bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Blockchain Characteristics and Implications: Assessing the Impact on Sustainability in Turkish Sectors
Authors:   National Technical University «Kharkiv Polytechnic Institute», Krasnokutska Natalia S. , Koray Adiguzel ,   National Technical University «Kharkiv Polytechnic Institute»
Published: November 2023

Technological advances are accelerating the activation of the saving, preserving and using information in various economic models. Blockchain technology is one of the latest technologies used by many international institutions and organizations. Compared to other banking or technological technologies, it transmits and accumulates information transparently, instantly, and reliably at a low cost. As Turkey plays a significant economic role in the Middle East and Europe regions, this article highlights a sample of Turkish companies that use blockchain technology of the version 4.0. It is an attempt to measure the variables of the coefficient of trust, immutability, transparency, and cost reduction in combination with blockchain applications by scientists, administrative authors, and blockchain technologists. A quantitative descriptive approach has been adopted to examine the interrelation between blockchain applications and increase in transparency, confidence, stability, and cost reduction, based on the SPSS statistical software to produce accurate results. 19 Turkish companies were selected from 62 Turkish companies that have adopted blockchain, according to the official agency «BTCR» that tracks these organizations in Turkey. The selected companies, operating in banking, telecommunications, industry, and non-governmental associations, make large contributions to Turkey’s GDP. The study found that all four variables in the sectors improved significantly after the introduction of blockchain technology, but the systems for monitoring and tracking their influence were complex ones.
Public Procurement Policy in the Implementation of the Digital Transformation Strategy: Priorities for the EU and for Ukraine
Authors:   Kyiv National Economic University named after V. Hetman, Fedirko Oleksandr A. , Fedirko Nataliia V. ,   Kyiv National Economic University named after V. Hetman
Published: November 2023

The aim of the article is to study the policy of public procurement and the scientific substantiation of its priorities in the context of the implementation of the digital transformation strategy in the EU and in Ukraine. The research methodology is based on the content analysis of the digitalization policy of public procurement used in the practice of both the EU and Ukraine, as well as in its scientific generalization to substantiate the priorities for the implementation of the digital transformation strategy. The authors examined the model of interaction of subjects of the public procurement market in the EU with the use of digital tools. It is found that the harmonized EU rules in the field of application of common digital public procurement instruments are designed to ensure fairness, transparency and non-discrimination in determining participants in public contracts, to which not only EU companies are admitted, but also the representatives of WTO Member States that have signed the Agreement on Government Procurement. The article discloses the stages of introduction of digital public procurement tools in the EU and in Ukraine. It is determined that in the EU, the process of digitalization of public procurement began in the second half of the 2000s with the introduction of an electronic diary of tenders, significantly intensifying in the second half of the 2010s with the adoption of a package of the EU directives in the field of public procurement and the phased introduction of digital tools (invoices, forms, applications for tenders, the European single procurement document, etc.). The current stage of transformation of digital public procurement tools in the EU was marked by the introduction of a single space for these public procurement in the EU from 2023. The priority directions of digital convergence of the public procurement systems of the EU and Ukraine are substantiated, including the development of cooperation tools for joint public procurement, promotion of competition, countering the corruption, as well as strengthening the professionalization of the public procurement systems.
Assessing the Efficiency of Biogas Plants: The National and Foreign Experience
Authors:   Vinnytsia National Agrarian University, Palamarenko Yana V. , Chikov Illia A. ,   Vinnytsia National Agrarian University
Published: November 2023

The issue of recycling waste from the main production is experiencing growing relevance and importance in the context of sustainable development and environmental protection. In today’s world, where environmental issues and conservation of natural resources are becoming extremely important, manufacturers and consumers are faced with the need to find new innovative approaches to waste management and reducing the negative impact of industrial processes on the environment. Therefore, the use of biogas plants is one of the promising solutions in this direction. These plants play an important role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions, using agricultural waste, improving the production cycle, and contributing to more sustainable and environmentally friendly production processes. This article reveals the importance of biogas plants as an innovative solution for addressing the issues of organic waste recycling along with creating more sustainable production. The article discusses the topical issue of assessing the efficiency of biogas plants, based on both domestic and foreign experience. The analysis of the efficiency of biogas plants is carried out on the basis of a comparison of domestic and international experience. Thus, the authors determine that in order to ensure a comprehensive assessment of the efficiency of biogas plants, it is necessary to thoroughly analyze technical parameters, technological solutions, economic aspects, and environmental indicators. The proposed multi-criteria approach will allow to obtain an exhaustive and objective assessment of the functioning of biogas plants, taking into account most of the key aspects of their efficiency. This will make it possible to determine the optimal areas for improving these plants in order to achieve the highest possible level of productivity and consistency of their operation. Further on, this approach will contribute to making sound managerial decisions and thus achieving a common goal in the modern energy paradigm. The authors propose to assess the efficiency of biogas plants by building a model based on fuzzy logic methods. This approach allows to take into account the ambiguity and uncertainty of incoming information, which gives the possibility to agree on different criteria and parameters, taking into account their unpredictability and dependence on many factors. The results of this model help in choosing the optimal biogas plant that meets the conditions and requirements of today.
Expansion of Indonesian to English Phenomena: A Descriptive Analytical Study in the Novels Written by Ahmad Tohari
Authors: Abdilia Dwinda , Noverino Romel
Published: November 2023

