bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Analyzing Dynamic Impacts of Deagriculturalization on CO2 Emissions in Selected Asian Economies: A Tale of Two Shocks
Authors: Lin Siyuan , Zhou Ning , Jahangir Junaid , Sohail Sidra
Published: January 2022

The study investigates the symmetric and asymmetric impact of agriculturalization on environmental quality in sample of selected Asian economies for time period 1991 to 2019. For empirical analysis, the study adopted ARDL-PMG and NARDL-PMG approaches. The long-run findings of ARDL-PMG reveal that agriculturalization tends to significantly improve the quality of environment. The empirical outcomes of NARDL-PMG infer that positive shock in agriculturalization results in enhancing environmental quality, however, the negative shock in agriculturalization (i.e., de-agriculturalization) leads to deterioration of environmental quality in the long-run. The findings demonstrate that agriculturalization improves environmental quality and de-agriculturalization mitigates environmental quality. Based on these findings, the study recommends that the relevant authorities should formulate such reforms in the agriculture sector that controls and reduces carbon emissions in Asian economies.
Correction of Class II division 2 with crowding and bilateral fully transposed impacted mandibular canines
Authors: Han Lei , Mei Li , Zhang Caixia , Wu Tuojiang , Wang Congyue , Li Huang
Published: January 2022

Background

Maxillary canine impaction has been extensively reported, but studies of mandibular canine impaction are relatively few. Clinical studies and reports of experience treating mandibular canine impaction are of clinical benefit to both orthodontists and dentists.

Aims

This report introduces a Class II division 2 crowded case with severely impacted, fully transposed, mandibular canines treated by a non-extraction approach and mandibular arch expansion.

Methods

The completely transposed, impacted, mandibular canines were successfully aligned. The crowding was relieved by arch expansion and incisor proclination without obvious radiographic alveolar bone loss. The two severely labially displaced mandibular canines assisted in the expansion of the narrow mandibular arch.

Results

The maxillary and mandibular arches were expanded and well aligned, and Class II molar and canine relationships and a normal overjet and overbite were established. The mandibular canines were aligned in advantageous positions. There was no regional alveolar bone resorption around the mandibular canines.

Conclusion

The treatment approach provided an example of significant bone remodelling. Using the impacted mandibular canines for anchorage, the age of the patient provided an opportunity to adopt a relatively conservative and unique treatment approach which may be applied to relieve crowding.
Ultrasound Assisted Pretreatments Applied to Cupuaçu Husk (Theobroma grandiflorum) from Brazilian Legal Amazon for Biorefinery Concept
Authors: Marasca Nicole , Cardoso Isabella , Rambo Magale , Bertuol Daniel , Rambo Michele , Guarda Emerson , Scapin Elisandra
Published: January 2022

Cupuaçu husk (CH) is the waste of a common fruit from a native species of the Brazilian Legal Amazon. The current study investigated the influence of ultrasound (US) combined with aqueous, acid, alkaline, and ionic liquid (IL) pretreatments on the chemical and physical aspects of CH and the yield of chemical platforms production, 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) and furfural (FF), using IL. Scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy were used to feature the raw and pretreated biomass. The highest levels of glucose (9.90 g L-1) were observed in the liquid fraction resulting from the acid + US pretreatment followed by acid hydrolysis. The IL + US pretreatment recorded the best performance in removing lignin. Based on XRD analyses, ultrasound increased crystallinity of all pretreated samples as a result of the removal of cellulose’s amorphous fraction. However, it promoted accessibility to adopted reagents by increasing biomass exposure due to cavitation. The best yields of HMF and FF were recorded from hydrolysis of the solid fraction resulting from the acid + US (12.94%) and alkaline + US (48.84%) pretreatment, respectively. These results indicate satisfactory performance of ultrasound assisted pretreatments to the simplified and economic conversion of biomass into value-added products.
A qualitative study of barriers and facilitators to adequate environmental health conditions and infection control for healthcare workers in Malawi
Authors: Tu Raymond , Elling Hayley , Behnke Nikki , Tseka Jennifer Mmodzi , Kafanikhale Holystone , Mofolo Innocent , Hoffman Irving , Cronk Ryan
Published: January 2022

The burden of healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) is high in low- and middle-income countries. Inadequate environmental health (EH) conditions and work systems contribute to HAIs in countries like Malawi. We collected qualitative data from 48 semi-structured interviews with healthcare workers (HCWs) from 45 healthcare facilities (HCFs) across Malawi and conducted a thematic analysis. The facilitators of infection prevention and control (IPC) practices in HCFs included disinfection practices, patient education, and waste management procedures. HCWs reported barriers such as lack of IPC training, bottlenecks in maintenance and repair, hand hygiene infrastructure, water provision, and personal protective equipment. This is one of the most comprehensive assessments to date of IPC practices and environmental conditions in Malawian HCFs in relation to HCWs. A comprehensive understanding of barriers and facilitators to IPC practices will help decision-makers craft better interventions and policies to support HCWs to protect themselves and their patients.
Estimation of greenhouse gas emissions of a tropical reservoir in Colombia
Authors: Rodríguez Diana C. , Peñuela Gustavo A.
Published: January 2022

