bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Digitalisasi Buku Dasa Wisma dan Profiling Desa Untuk Meningkatkan Nilai Tambah Desa Baseh
Authors: A.K Dwi Januarita , Wiguna Citra , Amriza Rona Nisa Sofia
Published: August 2022

Desa Baseh merupakan salah satu Desa Wisata yang menjadi lokasi pengembangan wisata di Kabupaten Banyumas. Kondisi saat ini dalam pengelolaan buku dasawisma desa Baseh masih dilakukan secara manual dan memerlukan waktu yang cukup lama. Selain itu, desa baseh memiliki beberapa objek wisata yang belum dipublikasikan dan dikembangkan secara maksimal seperti situs batur agung, batur agung waterpark, taman buah, air terjun dan warung gunung. Dari permasalahan tersebut, untuk membantu pengelolaan buku dasa wisma dan memperkenalkan objek wisata ke masyarakat umum maka dilaksanakan pelatihan secara berkelanjutan untuk digitalisasi buku dasawisma dan profiling Desa. Pada pelatihan ini disampaikan materi mengenai Pembuatan, Pengisian dan sinkronisasi dengan mail merge Tabel Buku Data Keluarga Kelompok Dasawisma menggunakan Ms. Word dan Ms. Excel. Untuk memperkenalkan objek wisata dikembangkan website mengenai Profilling desa yang berisi tentang informasi dan layanan publik, layanan informasi seputar desa, dan Informasi Objek wisata yang dapat diupdate secara berkala pada website. Dari kegiatan pelatihan, masyarakat dapat mengelola buku dasawisma secara efektif, serta dengan adanya profiling desa Baseh, objek wisata akan lebih dikenal dan dapat meningkatkan jumlah pengunjung.
Peningkatan Penjualan Melalui Optimalisasi Pemanfaatan Digital Marketing dan Penambahan Modal pada Laksmina Catering Desa Candisari
Authors: Purwatiningsih Aris Puji , Pamungkas Imang Dapit
Published: August 2022

Pemanfaatan digital marketing dan penambahan modal sangat penting untuk semua pelaku bisnis saat ini, termasuk usaha Catering rumah tangga di pedesaan. Kegiatan pengabdian kepada masyarakat ini bertujuan untuk memberikan edukasi melalui workshop tentang optimalisasi pemanfaatan digital marketing penambahan modal untuk memperluas pemasaran meningkatkan penjualan. Optimalisasi digital marketing dilakukan dengan pemanfaatan media sosial seperti whatsapp, instagram owner. Melalui informasi produk yang selalu diupdate pada whatsapp instagram bisa menghemat biaya promosi, menjangkau pasar yang lebih luas, meningkatkan penjualan, bahkan bisa untuk menjaga komunikasi antara penjual konsumen. Modal bisa dimanfaatkan untuk diversifikasi produk bisnis dengan memproduksi makanan yang lebih variatif, bahkan untuk melakukan penjualan selain makanan minuman. Melalui kegiatan ini penjualan bisa ditingkatkan, bahkan bisa melakukan diversifikasi bisnis dengan menjual cosmetic, barang kebutuhan rumah tangga lainnya
CHAGSKODE Algorithm for Solving Real World Constrained Optimization Problems
Authors: Saha Debanjan , Sallam Karam M. , De Shuvodeep , Mohamed Ali W.
Published: August 2022

Real-world optimization problems are often gov- erned by one or more constraints. Over the last few decades, extensive research has been performed in Constrained Opti- mization Problems (COPs) fueled by advances in computational power. In particular, Evolutionary Algorithms (EAs) are a preferred tool for practitioners for solving these COPs within practicable time limits. We propose a novel hybrid Evolutionary Algorithm based on the Differential Evolution algorithm and Adaptive Parameter Gaining Sharing Knowledge-based algo- rithm to solve global real-world constrained parameter space. The proposed CHAGSKODE algorithm leverages the power of multiple adaptation strategies concerning the control parameters, search mechanisms, as well as uses knowledge sharing between junior and senior phases. We test our method on the benchmark functions taken from the CEC2020 special session & competition on real-world constrained optimization. Experimental results indicate that CHAGSKODE is able to achieve state-of-the- art performance on real-world constrained global optimization when compared against other well-known real-world constrained optimizers.
Monitoring Quality and Pollution Assessment of Groundwater for Drinking Purposes to Assure Sustainability
Authors: Alramthi Saad , Ali Gamila , Shaban Ahmed , Abdou Tarek , Elthagafi Atiah , Eldosari Saad , Zhu Bao-Ku , Safaa Hosam
Published: August 2022

A Water demand per capita will rise in the Arab world as a result of climate change and population expansion. One of the most important aims in coping with population increase around the world is to conserve water supplies. As a result, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia constructed Al Wajeed Water Treatment System to meet the demands of the southern population. This research aims to assess the drinking water quality produced from the AlWajeed Water Treatment System. Monthly water samples were collected (January 2018 to January 2021) from the Al Wajeed Water Treatment Framework (4sites), extending to governorates; Bishah`s distribution system (5sites) and Tathleeth`s distribution system (7sites). Water quality criteria, such as physical, chemical, and microbiological parameters, revealed that the majority of water samples collected from the Al Wajeed Water Framework and its environs are of a good quality matched the national and international standards. Few sites showed water quality criteria, such turbidity, fluoride and total coliform did not comply with national and global standards. The obtained results explained the importance of monitoring and follow-up programs for drinking water criteria. In addition, they can help the authorities and stakeholders in the sustainable development.
Effects of Exogenous 5-Aminolevulinic Acid on the Biosynthetic and Recycling Metabolism of GSH in Loquat Leaves under Low-Temperature Stress
Authors: Wu Ti , Ma Shiwei , Lin Shoukai , Wu Minlan , Wu Jincheng , He Huaqin
Published: August 2022

