bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Monitoring of Organochlorine Pesticides Residues in Five Fruits using Gas
Liquid Chromatography Equipped with Electron Capture Detector (GLC-ECD)
Authors: Kumar Devendra , Sharma Shiva
Published: August 2019

India is the largest producer of fruits as they are important part of their economy. But they are badly affected by insect-pest attack during harvesting. Farmers use a large amount of pesticides to protect them but due to their longer persistence they found in fruits in small quantities. This paper described an analytical methodology for the monitoring of 20 organochlorine pesticides in 5 fruits viz. pineapple (Ananas comosus), apple (Malus pumila), plum (Prunus domestica), papaya (Carica papaya) and mango (Mangifera indica) by using gas liquid chromatography equipped with electron capture detector (GLC-ECD). During the monitoring work it has been found that each fruit was contaminated with pesticides. Pineapple was found contaminated with β-BHC, δ-BHC, heptachlor epoxide, dieldrin, endrin and methoxychlor; apple was found contaminated γ-BHC, δ-BHC, heptachlor epoxide, dieldrin, endrin, endosulfan II and methoxychlor; plum and papaya were found contaminated with γ-BHC, β-BHC, δ-BHC, heptachlor epoxide, 4,4′-DDE, endrin, endosulfan sulfate and methoxychlor; mango was found contaminated with β-BHC, δ-BHC, 4,4′-DDE, endrin, endosulfan sulfate and methoxychlor.
However, the detected concentration of pesticides was below the MRL values but their long term use
can cause serious health problems.
Synthesis and Spectral Studies of Some Bioactive Transition Metal Complexes of [bis-2-(4-Fluorophenyl)prop-2-enaln]ethane-1,2-diamine
Authors: Singh Jagvir , Anuradha  , Kumar Pradeep , Mordhwaj  , Kumar Ravi
Published: August 2019

Co(II), Ni(II) and Cu(II) metal complexes of a novel Schiff base ligand (SBL) derived from condensation of 2-(4-fluorophenyl)prop-2-enaln and ethane-1,2-diamine were synthesized. All the complexes were characterized by elemental analyses, IR, UV-visible spectroscopy, magnetic susceptibility and conductance measurements and 1H NMR. From the elemental analysis data, 1:1 [M]:[ligand] metal chloride complexes are formed having the general composition [M(SBL)Cl2] and [Cu(SBL)] Cl2, [where M = Co(II), Ni(II) and SBL= {bis-2-(4-fluorophenyl)prop-2-enaln}ethane-1,2-diamine]. The result showed that the ligand is coordinated to the metal ions in a neutral tetradentate manner with ON donor sites and the nature of metal-ligand bonding can range from covalent to ionic. Antimicrobial activities of the newly synthesized chemical compounds were evaluated against Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 25923), Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 3160), Cabdida albicans (ATCC 227) and Staphylococcus cereviscae (ATCC 361) species and found that metal complexes exhibited more antimicrobial properties so they are more potential and significant than the ligand.
Antioxidant Activity and Phytochemical Content of Clerodendrum serratum L. from Different Provinces of Chhattisgarh State, India
Authors: Upadhyay Seema , Koche Vijaya
Published: August 2019

Clerodendrum serratum L. is one of the important medicinal plant found in Chhattisgarh state of India. Its over-exploitation for medicinal value made it a threatened species according to Chhattisgarh Medicinal Plant Board. It is being used in Ayurveda from ancient times for many diseases like asthma, body ache, bronchitis, cholera, dropsy, eye diseases, fever, inflammations, malaria, ophthalmia, rheumatism, snakebite, tuberculosis, ulcers and wounds. Present study aimed to compare the phytochemical contents and antioxidant activity of a medicinally important plant C. serratum L. collected from different provinces of Chhattisgarh state (India). Plants were collected from three districts of Chhattisgarh (Jagdalpur, Bilaspur and Raipur). Aerial and underground parts were separated and subjected for extraction by using different solvents of different polarity. These extracts were evaluated for phytochemical profiling, phytochemical content (total phenolic and flavonoids content) and antioxidant activity. Methanolic extract shows highest antioxidant activity and phenolic and flavonoids content among all the extracts. When the plants of different regions were compared, it was found that plants of Jagdalpur district is a potent source of phytochemical and showing highest antioxidant activity. Further, the correlation study showed that phenolics and flavonoids mainly account for antioxidant activity. It may be possible that some different groups of phytochemical act synergistically together with the phenolics and flavonoids and provide antioxidant effect.
Growth Evaluation of Marine Microalgae Chlorella sp. BDU G91771 in Calcium Rich Ossein Effluent–A Bioremediation Perspective
Authors: Kalaiselvi B. , Jeyaleela G. Dayana Jeyaleela , Prathiba K. , Ramyasri R. , Shiyamli S. , Vimala S.
Published: August 2019

The aim of the present work is to study the growth and effluent parameters of the two ossein effluents. Growth parameters studied in this article are protein, chlorophyll, carbohydrate, moisture and the effluent parameters are alkalinity, nitrates, nitrites, ammonia, phosphates, sulphates, sulphites, calcium and magnesium. Calcium-rich effluent ossein was collected at three different clarifications stages from pioneer Jellice Industries Pvt, Ltd,, Cuddalore, which is gelatin manufacturing industry. The algae selected for the study was chlorella vulgaris BDU G91771 which was obtained from the culture collection of National Facility for Marine Cyanobacteria (NFMC), Bharathidasan University, Tiruchirapalli, India. The culture was maintained in F/2 medium under the continuous white light at an intensity of 20 μmol photon m-2 s-1 at 25 ± 2 ºC in a controlled culture room. The chosen organisms were grown in effluent diluted with seawater (1:1, 2:2 and 3:1) amended with fertilizer grade nutrient enrichment and phosphorus sources. The untreated effluent parameters were analyzed. Chlorella vulgaris was inoculated in F/2 medium and allowed to grow in ossein effluent for 7 days. The growth of the organism was measured by calculating its culture density, dry weight, carbohydrate, protein and chlorophyll. The growth parameters of microalgae revealed that the higher content of nitrate and ammonia in HTDS effluent served as the nitrogen source and supported microbial growth.
A Concise and Efficient Synthesis of an Impurity, N-Desmethyl Alcaftadine from Alcaftadine: An H1 Antagonist
Authors: Sravya G. , Zyryanov Grigory V. , Ramaseshaiah K. , Reddy G. Malli Karjuna , Reddy C. Suresh , Reddy N. Bakthavatchala
Published: August 2019

