bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The effect of sulfur, temperature, holding time and reductant on the selective reduction of limonite ore
Authors: Bahfie Fathan , Shofi Achmad , Nurjaman Fajar , Herlina Ulin , Septiana Nanda Ayu , Syafriadi
Published: August 2020

Laterite ore is used as the manufacture of ferronickel. One method that can increase the levels of nickel in limonite ore is selective reduction. Selective reduction is a process to reduce the metal oxide to the metal with additives. The selective reduction of limonite ore by using the reductant 5%, 10%, and 15% and the sulfur 10 % as additive. The process of selective reduction is performed at the temperature of 950, 1050, and 1150°C with a holding time of 60, 90, and 120 minutes and followed by magnetic separation to separate between the concentrate and tailings. AAS characterization indicates the optimum value at the temperature of 1150°C with 5% reductant and the reduction of the holding time for 60 minutes which give the effect on the grade and recovery of nickel those are 3.72wt% and 95.67%, respectively. The decreasing of grain size of ferronickel in the sample form an average grain size of 38.07μm and the forming of FeS phase which is caused the addition of sulfur.
Identification of the prognostic Enhancer RNA in bladder cancer bone metastasis
Authors: Hao Zhiquan , Yan Penhui , Zheng Boyuan , Li Zhenyan , Yang Jie , Liu Rixu , Gong Bin , Huang Zongqiang , Zha Zhengang
Published: August 2020

Background Bladder urothelial carcinoma (BLCA), one of the most common urinary system malignancies, has a high morbidity and metastasis rate. The enhancer RNAs (eRNAs), are derived from enhancer regions and contribute to enhancer function, whereas their roles in BLCA tumorigenesis and bone metastasis are still unclear.Method The RNA sequencing data of patients with BLCA were retrieved from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) databases and the normalized gene expression profile of eRNA in BLCA (annotated by Ensemble ID) were downloaded from the eRic database. The differential expression eRNAs and genes were evaluated and identified between primary BLCA with and without bone metastasis. The prognostic bone metastasis-specific eRNAs (PBMSEs) were screened by Lasso regression, and based on them, the risk scores were identified and predict models were constructed. Their accuracy were tested by the area under the curve (AUC) of the receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curve. Additionally, in order to explore the bone metastasis-specific regulation network, the relationship among key PBMSEs, differentially expressed target genes of eRNAs and signaling pathways were identified by Pearson correlation analysis. ResultsA total of 832 eRNAs were detected, with 37 PBMSEs annotated by Ensemble ID in univariate Cox regression analysis. Based on them, the first prediction model was constructed with the AUC of 0.920. Besides, we uncovered 166 DEGs between primary BLCA with and without bone metastasis. A total of 23 eRNAs and 109 target genes annotated by official gene symbol were uncovered in which31 PBMSEs and target genes revealed prognostic. Based on them, another prediction model was constructed with the AUC of 0.742. Moreover, we identified EMP1 as a PBMSE which regulated the target genes of APOLD1 and GPRC5A, and tumorigenesis-related pathways of KRAS signaling, inflammatory response, IL2-stat5 signaling and epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT).Conclusion Our study identifies eRNAs as reliable indexes for prognosis and bone metastasis prediction in BLCA patients and provides well-applied prediction models for them. The bone metastasis-specific regulation network was also explored in which PBMSE (EMP1) could mediate target genes (APOLD1, GPRC5A) and tumorigenesis-related pathways (KRAS signaling, inflammatory response, EMT) in the tumorigenesis and bone metastasis of BLCA.
Development and Validation of a Model for Individualized Prediction of Cervical Insufficiency Risks in Patients undergoing IVF/ICSI Treatment
Authors: Wu Yaoqiu , Liang Xiaoyan , Cai Meihong , Gao Linzhi , Lan Jie , Yang Xing
Published: August 2020

Background: Women who conceived with in vitro fertilization (IVF) or intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) are more likely to experience adverse pregnancy outcomes than women who conceived naturally. Cervical insufficiency (CI) is one of the important causes of miscarriage and premature birth, however there is no published data available focusing on the potential risk factors predicting CI occurrence in women who received IVF/ICSI treatment. This study aimed to identify the risk factors that could be integrated into a predictive model for CI, which could provide further personalized and clinically specific information related to the incidence of CI after IVF/ICSI treatment.Patients and methods: This retrospective study included 4710 patients who conceived after IVF/ICSI treatment from Jan 2011 to Dec 2018 at a public university hospital. The patients were randomly divided into derivation (n = 3108) and validation (n = 1602) samples for the building and testing of the nomogram, respectively. Multivariate logistic regression was developed on the basis of pre-pregnancy clinical covariates assessed for their association with CI occurrence.Results: A total of 109 patients (2.31%) experienced CI among all the enrolled patients. Body mass index (BMI), basal serum testosterone (T), gravidity and uterine length were associated with CI occurrence. The statistical nomogram was built based on BMI, serum T, gravidity and uterine length, with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.84 (95% confidence interval: 0.76 - 0.90) for the training cohort. The AUC for the validation cohort was 0.71 (95% confidence interval: 0.69 - 0.83), showing a satisfactory goodness-of-fit and discrimination ability in this nomogram.Conclusion: The user-friendly nomogram which graphically represents the risk factors and a pre-pregnancy predicted tool for the incidence of CI in patients undergoing IVF/ICSI treatment, provides a useful guide for medical staff on individualized decisions making, where preventive measures could be carried out during the IVF/ICSI procedure and subsequent pregnancy.
Effect of Family-centered Care Interventions on Motor and Neurobehavior Development of Very Preterm Infants: A Protocol of Systematic Review
Authors: Raghupathy Manasa Kolibylu , Rao Bhamini Krishna , Nayak Shubha R , Spittle Alicia J , Parsekar Shradha S
Published: August 2020

