bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
An acoustic scene classification approach involving domestic violence using machine learning
Authors: Souto Helton , Mello Rafael , Furtado Ana
Published: March 2020

A classificação e detecção de cenas acústicas é uma área de pesquisa em rápido desenvolvimento, pois o sinal produzido pelo som de um áudio contém informações que dados visuais não podem representar. Neste artigo lidamos com o problema de detecção de cenas acústicas envolvendo violência doméstica. Para tanto, propomos a utilização de um método de aprendizado de máquina utilizando o classificador SVM para detectar cenas de violência doméstica de um homem contra uma mulher utilizando o som. Apresentamos análises de experimentos com três diferentes parâmetros extraídos dos áudios. Como resultado, obtemos o melhor desempenho utilizando o parâmetro MFCC conseguindo uma acurácia de 73,14%.
Operador de cruzamento baseado em partições aplicado no problema de roteamento de veículos
Authors: Sanches Júnior Elcio , Abreu Gabriel De , Noda Vinicius , Carvalho Ozeas , Rocha Josimar , Tinos Renato , Sanches Danilo
Published: March 2020

Este artigo propõe uma modificação do operador de cruzamento Generation Partition Crossover 2 (GPX2) que é uma adaptação do operador de cruzamento Partition Crossover (PX). Os operadores GPX2 e PX foram inicialmente validados apenas no Problema do Caixeiro Viajante. Diante disto, a proposta deste trabalho consiste na adaptação do operador GPX2 ao Problema de Roteamento de Veículos. O GPX2 utiliza o conceito de Ghost nodes e uma função fitness que considera penalização de soluções infactíveis do Problema de Roteamento de Veículos. O método é validado comparando o desempenho do GPX2 com o operador Order Crossover que é bastante utilizado em Problemas de Roteamento de Veículos.
Notícias relacionadas a pessoas com deficiência: uma análise do conteúdo gerado pelos usuários em postagens de mídias sociais
Authors: Rodrigues Lucas , B. Junior Ademir , Lobato Fabio
Published: March 2020

As mídias sociais desempenham um papel essencial para as pessoas com deficiência e seus familiares por proporcionarem um canal de denúncia e induzirem a construção de redes de apoio. No entanto, discursos de ódio também são encontrados nessas mídias. Nesse sentido, uma análise das postagens de mídia social sobre notícias relacionadas à deficiência no Brasil é apresentada neste artigo. Os comentários da mídia foram coletados e analisados usando modelagem de tópicos e análise de sentimentos. Além disso, as postagens foram classificadas de acordo com o seu conteúdo. Os resultados mostram que há uma busca sobre o assunto, principalmente em relação a reclamações ou em busca de apoio mútuo. Os achados da pesquisa podem guiar a formação de uma rede de apoio às pessoas com deficiência e suas famílias.
Classificação de Texto para Categorização de Crimes Contra a Honra
Authors: Silva Artur Da
Published: March 2020

Os crimes contra a honra são os crimes que atingem a integridade ou bem-estar moral de alguém, sendo subdivididos entre ameaça, calúnia, difamação e injúria. Os crimes contra a honra figuram-se entre os mais praticados na Internet. Devido ao aumento do número de usuários utilizando redes sociais e aplicativos de mensagens, há uma falsa sensação de anonimato que parece estimular alguns usuários para a prática de crimes contra a honra e, juntamente com a falta de informação, muitas pessoas não apresentam queixa pois não sabem se a ofensa recebida configura crime. Este trabalho analisou sentenças de crimes contra a honra para categorização dos textos por tipo de crime, seguindo o Código Penal Brasileiro.
Implementação Inicial da RFC 6897 para Auxílio no Tratamento de Fluxos Elefantes
Authors: Silva Alan C. , Ferlin Simone , Verdi Fábio L.
Published: March 2020

O protocolo Multipath TCP (MPTCP) permite que as aplicações possam explorar melhor os recursos de rede disponíveis para dispositivos multiconectados como os telefones móveis ou sistemas multi-homed. Aqui, duas principais vantagens são previstas: agregação de banda e a habilidade de manter a conexão estabelecida se houver falha em um dos caminhos de rede. Para estender essas capacidades para a aplicação, a RFC 6897 define uma API para permitir um melhor controle de cada subfluxo MPTCP, de modo que esses possam ser adicionados ou removidos conforme necessário. Este artigo apresenta uma implementação da API conforme definida na RFC 6897 para dar as aplicações a capacidade de controlar os fluxos MPTCP. Para testar a API e validar nossa implementação, n´os construimos experimentos usando fluxos elefantes em redes de datacenter.
Um Modelo Formal de Propósito Geral para Simulações de Redes Definidas por Software
Authors: Souza Rafael , Santos Marcelo , Mello Braulio , Fernandes Stênio
Published: March 2020

Redes Definidas por Software (SDN) permitem uma maior flexibilidade na gerência de fluxos de rede devido a clara separação entre o plano de controle e o plano de dados. Nesse contexto, mensurar as características que afetam, por exemplo, o desempenho da rede é uma tarefa árdua diante de diferentes cenários, requisitos e objetivos distintos de otimização. Assim, desenvolvemos um modelo baseado no formalismo de especificação de sistemas a eventos discretos (DEVS) para que seja possível simular cenários de rede SDN de forma flexível e rápida a fim de auxiliar no entendimento do funcionamento da rede e de aspectos que podem impactar no seu desempenho. Além disso, é possível ainda avaliar estratégias de otimização que podem ser integradas ao DEVS abrindo a oportunidade para validar diversos outros trabalhos.
Current and Prospective of Breast Cancer Biomarkers
Authors: Rathinaraj Benjamin Stephen , de Lima Fabio
Published: March 2020

