bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Strength characteristics and failure behavior of ubiquitous-joint rock-like specimens under compressive-shear stress: experimental study and digital speckle correlation method
Authors: Li Su , Cao Ping , Xiong Xinguang
Published: July 2019

In nature, rock mass is subjected to compression-shear effect, so it is very important to study the failure mode and mechanical properties of fractured rock mass under compression-shear effect. In order to study the influence of joint inclination on strength characteristics and failure modes of rock mass under different compression-shear angles, a series of compression-shear tests were carried out. The specimens are made of a certain proportion of fine sand, cement and water. The joints are prefabricated by inserting mica sheets and the inclination angle of joints is 0°, 15°, 30°, 45°, 60°, 75°, 90°. Digital speckle correlation method is used to analyze the strain field of the specimen during the whole loading process. The specimens are speckled on the opposite side before the experiment. In the experiment, the front and back sides of the specimen are monitored by the camera, and the images are analyzed after the experiment. The result shows that: 1) The peak shear strength of specimens mainly increases with the increase of joint inclination angle; 2) The weakening degree of shear strength caused by joint inclination angle of specimens tends to increase as the compression-stress ratio increases; and 3) The failure modes can be classified into four types: coplanar shear failure mode, inclined shear failure mode, quasi-complete shear failure mode and step shear failure mode. The digital speckle strain images better prove the failure modes obtained from the experiment.
Survey on roof movement of the gangue backfill working face
Authors: Sun Guangjing , Feng Tao , Liu Jinhai
Published: July 2019

This paper studied the roof movement characteristics of LW1302N-1 with gangue backfill mining in Shandong Xinjulong Company of China. The monitoring of roof subsidence of the gob and bearing stress of filled gangue was carried out by using the roof subsidence and gangue loading monitoring system. From data analysis, the result shows that: (1) Gob roof subsidence can be divided into six stages including slow subsidence, fast subsidence, very fast subsidence, subsidence slowing down, subsidence speeding up and subsidence becoming slow. (2) Filled gangue loading period can be divided into four stages including slow increasing resistance, fast increasing strength, strengthening and continuing increasing resistance, Similarly, the gob roof movement consists of four steps such as immediate roof caving, central roof flexure, main roof fracturing, and high strata flexure. (3) The immediate roof is 3.1 times the thickness of equal mining height, and the main roof is 2.7 times the thickness of equal mining height. The research results provide a reference to the analysis of the characteristics of overlying strata structure and roof movement for gangue backfill mining in deep coal mines.
Study on distribution law and influencing factors of surrounding rock plastic zone in mining roadway
Authors: Yuan Chao , Wang Weijun , Fan Lei
Published: July 2019

By analyzing and studying the deduced theory of the surrounding plastic zone in the circular mining roadway, it is found that the radius of the surrounding plastic zone in the roadway considering the influence of mining coefficient can be divided into two stages: In the first stage, when the mining coefficient is small, the radius of the plastic zone is less sensitive to the mining coefficient, and the process increases linearly with the gradual increase of the mining coefficient. In the second stage, when the mining coefficient increases to a certain extent, the sensitivity of the radius of the plastic zone to the mining coefficient increases rapidly, and the non-linearity increases rapidly with the increase of the mining coefficient. With the gradual increase of the mining coefficient, the geometrical distribution morphology of the surrounding plastic zone of the roadway varies from circular to ellipse to round rectangle to butterfly, and the larger the mining coefficient, the more easily the surrounding rock is butterfly plastic zone, and the developmental dimension and range of the butterfly-leaf are larger. The growth of the buried depth of the roadway and the decrease of the cohesion and internal friction angle of the surrounding rock will lead to an increase in the radius of the plastic zone. With the rise of the mining coefficient, the sensitivity of the plastic zone radius to the buried depth of the roadway, cohesion and internal friction angle gradually enhanced. The butterfly plastic zone of the mining roadway has directional, and the butterfly-leaf will rotate to different degrees with the change of the principal stress direction of the surrounding rock of the roadway, When the maximum depth of butterfly-leaf plastic zone is located directly above the roof of roadway, the roof stability is the worst, and roof caving is easy to occur, thus, the support should be strengthened.
Macroscopic and microscopic simulation of silo granular flow based on improved multi-element model
Authors: Feng Yong , Yuan Ziran
Published: July 2019

