bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
SIGNIFICANCE OF DECIPHERING THE ADAM ALPHABET IN THE HISTORY OF PHONETIC RESEARCH
Authors:   St. Petersburg State University, Kochetkova Uliana E.
Published: May 2022

This study aims to consider the significance of deciphering the Hebrew alphabet for the history of phonetic thought. Hermetic and Kabbalistic teachings endowed the Hebrew language with a divine meaning. Traditionally considered as given to Adam by God, this alphabet was called the Alphabet of Adam. The novelty and relevance of the current work are defined by the lack of a comprehensive description of the relationship between these traditional ideas and phonetics. The need for it is caused by the earlier observations about the possible influence of the 17th century concepts on the results of later measurements of vowels with tuning forks, and by the widespread opinion about the low significance of this period in linguistic science history. Though there can be found some publications devoted to concrete authors of the 16th–17th centuries, their contribution to the development of phonetic sciences has not yet been acknowledged. The current research is based on primary and secondary sources in Latin, English, French and Russian. The analysis showed that deciphering the vowels of Hebrew alphabet led to the first attempt to accurately describe vowel acoustic features, the empirical study of their articulatory characteristics and to the search for the “ideal” alphabet built of iconic signs. It also allowed the authors to develop methods for teaching deaf-mutes and systematize vowels. Thus the initial hypothesis about the significance of deciphering the Alphabet of Adam for the history of phonetic thought was confirmed. Refs 25.
THE PRODUCTION OF BRAZILIAN PORTUGUESE MID VOWELS BY RUSSOPHONE MIGRANTS IN BRAZIL
Authors:   Pontifícia Universidade Católica de São Paulo, Smirnova Henriques Anna , Skrelin Pavel A. ,   St. Petersburg State University, Evdokimova Vera V. ,   St. Petersburg State University, Borrego Maria Cristina ,   Pontifícia Universidade Católica de São Paulo, Madureira Sandra ,   Pontifícia Universidade Católica de São Paulo
Published: May 2022

The history of Russophone immigration to Brazil began in the 19th century. The last wave of Russophone immigration to Brazil began after the USSR’s collapse and continues up to this day. There are few opportunities to study Portuguese in Russia, and many Russophones study Brazilian Portuguese (BP) on their own after arriving in Brazil. They learn the language in a naturalistic way and do not have any special knowledge of the BP phonetics. One important difficulty of Russophones who learn BP is to perceive and produce the contrast between open and closed mid vowels. In Portuguese, the contrasts in the pairs /ε/ — /e/ and /ɔ/ — /o/ are of fundamental importance and determine the difference in the semantic meaning of words, for example, in some homograph pairs that consist of a verb conjugated in the first-person singular of the present tense and a related noun. The aim of this work is to characterize the production of BP mid vowels by Russophone immigrants in Brazil. In this work, we analyzed the audio recordings of the words bebe [‘bεbı] ‘he drinks’, bebo [‘bebʊ] ‘I drink’, posso [‘pɔsʊ] ‘I can’ и poço [‘posɔ] ‘a well’, produced by 11 native BP speakers and 15 Russophones. For the Russophones, these was no difference between the F1 mean values of the vowels produced in the word pairs containing the two contrasting Portuguese mid vowels. The results of this study provide a base for developing strategies to improve the pronunciation of BP sounds by Russian speakers. Refs 31.
The problem of tradition and philosophical strategies of modernity
Authors:   St. Petersburg State University, Sokolov Alexey M. , Kuznetsov Nikita V. ,   St. Petersburg State University
Published: May 2022

The article is devoted to the question of the correlation between the formation of philosophical methodology in the modern era and the problematization of tradition in the humanities. The authors believe that the theme of tradition was one of the starting points for the development of humanitarian knowledge and, at the same time, contributed to the methodological expansion of philosophical research. Already at the end of the 18th century, romantics, fascinated by antiquity, made attempts to rationalize the emergence of religious texts from the Middle Ages. Their predominant interest in history led to the assumption that any form of knowledge can be rationally reconstructed. However, in order to do this it was necessary to expand the factual account of each of the studied phenomena. The romantics thereby largely anticipated the research intentions of classical positivism, without turning away from the defining role of intellectual intuition, which grasps the experimental content of consciousness with a concept. All humanitarian knowledge (history, psychology, linguistics) from the second half of the 19th century developed in this direction. The authors pay special attention to W.Dilthey’s interest in the topic of tradition and the congeniality of philosophical hermeneutics and the late phenomenology of E.Husserl. Further, the role of phenomenology and hermeneutics in the development of historical methodology is analyzed on the example of the Annales school, and then the role of the latter in the origin and development of structuralism. In conclusion, the authors hypothesize that the philosophical traditionalism of R.Guenon and his followers, declaring their rejection of New European rationalism, reproduces the general methodological model of the era and anticipates postmodern intellectuals.
Ethics outside of morals: Modern German humanism
Authors:   Institute of Philosophy, Russian Academy of Sciences, Korostichenko Ekaterina I.
Published: May 2022

