bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Disruption in the regulation of casein kinase 2 in circadian rhythm leads to pathological states: cancer, diabetes and neurodegenerative disorders
Authors: Malik Md. Zubbair , Dashti Mohammed , Fatima Yasmin , Channanath Arshad , John Sumi Elsa , Singh R. K. Brojen , Al-Mulla Fahd , Thanaraj Thangavel Alphonse
Published: July 2023

Introduction

Circadian rhythm maintains the sleep–wake cycle in biological systems. Various biological activities are regulated and modulated by the circadian rhythm, disruption of which can result in onset of diseases. Robust rhythms of phosphorylation profiles and abundances of PERIOD (PER) proteins are thought to be the master keys that drive circadian clock functions. The role of casein kinase 2 (CK2) in circadian rhythm via its direct interactions with the PER protein has been extensively studied; however, the exact mechanism by which it affects circadian rhythms at the molecular level is not known.

Methods

Here, we propose an extended circadian rhythm model in Drosophila that incorporates the crosstalk between the PER protein and CK2. We studied the regulatory role of CK2 in the dynamics of PER proteins involved in circadian rhythm using the stochastic simulation algorithm.

Results

We observed that variations in the concentration of CK2 in the circadian rhythm model modulates the PER protein dynamics at different cellular states, namely, active, weakly active, and rhythmic death. These oscillatory states may correspond to distinct pathological cellular states of the living system. We find molecular noise at the expression level of CK2 to switch normal circadian rhythm to any of the three above-mentioned circadian oscillatory states. Our results suggest that the concentration levels of CK2 in the system has a strong impact on its dynamics, which is reflected in the time evolution of PER protein.

Discussion

We believe that our findings can contribute towards understanding the molecular mechanisms of circadian dysregulation in pathways driven by the PER mutant genes and their pathological states, including cancer, obesity, diabetes, neurodegenerative disorders, and socio-psychological disease.
Non-invasive preoperative prediction of Edmondson-Steiner grade of hepatocellular carcinoma based on contrast-enhanced ultrasound using ensemble learning
Authors: Wang Yao , Yuan Dongbo , Sun Hang , Pan Xiaoguang , Lu Fangnan , Li Hong , Huang Ying , Tang Shaoshan
Published: July 2023

Purpose

This study aimed to explore the clinical value of non-invasive preoperative Edmondson-Steiner grade of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) using contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS).

Methods

212 cases of HCCs were retrospectively included, including 83 cases of high-grade HCCs and 129 cases of low-grade HCCs. Three representative CEUS images were selected from the arterial phase, portal vein phase, and delayed phase and stored in a 3-dimensional array. ITK-SNAP was used to segment the tumor lesions manually. The Radiomics method was conducted to extract high-dimensional features on these contrast-enhanced ultrasound images. Then the independent sample T-test and the Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator (LASSO) were employed to reduce the feature dimensions. The optimized features were modeled by a classifier based on ensemble learning, and the Edmondson Steiner grading was predicted in an independent testing set using this model.

Results

A total of 1338 features were extracted from the 3D images. After the dimension reduction, 10 features were finally selected to establish the model. In the independent testing set, the integrated model performed best, with an AUC of 0.931.

Conclusion

This study proposed an Edmondson-Steiner grading method for HCC with CEUS. The method has good classification performance on independent testing sets, which can provide quantitative analysis support for clinical decision-making.
Value of loop electrosurgical excision procedure conization and imaging for the diagnosis of papillary squamous cell carcinoma of the cervix
Authors: Cui Can , Chen Ziren , Luo Lingxiao , Zeng Jianping , Sun Xiaoyi , Sui Long , Xu Congjian , Fu Zhongpeng , Cong Qing
Published: July 2023

Background

Loop electrosurgical excision procedure (LEEP) conization and hysterectomy are performed for some patients with papillary squamous cell carcinoma (PSCC), whereas only hysterectomy is performed for others. We aimed to determine the optimal management for PSCC.

Methods

Patients diagnosed with PSCC by colposcopy-directed biopsy between June 2008 and January 2020 who underwent LEEP conization and hysterectomy or only hysterectomy at our hospital were enrolled. Results of cervical cytology, high-risk human papillomavirus testing, transvaginal sonography, pelvic magnetic resonance imaging, LEEP, hysterectomy, and pathology testing of colposcopy-directed biopsy samples were analyzed.

Results

A total of 379 women were diagnosed with PSCC by colposcopy-directed biopsy; 174 underwent LEEP before hysterectomy and 205 underwent only hysterectomy. Patients underwent and did not undergo LEEP were aged 47 ± 11 years and 52 ± 11 years, respectively. Among women who underwent LEEP, the agreement between LEEP and hysterectomy pathology was 85.1%. For women who underwent only hysterectomy, the agreement between preoperative clinical staging and pathological staging after hysterectomy was 82.4%. For patients with preoperative imaging indicative of malignancy, the accuracy of LEEP for diagnosing and staging PSCC was 88.5%, whereas for the hysterectomy-only group, it was 86.2%. For patients without malignancy detected with imaging, the accuracy of LEEP for diagnosing and staging PSCC was 81.6%; however, for those who did not undergo LEEP, it was 70.0%.