In the PFC simulation of silo granular discharge, spherical particles were used in the traditional model, which could not accurately reflect macroscopic and mesoscopic mechanism during discharge of wheat, rice and other particles with non-spherical shapes. This research provides an improved multi-element model consisting of clump elements and ball elements. The model uses clump elements to simulate non-spherical grain particles and ball elements to simulate dust particles. The numerical simulation was carried out with the improved multi-element model, and the results are compared with the traditional simulation which uses the spherical ball elements and the experiment of grain discharge. It demonstrates that: (1) In terms of the normal wall pressure, the dynamic pressure fluctuation in flow with improved multi-element model is more gradual, and the discharge process lasts longer, the normal pressure simulation results are more accurate than the traditional model. (2) In terms of the meso-structure of the granular material, compared with traditional spherical ball model, the material packing porosity of the improved multi-element model decreases and the coordination number increases, which is denser and in consistent with the actual situation. (3) Particle shape would affect the meso-mechanical behavior of particles. The simulation results demonstrate that, compared with the traditional spherical ball model, the contact forces in the improved multi-element model increases, and the distribution of contact force chains is more uniform and denser; several arching force chains could be clearly seen in the improved multi-element model, which clearly reflects the dynamic change law of the instantaneous arch. The improved multi-element model established in this paper further improves the accuracy of simulation and reflects the dynamic changes of the normal pressure on the silo wall, granular material structure and meso-mechanical parameters during grain discharge.
Research on aero-engine fault diagnosis based on integrated neural network
Authors: Xiangyang Shi
Published: July 2019

In this paper, the fault diagnosis method of Integrated Neural Network based on oil and Vibration information fusion is studied and applied to Aero-engine Fault Diagnosis. Then, taking an CFM56-3 Aero-engine as an example, the application of Integrated Neural Network Fault Diagnosis method in bearing fault diagnosis of Aero-engine is studied by using the idea of Vibration information and oil information Fusion Diagnosis, and the diagnosis method is validated with specific data. The diagnosis results show that compared with the traditional single information source Fault Diagnosis method, the integrated neural network Fault Diagnosis method is more efficient, can detect more fault modes, and has lower misdiagnosis rate.
Sustainable Park Landscaping as an Approach for the Development of the Built Environment: Review and Employment
Authors: Haredy Abdallah
Published: July 2019

Implementing sustainable principles when landscaping parks is vital for the development of the built environment, and should take into account environmental, social, economic, and cultural aspects, in order to eliminate conflict between developmental requirements, and the need to preserve cultural and natural resources. This paper reviews the guidelines that should be considered for current and future sustainable parks in regions with a moderate climate, in order to ensure that they incorporate ecotourism, cost effective operation and maintenance, a clean environment, the promotion of renewable energy, and resource preservation. A number of parks, located in moderate climate zones, are studied in terms of aspects such as their location, topography, operation, and landscaping characteristics, to demonstrate the prevailing normative values that can be applied to sustainable park design. Prince Meshari Park, in Al-Baha city, Saudi Arabia, is employed as a case study for applying all of the guidelines proposed in this investigation, and to highlight some of their merits and limitations in terms of the current situation of the park.
Brownfield sites as catalysts for sustainable urban regeneration in Middle Eastern contexts and the demand for objectives, tools and classifications for the support of their redevelopment
Authors: Tarawneh Deyala
Published: July 2019

Almost two decades today, the topic ofhas extensively been researched in urban sociology, urban planning, and human geography, and numerous Western-Centric studies have linked the redevelopment of the abandoned, contaminated, vacant or derelict sites to sustainable urban regeneration and achieving smart cities and sustainability goals in general. Yet, until this day, the concept has received little academic and practical attention in Middle Eastern contexts.Western contexts on the other hand including Europe, UK and USA continue to offer unique perspectives on approachingin ways that reduce the alarming spatial cluttering and addressdisparities and spatial segregation in addition to achieving economic and environmental goals, and similar to the global scene, brownfield sites make a large portion of the post-industrial city of Amman, the capital of Jordan. However, with the lack of a systematic definition for the urban phenomenon objectives, methods to identifying potential brownfield sites and evaluating theof their redevelopment that takes into consideration context particularities, and with the absence ofapproaches that include the local community in the decision-making regarding these spaces, city planners fail to include the increasingly growing number of brownfield site that proliferate their cities in the urban planning practice.Through the examination of literature discussions on objectives, approaches, classification systems, methodologies, assessment and evaluation tools for the support of design anddecisions for brownfield regeneration in different contexts, and through looking at the numerous potential alternatives for brownfield sites regeneration these contexts highlight, this paper bids tothe importance of developing context specific,tools tailored for the Middle Eastern case.Building on the above, this paper identifies five potential brownfield typologies in the context of Amman; (1) residual planning outcomes; (2) discontinued mines and quarries; (3) unfinished mega-projects; (4) contaminated and hazardous sites, and; (5) miscellaneous abandoned sites and buildings, and ends on the note that looking at the increasing demand to meeting smart growth and sustainability needs, these urban landscapes may function as catalysts for achieving comprehensive sustainable urban regeneration.
Urban Public Space Axis Rector of Green Infrastructure in the Current City of Ecuador
Authors: Perez Marina
Published: July 2019

