bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
NF1, Neurofibromin and Gene Therapy: Prospects of Next-Generation Therapy
Authors: Cui Xi-Wei , Ren Jie-Yi , Gu Yi-Hui , Li Qing-Feng , Wang Zhi-Chao
Published: August 2020

Neurofibromatosis type 1 [NF1] is an autosomal dominant genetic disorder affecting multiple organs. NF1 is well known for its various clinical manifestations, including café-au-late macules, Lisch nodules, bone deformity and neurofibromas. However, there is no effective therapy for NF1. Current therapies are aimed at alleviating NF1 clinical symptoms but not curing the disease. By altering pathogenic genes, gene therapy regulates cell activities at the nucleotide level. In this review, we described the structure and functions of neurofibromin domains, including GAP-related domain [GRD], cysteine-serine rich domain [CSRD], leucine-rich domain [LRD] and C-terminal domain [CTD], which respectively alter downstream pathways. By transfecting isolated sequences of these domains, researchers can partially restore normal cell functions in neurofibroma cell lines. Furthermore, recombinant transgene sequences may be designed to encode truncated proteins, which is functional and easy to be packaged into viral vectors. In addition, the treatment effect of gene therapy is also determined by various factors such as the vectors selection, transgene packaging strategies and drug administration. We summarized multiple NF1 gene therapy strategies and discussed their feasibility from multiple angles. Different protein domains alter the function and downstream pathways of neurofibromin.
Self-defining Memories and their Contribution to the Sense of Self in Alzheimer’s Disease
Authors: Haj Mohamad EL , Allain Philippe
Published: August 2020

Aims:

Unlike autobiographical memory (i.e., memory for personal information) in Alzheimer’s
Disease (AD), little is known about Self-Defining Memories (SDM) (i.e., memories of highly
significant personal events) in AD.

Methods:

The characteristics of self-defining memories in AD were evaluated by analyzing their specificity,
emotional valence, and integration, as well as their centrality and contribution to self-continuity.
Results demonstrated fewer specific SDM in AD participants than in controls.

Results:

No significant differences were observed between AD participants and controls regarding the
production of positive or integrated SDM. Furthermore, no significant differences were observed between
AD participants and controls regarding the rating of the centrality of SDM and their contribution
to self-continuity. These results demonstrate that, although AD participants produce fewer specific SDM
than controls, both populations have similar levels of emotional valence, integration, centrality, and selfcontinuity
of these memories.

Conclusion:

It is concluded that patients with AD, at least those in the mild stages of the disease, can
build on significant personal events and experiences (i.e., SDM) to reflect on how these events have
changed the way they see themselves.
LncRNA Xist, X-chromosome Instability and Alzheimer’s Disease
Authors: Chanda Kaushik , Mukhopadhyay Debashis
Published: August 2020

Neurodegenerative Diseases (NDD) are the major contributors to age-related causes of mental disability on a global scale. Most NDDs, like Alzheimer’s Disease (AD), are complex in nature - implying that they are multi-parametric both in terms of heterogeneous clinical outcomes and underlying molecular paradigms. Emerging evidence from high throughput genomic, transcriptomic and small RNA sequencing experiments hint at the roles of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) in AD. X-inactive Specific Transcript (XIST), a component of the Xic, the X-chromosome inactivation centre, is an RNA gene on the X chromosome of the placental mammals indispensable for the X inactivation process. An extensive literature survey shows that aberrations in Xist expression and in some cases, a disruption of the Xchromosome inactivation as a whole play a significant role in AD. Considering the enormous potential of Xist as an endogenous silencing molecule, the idea of using Xist as a non-conventional chromosome silencer to treat diseases harboring chromosomal alterations is also being implemented. Comprehensive knowledge about how Xist could play such a role in AD is still elusive. In this review, we have collated the available knowledge on the possible Xist involvement and deregulation from the perspective of molecular mechanisms governing NDDs with a primary focus on Alzheimer’s disease. Possibilities of XIST mediated therapeutic intervention and linkages between XIC and preferential predisposition of females to AD have also been discussed.
The Effect of Spinal Cord Injury on Beta-Amyloid Plaque Pathology in TgCRND8 Mouse Model of Alzheimer’s Disease
Authors: Yuan Qiuju , Yang Jian , Xian Yan-Fang , Liu Rong , Chan Chun W. , Wu Wutian , Lin Zhi-Xiu
Published: August 2020

Background:

The accumulation and aggregation of Aβ as amyloid plaques, the hallmark
pathology of the Alzheimer.s disease, has been found in other neurological disorders, such as traumatic
brain injury. The axonal injury may contribute to the formation of Aβ plaques. Studies to date have
focused on the brain, with no investigations of spinal cord, although brain and cord share the same
cellular components.

Objective:

We utilized a spinal cord transection model to examine whether spinal cord injury acutely
induced the onset or promote the progression of Aβ plaque 3 days after injury in TgCRND8 transgenic
model of AD.

Methods:

Spinal cord transection was performed in TgCRND8 mice and its littermate control wild type
mice at the age of 3 and 20 months. Immunohistochemical reactions/ELISA assay were used to
determine the extent of axonal damage and occurrence/alteration of Aβ plaques or levels of Aβ at different
ages in the spinal cord of TgCRND8 mice.

