bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The effect of fibre surface treatment and coupling agents to improve the performance of natural fibres in PLA composites
Authors: Mohd Ghazali Aruan Efendy , Pickering Kim L. 
Published: October 2021

Abstract
This paper describes work carried out to assess the effect of fibre treatments and coupling agent on the mechanical performance of PLA composites reinforced with 20 wt% fibre. The chemically-treated harakeke and hemp fibres used to produce fibre mats. Maleic anhydride (MA) grafted PLA (MA-g-PLA) was used as a coupling agent. Composites with fibre treated with silane and dicumyl peroxide (DCP) and composites using MA-g-PLA were characterised by swelling testing, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), tensile testing, dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). It was found that the interfacial bonding for composites with fibres treated using silane and peroxide and composites coupled with MA-g-PLA noticeably improved supported by lower swelling indices, higher tensile strengths and lower tan δ compared to those composites with fibres treated using alkali only, with the highest tensile strength of about 11% higher obtained from composites treated with MA-g-PLA followed by silane and then peroxide. However, using silane, peroxide and MA-g-PLA as additional composite treatments increased significantly the composite failure strain by up 11, 19 and 30%, respectively for harakeke composites and by 13, 24 and 30%, respectively for hemp composites.
Exergy analysis of an atmospheric residue desulphurization hydrotreating process for a crude oil refinery
Authors: Jelihi Poland , Zondervan Edwin 
Published: October 2021

Abstract
The exhaustion of petroleum reserves and the declining supply of conventional feedstock have forced refineries to use heavier crude oil in their production. Removing the undesirable components containing sulphur and metals in the atmospheric residue (AR) fraction requires extensive catalytic hydrotreating (HT) atmospheric residue desulphurization (ARDS) process. In this work, we endeavour to collect and present a comprehensive dataset to develop and simulate the ARDS HT model. This model is then used for an exergetic analysis to evaluate the performance of the ARDS HT model regarding the exergy destruction, the location of losses and exergetic efficiency. The massive exergy destruction is caused by significant differences in chemical exergy of source and product streams during separations, fractionation and reactions. The exergy destruction in the equipment independent of chemical exergies such as heat exchangers, pumps and compressors is relatively low. This exergetic analysis revealed that the majority of the processing equipment in the ARDS HT process performed satisfactorily. However, the remaining equipment requires improvement for its performance in regards to exergetic efficiency or/and avoidable exergetic losses. To enhance the efficiency of the equipment that is intensive in terms of exergy and energy use, the use of clean and high purity renewable hydrogen and several process rectification is proposed.
An isothermal, non-enzymatic, and dual-amplified fluorescent sensor for highly sensitive DNA detection
Authors: Iwe Idorenyin , Li Zhigang 
Published: October 2021

Abstract
Sensitive DNA assays are of importance in life science and biomedical engineering, but they are heavily dependent on thermal cycling programs or enzyme-assisted schemes, which require the utilization of bulky devices and costly reagents. To circumvent such requirements, we developed an isothermal enzyme-free DNA sensing method with dual-stage signal amplification ability based on the coupling use of catalytic hairpin assembly (CHA) and Mg2+-dependent deoxyribozyme (DNAzyme). In this study, the sensing system involves a set of hairpin DNA probes for CHA (ensuring the first stage of signal amplification) as well as ribonucleobase-modified molecular beacons that serve as activatable substrates for DNAzymes (warranting the second stage of signal amplification). An experimentally determined detection limit of about 0.5 pM is achieved with a good linear range from 0.5 to 10 pM. The results from spiked fetal bovine serum samples further confirm the reliability for practical applications. The non-thermal cycling, enzyme-free, and dual-amplified features make it a powerful sensing tool for effective nucleic acid assay in a variety of biomedical applications.
Maturation Stage Does Not Affect Change of Direction Asymmetries in Young Soccer Players
Authors: Asimakidis Nikolaos D. , Dalamitros Athanasios A. , Ribeiro João , Lola Afroditi C. , Manou Vasiliki 
Published: October 2021

