Development Of Research Program Research Articles

Stakeholder theory and management: Understanding longitudinal collaboration networks.

This paper explores the evolution of research collaboration networks in the 'stakeholder theory and management' (STM) discipline and identifies the longitudinal effect of co-authorship networks on research performance, i.e., research productivity and citation counts. Research articles totaling 6,127 records from 1989 to 2020 were harvested from the Web of Science Database and transformed into bibliometric data using Bibexcel, followed by applying social network analysis to compare and analyze scientific collaboration networks at the author, institution and country levels. This work maps the structure of these networks across three consecutive sub-periods (t1: 1989-1999; t2: 2000-2010; t3: 2011-2020) and explores the association between authors' social network properties and their research performance. The results show that authors collaboration network was fragmented all through the periods, however, with an increase in the number and size of cliques. Similar results were observed in the institutional collaboration network but with less fragmentation between institutions reflected by the increase in network density as time passed. The international collaboration had evolved from an uncondensed, fragmented and highly centralized network, to a highly dense and less fragmented network in t3. Moreover, a positive association was reported between authors' research performance and centrality and structural hole measures in t3 as opposed to ego-density, constraint and tie strength in t1. The findings can be used by policy makers to improve collaboration and develop research programs that can enhance several scientific fields. Central authors identified in the networks are better positioned to receive government funding, maximize research outputs and improve research community reputation. Viewed from a network's perspective, scientists can understand how collaborative relationships influence research performance and consider where to invest their decision and choices.

Stress Inducing Factors and Its Effect on Employees Performance among Selected Instituions

Aims: The study examined the relationship between stress inducing factors and employee performance in Michael Imoudu National Institute for Labour Studies (MINILS) and National Directorate of Employment (NDE).
 Study Design: Cross sectional survey design.
 Place and Duration of Study: The study was carried out at the Michael Imoudu National Institute for labour studies and National Directorate of Employment (NDE) between December 2019 and September 2020
 Methodology: The survey method was employed whilst 400 respondents were purposively selected from the Training department, Planning, Research and Curriculum Development department and Programs department which are the core departments under pressure to deliver all year round in the institutions under study. The questionnaire was the main instrument for data collection. The Pearson Product Moment Correlation was used in analyzing the data.
 Results: Results show that the most stress inducing factor was pressure to deliver on time because of mode of operations (60%), non-conducive working environment (59%) and being insufficiently skilled for the job (37%). The effects of stress on employee performance include dependence on drugs and alcohol (86%), illness and sickness (75%), fatigue (40%) and irritability (25%).
 Conclusion: It is recommended that a conducive working environment should be created for employees and that counselors and counseling rooms should be provided by organizations to enable their employees have a safe place to de-stress without fear of stigmatization. Also, training and re-training of employees should be done frequently to improve set skills. This will significantly reduce work stress and enhance performance which will in turn increase organizational productivity.

Training needs assessment of postgraduate researchers of Pakistan

PurposeResearchers’ competencies are directly related to the quality and effectiveness of the research they produce. However, training opportunities for education and conducting research seem to be limited for the growing research culture in Pakistan. The purpose of this study is to assess the research-related training needs of postgraduate researchers (PGRs) of Pakistan.Design/methodology/approachA quantitative research approach was used to conduct the study using a questionnaire. Non-random sampling technique was used to collect the data from the postgraduate (MPhil/MS and PhD) researchers enrolled in the two well renowned Pakistani Universities.FindingsResults of the study confirmed that PGRs were interested in developing their skills in various areas of a research project such as topic selection, research design and use of data analysis software. Findings also highlighted that respondents were interested in learning reference management tools for citing and managing the sources of information in their research work.Originality/valueThis is the first study, which investigated the training needs assessment of PGRs enrolled in two major Pakistani universities. The results may help in designing training programs, promoting a conducive research culture in the country and improving the quality of research being produced. This study provided a framework likely to be beneficial for quality enhancement cells, universities and organizations in organizing effective research training and development programs for researchers of Pakistan.

