bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Glucose deprivation affects the expression of genes encoding cAMP-activated protein kinase and related proteins in U87 glioma cells in ERN1 dependent manner
Authors: Ratushna Oksana O. 
Published: April 2021

Abstract

Objective. The aim of this investigation was to study the expression of genes encoding cAMP-activated protein kinase catalytic and regulatory A subunits (PRKACA and PRKAR1A) and related proteins such as cAMP-dependent protein kinase inhibitors A and G (PKIA and PKIG), catalytic subunit A of protein phosphatase 3 (PPP3CA), A-kinase anchoring protein 12 (AKAP12), and praja ring finger ubiquitin ligase 2 (PJA2) in U87 glioma cells in response to glucose deprivation in both control U87 glioma cells and cells with ERN1 (endoplasmic reticulum to nucleus signaling 1) knockdown, the major pathway of the endoplasmic reticulum stress signaling, for evaluation of possible significance of glucose deprivation in ERN1 dependent regulation of glioma growth.

Methods. The expression level of PRKA related genes was studied in control (transfected by vector) and ERN1 knockdown U87 glioma cells under glucose deprivation by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction.

Results. It was shown that the expression level of PRKACA and PKIA genes was down-regulated in control glioma cells treated by glucose deprivation, but PJA2 gene was up-regulated. At the same time, the expression of four other genes (PRKAR1A, PKIG, AKAP12, and PPP3CA) was resistant to this experimental condition. Furthermore, ERN1 knockdown of glioma cells significantly modified the effect glucose deprivation on the expression almost all studied genes. Thus, treatment of glioma cells with inhibited ERN1 enzymatic activity by glucose deprivation lead to a more significant down-regulation of the expression level of PKIA and to suppression PRKAR1A gene expressions. Moreover, the ERN1 knockdown introduced up-regulation of PKIG and AKAP12 gene expressions in glioma cells treated by glucose deprivation and eliminated the sensitivity of PJA2 gene to this experimental condition.

Conclusions. Results of this investigation demonstrated that ERN1 knockdown significantly modified the sensitivity of most studied PRKA related gene expressions to glucose deprivation and that these changes are a result of complex interactions of variable endoplasmic reticulum stress related and unrelated regulatory factors and contributed to the suppression of glioma cell proliferation and their possibly chemoresistance.
Effect of selected bisphenol derivatives on nuclear receptor expression in ovarian cell line COV434
Authors: Mlynarcikova Alzbeta Bujnakova , Scsukova Sona 
Published: April 2021

Abstract

Objectives. Bisphenol A (BPA), as an indispensable plastic additive, has also been proven as an endocrine disruptor associated with adverse health effects including impaired ovarian function and cancer. Due to the restrictions of its usage, several analogs have been employed to replace BPA. Although many studies revealed a harmfulness in the biological effects of BPA analogs, their specific targets remain largely unknown. Nuclear receptors (NRs) may be one of the most important targets of bisphenols. Therefore, in this study, our attention was directed to explore the effect of BPA and its analogs, AF and S, on the mRNA expression of selected NRs involved in the steroidogenic and carcinogenic pathways in the human granulosa cell line COV434. The NRs investigated included: thyroid hormone receptor α (THRA), peroxisome proliferator activating receptor β/δ (PPARD), retinoid X receptor α (RXRA), chicken ovalbumin upstream promoter-transcription factor II (COUPTFII), nuclear receptor-related protein 1 (NURR1), and liver receptor homolog-1 (LRH1).

Methods. COV434 cells were treated with the bisphenols at the concentrations of 10−9 M, 10−7 M, and 10−5 M, and after 24 and 48 h, cell viability was monitored by the MTS assay and gene expressions were analyzed using RT-qPCR.

Results. Bisphenol treatment did not alter the COV434 cell viability. After 24 h, the expression of neither of the NRs was changed. Likewise, after 48 h, the expression of the selected genes was not altered. However, both BPAF and BPS increased, at the highest concentration (10−5 M) used, the mRNA levels of both PPARD and NURR1 NRs after 48 h of the treatment. In the BPA-treated groups, no significant upregulation was observed.