Tropical reservoirs are generally flooded in soils with a high content of organic matter. This, combined with high temperatures, favors the generation of carbon dioxide and methane by biological degradation, contributing to the impact on climate change. A tropical reservoir in Colombia was monitored for 7 years in the pre-fill, fill and post-fill stages, for the last of these during the day and night. Emissions from diffusive fluxes at the surface of the water were measured using a floating static chamber, while inverted funnel methodology was used to measure the fluxes by bubbling. The samples collected in the field were analyzed in the laboratory using a gas chromatograph with a mass detector. The results showed average emissions of 70892.51±41079.16-ton CO2eq/year for pre-filling; 178254.53±105838.01-ton CO2eq/year for filling; and 466946.57-ton CO2eq/year for post-filling (for 5 years), concluding that the weather conditions and the filling percentage had an impact on the generation of greenhouse gases at filling and post-filling stages, as did the organic matter present in the area of influence of the sampling point. Higher greenhouse gas emissions were found during the day compared to the results at night, indicating that temperature affects these processes especially in tropical reservoirs.
Pumping test analysis for assessment of hydraulic parameters and aquifer system formation in hilly terrain
Authors: Singh Sonu , Tripura Joseph
Published: January 2022

Groundwater conditions (GWCs) of an area depends on aquifer hydraulic parameters such as storativity () or storage coefficient (), transmissivity () and hydraulic conductivity (). It plays a key role concerning groundwater flow modeling, well performance, solute and contaminant transport assessment and also for identification of areas for additional hydrologic testing. Specifically, the geologic formation of a region controls the porosity and permeability; however, in hilly terrain prospecting ground water potential is more challenging due to its limited extent and its occurrences that are usually confined to fractures and weathered rocks. The present study aims at estimating the hydraulic parameters through pumping test analysis to assess aquifer system formation on hilly terrain from 16 bore wells. The aforesaid parameters were examined through a case study in some selective regions of Hamirpur district of Himachal Pradesh, India. The study area is controlled under two main geological horizons that is the post-tertiary and tertiary. The papers end with comparative results of hydraulic parameters and the aquifer systems formation on different GWCs, which may be helpful in the outlook of sustainable groundwater resource in the regions.
Nitrogen resource recovery from mature leachate via heat extraction technology: An engineering project application
Authors: Xiong Jianying , Zhang Chen , He Pinjing , He Jun , Dai Xiaodong , Li Wudong , Yang Xiaoying , Li Xueting , Huang Xiaowen , Feng Jia
Published: January 2022

A large pool of ammonia in mature leachate is challenging to treat with a membrane bioreactor system to meet the discharge Standard for Pollution Control on the Landfill Site of Municipal Solid Waste in China (GB 16889-2008) without external carbon source addition. In this study, an engineering leachate treatment project with a scale of 2,000 m3/d was operated to evaluate the ammonia heat extraction system (AHES), which contains preheat, decomposition, steam-stripping, ammonia recovery, and centrifuge dewatering. The operation results showed that NH3-N concentrations of raw leachate and treated effluent from an ammonia heat extraction system (AHES) were 1,305–2,485 mg/L and 207–541 mg/L, respectively. The ratio of COD/NH3-N increased from 1.40–1.84 to 7.69–28.00. Nitrogen was recovered in the form of NH4HCO3 by the ammonia recovery tower with the introduction of CO2, wherein the mature leachate can offer 37% CO2 consumption. The unit consumptions of steam and power were 8.0% and 2.66 kWh/m3 respectively, and the total operation cost of AHES was 2.06 USD per cubic metre of leachate. These results confirm that heat extraction is an efficient and cost-effective technology for the recovery of nitrogen resource from mature leachate.
BIOMA CERRADO E MULHERES CERRADEIRAS
Authors: Acelo Agricola Josie Melissa , Clemente Evandro César
Published: January 2022

Mesmo diante da tecnificação imposta pelo capital, os Povos Cerradeiros seguem (re)criando e (re)inventando práticas e costumes que constituem o quadro geral de saberes e fazeres denominados nesta pesquisa como Práticas Cerradeiras, sendo as mulheres de fundamental importância para a manutenção dessas tradições. As Mulheres Cerradeiras, investigadas nesta pesquisa possuem vivências, interesses, experiências e um relacionamento estreito com o bioma Cerrado. Muitas delas foram expropriadas de suas terras, e aquelas que ainda estão na terra, muitas vezes em situação desfavorável, ainda conseguem desempenhar e se relacionar com Práticas Cerradeiras. A principal inquietação desta pesquisa é analisar como as mulheres que vivem no e do Cerrado desempenham em seu cotidiano saberes e fazeres elaborados a partir da tradição camponesa em interação com o bioma.
O URBANO, O PERIURBANO E O RURAL NA REGIÃO METROPOLITANA DE FORTALEZA
Authors: Gomes Iara , Amorim Noberto Pinto Deborah
Published: January 2022

O artigo debate como a interação rural-urbana na Região Metropolitana de Fortaleza resulta em diversidade da agricultura e inovação rural. A área de influência da RMF ultrapassa o estado do Ceará, e se estende ao Rio Grande do Norte, Piauí e Maranhão. Sua produção agrícola abastece a área metropolitana, beneficiando-se de mercados próximos. Ademais, a pluriatividade de sua produção instiga-nos a compreender a mudança no sentido clássico da dinâmica rural. Nossa intenção é discutir as noções de periurbanidade e a singularidade do rural metropolitano. Expomos aqui elementos de pesquisa focada em evidenciar Caucaia, como município integrante da RMF, que se firma, enquanto componente desta região, por desempenhar diversas funções urbanas, e ao mesmo tempo por possuir uma agricultura que ocupa papel substancial para sua economia, a qual geralmente está associada com o rural.

