bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Efficacy of Artificial Oocyte Activation in Improving the Reproductive Outcome in Poor Responders: A Single Centre Cohort Study
Authors: Kaur Balpreet , Malik Sonia , Prakash Ved , Bhatia Vandana , Gupta Deepu
Published: February 2023

Objective: Achieving pregnancy in poor ovarian response patients is a challenge. Failed fertilization after ICSI, despite normal semen parameters is due to defects in oocyte activation. In-vitro activation of oocytes using Ca+2 agents can be useful in increasing the fertilization rates in these patients. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of artificial oocyte activation by calcium ionophores in poor responders in improving fertilization, cleavage, implantation and clinical pregnancy rates.
Materials and methods: This is a prospective, cohort study conducted on 120 patients having poor ovarian response, (POSEIDON criteria) undergoing in-vitro fertilization/intracytoplasmic sperm injection (IVF/ICSI) treatment at Southend Fertility and IVF, New Delhi from 1st August 2019 to 31st March 2020. Exclusion criterion was patients with partners with abnormal semen parameters. After OPU patients were randomized into two groups, study group (n=50) underwent ICSI-AOA (ICSI followed by artificial oocyte activation) using calcium ionophore- GM508 Cult-Active Solution) while the controls (n=57) were subjected to ICSI only.
Results: Comparison of ICSI-AOA and ICSI groups showed: (i) number of fertilized oocytes - 2.42 vs. 2.16, p = 0.049 (ii) No. of cleavage stage embryos 2.32 vs. 1.96, p = 0.008 (iii) No. of grade A embryos 1.52 vs. 1.04, p = 0.009 (iv) fertilization rate - 89.00% vs. 83.04%, p = 0.093 (v) cleavage rate - 96.33% vs. 92.55%, p = 0.165 (vi) implantation rate - 27.14% vs. 11.74%, p = 0.098 (vii) clinical pregnancy rate - 34.3% vs. 20.5%, p = 0.167.
Conclusion: The number of fertilized oocytes, grade A embryos and cleavage stage embryos formed after ICSI-AOA were statistically significantly more than ICSI. ICSI-AOA has not shown improvement in fertilization, cleavage, implantation and clinical pregnancy rate. From the present study the conclusive evidence cannot be drawn due to small sample size hence further studies are needed on a larger population.
Cold Plasma Treatment for Astragalus membranaceus Seed Germination and Seedling Growth Improvement
Authors: Wei Shaochong , Zhao Lu , Liu Zhen , Zhang Xiaoyu , Hui Yunting , Wang Decheng , Liu Zhongkuan , Liu Guixia
Published: February 2023

Background: Astragalus membranaceus seeds have dormant properties that not only limit germination but also negatively affect the growth of seedlings. We investigated the enhancing effect of cold plasma treatment on seed germination and the positive effect on seedling growth of Astragalus membranaceus by treating its seeds with cold plasma at different power levels. Method: The Astragalus membranaceus seeds were treated with cold plasma at power levels of 40, 60, 80, 100, 120, 140, 160, 180, 200, 220 and 240 W for 15 seconds with helium gas and seeds without any treatment were used as control. Results: The Astragalus membranaceus seeds were treated with cold plasma, which not only improved seed germination, but also had a positive effect on seedling growth, with the best results for the 80 W power cold plasma treatment. The 80 W power cold plasma treatment increased the germination rate, germination index and vigor index of Astragalus membranaceus seeds by 26.8%, 12.4% and 39.8%, respectively; increased root length, CAT activity and SOD activity of Astragalus membranaceus seedlings by 24.5%, 99.7% and 7.1%, respectively and decreased the relative conductivity and MDA content of Astragalus membranaceus seedlings by 6.6% and 17.6%, respectively; compared with that of the control group.
A Play Therapy Model Focusing on Parent Training: Child-Parent Relationship Therapy
Authors: ÖZTEKİN Gülçin Güler , GENÇDOĞAN Başaran
Published: February 2023

Child-Parent Relationship Therapy is an approach that combines play therapy and family therapy. It is based on the idea of teaching parents the skills of structuring, emphatic listening, imaginary play and limit-setting and enabling their children to become play therapists. The overall aim is to strengthen the child-parent relationship. It is a structured, 10-week, group format training for parents with children aged 3-10. After 3 week-parent training, special play sessions with their children for 7 weeks begin in parallel with the training sessions. These sessions teach parents to recognize their children's emotions, listen effectively, build self-esteem, and set boundaries therapeutically, while helping parents develop parenting skills. In this review, the history of Child-Parent Relationship Therapy, its aims, parent-child interaction and training dimensions, playroom and toy selection, content of training sessions and research studies on its effectiveness are explained. Evaluating the model, it was seen that CPRT was an effective approach in reducing parental stress and behavioral problems of children, and improving parental acceptance and empathy levels.
What are the indicators of Student Engagement in Learning Management Systems? A Systematized Review of the Literature
Authors: Ahmadi Golchehreh , Mohammadi Aeen , Asadzandi Shadi , Shah Mahsood , Mojtahedzadeh Rita
Published: February 2023

