bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Le corps déchiré de l’Irak dans le roman al-Mašṭūr (2017) de Ḍiyāʾ Ǧbaylī
Authors: Al Saadi Tania
Published: December 2022

This article is dedicated to the Iraqi novel al-Mašṭūr : Sitt ṭarāʾiq ġayr šarʿiyya li-iǧtiyāz al-ḥudūd naḥwa Baġdād (2017) by Ḍiyāʾ Ǧbaylī. Through an illegal journey of two characters in Iraq, this book presents a new literary approach of the sectarian conflict that tears apart the country. Intertextuality with the Italian novel The Cloven Viscount (1952), by Italo Calvino, works as a connecting thread in the story. The complex Iraqi identity and the conflicts that are related to it are depicted as the result of both the country’s geographical position and its history. The first part of the article focuses on the spatial configuration in the story and the way the concept of borders is used to define the Iraqi identity. The latter is also the object of the second part that attempts to discuss the close relationship that the novel suggests between the body of the martyr and the homeland.
De/Colonial Boundaries, Cultural Difference and Shared Indigeneity in the Poem “The ‘Red Indian’s’ Penultimate Speech” by Maḥmūd Darwīš
Authors: Milich Stephan
Published: December 2022

Simultaneously addressing the (Native) American and Palestinian/Israeli context, Maḥmūd Darwīš’s poem Ḫuṭbat al-Hindī al-aḥmar – ma qabla al-aḫīra – amāma al-raǧul al-abyaḍ (The ‘Red Indian’s’ Penultimate Speech to the White Man), published in 1992 to critically commemorate the ‘discovery’ of ‘America’ by Columbus in 1492, is a deep reflection about the violence of borders and frontiers created by white European invaders. In my article, I aim to answer the question of how the poem’s manifold boundaries (between colonizer and colonized; nature and culture; equality and hierarchization; the living and the dead; identity and otherness) are addressed and re-framed. Although partly essentializing cultural difference by drawing from a romanticized image of the “noble savage” (the “Red Indian”), the poem nevertheless finds a voice to raise crucial questions regarding the self-perception of European/western modernity, anticipating the recently discovered fact that (white) human agency has pushed ‘progress’ so far as to enable humanity to destroy itself, nature, and earth. In intertextual dialogue with key texts of de/coloniality and western modernity, I attempt to show how the poem confronts us with fundamental questions about humanity in the face of self-destruction.
HISTORICAL BIOGEOGRAPHY OF THE AUSTRAL HORNWORT GENUS PHAEOMEGACEROS (DENDROCEROTACEAE, ANTHOCEROTOPHYTA)
Authors: PEÑALOZA-BOJACÁ GABRIEL F. , SIERRA ADRIEL M. , BECHER HANNES , RENZAGLIA KAREN S. , VILLARREAL A. JUAN CARLOS
Published: December 2022

The transoceanic disjunct distributions between Australasia and Austral America have been observed in many plant groups. The processes behind these disjunct distributions remain a source of debate due to differences in species vagility, biogeographical history, and complex geological and climatic changes. We address the phylogenetic relationships and biogeographical history of the austral hornwort genus Phaeomegaceros based on eight molecular markers from the three genomes (nuclear: phytochrome, mitochondrial: nad5, and chloroplast: rbcL, trnL intron, trnL-trnF spacer, rps4 gene, rps4-trnS spacer, and matK gene). With ten taxa based on morphological and molecular data, the three phylogenetic analyses supported the genus Phaeomegaceros as monophyletic. Phaeomegaceros is composed of two major clades corresponding to the New Zealand species, which presents a conspicuous trilete mark with one depression in the middle of the spore’s proximal face, and the Austral American species, which lack this middle depression. Dating and biogeographical analyses indicate that the Phaeomegaceros ancestral area was New Zealand and Antarctica in the Late Cretaceous (53.51 Ma, HPD 95% = 31.64–72.63). While Austral American species diverged during the Eocene. We speculate that climatic fluctuations in the Antarctic continent during the middle to late-Miocene led to the isolation of Phaeomegaceros taxa with both processes (dispersal events and vicariance) acting on the independent evolution of the disjunct clades. Furthermore, recent diversification of Phaeomegaceros taxa in Austral America and range expansion to northern Andes and oceanic islands, are explained by dispersal events and subsequent cladogenesis coinciding with the uplift of the Andes and the formation of volcanic oceanic islands (Juan Fernandez and Tristan da Cunha).
Riccia epecenia: a new species of Riccia section Piliferae Volk from Australia
Authors: CARGILL CHRISTINE
Published: December 2022

A new species of Riccia is here described for the first time for Australia for section Piliferae, an infrageneric taxon which has its centre of diversity in southern Africa.
Molecular and morphological evidence support the recognition of three genera within Radulaceae (Porellales: Marchantiophyta)
Authors: RENNER MATTHEW A.M. , GRADSTEIN S. ROBBERT , ILKIU-BORGES ANNA LUIZA , OLIVEIRA-DA-SILVA FÚVIO R. , PROMMA CHATCHABA
Published: December 2022

