bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Implementacija sistema za merenje faznog stava prostoperiodičnih signala upotrebom tajmerskih modula
Authors:   Univerzitet u Novom Sadu - Fakultet tehničkih nauka, Mandić Sanja , Novaković Đorđe ,   Univerzitet u Novom Sadu - Fakultet tehničkih nauka, Pejić Dragan ,   Univerzitet u Novom Sadu - Fakultet tehničkih nauka
Published: September 2024

U ovom radu prikazana je realizacija sistema čija je uloga merenje faznog stava dva prostoperiodična signala upotrebom tajmerskih modula. U radu je razmatrano merenje faznog stava prostoperiodičnih signala sa dvokanalnog izvora struje i napona. U okviru izlaznog stepena razmatranog izvora javlja se degradacija faznog stava signala na dva kanala izvora, te je potrebno izvršiti korekciju faznog stava. Potreba za vršenjem korekcije faznog stava dva prostoperiodična signala zahteva poznavanje zadatog faznog stava na ulazu dvokanalnog izvora i precizno merenje faznog stava na izlazu dvokanalnog izvora. Metoda merenja faznog stava u radu zasniva se na merenju vremenskog smicanja prostoperiodičnih signala, na osnovu koga se određuje vrednost faznog stava. Merenje vremenskih intervala vršeno je upotrebom tajmerskog modula u okviru mikrokontrolera. Metode merenja faznog stava analognih prostoperiodičnih signala zasnovane na tajmerskim modulima zahtevaju konverziju analognih veličina, u ovom slučaju visokog napona i struje sa izlaza dvokanalnog izvora, u povorke impulsa pogodne za rad sa digitalnim tajmerskim modulima. Rad daje uvid u implementaciju sistema čija je uloga konverzija analognih veličina sa izlaza dvokanalnog izvora u digitalne signale na osnovu kojih se vrše merenja tajmerskim modulom mikrokontrolera. Dodatno, u radu su analizirani problemi uočeni u datom sistemu, te je prikazana je implementacija metode za eliminisanje datih problema.
Mikrostrukturna i električna karakterizacija BaTiO3 keramike dopirane Nb2O5 i CaZrO3
Authors:   Univerzitet u Nišu - Elektronski fakultet, Paunović Vesna , Prijić Zoran ,   Univerzitet u Nišu - Elektronski fakultet, Đorđević Miloš ,   Univerzitet u Nišu - Elektronski fakultet
Published: September 2024

Ovo istraživanje se bavi proučavanjem uticaja Nb2O5 i CaZrO3 na mikrostrukturna i dielektrična svojstva dopirane BaTiO3 keramike. Uzorci su pripremljeni od visoko komercijalnih prahova BaTiO3, Nb2O5 i CaZrO3 pri čemu je koncentracija aditiva bila od 0.5 do 1.5 wt%. Za uzorke dopirane Nb2O5 karakteristična je sitnozrna struktura i velika poroznost. Procenjena veličina zrna kretala se u opsegu od 1 do 3 μm. SEM mikrofotografije keramike dopirane CaZrO3 pokazuju uzorke sa malim procentom poroznosti i prosečnom veličinom zrna oko 5 μm. Električne karakteristike ispitivanih uzoraka merene su u frekventnom opsegu od 1 do 20 kHz i temperaturnom opsegu od 20 do 180C. Najvišu vrednost dielektrične konstante izmerena je kod uzoraka dopiranih sa 0.5 wt% aditiva, dok je najveća promena karakteristična za 0.5wt% CaZrO3/BaTiO3 dopirane uzorke. Za Kirijevu temperaturu svih uzoraka karakteristično je da je pomerena ka nižim vrednostima u odnosu na nedopiranu keramiku. Tok promene dielektrične konstante sa frekvencijom je isti za sve uzorke. Ona u svim uzorcima, ima nešto veću vrednost na niskoj frekvenciji i postaje skoro konstantna na frekvencijama većim od 5 kHz. Tangens ugla gubitaka kreće su u opsegu od 0.025 za uzorke dopirane Nb2O5 do 0.045 za uzorke dopirane CaZrO3 i postiže konstantnu vrednost za frekvencije veće od 10 kHz.
Interpersonal Process Recall in Supervision: Addressing Anxious Attachment
Authors: Huang Su-Yun
Published: September 2024

Interpersonal Process Recall (IPR) is a supervisory strategy that can be used in clinical supervision to help the supervisee discover important events and hidden messages during the counseling session and address issues of anxious attachment. This article seeks to enhance supervisee self-reflection in terms of relevant interpersonal relationship dynamics and therapeutic processes to address anxious attachment. In addition to explaining theoretical concepts, this article provides a case example illustrating how the supervisor used various IPR inquires to help the supervisee understand the problems implied by the client, and the counselor's countertransference and awareness of anxious attachment.
A 20-Year Review of School Counselor Roles: Discrepancies Between Actual Practice and Existing Models
Authors: Burnham Joy , Fye Heather , Jackson C. Marie , Ocampo Michelle , Clark Leah
Published: September 2024

Today's role-related issues in the school counseling literature are similar to the concerns from 100 years ago. To examine roles, Burnham and Jackson (2000) reported significant discrepancies between the acutal practice of school counselors and the ideal roles identified in the literature, prior to the publication of the ASCA National Model. This replication study reexamines the status of school counselor roles twenty years later and includes roles addressed in the ASCA National Model. Overall, school counselor participants reported, on average, engaging in individual counseling for 35.37% of their time, 20.63% of their time in small groups, 34.67% of time in classroom guidance, and 36.37% of time in nonguidance duties. Additional rates of role engagement are described along with offering comparisons between the present study and Burnham and Jackson's (2000) findings. Implications for the school counseling professions are discussed.
Bitcoin Trading in Australian and Canadian Dollars, the Pound and Euro: Pre- and Post-COVID-19
Authors: Johnson Jackie
Published: September 2024

