bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Tourism's intimate economies
Authors: Maurer Bill
Published: April 2021

[First paragraph]What’s Love Got To Do with It? Transnational Desires and Sex Tourism in the Dominican Republic. Denise Brennan. Durham NC: Duke University Press, 2004. ix + 280 pp. (Paper US$ 21.95)Behind the Smile: The Working Lives of Caribbean Tourism. George Gmelch. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 2003. x + 212 pp. (Paper US$ 19.95)New research on Caribbean tourism solidly locates it within the regional shift from “incentive-induced exports” like bananas to “service-based exports” like data processing, offshore finance, and novel forms of mass tourism (Mullings 2004:294; Duval 2004). Earlier studies may have made mention of the similarities between plantation economies and tourism development, but new models like the all-inclusive resort demonstrate a near identity of form and structure with plantation systems: foreign dominance over ownership and profit leaves little multiplier effect for the Caribbean islands playing host to enclaved resorts. Agricultural exports have been in free fall since the end of preferential trade protocols, and export manufacturing after the North American Free Trade Agreement is in steep decline. If new service economies seemed to offer a solution to economic and social disorder, the reaction to the events of September 11, 2001 demonstrated the fragility of service-based exports and, in particular, of new kinds of tourism. It took four years for international tourism to rebound to pre-9/11 levels;1 with the perceived threat of SARS and avian flu, as well as the Iraq war and the weak U.S. dollar, official projections of the industry’s near future are “cautiously optimistic.”2
Book Reviews
Authors: KITLV Redactie
Published: April 2021

Maximilian C. Forte; Ruins of Absence, Presence of Caribs: (Post)Colonial Representations of Aboriginality in Trinidad and Tobago (Neil L. Whitehead)Nick Nesbitt; Voicing Memory: History and Subjectivity in French Caribbean Literature (H. Adlai Murdoch)Camilla Stevens; Family and Identity in Contemporary Cuban and Puerto Rican Drama (Lydia Platón)Jonathan Goldberg; Tempest in the Caribbean (Jerry Brotton)Michael Chanan; Cuban Cinema (Tamara L. Falicov)Gemma Tang Nain, Barbara Bailey (eds.); Gender Equality in the Caribbean: Reality or Illusion (A. Lynn Bolles)Ernesto Sagás, Sintia E. Molina (eds.); Dominican Migration: Transnational Perspectives (Rosemary Polanco)Christine M. Du Bois; Images of West Indian Immigrants in Mass Media: The Struggle for a Positive Ethnic Reputation (Dwaine Plaza)Luis Raúl Cámara Fuertes; The Phenomenon of Puerto Rican Voting (Annabelle Conroy)Philip Gould; Barbaric Traffic: Commerce and Antislavery in the Eighteenth-Century Atlantic World (William A. Pettigrew)Laurent Dubois; Avengers of the New World: The Story of the Haitian Revolution (Yvonne Fabella)Sibylle Fischer; Modernity Disavowed: Haiti and the Cultures of Slavery in the Age of Revolution (Ashli White)Philip D. Morgan, Sean Hawkins (eds.); Black Experience and the British Empire (James Walvin)Richard Smith; Jamaican Volunteers in the First World War: Race, Masculinity and the Development of National Consciousness (Linden Lewis)Muriel McAvoy; Sugar Baron: Manuel Rionda and the Fortunes of Pre-Castro Cuba (Richard Sicotte)Ned Sublette; Cuba and Its Music: From the First Drums to the Mambo (Pedro Pérez Sarduy)Frances Negrón-Muntaner; Boricua Pop: Puerto Ricans and the Latinization of American Culture (Halbert Barton)Gordon Rohlehr; A Scuffling of Islands: Essays on Calypso (Stephen Stuempfle)Shannon Dudley; Carnival Music in Trinidad: Experiencing Music, Expressing Culture (Donald R. Hill)Jean-Marc Terrine; La ronde des derniers maîtres de bèlè (Julian Gerstin)Alexander Alland, Jr.; Race in Mind: Race, IQ, and Other Racisms (Autumn Barrett)Livio Sansone; Blackness Without Ethnicity: Constructing Race in Brazil (Autumn Barrett)H.U.E. Thoden van Velzen, W. van Wetering; In the Shadow of the Oracle: Religion as Politics in a Suriname Maroon Society (George L. Huttar, Mary L. Huttar)In: New West Indian Guide / Nieuwe West-Indische Gids (NWIG), 80 (2006), no. 1 & 2
Herman Merivale’s black legend: rethinking the intellectual history of free trade imperialism
Authors: Rood Daniel
Published: April 2021

Focusses on the lectures and theories of economist and colonial bureaucrat Herman Merivale on the imperial transition of British colonialism from slave labour to free labour, and toward free trade, in 1839. Author specifically shows how Merivale propagated the free trade imperialism of the reformed British Empire by using the "Black Legend" way of thinking, i.e. criticizing Spanish colonialism, to caricaturize the second British Empire, and thus justify imperial policy reforms. Author elaborates on this Black Legend tradition, going back to writings of Las Casas, and how it served as justification for "better" imperialisms of other colonial powers than Spain, and how Merivale's views followed this tradition. He shows how Merivale as part of this criticized the mismanagement, slavery, brutality, mercantilism, and the concentration of power and wealth in Cuba and other Spanish colonies, as negative examples contrasted to the British approach. Author points out, however, how Merivale's views were in part paradoxical and ambiguous, as he favoured a social hierarchy and an imperial authoritarianism limiting free labour.
Experiments in indenture: Barbados and the segmentation of migrant labor in the Caribbean 1863-1865
Authors: Brown Laurence
Published: April 2021