The current city calls for the reconsideration of a close relationship between gray infrastructure and public spaces, understanding the infrastructure as a set of items, equipment, or services required for the functioning of a country, a City. Ambato, Ecuador, is a current intermediate city, has less than 1% of the urban surface with use of public green spaces, which represents a figure below the 9m2/ hab., recommended by OMS. The aim of this paper was to identify urban public spaces that switches of green infrastructure in the city today, applying a methodology of qualitative studies. With an exploratory descriptive level analysis, in three stages, stage of theoretical foundation product of a review of the existing literature, which is the theoretical support of the relationship gray infrastructure public spaces equal to green infrastructure. Subsequent to this case study, discussed with criteria aimed at green infrastructure and in the public spaces of the study area. Finally, after processing and analysis of the results, we provide conclusions for urban public space as a definition of the green infrastructure of the current city of Latin America; in the latter, the focus is to support this article.
Unlocking the Potentials of Urban Architecture in Enhancing the Quality of Urban Life in Urban Poverty Areas through Community Projects
Authors: Elewa Ahmed
Published: July 2019

Currently more than half of world population are living in cities, while world is witnessing a rapid urbanization process particularly in cities of the developing and emerging countries, where urban poverty areas (UPA) with low quality of urban life (QUL) and lack of the usual urban spaces are the most significant urban phenomena that characterized those cities. In such an urban context there is a need for an efficient tool that contributes positively to the enhancement of the QUL, meanwhile to provide the best use of the rare vacant lands.This study argues that urban architecture as a design field offers a distinctive approach to a special type of buildings made for an urban setting, thus it can enhance the QUL in UPA through community projects.The study is based on an analytical study of selected cases of community projects in UPA that represents examples of how urban architecture through its potentials has a positive impact on its urban context, notably through community projects that strongly linked to real community needs. The results showed that urban architecture as a design approach for community projects have multiple roles that boost thedaily life, as well it supports various environmental issues towards better QUL.
Occurrence of Cryptosporidium and Giardia in potable water sources in Chandigarh, Northern India
Authors: Utaaker Kjersti Selstad , Joshi Himanshu , Kumar Anil , Chaudhary Suman , Robertson Lucy J.
Published: July 2019

Contamination with Cryptosporidium and Giardia from drinking water sources in a city in Northern India was assessed. A protocol modified from a standard ISO protocol, which includes filtration, concentration, separation and detection steps, was tested and showed comparable recovery efficiencies (Giardia mean = 77.4%, Cryptosporidium mean = 61.8% from the modified protocol, compared with Giardia mean = 61.6%, Cryptosporidium mean = 69% from the ISO protocol) at a substantial cost reduction. This protocol was used for analysing 71 samples of potable water from different areas of Chandigarh, where sampling locations were divided into groups according to the population density, which also partially equates with the level of infrastructure. Samples were collected during (n = 29) and outside the monsoon season (n = 42). Of all samples analysed, 16 (22.5%) were Cryptosporidium- and/or Giardia-positive. Parasites per sample were low (1–10 (oo)cysts per 10 L), although one sample contained large numbers of Giardia cysts (>1,000). Polymerase chain reaction analyses on the small subunit ribosomal ribonucleic acid (SSU rRNA), triose-phosphate isomerase (tpi), glutamate dehydrogenase (gdh) and beta-giardin (bg) gene sequences on Giardia-positive samples and SSU rRNA on Cryptosporidium-positive samples tended to be unsuccessful, although Giardia cysts of Assemblages B and C were identified. No association with the season was detected, but an association with the location of water supply was identified. Samples from areas with the lowest infrastructure were not associated with higher levels of contamination, but samples from the middle level were significantly more likely to be contaminated than those from the highest level of infrastructure. Results indicate that even in a city with a well-developed infrastructure, the contamination of potable water with protozoan parasites remains a public health risk.
High serological response to Cryptosporidium-specific antigens in the Czech Republic and its association with water supply
Authors: Pumann Petr , Kožíšek František , Craun Gunther F. , Kunde Twila R. , Malý Marek , Frost Floyd J. , Čeřovská Lenka
Published: July 2019

A survey was conducted in the Czech Republic to determine whether serological responses to the 15/17-kDa and 27-kDa Cryptosporidium antigens had changed since the end of the communist era and if these responses were associated with drinking water sources. Sera from 301 blood donors residing in six areas served by various sources of drinking water were analysed by Western Blot (mini-immunoblots) to measure the IgG response. The intensity of response and percentage of persons with a strong response to the 27-kDa, but not the 15/17-kDa, antigen were higher than found 20 years earlier. A strong response to both the 15/17- and 27-kDa-antigens was higher than reported in other countries, and the probability of persons having a strong response was greater in areas with surface water sources than river-bank infiltration. Few cases of cryptosporidiosis were reported in spite of these high responses to Cryptosporidium antigens. These responses suggest a chronic low-level exposure from several sources that may be affording protection against symptoms and illness. Although strong serological responses were associated with surface water sources, drinking water is not likely to be the most important exposure for Cryptosporidium in the Czech Republic.
Secondary Metabolites from Deep-Sea Derived Microorganisms
Authors: Sun Chunxiao , Mudassir Shah , Zhang Zhenzhen , Feng Yanyan , Chang Yimin , Che Qian , Gu Qianqun , Zhu Tianjiao , Zhang Guojian , Li Dehai
Published: July 2019

