bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The potential role of lipopeptide biosurfactant generated by Acinetobacter junii B6 on Leishmania tropica: The synergy of lipopeptide biosurfactant and Glucantime
Authors: Sharifi Fatemeh , Ohadi Mandana , Mohamadi Neda , Salarkia Ehsan , Banat Ibrahim M. , Dehghannoudeh Gholamreza
Published: December 2022

An in vitro investigation was carried out to assess how the lipopeptide biosurfactant (LPB) produced by Acinetobacter junii B6 affects Leishmania tropica infection and the associated cytokine gene expression in macrophages infected with L. tropica. Glucantime® (meglumine antimoniate, MA) and LPB were investigated for their leishmanicidal effect, alone and in combination (LPB + MA), using a colorimetric test and a macrophage model. Immunomodulatory impact was also evaluated through analysis of Th1 and Th2 cytokine gene expression in infected macrophages after treatment with MA and LPB, individually and in combination. The MA/LPB combination showed higher inhibitory impacts on L. tropica amastigotes and promastigotes than each alone. Cytokine gene expression confirmed LPB’s affinity to IFN-γ, affirming the elevated IL-12p40 and IFN- γ concentrations in addition to a reduction in the secretion of IL-10 in a dose-dependent manner, particularly in combined treatment. The results indicated higher effectiveness of LPB along with MA in the reduction of the parasite growth and promoting the immune reaction level, which may be considered as a possible therapeutic strategy to treat those with anthroponotic cutaneous leishmaniasis.
Performance of clinical signs and symptoms, rapid and laboratory diagnostic tests for diagnosis of human African trypanosomiasis by passive screening in Guinea: a non-interventional, prospective cross-sectional study
Authors: Camara Oumou , Camara Mamadou , Falzon Laura Cristina , Ilboudo Hamidou , Kaboré Jacques , Compaoré Charlie Franck Alfred , Fèvre Eric Maurice , Büscher Philippe , Bucheton Bruno , Lejon Veerle
Published: December 2022

Background: Passive diagnosis of human African trypanosomiasis (HAT) at the health facility level is a major component of HAT control in Guinea. We examined which clinical signs and symptoms are associated with HAT, and assessed the performance of selected clinical presentations, of rapid diagnostic tests (RDT), and of laboratory tests on dried blood spots (DBS) for diagnosing HAT.
Method: The study took place in 11 health facilities in Guinea, where 2345 clinical suspects were tested with RDTs HAT Sero-K-Set, rHAT Sero-Strip, and SD Bioline HAT. Seropositives underwent parasitological examination to confirm HAT and their DBS were tested in indirect ELISA/T.b. gambiense, trypanolysis, LAMP and m18S qPCR. Multivariable regression analysis assessed association of clinical presentation with HAT. Sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values of key clinical presentations, of the RDTs and of the DBS tests for HAT diagnosis were determined.
Results: The HAT prevalence, as confirmed parasitologically, was 2.0% (1.5-2.7%). Odds ratios (OR) for HAT were increased for participants with swollen lymph nodes (OR 96.7), important weight loss (OR 20.4), severe itching (OR 45.9) or motor disorders (OR 4.5). Presence of at least one of these clinical presentations was 75.6% (73.8-77.4%) specific and 97.9% (88.9-99.9%) sensitive for HAT. HAT Sero-K-Set, rHAT Sero-Strip, and SD Bioline HAT were respectively 97.5% (96.8-98.1%), 99.4% (99.0-99.7%) and 97.9% (97.2-98.4%) specific, and 100% (92.5-100.0%), 59.6% (44.3-73.3%) and 93.8% (82.8-98.7%) sensitive for HAT. All DBS tests had specificities ≥ 92.9%. While LAMP and m18S qPCR sensitivities were below 50%, trypanolysis and ELISA/T.b. gambiense had sensitivities of 85.3% (68.9-95.0%) and 67.6% (49.5-82.6%).
Conclusions: Presence of swollen lymph nodes, important weight loss, severe itching or motor disorders are simple but accurate clinical criteria for HAT referral in Guinea. Diagnostic performances of HAT Sero-K-Set and SD Bioline HAT are sufficient for referring positives to microscopy. Trypanolysis on DBS may discriminate HAT patients from false RDT positives.
Trial registration: The trial was registered under NCT03356665 in clinicaltrials.gov (November 29, 2017, retrospectively registered https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03356665).
Criteria for three classical problems of downwardly skip-free processes
Authors: Mao Yonghua , Yan Yanyan , Zhang Yuhui
Published: December 2022

This paper devotes to studying downwardly skip-free processes (also called single death processes), motivated by a known result, that is, the uniqueness of a time-continuous Markov chain is equivalent to the recurrence of the embedding chain on an enlarged state space corresponding to the original process. The uniqueness, extinction, recurrence and ergodicity (namely, positive recurrence) criteria for the process are obtained. The main new ideas in our proofs are the use of potential theory, method of limit approximation, and the strong Markov property of the process. Some examples are included to illustrate these results are quite effective. Particularly, applying our results to an extended class of branching process, this paper settles the question of its uniqueness which Chen unsolved when dealing with the above problems of this process.
MAD2L1 Promotes Ewing's Sarcoma Progression Through AURKA/MYC Axis
Authors: Chen Huimou , Hu Jing , Wang Juan , Liu Juan , Chen Binbin , Zhang Yu , Song Mengjia , Li Mengzhen , Hong Ye , Sun Feifei , Huang Junting , Zhu Jia , Zhen Zijun , Que Yi , Lu Suying , Zhang Yizhuo
Published: December 2022

