bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Intercropping of beet with salad rocket (Eruca sativa) using hairy woodrose (Merremia aegyptia) plus manure goat in loam argisol yellow red latosol
Authors: Alves Lunara de Sousa , Linhares Paulo César Ferreira , Sousa Roberto Pequeno de , Assis Janilson Pinheiro de , Dias Thiago Jardelino , Pereira Joaquim Odilon , Cardoso Eudes de Almeida , Sousa Robson Pequeno de , Santos Mateus de Freitas Almeida dos , Rodrigues Walter Martins , Gomes Geovanna Alícia Dantas , Andrade Anderson Bruno Anacleto de , Soares Maria Fernanda de Oliveira
Published: January 2021

The crop intercropping is a viable option for family farmers who grow in small spaces and need to take advantage of all the available area. The objective of this study was to evaluate the agronomic viability of the intercropping of beet with salad rocket (arugula) under different amounts of Merremia aegyptia plus goat manure. The experiment was conducted at Rafael Fernandes Experimental Farm, in the Alagoinha district, rural area of Mossoró-RN, from August to December 2016. The experimental design was a randomized complete block with treatments arranged in a 2 x 4 factorial scheme, with three repetitions. The first factor was the single beet and second intercropped cultivation of beet and arugula. The second factor was the amount of Merremia aegyptia plus goat manure (0.0, 1.5, 3.0 and 4.5 kg m-2). For the sugar beet crop the following characteristics were evaluated: plant height, fresh leaf mass, commercial root yield and root dry mass. For arugula culture the following characteristics were evaluated: plant height, number of leaves per plant, yield, number of sauces and dry mass. The best agronomic performance of the beet and rocket intercropping was obtained in the amount of 4.5 kg m-2 of M. aegyptia beds and goat manure. The consortium presented an area ratio equivalent to over 1.0, with an average value of 1.81 in the amount of 4.5 kg m-2 of M. aegyptia flowerbed plus goat manure. The consortium contributed to better use of available resources without compromising the commercial quality of the vegetables
Fallow periods on a secondary forest with Platonia insignis Mart. in western Brazilian Amazon
Authors: Silva Larissa de Paula Viana da , Araujo José Ribamar Gusmão , Rocha Ariadne Enes , Santos Raudielle Ferreira dos , Santos Wyayran Fernando Sousa , Mesquita Mário Luiz Ribeiro , Muniz Francisca Helena
Published: January 2021

Changes in the structure of the vegetation reflect on the biodiversity and dynamics of the ecosystem. The objective of the study was to characterize and compare the structure of fragments of vegetation with the occurrence of Platonia insiginis, in different stages of regeneration, with 6, 10, 25 and 100 years of fallow period in western Brazilian Amazon. The study was conducted in a completely randomized design, with four treatments, consisting of 6, 10, 25 and 100 years of fallow period, and five replications, consisting of demarcated temporary plots for each fallow period, with dimensions of 2 m x 2 m for the regenerating stratum of vegetation and 10 m x 10 m for the adult stratum of vegetation. Phytosociological parameters evaluated were number of individuals and species, total density, total height, stem diameter and Shannon DiversityIndex (H’), Pielou Equability (J) and Jaccard Similarity Index (JSI). The data were subjected to the Analysis of Variance, followed by the Tukey Test (p <0.05) and Principal Component Analysis. There was low species diversity for the sampled areas, with (H’) rates ranging from 0.65 to 2.46 nats ind-1. The vegetation fragments with 100 years of fallow period showed a floristic similarity of 10% with the others, while those of 6 and 10 years of fallow period, reached similarity of 40%. For the regenerating strata only, the number of individuals and total density differed, with the lowest averages, respectively, of 5 and 1,400 individuals ha-1 at 100 years of fallow period. For the adult strata, there was a difference between all parameters corroborating the results obtained in the Principal Component Analysis, at 100 years of fallow period, a lower average was obtained for the number of individuals (7), and higher averages of plant height (22.1 m) and diameter at breast height (36.45 cm). As conclusion, the time required for the complete natural regeneration of secondary vegetation fragments in the Brazilian Amazon is over 100 years
Coastal Stability using Remote Sensing and Radioactive Materials in the Northwest Nile Delta Coast, Egypt
Authors: El-Hattab Mamdouh , Saleh Ibrahim , Mohamed Ayat
Published: January 2021

This paper points to changes of the coastline using two ways, calculating the annual rate of erosion using 1) radioactive materials and 2) GIS and DSAS extension. Finally, both results were verified. Radioactivity results indicate both erosion and accretion zones, the annual scavenging rate in Promontory area shows that it is presented main accretion area, unlike the results of the DSAS extension, which showed that the Promontory is erosion area. The Burullus area annual scavenging rate results showing erosion, despite results of DSAS, it shows that it is an accretion area, but this was clarified by calculating the average distance between the shoreline of 2017 and 2018, and the 2018 shoreline retreat with an average distance 41.4 cm, which makes the Burullus region suffer from erosion. Two methods showed similarity in results in the Edco area, which shows that the Edco area suffers from erosion.
Study on the regulation function of spinal cord micro-stimulation signal parameters on hind limb movement in rats
Authors: Ma Lei , Li Ziqiang , Shen Xiaoyan , Bian Xiongheng , Li Zhiling , Shen Jiahuan
Published: January 2021