Much of the research relating to the impact on Bitcoin, of the COVID-19 pandemic focuses on the United States (US) market using Bitcoin prices in US dollars, but this is a market not open to a large proportion of the world’s population who must trade Bitcoin in their local currency. The aim here is to compare Bitcoin trading behaviour pre- and post-COVID-19 in four currencies, the Australian dollar, the Canadian dollar, the UK pound and the European euro, to see if there is any consistency across currencies. The Bitcoin price may be universal but Bitcoin trading in local currencies can reflect local conditions. What becomes obvious is that when comparing across currencies, there is no consistent pattern. No two currencies are the same. The pre-COVID-19 period dominates in the Australian dollar market. The UK pound is similar except for transactions per day which is higher post-COVID-19. In the Canadian dollar and euro markets neither period dominates with each currency finding ‘not significantly different’ for a number of metrics. Surprisingly, there is not even any consensus with regard to the Bitcoin price which decreases in the Australian dollar and the UK pound markets in the post-COVID-19 period while this period sees an increase in the Bitcoin price in the Canadian dollar and euro markets. Consequently, observing Bitcoin trading behaviour in one currency does not indicate patterns of trade in another currency. This is particularly evident when comparing Bitcoin trading across countries with very different economic conditions, during a period of worldwide economic uncertainty as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to take a toll on local economies.
Analisis Dampak Penggunaan Teknologi Augmented Reality dalam Pemasaran Digital IKEA terhadap Consumer Engagement
Authors: Anderson Joenes , Kenny Kenny , Renalbi  , Chou Cindy
Published: September 2024

Dalam era digital ini, perusahaan perlu mengembangkan strategi pemasaran yang menarik perhatian dan meningkatkan keterlibatan pelanggan. Perkembangan pemasaran digital telah mengubah cara bisnis menggunakan teknologi baru untuk menjangkau pembeli potensial. Tujuan dari penelitian ini adalah untuk menganalisis dampak penggunaan teknologi AR dalam pemasaran digital IKEA terhadap consumer engagement. Metode penelitian yang digunakan dalam penelitian adalah metode penelitian kualitatif. Penelitian kualitatif menggunakan pendekatan deskriptif, dimana data disimpulkan dalam bentuk kata-kata. Teknik pengumpulan data dilakukan dengan pengumpulan data sekunder. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa implementasi AR oleh IKEA, khususnya melalui aplikasi IKEA Place, memiliki dampak signifikan terhadap keterlibatan konsumen. Aplikasi ini memungkinkan pelanggan untuk memvisualisasikan furnitur dalam lingkungan rumah mereka secara virtual sebelum melakukan pembelian, yang meningkatkan kepercayaan diri dan kepuasan dalam pengambilan keputusan. Temuan utama menunjukkan bahwa teknologi AR tidak hanya meningkatkan keterlibatan konsumen tetapi juga memperkuat posisi merek di pasar, memberikan pengalaman belanja yang lebih interaktif dan personal.
The Effects Of Ellipical Cross Training on VO2 max in Recently Trained Runners
Authors: Joubert Dustin , Oden Gary , Estes Brent
Published: September 2024

This study examined the effects of elliptical cross training on VO2max in recently-trained runners. 12 female and 8 male participants (mean  SD; age = 23.70  6.33 years, body mass index = 24.85  5.89 kg/m2) completed an initial four-week run training program, exercising four days/week, 30 minutes/day, at 80% maximal heart rate. VO2max was predicted based on the duration of a Bruce graded-maximal treadmill test (GXT) prior to and after the run training. After initial training phase and post-test, subjects volunteered for the detrain group (n = 6) or were assigned to the run (n = 7) or elliptical (n = 7) based on a matched-pair design. Elliptical and run groups exercised three weeks under same prescription as initial program. GXT again performed after mode-specific training phase. VO2max (ml/kg/min) increased (p < 0.001) from the pre-training (39.89  10.74) to post-training (41.66  10.90) after the initial run training program. Although not statistically significant, VO2max declined (0.8% running, 1.5% elliptical, and 4.8% detraining) for all groups following the additional mode-specific program. Despite declines, repeated measures ANOVA showed no significant differences within or between groups before and after the mode-specific training phase. However, dependent sample t-test did reveal a decline (p < 0.05) in GXT time (minutes) for the detrain group from before (11.01  2.80) and after (10.54  2.72) their detrain phase. Future research should determine if elliptical exercise maintains VO2max when away from running for longer periods.
Effects of XS® Energy Drink on Aerobic Exercise Capacity of Athletes
Authors: Sheehan Kevin , Hartzler Lynn
Published: September 2024

