bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The iron chelator, PBT434, modulates transcellular iron trafficking in brain microvascular endothelial cells
Authors: Bailey Danielle K. , Clark Whitney , Kosman Daniel J.
Published: July 2021

Iron and other transition metals, such as copper and manganese, are essential for supporting brain function, yet over-accumulation is cytotoxic. This over-accumulation of metals, particularly iron, is common to several neurological disorders; these include Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, Friedrich’s ataxia and other disorders presenting with neurodegeneration and associated brain iron accumulation. The management of iron flux by the blood-brain barrier provides the first line of defense against the over-accumulation of iron in normal physiology and in these pathological conditions. In this study, we determined that the iron chelator PBT434, which is currently being developed for treatment of Parkinson’s disease and multiple system atrophy, modulates the uptake of iron by human brain microvascular endothelial cells (hBMVEC) by chelation of extracellular Fe2+. Treatment of hBMVEC with PBT434 results in an increase in the abundance of the transcripts for transferrin receptor (TfR) and ceruloplasmin (Cp). Western blot and ELISA analyses reveal a corresponding increase in the proteins as well. Within the cell, PBT434 increases the detectable level of chelatable, labile Fe2+; data indicate that this Fe2+is released from ferritin. In addition, PBT434 potentiates iron efflux likely due to the increase in cytosolic ferrous iron, the substrate for the iron exporter, ferroportin. PBT434 equilibrates rapidly and bi-directionally across an hBMVEC blood-brain barrier. These results indicate that the PBT434-iron complex is not substrate for hBMVEC uptake and thus support a model in which PBT434 would chelate interstitial iron and inhibit re-uptake of iron by endothelial cells of the blood-brain barrier, as well as inhibit its uptake by the other cells of the neurovascular unit. Overall, this presents a novel and promising mechanism for therapeutic iron chelation.
A novel mouse line with epididymal initial segment-specific expression of Cre recombinase driven by the endogenous Lcn9 promoter
Authors: Gong Qian-qian , Wang Xiao , Dou Zhi-lin , Zhang Ke-yi , Liu Xiang-guo , Gao Jian-gang , Sun Xiao-yang
Published: July 2021

Spermatozoa released from testes undergo a maturation process and acquire the capacity to fertilize ova through epididymal transit. The epididymis is divided into four regions, each with unique morphology, gene profile, luminal microenvironment and distinct function. To study the functions of relevant genes in the epididymal initial segment (IS), a novel IS-specific mouse model, Lcn9-Cre knock-in (KI) mouse line was generated via CRISPR/Cas9 technology. The TAG stop codon was replaced by a 2A-NLS-Cre cassette, resulting in the co-expression of Lcn9 and Cre recombinase. IS-specific Cre expression was first observed from postnatal day 17. Using the Rosa26tdTomatoreporter mice, the Cre-mediated DNA recombination was detected exclusively in principal cells. The epididymal IS-specific Cre activityin vivowas further confirmed using Lcn9-Cre mice crossed with a mouse strain carryingTsc1floxed alleles (Tsc1flox/+). Cre expression did not affect either normal development or male fecundity. Different from any epididymis-specific Cre mice reported previously, the novel Lcn9-Cre mouse line can be used to introduce entire IS-specific conditional gene editing for gene functional study.
Nomogram of age-specific anti-Müllerian hormone levels in healthy Egyptian females
Authors: El-Attar Eman Ahmed , Hosny Tamer A. , Ichihara Kiyoshi , Bedair Rania N. , Tork Ahmed Salah El-Din
Published: July 2021

Background

Anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) is an important determinant of ovarian reserve in fertility workups in many clinical settings. Thus, we investigated the age dependent decline in AMH specific to the Egyptian population and sought to establish an age dependent reference interval parametrically.

Methods

Serum samples were collected from 841 apparently healthy women. AMH was measured using an electro-chemiluminescent technique. Box-Cox power transformation was used to make the AMH distribution Gaussian for parametric derivation of reference intervals.

Results

Power of 0.4 was found optimal for Gaussian transformation of AMH reference values. We demonstrate the strong negative relation between circulating AMH and female age with Spearman’s correlation coefficient of rS= −0.528. Age-specific reference interval was determined for every 5 years of age from 16 to 49, and nomogram was constructed by smoothing the lines connecting adjacent lower and upper reference limits.

Conclusion

The age-specific reference intervals and the age-AMH nomogram could be valuable in the clinical practice of in reproductive medicine. To our knowledge, this is the first study to confirm AMH levels in Egyptian females. We were able to explore age-related AMH levels specific to Egyptian females in the fertile age group and to treat skewed AMH data in a multi-step scheme using power transformation. Thus, a more accurate nomogram was constructed accommodating a profile delineated for a wide age range and a rescaled AMH axis improving its usability.
Dietary supplementation of alpha-lipoic acid mitigates the negative effects of heat stress in broilers
Authors: Wasti Sanjeev , Sah Nirvay , Lee Chin N. , Jha Rajesh , Mishra Birendra
Published: July 2021

