bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Chlorogenic Acid: A Dietary Phenolic Acid with Promising Pharmacotherapeutic
Potential
Authors: Singh Amit Kumar , Singla Rajeev Kumar , Pandey Abhay Kumar
Published: August 2022

Phenolic acids are now receiving a great deal of interest as pervasive human dietary
constituents that have various therapeutic applications against chronic and age-related
diseases. One such phenolic acid that is being utilized in traditional medicine is chlorogenic
acid (CGA). It is one of the most readily available phytochemicals that can be isolated
from the leaves and fruits of plants, such as coffee beans (Coffea arabica L.), apples
(Malus spp.), artichoke (Cynara cardunculus L.), carrots (Daucus carota L.), betel
(Piper betle L.), burdock (Arctium spp.), etc. Despite its low oral bioavailability (about
33%), CGA has drawn considerable attention due to its wide range of biological activities
and numerous molecular targets. Several studies have reported that the antioxidant
and anti-inflammatory potentials of CGA mainly account for its broad-spectrum pharmacological
attributes. CGA has been implicated in exerting a beneficial role against dysbiosis
by encouraging the growth of beneficial GUT microbes. At the biochemical level, its
therapeutic action is mediated by free radical scavenging efficacy, modulation of glucose
and lipid metabolism, down-regulation of pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as tumor necrosis
factor-alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), IL-1β, and interferon-gamma (IFN-γ),
upregulation of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf-2), and inhibition of the
activity of nuclear factor- κβ (NF-κβ), thus helping in the management of diabetes, cardiovascular
diseases, neurodegenerative disorders, cancer, hypertension etc. This review
highlights the natural sources of CGA, its bioavailability, metabolism, pharmacotherapeutic
potential, and underlying mechanisms of action for the clinical usefulness of CGA in
the management of health disorders.
A Review on the Current Status of Homeopathy in the Clinical Manage-ment of Cancer
Authors: Ghosh Dipanjan , Tangelloju Ajay , Chakravarti Rudra , Singh Rajveer , Bhattacharya Bireswar , Ghosh Arijit , Bhutia Sujit Kumar , Ravichandiran Velayutham
Published: August 2022

Homeopathy is a widely practiced alternate system of medicine around the world that employs small doses of various medicines to promote auto-regulation and self-healing. It is among the most commonly used alternative approaches in cancer and other diseases and alternative thera-peutic systems. It is widely used as palliative and as supportive therapy in cancer patients. Few cas-es have been reported on patients using homeopathy after surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy, generally for overcoming side effects. The dose of Homoeopathic medicines and their mechanism of action in cancer has also been documented, while clinical trials on the effects of Homoeopathy in cancer treatment are rare. It is found that the anticancer potential of homeopathic medicines is re-ported for different cancer types, which show their efficacy through apoptosis and immune system modulation. Homeopathic treatment is an add-on to conventional therapy, with almost no interac-tion with the conventional drugs due to the small dose, and is largely attributed to improving lives by providing symptomatic relief, increasing survival time and boosting patient immunity. This re-view explores the accountability of the homeopathic system of medicine by highlighting some of the most commonly used homeopathic drugs for different types of cancers.
Iridoids as a Potential Hepatoprotective Class: A Review
Authors: de Carvalho Meirelles Gabriela , Bridi Raquel , von Poser Gilsane Lino
Published: August 2022

Background:

Liver disease rates are gradually increasing over the years, becoming a severe
public health problem. The indiscriminate use of drugs associated with a rich fat diet, high consumption
of alcoholic beverages, and exposure to viral infections and lipid peroxidative products are
considered the chief factors for developing hepatic disorders. Owing to the absence of reliable hepatoprotective
drugs in the therapeutic arsenal, since they present a high incidence of adverse reactions
and/or lack of efficacy in some cases, liver diseases are widely treated with medicinal plants.
Among them are the plants producing iridoids, which are believed to be good remedies for liver disease
due to their bitter taste. The hepatoprotective effect of iridoids and extracts, rich in these compounds,
has been demonstrated, both in vitro and in vivo.

Objective:

This review aims to scrutinize the available literature related to the hepatoprotective activity
of iridoids.

Methods:

The information was obtained from scientific databases (Science Direct, PubMed, Web of
Science, Scopus, ACS Publications, Wiley Online Library) until December, 2021.

Results and Conclusion:

A total of 63 hepatoprotective iridoids were found, including aucubin, catalpol
and picroliv, a mixture of two iridoids. They are the target of a high number of studies, which
revealed their protective action against different hepatotoxic agents and detailed action mechanisms.

Results and Conclusion:

A total of 63 hepatoprotective iridoids were found, including aucubin, catalpol
and picroliv, a mixture of two iridoids. They are the target of a high number of studies, which
revealed their protective action against different hepatotoxic agents and detailed action mechanisms.
Psoralidin Induced Differentiation from Adipose-derived Stem Cells
to Nucleus Pulposus-like Cells by TGF-β/Smad Signaling
Authors: Li Shuofu , Liu Xiaorong , Nie Ying , Yang Lei , Zhang Chao , Guo Yantao , Yang Shaofeng , Li Zhaoyong
Published: August 2022

Background:

Psoralidin (PL) could affect the differentiation of bone marrow
mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs). The role of PL is still unclear in adipose-derived
stem cells (ADSCs).

