bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
WITHDRAWN: No Increase in Rate and Severity of Flares During Pregnancy and Post-Partum Period in Pregnant Patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus. A Sex, Age and Disease Duration Matched Controlled Study
Authors: Louthrenoo Worawit , Trongkamolthum Thananant , Kasitatnon Nuntana , Wongthanee Antika
Published: September 2020

Background: Flares in pregnant patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) have shown conflicting results. This study aimed to determine the disease activity, and rate and severity of flares in pregnant SLE patients compared with the non-pregnant SLE controls. Methods: The medical records of pregnant patients in the SLE cohort were identified. Controls were non-pregnant female SLE patients who were matched for age at diagnosis and disease duration prior to conception. Disease activity was determined by mSLEDAI-2K. The definition and severity of flares followed the SELANA-SLEDAI Flare Index. The disease activity was measured from 6 months prior to conception (-6M) until termination of pregnancy or delivery.Results: Ninety pregnancies occurred from 77 patients, of whom 36.67% had active disease at the time of conception. The pregnancy group was slightly, but significantly, younger than the control group at diagnosis (21.63 ± 5.89 years vs. 24.05 ± 7.27 years, p = 0.015). The SLE disease activity (mSLEDAI-2K) score was comparable in both groups from -6M to the post-partum period, with that in the control group being slightly but significantly higher than that in the pregnancy group at conception (3.57 ± 4.28 vs. 1.91 ± 3.44, p = 0.003). Of the 90 pregnancies, the overall incidence of flares in both groups was similar during pregnancy (39 vs. 26, p = 0.070). There also was no difference in the incidence of flare during each trimester, with 19 vs.7 flares among 90 pregnancies (p = 0.588) in the 1st, 12 vs. 12 among 82 (p = 0.682) in the 2nd, and 6 vs. 7 among 71 (p = 0.266) in the 3rd trimester. The incidence of flare during the post-partum period also was similar (42 vs. 30 flares among 90 pregnancies, p = 0.091). There was no difference in the severity of flare in each trimester, overall flare during pregnancy or post-partum flare. Conclusions: This study found no difference in flare rate or severity of flares between pregnant SLE patients and non-pregnant SLE controls, who were matched by sex, age at diagnosis and disease duration prior to pregnancy.
Mesenchymal Stem Cell-Derived Extracellular Vesicles Reduce Disease Severity and Immune Responses in Inflammatory Arthritis
Authors: Kay Alasdair G , Treadwell Kane , Roach Paul , Morgan Rebecca , Lodge Rhys , Hyland Mairead , Piccinini Anna M , Forsyth Nicholas R , Kehoe Oksana
Published: September 2020

BackgroundNovel biological therapies have revolutionised the management of Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) but no cure currently exists. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) immunomodulate inflammatory responses through paracrine signalling via growth factors, cytokines, chemokines and extracellular vesicles (EVs) in the cell secretome; however, MSCs are still not available in the clinic. We evaluated the therapeutic potential of MSCs-derived EVs in an antigen-induced model of arthritis (AIA). MethodsEVs isolated from MSCs in normal (21% O2, 5% CO2) or hypoxic (2% O2, 5% CO2) culture or from MSCs pre-conditioned with a pro-inflammatory cytokine cocktail were applied into the AIA model. Disease pathology was assessed 3 days post arthritis induction through histopathological analysis of knee joints. Spleens and lymph nodes were collected and assessed for T cell polarisation within the immune response to AIA. Activated naïve CD4+ T cells from spleens of healthy mice were cultured with EVs or MSCs to assess deactivation capabilities. ResultsAll EV treatments significantly reduced knee-joint swelling and histopathological signs of AIA with enhanced responses to normoxic and pro-inflammatory primed EVs. Polarisation of T cells towards CD4+ helper cells expressing IL17a (Th17) was reduced when EV treatments from MSCs cultured in hypoxia or pro-inflammatory priming conditions were applied. ConclusionsHypoxically cultured EVs present a priming methodology that is as effective in reducing swelling, IL-17a expression, Th17 polarisation and T cell proliferation as pro-inflammatory priming. EVs present an effective novel technology for cell-free therapeutic translation in treating inflammatory arthritis and autoimmune disorders such as RA.
Role of GPX4-Mediated Ferroptosis in the Sensitivity of Triple Negative Breast Cancer Cells to Gefitinib
Authors: Song Xiang , Wang Xinzhao , Liu Zhaoyun , Yu Zhiyong
Published: September 2020

Background: Gefitinib exhibits antitumor activity in the patients with breast cancer, but the resistance to gefitinib in triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a new concern. Glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4) is a leading regulator of ferroptosis, which is of importance for the survival of TNBC cells. This study investigated GPX4-mediated ferroptosis in gefitinib sensitivity in TNBC.Methods: Gefitinib resistant TNBC cells MDA-MB-231/Gef and HS578T/Gef were constructed, and treated with lentivirus sh-GPX4 and ferroptosis inhibitor ferrostatin-1. GPX4 expression, cell viability and apoptosis were detected. Malondialdehyde (MDA), glutathione (GSH), reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels were evaluated. The levels of ferroptosis-related proteins ACSL4, PTGS2, NOX1 and FTH1 were detected. Subcutaneous tumor model was established in nude mice, and gefitinib was intraperitoneally injected. Apoptosis was detected by TUNEL staining and Ki-67 expression was detected by immunohistochemistry.Results: GPX4 was increased in gefitinib-resistant cells. After silencing GPX4, the inhibition rate of cell viability increased, the limitation of colony formation ability reduced, apoptosis rate increased, and the sensitivity of cells to gefitinib was improved. After silencing GPX4, MDA level and ROS production were significantly increased, while GSH level was decreased. Silencing GPX4 promoted ferroptosis. After inhibition of ferroptosis by ferrostatin-1, it revealed that inhibition of GPX4 promoted gefitinib sensitivity by promoting cell ferroptosis. In vivo experiments also showed that inhibition of GPX4 enhanced the anticancer effect of gefitinib through promoting ferroptosis.Conclusion: Inhibition of GPX4 stimulated ferroptosis and thus enhanced TNBC cell sensitivity to gefitinib.
Construction of An Immune-Related CeRNA Network as a Prognostic Signature in Bladder Cancer
Authors: Zhou Ran-ran , Tian Hu , Yang Cheng , Peng Fan , Yuan Hao-yu , Zhou Jun-hao , Zhi Xi , liu cundong
Published: September 2020