Biomarkers have shown great promise over the past decade the process of drug development more effective and have become an integral part of diagnosis of diseases. Biosensors were integrated with biomarker detection and point-of-care detection for signal amplification, high specificity and sensitivity, rapid response time, low cost, simplicity and multi-analytical testing. In order to detect more sensitively, these particular biomarkers have been explored with the possibility of real-time measurements in order to develop simple and compact systems which can analyze complex specimens. Various biosensors including electrochemical biosensors have recently been developed based on disease-specific biomarkers in the diagnosis of cancer disease. The main objective of the book chapter is to review research with new materials/methods in electrochemical biosensing techniques to detection of breast cancer biomarkers and evaluating latest techniques for detection of important analytes in real samples. In this book chapter, the recent development of electrochemical biosensors of breast cancer biomarkers will be reviewed. Furthermore, recent and future trend application of breast cancer biomarkers will be discussed.
An Implementable and Stabilizing Model Predictive Control Strategy for Inverted Pendulum-Like Behaved Systems
Authors: S.L. de Abreu Odilon , A.F. Martins Márcio , Schnitman Leizer
Published: March 2020

In control theory, the inverted pendulum is a class of dynamic systems widely used as a benchmarking for evaluating several control strategies. Such a system is characterized by an underactuated behavior. It is also nonlinear and presents open-loop unstable and integrating modes. These dynamic features make the control more difficult, mainly when the controller synthesis seeks to include constraints and the guarantee of stability of the closed-loop system. This chapter presents a stabilizing model predictive control (MPC) strategy for inverted pendulum-like behaved systems. It has an offset-free control law based on an only optimization problem (one-layer control formulation), and the Lyapunov stability of the closed-loop system is achieved by adopting an infinite prediction horizon. The controller feasibility is also assured by imposing a suitable set of slacked terminal constraints associated with the unstable and integrating states of the system. The effectiveness of the implementable and stabilizing MPC controller is experimentally demonstrated in a commercial-didactic rotary inverted pendulum prototype, considering both cases of stabilization of the pendulum in the upright position and the output tracking of the rotary arm angle.
Asado y hervido: un acercamiento arqueológico a las técnicas de cocción a partir de vestigios de actividades rituales en Mesoamérica
Authors: Mancina Pauline
Published: March 2020

El presente artículo es una revisión bibliográfica que tiene como propósito mostrar los tipos de cocina de contexto ritual registrados por la arqueología en Mesoamérica. La práctica culinaria usada en actividades rituales ha sido objeto de numerosos estudios para los periodos postclásico tardío y colonial. Las crónicas españolas relatan la riqueza y profundidad de lo simbólico escondido detrás de la dieta en determinados eventos rituales. Sin embargo, corroborar datos etnohistóricos en restos arqueológicos resulta difícil. El artículo presenta los criterios utilizados para identificar huellas de cocción en restos de alimentos y reúne una serie de ejemplos con estas evidencias halladas en contexto ritual por la arqueología. Los ejemplos, seleccionados de la bibliografía existente, se agrupan en dos grandes tipos de contextos: las ofrendas y los banquetes. Mientras que en restos de banquetes y de zonas ceremoniales hay una preferencia por cocinar alimentos mediante la exposición indirecta al calor en un ambiente húmedo, en las ofrendas la técnica más común es la cocción de alimentos a través de un ambiente seco. La identificación de estas recurrencias y la observación de otros casos particulares, permiten hacer un balance inicial de nuestros conocimientos sobre la cocina ritual en la arqueología mesoamericana.
Gué Sant. Continuidad religiosa prehispánica entre los zapotecos del Sur de Oaxaca
Authors: Pérez Ríos Edgar
Published: March 2020

En el presente artículo pretendo abordar el pensar de unas piedras conocidas como gué sant (piedras santas o guardamontes), localizadas en el municipio zapoteco de San Jerónimo Coatlán, Oaxaca, México, ubicadas regularmente en los puntos más altos de los cerros. Expondré cómo hasta el siglo pasado estas piedras recibieron ofrenda por parte de agricultores, cazadores y curanderos, pero debido al cambio en las actividades económicas (pasando al monocultivo del café y a la explotación forestal), actualmente estas prácticas se realizan con menor frecuencia, además de que los guardamontes están sufriendo una destrucción sistemática sin que ninguna autoridad intervenga en el caso. Pese a ello, algunas piedras siguen ahí y son evidencia de una continuidad religiosa en esta región.
Apéndices interrogativos en el habla de Sevilla: un estudio en tiempo real
Authors: Santana Marrero Juana
Published: March 2020