Focuses on indentured and other labour migration from Barbados to other parts of the Caribbean starting in 1863. Within the context of the sugar estate-dominated agriculture of Barbados, as well as its high population density, the author describes the policies and decisions of the governors and local assemblies regarding emigration. He points out how the sugar industry's need for labourers remained dominant in the policies, but that the drought in 1863 caused privations and unrest among the labourers, resulting in more flexibility regarding allowance of indentured emigration schemes and recruitment, such as toward St Croix and Antigua, and later toward British Guiana, and to a smaller degree Jamaica. He discusses how this led to rivalries regarding labour immigrants between colonies, and further attempts at restrictions on labour emigration and recruitment in Barbados.
Weaker McGurk Effect for Rubin’s Vase-Type Speech in People With High Autistic Traits
Authors: Ujiie Yuta , Takahashi Kohske
Published: April 2021

While visual information from facial speech modulates auditory speech perception, it is less influential on audiovisual speech perception among autistic individuals than among typically developed individuals. In this study, we investigated the relationship between autistic traits (Autism-Spectrum Quotient; AQ) and the influence of visual speech on the recognition of Rubin’s vase-type speech stimuli with degraded facial speech information. Participants were 31 university students (13 males and 18 females; mean age: 19.2, SD: 1.13 years) who reported normal (or corrected-to-normal) hearing and vision. All participants completed three speech recognition tasks (visual, auditory, and audiovisual stimuli) and the AQ–Japanese version. The results showed that accuracies of speech recognition for visual (i.e., lip-reading) and auditory stimuli were not significantly related to participants’ AQ. In contrast, audiovisual speech perception was less susceptible to facial speech perception among individuals with high rather than low autistic traits. The weaker influence of visual information on audiovisual speech perception in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) was robust regardless of the clarity of the visual information, suggesting a difficulty in the process of audiovisual integration rather than in the visual processing of facial speech.
The Etymological Path to Moral Meaning: Adam and the Names
Authors: el Masri (غسان المصري) Ghassan
Published: April 2021

This paper advances the claim that an investigation into the significance of Qurʾānic terms must consider the semantic etymology of the elements under investigation, especially terms that have developed into technical concepts in Islamic theology and philosophy like the ethical variety investigated in this volume. The present article will give some of the salient reason for this imperative and demonstrate the value of semantic etymology in understanding the anthropological dimensions of theological concepts. Semantic etymology, the practice of uncovering the ‘original’ imposition of a word-thing relation (aṣl al-waḍʿ) by deducing the meaning of a word from the meaning of other words sharing the same lexeme was more than a descriptive linguistic science in the Arab-Islamic tradition. In late antiquity the Greek and Latin science of etymologia, like the Arabic ishtiqāq al-maʿná (later ʿilm al-waḍʿ), was a fully-fledged instrument of conceptual analysis for the reader and a powerful tool of discursive authority for both author and reader. Semantic etymology offers an account, not only of the original word-thing relation, but also the essential nature of the object. In our current moment in the history of philosophy where ‘essences’ and ‘essential qualities’ have lost almost all currency, the article opens the door for a reconsideration of the worth of ‘etymologies’ as sound and useful anthropological and philosophical objects of analysis.
Aligning Medical and Muslim Morality: An Islamic Bioethical Approach to Applying and Rationing Life Sustaining Ventilators in the COVID-19 Pandemic Era
Authors: Padela Aasim I. , Ali Mansur , Yusuf Asim
Published: April 2021

The COVID-19 pandemic has spurred policymakers and religious leaders to revisit age-old questions about the ethics of pandemic control, the just allocation of scarce resources, and preparing for death. We add to these conversations by discussing the use of mechanical ventilation for COVID-19 patients. Specifically, we address the following: For Muslim patients/families when is it permissible to forgo mechanical ventilation? For Muslim clinicians, what circumstances justify the withholding or withdrawing of mechanical ventilation from patients? And for policymakers, is there an Islamically-justifiable rubric for allocating mechanical ventilation to patients in times of scarcity? Our Islamic bioethical analyses connect biostatistical data and social contexts with ethico-legal constructs to bridge the epistemic theories of biomedicine and the Islamic legal tradition. They reveal that forgoing mechanical ventilation is permissible for Muslims, that there are several conditions that allow for Muslim clinicians to justify withholding and withdrawing mechanical ventilation, and also several policy rubrics for ventilator allocation that would be justifiable.
Du, Ich und Wir
Authors: Zahavi Dan
Published: April 2021

Betrachtet man die gegenwärtigen philosophischen Arbeiten über die Natur und den Status von kollektiver Intentionalität und Wir-Intentionen, fällt auf, wie viel Aufwand betrieben wird, um die Struktur gemeinsamer Handlungen zu analysieren und um nachzuweisen, ob die Intention, beispielsweise einen gemeinsamen Spaziergang zu unternehmen oder das Haus gemeinsam zu streichen, auf irgendeine Form der Ich-Intentionalität reduziert werden kann oder nicht. Viel weniger Arbeiten haben sich der Analyse geteilter Stimmungen und Emotionen gewidmet. Dies ist nicht nur deshalb bedauerlich, weil das Teilen von Emotionen (emotional sharing) in der Entwicklung aller Wahrscheinlichkeit nach gemeinsamen Handlungen vorangeht und logisch betrachtet grundlegender ist, sondern auch, weil es eine Art des Zusammenseins mit Anderen konstituiert, die wir untersuchen müssen, wenn wir die Natur des Wir verstehen wollen. Mein vorrangiges Ziel in diesem Beitrag ist es, eine Antwort auf die folgende Frage zu geben: Setzt die Wir-Erfahrung, die Erfahrung, Teil eines Wir zu sein, die Differenzierung von Selbsterfahrung und Fremderfahrung voraus, geht sie ihr voraus, erhält sie sie aufrecht, oder hebt sie sie auf? Um diese Frage zu beantworten, werde ich das Teilen von Emotionen näher betrachten und Quellen heranziehen, die in der gegenwärtigen Sozialontologie zu häufig ignoriert werden, nämlich Einsichten, die sich in der klassischen Phänomenologie und in der gegenwärtigen Forschung zu sozialer Kognition finden lassen.
What Are the Characteristics of Evangelical Study of the Old Testament?
Authors: Goldingay John
Published: April 2021

