bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effects of Lactic Acid Bacterial Inoculants on Fermentation Quality, Bacterial Community, and Mycotoxins of Alfalfa Silage under Vacuum or Nonvacuum Treatment
Authors: Fan Xiaomiao , Zhao Shanshan , Yang Fengyuan , Wang Yuan , Wang Yanping
Published: December 2021

To investigate the effects of lactic acid bacterial (LAB) inoculants and vacuuming on the fermentation quality and bacterial community, alfalfas were ensiled with or without a commercial LAB YX or Lactobacillus plantarum strain ZZUA493 for 10, 30, 60, and 90 days while undergoing either vacuum (V) or nonvacuum (NV) treatment. At 90 days, analysis of the microbial community by high-throughput sequencing was performed, and contents of aflatoxin B1 and deoxynivalenol (DON) mycotoxins in alfalfa silage were determined. In all inoculated alfalfa silage, irrespective of V or NV treatment, lactic acid (LA) content increased, pH (p < 0.05), and ammonia nitrogen (p < 0.05) content decreased, and no butyric acid was detected. Lactobacillus or Pediococcus became the dominant genus, and the abundance of Garciella decreased in alfalfa silage with the addition of either inoculant. The LAB inoculants YX and ZZUA493 helped reduce the mycotoxin content in alfalfa silage. The abundance of Garciella in the control and DON content in all alfalfa silage groups were higher (p < 0.05) in NV than V. In summary, LAB inoculants and vacuuming had a positive influence on alfalfa silage quality, and LAB inoculants were effective in reducing mycotoxins in silage alfalfa.
Probiotics: Should All Patients Take Them?
Authors: Katkowska Marta , Garbacz Katarzyna , Kusiak Aida
Published: December 2021

The usefulness of probiotics in the treatment as well as prevention of many infections and disorders has been confirmed by previous clinical studies. They can protect not only against gastrointestinal diseases such as diarrhea or enteritis but they have proven efficacy against pneumonia, urogenital infection, depression/anxiety, cancer metastasis, obesity, and others. However, it should be mentioned that not all clinical trials have shown improvement of health in patients undergoing probiotic treatment, and very rarely have even reported that probiotic strains may be the causative agents of opportunistic infections. Studies have documented cases of sepsis/bacteremia, endocarditis, liver abscess, pneumonia, and fungemia caused by probiotic strains, mainly in high-risk groups. This review summarizes the cases of infections caused by probiotic strains and the potential hazard associated with the supplementation of probiotics in seriously ill and hospitalized patients.
Diel Protein Regulation of Marine Picoplanktonic Communities Assessed by Metaproteomics
Authors: Géron Augustin , Werner Johannes , Lebaron Philippe , Wattiez Ruddy , Matallana-Surget Sabine
Published: December 2021

The diel cycle is of enormous biological importance in that it imposes temporal structure on ecosystem productivity. In the world’s oceans, microorganisms form complex communities that carry out about half of photosynthesis and the bulk of life-sustaining nutrient cycling. How the functioning of microbial communities is impacted by day and night periods in surface seawater remains to be elucidated. In this study, we compared the day and night metaproteomes of the free-living and the particle-attached bacterial fractions from picoplanktonic communities sampled from the northwest Mediterranean Sea surface. Our results showed similar taxonomic distribution of free-living and particle-attached bacterial populations, with Alphaproteobacteria, Gammaproteobacteria and Cyanobacteria being the most active members. Comparison of the day and night metaproteomes revealed that free-living and particle-attached bacteria were more active during the day and the night, respectively. Interestingly, protein diel variations were observed in the photoautotroph Synechococcales and in (photo)-heterotrophic bacteria such as Flavobacteriales, Pelagibacterales and Rhodobacterales. Moreover, our data demonstrated that diel cycle impacts light-dependent processes such as photosynthesis and UV-stress response in Synechococcales and Rhodobacterales, respectively, while the protein regulation from the ubiquitous Pelagibacterales remained stable over time. This study unravels, for the first time, the diel variation in the protein expression of major free-living and particle-attached microbial players at the sea surface, totaling an analysis of eight metaproteomes.
Use of Stress Signals of Their Attached Bacteria to Monitor Sympagic Algae Preservation in Canadian Arctic Sediments
Authors: Amiraux Rémi , Patricia Bonin , Christopher Burot , Jean-François Rontani
Published: December 2021

Based on the strong aggregation of sympagic (ice-associated) algae and the high mortality or inactivity of bacteria attached to them, it was previously hypothesized that sympagic algae should be significant contributors to the export of carbon to Arctic sediments. In the present work, the lipid content of 30 sediment samples collected in the Canadian Arctic was investigated to test this hypothesis. The detection of high proportions of trans vaccenic fatty acid (resulting from cis-trans isomerase (CTI) activity of bacteria under hypersaline conditions) and 10S-hydroxyhexadec-8(trans)-enoic acid (resulting from 10S-DOX bacterial detoxification activity in the presence of deleterious free palmitoleic acid) confirmed: (i) the strong contribution of sympagic material to some Arctic sediments, and (ii) the impaired physiological status of its associated bacterial communities. Unlike terrestrial material, sympagic algae that had escaped zooplanktonic grazing appeared relatively preserved from biotic degradation in Arctic sediments. The expected reduction in sea ice cover resulting from global warming should cause a shift in the relative contributions of ice-associated vs. pelagic algae to the seafloor, and thus to a strong modification of the carbon cycle.
Perfect Optical Absorbers by All-Dielectric Photonic Crystal/Metal Heterostructures Due to Optical Tamm State
Authors: Lu Guang , Zhang Kaiyuan , Zhao Yunpeng , Zhang Lei , Shang Ziqian , Zhou Haiyang , Diao Chao , Zhou Xiachen
Published: December 2021