En esta investigación abordamos el estudio de los apéndices interrogativos en la ciudad de Sevilla teniendo en cuenta el contraste entre dos épocas: últimas décadas del siglo XX (materiales del grupo Sociolingüística Andaluza: Estudio Sociolingüístico del Habla de Sevilla) y primeros años del siglo XXI (corpus PRESEEA-SE recopilado por el proyecto Patrones Sociolingüísticos del Español de Sevilla). El objetivo que se persigue es conocer si el factor cronológico ha influido en el tipo y la vitalidad de los apéndices interrogativos registrados, así como en su distribución sociolingüística. Para ello se consideraron las variables nivel educativo, edad y sexo. Nuestros resultados ponen de manif iesto que hay formas que muestran un comportamiento similar en ambas etapas, aunque con algunas diferencias generacionales (¿no?, ¿eh?); y que hay otras variantes cuya distribución está condicionada por la fecha de recogida de los materiales y, especialmente, por la edad de los informantes (¿entiendes?, ¿verdad?, ¿vale?, ¿sabes?).
Elecciones léxicas de los estudiantes polacos de ELE: ¿venir o llegar?
Authors: Testa Martín
Published: March 2020

La presente investigación analiza una cuestión que genera problemas a los polacos en todos los niveles de aprendizaje de español como lengua extranjera: el uso de los verbos venir y llegar. Dichos verbos suelen presentar dificultades tanto en sus significados más prototípicos como en el uso de locuciones similares entre el español y el polaco (p. ej. zajdzie daleko/llegará lejos). Dos grupos de estudiantes de la Universidad de Varsovia (B1 y B2) debieron traducir 23 enunciados cuyas traducciones en español se realizan normal y correctamente con el uso de venir o de llegar. En tal orden de cosas se analizaron los siguientes puntos: a) ¿qué verbos prefieren los estudiantes a la hora de traducir dichos enunciados?, b) ¿cómo traducen los estudiantes polacos los prefijos do- y przy- relacionados con los verbos de movimiento?, y c) ¿cómo traducen los estudiantes los significados no prototípicos de los equivalentes polacos de venir y llegar? Asimismo, ¿los traducen literalmente o los consideran demasiado idiosincráticos y prefieren parafrasearlos? Los resultados de la presente investigación sugieren una mejora en el uso del verbo llegar en el grupo B2, pero una recaída en el uso del verbo venir por parte del mismo grupo: todo ello apunta hacia la necesidad de una mayor sensibilización de los alumnos sobre los rasgos semánticos de los verbos de movimiento españoles incluso en grupos más avanzados.
Entre ojos culpables y miradas impunes: la ambivalencia moral del artista en Medusa de Ricardo Menéndez Salmón
Authors: López López Carmen María
Published: March 2020

El objetivo de este artículo es arrojar luz sobre Medusa (2012), una novela del escritor español Ricardo Menéndez Salmón que examina el tema de la representación del horror. Focalizando nuestra atención en la ambigüedad moral del artista, es esencial profundizar en la ambivalencia entre los ojos culpables y las miradas impunes. Para este propósito, este estudio se propone analizar los diferentes materiales icónicos (fotografías, cuadros y películas), que la novela integra en su estilo narrativo, ofreciendo una nueva perspectiva acerca del tratamiento del horror en la literatura hispánica contemporánea.
PACT-mediated PKR activation acts as a hyperosmotic stress intensity sensor weakening osmoadaptation and enhancing inflammation
Authors: Farabaugh Kenneth T , Krokowski Dawid , Guan Bo-Jhih , Gao Zhaofeng , Gao Xing-Huang , Wu Jing , Jobava Raul , Ray Greeshma , de Jesus Tristan J , Bianchi Massimiliano G , Chukwurah Evelyn , Bussolati Ovidio , Kilberg Michael , Buchner David A , Sen Ganes C , Cotton Calvin , McDonald Christine , Longworth Michelle , Ramakrishnan Parameswaran , Hatzoglou Maria
Published: March 2020

The inability of cells to adapt to increased environmental tonicity can lead to inflammatory gene expression and pathogenesis. The Rel family of transcription factors TonEBP and NF-κB p65 play critical roles in the switch from osmoadaptive homeostasis to inflammation, respectively. Here we identified PACT-mediated PKR kinase activation as a marker of the termination of adaptation and initiation of inflammation in Mus musculus embryonic fibroblasts. We found that high stress-induced PACT-PKR activation inhibits the interaction between NF-κB c-Rel and TonEBP essential for the increased expression of TonEBP-dependent osmoprotective genes. This resulted in enhanced formation of TonEBP/NF-κB p65 complexes and enhanced proinflammatory gene expression. These data demonstrate a novel role of c-Rel in the adaptive response to hyperosmotic stress, which is inhibited via a PACT/PKR-dependent dimer redistribution of the Rel family transcription factors. Our results suggest that inhibiting PACT-PKR signaling may prove a novel target for alleviating stress-induced inflammatory diseases.
Implementation of adaptive integration method for free energy calculations in molecular systems
Authors: Mirabzadeh Christopher A. , Ytreberg F. Marty
Published: March 2020

Estimating free energy differences by computer simulation is useful for a wide variety of applications such as virtual screening for drug design and for understanding how amino acid mutations modify protein interactions. However, calculating free energy differences remains challenging and often requires extensive trial and error and very long simulation times in order to achieve converged results. Here, we present an implementation of the adaptive integration method (AIM). We tested our implementation on two molecular systems and compared results from AIM to those from a suite of other methods. The model systems tested here include calculating the solvation free energy of methane, and the free energy of mutating the peptide GAG to GVG. We show that AIM is more efficient than other tested methods for these systems, that is, AIM results converge to a higher level of accuracy and precision for a given simulation time.
Carbohydrates stimulated Amaryllidaceae alkaloids biosynthesis inLeucojum aestivumL. plants cultured in RITA®bioreactor
Authors: Ptak Agata , Morańska Emilia , Skrzypek Edyta , Warchoł Marzena , Spina Rosella , Laurain-Mattar Dominique , Simlat Magdalena
Published: March 2020

