bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Relationship between the Bolsa Família national cash transfer programme and suicide incidence in Brazil: A quasi-experimental study
Authors: Machado Daiane Borges , Williamson Elizabeth , Pescarini Julia M. , Alves Flavia J. O. , Castro-de-Araujo Luís F. S. , Ichihara Maria Yury , Rodrigues Laura C. , Araya Ricardo , Patel Vikram , Barreto Maurício L.
Published: May 2022

Background

Socioeconomic factors have been consistently associated with suicide, and economic recessions are linked to rising suicide rates. However, evidence on the impact of socioeconomic interventions to reduce suicide rates is limited. This study investigates the association of the world’s largest conditional cash transfer programme with suicide rates in a cohort of half of the Brazilian population.

Methods and findings

We used data from the 100 Million Brazilian Cohort, covering a 12-year period (2004 to 2015). It comprises socioeconomic and demographic information on 114,008,317 individuals, linked to the “Bolsa Família” programme (BFP) payroll database, and nationwide death registration data. BFP was implemented by the Brazilian government in 2004. We estimated the association of BFP using inverse probability of treatment weighting, estimating the weights for BFP beneficiaries (weight = 1) and nonbeneficiaries by the inverse probability of receiving treatment (weight = E(ps)/(1-E(ps))). We used an average treatment effect on the treated (ATT) estimator and fitted Poisson models to estimate the incidence rate ratios (IRRs) for suicide associated with BFP experience. At the cohort baseline, BFP beneficiaries were younger (median age 27.4 versus 35.4), had higher unemployment rates (56% versus 32%), a lower level of education, resided in rural areas, and experienced worse household conditions. There were 36,742 suicide cases among the 76,532,158 individuals aged 10 years, or older, followed for 489,500,000 person-years at risk. Suicide rates among beneficiaries and nonbeneficiaries were 5.4 (95% CI = 5.32, 5.47,p< 0.001) and 10.7 (95% CI = 10.51, 10.87,p< 0.001) per 100,000 individuals, respectively. BFP beneficiaries had a lower suicide rate than nonbeneficiaries (IRR = 0.44, 95% CI = 0.42, 0.45,p< 0.001). This association was stronger among women (IRR = 0.36, 95% CI = 0.33, 0.38,p< 0.001), and individuals aged between 25 and 59 (IRR = 0.41, 95% CI = 0.40, 0.43,p< 0.001). Study limitations include a lack of control for previous mental disorders and access to means of suicide, and the possible under-registration of suicide cases due to stigma.

Conclusions

We observed that BFP was associated with lower suicide rates, with similar results in all sensitivity analyses. These findings should help to inform policymakers and health authorities to better design suicide prevention strategies. Targeting social determinants using cash transfer programmes could be important in limiting suicide, which is predicted to rise with the economic recession, consequent to the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.
High endemicity of Q fever in French Guiana: A cross sectional study (2007–2017)
Authors: Thill Pauline , Eldin Carole , Dahuron Laureen , Berlioz-Artaud Alain , Demar Magalie , Nacher Mathieu , Beillard Emmanuel , Djossou Félix , Epelboin Loïc
Published: May 2022

Q fever (QF) is a zoonosis caused by Coxiella burnetii (Cb). French Guiana (FG) had a high incidence but no data have been published since 2006. The objective of this study was to update the incidence and epidemiological data on QF in FG. A retrospective study of all FG Q fever serodiagnosis between 2007 and 2017 was carried out. Among the 695 patients included, the M/F sex-ratio was 2.0 and the median age of 45.3 years (IQR 33.7–56.3). The annual QF incidence rate was 27.4 cases (95%CI: 7.1–47.7) per 100,000 inhabitants ranging from 5.2 in 2007 to 40.4 in 2010. Risk factors associated with Q fever compared to general population were male gender, being born in mainland France, an age between 30 to 59 years-old and a residence in Cayenne and surroundings. The incidence of QF in FG remains high and stable and the highest in the world.
Phenotyping of a rice (Oryza sativa L.) association panel identifies loci associated with tolerance to low soil fertility on smallholder farm conditions in Madagascar
Authors: Pariasca-Tanaka Juan , Rakotondramanana Mbolatantely Fahazavana , Tojo Mangaharisoa Sarah , Ranaivo Harisoa Nicole , Tanaka Ryokei , Wissuwa Matthias
Published: May 2022

Rice (Oryza sativa L.) is a staple food of Madagascar, where per capita rice consumption is among the highest worldwide. Rice in Madagascar is mainly grown on smallholder farms on soils with low fertility and in the absence of external inputs such as mineral fertilizers. Consequently, rice productivity remains low and the gap between rice production and consumption is widening at the national level. This study evaluates genetic resources imported from the IRRI rice gene bank to identify potential donors and loci associated with low soil fertility tolerance (LFT) that could be utilized in improving rice yield under local cultivation conditions. Accessions were grown on-farm without fertilizer inputs in the central highlands of Madagascar. A Genome-wide association study (GWAS) identified quantitative trait loci (QTL) for total panicle weight per plant, straw weight, total plant biomass, heading date and plant height. We detected loci at locations of known major genes for heading date (hd1) and plant height (sd1), confirming the validity of GWAS procedures. Two QTLs for total panicle weight were detected on chromosomes 5 (qLFT5) and 11 (qLFT11) and superior panicle weight was conferred by minor alleles. Further phenotyping under P and N deficiency suggested qLFT11 to be related to preferential resource allocation to root growth under nutrient deficiency. A donor (IRIS 313–11949) carrying both minor advantageous alleles was identified and crossed to a local variety (X265) lacking these alleles to initiate variety development through a combination of marker-assisted selection with selection on-farm in the target environment rather than on-station as typically practiced.
Romantic partner embraces reduce cortisol release after acute stress induction in women but not in men
Authors: Berretz Gesa , Cebula Chantal , Wortelmann Blanca Maria , Papadopoulou Panagiota , Wolf Oliver T. , Ocklenburg Sebastian , Packheiser Julian
Published: May 2022

