bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Probiotics: truths and illusions
Authors: Tavanaeian Sogol , Feizabadi Mohammad Mehdi
Published: February 2024

The Article Abstract is not available.
Therapeutic effects of probiotics and herbal medications on oxalate nephrolithiasis: a mini systematic review
Authors: Taheri Hamed , Feizabadi Mohammad Mehdi , Keikha Reza , Afkari Rouhi
Published: February 2024

Background and Objectives: The majority of all kidney stone cases are oxalate urolithiasis with a high risk of recurrence. Beside its widespread occurrence, kidney stones are characterized by severe complications and high treatment costs. Pro- biotics and herbal medications could be forthcoming therapeutic interventions in the management of oxalate kidney stones. Materials and Methods: The PubMed/MEDLINE database was searched for keywords “Oxalobacter formigenes” AND “Oxalate” OR “oxalate degradation” AND “Lactobacillus” OR “Bifidobacterium” OR “recombinant Lactobacillus” OR “Bacillus subtilis”, and “urolithiasis” AND “herbal extract”. The search returned 253 results, 38 of which were included in the review.
Results: Most of the oxalate-degrading probiotics belong to the Oxalobacter formigenes, Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium, and Bacillus genus with a minimum dosage of 107  CFU in the form of capsules, sachets, and lyophilized powder. Oxalate concentration in media was 5-50mM with an incubation time ranging from 24h to 14 days. The majority of the studies suggested that probiotic supplementation might be useful for reducing urinary excretion of oxalate and urea and alleviation of stone formation. Different herbal extracts were used on murine models of nephrolithiasis (induced by 0.5-3% ethylene glycol) with reduction of renal inflammation and urinary parameters, and calcium oxalate crystals.
Conclusion: Several strains of probiotics and herbal extracts confer protective effects against kidney stone/nephrolithiasis, indicating their promising nature for being considered as elements of preventive / adjuvant therapeutic strategies.
The antibiogram of pus cultures in federal tertiary care hospital, Islamabad and its utility in antimicrobial stewardship
Authors: Kursheed Farhan , Tabassum Asraar , Farwa Umme , Wazir Samia , Shafiq Muhammad , Sheikh Ahmareen Khalid
Published: February 2024

Background and Objectives: Antimicrobial resistance has emerged as a significant global health threat. Infections caused by Multi Drug-Resistant (MDR) bacteria pose formidable challenges in terms of treatment options and patient outcomes. Pus cultures serve as crucial diagnostic tools in identifying the agents responsible for various infections, and their antimicrobial susceptibility patterns which help in establishment of empirical therapy guidelines. This study was conducted to determine the pathogen and its susceptibility pattern from pus cultures and to generate antibiogram in our tertiary care setting. Materials and Methods: It was a cross-sectional study, conducted for a period of six months, from July 2022 to December
2022, in the Pathology Department of Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS).
Results: Out of total 2507 samples received, 1242 (49.5%) showed positive culture. Among the 1242 positive samples, 364 were Gram positive cocci (GPCs) and 878 were Gram negative rods (GNRs). Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) was the most common isolate (23%) followed by Klebsiella pneumoniae (22.6%), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (16.9%), Enterobacter spp. (15.5%) and Escherichia coli (14.2%). Vancomycin was found to be highly effective (100%) against MRSA. GPCs were highly susceptible to linezolid (98%) while GNRs showed high level of sensitivity to colistin (96%) and tigecycline (92%).
Conclusion: The generation of a local antibiogram specific to the hospital setting is essential to effectively manage infections empirically and preserve the efficacy of existing antibiotics. By implementing antimicrobial stewardship practices based on a better understanding of antibiotic susceptibility patterns, we can contribute to the mitigation of antibiotic resistance and improve patient outcomes.
Investigating the effect of cold atmospheric plasma treatment on the microbial load of raw potato slices
Authors: Nateghi Leila , Hosseini Elahesadat , Mirmohammadmakki Fatemehsadat
Published: February 2024

Background and Objectives: Potatoes (Solanum tuberosum), as starchy plants, have been highly esteemed for their rich supply of nutrients. Numerous studies have investigated the potential health benefits of potatoes and explored potential solutions. Among these considerations, the discussion regarding microbial contaminants has remained an important topic. Materials and Methods: The present study used cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) to evaluate the microbial quality (includ- ing mesophilic and psychrotrophic bacteria and mold and yeasts) of raw potato slices during a 14-day storage period. To achieve this goal, the duration of CAP exposure was set at 5, 10, and 15 min, utilizing an electric voltage of 60 kV and a specific frequency of 20 kHz.
Results: The findings revealed the effectiveness of CAP pre-treatment in inhibiting microbial growth over the 14 days when compared to the control sample (untreated sample), with a statistically significant difference (P < 0.05). Moreover, with an extension of the CAP exposure duration to 15 min, there was a significant reduction in the logarithmic count of mesophilic, psychrotrophic microorganisms, molds, and yeasts (4.95, 2.85, and 2.22CFU/g, respectively) in comparison to the control groups (7.5, 5.62, and 5.5CFU/g) on days 0, 7, and 14 of the storage periods (P < 0.05).
Conclusion: The results of this study highlight the potential of CAP pre-treatment on reducing the microbial load in raw potato slices prior to frying, which could potentially influence the overall quality of potato-based products.
Secretome of adipose derived-mesenchymal stem cells reduces the Vibrio cholerae attachment to Caco-2 cells and subsequent inflammatory responses
Authors: Moulazade Alireza , Soudi Sara , Bakhshi Bita
Published: February 2024