Respiratory Quotient Is Correlated With Reductions In Aerobic Exercise Performance Following Repeated 6-hour Hyperoxic Dives

Hyperoxic conditions can lead to decrements in performance following repeated long-duration 100% O2 dives, but mechanisms for reductions in exercise capacity are not well understood. PURPOSE: Measure respiratory quotient (RQ) and related metabolic variables to identify factors contributing to aerobic performance decrements post-dive. METHODS: 14 military divers completed 5 consecutive 6-hr 100% O2 exercise dives at 1.35 ATA with 18-hr surface intervals. A time-to-fatigue treadmill run at 85% of maximal O2 consumptions (V̇O2max) was completed 72 hrs before dive 1 (PRE), within 2 hrs after dive 5 (2POST), and at 72 hrs after dive 5 (72POST). Breath-by-breath measures of RQ, V̇O2, and PetCO2 were taken during the runs; rating of perceived exertion (RPE) and breathing frequency (BF) were also measured. Data were time-matched to the end-point of the shortest run and analyzed using a one-way repeated measures ANOVA at PRE, 2POST, and 72POST. RESULTS: There were significant main effects for run time, RQ, Pet-CO2, V̇O2, BF, and RPE (p < 0.05). Run time significantly decreased from PRE (8.4 ± 0.8 min, mean ± SEM) to 2POST (4.6 ± 0.4 min, p < 0.01), and 72POST (6.3 ± 0.7 min, p < 0.01). RQ significantly increased from PRE (1.20 ± 0.01) to 2POST (1.25 ± 0.02, p < 0.01), but was not different at 72POST (1.21 ± 0.01). Change in RQ from PRE to 2POST and 72POST was highly correlated with endurance run time (r = -0.74, p < 0.01; r = -0.87, p < 0.01). PetCO2was lower than PRE (5.8 ± 0.2%) at 2POST (5.4 ± 0.2%, p < 0.01) and 72POST (5.4 ± 0.2%, p < 0.01), while V̇O2 was lower than PRE (3.5 ± 0.2 L/min) at 72POST only (3.2 ± 0.2 L/min, p < 0.01). BF was higher than PRE (39.2 ± 2.0 breaths/min) at 2POST (41.4 ± 2.0 breaths/min, p < 0.05) only. RPE was higher at both 2POST (16.4 ± 0.9, p < 0.01) and 72POST (15.5 ± 0.7, p < 0.05) compared to PRE (14.4 ± 1.0). CONCLUSION: The increase in RQ at 2POST suggests greater reliance on anaerobic glycolysis for energy following repetitive, long-duration 100% O2 dives. Correlation between RQ and run time suggests that failure to maintain oxidative phosphorylation may be a mechanism for decrements in performance. Future studies will investigate the effects of this type of diving on mitochondrial function and damage, which may be related to changes in RQ. Supported by the Office of Naval Research and NAVSEA Deep Submergence Biomedical Development Program

Testing and Interpreting Latent Variable Interactions Using the semTools Package

Examining interactions among predictors is an important part of a developing research program. Estimating interactions using latent variables provides additional power to detect effects over testing interactions in regression. However, when predictors are modeled as latent variables, estimating and testing interactions requires additional steps beyond the models used for regression. We review methods of estimating and testing latent variable interactions with a focus on product indicator methods. Product indicator methods of examining latent interactions provide an accurate method to estimate and test latent interactions and can be implemented in any latent variable modeling software package. Significant latent interactions require additional steps (plotting and probing) to interpret interaction effects. We demonstrate how these methods can be easily implemented using functions in the semTools package with models fit using the lavaan package in R, and we illustrate how these methods work using an applied example concerning teacher stress and testing.

High BMI1 Expression with Low CD8+ and CD4+ T Cell Activity Could Promote Breast Cancer Cell Survival: A Machine Learning Approach.