Heat stress accounts for substantial economic loss in the poultry industry by altering the health and performance of chickens. Alpha-lipoic acid (ALA) is a water and fat-soluble antioxidant which is readily absorbed from the intestine resulting in maximum bioavailability. Moreover, ALA acts as a coenzyme in glucose metabolism and helps generate other antioxidants. Considering these benefits, we hypothesized that dietary supplementation of ALA would help mitigate heat stress in poultry. A total of 72 Day-old broiler chicks were randomly assigned into three treatment groups: no heat stress (NHS), heat stress with basal diet (HS), and heat stress with alpha-lipoic acid (HS+ALA); each treatment group had 6 replicate pens with 4 birds in each pen (n = 24/group). The allocated birds were raised under standard husbandry practices for 3 weeks. After 21 d, birds in the HS and HS+ALA groups were exposed to heat stress (33°C for 8 hours during the day) for 3 weeks, while the NHS group was reared under normal conditions (22–24°C). The HS+ALA group received a basal finisher diet fortified with ALA (500 mg/kg) during the treatment period (22 to 42 d), while other birds were provided with the basal finisher diet. Weekly body weight and feed intake were recorded. The cecum digesta for volatile fatty acids (VFAs) analysis and 16S rRNA sequencing for the gut microbiota analysis; and the ileum tissue samples for histological and gene expression analyses were collected on d 42. Exposure to heat stress decreased (P<0.05) average daily gain (ADG) and final body weight (FBW) in the HS group compared to the NHS group, the supplementation of ALA improved (P<0.05) ADG and FBW in heat-stressed birds. Furthermore, birds in the HS+ALA group had increased (P<0.05) expression of HSP90, PRDX1, GPX3, SOD2, OCLN, and MUC2 genes and higher (P<0.05) concentrations of major VFAs (acetate, propionate, and butyrate). The dietary ALA supplementation also improved the villus height and villus height to crypt depth ratio in the HS+ALA group. The microbial diversity analysis revealed significant abundance (P<0.05) of beneficial bacteria Lactobacillus and Peptostreptococcaceae in the cecum of the ALA group. These results indicate that dietary ALA supplementation effectively mitigates the negative effects of heat stress in broilers by improving the expression of heat-shock, tight-junction, antioxidants, and immune-related genes in the intestine, improving villus structures, increasing concentration of major VFAs, and enriching the beneficial microbiota.
Do algorithm traders mitigate insider trading profits?: Evidence from the Thai stock market
Authors: Wongsinhirun Nopparat , Chatjuthamard Pattanaporn , Treepongkaruna Sirimon , Likitapiwatc Tanakorn
Published: July 2021

This paper asks whether algorithm traders (AT) mitigate insider trading profits in the Thai stock market over the period of 2010–2016. We find that in general it does but not in the case of buy side, big trades nor the executive trades. Our findings suggest that, to some extent, AT can take important role to increase an efficiency in stock market by processing the public information and incorporating it into price at ultra-fast speed. Additional robustness checks based on the instrumental variable approach confirm our findings.
Larval development and survival of pond-breeding anurans in an agricultural landscape impacted more by phytoplankton than surrounding habitat
Authors: Youngquist Melissa B. , Boone Michelle D.
Published: July 2021

The destruction of freshwater habitat is a major contributor to biodiversity loss in aquatic ecosystems. However, created or restored wetlands could partially mitigate aquatic biodiversity loss by increasing the amount of available habitat across a landscape. We investigated the impact of surrounding terrestrial habitat and water quality variables on suitability for two species of pond-breeding amphibians (bullfrogs [Lithobates catesbeianus] and Blanchard’s cricket frogs [Acris blanchardi]) in created permanent wetlands located on an agricultural landscape. We examined tadpole growth and survival in field enclosures placed in ponds surrounded by agricultural, forested, or grassland habitats. We also evaluated the potential for carryover effects of the aquatic environment on terrestrial growth and overwinter survival of cricket frog metamorphs. We found that habitat adjacent to ponds did not predict tadpole growth or survival. Rather, phytoplankton abundance, which showed high variability among ponds within habitat type, was the only predictor of tadpole growth. Cricket frogs emerged larger and earlier from ponds with higher phytoplankton abundance; bullfrogs were also larger and at a more advanced developmental stage in ponds with higher levels of phytoplankton. Overwinter survival of cricket frogs was explained by size at metamorphosis and there were no apparent carryover effects of land use or pond-of-origin on overwinter growth and survival. Our results demonstrate that created ponds in human-dominated landscapes can provide suitable habitat for some anurans, independent of the adjacent terrestrial habitat.
Organic cultivation practices enhanced antioxidant activities and secondary metabolites in giant granadilla (Passiflora quadrangularis L.)
Authors: Ramaiya Shiamala Devi , Lee Huei Hong , Xiao Yong Jun , Shahbani Nur Shahirah , Zakaria Muta Harah , Bujang Japar Sidik
Published: July 2021

Passiflora quadrangularis L. belongs to the family Passifloraceae which bears larger fruit with edible juicy mesocarp and pulp known as a good source of phytochemicals. Cultivation and plant management practices are known to influence the phytochemical compositions of agricultural produce. This study aimed to examine the influence of the cultivation practices on the antioxidant activities and secondary metabolites of the organically and conventionally grown P. quadrangularis. Findings revealed organically treated P. quadrangularis plants showed enhancement in their antioxidant properties and secondary metabolites profiles. Among the plant parts, leaves of P. quadrangularis grown organically possessed higher antioxidant activities compared to the conventional in all assays evaluated. The antioxidant activities in the edible parts of the P. quadrangularis fruit have also been enhanced through organic cultivation with significantly higher total phenolic content and DPPH in mesocarp, and the pulp showed higher total flavonoid content, DPPH and FRAP. This observation is supported by a higher level of vitamins and secondary metabolites in the samples. The secondary metabolites profile showed mesocarps were phenolic rich, the pulps were flavonoids rich while leaves showed good composition of phenolics, flavonoids and terpenoids with outstanding antioxidant activities. The common secondary metabolites for organically produced P. quadrangularis in different plant parts include 2-isopropyl-3-methoxycinnamic acid (mesocarp and pulp), myricetin isomers (pulp and leaves), and malvidin-3-O-arabinoside isomers (pulp and leaves). This study confirmed that organic cultivated P. quadrangularis possessed higher antioxidant activities contributed by its vitamins and secondary metabolites.
Impact of COVID-19-like symptoms on occurrence of anxiety/depression during lockdown among the French general population
Authors: Mary-Krause Murielle , Herranz Bustamante Joel José , Héron Mégane , Andersen Astrid Juhl , El Aarbaoui Tarik , Melchior Maria
Published: July 2021

