bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Clinical Features and Prognosis of NPM1/FLT3-ITD/DNMT3A Triple-mutated Acute Myeloid Leukaemia
Authors: Luo Xingchun , Liu Bei , Liang Haiping , Zhao Long , Guo Yuancheng , Feng Yue , Zhu Yu
Published: November 2021

Purpose: Previous studies have shown that patients with NPM1+/FLT3-ITD+ acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) have a poor prognosis, especially those with a high FLT3-ITD allelic ratio. However, no studies have confirmed a clear prognostic impact of DNMT3A on NPM1+/FLT3-ITD+ AML patients. Methods: Our study included a total of 165 patients with newly diagnosed non-acute promyelocytic leukaemia (non-APL) AML at The First Hospital of Lanzhou University between January 2018 and June 2021. Further bioinformatics analysis was performed using the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. Results: We retrospectively studied 165 patients newly diagnosed non-APL AML and identified 11 (6.7%) patients with NPM1/FLT3-ITD/DNMT3A triple mutations. The patients with triple-mutated AML had advanced age, higher white blood cell (WBC) counts, de novo AML, normal karyotypes, and poor survival, and all were in the M4/M5 French-American-British (FAB) category. Notably, half of the patients with triple-mutated AML had mature monocyte characteristics that were difficult to distinguish from chronic myelomonocytic leukaemia (CMML). We validated the prognosis of patients with triple-mutated AML by further bioinformatics analysis and found that the GNG4 gene, one of the hub genes, was related to triple-mutated AML patients' survival. Conclusion: Our data demonstrate that DNMT3A gene mutation has adverse prognostic significance in NPM1+FLT3-ITD+comutation AML patients.
Identification of the Transcription Factors of CD200R1 and Its Potential Roles in Parkinson’s Disease
Authors: Lin Suzhen , Shen Ruinan , Pan Hong , He Lu , Fang Fang , Su Yimei , Zhu Xue , Wang Xinrui , Zhou Yifan , Sun Xiaoyu , Qian Yuqin , Wang Ying , Xu Wei , Wu Yiwen , Ding Jianqing
Published: November 2021

BackgroundNeuroinflammation is known to be involved in the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease (PD). Abnormal activation of microglia plays a key role in this pathological process. CD200R1 is a membrane glycoprotein primarily expressed in microglia in central nervous system responsible for transducing signaling maintaining microglia in stationary status. Our previous studies have demonstrated the dysregulation of CD200R1 and its involvement in PD pathogenesis. The binding of transcription factors with promoter regions is the basic and essential step for the regulation of gene expression. However, little is known about the human CD200R1 promoter region and the mechanism of the dysregulated expression of CD200R1 in PD. MethodsLuciferase reporter system was initially employed to identify the core region of CD200R1 promoter and figure out its potential transcription factors. Subsequently, we investigated the interaction adopting electrophoretic mobility shift assay and chromatin immunoprecipitation assay. The regulatory function of the detected transcription factors were further proved through its down-regulation and overexpression. We then collected the peripheral blood mononuclear cells from both PD patients and their healthy counterparts with matched age and sex to evaluate whether consistent results existed under clinical setting. Ultimately, the mouse model was established through knocking-out the identified transcription factor and its role in neuroinflammation and pathogenesis of PD was explored. ResultsWe defined that the core promoter region of CD200R was located within -482 to -146 bp upstream of the translation initiation site (TIS). In addition, we demonstrated that NFKB1 directly bound to the CD200R1 core promoter region and regulated its transcriptional activity. Besides, the expression of NFKB1 and CD200R1 was significantly correlated in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells and knocking down NFKB1 significantly reduced CD200R1 expression. Moreover, both NFKB1 and CD200R1 were significantly downregulated in samples from PD patients. Furthermore, NFKB1-/- mice exhibited exacerbated microglia activation and dopaminergic neuron loss after MPTP treatment. Conclusion﻿Our study provided novel understanding of the transcriptional regulation of CD200R1 and its role in microglia homeostasis in the pathogenesis of PD.
A Qualitative Exploration of Prisoners’ Strategies for Coping with Food Insecurity in Prisons in Kinshasa, DRC
Authors: Badila Danny Mvula Muanga , Mapumulo Sphindile Nonhle , Horwood Christiane , John Vaughn Mitchell , Mapatano Mala Ali
Published: November 2021

Background: Contravention of prisoners’ basic human rights, over-crowding, poor living conditions, food insecurity, disease and lack of access to medical care in prisons constitute a serious public health concern in many low-income countries in Africa, including the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). This study aimed to explore prisoners’ experiences of food insecurity and strategies prisoners employ to overcome food insecurity in two prisons in Kinshasa, DRC.Methods: A qualitative study was conducted among 31 prisoners, both men and women. In-depth interviews were conducted in N’dolo and Makala prisons by two researchers in the local language (Lingala). For security reasons of prisoners interviews were not audio recorded, however, interviewers took thorough notes during interviews. Thematic analysis was used to analyze dataResults: Prisoners in both prisons described experiences of food insecurity. Food was normally served once a day, late in the afternoon. Prisoners complained about a monotonous diet, and that the food was of poor quality, inadequate quantity, and was unhygienically prepared. Most prisoners relied on outside support from family and friends for food provision, but those who did not have such support endured hunger and severe food insecurity. Prisoners employed different coping strategies to manage their hunger, which strategies they described for less severe, severe and very severe food insecurity depending on what they had to do to survive. Strategies included prisoners sharing food with each other, drinking water throughout the day, selling their belongings to buy food, begging food from visitors, looking for food in rubbish bins, or exchanging sex for food.Conclusion: Urgent attention is needed to improve nutrition and living conditions in Congolese prisons. All stakeholders need to formulate a comprehensive plan that will address issues faced by prisoners and improve their quality of life. Regular inspection of prisons is essential to ensure prisoners are treated fairly and their human rights are respected.
Covering Rough Set Based Incremental Feature Selection for Mixed Decision System
Authors: Yang Yanyan , Chen Degang , Zhang Xiao , Ji Zhenyan
Published: November 2021