In this study, we theoretically and experimentally investigated the perfect optical absorptance of a photonic heterostructure composed of a truncated all-dielectric photonic crystal (PC) and a thick metal film in the visible regions. The three simulated structures could achieve narrow-band perfect optical absorption at wavelengths of 500 nm, 600 nm, and 700 nm, respectively. Based on the measured experimental results, the three experimental structures achieved over 90% absorption at wavelengths of 489 nm, 604 nm, and 675 nm, respectively. The experimental results agreed well with the theoretical values. According to electromagnetic field intensity distributions at the absorption wavelengths, the physical mechanism of perfect absorption was derived from the optical Tamm state (OTS). The structure was simple, and the absorption characteristics were not significantly affected by the thickness of the thick metal layer, which creates convenience in the preparation of the structure. In general, the proposed perfect absorbers have exciting prospects in solar energy, optical sensor technology, and other related fields.
Ti3Si0.75Al0.25C2 Nanosheets as Promising Anode Material for Li-Ion Batteries
Authors: Xu Jianguang , Wang Qiang , Li Boman , Yao Wei , He Meng
Published: December 2021

Herein we report that novel two-dimensional (2D) Ti3Si0.75Al0.25C2 (TSAC) nanosheets, obtained by sonically exfoliating their bulk counterpart in alcohol, performs promising electrochemical activities in a reversible lithiation and delithiation procedure. The as-exfoliated 2D TSAC nanosheets show significantly enhanced lithium-ion uptake capability in comparison with their bulk counterpart, with a high capacity of ≈350 mAh g−1 at 200 mA g−1, high cycling stability and excellent rate performance (150 mAh g−1 after 200 cycles at 8000 mA g−1). The enhanced electrochemical performance of TSAC nanosheets is mainly a result of their fast Li-ion transport, large surface area and small charge transfer resistance. The discovery in this work highlights the uniqueness of a family of 2D layered MAX materials, such as Ti3GeC2, Ti3SnC2 and Ti2SC, which will likely be the promising choices as anode materials for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs).
Predicting Fluid Intelligence via Naturalistic Functional Connectivity Using Weighted Ensemble Model and Network Analysis
Authors: Liu Xiaobo , Yang Su , Liu Zhengxian
Published: December 2021

Objectives: Functional connectivity triggered by naturalistic stimuli (e.g., movie clips), coupled with machine learning techniques provide great insight in exploring brain functions such as fluid intelligence. However, functional connectivity is multi-layered while traditional machine learning is based on individual model, which is not only limited in performance, but also fails to extract multi-dimensional and multi-layered information from the brain network. Methods: In this study, inspired by multi-layer brain network structure, we propose a new method, namely weighted ensemble model and network analysis, which combines machine learning and graph theory for improved fluid intelligence prediction. Firstly, functional connectivity analysis and graphical theory were jointly employed. The functional connectivity and graphical indices computed using the preprocessed fMRI data were then all fed into an auto-encoder parallelly for automatic feature extraction to predict the fluid intelligence. In order to improve the performance, tree regression and ridge regression models were stacked and fused automatically with weighted values. Finally, layers of auto-encoder were visualized to better illustrate the connectome patterns, followed by the evaluation of the performance to justify the mechanism of brain functions. Results: Our proposed method achieved the best performance with a 3.85 mean absolute deviation, 0.66 correlation coefficient and 0.42 R-squared coefficient; this model outperformed other state-of-the-art methods. It is also worth noting that the optimization of the biological pattern extraction was automated though the auto-encoder algorithm. Conclusion: The proposed method outperforms the state-of-the-art reports, also is able to effectively capture the biological patterns of functional connectivity during a naturalistic movie state for potential clinical explorations.
Low Healthy Diet Self-Efficacy and Intentions Associated with High Sweet Snacks and Sugar Sweetened Beverages Consumption among African American Adolescents Recruited from Low-Income Neighborhoods in Baltimore
Authors: Fajarini Isna A. , Matsuzaki Mika , Ruggiero Cara F. , Wensel Caroline R. , Chung Sangwon , Hopkins Laura , Poirier Lisa , Colón-Ramos Uriyoán , Gittelsohn Joel
Published: December 2021

Psychosocial factors may influence consumption patterns of sweet snacks and sugar sweetened beverages (SSB), which are potential risk factors for obesity among African American (AA) adolescents. We used multivariable linear and logistic regression models to examine cross-sectional associations among psychosocial factors, sweet snacks and SSB consumption, and BMI z-scores in 437 AA adolescents aged 9–14 years living in low-income neighborhoods in Baltimore City, U.S.A. Mean caloric intake from sugar was 130.64 ± 88.37 kcal. Higher sweet snacks consumption was significantly associated with lower self-efficacy (adjusted Odds Ratio (aOR) = 0.81; 95% CI = 0.71 to 0.93) and lower food intentions scores (0.43; 0.30 to 0.61). Higher SSB consumption was associated with lower outcome expectancies (aOR = 0.98; 95% CI = 0.96–0.99), lower self-efficacy (0.98; 0.96 to 0.99), and lower food intentions (0.91; 0.87 to 0.95). No significant association was found between SSB and sweet snacks consumption and weight status. Psychosocial factors may play a role in sugar consumption behaviors among AA adolescents in low-income neighborhoods. Further studies are needed to improve our understanding of causal mechanisms of this association.
Intermittent Fasting before Laparotomy: Effects on Glucose Control and Histopathologic Findings in Diabetic Rats
Authors: Hsu André Keng Wei , Roman Silvane Souza , Bagatini Margarete Dulce , Marafon Filomena , do Nascimento Junior Paulo , Modolo Norma Sueli Pinheiro
Published: December 2021