Functional electrical stimulation of the spinal cord can evoke limb movement in patients with motor dysfunction caused by injury or pathology. Research question: However, the adjustment function of micro-stimulation signal parameters in the spinal cord on the motion of hind limbs about rodents has not been identified. The amplitude, frequency and pulse width of the spinal cord micro-stimulation signal were adjusted to quantitatively analyze the changes of the joint angles when the hindlimb produced extension and flexion responses. When the rat’s extension and flexion responses are induced, the optimal stimulus signal amplitudes are 40 µA and 90 µA respectively. At the same time, the optimal stimulation signal frequency range is (35±5) Hz and the best pulse width of the stimulation signal is 200 µs. The results can provide a further reference for the development of spinal cord stimulator for hindlimb regulation.
Modelling of transient and steady-state modes of a vertical rotor with an automatic balancing device
Authors: Strautmanis Guntis , Filimonikhin Gennadiy , Mezitis Mareks , Gorbenko Alexander , Strautmane Valentina , Sansyzbajeva Zura
Published: January 2021

The authors of the study work out the differential equations of motion of a vertical rotor model on an elastic-dissipative suspension, balanced by a ball-type automatic balancing device. Often, the cross-section of the cavity of the body of the automatic balancing device is rectangular and during rolling the balls have two points of contact, in one of which the balls slide along the surface of the cavity. To prevent the balls from sliding, the inner surface of the cavity of the automatic balancing device is made in the shape of a torus, which provides one point of contact. The forces of gravity and the forces of resistance to the movement of the correcting weights are taken into account, and the model is drawn up for both viscous and dry friction forces inside the body of the automatic balancing device. The obtained mathematical model of the rotor makes it possible to study the transient and steady-state modes of motion of the rotor system.
Understanding values of sanitation users: examining preferences and behaviors for sanitation systems
Authors: Seymour Zakiya A. , Cloete Eugene , McCurdy Margaret , Olson Mira , Hughes Joseph
Published: January 2021

Sanitation policy and development has undergone a paradigm shift away from supply-driven toward behavioral-based demand-driven approaches. This shift to increase sanitation demand requires multiple stakeholders with varying degrees of interest, knowledge, and capacity. Currently, the design of appropriate sanitation technology disconnects user preference integration from sanitation technology design, resulting in fewer sanitation technologies being adopted and used. This research examines how preferences for specific attributes of appropriate sanitation technologies and implementation arrangements influence their adoption and usage. Data collected included interviews of 1,002 sanitation users living in a peri-urban area of South Africa; the surveyed respondents were asked about their existing sanitation technology, their preferences for various sanitation technology design attributes, as well as their perspectives on current and preferred sanitation implementation arrangements. The data revealed that user acceptability of appropriate sanitation technology is influenced by the adoption classification of the users. Statistically significant motives and barriers to sanitation usage showed a differentiation between users who share private sanitation from those who use communal sanitation facilities. The user acceptability of appropriate sanitation systems is dependent on the technical design attributes of sanitation. The development of utility functions detailed the significance of seven technical design attributes and determined their respective priorities.
An analysis on the influence of precipitation infiltration on groundwater under different irrigation conditions in the semi-arid area
Authors: Yan Long , Chen Min-jian , Hu Peng , Li Di-li , Wang Yong
Published: January 2021

The West Liaohe Plain is a typical semi-arid area, where the process of rainfall infiltration to replenish groundwater is a key link in its vertical hydrological cycle. In this paper, we compare and analyze the impact upon soil moisture movement and water infiltration after the shift of irrigation method from flood irrigation to mulched drip irrigation under mulch through setting up in-field in-situ observation points and carrying out groundwater depth dynamic observation. The results show that compared with mulched drip irrigation under mulch, flood irrigation has a stronger response to rainfall infiltration and a quicker response time in the rise of underground depth. With the decrease of groundwater level, the effect of rainfall infiltration to replenish groundwater is significantly weakened. In the flood irrigation area, the groundwater depth at about 8 m already has no obvious response to a small amount of rainfall. However, the groundwater depth at 6 m in the area of mulched drip irrigation under mulch already has no response to rainfall. Therefore, when groundwater extraction is carried out in irrigation areas, reasonable groundwater extraction levels should be designated in light of different irrigation methods to maintain the sustainable utilization of groundwater.
Synthesis and characterization of modified activated carbon (MgO/AC) for methylene blue adsorption: optimization, equilibrium isotherm and kinetic studies
Authors: Ghalehkhondabi Vahab , Fazlali Alireza , Ketabi Keyhan
Published: January 2021

Methylene blue (MB) is the cationic dye that is widely used for coloring cotton, wool, and silk. Since MB is harmful to human beings and toxic to microorganisms, there is the need to find cheap and efficient methods for removal of MB from wastewater prior to disposal into natural waters. In the present study, MB adsorption potential of MgO/AC prepared using a sol–gel-thermal deep-coating method was compared with the activated carbon (AC). The central composite design (CCD) as a method of the response surface methodology (RSM) was applied to minimize the number of runs and process optimization. The characterization of the microporous MgO/AC composite showed that the magnesium oxide nanoparticles were successfully coated on the AC and the BET specific surface area of AC and MgO/AC were 1,540 and 1,246 m2/g, respectively. The MB removal efficiency and the maximum adsorption capacity of AC and MgO/AC were 89.6, 97.5% and 571.7, 642.3 mg/g, respectively under optimum operational conditions of initial dye concentration of 100.9 mg/L, the adsorbent dosage of 69.4 mg/100 mL, pH of 10.2 and contact time of 149.1 min. According to an analysis of variance (ANOVA), the initial dye concentration and its interaction with the other effective factors have a large impact on adsorption efficiency. Furthermore, the mechanism of adsorption followed the Langmuir isotherm (R2 = 0.9935, Δqe = 2.9%) and adsorption kinetics fitted by the pseudo-second-order model (R2 = 0.9967, Δqe = 6.6%). Finally, our results suggest that the prepared MgO/AC is an efficient and promising material for dye wastewater treatment.
Contact Tracing in Turkey’s Struggle with COVID-19: Its Scope, Components, and Stages
Authors: ASLAN Melek Nur , UÇAR Abdullah
Published: January 2021