A properly evangelical study of the Old Testament works within the framework of the gospel-for instance, aware that its God is a God of love and grace. It assumes that the whole Old Testament issued from acts of communication between God and people-which means, for instance, that its texts have meanings of their own and not just meanings we read into them. It feels free to be independent of human tradition-for instance, about who wrote the books and whether they must always be factual history rather than parable. It is interested both in the text of the scriptural narrative (because that is what God inspired) and in the history it refers to (because that is where God acted). It is done by faith-for instance, because we cannot prove that it has the degree of historical factuality it needs to have; we trust God for that.
Negative Preaching and the Modern Mind: a Crisis in Evangelical Preaching
Authors: Stackhouse Ian
Published: April 2021

A number of publications have appeared in recent years attacking preaching as a mode of gospel communication. Most notable among these is David Norrington’s provocative title, To Preach or not to Preach, in which he highlights the inadequacy of traditional proclamation. The view put forward in this article goes in the opposite direction, challenging the present antipathy to preaching. These critics, it is argued, have gone too far, and have misunderstood what is being upheld in preaching, namely the sacrament of the Word. The churches’ time would be better spent, he contends, recovering this high view of preaching, and the language that pertains to the preached gospel, rather than always submitting to the criteria of relevancy and accessibility.
‘Evil, Love and the Left Hand of God’: The Contribution of Luther’s Theology of the Cross to an Evangelical Theology of Evil
Authors: Karkkainen Veli-Matti
Published: April 2021

Luther’s leading theological idea, the theology of the cross, is based on his distinctive view of God’s love and its relationship to suffering and evil. Luther argues that God’s actions in the world are ‘crossformed’. The new Finnish Luther interpretation offers methodologically and thematically fresh perspectives on Luther’s understanding of God’s love and its relation to human love and to evil. The idea of the ‘real’ presence of Christ in the believer receives special highlight. On the basis of these considerations, this essay attempts to open up new perspectives for Evangelical theology on the problem of evil and God’s love.
Jesus and the Food Laws: A Reassessment of Mark 7:19b
Authors: Rudolph David J.
Published: April 2021

The article proposes that Jesus’ parable in Mark 7:14-19a and Mark’s editorial comment in 7:19b uphold the validity of the Torah’s ritual purity system. Prioritization, not abrogation, is the aim of Jesus’ teaching. The Markan insertion was likely intended as a historicaltheological justification for the Jerusalem Council’s exemption of Gentile Christians from the Leviticus 11 dietary laws; Pauline influence is also plausible. The article calls into question the use of revocation terminology by commentators to explicate the parenthesis. From the Jewish Christian perspective, as implied in the Apostolic Decree, the dietary laws remained incumbent on Jews. Against this Acts 15 backdrop, Mark 7:19b is best understood as a matter of Gentile halakhic application and not an apocalyptic pronouncement that all foods are now clean. Recognition of this Jew-Gentile ecclesiological variegation is essential to understanding the early Church’s reading of Mark 7.
Witnessing Christians from Karl Barth’s Perspective
Authors: Wright Terry J.
Published: April 2021

Why does God call people to be Christians? After considering the different answers that people give to this question, Karl Barth offers his own view of what it means to be a Christian. In refuting many of the common assumptions about this, including views that God calls people to live moral lives or to evangelise, Barth looks back to a more ‘New Testament’ approach to the matter, one that regards the task of evangelism to be at the very heart of being a Christian and not just something they do.
Assessing Old Testament Allusions in the Book of Revelation
Authors: Mathewson David
Published: April 2021

Due to the allusive nature of John’s appeal to the OT in Revelation, much recent discussion has been preoccupied with proposing criteria for validity and establishing categories of certainty (Certain, Probable, Possible) based on perceived authorial intention to point the reader to a previous OT text. However, while this approach provides a measure of objectivity and control, what is lacking is a needed focus on the interpretive and theological significance of possible OT allusions/ echoes. Rather than restricting our observations to only what can be demonstrated to lie behind the author’s conscious intention, or to those instances that are placed within the category ‘Certain’, all instances, even the more subtle and implicit, should be examined in order to determine the role and function which they play within the context of Revelation.
The Limits of a Redemptive-Movement Hermeneutic: A Focused Response to T. R. Schreiner
Authors: Webb William J.
Published: April 2021

Should one take the redemptive spirit within the slavery texts and the women texts beyond certain time-locked components of the NT? Does the redemptive movement, begun in the OT and extended in the NT, need to be extended even further beyond the NT? Or, should we expect the NT to express a totally realized ethic or a completely finalized expression of redemptive-movement meaning in all of its concrete particulars? Thomas R. Schreiner’s critique of the book, Slaves, Women and Homosexuals: Exploring the Hermeneutics of Cultural Analysis levels a central criticism against a redemptive-movement hermeneutic (RM hermeneutic), namely, that it fails to rightly appreciate the NT as God’s final and definitive revelation. Schreiner’s central criticism expresses his conviction about limiting the Christian use of a RM hermeneutic to the OT only; a RM hermeneutic ought not to be applied to the NT. In reply to Schreiner, this article attempts to correct a fundamental misunderstanding in the debate as well as to argue the alternative thesis that indeed a RM hermeneutic ought to be applied to the NT.
First record of Mikrosyphar zosterae (Chordariaceae, Phaeophyceae) in the southern hemisphere and as an endophyte in the brown algal genera Leathesia and Colpomenia