Background

Leucojum aestivumL. is an important medicinal plant which produces Amaryllidaceae alkaloids, especially galanthamine and lycorine. Research is currently exploring the possibility of producing these alkaloids using biotechnological methods, including in vitro cultures. The biosynthesis of alkaloids may be affected by the types and concentrations of carbohydrate sources used in the medium. In the present investigation we performed such studies on in vitro cultures ofL. aestivumwith a view to obtaining plant material of good quality, characterized, in particular, by a high content of valuable Amaryllidaceae alkaloids.

Methods

We examined the effects of various types of carbohydrate sources—sucrose, glucose, fructose and maltose—at different concentrations (30, 60 and 90 g/L)—on the quality ofL. aestivumplants grown in the RITA®bioreactor. The plants’ quality was assessed by their biomass increments, as well by as analysing photosynthetic pigments, endogenous sugar, phenolics and Amaryllidaceae alkaloid content. We also investigated the effect of sugars on the activity of the antioxidant enzymes catalase (CAT), peroxidase (POD) and superoxide dismutase (SOD).

Results

The highest biomass increments were observed in plants cultivated in the medium containing 90 g/L sucrose. The highest CAT activity was noted in cultures growing in the medium supplemented with 90 g/L maltose, while the highest POD activity was observed in the presence of 90 g/L fructose and 60 g/L maltose. No differences in SOD activity were observed. Moreover, the sugars did not affect the contents of chlorophyllaand carotenoids, whereas the highest amount of chlorophyllbwas recorded in plants growing in the medium with 60 g/L maltose. No statistically significant differences were observed in the contents of endogenous sugars and phenolics in any in vitro conditions. However, the addition of sugar had a decisive effect on the biosynthesis of the Amaryllidaceae alkaloids. The highest distribution of alkaloids occurred in plants cultured in the medium containing 60 g/L sucrose. Six Amaryllidaceae alkaloids were detected in the plant tissue. The addition of 30 g/L fructose in the medium resulted in the accumulation of five alkaloids, including ismine, which was not identified in other analysed tissues. The highest concentration of galanthamine was observed in plants cultured in the presence of 30 g/L fructose and 60 g/L sucrose (39.2 and 37.5 µg/g of dry weight (DW), respectively). The plants grown in the medium containing 60 g/L sucrose exhibited the highest lycorine content (1048 µg/g of DW).

Conclusions

The type and concentration of sugar used in the medium have an essential influence on the biosynthesis of Amaryllidaceae alkaloids inL. aestivumplants cultured in a RITA®bioreactor. The results point to an interesting approach for commercial production of galanthamine and lycorine.
Feature selection based on differentially correlated gene pairs reveals the mechanism of IFN-β therapy for multiple sclerosis
Authors: Jin Tao , Wang Chi , Tian Suyan
Published: March 2020

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is one of the most common neurological disabilities of the central nervous system. Immune-modulatory therapy with Interferon-β (IFN-β) is a commonly used first-line treatment to prevent MS patients from relapses. Nevertheless, a large proportion of MS patients on IFN-β therapy experience their first relapse within 2 years of treatment initiation. Feature selection, a machine learning strategy, is routinely used in the fields of bioinformatics and computational biology to determine which subset of genes is most relevant to an outcome of interest. The majority of feature selection methods focus on alterations in gene expression levels. In this study, we sought to determine which genes are most relevant to relapse of MS patients on IFN-β therapy. Rather than the usual focus on alterations in gene expression levels, we devised a feature selection method based on alterations in gene-to-gene interactions. In this study, we applied the proposed method to a longitudinal microarray dataset and evaluated the IFN-β effect on MS patients to identify gene pairs with differentially correlated edges that are consistent over time in the responder group compared to the non-responder group. The resulting gene list had a good predictive ability on an independent validation set and explicit biological implications related to MS. To conclude, it is anticipated that the proposed method will gain widespread interest and application in personalized treatment research to facilitate prediction of which patients may respond to a specific regimen.
Mechanization of Ginger Slicing for Peasant Farmers
Authors: Abubakar I. , Ahmed J. M. , Abubakar M. , Agunsoye J. K. , Audu H. E.
Published: March 2020

Dual (cushion and spring) compartment ginger slicing machine was developed to address the dificulties associaed with manual slicing of ginger. However, there is no establisbed  operational perfomance on record for this particular machine; thus, the need for this study. To achieve this, the machine perfomance was evaluated at the Department of Agricultural and Bio-Environmental Engineering, Waziri Umaru Federal Polytechnic, Birnin Kebbi in April, 2019 interms of Slicing Efficiency and Percent Broken and Bruises at a ginger moisture content of 80.2 and 78.5%, using completely randomized Design (CRD) with 5 x 2 x 2 factorial experiment. The experiment was conducted with one horse power petrol engine. The data collected were analyzed using Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) for significance level of the experimental factors and their interactions and those found significant were further analyzed using Duncan Multiple Range Test (DMRT) for mean separations at (P0.05), respectively. The results showed that, the highest mean Slicing Efficiencies for cushion and spring compartments were: 61.2 and 45.1%, respectively. The lowest mean Percent Broken and Bruises was with cushion compartment as 38.8% and 54.9% spring compartment, respectively.
Farmers’ Perception and Micro-level Climate Adaptation Strategies in Bundelkhand Region, India
Authors: Singh Surendra , Nayak Sanatan , Kanojia Ruby K.
Published: March 2020