Conclusion

For women diagnosed with PSCC by colposcopy-directed biopsy, LEEP conization is necessary for an accurate diagnosis when imaging does not indicate cancer; however, LEEP is not necessary when imaging indicates cancer.
Differences in metabolic transport and resistance mechanisms of Abemaciclib, Palbociclib, and Ribociclib
Authors: Zhu Zhimin , Zhu Qiongni
Published: July 2023

Cyclin-dependent kinase 4/6 inhibitors (CDK4/6i) play a crucial role in cancer treatment, particularly in breast cancer, and their mechanism of drug resistance is a topic of global interest in research. Hence, it is vital to comprehend the distinctions between various CDK4/6i, including their mechanisms of action and resistance mechanisms. This article aims to summarize the metabolic and transport variations as well as the differences in resistance among the three FDA-approved CDK4/6 inhibitors: Abemaciclib, Palbociclib, and Ribociclib. It also aims to discuss how these differences impact the effectiveness and safety of anticancer drugs. It was conducted in March 2023 to search PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science for literature related to this topic. Despite all being CDK4/6i, differences in their metabolism and transport were found, which are related to their chemical structure. Moreover, there are variations in preclinical pharmacology, pharmacokinetics, and clinical safety and efficacy of the different inhibitors. Genetic mutations, drug tolerance, and other factors may influence CDK4/6 resistance mechanisms. Currently, the resistance mechanisms differences of the three drugs remain largely unknown, and there are differences in the resistance mechanisms among them, necessitating further exploration and research.
The two-body collision controlled by the magnetic field and laser field near magnetic Feshbach resonance
Authors: Lyu Bing-Kuan , Si Bo-Wen , Yu Zong-Han , Wang Gao-Ren , Cong Shu-Lin
Published: July 2023

It is crucial to control the collision between ultracold atoms by applying external fields. We developed a theoretical model for investigating the s-wave scattering of ultracold atoms controlled by the magnetic field and laser field. The calculation is performed by using the close-coupling method and mapped Fourier grid method. Due to the interference between the photoassociation and bound-to-bound transitions, the bound state in the continuum, which is a resonance with a vanishing width, occurs at the magnetic field position near the magnetic Feshbach resonance. The widths of resonances in the neighborhood of the bound state in the continuum are narrow. Changing the laser intensity can shift the magnetic field position where the bound state in the continuum occurs through modifying the ground molecular state to induce wide resonances at desired magnetic field positions. By increasing the resonance width, the tunability of the real part of the scattering length at resonances can be significantly improved. Changing the laser intensity can also adjust the coupling between the ground and excited molecular states. When the coupling between the ground and excited molecular states approaches zero, a resonance is induced, and the photoassociation and bound-to-bound transitions are both significantly suppressed at this resonance. Therefore, the atomic loss peak due to spontaneous emission does not appear at this resonance. The magnetic field position of this resonance is stable against the change in laser frequency.
Cell-scale hemolysis evaluation of intervenient ventricular assist device based on dissipative particle dynamics
Authors: Xu Zhike , Chen Chenghan , Hao Pengfei , He Feng , Zhang Xiwen
Published: July 2023

Most of the existing hemolysis mechanism studies are carried out on the macro flow scale. They assume that the erythrocyte membranes with different loads will suffer the same damage, which obviously has limitations. Thus, exploring the hemolysis mechanism through the macroscopic flow field information is a tough challenge. In order to further understand the non-physiological shear hemolysis phenomenon at the cell scale, this study used the coarse-grained erythrocytes damage model at the mesoscopic scale based on the transport dissipative particle dynamics (tDPD) method. Combined with computational fluid dynamics the hemolysis of scalarized shear stress (τ) in the clearance of “Impella 5.0” was evaluated under the Lagrange perspective and Euler perspective. The results from the Lagrange perspective showed that the change rate of scaled shear stress (τ˙) was the most critical factor in damaging RBCs in the rotor region of “Impella 5.0”and other transvalvular micro-axial blood pumps. Then, we propose a dimensionless number Dk with time integration based on τ˙ to evaluate hemolysis. The Dissipative particle dynamics simulation results are consistent with the Dk evaluation results, so τ˙ may be an important factor in the hemolysis of VADs. Finally, we tested the hemolysis of 30% hematocrit whole blood in the “Impella 5.0” shroud clearance from the Euler perspective. Relevant results indicate that because of the wall effect, the RBCs near the impeller side are more prone to damage, and most of the cytoplasm is also gathered at the rotor side.
Antennae-enriched expression of candidate odorant degrading enzyme genes in the turnip aphid, Lipaphis erysimi
Authors: Shangguan Chaozhi , Kuang Yinhui , Gao Liwei , Zhu Bo , Chen Xue Dong , Yu Xiudao
Published: July 2023