Microorganisms obtained from the deep sea are a rich source of marine natural products with distinctive chemical structures and bioactivities. In this review, we will provide a retrospective of outstanding research within the scope of deep-sea (≥1000 m) microbial natural products, which has produced up to 442 compounds by the end of 2017. Approximetely, 60% of these structures have demonstrated various biological activities with more than 30% showing cytotoxic function. In this review, we particularly summarize those successful research on secondary metabolites produced by deep-sea derived microorganisms with inclusion of structural characteristics, biological activities, together with biogenetic origins and taxonomic features of the source microorganisms, from which, we expect to provide more comprehensive understanding of small molecules obtained from deep-sea environment and benefit the ongoing scholarly endeavors in the search for novel pharmaceutical agents from the deep-sea derived microorganisms.
Nanomedicine-Combined Immunotherapy for Cancer
Authors: Huang Shigao , Zhao Qi
Published: July 2019

Background:

Immunotherapy for cancer includes Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR)-T
cells, CAR-natural Killer (NK) cells, PD1, and the PD-L1 inhibitor. However, the proportion of
patients who respond to cancer immunotherapy is not satisfactory. Concurrently, nanotechnology
has experienced a revolution in cancer diagnosis and therapy. There are few clinically approved
nanoparticles that can selectively bind and target cancer cells and incorporate molecules, although
many therapeutic nanocarriers have been approved for clinical use. There are no systematic reviews
outlining how nanomedicine and immunotherapy are used in combination to treat cancer.

Objective:

This review aims to illustrate how nanomedicine and immunotherapy can be used for
cancer treatment to overcome the limitations of the low proportion of patients who respond to cancer
immunotherapy and the rarity of nanomaterials in clinical use.

Methods:

A literature review of MEDLINE, PubMed / PubMed Central, and Google Scholar was
performed. We performed a structured search of literature reviews on nanoparticle drug-delivery
systems, which included photodynamic therapy, photothermal therapy, photoacoustic therapy, and
immunotherapy for cancer. Moreover, we detailed the advantages and disadvantages of the various
nanoparticles incorporated with molecules to discuss the challenges and solutions associated with
cancer treatment.

Conclusion:

This review identified the advantages and disadvantages associated with improving
health care and outcomes. The findings of this review confirmed the importance of nanomedicinecombined
immunotherapy for improving the efficacy of cancer treatment. It may become a new way
to develop novel cancer therapeutics using nanomaterials to achieve synergistic anticancer immunity.
Multifunctional Ligands Targeting Phosphodiesterase as the Future Strategy for the Symptomatic and Disease-Modifying Treatment of Alzheimer’s Disease
Authors: Jankowska Agnieszka , Wesołowska Anna , Pawłowski Maciej , Chłoń-Rzepa Grażyna
Published: July 2019

Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) is a chronic neurodegenerative disorder characterized by cognitive impairments such as memory loss, decline in language skills, and disorientation that affects over 46 million people worldwide. Patients with AD also suffer from behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia that deteriorate their quality of life and lead to premature death. Currently available drugs provide modest symptomatic relief but do not reduce pathological hallmarks (senile plaques and neurofibrillary tangles) and neuroinflammation, both of which are integral parts of dementia. A large body of evidence indicates that impaired signaling pathways of cyclic-3′,5′- Adenosine Monophosphate (cAMP) and cyclic-3′,5′-guanosine Monophosphate (cGMP) may contribute to the development and progression of AD. In addition, Phosphodiesterase (PDE) inhibitors, commonly known as cAMP and/or cGMP modulators, were found to be involved in the phosphorylation of tau; aggregation of amyloid beta; neuroinflammation; and regulation of cognition, mood, and emotion processing. The purpose of this review was to update the most recent reports on the development of novel multifunctional ligands targeting PDE as potential drugs for both symptomatic and disease-modifying therapy of AD. This review collected the chemical structures of representative multifunctional ligands, results of experimental in vitro and in vivo pharmacological studies, and current opinions regarding the potential utility of these compounds for the comprehensive therapy of AD. Finally, the multiparameter predictions of drugability of the representative compounds were calculated and discussed.
Protein Interaction Domains and Post-Translational Modifications: Structural Features and Drug Discovery Applications
Authors: Vincenzi Marian , Mercurio Flavia Anna , Leone Marilisa
Published: July 2019

Background:

Many pathways regarding healthy cells and/or linked to diseases onset and progression depend on large assemblies including multi-protein complexes. Protein-protein interactions may occur through a vast array of modules known as protein interaction domains (PIDs).

Objective:

This review concerns with PIDs recognizing post-translationally modified peptide sequences and intends to provide the scientific community with state of art knowledge on their 3D structures, binding topologies and potential applications in the drug discovery field.

