bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Enhancement of targeted therapy in combination with metformin on humanbreast cancer models
Authors: Mahmoudi Ghazal , Ehteshaminia Yahya , Kokhaei Parviz , Jalali Seyedeh Farzaneh , Jadidi-Niaragh Farhad , Pagheh Abdol Sattar , Enderami Seyed Ehsan , Kenari Saeid Abedian , Hassannia Hadi
Published: August 2023

Background
Breast cancer remains a primary global health concern due to its limited treatment options, frequent disease recurrence, and high rates of morbidity and mortality. Thereby, there is a need for more effective treatment approaches. The proposal suggests that the combination of targeted therapy with other antitumoral agents could potentially address drug resistance. In this study, we examined the antitumoral effect of combining metformin, an antidiabetic drug, with targeted therapies, including tamoxifen for estrogen receptor-positive (MCF-7), trastuzumab for HER2-positive (SKBR-3), and anti-ROR1 therapy against triple-negative breast cancer (MDA-MB-231).
Methods
Once the expression of relevant receptors on each cell line was confirmed and appropriate drug concentrations were selected through cytotoxicity assays, the antitumor effects of both monotherapy and combination therapy were assessed in in vitro and ex ovo models.
Results
The results exhibited the synergistic effects of metformin when combined with targeted therapy. This combination effectively inhibited cell growth, colony formation, migration, and invasion in vitro. Additionally, it significantly reduced tumor size and metastatic potential in an ex ovo model.
Conclusions
The findings indicate that a favorable strategy to enhance the efficacy of breast cancer treatment would be to combine metformin with targeted therapies.
Central MOTS-c Infusion Affects Reproductive Hormones in Obese and Non-Obese Rats
Authors: OZTURK Dilara ALTAY , ERDEN Yavuz , TEKIN Suat
Published: August 2023

MOTS-c, a mitochondrial-derived peptide, acts as a systemic hormone and MOTS-c level is inversely correlated with markers of obesity. Obesity is a risk factor for male reproductive physiology and is expressed as an important cause of infertility. In this study, we aimed to determine the effects of MOTS-c, which has been proven in the hypothalamus and testicles, on the actors involved in the reproductive axis. In the study, 80 male Wistar-Albino rats were divided into two main groups, obese and non-obese (n = 40). Rats in the first main group were fed with fatty diet feed and obesity was induced. The second main group was fed with normal diet feed. Each main group was divided into 4 small groups (Control, Sham, 10 and 100 µM MOTS-c). The lateral ventricles of the animals in the treatment groups were infused with 10 and 100 µM MOTS-c (solvent in Sham group) for 14 days. At the end of the experiment, hypothalamic Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone (GnRH) gene expression level, serum testosterone, Luteinizing hormone (LH) and Follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) levels were determined. MOTS-c infusion caused an increase in GnRH mRNA, protein expression levels and serum testosterone, LH and FSH levels in obese and non-obese rats (p < 0.05). MOTS-c administration more significantly upregulated hormone levels in non-obese rats (p < 0.05). Our results reveal that MOTS-c plays a role in the central regulation of reproductive behavior, as well as causes increased LH, FSH and testosterone release. MOTS-c may emerge as a novel regulator for the prevention of obesity-induced infertility.
Hypoxia-inducible factor 3α1 increases epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition and iron uptake to drive colorectal cancer liver metastasis.
Authors: Villareal Luke B , Falcon Daniel M , Xie Liwei , Xue Xiang
Published: August 2023

In the tumor hypoxic environment, three isoforms of hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-α activates transcription of genes critical in the adaptive response to low oxygen levels in mammals. Most studies have focused on HIF-1α and HIF-2α, but not HIF-3α. Using RNA-seq, we found that overexpression of HIF-3α1 in colorectal cancer cells resulted in a gene signature of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) with especially highlyupregulated zinc finger E-box binding homeobox 2 (ZEB2) gene expression. Importantly, the expression of HIF-3α and ZEB2 are highly increased and are positively correlated with each other in human liver metastases. Standard dual luciferase reporter assay showed that ZEB2 is a direct target gene of HIF-3α1. Scratch assay showed that overexpression of HIF-3α1 promoted cancer cell migration whereas ZEB2 knockdown resulted in decreased protein levels of mesenchymal markers and reduced cell migration. As expected, HIF-3α1 overexpression increased colon tumor growth and liver metastasis. Interestingly, HIF-3α1 overexpression increased the master iron importer transferrin receptor (TFRC) and cellular iron levels. Iron chelation reduced HIF-3α overexpression-mediated mesenchymal phenotype, the survival of tumor cells and tumor growth. Together, HIF-3α1 increases the expression of ZEB2 and TFRC to promote iron accumulation, EMT and colon tumor liver metastasis.
A note on the effect of competition on contractual fine print
Authors: Lahiri Surjasama
Published: August 2023

One of the ways product quality uncertainty can be resolved is via its associated standard form contract that is written in fine print. This is costly to read and interpret and buyers often purchase products without reading them and consequently, a monopolist never has an incentive to offer high quality terms. We investigate whether competitive forces can force a better outcome for quality. We set up a Hotelling-type linear city framework where competition is measured via changes in buyers’ transportation costs. Benchmark duopoly does not guarantee high quality terms to be offered. Surprisingly, increased competition via lower transportation cost lowers firms’ prices and also their probability of offering high-quality products. This can also be detrimental to welfare.
Label-consistent Kernel Transform Learning based Sparse Hashing for cross-modal retrieval
Authors: Maggu Jyoti
Published: August 2023

