bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Changing SARS-CoV-2 variants in Karachi, Pakistan from alpha to delta through COVID-19 waves three and four
Authors: Hasan Zahra , Aamir Uzma Bashir , Nasir Asghar , Kanji Akbar , Samreen Azra , Bukhari Ali Raza , Syed M Asif , Wassan Mansoor , Mahmood Syed Faisal , Hasan Rumina 
Published: August 2021

Abstract
We investigated the presence of SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern (VoC) in Karachi, Pakistan between April and July 2021 in specimens received at the Aga Khan University Clinical Laboratories. VoC were identified using a PCR based approach targeting lineage specific mutation. Of the 710 clinical isolates tested, 63% were VoC comprising; 36% alpha, 37% beta, 7% gamma and 21% delta variants. Alpha variants remained the majority whilst, delta strains increased to 43% of cases in July. Thirty-six per cent of all cases were admitted COVID-19 in-patient samples. Of the in-patient cases, 41% were alpha, 28% were beta, 8% were gamma and 24% were delta variants. Overall, we report an increase of delta variants in Karachi over the past two months which is concordant with the currently observed exacerbation in COVID-19 morbidity and mortality.
Application of model fitting technique to enhance bacterial regrowth potential (BRP) measurement for drinking water supply monitoring
Authors: Xue Wenjin , Chow Christopher W. K. , van Leeuwen John 
Published: August 2021

AbstractThe bacterial regrowth potential (BRP) method was utilised to indirectly measure the assimilable organic carbon (AOC) as an indicator for the assessment of the microbial regrowth potential in drinking water distribution systems. A model using various microbial growth parameters was developed in order to standardise the experimental interpretation for BRP measurement. This study used 82 experimental BRP data sets of water samples collected from the water treatment plant to locations (customer taps) in the distribution system. The data were used to model the BRP process (growth curve) by a data fitting procedure and to obtain a best-fitted equation. Statistical assessment and validation of the model obtained equation by fitting these 82 sets of data were conducted, and the results show average R2 values were 0.987 for treated water samples (collected at the plant prior to chlorination) and 0.983 for tap water (collected at the customer taps). The F values obtained from the F-test are all exceeded their corresponding F critical values, and the results from the t-test also showed a good outcome. These results indicate this model would be successfully applied in modelling BRP in drinking water supply systems.
Determination of groundwater potential distribution of Ceylanpinar Plain (Turkey) in Upper Mesopotamia by using geographical information techniques and Fuzzy-AHP with MCDM
Authors: Dilekoglu Mehmet Fatih , Aslan Veysel 
Published: August 2021

Abstract
The Ceylanpinar Plain is an important part of Upper Mesopotamia and one of the largest plains of Turkey, is in danger of facing water scarcity due to global climate change. For this reason, the potential of groundwater resources is important. In this study, groundwater potential zones in the Ceylanpinar Plain basin were investigated utilizing a weighted overlay analysis method combined with fuzzy analytical hierarchy process (FAHP) multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) approaches and geoinformation technologies. The groundwater potential zone map was created using 10 theme layers that were produced and processed in a geographic information system (GIS) environment (GPZM). After that, possible groundwater zones were identified and classified into five categories: very good, good, medium, poor, and very poor. By assessing the present open well distribution and yield data of selected wells within the research catchment, the predicted groundwater potential zones (GWPZ) was confirmed. As a result, 17% of the study area was found to be very good, 39% good, 20% moderate, 21.4% poor and 2.6% very poor. This study provides a key estimate and crucial information for regional water administrators and officials in southeast Turkey by giving a map of the groundwater potential region, in order to ensure sustainable groundwater management.
Effect of hydrodynamic conditions on the water quality in urban landscape water
Authors: Kang Mengxin , Tian Yimei , Zhang Haiya , Wan Cheng 
Published: August 2021