Method:

Several databases, such as the Pfam (Protein family), the SMART (Simple Modular Architecture Research Tool) and the PDB (Protein Data Bank), were searched to look for different domain families and gain structural information on protein complexes in which particular PIDs are involved. Recent literature on PIDs and related drug discovery campaigns was retrieved through Pubmed and analyzed.

Results and Conclusion:

PIDs are rather versatile as concerning their binding preferences. Many of them recognize specifically only determined amino acid stretches with post-translational modifications, a few others are able to interact with several post-translationally modified sequences or with unmodified ones. Many PIDs can be linked to different diseases including cancer. The tremendous amount of available structural data led to the structure-based design of several molecules targeting protein-protein interactions mediated by PIDs, including peptides, peptidomimetics and small compounds. More studies are needed to fully role out, among different families, PIDs that can be considered reliable therapeutic targets, however, attacking PIDs rather than catalytic domains of a particular protein may represent a route to obtain selective inhibitors.
Recent Advances in Solid Dispersion Technology for Efficient Delivery of Poorly Water-Soluble Drugs
Authors: Paudwal Gourav , Rawat Neha , Gupta Rahul , Baldi Ashish , Singh Gurdarshan , Gupta Prem N.
Published: July 2019

Drug discovery is generally considered as a costly affair and it takes approximately 15 years to reach a
new chemical entity into the market. Among the recent potent drug molecules with most effective pharmacological
properties, very few reached for Phase I clinical trial in humans. Unfortunately, the historical average reveals
an almost 90% overall attrition rate in clinical trials. The solubility and permeability of a drug are the critical
factors influencing the success of a drug. Oral drug delivery systems still continue to exist as the most favored,
simplest and easiest administration route. A huge number of potential clinical candidates won’t make it to the
market or accomplish their maximum capacity except if their solubility and oral bioavailability are enhanced by
formulation. The solubility of drugs will continue to exist as important aspects of formulation development. With
the emergence of synthetic methods for new molecule synthesis in chemistry and better screening methods, the
number of poorly water soluble compounds has dramatically expanded in the last few years. Solid dispersion is
one of the most important techniques as it can be prepared by several methods. It is mostly prepared with a drug
having poor water solubility and it explores hydrophilic polymers either individually or in combination for the
enhancement of solubility. In comparison to the conventional formulations such as tablets or capsules, there are
different methods with which solid dispersions can be prepared and also have many benefits over conventional
drug delivery approaches. Solid dispersion systems are potential for increasing the solubility, oral absorption and
bioavailability of drugs and the significance of the solid dispersion technology is constantly increasing. The main
focus of this review is to present recent advancements in the area of solid dispersion. This review also includes an
account of recent patents on solid dispersion and clinical status of solid dispersion based formulations.
Photodynamic Therapy of Psoriasis Using Photosensitizers of Vegetable Origin
Authors: Bruschi Marcos L. , da Silva Jéssica Bassi , Rosseto Hélen C.
Published: July 2019

Psoriasis is an immune-mediated, chronic and recurrent inflammatory skin disease, prevalent worldwide,
and represents an important burden in life quality of patients. The most common clinical variant is termed
as psoriasis vulgaris or plaque psoriasis, which with an individualized and carefully monitored therapy can decrease
the patients’ morbidity and improving their life quality. The aim is to achieve disease control, minimize the
adverse drug effects, and tailor the treatment to individual patient factors. Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is based
on local or systemic administration of a non-toxic photosensitizer followed by irradiation with a particular wavelength
to generate reactive oxygen species (ROS), mainly highly cytotoxic singlet oxygen (1O2). The generation
of these species results in the attack to substrates involved in biological cycles causing necrosis and apoptosis of
affected tissues. Photosensitizers are found in natural products and also obtained by partial syntheses from abundant
natural starting compounds. They can be isolated at low cost and in large amounts from plants or algae.
Therefore, this manuscript reviews the use of molecules from vegetal sources as photosensitizer agents for the
PDT of psoriasis. Psoriasis pathogenesis, management and treatment were reviewed. PDT principles, fundamentals
and utilization for the treatment of psoriasis were also discussed. Photosensitizers for PDT of psoriasis are
also reviewed focusing on those from vegetal sources. Despite the PDT is utilized for the treatment of psoriasis,
very little amount of photosensitizers from plant sources are utilized, such as chlorophyll derivatives and hypericin;
however, other natural photosensitizers such as curcumin, could also be investigated. They could constitute
a very important, safe and cheap alternative for the successful photodynamic treatment of psoriasis.
Computational and Kinetic Studies of Acetylcholine Esterase Inhibition by Phenserine
Authors: Tabrez Shams , Damanhouri Ghazi A.
Published: July 2019

Background:

The inhibition of cholinesterase enzymes is one of the promising strategies to manage
several neurological disorders that include Alzheimer's disease (AD).

Material and Methods:

In the current article, we estimated the potential inhibition of acetyl cholinesterase
(AChE) by phenserine using slightly modified Ellman assay. To find out the binding interactions of phenserine
with the catalytic site of AChE, a molecular docking study was also performed.