Currently, there are various widely used methods for hashing-based cross modal retrieval to achieve promising performance in the information retrieval task. However, the challenge of learning discriminative representations against a heterogeneous gap in the case of multi-modal data still needs to be explored. Most existing methods directly project raw heterogeneous data linearly onto a common projection space, leading to high projection error because the semantic similarity of multi-modal data is not captured. We need the efficient feature representation of heterogeneous and multi-modal data to learn high-quality discrete hash codes and improve retrieval performance. This paper proposes a label-consistent kernel transform learning-based sparse hashing (LcKTLSH) for cross modal retrieval. Instead of projecting raw data samples, LcKTLSH learns transform and sparse coefficients suited for projection onto the kernel space, assuming each modality of a single instance has a unique hash code. The learned sparse coefficients are embedded into pre-learned hash codes, and semantic information from the similarity matrix is embedded into pre-learned hash codes to generate final hash codes. Kernel trick accounts for non-linearity in the data, and label-consistency constraint acts as the supervision term. Extensive experimental results on four benchmark datasets significantly advance over previous investigations.
Media Pressure and Body Image Depression (BID) Among Chinese High School Students: The Serial Mediating Effects of Future Goals and Self-Esteem
Authors: Yu Xide , Liu Jiafan , Wu Jiaxuan , Liu Huan , Yu Xuemei
Published: August 2023

Based on “stress coping” and “self-determination” theory, the present study aims to explore the potential intervention path of media social pressure affecting body image depression in Chinese high school students by examining the relationships between four variables: media social pressure, future goals, self-esteem, and body image depression. The study sample comprised 825 high school students from four middle schools in Guangdong and Yunnan provinces, aged between 14 and 19 (M ± SD = 15.87 ± 0.98). The results showed that, first, 57.7% of the surveyed high school students had different degrees of BID, and that the girls’ BID score was significantly higher than that of boys (t = -8.69, p < 0.001). Second, media pressure significantly positively predicted BID in high school students. Third, future goals and self-esteem were shown to play separate mediating roles between media stress and BID. Fourth, the indirect effect between media stress and BID was found to be realized through the chain mediating effect of future goals and self-esteem. The implications as well as the shortcomings and prospects of the present study are also discussed.
Hydrogen Atom Structures: An Exploratory Study using Numerov-Cooley's Solution of Schrödinger’s Equation
Authors: Sawarn Shivam
Published: August 2023

In this paper, we present a computationally efficient method to solve the Schrödinger equation for hydrogen atoms using atomic units. The method incorporates the Numerov-Cooley Shooting Method, a well-known fourth-order method, to attain high precision solutions. Coupled with the Cooley's Energy correction formula, the method achieves rapid convergence to accurate energy eigenvalues. With defined boundary conditions, this method enables efficient computation of the radial probability density for atoms. The method is implemented using FORTRAN 90/95, a language favored for its computational efficiency. The results are represented through various hydrogen states, providing a detailed understanding of their energy associations. Additionally, data visualization tools like matplotlib are employed for effective representation of these outputs. The method presented introduces a proficient approach for solving complex equations in quantum mechanics and can potentially be extended to other atomic systems.
Magnetic islands in 3D tokamak plasmas during the suppression of filamentary eruptions
Authors: Willendorfer Matthias , Mitterauer Verena , Hoelzl Matthias , Suttrop Wolfgang , Cianciosa Mark , Dunne Mike , Fischer Rainer , Leuthold Nils , Samoylov Oleg , Lopez Guillermo Suarez , Wendler Daniel
Published: August 2023

The tokamak, a leading concept for fusion energy, experiences periodic filamentary plasma eruptions known as edge localized modes (ELMs) in plasmas with high-energy confinement and their steep pressure profiles at the plasma edge. These ELMs pose a threat to the wall of future tokamak devices, but can be suppressed using small three dimensional magnetic perturbations. Here, we present the first experimental proof that these magnetic perturbations can change the magnetic topology just inside the steep gradient region of the plasma edge. The resulting formation of a magnetic island is linked to the suppression of ELMs. High-resolution measurements of perturbed magnetic surfaces are compared to predictions from ideal magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) theory where the magnetic topology is preserved. While ideal MHD adequately describes the measurements in plasmas exhibiting ELMs, it proves insufficient in ELM suppressed plasmas. A novel analysis method identifies signatures of a magnetic island, which is further supported by non-linear resistive MHD modelling. Our study experimentally confirms the predicted role of magnetic islands in constraining the gradient region and inhibiting ELM occurrences, making it an important contribution for physics-based predictions in future fusion devices to control ELMs.
Knowledge, Attitude and Practice of Hand Hygiene among Healthcare Workers Caring for Children with Leukaemia in the Paediatric Oncology Ward of King Saud Medical City, Saudi Arabia
Authors:   Department of Nursing, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Selangor, Malaysia, Aldawsari Mujibah , Kim Lam Soh ,   Department of Nursing, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Selangor, Malaysia, Abdul Raman Rosna ,   Department of Nursing, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Selangor, Malaysia, Mohd Taib Niazlin ,   Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Selangor, Malaysia, Aboshaiqah Ahmad ,   College of Nursing, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Published: August 2023