Background and Objectives: Mesenchymal Stem Cells (MSCs) can repair gastrointestinal tract damage. The Secretome of MSCs has a high capacity to inhibit bacterial colonization and the subsequent inflammatory responses of Vibrio cholerae. Materials and Methods: The Caco-2 cells were treated with adipose-derived MSCs (AD-MSCs) secretome and then in- fected with V. cholerae. Subsequently, the bacterial attachment and invasion, cholera toxin gene expression, PGE2 and IL-6 secretion, TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-8 expression, and apoptosis of Caco-2 cells were evaluated.
Results: The secretome of AD-MSCs significantly reduced the V. cholerae attachment and internalization on Caco-2 epithe- lial cells (P<0.0001). The cholera toxin (Ctx-B) gene expression (FR=4.56 ± 0.66) and PGE2 production (P=0.0007) were also significantly reduced. The production of NO and TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-8 pro-inflammatory cytokines were significantly (P<0.05) reduced in exposure to the secretome of AD-MSCs. Secretome also improved a significant 81.33% increase in IL-6 production (128.1 ± 37.6 pg/mL) and showed a 12.36% significant decrease in epithelial cell apoptosis (P< 0.0001) after exposure to V. cholerae.
Conclusion: The secretome of AD-MSCs can play a critical role in inhibiting bacterial colonization, and subsequent inflam- matory responses, and maintaining the integrity of the epithelial barrier. The secretome may be effective in the prevention of hypovolemic shock.
Contrasting Relativization in some Naomi Alderman’s Novels and their French Translation from a Syntactic and a Semantic Perspectives
Authors: Bayiha Auguste
Published: February 2024

Language in usage is the result of various operations. Linguistic operations are worth studying so as to uncover the subtleties which make languages to be unique in their inner organization. These operations occur within various linguistic units (words, phrases, clauses, sentences, paragraphs, and texts) and can be studied at various levels of linguistic analysis (Dutoit, 2000). Provided the wide range of such operations, the notion of clause operations is therefore the subject of this article; more specifically, this study intends to contrast relativization from a syntactic and semantic point of view based on an English-French translation corpus (extracted from three novels by Naomi Alderman and their French translations). With the aid of the Meaning-Text Theory (MTT), the findings suggest that there are convergent and divergent syntactic properties, shared syntactic processes, and common syntactic functions related to the translational renderings of relative markers. Moreover, the contrastive analysis of relativization from a semantic viewpoint reveals some semantic functions undertaken by relative markers, some correspondence types between relatives of different versions of the corpus, and some translation procedures used by translators while rendering the overall meaning of the source text.
The Influence of Hibiscus tiliaceus Leaf Extract as Capping Agent on the Zinc Oxide Properties and its Photo-simultaneous Performance
Authors: Subagyo Riki , Zain Elfirza , Martina Siyam , Saepurahman Saepurahman , Kusumawati Yuly
Published: February 2024

Polyol method, as one alternative in ZnO synthetic methods, have been developed and generated a nano-ZnO. However, the produced nano-ZnO is unstable due to its small particle size. To overcome the problems, we added Hibiscus tiliaceus leaves’ extract during the ZnO (EZnO) synthesis to change the water content and hydrolysis ratio of Zn2+/water. The addition of H. tiliaceus extract resulted in a shifting peak at (101) plane compared to ZnO synthesized without extract addition (WZnO). The use of H. tiliaceus extracts leads to the formation of large and non-uniform particles compared to the one prepared without the extract, which is in agreement with the intensity of diffraction pattern. The use of H. tiliaceus extracts shifted the bandgap energy to visible range. The performance of WZnO and EZnO samples was tested for simultaneous photo-oxidation of methylene blue and photo-reduction of Cr(VI) ions under UV-C irradiation. The EZnO is equally active as WZnO for Cr(VI) ion photo-reduction but less active for photo-oxidation of methylene blue. The presence of retained organic material in EZnO is plausibly affected by the adsorption and subsequent photo-oxidation of the bulky MB leading to a lower photo-oxidation performance. However, the activity of EZnO was a little bit lower than that of WZnO, revealing that the synergistic of particle size and band gap energy is a crucial factor in photo-removal process. In addition, the presence of phenolic compounds on the EZnO surface might change the nature properties of WZnO, which influence its performance.
Doszczelnienie matrycy kamieni cementowych otrzymanych z zaczynów cementowych dedykowanych dla podziemnych magazynów wodoru w kawernach solnych
Authors:   Instytut Nafty i Gazu – Państwowy Instytut Badawczy, Kędzierski Miłosz , Rzepka Marcin ,   Instytut Nafty i Gazu – Państwowy Instytut Badawczy
Published: February 2024