The article reviews the ethics of evolutionary humanism, as expressed in the works of the modern German philosopher and critic of religion Michael Schmidt-Salomon. Drawing on the modern results of biological sciences, he provides his own interpretation of the sociobiological meaning of altruism and egoism as foundations of human ethics. Appealing to philosophical tradition, he finds support in the views of Epicurus who considered egoism and altruism as being connected within human nature, and saw altruistic acts as rooted in egoism. As a part of his concept of evolutionary humanism, Schmidt-Salomon presents an alternative to the biblical Ten Commandments in the form of recommendations “for a happy human life”. His theory also includes a kind of “categorical imperative”, which strongly resembles the Marxist formulation of humanism: “destroy all relationships in which the human being poses as a humiliated, enslaved, abandoned and solitary being”. Special attention is paid to the author’s approach to the separation of morality and ethics. The declared ethics of evolutionary humanism is not based on any norms of behavior, it considers only the cases when the interests of two or more individuals conflict and aims at a “fair” resolution of such conflicts. Schmidt-Salomon postulates the uselessness of morality in the presence of such constructed ethics. Some consequences of this are the human right for self-determination, and similar rights granted to animals. Schmidt-Salomon’s criticism of religious ethics is also reviewed. The ethics of evolutionary humanism are found to be somewhat contradictory. In addition to narrow-defined ethics limited to conflicts of interest, the theory actually includes both deontological statements and extensive virtue-based ethics.
The project of retheoretization of political philosophy in E.Voegelin’s A New Science of Politics
Authors:   V. N.Karazin Kharkiv National University, Prokopenko Vladymyr V. , Kamnev Vladymyr M. ,   St. Petersburg State University
Published: May 2022

The article discusses the project of the retheoretization of political science proposed by political philosopher E.Voegelin. By means of retheoretization (restoration) of the classical Platonic and Aristotelian political philosophy, Voegelin attempts to provide an answer to the discredited positivistic worldview of man, politics and history. Voegelin’s political philosophy evaluates critically both the methods and the subject matter of political science, explores the human nature and reality of human existence in society and history, comprehends relations between knowledge and reality, penetrates the sources of the disorder of society, probes the limits of instrumental rationality, and establishes an ontological basis for political epistemology. His aim is to regain a truth of political order that has been lost through the process of modernization. In developing the theme of retheoretization, he distinguishes between classical political philosophy as represented in the works of Plato and Aristotle, on the one hand, and the modern understanding as conceived by positivism on the other. Voegelin argues that modern political science, like modernity in general, is the result of the great Gnostic revolution. Retheoretization, he insists, would return political science to the kind of enterprise founded by Plato and Aristotle, and overcome the effects of positivism with its emphasis on emulating the methods of natural science and establishing a value-free mode of inquiry. The article concludes that all of Voegelin’s topics are part of his overall plan for the restoration of a true science of politics. This plan, as the authors of the article argue, in A New Science of Politics is not only outlined, but also partially implemented, and Vögelin’s work itself is an example of a restored political philosophy.
The problem of risk and responsibility in modern society
Authors:   St. Petersburg State University, Abgadshava Daur A. , Pinkevich Anna G. ,   St. Petersburg State University, Ivanova Elena N. ,   St. Petersburg State University, Strebkov Alexandr I. ,   St. Petersburg State University
Published: May 2022

The article examines the changes that have occurred in the nature of risks and threats in modern society. The authors refer to the works of foreign and domestic researchers who have contributed to the explanation of the transformations that have taken place in the so-called risk society. Thus, attention is paid to understanding the foundations of the sociology of risk in the works of O.N.Yanitsky; the difference between the two types of modernity by U.Beck; differentiation of risk and danger N.Luhmann; new properties of risks in the context of globalization by A.Giddens; the ability of social systems to produce risks, described in the works of O.Renn; the peculiarities of the world of high-risk technologies by Ch. Perrow; methods of adaptation to the risks considered by E.V. Shlykova; the role of politics and the state in relation to risks by P. Slovic and K.Tierney. The authors emphasize the global nature of modern risks. Emphasis is placed on the inequality of society, social communities and individuals in the face of threats associated with various risks. Also, the problem of responsibility and the inevitable politicization of risks are considered. The article discloses the conflicting nature of the relationship between risk producers and risk consumers, including different motivations of these actors. By raising issues of political intervention and governance in a “risk society”, the authors address the issue of equity. It is noted that responsibility, positive and negative consequences of risk should be evenly distributed among members of society. The opposite situation could be reason for serious conflicts. An alternative to such a development of events can be an open and broad public discussion, which can help to defend the interests of all participants and resolve the problem of imbalance on a more equitable basis. The authors note different variants of adaptation to risks, and tendencies towards the emergence of protest moods as one of the forms of this adaptation.
Deconstruction of disciplinary orthodoxy. On the 80th anniversary of Yu. N. Solonin
Authors:   St. Petersburg State University, Sokolov Evgenii G.
Published: May 2022

