bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Mixed Method Program Evaluation of Annual Inspections Conducted in Childcare Programs in Washington State
Authors: Stevens Sonya
Published: April 2023

This mixed method study used a program evaluation to assess the reliability and social validity of the focused childcare monitoring checklist used in Washington State, as well as its social validity in maintaining quality programming in licensed childcare centers. The focused monitoring checklist and interview responses were used to answer two specific research questions: (1) How do stakeholders describe the value, usefulness, and effects of state administrated focused monitoring?; and (2) What is the inter-rater reliability of the focused monitoring tool used to assess the foundational health and safety issues that must be met by state licensed early childhood programs? The study found that licensors and providers found the focused monitoring tool as more efficient and informative than the current differential monitoring system. The use of a checklist focusing on real time compliance increased the value placed on the relevance of the inspection with respect to meeting licensor and provider needs. The results also showed that even with a controlled tool, performance of onsite inspections can vary greatly along a continuum of reliability and objectivity due to licensor rater drift and individual perceptions of licensing procedures. Licensing agencies should consider further evaluation of the monitoring process and the reliability of the checklist tool as the process is implemented statewide, concentrating on the training content and training methods provided to licensors.

https://doi.org/10.21423/jrs-v08stevens
SAHPRA - Relevance of the New South African Health Products Regulatory Authority and Opportunities Ahead
Authors: Dureja Harish , Dhiman Sandeep
Published: April 2023

Regulatory environments are constantly evolving, and South Africa has witnessed some significant developments in the recent past. Operational launch of the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA) as new healthcare products regulator marks a key milestone in the establishment of international standards in regulatory practices. Both the Medicines Control Council (MCC) and the Directorate of Radiation Control (DRC) were replaced by SAHPRA to bring control of medicines, medical devices, in vitro diagnostic tests and devices, and radiation emitting products under one regulatory body. The new agency was instituted under schedule 3A of Public Finance Management Act as public entity, thereby enabling it to retain the revenue generated. The change has evidently impacted the regulatory practices positively; however, the challenges inherited by regulators and those regulated are enormous. SAHPRA needs to confront the challenges and make the most out of the opportunities ahead. This study aims to focus on understanding the new agency, its evolution over time, objectives set forth, organizational and operational construct, responsibilities, accomplishments so far, outstanding challenges, opportunities ahead, and the collaborative efforts that can support its operation. SAHPRA has had noteworthy achievements as a healthcare products regulator. By making most use of collaboration efforts SAHPRA is all set to work through the challenges and gain from opportunities.
https://doi.org/10.21423/jrs-v09i2dureja
Comparison of XRF, TXRF, and ICP-MS Methods for Determination of Mercury in Face Creams
Authors: Vrdoljak Gordon , Palmer Peter , Jacobs Richard , Moezzi Bahman , Viegas Alanna
Published: April 2023

Regulatory, media, and watchdog groups have identified numerous face cream products containing percent levels of mercury that far exceed the 1 ppm FDA regulatory limit. Mercury is added to these products to provide skin bleaching properties, and this poses a serious health risk to consumers. This study compares XRF, TXRF, and the more widely accepted ICP-MS methods for determination of mercury in face cream products. To identify contaminated products in a field setting, XRF is the preferred method, as it involves direct analysis of the sample, analysis times of a minute or less, and detection limits down to single ppm levels. XRF analysis gave quantitative results that compared well to those from ICP-MS for homogeneous products, but gave more variable results for products containing small crystals or chunks of inorganic mercury salts. More accurate results for these products requires preparation of a representative sample, microwave digestion, and TXRF or ICP-MS analysis. Given the continued production and distribution of mercury-containing face cream products, it is recommended that portable XRF be used to screen for such products or for accurate quantification of mercury in homogeneous products, and TXRF be used to determine the mercury content of more heterogeneous products.
https://doi.org/10.21423/jrs-v09i2vrdoljak
Food safety priority, a critical gap and a window for effective food, nutrition security and sustainable development in Rwanda
Authors: Hagenimana Theoneste
Published: April 2023

Food safety is globally an important issue and a priority for a sustainable food system and health and essential for achieving several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) outlined in the 2030 agenda. The present study aimed at identifying the critical gaps in the role of food safety in achieving agriculture, food and nutrition security along with the implementation of SDGs in Rwanda. The review of the Rwandan context showed that food safety was not considered and integrated within the development programs for agriculture, food and nutrition security. This lack of food safety integration affected the success of these programs and had a potential negative impact on the achievement ofthe ten SDGs, namely SDG 1, SDG 2, SDG 3, SDG 5, SDG 6, SDG 8, SDG 11, SDG 12, SDG13 and SDG 17. With available food safety opportunities in Rwanda, food safety should be a priority because it plays a critical role in implementing effective sustainable development programs. There is a need for food safety strategic integration by an evidence-based food safety decision-making approach through involving all concerned stakeholders.
Reevaluation of the Embryonic Stem Cell Test
Authors: Inselman Amy L. , Nolen Greg T. , Chang Ching-Wei , Harrouk Wafa , Fisher J. Edward , Tassinari Melissa S. , Hansen Deborah K.
Published: April 2023

