bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Blood Type Distribution in Autoimmune Diseases: An Anonymous, Large-Scale, Self-Report Pilot Study
Authors: Harris Edward S , Harris Harlan D , Malkovsky Miroslav
Published: September 2020

Background: Recent research has verified that blood group or Rh factor can influence susceptibility to various cardiovascular, neoplastic and infectious diseases including COVID-19. While a number of studies have looked at correlations between blood group and various rheumatological diseases, findings have been inconsistent, often because many of these studies suffered from small sample size issues. In order to better understand the potential relationships between blood group/Rh factor and rheumatological diseases, we performed a large-scale self-report pilot study of blood type distributions in five autoimmune diseases.Methods: Five autoimmune diseases were included in the study: systemic sclerosis, systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, and ankylosing spondylitis. We also included a control group in which participants did not have any autoimmune diseases. The participants were recruited through social media and organizations such as the Lupus Foundation and the National Psoriasis Foundation. Respondents who met the inclusion criteria were asked only two questions by anonymous survey: blood type and country of birth.Results: Each autoimmune disorder group included between 570 and 951 US participants. While there was little difference in blood type distribution patterns among the five diseases, unexpectedly, all five disease groups showed a consistent pattern where Rh negative was almost twice as high as US population norms. A post-hoc non-autoimmune control group was added in order to determine if this anomalous finding was an artifact of the study design. The control group displayed a similar unexpected increase in the Rh-negative blood type prevalence, suggesting that the very high Rh-negative frequency among the tested disease groups was likely to be an artifact of the study design. Conclusions: Overall, our preliminary study results show no meaningful differences between the disease groups and the post-hoc control group, suggesting that neither ABO type nor Rh factor affects susceptibility to the development of any of the five studied autoimmune diseases. Nevertheless, the unexpected observed difference in Rh factor distribution between the studied groups/control group and the corresponding US population norms has important implications for any research study using self-selected subjects. Our results suggest that such studies may be subject to unanticipated biases, requiring meticulous controls to confirm impartiality and exclude any artifacts of the study design.
Diet-induced Obesity Leads to Behavioral Indicators of Pain Preceding Structural Joint Damage in Wild-Type Mice.
Authors: Kerr Geoffrey , To Bethia , White Ian , Millecamps Magali , Beier Frank , Stone Laura S. , Seguin Cheryle A.
Published: September 2020

Introduction: Obesity is one of the largest modifiable risk factors for the development of musculoskeletal diseases, including intervertebral disc (IVD) degeneration and back pain. Despite the clinical association, no studies have directly assessed whether diet-induced obesity accelerates IVD degeneration, back pain, or investigated the biological mediators underlying this association. In this study we examine the effects of chronic consumption of a high-fat or high-fat/high-sugar (western) diet on the IVD and pain-associated outcomes. Methods: Male C57BL/6N mice were randomized into one of three diet groups (control chow; high-fat; high-fat, high-sugar western diet) at 10-weeks of age and remained on the diet for 12, 24 or 40 weeks. At endpoint, animals were assessed for behavioral indicators of pain, joint tissues were collected for histological and molecular analysis, and IBA-1, GFAP and CGRP were measured in spinal cords by immunohistochemistry . Results: Animals fed obesogenic (high-fat or western) diets showed behavioral indicators of pain beginning at 12 weeks and persisting up to 40 weeks of diet consumption. Histological indicators of joint degeneration were not detected in the IVD or knee until 40 weeks on the experimental diets. Mice fed the obesogenic diets showed increased intradiscal expression of inflammatory cytokines and circulating levels of MCP-1 compared to control. Linear regression modeling demonstrated that age and diet were both significant predictors of most pain-related behavioral outcomes, but not histopathological joint degeneration.Conclusion: Diet-induced obesity accelerates IVD degeneration and knee OA in mice; however, pain-related behaviors precede and are independent of histopathological structural damage. These findings contribute to understanding the source of obesity-related back pain and the contribution of structural IVD degeneration.
Construction and Validation of a Prognostic Nomogram for Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma Based on DNA Methylation-driven Differentially Expressed Genes
Authors: Wang Zheng , Zhang Yanlong , Fan Shuaishuai , Ji Yuan , Ren Jianchao , Yang Ke , WANG JINGQI
Published: September 2020

Background: Clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) is the most frequent type of kidney cancer. This study aimed to establish a nomogram to predict ccRCC prognosis.Methods: By integrating DNA methylation (DNAm) data and gene expression profiles of ccRCC obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), DNAm-driven genes were identified by differential and correlation analyses. Next, risk genes were selected by multiple algorithms (univariate Cox and Kaplan-Meier survival analyses) and various databases (TCGA, Clinical Proteomic Tumor Analysis Consortium (CPTAC), and The Human Protein Atlas (HPA)). A risk score model was established by multivariate Cox analyses. ConsensusPathDB and Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) were used to identify the biological functions of the selected genes. After comprehensively evaluating the clinical data, we established and assessed a dynamic nomogram available on a webserver.Results: In total, 220 differentially expressed DNAm-driven genes were identified, and five-gene signature (EPB41L4B, HHLA2, IFI16, CMTM3, and XAF1) was related to overall survival (OS). Next, we integrated the DNAm-driven genes into the prognostic risk score model and found that age, histologic grade, pathological stage, and risk level were correlated with OS in ccRCC patients. Based on these variables, a dynamic nomogram was established to predict the ccRCC prognosis. Finally, Functional enrichment analysis showed that the functions of these genes were relevant to immune reactions.Conclusions: We identified a 5 DNAm-driven gene signature whose altered status was highly correlated with ccRCC patient OS. We constructed a dynamic nomogram to provide individualized survival predictions for ccRCC patients.
Co-production in Local Government: Process, Codification and Capacity Building of New Knowledge in Collective Reflection Spaces. Workshops Findings From a UK Mixed Methods Study
Authors: Graaf Peter van der , Cheetham Mandy , Redgate Samantha , Humble Clare , Adamson Ashley
Published: September 2020