Conclusions. In the present study, the effect of bisphenols on COUP-TFII, Nurr1, and LRH-1 NRs was investigated for the first time. Although generally we did not observe that BPs provoked any alterations in the expression of the selected NRs in COV434 cells, at specific concentrations and time points they might alter mRNA expression of certain NRs (NURR1, PPARD).
Primary hypothyroidism and autoimmune thyroiditis alter the transcriptional activity of genes regulating neurogenesis in the blood of patients
Authors: Bilous Iryna I. , Pavlovych Larysa L. , Kamyshnyi Aleksandr M. 
Published: April 2021

Abstract

Objective. Thyroid hormones play an important role in the development and maturation of the central nervous symptom and their failure in the prenatal period leading to an irreversible brain damage. Their effect on the brain of adult, however, has not been fully studied. With the discovery of neurogenesis in the adult brain, many recent studies have been focused on the understanding the basic mechanisms controlling this process. Many neurogenesis regulatory genes are not only transcribed but also translated into the blood cells. The goal of our study was to analyze the transcriptional activity of neurogenesis regulatory genes in peripheral blood cells in patients with thyroid pathology.

Methods. The pathway-specific PCR array (Neurotrophins and Receptors RT2 Profiler PCR Array, QIAGEN, Germany) was used to identify and validate the neurogenesis regulatory genes expression in patients with thyroid pathology and control group.

Results. The results showed that GFRA3, NGFR, NRG1, NTF3, NTRK1, and NTRK2 significantly decreased their expression in patients with autoimmune thyroiditis with rising serum of autoantibodies. The patients with primary hypothyroidism, as a result of autoimmune thyroiditis and postoperative hypothyroidism, had significantly lower expression of FGF2, NGFR, NRG1, and NTF3. The mRNA level of CNTFR was markedly decreased in the group of patients with postoperative hypothyroidism. No change in the ARTN, PSPN, TFG, MT3, and NELL1 expression was observed in any group of patients.

Conclusion. The finding indicates that a decrease in thyroid hormones and a high level of autoantibodies, such as anti-thyroglobulin antibody and anti-thyroid peroxidase antibody, affect the expression of mRNA neurogenesis-regulated genes in patients with thyroid pathology.
The IMMIGRANTS ARE ANIMALS metaphor as a deliberate metaphor in British and Bosnian-Herzegovinian media
Authors: Mujagić Mersina , Berberović Sanja 
Published: April 2021

Abstract
Applying MIPVU (Steen et al., 2010) to the corpus of media articles about the European migrant crisis in the period from August 2015 until March 2016 in English and Bosnian/Croatian/Serbian, this paper analyzes the IMMIGRANTS ARE ANIMALS metaphor within the framework of the deliberate metaphor theory by considering the three dimensions of this metaphor, namely, the linguistic dimension of (in)directness, the conceptual parameter of conventionality, and the communicative dimension of (non)deliberateness. Specifically, the paper examines the use of the ANIMALS metaphor as a deliberate metaphor in the immigration discourse in English and Bosnian/Croatian/Serbian. The paper aims to determine to what extent and in which situations the authors of the texts tend to divert the addressee’s attention to viewing immigrants in terms of animals. Using the IDeM protocol for the identification of deliberate metaphor (Krennmayr, 2011), the paper also focuses on the rhetorical potential and the effects of the use of deliberate metaphors in the media discourse. Such metaphors are often used in the media discourse to dehumanize immigrants and consequently reduce the addressee’s empathy for them.
Autoregressive Distributed Lag Modeling of the Effects of Some Macroeconomic Variables on Economic Growth in Nigeria
Authors: Adenomon Monday Osagie , Ojo Rotimi Olalekan 
Published: April 2021

Abstract

Research background: The relationship between inflation rate, unemployment rate, interest rate and real gross domestic product per capita in Nigeria. However, there seems to be a short-run or long-run relationship among the macroeconomic variables.

Purpose: This study investigated the long and short run impacts of the inflation rate, unemployment rate and interest rate on real gross domestic product per capita (RGDPPC) (proxy for economic growth).

