bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Antitumor Effects of Freeze‐Dried Robusta Coffee (Coffea canephora) Extracts on Breast Cancer Cell Lines
Authors: Nigra Ayelén D. , de Almeida Bauer Guimarães Deborah , Prucca César G. , Freitas-Silva Otniel , Teodoro Anderson J. , Gil Germán A.
Published: May 2021

Coffee consumption is believed to have chemopreventive and chemotherapeutic effects and to contribute to preventing the development and progression of cancer. However, there is still controversy around these claims. As indicated in our previous works, diet can influence the risk of breast cancer. Intake of coffee is hypothesized to reduce this risk, but current scientific evidence is not conclusive. This work is aimed at studying the effects of Robusta coffee bean extract on cell viability, proliferation, and apoptosis of different human cancers, especially breast cancer cell lines. To this end, cell viability was evaluated by Alamar Blue in 2D and 3D models, the cell cycle by PI, apoptosis by annexin V, mitochondrial morphology, and functionality by mitoTracker, and colony formation capacity by the clonogenic assay. Green and dark coffee extract significantly reduced viability in human breast, colorectal, brain, and bone cancer cells. Coffee anticancer activity was clearly evidenced in MDA‐MB‐231 (ER-) and MCF‐7 (ER+) breast cancer cells but not in the normal breast cell line. In addition, coffee extract induces an increase S phase and a decrease G2/M population in breast cancer cells, affected the mitochondrial morphology, and triggered apoptosis. MDA‐MB‐231 breast cancer cells lost their clonogenic capacity after treatment. The antitumor activity was demonstrated in both 2D and 3D culture cell models.
Data-Driven Approach for Passenger Mobility Pattern Recognition Using Spatiotemporal Embedding
Authors: Yu Chao , Li Haiying , Xu Xinyue , Liu Jun , Miao Jianrui , Wang Yitang , Sun Qi
Published: May 2021

Urban mobility pattern recognition has great potential in revealing human travel mechanism, discovering passenger travel purpose, and predicting and managing traffic demand. This paper aims to propose a data-driven method to identify metro passenger mobility patterns based on Automatic Fare Collection (AFC) data and geo-based data. First, Point of Information (POI) data within 500 meters of the metro stations are captured to characterize the spatial attributes of the stations. Especially, a fusion method of multisource geo-based data is proposed to convert raw POI data into weighted POI data considering service capabilities. Second, an unsupervised learning framework based on stacked auto-encoder (SAE) is designed to embed the spatiotemporal information of trips into low-dimensional dense trip vectors. In detail, the embedded spatiotemporal information includes spatial features (POI categories around the origin station and that around the destination station) and temporal features (start time, day of the week, and travel time). Third, a density-based clustering algorithm is introduced to identify passenger mobility patterns based on the embedded dense trip vectors. Finally, a case of Beijing metro network is used to verify the feasibility of the above methodology. The results show that the proposed method performs well in recognizing mobility patterns and outperforms the existing methods.
The Emerging Roles of CCN3 Protein in Immune-Related Diseases
Authors: Peng Linan , Wei Yingying , Shao Yijia , Li Yi , Liu Na , Duan Lihua
Published: May 2021

The CCN proteins are a family of extracellular matrix- (ECM-) associated proteins which currently consist of six secreted proteins (CCN1-6). CCN3 protein, also known as nephroblastoma overexpressed protein (NOV), is a member of the CCN family with multiple biological functions, implicated in major cellular processes such as cell growth, migration, and differentiation. Recently, CCN3 has emerged as a critical regulator in a variety of diseases, including immune-related diseases, including rheumatology arthritis, osteoarthritis, and systemic sclerosis. In this review, we will briefly introduce the structure and function of the CCN3 protein and summarize the roles of CCN3 in immune-related diseases, which is essential to understand the functions of the CCN3 in immune-related diseases.
Five-Echelon Multiobjective Health Services Supply Chain Modeling under Disruption
Authors: Javadi Gargari Farnaz , Sayad Mahjoube , Posht Mashhadi Seyed Ali , Sadrnia Abdolhossein , Nedjati Arman , Yousefi Golafshani Tahereh
Published: May 2021

Medicine unreliability problem is taken into consideration as one of the most important issues in health supply chain management. This research is associated with the development of a multiobjective optimization problem for the selection of suppliers and distributors. To achieve the purposes, the optimal quota allocation is determined with respect to disruption of suppliers in a five-echelon supply chain network and consideration of the distributor centers as a hub location-allocation mode. The objective of the optimization model is involved in simultaneous minimization of transactions costs dealing with suppliers, expected purchasing costs from suppliers, expected percentages of delayed and returned products in each distributor, as well as transportation cost in each echelon and fixed cost for distributor centers, and finally maximization of the expected scores for suppliers and high priority of product customers. The optimization problem is formulated as a mixed-integer nonlinear programming model. The proposed optimization model is utilized to investigate a numerical case study for asthma-specific medicines. The analyzing procedure is conducted based on the collected real data from Cobel Darou pharmaceutical company in 2019. Furthermore, a fuzzy multichoice goal programming model is considered to solve the proposed optimization model by R optimization solver. The numerical results confirmed the authenticity of the model.
Biocompatibility and Angiogenic Effect of Chitosan/Graphene Oxide Hydrogel Scaffolds on EPCs
Authors: Zhang Lifang , Li Xinping , Shi Congying , Ran Gaoying , Peng Yuting , Zeng Shuguang , He Yan
Published: May 2021

