Highest Level Of Activity Research Articles

Polyphenol contents, antioxidant activities, and anti-cancer cell proliferation properties at each stage of fruit development in intersectional hybrids between highbush blueberry and shashanbo (Vaccinium bracteatum Thunb.)

BACKGROUND: In blueberries, the total polyphenol contents, total anthocyanin contents, and antioxidant activities of fruits in blueberries and their relatives are becoming important targets for breeders. Recently, intersectional hybrids between Japanese wild species Shashanbo and highbush blueberry were produced using polyploid breeding for the first time. However, the polyphenol contents, antioxidant activities, and anti-cancer cell proliferation properties of the fruits of these intersectional hybrids have not been studied sufficiently. OBJECTIVE: The objectives of this study were to determine the anthocyanin contents, polyphenol contents, and antioxidant activities at each stage of fruit development in intersectional hybrids, and to examine the effects of the fruit extracts on anti-cancer cell proliferation properties using human promyelocytic leukemia (HL-60) cells. METHODS: Freeze-dried fruit samples of three intersectional hybrids and their parents at five developmental stages were used to evaluate their polyphenol contents, anthocyanin contents, and levels of two types of antioxidant activities (DPPH and ORAC). The anti-cancer cell proliferation properties of each extract were also evaluated according to the survival rate of HL-60 cells. RESULTS: The total polyphenol contents in fruits of the intersectional hybrids gradually decreased as the fruits grew, but the contents increased slightly at the mature stage. Meanwhile, the total anthocyanin contents increased strongly to the mature stage. In addition, the fruit extract of intersectional hybrid JM1 was found to be more effective for inhibiting the growth of HL-60 human leukemia cells in vitro. Total polyphenol content correlated highly with antioxidant activities and anti-cancer cell proliferation properties. CONCLUSIONS: We clarified that the intersectional hybrids had produced have abundant bioactive compounds, high levels of antioxidant activities, and anti-cancer cell proliferation properties. The results proved the effectiveness of the use of Japanese wild Vaccinium species for the strategic breeding of blueberries with high levels of bioactive compounds.

The Last South American Redoubt? Tested Surinamese Anurans Still Chytrid Free

Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, a chytrid fungus infecting amphibians' cutaneous layer, is responsible for the greatest contemporary loss of amphibian biodiversity. In South America, Suriname is one of the only three countries where B. dendrobatidis infections of anurans (frogs and toads) have not been documented. To further examine this apparent gap in pathogen occurrence, frogs were sampled for B. dendrobatidis spores at eight disparate geographic locations in Suriname, including locations with high and low levels of anthropogenic activities, and near Suriname's border with Brazil and French Guiana, countries where B. dendrobatidis infections have been documented. None of the 347 frogs sampled, representing 37 species from eight families, tested positive for B. dendrobatidis. Our results provide the baseline data for future comparative testing and one of the last opportunities for a country in South America to proactively plan mitigation measures to protect amphibians from B. dendrobatidis' presumed eventual incursion into Suriname.

ACCEPTANCE LEVEL OF INDEPENDENT OIL PALM SMALLHOLDERS IN MALAYSIA TOWARDS EXTENSION SERVICES

Abstract: The main objective of the extension group is to disseminate the oil palm technologies to the independent oil palm smallholders (ISH). However, since the beginning of the establishment of the extension group in the Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB) in 2002, there is no clear information on the acceptance level of ISH toward extension service activities by this group. Therefore, the main objectives of this study are to determine the perception and attitude of ISH toward the extension service activities by extension group and to identify the association between the level of perception and attitude of ISH toward extension activities with ISH personal profile and farm background. Based on the total population in the study area, the number of samples to be selected in this study is 384 respondents. Interview administrated questionnaires were employed to obtain the relevant data. The study revealed that the total average mean of respondents’ perception and attitude towards extension service activities is 3.99 which belongs to the category of high score range (3.67 – 5.00). Therefore, it shows that ISH has a positive perception and attitude towards extension service which can lead to the high acceptance level of extension service activities by extension group among ISH. Other than that, based on the chi-square analysis, it shows that different demographic profiles significantly influence the level of perception & attitude of ISH toward extension activities. The findings of this study will assist the extension group in MPOB to re-strategize and further improve its extension service while contributing to future studies.