Covering rough sets conceptualize different types of features with their respective generated coverings. By integrating these coverings into a single covering, covering rough set based feature selection finds valuable features from a mixed decision system with symbolic, real-valued, missing-valued, and set-valued features. Existing approaches to covering rough set based feature selection, however, are intractable to handle large mixed data. Therefore, an efficient strategy of incremental feature selection is proposed by presenting a mixed data set in sample subsets one after another. Once a new sample subset comes in, the relative discernible relation of each feature is updated to disclose incremental feature selection scheme that decides the strategies of increasing informative features and removing redundant features. The incremental scheme is applied to establish two incremental feature selection algorithms from large or dynamic mixed datasets. The first algorithm updates the feature subset upon the sequent arrival of sample subsets, and returns the reduct when no further sample subsets are obtained. The second one merely updates the relative discernible relations, and finds the reduct when no subsets are obtained. Extensive experiments demonstrate that the two proposed incremental algorithms, especially the second one speeds up covering rough set based feature selection without sacrificing too much classification performance.
The Global Burden of Sexually Transmitted Infections Estimated from 1990 to 2019
Authors: Yang Xiaoyu , Chen Dongyu , Wang Hongxin , Fan Wenlong , Liu Xinhua , Lin Yonghuang , He Yuqing
Published: November 2021

Background:To explore the burden of sexually transmitted infections at national, regional, and global levels from the 2019 Global Burden of Disease Study database. Methods: The number of cases and age-standardized rate of prevalence, incidence, and disability-adjusted life years were used for a descriptive study of sexually transmitted infections burden from 1990 to 2019, and secular trends were assessed by counting the estimated annual percentage change. Finding:The global prevalence of sexually transmitted infections in 2019 was 128.82 million. There were 58.15% new cases than in 1990. The disability-adjusted life year burden of sexually transmitted infections was lower among males than females and peaks among under 5 and 15- to 44-year-olds. In 2019, the global disability-adjusted life year loss was mostly attributed to years of life lost (88.23%), the higher the social development index developed, the more the number of years lived with disability contributed. In 21 regions, the age-standardized rates of disability-adjusted life year (per 100, 000 population) showed that the Caribbean remained on top. At a national level, a decreasing trend of the estimated annual percentage change of disability-adjusted life year rate had been observed. Syphilis was proved as a leading cause of heavy disease burden, which carried almost 85.9% of it. The age-standardized rates of disability-adjusted life year were in positive correlation with the human development index in 2019 and had a negative correlation with the estimated annual percentage change in 1990. Conclusion: A declining trend of sexually transmitted infections was observed globally; prevention of syphilis remained a crucial strategy in the course of reducing sexually transmitted infections burden. The findings from this research can help to establish appropriate health policy and reduce the disease burden further.
Horseradish Peroxidase-Conjugated-Nanobody-Based cELISA For The Rapid and Sensitive Clinical Detection of African Swine Fever Virus Antibodies
Authors: Zhao Huijun , Ren Jiahui , Wu Shuya , Du Yongkun , Wan Bo , Zhuang Guoqing , Ji Pengchao , Wu Yanan , Zhang Angke , Zhang Gaiping
Published: November 2021

Background: African swine fever (ASF), which is caused by the ASF virus (ASFV), is a highly contagious hemorrhagic disease that affects pigs and has the potential to cause mortality in almost 100% of domestic pigs and wild boars. Due to the lack of an effective vaccine, the control of ASF must depend on early, efficient, cost-effective detection and strict control and elimination strategies. Traditional molecular and serological testing methods are generally associated with high testing costs, complex operations and high technical requirements. As a promising alternative diagnostic tool to traditional antibodies, nanobodies (Nb) have the advantages of simpler and faster generation, good stability and solubility, and high affinity and specificity. The application of Nbs in the detection of ASFV antibodies in the serum has not yet been reported, to the best of our knowledge. Results: Using a phage display technology, one specific Nb against the ASFV p54 protein that exhibited high specificity and affinity to the protein, Nb8, was successfully screened. A HEK293T cell line stably expressing Nb8-horseradish peroxidase (HRP) fusion protein was established using the lentiviral expression system. Following the optimization of the reaction conditions, the Nb8-HRP fusion protein was successfully used to establish a competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (cELISA) to detect ASFV-specific antibodies in pig serum, for the first time. The cut-off value for the cELISA was 15.78%. A total of 209 serum samples were tested using the developed cELISA and a commercial ELISA kit. The specificity of the cELISA was 98.97%, and the limit of detection was 1:320 in inactivated ASFV antibody-positive reference serum samples, with the coincidence rate between the two methods being 98.56%. Conclusions: A specific, sensitive and repeatable cELISA was successfully developed based on the unique Nb8 as a probe, providing a promising method for the detection of anti-ASFV antibodies in clinical pig serum.
Contribution of Bioenergy to the Modern Energy Services in Ethiopia
Authors: Megersa Shasho , Jemal Kedir , Desisa Buzayehu
Published: November 2021

