bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Fabricating novel PVDF-g-IBMA copolymer hydrophilic ultrafiltration membrane for treating papermaking wastewater with good antifouling property
Authors: Tong Yujia , Ding Wenlong , Shi Lijian , Li Weixing
Published: September 2021

Ultrafiltration membranes are widely used for the treatment of papermaking wastewater. The antifouling performance of polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) ultrafiltration membranes can be improved by changing the hydrophilicity. Here, a novel amphiphilic copolymer material, PVDF grafted with N-isobutoxy methacrylamide (PVDF-g-IBMA), was prepared using ultraviolet-induced Cu(II)-mediated reversible deactivation radical polymerization. The amphipathic copolymer was used to prepare ultrafiltration membrane via NIPS. The prepared PVDF-g-IBMA ultrafiltration membrane was estimated using 1H NMR, FT-IR, and DSC. The contact angle, casting viscosity, and the permeation performance of the PVDF-g-IBMA ultrafiltration membrane were also determined. The pure water flux, bovine serum albumin removal rate, and pure water flux recovery rate of the PVDF-g-IBMA ultrafiltration membrane were 432.8 L·m−2·h−1, 88.4%, and 90.8%, respectively. Furthermore, for the treatment of actual papermaking wastewater, the chemical oxygen demand and turbidity removal rates of the membrane were 61.5% and 92.8%, respectively. The PVDF-g-IBMA amphiphilic copolymer ultrafiltration membrane exhibited good hydrophilicity and antifouling properties, indicating its potential for treating papermaking wastewater.
Application of new techniques in the characterization of wetlands related to groundwater
Authors: Rodrigues Capítulo Leandro , Laurencena Patricia , García Juan Manuel , Gómez Nora , Kruse Eduardo Emilio
Published: September 2021

The appearance of modern technological tools facilitates the characterization, monitoring, and modelling of wetlands related to groundwater. These techniques include the use of unmanned aircraft systems (drones) and continuous measurement sensors for water levels and quality. The traditional procedures associated with these new technologies provide an opportunity to advance the hydrological knowledge of wetlands with greater precision. The main guidelines of the methodology used in a study covering wetlands located in the northeast of the Province of Buenos Aires are presented. Photogrammetric surveys were carried out with a multi-rotor type drone equipped with a high-resolution RGB sensor. The configurations of flight, height, speed, frontal and lateral overlap and route grid were programmed to evaluate the areal variations of the wetlands. The information was processed using specific software. From field surveys, monitoring drilling was carried out in the vicinity of the wetland, where sensors were installed for the continuous measurement of levels, electrical conductivity of water and temperature. The results obtained consist of high-resolution orthorectified mosaics, digital elevation models and 3D terrain models, which show the areal variations of water in the wetland surface. This, associated with the data recorded in the drilling, allows a spatiotemporal analysis at different scales of the surface water - groundwater relationship in the wetland.
The IWAVE Project in Latin America in support of SDG 6: secure water for all in a sustainable way
Authors: Bocanegra Emilia
Published: September 2021

The IWAVE methodology of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to improve water availability and sustainability through comprehensive assessments of national water resources proposes to strengthen national capacities to collect, manage and interpret hydrological data and the use of advanced tools and techniques to improve the management of water resources. The IAEA carried out in Latin America the Project ARCAL RLA 7018 (2014-2017) “Improvement of knowledge of groundwater resources to contribute to its protection, integrated management and governance” using IWAVE. Based on the favourable results, the IAEA launched the second phase of IWAVE in the region, Project RLA 7024 (2018-2021) “Integration of isotope hydrology in national assessments of water resources”. The main results include: a) knowledge for decision-makers on the importance of sound hydrological information to improve the management of water resources; b) the establishment of isotope monitoring networks and the use of isotopic tools to improve conceptual hydrogeological models; c) the development of scenarios of climate change and their impact on water resources; d) new national hydrological databases; and e) the development/implementation of National Water agendas. Both projects have linked hydrological data with decision-making in support of the sustainable development goal (SDG) 6 “Safe water for all in a sustainable way”, in particular with SDG 6.5, which focuses on integrated water resource management.
Preliminary study of water origin in the Uspallata valley and its contribution to the Mendoza river with isotopic and hydrochemical techniques. Mendoza, Argentina
Authors: Ibáñez Sandra P. , Lana Belén , Manzano Marisol , Rovira Susana , Montero Enrique , Salvi Natalia , Segal Héctor , Tognoli Pabla , Grizas Pablo , Salvioli Leandro , Márquez Diego , Pina Juan , Cicerone Daniel
Published: September 2021