 

Palavras-chaves:  Urbano; Periurbano; Rural Metropolitano.
Stefana kardynała Wyszyńskiego wizja pracy i jej popularyzacja wśród środowisk pozakatolickich
Authors: Baraniak Barbara
Published: January 2022

Wizja pracy Stefana kardynała Wyszyńskiego, choć upowszechniana jest już od 1946 roku, czyli zapoczątkowana pierwszym wydaniem monografii Duch pracy ludzkiej, to wciąż jej popularność jest dużo mniejsza, aniżeli innych teorii i koncepcji pracy. Jest to zapewne wynik słabej promocji w środowiskach pozakatolickich, pomimo że jej autorem jest jedna z najwybitniejszych osobistości polskiego życia publicznego – kardynał Stefan Wyszyński. Zatem w roku beatyfikacji warto ją przywołać, aby była znana wszystkim środowiskom, w tym również spoza kręgu katolickiego. Wizja pracy kardynała opiera się na czterech filarach: (1) antropocentryzm, który sytuuje człowieka w centrum wszelkiego działania; (2) biblijny opis pracy człowieka – czyńcie sobie ziemię poddaną (Rdz 1, 28), który wyznacza jedno z zadań Stwórcy dla człowieka w postaci nakazu pracy, ale i – co promuje Wyszyński – stanowi wskazanie dla człowieka, mówiące o sposobie urzeczywistnienia własnego człowieczeństwa w procesie pracy, dzięki zaangażowaniu w proces pracy i chęć udoskonalania; (3) duch pracy ludzkiej i jego wielowymiarowość, w co wpisują się postaci ducha: m.in. wychowawczego, pracy, jałmużny, cywilizacji, przyjaźni, współpracy, ciszy czy pokoju; (4) cnota pracy ludzkiej, rozumiana m.in. przez cierpliwość w pracy, nieskwapliwość, wytrwałość i stałość w pracy, a także sumienność i pilność oraz cichość i współpracę.
Kształcenie zdalne, poziom stresu i dobrostan psychiczny studentów pedagogiki w pierwszej fazie pandemii choroby COVID-19
Authors: Kulawska Ewa
Published: January 2022

Celem artykułu jest empiryczna weryfikacja zależności między kształceniem zdalnym, zadowoleniem ze studiów, poziomem odczuwanego stresu w czasie pandemii choroby COVID-19 a ogólnym dobrostanem psychicznym studentów. Badania przeprowadzono w czerwcu 2020 roku. Wzięło w nich udział 91 studentów pedagogiki. Analiza wyników badań wskazuje, że ponad 80 proc. studentów pozytywnie ocenia kształcenie zdalne, a 34 proc. jest bardzo zadowolonych ze studiowania pedagogiki. Ocena kształcenia zdalnego przez studentów i poziom ich zadowolenia ze studiów nie ma związku z dobrostanem psychicznym. Ponad połowa badanych studentów prezentuje wysoki poziomu stresu w pierwszej fazie pandemii. Studenci odczuwający niższy poziom stresu lepiej oceniają kształcenie zdalne niż studenci odczuwający wysokie natężenie stresu. Analiza regresji wskazuje, że poziom stresu doświadczany przez studentów jest predyktorem dobrostanu psychicznego. Wraz ze wzrostem natężenia stresu następuje spadek dobrostanu psychicznego. Kryzys zdrowotny wywołany pandemią w istotny sposób wpływa na funkcjonowanie studentów.
Biografia rodzinna – dynamika systemów rodzinnych w perspektywie narracyjnej
Authors: Kuryś-Szyncel Karolina
Published: January 2022

Artykuł ma charakter koncepcyjno-metodologiczny, a jego celem jest próba rekonstrukcji dynamiki zmian w systemie rodzinnym z wykorzystaniem metody biograficznej. Kanwę teoretyczną stanowią podejścia wywodzące się z konstruktywizmu i konstrukcjonizmu społecznego, systemowe rozumienie rodziny oraz koncepcje biograficznego uczenia się. Rodzina jest rozumiana jako system społeczny podlegający zasadom całościowości oraz autopojezy, które wyznaczają ramy i możliwości jego rozwoju. Wprowadzono autorską kategorię „biografii rodzinnej”, która oznacza zwielokrotnioną (będącą czymś więcej niż sumą biografii jednostkowych) nieskończoną (re)konstrukcję wynikającą z napięcia między biegiem życia rodziny a opowieścią o historii życia rodziny. Zastosowanie biografii rodzinnej jako sposobu opisu rzeczywistości systemowej (z uwzględnieniem jej nieoczywistej dynamiki) oraz jako wyznacznika zbierania i analizowania danych empirycznych jest nową możliwością w pedagogicznych badaniach rodzin.
Sprawozdanie z konferencji naukowej „W poszukiwaniu przyrodniczego, filozoficznego i teologicznego obrazu Wszechświata”, Instytut Filozofii UKSW w Warszawie, 15.05.2021 r.
Authors: Świeżyński Adam
Published: January 2022

15 maja 2021 roku odbyła się konferencja naukowa W poszukiwaniu przyrodniczego, filozoficznego i teologicznego obrazu Wszechświata, zorganizowana przez Instytut Filozofii Uniwersytetu Kardynała Stefana Wyszyńskiego w Warszawie. Okazją do zorganizowania konferencji była przypadająca 17 maja 2021 roku pierwsza rocznica śmierci ks. dr. hab. Grzegorza Bugajaka (1966-2020), wieloletniego pracownika Instytutu Filozofii UKSW i jego dyrektora w latach 2016-2020 oraz sekretarza redakcji czasopisma filozoficznego Studia Philosophiae Christianae w latach 1997-2020, redagowanego w Instytucie Filozofii UKSW. W konferencji, oprócz zaproszonych prelegentów, wzięli udział pracownicy Instytutu Filozofii UKSW oraz przedstawiciele innych ośrodków naukowych, a także przyjaciele i znajomi ks. Grzegorza Bugajaka.