The article attempts to provide a comprehensive analytical review of the theoretical heritage of Yu.N. Solonin. Solonin is well known as a statesman, a successful organizer of the life of the Russian philosophical community, but his philosophical works have not yet received due attention from colleagues. This is largely due to the fact that the works written by him are very diverse in nature, subject, form and genre. In addition, they are scattered across various, sometimes difficult-to-access, special and small-circulation publications while also not being systematized. However, such an external randomness of ideas and forms of their textual fixation is not so much a consequence of professional negligence, but rather a conscious cognitive strategy. The methodological attitude towards systematicity, which is experiencing an obvious crisis together with the classical rationality that gave rise to it, can no longer fully satisfy modern demands. This fully applies to humanitarian knowledge, including philosophy. An alternative to this, essentially postclassical approach can be considered holistic. If from this position one approaches the consideration of the philosophical heritage of Solonin, then all the originality, depth and value of what he wrote becomes obvious. First of all, this concerns the style of constructing a philosophical discourse, in which each produced text is “embedded” in a situational predestination, continuing and developing a conversation on a certain topic that was once started. Thus, there is an “overlay” and “increment of meaning”, thereby establishing and revealing connections with other fragments. Secondly, the stylistic and thematic space is expanding, discrediting the conventional inviolability of the existing disciplinary, scientific and philosophical canon in the first place. It is possible to talk about a special, not exceptional but quite rare in history, type of philosophizing. The article demonstrates how this happens with such traditional thematic spaces for modern Russian philosophy as science, society, culture, and philosophy itself.
The person between the vertical of spirit and the horizon of soul: Pedagogical processes of personal growing, development and formation in the light of Orthodox anthropology
Authors:   Kuban State University, Ostapenko Andrey A. ,   Ekaterinodar Theological Seminary
Published: May 2022

This article examines the relationship between pedagogical processes of personal growing, development, and formation in the light of Orthodox anthropology. The author makes an attempt to coordinate the concepts of theological anthropology with pedagogical terminology, as well as to harmonize key principles of Soviet, humanistic, and co-Image Orthodox-oriented pedagogy on the basis of an anthropological approach. Particular attention is paid to an attempt to explain the essence of the spiritual and mental structure of human nature without using theological terminology for lay teachers. This is done with the help of the basic metaphors of “spiritual formation vertical” and “mental development horizon”, which make it possible to explain clearly the fundamental differences between the spiritual and mental components of human nature. Spiritual development is seen as a process of human improvement through overcoming moral relativism and temptations by sin and vice, and mental development as an expansion and dissemination of reasonable, volitional, and sensual-emotional forces of a person through the creation of favorable conditions. The formation of a person through external influence on the mental part of human nature is an organized process that balances the spontaneity of the process of mental development. The article makes an attempt to reconcile the patristic doctrine of man and the provisions of modern pedagogical anthropology.
L. N. Tolstoy and Islam: Rethinking Muslims’ place in Russian cultural canon
Authors:   Moscow Islamic Institute, Mukhetdinov Damir V. ,   St. Petersburg State University
Published: May 2022

This article distinguishes the main ways of thematization of Islam in Russian intellectual culture: Islam as a civilizational opponent, as inferior to Christianity as a revealed religion, as a potential Christianity, and others. These opinions differ from the Tolstoy’s as he understood Islam as a full-fledged tradition that has some religious truths common to Christianity and that distorts them throughout the course of history in its own way. The special relevance of Tolstoy’s conception of spiritual and ethical nature of religion for rethinking Muslims’ places in the Russian “cultural canon” is noted. The author observes the particular internal similarities between Tolstoy’s philosophy and Islam that make them close. Both the outright “Islamization” of Tolstoy’s teachings and the attempts to separate his ideas from Islamic context are criticized. The “cognation” between some of Tolstoy’s central ideas, stemming from his contemplation of Christian legacy, and the ideas embedded in Islamic tradition may facilitate more successful “convergence” of Muslim identity and Russian identity (“prototypically” Christian). In conclusion, the author justifies the necessity of appealing to the thought of “non-Islamic” thinkers in Russian culture for overcoming of the stereotypical images of Muslims in Russian “cultural canon” to be effective.
Contemporary Russian studies of the role of the Patriarchate of Constantinople in the development of the crisis of the unity of world Orthodoxy
Authors:   Smolensk Orthodox Theological Seminary, (Tupikin) Metropolitan Isidor of Smolensk and Dorogobuzh
Published: May 2022

This article presents an analysis of the church-historical grounds for the termination of Eucharistic communion between the Russian Orthodox Church and the Patriarchate of Constantinople that took place in 2018. In this paper, this topic is considered through the prism of domestic research. The study of the relationship between the Russian Orthodox Church and the Patriarchate of Constantinople moves in several thematic directions: doctrinal, church-historical, geopolitical. The novelty of the analysis is the attempt to systematize modern Russian research and trace the links between current approaches and the pre-revolutionary academic tradition. The historical and canonical dominance of the Patriarchate of Constantinople over other Local Churches did not lead to doctrinal supremacy. Many ecclesiastical-legal judgments that have come out of the modern research environment can conditionally be attributed to two theoretical models of the dispensation of Ecumenical Orthodoxy. Based on the analysis of the historical precedents of the “Phanariotic” foreign policy, most historians and canonists came to the following disappointing conclusions: the diplomatic strategy of the Patriarchate of Constantinople was based on considerations of political pragmatism and personal gain, and was not guided by the fundamental principle of “inter-Orthodox solidarity”. The experience of relations between the Russian Orthodox Church and the Patriarchate of Constantinople in the previous two centuries, as well as contemporary events, lead to an important conclusion: it is necessary to strengthen the research direction in the field of Inter-Orthodox relations, which includes a spectrum of church-historical, church-legal, ecclesiological, geopolitical issues.
Dignity, freedom and human rights: A comparative analysis of the teachings of the Roman Catholic and Russian Orthodox churches
Authors:   Ss. Cyril and Methodius Theological Institute of Postgraduate and Doctoral Studies, Lavrenova Svetlana A.
Published: May 2022

