bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Systemic Pan-Caner Analysis Identifies CACYBP as a Novel Biomarker for Cancer Prognosis and Immunity
Authors: Liang He-jun , Lin Lan-hui , Li Zhi-yu , Zhu Jing-yi , Gu Feng , Ma Lei , He Bo-yuan , Zhang Xiao-yan , Yuan Duo , Ge Yi , Chen Zhuo , Zhai Hui-Hong
Published: August 2023

Calcyclin-binding protein or siah-1-interacting protein (CACYBP/SIP), a target protein of calcyclin S100A6 and an essential component of E3 ubiquitin ligase, had been proven to play significant roles in some cancers, but its pan-cancer function remains unknown. In the present study, we used a series of databases, including TCGA, GTEx, CPTAC, HPA, cBioPortal, UCLCAN, UCSC, CancerSCEM, CancerSEA, CancerSEA, GEPIA2 and STRING to explore the potential roles of CACYBP in pan-cancer. We systematically revealed the expression patterns of CACYBP, and the potential associations between CACYB expression and genetic alternation, prognosis, DNA methylation, RNA modification, immune reactivity, tumor stemness and enrichment pathways in pan-cancer. The results showed that CACYBP was significantly increased in various cancers compared to corresponding normal tissues. CACYBP mutation was frequently presented in various cancers. In addition, CACYBP expression was significantly correlated with prognosis, DNA methylation, RNA methylation, immune cells infiltration, immune checkpoint genes (ICGs), immune scores, tumor mutational burden (TMB), microsatellite instability (MSI) and tumor stemness in various cancers. We also discovered that CACYBP was abundantly highly expressed in the majority of cancers at a single-cell level and was significantly positively correlated to the single-cell functions of certain tumors, such as the cell cycle, DNA damage and DNA repair. Furthermore, CACYBP-related genes were mainly enriched in signaling pathways correlated with the tumor microenvironment (TME) and cancer development. Taken together, CACYBP plays an essential role in oncogenesis, and might serve as a promising prognostic biomarker and immunotherapeutic target in human cancers.
Developing Formulation-based Standards for Installation and Operation of Exclusive Bus Lanes on Expressways using real-world data and simulation
Authors: Park Seongmin , Park Juneyoung , Yoon Youngkwon
Published: August 2023

Korea operates exclusive bus lanes (XBLs) on many of its expressways. As XBLs convert one lane of regular use traffic into bus-only traffic, they have a large impact on traffic flow, so careful judgment is required to determine if the operation is effective. However, XBLs have been installed based on only political judgment. Therefore, we sought to establish standards for the operation of expressway XBLs using the micro-traffic simulation and the multi-criteria value function methodology. Various scenarios were established based on traffic volume. Through an expert survey, the average speed and speed deviation values were determined. Also, value points were converted using average speed and speed deviation extracted from the simulation. In addition, quantitative operation standards were established using the converted value scores. Using the results of this study, we establish standards for the operation XBLs. Citing the results of this study, the new guidelines were implemented in February 2021, and sections of some XBLs have been abolished. Through this study, quantitative standards for the operation of XBLs, one of the management lane techniques necessary for sustainable highway operation, were prepared and applied to actual expressways. It is also expected to have a positive effect on safety, efficiency and environment.
WITHDRAWN: On New Congruences and Density Results for(k, 𝓁)-regular Bipartitions Modulo m
Authors: VIDYA K. N.
Published: August 2023

Let Bk,𝓁(n) denote the number of (k, 𝓁)-regular bipartitions. Recently, Dou discovered an infinite family of congruences modulo 11 for B3,11(n). She also presented several conjectures on Bk,𝓁(n). In this article, we establish infinite families of congruences for Bk,𝓁(n) modulo certain positive integers, for specific values of k, 𝓁. We next study the distribution of Bk,𝓁(n) for (k, 𝓁) ∈ {(3, 5),(2, 6),(2, 4),(4, 6)}. Moreover, we prove several infinite families of congruences modulo 2 and 3 for Bk,𝓁(n). We use arithmetic properties of modular forms and Hecke eigenforms to prove our results.
Genome-Wide Identification and Codon Bias of NBS-LRR Gene Family in Banana
Authors: Fang Hui , Yu Shenxin , Li Min , Sun Jiaman , Mo Bin
Published: August 2023

As the largest family of plant resistance (R) proteins, nucleotide binding site-leucine-rich repeat ( NBS-LRR ) proteins play an important role in pathogen defense. In order to identify and get the codon usage bias of NBS-LRR gene family in banana. Using software MEGA11, TBtools and CodonW to analyze the codon preference and its influencing factors on genome-wide data from banana. The 74 NBS-LRR genes were divided into 6 subfamilies, 5 conserved motifs and 14 domains were identified. The more similar domain structures in the same phylogenetic tree subfamily and less consistent structures between different subfamilies. It was also found that when the G/C base appears at the third position of the codon, it had a higher usage rate. We identified 16 codons, including UCC and CCC, as the optimal codons. All of the 16 optimal codons ended with G or C, which indicated that the banana genome NBS-LRR gene prefers to use G or C terminated codons. Most of the gene points in the GC3s-ENC distribution map fell near the expected curve, mutation and natural selection during gene expression affected codon selection. The results of PR2-plot showed that most of the genes fell on the upper right side of the plane, and neutrality plot result showed that there was not significant correlation between C12 and GC3, which indicated the main factor of codon preference was natural selection. The results provide scientific basis for codon optimization of exogenous genes and improvement of their expression efficiency.
Asynchronous Domain Dynamics and Equilibration in Layered Oxide Battery Cathode
Authors: Liu Yijin , Xue Zhichen , Sharma Nikhil , Wu Feixiang , Pianetta Piero , Lin Feng , Li Luxi , Zhao Kejie
Published: August 2023