Background

The outbreak of the COVID-19 epidemic lead to high levels of morbidity and mortality around the globe. Consequences of this outbreak and possible associated infection are an increase in mental health disorders and an increased likelihood of internalizing problems, particularly depression. However, to date few studies have tested this hypothesis while taking into account individuals’ preexisting mental health difficulties.

Methods

We used longitudinal data collected among 729 persons in the context of the French TEMPO cohort between March and June 2020 (7 waves of data collection). COVID-19-like symptoms as well as anxiety/depression (assessed by the Adult Self Report), were reported at each wave of data collection. To study the relationship between COVID-19-like symptoms and anxiety/depression, we used generalized estimation equation (GEE) models controlled for socio-demographic and health-related characteristics, including anxiety/depression prior to 2020.

Results

Overall, 27.2% of study participants reported anxiety/depression during lockdown. 17.1% of participants reported COVID-19-like symptoms during the course of follow-up, 7.3% after the beginning of lockdown, with an average number of 2.7 symptoms, and 3.6% reported respiratory distress. In multivariate analyses, nearly all the considered indicators of COVID-19-like symptoms were associated with higher odds of symptoms of anxiety/depression (symptoms Yes/No: OR = 1.66, 95% CI = 1.08–2.55; symptoms after the beginning of lockdown: OR = 1.91, 95% CI = 1.03–3.52; number of symptoms: OR for each additional symptom = 1.19, 95% CI = 1.02–1.39. This relationship exists after taking into account prior symptoms of anxiety/depression, which are associated with a 5-fold increased likelihood of psychological distress. And this impact is stronger among men than women.

Conclusions

Our study shows higher risk of anxiety/depression among persons who experienced COVID-19-like symptoms, even after accounting for prior mental health difficulties. COVID-19 infection could have both a direct and indirect impact on the occurrence of psychological difficulties, and this association should be studied in greater detail.
Fasting increases 18:2-containing phosphatidylcholines to complement the decrease in 22:6-containing phosphatidylcholines in mouse skeletal muscle
Authors: Senoo Nanami , Akahori Takumi , Ichida Hiyori , Miyoshi Noriyuki , Morita Akihito , Shimizu Takao , Shindou Hideo , Miura Shinji
Published: July 2021

Fasting stimulates catabolic reactions in skeletal muscle to survive nutrient deprivation. Cellular phospholipids have large structural diversity due to various polar-heads and acyl-chains that affect many cellular functions. Skeletal muscle phospholipid profiles have been suggested to be associated with muscle adaptations to nutritional and environmental status. However, the effect of fasting on skeletal muscle phospholipid profiles remains unknown. Here, we analyzed phospholipids using liquid chromatography mass spectrometry. We determined that fasting resulted in a decrease in 22:6-containing phosphatidylcholines (PCs) (22:6-PCs) and an increase in 18:2-containing PCs (18:2-PCs). The fasting-induced increase in 18:2-PCs was sufficient to complement 22:6-PCs loss, resulting in the maintenance of the total amount of polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA)-containing PCs. Similar phospholipid alterations occurred in insulin-deficient mice, which indicate that these observed phospholipid perturbations were characteristic of catabolic skeletal muscle. In lysophosphatidic acid acyltransferase 3-knockout muscles that mostly lack 22:6-PCs, other PUFA-containing PCs, mainly 18:2-PCs, accumulated. This suggests a compensatory mechanism for skeletal muscles to maintain PUFA-containing PCs.
Re-fashioning stories through feminist filmmaking, an interview with Samita Nandy
Authors: Moro Sabrina
Published: July 2021

To conclude this Special Issue ‘Re-Fashioning Stories for Celebrity Counterpublics’ of the Journal of Applied Journalism & Media Studies (AJMS), I am delighted to share an interview with Samita Nandy, celebrity scholar, filmmaker and director of the Centre for Media and Celebrity Studies (CMCS). Her research focuses on the cultural dimensions of fame, with a specific interest in celebrity activism, storytelling and the performance of authenticity and intimacy in glamorous narratives. In addition to her academic work, Nandy is also a certified broadcast journalist from Canada and media critic. I had the opportunity to assist her and Kiera Obbard with the organization of the 8th CMCS Conference, which inspired this Special Issue. This interview is thus an opportunity to further expand our reflection on the political possibilities of storytelling and celebrity counterpublics. Our discussion builds on the themes and arguments developed throughout this issue to further explore what popular storytelling means in practice. She reflects on her engagement with celebrity culture and life-writing in her feminist research and artistic endeavours, and how it has empowered her to tell personal and collective stories. The interview format and its themes provide a unique opportunity to contemplate the affordances of a reflective practice paradigm and the artistic applications of disciplinary knowledge, one which bridges academic work with media professions, and which we hope will resonate with AJMS readers.
Poiesis, ecology and embodied cognition
Authors: Westermann Claudia
Published: July 2021