Background:Ewing's sarcoma (ES) is a rare and highly aggressive malignant tumor arising from bone and soft tissue. However, driver genes in ES have not been fully identified. It is extremely urgent to identify new tumor markers for ES and transform them into clinical practice
Methods: Bioinformatics analysis was applied to identify the hub genes in ES. Immunohistochemistry analysis was applied to detect the protein expression levels of potential targets of MAD2L1. ES cell lines and xenograft models were used to investigateprotein functions of MAD2L1.
Results:In this study, the expression level of mitotic arrest deficient 2 like 1 (MAD2L1) was found to be significantly upregulated in both ES tissues and cell lines. The expression of MAD2L1 was prominently correlated with event-free survival (EFS) and overall survival (OS). Furthermore, MAD2L1 acted as an oncogene in ES. MAD2L1 inhibition markedly reduced the proliferation and induced the apoptosis of ES cells in vitro and attenuated tumorigenesis in vivo. In terms of underlying mechanisms, we found that MAD2L1 promoted ES progression through the Aurora kinase A (AURKA)/MYC axis.
Conclusion:In summary, MAD2L1 induced cell proliferation and anti-apoptosis capabilities through the AURKA/MYC axis, which provides new insights into the tumorigenesis of ES. Thus, MAD2L1 may be a potential target for clinical intervention in ES patients.
Quality of life in patients with primary hyperparathyroidism before and after parathyroidectomy: long term single center experience
Authors: Ionova T.I. , Buzanakov D.M. , Chernikov R. A. , Efremov S.M. , Gladkova I.N. , Nikitina T.P. , Sleptsov I.V. , Zolotoukho A.V. , Bubnov K.A. , Skvortsov V.V. , Vinogradova A.A. , Rusakov V.F.
Published: December 2022

Purpose. Primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) is a common endocrine disorder caused by a parathyroid tumor or hyperplasia, which is often accompanied with quality of life (QoL) impairment. A parathyroidectomy (PTХ) is the preferred standard treatment for PHPT patients. In this single center study we аimed to evaluate the impact of PHPT оn patient’s QoL and identify QoL changes at early and long-term follow-up after surgery. Methods. All the patients underwent routine PTХ with the removal of the suspected hyperparathyroid gland(s). Patients filled out generic QoL questionnaire RAND SF-36, specific questionnaire PHPQoL and specific symptom assessment questionnaire PAS upon admission to the hospital before surgery, at 3 months, 12 months and 24 months after surgery. Results. A total of 92 patients with PHPT (median age was 56 years, 95.7% females) were included in the study. Before PTХ patient’s QoL was significantly lower as compared to healthy controls (p < 0.01). Almost 40% of patients had poor or very poor QoL. After surgery there was significant improvement in QoL by all scales of SF-36 questionnaire, excluding bodily pain, and the PHPQoL total score (GEE, p < 0.01) as compared with their values before surgery. Decreased mental component of QoL by PHPQoL (OR = 0.927, 95%CI = 0.874–0.984, p = 0.013) predicted improved QoL after surgery. Conclusions. Patients with PHPT demonstrated significantly impaired QoL in physical, psychological and social functioning as well experienced a wide profile of common PHPT symptoms. Successful PTX was accompanied with remarkable QoL improvement and decrease in subjective symptoms for at least 24 months after surgery.
Sentiment Analysis on Text Reviews Using Lexicon Selected-Bert Embedding (LeBERT) Model with Convolutional Neural Network
Authors: Mutinda James
Published: December 2022

Sentiment analysis has become an important area of research in natural language processing. This technique has a wide range of applications such as comprehending user preferences in ecommerce feedback portals, politics, and in governance. However, accurate sentiment analysis requires robust text representation techniques that can convert words into precise vectors that represent the input text. There are two categories of text representation techniques: lexicon-based techniques and machine learning-based techniques. From research, both techniques have limitations. For instance, pre-trained word embeddings such as Word2Vec, Glove and Bidirectional Encoder Representations from Transformers (BERT) generate vectors by considering word distances, similarities and occurrences ignoring other aspects such as word sentiment orientation. Aiming at such limitations, this paper presents a sentiment classification model (named LeBERT) combining Sentiment Lexicon, N-grams, BERT and CNN. In the model, Sentiment Lexicon, N-grams and BERT are used to vectorize words selected from a section of the input text. CNN is used as the deep neural network classifier for feature mapping and giving the output sentiment class. The proposed model is evaluated on Yelp’s three datasets (movie, restaurant and products’ reviews) using accuracy, precision and F-measure as performance metrics. The experimental results indicate that the proposed LeBERT model outperform the existing state-of-the-art models with an F-measure score of 88.73% in binary sentiment classification.
Fertiliser equivalent value of dairy processing sludge-derived STRUBIAS products using ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) and spring wheat (Triticum aestivum)
Authors: Shi Wenxuan , Fenton Owen , Ashekuzzaman S. M. , Daly Karen , Leahy J. J. , Khalaf Nidal , Chojnacka Katarzyna , Numviyimana Claver , Warchoł Jolanta , Healy Mark.G.
Published: December 2022