Authors: MARTINS NUNO T. , GURGEL CARLOS FREDERICO D. , SPOKES TRACEY M. , CASSANO VALÉRIA
Published: April 2021

Several filamentous endophytic genera are assigned to the Phaeophyceae, in particular to the family Chordariaceae (Cormaci et al. 2012). Brown endophytic filamentous algae are known to cause infections in host marine algae (Schoenrock et al. 2013; Ogandaga et al. 2016, 2017; Gao et al. 2019). Acting as pathogens, they may cause morphological, physiological and ecological changes in the host alga such as production of galls and wart-like spots, changes in metabolism and growth rates, and changes in survivorship and reproduction (Schoenrock et al. 2013; Ogandaga et al. 2016, 2017; Gao et al. 2019). Among brown algal filamentous endophytes, the genus Mikrosyphar Kuckuck is relatively understudied. To date, only Mikrosyphar zosterae Kuckuck (1895: 177) was studied thoroughly (Ogandaga et al. 2016, 2017).
The rare antlion genus Thaumatoleon Esben-Petersen, 1921 (Neuroptera: Myrmeleontidae: Nemoleontinae) newly recorded from mainland China, with first male description
Authors: ZHENG YUCHEN , LIU XINGYUE
Published: April 2021

Thaumatoleon Esben-Petersen, 1921 is a monotypic antlion genus represented by T. splendidus Esben-Petersen, 1921 from the Oriental region. Previously, this genus was documented by only three female specimens. Here we report this genus from mainland China for the first time based on a male and two female specimens newly collected in Yunnan Province. A detailed re-description and distribution map of the genus are provided. A brief discussion on the relationships of Thaumatoleon within Nemoleontinae is also provided.
Erratum: ROMAN KRÓLIK, LECH KRUSZELNICKI, ANDRZEJ LASOŃ & MARCIN WALCZAK (2021) Notes on the subspecies of Plagionotus arcuatus (Linnaeus, 1758) with description of a new subspecies from Iran (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae). Zootaxa, 4942: 558–568.
Authors: KRÓLIK ROMAN , KRUSZELNICKI LECH , LASOŃ ANDRZEJ , WALCZAK MARCIN
Published: April 2021

N/A
An impressive new species of mugadina from queensland with notes on a congeneric species (cicadidae: cicadettinae: cicadettini)
Authors: EWART A. , MOULDS M.S.
Published: April 2021

This contribution details the morphology, distribution, and song characteristics of a new grass cicada species within the genus Mugadina Moulds, 2012, previously represented by only two much smaller species. The new species is M. superba sp. n. It occurs widely in central Queensland, occurring in a broad curved zone between the western desert areas and the eastern coast. Details of the morphology and the ticking calling songs presented are given, and detailed comparisons are made of morphology and songs between M. superba sp. n. and M. marshalli (Distant, 1911).
Functional Exosome-Mediated Delivery of Triptolide Endowed with Targeting Properties as Chemotherapy Carriers for Ovarian Carcinoma
Authors: He Di , Xu Xiaoyi , Li Longxia , Chen Chuanrong , Gong Ke , Guo Qianqian , Liu Fangfang , Wang Yingbin , Duan Yourong , Li He
Published: April 2021

Ovarian cancer has been the most lethal gynaecological malignancy worldwide. Additionally, triptolide is an active substance that has been extracted from the Chinese herbal medicine T. wilfordii Hook F. , which possesses anti-tumor, immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory properties.
In recent years, TP has attracted increasing attention because of its broad-spectrum efficient anti-tumor activity. Nevertheless, its clinical utility is limited due to its severe side effects. In this study, we constructed an exosome-encapsulated TP targeted drug delivery systems, studying
its anti-tumor effects and mechanisms in vivo and in vitro . We observed that compared with free TP, TP-Exos significantly enhanced anti-ovarian cancer effects and reduce toxicity to important organs. We further demonstrated that TP-Exos induced apoptosis of ovarian cancer cells, regulated
tumor immunity by activating the mitochondrial apoptosis pathway and selectively inhibited M2 tumor-associated macrophages and their tumor-promoting mediators in the tumor microenvironment. In summary, TP-Exos are a promising treatment for ovarian cancer.
A Synthetic Biodegradable Polymer Membrane for Guided Bone Regeneration in Bone Defect
Authors: Ma Kangjie , Mei Dongmei , Lin Xiaodong , Zhang Li , Gao Jie , Li Xiaojing , Zhu Xuechen , Jin Qiao , Zhang Shuang , Xu Hao , Zhao Baodong
Published: April 2021

Guided bone regeneration (GBR) technique is most commonly used to treat alveolar bone defect. Polylactic acid (PLA) attracts much attention to utilize as a GBR membrane because it has relatively high mechanical strength and biodegradability. However, randomized controlled trials of
PLA as a GBR membrane in animals were rare. The aim of this work is to observe the efficacy of polylactic acid membrane in guiding bone regeneration in Beagle canine alveolar bone defect restoration and to compare efficacy with the collagen membrane, providing an experimental basis for further
clinical use of the polylactic acid membrane. The tests of physical and chemical properties showed that the PLA membrane has well mechanical strength to maintenance the space for the new bone, and has proper aperture for the attachment of osteoblasts. Through X-ray and histopathological examination
of the different time points, the bone grafting material covered with PLA membrane can form similar mature bone compared to collagen membrane ones. Meanwhile, biodegradable speed of the PLA membrane was slower. Thus, this study showed that polylactic acid membrane as synthetic biodegradable
polymer was reliably effective in guiding bone regeneration of alveolar bone defects, showed the favorable osteogenic capability and forecasts well applications in bone augmentation.
Effect of the BBC3 Gene on the Proliferation and Apoptosis of Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells Through p53-Regulated Signaling
Authors: Zheng Sheng , Yang Hua , Chang Yefei , Zhao Dan , Yang Juan
Published: April 2021