Artykuł przedstawia wyniki badań nad doszczelnieniem matrycy kamieni cementowych otrzymanych z zaczynów cementowych przeznaczonych do podziemnych magazynów wodoru w kawernach solnych. W recepturach zaczynów cementowych została zwiększona ilość dodatku mikrocementu oraz podjęto próbę zastosowania wybranych rodzajów nanomateriałów. Receptury cementowe opracowane zostały w INiG – PIB w Laboratorium Zaczynów Uszczelniających. Badania przeprowadzono dla temperatury 25°C i ciśnienia 10 MPa. W badanych zaczynach cementowych jako spoiwo wiążące zastosowano cement wiertniczy G. Zaczyny cementowe sporządzano na solance o pełnym nasyceniu o gęstości 1200 kg/m3 ze względu na bezpośrednią obecność soli w otworze. Do solanki dodawano kolejno środki: odpieniający, upłynniający i obniżający filtrację oraz nanomateriały. Pozostałe składniki: mikrocement, gips modelowy oraz cement mieszano ze sobą i wprowadzano następnie do wody zarobowej. W przypadku każdego zaczynu cementowego wykonywano badania parametrów technologicznych takich jak: właściwości reologiczne, gęstość, rozlewność, odstój wody oraz czas gęstnienia zaczynu. Przeprowadzano również badania wytrzymałości na ściskanie po 7 dniach oraz po 1 i 6 miesiącach, a także pomiar porowatości stwardniałych zaczynów cementowych po 6 miesiącach deponowania w pełni nasyconej solance. Opracowane zaczyny cementowe charakteryzowały się dobrymi parametrami reologicznymi oraz zerowym odstojem wody. Gęstości zaczynów cementowych wahały się w przedziale od 1910 kg/m3 do 1940 kg/m3. Wszystkie zbadane stwardniałe zaczyny cementowe charakteryzowały się zwartą mikrostrukturą o niskiej zawartości makroporów. Udział porów o średnicy powyżej 10 000 nm wyniósł od 1,3% do 3,2% ilości wszystkich porów. Natomiast udział porów o średnicy poniżej 100 nm w całej matrycy stwardniałego zaczynu cementowego wyniósł od 94,3% do 97,5%. Dodatek większej ilości mikrocementu oraz wprowadzenie nanokomponentów do receptur zaczynów cementowych spowodowały wzrost wytrzymałości na ściskanie oraz obniżenie porowatości kamieni cementowych.
The advantage of composite materials used in downhole cutting tools
Authors:   Azerbaijan State Oil and Industry University, Mustafayev Amir G. , Nasirov Chingiz R. ,   Azerbaijan State Oil and Industry University
Published: February 2024

One of the important reserves for the growth of oil and gas production is the acceleration of emergency recovery work in production and exploration wells at minimal cost. A significant amount of work in downhole conditions is performed using downhole destructive and cutting tools. Each oil and gas producing country annually uses more than 100 standard sizes, thousands of cutting tool sets: downhole, annular, combined, pilot, internal and external pipe cutters, as well as reamers for cutting side “windows” in production strings. Therefore, the need for them is growing significantly every year. The conducted experiments show that during the operation of cutting tools, the working abrasive-cutting part of the tool wears out and collapses, but the body, other elements and the connecting thread remain suitable for further operation. Therefore, the restoration of working bodies, consisting of crushed particles of used borehole cutting tools, is an urgent scientific and technical task for the oil and gas industry. When repairing oil and gas wells, as well as eliminating the most complex accidents, more than a hundred standard sizes of downhole cutting and destructive tools are used. Currently, an acute shortage of this equipment in oilfield facilities makes it necessary to reconsider the technologies for restoring downhole cutting and destructive tools and introduce them into production. The conducted studies show that there is not enough information about the thickness and height of the layers of the material applied to the damaged area of the cutting and destructive tool, as well as the information necessary for the optimal mode of its operation and its effectiveness after restoration. Composite materials are widely used in the preparation of cutting-chopping and destructive elements of oil-field tools and equipment used in the drilling, operation and repair of wells. In order to increase the cutting capacity of the cutting part of the tool, it is necessary to investigate the advantages of tungsten-carbide (TC) type composite materials compared to other materials and ensure their resistance to high temperatures. As a result of theoretical studies, the stress-deformation state of the contact areas of the composite elements, where the working areas of the cutting and destructive tools are reinforced, and the dependence of the productivity of the composite materials on the speed of transition to metal and the sizes of the composite grains were determined by using the finite element method (two-dimensional simplex elements).
Method for assessing the hydrate formation from a mixture of natural gas flows of varying degrees of moisture content
Authors:   Azerbaijan State Oil and Industry University, Iskenderov Elman Kh. , Baghirov Alovsat N. ,   Azerbaijan State Oil and Industry University, Shikhiyeva Lala M. ,   Azerbaijan State Oil and Industry University
Published: February 2024

The article deals with the issues of assessing the conditions of hydrate formation when mixing natural gas flows of various standards. An urgent problem of operation, especially of offshore subsea gas pipelines, is the prediction of the time, place and expected intensity of hydrate formation. Depending on the changing operating mode of the gas pipeline, dispatch service specialists must be able to adjust the process control tactics on their own, as quickly as possible. The predisposition of a particular gas pipeline to hydrate is also important for the dispatching service. Changes in the volumes of gas entering the region under consideration from different sources, due to the constant change in gas production, create the need to mix gases of different standards and pump them into subsea gas pipeline. To avoid hydrate formation, it is important to predict the thermobaric conditions that will be formed in the gas pipeline by considering the characteristics such as a volume in the mixture and the moisture content of the gas. The processes of hydrate formation proceed quickly and if the beginning of the process is overlooked, the problem of significant or complete blockage of the gas pipeline might appear. The paper gives a systematization of the risk of hydrate formation depending on several infrastructural factors – the presence of a preliminary gas drying system and a system for starting and receiving cleaning pistons. A method is proposed for estimating the moisture content and dew point temperature of a natural gas mixture by the condition and the proportion of primary flows. It has been shown that the addition of a small volume of undried gas to the main dried gas significantly increases the risk of hydrate formation. A formula is given for calculations for a mixture of multiple natural gas flows. The advantage of this method is the quick calculations, and the absence of the need for huge mathematical calculations and laboratory studies. This is an important element in the activities of the dispatch service, limited by a lack of time in the process of preventing hydrate formation.
The inhibitory effect of selected reagents on carbon steel corrosion in formation water containing hydrogen sulfid
Authors:   Azerbaijan State Oil and Industry University, Gurbanov Guseyn R. , Pashayeva Saida ,   Azerbaijan State Oil and Industry University
Published: February 2024