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Zgłoszono: 07/08/2021. Zrecenzowano: 29/08/2021. Zaakceptowano do publikacji: 11/09/2021.
Pharmacokinetics-based Chronotherapy
Authors: Lu Danyi , Wang Zhigang , Wu Baojian
Published: January 2022

Dosing time-dependency of pharmacokinetics (or chronopharmacokinetics) has been long recognized. Studies in recent years have revealed that daily rhythmicity in expression of drug-metabolizing enzymes and transporters (DMETs) are key factors determining chronopharmacokinetics. In this article, we briefly summarize current knowledge with respect to circadian mechanisms of DMETs and discuss how rhythmic DMETs are translated to drug chronoeffects. More importantly, we present our perspectives on pharmacokinetics-based chronotherapy.
Cyclosporine Ameliorates Silica-Induced Autoimmune Hepatitis in
Rat Model by Altering the Expression of Toll-Like Receptor-4,
Interleukin-2, and Tumor Necrosis Factor-α
Authors: Abdelwahab Sayed F. , Mohammed Moustafa M. , Okasha Ahmed M. M. , Naiem Amany H. Abdel , Mohamed Reham F. , Mohamed Hatem A.
Published: January 2022

Background:

Autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) is an inflammatory liver disease
that is characterized histologically by interface hepatitis, biochemically by elevated
transaminase levels, and serologically by the presence of autoantibodies. Toll-like
receptor (TLR)-4 is a TLR family member that, upon activation in hepatocytes, initiates a
cascade of events. Interleukin-2 (IL-2) and tumour necrosis factor α (TNF-α) are potent
inflammatory cytokines secreted in AIH, playing an important role in the early
development of inflammation and hepatocyte damage.

Objective:

This study examined the role of cyclosporine in AIH and illustrated its
actions on altered hepatic function in the silica-induced AIH model.

Methods:

AIH was induced in Wistar rats using sodium silicate. The rats were divided
into four groups: the control group, silica-AIH group, cyclosporine-treated group, and
prevention group. TLR-4 and IL-2 mRNA expressions in liver tissues were tested by RTPCR.

Results:

AIH was associated with up-regulation of liver enzymes, IL-2 and TLR-4 gene
expression, while cyclosporine significantly down-regulated the expression of both. The
relative quantity of TLR-4 mRNA was 1±0, 13.57±1.91, 4±0.38, and 2±0 in control, AIH,
cyclosporine, and prevention groups, respectively (p<0.001). Also, the relative quantity
of IL-2 mRNA was 1±0, 14.79±1.42, 7.07±0.96, and 3.4±0.55 in control, AIH,
cyclosporine, and prevention groups, respectively (p<0.001). Additionally,
immunohistochemical staining for TNF-α in liver sections was increased in the silica-AIH
group but was found to decrease in the cyclosporine-treated and prevention groups.

Conclusion:

This study advocates the therapeutic role of cyclosporine in treating
immune-mediated hepatic diseases. Cyclosporine improves histological alterations in the
liver and inhibits the production of proinflammatory cytokines.
Downregulation of CCKBR Expression Inhibits the Proliferation of Gastric
Cancer Cells, Revealing a Potential Target for Immunotoxin Therapy
Authors: Li Meng , Chang Jiang , Ren Honglin , Song Defeng , Guo Jian , Peng Lixiong , Zhou Xiaoshi , Zhao Ke , Lu Shiying , Liu Zengshan , Hu Pan
Published: January 2022

Background:

Increased CCKBR expression density or frequency has been reported in
many neoplasms.

Objective:

We aimed to investigate whether CCKBR drives the growth of gastric cancer (GC) and
its potential as a therapeutic target of immunotoxins.

Methods:

A lentiviral interference system was used to generate CCKBR-knockdown gastric cancer
cells. Cell Counting Kit-8 and clonogenic assays were used to evaluate cell proliferation. Woundhealing
and cell invasion assays were performed to evaluate cell mobility. Cell cycle was analyzed
by flow cytometry. Tumor growth in vivo was investigated using a heterologous tumor transplantation
model in nude mice. In addition, we generated the immunotoxin FQ17P and evaluated the combining
capacity and tumor cytotoxicity of FQ17P in vitro.

Results:

Stable downregulation of CCKBR expression resulted in reduced proliferation, migration
and invasion of BGC-823 and SGC-7901 cells. The impact of CCKBR on gastric cancer cells was
further verified through CCKBR overexpression studies. Downregulation of CCKBR expression also
inhibited the growth of gastric tumors in vivo. Furthermore, FQ17P killed CCKBR-overexpressing
GC cells by specifically binding to CCKBR on the tumor cell surface.

Conclusion:

The CCKBR protein drives the growth, migration, and invasion of gastric cancer
cells, and it might be a promising target for immunotoxin therapy based on its aberrant expression,
functional binding interactions with gastrin, and subsequent internalization.
Novel 1,2-Thiazine-Pyridine Hybrid: Design, Synthesis, Antioxidant Activity and Molecular Docking Study
Authors: Bakr Rania B. , Elkanzi Nadia A.A.
Published: January 2022

Background and Objectives:

1,2-thiazine and pyridine heterocycles drew much attention due to their biological activities, including antioxidant activity. Based on fragment-based drug design, novel pyrido[1,2]thiazines 9a-c, thiazolidinopyrido[1,2], thiazines 10a-c and azetidinopyrido[1,2]thiazines 11ac were designed and prepared.

Methods:

These novel derivatives 9a-c, 10a-c and 11a-c were subjected to screening for their antioxidant activity via various assays as DPPH radical scavenging potential, reducing power assay and metal chelating potential.

Results:

All the assayed derivatives exhibited excellent antioxidant potential and the tested compounds 9a, 9b, 10a, 10b, 11a and 11b exhibited higher DPPH scavenging potential (EC50 = 32.7, 53, 36.1, 60, 40.6 and 67 μM, respectively) than ascorbic acid (EC50 = 86.58 μM). While targets 9a, 10a and 11a (RP50 = 52.19, 59.16 and 52.25 μM, respectively) exhibited better reducing power than the ascorbic acid (RP50 = 84.66 μM). The computational analysis had been utilized to prophesy the bioactivity and molecular properties of the target compounds.