In recent years there has been a heightened interest in developing alternative toxicity testing methods that enhance the current system that relies almost exclusively on whole-animal testing to include in vitro assays focused on defined pathways.   The embryonic stem cell test (EST) is one alternative that has been suggested for use in developmental toxicity testing.  The EST utilizes the D3 mouse embryonic stem cell line to assess sensitivity of chemicals on differentiating cardiomyocytes.  Additionally, a BALB/3T3 line is used to monitor cytotoxicity and compare sensitivities between adult and embryonic cells.   We have reevaluated the EST nearly 10 years after formal validation by the European Center for the Validation of Alternative Methods (ECVAM) to test the stability and reliability of the cell lines in predicting developmental toxicity.  Eight compounds from the ECVAM validation including the positive control, 5-fluorouracil, and the negative control, penicillin G, were tested.  All eight compounds matched the classification reported during validation, indicating comparable responses and transferability of the experimental protocol.  However, an increased sensitivity of the cell lines, identified by lower ID50 and IC50 values, was observed for many of the chemicals when compared to the results from the ECVAM validation.
Manual of Good Practices for Food or Feed Recalls
Authors: Correa Lizarazo Diana Ximena , Fano Castro Paola Aurora , Lopez Cristina , Ramirez Garcia Paula Josefa , Molins Ricardo , Herrman Timothy J
Published: April 2023

Product recall is a fundamental food safety risk management tool.  The key to successful implementation of a recall is recognizing the importance of shared responsibility between government/competent authority and industry.  Within the recall process, the main objective for the competent authority is to protect public health by ensuring the rapid removal of unsafe foods or feeds from the market.  To address the impact of a globalized food supply on the facilitation of recalls, competent authorities around the world have adopted regulations addressing product tracing through the food supply chain, clarifying responsibilities within the recall process, mandatory recall authority for food safety agencies, and disposal of contaminated products.  During the recall process, the key areas in which the competent authority plays a vital role include: Communication; Coordination, Initiation and Completion of the Recall Process; Evaluation of Effectiveness of the Recall Process; Data collection, and Providing Guidance and Training to Industry and other Stakeholders.
The Establishment of Performance Verification Procedures for Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrometers
Authors: Lanzarotta Adam , Witkowski Mark , Andria Sara , Crowe John
Published: April 2023

An integral part of any laboratory Quality Management System (QMS) is the ability to verify an analytical instrument0s performance prior to analyzing ocial samples. Performance verification procedures provide the instrument user the means to assess whether a system is functioning properly. They are a routine predetermined set of tests and acceptance criteria that can be provided by the instrument manufacturer and/or established by the laboratory itself. Performance verification procedures that have been established for a Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) microscope system outfitted with a macro sampling accessory allow the user to determine the daily and/or annual functionality of the instrument. Specifications were established for the IR microscope operating in transmission, reflection/absorption (R/A) and attenuated total reflection (ATR) sampling modes. The specifications for the macro sampling accessory were established for transmission and ATR sampling modes only. The acceptance criterion for each performance verification specification was calculated from a series of measurements made using each accessory and sampling mode. The performance verification procedures, as well as their associated specification and acceptance criteria described in this study, are general enough that they can be applied to FT-IR instruments from dierent manufacturers.
Codimension-2 defects and higher symmetries in (3+1)D topological phases
Authors: Barkeshli Maissam , Chen Yu-An , Huang Sheng-Jie , Kobayashi Ryohei , Tantivasadakarn Nathanan , Zhu Guanyu
Published: April 2023

(3+1)D topological phases of matter can host a broad class of non-trivial topological defects of codimension-1, 2, and 3, of which the well-known point charges and flux loops are special cases. The complete algebraic structure of these defects defines a higher category, and can be viewed as an emergent higher symmetry. This plays a crucial role both in the classification of phases of matter and the possible fault-tolerant logical operations in topological quantum error-correcting codes. In this paper, we study several examples of such higher codimension defects from distinct perspectives. We mainly study a class of invertible codimension-2 topological defects, which we refer to as twist strings. We provide a number of general constructions for twist strings, in terms of gauging lower dimensional invertible phases, layer constructions, and condensation defects. We study some special examples in the context of \mathbb{Z}_2ℤ2 gauge theory with fermionic charges, in \mathbb{Z}_2 \times \mathbb{Z}_2ℤ2×ℤ2 gauge theory with bosonic charges, and also in non-Abelian discrete gauge theories based on dihedral (D_nDn) and alternating (A_6A6) groups. The intersection between twist strings and Abelian flux loops sources Abelian point charges, which defines an H^4H4 cohomology class that characterizes part of an underlying 3-group symmetry of the topological order. The equations involving background gauge fields for the 3-group symmetry have been explicitly written down for various cases. We also study examples of twist strings interacting with non-Abelian flux loops (defining part of a non-invertible higher symmetry), examples of non-invertible codimension-2 defects, and examples of the interplay of codimension-2 defects with codimension-1 defects. We also find an example of geometric, not fully topological, twist strings in (3+1)D A_6A6 gauge theory.
Defense industry business performance model in developing countries
Authors: Irfan Mohamad , Rahman Sulaeman , Azis Yudi , Widianto Sunu
Published: April 2023