Background: Globally, preterm birth is a health concern leading to various developmental difficulties such as poor motor and/or cognitive function. For infants born preterm, FCC promotes developmental skills over the time in an appropriate enriched environment. The purpose of this study is to systematically review and assess the evidence of FCC interventions on motor and neurobehavioral development in very preterm infants. Additionally, this review aims to determine the factors that might affect the infant development.Methods: Systematic review will be carried out by including quasi-experimental controlled trials and randomized controlled trials. Electronic databases such as Scopus, PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, CINAHL, and PsycINFO will be searched using database specific terms. Additionally, searches will be carried out in ProQuest, and references of included studies will be searched. Two review authors, independently, will conduct the screening, data extraction, and critical appraisal of included studies. If possible, meta-analysis will be undertaken to assess the effect of FCC on motor and neurobehavior of premature infants.Conclusion: The review will provide insights regarding the effect of the FCC on preterm infants. This systematic review will guide the clinicians on the feasibility of practicing FCC that might support and promote the integration of parents into various rehabilitation settings.Systematic review registration: Protocol has been submitted to PROSPERO on July 26, 2020.
Photochemical degradation characteristics of alga-sourced dissolved organic matter in Chaohu Lake, China
Authors: Li Guolian , Li Lu , Song Kang , Yuan Zhiwei , Zhu Shuguang , Zhang Jin , Xie Fazhi
Published: August 2020

Abundant algae-sourced dissolved organic matter (A-DOM) is produced during algal blooms in eutrophic lakes. Natural-light-driven photodegradation plays an important role in A-DOM function and its migration in aqueous systems. The photodegradation performance of A-DOM extracted from Chaohu Lake was tested and characterized under UV-A, UV-C irradiation, and dark condition, and the photochemical degradation characteristics and molecular weight changes of A-DOM during degradation were analyzed. A-DOM mainly includes four EEM-PARAFAC components, namely, C1 (protein-like tryptophan), C2 (protein-like tyrosine), C3 (long-wave humus), and C4 (short-wave humus). After irradiation for 168 h under UV-C, the protein-like components C1 and C2 had the highest fluorescence intensity reduction of 95.4% and 100%, respectively. The fluorescence intensities of fulvic-like components, namely C3 and C4, increased. The absorption coefficients (A355) of A-DOM were decreased by 84.46%, 70.83%, and 52.98% with UV-A, UV-C irradiation, and dark condition, respectively. The degradation reaction of C1 and C2 fitted with the first-order kinetic equation with a half-life of 21.59–83.51 h. The SUVA254 value decreased under UV irradiation and increased under dark condition, which is in accordance with the change of molecular weight results. The A-DOM photochemical reaction was driven by UV light irradiation, and the humification rate and molecular weight decreased.
Sorption and mechanism studies of Cu2+, Sr2+ and Pb2+ ions on mesoporous aluminosilicates/zeolite composite sorbents
Authors: Kouznetsova Tatyana , Ivanets Andrei , Prozorovich Vladimir , Hosseini-Bandegharaei Ahmad , Tran Hai Nguyen , Srivastava Varsha , Sillanpää Mika
Published: August 2020

The research aimed to develop a novel mesoporous aluminosilicate/zeolite composite by the template co-precipitation method. The effect of aluminosilicate (AlSi) and zeolite (NaY) on the basic properties and adsorption capacity of the resultant composite was conducted at different mass ratios of AlSi/NaY (i.e., 5/90, 10/80, 15/85, 20/80, and 50/50). The adsorption characteristics of such composite and its feedstock materials (i.e., aluminosilicates and zeolite) towards radioactive Sr2+ ions and toxic metals (Cu2+ and Pb2+ ions) in aqueous solutions were investigated. Results indicated that BET surface area (SBET), total pore volume (VTotal), and mesopore volume (VMeso) of prepared materials followed the decreasing order: aluminosilicate (890 m2/g, 0.680 cm3/g, and 0.644 cm3/g) > zeolite (623 m2/g, 0.352 cm3/g, and 0.111 cm3/g) > AlSi/NaY (20/80) composite (370 m2/g, 0.254 cm3/g, and 0.154 cm3/g, respectively). The Langmuir maximum adsorption capacity (Qm) of metal ions (Sr2+, Cu2+, and Pb2+) in single-component solution was 260 mg/g, 220 mg/g, and 161 mg/g (for zeolite), 153 mg/g, 37.9 mg/g, and 66.5 mg/g (for aluminosilicate), and 186 mg/g, 140 mg/g, and 77.8 mg/g for (AlSi/NaY (20/80) composite), respectively. Ion exchange was regarded as a domain adsorption mechanism of metal ions in solution by zeolite; meanwhile, inner-surface complexation was domain one for aluminosilicate. Ion exchange and inner-surface complexation might be mainly responsible for adsorbing metal ions onto the AlSi/NaY composite. Pore-filling mechanism was a less important contributor during the adsorption process. The results of competitive adsorption under binary-components (Cu2+ and Sr2+) and ternary-components (Cu2+, Pb2+, and Sr2) demonstrated that the removal efficacy of target metals by the aluminosilicate, zeolite, and their composite remarkably decreased. The synthesized AlSi/NaY composite might serve as a promising adsorbent for real water treatment.
O Conselho de Educação Superior nas Repúblicas Americanas
Authors: Gouvêa Fernando César Ferreira
Published: August 2020