Since René Descartes famously separated the concepts of body and mind in the seventeenth century, western philosophy and theory have struggled to conceptualize the interconnectedness of minds, bodies, environments and cultures. While environmental psychology and the cognitive sciences have shown that spatial perception is ‘embodied’ and depends on the aforementioned concepts’ interconnectedness, architectural design practice, for example, has rarely incorporated these insights. The article presents research on the epistemological foundations that frame the communication between design theory and practice and juxtaposes it with scientific research on embodied experience. It further suggests that Asian aesthetics, with its long history in conceiving relations and art as interactive, could create a bridge between recent scientific insights and design practice. The article links Asian aesthetics to a discourse on ecologies in the post-Anthropocene, in dialogue with contemporary conceptions of time. It outlines an approach to the interconnectedness of minds, bodies, environments, the sciences and cultures, in favour of a future that is governed by creative wisdom rather than ‘smart’ efficiency.
Cracking God’s roof: Manifestation and adaptation on the intuitive nature of creating electronic music with tablet computers
Authors: Van De Bogart Willard G.
Published: July 2021

Electronic music is advancing not only in the way it is being used in performance but also in the technological sense, due to software developers advancing the ability of the synthesizer to enable the composer to create newer sounds. The introduction of the amino acid and protein synthesizers from MIT is one such example, along with sampling sounds from interstellar bodies through the process of sonification in order to create presets as additional source material for the composer’s palette. The creative process used in creating electronic music on a tablet computer introduces a new musical instrument to be used in live music performances. The fluidity and immediacy of how electronic sounds can be created with tablet computer synthesizers affords the composer to have a new behavioural sense of using them as a musical instrument that can be played intuitively. Exploring this new interface of musical composition is a subject this article will address as well as the psychological aspects pertaining to how an audience can relate to electronic music as an emerging art form removed from the classical music tradition. It will also discuss how the composer of electronic music can affect the listener’s ability to envision new conceptual landscapes, leading to experiencing new ideas and subjective fields of visionary understandings. The composer’s ability to use conceptual models, which influence the way sounds are made and how those sounds influence the listener’s experience, is an important focus of this article.
Serviços ecossistêmicos e direito: delineamentos para uma teoria jurídica geral e uma tipologia
Authors: Altmann Alexandre , Valente Isabel Maria Freitas , Sala José Blanes
Published: July 2021

Os serviços ecossistêmicos, enquanto os benefícios que as pessoas obtêm dos ecossistemas, são fundamentais à sobrevivência e ao bem-estar humano. No entanto, eles não são suficientemente considerados nas decisões sobre a conservação ou degradação dos ecossistemas, motivo pelo qual se encontram em declínio. Cabe ao Direito dar uma resposta efetiva para tornar os serviços ecossistêmicos visíveis perante a sociedade, instituições e economia. Algumas iniciativas já estão sendo implementadas, mas a maior parte consta apenas na letra fria da lei (“law in the books”). Nesse contexto, o presente trabalho visa a compreender o que são os serviços ecossistêmicos, como eles emergiram enquanto uma nova racionalidade nas ciências ambientais e na economia, bem como a forma como o Direito está recepcionando esse novo conceito. O primeiro objetivo desta obra é verificar como o Direito pode contribuir para garantir a preservação e o acesso justo e equânime a esses serviços. Outrossim, com o objetivo de sistematizar e operacionalizar as normas, institutos, instrumentos e políticas voltadas para a tutela e valorização dos serviços ecossistêmicos, propõe-se uma teoria jurídica geral dos serviços ecossistêmicos. Por fim, a presente obra apresenta uma tipologia de institutos, instrumentos e políticas voltadas para a tutela e promoção dos serviços ecossistêmicos.
Livros que respiram: pensamento ecológico e solidariedade nas literaturas em português
Authors: Sá André Corrêa de
Published: July 2021

Através de textos de autores portugueses, brasileiros e angolanos, do século XIX até hoje, neste livro procuro mostrar que um pensamento ecologicamente motivado pode facultar acesso a aspetos pertinentes de certos livros, desdobrando em superfícies mais amplas a atenção que lhes prestamos. Em larga medida, estas incursões no campo da ecocrítica tratam-na não como um ponto de vista particularmente adequado para examinar o imaginário ambiental veiculado pela literatura, mas como um vocabulário particularmente útil para relacionar a imaginação literária com o pensamento ecológico. Num sentido muito prático, procuro aqui seguir um conselho oportuno do líder indígena Ailton Krenak — “Quando você sentir que o céu está ficando muito baixo, é só empurrá-lo e respirar” —, extraindo algumas consequências da ideia de que um livro que respira é um livro que se expande sobre o espaço que o comporta.
Uncertainty and tourism. A regional approach
Authors: Benítez-Aurioles Beatriz
Published: July 2021

The aim of this article is to analyze and quantify the impact of uncertainty on tourist demand at a regional level. More specifically, with data corresponding to the period between 2000T1 and 2019T3, it estimates the elasticity of overnight stays in hotels in different Spanish Autonomous Regions in response to changes in the Economic Policy Uncertainty Index (EPU). The econometric analysis performed not only confirms the inverse relationship between tourist demand and uncertainty, but also detects patterns of behavior between regions that can be geographically grouped. In general, regions with a higher number of overnight stays per inhabitant tend to be more sensitive to uncertainty.
Factores de éxito en el emprendimiento femenino turístico rural en Costa Rica
Authors: Gutiérrez Cruz Merlyn , Such Devesa María Jesús , Gabaldón Quiñones Patricia
Published: July 2021