Stress is omnipresent in our everyday lives. It is therefore critical to identify potential stress-buffering behaviors that can help to prevent the negative effects of acute stress in daily life. Massages, a form of social touch, are an effective buffer against both the endocrinological and sympathetic stress response in women. However, for other forms of social touch, potential stress-buffering effects have not been investigated in detail. Furthermore, the possible stress-buffering effects of social touch on men have not been researched so far. The present study focused on embracing, one of the most common forms of social touch across many cultures. We used a short-term embrace between romantic partners as a social touch intervention prior to the induction of acute stress via the Socially Evaluated Cold Pressor Test. Women who embraced their partner prior to being stressed showed a reduced cortisol response compared to a control group in which no embrace occurred. No stress-buffering effect could be observed in men. No differences between the embrace and control group were observed regarding sympathetic nervous system activation measured via blood pressure or subjective affect ratings. These findings suggest that in women, short-term embraces prior to stressful social situations such as examinations or stressful interviews can reduce the cortisol response in that situation.
Salorno—Dos de la Forca (Adige Valley, Northern Italy): A unique cremation site of the Late Bronze Age
Authors: Crivellaro Federica , Cavazzuti Claudio , Candilio Francesca , Coppa Alfredo , Tecchiati Umberto
Published: May 2022

The archaeological site of Salorno—Dos de la Forca (Bozen, Alto Adige) provides one of the rarest and most significant documentations of cremated human remains preserved from an ancient cremation platform (ustrinum). The pyre area, located along the upper Adige valley, is dated to the Late Bronze Age (ca. 1150–950 BCE) and has yielded an unprecedented quantity of cremated human remains (about 63.5 kg), along with burnt animal bone fragments, shards of pottery, and other grave goods made in bronze and animal bone/antler. This study focuses on the bioanthropological analysis of the human remains and discusses the formation of the unusual burnt deposits at Salorno through comparisons with modern practices and protohistoric and contemporaneous archaeological deposits. The patterning of bone fragmentation and commingling was investigated using spatial data recorded during excavation which, along with the bioanthropological and archaeological data, are used to model and test two hypotheses: Salorno—Dos de la Forca would be the result of A) repeated primary cremations left in situ; or B) of residual material remaining after select elements were removed for internment in urns or burials to unknown depositional sites. By modelling bone weight and demographic data borrowed from regional affine contexts, the authors suggest that this cremation site may have been used over several generations by a small community–perhaps a local elite. With a quantity of human remains that exceeds that of any other coeval contexts interpreted as ustrina, Salorno may be the product of a complex series of rituals in which the human cremains did not receive individual burial, but were left in situ, in a collective/communal place of primary combustion, defining an area of repeated funeral ceremonies involving offerings and libations across a few generations. This would represent a new typological and functional category that adds to the variability of mortuary customs at the end of the Bronze Age in the Alpine are, at a time in which “globalising” social trends may have stimulated the definition of more private identities.
Posttraumatic stress disorder hyperarousal event detection using smartwatch physiological and activity data
Authors: Sadeghi Mahnoosh , McDonald Anthony D. , Sasangohar Farzan
Published: May 2022

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a psychiatric condition affecting nearly a quarter of the United States war veterans who return from war zones. Treatment for PTSD typically consists of a combination of in-session therapy and medication. However; patients often experience their most severe PTSD symptoms outside of therapy sessions. Mobile health applications may address this gap, but their effectiveness is limited by the current gap in continuous monitoring and detection capabilities enabling timely intervention. The goal of this article is to develop a novel method to detect hyperarousal events using physiological and activity-based machine learning algorithms. Physiological data including heart rate and body acceleration as well as self-reported hyperarousal events were collected using a tool developed for commercial off-the-shelf wearable devices from 99 United States veterans diagnosed with PTSD over several days. The data were used to develop four machine learning algorithms: Random Forest, Support Vector Machine, Logistic Regression and XGBoost. The XGBoost model had the best performance in detecting onset of PTSD symptoms with over 83% accuracy and an AUC of 0.70. Post-hoc SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) additive explanation analysis showed that algorithm predictions were correlated with average heart rate, minimum heart rate and average body acceleration. Findings show promise in detecting onset of PTSD symptoms which could be the basis for developing remote and continuous monitoring systems for PTSD. Such systems may address a vital gap in just-in-time interventions for PTSD self-management outside of scheduled clinical appointments.
Calculating forest species diversity with information-theory based indices using sentinel-2A sensor’s of Mahavir Swami Wildlife Sanctuary
Authors: Kumar Pavan , Dobriyal Manmohan , Kale Amey , Pandey A. K. , Tomar R. S. , Thounaojam Elizabeth
Published: May 2022