Background: Immunotherapy has been proved to be effective for bladder cancer (BLCA). However, the molecular network involved in BLCA tumor immune response remains unclear. This study aims to construct an immune-related ceRNA network and to identify the prognostic value. Methods: Based on The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), we used single-sample gene set enrichment analysis (ssGSEA), weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) to determine immune-related mRNA, lncRNA and miRNA. Then least absolute shrinkage, and selection operator (LASSO) and Cox regression were performed to identify the mRNAs with high prognostic value, and accordingly, the risk score was calculated. Internal and external validation were performed both in TCGA and GSE13507 with Kaplan-Meier (KM) survival and Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. Using the immune-related mRNA, lncRNA and miRNA, a ceRNA network was established via MiRcode, starBase, miRDB, miRTarBase and TargetScan. Besides, we also explore the relationship between the risk score and immune cell infiltration via CIBERSORT algorithm. Results: 5 mRNAs (PCGF3, FASN, DPYSL2, TGFBI and NTF3) were ultimately identified, and KM survival analysis displayed the 5-mRNA risk signature could predict the prognosis of BLCA with high efficacy both in TCGA (p = 1.006e-13) and GSE13507 (p = 7.759e-04). Using miRNA targeting molecular prediction database, an immune-related ceRNA network, including 5 mRNAs, 24 miRNAs and 86 lncRNAs, was constructed. Memory B cells, activated dendritic cells, and regulatory T cells infiltration into tumors were negatively correlated with risk score, while the infiltration levels of macrophages M0, M1 and M2 were positively correlated with risk score. Conclusion: This study helped to better understand the molecular mechanisms of tumor immune response from the view of ceRNA hypothesis, and provided a novel prognostic signature for bladder cancer.
Pathway-Specific Protein Domains (PSPD) Discrimination by Using a Hybrid Feature Space Based on Deep Neural Network(DNN)
Authors: Ghulam Ali , Lei XiuJuan , Zhang Yuchen , Wu Zhenqiang
Published: September 2020

The Pathway-specific protein domains (PSPDs) are important tools in examining drug growth as they provide a fast, reliable, and inexpensive way of estimating complex new molecular targets in specific diseases. The protein architecture prevents the formation of a direct correlation between signal transduction behavior and cellular structure. Accordingly, protein–tissue factor pathway inhibitor 2 isotypes 1 precursors have been used to encode peptide sequence information into specific feature structures. The measurable structure-activity classification model obtained by machine learning technology can predict pathway-specific protein interactions and new signaling peptides. We introduce deep neural network (DNN)-based PSPDs, abbreviated as DNNPSPDs, as the first pathway-specific protein domain that is built based on five extant models, namely, the AAindex, pseudo-amino acid composition, amino acid composition, composition mood of pseudoamino acids, and dipeptide composition. A total of 900 proteins with undetermined roles collected from the PDB data base are tested to evaluate the predictive power of this model. Various combinations of the available feature selection technologies are also combined to process a hybrid function space. DNNPSPDs predicts PSPDs by using features that are automatically learned from primary protein sequences. The sequences of pathway-associated proteins are sequentially fed into and decoded in neural network layers. Several classifications are also employed. DNNPSPDs achieves a prediction accuracy of 0.957 at a Matthew’s correlation coefficient (MCC) of 91.86%, with DPC, and 2nd achieve high prediction score 0.936 at Matthew’s correlation coefficient (MCC) of 88.02%, accuracy which is probably better. In terms of ROC–AUC, DNNPSPDs achieves a ROC–AUC curve of 0.982, which is larger than that of the other machine learning classifiers. A study using an alternative dataset reveals that our primary pathways, as pathway-specific protein domains, have accurate and reliable associations, thereby proving the viability of the proposed DNNPSPDs.
Rabbit thyroid extracellular matrix as a 3D bioscaffold for thyroid bioengineering
Authors: Weng Jie , Chen Bi , Xie Mengying , Wan Xinlong , Wang Peng , Zhou Xiaoming , Zhou Zhiliang , Mei Jin , Wang Liang , Huang Duping , Chen Chan , Wang Zhibin , Wang Zhiyi
Published: September 2020