Research methodology: This study applied a linear dynamic model Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) modeling technique to analyze the short-run dynamics and long-run relationship of economic growth in Nigeria over the sample period between 1984 and 2017 using annual secondary data extracted from the World Bank Development Indicators Report.

Results: The empirical results showed that there was a long-run relationship between the inflation rate, unemployment rate and interest rate on real gross domestic product per capita (proxy for economic growth) in Nigeria. The results further revealed that only the unemployment rate had a significant positive impact on real gross domestic product per capita in the long-run and the inflation rate had a significant negative impact on real gross domestic product per capita in the short-run.

Novelty: Therefore, the study concluded that the unemployment rate and inflation rate proved to have significant impacts on economic growth in the long-run and short-run respectively. The formulation of policies to reduce unemployment through the adoption of a labour concentrated technique of production, entrepreneurship development and policy to keep the inflation rate a single digit.
The Development of E-Commerce and Consumer Attitudes – A Comparative Analysis of Poland, Ukraine and Belarus
Authors: Gregor Bogdan , Kalińska-Kula Magdalena 
Published: April 2021

Abstract

Research background: Motivation for this paper is the rapid development of the electronic commerce sector and its increasing role as a sales channel. The level of e-commerce development is spatially diverse, both across continents and countries. As such, this study examined the conditions of electronic commerce development in the context of the specificity of e-consumers’ behavior in selected European countries.

Purpose: The purpose of the paper is to compare the attitudes towards e-commerce among buyers from Poland, Ukraine and Belarus along with their activities directly related to online shopping.

Research methodology: The paper focuses on the results of a study conducted in central and eastern European countries on a sample of nearly 1,000 respondents. The statistical tools used included the Kruskal-Wallis test and an independence analysis through SPSS v. 25 and Statistica v. 13.3.

Results: The results showed that the country of origin is a variable differentiating both activities connected with shopping online undertaken by e-consumers and buyers’ attitudes towards e-commerce in the context of such aspects as: safety, convenience, time-consuming, possibilities of choice, ease and the economics of shopping. The predominant dependence between the country of origin of respondents and their inclination to use the Internet has not been confirmed.

Novelty: The study contributes to the on-going and extremely current issue of the importance of e-commerce and the conditions of its development.
South African Unemployment in the Post-Financial Crisis Era: What are the Determinants?
Authors: Mbekeni Lutho , Phiri Andrew 
Published: April 2021

Abstract

Research background: High unemployment rates are one of the greatest economic challenges facing the post-apartheid South African government over the past two decades and this problem has become more worrisome in the post-global financial crisis period.

Purpose: Our study examines the determinants of unemployment for the South African economy in the post-crisis period over a quarterly frequency period of 2009:Q1 to 2018:Q4. The determinants are examined for four classes of unemployment rates (total, male, female and youth) and we further partition possible unemployment determinants into fiscal, monetary and macroeconomic variables.

Research methodology: We employ the autoregressive distributive lag (ARDL) models.

Results: We find income tax, repo rates, economic growth, trade, investment, household debt and savings to be significant determinants of unemployment in the post-crisis South African economy and yet we note discrepancies of the significance of these determinants amongst different unemployment categories.

Novelty: No study has examined the determinants of unemployment in South Africa in the post-financial crisis era.
Recreation in nature reserves – preferences and satisfaction of tourists visiting the Polesie National Park
Authors: Śliwińska Agnieszka , Mandziuk Agnieszka , Studnicki Marcin 
Published: April 2021

