Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Long-Term Impact of COVID-19 Pneumonia on the Pulmonary Function of Survivors

Background The sequelae of COVID-19 pneumonia on pulmonary function and airways inflammation are still an area of active research. Objective This research aimed to explore the long-term impact of COVID-19 pneumonia on the lung function after three months from recovery. Methods Fifty subjects (age 18–60 years) were recruited and classified into two groups: the control group (30 subjects) and the post-COVID-19 pneumonia group (20 patients). Pulmonary function tests, spirometry, body plethysmography [lung volumes and airway resistance (Raw)], diffusion capacity for carbon monoxide (DLCO), and fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO), were measured after at least 3 months post-recovery. Results Significant reduction in total lung capacity (TLC), forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume (FEV1), FEV1/FEV, and diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide (DLCO) was observed in post-COVID-19 subjects compared to controls. Restrictive lung impairment was observed in 50% of post-COVID-19 cases (n = 10) compared to 20% in the control group (n = 6, P = 0.026). In addition, mild diffusion defect was detected in 35% (n = 7) of the post-COVID-19 group compared to 23.3% (n = 7) in the controls (P = 0.012). Conclusion COVID-19 pneumonia has an impact on the lung functions in terms of restrictive lung impairment and mild diffusion defect after three months from recovery. Therefore, a long-term follow-up of the lung function in post-COVID-19 survivors is recommended.
Calponin 3 suppresses proliferation, migration and invasion of non-small cell lung cancer cells

Calponin 3 (CNN3) is known to serve a role in certain types of cancer, such as gastric cancer and colorectal cancer. The present study investigated the clinical significance of CNN3 in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) by evaluating its expression profile and relationship with disease prognosis using the Gene Expression Omnibus repository, Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis 2 (GEPIA2) and Kaplan-Meier plotter analysis. CNN3 mRNA expression was measured using reverse transcription-quantitative PCR, while the protein expression level was measured using western blot analysis. Cell proliferation, cell cycle and apoptosis, and migration and invasion were analyzed using MTS assay, flow cytometry and Transwell assays, respectively. These results revealed that CNN3 mRNA expression was downregulated in NSCLC tissues compared with that in normal tissues. Additionally, CNN3 expression had a high diagnostic value based on the GSE2514 dataset and the data from The Cancer Genome Atlas and the Genotype Tissue Expression database, whereas it had a low diagnostic value based on the GSE10072 dataset. Furthermore, CNN3 expression was associated with survival in patients with lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD), whereas it was not associated with survival in patients with lung squamous cell carcinoma (LUSC) according to the Kaplan-Meier plotter results. According to the data from GEPIA2, and the GSE72094, GSE41271 and GSE31210 datasets, CNN3 expression was not associated with the prognosis of patients with LUAD and LUSC. The mRNA and protein expression levels of CNN3 were lower in two NSCLC cell lines (A549 and SK-MES-1) than in a human bronchial epithelial cell line (BEAS-2B). CNN3 overexpression suppressed cell proliferation, migration and invasion, induced G1-phase arrest, promoted apoptosis and suppressed PI3K/AKT signaling pathway activation in the NSCLC cell lines, whereas CNN3 overexpression had no effect on cell morphology. In conclusion, CNN3 suppressed the proliferation and metastasis of NSCLC cells by downregulating the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway, making it a potential therapeutic target in this disease.
Quantitative Evaluation of Dopant Concentration in Shallow Silicon p–n Junctions by Tunneling Current Mapping with Multimode Scanning Probe Microscopy

Quantitative evaluation of the dopant concentration across silicon p–n junctions has been performed on oxide-passivated surfaces by using tunneling current mapping in the constant-gap mode of a multimode scanning probe microscope (MSPM). A distinct difference between regions with different impurity concentrations was observed in tunneling current maps when a constant tunneling gap was maintained by using repulsive force acting on the MSPM probe. To extract impurity profiles, the results of three-dimensional device simulations within the current continuity model were compared with measured bias-dependent current profiles. The obtained impurity profiles showed agreement with the actual donor concentration in the p–n junction region. The results demonstrate the applicability of the method for quantitative analysis of the local impurity distribution in modern semiconductor devices with improved sensitivity and nanometer spatial resolution.
Beliefs About Illness and Treatment Decision Modelling During Ill-Health in Arabic Families