Este artigo tem como objetivo examinar a trajetória do Conselho de Educação Superior nas Repúblicas Americanas no período de 1958 a 1978. O Conselho, objeto ainda não investigado pela historiografia da educação brasileira, foi criado em 1958 pelo Institute of International Education (IIE)  e sediado em Nova York. Era financiado, inicialmente, pela Carnegie Foundation, a Carnegie Corporation e a Ford Foundation. O Conselho abrigou, em seus quadros, intelectuais estadunidenses e latino-americanos com o intuito de elaborar recomendações para a solução dos problemas relativos ao ensino superior no continente americano. Através de uma pesquisa de caráter documental que examinou os Relatórios Anuais do IIE, o Arquivo Anísio Teixeira sob a guarda do Centro de Pesquisa e Documentação de História Contemporânea do Brasil da Fundação Getúlio Vargas e os  Relatórios Anuais da Comissão de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de nível Superior (CAPES) foi possível mapear as decisões do Conselho e avaliar o potencial de cooperação ou intervenção nas políticas públicas para ensino superior na América Latina.
Para além da racionalidade neoliberal
Authors: Vitório Cenci Angelo , Petry Cleriston
Published: August 2020

O presente texto toma como referência os estudos de Pierre Dardot e Christian Laval para explorar o tema da formação humana situado para além dos limites da racionalidade neoliberal que impregna o atual cenário das sociedades ocidentais. Num primeiro passo, procura-se mostrar como o neoliberalismo vincula um tipo de racionalidade singular e uma concepção atomizada de sujeito. Na sequência, indica-se que a ele está associada uma visão individualista de ética e uma noção usurpada de formação. Por fim, apresenta-se o princípio político do comum e o conceito de práxis instituinte concebendo-os em sentido ético-formativo. Defende-se que o princípio do comum pode ser postulado como princípio formativo e de justiça, além de ajudar a pensar o sujeito sob uma perspectiva crítica à subjetivação neoliberal. Do mesmo modo, sustenta-se que a práxis instituinte implica uma práxis intrinsecamente formativa na medida que autoproduz os sujeitos no curso da própria ação requerendo destes o efetivo envolvimento no estabelecimento das regras de seu funcionamento e na co-responsabilização por elas.
A formação humana em Nietzsche
Authors: Tedesco Anderson Luiz , Schwengber Ivan Luís , Cecchetti Elcio
Published: August 2020

O artigo trata de uma problemática clássica, a partir da máxima do “Conhece-te a ti mesmo”, descrita no Templo de Delfos, e do imperativo “Tornar-se o que se é” escrito por Píndaro. O delineamento metodológico se caracterizou na pesquisa bibliográfica, assumindo uma abordagem qualitativa nas análises conceituais e filosóficas. Disso resultou a percepção de que a máxima do “Conhece-te a ti mesmo” contribuiu para a decadência cultural e originou uma consciência gregária e de espírito de rebanhos. Por sua vez, Nietzsche propõe o inverso: “Tornar-se o que se é”, como uma tragédia educativa no sentido de encarar a vida, como um saber de si e de um querer-se diferente, tratando-se da plena realização do ser humano. Conclui-se que o caminho para uma transformação da Bildung que ocorre a partir da máxima do “Tornar-se o que se é”, como condição para o surgimento dos espíritos livres que conquistaram a si próprios por uma formação do auto educar-se ou do cultivo de si.
O Grotesco Gigante
Authors: Colangelo Jeremy , Rodrigues Wallyson
Published: August 2020

Não há resumo no texto original.
203/212Pb Theranostic Radiopharmaceuticals for Image-guided Radionuclide Therapy for Cancer
Authors: Li Mengshi , Sagastume Edwin A. , Lee Dongyoul , McAlister Daniel , DeGraffenreid Anthony J. , Olewine Keith R. , Graves Stephen , Copping Roy , Mirzadeh Saed , Zimmerman Brian E. , Larsen Roy H. , Johnson Frances L. , Schultz Michael K.
Published: August 2020