Reduced glutathione (GSH) is an antioxidant in plants and is one of the important ways for plants to combat low-temperature stress. In this paper, Eriobotrya japonica Lindl. cv. Zaozhong No. 6 seedlings were used to study the effects of exogenous 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA) application on glutathione synthesis and cyclic metabolism of loquat seedlings under low-temperature stress and to explore the regulatory mechanism of ALA on loquat cold tolerance. The results showed that ALA treatment could increase the content of GSH and the reduced glutathione/oxidized glutathione (GSH/GSSG) ratio in loquat leaf slices under low-temperature stress; reduce the electrolyte leakage rate and GSSG, H2O2 and MDA contents in leaf tissues; and alleviate the peroxidation damage caused by low temperature. ALA treatment increased the activity of γ-glutamine synthetase (γ-ECS) in loquat leaf slices under low-temperature stress and promoted the biosynthesis of reduced glutathione, thereby increasing the GSH content in leaf tissues. On the other hand, ALA treatment could also improve the activities of glutathione reductase (GR), glutathione S-transferase (GST) and glutathione peroxidase (GPX) and promote the cyclic regeneration of GSH, accordingly maintaining a high GSH/GSSG ratio, promoting the removal of reactive oxygen species (ROS), and enhancing the antioxidant capacity of leaves. The regulatory effect of ALA on enhancing the antioxidant capacity of loquat seedlings under low-temperature stress can be inhibited by L-buthionine-sulfoximine (BSO, GSH biosynthesis inhibitor). The results showed that ALA improved the antioxidant capacity of loquat seedlings under low-temperature stress, and GSH was involved in the regulation of the antioxidant effect of ALA on loquat seedlings under low-temperature stress.
Weighted Hermite-Hadamard inequalities for r−Times Differentiable Preinvex Functions for k−Fractional Integrals
Authors: Zafar Fiza , Mehmood Sikander , Asiri Asim
Published: August 2022

In this paper, we have established some new bounds of Fejér type Hermite-Hadamard inequality for k−fractional integrals involving r−times differentiable preinvex functions. It is noteworthy that in the past there was no weighted version of left and right sides of the Hermite-Hadamard inequality for k-fractional integrals for generalized convex functions available in literature.
Arrangement of Hydrogen Bonds in Aqueous Solutions of Different Globular Proteins
Authors: Titus Amber R. , Madeira Pedro P. , Ferreira Luisa A. , Belgovskiy Alexander I. , Mann Elizabeth K. , Mann J. Adin , Meyer William V. , Smart Anthony E. , Uversky Vladimir N. , Zaslavsky Boris Y.
Published: August 2022

This work presents the first evidence that dissolved globular proteins change the arrangement of hydrogen bonds in water, with different proteins showing quantitatively different effects. Using ATR-FTIR (Attenuated Total Reflection – Fourier Transform Infrared) spectroscopic analysis of OH-stretch bands, we obtain quantitative estimates of the relative amounts of the previously reported four subpopulations of water structures coexisting in a variety of aqueous solutions. Where solvatochromic dyes can measure the properties of solutions of non-ionic polymers, the results correlate well with ATR-FTIR measurements. In protein solutions to which solvatochromic dye probes cannot be applied, NMR (Nuclear Magnetic Resonance) spectroscopy was used for the first time to estimate the hydrogen bond donor acidity of water. We found strong correlations between the solvent acidity and arrangement of hydrogen bonds in aqueous solutions for several globular proteins. Even quite similar proteins are found to change water properties in dramatically different ways.
Screen Time and Attention Subdomains in Children Aged 6 to 10 Years
Authors: Liebherr Magnus , Kohler Mark , Brailovskaia Julia , Brand Matthias , Antons Stephanie
Published: August 2022

Using digital media has become the most popular leisure activity for children and adolescents. The effects of digital media use on the developing brain and cognitive processes of children are subject to debate. Here, we examine the effect of digital media use on attention subdomains in children aged 6 to 10 years. In total, 77 children participated in the study. Selective and divided attention as well as switching between attentional demands were quantified by the SwAD task. Parents were asked to assess the screen time of their children (TV, smartphone, laptop/PC, game console, tablet). Results show no main or interaction effects of screen time on any of the attention conditions investigated. Based on the present findings, as well as previous studies, we suggest a possible non-linear relationship between the amount of screen time and attention function. Furthermore, we emphasize the relevance of considering the socio-economic background of children and a need for longitudinal studies.
Cardioprotective Effects of Grapefruit Integropectin Extracted via Hydrodynamic Cavitation from By-Products of Citrus Fruits Industry: Role of Mitochondrial Potassium Channels
Authors: Flori Lorenzo , Albanese Lorenzo , Calderone Vincenzo , Meneguzzo Francesco , Pagliaro Mario , Ciriminna Rosaria , Zabini Federica , Testai Lara
Published: August 2022