(1) Background: Intermittent fasting is a nutrition practice in which individuals fast for several hours in a day, mainly with feeding time during the daylight hours. They seek to improve metabolic performance and cellular resistance to stress. In this study, we tested the fasting protocol to investigate the glycemic effect in a laparotomy perioperative period in diabetic rats and histopathologic findings. (2) Methods: The animals were diabetic-induced with alloxan. Two groups were set according to the feeding protocol: free food and intermittent fasting, whose rats could only eat 8 h in the daylight. Both groups were anesthetized, and a laparotomy was performed. We evaluated the glucose levels during the perioperative period, and we accessed organ histology seeking damage of kidney, bowel and liver after surgical trauma, and we evaluated the wound healing process. (3) Results: Glycemic levels were improved in the intermittent fasting group, especially in the post-operative period after laparotomy. Comparing both groups’ tubular damage showed interdependency with mice with worse glycemic level (Z = 2.3; p = 0.0215) and wound-healing parameters showed interdependency with rats with better glycemic status for neovascularization (Z = 2.2; p = 0.0273) and the presence of sebaceous and sweat gland in the healing process (Z = 2.30; p = 0.0215). (4) Conclusions: Intermittent fasting before surgery can be a tool to improve glycemic levels in diabetic rats, with improvement especially in the post-operative period.
Changes in Eating Habits and Physical Activity after COVID-19 Pandemic Lockdowns in Italy
Authors: Lombardo Mauro , Guseva Elena , Perrone Marco Alfonso , Müller Alexander , Rizzo Gianluca , Storz Maximilian Andreas
Published: December 2021

The introduction of lockdowns and other containment measures during the COVID-19 pandemic substantially altered people’s lifestyle and dietary behavior. Several studies evaluated the short-term effects of these measures; yet reports on long-term consequences are scarce. We sought to address this gap in the literature by analyzing dietary and lifestyle data collected at an obesity center in Rome, Italy. The Italian region of Lazio was hit hard by the pandemic. To evaluate the potential health impacts, we compared the pre- and post-lockdown data of 118 individuals. Contrary to the common belief that lockdown had adverse effects solely on people’s dietary habits, we observed a significantly increased consumption of raw vegetables, whole grains, and water in our study sample. Favorable effects, however, were also accompanied by adverse trends, such as a higher prevalence of sleeping difficulties. Our data emphasize that the lockdowns associated with the pandemic also influenced participants’ social behavior, with less individuals reporting eating out or in company. Our study highlights the substantial impact of lockdowns on many dimensions of life. As such, it is of utmost importance in the critical evaluation of such stringent containment measures.
Prenatal Iron Deficiency and Choline Supplementation Interact to Epigenetically Regulate Jarid1b and Bdnf in the Rat Hippocampus into Adulthood
Authors: Liu Shirelle X. , Barks Amanda K. , Lunos Scott , Gewirtz Jonathan C. , Georgieff Michael K. , Tran Phu V.
Published: December 2021

Early-life iron deficiency (ID) causes long-term neurocognitive impairments and gene dysregulation that can be partially mitigated by prenatal choline supplementation. The long-term gene dysregulation is hypothesized to underlie cognitive dysfunction. However, mechanisms by which iron and choline mediate long-term gene dysregulation remain unknown. In the present study, using a well-established rat model of fetal-neonatal ID, we demonstrated that ID downregulated hippocampal expression of the gene encoding JmjC-ARID domain-containing protein 1B (JARID1B), an iron-dependent histone H3K4 demethylase, associated with a higher histone deacetylase 1 (HDAC1) enrichment and a lower enrichment of acetylated histone H3K9 (H3K9ac) and phosphorylated cAMP response element-binding protein (pCREB). Likewise, ID reduced transcriptional capacity of the gene encoding brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a target of JARID1B, associated with repressive histone modifications such as lower H3K9ac and pCREB enrichments at the Bdnf promoters in the adult rat hippocampus. Prenatal choline supplementation did not prevent the ID-induced chromatin modifications at these loci but induced long-lasting repressive chromatin modifications in the iron-sufficient adult rats. Collectively, these findings demonstrated that the iron-dependent epigenetic mechanism mediated by JARID1B accounted for long-term Bdnf dysregulation by early-life ID. Choline supplementation utilized a separate mechanism to rescue the effect of ID on neural gene regulation. The negative epigenetic effects of choline supplementation in the iron-sufficient rat hippocampus necessitate additional investigations prior to its use as an adjunctive therapeutic agent.
The Association of Restrained Eating and Overeating during COVID-19: A Cross-Lagged Model
Authors: Cui Yicen , Liu Xinyuan , Xiang Guangcan , Li Qingqing , Xiao Mingyue , Chen Hong
Published: December 2021