Biomass based traditional energy has been the main energy supply in Ethiopia. Efforts are being made to shift to modern bioenergy utilization but the level of contribution of modern bioenergy to the total energy supply of the country’s supply is not computed. In this synthesis we described the contribution of bioenergy to modern energy utilization in the country. Data used here was retrieved from the country’s official reports and published literatures. Access to modern cooking services in the country was particularly focused on and both biogas feedstock productivities and biogas processing efficiencies were calculated. Herfindahl Index (HI) was calculated to observe the change in the diversity of the total primary energy supply due to bioenergy in the country. Results indicated that only a few households, 10%, had access to modern bioenergy services. Less than 0.10% of households have a biogas digester. The HI values showed the low diversity of the energy supply and the very limited contribution of modern bioenergy. This synthesis indicated that the contribution of modern bioenergy to the energy supply of the country is very low. Very low difference was observed between Herfindahl Indexes with and without considering modern bioenergy in the total primary energy supply (TPES) of the country is also found to be insignificant. Results found indicated lower diversity of the energy supply of Ethiopia and very limited contribution of modern bioenergy to the diversity and security of the energy supply.
Halpern-type relaxed inertial algorithms with Bregman divergence for solving variational inequalities
Authors: Jolaoso Lateef Olakunle , Sunthrayuth Pongsakorn , Cholamjiak Prasit , Cho Yeol Je
Published: November 2021

It is well-known that the use of Bregman divergence is an elegant and effective technique for solving many problems in applied sciences. In this paper, we introduce and analyze two new inertial-like algorithms with Bregman divergence for solving pseudomonotone variational inequalities in a real Hilbert space. The first algorithm is inspired by Halpern -type iteration and subgradient extragradient method and the second algorithm is inspired by Halpern -type iteration and Tseng's extragradient method. Under suitable conditions, the strong convergence theorems of the algorithms are established without assuming the Lipschitz continuity and the sequential weak continuity of any mapping. Finally, several numerical experiments with various types of Bregman divergence are also performed to illustrate the theoretical analysis. The results presented in this paper improve and generalize the related works in the literature.
Hypoxia-Related Long Non-Coding RNA Signature Predicts the Prognosis of Breast Cancer
Authors: Huo Jinlong , Shen Shuang , Chen Chen , Qu Rui , Guo Youming , Ou Dong
Published: November 2021

Background: Breast cancer(BC) is the most common tumour in women. Hypoxia stimulates metastasis in cancer and is linked to poor patient prognosis.Methods: We screened prognostic-related lncRNAs(Long Non-Coding RNAs) from the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) data and constructed a prognostic signature based on hypoxia-related lncRNAs in BC.Results: We identified 21 differentially expressed lncRNAs associated with BC prognosis. Kaplan Meier survival analysis indicated a significantly worse prognosis for the high-risk group(P<0.001). Moreover, the ROC-curve (AUC) of the lncRNAs signature was 0.700, a performance superior to other traditional clinicopathological characteristics. Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) showed many immune and cancer-related pathways and in the low-risk group patients. Moreover, TCGA revealed that functions including activated protein C (APC)co-inhibition, Cinnamoyl CoA reductase(CCR),check-point pathways, cytolytic activity, human leukocyte antigen (HLA), inflammation-promotion, major histocompatibility complex(MHC) class1, para-inflammation, T cell co-inhibition, T cell co-stimulation, and Type Ⅰ and Ⅱ Interferons (IFN) responses were significantly different in the low-risk and high-risk groups. Immune checkpoint molecules such as ICOS, IDO1, TIGIT, CD200R1, CD28, PDCD1(PD-1), were also expressed differently between the two risk groups. The expression of m6A-related mRNA indicated that YTHDC1, RBM15, METTL3, and FTO were significantly between the high and low-risk groups.Additionally, immunotherapy in patients with BC from the low-risk group yielded a higher frequency of clinical responses to anti-PD-1/PD-L1 therapy or a combination of anti-PD-1/PD-L1and anti-CTLA4 therapies.Except for lapatinib, the results also show that a high-risk score is related to a higher half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) of chemotherapy drugs.Conclusion: A novel hypoxia-related lncRNAs signature may serve as a prognostic model for BC.
The Pro-Inflammatory Effect of Staphylokinase Contributes to Community-Associated Staphylococcus Aureus Pneumonia
Authors: Wang Yanan , Zhao Na , Jian Ying , Liu Yao , Zhao Lin , He Lei , Liu Qian , Li Min
Published: November 2021