AbstractThe aim of this work was to determine preferences and satisfaction of tourists visiting the Polesie National Park (PPN). Preferences were defined in terms of the motives for visiting, ways of spending leisure time, the length and frequency of visits, knowledge of tourist attractions and awareness of the Park’s financing.A survey was conducted in July–August 2019 gathering responses from 125 adults visiting the PPN tourist and bicycle paths. 100 correctly completed questionnaires were analysed using the CART method to determine the respondents’satisfaction with spending leisure time in the Park.The most frequently mentioned reasons for visiting were the beautiful landscape (28%) and the species richness (27%) of the PPN. 39% of respondents visited the area for the first time and 47% came for one day. Most visitors (65%) had very good knowledge of the tourist attractions in the PPN. Walking was the most common way (37%) for visitors to spend theirleisure time in the Park. More than half of the respondents (58%) would be willing to accept additional fees in order to help maintain and protect the PPN. The vast majority of the respondents indicated that they are satisfied (42%) or very satisfied (48%) with their visit to this area.Our statistical analysis indicated that asking the question about financing the Park greatly impacted the responses to the question about visitor satisfaction, but was also correlated with the respondent’s place of residence as well as their knowledge of tourist attractions. The unique character, landscape as well as the natural, historical and cultural richness of the PPN combined with the well-maintained infrastructure are crucial to ensure a high level of visitor satisfaction.
Pygomelia and True Hermaphroditism in a Nine Week Old Large White Piglet Case Report
Authors: Ajadi T. A. , Olaniyi M. O. 
Published: April 2021

Abstract
A nine weeks old female Large White piglet which was presented to the Veterinary Teaching Hospital, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, with a complaint of extra limbs was diagnosed with pygomelia and concurrent true hermaphroditism based on gross morphologic features, radiography, exploratory laparotomy and histopathology of the malformed organs. The piglet had two well-developed extra hind limbs consisting of the femur, tibia, fibula and the phalanges. Radiographically, the accessory limbs were attached to the ischium through a rudimentary pelvic bone. The supernumerary limbs were smaller than the normal appendages, but contained equal digits. The anal orifice was observed cranial to the right supernumerary limb. Caudal to the left supernumerary limb a rudimentary penis was observed. Two oval shaped fibrous masses were palpated in the inguinal canal of the piglet. In addition, there was a transparent tubular tract measuring 24 cm in length which contained serous fluid. The right kidney was rudimentary measuring 2.10 cm, while the left kidney appeared hypertrophied measuring 6.10 cm. The histology of the left kidney showed dysplastic areas of undifferentiated mesenchymal stroma in the cortex and medulla with the presence of groups of immature glomeruli in the cortex. The tubules in the medulla were scanty in number and had atypical epithelium. The adrenal glands had normal architecture with ectopic adrenal tissue in the adrenal capsule, while the ovaries and uterus were normal. It was concluded that the complex anomalies in the piglet might be as a result of a complex mode of inheritance.
Antioxidant Activity of the Fungus Cordyceps sinensis Grown on Two Different Media
Authors: Uhrinová A. , Poľančíková N. 
Published: April 2021

Abstract

Cordyceps sinensis, a species of the genus Ascomycetes, is recognised as the most famous tonic herb and natural remedy in traditional Chinese medicine for centuries. Various pharmacological actions of the chemical constituents of C. sinensis have been reported, including: antitumour effects, hepatoprotective and anti-inflammatory effects, and antioxidant, nephroprotective and anti-apoptotic properties. In this study we tested the antioxidant activity of extracts of the fungus C. sinensis grown on two subspecies of rice, Oryza sativa var. Indica and Oryza sativa var. Japonica. The extracts were prepared with methanol by two different extraction procedures (reflux and ultrasound). The antioxidant activity of the extracts was determined by the DPPH assay. Our investigations showed that the sample 1 (grown on Oryza sativa var. Japonica) exhibited higher antioxidant activity than the sample 2 (grown on Oryza sativa var. Indica). The higher antioxidant activity of the sample 1 was observed with both extraction procedures.
COVID-19 and mass-media: the weight of the words
Authors: Spulber Diana 
Published: April 2021