Abstract
In this study, a 2D hydrodynamic and water quality model was built based on MIKE 21 to investigate the relationship between hydrodynamic condition and water quality, and then applied in an urban landscape lake in Tianjin, China. Moreover, an engineering experiment was carried out to confirm the comprehensive degradation coefficients of chemical oxygen demand (COD), total phosphorus (TP), nitrogen ammonia (NH4+-N), and total nitrogen (TN) (0.014 d−1, 0.024 d−1, 0.019 d−1, and 0.005 d−1, respective). Circulation system was the main force that expedited water changes and pollutant movement, increased the lake average water speed from 0.003 m/s to 0.008 m/s, and could effectively reduce the COD, NH4+-N and TN concentration nearly by 35, 32, and 5%. The high concentrations nitrogen and phosphorus in the reclaimed water would accelerate the deterioration of water quality, and the concentrations of TP, NH4+-N, and TN in the lake increased from 0.080 mg/L, 0.53 mg/L, and 1.53 mg/L to 0.090–0.096 mg/L, 0.71–0.81 mg/L, and 1.89–2.08 mg/L, respectively. The circulation system could slow the water quality deterioration but cannot eliminate the eutrophication risk. Improving the hydrodynamic conditions was proposed for enhancing water quality in urban landscape lakes.
Measurement and ecological risk assessment of heavy metals accumulated in sediment and water collected from Gomishan international wetland, Iran
Authors: Kalani Nazanin , Riazi Borhan , Karbassi Abdolreza , Moattar Faramarz 
Published: August 2021

Abstract
This study aimed to measure and ecologically assess heavy metals, including As, Cr, Pb, Cd, and Ni in water and sediment samples taken from Gomishan, an international wetland located in Golestan, Iran. Four sampling stations were selected to cover all parts of the wetland. The analyses of the heavy metals were performed by ICP-MS. Based on the content of the heavy metals in the sediments, the values of risks for individual heavy metals, as Er, and for total heavy metals, as IR, were estimated. Igeo and EF also presented the soil quality in terms of accumulated contamination. The average content of the heavy metals in water was 23.12, 4.14, 10.04, 6.71, and 94.48 μg/L for As, Cd, Cr, Ni, and Pb, respectively. The heavy metal concentrations in sediments were decreased in the following order: Pb (2130 ppb) &gt; As (655 ppb) &gt; Cr (295 ppb) &gt; Ni (148.8 ppb) &gt; Cd (148.8 ppb). The potential risk values for individual heavy metals were in the low range, Er &lt; 40, except for Cd, which mostly posed a moderate ecological risk. The values of EF and Igeo showed that the sediments sampled from the Gomishan wetland were minimally enriched and contaminated. As the Gomishan wetland has a moderate risk of heavy metal contamination, conservative and monitoring activities should be performed.
Effects of pollution on hydrogeochemistry and water quality of the Damietta branch (Nile River, Egypt)
Authors: Elhadad Engy , Ibrahim Majed , Al-Fawwaz Abdullah 
Published: August 2021

Abstract
Currently, different sources of contamination threaten water quality in Damietta, Egypt. The aim of this study was to assess the pollution, hydrogeochemistry and suitability for use in agriculture of water collected atseven stations along the Damietta branch of the Nile River. In addition to pH, temperature, dissolved oxygen (DO), and electrical conductivity (EC), levels of Mg2+, Ca2+, K+, Na+, Cl−, HCO3−, SO42− and CO32− were measured. From the highest to the lowest, the concentrations of cations were Na+ &gt; Ca2+ &gt; Mg2+ &gt; K+, whereas those of anions were HCO3− &gt; SO42− &gt; Cl− in water samples collected at seven stations along the Damietta branch. Moreover, water quality indexes, such as sodium percentage (Na%) ranged between 21.6 and 71.4, Kelly's ratio from 0.37 to 3.85, sodium adsorption ratio (SAR) varied from 1.73 to 61.8, residual sodium carbonate (RSC) found to be in range of 0.2 to 3.8. Also, the potential salinity (PS) and permeability index (PI), magnesium hazard (MH), were calculated. Most samples (71%) belonged to the Mg–Ca–Na–HCO3 watertype. Fertilization wastes were identified as the main contributors of alkaline earth metals, whereas ion exchange was the main source of alkali metals. This work also provides information on distinguishing geochemical behaviors and the pollution of water samples.
The Therapeutic Value and Molecular Mechanisms of lncRNA FENDRR in Human Cancer
Authors: Xu Wen , Wang Bei , Cai Yuxuan , Chen Jinlan , Meng Enqing , Guo Chong , Zhou Gang , Yuan Chengfu 
Published: August 2021

Background:
Long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) fetal-lethal non-coding developmental regulatory
RNA (FENDRR), a newly known lncRNA, has been reported to be abnormally expressed in diverse tumors.
This review is focused on clarifying the mechanism of FENDRR to regulate the biological process of tumors,
affirming its value as a target for tumor therapy.