The social teachings of Christian churches answer a number of important questions of public life. Such issues include dignity, freedom, and human rights. The task of Church social teaching is to assess modern socially significant problems, state-church relations, and church-social issues and to formulate the official position of the Church on the challenges of modernity based on centuries-old Christian teachings and church traditions. The subject of this research is a comparative analysis of Catholic and Orthodox social teachings on the issue of granting a Christian personal rights and freedoms. The research methodology is based on a comparative analysis of church documents in cultural-historical and socio-political contexts. The work examines the history and development of legal doctrine in the Roman Catholic and Russian Orthodox Churches. Particular attention is paid to an examination of official church documents, including papal encyclicals, documents of the Second Vatican Council of the Roman Catholic Church, documents of social issues adopted at the Councils of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church. Based on the historical and ideological context of the two positions in relation to human rights, the work reveals the general provisions and differences in the Catholic and Orthodox understanding of this issue. The article argues that, despite the existing differences, these teachings are united by a common desire to bring a moral dimension and an orientation towards Christian values into public and political life.
Determination of salt concentration in water using decision trees and electromagnetic waves
Authors: Efeoglu Ebru , Tuna Gurkan
Published: May 2022

Salt water adversely affects human health and plant growth. In parallel with the increasing interest in non-contact determination of salt concentration in water, a novel approach is proposed in this study. In the proposed approach, S parameter measurements, which show the scattering properties of electromagnetic waves, are used. First, the relationship between salt concentration in water and permittivity values, a distinguishing feature for liquids, is shown. Then, based on the derived correlations from a set of S parameter measurements, it is shown that the salt concentration in water can be predicted. Finally, after exactly determining the relations of permittivity, salt concentration and S parameter, a system that allows non-contact determination of salt concentration is proposed. Since the proposed system makes its prediction using a classifier, decision tree algorithms are employed for this purpose. In order to evaluate the appropriateness and success of the algorithms, a set of classification experiments were held using various water samples with different levels of salt concentration. The results of the classification experiments show that the Hoeffding tree algorithm achieved the best results and is the most suitable decision tree algorithm for determining the salt concentration of liquids. For this reason, the proposed non-contact approach can be used to determine the salt concentration in water reliably and quickly if its hardware and software components can be embedded into a prototype system.

HIGHLIGHTS Showing the relationship between salt concentration in water and permittivity values. Predicting salt concentration. Proposing a system that allows non-contact determination of salt concentration.
Trace elements, anions, and carbohydrates in the recirculating aquaculture system using woodchip denitrification, constructed wetland, and sand infiltration
Authors: Lindholm-Lehto Petra Camilla , Lindroos Antti-Jussi , Pulkkinen Jani Tapio , Kiuru Tapio , Vielma Jouni
Published: May 2022

A recirculating aquaculture system (RAS) aims to achieve fish production with negligible discharge into the environment. RASs have been applied for fish production in several countries, but nitrate removal is often a limiting factor for production increases. In this study, a pilot-scale RAS (10 tons of fish/year) was connected to a water treatment field which consisted of a denitrifying woodchip bioreactor (9 m × 14 m) filled with birch woodchips (Betula pendula), a constructed wetland (7.5 m × 6 m), and sand infiltration (16 m × 31 m) to achieve high water quality with low-maintenance treatment units. In the constructed wetland, a perennial common reed (Phragmites australis) was used in a well-drained soil for nutrient re-use. Concentrations of different elements, diluted anions, and selected hydrocarbons were monitored and quantified. Some Mn leaching occurred during the sand infiltration stage. However, Mn concentrations decreased towards the end of the experiment. Concentrations of total-Fe increased up to 2.75 mg L−1 and Mn up to 5 mg L−1 in the sand infiltration stage of the water treatment field, probably due to anoxic conditions and leaching of fine particles. This type of process design offers effective but low-maintenance treatment of circulating water.
Isolation of napin from Brassica nigra seeds and coagulation activity to turbid pond water
Authors: Khaliq Binish , Sarwar Hamsa , Akrem Ahmed , Azam Mehvish , Ali Naila
Published: May 2022

Approach to fresh water is limited due to the growing world population and supply of clean drinking water is a global challenge. Pond water is widely used for drinking in developing countries and it has higher turbidity during rainy seasons. This purpose requires a large number of chemical coagulants that lead to a high cost of treatment. Therefore there is a need to find an economical and natural coagulant to treat turbid water. Coagulation activity is an ability of a liquid, changing to a solid or semi-solid state after sometime period of time. This study focuses on the isolation of coagulant proteins from Brassica nigra seeds responsible for water clarification. The coagulant protein (napin) was purified, quantified and identified. Napin protein was precipitated with 70% saturation of ammonium sulfate solution combined with dialysis and size-exclusion chromatography. SDS-PAGE showed that isolated napin has a molecular weight of 16 kDa. Protein quantification was done by using a NanoDrop spectrophotometer. The coagulation activity of the napin protein was measured against synthetic clay solution and turbid pond water. The coagulation assay results showed that napin protein from Brassica nigra has 85% and Moringa seeds extract has 87% coagulation activity against the synthetic clay solution after 120 min. However, the coagulation activity of napin protein against the turbid pond water was higher 85% compared to Moringa seed extract of 80%. The active coagulant napin protein would be helpful in establishing cheaper methods in scaling up the coagulant protein from the Brassica nigra seeds acting as a potential agent for water treatment.
A Systematic Review of Nonclinical Studies on the Effect of Curcumin in Chemotherapy- induced Cardiotoxicity
Authors: Armandeh Maryam , Bameri Behnaz , Samadi Mahedeh , Heidari Shima , Foroumadi Roham , Abdollahi Mohammad
Published: May 2022

