bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Multi-objective Optimization Design of a Heavy Duty Folding Mechanism and Self-discharging Equipment Development
Authors: Yin Lairong , Li Chong-Xiang , Huang Juan , Wen Bo , Wang Jin-Hang
Published: April 2020

In this paper, we investigated the technical problem of the recovery of overlength and heavy load conveying booms of self-unloading ships. A method of folding the conveying boom with a hydraulic-four-bar mechanism is presented, and by using a mathematical model for the optimization of folding speed stationary with ADAMS software, the optimization data and results were obtained. The multi-objective optimization index is introduced, and the multi-objective optimization problem is discussed. The results of the multi-objective optimization showed that parameters such as angular velocity and the change of angular acceleration of the conveyor boom were optimized. The paper has manufactured the connecting rod mechanism, and developed the self-discharging folding conveyance equipment. Through practical application, we determined that the developed folding conveying equipment had the advantages of smooth movement and high folding efficiency.
Synthetic Repurposing of Drugs in Hypertension: a Datamining Method Based on Association Rules and a Novel Discrete Algorithm
Authors: Masoudi-Sobhanzadeh Yosef , Masoudi-Nejad Ali
Published: April 2020

Background: Drug repurposing aims to detect new benefits of the existing drugs and to reduce the time and cost of drug development projects. Although synthetic repurposing of drugs may be more useful than single repurposing in terms of reducing toxicity and enhancing efficacy, the researchers have not taken it into account. To address the issue, a novel datamining method is introduced and applied to the repositioning of drugs in hypertension (HT). This disease is a complex one and needs to efficient treatment plans to cure it better.Methods: A novel two-step data mining method, which is based on the If-Then association rules and a novel discrete optimization algorithm, is proposed and applied to the synthetic repurposing of drugs in HT. The required data are extracted from DruhBank, KEGG, and DrugR+ databases. Results: The outcomes presented that the proposed method outperforms other state-of-the-art approaches in terms of different statistical criteria. Since different methods failed to discover the list for some datasets, our method could suggest a combination of drugs for all the datasets. Conclusion: Due to using a minimum dosage of medicines, the synthetic method may revive some failed drug development projects and maybe a suitable plan for curing orphan and rare diseases. Also, to achieve better outcomes, it is essential to use efficient computational methods.
Zoonotic potential of Enterocytozoon bieneusi in pre-weaned Korean native calves
Authors: Hwang Sunwoo , Shin Seung-Uk , Kim SuHee , Ryu Ji-Hyoung , Choi Kyoung-Seong
Published: April 2020

Background
Enterocytozoon bieneusi is the most common microsporidian species that can infect humans and various animals worldwide. To date, there has been limited information on the prevalence and genotypes of E. bieneusi infection in cattle in the Republic of Korea. Therefore, this study investigated the prevalence and genotypes of E. bieneusi circulating in pre-weaned Korean native calves and determined the age pattern of E. bieneusi infection and the relationship between E. bieneusi infection and diarrhea.
Methods
The prevalence of E. bieneusi infection in pre-weaned Korean native calves was screened by polymerase chain reaction. PCR-positive products were sequenced to determine the genotype of E. bieneusi. A Chi-square analysis used to compare the associations between diarrhea and infection rate of E. bieneusi in each age ranges or all ages.
Results
PCR and sequencing analysis revealed an overall prevalence of E. bieneusi of 16.9% (53/314) in pre-weaned calves. The prevalence of E. bieneusi was the highest in September (36.2%), followed by March (28.3%). E. bieneusi infection (χ2 = 5.82, P = 0.016) was associated with diarrhea in calves. Our results also indicated that E. bieneusi infection was statistically associated with calf age (χ2 = 11.61, P = 0.003), and the prevalence of E. bieneusi infection was significantly higher in calves aged 21−40 days (odds ratio = 2.90, 95% confidence interval: 1.54−5.45; P = 0.001) than in those aged 1−20 days. Interestingly, the association between E. bieneusi infection and diarrhea was observed only in calves aged 1−20 days (χ2 = 5.82, P = 0.010). Furthermore, our results indicated that E. bieneusi infection in pre-weaned calves may be associated with mild diarrhea rather than severe diarrhea. We identified five genotypes, BEB4 (n = 12), BEB8 (n = 23), CHN6 (n = 1), I (n = 1), and J (n = 16), and all of which belonged to Group 2. The genotype BEB8 was the most prevalent among all age groups irrespective of diarrhea. In contrast, the genotype I was identified only in one calf aged 10 days with diarrhea. Except for CHN6, the other four genotypes were mostly observed in cattle, and all exhibited zoonotic potential.
Conclusions
To our knowledge, this is the first report of the presence of the genotypes BEB4 and CHN6 in pre-weaned Korean native calves. Zoonotic E. bieneusi infection was prevalent in pre-weaned Korean native calves, indicating that cattle may play an important role as a reservoir host for E. bieneusi transmission to humans.
Survival analysis of patients with stage T2a and T2b perihilar cholangiocarcinoma treated with radical resection
Authors: Zhao Jian , Zhang Wei , Zhang Jun , Zhang Yi , Ma Wenjie , Liu Siyun , Li Fuyu , Song Bin
Published: April 2020