This study develops an understanding on human dimension approach of adaptation with special context to Indian agriculture. The study conducts a micro-level assessment of farmer’s perception and adaptation responses based on survey data analysis of 200 farm household from two districts, i.e., Jalaun and Jhansi of Bundelkhand region. The study finds perceive and adapt cognitive condition to the main adaptation condition. The study recognizes the importance of social relations for developing an understanding of climate change. Government sources are found to be less impactful in delivering climate information along with other hypothesized sources. The study results provide a useful guide for identifying region-specific adaptation strategies options like, adoption of disease resistant seed varieties and use of new plant protection chemicals to deal with climate change. The role of government needs to be escalated in providing appropriate and adequate climate information to the farmers. Policy action is needed in creating awareness, increasing faith on reliability and accuracy of climate information services by the government.
Membrane Integrity Test for Spermatozoa in Simmental Bull Liquid Semen Using the Addition of Gentamycin and Sweet Orange Essential Oil in the Extender
Authors: Sitepu Sukma Aditya , Marisa Julia
Published: March 2020

Aims: This study aimed to determine the quality of Simmental Bull liquid semen through laboratory tests, including the percentage value of membrane integrity Spermatozoa with the addition of gentamycin and sweet orange essential oil to tris yolk extender.

Methodology: The material used in this research is Simmental Cattle bull fresh semen, tris yolk extender, gentamicin, and sweet orange essential oil. Tris yolk extender was prepared with Tris (hydroxymethyl aminomethane) (3.32 g), citric acid (1.86 g), fructose (1.37 g), glycerol (6 ml), egg yolk (20 ml), aquades (100 ml). The experimental design used in the study was a nonfactorial Complete Randomized Design with five treatments and five replicates. The treatment given is the addition of sweet orange essential oil 0%, 0.25%, 0.5%, 0.75% and 1%. The parameter observed was the evaluation of membrane integrity before equilibration and after equilibration.

Results: The results showed that the percentage of membrane integrity in Simmental bull liquid semen continues to increase with the addition of sweet orange essential oils. The results showed that the addition of sweet orange essential oil as much as 0% produced a membrane integrity percentage after equilibration of 63%, adding 0.25% resulted in 68%, adding 0.5% yielded 70%, adding 0.75% yielded 75% and adding 1% resulted in 79%.

Conclusion: The best percentage of membrane integrity in Simmental bull liquid semen was the addition of gentamicin and sweet orange essential oil in the tris yolk extender at the level of 1%.
Morphological and Structural Diversities of Indigenous Mycorrhiza Communities Associated to Castor Bean from Adamawa Cameroon
Authors: Tchuenteu Lucien Tatchum , Maimouna Abba , Youmbi Olivia Wafo , Megueni Clautilde
Published: March 2020

This study describes the diversity of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) that enter into association with castor bean growth wild in Subsaharan Africa. Three sites of castor bean stands were selected in each of the three Subdivisions (Ngaoundere I, Ngaoundere II and Nyambaka) of the Vina Division in Adamawa Cameroon. Soil samples and roots were taken from each castor bean rhizosphere. All samples from one site were mixed into a composite sample. Leek was used as trap plant. Mycorrhizal parameters, spores density and specific richness were determined following to the standard methods. After spore extraction, species identification was obtained through the informations provided by the International Vesicular Mycorrhizal fungi collection. Results indicate that Cameroonian castor bean accession was found to be symbiotic with AMF under Sudano-Guinean climate of Adamawa Cameroon. The morphological and structural characterization enabled the description of six AMF species, belonging to three genera: Glomus fasciculatum, Glomus sp1, Glomus sp2, Scutellospora calospora,  Scutellospora purpurasens, Entrophospora infrequens. These findings open opportunities for domestication and application of AMF for a sustainable castor bean productivity.
Influential Factors on Customer Loyalty of La Moosh (Café), Hyderabad, Pakistan: An Empirical Approach
Authors: Khokhar Zuhaib , Khokhar Ramima
Published: March 2020

Customers are the kings of any enterprise. They are considered as the backbone behind the triumph of a company. This is the quantitative and correlational research in nature. It aims at identifying the most influential factors or elements that can bring about impacts on customer loyalty. The most influential factors came out to be our service quality, customer satisfaction, customer trust and brand image have an impact on the loyalty of customers. The elements like service quality, customer satisfaction, customer trust and brand image are independent variables, whereas the dependent variable only includes customer loyalty. The targeted population is comprised of all those people and customers who visit La Moosh (Café), Hyderabad, Pakistan. For a collection of data, a closed-ended 5-point likert scale was established (from strongly disagree to strongly agree). A sample of 250 questionnaires was distributed and administered in IBM SPSS version 25. Three major tests are entertained for analysis such as factor analysis, reliability analysis (Cronbach’s Alpha) test and regression analysis test. Findings show that there is a significant and direct relationship of independent variables including service quality, customer satisfaction, customer trust and brand image on the dependent variable i.e. customer loyalty on La Moosh, Hyderabad, Pakistan. Therefore, it was recommended to enhance all the variables (service quality, customer satisfaction, customer trust and brand image) that have a significant positive impact on customer loyalty.
Dynamic Nano Clusters of Water on Waters Catholyte and Anolyte: Electrolysis with Nano Membranes
Authors: Ignatov Ignat , Gluhchev Georgi , Karadzhov Stoil , Yaneva Iliana , Valcheva Nedyalka , Dinkov Georgi , Popova Teodora , Petrova Toshka , Mehandjiev Dimitar , Akszjonovics Igor
Published: March 2020