Angiogenesis in the field of tissue engineering has attracted significant attention. Graphene oxide has become a promising nanomaterial in tissue engineering for its unique biochemical properties. Therefore, herein, a series of chitosan (CS)/graphene oxide (GO) hydrogel scaffolds were synthesized by crosslinking CS and GO at different concentrations (0.1, 0.5, and 1.0 wt.%) using genipin. Compared with the CS hydrogel scaffolds, the CS/GO hydrogel scaffolds have a better network structure and mechanical strength. Then, we used endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) extracted from human umbilical cord blood and cocultured these EPCs with the as-prepared scaffolds. The scaffolds with 0.1 and 0.5 wt.%GO showed no considerable cytotoxicity, could promote the proliferation of EPCs and tube formation, and upregulated the expressions of CD34, VEGF, MMP9, and SDF-1 in EPCs compared to the case of the scaffold with 1.0 wt.%GO. This study shows that the addition of graphene oxide improves the structure of chitosan hydrogel and enhances the proliferation activity and angiogenic capacity of EPCs.
Secure OFDM‐Based NOMA for Machine‐to‐Machine Communication
Authors: Rahman Shafiq U. , Sultan Amber , Alroobaea Roobaea , Talha Muhammad , Hussain Syed B. , Raza Muhammad A.
Published: May 2021

Machine‐to‐machine communication (M2M) has obtained increasing interest in recent years. However, its enhancement and broadcasting characteristics produced a new security challenge. We have suggested a novel dynamic Quadrature Amplitude Modulation (QAM) scheme for a totally elastic and dynamic mapping of user data by using chaos. This paper analyses physical layer security methods in Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing‐based Nonorthogonal Multiple Access (OFDM‐NOMA) and introduces a secure data transmission mechanism created by dynamic QAM. The security robustness given by the suggested encryption scheme is assessed, where an overall keyspace of ~10163 is achieved, which is sufficient to provide security against exhaustive attacks. The result of the scheme is verified through MATLAB simulation, where the bit error rate performance of our proposed scheme is compared with an unencrypted OFDM signal, and the performance of our proposed scheme is analyzed for an illegal user. The suggested dynamic mapping fulfills the fundamental obligations of cryptography for data security. Moreover, it enhances the level of security in OFDM‐NOMA.
A Strain Rate‐Dependent Damage Evolution Model for Concrete Based on Experimental Results
Authors: Wan Peng , Lei Xiaoyan , Xu Bin , Song Hui
Published: May 2021

There are various definitions of damage variables from the existing damage models. The calculated damage value by the current methods still could not well correspond to the actual damage value. Therefore, it is necessary to establish a damage evolution model corresponding to the actual damage evolution. In this paper, a strain rate‐sensitive isotropic damage model for plain concrete is proposed to describe its nonlinear behavior. Cyclic uniaxial compression tests were conducted on concrete samples at three strain rates of 10−3s−1, 10−4s−1, and 10−5s−1, respectively, and ultrasonic wave measurements were made at specified strain values during the loading progress. A damage variable was defined using the secant and initial moduli, and concrete damage evolution was then studied using the experimental results of the cyclic uniaxial compression tests conducted at the different strain rates. A viscoelastic stress‐strain relationship, which considered the proposed damage evolution model, was presented according to the principles of irreversible thermodynamics. The model results agreed well with the experiment and indicated that the proposed damage evolution model can accurately characterize the development of macroscopic mechanical weakening of concrete. A damage‐coupled viscoelastic constitutive relationship of concrete was recommended. It was concluded that the model could not only characterize the stress‐strain response of materials under one‐dimensional compressive load but also truly reflect the degradation law of the macromechanical properties of materials. The proposed damage model will advance the understanding of the failure process of concrete materials.
Research on Security Level Evaluation Method for Cascading Trips Based on WSN
Authors: Deng Hui-Qiong , Luo Jie , Chang Kuo-Chi , Li Qin-Bin , Zheng Rong-Jin , Li Pei-Qiang
Published: May 2021

In recent years, the application of wireless sensor networks (WSN) in power systems has received a great deal of attention. As we all know, the most important issue for the power system is security and stability, especially due to the massive outages caused by cascading trips. Therefore, in today’s era, from the perspective of cascading trips, how to effectively use WSN to analyze and evaluate the security level of the power grid is an important direction for future power development. In this paper, an algorithm based on the WSN collection of online data to calculate the corresponding security level of the system is proposed for the cascading trip phenomenon, to achieve the online evaluation of the cascading trips. First, this paper proposes a hybrid layered network structure based on WSN for monitoring system and details the acquisition of power grid parameters by its acquisition layer. Secondly, combined with the manifestation of cascading trips and the action equation of current‐type line backup protection, the mathematical representation of the grid cascading trips is given, and the mathematical form corresponding to the critical situation is strictly proved, and an index for evaluating the security level of the power grid is proposed and then further combined with the actual physical constraints of the power grid and the establishment of a mathematical model for calculating the security level of the grid cascading trips. For this model, this paper relies on evolution particle swarm optimization (EPSO) to give specific ideas for solving the model. Finally, a case analysis is performed by the IEEE39 node system and the results of the case show the effectiveness of the model and method.
Model Updating and Global Eigenvalue Analysis of a Tie‐Bolt Rotor Using Zero‐Length Contact Elements under Different Preloads
Authors: Li Pu , Yuan Qi
Published: May 2021