Este artículo de investigación tiene como objetivo definir el perfil de las mujeres emprendedoras costarricenses en el sector del turismo rural y determinar si sus características y las de sus empresas están relacionadas con su desempeño. Se adoptó una metodología mixta basada en entrevistas semiestructuradas y en profundidad. Los resultados ponen de manifiesto la importancia del apoyo familiar y la afiliación a redes como elementos esenciales para el desarrollo de empresas exitosas. La familia y las redes proporcionan dos elementos esenciales para el éxito de las emprendedoras: acceso a la financiación y formalización de sus negocios. Es de especial relevancia destacar la contribución de esta investigación a un campo poco estudiado como es el de las emprendedoras rurales, dados sus aportes a la reducción de la pobreza y en el que tradicionalmente el acceso a la información ha sido muy limitado.
Gobernanza y problemas retorcidos. Consideraciones teóricas para abordar problemas del turismo
Authors: Olaya Escobedo Sara Ivette , Cruz Jímenez Graciela , Porras Sánchez Francisco Javier
Published: July 2021

Este artículo discute los postulados teóricos de los wicked problems y la gobernanza, de manera que sea posible entender y abordar las problemáticas que se presentan en un destino turístico. El análisis parte de revisar la literatura que engloba los problemas generados por el turismo, su vínculo con otras áreas y su situación en materia política. Posteriormente se enlaza con el marco explicativo, de lo cual se identifica que la complejidad de los problemas es resultado de la diversidad de configuraciones propias de cada destino, las cuales están estrechamente relacionadas con el distanciamiento político entre los actores público-privados afectados por el turismo. Se concluye que, la comprensión del contexto donde se desenvuelve dicha actividad es importante para generar esquemas de cooperación, de tal forma que las redes establecidas en un destino puedan transitar hacia redes de gobernanza colaborativa donde predominen la confianza y los objetivos comunes, con la finalidad de tratar la complejidad de los problemas.
Medición de la eficiencia laboral del turismo rural sostenible en espacios naturales protegidos de España
Authors: Sánchez-Sánchez Francisca J. , Sánchez-Sánchez Ana M.
Published: July 2021

El turismo rural debe respetar y preservar el medio ambiente y servir de ayuda a la diversificación económica. El objetivo del estudio es evaluar la capacidad del turismo rural como instrumento para favorecer la eficiencia laboral y el desarrollo sostenible en espacios naturales protegidos. Se consideran factores laborales y de servicios de 55 zonas turísticas españolas emplazadas en espacios naturales protegidos, aplicándose técnicas de Análisis Envolvente de Datos y de Análisis Multivariante. La eficiencia del empleo en el turismo rural que se desarrolla en espacios naturales protegidos es poco significativa, siendo pocas las zonas turísticas que la alcanzan. El elevado proteccionismo de estas figuras de protección medioambiental, con planteamientos aislacionistas no favorece la eficiencia. El turismo rural puede ser un elemento de desarrollo sostenible del territorio, ayudando a la activación de recursos y al reequilibrio del territorio, pero para ello es importante conseguir la integración de los espacios naturales protegidos en las zonas rurales a través del planteamiento de modelos de gestión medioambiental adecuados.
Entornos hipertextuales y educación
Authors: Argos Javier , Ezquerra Pilar
Published: July 2021

En el presente trabajo pretendemos analizar, de forma sintética, el marco desde el que la educación formal y sus principales actores (estudiantes y docentes) deberían contemplar los entornos hipertextuales o, si se quiere, la hipertextualidad, entendiéndola no sólo como una herramienta específica de comunicación y de aprendizaje, sino, también, como algo que se inscribe en el marco de los procesos mentales-cognitivos y, aún de forma más amplia, en los contextos actitudinal y filosófico de cualquier proceso pedagógico.
Explorando el potencial educativo de los entornos virtuales 3D
Authors: Esteve Mon Francesc Marc , Gisbert Cervera Mercè
Published: July 2021

Los entornos virtuales 3D son sistemas tecnológicos avanzados, con múltiples potencialidades en el proceso de enseñanza-aprendizaje.En los últimos años diferentes instituciones han impulsado la necesaria adquisición de una serie de competencias clave para el siglo XXI tales como la iniciativa, el trabajo en equipo, la creatividad, la flexibilidad o la competencia digital. Los entornos virtuales multiusuario o espacios de simulación 3D son sistemas inmersivos, interactivos, personalizables, accesibles y programables, que permiten diseñar actividades complejas de carácter educativo dando respuesta a estas competencias clave. Para ello resulta necesario establecer una adecuada estrategia didáctica que permita poner en acción conocimientos y habilidades, y diseñar adecuados mecanismos de registro y sistematización.En el presente artículo se exponen las potencialidades de estos entornos y se presentan dos experiencias realizadas en estos espacios 3D: (1) para el desarrollo de la competencia de trabajo en equipo y autogestión, y (2) para la evaluación de la competencia digital en futuros maestros.
Dominium terrae? The Rise of the West during the Age of Discovery as a possible analytical paradigm in history teaching in Germany and Spain
Authors: Veigel Maximilian , Miguel-Revilla Diego
Published: July 2021