BackgroundCo-production of research evidence is valued by local government to improve effective decision-making about public services in times of austerity. However, dark shadows of co-production challenge this ambition with limited evidence on how to embed research use sustainably. In this paper we reflect on mechanisms for making co-production in local government successful.MethodsThis paper presents findings from a Health Foundation funded research project that explored how a culture of evidence use to improve population health could be embedded in UK local government. Five linked work packages were undertaken using mixed methods. In this paper, we report the views of UK local authority staff who participated in four workshops (n=54), informed by a rapid literature review and an online scoping survey.ResultsWe identified five themes that facilitate public health evidence use in local government: 1) new governance arrangements to integrate national and local policies, 2) codifying research evidence through local system-wide approaches and 3) ongoing evaluation of programmes, and 4) overcoming political and cultural barriers by increasing absorptive capacity of Local Authorities to embed co-produced knowledge in their cognitive structures. This requires adaptive governance through relationship building between academic researchers and Local Authority staff and shared understanding of fragmented local policy making, which are supported by 5) collective spaces for reflection within local government.ConclusionsCreating collective spaces for reflection in between government departments allows for iterative, interactive processes of co-production with external partners that support emergence of new governance structures to socially action the co-produced knowledge in context and build capacity for sustained evidence use.
Renal Resistive Index is Associated With Acute Kidney Injury in COVID-19 Patients Treated in the ICU
Authors: Renberg Mårten , Jonmarker Olof , Kilhamn Naima , Rimes-Stigare Claire , Bell Max , Hertzberg Daniel
Published: September 2020

Background: Renal resistive index (RRI) is a promising tool for prediction of acute kidney injury (AKI) in critically ill patients but is not described among patients with Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The aim of this study was to describe the pattern of RRI in relation to AKI in patients with COVID-19 treated in the intensive care unit.Methods: In this observational cohort study, RRI was measured in COVID-19 patients in six ICUs at two sites of a Swedish University Hospital. AKI was defined by the creatinine criteria in the Kidney Disease Improving Global Outcome classification. We investigated the association between RRI and AKI diagnosis, different AKI stages and urine output.Results: RRI was measured in 51 patients, of which 23 patients (45%) had AKI at the time of measurement. Median RRI in patients with AKI was 0.80 (IQR 0.71-0.85) compared to 0.72 (IQR 0.67-0.78) in patients without AKI (p=0.004). Compared to patients without AKI, RRI was higher in patients with AKI stage 3 (median 0.83, IQR 0.71-0.85, p=0.006) but not in patients with AKI stage 1 (median 0.76, IQR 0.71-0.83, p=0.347) or AKI stage 2 (median 0.79, min/max 0.79/0.80, n=2, p=0.134). RRI was higher in patients with an ongoing AKI episode compared to patients who never developed AKI (median 0.72, IQR 0.69-0.78, p=0.015) or patients who developed AKI but had recovered at the time of measurement (median 0.68, IQR 0.67-0.81, p=0.021). Oliguric patients had higher RRI (median 0.84, IQR 0.83-0.85) compared to non-oliguric patients (median 0.74, IQR 0.69-0.81) (p=0.009).Conclusions: Critically ill COVID-19 patients with AKI have higher RRI compared to those without AKI, and elevated RRI may have a role in identifying severe and oliguric AKI in these patients.
Clinical course and management of 73 hospitalized moderate patients with COVID-19 outside Wuhan
Authors: Peng Xiaojuan , Liu Qi Qi , Chen Zhaolin , Wen Guiyan , Li Qing , Chen Yanfang , Xiong Jie , Meng Xinzhou , Ding Yuanjin , Shi Ying , Tang Shaohui
Published: September 2020

