bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
in silico Screening of Potential Spike Glycoprotein Inhibitors of SARS-CoV-2 with Drug Repurposing Strategy
Authors: Wei Tianzi , Wang Hao , Wu Xueqing , Lu Yi , Guan Shenghui , Dong Fengquan , Dong Chenle , Zhu Guli , Bao Yuzhou , Zhang Jian , Wang Guanyu , Li Haiying
Published: March 2020

COVID-19 has globally spread and has become a new pandemic, but there is still no effective drugs or vaccines to treat or prevent this disease. SARS-Cov-2 invades human cells through its spike proteins interacting with human ACE2 receptors. One strategy to prevent the virus from entering cells is the interruption of the viral spike protein interacting with ACE2. In such an emergent situation, drug repurposing is a promising method for rapid drug development. Here, we selected around 15000 molecular candidates including FDA-approved drugs from DrugBank and natural compounds from TCMSP to perform virtual screening for potential molecules that can target viral spike protein based on its crystal structure. In this article, we present the top 20 molecules with high binding affinity with spike protein, of which, digitoxin, a cardiac glycoside in DrugBank and bisindigotin in TCMSP, extracted from indigo naturalis and polygoni tinctorii foliu, have the highest docking scores. In addition, we also found that raltegravir, an HIV integrase inhibitor, has a relatively high binding score. Those molecules with high binding capacity to spike glycoprotein might be used by other researchers for further anti-COVID-19 drug development.
Altered fractional amplitude of low frequency fluctuation in Women with Premenstrual Syndrome Via Acupuncture at Sanyinjiao(SP6)
Authors: Duan Gaoxiong , Chen Ya , Pang Yong , Feng Zhuo , Liao Hai , Liu Huimei , Zou Zhuocheng , Li Min , Tao Jien , He Xin , Li Shasha , Liu Peng , Deng Demao
Published: March 2020

Background: Premenstrual Syndrome(PMS) is a prevalent gynecological disease and is significantly associated with abnormal neural activity. Acupuncture is an effective treatment on PMS in clinical practice. However, few studies have been performed to investigate whether acupuncture might modulate the abnormal neural activity in patients with PMS. Thereby, the aim of the study was to assess alterations of the brain activity induced by acupuncture stimulation in PMS patients. Methods: 20 PMS patients were enrolled in this study. All patients received a 6-min resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging(rs-fMRI) scan before and after electro-acupuncturing stimulation (EAS) at Sanyinjiao (SP6) acupoint in the late luteal phase of menstrual. Applied the fractional amplitude of low frequency fluctuation(fALFF) method to examine EAS-related brain changes in PMS patients. Results: Compared with pre-EAS at SP6, increased fALFF value in several brain regions induced by SP6, including brainstem, right thalamus, bilateral insula, right paracentral lobule, bilateral cerebellum, meanwhile, decreased fALFF in the left cuneus, right precuneus, left inferior temporal cortex. Conclusions: Our findings provide imaging evidence to support that SP6-related acupuncture stimulation may modulate the neural activity in patients with PMS. This study may partly interpret the neural mechanisms of acupuncture at SP6 which is used to treat PMS patients in clinical. Trial registration:The study was registered on http://www.chictr.org.cn, the Clinical Trial Registration Number is ChiCTR-OPC-15005918, registry in 29/01/2015.
Radiobiological effects of the interruption time in radiation therapy with photon beams based on the microdosimetric kinetic model
Authors: Nakano Hisashi , Kawahara Daisuke , Tanabe Satoshi , Utsunomiya Satoru , Takizawa Takeshi , Aoyama Hidefumi
Published: March 2020

Background: We investigated the effect of the interruption time on the radiobiological effectiveness with photon beams based on a modified microdosimetric kinetic model. Background: The interruption time is used is that irradiation interruption occurs at sites and operations such as the gantry, collimator, couch rotation, and patient set-up in radiotherapy. However, the effect of interruption time on photon beams for tumor cells is little evaluated.Methods: The dose-mean lineal energy yD (keV/µm) of 6 MV photon beams was calculated by the particle and heavy ion transport system (PHITS). We set the absorbed dose to 2 or 8 Gy, and the interruption time (τ) was set to 1, 3, 5, or 10 min. The biological parameters values were acquired from a human non-small cell lung cancer cell line (NCI-H460) for the mMK model. We used two-field and four-field irradiation with a constant dose rate (3 Gy/min); the photon beams were paused for interruption time τ. We calculated the relative biological effectiveness (RBE) to evaluate the interruption time's effect compared with photon beams that were not interrupted as a reference. Results: The RBE with four-field irradiation for 8 Gy was decreased to 0.997, 0.992, 0.987, and 0.975 for τ = 1, 3, 5, and 10 min, respectively. The decrease in the RBE was within 3% compared with the non-interrupted photon beams. Conclusions: The effect of RBE was decreased by increasing the interruption time, indicating that an escalation of the prescribed dose might be necessary when the interruption time was large.
Self-perceived Workplace Discrimination And Mental Health Among Immigrant Workers In Italy: A Cross-sectional Study
Authors: Napoli Anteo Di , Rossi Alessandra , Baralla Francesca , Ventura Martna , Gatta Rosaria , Perez Minica , Sarchiapone Marco , Mirisola Concetta , Petrelli Alessio
Published: March 2020