Background: Both the 7th and 8th editions of the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) for perihilar cholangiocarcinoma (pCCA) had the same definition for T2a and T2b. But the value of this classification as prognostic factors remains unclear. Methods: 178 patients with stage T2a or T2b who underwent curative intent resection for pCCA between Jan 2010 and Dec 2018 were enrolled. Relationships between survival and clinicopathological factors including patient demographics and tumor characteristics were evaluated using univariate and multivariate Cox regression analysis. The overall survival (OS) were calculated by Kaplan-Meier method.Results: There was no significant difference in OS between T2a and T2b group. The median OS were 37 and 31 months (P=0.354). Both the 7th and 8th edition of the AJCC TNM staging demonstrated a poor prognostic predictive performance. High level of AST (≥85.0IU/L) and CA19-9 (≥1000 U/mL), vascular resection and lower pathological differentiation of the tumor were the independent predictors for poor survival after resection.Conclusion: The newly released 8th edition of AJCC staging system demonstrated a poor ability to discriminate the prognosis of patients with stage T2a and T2b after resection for pCCA.
Silica nanoparticles with encapsulated DNA (SPED) – a novel surrogate tracer for microbial transmission in healthcare
Authors: Scotoni Manuela , Koch Julian , Julian Timothy R , Clack Lauren , García Ana Karina Pitol , Wolfensberger Aline , Grass Robert N , Sax Hugo
Published: April 2020

BackgroundThe increase in antimicrobial resistance is of worldwide concern. Surrogate tracers attempt to simulate microbial transmission by avoiding the infectious risks associated with live organisms. We evaluated silica nanoparticles with encapsulated DNA (SPED) as a new promising surrogate tracer in healthcare.MethodsSPED and Escherichia coli were used to implement three experiments in simulation rooms and a microbiology laboratory in 2017-2018. Experiment 1 investigated the transmission behaviour of SPED in a predefined simulated patient-care scenario. SPED marked with 3 different DNA sequences (SPED1-SPED3) were introduced at 3 different points of the consecutive 13 touch sites of a patient-care scenario that was repeated 3 times, resulting in a total of 288 values. Experiment 2 evaluated SPED behaviour following hand cleaning with water and soap and alcohol-based handrub. Experiment 3 compared transfer dynamics of SPED versus E. coli in a laboratory using a gloved finger touching two consecutive sites on a laminate surface after a first purposefully contaminated site.ResultsExperiment 1: SPED adhesiveness on bare skin after a hand-to-surface exposure was high, leading to a dissemination of SPED1-3 on all consecutive surface materials with a trend of decreasing recovery rates, also reflecting touching patterns in concordance with contaminated fingers versus palms. Experiment 2: Hand washing with soap and water resulted in a SPED reduction of 96%, whereas hand disinfection led to dispersal of SPED from the palm to the back of the hand. Experiment 3: SPED and E. coli concentration decreased in parallel with each transmission step – with SPED showing a trend for less reduction and variability.ConclusionsSPED represent a convenient and safe instrument to simulate pathogen spread by contact transmission simultaneously from an infinite number of sites. They can be further developed as a central asset for successful infection prevention in healthcare settings.
Utilizing an Automated Tool Analysis to Evaluate EFL Students’ Writing Performance
Authors: Petchprasert Anongnad
Published: April 2020

Recently, the integration of linguistics and technology has been promoted and widely used in the field of linguistics and English writing for several purposes. One of those purposes is to evaluate EFL writing ability by using electronic assessment tools in language teaching or rhetorical studies. In this study, an automated writing evaluation tool (Coh-Metrix version 3.0) was used to indicate English-major students’ writing performance based on the six discourse components of the texts and to determine the associations between those six results of Coh-Metrix analyses. The 80 EFL texts produced for each scheme of writing tasks on two different topics were collected. The corpus analyses gathered from Coh-Metrix identify linguistic and discourse features that were interpreted to determine the 40 EFL undergraduate students’ English writing abilities. The students wrote and revised their essays in a hand written form in class and resubmitted their essays in digital forms with corrections made. The results showed that these writers demonstrated linguistic flexibility across writing prompts that they produced. The analyses also indicated that the length of the texts, the word concreteness and the uses of the referential and deep cohesion had impacts on the students’ writing performances across the writing tasks. Besides, the findings suggest practical value in using the Coh-Metrix to support teachers’ instructional decisions that could help to identify improvement of students’ writing skill.
Association Between Food Insecurity and Key Metabolic Risk Factors for Diet-Sensitive Non-Communicable Diseases in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Nkambule Sphamandla Josias , Moodley Indres , Kuupiel Desmond , Mashamba-Thomson Tivani P.
Published: April 2020

BackgroundIn previous studies, food insecurity has been hypothesised to promote the prevalence of metabolic risk factors on the causal pathway to diet-sensitive non-communicable diseases (NCDs). This prevalence has been shown to differ between gender and populations. However, evidence of this association in resources-limited settings with high levels of food insecurity such as sub-Saharan African countries remains elusive.PurposeWe aimed to identify the association between food insecurity and key metabolic risk factors on the causal pathway to diet-sensitive NCDs in sub-Saharan African population.MethodsWe did a systematic review according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines. Relevant studies published between January 2015 and October 2019 were searched in PubMed, Web of Science (SCiELO Citation Index), and five other databases followed by explicit and reproducible hand-searches of included studies which were peer-reviewed epidemiological studies conducted in sub-Saharan Africa, directly measured food insecurity, and compared food insecurity to a metabolic risk factor outcome. Two reviewers extracted all the necessary data from individual studies independently and employed the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT) – Version 2018 to evaluate the risk of bias. Prevalence estimates from individual studies were pooled using the random-effect model.ResultsThe initial searches yielded 11 803 articles, 22 were eligible for inclusion, presenting data from 26 609 food-insecure participants and 11 545 incident of metabolic risk factor cases. Most studies confirmed an adverse association between food insecurity and key metabolic risk factors for diet-sensitive NCDs. The Meta-analysis showed a significantly high pooled prevalence estimate of key metabolic risk factors at 41.8 per cent (95% CI: 33.2% to 50.8%, I2 = 99.5% p-value < 0.00). The most prevalent type of metabolic risk factors was dyslipidaemia 27.6 per cent (95% CI: 6.5% to 54.9%), hypertension 24.7 per cent (95% CI: 15.6% to 35.1%), and overweight 15.8 per cent (95% CI: 10.6% to 21.7%). Notably, the prevalence estimates of these metabolic risk factors were considerably more frequent in females than males.ConclusionThis study is the first to systematically review or meta-analyse the association between food insecurity and key metabolic risk factors for diet-sensitive non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in sub-Saharan African countries, in order to generate an integrated, evidence-based, comprehensive summary of how key metabolic risk factors are patterned by food insecurity. Further high-quality longitudinal data and mediation analysis are warranted to understand the basis of this findings to support targeted prevention and control strategies for those confronted with food insecurity.PROSPERO registration number: PROSPERO 2019 CRD42019136638
The Carpentier-Edwards classic and physio annuloplasty rings in repair of degenerative mitral valve disease: A retrospective study
Authors: Sidiki Abubakari Ibn , Faybushevich Alexandr Georgievich , Lishchuk Alexandr Nikolaevich , Koltunov Alexey Nikolaevich
Published: April 2020