Advances in regenerative medicine technologies have been strongly proposed in the management of thyroid diseases. Mechanistically, the adoption of thyroid bioengineering requires a scaffold that shares a similar three dimensional (3D) space structure, biomechanical properties, protein component, and cytokines to the native extracellular matrix (ECM). Herein, we prepared the 3D thyroid scaffold from the decellularization rabbit thyroid. Notably, through the imaging studies, it was distinctly evident that our protocol intervention minimized cellular materials and maintained the 3D spatial structure, biomechanical properties, ECM composition, and biologic cytokine. Consequently, the decellularization scaffold was seeded with human thyroid follicular cells, thus strongly revealing its potential in reinforcing cell adhesion, proliferation, and preserve important protein expression. Therefore, these findings revealed that the adoption of our protocol to generate a decellularized thyroid scaffold can potentially be utilized in transplantation to manage thyroid diseases through thyroid bioengineering.
Risk factors on admission and condition at discharge of 529 consecutive COVID-19 patients at a tertiary care center in Santiago, Chile
Authors: Maquilon Cesar , Gongora Jonas , Antolini Monica , Alvarado Bernardita , Valdes Nicolas , Benavente Angela , Bofill Maria , Urra Macarena , Rojas Diego , Huidobro Javiera , Asenjo Maria Carolina , Gutierrez Cherie , Gajardo Jose , Cisternas Patricia , García Guillermo , Peralta Juan , Loor Lenny , Sepulveda Anneliese , Tapia Cecilia , Mallea Luis , Rivera Felipe , Parodi Ezio , Nien Jyh
Published: September 2020

Background: The first case of COVID-19 was reported in Chile on March 3, 2020. Public and private hospitals were managed in a centralized manner. On May 30, Chile had 99,668 cases, 1054 deaths, 1383 ICU patients, 1174 patients on invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV), and 51 patients on non-invasive ventilation (NIMV). Research question: What are the variables associated with condition at discharge?Method: We performed a retrospective cohort study of 529 patients with a positive RT-PCR for SARS CoV-2who were consecutively discharged between March 14 and June 4, 2020, at Clínica Dávila, Santiago. Patients were analyzed according to laboratory variables on admission, Quality-Adjusted Life Year (QALY) score, health insurance, and type of respiratory support. Condition at discharge was survivor, non-survivor, or transfer to another center. Differences were evaluated by Chi-square test, Student’s t test, or Mann–Whitney U test. Logistic regression analysis was performed to identify variables that were predictive of condition at discharge.Results: Median (interquartile range, IQR) age was 49 (37–62) years, and the median (IQR) stay in the hospital was 6 (3–10) days. A total of 352 patients (66.5%) had respiratory symptoms, 177 (33.4%) had other symptoms or diagnoses on admission, and 116 required ventilatory support; 448 (84.7%) were survivors, 54 (10.2%) were non-survivors, and 27 (5.1%) were transferred. The median ages of the survivors and non-survivors were 46 (36–59) and 75.5 (66–84), respectively.Having state health insurance increased the risk of death by 2.8-fold (OR, 2.825; 95% CI: 1.383–5.772; P = 0.004). Multivariate analysis revealed the following predictive variables: age ≥ 60 years (OR, 15.3; 95% CI: 7.25–32.2; P = .001); PaO2/FiO2 on admission ≤ 200 vs > 200 (OR, 5,205; CI 95%: 1,942–13,94); high-sensitivity troponin, ≥ 15 vs <15 ng /L (OR, 5,163; 95% CI: 1.95–13,64; P = .001); and QALY ≤ 15 vs > 15 points (OR, 14,011; 95% CI: 4,826–40,679; P=.001).Interpretation: The variables analyzed and patient’s clinical evolution may allow assignment of ICU beds to patients with the greatest chance of survival, especially in countries or regions where this resource is limited.
XII Curso de Verão do Programa da Pós-Graduação em Reabilitação Oral FORP-USP/Edição 2020
Authors: Reis Andréa Cândido dos , Araújo Camila Borba de , Parize Hian Nivaldo , Silva Allan Oliveira da , Lima Ana Emanuela Cisne de , Carvalho Brenda Gonçalves de , Freitas Bruna Neves de , Fortes Caroline Vieira , Goyeneche Daniel Zuluaga , Mendes Filipe Santos Ferreira , Montarele Letícia Ferreira , Sobreiro Michelli Menezes , Campos Murilo Rodrigues de , Santos Neto Otavio Marino dos , Vivanco Rocio Geng , Kreve Simone , Vinha Thaís Costa , Costa Thiago Naves Queiroz , Mata Victor Barboza da , Del Rey Yumi Chokyu
Published: September 2020

EditorialNo decorrer da história do Programa de Pós Graduação em Odontologia (Reabilitação Oral), o Curso de Verão vem promovendo as pesquisas desenvolvidas no Departamento de Materiais Dentários e Prótese, com o intuito de convidar a comunidade odontológica a fazer parte desse ambiente acadêmico. Sendo assim a comissão organizadora da XII Edição do Curso de Verão do Programa de Pós Graduação em Reabilitação Oral ofereceu aos seus participantes de diversos estados do país e de outros países uma gama de oportunidades dentro da Faculdade de Odontologia de Ribeirão Preto, com a sua grade cientifica voltada para pesquisas laboratoriais e clínicas, das quais diversos docentes da unidade expuseram as suas linhas de pesquisa.Essa edição do curso atingiu proporções inimagináveis, com altos números de inscrições, nunca obtido nas versões anteriores. Além disso o engajamento da comissão organizadora juntamente com a qualidade de material apresentado pelos palestrantes proporcionaram uma experiencia que tem sido avaliada pelos participantes como única e imensurável, concretizando ainda mais a existência do curso dentro do programa e aumentando a abrangência das nossas feitorias para a população.Assim, damos início a série de Anais do Curso de Verão, da qual essa é a segunda edição que possibilitou aos seus participantes apresentarem seus trabalhos, garantindo a troca de experiencias entre as diversas universidades. Além de agradecermos a participação de todos no evento, com muita responsabilidade, dedicação e carinho. Comissão OrganizadoraXII Curso de Verão do Programa de Pós Graduação em Reabilitação OralEdição 2020
Potencial de logística reversa de pilhas e baterias no Tribunal de Justiça de Pernambuco, Brasil
Authors: Accioly Gizeli Maria da Cunha , Cordeiro Luiz Filipe Alves , Sales Aldo Torres , Araújo Juliana Gonçalves de , Melo Daniele de Castro Pessoa de
Published: August 2020