Conclusion:

To predict the binding manner of the novel derivatives as antioxidants, in-silico docking study was performed on all the newly prepared compounds inside superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) active site. The most active antioxidant candidate 9a (EC50 = 32.7 μM, RP50 = 52.19 μM) displayed excellent binding with Lys134 amino acid residing at Cu-Zn loop of SOD with binding energy score = -7.54 Kcal/mol, thereby increasing SOD activity and decreasing reactive oxygen species.
Identification of Plasmodium Secreted Proteins Based on MonoDiKGap
and Distance-Based Top-n-Gram Methods
Authors: Liao Xinyi , Gu Xiaomei , Peng Dejun
Published: January 2022

Background:

Many malarial infections are caused by Plasmodium falciparum. Accurate
classification of the proteins secreted by the malaria parasite, which are essential for the development of
anti-malarial drugs, is necessary

Objective:

This study aimed at accurately classifying the proteins secreted by the malaria parasite

Methods:

Therefore, in order to improve the accuracy of the prediction of Plasmodium secreted proteins, we established a classification model MGAP-SGD. MonodikGap features (k=7) of the secreted
proteins were extracted, and then the optimal features were selected by the AdaBoost method. Finally,
based on the optimal set of secreted proteins, the model was used to predict the secreted proteins using
the Stochastic Gradient Descent (SGD) algorithm

Results:

We used a 10-fold cross-validation set and independent test set in the stochastic gradient descent
(SGD) classifier to validate the model, and the accuracy rates were found to be 98.5859% and
97.973%, respectively.

Results:

We used a 10-fold cross-validation set and independent test set in the stochastic gradient descent (SGD) classifier to validate the model, and the accuracy rates were found to be 98.5859% and
97.973%, respectively

Conclusion:

This study confirms the effectiveness and robustness of the prediction results of the
MGAP-SGD model that can meet the prediction requirements of the secreted proteins of Plasmodium
An Overview of the International Literature on Health-Related Quality of Life, Mental Health and Psychosocial Issues in People with Cancer
Authors: Lindert Jutta , Sancassiani Federica , Massa Elena , Nardi Antonio Egidio
Published: January 2022

Background:

Cancer is one of the most important leading causes of death worldwide. Early detection, screening and diagnosis have been demonstrated to significantly improve patients’ survival rates and increase awareness of the benefit of prompt therapies and healthy lifestyles. In this context, Health-related Quality of Life (HRQoL) and several psychosocial difficulties are of relevance as prognostic factors for the trajectory of the diseases of people living with cancer.

Methods:

This Special Issue aims to present a set of systematic reviews and research studies focusing on several psychosocial aspects in people suffering from hematologic and solid cancer.

Results:

Three systematic reviews regard HRQoL, the quality of patient-physician communication, depression and other stress-related difficulties, respectively. One review pointed out the difficulties in diagnosing depression in the elderly with solid cancer; another one regards the risk of cancer in severe mental illnesses, such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorders, and severe depressive disorders. One additional review regards HRQoL in people with cancer in the present era of COVID-19 pandemic. Furthermore, some research studies pointed out the usefulness of a validated instrument to assess satisfaction with care in the oncology field, as well as of the self-reinforcing feedback loop to improve fatigue, insomnia and depression in people with cancer. Other two research studies evaluate, respectively, the attributable burden in worsening HRQoL in people suffering both from cancer and depression and the Type D personality as a risk factor for stress-related difficulties in women with breast cancer.

Conclusion:

This Special Issue is a contribution to enhance future research mainly about such interventions useful to assess and improve HRQoL and overall well-being in people with cancer.
Health-Related Quality of Life Assessment in Patients with Myelodysplastic Syndromes: Evidence from Randomized Clinical Trials
Authors: Giesinger Johannes M. , La Nasa Giorgio , Sparano Francesco , Angermeyer Matthias , Morelli Emanuela , Mulas Olga , Efficace Fabio , Caocci Giovanni
Published: January 2022

Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) are characterized by ineffective hematopoiesis and blood cytopenia with a variable risk of progression to acute myeloid leukemia. The main goal of therapy for the large majority of patients is to improve health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Its rigorous assessment is now recommended in international MDS guidelines. Our review provides an overview of HRQoL results from randomized controlled trials (RCTs) in MDS patients. The literature search undertaken in PubMed identified 10 RCTs with HRQoL endpoints (all secondary) published between August 2008 and September 2020. These RCTs have helped to better understand the impact of therapies from the patient perspective and have generated valuable information that can be used to further support clinical decisions. However, the number of RCTs in MDS patients, including HRQoL endpoints, is still low. Given the importance of symptom relief and HRQoL improvement in the treatment of MDS patients, the assessment of the patient perspective in future RCTs is highly recommended to keep expanding the knowledge of the impact of new MDS therapies.
Novel Coumarin Derivatives Containing a Triazole Moiety: A Study on Synthesis, Cytotoxicity, Membrane Dysfunction, Apoptosis, Cell Cycle, and Antiangiogenic Effects
Authors: Güner Adem , Bektaş Hakan , Menteşe Emre
Published: January 2022

Background:

Coumarin is a functional compound with a pronounced wide range of biological activities and
has recently been shown to have anticancer effects on various human cancer cells. Cisplatin is widely used in treating
many cancers, but its effectiveness is limited due to acquired resistance and dose-related side effects.

Objective:

This study aimed to reveal the chemosensitizing ability of novel synthesized coumarin-triazole hybrid compounds
(3a-f) compared to the cisplatin in A549, MCF-7, and HeLa cancer cells.

