bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Analysis of the Character of the Insured by Policy Holders of Private Insurance Companies in Indonesia with the Rough Set Method
Authors: Ameilea Chealsea Ekaputrie  , Achmad Fauzan
Published: May 2023

Insurance provides services in the form of services in facilitating a disaster that may occur based on a history of problems that have occurred. One of the private insurance companies in Indonesia has provided an insurance service program to guarantee employee welfare for policy-holding companies. The purpose of this research is to find out the pattern of association rules from the character of the insured by the policyholder so that it is expected to be able to make valuable information as input or consideration for the policymakers of private insurance companies in Indonesia. This study uses the rough set method as one of the efficient data analysis methods or techniques in database mining or knowledge discovery in relational databases. Rough sets provide algorithms to quickly and easily find hidden patterns in data. The results of the pattern of association rules for the character of the insured by the policyholder have formed as many as 14 rules. The certainty value is intended as a proportionate evaluation amount in order to find out the record of insurance claims that can be chosen by the insured. At the same time, the coverage value is intended as an evaluation amount to produce a decision for the insured to submit a claim record. The probable percentage of all events that are most recommended is seen from the highest coverage value related to record indicators, namely for administration by 45.9%, inspection by 44.1%, others by 40.8%, operation by 48.8%, financing by 46.3%, maintenance by 42%, and compensation of 65.9%.
Investigating the Effects of Parameter Tuning on Machine Learning for Occupant Behavior Analysis in Japanese Residen-tial Buildings
Authors: Furuhashi Kaito , Nakaya Takashi
Published: May 2023

In this study, machine learning was used to predict and analyze the behavior of occupants in Gifu City residences during winter. Global warming is currently progressing worldwide, and it is important to control greenhouse gas emissions from the perspective of adaptation and mitigation. Occupant behavior is highly individualized and must be analyzed to accurately determine a building's energy consumption. The accuracy of heating behavior prediction has been studied using three different methods: logistic regression, support vector machine (SVM), and deep neural network (DNN). The generalization ability of the support vector machine and the deep neural network was improved by parameter tuning. Parameter tuning of the SVM showed that the values of C and gamma affected the prediction accuracy. The prediction accuracy improved by approximately 11.9 %, confirming the effectiveness of parameter tuning on SVM. Parameter tuning of the DNN showed that the values of layer and neuron affected the prediction accuracy. Although parameter tuning also improved the prediction accuracy of DNN, and the rate of increase was lower than that of SVM.
Modeling and Quantifying the Impact of Personified Communication on Purchase Behavior in Social Commerce
Authors: Zhao Jie , Zhu Chengxiang
Published: May 2023

The development of mobile internet technology has enabled companies to use social media for E-commerce. Some companies use personified images and languages to communicate with consumers in this context. How does personified communication affect consumer behavior in social commerce? Are consumers willing to accept this new form of communication under social commerce? To answer these questions, this paper explores consumers' willingness to take per-sonified communication in the context of social commerce. It investigates the role of cognitive needs in regulating the internal mechanism and proposes some suggestions for enterprises to improve social media communication. Specifically, this paper presents an improved model based on the TAM model. In our model, perceived interaction is introduced as a new independent variable, and cognitive need is added as a regulatory variable, which is more suitable for social commerce. We conduct a questionnaire survey on the Internet and analyze data using AMOS and SPSS. The results show that perceived usefulness and perceived interaction positively im-pact attitude, which influences consumers' willingness to purchase. Furthermore, the cognitive need as the regulatory variable significantly affects the influencing path from perceived use-fulness to attitude and purchase intention.
Could Deep-sea Fisheries Contribute to the Food Security of Our Planet? Pros and Cons
Authors: Sadik-Zada Elkhan Richard , Ferrari Mattia , Gonzalez Alicia
Published: May 2023

Hundreds of millions of people on the planet are affected by malnourishment. This contributes to the vulnerability of large swaths of the population, especially children under five years old extremely vulnerable to diseases and even death in the least developed countries. Today, by providing a substantial share of global protein intake, as well as fatty acids and micronutrients, fisheries contribute to global food security. As fish stocks in the upper sea levels have already been over-exploited, there might not be enough in supplying food security, deep-sea fisheries have been increasingly discussed to address this problem. Some mesopelagic fishes show the potential to provide important nutrients. Another way of supplying food security might be through using mesopelagic fish as fish feed. However, fishing in the mesopelagic zone could lead to severe ecological problems and the impact on the biological carbon pump is uncertain. This paper highlights and juxtaposes different perspectives regarding exploitation pathways of the fish riches of deep seas and reviews best practice model projects that deal with uncertainties related to fishery management in the mesopelagic zone.
Identification of Geometric Features of the Corrugated Board Using Images and Genetic Algorithm
Authors: Rogalka Maciej , Grabski Jakub Krzysztof , Garbowski Tomasz
Published: May 2023

