bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Liraglutide Therapy in a Prediabetic State: Rethinking the Evidence
Authors: Papaetis Georgios S.
Published: December 2019

Background:

Prediabetes is defined as a state of glucose metabolism between normal glucose
tolerance and type 2 diabetes. Continuous β-cell failure and death are the reasons for the evolution
from normal glucose tolerance to prediabetes and finally type 2 diabetes.

Introduction:

The necessity of new therapeutic approaches in order to prevent or delay the development
of type 2 diabetes is obligatory. Liraglutide, a long-acting GLP-1 receptor agonist, has 97% homology
for native GLP-1. Identification of the trophic and antiapoptotic properties of liraglutide in preclinical
studies, together with evidence of sustained β-cell function longevity during its administration
in type 2 diabetes individuals, indicated its earliest possible administration during this disease, or even
before its development, so as to postpone or delay its onset.

Methods:

Pubmed and Google databases have been thoroughly searched and relevant studies were selected.

Results:

This paper explores the current evidence of liraglutide administration both in humans and
animal models with prediabetes. Also, it investigates the safety profile of liraglutide treatment and its
future role to postpone or delay the evolution of type 2 diabetes.

Conclusion:

Liralgutide remains a valuable tool in our therapeutic armamentarium for individuals who
are overweight or obese and have prediabetes. Future well designed studies will give valuable information
that will help clinicians to stratify individuals who will derive the most benefit from this agent,
achieving targeted therapeutic strategies.
Role of Nano-Photocatalysts in Detoxification of Toxic Heavy Metals
Authors: Tahir Muhammad B. , Asiri Abdullah M. , Malik Muhammad F. , Khalid Nadeem R. , Iqbal Tahir , Rafique Muhammad , Kiran Habiba , Muhammad Shabbir , Siddeeg Saifeldin M. , Shahzad Khurram
Published: December 2019

Background:

Nano-photocatalysis through semiconductor-based materials has become an
emerging and eye-catching approach for detoxification of hazardous heavy metals in the aqueous environment.

Methods:

In this article, photocatalysis, being a green technique along with several other detoxification
technologies for toxic heavy metals, has been reviewed.

:

Furthermore, the adverse effects of heavy metals on human health, agricultural lands, environment,
and aquatic systems were investigated. Toxic heavy-metals contribute to numerous environmental
issues based on their toxicity.

Result:

Various types of photocatalysts have been discussed in recent literature for the detoxification
of heavy metals. The recycling of photocatalysts may be anticipated as a worthy method for
wastewater treatment which is also discussed with recent examples.

Conclusion:

Moreover, it concludes with efficiency, challenges and new future perspectives for
heavy metal detoxification using photocatalysis.
Graphitic Carbon Nitride-based New Advanced Materials for Photocatalytic Applications
Authors: Raizada Pankaj , Kumar Abhinandan , Singh Pardeep
Published: December 2019

Background:

The present scenario of rapid industrial and population growth has become a
serious threat to environmental and energy concerns. Extremely noxious pollutants like dyes, heavy
metal ions, phenols, antibiotics and pesticides in water are the reason behind deprived water quality
leading to inadequate access to clean water. Photocatalysis is a prominent strategy for environmental
remediation as photocatalytic materials not only convert solar energy into usable energy expedient
but also shows potential application in pollutant mitigation. An effectual photocatalytic system must
possess wide visible absorption range, high physio-chemical firmness, and effective space-charge
separation along with strong redox ability. Polymeric graphitic carbon nitride a metal-free semiconductor
photocatalyst has outshined as a robust photocatalyst for various photocatalytic applications.

Methods:

Hybridizing polymeric g-C3N4 with other semiconductor photocatalysts has not only conquer
the limitations related to pristine g-C3N4 but also displayed improved photoactivity. Different
photocatalytic systems involving g-C3N4 coupled metal-oxides, metal-free systems and complex heterojunction
systems are reviewed. Moreover, an all-embracing study based on g-C3N4 based nanocatalysts
is explored via heterojunction formation taking g-C3N4 as one component.

Results:

Photocatalytic experiments involving photodegradation of pollutants, revealed the significance
of metal-free g-C3N4 in the heterojunction system which remarkably boost the photoactivity
through effective separation and migration of photocarriers. Moreover, from recyclability experiments,
exceptional photostability of g-C3N4 based photocatalysts was observed. Photocatalytic pollutant
degradation is a complex phenomenon which requires significant experimental techniques to
support the mechanism. With the help of photoelectrochemical analysis, the mechanisms behind photodegradation
can be evaluated and explored.