The defense industry is vital to supporting a country’s defense, especially in the modern era. While many emerging and developing countries are capable of producing military goods and services domestically, they remain dependent on foreign inputs to varying degrees. Yet, several studies have examined factors that can affect the self-reliance of the defense industries in developing countries. Therefore, the present study aims to examine factors that can explain business performance variation of defense industries in developing countries. It investigates further the business model innovation mediation for the first two factors of business performance. Data have been collected from 70 defense industrial companies in Indonesia. The Partial Least Squares-Structural Equation Modeling method is used to analyze the impact of high-performance work systems, technological innovation, and business model innovation on the business performance of industrial companies. The results show a significant effect of implementing High-Performance Work Systems and Technological Innovation through Business Model Innovation on Business Performance (accounted for R2 = 0.67). The research findings are expected to encourage defense industries in developing countries to focus on implementing human resource practices and adopting new or improved technologies and research results at all levels of management following business model adjustments.
Acertijos, educación y filosofía en el tratado Sobre los acertijos de Clearco de Solos
Authors: Gardella Mariana
Published: April 2023

El objetivo de este artículo es examinar la relación entre los acertijos, la educación y la filosofía que propone Clearco de Solos en el fr. 63W. En primer lugar, analizaré la definición de “acertijo” del fr. 86W y ofreceré argumentos para probar las siguientes afirmaciones: (1) que existe una diferencia entre el acertijo (grîphos) y el enigma (aínigma); (2) que el acertijo se asemeja, en cierto sentido, al problema dialéctico; (3) y que existe una relación entre el acertijo y la aporía. En segundo lugar, tomando en consideración los ejemplos de acertijos transmitidos en los fragmentos del tratado Sobre los acertijos, explicaré cuál podría ser la relación que los acertijos tienen con la filosofía y la educación.
Génesis y evolución del concepto de “fantasía” en la fenomenología de Husserl
Authors: Katz Azul Tamina
Published: April 2023

El presente trabajo busca restituir los problemas que condujeron a Husserl a capturar la esencia morfológica de la fantasía y sus modalidades y a fijar cada una de sus características esenciales. Pese a la temprana estabilización de la definición de la fantasía como un tipo de presentificación intuitiva, simple y no posicional, la literatura sobre el tema aún presenta opacidades relativas al modo como este tipo de vivencia se constituye en la conciencia interna y a los criterios que permiten distinguirla de otros fenómenos más o menos próximos, como la percepción, la rememoración, la conciencia de imagen o imaginación, entre otras. Establecer la génesis y la evolución de este concepto permitirá no solo despejar dichas opacidades, sino también echar luz sobre aquellas otras esferas de experiencia en las cuales la fantasía cumple alguna función, como en la intuición de esencias, la empatía, o la contemplación estética.
Memoria y anacronismo como productividad política. Algunas reflexiones en torno a Baruch Spinoza
Authors: Ricci Cernadas Gonzalo
Published: April 2023

El presente artículo rastrea los conceptos de “anacronismo” y “memoria” en una serie de autores. Para dar cuenta de estos, primero hacemos una presentación de dichos conceptos en dos autores cuyas obras en gran medida los han tematizado: Walter Benjamin y Reinhart Koselleck. Esto nos permite situar las coordenadas conceptuales en las que la noción de “anacronismo” debe ser entendida. En segundo lugar, analizamos qué papel juegan el anacronismo y la memoria en Baruch Spinoza. Se procede, pues, a la restitución de la dinámica de la memoria en el autor para poder elucidar cómo aparece el anacronismo, fundamentalmente ateniéndonos a las elucidaciones que Spinoza realiza en el Tratado teológico-político y en la Ética. Finalmente, en tercer lugar, se explica la productividad política que el anacronismo y la memoria comportarían, esto es, la capacidad positiva y virtuosa que estos dos conceptos detentarían en relación con el hacer político.
Estética más allá del antropocentrismo: la perspectiva evolutiva como punto de encuentro entre análisis ético y estético en la filosofía de Jean-Marie Schaeffer
Authors: Suárez-Ruíz E. Joaquín
Published: April 2023

Los escritos de Jean-Marie Schaeffer destacan entre los de otros filósofos franceses por el hecho de que no solo enfatizan la relevancia del enfoque evolutivo al interior de la reflexión filosófica, generalmente desacreditado por completo en los círculos intelectuales vinculados a la filosofía continental, sino por el hecho de que lo introducen en la investigación estética, lo cual resulta aún menos frecuente entre los filósofos en general. En la argumentación de Schaeffer, dicho enfoque explicita la existencia de un punto de encuentro entre, por un lado, la crítica filosófica al antropocentrismo y la ética animal y, por otro lado, el análisis estético. Según se argumenta en este artículo, a la luz de las reflexiones del filósofo francés se evidencian algunas implicaciones importantes de la teoría de la evolución biológica en la problematización del supuesto de una superioridad moral humana al interior de la estética filosófica.
Revolución y reducción en Merleau-Ponty
Authors: Duarte Penayo José
Published: April 2023

