bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Advances in Rice Postharvest Loss Reduction Strategies in Africa through Low Grade Broken Rice Fractions and Husk Value Addition
Authors: Nahemiah Danbaba , Nkama Iro , Paul Yahaya Idakwo , Halidu Badau Mamudu , Umar Aliyu 
Published: March 2021

Paddy production in African is increasing at a significantly impressive rate due to increased public and private sector investment, the introduction of high yielding varieties and improved production practices. But about 40% or more of this quantity does not reach the table of consumers largely due to post-harvest losses. These losses are subdivided into physical grain loss (PGL) and grain quality loss (GQL). Efforts towards reducing these losses through valorisation of low quality rice and processing by-products has received attention over the last few years. Innovative development and out scaling of simple, cost effective, adoptable and well-defined practical technology to convert low grade milled rice to nutrient dense value-added products that could be used for family meals or weaning purposes and utilization of rice husk for energy is the new way to go. This paper reviews major advance made especially by the Africa-Wide Taskforce on rice processing and value addition and its partners in developing strategies for minimizing postharvest loss in Africa through the development of technologies for utilization of broken rice fractions and rice husk to reduce postharvest losses. Major challenges mitigating the adoption of this technologies and possible opportunities in the rice postharvest value chain that can attract investment for the improvement of rice production and reduction in rice postharvest losses are also outlined. This synthesis we believe will help in providing future direction for research and support for sustainable rice postharvest system in Africa.
COVID-19: olhares religiosos sobre a realidade pandémica | COVID-19: religious views on pandemic reality
Authors: Brissos-Lino José 
Published: March 2021

Este artigo tem por objecto o campo religioso e por objectivo entender de que forma as religiões encararam a crise provocada pela Covid-19 e que impactos a mesma exerceu sobre as comunidades de fé, a praxis, o discurso, e sobretudo qual foi o sentido atribuído ao acontecimento, de forma a enquadrar-se na narrativa religiosa e doutrinária de cada uma das correntes filosóficas e religiosas, tendo em conta o facto de as religiões desempenharem um papel importante para o desenvolvimento do ser humano. Procurou-se compreender a postura das religiões face à pandemia da Covid-19, tanto como encararam a suspensão dos seus serviços religiosos presenciais, devido ao confinamento profiláctico, como no modo de prestar apoio espiritual à comunidade dos fiéis, assim como no tipo de organização para não parar a sua intervenção social e de beneficência, em relação aos mais carenciados e vulneráveis da sociedade. Abordou-se ainda o sentido espiritual ou religioso da pandemia, do ponto de vista simbólico. Por conveniência, neste trabalho consideraram-se apenas algumas vertentes do campo religioso. AbstractThis article aims to understand, in the religious sphere, in what ways do religions face the crisis caused by Covid-19, as well as how it impacted the faithful communities, praxis, discourse and above all, what sense was attributed to this event. Through this, we aim to frame the religious and doctrinal narrative of each philosophical and religious schools of thought while minding the fact that religions play an important role in the development of human beings. We aim to understand the stance of religions faced with the task of dealing with Covid-19, such as how the suspended their physical religious services due to prophylactic confinement to provide spiritual aid to the faithful community, as well as their ways of organizing themselves in order to constantly provide people with their social intervention and beneficence, especially when regarding the poor and vulnerable people in our society. We also touch on the spiritual or religious sense of the pandemic in terms of symbolism. This article only reflects upon the religious sphere.
Mouth Dissolving Tablets of Favipiravir using Superdisintegrants: Preparation, Optimization and In-vitro Evaluation
Authors: Avinash D. , Gudipati Madhu , Ramana M. V. , Vadlamudi Pallavi , Nadendla Rama Rao 
Published: March 2021