Background: Immigration process is associated with poor mental and physical health. The workplace represents an important context of social integration, and previous studies, that evaluated the effect of discrimination experienced at workplace, found worse mental health status among immigrants. The aim of this study investigated the association between self-perceived workplace discrimination and other personal experiences, like self-perceived loneliness, level of life satisfaction, and physical health and mental well-being among immigrants in Italy.Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on a sample of 12,408 immigrants (aged 15-64) living and working in Italy. Data derived from the first national survey on immigrants carried out by the Italian National Institute of Statistics (Istat). Mental health status was measured through the mental component summary (MCS) of the SF-12 questionnaire. A linear multivariate regression was carried out to evaluate the association between mental health status, self-perceived workplace discrimination, and sociodemographic factors; a structural equation model was used to test hypothesized relationships shown in a conceptual path analysis model.Results: Worse mental health status was independently (p<0.001) associated with self-perceived workplace discrimination (β:-1.873), self-perceived loneliness (β:-3.021), level of life satisfaction (β:-2.775), and physical health status (β:-0.088). As confirmed by structural equation model, the self-perceived workplace discrimination effect on MCS was mediated by the other factors considered: self-perceived loneliness (13.6%), level of life satisfaction (13.6%), and physical health status (3.9%).Conclusions: Our study suggest that self-perceived workplace discrimination is associated with worse mental health status in immigrant workers. These results support the hypothesis that self-perceived workplace discrimination may affect mental health status through personal experiences in the workplace and explain the effect of the exposure to workplace discrimination on immigrants’ psychological well-being. Our findings suggest that an overall public health response to facilitate the social integration of immigrants and their access to health services, in particular those dedicated to addressing mental health issues.
Factors Influencing Resilience of Medical Workers from Other Provinces to Wuhan Fighting Against 2019 Novel Coronavirus Pneumonia
Authors: Lin Jing , Ren Yunhong , Gan Haijie , Chen Ying , Huang Yingfan , You Xuemei
Published: March 2020

Objective: To investigate the resilience of medical workers from other provinces to Wuhan to support fighting against 2019 novel coronavirus pneumonia (COVID-19). Methods : In February 2020, medical works supporting Wuhan in the fighting against COVID-19 were eligible to complete an online survey made up of Connor Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC), Hospital Anxiety Depression Scale (HADS) and Simplified Coping Style Questionnaire (SCSQ). Results : A total of 114 medical workers were investigated. The CD-RISC scores of medical workers were at a high level (67.03±13.22). The resilience level was highest for physicians (73.48±11.49), followed by supporting staff, including health care assistants, technicians (67.78±12.43) and nurses (64.86±13.46). There were also significant differences in education, training and support from hospital, adequate preparation and confidence to complete support tasks (P<0. 05). Resilience was negatively correlated with anxiety (r=-.498, P<0.01) and depression (r=-.471, P<0.01), but positively correlated with active coping styles (r=.733, P<0.01). Multiple regression analysis showed that active coping (β=1.314, p<0.05), depression (β= -.806, p<0.05), anxiety (β= -1.091, p<0.05) and training and support from hospital (β= -3.510, p<0.05) were significant influence factors of resilience. Conclusion : The manager of the health management system should be aware that active coping, depression, anxiety and training, and support from hospitals are the influential factor of resilience. In addition, it is necessary to need to take these preferences into account and develop psychosocial interventions to help reinforce the resilience of medical works fighting emerging contagious diseases such as COVID-19.
Calculating the Most Likely Intron Splicing Orders in S. pombe, Fruit Fly, Zebrafish, and Humans
Authors: Li Meng
Published: March 2020

Background Introns have been shown to be spliced in a defined order, and this order influences both alternative splicing regulation and splicing fidelity, but previous studies have only considered neighbouring introns. The detailed intron splicing order remains unknown. Results In this work, I developed a method that can calculate the intron splicing orders of all introns in each transcript. A simulation study showed that this method can accurately calculate intron splicing orders. I further applied this method to real pombe, fruit fly, zebrafish and human sequencing datasets and found that intron splicing orders change from gene to gene and that humans contain more not in-order spliced transcripts than S. pombe, fruit fly and zebrafish. In addition, I reconfirmed that the first introns in humans are spliced slower than those in S. pombe, fruit fly and zebrafish genome-widely. Both the calculated most likely orders and the method developed here are available on the web. Conclusions I developed a novel computational method to calculate the intron splicing orders and applied the method to real sequencing datasets. I obtained intron splicing orders for hundreds or thousands of genes in four organisms. I found humans contain more number of not in-order spliced transcripts. Keywords : Splicing; Intron splicing order; Most likely order; Bayesian network
Echographic analysis of the alterations musculoskeletal associated with endothelial dysfunction and obesity
Authors: Coria Alejandra Martínez , Estrada-Cruz Norma Angélica , Ordoñez María Inés Pérez , Montes-Cortes Daniel , Apolinar Leticia Manuel
Published: March 2020