Tropical forest serves as an important pivotal role in terrestrial biological diversity. The present study makes an attempt to identify the concentration of species among tree diversity in Mahavir Swami Wildlife Sanctuary, Bundelkhand, India. Four important ecological indicator indices namely Shannon-Weiner index (H’), Simpson’s diversity (D), Margalef index (SR) and Pielou’s (J) indices were make the most for species diversity measurement. The research outcomes revealed that Shannon-Weiner diversity index (H/) was found to be the best index for assessing species richness while Simpson’s diversity (D) index was more suited for determining species diversity. The Shannon-Weiner index value calculated for different transects not only represent the species richness but also the species evenness in each transect. The potential application of forest diversity can be used a mechanism for forest management. The methodology will retrofit better policy implementation for maintaining the health of forest species in Mahavir Swami Wildlife Sanctuary and can be applied on other reserve forest of socio-ecological significance.
Joint binary response modelling for childhood comorbidity in Ethiopia
Authors: Bokoro Tesfaye Abera , Gebresilassie Habtamu Kiros , Zeru Melkamu A.
Published: May 2022

Childhood diarrhea and Acute Respiratory Infection (ARI) are two diseases with similar risk factors in tropical developing regions. The objective of this study was to employ a joint binary response model and identify risk factors for childhood diarrhea and ARI in children under the age of five. A joint binary response model that takes into account the interdependence of the two diseases was used. Explanatory variables such as residence, vaccination, mother’s education, and antenatal care visits during pregnancy were found to be statistically significant risk factors for diarrhea in the joint model, whereas residence, the number of children ever born, vaccination, mother’s education, and wealth index were found to be statistically significant risk factors for childhood Acute Respiratory Infection. We discovered a common odds ratio value (4.30) greater than one, indicating a positive relationship between the two childhood diseases. As a result, using a joint model to assess the risk factors for diarrhea and acute respiratory infection (ARI) was reasonable. Furthermore, the standard errors of the parameter estimates in the joint response model were found to be smaller than the corresponding standard errors in the separate models. The risk factors such as residence, vaccination, and mother’s education all had a significant effect on the two correlated dichotomous response variables, diarrhea and ARI.
Validation of the mental health continuum-short form: The bifactor model of emotional, social, and psychological well-being
Authors: Yeo Zack Zhishen , Suárez Lidia
Published: May 2022

The Mental Health Continuum-Short Form (MHC-SF) is aimed at measuring the three dimensions of mental health; emotional, social, and psychological well-being. The purpose of the current study was to evaluate the psychometric properties of the MHC-SF within the context of Singapore and Australia. A total of 299 Singaporeans or permanent residents (59.2% female; mean age = 24.26, SD = 6.13) and 258 Australians or permanent residents (69% female; mean age = 23.95, SD = 8.66) completed the study. Confirmatory factor analyses were used to assess the structural validity of the MHC-SF. Internal consistency reliability was assessed via the Cronbach’s α and MacDonald’s ω reliability coefficients. Concurrent validity was examined against the World Health Organisation-Five Well-Being Index, discriminant validity using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, and criterion validity using a self-rated question of “Please rate your averaged level of mental health over the past month”, all via Pearson’s correlations. A bifactor model of the MHC-SF, where each item loaded on a general factor and simultaneously on their respective uncorrelated group factors, yielded the best fit to the data across both samples. Further investigations demonstrated that the general well-being factor accounted for majority of variances of the MHC-SF. Internal consistency reliability, concurrent validity, discriminant validity, and criterion validity were all demonstrated. In conclusion, the current study provided support for the bifactor model of MHC-SF and demonstrated evidence of good psychometrics across both samples. The results highlighted the unidimensionality of the measure, suggesting that it is more informative to interpret the aggregated score than scores of independent factors standalone.
Clustering compositional data using Dirichlet mixture model
Authors: Pal Samyajoy , Heumann Christian
Published: May 2022

A model-based clustering method for compositional data is explored in this article. Most methods for compositional data analysis require some kind of transformation. The proposed method builds a mixture model using Dirichlet distribution which works with the unit sum constraint. The mixture model uses a hard EM algorithm with some modification to overcome the problem of fast convergence with empty clusters. This work includes a rigorous simulation study to evaluate the performance of the proposed method over varied dimensions, number of clusters, and overlap. The performance of the model is also compared with other popular clustering algorithms often used for compositional data analysis (e.g. KMeans, Gaussian mixture model (GMM) Gaussian Mixture Model with Hard EM (Hard GMM), partition around medoids (PAM), Clustering Large Applications based on Randomized Search (CLARANS), Density-Based Spatial Clustering of Applications with Noise (DBSCAN) etc.) for simulated data as well as two real data problems coming from the business and marketing domain and physical science domain, respectively. The study has shown promising results exploiting different distributional patterns of compositional data.
The influence of variations in background noise on Florida manatee (Trichechus manatus latirostris) detection of boat noise and vocalizations
Authors: Rycyk Athena M. , Bauer Gordon B. , Wells Randall S. , Gaspard III Joseph C. , Mann David A.
Published: May 2022