Herein, a simple approach for the synthesis of N-desmethyl alcaftadine, an H1 histamine antagonist in solid state and its structure is presented. The reactions were performed under mild and metal free conditions at reflux temperature within a range of 65-70 ºC and the desired product N-desmethyl alcaftadine was obtained in high purity with good yield (96.42 %). It was detected by ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC).
Zinc Oxide Supported onto Biogenic Silica from Gigantochloa atroviolacea Leaves:
Preparation, Characterization and Antibacterial Activity
Authors: Sriwahyuni Elsa , Prodjosantoso Anti Kolonial , Sasmita Dewi
Published: August 2019

Bamboo rod is a well known raw material utilized to make houses, papers, handicrafts, chopsticks and medicines. On the other hand, the utilzation of leaves, which are often considered as garbages, receive less attentions. Even though, bamboo leaves are good sources of SiO2 or silica. This work reports the preparation of zinc oxide (ZnO) supported onto biogenic silica (SiO2) from leaves of Gigantochloa atroviolacea, characterization and the antibacterial activities of ZnO@SiO2 against Staphylococcus epidermidis. The ZnO was supported onto biogenic SiO2 by using impregnation method of SiO2 in zinc salt [Zn(NO3)2·6H2O] solution. A combination XRD and SEM-EDX techniques were used to confirm the formation of ZnO on ZnO@SiO2. Investigations indicate that the as prepared ZnO@SiO2 revealed significant antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus epidermidis bacterial strain.
Synthesis and Characterization of 2-Pyrazoline Derivatives and their
in silico and in vitro Studies on Antimicrobial and Anticancer Activities
Authors: Rathinamanivannan S. , Megha K. , Chinnamanayakar Raja , Kumar Ashok , Ezhilarasi M.R.
Published: August 2019

The new series of 1-(4,5-dihydro-5-phenyl-3-diphenylpyrazol-1-yl)butan-1-one derivatives were synthesized by cyclization method using biphenyl chalcone with n-butyric acid and hydrazine hydrate. The synthesized 1-(4,5-dihydro-5-phenyl-3-diphenylpyrazol-1-yl)butan-1-one derivatives chemical structures were confirmed from spectral data such as FT-IR, 1H and 13C NMR. 2-Pyrazoline derivatives were docked with bacterial (1UAG) and breast cancer (1OQA) protein. Based on high binding affinity score, the best compound was subjected to in vitro anticancer activity by MTT assay. Also, antimicrobial activity were studied for synthesized 2-pyrazoline derivatives.
Synthesis and Antimicrobial Activity of Dithiocarbamates of ω-Substituted (2-naphthyloxy)alkanes
Authors: Zaidi Sadaf , Chaturvedi Devdutt , Saxena Mridula , Srivastava Richa
Published: August 2019

A series of dithiocarbamates of ω-substituted (2-naphthyloxy) alkanes was developed through condensation of 2-(2-chloro-alkoxy)-naphthalene to various kinds of aliphatic, aromatic, alicyclic, heterocyclic primary and secondary amines employing benzyl trimethyl ammonium hydroxide in catalytic quantity (Triton-B/CS2 system) afforded desired products in high yields (82-98 %). The complete series of synthesized compounds (4-48) were evaluated for antimicrobial activity through microdilution method using various bacterial and fungal strains. The antifungal and antibacterial values were estimated as MIC values. Fluconazole and ciprofloxacin [16 to 0.03 μg/mL] were used as the standard antifungal and antibacterial drug, respectively. Out of series of evaluated compounds, some of these compounds such as compounds 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33 have displayed maximum potency
which is comparable to standard drugs.
Synthesis, Spectroscopic Characterization, Antibacterial and Short Term in vitro
Cytotoxicity Studies of Copper(II) Complexes of Novel Tridentate N,N,S Donor Ligand
2-Benzoylpyridine-N(4),N(4)-(N,N-diethyl-N-methylamine-2,2'-diyl)thiosemicarbazone
Authors: Mathew Janey Mary , Philip Varughese , Thomas Jesty
Published: August 2019

A tridentate N,N,S-donor ligand, 2-benzoylpyridine-N(4),N(4)-(N,N-diethyl-N-methylamine-2,2'-diyl)thiosemicarbazone (Hbptsc) has been synthesized and characterized by elemental CHN analysis, UV-visible, FT-IR and 1H NMR spectroscopy. Copper(II) complexes of the ligand, Hbptsc synthesized have been characterized by elemental analysis, UV-visible spectra, FTIR spectra and EPR spectroscopic simulation. The complexes hold the stoichiometry of the type [CuLX] where X= Cl (1), NO3 (2), SO4 (3), N3 (4), SCN (5) confirmed by the molar conductivity studies of 10-3 M solutions in DMF at room temperature. The EPR spectra of the complexes recorded in DMF at 77 K shows an axial type spectra with two distinct g-values, g|| and g⊥ indicating a four coordinated planar geometry. The antimicrobial studies of the copper(II) complexes shows an appreciable activity against both gram positive and gram negative bacteria using streptomycin as positive control. The short term in vitro cytotoxicity studies following trypan blue dye exclusion method exhibits pronounced activity against the Dalton’s Lymphoma Ascites tumour cells extruded from the peritoneal cavity of mice.
Molecular Modeling Approach for the Discovery of Escherichia coli O157:H7 Interaction Inhibitors of Natural Product Compounds
Authors: Pitchuanchom S. , Nontakitticharoen M. , Thaisuchat H.
Published: August 2019