Aphids heavily rely on their olfactory system for foraging behavior. Odorant-degrading enzymes (ODEs) are essential in preserving the olfactory acuity of aphids by removing redundant odorants in the antennae. Certain enzymes within this group stand out as being enriched and/or biased expressed in the antennae, such as carboxylesterases (CXEs), cytochrome P450 (CYPs), glutathione S-transferases (GSTs), and UDP-glycosyltransferases (UGTs). Here, we performed a comparative transcriptome analysis of antennae and body tissue to isolate the antennal ODE genes of turnip aphid Lipaphis erysimi. A dataset of one CXE, seven CYPs, two GSTs, and five UGTs enriched in the antennae was identified and subjected to sequence analysis. Furthermore, qRT-PCR analyses showed that 13 ODE genes (LeCXE6, LeCYP4c1, LeCYP6a2, LeCYP6a13, LeCYP6a14.2, LeCYP6k1, LeCYP18a1, LeGST1, LeUGT1-7, LeUGT2B7, LeUGT2B13, LeUGT2C1.1, and LeUGT2C1.2) were specifically or significantly elevated in antennal tissues. Among these antennae-enriched ODEs, LeCYP4c1, LeCYP6a2, LeCYP6a13, LeCYP6a14.2, LeCYP18a1, LeUGT2B7, and LeUGT2B13 were found to exhibit significantly higher expression levels in alate aphids compared to apterous and nymph aphids, suggesting their putative role in detecting new host plant location. The results presented in this study highlight the identification and expression of ODE genes in L. erysimi, paving the path to investigate their functional role in odorant degradation during the olfactory processes.
Keystone microalgae species determine the removal efficiency of sulfamethoxazole: a case study of Chlorella pyrenoidosa and microalgae consortia
Authors: Huang Ruohan , Liu Wan , Su Jinghua , Li Shihao , Wang Liqing , Jeppesen Erik , Zhang Wei
Published: July 2023

In recent years, antibiotics pollution has caused serious harm to the aquatic environment, and microalgae mediated degradation of antibiotics has attracted increasing attention. However, the potential toxicity of antibiotics to keystone microalgae species or their microalgae consortia, and the impact of microalgal diversity on antibiotic removal need to be further studied. In this study, we investigated the removal efficiency and tolerance of five freshwater microalgae (Chlorella pyrenoidosa, Scenedesmus quadricauda, Dictyosphaerium sp., Haematoccocus pluvialis, and Botryococcus braunii) and their microalgae consortia to sulfamethoxazole (SMX). We found that the removal efficiency of SMX by C. pyrenoidosa reached 49%, while the other four microalgae ranged between 9% and 16%. In addition, C. pyrenoidosa, S. quadricauda, and Dictyosphaerium sp. had better tolerance to SMX than H. pluvialis, and their growth and photosynthesis were less affected. At 10 and 50 mg/L SMX, the removal capacity of SMX by mixed microalgae consortia was lower than that of C. pyrenoidos except for the consortium with C. pyrenoidos and S. quadricauda. The consortia generally showed higher sensitivity towards SMX than the individual species, and the biochemical characteristics (photosynthetic pigment, chlorophyll fluorescence parameters, superoxide anion (O2-), superoxide dismutase activity (SOD), malondialdehyde (MDA) and extracellular enzymes) were significantly influenced by SMX stress. Therefore, the removal of antibiotics by microalgae consortia did not increase with the number of microalgae species. Our study provides a new perspective for the selection of microalgal consortia to degrade antibiotics.
Genome-wide characterization of L-aspartate oxidase genes in wheat and their potential roles in the responses to wheat disease and abiotic stresses
Authors: Feng Yanqun , Tang Mingshuang , Xiang Junhui , Liu Pingu , Wang Youning , Chen Wang , Fang Zhengwu , Wang Wenli
Published: July 2023

L-aspartate oxidase (AO) is the first enzyme in NAD+ biosynthesis and is widely distributed in plants, animals, and microorganisms. Recently, AO family members have been reported in several plants, including Arabidopsis thaliana and Zea mays. Research on AO in these plants has revealed that AO plays important roles in plant growth, development, and biotic stresses; however, the nature and functions of AO proteins in wheat are still unclear. In this study, nine AO genes were identified in the wheat genome via sequence alignment and conserved protein domain analysis. These nine wheat AO genes (TaAOs) were distributed on chromosomes 2, 5, and 6 of sub-genomes A, B, and D. Analysis of the phylogenetic relationships, conserved motifs, and gene structure showed that the nine TaAOs were clustered into three groups, and the TaAOs in each group had similar conserved motifs and gene structure. Meanwhile, the subcellular localization analysis of transient expression mediated by Agrobacterium tumetioniens indicated that TaAO3-6D was localized to chloroplasts. Prediction of cis-elements indicated that a large number of cis-elements involved in responses to ABA, SA, and antioxidants/electrophiles, as well as photoregulatory responses, were found in TaAO promoters, which suggests that the expression of TaAOs may be regulated by these factors. Finally, transcriptome and real-time PCR analysis showed that the expression of TaAOs belonging to Group III was strongly induced in wheat infected by F. graminearum during anthesis, while the expression of TaAOs belonging to Group I was heavily suppressed. Additionally, the inducible expression of TaAOs belonging to Group III during anthesis in wheat spikelets infected by F. graminearum was repressed by ABA. Finally, expression of almost all TaAOs was induced by exposure to cold treatment. These results indicate that TaAOs may participate in the response of wheat to F. graminearum infection and cold stress, and ABA may play a negative role in this process. This study lays a foundation for further investigation of TaAO genes and provides novel insights into their biological functions.
Financial burden of men with localized prostate cancer: a process paper
Authors: Housten Ashley J. , Rice Hannah E. , Chang Su-Hsin , L'Hotta Allison J. , Kim Eric H. , Drake Bettina F. , Wright-Jones Robin , Politi Mary C.
Published: July 2023

Background

Many individuals undergoing cancer treatment experience substantial financial hardship, often referred to as financial toxicity (FT). Those undergoing prostate cancer treatment may experience FT and its impact can exacerbate disparate health outcomes. Localized prostate cancer treatment options include: radiation, surgery, and/or active surveillance. Quality of life tradeoffs and costs differ between treatment options. In this project, our aim was to quantify direct healthcare costs to support patients and clinicians as they discuss prostate cancer treatment options. We provide the transparent steps to estimate healthcare costs associated with treatment for localized prostate cancer among the privately insured population using a large claims dataset.