In COVID19 pandemic started on 31/12/2019, the first reported case and death were observed in Turkey on March 11th and 17th, respectively. As this letter is written, 80.783.674 cases and 1.764.863 deaths around the world, and 2.147.578 cases and 19.878 deaths in Turkey were observed. Non-pharmaceutical interventions such as contact tracing (CT), quarantine/isolation, school closures, curfews were applied in different combinations. The experience gained from the beginning of the pandemic has shown that CT has strategic importance in combating the pandemic. Deaths per population and per case rankings show that Turkey has achieved considerable success in the struggle against the pandemic. More than 6000 CT teams each consisting of 3 staff and reached the cases and their contacts in less than 32 hours with a rate of 99.6% play an important role in this success. In this letter, the scope, components, stages of CT applied in Turkey are provided.
Empresas y derechos humanos: La evolución histórica de la regulación internacional de las empresas transnacionales en materia de derechos humanos
Authors: Gallardo Garrath Martin
Published: January 2021

El artículo versa sobre la regulación internacional de las empresas transnacionales en materia de Derechos Humanos. El texto inicia explicando los conceptos base necesarios para comprender el debate. Continúa con la descripción de los principales hechos en cuanto a la evolución de la regulación internacional. Por último, el autor plantea que el siguiente paso será la adopción de un tratado multilateral que busque otorgarle mayores garantías a los individuos.
Reflexiones en torno al SEIA, a 20 años de su creación
Authors: Verna Vito
Published: January 2021

El artículo subraya la naturaleza específica del Estudio de Impacto Ambiental (EIA) y su función dentro del sistema de gestión ambiental; haciendo especial énfasis en la participación ciudadana como instrumento clave para lograr que los EIA sean instrumentos confiables y útiles. Asimismo, aborda los problemas que enfrenta el SEIA para, una vez construidos y en operación los proyectos de inversión, introducir cambios y mejoras, tanto al proyecto como a los planes de manejo ambiental. Finalmente, se señala las falencias regulatorias que presenta la regulación ambiental transectorial del SEIA cuando se trata de Estudios Ambientales (EA) correctivos.
¿Uno o dos sombreros?: Lineamientos para una regulación del double-hatting en arbitrajes de inversión
Authors: Cámara Chumbes Angela , Yano Tsuha Nicolas Daichi
Published: January 2021

El fenómeno del double-hatting; esto es, el ejercicio de múltiples roles por parte de los profesionales vinculados al arbitraje, puede tener un importante impacto en las necesarias cualidades de independencia e imparcialidad que todo árbitro debe tener. La regulación de este fenómeno vuelve a poner sobre la mesa la recurrente discusión sobre los conflictos de interés derivados de la inevitable interacción en el grupo de profesionales que se dedican a arbitrajes de inversión. La inclusión de artículos que abordan expresamente este fenómeno en recientes tratados internacionales y la discusión que se viene sosteniendo por su expresa regulación en el "Proyecto de Código de Conducta para adjudicadores en solución de controversias inversionista-Estado" preparado por las Secretarías del CIADI y UNCITRAL, nos lleva a proponer algunos lineamientos para dicha regulación.
Tratamiento de los deberes constitucionales de la persona en el Perú: Una introducción
Authors: Monge Morales Gonzalo J.
Published: January 2021

Se dice que "así como tenemos derechos, tenemos deberes" o que "a todo derecho le corresponde un deber". ¿Esto es cierto? ¿La Constitución consagra deberes igual de exigibles que los derechos? A lo largo de la historia y hasta la fecha, los deberes de la persona han sido relegados a un lugar secundario en el Derecho Constitucional y en el Derecho Procesal Constitucional. Es hora de rescatarlos del olvido. Mediante un análisis preliminar e introductorio, el autor plantea que los deberes constitucionales: (i) son imprescindibles para el constitucionalismo contemporáneo; (ii) no son solo obligaciones morales, sino que son jurídicamente exigibles; y, (iii) que deben ser exigibles jurisdiccionalmente. Surgen muchas dudas e interrogantes sobre el tema, pero no todas pueden ser absueltas de inmediato. Este es un análisis introductorio sobre su tratamiento en el régimen constitucional peruano.
A Review of Light Sources and Enhanced Targeting for Photodynamic Therapy
Authors: Xiang Menghua , Zhou Quanming , Shi Zihan , Wang Xuan , Li Mengchu , Jia Yan , Li Shaoyun , Yang Fen , Wang Wei , Chen Tongkai , Xu Xiaojun , Sharma Bigyan , Nie Yichu , Xiao Qicai , Gao Liqian
Published: January 2021