Results:

After injury, widespread axonal pathology indicated by intra-axonal co-accumulations of APP
and its product, Aβ, was observed in perilesional region of the spinal cord in the TgCRND8 mice at the
age of 3 and 20 months, as compared to age-matched non-TgCRND8 mice. However, no Aβ plaques
were found in the TgCRND8 mice at the age of 3 months. The 20-month-old TgCRND8 mice with established
amyloidosis in spinal cord had a reduction rather than increase in plaque burden at the lesion
site compared to the tissue adjacent to the injured area and corresponding area in sham mice following
spinal cord transection. The lesion site of spinal cord area was occupied by CD68 positive macrophages/
activated microglia in injured mice compared to sham animals. These results indicate that spinal
cord injury does not induce the acute onset and progression of Aβ plaque deposition in the spinal cord of
TgCRND8 mice. Conversely, it induces the regression of Aβ plaque deposition in TgCRND8 mice.

Conclusion:

The findings underscore the dependence of traumatic axonal injury in governing acute Aβ
plaque formation and provide evidence that Aβ plaque pathology may not play a role in secondary injury
cascades following spinal cord injury.
A Conceptual Framework for Research on Cognitive Impairment with no Dementia in Memory Clinic
Authors: Huang Lin , Chen Keliang , Liu Zhao , Guo Qihao
Published: August 2020

Background:

Identifying and classifying individuals with Cognitive Impairment-No Dementia
(CIND) has further challenged diagnostic methods, since varying the cutoffs for objective impairment
as well as the neuropsychological tests considered can significantly affect diagnosis. Therefore, we
investigated the applicability of an actuarial neuropsychological approach for clinical subdivision of
CIND and quantified the variability in diagnostic outcomes that results from diverse neuropsychologically
derived definition of objective cognitive impairment.

Methods:

1459 non-demented, clinic-based individuals were recruited from a monocentric memory
clinic from 1/1/2016/ to 1/1/2018 and classified as Cognitively Normal (NC), Slight Cognitive Symptom
(SCS), SSubtle Cognitive Decline (SCD) or Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) via different diagnostic
strategies, which varied the composition of objective cognitive assessments involved in the diagnostic
process.

Results:

We compared two methods of criteria proposed by Jak/Bondi and Petersen/Winblad to classify
individuals with CIND. A substantial range of differences in the percentages recognized as NC, SCS,
SCD, and MCI was presented, depending on the classification criteria adopted. Our data revealed that
the application of a set of six neuropsychological scores dividing CIND into 4 subgroups (NC, SCS,
SCD, and MCI) was able to classify all non-demented individuals without overlap or omission.

Conclusion:

Our study provided clinical support for an operational framework of the CIND classification
system and underlined the value of applying comprehensive neuropsychological assessments for
definition. The concept of SCS, considered appropriate for a preclinical stage, was proposed as the
symptomatic definition for early intervention.
The Parietal Atrophy Score on Brain Magnetic Resonance Imaging is a Reliable Visual Scale
Authors: Silhan David , Bartos Ales , Mrzilkova Jana , Pashkovska Olga , Ibrahim Ibrahim , Tintera Jaroslav
Published: August 2020

Aims:

The purpose of the study was to evaluate the reliability of our new visual scale for a
quick atrophy assessment of parietal lobes on brain Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) among
different professionals. A good agreement would justify its use for differential diagnosis of
neurodegenerative dementias, especially early-onset Alzheimer’s Disease (AD), in clinical settings.

Methods:

The visual scale named the Parietal Atrophy Score (PAS) is based on a semi-quantitative
assessment ranging from 0 (no atrophy) to 2 (prominent atrophy) in three parietal structures (sulcus
cingularis posterior, precuneus, parietal gyri) on T1-weighted MRI coronal slices through the whole
parietal lobes. We used kappa statistics to evaluate intra-rater and inter-rater agreement among four
raters who independently scored parietal atrophy using PAS. Rater 1 was a neuroanatomist (JM), rater 2
was an expert in MRI acquisition and analysis (II), rater 3 was a medical student (OP) and rater 4 was a
neurologist (DS) who evaluated parietal atrophy twice in a 3-month interval to assess intra-rater
agreement. All raters evaluated the same 50 parietal lobes on brain MRI of 25 cognitively normal
individuals with even distribution across all atrophy degrees from none to prominent according to the
neurologist’s rating.

Results:

Intra-rater agreement was almost perfect with the kappa value of 0.90. Inter-rater agreement
was moderate to substantial with kappa values ranging from 0.43-0.86.

Conclusion:

The Parietal Atrophy Score is the reliable visual scale among raters of different professions
for a quick evaluation of parietal lobes on brain MRI within 1-2 minutes. We believe it could be used as
an adjunct measure in differential diagnosis of dementias, especially early-onset AD.
PCSK9 Inhibitors and Ezetimibe Monotherapy in Patients Not Receiving Statins: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Trials
Authors: Benhuri Benjamin , Ueyama Hiroki , Takagi Hisato , Briasoulis Alexandros , Kuno Toshiki
Published: August 2020

Background:

Statins are the mainstay of treatment for low-density lipoprotein cholesterol
(LDL-C) lowering, however, some patients cannot tolerate statins because of adverse effects. Ezetimibe
and proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 inhibitors (PCSK9i) are alternative treatment options.
The purpose of this meta-analysis was to compare LDL-C reduction with ezetimibe vs PCSK9i in patients
not on statins.

Methods:

PubMed and EMBASE were searched until 14th March 2020 for randomized clinical trials
(RCTs) assessing the efficacy of ezetimibe vs PCSK9i in patients not on statins. The primary outcome
was a reduction in LDL-C levels. A subgroup analysis of statin intolerant patients was also performed.