This research examines the Expansion phenomena in translation using the strategies by Chesterman (2016). The expansion here means simply the phenomena of adding words from Source Text into Target Text Translation. The main purpose of this research is to find out how effective the Expansion is in helping to resolve translation problems in translating Indonesian to English. This research uses a mixed qualitative and quantitative research method, with the main focus on qualitative. The research uses a quantitative method for presenting the result. The descriptive research method is used to explain how the data was collected, classified, analyzed, and then summarized to get the conclusion. The data of this research are expansion, taken from the novel by Ahmad Tohari, entitled “Mata yang Enak Dipandang.” The Expansion would be identified and collected by comparing the texts in both the target language (Indonesian version) and The source Text (English version) up to 150 data. The random sampling technique is used. The researcher will take 150 data. From the 150 data, 21 data will be chosen randomly and then taken to be analyzed. Thus, the research uses a random sampling technique. There are three primary groups of categories in Chesterman’s strategies, namely syntactic/grammatical (4 out of 21 data), semantic (8 out of 21 data), and pragmatic (9 out of 21 data). There are 150 data of expansion but only 21 data were purposely chosen to be analyzed, with the use of Chesterman strategies which are: Information Change (1 data), Trope change (2 data), Abstraction Change (2), Explicitness Change (5), clause Structure Change (2), Distribution Change (4 data), Cohesion Change (1),  Scheme Change (1 data), Emphasis Change (1 data), Interpersonal Change (2 data), Illocutionary Change (1). The result shows that most of the translations in the novel by Ahmad Tohari most of it using Explicitness Change ( 5 out of 21 data). As part of Semantic strategies, Exlpicitness change serves as an indicator of an idea that to translate a novel; the translator must commit a lot of manipulating in the process to reach the equivalency of work. The use of translation strategies by Chesterman in the expansion phenomena proves that only 20% of translation uses syntactical; the rest of it belongs to Semantic (38%) and Pragmatic (42%). It means that translating a literary work is quite challenging. The fact that literature work, which in this case is a novel, has a deeper meaning than it appears and how the work mostly uses figurative language to convey the message pressurize the translator to immerse the Source text carefully and also demands the translator to have a broad knowledge of the language and its social content.
COMPARISON OF ISOLATES OF Phytophthora colocasiae Raciborski FROM DIVERSE ALTITUDES AND APPRAISAL OF PLANT EXTRACTS FOR ITS MANAGEMENT IN VITRO
Authors: NDIFON F.M. , LUM A.F.
Published: November 2023

Leaf blight disease caused by Phytophthora colocasiae Raciborski is a serious constraint to taro production. This study was carried out to characterize the isolates of P. colocasiae from Makurdi, Nigeria and Befang, Cameroon; and evaluate the potential of aqueous leaf extracts of Eucalyptus, neem and mahogany at 0, 50 and 100% concentrations for management of the pathogen. A synthetic fungicide (Mancozeb) was included as a check. The isolate from Befang had more radial growth than that from Makurdi. The colonies of both isolates were translucent and low on corn meal agar (CMA) but opaque and high on acetate differential agar enriched with dextrose (ADAD). The texture of the Befang isolate was filamentous on CMA but hard and grainy on ADAD; the Makurdi isolate was filamentous on both media. Mancozeb and all the plant extracts inhibited the growth of the pathogen significantly (P≤0.05). Among the extracts, Eucalyptus at 100% concentration was the most potent (94.4-100.0% inhibition) and it was comparable to Mancozeb (100% inhibition); mahogany at 50% was the least potent (<20%). Both concentrations of neem gave similar levels of growth inhibition (mean=50.0–64.6%) throughout. Other inhibitory levels were 32.0–57.3% for Eucalyptus at 50% and 24.0–53.9% for mahogany at 100%. These results indicated that ADAD and CMA were appropriate culture media for the fungus. The extracts of Eucalyptus, neem and mahogany had fungicidal activity against P. colocasiae; therefore they should be incorporated into management programmes for the pathogen.
NANOPARTICLES ANTIBIOTIC DELIVERY SYSTEM: AN ALTERNATIVE TREATMENT PROTOCOL FOR CASEOUS LYMPHADENITIS.
Authors: IDRIS S.B. , ARIFAH A.K
Published: November 2023

Caseous lymphadenitis is an infectious zoonotic disease of goats with severe economic implications. A major reason why management of the disease is a problem in the small ruminant livestock industry is because Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis forms biofilm in the host and is resistant to antibiotic drugs resulting in a chronic granulomatous condition. The use of nanoparticles as a means of direct drug delivery to this organism may provide a solution to tackling it. This review focuses on caseous lymphadenitis and the different nanoparticles for antimicrobial drug delivery
The intersubjective function of the dream in psychoanalytic couple psychotherapy
Authors: Monguzzi Fabio , Zavattini Giulio Cesare
Published: November 2023