To improve lithium-ion battery technology, it is essential to probe and comprehend the microscopic dynamic processes that occur in a real-world composite electrode under operating conditions. The primary and secondary particles are the structural building blocks of battery cathode electrodes. Their dynamic inconsistency has profound but not well-understood impacts. In this research, we combine operando coherent multi-crystal X-ray diffraction and optical microscopy to examine the chemical dynamics in local domains of layered oxide cathode. Our results not only pinpoint the asynchronicity of the lithium (de)intercalation at the sub-particle level, but also reveal sophisticated diffusion kinetics and reaction patterns, involving various localized processes, e.g., chemical onset, reaction front propagation, domains equilibration, and non-rigid deformation. These observations shed new lights onto the activation and degradation mechanisms of state-of-the-art battery cathode materials.
Understanding the light induced hydrophilicity of metal-oxide thin films
Authors: Taboryski Rafael , Deshpande Rucha Anil , Navne Jesper , Adelmark Mathias Vadmand , Shkondin Evgeniy , Crovetto Andrea , Hansen Ole , Bachmann Julien
Published: August 2023

Photocatalytic effects resulting in water splitting, reduction of carbon dioxide to fuels using solar energy, decomposition of organic compounds, and light-induced hydrophilicity observed on surfaces of various metal oxides (MOx), all rely on the same basic physical mechanisms, and have attracted huge interest over the past decades. TiO2 and ZnO, two natively n-type doped wide bandgap semiconductors exhibit the effects mentioned above. In this study we propose a model for the photo-induced hydrophilicity in MOx films, and we test the model for TiO2/Si and ZnO/Si heterojunctions. Experimentally, we employ a wet exposure technique whereby the MOx surface is exposed to UV light while a water droplet is sitting on the surface, which allows for a continuous recording of contact angles during illumination. The proposed model and the experimental techniques allow a determination of minority carrier diffusion lengths by contact angle measurements and suggest design rules for materials exhibiting photocatalytic hydrophilicity. We expect that this methodology can be extended to improve our physical understanding of other photocatalytic surface effects.
Intranasal cyst marsupialization under otoscopy for congenital dacryocystocele
Authors: MD  , MD  , MD  , MD  , MD  , MD
Published: August 2023

Aim
We present a new, simple intranasal cyst marsupialization (ICM) technique for congenital dacryocystocele (CDC). In this procedure, the otoscope and myringotome are used to perform ICM in the manner of otoscopic myringotomy. This method allows minimally invasive surgery as an office procedure without the need for general anesthesia or a nasal endoscope.
Design:
Prospective observational study
Materials and Methods
Twenty consecutive infants with 25 CDCs administrated at our facility from 2011 to July 2023 were enrolled. Five infants with 5 CDCs required surgical interventions due to resistance to conservative treatment. Among them, we evaluated the surgical method and the outcomes of 3 infants with 3 CDCs who underwent ICM in the manner of otoscopic myringotomy.
Results
Of the total 25 CDCs, 20 (80%) spontaneously resolved with conservative treatment. Surgical intervention was conducted on five infants with 5 CDCs. The median age at surgery was 97 days with interquartile range 6–164.5 days. Surgical procedures involved one of the following methods. (1) Probing by an ophthalmologist (2 infants with 2 CDCs), (2) ICM in the inferior meatus with a myringotome and alligator forceps under otoscopy by an otolaryngologist (3 infants with 3 CDCs). All cases were treated under topical anesthesia in the office setting, with successful outcomes by a single surgical procedure.
Conclusion
CDC was successfully treated by ICM in the manner of otoscopic myringotomy. Treatment of CDC using an otoscope and myringotome is a minimally invasive surgical procedure that can be performed in the office setting without the need for general anesthesia or advanced medical equipment such as a nasal endoscope. Moreover, the risk of false passage formation and/or recurrence due to probing can be avoided. We, therefore, propose this procedure as one of the practical ICM techniques for CDC.
Impact of nurse-led intervention on asthma control among children with uncontrolled asthma, a randomized control trial study control asthma, a randomized control trial study
Authors: Hussain Altaf , - Badil , Arif Fehmina , Hussain Mehwish , Farooqi Waqas Ahmed , Hameed Faiza
Published: August 2023

Background and Aim:
Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease primarily most common prevalent in children. The prevalence is high in low-income and middle-income countries, and asthma is estimated at 1 to 18% worldwide. Asthma increases health costs for patients and families, and poor asthma control increases mortality and morbidity. This study aimed to determine the effect of nursing educational intervention on asthma control in children.
Method
This randomized control trial (RCT) design study was employed among children with uncontrolled asthma aged 6 to 11 years who visited the paediatric OPD and emergency department at Dr. Ruth KM Pfau Civil Hospital Karachi. The experimental group received a nursing educational intervention session, while the control group received standard treatment. The participants' childhood asthma control test (C-ACT) score was measured before the intervention, and the post-C-ACT score measurement was made after 4 weeks using the same questionnaires and C-ACT tool.
Results
In the experimental group, the C-ACT mean score significantly improved (p < 0.05) from the pre-session (14.6 ± 2.4) to the post-session (17.5 ± 2.1). There was no significance (p = 0.76) observed in the control group C-ACT mean scores pre-intervention (15.9 ± 1.98) and post-intervention (16.0 ± 1.8).
Conclusion
A nursing educational intervention to prevent asthma triggers helped improve asthma control in children visiting the outpatient and emergency departments.
Trial registration:
Clinical Trial registered on clinicaltrial.gov (NCT number) NCT05855512, 03/05/2023 (prospectively registered).
Society, Cost of Migrants, and Digital Economy impact on Unemployment of Omani Youth’s: An Empirical investigation of The Gender Moderate Role
Authors: Abdelfattah Fadi , Balushi Nabeela Imam Bakhsh AL , Alawi Abrar Mohammed AL , Sabie Shrooq Gabish AL , Ghafri Mathael Awad AL , Alwashahi Maryam Ahmed
Published: August 2023