O crescimento das cidades e da população favorece o aumento na geração de resíduos. Dentre esses resíduos, encontram-se as pilhas e baterias, que contêm metais pesados (elementos traços) perigosos, tais como chumbo, cádmio e mercúrio. Quando descartados incorretamente, esses metais contaminam o meio ambiente. Neste contexto, o Brasil adotou a Política Nacional de Resíduos Sólidos, que sugere aos fabricantes de pilhas e baterias implantarem o sistema de Logística Reversa (LR). Em conformidade com as orientações supramencionadas, o Conselho Nacional de Justiça (CNJ) estabeleceu para o Poder Judiciário o Plano de Logística Sustentável (PLS), tendo o presente estudo o objetivo geral de analisar a percepção de risco e de descarte dos servidores do TJPE de pilhas e baterias. Para atingir esse objetivo foi realizada uma análise da rota tecnológica da gestão integrada dos mencionados resíduos sólidos no processo de pós-uso e de possíveis melhorias no TJPE. Além disso, foi realizado um estudo com relação ao grau de conhecimento dos servidores do aludido Tribunal a respeito do descarte e efeitos da não conformidade legal processual. Conclui-se que o TJPE apresenta uma estrutura de LR com uma rota direcionada para reciclagem e que a responsabilidade da LR ainda é desconhecida pelos servidores.
Composição gravimétrica e estimativa de geração per capita municipal de resíduos sólidos urbanos destinados ao Aterro Sanitário de Palmeira das Missões, Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil
Authors: Bragagnolo Lucimara , Ferrazzo Suéllen Tonatto , Brum Fernanda Machado , Korf Eduardo Pavan , Mossi Altemir José
Published: August 2020

A gradativa expansão econômica, acelerada urbanização e contínuas melhorias dos padrões de vida da sociedade têm resultado no crescimento da geração per capita de resíduos sólidos urbanos, principalmente em países em desenvolvimento, como o Brasil. O referido parâmetro e a composição gravimétrica são importantes para o planejamento adequado do sistema de gerenciamento destes resíduos, porém, são altamente variáveis conforme as características de cada população e localidade. Sendo assim, este estudo teve por objetivo determinar a composição gravimétrica dos resíduos sólidos urbanos que são destinados ao aterro sanitário, localizado no Município de Palmeira das Missões, Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil, e estimar a geração per capita de resíduos de cada município atendido pelo aterro, bem como traçar comparativos com parâmetros socioeconômicos, e entre outras regiões do país e do mundo. A composição gravimétrica revelou que 41,8% dos resíduos sólidos urbanos é composto por resíduo orgânico, correspondendo a uma parcela semelhante à média da Região Sul e da nacional. Já os resíduos recicláveis representam 58,2% do total, diferenciando-se da parcela média das regiões brasileiras e de outros países. Verificou-se que, dos 27 municípios atendidos pelo aterro, 7,7% apresentam geração per capita de resíduos sólidos urbanos acima da média da Região Sul, e em 37% não há coleta seletiva. Referente aos fatores, número de habitantes e PIB per capita, nenhum se correlacionou significativamente com a geração per capita destes resíduos.
Online technology and promotion tools in SMEs
Authors: Breckova Pavla , Karas Michal
Published: September 2020

Online technologies are currently the most dynamically developing industry, both in product creation and promotion. The study focuses on their incorporation into the SME (small and medium enterprises) segment, which comprises the most economically stable element of any European economy. This paper aims to identify and evaluate dependency in the area of online technologies and promotion tools use in small and medium enterprises (SMEs) related to company age and export involvement. Most research on SMEs focuses on external influences and factors, while this article reflects the internal environment of business entities, which is the source of this study’s originality. The hypotheses were validated by an empirical study of a sample of 743 respondents (companies and entrepreneurs, including family businesses). The research method was a combination of CATI and CASI, and the research tool was a structured questionnaire. To analyze the survey results, the Chi-square test of independence was applied. The key finding was validation of the dependence between the use of the online tools for manufacturing and promotion and the export focus of companies. Companies operating on foreign markets use a wider range of online tools for their business than companies focused on the domestic market. On the other hand, the presumed significant differences in the use of online tools between young businesses and companies long-term established on the market were not confirmed.
Acknowledgment The authors are thankful to the Technology Agency of the Czech Republic, University of Technology in Brno and University of Finance and Administration in Prague, Project No.: “TL02000434 Rodinné podniky: generátory hodnoty a určování hodnoty v procesu nástupnictví” for financial support to carry out this research.
New Democracy in Digital Era through Social Media and News Online
Authors: Zahra Abitassha Az , Purnomo Eko Priyo , Kasiwi Aulia Nur
Published: September 2020