Receptor-targeted image-guided Radionuclide Therapy (TRT) is increasingly recognized
as a promising approach to cancer treatment. In particular, the potential for clinical
translation of receptor-targeted alpha-particle therapy is receiving considerable attention as an
approach that can improve outcomes for cancer patients. Higher Linear-energy Transfer
(LET) of alpha-particles (compared to beta particles) for this purpose results in an increased
incidence of double-strand DNA breaks and improved-localized cancer-cell damage. Recent
clinical studies provide compelling evidence that alpha-TRT has the potential to deliver a significantly
more potent anti-cancer effect compared with beta-TRT. Generator-produced 212Pb
(which decays to alpha emitters 212Bi and 212Po) is a particularly promising radionuclide for
receptor-targeted alpha-particle therapy. A second attractive feature that distinguishes 212Pb
alpha-TRT from other available radionuclides is the possibility to employ elementallymatched
isotope 203Pb as an imaging surrogate in place of the therapeutic radionuclide. As direct
non-invasive measurement of alpha-particle emissions cannot be conducted using current
medical scanner technology, the imaging surrogate allows for a pharmacologically-inactive
determination of the pharmacokinetics and biodistribution of TRT candidate ligands in advance
of treatment. Thus, elementally-matched 203Pb labeled radiopharmaceuticals can be
used to identify patients who may benefit from 212Pb alpha-TRT and apply appropriate dosimetry
and treatment planning in advance of the therapy. In this review, we provide a brief
history on the use of these isotopes for cancer therapy; describe the decay and chemical characteristics
of 203/212Pb for their use in cancer theranostics and methodologies applied for production
and purification of these isotopes for radiopharmaceutical production. In addition, a
medical physics and dosimetry perspective is provided that highlights the potential of 212Pb
for alpha-TRT and the expected safety for 203Pb surrogate imaging. Recent and current preclinical
and clinical studies are presented. The sum of the findings herein and observations
presented provide evidence that the 203Pb/212Pb theranostic pair has a promising future for use
in radiopharmaceutical theranostic therapies for cancer.
Female Infertility and Cardiovascular Risk - A Hype or an Underestimated Reality?
Authors: Bosdou Julia K. , Anagnostis Panagiotis , Lainas George T. , Kolibianakis Efstratios M.
Published: August 2020

Infertility may be an early indicator of later-life health risk development, such as cardiovascular disease
(CVD), the leading cause of death globally. Various infertility-associated factors such as female age, polycystic
ovarian syndrome, endometriosis and metabolic syndrome are also risk factors for CVD. Whether there is a
real association between female infertility and CVD, given that common pathways lead to both entities, or since
both female infertility and CVD share a common basis, needs to be further investigated. If such an association is
confirmed, infertile women might benefit from the initiation of preventive strategies aiming to control CVD risk
factors. Thus, female infertility may represent an early indicator of future CVD and concomitantly a unique opportunity
to identify women at increased risk for developing CVD. It is therefore imperative that large population-
based studies are performed to elucidate this issue further and promote public awareness, if necessary.
Prospects for miR-21 as a Target in the Treatment of Lung Diseases
Authors: Ding Yan , Hou Yapeng , Liu Yanhong , Xie Xiaoyong , Cui Yong , Nie Hongguang
Published: August 2020

MicroRNA (miRNA/miR) is a class of small evolutionarily conserved non-coding RNA, which can
inhibit the target gene expression at the post-transcriptional level and serve as significant roles in cell differentiation,
proliferation, migration and apoptosis. Of note, the aberrant miR-21 has been involved in the generation and
development of multiple lung diseases, and identified as a candidate of biomarker, therapeutic target, or indicator
of prognosis. MiR-21 relieves acute lung injury via depressing the PTEN/Foxo1-TLR4/NF-κB signaling cascade,
whereas promotes lung cancer cell growth, metastasis, and chemo/radio-resistance by decreasing the expression
of PTEN and PDCD4 and promoting the PI3K/AKT transduction. The purpose of this review is to elucidate the
potential mechanisms of miR-21 associated lung diseases, with an emphasis on its dual regulating effects, which
will trigger novel paradigms in molecular therapy.
Synthesis and Anticancer Properties of ‘Azole’ Based Chemotherapeutics as Emerging Chemical Moieties: A Comprehensive Review
Authors: Prasher Parteek , Sharma Mousmee , Zacconi Flavia , Gupta Gaurav , Aljabali Alaa A.A. , Mishra Vijay , Tambuwala Murtaza M. , Kapoor Deepak N. , Negi Poonam , Andreoli Pinto Terezinha de Jesus , Singh Inderbir , Chellappan Dinesh K. , Dua Kamal
Published: August 2020

Azole frameworks serve as privileged scaffolds in the contemporary drug design
paradigm owing to their unique physicochemical profile that promotes the development
of highly selective, physiological benevolent chemotherapeutics. Several azole nuclei
function as bioisostere in medicinal chemistry and prompt the development of tailored
therapeutics for targeting the desired biological entities. Besides, the azole scaffold forms
an integral part in the advanced drug designing methodologies, such as target template insitu
drug synthesis, that assists in rapid identification of the hit molecules form a diverse
pool of leads; and direct biomolecule-drug conjugation, along with bioorthogonal strategies
that ensure localization, and superior target specificity of the directed therapeutic.
Lastly, the structural diversity of azole framework and high yielding click synthetic methods
provide a comprehensive Structure-Activity Relationship analysis for design optimization of the potential
drug molecules by fine-tuning the placement of different substituents critical for the activity. This review provides
a comprehensive analysis of the synthesis and anticancer potential of azole based chemotherapeutics.
Diagnosis of Alzheimer's Disease Based on Deeply-Fused Nets
Authors: Chen Chang Zu , Wu Qi , Li Zuo Yong , Xiao Lei , Hu Zhong Yi
Published: August 2020

Aim and Objective:

Fast and accurate diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease is very important
for the care and further treatment of patients. Along with the development of deep learning, impressive
progress has also been made in the automatic diagnosis of AD. Most existing studies on automatic
diagnosis are concerned with a single base network, whose accuracy for disease diagnosis
still needs to be improved. This study was undertaken to propose a method to improve the accuracy
of the automatic diagnosis of AD.