The corrugated board is a versatile and durable material that is widely used in the packaging industry. Its unique structure provides strength and cushioning, while its recyclability and bio-degradability make it an environmentally friendly option. The strength of corrugated board depends on many factors, including the type of individual papers on flat and corrugated layers, the geometry of the flute, temperature, humidity, etc. This paper presents a new approach to analysis geometric features of corrugated boards based on the images. It allows for precise determination of the geometry of the corrugated layer, as well as the thickness of individual papers in all cardboard layers. The experimental set used in the work and the created software are characterized by high reliability and precision of measurement thanks to the use of an identification procedure based on image analysis and evolutionary algorithms. This allows to quickly find the main geometric characteristics of the corrugated board, which in turn leads to the possibility of performing numerical analyzes taking into account the real model of the corrugated board. Calculations made on a real (correctly mapped geometrically) model allow, for example, a more reliable analysis of the composition of the cardboard, and thus also to obtain greater savings in the optimization process.
Novel Nonlinear Control for a Class of Non-Integer Order Time Lag Gene System
Authors: Shi Xiaoling
Published: May 2023

This study presents the bifurcation analysis and stabilization via the impulsive control of a fractional-order gene regulatory network with time delay. First, the author chooses the transcription rate k as the bifurcation parameter and obtains the Hopf bifurcation condition by analyzing its characteristic equation. The research shows that Hopf bifurcation occurs when the transcription rate k exceeds a critical value. This bifurcation behavior may destabilize the system. Subsequently, the author designs an impulsive controller to stabilize the system. Finally, simulation examples are used to verify our theory.
Dynamics Simulation of Biped Robot with Arch Structure and Toe Joint
Authors: Nekomoto Reona , Sekiguchi Akinori
Published: May 2023

The arch structure of human foot absorbs impact and assists push-off movements during walking. The objective of this study is to introduce arch structures and toe joints into a biped robot, verify the effects, and devise walk control methods by dynamics simulation. We simulated the upright state and start of walking using Choreonoid. The results confirmed that the arch structure improved the impact absorption and stability in the anteroposterior direction. In addition, the arch structure could be expected to smooth the load transfer between the supporting legs during the step change.
Causality Extraction Cascade Model Based on Dual Labeling
Authors: Yan Fengxiao , Shen Bo , Dai Chenyang
Published: May 2023

Causal relation extraction is a crucial task in natural language processing. Current extraction methods have problems, including low accuracy of causal-event division and incorrect extraction of important semantic features. This study uses the bidirectional long short-term memory (BiLSTM) and attentive convolutional neural network (ACNN) models to construct a cascaded causal relationship extraction model to improve the precision of the extraction. The model uses two kinds of labels and then divides the causal event boundary after determining the relationship between the front and rear causal events. It automatically learns semantic features from sentences, reducing the dependence on external knowledge and improving the precision of extraction. The experimental results demonstrate that the precision of causality extraction can reach 81.67% and the F1 value can reach 83.2%.
Tracking Control Method of Multi Motor Actuator Saturation Based on Total Amount Consistency
Authors: Jia Lin , Zhang Junming , Zhang Changfan , He Jing
Published: May 2023

In collaborative control of multi motors for heavy-duty locomotives, the output value of the motor frequently exceeds its maximum allowable value during power redistribution. This results in a saturated motor owing to the power redundancy of each wheel set of the train. In this study, an algorithm for the tracking control of a consistent total amount of the extended observer through anti-saturation is proposed. First, mathematical models of multi-motor traction systems are developed. The system includes uncertain parameter perturbations and external perturbations. Second, a new type of extended sliding mode observer (ESMO) is designed to reduce the influence of the tracking effect on the input saturation of the system. Subsequently, for collaborative control of multi motors in heavy-duty locomotives, a new scheme for dynamic and auxiliary anti-saturation compensation (anti-windup) is established. The perturbation observation results and the systems’ auxiliary status are respectively input into the sliding mode controller (SMC). A traction total-amount coordinated tracking control (TACTC) of multi motors is achieved to ensure consistency of the system’s total output torque and the given traction characteristic curve. Finally, simulations and tests are performed on the motor actuators to demonstrate a good control effect.
Model Evaluasi Pembelajaran PAI Berbasis Daring Di MTs. Usman Syarif Medan Selama Pandemi Covid-19
Authors: Lubis Rahmat Rifai , Enita Putri , Marpaung M. Abdurrahman Fauzi , Harahap Rediani
Published: May 2023

This study aims to analyze (1) evaluation model of online Islamic education based on cognitive aspects, (2) evaluation model of online Islamic education based on affective and spiritual aspects, and (3) evaluation model of online Islamic education based on psychomotor aspects. This research was conducted at MTs. Usman Syarif Medan, while the research method used in this study is a qualitative research method with a descriptive study approach. The data collection techniques used were interviews, observation, and documentation. The results showed that the online learning evaluation model of PAI based on the cognitive aspects was carried out with several forms of evaluation, namely questions in the form of multiple choice tests, questions in the form of essay tests, portfolios, and oral exams. The Affective and Spiritual Aspect Evaluation Model is in the form of projective assessment, objective assessment, attitude and spiritual assessment rubrics. The Psychomotor Aspect Learning Evaluation Model was carried out using a skills assessment rubric.
Pengembangan Bahan Ajar Berbasis Pbl Untuk Meningkatkan Kemampuan Pemecahan Masalah
Authors: Sari Indah Permata , Arwansyah Arwansyah , Hasyim Hasyim
Published: May 2023

Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk membuat dan mengembangkan modul pembelajaran berbasis Problem Based Learning pada mata pelajaran ekonomi  kelas XI IIS MAN 1 Padang Lawas yang dapat mendukung pembelajaran sehingga membantu guru dalam menyampaikan materi pembelajaran. Penelitian ini adalah penelitian pengembangan dengan menggunakan model pengembangan 4D. Selain itu, penelitian ini juga dilakukan untuk mengetahui kemampuan peningkatan pemecahan masalah siswa dalam pemebelajaran ekonomi. Penelitian ini dilaksanakan di MAN 1 Padang Lawas. teknik pengambilan sampel dilakukan dengan random sampling. Hasil penelitian ini adalah modul pembelajaran ekonomi berbasis Problem Based Learning  yang dikembangkan memenuhi syarat kelayakan (valid) untuk digunakan sebagai modul pembelajaran pada mata pelajaran ekonomi  kelas XI IIS. Produk yang dikembangkan, berdasarkan penilaian dari aspek materi, desain pembelajaran dan aspek modul pembelajaran yang dilakukan oleh ahli dan juga respon ataupun tanggapan dari siswa diperoleh persentase rata-rata 89% masuk dalam kategori “sangat layak” dan kemampuan pemecahan masalah siswa menggunakan modul yang dikembangkan mengalami peningkatan.

Kata kunci: Modul, Problem Based Learning, Kemampuan Pemecahan Masalah Siswa
The Role of Perceived Susceptibility, Perceived Severity, Perceived Barriers and Benefits in COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy and Uptake Among Outpatient Surgery Nurses in the United States: A Qualitative Study
Authors: Matta Dania , Herring Patti , Beeson W. Lawrence , Wiafe Seth
Published: May 2023

Background and Objective: This qualitative study explores outpatient nurses’ perceptions of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and the COVID-19 vaccine, aiming to inform future research and health education strategies for reducing vaccination hesitancy among healthcare workers, particularly nurses. The nurses recruited for this study were all registered nurses (RNs). Studies have shown that registered professional nurses consistently display higher vaccination hesitancy versus other healthcare groups, specifically doctors. Little is known about the vaccine acceptance disparities that exist among healthcare workers, or why nurses appear to consistently display higher rates of vaccine hesitancy, versus other healthcare groups, especially doctors.
Methods: Semi-structured interviews guided by the health belief model were conducted with 8 outpatient nurses, and a focus group guided by the health belief model was conducted with 5 outpatient nurses, for a total of 13 nurses (N=13). The data were triangulated through interviews, a focus group, and a literature review. In addition, an independent external secondary analyst confirmed the findings.
Results: Three key themes appeared: (1) sources of information (trusted sources of information), (2) experience (belief about personal risk and personal responsibility), and (3) logistics (COVID-19 testing requirements, booster frequency, and mandate versus choice).
Conclusion and Implications for Translation: We advise public health professionals to adopt a grassroots approach to vaccine hesitancy interventions, engaging and training doctors and nurses. We also recommend consistency in prevention approaches, as that produces trust. We also recommend further research into the booster requirement, as requiring an unknown number of boosters appears to lower trust among nurses.
 
Copyright © 2023 Matta et al. Published by Global Health and Education Projects, Inc. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License CC BY 4.0.
Validación de un sistema de análisis de la competición de natación de bajo coste mediante la técnica panning
Authors: Sarrió-Gisbert Vicente , Sanchis-Sanchis Roberto , Pérez-Soriano Pedro , Encarnación Martínez Alberto
Published: May 2023

Antecedentes: El análisis de la competición en natación aporta datos relevantes para el rendimiento de los nadadores, sin embargo, las técnicas utilizadas requieren de instrumental costoso. La aparición de alternativas económicas como las técnicas de seguimiento del nadador, conocidas como panning, son una alternativa para la democratización del análisis de la competición.

Objetivos: Validar un sistema de análisis de la competición panning en comparación con el sistema tradicional de cámaras fijas.

Método: 10 nadadores fueron analizados durante un nado de 25 metros mediante un sistema de cámaras fijas y una cámara GoPro que realizaba la medición siguiendo al nadador. Previamente, las corcheras fueron marcadas cada 5 metros para que fueran visibles por las cámaras. Las grabaciones se hicieron de forma simultánea. Se analizó la repetibilidad del observador, así como la validación entre sistemas.

Resultados: La repetibilidad intra-sujeto indicó que el observador analizado presentó un alto grado de repetibilidad (error < 2%). El estudio de fiabilidad entre sistemas (Cámaras fijas vs. Panning) arrojó niveles de correlación de Pearson y concordancia de Lin extremadamente altos, así como el coeficiente de correlación intraclase excelente. Igualmente, no se observaron diferencias significativas entre sistemas. Por último, las diferencias entre los dos sistemas mediante gráficos Bland-Altman indicaron que todas las observaciones se distribuían entre los intervalos de confianza del percentil 95%, indicando un acuerdo entre sistemas elevado.