The Uspallata Valley is located in Mendoza Province (Argentina), at an average altitude of 1,900 m asl. With a north-south direction and a length of around 20 km, it is an intermountain valley placed between the Pre-cordillera (to the east) and the Frontal Cordillera (to the west). The valley discharges to the Mendoza River, the main Andean course that irrigates the largest socio-productive oasis in Mendoza Province. For the last 20 years there has been a significant increase in urban growth and a disordered development of agricultural, touristic, and real estate activities in the southern part of the valley. The objective of this study is to use isotopic and hydrochemical techniques to develop a geohydrological conceptual model, in order to contribute to decision making processes of the provincial management that deals with water and land-use planning. Hydrochemical and isotopic techniques have been used to understand groundwater characteristics and provenance along the valley. Beyond compiling the scarce previous existing data, two monitoring surveys were carried out where physical-chemical parameters and stable isotopes were measured in 39 sites (wells, springs, creeks, and the Mendoza River). The preliminary isotopic balances performed suggest that around 70% of the groundwater comes from the Cordillera Frontal. Moreover, the integrated analysis of new data and existing geological and geoelectric information has allowed the development of a preliminary conceptual model identifying three zones relating to the origin of the water along the Frontal Cordillera. The study is part of the project “Use of isotopic techniques for improving the management of groundwater resources” ARG/7/008, which is funded by the International Atomic Energy.
The importance of considering the hydrodynamics of the saline interface in the managements of mineral resources and ecosystems of salt flats
Authors: Marazuela Miguel Ángel , Vázquez Suñé Enric , Custodio Emilio , Palma Teresa , García-Gil Alejandro
Published: September 2021

Salt flats are an important source of minerals and especially of lithium. In addition, lakes and wetlands of high ecological value are frequently associated with the saline interface zone (mixing zone) resulting from the density contrast between the freshwater coming from the rainfal infiltration on the mountains and the brine produced mainly by evaporation in the depressions. This zone is characterized by vertical flows that condition the hydrodynamics at a basin scale. It is necessary to establish a methodology that allows the incorporation of the effect of the saline interface into groundwater models for the management of the mineral resources and ecological values. This methodology consists of 3 steps: 1) physical-chemical data collection in the field, 2) 3D mapping of the mixing zone and 3) numerical modelling.
A three-dimensional (3D) mapping of the mixing zone of the Salar de Atacama is presented. The mixing zone geometry was interpreted using a numerical flow and solute transport model. The results from the model show a slope of the mixing zone that is similar to that obtained with the field data, which is more relaxed than in the previous models that considered a homogeneous porous medium. The higher the permeability of the upper aquifer is, the lower the slope and the shallower the mixing zone become. The presence of a few metres of highly permeable materials (alluvial fans or karstified evaporites) in the upper stratigraphic units of the salt flats is enough to condition the regional geometry of the saline interface.
The use of this 3D mapping is proposed as a basis for the correction of the freshwater and mixing water heads to brine heads to reduce the computational cost of 3D numerical models for groundwater management in salt flats.
Concepts on groundwater resources
Authors: Custodio Emilio
Published: September 2021

When dealing with groundwater and water resources in general, various conceptual terms are used by different individuals, experts and organizations. They are often applied without a clear–cut definition. This produces poor precision in the language used, misinterpretations and uncertain evaluations that make results difficult to compare. Proposing a terminology is not a simple task if it has to agree with both the hydrogeological processes and the related environmental issues involved. However, this is a task that has to be done. Lack of precise definition of terms can be found in the Water Plans carried out by the different Water Districts in Spain, as well as in the legal norms. This also happens in Ibero-America, although in some cases glossaries are included in the administration and legal texts. This paper presents a synthetic proposal, following the sequence of hydrological–hydrogeological processes, highlighting some of the commonly used terms. Some of them may coexist, but the others should be discarded. Some of the terms to be considered when referring to groundwater are: use, demand, consumption, recharge, resource, exploitation, intensive exploitation, water mining, and recovery time. The English terms are given, and their Spanish and Catalan trnaslation.
Submarine groundwater discharge detection on the coast of Buenos Aires using 222Rn and geoelectrical methods
Authors: Carretero Silvina , Perdomo Santiago , Rapaglia John , Albino Martínez Carlos , Kruse Eduardo
Published: September 2021

Submarine groundwater discharge (SGD) is a complex hydrological process which occurs in the continent–ocean interface and plays an important role in coastal dynamics. The detection of groundwater discharge from the sandy freshwater aquifer towards the Atlantic Ocean was proposed on the western coast of Buenos Aires Province (Argentina). There are different methods used to detect SGD. In this study, 222Rn as a tracer, electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) and flow maps were used as the methodology. 222Rn activity was measured in the wells, at the beach (tidal pools and surf zone) and along a transect 200 m from the coastline where geo-electrical method was also used. Groundwater depth was measured in the wells and groundwater contour maps were made .222Rn activity in the wells varies from 16 and 173 dpm/L, at the beach the values are between 28 and 48 dpm/L and along the coastline they oscillate between 1.3 and 20.5 dpm/L. The ERT shows a high resistivity layer close to a depth of 3-4 m from the sea floor, which would indicate the presence of freshwater. Groundwater contour maps show discharge toward the continental plain to the west and toward the sea to the east. There is no precedent related to the application of these methodologies in the study area, therefore this study is of interest to increase our knowledge of the coastal hydrodynamics.
Calibration of the potential evapotranspiration product “MOD16A2” for the Argentinian Pampas Region
Authors: Degano María Florencia , Rivas Raúl Eduardo , Carmona Facundo , Faramiñán Adán , Olivera Rodríguez Paula
Published: September 2021