Materials and Methods:

MRI image data from the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative were used
to train a deep learning model to achieve computer-aided diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease. The data consisted
of 138 with AD, 280 with mild cognitive impairment, and 138 normal controls. Here, a new deeply-fused net
is proposed, which combines several deep convolutional neural networks, thereby avoiding the error of a single base network and increasing the classification accuracy and generalization capacity.

Results:

Experiments show that when differentiating between patients with AD, mild cognitive impairment,
and normal controls on a subset of the ADNI database without data leakage, the new architecture improves
the accuracy by about 4 percentage points as compared to a single standard base network.

Conclusion:

This new approach exhibits better performance, but there is still much to be done before its clinical application. In the future, greater research effort will be devoted to improving the performance of the
deeply-fused net.
Structural/Texture Evolution During Facile Substitution of Ni into ZSM-5 Nanostructure vs. its Impregnation Dispersion Used in Selective Transformation of Methanol to Ethylene and Propylene
Authors: Sadeghpour Parisa , Haghighi Mohammad , Esmaeili Mehrdad
Published: August 2020

Aim and Objective:

The effect of two different modification methods for introducing Ni
into the ZSM-5 framework was investigated under high-temperature synthesis conditions. The
nickel was successfully introduced into the MFI structures at different crystallization conditions to
enhance the physicochemical properties and catalytic performance.

Materials and Methods:

A series of impregnated Ni/ZSM-5 and isomorphous substituted NiZSM-
5 nanostructure catalysts were prepared hydrothermally at different high temperatures and within
short times. X-ray diffraction (XRD), Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM),
Energy dispersive X-ray (EDX), Brunner, Emmett and Teller-Barrett, Joyner and Halenda (BETBJH),
Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and Temperature-programmed desorption of ammonia
(TPD-NH3) were applied to investigate the physicochemical properties.

Results:

Although all the catalysts showed pure silica MFI–type nanosheets and coffin-like
morphology, using the isomorphous substitution for Ni incorporation into the ZSM-5 framework
led to the formation of materials with lower crystallinity, higher pore volume and stronger acidity
compared to using impregnation method. Moreover, it was found that raising the hydrothermal
temperature increased the crystallinity and enhanced the more uniform incorporation of Ni atoms
in the crystalline structure of catalysts. TPD-NH3 analysis demonstrated that high crystallization
temperature and short crystallization time of NiZSM-5(350-0.5) resulted in fewer weak acid sites
and medium acid strength. The MTO catalytic performance was tested in a fixed bed reactor at
460ºC and GHSV=10500 cm3/gcat.h. A slightly different reaction pathway was proposed for the
production of light olefins over impregnated Ni/ZSM-5 catalysts based on the role of NiO species.
The enhanced methanol conversion for isomorphous substituted NiZSM-5 catalysts could be
related to the most accessible active sites located inside the pores.

Conclusion:

The impregnated Ni/ZSM-5 catalyst prepared at low hydrothermal temperature
showed the best catalytic performance, while the isomorphous substituted NiZSM-5 prepared at
high temperature was found to be the active molecular sieve regarding the stability performance.
Improved Therapeutic Efficacy of Topotecan Against A549 Lung Cancer Cells with Folate-targeted Topotecan Liposomes
Authors: Zhang Jingxin , Shi Weiyue , Xue Gangqiang , Ma Qiang , Cui Haixin , Zhang Liang
Published: August 2020

Background:

Among all cancers, lung cancer has high mortality among patients in most of the countries
in the world. Targeted delivery of anticancer drugs can significantly reduce the side effects and dramatically improve
the effects of the treatment. Folate, a suitable ligand, can be modified to the surface of tumor-selective drug delivery
systems because it can selectively bind to the folate receptor, which is highly expressed on the surface of lung tumor
cells.

Objective:

This study aimed to construct a kind of folate-targeted topotecan liposomes for investigating their efficacy
and mechanism of action in the treatment of lung cancer in preclinical models.

Methods:

We conjugated topotecan liposomes with folate, and the liposomes were characterized by particle size,
entrapment efficiency, cytotoxicity to A549 cells and in vitro release profile. Technical evaluations were performed
on lung cancer A549 cells and xenografted A549 cancer cells in female nude mice, and the pharmacokinetics of the
drug were evaluated in female SD rats.

Results:

The folate-targeted topotecan liposomes were proven to show effectiveness in targeting lung tumors. The
anti-tumor effects of these liposomes were demonstrated by the decreased tumor volume and improved therapeutic
efficacy. The folate-targeted topotecan liposomes also lengthened the topotecan blood circulation time.

Conclusion:

The folate-targeted topotecan liposomes are effective drug delivery systems and can be easily modified
with folate, enabling the targeted liposomes to deliver topotecan to lung cancer cells and kill them, which could be
used as potential carriers for lung chemotherapy.
Current Neuropharmacological Interventions in Autism: Potential Drug Targets from Pre-clinical and Clinical Findings
Authors: Sharma Ramit , Tiwari Aarti , Rahi Saloni , Mehan Sidharth
Published: August 2020