Results:

We identified 8 RCTs that enrolled a total of 1602 patients comparing the two pharmacotherapies.
PCSK9i lowered LDL-C levels significantly more than ezetimibe (mean difference (MD): -36.5;
95% confidence interval (CI) [-38.3, -34.7, p<0.00001, I2=4%]. In the statin intolerant subgroup,
PCSK9i showed significantly greater reduction in LDL-C levels compared with ezetimibe (MD: -36.1;
95% CI [-39.2, -33.1, p<0.00001, I2=21%]. There were no significant differences in LDL-C reduction
between different PCSK9i dosages (140 mg once every 2 weeks vs 420 mg once every 4 weeks) (MD:
-1.87; 95% CI [-4.45, 0.71, p<0.16, I2=0].

Conclusions:

Among patients who are statin intolerant or not receiving statins, PCSK9i use is associated
with significantly lower LDL-C levels than after treatment with ezetimibe. PCSK9i might be useful in
the prevention and treatment of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) in this subset of patients.
Synthesis and Biological Evaluation of Thymol Functionalized Oxadiazole thiol, Triazole thione and β-lactam Derivatives
Authors: Gaba Jyoti , Sharma Sunita , Kaur Pardeep , Joshi Sukesha
Published: August 2020

In the present study, different derivatives of thymol (1) viz. hydrazide (2), oxadiazole thiol
(3), triazole thione (4), hydrazones (5-7), and β-lactams (8-10) were synthesized. All synthesized
compounds were identified and characterized using elemental analysis, UV-Visible, 1H NMR, 13C
NMR, and IR spectroscopic techniques. Synthesized thymol derivatives were evaluated for antifungal
potential against phytopathogenic fungi Fusarium moniliforme, Rhizoctonia solani, and Dreschlera
maydis of maize in comparison to recommended standards in terms of percent inhibition and ED50 values.
Thymol was more effective as compared to its derivatives against all three tested fungi. Hydrazones
(5-7) and β-lactams (8-10), having m-NO2 substituted phenyl ring (6, 9), were less effective as
compared to o-NO2 and p-NO2 analogs against F. moniliforme and R. solani, however, the reverse
trend was observed against D. maydis. Thymol and its derivatives were also tested for insecticidal activity
against stored grain (chickpea) insect Callosobruchus chinensis and various parameters viz. egg
laying, adult emergence, and grain damage were recorded and compared. Compounds having oxadiazole
thiol (3) and triazole thione (4) moiety showed promising effects against insect C. chinensis.
Synthesis of Four Eugenol Metabolites
Authors: Jia Xixi , Zhou Hao , Liu Xiwang , Li Jianyong
Published: August 2020

Four eugenol metabolites were concisely synthesized and their structures were confirmed by
1H-NMR, 13C-NMR and high-resolution mass (HR-MS). Among them, the synthesis of eugenol-β-Dglucuronide
(3) and eugenol sulfate (4) was reported for the first time. The successful synthesis of the
four eugenol metabolites provides a material basis for further metabolic study of prodrug aspirin eugenol
ester (AEE).
The Suitability of Lipases for the Synthesis of Bioactive Compounds with Cosmeceutical Applications
Authors: Alvarez Elena , Villa Rocio , Nieto Susana , Donaire Antonio , García-Verdugo Eduardo , Luis Santiago V. , Lozano Pedro
Published: August 2020

:

Cosmeceuticals are cosmetic products containing biologically active ingredients with attractive
properties (e.g. anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-aging, photoprotective activity, etc.).
The aim of these compounds is to offer pharmaceutically therapeutic benefits. The active ingredients
can be extracted and purified from natural sources, including plants and animals, or be obtained by
biotechnological methodologies (e.g. fermentation, enzymatic synthesis, etc.). Recent years have
been increased interest in the design and development of bioactive compounds with cosmeceutical
applications and low toxicity. The enzymatic synthesis of bioactive esters, based on esterification or
transesterification, has attracted much interest because of the interesting properties of the resulting
products and because, by replacing traditional chemical catalysts, this approach leads towards the development
of more sustainable processes that follow the principles of Green Chemistry. This review
gives an overview of the excellent suitability of lipases as biocatalysts for producing bioactive compounds
with attractive properties for the cosmetics industry.
A Mini-Review on the Synthesis of Pyrazinoindole: Recent Progress and Perspectives
Authors: Singh Aarushi , Mahapatra Samarpita , Sewariya Shubham , Singh Nidhi , Singh Snigdha , Kumar Yogesh , Bandichhor Rakeshwar , Chandra Ramesh
Published: August 2020

:

The diverse library of biologically active organic compounds is composed majorly of heterocyclic
compounds. Nature provides a variety of pharmacologically active compounds consisting
of N-heterocycle motif, such as Noscapine (anti-cancer), Morphine (analgesic), Chelerythrine (antibacterial),
etc. which are the elementary structural units of marketed drugs in the present era. One
such “N-heterocyclic” promising building block which has gained the attention of chemists is Pyrazinoindoles
and the inflating interest in this moiety is a result of the three-fused heterocyclic ring
structure subsuming an indolic nucleus in it. Fused-polycyclic structural core is necessary to synthesize
potential multi-functional drugs, which is evident from indole (an example of fused five and sixmembered
ring structure) being an exemplary and established privileged template in medicinal chemistry.
In the literature, Pyrazino-fused indoles have been found documented regarding their biological
activities and therapeutic uses, particularly as antifungal, antibacterial, serotonergic receptor inhibitor,
central nervous system depressants, anticonvulsants, antihistaminic, protein kinase C inhibitors,
anti-depressants and so on. Although various synthesis strategies are available in the literature, yet
the medical relevance of the Pyrazinoindoles demands the development of versatile and simple novel
methodologies. This review features a comprehensive overview of the recent developments in synthetic
approaches and therapeutic applications of Pyrazinoindoles based scaffolds.
Formation of Carbon-Oxygen Bond Mediated by Hypervalent Iodine Reagents Under Metal-Free Conditions
Authors: Jalil Ayesha , Yang Yaxin O. , Chen Zhendong , Jia Rongxuan , Bi Tianhao , Li Xuemin , Du Yunfei
Published: August 2020