This study aims to shed light on the situation of unemployment in the Sultanate of Oman in the context of the global and national economic shift toward digital technology. In this study, the topic of youth unemployment was examined from a variety of angles, such as social perception, the cost of migrants, and the effect of the digital economy on employment opportunities. The mild impact of gender on the variables under investigation is also examined in this research. The study has applied the quantitative approach. The data was collected from Omani youths through the adopted questionnaire. A total of 312 responses were received for further analysis SPSS and Partial Least Squares (PLS) were used to analyse the data. This study demonstrated how social perception has a significant impact on Omani youth. Youth unemployment is also strongly impacted by the cost of migrant labor. As well as, the digital economy is significantly influencing youth employment opportunities. On the other hand, the association between social perception and unemployment among Omani youth is considerably influenced by the mild effect of gender. This study contributes significantly to the current knowledge of the factors influencing unemployment in the Sultanate of Oman. The research models may also be used to establish new initiatives, develop programs, and establish policies on the labour market to reduce the unemployment rate among the youth of the Sultanate of Oman.
Velocity oscillations in CME and related shock: a comparative analysis
Authors: Fainshtein Victor , Egorov Yaroslav
Published: August 2023

A number of studies have concluded that the velocity of coronal mass ejections (CME) does not change monotonically with time, but exhibits oscillations. They analysed moving CMEs with oscillation-averaged velocities varying within a wide range. Investigations in the past several years identified the CME boundary positions relying on data in various CME catalogues providing the positions of the most remote and, generally, fastest part of the CME boundary. No attention was paid, however, to the fact that, for fast enough CMEs, the outer part of the structure observed in the coronagraph field of view and defined as a `CME' in the catalogues, is indeed the CME-related shock. Unlike the previous investigations into the velocity oscillations of a CME moving in a coronagraph field of view, we examined the velocity oscillations of a CME (i.e. its body) separately from the velocity of the CME-related shock, for relatively fast CMEs. The characteristics of the two structures have been found to differ noticeably.
A multi-fidelity data-driven model for highly accurate and computationally efficient modelling of short fiber composites
Authors: Mirkhalaf Mohsen , Cheung Hon Lam
Published: August 2023

To develop physics-based models and establish a structure-property relationship for short fiber composites, there are a wide range of micro-structural properties to be considered. To achieve a high accuracy, high-fidelity full-field simulations are required. These simulations are computationally very expensive, and any single analysis could potentially take days to finish. A solution for this issue is to develop surrogate models using artificial neural networks. However, generating a high-fidelity data set requires a huge amount of time. To solve this problem, we used a developed recurrent neural network model trained on low-fidelity mean-field data, and applied transfer learning using a limited amount of high-fidelity full-field simulations. The enhanced RNN model has a very high accuracy in comparison with full-field simulations, and gives predictions in less than one second. This model can be used not only for highly efficient modeling purposes, but also for designing new short fiber composites.
Associations between Household Characteristics and Mosquito Bed Net Utilisation among Under-Five Children in Africa: A Critical Focus on Household Size, Sleeping Rooms, and Demographic Characteristics of Household Heads
Authors: Wuresah Israel , Boadi Caleb , Bonsu Emmanuel Osei , Adu Benjamin , Addo Isaac Yeboah
Published: August 2023

Background: Research has shown that the use of insecticide-treated nets (ITNs) reduces malaria incidence and mortality. Despite the relatively high ownership of ITNs and the substantial presence of malaria-causing agents in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), considerable empirical evidence points to a significant underutilisation of ITNs in the region.
Objective: This study examines the influence of household characteristics (Household Size, Sleeping Rooms, and Demographic characteristics of Household Heads) on the use of ITNs among children under five years of age (under-five children) in five sub-Saharan African (SSA) countries.
Methods: This quantitative cross-sectional investigation employed data extracted from the Malaria Indicator Survey (MIS) encompassing five SSA countries, namely Ghana, Nigeria, Niger, Senegal, and Mali. The study sample comprised 59,005 participants, weighted for representativeness. The analytical procedures included descriptive statistics and multivariate logistic regression modelling, with the intent of elucidating household determinants impacting the utilisation of ITNs.
Results: Among the total of 59,005 weighted participants, the aggregate use of ITNs was 37.7%. Larger households (10+ members) (Adjusted OR=0.710; CI: 0.52, 0.98; p=0.035) had less likelihood of using ITNs for under-five children whereas households with 10+ sleeping rooms (Adjusted OR=2.37; CI: 1.11, 5.05; p=0.025) had higher odds of using ITNs for under-five children. The age, gender, and marital status of household heads did not show any statistically significant associations with ITN utilisation among the under-five children. Maternal education played a vital role, with primary (Adjusted OR=0.805; CI: 0.73, 0.89; p<0.001) and secondary education (Adjusted OR = 0.761; CI: 0.70, 0.82; p<0.001) significantly linked to lower ITN usage.
Conclusions: This study indicates that disparities in household characteristics significantly shape patterns of ITN utilisation. Focused interventions could be implemented to enhance malaria prevention strategies and overall public health results in the selected countries.
Maximizing result of bedsore prevention in mechanical ventilated patient
Authors: Ghafri Abeer Al , Ghafri Asad Al , Shuhoumi Mohammed Al
Published: August 2023