Widespread overeating has been found during the 2019 coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The present study investigated whether pre-pandemic restrained eating (RE) predicted overeating during the pandemic, and further explored the behavioral (mortality threat, negative affect) mechanisms underlying this association. An eight-month longitudinal survey was conducted with a large sample of 616 undergraduates from Southwest university. From September 2019 to April 2020, three measurements were conducted. RE was tested before the pandemic (T1), and data of mortality threat, negative affect, and overeating were collected at the middle (T2) and end of (T3) the COVID-19 crisis in China. The correlation results showed that baseline RE was positively associated with mortality threat, negative affect, and overeating at T2 and T3. Moreover, negative affect and mortality threat were positively correlated with overeating. Results from longitudinal mediation showed that baseline RE would positively predict T3 overeating through T2 negative affect, but not T2 mortality threat. This study supports and extends the counterregulatory eating hypothesis that RE positively predicts future overeating, especially through negative emotions. These findings further reveal the core psychological mechanism underlying this positive RE-overeating relation in the context of COVID-19, indicating that the individuals with higher RE could not cope with negative affect adequately, contributing to more overeating.
Association of Reduced Free T3 to Free T4 Ratio with Lower Serum Creatinine in Japanese Hemodialysis Patients
Authors: Inaba Masaaki , Mori Katsuhito , Tsujimoto Yoshihiro , Yamada Shinsuke , Yamazaki Yuko , Emoto Masanori , Shoji Tetsuo
Published: December 2021

Purpose: Low T3 syndrome is defined by a fall in free triiodothyronine (FT3) in spite of normal serum thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) and often normal free thyroxin (FT4). A low FT3/FT4 ratio, a relevant marker for low T3 syndrome, is known as a risk of mortality in hemodialysis (HD) patients, as well as low muscle mass in the general population. Because of the local activation of T4 to FT3 in muscle tissue, we examined the association of FT3/FT4 ratio with serum creatinine, a marker of muscle mass and strength in HD patients to investigate the significance of muscle tissue in the development of low T3 syndrome in HD patients. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study derived from our prospective cohort study, named DREAM, of Japanese HD patients. After the exclusion of patients with treated and untreated thyroid dysfunction, 332 patients were analyzed in the study. Results: The serum FT4 and TSH of HD patients (n = 332) were 0.9 ± 0.1 ng/dL. and 2.0 ± 0.9 μIU/mL, which were within the respective normal range, while serum FT3 was 2.2 ± 0.3 pg/mL. As many as 101 out of 332 (30.4%) HD patients exhibited a serum FT3 less than the normal lower limit of 2.2 pg/mL. The serum FT3/FT4 ratio correlated significantly positively with serum creatinine, and inversely with serum log CRP and total cholesterol, while it exhibited a tendency towards positive correlation with serum albumin. Multiple regression analysis, which included serum creatinine, albumin, and log CRP, simultaneously, in addition to sex, age, diabetic kidney disease or not, log HD duration, body mass index, systolic blood pressure, and Kt/V, as independent variables, revealed an independent and significant positive association of serum creatinine, but not serum albumin or CRP, with the serum FT3/FT4 ratio. Conclusions: The present study demonstrated an independent and positive correlation of serum creatinine with the serum FT3/FT4 ratio in HD patients. The lack of association of the serum FT3/FT4 ratio with serum albumin and CRP suggested the presence of a creatinine-specific mechanism to associate with serum FT3/FT4 ratio. Because of the local activation of T4 to T3 at muscle tissue, a lower muscle mass may be causatively associated with low T3 syndrome.
Evaluation of a Novel Artificial Intelligence System to Monitor and Assess Energy and Macronutrient Intake in Hospitalised Older Patients
Authors: Papathanail Ioannis , Brühlmann Jana , Vasiloglou Maria F. , Stathopoulou Thomai , Exadaktylos Aristomenis K. , Stanga Zeno , Münzer Thomas , Mougiakakou Stavroula
Published: December 2021

Malnutrition is common, especially among older, hospitalised patients, and is associated with higher mortality, longer hospitalisation stays, infections, and loss of muscle mass. It is therefore of utmost importance to employ a proper method for dietary assessment that can be used for the identification and management of malnourished hospitalised patients. In this study, we propose an automated Artificial Intelligence (AI)-based system that receives input images of the meals before and after their consumption and is able to estimate the patient’s energy, carbohydrate, protein, fat, and fatty acids intake. The system jointly segments the images into the different food components and plate types, estimates the volume of each component before and after consumption, and calculates the energy and macronutrient intake for every meal, based on the kitchen’s menu database. Data acquired from an acute geriatric hospital as well as from our previous study were used for the fine-tuning and evaluation of the system. The results from both our system and the hospital’s standard procedure were compared to the estimations of experts. Agreement was better with the system, suggesting that it has the potential to replace standard clinical procedures with a positive impact on time spent directly with the patients.
A Fermented Milk Product Containing B. lactis CNCM I-2494 Improves the Tolerance of a Plant-Based Diet in Patients with Disorders of Gut–Brain Interactions
Authors: Nevé Boris Le , Martinez-De la Torre Adrian , Tap Julien , Ruiz Adoración Nieto , Derrien Muriel , Cotillard Aurélie , Faurie Jean-Michel , Barba Elizabeth , Mego Marianela , Dornic Quentin , Butler John , Merino Xavi , Lobo Beatriz , Batet Ferran Pinsach , Pozuelo Marta , Santos Javier , Guarner Francisco , Manichanh Chaysavanh , Azpiroz Fernando
Published: December 2021