Abstract
Asimakidis, ND, Dalamitros, AA, Ribeiro, J, Lola, AC, and Manou, V. Μaturation stage does not affect change of direction asymmetries in young soccer players. J Strength Cond Res 36(12): 3440–3445, 2022—This study examined whether the stage of biological maturation can affect interlimb asymmetries during a change of direction (COD) test. Seventy-six young soccer players were divided into 2 different groups according to their peak height velocity stage (PHV): pre-PHV (n = 45, age = 11.8 ± 1.2 years, height = 149.8 ± 9.3 cm, body mass = 43.9 ± 11.2 kg) and post-PHV (n = 31, age = 14.4 ± 0.9 years, height = 170.0 ± 4.9 cm, body mass = 61.5 ± 8.9 kg). Subjects performed a 505 test to measure the completion time in both directions and a 20-m maximum sprint test. Change of direction deficit (CODD) was used as a measure for isolating COD ability. An independent sample t-test detected no significant differences between the asymmetry index values for the 505 test completion time when the pre-PHV group and the post-PHV group were compared (−3.49 ± 2.49% vs. −3.45 ± 2.47%, effect size [ES] = 0.02, p = 0.923). Similarly, the CODD asymmetry index indicated no differences between the 2 groups (−8.21 ± 5.95% vs. −7.37 ± 5.12%, ES = 0.15, p = 0.457). A paired sample t-test revealed that the values of the CODD asymmetry index were larger than those of the 505 asymmetry index (−7.88 ± 5.61% vs. −3.49 ± 2.46%, ES = 1.09, p < 0.001). According to these results, maturational status has no influence on the interlimb asymmetries of COD ability. Furthermore, subjects showed greater asymmetry values in CODD compared with the 505 test completion time, reinforcing that the evaluation of COD asymmetries should be based on CODD. As interlimb asymmetries are not altered during the maturation process, practitioners should address abnormal COD asymmetries early on during athletes' development processes.
Effects of Exercise Training on Resting Testosterone Concentrations in Insufficiently Active Men: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Potter Nolan J. , Tomkinson Grant R. , Dufner Trevor J. , Walch Tanis J. , Roemmich James N. , Wilson Patrick B. , Fitzgerald John S. 
Published: October 2021

Abstract
Potter, NJ, Tomkinson, GR, Dufner, TJ, Walch, TJ, Roemmich, JN, Wilson, PB, and Fitzgerald, JS. Effects of exercise training on resting testosterone concentrations in insufficiently active men: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Strength Cond Res 35(12): 3521–3528, 2021—The anabolic hormone testosterone plays a pivotal role in the healthy aging of men and tends to decline with age. The aims of this systematic review and meta-analysis were 2-fold: (a) to evaluate the effect of exercise training on resting total testosterone concentration in insufficiently active, apparently healthy men and (b) to determine whether the effects of exercise training differed by training mode, age, body mass status, or testosterone measure. Electronic databases (MEDLINE, Scopus, CINAHL, and SPORTDiscus) were systematically searched (up to and including October 22, 2020) for peer-reviewed randomized controlled trials (RCTs) meeting the following criteria: population (insufficiently active, apparently healthy men aged ≥18 years), intervention (exercise training [any modality at intensity of ≥4 metabolic equivalents] lasting a minimum of 4 weeks), control (insufficiently active men), and outcome (resting total testosterone concentration). Intervention effects, weighted by the inverse of the pooled variance, were calculated relative to the control group as standardized mean differences (SMDs). Eleven RCTs, representing 421 insufficiently active, apparently healthy men aged 19–75 years across 16 intervention groups who participated in aerobic, resistance, or combined training lasting a median of 12 weeks, were included in the analysis. Overall, exercise training had a negligible effect on resting total testosterone concentration (mean SMD [95% CI]: 0.00 [–0.20 to 0.20]). Subgroup analyses indicated that the effect of exercise training was not significantly affected by training mode, age, body mass status, or testosterone measure. Exercise training does not seem to affect resting total or free testosterone concentration in insufficiently active, eugonadal men.
Commensal microbiota divergently affect myeloid subsets in the mammalian central nervous system during homeostasis and disease
Authors: Sankowski Roman , Ahmari Jasmin , Mezö Charlotte , Hrabě de Angelis Anna Lena , Fuchs Vidmante , Utermöhlen Olaf , Buch Thorsten , Blank Thomas , Gomez de Agüero Mercedes , Macpherson Andrew J , Erny Daniel 
Published: October 2021