Photodynamic Therapy (PDT), as a clinically approved modality for the treatment
of various disordered diseases including cancer, has received great advances in recent
years. By preferentially accumulating non-toxic Photosensitizers (PSs) in the pathological
area, and in situ generation of cytotoxic reactive oxygen species (ROS) under local
irradiation by a light source with appropriate wavelength, PDT works in a dual-selective
manner. Over the past decades, numerous studies and reviews on PDT mainly focused
on activable PSs and the newly emerging PSs in PDT. However, to the best of our
knowledge, there are few articles on the systematic introduction of light sources and limited
reports about targeted strategies in PDT. This review comprehensively summarizes
various light sources applied in PDT together with typical enhanced targeting strategies,
and outlines their advantages and disadvantages, respectively. The clinical applications
and future perspectives in light sources are also partly presented and discussed.
Ethnomedicinal Plants for the Management of Diabetes Worldwide: A Systematic Review
Authors: Aumeeruddy Muhammad Zakariyyah , Mahomoodally Mohamad Fawzi
Published: January 2021

Background:

The increasing incidence of diabetes worldwide has urged researchers
to explore novel antidiabetic agents from natural products. Ethnomedicinal
field studies on diabetes have expanded across the globe, documenting large numbers of
folk medicinal plants against diabetes. Nonetheless, a systematic review of these surveys
has not been conducted so far. This study documents the medicinal plants traditionally
used globally for managing diabetes.

Methods:

Key databases including Sciencedirect, Medline/PubMed, and Google Scholar
were scrutinized. The Plant List and The International Plant Names Index (IPNI) were
used to validate the scientific plant names.

Results:

2004 traditionally used plants belonging to 1112 genera and 197 families were
reported across 92 countries for the management of diabetes. Leguminosae (105 genera
and 193 species), Compositae (97 genera and 188 species), and Lamiaceae (47 genera
and 121 species) were the main plant families reported. Momordica charantia L., Syzygium
cumini (L.) Skeels, Allium sativum L., Azadirachta indica A.Juss., Catharanthus
roseus (L.) G.Don, Olea europaea L., Trigonella foenum-graecum L., Gymnema
sylvestre (Retz.) R.Br. ex Sm., Aloe vera (L.) Burm.f., and Allium cepa L were the species
mostly reported. Indeed, the antidiabetic properties of these main species have been
evidenced by experimental studies. Several antidiabetic compounds acting via different
mechanisms have been identified, including momordicoside, karaviloside, cucurbitacin,
charantin, and charantoside from M. charantia, cuminoside from S. cumini, S-allyl cysteine
sulfoxide from A. sativum, limonoids from A. indica, alkaloids including vindoline,
vindolidine, vindolicine and vindolinine from C. roseus, oleuropein and oleanolic acid
from O. europaea, flavone C-glycosides such as vicenin-1, isoschaftoside, and schaftoside
from T. foenum-graecum seeds, gymnemosides, gymnemagenin, and pregnane glycosides
from G. sylvestre, chysalodin from A. vera, and quercetin from A. cepa.

Conclusion:

This review is the first to provide a compiled list of traditional medicinal
plants used worldwide against diabetes.
Identification of a Novel 4-gene Diagnostic Model for Atrial Fibrillation
Risk Based on Integrated Analysis Across Independent Data Sets
Authors: Zhang Pei , Miao Qiang , Wang Xiao , Zhang Yong , Hou Yinglong
Published: January 2021

Background:

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common persistent arrhythmia and an important factor leading to cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Several key genes and diagnostic markers have been discovered with the development of advanced modern molecular biology techniques, but the etiology and pathogenesis of AF remained unknown.

Methods:

In this study, three chip-seq data sets and a RNA-seq data set were integrated as a comprehensive network for pathway analysis of the biological functions of related genes in AF, hoping to provide a better understanding on the etiology and pathogenesis of AF.

Results:

Differential co-expression analysis identified 360 genes with specific expression in AF, and functional enrichment analysis further revealed that these genes were significantly correlated with focal expression (p <0.01), autophagy (p <0.01), and thyroid cancer. In addition, Af-specific protein-protein interaction (PPI) networks were constructed based on AF-specific expression genes. Network topology analysis identified PLEKHA7, YWHAQ, PPP1CB, WDR1, AKT1, IGF1R, CANX, MAPK1, SRPK2 and SRSF10 genes as hub genes of the networks, and they were considered as potential biomarkers of AF because they were found to participate in the development of AF through Oocyte meiosis and focal expression. Finally, a diagnostic model for AF established with support vector machine (SVM), demonstrated excellent predictive performance in internal and external data sets (AUC>0.9) and in different platform data sets (mean AUC>0.75).

Conclusion:

Finally, a diagnostic model for AF established, thus showing its potential in the early identification and prediction of AF.
Nutraceuticals for Sleep Disorders
Authors: Ali Ruhi , Tariq Sana , Kareem Ozaifa , Fayaz Faizana , Aziz Tahira , Meenu  , Pottoo Faheem Hyder , Siddiqui Nadeem
Published: January 2021

Sleep is considered as one of the most important aspects for maintaining a healthy life.
For a person to function normally, at least 6-8 hours of sleep daily is necessary. Sleep not only
affects our mood, but also regulates the efficiency of work done. Many complications arise due to
inadequacy of sleep. The unhealthy food and lifestyle choices have made us more prone to sleep
disorders. The medications used for the treatment of sleep disorders are mainly habit forming and
have tendencies of withdrawal symptoms. This inadequacy in medication has lead to search for
newer, better options. The field of nutraceuticals fits apt for treating such disorders. The quality of
being non-toxic, non-habit forming, and being practically more efficient has had made it an
excellent option. Nutraceuticals make use of food or part of food for the treatment or to prevent
any disease. Remarkable positive effects of nutraceuticals like Caffeine, Chamomile, Kava kava,
Cherries and Cherry juice, L tryptophan, Valerian, Vitamin D, Marijuana, melatonin, Lemon balm
had been mentioned in the treatment of sleep disorders. The present review gives a general
overview of nutraceuticals and discusses their use in sleep disorders.
Repositioning of RdRp Inhibitors Against HCV NS5B Polymerase
Utilizing Structure-Based Molecular Docking
Authors: Tarannum Heena , Nandi Sisir
Published: January 2021