A manatee’s primary modality to detect a vessel on a possible collision course is hearing as underwater visibility is limited in many manatee habitats and their visual acuity is poor. We estimate a Florida manatee’s ability to detect the sound of an approaching boat and vocalizations in four different soundscapes in Sarasota Bay, FL. Background noise samples were collected every 5 minutes for a two-week period during winter and summer at each location (2019 or 2020). Sound levels in third octave bands (0.5, 1, 2, 4, and 8 kHz) were measured and compared to manatee auditory hearing thresholds and to sound levels of an approaching boat traveling at a slow, medium, or fast speed. Background sound levels in a wider band (1–20 kHz) were calculated to model vocal communication space at each location. We found that a manatee’s estimated ability to detect an approaching boat differs greatly among locations, with time of day, and by season, and that fast boats are predicted to be detected later than slow boats. Latency of boat noise detection is estimated to sharply increase when considering unusually loud background noise levels. We suggest that such uncommonly loud conditions (e.g. 95th percentile sound level), not just typical conditions (median sound level), are important to consider for understanding the problem of manatee-boat collisions. Additionally, background noise impacts estimated vocal communication space and may limit the ability of vocal-mediated mother-calf cohesion. Altogether, a manatee’s ability to detect acoustic signals of interest is expected to vary greatly spatially and temporally.
Acute effects of vibration foam rolling and local vibration during warm-up on athletic performance in tennis players
Authors: Wang Feng , Zhang Zhihua , Li Chengliang , Zhu Delong , Hu Yueying , Fu Honghao , Zhai Huan , Wang Yongjun
Published: May 2022

Athletes are currently fond of vibration foam rollers (VFRs) and commercial portable vibration percussion devices (PVPDs). It is still unknown whether using these devices during warm-up has an immediate impact on athletic performance. A randomized block design was used in this study. The acute effects of VFR and PVPD on tennis players’ athletic performance during warm-up were compared. For the countermovement jump (CMJ), reactive strength index (RSI), and hexagon test (HT), the difference in performance between all interventions was significant (p = 0.007–0.034, η2p = 0.266–0.364). Only those who received VFR had significantly different CMJ and HT results when compared to the control group (CMJ height = 53.18 ±4.49 cm, p = 0.03, d = 1.26; HT time = 10.73 ±0.4 s, p = 0.03, d = 1.12). Participants’ RSI values were significantly different after VFR (RSI = 2.01 ±0.11 cm·mm–1, p = 0.012, d = 1.76) and PVPD (RSI = 1.99 ±0.11 cm·mm–1, p = 0.025, d = 1.52) compared to the control group. Therefore, when using VFR and PVPD as part of warm-up protocols for tennis players of varying skill levels, VFR could have an immediate positive effect on power, reactive strength, and change of direction performance, while PVPD could immediately improve reactive strength performance.
The contribution of integrated 3D model analysis to Protoaurignacian stone tool design
Authors: Falcucci Armando , Peresani Marco
Published: May 2022

Protoaurignacian foragers relied heavily on the production and use of bladelets. Techno-typological studies of these implements have provided insights into crucial aspects of cultural variability. However, new technologies have seldom been used to quantify patterns of stone tool design. Taking advantage of a new scanning protocol and open-source software, we conduct the first 3D analysis of a Protoaurignacian assemblage, focusing on the selection and modification of blades and bladelets. We study a large dataset of complete blanks and retouched tools from the early Protoaurignacian assemblage at Fumane Cave in northeastern Italy. Our main goal is to validate and refine previous techno-typological considerations employing a 3D geometric morphometrics approach complemented by 2D analysis of cross-section outlines and computation of retouch angle. The encouraging results show the merits of the proposed integrated approach and confirm that bladelets were the main focus of stone knapping at the site. Among modified bladelets, various retouching techniques were applied to achieve specific shape objectives. We suggest that the variability observed among retouched bladelets relates to the design of multi-part artifacts that need to be further explored via renewed experimental and functional studies.
Intracellular dynamics of the Sigma-1 receptor observed with super-resolution imaging microscopy
Authors: Kopanchuk Sergei , Vavers Edijs , Veiksina Santa , Ligi Kadri , Zvejniece Liga , Dambrova Maija , Rinken Ago
Published: May 2022

Sigma-1 receptor (Sig1R) is an endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-related membrane protein, that forms heteromers with other cellular proteins. As the mechanism of action of this chaperone protein remains unclear, the aim of the present study was to detect and analyze the intracellular dynamics of Sig1R in live cells using super-resolution imaging microscopy. For that, the Sig1R-yellow fluorescent protein conjugate (Sig1R-YFP) together with fluorescent markers of cell organelles were transfected into human ovarian adenocarcinoma (SK-OV-3) cells with BacMam technology. Sig1R-YFP was found to be located mainly in the nuclear envelope and in both tubular and vesicular structures of the ER but was not detected in the plasma membrane, even after activation of Sig1R with agonists. The super-resolution radial fluctuations approach (SRRF) performed with a highly inclined and laminated optical sheet (HILO) fluorescence microscope indicated substantial overlap of Sig1R-YFP spots with KDEL-mRFP, slight overlap with pmKate2-mito and no overlap with the markers of endosomes, peroxisomes, lysosomes, or caveolae. Activation of Sig1R with (+)-pentazocine caused a time-dependent decrease in the overlap between Sig1R-YFP and KDEL-mRFP, indicating that the activation of Sig1R decreases its colocalization with the marker of vesicular ER and does not cause comprehensive translocations of Sig1R in cells.
A population-based survey of the prevalence of self-reported acute gastrointestinal illness in Zhejiang Province, China
Authors: Wang Ji-Kai , He Yue , Chen Li-Li , Zhang He-Xiang , Qi Xiao-Juan , Sun Liang , Zhang Shuang-Feng , Chen Jiang , Zhang Rong-Hua
Published: May 2022