Citrus flavonoids are well-known for beneficial effects at the cardiovascular and cardio-metabolic level, but often the encouraging in vitro results are not confirmed by in vivo approaches; also clinical trials are inconsistent. The limited bioavailability of them can be, at least in part, the reason of these discrepancies. Therefore many efforts were performed towards the improvement of their bioavailability. Hydrodynamic cavitation methods were successfully applied to the extraction of byproducts of the Citrus fruits industry, showing high process yields and affording stable phytocomplexes, known as IntegroPectin, endowed with great amounts of bioactive compounds and high water solubility. Cardioprotective effects of grapefruit IntegroPectin were evaluated by an ex vivo ischemia/reperfusion protocol. A further pharmacological characterization was carried out to assess the involvement of mitochondrial potassium channels. Grapefruit IntegroPectin, where naringin represented 98% of flavonoids, showed anti-ischemic cardioprotective activity, better than pure naringenin (the bioactive aglycone of naringin). On cardiac isolated mitochondria, this extract confirmed that naringenin/naringin were involved in the activation of mitochondrial potassium channels. The hydrodynamic cavitation-based extraction confirmed a valuable opportunity for the exploitation of Citrus fruits waste, with the end product presenting high levels of Citrus flavonoids and an improved bioaccessibility that enhances its nutraceutical and economic value.
Structural Landscape and Deduced Functions of The Cardiac 14-3-3 Protein Interactome
Authors: Qu Jia-Hua , Tarasov Kirill V. , Chakir Khalid , Tarasova Yelena S. , Riordon Daniel R. , Lakatta Edward G.
Published: August 2022

Rationale: The 14-3-3 protein family is known to interact with many proteins in non-cardiac cell types to regulate multiple signaling pathways, particularly those relating to energy and protein homeostasis; and the 14-3-3 network is a therapeutic target of critical metabolic and proteostatic signaling in cancer and neurological diseases. Although the heart is critically sensitive to nutrient and energy alterations, and multiple signaling pathways coordinate to maintain the cardiac cell homeostasis, neither the structure of cardiac 14-3-3 protein interactome, nor potential functional roles of 14-3-3 protein-protein interactions (PPIs) in heart has been explored. Objective: To establish the comprehensive landscape and characterize the functional role of cardiac 14-3-3 PPIs. Methods and Results: We evaluated both RNA expression and protein abundance of 14-3-3 isoforms in mouse heart, followed by co-immunoprecipitation of 14-3-3 proteins and mass spectrometry in left ventricle. We identified 52 proteins comprising the cardiac 14-3-3 interactome. Multiple bioinformatic analyses indicated that more than half of the proteins bound to 14-3-3 are related to mitochondria; and the deduced functions of the mitochondrial 14-3-3 network are to regulate cardiac ATP production via interactions with mitochondrial inner membrane proteins, especially those in mitochondrial complex I. Binding to ribosomal proteins, 14-3-3 proteins likely coordinate protein synthesis and protein quality control. Localizations of 14-3-3 proteins to mitochondria and ribosome were validated via immunofluorescence assays. The deduced function of cardiac 14-3-3 PPIs is to regulate cardiac metabolic homeostasis and proteostasis. Conclusions: Thus, the cardiac 14-3-3 interactome may be a potential therapeutic target in cardiovascular metabolic and proteostatic disease states, as it already is in cancer therapy.
SENERGY: A Novel Deep Learning-Based Auto-Selective Approach and Tool for Solar Energy Forecasting
Authors: Alkhayat Ghadah , Hasan Syed Hamid , Mehmood Rashid
Published: August 2022

The sustainability of the planet and its inhabitants is in dire danger and is among the highest priorities on global agendas such as the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations (UN). Solar energy -- among other clean, renewable, and sustainable energies -- is seen as essential for environmental, social, and economic sustainability. Predicting solar energy accurately is critical to increasing reliability and stability, and reducing the risks and costs of the energy systems and markets. Researchers have come a long way in developing cutting-edge solar energy forecasting methods. However, these methods are far from optimal in terms of their accuracies, generalizability, benchmarking, and other requirements. Particularly, no single method performs well across all climates and weathers due to the large variations in meteorological data. This paper proposes SENERGY (an acronym for Sustainable Energy), a novel deep learning-based auto-selective approach and tool that, instead of generalising a specific model for all climates, predicts the best performing deep learning model for GHI forecasting in terms of forecasting error. The approach is based on carefully devised deep learning methods and feature sets through an extensive analysis of deep learning forecasting and classification methods using ten meteorological datasets from three continents. We analyse the tool in great detail through a range of metrics and methods for performance analysis, visualization, and comparison of solar forecasting methods. SENERGY outperforms existing methods in all performance metrics including Root Mean Square Error (RMSE), Mean Absolute Error (MAE), Mean Absolute Percentage Error (MAPE), Forecast Skills (FS), Relative Forecasting Error, and the normalised versions of these metrics. The proposed auto-selective approach can be extended to other research problems such as wind energy forecasting and predict forecasting models based on different criteria (in addition to the minimum forecasting error used in this paper) such as the energy required or speed of model execution, different input features, different optimisations of the same models, or other user preferences.
Covid-19 Vaccination and Mental Stress within Diverse Socio-demographic Groups
Authors: Khan Wasiq , Khan Bilal M. , Yasen Salwa , Al-Dahiri Ahmed , Al-Jumeily Dhiya , Hussain Abir
Published: August 2022