BMI1 is known to play a key role in the regulation of stem cell self-renewal in both endogenous and cancer stem cells. High BMI1 expression has been associated with poor prognosis in a variety of human tumors. The aim of this study was to reveal the correlations of BMI1 with survival rates, genetic alterations, and immune activities, and to validate the results using machine learning. We investigated the survival rates according to BMI1 expression in 389 and 789 breast cancer patients from Kangbuk Samsung Medical Center (KBSMC) and The Cancer Genome Atlas, respectively. We performed gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) with pathway-based network analysis, investigated the immune response, and performed in vitro drug screening assays. The survival prediction model was evaluated through a gradient boosting machine (GBM) approach incorporating BMI1. High BMI1 expression was correlated with poor survival in patients with breast cancer. In GSEA and in in silico flow cytometry, high BMI1 expression was associated with factors indicating a weak immune response, such as decreased CD8+ T cell and CD4+ T cell counts. In pathway-based network analysis, BMI1 was directly linked to transcriptional regulation and indirectly linked to inflammatory response pathways, etc. The GBM model incorporating BMI1 showed improved prognostic performance compared with the model without BMI1. We identified telomerase inhibitor IX, a drug with potent activity against breast cancer cell lines with high BMI1 expression. We suggest that high BMI1 expression could be a therapeutic target in breast cancer. These results could contribute to the design of future experimental research and drug development programs for breast cancer.

San Antonio Nathan Shock Center: your one-stop shop for aging research.

With evolving cores, enrichment and training programs, and supported research projects, the San Antonio (SA) Nathan Shock Center has for 26years provided critical support to investigators locally, nationally, and abroad. With its existing and growing intellectual capital, the SA Nathan Shock Center provides to local and external investigators an enhanced platform to conduct horizontally integrated (lifespan, healthspan, pathology, pharmacology) transformative research in the biology of aging, and serves as a springboard for advanced educational and training activities in aging research. The SA Nathan Shock Center consists of six cores: Administrative/Program Enrichment Core, Research Development Core, Aging Animal Models and Longevity Assessment Core, Pathology Core, Analytical Pharmacology and Drug Evaluation Core, and Integrated Physiology of Aging Core. The overarching goal of the SA Nathan Shock Center is to advance knowledge in the basic biology of aging and to identify molecular and cellular mechanisms that will facilitate the development of pharmacologic interventions and other strategies to extend healthy lifespan. In pursuit of this goal, we provide an innovative "one-stop shop" venue to accelerate transformative research in the biology of aging through our integrated research cores. Moreover, we aim to foster and promote career development of early-stage investigators in aging biology through our research development programs, to serve as a resource and partner to investigators from other Shock Centers, and to disseminate scientific knowledge and enhanced awareness about aging research. Overall, the SA Nathan Shock Center aims to be a leader in research that advances our understanding of the biology of aging and development of approaches to improve longevity and healthy aging.

Processes Developed Based on Friction Stir Welding Process

Considering the remarkable results obtained by using friction stir welding process (FSW), ISIM Timisoara has developed research programs for the knowledge and development of processing processes based on the FSW process principle.The paper presents a synthesis of the researches and the results obtained within some of research projects carried out by ISIM Timisoara, regarding possibilities of using some of processes derived from the FSW process, which has focused mainly on two directions (areas): surface engineering (materials surface processing) and joining by friction riveting. In the field of surfaces engineering, there are presented some results that represent own contributions of ISIM Timisoara, regarding: friction stir processing as well as coating with functional layers from lightweight alloys of steel substrates (by friction with consumable tool).Regarding friction riveting, two methods are presented: classic friction riveting, respectively friction riveting with hybrid effect (mechanical grip and friction welding).The paper shows very good results obtained to FSP processing (for cast aluminum alloys), to friction riveting with hybrid effect (for aluminum and copper alloys) and to friction riveting (for aluminum alloy), but also some limitations of these friction processing methods.Also in the paper are presented new research directions that are currently being addressed, respectively that will be addressed in the next period at ISIM Timisoara, regarding new variants of application of FSW welding.