Methods:
The pathophysiological mechanism of FENDRR acting on tumors has been analyzed and summarized
by reviewing PubMed.

Results:
The expression of lncRNA FENDRR is abnormally altered in clinical cancers, promoting the malignant
transformation of a variety of tumors, including colon cancer, cervical cancer, hepatocellular carcinoma,
prostate cancer, Malignant melanoma, lung cancer, osteosarcoma, breast cancer, etc. Cellular processions, including
proliferation, invasion, apoptosis and migration affected by FENDRR, have been revealed.

Conclusion:
Specific evidences for the involvement of LncRNA FENDRR in cancer regulatory processes suggest
that FENDRR has the potential to be a biomarker or clinical therapeutic target for malignant tumors.
Construction and Evaluation of Liraglutide Delivery System based on Milk
Exosomes: A New Idea for Oral Peptide Delivery
Authors: Shi Yanan , Guo Shiqi , Liang Yanzi , Liu Lanze , Wang Aiping , Sun Kaoxiang , Li Youxin 
Published: August 2021

Background:
Increasing the bioavailability of peptide or protein drugs have always been an important topic in the field of pharmacy. Milk exosomes as a carrier for oral drug delivery systems have begun to attract attention in recent years. The application of oral milk exosomes carriers to peptide drugs, such as liraglutide, is worth trying.

Objective:
Milk-derived exosomes are used in this study to try to encapsulate the GLP-1 receptor agonist liraglutide and the feasibility of using this drug delivery system for oral biomolecules delivery in the future is explored.

Methods:
The size and morphology of milk exosomes were characterized. The gastrointestinal stability of milk exosomes was evaluated in a dialysis bag. The cellular uptake of milk exosomes in the intestinal cells was observed. Six drug loading methods have been evaluated and compared preliminarily and they are incubation method, sonication method, extrusion method, freeze-thaw cycles method, saponin-assisted method and electroporation method.

Results:
As demonstrated in this study, milk exosomes showed significant stability in the gastrointestinal environment and excellent affinity with intestinal cells, indicating their unique benefits used for drug oral delivery. Effective drug loading method for exosomes is challenging. Among the six drug loading methods used in this study, the liraglutide-Exo prepared by the extrusion method obtained the largest drug load, which was 2.45 times the direct incubation method. The liraglutide-Exo obtained by the freeze-thaw cycles method has the smallest morphological change.

Conclusion:
The study showed that milk exosome-based oral drug delivery systems are promising.
Correction of redox metabolism and the relationship of markers of systemic chronic inflammation with a measure of overall survival in cancer patients with multiorgan resections
Authors: Shulga Ye.V. 
Published: August 2021

Background. According to the literature, multiorgan resections are carried out with the most radical removal of healthy tissue. Therefore, there is a need for the most favorable preparation of the patient with perioperative therapy to reduce further complications with obtaining improved clinical and pathological prognostic indicators to increase the overall survival. Purpose: correction of redox metabolism based on the data of the oxidative modification of proteins, degree of their catabolic reaction, and data on the enzymatic state and lipid peroxidation in cancer patients with multiorgan resections on the gastrointestinal tract under conditions of perioperative intensive care. Materials and methods. The study involved 117 cancer patients aged 67.6 ± 3.7 years with locally advanced tumor processes of the gastrointestinal tract. Studies have been conducted on the enzymatic state, lipid peroxidation and oxidative modification of proteins, both in terms of the degree of fragmentation of their products in spontaneous and iron-induced reactions, and the level of medium-weight protein molecules. Serum levels of circulating tumor necrosis factor alpha, interleukin-6 and -8 were determined. Survival analysis was performed using the Kaplan-Meier method. Results. The study of patients has shown an improvement in the indicators of oxidative modification of proteins and lipid peroxidation. Survival in cancer patients with multiorgan resections demonstrated dependence on the levels of tumor necrosis factor alpha, interleukin-6 and -8 in the blood serum. Conclusions. Conducting perioperative intensive care makes it possible to reliably restore indicators of the enzymatic state, lipid peroxidation and oxidative protein modification products (on the fourth day and second week, p < 0.05). This gives us grounds for recommending the determination of these parameters in the group of cancer patients and the implementation of metabolic intensive care. In the group of L-ornithine L-aspartate and quercetin combination with povidone, the lowest indicators of systemic chronic inflammation and the best overall survival were found.
NEWLY-GRADUATED MEDICAL DOCTORS AS NEAR-PEER TUTORS FOR PREPARING NATIONAL LICENSING EXAMINATION: A CASE REPORT
Authors: Utomo Prattama Santoso , Farmawati Arta , Degnan James , Hidayah Rachmadya Nur , Riskiyana Rilani , Rahayu Gandes Retno 
Published: August 2021