This article provides an in-depth analysis and discussion of the global-historical theory of the so-called Rise of the West during the Early Modern Age and the commonly named Age of Discovery. This theory is covered from the point of view of history education in order to question and provide a criticial examination of the framework. On the one hand, the controversial state of research of the topic is outlined, focusing on the main theoretical debates and some of the most noteworthy ideas under discussion. On the other hand, a discussion is also provided regarding some of the special requirements and essential conditions for an implementation of the idea of the Rise of the West in the curriculum. These notions are linked to both the traditional and current narratives that can be found in the German and Spanish national contexts. From this point of view, the politics of history of both nations are outlined, and, in addition, in order to provide some exemplifications, a selection of history textbooks from previous decades have been also examined in order to analyze the way some of the narratives and these themes are presented. A series of categories, including historical myths, and the Rise of the West as a special category, as well as its institutional dimensions are also discussed in order to showcase the potential of the theory and some of the shortcomings that were detected from the perspective of history education.
Epigrafía del Paisaje en el análisis de la materialidad funeraria
Authors: Cabrera Rodrigo , Iamarino María Laura , Manzi Liliana M.
Published: July 2021

En el presente trabajo, proponemos estudiar la dimensión funeraria a través de representaciones iconográficas y descripciones sobre la provisión de ofrendas en relación con las instituciones políticas (templos y palacios) y la administración estatal de Ur en Mesopotamia y de Tebas en Egipto, considerando los lugares en el paisaje, valorando tanto sus propiedades físicas como ponderando sus aspectos intangibles. A tal fin, nos focalizamos en un abordaje que se sustenta en el análisis de documentos que refieren a espacios funerarios, pero destacando también aspectos concernientes a su producción, distribución y almacenamiento. De este modo, enfatizamos elementos relativos a sus contextos sistémicos y sus caracteres semánticos (o componentes internos). Por tal motivo, a esta perspectiva de análisis, la denominamos Epigrafía del Paisaje y puede ser pensada en paralelo a la de «materialidad del signo lingüístico», la cual sostiene que la escritura puede considerarse una materialidad que recrea el universo de las relaciones sociales, al reunir en la modalidad de textos e iconografías, intervenciones culturales y representaciones mentales con los lugares seleccionados en el espacio regional. Para ello, se contempla una tripartición del paisaje entre humanos, lugares y objetos haciendo foco en: (a) las prácticas, (b) los agentes intervinientes y (c) las espacialidades reconocibles.
Safety and Efficacy of Chloroquine/Hydroxychloroquine in SARS-CoV-2 Infection
Authors: Boretti Alberto
Published: July 2021

This work summarizes the available evidence of the use of chloroquine/hydroxychloroquine (CQ/HCQ)
in SARS-CoV-2 infection. Most of the published works indicate CQ/HCQ is likely effective against
SARS-CoV-2 infection, almost 100% in prophylaxis and mild-medium severity cases and 60% in late
infection cases. The percentage of positive works is larger if those works conducted under a probable
conflict of interest are excluded from the list. Despite this overwhelming evidence from independent
studies, the use of CQ/HCQ is currently limited or prevented in many western countries, based on a
very singular examination of the science. The case of a work published in late May 2020, despite
being openly defective and then retracted, prompted the World Health Organization (WHO) to ban the
use of CQ/HCQ. This position has not yet rectified, thanks to the results of the not less questionable
RECOVERY trial, where very sick patients were administered more than double the dose, over more
than double the time, recommended for asymptomatic patients in current protocols of other countries,
where CQ/HCQ are used for asymptomatic and mild but not severe pneumonia critically ill patients.
While the case fatality rate does not depend only on therapies, it is finally shown based on the number
of cases and fatalities per million and the case fatality rate as the western countries enforcing the ban
on CQ/HCQ did not perform better, but much worse, than other countries, also because of therapies.
Isolation, Identification and Characterization of Gefitinib Novel Degradation Products by
NMR and HRMS, Method Development and Validation by UPLC
Authors: Yanaka Ramulu , Gandham Hima Bindu , Rumalla Chidananda Swamy , Kaliyaperumal Muralidharan , Saida Shaik John , Jammula Abhinav Reddy
Published: July 2021

Gefitinib (GFT) sold under the brand name Iressa, is a medication used to treat certain type of breast,
lung and other cancers, Gefitinib was subject to stress degradation under acidic, basic, peroxide mediated
oxidation, photolytic and thermal degradation. The stress degradation was performed according to
ICH guidelines Q1A(R2) and the drug was inert under thermal and photolytic conditions. One degradant
is identified in acid hydrolysis referred as 7-methoxy-6-(3-morpholinopropoxy) quinazolin-4(3H)-one
(GFT-DP1) and two degradants were formed in peroxide mediated hydrolysis referred as 4-(3-((4-((3-
chloro-4-fluorophenyl)amino)-7-methoxy-1-oxidoquinazolin-6-yl)oxy)-propyl)morpholine-4-oxide
(GFT-DP2) and 4-(3-((4-((3-chloro-4-fluorophenyl)amino)-7-methoxyquinazolin-6-yl)oxy)-propyl)-
morpholine-4-oxide (GFT-DP3). In present study, all the novel three degradation product structures
were confirmed by HRMS and 1D (1H, 13C) and 2D (COSY, HSQC and HMBC) based on 1D and 2D
NMR data proton and carbon chemical shift values assigned exactly for all degradation products. A
stability indicating RP-UPLC method was developed and validated with shorter run time and this
method was validated in terms of linearity, specificity, accuracy, LOD and LOQ.
Antibacterial and Antitubercular Activity of Novel Benzothiazole-
Aryl Amine Derivatives Tethered through Acetamide Functionality
Authors: Hakim Farhana , Salfidoer S. Roshan
Published: July 2021