Este artículo propone una recentralización del pensamiento político de Merleau-Ponty con el fin de dar cuenta, no solamente de un aspecto local de su filosofía, sino más bien de una clave interpretativa privilegiada para comprender el conjunto de sus trabajos. En ese sentido, argumentaremos en favor de la existencia de una relación íntima entre la reducción fenomenológica y la lógica interna de los procesos revolucionarios. De dicha relación se deriva, según nuestra lectura, el pensamiento crítico del autor sobre la historia y el ser en el mundo.
Terror y excepción. El enemigo interior en la fenomenología de la guerra (civil) moderna: de Beccaria a Benjamin
Authors: González Adolfo León
Published: April 2023

Desde el siglo XIX, un estado de alerta permanente frente al terrorismo en las democracias liberales modernas ha permitido la coexistencia de una aparente normalidad socio-jurídica y el estado de excepción, el espacio en el que el derecho se suspende a sí mismo para protegerse de una amenaza a su poder. Los actuales medios de policía y espionaje propios de la guerra moderna antiterrorista sirven para poner a prueba la hipótesis benjaminiana de que el Estado debe acudir siempre a una instancia superior de autoridad y legalidad ante la imposibilidad de defender su orden en el marco mismo de la ley. Este artículo analiza en profundidad los conceptos de “violencia” y “excepción” en Benjamin a partir de las reflexiones sobre la pena de muerte y policía de Estado desarrolladas en su ensayo “Para una crítica de la violencia”, puestas en diálogo con las ideas de autores como Beccaria, Schmitt, Agamben y Honneth.
Moda, novedad y utopía. Sobre la concepción dialéctica de la moda en Walter Benjamin
Authors: Martínez Matías Paloma
Published: April 2023

En este ensayo se estudian las reflexiones de Walter Benjamin sobre el fenómeno de la moda en el trabajo de los pasajes con el propósito de clarificar la naturaleza dialéctica que advierte en él. Para ello, se examina el papel crucial que la moda, a través de su valorización de la novedad, juega en la tendencia del régimen de producción capitalista a la mercantilización de todas las cosas y en el desarrollo del culto a la mercancía. En conexión con estos aspectos, se analiza la contribución de este fenómeno social al surgimiento de la visión de la historia característica de la sociedad capitalista, ligada a un ideal de progreso que encubre su inmovilismo social. Por último, se ofrece una interpretación de la significación política que Benjamin asigna a la moda tanto por su relación con la tarea del historiador materialista como por la dimensión utópica que contendría este fenómeno.
Dynamics of Three Coupled Generators of Quasi-periodic Oscillations
Authors:   Kotelnikov Institute of Radio-Engineering and Electronics of RAS, Saratov Branch, Kuznetsov Alexander Petrovich , Sedova Yuliya Viktorovna ,   Kotelnikov Institute of Radio-Engineering and Electronics of RAS, Saratov Branch, Stankevich Nataliya Vladimirovna ,   National Research University Higher School of Economics
Published: April 2023

The dynamics of three coupled generators capable of demonstrating autonomous quasi-periodic oscillations is studied. The complex structure of the Lyapunov charts of the system is discussed, which reveals invariant tori of different dimensions, quasi-periodic bifurcations of tori, and Arnold’s resonant web based on tori of different dimensions. Cases of different types of tuning of individual generators (periodic oscillations, quasi-periodic oscillations) are considered. A detailed numerical bifurcation analysis of the equilibrium state and limit cycles, which form a complex picture of dynamic regimes, is carried out.Common features and differences compared to the case of three coupled van der Pol oscillators are discussed.
Qanat's hydraulic harim determination using the meshless numerical method
Authors: Mohtashami Ali , Al-Ghafri Abdullah Saif , Akbarpour Abolfazl
Published: April 2023

Qanat is an ancient water harvesting technology which is used for irrigation, agriculture and drinking in many countries of the world. A key element of preserving this heritage is calculating their protection area. In this study, the main aim is depiction of the hydraulic harim of qanat with the usage of the meshless numerical method. Afterward, the qanat package has been added to this model to delineate the hydraulic harim of the qanat. Two qanat systems are shown here: one in a standard aquifer and the other in a real test case, namely Haji-Abad qanat, located in the Birjand unconfined aquifer. In the real test case, the hydraulic harim of Haji-Abad qanat with 10 collection shafts is depicted in 3 time sections as well. The time sections are 3 years after extraction (2014), 6 years (2017) and 11 years (2022). The findings stated that time makes the harim area larger. In addition, the hydraulic harim is extended to areas with a higher hydraulic conductivity coefficient. Ultimately, we have delineated the hydraulic harim for 2040 and unfortunately, it is influenced by buildings. Therefore, it is necessary to find the hydraulic harim of qanats in order to protect this traditional heritage.
Efficient adsorption of nickel and chromium(VI) from aqueous solutions using lignocellulose nanofibers: Kinetics, isotherms, and thermodynamic studies
Authors: Sheikhi Meghdad , Rezaei Hassan
Published: April 2023