BackgroundPhysio ring (SR) is considered an improved version of the Classic rigid ring (RR). Today, SR is more widely used in mitral valve (MV) repair. We sought to compare the long-term outcomes of repair with RR and SR in degenerative mitral valve disease.MethodsIn a computerized registry of our institution, 306 patients had isolated MV repair with either RR (139 patients) or SR (167 patients) ring between 2005 and 2015. Fifteen of them had concomitant tricuspid valve repair. Ninety-two (30.1%) had Barlow’s disease and 214 (69.9%) had fibroelastic deficiency. The patients had similar demographic and echocardiographic characteristics.ResultsThere were 4 (1.3%) operative mortalities. Mean follow-up time was 107.4 ± 13.2 months. Left ventricular end diastolic and end systolic diameters significantly improved in both groups but not between groups. Survival at 10 years was 84.6% (93.1% in RR and 91.5% in SR; p = 0.177) and 10-year freedom from recurrent MR ≥ 2 + was 74.5% (88.2% in RR and 86.3% in SR; p = 0.110). Reoperations for repair failure were 8 in RR and 6 in SR. By Cox regression analysis, Barlow’s disease, preoperative MR = 4 + and chordal shortening were predictors of repair failure. Old age (≥ 70 years), NYHA functional class IV and pulmonary artery systolic pressure (≥ 40 mmHg) were predictors of poor survival by univariate analysis.ConclusionLong-term outcomes of repair for degenerative MV disease with the Classic and Physio rings are comparable. Artificial chordal implantation should be used instead of chordal shortening for diseased chordae.
Prognosis of men with high-risk prostate cancer stratified by risk factors: A population-based retrospective cohort study
Authors: Song Pan , Dong Qiang
Published: April 2020

Objective: To evaluate the prognosis of men with high-risk prostate cancers (PCa) stratified by high-risk factors.Methods: Men with localized high-risk PCa were identified from 2004 to 2015. Kaplan–Meier analysis and Cox regressions were adopted to evaluate prostate cancer-specific survival (PCSS). Results: A total of 151,799 patients were included. Seven risk groups were divided including one high-risk factor of T3-4 (A1), prostate-specific antigen (PSA) >20 ng/ml (A2), and Gleason score (GS) 8-10, two high-risk factors of T3-4 PSA>20 ng/ml (B1), T3-4 GS 8-10 (B2), PSA>20 ng/ml GS 8-10 (B3), and three high-risk factors of T3-4 PSA>20 ng/ml and GS 8-10 (C). The PCSS results showed that A1 was the best among all groups. A2, A3 and B1 were similar and were all better than B2. No significant difference existed between B3 and C and these two were the worst in prognosis. The 10-year PCSS rates of A1, A2, A3, B1, B2, B3, and C group were 95.8%, 86.9%, 86.1%, 86.9%, 80.8%, 64.7% and 65.6%, respectively. Three simplified groups were divided including a good prognosis group (A1), an intermediate prognosis group (A2, A3, B1 and B2), and a poor prognosis group (B3 and C). The 10-year PCSS rate of three groups were 95.8% vs 85.1% vs 66.5%. Compared to the good prognosis group, the HR of the intermediate and poor prognosis group were 4.21(3.96~4.48) and 11.36 (10.59~12.19). A nomogram was built based on these factors. The C-index of the nomogram was 0.772, indicating a good accuracy of the model. Conclusions: We regrouped men with high-risk PCa according to their prognosis. PCa with three high-risk factors was not more aggressive than that with two of GS 8-10 and PSA >20 ng/ml.
Identification of inhibitors of SARS-CoV-2 in-vitro cellular toxicity in human (Caco-2) cells using a large scale drug repurposing collection
Authors: Ellinger Bernhard , Bojkova Denisa , Zaliani Andrea , Cinatl Jindrich , Claussen Carsten , Westhaus Sandra , Reinshagen Jeanette , Kuzikov Maria , Wolf Markus , Geisslinger Gerd , Gribbon Philip , Ciesek Sandra
Published: April 2020

