries. The resulting dataset represents the most comprehensive overview available to date on existing entry points for adaptation tracking for Africa. While this can help show progress in adaptation planning, the real challenge lies in generating evidence of adaptation effectiveness. This requires complementary assessments of how intentions and plans translate into actions or results on the ground, aspects which our Protocol does not cover.
Enhancing eco-environmental sustainability and wheat security in China: a sequential knowledge-based nitrogen strategy aligned with regional targets
Authors: Cao Qiang , Li Yue , Liu Xueqin , Tian Xu , Ladha Jagdish , Cammarano Davide , Ata-UI-Karim Syed , Liu Xiaojun , Tian Yongchao , Zhu Yan , Cao Weixing
Published: November 2023

The dual implications of nitrogen (N) use raise concerns regarding future wheat production, economic profitability, and environmental protection in China. Here, a comprehensive and sequential knowledge-based strategy that combines regional target-oriented optimal N rates and management practices was devised; as well as exploring its perspectives for promoting agricultural sustainability. It was found that employing a multi-objective optimization strategy that coordinates various government departments can lead to a reduction of 18.7–21.9% in N fertilizer consumption and 25.4–30.5% in reactive N losses while maintaining wheat yields compared to conventional N management. Furthermore, a combination of N rate optimization and management practices based on the principles of right time, rate, placement, and product could save economic costs of about 0.18–1.65 billion US dollars. The new strategy offers an example of how high economic and environmental benefits can be achieved with regional N optimization management while ensuring food security to guide targeted agricultural interventions.
Investigating the mechanical properties of stainless steel foams produced by dissolving spherical urea particles as a space holder
Authors: sahraei Masood , Naserian-Nik Ali Mohammad , Sazegaran Hamid
Published: November 2023

Foam materials are a family of new and advanced materials that, due to their unique characteristics, will have a lot of potential for development in the coming years. The family of foam materials is divided into three categories: metal foams, ceramic foams, and polymer foams. Compared to ceramic and polymer foams, metal foams are newer and their properties and applications are being developed So, it seems that a bright future is waiting for these materials. The current research deals with the production of metal foams made of 316L stainless steel, which has a relatively wide application in the medical industry, especially the construction of implants. For this purpose, the method of dissolving spherical urea particles in water has been used as a spacer. In order to study the effect of porosity and production pressure on the mechanical behavior of 316L stainless steel, a standard pressure test was performed on foam samples produced under different production pressures and porosity percentages and their mechanical properties were investigated. In addition to conducting experimental tests, foam finite element models with zero and 30 percent porosity were created and pressure tests were simulated for them.
Spin-reorientation driven emergent phases and unconventional magnetotransport in quasi-2D vdW ferromagnet Fe4GeTe2
Authors: Pal Atindra , Pal Riju , Pal Buddhadeb , Mondal Suchanda , Sharma Rajesh , Das Tanmoy , Mandal Prabhat
Published: November 2023

Nontrivial spin textures driven by strong exchange interaction, magneto-crystalline anisotropy and electron correlation in a low-dimensional magnetic material often lead to unusual electronic transitions. Through a combination of transport experiments and first principle calculations, we unravel the new electronic phases in quasi-2D van der Waals ferromagnet, Fe4GeTe2, possessing ferromagnetic TC ∼ 270 K, along with a spin reorientation transition (TSR ∼ 120 K) with the change of magnetic easy axis. Two electronic transitions are identified. The first transition near TSR exhibits a sharp fall in resistivity, followed by a sign change in the ordinary Hall coefficient (RH), together with, maximum negative magnetoresistance (MR) and anomalous Hall conductivity. Another unusual electronic transition, hitherto unknown, is observed near ∼ 38 K (TQ), where RH further changes sign and below which, the resistivity shows a quadratic temperature dependence and MR becomes positive. An analysis of the experimental data further uncovers the role of competing inelastic scattering processes in anomalous magnetotransport behavior. A DFT-based first-principle calculations unveil two possible magnetic phases, followed by a low-energy model Hamiltonian which captures the essence of these phases as well as explains the observed magnetotransport behavior. Thus, we demonstrate an interplay between magnetism and band topology and its consequence on electron transport in Fe4GeTe2, important for spintronic applications.
Screening of Akt and Wnt Pathways for the Early Diagnosis and Treatment of Alzheimer's Disease
Authors: Wang Yahan , Li Hai-Tao , Zhang Kai-Xin , Wu Hong-Yun , Cui Wen-Qiang , Xu Xiang-Qing , Zhi Hong-Wei , Zhang Ji-Wei
Published: November 2023