Background: Moderate cases account for the majority in patients with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection and can also progress to severe/critical condition. Here, we investigated the clinical course and management of hospitalized moderate SARS-CoV-2 patients.Methods: The medical records and follow-up data were analyzed from the SARS-CoV-2 patients outside Wuhan.Results: A total of 73 moderate patients (38 men, 35 women) were included, with median age of 47.0 (38.5-57.5) years. Among them, only one patient (1.4%) died using active treatment to improve symptoms. The median duration of the four main symptoms cough, fever, chest tightness, and fatigue were about 1-2 weeks; the median duration of the positive nucleic acid test (NAT) results for SARS-CoV-2 was slightly more than 2 weeks; the median hospitalization time was almost four weeks in 72 moderate survivors. The duration of cough and fever was positively correlated with the duration of the positive NAT results. On admission, 50% had lymphopenia; less than 30% had abnormal blood biochemistry findings involving hyperglycemia, liver function and myocardial enzymes. At discharge, the laboratory indexes were substantially improved. Two weeks after discharge, 5.6% survivors experienced a recurrence of the positive NAT results. Conclusions: Moderate SARS-CoV-2 patients have a good prognosis by the active treatment. After discharge, it is necessary that moderate survivors undergo at least a 2-week collective medical observation in quarantine places, which can identify and treat a proportion of patients with re-positive NAT results and to prevent the spread of the potential sources of infection.
ANÁLISE DA FUNCIONALIDADE DO PRONAF AGROECOLOGIA EM UMA PROPRIEDADE NA REGIÃO NOROESTE DO RIO GRANDE DO SUL
Authors: Schneider Anderson Leandro , Silva Danni Maisa da , Groff Paulo Vanderlei Vargas , Souza Eduardo Lorensi de , Lau Adriana Helena , Ehrembrink Maiqueli Patrícia , Hengles Aaron Concha Vasquez , Silva Diego Armando Amaro da
Published: September 2020

A partir da criação do Programa Nacional de Fortalecimento da Agricultura Familiar - PRONAF Agroecologia abriu-se a oportunidade para que produtores pudessem financiar o processo de transição ou adequação de suas unidades produtivas as formas agroecológicas de produção. Distante conceitualmente de limitar-se ao aspecto econômico, tampouco excluindo tal critério, a produção agroecológica necessita, com determinada frequência, de aportes financeiros principalmente em sua fase transitória de sistemas convencionais para sistemas agroecológicos. Partindo do princípio da existência de uma modalidade específica para o financiamento da consolidação da Agroecologia no Brasil, o PRONAF Agroecologia, busca-se através deste estudo, compreender a essência conjuntural de tal política. Para tal, realizou-se um estudo de caso em uma propriedade possuidora de certificação orgânica e tomadora de recursos do PRONAF Agroecologia. Foram analisados aspectos relacionados à acessibilidade de tal política pública, bem como se comparou suas características com as linhas de crédito já existentes e disponíveis ao financiamento dos modelos tradicionais de produção agrícola. Constatou-se grande similaridade do modelo de financiamento agroecológico com as modalidades tradicionais do PRONAF. Mudanças nos prazos e metodologias de trabalho serão necessários para concretizar esta ferramenta de financiamento dos projetos agroecológicos.
ASPECTOS ETNOBOTÂNICOS DA FITOTERAPIA POPULAR NA COMUNIDADE QUILOMBOLA CONCEIÇÃO DE MIRINDEUA, MOJU-PA
Authors: Almada Daniely
Published: September 2020

A Amazônia possui uma vasta riqueza de recursos naturais, dentre estes se encontram as espécies de plantas medicinais que tem um valor cultural bem presente para muitos povos tradicionais. No entanto, ainda existem várias espécies desconhecidas ou pouco elucidadas pela ciência que são bastante utilizadas por populações tradicionais. Diante disso, o presente estudo objetivou fazer um levantamento etnobotânico de plantas medicinais utilizadas pelos moradores da comunidade quilombola de Conceição de Mirindeua utilizando entrevistas semi-estruturadas. As entrevistas aconteceram no período de outubro a novembro de 2019, com 25 (vinte e cinco) moradores com idades entre 28 a 77 anos. Os resultados obtidos mostram que a maioria dos entrevistados (64% do total) possuem apenas o ensino fundamental incompleto e renda familiar de até 1 salário mínimo. Foram citadas 86 Etnoespécies, ocorrendo a identificação de 83 pelo laboratório de Botânica da Embrapa/Belém, sendo 1 a nível de família, 68 a nível de família e espécie e somente 14 a nível de família e gênero, tendo destaque para a família Lamiaceae com 16 espécies. A forma de preparo mais citada foi o chá e as folhas tiveram maior representatividade como parte utilizada.
Knowledge and Adherence to Social Distancing Guidelines in Nigeria
Authors: Lawani-Luwaji Ebidor Ufounamefe , Victor Pere-ere F.T , Esene Dorcas Blesson
Published: September 2020

Social distancing refers to actions or steps taken by an individual or groups of individuals with the main purpose of reducing physical and social interaction to curb the spread of infectious disease. This study sought to determine Nigerians knowledge of social distancing and why most people do not adhere to the guidelines amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Data was generated from respondents who filled an online survey form distributed on all social media platforms during the COVID-19 pandemic in Nigeria. All respondents living in Nigeria were included in the study while those living outside at the time of the survey were excluded. Results from the survey revealed that most Nigerians are knowledgeable about social distancing guidelines but observed low or non-adherence to the rules. This non-compliance was partly attributed to poor knowledge of the guidelines due to inadequate information from the government, and majorly due to lack of basic amenities, poverty and hunger. Further research and policies on the best avenue of reaching this group of Nigerians with a substantial economic package, an improvement on information dissemination on social distancing guidelines will make a great difference. Finally, the authorities and policymakers can develop programmes to prepare citizen for the eventuality of a future pandemic.
Production of lettuce in NFT hydroponic system at different planting seasons and irrigation regimes
Authors: Soares Cláudio Silva , Lima Alde Cleber Silva de , Silva Jeneilson Alves da , Vilar Marina Suenia de Araújo , Silva André Luiz Pereira da , Junior Joaquim Alves de Lima , Neto José Félix de Brito
Published: September 2020