In this study, we surveyed over 600 participants to determine: a) major causes to mental stress during the pandemic and its future impacts, and b) diversity in public perception and acceptance (specifically for children) of Covid-19 vaccination. Statistical results and intelligent clustering outcomes indicate significant relationships between sociodemographic diversity, mental stress causes, vaccination perception, and Covid-19 infections. For instance, statistical results indicate significant dependence between mental stress due to Covid-19 and gender (p = 1.7e-05). Over 25% of males indicated work related stress comparing 35% in females however, females indicated more stressed (17%) due to relationships comparing to males (12%). Around 30% of Asian/Arabic participants don’t feel vaccination being safe as compared to 8% of white-British and 22% of white-European indicating significant dependence (p = 1.8e-08) with ethnicity. More specifically, vaccination acceptance for children is significantly dependent to ethnicity (p = 3.7e-05) where only 47% participants show willingness towards children’s vaccination. Primary dataset in this study along with experimental outcomes identifying sociodemographic information diversity with respect to public perception and acceptance of vaccination to children and potential stress factors might be useful for public and policy makers to be better prepared for future epidemics as well as working globally to combat mental health issues and running more effective vaccination campaigns.
Development of an Android Mobile Application for Reducing Sitting Time and Increasing Walking Time in People with Type 2 Diabetes
Authors: Daryabeygi-Khotbehsara Reza , Shariful Islam Sheikh Mohammad , Dunstan David W. , Abdelrazek Mohamed , Markides Brittany , Maddison Ralph
Published: August 2022

Breaking up prolonged sitting by short bouts of light physical activities including standing and walking has been shown to be beneficial for people with type 2 diabetes (T2D). This paper presents the development of an android mobile app to deliver a just-in-time adaptive intervention (JITAI) to reduce sedentary time in people with T2D. A total of six design workshops were conducted with seven experts to identify design requirements, a behavioural framework, and required contextual adaptations for the development of a bespoke mobile app (iMOVE). Moreover, a focus group was conducted among people with T2D as potential end-users (N=10) to ascertain their perceptions of the app. Feedback from the focus group was used in subsequent iterations of the iMOVE app. Data were analysed using an inductive qualitative thematic analysis. Based on workshops, key features of iMOVE were developed, including simplicity (e.g., navigation, login), colours and font sizes, push notifications, messaging algorithms and a triggering system for breaking up sitting time and moving more. Based on the user testing results, a goal setting tab was added, font sizes were made larger, the brightness of colours was reduced, and a colour indicator was used to indicate device connectivity with an activity tracker. A user-centric app was developed to support people with T2D to transition from sedentary to active lifestyles.
A Review of Mechanics-Based Mesoscopic Membrane Remodelling Methods: Capturing Both the Physics and the Chemical Diversity
Authors: Kumar Gaurav , Duggisetty Satya Chaithanya , Srivastava Anand
Published: August 2022

Specialized classes of proteins, working together in a tightly orchestrated manner, induce and maintain highly curved cellular and organelles membrane morphology. Due to the various ex- perimental constraints, including the resolution limits of imaging techniques, it is non-trivial to accurately elucidate interactions among the various components involved in membrane deformation. The spatial and temporal scales of the systems also make it formidable to investigate them using simulations with molecular details. Interestingly, mechanics-based mesoscopic models have been used with great success in recapitulating the membrane defor- mations observed in experiments. In this review, we collate together and discuss the various mechanics based mesoscopic models for protein-mediated membrane deformation studies. In particular, we provide an elaborate description of a mesoscopic model where the membrane is modeled as a triangulated sheet and proteins are represented as either nematics or fila- ments. This representation allows us to explore the various aspects of protein-protein and protein-membrane interactions as well as examine the underlying mechanistic pathways for emergent behavior such as curvature-mediated protein localization and membrane deforma- tion. We also put forward current efforts in the field towards back-mapping these mesoscopic models to finer-grained particle based models - a framework that could be used to explore how molecular interactions propagate to physical scales and vice-versa. We end the review with an integrative-modeling based road map where experimental imaging micrograph and biochemical data are combined with mesoscopic and molecular simulations methods in a theoretically consistent manner to faithfully recapitulate the multiple length and time scales in the membrane remodeling processes.
Maternal COVID-19 Vaccine May Reduce the Risk of MIS-C in Infants: A Narrative Review
Authors: Mangat Chetna , Yarrarapu Siva Naga Srinivas , Singh Gagandeep , Bansal Pankaj
Published: August 2022

COVID-19 infection in the pediatric population usually leads to a mild illness, however, a rare but serious complication of MIS-C has been seen in children. MIS-C usually presents 2-4 weeks after COVID-19 infection or exposure, and rare reports have been documented in neonates. Vaccinations for COVID-19 have been approved for children 6 months and above in the United States, and recent reports suggest significantly low prevalence and risk of complications of MIS-C in vaccinated children compared to unvaccinated children. Vaccinations for COVID-19 are safe and recommended during pregnancy and prevent severe maternal morbidity and adverse birth outcomes. Evidence from other vaccine-preventable diseases suggests that through passive transplacental antibody transfer, maternal vaccinations are protective against infections in infants during the first 6 months of life. Various studies have demonstrated that maternal COVID-19 vaccination is associated with the presence of anti-spike protein antibodies in infants, persisting even at 6 months of age. Further, completion of a 2-dose primary mRNA COVID-19 vaccination series during pregnancy is associated with reduced risk for COVID-19–associated hospitalization among infants aged 6 months or less. Therefore, it can be hypothesized that maternal COVID-19 vaccination can reduce the risk of and severity of MIS-C in infants. In this article, we review the literature to support this hypothesis.
Characteristic of Uterine Lipoleiomyoma and Hemangioma by Algorithm of Candidate Biomarkers for Uterine Mesenchymal Tumor
Authors: Nishikawa Shoko , Hayashi Takuma , Amano Yasuaki , Yaegashi Nobuo , Abiko kaoru , Konishi Ikuo
Published: August 2022