The research aimed to explain the pattern of social communication on the issue of rejection of the PLTU Batang development policy. It used data on Twitter accounts involved in the rejection of the PLTU Batang development policy. In analyzing existing data, qualitative methods and social analysis networks were used. To see social networks in the rejection of the PLTU Batang development policy, the research used the NodeXL application to find out the patterns of social communication networks in #TolakPLTUBatang. From the results, it can be seen that in the dissemination of social networking information, the @praditya_wibby account is the most central account in the social network and has a strong influence on the social network. The @praditya_wibby account has a role in moving the community through Twitter to make a critical social movement. This means that in the current digital era, democracy enters a new form through the movement of public opinion delivery through social media. Besides, by encouraging the role of online news, the distribution of information becomes faster to form new perceptions of an issue. This is evident from the correlation network where the @praditya_wibby account has correlations with several compass online media accounts, tirto.id, okezonenews, vice, antaranews, BBCIndonesia, and CNN Indonesia.
The Meaning of Pura Agung Surya Bhuvana (PASB) in the Religious Lives in Jayapura in The Global Era
Authors: Rai S I Wayan , Sunartha I Gusti Made , Purnamaningsih Ida Ayu Made , Ruastiti Ni Made , Wafom Yunus
Published: September 2020

The aim of this research was to be able to understand the meaning of the Pura Agung Surya Bhuvana (PASB) for the harmony of religious life in Jayapura in the global era. Lately, people’s lives in Jayapura had been highlighted by frequent turmoil. The research problems were (1) why did non-Hindus in Jayapura often visit the Pura Agung Surya Bhuvana? (2) How did they understand the Agung Surya Bhuvana temple in this global era? This research used a qualitative method. The data source of this research was the life of a multicultural society in the Agung Surya Bhavana temple in the global era. The selected informants included the chairperson of Parisada Hindu Dharma Indonesia Jayapura, chairperson of Parisada Hindu Dharma Indonesia Papua, stakeholders, pengempon, penyungsung, and temple visitors both Hindus and non-Hindus who often come to visit the temple. All data collected through observation techniques, interviews, FGDs, and documentary studies that were analyzed descriptively interpretatively using religious theory, symbol theory, and structural-functional theory. The results show that (1) Non-Hindus in Jayapura often visit the Agung Surya Bhuvana temple because Hindus at the temple are very kind, friendly welcoming them, often involved in religious activities at the temple, for sightseeing, for meetings between residents. (2) The people in Jayapura in this global era interpret Agung Surya Bhuvana temple as a place of worship, a meeting place for religious followers, a place of art, a place to strengthen multicultural life (multiculturalism), and as a vehicle to strengthen national integration.
Photo-catalytic degradation of polyphenolic tannins in continuous-flow reactor using titanium dioxide immobilized on a cellulosic material
Authors: Jouali Abdelhadi , Salhi Anas , Aguedach Abdelkahhar , Lhadi El Kbir , El Krati Mohammed , Tahiri Soufiane
Published: September 2020

Tannins are recalcitrant polyphenolic molecules that resist microbial attack. Their main environmental damage is due to their low biodegradability. This work aims to investigate the photo-catalytic degradation of two commercial tannin extracts, chestnut (hydrolysable tannin) and mimosa (condensed tannin). The experiments were carried out under UV-light irradiation in a continuous-flow reactor using titanium dioxide (TiO2) immobilized on cellulosic fibers. It was highlighted that photo-catalytic degradation is unfavourable in acidic medium and when the pH is too high (pH above 12); it reaches its maximum efficiency at pH 7.5 (99 and 97% for chestnut and mimosa, respectively). Nearly complete degradation of tannins requires an irradiation period of 6 h. The process efficiency is inversely affected by the concentration of tannins essentially above 75 mg/L for chestnut and 60 mg/L for mimosa. Above 240 mL/min, any increase in feed flow negatively affects the performance of the process. Furthermore, a significant decrease of treatment efficiency was seen when increasing the concentration of ethanol and salts in the medium. Obtained results suggest that UV-light irradiation in a continuous-flow photo-reactor using immobilized TiO2 may be considered as an adequate process for the treatment of water containing recalcitrant tannin molecules.
Raciocínio proporcional na matemática escolar
Authors: Waiandt Schuwartz de Carvalho Faria Rejane , Maltempi Marcus Vinicius
Published: September 2020

Este artigo objetiva discutir a relevância do raciocínio na matemática escolar e os elementos necessários a uma atividade que privilegie o Raciocínio Proporcional. Para tanto, discutimos que a sequência “definição → exemplos → exercícios” tem tido lugar de destaque na matemática escolar. Historicamente, a memorização tem sido valorizada no cenário educacional brasileiro e tem roubado do raciocínio o papel de protagonista. Abordamos a relevância do Raciocínio Proporcional na matemática escolar, direcionando a discussão para o processo de elaboração de uma atividade que estimule o Raciocínio Proporcional, na perspectiva da metodologia qualitativa. A análise indica que para estimular o Raciocínio Proporcional, os elementos necessários são: formular atividades intencionais, com foco no raciocínio qualitativo; elaborar questões pautadas na estrutura multiplicativa; privilegiar situações relativas ao cotidiano, com caráter transdisciplinar; propor uma visão abrangente e integrada das vertentes da matemática utilizando tecnologias digitais em uma perspectiva intradisciplinar.
O Processo de civilização e o controle das emoções – alterações sociais e percepção da infância
Authors: Nogueira Ione , Da Fonseca Brandão Carlos
Published: September 2020

