bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effect of Injection Timing In Reducing The Harmful Pollutants Emitted From CI Engine Using N-Butanol Antioxidant Blended Eco-Friendly Mahua Biodiesel
Authors: Chellakumar Isaac JoshuaRamesh Lalvani Joshua Stephen , V Elumalai P , Parthasarathy M
Published: July 2021

Consuming non-renewable energy sources has genuine and long-standing unfavorable consequences on people’s health, neighborhood networks and ecosystems, and also on the worldwide atmosphere. The burgeoning demand and use of diesel engines in various fields cause emission of exhaust gases like NOx and CO that lead to serious environmental pollution and hazards like global warming, respiratory problems, and so on, has necessitated a reduction in the use of diesel and addition of suitable biodiesel. Mahua biodiesel blend has also been considered as a safe renewable fuel for conventional engines. This is due to its desirable properties such as rapid growth rate, higher productivity, and the ability to utilize CO2 into fuel. The introduction of an antioxidant, preferably n-butanol eliminates these harmful emissions from the diesel engine. In this experimental investigation, mahua biodiesel blend mixed with n-butanol has been used as test fuel in a conventional engine. Because of the special character n-butanol has been chosen for use with the mahua biodiesel blend. About 20–30 vol.% of n-butanol has been blended with 80 vol.% of diesel and tested. The manufacturer set injection timing was 23oCA bTDC. The injection timing is preferably between 21oCA bTDC and 25oCA bTDC. Nitrogen oxides and carbon monoxide are reduced by 49 percent and 5.88 percent, respectively, when a blend of B20 + D80 + 30% n-butanol is used at 21oCA bTDC relative to diesel fuel. The smoke and hydrocarbon emission of blend B20 + D80 + 30% n-butanol at 25oCA bTDC is reduced by 40% and 38.07%, respectively, related to diesel. The brake thermal efficiency for entire injection timing has been identified to be increased correlated to all other test blends. The brake thermal efficiency in blend B20 + D80 + 30% n-butanol of 25oCA bTDC is increased by 15.30%, when compared with diesel fuel. These promising results assure that mahua biodiesel blend containing antioxidant would be eco-friendly fuel.
Digital Detection of Sarcopenia in Pancreatic Cancer: Additional Utilization to Plan Patient Management
Authors: Jalal Mustafa , Campbell Jennifer A , Wadsley Jonathan , Hopper Andrew D
Published: July 2021

Purpose: The presence of a sarcopenia adversely affects the prognosis of patients with pancreatic cancer. There is an emerging role for using computed tomography (CT) to calculate skeletal muscle index (SMI) and the presence of sarcopenia. The aim of this study was to assess if detecting ‘digital sarcopenia’ is feasible and can contribute to the management of patients with locally advanced pancreatic cancer (LAPC).Methods: Patients diagnosed with LAPC referred for endoscopic ultrasound guided biopsy (EUS-B) by our regional cancer network were identified. Age, body mass index (BMI), and Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status (ECOG-PS) was noted. CT images were analysed for SMI and the presence of sarcopenia. Decision outcomes on receiving chemotherapy or not were collected from the regional oncology database. Results: In total 51/204 (25%) patients with LAPC who underwent EUS-B were not given chemotherapy and received BSC only. The prevalence of sarcopenia (p=0.0003), age ≥ 75 years old (p=0.03) and ECOG-PS 2-3 (p=0.01) were significantly higher in the patents receiving BSC only. Logistic regression analysis demonstrated that SMI was the only independent associated factor identifying patients with LAPC who were treated with BSC only and not chemotherapy after adjusting for age and ECOG-PS. Conclusion: Our study has shown that digital skeletal muscle analysis at the time of a diagnostic CT for patients with pancreatic cancer is feasible and can detect sarcopenia and malnourished patients who are much less likely to take up chemotherapy. These patients could be triaged to oncology assessment prior to EUS-B to avoid unnecessary investigations.
Can we scale up a comprehensive school-based eye health programme in Zambia?
Authors: Yong Ai Chee , Buglass Anne , Mwelwa Godfrey , Abdallah Ibrahim , Chan Ving Fai
Published: July 2021

Background

Globally, 19 million children have preventable vision impairment simply because refractive and eye health services are inaccessible to most of them. In Zambia, 50,000 school children need spectacle provision. The School-based Eye Health Programme (SEHP) has been identified worldwide as a proven strategy to address childhood blindness. Given the great benefits of it, the Zambian government intends to scale up the programme. This scalability assessment aims to identify and evaluate the essential components of an effective SEHP, determine roles, assess existing capacities within user organisations, identify environmental facilitating and inhibiting factors, and estimate the minimum resources necessary for the scaling up and their proposed scale-up strategies.
Methods

Five elements (innovation, user organisation, resource team, environment, and strategies for horizontal and vertical scaling-up) were assessed guided by the ExpandNet-WHO Nine Steps for Developing a Scaling-Up Strategy. Literature reviews and stakeholders' interviews were conducted to collect data for this assessment. Subsequently, twenty questions in the Worksheets for Developing a Scaling-up Strategy were used to systematically reporting the assessment outcome.
Results

Additional components of SEHP incorporated in Zambia's model enhanced the innovation's credibility and relevance. The resource team was relatively competent in the pilot, and the same team will be employed during the scaling-up. Political instability, the lack of supply chain, and unstable financial supports were identified as inhibiting factors. The objectives of SEHP were aligned with the National Eye Health Strategic Plan 2017–2021 that support the institutionalisation of the SEHP into the existing School Health and Nutrition Programme. For the pace of expansion, replicating SEHP to another district rather than a province will be more realistic.
Conclusion