A small increase in performance is often the difference between winning and losing for athletes, and energy supplements are marketed to give them a competitive edge. One such supplement is XSAlt 0174 Energy Drink which contains B vitamins, caffeine, taurine, and an herbal adaptogen blend. XSAlt 0174 Energy Drink is primarily designed and marketed as an alertness stimulus; however, it is also marketed to athletes as a performance enhancing supplement. We hypothesized that the consumption of XSAlt 0174 Energy Drink before exercise would increase aerobic capacity (an increase in Vo2max) and time to fatigue, and would decrease time for recovery from the exercise bout. Twelve 18-24 year old athletes performed two Vo2max tests following a modified Ellestad Treadmill protocol before each of which either the energy supplement or the placebo was administered using a double-blind cross-over method. We found no significant differences with XSAlt 0174 Energy Drink: Vo2max (p=0.99), time to muscle fatigue (p=0.48), maximum heart rate (p=0.66), VEmax (p=0.10), time at which R is greater than 1 (p=0.50), or recovery time to one half Vo2max (p=0.67). We found the second trial to be significantly longer than the first (p=0.01) likely due to the desire to improve exercise time or to familiarization with the testing procedures. Our results show no physiological effects of XSAlt 0174 Energy Drink; however, we have not eliminated the possibility of psychological advantage. Supported by a Wright State University undergraduate research fellowship and a Wright State University Honors Program grant to KMS.
Transformative Philosophy in Action: The Bhagavad Gita’s Approach to Yoga
Authors:   University of Lucknow, Sharma Racheal Nikita
Published: September 2024

The Bhagavad Gita, a central text in Hindu philosophy, integrates the spiritual, ethical, and practical aspects of yoga, drawing on the profound Vedic concept of life. This paper examines the Gita's philosophical foundations, emphasizing the transformation of individuals into enlightened beings. It contrasts Western intellectual pursuits with Indian philosophy's holistic approach, which unites practical life with spiritual inquiry. The significance of 'seeing the Self' is highlighted, demonstrating the relevance of ancient Indian philosophy in contemporary times. The text addresses critiques from Western and Indian scholars, underscoring Indian philosophy's comprehensive view of human wellbeing through the Purusharth framework. The Gita's teachings are contextualized within the broader scope of Indian epics and scriptures, illustrating the practical and theoretical dimensions of realizing life's highest truths. The role of Gurus, the importance of self-realization, and the pursuit of enduring happiness are central themes, positioning the Bhagavad Gita as a timeless guide for spiritual and ethical living.
Reproductive Health: Concealed Issues among Rural Adolescent School Girls
Authors: Begum H
Published: September 2024

Introduction: World Health Organization (WHO) defines adolescence as the period of life between 10 and 19 years of age. Adolescents compose 24% of the total population in Bangladesh, and about 54% of them are females. Various government and nongovernment agencies have conducted some limited studies on the awareness of reproductive health among adolescents in isolation. Therefore, this study was a modest attempt to explore the issues like; knowledge about sexually transmitted diseases (STDs and AIDS), opinion about reproductive health problem, opinion as their choice for any health care center for reproductive health problems, opinion about information need to be added in school books on reproductive health.

Objective: To explore the alertness on the reproductive health problems among rural adolescents school going girls.

Methods: This was a descriptive cross sectional study carried out among 185 adolescent girls (10-19 years of age) in two schools (Ased and Shahin school) at Savar Upozilla, Dhaka. The respondents were selected purposively as per non-probability sampling technique.

Results: The mean age of the respondents were 14.5 years. Majority (57.3%) respondents had knowledge about STDS & AIDS and rest 42.7% did not know about STDS & AIDS. Regarding discussion of reproductive health problems with others almost all (95.7%) discuss with others and only 3.3%. did not. Concerning choice to select health care centre for solving their reproductive health problems (64.3%) respondents opined that they select any health care centre for sowing their reproductive health probuns and rest 35.7% did not do that. Regarding opinion about adding of reproductive information in school books, majority (74.6%) think that it should be added and rest 25.4% did not agree with the opinion of adding of reproductive information in school books.

Conclusion: The study showed that adolescent school going girls had various misconceptions about reproductive health. This situation was due to the fact that not only the teachers, even their parents hesitate to discuss such issues with them and more over there is no much knowledge on this subject among the parents.
Patients Satisfaction on Service Quality of Private Medical College Hospital in Dhaka City
Authors: Chowdhury N S
Published: September 2024

Background: Health levels remain relatively low in Bangladesh, although they have improved. Adequate health care strategies are vital to the ability of the third world countries to achieve developmental objectives. It is important to recognize that a healthy population is better disposed to need to sustain continued growth in other sectors of the economy.

Objective: This study was conducted to assess the patient's satisfaction on service quality in a private hospital in Dhaka city.

Method: This was a cross sectional study where 152 respondent were taken purposively as sample. This study was done in out-patient departments of Private Medical College Hospital (Aichi Medical College and Hospital ) of Dhaka city for the duration of one year.

Results: Most (30.3%) of the respondents were within 20- 30 years age group and 57.9% were females. About 25.7% had SSC level of education and 55.3% were housewives. Around 28.9% had monthly family income Tk-10000-20000/month.
Satisfaction level regarding staffs (means nurses, doctor, attendant) responsiveness was high (89.3%) and 89.5% were satisfied with staffs caring. Regarding assurance 91.4% were satisfied about the skill of staffs. Regarding communication with doctors 98% of respondents were satisfied. Regarding discipline 92.8% were satisfied with rules and regulation. About baksheesh (tips) 85.6% of hospital staff expected tips. Regarding other issues respondents compliance were satisfied.