Acute gastrointestinal illness (AGI) is a prevalent public health concern worldwide. This study investigated the magnitude, distribution and burden of self-reported AGI among residents of Zhejiang Province, China. A face-to-face household survey was conducted using a multi-stage stratified random sampling method in 10 counties in Zhejiang Province between July 2018 and June 2019. In total, 12,021 participants were recruited. The prevalence of AGI 28 days after standardization was 1.8% (95% confidence interval (CI), 1.6–2.1), with an incidence rate of 0.24 episodes of AGI per person-year and an estimated 14 million cases of AGI in Zhejiang Province. Univariate and multivariable analyses showed a higher AGI prevalence among people who performed housework and were unemployed in summer and autumn among respondents living in western or northern cities (p < 0.05). More than 50% of AGI cases were attributed to the consumption of contaminated food. The disease burden caused by AGI in Zhejiang Province was approximately 975 million Chinses yuan (CNY). These results indicated that the disease burden of AGI in Zhejiang Province should be addressed and highlights the need for an improved active surveillance system of foodborne diseases to assess the impact of AGI on society and health.
Retracted: Notes on Alla Turca camp: Bülent Ersoy and her ‘diva’ style
Authors: Ulusoy Nilay , Özdemir Berceste Gülçin
Published: May 2022

Bülent Ersoy (1952–present) is known as the first transgender star of Turkish music. Since the 1970s, she has been a famous singer with the help of her extraordinary powerful voice and impressive performances, as well as drawing public attention to her queer identity. Occasionally, she clashed with Turkish authorities mostly due to her insisting on performing on stage wearing women’s clothing before her gender affirmation surgery that took place in 1981. She left Turkey in 1981 when Turkish authorities banned transgender performers on the stage. However, even after the surgery, she could not get an official female identity card in Turkey for seven years and was banned from performing on stage. When she returned to Turkey and started singing again in 1988, she described those years and her struggle to be known as a ‘woman’ in her hit songs through metaphorical ways. In addition to music, she also reached a large television audience through her costumes and performances as a jury member in various reality shows broadcasted on Turkish television, especially in the 2000s. In this article, we will discuss the usage of ‘camp’ as a strategy for reading Bülent Ersoy’s artistic performances, which are informed, at least partially, by the exaggeration of social roles, sometimes reaching to a point of absurdity. We use Sontag’s ‘Notes on “Camp”’ as a lens through which to explore how Bülent Ersoy negotiates the limiting camp binaries of artifice/authenticity, hypersexuality/monogamy and monstrous/virtuous in order to contribute to underexplored areas in camp scholarship.
Digital media and social justice in a socially distanced era
Authors: Sweeny Robert W.
Published: May 2022

From your perspective, what is the place of social justice education (and politics) in the art classroom? Are these topics a distraction from the disciplinary content of visual arts education, as you understand it? From your perspective, what is the disciplinary content of art education?
Synthesis, Spectral, Electrochemical and Biological Studies on Co(II), Ni(II), Cu(II) and
Zn(II) Complexes Derived from 4-(2-Aminoethyl)benzene-1,2-diol and Terephthalaldehyde
Authors: Gomathi T. , Karthik S. , Vedanayaki S.
Published: May 2022

A novel Schiff base ligand (L) has been synthesized using 4-(2-aminoethyl)benzene-1,2-diol (dopamine)
and terephthalaldehyde. This hexadentate ligand has been used to synthesize cobalt(II), nickel(II),
copper(II) and zinc(II) complexes with stoichiometry (1:2). Several techniques were used to characterize
the compounds, including elemental analysis, molar conductivity, magnetic moment, mass spectra,
cyclic voltammetry, SEM and powder XRD. Co(II), Ni(II), Cu(II) and Zn(II) have octahedral geometry
based on physico-chemical characterization studies. Using cyclic voltammetry (CV), the redox
properties of the metal complexes were extensively studied. These metal complexes were studied by
SEM analysis to determine their surface morphology Solvatochromic behaviours of synthesized
compounds have been assessed using UV-vis absorption spectroscopy. By disc diffusion method, the
ligand and its metal(II) complexes were tested for antibacterial activity against two Gram-positive
bacteria, two Gram-negative bacteria and one fungus. Using the HRBC membrane stabilization method,
the Schiff base ligand and its copper(II) complex were evaluated for their anti-inflammatory properties.
In vitro anticancer activity of the copper(II) complex was investigated by MTT assay on the human
breast cancer cell line (MCF-7). According to the results, the copper(II) complex inhibits breast cell
growth better than the Schiff base. Using an α-amylase inhibitory assay method, the ligand and its
copper(II) complex were also tested for their antidiabetic effects in vitro. In comparison with the
Schiff base ligand, the copper(II) complex showed the best activity.
Kinetic and Mechanism of Mn(II) Catalytic Oxidation of L-Proline by
Cerium(IV) in Acidic Medium by Spectrophotometry Method
Authors: Sahu Gajanand , Ghosh Sanjay , Jena Vinod , Patle Tarun
Published: May 2022