Hypervalent iodine reagents are a class of non-metallic oxidants that have been widely
used in the construction of several sorts of bond formations. This surging interest in hypervalent iodine
reagents is essentially due to their very useful oxidizing properties, combined with their benign
environmental character and commercial availability from the past few decades ago. Furthermore,
these hypervalent iodine reagents have been used in the construction of many significant building
blocks and privileged scaffolds of bioactive natural products. The purpose of writing this review article
is to explore all the transformations in which carbon-oxygen bond formation occurs by using hypervalent
iodine reagents under metal-free conditions.
Traditional Use, Phytochemicals and Pharmacological Activity of Salvadora persica: A Review
Authors: Kumar Dharmendra , Sharma Pramod K.
Published: August 2020

Salvadora persica L., also known as Miswak, Peelu and Arak, is used traditionally as a
source of food, cosmetics, fuel and medicine. The most common traditional use of Salvadora persica
sticks is tooth cleaning. Other traditional uses of Salvadora persica are in diabetes, arthritis,
constipation, fever, cold, malaria, viral infection, gonorrhea, worms, antidotes, stimulators, laxatives
and various veterinary problems, such as poor milk production, abdominal disorder, diarrhea,
etc. Now traditional uses of Salvadora persica have been scientifically proved in modern research.
Various pharmacological activities of Salvadora persica as reported in modern research were anti-
microbial, antifungal, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, antiulcer, anticonvulsant, antifertility,
wound healing, anthelmintic, antidepressant, anticancer, etc. These pharmacological activities are
due to the presence of many phytochemicals in Salvadora persica. Phytochemicals present in Salvadora
persica are alkaloids, glycosides, tannins, flavonoids, proteins, terpenoids and sterols. The
aim of this review is to provide various traditional use of Salvadora persica proved by modern research,
and highlight its pharmacological activity and phytochemicals. This review article may be
used to set a new research hypothesis with reference to traditional use.
Application of Solid-state Electrochemical Analysis in Ancient Ceramic
Identification and Characterization: A Review
Authors: Liu Guangfu , Yang Xinghua , Ye Weiting , Zhu Jiangwei , Xie Kefeng , Fu Li
Published: August 2020

Background:

Ceramics can reflect ancient technology and art, therefore, it has a very important position in
archaeology. However, it is far from enough just to study the shape of pottery and porcelain. It is necessary to use advanced
scientific and technological means to conduct a comprehensive analysis of pottery and porcelain, so as to study the
information hidden deep in the remains of ceramic objects.

Methods:

The solid voltammetric method can be used to obtain information about the composition of materials used in
ancient ceramics. This new method can be applied to insoluble solids for example, providing qualitative and quantitative
information and structural information with little soluble solids. The method requires only ng-μg sample.

Results:

In this review, we first describe the development of solid-state voltammetric method and our work in this field.
Then, we describe in detail the application of this method in archaeology, especially in the analysis of ceramics. Finally, we
describe the analytical applications of other electrochemical techniques for ceramics analysis.

Conclusion:

Due to the low demand for samples and the high-cost performance of analytical instruments, this method has
been widely studied in Europe. To sum up, we propose to establish a microsampling method for ancient ceramics. A new
method for the protection of fine ancient ceramics by the suitable carrier and the fixation on the surface of the electrode.
These improvements can enable solid-state electroanalytical chemistry technology to achieve more comprehensive and
accurate quantitative analysis of ancient ceramics particles. We also propose the current challenges and future directions of
solid-state electroanalytical chemistry.
Systematical Characterization of Impurity Profiles in Daptomycin Raw Material by 2-Dimentional HPLC Tandem with MS Detector
Authors: Li Jin , Yao Shang-Chen , Yin Li-Hui , Hu Chang-Qin , Xu Ming-Zhe
Published: August 2020

Objective:

To systematically characterize the impurity profile in Daptomycin raw material by 2 Dimensional
LC/MSn.

Method:

The target impurity was separated by first Dimensional HPLC and enriched by a 500μl loop, then desalted using
the on-line second Dimensional HPLC and analyzed by MS detector in positive mode. Their structures were characterized
based on the degradation mechanism and mass fragmentation regularity of the cyclic lipopeptide, as well as the molecular
thermodynamic calculation.

Results:

A total of 12 impurities were characterized in the raw material, including 6 degradation products;
8 impurities are reported for the first time. The mass fragmentation regularities of 2 β-isomers of
Asp residue were summarized.