Background:

Various anticancer drugs are effective therapeutic agents for cancer treatment; however, they cause severe toxicity in body organs. Cardiotoxicity is one of the most critical side effects of these drugs. Based on various findings, turmeric extract has positive effects on cardiac cells.

Objective:

This study aims to evaluate how curcumin, as the main component of turmeric, may affect chemotherapy- induced cardiotoxicity.

Method:

A database search was performed up to April 2021 using “curcumin OR turmeric OR Curcuma longa” and “chemotherapy-induced cardiac disease”, including their equivalents and similar terms. After screening the total articles obtained from the electronic databases, 25 relevant articles were included in this systematic review.

Results:

The studies demonstrate lower body weight and increased mortality rates due to doxorubicin administration. Besides, cancer therapeutic agents induced various morphological and biochemical abnormalities compared to the non-treated groups. Based on most of the obtained results, curcumin at nontoxic doses can protect the cardiac cells mainly through modulating antioxidant capacity, regulation of cell death, and antiinflammatory effects. Nevertheless, according to a minority of findings, curcumin increases the susceptibility of the rat cardiomyoblast cell line (H9C2) to apoptosis triggered by doxorubicin.

Conclusion:

According to most nonclinical studies, curcumin could potentially have cardioprotective effects against chemotherapy-induced cardiotoxicity. However, based on limited, contradictory findings demonstrating the function of curcumin in potentiating doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity, well-designed studies are needed to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of treatment with new formulations of this compound during cancer therapy.
Nigella sativa Oil Alleviates Mouse Testis and Sperm Abnormalities Induced by BPA Potentially through Redox Homeostasis
Authors: Alghazeer Rabia O. , Al-Griw Mohamed A. , Shalabi Suliman M. , Elnfati Abdul H. , Treesh Soad A. , Benjama Ahmeda E. , Shamlan Ghalia , Habibullah Mahmmoud M. , Eskandrani Areej A. , Alnajeebi Afnan M. , Babteen Nouf A. , Alansari Wafa S.
Published: May 2022

Background & Aim:

Significant evidence indicates that endocrine disrupted bisphenol A (BPA) seriously endangers human health. In males, BPA affects testis architecture and sperm quality, and ultimately reduces fertility. This study explored the therapeutic potential of Nigella sativa (NS) seed extract on testis and sperm abnormalities in BPA-exposed mice and characterized the underlying mechanism.

Methods:

Forty male Swiss albino mice (5.5 weeks old, N = 8 per group) were randomly divided into five groups: Group I, normal control, Group II, vehicle control (sterile corn oil); Group III, NS-exposed (oral 200 mg/kg); Group IV, BPA-exposed (oral 400 μg/kg body weight); Group V, BPA + NS-exposed mice. Animals were treated for 6 weeks and sacrificed for biochemical and histological examination.

Results:

The results indicated that BPA exposure results in significant testis and sperm abnormalities. Specifically, BPA promoted a marked reduction in the body and testis compared with the control group. Histopathological findings showed that BPA caused a widespread degeneration of spermatogenic cells of the seminiferous epithelium, decreased sperm counts and motility, and augmented sperm abnormalities, and whereas little alteration to sperm DNA was observed. In addition, BPA increased the levels of the lipid peroxidation marker, malondialdehyde (MDA), and reduced the levels of the antioxidant marker, reducing glutathione (GSH). Treatment with NS oil extract during BPA exposure significantly alleviated testis and sperm abnormalities, reduced MDA levels, and enhanced GSH levels.

Conclusions:

The results demonstrate that NS oil protects mice against BPA-induced sperm and testis abnormalities, likely by suppressing levels of the oxidative stress marker, MDA, and enhancing the levels of the antioxidant marker, GSH.
Accounting Conformational Dynamics into Structural Modeling Reflected
by Cryo-EM with Deep Learning
Authors: Yang Zhiwei , Ye Qiushi , Zhao Yizhen , Li Xuhua , Zhao Yimin , Fu Xinyue , Zhang Shengli , Zhang Lei
Published: May 2022