The aim of this study is to report the development of Escherichia coli O157:H7 template for structure-based drug design. This template was validated by redocking with crystal ligand I. The results showed a good matching of docked and the crystallographic binding orientations with root mean square deviation (RMSD) less than 2.0 Å. Moreover, the developed template was applied to predict binding mode of 19 known E. coli inhibitors and 40 natural products. The results showed that the binding energy of almost E. coli inhibitors was related to their biological activity. The use of developed E. coli O157:H7 template in automated docking could speed up the process of novel drug discovery by allowing designed inhibitors to be tested computationally before the compounds are synthesized.
Chemical Composition and Evaluation of Antibacterial Activities of Essential Oil from
Lemon (Citrus aurantifolia L.) Leaves Growing Tien Giang Province, Vietnam
Authors: Dao Tan Phat , Tran Thien Hien , Nhan Nguyen Phu Thuong Nhan Nguyen , Kim Ngan Tran Thi , Cam Quyen Ngo Thi , Anh Trieu Tuan , Quan Pham Minh , Thu Huong Trinh Thi , Nguyen Ngoc Hoi
Published: August 2019

Chemical compounds from essential oils have been receiving a great deal of public attention owing to a myriad of functions, including their role as a substitute for artificial preservatives. This study reports the physico-chemical characteristics and the antibacterial activities of the essential oil isolated from the leaves of lemon (Citrus aurantifolia L.) grown in Tien Giang Province, Vietnam. The essential oils were obtained by microwave assisted hydro-distillation and their chemical composition was investigated by GC-MS. The result revealed that the oil is extremely rich in α-citral, reaching the content of 27.982 %, followed by β-citronellol and D-limonene at 20.06 and 15.732 %, respectively.
Besides, antibacterial activities of extracted essential oil against 4 bacterial cultures i.e., Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus cereus was examined, highlighting strong antibacterial properties of citral in the oil.
Interactions of Xanthan Gum and Carboxymethyl Cellulose on Physical and Sensory of Cloudy Asparagus Juice using Response Surface Methodology
Authors: Van Linh Nguyen Thi , Ngoc Mai Vuong Thi , Yen Nhi Tran Thi , Lam Tri Duc
Published: August 2019

This study aims to investigate the effect of xanthan gum and carboxymethylcellulose on physical and chemical qualities of green asparagus juice. We adopted the surface-response method and the CCD experiment design with respect to three response variables including stability, viscosity and colour of the product. It was revealed that both xanthan gum and carboxymethylcellulose concentrations are both positively correlated with viscosity and stability of the product. In addition, the coefficient of the interaction of xanthan gum and carboxymethylcellulose was not significant (p < 0.05). In sensory
evaluation, both carboxymethylcellulose and xanthan gum were found to be influential on product state. However, hydrocolloid concentration effects were not profound on perceived product colour and odour
Removal of Rhodamine-B dye from Aqueous Solution using Biofertilizer containing Trichoderma viride as Low Cost Adsorbent
Authors: Kulkarni Kavita , Kulkarni Anand , Bodare Poonam
Published: August 2019

Trichoderma viride mixed with biofertilizer as low cost adsorbent was evaluated for the adsorptive removal of Rhodamine B dye from aqueous solution. To study the effect of contact period, pH, agitation time, temperature, adsorbent amount and initial dye concentration batch adsorption experiment was performed. Kinetic study and adsorption isotherms were used to estimate experimental data and it was found that Freundlich isotherm model and kinetics of pseudo-second-order best fitted to the experimental
data. The experimental results and separation factor RL concluded that Trichoderma viride present in biofertilizer can be used as an alternative to costly adsorbents for the removal of Rhodamine B from aqueous solution.
Biosynthesis, Anti-TB Activity and Degradation of Dyes by Silver Nanoparticles using Fruits Peels
Authors: Kaur Harpreet , Sharma Abhinav
Published: August 2019

In the present work, waste materials such as pomegranate and orange peels were taken to synthesize nanoparticles by biological method. The method did not involve the use of toxic reducing and capping agents. It uses only the environmentally benign biomolecules for reduction of AgNO3 and subsequent stabilization of silver nanoparticles. The size of pomegranate and orange silver nanoparticles varied
from 8-25 nm with nearly spherical morphology as analyzed by XRD and TEM studies. The synthesized nanoparticles were studied for their dye degrading property. Different dyes such as crystal violet, methylene blue, malachite green and Congo red were taken for the study. The results indicated the presence of two diverse mechanism of dye removal. Crystal violet, methylene blue, malachite green was removed by adsorption onto both the nanoparticles, whereas Congo red was reduced by NaBH4 in
the presence of catalytic pomegranate silver nanoparticles. Moreover, pomegranate silver nanoparticles have exhibited potent antitubercular activity with MIC value of 6.25 μg/mL and orange silver nanoparticles are moderately active with MIC value of 25 μg/mL. It could be concluded that the pomegranate silver nanoparticles would a promising candidate for drug development and catalysis.
Improving Methane Generation by Co-Digestion of Sewage Sludge and Petrochemical Wastewater: Influence of Heat and Alkali Pretreatment
Authors: Siddique M.N.I. , Zaied B.K. , Krishnan S. , Ahmad M.F.
Published: August 2019