Agave Steroidal Saponins as Potential Bioherbicides

Agave saponins are a valuable resource for the prospective development of new forms of agrochemicals. The extraction method was optimized and applied to 17 Agave species. Thirteen saponin fractions (SFs) were assayed on wheat etiolated coleoptiles, and analysed using UPLC-QTOF-MSE, NMR spectroscopy and the HMBC method for aglycone identification (HMAI). Six SFs were assayed on standard target species (STS) and weeds. The new extraction method reduces costs to obtain SFs with the same activity. The tested SFs assayed on etiolated wheat coleoptiles that belong to the subgenus Agave were among those with the highest activity levels. The combination of HMAI together with UPLC-MS allowed the identification of 20 aglycones in the SFs, and no isolation or hydrolysis of the saponins was required. A Principal Component Analysis (PCA) showed that for the active SFs the structural key would be the length of their sugar chain. The presence of a carbonyl group at C-12 implied an enhancement in phytotoxic activity. Six SFs were assayed on seeds, and no activity on Solanum lycopersicum (tomato) was observed; however, good activity profiles were obtained on weed E. crus-galli (IC50 < 80 ppm), better than the commercial herbicide Logran®. These findings represent a possible lead for the development of natural herbicides through the use of saponins of subgenus Agave species.

Three-dimensional stratification pattern in an old-growth lowland forest: How does height in canopy and season influence temperate bat activity?

The study of animal–habitat interactions is of primary importance for the formulation of conservation recommendations. Flying, gliding, and climbing animals have the ability to exploit their habitat in a three‐dimensional way, and the vertical canopy structure in forests plays an essential role for habitat suitability. Forest bats as flying mammals may seasonally shift their microhabitat use due to differing energy demands or changing prey availability, but the patterns are not well understood. We investigated three‐dimensional and seasonal habitat use by insectivorous bats in a temperate lowland old‐growth forest, the Belovezhskaya Pushcha in Belarus. We acoustically sampled broadleaved and mixed coniferous plots in the forest interior and in gaps in three heights during two reproductive periods (pregnancy/lactation vs. postlactation). In canopy gaps, vertical stratification in bat activity was less pronounced than in the forest interior. Vertical activity patterns differed among species. The upper canopy levels were important foraging habitats for the open‐space forager guild and for some edge‐space foragers like the Barbastelle bat Barbastella barbastellus and the soprano pipistrelle Pipistrellus pygmaeus. Myotis species had highest activity levels near the ground in forest gaps. Moreover, we found species‐dependent seasonal microhabitat shifts. Generally, all species and species groups considered except Myotis species showed higher activity levels during postlactation. Myotis species tended toward higher activity in the forest interior during postlactation. P. pygmaeus switched from high activity levels in the upper canopy during pregnancy and lactation to high activity levels near the ground during postlactation. We conclude that a full comprehension of forest bat habitat use is only possible when height in canopy and seasonal patterns are considered.

Induced genetic and chemical changes in medicinally important plant Catharanthus roseus (L.) G. Don: cold plasma andphytohormones.

Catharanthus roseus (L.) G. Donis a medicinal plant species belonging to the Apocynaceae family, which produces vinblastine and vincristine along with 100 other monoterpenoid indole alkaloids. The process of biosynthesis of C. roseus alkaloids is complex, in which many genes, enzymes, and regulators are involved. Induced mutations may be considered as a potential source for producing a higher amount of vinblastine and vincristine in this plant species. Therefore, the objective of the present study was to examine the effects of different treatments utilized on the induced genetic changes in C. roseus plants and enzyme activities. Spermine, jasmonic acid, methyjasmonate, putrescine, and cold plasma treatments were used for seed treatments. Different molecular markers, namely inter simple sequence repeat, inter retrotransposon amplified polymorphism, and retrotransposon microsatellite amplified polymorphism were employed to reveal the induced genetic changes. Antioxidant enzyme activities were also studied. The treated plants showed genetic variability and a significant increase in antioxidant enzyme activity compared to the control plants. The putrescine treatment resulted in the highest level of activity in superoxidase. A significant positive correlation occurred between the molecular markers data and antioxidant enzyme activities in treated plants. Our data revealed that the different phytohormones and cold plasma treatments could induce both genetic and chemical content changes in C. roseus plants.