Evapotranspiration (ET) is the hydrological variable with the greatest relevance in the Argentina Pampas Region (APR), because through this process a large part of the water that enters as precipitation is lost from the system. Knowing the spatial variability of the ET is essential to be able to include it in hydrological models. An alternative is the use of satellite products. In previous papers, the MOD16A2 product of potential ET (ETp) was evaluated, comparing it with in situ data of twenty-four stations distributed in the APR in 2012, 2013 and 2014, with a total of 3,094 pairs of analyzed data, observing a higher over estimation of 50% throughout the period which could be attributed to the error in the term of net radiation in the ETp equation. Using the same database, in this paper the systematic error found in the MOD16A2 product was corrected by means of a linear regression, using 60% of the data pairs ETp (MOD16A2) of in situ data to calibrate the model and the remaining 40% for its validation. The results showed a decrease in the mean square error of 2.4 to 0.6 mm day-1 and the mean absolute error of 2.2 to 0.5 mm day-1. After correction, the MOD16A2 product improves significantly and can be used for hydrological purposes at the basin scale. It is recommended for evaluating the method in large basins and in other regions of the world to determine if there are systematic errors, and eventually correct them following the procedure proposed here.
Práticas educativas femininas nas memórias de Maria Paes de Barros
Authors: Vasconcelos Maria Celi Chaves , Gomes Eveline Viterbo
Published: September 2021

O artigo tem como tema evidenciar as memórias sobre a educação reunidas no livro “No tempo de dantes” escrito por Maria Paes de Barros. A partir de suas reminiscências de infância e de juventude, o objetivo do estudo é analisar aspectos comuns à educação feminina no século XIX, descritos pela autora em sua narrativa autobiográfica. Em um plano mais específico, verificam-se agentes e experiências educacionais citados na rememoração da autora, tendo como cenário uma ainda diminuta São Paulo. Trata-se de uma pesquisa qualitativa histórico bibliográfica que tem como principal fonte as memórias publicadas de Maria Paes de Barros, localizadas na segunda metade do oitocentos, período do seu nascimento e de sua infância e juventude vividas em uma típica família da elite paulista. Diante dos escritos autobiográficos da autora, é possível depreender, no cotidiano urbano ou campestre em que viveu, as lições recebidas, a rotina rigorosa de estudos, o pouco tempo para brincadeiras e a existência de muitas regras e castigos, com a finalidade de torná-la detentora de uma “boa educação”, semelhante à das mulheres que viveram no seu tempo e contexto.
Formação de professores para o ensino de lutas na educação física escolar: o estado da questão
Authors: Borges Leandro Nascimento , Fernandes Maria Petrília Rocha , Cisne Mabel Dantas Noronha , Ferreira Heraldo Simões
Published: September 2021

Este artigo tem por finalidade estabelecer um quadro analítico de estudos relacionados à temática acerca do ensino das lutas na Educação Física escolar. A metodologia utilizada foi a pesquisa qualitativa, a partir do levantamento bibliográfico, denominado “estado da questão”, por meio da catalogação, tabulação e análise de dados obtidos nos títulos, resumos, e metodologia de artigos científicos. Como resultado, a pesquisa apontou para o distanciamento das discussões sobre lutas na formação em Educação Física, e acerca da necessidade de uma formação no âmbito das lutas na Educação Física escolar, tendo em vista que neste componente curricular, o esporte ainda é priorizado em detrimento dos outros conteúdos. Confirmamos, portanto, a significância e premência de debates sobre as lutas na Educação Física escolar. Em especial, no que diz respeito à formação continuada e prática pedagógica dos professores inseridos nas instituições de educação básica.
Educação, currículo e teoria crítica em tempos de pandemia: o que pensam docentes e a comunidade escolar
Authors: Silva Francisco Thiago , Silva Aurênio Pereira da
Published: September 2021

Este texto tem como objetivo estabelecer um diálogo crítico, diante do contexto de pandemia que também acometeu a educação, sobre a prática curricular no formato remoto de ensino. Neste contexto, o currículo também parece ter sido contaminado pelo vírus da inacessibilidade e desigualdade social, descaracterizando o estado de direito democrático. Compreendemos que gerenciar a perspectiva crítica neste formato não é fácil, mas é possível. A nossa visão se anuncia como crítica, na medida em que nos posicionamos no grupo das teorias de educação e de currículo do terreno próximas ao pensamento marxiano de explicar o mundo concreto por meio do materialismo histórico dialético. Para tanto, utilizamos como instrumento metodológico a pesquisa bibliográfica para fundamentar as nossas reflexões, e a entrevista semiestruturada com professores, estudantes e mães, no intuito de compreender a educação/ensino no contexto de pandemia, na gama do Ensino Fundamental da Educação Básica. O artigo traça um panorama sobre o contexto do ensino remoto durante a pandemia e em seguida apresenta, por meio da análise de questionários aplicados aos interlocutores de pesquisa, possíveis saídas para pensar em uma organização curricular crítica mais humana e emancipadora, com vistas ao cenário de retorno aos trabalhos educacionais no cenário pós covid-19.
Omega-3 Fatty Acid Treatment Combined with Chemotherapy to Prevent
Toxicity, Drug Resistance, and Metastasis in Cancer
Authors: Soni Sneha , Torvund Meaghan , Mandal Chandi C.
Published: September 2021