Objective:

Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) is very dreadful as it can attack an estimated 71 million people around the world. The World Health Organization (WHO) reported that every year about 399000 people die due to HCV caused by chronic cirrhosis and liver cancer globally. There are many drugs available for the treatment of HCV. But drug resistance and toxicity are major issues. The quest for potential drugs utilizing repositioning would be a very useful and economical method to combat the HCV.

Methods:

One of the most HCV targets is RNA dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp). The RdRp is common in HCV, Dengue virus (DENV), Zika virus (ZIKV), and Yellow fever virus (YFV) belonging to the same family of Flaviviridae. An attempt has been made in the present study to repositioning different DENV, ZIKV, and YFV RdRp inhibitors against HCV NS5B polymerase utilizing structure-based molecular docking which explores the affinity and mode of binding of these RdRp inhibitors.

Results:

Several 87 compounds having dengue, yellow fever and zika RdRp inhibitory activities have been taken into consideration for the screening of potential RdRp leads utilizing docking simulation which focuses the affinity and mode of binding of sofosbuvir diphosphate which is a standard HCV, RdRp inhibitor.

Conclusion:

It was found that the compounds 6 (N-sulfonylanthranilic acid derivative), 17 (R1479), 20 (DMB220), 23 (FD-83-KI26), 40 (CCG-7648), 50 (T-1106), 65 (mycophenolic acid), and 69 (DMB213) can produce docking score with the range of -7.602 to -8.971 Kcal/Mol having almost same mode of interaction as compared to the reference drug molecule. The drugs mentioned above can produce satisfactory affinity to bind the hepatitis C viral RdRp and thus may be used to treat the disease. Therefore, these predicted compounds may be potential leads for further testing of anti HCV activity and can be repurposed to combat HCV. The high throughput shotgun of drug repurposing utilizing structure-based docking simulation freeware would be a cost-effective way to screen the potential anti-HCV leads.
Chemotherapeutics for Acute Erythroid Leukemia: Research, Present and Future
Authors: Liao Zexi , Li Jiaxin , Wu Jingjing , Liu Jing , Sun Shuming
Published: January 2021

Acute erythroid leukemia (AEL) is a subtype of acute myeloid leukemia (AML)
with features such as accumulation of maturation-arrested erythroblasts. Compared with
AML, the progression of AEL is faster and the prognosis to available therapy is worse.
However, its categorization is still being updated and the pathophysiology of AEL is still
under research, making diagnosis and chemotherapy challenging for physicians. To
achieve better outcomes, therapies should be optimized and new drugs should be
developed. In this review, we summarize current strategies of diagnosis and therapies of
AEL, and discuss prospective targets for chemotherapeutic agents based on the
biological characteristics of AEL neoplastic cells as well as transcriptional factors and
pathways related to erythroid differentiation.
An Insight into Novel Sperm Cell Proteins as Bio-markers for Male Infertility: A Review
Authors: Kumar Naina , Singh Namit Kant
Published: January 2021

Male infertility is rising nowadays and accounts for a major part of infertility
cases worldwide. Novel tests are being developed for better detection and management
of male infertility. Though there are many tests available for diagnosing male infertility
like acrosome reaction rate, hemizona assay, in vivo or in vitro sperm penetration assay,
sperm DNA damage tests, however, a semen analysis is the most commonly used initial
test for male infertility. It is usually associated with failure to detect the cause in many
cases, as seminal composition gets affected by a number of factors and can give false
reports. Furthermore, it does not give any information about defects in capacitation,
sperm-zona pellucida interaction, and sperm’s ability to fertilize oocytes. This results in
failure of detection and delayed management of male infertility. Hence, the present
review was conducted to identify various sperm proteins that play a significant role in
spermatogenesis, sperm motility, sperm-zona pellucida interaction, and fertilization.
These proteins can be used in the future as markers of male infertility and will aid in
better detection and management of male infertility. Methodology: Search for literature
was made from 1970 to 2020 from various databases like PUBMED, SCOPUS, Google
Scholar on sperm proteins and their role in male fertility using keywords: “sperm protein
as bio-markers”, “novel sperm proteins as markers of infertility”, “Sperm proteins
essential for capacitation, sperm motility and oocyte fertilization”. Inclusion criteria: All
full-length research articles, systematic reviews, meta-analyses, or abstracts on sperm
proteins and male infertility published in the English language in peer-reviewed journals
were considered.
Post-Translational Modifications of BACE1 in Alzheimer's Disease
Authors: Wen Wen , Li Ping , Liu Panwang , Xu Shijun , Wang Fushun , Huang Jason H
Published: January 2021

:

Beta-Amyloid Cleaving Enzyme1 (BACE1) is a monospecific enzyme for the key rate-limiting step in the synthesis of beta-amyloid(Aβ) from cleavage of amyloid precursor protein (APP), to form senile plaques and causes cognitive dysfunction in Alzheimer's disease (AD). Post-translation modifications of BACE1, such as acetylation, glycosylation, palmitoylation, phosphorylation, play a crucial role in the trafficking and maturation process of BACE1. The study of BACE1 is of great importance not only for understanding the formation of toxic Aβ but also for the development of an effective therapeutic target for the treatment of AD. This paper review recent advances in the studies about BACE1, with focuses being paid to the relationship of Aβ, BACE1 with post-translational regulation of BACE1. In addition, we specially reviewed studies about the compounds that can be used to affect post-translational regulation of BACE1 or regulate BACE1 in the literature, which can be used for subsequent research on whether BACE1 is a post-translationally modified drug.
Effect of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus and Diabetic Medication on Pulmonary Function
Authors: Hammad Alaa M. , Al-Qerem Walid , Alassi Ameen , Hyassat Dana
Published: January 2021

Background:

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a chronic condition with an impairing
effect on multiple organs. Numerous respiratory disorders have been observed in patients with
T2DM. However, the effect of T2DM on pulmonary function is inconclusive.

Aims:

In this study, we investigated the effect of T2DM on respiratory function and the correlation
of glycemic control, diabetes duration and insulin intake.

Methods:

1500 patients were recruited for this study; 560 having T2DM for at least a year were included
in the final data, in addition to 540 healthy volunteers. Forced expiratory volume in one second
(FEV1), forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory flow at 25-75% (FEF 25-75%), as
well as FEV1/FVC ratio values were measured.

Results:

A two-sample t-test showed that z-scores produced by Al-Qerem et al.’s equations for
FEV1, FVC, and FEF 25-75% were significantly lower for the T2DM group than the control group
(p < 0.01). FEV1/FVC ratio in the T2DM group was significantly higher (p < 0.01). Multiple linear
regression analysis found that glycemic control represented by HbA1c as well as disease duration
were negatively associated with the pulmonary function (p < 0.01). However, insulin intake was
found to have no significant correlation with pulmonary function.

Conclusion:

T2DM was linked to reduced pulmonary function and was consistent with a restrictive
ventilation pattern. HbA1c, as well as disease duration, were found to be independent risk factors
for reduced pulmonary function.
Association of Low BMI with Aortic Stiffness in Young Healthy Individuals
Authors: Patil Satish G. , Arakeri Sneha , Khode Vitthal
Published: January 2021

Background:

Increased arterial stiffness is an independent predictor of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality.
It is not known whether low-BMI has any detrimental effect on arterial wall early during young age.

Objectives:

The present study was aimed to determine if low-BMI can increase arterial stiffness in young healthy
individuals.

Methods:

A cross-sectional study was conducted on young healthy subjects (n=100) with low-BMI <18.5 (n=50) and
normal-BMI: 18.5-24.9 (n=50) with age ranging between 15-23 years. BMI, heart rate, blood pressure and arterial
stiffness indices such as regional pulse wave velocity (PWV) between brachial-ankle (baPWV), carotid-femoral (cfPWV),
heart-ankle (haPWV), heart-brachial (hbPWV) were measured.

Results:

A significantly increased pulse pressure (p=0.014), baPWV (1059.2 ± 140.26 cm/s vs
994.66 ± 129.23 cm/s; p=0.019) and cfPWV (641.03 ± 113.83 cm/s vs 583.96 ± 120.48 cm/s;
p=0.017) was found in individuals with low BMI than normal BMI group. There was a significant
negative correlation between BMI and central arterial PWV. Further multiple regression analysis
showed that BMI was robustly associated with cf-PWV (p=0.004) and baPWV (p=0.016) even after
multiple adjustments with potential confounders using several models.

Conclusions:

These findings show a significant increased aortic stiffness and pulse pressure in low
BMI subjects compared to those with normal BMI. Low BMI was inversely and independently associated
with central arterial or aortic stiffness. These findings suggest that low BMI may be a risk
factor for aortic stiffness in young, healthy individuals.
Endothelial Dysfunction Induced by Cadmium and Mercury and its Relationship to Hypertension
Authors: Martins Airton C. , Santos Alessanda A.D. , Lopes Ana C.B.A. , Skalny Anatoly V. , Aschner Michael , Tinkov Alexey A. , Paoliello Monica M.B.
Published: January 2021

:

Hypertension is an important public health concern that affects millions globally, leading
to a large number of morbidities and fatalities. The etiology of hypertension is complex and
multifactorial, and it involves environmental factors, including heavy metals. Cadmium and mercury
are toxic elements commonly found in the environment, contributing to hypertension. We
aimed to assess the role of cadmium and mercury-induced endothelial dysfunction in the development
of hypertension. A narrative review was carried out through database searches. In this review,
we discussed the critical roles of cadmium and mercury in the etiology of hypertension and provided
new insights into potential mechanisms of their effect, focusing primarily on endothelial dysfunction.
Although the mechanisms by which cadmium and mercury induce hypertension have yet
to be completely elucidated, evidence for both implicates impaired nitric oxide signaling in their hypertensive
etiology.
Validation of RP-HPLC Method for Determination of Omeprazole in Dissolution Media and Application to Study in-vitro Release from Solid- SNEDDS
Authors: Al-Nimry Suhair S. , Alkhamis Khouloud A. , Altaani Bashar M.
Published: January 2021

Background:

Omeprazole has poor water solubility, is unstable in acidic solutions, and undergoes first pass metabolism which results in lowering its bioavailability. A solid Self-Nano Emulsifying Drug Delivery System (SNEDDS) was previously prepared to enhance its dissolution.