Student engagement has an important role in academic achievement in all learning contexts, including e-learning environments. The extent of monitoring and promoting student engagement in e-learning affects the quality of education and is a determining factor for ensuring student’s success. Log data of students’ activities recorded in a learning management system (LMS) can be used to measure their level of engagement in the online teaching–learning process. No previous studies have been found stating a consistent and systematically raised list of LMS-based student engagement indicators, so this systematized review aimed to fulfill this gap. The authors performed an advanced search in the PubMed, Ovid, Google Scholar, Scopus, Web of Science, ProQuest, Emerald, and ERIC databases to retrieve relevant original peer-reviewed articles published until the end of June 2021. Reviewing the 32 included articles resulted in 27 indicators that were categorized into three themes and six categories as follows: (a) log-in and usage (referring to LMS, access to course material), (b) student performance (assignments, assessments), and (c) communication (messaging, forum participation). Among the categories, access to course material and messaging were the most and the least mentioned, respectively.
Daring Patriarchy? A Biblical Engagement with Gender Discourses on Political Participation in Post-colonial Zimbabwe
Authors: Manyonganise Molly
Published: February 2023

This volume (coming out from a Humboldt Research-Fellowship) critically engages with gender discourses on political participation in Zimbabwe, focusing on how the Bible has been used to deny women political offices in the land. The study’s reference to political office needs to be understood broadly, that is, to include women participating in decision-making in their homes, religious institutions, local government, political parties to mention but a few. Dominant religio-cultural discourses on political participation have deployed biblical texts in ways that have shaped Zimbabwe’s political terrain to be gendered space. The study uses gender as a category of analyzing political participation in Zimbabwe. The study argues that the challenges women face in their endeavor to participate fully in politics in Zimbabwe are not only embedded in culture, but have also been reinforced by the way biblical interpretation pertaining to women’s public roles has been done. It is against this background that this volume seeks to examine the utilisation of the Bible by church leaders who find support from male politicians in a bid to safeguard the space from women perceived as ‘dangerous’. In other words, the study endeavours to examine how the Bible has been deployed to control gender discourses on political participation in Zimbabwe. To a large extent, this study shows the centrality as well as the influence of the Bible in shaping gender relations, even in those areas that have to a large extent been perceived as non-religious. This volume, therefore, seeks to open up more political space for women by examining how the everyday is suffused with politics, that is, politics as affecting interactions between individuals and groups thereby facilitating women’s participation in politics at all levels. It is envisioned that such a study would contribute greatly to social transformation. Molly Manyonganise holds a PhD in Biblical and Religious Studies from the University of Pretoria. She is a senior lecturer in the Department of Religious Studies and Philosophy at the Zimbabwe Open University. She is a research associate of the Department of Religion Studies, Faculty of Theology and Religion of the University of Pretoria. 2020-2023 she was a Georg Forster Postdoctoral research fellow, Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, Germany. Her research interests comprise religion and politics, gender and religion, religion and sexuality, African Indigenous Religion(s) as well as African Christianity.
Estudio comparativo de estructuras Ligeras en la arquitectura moderna: Eladio Dieste vs Félix Candela = Comparative study of lightweight structures in modern architecture: Eladio Dieste vs. Félix Candela
Authors: Álvarez-Dorado Manuel , Fernández-Vega Daniel , Morón-Fernández Carlos
Published: February 2023

El siguiente texto presenta el análisis comparativo de las estructuras ligeras del ingeniero uruguayo Eladio Dieste y el Arquitecto español Félix Candela. A través de 4 obras relevantes, como son el restaurante Los Manantiales, la Iglesia Ntra Sra de Guadalupe, La iglesia de San Juan de Ávila y el pabellón del colegio Don Bosco, se comparan aspectos clave en el desarrollo de la arquitectura de ambos y su funcionamiento. A través de las luces, como objetivo principal de las arquitecturas singulares, los soportes y el proceso de ejecución, se pretende extraer las ventajas e inconvenientes de las técnicas constructivas singulares de estos dos genios de la ingeniería del siglo XX, la cerámica estructural y las cáscaras de hormigón. Como principales resultados podemos obtener que el uso de soportes estructurales (pilares) hace que se puedan conseguir alturas mayores que con el uso de las cáscaras de hormigón. En cuanto a los procesos de ejecución, no hay una clara ventaja de uno con respecto a otro, ya que cada uno tiene sus particularidades a la hora de llevarlos a cabo. Las luces conseguidas con las cáscaras de hormigón llegan a ser de casi el doble que, con la cerámica armada, lo cual lo hace adecuado para aquellas edificaciones singulares con necesidad de espacialidad diáfana.AbstractThe following text presents a comparative analysis of the light structures of the Uruguayan engineer Eladio Dieste and the Spanish architect Félix Candela. Through 4 relevant works, such as the restaurant Los Manantiales, the Church of Our Lady of Guadalupe, the church of San Juan de Ávila and the pavilion of the Don Bosco school, key aspects in the development of the architecture of both and their functioning are compared. By means of the spans, as the main objective of the singular architectures, the supports and the execution process, the aim is to extract the advantages and disadvantages of the singular construction techniques of these two geniuses of 20th century engineering, structural ceramics and concrete shells. The main results are that the use of structural supports (pillars) makes it possible to achieve greater heights than with the use of concrete shells. As for the execution processes, there is no clear advantage of one over the other, as each one has its own particularities when it comes to carrying them out. The spans achieved with concrete shells are almost twice as large as with reinforced ceramics, which makes it suitable for unique buildings with a need for diaphanous spatiality.
Condicionantes espaciales en el aula de educación secundaria. El caso español = Spatial determinants in the secondary education classroom. The Spanish case.
Authors: Alcaraz-García Sebastián , Verdú-Vázquez Amparo , Gil-López Tomás
Published: February 2023