Background/Aim: In clinical practice, uterine lipoleiomyomas are variants of uterine leiomyomas, often found incidentally, and do not require surgical treatment unless patient’s symptomatic. Therefore, these should be clinically differentiated from lesions that need surgical treatment. Conversely, hemangiomas, or blood vessel benign tumors, rarely develop in the uterus; however, many clinical complications such as abdominal pain and excessive vaginal bleeding result from a uterine hemangioma. Hemangiomas can occur at any age and primarily affect pregnant women. Materials and Methods: The oncological properties of uterine lipoleiomyoma and hemangioma in adults were investigated using molecular pathological examination on tissue excised from patients with uterine leiomyoma. Results: Through molecular pathological studies, which included potential biomarkers for uterine mesenchymal tumors, a differential diagnosis was established for this case of mesenchymal tumor. Herein, we report a 54-year-old non-pregnant woman who presented with vaginal bleeding and underwent hysterectomy after detection of a 140 × 100 mm intramural mass diagnosed as a concurrent uterine hemangioma and lipoleiomyoma after molecular histopathologic examinations. Conclusion: As far as we know, this case is the first patient of concurrent uterine hemangioma and lipoleiomyoma. Hence, such occurrence of several types of mesenchymal tumors must be considered in the differential diagnosis of patients with abnormal vaginal bleeding.
Long COVID at Low and High Altitude: A Countrywide Epidemiological Analysis of Self-Reported Long-Term Persisting Symptoms in Ecuador
Authors: Izquiero-Condoy Juan S. , Fernandez-Naranjo Raul , Vásconez-González Jorge , Cordovez Simone , Tello-De-la-Torre Andrea , Paz Clara , Delgado-Moreira Karen , Carrington Sarah , Viscor Ginés , Ortiz-Prado Esteban
Published: August 2022

Background: Some patients who have recovered from COVID-19 have experienced a range of persistent symptoms or the appearance of new ones after a SARS-CoV-2 infection. These symptoms can last from weeks to months, impacting everyday functioning to a significant number of patients. Methods: A cross-sectional analysis based on an online, self-reporting questionnaire was conducted in Ecuador from April to July 2022. Participants were invited by social media, radio, and TV to voluntarily participate in our study. A total of 2103 surveys were included in this study. We compared socio-demographic variables and long-term persisting symptoms at low (< 2,500 m) and high altitude (>2,500 m).Results: Overall, 1100 (52.3%) responders claimed to have long-term symptoms after SARS-CoV-2 infection. Most of these symptoms were reported by women (64.0%), the most affected group was young adults (68.5%), and the majority of long-haulers were mestizos (91.6%). We found that high altitude residents were more likely to report persisting symptoms (71.7%) versus those living at lower altitudes (29.3%). The most common symptoms were fatigue or tiredness (8.4%), hair loss (5.1%) and difficulty concentrating (5.0%). The highest proportion of persisting symptoms was observed among those who received an incomplete vaccine scheme.Conclusions: This is the first study describing post-COVID symptoms' persistence in low and high-altitude residents. Our findings demonstrate that women, especially those aging between 20-40, are more likely to describe sequalae associated with post-COVID. We also found that living at a high altitude was associated with earlier onset and longer symptom duration. Finally, we found a greater risk to report long lasting symptoms among women, those with previous comorbidities and those who had a severer acute SARS-CoV-2 infection.
Impact of the Temperature in Endophytic Ascomycota Isolated from Antarctic Hair-Grass
Authors: Lucini Fabíola , De Andrade Guilherme Afonso Kessler , Victoria Filipe de Carvalho , De Albquerque Margeli Pereira
Published: August 2022

Antarctica is one of the most inhospitable continents on the planet, with lichens and mosses being the most common terrestrial organisms in ice-free areas. Antarctica is represented by only two species of Angiosperms, Deschampsia antarctica Desv. (Poaceae) and Colobanthus quitensis (Kunth) Bartl. (Caryophyllaceae). In this study, we characterized fungi isolated from the leaves of this grass species. The fungi were isolated from 4 individual plants from Half Moon Island (246 leave fragments investigated), and 7 from King George Island - Keller Peninsula (with 111 leave fragments investigated) Antarctica. Neoascochyta paspali, Phaeosphaeria elongata, Pyrenophora cf. chaetomioides and Alternaria sp. were associated with the plant and identified through analysis of the sequences of the internal transcribed spacer region (ITS) of the rDNA and nuclear ribosomal large subunit rRNA gene (LSU) as well as macro and micro-morphological characteristics. The isolates showed a better growth rate ranging from 10–20°C. An interesting result was that the fungi are already recognize as both plant pathogens and endophytic fungi. The results demonstrate that D. antarctica is an interesting fungal source. Those species might provide important information about the relationship on the endemic Antarctic biota.
Gompertz Kinetics in Developmental Fields: An Information Theory Approach
Authors: Baranowitz Steven
Published: August 2022

