bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Halogenation Activity of Mammalian Heme Peroxidases
Authors: Arnhold Jürgen , Malle Ernst
Published: April 2022

Mammalian heme peroxidases are fascinating due to their unique peculiarity of oxidizing (pseudo)halides under physiologically relevant conditions. These proteins are able either to incorporate oxidized halides into substrates adjacent to the active site or to generate different oxidized (pseudo)halogenated species, which can take part in multiple (pseudo)halogenation and oxidation reactions with cell and tissue constituents. The present article reviews basic biochemical and redox mechanisms of (pseudo)halogenation activity as well as the physiological role of heme peroxidases. Thyroid peroxidase and peroxidasin are key enzymes for thyroid hormone synthesis and the formation of functional cross-links in collagen IV during basement membrane formation. Special attention is directed to the properties, enzymatic mechanisms, and resulting (pseudo)halogenated products of the immunologically relevant proteins such as myeloperoxidase, eosinophil peroxidase, and lactoperoxidase. The potential role of the (pseudo)halogenated products (hypochlorous acid, hypobromous acid, hypothiocyanite, and cyanate) of these three heme peroxidases is further discussed.
Selenium Supplementation during Puberty and Young Adulthood Mitigates Obesity-Induced Metabolic, Cellular and Epigenetic Alterations in Male Rat Physiology
Authors: Pascoal Gabriela de Freitas Laiber , Novaes Gabriela Machado , Sobrinho Monique de Paula , Hirayama André Bubna , Castro Inar Alves , Ong Thomas Prates
Published: April 2022

Selenium (Se) role in obesity is not clear. In addition, information on Se’s role in male physiology, specifically in obesity, is scarce. We conducted this study to evaluate the efficacy of Se supplementation, specifically during puberty until young adulthood, against obesity-induced deregulation of metabolic, cellular, and epigenetic parameters in epididymal fat and/or sperm cells in a rat model. High-fat-diet consumption by male rats during puberty and young adulthood significantly increased body weight, adipocyte size, oxidative stress, deregulated expression of genes associated with inflammation (Adiponectin, IL-6, TNF-α), adipogenesis (CEBPα), estrogen biosynthesis (CYP19) and epigenetic processes in epididymal adipose tissue (Dnmt3a), as well as altered microRNA expression vital for spermatogenesis in sperm cells (miR-15b and miR-497). On the other hand, Se supplementation significantly decreased oxidative stress and mitigated these molecular/epigenetic alterations in epididymal adipose tissue or sperm cells. Our results indicate that selenium supplementation during puberty/young adulthood could improve male physiology in the context of obesity. In addition, it suggests that Se could potentially positively affect offspring health.
A Novel Combination of High-Load Omega-3 Lysine Complex (AvailOm®) and Anthocyanins Exerts Beneficial Cardiovascular Effects
Authors: Di Pietro Paola , Lizio Rosario , Izzo Carmine , Visco Valeria , Damato Antonio , Venturini Eleonora , De Lucia Massimiliano , Galasso Gennaro , Migliarino Serena , Rasile Barbara , Ciccarelli Michele , Vecchione Carmine , Carrizzo Albino
Published: April 2022

Omega-3 fatty acids have been shown to exert several beneficial effects in the prevention of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. The objective of the present study was to analyze the effects of a novel high-load omega-3 lysine complex, AvailOm®, its related constituents and a novel mixture of AvailOm® with specific vasoactive anthocyanins on vascular function in mice resistance artery. Pressure myograph was used to perform vascular reactivity studies. Nitric oxide and oxidative stress were assessed by difluorofluorescein diacetate and dihydroethidium, respectively. Increasing doses of AvailOm® exerted a dose-response vasorelaxation via AMPK-eNOS-mediated signaling. Omega-3 Ethyl Ester was identified as the main bioactive derivative of AvailOm®, being capable of inducing vasorelaxant action to the same extent of entire product. The combination of AvailOm® with a mix of potent vasoactive anthocyanins (C3-glu + DP3-glu + Mal3-glu + Mal3-gal + PEO3-gal), strongly protected mesenteric arteries from vascular dysfunction and oxidative stress evoked by oxidized-LDL. These data demonstrate for the first time the direct effects of AvailOm® on resistance arteries. The evidence that the combination of specific vasoactive anthocyanins and AvailOm® further enhanced the vasculoprotective properties of these compounds, may offer new promising perspectives for preventing the onset of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events.
PaperNet: A Dataset and Benchmark for Fine-Grained Paper Classification
Authors: Yue Tan , Li Yong , Shi Xuzhao , Qin Jiedong , Fan Zijiao , Hu Zonghai
Published: April 2022