Objectives According to the Clinical Practice Guideline (CPG), there are several preventive interventions for Pressure ulcers, including a thorough initial examination during admission to identify risk factors, education about PUs, repositioning, and nutritional support. Hydrocolloid dressings have been used to prevent bed sores in several places, although there has not been much research. The study sought to determine the relationship between hydrocolloid dressing and the prevention of bedsores among ventilated patients.Method an observational retrospective study that included patients on mechanical ventilators. Participants were selected from the covid ward in the Ibri hospital population. Pretest and post-test investigations were done using conventional or conventional care with preventive hydrocolloid dressing. Information was obtained from staff recordings and assessments in AlShifa 3 plus program.Result Seventy-four patients were included in the study. Forty patients were included in the pretest, using conventional care only, and 34 patients were included in the post-test, using conventional treatment and hydrocolloid dressing. A decrease in the number of occurrences of bedsores from 22 (55%) at the pretest to 5 (15%) at the post-test. Most bedsore stage occurs in the post-test was stage one (4 out of 34) and was mainly related to patients with comorbidities.Conclusion The study findings reveal a significant difference between the post-test and PUS variable of using CC + HD (p-value − 0.000 < 0.05), reducing harm to the patients. It is necessary to promote trials that lead to comparing different preventive measures.
Do corporate governance implementation and bank characteristics improve the performance of Indonesian Islamic banking? Before-COVID-19 pandemic analysis
Authors: Nurkhin Ahmad , Kusmuriyanto  , Widiyanto Widiyanto , Kania Widiatami Anna , Nur Aeni Ida
Published: August 2023

Islamic banking has existed in Indonesia since 1992. The performance of Islamic banking is interesting for further analysis. This study aims to analyze the impact of good corporate governance (GCG) implementation and bank characteristics on the performance of Islamic banking in Indonesia before the COVID-19 pandemic. Profitability is a measure of banking performance and is proxied by return on assets (ROA) and return on equity (ROE). The research sample consists of Islamic commercial banks that published financial and annual reports between 2011 and 2019. The data collection method used is documentation. Multiple regression analysis was used for data analysis. The results indicate that the implementation of GCG has no significant impact on performance (probability values of 0.425 and 0.420 on ROA and ROE with coefficients of 0.016 and 0.019). The P-value of the non-performing loans (NPF) variable is < 0.001 on ROA and ROE, which means that NPF has a significant negative impact on ROA and ROE. Third-party funds only have a significant impact on ROE with a p-value of 0.046. Meanwhile, the size of a bank has not been shown to have a significant impact on the performance of Islamic banking in Indonesia. Efforts to maintain NPF are critical for banks to achieve good performance (profitability). NPF demonstrates the risk of nonpayment of Islamic bank financing.
AcknowledgmentWe gratefully acknowledge the research funding provided by LPPM Universitas Negeri Semarang (contract number: 19.8.3/UN37/PPK.3.1/2022).
Assessing pro-environmental behaviors and implications for integrated conservation in protected areas: A study of visitors and entrepreneurs in the Asinara National Park, Italy
Authors: Meleddu Marta , Pulina Manuela , Vannini Marco , Vecco Marilena
Published: August 2023

Understanding pro-environmental behaviors in protected areas is vital for effective resource management, visitor management, infrastructure development, and conservation strategies. Therefore, this study aims to assess environmentally friendly practices and behaviors (eco-practices) of visitors (demand side) and entrepreneurs and tour operators (supply side) to explore the implications for the long-term sustainability of the protected area. The study utilizes the shared value framework and the value-belief-norm theory extended to environmentalism to investigate the relevant values for pro-environmental behaviors. The paper focuses on the Asinara National Park in Italy. It employs a partial least squares-structural equation model to analyze the pro-environmental behavior and willingness to commit to conservation goals. The findings reveal that visitors demonstrate a willingness to commit to eco-practices in a protected area based upon non-extractive cultural ecosystem services (path coefficient = 0.196*) and accept earmarked taxation (path coefficient = 0.254***), which indicates their loyalty and satisfaction with their visit. On the other hand, entrepreneurs are motivated by internally adopted ecological practices (path coefficient = 0.509***) and altruistic reasons (path coefficient = 0.377**). In conclusion, the study emphasizes aligning service and facility supply with demand and the mission of protected areas to achieve balanced and sustainable resource management. By understanding and promoting pro-environmental behaviors, long-term resilience can be ensured for protected areas, benefiting both the environment and the visitors.
AcknowledgmentsWe would like to thank the participants of the XI Workshop on Institutions, Individual Behavior and Economic Outcomes, Session Environmental and Ecological Economics, Corte (France) and at the Research Meeting Seminar, Burgundy School of Business, Dijon (France) for their helpful comments. We also thank Fondazione di Sardegna (Economia e Benessere tra Società e Istituzioni), grant 2022–2023, Programme 2014–2020 INTERREG V-A Italy – France Maritime (grant EcoSTRIM), and Fondo di Ateneo UNISS 2020 for financial support.
Zararlılarla Mücadelede Birlik İçi Avcılığın Parazitoitler Üzerine Etkisi
Authors: KANDİL Cansu , TUNCA Hilal
Published: August 2023