Telling a dream in a joint session of a psychoanalytic couple psychotherapy can be considered as part of a session rather than a "thing" brought into a session from outside. Telling a dream not only provides an idea of the dreamer's various selfstates, but also of how one partner and his/her external world entered the internal world of the other and what role has been assigned to him/her. This is what we call "dreams about links" or even dreams as an expression of a fine tuning of the "We Go" (Klein, 1976). If a dream is also a narrative in the session, this should be considered as a pictorial figuration of an emotion, as it exerts pressure not only on the partner and the analyst listening to the dream, but also on the field's atmosphere. So, we could say that the dream is "an emerging property of the field" as suggested by Bion (1967). The narrative implies that the dreamer has chosen that particular dream and session to recall it, and this exerts an emotional involvement on the dynamic of the session itself.
ANALISIS PERSEPSI METODE PEMBELAJARAN PRAKTIKUM MYOB ACCOUNTING SOFTWARE PADA MAHASISWA AKUNTANSI (STUDI PADA MAHASISWA PROGRAM AKUNTANSI UNIVERSITAS RIAU KEPULAUAN)
Authors: Andayani Riska , Hamta Firdaus
Published: November 2023

Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui persepsi mahasiswa terhadap metode belajar yang efektif pada praktikum MYOB. Penelitian ini menggunakan metode kualitatif deskriptif dengan informan mahasiswa akuntansi UNRIKA Semester V dan VII. Praktikum MYOB accounting software memiliki kontribusi yang kuat dan mampu membangun harapan dan pembelajaran yang terstruktur bagi mahasiswa. Namun kendala yang dihadapi perlu ditingkatkan cara belajar yang baru. Metode belajar yang efektif pada praktikum MYOB untuk memperkuat metode belajar yang diskusi. Serta meningkatkan metode pelatihan agar lebih aplikatif dan komunikatif.Kata Kunci: Persepsi, MYOB, Metode Belajar.
MAKNA SIMBOL CANGKUL TERBENTUKNYA KAMPUNG TUA SUNGAI BINTI DI KELURAHAN SUNGAI BINTI KECAMATAN SAGULUNG KOTA BATAM
Authors: Safari Irwan , Wijaya Deni Adi
Published: November 2023

Makna Simbol Cangkul terbentuknya Kampung Tua Sungai Binti kelurahan Sungai Binti kecamatan Sagulung Kota Batam. Program Studi Pendidikan Sejarah. Fakultas Keguruan dan Ilmu Pendidikan Universitas Riau Kepulau, Bapak Deni Adi wijaya, M.Pd dan Ibu Fitri Yanti, S.Pd.M.Si selaku Pembimbing I dan Pembimbing II.Latar belakang masalah penelitian ini adalah cangkul merupakan alat yang digunakan untuk menggali atau mengaduk tanah, dibuat dari lempeng besi dan diberi tangkai yang panjang untuk pegangan. Diwilayah batam salah satunya di daerah sagulung terdapat Kampung Tua bernama Kampong Tua Sungai Binti yang disimbolkan dengan Cangkul hal itu yang membuat peneliti tertarik untuk mengangkat hasil kebudayaan manusia tersebut.Jenis penelitian ini adalah penelitian kualitatif dengan metode deskriptif. Metode yang digunakan ada beberapa tahap diantaranya (1) Sumber data yang terdiri dari sumber data primer dan sumber data sekunder. (2) Teknik pengumpulan data yang terdiri dari Observasi, wawancara, dan dokumentasi, (3) teknik analisis data yang terdiri dari reduksi data, penyajian data, Penarikan kesimpulan dan verivikasi. Hasil Penelitian menunjukan, setelah peneliti mengadakan penelitian di Kampung Tua Sungai Binti yang disimbolkan dengan Cangkul, pertama di simbolkan dengan Cangkul karena yang tinggal di Kampung Tua sungai binti mayoritas orang Jawa berkebun yang pertama kali membuka lahannya. Yang kedua cangkul juga memiliki makna rasa kerja sama atau gotong-royong dalam segala kegiataan dilingkungan Kampung Tua Sungai Binti.
ACEH DAN PERDAGANGAN DI SELAT MALAKA
Authors: Rambe Yasir Maulana
Published: November 2023

Aceh merupakan sebuah daerah yang telah menjadi maestro perdagangan pada masa niaga di kawasan Nusantara dan Asia Tenggara. Perdagangan yang menjadi jiwa pada masa lampau telah membawa Aceh kepada masa kejayaan dan keemasannya. Penelitian ini menggunakan metode historis yang terdiri dari empat tahapan yakni, Heuristik ( Pengumpulan sumber/Data), Verifikasi ( Kritik Sumber), Interpretasi dan Historiografi. Selat Malaka telah lama menjadi sebuah pionir dalam jalur perdagangan dunia. Selat Malaka merupakan sebuah jalur yang sangat strategis karena menjadi penghubung antara para pedagang yang hendak atau dari Asia Tenggara menuju kawasan lain seperti India, Timur Tengah, Cina, bahkan Eropa sekalipun. Wilayah Aceh sendiri sudah lama dikenal sejak dahulu kala sebagai tempat perdagangan dikawasan Selat Malaka. Perkenalan dengan Aceh tersebut merupakan sebuah hubungan dagang yang memperlihatkan bagaimana peran terkenalnya nama Aceh terutama dikalangan para pedagang-pedagang, bukan hanya dikalangan para pedagang yang berasal dari Timur Tengah,  namun juga pedagang yang berasal dari Cina, India atau bahkan Eropa.
INOVASI TERHADAP MODEL PEMBERDAYAAN KELOMPOK PETERNAK SAPI DI DESA SUKA MULYA KECAMATAN BANGKINANG
Authors: Rahmadhina Riska Aulya , Amin Raja Muhammad , Febrina Rury
Published: November 2023