A Phase 1 Study of the Combination of Acalabrutinib and AZD9150 in Patients with Relapsed/Refractory Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma

A Phase 1 Study of the Combination of Acalabrutinib and AZD9150 in Patients with Relapsed/Refractory Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma

Pedagogies of Culture: Schooling and Identity in Post-Soviet Tatarstan, Russia (by Dilyara Suleymanova)

Reviewed by: Pedagogies of Culture: Schooling and Identity in Post-Soviet Tatarstan, Russia by Dilyara Suleymanova Elmira Akhmetova Pedagogies of Culture: Schooling and Identity in Post-Soviet Tatarstan, Russia Dilyara Suleymanova Palgrave Macmillan, 2020, 208 pages School education is one of the critical structures where the state implements its projects of social and political transformation. Governments commonly seek to shape political subjectivities and to inculcate a new set of civic values and commitments through public education. Hence, public education is a strategic arena for the state in its aspirations to shape loyalties and construct categories of identification that go beyond local, ethnic, or religious affiliations toward an institutionalized state-centered national identity. It is crucial for the processes of state formation not only to create bureaucratic institutions, but also to induce in individuals the belief that they are citizens of the state and they belong together. At the same time, the centralized educational system with its state-level aspirations may cause a dilemma for the cultural and ethnic minorities as their own local and regional appeals could be overshadowed under the state-centered national identity formation process. Such a dilemma is explored by Dilyara Suleymanova in the new book entitled Pedagogies of Culture: Schooling and Identity in Post-Soviet Tatarstan, Russia. The discussion is based on an ethnographic fieldwork research conducted in two schools (one Russianmedium and the other Tatar-medium) and a madrasah in a small semi-urban settlement in the northeastern part of Tatarstan, a Muslim-majority autonomous region within Russia. This new volume accordingly offers insights into the life of a peripheral location in post-Soviet Russia, marked by ethnic, religious, and linguistic diversity. Education here is envisaged as an institution that seeks to form, transform, and reproduce the sense of identification and belonging among children and youth, thus envisioning to shape political attitudes and cultural attachments within society. The book consists of seven chapters. In chapter 1, the author introduces the reader to Tatarstan and its educational projects. Chapter 2 provides [End Page 113] a comprehensive observation of educational policies, developments, and projects that have been implemented in Tatarstan since the collapse of the Soviet Union to promote regional and ethnic identity formation. The author divided this period into two parts: (a) the era of sovereignization and ethno-cultural revitalization (from the 1990s to the early 2000s), and (b) the era of centralization of public education under the presidency of Vladimir Putin. During the first period, educational policy projected to construct a distinct regional identity and post-Soviet Tatar nationhood that involved the revitalization of the Tatar language, culture, and religion. The regional components such as Tatar language lessons and the course on the history of the Tatars became one of the focus areas of the republic's educational policy and curriculum. School knowledge and textbooks became more localized with local and regional cultural, religious, and historical cases. Students got involved in various classroom and extracurricular activities related to their immediate locality (city, town, village) and their region. Thus, Suleymanova observes that, in the case of post-Soviet Tatarstan, the regional component created an institutional framework and a discursive space within which regional, local, and ethnic notions of belonging could be promoted and forged. In this way, as the author suggests, the regional component presented one of the most important instruments in forging and constructing not only a regional identity, but also an ethno-national identity among school students. A person with a consolidated ethnonational consciousness will naturally strive to learn his/her ethnic language, culture, and traditions and thus contribute to the Tatar ethnonational revival. As a result, this era produced a new cohort of young people with a strong sense of ethnic and regional identity and high levels of activism. The same chapter also observes the failure of all these achievements in constructing ethno-national identity in Tatarstan due to the new policies of centralization and homogenization under the presidency of Putin, which resulted in the elimination of the regional component and the introduction of the new federal education standards. Chapter 3 discusses the role of schools in the practices of "reinventing ethnic cultures" of local communities. Based on the experience of two particular...