Conclusion: From the above study findings this was a good tertiary teaching care hospital where doctors- patients, staff-patient's relationship were good. Patients got their quality treatment from out-patients departments with a low costs.
Association of IgG Antibody with Herpes Simplex Virus Type-2 among Women Having Spontaneous Abortion & Normal Delivery
Authors: Saheduzzaman M
Published: September 2024

Background: HSV-2 is a common human pathogen that leads to lifelong latent infection. Infection with HSV-2 is one of the most common sexually transmitted infections. Maternal infections may be associated with transmission to the fetus as the infection is common in women of reproductive age. It can be contracted and transmitted to the fetus during pregnancy and the newborn. The greatest risk for miscarriage, premature labour, inhibited fetal growth or transmission of the herpes infection to the infant cause of neonatal infection, which can lead to death or long-term disabilities.

Objective: To estimate IgG antibody to Herpes Simplex Virus type 2 in women with spontaneous abortion and women with normal delivery.

Methods: This Cross-sectional study carried out among 40 patients (group-I) with spontaneous abortion and 40 patients (group-II) of normal delivery attended at the department of Obs & Gynae, Gonoshasthaya Samaj Vittik Medical College Hospital, Savar, Dhaka, Bangladesh for a period of 1 years from July 2015 to June 2016. Laboratory facilities were availed from the Molecular Biology Laboratory, Institute of Biological Sciences, the University of Rajshahi, Bangladesh and the Department of Microbiology, Gonoshasthaya Samaj Vittik Medical College & Hospital.

Results: The mean age was found 25.5±5.7 years in group I and 25.2±5.5 years in group II. The mean age was not statistically significant (p>0.05) between two groups. Anti-HSV-2-IgG was found among 10(25%) women with spontaneous abortion (group I) and 7(17.5%) women with normal delivery (group II). The difference of the result was not statistically significant
(p>0.05) between two groups. The highest rate of past history of abortion was found in 6(37.5%) cases out of total 16 seropositive women with spontaneous abortion group (group I). History of abortion was higher in spontaneous abortion group (group I) but not statistically significant (p>0.05).

Conclusion: The seroprevalence of HSV-2 was relatively high in women with spontaneous abortion. Sero positive HSV-2 antibodies occurred at highest rate in age group 18-23 years old in both group.
State of biosecurity measures on selected pig farms in the Republic of Srpska
Authors: Savić Đorđe , Jotanović Stoja , Čolović Srđan , Sladojević Željko , Kasagić Dragan
Published: September 2024

The aim of this study was to examine the state of biosecurity measures on selected pig farms in the Republic of Srpska. During the study, which was conducted during 2019, a total of 35 pig farms of different capacity and direction of production from the entire territory of the Republic of Srpska were examined. Data on the state of biosecurity measures on the examined farms were collected using a survey, which, in addition to basic data on the farms, contained a series of questions on the implementation of preventive and hygienic measures on the farms, monitoring of pigs’ health, hygienic conditions on the farms, and the supply of food and water as elements that can influence the level of biosecurity on farms. The results of this study have shown that the state of biosecurity measures on selected pig farms in the Republic of Srpska. During the study, which was conducted during 2019, a total of 35 pig farms of different capacity and direction of production from the entire territory of the Republic of Srpska were examined. Data on the state of biosecurity measures on the examined farms were collected using a survey, which, in addition to basic data on the farms, contained a series of questions on the implementation of preventive and hygienic measures on the farms, monitoring of pigs’ health, hygienic conditions on the farms, and the supply of food and water as elements that can influence the level of biosecurity on farms. The results of this study have shown that the state of biosecurity measures on the examined pig farms at the time of the study was not at a satisfactory level, and that there is a need to identify critical points for each farm and create a biosecurity plan for each farm separately, to correct the problems observed in accordance with the identified risk factors and opportunities.
The multifaceted role of the inferior colliculus in sensory prediction, reward processing, and decision-making
Authors: Du Xinyu , Xu Haoxuan , Song Peirun , Zhai Yuying , Ye Hangting , Bao Xuehui , Huang Qianyue , Tanigawa Hisashi , Tu Zhiyi , Chen Pei , Zhao Xuan , Rauschecker Josef P , Yu Xiongjie
Published: September 2024

The inferior colliculus (IC) has traditionally been regarded as an important relay in the auditory pathway, primarily involved in relaying auditory information from the brainstem to the thalamus. However, this study uncovers the multifaceted role of the IC in bridging auditory processing, sensory prediction, and reward prediction. Through extracellular recordings in monkeys engaged in a sound duration-based deviation detection task, we observed a 'climbing effect' in neuronal firing rates, indicative of an enhanced response over sound sequences linked to sensory prediction rather than reward anticipation. Moreover, our findings demonstrate reward prediction errors within the IC, highlighting its complex integration in auditory and reward processing. Further analysis revealed a direct correlation between IC neuronal activity and behavioral choices, suggesting its involvement in decision-making processes. This research highlights a more complex role for the IC than traditionally understood, showcasing its integral role in cognitive and sensory processing and emphasizing its importance in integrated brain functions.
Code stylometry vs formatting and minification
Authors: Balla Stefano , Gabbrielli Maurizio , Zacchiroli Stefano
Published: September 2024