En este artículo analizamos cuáles son los condicionantes espaciales que lastran el desempeño del aula de secundaria y frenan su evolución hacia otros modelos o propuestas innovadoras de ambientes de aprendizaje. Al mismo tiempo, a lo largo de este estudio se tratan de ofrecer claves para el diseño de nuevos espacios y soluciones para la transformación de las aulas tradicionales ya construidas, que constituyen la tipología mayoritaria en España.AbstractIn this article we analyze the spatial constraints that hinder the performance of the secondary classroom and slow down its evolution towards other models or innovative proposals for learning environments. At the same time, throughout this study we will try to offer guidelines for the design of new spaces and solutions for the transformation of traditional classrooms already built, which are the most widespread typology in Spain
Valorización de relaves de mineral de oro de la mina Amesmessa en mortero de cemento: propiedades mecánicas, químicas y de microestructura = Valorization of gold ore tailing from Amesmessa mine in cement mortar: mechanical, chemical and microstructure properties.
Authors: Baziz Amina , Souad Kherbache , Houssama Slimanou , Nedjima Bouzidi
Published: February 2023

La necesidad de responder a los problemas ambientales causados por los rechazos mineros, muchos enfoques llevados a cabo para resolver estos problemas. En este trabajo, se estudió el relave de mineral de oro proporcionado por la mina Amesmessa como sustitución en el mortero de cemento. Las cantidades de sustitución estudiadas fueron 0, 10, 20, 30 y 40 % del cemento en peso. Se relevó la composición mineralógica de las principales fases de la hidratación del cemento. Se realizaron pruebas experimentales como la compresión, la porosidad y la absorción de agua. Las pruebas revelaron que la sustitución del cemento al 10% es la cantidad óptima para sustituir el cemento. Se demostró una resistencia a la compresión de 33 Mpa, una porosidad de 10,31% y una absorción de agua de 4,83%. Estos valores se acercan a los de las muestras de referencia. Esta sustitución permite preservar el medio ambiente desde dos puntos de vista, mediante la valorización de los residuos de mineral de oro y la disminución de la emisión de CO2 con la disminución de la producción de cemento.AbstractThe need to respond the environmental problems causing by mining rejects, many approaches carried out to resolve these problems. In this work, we studied the gold ore tailing provided by Amesmessa mine as replacement in cement mortar. The substitution amounts studied 0, 10, 20, 30, and 40 % of cement in weight. The mineralogical composition was relieved the principal phases of the cement hydration. Experimental tests carried out such as compressive, porosity, water absorption. The tests revealed that the replacement of cement at 10% percent is the optimum amount to replace cement. It showed 33 Mpa of compressive strength, 10.31% porosity, 4.83% water absorption. These values are so close to those of reference samples. This substitution allows preserving the environment from two sides, by valorizing the gold ore tailing and diminishing the CO2 emission with diminishing the cement production.
Aproximación a la vulnerabilidad sísmica de las edificaciones mediante SIG: la serie sísmica de la Vega de Granada (2020-2021) = Approach to the seismic vulnerability of buildings through GIS: the seismic series of the Vega de Granada (2020-2021).
Authors: Amaro-Mellado Jose Lazaro , Cobo-Collado María Dolores , Martín-Cara Antonio
Published: February 2023

La Vega de Granada es una de las comarcas españolas que presenta una mayor peligrosidad sísmica, donde se han registrado importantes eventos con intensidad macrosísmica (Io)≥VIII. A final de 2020 comenzó una serie sísmica (aún activa, en marzo de 2021), que ha alcanzado una Io=V-VI. En el marco de los estudios de riesgo sísmico, es necesario conocer la vulnerabilidad de las edificaciones. Así, esta investigación persigue estimar unos valores relativos de vulnerabilidad de las edificaciones. Para ello, partiendo de información proveniente de Catastro y del Instituto Geográfico Nacional, así como de las fechas de normativas sismorresistentes, se ha llevado a cabo un análisis multicriterio. Para la integración de los datos, los cálculos, la representación y el análisis de los mismos se ha empleado un sistema de información geográfica gratuito. Los resultados muestran que, principalmente, la zona oeste de Santa Fe es la que podría verse más afectada.AbstractLa Vega de Granada is one of the Spanish regions with the highest seismic hazard, where important events with macroseismic intensity (Io)≥VIII have been recorded. At the end of 2020 a seismic series began (still active, in March 2021), which has reached an Io=V-VI. In the framework of seismic risk studies, it is necessary to know the vulnerability of buildings. Thus, this research aims to estimate relative vulnerability values of buildings. For this purpose, a multi-criteria analysis was carried out based on information from the Cadastre and the National Geographic Institute, as well as on the dates of seismic-resistant regulations. A free geographic information system was used for data integration, calculations, representation and analysis. The results show that the area west of Santa Fe is the most likely to be affected.
Mejora del desempeño térmico del muro trombe a través de un acristalamiento electrocrómico con conmutación programada = Improving the thermal performance of the trombe wall through programmed switching electrochromic glazing
Authors: Martínez Arturo , Pérez Gloria , Levy David , Adell Josep María , Gallego-Sanchez-Torija Jorge , Martín-Consuegra Fernando
Published: February 2023