Background: Hands are the most common vehicle of pathogen transmission in a healthcare setting. Therefore, hand hygiene is the leading method of reducing healthcareassociated infections. This study aimed to determine the knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) of hand hygiene and predictors for poor hand hygiene practice among healthcare workers who care for children with leukaemia in the paediatric oncology ward of King Saud Medical City (KSMC) in Saudi Arabia. Methods: One hundred and ninety medical doctors and nurses, who were registered with the Saudi Commission for Health Specialities, were selected to participate in this cross-sectional study using a simple sampling technique. Their KAP of hand hygiene was assessed using a selfstructured questionnaire and the collected data was analysed using IBM® SPSS® version 26.0. Results: Of the 190 healthcare workers, 74.7% were nurses and 25.3% were medical doctors. Among the participants, 53.7% (102) had good knowledge of hand hygiene, 51.6% (98) had positive attitudes towards hand hygiene and 55.8% (106) practised satisfactory hand hygiene. Bachelor education level (adjusted OR = 2.736; 95% CI = 1.101, 6.799; P = 0.030), postgraduate education level (adjusted OR = 6.256; 95% CI = 2.171, 18.028; P = 0.001), poor knowledge (adjusted OR =2.575; 95% CI = 1.263, 5.246; P = 0.009) and negative attitude (adjusted OR = 4.702; 95% CI = 1.263, 5.246; P < 0.001) were the significant predictor variables of unsatisfactory hand hygiene practice among healthcare workers. Conclusion: The performance of hand hygiene among healthcare workers is still far less than optimal, particularly in settings like oncology units. Effective programmes are needed to increase their awareness of hand hygiene KAP, while strict guidelines are needed to reduce nosocomial infections.
Knowledge, Attitude, Perception and Current Practices of Health Personnel in Managing Post-Stroke Delirium in a New Stroke Centre in Malaysia
Authors:   Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Selangor, Malaysia, Mohd Yosli Hanin Nabila , Hong Wei ,   Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Selangor, Malaysia, Kazura Khairunnisa ,   Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Selangor, Malaysia, Abdul Salim Noor Hafizah ,   Department of Emergency, Hospital Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Selangor, Malaysia, Md Pauzi Ahmad Luqman ,   Department of Emergency, Hospital Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Selangor, Malaysia, Mat Din Hazwan ,   Malaysian Research Institute on Ageing (MyAgeing™), Universiti Putra Malaysia, Selangor, Malaysia, Sallehuddin Hakimah ,   Malaysian Research Institute on Ageing (MyAgeing™), Universiti Putra Malaysia, Selangor, Malaysia,   Geriatric Unit, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Selangor, Malaysia, Zohari Zahira ,   Geriatric Unit, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Selangor, Malaysia, Minhat Halimatus Sakdiah ,   Department of Community Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Selangor, Malaysia
Published: August 2023

Introduction: Despite the high prevalence of post-stroke delirium in Malaysia, there are no studies on good practices related to its management. This study aimed to analyse the knowledge, attitude, perception, and factors associated with current practices related to delirium in acute stroke patients among health personnel at Hospital Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah (HSAAS) (formerly known as Hospital Pengajar Universiti Putra Malaysia). Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted from 26 April 2021 to 9 May 2021 (17 weeks). All health personnel from various departments managing patients with acute stroke in our centre were invited to participate. An online questionnaire was disseminated to assess their knowledge, attitude, perception, and current practices concerning delirium. Multiple logistic regression was used to examine the association between the independent and dependent variables. The level of significance was set at P < 0.05. Results: The response rate was 22.49% (47 of 209 participants). More than half (61.7%, n = 29) had good current practices towards delirium in acute stroke patients. A significant association was found between knowledge and current practices related to delirium (P = 0.024). However, there was no significant association between current practices and sociodemographic factors (age, ethnicity, gender and job position), attitude, perceptions, screening barriers, or health service organisation. Conclusion: Most respondents had good current practices and knowledge in managing post-stroke delirium. Therefore, upskilling health personnel for managing this illness is essential to ensure good post-stroke care and improve prognosis related to delirium.
Emerging Roles of Malaysian Pharmacists in Asthma Management Amidst the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Narrative Review
Authors:   Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Selangor, Malaysia, Md Khairi Lukman Nul Hakim ,   Department of Pharmacy, Hospital Sultanah Nur Zahirah, Ministry of Health Malaysia, Terengganu, Malaysia, Gnanasan Shubashini ,   Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Selangor, Malaysia
Published: August 2023