For the first time, the impact of the composition of gossypol resin and IB-1 reagent, prepared in a 3:1 ratio and conventionally named HS-1, on the corrosion rate in hydrogen sulfide formation water has been investigated under laboratory conditions. Concentrations of 20, 40, 60, 80 mg/l of the new composition were used. During the experiments, a formation water sample taken from well No. 1082 of “Bibiheybatneft” OGPD, SOCAR, served as the electrochemical corrosion medium for the study. To conduct a comparative analysis, gossypol resin, IB-1 inhibitor, and HS-1 composition were used. Concentrations of 50, 100, 150, 200 mg/l of gossypol resin and 10, 15, 20, and 25 mg/l of IB-1 inhibitor were employed in the experiments. Numerous laboratory experiments revealed that the optimal consumption rate for the HS-1 inhibitor is 100 mg/l, for gossypol resin it is 200 mg/l, and for the IB-1 inhibitor it is 25 mg/l. These experiments were conducted under dynamic conditions over six hours. It was determined that the newly developed HS-1 composition offers superior protection in an aggressive medium containing hydrogen sulfide compared to its constituent components, gossypol resin, and IB-1 inhibitor. Specifically, as the concentration of gossypol resin in formation water increases from 50 to 200 mg/l, the corrosion protection effect ranges from 60–82%. When the concentration of IB-1 inhibitor varies between 10–25 mg/l in a hydrogen sulfide medium, the protection effect lies between 65-90%. In the aggressive medium of hydrogen sulfide formation water, increasing the concentration of the new HS-1 composition from 30–80 mg/l results in an enhancement of its electrochemical corrosion protection effect, ranging from 74–98%. Upon analyzing the results of numerous laboratory experiments, it was found that the optimal consumption rate of gossypol resin for corrosion protection in an aggressive medium with hydrogen sulfide is 200 mg/l, the consumption rate of IB-1 inhibitor is 25 mg/l, and for the HS-1 composition is 80 mg/l. The corrosion rates for gossypol resin in the concentrations of 50, 100, 150, 200 mg/l is 1.72, 1.38, 1.12, 0.78 g/m2 · h and retardation coefficient is 2.50, 3.10, 3.84, 5.51, respectively. Corrosion rate of IB-1 inhibitor concentration in the amount of 10, 15, 20, and 25 mg/l is 1.5, 1.12, 0.78, 0.43, and retardation coefficient is 2.86, 3.84, 5.51, 10.0, respectively. The corrosion rates for the new HS-1 composition at concentrations of 20, 40, 60, 80 mg/l is 1.12, 0.73, 0.34, 0.08, and the retardation coefficient is 3.84, 5.89, 12.64, 53.75, respectively. Comparing the corrosion rate values obtained for all three reagents with the corrosion rate for hydrogen sulphide formation water shows that new HS-1 composition has a higher effectiveness compared to its constituent components.
The influence of recycled aggregate on the properties of geopolymeric recycled concrete: A comprehensive review
Authors: Lyu Shaoxiong , Xiao Jianzhuang , Singh Amardeep , Ye Taohua
Published: February 2024

This paper offers a comprehensive review of geopolymeric recycled concrete (GRC) research, particularly focusing on mechanical properties, durability, microstructure, and the interfacial transition zone (ITZ). The study emphasizes the influence of recycled aggregate (RA) content on GRC performance. Findings indicate that higher RA content leads to a gradual reduction in GRC’s compressive, tensile, and flexural strengths, elastic modulus, and toughness. The elastic modulus is most affected, followed by compressive strength, while tensile strength experiences the least decline. Moreover, increased RA content is associated with elevated water absorption, decreased resistance to chloride ion permeability, sulfate corrosion, acid, frost, and carbonization in geopolymer concrete. The integration of RA creates more intricate ITZs in geopolymer concrete, resulting in reduced bonding strength and a looser, more porous microstructure. However, the use of geopolymers can mitigate these effects by enhancing bonding in ITZs. The paper also presents a statistical analysis of compressive strength test results from various studies and proposes a preliminary method for estimating the compressive strength of geopolymer concrete with different RA replacement rates.
Ekadasa Rudra Ceremony in 1963 and 1979: Power Relation Issue in Bali
Authors: Wardhani Yanuaresti Kusuma
Published: February 2024

This article discusses the enactment of Ekadasa Rudra ceremony in 1963 and 1979 in Pura Agung Besakih, Karangasem, Bali. As the greatest Balinese Hindu ceremony held once in a century, the events were substantial and nationally widespread. The noted events in Indonesian history were in 1963 and 1979, it means that the spatial period was less than twenty years. That problem is an interesting topic to discuss. The discussion uses theory of power relation by Foucault and principle in historical research by Kuntowijoyo, these are determining topic, heuristics, source criticism, interpretation, and historiography. The analysis conducts from explaining each moment of Ekadasa Rudra in both years, then the analysis goes on into the discussion of applying theory of power relation to answer the research question.
Klasyfikacja skazanych na karę pozbawienia wolności. Wskazówki interpretacyjne wydawania (procesu konstruowania) decyzji komisji penitencjarnej
Authors: Mrozek Kamila
Published: February 2024