ABSTRACTThis study aims to determine the form of community empowerment in Suka Mulya Village through human development, business development, and environmental development, in the process of community empowerment and village government innovations on the community empowerment model of Suka Mulya Village, Bangkinang District. The method used in this research is to use a qualitative approach with data collection techniques namely interviews. The results of this study are the form of an innovative model for empowering cattle farmer groups in Suka Mulya Village including human development, namely by coaching through a corn-cow integration system program with the aim of optimally utilizing the potential of natural resources. For business development, namely with business training in making herbal herbs for cows. This aims to be a new innovation in increasing the entrepreneurial spirit of cattle farmers. The next step is to develop the environment, namely by training and fostering the utilization of cow dung waste into biogas. Finally, institutional development namely the role of Kampar district plantation and livestock service as a forum for information strengthening cattle breeder empowerment activities. Suggestions from this study are that it would be better to give a form of empowerment innovation that is more technology-based so that the cattle farmer groups become more empowered and develop, so that the goals of community empowerment can be realized properly.ABSTRAKTujuan penelitian ini ialah guna mengetahui bentuk dari pemberdayaan masyarakat desa Suka Mulya melalui bina manusia, bina usaha, dan bina lingkungan, dalam proses pemberdayaan masyarakat serta inovasi pemerintah desa terhadap model pemberdayaan masyarakat Desa Suka Mulya, Kecamatan Bangkinang. Penelitian ini menggunakan metode pendekatan kualitatif dengan teknik pengumpulan data yakni wawancara. Hasil dari penelitian ini ialah bentuk dari inovasi model pemberdayaan kelompok peternak sapi di Desa Suka Mulya meliputi bina manusia yakni dengan pembinaan melalui program sistem integrasi jagung-sapi dengan tujuan memanfaatkan potensi sumberdaya alam dengan optimal. Untuk bina usaha yakni dengan pelatihan usaha pembuatan jamu herbal untuk sapi. Ini bertujuan agar menjadi inovasi baru dalam peningkatan jiwa wirausaha dari peternak sapi. Selanjutnya bina lingkungan yakni dengan pelatihan dan pembinaan pemanfaatan limbah kotoran sapi menjadi biogas. Terakhir, bina kelembagaan, yakni dengan adanya peran dari Dinas Perkebunan dan Peternakan Kabupaten Kampar sebagai wadah informasi dalam penguatan kegiatan pemberdayaan peternak sapi. Saran dari penelitian ini yaitu alangkah baiknya diberikan bentuk inovasi pemberdayaan yang lebih berbasis pada teknologi agar para kelompok peternak sapi menjadi lebih berdaya dan berkembang, sehingga tujuan dari pemberdayaan masyarakat dapat terwujud dengan baik.
PENGARUH PROFITABILITAS, LIKUIDITAS, LEVERAGE, DAN UKURAN PERUSAHAAAN TERHADAP FINANCIAL DISTRESS
Authors: Aullia Citra , Lisiantara G Anggana
Published: November 2023

Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui pengaruh profibilitas, likuiditas, leverage, dan ukuran perusahaan terhadap financial distress. Subyek riset ialah perusahaan manufaktur subsektor barang konsumsi yang tercatat pada BEI tahun 2018-2021. Sampel yang dipakai pada riset berikut ialah diambil melalui pemakaian metode purposive sampling. Penelitian menggunakan jenis penelitian kuantitatif dengan metode pengujian hipotesa pada riset berikut memakai analisa regresi logistik. Penelitian dilakukan dari pengambilan data dan analisa data selama satu bulan dari bulan Desember 2022 sampai Januari 2023. Uji Kelayakan Model Regresi (Goodness-of-Fit Test) dinilai melalui penggunaan uji kecocokan Hosmer and Lemeshow yang diukur melalui nilai chi-square serta Cox and Snell’s R Square and Nagelkerke’s R Square serta dilakukan uji coba hipotesis guna mengukur pengaruh dengan cara parsial antara variabel bebas pada variabel terikat. Hasil penelitian yang dilakukan dari pengujian hipotesis didapatkan bahwa variabel profitabilitas tidak berdampak pada financial distress. Variabel likuiditas tidak berdampak pada financial distress. Variabel leverage signifikansinya berdampak positif pada financial distress. Serta variabel ukuran perusahaan  tidak berdampak pada financial distress.
PENGARUH KEBIJAKAN DIVIDEN, KEPUTUSAN INVESTASI, PROFITABILITAS TERHADAP NILAI PERUSAHAAN
Authors: Sa'adah Lailatus , Putri Sisdila Via Engelita , Usry Abdul Kadir
Published: November 2023

Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menguji Pengaruh Kebijakan Dividen, Keputusan Invetasi, Profitabilitas Terhadap Nilai Perusahaan (Pada Perusahaan Sub Sektor Kimia yang terdaftar pada Bursa Efek Indonesia BEI Periode 2016-2019). Metode penelitian yang digunakan yakni metode penelitian kuantitatif. Sampel dalam penelitian ini adalah 8 perusahaan sub sektor kimia yang go public. Metode pengumpulan data yang digunakan pada penelitian ini adalah metode dokumentasi dari data sekunder. Metode analisis data yang digunakan pada penelitian ini adalah menggunakan analisis regresi linier berganda dengan bantuan program SPSS (Statistic Product and Service Solution). Berdasarkan hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa Kebijakan dividen (DPR) tidak berpengaruh terhadap nilai perusahaan, Keputusan investasi (PER) berpengaruh terhadap nilai perusahaan,  dan Profitabilitas (ROA) berpengaruh terhadap nilai perusahaan.
KEDUDUKAN KETERANGAN SAKSI PENYANDANG DISABILITAS DALAM HUKUM ACARA PIDANA
Authors: Novianti Tri , Fadila Ricky
Published: November 2023