The automatic identification of code authors based on their programming styles—known as authorship attribution or code stylometry—has become possible in recent years thanks to improvements in machine learning-based techniques for author recognition. Once feasible at scale, code stylometry can be used for well-intended or malevolent activities, including: identifying the most expert coworker on a piece of code (if authorship information goes missing); fingerprinting open source developers to pitch them unsolicited job offers; de-anonymizing developers of illegal software to pursue them. Depending on their respective goals, stakeholders have an interest in making code stylometry either more or less effective. To inform these decisions we investigate how the accuracy of code stylometry is impacted by two common software development activities: code formatting and code minification. We perform code stylometry on Python code from the Google Code Jam dataset (59 authors) using a code2vec-based author classifier on concrete syntax tree (CST) representations of input source files. We conduct the experiment using both CSTs and ASTs (abstract syntax trees). We compare the respective classification accuracies on: (1) the original dataset, (2) the dataset formatted with Black, and (3) the dataset minified with Python Minifier. Our results show that: (1) CST-based stylometry performs better than AST-based (51.00%→68%), (2) code formatting makes a significant dent (15%) in code stylometry accuracy (68%→53%), with minification subtracting a further 3% (68%→50%). While the accuracy reduction is significant for both code formatting and minification, neither is enough to make developers non-recognizable via code stylometry.
Spatial Specificity of Antioxidant Capacity Assay in Five Varieties of (Moringa oleifera) Leaves Extracts
Authors: M. M Oluewu, , L.T Walker, , S. Ogutu, , C.O Koko,
Published: September 2024

The objective of this work is to provide a comprehensive description of the average antioxidant capabilities (TEAC and FRAP) of several types of Moringa oleifera, as well as their geographical distribution and a comparative analysis across different nations. The assessment of antioxidant activity was conducted by the use of several techniques, such as ABTS radical cation, Trolox, and FRAP reagent. The antioxidant score (TEAC and FRAP) was dissolved in 80% methanol and 70% ethanol extracts from five distinct nations. The data was examined using descriptive analysis, a one-way ANOVA test, and Tukey's post hoc test. The research also established correlations between antioxidant capabilities among various types originating from different nations. The study shows that among the five countries that tested, India and Nigeria have the highest average Trolox Equivalent Antioxidant Capacity (TEAC) numbers for Moringa oleifera leaves. The other four are the USA, Haiti, and Ghana. These values represent a consistent set of environmental circumstances or agricultural practices.  Ghana's variability is modest, but the average TEAC levels of the USA and Haiti are lower, suggesting a greater range of possibilities while India have the ability to serve as a dependable supplier of Moringa oleifera products that consistently display antioxidant qualities. However, the antioxidant levels in goods from Nigeria, Ghana, the USA, and Haiti vary, sourcing strategies and quality control procedures may need to be adjusted.  Moringa oleifera leaves have varying antioxidant capacity across different nations, with Haiti demonstrating the greatest FRAP value and TEAC value among the countries. India has the greatest Total Equivalent Antioxidant Capacity (TEAC) value and a strong Ferric Reducing Antioxidant Power (FRAP) value, whilst Ghana exhibits a robust antioxidant profile. India and Haiti consistently provide high-quality products for general antioxidant uses, but Nigeria may need extra quality control measures or mixing with more potent sources to reach the necessary antioxidant benefits. The comprehensive score is calculated by taking the average of the TEAC and FRAP percentages. Notably, the TEAC numbers are greatly affected by the place of birth. Compared to TEAC, the place of origin has a bigger effect on the FRAP values. The geographical origin of Moringa oleifera significantly affects its capacity for reduction, displaying remarkable variances between countries like as Ghana, Haiti, India, and Tusk.
Patterns of Iron Biomarkers among Hypertensive Individuals in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, Nigeria
Authors: Erho Simon Akpomemera , Chinko Bruno Chukwuemeka , Aduema Wadioni , Fente Erighanyoyefa Allen
Published: September 2024

Aims: This research aims to evaluate the patterns of iron biomarkers among hypertensive subjects in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, Nigeria.
Study Design: The investigation is a cross-sectional comparative study.
Place and Duration of Study: Department of Internal Medicine (Cardiology Unit), Niger Delta University Teaching Hospital (NDUTH) in Okolobiri Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, Nigeria, between July 2023 and December 2023.
Methodology: The research involved 246 consenting participants: 74 normotensive individuals and 172 hypertensive patients. Serum iron, ferritin, transferrin, and total iron-binding capacity were measured using spectrophotometric method.
Results: A significant increase in serum ferritin level was observed among female hypertensive subjects compared to their normotensive counterparts (p<0.05).  Additionally, when the age groups were matched, the hypertensive group exhibited significantly elevated serum ferritin levels compared to the normotensive controls (p<0.05). We found increased transferrin levels in hypertensive male individuals in the present study (p<0.05). Also, a significant transferrin increase was observed across the age groups of hypertensive individuals compared to the control group (p<0.05).
Conclusion: The above findings suggest that hypertensive patients are prone to abnormal iron metabolism. The notable elevation in certain iron status markers underscores the importance of including iron biomarker assessments as part of the clinical evaluation in hypertensive individuals
Management of Coronary Bifurcation Lesions in the Setting of Acute Myocardial Infarction
Authors: Ebaid Hany Hassan , Rabat Khaled Emad El , Attia Aly Ibrahim , Din Ahmed Magdy Kamal El , Sayed Mohamed Magdy El
Published: September 2024