Struvite, biochar and ash products (collectively known as STRUBIAS) products derived from different waste streams are used as fertilisers in agriculture. Raw dairy processing sludges (DPS) show promise as bio-based fertilisers, but their STRUBIAS-derived equivalents have not yet been tested as fertilisers. The objective of this study was to calculate the equivalence of phosphorus mineral fertiliser equivalency (P-MFE) using the apparent P recovery (APR) method for Fe-DPS and DPS-derived struvites (Struvite1-4), hydrochars (HC1-3) and ash and, for the first time, to quantify their suitability as fertilisers for ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) and wheat (Triticum aestivum). The results of the P-MFE pot trials showed that the products can be divided into two groups: (1) a range of products that can (i.e., Struvite1-3) and (2) cannot (i.e., Struvite 4, HC1-3, ash and Fe-DPS) be considered as fertilisers. In the first group, the P-MFE ranged from 66.8 to 76.7% for ryegrass and from 77.9 to 93.5% for spring wheat grain. In the second group, the P-MFE ranged from 7.8 to 58.3% for ryegrass and from -34.5 to -151.3% for spring wheat grain. Processing solutions are available to overcome agronomic performance deficits for some products. These include, for example, the avoidance of Fe dosing salts (in the case of struvite) by using biological methods of P removal or utilisation of oxalic acid during struvite precipitation, which removes Fe from the process chain and produce higher yields. Future policy and research must be aware that not all STRUBIAS products are suitable as fertilisers and therefore need to be tested individually.
A data-adaptive dimension reduction for functional data via penalized low-rank approximation
Authors: Park Yeonjoo , Oh Hee-Seok , Lim Yaeji
Published: December 2022

We introduce a data-adaptive nonparametric dimension reduction tool to obtain a low-dimensional approximation of functional data contami- nated by erratic measurement errors following symmetric or asymmetric distributions. We propose to apply robust submatrix completion tech- niques to matrices consisting of coefficients of basis functions calcu- lated by projecting the observed trajectories onto a given orthogonal basis set. In this process, we use a composite asymmetric Huber loss function to accommodate domain-specific erratic behaviors in a data- adaptive manner. We further incorporate the L1 penalty to regularize the smoothness of latent factor curves. The proposed method can also be applied to partially observed functional data, where each tra- jectory contains individual-specific missing segments. Moreover, since our method does not require estimating the covariance operator, the extension to any dimensional functional data observed over a contin- uum is straightforward. We demonstrate the empirical performance in estimating lower-dimensional space and reconstruction of trajectories of the proposed method through simulation studies. We then apply the proposed method to two real datasets, one-dimensional Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) data and two-dimensional max precip- itation spatial data collected in North America and South America.
Determines the Impact of Economic growth components on the IIT, HIIT, and VIIT between China and South Asian countries.
Authors: Shahzad Umer , He Xiaoyin
Published: December 2022

Bilateral trade has significantly influenced economic growth over the past few decades. This study examines bilateral intra-industry trade between China and South Asian countries from 2000 to 2020. Intra-industry trade IIT is further decomposed into vertical intra-industry VIIT and horizontal intra-industry HIIT to indicate two-way and one-way trade relationships. The estimated results show that in the South Asian region, only two countries, Pakistan and India, have a two-way bilateral trade relationship with China, and the intra-industry trade between China and South Asian countries rapidly increased from 2000 to 2020, which positively impacted bilateral economic growth between China and South Asian countries. The findings of the GLS model examine Bilateral cross-section GDP, GDP per capita, FDI, and Min. GDP and Language have a positive and significant impact on IIT but a negative impact on both HIIT and VIIT but the Bilateral Trade cross-section difference FDI, Max. GDP and LXMGDP have a negative influence on IIT but have a positive and significant influence on both HIIT and VIIT.
Selected Soil Properties under different land uses and Carbon Sequestration in Gurra Watershed: The Case of Chalia District, West Shoa Zone, Oromia, Ethiopia
Authors: Chimdi Achalu , Gurmessa Emiru
Published: December 2022

This study was conducted in the Gurra watershed of the Chelia District to determine the current state of soil characteristics as well as the current organic carbon and equivalent CO2 sequestration potential of the watershed's various land uses (forest, grazing, and agricultural). Random sampling techniques were used to collect composite soil samples from (0-30cm) depth for each land use, which were then tested for selected soil physicochemical parameters using conventional protocols. The forest and cultivated land textural classes were loam clay loam and loam clay loam, respectively. Soil pH in forest and grazing lands respectively were 5.9 and 5.2. Higher BD in grazing (1.113g/cm3) and lower (0.818g/cm3) in forest land was recorded. The values of micro nutrients Fe, Cu, Mn and Zn (282.07, 3.768, 44.94 and 2.82ppm) and Fe, Cu, Mn and Zn respective values of (107.44, 0.932, 16.51 and 0.433ppm) were recorded forest and cultivated lands, respectively. Similarly, the highest (10.24%) and lowest (4.31%) SOM were recorded in forest and cultivated lands. The same was true for TN(0.56, 0.22)%, available P(16.28, 0.28) ppm and total P(37.28, 0.64) ppm, CEC(64, 37.3)cmol(+)kg-1, exchangeable bases(54.26, 21.66) cmol (+)kg-1 and OC(5.94, 2.5)%. However, exchangeable acidity (1.6, 0.48) cmol (+) kg-1 was recorded in cultivated and lowest in forest land. The watershed sequestered 84,150 tons of CO2e and stored 22,930 tons of SOC with estimated value of USD 336,600 in the current value. Similarly, SOC sequestration potential and equivalent CO2 sink potential were deceasing (14.58, 8.92 and 6.33)t/h and(53.52, 32.72 and 23.23) t/ha from forest, Grazing and cultivated lands, respectively. Land uses have an effect on soil physicochemical proprieties and also on climate changes. Lowest amount of OC, OM and TN was recorded in cultivated land. SOC storage potential of cultivated land (6.33Mg/ha) was almost 2 times lower than that of forest land (14.58Mg/ha). In this study, forest land was the major reservoir of SOC and sinks of CO2e and plays a significant role in mitigating climate change and improving the fertility and productivity of the lands. Effects of land use changes can be seen not only in soil properties but also on climate changes. Therefore, due attention shall be given to improve soil properties, to conserve natural resources by using crop residue, crop rotation, applying fallowing and agro-forestry practices as well as incorporating SOC in polices of green economy and planting N-fixing species in the area.
Sportive activity reduces genomic damage
Authors: Nota Alessandro , Santovito Alfredo
Published: December 2022