The arrival of COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020 adversely affected every aspect of human life, including the management of asthma. The pandemic has forced clinicians to revisit the application of high-risk aerosol-generating procedures in asthma management, including spirometry and nebuliser therapy. The use of commercial spacers with pressurised metereddose inhalers to replace nebulisation is limited by the high cost and pandemic-induced stock unavailability of these inhalers. The need for social distancing, healthcare reserves reallocation, and scarce personal protective equipment has promote increased telemedicine uptake for patients’ asthma control and monitoring. Malaysian pharmacists have been providing longterm care of asthma through the introduction of the respiratory Medication Therapy Adherence Clinic (MTAC) to empower patients’ general health literacy, train and regularly evaluate their inhalation technique, and reinforce the importance of medication compliance. To minimise the use of unplanned healthcare resources and avoidable COVID-19 infection exposure, Malaysian pharmacists need to better support asthma self-management via increased uptake of written Asthma Action Plans (AAPs). Pharmacist-led asthma treatment step-down to attain the lowest effective dose of inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) has become increasingly relevant during the pandemic, as its prolonged use carries risk of numerous side effects and possible hospitalisation. Telepharmacy offers a promising model for exploration and an alternative to the traditional service delivery of asthma education. Despite not being authorised as vaccinators, Malaysian pharmacists hold strong positions in COVID-19 immunisation programmes for pharmacovigilance and advocacy. The pandemic demands an increased role for pharmacists within medication management to prevent patients from the stockpiling that can cause adverse effects on pharmaceutical supply chain. This review intends to summarise the impact of COVID-19 on asthma management, with a focus on the transitional roles of Malaysian pharmacists before and after the pandemic era.
Phenotypical Comparison between Environmental and Clinical Acinetobacter baumannii Strains Isolated from an Intensive Care Unit
Authors:   Biotechnology, Environment and Health Laboratory, Biology Department, Blida 1 University, Algeria, Boulesnam Saliha Lydia , Hamaidi-Chergui Fella ,   Biotechnology, Environment and Health Laboratory, Biology Department, Blida 1 University, Algeria, Benamara Mounia ,   Central Laboratory, Blida EPH, Algeria, Azrou Sihem ,   Microbiology Laboratory, Faculty of Pharmacy of Algiers, Algeria,   Central Laboratory, Beni Messous EPH, Algeria
Published: August 2023

Background: Acinetobacter baumannii (A. baumannii) causes a variety of nosocomial infections that mainly affect critically ill patients in intensive care units (ICUs). The objective of this study was to assess the prevalence of A. baumannii in the ICU environment and evaluate the antibiotic resistance and biofilm formation ability of the environmental isolates compared to those isolated from ICU patients simultaneously. Methods: A total of 166 non-duplicate ICU samples (80 environmental and 86 clinical) were collected between January 2019 and January 2020. Antimicrobial susceptibility detection was determined using the disc diffusion method, and the strains were evaluated for the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of imipenem (IMP) using broth microdilution or metallo-βlactamase (MBL) detection according to the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) guidelines. The isolates’ capacity to produce biofilms was evaluated using the tube method and the crystal violet microtitre plate-based method. Results: A. baumannii was identified in 25 (31.25%) environmental and 30 (34.88%) clinical samples, and beds were the most infected (60%). Both types of isolate demonstrated a rate surpassing 80% resistance to the tested antibiotics. Phenotypically, the environmental and clinical strains were found to be MBL producers. Fourteen environmental (56%) and 15 clinical (50%) strains were found to be moderate biofilm producers, indicating that each isolate has a high biofilm-forming capacity. Conclusion: These results show that the spread of multidrug-resistant (MDR) A. baumannii in an ICU setting emphasises the necessity of disinfecting and cleaning medical devices and surfaces to prevent and restrict cross-transmission. Intensive surveillance and infection control methods are also of paramount importance.
Quasi-localized vibrational modes, boson peak and sound attenuation in model mass-spring networks
Authors: Mahajan Shivam , Pica Ciamarra Massimo
Published: August 2023

We introduce an algorithm that constructs disordered mass-spring networks whose elastic properties mimic that of glasses by tuning the fluctuations of the local elastic properties, keeping fixed connectivity and controlling the prestress. In two dimensions, the algorithm reproduces the dependence of glasses’ vibrational properties, such as quasi-localised vibrational modes and Boson peak, on the degree of stability. The sound attenuation displays Rayleigh scattering and disorder-broadening regimes at different frequencies, and the attenuation rate decreases with increased stability. Our results establish a strong connection between the vibrational features of disordered solids and the fluctuations of the local elastic properties and provide a new approach to investigating glasses’ vibrational anomalies.
Diffusion of muonic hydrogen in hydrogen gas and the measurement of the 1$s$ hyperfine splitting of muonic hydrogen
Authors: Nuber Jonas , Adamczak A. , Abdou Ahmed M. , Affolter L. , Amaro F. D. , Amaro Pedro , Antognini A. , Carvalho P. , Chang Y. -H. , Chen T. -L. , Chen W. -L. , Fernandes L. M. P. , Ferro M. , Goeldi D. , Graf Thomas , Guerra M. , Hänsch T. W. , Henriques C. A. O. , Hildebrandt M. , Indelicato P. , Kara O. , Kirch K. , Knecht A. , Kottmann F. , Liu Y.-W. , Machado J. , Marszalek M. , Mano R. D. P. , Monteiro C. M. B. , Nez F. , Ouf A. , Paul N. , Pohl R. , Rapisarda E. , dos Santos J. M. F. , Santos J. P. , Silva P. A. O. C. , Sinkunaite L. , Shy J. -T. , Schuhmann K. , Rajamohanan S. , Soter A. , Sustelo L. , Taqqu David , Wang L. -B. , Wauters F. , Yzombard P. , Zeyen M. , Zhang J.
Published: August 2023