Conclusiones: El sistema panning de análisis de la competición es válido respecto al sistema de cámaras fijas a nivel de entrenamientos.
The impact assessment of China’s Smart City Pilots in Reducing Industrial Pollution: Evidence from a Spatial Difference-in-Differences Analysis
Authors: zhang acheng , Wen Yonglin
Published: May 2023

This article contributes to examine the causal impacts of the SCP project and its potential mechanisms by considering the spillover effects of urban industrial pollution. Spatial difference-in-difference estimates that: (1) the SCP project is strongly associated with reduced industrial wastewater and SO2. On average, cities with the SCP witnessed a 6.4 and 6.5% drop in wastewater and SO2 emission, respectively. (2) Indirectly, the SCP increased industrial pollution in its neighbors, implying that SCP project exits a beggar-thy-neighbor effect. (3) Mechanism analysis indicated that the SCP reduced industrial pollution was partially mediated by government S&T fiscal expenditure. Our findings provide a strong rationale for city administrators to promote the deployment of smart technologies and other innovations in its efforts to tackle industrial pollution.
Dynamics of the Total Mercury Content in the Hair of Adolescent Residents of the Industrial Center of Northwest Russia (Cherepovets City)
Authors: Aleksina Iuliia , Ivanova Elena , Komov Viktor
Published: May 2023

The content of total mercury in the hair of adolescent residents of the industrial center of North-West Russia varied from less than 0.002 to 0.83 mg/kg. The content of total mercury in the hair of males is 1.5-2 times lower than that of females. The relationship between the body mass index of females and the content of total mercury in the hair (for the entire observation period rs=0.28–0.48, at p < 0.05) was observed. It was found that the concentration of metal in the hair of the study participants depended on the frequency of fish consumption. Over a three-year observation period, an increase in the indicator values of the concentration of total mercury in the hair was recorded among 70% of the study participants, on average by 0.03 mg/kg per year. Indicators of the content of total mercury in the hair of females and males in the city of Cherepovets did not exceed the standard values established in Russia and in the world. At the same time, the recorded values of the annual increase in the content of total mercury in the hair, allow us to predict the potentially hazardous levels of metal in the body of the study participants when they reach adulthood.
Dendritic cells mediated by small extracellular vesicles derived from MSCs attenuated the ILC2 activity via PGE2 in patients with allergic rhinitis
Authors: Liu Xiao-Qing , Peng Ya-Qi , Huang Long-Xin , Li Chan-Gu , Kuang Peng-Peng , Chen De-Hua , Wu Zi-Cong , He Bi-Xin , Zhou Zhi-Rou , Fu Qing-Ling
Published: May 2023

Background
Mesenchymal stromal cells-derived small extracellular vesicles (MSC-sEVs) have recently attracted considerable attention because of their therapeutic potential in various immune diseases. We previously reported that MSC-sEVs could exert immunomodulatory roles in allergic airway inflammation by regulating group 2 innate lymphoid cell (ILC2) and dendritic cell (DC) functions. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the therapeutic effects of MSC-sEVs on mature DC (mDC)-ILC2 interplay in allergic rhinitis (AR).
Methods
Here, we isolated MSC-sEVs from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC)-MSCs using anion-exchange chromatography for the generation of sEV-mDCs. sEV-mDCs were co-cultured with peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from patients with AR or purified ILC2s. The levels of IL-13 and GATA3 in ILC2s were examined by flow cytometry. Bulk RNA-sequence for mDCs and sEV-mDCs was employed to further probe the potential mechanisms, which were then validated in the co-culture systems.
Results
sEV-mDCs showed weaker capacity in priming the levels of IL-13 and GATA3 in ILC2s when compared with mDCs. Furthermore, there was higher PGE2 and IL-10 production from sEV-mDCs, and the blockade of them especially the former one could reverse the inhibitory effects of sEV-mDCs.
Conclusions
We demonstrated that MSC-sEVs were able to dampen the activating effects of mDCs on ILC2s in patients with AR. Mechanismly, the PGE2-EP2/4 axis played an essential role in the immunomodulatory effects of sEV-mDCs on ILC2s. Herein, we provided new insights into the mechanism underlying the therapeutic effects of MSC-sEVs in allergic airway inflammation.
Assessing the Household's Municipal Waste Segregation Intentions in Metropolitan of Twin Cities of Pakistan: A Structural Equation Modeling Approach
Authors: Akmal Tanzila , Jamil Faisal , Raza Muhammad Haseeb
Published: May 2023

There is a growing concern about inappropriate waste disposal and its devastating impact on human health and the environment. Insights into the motivations of household waste segregation drivers may assist in knowing how to achieve the required behavior in establishing the most efficient and effective initiatives at the household level. The theoretical model is driven by the theory of planned behavior (TPB), in which psychological, institutional, and situational factors influence household intentions to adopt waste segregation. For this purpose, data from a representative sample comprising 849 households is obtained from the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi, and analysis is conducted employing a structural equation modeling approach. The study finds that policy instruments have significant direct and indirect impacts on households' segregation intentions. The study concludes that government policy instruments strengthen personal and perceived norms for waste segregation intentions— resulting in an external intervention that would encourage intrinsic motivation rather than impair them. Therefore, policy intervention becomes the main entry point for initiating waste segregation behavior. Public policy must continue to emphasize the waste segregation at the source because it may help resource recovery from the refuse. This is imperative because the environment is a shared resource, and its conservation increases social welfare.
Organ agar serves as physiologically relevant alternative for in vivo colonization
Authors: Pearson Melanie , Shea Allyson , Smith Sara , Mobley Harry , Forsyth Valerie , Pahil Sapna
Published: May 2023