Hydroponics has drawn huge interests by Brazilians in semi-arid regions due to the lack of water and fertilizer use. The objective of this study was to evaluate the growth and yield of lettuce cultivars in the hydroponic system in two planting seasons and different irrigation regimes. The research was carried out in Campus II / UEPB and followed a 2 x 6 x 3 factorial scheme in randomized blocks, represented by two planting seasons (the summer and the winter), six lettuce cultivars (Elba, Great Lakes, Mimosa Rose, Simpson, American, Cristina), three irrigation regimes (15 min, 30 min, 45 min) and five replications. The hydroponic system used was the NFT. For nutrition, Hidrogood Fert® solution (Compound + Calcium + Iron) was applied. At the 40th day after sowing, green and dry leaf biomass, green stem biomass, leaf area, leaf area index and productivity were analyzed. After that, the variance analysis was performed by the F-test for 5% of probability and the Scott-Knott test for comparison of the averages. The high temperatures caused very small growth in the stem of the Simpson cultivars, independent of the irrigation regime used. Besides the highlight of the American cultivars, the other cultivars presented satisfactory performance in the climatic conditions of Lagoa Seca / PB.
Effects of post-harvest hot water treatments on the fungi contamination, physiology and quality of rock melon fruit
Authors: Abubakar M.M. , Norida M. , Rafii M.Y. , Nakasha J.J.
Published: September 2020

During the postharvest management of fruits and vegetables, the losses range from 10 to 30% of the entire production. This is due to numerous causes, but the most important reason is infestation by fungi. Many synthetic fungicides are employed for postharvest treatment of fruit and vegetables throughout the world. However, fungicidal residues often represent a significant threat to human health. The current study examined the use of hot water treatments on rock melon fruit. Hot water treatments at 55℃ was arranged into four treatments of different dipping periods of 0 minutes (control), 1 minute, 2 minutes, and 3 minutes. The postharvest hot water treatments on rock melon fruit were found to increase the shelf life up to 21 days by minimizing the weight loss, maintaining firmness, preventing the damage of sucrose, retaining the rind size, maintaining the fruit appearance, and reducing fungal infection. The one-minute dip was more effective than other treatments. The treatment successfully extends the shelf life of rock melon fruit quality for the market until three weeks of storage at 21 ± 1 ℃ compared with the control, which was only stored for one week. The results showed the importance of hot water treatments as an alternative to fungicides or chemical treatments, which have a high risk to the health of consumers. Hot water treatment is economical and easier to access than the chemical treatments.
Genetic diversity of Soybean Cyst Nematode (Heterodera glycines) populations in Southeastern Goiás state, Brasil
Authors: Moreira Janaina Alves de Almeida , Tavares Mirian Carvalho , Araújo Fernando Godinho de , Menezes Ivandilson Pessoa Pinto de
Published: September 2020

Heterodera glycines, also known as Soybean Cyst Nematode (SCN), is one of the phytosanitary issues that prevents high soybean yields (Glycine max) due to its dissemination capacity and high physiological race variability. The first step towards the proper and safe use of resistant cultivars lies on correctly identifying the physiological race of this nematode in the crop in order to avoid new breed-selection pressure. Thus, the aim of the present study was to genetically characterize the races of Heterodera glycines populations from soybean-producer counties belonging to the Railroad (Estrada de Ferro) Region (Goiás State, Brazil), as well as to investigate their molecular characterization based on RAPD markers. RAPD data were evaluated in a binary way, in which values (1) and (0) were attributed to the presence and absence of amplified bands for each primer, respectively. The binary matrix was used to estimate the genetic distance between populations, based on the Jaccard dissimilarity index. The clustering analysis was carried out based on the calculated genetic dissimilarity matrix, according to Ward’s method. Eight (8) different physiological Heterodera glycines races were found in the investigated counties. Only 10 out of 28 RAPD primers were polymorphic among SCN populations, whereas the remaining primers either did not amplify, or presented low amplification of the DNA fragment. Five genetically-different groups were recorded among H. glycines population accessions, which presented high genetic variability rate.
Murābaḥa Reconstruction: Its Application in the Electronic Journal in Indonesia
Authors: Hasan Muhammad
Published: September 2020

This study aims to look at changes in murābaḥa, both in terms of theory and practice in contemporary banking. Contemporary murābaḥa practices refer to articles and research results that are circulating very dynamically and in some aspects undergo an update or modification. This research explores contemporary scientific articles on murābaḥa circulating in cyberspace, which do not experience changes at the concept level but a change in practice. Murabaha, like special sales, often does not appear to be a murābaḥa practice, even the terms of the sale and purchase agreement cannot be done. This study found that murābaḥa changed in terms of contracts, pricing, and some conditions.
Gearbox fault diagnosis through quantum particle swarm optimization algorithm and kernel extreme learning machine
Authors: Meng Shuo , Kang Jianshe , Chi Kuo , Die Xupeng
Published: September 2020