Tie‐bolt rotors are composed of several disks fastened by tie bolts where contact properties have a great influence on the modal behavior. In this work, a linear spring‐damper element is used to consider the contact stiffness and damping in a tie‐bolt rotor. A tie‐bolt rotor model is developed using the beam element and the zero‐length contact element. Experimental modal testing is performed under different preloads of tie bolts. Model updating is carried out to tune the contact parameters using the Particle Swarm Optimization algorithm. Furthermore, a global eigenvalue evaluation is carried out to demonstrate the impact of the lumped spring‐damper element on the modal results. Results show that a larger pretension reduces the influence of contact damping on modal parameters. Compared to antisymmetric modes, symmetric modes are more sensitive to the change of contact damping.
Effect of Stiffness on Flutter of Composite Wings with High Aspect Ratio
Authors: Qiao Shengjun , Jiao Jin , Ni Yingge , Chen Han , Liu Xing
Published: May 2021

High aspect ratio wing (HARW) structures will deform greatly under aerodynamic loads, and changes in the stiffness will have a great impact on the flutter characteristics of such wings. Based on this, this paper presents an effective method to determine the effect of the stiffness on the flutter characteristics of HARWs. Based on the calculation theory of the mechanical profile of thin-walled structures, the torsional stiffness and bending stiffness of the wing are obtained through calculation. We use the fluid-structure coupling method to analyze the flutter characteristics of the wing, and we use our research results based on the corotational (CR) method to perform structural calculations. The load is calculated using a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) solver. The results show that, compared with the original wing, when the bending stiffness and torsional stiffness of the wing along the spanwise direction increase by 8.28% and 5.22%, respectively, the amplitude of the flutter decreases by approximately 30%. Increasing the stiffness in the range of 0.4 to 0.6 Mach has a greater impact on the flutter critical velocity, which increases by 12.03%. The greater the aircraft’s flight speed is, the more severe the stiffness affects the wing limit cycle oscillation (LCO) amplitude.
RLSTM: A New Framework of Stock Prediction by Using Random Noise for Overfitting Prevention
Authors: Zheng Hongying , Zhou Zhiqiang , Chen Jianyong
Published: May 2021

An accurate prediction of stock market index is important for investors to reduce financial risk. Although quite a number of deep learning methods have been developed for the stock prediction, some fundamental problems, such as weak generalization ability and overfitting in training, need to be solved. In this paper, a new deep learning model named Random Long Short‐Term Memory (RLSTM) is proposed to get a better predicting result. RLSTM includes prediction module, prevention module, and three full connection layers. Input of the prediction module is a stock or an index which needs to be predicted. That of the prevention module is a random number series. With the index of Shanghai Securities Composite Index (SSEC) and Standard & Poor’s 500 (S&P500), simulations show that the proposed RLSTM can mitigate the overfitting and outperform others in accuracy of prediction.
The Incentive and Supervision Mechanism of Banks on Third-Party B2B Platforms in Online Supply Chain Finance Using Big Data
Authors: Tian Kun , Zhuang Xintian , Yu Beibei
Published: May 2021

The incentive and supervision design of cooperation between banks and B2B platforms was studied under the electronic warehouse receipt pledge financing model. Under the assumptions of B2B platform risk, neutrality, and risk aversion, a principal-agent model for cooperation was established between banks and B2B platforms. Its purpose was to expand and compare the models by adding supervision variables. It also helps to analyze the effects of risk aversion coefficients on effort level, fixed payment, incentive coefficients, and the impact of bank income. This paper has analyzed the banking system’s incentives and supervision mechanisms by performing numerical analysis on big data. We have used MATLAB for numerical analysis. The results show that banks’ expected benefits when cooperating with risk-neutral B2B platforms are always greater than the expected benefits obtained when cooperating with risk-averse B2B platforms. But when banks act, the increase in profits exceeds the cost of regulatory measures. Besides, when the bank takes supervisory measures, the profit will be greater than the profit without supervisory measures. Hence, the B2B platform’s ability to recover losses is positively correlated with the bank’s expected utility. The cost coefficient of the B2B platform is negatively correlated with the bank’s expected utility. The risk aversion degree does not affect the optimal effort level of the B2B platform, but it affects the optimal fixed payment and the optimal incentive coefficient.
A Simulation-Based Comprehensive Analysis for Traffic Efficiency and Spatial Distribution of Risks in Short Weaving Area of Municipal Interchange
Authors: Wang Xiaofei , Ding Zhenzhong , Guo Kai , Lin Yongjie
Published: May 2021