Background: Modern imaging plays a central role in the care of obese patients, with an integral focus on its use and accessibility in individuals with this condition with alterations of various organs. Objective. To perform an echographical analysis of musculoskeletal system disorders, endothelial dysfunction and the left ventricle in obese rats. Methods. Sprague Dawley rats (250±5 g) were used and divided into two groups: control group (C) fed a standard diet and the obese group (Ob), fed with a hyper caloric diet of high fructose-fat for 4 mounts. Body weight, cholesterol, triglycerides, glucose, inflammatory cytokines and adhesion molecules (ICAM-1, VCAM-1) were measured. Additionally, two-dimensional echocardiography and abdominal ultrasound and musculoskeletal system studies in the lower extremities were performed. Results . Body weight in the Ob group was increased compared to the control group, (p <0.001); in addition, increased glucose, cholesterol and triglycerides of were found in the Ob group vs the C group, (p <0.05), and as well as increased adhesion molecules ICAM-1 and, VCAM-1 (p <0.01). On ultrasound, 75% of the Ob group presented showed 75% fatty liver and distal joint abnormalities. Conclusion . Endothelial dysfunction and changes at the level of the musculoskeletal system with the presence of joint cysts in the posterior region of the distal joint of the lower extremities were observed in obese rodents.
The characteristics of lumbar paraspinal muscle degeneration based on the Roussouly classification: a retrospective study
Authors: Yang Shuo , Xu Guangyu , Zou Fei , Jiang Jianyuan , Lu Feizhou , Xia Xinlei , Ma Xiaosheng
Published: March 2020

Background: To analyse the characteristics of lumbar paraspinal muscle degeneration in individuals with different Roussouly types.Methods: Eighty patients (20 patients for each Roussouly type) with degenerative lumbar disease were retrospectively enrolled from January 2017 to February 2018. The cross-sectional area (CSA) and percentage of fat infiltration (FI) of the paraspinal muscles at the L1-S1 levels were measured using T2-weighted axial MRI and ImageJ software. The measured data were analysed with independent samples t-tests.Results: Degeneration of the paraspinal muscles of the upper lumbar region was significantly severer in Type 1 than in Type 3, the degrees of paraspinal muscle degeneration of Type 2 appeared to be more evenly distributed in all segments than Type 3, and Type 4 showed severer degeneration in L5-S1 than Type 3.Conclusion: The degree of paraspinal muscle degeneration in each segment was different across the four Roussouly types, but the degrees of degeneration were consistent with the characteristics of degenerative disease within each type.
Assessment of the possibility of vertical transmission of COVID-19: A systematic review and meta-analysis protocol
Authors: Dashti Sareh , Najafi Tahereh Fathi , Tohidinik Hamid Reza , Bahri Narjes
Published: March 2020

BackgroundThe novel coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak has put a great burden on global health and healthcare systems. One of the vulnerable groups to COVID-19 infection and complications is the pregnant women. There is controversy regarding the possibility of vertical transmission of COVID-19 from mother to infant. The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to assess the possibility of vertical transmission of COVID-19 based on currently published literature including observational studies. All published articles including case reports, case series,MethodsThis study will be conducted on all published observational studies, including cross-sectional studies, cohort, case-control, case reports, and case series, in peer reviewed journals in any language until the end of March 2020. Editorials, commentaries and letter to editors will be excluded from the review. Search will be conducted in international bibliographic databases including PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science based on preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analysis (PRISMA) checklist. Primary search will be performed in PubMed and Embase using the Coronavirus 2019 and vertical transmission keywords based on medical subject heading (MeSH) terms along with free text searching in combination with Boolean operations. The search strategy will be improved and finalized based on the results of the primary search. The World Health Organization (WHO) and google scholar websites will be searched as grey literature. Articles will be reviewed by two authors independently for the relevance of titles and abstracts. Data extraction of the included articles will be performed by two researchers using the Zotero and review manager (revMan) software. Heterogeneity of the articles will be assessed using DerSimonian & Laird Q test and I 2 statistic. The pooled estimated prevalence of vertical transmission of COVID-19 will be performed using the Metaprop command. Publication bias will be assessed using the Begg's rank correlation and the Egger weighted regression methods.DiscussionThe findings of this systematic review and meta-analysis will help practitioners and health care providers in decision making for the care and management of COVID-19 infected pregnant women. Systematic review registration In process
Characterization of novel dual tandem CD19/BCMA chimeric antigen receptor T cells to potentially treat multiple myeloma
Authors: Kang Liqing , Zhang Jian , Li Minghao , Xu Nan , Qi Wei , Tan Jingwen , Lou Xiaoyan , Yu Zhou , Sun Juanjuan , Wang Zhenkun , Fu Chengcheng , Tang Xiaowen , Dai Haiping , Chen Jia , Wu Depei , Yu Lei
Published: March 2020