Purpose - The influence of training on the levels of genomic damage are not univocal, and to date not completely understood. Indeed, studies in this area remain scant and do not draw definitive conclusions. Our aim was to evaluate the influence of training on the levels of DNA damage in young athletes. We also wanted to explore the possibility of genomic damage to be driven by single-gene polymorphisms on metabolic and DNA repair genes in our sample.
Method - We compared the levels of Micronuclei and other nuclear aberrations in buccal mucosa cells of a group of 35 healthy, young martial artists with the ones of a group of 35 healthy, young sedentary controls. We also genotyped all subjects for three metabolic and two DNA repair genes in order to investigate the influence of the related single-gene polymorphisms on the frequency of genomic damage.
Results - We observed a decrease in the levels of genomic damage in athletes relatively to sedentary controls; this decrease was significant in both Micronuclei ant Total Aberrations. Instead, single-gene polymorphisms did not alter significantly the levels of nuclear aberrations.
Conclusion - The decrease in genomic damage observed in athletes suggests a protective effect of training and corroborates the beneficial effects of sportive activity on human health. Moreover, even other factors, such as the nature of the sport and training length, could influence the results.
LPA_SN:Label propagation algorithm based on the seed node in complex networks
Authors: Zhou HongFang , Li SuLi
Published: December 2022

Community detection is an essential technique in complex networks. In this paper, we propose a community detection algorithm based on label propagation. Before the propagation procedure, convert the unweighted network to an attribute graph. In this algorithm, we put forward a new seed node selection strategy.In the experiments, we validate our proposed algorithm on both real and attribute datasets.The experimental results demonstrate that our algorithm is more adaptable to the attribute dataset and has a better modularity.
Profiles of Suicide Attempted in Children and Adolescents in Cauca, Colombia 2016-2019
Authors: Ortega-Narváez Alicia , Muñoz Diana , Guzmán Claudia Patricia , Cabra-Bautista Ginna
Published: December 2022

Objective: Suicide attempt (SA) is the main predictive variable for completed suicide. The department of Cauca in Colombia has an SA rate higher than the national average, but the factors are unknown. The objective was to identify the profiles of SA in children and adolescents of Cauca.
Methods: Cross-sectional study, which included all SA (Event-356) records from the SIVIGILA platform in children under 18 years of age between 2016-2019. We described the variables and multiple correspondence analyses (MCA) with the Burt method for 2017-2019, according with the completeness of the data to establish the possible SA profiles using STATA 15.1, and R. The Ethics Committee at Universidad del Cauca approved it.
Results: The study found 977 SA during this period, 72.4% female, 97.1% adolescent, 74.4% mestizo, 19.3% indigenous, 45.3% resided in municipalities exposed to the armed conflict, 32.3% expressed ideation and previous attempts, and 15.5% prior attempts. The MCA included 810 SA and identified three profiles: “Classic”, which had mestizo adolescents with a history of prior SA, mental illness or psychoactive substance use problems; “Related to the armed conflict”, which included female adolescents with a first SA and residents in municipalities exposed to the armed conflict; “Ethnic” represented by male indigenous, with housing in a rural area.
Conclusion: The SA profiles found in Cauca were “Classic”, “Related to the armed conflict”, and “Ethnic”; these can be taken into account to implement prevention strategies from a cross-cultural, mental health, and gender perspective, with the presence of the state in the territories.
Kitchen waste biochar reduces inorganic nourishments of maize (Zea mays L.)
Authors: Ahmod Md. Moudud , Rahman Md. Sazidur , Moonmoon Sharifunnessa , Hossain Md. Sazzad , Hasan Md. Kamrul , Rahman Md. Masudur
Published: December 2022

Preparation of biochar from kitchen waste could be a potential way of waste management. This research aimed to prepare biochar and compost from kitchen waste and test their effects on the yield and biomass production of maize. We separated kitchen waste from municipal waste to prepare biochar, compost and ComBio (co-composting with biochar). Four fertilizer combinations viz. T0 = Recommended doses of chemical fertilizer (RDF), T1= biochar (20 t ha-1) + RDF, T2= compost (15 t ha-1) + 75% RDF and T3= ComBio (15 t ha-1) + 50% RDF were used to grow maize. Maize biomass, and yield attributing characters and basic soil properties after harvesting maize were measured. Data explored that up to 50% reduction of chemical fertilizer has an insignificant effect on the growth and biomass accumulation of maize. Similarly, yield and yield contributing characteristics of maize such as cob length, cob diameter, the weight of 1000-grains and yield did not vary among the treatments. Further, soil pH, EC, TDS and SOM contents were higher in biochar treated soil compared to other treatments. The results indicate that the application of biochar has the potential to reduce the chemical fertilizer dose of maize by improving soil properties, a prerequisite issue of sustainable crop production.
Detection of blaNDM-1 and blaOXA-23-like genes in carbapenem resistant Acinetobacter calcoaceticus-baumanii complex isolated from inpatients of Kathmandu Model Hospital, Nepal
Authors: Gurung Anupama , Shrestha Basudha , Lekhak Binod
Published: December 2022