To formulate and evaluate the mouth dissolving tablet dosage forms of favipiravir using various superdisintegrants by using wet granulation technique.
Batches of favipiravir Mouth dissolving tablets were formulated by using the wet granulation technique. The formulated granules were evaluated for their flow properties as a pre-compression parameter and the friability, hardness, disintegration, wetting ratio, wetting time, dissolution, and drug release parameters were evaluated as post-compression parameters. The effect of the varying concentrations of superdisintegrants on the formulation for disintegration time was ascertained and the results were compared.
The tablet had friability and hardness values ranging from 0.60 to 0.68 % and 3.9 to 4.3 (kg/cm2). Tablet weights did not vary significantly but the disintegration time varied from 44.66 to 142.66±2.51 min and the wetting time varied from 45.33 to 144 min and the optimal batch of tablets shows a drug release of 98.8% within 60 min and first-order release kinetics of the formulations are compared.
The Potential Anti-Obesity, Anti-Diabetic and Anti-Oxidant Effects of Vitamin a in Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetic Mice
Authors: Alhindi Yosra , Bafaraj Anwar , Barasain Abeer , Hadidi Massarah , Bajandooh Norah , Al-Sulami Ruba , Alahmadi Shahad , Alzelaai Rawabi , Aljahdli Lama , Fairaq Arwa , Elashmony Sahar 
Published: March 2021

Background: Evidence suggests that there is a link between diabetes mellitus and Vitamin A. Moreover, it has been reported that diabetes induces oxidative stress. Lately, a wide attention has been developed to the protective biochemical function of natural antioxidants contained vitamins, which can reduce the oxidative damage caused by free radical species.
Objective: To investigate the anti-obesity, anti-diabetic and anti-oxidative effects of vitamin A in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic mice.
Methods: Male mice were randomly divided into three groups: Control- nondiabetic, received a normal diet and water; Control-diabetic, received STZ 45mg/kg once intraperitoneally; and Treated-diabetic, received both STZ as before plus Vitamin A (4-IU/day) orally daily for 16 weeks. Food intake, body weight, fat mass, fasting blood glucose, serum insulin, and lipid profile were estimated. Also, superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPO), catalase (CAT), and malonaldehyde (MDA) were measured.
Results: Treated diabetic mice with Vitamin A showed a significant improvement in their body weight, fat mass, lipid profile as well as SOD, GPO and CAT compared to Control-diabetic mice. However, Vitamin A caused no significant change on fasting blood glucose and insulin levels. Furthermore, plasma level of MDA was significantly elevated in diabetic mice compared to normal mice. Diabetic mice treated with vitamin A had a significantly reduced level of MDA, suggesting that vitamin A might have a vital role in the protection of tissues from damage by free radicals.
Conclusion: Supplementation with vitamin A may be a useful treatment strategy for diabetic patients to reduce/prevent the pathological complications of diabetes.
Non‐invasive in vivo monitoring of transplanted stem cells in 3D‐bioprinted constructs using near‐infrared fluorescent imaging
Authors: Kim Soon Hee , Kwon Jin Seon , Cho Jae Gu , Park Kate G. , Lim Tae Hyeon , Kim Moon Suk , Choi Hak Soo , Park Chan Hum , Lee Sang Jin 
Published: March 2021

AbstractCell‐based tissue engineering strategies have been widely established. However, the contributions of the transplanted cells within the tissue‐engineered scaffolds to the process of tissue regeneration remain poorly understood. Near‐infrared (NIR) fluorescence imaging systems have great potential to non‐invasively monitor the transplanted cell‐based tissue constructs. In this study, labeling mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) using a lipophilic pentamethine indocyanine (CTNF127, emission at 700 nm) as a NIR fluorophore was optimized, and the CTNF127‐labeled MSCs (NIR‐MSCs) were printed embedding in gelatin methacryloyl bioink. The NIR‐MSCs‐loaded bioink showed excellent printability. In addition, NIR‐MSCs in the 3D constructs showed high cell viability and signal stability for an extended period in vitro. Finally, we were able to non‐invasively monitor the NIR‐MSCs in constructs after implantation in a rat calvarial bone defect model, and the transplanted cells contributed to tissue formation without specific staining. This NIR‐based imaging system for non‐invasive cell monitoring in vivo could play an active role in validating the cell fate in cell‐based tissue engineering applications.
Development of the CK‐MB‐1 trastuzumab‐resistant HER2‐positive breast cancer cell line and xenograft animal models
Authors: Chung Wei‐Pang , Huang Wei‐Lun , Liao Wei‐An , Huang Wan‐Ling , Liu You‐Yu , Su Wu‐Chou 
Published: March 2021