Aims:

This study aimed to investigate the effects of PL on ADSCs differentiation into
nucleus pulposus-like cells and the TGF-β/Smad signaling pathway.

Methods:

The proliferation and apoptosis of ADSCs were detected. The nucleus
pulposus cell-related markers (CD24, BASP1, KRT19, and Aggrecan) and TGF-β/Smad
signaling pathway indexes were analyzed.

Results:

The results showed that compared to the control group, the cell activity was
increased in the PL group, and the apoptosis rate was decreased. The mRNA and
protein levels of nucleus pulposus cells markers (CD24, BASP1, KRT19, Aggrecan, and
Collagen Type II) and TGF-β/Smad signaling pathway-related indexes (TGF-β, SMAD2,
and SMAD3) were increased in PL group. After treatment with PL and TGF-β silencing,
the TGF-β/Smad signaling pathway-related indicators (TGF-β, SMAD2, and SMAD3)
and nucleus pulposus cells markers (CD24, BASP1, KRT19, Aggrecan, and Collagen
Type II) were found to be higher in the sh-TGF-β +PL group than in the sh-TGF-β group.

Conclusion:

In conclusion, our study showed that PL might induce the differentiation of
ADSCs to nucleus pulposus cells through the TGF-β/Smad signaling pathway. It might
have the potential application value in the treatment of intervertebral disc degeneration.
Synthesis and Characterization of New Bistriazole Quinazolinediones and
their Urease Inhibition Activities
Authors: Akyüz Gülay , Menteşe Emre
Published: August 2022

A new series of bisthiosemicarbazide and bistriazole molecules bridged quinazolinedione
was synthesized and characterized by FT-IR, 1
H and 13C-NMR spectral data. Antiurease activities
of all new compounds were tested according to the phenol-hypochlorite method by Weatherburn. All
compounds have effective urease inhibition activities compared to the standard inhibitor thiourea and
previously synthesized quinazolinones as potential inhibitors. Bistriazoles containing quinazolinedione
have the best inhibition results. 1,3-Bis[(4-ethyl-5-mercapto-4H-1,2,4-triazol-3-yl)methyl]quinazoline2,4(1H,3H)-dione (5b) has the best inhibitory activity with 1.25 ± 0.45 µg/mL IC50 value.
Synthesis and Biological Evaluation of 4-substituted Aryl-piperazine Derivatives
of 1,7,8,9-tetrachloro-10,10-dimethoxy-4-azatricyclo [5.2.1.02,6]
dec-8-ene-3,5-dione as Anti-cancer and Anti-angiogenesis Agents
Authors: Guo Lifang , Xu Benshan , Hu Bin , Liu He , Song Nan
Published: August 2022

Background:

A series of aryl-piperazine derivatives of 1,7,8,9-tetrachloro-10,10-dimethoxy-4-
azatricyclo [5.2.1.02,6] dec-8-ene-3,5-dione were designed, synthesized, and their biological activities
were evaluated.

Methods:

The chemical structures of the desired compounds were identified by 1H NMR, ESI-MS and
elementary analysis. The anti-cancer and anti-angiogenesis activities of the newly synthesized compounds
were evaluated by proliferation and migration assays, respectively.

Results:

The screening results demonstrated that compounds 2 and 5 showed potent anti-tumor activity
(IC50 values ranging from 7.1 to 15.9μM) with low cytotoxic activities (IC50＞79.3μM). Although compound
5 had no effects on endothelial proliferation (IC50=65.3μM), it significantly abrogated endothelial
cell migration (IC50=6.7μM).

Conclusion:

This work may impart new direction for the investigations of aryl-piperazine derivatives and
lead to the development of potent novel anti-tumor and anti-angiogenesis agents.
Unravelling the Mechanistic Role of ACE2 and TMPRSS2 in Hypertension: A Risk Factor for COVID-19
Authors: Govender Nalini , Khaliq Olive , Moodley Jagidesa , Naicker Thajasvarie
Published: August 2022

Background:

This review explores the mechanistic action of angiotensin-converting enzyme-2 (ACE2) and transmembrane protease serine 2 (TMPRSS2) in the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) that predisposes hypertensive patients to adverse outcome of severe COVID-19.

Methods and Results:

Entry of SARS-CoV-2 into the host cell via ACE2 disrupts the RAAS system, creating an imbalance between ACE and ACE2, and this together with an increased inflammatory response leads to hypertension (HTN), pulmonary vasoconstriction and acute respiratory distress. SARS-CoV-2 may also predispose infected individuals with existing HTN to a greater risk of severe COVID-19 complications. In the duality of COVID-19 and HTN, the imbalance of ACE and ACE2 results in an elevation of AngII and a decrease in Ang (1-7), a hyperinflammatory response and endothelial dysfunction. Endothelial dysfunction is the main factor that predisposes hypertensive patients to severe COVID-19 and vice-versa.