:

Despite advances in treatment, individuals diagnosed with cancer are often at risk of suffering
from metastasis, tumor recurrence, therapy resistance, and off-target toxicities from conventional
chemo-, radio-, and endocrine- therapies. Drugs with potent anticancer and antimetastatic activity
but with milder side effects can be combined with conventional therapies to increase efficacy,
reduce therapy resistance, and decrease toxicity. Substantial data from epidemiological, cell culture,
animal, and clinical studies have established the anticancer potential of nontoxic omega-3 fatty
acids. This paper highlights the beneficial effects of omega-3 fatty acid treatment when used in
combination with conventional therapies to protect against metastasis, enhance therapeutic efficacy,
and prevent the off-target toxicity caused by conventional therapies. These omega-3 fatty acids
target therapy-induced central players, NF-κB and ROS, to prevent drug-associated metastasis, therapy
resistance, and off-target toxicities.
Evaluation of the Expression Pattern of 4 microRNAs and their Correlation
with Cellular/viral Factors in PBMCs of Long Term Non-progressors
and HIV Infected Naïve Individuals
Authors: Bokharaei-Salim Farah , Jamshidi Sogol , Nahand Javid Sadri , Monavari Seyed Hamidreza , Moghoofei Mohsen , Garshasbi Saba , Kalantari Saeed , Esghaei Maryam , Mirzaei Hamed
Published: September 2021

Background:

Long-term non-progressors (LTNPs) are small subsets of HIV-infected
subjects that can control HIV-1 replication for several years without receiving ART. The exact
mechanism of HIV-1 suppression has not yet been completely elucidated. Although the modulatory
role of microRNAs (miRNAs) in HIV-1 replication has been reported, their importance in LTNPs
is unclear.

Objective:

The aim of this cross-sectional study was to assess the expression pattern of miR-27b,
-29, -150, and -221, as well as their relationship with CD4+ T-cell count, HIV-1 viral load, and nef
gene expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of untreated viremic patients and
in LTNPs.

Methods:

MiRNAs expression levels were evaluated with real-time PCR assay using RNA isolated
from PBMCs of LTNPs, HIV-1 infected naive patients, and healthy people. Moreover, CD4 T-cell
count, HIV viral load, and nef gene expression were assessed.

Results:

The expression level of all miRNAs significantly decreased in the HIV-1 patient group
compared to the control group, while the expression pattern of miRNAs in the LNTPs group was
similar to that in the healthy subject group. In addition, there were significant correlations between
some miRNA expression with viral load, CD4+ T-cell count, and nef gene expression.

Conclusion:

The significant similarity and difference of the miRNA expression pattern between
LNTPs and healthy individuals as well as between elite controllers and HIV-infected patients, respectively,
showed that these miRNAs could be used as diagnostic biomarkers. Further, positive
and negative correlations between miRNAs expression and viral/cellular factors could justify the
role of these miRNAs in HIV-1 disease monitoring.
Synthesis, Characterization and Screening of Some Novel 2-Methyl-N'-
[(Z)-Substituted-Phenyl ethylidene] Imidazo [1, 2-a] Pyridine-3-Carbohy
drazide Derivatives as DPP-IV Inhibitors for the Treatment of Type 2 Diabetes
Mellitus
Authors: Chavan Prerana A. , Jadhav Shailaja B.
Published: September 2021

Background:

One of the leading global metabolic diseases marked by insulin resistance and
chronic hyperglycemia is type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Since the last decade, DPP-4 enzyme inhibition
has proven to be a successful, safe, and well-established therapy for the treatment of T2DM.

Objective:

The present work reports the synthesis, characterization, and screening of some novel 2-
methyl-N'-[(Z)-substituted-phenyl ethylidene] imidazo [1, 2-a] pyridine-3-carbohydrazide derivatives as
DPP-IV inhibitors for the treatment of T2DM.

Methods:

The molecular docking was performed to study these derivatives' binding mode in the enzyme's
allosteric site. All the synthesized compounds were subjected for DPP-IV enzyme assay and in vivo antihyperglycemic
activity in STZ-induced diabetic rats.

Results:

The synthesized derivatives exhibited potent antidiabetic activity as compared to the standard
drug Sitagliptin. Out of sixteen compounds, A1, A4, B4, C2, C3, and D4 have shown promising antidiabetic
activity against the DPP-IV enzyme. The most promising compound, C2, showed a percentage inhibition
of 72.02±0.27 at 50 μM concentration. On the 21st-day, compound C2 showed a significant reduction
in serum blood glucose level, i.e., 156.16±4.87 mg/dL, then diabetic control, which was
280.00±13.29 mg/dL whereas, standard Sitagliptin showed 133.50±11.80 mg/dL. In the in vivo antihyperglycemic
activity, the compounds have exhibited good hypoglycemic potential in fasting blood glucose
in the T2DM animal model. All the docked molecules have exhibited perfect binding affinity towards
the active pocket of the enzyme. The synthesized derivatives were screened through Lipinski's rule
of five for better optimization, and fortunately, none of them violated the rule.