Document classification is an important area in Natural Language Processing (NLP). Because a huge amount of scientific papers have been published at an accelerating rate, it is beneficial to carry out intelligent paper classifications, especially fine-grained classification for researchers. However, a public scientific paper dataset for fine-grained classification is still lacking, so the existing document classification methods have not been put to the test. To fill this vacancy, we designed and collected the PaperNet-Dataset that consists of multi-modal data (texts and figures). PaperNet 1.0 version contains hierarchical categories of papers in the fields of computer vision (CV) and NLP, 2 coarse-grained and 20 fine-grained (7 in CV and 13 in NLP). We ran current mainstream models on the PaperNet-Dataset, along with a multi-modal method that we propose. Interestingly, none of these methods reaches an accuracy of 80% in fine-grained classification, showing plenty of room for improvement. We hope that PaperNet-Dataset will inspire more work in this challenging area.
The Effect of Interface Damage between Slab and Mortar Layer on the Dynamic Performances of Vehicle and Track Systems under the High Frequency Train Loads
Authors: Xin Xin , Ren Zunsong
Published: April 2022

To investigate the influences of through-transverse mortar disengagement with different lengths and heights on the dynamic responses of vehicle and track systems under the high frequency train loads, a coupled rigid vehicle–flexible track multi-body dynamics (MBD) model with mortar disengagement was established in SIMPACK platforms with the help of ANSYS software. The results indicate that when the mortar disengagement length is no more than 1 m, the responses of vehicle and track systems are hardly influenced by mortar disengagement with an increase rate of no more than 10% except for the slab displacement. When LMD reaches 1.5 m, the maximum slab displacement exceeds the safety limit of 0.5 mm. The vertical wheel–rail contact force and the rail displacement exceed the safety limit with the mortar disengagement length of 2 m and the mortar disengagement height of 1.5 mm. The most increase rates induced by mortar disengagement are 190% and 272% with regards to the slab displacement and the longitudinal tension stress of slab, respectively, which is significantly detrimental to the service life of slab. The proposed approach has the potential to preliminarily determine the critical mortar disengagement size, which is conductive to relieving the pressure of track maintenance while ensuring the service life of track structures and the operation safety and riding comfort of the vehicle.
Mortality Burden of Heatwaves in Sydney, Australia Is Exacerbated by the Urban Heat Island and Climate Change: Can Tree Cover Help Mitigate the Health Impacts?
Authors: Chaston Timothy B. , Broome Richard A. , Cooper Nathan , Duck Gerard , Geromboux Christy , Guo Yuming , Ji Fei , Perkins-Kirkpatrick Sarah , Zhang Ying , Dissanayake Gnanadarsha S. , Morgan Geoffrey G. , Hanigan Ivan C.
Published: April 2022

Heatwaves are associated with increased mortality and are exacerbated by the urban heat island (UHI) effect. Thus, to inform climate change mitigation and adaptation, we quantified the mortality burden of historical heatwave days in Sydney, Australia, assessed the contribution of the UHI effect and used climate change projection data to estimate future health impacts. We also assessed the potential for tree cover to mitigate against the UHI effect. Mortality (2006–2018) records were linked with census population data, weather observations (1997–2016) and climate change projections to 2100. Heatwave-attributable excess deaths were calculated based on risk estimates from a published heatwave study of Sydney. High resolution satellite observations of UHI air temperature excesses and green cover were used to determine associated effects on heat-related mortality. These data show that >90% of heatwave days would not breach heatwave thresholds in Sydney if there were no UHI effect and that numbers of heatwave days could increase fourfold under the most extreme climate change scenario. We found that tree canopy reduces urban heat, and that widespread tree planting could offset the increases in heat-attributable deaths as climate warming progresses.
Expression Analysis in Atlantic Salmon Liver Reveals miRNAs Associated with Smoltification and Seawater Adaptation
Authors: Shwe Alice , Krasnov Aleksei , Visnovska Tina , Ramberg Sigmund , Østbye Tone-Kari K. , Andreassen Rune
Published: April 2022