Gearbox is the key component of mechanical transmission system. Accurate fault diagnosis of gearbox is of great significance to ensure the operation of rotating machinery. Based on the comprehensive simulation test-bed in the laboratory, a gearbox fault diagnosis method based on QPSO-KELM is proposed. Firstly, the fault pre planting experiments of gear fault, bearing fault and gear bearing mixed fault are carried out on the comprehensive simulation test-bed. Then, the vibration signals collected are preprocessed by TSA to eliminate noise. The time domain, frequency domain and NASA feature parameters of the preprocessed signals are taken as training samples and test samples of QPSO-KELM. The experimental results show that the proposed method can effectively solve the problem of gearbox fault pattern recognition, and the fault diagnosis accuracy is higher than traditional methods, so the research has certain reference significance and engineering application value.
Application of Bimetallic and Trimetallic Nanoparticles Supported on Graphene as novel Heterogeneous Catalysts in the Reduction of Nitroarenes, Homo-coupling, Suzuki-Miyaura and Sonogashira Reactions
Authors: Hoseini Chopani Seyede Mahdiye , Asadi Shima , Heravi Majid M.
Published: September 2020

In the last decade, the use of heterogeneous catalysts based on Metal Nanoparticles
(MNPs) has attracted increasing attention due to their prominence as nanocatalysts in
several key chemical transformations. Notably, it is well identified that supporting Metal
Nanoparticles (MNPs) with suitable solid surfaces can protect the MNPs from leaching,
deactivation, and also increasing its ease of separation and possible reusability. Graphene
oxide (GO) as a conductive surface could have non-covalent bonding interactions like hydrogen
bonding, electrostatic and π –π* stacking interactions with substrate leading to
activation of the substrate. Remarkably, it is recognized that bimetallic nanoparticles supported
on graphene oxide often show novel properties that are not present on either of the
parent metal or surfaces. In this review, we tried to reveal the potential advantages of
bimetallic and trimetallic nanoparticles supported on graphene oxide in organic transformations, including the
reduction of nitroarenes, Suzuki-Miyaura and Sonogashira coupling reactions.
Sulfolane Mediated Highly Selective Synthesis of Mono and Bis-aryl-2-Methyl-6- Fluoro-Indoles and Their Halogenated Synthons
Authors: Raju Koppada Masthan , Cheedarala Ravi Kumar , Pandurangan Arumugam
Published: September 2020

A simple, efficient, and cheap strategy has been developed for N-arylation of
indoles with hexafloro benzene (1) via incorporating sulfolane as an eco-friendly solvent. N-Monopentafluoroarylindole
(3) at ambient conditions and N, N-bistetrafluoroaryl indole (4)
at elevated temperatures were conveniently obtained by simple nucleophilic substitution
using NaOH as the base and sulfolane as a reaction medium to obtain in moderately good
yields, respectively. Subsequently, 3-chloro, 3-bromo, and 3-iodomono-pentafluoroarylindoles
and 3, 3’-dichloro, 3, 3’-dibromo and 3, 3’-diIodobistetrafluoroaryl indoles were
prepared in good yields by using respective halogenating reagents and solvents. All the
chemical transformations were confirmed by analytical tools such as 1HNMR, FR-IR and
HRMS analysis.
In Silico Modeling of Small Molecule Carboxamides as Inhibitors of SARS-CoV 3CL Protease: An Approach Towards Combating COVID-19
Authors: Khan Pathan Mohsin , Kumar Vinay , Roy Kunal
Published: September 2020

Background:

The quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) approach is most
widely used for the prediction of biological activity of potential medicinal compounds. A QSAR
model is developed by correlating the information obtained from chemical structures (numerical descriptors/
independent variables) with the experimental response values (the dependent variable).

Methods:

In the current study, we have developed a QSAR model to predict the inhibitory activity
of small molecule carboxamides against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS--
CoV) 3CLpro enzyme. Due to the structural similarity of this enzyme with SARS-CoV-2, the
causative organism of the recent pandemic, the former may be used for the development of therapies
against coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19).

Results:

The final multiple linear regression (MLR) model was based on four two-dimensional descriptors
with definite physicochemical meaning. The model was strictly validated using different
internal and external quality metrics. The model showed significant statistical quality in terms of
determination coefficient (R2=0.748, adjusted R2 or R2
adj = 0.700), cross-validated leave-one-out Q2
(Q2=0.628) and external predicted variance R2
pred = 0.723. The final validated model was used for
the prediction of external set compounds as well as to virtually design a new library of small
molecules. We have also performed a docking analysis of the most active and least active compounds
present in the dataset for comparative analysis and to explain the features obtained from the
2D-QSAR model.

Conclusion:

The derived model may be useful to predict the inhibitory activity of small molecules
within the applicability domain of the model only based on the chemical structure information prior
to their synthesis and testing.
13-lncRNAs Signature to Improve Diagnostic and Prognostic Prediction of Hepatocellular Carcinoma
Authors: Zhang Xinxin , Yu Jia , Hu Juan , Tan Fang , Zhou Juan , Yang Xiaoyan , Xie Zhizhong , Tang Huifang , Dong Sen , Lei Xiaoyong
Published: September 2020

Background:

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a common type of cancer with a high
mortality rate and is usually detected at the middle or late stage, missing the optimal treatment period.
The current study aims to identify potential long non-coding RNA (lncRNAs) biomarkers that
contribute to the diagnosis and prognosis of HCC.

