bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The ascent to methodology
(To the prehistory of Moscow Methodological Circle)
Authors: Rokityansky Vladimir 
Published: January 2021

The paper is about the roots of one of the most impressive phenomena of Russian XX century thought, the Moscow Methodological Circle (MMC) for almost forty years led by G. P. Schedrovitsky. It is based on three hypotheses: (1) the development of the school took place as constructivization, operationalization and instrumentalization of Hegelian and Marxian logic the return to serious study thereof in the Soviet philosophy was connected to the name of E. V. Ilyenlov, (2) the key role in this movement was played by the thesis of A. A. Zinovyev on the “method of ascension from abstract to concrete” in the Capital by K. Marx, and (3) the main novelty of Zinovyev was his rejection of the principle of identity of thought and being, which is a sort of second (after Kant) “Copernican revolution” in thinking. The main body of the paper is a synopsis of the first chapter of the mentioned thesis of Zinovyev with our comments showing how seminal ideas of Zinovyev develop into a huge tree of the methodology of Schedrovitsky and the MMC. There is a comprehensive list of texts by Schedrovitsky, published and archival, which should be further studied to reconstruct the history of the MMC. In the end of the paper one of the controversial question is discussed – on the nature of an act of thinking (based on the texts by V. V. Davydov, a psychologist of the same mental circle, and on comments to it by Schedrovitsky).
Ars historica sive de historiae et historices natura historiaque scribende praeceptis commentatio
Authors: Vossii  
Published: January 2021

The proposed text is a continuation of the translation of the book by the Dutch theologian, historian and philologist G. J. Fossius "The Art of the Historians", which began in No. 23–30 Vox. Chapter 13 defines war as direct action; describes in what conditions and how it is justified. This refers to the methods of waging war and its impact on society as a whole and on the condition of citizens.
Therapeutic levels of short-term tramadol administration negatively affect testis function in rats
Authors: Aprioku Jonah Sydney , Okpe Benjamin Toochukwu , Ben Doupere 
Published: January 2021

Objective:
To investigate the effects of 30-day treatment with therapeutic dose equivalent levels of tramadol on serum testosterone level, sperm parameters, and testicular histology in rats.

Methods:
Thirty-five Wistar rats were equally divided into seven groups. Group 1 (the control group) received distilled water (0.5 mL) daily for 30 days. Groups 2-4 were gavaged with therapeutic dose equivalent levels of tramadol (1.25, 2.50 and 5.00 mg/kg/day body weight, respectively) in two equal divided doses for 30 consecutive days, and sacrificed on day 31. Groups 5-7 received similar tramadol treatments as above but they were allowed for another 30 days to recover after receiving the last dose and sacrificed on day 61 for reversibility study. Serum testosterone level and epididymal sperm were analyzed, and histopathological examination of the testis was carried out.

Results:
Tramadol treatment significantly decreased serum testosterone levels compared with the control group. Furthermore, tramadol treatment inhibited sperm motility and significantly and dose-dependently decreased sperm count and viability compared with the control group. In addition, tramadol significantly increased morphological abnormalities in sperm (P<0.05). The above effects of tramadol were reduced in the reversible groups. Testis histopathological examination revealed disintegrated cell architecture, eroded and atrophied seminiferous tubules, and a marked decrease in the number of spermatogenic cells in the tramadol treated groups. The histopathological changes were restored in the reversible groups, but improvement was not complete in the 5.00 mg/kg tramadol treated reversible group.

Conclusions:
Long term treatment with tramadol at clinical dose levels may adversely affect testosterone level, sperm parameters, and testicular histology, but they are reversible at lower doses.
Supplementation of L-ascorbic acid improves the in vitro development of buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) embryos and alters the expression of apoptosis-related genes
Authors: Roshan Mayank , Dua Diksha , Sharma Ankur , Tiwari Manish , Singh Manoj Kumar , Singla Suresh Kumar , Palta Prabhat , Manik Radhay Sham , Chauhan Manmohan Singh 
Published: January 2021

Objective:
To study the effect of L-ascorbic acid supplementation on the in vitro development of buffalo embryos and evaluate the relative mRNA abundance of some pro-apoptotic, anti-apoptotic, and embryonic development-related genes.