The CREMA collaboration is pursuing a measurement of the ground-state hyperfine splitting (HFS) in muonic hydrogen (\muμp) with 1 ppm accuracy by means of pulsed laser spectroscopy. In the proposed experiment, the \muμp atom is excited by a laser pulse from the singlet to the triplet hyperfine sub-levels, and is quenched back to the singlet state by an inelastic collision with a H_22 molecule. The resulting increase of kinetic energy after this cycle modifies the \muμp atom diffusion in the hydrogen gas and the arrival time of the \muμp atoms at the target walls. This laser-induced modification of the arrival times is used to expose the atomic transition. In this paper we present the simulation of the \muμp diffusion in the H_22 gas which is at the core of the experimental scheme. These simulations have been implemented with the Geant4 framework by introducing various low-energy processes including the motion of the H_22 molecules, i.e. the effects related with the hydrogen target temperature. The simulations have been used to optimize the hydrogen target parameters (pressure, temperatures and thickness) and to estimate signal and background rates. These rates allow to estimate the maximum time needed to find the resonance and the statistical accuracy of the spectroscopy experiment.
Chronotype and Time of Day Effects on a Famous Face Recognition Task with Dynamic Stimuli
Authors: Bem-Haja Pedro , Silva André , Rosa Catarina , Queiroz Diâner F. , Barroso Talles , Cerri Luiza , Alves Miguel F. , Silva Carlos F. , Santos Isabel M.
Published: August 2023

Chronotype and Time of Day (ToD) can modulate several aspects of cognitive performance. However, there is limited evidence about the effect of these variables on face recognition performance, so the aim of the present study is to investigate this influence. For this, 274 participants (82.5% females; age 18-49 years old, mean = 27.2, SD =1.82) were shown 20 short videoclips, each gradually morphing from a general identity unfamiliar face to a famous face. Participants should press the spacebar to stop each video as soon as they could identify the famous face, and then provide the name or an unequivocal description ofthe person. Analysis of response times (RT) showed that evening-types recognised the faces faster than morning-types. Considering different ToD windows, the effect of chronotype was only significant in the 13h-17h andin the 21h-6h time-windows. Altogether, results suggest an advantage of evening-types on famous face recognition using dynamic stimuli with morning-types, being particularly slower during their non-optimal period.
Data-Driven Approach for Credit Risk Analysis Using C4.5 Algorithm
Authors: Iqbal Muhammad , Efendi Syahril
Published: August 2023

Credit risk is bad credit, resulting in bank losses due to non-receipt of disbursed funds and unacceptable interest income. However, credit services still have to be done to achieve profit. The absence of an approach that can assist in making policies to reduce credit risk makes the risk opportunities even more significant. So, data processing techniques are needed that produce information to be used as the basis for policies in triggering credit risk with data mining. The research presented an application of data mining as a credit risk approach considering the ability of data mining techniques to extract data into useful information with the C4.5 algorithm. The research used a sample of 30 data banks with 6 factors (credit growth, net interest margin, type of bank, capital ratio, company size, and bank compliance level). Credit risk was evaluated by making a decision tree and a RapidMiner test application. The results show that credit growth is the main factor causing credit risk, followed by bank compliance level, net interest margin, and capital ratio. Based on the results obtained, the C4.5 algorithm can be used in analyzing credit risk with results that are easy to understand and can be used as useful information for banks.
Synthesis of PES membranes modified with polyurethane–paraffin wax nanocapsules and performance of bovine serum albumin and humic acid rejection
Authors: Sert Buse , Kaya Gül , Ozay Yasin , Alterkaoui Aya , Ocakoglu Kasım , Dizge Nadir
Published: August 2023

Membrane fouling is a serious handicap of membrane-based separation, as it reduces permeation flux and hence increases operational and maintenance expenses. Polyurethane–paraffin wax (PU/PW) nanocapsules were integrated into the polyethersulfone membrane to manufacture a composite membrane with higher antifouling and permeability performance against humic acid (HA) and bovine serum albumin (BSA) foulants. All manufactured membranes were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive spectrometry (SEM-EDS), and contact angle. The contact angle of the pristine polyethersulfone (PES) membrane was measured 73.40 ± 1.32. With the embedding of nanocapsules, the contact angle decreased to 64.55 ± 1.23 for PES/PU/PW 2.0 wt%, and the pure water flux of all composite membranes increased when compared to pristine PES. The pristine PES membrane also has shown the lowest steady-state fluxes at 45.84 and 46.59 L/m2h for BSA and HA, respectively. With the increase of PU/PW nanocapsule ratio from 0.5 to 1.0 wt%, steady-state fluxes increased from 51.96 to 71.61 and from 67.87 to 98.73 L/m2h, respectively, for BSA and HA. The results depicted that BSA and HA rejection efficiencies of PU/PW nanocapsules blended PES membranes increased when compared to pristine PES membranes.
The Effects of Apple Cider Vinegar on Cardiometabolic Risk Factors:
A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Clinical Trials
Authors: Dadkhah Tehrani Sahar , Keshani Mahdi , Rouhani Mohammad Hossein , Moallem Seyed Adel , Bagherniya Mohammad , Sahebkar Amirhossein
Published: August 2023

Background:

Cardiometabolic syndrome (CMS) is a set of metabolic abnormalities that
are risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD). Apple cider vinegar (ACV) has been used in several studies as a natural agent to improve CMS risk factors. The present study aimed to perform a
systematic review and meta-analysis of the effects of ACV consumption on lipid and glycemic parameters.