Background The use of self-prescribed antibiotics and other unproven herbal remedies is common in the Arab world. Understanding how family members decide to manage illness is an important priority for health care providers. Purpose This paper presents a new model that can be viewed as an extension to the Health Belief Model and help clarifies the cognitive processes families use to manage illness in an Arab family in Jordan. It aims to generate an understanding of family beliefs about the causes of illness and appraisal of how best to manage illness in an Arab family. Methods A qualitative approach using a family interview method was used to collect data. Twenty-five families participated in semi-structured interviews designed to elicit representational models of illness and treatment-decisions. Results Thematic analysis revealed two forms of intertwined beliefs: core beliefs (fatalistic) and secondary beliefs (biomedical, supernatural and situational beliefs). Four key elements were identified as underpinning the involvement of family in treatment decision: perceived threat of illness, efficacy of treatment option, cost or availability and family prior experience. Conclusion An understanding of the health belief model and related cognitive appraisal processes used by families may assist health care providers to engage with and overcome some of the social, cultural, and structural variables that could influence how family members decide to manage illness in Jordan.
Targeted Drug Delivery — From Magic Bullet to Nanomedicine: Principles, Challenges, and Future Perspectives

Abstract Nanomedicine is an advanced version of Paul Ehrlich’s “magic bullet” concept. Targeted drug delivery is a system of specifying the drug moiety directly into its targeted body area (organ, cellular, and subcellular level of specific tissue) to overcome the aspecific toxic effect of conventional drug delivery, thereby reducing the amount of drug required for therapeutic efficacy. To achieve this objective, the magic bullet concept was developed and pushed scientists to investigate for more than a century, leading to the envisioning of different nanometer-sized devices — today’s nanomedicine. Different carrier systems are being used and investigated, which include colloidal (vesicular and multiparticulate) carriers, polymers, and cellular/subcellular systems. This review addresses the need for and advantages of targeting, with its basic principles, strategies, and carrier systems. Recent advances, challenges, and future perspectives are also highlighted.
Acoustic Properties of Metal-Organic Frameworks

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have attracted significant attention in the past two decades due to their diverse physical properties and associated functionalities. Although numerous advances have been made, the acoustic properties of MOFs have attracted very little attention. Here, we systematically investigate the acoustic velocities and impedances of 19 prototypical MOFs via first-principle calculations. Our results demonstrate that these MOFs exhibit a wider range of acoustic velocities, higher anisotropy, and lower acoustic impedances than their inorganic counterparts, which are ascribed to their structural diversity and anisotropy, as well as low densities. In addition, the piezoelectric properties, which are intimately related to the acoustic properties, were calculated for 3 MOFs via density functional perturbation theory, which reveals that MOFs can exhibit significant piezoelectricity due to the ionic contribution. Our work provides a comprehensive study of the fundamental acoustic properties of MOFs, which could stimulate further interest in this new exciting field.
Malaria-Associated Acute Kidney Injury in African Children: Prevalence, Pathophysiology, Impact, and Management Challenges

Abstract Acute kidney injury (AKI) is emerging as a complication of increasing clinical importance associated with substantial morbidity and mortality in African children with severe malaria. Using the Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) criteria to define AKI, an estimated 24–59% of African children with severe malaria have AKI with most AKI community-acquired. AKI is a risk factor for mortality in pediatric severe malaria with a stepwise increase in mortality across AKI stages. AKI is also a risk factor for post-discharge mortality and is associated with increased long-term risk of neurocognitive impairment and behavioral problems in survivors. Following injury, the kidney undergoes a process of recovery and repair. AKI is an established risk factor for chronic kidney disease and hypertension in survivors and is associated with an increased risk of chronic kidney disease in severe malaria survivors. The magnitude of the risk and contribution of malaria-associated AKI to chronic kidney disease in malaria-endemic areas remains undetermined. Pathways associated with AKI pathogenesis in the context of pediatric severe malaria are not well understood, but there is emerging evidence that immune activation, endothelial dysfunction, and hemolysis-mediated oxidative stress all directly contribute to kidney injury. In this review, we outline the KDIGO bundle of care and highlight how this could be applied in the context of severe malaria to improve kidney perfusion, reduce AKI progression, and improve survival. With increased recognition that AKI in severe malaria is associated with substantial post-discharge morbidity and long-term risk of chronic kidney disease, there is a need to increase AKI recognition through enhanced access to creatinine-based and next-generation biomarker diagnostics. Long-term studies to assess severe malaria-associated AKI’s impact on long-term health in malaria-endemic areas are urgently needed.
Percutaneous Endoscopic Interlaminar Discectomy with Modified Sensation-Motion Separation Anesthesia for Beginning Surgeons in the Treatment of L5-S1 Disc Herniation