Autism spectrum disorder is the term used in the most recent edition of the diagnostic and statistical manual of neurodevelopmental disorders, which includes conditions such as autism. Etiological factors such as environmental toxins, food, genes, bacterial infections, and viruses are the reasons behind autism. In the lack of diagnostic criteria, early studies of the disorder reported differences in motor and cognitive abilities in persons with autism. Autism neuropathological features are correlated with different brain areas, such as the cerebral cortex, amygdala, and hippocampus. Autism is associated with mitochondrial dysfunction, oxidative stress, neuroinflammatory reactions, neuroexcitation, and abnormal synapse formation. Pre-clinically, the administration of propionic acid in the brains of rats by stereotaxic technique exacerbates autistic behavioral and neurochemical alterations. Prescription drugs to alleviate neurological disorders for autism are risperidone (Blocks D2 and 5HT2A receptors) and aripiprazole (D2 and 5HT1A partial agonist) approved by the US-FDA, which comes with limited therapeutic intervention. Findings suggest that malfunctions of propionic acid-disrupted neuronal mitochondrial coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) and etc-complexes are the most pathogenic events for autism. As a result, the current review focused on the history of disease, clinical and pre-clinical drugs under investigation and suggested mediating neuroprotective intervention in autism with mitochondrial CoQ10 activation. Additionally, a greater understanding of the mitochondrial signaling pathway is an effort to improve successful treatment not only for Autism but also for other neurological disorders.
Early Post-stroke Depressive Symptoms are Associated with Low Peripheral Levels of Soluble Triggering Receptor Expressed on Myeloid Cells-1 (sTREM-1) and Glial Cell-derived Neurotrophic Factor (GDNF)
Authors: Pedroso Vinicius S.P. , Vieira Érica L.M. , de Miranda Aline S. , Venna Venugopal R. , McCullough Louise D. , Teixeira Antonio L.
Published: August 2020

Background:

Stroke is a major cause of death and disability worldwide. Among its complications,
post-stroke depression (PSD) leads to a significant burden. The diagnosis of PSD is complex,
and there are no biomarkers that can assist in its early identification and adequate management.

Objective:

The aim of the present study is to investigate peripheral biomarkers in the acute phase
of stroke and their potential association with depressive symptoms.

Methods:

We evaluated 60 patients in the acute phase of stroke by using standardized instruments
of psychiatric and neurological assessment (Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview-Plus-
MINI-Plus, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale-HADS, and National Institutes of Health
Stroke Scale-NIHSS) and measured peripheral biomarkers.

Results:

In multivariate analysis, low peripheral levels of soluble triggering receptor expressed on
myeloid cells-1 (sTREM-1) and higher NIHSS scores were associated with PSD. The severity of
depressive symptoms was inversely correlated with sTREM-1 and glial cell-derived neurotrophic
factor (GDNF) levels.

Conclusion:

This is the first study indicating an association between sTREM-1 and PSD. Our results
may point to the involvement of glial mechanisms in the manifestation of depressive symptoms
after stroke.
Multifunctional Nanoparticles in Precise Cancer Treatment: Considerations in Design and Functionalization of Nanocarriers
Authors: Lu Lina , Kang Shuhe , Sun Chao , Sun Chufeng , Guo Zhong , Li Jia , Zhang Taofeng , Luo Xingping , Liu Bin
Published: August 2020

Nanotechnology has revolutionized cancer treatment in both diagnosis and therapy. Since the
initial application of nanoparticles (NPs) in cancer treatment, the main objective of nanotechnology was
developing effective nanosystems with high selectivity and specificity for cancer treatment and diagnosis.
To achieve this, different encapsulation and conjugation strategies along with surface functionalization
techniques have been developed to synthesize anticancer drugs loaded NPs with effective targeting
to specific tumor cells. The unique physicochemical attributes of NPs make them promising candidates
for targeted drug delivery, localized therapies, sensing, and targeting at cellular levels. However, a nanosystem
for localized and targeted cancer managements should overcome several biological barriers and
biomedical challenges such as endothelial barriers, blood brain barrier, reticuloendothelial system, selective
targeting, biocompatibility, acute/chronic toxicity, tumor-targeting efficacy. The NPs for in vivo
applications encounter barriers at system, organ, and the cellular level. To overcome these barriers, different
strategies during the synthesis and functionalization of NPs should be adapted. Pharmacokinetics
and cellular uptake of NPs are largely associated with physicochemical attributes of NPs, morphology,
hydrodynamic size, charge, and other surface properties. These properties can be adjusted during different
phases of synthesis and functionalization of the NPs. This study reviews the advances in targeted
cancer treatment and the parameters influencing the efficacies of NPs as therapeutics. Different strategies
for overcoming the biological barriers at cellular, organ and system levels and biomedical challenges
are discussed. Moreover, the applications of NPs in preclinical and clinical practice are reviewed.
Solvent-Free Three Component Synthesis of N-alkylated Derivatives of N-Acylhydrazones from Hydrazides, Aldehydes and α,β-unsaturated Esters
Authors: Imanzadeh Gholamhassan , Zolfagharzadeh Samira , Soltanzadeh Zahra
Published: August 2020

A number of new N-alkylated derivatives of N-acylhydrazones have been prepared via one pot three-component reaction between hydrazide, aldehyde, and α,β-unsaturated ester using 1,4-diazabicyclo[ 2,2,2]octane (DABCO), as an inexpensive base and tetrabutylammonium bromide (TBAB), an ionic organic salt media, under solvent-free conditions. In case of 2-hydroxy benzaldehyde, the reaction proceeds with the exclusive formation of the N-alkyl derivative without any concurrent O-alkylation side reaction.
Photogeneration of Organic Free Radicals in Liquid Solutions
Authors: Khudyakova Igor V. , Levin Peter P.
Published: August 2020