Opracowanie koncentruje się na zagadnieniach dotyczących procesu klasyfikacji skazanych odbywających karę pozbawienia wolności. Analizie poddano wybrane, najważ- niejsze problemy związane z tym zagadnieniem, które — zdaniem autorki — są najbardziej aktualne dla praktyki. W tym kontekście opisano sytuację skazanych stwarzających poważne zagrożenie społeczne albo poważne zagrożenie dla bezpieczeństwa zakładu karnego oraz skazanych zakwalifikowanych do systemu terapeutycznego. Przedmiotem zainteresowania stało się także umieszczenie skazanego we właściwym zakładzie karnym z uwagi na jego miejsce zamieszkania przed osadzeniem. Analizie poddano także wiele najnowszych zmian w przepisach dotyczących klasyfikacji penitencjarnej.
Accidents at Work: A Meta-Analysis to Improve Risk Assessment and Health Surveillance
Authors: Malta Ginevra , Fruscione Santo , Plescia Fulvio , Argo Antonina , Cannizzaro Emanuele
Published: February 2024

Occupational accidents, despite continuous safety updates, are still a scourge in the occupational and forensic spheres, constituting, among other things, the subject of a large share of litigation. Demographic data can help to understand the areas where the application of health surveillance is lacking. This meta-analysis sets out to analyze data from studies on accidents at work, focusing on the correlation between the areas in which accidents occur and whether or not personal safety equipment is used, about the different regulations in force. For the selection of the data, a systematic review was carried out according to the PRISMA guidelines, with the primary objective of identifying the trend of occupational accidents in specific geographical areas, which differ in terms of the attention paid to preventive aspects. The data we highlighted showed, regarding the type of accident, substantial differences between low-income countries and industrialized countries (stratified according to the Human Development Index) and, an overall indifference as to whether or not individual safety devices were used, revealing that, despite the continuous normative evolution in the field of safety at work, even today, the investigative data on the actual application of the regulations, during accidents at work, is underestimated and little researched.
Shot Peening Effect on Wet Sliding Wear in 0.9% NaCl of 17-4PH Stainless Steel Fabricated by Additive Manufacturing
Authors: Walczak Mariusz , Świetlicki Aleksander , Szala Mirosław , Turek Marcin , Chocyk Dariusz
Published: February 2024

17-4PH steel is a widely used grade for precipitation hardening. The growing demand for modern materials with high corrosion and tribological resistance has led to its increased use for the production of medical devices. With additive manufacturing (AM), complex functional shapes can be achieved for medical applications. Direct laser metal sintering (DMLS) technology makes it possible to obtain products with complex architectures, but it also faces various challenges, including imperfections in the surface layer of products due to the use of 3D printing technology itself. This study analyzed the abrasive wear resistance in 0.9% NaCl solution of 17-4PH steel produced by DMLS technology. In order to improve the properties of the surface layer after 3D printing and to improve the tribological wear resistance of the steel, a shot peening (SP) process using CrNi shot and ceramic beads (based on ZrO2) was applied. The chemical and phase composition of the materials obtained, Vickers hardness, surface roughness, and microscopic and SEM imaging were investigated. Tribological tests were carried out using the ball-on-disc method, and the surfaces that showed traces of abrasion to identify wear mechanisms were subjected to SEM analysis. The chemical composition was in accordance with the EOS manufacturer's declarations, and the presence of austenite and martensite was found in the post-production state, while a higher content of martensitic phase was found in the case of peened samples due to phase transformations. The surface hardness of the peened samples increased more than twice, and the post-treatment roughness increased by 12.8% after peening CrNi steels and decreased by 7.8% after peening ZrO2 relative to reference surfaces. Roughness has an identifiable effect on sliding wear resistance. Higher roughness promotes material loss. After the SP process, the coefficient of friction increased by 15.5% and 20.7%, while the wear factor (K) decreased by 25.9% and 32.7% for the samples peened with CrNi steels and ZrO2, respectively. Abrasive and adhesive mechanism were dominant featured with slight fatigue. The investigation showed a positive effect of SP on the tribological properties of DMSL 17-4PH.
Nutritional Data on Selected Food Products Consumed in Oman: An Update of the Food Composition Table and Use for Future Food Consumption Surveys
Authors: Almaamari Salima , Al-Jawaldeh Ayoub , Al Ghammari Ibtisam , Al Shammakhi Saleh , Al Aamri Jokha , El Ati Jalila
Published: February 2024