Results:

Phenserine was found to inhibit Electrophorus electricus AChE in a dose-dependent manner with an IC50
value of 0.013 µM. The kinetic analyses indicate that phenserine inhibits AChE in a mixed type manner (competitive
and uncompetitive) with Ki values of 0.39 μmole/l and 0.21 µmole/l, respectively. On the other hand, Km
and Vmax values were found to be 0.17 µM and 0.39 µM, respectively. The molecular docking studies indicate
efficient binding of phenserine through 6 hydrogen bonds, 4 pi-alkyl interactions, and 1 pi-pi interaction within
the AChE catalytic pocket.

Conclusion:

Results of our computational and kinetics studies indicated a mixed type inhibition by phenserine at
AChE catalytic site.
Engineered Gold Nanoshells Killing Tumor Cells: New Perspectives
Authors: De Matteis Valeria , Cascione Mariafrancesca , Toma Chiara C. , Rinaldi Rosaria
Published: July 2019

The current strategies to treat different kinds of cancer are mainly based on chemotherapy, surgery and
radiation therapy. Unfortunately, these approaches are not specific and rather invasive as well. In this scenario,
metal nano-shells, in particular gold-based nanoshells, offer interesting perspectives in the effort to counteract
tumor cells, due to their unique ability to tune Surface Plasmon Resonance in different light-absorbing ranges. In
particular, the Visible and Near Infrared Regions of the electromagnetic spectrum are able to penetrate through
tissues. In this way, the light absorbed by the gold nanoshell at a specific wavelength is converted into heat, inducing
photothermal ablation in treated cancer cells. Furthermore, inert gold shells can be easily functionalized
with different types of molecules in order to bind cellular targets in a selective manner. This review summarizes
the current state-of-art of nanosystems embodying gold shells, regarding methods of synthesis, bio-conjugations,
bio-distribution, imaging and photothermal effects (in vitro and in vivo), providing new insights for the development
of multifunctional antitumor drugs.
Lipid-Based Vectors for Therapeutic mRNA-Based Anti-Cancer Vaccines
Authors: Guevara Maria L. , Persano Stefano , Persano Francesca
Published: July 2019

Cancer vaccines have been widely explored as a key tool for effective cancer immunotherapy. Despite a convincing rationale behind cancer vaccines, extensive past efforts were unsuccessful in mediating significantly relevant anti-tumor activity in clinical studies. One of the major reasons for such poor outcome, among others, is the low immunogenicity of more traditional vaccines, such as peptide-, protein- and DNA- based vaccines. Recently, mRNA emerged as a promising alternative to traditional vaccine strategies due to its high immunogenicity, suitability for large-scale and low-cost production, and superior safety profile. However, the clinical application of mRNA-based anti-cancer vaccines has been limited by their instability and inefficient in vivo delivery. Recent technological advances have now largely overcome these issues and lipid-based vectors have demonstrated encouraging results as mRNA vaccine platforms against several types of cancers. This review intends to provide a detailed overview of lipid-based vectors for the development of therapeutic mRNA-based anti-tumor vaccines.
Circulating Factors and Ultrasono-findings are Linked to Previous Atherosclerotic Burden and Recurrent Risk
Authors: Cho Kyoung J. , Kim Jihye , Jeon Soung H. , Kim Gyung W.
Published: July 2019

Background:

In the progression of atherosclerosis, platelet activation and the interaction of platelets with leukocytes play a crucial role in arterial thrombus formation and are associated with the pathophysiology of carotid and cerebrovascular disease (CVD), including ischemic stroke. With aged participants, we evaluated and followed up the change in circulating factor and platelet-leukocyte aggregate levels in participants with or without CVD history. This study investigated whether circulating factor changes and ultrasonographic characteristics link to CVD risk and other relating long-term outcomes.

Materials & Methods:

Two hundred fifteen participants who enrolled in the study were divided into two groups with CVD and without CVD history. We evaluated and analyzed the correlation between ultrasonography-based morphological characteristics and circulating factor-based functional changes in both groups.

Results:

There was no difference in p-selectin level between both groups. However, activated monocyte and platelet-monocyte aggregate levels were higher in patients with previous CVD than without previous CVD. Circulating factor and ultrasonographical characteristics were correlated in the group with CVD, whereas these factors were not correlated in the group without CVD.

Conclusion:

We found that circulating blood factor levels showed a different tendency in participants with and without CVD history. The results depict that atherosclerotic severity might depend on the history of CVD and progression of atherosclerosis. We suggest that the circulating factor levels, atherosclerotic severity, and history of CVD are considered in the observation of pathologic progression to manage the development of CVD risks and CVD relating outcomes.
What is Blockchain Technology and its Significance in the Current Healthcare System? A Brief Insight
Authors: Ahmad Syed S. , Khan Shahzad , Kamal Mohammad A.
Published: July 2019

Background:

The promising eventual fate of blockchain in healthcare has a lot more extensive prospect.
Blockchain is a novel structure that gives another design to storage and trade of data among different members of
a particular network. In case of a hospital, blockchain takes into consideration the creation of a better treatment
structure by the expert doctor in order to arrange the meeting based on the symptoms of patients throughout the
world by the electronic system. Blockchain technology is crucial for biomedical and human services applications
as social insurance has turned out to be a standout among the most essential rising application areas of the blockchain
distributed ledger technology.