Conclusion:

Metal-free polymeric g-C3N4 is a potential semiconductor photocatalyst which can be
optimally utilized for wastewater treatment. Coupling g-C3N4 with another semiconductor material
with an appropriate band edge can effectively enhance the photocatalytic efficacy. Herein, g-C3N4
derived metal-oxide, metal-free and complex heterojunction systems are explored and their photocatalytic
efficiency is evaluated for pollutant degradation. However, more effective research efforts
are needed for large-scale applications of g-C3N4 based photocatalysts.
Identification of In Vivo Metabolites of a Potential Anti-tumor Drug Candidate AMAC, in Rat Plasma, Urine and Feces Samples Using UHPLC/QTOF /MS/MS
Authors: Dou Caixia , Tang Minghai , Xia Yuanyuan , Yang Linyu , Qiu Xiang , Li Yong , Ye Haoyu , Wan Li
Published: December 2019

Background:

Drugs based on natural products targeting the microtubule system remain an
important component in cancer therapy. Compound 10, 4-((3-amino-4-methoxyphenyl) amino)-2Hcoumarin,
derived from coumarin, showed excellent anti-proliferative activity through directly binding
to the colchicine-binding site in β-tubulin, suggesting that it could be a perfect drug candidate for antitumor
drug research and development. Identification and structural characterization of metabolites is a
critical step of both drug discovery and development research.

Objective:

Compound 10, 4-((3-amino-4-methoxyphenyl) amino)-2H-coumarin, derived from coumarin.

Method:

In this study, an efficient and sensitive method using Ultra High-Performance Liquid Chromatography
couple with Quadrupole Time of Flight tandem Mass Spectrometry (UHPLC/QTOF/
MS/MS) was successfully established and applied to identify the in vivo metabolites in plasma,
urine and feces samples of rats after intravenous administration of Compound 10 with a single dose of
10 mg/kg.

Result:

A total of eight metabolites (including two phase I and six phase II metabolites) had been detected
or tentatively identified in plasma, urine and feces, indicating the prominent metabolic pathways
were glucuronidation, demethylation and hydroxylation. In addition, in order to understand the structure
of metabolites more accurately, synthesis strategy was used to confirm the metabolite M3.

Conclusion:

The present study provides important information on the metabolism of Compound 10 in
vivo for the first time, which would be helpful for understanding the potential metabolic processes of
Compound 10 and paving the way for pharmacology and toxicology research.
Applicability of Monocyte Activation Test for Pyrogen Detection in Succinylated Gelatin Injection
Authors: Zheng Luxia , Wang Mingren , Shen Xiong , Wang Can , Wan Liqing , Tang Liming , Chen Guiliang , Chen Gang
Published: December 2019

Background::

Pyrogens are fever-inducing substances and pyrogen detection is mandatory in
parenteral pharmaceuticals. Succinylated Gelatin Injection (SGI) is a biopharmaceutical product, containing
multi-component, and it is administered parenterally.

Objective:

The study aimed to assess pyrogen in SGI and to evaluate the feasibility of the Monocyte
Activation Test (MAT) for pyrogen detection in a multi-component pharmaceutical product.

Method:

In the present study, the Bacterial Endotoxin Test (BET) and the Monocyte Activation Test
(MAT) were employed to assess pyrogen in SGI. The MAT method was developed on the basis of the
HL-60/IL-6 assay. HL-60 cells were incubated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) standards and sample
solutions. The endotoxin produced by the incubation, interleukin-6 (IL-6), was measured by ELISA.
The MAT method was validated and main parameters were investigated. Finally, the pyrogenicity of
SGIs from two different enterprises was determined by the developed MAT method.

Results:

The BET failed in the test for interfering factors and the MAT was proved suitable for the pyrogen
detection of SGI. All the products examined showed negative results in the pyrogen detection
test.

Conclusion:

The MAT method is feasible in pyrogen detection of SGI. It can be applied in pyrogen
detection for quality and safety control of multi-component biological products.
Chemical Composition of Essential Oil and In Vitro Biological Activities of Dryopteris marginalis L.
Authors: Islam Mohammad Zahidul , Shahinuzzaman Mohammad , Yilmaz Raşit Fikret , Rahman Hafizur , Derin Yavuz , Tutar Omer Faruk , Tutar Ahmet
Published: December 2019

Introduction:

Dryopteris marginalis L. is a local plant in Bangladesh which is widely
used as folk medicine.

Materials and Methods:

In this study, the chemical composition of essential oil of D. marginalis L.
as well as the antioxidant activity, antibacterial activity and total phenolic content of various organic
extracts were analyzed. The gas chromatography mass spectrometry analysis was used to identify
the chemical compositions. The antibacterial activity of different extracts of Dryopteris marginalis
was examined against three gram-negative bacteria and two gram-positive bacteria. The antibacterial
activity of different extracts was investigated using the disc diffusion method and minimum inhibitory
concentration showing important antibacterial activity and was measured by using the broth
dilution method.

Results:

The antioxidant activity was determined by using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH)
assay and superoxide radical scavenging assay. The total phenolic portion of the extracts was ascertained
by Folin-Ciocalteu in an alkaline medium. Twenty-two volatile compounds were identified
from the essential oil. The methanol extract exhibited a significant inhibitory effect which was close
to the value of standard antibiotic (Streptomycin). The zones of inhibition of different organic extracts
against the tested bacteria were found in the range of (7-15) mm and the Minimum Inhibitory
Concentrations (MIC) were recorded (15.62-1000) μg/ml. The antioxidant activity of D. marginalis
was (82.13+1.2) % and (59.21+0.45) % highest activity with DPPH and superoxide radical scavenging
assay, respectively.