Pneumonia caused by community-associated Staphylococcus aureus (CA-SA) has high morbidity and mortality. Pathogens can express a variety of virulence factors to promote infection. The game between the host immune system and pathogens determines the degree of infection and tissue damage, but its mechanism has not been well explored. In this study, we found that staphylokinase (SAK) is highly expressed in CA-SA lineage ST398 and promotes lung infection in both wild-type and cathelicidins-related antimicrobial peptide CRAMP knockout (CRAMP−/−) mice. Furthermore, our results showed that SAK can activate the host's innate immune inflammatory response. Importantly, SAK can promote the activation of NLRP3 inflammasome by increasing the production of ROS. This may be one of the important mechanisms of SAK aggravating CA-SA pneumonia after excluding its function of promoting fibrinolysis and neutralizing CRAMP. Our results emphasize the importance of controlling inflammation in acute lung infections, and also provides new insights into the pathogenesis of highly virulent CA-SA.
Systemic and central nervous system neuroinflammatory signatures of neuropsychiatric symptoms and related cognitive decline in older people
Authors: Clark Christopher , Richiardi Jonas , Maréchal Bénédicte , Bowman Gene L. , Dayon Loïc , Popp Julius
Published: November 2021

Background

Neuroinflammation may contribute to psychiatric symptoms in older people, in particular in the context of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). We sought to identify systemic and central nervous system (CNS) inflammatory alterations associated with neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPS); and to investigate their relationships with AD pathology and clinical disease progression.
Methods

We quantified a panel of 38 neuroinflammation and vascular injury markers in paired serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in a cohort of cognitively normal and impaired older subjects. We performed neuropsychiatric and cognitive evaluations and measured CSF biomarkers of AD pathology. Multivariate analysis determined serum and CSF neuroinflammatory alterations associated with NPS, considering cognitive status, AD pathology, and cognitive decline at follow-up visits.
Results

NPS were associated with distinct inflammatory profiles in serum, involving eotaxin-3, interleukin (IL)-6 and C-reactive protein (CRP); and in CSF, including soluble intracellular cell adhesion molecule-1 (sICAM-1), IL-8, 10 kDa interferon-γ-induced protein, and CRP. AD pathology interacted with CSF sICAM-1 in association with NPS. Presenting NPS was associated with subsequent cognitive decline which was mediated by CSF sICAM-1.
Conclusions

Distinct systemic and CNS inflammatory processes are involved in the pathophysiology of NPS in older people. Neuroinflammation may explain the link between NPS and more rapid clinical disease progression.
Effect of Low-Dose Tadalafil Once Daily On Glycemic Control In Patients With Type 2 Diabetes and Erectile Dysfunction: A Randomized, Double-blind, Placebo-controlled Pilot Study
Authors: Lee Min-Kyung , Lee Jae-Hyuk , Sohn Seo-Young , Lee Seo Yeon , Jeong Tae-Yoong , Kim Sae Chul
Published: November 2021

Background: Phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors restore nitric oxide signaling, which plays a significant role in erectile function and appears to counteract insulin resistance in animal and human models. This study was aimed to evaluate the glycemic and metabolic effects of low-dose tadalafil once a day in patients with type 2 diabetes and erectile dysfunction.Methods: A 6-month, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled pilot trial was conducted. Eligible patients were randomly assigned in a ratio of 2:1 to the tadalafil 5 mg and placebo groups; all patients received either tadalafil or placebo once a day. The primary efficacy endpoint was the change in the glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) level during the 6-month study period. The secondary efficacy endpoints included metabolic parameters and erectile function. Results: Of the 68 patients who completed this study, 45 and 23 patients were allocated in the tadalafil and placebo groups, respectively. The mean HbA1c level was significantly different between the groups over the 6-month study period (P = 0.021). After 6 months of treatment, the HbA1c decrement in the tadalafil group was greater than that in the placebo group (-0.14% ± 0.53% vs. 0.20% ± 0.69%, P = 0.030). The improvement in the International Index of Erectile Function-5 scores were significantly greater in the tadalafil group than in the placebo group at 6 months (P = 0.003). Conclusion: This prospective pilot study shows that low-dose tadalafil once a day is effective in improving glycemic control and erectile function in patients with type 2 diabetes and erectile dysfunction.Trial Registration: KCT0005666
Synthesis and Characterization of CuO Nanoparticles and CuO/PVA-PVP Nanocomposites: Adsorption Activity for Malachite Green (MG) Dye and Antibacterial Property in Wastewater Treatment
Authors: Ghosh Nikita , Sen Subhadeep , Biswas Goutam , Singh L. Robindro , Haldar Prabir Kumar
Published: November 2021

Contaminated waterways, particularly effluent from the dye industry, are one of the major issues today. Among various methods adsorption being the most straight forward, low-cost, effective, and successful to treat such effluents. For this purpose, Copper oxide nanoparticles (CuO) and Copper oxide nanoparticles embedded within Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and Polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP) mixed polymer (CuO/PVA-PVP) were synthesized using precipitation methods and different analytical techniques such as dynamic light scattering (DLS), powdered X-ray diffraction (XRD), fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were used to characterize morphology and size. Synthesized nanomaterials were used for the adsorption of malachite green (MG) dye in aqueous solution by the batch adsorption method. Various experimental conditions e.g., contact time, concentrations, pH, were optimized to obtain best adsorption outcome. Adsorption kinetics and isotherm suggested that it follows Pseudo-second-order-kinetic and Freundlich isotherm. The invitro antibacterial activity was investigated using disk diffusion and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) test against Staphylococcus aureus (S.aureus), a gram positive and Escherichia coli (E.coli), a gram negative bacteria, where both the synthesized nanoparticles showed a decent antibacterial activity against both the bacterial strain.
Zhizhu Kuanzhong Capsule in Treating Patients With Functional Dyspepsia Postprandial Distress Syndrome: Study Protocol For a Multicenter, Randomized, Double-blind, Placebo-Controlled, Parallel Group Clinical Trial
Authors: Xiao Mengli , Zhong Linda LD , Lam Wai Ching , Zhao Yingpan , Gwee Kok-Ann , Holtmann Gerald , Tack Jan , Suzuki Hidekazu , Chen Min-Hu , Xiao Yinglian , Hou Xiaohua , Liu Jinsong , Li Yang , Tang Xu-Dong , Lu Fang
Published: November 2021