Healthy, plant-based diets, rich in fermentable residues, may induce gas-related symptoms. The aim of this exploratory study was to assess the effects of a fermented milk product, containing probiotics, on the tolerance of a healthy diet in patients with disorders of gut–brain interactions (DGBI), complaining of excessive flatulence. In an open design, a 3-day healthy, mostly plant-based diet was administered to patients with DGBI (52 included, 43 completed) before and at the end of 28 days of consumption of a fermented milk product (FMP) containing Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis CNCM I-2494 and lactic acid bacteria. As compared to a habitual diet, the flatulogenic diet increased the perception of digestive symptoms (flatulence score 7.1 ± 1.6 vs. 5.8 ± 1.9; p < 0.05) and the daily number of anal gas evacuations (22.4 ± 12.5 vs. 16.5 ± 10.2; p < 0.0001). FMP consumption reduced the flatulence sensation score (by –1.6 ± 2.2; p < 0.05) and the daily number of anal gas evacuations (by –5.3 ± 8.2; p < 0.0001). FMP consumption did not significantly alter the overall gut microbiota composition, but some changes in the microbiota correlated with the observed clinical improvement. The consumption of a product containing B. lactis CNCM I-2494 improved the tolerance of a healthy diet in patients with DGBI, and this effect may be mediated, in part, by the metabolic activity of the microbiota.
Inverse Association of Plasma Molybdenum with Metabolic Syndrome in a Chinese Adult Population: A Case-Control Study
Authors: Li Ben , Huang Yue , Luo Cheng , Peng Xiaolin , Jiao Yang , Zhou Li , Yin Jiawei , Liu Liegang
Published: December 2021

Molybdenum has been found to be associated with metabolic disorders. However, the relationship between molybdenum and metabolic syndrome (MetS) is still unclear. A large case-control study was conducted in a Chinese population from the baseline of Ezhou-Shenzhen cohort. A total of 5356 subjects were included with 2678 MetS and 2678 controls matched by sex and age (±2 years). Medians (IQRs) of plasma molybdenum concentrations were 1.24 μg/L for MetS cases and 1.46 μg/L for controls. After adjustment for multiple covariates, the odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for MetS were 1.00 (reference), 0.71 (0.59–0.84), 0.56 (0.46–0.68), and 0.47 (0.39–0.58) across quartiles of plasma molybdenum, and per SD increment of log-transformed molybdenum was associated with a 23% lower risk of MetS. In the spline analysis, the risk of MetS and its components decreased steeply with increasing molybdenum and followed by a plateau when the cutoff point was observed around 2.0 μg/L. The dose-dependent relationship of molybdenum with MetS remained consistent when considering other essential elements in the Bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR) model. In our study, higher plasma molybdenum was significantly associated with a lower risk of MetS, as well as its components, in a dose-response manner.
Effectiveness of a Theory-Informed Documentary to Reduce Consumption of Meat and Animal Products: Three Randomized Controlled Experiments
Authors: Mathur Maya B. , Peacock Jacob R. , Robinson Thomas N. , Gardner Christopher D.
Published: December 2021

Several societal issues could be mitigated by reducing global consumption of meat and animal products (MAP). In three randomized, controlled experiments (n=217 to 574), we evaluated the effects of a documentary that presents health, environmental, and animal welfare motivations for reducing MAP consumption. Study 1 assessed the documentary’s effectiveness at reducing reported MAP consumption after 12 days. This study used methodological innovations to minimize social desirability bias, a widespread limitation of past research. Study 2 investigated discrepancies between the results of Study 1 and those of previous studies by further examining the role of social desirability bias. Study 3 assessed the documentary’s effectiveness in a new population anticipated to be more responsive and upon enhancing the intervention content. We found that the documentary did not decrease reported MAP consumption when potential social desirability bias was minimized (Studies 1 and 3). The documentary also did not affect consumption among participants whose demographics suggested they might be more receptive (Study 3). However, the documentary did substantially increase intentions to reduce consumption, consistent with past studies (Studies 2 and 3). Overall, we conclude that some past studies of similar interventions may have overestimated effects due to methodological biases. Novel intervention strategies to reduce MAP consumption may be needed.
Anti-Leishmania infantum Antibody-Producing Plasma Cells in the Spleen in Canine Visceral Leishmaniasis
Authors: Fontes Jonathan L. M. , Mesquita Bianca R. , Brito Reginaldo , Gomes Juliana C. S. , de Melo Caroline V. B. , dos Santos Washington L. C.
Published: December 2021