Conclusion:

The structures of impurities in Daptomycin raw material, especially for β-isomer impurities, could be rapidly
identified by on-line 2 Dimensional LC/MSn method together with the molecular thermodynamic calculation.
How India Fights with COVID-19 Learning from Highly Affected Countries
Authors: Veer Karan , Sharma Pooja
Published: August 2020

It was 11 March 2020 when the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the name
COVID-19 for coronavirus disease and also described it as a pandemic. Till that day 118,000 cases
were confirmed of pneumonia with breathing problem throughout the world. At the start of New
Year when COVID-19 came into knowledge a few days later, the gene sequencing of the virus was
revealed. Today the number of confirmed cases is scary, i.e. 9,472,473 in the whole world and
484,236 deaths have been recorded by WHO till 26 June 2020. WHO's global risk assessment is
very high [1]. The report is enlightening the lessons learned by India from the highly affected countries.
Gemini Curcumin Suppresses Proliferation of Ovarian Cancer OVCAR-3 Cells via Induction of Apoptosis
Authors: Ghaderi Sonbol , Babaei Esmaeil , Hussen Bashdar M. , Mahdavi Majid , Azeez Hewa J.
Published: August 2020

Background:

Ovarian cancer has the highest mortality rate among gynecological malignancies. Despite recent
advances in treatment, most patients still suffer from poor prognosis. Curcumin has shown highly cytotoxic effects against
different types of cancer. However, its poor bioavailability restricts its clinical application. Gemini Curcumin (GeminiCur) has been developed to overcome this limitation.

Objective:

Here, we aimed to unravel the inhibitory effect of Gemini-Cur in ovarian cancer. Methods: OVCAR-3 cells
were treated with free curcumin and Gemni-Cur in a time- and dose-dependent manner. Then, the anticancer activity was
investigated by uptake kinetics, cellular viability and apoptotic assays. Furthermore, we evaluated the BAX/Bcl-2
expression ratio by real-time PCR and western blotting.

Results:

Our data showed that gemini surfactant nanoparticles enhance the cellular uptake of curcumin compared to free
curcumin (p<0.01). Regarding the growth inhibitory effect of nano-curcumin, the results demonstrated that Gemini-Cur
suppresses the proliferation of OVCAR-3 cells through induction of apoptosis (p<0.001).

Conclusion:

The results illustrate that Gemini-Cur nanoparticles have a great potential for developing novel therapeutics
against ovarian cancer.
Therapeutic Applications of Curcumin and its Novel Formulations in the Treatment of Bladder Cancer: A Review of Current Evidence
Authors: Pourhanifeh Mohammad H. , Mottaghi Reza , Razavi Zahra S. , Shafiee Alimohammad , Hajighadimi Sarah , Mirzaei Hamed
Published: August 2020

Bladder cancer, a life-threatening serious disease, is responsible for thousands of cancer-associated
deaths worldwide. Similar to other malignancies, standard treatments of bladder cancer, such as Chemoradiotherapy,
are not efficient enough in the affected patients. It means that, according to recent reports in the
case of life quality as well as the survival time of bladder cancer patients, there is a critical requirement for
exploring effective treatments. Recently, numerous investigations have been carried out to search for appropriate
complementary treatments or adjuvants for bladder cancer therapy. Curcumin, a phenolic component with a
wide spectrum of biological activities, has recently been introduced as a potential anti-cancer agent. It has been
shown that this agent exerts its therapeutic effects via targeting a wide range of cellular and molecular pathways
involved in bladder cancer. Herein, the current data on curcumin therapy for bladder cancer are summarized.
Therapy Resistance in Cancers: Phenotypic, Metabolic, Epigenetic and Tumour Microenvironmental Perspectives
Authors: Zahan Tasnim , Das Plabon K. , Akter Syeda F. , Habib Rowshanul , Rahman Md. Habibur , Karim Md. Rezaul , Islam Farhadul
Published: August 2020

Background:

Chemoresistance is a vital problem in cancer therapy where cancer cells develop mechanisms to encounter the effect of chemotherapeutics, resulting in cancer recurrence. In addition, chemotherapy- resistant leads to the formation of a more aggressive form of cancer cells, which, in turn, contributes to the poor survival of patients with cancer.

Objective:

In this review, we aimed to provide an overview of how the therapy resistance property evolves in cancer cells, contributing factors and their role in cancer chemoresistance, and exemplified the problems of some available therapies.

Methods:

The published literature on various electronic databases including, Pubmed, Scopus, Google scholar containing keywords cancer therapy resistance, phenotypic, metabolic and epigenetic factors, were vigorously searched, retrieved and analyzed.

Results:

Cancer cells have developed a range of cellular processes, including uncontrolled activation of Epithelial- Mesenchymal Transition (EMT), metabolic reprogramming and epigenetic alterations. These cellular processes play significant roles in the generation of therapy resistance. Furthermore, the microenvironment where cancer cells evolve effectively contributes to the process of chemoresistance. In tumour microenvironment immune cells, Mesenchymal Stem Cells (MSCs), endothelial cells and cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) contribute to the maintenance of therapy-resistant phenotype via the secretion of factors that promote resistance to chemotherapy.

Conclusion:

To conclude, as these factors hinder successful cancer therapies, therapeutic resistance property of cancer cells is a subject of intense research, which in turn could open a new horizon to aim for developing efficient therapies.
Plant Polyphenolic Compounds Potentiates Therapeutic Efficiency of Anticancer Chemotherapeutic Drugs: A Review
Authors: Oruganti Lokanatha , Meriga Balaji
Published: August 2020

Background:

Scientific research continues to develop more efficacious drugs to treat and cure cancer, the dreadful disease threatening the human race. Chemotherapy is an essential means in cancer therapy, however, plant drugs having pharmacological safety, can be used alone or as additions to current chemotherapeutic agents to enhance therapeutic efficacy and minimize chemotherapyinduced adverse effects.