To identify possible candidates for progression towards clinical studies against SARS-CoV-2, we screened a well-defined collection of 5632 compounds including 3488 compounds which have undergone clinical investigations (marketed drugs, phases 1 -3, and withdrawn) across 600 indications. Compounds were screened for their inhibition of viral induced cytotoxicity using the human epithelial colorectal adenocarcinoma cell line Caco-2 and a SARS-CoV-2 isolate. The primary screen of 5632 compounds gave 271 hits. A total of 64 compounds with IC50 <20 µM were identified, including 19 compounds with IC50 < 1 µM. Of this confirmed hit population, 90% have not yet been previously reported as active against SARS-CoV-2 in-vitro cell assays. Some 37 of the actives are launched drugs, 19 are in phases 1-3 and 10 pre-clinical. Several inhibitors were associated with modulation of host pathways including kinase signaling P53 activation, ubiquitin pathways and PDE activity modulation, with long chain acyl transferases were effective viral inhibitors.
Analysis of the Clinical Characteristics of 77 COVID-19 Deaths
Authors: Wang Kaige , Qiu Zhixin , Liu Dan , Luo Jianfei , Liu Jiasheng , Fan Tao , Liu Chunrong , Tian Panwen , Wang Ye , Ni Zhong , Zhang Shumin , Li Weimin
Published: April 2020

Purpose: For the emerging pandemic Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), no clear description on its deaths’ clinical characteristics and causes of death is available. Hence, this study analyzed clinical characteristics of 77 COVID-19 deaths, providing data support to further understand this disease.Method: A retrospective analysis of 77 COVID-19 deaths in East Branch, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University from February 1 to March 7, 2020 was performed in clinical characteristics, laboratory results, causes of death, and subgroup comparison. Results: Totally 72.7% of the deaths (male-female ratio: 51:26, average age at death: 71, mean survival time: 17.4 days) had hypertension, heart disease, diabetes, chronic lung disease, and other comorbidities. Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and sepsis were the main causes of death. Increases in C-reactive protein (CRP), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), D-dimer and lactic acid (LAC), and decreases in lymphocyte, cluster of differentiation (CD) 4+ and CD8+ cells were common in laboratory results. Subgroup analysis showed: 1) Most female deaths had cough and diabetes. 2) The male proportion in young and middle-aged deaths was higher; while elderly deaths were more prone to myocardial injury and elevated CRP. 3) There was no statistical difference between short-term and non-short-term survival subgroups. 4) CRP and LDH increased and CD4+ and CD8+ cells decreased significantly in patients with hypertension.Conclusions: The majority of COVID-19 deaths are males, especially the elderly with underlying diseases. The main causes of death include ARDS and sepsis. Most female deaths have cough and diabetes. Myocardial injury is common in elderly deaths. Patients with hypertension are prone to increased inflammatory index, tissue hypoxia and cellular immune injury.Authors Kaige Wang and Zhixin Qiu contributed equally to this work.
Filozofijska antropologija u Hrvatskoj
Authors: Barišić Pavo
Published: April 2020

Članak ocrtava povijesni razvoj pitanja o višeznačnoj i zagonetnoj ljudskoj naravi, s posebnim osvrtom na razloge i uvjete zasnivanja moderne filozofijske antropologije. Na toj podlozi daje pregled idejnih začetaka i pravaca antropologijskih istraživanja u Hrvatskoj. U žarištu su pitanja: kada se pojavljuju istraživanja u polju filozofijske antropologije, u kojem se misaonom okružju oblikuju te kakve znanstvene dosege ostvaruju? Prikaz na vidjelo iznosi spoznaju kako filozofijska antropologija u Hrvatskoj dobiva prve konture i vrijedne prinose u sam osvit suvremene obnove te discipline, neposredno nakon njezinih fenomenologijskih i znanstvenih oživljavanja u pothvatima Schelera i Plessnera. Razvoj istraživačke grane raščlanjen je, prema modelu Hansa Lenka, u četiri glavne idejne orijentacije. U okviru antropologije odozgo prikazani su stvaralački prinosi Stjepana Zimmermanna, Vilima Keilbacha, Rajmunda Kuparea, Miljenka Belića, Ante Kusića, Josipa Ćurića, Hrvoja Lasića i Ivana Kopreka. Antropologija odozdo prispodobljena je osvrtom na istraživanja Vere Ehrlich-Stein, Rudija Supeka, Instituta za antropologiju, Pavla Rudana i Darka Polšeka. Za antropologiju iz kulture izložena su misaona postignuća Pavla Vuk-Pavlovića, Vladimira Filipovića, Vjekoslava Mikecina, Esada Ćimića, Nikole Skledara, Branke Brujić, Milana Galovića i Mihaele Girardi-Karšulin. Pod antropologijom iz povijesti ocrtana su djela Predraga Vranickoga, Milana Kangrge, Vanje Sutlića, Gaje Petrovića, Hotimira Burgera, Mislava Kukoča i Raula Raunića. Zaključak sažimlje četiri uvida 1. Filozofijska antropologija nedovoljno je istraženo i malo vrednovano polje, koje predstavlja jedan od najplodnijih misaonih pravaca u 20. stoljeću; 2. Stvaralački prinosi zastupljeni su u sve četiri glavne orijentacije; 3. U okviru istraživanja o čovjeku ostvaren je živ dijalog i plodotvoran susret različitih nazora na svijet; 4. Početke razvoja discipline treba pomaknuti ranije u povijest nego što se prethodno smatralo (Hotimir Burger), s pedesetih i šezdesetih na početak tridesetih godina 20. stoljeća. Posljednji uvid ukazuje na potrebu daljnjega istraživanja uočena, a dosad uglavnom zanemarena, kontinuiteta antropologijskih tema i bliskih idejnih stajališta u povijesti novije filozofije u Hrvatskoj.
Danilo Pejović – učitelj mišljenja
Authors: Živković Mladen
Published: April 2020