A model for cell proliferation in developmental fields is derived from information theory using a few biological postulates. The model provides an explanation for the success of the Gompertz equation in describing the growth of embryonic, neoplastic, and regenerative systems. Although this equation has been applied to many growth phenomena, its use has been entirely empirical. A theoretical justification for the use of the Gompertz equation in characterizing developmental processes is presented. The model also accounts for a reported relationship among the parameters of the Gompertz equation. A method for quantification and comparison of the determination of developmental fields at different levels of organization is suggested.
The Effect of COVID-19 Pandemic-Induced Stress on Reproductive-Age Women's Menstrual Cycle Regularity
Authors: Hamid Ruaa Abduljabbar , Fathi Zahraa Noah , Al-Wazzan Raida
Published: August 2022

Intense stress resulting from major life events can affect women's menstrual cycle. The current Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, impacting various sectors, is considered a major form of stress. During May-November 2020, some women in Iraq have experienced menstrual disruptions, which can happen whether they get infected with the COVID-19 or simply deals with pandemic-induced stress. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic-induced stress on menstrual cycle regularity of reproductive-age women. This study used an observational cross-sectional design conducted in Iraq from May to November 2020. A sample of 500 reproductive-age women filled out an online questionnaire about their menstrual records and psychological stress levels using a Perceived Stress Scale-10 for three months during the pandemic. A comparison between menstrual cycle irregularity and stress levels before and during the pandemic was done with a p-value of <0.05 and statistically significant. It was found that 47.72% of women had irregular menstrual cycles and high perceived stress scales during the pandemic compared to 20.94% with irregular cycles and high-stress levels before the pandemic. In brief, the high-stress level induced by the COVID-19 pandemic is associated with the irregular menstrual cycle in the sampled reproductive-age women.
Self-assembled DNA nanostructure containing oncogenic miRNA-mediated cell proliferation by downregulation of FOXO1 expression
Authors: Kar Avishek , Kumari Kanchan , Mishra Sandip K. , Subudhi Umakanta
Published: August 2022

FOXO1 transcription factor is not only limit the cell cycle progression but also promote cell death as a tumor suppressor protein. Though the expression of FOXO1 is largely examined in breast cancer, the regulation of FOXO1 by miRNA is yet to be explored. In the current study, self-assembled branched DNA (bDNA) nanostructures containing oncogenic miRNAs were designed and transfected to MCF7 cell lines to decipher the FOXO1 expression. bDNA containing oncogenic miRNA 27a, 96 and 182 synergistically downregulate the expression of FOXO1 in MCF7 cells. The down-regulation is evident both in mRNA and protein level suggesting bDNA having miRNA sequences can selectively bind to mRNA and inhibit translation. Secondly, the downstream gene expression of P21 and P27 are also significantly downregulated in presence of miR-bDNA nanostructures. The cell proliferation activity was progressively increased in presence of miR-bDNA nanostructure which confirms the reduced tumor suppression activity of FOXO1 and the downstream gene expression. This finding can be explored to design novel bDNA structures which can downregulate the tumor suppressor protein in normal cells and induce cell proliferation activity to identify early phase markers of cancer.
The GPR120 Agonist TUG-891 Alleviates Neuronal Pyroptosis by Inhibiting Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress after Experimental Intraventricular Hemorrhage in Mice
Authors: Wang Haoxiang , Liu Chang , Li Yuanyou , Cao Yi , Zhao Long , Zhao Yanjie , Deng Ziang , Tong Aiping , Zhou Liangxue
Published: August 2022

Intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) is a disease with high disability and mortality rate and lacks specific therapy, and which basic causes lies in the unclear mechanism. Recently, the pyroptosis in central nervous system diseases has received more attention, which is closely related to traumatic brain injury and hemorrhagic stroke. Furthermore, excessive endoplasmic reticulum stress can cause dysfunction of endoplasmic reticulum and even cell pyroptosis by regulating NLRP3 pathway. However, the relationship between pyroptosis and endoplasmic reticulum stress after IVH is unclear. In this study, we investigated the role of endoplasmic reticulum stress and its relationship with pyroptosis in a mouse model of IVH. Our results show that intracerebroventricular injection of autologous blood induced pyroptosis and endoplasmic reticulum stress. The mechanism is that after IVH, the endoplasmic reticulum stress–NLRP3 inflammatory body–pyroptosis pathway is activated, which results in brain tissue damage. This effect can be reversed by the combination of TUG-891 and GPR120. In summary, we revealed that TUG-891 inhibits endoplasmic reticulum stress and reduces neuronal pyroptosis by activating GPR120, which might be a therapeutic target for the treatment of IVH.
Novel expression cassettes for increasing apolipoprotein AI transgene expression in vascular endothelial cells
Authors: Sethuraman Meena , Dronadula Nagadhara , Bi Lianxiang , Wacker Bradley , Knight Ethan , De Bleser Pieter , Dichek David
Published: August 2022