We examined the effect of the BBC3 gene on hyperplasia and apoptosis in HepG2 cells and its underlying mechanism. Quantitative RT-PCR was used to determine the level of BBC3 expression in HL-7702 normal human liver cells and four different hepatocellular carcinoma cell lines (HepG2,
HuH-7, HCCLM3 and MHCC97H). Transfection was performed with Lipofectamine 2000 reagent and the transfectants were divided into three groups: pcDNA-BBC3 group (transfected BBC3 over-expressing plasmid), pcDNA-NC group (transfected empty plasmid), and a Ctrl group (not transfected). Quantitative
RT-PCR and western blot analysis were used to measure BBC3 expression. The CCK-8 assay was used to determine the effect of BBC3 on HepG2 cell proliferation. Flow cytometry was used for testing the effect of overexpressing BBC3 on apoptosis in HepG2 cells. The levels of cleaved-Caspase-3 (C-Caspase-3),
cleaved-Caspase-9 (C-Caspase-9), and proteins associated with the p53 signaling pathway were assessed by western blot analysis. The level of BBC3 mRNA in HL-7702 normal human liver cells was significantly higher compared with that in human hepatocellular carcinoma cells including HepG2, HuH-7,
HCCLM3 and MHCC97H (P < 0.05). The lowest level of BBC3 mRNA was observed in HepG2 cells. The level of BBC3 mRNA and protein in HepG2 cells were significantly higher compared with that of the pcDNA-NC group following transfection with a BBC3 overexpressing plasmid. HepG2 cell proliferation
in the pcDNA-NC group was higher compared with that of the pcDNA-BBC3-transfected group (P < 0.05). The apoptotic rate and levels of cleaved-Caspase-3, cleaved-Caspase-9, p53, phospho-p53, and p21 protein in cells were higher compared with that of the pcDNA-NC group. No change was
observed in the pcDNA-NC and Ctrl groups. The BBC3 gene was down-regulated in hepatocellular carcinoma cells. HepG2 cell proliferation can be inhibited and HepG2 cell apoptosis can be induced by the overexpression of BBC3 through activation of the p53 signaling pathway.
Rhein Activates Janus Protein Tyrosine Kinase2/Signal Transducer and Transcription Activation Factor3 Reduces Mitochondrial Oxidative Damage Caused by Myocardial Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury
Authors: Xiong Jianxian , Yu Dongmin , Li Wentong , Wang Xiaowei
Published: April 2021

Background: Rhein is a kind of lipophilic anthraquinone widely existing in herbal medicine. Here we aim to investigate whether Rhein can reduce the degree of myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury and inhibit the development of oxidative stress, and elucidate the molecular mechanism
of Rhein in protecting myocardial cells. Methods: The anti-oxidation and anti-apoptosis effects of Rhein were studied by using the primary myocardial cells of ischemia/reperfusion rat as the model of myocardial injury. Cell viability was detected by MTT, The level of LDH and CK-MB released
by cardiomyocytes was measured by Colorimetric assay. The ROS was observed under microscope and the level of catalase and glutathione peroxidase were detected by enzymatic methods. The JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway mediated by Rhein was observed by Western blot. Results: Compared with
that of the SIR group, cell viability in the SIR and Rhein co-treatment groups increased significantly (P < 0.001), the release of LDH and CK-MB decreased, the positive rate of ROS in cardiomyocytes decreased, and the concentration of catalase and glutathione peroxidase increased significantly
(P < 0.001). Besides, Rhein can activate JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway. JAK2 siRNA can inhibit the JAK2/STAT3 signaling mediated by Rhein. The addition of Rhein can significantly increase the activity of mitochondrial superoxide dismutase (SOD) and reduce the MDA, which indicates that the
oxidative damage of mitochondria induced by Rhein was significantly weakened. The mitochondrial functional changes induced by Rhein can be reversed by JAK2 siRNA. Conclusion: Our study shows that Rhein can reduce ROS in cardiomyocytes by JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway activation, and
effectively inhibit the apoptosis of cardiomyocytes, thus having a direct protective effect on cardiomyocytes under SIR.
Study on the Mechanism of Long Non-Coding RNA-An Antisense Transcript of SATB Homeobox 2 in Promoting the Growth, Invasion and Migration of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma
Authors: Qiang Hualong , Ma Shiyin , Zhan Xiaodong , Jiang Chengyi , Han Yuefeng , Wang Wei , Cheng Zhongqiang
Published: April 2021

This study intends to clarify lncRNA SATB2-AS1’s role in growth, invasion and migration of nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells and its effect on radiotherapy. The lncRNA array was used to analyze the differential expression of lncRNA in nasopharyngeal carcinoma biopsy tissues. QRT-PCR
measured the levels of SATB2-AS1 and TIMP2 along with analysis of cell growth, migration, and invasion ability by MTT method and colony formation experiment. Luciferase reporter gene test assessed the relationship between SATB2-AS1 and TIMP2. LncRNA array analysis found significantly increased
SATB2-AS1 expression in nasopharyngeal carcinoma tissues. Ectopic SATB2-AS1 overexpression in CNE1 cells promoted cell proliferation, migration, invasion and enhanced radiotherapy sensitivity. Bioinformatics and experiments confirmed that TIMP2 was a target of SATB2-AS1 and it participated
in the upregulation of MMP-10 induced by SATB2-AS1. lncRNA SATB2-AS1 can promote the migration and invasion of nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells, indicating that it could be a potential marker for the treatment and prognosis.
Forsythoside A Inhibits Platelet-Derived Growth Factor-BB (PDGF-BB)-Induced Vascular Smooth Muscle Cell Proliferation, Migration and Phenotypic Switch
Authors: Hao Wenli , Gan Yongkang , Yue Ying , Liu Fang , Liang Tian , Cao Ying , Cui Hongmei
Published: April 2021