Background
Acinetobacter calcoaceticus-baumannii (ACB) complex is a major nosocomial pathogen that is frequently involved in outbreaks of infection, occurring mostly in intensive care units. They have capacity to acquire resistance to various classes of antibiotics including carbapenems and hence emerged as one of the most common nosocomial pathogens of the present time.
Methods
This study was conducted to detect blaNDM-1, blaOXA-23-like, and blaOXA-24-like genes from carbapenem resistant Acinetobacter calcoaceticus-baumanii (CR-ACB) complex. This study was crossectional hospital-based study carried out in Kathmandu Model Hospital in which total of 992 representative inpatient samples were taken for the study and genetic works were performed in Centre for Health and Disease studies.
Results
Out of 992 samples, 43(4.33%) isolates were found to be ACB complex out of which 35 (81.4%) isolates were found to be carbapenem resistant. All CR-ACB complex were found sensitive towards polymixin B and colistin but tigecycline was effective in only 54.28% isolates. Thirty-three (94.28%) isolates gave positive MHT. Among 35 isolates of CR-ACB complex, 29(82.86%) isolates were positive for blaOXA-23-like gene and 12 (34.28%) isolates were positive for blaNDM-1 gene. However, all isolates were negative for blaOXA-24-like gene. Eleven (31.4%) of the isolates contained both blaOXA-23-like and blaNDM-1 genes which showed co-existence. Total 30 (85.7%) isolates were found to have carbapenemase genes.
Conclusion
Thus, the study showed that significant association between carbapenem resistance and genetic presence of carbapenemase genes although there are others parameters that are also responsible for carbapenem resistance.
Voices of First-Line Workers: A Qualitative Study of the Barriers and Facilitators in Working with Youth with Disruptive Behaviour (YDB)
Authors: Matthews Evan , Azar Rima , Doucet Shelley
Published: December 2022

BACKGROUND: Youth who exhibit disruptive behaviour may have serious conditions, such as conduct disorder or oppositional defiant disorder, which are often comorbid with clinical depression and substance abuse. Thus, it may be challenging to professionally care for them and their families.
OBJECTIVE: This study investigated the barriers and facilitators to supporting youth with disruptive behaviour in an urban city in Eastern Canada from the perspective of first-line workers.
METHODS: In the context of this study, first-line workers included police officers and youth workers (e.g., social workers and independent living program coaches). We conducted qualitative, semi-structured interviews over the telephone with eight first-line workers. Data was analyzed using thematic analysis.
RESULTS: Five major themes emerged from the data reflecting barriers in the daily work of first-line workers: (1) counterproductive youth behaviours; (2) emotional nature of the job; (3) insufficient services for youth; (4) other individuals in the lives of youth; and (5) minimal barriers as perceived by police. The facilitators that emerged from the data were: (1) support for youth and (2) support for workers.
CONCLUSIONS: In sum, this study indicated that, despite creative local multi-modal initiatives, services for youth with disruptive behaviour disorders remain under-funded or insufficient, and at times still incohesive in their delivery.
Health impacts of urban solid waste management problems in Asella town, Arsi zone, Oromia regional state, southeast, Ethiopia.
Authors: amde
Published: December 2022

Solid wastes are substances by the owner of those properties. The increasing quantity of solid waste makes its management complicated issues. The main objective was to determine health impacts of solid waste management problems. A cross-sectional study design was selected during the data collection process. The sampling technic was randomly and systematically selected houses with a sample size of 423. The data collection tools were checklists, open and closed-ended questionnaires. Collected data entered into EPI data 4.6 and transported to Minitab 20.3 software. Both the chi-square and ANOVA tests were selected for statistical analysis purposes. The response of health impact assessment questions were 207 (49.5%) respiratory diseases, 76 (18.2%) asthmatic (bronchitis) cases, 66 (15.8%) diarrheal diseases, 62 (14.8%) protozoan diseases, and 7 (1.7% ) develop cancer cases. The responses to the environmental pollution responses were 143 (34.2%) water pollution, 132 (31.6%) air pollution, 56 (13.4%) soil pollution, and 87 (20.8%) global environmental problems. ANOVA test obtained strong relations with age groups, education, costs, and health impacts. The Chi-square test found strong associations exist between gender and solid waste sorting process. Therefore, improper solid waste management systems were found in diarrhoeal and parasitic disease episodes during the study of health problems in Asella, Ethiopia.
Post-Graduate Students’ Perceptions of Quillbot Utilization in English Academic Writing Class
Authors: Kurniati Eka Yuni , Fithriani Rahmah
Published: December 2022

Academic writing is currently a worldwide concern. A plethora of studies on academic writing difficulties in higher education has been conducted. With the advancement of technology, the challenges of academic writing can be alleviated by using Quillbot, an artificial intelligence (AI)-powered digital tool. However, research on using Quillbot in post-graduate academic writing classrooms is still limited, and little is known about how students perceive it. This study investigates how post-graduate students view Quillbot as a digital tool for English academic writing. This study employed a qualitative case study design by involving 20 post-graduate students majoring in English education who were already familiar with Quillbot to participate. In investigating the participants' perspectives, a questionnaire and semi-structured interview were used as the instruments for data collection. The findings reveal that the post-graduate students in this study responded positively to using Quillbot to assist them in improving the quality of their writing. Furthermore, the use of Quillbot was found to have three benefits: enhancing students' positive attitudes toward writing, providing a variety of user-friendly writing features, and aiding students' language development. This study implies that AI-powered technology like Quillbot in writing, particularly in academic writing, has a significant role in creating high-quality writing for students.
AN ACCESSIBLE GLOVE BOX PROJECT FOR PROCEDURES THAT REQUIRE INERT CONDITIONS
Authors: Pereira Pedro , de Andrade Jean , Maia Pedro , Malpass Geoffroy
Published: December 2022