Methods:

The differentially expressed lncRNAs (DElncRNAs) in HCC patientsThe differentially expressed lncRNAs (DElncRNAs) in HCC patients were detected
from the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) dataset. LncRNAs signature was screened by LASSO regression,
univariate, and multivariate Cox regression. The models for predicting diagnosis and
prognosis were established, respectively. The prognostic model was evaluated by Kaplan-Meier
survival curve receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve and stratified analysis. The diagnostic
model was validated by ROC. The lncRNAs signature was further demonstrated by functional enrichment
analysis. were detected from the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) dataset. LncRNAs signature was screened by LASSO regression, univariate and multivariate Cox regression.
The models for predicting diagnosis and prognosis were established respectively. The prognostic model was evaluated by
Kaplan-Meier survival curve receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve and stratified analysis. The diagnostic model
was validated by ROC. The lncRNAs signature was further demonstrated by functional enrichment analysis.

Results:

We found the 13-lncRNAs signature that had a good performance in predicting prognosis
and could help to improve the value of diagnosis. In the training set, testing set, and entire cohort,
the low-risk group had longer survival than the high-risk group (median OS: 3124 vs. 649 days,
2456 vs. 770 days and 3124 vs. 755 days). It performed well in 1-, 3-, and 5-year survival prediction.
13-lncRNAs-based risk score, age, and race were good predictors of prognosis. The AUC of
diagnosis was 0.9487, 0.9265, and 0.9376, respectively. Meanwhile, the 13-lncRNAs were involved
in important pathways, including the cell cycle and multiple metabolic pathways.

Conclusion:

In our study, the 13-lncRNAs signature may be a potential marker for the prognosis
of HCC and improve the diagnosis.
Comparative Synthesis and Characterization of Nanostructured SAPO-34 Using TEA and Morpholine: Effect of Mono vs. Dual Template on Catalytic Properties and Performance toward Methanol to Light Olefins
Authors: Aghamohammadi Sogand , Haghighi Mohammad , Sadeghpour Parisa , Souri Tayebeh
Published: September 2020

Aim and Objective:

Production of light olefins from methanol was studied over
SAPO-34 molecular sieves exploring the effect of mono and dual templates. Herein, the single templates
of TEA, morpholine, and mixed templates of TEA/morpholine (equal molar ratio of TEA
and morpholine) were used to synthesize SAPO-34 catalysts.

Materials and Methods:

The prepared samples were prepared via hydrothermal synthesis method
and characterized with XRD, FESEM, PSD, EDX, BET, and FTIR techniques.

Results:

It was found that the crystallinity decreased upon applying TEA as a template and it can also
be noted that the intensity of the SAPO-34 phase peaks increased by increasing the morpholine
in template mixture. Production of much smoother particles for the catalyst synthesized with a binary
template mixture of TEA/morpholine can be dependent on the crystallinity increase. Si incorporation
value was decreased for the catalyst with a major phase of SAPO-5 (topological structure
of AFI). It is indicative that the TEA application would facilitate the formation of AFI structure,
which is incapable of incorporating higher amounts of Si into the crystalline framework.

Conclusion:

The nature of the template determines the morphology of the final product due to the
different rates of crystal growth obtained in accordance with XRD and FESEM results. Therefore,
the catalyst synthesized with the TEA/morpholine mixture shows the best performance among synthesized
samples in terms of lifetime in the MTO process, sustaining light olefins selectivity at
higher values (about 90% after 630 min TOS).
The Effects and Underlying Mechanisms of Cell Therapy on Blood-Brain Barrier Integrity After Ischemic Stroke
Authors: Gao Li , Song Zhenghong , Mi Jianhua , Hou Pinpin , Xie Chong , Shi Jianquan , Li Yansheng , Manaenko Anatol
Published: September 2020

Ischemic stroke is one of the main causes of mortality and disability worldwide. However, efficient therapeutic strategies are still lacking. Stem/progenitor cell-based therapy, with its vigorous advantages, has emerged as a promising tool for the treatment of ischemic stroke. The mechanisms involve new neural cells and neuronal circuitry formation, antioxidation, inflammation alleviation, angiogenesis, and neurogenesis promotion. In the past decades, in-depth studies have suggested that cell therapy could promote vascular stabilization and decrease blood-brain barrier (BBB) leakage after ischemic stroke. However, the effects and underlying mechanisms on BBB integrity induced by the engrafted cells in ischemic stroke have not been reviewed yet. Herein, we will update the progress in research on the effects of cell therapy on BBB integrity after ischemic stroke and review the underlying mechanisms. First, we will present an overview of BBB dysfunction under the ischemic condition and cells engraftment for ischemic treatment. Then, we will summarize and discuss the current knowledge about the effects and underlying mechanisms of cell therapy on BBB integrity after ischemic stroke. In particular, we will review the most recent studies in regard to the relationship between cell therapy and BBB in tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA)-mediated therapy and diabetic stroke.
Synthesis of Pharmacological Relevant 1,2,3-Triazole and its Analogues-A Review
Authors: Varala Ravi , Bollikolla Hari Babu , Kurmarayuni Chandra Mohan
Published: September 2020