Background: Functional dyspepsia (FD) is one of the most common functional gastrointestinal disorders. Based on the various symptoms present in patients with functional dyspepsia-postprandial distress syndrome (FD-PDS), routine agents such as acid suppressants, prokinetic drugs, and centrally acting drugs, offer limited treatment choice with potential side effects. As preliminary clinical trial showed that the marketed product Zhizhu Kuanzhong Capsule (ZZKZ) can improve symptoms in FD-PDS patients, our study aims to provide further evidence on the clinical efficacy and safety of ZZKZ in the treatment of patients with FD-PDS. Methods: In this multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel group clinical trial, we recruit patients with FD-PDS from 18 hospitals in China and Australia. The trial enrolls patients with FD-PDS based on the Rome IV diagnostic criteria. A total of 480 eligible patients are randomized 1:1 into either ZZKZ or placebo group with 8 weeks of treatment and 4 weeks of follow-up. The primary endpoint is measured by self-rated Visual Analogue Score (VAS) for the degree of discomfort with both symptoms of postprandial fullness and early satiation, recorded once a day and 7 days a week. The primary analysis aims to compare the response rate for FD-PDS VAS score between the groups before and after 8 weeks of treatment with an alpha level of 0.05 (2-sided).Discussion: This trial aims to strengthen the evidence for the efficacy and safety of ZZKZ, a marketed product, in treating FD-PDS. Compared to previous clinical trial targeted FD-PDS, this trial has 8-week double-blind treatment period to investigate the effect of long-term mediation through comparison with the placebo group.Trial registration: This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov on 28 January 2019, number NCT03825692.
A Bi-Level Model for a Closed-Loop Agricultural Supply Chain Considering Biogas and Compost
Authors: Cheraghalipour Armin , Roghanian Emad
Published: November 2021

In today's competitive marketplace, to increase customer satisfaction and profitability, supply chain management has become more prominent. Therefore, thorough planning and designing the supply chain by seeing all levels and units are essential to growing the efficiency of the entire supply chain. In the present study, an eight-echelon network is designed for a closed-loop agricultural supply chain. These eight echelons are consist of suppliers, farms, distribution centers (DCs), customers, recycling depots, biogas centers, compost production centers, and biogas applicants. To design the agricultural logistics network, a bi-level programming mathematical model is presented that optimizes the network costs and profits. Also, some meta-heuristics and hybrid meta-heuristics are applied for solving the formulated problem. It should be noted that bi-level programming problems are part of the NP-hard class and due to the computational complexity of the problems, the meta-heuristic algorithms are utilized. Finally, various comparisons and analyses are performed to evaluate the model's performance and the capabilities of the solution methods.
Nano Pom-Poms Prepared Exosomes for Highly Specific Cancer Biomarker Detection
Authors: He Nan , Thippabhotla Sirisha , Zhong Cuncong , Greenberg Zachary , Xu Liang , Pessetto Ziyan , Godwin Andrew , Zeng Yong , He Mei
Published: November 2021

Extracellular vesicles (EVs), particularly nano-sized small EV exosomes, are emerging biomarker sources. However, due to heterogeneous populations secreted from diverse cell types, mapping exosome multi-omic molecular information specifically to their pathogenesis origin for cancer biomarker identification is still extraordinarily challenging. Herein, we introduced a novel 3D-structured nanographene immunomagnetic particles (NanoPoms) with unique flower pom-poms morphology and photo-click chemistry for specific marker-defined capture and release of intact exosome. This specific exosome isolation approach leads to the expanded identification of targetable cancer biomarkers with enhanced specificity and sensitivity, as demonstrated by multi-omic exosome analysis of bladder cancer patient tissue fluids using the next generation sequencing of somatic DNA mutations, miRNAs, and the global proteome. The NanoPoms prepared exosomes also exhibit distinctive in vivo biodistribution patterns, highlighting the highly viable and integral quality. The developed method is simple and straightforward, which is applicable to nearly all types of biological fluids and amenable for enrichment, scale up, and high-throughput exosome isolation.
ISOLAMENTO SOCIAL: PERCEPÇÕES DISCENTES SOBRE O DESLOCAMENTO DAS INTERAÇÕES ACADÊMICAS PARA MEIOS DIGITAIS
Authors: Bueno Rafael Winícius da Silva , Borges Thelma Duarte Brandolt , Lima Valderez Marina do Rosario
Published: November 2021