Conclusion:

The methanol extract showed the highest (147.43+3.1) mg/g GAE of total phenolic content.
The extracts and essential oil of D. marginalis showing strong antibacterial activity can be considered
as a potential source of natural medicine and the ingredient of modern therapeutic agents.
Evaluation of Anticancer and Anti-Mitotic Properties of Quinazoline and Quinazolino-Benzothiadiazine Derivatives
Authors: Shaik Thoukhir B. , Malik M. Shaheer , Routhu Sunitha R. , Seddigi Zaki S. , Althagafi Ismail I. , Kamal Ahmed
Published: December 2019

Background:

Cancer is one of the major health and social-economic problems despite considerable
progress in its early diagnosis and treatment. Owing to the emergence and increase of multidrug resistance to
various conventional drugs, and the continuing importance of health-care expenditure, many researchers have
focused on developing novel and effective anticancer compounds.

Objective:

Chemical repositories provide a good platform to evaluate and exploit known chemical entities for
the identification of other biological activities. In the present study, we have selected an in-house library of
synthesized compounds based on two different pharmacophoric scaffolds to evaluate their cytotoxic potency on
various cancer cell lines and mechanisms of action.

Methods:

A series of in-house synthesized quinazoline and quinazolino-benzothiadiazine derivatives were investigated
for their anticancer efficacy against a panel of five cancer (DU145, MCF7, HepG2, SKOV3 and
MDA-MB-231) and one normal (MRC5) cell lines. Furthermore, the active compound of the study was investigated
to elucidate the mechanism of cytotoxicity by performing series of experiments such as cell cycle analysis,
inhibition of tubulin polymerization, alteration of mitochondrial membrane potential, determination of endocytic
pathway for drug uptake pathway and combination drug treatment.

Results:

Among all the tested compounds, fifteen of them exhibited promising growth-inhibitory effect (0.15-
5.0μM) and induced cell cycle arrest in the G2/M phase. In addition, the selected compounds inhibited the microtubule
assembly; altered mitochondrial membrane potential and enhanced the levels of caspase-9 in MCF-7
cells. Furthermore, the active compound with a combination of drugs showed a synergistic effect at lower concentrations,
and the drug uptake was mediated through clathrin-mediated endocytic pathway.

Conclusion:

Our results indicated that quinazoline and quinazolino-benzothiadiazine conjugates could serve as
potential leads in the development of new anticancer agents.
Nano-Based Drug Delivery System: Recent Strategies for the Treatment of Ocular Disease and Future Perspective
Authors: Qamar Zufika , Qizilbash Farheen Fatima , Iqubal Mohammad Kashif , Ali Asgar , Narang Jasjeet Kaur , Ali Javed , Baboota Sanjula
Published: December 2019

The structure of the eye is very complex in nature which makes it a challenging task for
pharmaceutical researchers to deliver the drug at the desired sites via different routes of administration.
The development of the nano-based system helped in delivering the drug in the desired concentration.
Improvement in penetration property, bioavailability, and residence time has all been achieved by encapsulating
drugs into liposomes, dendrimers, solid lipid nanoparticle, nanostructured lipid carrier,
nanoemulsion, and nanosuspension. This review puts emphasis on the need for nanomedicine for ocular
drug delivery and recent developments in the field of nanomedicine along with recent patents published
in the past few years.
Next Steps in 3D Printing of Fast Dissolving Oral Films for Commercial Production
Authors: Ehtezazi Touraj , Algellay Marwan , Hardy Alison
Published: December 2019

3D printing technique has been utilised to develop novel and complex drug delivery systems
that are almost impossible to produce by employing conventional formulation techniques. For example,
this technique may be employed to produce tablets or Fast Dissolving oral Films (FDFs) with multilayers
of active ingredients, which are personalised to patient’s needs. In this article, we compared the
production of FDFs by 3D printing to conventional methods such as solvent casting. Then, we evaluated
the need for novel methods of producing fast dissolving oral films, and why 3D printing may be
able to meet the shortfalls of FDF production. The challenges of producing 3D printed FDFs are identified
at commercial scale by referring to the identification of suitable materials, hardware, qualitycontrol
tests and Process Analytical Technology. In this paper, we discuss that the FDF market will
grow to more than $1.3 billion per annum in the next few years and 3D printing of FDFs may share
part of this market. Although companies are continuing to invest in technologies, which provide alternatives
to standard drug delivery systems, the market for thin-film products is already well established.
Market entry for a new technology such as 3D printing of FDFs will, therefore, be hard, unless, this
technology proves to be a game changer. A few approaches are suggested in this paper.
99mTc-EDDA/HYNIC-TOC is a New Opportunity in Neuroendocrine Tumors of the Lung (and in other Malignant and Benign Pulmonary Diseases)
Authors: Briganti Vittorio , Cuccurullo Vincenzo , Berti Valentina , Di Stasio Giuseppe D. , Linguanti Flavia , Mungai Francesco , Mansi Luigi
Published: December 2019

Neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) consist of a relatively rare spectrum of malignancies that
can arise from neuroendocrine cells; lung NETs (L-NETs) represent about 25% of primary lung neoplasm
and 10% of all carcinoid tumors. Diagnostic algorithm usually takes into consideration chest Xray,
contrast-enhanced CT and MRI. Nuclear medicine plays a crucial role in the detection and correct
assessment of neoplastic functional status as it provides in vivo metabolic data related to the overexpression
of Somatostatin Receptors (SSTRs) and also predicting response to peptide receptor radionuclide
therapy (PRRT). 111In-Pentreotide (Octreoscan®) is commercially available for imaging of
neuroendocrine tumors, their metastases and the management of patients with NETs. More recently,
99mTc-EDDA/HYNIC-TOC(Tektrotyd®) was introduced into the market and its use has been approved
for imaging of patients with L-NETs and other SSTR-positive tumors. 99mTc-EDDA/HYNIC-TOC
could also represent a good alternative to 68Ga-DOTA-peptides (DOTA-TOC, DOTA-NOC, DOTATATE)
in hospitals or centers where PET/CT or 68Ge/68Ga generators are not available. When compared
to 111In-Pentetreotide, Tektrotyd® showed slightly higher sensitivity, in the presence of higher
imaging quality and lower radiation exposure for patients. Interesting perspectives depending on the
kinetic analysis allowed by Tektrotyd® may be obtained in differential diagnosis of non-small cells
lung cancer (NSCLC) versus small cells lung cancer (SCLC) and NETs. An interesting perspective
could be also associated with a surgery radio-guided by Tektrotyd® in operable lung tumors, including
either NETs and NSCLC.
Antioxidant Potentials of T. indica and its Environmental Application: A Mini Review
Authors: Katsayal Babangida Sanusi , Sallau Abdullahi Balarabe , Muhammad Aliyu , Garba Auwalu
Published: December 2019

Under-utilized and abundant plants found in Africa are endowed with a lot of potentials, which can be coupled and channeled to aid environmental, economic and social development. Tamarind (Tamarindus indica) is one of the most commonly under-utilized plant materials with some reported biological and environmental relevance. In this communication, we reported on antioxidant potentials and environmental role associated with T. indica, which might be due to its vast phytochemical constituents, to unravel the applicability of antioxidant properties of T. indica for environmental health and remediation. Numerous researchers revealed antioxidant capacity, phenolics and ascorbic acid content of different parts of Tamarind to be significantly appreciative. These properties show a strong association with the vast amount of phytochemicals confined in this plant. The presence of phytocompounds in Tamarind such as luteolin, catechin, apigenin, lupeol and terpenoids has been implicated in the treatment and management of different diseases such as diabetes, cancer, hypertension and cardiovascular disorders. These highlighted medicinal roles were associated with their antioxidant capacities. This property in T. indica might serve as a driving force in many of its displayed biological potentials. The plant also demonstrated robust abilities for environmental uses. Thus, T. indica could also serve reasonably, in the field of environmental science such as bioremediation, biosorption, coagulation and waste water treatment due to its abundance and limited utilization. This review, therefore, highlights the applicability of antioxidant properties of T. indica for environmental health and remediation.
Conceptual Design, Kinematics and Dynamics of Vector Thruster for Underwater Vehicle Based on Screw Theory
Authors: Chen Yuan , Tang Liang , Han Lingyun , Xu Han
Published: December 2019

Background:

The vector propulsion device can significantly improve the sensitivity and
mobility of the mechanism. Furthermore, thrust vectoring technology with single manipulator and multidimensional
attitude is a novel thrust vectoring technique in industry, especially in aviation fields.
Numerous progresses made by various research groups and the newest patents in these aspects will be
cited in this paper.

Objective:

To apply the thrust vectoring technology to Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs), a
spherical parallel vectored thruster with three Degree-Of-Freedom (DOF) was proposed based on vector
deflection constrained screw method.

Methods:

Firstly, in the framework of screw theory, the topological structure of the spherical parallel
mechanism was modeled to analyze the motion characteristics. Secondly, in terms of closed chain constraint
equations, the vectored algebra method was employed to derive the Jacobian matrix of the
mechanism. Thirdly, the decoupling structure configuration method was adopted to establish the analytical
model of velocity and acceleration. Finally, the dynamic model was established by means of
virtual work principle.

Results:

The forward and inverse solutions of the mechanism was calculated; the Jacobian matrix of the
mechanism was derived; the kinematic characters including singularity and dexterity were analyzed;
the performance analysis was carried out.

Conclusion:

This new type of underwater vehicle oriented power plant, which is characterized by simple
decoupling structure, strong steering capability, and high cost-efficiency, has broad prospects in the
field of AUV.
Design of Multi-function Power Factor Instrument with STM32
Authors: Qi Wenjuan , Gao Jixuan , Wang Zhongxian
Published: December 2019

Background:

A multifunctional power factor device based on the FFT algorithm has
been designed. The digital panel can display power factor, voltage, current, frequency, phase angle,
active power and reactive power.

Objective:

To solve the influence of the harmonic interference and the aperiodic component on the
accuracy of power factor measurement.