Background: Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) engineered T cells directed B cell maturation antigen (BCMA) showed transient recovery to multiple myeloma (MM). However, the expression of CD19 on immature plasma cell may escape the recognition by BCMA-CAR T, which restrict the efficacy and facilitate to relapse. The purpose of this study is to characterize a novel CAR structure with a tandem orientation of scFv-BCMA and scFv-CD19, tandem CAR (tan-CAR), to provide an effective solution for killing both BCMA and/or CD19 expression MM cells.Method: Single-chain variable fragment (scFv) sequences from the anti-CD19 antibody FMC63 and the anti-BCMA antibody C11D5.3 were ligated in tandem with transmembrane and T cell signaling domains to achieve tan-CAR construct. The therapeutic specificity and efficiency were analyzed for tan-CAR T cells activation, proliferation, cytokine release and cytolytic toxicity in vitro. Also, in vivo efficacy evaluation conducted in xenograft mouse models with the combination of two corresponding target tumor cells, in comparison with conventional CAR.Results: The in vitro studies demonstrated specific activation of tan-CAR T cells to the K562 tumor cell overexpressing CD19, BCMA, or both. Besides, it also elicits the comparable immunoreactivities, in terms of proliferation, cytokine release and cytolytic activity compared to single scFv modified CAR T cells. Importantly, the in vivo studies of tan-CAR-transduced T cells results specific inhibition of tumor growth in xenograft model that express combined tumor antigen i.e. CD19 and BCMA. Moreover, systemic administration of tan-CAR resulted in complete tumor remission, whilst neither BCMA-CAR T nor CD19-CAR-T could. Conclusion: A novel tan-CAR T was successfully designed and showed the significant antitumor efficacy for combined antigen-positive tumor cells in vitro and in vivo. However, the single CAR T cells with targeting one antigen didn’t achieve similar potency. The data from this study suggest a novel strategy to help reduce relapse due to existing CD19-expressing multiple myeloma cells or downregulation of the BCMA antigen after CAR-based treatment of multiple myeloma.
Presymptomatic transmission of COVID-19 in a cluster of cases occurred in confined space: a case report
Authors: Liu Xinyi , Wu Jinru , Liu Min , Dai Yingying , Zhou Dan , Li Wenqian , Lv Pan , Zhou Ning , Wu Pa
Published: March 2020

Background: COVID-19 is spreading rapidly intercity and international despite rigid public health prevention and control measures been taken.Case presentation: In a cluster of infection, six out of seven participants engaged in persistent singing and talking in confined space were later diagnosed COVID-19 patients. One of the cases was asymptomatic with no SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid detected, but positive for anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG. None of the household contacts was infected during the following month.Conclusions: This epidemiological evidence revealed that asymptomatic patients transmitted the coronavirus in confined space with relatively high efficiency, suggesting that it is important to provide better ventilation in public buildings to prevent COVID-19 transmission.
The Psychological Effect of 2019 Coronavirus Disease Outbreak on Nurses Living in Islamic Culture Dominant Region, China
Authors: Jiang Mengyao , Li Siyan , She Dongli , Yan Fanghong , Chung Yuet Foon , Han Lin
Published: March 2020

Background: The outbreak of Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) in Wuhan, owing to the uncertain nature of COVID-19, can cause concerns about the potential health risks and may engender fear, anxiety, depression and so on. China is a multi-ethnic society, and Linxia Hui Autonomous Prefecture is a multi-ethnic residential city and is influenced profoundly by Islamic culture. Culture can influence perceptions, but it is unknown how much it affects frontline nurses’ perceptions of the emerging infectious disease outbreak. The aim of this study was to investigate the psychological characteristics of nurses with minority ethnic backgrounds in response to the public health crisis and to explore its related factors. Methods: We undertook a cross-sectional online survey in the Linxia Hui Autonomous Prefecture, Gansu province, China. There were eight secondary-level hospitals and one tertiary-level hospital, six of which were COVID-19-designated hospitals. The structured questionnaire consisted of demographic questionnaire, COVID-19 related questionnaire, Self-Rating Anxiety Scale, and Self-rating Depression Scale. Results: A total of 1569 nurses enrolled in our online survey. The majority of the nurses were women (98.8%), aged younger than 40-year-old (90.3%), holders of a junior college degree (59.5%), married (74.6%), needed to care for children (63.9%) or elders (84.6%), with working years of less than 10 years (61.9%), and worked at non-high exposure departments(75%) in secondary hospital (66.9%) or COVID-19-designated hospital (85.4%). The anxiety and depression level (M± SD) were 42.56±8.95 and 46.52 ±11.883, respectively. The factors associated with psychological variables were social support, family role, fear of contagion, the desire to learn knowledge about COVID-19, and so on. Conclusion: Nurses who are of the Islamic culture are affected slightly by the COVID-19 outbreak, but their concern and factors associated with psychological variables are in keeping with the common nursing groups.
Preplant Application of 1-Methylcyclopropene Improves Postplanting Performance of Tomato Transplants by Suppressing Ethylene-induced Stress Responses
Authors: Agehara Shinsuke
Published: March 2020