Scaling up a comprehensive SEHP in Zambia is feasible, provided if sufficient funding is available. Additionally, the pace must be adapted to the local context to ensure that every component within the SEHP is intact.
Determining the safety and effectiveness of Tai Chi: A critical overview of 210 systematic reviews of controlled clinical trials
Authors: Yang Guo-Yan , Hunter Jennifer , Bu Fan-Long , Hao Wen-Li , Zhang Han , Wayne Peter M , Liu Jian-Ping
Published: July 2021

Background: This overview aims to critically appraise the best available systematic review (SR) evidence on the health effects of Tai Chi. Methods: Nine databases (English and Chinese languages) were searched for SRs of controlled clinical trials of Tai Chi interventions published between Jan-2010 and Dec-2020 in any language. Excluded were primary studies and meta-analyses that combined Tai Chi with other interventions. To minimise overlap, effect estimates were extracted from the most recent, comprehensive, highest quality SR for each population, condition, and outcome. SR quality was appraised using AMSTAR 2 and effect estimates with GRADE.Results: Of the 210 included SRs, 193 only included randomised controlled trials, one only included non-randomised studies of interventions, and 16 included both. The most common conditions were neurological (18.6%), falls/balance (14.7%), cardiovascular (14.7%), musculoskeletal (11.0%), cancer (7.1%) and diabetes mellitus (6.7%). Except for stroke, no evidence for disease prevention was found, instead proxy-outcomes/risks factors were evaluated. 114 effect estimates were extracted from 37 SRs (2 high quality, 6 moderate, 18 low, and 11 critically low), representing 59,306 adults. Compared to active and/or inactive controls, a clinically important benefit from Tai Chi was reported for 66 effect estimates; 53 reported an equivalent or marginal benefit, and 6 an equivalent risk of adverse events. Eight effect estimates (7.0%) were graded as high certainty evidence, 43 (37.7%) moderate, 36 (31.6%) low, and 27 (23.7%) very low. This was due to concerns with risk of bias in 92 (80.7%) effect estimates, imprecision in 43 (37.7%), inconsistency in 37 (32.5%) and publication bias in 3 (2.6%). SR quality was limited by the search strategies, language bias, inadequate consideration of clinical, methodological and statistical heterogeneity, poor reporting standards, and/or no registered protocol. Conclusions: The findings suggest Tai Chi has multisystem effects with physical, psychological, and quality of life benefits for a wide range of conditions, including individuals with multiple health problems. Clinically important benefits were most consistently reported for Parkinson’s disease, falls risk, knee osteoarthritis, low back pain, cardiovascular diseases including hypertension, and stroke. Notwithstanding, for most conditions, higher quality primary studies and SRs are required.
The Characteristics of Husbands and Violence Against Women in Wuhan, China: A Cross-sectional Study
Authors: Chang Xuening , Yang Yifan , Ruizhen Li
Published: July 2021

Objective. To understand the prevalence of domestic violence (DV) in Wuhan, China, to explore the correlation between domestic violence and husbands. Methods. A cross-sectional study was conducted in a community health center in Wuhan from June 2015 to December 2015. Participants were 1015 women who came to the center for gynecological examination. They were assessed using WHO violence against women instrument to evaluate the prevalence of domestic violence. Chi-square test, Wilcoxon rank test and unadjusted and adjusted logistic regression analysis were used to analyze the possible risk factors of domestic violence. Results. The prevalence of domestic violence was 29.36% (298/1015). The risk factors included heavy physical labor (OR=3.56, 95%CI:1.63~7.78), long-term drinking (OR=1.61, 95%CI:1.20~2.16), overweight or obesity (OR=1.38, 95%CI:1.02~1.88) and long-term smoking (OR=1.02, 95%CI:1.01~1.04). Protective factors were higher education (OR=0.78, 95%CI: 0.66-0.93). Conclusion. The prevalence of domestic violence in women from Wuhan, China was common. We might decrease the occurrence of the possible risk factors of domestic violence to control it.
Sphingomonas and Phenylobacterium As Major Microbiota in Thymic Epithelial Tumors
Authors: Higuchi Rumi , Goto Taichiro , Hirotsu Yosuke , Otake Sotaro , Oyama Toshio , Amemiya Kenji , Ohyama Hiroshi , Mochizuki Hitoshi , Omata Masao
Published: July 2021

Background
Microbiota has been reported to be closely associated with carcinogenesis and cancer progression. However, its involvement in the pathology of thymoma remains unknown. In this study, we aimed to identify thymoma-specific microbiota using resected thymoma samples.
Methods
Nineteen thymoma tissue samples were analyzed through polymerase-chain-reaction amplification and 16S rRNA gene sequencing. The subjects were grouped according to histology, driver mutation status in the GTF2I gene, PD-L1 status, and smoking habits. To identify the taxa composition of each sample, operational taxonomic units (OTUs) were classified on the effective tags with 97% identity. The Shannon index of the 97% identity OTUs was calculated to evaluate alpha diversity. The linear discriminant analysis effect size (LEfSe) method was used to compare the relative abundances of all bacterial taxa.
Results
We identified 107 OTUs in the tumor tissues, which were classified into 26 genera. Sphingomonas and Phenylobacterium were identified as abundant genera in almost all samples. No significant difference was determined in the alpha diversity within these groups; however, type A thymoma exhibited higher bacterial diversity than type B thymoma. Through LEfSe analysis, we identified the following differentially abundant taxa: Bacilli, Firmicutes, and Lactobacillales in type A thymoma; Proteobacteria in type B thymoma; Gammaproteobacteria in tumors harboring the GTF2I mutation; and Alphaproteobacteria in tumors without the GTF2I mutation.
Conclusions
Sphingomonas and Phenylobacterium were identified as dominant genera in thymic epithelial tumors. These genera appear to comprise thymoma-specific microbiota involved in tumor progression; thus, they could serve as targets for the prevention of thymoma.
Development and Validation of an Equation to Predict the Incidence of Coronary Heart Disease in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes in Japan
Authors: Yamashita Yasunari , Inoue Gaku , Nozaki Yoichi , Kitajima Rina , Matsubara Kiyoshi , Horii Takeshi , Mohri Junichi , Atsuda Koichiro , Matsubara Hajime
Published: July 2021

