Developed Method Research Articles

Preparation and electromagnetic wave absorption of compressible graphene aerogels

In this study, a developed easy-operation method was adopted to generate ultralight and compressible graphene aerogels by using graphene oxide and ammonia. By changing the process parameters, such as reduction temperature, reducing agent content and ammonia concentration, the variation laws of the density and pore size of aerogels were obtained, which aided in realizing the controllable preparation of aerogel structures. The prepared graphene aerogel has good compressive performance, and its density can reach 5.26 mg/cm3. Although it was repeatedly compressed 200 times under a load that was 4000 times as large as its own weight, it maintained its structural integrity and mechanical properties. An ideal model of three-dimensional graphene aerogel was constructed, and the electromagnetic wave absorption performance was simulated using the Computer Simulation Technology (CST) Microwave Studio software. The results showed that when the thickness, pore size and height of the sheet were 1.4, 5 and 14 mm, respectively, an optimal electromagnetic wave absorption effect of −31.08 dB could be obtained. Furthermore, the effects of thickness, pore size and height of the sheet on the electromagnetic wave absorption performance are revealed, which provide a reference for the structural design of aerogels with both compressibility and electromagnetic wave absorption performance.

Best Agile method selection approach at workplace

Selecting the most suitable agile software development method is a challenging task due to the variety of available methods, each with its strengths and weaknesses. To achieve project goals effectively, factors such as project needs, team size, complexity, and customer involvement should be carefully evaluated. Choosing the appropriate agile method is crucial for achieving high client satisfaction and effective team management, but it can be a challenging task for project managers and higher-level management officials.This paper presents a solution aiming to help them in selecting the most suitable software development method for their project. In this regard, this solution includes a pre-project management approach model and a decision tree that considers the unique requirements of the project. In the proposed solution results, Scrum was found to be suitable for both small and large projects, on the condition that roles and responsibilities are clearly defined and that the approach is people-centric. Furthermore, high-risk mitigation measures should be added for small projects. To facilitate the use of our model, a software application has been developed which implements the decision-making tree.

A novel stability indicating HPTLC method for comparative quantitative estimation of quercetin in herbal preparations

This research introduces a novel stability-indicating HPTLC (High-Performance Thin-Layer Chromatography) method for the comparative quantitative estimation of Quercetin in herbal preparations. Through extensive stability studies, the method is validated, providing a robust framework for evaluating Quercetin's stability in diverse herbal formulations. The developed method ensures accurate and reliable quantification of Quercetin, facilitating comparative analysis across various herbal preparations. Additionally, results reveal that Quercetin degraded under most tested conditions, such as acidic, alkaline, oxidative and neutral conditions underscoring the necessity for intervention by experts to eliminate such challenges and ensure product efficacy and quality in the herbal industry.

Enhancing registration systems: Implementing database systems in digital boarding schools

Islamic boarding schools, known as pondok pesantren are specialized schools for Islamic education in Indonesia. With the community's increasing interest in religious education, some pesantren have begun to offer online learning opportunities. Pondok Pesantren Bayt Tamyiz is a Islamic boarding school that has started developing online pesantren education under the name Tamyiz Digittren. This program aims to enhance understanding and translation of the Qur'an using the Tamyiz method. The pondok pesantren requires significant changes in its administrative systems, including the registration process. Information system development is often challenging for the pesantren staffs and software developers. One of the fundamental difficulties lies in the user requirement process. Typically, pesantren need help to provide the information system they need. Such difficulties hinder the development process as developers must conduct numerous experiments. This research aims to design and implement a suitable database for the new student registration system with minimal information and limited time development. The research follows a database development method divided into three stages: Requirement Collection and Analysis, Conceptual Database Design, and Logical Database Design. Database development utilizes MySQL as the Database Management System (DBMS) and PHP as the programming language. This research results in a database design capable of storing and managing student data, payments, and other registration information. We expect the results of this database development to be effective in supporting the registration system and in the future development of information systems at Pondok Pesantren Bayt Tamyiz.