Methods:

PubMed, Scopus, and ISI Web of Science databases were systematically searched to find
clinical trials evaluating the effects of ACV consumption on CMS risk factors.

Results:

Overall, 25 clinical trials (33 arms) comprising 1320 adults were entered in this study.
ACV consumption could significantly improve the levels of FBG (-21.20 mg/dl; 95% CI: -32.31 to
-2.21; I2
: 95.8%), HbA1c (-0.91mg/dl; 95% CI: -1.62 to -0.21; I2
: 98.9%), and TC (-6.72 mg/dl;
95% CI: -12.91 to -0.53; I2
:50.8%). No significant results were observed for BMI, HOMA-IR,
serum insulin, TG, LDL-C, and HDL-C. Subgroup analysis showed a significant decrease in FBG,
HbA1c, TC, and TG in diabetic patients. In this type of analysis, ACV consumption significantly
reduced FBG levels when administered for both duration subgroups (≥12 and <12 weeks). Moreover, in the subgroup analysis based on duration, TG concentration was significantly decreased following ACV consumption for ≥ 12 weeks.

Conclusion:

This meta-analysis showed that consumption of ACV has a favorable effect
in decreasing some CMS risk factors including FBG, HbA1c, and TC.
Advancement in Epilepsy Pharmacotherapy: An Insight into the
Pharmacophoric Approaches of Recent Drugs
Authors: Sharma Vikas , Kaushik Rahul , Kumar Verma Krishan , Gupta Akanksha , Srivastava Snigdha , Kurmi Rajan Kumar
Published: August 2023

Epilepsy is the most general, extensive, and severe neurological disorder, affecting more
than 50 million individuals globally. Initially, conventional medicines and simple salts like potassium
bromide were employed as antiepileptic medication candidates. Nowadays, large number of anticonvulsant
drugs have been discovered as first-generati, second-generation and newer drugs which are
still in development phases. The pharmacophore-based drug design process includes pharmacophore
modeling and validation, pharmacophore-based virtual screening, virtual hits profiling, and lead identification
with special to epilepsy. This comprehensive article reviews recently developed anticonvulsant
derivatives on the basis of pharmacophoric approaches. A literature survey was performed using
various search engines like Google Scholar, Scopus, Sci Finder, ScienceDirect, Science gate, Scilit,
PubMed, NINDS database of NIH, Bentham Sciences, and other online and print journals and scientific
databases for compilation of this review article. The presented review discusses newer drugs that
are in the market as well as in various clinical trial phases. Detailed outcomes of pharmacophoric
modeling have been discussed for newly derived derivatives like targets involved in Epilepsy, lead
molecules etc., for the treatment of epilepsy. This exhaustive review will assist the researchers in the
further development of potential antiepileptic agents.
Fault Detection in Windmills Using Augmented Reality
Authors: P Arunagiri , Jayabala Pradeep , M Harikrishnan , L Martin
Published: August 2023

Aim::

Wind energy, being a non-conventional and sustainable renewable resource, provides
electrical energy through the rotation of the blades of a wind turbine caused by wind impact. To ensure
the sustainability of this resource, maintenance of the wind turbines is essential.

Methods::

The incorporation of emerging technologies into the tedious processes has enabled quality
improvement in the performance of systems. Augmented reality, which enhances the 3D digital content
over the real world, may be used to leverage the tedious process of wind turbine maintenance by providing
a user-friendly environment.

Results/Discussion:

AR utilization provides great insights into the problems occurring in specific
parts of a wind turbine, thereby easing out the complexity of field workers. The objective is to create an
augmented reality environment to monitor the proper functioning and detect the faultiness in a wind
turbine with accuracy.

Conclusion::

AR utilization can help facilitate better maintenance service, thereby increasing the life of
a wind turbine.
Cuphea Genus: A Systematic Review on the Traditional uses,
Phytochemistry, Pharmacology, and Toxicology
Authors: Santos Marí C. , Mendez Andreas S.L. , Henriques Amélia T.
Published: August 2023

Introduction:

Species from the Cuphea genus (Lythraceae) have wide usage in traditional medicine for the treatment of various diseases. Cuphea comprises about 260 species distributed worldwide among five continents.

Methods:

This systematic review aimed to synthesize the information available about the traditional uses, phytochemistry, pharmacology, and toxicology of Cuphea spp. This systematic review followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) criteria, with a search in the scientific databases, namely Scopus, Web of Science, PubMed, and ScienceDirect, using keywords, such as “Cuphea”, “sete-sangrias”, “Cuphea” and “polyphenols”, “Cuphea” and “flavonoid”, “Cuphea” and “pharmacology”, “Cuphea” and “traditional uses”, “Cuphea” and “toxicology”, and all references found were analyzed. Among 1438 publications identified in the initial screening, 86 studies were included based on eligibility criteria. The chemical composition of Cuphea spp. is mainly polyphenols related to therapeutic use, especially as an antioxidant, antimicrobial, antitumoral, anti-inflammation, and antihypertensive.