Abstract
The events of the year 2020 have had and heavy impact on the whole world. For the first time, each of us felt that we were part of this great globalised family. For the first time, the events that happened on a strict continent were directly related to other continents’ inhabitants. The new words entered to be a part of our vocabulary, and the new way of behaviour have been performed. On the positive side, we could mention that countries have been discovered for people with low geographical culture and the existence of certain professions and certain hospital departments have been discovered. The role of mass-media has been decisive in transmitting the news about Covid 19 in various ways. The article aims to show the role of mass media on the headlines of high ranking newspapers in UK Germany and Italy by analysing the weight of the words. The used methodology was the analysis to analyse the headlines of high ranking newspapers in UK Germany and Italy. Through content analysis, it was possible to individuate how the news-papers attract the audience through the headlines and how they contributed to keeping up the attention and the stress among social reality.
European Union and Russia: international relations evolution
Authors: Figus Alessandro 
Published: April 2021

Abstract
Today the relationship between Russia and the today EU-28 (today EU-27) members of the European Union is essential and very strategically important; this issue is bound to become more urgent as the two draws closer together over the next decades. In this paper, we discuss this and the Russian Federation’s role in the Ukraine conflict that has seriously affected EU-Russia relations. The EU and Russia have a long record of cooperation on issues of bilateral and international concern in several fields, from climate change to drug and human trafficking, but also the organized crime, terrorism, and non-proliferation. In particular, Europe, the “old traditional Europe”, acquires special weight for Russia in the context of the cooling down of relations between Russia and the United States. We will discuss gas, oil, and energy, but we can see that the solution can be only economic, and the oil and agriculture sectors could help do just that. “Business is business”.
Trigonella foenum-graecum seeds in treatment of metabolic syndrome
Authors: Kania-Dobrowolska Małgorzata , Baraniak Justyna 
Published: April 2021

Abstract
Fenugreek has a long tradition of use as a medicine and also has been commonly used as food in many countries. This plant is well known, especially in Asia. In Europe, fenugreek seeds are regarded as a traditional herbal medicine consumed in case of loss of appetite and in confirmed skin inflammations. Trigonella foenum-graecum seeds contain wide spectrum of different biologically active constituents which affect the properties of preparations produced from this plant. Numerous preclinical studies confirm the use of fenu-greek as a hypolipidemic and lowering blood glucose level drug. Unfortunately, there are not many clinical studies on fenugreek seeds in this area. Published studies often significantly differ in the amount and type of fenugreek seed preparation used. However, results of available scientific research are promising and suggest the possibility of using fenugreek seeds in metabolic syndrome therapy. Undoubtedly, further research is required to confirm such properties of Trigonella foenum-graecum.
Effects of combined ethanol extract of Funtumia africana and Abutilon mauritianum leaves (FAAM) on liver function indices of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) induced rats
Authors: Uroko Robert Ikechukwu , Adamude Fatima Amin , Egba Simeon Ikechukwu , Chukwu Charles Nnanna , Asadu Chidimma Lilian , Okwara Emmanuel Chidera 
Published: April 2021

Abstract

Objective
This study evaluated the effects of combined ethanol extract of Funtumia africana and Abutilon mauritianum leaves (FAAM) on the liver function indices of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) induced rats.

Materials and Methods
The study used 30 rats divided into 5 groups, comprising normal control, BPH control, standard control, and BPH induced rats treated with 200 and 600 mg/kg/day of FAAM respectively.

Results
The BPH induction caused significant (p<0.05) increases in aspartate transaminase (AST) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activities of the BPH control when compared with the normal control. The BPH control also had significantly (p<0.05) reductions in the total protein, albumin and globulin concentrations and significant (p<0.05) elevated total bilirubin and direct bilirubin concentrations relative to the normal control. The FAAM treated BPH-induced rats had non-significantly (p>0.05) reduced AST, and alanine transaminase (ALT) activities relative to the BPH control. The BPH-induced rats treated with 600 mg/kg/day of FAAM had significantly (p<0.05) reduced ALP activities relative to the BPH control. Treatment with FAAM caused significant (p<0.05) increases in the total protein, albumin, globulin concentrations and significant (p<0.05) reductions in the total bilirubin and direct bilirubin concentrations relative to the BPH control. BPH had no observable adverse effects on the liver histomorphology of the rats.

Conclusion
The findings of this study indicated that BPH impairs liver functions and treatment of BPH with combined ethanol extract of F. africana and A. mauritianum leaves restore normal liver functions in rats with BPH.