With the target of amplifying methane generation from sewage sludge (SS), co-digestion with petrochemical wastewater (PWW) was examined. In addition, the use of both 165 °C heat treatment and alkali pretreatment to mixed SS/PWW wastewater was assessed. Batch tests demonstrated that refractory materials were generated from pretreatment for petrochemical wastewater at the 165 °C heat and alkali pretreatments at the 75 or 115 °C and with pH value of 8, 9 or 10 producing enhanced preliminary methane generation percentage and a little effect for generation capacity of methane of the miscellaneous waste (+3–6 %). Anaerobic reactors which were operated more than four months semi-continuously with sewage sludge and petrochemical wastewater mix with the proportion of 85:15, 55:45 and 85:15 pretreated at alkaline environments maintaining the temperature of 75 °C and pH = 8. This pretreatment enhanced the production of methane at semi-continuous anaerobic reactors to + 59 %. Finally, this investigation demonstrated the viability of the co-digestion of sewage sludge with a higher ratio of petrochemical wastewater [45 % volume, 50 % volatile solid (VS) and 74 % COD, comparable with volatile fatty acids of 8 g L–1]. The system produced an exact methane of 363 mL CH4 g–1 VS while only sewage sludge generated 117 mL CH4 g–1 VS.
Pelvic Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumor With Pulmonary Metastasis
Authors: Akolkar Shalaka , Melitas Constantine , Piper Marc
Published: August 2019

Extragastrointestinal stromal tumors (EGISTs) comprise a small portion of gastrointestinal stromal tumors. Metastasis normally occurs to nearby organs. However, metastasis to the lungs is uncommon in EGISTs. Furthermore, recurrence of the EGIST in a new location years later has not been documented. We present this case to highlight this behavior of EGISTs in hopes to better understand this rare type of neoplasm.
Azure Machine Learning tools efficiency in the electroencephalographic signal P300 standard and target responses classification
Authors: Wójcik Grzegorz M. , Kawiak Andrzej , Kwasniewicz Lukasz , Schneider Piotr , Masiak Jolanta
Published: August 2019

The Event-Related Potentials were investigated on a group of 70 participants using the dense array electroencephalographic amplifier with photogrammetry geodesic station. The source localisation was computed for each participant. The activity of brodmann areas (BAs) involved in the brain cortical activity of each participant was measured. Then the mean electric charge flowing through particular areas was calculated. The five different machine learning tools (logistic regression, boosted decision tree, Bayes point machine, classic neural network and averaged perceptron classifier) from the Azure ecosystem were trained, and their accuracy was tested in the task of distinguishing standard and target responses in the experiment. The efficiency of each tool was compared, and it was found out that the best tool was logistic regression and the boosted decision tree in our task. Such an approach can be useful in eliminating somatosensory responses in experimental psychology or even in establishing new communication protocols with mildly mentally disabled subjects.
Epileptic seizure detection on EEG signals using machine learning techniques and advanced preprocessing methods
Authors: Mahjoub Chahira , Le Bouquin Jeannès Régine , Lajnef Tarek , Kachouri Abdennaceur
Published: August 2019

Electroencephalography (EEG) is a common tool used for the detection of epileptic seizures. However, the visual analysis of long-term EEG recordings is characterized by its subjectivity, time-consuming procedure and its erroneous detection. Various epileptic seizure detection algorithms have been proposed to deal with such issues. In this study, a novel automatic seizure-detection approach is proposed. Three different strategies are suggested to the user whereby he/she could choose the appropriate one for a given classification problem. Indeed, the feature extraction step, including both linear and nonlinear measures, is performed either directly from the EEG signals, or from the derived sub-bands of tunable-Q wavelet transform (TQWT), or even from the intrinsic mode functions (IMFs) of multivariate empirical mode decomposition (MEMD). The classification procedure is executed using a support vector machine (SVM). The performance of the proposed method is evaluated through a publicly available database from which six binary classification cases are formulated to discriminate between healthy, seizure and non-seizure EEG signals. Our results show high performance in terms of accuracy (ACC), sensitivity (SEN) and specificity (SPE) compared to the state-of-the-art approaches. Thus, the proposed approach for automatic seizure detection can be considered as a valuable alternative to existing methods, able to alleviate the overload of visual analysis and accelerate the seizure detection.
A Compact Third-Order Triplexer Using Common Lumped-Element Triple-Mode Resonator
Authors: Xu Jin , Wan Hao , Ding Jiang-Qiao , Zhu Yin-Xia
Published: August 2019

A compact third-order triplexer using a common lumped-element triple-mode resonator (LE-TMR) and LC resonators is presented in this paper. Every channel of proposed third-order triplexer has three resonant modes, i. e. one resonant mode from the common LE-TMR and another two resonant modes from two LC resonators. Step-to-step design procedure is given to guide the third-order triplexer design. As an example, a 0.9/1.8/3.5 GHz third-order triplexer with ripple bandwidths of 150/210/290 MHz is designed, fabricated and measured. The fabricated third-order triplexer has a compact circuit size of 0.163λg × 0.104λg, and high electrical performance can be also acquired.
Compact Ultra-Wide Upper Stopband Microstrip Dual-Band BPF Using Tapered and Octagonal Loop Resonators
Authors: Khani Shiva , Danaie Mohammad , Rezaei Pejman , Shahzadi Ali
Published: August 2019