The discovery of new fossil bryophytes allows refined estimates of divergence times when the fossils have unambiguous synapomorphies enabling their confident assignment to nodes within molecular phylogenies. We use two fossil Radula species from Cretaceous age Burmese amber to estimate divergence times for Radula. One of these fossils, R. cretacea which has synapomorphies of subg. Odontoradula, has been used previously; the other, with relative synapomorphies of subg. Amentuloradula, has not. In combination these two fossils, when used to constrain the crown node age of their respective subgenera, result in median age estimates for the Radula crown node of 263 million years, under our preferred time-calibration scenario where subgeneric crown-node fossil assignments are coupled with a secondary maximum age constraint on the Porellales crown node. We explore other time-calibration scenarios, including deeper fossil assignments, and conclude that, under all, Radula as currently circumscribed is an outlier among land plant genera on the basis of its age. While this violates no established norms regarding how old genera should be, the absolute age, the relative ages of other families within Porellales, and the morphological distinctiveness of the two serial sister lineages, subg. Cladoradula, with seven species, and subg. Dactyloradula with one species, motivates our proposal to elevate these two subgenera to generic rank, resulting in three genera within the family Radulaceae. We provide diagnoses for genera, new combinations for species, and an emended circumscription for Radula, that reflect this change.
Effect of Harvesting Stages and Storage Temperature on Quality Attributes and Post-Harvest Shelf-Life of Mango (Mangifera indica)
Authors: Thakur Rajeev Ranjan , Mangaraj Shukadev , Kate Adinath Eknath , Sami Rokayya , Al-Mushhin Amina A. M. , Maklad Mahmoud F. , Uguru H. , Helal Mahmoud
Published: December 2022

In the present study, a combination of physicochemical maturity indices parameters of mango fruit was continuously measured from full bloom stage. Three different harvesting stages were-immature (100th days from full bloom), mature (110th days from full bloom) and over mature (120th days from full bloom) stages. Thereafter, the shelf life and quality attributes of mango fruit were assessed by storing the fruit at optimum storage temperature (12 °C) and ambient storage temperature (27 °C). It was observed that the mango harvested at mature condition could be stored up to 22 days and 6 days, at 12 °C and 27 °C, respectively. The quality attributes like total soluble solids, titratable acidity, physiological weight loss, firmness and puncture strength of matured mango stored at optimum temperature were 22.45 °Brix, 0.32, 9.86%, 41.98 and 14.41 N, respectively at the end of the storage period. These were higher when compared to the values obtained for the over-matured mango, for the same parameters. This affirmed that harvesting over mature or immature fruits might again results into their lower market value and lesser acceptability among the consumers.
The Properties of Lignin-Based Solid Acid Prepared Under Different Carbonization Temperatures and Catalytic Behavior Comparison on Lignin Pyrolysis
Authors: Du Fangli , Xian Xuequan , Li Yanming , Ma Lanyu
Published: December 2022

Lignin was used as the carbon source to synthesize carbon-based solid acid catalyst via carbonization-sulfonation process under different carbonization temperatures. The properties of the solid acid catalysts were examined by XRD, FT-IR, XPS, EA, N2 adsorption–desorption,
and SEM. The analysis results revealed that the change in the carbonization temperatures can lead to the catalyst with different surface area, acid density and thermal properties; the catalytic activity of solid acid catalysts on the lignin pyrolysis was also investigated. By exploring the
pyrolysis conditions, a maximum bio-oil yield of 45.7% was gained at 295 °C with 0.075 g catalyst fabricated at the carbonization temperature of 520 °C. The compositions and performance of bio-oil obtained from lignin pyrolysis were studied comparatively by GC-MS, H1NMR, and EA. Furthermore,
the catalytic mechanism was sketched.
Influence of Incorporating Decomposition Agent in Oil Rapeseed Return Practice on Fungal Community, Soil Fertility and the Cotton Yield
Authors: Wang Qiongshan , Zhang Youchang , Zhang Jiaohai , Xia Songbo , Qin Hongde , Feng Changhui , Bie Shu , Wang Xiaogang
Published: December 2022

Oil rapeseed biomass return plays a critical part in agricultural crop production. It is therefore necessary to widen the knowledge on how the microbial community adjustments actuated by straw biomass return under the application of decomposition agent advantages the quality of soil
and cotton productivity. The experiment therefore aimed at applying soil molecular (sequencing, alpha and beta diversity analysis) and chemical analysis (alkaline hydrolysis-diffusion, titration and calorimetric) techniques to study the contribution of 3 treatments (no straw return, straw
return under decomposition agent and straw return under no decomposition agent) on the diversity of the fungal community, soil quality and cotton productivity. The result showed that fungal OTUs were most abundant within the straw return treatments than the no straw return treatment and this
was dominated by ecologically significant genera such as Apodospora, Zopfiella, Staphylotrichum, leptogium and Trechispora. Moreover, it was shown that no straw return treatment had statistically significant lower community diversity under all the indexes as compared to the other
two treatments (P <0.05). In conclusion, study therefore confirmed the beneficial contribution of oil rapeseed straw return to the biological (fungal) and physical (pH, N, P and K) quality of the soil, resulting to improved cotton yield parameters.
Effects of Intercropping of Sophora davidii (Franch.) Skeels and Pennisetum sinese Roxb on Soil Physical and Chemical Properties and Fungal Communities in Rhizosphere
Authors: Zhang Yujun , Wang Puchang , Long Zhongfu , He Shumin , Ding Leilei
Published: December 2022