Methods

To quantify the costs associated with their prostate cancer treatment, we used data from the Truven Health Analytics MarketScan Commercial Claims and Encounters, including MarketScan Medicaid, and peer reviewed literature. Strategies to estimate costs included: (1) identifying the problem, (2) engaging a multidisciplinary team, (3) reviewing the literature and identifying the database, (4) identifying outcomes, (5) defining the cohort, and (6) designing the analytic plan. The costs consist of patient, clinician, and system/facility costs, at 1-year, 3-years, and 5-years following diagnosis.

Results

We outline our specific strategies to estimate costs, including: defining complex research questions, defining the study population, defining initial prostate cancer treatment, linking facility and provider level related costs, and developing a shared understanding of definitions on our research team.

Discussion and next steps

Analyses are underway. We plan to include these costs in a prostate cancer patient decision aid alongside other clinical tradeoffs.
Bioecological profiles of preschool children’s individual, familial, and educational characteristics, and their relations with school adjustment, academic performance, and executive function in first grade
Authors: Lee Young-Eun
Published: July 2023

This study investigates the relationships between distinct bioecological profiles of individual, familial, and educational characteristics of preschool children and their school adjustment, academic performance, and executive function in first grade. Data on 11 indicators of personal and environmental characteristics were collected from 1,016 five-year-old Korean preschoolers using a national-level open dataset. Latent profile analysis identified five profiles that were associated with different levels of school adjustment, academic performance, and executive function one year later when the preschoolers became first graders. The “Good Social Competence by Good Familial Environment” profile was the most associated with levels of school adjustment, academic performance, and executive function. The “Good Social Competence by Good Educational Environment” profile was more associated with levels of school adjustment and executive function than the “Moderate” profile but less associated with these levels than the “Good Social Competence by Good Familial Environment” profile. Findings indicate that the environment, rather than individual characteristics of preschoolers, plays a more significant role in their elementary school adjustment, academic performance, and executive function, and that their familial environment plays a more significant role than their educational environment. The study highlights the importance of creating supportive familial environments for preschool children to improve their school adjustment, academic performance, and executive function in elementary school, and provides a useful guide for practitioners and policymakers seeking to improve children’s academic and socioemotional outcomes.
Willingness to pay for hepatitis B virus vaccine and associated factors among households in Bahir Dar City, northwest Ethiopia: using contingent valuation method
Authors: Aychew Addis , Minyihun Amare , Tsehay Chalie Tadie , Amare Tsegaw , Aschalew Andualem Yalew
Published: July 2023

Background

The prevention of disease burden and death through vaccination is one of the most cost-effective methods. Even though the Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) has significant public health problems in Ethiopia, there is no compulsory HBV vaccination program for adults and the vaccine's market value was not yet estimated in the Ethiopia context. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the willingness to pay (WTP) for the HBV vaccine and its associated factors among households in Bahir Dar City, northwest Ethiopia.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was conducted among 620 households from March 1 to 30, 2020. A systematic random sampling technique was employed to select the required number of households. An interviewer-administered questionnaire was used to collect the necessary information. The contingent valuation method was conducted to measure WTP for the HBV vaccine. A Tobit regression model was employed to investigate significantly associated factors, and variables with a p-value of <0.05 were considered statistically significant.

Results

In this study, 62.17% of households were willing to pay for the HBV vaccine with an average cost of ETB174.24 (US$5.25). Male household heads (P = 0.014), favorable attitude (P = 0.017), and good knowledge (P < 0.001) toward the vaccine were positively associated with WTP, whereas age (P < 0.001), single marital status (P = 0.012) and divorced/widowed (P = 0.018) marital status were negatively associated with WTP.

Conclusions

Overall, most households were willing to pay for the HBV vaccine with an average demand of ETB174.24 (US$5.25). Therefore, a national-level HBV vaccine strategy should be designed considering the households' willingness to pay. In addition, working on attitudes and knowledge toward the vaccine could potentially increase the household's willingness to pay for the HBV vaccine.
Investigation of aflatoxins occurrence in flavoring preparations for the alcoholic beverage industry
Authors: Laratta Bruna , Carpentieri Serena , Cautela Domenico
Published: July 2023