AbstractThe immune cells of the central nervous system (CNS) comprise parenchymal microglia and at the CNS border regions meningeal, perivascular, and choroid plexus macrophages (collectively called CNS‐associated macrophages, CAMs). While previous work has shown that microglial properties depend on environmental signals from the commensal microbiota, the effects of microbiota on CAMs are unknown. By combining several microbiota manipulation approaches, genetic mouse models, and single‐cell RNA‐sequencing, we have characterized CNS myeloid cell composition and function. Under steady‐state conditions, the transcriptional profiles and numbers of choroid plexus macrophages were found to be tightly regulated by complex microbiota. In contrast, perivascular and meningeal macrophages were affected to a lesser extent. An acute perturbation through viral infection evoked an attenuated immune response of all CAMs in germ‐free mice. We further assessed CAMs in a more chronic pathological state in 5xFAD mice, a model for Alzheimer’s disease, and found enhanced amyloid beta uptake exclusively by perivascular macrophages in germ‐free 5xFAD mice. Our results aid the understanding of distinct microbiota–CNS macrophage interactions during homeostasis and disease, which could potentially be targeted therapeutically.
Sterilizing of Alphitobius diaperinus (Panzer, 1797) (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) irradiated in pupa stage
Authors: Arthur Valter 
Published: October 2021

Worldwide the loss of stored grain is a problem of economic order of importance, in view of the concern of the increased supply of food for a world population increasingly expanding. Associated with this fact, there is the problem of nutritional deficiency due to lack of protein, especially for the less privileged populations in the resources of a country. This lack could be met by adequate supply of grain produced, requiring for it, a system that provides optimum grain storage conditions in securing the quality until the time of consumption. The use of radiation in stored grain can solve the problem of the losses in these products, as it does not induce resistance of insects and leaves no toxic residue to the consumer, and is considered an effective and safe method. The aim of the experiment was to determine the sterilizing dose of ionizing radiation from cobalt-60 to Alphitobius diaperinus (Panzer, 1797)(Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) in peanuts irradiated in pupa stage. The experiment was conducted in the laboratory of Radiobiology and Environment of the Center for Nuclear Energy in Agriculture - CENA / USP., Piracicaba, SP, Brazil. Peanuts samples infested with pupae of A. diaperinus were utilized in the experiment that consisted of 8 treatments with 5 repetitions. Each repetition consisted of 20 pupae a total of 100 individuals per treatment. Were irradiated with doses of 0 (control), 25, 50, 75, 100, 125, 150 and 175 Gy, in a source of cobalt-60, Gammacell-220 type, with a rate dose of 381Gy / h. The experiment was conducted in a room with temperatures of 25 ± 5 ° C and relative humidity of 70 ± 5%. After of irradiation process was evaluated of the number of emerged adult insects in each repetition in the treatments. The results show that the sterilizing dose in F1 generation was 125 Gy and the pupa lethal dose 150 Gy. The dose of 150 Gy of gamma radiation can be used as phytosanitary treatment to control of immature stages of A. diaperinus infested peanuts.
EFFECT OF IRRADIATION IN HONEY INOCULATED WITH Bacillus sporothermodurans
Authors: Arthur Valter 
Published: October 2021

Honey is a natural viscous product widely used for nutritional and medicinal purposes. Although it’s a food that presents a high degree of resistance against the growth of microorganisms is not a sterile medium. Spore-forming bacteria, such as Clostridium botulinum, are present in honey and it’s the only recorded source of food carrier of the agent that causes childhood botulism. The steps of honey processing do not include the heat treatment for its commercial sterility, due to the application of heat increase the presence of hydroxymethylfurfural. Food irradiation is a method of preservation that can be applied in the processing of honey by not physically altering the appearance, shape or temperature of the product. The objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of gamma irradiation on honey inoculated with Bacillus sporothermodurans spores. The inoculation of 106 CFU.mL-1 of lyophilized culture of this bacterium in the honey samples was carried out and the irradiation of the samples at 5, 10 and 15 kGy doses was carried out. After irradiation, the samples were incubated at 30o C for 72 h in Brain Heart Infusion (BHI) agar. The count present reduction of one logarithmic cycle in the number of colonies in the 5 kGy irradiated honeys. In the samples irradiated with doses of 10 and 15 kGy there was no microbial growth and spore germination. It’s concluded that irradiation constitutes an excellent conservation method, which can be used to guarantee the microbiological quality of the honey.
Elementary Analysis of Nail Polishes
Authors: Narloch Danielle Cristine , Paschuk Sergei Anatolyevich , Montenegro Peddis Torres Catarina Alzira , Corrêa Janine Nicolosi 
Published: October 2021