El gasto energético que representa la climatización de edificios a nivel mundial hace necesaria la adopción y adaptación de técnicas pasivas para reducir las demandas de calefacción y refrigeración. Diversos estudios han comprobado los beneficios térmicos y energéticos del muro Trombe (MT), sobre todo en climas continentales. No obstante, este sistema genera sobrecalentamiento en climas con veranos cálidos. Mas allá del uso de sistemas tradicionales, esta técnica puede mejorar su capacidad de climatización en este tipo de climas a través de materiales cromogénicos como los vidrios electrocrómicos (EC). En este estudio se simula la rehabilitación energética de una habitación en un edificio de Madrid mediante un MT convencional (MTC) y uno que incluye un vidrio EC (MTEC), cuya conmutación fue programada para mediar las condiciones climáticas en un periodo con mayor contraste diario de temperatura. Los resultados muestran que el MTEC proporciona temperaturas interiores más confortables.AbstractThe energy cost of air-conditioning buildings worldwide makes it necessary to adopt and adapt passive techniques to reduce heating and cooling demands. Several studies have proven the thermal and energy benefits of the Trombe wall (TM), especially in continental climates. However, this system generates overheating in climates with hot summers. Beyond the use of traditional systems, this technique can improve its climate control capacity in such climates through the use of chromogenic materials such as electrochromic glass (EC). This study simulates the energy rehabilitation of a room in a building in Madrid using a conventional MTC (MTC) and one that includes an EC glass (MTEC), whose switching was programmed to mediate the climatic conditions in a period with greater daily temperature contrast. The results show that the MTEC provides more comfortable indoor temperatures.
Elaboración de carbón activado a partir de endocarpio de coco para la remoción de anaranjado de metilo en fase acuosa
Authors:   Universidad Metropolitana, Zambrano Campitelli Miguel Ernesto , Pérez Hernández Miguel Manuel ,   Universidad Metropolitana, Caracas, Venezuela
Published: February 2023

En este trabajo se muestra el proceso de generación de carbón activado a partir de endocarpio de coco, utilizando hidróxido de potasio, en el procedimiento de activación química y en una atmósfera inerte. Se llevaron a cabo estudios de cinética de adsorción para cuatro concentraciones iniciales y estudios de equilibrio por carga en un rango de cuatro concentraciones, con soluciones de anaranjado de metilo a 40, 80, 200 y 400 mg/L para ambos estudios. Se determinó que el modelo cinético de pseudosegundo orden es el que mejor describió el proceso de adsorción en el tiempo para todas las concentraciones iniciales estudiadas. A partir de ese resultado se construyeron los gráficos respectivos para determinar el porcentaje de remoción en función de la cantidad de adsorbente y el tiempo empleado. El modelo de difusión intraparticular arrojó que éste no era el único que determinaba la velocidad del proceso. La expresión lineal de la isoterma de Langmuir muestra un buen ajuste de los datos, dando como resultado una capacidad máxima de adsorción de 147.01 mg/g.
Ekonomik Büyüme, Küreselleşme ve Ekolojik Ayak İzi İlişkisi: ASEAN-5 Ülkeleri Üzerine Ekonometrik Bir Analiz
Authors: ÖZBEK Sefa
Published: February 2023

Nüfus artışı, kentleşme, endüstrileşme ve teknolojik gelişmeler doğal kaynak tüketiminde önemli bir yere sahiptir. Söz konusu gelişmeler ülke ekonomilerinde ekonomik büyüme açısından temel dinamikler arasında yer almaktadır. Ancak ilgili gelişmeler ile birlikte çevresel bozulmalarda artışlar gözlemlenmiştir. Bu bozulmaların sebebinin belirlenmesi, çevresel kalitenin artması ve sürdürülebilir ekonomik kalkınmanın sağlanması için önemli görülmektedir. Bu çalışmada Malezya, Tayland, Endonezya, Singapur ve Filipinler’den oluşan ASEAN-5 ülkelerinde ekolojik ayak izinin belirleyicileri araştırılmaktadır. Ampirik yöntem olarak kesitler arası bağımlılığı göz önüne alan Westerlund (2006) panel eşbütünleşme testi kullanılmıştır. Örneklem dönemi olarak küreselleşme sürecinin genel olarak derinleştiği 1980-2018 dönemi seçilmiştir. ASEAN-5 ülkelerine ait genel küreselleşme endeksi, ekonomik büyüme, enerji tüketimi ve ekolojik ayak izi değişkenlerinden yararlanılmıştır. Ampirik sonuçlar, ASEAN-5 ülkelerinde söz konusu değişkenler arasında eşbütünleşme ilişkisinin varlığını ortaya koymuştur. Panel eşbütünleşme katsayı tahmincisi olarak Augmented Mean Group (AMG) uygulanmıştır. AMG bulguları ASEAN-5 ülkelerinde panel genelinde küreselleşmenin, ekonomik büyümenin ve enerji tüketiminin ekolojik ayak izini artırdığını göstermiştir.
Efecto antibacteriano de los extractos acuosos y etanólico de Psidium guadajava L. frente a Salmonella typhimurium, Salmonella infantis, Shigella sonnei y Escherichia coli
Authors:   , Murillo Zenozain Alexander David
Published: February 2023

