Sequential System Research Articles

A sequential artificial light-harvesting system based on a metallacycle for sensitive detection of biothiols

A cascaded artificial light-harvesting system based on the platinum(ii) metallacycle was constructed, which displayed high sensitivity and specificity for biothiols.

Exploring Reliability Factors in a Sequential Solar System: A Copula-based Investigation of Dependability Substances

Exploring Reliability Factors in a Sequential Solar System: A Copula-based Investigation of Dependability Substances

H-BERT4Rec: Enhancing Sequential Recommendation System on MOOCs Based on Heterogeneous Information Networks

H-BERT4Rec: Enhancing Sequential Recommendation System on MOOCs Based on Heterogeneous Information Networks

Combining photocontrolled-cationic and anionic-group-transfer polymerizations using a universal mediator: enabling access to two- and three-mechanism block copolymers.

An ongoing challenge in polymer chemistry is accessing diverse block copolymers from multiple polymerization mechanisms and monomer classes. One strategy to accomplish this goal without intermediate compatibilization steps is the use of universal mediators. Thiocarbonyl thio (TCT) functional groups are well-known mediators to combine radical with either cationic or anionic polymerization, but a sequential cationic-anionic universal mediator system has never been reported. Herein, we report a TCT universal mediator that can sequentially perform photocontrolled cationic polymerization and thioacyl anionic group transfer polymerization to access poly(ethyl vinyl ether)-block-poly(thiirane) polymers for the first time. Thermal analyses of these block copolymers provide evidence of microphase separation. The success of this system, along with the established compatibility of radical polymerization, enabled us to further chain extend the cationic-anionic diblock using radical polymerization of N-isopropylacrylamide. The resulting terpolymer represents the first example of a triblock made from three different monomer classes incorporated via three different mechanisms without any end-group modification steps. The development of this simple, sequential synthesis using a universal mediator approach opens up new possibilities by providing facile access to diverse block copolymers of vinyl ethers, thiiranes, and acrylamides.

Osteoporotic Bone Regeneration via Plenished Biomimetic PLGA Scaffold with Sequential Release System.

Achieving satisfactory bone tissue regeneration in osteoporotic patients with ordinary biomaterials is challenging because of the decreased bone mineral density and aberrant bone microenvironment. In addressing this issue, a biomimetic scaffold (PMEH/SP), incorporating 4-hexylresorcinol (4HR), and substance P (SP) into the poly(lactic-go-glycolic acid) (PLGA) scaffold with magnesium hydroxide (M) and extracellular matrix (E) is introduced, enabling the consecutive release of bioactive agents. 4HR and SP induced the phosphorylation of p38 MAPK and ERK in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs), thereby upregulating VEGF expression level. The migration and tube-forming ability of endothelial cells can be promoted by the scaffold, which accelerates the formation and maturation of the bone. Moreover, 4HR played a crucial role in the inhibition of osteoclastogenesis by interrupting the IκB/NF-κB signaling pathway and exhibiting SP, thereby enhancing the migration and angiogenesis of HUVECs. Based on such a synergistic effect, osteoporosis can be suppressed, and bone regeneration can be achieved by inhibiting the RANKL pathway in vitro and in vivo, which is a commonly known mechanism of bone physiology. Therefore, the study presents a promising approach for developing a multifunctional regenerative material for sophisticated osteoporotic bone regeneration.

“Kupffer Cell Teleportation” Strategy for Liver Fibrosis Alleviation Based on Hybrid Polymer‐ Bimetallic Sequential Delivery System

AbstractAlthough direct hepatic stellate cell (HSC) inhibition is considered a promising strategy for alleviating liver fibrosis, traditional therapies struggle with off‐target effects due to limited penetration of liver sinusoidal endothelial cell barriers. This study reports on the development of a “Kupffer cell (KC) teleportation” strategy to treat liver fibrosis by fabricating a hybrid polymer‐bimetallic sequential delivery system, CF@BPPM (baicalin prodrug polymer [BP]/mannose derivative polymer [PM] encapsulated copper [Cu]‐iron [Fe] ultrasmall nanoparticles [CFs]). The nanosystems exhibit KCs targeting and acidic response sequential release properties by a hybrid polymer, which first releases CFs in lysosome after being internalized by KCs through a PM targeting effect. The exposed CFs efficiently scavenge reactive oxygen species in KCs and subsequently degrade Cu2+/ Fe2+ to upregulate the heme oxygenase expression for suppressing interleukin 1β, interleukin 6, tumor necrosis factor‐alpha, and platelet‐derived growth factors. Second, baicalin, released from BP in lysosome, further inhibits transforming growth factor beta secretion. These results suggest that CF@BPPM inhibits the inclusive cytokine secretion of KCs, which play a vital conductive role in liver fibrosis progression. Subsequently, CF@BPPM achieves protection against HSCs activation, migration, and collagen production, enriching anti‐liver fibrosis therapeutic methods by exploiting messaging between KCs and HSCs.