Animal models for host-microbial interactions have proven valuable, yielding physiologically relevant data that may be otherwise difficult to obtain. Unfortunately, such models are lacking or nonexistent for many microbes. Here, we introduce organ agar, a straightforward method to enable the screening of large mutant libraries while avoiding physiological bottlenecks. We demonstrate that growth defects on organ agar were translatable to colonization deficiencies in a murine model. Specifically, we present a urinary tract infection agar model to interrogate an ordered library of Proteus mirabilis transposon mutants, with accurate prediction of bacterial genes critical for host colonization. Thus, we demonstrate the ability of ex vivo organ agar to reproduce in vivo deficiencies. This work provides a readily adoptable technique that is economical and uses substantially fewer animals. We anticipate this method will be useful for a wide variety of microorganisms, both pathogenic and commensal, in a diverse range of model host species.
Cohort of live births from 2012 to 2020 in the municipality of Sao Paulo: identification of maternal, fetal, and newborn outcomes
Authors: Melo Tarcisio Cantos , Corrêa Fernanda Ferreira , Bonilha Eliana de Aquino , Aly Célia Maria Castex , Diniz Carmen Simone
Published: May 2023

The population’s health care may generate a large volume of data concerning services provided, making more knowledge available and making it possible to guide managers with respect to actions regarding health care. Among the databases processed by the Unified Health System [ Sistema Único de Saúde – SUS], are the System of Information on Live Births [Sistema de Informações sobre Nascidos Vivos (SINASC)], the System of Hospital Data [Sistema de Informações Hospitalares (SIH)] of the Ministry of Health, the System of Information on Mortality [Sistema de Informações de Mortalidade (SIM)], and, in the Municipality of Sao Paulo, the Integrated System of Health Care Management of the Municipal Department of Health [Sistema Integrado de Gestão da Assistência à Saúde da Secretaria Municipal de Saúde (SIGA)]. The objective of this study is to describe a method of linkage between the databases SIGA, SINASC, SIH and SIM making it possible to identify pregnant women/parturients and their fetuses and newborns in all these records. Consequently, analysis of the procedures and interventions undertaken on a woman during pregnancy and birth, those undertaken on her baby during and soon after birth, as well as hospitalizations, including those which occurred after discharge from hospital are attained. This study is part of a research project entitled, “How can interventions during labor and its outcomes become more visible to the data systems?”. The linkage of data from the SIGA, SINASC, SIH and SIM databases underwent 5 phases: treatment of the SIGA base, linkage, validations, descriptions, and metrics calculation.
Circular RNA Expression Profiles Are Significantly Altered after Cerebral Ischemia‒Reperfusion Injury in Different Parts of the Rat Brain
Authors: Xia Peishan , Yu Liying , He Bin , Pan Yuhua , Xu Jian , Wang Yijia , Yang Zhihua
Published: May 2023

Purpose
The objective of this study was to investigate the connection between circular RNA (circRNA) and ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury set on by middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) in different parts of the rat brain.
Methods
Using the MCAO technique, the adult male Sprague-Dawley rat model was created. At 24 hours after reperfusion, circRNA sequencing and real-time PCR were used to assess the circRNA expression profile in the ischemic region of the right cortex, striatum, and hippocampus. A bioinformatics investigation of the changed circRNAs following I/R injury was carried out, including the discovery of miRNA binding sites, analysis of transcription factor binding, Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis, and Gene Ontology (GO) analysis.
Results
85, 113 and 51 circRNAs in the cortex, striatum and hippocampus, respectively, substantially altered (|log2 (fold change)| > 1 and P < 0.05) after I/R, compared with the sham group. Significantly changed circRNAs found by sequencing analysis were confirmed by real-time PCR. Target genes of dysregulated circRNAs were connected to cellular components, biological processes, and molecular functions after I/R, according to GO and KEGG pathway studies. Finally, we successfully predicted a circMapk9-miR-29a-5p-gene network connected with NLRP3-mediated neuroinflammation in I/R.
Conclusion
The findings of this work provide the first investigation into the association between circRNAs and I/R injury brought on by MCAO in different parts of the rat brain, as well as a novel molecular target for the therapeutic management of I/R injury following endovascular thrombectomy (EVT).
Estimated enthalpy of formation of N-[3-(Dimethylamino)propyl] hexadecanamide by experimental approach
Authors: Foresto Luis Guilherme , Moya Silvia Fernanda , Suppino Raphael Soeiro
Published: May 2023