The rate of reaction of L-proline with Ce(IV) acidic medium has been kinetically studied in presence
of Mn(II) as catalyst using a spectrophotometric method. The reactions have been performed at
temperatures range from 298 K to 318 K in interval of 10 min. In the case of Ce(IV), this reaction
would be a first order reaction. The results exhibits first order each in Ce(IV) and metal ion Mn(II) and
positive fractional order with respect to [L-proline]. This would have a first order reaction between the
Ce(IV) and L-proline in the presence and absence SDS, CTAB and KCl. The rate constant decreases
with increasing the concentration of [HSO4
−] and [H+] ion. The thermodynamical parameter values
such as ΔH#, ΔG# and ΔS# increased with increasing temperature so that the rate equation derived for
this mechanism could explain all observed results.
Synthesis of Isoxazole, Pyrazole, Thiadiazole Cyclohexanol Analogues of
1,5-Benzodiazepines through Phenoxy/Phenylamino Linkage
Authors: Mir M. Amin , Jassal M.M.S. , Andrews Kim
Published: May 2022

The modification in the structures of these compounds offers high degree of diversity and provides a
gateway for the production and development of new therapeutic agents with enhanced potency and
lesser toxicity. The present study involves the design and synthesis of some newer derivatives of
isoxazole, pyrazole and thiadiazole by incorporating the phenoxyl/phenylamino linkage. The chemical
structures of the synthesized compounds was confirmed by 1H NMR, 13C NMR, IR, UV-Vis
spectroscopy, mass spectrometry and elemental analysis
Equatorial Gate Opening Efficiency of Single and Double, S-S Gated Hemicarcerands
Authors: Sankar Gayathri
Published: May 2022

Covalent disulphides bonds are very strong in oxidizing environments and are weakened in reducing
environments. So far, there has been no reported study on multi-gate induced hemicarcerands. In this
work, the stability and redox properties were investigated, as well as efficiency of the number of
disulphide gates can provide in equatorial escape of a guest in two chosen hemicarcerand systems.
Single and opposite double gated hemicarcerands were designed in Gauss view 5.0 and structures
were optimized using HF 3-21G* basis set. It is concluded from the studies that the opposite double
gated system has more guest encapsulating efficiency in redox conditions than single gated
hemicarcerand, which makes it a potential cancer drug carrier due to its selective gate opening at high
redox conditions.
Metabolite Profiling and Antimicrobial Activity of
Aloe greatheadii var. Davyana against Bacterial Illness
Authors: Nthai Denga , Thibane Vuyisile S. , Gololo Sechene S.
Published: May 2022

The aim of the study was to profile the metabolite content of Aloe greatheadii and investigate their
antibacterial potential against illness causing bacteria. The metabolite profile of A. greatheadii was
determined and the antibacterial activity tested against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria.
The metabolite profile resolved on TLC plates indicated an almost similar pattern of bands for majority
of the separated compounds. The results on the maximum absorption wavelength of extracts from all
locations ranged between 240 and 320 nm. The most susceptible bacteria for the treatment by samples
from all the provinces was the Gram-positive E. faecalis with MIC values ranging from 0.54 to 0.067
mg/mL. It was interesting to note that susceptibility of the tested bacteria to treatment by the plant
extracts was not specific to either Gram-positive or Gram-negative bacteria.
Swollen Liquid Crystals as Soft and Structure Directing Templates for the Synthesis of Polyindole
Authors: Sharma R. , Dutt S. , Singh S.
Published: May 2022

Using swollen liquid crystals (SLCs) as a soft template, different polyindole nanostructures having
different morphology have been synthesized successfully at different temperatures. The SLCs containing
indole ring was formed by a quaternary system containing cetyltrimethyl-ammonium bromide (CTAB)
or sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) as a surfactant, brine, indole:cyclohexane mixture as oil phase and
1-pentanol as co-surfactant. The indole containing mesophases were polymerized using ammonium
persulfate as an oxidant and further nanocomposites were extracted from the mesophases. Finally, the
extracted and processed samples were characterized using different spectroscopic techniques. The
electrochemical properties of polyindole nanostructures were also investigated using cyclic voltammetry.
One-Pot Green Synthesis of Pyridine-2-carbaldehyde based Chalcones under Solvent-Free
Condition using Mesoporous MCM-41 Materials and their Antimicrobial Activities
Authors: Prathipati Jayarangarao , Sanasi Paul Douglas
Published: May 2022

A simplistic one-pot synthetic protocol was performed using aromatic ketones (1a-e) and substituted
pyridine-2-carbaldehydes (2a-e) to obtain various substituted chalcones (3a-e). The synthesis was
catalyzed by various metal incorporated (Mn, Al) and acid functionalized (H2SO4, H3PW12O40)
mesoporous MCM-41 materials, under solvent free conditions. Using pyridine-2-carbaldehyde (2a),
its analogs viz., 4-methoxy (2b), 4-chloro (2c), 4-hydroxy (2d) and 4-nitro (2e) pyridine-2-carbaldehydes
were synthesized separately, in order to use these precursors for the formation of the organic derivatives
3b to 3e. Their structural features were characterized by using 1H NMR, 13C NMR and mass spectral
techniques. Both the acid functionalized MCM-41 were almost equal in their catalytic performance,
whereas among the Mn+-MCM-41 [Mn+ = Mn/Al], the Al incorporated material has shown slightly
higher catalytic performance. The antimicrobial activities of the derivatives (3a-e), was investigated
on the selected microorganisms, using standard procedures. In these studies, except the compound 3e,
remaining compounds have displayed superior biological activity.
Novel Targets of SARS-CoV-2 and Potential Inhibitors against
the Viral Targeted Proteins: A Review
Authors: Reddy G. Koteswara , Renuka V. , Chandana A. , Navya K.S.Y.
Published: May 2022