Methods:

In this paper, by combining a fixed-point 256-point FFT algorithm and taking STM32 as
the core microcontroller, the hardware circuit and the software program are designed respectively.
The hardware circuit is tested and analyzed in practice. Among them, the hardware circuit mainly
includes the main circuit design, STM32 control circuit design, EMI and second-order RC filter
circuit design, sampling circuit design, and signal conditioning circuit design. The software program
mainly includes the main program, AD conversion subroutine, voltage and current acquisition
subroutine, LCD display subroutine and twirl factor array. FFT algorithm is achieved by the
table look-up method.

Results:

Finally, the hardware circuit is built and the software program is debugged to test the designed
device. The experimental results show that the designed power factor instrument meets the
task requirements under the different types of loads.

Conclusion:

After processing and analyzing the measurement results, it can be concluded that: under
the pure resistive load, the maximal relative error of electrical parameters is 4.49%; and under
the resistive inductive load, the maximal relative error of electrical parameters is 2.86%. Both results
meet the design requirements.
Military repair system of AMS equipment and communication
Authors: Tolstosheev P. A. , Belyakov M. O. , Tolstosheeva E. A.
Published: December 2019

Problems of carrying out repair and technical maintenance of the automatic management system (AMS) equipment and communication in service of the rocket and artillery arms (RAA) of Russian Armed Forces divisions are considered. The military repair system of AMS equipment and communication capable to increase efficiency of logistics support service by automating key processes is offered. The composition of the hardware and software complex that ensures the interaction of repair units and higher governing bodies is offered. The software part provides storage and processing of information on status monitoring, functional checks, maintenance, diagnostic results and repair of attached objects and their components. The hardware is represented by a universal built-in set of communication and data transfer means, which allows to provide a unified control loop of repair units of the logistics support service. The main means of technical support for repair operations is a mobile workshop for diagnostics and repair of AMS equipment and communications, which is a universal transport module equipped with special systems and tools that ensure staff activities and equipment operability. It is also proposed the introduction of a specialized workshop based on a container body, which includes a machine with numerical control and a 3D printer in order to save on the manufacture and transportation of some simple details and spare parts.
Method of exact position fix of mobile objects by means of RFID systems and its application
Authors: Mayorov B. G.
Published: December 2019

The features of the author’s patented method for determining the coordinates of moving objects using radio frequency identification tags (RFID tags) are studied, in which the coordinates of their constant position on the object’s path are recorded. On a moving object (personnel, warehouse forklift, car, etc.), RFID tag readers are installed that interact with RFID tags installed on the ground and read their coordinates. Thereby, the coordinates of a moving object on the track are accurately and quickly determined. A methodology for choosing an implementation option is proposed and examples of applying the obtained results in mines, warehouses, on automobile routes, for civil and dual-use systems are given. The necessity of using passive RFID tags and a circularly polarized reader antenna is established. The resulting solution has no real restrictions on the speed of moving objects.
Methods of forecasting technical and economic processes and the possibility of improving them
Authors: Ryzhakov K. V. , Portnova I. M.
Published: December 2019

The article provides a brief overview of the methods for forecasting technical and economic processes, reveals their features. A method for estimating the parameters of models with a varying value of the degree of time is proposed, which can be used to implement the method of growth models and the method based on representations of fuzzy sets. The features of methods based on growth models are considered. The simplest methods are compared, the implementation of which can be represented in the form of the following steps: 1) a curve is selected heuristically (expertly), smoothing the initial statistical data and extrapolating to their perspective, while the degrees of the terms of the model are chosen constant; 2) the parameters of the models are estimated, most often by the least squares method; 3) the adequacy of the model by the initial data and the value of the predicted parameter are evaluated. As analysis has shown, the first two stages are decisive in the process of increasing the accuracy of the forecast, and therefore it is advisable to improve them. To do this, it is proposed to use an iterative process, which allows you to simultaneously vary the coefficients at various degrees of the time parameter, as well as its degree. The iterative process is presented in detail by analytical calculations that are convenient in engineering applications.
Simulation modeling of packet switching network segment functioning
Authors: Shelkovoy D. V. , Chernikov A. A.
Published: December 2019

The testing results of required channel resource mathematical estimating models for the for serving the proposed multimedia load in packet-switched communication networks are presented in the article. The assessment of the attainable level of quality of service at the level of data packet transportation was carried out by means of simulation modeling of the functioning of a switching node of a communication network. The developed modeling algorithm differs from the existing ones by taking into account the introduced delay for processing each data stream packet arriving at the switching node, depending on the size of the reserved buffer and the channel resource for its maintenance. A joint examination of the probability of packet loss and the introduced delay in the processing of data packets in the border router allows a comprehensive assessment of the quality of service «end to end», which in turn allows you to get more accurate values of the effective data transmitted rate by aggregating flows at the entrance to the transport network.
Document-Level Biomedical Relation Extraction Using Graph Convolutional Network and Multihead Attention: Algorithm Development and Validation (Preprint)
Authors: Wang Jian , Chen Xiaoyu , Zhang Yu , Zhang Yijia , Wen Jiabin , Lin Hongfei , Yang Zhihao , Wang Xin
Published: December 2019

BACKGROUND

Automatically extracting relations between chemicals and diseases plays an important role in biomedical text mining. Chemical-disease relation (CDR) extraction aims at extracting complex semantic relationships between entities in documents, which contain intrasentence and intersentence relations. Most previous methods did not consider dependency syntactic information across the sentences, which are very valuable for the relations extraction task, in particular, for extracting the intersentence relations accurately.