Background: Coronary bifurcation lesions (CBLs) encompass stenotic segments of the coronary artery that are situated near or encroach upon the origin of a major side branch. These lesions are implicated in nearly 20% of all percutaneous coronary intervention.
The Objective of this Study: The objective of this study was to evaluate the clinical and interventional methodologies applied to patients with CBL in the context of AMI. Furthermore, it sought to compare the immediate outcomes and six-month follow-up results between the single-stent and dual-stent approaches for managing CBL in AMI patient.
Methods: This prospective study included 100 patients with a true CBL in the setting of AMI, at the Cardiology Department, Benha University Hospitals and International Medical Center Hospital. Patients were divided into 2 equal groups: Group I included patients planned one‐stent (provisional one‐stenting) and Group II included patients with planned two‐stents. All studied cases underwent complete clinical examination, laboratory investigations, complete 12-leads electrocardiography and echocardiography.
Results: Type of drug eluting stent was significantly different between both groups (P=0.001). Group 2 had significantly longer procedural and fluoroscopy time than group 1 (P<0.001). Follow up in hospital (MACCE, cardiac death, target lesion revascularization, MI, and ejection fraction) and follow up at 6 months (MACCE, cardiac death, target lesion revascularization, MI, ejection fraction, stent technique, and degree of mitral regurgitation) were insignificantly different between both groups.
Conclusion: Despite the greater complexity, extended fluoroscopy duration, and increased contrast volume associated with the two-stent strategy in STEMI cases, the procedural success rate and the incidence of MACE were found to be similar to those observed with the single-stent approach during medium-term follow-up.
Character Association Studies for Yield Attributing Traits Across Different Seasons in Pearl Millet [Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. Br]
Authors: Maheswari V. Uma , Reddy P. Sanjana , Kumar C. V. Sameer , Eswari K. B.
Published: September 2024

The purpose of the present investigation was to assess the association of different characters among 36 advanced hybrids, 12 B lines and 3 R lines with grain yield per plot pooled across the seasons Kharif and summer and to demonstrate the direct and indirect effects of various characters on grain yield. The results on correlation in the present study revealed that, in general, the genotypic correlation coefficients were higher than their corresponding phenotypic correlations. Grain yield had genotypically significant positive correlation with most of the characters under study viz. plant height (0.955), effective tillers per plant (0.848), flag leaf length (0.992), flag leaf width (0.985), leaf length (0.987), leaf width (0.971), panicle length (0.234), panicle width (0.153), maximum PS II efficiency (0.215), fresh biomass (0.994), dry biomass (0.993), harvest index (0.997), 1000 seed weight (0.990) across the two seasons indicating any increase in these traits will increase the yield. The genotypic path analysis revealed high positive direct effect on grain yield per plot with respect to plant height, panicle width, actual PS II efficiency, fresh biomass, dry biomass and 1000 seed weight indicating importance of these characters, which can be strategically used to improve the yield of pearl millet.
Effect of Post-harvest Treatments on the Shelf Life of Guava Fruit (Psidium guajava L.) cv. Dhawal
Authors: Singh Satyam , Tripathi Sanjay Kumar , Chandra Suresh , Kumar Arvind , Prakash Satya , Singh Manoj Kumar , Katiyar Hariom , Kumar Amit , Verma Arunesh Kumar , Chauhan Prashant , Singh Saurabh Kumar
Published: September 2024

The present investigation was carried out at Post harvest Laboratory, College of Horticulture, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel University of Agriculture and Technology, Meerut, India. The study was conducted in a completely randomized design with 11 treatments viz. T0- Control, T1- Aloe vera gel 1%, T2-  Aloe vera gel 2%, T3- Corn starch (0.5%), T4- Corn starch 1%, T5- Cassava starch 1% with sunflower oil, T6- Cassava starch 2% with sunflower oil, T7- Cassava starch 3% with sunflower oil, T8- CaNO3 (0.5%), T9- CaNO3 1%, T10- Cassava starch 1% with sunflower oil and bee wax all of which were triplicated was conducted during the year 2023.  The study faces several challenges, one of the primary difficulties being the need to ensure uniformity in applying the various physico-chemical treatments to the guava fruits in order to obtain reliable and comparable results. Additionally, controlling external factors like temperature and humidity during the postharvest period poses a significant challenge, as these factors must be managed carefully to accurately evaluate the impact of the treatments on the fruit's quality and shelf life. Out of 11 treatments applied the fruits treated with Corn starch (1%) and Corn starch (0.5%) had significantly better fruit quality over other treatments in respect of parameters i.e., Physiological loss in weight, Decay percent, Fruit firmness, Sensory evaluation test, T.S.S., pH, Titrability acidity and reducing sugar. The Aloe vera gel were also found to be significantly superior treatments over the control in respect of storage quality and shelf- life. Based on results obtained in the present study, it can be concluded that Corn starch 1% was found to be the most appropriate treatment in Guava cv. Dhawal on account of better shelf- life. Therefore, Corn starch 1% can be adopted with great success in Guava cv. Dhawal for physico-chemical traits, storage, quality and shelf-life on commercial scale.
Innovative Strategies and Emerging Technologies in Urine Toxicology: Protecting Test Integrity Against Sample Manipulation
Authors: Koujan Ammar Adel , Shokfah Rayya Abdulmonem
Published: September 2024

Urine sample manipulation is a critical challenge in clinical and forensic toxicology, necessitating advanced detection technologies to ensure test integrity. This review examines recent innovations in detecting sample tampering, including chemical adulterant detection, biomarker analysis, spectroscopy, and artificial intelligence (AI). It also explores the application of omics technologies, such as metabolomics and proteomics, to provide deeper insights into drug use and toxic exposures. These advancements enhance both the detection of manipulated samples and personalized assessments by considering individual variability in drug metabolism. The review discusses the ethical and legal implications of these technologies, including privacy concerns and the need for updated regulations. It concludes by highlighting future trends in urine toxicology, such as wearable devices, blockchain for chain-of-custody management, and expanded multi-analyte panels, emphasizing the importance of continuous innovation to counter emerging manipulation techniques.
Efficacy of Metformin in Weight Management and Glycemic Control in Type 2 Diabetes: An Updated Systematic Review and Meta-analysis
Authors: Ray Rubela , Haq Ahtisham UL , Chaudhry Raheel , Burra Sahithi , Batool Abida , Masmoum Mohd Diya , Ullah Imdad
Published: September 2024