The weaving area is an important junction that affects the efficiency and traffic safety at the municipal interchanges. To explore the factors affecting traffic efficiency and the spatial distribution characteristics of traffic risks in the weaving areas of municipal interchanges, this study employed a microscopic traffic software of Vissim to construct a simulation model of weaving areas and evaluate the impact of road and traffic design parameters in the short weaving on traffic efficiency and risks, which includes ramp delay, mainline through lane (TL) traffic delay, average ramp speed, TL average speed, and collision rate. Through variance analysis via a large number of simulation scenarios, the weaving length is identified as the most important factor affecting traffic efficiency and risks in the short weaving area. Subsequently, three different types of weaving lengths with 350 m, 450 m, and 550 m were set to conduct the sensitivity analysis based on four performance indexes of mean acceleration and deceleration, acceleration range, deceleration range, and speed standard deviation as the representative variables of spatial risk distribution. The simulation results illustrate that a shorter weaving length has a significant influence on risk distribution, especially the highest risk probability at the positions after three-quarters of the inner and outer lanes in the short weaving area at the municipal interchange. Finally, this study verified the traffic risk reduction method of having traffic safety facilities and traffic organization at the complex interchange with double-entry and single-exit weaving areas in the city of Guangzhou, China. The research proposed a method to analyze the influence of the design parameters in the short weaving area on traffic efficiency and safety and provided a reference for the risk spatial distribution analysis and improvement in the short weaving area.
Analysis on the Characteristics of Water Pollution Caused by Underground Mining and Research Progress of Treatment Technology
Authors: Wang Xinfeng , Gao Yuhao , Jiang Xiaojun , Zhang Qiao , Liu Wengang
Published: May 2021

Coal is the primary source of energy in China’s energy structure system. With the large‐scale mining of mineral resources, a large amount of mine water will be produced in the process of development, construction, and production, which will pollute and damage the ecological environment of mine water. At present, China vigorously advocates coal revolution, implements low‐carbon economy, and carries out clean production of energy development and utilization. Green mining, precision mining, and other strategic ideas have been applied to mine development to guide production practice. This paper does an in‐depth analysis of the physical, chemical, biological, and environmental characteristics of mine water, puts forward the basic classification of mine water, and points out the characteristics of environmental hazards of mine water. Aiming at different types of mine water, such as mine wastewater, drainage water, goaf water, mine water with suspended solids, high salinity mine water, acid mine water, and mine water with special pollution, the paper puts forward the mine water treatment and resource utilization technology with different characteristics and strong pertinence. On this basis, the comprehensive treatment and development direction of mine water in the future are prospected.
Prefabricated Concrete Component Geometry Deviation Statistical Analysis
Authors: Luo Xiaoyong , Long Hao , Dong Shuang , Wu Jingyi
Published: May 2021

The research objects of this paper were the prefabricated concrete components produced by four enterprises in China, and the dimension deviation data of more than 1400 prefabricated concrete components are measured with high-precision 3D photogrammetry technology. The nonparametric Kruskal–Wallis test was carried out for the size deviation of the same type of components produced by different enterprises. The distribution characteristics of geometric parameters of typical components of prefabricated structures in China, such as beams, columns, wall boards, and composite slabs, were analyzed by using the probability statistical method. The Kolmogorov–Smirnov goodness-of-fit method was used to test the cumulative distribution function of dimension deviation, and the size distribution of fabricated components was studied. The results showed that there was no significant difference in the size deviation of the same-type component produced by different enterprises, and the range of geometric parameter uncertainty random variables was small, which was between 0.99 and 1.02. Also, the fluctuation was small, the coefficient of variation was below 0.0093, and the variability of component size deviation was small. The transverse dimension of the component shows a positive deviation, the vertical dimension of component shows a negative deviation, and the dimension deviation of prefabricated concrete components follows the normal distribution.
More than Nail Deep: The Effect of Efinaconazole 10% Treatment on the Quality of Life in Patients with Onychomycosis: A post hoc Study
Authors: Gupta Aditya K. , Venkataraman Maanasa , Quinlan Emma M. , Gupta Madhulika A. , Anbalagan Naveen , Lyons Rachel
Published: May 2021

Introduction: Onychomycosis is a common, difficult-to-treat fungal nail infection. Clinical signs include nail discoloration and thickening, which patients often find embarrassing, causing a negative impact on their quality of life (QOL). Methods: In this post hoc study, we analyze the effect of efinaconazole 10% solution on a patient’s QOL using patient-reported scores from the OnyCOE-t™ questionnaire (appearance, stigma, physical problems, symptom frequency, symptom bothersomeness, treatment satisfaction, and overall problem). Higher scores corresponded to better functioning, thus higher QOL. Results: Efinaconazole 10% treatment and clinical efficacy were positively correlated with improved QOL in all domains for all groups, except with symptom bothersomeness (how much the onychomycosis symptoms worried or concerned the patient) for female patients <40 years. While still showing improvement in most domains during efficacious treatment, female and younger patients reported lower QOL scores than their male and older counterparts, despite having better clinical outcomes at follow-ups. Discussion: Female and younger patients appear to be more emotionally bothered by their symptoms, regardless of treatment success or improvement of their nail’s appearance, suggesting that onychomycosis is more than nail deep and has a greater psychological effect on these patients. Therefore, younger female patients may require more assurance and mental support.
Effects of Preservation Methods in the Composition of the Placental and Reflected Regions of the Human Amniotic Membrane
Authors: Moraes Jéssica Tereza Guedes de Oliveira , Costa Maíra Maftoum , Alves Paula Cristina Santos , Sant’Anna Luciana Barros
Published: May 2021