Conclusion:

The above results indicate that compound C2 is a relatively active and selective hit molecule
that can be structurally modified to enhance the DPP-IV inhibitor's potency and overall pharmacological
profile. From the present work, it has been concluded that substituted pyridine-3-carbohydrazide derivatives
possess excellent DPP-IV inhibitory potential and can be better optimized further by generating
more in vivo, in vitro models.
Impact of Nutrition in the Management of Nutritional Status of Covid-19
Patients
Authors: Soni Shashi , Noor Uroosa , Gupta Ena
Published: September 2021

The second outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2)
is of great concern due to its awful mortality and morbidity rate with decreasing nutritional status
and poor lifestyle as well as noteworthy food crisis and affected economy of the world. Increasing
food prices, food crisis, global hunger and decreasing availability and feasibility of food are the
foremost causes of decreasing nutritional status, which increases the risk of susceptibility to infection
and, in turn, leads to unfavorable outcomes of the diseases. Although, in times of the Covid-
19 pandemic, nutrition is of potential attention, and there is a requirement for more exploration in
the field of nutrition for the prevention of diseases arising from coronavirus infection. Elderly and
individuals with co-morbidity, such as respiratory diseases, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes mellitus
and metabolic diseases, are more prone towards getting infected with the coronavirus. Good
nutrition is mandatory for healthy immune responses, which can be improved by the inclusion of
vitamin A, B6, B12, C, D, E, zinc, selenium, iron, copper and an antioxidant-rich diet.
Wheatgrass: An Epitome of Nutritional Value
Authors: Minocha Neha , Sharma Nidhi , Pandey Parijat
Published: September 2021

Background:

Plants having active constituents possess pharmaceutical use and nutritional
values. Herbal medicine or food supplement is gaining popularity, as well as scientific
research on wheatgrass as a “functional food”.

Objective:

The target behind accepting wheatgrass as a study for review is to have clinical and
non-clinical investigations on the wheatgrass plant at an equivalent stage. To let individuals,
think about different affirmed uses and activities of the plant.

Methods:

Plants having so many nutritional and therapeutic values have been selected for review
so that consumers or patients could be benefitted from their therapeutic uses. Recently,
the interests in the use of herbal products have grown dramatically in the western as well as
developing countries. The review was extracted from searches performed on Google Scholars,
Google Patents, etc. Data from sources have been collected and reported here at one place in
order to provide further research on wheatgrass.

Results :

Wheatgrass is a high source of various vitamins and minerals; it possesses many activities
like anti-oxidant, anti-inflammation, anti-bacterial and many more. Wheatgrass’ uses, benefits
and properties non-clinical data and clinical studies has been thoroughly studied. Patents
filed related to wheatgrass are mentioned here, so as to motivate other innovators to search for
new activities or molecules.

Conclusions:

Wheatgrass can be used in pharmaceutical formulations and can be used as nutritional
supplements due to its anti-oxidant nature, anti-microbial activity, anti-bacterial activity,
anti-fungal activity. It is also called “Panacea on Earth” owing to its wide range of nutritive
and medicinal aspects.
Integrated Computational Analysis on Some Indolo-quinoline Derivatives for the Development of Novel Antiplasmodium Agents: CoMFA, Pharmacophore Mapping, Molecular Docking and ADMET Studies
Authors: Mallick Chaitali , Mishra Mitali , Asati Vivek , Kashaw Varsha , Das Ratnesh , Iyer Arun K. , Kashaw Sushil Kumar
Published: September 2021

Background:

The development of multi-resistant strains of the Plasmodium parasite has
become a global problem. Therefore, designing of new antimalarial agents is an exclusive solution.

Objective:

To improve the activity and identify potentially efficacious new antimalarial agents, integrated
computational perspectives such as pharmacophore mapping, 3D-QSAR and docking study
have been applied to a series of indolo-quinoline derivatives.

Methods:

The pharmacophore mapping generated various hypotheses based on key functional features
and the best hypothesis ADRRR_1 revealed that indolo-quinoline scaffold is essential for antimalarial
activity. 3D-QSAR model was established based on CoMFA and CoMSIA models by using
30 indolo-quinoline analogues as training set and the rest of 19 as test set.

Results:

The molecular field analysis (MFA) with PLS (partial least-squares) method was used to
develop significant CoMFA (q2=0.756, r2=0.996) and CoMSIA (q2=0.703, r2=0.812) models. The
CoMFA and CoMSIA models showed good predictive ability with r2
pred values of 0.9623 and 0.9214
respectively. Docking studies were performed by using pfLDH to identify structural insight into the
active site and results signify that the quinoline nitrogen acts as a hydrogen bond acceptor region to
facilitate interaction with Glu122. Finally, designed molecules were screened through the ADMET
tool to evaluate the pharmacokinetic and drug-likeness parameters.