Analytical Method Development and Optimization on High Performance Liquid Chromatography for Related Substances Test of Gliclazide Drug as Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient

Diabetes mellitus, particularly Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM), presents a significant global health challenge, necessitating continuous advancements in therapeutic strategies. Gliclazide, an oral selective inhibitor of sodium glucose co-transporter-2 (SGLT2), has emerged as a promising agent for managing T2DM by facilitating urinary glucose excretion and reducing plasma glucose levels. However, ensuring the quality and efficacy of pharmaceutical formulations remains crucial for regulatory approval and clinical effectiveness. In this study, we present the development of an improved stability-indicating Reverse Phase-High Performance Liquid Chromatography (RP-HPLC) method for the precise quantification of Gliclazide. The novel analytical method employs 0.1% Potassium Phosphate in water 0.1% Potassium Phosphate in methanol (MeOH) as the mobile phase, demonstrating enhanced sensitivity, cost-effectiveness, and reduced reliance on organic chemicals. Through rigorous validation following International Conference on Harmonisation (ICH) guidelines, the developed method exhibited superior performance in terms of retention times compared to existing methodologies. The proposed analytical approach holds promise for routine analysis of Gliclazide in both bulk and tablet formulations, offering a valuable tool for pharmaceutical quality control and clinical research in the management of T2DM.

Investigation of the Affinity of Aptamers for Bacteria by Surface Plasmon Resonance Imaging Using Nanosomes.

The cell-SELEX method enables efficient selection of aptamers that bind whole bacterial cells. However, after selection, it is difficult to determine their binding affinities using common screening methods because of the large size of the bacteria. Here we propose a simple surface plasmon resonance imaging method (SPRi) for aptamer characterization using bacterial membrane vesicles, called nanosomes, instead of whole cells. Nanosomes were obtained from membrane fragments after mechanical cell disruption in order to preserve the external surface epitopes of the bacterium used for their production. The study was conducted on Bacillus cereus (B. cereus), a Gram-positive bacterium commonly found in soil, rice, vegetables, and dairy products. Four aptamers and one negative control were initially grafted onto a biochip. The binding of B. cereus cells and nanosomes to immobilized aptamers was then compared. The use of nanosomes instead of cells provided a 30-fold amplification of the SPRi signal, thus allowing the selection of aptamers with higher affinities. Aptamer SP15 was found to be the most sensitive and selective for B. cereus ATCC14579 nanosomes. It was then truncated into three new sequences (SP15M, SP15S1, and SP15S2) to reduce its size while preserving the binding site. Fitting the results of the SPRi signal for B. cereus nanosomes showed a similar trend for SP15 and SP15M, and a slightly higher apparent association rate constant kon for SP15S2, which is the truncation with a high probability of a G-quadruplex structure. These observations were confirmed on nanosomes from B. cereus ATCC14579 grown in milk and from the clinical strain B. cereus J066. The developed method was validated using fluorescence microscopy on whole B. cereus cells and the SP15M aptamer labeled with a rhodamine. This study showed that nanosomes can successfully mimic the bacterial membrane with great potential for facilitating the screening of specific ligands for bacteria.

Development of absorption spectrophotometry of iron(III) in environmental water and sediments using NEDA and its application to the field.

In this study, we developed a simple method that enables iron(III) in environmental water to be directly determined via spectrophotometry. In water samples, iron(III) formed a yellowish complex with N-1-Naphthylethylenediamine dihydrochloride (NEDA) at pH 2.0-2.8, the maximum absorption wavelength of which was 462nm. Detection sensitivity increased in the presence of chloride ions and remained constant for 2-24h with 0.05-0.57molL-1 chloride. Therefore, NEDA solution containing chloride ions was used as a chromogenic reagent for the determination of iron(III). The determination range for this method was 0.1-20mgFe(III)L-1 in a 5cm glass cell. The developed method is highly selective for iron(III) and has been successfully applied to freshwater, brackish water, seawater, turbid water in rivers, as well as to riverbed and freshwater lake sediments. In addition, a combination of the proposed NEDA method and the 1,10-phenanthroline method enabled simultaneous determination of iron(III) and iron(II).