OBJECTIVE

In this paper, we propose a novel end-to-end neural network based on the graph convolutional network (GCN) and multihead attention, which makes use of the dependency syntactic information across the sentences to improve CDR extraction task.

METHODS

To improve the performance of intersentence relation extraction, we constructed a document-level dependency graph to capture the dependency syntactic information across sentences. GCN is applied to capture the feature representation of the document-level dependency graph. The multihead attention mechanism is employed to learn the relatively important context features from different semantic subspaces. To enhance the input representation, the deep context representation is used in our model instead of traditional word embedding.

RESULTS

We evaluate our method on CDR corpus. The experimental results show that our method achieves an F-measure of 63.5%, which is superior to other state-of-the-art methods. In the intrasentence level, our method achieves a precision, recall, and F-measure of 59.1%, 81.5%, and 68.5%, respectively. In the intersentence level, our method achieves a precision, recall, and F-measure of 47.8%, 52.2%, and 49.9%, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

The GCN model can effectively exploit the across sentence dependency information to improve the performance of intersentence CDR extraction. Both the deep context representation and multihead attention are helpful in the CDR extraction task.
Heat engineering properties of energy-efficient material based on plant additives (dried hogweed)
Authors: Musorina Тatiana А. , Naumova Elizaveta A. , Shonina Ekaterina V. , Petrichenko Mikhail R. , Kukolev Maksim I.
Published: December 2019

Introduction. The articlecompares the heat engineering properties of construction materials: high-strength concrete, ordinary concrete, and two concrete samples containing a vegetable additive, dried stem fragments of hogweed (Heracleum sosnowskyi). The first sample contains the additive in the crushed form, while the second contains the additive in the form of tubes. The research to estimate heat conduction in the four samples under unsteady conditions.

Materials and methods. The thermal diffusivity of two samples with plant additive is determined using a comparative physical experiment. When determining the thermal properties, the accumulating component of the enclosure is taken into account what leads to a long delay in the temperature variation over time. DS18B20 digital temperature sensors connected to an Arduino Uno board were used to measure the temperature. The experiment was carried out in the Challenge 250 chamber at an initial temperature of 20 ºС. Then the chamber temperature was lowered to 0 ºС within 30 minutes. In the next period, the temperature dropped from 0 ºС to –10 ºС. The data obtained are of interest for improving the energy efficiency of buildings.

Results. The experiments showed that the tubular-hogweed sample is close to high-strength concrete by its heat engineering properties. The material thermal diffusivity affects the amplitude of temperature fluctuations and the accumulating capacity of the wall.

Conclusions. It is established experimentally that at lower thermal diffusivity of a hogweed-containing sample, the amplitude of temperature fluctuations increases. This indicates a greater time lag, just as in the case of a high-strength concrete sample. When using the hogweed as an additive, we obtain a heat-resistant minimum-cost material for enclosures. Considering an issue of the energy efficiency in construction and existing additives to concrete, the researchers have reached the conclusion that it is efficient to use the dried hogweed as the plant additive.
En el principio era la mano: Ernst Kapp y la relación entre máquina y organismo
Authors: Esposito Maurizio
Published: December 2019

The relation between organisms and machines is very old. Over a century ago, the French historian and philosopher Alfred Victor Espinas observed that from the Greeks onwards the intelligibility of the organic world presupposed a comparison with technical objects. Aristotle, for instance, associated living organs with mechanical artefacts in order to understand animals ‘movements. In the modern period, Descartes, Borelli and other mechanists defended the idea that organisms are, in reality, machines. Today, philosophers and scientists still argue that the genome is like a software and the brain is like a computer. In this article I reconsider the relation between organisms and machines from the perspective of the German geographer and philosopher Ernst Kapp (1808-1896), one of the founding fathers of the Philosophy of Technology. Breaking with a long and venerable philosophical tradition, Kapp argued that machines are, in reality, “organic projections”. Organisms are not machines; they are an imitation or reflection of the organic world. First of all, I clarify the hypothesis of “organic projection” (including its virtues and limits). Secondly, I consider some of the philosophical consequences that such a hypothesis entails over the debate between machinists and anti-mechanists. Finally, and following the previous considerations, I defend the importance of reconnecting the philosophy of technology with philosophy of biology in order to better understand the development of contemporary biology.
Perspectivas darwinistas sobre la mente y la conducta humanas: alcances, limitaciones e implicancias educativas
Authors: González Galli Leonardo
Published: December 2019

In this work I characterize Darwinian approaches to human behavior and mind, especially evolutionary psychology, and analyze the main criticisms that these approaches have received. To this end I resort to Jean Marie Schaeffer’s criticism of the thesis of human exceptionality and the semantic perspective of scientific theories of Ronald Giere. I conclude that the main criticisms (reductionism, determinism and ideological bias) are not applicable to evolutionary psychology as a research program. I also conclude that it cannot be held a priori that the Darwinian approach is not applicable to the human mind and behavior. Finally, I discuss some educational implications of these debates.
Una discusión en torno a los límites del concepto especie
Authors: Martín Villuendas Mariano
Published: December 2019