AbstractBackgroundPatients with human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)‐positive breast cancer who fail to respond to anti‐HER2 treatments have poor prognoses. Most trastuzumab‐resistant breast cancer cell lines available from biobanks feature either phosphoinositide‐3‐kinase, catalytic, alpha (PIK3CA) mutation or the loss of phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN). However, PIK3CA mutations and/or PTEN loss do not account for most trastuzumab‐resistant tumors in humans.MethodsBreast cancer cells were collected from one patient's malignant ascites. These cells were cultured and maintained to develop a stable cell line, which we named CK‐MB‐1. We used western blotting to evaluate protein expression. The PIK3CA status of CK‐MB‐1 cells was analyzed using Sanger sequencing and validated using next‐generation sequencing. In vivo, CK‐MB‐1 xenograft tumor models were developed in zebrafish and immunodeficient mice.ResultsCK‐MB‐1 cells maintained the major characteristics of the parental tumor including HER2 positivity and estrogen receptor negativity. The HER2 gene amplification of CK‐MB‐1 cells was detected by fluorescence in situ hybridization. The integrity of PTEN was confirmed by its positive protein expression and the absence of gene mutations. No common PIK3CA mutation was detected. Compared with the findings in two other HER2‐positive trastuzumab‐resistant cell lines, CK‐MB‐1 cells exhibited greater resistance to trastuzumab, chemotherapeutics, and small‐molecule drugs. Trastuzumab resistance in CK‐MB‐1 cells was confirmed in vivo using the NOD SCID mouse model.ConclusionsCK‐MB‐1 cells represent a stable HER2‐positive trastuzumab‐resistant breast cancer cell line. The resistance of CK‐MB‐1 cells does not originate from the PTEN or phosphoinositide 3‐kinase signaling pathway, which can provide an alternative approach for potential drugs.
Two New Nonenolides from Diaporthe sp. SXZ‐19, an Endophytic Fungus of Camptotheca Acuminata
Authors: Liu Yuanzhen , Cheng Li , Shen Yuemao 
Published: March 2021

AbstractTwo new nonenolides named diaportheolides A (1) and B (2) were isolated from the endophytic fungus Diaporthe sp. SXZ‐19 of Camptotheca acuminata. The chemical structures of 1 and 2 were elucidated by spectroscopic analyses, including 1D‐ and 2D‐NMR experiments and HR‐ESI‐MS data analysis. Their in vitro antibacterial activities are established to be insignificant.
Widespread variation in stable isotope trophic position estimates: patterns, causes, and potential consequences
Authors: Kjeldgaard MacKenzie K. , Hewlett Jeremy A. , Eubanks Micky D. 
Published: March 2021

AbstractStable isotope analysis is one of the most widely used techniques to estimate trophic position and provides fundamental insight into the structure and management of ecological communities. To account for the effects of geographic variation in isotope levels, trophic position is typically estimated relative to an isotope “baseline” (i.e., material representing geographic variation) using a methodology such as a formula or statistical analysis. There is, however, remarkable variation in the baselines and methodologies used to estimate trophic position from stable isotopes. The consequences of this lack of standardization are unknown but could result in biased or erroneous conclusions. We conducted a literature review to quantify the variation in baselines and methodologies used to estimate trophic position from stable isotopes. Next, we assessed the consequences of this variation on individual species estimates and food web structure by extracting published trophic positions and applying various baselines and methodologies to existing data sets. We identified 10 baselines and eight methodologies, the use of which varied by ecosystem studied. Moreover, we found that different baselines and methodologies yield significantly different trophic position estimates for individual species, as well as different conclusions about food web structure. Authors should avoid biological interpretations of absolute, stand‐alone trophic positions (as these are prone to a number of biases). We recommend pairing stable isotope analysis with other techniques for more robust conclusions. Increased sample size may mitigate some of the variation caused by different baselines and methodologies; however, an alarmingly large proportion of studies collected only one sample in at least one trophic group (41% of all reviewed studies). Authors should collect a minimum of five samples per trophic group (but ten for best practices) from as many trophic groups as possible to increase statistical power and redundancy in comparisons. When sample size is unavoidably constrained, we recommend using compound‐specific isotope analysis with a taxon‐specific trophic discrimination factor, because it may be more accurate and require fewer samples to maintain appropriate statistical power. Implementing our recommendations will increase the robustness and accuracy of conclusions based on stable isotopes, resulting in better management decisions and a more accurate understanding of ecological communities.
Pig‐a gene mutations in bone marrow granulocytes of procarbazine‐treated F344 rats
Authors: Dad Azra , Revollo Javier R. , Pearce Mason G. , McKinzie Page B. , Heflich Robert H. , Dobrovolsky Vasily N. 
Published: March 2021