The entry of heavy metals due to industrial activities into the environment is one of the major problems in this century. Nickel and chromium(VI) are the toxin elements that are used in various industries. In this study, lignocellulose nanofiber was purchased from the Nano-Novin Polymer Company (Gorgan, Iran) and used as an adsorbent for the removal of nickel and chromium(VI) ions from aqueous solutions in a batch system. The effects of pH, initial concentration, adsorbent dose, contact time, and temperature were investigated. The adsorption mechanism was determined by Langmuir, Freundlich, kinetic, and thermodynamic models. Investigation of equilibrium isotherms nickel and chromium(VI) showed that the isotherm fitted well with the Freundlich model. The pseudo-second-order model with the larger correlation coefficient had a greater fitness against experimental data in the kinetic studies. Thermodynamic parameters of both nickel and chromium such as Gibbs free energy, enthalpy, and entropy were calculated which indicated spontaneous, endothermic, and random processes, respectively. Lignocellulose nanofiber can be suggested as a good adsorbent that is highly capable of adsorbing nickel and chromium(VI) from aqueous solutions.
Orden y desorden del corazón: Apuntes schelerianos sobre los engaños valorativos
Authors: Chu Mariana
Published: April 2023

El valor moral de nuestra vida práctica depende de nuestro conocimiento de valores. Más aún, según Scheler, la intuición adecuada de un valor plenamente dado motiva necesariamente nuestro querer a la realización de ese valor. Pero lo habitual es, más bien, que los valores de diferentes tipos nos sean dados en diferentes grados de inadecuación. Por esa razón, estamos sometidos a posibles engaños valorativos y, por tanto, a la posibilidad de una vida éticamente mala. Con el fin de mostrar las formas y fuentes de engaño valorativo identificables a priori, este artículo aborda, en primer lugar, la correlación estratificada entre valores y emociones intencionales a partir de los sentidos schelerianos del concepto de ordo amoris; en segundo lugar, se considera algunas “medidas del conocimiento” para, a partir de ellas, distinguir dos grandes tipos de trastorno del ordo amoris basados en diferentes formas de engaños o ilusiones del sentir, preferir y amar.
Símbolo, religiosidad y cultura: aproximación desde una filosofía- antropológica de la religión
Authors: Lagos Carolina
Published: April 2023

El presente artículo es una elaboración teórica descriptiva que desarrolla una aproximación filosófica antropológica del símbolo-religioso. El objetivo de este artículo apunta a identificar que la simbología-religiosa es requerida por el ser humano de modo perenne, en relación a la búsqueda de significados suficientes para dotar de interpretación y valor a la realidad, con la finalidad de construir una cultura estable para el existir. En función de dicho propósito se establece que el símbolo adviene desde la dimensión imaginal (Chillón, 2010) de la inteligencia, extendiéndose hacia sectores que los conceptos y la productividad racional no logran abordar. Al respecto, el manuscrito establece que, comprender la función de la simbología desde su procedencia original en la experiencia religiosa, significa contribuir a la comprensión del resurgir religioso manifestado en la posmodernidad, aún a las condiciones de cambio continuo y la ausencia de direcciones sólidamente definidas (Bauman, 1996). Se establece que las mediaciones simbólicas-religiosas, conservan intacta su tarea de transitar el vínculo entre el ser humano y el misterio trascendente (Chillón, 2010; Diez de Velasco, Méndez, & Maffesoli; 2007; Mardones, 1996), a objeto de orientar la vida humana integralmente.
La Pandemia como ocasión de crecimiento personal y oportunidad para otro concepto de calidad educativa
Authors: Viola Juan Pablo , Velarde Catalina
Published: April 2023

La hipótesis que aquí se plantea es que la pandemia puso a cada persona en situación de tener que aprender una forma de convivir con la enfermedad, y con las medidas excepcionales interpuestas por los estados, para paliar las consecuencias de esta epidemia mundial. En ese sentido, la enfermedad del SARS-CoV-2 no ha pasado solo como una prueba a nivel sanitario, sino también a nivel personal, educativo y existencial. En esta línea se sostiene que una educación de calidad no es sólo una educación medida en términos matemáticos y estadísticos, sino, y, sobre todo, en términos de escucha y obediencia de la necesidad del otro. La calidad del hecho educativo pasa por una cualidad entitativa y no por una mera calidad formal, por ser y no por tener.
Merrifield Resin Supported Ionic Liquids: Catalytic Applications in Organic
Synthesis
Authors: Aggarwal Ayushi , Singh Avtar , Chopra Harish Kumar
Published: April 2023

Ever since their discovery, Ionic Liquids have raised great interest in organic
transformations ranging from solvents to catalytic entities. These belong to a class of nonmolecular
compounds composed of ions having curiously low melting points. In the last few
years, the Supported Ionic Liquids have drawn the attention of researchers and chemists due
to their advantages over homogeneous catalysis. The most commonly used support for immobilized
ionic liquids is polymeric. Due to its efficient recovery, reusability and chemical
inertness, Merrifield resin can be considered an excellent solid support for ionic liquids. The
present review summarizes the synthesis and application of Merrifield Resin Supported Ionic
Liquids (MRSILs). The MRSILs can be synthesized by the immobilization of amines like
ammonium, choline, imidazolium, DABCO, DMAP, pyridine, and many other functionalized
precursors. Additionally, these MRSILs play an incredible role in the field of catalysis, where
both metal-free and metal-containing MRSILs are embodied as a catalyst.
The Phytochemical and Pharmacological Properties of Citrus sinensis
‘Maltese Half-blood’ Essential Oil Peels Extracted and Optimized by
Response-surface Methodology
Authors: Kallel Imen , Tarhouni Nidhal , Elaguel Asma , Mekrazi Saoussen , Khabir Abdelmajid , Hadrich Bilel , Bayoudh Ahmed
Published: April 2023

Background:

Citrus fruits have been a valuable economic crop for thousands of years.
Furthermore, citrus essential oils are significant in the perfume, food, and beverage sectors, as well
as aromatherapy and medical medicines.