Seiring perkembangannya, kedudukan keterangan saksi sebagai alat bukti dalam hukum acara pidana juga terdapat pembaharuan, salah satunya keterangan saksi yang diberikan oleh seseorang penyandang disabilitas. Kedudukan keterangan saksi penyandang disabilitas sebagai wujud untuk mencapai kebenaran materil, tentu perlu penilaian khusus apakah keterangan saksi tersebut dapat berdiri sendiri atau harus terdapat bukti lainnya yang mendukung agar keterangan tersebut dapat dipertanggungjawabkan. Berdasarkan hal tersebut, bagaimanakah sebenarnya kedudukan keterangan saksi penyandang disabilitas dalam hukum acara pidana. Seiring perkembangan zaman, dalam hukum acara pidana terutama dalam rangka memberikan akomodasi yang layak bagi seorang penyandang disabilitas dalam rangka akses keadilan terhadap keterangan saksi penyandang disabilitas dapat dijadikan sebagai alat bukti keterangan saksi selama disandingkan dengan penilaian personal. Tentunya pemberian keterangan saksi penyandang disabilitas yang disandingkan dengan penilaian personal sudah memenuhi prinsip bewijsvoering
ALGORITMA K-MEANS CLUSTER UNTUK SEGMENTASI PELANGGAN
Authors: Fazri Ahmad Harya , Muhammad Abulwafa , Purnama Pradani Ayu Widya
Published: November 2023

Consumer data for business transactions in retail agricultural products has not been managed digitally. This can be seen from consumer data which is still stored manually, some customer data is stored only based on purchase receipts and others have logbooks so that consumer data can be lost at any time. To improve service to consumers, sales analysis is carried out using the k-means algorithm. The aim is to be able to group consumers based on the number of transactions, the number of products purchased, and the frequency of transactions made. The data processed was 127 transaction data and grouped by name of the consumer, 116 consumers made transactions in the last 1 months. From this data, 5 clusters were determined including: Superstar, Golden, Typical, Occasional, Everyday. Of the 5 clusters, there were 4 consumers including Superstar, 12 Golden consumers, 34 Typical consumers, 29 Occasional consumers and 37 Everiday consumers.
Software pipelines for RNA-Seq, ChIP-Seq and germline variant calling analyses in common workflow language (CWL)
Authors: Kyritsis Konstantinos A. , Pechlivanis Nikolaos , Psomopoulos Fotis
Published: November 2023

Background: Automating data analysis pipelines is a key requirement to ensure reproducibility of results, especially when dealing with large volumes of data. Here we assembled automated pipelines for the analysis of High-throughput Sequencing (HTS) data originating from RNA-Seq, ChIP-Seq and Germline variant calling experiments. We implemented these workflows in Common workflow language (CWL) and evaluated their performance by: i) reproducing the results of two previously published studies on Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL), and ii) analyzing whole genome sequencing data from four Genome in a Bottle Consortium (GIAB) samples, comparing the detected variants against their respective golden standard truth sets.

Findings: We demonstrated that CWL-implemented workflows clearly achieved high accuracy in reproducing previously published results, discovering significant biomarkers and detecting germline SNP and small INDEL variants.

Conclusion: CWL pipelines are characterized by reproducibility and reusability; combined with containerization, they provide the ability to overcome issues of software incompatibility and laborious configuration requirements. In addition, they are flexible and can be used immediately or adapted to the specific needs of an experiment or study. The CWL-based workflows developed in this study, along with version information for all software tools, are publicly available on GitHub (https://github.com/BiodataAnalysisGroup/CWL_HTS_pipelines) under the MIT License. They are suitable for the analysis of short-read (such as Illumina-based) data and constitute an open resource that can facilitate automation, reproducibility and cross-platform compatibility for standard bioinformatic analyses.
Cold physical plasma treatment optimization for improved bone allograft processing
Authors: Fischer Maximilian , Bortel Emely , Schoon Janosch , Behnke Einar , Hesse Bernhard , Weitkamp Timm , Bekeschus Sander , Pichler Monika , Wassilew Georgi I. , Schulze Frank
Published: November 2023