Methods:

Cytotoxicity was determined by MTT assay. Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), antioxidant/oxidant status, and
DNA fragmentation were determined spectrophotometrically using commercial kits. Muse™ Cell Analyzer was used
to assess cell cycle progression. Pro/anti-apoptotic gene expressions were determined by Real-Time qPCR. The antiangiogenic
activity was determined by VEGF expression and Hen's chorioallantoic membrane model.

Results:

Compounds 3c, -d, -e, and -f potentiated the cisplatin-induced cytotoxicity by increasing LDH release and
DNA fragmentation, inducing G2/M cell cycle arrest, overproducing oxidative stress, and decreasing cellular antioxidant
levels. These compounds combined with cisplatin caused upregulation in the pro-apoptotic Bax, Bıd, caspase-3,
caspase-8, caspase-9, Fas, and p53 gene expressions while downregulating anti-apoptotic DFFA, NFkB1, and Bcl2
gene expressions. These combinations caused vascular loss and a reduction in VEGF expression.

Conclusion:

These results suggest that a combinational regimen of coumarin compounds with cisplatin could enhance
the effect of cisplatin in A549 cells. Besides, these compounds exhibit relatively low toxicity in normal cells, thus
decreasing the dose requirement of cisplatin in cancer treatments.
Multi-Channel Local Binary Pattern Guided Convolutional Neural Network for Breast Cancer Classification
Authors: Mewada Hiren , Al-Asad Jawad F. , Patel Amit , Chaudhari Jitendra , Mahant Keyur , Vala Alpesh
Published: January 2022

Background:

The advancement in convolutional neural network (CNN) has reduced the burden of experts using the computer-aided diagnosis of human breast cancer. However, most CNN networks use spatial features only. The inherent texture structure present in histopathological images plays an important role in distinguishing malignant tissues. This paper proposes an alternate CNN network that integrates Local Binary Pattern (LBP) based texture information with CNN features.

Methods:

The study propagates that LBP provides the most robust rotation, and translation-invariant features in comparison with other texture feature extractors. Therefore, a formulation of LBP in context of convolution operation is presented and used in the proposed CNN network. A non-trainable fixed set binary convolutional filters representing LBP features are combined with trainable convolution filters to approximate the response of the convolution layer. A CNN architecture guided by LBP features is used to classify the histopathological images.

Result:

The network is trained using BreKHis datasets. The use of a fixed set of LBP filters reduces the burden of CNN by minimizing training parameters by a factor of 9. This makes it suitable for the environment with fewer resources. The proposed network obtained 96.46% of maximum accuracy with 98.51% AUC and 97% F1-score.

Conclusion:

LBP based texture information plays a vital role in cancer image classification. A multi-channel LBP futures fusion is used in the CNN network. The experiment results propagate that the new structure of LBP-guided CNN requires fewer training parameters preserving the capability of the CNN network’s classification accuracy.
Identifying Skeletal Maturity from X-rays using Deep Neural Networks
Authors: Patnaik Suprava , Ghosh Sourodip , Ghosh Richik , Sahay Shreya
Published: January 2022

Skeletal maturity estimation is routinely evaluated by pediatrics and radiologists to assess growth and hormonal disorders. Methods integrated with regression techniques are incompatible with low-resolution digital samples and generate bias, when the evaluation protocols are implemented for feature assessment on coarse X-Ray hand images. This paper proposes a comparative analysis between two deep neural network architectures, with the base models such as Inception-ResNet-V2 and Xception-pre-trained networks. Based on 12,611 hand X-Ray images of RSNA Bone Age database, Inception-ResNet-V2 and Xception models have achieved R-Squared value of 0.935 and 0.942 respectively. Further, in the same order, the MAE accomplished by the two models are 12.583 and 13.299 respectively, when subjected to very few training instances with negligible chances of overfitting.
Analysis of Discrete Wavelet Transforms Variants for the Fusion of CT and MRI Images
Authors: Jain Nishant , Yadav Arvind , Kumar Sariya Yogesh , Balodi Arun
Published: January 2022

Background:

Medical image fusion methods are applied to a wide assortment of medical fields, for example, computer-assisted diagnosis, telemedicine, radiation treatment, preoperative planning, and so forth. Computed Tomography (CT) is utilized to scan the bone structure, while Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is utilized to examine the soft tissues of the cerebrum. The fusion of the images obtained from the two modalities helps radiologists diagnose the abnormalities in the brain and localize the position of the abnormality concerning the bone.

Methods:

Multimodal medical image fusion procedure contributes to the decrease of information vulnerability and improves the clinical diagnosis exactness. The motive is to protect salient features from multiple source images to produce an upgraded fused image. The CT-MRI image fusion study made it conceivable to analyze the two modalities straightforwardly.

Several states of the art techniques are available for the fusion of CT & MRI images. The discrete wavelet transform (DWT) is one of the widely used transformation techniques for the fusion of images. However, the efficacy of utilization of the variants of wavelet filters for the decomposition of the images, which may improve the image fusion quality, has not been studied in detail. Therefore the objective of this study is to assess the utility of wavelet families for the fusion of CT and MRI images. In this paper investigation on the efficacy of 8 wavelet families (120 family members) on the visual quality of the fused CT & MRI image has been performed. Further, to strengthen the quality of the fused image, two quantitative performance evaluation parameters, namely classical and gradient information, have been calculated.

Results:

Experimental results demonstrate that amongst the 120 wavelet family members (8 wavelet families), db1, rbio1.1, and Haar wavelets have outperformed other wavelet family members in both qualitative and quantitative analysis.