Objective:

A combination therapy where the synergistic effect on multiple targets is possible has gained significance because a one-drug one-target approach fails to yield the desired therapeutic effect. Therefore, a detailed description of important plant polyphenolic compounds with anticancer activity and their role in potentiating chemotherapeutic efficiency of existing anticancer drugs is provided in this review. Systematically screening combinations of active pharmaceutical ingredients for potential synergy with plant compounds may be especially valuable in cancer therapy.

Methods:

We extensively have gone through reviews and research articles available in the literature. We made use of databases such as Google Scholar, Research Gate, PubMed, Science Direct, etc. The following keywords were used in our literature search: “Chemotherapy, drug development, cancer drugs, plant-derived polyphenolics, synergistic studies, combination therapy, diagnosis and genetics.”

Conclusion:

Systematic research studies on screening combinations of plant phytochemicals with potential chemotherapeutic pharmaceuticals shed light on their synergistic effects, mechanisms of actions paving the way to develop more efficient anticancer therapeutics to treat and cure the cancer menace, to nullify chemotherapy-induced adverse effects and our review substantially contributes in this direction.
First Report of Mycovirus Infected Sclerotinia sclerotiorum in Cauliflower from Sirmaur District of Himachal Pradesh
Authors: Gupta Tanvi , Vanshika  , Kumari Chandresh , Kulshrestha Saurabh
Published: August 2020

Background:

Sclerotinia sclerotiorum is a ubiquitous fungal pathogen infecting
more than 400 plant species. Sclerotinia stem rot is known to cause as high as 100% crop
loss in many cases. Currently, chemical fungicides are the only known solution to this
problem. Thus, there is an urgent need for developing environment-friendly alternatives for
controlling this pathogen. The review of published articles revealed that a number of mycoviruses
with the potential of a biocontrol agent against Sclerotinia had been identified
from different parts of the world.

Objective:

The present investigation describes the isolation and characterization of isolates
of S. sclerotiorum infecting cauliflower, peas, and mustard for the presence of a potent mycovirus
from lower Himachal region of India.

Methods:

Various infected fields were visited and samples in the form of sclerotia were
collected. Various isolates of S. sclerotiorum were obtained, and putative hypovirulent isolates
were screened. Thereafter, hypovirulent strains were chosen and mycovirus isolation
was performed. Finally, isolates showing an extra nucleic acid band were used for mycovirus
isolation and further characterization. Curing of mycovirus was used to confirm if
altered phenotype was due to the presence of this virus.

Results:

A ssDNA mycovirus was identified and confirmed from the growth defective isolate.

Conclusion:

This mycovirus can in turn act as a biocontrol agent, thus reducing dependency
on chemical fungicides and can also be developed in the form of a patent once completely
characterized and formulated. To our knowledge, this is the first report on mycovirus
isolation from any Sclerotinia sclerotiorumisolate from India.
Phytochemistry and Pharmacological Update on Tetraterpenoids
Authors: Kumari Sapna , Goyal Anju , Garg Madhukar
Published: August 2020

Tetraterpenoids comprise of a large family of C 40 polyene, obtained from plants, fungi
and bacteria. Their colouring properties have been employed to use as a natural colorant in the pharmaceutical
industries. These exist as an attractive target of research because of their easy availability
and plentiful health benefits in cardiovascular diseases, cancer, age related degenerative diseases,
macular degeneration, antiatherosclerotic, anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory properties
and in HIV infection, probably due to their antioxidant properties. Formulating carotenoids in a particular
dosage form is a big challenge as they possess some limitations like chemical unstability,
poor bioavailability, less solubility and quick release. Due to this, numerous nanoencapsulation
techniques have been developed till now to maintain their original properties. This review will highlight
the phytochemical and pharmacological update on tetraterpenoids and their formulations.
Adsorption of safranine T from aqueous medium by nano mesoporous MCM-41: adsorption equilibrium, kinetics, and thermodynamics
Authors: Li Xiao-Dong , Zhai Qing-Zhou
Published: August 2020

Introduction:

In industrial production, a small amount of saffron T emissions will cause increase of water color
and increase of chemical oxygen consumption, so study of the decolorization of saffron T wastewater has an important
practical significance.

Methods:

MCM (Mobil Composition of Matter)-41 molecular sieve was synthesized by hydrothermal method. Power Xray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy were used to characterize the sample. Safranine T dye was adsorbed
from water by the MCM-41 prepared. Kinetics and thermodynamics of the adsorption were studied.

Results:

The MCM-41 sample presented spherical particles and regular. The BET (Brunner-Emmett-Teller) specific
surface area of the sample determined by 77 K low temperature nitrogen adsorption-desorption isotherm was 932 m2
/g. Its
average particle diameter was 110 nm. TEM (transmission electron microscopy) results showed that the sample structure
presented a honeycomb pore structure and the average pore diameter was 3.0 nm. The results showed that when room
temperature was 20 ± 1 ℃, adsorbate safranine T: adsorbent MCM-41 = 20 : 1，the optimum pH value of adsorption was
4.0 and contact time was 20 min, the adsorption rate reached 98.29% and the adsorption capacity was 19.66 mg/g. The
entropy change and enthalpy change of the adsorption system are respectively ΔS0 = 157.5 J/(mol·K); ΔH0 = 21.544
kJ/mol. When temperature was 277.15, 293.15, 303.15 K，the free energy change was respectively △G1 0 = -22.107
kJ/mol, △G2
0 = -24.627 kJ/mol, △G3
0 = -26.202 kJ/mol.