In this review, authors focus mostly on the various synthetic strategies developed so far for 1,2,3-
triazole scaffold and its derivatives via different approaches such as metal-free, metal assisted or bimetallic. A
brief overview of applications of the very important 1,2,3-triazole scaffold along with pharmacological activity is
also discussed. Synthetic strategies are updated until June 2020.
Is Immune Response Relevant in Interstitial Lung Disease?
Authors: Khan Manzoor M.
Published: September 2020

Interstitial lung disease, a term for a group of disorders, causes lung fibrosis, is mostly refractory to treatments and has a high death rate. After diagnosis the survival is up to 3 years but in some cases the patients live much longer. It involves a heterogenous group of lung diseases that exhibit progressive and irreversible destruction of the lung due to the formation of scars. This results in lung malfunction, disruption of gas exchange, and eventual death because of respiratory failure. The etiology of lung fibrosis is mostly unknown with a few exceptions. The major characteristics of the disease are comprised of injury of epithelial type II cells, increased apoptosis, chronic inflammation, monocytic and lymphocytic infiltration, accumulation of myofibroblasts, and inability to repair damaged tissue properly. These events result in abnormal collagen deposition and scarring. The inflammation process is mild, and the disease is primarily fibrotic driven. Immunosuppressants do not treat the disease but the evidence is evolving that both innate and acquired immune responses a well as the cytokines contribute to at least early progression of the disease. Furthermore, mediators of inflammation including cytokines are involved throughout the process of lung fibrosis. The diverse clinical outcome of the disease is due to different pattern of inflammatory markers. Nonetheless, the development of novel therapeutic strategies requires better understanding of the role of the immune response. This review highlights the role of the immune response in interstitial lung disease and considers the therapeutic strategies based on these observations. For this review several literature data sources were used to assess the role of the immune response in interstitial lung disease and to evaluate the possible therapeutic strategies for the disease.
Knowledge and Perceptions Towards Cardiovascular Disease Prevention Among Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Review of Current Assessments and Recommendations
Authors: Elnaem Mohamed Hassan , Elrggal Mahmoud E , Syed Nabeel , Naqvi Atta Abbas , Hadi Muhammad Abdul
Published: September 2020

Introduction:

Patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) are at significantly higher
risk of developing cardiovascular diseases (CVD). There is a scarcity of literature reviews that describe
and summarize T2DM patients' knowledge and perception about CVD prevention.

Objectives:

To describe and summarize the assessment of knowledge and perceptions about CVD
risk and preventive approaches among patients with T2DM.

Methods:

A scoping review methodology was adopted, and three scientific databases, Google Scholar,
Science Direct, and PubMed were searched using predefined search terms. A multistage screening
process that considered relevancy, publication year (2009-2019), English language, and article
type (original research) was followed. We formulated research questions focused on the assessment
of levels of knowledge and perceptions of the illness relevant to CVD prevention and the identification
of associated patients' characteristics.

Results:

A total of 16 studies were included. Patients were not confident to identify CVD risk and
other clinical consequences that may occur in the prognostic pathway of T2DM. Furthermore, patients
were less likely to identify all CV risk factors indicating a lack of understanding of the multi--
factorial contribution of CVD risk. Patients' beliefs about medications were correlated with their
level of adherence to medications for CVD prevention. Many knowledge gaps were identified, including
the basic disease expectations at the time of diagnosis, identification of individuals' CVD
risk factors, and management aspects. Knowledge and perceptions were affected by patients' demographic
characteristics, e.g., educational level, race, age, and area of residence.

Conclusion:

There are knowledge gaps concerning the understanding of CVD risk among patients
with T2DM. The findings necessitate educational initiatives to boost CVD prevention among patients
with T2DM. Furthermore, these should be individualized based on patients' characteristics,
knowledge gaps, disease duration, and estimated CVD risk.
A Review on Mechanistic and Pharmacological Findings of Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy including Pharmacotherapy
Authors: Tiwari Ruchi , Wal Pranay , Singh Priya , Tiwari Gaurav , Rai Awani
Published: September 2020

Background:

Chronic hyperglycemia and related complications involving peripheral
nerves in diabetes are one of the most severe microvascular complications with an average prevalence
of 50–60%. Diabetic neuropathy is among the vascular disorders of diabetes, the most debilitating
and crippled, lethal condition impacting patients’s quality of life.

Methods:

In the present review article, several hypotheses associated with the pathogenesis of Diabetic
Peripheral Neuropathy (DPN) have been introduced, among them metabolic pathways associated
with polyol pathway, oxidative stress, production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) amplified
under chronic hyperglycemic conditions and activation of transcription factor Nuclear factor-κB (NF-
κB). The review article also possesses pathogenetic and pharmacologic treatments along with
others, including acupressure, lidocaine, and capsaicin for DPN.