Background: Atherosclerosis (AS) is a complex, chronic vascular degeneration caused by multiple factors. VSMC proliferation, migration and phenotypic switch play key roles in AS. The current study aimed to investigate the influence of Forsythoside A on PDGF-BB-induced VSMC proliferation,
migration and phenotypic switch. Methods: VSMCs were treated with PDGF-BB (20 ng) and different concentration of Forsythoside A (0, 2.5, 5, 10 μg/ml) for 24 h. Cell viability was determined by CCK8 assay. VSMC migration was measured using wound healing assay. The key proteins
related to migration and phenotypic switch were assessed by western blot and RT-qPCR. Results: The concentrations of Forsythoside A at 0, 2.5, 5, 10 μg/ml via 24-h incubation were chosen for the subsequent experiments. Data in CCK8 assay showed that Forsythoside A could inhibit
VSMC proliferation induced by PDGF-BB. Western blot and RT-qPCR results discovered that Forsythoside A could inhibit VSMC proliferation and phenotypic switch induced by PDGF-BB. Conclusions: Forsythoside A could inhibit PDGF-BB-induced VSMC proliferation, migration and phenotypic switch.
The results may be helpful to develop a new compound for the treatment of AS.
miRNA 5100 Exacerbated Cisplatin Chemoresistance in Lung Cancer via Suppressing C/EBP Homologous Protein (CHOP) Expression
Authors: Zhang Fang , Zou Jili , Huang Dandan
Published: April 2021

This study intends to assess CHOP abundance in lung cancer tissues and drug-resistant cell lines, and the mechanisms of miRNA 5100 on lung cancer drug-resistance chemoresistance. Tumor tissues were collected to detect CHOP levels by immunohistochemical staining and PCR. IC50
of cisplatin and other drugs was detected by MTT assay in A549 or A549/CDDP cells. miR-5100 was overexpressed or knocked down by miR-5100 mimics or inhibitor followed by analysis of CHOP and related proteins abundances by Western blot. A549 cells were injected into mice to establish a xenograft
model which was treated with cisplatin followed by detecting tumor growth. CHOP abundance presented substantial level in non-cancerous lung tissues, while miR-5100 level was significantly reduced with negative correlation with CHOP in cancer samples. Low CHOP expression was associated with
increased tumor grade and death. IC50 of all tested drugs particularly cisplatin was increased in A549/CDDP or H446/CDDP cells, accompanied by reduced CHOP, LC3-II, DR5 and TRB3 mRNA and protein levels. miR-5100 mimics or miR-5100 inhibitor reduced or elevated CHOP level, accompanied
by significantly reduced or elevated LC3-II, DR5, TRB3 level and sensitivity to cisplatin respectively. In addition, miR-5100 overexpression did not affect tumor formation but blemished therapeutic effects of cisplatin and reduced CHOP abundance in vivo. miR-5100 could suppress CHOP
expression and regulate drug resistance related genes, ultimately exacerbating chemotherapeutic resistance in lung cancer cells.
Accurate Hotspot Segmentation in Thermal Breast Images with Gaussian Mixture Model Superpixels
Authors: Yacin Sikkandar Mohamed , Sudharsan Natteri M. , Balakirshnan Santhanaraj , Prakash N. B. , Hemalakshmi G. R. , Mohanarathinam A.
Published: April 2021

Thermography is a non-invasive and promising clinical method widely being used in screening of breast cancer. Breast thermal images show the heat distribution, depicting the manifestation of cancerous lesions with hot regions. Accurate segmentation of these hotspots is very vital in
determining the severity of the lesions, localization and treatment regimen. In this work, color segmentation based on superpixel scheme is proposed to extract the hotspots from breast thermal images. Here, we employ the most recently proposed Gaussian mixture model superpixels, featuring
semantically defined boundaries to segment the hotspots with ease. The proposed system tested with a standard dataset exhibits best performance, evaluated with various statistical metrics. It demonstrates very high segmentation accuracy around 99.84%. Visual analyses and statistical comparisons
with ground truth images establish the superiority of proposed system over existing methods. Proposed method could increase diagnostic accuracies of breast cancer and increase the abnormality detection in early stage.
Nested U-Net Architecture Based Image Segmentation for 3D Neuron Reconstruction
Authors: Yang Jian , Zhang Yong , Yu Yuanlin , Zhong Ning
Published: April 2021