Integration of protein L-immobilized epoxy magnetic bead capture with LC-MS/MS for therapeutic monoclonal antibody quantification in serum.

In recent years, there has been a growing interest in the thriving monoclonal antibody (mAb) industry due to the wide utilization of mAbs in clinical therapies. Robust and accurate bioanalytical methods are required to enable fast quantification of mAbs in biological matrices, especially in the context of pharmacokinetics (PKs)/pharmacodynamics (PDs) and therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) studies. In this investigation, we presented a novel immuno-magnetic capture coupled with a liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method designed for the quantification of immunoglobulin G-kappa-based mAbs in biological fluids. The immunoaffinity absorbent for mAb drug purification was meticulously crafted by immobilizing protein L onto monosize, magnetic poly(glycidyl methacrylate) (m-pGMA) beads, synthesized through dispersion polymerization. The microspheres were acquired with an average size of 1.6 μm, and the optimal binding of mAbs from the aqueous mAb solution was determined to be 45.82 mg g-1. The quantification of mAbs in 10 μL serum samples was achieved through affinity purification using m-pGMA@protein L beads (employing rituximab as an internal standard (IS)), on-bead reduction, and rapid tryptic digestion. Remarkably, the entire process, taking less than 2.5 hours, held significant potential for simplifying pretreatment procedures and minimizing analytical time. Furthermore, the developed method underwent validation in accordance with the European Medicines Agency (EMA) guidelines. The assay demonstrated commendable linearity within the 2-400 μg mL-1 range for both daratumumab and pembrolizumab. Intra- and inter-assay coefficients of variation fell within the range of 0.7% to 13.4%, meeting established acceptance criteria. Other validation parameters also conformed to regulatory standards. Ultimately, the efficacy of the method was substantiated in a pharmacokinetic study following a single-dose intravenous administration to mice, underscoring its applicability and reliability in real-world scenarios.

Computational Strategies in Drug Discovery: Leveraging Subtractive Genomic Analysis for Target Identification.

The utilization of In-silico subtractive genomic analysis has emerged as an important and essential method in modern drug discovery and development since it significantly improves the process of identifying and validating potential targets for discovering novel therapeutic compounds to treat severe infections caused by Antimicrobial-resistant (AMR) - pathogenic species. This review provides a complete overview of the methodology, advantages, disadvantages, and prospects, associated with subtractive genomic research in the context of drug discovery and development. The initial phase of analysis encompasses the retrieval of data, which serves as a foundation for the subsequent data mining process in Phase 1. After data mining, Phase 2 utilizes subtractive channels for the target's non-homology and essentiality analysis. Phase 3 of the study aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of prospective targets by their qualitative characterization. Further, Phase 4 of the study emphasizes on conducting structure-based analyses, which involves the determination, refinement, evaluation, and validation of three-dimensional structures of the target proteins, along with their active site prediction and selection of the novel therapeutic compounds against that active site on the obtained targets through virtual screening and docking studies by utilizing various databases and servers. The therapeutic compounds obtained can be then validated by in vitro and in vivo testing, thereby establishing a connection between the computational predictions and real applications.

DoE-empowered development and validation of an environmentally sustainable RP-HPLC method for simultaneous estimation of antihypertensive drugs: AQbD perspective

AbstractThe primary objective of the present inquiry is to formulate a sustainable method employing Reverse Phase-High Performance Liquid Chromatography (RP-HPLC) for determination of Amlodipine (AM) and Irbesartan (IRB) simultaneously, compounds commonly prescribed for hypertension treatment. Existing literature underscores the absence of a comprehensive method in this regard. This research endeavors to align with the tenets of green chemistry by seamlessly integrating Analytical Quality by Design (AQbD) with RP-HPLC, replacing environmentally hazardous chemical modifiers with eco-friendly solvents. Identifying the critical variables as the 70% ethanol level and flow rate, a central composite design is applied for optimization. The separation is achieved utilizing a Phenomenex Luna column (C18, 250 mm × 4.6 mm i.d, 5 μm) with a mobile phase comprising ethanol and 0.1 % o-phosphoric acid in a 70:30 v/v ratio, flowing at 0.8 mL min−1, and detection wavelength of 242 nm. Green assessment methodologies are implemented to gauge the adherence of the proposed RP-HPLC method to eco-friendly principles while ensuring efficiency in chromatographic performance. The current developed method is rapid with retention time of 2.3 and 3.3 min for AM and IRB respectively and having a wide linear range from 55 to 130 μg mL−1, which makes the suitable for the accurate quantification of AM and IRB simultaneously in bulk and tablet dosage form, there by minimize environmental impact by providing a conscientious choice for the routine analysis which is achieved through the amalgamation of AQbD with a sustainable approach.