Objective: In the diabetes treatment policy after the Kumamoto Declaration 2013, it is difficult to accurately predict the incidence of complications in patients using the JJ risk engine. This study was conducted to develop a prediction equation suitable for the current diabetes treatment policy using patient data from Kitasato Institute Hospital (Hospital A) and to externally validate the developed equation using patient data from Kitasato University Hospital (Hospital B). Outlier tests were performed on the patient data from Hospital A to exclude the outliers. Prediction equation was developed using the patient data excluding the outliers and was subjected to external validation.Results: By excluding outlier data, we were able to develop a new prediction equation for the incidence of coronary heart disease (CHD) as a complication of type 2 diabetes, incorporating the use of antidiabetic drugs with a high risk of hypoglycemia. This is the first prediction equation in Japan that incorporates the use of antidiabetic drugs. We believe that it will be useful in preventive medicine for treatment for people at high risk of CHD as a complication of diabetes or other diseases. In the future, we would like to confirm the accuracy of this equation at other facilities.
Salicylic Acid Increases Photosynthesis of Drought Grown Mustard Plants Effectively with Sufficient-N via Regulation of Ethylene, ABA and Nitrogen-Use Efficiency
Authors: Iqbal Noushina , Fatma Mehar , Gautam Harsha , Sehar Zebus , Rasheed Faisal , Khan M.I.R. , Sofo Adriano , Khan Nafees
Published: July 2021

An essential approach to reduce drought in plants is to maximize the use of most limited resources. The increase in water-use efficiency (WUE) is important to maximally utilize the available water to increase photosynthesis and growth of plants under water-deficit stress. Both WUE and photosynthetic nitrogen use efficiency (PNUE), as the indices of resource-use efficiency were studied in mustard (Brassica juncea L.) plants grown under limited water conditions with low-N (100 mg N kg−1 soil) and sufficient-N (200 mg N kg− 1 soil) N and sprayed with 0- and 0.5 mM salicylic acid (SA). Application of SA increased water potential, osmotic potential, WUE and incorporation of soil N into photosynthetic machinery by enhancing PNUE. It also increased photosynthesis of plants maximally by increasing stomatal conductance and intercellular CO2 concentration under water-deficit stress. This increase was greater in the presence of sufficient-N where 0.5 mM SA maximally enhanced the N-metabolism, redox ratio that mitigated the oxidative stress. The application of SA on plants supplemented with N reduced ethylene and abscisic (ABA) synthesis. It could be inferred that SA enhanced N utilization at its optimal level to maintain redox ratio and inhibit ABA-mediated stomatal closure to enhance the resource utilization and photosynthesis. SA also enhanced glucose utilization which prevented photosynthetic repression by enhanced glucose under stress. Thus, SA application may impart a potential management tool for increasing photosynthetic NUE, WUE and photosynthesis under drought.
Distribution of Hepatitis B Genotypes Among Hepatitis B Patients Visiting Decode Genomics Research Center
Authors: Pandey Gaurab , Bogati Bibek , Shrestha Sangam
Published: July 2021

The hepatitis B virus (HBV) is non-cytopathic, hepatotropic and enveloped virus which causes Hepatitis B and infects the liver causing inflammation and hepatocellular necrosis. The genome sequence database shows that HBV has ten genetic diversities (A-J) ten in which the HBV genotypes, I and J are the new one. Three major genotypes of HBV (A, C and D) were found in Nepal. Despite being a low prevalence, Nepal has a diversity of hepatitis B. Hence, the study aims to determine the distribution of hepatitis B genotypes among the hepatitis B patients visiting Decode Genomics Research Center. HBV genotypes were determined by using a simpler, more rapid, and more specific genotyping system for HBV involving PCR using type-specific primers. Our study showed that different HBV genotypes were identified in which genotype D to be predominant one followed by C and also showed presence of genotype A, B and F. Many recombinant genotypes were also present in our study.
Forecasting China’s food grain demand 2021-2050 with attention to balanced dietary and fertility policies
Authors: Liu Xiuli , Dou Yuxing , Guan Dabo , He Geoffrey J.D. , Wang Shouyang
Published: July 2021