Methods:
In experiment 1, we evaluated the effect of the addition of 0 (control), 50, and 100 μM L-ascorbic acid to the in vitro maturation medium on the developmental competence in terms of blastocyst rate and relative mRNA abundance of some pro-apoptotic (BAX, BID), anti-apoptotic (BCL-XL, MCL1), and embryonic development (GDF9, BMP15) related genes. Based on the results, we chose 50 μM as the suitable dose of L-ascorbic acid for the subsequent experiments. We further evaluated the blastocyst rates following the addition of 50 μM L-ascorbic acid to the in vitro culture medium (experiment 2), and in vitro maturation and in vitro culture media (experiment 3). In all three experiments, the maturation and culture media devoid of L-ascorbic acid served as the control group.

Results:
The blastocyst rate after adding 50 μM L-ascorbic acid to the in vitro maturation medium was significantly higher than the control group (P<0.05), whereas 100 μM L-ascorbic acid exhibited a negative effect on the blastocyst rate. The blastocyst rates for embryos cultured in 50 μM L-ascorbic acid in the in vitro culture medium alone and both in vitro maturation and in vitro culture media were significantly higher than their corresponding control groups (P<0.05). The relative mRNA abundance of BAX significantly decreased in blastocysts produced after the addition of 50 μM L-ascorbic acid as compared with the control group (P<0.05), whereas, for MCL1, it significantly decreased in blastocysts produced after the addition of 100 μM L-ascorbic acid (P<0.05).

Conclusions:
The supplementation of 50 μM L-ascorbic acid to in vitro maturation and in vitro culture media supports in vitro embryonic development in buffaloes by improving developmental competence and altering the expression of apoptosis-related genes.
Rank conditions for finite group actions on 4-manifolds
Authors: Hambleton Ian , Pamuk Semra 
Published: January 2021

AbstractLet M be a closed, connected, orientable topological

$4$
-manifold, and G be a finite group acting topologically and locally linearly on M. In this paper, we investigate the spectral sequence for the Borel cohomology

$H^*_G(M)$
and establish new bounds on the rank of G for homologically trivial actions with discrete singular set.
An Assessment of the Performance of Framework Contract Projects
Authors: Calistus Ayegba , Edwin Agbo , David Root 
Published: January 2021

There is increasing adoption of framework contracts (FC) for construction project delivery in South Africa, but it is not yet clear what the performance of the approach is in accomplishing client's expected outcomes of projects being delivered on time, within budget and to required quality and satisfaction. In this study, the performance of FC and the variables that influences the performance is investigated empirically. A qualitative research methodology was adopted for the study. Data were collected via semi-structured interviews with key informants of eight purposively selected client organizations employing FC in South Africa. From the findings, FC is indicated to have performed spectacularly in dealing with unnecessary cost overruns, time delays, and improvement in the quality of delivery. However, it was reported that the approach work best for repetitive works and when a client has the intention of a long-term programme of work. In which case, clients also have to take care to avoid complacency from the contractors. The results provide substantial evidence that FC can perform better than the conventional approaches of short-term relationships and contracts. The result of the study provides insights that can encourage construction stakeholders to appreciate and adopt FC as a viable alternative approach for construction project delivery.
Keywords: Framework contracts, Performance, Performance variables, South Africa
Design and development of biometric voting system using fingerprint and facial recognition
Authors: Okandeji A. , Olajide M.B. , Okubanjo A.A. , Onaifo F. 
Published: January 2021

The election process adopted in Nigeria is mostly paper based or manual. This manually handled process can be time-consuming, and prone to security breaches and electoral fraud. Consequently, this work proposes a biometrically authenticated voting system to provide inexpensive solution to the electoral process in Nigeria. In particular, the biometric database is constructed by filling it with the audio fingerprints and the associated metadata of many audio clips, and then the fingerprint of an unknown clip (or the distorted version of the clip brought by compression or standard audio processing) is extracted and compared to that of the clip in the database. If the fingerprint of the unknown clip is in the database, it will be correctly identified by the matching procedures. The project is implemented with biometric system i.e. fingerprint scanning and facial recognition. Accordingly, this is used to ensure enhanced security, and to avoid fake, repeated voting. Results obtained showed that the proposed system is fast, accurate, reliable, and cost effective, thus a viable option to replace the manual voting process.
Keywords: Biometrics, electoral process, facial recognition, finger print scanning
Zerumbone decreases BACH1 levels by upregulating miR- 708 to inhibit breast cancer cell proliferation and invasion
Authors: Zhao Fuguang , Ma Bo , Lv Zhenye , Chen Jie , Cai Yuanjie , Xu Chunjing , Cai Yong 
Published: January 2021