With the continuous development of structural biology, the requirement for accurate
three-dimensional structures during functional modulation of biological macromolecules is increasing.
Therefore, determining the dynamic structures of bio-macromolecular at high resolution has
been a high-priority task. With the development of cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) techniques,
the flexible structures of biomacromolecules at the atomic resolution level grow rapidly.
Nevertheless, it is difficult for cryo-EM to produce high-resolution dynamic structures without a
great deal of manpower and time. Fortunately, deep learning, belonging to the domain of artificial
intelligence, speeds up and simplifies this workflow for handling the high-throughput cryo-EM
data. Here, we generalized and summarized some software packages and referred algorithms of
deep learning with remarkable effects on cryo-EM data processing, including Warp, user-free preprocessing
routines, TranSPHIRE, PARSED, Topaz, crYOLO, and self-supervised workflow, and
pointed out the strategies to improve the resolution and efficiency of three-dimensional reconstruction.
We hope it will shed some light on the bio-macromolecular dynamic structure modeling with
the deep learning algorithms.
Emodin Reduces Inflammatory and Nociceptive Responses in Different
Pain-and Inflammation-Induced Mouse Models
Authors: Li Jing , Zhang Xiuli , Guan Lili
Published: May 2022

Aim:

Different nociceptive models induced with heat and chemicals were used to assess
the potency of emodin in alleviating pain. The anti-inflammatory properties of emodin at different
doses were also assessed using different anti-inflammatory in vivo models.

Objective:

Pain management is a global problem nowadays, and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory
drugs (NSAIDs) are commonly prescribed to assuage inflammation and alleviate pain. Prolonged
usage of these NSAIDs triggers various adverse drug reactions (ADRs). The dose-dependent effect
of emodin was assessed by treating mice with three different doses (5, 10, and 20 mg/kg bwt) of
emodin.

Methods:

The effects of emodin in various nociceptive and inflammatory models were assessed.
The anti-nociceptive potential of emodin was evaluated with the hot plate and tail immersion tests.
The effects of emodin on acetic acid-, glutamate-, capsaicin-, and formalin-stimulated pain models
were examined. The anti-inflammatory potency of emodin was examined in a carrageenan-induced
inflammatory model. The sedative effect of emodin was assessed by an open field test.

Results:

Emodin potentially prevented the nociception provoked by thermal stressors during the
hot plate and tail immersion methods and from chemical stressors such as acetic acid, formalin,
capsaicin, and glutamate. The anti-inflammatory action of emodin was evidenced by carrageenaninduced
paw edema and peritoneal leukocyte penetration. The open field results confirmed that
emodin induced a mild sedative effect on the treated mice.

Conclusion:

Our overall results obtained from this study confirmed that emodin exhibits potent anti-
nociceptive and anti-inflammatory effects.
A Short Review on Glucogallin and its Pharmacological Activities
Authors: Ghosh Dipanjan , Khan Anam Najib , Singh Rajveer , Bhattacharya Arka , Chakravarti Rudra , Roy Syamal , Ravichandiran Velayutham
Published: May 2022

Plant derived natural products have multifaceted beneficial roles in human pathophysiology.
Plant secondary metabolites have been used as an adjunct medicine for a long time and β-
Glucogallin is one such pharmaceutically important plant derived natural product. Β-glucogallin
(1-O-galloyl-β-d-glucopyranose), a plant-derived polyphenolic ester, is regarded as the primary
metabolite in the biosynthesis of hydrolyzable tannins. It is majorly found in amla, pomegranate,
strawberry etc. Owing to its free radical scavenging properties, β-glucogallin (BG) is believed to
protect against several diseases like diabetes and related complications like retinopathy, glaucoma,
inflammation, hepatic damage, skin damage from UV, etc. Several semisynthetic derivatives
of β-Glucogallin are being developed, which have better pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic
parameters than β-glucogallin. Studies have shown the prophylactic role of β-Glucogallin in developing
defence mechanisms against the advent and progression of certain diseases. β-
glucogallin formulations have shown a positive effect as a neutraceutical. In this manuscript, we
have discussed β-glucogallin, its natural sources, biosynthetic pathways, its semi-synthetic derivatives,
and the plethora of its pharmacological activities like antioxidant-antiinflammatory, antidiabetic,
cataract-preventing, anti glaucoma, and UV protectant. We have also highlighted various
biological pathways, which are modulated by β-glucogallin. The manuscript will convey the importance
of β-glucogallin as a compound of natural origin, having multifaceted health benefits.
Recent Developments and Potential for Clinical Use of Casein as a Drug
Carrier
Authors: Semwal Deepak Kumar , Semwal Ravindra , Joshi Sunil Kumar , Semwal Ruchi Badoni
Published: May 2022

Background:

The development of drug delivery carriers is the key area of research in the
field of novel drug delivery systems. To date, a long list of carriers has been identified for this purpose
but the deliveries of poorly water-soluble active substances are still facing challenges and hence, such
substances are pharmacologically unsafe and economically incompetent.

Objective:

This article aims to review the applications of casein as a drug carrier and its potential for
clinical use.

Methods:

The relevant literature on the casein protein was collected from authentic online scientific
databases like PubMed, Scopus and Google Scholar using different keywords including “casein”, “drug
delivery system”, “drug carrier” and “bioavailability”. The articles and books accessed online have been
thoroughly reviewed and the most relevant reports on casein as a drug carrier have only been included
in the present study.

Results:

Casein is a milk protein that has many structural and physicochemical properties which facilitate
its functionality in delivery systems. Moreover, its amphiphilic nature makes it the most suitable
carrier for both hydrophobic and hydrophilic drugs without showing any toxic effects. The carriers obtained
from natural sources are trustworthy over synthetic carriers and in the demand of the market due
to their easy availability, low-cost factor, bio-friendly and nontoxic nature.