Conclusion:

Quantitative and qualitative analysis shows that the fused image may help radiologists diagnose the abnormalities in the brain and localize the position of the abnormality concerning the bone more easily. For further improvement in the fused results, methods based on deep learning may be tested in the future.
Plant Growth-promoting and Bio-control Activity of Micrococcus luteus Strain AKAD 3-5 Isolated from the Soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) Rhizosphere
Authors: Dubey Anamika , Kumar Ashwani , Khan Mohammed Latif , Payasi Devendra Kumar
Published: January 2022

Background:

Applications of bioinoculants for improving crop productivity may be an eco-friendly alternative to chemical fertilizers. Rhizosphere or soil-inhabiting beneficial microbes can enhance plant growth and productivity through direct and indirect mechanisms, i.e., phosphate solubilization, nutrient acquisition, phytohormone production, etc.

Objective:

This study is based on the hypothesis that diseases resistant plants can act as a source of potential microbes that can have good plant growth-promoting traits and bio-control potential.

Methods:

In this study, we have isolated the rhizobacterial strains (AKAD 2-1, AKAD 2-10, AKAD 3-5, AKAD 3-9) from the rhizosphere of a disease-resistant variety of soybean (JS-20-34) (Glycine max (L.) Merr.). These bacterial strains were further screened for various plant growth-promoting traits (phosphate solubilization, indole acetic acid (IAA), ammonia, biofilm, HCN, Exopolysaccharide (EPS), and enzyme production activity (catalase, cellulase, and chitinase)).

Results:

Among four, only bacterial strain AKAD 3-5 has shown plant-growth-promoting and biocontrol (98%) activity against Fusarium oxysporum. Morphological, biochemical, and molecular characterization (16S rRNA) revealed that this rhizobacterial isolate AKAD 3-5 closely resembles Micrococcus luteus (Gene bank accession: MH304279).

Conclusion:

Here, we conclude that this strain can be utilized to promote soybean growth under varied soil stress conditions.
Pathophysiology of Acute Respiratory Failure by CoV-2 Infection: Role of Oxidative Stress, Endothelial Dysfunction and Obesity
Authors: Castillo Rodrigo L. , Gonzaléz-Candia Alejandro , Candia Alejandro A.
Published: January 2022

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) due to CoV-2 (coronavirus type 2) virus possess a particular risk of developing acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) or SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2)-CoV2 in people with pre-existing conditions related to endothelial dysfunction and increased pro-inflammatory and pro-oxidant state. In between these conditions, chronic systemic inflammation related to obese patients is associated with the development of atherosclerosis, type 2 diabetes, and hypertension, comorbidities that adversely affect the clinical outcome in critical patients with COVID-19. Obesity affects up to 40% of the general population in the USA and more than 30% of the adult population in Chile. Until April 2021, 1,019,478 people have been infected, with 23,524 deaths. Given the coexistence of this worldwide obesity epidemic, COVID-19 negative outcomes are seriously enhanced in the current scenario. On the other hand, obesity is characterized by endothelial dysfunction observed in different vascular beds, an alteration which can be associated with impaired vasodilation, oxidative stress, and inflammatory events. Emerging evidence shows that obesity-related conditions such as endothelial dysfunction are associated with detrimental outcomes for COVID-19 evolution, especially if the patient derives to Intensive Care Units (ICU). This implies the need to understand the pathophysiology of the infection in the obese population, in order to propose therapeutic alternatives and public health policies, especially if the virus remains in the population. In this review, we summarize evidence about the pathogeny of Cov-2 infection in obese individuals and discuss how obesity-associated inflammatory and prooxidant status increase the severity of COVID-19.
A Review on the Use of Nanomaterials in Agriculture: Benefits and
Associated Health Risks
Authors: Dubey Kashyap Kumar , Kumar Punit , Malik Sujata
Published: January 2022

Background:

The present world population is about 7.9 billion and it is increasing
continuously. Thus, there is an urgent requirement to enhance the agricultural output
sustainably. Agricultural approaches such as the use of advanced agriculture methods, high
productivity varieties, and enhanced application of fertilizers and pesticides have significantly
increased food grain production but in an unsustainable way. Chemical-based conventional
fertilizers and pesticides have been found associated with environmental pollution and other
unwanted effects on the ecosystem, soil quality, soil microflora, etc. Nanomaterials may be
used to replace conventional fertilizers and pesticides in agriculture.

Objective:

The aim of this review is to provide information about the harmful effects of
chemical fertilizers and pesticides, and the use of nanomaterials in agriculture. Including this,
the health risks of nanomaterials are discussed.

Method:

This review article includes a survey of literature from different online sources (for
example, Web of Science, PubMed, and Google Scholar, etc.).

Results:

The improvement in agricultural output using chemical fertilizers and pesticides is
considered unsustainable as it is increasing the cost of production, affecting the soil quality,
disturbing nutrient availability in crops, and causing environmental pollution. Nanotechnology is
a potent innovative practice and nanomaterials may be used in agriculture as nanofertilizers,
nanopesticides, and nanosensors. Although these approaches have the potential to enhance
agricultural productivity in a sustainable way, nanomaterials are also assumed to exhibit potential
health risks to humans. Reports have indicated that nanomaterials have been found associated
with many systematic diseases such as cardiovascular diseases, neurotoxicity, and toxicity to the
reproductive system, etc.