Atualmente a criança e o adolescente têm sido alvo de grande preocupação da sociedade. Historicamente, porém, percebe-se que em outros períodos, como o medieval, a percepção da infância e de suas peculiaridades ainda não se apresentava de maneira clara para os integrantes daquelas sociedades. Norbert Elias mostra que aos poucos a sociedade passa a exercer um maior controle sobre o indivíduo, fazendo-lhe exigências em relação aos comportamentos. Ao mesmo tempo em que isso acontece, o indivíduo modifica a sociedade e assim, numa relação recíproca, um traz alterações ao outro, sem que se consiga saber quem deu início ao processo. Este artigo tem como objetivo analisar, a partir das concepções de Norbert Elias, a forma como a sociedade passou a se preocupar com a infância, reconhecendo as crianças como merecedoras de atenção e cuidados.
PLANEJAMENTO AMBIENTAL EM BACIAS HIDROGRÁFICAS SEMIÁRIDAS DO NORDESTE BRASILEIRO
Authors: Lima Ernane Cortez
Published: September 2020

O planejamento categorização e enquadramento de bacias hidrográficas semiáridas no nordeste brasileiro torna-se imprescindível tendo como escopo assegurar às águas qualidade compatibilizada com os usos mais diversificados a que estas forem destinadas. As pesquisas voltadas para o planejamento e ordenamento territorial através de estudos ambientais integrados no contexto de bacias hidrográficas, podem ser fundamentais para as políticas públicas que visem um melhor uso e ocupação do território, procurando adequar-se ao desenvolvimento sustentável. Desta maneira a Política Nacional de Recursos Hídricos vem sendo aprimorada por meio da legislação dos recursos hídricos através da apoio de órgãos estaduais que estabelecem segurança à política dos mananciais dos estados da federação brasileira.

Palavras-chave: Bacias hidrográficas, planeamento ambiental, semiárido.
The Ligands of Translocator Protein: Design and Biological Properties
Authors: Mokrov Grigory V. , Deeva Olga A. , Gudasheva Tatiana A.
Published: September 2020

In 2020, it is already 43 years since Braestrup and Squires discovered 18 kDa translocator protein
(TSPO), known until 2006 as "peripheral benzodiazepine receptor". During this time, the functions of this receptor,
which is located on the outer membrane of mitochondria, were studied in detail. One of the key functions of
TSPO is the transfer of cholesterol from the outer to the inner mitochondrial membrane, which is the limiting
stage in the synthesis of neurosteroids. TSPO is also involved in the transport of porphyrins, mitochondrial respiration,
the opening of mitochondrial pores, apoptosis and cell proliferation. This review presents current information
on the structure of TSPO, the mechanism of its participation in neurosteroidogenesis, as well as endogenous
and synthetic TSPO ligands. Particular emphasis is placed on the analysis of approaches to the design of synthetic
ligands and their neuropsychotropic activity in vitro and in vivo. The presented review demonstrates the promise
of constructing new neuropsychotropic drugs in the series of TSPO ligands.
Gene Expression Profiling Analysis to Identify Key Genes and Underlying Mechanisms in Meniscus of Osteoarthritis Patients
Authors: Wang Bin , Zhong Jun-Long , Xu Xiang-He , Wu Biao , Shang Jie , Jiang Ning , Lu Hua-Ding
Published: September 2020

Background:

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a degenerative joint disease that seriously affects
the quality of life of elderly. Regrettably, the pathological mechanism for OA has not yet been fully
elucidated.

Methods:

This study is committed to distinguishing key genes and the underlying mechanisms for
OA. Raw data was acquired from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. We identified differentially
expressed genes (DEGs), hub genes, and key genes through bioinformatics analysis.
Subsequently, we predicted the microRNAs (miRNAs) and circular RNAs (circRNAs) associated
with these key genes that may play key roles in OA using web tools. We also constructed a protein-
drug network and found potentially effective drugs by analyzing the relationships between the
drugs and the key genes.

Results:

The analysis revealed 360 DEGs, 24 hub genes, and 15 key genes enriched in many categories
potentially related to the pathological mechanism of OA. hsa-miR-29a-3p, hsa-miR-29b-3p,
and hsa-miR-29c-3p were predicted to be important miRNAs for OA, while hsa_circ_0025119,
hsa_circ_0025113, hsa_circ_0009897, and hsa_circ_0002447 were predicted to be the most important
circRNAs. Further studies indicated that Ocriplasmin and Collagenase clostridium histolyticum
may be effective drugs for the treatment of OA. Finally, CD34 and VWF were inferred to
be the most meaningful biomarkers for OA.

Conclusion:

In conclusion, we determined the underlying key genes, miRNAs, and circRNAs for
OA, predicted potentially effective drugs, and identified the most meaningful biomarkers for the
disease. Our findings may provide insight into the pathological mechanism of OA and guide future
research.
Interpretable SMILES-based QSAR Model of Inhibitory Activity of Sirtuins 1 and 2
Authors: Worachartcheewan Apilak , Toropova Alla P. , Toropov Andrey A. , Pratiwi Reny , Prachayasittikul Virapong , Nantasenamat Chanin
Published: September 2020

Background:

Sirtuin 1 (Sirt1) and sirtuin 2 (Sirt2) are NAD+
-dependent histone deacetylases which play important functional roles in removal of the acetyl group of acetyl-lysine substrates. Considering the dysregulation of Sirt1 and
Sirt2 as etiological causes of diseases, Sirt1 and Sirt2 are lucrative target proteins for treatment, thus there has been great interest in the development of Sirt1 and Sirt2 inhibitors.

Objective:

This study compiled the bioactivity data of Sirt1 and Sirt2 for the construction of quantitative structure-activity
relationship (QSAR) models in accordance with the OECD principles.