In this paper, a microstrip dual-band bandpass filter (DBBPF) based on an octagonal loop resonator (OLR), tapered resonators and open bended stubs (OBSs) is designed and analysed. The proposed structure produces two passbands with the centre frequencies of 3.65 and 5.67 GHz. The marked advantages of the proposed filter are as follows: Two centre frequencies can be individually tuned. The bandwidth of the upper passband can also be controlled. Furthermore, the DBBPF benefits from an ultra-wide upper stopband from 5.9 up to 21 GHz with an attenuation level of higher than 20 dB and a small size of 0.21 λg × 0.26 λg, where λgis the guided wavelength at 3.65 GHz. The designed filter is horizontally and vertically symmetrical leading to a reciprocal S matrix. Other remarkable specifications of the proposed filter are the insertion loss < 0.62 dB, the return loss > 20.2 dB and sharp response. To provide an analytical description, the LC equivalent circuits of initial and main resonators are presented. Acceptable similarity between simulated and measured results verifies the design process.
Drospirenone-containing oral contraceptives do not affect glucose regulation and circulating corticosterone
Authors: Adeyanju Oluwaseun A. , Olatunji Lawrence A.
Published: August 2019

Background

Combined oral contraceptive (COC) use has been associated with an increased risk of insulin resistance (IR) and other adverse cardiovascular events, despite efforts to reduce the dosage and/or progestin type. COC containing drospirenone (DRSP) is an analog of spironolactone, hence its antimineralocorticoid and antiandrogenic characteristics have been deemed beneficial, although the benefits and/or negative outcome of its usage have not been fully elucidated. We therefore hypothesized that COC with DRSP component will not affect glucose regulation and circulating corticosterone.

Method

Ten-week-old female Wistar rats were divided into three groups: control (CON), ethinylestradiol/drospirenone COC (EE/DRSP)-treated, and ethinylestradiol/levonorgestrel COC (EE/LN)-treated rats. The treatment lasted for 8 weeks.

Results

Results showed that with the exception of lipid profiles, EE/LN but not EE/DRSP COC treatment affected body weight, glucose tolerance, plasma insulin, corticosterone, (IR), and pancreatic β-cell dysfunction.

Conclusion

Taken together, the findings showed that the beneficial effect of EE/DRSP could possibly be through the DRSP component. The result also implies that COCs containing DRSP may be a better and safer means of contraception than those with LN with less cardiovascular risks.
Exploring the therapeutic potential of sodium benzoate in acetic acid-induced ulcerative colitis in rats
Authors: Walia Deepali , Kaur Gurpreet , Jaggi Amteshwar Singh , Bali Anjana
Published: August 2019

Background

Ulcerative colitis is a chronic mucosal inflammation of the large intestine mainly affecting the colon and rectum. The lack of effective and safe therapeutic agents led to the identification of new therapeutic agents to effectively manage the symptoms and complications of ulcerative colitis. The present study aimed to evaluate the protective effect of sodium benzoate in acetic acid-induced ulcerative colitis in rats.

Methods

Infusion of 3% acetic acid in the colon through the rectum was done to construct a rat model of ulcerative colitis. After 5 days of infusion, macroscopic, biochemical, and histopathological examinations and disease activity scoring of the colon were done to assess colonic damage.

Results

Acetic acid infusion resulted in severe inflammation in the colon assessed macroscopically and histopathologically. Moreover, it also led to increase in myeloperoxidase (MPO) and reduction in glutathione (GSH) levels. In the present study, repeated administration of sodium benzoate (400 and 800 mg/kg i.p.) and sulfasalazine (500 mg/kg orally) for 7 days, i.e. 2 days before and continued for 5 days after acetic acid infusion, significantly attenuated macroscopic damage and disease activity score as compared to disease control. Further, it also significantly reduced the levels of MPO and enhanced colonic levels of reduced GSH. However, the lower dose of sodium benzoate (200 mg/kg) did not show sufficient protective effect in acetic acid-induced ulcerative colitis. Further, sodium benzoate per se did not show any effect in normal rats.

Conclusions

The observed protective effect of sodium benzoate may be due to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities in an ulcerative colitis model.
Albinism in Didelphis virginiana (Kerr, 1792): the first reported case in Mexico
Authors: Cuxim-Koyoc Alan , Escalante-Avilés Israel , Aragón-Pech Rosendo , Pinto-Escalante Doris , Reyes-Novelo Enrique , Ruiz-Piña Hugo A.
Published: August 2019

Atypical colorations occur in different groups of vertebrates. The loss of melanin in the skin, hair and eyes is the result of an autosomal recessive genetic entity. It causes individuals to present with a white coloration of the skin and hair, as well as red eyes, known as albino. This manuscript documents the first record in Mexico of complete albinism in a marsupial, Didelphis virginiana, captured in the Yucatan peninsula.
Morphology and electrical properties of polypropylene/polyamide 6/glass fiber composites with low carbon black loading
Authors: Zhang Xuewei , Ma Renbo , Liu Jiang , Wu Wei
Published: August 2019

The objective of this study is to investigate the electrically conductive properties and percolation thresholds of carbon black (CB)-filled polypropylene (PP)/glass fiber (GF), PP/polyamide 6 (PA6), and PP/PA6/GF composites. Compared to CB-filled PP/GF and PP/PA6 composites, PP/PA6/GF/CB composites exhibited a reduction of the percolation threshold. Under the same CB loading, the surface resistivity of PP/PA6/GF/CB composites was much lower, indicating a better conductivity. According to the morphology images characterized by transmission electron microscopy, CB was preferentially located in the PA6 phase due to the good interaction between CB and PA6 and the lower viscosity of PA6. The addition of GF formed a PA6-coated GF structure. This structure with a relatively long diameter can effectively assist the construction of conductive paths. Meanwhile, GF also played a volume-occupying role and improved the effective concentration of the conductive component in the system. The influences of GF and PA6 mass fraction on the surface resistivity of PP/PA6/GF/CB composites were also explored, respectively. It was found that appropriate amounts of GF and PA6 could effectively increase the electrical conductivity, providing guidance for fabricating an antistatic or conductive material with high comprehensive performance.
Data-mining approach for screening of rare genetic elements associated with predisposition of prostate cancer in South-Asian populations
Authors: Zubair Mahboob Muhammad , Hamid Arslan , Mushtaq Nada , Batool Sana , Batool Hina , Zeeshan Nadia , Ali Muhammad , Sughra Kalsoom , Ashraf Naeem Mahmood
Published: August 2019