Purpose To compare the clinical effects of local anesthesia (LA), general anesthesia (GA) and modified sensation-motion separation anesthesia (MA) in percutaneous endoscopic interlaminar discectomy (PEID) in the treatment of L5/S1 lumbar disc herniation (LDH) for the purpose of guiding junior surgeons. Methods Eighty-four patients with L5/S1 LDH underwent PEID using three anesthesia methods. Patients in the LA (26), GA (29) and MA (29) groups received a follow-up examination retrospectively. The general parameters, preparation and anesthesia duration, operative duration, recovery time, incidence of complications, ambulation time, length of hospital stay, incidence of severe complications, and reoperation rate were compared, and clinical outcomes were analyzed using a visual analog scale (VAS), the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), and the Short-Form Health Survey 36 (SF-36). Results MA demonstrated obvious advantages over the other two methods with respect to operative duration and resulted in a better intraoperative experience than LA. The patients in the MA group required less time in bed postoperatively and shorter hospital stays than those in the GA group. The mean postoperative VAS, ODI and SF-36 scores were significantly better than the preoperative scores in all groups (P<0.05), but no significant differences in these scores were found among the three groups (P>0.05). Three cases (3/29) of nervous disorder occurred in the GA group. Two patients (one in the GA group (1/29) and one in the LA (1/26) group) underwent revision surgery, with a total recurrence rate of 2.4% (2/84). Conclusion Due to its high safety and good tolerance by patients, MA is a suitable method for spinal surgeons who are inexperienced with PEID in the treatment of L5/S1 disc herniation.
A Network Pharmacology-Based Study on Active Ingredients of Corydalis Rhizoma on Coronary Heart Disease

BackgroundCorydalis Rhizoma(CR) showed a high efficacy for coronary heart disease (CHD). However, the interaction between the active ingredients of CR and the targets of CHD has not been unequivocally explained in previous researches. To study the active components and potential targets of Corydalis Rhizoma and to determine the mechanism underlying the exact effect of Corydalis Rhizoma on coronary heart disease, a method of network pharmacology was used.Materials and MethodsThe active components of CR and targets corresponding to each component were scanned out from Traditional Chinese medicine systems pharmacology database and analysis platform (TCMSP), and target genes of CHD were searched on GeneCards database and Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man(OMIM) database. The active components and common targets of CR and CHD were used to build the “CR-CHD” network through Cytoscape (version 3.2.1) software as well as protein-protein interaction(PPI) network on String database. Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes(KEGG) pathway enrichment analysis was executed by clusterProfiler(version 3.8) and DOSE(version 3.6) package on R platform.Results49 active ingredients and 394 relevant targets of CR and the 7173 CHD-related genes were retrieved. 40 common genes were selected for subsequent analysis. Crucial biological processes and pathways were obtained and analyzed, including DNA-binding transcription activator activity, RNA polymerase II-specific, RNA polymerase II transcription factor binding, kinase regulator activity, ubiquitin-like protein ligase binding, fluid shear stress and atherosclerosis, TNF signaling pathway, apoptosis, MAPK signaling pathway and PI3K-Akt signaling pathway.ConclusionsOverall, CR could alleviate CHD through the mechanisms predicted by network pharmacology, laying the foundation for future development of new drugs from traditional Chinese medicine on CHD.
Electrochemical Characterization of the Free Radical Scavenging of Baicalein