Conclusion:

Thus, these studies suggested that established models have good predictability and
would help in the optimization of newly designed molecules that may produce potent antimalarial
activity.
TMT-Based Quantitative Proteomic Analysis Identified Proteins and Signaling Pathways
Involved in the Response to Xanthatin Treatment in Human HT-29 Colon Cancer
Cells
Authors: Shen Aizong , Zhang Lei , Geng Yadi , Li Lingli , Liu Ping , Chen Zhaolin
Published: September 2021

Background:

Xanthatin is a plant-derived bioactive sesquiterpene lactone from the Xanthium strumarium
L., and it has been used as a traditional Chinese medicine. Recently, many studies have reported that xanthatin has
anticancer activity. However, a comprehensive understanding of the mechanism underlying the antitumor effects of
xanthatin is still lacking.

Objective:

To systematically and comprehensively identify the underlying mechanisms of xanthatin on cancer cells,
quantitative proteomic techniques were performed.

Methods:

Xanthatin induced HT-29 colon cancer cells death was detected by lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release cell
death assay. Differentially abundant proteins in two groups (xanthatin treatment groups and control groups) of human
HT-29 colon cancer cells were identified using tandem mass tag (TMT) quantitative proteomic techniques. All the
significant differentially abundant proteins were generally characterized by performing hierarchical clustering, Gene
Ontology (GO) enrichment analyses and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analyses.
We chose Western blot analysis to validate the candidate proteins in the proteomics results.

Results:

A total of 5637 proteins were identified, of which 397 significantly differentially abundant proteins in the
groups were quantified. Based on the Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway analyses,
we found that p53-related signaling played an important role in xanthatin-treated HT-29 colon cancer cells. p53-
upregulated modulator of apoptosis (Puma), Sestrin-2 and p14ARF, which were selected from among p53-related
signaling proteins, were further validated, and the results were consistent with the tandem mass tag quantitative proteomic
results.

Conclusion:

We first investigated the molecular mechanism underlying the effects of xanthatin treatment on HT-29
colon cancer cells using tandem mass tag quantitative proteomic methods and provided a global comprehensive understanding
of the antitumor effects of xanthatin. However, it is necessary to further confirm the function of the differentially
abundant proteins and the potentially associated signaling pathways.
Novel Suberoylanilide Hydroxamic Acid Analogs Inhibit Angiogenesis and Induce
Apoptosis in Breast Cancer Cells
Authors: Moku Gopikrishna , Vangala Swathi , Yakati Venu , Gali Chaitanya C. , Saha Soumen , Madamsetty Vijay S. , Vyas Amber
Published: September 2021

Background:

Histone deacetylases (HDACs) are the enzymes that catalyze the removal of the acetyl group
from lysine residues and regulate several biological processes. Suberoylanilide hydroxamic acid (SAHA) is a notable
HDAC inhibitor that exhibited remarkable anti-proliferative efficiency by alleviating gene regulation against solid and
hematologic cancers.

Aim:

The aim of this study was to develop new chemotherapeutic agents for breast cancer treatment, therefore, a
novel series of Suberoylanilide hydroxamic acid (SAHA) analogs were investigated as anticancer agents.

Methods:

We designed and synthesized a novel series of analogs derived from SAHA by substituting alkyl, alkoxy,
halo, and benzyl groups at different positions of the phenyl ring. The newly synthesized analogs were assessed for their
cytotoxic potential against four human cancer cell lines in comparison with healthy cell lines, using several biological
assays

Results:

SAHA analogs displayed significant cytotoxic potential with IC50 values ranging from 1.6 to 19.2 μM
in various tumor cell lines. Among these analogs, 2d (containing 3-chloro, 4-floro substitutions on phenyl moiety),
2h (containing 3,4-di chloro substitutions on phenyl moiety), and 2j (containing 4-chloro, 3-methyl substitutions
on phenyl moiety) showed significant cytotoxic potential with IC50 values ranging from 1.6 to 1.8 μM in MCF-7
(breast carcinoma) cell line. More importantly, these analogs were found to be non-toxic towards healthy primary
human hepatocytes (PHH) and mouse fibroblast cells (NIH3T3), which represent their tumor selectivity. These analogs
were further analyzed for their effect on cell migration, BrdU incorporation, Annexin V-FITC and cell cycle arrest
(Sub-G1 phase). Remarkably, analogs 2d, 2h, and 2j displayed significant HDAC inhibition than the parent SAHA
molecule. Further studies also confirmed that these SAHA analogs are efficient in inducing apoptosis, as they regulated
the expression of several proteins involved in mitochondrial or intrinsic apoptosis pathways. Findings in the Chick
Chorioallantoic Membrane (CAM) assay studies revealed anti-angiogenic properties of the currently described SAHA
analogs

Conclusion:

From anti-proliferative study results, it is clearly evident that 3,4-substitution at the SAHA phenyl ring
improves the anti-proliferative activity of SAHA. Based on these findings, we presume that the synthesized novel
SAHA analogs could be potential therapeutic agents in treating breast cancer.
Oncotherapeutic Application of Resveratrol-based Inorganic
Nanoparticles
Authors: Perris Angela , Bhattacharya Sanchari , Jawed Junaid Jibran , Hoda Muddasarul
Published: September 2021

Background:

Potential therapeutic benefits of natural phytoconstituents and the emergence
of nano-structured drug delivery systems have expanded the scope of enhanced chemotherapy
with minimal adverse effects. Various in vivo and in vitro studies have revealed Resveratrol to
be a potent anti-carcinogenic agent. Researchers are currently applying the concept of nano-science
for enhancing the delivery of phyto-drugs like resveratrol, in order to carry the drug to the affected
tissues and organs of cancer patients with much ease and efficiency.