Digital reconstruction of neurons is a critical step in studying neuronal morphology and exploring the working mechanism of the brain. In recent years, the focus of neuronal morphology reconstruction has gradually shifted from single neurons to multiple neurons in a whole brain. Microscopic
images of a whole brain often have low signal-to-noise-ratio, discontinuous neuron fragments or weak neuron signals. It is very difficult to segment neuronal signals from the background of these images, which is the first step of most automatic reconstruction algorithms. In this study, we
propose a Nested U-Net based Ultra-Tracer model (NUNU-Tracer) for better multiple neurons image segmentation and morphology reconstruction. The NUNU-Tracer utilizes nested U-Net (UNet++) deep network to segment 3D neuron images, reconstructs neuron morphologies under the framework of the Ultra-Tracer
and prunes branches of noncurrent tracing neurons. The 3D UNet++ takes a 3D microscopic image as its input, and uses scale-space distance transform and linear fusion strategy to generate the segmentation maps for voxels in the image. It is capable of removing noise, repairing broken neurite
patterns and enhancing neuronal signals. We evaluate the performance of the 3D UNet++ for image segmentation and NUNU-Tracer for neuron morphology reconstruction on image blocks and neurons, respectively. Experimental results show that they significantly improve the accuracy and length of
neuron reconstructions.
Quantitative Assessment of Left Ventricular Function of Coronary Atherosclerotic Heart Disease with 640-Slice Dynamic Volume CT in Comparison to Echocardiography
Authors: Wang Zirong , Song Tingting , Yu Da
Published: April 2021

Objective: The primary aim is to investigate the correlation between 640-slice dynamic volume computer tomography (DVCT) and echocardiography (ECHO) in the function of left ventricular (LV), and the value of DVCT in the evaluation of left coronary artery disease (LCA) and geometry
and function of left ventricular, by measuring the difference of left ventricular function of coronary atherosclerotic heart disease with DVCT in comparison to ECHO. Materials and Methods: Sixty-three patients of coronary heart disease (CHD) with left coronary artery disease were selected,
all of them were examined by DVCT coronary imaging and ECHO. On the basis of the American Society of Cardiovascular Computed Temography, the study applied the Coronary Artery Disease Report and Data System (CAD-RADS) to assess the left cornary artery. The end-diastolic volume (EDV), end-systolic
volume (ESV), stroke volume (SV), ejection fraction (EF) and myocardial mass (MM) of function parameters of the left ventricle were counted. The function parameters of DVCT and ECHO were comparatively analyzed. Results: The results showed that there was a positive correlativity between
the value of EDV, ESV, SV and EF which measured through DVCT and the ECHO (r = 0.69, 0.90, 0.60, 0.71 respectively, P < 0.05 all). The differences of ESV, SV, EF between CAD-RADS 2 and 4, CAD-RADS 3 and 4 were significant (P < 0.05). The differences of data of EDV
and MM between CAD-RADS 2, 3 and 4 were statistically significant (P < 0.05). Conclusion: Both DVCT coronary artery imaging and ECHO can accurately assess left ventricular function and have a high correlation. DVCT coronary artery imaging can assess CAD and analyze the function
of left ventricular. EDV and MM change significantly in CAD-RADS 3, which providing important quantitative data for clinical diagnosis and treatment plan of coronary heart disease.
A Novel Conversion Method from X-ray Image to MR Image Using Deep Network and Auto-Encoding Technology
Authors: Zheng Qiankun , Ding Yang , Zhou Leyuan , Fan Chao , Qian Pengjiang
Published: April 2021

Several techniques have been utilized in current physical examinations, involving B-mode imaging, X-rays, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), computed tomography (CT) scans, etc. Nevertheless, radiation exposure is delivered in variety of medical examinations such as MRI. Accordingly,
yielding a high-quality medical image at the lowest possible radiation level becomes a realistic and challenging issue. This paper proposes a RVNet&PGAN method of simulation conversion based on deep network, which is capable of replacing the traditional methods by high-performance intelligent
computing. Experimental results show that proposed algorithm performs better than other algorithms from multiple validity metrics such as MAE, CC and RMSE. From this perspective, the method has a salient effect on the conversion and reconstruction of medical images.
Effect of Different Iron Sources onIn-SituGrowth of Zeolitic Imidazolate Frameworks-8: For Efficient Oxygen Reduction Electrocatalysts
Authors: Luo Sha-Sha , Ma Yu-Meng , Li Peng-Wei , Tian Ming-Hua , Li Qiao-Xia
Published: April 2021

Transition metal and nitrogen co-doped carbon-based catalysts (TM-N-C) have become the most promising catalysts for Pt/C due to their wide range of sources, low cost, high catalytic activity, excellent stability and strong resistance to poisoning, especially Fe–N–C metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), which are some of the most promising precursors for the preparation of Fe–N–C catalysts due to their inherent properties, such as their highly ordered three-dimensional framework structure, controlled porosity, and tuneable chemistry. Based on these, in this paper, different iron sources were added to synthesis a sort of zeolitic imidazole frameworks (ZIF-8). Then the imidazole salt in ZIF-8 was rearranged into high N-doped carbon by high-temperature pyrolysis to prepare the Fe–N–C catalyst. We studied the physical characteristics of the catalysts by different iron sources and their effects on the catalytic properties of the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). From the point of morphology, various iron sources have a positive influence on maintaining the morphology of ZIF-8 polyhedron. Fe–N/C–Fe(NO3)3has the same anion as zinc nitrate, and can maintain a polyhedral morphology after high-temperature calcination. It had the highest ORR catalytic activity compared to the other four catalyst materials, which proved that there is a certain relationship between morphology and performance. This paper will provide a useful reference and new models for the development of high-performance ORR catalysts without precious metals.
Investigation of the Photoluminescence and Nonlinear Optical Properties of Ce2O3–TiO2 Nanocomposites
Authors: Karthika P. C. , Rahulan K. Mani , Sasidharan Manickam , Vinitha G. , Seema R. , Vivekananthan S. , Umar Ahmad
Published: April 2021