The spleen is involved in visceral leishmaniasis immunopathogenesis, and presents alterations in white-pulp microenvironments that are associated with an increased susceptibility to coinfections and patient death. Plasmacytosis in splenic red pulp (RP) is one observed alteration, but the specificity of antibody-secreting cells and the distribution of them has not yet been evaluated. We biotinylated soluble L. infantum membrane antigens (bSLMA) used as probes in modified immunohistochemistry, and detected the presence of anti-L. infantum antibody-secreting cells. Were used spleens from eight dogs from the endemic area for canine visceral leishmaniasis (CanL), and three healthier controls. The spleen sections were cryopreserved, and we performed modified immunohistochemistry. The ratio of plasma cells which were reactive to bSLMA (Anti-Leish-PC) in the spleen RP and periarteriolar lymphatic sheath (PALS) were calculated. Dogs with CanL present hyperglobulinemia and more plasma cells in their RP than the controls. Furthermore, dogs with CanL presented a lower proportion of Anti-Leish-PC in their RP than in PALS. Likewise, dysproteinemia was related to RP and PALS plasmacytosis, and a more severe clinical profile.
High CD169 Monocyte/Lymphocyte Ratio Reflects Immunophenotype Disruption and Oxygen Need in COVID-19 Patients
Authors: Minutolo Antonella , Petrone Vita , Fanelli Marialaura , Iannetta Marco , Giudice Martina , Ait Belkacem Ines , Zordan Marta , Vitale Pietro , Rasi Guido , Sinibaldi-Vallebona Paola , Sarmati Loredana , Andreoni Massimo , Malergue Fabrice , Balestrieri Emanuela , Grelli Sandro , Matteucci Claudia
Published: December 2021

Background: Sialoadhesin (CD169) has been found to be overexpressed in the blood of COVID-19 patients and identified as a biomarker in early disease. We analyzed CD169 in the blood cells of COVID-19 patients to assess its role as a predictive marker of disease progression and clinical outcomes. Methods: The ratio of the median fluorescence intensity of CD169 between monocytes and lymphocytes (CD169 RMFI) was analyzed by flow cytometry in blood samples of COVID-19 patients (COV) and healthy donors (HDs) and correlated with immunophenotyping, inflammatory markers, cytokine mRNA expression, pulmonary involvement, and disease progression. Results: CD169 RMFI was high in COV but not in HDs, and it correlated with CD8 T-cell senescence and exhaustion markers, as well as with B-cell maturation and differentiation in COV. CD169 RMFI correlated with blood cytokine mRNA levels, inflammatory markers, and pneumonia severity in patients who were untreated at sampling, and was associated with the respiratory outcome throughout hospitalization. Finally, we also report the first evidence of the specific ability of the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 to trigger CD169 RMFI in a dose-dependent manner in parallel with IL-6 and IL-10 gene transcription in HD PBMCs stimulated in vitro. Conclusion: CD169 is induced by the spike protein and should be considered as an early biomarker for evaluating immune dysfunction and respiratory outcomes in COVID-19 patients.
Norovirus Vaccines: Current Clinical Development and Challenges
Authors: Tan Ming
Published: December 2021

Noroviruses are the major viral pathogens causing epidemic and endemic acute gastroenteritis with significant morbidity and mortality. While vaccines against norovirus diseases have been shown to be of high significance, the development of a broadly effective norovirus vaccine remains difficult, owing to the wide genetic and antigenic diversity of noroviruses with multiple co-circulated variants of various genotypes. In addition, the absence of a robust cell culture system, an efficient animal model, and reliable immune markers of norovirus protection for vaccine evaluation further hinders the developmental process. Among the vaccine candidates that are currently under clinical studies, recombinant VP1-based virus-like particles (VLPs) that mimic major antigenic features of noroviruses are the common ones, with proven safety, immunogenicity, and protective efficacy, supporting a high success likelihood of a useful norovirus vaccine. This short article reviews the recent progress in norovirus vaccine development, focusing on those from recent clinical studies, as well as summarizes the barriers that are being encountered in this developmental process and discusses issues of future perspective.
Invasiveness of Escherichia coli Is Associated with an IncFII Plasmid
Authors: Krall Lars Johannes , Klein Sabrina , Boutin Sébastien , Wu Chia Ching , Sähr Aline , Stanifer Megan L. , Boulant Steeve , Heeg Klaus , Nurjadi Dennis , Hildebrand Dagmar
Published: December 2021

Escherichia coli is one of the most prevalent pathogens, causing a variety of infections including bloodstream infections. At the same time, it can be found as a commensal, being part of the intestinal microflora. While it is widely accepted that pathogenic strains can evolve from colonizing E. coli strains, the evolutionary route facilitating the commensal-to-pathogen transition is complex and remains not fully understood. Identification of the underlying mechanisms and genetic changes remains challenging. To investigate the factors involved in the transition from intestinal commensal to invasive E. coli causing bloodstream infections, we compared E. coli isolated from blood culture to isolates from the rectal flora of the same individuals by whole genome sequencing to identify clonally related strains and potentially relevant virulence factors. in vitro invasion assays using a Caco- 2 cell intestinal epithelial barrier model and a gut organoid model were performed to compare clonally related E. coli. The experiments revealed a correlation between the presence of an IncFII plasmid carrying hha and the degree of invasiveness. In summary, we provide evidence for the role of an IncFII plasmid in the transition of colonization to invasion in clinical E. coli isolates.
Clinical and Anatomopathological Evaluation of BALB/c Murine Models Infected with Isolates of Seven Pathogenic Sporothrix Species
Authors: Corrêa-Moreira Danielly , Menezes Rodrigo C. , Romeo Orazio , Borba Cintia M. , Oliveira Manoel M. E.
Published: December 2021