Introduction: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a chronic condition where obesity plays a key role. Metformin is commonly used to manage T2DM, with benefits in both glycemic control and weight management. This systematic review and meta-analysis update the evidence on metformin’s impact on weight loss and glycemic control in T2DM patients.
Objective: To assess metformin’s efficacy in reducing body weight and improving glycemic control in T2DM patients by synthesizing recent studies.
Methods: Following PRISMA guidelines, relevant studies were identified in PubMed, EMBASE, and clinicaltrials.gov. Fourteen randomized controlled trials and cohort studies, involving 11,686 T2DM patients, were analyzed using RevMan 5.4 software.
Results: Metformin led to a modest but significant reduction in body weight (Mean difference = 0.16; 95% CI: 0.69 to 1.02, p<0.00001) and significantly lowered glycosylated hemoglobin (A1C) and fasting plasma glucose (FPG) levels. Despite some study heterogeneity, the risk of bias was minimal.
Conclusions: Metformin is effective in modest weight reduction and significant glycemic control in T2DM patients, supporting its use as first-line therapy, especially for those who are overweight or obese.
Evidence and Impacts of Climate Change on Smallholder Paddy Farmers in Pemba Island
Authors: M. L. Kihupi,
Published: September 2024

This study presents evidence of climate change and its impacts on paddy farmers in Pemba Island. The phenomenon of ocean warming and accelerated ice mass loss has led to a significant rise in global sea levels, averaging 4.62 mm per year between 2013 and 2022, reaching an unprecedented peak in 2022. As a result, Pemba Island is experiencing escalating challenges due to rising sea levels, shifting precipitation patterns, and increasing temperatures. The primary objective of this study is to examine the evidence of climate change in the study area and assess the specific ways in which paddy farmers are affected by these changes on Pemba Island. Conducted in the Wete District, this research utilizes a cross-sectional design, involving 71 respondents selected through a combination of multistage cluster, purposive, and random sampling techniques. Data collection was carried out through surveys, focus groups, and interviews, and subsequently analyzed using SPSS and content analysis methodologies. The study also used climate data from Tanzania Meteorological Authority (temperature and rainfall data) over the past 31 years (1992-2023). The findings indicate that paddy farmers are grappling with higher temperatures, altered rainfall patterns, prolonged dry spells, intrusion of seawater, and an increase in pest infestations. As a result, their agricultural production is significantly reduced, exacerbating food insecurity and negatively impacting their livelihoods. In light of these findings, it is evident that robust adaptation measures must be implemented to address the challenges faced by paddy farmers. The study recommends the construction of sea walls as a means of mitigating the adverse effects of rising sea levels. Furthermore, developing drought-resistant paddy seeds varieties is proposed as a strategy to improve productivity and enhance resilience in the face of changing climatic conditions.
Robust cloud feedback over tropical land in a warming climate
Authors: Kamae Youichi , Ogura Tomoo , Watanabe Masahiro , Xie Shang‐Ping , Ueda Hiroaki
Published: March 2016

Cloud‐related radiative perturbations over land in a warming climate are of importance for human health, ecosystem, agriculture, and industry via solar radiation availability and local warming amplification. However, robustness and physical mechanisms responsible for the land cloud feedback were not examined sufficiently because of the limited contribution to uncertainty in global climate sensitivity. Here we show that cloud feedback in general circulation models over tropical land is robust, positive, and is relevant to atmospheric circulation change and thermodynamic constraint associated with water vapor availability. In a warming climate, spatial variations in tropospheric warming associated with climatological circulation pattern result in a general weakening of tropical circulation and a dynamic reduction of land cloud during summer monsoon season. Limited increase in availability of water vapor also reduces the land cloud. The reduction of land cloud depends on global‐scale oceanic warming and is not sensitive to regional warming patterns. The robust positive feedback can contribute to the warming amplification and drying over tropical land in the future.
The Barbier–Grignard‐Type Arylation of Ketones and Unexpected Cross‐Coupling of Phenolic Ketones using Unactivated Aryl Bromides
Authors: Wen Yunming , Chen Guifang , Huang Shiqiang , Tang Yu , Yang Jun , Zhang Yuanming
Published: March 2016

A novel, highly versatile and efficient method has been developed for the Barbier–Grignard‐type arylation of ketones and an unexpected cross‐coupling of phenolic ketones was observed using unactivated bromides and magnesium in tetrahydrofuran/toluene at 96 °C promoted by multicatalysts of cupric bromide (15 mol%), bismuth chloride (5 mol%) and silver bromide (10 mol%). The substituent and electronic effects on the reaction have been discussed. High yields of arylation and cross‐coupling have been attained under mild conditions. A novel reasonable mechanism involving a quinone intermediate is proposed. The high chemical selectivity in the cross‐coupling to the hydroxy group of phenolic ketones should help ketones find new applications.