O presente estudo, realizado durante o contexto de isolamento social de 2020, demandado por medidas preventivas contra o novo coronavírus, objetivou analisar as percepções de estudantes de graduação que tiveram suas atividades deslocadas da modalidade presencial para a remota. Participaram da pesquisa 13 licenciandos em Matemática, manifestando-se a respeito das interações pedagógicas realizadas exclusivamente por meio das Tecnologias Digitais de Informação e Comunicação. As informações coletadas foram analisadas a partir das teorias de Seymour Papert e John Dewey, entre outros, por meio da Análise Textual Discursiva, em um movimento de desconstrução e reconstrução de ideias. Emergiram como categorias representativas das percepções discentes acerca das alterações de formato impostas: Compreensão e Enfrentamento das Dificuldades e Necessidade de Interação Dialógica Presencial, que intitularam os metatextos nos quais foram discutidas as fragilidades e potencialidades percebidas.
A REPRESENTATIVIDADE DA POPULAÇÃO NEGRA NA COLEÇÃO DE LIVROS DIDÁTICOS “SER PROTAGONISTA – GEOGRAFIA – ENSINO MÉDIO” – PNLD 2018
Authors: Marques Ana Carolina dos Santos , Fonseca Ricardo Lopes
Published: November 2021

Este artigo objetiva investigar a representatividade dos negros na coleção de livros didáticos Ser Protagonista – Geografia– Ensino Médio, aprovada no PNLD 2018. O racismo condiciona a população negra a vivenciar contextos geográficos permeados por discriminação, inferiorização e exclusão. A educação evidencia-se como uma das ferramentas mais significativas na luta antirracista. Sendo o livro didático o principal recurso pedagógico utilizado nas aulas, torna-se fundamental compreender como os negros têm sido retratados nesses materiais. A metodologia consiste em fichamento bibliográfico, análise das imagens dos livros didáticos – a partir de critérios relacionados a situação e número de personagens – e elaboração de gráficos e tabelas com os resultados obtidos. A primeira parte deste texto discute a questão racial, a Lei 10.639/03 e o ensino de geografia; a segunda parte é dedicada a compreender a relevância do livro didático e como este pode contribuir na promoção dos conteúdos raciais; e, na terceira parte, há a análise da coleção. Os resultados obtidos apontam para discrepâncias na representatividade da população negra em relação à branca. Na maioria das imagens os negros são representados em posições inferiores e situações de trabalho consideradas de menor prestígio.
EDUCAÇÃO POPULAR E EDUCADORES SOCIAIS NAS UNIVERSIDADES: A LUTA DOS MOVIMENTOS SOCIAIS
Authors: Paulo Fernanda dos Santos , Da Silva Elenita Lopes
Published: November 2021

RESUMO
O artigo discute a relação trabalho-formação de educadores sociais que atuam nas periferias urbanas de Porto Alegre - RS. Apresentamos as categorias educador popular e educador social e acerca dos espaços educativos de Educação Não Escolar. As categorias são contextualizadas histórico-politicamente, fazendo uso da pesquisa participante. Além disso, regatamos a importância dos movimentos sociais na perspectiva da Educação Popular, articulando as áreas Educação e Serviço Social.
 
Palavras-chave:  Educação Popular e universidade.  Educação Não Escolar. Educadores Sociais.
Maqāṣid al-Sharī’ah Values in al-Māwardī’s Concept of the Caliphate
Authors: Pramono Muhamad Fajar , Sahidin Amir
Published: November 2021

This article aims to reveal the values of maqāṣid al-sharī'ah in al-Māwardī's concept of the caliphate. He emphasizes the relationship between politics and maqāṣid al-sharī'ah, both of which aim to realize the benefit. Through literature study using the descriptive-analytical method, this paper finds that his basic concept of the caliphate is influenced by his understanding of maqāṣid al-sharī'ah, including maqāṣid al-imāmah, wasīlah legal status, and maṣlaḥah rules. All three are criteria and conditions that a leader meets. He succeeded in formulating a series of prerequisites for a leader to realize the benefit of the people. These prerequisites are in line with the substance of maqāṣid al-sharī'ah.
Effect of Resource Economy on the Standard of Living in the Kemerovo Region
Authors: Babina Svetlana , Egorova Natal'ya
Published: November 2021

This review article introduces a comparative analysis of the standard of living in the Kemerovo region aka Kuzbass in 2005–2019. The research objective was to identify the reasons behind the decline in the living standards and the growing negative migration. Considering that Kuzbass is a coal region, the analysis was performed in the context of resource economy. It featured Russian and foreign studies on the theory of living standards and welfare, resource economy, and fair economy. The authors defined the concept of the standard of living as elements of human existence that depend on the socio-economic development of society and one's personal income. The standard of living in the Kemerovo region, which has enormous natural resources, is deteriorating from year to year, despite its increasing coal production and GRP. Most indicators appeared to be lower than Russia's average; in fact, the gap may reach 50–60 %. Poor living standards are an urgent problem for many resource regions. Regional strategies and programs seem unable to improve the situation, which requires state decisions to change the mechanisms of distribution of the gross regional product in favor of resource regions. By changing tax and budget legislation, the state should redirect financial flows from big resource companies to local problem areas.
Methods of Developing Sustainable Competitiveness Indicators for Innovative Industrial Clusters
Authors: Krakovskaya Irina , Guskova Nadezhda
Published: November 2021