Aims:

The present study aims to evaluate the phytochemical and pharmacological potentials of the
optimized Citrus sinensis ‘Maltese half-blood’ essential oils peels (CsEO) extraction yields using
Response-Surface Methodology (RSM).

Objective:

There have been few investigations on Citrus sinensis ‘Maltese half-blood’ essential
oil.

Methods:

Citrus sinensis ‘Maltese half-blood’ essential oil peels (CsEO) extraction yields were
performed by hydro-distillation and optimized by using Response-Surface Methodology (RSM).
The oils were analysed by GC-MS. Different chemical tests were used to evaluate antioxidant
activities. The healing potential was evaluated using models’ wounds on Wistar rats.

Results:

The RSM optimization demonstrated the highest yield of CsEO of 6.89 g/100 g d.b. All
three tested factors significantly influenced the CsEO extraction yield: washing saline solution
concentration, washings number, and drying percentage of peels. Significant antioxidant activities
were noted in CsEO: the DPPH assay reported an IC50 of 0.225 ± 0.014 mL/mg, the FRAP assay
showed an IC50 of 0.235 ± 0.001, and the NO assay was an IC50 in order of 0.259 ± 0.019. CsEO
was not genotoxic and considerably decreased the levels of DNA lesions induced by oxidants.
Also, applying a cream with CsEO on wounds promotes significantly rapid wound healing.

Conclusion:

CsEO could be considered a rich natural source of antioxidants and bio-compounds
to accelerate wound healing. It can be used in pharmaceutical sectors as an alternative to synthetic
chemicals.
Covid-19 Prevention and Treatment by Targeting Fc-fusion
Proteins: An Experience to Fight Emerging Diseases
Authors: Zare Hamed , Farkhondeh Tahereh , Bakherad Hamid , Sharifi Hengame , Hosseinzade Shirzeyli Maryam , Samarghandian Saeed , Ghasemi Fahimeh
Published: April 2023

The coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic has been considered a
major threat to human health. Effective therapeutic approaches are urgently required.
Spike protein and the Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptors have critical
roles in SARS-CoV-2 infection. As a result, these two proteins are considered potential
targets for the development of a wide variety of biotherapeutics and vaccines for
controlling Covid-19. The fusion proteins have desirable medicinal properties, including
high serum half-life, stability, and solubility in the body. Moreover, other Fc-fusion
proteins used to treat other diseases have no known side effects. These Fc-fusion
proteins are valuable biopharmaceuticals and have been proposed as therapeutic
candidates for the treatment and prevention of Covid-19 owing to their potential
therapeutic benefits.
Micro and Nano Robotics-assisted Targeted Drug Delivery, Surgery and
Radiotherapy for Cancer Treatment
Authors: Ojha Smriti , Bhusan Singh Raj , Shukla Amrita , Chadha Hina , Mishra Sudhanshu
Published: April 2023

Cancer refers to the progressive abnormal cell growth with the potential to invade or
spread to other parts of the body. Many cancer therapies continue to be based on systemic chemotherapy
along with radiation therapy. Numerous nanomedicine strategies have been developed to address
the untargeted nature of these therapies and the serious side effects they can cause. As targeted
therapeutic delivery is still difficult, engineered robots and microrobots are getting more and more
attention and applicability. Microrobots can more effectively reach malignancies because of their
unique features and functions, like their motility, which allows them to penetrate malignant tissues.
Modern cancer treatment techniques built on information technology can boost patient compliance
and improve patient survival. The delicate tissue can be overly damaged by radiation and surgery,
and most chemotherapy medications are unable to penetrate the blood-brain barrier and reach the tumor.
Cancer prevention, its early detection, quick diagnosis, and prompt treatment are very crucial.
Robotic technology is employed in a variety of medical settings, and its applications in surgery have
evolved that have an impact on the field of cancer treatment as well. A key improvement in cancer
therapy with the aid of robotics would be the ability to target and deliver medications directly to the
tumor.
Food Additives: Recent Advances and Development
Authors: Kaur Simranjeet , Kaur Simran , Chauhan Pratik N. , Alsayadi Galal Mohsen Hussein , Ul Hamid Junaid
Published: April 2023