A bright commercial future for off-the-shelf NK cell therapy

<div class="authors authors-lg"><div class="author"><div class="author-img"><img src="https://cdn.insights.bio/uploads/Jan Spanholtz 200x200.jpg" data-image="1"></div><div class="author-det"> <b>Jan Spanholtz</b> is currently CSO of Glycostem Therapeutics, a Dutch biotech company, focused on developing allogeneic cell products for cancer therapy. Jan qualified in medical biology at Radboud UMC in Nijmegen, the Netherlands, and developmental stem cell biology at Heinrich-Heine University in Düsseldorf, Germany. Jan has 20 years of expertise in stem cell research at universities and within biotech companies. Jan has experience of biotechnology scientific research development programs, leading to patent strategies around product and business development. He is author of multiple peer review research articles and inventor of various patent applications and within Glycostem responsible for research programs, patent strategy and early clinical translation, as well as coordinating several R&amp;D collaborations with international partners from academia and biotech businesses. </div></div></div><div class="authors authors-lg"><div class="author"><div class="author-img"><img src="https://cdn.insights.bio/uploads/Troels Jordansen 200x200.jpg" data-image="1"></div><div class="author-det"> <b>Troels Jordansen</b> started his career in healthcare at LEO Pharma. After four years with Johnson &amp; Johnson Orthopaedics he was one of the initial Genzyme Europe hires to focus on commercializing Carticel and Epicel in 1996. Over the past 20 years Jordansen has worked for five different cell therapy companies including Dutch IsoTis NV, Australian Clinical Cell Culture Pty Ltd. and British Azellon Ltd. where he was co-founder. His roles have covered sales, marketing and general management; for the past 15 years he has been managing director and/or chairman for private and public listed companies. Jordansen has been part of award-winning management teams that have raised over €175 million in funding. He became Chairman of Glycostem in January 2014 and CEO in July 2016. </div></div></div><div class="authors authors-lg"><div class="author"><div class="author-img"><img src="https://cdn.insights.bio/uploads/Volker Huppert 200x200.jpg" data-image="1"></div><div class="author-det"> <b>Volker Huppert</b> is a graduate bioprocess engineer from RWTH Aachen University. Among his achievements are participation in the set up of a quality system for a medical device/biotechnology company and development of several clinical-level reagents, disposable tubing sets and process software for cell separation and cell culture medical devices. He contributed to both the tubing set and process software development of a leading cell therapy-manufacturing device. Additionally, he managed projects and teams developing cell-manufacturing procedures for hematopoietic stem cells and Natural Killer cells. Volker has published 12 papers in peer reviewed journals over the past 20 years while working for a leading biotechnology company and is co-inventor of 9 patent families, including methods for T cell depletion of hematopoietic stem cell products, NK-cell transduction and NK-cell proliferation. </div></div></div>

Scholar 12: Beta Trial of an Osteopathic Research Cultural Development Computer Application

Abstract Context: Research is emphasized as a critical component of Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) Osteopathic Recognition (OR) criteria, yet there remains a deficit of osteopathic contributions to the literature. Scholar 12 combines discrete research development tools into an interactive application and blog forum that guides students from research team formation with an agreed-upon query to a scholarly product and presentations. Objective: This study aims to evaluate a beta test of Scholar 12 in developing a scholarly culture within medical school education. Methods: An unblinded prospective cohort beta trial by 6 osteopathic medical students across different campuses provided feedback for improvement measures and self-assessed research skill competency before and after completing Scholar 12 on an accelerated time frame. The pre- and post-Scholar 12 surveys scored 12 skills based on learning objectives for each unit on a 5-point Likert scale. Results: The composite results from self-assessments of 6 medical students demonstrate a statistically significant improvement in research skill familiarity by the completion of Scholar 12 (p&amp;lt;0.001). Conclusions: The osteopathic profession has opportunity to advance clinical practice and fulfill ACGME OR initiatives with evidence-based medical research. Scholar 12 is a foundational educational tool and aims to engage medical students, residents, and attendings with scholarly work, regardless of experience level. The present survey provides a preliminary measure of the efficacy of Scholar 12 in improving medical students’ knowledge of creating new scholarly work. General feedback has been communicated to the application developer and editorial staff for improvement measures before the 2020 nationwide launch. Despite the statistical significance of these students’ self-reported progress, additional beta trials; blinded, long-term evaluation of students’ and mentors’ productivity as a result of this research learning tool; and controlled comparison to other research development programs are warranted. Scholar 12 is designed to accommodate students’ academic obligations with a convenient, virtual tool to learn the research process on a flexible schedule, in order to meet generational needs.