Objetivo: Identificar el efecto antibacteriano del extracto acuoso y etanólico de Psidium guajava Linnaeus (L). sobre Salmonella typhimurium, Salmonella infantis, Shigella sonnei y Escherichia coli. Materiales y métodos: Se utilizaron 20 µl de extractos acuoso y de etanólico de tres diferentes concentraciones (100 mg/mL, 10 mg/mL y 1 mg/mL) obtenidas de las hojas de Psidium guajava L. de tres diferentes regiones (Ucayali, Cuzco y Madre de dios). Dichas cantidades de extracto fueron enfrentadas a 5 bacterias entéricas (1 Salmonella typhimurium, 1 Salmonella infantis, 1 Shigella sonnei y 2 Escherichia coli) mediante la realización del antibiograma con el fin de poder detectar algún indicio de inhibición del crecimiento bacteriano. Así mismo, estos resultados se compararon con antibióticos controles (ciprofloxacino y sulfametoxazol), los cuales fueron enfrentados a la Escherichia coli ATCC como cepa control. Resultados: Se evidenció halo de inhibición de crecimiento bacteriano en un 33,3% del total de las muestras sometidas a extracto acuoso; y en un 66,6% de las muestras sometidas a extracto etanólico; sin embargo, esta variación dependió de la región de procedencia de la planta y de la concentración del extracto. Los halos de inhibición de los antibióticos controles (ciprofloxacino y sulfametoxazol) fueron de 25,25 mm y 38,78 mm respectivamente. Conclusiones: En nuestro estudio el más grande efecto antibacteriano se registró en Salmonella typhimurium ATCC 14028 con un halo de inhibición promedio de 8,18 mm usando el extracto etanólico; sin embargo, este resultado tiene menor efecto antibacteriano que los producidos por el ciprofloxacino y sulfametoxazol.
Complex Fermatean Fuzzy Geometric Aggregation Operators and Their Application on Group Decision-Making Problem Based on Einstein T-Norm and T-Conorm
Authors: Rahman khaista
Published: February 2023

Complex Fermatean fuzzy sets (CFFSs) is one of the successful extension of complex Pythagorean fuzzy sets (CPFSs). The main objective of the paper is to present the notion of complex Fermatean fuzzy sets (CFFSs), and some of their basic operational laws and their corresponding operators, which can represent the time-periodic problems and two-dimensional information in a single set. We introduce various novel methods, namely complex Fermatean fuzzy Einstein weighted geometric (CFFEWG) operator, complex Fermatean fuzzy Einstein ordered weighted geometric (CFFEOWG) operator, complex Fermatean fuzzy Einstein hybrid geometric (CFFEHG) operator, induced complex Fermatean fuzzy Einstein ordered weighted geometric (I-CFFEOWG) operator, and induced complex Fermatean fuzzy Einstein hybrid geometric (I-CFFEHG) operator along with their structure properties, such as idempotency, boundedness and monotonicity. An illustrative example related to the selection of the more suitable location for hospital is to be considered to show the effectiveness and efficiency of the novel approach.
UV absorbance and electron donating capacity as surrogate parameters to indicate the abatement of micropollutants during the oxidation of Fe(II)/PMS and Mn(II)/NTA/PMS
Authors: Song Yang , Peng Jianshan , Yang Jingru , Qin Wen , Gu Jia
Published: February 2023

In this study, the relative residual UV absorbance (UV254) and/or electron donating capacity (EDC) was investigated as a surrogate parameter to evaluate the abatement of micropollutants during the Fe(II)/PMS and Mn(II)/NTA/PMS processes. In the Fe(II)/PMS process, UV254 and EDC abatement was greater at pH 5, which was attributed to the generation of SO4•− and •OH at acidic pH. In the Mn(II)/NTA/PMS process, UV254 abatement was greater at pH 7 and 9, while EDC abatement was greater at pH 5 and 7. This was due to the fact that MnO2 was formed at alkaline pH to remove UV254 by coagulation processes, and the manganese intermediates (Mn(V)) were formed at acidic pH to remove EDC via electron transfer processes. Due to the strong oxidation capacity of free radicals (SO4•− and •OH) and manganese intermediates (Mn(V)) in the Fe(II)/PMS and Mn(II)/NTA/PMS processes, respectively, the abatement of micropollutants increased with increasing dosages of oxidant in three different waters at neutral pH. In the Fe(II)/PMS and Mn(II)/NTA/PMS processes, except for nitrobenzene (NB) (approximately 23% and 40%, respectively), the removal of other micropollutants was in excess of 70% when the oxidant dosages were greater (100 µM and 80 µM, respectively) in different waters. The linear relationship between the relative residual UV254, EDC and the removal of micropollutants was established in different waters, showing a one-phase or two-phase linear relationship. The differences of the slopes for one-phase linear correlation in the Fe(II)/PMS process (micropollutant-UV254: 0.36–2.89, micropollutant-EDC: 0.26–1.75) were less than that in the Mn(II)/NTA/PMS process (micropollutant-UV254: 0.40–13.16, micropollutant-EDC: 0.51–8.39). Overall, these results suggest that the relative residual UV254 and EDC could truly reflect the removal of micropollutants during the Fe(II)/PMS and Mn(II)/NTA/PMS processes.
Screening and Preliminary Identification of Inhibin α Subunit-Specific Nanobodies by High-Throughput Sequencing Combined with Mass Spectrometry
Authors: Ma Jifu , Jarkhen Miragul , Li Zhenwei , Rizabek Kadyken , Nurzhan Shaugimbayeva , Karlygash Omarova , Ulzhan Nuralieva , Bodai Bakhet , Kazkhan Oralhazi
Published: February 2023