The intercropping treatment has been widely used to improve the crop productivity and achieve the development of efficient agricultural practice. In this study, to further explore the effect of Gramineae and Leguminosae intercropping, Sophora davidii (Franch.) Skeels and Pennisetum
sinese Roxb under monoculture and intercropping were performed, the rhizosphere soil was collected, the physical and chemical properties (pH, AP, AK), enzyme activities (βG, LAP, NAG and AcP) and fungal community diversity were tested. In the results, intercropping changed
the physical and chemical properties and enzyme activities of rhizosphere soil. Compared with the monoculture, intercropping decreased the α-diversity of soil fungal communities. At the phylum level, intercropping significantly increased the relative abundance of Ascomycota and
Ciliophora, while decreased the relative abundance of Mucoromycota and Chytridiomycota, compared with monoculture. At the genus level, the relative abundances of Fusarium, Talaromyces, Preussia, Mycoleptodiscus, Plectosphaerella and Bracteacoccus in intercropping were higher
than those under monoculture, while the relative abundances of Lablab, Aspergillus and Rumex were lower. RDA analysis showed that, soil fungal community structure was mainly affected by soil enzyme activity under intercropping system. In conclusion, the soil fungal community
depends largely on management measures of monoculture and intercropping, compared with the dynamic changes in soil environmental parameters. This study can provide a reference for the assessment of soil ecological effect of intercropping.
Community Structures and Dynamic Changes of Rhizosphere Microorganisms of Rhododendron agastum at Different Ages
Authors: Zhou Yan , Li Jing , Tong Qi , Zeng Changli
Published: December 2022

This research aimed at studying the community structural characteristics and changes of rhizospheric microorganisms of Rhododendron agastum at different ages to provide useful information for introduction, domestication, and growth management of R. agastum. The rhizosphere
bacterial and fungal communities of R. agastum were sequenced. Meanwhile, the richness and diversity indexes in the V3–V4 regions of bacterial 16S rRNA genes and internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region of fungi were investigated. Results showed that, R. agastum at different
ages differs in the rhizospheria microbial community structure. The Shannon, ACE index, and Chao1 index of rhizospheria bacterial and fungal communities of 6-year-old R. agastum are all higher than those of 1- and 3-year-old ones. A total of 7,493 bacterial operational taxonomic units
(OTUs) were obtained in root samples of R. agastum at different ages, covering 402 genera, which belong to 169 families, 98 order, 64 classes, and 23 phyla. The dominant rhizospheria bacterial communities of R. agastum included Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, and Acidobacteria.
Meanwhile, 1,583 fungal OTUs were obtained, belonging to 226 genera, 126 families, 89 orders, 38 classes, and 12 phyla, and the dominant fungal communities included Ascomycota, Basidiomycota, and Glomeromycota. The root system of R. agastum has abundant rhizospheria microorganisms,
ample microbial OTUs and specific OTUs. With increased planting years of R. agastum, Proteobacteria and Actinobacteria displayed decreased and then increased trend. Bacteroidete was reduced year by year, and Acidobacteria showed increased and then decreased trend in bacterial communities.
As for fungi, Ascomycota and Glomeromycota both exhibited decreased trend. Changes in rhizospheric microorganisms are probably an important factor that influences the growth of R. agastum, and rhizospheric microorganisms play a significant ecological role in maintaining growth of the
plant.
Honey-Loaded Reinforced Film Based on Bacterial Nanocellulose/Gelatin/Guar Gum as an Effective Antibacterial Wound Dressing
Authors: Nezhad-Mokhtari Parinaz , Asadi Nahideh , Rahmani Del Bakhshayesh Azizeh , Milani Morteza , Gama Miguel , Ghorbani Marjan , Akbarzadeh Abolfazl
Published: December 2022

Recently, the use of bacterial nanocellulose (BNC) produced by Acetobacter, which has suitable properties for tissue engineering application as a perfect wound dressing, has attracted considerable attention. For this purpose, we successfully developed honey loaded BNC-reinforced gelatin/dialdehyde-modified
guar gum films (H/BNC/Ge/D-GG). Prepared films were studied for their morphological, thermal stability, mechanical, water solubility and degradability properties. The physicochemical properties of the developed films with or without honey loading were studied. The results indicated that by
enhancing the honey content of the film, the degradation behavior, adhesion and proliferation of NIH-3T3 fibroblast cells were improved. The films with 15 wt% of honey revealed inhibition activity against S. aureus (13.0±0.1 mm) and E. coli (15.0±1.0 mm) bacteria.
Cell culture results demonstrated that the prepared films had good cytocompatibility. Based on the results, the prepared H/BNC/Ge/D-GG films appear to have high potential for antibacterial wound dressings.
Synthesis and Biological Characterization of Phyto-Fabricated Silver Nanoparticles fromAzadirachta indica
Authors: Dutt Yogesh , Pandey Ramendra Pati , Dutt Mamta , Gupta Archana , Vibhuti Arpana , Samuel Raj V. , Chang Chung-Ming , Priyadarshini Anjali
Published: December 2022