The N-[3-(Dimethylamino)propyl] hexadecanamide molecule is an important intermediate for synthesizing amphoteric and quaternary ammonium surfactants. Despite its importance for the household and personal care sectors, little to no information about its enthalpy of formation is found in the NIST database or literature, which hinders many industrial operations, especially its chemical production, by consuming much more energy than what is necessary. In this work, we present a first estimative of N-[3- (Dimethylamino)propyl] hexadecanamide's standard enthalpy of formation with a simple procedure that can be used to obtain similar parameters in chemical industry laboratories. The enthalpy estimative was obtained by reacting palmitic acid and dimethylaminopropylamine (DMAPA), yielding the desired compound. Hess's law was used to determine the enthalpy of the reaction through the heat associated with the extent of the reaction. The reagents were contacted in a simple calorimeter at room temperature (diluted with acetone) and 100 ºC (without acetone). The extent of the reaction was obtained by quantitative determination of the reaction medium in gas chromatography. The room temperature experiment led to an insignificant reaction extent which generated an unreliable result for the compound's enthalpy of formation. In contrast, at 100 ºC, the estimated standard enthalpy of the reaction was adequately calculated, leading to an enthalpy of formation of -703.93 ± 9.17 kJ/mol for the N- [3-(Dimethylamino)propyl] hexadecanamide. With this simple procedure, the industrial reactor's more precise heat consumption can be calculated, yielding economic and environmental benefits.
Strategies of positive deviants in fodder conservation among smallholder dairy farming systems in highlands and midlands of Kenya
Authors: Thomas Kogo , Yegon R. , Nthiwa D. , Migose S.A.
Published: May 2023

Fodder scarcity and low quality affect the productivity of dairy cattle in Kenya. Information on the unique strategies used by successful farmers also called positive deviants (PDs) among smallholder dairy farms is scanty. The objective of this study, therefore, was to determine the strategies distinguishing PDs from their peers (non-PDs), in fodder conservation at highlands and midlands agroecological zones of Tharaka Nithi County. Multistage sampling was used to select 121 smallholder dairy farms producing and conserving fodder. An increase in; land under fodder and crop residue, access to extension services, herd size, and milk yield (kg/cow/day) result in to increase in fodder conserved. Therefore, increased herd size, milk yield, land allocated to fodder production, and access to knowledge and skills promote fodder conservation. Further research on PDs methods and technologies of fodder conservation as well as economic performance could provide additional information to develop the dairy industry in highlands and midlands.
Mechanical Properties of SMA/PVA-ECC under Uniaxial Tensile Loading
Authors: yang zhao , Li Jiankun , Zhong Yilan , Qi Xiaolong
Published: May 2023

Although SMA/PVA hybrid fiber reinforced cementitious composites (SMA/PVA-ECC) exhibit excellent crack closure and deformation recovery capabilities, the research on their fundamental mechanical properties is still limited. This study investigates the tensile mechanical properties of SMA/PVA-ECC materials by conducting uniaxial tensile tests, analyzing the failure behavior, stress-strain curves, and characteristic parameters of the specimens, comparing the influence of SMA fiber content and diameter, and establishing a tensile constitutive model. The results show that the residual crack width of SMA/PVA-ECC specimens significantly decreases after unloading, and the SMA fiber content and diameter have a significant impact on the tensile properties of the specimens. The comprehensive tensile properties of specimens with a fiber diameter of 0.2 mm and content of 0.2% are the best, with their initial cracking strength, ultimate strength, and strain increasing by 56.4%, 23.6%, and 13.4%, respectively, compared to ECC specimens. The proposed bilinear tensile constitutive model has high accuracy. This study provides a theoretical basis for further research on SMA/PVA-ECC materials.
In-silico molecular characterization of DNAH6 and ATPase6 (Mitochondrial DNA) genes in asthenozoospermia patients in the northern region of India
Authors: Kumar Dinesh , Jeena Lalit Mohan , Tempe Anjali , Tanwar Renu , Kumar Suman
Published: May 2023

Background Male infertility due to spermatogenesis defects affects millions of men worldwide. However, the genetic etiology of the vast majority remains unclear. The present study was undertaken to assess the association of DNAH6 and ATPase6 genes in asthenozoospermia patients in the northern region of India.Methods A total of 60 semen samples were collected for the study, of which 30 were from the case group and 30 were from the control group. The semen samples for the case group (asthenozoospermia) and control groups were collected from IVF and Reproductive Biology Centre, Maulana Azad Medical College, New Delhi. Sperm count and motility were classified as per World Health Organization (WHO 2010) protocol. A total genomic DNA was extracted as per the stranded TRIZOL method with little modification.Results In-vitro molecular characterizations of DNAH6 and ATPase6 genes in both groups were checked by Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR). The 675bp and 375bp amplicons were amplified using PCR for ATPase6 and DNAH6 genes. Our study results showed a significant (P ≤ 0.05) null deletion of DNAH6 and ATPase6 genes in asthenozoospermia patients as compared to the control. We found the significant null deletion of DNAH6 in case 45.0%, and the control group was 11.7%. However, in the case of APTase6, it was 26.7% and 10.0%, respectively.Conclusions Our study concluded that the presence of DHAH6 and ATPase6 genes had a significant impact on male infertility.
Increasing C-reactive protein levels in a patient with glioblastoma with lymph node metastasis. A case report
Authors: Kanemitsu Takuya , Furuse Motomasa , Kuwabara Hiroko , Yagi Ryokichi , Hiramatsu Ryo , Kameda Masahiro , Nonoguchi Naosuke , Kawabata Shinji , Takami Toshihiro , Arai Motohiro , Wanibuchi Masahiko
Published: May 2023