The estimation of China's future food grain demand has become vital input for designing grain security measures. Addressing the population's age-gender and urban-rural structures under three fertility policies scenarios together with concerns for balanced diets, we established a multi-factor driven model to forecast China's food grain demand (including staple food grain and feed grain) during 2021-2050. The three scenarios are as follows; the two-child fertility policy for couples when either the husband or the wife is from a single-child family (scenario 1); universal two-child policy (scenario 2), and no limitations on the number of children (scenario 3). The results show that in scenario 3, China's food grain demand would peak in 2030 at about 329.3 million tons, about 3.7 million tons higher than that in scenario 2, and 104.7 million tons lower than that estimated with the traditional per capita method. These findings indicate that the demographic transition for fertility policy adjustment is not the main impacting factor of China's food grain security from 2021 to 2050. We might overestimate food grain demand by about 15 percent if we ignored each age-gender and urban-rural structure of the population. Then it may lead to an oversupply of grain and accumulation of stocks, which would generate about 1 billion RMB annual inventory cost burden. An important complement to the demographic strategy would come from the adoption of the proposed Dietary Guideline for Chinese Residents (2019). It can make people much healthier and save about 7.5 percent of China's food grain consumption, reducing the pressure scarce supplies of water and land in the country.
A Case of Incest in a Malaysian Child: The Ethical and Legal Implications
Authors: Abdul Ghani Nur Jannah , Muhamad Siti Aqilah , Hasan Zaki Nur’amahirah , Shamsuddin Mohd Assyakir , Taib Fahisham
Published: July 2021

Serious crimes, especially child sexual abuse and rape have become one of the most unsettling issues all over the world. Survivors of these ordeals are facing and suffering from traumatic life experiences. We illustrated a case of a 13-year-old girl who was involved in an incestuous relationship and the challenges from the ethical perspective of a professional. It is essential that healthcare professionals be equipped with awareness on the legal impact of such case – related to child protection policy, child rehabilitation process and the penal code related to such event.
Perceptions of Mentors and Mentees towards the Mentoring System at the Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre
Authors: Kamarudin Mohammad Arif , Md Shah Shah-Abas Muhamad , Ismail Noor Aisyah Somkam , Yen Teh Pui , Shamsul Aini Syahirah , Che Razali Hasnurul Idayu , Salam Abdus
Published: July 2021

Mentoring is a relationship between mentors and mentees focused on the career success and advancement of mentees. It is crucial to review and evaluate the mentoring system in place in any given institution to identify potential issues. This study aimed to ascertain the perception of mentors and mentees towards mentoring system at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre (UKMMC). This cross-sectional study involved 382 UKMMC medical students from Year-2 to Year-5, and 35 UKMMC lecturers. Data were collected by sending validated questionnaires through Google Forms to all 819 students via the Facebook groups of UKM medical students. The questionnaires for mentors were distributed to all 78 lecturers through their respective emails. Both mentors and mentees showed positive perceptions towards the mentoring system with a total score of 110/144 (76%) and 51/64 (80%), respectively. Year-2 and Year-3 mentees showed higher perception compared to Year-4. Mentees supervised under pre-clinical mentors and female mentors had higher perceptions compared to clinical mentors and male mentors. Respondents reported suggestions for improving the content and structure of the mentoring system, the need for additional training of mentors (especially on how to approach the mentees), retaining the same mentors and mentees pairing throughout the mentees’ education, and reviewing the assessment method. The study findings may help further in improving the mentoring system of UKMMC. Mentoring is a challenging task. Medical schools must assign mentoring due importance in regular training for all levels of mentors by welltrained trainers. The implementation of awards and incentives for institutional mentors may motivate them further.
Current and Emerging Strategies for Prediction and Diagnosis of Prelabour Rupture of the Membranes: A Narrative Review
Authors: Ghafoor Saadia
Published: July 2021

Prelabour rupture of membranes (PROM) refers to the disruption of foetal membranes before the onset of labour, resulting in the leakage of amniotic fluid. PROM complicates 3% and 8% of preterm and term pregnancies, respectively. Accurate and timely diagnosis is crucial for effective management to prevent adverse maternal- and foetal-outcomes. The diagnosis of equivocal PROM cases with traditional methods often becomes challenging in current obstetrics practice; therefore, various novel biochemical markers have emerged as promising diagnostic tools. This narrative review is sought to review the published data to understand the current and emerging trends in diagnostic modalities in term and preterm pregnancies complicated with PROM and the potential role of various markers for predicting preterm PROM (pPROM) and chorioamnionitis in women with pPROM.
Parcellation of the Hippocampus According to Its Connection Probability with Prefrontal Cortex Subdivisions in a Malaysian Malay Population: Preliminary Findings
Authors: Abdullah Aimi Nadhiah , Ahmad Asma Hayati , Zakaria Rahimah , Tamam Sofina , Abdullah Jafri Malin
Published: July 2021

Background: Lesion studies have shown distinct roles for the hippocampus, with the dorsal subregion being involved in processing of spatial information and memory, and the ventral aspect coding for emotion and motivational behaviour. However, its structural connectivity with the subdivisions of the prefrontal cortex (PFC), the executive area of the brain that also has various distinct functions, has not been fully explored, especially in the Malaysian population.
Methods: We performed diffusion magnetic resonance imaging with probabilistic tractography on four Malay males to parcellate the hippocampus according to its relative connection probability to the six subdivisions of the PFC.
Results: Our findings revealed that each hippocampus showed putative connectivity to all the subdivisions of PFC, with the highest connectivity to the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC). Parcellation of the hippocampus according to its connection probability to the six PFC subdivisions showed variability in the pattern of the connection distribution and no clear distinction between the hippocampal subregions.
Conclusion: Hippocampus displayed highest connectivity to the OFC as compared to other PFC subdivisions. We did not find a unifying pattern of distribution based on the connectivity- based parcellation of the hippocampus.
DNA Barcoding of Andaliman (Zanthoxylum acanthopodium DC) from North Sumatra Province of Indonesia using maturase K Gene
Authors: Suriani Cicik , Prasetya Eko , Harsono Tri , Manurung Johannes , Prakasa Hary , Handayani Dina , Jannah Miftahul , Rachmawati Yuanita
Published: July 2021