Transplant shock is caused by various types of abiotic stress, limiting stand establishment and productivity of many vegetable crops. Although postplanting stress can be minimized under well-managed field conditions, mechanical stress is unavoidable during the transport and transplanting of seedlings. Mechanical stress stimulates ethylene production, which in turn, induces overall growth retardation as a stress adaptation strategy. We hypothesized that, under optimum field conditions, transplant shock is caused primarily by ethylene-induced stress responses, and that inhibiting ethylene action can reduce transplant shock by maintaining uninterrupted growth. In this study, a new spray formulation of 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) was used to inhibit ethylene perception in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) seedlings. A bioassay experiment demonstrated reduced ethylene sensitivity in 1-MCP–treated (1 mg·L−1) seedlings using leaf epinasty and chlorosis as measured responses. Field experiments evaluated growth, physiological, and yield responses to preplant spray treatment of 1-MCP (12.5–50 mg·L−1) under optimum field conditions. Postplanting growth modulation by 1-MCP at the flowering stage was characterized by enhanced height growth and suppressed stem diameter growth, indicating the inhibition of ethylene-induced stress responses. At the fruit harvest stage, preplant 1-MCP treatment increased shoot biomass by 23% and flower production by 22%, while improving photosynthetic capacity on a whole-plant basis. As a result, 1-MCP–treated plants produced 13% to 24% higher total marketable fruit yields than untreated plants in two consecutive growing seasons. Correlation analyses revealed that flower number increased proportionally to shoot biomass, and marketable fruit number increased proportionally to flower number. These results support our hypothesis and propose that preplant 1-MCP treatment is a new stress-management approach to reducing transplant shock. Importantly, this new technique is easily implementable by commercial transplant nurseries with no negative side effect on transplant quality and fruit development.
Effect of Nitrogen-fixing Microorganisms and Amino Acid-based Biostimulants on Perennial Ryegrass
Authors: De Luca Verónica , Gómez de Barreda Diego , Lidón Antonio , Lull Cristina
Published: March 2020

Due to restrictions on pesticide and nitrogen use in high-input European agricultural systems, many of the biostimulants used in horticulture are being incorporated into turfgrass management programs—although often with little understanding. A set of experiments was carried out on perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne) cultivated in pots in a greenhouse in 2013 and 2014 to test the effect of three biostimulants: two composed of nitrifying bacteria (B1 and B2), and the other a mixture of amino acids, polysaccharides, nitrogen, and micronutrients (B3). Apart from the biostimulant treatment, nutritional stress was incorporated into the study to demonstrate if biostimulants could temporarily replace the fertilization role and so lessen the environmental impact. Turfgrass treated with B1 resulted in an increase in quality compared with untreated turf, and the positive effect lasted 2 and 3 months in 2013 and 2014, respectively. Additionally, an extended benefit was observed when the B1 interval application was longer, even temporarily replacing fertilization when applied on stressed turfgrass. The B2 produced similar results to B1, the effect was longer, and the turf exhibited a darker color—although it caused phytotoxicity at the tip of the leaves. The B3 led to a beneficial effect on turfgrass, especially under nutritional stress; it showed a better quality, darker green color, and more growth and yield than untreated turf (despite adding less nitrogen than during either mineral fertilizer treatment). Overall results show that the tested biostimulants increase turfgrass quality even when inducing a nutritional stress.
The formation of marine red beds and iron cycling on the Mesoproterozoic North China Platform
Authors: Tang Dongjie , Ma Jianbai , Shi Xiaoying , Lechte Maxwell , Zhou Xiqiang
Published: March 2020

Marine red beds (MRBs) are common in sedimentary records, but their genesis and environmental implications remain controversial. Genetic models proposed for MRBs variably invoke diagenetic or primary enrichments of iron, with vastly different implications for the redox state of the contemporaneous water column. The Xiamaling Formation (ca. 1.4 Ga) in the North China Platform hosts MRBs that offer insights into the iron cycling and redox conditions during the Mesoproterozoic Era. In the Xiamaling MRBs, well-preserved, nanometer-sized flaky hematite particles are randomly dispersed in the clay (illite) matrix, within the pressure shadow of rigid detrital grains. The presence of hematite flake aggregates with multiple face-to-edge (“cardhouse”) contacts indicates that the hematite particles were deposited as loosely bound, primary iron oxyhydroxide flocs. No greenalite or other ferrous iron precursor minerals have been identified in the MRBs. Early diagenetic ankerite concretions hosted in the MRBs show non-zero I/(Ca+Mg) values and positive Ce anomalies (>1.3), suggesting active redox cycling of iodine and manganese and therefore the presence of molecular oxygen in the porewater and likely in the water column during their formation. These observations support the hypothesis that iron oxyhydroxide precipitation occurred in moderately oxygenated marine waters above storm wave base (likely <100 m). Continentally sourced iron reactivated through microbial dissimilatory iron reduction, and distal hydrothermal fluids may have supplied Fe(II) for the iron oxyhydroxide precipitation. The accumulation of the Xiamaling MRBs may imply a slight increase of seawater oxygenation and the existence of long-lasting adjacent ferruginous water mass.
Delineation of flood-prone areas using modified topographic index for a river basin
Authors: Nagesh Kumar D. , Shastry Apoorva R. , Srinivasa Raju K.
Published: March 2020