XGBoost sequential system for the prediction of Persian lemon crop yield

AbstractToday, Mexico ranks second worldwide in total lemon production; however, the yield per hectare is only ranked eighth, which makes evident a low productive potential in the country. This work provides an impact analysis of certain physical and climatic variables on the yield of Persian lemon (Citrus latifolia) harvest; its objective is to determine which variables are controllable to guarantee a higher crop yield in different uncontrollable climatic conditions. For this, we developed a yield prediction system. The system consists of three sequential Extreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost) algorithms fed with historical information, which allow for prediction of Persian lemon crop in its three stages: flowering, budding, and fruiting, having as input variables planting density, number of trees in production, pruning and cleaning, and pest control, in addition to uncontrollable weather elements such as rain and wind. The variables with the greatest impact on crop yield are pruning, cleaning, and pest control. The algorithms have a performance of 0.87, 0.93, and 0.97, respectively, for each stage. The analysis provides the farmer with a tool that allows him to make data‐driven decisions based on the manipulation of good agricultural practices considering the current weather conditions, thus promoting a higher harvest yield and thus a higher profit margin.

Do toys get in the way? The duration of shared emotional experiences is longer when mothers engage their infants without toys.

During mother-infant interaction, shared emotional experiences, defined as reciprocal and synchronous emotional sharing between mother and infant, are an indicator of early relational health. Yet, it is unclear how mothers' efforts to engage with their infants relate to dyadic-level shared emotional experiences. Utilizing a sample of 80 randomly selected videos of the NICHD Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development, we examined how mothers' bids for interaction with their 6-month-old infants related to the duration of shared emotional experiences. An event sampling, sequential coding system was used to identify a maternal bid for interaction (i.e., with toy, without toy) and the subsequent presence or absence of a shared emotional experience, including duration of the shared emotional experience. Results indicated that shared emotional experiences were longer following mothers' efforts to engage their infants in play without toys. Findings suggest that methods matter; researchers and practitioners interested in studying and promoting shared emotional experiences between mothers and infants may wish to focus on dyadic interactions without toys.

Feasibility of sequential anaerobic-aerobic integrated settler-based biofilm reactor for onsite treatment of domestic wastewater

The present study investigates the applicability of sequential anaerobic aerobic integrated settler-based biofilm reactor (SAABR) for the onsite treatment of domestic wastewater. The main aim of the study is to overcome the inherent flaws in an anaerobic system as well as enhancing the effluent quality by means of aerobic post-treatment. The sequential system consisted of an anaerobic settler is followed by two biofilters, anaerobic as well aerobic in series. The first biofilter is anaerobic and the second one is aerobic. The system was run on two hydraulic loading conditions (steady and non-steady flow) with a 24-hour hydraulic retention time (HRT) for the anaerobic system and a 2-hour HRT of aerobic filters. It was found that the performance of the system at steady flow stood at 93.9 ± 2.6, 93.3 ± 1.8, 91.2 ± 4.2, 75.8 ± 3.8 and 98.7 ± 1.1% in terms of total suspended solids (TSS), biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), chemical oxygen demand (COD), total nitrogen (TN) and faecal coliform (FC), respectively while at non-steady flow, it decreased slightly. The Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscope (FESEM) showed the presence of anaerobic bacteria in the system. The system is able to overcome the major flaws of the anaerobic systems and able to deliver high effluent quality. The study demonstrated that the sequential system can be a sustainable alternative for the onsite treatment of domestic wastewater, particularly in rural areas of the developing countries like India.