Background: Medical students in Indonesia are required to pass a national licensing examination (e.g., UKMPPD) as a requirement of graduation and to obtain their certificate of competence. Medical schools prepared their students based on their needs and capacity. The preparation might use different teaching approaches. Undergraduate medicine program in Universitas Gadjah Mada conducts a national licensing examination preparation program facilitated by both faculty members and peer tutors. The peer tutors are newly graduated medical doctors who were recruited and trained. The use of trained peer tutors in a structured program to prepare high-stake examination such as a national examination is considered novel. This paper aims to describe a peer-assisted learning (PAL) approach used to prepare medical students in facing a national licensing examination.Case Discussion: A preparation program using faculty and peer tutors was deployed to prepare final-year medical students for facing the Indonesian national licensing examination. The ratio of sessions facilitated by faculty to peer tutors was 1:2. The preparation included CBT and OSCE training. Sessions with faculty used a medium to large class approach while sessions with peer tutors used a small to medium group approach. Through February 2020, 147 students have participated in the program. A questionnaire was developed to measure agreement that the program was successful and if the tutees were satisfied with various aspects of the program. The tutees responded with high rates of satisfaction to most items on the questionnaire (responses for all but one item ranged between 72.1% and 90.5% in favorable agreement or satisfaction). The one exception was CBT preparation where the level of satisfaction was lower (54.4% rated CBT favorably). Participants highly valued the involvement and the performance of peer tutors.Conclusion: The use of near-peer assisted learning for national licensing examination preparation has strong potential. Further study is required to investigate the impact of the peer-assisted national licensing examination preparation program on students’ achievement and clinical practice.
Diáspora, conversão, assimilação de sefarad סְפָרַדִּי e zarfat צרפת às terras do Tio Sam: ao encontro do (novo) Protestantismo anglo-saxônico
Authors: Levi Joseph Abraham 
Published: August 2021

Neste estudo analisar-se-ão como as diferentes correntes migratórias dos Sefardim, particularmente a Gente da Nação – ou seja, dos Sefarditas de origem portuguesa e seus descendentes diaspóricos – durante mais de quatro séculos (ca. 1391-ca. 1812) de Diáspora (Galut, גלות‎exílio) por muitas terras da Europa, do Magreb, da Ásia e do Novo Mundo colonial, foram também motivos de encontros e desencontros entre diversos povos, usos, costumes e religiões. Deixando de lado os já exaustivamente estudados casos de cripto-judaísmo de cunho católico nas áreas geográficas supracitadas, é nossa intenção, ao invés, investigar nessa sede casos de dissimulação e assimilação em áreas onde o Protestantismo irá ter um peso económico-religioso relevante durante esses séculos, sobretudo no Novo Mundo, nomeadamente nos Estados Unidos da América e no Canadá.
Hukum Waris dalam Islam: Dari Era Klasik Hingga Kontemporer
Authors: Barrunnawa Muhammad , Falakh Berlian Fajrul , Huda Firdha Setyawan Maslakul 
Published: August 2021

Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menjelaskan pembaruan hukum waris Islam yang terjadi sejak era sahabat hingga sekarang. Penelitian ini menggunakan metode library research (studi kepustakaan). Jenis penelitian ini bersifat kualitatif dengan pendekatan normatif-historis, dengan memaparkan beberapa fakta perubahan hukum waris yang terjadi dari era sahabat hingga era modern. Dari kajian yang dilakukan, dapat diketahui bahwasannya pembaruan hukum waris saat ini bukan merupakan hal yang baru, serta tidak menutup kemungkinan hukum waris Islam akan terus berkembang sesuai dengan keadaan zaman. Tujuan pembaruan hukum waris merupakan respon dari setiap negara Islam terhadap perkembangan sosial di masing-masing negara agar hukum waris tetap eksis tanpa menimbulkan ketimpangan sosial.
Deconstruyendo y decolonizando el Derecho Internacional Público
Authors: Betancur Morales Manuela 
Published: August 2021

El derecho internacional público es tan antiguo como la historia de nuestras sociedades; al respecto, entre los imperios y las civilizaciones indígenas se dieron una serie de tratados comerciales sobre el control militar, la justicia y la parte económica. No obstante, el nacimiento del derecho internacional público tiene un mito originario en la modernidad, la Paz de Westfalia, que data de 1648. A partir de esta se comienzan a crear los Estados en Europa que son los que establecen las bases jurídicas de este derecho; dicha construcción fue excluyente ya que solo tuvo en cuenta la cosmovisión del hombre blanco europeo, lo cual terminó siendo impuesto al resto del mundo. Es por esto que queremos plantear la necesidad de deconstruir y decolonizar el derecho internacional público, en primer lugar, exponiendo como ha sido la construcción de este tipo de derecho; en segundo, describiendo ciertas generalidades de los feminismos y la perspectiva decolonial, al igual que la relación que se puede tejer entre ambas, y por último, mostrando las razones por las que se debe emprender ese camino de la deconstrucción y decolonización, para poder construir un tipo de derecho no excluyente, no opresor y que no inhiba otras interpretaciones del mundo.
Estados Unidos y el cumplimiento de los tratados de derechos humanos y DIH
Authors: Carmona Tamayo Ana Margarita , Gómez Betancur Juan José 
Published: August 2021

En el siguiente trabajo investigativo se estudiaron, de manera histórica y jurídica, las diferentes acciones y omisiones de Estados Unidos de América en lo concerniente al cumplimiento y la protección de los tratados de Derechos Humanos, así como del Derecho Internacional Humanitario. Para llevar a cabo dicha tarea, se revisaron los conceptos de ddhh y dih, se aclararon los mecanismos de protección de estos y se procedió a evidenciar aquellos pactos de los que no participa Estados Unidos, así como las ocasiones en las que dicho país atentó contra sus principios y normas fundamentales. Finalmente, se evaluó la ilegitimidad de dichas acciones y se llegó a las conclusiones pertinentes.
Prospects of decriminalization and legalization of euthanasia in Ukraine
Authors: Lutsenko A.P , Khairullina D.I. 
Published: August 2021

This article is devoted to the study of the legal regulation of the institution of euthanasia in foreign practice and in Ukrainian law. We conducted a thorough analysis of the existing arguments for and against the legalization of the assisted suicide procedure, which have developed in scientific doctrine. Given the importance of the right to life in the fundamental human rights system, deprivation of any life is unacceptable, as it could set a precedent that would lead to the abuse of criminal intent by the possibility of masking premeditated murder with voluntary consent to accelerate biological death. That is why today in Ukraine deprivation of life at the request of a person is a crime, namely premeditated murder, and therefore euthanasia at the state level is now criminalized. However, after analyzing the views of scholars studying the dynamics of human rights, as well as paying attention to the practice of countries that have already legalized euthanasia at the state level, we concluded that assisted suicide today is a powerful mechanism that can guarantee the human right to a dignified existence at the end of her life. A number of foreign countries have shown by their example that the legalization of euthanasia is an important step towards building a more humane and humane society, where there is a place of mercy for terminally ill people who want to end their lives painlessly.
The current position of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine on the interpretation of the right to life does not allow for its expanded understanding, and therefore there is a need to amend the Constitution (for example recognition of the right to die) or change the position of the Court. In order for the right to dispose of one's own life to be properly guaranteed in Ukraine as well, we have developed on the basis of our research and proposed an algorithm of actions that can be used in the implementation of the institute of assisted suicide in Ukraine. We emphasize the need to amend the Constitution of Ukraine or change the position of the Constitutional Court on the interpretation of the right to life and the development of an appropriate legal framework that should take into account the medical side of this issue.