The modified topographic index () based on digital elevation models (DEMs) was employed to delineate flood-prone areas in Mahanadi basin, India. and flood inundation maps were compared to obtain the threshold () beyond which the area is assumed to be inundated by flood and the exponent of the . Scale dependence was also investigated to evaluate the sensitiveness of spatial resolution of the DEMs. DEMs of five resolutions, namely, ASTER global, SRTM, GMTED2010 (30 arc-seconds), GMTED 2010 (15 arc-seconds), and GMTED 2010 (7.5 arc-seconds), were used and ASTER global was preferred due to its low error compared to the remainder. Flood frequency analysis was conducted to obtain the relationship between flood-prone areas and flood magnitude. It was observed that (i) the exponent in the showed little variation, (ii) is reduced with reducing spatial resolution of the DEM, and (iii) error is also reduced as the DEMs' resolution is reduced.
Aloe sp. leaf gel and water glass for municipal wastewater sludge treatment and odour removal
Authors: Jaouadi Thameur , Hajji Mounir , Kasmi Mariam , Kallel Amjad , Chatti Abdelwaheb , Hamzaoui Hichem , Mnif Adel , Tizaoui Chedly , Trabelsi Ismail
Published: March 2020

Aloe gel (Alg), which is a natural extract from the Aloe sp. plant, was evaluated in this study for its potential use as a bioflocculant to treat urban wastewater sewage sludge. The gel was used alone and combined with water glass (WG) under controlled conditions in laboratory experiments. Alg was found effective to settle the flocculated sludge rapidly and remove distinctive unpleasant odours of the sludge as highlighted by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC/MS) analysis. Furthermore, Alg was pH tolerant and had no effect in changing the pH of the wastewater. The optimum dose of Alg was 3% at which a sludge volume index (SVI) of 45.4 mL/g was obtained within 30 min settling time. To enhance the treatment performances of Alg, WG was also evaluated as an alkali agent to further reduce the chemical oxygen demand (COD) and ammonia (NH4-N) in the wastewater. At equal doses of 3% of WG and Alg each, the combined treatment outcomes showed high turbidity and NH4-N removals of 83 and 89%, respectively, but the overall COD removal was at best 25%. The settling rate of treated sludge with combined Alg/WG was very rapid giving an SVI of 25.4 mL/g within only 5 min.
Synthesis, Antitumor Activity and Molecular Docking Studies on Seven Novel Thiazacridine Derivatives
Authors: Almeida Marcel L. , Viana Douglas C.F. , da Costa Valécia C.M. , dos Santos Flaviana A. , Pereira Michelly C. , Pitta Maira G.R. , de Melo Rêgo Moacyr J.B. , Pitta Ivan R. , Pitta Marina G.R.
Published: March 2020

Aim and Objective:

In the last decades, cancer has become a major problem in public health
all around the globe. Chimeric chemical structures have been established as an important trend on
medicinal chemistry in the last years. Thiazacridines are hybrid molecules composed of a thiazolidine
and acridine nucleus, both pharmacophores that act on important biological targets for cancer. By the
fact it is a serious disease, seven new 3-acridin-9-ylmethyl-thiazolidine-2,4-dione derivatives were
synthesized, characterized, analyzed by computer simulation and tested in tumor cells. In order to find
out if the compounds have therapeutic potential.

Materials and Methods:

Seven new 3-acridin-9-ylmethyl-thiazolidine-2,4-dione derivatives were
synthesized through Michael addition and Knoevenagel condensation strategies. Characterization was
performed by NMR and Infrared spectroscopy techniques. Regarding biological activity, thiazacridines
were tested against solid and hematopoietic tumoral cell lines, namely Jurkat (acute T-cell leukemia);
HL-60 (acute promyelocytic leukemia); DU 145 (prostate cancer); MOLT-4 (acute lymphoblastic
leukemia); RAJI (Burkitt's lymphoma); K562 (chronic myelogenous leukemia) and normal cells
PBMC (healthy volunteers). Molecular docking analysis was also performed in order to assess major
targets of these new compounds. Cell cycle and clonogenic assay were also performed.

Results:

Compound LPSF/AA-62 (9f) exhibited the most potent anticancer activity against HL-60
(IC50 3,7±1,7 μM), MOLT-4 (IC50 5,7±1,1 μM), Jurkat (IC50 18,6 μM), Du-145 (IC50 20±5 μM)
and Raji (IC50 52,3±9,2 μM). While the compound LPSF/AA-57 (9b) exhibited anticancer activity
against the K562 cell line (IC50 51,8±7,8 μM). Derivative LPSF/AA-62 (9f) did not interfere in the
cell cycle phases of the Molt-4 lineage. However, the LPSF/AA-62 (9f) derivative significantly
reduced the formation of prostate cancer cell clones. The compound LPSF/AA-62 (9f) has shown
strong anchorage stability with enzymes topoisomerases 1 and 2, in particular due the presence of
chlorine favored hydrogen bonds with topoisomerase 1.