Objective

Prostate cancer (PCa) is a complex heterogeneous disease and a major health risk to men throughout the world. The potential tumorigenic genetic hallmarks associated with PCa include sustaining proliferative signaling, resisting cell death, aberrant androgen receptor signaling, androgen independence, and castration resistance. Despite numerous comprehensive genome-wide association studies (GWAS), certain genetic elements associated with PCa are still unknown. This situation demands more systematic GWAS studies in different populations. This study presents a computational strategy for identification of novel and uncharacterized genetic factors associated with incidence of PCa in South Asian populations.

Materials and methods

Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) catalog and Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) furnished PCa-related genetic studies. Database for Annotation, Visualization and Integrated Discovery (DAVID) functionally annotated these genes and wANNOVAR separated South Asian (SAS) populations – specific genetic factors at MAF threshold <0.05.

Results

The study reports 195 genes as potential contributors to prostate cancer in SAS populations. Some of identified genes are PYGO2, RALBP1, RFX5, SLC22A3, VPS53, HMCN1 and KIF1C.

Conclusion

The identified genetic elements may assist in development of population-specific screening and management strategies for PCa. Moreover, this approach may also be used to retrieve potential genetic elements associated with other types of cancers.
A nőnevelés-történet képi forrásai
Authors: Kéri Katalin
Published: August 2019

A társadalomtudományi-bölcsészeti kutatásokban az utóbbi időszakban több más fordulat mellett a képi fordulat (visual turn; iconic turn) is végbement. A különböző képi anyagok összegyűjtése és elemzése rohamléptekkel halad előre, mára már több olyan kiváló könyv és tanulmány is rendelkezésünkre áll, amelyek segítik az ikonografikus ábrázolások, az álló és mozgóképek elemzését. A képkutatások számos esetben kifejezetten interdiszciplináris közelítést kívánnak, és megjelentek a nőnevelés-történeti vizsgálódások alapját jelentő neveléstörténeti kutatásokban éppúgy, mint a napjaink iskolai világát kutató pedagógiai feltárásokban. Az előbbi tudományterület (tágabban a történettudomány) esetében az elméleti-módszertani megalapozottság hosszabb történetre tekinthet vissza és jobban kifejtett, a tágabban vett pedagógiai, neveléstörténeti kutatásokban inkább az utóbbi években látható a fellendülés ennél az összetett, alapvetően kvalitatív kutatási módszernél. 
Jelen tanulmány a szerző több évtizedes, az újkori nőtörténettel és lánynevelés-történettel kapcsolatos kutatásainak leány-középiskoláztatással összefüggő, szűkebben véve az Országos Nőképző Egyesület történetéről feltárt képek összegyűjtésével és elemzésével kapcsolatos részeredményeit közli, azaz egy nagy lélegzetű kutatás kis területének tekinthető csupán. Kezdetleges és töredékes formájában is jelzi azonban, hogy a képi források gazdag anyagából a neveléstörténet is bőven és bátran meríthet, és hogy az egyes témák árnyaltabb kifejtéséhez az ikonográfiai-ikonológiai kutatások is hozzájárulhatnak. 
Fotó: Vasárnapi Újság (Erdélyi)
Ikonográfia – korszakok lenyomata és tükre
Authors: Újvári Edit
Published: August 2019

This paper focuses on the specifics of the iconographic research, also describing the history of this discipline. The visual representations – paintings, sculptures, carvings – have a very important role in every historical era, and they express ideological thoughts, contents and meanings. All these are interpreted by iconographic research, with defining and specifying of the topics and attributes of the image types and analysing of the compositions. The theoretical, historical and critical approaches are complemented by the analysis of some typical early Christian iconographic types, Greco-Roman mythological figures in Christian context and the Traditio legis (“the Giving of the Law”) image type.
Reprezentáció és propaganda
Authors: Stróbl Erzsébet
Published: August 2019

The paper explores the concept of female sovereignty by comparing the two visits of Queen Elizabeth I to the university town of Oxford: first in 1566 and the second in 1592. The analysis of the extant documents shows that the late reign of the Queen became more autocratic and tolerated less discussion on issues of authority. The receptions staged by the scholars included academic disputations that directly addressed general questions of princely power and the Church of England, such as the superiority of law over the king, or the right to dissemble about religious beliefs. Although both visits focused on theoretical issues, the themes of the second were markedly less daring. The paper also examines the rhetoric of Queen Elizabeth’s response to such challenges, and investigates the political and religious contexts of her visits in order to highlight how the Queen’s position as female monarch changed in the last decades of the sixteenth century. 
Fotó: Bodleian Library, Oxford
Different Knee and Ankle Positions Affect Force and Muscle Activation During Prone Leg Curl in Trained Subjects
Authors: Marchetti Paulo H. , Magalhaes Roberto A. , Gomes Willy A. , da Silva Josinaldo J. , Stecyk Shane D. , Whiting William C.
Published: August 2019