A Sequential Culturing System for Generating Epithelial-Like Stem Cells from Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells Derived from Adipose Tissue

A Sequential Culturing System for Generating Epithelial-Like Stem Cells from Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells Derived from Adipose Tissue

Implementing sharing platform based on ontology using a sequential recommender system

<span lang="EN-US">While recommender systems have shown success in many fields, accurate recommendations in industrial settings remain challenging. In maintenance, existing techniques often struggle with the “cold start” problem and fail to consider differences in the target population's characteristics. To address this, additional user information can be incorporated into the recommendation process. This paper proposes a recommender system for recommending repair actions to technicians based on an ontology (knowledge base) and a sequential model. The approach utilizes two ontologies, one representing failure knowledge and the other representing asset attributes. The proposed method involves two steps: i) calculating score similarity based on ontology domain knowledge to make predictions for targeted failures and ii) generating Top-N repair actions through collaborative filtering recommendations for targeted failures. An additional module was implemented to evaluate the recommender system, and results showed improved performance.</span>

The Effect of Posted Prices on Auction Prices: An Empirical Investigation of a Multichannel B2B Market

Although multichannel sales strategies have become common due to the use of advanced information technologies, how one trading mechanism can influence the outcome of another, especially in the B2B market, remains largely underexplored. This paper investigates the effect of price and quantity information from an online posted-price presales channel on the performance of the century-old sequential Dutch auction system. Sellers can control the price paid and make a proportion of their stock available in auction presales. Anything left after presales is sold via auctions. Our analysis of nearly 1.5 million flower lots reveals a positive effect with higher auction prices and total revenue for lots listed in presales than for lots that are not. The result holds even for lots with no actual sales in the presales, indicating that buyers pay close attention to the additional information from the posted-price presales channel. By teasing out the information effect of presales prices and presales quantity on auction prices, we evaluate a number of pricing strategies. The results suggest that selling at a high price in presales is still more beneficial than selling more by discounting prices.

#190 : Impact of Fertilisation Techniques and Day of Biopsy on Pre-Implantation Genetic Testing Outcomes: A Retrospective Study

Background and Aims: Pre-implantation genetic testing (PGT) is a technology utilised in assisted reproductive technologies (ART) to aid in embryo selection and reduce time to pregnancy. However, the impact on PGT outcomes of different fertilisation techniques, to date, has been the subject of a limited number of studies. Therefore, we investigated the effect of three different fertilisation methods - intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), PIEZO-ICSI, and standard in vitro fertilisation (IVF) - on PGT outcomes, with further analysis performed for day of biopsy. Method: Retrospective analysis of 760 embryos biopsied for PGT from 290 patients undergoing IVF treatment in 2021. Fertilisation was achieved via ICSI, PIEZO-ICSI, or IVF, followed by embryo culture using a sequential media system. Trophectoderm biopsy samples were analysed using a Next Generation Sequencing based assay (Illumina VeriSeq PGS). Ploidy outcomes from PGT (euploid, aneuploid, mosaic, inconclusive and no result) were interrogated for differences between fertilisation method or day of biopsy (Day 5 or 6). For analyses, frequency data of ploidy outcomes were reported as percentages and divided into two maternal age groups: <38 and [Formula: see text]38 years. Statistical differences were determined using a chi-squared test. Results: Fertilisation technique did not have a significant effect on ploidy across both maternal age cohorts (% euploid embryos: >38 years old (n=431) PIEZO-ICSI 61% vs ICSI 58% vs IVF 51%; p>0.05, and [Formula: see text]38 years old (n=329) PIEZO-ICSI 37% vs ICSI 40% vs IVF 39%; p>0.05). For both age groups, no significant differences were observed in PGT outcomes for Day 5 biopsy compared to Day 6 (% euploid embryos: <38 years old (n=431) Day 5 62% vs Day 6 54%; p>0.05, and [Formula: see text]38 years old (n=329) Day 5 45% vs Day 6 37%; p>0.05). Conclusion: The study suggests that different fertilisation techniques or the day of biopsy may not influence PGT outcomes.