Conclusion:

The 3-(acridin-9-ylmethyl)-5-((10-chloroanthracen-9-yl)methylene)thiazolidine-2,4-dione
(LPSF/AA-62) presented the most promising results, showing anti-tumor activity in 5 of the 6 cell
types tested, especially inhibiting the formation of colonies of prostate tumor cells (DU-145).
Liver Fibrosis in Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients Treated with Methotrexate
Authors: Hilal Ghizlane , Akasbi Nessrine , Boudouaya Hanae , Salma Ksir , Harzy Taoufik
Published: March 2020

Introduction:

Methotrexate (MTX) is a highly effective therapy for patients with rheumatoid
arthritis (RA). However, it has been associated with a range of liver related adverse events.
The aim of our study was to evaluate the prevalence rate of liver fibrosis in RA patients and to assess
the correlation of cumulative MTX dose with hepatic fibrosis in our context.

Materials and Methods:

This is a cross-sectional study, whose goal is to describe and analyze the
factors correlated with the liver fibrosis in RA patients treated with methotrexate especially the cumulative
dose of MTX, along the period lying between January 2012 and March 2019. The study
was carried out in the Rheumatology Department of the University Hospital Hassan II of Fez. The
patients have met the assessment of the ACR 2010 criteria. The data was recorded and analyzed using
SPSS v20 univariate and bivariate analysis. A value of p <0.05 has been used to identify factors
associated with liver fibrosis.

Results:

A total of 319 patients with RA were recruited who were on MTX treatment. There were
276 female and 43 male patients (female: male ratio of 6.3). The average age was 53 years + /-12.4
years. The average duration of symptoms was 10.68 +/-6.9 years. RA was seropositive for the
rheumatoid factor or the anti-ccp in 90.3 %. Six patients (2%) had developed liver fibrosis while on
MTX therapy.

:

In the bivariate analysis, the liver fibrosis is significantly related to the hepatic cytolysis (p<0.001)
and to the combination of MTX with other DMARDs (p<0.05). However, the multiple logistic regression
analysis did not find any significant association between the groups.

Conclusion:

In our context, the prevalence rate of hepatic fibrosis in patients with rheumatoid arthritis
under methotrexate is low. It is seen much more in patients treated with methotrexate in
combination with other disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs). These results require
confirmation in a larger number of patients.
Bioaccessibility of Bioactive Compounds and Prebiotic Properties of Fruit and Vegetable By-products - A Mini Review
Authors: de Andrade Roberta M. Silva , de Andrade Gonçalves Édira C.B.
Published: March 2020

Background:

A large proportion of the global production of fruits and vegetables is
destined for processing by the food industry. This intense process generates tons of by-products,
which may serve as sources of fiber and bioactive compounds, such as polyphenols and
carotenoids. Accordingly, numerous studies have investigated the valorization of these by-products
focusing on the extraction of bioactive compounds. However, the total amount of bioactive compounds
ingested may not reflect the amount available for intestinal absorption, which refers to the
bioaccessibility of these compounds. In addition, the interaction of bioactive compounds with dietary
fiber and other nutrients may influence their bioaccessibility and may impair the understanding
of the physiological effects of these by-products as prebiotic potential.

Methods:

The purpose of this mini-review is to summarize the main results obtained in the last
five years regarding the bioaccessibility of the two major bioactive compounds of fruit and vegetable
by-products, i.e., polyphenols and carotenoids, to corroborate the biopotential of this food
matrix. Additionally, this review attempts to elucidate the relationship reported between the composition
of these by-products and the emerging prebiotic property.

Results:

In general, the bioaccessibility of polyphenols and carotenoid compounds from fruit and
vegetable by-products shows high variability, and it is suggested that the composition of the food
matrix is one of the main factors influencing their bioaccessibility. Moreover, a promising prebiotic
effect of these by-products is described.

Conclusion:

The brief literature review with recent studies provide relevant information that may
contribute to using the fruit and vegetable by-products as a natural source of bioactive compounds
and/ or functional ingredient.
Effect of Topography on Maize Grains Elemental Profile: A Chemometric Approach
Authors: Heredia Jorgelina Z. , Moldes Carlos A. , Gil Raúl A. , Camiña José M.
Published: March 2020

Background:

The elemental composition of maize grains depends on the soil, land and
environment characteristics where the crop grows. These effects are important to evaluate the availability
of nutrients with complex dynamics, such as the concentration of macro and micronutrients in
soils, which can vary according to different topographies. There is available scarce information about
the influence of topographic characteristics (upland and lowland) where culture is developed with the
mineral composition of crop products, in the present case, maize seeds. On the other hand, the study
of the topographic effect on crops using multivariate analysis tools has not been reported.

Objective:

This paper assesses the effect of topographic conditions on plants, analyzing the mineral
profiles in maize seeds obtained in two land conditions: uplands and lowlands.

Materials and Methods:

The mineral profile was studied by microwave plasma atomic emission spectrometry.
Samples were collected from lowlands and uplands of cultivable lands of the north-east of
La Pampa province, Argentina.

Results:

Differentiation of maize seeds collected from both topographical areas was achieved by
principal components analysis (PCA), cluster analysis (CA) and linear discriminant analysis (LDA).
PCA model based on mineral profile allowed to differentiate seeds from upland and lowlands by the
influence of Cr and Mg variables. A significant accumulation of Cr and Mg in seeds from lowlands
was observed. Cluster analysis confirmed such grouping but also, linear discriminant analysis
achieved a correct classification of both the crops, showing the effect of topography on elemental
profile.