Methods:

The current review emphasizes the use of inorganic nanoparticles for enhancing the delivery
and efficacy of resveratrol into otherwise inaccessible tumorigenic tissues.

Conclusion:

The present review work summarizes a comprehensive update on the mechanism of
actions of the resveratrol-based inorganic nanocomposite particles that are currently being studied
against various cancer models. This work may be significant in laying the foundation for the future
of metallic nanoparticles-based delivery and efficacy of phytochemicals in general and resveratrol
in specific against non-invasive metastatic cancer.
Withdrawal Notice: Investigating the Anti-Angiogenic Effects of Elaeagnus angustifolia L. Extract In Vivo
Authors: Sako Mohammad , Zihlif Malek , Afifi Fatma
Published: September 2021

The article has been withdrawn at the request of the authors of the journal Clinical Cancer Drugs.

Bentham Science apologizes to the readers of the journal for any inconvenience this may have caused.

The Bentham Editorial Policy on Article Withdrawal can be found at https://benthamscience.com/editorial-policies-main.php

BENTHAM SCIENCE DISCLAIMER:

It is a condition of publication that manuscripts submitted to this journal have not been published and will not be simultaneously submitted or published elsewhere. Furthermore, any data, illustration, structure or table that has been published elsewhere must be reported, and copyright permission for reproduction must be obtained. Plagiarism is strictly forbidden, and by submit-ting the article for publication the authors agree that the publishers have the legal right to take appropriate action against the authors, if plagiarism or fabricated information is discovered. By submitting a manuscript, the authors agree that the copyright of their article is transferred to the publishers if and when the article is accepted for publication.
Plant Extract Mediated Synthesis of Metal Nanoparticles, their Characterization
and Applications: A Green Approach
Authors: Jha Sudha Kumari , Jha Annapurna
Published: September 2021

:

Nowadays, nanoparticles are gaining enormous importance in a wide variety of disciplines
due to their unambiguous physical and chemical properties. There are lots of physical and
chemical approaches available for the synthesis of metal nanoparticles. But there are certain disadvantages
associated with these methods, such as adsorption of hazardous toxins on the surface of the
material, high capital investment, high manufacturing energy demand, etc., which make their effective
implementation almost impossible. An alternative method of synthesizing nanoparticles to
avoid the aforementioned disadvantages is to use different parts of the plant under aqueous conditions.
Plant-mediated approach for the synthesis of nanoparticles is becoming increasingly popular
due to its faster reaction rate, easily affordable, eco-friendly nature and rich diversity of plants.
Chemical compositions of plant extracts are examined using the liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry
technique. Noble metals such as Silver, Gold, Iron, Copper, Platinum, Zinc, Palladium,
and their oxides are used for the fabrication of metal nanoparticles, due to their enormous potential
applications. In a single-step green synthesis process, the phytochemical constituents which are
present in plant extract reduce metal salts into metal nanoparticles. This article gives an overview of
plant-mediated synthesized metal and metal oxide nanoparticles and their characterization by using
different techniques, together with their properties and applications in numerous fields.
Elastic Guided Waves in Bistable Composite Structures - Experimental
and Numerical Investigation
Authors: Mustapha S. , Saad D.M. , Firouzian-Nejad A. , Aziz A. Abdul
Published: September 2021

Background:

Bistable composite laminates are emerging as smart structures in automotive
and aerospace applications. However, the behavior of the wave propagation within such laminates
has not been investigated, which hinders their implementation in Structural Health Monitoring
(SHM) and Non-Destructive Evaluation (NDE).

Objective:

As a result, this manuscript examines the propagation behavior of guided waves in bistable
composite structures. By understanding the effect of pre-stressing in bistable composite laminates
on the characteristics of propagating waves, such as velocity and amplitude, a more knowledgeable
decision about their applications in flaw detection and assessment can be made.

Methods:

The fundamental symmetric (S0) and anti-symmetric (A0) Lamb wave modes were investigated
during propagation in two bistable composite laminates, [0/90]T and [02/902]T, and were assessed
experimentally and numerically using ABAQUS. For the tested frequencies, which ranged
from 60 kHz to 250 kHz, the behavior of the propagating wave was evaluated for both stable configurations
and across two different actuators that were lined up with the fiber directions. Signal
processing techniques were thus extensively used to enhance the measured signals and identify
both the group velocities and the amplitudes’ trend of the S0 and A0 wave modes.