Optimal smoltification is crucial for normal development, growth, and health of farmed Atlantic salmon in seawater. Here, we characterize miRNA expression in liver to reveal whether miRNAs regulate gene expression during this developmental transition. Expression changes of miRNAs and mRNAs was studied by small-RNA sequencing and microarray analysis, respectively. This revealed 62 differentially expressed guide miRNAs (gDE-miRNAs) that could be divided into three groups with characteristic dynamic expression patterns. Three of miRNA families are known as highly expressed in liver. A rare arm shift was observed during smoltification in the Atlantic salmon-specific novel-ssa-miR-16. The gDE-miRNAs were predicted to target 2804 of the genes revealing expression changes in the microarray analysis. Enrichment analysis revealed that targets were significantly enriched in smoltification-associated biological process groups. These included lipid and cholesterol synthesis, carbohydrate metabolism, protein metabolism and protein transport, immune system genes, circadian rhythm and stress response. The results indicate that gDE-miRNAs may regulate many of the changes associated with this developmental transition in liver. The results pave the way for validation of the predicted target genes and further study of gDE-miRNA and their targets by functional assays.
The Two Domains of the Avian Double-β-Defensin AvBD11 Have Different Ancestors, Common with Potential Monodomain Crocodile and Turtle Defensins
Authors: Guyot Nicolas , Landon Céline , Monget Philippe
Published: April 2022

Beta-defensins are an essential group of cysteine-rich host-defence peptides involved in vertebrate innate immunity and are generally monodomain. Among bird defensins, the avian β-defensin 11 (AvBD11) is unique because of its peculiar structure composed of two β-defensin domains. The reasons for the appearance of such ‘polydefensins’ during the evolution of several, but not all branches of vertebrates, still remain an open question. In this study, we aimed at exploring the origin and evolution of the bird AvBD11 using a phylogenetic approach. Although they are homologous, the N- and C-terminal domains of AvBD11 share low protein sequence similarity and possess different cysteine spacing patterns. Interestingly, strong variations in charge properties can be observed on the C-terminal domain depending on bird species but, despite this feature, no positive selection was detected on the AvBD11 gene (neither on site nor on branches). The comparison of AvBD11 protein sequences in different bird species, however, suggests that some amino acid residues may have undergone convergent evolution. The phylogenetic tree of avian defensins revealed that each domain of AvBD11 is distant from ovodefensins (OvoDs) and may have arisen from different ancestral defensins. Strikingly, our phylogenetic analysis demonstrated that each domain of AvBD11 has common ancestors with different putative monodomain β-defensins from crocodiles and turtles and are even more closely related with these reptilian defensins than with their avian paralogs. Our findings support that AvBD11′s domains, which differ in their cysteine spacing and charge distribution, do not result from a recent internal duplication but most likely originate from a fusion of two different ancestral genes or from an ancestral double-defensin arisen before the Testudines-Archosauria split.
Extracellular Alpha-Synuclein: Mechanisms for Glial Cell Internalization and Activation
Authors: Chavarría Cecilia , Ivagnes Rodrigo , Souza José M.
Published: April 2022

Alpha-synuclein (α-syn) is a small protein composed of 140 amino acids and belongs to the group of intrinsically disordered proteins. It is a soluble protein that is highly expressed in neurons and expressed at low levels in glial cells. The monomeric protein aggregation process induces the formation of oligomeric intermediates and proceeds towards fibrillar species. These α-syn conformational species have been detected in the extracellular space and mediate consequences on surrounding neurons and glial cells. In particular, higher-ordered α-syn aggregates are involved in microglial and oligodendrocyte activation, as well as in the induction of astrogliosis. These phenomena lead to mitochondrial dysfunction, reactive oxygen and nitrogen species formation, and the induction of an inflammatory response, associated with neuronal cell death. Several receptors participate in cell activation and/or in the uptake of α-syn, which can vary depending on the α-syn aggregated state and cell types. The receptors involved in this process are of outstanding relevance because they may constitute potential therapeutic targets for the treatment of PD and related synucleinopathies. This review article focuses on the mechanism associated with extracellular α-syn uptake in glial cells and the consequent glial cell activation that contributes to the neuronal death associated with synucleinopathies.
Colorectal Cancer Heterogeneity and the Impact on Precision Medicine and Therapy Efficacy
Authors: Rosati Gerardo , Aprile Giuseppe , Colombo Alfredo , Cordio Stefano , Giampaglia Marianna , Cappetta Alessandro , Porretto Concetta Maria , De Stefano Alfonso , Bilancia Domenico , Avallone Antonio
Published: April 2022