The electrolysis is a base of many industrial processes like galvanotechnics and galvanoplastics. It is also used for hydrogen, and oxygen production. Different products such as H2, NaOH, HCl, heavy water (D2O) and others could be obtained as well depending on the manufacturing conditions. They can influence significantly the vital processes in living organisms either activating or diminishing their rate [1,2]. The catholyte and anolyte waters are produced in the cathode and anode parts of the electrolysis cell. The catholyte is alkaline and has a negative oxidation reduction potential (ORP). The anolyte is acidic and of positive ORP. The value for ORP is in milivolts (mV). It was demonstrated that the catholyte stimulated the metabolitic processes and immune system, and had an anti-oxidant action. Recent investigation of catholyte water on Graffi tumor in hamsters has demonstrated its antitumor effect [3]. The anolyte however has demonstrated strong biocidal and antiinflamatory action [4,5] Cha, Chun-Nam et al. [6]. In spite of many investigations carried out all over the world no satisfactory explanation of these properties has been suggested until now. In the report a model of the number of water molecules related to the energy of hydrogen bonds is described.
The Role of Visual and Chemosensory Signals in Male–Male Aggression of the Cichlid Astatotilapia burtoni
Authors: Mobley Robert B. , Doré Evan J. , Maruska Karen P.
Published: December 2024

Sensory processing of communication stimuli is essential for the survival of organisms across all evolutionary branches. Multimodal signaling, the use of multiple sensory systems is crucial in this process, but little is known about the relative importance of different senses used during aggression. We used the African cichlid fish, Astatotilapia burtoni, to test how visual and chemosensory signals in male–male interactions influence behavior. Males of this species exist in a dominance hierarchy, where brightly colored dominant individuals aggressively defend territories for reproductive activities. Focal males were presented with visual and chemosensory signals from other males either alone (unimodal) or together (bimodal). We found that vision is necessary for males to engage in aggressive behaviors such as frontal displays, lateral displays, and border fights. While chemical signals alone did not evoke aggressive behaviors, we find slight reductions of some aggressive behaviors when bimodal stimuli are provided. This study is the first to examine how visual–chemosensory signaling impacts male–male aggressive behavior in A. burtoni and provides insight on how these signaling modalities mediate territorial interactions.
Spiral‐Like Trajectories of Singularities at Fresnel Diffraction on Double Fork‐Shaped Gratings
Authors: Ikonnikov Denis A. , Myslivets Sergey A.
Published: December 2024

Fresnel diffraction on double fork‐shaped gratings is studied. The trajectories of singularities are found to form two groups of nested spirals, with one originating from each dislocation. The number of spirals nested in each group is found to be equal to the topological charge of the dislocation from which it originates. The influence of the initial distance between dislocations on the trajectories of singularities is examined in detail, and the distinctive characteristics of this dependence are highlighted. The trajectory of the displacement of centroids of singularities from one group of nested spirals during the propagation for various topological charges is investigated. The results demonstrate that the higher the topological of the second dislocation is, the faster the centroid from the first dislocation will shift along the axis during the propagation. This finding indicates that the trajectory of singularities displacement is not defined by the singularity itself, but rather by the background field, which correlates well with the hydrodynamic approach.
Oxidative stability of optimized nanostructured lipid carriers containing thymoquinone‐rich oil
Authors: Ardhi Aulia , Raharjo Sri , Sudjarwo Wisnu Arfian Anditya , Schreiner Matthias
Published: December 2024

Lipid‐based nanodelivery systems are now widely used in the pharmaceutical and food industries to enhance the delivery of bioactive compounds by leveraging the properties of lipids. Nanostructured lipid carriers (NLC), as one of the lipid‐based nano‐delivery systems, employs a blend of solid and liquid lipids, which improves the solubility, stability, and bioavailability of bioactive substances. This study aimed to optimize the NLC containing thymoquinone‐rich oil (NLC‐TQO) formulation using the Box–Behnken design; assess its antioxidant activity and oxidative stability by measuring 2,2‐diphenyl−1‐picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity, thymoquinone (TQ), and tocopherol contents over 28‐day storage; and evaluate the impact of incorporating beta‐carotene as singlet oxygen quencher on the oxidative stability of the NLC‐TQO. The optimized formulation involved 4.16% lipids (glyceryl monostearate and TQO), 5.85% Tween 80 as the surfactant, and 8.20 min of ultrasonication. NLC formulations demonstrated better DPPH activity retention than the emulsions, with cold and dark storage conditions being the most effective for preserving antioxidant activity. TQ stability in the NLC was observed at elevated temperatures without light, with around 50% remaining intact. However, TQ degraded rapidly under light, almost entirely by day 7. Gamma‐tocopherol exhibited better stability than alpha‐tocopherol, especially under light. The addition of beta‐carotene enhanced NLC‐TQO's oxidative stability. These findings revealed the potential of the NLC formulation as an effective delivery system for TQ with better oxidative protection compared to emulsions, making it a promising option for pharmaceutical and food industry applications.
Techno‐economic and environmental assessment of converting mixed prairie to renewable natural gas with co‐product hydroxycinnamic acid
Authors: Wild Katherine , Rahic Elmin , Schulte Lisa , Mba Wright Mark
Published: December 2024