Food composition data in the EMR countries are often lacking, obsolete or unreliable. The study aims to provide reliable and up-to-date nutrient data of selected food products consumed in Oman in order to evaluate consistency of nutrition labelling and update the current used food composition database. Contents of total fat, fatty acids, carbohydrates, total nitrogen, sugars and sodium were chemically analyzed in 221 foods and beverages purchased in 2022 and label and corresponding laboratory values were compared using the tolerance levels of the European Union. Food items were classified according their nutritional composition, the extent of processing and coded according FoodEx2 system. Results indicate that the nutrient values stated on a label align with the values obtained in the laboratory with the exception of a 6.3% discrepancy in TFAs content, where the reported values are higher than the appropriate reference values. The category with the highest frequency (71.5%) consisted of ultra-processed foods. In terms of inconsistencies in the nutrition claims, 5.1% of food products with claims did not comply with the statement “sugar free” or “low salt”. These findings underscore the significance of vigilant monitoring of nutritional labels as a means to implement measures that promote the well-being of consumers.
Novel Dry Powder of Hyaluronic Acid-Vancomycin Complex for Inhalation Useful on Pulmonary Infections Associated to Cystic Fibrosis
Authors: Magi María Sol , De Lafuente Yanina , Quarta Eride , Palena María Celeste , Ardiles Perla , Páez Paulina Laura , Sonvico Fabio , Buttini Francesca , Jimenez-Kairuz Alvaro
Published: February 2024

Polyelectrolyte-drug complexes are interesting alternatives to improve unfavourable drugs properties. Vancomycin (VAN) is an antimicrobial used in the treatment of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus pulmonary infections in patients with cystic fibrosis. It is generally administered intravenously with high incidence of adverse side effects, which could be reduced by intrapulmonary administration. Currently, there are no commercially available inhalable formulations containing VAN. Thus, the present work focuses on the preparation and characterization of an ionic complex between hyaluronic acid (HA) and VAN with potential use as inhalable formulations. Particulate-solid HA-VAN25 complex by spray drying from an aqueous dispersion was obtained. FTIR spectroscopy and thermal analysis confirmed the ionic interaction between HA and VAN, while an amorphous diffraction pattern by X-ray was observed. The powder density, geometric size and morphology showed a suitable aerosolization and aerodynamic performance of the powder, indicating the capability of reaching the deep lung. An in vitro extended-release profile of VAN from the complex was obtained, exceeding 24 hours. Microbiological assays against methicillin-resistant and -sensitive reference strains of Staphylococcus aureus, showed that VAN preserves its antibacterial efficacy. In conclusion, HA-VAN25 exhibited interesting properties for the development of inhalable formulations with potential efficacy and safety advantages over conventional treatment.
Gocgen Approach for Zeta Function in Twin Primes
Authors: Gocgen Ahmet F.
Published: February 2024

I had previously developed an approach called Gocgen approach, which claimed to prove twin prime conjecture. In this paper, I processed the previously developed Gocgen approach with the zeta function and explained the relationship between the zeta function with some formulas to offer another perspective on the zeta function, and also created a new function that explains the Gocgen approach using the zeta function. Understanding the new function created will provide insight into the frequency of prime numbers.
Towards the Exploration and Evolution of Insulin-Derived Venoms in Actiniaria (Sea anemones)
Authors: Delgado Alonso , Sozanski Kyle S , Daly Marymegan
Published: February 2024

Recent studies have elucidated the diversity of genes encoding venom in sea anemones. However, most of those genes are yet to be explored in an evolutionary context. Insulin is a common peptide across metazoans and has been coopted into a predatory venom in many venomous lineages. In this study, we focus on the diversity of insulin-derived venoms in sea anemones and on elucidating their evolutionary history. We sourced data for 34 species of sea anemones and found sequences belonging to two venom families that have Insulin PFAM annotations (Cono-Insulin, VP302). Our findings show that both families have undergone duplication events. Members of each of the independently evolving clades have consistent predicted protein structures and distinct dN/dS values. Our work also shows that VP302 is part of a multidomain venom contig and has experienced a secondary gain into the venom system of cuticulate sea anemones.
Towards the Gene Profile of Acute Myeloid Leukaemia Using Machine Learning and Blood Transcriptomics
Authors: Angelakis Athanasios , Nathoe Romar , Filippakis Michael
Published: February 2024

Applying the iterative methodology for dimensionality reduction/feature selection using categorical gradient boosted trees, as it has been defined in and has been successfully applied on similar datasets in and , on a dataset consisted of 12708 gene expressions coming from 5052 individuals from 105 studies, we classify whether a person has acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) or is healthy. A CatBoost model on a dataset with reduced dimensions of 72 genes reached a ROC-AUC score of 0.9973 using ten fold cross validation (10CV) and ROC-AUC: 0.9988 on an inference dataset. We further investigate the options of using less genes that potentially could be used in clinical practise and genes than have not been associated to AML yet, or to blood cancer in general. On the same folds of the 10CV and on the same inference dataset the performance of the tuned CatBoost models show that it could be the case that not all genes with an association to AML have been found yet and 19 genes could be enough to predict AML: CatBoost63 (ROC-AUC: 0.9941, Test: 0.9942), CatBoost19: (ROC-AUC: 0.9946, Test: 0.9941) and CatBoost15: (ROC-AUC: 0.9922, Test: 0.9900). In addition, our results verify that a gene diagnostic test for AML could be possible in the future as well as further research is needed on these 15 genes that it could lead to new and better drugs.
Prolonged Oral Administration of Ethyl Alcohol Leads to Histopathology of the Epididymis and Seminal Vesicle and Changes of Metabolite Composition in the Tissue Lumen
Authors: Taoto Chayakorn , Tangsrisakda Nareelak , Thukhammee Wipawee , Iamsaard Sitthichai , Tanphaichitr Nongnuj
Published: February 2024