Conclusion:

Casein was found to be an effective natural drug carrier in various delivery systems due to
its unique applications in improving the bioavailability and efficacy of a drug.
Designing, Structural Determination, and Antibacterial Activity of Injectable
Ciprofloxacin-loaded gelatin-sodium Carboxymethyl Cellulose composite
Nanogels against Staphylococcus aureus
Authors: Liu Jinhuan , Song Wei , Algharib Samah Attia , Luo Wanhe , Chen Wei
Published: May 2022

Background:

The development of nanogels has become an attractive strategy to enhance the
antibacterial activity performance of bacteria.

Methods:

The ciprofloxacin composite nanogels were successfully prepared by electrostatic interaction
between gelatin (positive charge) and CMC (negative charge) with the help of sodium tripolyphosphate
(TPP) as ionic crosslinkers, to increase the antibacterial activity of ciprofloxacin against Staphylococcus
aureus (S. aureus) mastitis infection. The formulation screening, characterization, in vitro release, antibacterial
activity, and biosafety were studied.

Results:

The optimized formulation was fabricated of 20 mg/mL (CMC) and 50mg/mL (gelatin). The
optimized ciprofloxacin composite nanogels were homogenous canary yellow suspension with a sedimentation
rate of 1 and were incorporated in nano-sized cross-linked polymeric networks. The particle
sizes were distributed as, 402.7±1.3 nm, PDI of 0.12±0.01, ZP of -24.5±0.2mv, EE of 74.28%±0.03%,
LC of 20.5%±0.05%. Scanning electron microscope images revealed that ciprofloxacin might be incorporated
in nano-sized cross-linked polymeric networks. Fourier transform infrared showed that the
spontaneous electrostatic interactions between CMC and gelatin produce the network structure and
form the composite nanogels. Meanwhile, in vitro release study showed that ciprofloxacin composite
nanogels had sustained-release performances. The ciprofloxacin composite nanogels had shown better
antibacterial activity against SCV 102 isolate than S. aureus ATCC 29213 and S. aureus 101isolates.
The biosafety studies suggested the great promise of the injectable ciprofloxacin composite nanogels as
a biocompatible breast injection.

Conclusion:

This study will afford a potential approach for developing injectable ciprofloxacin-loaded
gelatin-CMC composite nanogels for cow S. aureus mastitis therapy.
Preparation of the Chitosan/Poly-γ-Glutamic Acid/Glabrid in Hybrid
Nanoparticles and Study on its Releasing Property
Authors: Chen Hanjiu , Zhuang Jie , Wu Xu , Shen Xingliang , Zhang Qianjie , Zhang Wanping
Published: May 2022

Aim:

The aim of this study was to encapsulate glabridin (GB) into nanoparticles, prepared by
an ionic-gelation method blended with chitosan (CS) and poly-γ-glutamic acid (γ-PGA) to address the
issue of poor stability and low water solubility of glabridin.

Methods:

The physicochemical properties of nanoparticles were investigated by transmission electron
microscope (TEM), dynamic light scattering (DLS) and fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy.

Result:

FT-IR results indicated that the spontaneous interaction between CS, γ-PGA and GB can form
a cross linked network-structure, leading to the spontaneous formation of nanoparticles. Morphology of
the complex particles was nano-scale spherical shape. Furthermore, particle size was decreased according
to the decrease of γ-PGA contents and CS, accompanying with the increase of mixed solution
transmittance. The mγ-PGA: mGB = 1: 1 and mCS: (mγ-PGA + mGB) =1: 1 were considered to be a proper
preparation condition of CS/γ-PGA/GB hybrid nanoparticles, which produced the smaller nanoparticles
with the satisfactory encapsulation efficiency (EE), loading content (LC) and sustained GB release.
With the increase of pH values, the potential, EE, and LC decreased gradually, while the particle size
increased. The nanoparticles prepared with higher molecular weight γ-PGA had larger particle size and
less loading capacity on GB. Additionally, moderate weight ratio of CS/γ-PGA/GB, low pH, and high
molecular weight of γ-PGA were favorable for sustained release.

Conclusion:

It can be concluded that the physicochemical properties of nanoparticles and GB release
behaviors were affected by several factors including the weight ratio of CS/γ-PGA/GB, pHvalues, and
γ-PGA molecular weight (MW). Nanoencapsulation using CS, γ-PGA and GB has a potential application
for the development of functional cosmetic products with skin-whitening effect.
Synthesis, Characterisation and Docking Studies of Thioxoquinoline
Derivatives as Potential Anti-Alzheimer Agents
Authors: Sachin Chandavarkar , Naik Shalaka P. , Soniya Phadte , Harishchandra Naik , Venkatesh Sinari , Shilpa Tawde , Shivlingarao Mamle Desai
Published: May 2022

Background:

Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) is related to the total loss of presynaptic neurotransmitters
of the cholinergic system in regions of the brain related to memory. Approximately 15%
of the population beyond the age of 65 years are suffering from dementia due to AD and the rate is rising
exponentially with age.