Development of Students’ Research Activity During Studying at Higher Education Institutions

The study is devoted to the development of activities for the development of research activities of students in the learning process in universities. The authors analysed the essence of students' research activities, identified the main tasks of students' research activities and formed a hypothesis that the development of students' research activities in the process of studying at a university will be useful and will be reflected in the dynamics of their creative self-development if it is carried out within the framework of the research development program as a joint activity of a teacher and a student. The authors proposed a model for the development of research activities of students in the learning process, and empirically tested its effect, which confirmed the hypothesis. However, during the experimental phase, some limiting factors were identified.

422 Influence of Sex-Specific Differences in Inpatient Sleep Testing Approach for Diagnosis of Obstructive Sleep Apnea

Abstract Introduction Increased attention has been focused on sex-specific differences in approaches to diagnostic testing for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) given differences in hypoxia, arousal thresholds and sleep state dependent influences, but with sparse data available for inpatient testing. We postulate that women are more likely to have a lesser degree of sleep apnea on inpatient home sleep apnea testing (HSAT) versus polysomnography (PSG). Methods The Cleveland Clinic Sleep Laboratory registry was queried for inpatient sleep testing (HSAT or PSG conducted over the last 15 years. Demographics, comorbidities, and sleep study (Nihon Kohden®) data were collated. Logistic regression was used to examine sleep study type predictive of OSA at various severity thresholds (apnea hypopnea index (AHI, 3 or 4% hypopnea rule)&amp;gt;5,&amp;gt;15 and &amp;gt;30 and hypoxia (11% (median) time spent with SaO2&amp;lt;90%) adjusted for age, race and body mass index and comorbidities (hypertension, coronary artery disease, arrhythmias, heart failure, diabetes, stroke, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, mood disorders, respiratory failure and epilepsy with a sex interaction term) (OR, 95%CI presented). Results The analytic sample was comprised of 639 patients: age:55.8±16.3 years, 45% female, 73% Caucasian, BMI:37.5 ± 13.3kg/m2, 74% had OSA and 51% HSAT. Men had higher AHI:16.2 [5.9, 42.3] vs 8.2 [2.9, 20.7]p&amp;lt;0.001, higher arousal index:33.1[18.9,.54] vs 25.3 [15.6, 39.2]p=0.003. Women had higher BMI:40.2 ±14.7, vs 36 ±11.7kg/m2,p&amp;lt;0.001. Unlike AHI&amp;gt;5, at AHI&amp;gt;15, men had lower odds of OSA: OR=0.51:0.32–0.80,p=0.004 for HSAT versus PSG compared to women: OR=1.03:0.61–1.72,p=0.92; interaction p-value=0.046. Men had lower odds of OSA (AHI &amp;gt;30): OR=0.57(0.35,0.92,p=0.022) in HSAT vs PSG; albeit sex-interaction was not statistically significant. Men versus women had 2-versus 3-fold higher hypoxia ie. OR=2.04:1.22–3.41,p=0.006 in men undergoing HSAT versus PSG with strength of association higher in women: OR=3.03:1.68–5.46,p=0.001, interaction p-value=0.32 Conclusion We unexpectedly observe sex-specific differences in inpatient sleep testing such that men had an overall lower odds of detection of moderate to severe and OSA and nocturnal hypoxia relative to women with HSAT versus PSG. Future investigation focused on concurrent inpatient PSG and HSAT should verify these sex-specific findings and clarify potential biophysiologic rationale Support (if any) Transformative Neuroscience Research Development Program: Multimodal Neurocardiorespiratory Physiologic Sleep Signal Repository Transformative Resource Facilitating Transdisciplinary Research Opportunities

The Research Capability of Secondary School Science Teachers

This paper described the perceived level of research capability of secondary school Science teachers in the basic education whereas a descriptive-correlational design was employed to determine the extent of relationship between research capability and profile of the 76 Science teachers from the Schools Division of Pampanga. A Re-search Capability Self-Assessment Scale Abrazado &amp; Coronel (2016) was adopted to identify the level of research capability of the respondents, also a checklist was developed to identify the problems encountered by on their research undertakings. Most of the Science teachers did not yet pursue higher professional studies. Majority did not have the opportunity to attend research trainings; regarded with low research productivity. Science teachers had moderate research capability. Science teachers’ research capability had low level relationship with their profile in terms of educational attainment, research trainings and seminars attended, and research output. Lack of time, research trainings and research skills were the problems encountered. A sustainable research development program will aid Science teachers to develop and enhance their research capability.