Conclusion:

Conclusion: Despite the increase in ACE2 expression in hypertensive SARS-CoV-2 infected pa-tients, ARBs/ACE inhibitors do not influence their severity and clinical outcomes, implicating continued usage. Future large scale clinical trials are warranted to further elucidate the association between HTN and SARS-CoV-2 infection; as well as the use of ARBs/ACEIs in SARS-CoV-2 hy-pertensive patients.
Possible Long-Term Cardiovascular Effects of COVID-19
Authors: Lugo Gloria Anahi , Nizami Hamasah , Haniff Fiyad , Su Lilly , Marsh Denise , Gupta Shefali , Jain Rohit , Goel Heenam
Published: August 2022

Coronavirus Disease 2019 is caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus
2 (SARS-CoV-2) and has become a worldwide pandemic. Since 2019, the virus has mutated
into multiple variants that have made it harder to eradicate and have increased the rate of infection.
This virus can affect the structure and the function of the heart and can lead to cardiovascular
symptoms that can have long-lasting effects despite recovery from COVID-19. These symptoms
include chest pain, palpitations, fatigue, shortness of breath, rapid heartbeat, arrhythmias, cough
and hypotension. These symptoms may persist due to myocardial injury, cardiac inflammation or
systemic damage that may have been caused during infection. If these symptoms persist, the patient
should visit their cardiologist for diagnosis and treatment plan for any type of cardiovascular
disease that may have developed Post-COVID 19.
In Silico Analysis of Potential Drug Targets for Protozoan Infections
Authors: Rivera Gildardo , Juárez-Saldivar Alfredo , Campillo Nuria E. , Ortiz-Perez Eyra , Paz-Gonzalez Alma D. , Saavedra Emma
Published: August 2022

Background:

Currently, protozoan infectious diseases affect billions of people every year.
Their pharmacological treatments offer few alternatives and are restrictive due to undesirable side
effects and parasite drug resistance.

Objective:

In this work, three ontology-based approaches were used to identify shared potential drug
targets in five species of protozoa.

Methods:

In this study, proteomes of five species of protozoa: Entamoeba histolytica (E. histolytica),
Giardia lamblia (G. lamblia), Trichomonas vaginalis (T. vaginalis), Trypanosoma cruzi (T. cruzi),
and Leishmania mexicana (L. mexicana), were compared through orthology inference using three
different tools to identify potential drug targets.

Results:

Comparing the proteomes of E. histolytica, G. lamblia, T. vaginalis, T. cruzi, and L. mexicana, twelve targets for developing new drugs with antiprotozoal activity were identified.

Conclusion:

New drug targets were identified by orthology-based analysis; therefore, they could be
considered for the development of new broad-spectrum antiprotozoal drugs. Particularly, triosephosphate isomerase emerges as a common target in trypanosomatids and amitochondriate parasites.
Some Flavolignans as Potent Sars-Cov-2 Inhibitors via Molecular Docking,
Molecular Dynamic Simulations and ADME Analysis
Authors: Cetin Adnan
Published: August 2022

Background:

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic emerged at the end of 2019 in China and spread rapidly all over the world. Scientists strive to find virus-specific antivirals against COVID-19 disease. This study aimed to assess bioactive some flavolignans as potential SARS-CoV-2 main protease (SARS-CoV-2 Mpro) inhibitors using molecular docking study, molecular dynamic simulations, and ADME analysis.

Methods:

The detailed interactions between the flavolignans and SARS-CoV-2 Mpro were determined using Autodock 4.2 software. SARS-CoV-2 Mpro was docked with selected flavolignans and the docking results were analyzed by Autodock 4.2 and Biovia Discovery Studio 4.5. The SARS-CoV-2 Mpro-flavolignans’ complexes were subjected to molecular dynamic (MD) simulations for a period of 50 ns. To measure the stability, flexibility, and average distance between the SARS-CoV-2 Mpro and flavolignans, root mean square deviations (RMSD), root mean square fluctuation (RMSF) were calculated, and the binding free energy calculations of SARS-CoV-2 Mpro-flavolignans complexes were found to using the molecular mechanics/Poisson-Boltzmann surface area (MM-PBSA) method. SwissADME web tools were used to evaluate ADME properties and pharmacokinetic parameters of the flavolignans.

Results:

The binding energies of the SARS-CoV-2 Mpro- flavolignans’ complexes were identified from the molecular docking of SARS-CoV-2 Mpro. Sinaiticin was found to be the highest binding affinity of -9.4 kcal/mol and formed π-lone pair and pi-alkyl interactions with the catalytic binding residues Glu166 and Cys145. Silychristin, Dehydrosilybin, Hydrocarpin, Silydianin, and 5’-metoxyhydcaprin also showed high binding affinities of -9.3, -9.2, -9.0, -8.7 and -8.6  kcal/mol, respectively. The flavolignans demonstrated strong Carbon H bond interactions with the binding site residues of the Gln192, Gly143, Leu27,Glu166, and Tyr54, and thereby can act as potent inhibitors of the SARS-CoV 2 Mpro.

Conclusion:

The selected flavolignans obey Lipinski’s rule of five. According to the results obtained from molecular docking studies, molecular dynamic simulations, and ADME analysis. It can be proposed that the flavolignans which can be used to design effective antiviral drug candidates against the SARS-CoV-2, can be tried for promising and effective inhibitors of the SARS-CoV-2 main protease in vitro and in vivo studies.
Hit or Miss: The Dilemma of Specimen Selection for Microbiological
Diagnosis of Rhino-Orbital-Cerebral- COVID-Associated Mucormycosis
(ROCM-CAM)
Authors: Jain Vidhi , Aggarwal Alisha , Shrimali Twishi , Vishwakarma Kirti , Paul Debaleena , Kombade Sarika Prabhakar , Sharma Vidhu , Soni Kapil , Choudhary Bikram , Goyal Amit , Chugh Ankita , Tiwari Sarbesh , Sharma Deepak Kumar , Agarwal Ashwini , Misra Sanjeev
Published: August 2022

Background:

We diagnosed various cases of rhino-orbital-cerebral- COVID-associated
Mucormycosis (ROCM-CAM) during India's second wave of COVID-19. This helped formulate novel
suggestions for improving laboratory output, applicable anywhere in the world.