There is a need for research into clean alternative energy sources to meet future energy requirements. Renewable natural gas (RNG) can assist in fulfilling a growing projected demand for natural gas in a sustainable manner. This study focuses on a techno‐economic analysis (TEA) and a life cycle assessment (LCA) for the co‐digestion of manure with pretreated prairie biomass. This process offers higher biogas yields and an additional co‐product, hydroxycinnamic acid (HCA), to decrease the minimum fuel selling price (MFSP) of RNG. The plant produces between 524 000 GJ year−1 and 1 176 000 GJ year−1 of RNG in the five modeled scenarios. The MFSP of RNG for scenarios where biomass pretreatment occurs is estimated to be between $15.87 GJ−1 and $18.94 GJ−1. The MFSP for the scenario where no pretreatment occurs is estimated to be $21.21 GJ−1. The global warming potential results range from −7.30 kg CO2e GJ−1 to 21.59 kg CO2e GJ−1. Sensitivity and uncertainty analyses are also completed.
The Utility of Coronary Revascularization to Reduce Ventricular Arrhythmias in Coronary Artery Disease Patients: A Systematic Review
Authors: Junarta Joey , Siddiqui Muhammad U. , Abaza Ehab , Zhang Peter , Patel Anjani , Park David S. , Aizer Anthony , Razzouk Louai , Rao Sunil V.
Published: December 2024

Ventricular arrhythmias (VA) are a major cause of morbidity and mortality in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). Current guidelines recommend revascularization of significant CAD to improve survival in patients with ventricular fibrillation (VF), polymorphic ventricular tachycardia (VT), or those who are post‐cardiac arrest. However, revascularization is not recommended for CAD patients with suspected scar‐mediated monomorphic VT. There is a paucity of data detailing the utility of revascularization in reducing VA in CAD patients who do not present with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) and are not immediately post‐cardiac arrest, which is the focus of this review. Medline, Scopus, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials were systematically searched to identify relevant studies addressing this question. Studies that included patients presenting with ACS or those who were immediately post‐cardiac arrest at the time of revascularization were excluded. In total, five studies comprising 2663 patients were reviewed.
Intravascular Ultrasound for the Prevention of Coronary Artery Occlusion During Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement
Authors: Krysztofiak Helena , Krawczyk Krzysztof , Gwóźdź Witold , Sacha Jerzy
Published: December 2024

Predicting coronary artery occlusion after transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) is usually based on computed tomography angiography (CTA). The primary risk factors seem to be a low coronary artery take‐off and a small aortic root. However, CTA sometimes provides ambiguous risk assessment, and even if a potentially risky coronary artery is secured with a guidewire, the need for coronary stenting after valve implantation often remains uncertain. To reduce uncertainty, intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) can be used. The following two cases highlight the utility of IVUS in addressing these issues.
Preparation of High‐Selectivity Li+ Adsorbents Based on Bauxite via Liquid‐Phase Alkaline Thermal Activation
Authors: Ding Tao , Hu Yiran , Qian Cheng , Zheng Mianping , Nie Zhen , Xing Enyuan , Wang Xinlei , Li Yubin
Published: December 2024

Bauxite, as the main aluminium‐bearing mineral in China, is a crucial resource for the industrial production of aluminium and aluminium‐related products. In this study, bauxite‐based aluminium composite Li+ adsorbents were prepared using a liquid‐phase alkaline thermal activation—acid in situ method. The effects of various factors on Li+ adsorption from brine were investigated through single‐factor experiments. Multiple techniques, such as scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive x‐ray spectroscopy (EDS), x‐ray diffraction (XRD), Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) method, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT‐IR), and x‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), were employed to characterise and analyse the microstructure, pore size distribution, chemical element distribution, and mineral structure of the adsorbents. In addition, the changes in bauxite structure and properties before and after functionalization were investigated. Results indicate that the adsorption capacity of LATA‐AIS‐LDH‐BX adsorbent prepared by the acid in situ method reached 1.15 mg/g at pH = 7; the adsorption capacity of LATA‐Al‐LDH‐BX adsorbent prepared by the aluminium salt conversion method reached 2.16 mg/g. The adsorption behaviour of both adsorbents followed the pseudo‐second‐order kinetic model and the Langmuir model. In the presence of interfering ions (Na+, K+, SO24+, Mg2+), the composite adsorbents showcased strong selective adsorption capacity for Li+. After five cycles of adsorption–desorption, the adsorption rates decreased by 12.19% and 11.48%, respectively, demonstrating good recycling stability. Furthermore, the Li+ adsorption capacities in salt lake brine reached 0.82 mg/g and 1.48 mg/g, indicating promising potential for industrial application.
A Systematic Review on Clinical Evidence for Topical Metformin: Old Medication With New Application
Authors: Afshar Kimia , Adibfard Sara , Nikbakht Mohammad Hossein , Rastegarnasab Fereshte , Pourmahdi‐Boroujeni Mahsa , Abtahi‐Naeini Bahareh
Published: December 2024

Background and Aims

Metformin is a widely used oral agent for controlling diabetes mellitus, but it also has other therapeutic benefits for various conditions. In addition, conventional oral metformin, and topical metformin have been used in, in‐vitro studies in the treatment of acne, psoriasis, wound healing, and and so forth. While topical metformin has shown promising results in animal studies, there is limited data on its effectiveness in humans. Our study aims to summarize the clinical findings of human studies on the efficacy of topical metformin.