Results:

In summary, this systematic review provides an overview of the active compounds responsible for the pharmacological actions of the genus, often linked to traditional use.

Conclusion:

However, its safety and potential toxicology need to be further studied, along with the bioactive mechanisms and discussion of the structure-activity relationship, besides future clinical studies for novel drug development.
Unravelling the Supercapacitive Potential of Zn-Ni-Co Mixed
Transition Metal Oxide
Authors: Ramli Nurul Infaza Talalah , Ali Ab Malik Marwan , Hussin Nur Hafiz , Mohamad Taib Mohamad Fariz , Hassan Oskar Hasdinor
Published: August 2023

Objective:

A promising Zn-Ni-Co mixed transition metal oxide was successfully
synthesized by means of the sol-gel route and its super capacitive behavior was studied.

Methods:

The structural, morphology, and functional groups were deduced via XRD,
SEM, EDX, and FTIR analysis. The super capacitive performance of the hybrid and ternary
mixed transition metal oxides was executed through a three-electrode system, in a 2M
KOH electrolyte.

Results:

The specific capacitance of Zn-Ni-Co O was reckoned to be 415 Fg-1 at 50 mVs-1,
thrice as much as the specific capacitance of ZnCo2O4 hybrid transition metal oxide (139
Fg-1). The synergistic effects benefited from multiple metal constituents and low activation
energy for electron transportation plays an important role in boosting the electrochemical
performance.

Conclusion:

The obtained results proved that Zn-Ni-Co O ternary composite has a promising
future as an alternative for supercapacitor electrodes.
Advancement in Nanobiotechnology for Human Health Care: Focus on Ocular Diseases and Future Prospects
Authors: Srivastava Ankit , Pradhan Biswajita , Jit Bimal Prasad , Bharadwaj Kaushik Kumar , Rikhari Deeksha
Published: August 2023

Nanotechnology involves the study of different materials on the nanometer scale, typical-ly less than 100 nm in size. Nanomedicine is the creation of nanotechnology, a new science and technology area. Similarly, various nanomaterials, such as nanostructure, nanotubes, and nanoparticles, were also found to have significant applications in the human biological system at the molecu-lar level to achieve healthcare advantage. Nanotechnology is rapidly expanding in the field of medicine with a special emphasis on ophthalmology. Nanotechnology advancements need to be translated into a new and exciting platform for diagnosis, treatment, and therapeutics for ocular disease. The application of nanotechnology in ocular disease and cancer, such as nanoparticle-based drug delivery system, drug development, gene therapy, and tissue engineering, helps overcome many oc-ular problems. In particular, one of the most important applications of the emerging nanoscience system is used in ocular cancer diagnosis and therapy with the help of carbon nanotubes, nanocrys-tals, nanowires, etc. Several approaches have been developed for treatment and therapy for ocular disease. Moreover, these tremendous approaches have been safely used and effective for a broad range of applications. In this study, the focus is to discuss recent findings and various constraints and summarize the applications of nanotechnology-mediated systems for treating various ocular diseases.
Study on the Influence of Carbonation on the Microstructure of
Cement-based Materials Based on BSE Technique
Authors: Shen Qizhen , Lou Gaoxiang
Published: August 2023

Background:

The influence of carbonation on the interfacial transition zone (ITZ) microstructure
of cement-based materials was significant. However, the width of ITZ is about tens
of microns, and studying its micro-characteristics (such as porosity, hydration products, content of
unhydrated cement, etc.) by macro test was difficult.

Methods:

Backscattered electron (BSE) imaging technology and gray scale analysis method were
used to analyze the cement-based materials with water-binder (W/B) ratios of 0.53 and 0.35, respectively.

Results:

BSE and gray scale analysis showed that in the ITZ, the porosity of 0.53P (Portland cement
paste), 0.35P (Portland cement paste), 0.53F (fly ash), and 0.35F (fly ash) decreased by
24.1%, 28.9%, 49.5%, and 64.2% respectively, whereas the content of hydration products increases
after carbonation, and the matrix also shows the same rule. At the same time, the smaller
W/B ratio, the greater the porosity reduction, and the filling effect of carbonation on the specimens
with supplementary cementitious material (SCM) was more significant than that of pure
cement specimens.

Conclusion:

The porosity of the ITZ decreased after carbonation, however it remained higher
than that of the matrix. Consequently, the ITZ remained a vulnerable zone with a greater diffusion
rate of CO2 compared to the matrix even after carbonation.
Probing the surface of Ganymede by means of bistatic radar with the JUICE mission
Authors: Brighi G.
Published: August 2023