Method:

To diagnose ROCM-CAM by microbiological methods, we used direct microscopy and conventional culture on various clinical samples within the shortest turn-around time.

Design:

Prospective single-center observational study

Participants:

patients with ROCM-CAM

Results:

Of 113 suspected cases of ROCM-CAM during May 2021, direct microscopy and culture
could confirm the disease in 87.61% and 44.25% of patients, respectively. The highest pathogen isolation was seen from maxillary bone fragments, FESS-guided biopsy from pterygopalatine fossae, nasal
turbinates and nasal mucosal biopsy. Direct microscopy could diagnose the disease in almost 40% of
patients within 24 hours and 60% within two days. Conventional cultures yielded Rhizopus spp. (86%)
as the commonest fungal pathogen followed by Mucor spp. (12%) within 7 days. Deep tissue biopsies
are more useful for rapid diagnosis than superficial specimens. Routine fungal cultures can supplement
case detection and help prognosticate survivors.

Conclusion:

The management of ROCM is a surgical emergency. The diagnosis of the condition must
therefore be prompt and precise. Despite ongoing antifungal therapy, nasal mucosal tissue, FESSguided, and intra-operative tissue biopsies showed the pathogen's highest diagnostic yield. The diagnostic index improved further when multiple (4-5) high-quality specimens were collected. Nasal swabs
and crusts, among the most commonly requested specimens worldwide, were found to have an overall
low diagnostic potential.
Tiny Regulators in Viral Infection: Carving SARS-CoV-2 by miRNAs
Authors: Martínez-Acuña Natalia , Lozano-Sepúlveda Sonia Amelia , del Carmen Martínez-Guzmán María , Rivas-Estilla Ana María
Published: August 2022

Viruses are microscopic biological entities that can cause diseases. Viruses require a host cell to replicate and generate progeny. Once inside, viruses hijack the main cellular machinery for their benefit, disrupting cell functions and causing detrimental effects on cell physiology. MicroRNAs are short, non-coding RNAs that regulate gene expression. Recent works have shown that cell-miRNAs can modulate antiviral defense during viral infection, and viruses can disrupt these existing miRNA networks. Furthermore, multiple RNA viruses encode their own miRNAs to evade the host immune response. In this review, we analyze the activities of both, miRNAs as pro-viral modulators and miRNAs as anti-viral agents and their relationship with the development of the disease.
Research on Vibration Damping of Tuned Mass Damper for Wheeled
Excavator
Authors: Wang Fei , Zhang Xin , Li Zhanlong , Li Jianwei
Published: August 2022

Background:

When driving and working, the engine, working equipment and uneven road
surface will cause severe vibrations to the wheeled excavator, which can affect efficiency and comfort.
This paper discusses various patents and presents a new method of vibration reduction for excavators.

Objective:

The research aims to design the excavator's counterweight as a tuned mass damper (TMD) to
reduce body vibration.

Methods:

The recent patents of TMD were investigated in this research. In this paper, the counterweight
of the excavator is designed as a non-linear TMD system. The vibration models were established under
the driving and crushing conditions, respectively. The vibration response of the vehicle body was calculated
and analyzed through MATLAB/Simulink under driving and crushing conditions. Finally, the
damping characteristics of the TMD system were discussed.

Results:

The vibration of the car body can be reduced by TMD. The improvement rates in vertical acceleration
were 8.05%, 11.85% and 11.15% for the three classes of road surfaces for the driving conditions.
The improvement rates of vertical accelerations for the three powers of crushing conditions are
16.18%, 18.32% and 23.48%, respectively.

Conclusion:

The vibration damping performance of the excavator was effectively improved by TMD in
the main working conditions. The variation of body vertical acceleration with TMD parameters indicates
the existence of optimal damping characteristics parameters for the TMD system at a fixed road
surface and vehicle speed.
The Muslim Family in the Light of the Crisis of Marital Relations
Authors:   Don State Agrarian University, Polomoshnov Andrey Fedorovich , Polomoshnov Platon Andreevich ,   Rostov State University of Economics
Published: August 2022

The article analyzes the resistance of the Muslim family as one of the forms of the tradition-al family to the destructive tendencies of our time in the field of family and marital relations. The family crisis is considered by the authors as a process of structural and functional deformation of traditional family and marital relations. The article presents a detailed description of the ideal type of the Muslim family or the socio-cultural model of the Muslim family as a religiously sanctioned so-cio-cultural institution regulated by the norms of Muslim law. Particular attention is paid to the analysis of trends in the transformation of the actual Muslim family in modern society. A number of destructive trends has been established: having few children, deformation of the generational hierar-chy, weakening of the power and authority of the older generations, distortion of gender roles, de-valuation of family values and the related destruction of family chastity, change of family collectiv-ism by family egoism, increased frequency of divorces, formalization of religious sanctions and de-sacralization of the family. It is substantiated that the Muslim family can and should become a bul-wark against modern destructive tendencies of the global family crisis through observing a reasona-ble balance between novations and traditions, without exaggerating either the former or the latter.
Demand for Religious Institutions for Disputes Resolution with Muslims and Christians of Tatarstan
Authors:   The Center for Islamic Studies of Tatarstan Academy of Sciences, Mukhametzaripov Ilshat Amirovich , Gafiyatullina Ilmira Rashatovna
Published: August 2022