Conclution:

It is well accepted that chemical fertilizers and pesticides in agriculture cause
environmental toxicity and affect ecosystem activity. Nanomaterials have the potential to
enhance agricultural output, but these are also associated with health risks. Thus, detailed
scientific studies must be conducted about the potential health risk of nanomaterials before
their commercial applications in agriculture.
Pharmacological and Nutritional Benefits of Flaxseed’s (Linum usitatissimum
Linn.) Biocomponents
Authors: Tarique Mohammad , Badruddeen  , Parveen Shahla , Ahsan Farogh , Khan Mohammad Irfan , Akhtar Juber , Khalid Mohammad , Gazanfer  , Muztaba Mohammad
Published: January 2022

Linum usitatissimum (Linn.), Commonly known as flaxseed or flaxseed, belongs to the family Linaceae. Flaxseed is a crop of blue flowers that produce small, flat seeds of golden yellow to reddish-brown color. It is a native of the Mediterranean and West Asia. Due to its health benefits associated with the high content of linolenic acid (ALA), flaxseed has played a major role in diet and research. The ALA is an essential omega-3-fatty acid, and also due to its presence a major lignan, i.e. secoisolaricyrcinol diglucoside (SDG). There is also a wide range of uses of flaxseed oil in skin health, anticoagulants, anticancer, ulcer treatment, muscle growth, and weight loss. The nutritional composition of flaxseed is about 30% carbohydrate, 18% protein, and 39% fat. Flaxseed contains most carbohydrates in the form of fiber and contains more than 45% omega-3 fatty acids. It also contains dietary fibers, proteins and polyunsaturated fatty acids. All the ingredients possess different health benefits. Although plant resources are the key ingredient in drug discovery, the popularity of flaxseed always fascinate scientists, the number of articles giving information about the chemical components of flaxseed and its potential clinical use is very little. This review provides a systematic summary of the research completed over the past decade and provides an up-to-date summary of the various bioactive and outlines the relationship between the nutritional and pharmacological use of chemical ingredients and its flaxseed.
Antibiotics with Antiviral and Anti-Inflammatory Potential Against
Covid-19: A Review
Authors: Rahimi Hamid-Reza , Abadi Banafshe , Ilaghi Mehran , Shahsavani Yasamin , Faramarzpour Mahsa , Oghazian Mohammad Bagher
Published: January 2022

In Covid-19 cases, elderly patients in long-term care facilities, children younger than
five years with moderate symptoms, and patients admitted to ICU or with comorbidities are at a
high risk of coinfection, as suggested by the evidence. Thus, in these patients, antibiotic therapy
based on empirical evidence is necessary. Finding appropriate antimicrobial agents, especially with
antiviral and anti-inflammatory properties, is a promising approach to target the virus and its complications,
hyper-inflammation, and microorganisms resulting in co-infection. Moreover, indiscriminate
use of antibiotics can be accompanied by Clostridioides difficile colitis, the emergence of resistant
microorganisms, and adverse drug reactions, particularly kidney damage and QT prolongation.
Therefore, rational administration of efficient antibiotics is an important issue. The main objective
of the present review is to provide a summary of antibiotics with possible antiviral activity
against SARS-CoV-2 and anti-immunomodulatory effects to guide scientists for further research.
Besides, the findings can help health professionals in the rational prescription of antibiotics in
Covid-19 patients with a high risk of co-infection.
Diet Supplementation with Madagascar Cockroach Flour (Gromphadorhina portentosa) Improved Malnourished Mice Metabolism and Ameliorated Liver Inflammatory Markers
Authors: Oliveira Janaína Ribeiro , Cota Junio , Carvalho Bruna Mara , de Oliveira Costa Theles , da Costa Diego Vicente , Santos Sérgio Henrique Sousa
Published: January 2022

Background:

Malnutrition and accessible high-quality protein food sources are two of the world’s alimentary challenges. Edible insects are nowadays recognized as a possible functional food solution with lower environmental impacts and beneficial health effects. Objective: In this context, the aim of the present study is to evaluate Madagascar cockroach (Gromphadorhina portentosa) flour supplementation effects on a malnourished mice model, considering its effects on metabolism, adiposity, and inflammatory liver profiles.

Method:

Male Swiss mice are divided into five groups and fed with experimental diets for eight weeks, including a standard diet (ST) ad libitum, AIN93 ad libitum (AIN), insect flour-enriched AIN93 (AIN+IM), AIN-40% feed restriction (AIN-FR), and insect flour-enriched AIN-40% of feed restriction (AIN-FR+IM). The metabolic profiles, adipose tissue, biochemical parameters, and liver IL-6 and IL-10 expression are evaluated.

Results:

The main findings show a body weight and metabolism improvement followed by an increased recovery of the adipocyte area in the AIN-FR+IM group when compared to the AIN-FR malnourished group. Reduced hepatic IL-6 and increased IL-10 expression are also detected in the AIN-FR+IM group.

Conclusion:

The results show that insect flour supplementation enhances both body weight and adiposity gain/recovery. The results also show hepatic improvement of inflammatory markers.
Особенности одночастотной генерации в квантово-каскадных лазерах спектрального диапазона 7.5-8.0 μm с малой длиной резонатора
Authors: Бабичев А.В. , Колодезный Е.С. , Гладышев А.Г. , Денисов Д.В. , Харин Н.Ю. , Петрук А.Д. , Паневин В.Ю. , Слипченко С.О. , Лютецкий А.В. , Карачинский Л.Я. , Новиков И.И. , Пихтин Н.А. , Егоров А.Ю.
Published: January 2022

The possibility of realizing single-mode emission in quantum-cascade lasers due to modulation of output optical losses in a Fabry-Perot cavity is demonstrated. For the active region of the 7.5–8.0 μm spectral range, two-phonon resonance design we used thus the 50 stages and waveguide layers based on indium phosphide made it possible to realize single-mode lasing at 7.765 μm and at temperature of 292 K. Side-mode suppression ratio was about 24 dB and remained the same with an increase in the current pumping up to 1.2 of the threshold current values. The coefficient of wavelength shift with temperature (temperature tuning) in the single-mode lasing regime was 0.56 nm / K.