Research productivity on COVID-19: A Bibliometric approach

The study aimed to explore the perspective of COVID-19 publications across the globe. Further, attempts were also made to find out the most productive country, author, and institute in publishing literature on COVID-19. The data related study was retrieved from SCOPUS database. Various search strategies were used to retrieve publications on COVID-19 published between 1st December 2019 and 22nd June 2020. A total of 19,991 publications on COVID-19 were retrieved from the Scopus database. Further, it was found that Huazhong University of Science and Technology, China has produced 422 publications and received 5624 citations with an average citation of 13.327 per publication. BMJ Clinical Research Ed published 534 (1.61%) articles. Among the most productive authors, Wiwanitkit, Viroj from Hainan Medical University, China stands in the first place with 73 publications followed by Mahase, E. from the British Medical Journal, UK (52 publications) and Iacobucci, Gareth (48 publications). The study provided a relatively objective reference for peer scientists, national regimes, and the global health system. The findings of the study will definitely help the institutions as well as authors to get an opportunity to collaborate with regional, national and international research institutions and scientists

Study of Viscoelastic Effect on the Frequency Shift of Microcantilever Chemical Sensors (proceedings)

Microcantilevers coated with a chemically sensitive layer are increasingly being used in chemical detection systems. The sensitive coating, often a polymer, absorbs specific molecules, which can be detected by monitoring the shift in the mechanical resonant frequency. Usually, the frequency shift resulting from molecular absorption is interpreted as a mass loading effect. However, mass loading is not the only effect that has an impact on the frequency shift; the viscoelastic properties of the sensitive coating are also affected by the sorption process. Sorption-induced modulus changes are typically difficult to characterize. However, it is known that the sorption of analyte molecules in a polymer coating results in the plasticization of the coating. In most cases, the polymer becomes more rubbery with increasing concentration of analyte molecules, i.e., the coating becomes softer with increasing loss modulus while the storage modulus decreases. Using a new analytical model developed for the resonant frequency expression of a hybrid microcantilever (elastic base and viscoelastic layer), the effects of the modification of the storage and loss moduli of the sensitive layer on the resonant frequency are examined. The main conclusion of this analytical study is that, even if the sensitive coating moduli are small compared to the base cantilever\u27s Young\u27s modulus, the effect of the change in the viscoelastic coating properties could contribute significantly to the overall frequency shift (8-23% in the simulations depending on the coating thickness, with even higher contributions for other sets of problem parameters)

Effect of Viscoelasticity on Quality Factor of Microcantilever Chemical Sensors: Optimal Coating Thickness for Minimum Limit of Detection

Microcantilevers with polymer coatings hold great promise as resonant chemical sensors. It is known that the coated cantilever sensitivity increases with coating thickness; however, the drawback of increasing the coating thickness is the increase of the frequency noise and thus the deterioration of the sensor\u27s limit of detection. In this paper, an analytical expression for the viscoelastic losses in the coating, hence the quality factor is established and is used to explain the observed increase of the frequency noise with the polymer thickness. This result is then used to demonstrate that an optimum coating thickness exists that minimise the limit of detectio

Computational identification of anthocyanin-specific transcription factors using a rice microarray and maximum boundary range algorithm

This study identifies 2,617 candidate genes related to anthocyanin biosynthesis in rice using microarray analysis and a newly developed maximum boundary range algorithm. Three seed developmental stages were examined in white cultivar and two black Dissociation insertion mutants. The resultant 235 transcription factor genes found to be associated with anthocyanin were classified into nine groups. It is compared the 235 genes by transcription factor analysis and 593 genes from among clusters of COGs related to anthocyanin functions. Total 32 genes were found to be expressed commonly. Among these, 9 unknown and hypothetical genes were revealed to be expressed at each developmental stage and were verified by RT-PCR. These genes most likely play regulatory roles in either anthocyanin production or metabolism during flavonoid biosynthesis. While these genes require further validation, our results underline the potential usefulness of the newly developed algorithm