Inhibin is mainly a glycoprotein heterodimer secreted by female ovaries and male testes, which belongs to the TGF-β superfamily. In female animals, inhibin inhibits pituitary follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) synthesis through the endocrine pathway, and regulates follicular development, gametogenesis, and hormone secretion. In this study, high-throughput sequencing of the nanobody (VHH）gene in lymphocytes of Bactrian camels before and after immunization with inhibin α protein and mass spectrometry analysis of specific antibodies to inhibin α protein in serum after immunization were used to screen for inhibin α subunit-specific nanobodies.
The results of high-throughput sequencing showed that there were 57841 valid sequences in the VHH database before immunization, 53994 in the VHH database after immunization, and 816 in the specific VHH database after immunization. After searching the database, the results of mass spectrometry showed that 35 peptides and 135 proteins were found in the serum-specific antibodies after immunization. Inhibin α subunit-specific antibody contains 31 peptides and 33 proteins. Finally, 10 nanobody gene sequences were screened according to the location of the complementary determinant region and protein score, namely Nb-1712, Nb-573, Nb-267, Nb-1971, Nb-2000, Nb-799, Nb-1581, Nb-2004, Nb-1737, and Nb-338. In addition, 10 nanobodies had high affinity to the inhibin α protein by protein simulation docking and indirect enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA ) affinity identification.
In this study, 10 inhibin α subunit-specific nanobody genes were screened from the lymphocyte genome of a Xinjiang Bactrian camel by high-throughput sequencing combined with mass spectrometry for the first time, and their affinity with the inhibin α subunit was preliminary identified. This study will provide theoretical guidance and technical support for improving the FSH level and ovulation rate of animals and will also provide a certain reference value for the development of reproductive immunology.
Pre-transplant Biomarkers of Immune Dysfunction Improve Risk Assessment of Post-transplant Mortality Compared to Conventional Clinical Risk Scores
Authors: Medina-Morales J. Esli , Panayotova Guergana G. , Nguyen Duc T. , Graviss Edward A. , Prakash Gagan S. , Marsh Jeffery A. , Simonishvili Sopio , Shah Yash , Ayorinde Tumininu , Qin Yong , Jin Lianhua , Zoumpou Theofano , Minze Laurie J. , Paterno Flavio , Amin Arpit , Riddle Grace Lee , Ghobrial R. Mark , Guarrera James V. , Lunsford Keri E.
Published: February 2023

Introduction: There is a critical need to accurately stratify liver transplant (LT) candidates' risk of post-LT mortality prior to LT to optimize patient selection and avoid futility. Here, we compare previously described pre-LT clinical risk scores with the recently developed Liver Immune Frailty Index (LIFI) for prediction of post-LT mortality. LIFI measures immune dysregulation based on pre-LT plasma HCV IgG, MMP3 and Fractalkine. LIFI accurately predicts post-LT mortality, with LIFI-low corresponding to 1.4% 1-year post-LT mortality compared with 58.3% for LIFI-high (C-statistic=0.85).
Methods: LIFI was compared to MELD, MELD-Na, MELD 3.0, D-MELD, MELD-GRAIL, MELD-GRAIL-Na, UCLA-FRS, BAR, SOFT, P-SOFT, and LDRI scores on 289 LT recipients based on waitlist data at the time of LT. Survival, hazard of early post-LT death, and discrimination power (C-statistic) were assessed.
Results: LIFI showed superior discrimination (highest C-statistic) for post-LT mortality when compared to all other risk scores, irrespective of biologic MELD. On univariate analysis, the LIFI showed a significant correlation with mortality 6-months, as well as 1-, 3-, and 5-years. No other pre-LT scoring system significantly correlated with post-LT mortality. On bivariate adjusted analysis, African American race (p<0.05) and pre-LT cardiovascular disease (p=0.053) were associated with early- and long-term post-LT mortality. Patients who died within 1-yr following LT had a significantly higher incidence of infections, including 30-day and 90-day incidence of any infection, pneumonia, abdominal infections, and UTI (p<0.05).
Conclusions: LIFI, which measures pre-LT biomarkers of immune dysfunction, more accurately predicts risk of post-LT futility compared with current clinical predictive models. Pre-LT assessment of immune dysregulation may be critical in predicting mortality after LT and may optimize selection of candidates with lowest risk of futile outcomes.
A Semantic Segmentation Scheme for Night Driving improved by Irregular Convolution
Authors: Xuantao Yang , Junying Han , Chenzhong Liu
Published: February 2023

In order to solve the poor performance of real-time semantic segmentation of road conditions in video images due to insufficient light and motion blur when vehicles are driving at night, This study proposes a scheme: a fuzzy information complementation strategy based on generative models and a network that fuses different intermediate layer outputs to complement spatial semantics with also embeds irregular convolutional attention modules for fine extraction of motion target boundaries. First, DeblurGan is used to generate information to fix the lost semantics in the original image due to blurring; then, the outputs of different intermediate layers in the backbone network are taken out, assigned different weight scaling factors and fused; finally, by comparing the performance of different attention mechanisms, the irregular convolutional attention with the best effect is selected. The scheme achieves Global Accuracy:89.1% Mean IOU:94.2% on the night driving dataset of this experiment, which exceeds the best performance of DeepLabv3 by 1.3% and 7.2%, and achieves Accuracy:83.0% on the small volume label (Moveable), which is underperformed by all control models. The experimental results demonstrate that the solution can effectively cope with various problems faced by night driving and enhance the model's perception and analysis of driving road conditions. The results of the study provide a technical reference for the semantic segmentation problem of vehicles driving in the nighttime environment.
Cellulose Microspheres As Promising Sustainable Controlled Release Carriers for Fertilizers
Authors: Balang Joshua Blucha , Tay Kimberly Wei-Wei , Chin Suk-Fun , Wasli Mohd Effendi , Musa Zaki , Chen Yi-Chun
Published: February 2023