The world-wide pandemic emerged due to severe-acute-respiratory-syndrome coronavirus-2
(SARS-CoV-2) causing viral respiratory disease (COVID-19). An insight into coronavirus drug, vaccine
targets and their controlling agents are necessary and important for exploring new drugs and vaccines
against the viral activities. Recent drug targets identified includes RNA-dependent-RNA polymerase
(RdRp), papain-like proteases (PLpro), helicases, 3-chymotrypsin-like protease (3CLpro) are the
proteins which are responsible for the viral replication and viral RNA synthesis. Most of the studies
focussed on vaccine targets including spike protein (S), envelope protein (E), nucleocapsid protein
(N) and membrane protein (M) to mitigate the proliferation and concentration of viral particles from
infected one to others. Recent works revealed a strong awareness about the use of FDA approved
drugs favipiravir, remdesivir, galidesivir, lopinavir, itraconazole, acyclovir and fleximer as repurposed
drugs and few phytochemicals were also screened against the activity of viral enzymes to treat the
complexity of the viral disease.
Feasibility and Environmental Compatibility of Concrete using Chromium Bearing Wastewater
Authors: Biswal Sudhansu Sekhar , Panda Chittaranjan , Dash Priyanka , Jena Trilochan , Parida Smruti Ranjan , Sahu Duryodhan
Published: May 2022

The effluents of chrome plating industry seepage contain toxic hexavalent chromium generally in the range
of 100 to 300 mg/L. The said values of chromium are not advisable to dispose to surface water bodies or
land and the treatment process of this wastewater is quite expensive. Herein, we found a course of action to
reuse the wastewater in cement matrix in manufacturing concrete work. The M-30 grade concrete samples
were casted with portland slag cement (PSC) at wastewater to binder ratio of 0.45. The technical compatibility
of concrete specimen i.e. the chromium immobilization and other properties are well satisfied nevertheless
a small decrease in hardened concrete values also observed. XRD study revealed that the hydration product
Ca(OH)2 is replaced by more insoluble CaCrO4. Scanning electron microscopy study (SEM) with energy
dispersive spectrum (EDS) study exhibited the immobilization of chromium and quantification of chromium
content. The mortar samples from concrete after 56 days of air curing were subjected to toxicity characteristic
leaching procedure (TCLP) test at pH 2.88. In addition, two days’ short tank leaching test was conducted
with the concrete samples as a whole. The leachability of toxic Cr6+ found in the range 0.03-0.09 mg/L and
the total chromium (TCr) values in the range 0.12 -0.17 mg/L, which are less than discharge standard as per
EP Act (1986), India. All these leaching test results comply with the discharge norms to land and inland
surface water, respectively. Thus, the concrete specimens using aforesaid wastewater satisfy the technical
aspects and fulfil the environmental requirement.
Fabrication of Pyromellitic Acid Polymer Modified
Electrochemical Sensor for the Determination of Tryptophan
Authors: Rejithamol R. , Adwaitha S. , Darsana G. , Sreenidhi M.V. , Rajeswary R. , Abhirami M. , Reshma R.
Published: May 2022

Herein reporting a sensitive electrochemical strategy for the quantification of tryptophan on indium
tin oxide electrode with an electropolymerized pyromellitic acid. In all perspectives, the characteristic
features of the developed electrode were consistent with the requirements of a sensor. The morphological
and functional identification of the modified electrode were done by scanning electron microscopy
and infrared spectroscopy. The proposed electrode material has long-term stability and is easy to
handle for real-life sample analysis. The fabricated electrode has a linear range of 10 to 300 μM with
a limit of detection of 1.15 μM. The calculated sensitivity of the electrode was 1.3 μM/μA/cm2.
An Ecofriendly and Efficient Approach through Sodium Oxalate Catalyst for the
Synthesis of Azomethines and α-Aminonitriles Ligands Employing Aqueous Medium
Authors: Singh Bikramjit , Aulakh Jatinder Singh , Singh Baldev
Published: May 2022

An ecofriendly, efficient, inorganic salt catalyzed facile method has been developed for the synthesis
of potential ligands azomethines and α-aminonitriles employing aqueous medium. This procedure
involves the use of Zn(CN)2 an inexpensive, less toxic as compared to KCN, ecofriendly and readily
available effective cyanide source. Cyanated products specially have been isolated in high yield on
usual work-up procedure. In methanol and DMF solvents, all of the produced compounds were evaluated
for in vitro antibacterial activity against certain bacterial and fungal strains. Among the compounds
tested, b and g had the most promising antibacterial action against Bacillus subtilis. Furthermore,
compounds a and c were discovered to be the most effective antifungal agents against Candida albicans.
Super Material Borophene: Next Generation of Graphene
Authors: Dev Keshav , Srivastava Ankit K , Saxena Swasti , Bhadoria B.S. , Dwivedi Barish
Published: May 2022