Trends in scientific publishing on sustainability in higher education

It is widely acknowledged that research and publications in peer reviewed journals offer important metrics in describing the academic outputs of higher education institutions on one hand, and their societal impacts on the other. Peer review is a well-tested method for quality control and has been successfully deployed over many decades in academic journals worldwide. But despite the fact that publications on matters related to sustainable development offer solid evidence of academic activity and excellence, there is a dearth of literature in this field. In order to address this need, the European School of Sustainability Science and Research (ESSSR) and the Inter-University Sustainable Development Research Programme (IUSDRP) have undertaken the World Survey on Sustainability Publishing and Research in Higher Education (WSSSP-HEI). The paper has two main aims. The first is to document and showcase trends in scientific publishing on matters related to sustainable development. The second aim is to contribute to a greater understanding of this rapidly growing field, by describing the latest developments and the role played by some of the journals active in this area. Consistent with these aims, this paper focuses on publications on sustainability in higher education, describes the methods used in the study and some of its results. It can be seen that despite the intrinsic value of research on sustainable development in higher education as a whole, and of publications in this field in particular, such practices are not as widely developed as one could expect. This paper discusses the possible reasons and also outlines some measures via which higher education institutions may be able to take more advantage of the many opportunities that publishing on sustainability offers to them.

Consensus for the General Use of Equine Water Treadmills for Healthy Horses.

Simple SummaryWater treadmill exercise has become popular in recent years for the training and rehabilitation of equine athletes. Water treadmill exercise sessions can be tailored to the individual horse and the training/rehabilitation goals by altering the frequency, duration of exercise, water depth and belt speed. Recent work suggests that there are large variations in current modes of use between users, despite shared training or rehabilitation goals. In 2019, a group of researchers and experienced water treadmill users met in the UK to establish what was commonly considered to be best practice in the use of the modality. The result of these discussions was the production of ‘Water treadmill guidelines—a guide for users’, released in 2020 via various equestrian websites. The purpose of this article is to describe the development of these guidelines and propose them as a starting point for further collaboration between researchers and practitioners in the pursuit of ‘best practice’ in water treadmill exercise for horses.Water treadmill exercise has become popular in recent years for the training and rehabilitation of equine athletes. In 2019, an equine hydrotherapy working group was formed to establish what was commonly considered to be best practice in the use of the modality. This article describes the process by which general guidelines for the application of water treadmill exercise in training and rehabilitation programmes were produced by the working group. The guidelines describe the consensus reached to date on (1) the potential benefits of water treadmill exercise, (2) general good practice in water treadmill exercise, (3) introduction of horses to the exercise, (4) factors influencing selection of belt speed, water depth and duration of exercise, and (5) monitoring movement on the water treadmill. The long-term goal is to reach a consensus on the optimal use of the modality within a training or rehabilitation programme. Collaboration between clinicians, researchers and experienced users is needed to develop research programmes and further guidelines regarding the most appropriate application of the modality for specific veterinary conditions.

Triglyceride-rich lipoproteins and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease risk: current status and treatments.

The role of triglyceride-rich lipoproteins (TRLs) in the development of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) is at the forefront of current research and treatment development programs. Despite extreme lowering of LDL-cholesterol there remains a high risk of cardiovascular disease and mortality. Recent large epidemiological, genomic wide association studies and Mendelian randomization studies have identified novel mechanisms and targets regulating TRL. This review will focus on recent and ongoing clinical trials that aim to reduce cardiovascular risk by decreasing plasma levels of TRL. Ongoing efforts of basic and clinical scientist have described novel TRL regulating mechanism. The concentration on lifestyle changes is key to prevention and treatment guidelines. There is continue evidence that supports previous guidelines using fibrates alone and in combination with niacin to reduce TRLs, in special cases. The recent results from the REDUCE-IT study support the use of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) for risk reduction and ASCVD, but recently presented data from the Long-Term Outcome Study to Assess Statin Residual Risk Reduction With Epanova in High Cardiovascular Risk Patients with Hypertriglyceridemia and Omega-3 Fatty Acids in Elderly Patients With Acute Myocardial Infarction studies do not support the use of combination EPA/docosahexaenoic acid. The latter highlights the need for further studies into the pathways regulating ASCVD risk reduction after EPA administration. The identification of novel targets, such as apolipoprotein C3 and angiopoietin-like protein-3, are driving the development of novel treatments, and is the focus of this review. The current management of elevated triglyceride levels and the effect on cardiovascular outcomes is an emerging area of research. New data from fish oil studies suggest differences in EPA vs. EPA/docosahexaenoic acid cardio protection outcomes. The preliminary data from ongoing clinical trials of novel triglyceride-lowering therapeutics are promising. These programs will ultimately provide foundations for future triglyceride-lowering guidelines.