An inert atmosphere is, in some cases, important for the performing of experiments where substances are toxic and/or sensitive to oxygen. However, the high cost and accessibility of an equipment to work under these conditions, results in the fact that most laboratories do not have this kind of equipment. In this paper, we present a simple and efficient project to build a cheap glove box for processes that require an inert atmosphere. The proposed glove box is made using medium density fiberboard (MDF), an acrylic lid, hinges, air valves, PVC gloves and other materials that can be found easily in local stores or on the internet. Tests to verify the quality of the nitrogen atmosphere were performed using the lighter test and niobium pentachloride (NbCl5), which is a moisture/oxygen sensitive material. The results demonstrated that the equipment is able to maintain an inert atmosphere for several hours, does not permit lighter to function and maintains the NbCl5 stable.
A new multi-objective evolutionary algorithm for the optimization of water distribution networks
Authors: Palod Nikita , Prasad Vishnu , Khare Ruchi
Published: December 2022

This work introduces a new bi-objective optimization model for the design of a water distribution network (WDN). Reliability and design cost are two contradicting objectives that are optimized. The evolutionary technique multi-objective (MO) Jaya, hereafter referred as MO-JAYANET, is developed for the optimal design of WDN. EPANET is used as a hydraulic network solver in this study. The concept of constraint violation, dominance, non-dominance and crowding distance is used to develop MO-JAYANET. As the Jaya algorithm is a parameter-less technique, and with the concept of constraint dominance involved in the MO model, the penalty parameter required to penalize the non-feasible solution is also dropped. This makes MO-JAYANET a completely parameter-less technique, requiring no tuning at all. MO-JAYANET is applied on two benchmark networks from the literature using three different reliability indices that are Resilience Index, Network Resilience Index, and Modified Resilience Index. MO-JAYANET is found to be very easy and efficient for WDN optimization. The present work obtains a smooth Pareto Front (PF) that overlaps the best-known PF. The maximum reliability diameters obtained by the MO-JAYANET for the three indices are also simulated for both hydraulic and mechanical failures under different scenarios to identify a better-performing index.
Mechanism and efficiency of photocatalytic triclosan degradation by TiO2/BiFeO3 nanomaterials
Authors: Liu Gen , Lin Yingzi , Li Siwen , Shi Chunyan , Zhang Daihua
Published: December 2022

Hierarchical porous TiO2 photocatalytic nanomaterials were fabricated by impregnation and calcination using a peanut shell biotemplate, and TiO2/BiFeO3 composite nanomaterials with different doping amounts were fabricated using hydrothermal synthesis. The micromorphology, structure, element composition and valence state of the photocatalyst were analyzed using a series of characterization methods, including X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM), transmission electron microscope (TEM), BET surface area (BET), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), UV-visible diffuse reflectance (UV-vis), fluorescence spectroscopy (PL) and other technological means. Finally, the degradation mechanism and efficiency of BiFeO3 composite photocatalyst on the target pollutant triclosan were analyzed using a xenon lamp to simulate sunlight. The results showed that TiO2/BiFeO3 catalyst fabricated using a peanut shell biotemplate has a specific surface area of 153.64 m2/g, a band gap of 1.92 eV, and forms heterostructures. The optimum doping amount of TiO2/BiFeO3 catalyst was 1 mol/mol, and the degradation rate was 81.2%. The main active substances degraded were ·O2−and ·OH. The degradation process measured is consistent with the pseudo-first-order kinetic model.
Pharmacokinetics and Tissue Distribution of Nasal Spray of a Novel Muscarinic
Receptor Blocker, 101BHG-D01, in Dogs and Rats
Authors: Wei Hao , Wu Lei , Jia Yongliang , Shen Jian , Li Yanyou , Sun Peng , Xie Qiangmin , Chen Xiaoping , Xie Yicheng , Wang Yingshuo , Zhao Ziming
Published: December 2022

Background:

101BHG-D01 is a novel selective anti-muscarinic (M) 3 receptor-blocking drug. 101BHGD01
nasal spray is intended to be used to relieve sneezing and runny nose symptoms caused by allergic rhinitis.

Methods:

In this study, we examined the plasma pharmacokinetics, tissue distribution, and major excretion mode of
101BHG-D01 in Beagle dogs and rats following nasal spray and intranasal administration, respectively, using HPLCMS/
MS.

Results/Discussion:

We found that the pharmacokinetics of 101BHG-D01 was linear in dogs. 101BHG-D01 entered
the bloodstream rapidly following nasal spray. Its plasma half-life was approximately 6 h and resided at least 24 h in
the body. Moreover, 101BHG-D01 retained a significant amount in the nasal cavity. Finally, we found that 101BHGD01
was eliminated mainly in the form of stools in rats.