Improving nitrogen use efficiency through overexpression of alanine aminotransferase in rice, wheat, and barley

Nitrogen is an essential nutrient for plants, but crop plants are inefficient in the acquisition and utilization of applied nitrogen. This often results in producers over applying nitrogen fertilizers, which can negatively impact the environment. The development of crop plants with more efficient nitrogen usage is, therefore, an important research goal in achieving greater agricultural sustainability. We utilized genetically modified rice lines overexpressing a barley alanine aminotransferase (HvAlaAT) to help characterize pathways which lead to more efficient use of nitrogen. Under the control of a stress-inducible promoter OsAnt1, OsAnt1:HvAlaAT lines have increased above-ground biomass with little change to both nitrate and ammonium uptake rates. Based on metabolic profiles, carbon metabolites, particularly those involved in glycolysis and the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle, were significantly altered in roots of OsAnt1:HvAlaAT lines, suggesting higher metabolic turnover. Moreover, transcriptomic data revealed that genes involved in glycolysis and TCA cycle were upregulated. These observations suggest that higher activity of these two processes could result in higher energy production, driving higher nitrogen assimilation, consequently increasing biomass production. Other potential mechanisms contributing to a nitrogen-use efficient phenotype include involvements of phytohormonal responses and an alteration in secondary metabolism. We also conducted basic growth studies to evaluate the effect of the OsAnt1:HvAlaAT transgene in barley and wheat, which the transgenic crop plants increased seed production under controlled environmental conditions. This study provides comprehensive profiling of genetic and metabolic responses to the over-expression of AlaAT and unravels several components and pathways which contribute to its nitrogen-use efficient phenotype

Quantitative estimation and evaluation of anti-inflammatory activity of macromolecules of Boswellia serrata

940-943The present study was aimed to isolate and perform qualitative analysis of macromolecules present in Boswellia serrata followed by evaluation of their anti-inflammatory activity by in-vitro IL-6 ELISA study. The oleo gum resin of B. serrata was pretreated with hexane, methanol and the obtained residue was extracted with water and the final dried powder was taken for macromolecule analysis. The macromolecules which comprise of polysaccharides, mucilages and proteins were quantitatively estimated and evaluated for their anti-inflammatory activity by in-vitro IL-6 ELISA study. From the current study, it was found that the macromolecules present in B. serrata majorly comprise of polysaccharides and mucilages with moderate quantity of proteins. The quantitative analysis of polysaccharides, mucilages and proteins were found 35.91%, 34% and 14.29%. From the in-vitro IL-6 ELISA study, it was found that the macromolecules showed 82.63% inhibition of IL-6. The identified macromolecules from B. serrata showed significant anti-inflammatory activity by inhibition of IL- 6 and further need to confirm by in vivo study to qualify B. serrata macromolecules as a promising anti-inflammatory agent

Quantitative estimation and evaluation of anti-inflammatory activity of macromolecules of Boswellia serrata

The present study was aimed to isolate and perform qualitative analysis of macromolecules present in Boswellia serrata followed by evaluation of their anti-inflammatory activity by in-vitro IL-6 ELISA study. The oleo gum resin of B. serrata was pretreated with hexane, methanol and the obtained residue was extracted with water and the final dried powder was taken for macromolecule analysis. The macromolecules which comprise of polysaccharides, mucilages and proteins were quantitatively estimated and evaluated for their anti-inflammatory activity by in-vitro IL-6 ELISA study. From the current study, it was found that the macromolecules present in B. serrata majorly comprise of polysaccharides and mucilages with moderate quantity of proteins. The quantitative analysis of polysaccharides, mucilages and proteins were found 35.91%, 34% and 14.29%. From the in-vitro IL-6 ELISA study, it was found that the macromolecules showed 82.63% inhibition of IL-6. The identified macromolecules from B. serrata showed significant anti-inflammatory activity by inhibition of IL- 6 and further need to confirm by in vivo study to qualify B. serrata macromolecules as a promising anti-inflammatory agent