The human amniotic membrane (AM) is emerging as an interesting biomaterial for regenerative medicine due to its biological and mechanical proprieties. The beneficial effects of the AM are probably related to its bioactive factors produced by local cells and stored in the stromal matrix. However, the search for a preservation method capable of preserving AM properties remains a challenge. The aim of this study was to evaluate important features of 2 anatomical regions of the human AM (reflected and placental amnion) after different preservation methods. For this purpose, human placentas were harvested and processed for AM isolation and storage at 2 different conditions: room temperature for 18 h in DMEM (fresh AM) and −80°C in DMEM/glycerol solution for 30 days (cryopreserved AM). After the storage period, the structural integrity of the membrane was assessed by histological and Picrosirius polarization analysis, cellular viability analysis was performed using the MTT assay, and the soluble proteins were quantified with the Qubit Protein Assay Kit. Both preservation protocols reduced the cell viability, mainly in the placental amnion region of the AM, but preserved the morphology of epithelial and stromal layers, as well as the organization and distribution of collagen fibers. There was a reduction in soluble proteins only in fresh AM. Importantly, the cryopreserved AM group presented the same concentration as the control group. In conclusion, the cryopreservation using DMEM/glycerol was ideal for preserving the structural integrity and soluble protein content, indicating the feasibility of this method in preserving AM for its use in regenerative medicine.
Recurrence of Primary Breast Lymphoma Presenting as Bilateral Vitreoretinal Lymphoma
Authors: Habbu Karishma , George Roshan , Materin Miguel
Published: May 2021

Purpose: This report describes a case of relapsed primary breast lymphoma (PBL) presenting as vitreoretinal lymphoma (VRL). Methods: We describe the clinical and hematopathologic findings in a patient with relapsed PBL involving the vitreous of both eyes. Results: A 59-year-old woman was treated for PBL with systemic and intrathecal chemotherapy 5 years prior to presentation. Three years later, she presented to an outside clinic with blurred vision in both eyes and bilateral vitritis. She was referred to our clinic with concern for ocular lymphoma. On presentation, the patient’s best-corrected visual acuity was 20/40 in the right eye and 20/25 in the left eye with 3+ vitreous cells in the right eye and 2+ vitreous cells in the left eye. Vitreous biopsy of the right eye revealed CD5-negative/CD10-negative B-cell lymphoma cells on flow cytometry. She had no evidence of disease on brain MRI, lumbar puncture, bone marrow biopsy, or full-body CT scans. She was treated with a regimen of rituximab, methotrexate, procarbazine, and vincristine for central nervous system penetration as well as multiple intraocular injections of methotrexate and rituximab with improvement in vision and ocular inflammation bilaterally. Conclusion: Relapsed PBL can present as bilateral VRL.
Mirabegron versus Solifenacin in Children with Overactive Bladder: Prospective Randomized Single-Blind Controlled Trial
Authors: Soliman Mohamed G. , El-Abd Shawky , El-Gamal Osama M. , Raheem Ali Abdel , Abou-Ramadan Ahmed R. , El-Abd Ahmed S.
Published: May 2021

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to investigate the efficacy and safety of mirabegron versus solifenacin in the treatment of newly diagnosed overactive bladder (OAB) in children. Methods: We conducted a prospective randomized controlled study on pediatric patients with newly diagnosed OAB. Patients were randomized into 3 groups: mirabegron (50 mg once daily) in group I, solifenacin (5 mg) in group II, and placebo in group III. Before starting our treatment and at the end of the 3 months course, we obtained a 3-day voiding diary. This diary included incontinence episode per day, mean voided volume per micturition, mean number of micturition per day, and post-void residual urine. Moreover, the parents/patients were asked to rate symptom relief, and the adverse events were recorded throughout the study period. Results: A total of 190 patients aged from 5 to 14 years completed this study. At the end of this trial, both groups I and II showed significant improvement versus placebo regarding our efficacy parameters with no significant difference between group I and II. The overall success rate based on assessment of symptom relief was significantly higher in the treated groups (87.5% in I and 90.2% in II) versus placebo (55.8%). Dry mouth was reported in 2.8, 10, and 0% and constipation in 2.8, 11.4, and 1.4% in group I, II, and III, respectively, without statistically significant difference between group I and placebo. However, there was a significant difference between group II and placebo regarding these side effects. Conclusion: Both mirabegron and solifenacin have comparable efficacy regarding the control of OAB symptoms in the newly diagnosed children, but mirabegrone seems to have less side effects.
Platelets Do Not Alter Flow-Mediated Dilation or Arterial Conduction in vivo
Authors: Ruane-O’Hora Therese , Markos Farouk
Published: May 2021