Background: Sporotrichosis is a subcutaneous mycosis with worldwide distribution and caused by seven pathogenic species of Sporothrix genus: S. schenckii sensu stricto, S. brasiliensis, S. globosa and S. luriei (clinical clade), and the species S. mexicana, S. pallida and S. chilensis (environmental clade). Isolates of the same species of Sporothrix may have different pathogenicities; however, few isolates of this fungus have been studied. Thus, the aim of this work was to analyze the clinical and anatomopathological changes in immunocompetent and immunosuppressed BALB/c mice infected with clinical and environmental isolates of seven different species of Sporothrix, from both clades. One human clinical isolate of S. schenckii sensu stricto, S. brasiliensis, S. globosa, S. luriei, S. mexicana and S. chilensis species and one environmental isolate of S. pallida were inoculated subcutaneously in immunocompetent mice and the same isolates of S. brasiliensis and S.schenckii sensu stricto were inoculated in immunossupressed mice. Clinical manifestations as external lesions, apathy, and alopecia were observed. At 21, 35, and 49 days after fungal inoculation, four mice from each group were weighed, euthanized and necropsied for evaluation of splenic index, recovery of fungal cells, macroscopic and histopathological analysis of livers, lungs, kidneys, and hearts. The survival assessment was observed for 50 days following inoculation. Our results demonstrated that, clinical S. schenckii isolate, followed by clinical S. mexicana, and environmental S. pallida isolates, the last two, species grouped in the environmental clade, were capable of inducing greater anatomopathological changes in mice, which was reflected in the severity of the clinical signs of these animals. Thus, we reinforce the hypothesis that the pathogenicity of Sporothrix is not only related to the species of this fungus, but also shows variation between different isolates of the same species.
The Therapeutic Potential of Common Herbal and Nano-Based Herbal Formulations against Ovarian Cancer: New Insight into the Current Evidence
Authors: Rezaei-Tazangi Fatemeh , Roghani-Shahraki Hossein , Khorsand Ghaffari Mahdi , Abolhasani Zadeh Firoozeh , Boostan Aynaz , ArefNezhad Reza , Motedayyen Hossein
Published: December 2021

Ovarian cancer (OCa) is characterized as one of the common reasons for cancer-associated death in women globally. This gynecological disorder is chiefly named the “silent killer” due to lacking an association between disease manifestations in the early stages and OCa. Because of the disease recurrence and resistance to common therapies, discovering an effective therapeutic way against the disease is a challenge. According to documents, some popular herbal formulations, such as curcumin, quercetin, and resveratrol, can serve as an anti-cancer agent through different mechanisms. However, these herbal products may be accompanied by some pharmacological limitations, such as poor bioavailability, instability, and weak water solubility. On the contrary, using nano-based material, e.g., nanoparticles (NPs), micelles, liposomes, can significantly solve these limitations. Therefore, in the present study, we will summarize the anti-cancer aspects of these herbal and-nano-based herbal formulations with a focus on their mechanisms against OCa.
Growth Inhibitory Efficacy of Chinese Herbs in a Cellular Model for Triple-Negative Breast Cancer
Authors: Telang Nitin T. , Nair Hareesh B. , Wong George Y. C.
Published: December 2021

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is characterized by the absence of estrogen receptor-α progesterone receptor and human epidermal growth factor receptor-2. Treatment for this breast cancer subtype is restricted to multidrug chemotherapy and survival pathway-based molecularly targeted therapy. The long-term treatment options are associated with systemic toxicity, spontaneous and/or acquired tumor resistance and the emergence a of drug-resistant stem cell population. These limitations lead to advanced stage metastatic cancer. Current emphasis is on research directions that identify efficacious, naturally occurring agents representing an unmet need for testable therapeutic alternatives for therapy resistant breast cancer. Chinese herbs are widely used in traditional Chinese medicine in women for estrogen related health issues and also for integrative support for cancer treatment. This review discusses published evidence on a TNBC model for growth inhibitory effects of several mechanistically distinct nontoxic Chinese herbs, most of them nutritional in nature, and identifies susceptible pathways and potential molecular targets for their efficacy. Documented anti-proliferative and pro-apoptotic effects of these herbs are associated with downregulation of RB, RAS, PI3K, and AKT signaling, modulation of Bcl-2/BAX protein expressions and increased caspase activity. This review provides a proof of concept for Chinese herbs as testable alternatives for prevention/therapy of TNBC.
Improved Anticancer Activities of a New Pentafluorothio-Substituted Vorinostat-Type Histone Deacetylase Inhibitor
Authors: Goehringer Nils , Peng Yayi , Nitzsche Bianca , Biermann Hannah , Pradhan Rohan , Schobert Rainer , Herling Marco , Höpfner Michael , Biersack Bernhard
Published: December 2021

The development of new anticancer drugs is necessary in order deal with the disease and with the drawbacks of currently applied drugs. Epigenetic dysregulations are a central hallmark of cancerogenesis and histone deacetylases (HDACs) emerged as promising anticancer targets. HDAC inhibitors are promising epigenetic anticancer drugs and new HDAC inhibitors are sought for in order to obtain potent drug candidates. The new HDAC inhibitor SF5-SAHA was synthesized and analyzed for its anticancer properties. The new compound SF5-SAHA showed strong inhibition of tumor cell growth with IC50 values similar to or lower than that of the clinically applied reference compound vorinostat/SAHA (suberoylanilide hydroxamic acid). Target specific HDAC inhibition was demonstrated by Western blot analyses. Unspecific cytotoxic effects were not observed in LDH-release measurements. Pro-apoptotic formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and caspase-3 activity induction in prostate carcinoma and hepatocellular carcinoma cell lines DU145 and Hep-G2 seem to be further aspects of the mode of action. Antiangiogenic activity of SF5-SAHA was observed on chorioallantoic membranes of fertilized chicken eggs (CAM assay). The presence of the pentafluorothio-substituent of SF5-SAHA increased the antiproliferative effects in both solid tumor and leukemia/lymphoma cell models when compared with its parent compound vorinostat. Based on this preliminary study, SF5-SAHA has the prerequisites to be further developed as a new HDAC inhibitory anticancer drug candidate.
An Investigation for Large Volume, Focal Blood-Brain Barrier Disruption with High-Frequency Pulsed Electric Fields
Authors: Lorenzo Melvin F. , Campelo Sabrina N. , Arroyo Julio P. , Aycock Kenneth N. , Hinckley Jonathan , Arena Christopher B. , Rossmeisl John H. , Davalos Rafael V.
Published: December 2021