ABSTRACT Electrochemical characterization of the free radical scavenging of baicalein was performed. A sensitive and selective electrochemical sensor for the characterization of the reaction between free radicals and baicalein was fabricated based on a nanoaluminum oxide modified carbon paste electrode. The modified carbon paste electrode showed excellent electrocatalytic activity for the characterization of free radical scavenging capacity of baicalein. In 0.2 M phosphate buffer at pH 7.4, a pair of well-defined cyclic voltammetric oxidation peaks of baicalein appeared with the maximum at 700 mv. The superoxide anion radical, hydroxyl radical, lipid peroxyl radical, and of 2,2-diphenyl-l-picrylhydrazyl were used for investigating the free radical scavenging of baicalein. Baicalein showed varying scavenging capacities to these free radicals. The scavenging capacity of baicalein with the hydroxyl radical was the highest, followed by baicalein with the lipid peroxyl radical, 2,2-diphenyl-l-picrylhydrazyl, and the superoxide anion radical.
Isolation and Characterization of Cellulose from Banana Stems using Microwave Heating

During each day of harvest, wasted banana stems are obtained in large quantities. These stems are composed mainly of 74.37% cellulose which is a very important raw material. This study aims to isolate cellulose from banana stems using liquefaction, delignification and bleaching processes with a microwave at power variations of 450, 600 and 800 W. The results showed that the highest cellulose content of 86.43% was obtained at 800 W for 14 minutes. Meanwhile, the fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis result did not show a peak at wavenumber 1519 cm-1 which is the specific peak for lignin but showed a peak for cellulose at wavenumber 898 cm-1. Furthermore, XRD analysis of crystallinity showed a typical diffraction peak of cellulose at 22.5o with a degree of crystallinity of 56.8% while, morphological analysis with SEM showed that the sizes of the cellulose fibers produced varied, ranging from 5 to hundreds of micrometers and visible fibrillary fibers
Anti-malarial activity of the leaf latex of Aloe weloensis (Aloaceae) against plasmodium parasites 

Lack of available vaccines and emerging resistance on the anti-malarial drug have provided the necessity to find noble plant--based anti-malarial drugs. The leaf latex Aloe weloensis has been used in folk medicine against malarial and other human ailments in Ethiopia. Hence, the present study aimed to investigate the anti-malarial activity of the leaf latex of A. weloensis against Plasmodium parasites to validate its traditional claim. Methods: The leaf latex of A. weloensis was evaluated in vitro anti-malarial activity against 3D7 strain of Plasmodium falciparum. The prophylactic and curative models were employed to determine in vivo anti-malarial activity of the latex against P. berghei infected mice, and antioxidant activity of the leaf latex of A. weloensis was assessed in DPPH assay. Results: The leaf latex of Aloe weloensis endowed with free radical inhibition activity (IC50 = 10.25 μg/ml). The latex of A. weloensis leaf was demonstrated inhibitory activity against 3D7 strain of P. falciparum (IC50 = 9.14 μg/ml). The prophylactic and curative effect of the latex was found to be dose-dependent. Parasitemia reduction was significant (200 mg/kg, p<0.01, 400 and ,600 mg/kg, p<0.001) in prophylactic test compared to the control. Parasitemia level of the mice treated with 200, 400, and 600 mg/kg doses of the latex significantly (p<0.001) reduced with suppression of 36%, 58%, and 74% respectively in the curative test. The leaf latex significantly (p<0.01) improved mean survival times, packed cell volume , rectal temperature, and bodyweight of P. berghei infected mice. Conclusion: The result was confirmed the anti-malarial activity of the leaf latex of Aloe weloensis at various doses which corroborates the traditional uses of the plant.
Microwave-assisted extraction of artemisinin