Nanoparticles (NPs) have garnered a lot of interest in sectors like medicine, cosmetics, food, and pharmaceuticals for antibacterial catalytic properties, reduced toxicity, and easy production. Biological synthesis of silver nanoparticle (AgNPs) is considered as green, eco-friendly, and cost-effective approach; therefore,Azadirachta indicaextracts were utilized for a dual role of fabrication and functionalization of AgNPs. Optical and physical characterizations were achieved for confirming the biosynthesized AgNPs. SEM images detected quasi-spherical AgNPs of 44.04 to 66.50 nm. Some of potent phytochemicals like flavonoids and proteins fromAzadirachta indicaformed a strong coating or capping on the AgNPs without affecting their secondary structure by interacting with Ag+and NPs for the formation of AgNPs. AgNPs exhibited strong antibacterial activity (MIC 10μg/ml) against multidrug-resistant bacteriaEnterococcus faecalis; at different concentrations, no IC50 values were recorded for AgNPs as well asAzadirachta indicasignifying low cytotoxicity in the exposed concentration range. The DNA degradation activity of AgNPs through the TUNEL assay revealed no significant increase in the overall FITC mean fluorescence intensity as well as a DNA fragmentation index with 5.45% DNA damage (10μg/ml AgNPs). Drug uptake of AgNPs was also investigated through a permeability assay via Caco-2 cell lines at test concentrations where apparent permeability was detected as moderate.
Colorectal Cancer Lymph Node Detection and Anastomotic Safety of Using Carbon Nano-Tracer Following Minimally Invasive Radical Surgery
Authors: Huang Bin , Jin Liangbin , Peng Tao , Fei Zhenglei
Published: December 2022

Objective: The goal of this study is to examine the impact of rectal submucosal injection of nano-carbon suspension injection following neoadjuvant therapy for middle and low rectal cancer on lymph node identification and anastomotic safety. Methods: 45 patients with intermediate-to-low
grade rectal cancer admitted to the Ningbo Medical Center Lihuili Hospital between March 2019 and March 2022 had their medical records reviewed retrospectively. Patients in case group were injected with nanocarbon suspension under an anoscope into the rectal submucosa patients in control group
were not injected with nanocarbon suspension. The lymph node identification and anastomotic consequences were then compared. Results: There were statistically significant differences between the two groups in the average number of lymph nodes discovered in the observation group and
the percentage of patients with more than 12 lymph nodes detected. The percentage of patients with lymph node metastases did not significantly. The rates of complications such leakage, hemorrhage, stenosis, and abscesses around the anastomosis were similar in both groups. Conclusion:
Nano carbon lymph node tracking is a safe, simple, and easy-to-operate method for increasing the number of lymph nodes detected in surgical specimens of middle and low rectal cancer after neoadjuvant therapy.
Protective Effects of Zingiberis Carbonisata-Based Carbon Dots on Diabetic Liver Injury in Mice
Authors: Zhao Jie , Zhang Yifan , Zhao Yusheng , Wu Tong , Chen Yumin , Zhang Yue , Kong Hui , Zhao Yan , Qu Huihua
Published: December 2022

To explain the active components of ZRC-CDs from the perspective of nanomaterials and investigate the potential mechanism for the treatment of diabetic liver injury, the structure, electron transfer properties, and elemental composition of ZRC-CDs were characterized. The protective
effects of ZRC-CDs on the diabetic liver injury were demonstrated using the Alloxan-induced diabetic model. The ZRC-CDs are spherical, with a diameter ranging from 1.0–4.5 nm and a yield of 0.56%. The results showed that ZRC-CDs decreased the levels of blood glucose in diabetic mice
and had a mitigating effect on elevated ALT and AST. More studies found that ZRC-CDs were able to decrease the levels of inflammatory cytokines and suppress the protein expression in related signaling pathways.
Thyme-Loaded Nanofibrous Dressing for Skin Wound Healing: A Combination of Chinese Traditional Medicine with Cutting-Edge Technology
Authors: Li Yang , Yan Xin , Zhang Lei , Diao Lixia
Published: December 2022

The skin has vital functions and its defects and damages must be properly treated and healed. Chinese traditional herbal medicine has a long history in skin wound healing, and its merging with novel approaches (nanotechnology) has resulted in more promising results. The current study aimed to combine the biological properties of a long-lasting Chinese traditional herbal medicine (Thyme) with cutting-edge technology (electrospinning) to the fabricated interactive and bioactive wound dressing. The extract of Thyme was obtained and added into the polymeric solution and converted to the nanofibrous wound dressing. The SEM analysis revealed that the fabricated nanofibers were intact without deformity with an acceptable nanometric diameter. The release kinetics evaluation showed that 80±4% of the extract was released from the nanofibers during the first 24 h. Hemolysis lower than 8% for all nanofibers revealed hemocompatibility in the fabricated wound dressings. Thein vitrostudies confirmed the cytocompatibility of the nanofibers. The applied animal studies exhibited that the Thyme-loaded nanofibrous dressing enhanced the wound-healing process in a dose-dependent manner. These findings demonstrate the combination of Chinese traditional herbal medicine with modern cutting-edge technology, resulting in an interactive nanofibrous mat with promising potential as the wound dressing material.
Synthesis and characterization of titanium nitride nanoparticles
Authors: Bayon Nicole Nazario , Gunasekaran Nithin Krisshna , Tumkur Prathima Prabhu , Lamani Babu R. , Koehne Jessica E. , Arasho Wondwossen D. , Prabhakaran Krishnan , Hall Joseph C. , Ramesh Govindarajan T.
Published: December 2022