Research of the factors and conditions for development of the digital economy in Russia

The basis of the study is the compilation and analysis of works by domestic and foreign economists, study of the information from official websites of government bodies, methods of analysis, comparison and generalization, and mathematical modeling. Results and conclusions: in order to develop the effective approaches and directions for the research program for development and transformation of the digital economy in Russia, in addition to global processes and digitalization trends at the regional level, along with politics, economic environment, macro-processes, it is important to take into account the sum of factors of the ecosystem of the digital economy as a new economic order: economic, demographic, scientific and technical, geo-potential, state and legal factor. The scientific novelty of the study is reflected in the proposed understanding of the term “digital ecosystem” for solving the above set problem using interdisciplinary approach.

A Gene Expression Signature Predicting Colorectal Cancer Relapse Reveals LEMD1 as an Oncogenic Gene That Promotes CRC Cells Migration by RhoA/ROCK1 Signaling Pathway

Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) experiencing early relapse consistently exhibited poor survival. However, an effective method for the diagnosis and prognosis of CRC postoperative relapse has not been developed. Methods: WGCNA analysis, RRA analysis and TNM staging difference analysis were conducted to screen the key genes in CRC dataset. The COX/LASSO regression model was used to construct CRC recurrence model in GSE33113. GSE39582 and TCGA database were used to further validate the diagnostic value of the model. The CCK8, Transwell and wound-healing assays were used to detect the biological function of LEMD1 in CRC cells. Rho GTPases pulldown experiment were conducted to investigate the mechanism by which LEMD1 promotes the activity of RhoA. Findings: a CRC relapse model composing of LEMD1, SERPINE1, and SIAE was constructed based on multiple datasets. The model was positively correlated with TNM stage and could be independent prognostic factor. Further in vitro experiments proved that LEMD1 could regulate CRC cell proliferation, migration, invasion and promote EMT transition. Specifically, we determined that LEMD1 promotes CRC cell migration through the RhoA/ROCK signaling pathway. Interpretation: We developed a CRC recurrence model which may be used to predict CRC recurrence early; LEMD1 may serve as a potential strategy for prevention and treatment in human CRC. Funding: This study was supported by Jiangsu Provincial Key Research Development Program (Grant/Award Number: BE2016794 and BE2016795). Declaration of Interest: The authors disclose no conflicts of interest. Ethical Approval: The study was carried out in accordance with the principles of the Helsinki Declaration and was approved by the Ethics Boards of Jiangsu Cancer Hospital.

Proximate analysis of some Jatropha curcas L. (Jatropha) Germplasm from Sokoto and Kebbi States