Transduction of endothelial cells (EC) with a vector that expresses apolipoprotein A-I (APOAI) reduces atherosclerosis in arteries of fat-fed rabbits. However, the effects on atherosclerosis are partial and might be enhanced if APOAI expression could be increased. We tested 4 strategies—primarily in vitro—to increase APOAI expression from our current highest-expressing vector: addition of 2 types of enhancers, addition of computationally identified EC-specific cis-regulatory modules (CRM), and insertion of the rabbit APOAI gene at the transcription start site (TSS) of genomic sequences cloned from genes that are highly expressed in cultured EC. Addition of a shear stress-responsive enhancer did not increase APOAI expression. Addition of 2 copies of a Mef2c enhancer increased APOAI expression from a moderately active promoter/enhancer, but decreased APOAI expression from our most highly active promoter/enhancer. Of 11 computationally identified CRM, 3 increased APOAI expression from the moderately active promoter (2–7-fold; P < 0.05); none increased expression from the highly active promoter/enhancer. Insertion of the APOAI gene into the TSS of highly expressed EC genes did not increase expression above levels obtained with moderately active promoter/enhancer. High performance of our current highest-expressing vector was confirmed; new strategies are needed to further increase APOAI transgene expression in EC.
Mitral paravalvular leak 3D printing from 3D- transesophageal echocardiography – proof of concept and preparation flowchart
Authors: Jędrzejek Marek , Kozłowski Michał , Jadczyk Tomasz , Peszek-Przybyła Ewa , Pysz Piotr , Wojakowski Wojciech , Smolka Grzegorz
Published: August 2022

Paravalvular leaks (PVLs) can be detected in almost 15% of patients after mitral valve prosthesis implantation. This complication can result in congestive heart failure and hemolysis. Despite advancements in non-invasive imaging, percutaneous closure of PVLs is not always successful. Therefore, efforts are made to improve treatment outcomes by using 3D-printed models of defects as pre-procedural support for interventional cardiologists. Retrospectively, 3D-TEE recordings of 8 patients with clinically significant mitral PVLs were analysed. Qlab Software was used to export DICOM images of each PVL channel, including surrounding tissue. Image segmentation was performed in 3D Slicer, a free, open-source software package used for imaging research. Models were printed to actual size with the polyjet Stratasys Objet 30 printer with a transparent, rigid material. Duration of model preparation and printing, as well as total cost were calculated. Mean total time of model preparation was 430,5 ± 196 min. 3D-printing from 3D-TEE is technically feasible. Both shape and location of PVLs are preserved during model preparation and printing. It remains to be tested if 3D-printing would improve outcomes of percutaneous PVL closure.
Active Control and Electronic Simulation of a Novel Fractional Order Chaotic Jerk System
Authors: Adelakun Adedayo , Ogunjo Samuel T
Published: August 2022

he chaotic jerk system represents a class of nonlinear systems with unique, varied, and interesting characteristics and behaviour. In this study, we proposed a modified fractional-order chaotic Jerk system by the introduction of two novel nonlinear terms and two constant terms. The nonlinear terms introduced are the exponential and tangential functions while the two parameters are a and b. Stability analysis of the fractional-order Jerk system was used to establish the parameter ranges for chaotic behaviour in the system. Chaos in the system was confirmed via the Lyapunov exponents. The bifurcation diagram with respect to the parameters, a and b, as well as the fractional order, α were examined. The synchronization of the system was implemented using the active control method. Finally, the studied novel circuit was realized using analog components for experimental validation.
A case of recurrent ovarian cancer with renal dysfunction associated with the use of olaparib
Authors: Yamano Yukiko , Minakata Tomokazu , Tsuji Takahiro , Hayashi Shiko , Hashimoto Seiji
Published: August 2022

Many anticancer drugs have been reported to damage the kidneys. Olaparib (ORB) is known not to largely affect renal function due to its specific pharmacological mechanism, and there are no reports on renal dysfunction associated with the drug. The patient was found to have diagnosed with recurrent ovarian cancer. She started therapy with Bevacizumab (BEV). Unfortunately, BEV was discontinued due to development of progressive renal dysfunction with proteinuria. Therefore, she started administration of ORB. However, after switching to ORB, her renal dysfunction progressed. Renal histopathology revealed membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis (MPGN) and thrombotic microangiopathy (TMA). During the clinical course, her renal function deteriorated after administration of ORB and improved after the drug was discontinued because of bone marrow suppression. Moreover, sustained improvement of renal function was observed after complete discontinuation of the drug. This case is considered to be the first report of renal dysfunction due to ORB. Although ORB is not considered to cause renal damage when administered alone, it can be considered to further exacerbate the preceding BEV-induced renal dysfunction. Since switching of anticancer drugs is common, clinicians should be aware of the risk of developing renal dysfunction.
14-3-3ζ mediates GABAAR activation by interacting with BIG1
Authors: Li Cuixian , Huang Shen , Peng Jin , Hong Tianguo , Zhou Chun , Tang Jie
Published: August 2022