Andaliman (Zanthoxylum acanthopodium DC) is a native plant of North Sumatra province. Zanthoxylum acanthopodium is a member of Rutaceae family widely found in northern Sumatra, Indonesia. The aim of this study was to barcode Z. acanthopodium in North Sumatra province, Indonesia based on cpDNA maturase K (matK). Samples were collected in seven localities across six regions of North Sumatra province. Phylogenetic analysis was conducted using Maximum Likelihood method. The results of phylogenetic analysis indicate that Z. acanthopodium is a monophyletic group that is derived from a common ancestor. The results of the phylogenetic tree construction show that there is a grouping of accession between Z. acanthopodium species separate from other species in the Zanthoxylum genus as well as those of the Rutaceae family. The results showed that cpDNA matK marker can effectively be used as DNA barcoding to identify Z. acanthopodium.
Antioxidant-rich Clove Extract, A Strong Antimicrobial Agent against Urinary Tract Infections-causing Bacteria in vitro
Authors: Rosarior Vanessa Lee , Lim Pei Shan , Wong Wei Kit , Yue Chen Son , Yam Hok Chai , Tan Sheri-Ann
Published: July 2021

Clove (Syzygium aromaticum) is an exotic culinary spice that has been used for centuries due to its known antimicrobial and antioxidant properties. The main aim of this study is to compare the antimicrobial activity and antioxidant capacity of clove ethanolic extract (CEE) and commercial clove essential oil (CEO) at a standardised eugenol content. Disk diffusion assay showed that CEE (2000 μg) was able to exhibit broad-spectrum inhibition against both Gram negative and Gram positive Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs)-causing pathogens: Proteus mirabilis (19.7 ± 0.6 mm) > Staphylococcus epidermidis (18 mm) > Staphylococcus aureus (14.7 ± 0.6 mm) > Escherichia coli (12.7 ± 0.6 mm) > Klebsiella pneumoniae (12.3 ± 0.6 mm) (according to the size of inhibition zone). Interestingly, the comparison between CEE and commercial CEO revealed that the former demonstrated stronger antimicrobial and antioxidative properties at similar eugenol concentration. The EC50 of DPPH (1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl), ABTS (2,2’-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) and reducing power assay for CEE were determined as 0.037 mg/mL, 0.68 mg/mL and 0.44 mg/mL, respectively. Besides eugenol, High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) analyses identified the presence of kaempferol, gallic acid and catechin in CEE. As a conclusion, we concluded that there was a possible synergistic effect between eugenol and the others active compounds especially kaempferol which led to the observed bioactivities in CEE.
Subacute Toxicity Evaluation of Methanolic Extract of Syzygium polyanthum in Rats
Authors: Harun Nor Hazliana , Rasdi Nor Atiqah , Mohd Salleh Rabeta , Safuan Sabreena , Wan Ahmad Wan Amir Nizam , Mohd Fuad Wan Ezumi
Published: July 2021

Syzygium polyanthum (Wight) Walp. var. polyanthum (serai kayu) leaves is a popular herb and widely used in traditional medicine. Despite the ethnomedicinal benefits, very limited studies have researched on the toxicity of this plant. The aim of the present study was to investigate the potential effects of methanolic extract of Syzygium polyanthum (MESP) leaves via 28-day repeated oral dosing in Sprague Dawley rats. MESP leaves was administered at doses of 0 (control), 400, 1000 or 2000 mg/kg to an equal number of male and female rats (n = 10/group). Results obtained indicated that MESP did not affect the general conditions (body weight, feed intake and oestrous cycle) and apparent behavioural changes of the rats. Biochemical parameters revealed a slight significant variation in the aspartate aminotransferase (AST) level between the male rats treated with the lowest and highest doses of MESP, but these findings were both statistically insignificant when compared to the control group. The liver of the males (dose 1000 and 2000 mg/kg/day) also exhibited histoarchitectural defects on the hepatocytes and cytoplasm when compared to those of the control group. In contrast, female rats did not encounter any significant findings in all parameters tested. In conclusion, this study suggests that the MESP leaves might exhibit sex-based variation effects and thus, the use of this extract particularly at higher doses should be thoroughly considered.
Accumulation of Neutral Lipids and β-Carotene by the Yarrowia lipolytica Yeast on a Medium with Sucrose as a Carbon Source
Authors: Kosikhina Yu.M. , Vinogradova E.B. , Dementev D.A. , Korobov V.S. , Zolottsev V.A. , Yuzbashev T.V. , Yuzbasheva E.Yu. , Sineoky S.P.
Published: July 2021

Recombinant Yarrowia lipolytica yeast has been used as a host strain for the expression of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae ScSUC2 gene and Y. lipolytica YlHXK1 gene encoding invertase and hexakinase, respectively. The expression was carried out on the background of the enhanced pathway of the synthesis of neutral lipids. This allowed the yeast to efficiently utilize glucose as a single carbon source. The engineered strain accumulated neutral lipids in amount of 50.7% of biomass dry weight, when cultured in tubes in minimal medium with nitrogen limitation and high sucrose content. The next metabolic engineering step was the use of the CRISPR-Cas9 editing system to introduce a heterologous β-carotene synthesis pathway by the expression of the Mucor circinelloides genes CarRP and CarB, encoding the bifunctional enzyme phytoene synthase/licopene-β-cyclase (carRP) and phytoene dehydrogenase (carB), as well as an increase in the expression level of the Y. lipolytica YlGGS1 gene, encoding geranyl diphosphate synthase enzyme. The β-carotene production on a sucrose-containing medium was shown for the first time; it amounted for 24.0 mg/g dry biomass, or 406.9 mg/L, on the 5th day of cultivation in tubes in a rich medium with a sucrose portioned supply (50 g/L). The corresponding values for a rich medium with a higher sucrose concentration (90 g/L) were 21.9 mg/g dry biomass and 625.8 mg/L.