Prolonged ethanol (EtOH) consumption is associated with male infertility with a decreased spermatogenesis rate as one cause. Defective maturation and development of sperm during their storage in the cauda epididymis and transit in the seminal vesicle can be another cause, possibly occurring before the drastic spermatogenesis disruption. Herein, we demonstrated that the cauda epididymis and seminal vesicle of rats, orally fed with EtOH under a regimen that spermatogenesis was still ongoing, showed histological damage, including lesion and decreased height of the epithelial cells, and increased collagen fibers in the muscle layer, which implicated fibrosis. Lipid peroxidation (shown by malondialdehyde (MDA) levels) was observed, indicating that reactive oxygen species (ROS) was produced along with acetaldehyde during EtOH metabolism by CYP2E1. MDA, acetaldehyde and other lipid peroxidation products could further damage cellular components of the cauda epididymis and seminal vesicle and this was supported by increased apoptosis (shown by TUNEL assay and caspase 9/caspase 3 expression) in these two tissues of EtOH-treated rats. Consequently, functionality of the cauda epididymis and seminal vesicle in EtOH-treated rats was impaired, as demonstrated by decreases in 1H NMR-analyzed metabolites (e.g., carnitine, fructose), which were important for sperm development, metabolism and survival in their lumen.
Tick‐Borne Diseases‐ Still a Challenge: A Review
Authors: Andonova Radina Simeonova , Bashchobanov Dzhaner Haledinov , Gadzhovska Veronika , Popov Georgi Todorov
Published: February 2024

Tick-borne diseases are among the most common vector-borne diseases. These include various infections caused by viruses, bacteria, rickettsiae, spirochetes and protozoa. The aim of our review is to present the relationship between the clinico-epidemiological aspect of some of the emergency tick-borne diseases and their diagnosis, treatment and prevention. We will review three diseases- anaplasmosis, babesiosis and ehrlichiosis. Anaplasmosis and ehrlichiosis are caused by small gram-negative obligate intracellular alphaproteobacteria in the order Rickettsiales, family Anaplasmataceae. The prognosis of disease depends on early diagnosis and proper treatment. The symptoms of anaplasmosis largely overlap with those of ehrlichiosis. Babesiosis is a malaria-like disease that is caused by intraerythrocytic protozoa. Like malaria, the disease proceeds with hemolysis and its severity is determined by the parasitemia. Treatment of babesiosis involves the use of antimalarial agents and antibiotics, most commonly in a combination. Understanding the clinical, epidemiological and laboratory characteristics of tick-borne diseases is crucial for their prevention, diagnosis and treatment.
Swipe to Sustain: Exploring Consumer Behaviors in Organic Food Purchasing via Instagram Social Commerce
Authors: Poureisa Arman , Aziz Yuhanis Abdul , Ng Siew-Imm
Published: February 2024

Promoting organic foods production and consumption contributes to accomplishing United Nations sustainable development goals. Social commerce provides a promising opportunity to develop the organic food industry. However, there is limited knowledge regarding customer behaviors in relation to purchasing organic foods via social commerce platforms. Therefore, this study expanded upon the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT-2) to develop a comprehensive model that explains how customers' social commerce trust and behavioral intentions to purchase organic foods using Instagram social commerce affect their purchasing behaviors. The research model was analyzed by employing partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) for the data collected from a quantitative survey of 410 customers who used Instagram to purchase organic foods in Iran. The results revealed that facilitated purchasing conditions, hedonic motivations, social influence, rating and reviews, and influencers’ endorsements increase customers' purchase intentions. Moreover, Instagram’s recommendations and referrals, influencers’ endorsements, as well as social influence boost customers' trust in the social commerce platform. Eventually, it was determined that influencers’ endorsements, social commerce trust, and purchase intention determine a customer’s organic foods purchasing behaviors. This research provides valuable insights for organic food marketers to optimize their social commerce strategies.
Synthesis of α,ω-Bis-mercaptoacyl poly(alkyl oxide)s and Development of Thioether Cross-Linked Liposome Scaffolds for Sustained Release of Drugs
Authors: Mourtas Spyridon , Kourmoulakis Georgios , Kremezis Stavros , Klepetsanis Pavlos , Antimisiaris Sophia G.
Published: February 2024

With the aim to develop novel scaffolds for sustained release of drugs, we initially developed an easy approach for the synthesis of α,ω-homobifunctional mercaptoacyl poly(alkyl oxide)s. This was based on the esterification of the terminal hydroxyl groups of poly(alkyl oxide)s with suitably S-4-methoxytrityl (Mmt) protected mercapto acids, followed by removal of the acid labile S-Mmt group. This method allowed the efficient synthesis of the title compounds in high yield and purity, which were further used in the development a thioether cross-linked liposome scaffold, by thia-Michael reaction of the terminal thiol groups with preformed nano-sized liposomes bearing maleimide groups on their surface. The reaction process was followed by 1H-NMR, using a Carr-Purcell-Meiboom-Gill (CPMG) relaxation dispersion NMR experiment (1H-NMR CPMG), which allowed real-time monitoring and optimization of the reaction process. The thioether cross-linked liposomal scaffold that was synthesized was proven to preserve the nanosized characteristics of the initial liposomes and allowed sustained release of calcein (which was used as a chromophore), providing evidence for the efficient synthesis of a novel drug release scaffold consisted of nanoliposome building blocks.
Experimental validation and performance evaluation of high-performance devices based on a low-noise MEMS accelerometer
Authors: Crognale Marianna , Rinaldi Cecilia , Potenza Francesco , Gattulli Vincenzo , Colarieti Andrea , Franchi Fabio
Published: February 2024