Background: Cellulose fibers extracted from printed paper wastes are utilized to synthesize spherical cellulose microspheres via water-in-oil microemulsion and precipitation methods. Span 80 was used as a surfactant and acetic acid as a precipitating agent in the microemulsion and precipitation process to obtain cellulose microspheres. The effects of synthesis conditions such as cellulose concentrations and drying techniques were observed to have profound effects on the surface morphology, particle sizes, and surface area of cellulose microspheres produced.
Results: Spherical cellulose microspheres with particle sizes ranging from 5.2 to 9.3 µm were synthesized. Increasing cellulose concentrations led to larger particle sizes. Among various kinds of drying techniques, freeze-drying is the most preferable method for obtaining better yields of cellulose microspheres. The potential applications of the synthesized cellulose microspheres as controlled-release carriers for fertilizer in various soil types were evaluated. The larger particle sizes of cellulose microspheres have a smaller specific surface area, but with higher loading capacities and slower urea release.
Conclusions: Our studies showed that the loading capacity and release profiles of urea could be tailored by modulating the mean particle sizes of the cellulose microspheres. Hence, cellulose microspheres demonstrated great potential to be utilized as sustainable controlled-release carriers for fertilizer.
On refinements of the Fekete-Szegö inequality for a class of holomorphic mappings associated with spirallike mappings
Authors: Fang Weikang , Xu Qinghua
Published: February 2023

In this paper, we establish some refinements of the Fekete and Szegö inequalities for a class of holomorphic mappings holomorphic relatedto spirallike mappings in several complex variables. The results presented here would generalize some known results.
Mathematics Subject Classification. Primary 32H02; Secondary 30C45.
Analysis of human neuronal cells carrying ASTN2 deletion: A cross-disorder risk variant of schizophrenia, autism spectrum disorder, and bipolar disorder
Authors: Arioka Yuko , Hayashi Yu , Okumura Hiroki , Kushima Itaru , Mori Daisuke , Lo Tzuyao , Otgonbayar Gantsooj , Kato Hidekazu , Nawa Yoshihiro , Kimura Hiroki , Aleksic Branko , Ozaki Norio
Published: February 2023

Recent genetic studies have found common genomic risk variants among schizophrenia (SCZ), autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and bipolar disorder (BP), strongly suggesting the overlaps in their molecular and cellular mechanism. Our research group identified the variant in ASTN2 as one of the candidate risk factors across these psychiatric disorders by whole-genome copy number variation analysis. However, the alterations in the human neuronal cells resulting from ASTN2 variants identified in patients remain unknown. To address this, we used patient-derived and genome-edited iPS cells with ASTN2 deletion; cells were further differentiated into neuronal cells. A comprehensive gene expression analysis revealed that the expression level of ZNF558, a gene specifically expressed in human forebrain neural progenitor cells, was greatly reduced in ASTN2-deleted neuronal cells. Furthermore, the expression of the mitophagy-related gene SPATA18, which is repressed by ZNF558, and mitophagy activity were increased in ASTN2-deleted neuronal cells. These phenotypes were detected in both neuronal cells from patient-derived and genome-edited iPS cells with ASTN2 deletion. Our results suggest that ASTN2 deletion is related to the common pathogenic mechanism of SCZ, ASD, and BP by regulating mitophagy via ZNF558.
Applying Design Principles to Support Healthcare Interiors
Authors: Guevara Diane
Published: February 2023

The purpose of this study aimed to continue the research from a previous peer reviewed pilot-study. In the pilot-study, data was collected and applied to healthcare interior design and renovation recommendations. This current study continued the analysis of that data and added links to Research Informed Design (RID), Evidence-Based Design (EBD) principles, and Universal Design (UD) principles. The objective of the study is to produce a data collection instrument for use in any healthcare interior, not solely healthcare patient rooms, and to recommend the use of inclusive UD principles by healthcare interior designers and facility managers when considering new and renovated of healthcare facilities. The method in this study used pilot-study data, conducted a review of the literature, and added a systematic method for applying UD principles to support ant healthcare interior design renovation recommendations. The results of this study included the proposed data collection instrument, with pilot-study data applied, and a 40% increase (over the pilot study) in design guidelines for practice. The conclusion of this article summarizes with implications for practice for healthcare interior design and renovations.
nmODE: Neural Memory Ordinary Differential Equation
Authors: Yi Zhang
Published: February 2023

Brain neural networks are regarded as dynamical systems in neural science, in which memories are interpreted as attractors of the systems. Mathematically, ordinary differential equations (ODEs) can be utilized to describe dynamical systems. Any ODE that employed to describe the dynamics of a neural network can be called a neuralODE. Inspired by rethinking the nonlinear representation ability of existing artificial neural networks together with the functions of columns in neocortex, this paper proposes a theory of memory based neuralODE, which composes of two novel artificial neural network models: nmODE, ε-net, and two learning algorithms: nmLA, ε-LA. The nmODE (neural memory Ordinary Differential Equation) is designed with a special structure of separating learning neurons from memory neurons, which makes it has clear dynamics. Given any external input, the nmODE possesses the global attractor property and thus embedded with a memory mechanism accordingly. The nmODE establishes a nonlinear mapping from the external input to its associated attractor and does not have the problem of learning features homeomorphic to the input data space as occurred frequently in most existing neuralODEs. The nmLA (neural memory Learning Algorithm) is developed by proposing an interesting three-dimensional inverse ODE (invODE), it has advantages on memory and parameter efficiency. The proposed ε-net is a discrete version of nmODE, which is particularly feasible for digital computing. The proposed ε-LA (ε learning algorithm) requires no prior knowledge of the number of network layers. Both nmLA and ε-LA have no problem on gradient vanishing. Experimental results show that the proposed theory is comparable to state-of-the-art methods.
Path Planning for Intelligent Vehicles Based on Improved D* Lite
Authors: Li Xiaomei , Lu Ye , Zhao Xiaoyu , Deng Xiong , Xie Zhijiang
Published: February 2023