Dispute resolution practices adopted by religious associations remain relevant under the conditions of contemporary society and a secular state. There are Christian church courts, mediation and arbitration institutions, rabbinical tribunals, Sharia councils, disciplinary and conciliatory bodies of other religious communities in Europe and North America. Ecclesiastical and Jewish courts, qadis and Sharia departments in Muftiates function in the Russian Federation. Applying the questionnaire method, the authors analyzed the demand for religious institutions engaged in disputes resolution with Muslims and Christians (predominantly Orthodox ones) in Tatarstan taking into account the peculiarities of the normative systems of Islam and Christianity, and the structure of Muslim and Orthodox associations. The survey revealed the following: 1) more often than Christians Muslims turn to religious institutions for settling disputes; 2) more often than Christians Muslims resort to aforementioned institutions to consider marriage, family, inheritance and business cases; 3) experts in Sharia and authoritative believers play an important role in resolving conflicts in Muslim society along with the clergy. That is not typical for Christians, who mostly limit themselves to appealing to clergymen. The demand for the dispute resolution institutions among Muslims is much higher than among Christians. Responses of Christians are in many respects close to the answers of non-religious respondents. This suggests that in the future, Muslim associations, imams and Sharia ex-perts will retain a greater regulatory potential than Christian associations.
A Study on the Contemporary Series Poems of Korea and the U.S: “The Raven” by Edgar Allan Poe and Gu Sang
Authors:   Korean Language & Literature, Choi Do-sik
Published: August 2022

This study compared and studied “The Raven” representing the United States and Korea. Edgar Allan Poe's “The Raven” and Gu Sang’s “The Raven” were considered in symbolic appropriation of poetic material, in series form, intertextuality and semantic horizons.
First, in the case of Poe, the choice of poetic material was ‘raven’ as a poetic material. This was intended to achieve the highest artistic effect. It also tried to best represent beauty. And the chorus "nevermore" was intended to maximize the poetic effect. On the other hand, Gu Sang chose the target of shock, impact, tension and emotion. The subject selected the raven as an allegory to criticize and inform the situation of the times.
Edgar Allan Poe symbolizes fear and fear, based on the image of an ancient sinister bird. And the raven symbolizes the person who rules and delivers the dark world in the Age of Chaos. Also, the appearance of a raven is symbolized by ‘nevermore’ as ‘mournful, never-ending recollection’. On the other hand, Gu Sang's “Raven” criticizes the times of materialism and technologyism. In Korea, the raven is an ominous bird. However, the raven is symbolized as a bird longing for a spiritual and pure soul. And it is symbolized as a bird that foretells injustice and calamity. It is also symbolized as a savior who can save humans from golden universalism and materialism.
Second, it is a series form. Poe transformed the sestina form of 6 lines and 6 stanzas into a finite series of 18 stanzas and 108 lines. On the other hand, Gu Sang has no external boundaries or external boundaries. He made it into an infinite series where only the theme changes. And Poe reinforces the negative expression with ‘nothing more’ (limited negation) < ‘nevermore’ (future negation) against the backdrop of the night. On the other hand, Gu Sang's poems are titled with numbers. The number does not impose a continuous development and process. It is united by the same rhetorical pattern(allegory), the same rhythm, and the same repetition.
Finally, in Poe's poem, he dreams of becoming one with his lost lover. However, he feels death, fear and loss from the raven who repeats only 'nevermore'. And the story and intertextuality of Greco-Roman mythology appear. Poe made a series of symbols and series of perpetually recurring sadness of loss. On the other hand, in the poems of Gu Sang, it is symbolized as a bird giving warnings and prophecies through cries. And the legend of the Tower of London in England is intertextual and denounces human cruelty and savagery. Gu Sang delivers the message of harmony between humans and nature, restoration of humanity, and saving lives.
As described above, the poems of Poe and Gu Sang are different in symbol and form. However, the sadness, mourning, and anxiety of the loss of an object are common.
Evaluation of the importance of additive manufacturing technology in terms of sustainable production with the DEMATEL method
Authors:   Department of Management and Organization, Besni Vocational High School, Adıyaman University, Altınşehir, Turkey, Ozguner Mert , Ozguner Zeynep ,   Department of Business, Faculty of Economics, Administrative and Social Sciences, Hasan Kalyoncu University, Gaziantep, Turkey
Published: August 2022