An exploratory study was carried out to determine the occurrence of aflatoxins B1, B2, G1, and G2 in different aromatic preparations used in the production of bitters, liqueurs and flavored wines. Aflatoxin analysis was performed by liquid-liquid extraction followed by immunoaffinity column for purification of the extracts. The aflatoxins were quantitatively detected using high performance liquid chromatography technique with post-column derivatization and fluorescence detection. After in-house validation, the method was applied to the determination of aflatoxins in 40 samples of aromatic preparations used in the production of aperitifs and bitter drinks, vermouths and aromatized wines, and nut and citrus liqueurs. This method showed good accuracy between days (72%–95% recovery) and precision (3%–13% relative standard deviation). None of the samples analyzed contained detectable levels of aflatoxins. Only in one sample of aromatic extract of vermouth and aromatized wine aflatoxins B1 and G1 were found below the limit of quantification. From the results, it was concluded that these extracts for commercial purposes are safe for human consumption in terms of aflatoxin concentrations. In addition, the general outcome of the study showed that an accurate analysis of AFs can be obtained in a short time with a high sensitivity, even on difficult matrices such as hydro-alcoholic mixtures of different aromatic preparations.
Assessing plastic and biomass-based biochar's potential for carbon sequestration: an energy-water-environment approach
Authors: Al-Rumaihi Aisha , Alherbawi Mohammad , Mckay Gordon , Mackey Hamish , Parthasarathy Prakash , Al-Ansari Tareq
Published: July 2023

Biochar from waste has emerged as a vital solution for multiple contemporary issues. While the organic content and porous structure of biochar have granted it multiple benefits. Where the use of biochar is proven to be beneficial for enhancing the soil structure and water and nutrients retention ability, therefore, saving water and boosting yields in arid regions. Moreover, biochar is capable to sequester carbon from the atmosphere and permanently store it within the soil. As such, this study evaluates the potential for carbon sequestration through biochar obtained from the pyrolysis of feedstock mixtures including camel manure, date pits, high-density polyethylene (HDPE) and low-density polyethylene (LDPE), and how it can enhance water and food security. Multiple energy and water supplying sources have been considered for different project scenarios to provide a broader understanding of biochar potentials. The lifecycle analysis (LCA) approach is utilized for the assessment of net emissions, while an economic study is conducted in Aspen Process Economic Analyser (APEA) to evaluate the feasibility of the different scenarios. Finally, single-objective optimization and multi-objective optimizations were carried out using excel and MATLAB genetic algorithm respectively to select optimal biomass blending and utilities options to fulfill the low cost and negative emissions targets. The assessment conducted for a Qatar case study indicates that the best waste blending scenario for maximum carbon sequestration potential was obtained at a mixing ratio of 20.4% Camel manure: 27% date pits: 26.3% LDPE: 26.4% HDPE. Furthermore, the optimum char blend for maximum carbon sequestration corresponding to the minimum cost of char mix was computed. The optimal biochar mixing percentage for highest net emission was obtained at a feedstock mixing ratio of 96.8% of date pits, 1.5% of LDPE, and 1.7% of HDPE with 0% of camel manure with an optimal cost of 313.55 $/kg biochar. Solar PV was selected as the best energy source in this pyrolysis study due to its reduced carbon emissions in comparison to other sources studied such as natural gas, coal and diesel. However, natural gas is selected to fulfill the economic objective. Moreover, the optimal water source was investigated including wastewater treatment, multi-stage flash and reverse osmosis desalination, where treated wastewater is selected as the optimal supply to fulfill both, economic and environmental objectives.
Salmonella gallinarum strains from outbreaks of fowl typhoid fever in Southern Africa closely related to SG9R vaccines
Authors: Beylefeld Amanda , Abolnik Celia
Published: July 2023

Introduction

Salmonella enterica subspecies enterica serovar Gallinarum biovar Gallinarum (SG) is associated with fowl typhoid fever, and the attenuated rough strain SG9R is widely used as a vaccine in many regions. Reversion to virulence of vaccine strains was suspected as the cause during recent fowl typhoid fever outbreaks in poultry in South Africa and Eswatini.

Methods

To compare nine field isolates with global wild-type SG9 strains and the two commercial SG9R vaccines in use, Nobilis® SG9R and Cevac®-SG, we used whole-genome comparison with single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) detection.

Results

SNP phylogenic analysis showed that all the southern African field isolates were more closely related to the vaccine strains than wild-type SG9 strains. Furthermore, SNPs in the pyruvate dehydrogenase (aceE) and/or lipopolysaccharide 1,2-glucosyltransferase (rfaJ) genes, which are known markers of attenuation, were found in four of the field isolates along with intact spv, SPI-1, and SPI-2 gene clusters, providing conclusive evidence that these four isolates were originally vaccine strains that reverted to virulence. Five other field isolates lacked the SG9R attenuation markers, but variant analysis identified an SNP in the yihX gene, insertions in the ybjX and hydH genes, and deletions in the ftsK and sadA genes that were shared between the field isolates and vaccine strains but absent in wild-type SG9, indicating that these field isolates were also likely revertant vaccines.

Discussion

Overall, this study highlights different mechanisms of reversion of two commercial vaccines, where virulence caused by field isolates closely related to the Nobilis® SG9R vaccine was associated with the restoration of intact virulence gene clusters, and those derived from the Cevac®-SG vaccine were characterized by point mutations resulting in restored aceE and rfaJ genes. A possible new marker of attenuation was identified as a point mutation in the yihX gene, as well as four new candidate genes that could potentially be used to distinguish current vaccine strains from wild-type strains using PCR assays.
Ensiling, In Vitro Rumen Digestion and Soaking in Slurry Altered the Germination Capacity of Rumex obtusifolius Seeds
Authors: Gselman Anastazija , Brus Maksimiljan
Published: July 2023