The aim of this study was to investigate whether platelets contribute to shear stress and vascular conductance in the iliac vascular bed in vivo. Flow-mediated dilation of pig iliac was induced by downstream injection of acetylcholine (50 μg), and separately, conductance (ΔF/ΔP) was calculated. This was carried out before and after removal of 1 L of arterial blood in 240 mL increments, and each 240 mL was spun in a centrifuge (1,500 rcf for 7 min); platelet-rich plasma was replaced with equal volume of heparinised saline and reinjected. The circulating platelet count fell from 369 × 109/L (n = 5) to 165 × 109/L (p = 0.01; n = 4; Student’s unpaired t). An increase in flow led to an increase in the iliac diameter by 0.49 ± 0.03 mm (mean ± SEM) before platelet reduction and 0.55 ± 0.05 mm after (p = 0.36, Student’s paired t, n = 5); the change in arterial conductance was also not significantly affected by platelet reduction, control: 1.44 ± 0.34 mL/min/mm Hg, after platelet reduction: 1.39 ± 0.04 mm (p = 0.55, Student’s paired t, n = 4). Therefore, platelets do not contribute to shear stress or conductance in vivo.
Stroke and Heart Attack Symptom Recognition in Older US Adults by Cognitive Impairment Status
Authors: Tran Phoebe , Tran Lam
Published: May 2021

Introduction: Cognitive impairment may make stroke and heart attack symptom recognition difficult, potentially resulting in treatment delays for those with these cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). Despite cognitive impairment affecting large numbers of older US adults who are also at increased risk of stroke and heart attack, little is known about stroke and heart attack symptom recognition in this population. As a result, this study sought to determine the impact of cognitive impairment on stroke and heart attack symptom recognition among older US adults. Methods: Using the 2014 and 2017 National Health Interview Surveys, we compared stroke and heart attack symptom recognition levels in US adults aged ≥65 years with cognitive impairment and those without cognitive impairment. Estimates of stroke and heart attack symptom recognition adjusted for CVD-related factors were assessed by cognitive impairment status. We also conducted analyses stratified by living arrangement and stroke and heart attack history for individuals with and without cognitive impairment. Results: US adults aged ≥65 years with cognitive impairment were observed to be 3.0–6.7% and 1.6–4.9%, respectively, less likely to recognize an individual stroke and heart attack symptom than similarly aged individuals without cognitive impairment. Recognition of all 5 stroke/heart attack symptoms was also lower among those with cognitive impairment, with this group being 9.7% less likely to recognize all stroke symptoms and 6.7% less likely to recognize all 5 heart attack symptoms compared to people without cognitive impairment. Following adjustment, individuals with cognitive impairment continued to have slightly lower recognition of certain individual stroke and heart attack symptoms as well as of all 5 symptoms of these conditions (stroke OR: 0.70 [95% CI: 0.58–0.85]; heart attack OR: 0.88 [95% CI: 0.75, 1.03]) than those without cognitive impairment. For individuals with cognitive impairment, living with others was linked with slightly better recognition of all individual stroke symptoms and heart attack history with better recognition of all individual heart attack symptoms. Conclusions: Additional work is needed to address the challenge of improving recognition levels for specific stroke and heart attack symptoms in older US adults with cognitive impairment and especially for members of this group who live alone.
Bacterial Predation on Cyanobacteria
Authors: Bauer Antje , Forchhammer Karl
Published: May 2021

Predatory bacteria gained interest in the last 20 years. Nevertheless, only a few species are well characterized. The endobiotic predator Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus invades its prey to consume it from the inside, whereas Myxococcus xanthus hunts as a whole group to overcome its prey. Both species were described to prey on cyanobacteria as well. This minireview summarizes the findings of the last 20 years of predatory bacteria of cyanobacteria and is supplemented by new findings from a screening experiment for bacterial predators of the model organism Anabaena variabilis PCC 7937. Known predatory bacteria of cyanobacteria belong to the phyla Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes, and Firmicutes and follow different hunting strategies. The underlying mechanisms are in most cases not known in much detail. Isolates from the screening experiment were clustered after predation behaviour and analyzed with respect to their size. The effect of predation in high nitrate levels and the occurrence of nitrogen-fixing cells, called heterocysts, are addressed.
O estupro em duas narrativas de autoria feminina contemporânea
Authors: Pereira Maria do Rosário Alves , Arruda Aline Alves
Published: May 2021

O presente artigo tem como objetivo apresentar um breve percurso da literatura de autoria feminina brasileira para chegar à literatura de autoras contemporâneas que têm flertado diretamente com as pautas feministas, refletindo-as e sendo por elas refletida. Neste trabalho, vamos nos deter em duas narrativas de autoria feminina nas quais aparece uma das questões mais tematizadas por escritoras contemporaneamente: o estupro. São elas: Por cima do mar (2018), de Deborah Dornellas, e O peso do pássaro morto (2017), de Aline Bei.
Sou aquela mulher do canto esquerdo do quadro, de Fernanda Grigolin (São Paulo: Tenda de Livros, 2020)
Authors: Mhereb Maria Teresa de Araujo
Published: May 2021

Resenha do livro Sou aquela mulher do canto esquerdo do quadro, escrito por Fernanda Grigolin e publicado pela editora Tenda de Livros em 2020.
Ressignificar a queda, empestar o cânone
Authors: Soares Luiz Henrique Moreira
Published: May 2021

Resenha da obra "Segunda Queda" (2018), de Ave Terrena Alves.
Infâncias frustradas e maternidades possíveis em Clarice Lispector e em Maria Lucia Medeiros: do era uma vez aos restos de sonhos
Authors: Valente Paulo , Santos Rosana Cássia dos
Published: May 2021