It is possible to argue that Additive Manufacturing technology has positive environmental impacts when compared to traditional production. The Additive Manufacturing technology, which provides less waste of raw materials with the use of smart materials, allows the materials to be included in the production process layer by layer (i.e. in a stratified manner) and with very high precision. Based on this point of view, the importance of Additive Manufacturing technology emerges for a sustainable production approach minimizing negative environmental effects, protecting energy and natural resources, and aiming to produce products rationally. Additive Manufacturing, which focuses on innovation and creativity, should take its place in industries as part of a holistic sustainability plan. With this study, the purpose was to determine the importance of Additive Manufacturing technology for sustainable production. It is thought that the results to be reached by the study will constitute a guiding reference for the strategies that the enterprises will develop on the subject. In this context, important application areas of Additive Manufacturing technology that are considered to contribute to sustainable production were uncovered as a result of a wide literature review and expert opinions. Ten criteria, which were considered to contribute to the sustainable production of Additive Manufacturing technology, were identified and the effects and relations among these criteria were analyzed with the DEMATEL Method. Obtained results show that Additive Manufacturing technology has a very important effect on sustainable production, with its contributions such as developing sustainable solutions, enabling green production, encouraging the production of innovative products, and preventing excessive resource use.
Fischer-Tropsch Synthesis on Co/SBA-15 Catalyst: Characterization and Oligomerization Modeling
Authors:   Universidade Federal do Ceará, Departamento de Engenharia Química, Campus do Pici, Bloco 709, 60455-760 Fortaleza – CE, Brazil, Menezes Virginia M. R. , Paula Gustavo M. ,   Universidade Federal de Campina Grande, Departamento de Engenharia Química, 58109-970 Campina Grande - PB, Brazil, Lima Liliane A. ,   Universidade Federal de Campina Grande, Departamento de Engenharia Química, 58109-970 Campina Grande - PB, Brazil, Rodrigues Meiry G. F. ,   Universidade Federal de Campina Grande, Departamento de Engenharia Química, 58109-970 Campina Grande - PB, Brazil, Fernandes Fabiano A. N. ,   Universidade Federal do Ceará, Departamento de Engenharia Química, Campus do Pici, Bloco 709, 60455-760 Fortaleza – CE, Brazil
Published: August 2022

In this study, we investigated the oligomerization mechanism of the Fischer-Tropsch synthesis catalyzed by a cobalt-based catalyst supported by SBA-15. The Co/SBA-15 catalyst contained 20% w/w of cobalt. It was prepared by the wet impregnation method and characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), N2 adsorption-desorption, temperature-programmed reduction (TPR), and scanning electron microscopy coupled to X-ray energy dispersion spectroscopy (SEM-EDS). The FT synthesis was conducted in a slurry bed reactor operating at 240–270°C, 2.0–3.0 MPa, and 1:1–2:1 H2:CO ratio (mol:mol). An oligomerization model, based on alkyl and alkenyl mechanisms for hydrocarbon chain propagation, was used for product distribution. Impregnation with cobalt and calcination did not alter the structure of SBA-15. Cobalt oxides, including Co2O3 and Co3O4, were the active phases of the reaction. Adding cobalt to the support lowered the specific surface area and the pore volume of the support but did not change the structure of SBA-15. Fischer-Tropsch synthesis and C5+ hydrocarbon selectivity increased at a low H2:CO ratio (1.0) and low temperatures (240–255°C). The content of branched-chain paraffin and olefins increased with a decrease in the H2:CO ratio and temperature. The parameters of the model were estimated, and the assumption of a dual mechanism was satisfied.
Assessment of Loneliness During the Pandemic: Comparing Various Short Forms of the UCLA Loneliness Scale in South Africa Using Classical Test Theory and Mokken Analysis
Authors:   Department of Psychology, University of the Western Cape, Robert Sobukwe Road, Cape Town, South Africa, Pretorius Tyrone , Padmanabhanunni Anita ,   Department of Psychology, University of the Western Cape, Robert Sobukwe Road, Cape Town, South Africa
Published: August 2022

An important mental health concern arising from the COVID-19 pandemic was the loneliness resulting from the lockdown measures taken by many countries due to the outbreak. Thus, loneliness needs to be studied in detail for intervention purposes. The UCLA Loneliness Scale is the most widely used measure of loneliness. However, the 20-item measure has some drawbacks, including questionnaire fatigue, especially when used with other measures, and a lack of accurate responses to all items. In this study, we evaluated two short forms of the UCLA Loneliness Scale used in other studies (UCLA-10 and UCLA-8), as well as a five-item version developed in this study, through the classical test theory and Mokken analysis with two different sample groups (teachers, N = 337; students, N = 355). The results of the Mokken analysis and the confirmatory factor analysis showed that the UCLA-10 and UCLA-5 were unidimensional and exhibited reliability and convergent validity. In contrast, the UCLA-8 was multidimensional and violated several assumptions of monotonicity and invariant item-ordering, although it showed satisfactory reliability and concurrent validity. All three versions of the scale correlated significantly with other indices of psychological well-being regarding concurrent validity, and the correlation coefficients were comparable to the coefficients of the 20-item version with the same variables. All three versions of the loneliness scale also demonstrated satisfactory convergent and discriminant validity. The results indicated that the UCLA-10 and UCLA-5 can be used as reliable and valid measures when the use of the long version of the UCLA Loneliness Scale is unsuitable.
Use of an Online Forum for Relatives of People With Psychosis and Bipolar Disorder: Mixed Methods Study
Authors: Jones Steven , Atanasova Dimitrinka , Dodd Susanna , Flowers Susan , Rosala-Hallas Anna , Robinson Heather , Semino Elena , Lobban Fiona
Published: August 2022

Background

Relatives of people with psychosis or bipolar disorder experience high levels of distress but are typically not offered the support they need. Online peer forums may offer a solution, but knowledge about who uses them, how, and why is limited. This study reported on online forum use during the Relatives Education and Coping Toolkit (REACT) trial.