Appraisal of clinical practice guidelines and consensus statements on obstetric anaesthesia: a systematic review using the AGREE II instrument

ObjectivesDespite the publication of hundreds of trials on obstetric anaesthesia, the management of these conditions remains suboptimal. We aimed to assess the quality and consistency of guidance documents for obstetric...

Speech Emotion Recognition Using a Multi-Time-Scale Approach to Feature Aggregation and an Ensemble of SVM Classifiers

Due to its relevant real-life applications, the recognition of emotions from speech signals constitutes a popular research topic. In the traditional methods applied for speech emotion recognition, audio features are typically aggregated using a fixed-duration time window, potentially discarding information conveyed by speech at various signal durations. By contrast, in the proposed method, audio features are aggregated simultaneously using time windows of different lengths (a multi-time-scale approach), hence, potentially better utilizing information carried at phonemic, syllabic, and prosodic levels compared to the traditional approach. A genetic algorithm is employed to optimize the feature extraction procedure. The features aggregated at different time windows are subsequently classified by an ensemble of support vector machine (SVM) classifiers. To enhance the generalization property of the method, a data augmentation technique based on pitch shifting and time stretching is applied. According to the obtained results, the developed method outperforms the traditional one for the selected datasets, demonstrating the benefits of using a multi-time-scale approach to feature aggregation.

Sensitive Voltammetric Detection of Acetaminophen on CuONPs-MWCNTs Modified Glassy Carbon Electrode with Enhancement Effect of Anionic Surfactant

In the present work, a voltammetric method using differential pulse voltammetric technique for the assessment of antipyretic and analgesic drug, acetaminophen was developed. The CuO nanoparticles were prepared and characterized. A glassy carbon electrode (GCE) fabricated with the suspension of CuO nanoparticles (CuONPs) and multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) were used. The modified electrode showed improved anodic peak current by introducing an anionic surfactant sodium dodecyl sulphate in phosphate buffer solution. The consequence of pH of supporting electrolyte, amount of nanoparticles suspension and surfactant concentration was investigated at a physiological pH of 7.4. Using differential pulse voltammetry, the fabricated electrode showed linear dynamic range from 9 to 160 nM of acetaminophen concentration. From the calibration plot, the computed detection limit was 5.06 nM and quantification limit was 16.88 nM. The developed method was checked for its reproducibility and assay during a day and intraday as well. The developed process was fruitfully applied to detect acetaminophen in pediatric oral suspensions administered to infants.

Universal Covalent Grafting Strategy of an Aptamer on a Carbon Fiber Microelectrode for Selective Determination of Dopamine In Vivo.

The chemical information on brain science provided by electrochemical sensors is critical for understanding brain chemistry during physiological and pathological processes. A major challenge is the selectivity of electrochemical sensors in vivo. This work developed a universal covalent grafting strategy of an aptamer on a carbon fiber microelectrode (CFE) for selective determination of dopamine in vivo. The universal strategy was proposed by oxidizing poly(tannic acid) (pTA) to form an oxidized state (pTAox) and then coupling a nucleophilic sulfhydryl molecule of the dopamine-binding mercapto-aptamer with the o-quinone moiety of pTAox based on click chemistry for the interfacial functionalization of the CFE surface. It was found that the universal strategy proposed could efficiently graft the aptamer on a glassy carbon electrode, which was verified by using electroactive 6-(ferrocenyl) hexanethiol as a redox reporter. The amperometric method using a fabricated aptasensor for the determination of dopamine was developed. The linear range of the aptasensor for the determination of dopamine was 0.2-20 μM with a sensitivity of 0.09 nA/μM and a limit of detection of 88 nM (S/N = 3). The developed method has high selectivity originating from the specific recognition of the aptamer in concert with the cation-selective action of pTA and could be easily applicable to probe dopamine dynamics in the brain. Furthermore, complex vesicle fusion modes were first observed at the animal level. This work demonstrated that the covalently grafted immobilization strategy proposed is promising and could be extended to the in vivo analysis of other neurochemicals.