Yarrowia lipolytica, β-carotene, sucrose, CRISPR-Cas9

The plasmids pdKu70Yl-URA3, pLTet-SP-CAT, pARS-Cre-reverse, pMW-att-Cm and pGPD1Yl were kindly provided by Ph.D. I.A. Laptev ("Kurchatov Institute"-GOSNIIGENETIKA NRC). The work was carried out using the equipment of the Multipurpose Scientific Facility of the "Russian State Collection of Industrial Microorganisms" National Bio-Resource Center, NRC «Kurchatov Institute»-GOSNIIGENETIKA.

The work was supported by state assignment no. 14 of 25.07.2012 AAAA-A20-120093090016-9. The quantitative analysis of lipids and β-carotene was carried out by V.A. Zolottsev within the framework of the "Long-Term Program of Fundamental Scientific Research in the Russian Federation (2021-2030)".
Obtaining of the Stable Formulation of Reference Sample for Human IgG Antibodies to Tick-Borne Encephalitis
Authors: Rosina E.V. , Vorobiev K.A. , Paramonov I.V. , Kudasheva E.Yu.
Published: July 2021

To ensure a long-term stability of the reference IgG antibodies to tick-borne encephalitis is an urgent task. The shelf life of immunoglobulin isolated from human immune blood plasma can be increased by freeze-drying an antibody solution stabilized with L-proline and glycine at a concentration of 12.5 g/L each and adjusting the pH value to 5.0± 0.5. The proposed method was used to obtain 3 batches of a reference sample with a shelf life from 30 to 48 months. During this time, the tested samples retained constant potency, fragmentation, absobance (400 nm) and dissolution time, which allows predicting its further stability during storage. The proposed method can also be helpful for obtaining stable antibody lyophilisates for use as standards in the analysis of the specific activity of human immunoglobulins against tick-borne encephalitis.

reference standard, human tick-borne encephalitis immunoglobulin, L-proline, glycine, lyophilization, specific activity, production technology

The work was carried out in accordance with the state assignment "Improvement of Quality Control Methods for Human Immunoglobulins".
Incretin Analogues in Therapy of Type 2 Diabetes and Obesity
Authors: Zalunin I.A. , Asrarkulova A.S. , Kozlov D.G.
Published: July 2021

Type 2 diabetes is one the most common metabolic diseases, which are obviously the price to pay for lifestyle changes in most people. Dangerous in itself, this disease provokes other metabolic disorders such as obesity, and neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease. Pharmacologists are very active in creating drugs for these illnesses. The design of synthetic highly active analogues of incretins, peptide hormones produced by neuroendocrine cells, is one of the most promising research areas. Glucagon-like peptide-1 and glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide are the best known incretin hormones. Analogues of the first peptide have already found application in medical practice. The next step in the creation of drugs for diabetes was the development of polyagonists, which combine the properties of several different peptide hormones responsible for glucose homeostasis. The combination of the properties of incretins gives hopes for a synergism net effect. In the past few years, the creation of such coagonists has been very fast. In some cases, the results of clinical trials have already been obtained; however, they often contradict each other. Making clear this difficult situation was the main motivation for writing the present review.

incretins, glucan-like peptide-1, glucose-dependant insulintropic polypeptide, agonism, antagonism, type 2 diabetes, obesity
Microbial Processes in Engineering Clay Materials and Biocidal Additives to Prevent Them
Authors: Artemyev G.D. , Popova N.M. , Safonov A.V.
Published: July 2021

Microbial activity in engineering clay materials of safety barriers in conditions, simulating a deep underground disposal point of radioactive waste Yeniseiskii (Zheleznogorsk, Krasnoyarsk Kray) has been studied. It was established that clays with a high content of sulfur, iron and organic carbon, as well as those containing mineral phases (calcites, spars, and others) can be a source of microbial gas release, including methane, and also of products (for instance, hydrogen sulfide), which may be corrosive to steals in contact with clay materials. The microbial processes in clays rich in biogenic elements and minerals lead to the dissolution of aluminosilicate structural lattices. To prevent the microbial impact, various biocidal additives are used: Amanat, Rancid, boric acid and polyhexamethylguanidine (PHMG). The effect of these preparations at various temperatures was analyzed. It was found that PHMG was the most effective among the tested preparations over a wide temperature range.

radioactive waste, microbial activity biological destruction, biocides
Organizações Internacionais e Políticas Públicas Nacionais
Authors: Carvalho Thales , Silva Fernandes Jéssica , Pimenta de Faria Carlos Aurélio
Published: July 2021

Este trabalho se propõe a avançar, de uma maneira hipotética e dedutiva, no debate acerca do papel das OIs na difusão de políticas públicas. Através de uma análise das literaturas sobre organizações internacionais, análise de políticas públicas e difusão de políticas públicas, discutiremos o papel das seguintes variáveis no emprego dos diferentes instrumentos, por parte dessas organizações, para a difusão: (a) a atuação das OIs nos vários campos da intervenção governamental; (b) e nas distintas “etapas” do processo de produção das políticas; (c) os distintos temas, tipos e graus de democratização das OIs; (d) os níveis e formas de autoridade das mesmas.
Análisis de las tecnologías tangibles para la educación infantil y principales estrategias pedagógicas
Authors: González González Carina Soledad
Published: July 2021