Conclusions:

Multi-elemental analysis combined with chemometric tools proved useful to assess the
effect of topographic characteristics on crops.
Ultrasound-Assisted Dispersive Liquid-Liquid Microextraction and Capillary Electrophoretic Determination of Tramadol in Human Plasma
Authors: Habibollahi Paria , Samadi Azam , Garjani Alireza , Vahdati Samad Shams , Sargazi Hamid-Reza , Jouyban Abolghasem
Published: March 2020

Background:

Tramadol, (±)-trans-2-[(dimethylamino) methyl]-1-(3-methoxyphenyl)
cyclohexanol, is a synthetic centrally acting analgesic used in the treatment of moderate to chronic
pain. Tramadol, like other narcotic drugs, is used for the treatment of pain and may also be abused.
Its overdose can cause adverse effects such as dizziness, vomiting, and nausea. The aim of this paper
is to develop a sample preparation method for the determination of tramadol in human plasma
samples, followed by CE analysis.

Methods:

Ultrasound assisted-dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction using binary mixed extractant
solvent (chloroform and ethyl acetate) was used for the extraction of one hundred microliters of tramadol
spiked human plasma samples and in real human plasma samples obtained from the patients
with abuse of tramadol. After evaporation of the extractant solvent, the residue was reconstituted in
100 μL deionized water and subsequently analyzed by CE-UV.

Results:

The developed method has remarkable characteristics, including simplicity, good repeatability
and appreciable accuracy. Under the best extraction conditions, a low limit of detection at 7.0 μg
per liter level with good linearity in the range of 0.02-10 μg mL-1 was obtained.

Conclusion:

UA-DLLME, using a binary mixed extraction solvent, was established for the determination
of tramadol in human plasma samples via the CE method with UV-detection. In addition, the
analysis of tramadol in some plasma samples of patients with abuse of tramadol indicated that the
method has acceptable performance for the determination of tramadol in plasma samples, which indicates
that the method is suitable for clinical applications.
Possibility that the Onset of Autism Spectrum Disorder is Induced by Failure of the Glutamine-Glutamate Cycle
Authors: Kawada Koichi , Kuramoto Nobuyuki , Mimori Seisuke
Published: March 2020

:

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disease, and the number of patients has increased rapidly in recent years. The causes of ASD involve both genetic and environmental factors, but the details of causation have not yet been fully elucidated. Many reports have investigated genetic factors related to synapse formation, and alcohol and tobacco have been reported as environmental factors. This review focuses on endoplasmic reticulum stress and amino acid cycle abnormalities (particularly glutamine and glutamate) induced by many environmental factors. In the ASD model, since endoplasmic reticulum stress is high in the brain from before birth, it is clear that endoplasmic reticulum stress is involved in the development of ASD. On the other hand, one report states that excessive excitation of neurons is caused by the onset of ASD. The glutamine-glutamate cycle is performed between neurons and glial cells and controls the concentration of glutamate and GABA in the brain. These neurotransmitters are also known to control synapse formation and are important in constructing neural circuits. Theanine is a derivative of glutamine and a natural component of green tea. Theanine inhibits glutamine uptake in the glutamine-glutamate cycle via slc38a1 without affecting glutamate; therefore, we believe that theanine may prevent the onset of ASD by changing the balance of glutamine and glutamate in the brain.
Recent Advances on Manipulator Trajectory Planning Methods
Authors: Zhang Hongxin , Qiu Haoran , Zhang Xu , Hu Ping
Published: March 2020

Background:

Traditional manipulator requires professionals to write control programs for
specific job requirements so that the end-effector of the manipulator can work following the control
instructions. However, the flexibility of the manipulator is not high under the control of off-line programming.
With the diversification of the job requirements, the complexity of the work environment
has gradually increased. Therefore, the relevant scholars focused their research on the automatic trajectory
planning method of the manipulator. They used some algorithms to plan optimal trajectories for
the manipulator to automatically avoid obstacles in the complex environment. Researches show that the
hybrid optimal trajectory with parameter optimization such as time, energy and impact can be planned
by automated programming under some constraint conditions. The trajectory planning is helpful to
improve the automation and working efficiency of manipulators for the development of intelligent
manufacturing.

Objective:

Providing references for researchers from related fields by reviewing recent advances of the
manipulator trajectory planning.

Methods:

This paper reviews the latest patents and current representative articles related to the manipulator
trajectory planning. The key methods of some references are introduced in several aspects of the
algorithm, innovation and principle.

Results:

Researches on the manipulator trajectory planning in recent 10 years are reviewed. The differences
between algorithms in latest patents and current articles are introduced and analyzed and the future
developments and potential problems of the manipulator trajectory optimization are discussed.

Conclusion:

The manipulator trajectory planning reduces complicated operator and hard programming
tasks, improving the intelligence of robots and the work efficiency. Current researches focus on collision-
free, parameter-optimized and high-efficiency solution which can be used to solve the problem of
the end-trajectory planning of the manipulator in the complicated space with obstacles. The aspects that
need to be improved in the future include: algorithm reliability, operational security and intelligence,
human-computer interaction, efficient simulation, and so on. More patents on manipulator trajectory
planning should be invented.