Comparative study of drug release from electrospun nanofibers loaded with clotrimazole via two different approaches using a fully automated sequential injection system

The development of new drug delivery platforms including the use of nanotechnology has been found of great interest in recent years. Two different loading approaches of the model antimycotic drug clotrimazole into the nanofibrous polycaprolactone and polydioxanone structures including electrospinning of a drug-polymer blend and impregnation of nanofibers with drug have been tested. The final amount of clotrimazole in the nanofibrous materials was determined by HPLC analysis and Raman spectroscopy. The electrospinning of blend approach allowed the adsorption of clotrimazole in a quantity of up to 30 % using mixtures with polymer/clotrimazole ratios from 2:1 to 8:1 (w/w). Ethanolic clotrimazole solutions with concentrations from 2.5 to 3.5 mg L−1 were used for adsorbing clotrimazole in blank nanofibers for 1–3 h with final clotrimazole content ranging from 3.0 to 5.7 %. Furthermore, a comparative liberation study including comparison with commercially available creams was carried out in low pressure flow system. The results obtained confirmed well controlled release of clotrimazole from both types of nanofibers. Compared to commercial pharmaceutical formulations containing 1 % clotrimazole where first-order release kinetics was observed, nanofibrous materials provided linear controlled release (zero-order kinetics) in the tested 3 h period.

Epidemiological surveillance of drug safety using cumulative sequential analysis in electronic healthcare data.

Methods for safety signal detection in electronic healthcare data analysing data sequentially are being developed to meet the limitations of spontaneous reporting systems. This study aims to provide an overview of the literature on sequential analysis of electronic healthcare data and describe the development and testing of a novel epidemiological surveillance system. We searched Medline, Embase, PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library applying similar in- and exclusion criteria as those of a previous systematic review. The proposed system consisted of repeated cohort studies and was tested in an emulated prospective setting. Two signal evaluations were performed with several sensitivity analyses and a target trial emulation. In the literature, 11 studies analysed the data sequentially of which two applied traditional epidemiological methods. Epidemiological surveillance of several exposures and outcomes can be successfully conducted with the newly proposed sequential analysis of electronic healthcare data. Signal evaluation studies confirmed the results of the system. Very few studies in the literature analysed data at multiple time points, although this seems to be a prerequisite for testing the methods in a realistic setting. We demonstrated the feasibility of a sequential surveillance system using electronic healthcare data.

Monitoring β-Fructofuranosidase Activity through Kluyveromyces marxianus in Bioreactor Using a Lab-Made Sequential Analysis System

The yeast Kluyveromyces marxianus has shown the potential to produce β-fructofuranosidases, which are enzymes capable of hydrolyzing β-fructofuranosides links of fructans to obtain fructooligosaccharides. The thriving market for fructose syrup and the quality standards imposed by food and pharmaceutical industries have generated an increased search for improved, monitored, and controlled production processes. Monitoring β-fructofuranosidase activity in a bioprocess requires the use of adequate sensors and the processing of information using efficient software algorithms; nevertheless, currently, such a sensor does not exist for this purpose. In this contribution, a sequential injection analysis system (SIA) developed in our laboratory was adapted to monitor at-line β-fructofuranosidase activity produced by the yeast K. marxianus. Samples were taken out automatically from the bioreactor and analyzed using 3,5-dinitrosalicylic (DNS). An algorithm was designed to operate the overall components of the lab-made SIA system. The enzymatic activity error obtained with the automatic SIA compared to the off-line laboratory determinations varied from 0.07% at high enzyme concentrations to 20.39% at low β-fructofuranosidase activity. Further development is required to improve the performance of the lab-made SIA system; nevertheless, such a device must be considered as a potential method for monitoring β-fructofuranosidase activity in real time.

Biomimetic and spatiotemporally sequential hydrogel delivery system with self-healing and adhesion: Triple growth factor for bone defect repair

The healing of bone defects depends on early revascularization for delivery of oxygen, nutrients, growth factors, and stem cells to the injury region but also elimination of metabolic wastes. In this research, the combination of rapidly released VEGF and sustained release of PDGF-BB from the chitosan microspheres in low crosslinked outer layer promoted angiogenesis and vascularization, and sustained release of BMP-2 from the microspheres in high crosslinked inner layer provided structural support and facilitated osteogenic differentiation. In the skull defect model and the subcutaneous implantation model, the combination of triple growth factors significantly accelerated the regeneration of vascularized bone compared with stimulation of sole BMP-2 or only combination of VEGF and PDGF-BB. Notably, the antibacterial effect of QCS/PF hydrogel could effectively avoid the infection risk caused by surgical implantation of Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus. In brief, the spatiotemporal specificity of the three growth factors was established in the “sandwich” structure QCS/PF (quaternized chitosan (QCS) and the aldehyde group of Pluronic®F127 (PF)) hydrogel delivery system, and the controlled and sequential release of the three growth factors within 28 days was achieved to better repair bone defects.