The conceptual dilemma that species entail has divided, since its formulation, biologists and philosophers in two spheres: those who believe in the existence of a unified category of species and those who defend the unyielding plurality of equally legitimate concepts. The aim of this paper is to comprise the analysis of the problems that revolve around the species category with the only purpose being to determine the existence of only one univocal and unrestricted definition of species. For this reason, the paper will be divided into two sections. The first section will analyse the extent to which essentialism amounts to an antithetical theory to the modern biological theory. In the second section a detailed critique will be carried out on existing attempts to devise a definition of species. Two conclusions can be drawn from the previous statements. First and due to the fall of essentialism, that there is not only one single category of species but an uncompromising plurality of concepts. Secondly and following previous assertion, it can be stated that the most consistent viewpoint in the evolutionary theory is the one in which an ontological pluralism is embraced and, consequently, a taxonomical pluralism.
Códigos de barras y esencias históricas: una crítica a la versión moderada del esencialismo biológico intrínseco
Authors: Torres Meléndez Julio
Published: December 2019

The current tendency to moderate expectations that DNA barcode can be a method of discovering new species is due to the essentialist interpretation of this scientific analogy that is conceptually unsustainable. Something similar has happened in the philosophical field with the weakening of the initial versions of intrinsic biological essentialism (EBI). To examine the nature of this transition, I propose two principles that define a moderate EBI: one that assumes that the history of the taxon is metaphysically dependent on the evolution of its intrinsic properties and another that assumes the necessary coextensivity between the intrinsic properties that explain the phenotype of the species and the bearers of identity conditions of a species. I argue that both principles are conceptually and empirically unsatisfactory.
Foucault as an Ethical Philosopher: The Genealogical Discussion of Antiquity and the Present
Authors: Lais Dimitrios
Published: December 2019

The paper further realises Foucault’s genealogy of ethics to grasp genealogy as the totality of three axes – power, truth, and ethics – driven by the ethical axis. The paper demonstrates that Foucault’s discussion of antiquity is genealogical. The main focus is Foucault’s late work and, in particular, his final lectures on The Courage of Truth. The paper highlights the genealogical function of the distinction between ‘Laches’ and ‘Alcibiades’. ‘Laches’ provides a heuristic source for self-care in the present in the form of practices of living tied to the ‘Laches’ parrhesia. But, it is also a critique of the present applied to democratic theories that have used the neo-platonic line of the ‘Alcibiades’ parrhesia – of which Foucault disapproves – as their source in creating traceable technologies of the self tied to structures of domination. Such technologies freeze games of power and governmentalise the problematisation of how to govern the self. Hence, the genealogical discussion of antiquity in connection with an understanding of genealogy as problematisation should be perceived as a heuristic source of self-creation with critical implications for evaluating power regimes in the present. The paper introduces the link between the ancient past and the present with respect to Foucault vis-à-vis certain democratic theories. The central aim is to consider on what grounds placing the problematisation of the self at the centre of a new politics can be also linked to governmentality. In this context, the paper also clarifies the wider implication of its core premise for Foucauldian studies and the emerging discussion of parrhesia.
Ethical Invention in Sartre and Foucault: Courage, Freedom, Transformation
Authors: Engels Kimberly
Published: December 2019

This article explores the concept of ethical invention in both Jean-Paul Sartre’s and Michel Foucault’s later lectures and interviews, showing that a courageous disposition to invent or transform plays a key role in both thinkers’ visions of ethics. Three of Sartre’s post-Critique of Dialectical Reason lectures on ethics are examined: Morality and History, The Rome Lecture, and A Plea for Intellectuals. It is shown that ethical invention for Sartre requires the use of our freedom to transcend our current circumstances, a willingness to break away from harmful ideologies, and directing our free praxis towards the goal of universal humanism.  Examining several of Foucault’s interviews alongside his lecture series The Government of Self and Others and The Courage of Truth, it is shown that ethical invention for Foucault requires a rejection of necessities or inevitabilities in our current landscape, a willingness to reshape our current beliefs, and a philosophical way of life that results in an alteration of the relationship to self and others. For both thinkers, ethical invention should be preceded by a critical reflection on ourselves in our historical moment. Both argue that ethical invention requires a rejection of the inherent value of our world and realization that the conditions of possibility for being subjects are malleable. Last, it is shown that both philosophers specifically call philosophers or intellectuals to invent.
The Paradoxes in the Use of the Panopticon as a Theoretical Reference in Urban Video-surveillance Studies: A Case Study of a CCTV System of a Brazilian city
Authors: Bricalli Iafet Leonardi
Published: December 2019