This paper reports the photoluminescence and nonlinear optical (NLO) properties of Ce2O3–TiO2 nanocomposites synthesized via sol–gel process with different concentrations of cerium. The physical characterization studies by means of XRD indicated
for the successful incorporation of Ce into the lattice of TiO2, while the UV-visible spectra for an absorption edge shift of TiO2 to the higher wavelength side following the Ce addition, and FESEM analysis for the morphology and particles sizes of the synthesized materials.
On testing of the photoluminescence properties recorded through time-resolved fluorescence (TCSPC) technique, a decrease in the intensity of TiO2 with that of increased Ce concentration was observed and is due to an escalation in the number of oxygen vacancies. Further, the observation
NLO properties for Ce2O3–TiO2 was done by a Z-scan technique of 5ns continuous wave (cw) laser at 532 nm, where the involvement of active mechanisms in the nonlinear refraction and nonlinear absorption are due to the saturable absorption (SA) and
nonlinear thermal effects.
The Influence of Long-Term Dietary Intake of Titanium Dioxide Particles on Elemental Homeostasis and Tissue Structure of Mouse Organs
Authors: Duan Shu-Min , Zhang Yong-Liang , Gao Yan-Jun , Lyu Li-Zhi , Wang Yun
Published: April 2021

Background: Titanium dioxide (TiO2), consisting of nanoparticles and sub-microparticles, were widely used as food additive and consumed by people every day, which has aroused a public safety concern. Some studies showed TiO2can be absorbed by intestine and then distributed to different tissues after oral intake, which is supposed to affect the content of various elements in the body whereas led to tissue damage. However, knowledge gaps still exist in the impact of TiO2on the disorder of elemental homeostasis. Thus, this study aimed to explore the oral toxicity of TiO2by assessing its influence on elemental homeostasis and tissues injury.Method: ICR mice were fed with normal feed, TiO2nanoparticles (NPs)-mixed feed or TiO2submicron particles (MPs)-mixed feed (1% mass fraction TiO2NPs or MPs were mixed in commercial pellet diet) for 1, 3, and 6 months. Particles used in this study were characterized. The distribution of Ti and other 23 elements, the correlation among elements, and pathological change in the liver, kidney, spleen and blood cells of the mice was determined.Result: Ti accumulation only appeared in blood cells of mice treated with TiO2MPs-mixed feed for 6 months, but TiO2cause 12 kinds of elements (boron, vanadium, iron, cobalt, copper, zinc, selenium, sodium, calcium, magnesium, silicon, phosphorus) content changed in organ tissue. The changed kinds of elements in blood cells (6 elements), liver (7 elements) or kidney (6 elements) were more than in the spleen (1 element). The TiO2NPs induced more elements changed in blood cells and liver, and the TiO2MPs induced more elements changed in kidney. Significantly positive correlation between Ti and other elements was found in different organs except the liver. Organ injuries caused by TiO2NPs were severer than TiO2MPs. Liver exhibited obvious pathological damage which became more serious with the increase of exposure time, while kidney and spleen had slight damages.Conclusion: These results indicated long-time dietary intake of TiO2particles could induce element imbalance and organ injury. The liver displayed more serious change than other organs, especially under the treatment with TiO2NPs. Further research on the oral toxicity of TiO2NPs should pay more attention to the health effects of element imbalances using realistic exposure methods.
Synthesis and Surface Coating of LiMn2O4 Nanorods for the Cathode of the Lithium-Ion Battery
Authors: Sim San , Hwang Injun , Choi Woosun , Kim Yongseon
Published: April 2021

MnO2 nanorods are prepared using a hydrothermal method, and used as precursors for the synthesis of LiMn2O4 nanorod-based active material for the cathode of lithium-ion batteries. The effects of additives, pressure, reactant concentration in the solution,
and reaction time during the hydrothermal synthesis on the morphology of MnO2 are examined. For the synthesis of the LiMn2O4 nanorods, two synthetic methods, hydrothermal processing of the MnO2 precursor in a Li-containing solution, and the solid-state
reaction of the precursor with LiOH·H2O powder are tested. The morphological and electrochemical properties of the resulting materials are then analyzed. The rate and cycle performances of the LiMn2O4 nanorods are considerably improved by a composite
coating of Li-ion-conductive Li2O–2B2O3 and electrically conductive carbon. Because the conductive properties of these coating materials can be obtained with low crystallinity of them, superior coating performance is attainable with relatively low-temperature
of after heating, which is advantageous in preserving the morphology of LiMn2O4 nanorods.
Electrocaloric Effect of (110) Oriented KNbO3 Film
Authors: Jin MinYa , Qiu JianHua , Chen ZhiHui , Wang XiuQin , Yuan NingYi , Ding JianNing
Published: April 2021

The room temperature electrocaloric effect is researched for (110) oriented KNbO3 film based on Landau-Devonshire theory. The phase map with different ferroelectric states is built at room temperature with the considerations of thermodynamic equilibrium conditions and minimum
of thermodynamic potential. Five ferroelectric structural phases are obtained theoretically. The negative in-plane misfit strains are conducive to form the tetragonal c phase and the positive strains are in favor of the stability of tetragonal a1 and a2
phases. The electrocaloric effect relies on both misfit strain and electric field. Moreover, large electrocaloric effect is achieved in the orthorhombic phases.
High Performance Broadband Ultraviolet A/Ultraviolet C Detector Based on Ga2O3/p-GaN Nanocomposite Film Fabricated by Magnetron Sputtering
Authors: Du Shiyu , Yu Naisen , Zhao Haiyan , Wu Yunfeng , Wang Li
Published: April 2021

Ultraviolet (UV) detector based on β-Ga2O3/p-GaN was fabricated in this paper. The growth process involved deposition of amorphous Ga2O3 layer by means of magnetron sputtering and conversion of β-Ga2O3. The
obtained detector displays excellent UV sensing properties which covers Ultraviolet A(UVA)/Ultraviolet C(UVC) region with fast response. It will provide a new route to fabricate β-Ga2O3/p-GaN heterostructure for applications in broadband ultraviolet sensing.