Jatropha curcas (Linnaeus) belongs to the family Euphorbiaceae and is closely related to other important cultivated plants like rubber tree and castor. Nigeria being a tropical country has wide variations in climatic and soil conditions and therefore has a wide variety of oil crops such as Jatropha. But the paucity of information on the proximate composition and utilization of its seeds in Nigeria is a problem when it comes to the genetic improvement of the crop. Information about nature and extent of genetic variability present in the Jatropha germplasm and association of various proximate compositions is a pre-requisite in planning successful breeding programme. The objectives of the study were to determine the variation in the proximate composition of some Jatropha curcas L. genotype seeds, determine the correlation among the proximate compositions in the Jatropha and suggest the best genotypes in terms of the proximate composition. The experiment was conducted in the laboratory of Product Development Research Programme of the Institute for Agricultural Research, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. Data were collected on the proximate compositions of the seeds: moisture, ash, protein, lipid, fibre and carbohydrate content and analyzed. Phenotypic correlations were computed for all the proximate compositions. Rank summation index was generated to identify the best genotype in terms of the proximate compositions. Significant differences were observed for all proximate compositions studied except the lipid which showed highly significant variation for all the genotypes. Highly significant correlations were observed between protein and lipid content (r = 0.67). Sokoto3 and Kebbi10 ranked first and last with rank summation indices of 14 and 118 respectively. The results obtained indicated the presence of appreciable amount of variability within the genotypes to be exploited for improvement. Sokoto3 was found to be the best genotype in terms of the proximate composition.

Electrochemical Properties of Debris Free Reduced Graphene Oxide Synthesized from Natural and Synthetic Graphite

Reduced graphene oxide (rGO) is a promising material for energy devices such as supercapacitors and lithium-ion batteries due to its high electronic conductivity and surface area. Since rGO is synthesized using GO as a precursor, the purity of GO will affect the properties of rGO. GO is known to possess impurities (often called debris), which is formed during the rigorous oxidation/exfoliation/reduction processes. Such debris are poorly conductive and are undesirable for electrode materials.1 Various studies have been conducted to understand the effect of debris on properties such as conductivity, chemical stability and catalytic activity.2-4 However, there is still no detailed investigation emphasizing the influence of debris on the electrochemical properties of rGO. In this study, we synthesized debris-free rGO by treating GO prepared from natural or synthetic graphite with alkaline solution and compared their electrochemical properties.GO was synthesized from natural graphite (Z-5F, Ito Graphite Co., Ltd.) or synthetic graphite (TIMAREX®KS4 GRAPHITE, Imerys Graphite & Carbon), by a modified Hummers method.5 The GO suspension was prepared by exfoliating in water with ultrasonication, and then refluxed in aqueous NaOH to remove debris. GO was re-dispersed in water and debris-free GO was re-dispersed in a 1:1 mixture of acetonitrile and water. rGO electrodes were prepared by casting the GO or debris-free GO dispersion on a glassy carbon (GC) electrode and subsequently reduced with hydrogen. Electrochemical measurements were conducted is 0.5 M H2SO4. Pt mesh was used as a counter electrode and Ag/AgCl was used as a reference electrode.Morphological observation and structural analysis, performed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA), confirmed the removal of debris by the treatment with alkaline solution. Figure 1 shows SEM images of GO (A: natural GO, B: synthetic GO) and debris-free GO (C: debris-free natural GO, D: debris-free synthetic GO). Small fragments were observed on the surface of the natural and synthetic GO, whereas these fragments were absent on both surfaces after the treatment with alkaline solution. The TG results reveal that GO without alkaline treatment loses mass at around 200°C due to the loss of oxygen containing surface functional groups, whereas no significant changes were seen for both debris-free natural and synthetic GO. The electrochemical characteristics of the rGO and debris-free rGO, as well as GO and debris-free GO, were examined. Details of the electrochemical performance will be discussed at the meeting.This work was partially supported by an Advanced Low Carbon Technology Research Development Program (JST-ALCA, JPMJAL1008). P. Rourke, P. A. Pandey, J. J. Moore, M. Bates, I. A. Kinloch, R. J. Young and N. R. Wilson, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., 50, 3173-3177 (2011).Guo, S. Wang, G. Wang, Z. Niu, J. Yang and W. Wu, Carbon N. Y., 76, 203–211 (2014).Faria, D. Ste, A. C. M. Moraes, M. E. H. Maia, E. B. Barros, A. G. S. Filho, A. J. Paula and O. L. Alves, Chem. Mater., 24, 4080-4087 (2012).Su, M. Acik, K. Takai, J. Lu, S. Hao, Y. Zheng, P. Wu, Q. Bao, T. Enoki, Y. J. Chabal and K. P. Loh, Nat. Commun., 71, 1–9 (2012).S. Hummers, J. Am. Chem. Soc., 80, 1339-1339 (1958). Figure 1