In musculoskeletal surgery, the treatment of large bone defects is challenging and can require the use of bone graft substitutes to restore mechanical stability and promote host-mediated regeneration. The use of bone allografts is well-established in many bone regenerative procedures, but is associated with low rates of ingrowth due to pre-therapeutic graft processing. Cold physical plasma (CPP), a partially ionized gas that simultaneously generates reactive oxygen (O2) and nitrogen (N2) species, is suggested to be advantageous in biomedical implant processing. CPP is a promising tool in allograft processing for improving surface characteristics of bone allografts towards enhanced cellularization and osteoconduction. However, a preclinical assessment regarding the feasibility of pre-therapeutic processing of allogeneic bone grafts with CPP has not yet been performed. Thus, this pilot study aimed to analyze the bone morphology of CPP processed allografts using synchrotron radiation-based microcomputed tomography (SR-µCT) and to analyze the effects of CPP processing on human bone cell viability and function. The analyzes, including co-registration of pre- and post-treatment SR-µCT scans, revealed that the main bone morphological properties (total volume, mineralized volume, surface area, and porosity) remained unaffected by CPP treatment if compared to allografts not treated with CPP. Varying effects on cellular metabolic activity and alkaline phosphatase activity were found in response to different gas mixtures and treatment durations employed for CPP application. It was found that 3 min CPP treatment using a He + 0.1% N2 gas mixture led to the most favourable outcome regarding a significant increase in bone cell viability and alkaline phosphatase activity. This study highlights the promising potential of pre-therapeuthic bone allograft processing by CPP prior to intraoperative application and emphasizes the need for gas source and treatment time optimization for specific applications.
Mitochondria: one of the vital hubs for molecular hydrogen’s biological functions
Authors: Zhang Xiaoyue , Xie Fei , Ma Shiwen , Ma Chen , Jiang Xue , Yi Yang , Song Yifei , Liu Mengyu , Zhao Pengxiang , Ma Xuemei
Published: November 2023

As a novel antioxidant, a growing body of studies has documented the diverse biological effects of molecular hydrogen (H2) in a wide range of organisms, spanning animals, plants, and microorganisms. Although several possible mechanisms have been proposed, they cannot fully explain the extensive biological effects of H2. Mitochondria, known for ATP production, also play crucial roles in diverse cellular functions, including Ca2+ signaling, regulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, apoptosis, proliferation, and lipid transport, while their dysfunction is implicated in a broad spectrum of diseases, including cardiovascular disorders, neurodegenerative conditions, metabolic disorders, and cancer. This review aims to 1) summarize the experimental evidence on the impact of H2 on mitochondrial function; 2) provide an overview of the mitochondrial pathways underlying the biological effects of H2, and 3) discuss H2 metabolism in eukaryotic organisms and its relationship with mitochondria. Moreover, based on previous findings, this review proposes that H2 may regulate mitochondrial quality control through diverse pathways in response to varying degrees of mitochondrial damage. By combining the existing research evidence with an evolutionary perspective, this review emphasizes the potential hydrogenase activity in mitochondria of higher plants and animals. Finally, this review also addresses potential issues in the current mechanistic study and offers insights into future research directions, aiming to provide a reference for future studies on the mechanisms underlying the action of H2.
Multi-function screening of probiotics to improve oral health and evaluating their efficacy in a rat periodontitis model
Authors: Nie Qingqing , Wan Xuchun , Tao Hua , Yang Qianqian , Zhao Xueyang , Liu Haixia , Hu Jun , Luo Yanan , Shu Ting , Geng Ran , Gu Zhijing , Fan Fengkai , Liu Zhi
Published: November 2023

The oral cavity is the second most microbially rich region of the human body, and many studies have shown that there is a strong association between microorganisms and oral health. Some pathogenic bacteria produce biofilms and harmful metabolites in the mouth that may cause oral problems such as oral malodor, periodontitis, and dental caries. Altering the oral microbiota by using probiotics may alleviate oral health problems. Thus, using multi-function screening, we aimed to identify probiotics that can significantly improve oral health. The main parameters were the inhibition of pathogenic bacteria growth, inhibition of biofilm formation, reduction in the production of indole, H2S, and NH3 metabolites that cause halitosis, increase in the production of H2O2 to combat harmful bacteria, and co-aggregation with pathogens to prevent their adhesion and colonization in the oral cavity. Tolerance to cholic acid and choline was also assessed. Bifidobacterium animalis ZK-77, Lactobacillus salivarius ZK-88, and Streptococcus salivarius ZK-102 had antibacterial activity and inhibited biofilm production to prevent caries. They also improved the oral malodor parameter, H2S, NH3, and indole production. The selected probiotics (especially L. salivarius ZK-88) alleviated the inflammation in the oral cavity of rats with periodontitis. The analysis of the gingival crevicular fluid microbiome after probiotic intervention showed that B. animalis ZK-77 likely helped to restore the oral microbiota and maintain the oral microecology. Next, we determined the best prebiotics for each candidate probiotic in order to obtain a formulation with improved effects. We then verified that a probiotics/prebiotic combination (B. animalis ZK-77, L. salivarius ZK-88, and fructooligosaccharides) significantly improved halitosis and teeth color in cats. Using whole-genome sequencing and acute toxicity mouse experiments involving the two probiotics, we found that neither probiotic had virulence genes and they had no significant effects on the growth or development of mice, indicating their safety. Taking the results together, B. animalis ZK-77 and L. salivarius ZK-88 can improve oral health, as verified by in vivo and in vitro experiments. This study provides a reference for clinical research and also provides new evidence for the oral health benefits of probiotics.
A nomogram for predicting recurrence in endometrial cancer patients: a population-based analysis
Authors: Miao Mengdan , Zhu Yanping , Wang Lulu , Miao Yifei , Li Rong , Zhou Huaijun
Published: November 2023

Objective

Endometrial cancer recurrence is one of the main factors leading to increased mortality, and there is a lack of predictive models. Our study aimed to establish a nomogram predictive model to predict recurrence in endometrial cancer patients.