The present article introduces a new system of indicators for assessing the sustainable competitiveness of innovative industrial clusters. The authors reviewed foreign and domestic approaches to monitoring and evaluating industrial clusters and classified them according to assessment type, research level, costs, and effects. Sustainable competitiveness proved to be the most complex characteristic of any cluster. It could be divided into two groups of parameters, i.e. 1) long-term competitiveness and 2) stability as a socio-ecological and economic system. Each group was given a list of indicators for quantitative and qualitative assessment, which included indicators of potential development, organization and management, socio-ecological and economic stability, etc. The research revealed some gaps in the Russian statistics of cluster development, which hinder the information support for monitoring and evaluating the sustainable competitiveness of clusters. As a result, the current databases on the social, economic, and environmental aspects of Russian clusters are fragmented and chronologically incompatible.
Deacidification through calcium carbonate dosing in combination with ultrafiltration
Authors: Morales Yair G. , Lipp Pia
Published: November 2021

Soft acidic waters are often treated for drinking water purposes by using limestone filters to attain chemical equilibrium. The present study investigated the process parameters of a relatively new process combination in which powdered calcium carbonate (CaCO3) was added prior to an ultrafiltration (UF). In order to reach the targeted pH value (≥7.8), dosing concentration, type of material and retention time were evaluated in pilot-scale experiments. The deacidification followed the same kinetics as for limestone filtration and yielded similar filtrate characteristics with dosing concentrations of 20 and 40 g/L CaCO3. No significant increase in transmembrane pressure was observed during the operation of a pilot-scale UF module at low flux (34 L m−2 h−1). Critical flux was determined in a laboratory scale to evaluate the potential impact of CaCO3 particles on the UF operation. Stepping-flux experiments revealed the presence of fouling only at high-dosing concentrations, resulting in a critical flux of 55 L m−2 h−1. At a higher flux, a CaCO3-fouling layer was formed, which decreased the membrane's permeability by 20% over 5 h. Considering that effective air-enhanced backwash and acidic chemical cleanings will be implemented in large-scale applications, the investigated process combination promises to be an appropriate treatment technology for turbid and soft acidic waters.
Application of meteorological element combination-driven SWAT model based on meteorological datasets in alpine basin
Authors: Gu Pengfei , Wu Yongxiang , Liu Guodong , Xia Chengcheng , Wang Gaoxu , Xia Jing , Chen Ke , Huang Xiaohua , Li Daiyuan
Published: November 2021

Thus far, reanalysis-based meteorological products have drawn little attention to the influence of meteorological elements of products on hydrological modeling. This study aims to evaluate the hydrological application potential of the precipitation, temperature, and solar radiation of the China Meteorological Assimilation Driving Datasets for the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) model (CMADS) and Climate Forecast System Reanalysis (CFSR) in an alpine basin. The precipitation, temperature, and solar radiation of the gauge-observed meteorological dataset (GD), CFSR, and CMADS were cross-combined, and 20 scenarios were constructed to drive the SWAT model. From the comprehensive comparisons of all scenarios, we drew the following conclusions: (1) among the three meteorological elements, precipitation has the greatest impact on the simulation results, and using GD precipitation from sparse stations yielded better performance than CMADS and CFSR; (2) although the SWAT modeling driven by CMADS and CFSR performed poorly, with CMADS underestimation and CFSR overestimation, the temperature and solar radiation of CMADS and CFSR can be an alternative data source for streamflow simulation; (3) models using GD precipitation, CFSR temperature, and CFSR solar radiation as input yielded the best performance in streamflow simulation, suggesting that these data sources can be applied to this data-scarce alpine region.
Comparative study of experimental and CFD analysis for predicting discharge coefficient of compound broad crested weir
Authors: Kulkarni Ketaki H. , Hinge Ganesh A.
Published: November 2021

Present study highlights the behavior of the weir crest head and width parameter on the discharge coefficient of a compound broad crested (CBC) weir. Computational fluid dynamics model (CFD) is validated with laboratory experimental investigations. In the discharge analysis through broad crested weirs, the upstream head over the weir crest (h) is crucial, where the result is mainly dependent upon the weir crest length (L) in the transverse direction to flow, water depth from channel bed. Currently, minimal investigations are known for CFD validations on compound broad crested weirs. The hydraulic research for measuring discharge numerically is carried out using FLOW 3D software. The model applies renormalized group (RNG) using the volume of fluid (VOF) method for improved accuracy in free surface simulations. Structured hexagonal meshes of cubic elements define discretized meshing. The comparative analysis of the numerical simulations and experimental observations confirm the performance of the CBC weir for precise measurement of a wide range of discharges. Series of CFD model studies and experimental validation have led to constant range of discharge coefficients for various heads over the weir crest. The correlation coefficient of discharge predictions is 0.999 with mean error of 0.28%.
Effects of the transfer of the São Francisco River waters on the performance of the water treatment plant of Gravatá, Paraíba, Brazil
Authors: Lopes Thiago Santos de Almeida , dos Santos Whelton Brito , Belmino da Silva George Antonio , Silveira Thyago Nóbrega , Ferreira Weruska Brasileiro , Feitosa Patricia Herminio Cunha , de Lima Vera Lucia Antunes
Published: November 2021