Development of a novel Colorimetric Assay for the rapid diagnosis of Coronavirus disease 2019 from nasopharyngeal samples.

Emergence of Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has posed a huge threat to public health. Rapid and reliable test to diagnose infected subjects is crucial for disease spread control. We developed a colorimetric test for COVID-19 detection using a Colorimetric Assay based on thiol-linked RNA modified gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) and oligonucleotide probes. This method was conducted on RNA from 200 pharyngeal swab samples initially tested by Real-Time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) as gold standard. A specific oligonucleotide probe designed based on ORF1ab of COVID-19 was functionalized with AuNPs-probe conjugate. The exposure of AuNP-probe to isolated RNA samples was tested using hybridization. In this comparative study, the colorimetric functionalized AuNPs assay exhibited a detection limit of 25copies/µL. It was higher in comparison to the RT-PCR method, which could only detect 15copies/µL. The results demonstrated 100% specificity and 96% sensitivity for the developed method. Herein, we developed an incredibly rapid, simple and cost-effective Colorimetric Assay lasting approximately 30min which could process considerably higher number of COVID-19 samples compared to the RT-PCR. This AuNP-probe conjugate colorimetric method could be considered the optimum alternatives for conventional diagnostic tools especially in over-populated and/or low-income countries.

Greenness and whiteness assessment of a sustainable voltammetric method for difluprednate estimation in the presence of its alkaline degradation product.

Nowadays, scientists are currently attempting to lessen the harmful effects of chemicals on the environment. Stability testing identifies how a drug's quality changes over time. The current work suggests a first and sustainable differential pulse voltammetry technique for quantifying difluprednate (DIF) as an anti-inflammatory agent in the presence of its alkaline degradation product (DEG). The optimum conditions for the developed method were investigated with a glassy carbon electrode and a scan rate of 100mVs-1. The linearity range was 2.0 × 10-7-1.0 × 10-6M for DIF. DIF was found to undergo alkaline degradation, when refluxed for 8h using 2.0M NaOH, and DEG was successfully characterized utilizing IR and MS/MS. The intended approach demonstrated the selectivity for DIF identification in pure, pharmaceutical, and degradation forms. The student's t-test and F value were used to compare the suggested and reported approaches statistically. The results were validated according to ICH requirements. The greenness of the studied approach was evaluated using the Green Analytical Procedure Index and the Analytical Greenness metric. Additionally, the whiteness features of the proposed approach were examined with the recently released red, green, and blue 12 model, and the recommended strategy performed better than the reported approaches in greenness and whiteness.

Penerapan Langchain Retriever dengan Model Chat Openai dalam Pengembangan Sistem Chatbot Hadis Berbasis Telegram