Life Course of Physical Activity and Risk and Prognosis of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis in a German ALS Registry.

Whether physical activity (PA) is a risk factor for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is controversial because data on lifelong PA are rare. The main objective of this study is to provide insight into PA as a potential risk factor for ALS, reporting data on cumulative PA, leisure-time PA, and occupational PA. This study also aims to gather evidence on the role of PA as a prognostic factor in disease course. Lifetime PA values collected by questionnaires addressing work and leisure time were quantified into metabolic equivalents (METs). A population-based case-control study embedded in the ALS Registry Swabia served to calculate the odds ratio (OR) of ALS by PA in different time intervals and prognosis. In ALS cases (393 cases, 791 age- and sex-matched controls), we observed reduced total PA at interview and up to 5 years before interview compared to controls. Total PA was not associated with ALS risk 5 to 55 years before interview. Heavy occupational work intensity was associated with increased ALS risk (OR 1.97, 95% confidence interval 1.34, 2.89). Total PA levels were associated with survival in a nonlinear manner: inactive patients and highest activity levels (25 MET-h/wk) revealed the worst survival time of 15.4 and 19.3 months, respectively. Best median survival with 29.8 months was seen at 10.5 MET-h/wk after adjustment for other prognostic factors. Lifetime combined PA decreased sharply several years before disease onset compared to controls. The risk of developing ALS was not associated with former total PA levels 5 to 55 years before interview in contrast to occupational PA, probably reflecting work-associated exposures. We found a strong nonlinear association of current and prediagnostic PA level and survival in ALS cases with the best survival with moderate PA. PA intensity may be a disease-modifying factor with an unfavorable outcome in sedentary and hyperactive behavior. This study provides Class III evidence that PA was not associated with the development of ALS.

Patterns of Structural and Functional Bacterioplankton Metacommunity along a River under Anthropogenic Pressure

Bacteria, an integral part of aquatic ecosystems, are responsible for the circulation of matter and flow of energy. Since bacterioplankton rapidly responds to any natural and human-induced disturbances in the environment, it can serve as a bioindicator of these changes. Knowing factors that shape the microbial community structure may help the sustainable management of the water environment. However, the identification of environmental signals affecting the structure and function of bacterioplankton is still a challenge. The study analyses the impact of environmental variables on basic microbial parameters, which determines the effectiveness of ecological processes in rivers. Measurements of bacterioplankton abundance (BA) and extracellular enzyme activity (EEA) were based on fluorescent markers. The bacterial community structure was determined by 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing (Illumina). The results indicate spatial variation in bacterioplankton abundance. Temporal variation was not significant. Lipase and aminopeptidase had the highest level of activity. EEA was not correlated with bacterial abundance but was significantly correlated with temperature. Moreover, differences in lipase, α-glucosidase and β-glucosidase activity levels between spring and summer were noted. At the same time, the location of sampling site had a significant influence on aminopeptidase activity. The taxonomic analysis of bacterioplankton communities in the Brda River indicated that, although different numbers of OTUs were recorded in the studied river sections, bacterioplankton biodiversity did not change significantly along the river with distance downstream. Anthropogenically modified river sections were characterized by the dominance of Flavobacterium (Bacterioidetes) and hgcl clade (Actinobacteria) taxa, known for their ability to produce extracellular enzymes. PCoA analysis revealed that the sites located in the lower river course (urban area) had the most similar bacterial community structure (β-diversity). The study provides new insight into the changes in microbial communities along the river and emphasizes the potential impact of anthropogenization on these processes.