Method:

Simplified molecular input line entry system (SMILES)-based molecular descriptors were used to characterize the
molecular features of inhibitors while the Monte Carlo method of the CORAL software was employed for multivariate analysis. The data set was subjected to 3 random splits in which each split separated the data into 4 subsets consisting of training, invisible training, calibration and external sets.

Results:

Statistical indices for the evaluation of QSAR models suggested good statistical quality for models of Sirt1 and
Sirt2 inhibitors. Furthermore, mechanistic interpretation of molecular substructures that are responsible for modulating the
bioactivity (i.e. promoters of increase or decrease of bioactivity) was extracted via the analysis of correlation weights. It exhibited molecular features involved Sirt1 and Sirt2 inhibitors.

Conclusion:

It is anticipated that QSAR models presented herein can be useful as guidelines in the rational design of potential Sirt1 and Sirt2 inhibitors for the treatment of Sirtuin-related diseases.
Molecular Docking Studies of Bioactive Nicotiflorin against 6W63 Novel Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19)
Authors: Dubey Raghvendra , Dubey Kushagra
Published: August 2020

Background::

COVID-19 which is known as the novel coronavirus was reported in December
2019 in Wuhan city, China and many people have been contaminated by environmental
contamination and transmission from one human to another until now.

Objective::

The objective of the present work is to establish the inhibitory potential of nicotiflorin, a
Kaempferol 3-O-rutinoside flavonoid, against the deadly coronavirus (COVID-19) 6W63 (main
protease 3Clpro protein), using molecular docking approach.

Method::

The Molegro Virtual Docker software (MVD) with a 30 Å grid resolution was used. The structure was drawn by
Chem 3D software and energy minimization was done by the MM2 force field. The protein 6W63 was downloaded from the
protein data bank. Molegro modeller was used for score calculations.

Result::

The molecular docking studies were carried out on nicotiflorin and standard inhibitor X77, where standard inhibitor
was observed in a co-crystallized state with main protease 3Clpro protein 6W63. The MolDock score, Rerank Sore and H
Bond score of nicotiflorin and standard inhibitor X77 was observed as -173.058, -127.302, -21.9398 and -156.913,-
121.296,-5.7369, respectively.

Conclusion::

Molecular docking studies have confirmed that the affinity of flavonoid nicotiflorin with the amino acids of the
viral protein 6W63 was relatively more than the standard X77. For the effective treatment of novel coronavirus COVID-19,
the effectiveness of the identified flavonoid nicotiflorin can further be evaluated for safety and efficacy parameters at both
preclinical and clinical stages.
Biologic Therapy and Treatment Options in Diabetic Retinopathy with Diabetic Macular Edema
Authors: Nissen Tobias P. H. , Vorum Henrik , Aasbjerg Kristian
Published: September 2020

Proliferative diabetic retinopathy and diabetic macular edema can be a potentially sightthreatening disease if not treated correctly. It is directly correlated to the duration of diabetes and how well managed the patients' diabetes is. In the last 15 years, the treatment of diabetic eye disease has taken a quantum leap in methodology due to the group of biological agents named antivascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF). The introduction of the first biological agent has revolutionized the treatment, not only in diabetic eye disease but also across most inflammatory eye diseases, causing leakage of fluid from the blood vessels i.e., in age-related macular degeneration. The availability of these biological agents, despite their considerable costs, have significantly improved the outcomes measured in visual acuity compared to more traditional treatments of diabetic retinopathy in the form of sole laser treatment and glycemic control. The agents demonstrate a favorable safety profile, but if the rarest and most severe side effects occur, there is a potential total loss of vision.

This review aims to make an overview of the current pharmaceutical therapeutic options in the treatment of diabetic macular edema. This includes laser therapy, intravitreal steroids, and a primary focus on intravitreal antivascular endothelial growth factors.
Evidences of Brain Plasticity and Motor Control Modulation after Hemodialysis Session by Helixone Membrane: BOLD-fMRI Study
Authors: Boujraf Saïd , Belaïch Rachida , Housni Abdelkhalek , Alami Badreeddine , Skalli Tariq , Maaroufi Mustapha , Tizniti Siham
Published: September 2020

Objective:

The aim of this paper is to demonstrate the impact of hemodialysis (HD) using
synthetic Helixone membrane on brain functional control reorganization and plasticity in the cortical
area generated while Oxidative Stress (OS) would be the main impacting agent.

Methods:

Indeed, 9 chronic HD patients underwent identical brain BOLD-fMRI assessment using the
motor paradigm immediately before and after the same HD sessions. To assess the oxidative stress, the
same patients underwent biological-assessment, including Malondialdehyde (MDA) and Total-
Antioxidant-Activity (TAOA) reported in earlier papers.

Results:

BOLD-fMRI maps of motor areas obtained from HD-patients before and after HD sessions
revealed a significant enhancement of activation volume of the studied motor cortex after HD reflecting
brain plasticity. Results were correlated with OS assessed by the measurement of MDA and
TAOA; this correlation was close to 1.