AbstractIt was previously demonstrated that procarbazine (PCZ) is positive in the rat erythrocyte Pig‐a gene mutation assay. However, since mammalian erythrocytes lack genomic DNA, it was necessary to analyze nucleated bone‐marrow erythroid precursor cells to confirm that PCZ induces mutations in the Pig‐a gene (Revollo et al., Environ Mol Mutagen, 2020). In this study, the association between Pig‐a mutation and loss of GPI anchors was further strengthened and the genesis of Pig‐a mutation in PCZ‐dosed rats was evaluated by analyzing bone‐marrow granulocytes. Erythrocytes and granulocytes both originate from myeloid progenitor cells, but granulocytes contain DNA throughout their developmental stages. F344 rats were treated with three doses of 150 mg/kg PCZ; 2 weeks later, CD48‐deficient mutant phenotype bone‐marrow granulocytes (BMGs [CD11b+]) were isolated by flow‐cytometric sorting. Sequencing data showed that the CD48‐deficient mutant phenotype BMGs contained mutations in the Pig‐a gene while wild‐type BMGs did not. PCZ‐induced mutations included missense, nonsense and splice site variants; the majority of mutations were A > T, A > C, and A > G, with the mutated A on the nontranscribed DNA strand. The PCZ‐induced mutational analysis in BMGs supports the association between the phenotype measured in the Pig‐a assay and mutation in the Pig‐a gene. Also, PCZ mutation spectra were similar in bone‐marrow erythroids and BMGs, but none of the mutations detected in BMGs were the same as the erythroid precursor cell mutations from the same rats. Thus, mutations induced in the Pig‐a assay appear to be induced after commitment of myeloid progenitor cells to either the granulocyte or erythroid pathway.
Discovering treatment effectiveness via median treatment effects—Applications to COVID‐19 clinical trials
Authors: Mullahy John 
Published: March 2021

AbstractComparing median outcomes to gauge treatment effectiveness is widespread practice in clinical and other investigations. While common, such difference‐in‐median characterizations of effectiveness are but one way to summarize how outcome distributions compare. This paper explores properties of median treatment effects (TEs) as indicators of treatment effectiveness. The paper's main focus is on decisionmaking based on median TEs and it proceeds by considering two paths a decisionmaker might follow. Along one, decisions are based on point‐identified differences in medians alongside partially identified median differences; along the other decisions are based on point‐identified differences in medians in conjunction with other point‐identified parameters. On both paths familiar difference‐in‐median measures play some role yet in both the traditional standards are augmented with information that will often be relevant in assessing treatments' effectiveness. Implementing either approach is straightforward. In addition to its analytical results the paper considers several policy contexts in which such considerations arise. While the paper is framed by recently reported findings on treatments for COVID‐19 and uses several such studies to explore empirically some properties of median‐treatment‐effect measures of effectiveness, its results should be broadly applicable.
Magnetic interactions and the puzzling absence of any Raman mode in EuTiO3
Authors: Pappas Panagiotis , Liarokapis Efthymios , Calamiotou Maria , Bussmann‐Holder Annette 
Published: March 2021