Influence of surgical team activity on airborne bacterial distribution in the operating room with a mixing ventilation system: a case study at St. Olavs Hospital

Operating rooms (ORs) have strict requirements regarding cleanliness. While existing standards concerning the ventilation and staff guidelines are theoretically sufficient to subvert the threats posed by micro-organisms within the room, there exist potential sources of contamination due to human activity around the area. Studies exploring this influence of human activity on distribution of micro-organism contamination in ORs have relied on manual observations, or indirect methods such as number of door openings. To utilize depth registration sensing technology to identify the activities of surgical staff and investigate their effect on the distribution of airborne micro-organism contamination in ORs. A mock surgical experiment was performed using a depth registration technique for the dynamic capturing of human presence and activity levels. Field measurements were carried out in one real OR to analyse its influence on the bacterial distribution in ORs with mixing ventilation system. Bacterial contamination levels tended to correlate with higher activity levels, albeit with some inconsistencies. The highest activity levels were around the surgical bed when the patient was placed, and around the instrument table during the surgical procedure. Locations with obstructions had the highest cfu densities, indicating that airflow patterns are important in such spaces. Our activity monitoring methods demonstrate a novel means of studying the influences of human activities in hospital rooms.

Urban design in underground public spaces: lessons from Moscow Metro

ABSTRACT This paper examines the history and social life of the underground public spaces in three Moscow Metro stations just north of Red Square and the Kremlin: Okhotny Ryad, Tverskaya, and Ploshchad Revolyutsii stations. Moscow’s subway originated from two motivations: to improve the public transit system and to revitalize Moscow’s centre instead of moving out to the suburbs for growth. To achieve these goals, subway architects and planners devised beautiful and people-friendly subway stations that cannot be observed in other Western cities. The resulting spaces successfully accommodated a high level of social activities in the central halls of the platforms as well as on escalators. Several urban design principles, including “soft edge” and “triangulation props”, can be observed regardless of the designers’ original intent. Moscow’s subway stations are case studies worth exploring before architects and planners design their underground systems.

The enzymatic browning reaction inhibition effect of strong acidic electrolyzed water on different parts of sweet potato slices

The efficacy of acidic electrolyzed water on inhibiting the enzymatic browning reaction of the skin, peripheral and central parts of sweet potato slices was investigated in the present study. The total phenolic content of the same part of sweet potato treated by electrolyzed water with pH 2.7 and available chlorine concentration 55.98 mg/L was decreased within six days of storage. The major free phenolic acid detected in sweet potato slices is chlorogenic acid, and the content of chlorogenic acid of skin parts of sweet potato of control treatment on the 4th storage day was 609.53 mg/kg, whereas the content decreased to 427.28 mg/kg of elecrolyzed water treatment, and most of the free and bound phenolic acids contents of skin parts of sweet potato slices were decreased of electrolyzed water treatment. Electrolyzed water could decrease the browning degree of skin, peripheral and central parts of sweet potato slices, significantly (P < 0.05), as well as inhibit the activities of polyphenol oxidase and peroxidase, significantly (P < 0.05). These results indicated that the high level of browning degree of skin parts of sweet potato slices was related with a high level of substrates and high activities of polyphenol oxidase and peroxidase in skin parts. Acidic electrolyzed water could effectively control the enzymatic browning reaction of sweet potato slices and was a promising method to be used in fresh-cut sweet potato products processing. • Electrolyzed water was used to process sweet potato slices. • Electrolyzed water could inhibit the browning degree of sweet potato slices. • Electrolzyed water could inhibit the PPO and POD activities of sweet potato slices. • Electrolzyed water could decrease the total phenolic content of sweet potato slices.

Peran Pemerintah Provinsi Sumatera Barat dalam Penertiban Pertambangan Batuan di Nagari Sikabu Kecamatan Lubuk Alung Kabupaten Padang Pariaman