Objective:

Development and validation of a RP-HPLC method with UV detection for the determination of omeprazole in 0.1N HCl and in 0.01 M phosphate buffer (pH 7.4).

Methods:

Validation was according to the ICH Q2 (R1) guidelines in terms of linearity, accuracy and precision, lower limit of quantification, sensitivity, specificity, and robustness. The developed and validated method was used to study the in-vitro dissolution of the drug from the solid-SNEDDS, commercial products and of the unprocessed drug. The dissolution was studied in 500 ml of 0.1N HCl during the first 2 hours, and 900 mL of 0.01 M phosphate buffer (pH 7.4) during the last hour (37 ± 0.5 oC and 100 rpm).

Results:

The method was linear in the range 1-50 μg/ml, accurate and precise as indicated by the
ANOVA test. It was specific to the drug and the pharmaceutical excipients did not affect the determination
of its concentration. The method was robust to small changes in pH, composition, and
flow rate of the mobile phase. The dissolution rate of omeprazole from the Solid-SNEDDS was
faster than that from two commercial dosage forms and than the dissolution rate of the unprocessed
drug.

Conclusion:

The method met the acceptance criteria and was applied successfully in studying the rate of dissolution of the drug.
Comprehensive Study on the Chemical Profile and Anti-Tumor Activity of Secondary Metabolites Produced by Aspergillus niger
Authors: Chen Yung-Husan , Zhang Weiyun , Chen Pinghong , Yang Ching-Hsu , Wu Xiuna , Luo Lianzhong
Published: January 2021

Objective:

Chemical investigation of the extract of sponge-derived fungus, Aspergillus niger,
was performed by liquid chromatography coupled with QExactive mass spectrometry for the first time.

Methods:

A total number of 444 constituents were detected, 288 of which were identified positively
or tentatively by the comprehensive utilization of accurate molecular weight and fragmentation
information acquired from quadrupole orbitrap mass spectrometry. The identified compounds
were divided into several types, namely, organic acid, alkaloid, saccharide, amino acid and cyclopeptide,
terpenoid, polyketone, phenylpropanoid and other types of compounds. Systematic diagnostic
ions and featured fragment patterns were summarized for each type, based on which 8 novel
compounds belonging to the same type were characterized.

Results:

This work provided a rapid approach for the research of micro constituents in a complex
analyte. Furthermore, the anti-tumor activity of the extract was evaluated on two different cell
lines-Bel-7402 and Hela-S3 in vitro. The tumor-inhibitory effect of the Aspergillus niger extract
was confirmed and may be mainly derived from its pro-apoptotic action. Moreover, the extract
exerted more significant cytotoxicity in Bel-7402 cells than Hela-S3 cells, indicative of its selectivity
on specific tumor cells.

Conclusion:

The evidence suggested that the Aspergillus niger extract may potentially serve as a
remedy for the prevention and therapy of hepatic and breast carcinoma.
Nanocrystal for Dermatological Application: A Comprehensive Review
Authors: Singh Bhawana , Upadhyay Prabhat Kumar , Kumar Manish
Published: January 2021

Background:

Dermatological problemsimposethe biggest challenges to formulation scientists because
oftheinnate structure of skin that offers an excellent barrier to the topical delivery of drugs. Conventional topical delivery
systems are associated with low encapsulation efficiency, stability issue and skin irritation,and reduction in therapeutic
efficacy. In recent years nanocrystal has emerged as an attractive option for topical delivery due toanenhanced saturation
solubility, increased surface area, adhesiveness, absence of excipients, and small particle size.

Objective:

The present review providesacomprehensive account of topical delivery for management of various
dermatological problemsthrough nanocrystal technology. The review highlighted the aptness of drug nanocrystals for skin
delivery.The various methods used for fabrication of nanocrystalsand,the mechanism of skin penetration have been
included and dealt with in this review. The main emphasis has given break worth achieved in management of
dermatological problem through nanocrystal so far a plethora of literature and patent filled based on nanocrystal
technology for topical deliveryhave been included in this review.

Conclusion:

Nanocrystal based topical delivery system can bea promising approach for drugs with poor skin penetration
as these system possesstremendous potential to overcome skin barrier and deliver drugs at relevant concentrations atthe
local tissue level and avoid skin irritations.
Erdafitinib as a Novel and Advanced Treatment Strategy of Metastatic Urothelial Carcinoma
Authors: Bansal Parveen , Dwivedi Deepak K. , Hatwal Deepa , Sharma Priyanka , Gupta Vikas , Goyal Suresh , Maithani Mukesh
Published: January 2021

Urothelial carcinoma has become the ninth most common malignancy in the world. Since the 1980s,
diverse studies and treatment methods came out with their possible effects along with certain limitations. Initially,
platinum chemotherapy was considered as first-line treatment of the disease. Although it was proved to be effective
initially, the most number of cases reported the reoccurrence of the disease. Furthermore, aberrant ligand-
dependent and constitutive ligand-independent fibroblast growth factor receptor (FGFR) signaling has
been reported in a large number of solid tumors, including urothelial carcinoma that became the basis for
FGFR inhibition for the treatment of the disease. Erdafitinib is a pan-FGFR inhibitor that was recently approved
in the USA for the treatment of locally advanced or metastatic FGFR3 or FGFR2 urothelial carcinoma.
The drug is also being investigated as a treatment for other cancers, including cholangiocarcinoma, liver cancer,
non-small cell lung cancer, prostate cancer, lymphoma cancer and oesophageal cancer. This article summarizes
the various treatments that evolved for bladder cancer till now, a brief description of the biology of
FGFR inhibition, clinical pharmacology, and various clinical trials of erdafitinib.
Interactions between Ketamine and Magnesium for the Treatment of Pain: Current State of the Art
Authors: Vujović Katarina S. , Vučković Sonja , Stojanović Radan , Divac Nevena , Medić Branislava , Vujović Aleksandar , Srebro Dragana , Prostran Milica
Published: January 2021

Background:

Over the past three decades, NMDA-receptor antagonists have been
shown to be efficient drugs for treating pain, particularly pain resistant to conventional analgesics.
Emphasis will be on the old-new drugs, ketamine and magnesium, and their combination as a novel
approach for treating chronic pain.