Conclusion:

Indeed, HD enhances the inflammatory state of brain tissues reflected by the increased
OS. The functional brain reaction demonstrated a functional activity reorganization to overcome the
inflammatory state and OS enhanced by HD process. This functional activity reorganization reveals
brain plasticity induced by OS originated by HD.
Performance and egg qualities of old-laying hens fed with diets containing selected phytogenic feed additives
Authors: Ayeni A. O. , Oladedun A. E. , Agbede J. O.
Published: September 2020

Performance and egg qualities of old-laying hens fed with diets containing ginger, turmeric and garlic were evaluated in a twelve (12) week feeding trial. A total of 135 laying birds of Isa-Brown strain which were sixty-four (64) weeks old were used for the trial and arranged in a completely randomized design. Five diets were formulated for the trial:  Diet 1 (control), Diet 2 (3% inclusion level of turmeric), Diet 3 (3% inclusion level of ginger), Diet 4 (turmeric and garlic at 2.25% and 0.75%, respectively) and Diet 5 (ginger and garlic at 2.25% and 0.75%, respectively). Proximate compositions of the Phytogenic Feed Additives (PFAs) were determined with the moisture content ranging between 5.03-7.50%; ash (3.26-6.11%); ether extract (7.39-14.58%); fibre (10.28-13.79%); protein (3.07-7.23%) and Nitrogen Free Extract (58.88-61.54%). The performance indices, though not significantly (P˃0.05) influenced by the test diets except for Hen Day Production (HDP) had the highest weight gained (0.16kg) recorded for birds fed on a diet containing ginger. The highest (62.92 and 62.04 %) HDP were observed in birds fed diets containing ginger and ginger + garlic; respectively. However, the lowest weight gained (0.04kg) was recorded in birds fed a diet containing turmeric + garlic; this diet also recorded the lowest % HDP and FCR with values of 57.50% and 2.37 respectively. The overall values for the qualities of eggs from laying hens fed the PFAs showed that only the Haugh Unit, yolk colour and albumen height were significantly (P˂0.05) affected; with those on Turmeric + Garlic diets having the highest for these parameters. However, the fatty acid variables were not significantly (P˃0.05) affected by the dietary treatments. It could be concluded that the inclusion of PFAs in the diets of laying hens especially at an older age would help to sustain performance with improved quality.
Giant juvenile ossifying fibroma from diagnosis to management: A rare case
Authors: Mokhtar Ejaz Ahmad , Verma Sumit , Alam Shamshad , Fatima Qalbi
Published: September 2020

Juvenile aggressive ossifying fibroma is a rare, benign tumor of the maxillofacial region that is aggressive and recurrent leading to multiple surgeries causing maxillofacial defect and deformities. The management of patients with ossifying fibroma is controversial.  The aim was to report a case of huge ossifying fibroma involving maxilla, zygoma, and orbit in a young female with a duration of 15 years. The patient was operated multiple times but the lesion recurred. Patient-specific implant was fabricated to replace the defect area which would be created after surgery but with meticulous intraoperative decision the high morbid surgery was changed to conservative surgery. No recurrence was seen after two year follow up. The patient aesthetic has also improved. In conclusion it can be said in huge benign ossifying fibroma morbid surgery should be avoided.
Approximate analytic solutions to a nonlinear digester problem
Authors: Alsharidi A. K. , Shepherd John J. , Stacey A. J. , Khan A. A.
Published: August 2020

Biological reactors are employed in industrial applications to break down organic waste from a range of sources into components that may be used in other applications. Such reactors may involve complex processes and many components linked by complicated interrelations. These reactions are represented mathematically as nonlinear initial value problems that must be solved numerically. Even smaller systems, more amenable to analytical analysis, require numerical solution methods due to their nonlinearity. We study a simple reactor with only two interacting components—a bacteria consuming a substrate (waste), represented by a \(2\times 2\) autonomous nonlinear initial value problem not solvable analytically. We describe a process to convert this problem to an approximating linear one that can be solved exactly to provide a closed form approximate representation of the evolving system. We assess the results of this approach and show they often agree favourably with numerical computations of the original nonlinear problem, although not always.
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How can Big Data contribute to improve the financial performance of companies?
Authors: Delfino Barilla Cinzia , Lastarria Reynoso Lucia
Published: September 2020

Objetivo: Proponemos una metodología integral que combina un conjunto de herramientas del análisis de Big Data (BDA) con el análisis prospectivo, análisis de riesgo y análisis estratégico con la finalidad de mejorar el desempeño financiero de la empresa medido a través de Key Performance Indicators (KPI)}
Metodología: La metodología está compuesta por cinco (5) etapas: modelación financiera, prospectiva, análisis de riesgo que incluye BDA, análisis estratégico y monitoreo
Resultados: Esta metodología permite dirigir el BDA hacia la caracterización de las variables críticas que crean valor para la empresa, diseñar estrategias contingentes y evaluar su impacto en los indicadores financieros seleccionados (KPI) todo esto de forma multidimensional.

Recomendación: Se requiere un monitoreo constante del modelo para generar diferentes formas de innovación y flexibilidad en la empresa y mejorar su desempeño financiero.
Limitación: El éxito de la metodología depende de la habilidad de la empresa para mejorar, adaptarse, ajustarse o innovar para ganar, sostener o reconfigurar una ventaja competitiva. A esta habilidad se le denomina capacidades dinámicas orientadas a procesos (PODC)
Originalidad: La metodología propuesta es integral ya que permite la inclusión de diversas áreas de la empresa con el objetivo de mejorar su desempeño financiero representado por los KPIs. Asimismo, el análisis se puede realizar para áreas específicas y unidades de negocio.
Conclusión: La metodología propuesta promueve la innovación y la flexibilidad que mejorarán el desempeño financiero de la compañía siempre que exista un buen ajuste entre las actividades de Big Data, la estructura organizacional, el compromiso de la alta gerencia y el apoyo para el desarrollo de PODC.