Iako ne jedini, Danilo Pejović pokazao je kako je bilo moguće misliti drugačije, otvarati perspektive, otvarati se budućem, izlazeći iz marksističke kabanice kojom smo gotovo svi bili zaogrnuti. U svojoj osobi utjelovio je izvorni filozofski etos i golemu erudiciju. Snaga njegova mišljenja očituje se u istančanoj analizi predmeta. Očit je njegov literarni talent kojim se nadaje kao virtuoz i umjetnik riječi, mjestimice poetičnoga stila. Pejović s lakoćom govori o najtežim temama filozofije. Svagda piše jasno, poučno i entuzijastično odmjerenim, probranim i profinjenim izričajem, po čemu nadilazi sve naše filozofske pisce. To iščitavamo već u naslovima njegovih knjiga, studija, eseja i članaka koji govore dubinom svoga smisla, sabirući u sebi smisao čitavoga teksta. Pejović dokazuje kako se moglo evoluirati ususret nadolazećem, novom i drugačijem. Naravno, to novo i drugačije nije samim time već tu, ali za otvaranje novih obzorja trebamo ići protiv struje. Opus Danila Pejovića treba uzeti kao smjerokaz koji nas upućuje da se zdušno pozabavimo sami sobom, da pred sobom položimo račun sami sebi o tome kako je s nama bilo, kako jest i kako treba biti. Njegovo promišljanje teme hrvatske nacionalne sudbine, viđeno kroz promišljanje hrvatske baštine, kulture, povijesti, društva i politike, iznijelo je na zavidnoj misaonoj razini angažiranog filozofa s kojim se kod nas malo tko može usporediti. Upravo mu danas za to dugujemo zahvalnost i služi mu na čast kako je pristupio tom tematskom krugu. Nama su ta njegova razmišljanja nezaobilazna i obvezujuća. Mislimo da je upravo sada pravi trenutak za iščitavanje njegova opusa u cjelini, a ovog aspekta osobito. Ovim kratkim osvrtom htjeli smo tek ukazati na njegov doprinos našoj filozofiji i kulturi. Pejović svakako ostaje iznimno aktualan i poticajan. Nadamo se da je ovim radom to dovoljno obrazloženo. Ako bi ovaj tekst potaknuo naše mlade filozofe i filozofkinje da prionu proučavati njegova djela, onda bi ovaj rad ispunio svoju svrhu. Neka do njih dopru njegove riječi, riječi učitelja mišljenja, da »mišljenje živi samo na taj način da ustraje u traganju i pitanju«.
Toma Akvinski o transcendentalima u De veritate, q. 1, a. 1
Authors: Milidrag Predrag
Published: April 2020

Tekst analizira izvođenje transcendentalnih pojmova Tome Akvinskoga u prvom članku prvog pitanja Raspravljenih pitanja o istini (Questiones disputatae de veritate). Nakon pokazivanja načina na koji je moguće dodavanje biću (ens), detaljno se analiziraju transcendentalni pojmovi res, unum, aliquid, verum i bonum. Pri analizi pojma stvari pokazuje se poseban status bića, naime kao prvotnog, »transcendentalizirajućeg« transcendentala (Cornelio Fabro). U kontekstu verum i bonum, ističe se razlika između istine i dobrog kao transcendentalnih pojmova te istine i dobrog u spoznajnom i etičkom smislu. U zaključku, izdvojena su tri obilježja transcendentala prema stvarnosti (zamjenjivost, identitet i koekstenzivnost s bićem) i tri obilježja prema značenju (uključenost bića, razlikovanje od bića i međusobno razlikovanje te poredak).
Welt als Phänomen
Authors: Wiedtmann Niels
Published: April 2020

Pisati istraživanje o svijetu kao fenomenu implicira pretpostavku da je svijet fenomen u smislu filozofske fenomenologije. To, međutim, nije jednoznačno čak ni unutar same fenomenologije. U duhu husserlovska razumijevanja, svijet ne može biti ili postati fenomen zato što se svaki fenomen referira na relacijski sadržaj, tj. horizont. I dok bilo koji horizont može postati fenomen, zato što se referira na uvijek drugi horizont, svijet to ne može. Svijet je krajnji horizont i time se nema na što referirati. Dakle, nije samorazumljivo da se svijet uopće može uzeti kao fenomen. Međutim, u ovom radu polazim onkraj ove tvrdnje i argumentiram da je svijet fenomen par excellence. Takoreći, svijet je jedini fenomen uopće, ne samo zato što svemu što se u njemu pojavljuje daje poseban smisao nego i zato što se istovremeno sam pokazuje drugačijim, temeljem svojeg posebnog smisla. Pokušat ću navedeno demonstrirati referirajući se posebno na fenomenološke pristupe Heideggera i Rombacha. Čineći to, nadam se da ću ponuditi makar nekoliko aspekata fenomenološke analize »svijeta«.
Specific role of the tight junction proteins occludin and claudin-5 on the blood–brain barrier during Listeria monocytogenes infection
Authors: REN JINGJING , YANG MINGWEI , WANG PENGYAN , JIANG JIANJUN , YAN GENQIANG
Published: April 2020