This study investigated whether the process of ensiling and in vitro digestion in rumen juice, as well as the response to soaking in pig or cattle slurry, affects the germination rate and germination energy of Rumex obtusifolius (broad-leaved dock) seeds. Seeds were subjected to different treatments (200 seeds each) in three experiments: (I) seed ensiling (8 weeks) followed by in vitro rumen digestion (24, 36 and 48 h); (II) the soaking of non-ensiled and ensiled seeds in cattle or pig slurry (2, 4 and 24 weeks); and (III) the in vitro rumen digestion (24, 36 and 48 h) of non-ensiled and ensiled seeds followed by soaking in cattle or pig slurry (24 weeks). The control treatment included untreated seed (0—non-ensiled seed; 0—no in vitro rumen digestion; and 0—no soaking in slurry). Germination tests (germination rate and germination energy) were then conducted in four replicates in the germination chamber under alternating day (20–35 °C for 14 h under light) and night conditions (17–20 °C for 10 h without light) at 75% relative humidity. Experiment I showed that ensiling significantly (p ≤ 0.001) reduced both the germination rate and germination energy of R. obtusifolius seeds. In addition, the length of in vitro digestion duration that the non-ensiled seeds were subjected to significantly (p ≤ 0.001) reduced their germination energy but not the total germination rate. However, the seeds that were subjected to the process of ensiling and in vitro digestion in the rumen lost their germination completely. The Experiment II investigated the effects of soaking non-ensiled seeds in slurry and showed that germination rates were comparable in pig and cattle slurry. Longer soaking times significantly reduced the germination rate, with no germination observed after 24 weeks. The Experiment III considered the combined effects of in vitro digestion and slurry soaking and showed that rumen digestion reduced the proportion of germinable seeds. Germination was inhibited in pig slurry, while in cattle slurry, a decreasing germination rate was observed with increasing digestion time.
Physicochemical Parameters and Terroir Assessment of Mineral Water from Mount Smolikas in Greece: A Two-Year Study
Authors: Athanasiadis Vassilis , Chatzimitakos Theodoros , Kalompatsios Dimitrios , Bozinou Eleni , Makris Dimitris P. , Lalas Stavros I.
Published: July 2023

Every day, more and more consumers choose to drink bottled water instead of tap water, since they believe that it is superior in quality. One of the criteria used by European consumers to choose bottled water is the geographical region of the spring. The flavor of the water is an additional factor that influences consumers’ choices. As a result, determining the flavor of water is gaining popularity and is thus turning into a prominent field of study. However, studies on the potential environmental factors that affect the sensory characteristics of water (i.e., “terroir” of water) are limited. To this end, we investigated the composition of natural mineral water spring from Mount Smolikas in Greece over a two-year period to find any potential alterations in water composition. The physicochemical parameters (pH, conductivity, turbidity, color, and total hardness) of the water samples were examined, along with their content in metal ions, inorganic salts (cations and anions), and total organic carbon. Additionally, the water samples were analyzed for their content of off-odor volatile compounds (i.e., 2-methylisoborneol and geosmin) that can be naturally found in water. The study also examined the correlation of climate conditions (accumulated rainfall and mean temperature) with the parameters above using a principal component analysis and a multivariate correlation analysis. The results showed that the physicochemical characteristics of water samples complied with European regulations. Metals, anions, and cations were all below the corresponding parametric values established by the European Commission. The off-odor organic compounds, 2-methylisoborneol, and geosmin, had average concentrations of 9.4 and 2.7 ng/L, respectively. Chromium and aluminum elevated concentrations might be attributed to specific ores present near the water source, while pH, conductivity, total hardness, nitrates, and off-odor compounds levels could be fluctuated due to local climate conditions. The study revealed a good positive correlation (>0.7) between the quantity of rainfall and the level of potassium cations. Moreover, a strong negative correlation (>0.9) was observed between magnesium cations and the mean temperature of the local area. The study can be used as a benchmark for future studies to determine the terroir of mineral water.
Effect of Red-Beetroot-Supplemented Diet on Gut Microbiota Composition and Metabolite Profile of Weaned Pigs—A Pilot Study
Authors: Adekolurejo Opeyemi O. , McDermott Katie , Greathead Henry M. R. , Miller Helen M. , Mackie Alan R. , Boesch Christine
Published: July 2023

Red beetroot is a well-recognized and established source of bioactive compounds (e.g., betalains and polyphenols) with anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties. It is proposed as a potential alternative to zinc oxide with a focus on gut microbiota modulation and metabolite production. In this study, weaned pigs aged 28 days were fed either a control diet, a diet supplemented with zinc oxide (3000 mg/kg), or 2% and 4% pulverized whole red beetroot (CON, ZNO, RB2, and RB4; respectively) for 14 days. After pigs were euthanized, blood and digesta samples were collected for microbial composition and metabolite analyses. The results showed that the diet supplemented with red beetroot at 2% improved the gut microbial richness relative to other diets but marginally influenced the cecal microbial diversity compared to a zinc-oxide-supplemented diet. A further increase in red beetroot levels (4%—RB4) led to loss in cecal diversity and decreased short chain fatty acids and secondary bile acid concentrations. Also, an increased Proteobacteria abundance, presumably due to increased lactate/lactic-acid-producing bacteria was observed. In summary, red beetroot contains several components conceived to improve the gut microbiota and metabolite output of weaned pigs. Future studies investigating individual components of red beetroot will better elucidate their contributions to gut microbiota modulation and pig health.
Development of a Novel Anti-CD44 Variant 8 Monoclonal Antibody C44Mab-94 against Gastric Carcinomas
Authors: Suzuki Hiroyuki , Goto Nohara , Tanaka Tomohiro , Ouchida Tsunenori , Kaneko Mika K. , Kato Yukinari
Published: July 2023