In recent years, there has been an increasing interest in adopting novel sensing technologies for the continuous monitoring of structural systems. In this respect, Micro-Electro-Mechanical System (MEMS) sensors are widely used in several applications, including Structural Health Monitoring (SHM). Thanks to their significantly lower cost, ease of installation on the structure, and lower power consumption, they enable extensive, pervasive, and battery-less monitoring systems. This paper presents an innovative high-performance device for SHM applications, based on a low-noise triaxial MEMS accelerometer, providing a guideline and insightful results about the opportunities and capabilities of these devices. Sensor nodes have been designed, developed, and calibrated to meet structural vibration monitoring and modal identification requirements. These components include a protocol for reliable command dissemination through the network and data collection, and improvements to software components for data pipelining, jitter control, and high-frequency sampling. Devices were tested in the lab using shaker excitation. Results demonstrate that MEMS-based accelerometers are a feasible solution to replace expensive piezo-based accelerometers. Deploying MEMS is promising to minimize sensor node energy consumption. Time and frequency domain analysis show that MEMS can correctly detect modal frequencies, useful parameters for damage detection. The acquired data from the test bed were used to examine the functioning of the network, data transmission, and data quality. The proposed architecture has been successfully deployed in a real case study to monitor the structural health of the Marcus Aurelius Exedra Hall within the Capitoline Museum of Rome. The performance robustness was demonstrated and the results showed that the wired sensor network provides dense and accurate vibration data for structural continuous monitoring.
Reliable Monitoring of Plantation Performance in Arid and Semiarid Lands Requires Both “In Vivo” and “Ex Vivo” Approaches
Authors: Chiatante Donato , Stanturf John Alvin , Scippa Gabriella Stefania , Divino Fabio , Byambadorj Ser-Oddamba , Nyam-Osor Batkhuu , Montagnoli Antonio
Published: February 2024

Conventional monitoring relies on "in vivo" (non-destructive) measurements of aboveground organ traits (such as stems, branches, and leaves) to analyze plantation growth trends and assess the effectiveness of management practices like watering and fertilization. This study reveals the necessity of “ex vivo” (destructive) approaches, post-excavation, to ensure fully reliable monitoring of plantation performance, including belowground organ growth and development trends. We showcase the effectiveness of dendrometric analysis, which measures the annual ring width in the secondary xylem (wood) of the taproot and stem. Monitoring above- and belowground organ growth trends allow for the exploration of similarities and differences in how different tree organs respond to internal and external factors. Such monitoring is especially crucial for assessing plantation performance in challenging climates, such as those found in arid and semi-arid lands.
Quality Assessment of GNSS, SLR, VLBI, and Doris Inputs for ITRF2014 and ITRF2020 Using Trf Stacking Methods
Authors: Zhang Jin , Huang Chengli , Lian Lizhen , Zhang Simeng
Published: February 2024

ITRF input data which are integrated by GNSS, SLR, VLBI, DORIS combination centers are considered to be relatively high-quality and accurate solutions. However, when utilizing these inputs, one still needs to identify outliers, rescale inaccurate covariance matrix and evaluate the precision of the observed datum information. To achieve the above-mentioned objectives, we propose a terrestrial reference frame (TRF) stacking approach to establish the single technical reference frameworks for the ITRF2014 and ITRF2020 datasets of all four technologies. As a result, roughly 0.5% or less of the SLR observations are identified as outliers, while the ratio of DORIS, GNSS, and VLBI observations are below 1%, around 2%, and ranging from 1% to 1.2%, respectively. The post-rescaling covariance scale factors are 25.07, 27.25, 18.84, 6.98 for GNSS, SLR, VLBI, and DORIS in ITRF2014 datasets, and 8.95, 14.9, 16.8, 7.78 in ITRF2020 datasets, respectively. It is shown that the consistency between the SLR scale and ITRF has improved, increasing from around -5mm in ITRF2014 datasets to approximately -1mm in ITRF2020 datasets. The scale velocity derived from fitting the VLBI scale parameter series with all epochs in ITRF2020 datasets differs by approximately 0.21mm/year from the velocity obtained by fitting the data up to 2013.75 because of the scale drift of VLBI at around 2013. The decreasing standard deviations of the Polar motion parameter (XPO, YPO) offsets between Stacking TRFs and 14C04 (20C04) indicating an improvement in the precision of polar motion observations for all of the four techniques. From the perspective of the Weighted Root Mean Square in station coordinates, the measurement precision of GNSS, SLR, and DORIS techniques has improved, while VLBI shows no significant change.
Potential Distribution of the Long-Tailed Rattlesnake Crotalus stejnegeri Dunn 1919 (Squamata: Viperidae): A Rare and Under-Sampled Species
Authors: Castro Bastidas Hector Alexis
Published: February 2024

This study employed the MaxEnt model to assess the potential distribution of the long-tailed rattlesnake, Crotalus stejnegeri, a threatened species endemic to Mexico. The results demonstrate a good reliability of the model, achieving an AUC of 0.879. They highlight a potential distribution concentrated in the foothills of the Sierra Madre Occidental, primarily in south-central Sinaloa, southwestern Durango, and northern Nayarit, characterized by tropical dry forest. Temperature during the driest quarter and the seasonality of precipitation are identified as determining factors, while the low suitability in Chihuahua suggests a tropical affinity of the species. The variability in precipitation during the cooler quarter emphasizes the importance of expanding the number of occurrence records for the species through further field exploration within its range. These findings provide valuable information for conservation efforts and underscore key areas for future research.