Most fast synaptic inhibitions in the mammalian brain are mediated by GABAA receptors (GABAARs). An appropriate level of GABAAR expression at the cell surface is essential for neurodevelopment and the efficacy of GABAergic synaptic transmission. We previously reported that brefeldin A-inhibited GDP/GTP exchange factor 1 (BIG1), a binding partner of GABAARs, plays an important role in trafficking GABAARs to the cell surface. However, its regulatory mechanisms remain unknown. In the present study, we identified a new cellular protein, 14-3-3ζ, which can interact with the β subunit of GABAARs and BIG1 both in vitro and in vivo and colocalizes in the soma, dendrites and axons of hippocampal neurons. Overexpression of 14-3-3ζ-WT increased the surface expression of BIG1 in dendrites and axons, as well as the binding of BIG1 with GABAAR. Depleted 14-3-3ζ with efficacious siRNA attenuated the interaction between BIG1 and GABAARs and resulted in significant decreases in the surface expression levels of BIG1 and GABAAR. GABAAR agonist treatment increased the expression levels of BIG1 and 14-3-3ζ on the surface, indicating that 14-3-3ζ is involved in regulating BIG1-mediated GABAAR surface expression. Depletion of BIG1 or 14-3-3ζ significantly decreased GABAAR expression at the cell surface and suppressed the GABA-gated influx of chloride ions. These data indicate that the combination of 14-3-3ζ and BIG1 is required for GABAAR membrane expression. Our results provide a potential promising therapeutic target for neurological disorders involving GABAergic synaptic transmission.
Temporal Patterns of Voice Onset Time of English-Sindhi Stops
Authors: Abbasi Abdul Malik , Channa Mansoor Ahmed , Husain Imtiaz , Khan Ms Ahlam
Published: August 2022

The paper examines the temporal voice onset time (VOT) duration of consonantal stops between the release burst of stops and the onset of vibration of the voice box. This is an acoustic study of Voice Onset Time of L1 Sindhi and L2 English stops. It aims to determine the acoustic average values of Voice Onset Time (VOT) in Sindhi English stop consonants i.e. L1 and L2 production of speech. According to the author, this descriptive study Voice Onset Time (VOT) in Sindhi-English stop consonants has been conducted first time on English-Sindhi VOT (ms) stops. The study recruited 10 (5 females and 5 male participants), who were Sindhi native speakers and English as a Second Language (ESL) Learners. The stimuli were designed in which three voicing pairs were selected from both Sindhi and English. The VOT (ms) of six Sindhi and English voicing stop pairs /p/, /t/, /k/ & /b/, /d/, and /ɡ/ were measured i.e. one voiceless and one voiced. The undergraduate students recorded their voice samples in both Sindhi and English. The data were separately analyzed from Sindhi and English languages. There were acoustic differences within the groups and between the groups in VOT (ms) of English and Sindhi. The statistical tests were run on the results where the significance level of p-value was fixed on < 0.05. The results illustrate that there is a significant difference between voiceless sounds i.e. /p/ & /k/ means. The findings of the data reveal that there is no statistically significant difference between VOT (ms) means of male & female for the voiceless & voiced consonantal sounds i.e., /t/, /b/, /d/ & /ɡ/. The data further discovered that English-Sindhi VOT characteristics of stops are not associated with gender; however, English-Sindhi VOT altered as a function of the place of articulation.
Historical temperature variability in a representative high-latitude region in the monsoon-continental climate transition zone in China
Authors: Wei Yingnan , Ma Long , Sun Bolin , Zhang Jing , Jing Quanpu , Xing Jianjun
Published: August 2022

Global warming has exacerbated the instability of the climate and has led to the frequent occurrence of extreme cold and warm events. In this study, we constructed a standardized tree-ring width chronology of Korean spruce (Picea koraiensis Nakai) growing in a representative high-latitude region in the monsoon-continental climate transition zone in China from 1845 to 2016 and used it to analyse the response of the radial growth of Korean spruce to climatic factors such as temperature and precipitation. The results show that the annual mean temperature was the dominant climatic factor affecting the growth of Korean spruce. Hence, we reconstructed the annual mean temperature series of this region spanning the past 172 years. The analysis results show that the study area experienced five warm periods and five cold periods in the past 172 years. Cold years were dominant before 1960s, while temperature continuously rose and changed drastically in the early 21st century. The reconstructed annual mean temperature series has variability cycles of 3 a, 7 a, 10–12 a, 15–22 a, and 30–40 a. The results of this reconstruction enrich the tree-ring database in the representative regions of the monsoon-continental climate transition zone in China and provide a reference for systematically understanding the climate change patterns in the representative regions of the transition zone.
The Effects of Informal Competition on Manufacturing Firm Productivity in Ethiopia
Authors: Endale Kefyalew
Published: August 2022

This study investigates the relationships of informal competition with formal manufacturing firms labor productivity measured by value added per total fulltime workers and capacity utilization rates in Ethiopia. A combination of cross-sectional and panel regression methods are employed to investigate the relationships using the 2011 and 2015 World Bank Enterprise Surveys. The results from both the cross-sectional and panel analyses show that informal competition is significantly associated with lower labor productivity and capacity utilization rate. The negative effects of informal competition are large especially on large manufacturing firms which is a disincentive to firm growth. An additional finding is that those formal firms competing against the unregistered firms are found to engage in innovation practices especially in the methods of production and marketing to mitigate the negative consquences of informal competittors on their market performance. The policy implication of the findings is that Competition and Consumers’ Protection Authority (incollaboration with police and judciary) should exert more efforts to reduce the malpractices of informal competitors especially those engaging in brand piracy. Formalizing the informal competitors through imrpived access to credit, tax incentive, and training can also play an indispensable role. Firms should also promote their producs aggressively through different methods to help their customers identify genuine produtts from fakes.