In this brief review, we consider the generation of free radicals by irradiation with UVlight
solutions of compounds with weak chemical bonds. Bond Dissociation Energies (BDE) are
compared with the energies of photons. Light sources used in industry and academia are listed in this
article. Free radicals can be produced by photodissociation and by bimolecular chemical reactions
between the electronically- excited state of a molecule and a quencher. Important examples are presented.
A special effort is devoted to Light-Emitting Diodes (LED) which gained a wide application
in this century. We cited books on free radicals and photochemistry as an introduction, as well as recent
publications dated 2020.
Endogenous Bufadienolide, Blood Pressure and Alcohol Withdrawal
Authors: Kashkin Vladimir A. , Egorov Alexei Y. , Krupitsky Evgeniy M. , Bagrov Alexei Y.
Published: August 2020

Background and Objective:

Previously, it was demonstrated that marinobufagenin
(MBG) is implicated in the development of ethanol withdrawal in rats. It has been shown that
ethanol withdrawal is associated with a pressor response in the alcoholics. We hypothesized that elevated
levels of sodium pump ligand, MBG, would underline the increase in systolic blood pressure
during alcohol withdrawal in humans.

Methods:

The cohort included 9 patients with the diagnosis “alcohol dependence syndrome”
(F10.(1-3) according to ICD-10). The blood samples for measurement of MBG concentration were
collected from the subjects on the first day of withdrawal and after 7 days treatment of the abstinence.
Arterial blood pressure was measured via plethysmography at the same time points.

Results:

The beginning of the alcoholic abstinence was associated with the rise of arterial blood
pressure with enhanced levels of plasma MBG. At day 7 following withdrawal, the systolic blood
pressure and MBG levels were decreased to normal values.

Conclusion:

The development of alcohol withdrawal is accompanied by an increase in arterial
blood pressure, which is associated with increased plasma MBG concentration.
The Learning-based Automatic Segmentation Algorithm of Brain MR Images Based on 7T
Authors: Deng Minghui , Zhenhao Jin , Yu Ran , Zeng Qingshuang
Published: August 2020

Background:

The learning-based algorithms provide an ability to automatically estimate
and refine GM, WM and CSF. The ground truth manually achieved from the 3T MR image
may not be accurate and reliable with poor image intensity contrast. It will seriously influence the
classification performance because the supervised learning-based algorithms extremely rely on the
ground truth. Recently, the 7T MR images brings about the excellent image intensity contrast,
while Structured Random Forest (SRF) performs the pixel-level classification and achieves structural
and contextual information in images.

Materials and Methods:

In this paper, a automatic segmentation algorithm is proposed based on
ground truth achieved by the corresponding 7T subjects for segmenting the 3T&1.5T brain tissues
using SRF classifiers. Through taking advantage of the 7T brain MR images, we can achieve the
highly accuracy and reliable ground truth and then implement the training of SRF classifiers. Our
proposed algorithm effectively integrates the T1-weighed images along with the probability maps
to train the SRF classifiers for brain tissue segmentation.

Results:

Specifically, for the mean Dice ratio of all 10 subjects, the proposed method achieved
95.14%±0.9%, 90.17%±1.83%, and 81.96%±4.32% for WM, GM, and CSF. With the experiment
results, the proposed algorithm can achieve better performances than other automatic segmentation
methods. Further experiments are performed on the 200 3T&1.5T brain MR images of ADNI dataset
and our proposed method shows promised performances.

Conclusions:

The authors have developed and validated a novel fully automated method for 3T
brain MR image segmentation.
Osteosarcoma of the Jaws: A Literature Review
Authors: Ricotta Francesco , Bassi Massimo , Tomasetti Nicola , Campobassi Angelo , Maiolo Vincenzo , Bertoni Franco , Bacchini Patrizia , Marchetti Claudio , Tarsitano Achille
Published: August 2020

:

Osteosarcoma of the jaws (OSJ) is a relatively rare disease, accounting for between 2%
and 10% of all cases of osteosarcoma. It is morphologically and radiologically identical to the
trunk and extremity variant, but distinct in several crucial aspects.

:

The lesion is characterized by sarcomatous cells which produce a variable amount of osteoid bone.
It arises centrally within the bone and can be subdivided into osteoblastic, chondroblastic and fibroblastic
subtype, depending on the predominant cell type.

:

Radiographically, these tumors display a spectrum of bone changes from well-demarcated borders
to lytic bone destruction with indefinite margins and variable cortical bone erosion or, in some cases,
images of sclerotic bone.

:

Therapeutic options for OSJ include surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy, which are employed
according to age of the patient, histological classification and localization of the tumor. Today,
there is no general consensus in the treatment guidelines for the OSJ though surgery represents the
key to the treatment. The main prognostic factor deeply influencing the patient’s prognosis remains
the complete tumor resection with negative surgical margins.