Typical path planning algorithms are good for static obstacles avoidance, but not for dynamic obstacles, so path planning of intelligent vehicles in uncharted regions is a fundamental and critical problem. This study suggests an improved D* Lite path planning algorithm to address the issues of large corner, node redundancy and close to obstacles in the path planned by D* Lite algorithm. Firstly, in order to increase the safety of the path, the D* Lite algorithm sets the safety distance between the intelligent vehicle and obstacles. Then, the kinematic constraints of intelligent vehicles are introduced to increase the path search direction and avoid path corners exceeding the steering maneuverability of intelligent vehicles. Next, the path is optimized, and the optimization process of removing redundant points is employed to tackle the problem of curved search path and redundant nodes, and the path is smoothed by using third-order Bezier curve to generate a path with continuous curvature. Finally, the enhanced D* Lite algorithm is fused with the improved dynamic window approach (IDWA) to achieve real-time obstacle avoidance based on the global optimal path for moving obstacles. Simulation studies in static and dynamic contexts are used to demonstrate the usefulness of the revised D* Lite algorithm. The results show that compared with other path planning methods, the path generated by the proposed method has more safety and smoothness features, and improves the path quality. Therefore, the proposed algorithm has certain effectiveness and superiority in path planning problems in static and dynamic environments
Exploring root architecture and rhizosphere biology in fourteen winter wheat varieties released in Chile from 1965 to 2020
Authors: Paz-Vidal Paula , Castillo-Rosales Dalma , López María Dolores , Tejos Iván Matus , Noriega Felipe , Schoebitz Maurico
Published: February 2023

Background and Aims. The study aims to explore the impact of advancements in wheat genetics on root structure and rhizosphere biology, which are still not fully understood. Specifically, we investigated various factors including the exudation of carboxylates, colonization by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, microbial activity, and root architecture in winter wheat varieties that have been released between 1965 and 2020. Methods. To conduct our study, we sowed fourteen different winter wheat varieties with four replicates on acidic Andisol at field conditions. Complete root systems and soil samples were extracted using a tractor-mounted hydraulic sampler tube of 3.5 cm diameter, which reached a depth of 60 cm. Results. In this sense, succinate showed a significant increase by 21%. Mycorrhizal colonization was inversely proportional to P concentrations and all varieties showed higher microbial activity at anthesis. The longest roots were found in varieties released after the year 2000, but no significant differences were found in other root architecture parameters. There was no clear pattern observed in root architecture or biological activity as a function of the year of release. Plant genetics moderated root architecture, carboxylate exudation, microbial activity, and mycorrhizal colonization, all of which are affected by high P concentrations. Conclusions. This study investigated plant-microorganism interactions, often overlooked due to root system analysis challenges. Older wheat varieties showed higher carboxylate exudation. We identified wheat varieties with potential for improved root systems and crop efficiency.
Improving performance of natural rubber composites by the application of functional biofiller - horsetail modified with silane coupling agents
Authors: Miedzianowska Justyna , Masłowski Marcin , Strzelec Krzysztof
Published: February 2023

The growing ecological awareness of society and increasingly stringent legal requirements regarding environmental protection and the strategy of implementing the principles of sustainable development force the search for and continuous development of environmentally friendly solutions in the field of polymer materials technology. One of the directions is the use of raw materials from renewable sources. For this reason, the research object of the presented work was natural rubber composites containing a filler of plant origin in the form of ground horsetail (HT) biomass. Despite its health-promoting properties, it is commonly considered a weed. What's more, the ubiquitous occurrence and surplus make it a valuable source of waste biomass for management. Taking into account the limitations resulting from the hydrophilic nature of the lignocellulosic filler, and the related poor adhesion to the non-polar elastomer matrix, the horsetail filler was modified with organoalkoxysilanes. The study used silane compounds containing groups that can affect the properties of vulcanizates in various ways, such as vinyltriethoxysilane (VTES), 3,3′-Tetrathiobis(propyl-triethoxysilane) (TESPT), 3-(aminopropyl)triethoxysilane (APTES), 3-(chloropropyl)triethoxysilane (CPTES) and octyltriethoxysilane (OTES). The process of modifying the natural filler contributed to structural changes in the lignocellulosic material, which may indicate the effective attachment of silane compounds to the horsetail surface. The results of the contact angle analysis show that the treatment strongly influenced the surface characteristics of the fillers, making them more hydrophobic.
The results show that the type of silane coupling agent affects not only the processing associated with the vulcanization process but also the mechanical properties of the NR vulcanizates. This phenomenon is probably the result of increased rubber-bioadditive interaction and improved filler dispersion. Moreover, all composites with modified HT, show a greater flame permanence time than the one using unmodified filler.
Bamboo fiber-derived bifunctional electrocatalyst for rechargeable Zn- Air batteries
Authors: Yu Jian , Chen Zehong , Zhong Linxin , Yang Wu , Li Tingzhen , Huang Yongfa , Wei Yujia , Peng Xinwen
Published: February 2023

Low-cost and high-performance bifunctional electrocatalysts for efficient oxygen reduction reaction (ORR)/oxygen evolution reaction (OER) are vital for the applications of rechargeable Zn-air batteries (ZABs). Herein, a porous carbon material is fabricated by traditional pulp and papermaking and carbonization process from bamboo. The resultant carbon paper catalyst possesses a high surface area, porous structure and high content of nitrogen. Benefiting from these characteristics, this material exhibits remarkable ORR and OER catalytic performances. The aqueous rechargeable Zn-air batteries assembled with this catalyst exhibit a high power density of 279.5 mW cm−2. This work paves an encouraging way for the industrial production of cost-effective catalysts in a sustainable manner.