Purpose: To investigate the potential mechanism by which zerumbone suppresses breast cancer (BC) cells.Methods: Cell viability and Transwell assays were performed to assess the effect of zerumbone on BC cell growth. The downstream target of zerumbone was determined using quantitative polymerase chain reaction assays and immunoblotting. Cell viability assays and immunoblotting were conducted to detect if zerumbone had any effect on BACH1 (BTB domain and CNC homolog 1) expression.Results: Zerumbone suppressed the proliferation, migration, and invasion of BC cells. It also upregulated the expression of microRNA (miR)-708 and, hence, suppressed BACH1 expression. Furthermore, zerumbone suppressed the proliferation and invasion of BC cells by promoting miR-708expression and suppressing BACH1.Conclusion: The findings help clarify the anti-tumor mechanism of zerumbone and provide theoretical and therapeutic bases for the anti-tumor effects of Chinese herbal medicine.
Keywords: Breast cancer, Zerumbone, Cell invasion, MiR-708, BACH1
In vivo antidiabetic activity of qwueous extract of Artemisia argyi (Chinese mugwort) in alloxan-induced diabetic rats
Authors: Wu Xinliang , Zhuang Junxue , Bai Zixia , Guo Daliang 
Published: January 2021

Purpose: To determine the antidiabetic, antioxidant and anti-hyperlipidemic effects of aqueous leaf extract of Artemisia argyi (Asteraceae) in alloxan (ALX)-induced diabetic rats.
Experimental: Soxhlet apparatus was packed with grinded leaves of A. Argyi and subjected to extraction by double distillation using water as running solvent for 4 – 5 h. Male albino Wistar rats weighing 150 ± 10 g were used in this study. Diabetes was induced in overnight-fasted rats via intraperitoneal administration of freshly prepared 10 % alloxan solution at a dose of 186.9 mg/kg. Serum glucose (Glc), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-c), triglycerides (TGs) and total cholesterol (TC) were evaluated using Randox assay kits. Serum reduced glutathione (GSH) was assayed using a slight modification of a previously reproted procedure, while histological examination was carried out microscopically after hematoxylin and eosin staining.
Results: Oral administration of aqueous extract of Artemisia argyi significantly reduced ALX-induced increases in glycosylated hemoglobin and blood glucose, but significantly increased total protein, hemoglobin, insulin, and C-peptide levels (p < 0.05). Administration of the extract also led to a significant upsurge in non-enzymic antioxidants i.e. ceruloplasmin, GSH, vitamin E and vitamin C. The extract produced a hypolipidemic effect by significantly reducing total cholesterol (TC) and serum TGs. The hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic effects of the extract were dose-dependent (p < 0.05). Histological examination of the pancreas revealed that the extract protected the integrity of beta cells in ALXinduced diabetic rats.
Conclusion: These results indicate the beneficial effects of Artemisia argyi against diabetes mellitus. Thus, Artemisia argyi may be useful in the management of diabetes mellitus.
Keywords: Artemisia argyi, Antidiabetic, Glutathione, Histopathology, Antioxidant
Loureirin B attenuates amiodarone-induced pulmonary fibrosis by suppression of TGFβ1/Smad2/3 pathway
Authors: Ma Weixiu , Shi Haixia , Wei Guangming , Hua Mao , Ma Jinhua , Cui Jinxia , Yu Honggang 
Published: January 2021

Purpose: To investigate the therapeutic effect of loureirin B (LB) on amiodarone (AD)-induced pulmonary fibrosis (PF).Methods: Forty-eight male C57BL/6 mice, 8–10 weeks of age, were divided into four groups (n=12). Oral administration of amiodarone hydrochloride (AD) was performed for 4 weeks to induce pulmonary fibrosis. The degree of fibrosis was assessed by Masson staining, while collagen I and α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) levels were evaluated by Western blot analysis. ELISA was used to measure the levels of cytokines TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6 in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and lung tissue. Levels of p- Smad2, Smad2, p-Smad3 and Smad3 were determined by western blotting.Results: AD treatment increased the collagen levels and expression levels of collagen I and α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) in lung tissue and of inflammatory cytokines TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6, in both bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and lung tissue in a dose-dependent manner (p < 0.01).Furthermore, AD increased the levels of p-Smad2/3. AD-induced increases in collagen I and α-SMA levels were reversed by loureirin B (LB). In addition, LB reduced AD-induced increased levels of the inflammatory cytokines TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6 in both bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and lung tissue (p < 0.01).Conclusion: These results demonstrate that LB downregulates expression of fibrosis-related proteins and suppresses AD-induced PF. The mechanism responsible for the protective effect of LB on ADinduced PF might involve inhibition of the Smad2/3 pathway. Thus, LB is a potential therapeutic agent for the management of PF.
Keywords: Amiodarone, Loureirin B, Pulmonary fibrosis, Smad, Inflammation
Tiazofurin inhibits oral cancer growth in vitro and in vivo via upregulation of miR-204 expression
Authors: Tang Xiaoying , Zhao Aimin , Hong Yanhuan 
Published: January 2021