Methods:

The MEDLINE database was searched via PubMed for articles that were published up to
March 1, 2020, with the keywords ‘ketamine’, ‘magnesium’, and ‘pain’ (in the title/abstract).

Results:

Studies in animals, as well as humans, have shown that interactions of ketamine and magnesium
can be additive, antagonistic, and synergistic. These discrepancies might be due to differences
in magnesium and ketamine dosage, administration times, and the chronological order of
drug administration. Different kinds of pain can also be the source of divergent results.

Conclusion:

This review explains why studies performed with a combination of ketamine and magnesium
have given inconsistent results. Because of the lack of efficacy of drugs available for pain,
ketamine and magnesium in combination provide a novel therapeutic approach that needs to be
standardized with a suitable dosing regimen, including the chronological order of drug administration.
Bacteriophages as Therapeutic Agents: Alternatives to Antibiotics
Authors: Samir Safia
Published: January 2021

:

Bacteriophages are bacterio-specific viruses that constitute the main
portion of the environment. Bacteriophages inject their genome into the targeted
bacterial cells and some of them can disrupt the metabolism of bacteria and
cause bacterial cell disintegration. The application of bacteriophages to kill bacteria
is known as bacteriophage therapy. Since bacteriophages target bacteria and
are strain-specific, every bacteriophage/bacterial host pair is unique. They are believed
to cause no harm to humans. An additional advantage of the strain-specific
nature of bacteriophages is that they do not disrupt the beneficial natural flora
in the body. Bacteriophage therapy in the West is not a recognized medicine at
this time, and no products are registered. Some clinicians are turning to bacteriophage
therapy for the treatment of antibiotic-resistant infections. Lack of adverse
effects makes bacteriophage therapy ideal for use. Funding research, media attention,
and the increased publication of articles helped in a widespread understanding
of its therapeutic potential. The first prerequisite for the use of bacteriophage
therapy is simply the availability of bacteriophages for treatment, which is often
complicated at this stage of bacteriophage production. This includes providing access
to all biologically active bacteriophages against the bacterial isolate of the
patient and meeting regulatory criteria of purity, traceability, and characterization.
A monophage preparation, which is a single bacteriophage, or a phage cocktail,
which consists of a number of combined bacteriophages against one or more
bacterial species may be used. Accordingly, the antibiotic resistance crisis
brought back bacteriophage therapy as a potential complementary or alternative
treatment. Bacteriophages are promising cheap antibacterials.
Naringenin Ameliorates Palmitic Acid-induced Fatty Acid Stress in Hepatocytes
Authors: Maity Subhajit , Chakrabarti Partha , Chakraborti Abhay Sankar
Published: January 2021

Type 2 diabetes is strongly associated with the development of insulin resistance in
metabolically active tissues. Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is considered to be a manifestation
of hepatic insulin resistance. Saturated fatty acids such as palmitic acid (PA) induce insulin
resistance, which may be studied for therapeutic prevention by herbal agents. In the present
study, the role of naringenin, a bioflavonoid, is examined in PA-induced cytotoxicity in human hepatocellular
carcinoma (HepG2) cells. PA causes significant inflammation and apoptosis in these
cells primarily by inhibiting phosphorylation of Akt at serine 473 residue. Apoptosis assay, mitochondrial
transmembrane potential measurement and immunoblotting for protein expressions have
been used for demonstrating PA-induced abnormalities. Naringenin treatment effectively inhibits
the fatty acid-induced inflammation and cytotoxicity, along with improvement of insulin signalling.
Naringenin has a potential to prevent the fatty acid-induced stresses in hepatocytes, and
may be beneficial for improving hepatic insulin sensitivity and mitigating lipotoxicity.
Review of Information Retrieval: Models, Performance Evaluation Techniques and Applications
Authors: Gupta Vishal , Sharma Dilip Kumar , Dixit Ashutosh
Published: January 2021

Information Retrieval (IR) is a field that concerns the structure, memory, analysis, and access
to pieces of information. It has a wide application in various areas like search engines, communication
systems, information filtering, medical search, etc., and helps design efficient and secure applications.
This area has been a surge of research from the last few years due to data mining's unparalleled success,
deep learning in computer vision, blockchain technology, etc. Core models, performance evaluation
techniques, IR system applications, and its role in blockchain technology have been proposed in this
literature, calling the need for a broad survey to focus the research in this promising area. This paper
fills the space by surveying the state of art approaches with deep learning models, query expansion
techniques used, and the use of private information retrieval in blockchain technology. This survey
paper includes different IR models like boolean model, vector space model, probabilistic model,
language model, N-gram model, fuzzy model, Latent Semantic Indexing (LSI) Model, Bayesian
network, Evolutionary algorithm-based models and Machine Learning based models. Applications of IR
systems along with different datasets are also included to provide further research in this field.