Method

Screen 517 endometrial cancer patients who came to Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital from 2008 to 2018. All these data are listed as the training group, and then 70% and 60% are randomly divided into verification groups 1 and 2. Univariate, Multivariate logistic regression, stepwise regression were used to select variables for nomogram. Nomogram identification and calibration were evaluated by concordance index (c-index), area under receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) over time and calibration plot Function. By decision curve analysis (DCA), net reclassification index (NRI), integrated discrimination improvement (IDI), we compared and quantified the net benefit of nomogram and ESMO-ESGO-ESTRO model-based prediction of tumor recurrence.

Results

A nomogram predictive model of endometrial cancer recurrence was established with the eight variables screened. The c-index (for the training cohort and for the validation cohort) and the time-dependent AUC showed good discriminative power of the nomogram. Calibration plots showed good agreement between nomogram predictions and actual observations in both the training and validation sets.

Conclusions

We developed and validated a predictive model of endometrial cancer recurrence to assist clinicians in assessing recurrence in endometrial cancer patients.
Predicting survival of patients with bone metastasis of unknown origin
Authors: Ren Ying , Qian Shengjun , Xu Guoping , Cai Zhenhai , Zhang Ning , Wang Zhan
Published: November 2023

Purpose

Bone metastasis of unknown origin is a rare and challenging situation, which is infrequently reported. Therefore, the current study was performed to analyze the clinicopathologic features and risk factors of survival among patients with bone metastasis of unknown origin.

Patients and methods

We retrospectively analyzed the clinical data for patients with bone metastasis of unknown origin between 2010 and 2016 based on the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database. Overall survival (OS) and cancer-specific survival (CSS) were first analyzed by applying univariable Cox regression analysis. Then, we performed multivariable analysis to confirm independent survival predictors.

Results

In total, we identified 1224 patients with bone metastasis of unknown origin for survival analysis, of which 704 males (57.5%) and 520 females (42.5%). Patients with bone metastasis of unknown origin had a 1-year OS rate of 14.50% and CSS rate of 15.90%, respectively. Race, brain metastasis, liver metastasis, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy were significant risk factors of OS on both univariable and multivariable analyses (p <0.05). As for CSS, both univariable and multivariable analyses revealed that no brain metastasis, no liver metastasis, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy were associated with increased survival (p <0.05).

Conclusion

Patients with bone metastasis of unknown origin experienced an extremely poor prognosis. Radiotherapy and chemotherapy were beneficial for prolonging the survival of those patients.
Lipidomics profiles of human spermatozoa: insights into capacitation and acrosome reaction using UPLC-MS-based approach
Authors: Cheng Xiaohong , Xie Haifeng , Xiong Yuping , Sun Peibei , Xue Yamei , Li Kun
Published: November 2023

Introduction

Lipidomics elucidates the roles of lipids in both physiological and pathological processes, intersecting with many diseases and cellular functions. The maintenance of lipid homeostasis, essential for cell health, significantly influences the survival, maturation, and functionality of sperm during fertilization. While capacitation and the acrosome reaction, key processes before fertilization, involve substantial lipidomic alterations, a comprehensive understanding of the changes in human spermatozoa's lipidomic profiles during these processes remains unknown. This study aims to explicate global lipidomic changes during capacitation and the acrosome reaction in human sperm, employing an untargeted lipidomic strategy using ultra-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS).

Methods

Twelve semen specimens, exceeding the WHO reference values for semen parameters, were collected. After discontinuous density gradient separation, sperm concentration was adjusted to 2 x 106 cells/ml and divided into three groups: uncapacitated, capacitated, and acrosome-reacted. UPLC-MS analysis was performed after lipid extraction from these groups. Spectral peak alignment and statistical analysis, using unsupervised principal component analysis (PCA), bidirectional orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis (O2PLS-DA) analysis, and supervised partial least-squares-latent structure discriminate analysis (PLS-DA), were employed to identify the most discriminative lipids.

Results

The 1176 lipid peaks overlapped across the twelve individuals in the uncapacitated, capacitated, and acrosome-reacted groups: 1180 peaks between the uncapacitated and capacitated groups, 1184 peaks between the uncapacitated and acrosome-reacted groups, and 1178 peaks between the capacitated and acrosome-reacted groups. The count of overlapping peaks varied among individuals, ranging from 739 to 963 across sperm samples. Moreover, 137 lipids had VIP values > 1.0 and twenty-two lipids had VIP > 1.5, based on the O2PLS-DA model. Furthermore, the identified twelve lipids encompassed increases in PI 44:10, LPS 20:4, LPA 20:5, and LPE 20:4, and decreases in 16-phenyl-tetranor-PGE2, PC 40:6, PS 35:4, PA 29:1, 20-carboxy-LTB4, and 2-oxo-4-methylthio-butanoic acid.

Discussion

This study has been the first time to investigate the lipidomics profiles associated with acrosome reaction and capacitation in human sperm, utilizing UPLC-MS in conjunction with multivariate data analysis. These findings corroborate earlier discoveries on lipids during the acrosome reaction and unveil new metabolites. Furthermore, this research highlights the effective utility of UPLC-MS-based lipidomics for exploring diverse physiological states in sperm. This study offers novel insights into lipidomic changes associated with capacitation and the acrosome reaction in human sperm, which are closely related to male reproduction.
Diabetic foot problem in Nepal
Authors: Baral Suman , Rajbhandari Satyan
Published: November 2023

Introduction

Nepal is a developing country where diabetes is becoming a major health challenge due to its high prevalence of 8.5% affecting around 2 million people. Due to limited resources, there are many barriers to providing affordable and convenient diabetes care or regular screening for complications. There is no reliable data on incidence, prevalence, and complications of diabetic foot problems in Nepal.