To investigate the blood-brain barrier (BBB) permeability of mice after Listeria monocytogenes infection for further study on the mechanism of L. monocytogenes crossing the BBB, a mouse model was established and Evans blue assay was performed to assess the BBB disruption. Using relative quantitative real-time PCR, the RNA expression of Zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1), occludin and claudin-5 were detected. In addition, the protein expression level of ZO-1, occludin and claudin-5 were detected by immunohistochemistry and western blot. The extravasation of Evans blue dye was significantly different between 24 h and 96 h (P < 0.05). The mRNA expression of occludin and claudin-5 were down-regulated than that of the control group at each sampling point (P < 0.05) and ZO-1 showed a significant change at 96 h (P < 0.05). In addition, the protein expression level of occludin and claudin-5 decreased significantly at 48 h and 96 h (P < 0.05) by immunohistochemistry and western blot, compared with the control, while ZO-1 was almost unchanged (P > 0.05). All results indicating that the tight junction integrity of endothelial cells was destroyed and BBB permeability was enhanced in the process of L. monocytogenes infection, and this change was related to the decrease of the expression occludin and claudin-5.
Effects of Sperm Parameters on Pregnancy Rate in Patients Undergoing Intrauterine Insemination
Authors: Solakhan Mehmet , Demir Mustafa
Published: April 2020

OBJECTIVE: In this study, the effects of sperm parameters on the success of intrauterine insemination were investigated. STUDY DESIGN: The data from 309 infertile couples who were admitted between 2012-2018 without a female factor were analyzed retrospectively and included in the study. After the administration of gonadotropin and hCG (5000-10000 IU), single insemination was performed in 36-40 hours in all cycles. All couples underwent routine infertility screening. The relationship between sperm parameters (motility, morphology, sperm count), patient age, duration of infertility with intrauterine insemination success was evaluated.RESULTS: There was no statistically significant difference between the two groups in terms of mean age and age related-parity. There was no statistically significant difference between male ages, liquefaction, and sperm volumes between the two groups (p=0.898, p=0.448, p=0.651). Before washing; There was a statistically significant difference between the sperm concentration, percentage of total motile sperm, percentage of progressive motility sperm, percentage of normal sperm morphology, and total sperm count between the two groups (p=0.0001, p=0.0001, p=0.0001, p=0.0001, p=0.0001). After sperm washing; the results were similar to those obtained before washing. While statistically significant difference was observed between sperm volume and sperm concentrations (p=0.023, p=0.018), no significant difference was observed between the two groups in total sperm count (p=0.612).CONCLUSION: As a result, during the application of intrauterine insemination to infertile couples, total motile sperm count, progressive motility sperm count ratio and high sperm ratio with normal morphology used in order to increase pregnancy success can be considered as criteria that increase the chances of success.
Usage of statistical modeling techniques in surface and groundwater level prediction
Authors: Kenda Klemen , Peternelj Jože , Mellios Nikos , Kofinas Dimitris , Čerin Matej , Rožanec Jože
Published: April 2020

The paper presents a thorough evaluation of the performance of different statistical modeling techniques in ground- and surface-level prediction scenarios as well as some aspects of the application of data-driven modeling in practice (feature generation, feature selection, heterogeneous data fusion, hyperparameter tuning, and model evaluation). Twenty-one different regression and classification techniques were tested. The results reveal that batch regression techniques are superior to incremental techniques in terms of accuracy and that among them gradient boosting, random forest and linear regression perform best. On the other hand, introduced incremental models are cheaper to build and update and could still yield good enough results for certain large-scale applications.
Water resource security evaluation of the Yangtze River Economic Belt
Authors: Liu Junlong , Chen Jin , Yuan Zhe , Xu Jijun , Wang Yongqiang , Lin Yuru
Published: April 2020

To reasonably evaluate the water resource security state, this research built a water resource security evaluation index system of the Yangtze River Economic Belt (YREB) based on the driving force-pressure-state-impact (DPSI) concept framework, established a water resource security evaluation model by combining the entropy weight method with the fuzzy set pair analysis method and conducted quantitative evaluations of the water resource security states from 2008 to 2016. All the work above was based on the comprehensive consideration of the water resource characteristics in different areas of the YREB, following the index system construction principles. The results have shown that on the whole, the water resource security state of the YREB has generally undergone a process from getting worse to getting better in the latest nine years. From the aspect of the percentages of the water resource security grades, the spatial distribution of water resource security in the YREB is highest in the downstream area, second in the middle reaches, and lowest in the upper reaches. From the aspect of the DPSI security evaluation results, the driving force and state of the water resource are the important factors affecting the water resource security of the YREB.
Breve balance y perspectivas de la industria maquiladora de exportación
Authors: Tamayo Jesús
Published: April 2020

En este trabajo se muestra un panorama general sobre la industria maquiladora (1M) en donde se analiza el desarrollo de esta actividad, desde sus orígenes hasta la fecha, destacando sus nexos con el proceso de urbanización de la frontera norte de México y los retos que enfrenta en ambos países
Functional Chitosan-based Materials for Biological Applications
Authors: Ma Jiliang , Zhong Linxin , Peng Xinwen , Xu Yongkang , Sun Runcang
Published: April 2020

Background:

Bio-based materials, as the plentiful and renewable resources for
natural constituents which are essential for biomedical and pharmaceutical applications, have
not been exploited adequately yet. Chitosan is a naturally occurring polysaccharide obtained
from chitin, which has recently attracted widespread attention owing to its excellent activity.
This review shows the methods of extraction and modification of chitosan and provides recent
progress of synthesis and use of chitosan-based materials in biological applications.

Methods:

By consulting the research literature of the last decade, the recent progresses of
functional chitosan-based materials for biological applications were summarized and divided
into the methods of extraction chitosan, the chemical modification of chitosan, chitosan-based
materials for biological applications were described and discussed.

Results:

Chemical modification of chitosan broadens its applications, leading to developing
numerous forms of chitosan-based materials with excellent properties. The excellent bioactivity
of chitosan-based material enables it serves potential applications in biomedical fields.