Conclusion:

The adsorption of safranine T by MCM-41 belongs to a pseudo-second-order adsorption. This adsorption
accords with the Freundlich equation and belongs to a heterogeneous adsorption. The adsorption is an endothermic
reaction of entropy increase, being spontaneous.
Anti-Pseudomonas aeruginosa Activity of Metal Schiff Base Complex and Probiotics Against Planktonic- and Biofilm-Growing Cells
Authors: Hassanzadeh Sepideh , Ebrahimi Sudabeh , Ganjloo Sara , Jamehdar Saeid Amel , Dolatabadi Samaneh
Published: August 2020

Introduction:

The biofilm formation by Pseudomonas aeruginosa seems to protect the bacteria from antibiotics since these entities are highly resistant to such antimicrobial agents. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of Lactobacillus salivarus, Lactobacillus plantarum supernatants and CuIISchiff base complex in eliminating planktonic cells and biofilm of P. aeruginosa.

Methods:

One hundred specimens of blood, urine, cerebrospinal fluid, respiratory samples, and wound swabs were collected from patients attending three hospitals in Mashhad. All specimens were identified by biochemical tests. The susceptibility of the isolates to the conventional antibiotics was assessed using disk diffusion method. The biofilm formation ability of P. aeruginosa isolates was evaluated by crystal violet assay and confirmed using PCR. The anti-planktonic and antibiofilm ability of L. salivarus, L. plantarum supernatants and CuIISchiff base complex was evaluated separately in P. aeruginosa isolates.

Results:

The highest and lowest resistance rates were detected in Cefazoline (95%) and cefepime (23%), respectively. The thickest biofilm was produced by 8% of P. aeruginosa isolates, 9% and 83% of the isolates were considered as moderate and weak biofilm producers, respectively. The rhlR and lasR genes were reported in 100% of the isolates, but the algD gene existed in 92% of them.

Conclusion:

Particularly, the CuIISchiff base complex could affect both planktonic and biofilm cells by the lowest concentration in comparison of probiotic supernatants. L. plantarum supernatant inhibited planktonic cells at a lower concentration than L. salivarius. Also, L. salivarius showed better antibiofilm activity than another probiotic in lower doses of supernatant. Unlike that, these compounds have not completely eliminated biofilm cells, but only reduced the biofilm formation.

:

Metal Schiff base complex and Lactobacillus supernatants is a potent antimicrobial agent against Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilm cells.
Multi-organ Toxicity Attenuation by Cerium Oxide and Yttrium Oxide Nanoparticles: Comparing the Beneficial Effects on Tissues Oxidative Damage Induced by Sub-acute Exposure to Diazinon
Authors: Navaei-Nigjeh Mona , Daniali Marzieh , Rahimifard Mahban , Khaksar Mohammad R.
Published: August 2020

Background:

Excessive use of diazinon, as an organophosphate pesticide (OP), contributes
to cytotoxic and pathologic cellular damage and, in particular, oxidative stress. However,
metal-oxide nanoparticles (NPs), such as cerium oxide (CeO2) and yttrium oxide (Y2O3),
with the property of free radical scavenging demonstrated beneficial effects in the alleviation of
oxidative stress biomarkers.

Objective:

The aims of this study include evaluating beneficial effects of CeO2 NPs, Y2O3 NPs,
and their combination against diazinon-induced oxidative stress in different tissues of brain,
heart, lung, kidney, liver, and spleen.

Methods:

Eight randomized groups of 6 adult male Wistar rats were formed. Each group of rats
administered a different combination of diazinon, CeO2 and Y2O3 NPs daily and levels of oxidative
stress markers, such as reactive oxygen species (ROS), lipid peroxidation (LPO), total
thiol molecules (TTM) and total anti-oxidant power (TAP) and catalase enzyme, were measured
after 2 weeks of the treatment.

Results:

Measurements of the mentioned markers in the brain, heart, lung, kidney, liver, and
spleen showed that the administration of NPs could significantly alleviate the oxidative stress
induced by diazinon. However, the findings of this study illustrated that the combination of
both CeO2 and Y2O3 NPs led to a better reduction in oxidative stress markers.

Conclusion:

Sub-acute exposure of diazinon in rats led to increased levels of oxidative stress
markers in pivotal tissues such as the brain, heart, lung, kidney, liver, and spleen. CeO2 and
Y2O3 NPs neutralize the oxidative stress to compensate diazinon-induced tissue damages.

Lay Summary:

Organophosphate pesticides (OPs), which are mainly used for pest control,
are responsible for the entry of pesticides into the human food cycle. Organophosphate such as
diazinon increases the molecular biomarkers of oxidative stress inside the cells of vital tissues
such as the heart, liver, lungs, etc. Metal oxide nanoparticles (NPs) such as cerium oxide (CeO2)
and yitrium oxide (Y2O3) can have free radical scavenging potential under oxidative stress and
through various mechanisms. Although these nanoparticles reduce oxidative stress, it should be
borne in the design of the study that additional doses of these substances reverse the beneficial
effects.
An Empirical Study of Predictive Model for Website Quality Analytics Using Dataset of Different Domains of Websites
Authors: Gupta Divya
Published: August 2020

Introduction:

Web analytics is the process of examining websites to uncover patterns,
correlations, trends, insights, and other useful information that can be utilized to optimize web usage
and improve the quality of the website.

Methods:

This research proffers an approach which associates the website assessment with user
satisfaction and acceptance. The proposed WQA (Website Quality Analytic) Model considers
websites from seven domains, and using 13 UX- based quality attributes, evaluates the quality of
websites in each domain. The quality assessment is automated using supervised learning models
to predict good, average, and bad websites.

