Discovery of the Potential Novel Pharmacodynamic Substances From Zhi-Zi-Hou-Po Decoction Based on the Concept of Co-Decoction Reaction and Analysis Strategy

Background: Zhi-Zi-Hou-Po Decoction (ZZHPD), a classic traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) formula, is clinically used to treat insomnia and depression. The analysis strategy based on the concept of co-decoction of TCM is helpful to analyse the effective substances of TCM formula in depth.Aim of the study: This manuscript intends to take ZZHPD as a model sample to explore the phenomenon of co-decoction of complex formula in the combination of liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) technology, data analysis, and molecular docking.Materials and methods: In the current research, an innovative LC-MS method has been established to study the active ingredients in ZZHPD, and to identify the ingredients absorbed into the blood and brain tissues of mice. And molecular docking was used to study the binding pattern and affinities of known compounds of the brain tissue toward insomnia related proteins.Results: Based on new processing methods and analysis strategies, 106 chemical components were identified in ZZHPD, including 28 blood components and 18 brain components. Then, by comparing the different compounds in the co-decoction and single decoction, it was surprisingly found that 125 new ingredients were produced during the co-decoction, 2 of which were absorbed into the blood and 1 of which was absorbed into brain tissue. Ultimately, molecular docking studies showed that 18 brain components of ZZHPD had favourable binding conformation and affinity with GABA, serotonin and melatonin receptors. The docking results of GABRA1 with naringenin and hesperidin, HCRTR1 with naringenin-7-O-glucoside, poncirenin and genipin 1-gentiobioside, and luteolin with SLC6A4, GLO1, MAOB and MTNR1A may clarify the mechanism of action of ZZHPD in treating insomnia and depression.Conclusion: Our study may provide new ideas for further exploring the effective substances in ZZHPD.

Language of Criminal Confessions

Confession evidence is powerfully persuasive, and yet many wrongful convictions involving false confessions have surfaced in recent years (Innocence Project, 2021; National Registry of Exonerations, 2021). Although police are trained to corroborate admissions of guilt, research shows that most false confessions contain accurate details and other content cues suggesting credibility as well as extrinsic evidence of guilt. Hence, a method is needed to help distinguish true and false confessions. In this study, we utilized a corpus-based approach to outline the linguistic features of two sets of confessions: those that are presumed true (n = 98) and those that have been proven false (n = 37). After analyzing the two corpora in LIWC (Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count) to identify significant categories, we created a logistic regression model that distinguished the two corpora based on three identified predictors: personal pronouns, impersonal pronouns, and conjunctions. In a first sample comprised of 25 statements per set, the model correctly categorized 37 out of 50 confessions (74%); in a second out-of-model sample, the predictors accurately classified 20 of 24 confessions (83.3%). A high frequency of impersonal pronouns was associated with confessions proven false, while a high frequency of conjunctions and personal pronouns were associated with confessions presumed to be true. Several patterns were observed in the corpora. In the latter set of confessions, for example, “I” was often followed by a lexical verb, a pattern less frequent in false confessions. Although these data are preliminary and not to be used for practical diagnostic purposes, the findings suggest that additional research is warranted.

OPTOELECTRONIC HARDWARE-SOFTWARE MONOMODULAR SENSOR OF METEOROLOGICAL RANGE OF VISIBILITY AND ATMOSPHERE TRANSPARENCY WITH AUTOMATIC CORRECTION OF EXTERNAL POLLUTION EFFECT OF OPTICAL SYSTEMS

A model sample of a monomodular hardware-software optoelectronic sensor of k-factor, meteorological range of visibility and atmosphere transparency with high technical and operational characteristics of small -sized execution is developed and created. The combination in the algorithm of functioning of the developed hardware-software methods of sensor creation provided increase of accuracy and invariance of results of measurement concerning external background illumination and self-testing with automatic correction of pollution effect of optical windows of the sensor. Continuous monitoring of the degree of contamination of optical windows provides an opportunity in case of detection of exceeding the permissible level of pollution to provide the operator with information about the need for preventive work. The proposed method of automatic correction of contamination of optical windows either completely eliminates or significantly increases the time interval of their mechanical cleaning operations, which reduces labour costs for maintenance of the sensor. The analysis of technical capabilities of the nodes of the model sample of the sensor allowed to estimate its basic meteorological parameters: the k-factor – (0.17÷1.11∙10-4) m-1, the meteorological visibility – (18÷27∙103 ) m and the atmosphere transparency per 1 km of the layer – (0÷0.895). The developed meteorological sensor can be used as a basic remote-controlled instrument for measuring meteorological parameters of the state of the atmosphere at the hydrometeorological stations of the country, mobile meteorological stations, stationary meteorological stations of road and air services to ensure guaranteed safety of workers.

Biosorption of chromium by dry algae Chlorella kessleri

Decontamination of environment according to traditional methods is not only economically inaccessible but also often highly environmentally harmful. It is necessary to apply methods that are environmentally friendly as possible. These methods include bioremediation, which uses organisms able to fight with high concentrations of pollutants to decontaminate the environment. In this study, we observed the biosorption of chromium from the aquatic environment using dried algae Chlorella kessleri. The results of the specific sorption at pH = 4.00 in the chromium model sample had a value of q = 5.9 mg / g, which represented a decrease in the chromium concentration by 74%. The specific sorption in the case of the native chromium sample q after 24 hours reached the highest value (q = 2.74 mg / g) at pH = 4.00. During the experiment, we observed a constant change in the content of photosynthetic pigments in the prepared solutions where it was shown that after 24 h exposure the yield of chlorophyll a was decrease by 95.91% compare to control. In the case of chlorophyll b, the same trend was demonstrated where 91.92% decrease of its content after 24 hours was observed. This type of dried alga has been shown to be a rapid biosorbent, in relatively short time intervals. The results of the study show that in the process of decontamination there was not only the binding of chromium to the cell surface but also its penetration through the cell wall.