Gastric cancer (GC) is the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. GC with peritoneal metastasis exhibits a poor prognosis due to the lack of effective therapy. A comprehensive analysis of malignant ascites identified the genomic alterations and significant amplifications of cancer driver genes, including CD44. CD44 and its splicing variants are overexpressed in tumors, and play crucial roles in the acquisition of invasiveness, stemness, and resistance to treatments. Therefore, the development of CD44-targeted monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) is important for GC diagnosis and therapy. In this study, we immunized mice with CD44v3–10-overexpressed PANC-1 cells and established several dozens of clones that produce anti-CD44v3–10 mAbs. One of the clones (C44Mab-94; IgG1, kappa) recognized the variant-8-encoded region and peptide, indicating that C44Mab-94 is a specific mAb for CD44v8. Furthermore, C44Mab-94 could recognize CHO/CD44v3–10 cells, oral squamous cell carcinoma cell line (HSC-3), or GC cell lines (MKN45 and NUGC-4) in flow cytometric analyses. C44Mab-94 could detect the exogenous CD44v3–10 and endogenous CD44v8 in western blotting and stained the formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded gastric cancer cells. These results indicate that C44Mab-94 is useful for detecting CD44v8 in a variety of experimental methods and is expected to become usefully applied to GC diagnosis and therapy.
Acinetobacter baumannii Global Clone-Specific Resistomes Explored in Clinical Isolates Recovered from Egypt
Authors: Hamed Samira M. , Elkhatib Walid F. , Brangsch Hanka , Gesraha Ahmed S. , Moustafa Shawky , Khater Dalia F. , Pletz Mathias W. , Sprague Lisa D. , Neubauer Heinrich , Wareth Gamal
Published: July 2023

Acinetobacter baumannii (A. baumannii) is a highly problematic pathogen with an enormous capacity to acquire or upregulate antibiotic drug resistance determinants. The genomic epidemiology and resistome structure of 46 A. baumannii clinical isolates were studied using whole-genome sequencing. The isolates were chosen based on reduced susceptibility to at least three classes of antimicrobial compounds and were initially identified using MALDI-TOF/MS, followed by polymerase chain reaction amplification of blaOXA-51-like genes. The susceptibility profiles were determined using a broth microdilution assay. Multi-, extensive-, and pan-drug resistance was shown by 34.8%, 63.0%, and 2.2% of the isolates, respectively. These were most susceptible to colistin (95.7%), amikacin, and trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole (32.6% each), while only 26.1% of isolates were susceptible to tigecycline. In silico multi-locus sequence typing revealed 8 Pasteur and 22 Oxford sequence types (STs) including four novel STs (STOxf 2805, 2806, 2807, and 2808). The majority of the isolates belonged to Global Clone (GC) 2 (76.4%), GC5 (19.6%), GC4 (6.5%), GC9 (4.3%), and GC7 (2.2%) lineages. An extensive resistome potentially conferring resistance to the majority of the tested antimicrobials was identified in silico. Of all known carbapenem resistance genes, blaOXA-23 was carried by most of the isolates (69.6%), followed by ISAba1-amplified blaADC (56.5%), blaNDM-1 and blaGES-11 (21.7% each), and blaGES-35 (2.2%) genes. A significant correlation was found between carbapenem resistance and carO mutations, which were evident in 35 (76.0%) isolates. A lower proportion of carbapenem resistance was noted for strains possessing both blaOXA-23- and blaGES-11. Amikacin resistance was most probably mediated by armA, aac(6′)-Ib9, and aph(3′)-VI, most commonly coexisting in GC2 isolates. No mutations were found in pmrABC or lpxACD operons in the colistin-resistant isolates. Tigecycline resistance was associated with adeS (N268Y) and baeS (A436T) mutations. While the lineage-specific distribution of some genes (e.g., blaADC and blaOXA-51-like alleles) was evident, some resistance genes, such as blaOXA-23 and sul1, were found in all GCs. The data generated here highlight the contribution of five GCs in A. baumannii infections in Egypt and enable the comprehensive analysis of GC-specific resistomes, thus revealing the dissemination of the carbapenem resistance gene blaOXA-23 in isolates encompassing all GCs.
How Healthy Is It to Fortify Cocoa-Based Products with Cocoa Flavanols? A Comprehensive Review
Authors: Palma-Morales Marta , Melgar-Locatelli Sonia , Castilla-Ortega Estela , Rodríguez-Pérez Celia
Published: July 2023