Conclusion:

In conclusion, we provided pertinent reference information regarding the design and optimization of
drug delivery regimens for clinical trials.
Thymosin β4 and Actin: Binding Modes, Biological Functions and Clinical
Applications
Authors: Gao Jianli , Ying Yuyuan , Lin Chen , Tao Nana , Hoffman Robert D. , Shi Dongling , Chen Zhijin
Published: December 2022

Thymosin β4 (Tβ4) is the β-thymosin (Tβs) with the highest expression level in human
cells; it makes up roughly 70-80% of all Tβs in the human body. Combining the mechanism and activity
studies of Tβ4 in recent years, we provide an overview of the subtle molecular mechanism, pharmacological
action, and clinical applications of Tβ4. As a G-actin isolator, Tβ4 inhibits the polymerization
of G-actin by binding to the matching site of G-actin in a 1:1 ratio through conformational and
spatial effects. Tβ4 can control the threshold concentration of G-actin in the cytoplasm, influence the
balance of depolymerization and polymerization of F-actin (also called Tread Milling of F-actin), and
subsequently affect cell's various physiological activities, especially motility, development and differentiation.
Based on this, Tβ4 is known to have a wide range of effects, including regulation of inflammation
and tumor metastasis, promotion of angiogenesis, wound healing, regeneration of hair follicles,
promotion of the development of the nervous system, and improving bone formation and tooth growth.
Tβ4 therefore has extensive medicinal applications in many fields, and serves to preserve the kidney,
liver, heart, brain, intestine, and other organs, as well as hair loss, skin trauma, cornea repairing, and
other conditions. In this review, we focus on the mechanism of action and clinical application of Tβ4
for its main biological functions.
Effects of Metformin on Modulating the Expression of Brain-related Genes
of APP/PS1 Transgenic Mice based on Single Cell Sequencing
Authors: Qiu-Yue Xiao , Tian-Yuan Ye , Xiao-Long Wang , Dong-Mei Qi , Xiao-Rui Cheng
Published: December 2022

Background:

Alzheimer's disease is the most common form of dementia, affecting millions
of people worldwide.

Methods:

Here, we analyzed the effects of metformin on APP/PS1 transgenic mice by behavioral test
and single-cell sequencing.

Results:

It showed that metformin can improve the spatial learning, memory function, and anxiety
mood of APP/PS1 transgenic mice. We identified transcriptionally distinct subpopulations of nine
major brain cell types. Metformin increased the differentiation of stem cells, decreased the proportion
of cells in the G2 phase, enhanced the generation of neural stem cells and oligodendrocyte progenitor
cells, and the tendency of neural stem cells to differentiate into astrocytes. Notably, 253 genes expressed
abnormally in APP/PS1 transgenic mice and were reversed by metformin. Ttr, Uba52, and
Rps21 are the top 3 genes in the cell-gene network with the highest node degree. Moreover, histochemistry
showed the expressions of RPS15, Uba52, and RPL23a were consistent with the data from
single-cell sequencing. Pathway and biological process enrichment analysis indicated metformin was
involved in nervous system development and negative regulation of the apoptotic process.

Conclusion:

Overall, metformin might play an important role in the differentiation and development
and apoptotic process of the central nervous system by regulating the expression of Ttr, Uba52,
Rps21, and other genes to improve cognition of APP/PS1 transgenic mice. These results provided a
clue for elaborating on the molecular and cellular basis of metformin on AD.
Stem Cell Therapy in Combination with Naturopathy: Current Progressive
Management of Diabetes and Associated Complications
Authors: Saha Aloke , Samadder Asmita , Nandi Sisir
Published: December 2022

Background:

Diabetes is a chronic metabolic disorder having a global prevalence of nearly doubled over the last 30 years and has become one of the major health concerns worldwide. The number of adults with diabetes increased to 537 million in 2021.

Introduction:

The overarching goal of diabetic research and treatment has always been to restore insulin independence and an average blood glucose level. Chemotherapeutic antidiabetic agents can manage diabetes but often show toxicity and drug resistance. Natural phytomedicines may be useful along with stem cell therapy for diabetes management. Even if the whole pancreatic organ and islet transplantation, are becoming benchmark techniques for diabetes management and control, a con-siderable scarcity of eligible donors of pancreatic tissues and organs severely limits their use. Stem cell treatment provides a bunch of possibilities for treating people with diabetes.

Methods:

For this purpose, comprehensive article searching was conducted, with relevant material obtained using search engines such as Scopus, PubMed, MEDLINE, Google, and others, using ap-propriate keywords.

Results:

Stem cell therapies, including induced pluripotent stem cells and mesenchymal stem cells, are now becoming a popular area of investigation. Recent advancements in stem cell therapy might provide a feasible treatment option. Furthermore, in recent years, some novel bioactive compounds derived from plants have demonstrated antidiabetic action with higher potency than oral hypogly-caemic medications. Recent regenerative medicine and stem cell treatment advancements might subsequently provide a feasible diabetic management option. On the other hand, medicinal herbs have been considered a better choice for the extensive treatment of diabetes.