Este estudio revisa la literatura científica sobre el uso de tecnologías tangibles en la educación infantil, a fin de: a) identificar qué tecnologías tangibles se han utilizado; b) reconocer los objetivos educativos de la utilización de estas tecnologías y c) presentar una síntesis de la evidencia empírica disponible sobre su efectividad educativa. La búsqueda sistemática fue realizada en la base de datos “Web of Science (WoS)” y se analizaron utilizando la herramienta de software científico “Science Mapping Analysis”. Luego, se incluyeron 29 documentos relevantes de los últimos cinco años en el estudio de revisión. Para cada artículo, se analizó el propósito del estudio, el tipo de tecnología tangible utilizada, el método de investigación aplicado, las características de la muestra y los principales resultados obtenidos. Los artículos revisados sugieren que la principal tecnología tangible utilizada en la educación infantil es la tableta digital y la alfabetización (básica y emergente) es el área más estudiada, y con resultados prometedores.
Biyotekstillerin Yenilikçi Malzeme Olarak Kullanımı
Authors: Baydemir Ayşegül , Er Bıyıklı Nuray
Published: July 2021

Tüketim ürünlerinde estetik ve işlevsellik dışında yeni arayışlara dair eğilimler her geçen gün yaygınlaşmaktadır. Bu doğrultuda “sürdürülebilirlik” temellendirmeli birçok vizyon ortaya çıkarken, tasarımcılar ve şirketler moda sektöründeki giyim ürünlerinin ekolojik ve etik olması için cevaplar aramaktadır. Bu temellendirme ile biyoteknoloji araştırmacılarının, biyotasarım ve biyofabrikasyon adı verilen sistemler ile biyolojik malzemeler üzerine çalışmaları devam ederken, tekstil ve moda tasarımcıları “yeni malzeme çağı” içinde disiplinlerarası ürün tasarımları geliştirmektedir. Bu gelişmeler çerçevesinde geleceğin giysi tasarımcıları için biyo-temelli malzemelerin varlığından haberdar olmak bir zorunluluk haline gelmiştir. Bu çalışmada biyo-temelli tekstil malzemelerinin kapsamı incelenerek, hazır giyim endüstrisindeki kullanım alanları ve fonksiyonları örneklerle ele alınacaktır. Böylelikle biyoteksitllerin hazır giyim tasarımına uygunluğu irdelenerek, potansiyel yükselişine dikkat çekmek ve giysi tasarımındaki kullanımının yaygınlaşmasına katkı sağlamak amaçlanmıştır.
Effects of culvert length and flow rates of raw water transport on biofilm development and water quality
Authors: Xue Ruikang , Huang Tinglin , Wen Gang , Yan Junle , Liu Qian
Published: July 2021

Long-distance water transfer projects are important for water allocation. To enhance our understanding of biofilm growth and changes in water quality during raw water transfer, raw water through a long-distance non-full culvert at flow rates of 1.4−2.0 m/s was studied. The results revealed that: (1) the biofilm total cell count (TCC) and heterotrophic plate count (HPC) were the highest at a flow rate of 1.5 m/s, which were 3.7 × 104 cells/cm2 and 1.1 × 103 CFU/cm2, respectively; (2) Proteobacteria had the highest relative abundance (RA) among all samples, and the RA in biofilm (78.85%) was higher than that in water (48%−59%); (3) when the pollutants and biofilm were partially shed, the total phosphorus (TP), permanganate index (CODMn), and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) increased by 0.011, 0.36, and 0.5 mg/L at most, respectively; and (4) dissolved oxygen (DO) was sufficient during non-full flow water transport and nitrification occurred. The highest removal rates of ammonium nitrogen (NH+4-N) and nitrous nitrogen (-N) reached 27.16% and 66.76%, respectively. At the flow rates of 2.0 m/s, the efficiency decreased to 10.47% and 41.25%, respectively, due to the shedding of biofilm.
Review and prospects of groundwater pollution control in shale gas exploitation
Authors: Qi Peng , Tang Yuanhui , Zhang Chunhui
Published: July 2021

With the successful development of shale gas in the United States, shale gas has become an effective way to solve the energy crisis. Among a series of environmental problems caused by shale gas exploitation, the most hidden and the most difficult part to control and recover is groundwater pollution in the development zone, which has been paid more and more attention by the government and the public. Starting from the shale gas exploitation process, this paper discusses the research status and problems of shale gas exploitation on groundwater pollution prevention and control from both international and domestic Chinese directions, and considers the future development of groundwater prevention and control work: to strengthen the supervision and management of wastewater treatment; to explore and evaluate shale gas resources and to plan regional water resources; to update and improve relevant environmental laws to strengthen the support for shale gas development; to make public supervision and development transparent; and to optimize the whole development process.
Saussure e a historicidade da língua
Authors: Garcia dos Anjos (Tradutor) Aroldo , Lösener (Autor) Hans
Published: July 2021