AbstractPolycrystalline ceramic samples and a single crystal of EuTiO3 have been investigated by Raman spectroscopy in the temperature range 80–300 K. Although synchrotron x‐ray diffraction (XRD) data clearly indicated the cubic to tetragonal phase transition around 282 K, no mode from the symmetry allowed Raman active phonons was found in the tetragonal phase, contrary to the case of the homologous SrTiO3. In order to study the evolution of this unique characteristic, ceramics of EuxSr1‐xTiO3 (x = 0.03–1.0) characterized by synchrotron XRD for the structural phase transition have been also investigated by Raman spectroscopy, verifying the very strong influence on the Raman yield by Eu substitution. By applying an external magnetic field or alternatively hydrostatic pressure modes are activated in the Raman spectra. Temperature dependant XAS/XMCD measurements indicate the presence of magnetic interactions even close to room temperature in agreement with previous experimental results also showing the presence of small magnetic interactions deep inside the paramagnetic phase. A possible explanation for the puzzling absence of the Raman modes is proposed related to a strong spin–lattice interaction that drives the cubic to tetragonal structural phase transition and makes the Raman tensor antisymmetric. In this model, the external perturbation will induce a symmetric Raman tensor allowing modes to be present in the spectra.
Nonlinear saturable absorption in antimonene quantum dots for passively Q‐switching Pr:YLF laser
Authors: Wu Hao , Xu Jinlong , Zhang Chi , Cui Yinghao , Hu Yonghong , Xie Zhenda , Yan Zhong 
Published: March 2021

AbstractAntimonene, a new member of monoelemental two‐dimensional crystals composed of antimony atoms, was predicted to possess high stability, as well as outstanding electrical and optical properties. Here, we report on the experimental results of productive, high‐quality synthesis of antimonene quantum dots (AQDs) via liquid‐phase exfoliation. The obtained AQDs exhibited excellent nonlinear saturable absorption. The modulation depth and the saturable intensity were found to be around 3.9% and 10.02 GW/cm2, respectively. By using the AQDs saturable absorber in the 639 nm Pr:YLF laser, stable Q‐switching pulsed laser was realized. The maximum output power was 83 mW and the corresponding pulse width was 255 ns with a pulse repetition rate of 227 kHz. These results suggest that AQDs are a promising candidate for nonlinear optical applications.
Scalar field estimation with mobile sensor networks
Authors: Abdul Razak Rihab , Sukumar Srikant , Chung Hoam 
Published: March 2021

AbstractIn this article, we consider the problem of estimating a scalar field using a network of mobile sensors which can measure the value of the field at their instantaneous location. The scalar field to be estimated is assumed to be represented by positive definite radial basis kernels and we use techniques from adaptive control and Lyapunov analysis to prove the stability of the proposed estimation algorithm. The convergence of the estimated parameter values to the true values is guaranteed by planning the motion of the mobile sensors to satisfy persistence‐like conditions. Two kinds of estimation algorithms are proposed: (1) where each mobile sensor estimates the entire parameter vector, (2) where each mobile sensor estimates only part of the parameter vector. Simulations are used for validating the algorithms. We find that the algorithm in case (1) gives more accurate parameter estimates but can be computationally expensive, whereas the algorithm in case (2) performs much faster though the parameter estimates are less accurate. A modification to the second algorithm can be seen to perform fast while providing good accuracy.
Anti‐Swing control of the Pendubot using damper and spring with positive or negative stiffness
Authors: Xin Xin , Makino Kazunori , Izumi Shinsaku , Yamasaki Taiga , Liu Yannian 
Published: March 2021

AbstractIn this article, we study the anti‐swing control of the Pendubot which is a 2‐link planar robot with a single actuator driving the first joint, whose control objective is to stabilize the Pendubot to the downward equilibrium point (DEP) with the two links in the downward position for all its initial states with the exception of a set of Lebesgue measure zero. To achieve this control objective, with respect to the angle of the first joint, we presenta proportional‐derivative (PD) controllerusing a damper and a linear spring with positive stiffness, anda sinusoidal‐derivative (SD) controllerusing a damper and a nonlinear spring (force being sinusoidal function of the displacement) allowing even negative stiffness. We prove that the control objective is achieved if some conditions on the stiffness of linear or nonlinear spring are satisfied. We present analytical solutions to the optimal design of the derivative gain and the stiffness which minimizes the real parts of the dominant poles of the linearized model of the corresponding closed‐loop systems around the DEP for all Pendubots in terms of their five physical parameters without any constraint. Our discussion shows that the SD controller is superior to the PD controller. We provide simulation results for a Pendubot to show that the presented SD controller can stabilize the Pendubot to the DEP faster than the presented PD controller.