Purpose: To investigate the effect of tiazofurin on proliferation and growth of oral cancer cells, and the associated mechanism(s) of action.Methods: The effect of tiazofurin on the cytotoxicity of SCC-VII and SCC-25 oral cancer cells were measured using 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay, while cell apoptosis was determined by flow cytometry. Western blotting was used for assaying proteinexpressions.Results: Tiazofurin inhibited the viability of the oral cancer cells in a concentration-based manner (p < 0.05). Tiazofurin treatment at a dose of 2.0 μM reduced the proliferation of SCC-VII and SCC-25 cells to 25 and 22 %, respectively. Apoptosis was significantly increased in SCC-VII and SCC-25 cells by tiazofurin treatment, relative to untreated cells (p < 0 .05). Tiazofurin also increased the activation levels of caspase-3 and caspase-9 and downregulated the expressions of p-Akt and p-mTOR in the two cancer cell lines. Moreover, miR-204 expression was significantly promoted in the tiazofurin-treated cells, when compared to control (p < 0 .05). In SCC-VII cells, treatment with tiazofurin suppressed Factin expression, relative to control.Conclusion: These results demonstrate that tiazofurin inhibits the viability and proliferation of SCC-VII and SCC-25 cancer cells via induction of apoptosis and activation of caspase-3/caspase-9. Moreover, tiazofurin targets Akt/mTOR pathway, and upregulats the expressions of F-actin and miR-204 in the oral carcinoma cells. These findings suggest that tiazofurin has a potential for use as an effective treatment for oral cancer.
Keywords: Oral cancer, Tiazofurin, Apoptosis, Caspase, Cytotoxicity
Down-regulation of F-actin and paxillin by N-(3-(1Htetrazol- 1-yl)phenyl) isonicotinamide derivative inhibits proliferation of prostate cancer cells
Authors: Wei Liang , Mu Ying , Ji Lina , Guo Xin , Li Tongyi 
Published: January 2021

Purpose: To investigate the effect of N-(3-(1H-tetrazol-1-yl)phenyl) isonicotinamide derivative (TPIN) on prostate cancer cells, and the mechanism involved.Methods: The cytotoxicity of TPIN in DU145 and PC3 cells was determined using Cell Counting Kit-8, while apoptosis induction was assayed by flow cytometry using Annexin V-fluorescein isothiocyanate dye. Changes in expressions of F-actin, RAC-α and paxillin were determined by western blot assay.Results: Cell proliferation was effectively inhibited by TPIN in the concentration range of 0.75-15 μM. The values of half-minimum inhibitory concentration (IC50) of TPIN for DU145 and PC3 cells at 48 h were 5.6 and 10.2 μM, respectively (p < 0.05). Treatment with 5.6 μM TPIN increased apoptosis to 59.64 % in DU145 cells, and 54.21% in PC3 cells. Cleaved caspase-3 and caspase-9 levels were increased by TPIN treatment in both cell lines (p < 0.05). Moreover, the levels of F-actin and paxillin were significantly downregulated by TPIN treatment in DU145 and PC3 cells (p < 0.05). In TPIN-treated DU145 and PC3 cells, cofilin-1expression was up-regulated, relative to control cells.Conclusion: TPIN exhibits cytotoxic effect on prostate cancer cells via activation of apoptosis. It elevates cofilin-1 and the expressions of targets F-actin and paxillin in prostate cancer cells. Thus, TPIN is a potential chemotherapeutic agent for prostate cancer. However, further investigations, including clinical trials are required to authenticate these findings.
Keywords: Prostate cancer, F-actin, Paxillin, Apoptosis, Caspases
Phytochemical composition and pharmacological assessment of callus and parent plant of Asteriscus graveolens (Forssk.) Less. from Algerian Sahara
Authors: Belhadi Fairouz , Ouafi Saida , Bouguedoura Nadia 
Published: January 2021