A novel series of substituted benzothiazole-N-phenyl acetamides were synthesized through a feasible
scheme and characterized by IR, 1H NMR and mass spectral methods. All the synthesized compounds
were screened for antibacterial activity against two, Gram-positive strains: Staphylococcus aureus,
Bacillus subtilis; four, Gram-negative strains: Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhi, Pseudomonas
aeruginosa and Klebsiella pneumonia; and antitubercular activity against mycobacterial strain:
Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Among the 15 compounds (6a-o) tested, three compounds 6e, 6l and 6m
have demonstrated high potency with MIC values ranges from 6.25-12.5 μg/mL against both
Gram-positive and Gram-negative strains. Compounds 6e and 6l displayed remarkable antitubercular
activity with MIC value of 25 μg/mL.
Solvation Behaviour of Some Copper(I) Nitrate Complexes in
Dimethylsulfoxide and Nitromethane at 298 K
Authors: Pathania Vivek , Kaur Manpreet , Vermani B.K. , Sharma Shrutila , Grover Navya
Published: July 2021

The ultrasonic velocities of solutions of Bu4NBPh4, Bu4NClO4, [Cu(AN)4]NO3, [Cu(BN)4]NO3,
[Cu(Phen)2]NO3, [Cu(DMPhen)2]NO3, [Cu(Bipy)2]NO3 and [Cu(TU)4]NO3 (where AN = acetonitrile,
BN = benzonitrile, Phen = 1,10-phenanthroline, DMPhen = 2,9-dimethyl-1,10-phenanthroline, Bipy
= 2,2′-bipyridyl and TU = thiourea) were measured in the concentration range 0.03-0.27 M in
dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO), nitromethane (NM) and binary mixtures of DMSO + NM containing 0,
20, 40, 60, 80 and 100 mol% NM at 298 K in the present studies. Using ultrasonic velocity and density
data, isentropic compressibility (κs) and apparent molal isentropic compressibility (κs,φ) for electrolytes
in DMSO + NM mixture have been calculated. Result shows that copper(I) electrolytes show less
solvation in NM rich regions indicating structure breaking tendency of nitromethane. Extent of solvation
in Cu(I) ions decreases in the order: [Cu(AN)4]+ > [Cu(BN)4]+ > [Cu(TU)4]+ > [Cu(DMPhen)2]+
> [Cu(Phen)2]+ > [Cu(Bipy)2]+.
Design, Synthesis and in vitro Evaluation of 2-(Quinoline-8-sulfonamido)pentanedioic
Acid Analogues as Antiangiogenic and Antitumor Agents on Multiple Myeloma
Authors: Ghosh Avijit , Saha Abhijit , Sarker Koushik , Mishra Suvasish , Sen Subrata
Published: July 2021

Thalidomide is presently approved as antiangiogenic and anticancer drug in multiple myeloma. The
authors present a number of analogue-based designs of N-(o-carboxybenzoyl)-DL-glutamic acid, a
major thalidomide metabolite. The compounds were synthesized and biologically tested in multiple
myeloma as anticancer agents. Three compounds inhibited HUVEC proliferation at low micromolar
concentrations, indicating that they are antiangiogenic and cytotoxic to human multiple myeloma
RPMI8226. The active compounds were tested for antiproliferative activity on HUVECs using the
dye exclusion method with trypan blue. Dimethyl-2-(quinoline-8-sulfonamido)pentanedioate (2c), in
particular, inhibits VEGFR-2 phosphorylation at the Tyr-1175 residue, as determined by SDS PAGE.
The binding mode of (2c) was predicted in silico in order to better understand how it interacts with
essential amino acid residues in the VEGFR-2 active site. The binding energy was calculated as
-161.41kcal/mol. in vitro Study of the compounds on the Vero cell line shows less toxicity towards the
normal endothelial cells than the cancer cells.
One-Pot Synthesis of Pt-Pd Nanospheres Anchored in 2D-Reduced
Graphene Oxide Sheets for Electrocatalytic Methanol Oxidation
Authors: Kumar G. Sreenivasa , Reddy N. Ramamanohar , Kumar Naidu B. Vijaya , Reddy S. Adinarayana
Published: July 2021

Recently, direct methanol fuel cells (DMFCs) have been identified as suitable alternatives for efficient
energy conversion and pollution-free technology. This study reports the preparation of binary platinumpalladium
(Pt-Pd) nanospheres anchored on reduced graphene oxide (rGO) sheets (Pt-Pd/rGO sheets)
using a wet chemical technique. The structural and morphological features were analyzed using X-ray
powder diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy
(TEM), Raman microscope and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The homogeneous
anchored Pt-Pd nanospheres with an average size of 3.85 nm were deposited on to the surface of rGO
sheets. Methanol oxidation studies were analyzed through a simple drop coating method using a
glassy carbon electrode (GCE). The methanol oxidation performance of the Pt-Pd/rGO nanospheres
coated GCE was higher than that of the rGO sheets coated with a single metal (Pt or Pd). The concordant
integration of the Pt and Pd nanospheres/rGO-interface improved performance.
Swertia chirata Extract Synthesized Iron Oxide Nanoparticles as
Corrosion Inhibitor for SS-316L in Hank’s Solution
Authors: Sharma Pooja , Bhardwaj Nishant , Kumar Vineet
Published: July 2021

Metallic implants are the artificial biomedical devices used to replace, repair or improve the functioning
of damaged body organ or tissue. Corrosion of metallic component in the human body leads to the
failure or improper functioning of the implant. This study focuses on the application of Swertia chirata
extract synthesized iron oxide nanoparticles as corrosion inhibitor for stainless steel (SS) 316L in
Hank’s solution. Gravimetric method and electrochemical studied were used to analyze the corrosion
inhibition property. SEM and AFM analyses confirmed the corrosion preventive effect of iron oxide
nanoparticles on SS-316L surface. Further concentration dependent increase in inhibition efficiency
was observed with maximum 80.3% corrosion inhibition at 100 ppm nanoparticles concentration
from gravimetric analysis, which is well correlated with the electrochemical measurements. Therefore,
iron oxide nanoparticles can be utilized as potent anticorrosive agent, which can protect the metal
surface from further deterioration in harsh body environments.
Theoretical Investigation of Intermolecular Dihydrogen Bonds in C2H2···HM and
C2H4···HM (M = Li, Na and K) Complexes: A DFT and ab initio Study
Authors: Devi D. Parimala , Giju Tom , Praveena G. , Abiram A.
Published: July 2021