Result:

By and large, blockchain is treated as a conveyed record to store social insurance related information for
allocation, trading, dissecting, footage, and affirming purposes among accomplices. The advantage of blockchain
databases versus traditional dispersed databases is that they are decentralized, permanent, and perfected with
advanced digital payment frameworks and hash chain occasion structure. The blockchain code is an unlocked
resource and can be utilized, altered, and customized by its clients.

Conclusion:

Nowadays, blockchain is expected to be almost universally adopted across medical organizations
around the world. The purpose of this review article is to comprehend the current explored subjects, difficulties,
and future headings in regards to blockchain innovation from the specialized perspective in the health care system.
Antineoplastic Activity, Structural Modification, Synthesis and Structure-activity Relationship of Dammarane-type Ginsenosides: An Overview
Authors: Zhang Qiang , Wang Xude , Lv Liyan , Su Guangyue , Zhao Yuqing
Published: July 2019

Dammarane-type ginsenosides are a class of tetracyclic triterpenoids with the same dammarane skeleton. These compounds have a wide range of pharmaceutical applications for neoplasms, diabetes mellitus and other metabolic syndromes, hyperlipidemia, cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, aging, neurodegenerative disease, bone disease, liver disease, kidney disease, gastrointestinal disease and other conditions. In order to develop new antineoplastic drugs, it is necessary to improve the bioactivity, solubility and bioavailability, and illuminate the mechanism of action of these compounds. A large number of ginsenosides and their derivatives have been separated from certain herbs or synthesized, and tested in various experiments, such as anti-proliferation, induction of apoptosis, cell cycle arrest and cancer-involved signaling pathways. In this review, we have summarized the progress in structural modification, shed light on the structure-activity relationship (SAR), and offered insights into biosynthesis-structural association. This review is expected to provide a preliminary guide for the modification and synthesis of ginsenosides.
α-Heteroatom-substituted gem-Bisphosphonates: Advances in the Synthesis and Prospects for Biomedical Application
Authors: Romanenko Vadim D.
Published: July 2019

Functionalized gem-bisphosphonic acid derivatives being pyrophosphate isosteres are of great synthetic and biological interest since they are currently the most important class of drugs developed for the treatment of diseases associated with the disorder of calcium metabolism, including osteoporosis, Paget’s disease, and hypercalcemia. In this article, we will try to give an in-depth overview of the methods for obtaining α- heteroatom-substituted methylenebisphosphonates and acquaint the reader with the synthetic strategies that are used to develop biologically important compounds of this type.
Microbial Bioconversion: A Regio-specific Method for Novel Drug Design and Toxicological Study of Metabolites
Authors: Yousuf Maria , Jamil Waqas , Mammadova Khayala
Published: July 2019

The methods of chemical structural alteration of small organic molecules by using microbes
(fungi, bacteria, yeast, etc.) are gaining tremendous attention to obtain structurally novel and therapeutically
potential leads. The regiospecific mild environmental friendly reaction conditions with the ability
of novel chemical structural modification in compounds categorize this technique; a distinguished
and unique way to obtain medicinally important drugs and their in vivo mimic metabolites with costeffective
and timely manner. This review article shortly addresses the immense pharmaceutical importance
of microbial transformation methods in drug designing and development as well as the role of
CYP450 enzymes in fungi to obtain in vivo drug metabolites for toxicological studies.
Healthcare-Associated Infections: Not Only a Clinical Burden, But a Forensic Point of View
Authors: Di Paolo Marco , Papi Luigi , Malacarne Paolo , Gori Federica , Turillazzi Emanuela
Published: July 2019

Background:

Healthcare-associated infections (HCAIs) occur when patients receiving
treatment in a health care setting develop an infection. They represent a major public health problem,
requiring the integration of clinical medicine, pathology, epidemiology, laboratory sciences, and, finally,
forensic medicine.

Methods:

The determination of cause of death is fundamental not only in the cases of presumed malpractice
to ascertain the causal link with any negligent behavior both of health facilities and of individual
professionals, but also for epidemiological purposes since it may help to know the global burden of
HCAIs, that remains undetermined because of the difficulty of gathering reliable diagnostic data. A
complete methodological approach, integrating clinical data by means of autopsy and histological and
laboratory findings aiming to identify and demonstrate the host response to infectious insult, is mandatory
in HCAIs related deaths.

Results:

Important tasks for forensic specialists in hospitals and health services centers are the promotion
of transparency and open communication by health-care workers on the risk of HCAIs, thus facilitating
patients’ engagement and the implementation of educational interventions for professionals
aimed to improve their knowledge and adherence to prevention and control measures.