Objective:A new method of Microwave Assisted Extraction (MAE) is used to extract artemisinin from artemisia annua L. Methods:Ethanol, chloroform, cyclohexane, n hexane, petroleum ether (30℃～60℃), petroleum ether (60℃～90℃), number 120 solvent oil and number 6 extraction solvent oil were used to extract artemisinin in a MAE apparatus. Results: On the basis of the major conditions for MAE, such as duration of microwave radiation, solvent to material ratio, degree of grinding, number 6 extraction solvent oil were studied to arrive at an optimal MAE condition. Conclusion: It is efficient to extract artemisinin from artemisia annua L using MAE method.
Solubility of l-Phenylalanine Anhydrous and Monohydrate Forms: Experimental Measurements and Predictions

In this work the solubility of l-phenylalanine anhydrous and monohydrate forms in pure water, a water + acetone mixture, and a water + ethanol mixture at various temperatures were measured systematically using the gravimetric method as well as predicted using the universal quasichemical (UNIQUAC) model. Generally the solubility increased with the temperature and decreased with an increase in the content of acetone or ethanol in the solvent mixtures. The two forms were found to be enantiotropically related, and the transition temperature was about 308.9 K. Besides, the UNIQUAC model was demonstrated to work well for the prediction of the solubility of this pseudopolymorphic system in water and its binary mixtures with a low content of organic solvent.
Geopolitical risk, economic growth, economic uncertainty and international inbound tourism: an Indian Illustration

This paper aims to consider the role of geopolitical risk in explaining tourism demand in India, a major tourist destination of the Asian region. Furthermore, the study also considers how in addition to geopolitical risk, economic policy uncertainty, economic growth, exchange rate, inflation and trade openness impact tourism demand. ,The Bayer and Hanck (2013) method of cointegration is applied to explore the relationship between geopolitical risk and tourism demand. Furthermore, the study has also used the auto distributed lag model to determine whether there is a long-run cointegrating association between tourism demand, geopolitical risk, economic policy uncertainty, economic growth, exchange rate and trade openness. Finally, the vector error correction model confirms the direction of causality across the set of the major variables. ,This paper finds that geopolitical risk adversely impacts inbound international travel to India. This study also obtains the consistency of the results across different estimation techniques controlling for important macro variables. The Granger causality test confirms the unidirectional causality from geopolitical risk to tourism and further from economic uncertainty to tourism. The findings from the study confirm that geopolitical risks have long-term repercussions on the tourism sector in India. The results indicate that there is an urgent need to develop a pre-crisis management plan to protect the aura of Indian tourism. The tourism business houses should develop skilful marketing strategies in the post-crisis to boost the confidence of the tourists. ,This paper provides valuable practical implications to tourism business houses. The tourism business houses can explore geopolitical risk measure and economic policy uncertainty measure to analyse the demand for international tourism in India. Further, the major stakeholders can establish platforms to help tourists to overcome the fear associated with geopolitical risk. ,This study is the first of its kind to explore the geopolitical risks and their long-run consequences in the context of tourism in India. The study puts emphasis on the role of national policy to maintain peace otherwise it would be detrimental to tourism.
Switched Capacitor-Based 13L Inverter Topology for High-Frequency AC Power Distribution System

The power converters are taking responsibility to produce high-quality output voltage and current waveforms from the various PV sources. Recently, PV applications focus on high-frequency ac power distribution (HF-AC-PD). In particular, dc/ac switched capacitor multilevel inverters (SCMLIs) significantly reduce the power conversion stages and components, which result in high conversion efficiency. This article proposes a new SCMLI topology with a reduced number of switches and a self-balanced floating capacitor (FC) voltage. The proposed topology is configured as a single dc source and three dc sources. The proposed topology generates thirteen level output voltage waveforms, and the output voltage ( $V_{o}$ ) is two times higher than the input voltage ( $V_{in}$ ). The discharging time is less than the recently suggested topologies. Furthermore, the voltage stress on switches is reduced to 50% concerning the load voltage. Thus, a remarkable reduction in the bulky size of the FC is achieved. The simulation results are discussed for different fundamental frequencies of 360 Hz, 400 Hz, and 1 kHz and considering various loads. The proposed converter prototype is designed in the laboratory for 2 kW, and the results are presented. The results show a good agreement in terms of total harmonic distortions, power loss, and efficiency.