We talked about how the new wonder material borophene is stronger and more flexible than graphene
in this research. It’s an excellent conductor of both electricity and heat, as well as a one-of-a-kind
superconductor. The orientation of the material and the arrangement of vacancies affect these properties.
Borophene is also rather light and reactive. Graphene was the wonderful new wonder material not
long ago. Tubes, balls and other strange shapes can be formed from a super-strong, atom-thick sheet
of carbon. The idea of a new age of graphene-based computer processing and a rich graphene chip
industry has been highlighted by materials scientists. However, the remarkable qualities of borophene
have lately astonished everyone. It has optimum strength and in-plane flexibility. In some combinations,
they can be stronger and more flexible than graphene. Borophene’s high theoretical specific capacities,
electrical conductivity and ion transport capabilities make it a promising anode material for batteries.
Borophene has a wide range of possible applications due to its unusual physical and chemical features.
It is capable of accelerating the decomposition of hydrogen and oxygen, is lightweight and can act as
a reactant. We describe the work on borophene in this review, with a focus on current developments.
The phases of borophene are first introduced through experimental synthesis and theoretical predictions.
The physical and chemical qualities are then summarized, including mechanical, thermal, electrical,
optical and superconducting properties.
Synthesis and Characterization of Disodium Aquabis(malonato)oxovanadate(IV)
Authors: Ghosh Dipesh , Powell Douglas R. , Van Horn J. David
Published: May 2022

The complex, disodium aquabis(malonato)oxovanadate(IV) monohydrate, has been synthesized and
its structure determined by X-ray diffraction analysis. The geometry around the metal is octahedral
and the two malonate ligands are coordinated in a trans-arrangement with respect to one another,
forming an equatorial plane, with oxo and aqua ligands occupying the axial positions. The V=O bond
length is 1.596(2) Å and the four equatorial V–O distances range between 1.995(2) and 2.012(2) Å.
An intensive network of weak hydrogen bonds is observed between crystalline water molecules and
between oxygen atoms of the anion and sodium cations.
A Useful Methods of Direct Sulfenylation at the 3-Position of
Indoles Employing various Sulfenylating Agents
Authors: Paira Moumita
Published: May 2022

3-Sulfenylated indoles as a significant heterocyclic scaffold have garnered enormous interest and
utility in the past several decades due to significant biological and pharmaceutical activities, including
anti-HIV, anti-obesity and anti-cancer activity. To date, several methods have been developed for the
synthesis of 3-sulfenylated indoles using distinct sulfenylating agents. In this review, the recent
developments in the metal free synthesis of 3-sulfenylated indoles moieties are covered, which show
insight into both the large distinct reactions condition as well as mechanism.
Editorial
Authors: de Castro de Castro Adela Esther , Mizuno Haydar Jorge Miguel
Published: May 2022

Editorial
Investigación lúdica y aplicada Experiencia de una práctica antropológica y pedagógica.
Authors: Ramos Ramírez José Luis
Published: May 2022

En el presente artículo se ofrece un ejemplo de la posible articulación interdisciplinaria entre la Antropología y la Pedagogía, así como de la investigación educativa y la docencia, todo ello como resultado preliminar de investigación. A partir de la problemática en el quehacer y formación docente de los profesores de enseñanza superior se formuló un proyecto de investigación aplicada sobre el juego, con el objetivo de generar ciertas recomendaciones y estrategias didácticas que permitan apoyar y enriquecer la labor educativa e investigativa. De esta forma, la perspectiva antropológica sobre la liga entre el juego y la educación viene a sumarse a los demás enfoques de las otras ciencias de la educación. La diferente conceptualización y teorización del juego permitió abrir nuevas rutas analíticas y didácticas de trabajo.
Identidad y subjetividad en las redes sociales virtuales: caso de Facebook.
Authors: Aguilar Rodríguez Daniel E. , Hung Elías Said
Published: May 2022

Los llamados espacios virtuales, creados para establecer y fortalecer las redes sociales, han adquirido gran popularidad en los últimos 5 años. Sitios como Facebook o MySpace trascienden las barreras de lenguaje y las fronteras geográficas, permitiendo a los usuarios interactuar con una mayor cantidad de personas, a pesar de la distancia física o las diferencias culturales, en lo que Marshall McLuhan (1964) definiera como la era electrónica. El presente artículo da cuenta de reflexiones que han motivado el proyecto "La construcción de la identidad y subjetividad en los jóvenes en Colombia en las redes sociales virtuales. Caso de Facebook", cuyo interés se centra en la creación y re-formulación de subjetividad e identidad en las redes sociales virtuales.
La culture dans l’enseignement apprentissage d’une langue etrangere
Authors: Leylavergne Jacques , Parra Santamaría Andrea
Published: May 2022

Une langue n’est pas qu’un système de signes organisés ; elle est la somme de différents éléments dans laquelle la linguistique n’est que l’un d’entre eux. Si connaître la grammaire d’une langue, sa syntaxe, son lexique permet la communication, la question qui se pose est de savoir de quel type de communication il s’agit. Certainement pas d’une communication entière, pleine et qui permettrait non seulement d’accéder au sens des mots prononcés, mais également au sens de ce qu’est l’interlocuteur dans sa dimension sociale. La culture, qu’elle soit anthropomorphique ou cultivée, constitue une composante inhérente à chaque individu et à la langue dans laquelle il s’exprime. S’il n’y pas de culture sans langue, il n’y a pas, non plus, de langue sans culture. La problématique est la suivante : dans l’apprentissage d’une langue étrangère (voire d’une langue sur objectif spécifique), quelle place doit-on réserver à la culture de la langue cible. (150 mots)