Objective

We aimed to report who used the forum and why; how sociodemographic factors are associated with participation; the relationship among frequency, type of use, and outcomes; and how the forum was used.

Methods

The relationships between key sociodemographic characteristics, levels of forum use, and distress were statistically analyzed. We used thematic and semantic analyses to understand the reasons for relatives joining the forum and the key topics initiated by them. We also used the University Centre for Computer Corpus Research on Language Semantic Analysis System to compare how relatives and REACT supporters (moderators) used the forum.

Results

A total of 348 participants with full forum use data from REACT were included in this study. The forum was accessed by 59.4% (207/348) of the relatives across the entire age range, with no significant associations between sociodemographic factors and forum participation, or between level or type of use and relatives’ distress levels. Relatives joined the forum primarily to find people in similar circumstances, express concerns, and talk about stressful events. Relatives were most concerned about recent events, negative emotions linked to caring, experiences of conflict or threat, and concerns about suicide. These posts underscored both the challenges the relatives were facing and the fact that they felt safe sharing them in this context.

Conclusions

Although only a proportion of REACT participants engaged actively with its forum, they were widely distributed across age and other sociodemographic groupings. Relatives used the forum for information, support, and guidance and to offer detailed information about their experiences. The topics raised highlighted the burden carried by relatives and the potential value of easy-access, moderated, peer-supported forums in helping relatives to manage the challenges they faced.
Public Attitudes Towards Vaccine Mandates in Alberta During the ‘Pandemic of the Unvaccinated’: A Qualitative Analysis of Reddit Posts (Preprint)
Authors: Rotolo Bobbi , Bin Noon Gaya
Published: August 2022

BACKGROUND

During a period that was referred to as the “pandemic of the unvaccinated” in Alberta, the province had among the lowest vaccination rates in the country and four times the national average of cases. As the number of COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations reached their peak, governments resisted implementing vaccine measures. Users of social media platforms, such as Reddit, posted their discourse about these events in real time, providing a perspective of public attitudes towards public health action or lack thereof. This paper examines the content of posts, applying a qualitative lens to understand the themes underlying those responses.

OBJECTIVE

The goal of this study is to understand the attitudes and beliefs towards mandatory vaccination policies in Alberta, Canada in September 2021, during the fourth wave of COVID-19.

METHODS

9400 posts between September 1st and September 30th, 2021 were collected from the subreddit r/Alberta with Pushshift.io. Posts and comments were manually screened to determine their relevance to research objectives, and then coded using inductive coding methods.

RESULTS

Inductive coding methods yielded five key themes: (i) sentiments related to autonomy and consent, (ii) concerns about COVID-19 vaccine passport enforcement, (iii) concerns about government, (iv) concerns about the logistics of passports, and (v) sentiments relating to the necessity of passports to prevent lockdowns.

CONCLUSIONS

Overall, the data presented favorable sentiments towards an Albertan vaccine passport. Anti-vaccine and anti-mandate sentiments were often less extreme than those present in the literature, although this may be due to r/Alberta subreddit moderators removing those more extreme comments. Most reservations were due to issues of bodily autonomy, though concerns about the government and logistics also played a meaningful role.
“It’s Like the Elephant in the Room” A Qualitative Analysis of Racism in a U.S. High School
Authors: Halliwell, BS, IBCLC Hannah A. , MD Ebony King, , Gonzalez-Matute, BS Maggie , Kirksey, BS Jeremy A. , BS Cheldy Martinez, , BA, RN Micharri Pratts, , BSPH Sivanah Ybarra, , BS Nikesha Williams, , MD, MPH Shervin Assari,
Published: August 2022

Identifying and addressing systemic racial oppression in the education system is a key component in confronting pervasive health and economic disparities for Black students. In this qualitative study, we conducted secondary analysis of existing data. Transcripts of interviews and focus group discussions belonged to 21 Black students in a charter school in Michigan in the year 2013. Open access data were downloaded from University of Michigan’s Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research (ICPSR) database in 2022. We used an inductive analytic approach to analyze the qualitative data for constructs related to experiences of structural racism. Three constructs that characterized students’ experiences of structural racism in the U.S. education system were found: (a) Lack of Color-conscious Curriculum; (b) Selective Cultural Erasure; and (c) The Demonstration of Racialized Power. For researchers, these data highlight a need for more studies on the effects of structural racism in the U.S. education system on educational, economic, and health outcomes. For administrative and policy makers, the results emphasize the need for educational initiatives that address deeply-rooted structural inequalities in the U.S. education system. This may include adoption of color-conscious curriculum and culturally responsive pedagogy, the utilization of restorative justice practices, and reparations for Black Americans.
Trayectoria socioecológica del grupo Mujeres Cosechando, de Temoaya, Estado de México
Authors: Garduño de Jesus Edwin Gabriel , Moctezuma Pérez Sergio , Espinoza Ortega Angélica , Juan Pérez José Isabel
Published: August 2022