This study aims to analyze the role of the West Sumatra Provincial Government in Control of Rock Mining in Sikabu village, Lubuk Alung sub-district, District of Padang Pariaman. As a background of this research is founded that the high level of rock mining exploitation activities in the form of landfill and sirtukil excavation had an impact on road and bridge infrastructure causing damage and disconnection of transportation routes around the mining area, while there was no improvement to the infrastructure. The focus of this research is how to control rock mining in the site. The role of the provincial government in controlling rock mining, and the factors that influence the role of the provincial government in controlling rock mining. The research is a qualitative research with a descriptive method. Data obtained through observation, interviews, and documentation study. The data validity test was done by using source triangulation technique. Data processing techniques with data reduction, data presentation and drawing conclusions.&#x0D; The results of this study indicate that the role of the West Sumatra provincial government which is part of an integrated regional law enforcement team (in accordance with the Decree of the Governor of West Sumatra Province Number 332-107-2019), is not running effectively because the role of the government as information is not well implemented. The lack of mining raids carried out by the government has an impact on the low level of community awareness. Many communities deliberately avoid mining raids which are only occasionally carried out by the government. In fact, this mining raid aims to provide socialization to the community about the importance of environmental balance in exploiting rock mines. Several factors that influence the role of the provincial government in controlling rock mining in the village of Sikabu are among others: a) Disparity of vision and mission among agencies that are members of the integrated regional law enforcement team. b) Limitation of provincial government budget for mining raids.

Hyperactivation of monocytes and macrophages in MCI patients contributes to the progression of Alzheimer's disease

BackgroundAlzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common neurodegenerative disease ultimately manifesting as clinical dementia. Despite considerable effort and ample experimental data, the role of neuroinflammation related to systemic inflammation is still unsettled. While the implication of microglia is well recognized, the exact contribution of peripheral monocytes/macrophages is still largely unknown, especially concerning their role in the various stages of AD.ObjectivesAD develops over decades and its clinical manifestation is preceded by subjective memory complaints (SMC) and mild cognitive impairment (MCI); thus, the question arises how the peripheral innate immune response changes with the progression of the disease. Therefore, to further investigate the roles of monocytes/macrophages in the progression of AD we assessed their phenotypes and functions in patients at SMC, MCI and AD stages and compared them with cognitively healthy controls. We also conceptualised an idealised mathematical model to explain the functionality of monocytes/macrophages along the progression of the disease.ResultsWe show that there are distinct phenotypic and functional changes in monocyte and macrophage populations as the disease progresses. Higher free radical production upon stimulation could already be observed for the monocytes of SMC patients. The most striking results show that activation of peripheral monocytes (hyperactivation) is the strongest in the MCI group, at the prodromal stage of the disease. Monocytes exhibit significantly increased chemotaxis, free radical production, and cytokine production in response to TLR2 and TLR4 stimulation.ConclusionOur data suggest that the peripheral innate immune system is activated during the progression from SMC through MCI to AD, with the highest levels of activation being in MCI subjects and the lowest in AD patients. Some of these parameters may be used as biomarkers, but more holistic immune studies are needed to find the best period of the disease for clinical intervention.

Impact of Harvest Conditions and Host Tree Species on Chemical Composition and Antioxidant Activity of Extracts from Viscum album L.

The content of plant secondary metabolites is not stable, and factors such as the region/location effect and seasonal variations have an impact on their chemical composition, especially in parasitic plants. Research in this area is an important step in the development of quality parameter standards of medicinal plants and their finished products. The effects of the time and place of harvest and the host tree species on the chemical composition and antioxidant activity of mistletoe extracts were investigated. Statistical tools were used to evaluate the results of the spectrophotometric and LC-ESI-MS/MS studies of the phenolic composition and antioxidant activity. The investigations indicate that the qualitative and quantitative composition, influencing the biological activity of mistletoe extracts, largely depends on the origin of the plant. The mistletoe extracts exhibited a rich phenol profile and high antioxidant activity. The chemometric analysis indicated that mistletoe collected from conifers (Viscum abietis and Viscum austriacum) had the most advantageous chemical composition and antioxidant activity. Moreover, the chemical profile and biological activity of the plant material were closely related to the climatic conditions and location of the harvested plant. Higher levels of phenolic compounds and high antioxidant activity were found in extracts obtained from plant material collected in cold weather with the presence of snow and less sunshine (autumn–winter period).