Brazil is considered the 4th largest CT&F Market in the world. In 2017, the country earned R$ 102.5 billion, which means an increase of 3.2% over the year 2016. According to Associação Brasileira da Indústria de Higiene Pessoal, Perfumaria e Cosméticos (ABIHPEC), this information is provided by Strategic Research Institute for Consumer Markets, the Euromonitor. The composition of cosmetics produced should be in accordance with the recommendations presented in ANVISA RDC Resolution No. 83 of June, 2016. Prohibited elements in the RDC Resolution No. 83 are Cl, Ni, As, Be, Cd, Cr, I, P, Pb, Hg, Se, Zr, Co, Te, Tl and radioactive substances. The main purpose of this work was to characterize some nail polishes using EDXRF method. The analyses were made using EDXRF method at the Laboratory of Applied Nuclear Physics of the UTFPR. The AMPTEK portable X-ray equipment is composed of mini X-ray tube, model MINI X, with Ag and Au targets, as well as silicon drift detector, SDD-123 model. Qualitative analyses indicate Na, Mg, Al, Si, P, Na, S, Cl, Ca, Ti, Cr, Mn, Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn, Mo, Ba and Bi elements in the nail polishes analyzed. Some prohibited elements such as Cl, Ni and P were presents in nail polishes. It is shows that EDXRF method is very efficient in detecting the chemical elements present in these samples. Besides, these results enable to compare elements presents in sample and recommendation stablish in Resolution No. 83.
Prospects for using boron in metallurgy. Report 2
Authors: Zhuchkov V. I. , Zayakin O. V. , Akberdin А. A. 
Published: October 2021

The second part of the article presents perspective directions of using boron and its compounds in the preparation processes, metallurgical processing of ore materials and steel smelting in order to improve the quality of the final product. An efficient technology of silicothermal production of ferrosilicoboron containing 0.6  –  2.0  %  B and 60  –  80  %  Si has been developed. The advantage of this scheme is the possibility of obtaining a  boron-containing alloy during ferrosilicon smelting. It has been experimentally shown that ferrosilicoboron has higher performance characteristics than ferroboron both in production and when used for steel processing. The results of industrial tests of the technology for microalloying pipe grades of steel with a new ferroalloy with boron confirmed a high degree of boron assimilation – up to 96  %. The possibility of widespread use of boron for steel microalloying is due to its cheapness, availability and environmental friendliness. According to the calculations, boron from complex ferrosilicoboron is the cheapest trace element used to increase the strength characteristics of steel. Additives of B2O3 can be successfully used to form high-magnesium liquid steel-making slags. It is shown that 0.37  –  0.55  %  В2О3 effectively stabilizes the highly basic slags of the steel and ferroalloy industries. This operation allows obtaining a marketable lump material. The above review, results of the laboratory and industrial studies have shown the effectiveness of boron usage at different stages of metallurgical production. An increase in technical and economic indicators of production and quality of steel and ferroalloys, and effective disposal of waste slags is shown. The technical solutions advanced and tested at metallurgical enterprises do not require capital expenditures. They are implemented by adding microdosing of boron and its compounds to metallurgical production facilities.
Does Nigeria Non-Renewable Resource Abundance Leads to Macroeconomic Performance? A Trend Analysis (1970-2014)
Authors: Ajayi Felix Odunayo , Adelowokan A. Oluwaseyi , Ogunyomi Oluwatosin O. 
Published: October 2021