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of the transfer of the São Francisco River waters on the quality of the water produced by the water treatment plant of Gravatá (WTP-Gravatá) using multivariate statistics. Monthly means of the variables pH, apparent color and turbidity of raw, decanted and treated waters were used, in addition to the volume accumulated by the Epitácio Pessoa reservoir, during the period from January 2016 to December 2017. The arrival of the transposition waters abruptly changed the apparent color and turbidity of the raw water. In spite of that, the treated water presented low variability of the mentioned parameters, indicating that WTP-Gravatá was able to adapt its treatment. From the factor analysis/principal component analysis (FA/PCA) it was found that changes in reservoir volume alter the apparent color and turbidity of the raw water, requiring interventions in the coagulation/flocculation/decantation stages. The increasing of these parameters in the decanted water overloads the filtration step, raising the apparent color of the treated water. The cluster analysis distinguished the different phases experienced by the Epitácio Pessoa reservoir. The information obtained can help decision-making in WTPs, considering changes in reservoir volumes.
One-Pot Green Synthesis of Novel Thiazolepyridine Conjugated Benzamides
as Anti-Bacterial Agents and their Molecular Modelling Studies
Authors: Karuna Chepyala , Reddy Ch.Venkata Ramana , Syed Riyaz , Atta Ayman M.
Published: November 2021

Background:

Thiazolepyridine scaffold is considered to be one of the prime constituents of
many biologically significant chemical entities.

Methods:

A set of novel thiazolepyridine derived heterocyclic hybrids, N-phenyl-2-(thiazolo[5,4-
b]pyridin-2-yl)benzamides were synthesized by one-pot three-component reaction of 3-aminopyridine-2-
thiol, diethyl phthalate, and anilines in a mixture of ethanol and water using HCl as a catalyst. The developed
synthetic protocol, which is sustainable and economical, includes the easy work-up procedure, nontoxic,
shorter reaction times. This procedure leads to high reaction yields.

Results:

The synthesized derivatives were screened for their antibacterial activity on Staphylococcus
aureus and Bacillus subtilis strains, and 4b,4e, and 4f exhibited moderate bacterial growth inhibition.
Similarly, physiochemical properties and different target-based bioactivity scores have been predicted,
and almost all the synthesized derivatives scores were found in the accepted range when compared with
the standard values.

Conclusion:

Further structural modifications of the titled compounds would help to understand the structure-
activity relations, to design safe and effective lead-like antibacterial agents.
Synthesis of 1,2,3-triazole Compounds by Click Chemistry in Aqueous
Medium and Evaluation of Bactericidal and Antitumoral Properties
Authors: Zanin Lucas Lima , Jimenez David Esteban Quintero , Birolli Willian Garcia , Venâncio Tiago , Valdes Talita Alvarenga , Leitão Andrei , Porto André Luiz Meleiro
Published: November 2021

Background:

Triazoles are heterocyclic synthetic compounds that have gained relevance
after studies by Sharpless on regioselective methodologies for the synthesis of 1,2,3-triazole
derivatives. In addition, they have a wide range of biological properties.

Objective:

The objective of this study is to develop a synthetic methodology aligned with the principles
of click chemistry for the synthesis of 1,2,3-triazole derivatives and verify the profile of these
compounds in biological assays.

Methods:

Initially, a model reaction was selected and an optimization study involving synthetic
conditions was carried out. Using the most efficient condition, a series of compounds was developed
by the reactions between 2-azido-1-phenylethan-1-one derivatives and terminal alkynes. In sequence,
bactericidal and antitumoral assays were performed.

Results:

It was possible to synthesise ten examples using water as a sustainable solvent, in 1 hour,
with good yields of 73-99%, including three compounds described for the first time. Two products
presented bactericidal activity, one against the gram-negative Escherichia coli ATCC 25922 and
other against the gram-positive Paenibacillus alvei CBMAI 2221. Moreover, other two triazole
derivatives presented antitumoral activity for prostate and pancreas cancer cells in this screening
study with the bioactivity quantified for compound 1-([1,1'-biphenyl]-4-yl)-2-(4-(p-tolyl)-
1H-1,2,3-triazol-1-yl)ethan-1-one (IC50 = 132 μM).

Conclusion:

Herein, an efficient methodology for the synthesis of 1,2,3-triazole derivatives with
high yields and using water as solvent was developed. Furthermore, some compounds presented
positive results to bactericidal and antitumoral assays, justifying further exploration of these novel
compounds and their biological properties.
Gallic Acid: A Dietary Polyphenol that Exhibits Anti-neoplastic Activities by Modulating
Multiple Oncogenic Targets
Authors: Tuli Hardeep Singh , Mistry Hiral , Kaur Ginpreet , Aggarwal Diwakar , Garg Vivek Kumar , Mittal Sonam , Yerer Mükerrem Betül , Sak Katrin , Khan Md Asaduzzaman
Published: November 2021

Phytochemicals are being used for thousands of years to prevent dreadful malignancy. Side effects of existing allopathic treatment have also initiated intense research in the field of bioactive phytochemicals. Gallic acid, a natural polyphenolic compound, exists freely as well as in polymeric forms. The anti-cancer properties of gallic acid are indomitable by a variety of cellular pathways such as induction of programmed cell death, cell cycle apprehension, reticence of vasculature and tumor migration, and inflammation. Furthermore, gallic acid is found to show synergism with other existing chemotherapeutic drugs. Therefore, the antineoplastic role of gallic acid suggests its promising therapeutic candidature in the near future. The present review describes all these aspects of gallic acid at a single platform. In addition nanotechnology-mediated approaches are also discussed to enhance bioavailability and therapeutic efficacy.