For instance, antifoam compounds are used at concentrations ranging from a few ppm
to a particular percentage of the product's total weight. They can either work together in a synergistic
way to benefit one another or compete with one another. In order to "prohibit the use of
additives in foods that have not been adequately studied to ensure their safety," the Food, Drug,
and Cosmetic Act was modified in September 1958. Any substance whose intended use causes it
to become a component of or to significantly alter the properties of food is considered a food additive
(including any substance intended for use in producing, manufacturing, packing, processing,
preparing, treating, packaging, transporting, or holding food; and any source of radiation
intended for any such use). There are several well-known benefits to using additives. A wider
range of food products, a reduced cost of food, and a safer and more nutrient-dense food supply
are just a few of the significant advantages. Early American laws created the concept of "Generally
Recognized as Safe" for particular dietary components, which was later clearly defined to
include scientific data. The Code of Federal Regulations contains additional provisions pertaining
to specific food additives. The use of food additives in member nations is governed by three
key directives in the European Union. Australia and New Zealand follow the same legal system
as Europe. In contrast to chemical additions, which must adhere to tight regulations, natural
source additives are handled differently in Japan. This review provides general information on
how additives can be used to achieve a variety of goals and how to draw conclusions from a
range of authorities for distinct categories.
Thyroid Nodules Classification using Weighted Average Ensemble and DCRITIC
Based TOPSIS Methods for Ultrasound Images
Authors: Sharma Rohit , Kumar Mahanti Gautam , Panda Ganapati , Singh Abhishek
Published: April 2023

Background:

Thyroid disorders are prevalent worldwide and impact many people. The abnormal growth of cells in the thyroid gland region is very common and
even found in healthy people. These abnormal cells can be cancerous or non-cancerous, so early detection of this disease is the only solution for
minimizing the death rate or maximizing a patient's survival rate. Traditional techniques to detect cancerous nodules are complex and timeconsuming;
hence, several imaging algorithms are used to detect the malignant status of thyroid nodules timely.

Aim:

This research aims to develop computer-aided diagnosis tools for malignant thyroid nodule detection using ultrasound images. This tool will be
helpful for doctors and radiologists in the rapid detection of thyroid cancer at its early stages. The individual machine learning models are inferior
to medical datasets because the size of medical image datasets is tiny, and there is a vast class imbalance problem. These problems lead to
overfitting; hence, accuracy is very poor on the test dataset.

Objective:

This research proposes ensemble learning models that achieve higher accuracy than individual models. The objective is to design different
ensemble models and then utilize benchmarking techniques to select the best model among all trained models.

Methods:

This research investigates four recently developed image transformer and mixer models for thyroid detection. The weighted average ensemble
models are introduced, and model weights are optimized using the hunger games search (HGS) optimization algorithm. The recently developed
distance correlation CRITIC (D-CRITIC) based TOPSIS method is utilized to rank the models.

Results:

Based on the TOPSIS score, the best model for an 80:20 split is the gMLP + ViT model, which achieved an accuracy of 89.70%, whereas using a
70:30 data split, the gMLP + FNet + Mixer-MLP has achieved the highest accuracy of 82.18% on the publicly available thyroid dataset.

Conclusion:

This study shows that the proposed ensemble models have better thyroid detection capabilities than individual base models for the imbalanced
thyroid ultrasound dataset.
A First Report of Thyroid Pneumatosis as a Complication of Ultrasound-guided
Thyroid Biopsy
Authors: Li Honglu , Chen Wei , Xu Hua , Wang Chuanhong , Zou Huachun , Chen Yang , Lei Pinggui , Fan Bing
Published: April 2023

Background:

Ultrasound-guided needle biopsies, including fine-needle aspirations (FNA) and core needle biopsies (CNB), have become an effective technique in the evaluation of thyroid nodules. In this report, we discuss the first reported case, to our knowledge, of thyroid pneumatosis after ultrasound-guided FNA.

Case Presentation:

A 44-year-old woman underwent ultrasound-guided FNA in other hospitals after thyroid ultrasound revealed a solid lesion in the left lobe classified as TI-RADS 4. Two days later, this female presented to our hospital for an excision of a thyroid mass. Pre- and post-contrast CT scans of the thyroid showed extensive accumulation of gas in the thyroid gland and the retropharyngeal and retrotracheal space. A CT scan of the thyroid two days later revealed obvious absorption of thyroid gas and faint low-density nodules in the left lobe of the thyroid. The lesion was histopathologically confirmed as papillary carcinoma of the thyroid.

Conclusion:

We thought the aforementioned issues originating from the limited imaging capacity of ultrasound in the context of thyroid biopsy. To avoid these limitations, we highlight the need to thoroughly examine the location of a lesion prior to thyroid biopsy to understand in detail the relationship between the lesion and the adjacent tissues, especially the proximity of the lesion to the trachea, the occurrence of coughing during a biopsy (indicating puncture of the trachea) is what operators need to be aware of so that they can manage such cases. On the other hand, we recommend that pre-operative use of CT before thyroid biopsy and especially if CT is needed anyway later for nodules evaluation before surgery to ensure the CT image quality.
A Conceptual Framework Towards the Realization of In situ Monitoring
and Control of End-to-End Additive Manufacturing Process
Authors: Karadgi Sachin , M. Bhovi Prabhakar , Patil Arun Y. , Ramaiah Keshavamurthy , Venkateswarlu K. , Langdon Terence G.
Published: April 2023