Conclusion:

HCAIs are a major problem for patient safety in every health-care facility and system
around the world and their control and prevention represent a challenging priority for healthcare institution
and workers committed to making healthcare safer. Clinicians are at the forefront in the war
against HCAIs, however, also forensic pathologists have a remarkable role.
Pesudomance sp. Bacteria Associated with Marine Sponge as a Promising and Sustainable Source of Bioactive Molecules
Authors: Nabil-Adam Asmaa , Shreadah Mohamed A. , Abd El Moneam Nehad M. , El-assar Samy A.
Published: July 2019

Background:

The study was conducted to identify the bacterial strain associated with marine
sponge Hyrtiosaff. erectus collected from the Red Sea coastal water and to assess the utilization of
their secondary metabolites for human benefit as antioxidant, anti-Alzheimer, anti-viral, anticancer and
anti-inflammatory agent.

Methods:

After biochemical identification of Pesudomance sp. bacterial strain, the total polyphenol
contents, cytotoxic, antioxidant, anti-Alzheimer, anti-viral, anticancer and anti-inflammatory activity
of the Pesudomance sp. ethyl acetate extract were investigated by applying different biochemical
assays. Polyphenol contents were investigated using spectrophotometric techniques. Antioxidant
activity was determined by 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical (DPPH), and 2,2/-azino-bis
(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) ABTS radical scavenging activity assays. The cytotoxic effects
were investigated by using the human cancerous cell lines.

Results:

The anti-Alzheimer, anti-viral, anticancer and anti-inflammatory activities were determined
using ELISA. Qualitative phytochemical analysis of the Pesudomance sp. extract demonstrated the
presence of a large and diverse group of substances such as alkaloids, carbohydrates, flavonoids, phenols,
terpenoids, saponins, and tannins. The strong antioxidant activity of the Pesudomance sp. extract
was mainly attributed to the protective role of polyphenols against reactive oxygen. It was also observed
that Pesudomance sp. extract possessed significant anti-Alzheimer activity with 94% at 1 mg.
The extract showed also high antiviral activity (90%) using reverse transcriptase enzymes inhibition
assay. The examination of the anticancer activity by applying two experimental models, i.e., PTK and
SHKI cleared out high significant percentages of 76.19 and 83.09 %; respectively.

Conclusion:

The anti-inflammatory profiling using TNF, COX1, COX2, IL6 also revealed high antiinflammatory
activity with different metabolic pathway of 62.70, 75.444, 79.27 and 54.15 %; respectively.
The present study concluded that ethyl acetate extract of Pesudomance sp. possessed strong antioxidant,
anti-Alzheimer, and anti-viral, anticancer and anti-inflammatory activities. Further studies
are required to purify the bioactive compounds.
Species Specificity on Interaction between IgE and FcεRI
Authors: Li Xiangsheng , Wang Nannan , Zhao Yang , Zhang Yanfen , Liu Zhongcheng
Published: July 2019

Allergic diseases are one of the most prevalent diseases at present, it is imperative to understanding the pathophysiology and treatment strategies for allergic diseases. In this process, the binding of IgE and FcεRI on effector cells plays a critical role in triggering allergic reactions. However, the species specificity of the interaction between IgE and FcεRI has not been clearly explained. This review described the characteristics and the interaction mechanism in the allergic reaction of IgE and FcεRI and summarized the species specificity between IgE and FcεRI.
Pharmaco-Analytical Study and Phytochemical Profile of Hydroethanolic Extract of Algerian Prickly Pear (Opuntia ficus-indica.L)
Authors: Benattia Farah K. , Arrar Zoheir , Dergal Fayçal , Khabbal Youssef
Published: July 2019

Background:

"Opuntia ficus-indica" (prickly pear) is the cactus member of the Cactaceae family as an important nutrient and food source.

Objective:

The purpose of this study was to characterize the phytochemical composition of hydroalcoholic extract of prickly pear seeds that cause therapeutic effects.

Method:

Phytochemical screening based on simple tests and determination of secondary metabolites were performed by High-Performance Liquid with Diode-Array Detection (HPLC-DAD) analysis. For the pharmacological studies, the anti-inflammatory activity in rats was evaluated by carrageenaninduced inflammation, the description of the sedative activity was carried to the following behavioural tests, and the analgesic effect of the extract was assessed by the resistance induced by acetic acid, and the tail immersion test in mice.

Results:

The test drug at 500 mg/kg dose showed a significant increase in mean latency in the TAIL FLICK test, and a decrease in the average number of twisting movements in the KOSTER test, thus, a significant anti-inflammatory activity in the pattern of paw edema induced by carrageenan, and an important sedative effect on the central nervous system.

Conclusion:

These data suggest that the seeds of the cactus "Opuntia ficus-indica" could be a potential source of natural compound and reveal that the hydroethanolic extract of this species is a promising source, as well as a therapeutic agent for the research of new natural active ingredients.