Objective:

The objective of this research was the synthesis of a series of 1-(4-substituted-2-
thioxoquinolin-1(2H)-yl)-2-substituted ethanoneV (a-c(1-4)) by undergoing acetylation at the nitrogen
of 4-hydroxyquinolin-2-(1H)-one and replacing its oxygen atom with sulphur moiety via the process
of thionation. To carry out-docking studies of the title compounds were carried out using Molegro Virtual
Docker (MVD-2013, 6.0) software and in-vitro screening of anti-alzheimer’s activity by Ellman
assay method.

Method:

The synthesis of the title compounds was carried out via the sequential reaction from the
initial dianilide to ring closure to the substituted quinoline-2-ones using polyphosphoric acid as a cyclising
agent. These substituted quinoline-2-ones on thionation by phosphorous pentasulphide in aluminium
trioxide gave quinoline-2-thiones and on further condensation with chloroacetyl chloride, they
resulted in compounds with a leaving group. Nucleophilic substitution reaction of chloroacetylquinoline-
2-thiones with secondary amines resulted in the title compounds 1-(4-substituted-2-
thioxoquinolin-1(2H)-yl)-2-substituted ethanone V(a-c(1-4)). The pharmacophore mapping of synthesized
compounds was performed by using Molegro Virtual Docker (MVD-2013,6.0). The title compounds
were tested for their in vitro anti-Alzheimer's activity using the Ellman assay method.

Results:

All the synthesized compounds were characterized by IR, 1H NMR, 13C NMR, and Mass
spectral data. Docking studies of all the synthesized compounds were carried out using a structural
mechanism for the inhibition of CDK5-p25 by roscovitine, aloisine, and indirubin (PDB ID: 1UNG),
showed favourable results, with compound (Vb3) showing a MolDock score of -85.9788 that was
comparable to that of the active ligand (ALH_1288 [B]) with MolDock score of - 87.7609.

Conclusion:

The synthesized derivatives possessed the potential to bind with some of the amino acid
residues of the active site. Compound 2-(6-chloro-4-hydroxy-2-thioxoquinolin-1(2H)-yl-1-piperazin-
1-ethanone (Vb3) was found to be the most active among the synthesized derivatives, with IC50 values
of 32 ± 0.1681. All the synthesized compounds showed potent to moderate activity in comparison to
the reference standard donepezil.
The Newly Proposed Mechanism of Cardiomyocyte Protection of Carvedilol-
Anti-Apoptosis Pattern of Carvedilol in Anoxia by Inducing Autophagy
Partly through the AMPK/mTOR Pathway
Authors: Li Jingru , Li Chaozhong , Sun Guihu , Li Longjun , Zeng Yongli , Wang Huawei , Wu Xinyu , Yang Ping , Peng Yunzhu , Wang Luqiao
Published: May 2022

Purpose:

To investigate the underlying mechanism of cardiomyocyte protection of carvedilol
based on autophagy and apoptosis.

Methods:

Neonatal rat ventricular myocytes (NRVMs) were exposed to various concentrations of carvedilol
before anoxia, and pretreated with 3-MA or compound C for inhibiting autophagy or p-AMPK expression.
CCK-8 colorimeter and flow cytometry were used to determine the cell viability and apoptotic
rates. The variation of mRNA and protein was measured by RT-PCR and Western blot. The presence of
autophagosomes was observed by electron microscopy.

Results:

First, we found that carvedilol increased autophagic marker levels in a concentration-dependent
manner and the number of autophagosomes in NRVMs. Moreover, carvedilol substantially enhanced the
viability and noticeably reduced the CK, MDA and LDH levels and cell apoptosis rate compared with the
anoxia group. In addition, carvedilol decreased the levels of caspase-3 and Bim in mRNA and protein, but
such effect was blocked by the special autophagy inhibitor-3-MA, and the number of autophagosomes
was significantly decreased when treated with 3-MA, indicating that carvedilol exhibited anti-apoptotic
and anti-injury effects by inducing autophagy in anoxia NRVMs, but these effects can be abolished by
adding 3-MA to suppress autophagy. Finally, the carvedilol treatment-induced autophagy by enhancing
the activation of p-AMPK and inhibiting p-mTOR. Electron microscopy presented that the number of
autophagosomes was significantly decreased when treating with compound C, indicating that carvedilol
induced autophagy in anoxia NRVMs partly by the AMPK-mTOR signaling pathway.

Conclusions:

Carvedilol has cardioprotection by inducing autophagy against apoptosis partly through the
AMPK/mTOR pathway during anoxia in NRVMs.
Effective Proficiency of Manganese Porphyrins as Catalysts in Chemical
Transformations: A Review
Authors: Chaurasia Pankaj Kumar , Bharati Shashi Lata , Singh Sunita , Yadava Sudha
Published: May 2022

:

Porphyrin ligands are well-known for their promising tendency to produce metal porphyrin
complexes of great significance. Out of different metal porphyrins, manganese porphyrins are one of
the most valuable metal porphyrins due to effective catalytic performance and potential in many reactions
like C-H isocyanation, the cycloaddition of CO2 with epoxides, epoxidation, oxygen reduction
reaction, depolymerization reactions, oxidation of aromatic alcohols, selective oxidation of cycloalkenes/
alkanes, aliphatic C-H chlorination, dehydrogenation of alcohols, dye degradation, BSA nitration
and others. Hence, in this review, the authors have best tried to present an effective insight overview
of these aforementioned applications with the help of some recent studies for signifying the value
of manganese porphyrins as a competent catalyst.