Birlik içi avcılık (Intraguild predation, IGP), kısaca bir doğal düşmanın diğeri tarafından tüketilmesi olarak tanımlanır ve zararlılarla mücadeleyi olumsuz yönde etkileyebilecek yaygın bir olgudur. Biyolojik mücadele uygulamalarında parazitoitler zararlı böceklerin önemli doğal düşmanları arasında yer almaktadır ve genellikle IGP'den olumsuz yönde etkilenmektedirler. Zararlı böcek popülasyonlarının baskılanmasını engelleyen parazitoit ve birlik içi avcılık interaksiyonunda matematiksel modeller geliştirmek mümkündür. Genellikle, bir birlik içi avcının, parazitoitler üzerindeki IGP oranı, zararlı böcek üzerindeki avcılık oranından yüksek olduğu durumlarda zararlı böcek mücadelesini engellediği araştırıcılar tarafından saptanmıştır. Birlik içi avcıların doğrudan parazitoit erginlerine saldırdığı veya parazitlenmemiş konukçulara göre parazitlenmiş konukçuları tercih ettiği örneklerde, bu durumun zararlı böceklerin baskılanmasını engellendiği gözlenebilmektedir. Ancak parazitoitlerin farklı savunma reaksiyonları sayesinde birlik içi avcılığın etkisi en düşük düzeye inmektedir. Birlik içi avcılığın zararlıların mücadelesi üzerindeki olumsuz etkileri parazitoit ve predatör davranışlarının daha iyi anlaşılmasıyla çözüme kavuşacaktır.
Investigation about Various Infusion Conditions on Physical, Chemical and Antioxidant Properties of Clitoria ternatea L. Tea
Authors: ZOR Melek , ŞENGÜL Memnune , KARAKÜTÜK İsa Arslan , AKSOY Sefa
Published: August 2023

The study detected changes in some physical, chemical, and antioxidant properties of Clitoria ternatea L. teas infused at different infusion temperatures (ITE) (70 °C, 80 °C, and 90 °C) and infusion times (ITI) (9, 18, and 27 minutes) using dried flowers of particle sizes (PS) (whole and powder). The antioxidant activity was measured using DPPH, ABTS, and FRAP methods. The a*, b*, C*, and Hº values of the tea samples were found to be statistically different according to ITE, ITI, and PS (p<0.01). A significant decrease was identified in averaged a*, b*, and C* values with increasing ITE. There was a significant decrease in mean L* values of tea samples with increasing ITE (p<0.05). The total monomeric anthocyanin (TMA), total phenolic content (TPC), and antioxidant activity of tea samples differed significantly with ITE, ITI, and PS (p< 0.01). The highest TMA and TPC according to ITE (69.72 Cy-3 glu mg/L and 1000.68 mg GAE/L) in tea samples were at 90 ºC and the highest TMA and TPC according to ITI (51.54 Cy-3 glu mg/L and 918.45 mg GAE/L) were detected at 27 minutes of infused. It was determined that the TMA of the teas infused with whole flowers was higher (55.31 Cy-3 glu mg/L) than the teas infused with flower powder, and the TPC was higher (926.07 mg GAE/L) in the teas infused with the flower powder. The total flavonoid content (TFC) of the teas was determined the highest (5161.69 mg QE/L) according to ITE at 80 ºC and the highest TFC (4578.53 mg QE/L) according to ITI in 9 minutes of infused. It was observed that antioxidant activity of tea samples increased with increasing ITE and ITI. Regarding PS, it was also determined that teas brewed with flower powder showed higher antioxidant activity. According to the sensory evaluation results of tea samples, it was found that tea samples infused with whole flowers at 70 ºC for 9 minutes and tea samples infused with flower powder at 80 ºC for 27 minutes had the highest overall acceptability.
A comparison of the performance of SWAT and artificial intelligence models for monthly rainfall–runoff analysis in the Peddavagu River Basin, India
Authors: Shekar Padala Raja , Mathew Aneesh , Pandey Arunabh , Bhosale Avadhoot
Published: August 2023

Rainfall–runoff (R–R) analysis is essential for sustainable water resource management. In the present study focusing on the Peddavagu River Basin, various modelling approaches were explored, including the widely used Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) model, as well as seven artificial intelligence (AI) models. The AI models consisted of seven data-driven models, namely support vector regression, artificial neural network, multiple linear regression, Extreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost) regression, k-nearest neighbour regression, and random forest regression, along with one deep learning model called long short-term memory (LSTM). To evaluate the performance of these models, a calibration period from 1990 to 2005 and a validation period from 2006 to 2010 were considered. The evaluation metrics used were R2 (coefficient of determination) and NSE (Nash–Sutcliffe Efficiency). The study's findings revealed that all eight models yielded generally acceptable results for modelling the R–R process in the Peddavagu River Basin. Specifically, the LSTM demonstrated very good performance in simulating R–R during both the calibration period (R2 is 0.88 and NSE is 0.88) and the validation period (R2 is 0.88 and NSE is 0.85). In conclusion, the study highlighted the growing trend of adopting AI techniques, particularly the LSTM model, for R–R analysis.
Runoff time series prediction using LSTM dynamic neural network optimized by logistic chaotic mapping chicken swarm algorithm
Authors: Yang Wenyu , Li Junfeng , Gu XueGe , Qu Wenying , Ma Chengxiao , Feng Xueting
Published: August 2023