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Rhodium(II)‐Catalysed Skeletal Rearrangement of Ether Tethered N‐Sulfonyl 1,2,3‐Triazoles: a Rapid Approach to 2‐Aminoindanone and Dihydroisoquinoline Derivatives
Authors: Yu Yinghua , Zhu Lei , Liao Yun , Mao Zhifeng , Huang Xueliang
Published: March 2016

The skeletal rearrangement of ether tethered N‐sulfonyl‐1,2,3‐triazoles has been achieved by rhodium(II) catalysis. This method offers a rapid entry to 2‐aminoindanone and dihydroisoquinoline architectures which can be further transformed to other valuable building blocks, such as vicinal aminoindanols, isoquinolines and isoquinolinones. A pathway involving an azavinyl rhodium carbene intermediate was proposed according to a preliminary mechanistic study.

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COMT genotype is associated with differential expression of muscarinic M1 receptors in human cortex
Authors: Dean Brian , Scarr Elizabeth
Published: March 2016

Catechol‐O‐methyltransferase (COMT) genotype has been associated with varying levels of cognitive functioning and an altered risk of schizophrenia. COMT regulates the breakdown of catecholamines, particularly dopamine, which is thought critical in maintaining cognitive function and the aetiology of schizophrenia. This hypothesis gained support from reports that the VAL allele at rs4680 was associated with poorer performance on cognitive tests and a slightly increased risk of schizophrenia. More recently, genotype at rs4818, part of a hapblock with rs4680, has been shown to impact on cognitive ability more than genotype at rs4680 but, as yet, not the risk for schizophrenia. Here, we determined if COMT genotype at rs4680 or rs4818, as well as rs165519 and rs737865, two synonymous single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) with no known functional consequences, were associated with an altered risk of schizophrenia and if genotype at the four COMT SNPs was related to expression of the cortical muscarinic M1 receptor (CHRM1) because the expression of the cortical CHRM1 has been reported to be lower in schizophrenia and is important in maintaining cognitive functioning in humans. We report that the variation in gene sequence at the four COMT SNPs studied was not associated with an altered the risk of schizophrenia but genotype at rs4680 and rs4818, but not rs165519 and rs737865, were associated with varying levels of cortical CHRM1 expression in the human dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC). These data are the first to suggest that levels of CHRM1 in the human DLPFC are, in part, determined by COMT gene sequence. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Atomistic Description of Reaction Intermediates for Supported Metathesis Catalysts Enabled by DNP SENS
Authors: Ong Ta‐Chung , Liao Wei‐Chih , Mougel Victor , Gajan David , Lesage Anne , Emsley Lyndon , Copéret Christophe
Published: March 2016

Obtaining detailed structural information of reaction intermediates remains a key challenge in heterogeneous catalysis because of the amorphous nature of the support and/or the support interface that prohibits the use of diffraction‐based techniques. Combining isotopic labeling and dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP) increases the sensitivity of surface enhanced solid‐state NMR spectroscopy (SENS) towards surface species in heterogeneous alkene metathesis catalysts; this in turn allows direct determination of the bond connectivity and measurement of the carbon–carbon bond distance in metallacycles, which are the cycloaddition intermediates in the alkene metathesis catalytic cycle. Furthermore, this approach makes possible the understanding of the slow initiation and deactivation steps in these heterogeneous metathesis catalysts.
Activation of Methane and Ethane as Mediated by the Triatomic Anion HNbN−: Electronic Structure Similarity with a Pt Atom
Authors: Ma Jia‐Bi , Xu Lin‐Lin , Liu Qing‐Yu , He Sheng‐Gui
Published: March 2016

Investigations of the intrinsic properties of gas‐phase transition metal nitride (TMN) ions represent one approach to gain a fundamental understanding of the active sites of TMN catalysts, the activities and electronic structures of which are known to be comparable to those of noble metal catalysts. Herein, we investigate the structures and reactivities of the triatomic anions HNbN− by means of mass spectrometry and photoelectron imaging spectroscopy, in conjunction with density functional theory calculations. The HNbN− anions are capable of activating CH4 and C2H6 through oxidative addition, exhibiting similar reactivities to free Pt atoms. The similar electronic structures of HNbN− and Pt, especially the active orbitals, are responsible for this resemblance. Compared to the inert NbN−, the coordination of the H atom in HNbN− is indispensable. New insights into how to replace noble metals with TMNs may be derived from this combined experimental/computational study.
Self‐Supporting Metal–Organic Layers as Single‐Site Solid Catalysts
Authors: Cao Lingyun , Lin Zekai , Peng Fei , Wang Weiwei , Huang Ruiyun , Wang Cheng , Yan Jiawei , Liang Jie , Zhang Zhiming , Zhang Teng , Long Lasheng , Sun Junliang , Lin Wenbin
Published: March 2016

Metal–organic layers (MOLs) represent an emerging class of tunable and functionalizable two‐dimensional materials. In this work, the scalable solvothermal synthesis of self‐supporting MOLs composed of [Hf6O4(OH)4(HCO2)6] secondary building units (SBUs) and benzene‐1,3,5‐tribenzoate (BTB) bridging ligands is reported. The MOL structures were directly imaged by TEM and AFM, and doped with 4′‐(4‐benzoate)‐(2,2′,2′′‐terpyridine)‐5,5′′‐dicarboxylate (TPY) before being coordinated with iron centers to afford highly active and reusable single‐site solid catalysts for the hydrosilylation of terminal olefins. MOL‐based heterogeneous catalysts are free from the diffusional constraints placed on all known porous solid catalysts, including metal–organic frameworks. This work uncovers an entirely new strategy for designing single‐site solid catalysts and opens the door to a new class of two‐dimensional coordination materials with molecular functionalities.