Theoretically, natural resource abundance is expected to create national wealth; however, the inconclusiveness in the literature and among the African rich resources motivated this study. Our paper investigated that does Nigeria's non-renewable resource abundance leads to sustainable macroeconomic performance? To achieve the objectives of this study, our paper employs descriptive trends analysis, using tables and charts to measure the relationship between the non-renewable resource abundance, proxied as oil and gas variables, and the selected macroeconomic variables to draw an inference within the study period of 1970 – 2014 in Nigeria. In summary, our study concludes that an inverse relationship exists between non-renewable resource abundance and macroeconomic performance in Nigeria for the covered period 1970 – 2014. Therefore, our study conforms to the existing studies of Sachs & Warner, 2001; Gylfasson, 2005, VanPloeg and Venables, 2013 that African rich-resources countries, including Nigeria, a non-renewable resource abundance retards macroeconomic performance within the period of study. Nonetheless, this study recommends that government should consistently endeavor to increase the proportion of education expenditure to total expenditure as well as same for capital expenditure to total expenditure, and finally, transform the economy from an oil-dependent economy to a non-oil driven economy, that is diversification of the economy, which would change the non-renewable resource-abundant nation from curse to blessing and thus, guarantee sustainable macroeconomic performance in Nigeria.
Comparison of two insertion techniques for I-Gel placement in paediatric patients: standard vs rotational methods
Authors: Yadav Rahul , Tiwari Neeraj Kumar , Dharmamer Milind Y , Mohan Sanil , Chandra Ajai , Rao Pravin Mohan 
Published: October 2021

: I-Gel has found increasing favour amongst anaesthesiologists for securing and maintaining a patent airway during routine as well as emergency surgeries in the paediatric population. The present prospective randomized study was conducted to compare the two techniques (standard and rotational methods) for I-Gel insertion in children; by assessing the first attempt success rate, insertion time and ease of insertion.: ASA I and II paediatric patients (1-6 years old) scheduled for brief elective surgical procedures lasting less than one hour were randomly allocated into two groups viz. Group A (n= 30) employing the standard technique, and Group B (n= 30) utilizing the rotational technique for I-Gel placement.: Group B subjects depicted a significantly higher first-attempt success rate vis a vis Group A subjects (P=0.040). The mean insertion time during the first attempt was longer in Group A (standard technique) as compared to Group B (rotational technique), but the difference was not statistically significant.: This study lends credence to the fact that the placement of I-Gel by employing the rotational method culminates in an increase in the first attempt success rate, suggestive of its potential superiority to the standard method
Factors determining blood transfusion in patients undergoing off pump coronary artery bypass graft (OPCABG) surgery: A prospective cross-sectional study
Authors: Varma Brejesh Ravi , Kutty C Salman Mohamed , Khadanga Prashanth , Sheshagiri Nirmal , Cheruvathur Ajish Varghese 
Published: October 2021

Cardiovascular disease, especially coronary heart disease is increasing to a great extent globally and in India. Off pump Coronary artery bypass graft is one of the surgical modalities in the treatment of Coronary artery heart disease. Blood/ blood component transfusion is one of the essential roles during/immediate postoperative period of off pump coronary artery bypass graft surgery. Though there are few benefits due to blood transfusion, the demerits outweigh the merits of blood transfusion. Hence identification of predisposing factors for need of blood /blood component transfusions will enhance us to understand the indications and the ways to minimize it.To determine the predisposing factors that influence the need for blood transfusion during off pump coronary artery bypass graft and to measure their strength of association.This cross-sectional study was done in a tertiary care cardiac center in India between March and September 2016 on 196 patients. The participants were from both sexes, aged between 40-70 years, undergoing elective or emergency OPCABG under general anaesthesia. Information on Demographic data and comorbid illnesses were elicited. Vitals and other hemodynamic parameters were recorded during preoperative, intra operative and post operative periods. Total amount of anticoagulant (heparin) used, activated clotting time (ACT) after 3 minutes of anticoagulation, total duration of graft harvest (time from start of first graft harvesting to end of last graft harvest), total number of grafts taken, total duration for anastamoses (time from start of anastamosis to end of last graft anastamosis), total blood loss and total amount of blood transfused were noted.The intra-operative factors included total intra-operative heparin used, total protamine used, total number of grafts used for anastamoses, total duration of graft anastamoses, total duration of surgery, total duration of anaesthesia, total intra-operative blood loss and insertion of IABP intra-operatively. The post operative factors included total amount of postoperative blood loss and post operative insertion of IABP. Multivariate analysis of significant factors showed male gender, preoperative anaemia and total duration of surgery were independent predictors of need of blood and blood product transfusion.Prior identification of risk factors and correction of them if applicable would help to assess and manage preoperatively and also thereby reduce the need for blood transfusions and help in managing optimal utilization of resources.