An algorithm, named long short-term memory (LSTM)-logistic chaos mapping chicken swarm algorithm (LCCSA), is proposed for initializing the weights and thresholds of LSTM neural networks using the Logistic chaotic mapping chicken swarm algorithm (CSA). This algorithm aims to improve mid- to long-term runoff sequence prediction in river basins. In this model, the logistic chaotic mapping method is used to initialize the chicken swarm, and LCCSA is employed to pre-train the weights and thresholds of each layer of LSTM 50 times, using the training results' initial weights of LSTM to enhance convergence accuracy and speed. Taking the Manas river and Kuitun river, two typical basins in northern Xinjiang, China, as the research objects, LSTM-LCCSA was used to forecast the mean monthly runoff in the mid- to long-term under different lag time series by using the runoff evolution data within a certain period. The example using the basin located in northern Xinjiang demonstrates the effectiveness, stability, and generality of the LSTM-LCCSA method in mid- to long-term prediction of average monthly runoff, and the prediction accuracy and universality of LSTM-LCCSA are better than other data-driven models.
Bi-LSTM and partial mutual information selection-based forecasting groundwater salinization levels
Authors: Muniappan A. , Jarin T. , Sabitha R. , Ghfar Ayman A. , Fattah I. M. Rizwanul , Bowa Chilala Kakoma , Mwanza Mabvuto
Published: August 2023

Fresh-saline groundwater is distributed in a highly heterogeneous way throughout the world. Groundwater salinization is a serious environmental issue that harms ecosystems and public health in coastal regions worldwide. Because of the complexities of groundwater salinization processes and the variables that influence them, it is challenging to predict groundwater salinity concentrations precisely. It compares cutting-edge machine learning (ML) algorithms for predicting groundwater salinity and identifying contributing factors. It employs bi-directional long short-term memory (BiLSTM) to indicate groundwater salinity. The input variable selection problem has attracted attention in the time series modeling community because it has been shown that information-theoretic input variable selection algorithms provide a more accurate representation of the modeled process than linear alternatives. To generate sample combinations for training multiple BiLSTM models, PMIS-selected predictors are used, and the predicted values from various BiLSTM models are also used to calculate the degree of prediction uncertainty for groundwater levels. The findings give policymakers insights for recommending groundwater salinity remediation and management strategies in the context of excessive groundwater exploitation in coastal lowland regions. To ensure sustainable groundwater management in coastal areas, it is essential to recognize the significant impact of human-caused factors on groundwater salinization.
Combination of peracetic acid dosing with diffused aeration in municipal wastewater treatment
Authors: Luukkonen Tero , Heponiemi Anne
Published: August 2023

Wastewater aeration is an important unit operation that provides dissolved oxygen for microorganisms in wastewater treatment. In this study, the impact of peracetic acid (PAA) dosing on wastewater aeration was assessed in terms of oxygen transfer, visual observation of bubble size changes, and evolution of dissolved oxygen from PAA (and H2O2) decomposition. Oxygen transfer coefficients improved with PAA concentrations of up to 7 mg/L, which was probably due to the smaller bubbles being formed from the aeration diffuser and evolution of small bubbles from PAA (and H2O2) decomposition. At a PAA concentration higher than 7 mg/L, the accumulation of acetate molecules to the gas–liquid interface of bubbles likely began to counteract the positive impact of bubble size decrease by increasing the mass transfer resistance of oxygen from bubbles to water. Finally, a continuous bench-scale primary effluent aeration experiment demonstrated that at a continuous PAA dosing of 1 mg/L, the air input by a compressor could be decreased by 54%, while keeping the oxygen level constant at approximately 1.5 mg/L. PAA dosing could be combined, for example, with aerated grit removal to enhance the primary effluent aeration together with additional benefits of partial disinfection and odor formation prevention.
Theoretical Evaluation of Eco-friendly Designed Nonionic Sugar-based
Surfactants
Authors: Rastegar Fatemi Seyedeh Encieh , Shafiei Hadi , Mojtahedi Mohammad Majid
Published: August 2023

This study deals with the density functional theory calculations of eco-friendly designed
nonionic sugar-based surfactants (SurfRing and SurfLinear). Then, it compares the results with the structural
and electronic properties of a fatty alcohol surfactant (SurfFA). All geometry optimizations and energy
calculations were performed using M06-2X functional and 6-31G(d,p) basis sets. The quantum chemistry
reactivity parameters showed the effect of hydrophilic fragment structure on intramolecular interactions
and conformational stability of surfactants. The results showed that SurfRing is more reactive than
SurfFA. Based on Bader’s quantum theory of atoms in molecules (QTAIM), one intramolecular hydrogen
bond (O43…H67―O57, EHB: -11.9 kcal.mol-1) is characterized for SurfRing, while two hydrogen bond
interactions (O63…H60―O59 and O65…H64―O63 with EHB of -13.0, and -12.3 kcal.mol-1, respectively)
form between the hydroxyl groups of SurfLinear. These intramolecular hydrogen bonds are partially
covalent interactions. Natural bond orbital analysis reveals that the most prominent interaction energy is
electron donation from the oxygen atom lone pair to the antibonding orbital of the O―H bond supporting
the results obtained from the AIM calculations.
Steroid as a Saviour and Culprit in Pemphigus Vulgaris Therapy: A Rare
Case Series
Authors: Avvaru Deepthi , Chaudhary Raushan Kumar , Doshi Bhavana , Bhandari Ramesh
Published: August 2023

Introduction:

Pemphigus is a group of autoimmune dermatological life-threatening diseases
of which Pemphigus Vulgaris (PV) is the most common (1-5 cases/million/year) with a mortality rate
of 60-90%. PV is generally characterized by painful oral erosions, along with or without cutaneous lesions,
as blisters are often misdiagnosed. The management strategy of PV includes steroids along with
adjuvant therapy.