O presente trabalho discute o lugar que a historicidade ocupa nas reflexões de Ferdinand de Saussure, tomando por base excertos tanto do Curso de Linguística Geral quanto dos Escritos de Linguística Geral. Primeiramente, objetiva mostrar até que ponto a concepção saussuriana da arbitrariedade, do sistema e do valor abre a possibilidade de uma historicização radical da língua. Para tanto, essa historicização é ilustrada pela comparação com um autor contemporâneo a Saussure e com outro atual, a saber, Hermann Paul e Steven Pinker. Com isso, busca-se mostrar que a reflexão saussuriana é ainda tão relevante na época da linguística cognitiva como foi nos tempos dos neogramáticos positivistas.
O Ensino de leitura em dissertações do PROFLETRAS: radiografia de propostas de intervenção na educação básica
Authors: Agostinho da Silva Ananias
Published: July 2021

O objetivo deste trabalho é realizar uma radiografia das propostas de intervenção de ensino de leitura desenvolvidas no âmbito do Programa de Mestrado Profissional em Letras, a fim de identificar os gêneros textuais trabalhados, os anos escolares, as perspectivas teórico-metodológicas de base das propostas e os produtos didáticos desenvolvidos. Para isso, realizamos um levantamento exaustivo das dissertações desenvolvidas no programa com base em pesquisa documental, de caráter descritivo e abordagem mista. O corpus é constituído de 100 dissertações e a análise guiou-se por um protocolo elaborado conforme os objetivos da pesquisa. Os resultados apontaram para a predominância dos gêneros literários nas propostas de intervenção, ainda que se possa visualizar uma grande variedade de gêneros encontrados pertencentes a domínios como o publicitário, o midiático, o jornalístico, o instrucional, o de lazer e o interpessoal. Ademais, revelaram que o procedimento da sequência didática (da Escola de Genebra) é muito utilizado pelos professores para a elaboração de suas propostas de intervenção, desenroladas mais recorrentemente no 6º e no 9º ano do Ensino Fundamental. 6º e 9º anos do Ensino Fundamental.
Introduction to Lipid-Based Drug Delivery Systems for Oral Delivery
Authors: Kaushik Deepak , Verma Ravinder , Rao Rekha , Kaushik Prerna
Published: July 2021

Lipid-based formulations (LBFs) are an alluring alternative among novel
drug delivery formulations that are used for the improvement in solubility and
bioavailability of drugs that are impossible to dissolve because of their limited
solubility in the gastrointestinal tract. As a controlled and targeted formulation,
LBDDS includes the discharge of drugs in a controlled manner, high drug loading
capacity (as compared to others), biodegradable and biocompatible, carrying
capabilities for both lipophilic and hydrophilic drugs and excipients with less risk
profile. The most imperative classification in novel drug delivery systems is LBFs
including self-emulsifying lipid formulations, lipid solutions and lipid suspensions.
Emulsions, microemulsion, nanoemulsion, liposomes, solid lipid nanoparticles,
niosomes, lipospheres, ethosomes, self-emulsifying drug delivery system and selfmicroemulsifying
drug delivery systems. GI lipid digestion is a mechanism of lipidbased
drug delivery systems that is based on the dispersion of oil droplets to give a fine
formulation of emulsion, hydrolysis of fatty acid esters with the help of enzymes at the
emulsion water interface, desorption and dispersion of insoluble lipid products for
absorption. Various mechanisms for upgrading the drug retention include improvement
in dissolution/solubilization rate, the extension of gastric retention time; changes in the
physical barrier role of the gastrointestinal tract, change in biochemical hindrance
capacity of the GI tract, drug assimilation through the intestinal lymphatic system, all
of these are discussed in detail. Lipid digestion, hydrophobic nature of the API and
mean emulsion droplet sizes are various formulations factors that influence the
bioavailability of drugs from LBDDS. Porter outlined seven regulations for the
development of LBFs. This chapter highlights various types of lipid-based drug
delivery systems with their benefits and drawbacks.
LEARNING VOCABULARY THROUGH GAMES: A CRITICAL REVIEW
Authors: Masduqi Harits , Fatimah Fatimah
Published: July 2021

For decades linguists have been interested in doing research on English vocabulary and vocabulary teaching. In the article Learning Vocabulary through Games published in the Asian EFL Journal, Huyen and Nga investigate the benefits of using games for their students’ vocabulary learning. They argue that games are helpful for students to enrich their English vocabulary acquisition. As of May 2021, the article has been quite influential and cited for 381 times by scholars and students around the world. This paper presents a critical review of the aforementioned article. The discussion is mainly centred on the relation between the research and communicative language teaching, strengths and weaknesses of the research, and reflection of the research findings on the authors’ learning and teaching experience.
PENGARUH BIOCHAR SEKAM PADI DAN KOMPOS TERHADAP C-ORGANIK, N-TOTAL, C/N TANAH, SERAPAN N, DAN PERTUMBUHAN TANAMAN JAGUNG DI ULTISOL
Authors: Abel Geraldine , Suntari Retno , Citraresmini Ania
Published: July 2021

The maize crop is an important commodity other than rice in Indonesia. Maize production reached 30 million tons in 2018. Efforts that can be made to increase maize production on Ultisols in Indonesia is by the application of biochar rice husk and compost. Biochar that has a high affinity for nutrients does not experience decay in the soil for decades, while compost can improve soil chemical properties by increasing nutrient content. The purpose of this study was to analyze the effect of the application of a combination of rice husk biochar and compost on soil chemical properties, N uptake, and growth of maize on an Ultisol. This study was conducted with six treatments. The results showed that the application of a combination of rice husk biochar and compost had an effect on increasing the C-organic and N-total in soil, but it did not affect the C/N of the incubated soil. Application of a combination of 8 t rice husk biochar ha-1 and 30 compost ha-1 significantly improved plant height, dry weight, and N uptake of maize plants.