Titanium nitride (TiN) materials have gained an interest over the past years due to their unique characteristics, such as thermal stability, extreme hardness, low production cost, and comparable optical properties to gold. In the present study, TiN nanoparticles were synthesized via
a thermal benzene route to obtain black nanoparticles. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was carried out to examine the morphology. Further microscopic characterization was done where the final product was drop cast onto double-sided conductive carbon tape and sputter-coated with gold/palladium
at a thickness of 4 nm for characterization by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) with energy dispersive X-Ray spectroscopy (EDS) that revealed they are spherical. ImageJ software was used to measure the average size of the particles to be 79 nm in diameter. EDS was used
to determine the elements present in the sample and concluded that there were no impurities. Further characterization by Fourier Transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy was carried out to identify the characteristic peaks of TiN. X-ray diffraction (XRD) revealed typical peaks of cubic phase
titanium nitride, and crystallite size was determined to be 14 nm using the Debye-Scherrer method. Dynamic light scattering (DLS) analysis revealed the size distribution of the TiN nanoparticles, with nanoparticles averaging at 154 nm in diameter. Zeta potential concluded the surface of the
TiN nanoparticles is negatively charged.
Research on mechanism of curcumin carried with PLGA-DSPE-PEG hybridized nanoparticles on regulating the nuclear receptor coactivator5 presentation, oxidative stress and presentation of alfa-fetoprotein in rats with liver cancer
Authors: Dai Fuzhen , Chen Wenlong , Li Huirong , Deng Rubing , Wang Yong , Yang Jie
Published: December 2022

This study intends to discuss the mechanism of curcumin carried with poly (lactic-co-glycolic acid)-1, 2-distearoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine-N-[amino (polyethylene glycol)-2000] (PLGA-DSPE-PEG) hybridized nanoparticles on regulating the Nuclear receptor coactivator5 (NCOA5)
expression, oxidative stress and level of Alfa-fetoprotein (AFP) in rats with liver cancer. Curcumin carried with PLGA-DSPE-PEG hybridized nanoparticles was prepared. These rats were divided into normal set, model set, curcumin set and set of curcumin and nanoparticles randomly. The presentation
of alanine transaminase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) in every set was detected. The pathological change in liver tissue with hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining method, level of malondialdehyde (MDA) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) was detected. Presentation of AFP and NCOA5
was detected with Western Blotting assay and real-time reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Level of ALT, AST, MDA and AFP in normal set was the highest, but lowest in the set of curcumin and nanoparticles. The SOD presentation in the set of curcumin and nanoparticles
was the highest. There was distinct surface texture, good glossiness and orderly arrangement along edge in normal set. There were grey nodular nodules, vacuole and dark-red lumps in part of live tissue in model set. There was slightly distinct liver plate texture, punctate particles and a
small amount of congestion in curcumin set. There was distinct liver plate texture with orderly arrangement and a small number of inflammatory cells in set of curcumin and nanoparticles. The level of ALT and AST in rats with liver cancer was reduced by curcumin carried with PLGA-DSPE-PEG hybridized
nanoparticles. The SOD activity was increased and MDA was reduced. The AFP presentation was reduced and NCOA5 expression was increased.
Freeze-dried curcumin-loaded poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) nanoparticles restrain colorectal cancer progression by targeting the notch pathway to regulate epithelial-mesenchymal transition
Authors: Xia Dan , He Bin , Li Lijun , Gao Wenbin
Published: December 2022

Despite advances in technology and treatment, colorectal cancer (CRC) remains a primary cause of cancer death worldwide, causing nearly 694,000 deaths annually with a high mortality among metastatic cases. Therefore, there is urgency to develop effective strategies to control metastasis
or restrain its initiating stage and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Activation of Notch1 is noted to positively induce cancer cell growth when inducing EMT. Curcumin is a polyphenol with anticancer activity, which works by activating various molecular pathways in cancer cells. Herein,
we established curcumin-Poly (lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) nanoparticles (Cur-NPs) and investigated their physicochemical properties in CRC to provide a novel insight into treatment of CRC. Cur-NPs were established by emulsion solvent evaporation. CRC cells (HCT116, HT29) were co-cultured
with 0, 1, 2.5, 5, and 10 μM Cur-NPs, respectively. After treatment, clone formation assay determined CRC cell viability, migration and invasion, whilst Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase mediated dUTP Nick End Labeling (TUNEL) assessed cell apoptosis. Besides, EMT markers levels
in each group were detected to evaluate the impact of Cur-NPs on the EMT process. The transmission electron microscopy (TEM) pictures depicted classical features of Cur-NPs, with encapsulation efficiency of Cur-NPs 70.685±2.597%, and drug loading rate of 2.831±0.108%. The CRC
cells absorbed the Cur-NPs within 30 min, and the absorption was as early as 10 min, while fluorescence reached climax at 30 min. The advent of Cur-NPs at different concentration greatly suppressed CRC cell viability and hindered their clone formation in HCT116 and HT29 cells, but elevated
apoptotic rate of cancer cells with concentration of Cur-NPs proportional to the rate, while the apoptosis of normal colorectal epithelial cells was not affected. 10 μM Cur-NPs group had the highest apoptosis rate and poorest invasion and migration ability. Moreover, upon treatment
with Cur-NPs, E-cadherin expression increased, but the proteins in the Notch pathway declined dramatically. Cur-NPs suppressed CRC cell progression through regulating the Notch signaling pathway and decelerating the EMT process of CRC cells.
Multiscale analysis, mechanical properties and strength of hydrophobic paper sludge
Authors: Tamizhanban S. , Jegatheeswaran D.
Published: December 2022