Case Presentation:

We report the case of three female patients with a mean age of 30.67 years who
were diagnosed with pemphigus vulgaris and was on steroid therapy for a long duration. The longterm
steroid therapy in all these three patients resulted in adverse drug reactions such as Cushing syndrome,
oral and vaginal candidiasis. Although the steroid was found to cause ADR among these patients,
the treatment with steroids and rituximab was continued. The withdrawal of steroids results in
flare-up conditions, whereas the addition of rituximab serves as a steroid sparring partner in the management
of PV. However, premedication was administered before the infusion of rituximab to prevent
potential toxicity associated with rituximab. Further, administration of pulse therapy over oral dosing
of steroids lowers the risks of ADR and long-term complications associated with steroids.

Conclusion:

As PV requires the management with high doses of steroids along with the immunosuppressant,
patients are more prone to developing drug-related problems. Hence, the rigorous monitoring
of the therapy is vital to prevent adverse effects of long-term therapy. Clinical pharmacists and pharmacologists
are the most suitable pillar of the healthcare system for drug therapy management.
Ethnomedicinal Importance of Patuletin in Medicine: Pharmacological
Activities and Analytical Aspects
Authors: Patel Dinesh Kumar , Singh Gireesh Kumar , Husain Gulam Mohammed , Prasad Satyendra K.
Published: August 2023

Background:

Plant-derived bioactive molecules have been a major source of therapeutic agents for human and veterinarian purposes. Different traditional medicine system across the globe had relied on natural resources to meet their demand of healthcare. Still in modern world, pharmaceutical industries look for phytochemicals to develop new drugs. The current review explores patuletin, a flavonoid for its diverse reported pharmacological activities along with its analytical techniques.

Methods:

Scientific data published on patuletin was collected from Scopus, Science Direct, Pubmed, Google, and Google Scholar. The collected data were analyzed and arranged as per specific pharmacological activities performed using in-vitro or in-vivo methods. Analytical methods of patuletin have been presented next to pharmacological activities

Results:

Available scientific literature indicates patuletin has anti-inflammatory, cytotoxic, genotoxic, hepa-toprotective, antiproliferative, antiplatelet, antinociceptive, and antioxidant activity. In addition to these ac-tivities, its biological potential on breast cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, aldose reductase, and different types of microorganisms has been also presented in this work. Analytical data on patuletin signified the im-portance of patuletin for the standardization of herbal products and derived medicine.

Conclusion:

It may be concluded that patuletin with its diverse biological activities and readily available analytical methods, holds the potential to be translated into a new drug entity.
Quantitative Characterization of the Effect of Biogenic silver-based
Nanoparticles on Breast Cancer Cells by High Content Analysis
Authors: Ferreira Veronica , Eugenio Mateus , Del Nery Elaine , de Souza Wanderley , Sant’Anna Celso
Published: August 2023

Background:

Among the various types of cancer, breast cancer is the most incident among
women. Due to the resistance to antitumor treatments, alternative treatments have been sought, such as
metallic nanoparticles.

Objective:

This study aimed to evaluate the antitumor potential and cytotoxicity induction mechanisms
of green synthesized AgCl-NPs and Ag/AgCl-NPs.

Methods:

The antitumor potential of nanoparticles was evaluated in breast cancer BT-474 and MDAMB-
436 cell lines treated with 0-40 μg/mL AgCl-NPs or 0-12.5 μg/mL Ag/AgCl-NPs through imagebased
high content analysis method. Normal human retinal pigment epithelial 1 (RPE-1) cells were
used for comparison.

Results:

The growth rate of the RPE-1 cells treated with nanoparticles was insignificantly affected,
and no significant changes in cell viability were observed. In these cells, the nanoparticle treatments
did not induce lysosomal damage, changes in ROS production, or reduction in the mitochondrial
membrane potential. The level of BT-474 and MDA-MB-436 cell proliferation was markedly decreased,
and cell viability was reduced by 64.19 and 46.19% after treatment with AgCl-NPs and reduced
by 98.36 and 82.29% after treatment with Ag/AgCl-NPs. The cells also showed a significant increase
in ROS production and loss of mitochondrial membrane potential, which culminated in an increase
in the percentage of apoptotic cells. BT-474 cells also presented lysosomal damage when
treated with the highest concentrations of both nanoparticle types and actin polymerization was observed
after exposure to Ag/AgCl-NPs.