Methods

This review followed the PRISMA standards and systematically searched multiple databases using specific keywords. The relevant articles were selected according to the inclusions and exclusions criteria.

Results

Our search strategy yielded 1831 articles, after screening, 27 articles met our inclusion criteria which were: human studies, articles published before the start of the search, and topical forms of metformin. We also identified three additional relevant articles through reference checking. Therefore, our systematic review included a total of 30 articles.

Conclusion

Most commonly, topical metformin has been studied in dentistry and dermatology. In dentistry, it has been found effective in treating periodontitis when used with scaling and root planning. Combining metformin with platelet‐rich fibrin can provide better benefits for furcation‐involved teeth, and coating dental implants with metformin improves osseointegration. In dermatology, studies on melasma have had inconsistent results. Topical metformin has also shown promising results in promoting hair regrowth, wound healing, and acne vulgaris, suggesting it could be a potential treatment option for these conditions.
The effect of interpregnancy interval on the risk for cesarean delivery following prior vaginal delivery
Authors: Chromey David , Lesser Henry , Gray Celia , Pawar Priyanka , Mackeen A. Dhanya
Published: December 2024

Synopsis

Prior vaginal delivery remains preventative of cesarean delivery despite increasing interpregnancy interval; therefore, patients should be encouraged to attempt vaginal delivery regardless of interpregnancy interval.
Land Use Effects on Water Chemistry in Lagos Lagoon, Nigeria (West Africa)
Authors: Okorie Blessing Chinomso , Komoe Koffi , Onyema Ikenna Charles , Schubert Hendrik , Mendy Pierre Anthony , Dwumah Kwasi Aning
Published: December 2024

Understanding the effects of changes in land use patterns in the catchment area on water quality is crucial for effectively protecting aquatic resources. As transition zones between freshwater and the marine realm, Lagoon systems are especially vulnerable to anthropogenic influence due to their limited water exchange and challenging salinity regimes. To assess the environmental consequences of land use changes on water quality parameters under subtropical African conditions, 12 sites in Lagos Lagoon were sampled monthly over an entire year, covering the wet and dry seasons. The relationships between land use patterns and water quality were studied by combining seasonal water analysis results with GIS mapping based on satellite images. The results of the monthly water analysis showed a large degree of seasonality effects on almost all parameters but also some site‐specific features pointing to local dominance of catchment area‐related impacts. To unravel them, correlations between water parameters and land use patterns were analyzed based on a rough but robust classification. The land use forms were divided into five categories: waterbody, bare land, forest, urban area, and wetland. Independent of the restricted range of land use pattern variability covered by this study, several significant correlations between land use form and water quality parameters were found. Most of them are exclusively restricted to either the wet or dry season. Consistent season‐independent significant correlations were found between the percentage of urban area and dissolved oxygen concentration. For wetlands, such consistent and significant correlations were found with nitrate, chemical oxygen demand, and turbidity. The findings provide first insights into the impact of land use changes on lagoon water quality under subtropical biodiversity of these systems and aquatic resources in general.
Medial pivot total knee arthroplasty for valgus knees provides equivalent medial stability compared to that for varus knees: In vivo kinematic study
Authors: Kage Tomofumi , Kono Kenichi , Tomita Tetsuya , Yamazaki Takaharu , Taketomi Shuji , Yamagami Ryota , Kawaguchi Kohei , Murakami Ryo , Arakawa Takahiro , Kobayashi Takashi , Inui Hiroshi , Tanaka Sakae
Published: December 2024

Purpose

The efficacy of medial pivot total knee arthroplasty (MP TKA) in treating valgus knees that may cause medial instability is unknown. The purpose of this study was to investigate the in vivo kinematics of MP TKA for the valgus knees and compare them to those for the varus knees.

Methods

The kinematics of 19 valgus knees and 19 varus knees operated in the MP TKA were investigated under fluoroscopy during squatting using a two‐ to three‐dimensional registration technique. Accordingly, the valgus and varus knees were evaluated and compared in terms of knee flexion angle, anteroposterior translation for the medial and lateral low contact points, axial rotation and valgus–varus angle of the femoral component relative to the tibial component, as well as kinematic pathways.

Results

The knee flexion angle was found to be identical in both knees. There was no anterior translation on the medial side of the valgus knees, and no difference was detected between the two knees. On the lateral side, posterior translation was observed in both knees, with no difference between the two. Femoral external rotation was observed in both knees, and no difference was detected between the two. There was no valgus–varus change in the valgus knees, nor was there a difference between the two knees. The valgus knees demonstrated MP motion, whereas the varus knees demonstrated MP motion and bicondylar rollback.

Conclusion

The medial side of the valgus knees treated with MP TKA showed comparable stable kinematics to the varus knees. The MP TKA is an effective procedure for valgus knees to stabilize the medial compartment.

Level of Evidence

Level Ⅲ.