In order to combat the damaging environmental effects of cement production and the depletion of natural resources, a sustainable concrete company must develop alternative binders. This study investigates the use of hydrophobic paper sludge ash as a partial cement substitute in new concrete.
The primary chemical components of the hydrophobic paper sludge ash were determined using energy dispersive X-ray microanalysis and Fourier transforms infrared. Differential scanning calorimetry and thermogravimetry are used to analyse the hydration and pozzolanic reaction in concrete in relation
to the amount of hydrophobic paper sludge ash substituted for cement. Scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction techniques were used to examine the microstructures of concrete mixtures. There is also discussion of how the properties of hydrophobic paper sludge ash concrete affect
its usability, mechanical strength, sorptivity, and water absorption.
Predictive study of circulating MicroRNA as serum diagnostic marker of drug-Induced liver injury
Authors: Yang Sheng , Wang Yun , Liu Chong , Ji Xiaowen , Chen Xuemin , Tao Rong
Published: December 2022

To investigate the correlation between circulating microRNAs and liver injury indexes in drug-induced liver injury (DILI). We collected data on 72 DILI patients and 150 healthy subjects undergoing physical examination at our hospital from January 2021 to February 2022. From the diagnostic
results, they were divided into a DILI group and a control group. Nano-magnetic beads were used to extract nucleic acid from serum, then qPCR was used to determine circulating microRNA levels, and the results were analyzed. Meanwhile, the serum liver function index levels before and after
treatment were determined, and the correlations between circulating microRNA and these indexes were analyzed. We analyzed microRNA expression and found that miR-122-3p, miR-92a-3p, and miR-192-5p expression was consistent with a database, all of which were highly expressed in DILI. Moreover,
after a period of treatment, their levels in circulation significantly decreased. ALT, ALP, GGT, AST, and TBIL also all decreased to different degrees after treatment. Multivariate analysis showed that the correlations between miR-122-3p and miR-92a-3p expression and ALT/AST index change were
significant, as were the correlations between miR-192-5p expression and ALP/ALT/AST index change. This study showed that circulating microRNA expression levels in serum of DILI significantly increased and were positively correlated with the AST, ALP, and ALT expression levels. Circulating
miRNA expression in serum can be used as a predictor and therapeutic index of DILI, which has high clinical value.
COMMENTARY – HISTORICAL ESOTERICISM AS A COGNITION METHOD
Authors: Umland Andreas
Published: December 2022

A number of para-academic tendencies in Russian social science helped prepare the Ukraine war. In addition to propaganda and disinformation campaigns by the Kremlin, an intellectual deformation of the Russian elite by the Manichean ideas of such theorists as Lev Gumilyov and Aleksandr Dugin is partly responsible for Russia's increasing secession from Europe. Post-Soviet public discourse has become infected with an array of speculative, often conspiratorial, and sometimes occultist or racist theories. Their proponents have crowded out acknowledged social scientists and historians from intellectual and media debates. This parallel public discourse has been developing since the beginning of glasnost, 35 years ago, and became one of the determinants of Russia's attack on Ukraine in 2014.
Practical robust control design and experimental validation of modular jointed cooperative robots with inequality constraints
Authors: Li XiuYu , Zhen ShengChao , Liu XiaoLi , Zhang Ye , Chen Ye-Hwa , Chen Feng
Published: December 2022

In this paper, a new practical dynamic robust control approach for cooperative robots with inequality constraints is proposed. The controller can compensate errors caused by uncertainties and external disturbances. The inequality constraint is eliminated by choosing proper boundary function and using state transformation. In this way, the controlled output is guaranteed within the desired range. The Lyapunov minimax method is used to prove that the controller can guarantee the uniform boundedness and uniform ultimate boundedness and stability of the robot system. Experimental verifications are carried out on a 2-DOF cooperative robot experimental platform with joint modules. The experimental platform is equipped with a rapid prototyping controller system (CSPACE). Numerical simulation and experimental verification results show that the proposed practical robust controller has significant advantages of trajectory tracking performance and security for cooperative robots with inequality constraints.
Influence of incremental pre-strain on corrosion behavior of Al-Zn-Mg powder metallurgy alloy during hot forging
Authors: Krishna Katika Hari , Davidson M J , Rajmohan K S , Bharat Nikhil
Published: December 2022

The interaction of pre-strain and corrosive medium can either accelerate or decelerate material failure. In the present study, the electrochemical activity of forged preforms is assessed by the open circuit potential (OCP), potentiodynamic polarization, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). A powder metallurgy route was used to fabricate Al-5.6Zn-2Mg alloy with 0.8 relative density. The fabricated alloy was subjected to hot axial forging at various temperatures such as 300°C, 400°C, and 500°C under a 0.005/s strain rate. The microstructure and corrosion morphologies of sintered and forged preforms under various deformation levels and temperatures were investigated using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). After the deformation process, flow behavior, densification behavior, and electrochemical behavior are studied. Deformation behavior (true strain was linked to the local mechanical properties (hardness) and electrochemical properties (pitting potential (Epit)). The potentiodynamic polarization results showed that as the degree of deformation increased, there was a decrease in the corrosion current density and an increase in the pitting potential. Al-5.6Zn-2Mg corrosion resistance significantly improved with a degree of deformation and temperature. A mathematical model relating corrosion rate and true strain for various deformation temperatures is developed to estimate the corrosion rate for any true strain. Pitting corrosion was observed in deformed preforms as a corrosion mechanism. Because of the increased deformation degree and temperature, the corrosion morphologies showed the closing of pores.
Heat and mass transport through biaxial extending sheet with anisotropic slip and entropy/Bejan on the three-dimensional boundary layer hybrid nanofluid
Authors: Ahmed AKM Muktadir , Shamshuddin MD , Ferdows M , Eid Mohamed R
Published: December 2022