Abstract. Scheduled to get to the Jovian system in 2031, the ESA mission JUICE will explore Jupiter and its icy moons with unprecedented detail. Among other radar systems, the JUICE radio science experiment (3GM) will have the technical capability to probe the uppermost few meters of Ganymede’s surface carrying out bistatic observations of the moon. In this work, we present a preliminary assessment of X-band downlink bistatic observations of Ganymede by means of JUICE High Gain Antenna during part of its final orbital phase around the moon. For the chosen time window, terrains between 60° N and 60° S appear to produce detectable echoes under the assumption of Ganymede reflecting as a water-ice rich perfectly conducting sphere. For the future activity of the 3GM experiment, more detailed surveys will be extended to the whole mission, comparing different available antennas and frequency bands, and accounting for the priority of different instruments and scientific objectives.
Relative visual navigation based on CNN in a proximity operation space mission
Authors: D’Ortona A.
Published: August 2023

Abstract. This article explores a solution utilizing a convolutional neural network (CNN) to simulate robust monocular visual navigation during proximity operations of a space mission, where a precise determination of relative pose is crucial for mission safety. This operation involves closely observing a spacecraft with a CubeSat under challenging illumination conditions. The methodology involves generating a dataset using Blender software and training a Mask-CNN with a ResNet-50 architecture to identify relevant features representing the target's 3D model. The dataset's ground truth is obtained through an inverse Perspective-n-Point (PnP) problem. Overall, this work provides valuable insights into the potential of deep learning-based visual navigation techniques for enhancing space mission operations.
Micromechanical analysis for evaluation of voids effect on thermoelastic properties of composites via 1D higher-order theories
Authors: Masia R.
Published: August 2023

Abstract. The present work presents statistical results of numerical simulations to investigate the effect of different void percentages on composite materials’ coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE). A random distribution of voids is simulated over the Representative Volume Element (RVE) matrix. The use of a high-order beam model within the framework of Carrera Unified Formulation (CUF) leads to a Component Wise (CW) description of the model cross-section. Numerical results for different fiber volume fractions and void concentration percentages are carried out, and the comparison with references from literature demonstrates the agreement in the average CTE trend.
Enhanced radar detection of small remotely piloted aircraft in U-space scenario
Authors: Mattei F.
Published: August 2023

Abstract. Efficient and safe integration of Unmanned Aerial Systems, both civil and military ones, must be guaranteed in the airspace, which is expected to be threated by problems of collisions, loss of communications and congestion of the air traffic environment. One of the main issues is how to improve the identification of unmanned aircrafts in the low altitude airspace. The identification process, that includes detection, verification, and recognition phases, is affected by different problems such as the difficulty of distinguishing Unmanned Aircraft Vehicles from other small flying objects as birds, because of their similar Radar Cross Section (RCS). To improve this process, an enhancement of the RCS can be a solution. The purpose of my PhD is to find the best passive and active solution for the following assignment.
An extended ordinary state-based peridynamics model for ductile fracture analysis
Authors: Zhang J.
Published: August 2023

Abstract. The present research establishes a two-step strategy to incorporate classical elastoplastic constitutive model into ordinary state-based peridynamics (OSB-PD) for ductile fracture analysis. Three length levels are notified, respectively, bond level, material particle level and bulk level. The unified Bodner-Partom theory is incorporated into the OSB-PD framework to define the bond-wise relationship between deformation state and force state. Particle-wise variables indicating plastic deformation state are extracted from connecting bonds to establish the unified ductile damage model at particle level. The damage indicator in turn exerts effects on the following plastic deformation. At present study, the collaboration among PD and unified theories amplifies the theoretical unity of PD in defining material behaviors. Simulations under quasi-static and impact loading conditions are carried out to demonstrate the effectiveness of the present model in reproducing ductile fractures at bulk level.
Accurate characterization of the noise sources affecting BepiColombo’s radio tracking observables
Authors: Bernacchia D.
Published: August 2023

Abstract. The ESA mission BepiColombo, nowadays, represents a milestone for the precision levels that can be obtained in the determination of the orbit of a spacecraft. The high accuracy provided by the embedded radio system, together with modern techniques used for the calibration of tropospheric noise, such as the usage of a microwave radiometer, allows to estimate the state of the spacecraft with a very small uncertainty. Doppler measurements collected during the first two Solar Conjunction Experiments performed by BepiColombo have been analyzed in order to understand which are the main sources of residual noise still affecting the data after the calibration process, with the aim of improving the overall calibration procedure itself. The study showed that, even though the usage of radiometers led to a strong reduction of the noise due to the troposphere, the main error source can still be identified in some un-calibrated tropospheric effects. This indicates that the improvement of the overall calibration process strongly relies on the refinement of the method used for tropospheric noise removal.
Numerical prediction of plasma formation on a sphere in hypersonic sub-orbital flight regime
Authors: Esposito S.
Published: August 2023

Abstract. Hypersonic flight is challenging for vehicle design and operation due to the intense heating generated by kinetic energy transfer from the vehicle to the gas surrounding it. As a result, plasma is produced, which can interfere with radar tracking and communication, particularly upon re-entry into the Earth's atmosphere. Plasma affects wave propagation, and if the electron density is high enough, waves may lose intensity as they propagate, distorting radar traces. The objective of this research is to predict plasma formation during suborbital hypersonic flight, with a specific focus on determining the Mach number and altitude conditions that generate critical levels of plasma density. To achieve this, Computational Fluid Dynamics is employed to solve the Navier-Stokes equations, and a multi-temperature thermochemical model is adopted to accurately predict plasma behavior. The model is applied in a simplified scenario involving a sphere exposed to hypersonic flow.