Background: Glioblastoma multiforme is an intractable brain tumor; however, extracranial metastases are rare. The sites of metastasis vary and include the lungs, bone, lymph nodes, and liver, with approximately half of patients with extracranial metastasis having metastasis in the lymph nodes. Most patients with extracranial metastases experience recurrence of the primary intracranial tumor. Lymph node metastases are often detected based on symptoms caused by other metastatic sites or lymphadenopathy. However, this case report describes a patient with glioblastoma with lymph node metastasis, whose C-reactive protein levels gradually increased prior to becoming febrile.
Case presentation: We reporta case of lymph node metastasis in glioblastoma multiforme that was difficult to diagnose because the patient had fever of unknown origin and the intracranial tumor did not recur. The patient was asymptomatic with a slowly increasing C-reactive protein levels without signs of infection, and he became febrile 9 months after the initial increase. The chest computed tomography performed supraclavicular, mediastinal, and hilarlymphadenopathy, and biopsy revealed lymph node metastasis of glioblastoma. This is the fifth case of lymph node metastasis without intracranial recurrence.
Conclusions: C-reactive protein levels may be a marker for the diagnosis of lymph node metastasis in patients with glioblastoma.
Assessment of Antioxidant activity of Silver Nanoparticles synthesized using aqueous extract of Schizophyllum commune inTriazophos-induced oxidative stress in albino rats
Authors: Kumar Amar , Haque Anam
Published: May 2023

Background: Several previous research works have reported that the silver nanoparticles have significant biofunctional role in wound healing, in drug-delivery system, catheter modification, bone healing and shows marked antibacterial, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, anti-viral and anti-fungal activities. Moreover the synthesis of silver nanoparticles by biological methods are ecofriendly and cost-effective. The present work has been aimed to synthesize and characterize the silver nanoparticles using aqueous extract of edible macrofungus Schizophyllum commune as well as to compare the antioxidant potentialities of the aqueous extract and the extract based silver nanoparticles.
Results: The silver nanoparticles were synthesized by the reduction of silver ions present in Silver Nitrate solution by the secondary metabolites present in the macrofungal extract which consequently produces a gradual color change in the solution. The synthesized silver nanoparticles showed the SPR (Surface Plasmon Resonance) peak at 431 in the UV-VIS spectrum. The SEM images showed that the nanoparticles have cuboidal and roughly spherical morphology with a size ranging from 80 nm to 110 nm, average size was found to be 96.13nm. The FT-IR spectrum revealed the surface coating of functional groups of different secondary metabolites present in the macrofungal extract. The results of in-vitroassessment of antioxidant activity revealed that the aqueous extract was found to have 21.28 % DPPH radical scavenging activity whereas the extract-based silver nanoparticles have 33.59 % DPPH radical scavenging activity at the same concentration of 100µg/ml. The in-vivo assessment of antioxidant activities of the extract and extract based silver nanoparticles involved the assessment of activity of key enzymes like CAT,SOD and GPx in the blood of albino rats and the results revealed that the extract and the extract based silver nanoparticles have significant antioxidant activities.
Conclusions: The synthesis of silver nanoparticles with S. commune extract is both environmentally freindly and cost-effective, and the nanoparticles were found to have a high level of stability. The antioxidant activity of the aqueous extract and extract-based silver nanoparticles against the DPPH radical was substantial. The aqueous extract of S. commune and extract-based silver nanoparticles were also found to have significant antioxidant activity during in vivo analysis using albino rat as animal model.
Identification of a Disulfidptosis-Related Gene Signature for Prognostic Implication in Colon Adenocarcinoma
Authors: Hu Gunchu , Yao Hongliang , Wei Zuxing , Li Linye , Yu Zhuowen , Li Jian , Luo Xiong , Guo Zhushu
Published: May 2023

We aimed to find genes related to disulfidptosis, a type of cell death that may affect cancer development. Disulfidptosis is a new research topic. We wanted to find genes related to disulfidptosis, a new type of cell death caused by excess cystine in cells. Disulfidptosis may affect cancer development differently from other types of cell death. We focused on colon adenocarcinoma (COAD), which is the second most deadly cancer worldwide and has been increasing rapidly in recent years. Tumor biomarkers can help diagnose and monitor tumors, so we need to find new ones for COAD and develop new treatments. We analyzed the mRNA expression data and clinical information of COAD patients from public databases. We used a machine-learning algorithm to select key features and build a signature. We found four genes that are involved in disulfidptosis: TRIP6, OXSM, MYH3 and MYH4. These genes can predict how long COAD patients will live. We also found that these genes affect the tumor microenvironment (TME), drug sensitivity and immune microenvironment of COAD patients. Our study shows that disulfidptosis-related genes are important for COAD prognosis and therapy. This is crucial for developing personalized cancer therapy.
Epithelial cells maintain memory of prior infection with Streptococcus pneumoniae through di-methylation of histone H3
Authors: Hamon Melanie , Chevalier Christine , Chica Claudia , Matheau Justine , Connor Michael , Pain Adrien
Published: May 2023