:

The aim of the present review is to describe state of the art regarding diagnostic and surgical treatment
aspects of the primary osteosarcoma of the jaws.
Imaging Features of Primary Tumors of the Hand
Authors: Boriani Filippo , Raposio Edoardo , Errani Costantino
Published: August 2020

Musculoskeletal tumors of the hand are a rare entity and are divided into skeletal and
soft tissue tumors. Either category comprises benign and malignant or even intermediate tumors.
Basic radiology allows an optimal resolution of bone and related soft tissue areas, ultrasound and
more sophisticated radiologic tools such as scintigraphy, CT and MRI allow a more accurate evaluation
of tumor extent. Enchondroma is the most common benign tumor affecting bone, whereas
chondrosarcoma is the most commonly represented malignant neoplasm localized to hand bones.
In the soft tissues, ganglions are the most common benign tumors and epithelioid sarcoma is the
most frequently represented malignant tumor targeting hand soft tissues. The knowledge regarding
diagnostic and therapeutic management of these tumors is often deriving from small case series, retrospective
studies or even case reports. Evidences from prospective studies or controlled trials are
limited and for this lack of clear and supported evidences, data from the medical literature on the
topic are controversial, in terms of demographics, clinical presentation, diagnosis, prognosis and
therapy. The correct recognition of the specific subtype and extension of the tumor through first
line and second line radiology is essential for the surgeon, in order to effectively direct the therapeutic
decisions.
In Silico Molecular Interaction Studies of Chitosan Polymer with Aromatase Inhibitor: Leads to Letrozole Nanoparticles for the Treatment of Breast Cancer
Authors: Mishra Keerti , Verma Sant K. , Ratre Pooja , Banjare Laxmi , Jain Abhishek , Thareja Suresh , Jain Akhlesh K.
Published: August 2020

Background:

It takes a lot more studies to evaluate the molecular interaction of nanoparticles with
the drug, their drug delivery potential and release kinetics. Thus, we have taken in silico and in vitro approaches
into account for the evaluation of the drug delivery ability of the chitosan nanoparticles.

Objective:

The present work was aimed to study the interaction of chitosan nanoparticles with appropriate
aromatase inhibitors using in silico tools. Further, synthesis and characterization of chitosan nanoparticles
having optimal binding energy and affinity between drug and polymer in terms of size, encapsulation efficiency
were carried out.

Methods:

In the current study, molecular docking was used to map the molecular interactions and estimation of
binding energy involved between the nanoparticles and the drug molecules in silico. Letrozole is used as a
model cytotoxic agent currently being used clinically; hence Letrozole loaded chitosan nanoparticles were
formulated and characterized using photomicroscope, particle size analyzer, scanning electron microscope and
fourier transform infra-red spectroscopy.

Results:

Letrozole had the second highest binding affinity within the core of chitosan with MolDock (-102.470) and Rerank (-81.084) scores. Further, it was investigated that formulated nanoparticles were having superior drug loading capacity
and high encapsulation efficiency. In vitro drug release study exhibited prolonged release of the drug from chitosan
nanoparticles.

Conclusion:

Results obtained from the in silico and in vitro studies suggest that Letrozole loaded nanoparticles are ideal for
breast cancer treatment.
A Systematic Review on the Role of Arachidonic Acid Pathway in Multiple
Sclerosis
Authors: Hoxha Malvina , Spahiu Erila , Prendi Emanuela , Zappacosta Bruno
Published: August 2020

Background & Objective:

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an inflammatory neurodegenerative disease characterized
by destruction of oligodendrocytes, immune cell infiltration and demyelination. Inflammation plays a significant role in MS,
and the inflammatory mediators such as eicosanoids, leukotrienes, superoxide radicals are involved in pro-inflammatory responses in MS. In this systematic review we tried to define and discuss all the findings of in vivo animal studies and human
clinical trials on the potential association between arachidonic acid (AA) pathway and multiple sclerosis.

Methods:

A systematic literature search across Pubmed, Scopus, Embase and Cochrane database was conducted. This systematic review was performed according to PRISMA guidelines.

Results:

A total of 146 studies were included, of which 34 were conducted in animals, 58 in humans, and 60 studies reported the role of different compounds that target AA mediators or their corresponding enzymes/ receptors, and can have a therapeutic effect in MS. These results suggest that eicosanoids have significant roles in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) and MS. The data from animal and human studies elucidated that PGI2, PGF2α, PGD2, isoprostanes, PGE2,
PLA2, LTs are increased in MS. PLA2 inhibition modulates the progression of the disease. PGE1 analogues can be a useful
option in the treatment of MS.

Conclusions:

All studies reported the beneficial effects of COX and LOX inhibitors in MS. The hybrid compounds, such as
COX-2 inhibitors/TP antagonists and 5-LOX inhibitors can be an innovative approach for multiple sclerosis treatment. Future work in MS should shed light in synthesizing new compounds targeting arachidonic acid pathway.
False Positive of 68Ga-DOTATATE PET-CT in a Paraganglioma
Authors: Zampetti Benedetta , Attanasio Roberto , Boniardi Marco , Cozzi Renato
Published: August 2020

Background:

Functional imaging with 68Ga-DOTATATE PET-CT is widely employed
to detect both primary and metastatic pheochromocytomas and paragangliomas (PGL), but its results
may be occasionally misleading as in the case here reported.

Case Presentation:

We report here a 75-year-old woman with an interaortocaval PGL that was diagnosed
after a hypertensive crisis occurring during the resection of a kidney tumor. 68Ga-DOTATATE
PET-CT disclosed pathologic uptake in the abdomen and at the iliac crest. After the resection
of the abdominal tumor, with the histological confirmation of PGL, arterial blood pressure and
metanephrine levels were normalized. Genetic testing was negative. Thereafter, the bone lesion increased
in size and became painful, requiring multiple medications. A selective biopsy disclosed a
metastatic lesion arising from the renal tumor.

Conclusion:

The false-positive result of 68Ga-DOTATATE PET-CT is discussed.