Methods

We conducted an online survey amongst senior physicians, who were members of ‘Diabetes & Endocrine Association of Nepal’ to assess their perception of diabetic foot problems in Nepal.

Results

Thirty-Eight physicians responded to the survey who saw a total of 17597 patients in the preceding month. They recalled seeing 647 with 'Diabetic Foot Ulcers', giving a crude Diabetic Foot Ulcer prevalence rate of 3.7%. They recalled seeing 2522 patients with painful neuropathy that required medical treatment, giving a crude painful neuropathy prevalence rate of 14.3%. A history of foot ulcer was present in an additional 578 patients. Previous minor amputation had been performed in 215 patients (1.2%) and major amputation in 135 patients (0.8%).

Discussion

Despite having expertise in various fields there is no dedicated multi-disciplinary diabetic foot clinic in Nepal. This survey shows that diabetic foot problems are abundant in Nepal and there is a need for structured multi-disciplinary approach for screening and treatment.
Indices of sarcopenic obesity are important predictors of finite element analysis-derived bone strength in older adults with obesity
Authors: Gregori Giulia , Paudyal Arjun , Barnouin Yoann , Celli Alessandra , Segoviano-Escobar Martha Belen , Armamento-Villareal Reina , Napoli Nicola , Qualls Clifford , Villareal Dennis T.
Published: November 2023

Background

The expanding population of older adults with obesity is a public health challenge, in part, because of the increased risk of fractures despite normal or high bone mineral density. Potential factors predisposing to fractures in this group include sarcopenia associated with obesity and impaired bone quality. We aimed to determine the contribution of sarcopenic obesity (SO) indices to bone strength as assessed by microfinite element analysis (μFEA) of high-resolution peripheral quantitative computed tomography (HR-pQCT).

Methods

One-hundred eighty-nine older (age ≥ 65 years) adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2) participated in lifestyle intervention trials at our medical center. All underwent baseline measurements of bone strength (failure load and stiffness) using μFEA from HR-pQCT of the distal radius and tibia. In addition, SO indices [appendicular lean mass/weight (ALM/W) and percent body fat (FM%)] by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry and handgrip strength (HGS) by dynamometry were assessed. SO was diagnosed and staged based on the 2022 ESPEN and EASO expert consensus statement.

Results

Both ALM/W and HGS were positively correlated explaining 28% to 36% of the variance in failure load and stiffness at the distal radius and tibia (all p < 0.001). In contrast, FM% was negatively correlated explaining 22% to 31% of the variance in failure load and stiffness at the distal radius and tibia (all p < 0.001). The associations of SO indices with failure load and stiffness remained significant after controlling for age, sex, race/ethnicity, diabetes, and 25-OH vitamin D (ALM/W: R2 = 0.301 to 0.448, HGS: R2 = 0.346 to 0.472, FM%: R2 = 0.299 to 0.432) (p < 0.001 to 0.011). SO was diagnosed in 75/189 (40%) participants with 66/75 (88%) having functional or metabolic complications (stage II). Participants with SO had lower failure load and stiffness at the distal radius than participants with no SO (both p < 0.05).

Conclusion

These findings demonstrate that lower muscle mass and strength and higher fat mass may impair bone quality. Therefore, interventions that focus on preserving muscle mass and strength while reducing fat mass may be important to decrease fracture risk when older adults with obesity undertake lifestyle intervention therapy.
Shades of grey—tire characteristics and road surface influence tire and road wear particle (TRWP) abundance and physicochemical properties
Authors: Wilkinson Tim , Järlskog Ida , de Lima Juliana Aristéia , Gustafsson Mats , Mattsson Karin , Andersson Sköld Yvonne , Hassellöv Martin
Published: November 2023

There is mounting evidence that tire wear particles can harm natural systems, but worldwide trends in car weight and car usage, mean emissions are set to increase. To control tire wear emissions and help understand fate and transport, detailed characterisation of the particles, and the relationship between road surface properties and emission profiles is needed. This study deployed a suite of experiments utilising the advanced road simulator of the Swedish National Road and Transport Research Institute to compare seasonal tire types from three brands. An extraction method was developed for a coarse (>30 µm) fraction of tire and road wear particles (TRWP), and a comprehensive physicochemical characterisation scheme applied to both TRWP and tire-tread, including microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and pyrolysis-GC/MS. Road simulator dusts and hand-picked TRWP showed differences in shape, numbers, and mass between tire types and brands, and between asphalt and cement concrete road surfaces. Contrary to accepted perceptions, tactile analyses revealed that firm-elastic TRWP comprised only a minor proportion of TRWP. Fragile and chemically distinct tire-road-derived particles, termed here sub-elastic TRWP, comprised 39–100% of TRWP. This finding raises urgent questions about overall TRWP classification and identification features, resistance to weathering, and environmental fate. At the same time, differences in TRWP generation between tire formulations, and road surfaces, show potential for controlling emissions to reduce global impacts.