Purpose: To determine the phytochemical composition, acute toxicity, as well as analgesic and antiinflammatory properties of extracts of the aerial parts and callus cultures of Asteriscus graveolens.Methods: Different standard chemical tests were used for the screening of bioactive compounds in aqueous extracts of aerial parts of Asteriscus graveolens (PAE) and callus (CAE). High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis was performed to identify the constituents of the glycosidic extract (GE). Acute oral toxicity test was carried out to ascertain the safety of the plant material. The analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties of the extracts were determined using acetic acid-induced writhing test and carrageenan-induced edema test, respectively.Results: Phytochemical analysis showed some differences in composition between the aerial parts and callus cultures. Results from HPLC analysis revealed the presence of 12 phenolic compounds in the GE of adult plants. In addition to being orally safe (no mortality), all extracts showed significant inhibition of acetic acid-induced chemical pain: PAE and GE produced 63 and 68 % reductions in pain, respectively, relative to 60.26 % pain reduction by aspirin. All extracts exerted potent anti-inflammatory effects, with PAE producing the highest effect (73 %) at a dose of 100 mg/mL.Conclusion: Asteriscus graveolens extracts possess potent pharmacological properties due to the presence of some phenolic compounds, especially flavonoids. These findings provide a scientific basis for the traditional uses of Asteriscus graveolens, and indicate that it is a potential source of antiinflammatory agents.
Keywords: Acute toxicity, Anti-nociceptive, Anti-inflammatory, Aqueous extract, Callus, Flavonoids
Ferula asafoetida Linn. is effective for early functional recovery following mechanically induced insult to the sciatic nerve of a mouse model
Authors: Kamran Syed Kashif Shahid , Rasul Azhar , Anwar Haseeb , Irfan Shahzad , Ullah Khizar Sami , Malik Shoaib Ahmad , Razzaq Aroona , Aziz Nimra , Braidy Nady , Hussain Ghulam 
Published: January 2021

Purpose: To evaluate the effect of Ferula asafoetida (oleo gum resin powder) on sensory and motor functions retrieval on an induced sciatic nerve injury in a mouse model.Methods: A mechanical crush was inserted in the sciatic nerve of all the experimental mice after acclimatization. The mice were allocated to four groups; one normal chow group (control, n = 7) and three Ferula asafoetida chow groups (each n = 7) of different doses (50, 100 and 200 mg/kg). Muscle grip strength, muscle mass, and sciatic functional index were measured to evaluate the motor function regain, while sensory function regain was assessed by hot plate test. Oxidative stress and glycemic levels were measured by biochemical assays.Results: The findings of this study indicate that Ferula asafoetida 200 mg/kg has a highly significant (p≤ 0.001) ameliorating effect in terms of improved grip strength (77.7 ± 5.4 % for 200 mg/kg vs. 46 ± 5.1 % for control), reversal of SFI towards normal ( -34 ± 8.1 for 200 mg/kg group vs. –61 ± 6.1 for control), decrease in paw withdrawal latency (7.10 ± 0.06 s for 200 mg/kg group vs. 15 ± 0.5 s for control) on day 12 post-injury, as well as restoration of skeletal muscle mass towards normal. Interestingly, F. asafoetida chow 50 mg/kg and 100 mg/kg groups also impacted significant (p < 0.01) improvement in the ameliorative effect. However, the differences among all treatment groups in ameliorating recovery were not significant (p > 0.05). Moreover, comparatively improved (p < 0.0001) total antioxidant capacity along with reduced total oxidant status (p = 0.01) in the Ferula asafoetida chow (200 mg/kg) group, indicate the antioxidative effect of this plant. Furthermore, the treated mice (200 mg/kg) also expressedan improved glycemic level (p = 0.0005).Conclusion: Ferula asafoetida supplementation helps to accelerate both sensory and motor function retrieval following sciatic nerve injury. This improvement is thought to be correlated with the antioxidant capacity of the plant. However, further investigations are required to identify the therapeutic principles responsible for the observed actions.
Keywords: Sciatic nerve injury, Ferula asafoetida, Function recovery, Oxidative stress, Biochemical analysis