Background
Alzheimer's disease is a neurodegenerative disease that is difficult to reverse. Akt and Wnt play a role in complex cellular signaling, which is important for studying the onset of AD. This study aimed to screen key genes of the Akt and Wnt pathways as potential biomarkers for the early diagnosis and treatment of AD.
Methods
We searched for differentially expressed genes in the GEO database, constructed candidate gene protein-protein interaction (PPI) networks, and used least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression analysis and the support vector machine-recursive feature elimination (SVM-RFE) algorithm to screen for key genes. Correlation and functional similarity analyses of key genes, immune infiltration analysis, ceRNA network construction, and drug prediction of key genes were performed. We further validated the expression of key genes in streptozotocin (STZ)-treated AD mice using quantitative reverse transcription (RT-q) PCR.
Results
Bioinformatic analysis identified five key genes in AD, including PRKACA, CDH3, ATP6V0C, DLL1, and CELSR2. Step-down tests, immunohistochemistry, and silver plate staining confirmed the success of STZ-induced AD in mice. RT-PCR showed that the relative expression of DLL1 mNRA in the AD group was higher than that in the control group, whereas the relative expression of ATP6V0C and PRKACA mRNA in the AD group was lower than the control group, which was consistent with the results of the bioinformatic analysis.
Conclusions
This study provides a basis for a more comprehensive understanding of the underlying mechanisms of AD. Furthermore, DLL1, ATP6V0C, and PRKACA may be potential intervention targets for AD.
Potential Therapy for Multiple Sclerosis (MS): Investigating the effects of 1,25-dihydroxycholecalciferol on T regulatory cells in Patients with MS
Authors: Arab Fahimeh Lavi , Khorasani Sahar , Naderi-Meshkin Hojjat , Mirahmadi Mahdi , Dana Hassan , Nikkhah Karim , Rajabian Arezoo , Nikkhah Ali , Yousefi Forouzan , Faraji Fatemeh , Tabasi Nafiseh Sadat , Mahmoudi Mahmoud
Published: November 2023

The active form of 1,25-dihydroxycholecalciferol and mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have immunomodulatory effects on the immune system and could be helpful for regenerative therapeutic application in neurodegenerative diseases. The MSCs were isolated from adipose tissue and characterized using surface CD markers pattern and differentiation capacity into adipose and osteocyte lineages. After that, the confirmed MSCs were cultured in the presence of different concentrations of 1,25-dihydroxycholecalciferol (6, 12, 25, 50, 100 nM and 0 as control). Finally, the MSCs proliferation and apoptosis were evaluated by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazohl-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) and flow cytometry tests, respectively. The gene expression of inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines was measured by real-time PCR and regulatory T cells (Tregs) population using flow cytometry techniques. Also, anti-oxidant parameters including NO, MDA, and SOD activity were measured. Our findings indicated that 6, 12, 25 and 50 nM concentrations of 1,25-dihydroxycholecalciferol significantly increased AT-MSCs viability, protecting them against apoptosis and also expanded Tregs proportion. Furthermore, 1,25-dihydroxycholecalciferol induced higher expression levels of anti-inflammatory markers, while 1,25-dihydroxycholecalciferol decreased the expression of inflammatory cytokines. In addition, the 1,25-dihydroxycholecalciferol at concentrations of 100 nM decreased nitrite oxide content. This study demonstrated that 1,25-dihydroxycholecalciferol is effective in the AT-MSCs by inducing regulatory, anti-oxidant, and anti-apoptosis effects. The main conclusion of this study is that 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 can act as a beneficial synergistic factor in treating patients undergoing stem cell therapy.
A SuperLearner approach to predicting diabetic kidney disease upon the initial diagnosis of T2DM in hospital
Authors: Lin Xiaomeng , Liu Chao , Wang Huaiyu , Fan Xiaohui , Li Linfeng , Xu Jiming , Li Changlin , Wang Yao , Cai Xudong , Peng Xin
Published: November 2023

Background Diabetic kidney disease (DKD) is a serious complication of diabetic mellitus (DM) and is asymptomatic until the advanced stage. We developed and validated a predictive model for DKD in patients with an initial diagnosis of type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) based on real-world data. Methods Data from 3,291 patients (1740 men, 1551 women) newly diagnosed with T2DM at Ningbo Municipal Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine (2011–2023) were retrospectively collected. Data were randomly divided into training and validation cohorts. Forty-six readily available medical characteristics at initial diagnosis of T2DM from the electronic medical record (EMR) were used to develop prediction models based on linear, non-linear, and SuperLearner approaches. Model performance was evaluated using the area under the curve (AUC). Shapley additive explanation (SHAP) was used to interpret the best-performing models. Results Of the 3291 participants, 563 (17.1%) were diagnosed with DKD during a median follow-up of 2.53 years. The SuperLearner model had the highest AUC (0.7138, 95% CI [0.673, 0.7546]) for the holdout internal validation set in predicting any DKD stage. Top-ranked features were WBC_Cnt*, Neut_Cnt, Hct, and Hb. High WBC_Cnt, low Neut_Cnt, high Hct, and low Hb levels were associated with an increased risk of developing DKD. Conclusions We developed and validated a DKD risk prediction model for patients with newly diagnosed T2DM. Using routinely available clinical measurements, the SuperLearner model can predict DKD during hospital visits. Prediction accuracy and SHAP-based model interpretability may help improve early detection, targeted interventions, and prognosis of patients with DM.
Utilizing Incoherent Feedforward Loops for Enhanced Response Stability and Coordination of Microbial Consortia-Based Biosensors
Authors: Daniel Ramez , Kravchik Valeriia , Geva-Zatorsky Naama
Published: November 2023

Synthetic multicellular systems can accomplish complex tasks. However, their asynchronous design requires precise adjustments, often resulting in undesired output variations. Here, we created bacterial consortia designed for multi-marker detection, achieving member coordination by activating an array of AND logic gates controlled by a shared quorum sensing signal. Our experimental results demonstrate that successful coordination was achieved when the shared signal was generated by an incoherent feedforward loop (IFFL), leading to a low-level signal that maintains a consistent response across 20 cell generations. These characteristics provide a stable relationship in molecule synthesis and prevent amplitude amplification during signal processing, enabling the IFFL to coordinate the asynchronous activities among consortium members effectively. We examined the consortia-based biosensor by monitoring Lactate and Heme in humanized fecal samples for 40 hours. Our findings provide insights into the IFFL system's dynamic response and long-term stability, making them valuable for biotechnological applications e.g., scaling up synthetic multicellular systems.