Additive Manufacturing (AM) is considered one of the key technologies for realizing Industry
4.0. There are numerous stages in the end-to-end AM process, including component design, material
design, build, and so on. An enormous amount of data is generated along the end-to-end AM process
that can be acquired from the 3D printer in real-time, micro-characterization studies, and process
plan details, among others. For instance, these data can be employed to predict the printed components’
quality and, at the same time, proactively adapt the 3D printer parameters to achieve better quality.
This end-to-end AM process can be mapped onto the digital thread. The current article elaborates
on a conceptual framework to acquire the data from various sources associated with the end-to-end
AM process and realize monitoring and control of the end-to-end AM process, leading to an intelligent
AM process.
Chemical Detoxification of Therapeutic Hybrid Complexes Prepared by the
Compatible Combination of Ayurvedic Herb and Allopathic Drug
Authors: Bhawana Mishra , Deepak Pant , Suraj Gothwal , Akash Garhwal , Ramnarayan Yadav Sanjay , Ashok Nadda Kumar
Published: April 2023

Background & Objective:

The treatment of diseases and good health maintenance are the common fundamental aims of ayurvedic and allopathic medical systems. Limited
information is available in the public domain for the concept of symbiohealth, i.e., the symbiotic interaction of ayurveda and allopathy, that needs
to be explored for an efficient and robust health system. Therefore, an attempt has been made to reduce the toxicity of therapeutic drugs via the
integration approach of ayurveda and allopathy.

Methods:

Three different categories of allopathy and ayurvedic medicines, such as antacids (omeprazole, ranitidine, and sooktybhasma), antibacterial
(amoxicillin trihydrate, ciprofloxacin hydrochloride, Curcuma longa, and Datura stramonium) and antiviral (acyclovir, efavirenz, Echinacea,
Calendula, Allium sativum, and Citrullus colocynthis) were targeted.

Results:

Best therapeutic hybrid combination was obtained on the basis of their UV absorption maxima and peak shift. Acyclovir with A. sativum (1-6%),
sooktybhasma 20% with rantidine, Ciprofloxacin HCl (2%) with 10% aqueous datura and Ciprofloxacin HCl (0.02-0.2%) with 0.02-0.06%
acetonitrile turmeric showed best integration result. This drug integration can be applied to improve the potential results or detoxification of hybrid
drugs that target the drug moiety results in reduced side effects or the dose of important drugs, which might be due to the chelation pattern of their
functional group, absorption, bonding, and pi-pi interaction.

Conclusion:

This study will provide the leadership for the betterment of a therapeutic hybrid drug complex that might be useful as an allopathic drug and less
harmful than its ayurvedic component. The proposed integration fusion of different medication therapies, such as Ayurvedic and allopathic, has the
potential for a scientific merger.
Small Non-coding RNA in Plants: From Basic Science to Innovative
Applications
Authors: Tarquini Giulia , Cione Erika
Published: April 2023

Plants possess an arsenal of different classes of small RNAs (sRNAs) of variable size, which play a regulatory role in a multitude of physiological and pathological processes via tran-scriptional or post-transcriptional gene silencing. The hard challenges that agriculture will face in the next few decades, such as an increasing demand for agrifood production related to the global in-crease in population, have stimulated the development of innovative biotechnological approaches in agriculture. In this regard, the use of artificial sRNAs has already been exploited successfully for many purposes, including control of severe plant diseases, improvement of genetic and agronomic traits of cultivated species, and increasing the nutritional value of plant foodstuffs. This strategy re-lies on the application of synthetic sRNA molecules to induce specific physiological responses by triggering appropriate RNA silencing pathways. This review contextualizes the use of artificial sRNAs in consideration of the huge diversity of RNA silencing mechanisms in plants. Additionally, the discussion also examines microRNAs from edible plants and exosome-like vesicles, also known as plant-derived edible nanoparticles (ENPs), which themselves can act as micronutrients.
A Study on the Differentiation of the Meaning of ‘Aswium’ Type Emotional Verbs: Focusing on ‘aswipda, akkapda, seopseophada and seounhada’ by Analyzing the Co-occurring Nouns
Authors:   Korean Language & Literature, Xiao Shen-nian
Published: April 2023

The aim is to uncover the semantic preferences of the co-occurring nouns of the ‘aswium’ type emotional verbs in order to differentiate their meanings. For learners of Korean as a foreign language, the acquisition of synonyms is crucial for expanding vocabulary knowledge and improving language proficiency. However, distinguishing between synonyms with similar meanings in different contexts can be challenging, particularly in the case of emotional verbs. Simply relying on a dictionary to understand the contextual meaning of emotional vocabulary is also difficult, as it fails to capture the complex and nuanced differences in various contexts. To address these challenges, recent studies on linguistic expressions of emotion have utilized corpus linguistics, AI machine learning, and deep learning. By analyzing corpus data, this study attempts to distinguish their meaning by revealing their semantic preference for the co-occurring nouns of Korean ‘aswium’ type emotional verbs - ‘aswipda, akkapda, seopseophada and seounhada’. And provide basic data for developing practical and objective vocabulary education content.