Marchetti, PH, Magalhaes, RA, Gomes, WA, da Silva, JJ, Stecyk, SD, and Whiting, WC. Different knee and ankle positions affect force and muscle activation during prone leg curl in trained subjects. J Strength Cond Res 35(12): 3322–3326, 2021—Different joint positions for biarticular muscles may affect force and muscular activity during single-joint exercises. The aim of this study was to compare the maximal isometric contractions and muscle activation in 2 different knee and ankle positions during prone leg curl exercise in trained subjects. Fifteen resistance-trained men (27 ± 4 years, 178.80 ± 5.72 cm, 86.87 ± 12.51 kg) were recruited. The peak force (PF) and muscle activation of biceps femoris, gastrocnemius lateralis (GL), and soleus lateralis (SL) were measured during knee flexion at 0 and 90° and maximal dorsiflexion (D) or plantarflexion (P). Three maximal voluntary isometric contractions of 5 seconds were performed for each combination of knee and ankle positions. Two-way repeated-measures analysis of variances were used for all dependent variables. For PF, there was a significant difference between ankle positions (D × P) at 90° (p = 0.009) and knee positions (0 × 90°) for D (p < 0.001) and P (p < 0.001). Peak force was greater with the knee at 0° and the ankle maximally dorsiflexed. For GL, there was a significant difference between ankle (D × P) at 0° (p = 0.002) and knee positions (0 × 90°) for D (p = 0.005). Gastrocnemius lateralis activation was greater with the knee at 90° of flexion and the ankle maximally dorsiflexed. For SL, there was a significant difference between ankle positions (D × P): at 90° (p = 0.001) and at 0° (p = 0.002). Soleus lateralis is more active in plantarflexion irrespective of the knee joint position. Isometric contractions with full knee extension produce more strength regardless of the ankle position; neither the knee position nor the ankle position may influence the activity of the hamstrings.
Relationship Among Biological Maturation, Physical Characteristics, and Motor Abilities in Youth Elite Soccer Players
Authors: Itoh Ryosuke , Hirose Norikazu
Published: August 2019

Itoh, R and Hirose, N. Relationship among biological maturation, physical characteristics, and motor abilities in youth elite soccer players.J Strength Cond Res34(2): 382–388, 2020—Studies investigating skeletal maturity and motor abilities in youth Asian elite soccer players are lacking. We aimed to investigate the cross-sectional relationship among skeletal age (SA), physical characteristics, and motor abilities in youth elite soccer players. Skeletal age is commonly used to estimate the maturity status of youth athletes using a hand-wrist radiograph. We enrolled 49 youth elite male soccer players (12.7 ± 0.2 years). Height, body mass, body fat percentage, circumference (thigh/calf), flexibility, 10-m/50-m sprint, 10-m × 5 shuttle run, the crank test, 5-step bounding, Yo-Yo intermittent recovery test level 2, and cooper run were measured. Participants were divided into early (n= 14), average (n= 22), and late (n= 13) maturation groups according to their chronological age (CA) and SA based on the following criteria: SA-CA < −1 year, SA-CA = ±1 year, and SA-CA > +1 year, respectively. The difference in parameters among the groups was analyzed using one-way analysis of variance and Tukey's post hoc test. Statistical significance was set atp< 0.05. The early and average maturation groups were taller and heavier and had a larger circumference than the late maturation group (p< 0.05). Conversely, the early and average groups were significantly faster in 50-m sprint (p< 0.05) and scored higher in 5-step bounding (p< 0.05) than the late group. There was no difference in other parameters among the groups. In conclusion, the difference in biological maturity influences physical and physiological development, particularly height and muscular power, in youth elite soccer players.
ANATOMIZANDO O CORPO HUMANO NO PROCESSO DE FORMAÇÃO NO ENSINO FUNDAMENTAL: uma experiência na perspectiva de graduandos de enfermagem envolvidos na extensão universitária em saúde
Authors: Freitas Maria Bianca Pereira , Silva Vinicius Do Carmo Borges , Silva Filipe Melo da , Oliveira Emanuel Thomaz De Aquino , Santos Luisa Chrisdayla Macedo , Rodrigues Jailson Alberto
Published: August 2019

O presente estudo teve como objetivo principal apresentar a experiência de acadêmicos do primeiro período do curso de bacharelado em Enfermagem, da Universidade Federal do Piauí, desenvolvida durante a aplicação do Projeto Anatomizando o corpo humano no processo de formação no ensino fundamental, que visa, de modo geral, contribuir na composição do saber e orientar os estudantes do ensino fundamental acerca do corpo humano e seu funcionamento, a fim de ampliar os conhecimentos referentes a anato-fisiologia e integrar o estudo da anatomia humana para o ensino superior ao estudo do corpo humano no ensino fundamental. Promovendo, consequentemente, uma inovação no modelo tradicional de ensino de ciências nas unidades escolares. Trata-se de um estudo de cunho descritivo, do tipo relato de experiência, onde houve a delineação das características gerais das escolas contempladas com o projeto supracitado e a análise das principais dificuldades dos educandos no tocante do conhecimento corpóreo. A experiência desenvolveu-se por etapas, durante os encontros dos acadêmicos envolvidos. Embasados nos resultados obtidos, foram planejadas e executadas oficinas que pudessem atender às necessidades dos discentes no estudo da Anatomia Humana. Através da execução do projeto, foi possível perceber a sua relevância como ferramenta auxiliar de ensino.
ENFERMIDADES DE CARÁTER ZOONÓTICO EM EQUINOS DE CARROÇA: VISÃO DOS PROPRIETÁRIOS DA PERIFERIA DE PELOTAS
Authors: Souza Leticia Silva da Silva , Nogueira Carlos Eduardo Wayne , Bruhn Fábio Raphael Pascoti , Noguera Débora Machado , Ferreira Nathália De Oliveira , Curcio Bruna Da Rosa
Published: August 2019