Conclusion:

Chitosan-based materials not only exhibit the excellent activities of chitosan but
also show other appealing performance of combined materials, even give the good synergistic
properties of chitosan and its composite materials. Further studies are needed to define the
ideal physicochemical properties of chitosan for each type of biomedical applications. The
development of various functional chitosan-based materials for biological applications will be
an important field of research, and this kind of material has important commercial value.
Phytotherapy for Cardiovascular Disease: A Bench-to-Bedside Approach
Authors: Chávez-Castillo Mervin , Ortega Ángel , Duran Pablo , Pirela Daniela , Marquina María , Cano Climaco , Salazar Juan , Gonzalez Maricarmen C. , Bermúdez Valmore , Rojas-Quintero Joselyn , Velasco Manuel
Published: April 2020

At present, cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains the leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide,
and global trends suggest that this panorama will persist or worsen in the near future. Thus, optimization of
treatment strategies and the introduction of novel therapeutic alternatives for CVD represent key objectives in
contemporary biomedical research. In recent years, phytotherapy-defined as the therapeutic use of whole or
minimally modified plant components-has ignited large scientific interest, with a resurgence of abundant investigation
on a wide array of medicinal herbs (MH) for CVD and other conditions. Numerous MH have been observed
to intervene in the pathophysiology of CVD via a myriad of molecular mechanisms, including antiinflammatory,
anti-oxidant, and other beneficial properties, which translate into the amelioration of three essential
aspects of the pathogenesis of CVD: Dyslipidemia, atherosclerosis, and hypertension. Although the preclinical
data in this scenario is very rich, the true clinical impact of MH and their purported mechanisms of action is less
clear, as large-scale robust research in this regard is in relatively early stages and faces important methodological
challenges. This review offers a comprehensive look at the most prominent preclinical and clinical evidence currently
available concerning the use of MH in the treatment of CVD from a bench-to-bedside approach.
Hypervalent Iodine Reagents in the Synthesis of Flavonoids and Related Compounds
Authors: Kumar Rajesh , Sharma Nitya , Prakash Om
Published: April 2020

Hypervalent iodine compounds have proved to be very useful reagents to bring
about various oxidative transformations including (i) α-functionalization of carbonyl compounds,
(ii) oxidation of phenols, and (iii) oxidative rearrangement of ketones and α,β-
unsaturated ketones. These reactions find interesting applications in the development of
newer and convenient approaches for the synthesis of flavonoids. This review focuses on
the use of most common three hypervalent compounds, namely iodobenzene diacetate,
[hydroxy(tosyloxy)iodo]benzene, and [bis-trifluoroacetoxy(iodo)]benzene in the synthesis
of cis/trans-3-hydroxyflavanones, 3-hydroxyflavones (flavonols), flavones, isoflavones
and related compounds.
Ethnopharmacological Applications of Mango (Mangiferaindica L.) Peel - A Review
Authors: Umamahesh Katike , Gandhi Arumugam D. , Reddy Obulam V.S.
Published: April 2020

Background:

Mango peel is a major by-product of mango (Mangifera Indica L.) fruit that
belongs to the Anacardiaceae family. It is a tropical or subtropical fruit and is a potent source of polyphenolic
contents. In traditional medicines, mango peel extract has been commonly used, either singly
or in combination with other plant extracts against different ailments since ancient times.

Methods:

An electronic database search for accepted articles in Pubmed, Google Scholar, Researchgate,
Google, Scopus and Science Direct was used to review the scientific inputs by searching
appropriate keywords. Some information was obtained from books and databases on medicinal plants
used in different periods.

Results:

Numerous reports revealed that mango peel contains a wide spectrum of phytochemical compounds
like polyphenolics and flavonoids. A mango peel is a potential source of antioxidant, antiinflammatory,
antidiabetic, antibacterial and antiproliferative properties. This review suggests that
mango peel could be a potential drug to treat various clinical conditions in the future.

Conclusion:

In this review, a number of phytochemicals have been summarized for their pharmacological
properties and the mechanisms of action, and the possible potential therapeutic applications of
mango peel against various diseases are also discussed.
From the Molecular Mechanism to Pre-clinical Results: Anti-epileptic Effects of Fingolimod
Authors: Paudel Yam Nath , Angelopoulou Efthalia , Piperi Christina , Gnatkovsky Vadym , Othman Iekhsan , Shaikh Mohd. Farooq
Published: April 2020

Epilepsy is a devastating neurological condition characterized by long-term tendency to
generate unprovoked seizures, affecting around 1-2 % of the population worldwide. Epilepsy is a
serious health concern which often associates with other neurobehavioral comorbidities that further
worsen disease conditions. Despite tremendous research, the mainstream anti-epileptic drugs (AEDs)
exert only symptomatic relief leading to 30% of untreatable patients. This reflects the complexity of
the disease pathogenesis and urges the precise understanding of underlying mechanisms in order to
explore novel therapeutic strategies that might alter the disease progression as well as minimize the
epilepsy-associated comorbidities. Unfortunately, the development of novel AEDs might be a difficult
process engaging huge funds, tremendous scientific efforts and stringent regulatory compliance with a
possible chance of end-stage drug failure. Hence, an alternate strategy is drug repurposing, where
anti-epileptic effects are elicited from drugs that are already used to treat non-epileptic disorders.