Objetivo: analizar la trayectoria socioecológica del grupo Mujeres Cosechando con sede en San Pedro Arriba, municipio de Temoaya, Estado de México. Metodología: se empleó el método etnográfico con la realización de entrevistas a las integrantes y la observación participante en los espacios de producción individual y grupal. Resultados: se develan las prácticas agroecológicas que desde finales de la década de 1990 y principios de 2000 realizan las integrantes. Se presentan las especies vegetales cultivadas para el autoconsumo y para el comercio en un mercado ecológico, de las cuales se obtienen beneficios tangibles e intangibles. Valor: evidenciar un estudio de caso cuyas prácticas agroecológicas han permitido a través de dos décadas la obtención de un sustento, y que puede ser un referente del potencial que tiene la agroecología para contribuir a su escalabilidad. Limitaciones: se omitieron el análisis cuantitativo de los insumos empleados en los agroecosistemas y el análisis del rendimiento y la productividad. También se prescindió de obtener los índices de diversidad por cada agroecosistema. Conclusiones: combinar los conocimientos tradicionales con los conocimientos de la agroecología trae beneficios económicos, sociales y culturales.
Optimization, Characterization and Quantification of Indole Acetic Acid Produced by a Potential Plant Growth Promoting Rhizobacterium Bacillus safensis YKS2 from Yercaud Hills, Eastern Ghats
Authors: Lakshmanan R. , Poyil Muhammad Musthafa , Kalaimurugan D. , Sivasankar P. , Ponmurugan K. , Venkatesan S.
Published: August 2022

Plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) have proved to be an effective solution for enhancing growth of various plant species. Five different bacterial isolates extracted from rhizosphere soil were extensively studied for the production of indole acetic acid (IAA) and among those Bacillus safensis YKS2 strain was found to produce substantial quantities of IAA. B. safensis YKS2 strain was characterized and submitted to National Centre for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) (Gen Bank No. MH539636). Optimization of IAA production with varying pH and temperature revealed that IAA production was maximum at pH 7 and at a temperature of 37°C. The production of IAA was confirmed and quantified by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Thin-layer chromatography (TLC), Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The PGPR inoculum showed significant (p<0.05) shoot increase (60.00 – 89.00%) and root increase (30.00 – 90.00%) relative to the controls in Vigna radiata. This study showed that IAA producing ability of B. safensis YKS2 can be used in the large-scale production of IAA for plant growth promotion.
Style-based quantum generative adversarial networks for Monte Carlo events
Authors: Bravo-Prieto Carlos , Baglio Julien , Cè Marco , Francis Anthony , Grabowska Dorota M. , Carrazza Stefano
Published: August 2022

We propose and assess an alternative quantum generator architecture in the context of generative adversarial learning for Monte Carlo event generation, used to simulate particle physics processes at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC). We validate this methodology by implementing the quantum network on artificial data generated from known underlying distributions. The network is then applied to Monte Carlo-generated datasets of specific LHC scattering processes. The new quantum generator architecture leads to a generalization of the state-of-the-art implementations, achieving smaller Kullback-Leibler divergences even with shallow-depth networks. Moreover, the quantum generator successfully learns the underlying distribution functions even if trained with small training sample sets; this is particularly interesting for data augmentation applications. We deploy this novel methodology on two different quantum hardware architectures, trapped-ion and superconducting technologies, to test its hardware-independent viability.
On the Dual Role of Foreign Directors: New Insights from the Russian Boards
Authors: Kim Oksana
Published: August 2022

Using a unique sample of hand-collected profiles of foreign directors over the period of 2006–2016, I examine whether foreign directors' board representation improves its dual role of monitoring and advising executives. The setting for this study is Russian public companies' boards of directors. I find that foreign directors' board representation is positively associated with the probability of Russian companies' cross-listing on London Stock Exchange's Main Market, alone or in combination with other markets. Non-London stock exchanges that are popular among Russian companies are characterized by less rigorous listing and reporting obligations as compared to London Stock Exchange. Accordingly, foreign directors enhance the boards' advisory role but only in cases in which their expertise is critical. Notably, foreign directors' serving on the audit committee is related to lower discretionary accruals and is associated with fewer modified audit opinion instances, thereby constraining managerial opportunistic behavior and enhancing the board's monitoring role

Data Availability: Data are available from the public sources cited in the text.

JEL Classifications: G30; G34; J15.
The Value of Eliciting Information: Evidence from Sell-Side Analysts
Authors: Yezegel Ari
Published: August 2022

The ability to elicit information is a critical skill that many analysts and other information agents strive to master. This paper develops and validates a novel approach to measure analysts’ skill in eliciting information and studies its relation with analysts’ performance. The results suggest that analysts who are skilled in eliciting information issue more accurate forecasts and more informative stock recommendations. Further, skilled analysts’ recommendations are incrementally more informative for companies with more opaque information environments and with managers who may be delaying bad news. Finally, analysts skilled in eliciting information are more likely to be cited by journalists, recognized by the profession (Institutional Investor all-star status), and less likely to be demoted. These findings demonstrate the importance of elicitation as a distinct skill that influences analysts’ output quality, thereby extending previous research that generally focuses on the performance effects of general analyst characteristics rather than specific skills.

Data Availability: Data are available from the public sources cited in the text.

JEL Classifications: M41; G11; G14.