Single flow-based system for the automatic multiparametric nutrients (NPK & Fe) assessment in soil leachates

A multiparametric sequential injection system for the determination of phosphate, nitrite, nitrate, potassium, and iron(III) in a single manifold was developed. The main goal of the proposed method was to develop an efficient tool to assess a number of essential chemical compounds in soils, providing the corresponding information on soil fertility and, additionally, information on possible groundwater contamination. The method was applied for the quantification of the aforementioned parameters in simulated leachates produced in laboratory-scale core columns. The relative standard deviations of ten replicate analyses of a standard were: 6% for phosphate; 2% for nitrite; 2% for nitrate; 5% for potassium; and 6% for iron(III). The limits of detection and quantification were: 2.15 and 7.18 μmol/L for phosphate determination; 0.22 and 0.73 μmol/L for nitrite determination; 3.42 and 8.00 μmol/L for nitrate determination; 39 μmol/L (limit of detection) for potassium determination; and 0.46 and 1.85 μmol/L for iron(III) determination. The sequential injection system was successfully applied for the quantification of multiple soil chemical components (PO43−, NO2−, NO3−, K+, and Fe3+) in soil leachates. The analysis of a sample, involving all the analytes, has a duration of 28 min.

PENERAPAN METODE AL-HUSNA DALAM PEMBELAJARAN MEMBACA AL-QUR’AN LINGKAR QUR’AN AL-IKHLAS DI MASJID MUNIROH TAHUN AJARAN 2022/2023

The aim of this study was to investigate the implementation of the Al-Husna method for teaching hijaiyah letters. The research employed a descriptive qualitative approach, utilizing data from observations, interviews, and documentation. The collected data were analyzed using the Miles and Huberman model, which involved data collection, data reduction, presentation, and drawing conclusions. The findings of the study indicate that the Al-Husna method facilitates Quranic reading by making it easier, practical, systematic, and aligned with the teachings of Prophet Muhammad (SAW) and his companions. The method incorporates Ottoman script as a basis for learning and authenticating the letters. The application of the Al-Husna method in the Al-Ikhlas Qur'an Circle at Muniroh Mosque consists of three stages: preparation, implementation, and assessment. The preparatory stage involves organizing study circles. The subsequent stage focuses on introducing hijaiyah letters through a sequential system, scanning and keywords, and teaching letter formation. The final stage entails evaluating students' learning outcomes using mutaba'ah cards. In conclusion, the Al-Husna method proves beneficial for children, as evidenced by a 75% success rate in Quranic reading and comprehension of hijaiyah letters at an early age.

Nitrogen removal performance and C, N, S transformation under dry-wet alterations of heterotrophic-autotrophic sequential bioretention system amended with waste reed and sulfur

Mixotrophic denitrification (combining heterotrophic denitrification and autotrophic denitrification) based bioretention system is a promising sustainable technology for nitrate nitrogen removal from stormwater runoff due to the ease of start-up and long operational cycle. However, the initial release of organic matter and ammonia nitrogen from most biomass carbon sources and the ineffectiveness for real-time treatment during rewetting period limit its engineering application. In this study, a novel heterotrophic-autotrophic sequential bioretention system was constructed by sequential packing waste reeds and sulfur in the upper and lower layers of the submerged zone. The removal of nitrate nitrogen, total nitrogen, ammonia nitrogen, and chemical oxygen demand maintained at 92.45%–99.54%, 84.80%–95.60%, 57.27%–82.86%, and 67.79%–85.82%, respectively, under different influent nitrate nitrogen loads of 20 mg/L, 14 mg/L, and 8 mg/L, respectively. The system solved the massive leaching of ammonia nitrogen and organic matter from waste reeds in the early phases and achieved low production rate of nitrite nitrogen (0.0004–0.0048 kg/(m3·d)) and sulfate (0.09–0.27 kg/(m3·d)). For 3 and 5 antecedent dry days, the real-time nitrate nitrogen removal kept at 99.66 ± 0.25% and 91.26 ± 7.91%. Microbial communities and functional genes revealed the C, N, S transformation driven by the system improved the responds to dry-wet alterations. The synergy of heterotrophic layer (heterotrophic denitrification and sulfide-driven autotrophic denitrification) and autotrophic layer (sulfur-driven autotrophic denitrification, dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonia, and sulfate reduction) promoted the complete denitrification and reduced by-products formation.