A theoretical study of velocity slippery, thermal jump, and mass slippery influences in three-dimensional (3D) hybrid nanofluid flowing via a biaxial extending surface is presented. In the present study, a hybrid nanofluid composed of nanoparticles of both magnesium oxide (MgO) and copper oxide (CuO) was formed homogeneously in methanol as a conventional fluid. The controlling boundary layer equations (continuity, impetus, heat, and concentration) are transmuted into nonlinear ordinary differential equations (ODEs) by employing suitable similarity transformations. The numerical solutions were done with the help of bvp4c code in the MATLAB software. Impact of emergent parameters is presented on velocity profile, temperature, and concentration. The physical interest of drag force, Nusselt, and Sherwood numbers are displayed with various parameters. Validation of computations has been performed with published results. Our results suggest that a linear biaxial stretching sheet has a greater significant impact on flow boundary. When the size of the nanoparticles boosts, the velocity outlines decreases, and the thermal and the concentration boundary layers increase. By the increment in the Brownian diffusion parameter, the heat transmission rate reduces while the mass transport rate upsurges. Incrementation thermophoresis parameters works to reduce the heat and mass transmission rate.
Counter Extremism in Ireland: An Overview of the Landscape
Authors: Lynch Orla
Published: December 2022

This article addresses how the legacy of the conflict known as the Troubles affects how we conceive of and respond to terrorism and political violence (TPV) on the island of Ireland. It will focus on how dominant frameworks such as those that emerged after 9/11 led to what has become a two-tiered system of counterterrorism and counter extremism: one for Troubles-linked extremism and one for Islamic-linked extremism. Focusing on issues of ideology, radicalization, motivation, legislation, and particularly prison regimes, this article will examine how Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland frame and respond to TPV. In addition, this article will highlight how, what is termed Preventing Violence Extremism (PVE) and Countering Violent Extremism (CVE), manifests in Ireland in response to pre- and post-9/11 instances of TPV and, finally, how lessons from Ireland might be relevant for addressing political violence beyond the island.
The ‘desired state of mind’: Emotional labor and the hidden cost of symbolic power in 911 emergency response in the U.S
Authors: Wang Phoenix Chi
Published: December 2022

Borrowing from scholarship on emotional labor, emotion management and symbolic power, this article highlights emotions’ symbolic role in sustaining the vital correspondence between the reality of social life and the official classification system. Through the concept of the ‘desired state of mind’ and empirical data from 3 years’ ethnographic fieldwork in an urban 911 dispatch center in New England, this research shows what the ‘desired state of mind’ of this context is, how the link between the folk and the bureaucratic is made though ‘controlled empathy’, and how the cost and consequence of this process is shaped by the status disparity prevalent in 911 emergency community.
Intersectionality in Intervention Development: Insights From Formative Work on a Tailored Tobacco Cessation Program for LGBTQIA+ Young Adults
Authors: Stimatze Tamara , Ruiz Raymond A. , Garcia Isela , Kelly Megan M. , Serfozo Edit , Reilly Erin D. , Kim Daniella , Scout NFN , Karekla Maria , Heffner Jaimee L.
Published: December 2022

Tailored tobacco cessation interventions focusing on minoritized communities are proliferating, but the extent to which these interventions address the needs of individuals with multiple minoritized social identities is unclear. We developed Empowered, Queer, Quitting, and Living (EQQUAL), an avatar-led digital smoking cessation intervention tailored for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning, intersex, asexual, and more (LGBTQIA+) young adults based on acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), via a multistage user-centered design process. The purpose was to evaluate feedback from EQQUAL development activities using an intersectional lens. Intersectionality is a paradigm created by Kimberlé Crenshaw illustrating the multiple social identities each person possesses along with the marginalization of these different social identities. We conducted a rapid deductive content analysis focused on intersectional design gaps using interviewer notes from user testing ( n = 7), a diary study ( n = 8), and treatment satisfaction responses from a single-arm trial of the EQQUAL intervention ( n = 22). Feedback related to intersectional design fell under three broad themes: (a) inadequate representativeness of the avatar, (2) inadequate representativeness within the program broadly, and (3) non-inclusive ACT intervention content. Feedback on inclusiveness included reference to socioeconomic status, race/ethnicity, religious/cultural affiliation, and ability/disability. Although we previously found that EQQUAL was highly acceptable and showed promise in terms of efficacy in a single-arm pilot trial, we identified several gaps in intersectional design as the iterative intervention development proceeded. Because intersectional design is a critical part of developing interventions with a health equity focus, applying standardized procedures for intersectional design and analysis could improve intervention design and better address tobacco cessation treatment needs of individuals who may experience multiple forms of marginalization.
Predictors of Readmission After Pulmonary Resection in Patients With Lung Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis
Authors: Liu Jie , Yang Xuli , Liu Xing , Xu Yan , Huang Helang
Published: December 2022