Results:

Our results showed that there is a minimal variation (typically below 1%) in the amplitude
and velocity of the A0 and S0 modes when the composite plates switch between the first stable configuration
and the second stable configuration in both composite plates. These results were numerically
validated by replicating the bi-stability of the composites. The numerical data were in relatively
close agreement (10% average error) with the experimental values and trends. Furthermore,
the bistable effect was examined in detail relative to a reference numerical flat (monostable) plate.
Although the bistable effect induced a notable amount of internal residual stress, this did not significantly
impact the propagating wave modes, with a maximum difference of about 2% when comparing
wave velocities.

Conclusions:

The effect on the wave propagation behavior along different directions of both stable
configurations was shown to be minimal. These results, which were validated numerically, clear
the ambiguity on the usage of these laminates in experimental health monitoring.
Development and Validation of a Risk Prediction Model for Diabetic Retinopathy in Type 2 Diabetic Patients (Preprint)
Authors: Zhu Chengjun , Zhu Jiaxi , Wang Lei , Xiong Shizheng , Zou Yijian , Huang Jing , Xie Huimin , Zhang Wenye , Wu Huiqun , Liu Yun
Published: September 2021

BACKGROUND

Diabetes mellitus (DM) has become one of the most serious public health problems in the 21st century. chronic complications associated with type 2 DM (T2DM) increase the rate of disability, leading to untimely death and reduce the quality of life. In these complications, diabetic retinopathy (DR) is the most common one and could lead to secondary blindness. Despite retinal screening is first-of-choice for DR diagnosis, the limits of such screening equipments and experienced image readers restricted its applications, especially in those rural areas where DR risks even higher. Therefore, it’s essential to construct an easy-to-implement predictive model of the risk of DR in order to help predict individual morbidity and identify the risk factors of DR.

OBJECTIVE

Diabetic retinopathy (DR) has a high incidence rate in diabetic patients, the quality of life of whom will be seriously affected if not treated in time. This study aims to develop a risk prediction model for DR in type 2 diabetic patients.

METHODS

According to the retrieval strategy, inclusion and exclusion criteria, the relevant Meta analyses on DR risk factors were searched and evaluated. The pooled odds ratio (OR) or relative risk (RR) of each risk factor was obtained and calculated for β coefficients using logistic regression (LR) model. Besides, an electronic patient-reported outcome questionnaire was developed and 60 cases of DR and non-DR T2DM patients were investigated to validate the developed model. Receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) was drawn to verify the prediction accuracy of the model.

RESULTS

After retrieving, eight Meta analysis with a total of 15654 cases and 12 risk factors associated with the onset of DR in T2DM, including weight loss surgery, myopia, lipid-lowing drugs, blood glucose control, course of T2DM, glycosylated hemo-globin, fasting blood glucose, hypertension, gender, insulin treatment, residence, and smoking were included for LR modeling. These factors, followed by the respective β coefficient was bariatric surgery(-0.942), myopia(-0.357), lipid-lowering drug follow-up <3y(-0.994), lipid-lowering drug follow-up >3y(-0.223), course of T2DM(0.174), glycated hemoglobin (0.372), fasting blood sugar(0.223), insulin therapy(0.688), rural residence(0.199), smoking(-0.083), hypertension(0.405), male(0.548), blood sugar control(-0.400) with constant term α = -0.949 in the constructed model. The area under receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) of ROC curve of the model in the external validation was 0.912. An application was presented as an example of use.

CONCLUSIONS

In this study, the risk prediction model of DR was developed, which make individualized assessment for the susceptible DR population feasible and need to be further verified with large sample size application.
Understanding Communication in an Online Cancer Forum: Content Analysis Study (Preprint)
Authors: Andy Anietie , Andy Uduak
Published: September 2021

BACKGROUND

Cancer affects individuals, their family members, and friends, and increasingly, some of these individuals are turning to online cancer forums to express their thoughts/feelings and seek support such as asking cancer-related questions. The thoughts/feelings expressed and the support needed from these online forums may differ depending on if (1) an individual has or had cancer or (2) an individual is a family member or friend of an individual who has or had cancer; the language used in posts in these forums may reflect these differences.

OBJECTIVE

Using natural language processing methods, we aim to determine the differences in the support needs and concerns expressed in posts published on an online cancer forum by (1) users who self-declare to have or had cancer compared with (2) users who self-declare to be family members or friends of individuals with or that had cancer.

METHODS

Using latent Dirichlet allocation (LDA), which is a natural language processing algorithm and Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count (LIWC), a psycholinguistic dictionary, we analyzed posts published on an online cancer forum with the aim to delineate the language features associated with users in these different groups.

RESULTS

Users who self-declare to have or had cancer were more likely to post about LDA topics related to hospital visits (Cohen d=0.671) and use words associated with LIWC categories related to health (Cohen d=0.635) and anxiety (Cohen d=0.126). By contrast, users who declared to be family members or friends tend to post about LDA topics related to losing a family member (Cohen d=0.702) and LIWC categories focusing on the past (Cohen d=0.465) and death (Cohen d=0.181) were more associated with these users.

CONCLUSIONS

Using LDA and LIWC, we show that there are differences in the support needs and concerns expressed in posts published on an online cancer forum by users with cancer compared with family members or friends of those with cancer. Hence, responders to online cancer forums need to be cognizant of these differences in support needs and concerns and tailor their responses based on these findings.