Results:

The real-time dataset of website domains was assessed and websites were predicted as
good, average, and bad, using the algorithms.

Discussion:

A Website quality model essentially consists of a set of criteria used to determine if a
website reaches certain levels of fineness. User Experience (UX) directly measures the quality of
site interactions and is an indirect representative of site success and customer conversions. That is,
a bad UX bounces away visitors to seek a more reliable website. Every single second, a user
spends on a website is directly attributable to the usability of a good UX. Hence, the evaluation of
the quality of websites is essential to determine user acceptance; that is, the users are the parameter
measured for the success of the site.

Conclusion:

The feature (attribute)-based predictive model for quality analytics is empirically analyzed
for five classification algorithms. A qualitative analysis of the domain-wise classification
of websites is also presented.
Comparison between the Effect of Local Katira Gum and Xanthan Gum on the Rheological Properties of Water-based Drilling Fluids
Authors: Sofy Hussein Bayan Qadir , Ismael Sharbazheri Khalid Mahmood , Tayeb Ubaid Nabil Adiel
Published: August 2020

The rheological properties of drilling fluids have an important role in providing a stable wellbore and eliminating the borehole problems. Several materials including polymers (xanthan gum) can be used to improve these properties. In this study, the effect of the local Katira, as a new polymer, on the rheological properties of the drilling fluids prepared as the bentonite-water-based mud has been investigated in comparison with the conventional xanthan gum. Experimental work was done to study of rheological properties of several gums such as, local katira gum, and xanthan gum bentonite drilling mud. Different samples of drilling fluids are prepared adding the xanthan gum and local katira to the base drilling fluid at different concentrations using Hamilton Beach mixer. The prepared samples are passed through rheological property tests including the apparent viscosity, plastic viscosity, and yield point (YP) under different temperature conditions. The obtained results show that the viscosity is increased from 5 to 8.5 cp and YP is increased from 18.5 to 30.5 lb/100 ft2, with increasing the concentration of the xanthan gum from 0.1 to 0.4. However, the effect of the local katira in increasing the viscosity and YP is lower compared with the xanthan gum, which are ranged between 5–6 cp and 18.5–20.5 cp.
Fingerprint Authentication using Shark Smell Optimization Algorithm
Authors: Ahmed Bakhan Tofiq , Abdulhameed Omar Younis
Published: August 2020

Recognition of people relying on biometric characteristics is a common phenomenon in our society. It has increased in recent years in most areas of life such as government, department, companies, and banks. Fingerprint identification is one of the most common and credible personal biometric identification methods. Extracting features are one of the most important steps in the fingerprint identification; the strength of any system depends mainly on this step, where whenever the features obtained are accurate whenever the identification process is more accurate. Therefore, an effective and efficient method must be used to extract the features. This paper solved two main problems that were (1) improving security by designing and implementing an accurate, efficient, and fast authentication system for the identification and verification process using an intelligent algorithm to extract the best features from the fingerprint image and (2) evaluating the strength of the Shark Smell Optimization (SSO) in the search space with a chosen set of metrics. This paper aims to extract the best features of the fingerprint image using an algorithm that depends on nature for its movement and work; therefore, the SSO was used. In this paper, the SSO algorithm is used to extract the features. SSO is a new meta-heuristic algorithm that uses smart methods and random movements to get its prey. These methods and movements were used to extract features from the fingerprint image which will be used later for identification and verification process. The proposed method is implemented through four phases, namely, create a database to store and organize data, image pre-processing using median filter, feature extraction using SSO algorithm, and matching process using euclidean distance. The results demonstrated the strength, accurate, credible, and effectiveness of the algorithm used by applying it on (150) real fingerprint samples taken from university students, where the results of false acceptation rate, false rejection rate, and correct verification rate were 0.00, 0.00666, and 99.334%, respectively.
Crecimiento de cuatro genotipos de cuyes (Cavia porcellus) bajo dos sistemas de alimentación
Authors: Cantaro Segura Jose Luis , Sarria Bardales José Antonio , Cayetano Robles Jovana Luz
Published: August 2020

Se evaluaron los principales parámetros técnicos de cuatro genotipos de cuyes mejorados disponibles en la actualidad y sometidos a dos sistemas de alimentación (mixto e integral) durante la etapa de crecimiento. Se utilizaron 96 cuyes machos recién destetados (15 ± 3 días) pertenecientes a los genotipos: Cieneguilla-UNALM, Perú-INIA, Cuy G-IVITA/Mantaro/UNMSM e Inkacuy-UCSS. Las dietas peletizadas y el agua fueron ofrecidos ad libitum durante ocho semanas, mientras que el forraje (chala) solo se suministró a los tratamientos mixtos. Se utilizó un diseño completo al azar con arreglo factorial de ocho tratamientos y tres repeticiones de cuatro animales por cada repetición, donde los factores fueron el genotipo, por una parte, y el sistema de alimentación (mixto e integral), por otra. Los resultados indican que, a nivel de genotipos, Cieneguilla, Cuy G e Inkacuy registraron mejores pesos y ganancias de peso (p < 0,05) que el genotipo Perú. La conversión alimenticia favoreció (p < 0,05) al tratamiento T2 (Cieneguilla-integral); en general, el genotipo Cieneguilla-UNALM tuvo mejor desempeño que los demás, mientras que los sistemas con y sin forraje —con excepción del consumo que fue mayor en el primero (p < 0,05)— tuvieron un comportamiento similar (p > 0,05).