This study aims to investigate the dihydrogen bond formation in ethyne (C2H2) and ethene (C2H4) with
alkali metal hydrides (HM; M = Li, Na and K) complexes using density functional theory (DFT) and
ab initio methods. It mainly focuses on the comparison of the performances of different functionals of
DFT and ab initio method on the intermolecular dihydrogen bonded complexes. The geometrical
parameter and energy values agree with the formation of dihydrogen bonds in the complexes. Among
the ethyne and ethene complexes, the smallest dihydrogen bond distance was formed by C2H2···HK
and C2H4···HK, respectively. The C2H2 is found to form better dihydrogen bond (DHB) with alkali
metal hydrides than C2H4. Among all the functionals, M06L was observed to predict shortest H···H
bond distance, while M062X the longest. Natural bond orbital (NBO), quantum theory of atom in
molecules (QTAIM) along with molecular electrostatic potential (MEP) analysis further confirms the
dihydrogen bond formation.
Fabrication and Characterization of Polyvinyl
Chloride/Copolyester/Nanoclay Composite Nanofiber
Authors: Jasmine S. , Jonathan D. Reuben , Sidharthan J. , Roopsingh D.
Published: July 2021

Four random copolyesters were prepared by the polycondensation reaction of diols namely
1,5-dihydroxyanthraquinone, 4,4′-oxybis(benzoic acid) and variable chalcone diol. Four chalcone diols
were produced by acid catalyzed Claisen-Schmidt reaction at room temperature. These random
copolyesters were elucidated by solubility tests and viscosity measurements. The FT-IR, 1H & 13C
NMR techniques were applied to establish the repeating units present in the copolyester backbone.
Electrospinning method was employed to derive polyvinyl chloride-copolyester-nanoclay composite
nanofiber from tetrahydrofuran medium. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was utilized to examine
the morphology of the nanofibers. These composite nanofibers are expected to be a potential biomaterial
of greater significance.
Syntheses, Characterization and Biological Activity of Coordination Compounds of
Propanedioic Acid and its Mixed Ligand Complexes with N,N'-Dihydroxy-2,3-butanediimine
Authors: Aiyelabola T.O. , Akinkunmi E.O. , Osungunna O
Published: July 2021

The coordination compounds of propanedioic acid with cobalt(II), nickel(II) and copper(II) ions were
synthesized using metal:ligand 1:2. In addition to this, mixed ligand complexes using the same metal
ions with propanedioic acid as the primary ligand and N,N'-dihydroxy-2,3-butanediimine as the
secondary ligand were also synthesized using M:L1:L2 (1:1:1) where L1 = propanedioic acid, L2 =
N,N'-dihydroxy-2,3-butanediimine and M = Cu(II), Ni(II) and Cu(II). The synthesized compounds
were characterized using FTIR, UV-vis, magnetic susceptibility measurement and percentage metal
composition. The ligand and its metal complexes were tested for their cytotoxic and antibacterial
activities. Results indicated that a dimeric square planar geometry was assumed by the cobalt(II) and
nickel(II) propanedioic acid complexes. Octahedral geometry was proposed for both cobalt(II) and
copper(II) mixed ligand complexes. A dinuclear square pyramidal geometry was suggested for the
copper(II) propanedioic acid complex and square planar/octahedral geometry for the nickel(II) mixed
ligand complex. The copper(II) propanedioic acid complex elicited the best cytotoxic activity. On the
other hand, the nickel(II) propanedioic acid complex showed the remarkable antimicrobial activity.
The compounds exhibited good antimicrobial activity in most of the cases with the exception of the
cobalt(II) propanedioic acid complex. It was concluded that coordination of the ligands to the metal
ions lowered the toxicity of the ligands. It was further concluded that the antimicrobial activity of the
compounds was partly dependent on the synergism/additive effect of the intrinsic therapeutic properties
of the metal ion and the ligands within the coordination sphere of the complexes synthesized. And this
is also in part a function of the geometry assumed by the complexes.
Electrochemical Degradation of Reactive Red 195 from its Aqueous
Solution using RuO2/IrO2/TaO2 Coated Titanium Electrodes
Authors: Umadevi M. , Rathinam R. , Poornima S. , Santhi T. , Pattabhi S.
Published: July 2021

The electrochemical oxidation of reactive red 195 from aqueous solution was carried out using titanium
electrode in an electrochemical cell reactor. The effect of different operating parameters such as dye
concentration, current density, electrolyte concentration, pH and stirring speed were investigated. The
UV-visible spectroscopy confirmed the removal and degradation of reactive red 195. Three different
supporting electrolytes such as NaCl, NaNO3 and Na2SO4 were used for electrolysis and NaCl were
found to be effective for the removal of reactive red 195 dye from its aqueous solution. The maximum
percentage of colour removal was 94%, under the optimum operating conditions with electrolyte
(NaCl) concentration 0.075 M, current density 25 mA/cm2, pH 5 and stirring speed of 250 rpm. This
method was found to be relatively more effective to the conventional treatment techniques.