Epithelial cells are the first point of contact for bacteria entering the respiratory tract. Streptococcus pneumoniae is an obligate human pathobiont of the nasal mucosa, carried asymptomatically but also the cause of severe pneumonia. The role of the epithelium in maintaining homeostatic interactions or mounting an inflammatory response to invasive S. pneumoniae is currently poorly understood. However, studies have shown that chromatin modifications, at the histone level, induced by bacterial pathogens interfere with the host transcriptional program and promote infection. In this study, we demonstrate that S. pneumoniae actively induces di-methylation of lysine 4 on histone H3 (H3K4me2), which persists for at least 9 days upon clearance of bacteria with antibiotics. We show that infection establishes a unique epigenetic program affecting the transcriptional response of epithelial cells, rendering them more permissive upon secondary infection. Our results establish H3K4me2 as a unique modification induced by infection, distinct from H3K4me3, which localizes to enhancer regions genome-wide. Therefore, this study reveals evidence that bacterial infection leaves a memory in epithelial cells after bacterial clearance, in an epigenomic mark, thereby altering cellular responses for subsequent infection.
Local adaptation-induced evolutionary trap in alpine plants under climate change
Authors: Li Li , Zhang Jie , Sork Victoria , Fitzpatrick Matthew , Liao Hong , Wang Gang , Sun Yan-Bo , Li Qingjun , Zhao Jian-Li
Published: May 2023

Evolutionary traps occur when populations deviate from local adaptation and become maladapted under rapid climate change. Alpine plants, with genetically distinct ecotypes in sky islands, are susceptible to being trapped by rapid climate change. We employed landscape genomics to test a local adaptation-induced evolutionary trap in the alpine perennial plantRoscoea tibetica(Zingiberaceae) with three distinct ecotypes along altitudinal gradients in the Hengduan Mountains. Strong local adaptation to alpine environments was observed through isolation-by-environment and rapid decreases in effective population size following interglacial niche contraction. Genomic offset increased with climate warming and was positively correlated with the intensification of local adaptation. Instead of high-elevation ecotypes, an evolutionary trap was indicated in the low-elevation forest ecotype, which showed the strongest local adaptation and niche loss, requiring the greatest shift in allele frequencies to keep pace with future climate change, and will likely experience the largest population decline. Therefore, stronger local adaptation induces evolutionary traps more easily and aggravates the harm to alpine plants facing rapid climate warming. Our study provides the first empirical case of local adaptation-induced evolutionary traps for alpine plants and highlights that it is crucial for alpine biota conservation to consider and disarm evolutionary traps under climate change.
The Impact of Statin Dose, Class, and Intensity on Sepsis Mortality in Type 2 Diabetes Patients
Authors: Sun Mingyang , Tao Yuan , Chen Wan-Ming , Wu Szu-Yuan , Zhang Jiaqiang
Published: May 2023

Aims: The study aims to investigate the impact of statin use on sepsis mortality in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2DM) in a dose-, class-, and use intensity-dependent manner.
Methods: A retrospective cohort of 850,326 T2DM patients was analyzed using an inverse probability treatment-weighted Cox hazard model, with statin use status as a time-dependent variable.
Results: Results showed that statin use was associated with a significant reduction in sepsis mortality risk (aHR=0.29) compared to non-users. Pitavastatin, rosuvastatin, pravastatin, atorvastatin, simvastatin, fluvastatin, and lovastatin were all associated with a lower sepsis mortality risk. Higher cumulative defined daily dose per year of statins was also associated with a lower sepsis mortality, with an optimal daily dose of 0.86 defined daily doses.
Conclusion: These findings suggest that statin use may reduce sepsis mortality in T2DM patients and that higher doses are associated with greater protection.
Molecular detection of Coxiella burnetii infection in patients with infectious endocarditis culture negative after cardiovascular surgery in Vietnam
Authors: Duong Duc Hung , Do Thi Vinh An , Bui Thi Viet Ha , Vu Minh Tam
Published: May 2023

Objective: To detect Coxiella burnetii in endocarditis patients cultured negative for bacteria in a short-term study from January 2022 to February 2023 at Cardiovascular Surgery Unit, Bach Mai Hospital.
Materials and methods: 312 Patients with endocarditis diagnosed and operated at the Department of Cardiovascular Surgery - Bach Mai Hospital were included in the study after obtaining the consent of each study subject and the consent of the participants. hospital ethics committee. After surgery, the patient's blood sample was cultured to identify bacteria by an automatic system at the Department of Microbiology of Bach Mai hospital, 52 case was the result is negative, it will continue to be PCR analyzed with Coxiella burnetii primer pair at the Department of Microbiology, University of Natural Sciences, Vietnam National University, Hanoi.
Results: In a short study with 52 blood samples from endocarditis patients who were found to be negative for bacteria, 13samples were positive for Coxiella by PCR. Among 9 patients, there were 6 patients with fever lasting 14 days after surgery, 6patients with emaciation, pneumonia, 2patient with multi-organ failure, emaciation.