Este artigo revisita o conto “Era uma vez”, da escritora paraense Maria Lucia Medeiros, assim como o conto “Restos de carnaval”, de Clarice Lispector, com o intuito de cotejá-los em sua temática que prioriza um olhar sobre personagens femininas na infância e como tais personagens frustram-se com suas mães e veem-se obrigadas a amadurecer. Para tanto, discutimos, primeiramente, o suporte teórico da Crítica Literária Feminista, a infância como um espaço de construção social e, por fim, propomos a leitura comparada dos referidos contos. Para tanto, recorremos aos textos de Simone de Beauvoir (2008), Adrienne Rich (1977; 2017), Elizabeth Badinter (1985) e Susana Funck (2016), dentre outros.
Quem tem medo de Rachel de Queiroz? Questões de gênero em As três Marias (1939)
Authors: Soares Daniela Rezende
Published: May 2021

Este artigo propõe uma leitura do romance As três Marias, publicado em 1939, pela escritora cearense Rachel de Queiroz, a partir dos marcadores sociais de gênero e de sexualidade. Objetivando ampliar a compreensão sobre o tema, são abordados tanto aspectos extratextuais à obra, como elementos de análise literária do romance, a exemplo da atenção especial que será dada às personagens femininas secundárias à trama. Como forma de conclusão, são apresentadas algumas considerações sobre a necessidade da realização de uma leitura interseccional aplicada ao texto.
Host suitability of different common bean varieties in a growth room to the plant-parasitic nematodes Pratylenchus thornei and P. neglectus
Authors: Saleh Azzam , İmren Mustafa , Özer Göksel , Yeken Mehmet Z. , Çiftçi Vahdettin , Dababat Abdelfattah A.
Published: May 2021

Pratylenchus thornei and P. neglectus attack common bean and cause economic yield losses throughout cultivated areas in Turkey. The most effective management strategy for the P. thornei and P. neglectus infections is crop rotation with non-host crops and breeding resistant/tolerant varieties. However, parent bean genotypes immune to P. thornei and P. neglectus are not available for breeding programmes; thus, resistant varieties are commonly incorporated as parents. In the present research, a total of 36 common bean varieties were tested in a growth room for their host response to these two nematode pests. The reproduction factor and the population density of both nematode species were calculated. All tested bean varieties showed varying levels of resistance and susceptibility to P. thornei and P. neglectus. Among the dry bean varieties, nine were found to be resistant to P. thornei and three to P. neglectus, with three varieties (‘Kantar-05’, ‘Önceler-98’ and ‘Karacasehir-90’) resistant to both species. Among fresh bean varieties, ten were found to be resistant to P. thornei and four to P. neglectus, with four varieties (‘Helda’, ‘Gina’, ‘Gelincik’ and ‘Bourgondia’) resistant to both species. The resistant common bean varieties identified in this study are a valuable untapped genetic pool that will offer improved resistance levels to P. thornei and P. neglectus, especially ‘Gina’ and ‘Önceler-98’, which seem to possess a great source of resistance to P. thornei and P. neglectus, respectively, and can be used in breeding programmes in the near future.
Xuebijing inhibit inflammation, oxidative stress and promote apoptosis in human synovial cells via inhibition of MEK1/2 and NF-ĸB pathway
Authors: Li Liang , Li Yafeng , Shi Da , Liu Huajian , Wang Baohui , Sun Yindi
Published: May 2021

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is categorized as an autoimmune disease that leads to bone or joint deformity due to altered immune response. Studies have concluded the role of inflammation and oxidative stress in the progression of RA and agents inhibiting these processes showed benificial effect against the disease. Xuebijing (XBJ) injection is an intravenous patent preparation made from five-traditional Chinese medicines. Previous studies showed its excellent pharmacological activities, such as against sepsis, inflammation, and oxidative stress which has encouraged us to investigate the protective effect of XBJ against rheumatoid arthritis cell line (MH7A). For this purpose, the effect of XBJ was quantified on several parameters on the human synovial MH7A cell line activated with tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α). The results of the study showed that the level of tested interleukines (IL- 1β, IL- 6, IL- 8) and collagenases 1, and 13, and matrix metallo-proteinases 1, and 13 (MMP-1, and MMP-13) were found significantly reduced in XBJ treated group as compared to TNF-α treated MH7A cells. The XBJ treated group showed reduction in mRNA protein expression of COX-2 and iNOS in RT-qPCR assay. The rate of cellular apoptosis was found increased in XBJ treated group with reduction of cell viability of MH7A cells. The XBJ also showed attenuation of the expression of p-MEK/1/2 and p-p65 in MH7A cells in a western blot analysis. Our results demonstrated that XBJ significantly inhibits the inflammatory response, prevents cell viability, and induces apoptosis in human RA synovial cells by preventing the activation of the MEK/NF-κB pathway.
Overcoming Religious Illiteracy: Towards a More Inclusive Approach to Islamic Bioethics
Authors: Hashmi (جواد ت. هاشمي) Javad T.
Published: May 2021

Islamic bioethics is an emerging phenomenon, with a recent proliferation of introductory literature seeking to describe the scope, parameters, and players of the field. However, this paper critically assesses the enterprise of Islamic bioethics as it stands today and argues that it lacks conceptual clarity. This leads to some very problematic assumptions made by Muslim and non-Muslim authors alike, which results in essentialist and reductionist discourses that privilege majoritarian, authoritarian, and conservative forms of religious and state authority at the expense of competing, dissenting, and reformist voices. I suggest using the principles of religious literacy (as endorsed by the American Academy of Religion) to bring much needed conceptual clarity to the field, to understand Islamic bioethics as a contested space of academic theology, and to promote a more inclusive discourse.
Ceriodaphnia smirnovi (Crustacea: Cladocera), a new species from the Mediterranean Region, and a phylogenetic analysis of the commonest species
Authors: ALONSO MIGUEL , NERETINA ANNA N. , VENTURA MARC
Published: May 2021