Conclusions:

Together, the results showed overall cytotoxic effects of both AgCl-NPs and Ag/AgCl-
NPs towards breast cancer cells with negligible effects against healthy cells, which suggests their
promising anticancer and biomedical applications.
Recent Advances in Various Inorganic Nanoparticle Embedded
Chitosan-based Multifunctional Materials for Wound Healing
Authors: Bhattacharya Dipsikha , Ray Lipika , Pramanik Panchanan , Pandey Jitendra Kumar
Published: August 2023

Scarless wound management remains a clinical challenge worldwide because of its com-plicated and overlapping phases of inflammation, clearing, and regeneration. Among the currently available dressing materials, hydrogels have attracted emerging attention as potential wound dress-ing materials because of their specific properties, such as porosity, tissue-mimicking architecture, softness, and improved mechanical, biological as well as physicochemical properties. However, naturally driven hydrogels have shown several advantages over conventional hydrogels because of their biodegradability, biocompatibility, high mechanical strength, and functionality. Recently, na-noparticle (NPs) integrated polymeric hydrogels (metals, non-metals, metal oxides, and polymeric moieties) have been established as analogous to these naturally driven hydrogels because of the synergistic effects of the NPs and polymers in the three-dimensional composite material. Over the years, researchers have reported the synthesis and potential applications of diverse inorganic and organic nanocomposite gels with antioxidant or antibacterial properties where they have exploited the intelligent incorporation of biomolecules into the NP-polymeric network that are beneficial for wound healing. Among various natural polymers as hydrogel matrix, chitosan-mediated hydrogel dressings have received extensive interest resulting in improved mechanical, biological, and physi-cochemical properties due to the well-reported antibacterial, antitumor, antioxidant, and tissue re-generation efficacies of chitosan polymer. This review is intended to summarize the recent devel-opments of inorganic nanoparticle-incorporated chitosan-based hydrogels as wound dressing mate-rials where various synthetic methodologies of these nanocomposite gels are extensively discussed via incorporating nanoparticles, active biomolecules, and other substances into the intrinsic struc-ture of the gels. In addition, the future and prospects of chitosan-based nanocomposite hydrogels as a novel wound dressing as well as tissue engineering materials are also highlighted.
Experience and Impact of COVID-19 on a Newly Formed Rural University Medical Office: Survey Study
Authors: Benton Mark
Published: August 2023

Background

The COVID-19 pandemic had large social effects, particularly in the fields of medicine and medical education. Medical organizations in the United States operate in overlapping contexts with interrelated goals inside multiple organizations, and the context of work strongly influenced how organizations were able to respond to COVID-19 restrictions.

Objective

This research examines the experience and impact of COVID-19 on the implementation of a Health Resources and Services Administration grant in a newly formed university medical office with the interrelated goals of health policy, health outreach, and medical education. The goal is to understand how COVID-19 created different experiences and challenges for leaders and their collaborators working in medical education compared to those working in public health outreach or health policy.

Methods

A survey about COVID-19 opportunities and challenges was administered to work unit leaders and their project collaborators. The most common experiences and challenges are shown, direct educational and other respondents’ experiences and challenges are compared, and open-ended comment segments are analyzed.

Results

Helping others adjust to digital work, remoteness, and coordination were common experiences during COVID-19. Common challenges include coordination and an inability to make comparisons to previous program years. On average, respondents had 11.3 (SD 7.8) experiences and 8.3 (SD 6.9) challenges considered in the survey. While all units were influenced by COVID-19 restrictions, medical education units had more experiences and challenges. Those involved directly in medical education experienced 69% (18.6/27) of their possible experiences and 54% (14.7/27) of their possible challenges on average compared to 35% (7/20) and 21% (4.2/20) among other respondents (P<.001). COVID-19 restrictions increased the complexity of project work and presented challenges, especially in terms of coordinating responses and access to locations.

Conclusions

The findings suggest that COVID-19 made the overall administration of programs more complex and drew attention from other medical and public health programs. While remoteness is appropriate for some medical education tasks, it is less appropriate for clinical learning. Remoteness presents an especially large challenge to clinical education. Employees now have expectations for remoteness to be built into programs and workplaces. Program administrators will have to integrate remoteness’ benefits and drawbacks into their organization for the foreseeable future.
Fabrication of Dye Sensitized Solar Cell (DSSC) Using Combination of Dyes Extracted from Curcuma (Curcuma xanthorrhiza) Rhizome and Binahong (Anredera cordifolia) Leaf with Treatment in pH of the Extraction
Authors: Setiarso Pirim , Harsono Rifanda Viantiano , Kusumawati Nita
Published: August 2023

Research on Dye Sensitized Solar Cell (DSSC) fabrication has been carried out using a combination of dyes extracted from Curcuma xanthorrhiza and Anredera cordifolia. Each dye was extracted by treating pH 1 to 13 and then characterized using UV-Vis spectroscopy. The band gap energy was determined by using the cyclic voltammetric method. The UV-Vis spectrum of C. xanthorrhiza extract reveals the presence of curcumin components. The UV-Vis spectrum of A. cordifolia indicates the presence of chlorophyll and a trace of anthocyanin. C. xanthorrhiza extract had the least band gap energy in the acid phase, pH 1, at 0.66 eV, and the alkaline phase, pH 13, at 0.43 eV. The minimum band gap energy of A. cordifolia extract was determined to be 0.96 eV in the acid phase, pH 7, and 0.65 eV in the alkaline phase, pH 12. When A. cordifolia and C. xanthorrhiza extracts were mixed, with the best composition ratios being pH 7:pH 1 (3:2 ≈ pH 1.7) and pH 12:pH 13 (1:4 ≈ pH 12.6). The composition of this mixture was applied to the DSSC resulting in an efficiency of 0.096 and 0.147%, respectively.