UI/UX Mobile Games Transformation towards Translated Language

The purpose of this research study is to get data of user experience towards mobile game design and the transformation of its interface due to translated language. Most of popular mobile games came from China with their local language and writing system. Chinese alphabetic is appropriate for vertical or horizontal orientation, but English and Indonesian alphabetic are not appropriate with vertical orientation. Ragnarok M: Eternal Love with MMORPG’s genre is the game sample model, originally from China server and now this game is translated into several languages such as English and Bahasa Indonesia. Ragnarok M: Eternal Love’s game developer used a unique method with combined icon and text in order to solve layout’s problem that they encounter when converted in to several languages. We conduct the experiment within 2 period of time, based on 25 participants (gamer), all participants tried user interface from a game model sample. The result confirmed that the display of the UI (user interface) used by the developer team of Ragnarok M: Eternal Love, had demonstrated a good solution in developing a user interface for mobile game, when confronted by fixed layout and forced to adapt to various different language, but it still need some adjustment time to fully understand the function of every button.

BKT-POMDP: Fast Action Selection for User Skill Modelling over Tasks with Multiple Skills

Creating an accurate model of a user's skills is necessary for intelligent tutoring systems. Without an accurate model, sample problems or tasks must be selected haphazardly by the tutor. Once an accurate model has been trained, the tutor can selectively focus on training essential or deficient skills. Prior work offers mechanisms for optimizing the training of a single skill or for multiple skills when individual tasks involve testing only a single skill at a time, but not for multiple skills when individual tasks can contain evidence for multiple skills. In this paper, we present a system that estimates user skill models for multiple skills by selecting tasks which maximize the information gain across the entire skill model. We compare our system's policy against several baselines and an optimal policy in both simulated and real tasks. Our system outperforms baselines and performs almost on par with the optimal policy.

Phenotypic traits variability of Grassy peony (Paeonia L.) with japanese flower shape as part of ornamental plants collection laboratory of MBG RAS

The results of studying the variability of a number of quantitative and qualitative characteristics in a model sample of varieties of herbaceous peony with a Japanese flower shape to identify genotypes that differ in variety-specific characteristics are presented. The investigated sample is formed on the basis of the collection of the genus Paeonia L. laboratory of ornamental plants MBG. In the course of the study, variety-specific characteristics were established for a number of cultivars. 2 short ('Bu-Te', 'West Elkton') and 3 tall ('Yellow King', 'Hit Parade', 'Lotus Queen') varieties were selected. 3 grades are marked — 'Mrs. Wilder Bankroft', Midnight Sun, 'Neon' — with consistently low absolute values of the peduncle diameter at the base. 2 large-flowered ('Gold Standard', 'Surprise') and 2 small-flowered ('Bu-Te', 'Gay Paree') cultivars were identified. It was found that the largest sizes of the staminodium zone are distinguished by 'Hit Parade' and 'John van Leeuwen'. The least common variations of the bush type (in the full flowering phase) were recorded in 4 varieties 'Rahoomon', 'Feather Top', 'Largo' (compact) and 'Mr. G.F. Hemerik' (spreading). There are 2 cultivars ('Isani Gidui', 'Fairy') with probably not typical for representatives of this garden group, the type of leaf shape — Paeonia mlokosewitschii. 8 varieties were identified ('Philomele', 'Fairy', 'Okinava', 'Mirage', as well as 'Isani Gidui','Yellow King','Bu-Te', 'Walter Mains'), characterized by relatively sparsely distributed morphological characteristics associated with the shape of the leaf segment. The variety 'Akron' with the original (for the sample under study) variant of stem pigmentation was selected.

Effect of Different Drying Methods on the Drying Kinetics of Fermented Cardaba Banana Peels

Cardaba banana peels (Musa acuminata) were fermented for three days and dried using solar dryer, open sun and tunnel dryer. Nonlinear regression analysis was used to fit in the experimental data. Moisture drying was investigated using Fick’s second law. Statistical tools such as coefficient of determination (R2), reduced chi square (χ2), Mean Bias Error (MBE) and Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) were used to test the reliability of the model. Sample dried in sun had single falling rate pattern whereas samples in solar and tunnel dryer exhibited a second falling rate pattern. The values of R2 ranged from 0.872 - 0.989, χ2(1.4E-34 - 0.0624), MBE (-0.0067 - 0.0491) and RMSE (1.1E-17 - 0.2247). Effective moisture diffusivity for samples dried in solar, tunnel and sun were 2.92 E-11m2/s, 1.98 E-11m2/s and 1.09 E-11m2/s, respectively. The energy of activation in the process was 64.9kJ/mol. Page model best described drying behavior of the samples.Keywords: Fermentation, banana peels, drying, models, diffusivity, activation energy

A simplified model of the thermal interaction of a Venetian blind located on the indoor glazing surface of a window

A simplified model was developed to predict the radiative and convective heat transfer in complex fenestration systems, including the effect of solar radiation. The focus of the current work was on Venetian blinds mounted adjacent to the indoor window surface. From the perspective of convection, the model used a convective flat plate flow between the blind and ambient surroundings and a convective channel flow between the window and blinds. It was necessary to develop new empirical correlations to predict the average channel Nusslet numbers of the hot and cold walls separately. Therefore, a CFG study of free convection in an asymmetrically heated channel was performed. Then, the new empirical correlations were used to develop a simplified one-dimensional model of the heat transfer in the system. The radiative heat exchange between the blind, window and room was calculated using a four surface grey-diffuse model. Sample predicted results were compared with existing experimental and numerical data from the literature.