Herein, we provide evidence of the anti-epileptic effects of Fingolimod (FTY720), a modulator of
sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) receptor, USFDA approved already for Relapsing-Remitting Multiple
Sclerosis (RRMS). Emerging experimental findings suggest that Fingolimod treatment exerts
disease-modifying anti-epileptic effects based on its anti-neuroinflammatory properties, potent neuroprotection,
anti-gliotic effects, myelin protection, reduction of mTOR signaling pathway and activation
of microglia and astrocytes. We further discuss the underlying molecular crosstalk associated
with the anti-epileptic effects of Fingolimod and provide evidence for repurposing Fingolimod to
overcome the limitations of current AEDs.
New Insights into the Role of FGF-23 and Klotho in Cardiovascular Disease in Chronic Kidney Disease Patients
Authors: Memmos Evangelos , Papagianni Aikaterini
Published: April 2020

Alterations of fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF-23) and Klotho levels are considered to be
the earliest biochemical abnormality of chronic kidney disease – mineral and bone disease (CKDMBD)
syndrome. Moreover, emerging data suggests that the dysregulated FGF-23 and Klotho
axis has many effects on the cardiovascular (CV) system and contributes significantly to the increased
CV morbidity and mortality rates of CKD patients. This review examines recent evidence on the role
of FGF-23 and Klotho in the development and progression of CV complications of uremia namely
cardiac hypertrophy, uremic cardiomyopathy, and atherosclerotic and arteriosclerotic vascular lesions.
Moreover, the available evidence on their associations with adverse clinical outcomes are summarized.
Undoubtedly, more studies are needed to further elucidate the effects of FGF-23 and Klotho on the
heart and vessels and to gain insights into their prognostic value as CV risk factors. Finally,
large prospective studies are required to test the hypothesis that modification of their levels would have
a favourable impact on the unacceptably high mortality rates of these patient populations.
Synthesis and Biological Evaluation of Benzodioxol Derivatives as Cyclooxygenase Inhibitors
Authors: Jaradat Nidal , Hawash Mohammed , Abualhasan Murad
Published: April 2020

Background:

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are among the most
widely used therapeutics; they are competitive inhibitors of cyclooxygenase (COX), the enzyme
which mediates the conversion of arachidonic acid to inflammatory prostaglandins.

Objective:

In this study, new benzodioxol derivatives with different core cycles and functional
groups (i.e., aryl acetate, aryl acetic acid and diazepine) were designed, synthesized, identified and
evaluated for their analgesic and anti-inflammatory activity, as a preliminary screening study to
identify the most potent and more selective groups.

Methods:

The synthesized compounds were identified using FTIR, HRMS, 1H-NMR and 13C-NMR,
and evaluated for their inhibitory activity against ovine COX-1 and COX-2 using an in vitro cyclooxygenase
(COX) inhibition assay kit.

Results:

Six compounds were synthesized as a preliminary screening study to identify
which was the most potent and more selective group towards COX-2 versus COX-1, compared
to ketoprofen as non-selective NSAIDs. The compounds have three different groups: aryl acetate,
aryl acetic acid and diazepine. The results showed that the most potent compound against the COX-
1 enzyme was 4b (which has diazepine and 2-chlorophenyl) with IC50 = 0.363 μM, and the selectivity
ratio of 4b was found to be better than ketoprofen. In contrast, compound 4a (which has diazepine
and 3-chlorophenyl) was the most selective with a COX-1/COX-2 ratio value of 0.85 in comparison
with a ketoprofen ratio value of 0.20.

Conclusion:

In general, the synthesized library has moderate activity against both enzymes (i.e.,
COX-1 and COX-2). Moreover, all six compounds have better COX-2 inhibition selectivity compared
to the commercial drug ketoprofen.
Oleanolic Acid Derived from Plants: Synthesis and Pharmacological Properties of A-ring Modified Derivatives
Authors: Wu Tingjuan , Yao Xu , Wang Guan , Liu Xiaohe , Chen Hongfei , Yang Zehua , Zheng Xing
Published: April 2020

Background:

Oleanolic Acid (OA) is a ubiquitous product of triterpenoid compounds.
Due to its inexpensive availability, unique bioactivities, pharmacological effects and non-toxic
properties, OA has attracted tremendous interest in the field of drug design and synthesis. Furthermore,
many OA derivatives have been developed for ameliorating the poor water solubility and bioavailability.

Objective:

Over the past few decades, various modifications of the OA framework structure have led
to the observation of enhancement in bioactivity. Herein, we focused on the synthesis and medicinal
performance of OA derivatives modified on A-ring. Moreover, we clarified the relationship between
structures and activities of OA derivatives with different functional groups in A-ring. The future application
of OA in the field of drug design and development also was discussed and inferred.

Conclusion:

This review concluded the novel achievements that could add paramount information
to the further study of OA-based drugs.
The Burden of Anaemia Among Women in Jordan
Authors: Al-Eisawi Zaynab , Rababah Eman
Published: April 2020

Background:

Anaemia is a leading haematological disorder and one of the most common
health problems worldwide affecting over a billion people. Anaemia leads to the lowered ability
of the blood to carry oxygen. In this study, we focused particularly on the prevalence of anaemia
in students currently enrolled at the Hashemite University/Jordan, shining light on the overall
prevalence in this age group elsewhere. These individuals are at an increased risk of developing
anaemia and are a nutritionally susceptible part of the population.

Methods:

Complete blood counts were determined for a total of two hundred students. Questionnaires
were also completed by students regarding their life-style and dietary habits.

Results:

A significant 27% of female students were found to be anaemic. 17% of females had mild
type of anaemia, whereas 10% of females tested suffered from moderate anaemia. The percentage
of anaemia among males was also determined and found to be insignificant with only 2% of male
students affected. A direct link was found between anaemia and a lack of consumption of foods rich
in iron and/or over-consumption of foods that inhibit iron absorption. An inverse correlation was
also observed with body mass index (BMI).

Conclusion:

Prevention of anaemia is particularly relevant in females and may be implemented by
different but complementary means such as education workshops, iron fortification of foods and the
adaption of lifestyle habits.