This article aims at introducing the relation between the use of CCTV systems in urban spaces and social control. More specifically, its purpose is to problematize and reaffirm the use of the theoretical background of the panopticon in order to interpret such a relation. In CCTV studies, as a consequence of literal interpretations, as well as the existence of a hegemony in ethnographic studies carried out in control rooms, the theoretical use of the panopticon is then questioned. In this article, based on an ethnographic study conducted in the public spaces surveilled by a CCTV system in a Brazilian city, it can be concluded that the effects of social control through surveillance are paradoxical. The indifferent way in which citizens deal with surveillance, or even the lack of awareness of it, imposes limits to the interpretation of the system as a tool of social control. Thus, the use of the panopticon becomes problematic. However, this research has shown how the presence of cameras in public spaces makes it conducive for a state of control in the form of a network whose project would be a mythical and homogeneous ordering of the spaces. The importance of the interpretation of Jeremy Bentham’s panopticon by Michel Foucault is then reaffirmed, that is, panopticism as a trend of normalization and moralization of the public spaces.
CONHECIMENTOS TRADICIONAIS E O ENSINO DE CIÊNCIAS NA EDUCAÇÃO ESCOLAR QUILOMBOLA: UM ESTUDO ETNOBIOLÓGICO
Authors: Silva Joaklebio Alves da , Ramos Marcelo Alves
Published: December 2019

A relação entre os seres humanos e o meio ambiente resulta na geração de conhecimentos que estão ligados com a cultura local e é de fundamental importância ser considerado na formação educativa do indivíduo. A presente pesquisa objetivou identificar, com base na etnobiologia, como estudantes de uma escola pública e quilombola localizada no Município de Goiana, Estado de Pernambuco, Brasil, conhecem e representam a biodiversidade de sua comunidade, e descrever como esses conhecimentos contribuíram para o ensino de ciências através do diálogo intercultural. Por meio da metodologia da pesquisa-ação foi solicitado que os estudantes produzissem um desenho que representassem seus conhecimentos acerca da biodiversidade local e o descrevessem através de uma produção textual. Os dados coletados procederam a análise de conteúdo em uma perspectiva analítico-interpretativa. Os conhecimentos identificados foram agrupados em categorias de análise e, posteriormente, contextualizados através do planejamento de sequências didáticas aplicadas em turmas de anos iniciais do ensino fundamental. Os resultados indicam que os estudantes quilombolas detêm conhecimentos tradicionais ligados ao ambiente em que vivem, especificamente ao ecossistema manguezal e demais aspectos da mata atlântica. Pôde-se notar que esses conhecimentos estabelecem relações diretas com os saberes científicos na escola, os quais, quando considerados em sala de aula, contribuíram para o ensino de ciências com base no diálogo intercultural entre conhecimentos tradicionais e científicos em uma perspectiva etnobiológica, revelando a relevância da contextualização de conhecimentos no ensino de ciências como proposta para o trabalho docente no âmbito da cultura quilombola.
Construction of a religious identity status questionnaire
Authors: Stojkovic Irena , Dimoski Sanja , Miric Jovan
Published: December 2019

This study presents a construction and psychometric evaluation of the Religious Identity Status Questionnaire ? RISQ for the assessment of the religious identity status according to Marcia?s ego identity status approach. The initial item pool was generated based on Erikson?s theory of psychosocial development, Marcia?s ego identity status approach and interviews with adolescents and young adults. A factor analysis of the initial item pool was performed on data obtained from a sample of 394 secondary school and university students from Serbia to select items for the questionnaire. Validity of the questionnaire was examined on a sample of 1155 subjects. The results of the CFA suggest that subscales of the RISQ measure four factors corresponding to the identity statuses of Marcia?s model. Correlations with ideological identity subscales of the EOM?EIS?2 suggest the convergent validity of the questionnaire. Configural measurement invariance was established for gender and denominational groups. Metric invariance was established for gender and among orthodox and catholic participants, whereas scalar invariance was established for gender, but not for denominational groups.
Incidental misplacement of a percutaneous nephrostomy tube in the inferior vena cava
Authors: Potic Milan , Ignjatovic Ivan
Published: December 2019

Introduction. An isolated renal pelvis rupture is a rare type of blunt renal trauma that can occur mostly in patients with pre-existing hydronephrosis due to different causes. We presented a patient with the misplacement of a percutaneous nephrostomy tube during the treatment of isolated renal pelvis rupture in a patient with pre-existing hydronephrosis caused by post-irradiation ureteral stricture. Case report. A 36-year-old woman was referred to our institution by her gynaecologist for the treatment of a retroperitoneal urinoma. She had completed the irradiation treatment with concurrent cisplatin chemotherapy for a uterine malignancy one year ago. A computed tomography scan showed an isolated rupture of the left renal pelvis with the pre-existing hydronephrosis. A nephrostomy catheter was misplaced in the inferior vena cava during the percutaneous urinary drainage attempt. The patient underwent a laparotomy, renal pelvis suture and ureteroneocystostomy with an indwelling double pigtail stent. The percutaneous nephrostomy was removed during the same surgical procedure. Conclusion. Inadvertent injury of vascular structures is a possible complication of percutaneous nephrostomy under ultrasound guidance. It may have been possible to avoid the reported complication if the dilation of the nephrostomy tract over the guidewire had been performed under contrast-enhanced X-ray fluoroscopy.