The treatment of CNS disorders suffers from the inability to deliver large therapeutic agents to the brain parenchyma due to protection from the blood-brain barrier (BBB). Herein, we investigated high-frequency pulsed electric field (HF-PEF) therapy of various pulse widths and interphase delays for BBB disruption while selectively minimizing cell ablation. Eighteen male Fisher rats underwent craniectomy procedures and two blunt-tipped electrodes were advanced into the brain for pulsing. BBB disruption was verified with contrast T1W MRI and pathologically with Evans blue dye. High-frequency irreversible electroporation cell death of healthy rodent astrocytes was investigated in vitro using a collagen hydrogel tissue mimic. Numerical analysis was conducted to determine the electric fields in which BBB disruption and cell ablation occur. Differences between the BBB disruption and ablation thresholds for each waveform are as follows: 2-2-2 μs (1028 V/cm), 5-2-5 μs (721 V/cm), 10-1-10 μs (547 V/cm), 2-5-2 μs (1043 V/cm), and 5-5-5 μs (751 V/cm). These data suggest that HF-PEFs can be fine-tuned to modulate the extent of cell death while maximizing peri-ablative BBB disruption. Furthermore, numerical modeling elucidated the diffuse field gradients of a single-needle grounding pad configuration to favor large-volume BBB disruption, while the monopolar probe configuration is more amenable to ablation and reversible electroporation effects.
Output Pulse Characteristics of a Mamyshev Fiber Oscillator
Authors: Han Haili , Chen Nan-Kuang , Zhang Liqiang , Xie Yanru , Tian Zhen , Yao Yicun , Huang Yuanchuan , Zhang Xia
Published: December 2021

The dependence of the output pulse characteristics of a Mamyshev fiber oscillator on cavity parameters is investigated in detail. We analyze the change in pulse spectrum bandwidth, pulse duration, dechirped pulse duration and chirp with the change in fiber group velocity dispersion, fiber nonlinearity, gain, and filters by putting forward a numerical model. In particular, as one of the most important components, the effect of filters bandwidth and the central wavelength interval between them is discussed. The passive fibers are classified into two kinds according to their locations in the cavity, which are the one before the gain fiber and the one after the gain fiber. Numerical simulation results show that a wide spectrum can be obtained by increasing the nonlinearity of the second passive fiber, while the change in nonlinearity of the first passive fiber has a weak effect on spectrum broadening. A wide spectrum could also be obtained by increasing the nonlinearity or the small-signal gain coefficient of the gain fiber. A Yb-doped Mamyshev fiber oscillator is demonstrated. The results show the increase in pump power, which agrees reasonably well with the numerical simulation results.
Optical Phenomena in Mesoscale Dielectric Particles
Authors: Minin Oleg V. , Minin Igor V.
Published: December 2021

During the last decade, new unusual physical phenomena have been discovered in studying the optics of dielectric mesoscale particles of an arbitrary three-dimensional shape with the Mie size parameter near 10 (q~10). The paper provides a brief overview of these phenomena from optics to terahertz, plasmonic and acoustic ranges. The different particle configurations (isolated, regular or Janus) are discussed, and the possible applications of such mesoscale structures are briefly reviewed herein in relation to the field enhancement, nanoparticle manipulation and super-resolution imaging. The number of interesting applications indicates the appearance of a new promising scientific direction in optics, terahertz and acoustic ranges, and plasmonics. This paper presents the authors’ approach to these problems.
Step Surface Profile Measurement Based on Fringe Projection Phase-Shifting Using Selective Sampling
Authors: Zhang Songsong , Huang Haisong
Published: December 2021

Fringe projection is a non-contact optical method that is widely used in the optical precision measurement of complex stepped surfaces. However, the accuracy of the fringe phase extraction employed has a direct impact on the measurement precision of the surface shape. Where phase-shifting measurement is used, the classical equal step phase extraction algorithm can only be used to measure simple and smooth surfaces, and leads to measurement errors on complex stepped surfaces, which affects the accuracy of the phase extraction. In addition, the iterative process lasts for a long time, resulting in a low efficiency. This paper proposes a step-by-step phase-shifting extraction algorithm based on selective sampling to measure the contour of the stepped surface. Firstly, the fringe pattern is sampled at equal intervals to reduce the iterative calculation time. Finally, the accurate measurement phase is calculated by the alternating iteration method. The phase extraction accuracy and iteration times are compared in experimental measurements between classical iterative algorithms such as four-step phase-shifting algorithms and the variable phase shift phase interpolation algorithm based on selective sampling. It is shown that the variable frequency phase-shifting extraction algorithm based on selective sampling has a shorter operation time, smaller error, and higher accuracy than the traditional iterative algorithm in fringe projection measuring complex stepped surfaces.