(1) Background: Cocoa’s healthy benefits may be attributed to the potent antioxidant activity of cocoa polyphenols, mainly flavanols, which have been characterised as existing in a high concentration in cocoa. However, the phenolic composition of cocoa and cocoa-derived products is highly variable, and manufacturing processes might significantly reduce their phenolic content. For that reason, the full characterisation of cocoa and cocoa-derived products before evaluating their bioactivity is crucial. The aim of this review is to analyse the available evidence on the effect of flavanol-fortified cocoa-derived products on human health. (2) Methods: Forty-eight clinical trials focused on the health effect of consuming flavanol-fortified drinks, bars and chocolate have been reviewed, with a total of 1523 subjects. (3) Results: Although studies differ widely in methodology, dosage, duration, and target population, beneficial effects of flavanol-rich cocoa consumption have been observed at doses ranging from 45.3 mg/d to 1078 mg/d, especially on cardiovascular health and cognitive function. (4) Conclusions: Considering the high consumption and acceptability of cocoa and cocoa-derived products, the fortification of cocoa products as well as other highly consumed foods with cocoa flavanols could be an effective strategy for health promotion.
Two-Wire Power Line Microwave Communication Using Low-Loss Modes
Authors: Olsen Robert G.
Published: July 2023

A closed-form solution for the common and differential modal currents induced on a pair of infinitely long parallel conductors by a source, field coupled to a power line, is derived. For lossy conductors, the current consists of a continuous spectrum of radiation modes and (for the common mode) a modified low-loss Sommerfeld–Goubau (SG) mode and (for the differential mode) a quasi-TEM mode. This model is used to investigate the influence of a parallel conductor on microwave power line communication systems. When the complete current spectrum is used, it is shown that the SG mode is not the primary reason why low-loss communication is possible on power lines for distances on the order of 100 m. Nevertheless, and consistent with previous research, microwave communication using power lines has advantages over free space communication, and for typical parameters, the performance of these systems can be enhanced if the power line contains more than one conductor.
A CNN-Based Approach for Driver Drowsiness Detection by Real-Time Eye State Identification
Authors: Florez Ruben , Palomino-Quispe Facundo , Coaquira-Castillo Roger Jesus , Herrera-Levano Julio Cesar , Paixão Thuanne , Alvarez Ana Beatriz
Published: July 2023

Drowsiness detection is an important task in road safety and other areas that require sustained attention. In this article, an approach to detect drowsiness in drivers is presented, focusing on the eye region, since eye fatigue is one of the first symptoms of drowsiness. The method used for the extraction of the eye region is Mediapipe, chosen for its high accuracy and robustness. Three neural networks were analyzed based on InceptionV3, VGG16 and ResNet50V2, which implement deep learning. The database used is NITYMED, which contains videos of drivers with different levels of drowsiness. The three networks were evaluated in terms of accuracy, precision and recall in detecting drowsiness in the eye region. The results of the study show that all three convolutional neural networks have high accuracy in detecting drowsiness in the eye region. In particular, the Resnet50V2 network achieved the highest accuracy, with a rate of 99.71% on average. For better visualization of the data, the Grad-CAM technique is used, with which we obtain a better understanding of the performance of the algorithms in the classification process.
Monitoring Autonomous Mowers Operative Parameters on Low-Maintenance Warm-Season Turfgrass
Authors: Luglio Sofia Matilde , Sportelli Mino , Frasconi Christian , Raffaelli Michele , Gagliardi Lorenzo , Peruzzi Andrea , Fortini Veronica , Volterrani Marco , Magni Simone , Caturegli Lisa , Sciusco Giuliano , Fontanelli Marco
Published: July 2023

Robotic solutions and technological advances for turf management demonstrated excellent results in terms of quality, energy, and time consumption. Two battery-powered autonomous mowers (2 WD and 4 WD) with random patterns were evaluated according to different trampling levels (control, low, medium, high) on a typical warm season turfgrass at the DAFE, University of Pisa, Italy. Data on the percentage of area mowed, the distance traveled, the number of passages, and the number of intersections were collected through RTK devices and processed by a custom-built software (1.8.0.0). The main quality parameters of the turfgrass were also analyzed by visual and instrumental assessments. Soil penetration resistance was measured through a digital penetrometer. The efficiency significantly decreased as the trampling level increased (from 0.29 to 0.11). The over-trampled areas were mainly detected by the edges (on average for the medium level: 18 passages for the edges vs. 14 in the central area). The trampling activity caused a reduction in turf height (from about 2.2 cm to about 1.5 cm). The energy consumption was low and varied from 0.0047 to 0.048 kWh per cutting session. Results from this trial demonstrated suitable quality for a residential turf of the Mediterranean area (NDVI values from 0.5 to 0.6), despite the over-trampling activity. Soil penetration data were low due to the reduced weight of the machines, but slightly higher for the 4 WD model (at 5 cm of depth, about 802 kPa vs. 670 kPa).
Research on Dynamic Process and Droplet Splash of Laser-Induced Cavitation Bubble Collapse within a Droplet
Authors: Zhang Yuning , Zhang Xiaofei , Zhang Shurui , Wang Hongbo , Zha Kehui , Li Zhaohao , Zhang Yuning
Published: July 2023

The cavitation bubble within a droplet is one of the frontier topics in bubble dynamics, with applications in many industrial fields. In the present paper, the dynamics of the cavitation bubble wall and the droplet surface, with different radius ratios, are compared and analyzed. The relationship between cavitation bubble collapse and droplet splash is disclosed. Research shows that, firstly, under the same type of splash, there is a positive correlation between the radius ratio with the displacement of the feature point and the distance between the two ends of the X-axis. It shows that the splash becomes more prominent with the radius ratio increase. Secondly, under different splash cases, the radius ratio also shows a significant impact on the trend of interface displacement and the splash dynamics. In addition, as the radius ratio increases the modification coefficient of the collapse time being smaller.