In Islamic studies, the Hadiths of Prophet Muhammad (SAW) hold significant value as guides for behavior and faith. However, access to understanding Hadiths often presents challenges, espe-cially for those who are not Hadith experts. The digitalization of Hadiths is still limited, making it time-consuming to find answers by sifting through the vast amount of available information. This research aims to create an efficient chatbot that provides answers related to Hadiths, including the original sources, quickly. The proposed solution is a technology-based approach through the development of a Hadith chatbot on Telegram, integrated with the LangChain Retriever and the GPT-4-1106-preview chat model from OpenAI. Using LangChain Retriever helps the chatbot find accurate answers by matching user questions with relevant Hadith databases, enhancing the ac-curacy of the chatbot's responses. The GPT-4-1106-preview chat model enables the chatbot to generate natural and context-appropriate responses, improving user interaction. The Rapid Ap-plication Development (RAD) method is applied in system development, through stages of Re-quirement Planning, User Design, Construction, and Cut-Over, including data analysis of Hadiths from the Nine Imam Hadith Books, totaling 62,169 Hadiths. The chatbot's performance evaluation uses the Scoring Evaluator framework with an average evaluation score of 0.97 and quality answer evaluation testing by five Hadith experts with an accuracy percentage of 90%. The Scoring Eval-uator test results indicate that the responses are highly accurate and aligned with Hadith refer-ences, and the quality answer evaluation test on a Likert scale shows respondents strongly agree with the system's answers. This research contributes to laypersons wanting to learn Hadiths by utilizing the chatbot as an interactive and innovative learning medium. Further research can expand the focus to complex interpretations of Musykil al-Hadith and asbab al-wurud to address deeper questions about Hadith interpretation.

PENGEMBANGAN VIDEO PROMOSI BUKU MENUJU DIGITALISASI PERPUSTAKAAN STKIP TAMAN SISWA BIMA

The research objective of developing this book promotional video was to increase students' interest in reading in an interesting way. The conclusion obtained from this research is a book promotional video towards digitizing the STKIP Taman Siswa Bima library which has been tested for its feasibility. This research uses the Research and Development (R & D) method with the Borg and Gall development model starting from needs analysis, planning, development, testing, evaluation, updating, improvement, correction, modification and ending with product dissemination. According to the final evaluation by media experts, a percentage of 95% shows that the book promotional video that has been made is declared valid. Meanwhile, the final results obtained by small group participants in the book promotional video obtained a percentage of 88.3% which was declared Very Decent. The final results obtained by large group participants in the book promotional video obtained a percentage of 86.5% which was declared Very Decent. According to the results of the study, the mean percentage (%) results involving 30 students obtained a percentage of 86.7% in the Very Eligible classification.

Deteksi Pelanggaran pada Zebra Cross dengan Water Spray dan Buzzer berbasis IoT

A zebra crossing is a road marking indicating a crossing path for pedestrians. Zebra crossings are directly used to signal drivers to stop at the line boundaries. Because the zebra crossing functions as a crossing area, pedestrians and motorized vehicle drivers must understand and obey existing traffic signs. According to data from the WHO (World Health Organization), 270,000 pedestrians die every year or around 22% of all victims who die due to road accidents. An ESP32-Cam microcontroller, an E18-D80NK Infrared Proximity Sensor, water spray and buzzer approaches, and the prototype development method were used to design a system for detecting crossing violations at zebra crossings to address this issue. The Infrared Proximity sensor will automatically detect when a crossing violation occurs, then the water spray will spray water, and the buzzer will make a sound as a warning sign to obey traffic. ESP32-Cam functions as an image capturer if a crossing violation has occurred and is automatically sent to the Telegram Bot. The confusion matrix test tested the research results with an accuracy value of 83.33%, a precision value of 83.33%, and a recall value of 88.23%.

Assessment of Children’s Skill in Noticing Unfamiliar Words within Informational Context

ABSTRACT Reading and language standards, such as the Common State Standards for English Language Arts, indicate that primary-grade students should be able to determine the meaning of unfamiliar words from grade-level context. However, to be able to attempt determining the meaning of an unfamiliar word, the word must first be noticed. There is a lack of research on young children developing skill in noticing unfamiliar words, which may be an important skill for their vocabulary development and comprehension. In the present study, theories of word learning, earlier experimenter-created assessments with older learners, and research with multilingual learners guided the development of such an assessment, the Noticing Unfamiliar Words Assessment (NUWA). Instrument development methods, including expert review and piloting, were performed prior to administering the NUWA to a sample of 55 second graders. Results of the exploratory factor analysis supported the hypothesized unidimensional factor structure and indicated that the assessment had an adequate fit and internal consistency reliability. Findings suggest that the NUWA may be helpful in better understanding the developmental nature of skill in noticing unfamiliar words from context while listening and how it contributes to children’s vocabulary knowledge and other literacy skills.