Species of the genus Ceriodaphnia Dana, 1853 (Crustacea: Cladocera: Daphniidae) are present in the plankton of many freshwater bodies all around the World. However, the taxonomy of the genus is still poorly developed. Most species have been described in the nineteenth century and data on their morphology and distribution should be revised according to current standards. Currently, due to lack of reliable morphological and genetic data, almost all nominal species of Ceriodaphnia are considered as species groups rather than separate biological species, complicating the detection and description of new species of the genus. Here, we redescribe the morphology of Ceriodaphnia quadrangula (O.F. Müller, 1785) based on material close to the type locality in Denmark, and describe a new species of Ceriodaphnia from the Mediterranean region. Also, we provide a phylogenetic analysis using existing and novel sequences of mitochondrial DNA of the commonest species of the genus. Ceriodaphnia smirnovi sp. nov. can be easily distinguished from C. quadrangula via presence of the head pore and the structure of the second thoracic limb, the postabdomen and the ephippium. From other species of Ceriodaphnia known to date C. smirnovi sp. nov. can also be separated on ephippium structure and some other fine morphological features. Although distribution range of C. smirnovi sp. nov. must be clarified in the future based on analysis of more sampling points, most likely, it is restricted to the Mediterranean region. The phylogenetic analyses showed high divergence among 16 different clades (mean clade separation of 13±2.3 % (mean ± SD) and 20.7±2.1% for 16S and COI respectively). These clades belonged to 11 described species and 5 undescribed. The high intraspecific variability of some species indicates the possible existence of more undescribed species within present species groups.
A case of two spellings for Humboldt’s blue-winged mosquito (Diptera: Culicidae)
Authors: HARBACH RALPH E. , EVENHUIS NEAL L.
Published: May 2021

While adding taxon names to the Systema Dipterorum database (Evenhuis & Pape 2021), one of us (NLE) discovered that Humboldt (1819) had spelled the proposed name of a nominal mosquito species in two ways. He described the species, which was found in swampy places along the Magdalena River near Tenerife, Colombia, as Culex cyanopennis on page 340 and afterwards referred to it as Culex cyanopterus on pages 345 and 349. Both names have the same meaning: cyano- (Gr. kyanos, dark blue), pennis (L. penna, feather, wing) and pteron (Gr. feather, wing). The species was named for the perceived color of the wings: “Alæ cæruleæ, splendore semi-metallico…” (wings blue, a bright semi-metallic). On page 345, Humboldt states, translated from the French: “We have been informed in the Rio de la Magdalena that in Simitì no other Culex than the jejen [je·jén: Sp., gnat, mosquito] was known in the past. You can spend the night there quietly, because the jejen is not a nocturnal insect. Since the year 1801, the big blue-winged mosquito (Culex cyanopterus) has shown itself in such abundance that the poor inhabitants of Simitì do not know how to get a peaceful sleep.” Thus, in addition to having the same meaning, the two names are associated with the same locality.
Time-resolved fluorescence immunoassay for urine retinol-binding protein is more sensitive than polyclonal and monoclonal assays
Authors: Salota Rashim , Lapsley Marta , Nabi Ekramun , Packer Simon , Hyer Steve , Dockrell Mark
Published: May 2021

Background

Retinol-binding protein4 (RBP) assays using polyclonal antibodies (pRBP) have major problems of non-linearity of dilution and a very small useable dynamic range. Our objective was to develop a specific assay with a wider dynamic range to detect tubular proteinuria.

Methods

mRBP (monoclonal capture and second antibody with colorimetric detection) and fluoroimmunoassays for RBP (fRBP) (polyclonal capture and monoclonal second antibody with fluorescence detection) were developed and compared with pRBP. Four hundred and eighty-eight patient samples were collected; 290 samples were analysed by mRBP and 198 samples with fRBP and compared with pRBP.

Results

mRBP assay has the advantages of better linearity on dilution and wider analytical range over pRBP. It is limited by poor signal in the patients with albuminuria and glomerular proteinuria and inferior discrimination between patient groups. fRBP had an intra-assay and inter-assay CV of <6% and <8%, respectively, and analytical range was 2.3–599  µg/L. fRBP was linear on dilution within the analytical range. Correlation (r) was 0.8722 (95% CI 0.7621 to 0.9333, P< 0.0001); Mann-Whitney test revealed no significant difference (U = 18,877, n = 198, P = 0.5244) asserting that the medians of the two samples were identical. Bland-Altman test between pRBP and fRBP showed a mean negative bias of 16.43 (CI –994 to 1027) µg/mmol.

Conclusions

The combination assay with fluorescence detection (fRBP) proved more discriminatory than a purely monoclonal system especially in patients with significant proteinuria and has advantages of better linearity on dilution and wider analytical range than the existing pRBP assay and compared extremely well with pRBP.