Risk Factors of Patient-Related Safety Events during Active Mobilization for Intubated Patients in Intensive Care Units-A Multi-Center Retrospective Observational Study.

The aim of this study is to clarify the incidence and risk factors of patient-related safety events (PSE) in situations limited to intubated patients in which active mobilization, such as sitting on the edge of the bed/standing/walking, was carried out. A multi-center retrospective observational study was conducted at nine hospitals between January 2017 and March 2018. The safety profiles and PSE of 87 patients were analyzed. PSE occurred in 10 out of 87 patients (11.5%) and 13 out of 198 sessions (6.6%). The types of PSE that occurred were hypotension (8, 62%), heart rate instability (3, 23%), and desaturation (2, 15%). Circulation-related events occurred in 85% of overall cases. No accidents, such as line/tube removal or falls, were observed. The highest incidence of PSE was observed during the mobilization level of standing (8 out of 39 sessions, 20.5%). The occurrence of PSE correlated with the highest activity level under logistic regression analysis. Close vigilance is required for intubated patients during active mobilization in the standing position with regard to circulatory dynamics.

Seasonal variability of water quality index in the Hooghly Estuary areas of West Bengal, India

Health of the Hooghly estuary was estimated through Water Quality Index (WQI) developed using ten water quality parameters, viz., specific conductivity, turbidity, pH, total dissolved solids, dissolved oxygen, biochemical oxygen demand, chloride, total alkalinity, total hardness, and nitrate-N measured at three different stations along the salinity gradient. Weighted arithmetic index method was used for calculation of WQI. For classifying water quality in each of the sampling stations, five-point rating scale was used. Wide fluctuations in monthly WQI were observed in this estuarine zone with the highest values during pre-monsoon month of May and the lowest values during monsoon month of October. From WQI values (mostly >100) throughout the year, it was evident that Hooghly-Bhagirathi estuarine system is unsuitable for drinking and propagation of wildlife and freshwater aqua culture as per water quality standards. It was also observed that there is a severe anthropogenic influence on most of the parameters. Major causes of deterioration in water quality were discharge of untreated industrial and municipal wastes, besides high level of other anthropogenic activities. Key words WQI; Hooghly estuary; India

Corporate Social Responsibility in Contemporary Organizations: Evidence from Serbian Processing Industry

Abstract Corporate social responsibility (CSR), as a concept that tackles economic, social, and environmental dimensions of business, becomes more and more implemented in companies all around the world. There are different effects that CSR can have on business performance, but it is generally accepted that CSR is related to positive outcomes in business organizations. Also, CSR is a concept that can be understood as a way of reaching sustainable development in the future. This paper aims to investigate the level of the implementation of CSR in Serbia, concerning large companies in the processing industry. The methodology used in the paper obtains exploration of theoretical sources, but also the analysis of primary empirical data gathered in Serbia, in the period from November 2019 until June 2020. The authors designed a questionnaire to explore the state of the art of CSR in Serbia, in business organizations, based on previous successful empirical research. Descriptive statistics, factor analysis, Mann-Whitney, and Kruskal Wallis tests were used to investigate the CSR on the sample of 73 large companies in Serbia’s processing industry. The analyses were made in SPSS software. The results point to the relatively high level of CSR activities in Serbian processing companies, and to the fact that modern companies understand the need of reaching more diversified goals than just economic ones in their business.

Rapid Formation of Stem Cell Spheroids Using Two-Dimensional MXene Particles

Cell spheroids have been studied as a biomimic medicine for tissue healing using cell sources. Rapid cell spheroid production increases cell survival and activity as well as the efficiency of mass production by reducing processing time. In this study, two-dimensional MXene (Ti3C2) particles were used to form mesenchymal stem cell spheroids, and the optimal MXene concentration, spheroid-production times, and bioactivity levels of spheroid cells during this process were assessed. A MXene concentration range of 1 to 10 μg/mL induced spheroid formation within 6 h. The MXene-induced spheroids exhibited osteogenic-differentiation behavior, with the highest activity levels at a concentration of 5 μg/mL. We report a novel and effective method for the rapid formation of stem cell spheroids using MXene.