Objective: Postoperative readmissions are considered an indicator of healthcare quality. The purpose of this study was to assess the factors associated with readmission following pulmonary resection for lung cancer. Methods: A comprehensive search was performed in PubMed, Web of science, the Cochrane Library, and databases of CNKI and Wanfang. We collected the factors associated with readmission following pulmonary resection from the included studies, and data analysis was conducted with STATA SE12.0 software. Results: A total of 11 studies (386 012 participants) were included. The meta-analysis results showed that age (standardized mean difference [SMD] = 0.093), male sex (odds ratio [OR] = 1.260), Charlson score (SMD = 1.408), forced expiratory volume in 1 second predicted (SMD = −0.203), congestive heart failure (OR = 1.708), peripheral vascular disease (OR = 1.436), and histology (OR = 0.804) were associated with readmission ( P < .05), while hypertension was not. Patients with postoperative empyema, pneumonia, air leak, and arrhythmia (all P < .05) had higher odds of hospital readmission. Conclusion: The predictive factors for readmission can help in establishing individualized discharge and follow-up plans and programs for reducing hospital readmissions after pulmonary resection in patients with lung cancer.
Ransomware and Costa Rica’s national emergency: A defense framework and teaching case
Authors: Datta Pratim Milton , Acton Thomas
Published: December 2022

This teaching case describes the 2022 Costa Rican ransomware attack national emergency—presenting stakeholder perspectives of perpetrator and prey along with a proactive cybersecurity defense framework (IMSBI), crisscrossing cryptocurrency laundering and ethics.
“Muskets and Rainbows”: Why a Mormon Leader’s BYU Speech Failed, Metaphorically
Authors: Hale Adrian
Published: December 2022

The use of metaphors in religious rhetoric can be persuasive, inclusive, and edifying. They can also be belligerent, harmful, and divisive. This paper investigates the backlash against the use of a “muskets” metaphor in a recent speech by a prominent Mormon leader which targeted LGBTQ+ members, in the wider context of a traditionally fraught relationship between the Church and its LGBTQ+ membership. This paper argues that the speech represents an act of authoritarianism, reliant upon the institutionally-situated power of a Church leader. Critics have interpreted the speech’s use of violent metaphor as an unwarranted attack on some of the most vulnerable members of the Mormon community, paradoxically at a time when the Church was seen as moving towards a more inclusive position in doctrine and policy.
Towards a post-pandemic social contract
Authors: Sik Domonkos
Published: December 2022

Social contract theories serve a twofold purpose: by addressing acute crises, they elaborate solutions to long-standing social paradoxes. The article reinterprets the stakes of the Covid pandemic from this perspective. Firstly, the long-lasting structural paradoxes of late modernity are linked to the acute crisis of the pandemic with the help of critical theories of late modernity. It is argued that the pandemic provides opportunity for revaluating those social contracts, which are based on universalist principles of justice. Secondly, two paradigmatic historical examples (Hobbes, Rawls) are overviewed in a meta-theoretical fashion, so that the dimensions of revaluation could be highlighted. Thirdly, the foundations of a post-pandemic social contract are outlined. As the pandemic is inseparable from the structural paradoxes caused by unconstrained systems based on universal principles of justice, the post-pandemic social contract aims at preventing the system paradoxes by revaluating their universal principles in a ‘trial of particularity’ (Derrida, Levinas).
Intravitreal Nesvacumab (Anti-Angiopoietin-2) Plus Aflibercept in Neovascular AMD: Phase 2 ONYX Randomized Trial
Authors: Heier Jeffrey S. , Ho Allen C. , Boyer David S. , Csaky Karl , Vitti Robert , Perlee Lorah , Chu Karen W. , Asmus Friedrich , Leal Sergio , Zeitz Oliver , Cheng Yenchieh , Schmelter Thomas , Brown David M.
Published: December 2022

Purpose:

To compare intravitreal nesvacumab (anti-angiopoietin-2) + aflibercept vs intravitreal aflibercept injection (IAI) in neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD).

Methods:

Eyes were randomized (1:2:3) to nesvacumab 3 mg + aflibercept 2 mg (LD combo), nesvacumab 6 mg + aflibercept 2 mg (HD combo), or IAI 2 mg at baseline, week 4, and week 8. The LD combo was continued every 8 weeks (q8w). At week 12, the HD combo was re-randomized to q8w or every 12 weeks (q12w) and IAI was re-randomized to q8w, q12w, or HD combo q8w through week 32.

Results:

The study comprised 365 eyes. At week 12, the mean best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) gains from baseline were similar in the LD combo group, HD combo group, and IAI group (5.2 letters, 5.6 letters, and 5.4 letters, respectively); the mean central subfield thickness (CST) reductions were similar (182.2 µm, 200.0 µm, and 178.6 µm, respectively). The mean changes in BCVA and CST through week 36 were similar across groups. At week 12, complete retinal fluid resolution was observed in 49.1% (LD combo), 50.8% (HD combo), and 43.6% (IAI) of eyes; the proportions with a CST of 300 μm or less were similar across groups. Numerical trends at week 32 toward complete retinal fluid resolution with combination treatment were not maintained at week 36. Serious ocular adverse events were infrequent and comparable across groups.

Conclusions:

In nAMD, nesvacumab + aflibercept showed no additional BCVA or CST benefit over IAI monotherapy.