Conclusion:

It may be concluded that we can combat the pathogenesis of DPN with different
suggested treatments.
Effect of Recycled Tire Polymer Fibers on Autogenous Deformation of Self-Compacting Concrete
Authors: Grubor Martina , Štirmer Nina , Jelčić Rukavina Marija , Baričević Ana
Published: September 2020

Self-compacting concrete requires a special composition with an increased proportion of fine particles and larger volumes of paste compared to traditional vibrated concrete. Larger volumes of paste increase autogenous deformation, which can cause microcracking of concrete. The aim of this paper is to research the possibility of using recycled polymer fibers obtained from end-of-life tires to prevent micro cracking due to autogenous deformation in self-compacting concrete. Mixes of self-compacting concrete containing 1 and 2 kg/m3 of recycled tire polymer fibers and reference mixes were prepared and tested. Beside autogenous deformation, fresh state properties as well as compressive strength at the age of 3, 7 and 28 days were tested. The results of the performed laboratory tests indicate that the use of recycled tire polymer fibers is effective for the reduction of early autogenous deformation with insignificant difference in compressive strength at tested ages.
Evaluating Emotional Quotient and Reactions of Internet Advertisements (With Special Reference to Insurance Ads)
Authors: Pragya Jaroliya  , Deepak Jaroliya
Published: September 2020

There is no doubt that emotions are important to advertisements and many advertisers understood that using emotional connects, it is very easy to sell brands. Emotional response has received an increased attention, since researchers demonstrated its major influence on attitude towards advertisements. During the review of literature, it has been observed that many studies have been conducted on emotional quotient towards advertisements in different media, but no such study has been conducted for Internet advertisements. While seeing the popularity and acceptability of Internet advertising in the present scenario in India, the present research was set out in order to evaluate the Emotional Quotient and Reaction for Internet advertisements. In order to get the response, the scope of the study has been limited only to the Internet advertisements relating to banking insurance products offered by banks and advertised over their websites. Basically, the research has been conducted into different phases. In the initial phase, four top rated advertisements were selected. In the second phase, the level of EQ of the selected advertisements and the corresponding reaction were analyzed. It has been observed that the emotional quotient of Internet advertisements was high, however in case of reaction factors, the Internet advertisements were found to be highly attractive, but less meaningful. In terms of vitality as a factor of reaction, the advertisements found to be average. The study would be useful for the advertisers, those who are dealing in Internet advertising as well as for the banks or the financial institutions offering insurance products and services in order to improve the meaningfulness generated over Internet.
Workplace Spirituality vs. Work Life Balance: A Philosophical Approach
Authors: Neyha Malik  , Anoop Krishna Saxena
Published: September 2020

According to a recent survey, the current life expectancy in India is only 67.9 years and in comparison to countries like Japan, USA, China, and Malaysia we are far below the expectations. In this short span of time how much time we spend working and how much time we are left with for the ones we love, friends, family, and also our self. Is it balanced? If not, what can we change? How can one succeed in career and still live balanced live? Everyone has to realize that balance is not a destination; it is an ongoing journey. Gratitude, meditation, kindness, positivity, spiritual awakening, physical, mental, and social well-being are the keys to happiness and fulfilling life. There are many karmic relationships in our circle of lives that need to be strengthened and also to eliminate bad relations from our sphere so that we get meaning to life and a good work-life balance. The greatest karmic connection is that with God. This connection is called Spirituality. In this conceptual paper, the authors have tried to build the relationship between work place spirituality and work-life balance. The findings have suggested that a significant relationship between spiritual competences with work life balance exists. There is a need to strengthen a system of spiritual practice with work place activities to revitalize the organizational and personal goals. After review of extensive literature it has been analyzed that workplace spirituality is associated with work-life balance and helps to balance the level of mental and physical work at home as well as job among employees. Researchers such as Douglas Hicks, Associate Professor of Leadership Studies and Religion at the Jepson School of Leadership Studies, University of Richmond suggest that workplace spirituality involves adherence to a particular way of thinking about self, work, and organizations. (Hicks, Douglas, 2003). Rego and Pina e Cunha (2008) in their study found that when an individual's spiritual needs are fulfilled along with other needs the person will derive greater work-life balance.
Gender Perception towards Spiritual Health Seekers Satisfaction and Service Quality at Yog Gram, Haridwar
Authors: Sunil Kumari
Published: September 2020

Present study is evaluating gender perception towards treatment and service quality at Yog Gram. Gender is Independent variables categorised in male and female. Dependent variables are patient satisfaction and service quality. Study is based on formative scale and data is collected on deliberate sampling. Analysis is performed using software JAMOVI for computing t-test. Findings include there is significant difference found in the perception of spiritual health seekers satisfaction and service quality at Yog Gram.
Why Business Schools Must Teach “Arthashastra Related Karma” Lessons? A Study on Awareness regarding Kautilya's Arthashastra amongst B –School Students
Authors: Ravindhar Vadapalli
Published: September 2020

Most of the MBA Colleges and Business Schools are not imparting Arthashastra, karma lessons apart from the formal courses, case studies and classwork on finance, marketing, accounting and economics' B-School students in India deserve to learn about Kautilya's Arthashastra, an ancient treatise on statecraft, economic policy and military strategy. “The scandals like Sahara, Satyam, Chit fund Scams, Kingfisher Airlines and Nirav Modi, further increasing trend of wilful loan defaulters to banks, huge deposits made by a few business firms/individuals during demonetisation expose the weak foundations of ethics and values in Indian business scenarios,” therefore Business Schools must come forward to teach beyond Business Ethics i.e.., Karma Lessons and Socio Economic Development process as mentioned in Arthashastra. This article highlights Socio, Economic and Development thoughts of Kautilya's Arthashastra that is relevant to Business Schools.