O objetivo do presente estudo foi estimaro conhecimento dos proprietários em situação de vulnerabilidade social em relação àsenfermidades de carácter zoonótico de equinos utilizados em carroças, atendidos no ambulatório do Hospital de Clínicas Veterinária da UFPel. Foram entrevistados quinze proprietários pertencentes àsfamílias moradoras do loteamento Ceval do município de Pelotas, RS cadastradas no projeto de extensão “Ação Interdisciplinar de atenção a carroceiros e charreteiros na periferia de Pelotas”. Para coleta de dados foram aplicadas a estes proprietários, por meio de entrevista,vinte e uma questões referentes às seguintes zoonoses: leptospirose, raiva, tétano e mormo. Através da análise descritiva dos dados observou-se que os entrevistados demonstraram maior nível de conhecimento quando questionados sobre leptospirose e tétano, enfermidades circulantes nestes ambientes devido àhigiene precária das instalações e utensíliosutilizados no manejo dos animais, enquanto o mormo e a raiva apresentaram os menores índices de conhecimento por parte dos entrevistados. Sendo assim,os conhecimentossobre doenças de caráter zoonótico demonstrados por estes proprietários podem ser um reflexo das ações educativas juntamente com o atendimento clínico realizado no ambulatório do HCV-UFPel.
REDE BEM DA TERRA: IDENTIFICANDO INDICADORES DE SUSTENTABILIDADE NA PERSPECTIVA AGROECOLÓGICA
Authors: Aldrighi William Borges , Fernandes Lúcio André de Oliveira
Published: August 2019

A sustentabilidade está no rol de paradigmas capazes de dar resposta à crise socioambiental que surge no decorrer das últimas décadas. As dimensões social e econômica se inserem no arcabouço do desenvolvimento e se relacionam estreitamente com a sustentabilidade na concepção contemporânea. O objetivo deste artigo é discutir a experiência de identificação de indicadores que expressem a percepção da sustentabilidade na perspectiva dos atores da Rede de Comércio Justo e Solidário Bem Terra através da análise de uma ferramenta interna de acreditação agroecológica. Para a realização deste trabalhoutilizou-se como metodologia pesquisa bibliográfica, seguida de pesquisa documental, em concomitância com a observação participante. A ferramenta de acreditação apresenta grande potencial de contribuir com a transformação social, econômica e ambiental, servindo de estímulo para as experiências de transição agroecológica ora em curso na Rede Bem da Terra, assim como para a construção de indicadores de sustentabilidade, que poderão contribuir para um modelo de desenvolvimento mais sustentável.
CURSO DE EXTENSÃO UNIVERSITÁRIA: GESTÃO DE RESÍDUOS INDUSTRIAIS
Authors: Salgado Magno Lopes , Carvalho Ádria Camila Fernandes , Silva Rogério José
Published: August 2019

Os resíduos industriais provêm de processos ou ações nos diversos setores da indústria e devem ser descartados de forma correta para amenizar os danos ambientais e sociais. Para alguns resíduos, antes do descarte, se faz necessário adequá-los as normas ambientais através dos seus tratamentos. Este artigo visa mostrar a experiência do curso de extensão de “Gestão de Resíduos Industriais”, o qual é oferecido gratuitamente pelo Grupo do Programa de Educação Tutorial (PET) Energia, Petróleo, Gás e Meio Ambiente na cidade de Itajubá - MG e região, a partir da conscientização e treinamento de profissionais do setor público e privado, bem como dos graduandos e pós-graduandos da UNIFEI e demais faculdades. Objetiva-se, ao longo do curso, destacar a importância do tratamento de resíduos para um sistema de gestão ambiental eficaz, discutindo-se as leis e os problemas ambientais, sociais e econômicos provenientes do seu manejo inadequado. Enfatiza-se despertar nos participantes uma visão multidisciplinar, a fim de provocá-los a buscar soluções para amenizar os riscos ambientais oriundos dos resíduos gerados no setor industrial. O sucesso da atividade de extensão é assegurado pelo frequente interesse, alta procura de profissionais da região e satisfação dos participantes ao fim do curso.
The Functional Role of Thalamocortical Coupling in the Human Motor Network
Authors: Opri Enrico , Cernera Stephanie , Okun Michael S. , Foote Kelly D. , Gunduz Aysegul
Published: August 2019

The amplitude of high broadband activity in human cortical field potentials indicates local processing and has repeatedly been shown to reflect motor control in the primary motor cortex. In a group of male and female subjects affected by essential tremor and undergoing deep brain stimulation surgery, ventral intermediate nucleus low-frequency oscillations (<30 Hz) entrain the corticomotor high broadband activity (>40 Hz) during rest, relinquishing that role during movement execution. This finding suggests that there is significant cross-rhythm communication between thalamocortical regions, and motor behavior corresponds to changes in thalamocortical phase-amplitude coupling profiles. Herein, we demonstrate that thalamocortical coupling is a crucial mechanism for gating motor behavior.

SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENTWe demonstrate, for the first time, how thalamocortical coupling is mediating movement execution in humans. We show how the low-frequency oscillation from the ventral intermediate nucleus, known as the motor nucleus of the thalamus, entrains the excitability of the primary motor cortex, as reflected by the phase-amplitude coupling between the two regions. We show that thalamocortical phase-amplitude coupling is a manifestation of a gating mechanism for movement execution mediated by the thalamus. These findings highlight the importance of incorporating cross-frequency relationship in models of motor behavior; and given the spatial specificity of this mechanism, this work could be used to improve functional targeting during surgical implantations in subcortical regions.