Conclusion:

If proper attention is not given to control diabetes by antidiabetic chemotherapeutic agents, natural phytomedicine, and sophisticated treatment like stem cell therapy, then the lifespan of patients will be decreased, and some associated secondary problems will also arise. So, the pre-sent review attempts to discuss naturopathy as an alternative resource in combination with stem cell therapy for the progressive management of diabetes and associated disorders.
Chemistry of Medicinally Important Dihydropyrimidinone-based Heterocycle
Scaffolds
Authors: Versha  , Rana Ravi Kumar , Bendi Anjaneyulu
Published: December 2022

In medicinal chemistry, Dihydropyrimidinone-based heterocycle scaffolds have attained a
prominent place due to their enormous pharmacological and biological activities. The discovery and
development of innovative drugs to combat a wide range of diseases exemplify the utility of these
compounds. The present study summarizes the variety of methods available to synthesize various dihydropyrimidinone-
based heterocycle scaffolds and their beneficial medicinal properties with the
available literature until 2022.
Radiopharmaceutical Encapsulated Liposomes as a Novel Radiotracer Im -
aging and Drug Delivery Protocol
Authors: Alkandari Anfal M. , Alsayed Yasser M. , El-hanbaly Atallah M.
Published: December 2022

Nuclear medicine specialty involves the administration of unsealed radioactive substances
to patients to allow specific diagnostics and treatments using radiopharmaceuticals, radiotracers,
and materials. Developing a radiopharmaceutical must involve considering and addressing
some limitations such as its retention by unintended organs, which can influence patient and
worker safety, imaging findings, and diagnostic and therapeutic accuracy. This paper presents data
on the changing biodistribution, localization, stability, and accuracy patterns of radiopharmaceuticals
by liposome encapsulation.

Methods:

Data are presented for 5 male New Zealand white rabbits. They were injected intravenously
with the 99mTc-liposomes encapsulated MIBI through a marginal ear vein, and whole-body
images were acquired using a dual-head gamma camera. Cationic PEGylated liposomes were prepared
using the conventional thin-film-hydration method. The liposomes were tested for particle
size, zeta potential, high-performance-liquid-chromatography (HPLC), and toxicity.

Results:

The liver activity was slightly greater than or equivalent to heart uptake, using 99mTcsestamibi,
MIBI, without liposome as a reference. The absorbed doses in myocardium cells after
injecting rabbits with 99mTc-MIBI labeled with free positive lower pH liposomes was greater than
in the liver, whereas 99mTc labeled with encapsulated MIBI within positive liposomes showed a
significantly higher heart-to-liver ratio. The heart-to-spleen activity uptake ratio in 99mTc-MIBI
was higher than or equal to one but increased in 99mTc labeled with MIBI and free positive liposomes.
Injecting rabbits with 99mTc labeled with encapsulated MIBI raised myocardium uptake to
2-4 times more than the spleen. Heart-to-bowel activity began to rise with 99m Tc-labeld-MIBI
and liposomes.

Conclusion:

This study provides findings in radiopharmaceutical biodistribution using liposomal
agents. Adding free liposomes using a pH gradient technique enhanced the uptake and localization
of the radiotracer. However, tracer encapsulation during the formation of the liposomes showed
even better specificity.
Was UEFA’S Goal of an Environmentally Friendly Euro 2020/21 a Success?
Authors: Komen Boaz , Skandrani Hanine , Myagmarjav Ariuntuya , Ungvárai Ádám
Published: December 2022

The football Euro 2020/21 has been said to be more environmentally friendly, as it was spread all over Europe, thus no new stadiums needed to be built. On the other hand, more traveling became necessary. How does these effects behave with each other? Was the attempt to reduce emissions successful?       This paper seeks to compare the goals for UEFA 2020/21 for environmental friendliness and its success. A mixed research strategy was adopted in this paper where qualitative analysis was done on existing literature review and also quantitative approach where assumptions were drawn from literature review to estimate the environmental impact. This paper found that UEFA's initial estimate of 425,000 tons of carbon dioxide emissions in traveling for the Euro Cup 2020 was a bit higher than the actual amount of carbon emissions from our calculation of 143,531 tons. What stands out is that its findings agree with UEFA's estimate that Euro Cup 2020 emissions were lower than that of 2016 which emitted 517,000 tons of carbon dioxide for traveling. This gives a greater reason to conclude that UEFA met its goal of reducing carbon emissions. The overall carbon dioxide emissions in traveling and constructing stages were 1,275,988 tons in Euro Cup 2020 and 2,803,000 tons in Euro Cup 2016. This further affirms the overall carbon dioxide emission reduction by half in Euro Cup 2020 as compared to Euro 2016. From our findings, we can conclude that the Euro Cup 2020 indeed succeeded in reducing overall carbon dioxide emissions by half. Despite the success, this paper views that the carbon emissions are still high for a single event and hence there is room for reduction of carbon emissions to lower levels as possible. we can conclude that the Euro Cup 2020 indeed succeeded in reducing overall carbon dioxide emissions by half. Despite the success, this paper views that the carbon emissions are still high for a single event and hence there is room for reduction of carbon emissions to lower levels as possible. we can conclude that the Euro Cup 2020 indeed succeeded in reducing overall carbon dioxide emissions by half. Despite the success, this paper views that the carbon emissions are still high for a single event and hence there is room for reduction of carbon emissions to lower levels as possible.
ZF6HP26 típusú váltó áttételének a meghatározása
Authors: Zsila Klaudia , Tiba Zsolt
Published: December 2022

Az automatizálás egyre nagyobb mértékű elterjedésének köszönhetően megjelentek automata sebességváltók, amelyek áttétel módosítása a sorba kapcsolt bolygóművek megfelelő elemeinek fékezéséből, illetve összekapcsolásából adódik. A tanulmány középpontja egy ZF6HP26 típusú sebességváltó. A sebességváltó szétszerelése után a megszámolt fogszámok ismeretében levezettük az áttételeket a szakirodalomban publikált fordulatszámegyenletek felhasználásával. Az egyes fokozatok áttételeit paraméteresen vezettük le, amelybe a fogszámok behelyettesítésével megkaptuk a gyártó által is publikált áttételeket.