Novel targeted therapies for metastatic colorectal cancer are needed to personalize treatments by guiding specific biomarkers selected on the genetic profile of patients. RAS and BRAF inhibitors have been developed for patients who become unresponsive to standard therapies. Sotorasib and adagrasib showed promising results in phase I/II basket trial and a phase III trial was planned with a combination of these RAS inhibitors and anti-EGFR monoclonal antibodies. Encorafenib and binimetinib were administered in phase II clinical trials for BRAF mutated patients. Pembrolizumab is now recommended in patients exhibiting microsatellite instability. Larotrectinib and entrectinib showed a fast and durable response with few and reversible adverse events in cases with NTRK fusions. Trastuzumab and trastuzumab deruxtecan exhibited promising and durable activity in HER-2-positive patients. In this review, the reasons for an extension of the molecular profile of patients were assessed and placed in the context of the advancements in the understanding of genetics. We highlight the differential effect of new targeted therapies through an ever-deeper characterization of tumor tissue. An overview of ongoing clinical trials is also provided.
Behavioral and Immunohistochemical Evidence for Suppressive Effects of Goshajinkigan on Salicylate-Induced Tinnitus in Rats
Authors: Kitano Koichi , Yamashita Akinori , Sugimura Taketoshi , Okayasu Tadao , Sakagami Masaharu , Osaki Daisuke , Kitahara Tadashi , Saito Yasuhiko
Published: April 2022

Many people are affected by tinnitus, a sensation of ringing in the ear despite the absence of external sound. Goshajinkigan (GJG) is one of the formulations of Japanese traditional herbal medicine and is prescribed for the palliative treatment of patients with tinnitus. Although GJG is clinically effective in these patients, its behavioral effects and the underlying neuroanatomical substrate have not been modeled in animals. We modeled tinnitus using salicylate-treated rats, demonstrated the effectiveness of GJG on tinnitus, and examined the underlying neuronal substrate with c-Fos expression. Intraperitoneal injection of sodium salicylate (400 mg/kg) into rats for three consecutive days significantly increased false positive scores, which were used to assess tinnitus behavior. When GJG was orally administered one hour after each salicylate injection, the increase in tinnitus behavior was suppressed. The analysis of c-Fos expression in auditory-related brain areas revealed that GJG significantly reduced the salicylate-induced increase in the number of c-Fos-expressing cells in the auditory cortices, inferior colliculus, and dorsal cochlear nucleus. These results suggest a suppressive effect of GJG on salicylate-induced tinnitus in animal models.
Surgery in Acute Metastatic Spinal Cord Compression: Timing and Functional Outcome
Authors: Meyer Hanno S. , Wagner Arthur , Raufer Alessandra , Joerger Ann-Kathrin , Gempt Jens , Meyer Bernhard
Published: April 2022

Background: Patients with metastatic spinal cord compression (MSCC) may experience long-term functional impairment. It has been established that surgical decompression improves neurological outcomes, but the effect of early surgery remains uncertain. Our objective was to evaluate the impact of early versus late surgery for acute MSCC due to spinal metastases (SM). Methods: We retrospectively reviewed a consecutive cohort of all patients undergoing surgery for SMs at our institution. We determined the prevalence of acute MSCC; the time between acute neurological deterioration as well as between admission and surgery (standard procedure: decompression and instrumentation); and neurological impairment graded by the ASIA scale upon presentation and discharge. Results: We screened 693 patients with surgery for spinal metastasis; 140 patients (21.7%) had acute MSCC, defined as neurological impairment corresponding to ASIA grade D or lower, acquired within 72 h before admission. Non-MSCC patients had surgery for SM-related cauda equina syndrome, radiculopathy and/or spinal instability. Most common locations of the SM in acute MSCC were the thoracic (77.9%) and cervical (10.7%) spine. Per standard of care, acute MSCC patients underwent surgery including decompression and instrumentation, and the median time from admission to surgery was 16 h (interquartile range 10–22 h). Within the group of patients with acute MSCC, those who underwent early surgery (i.e., before the median 16 h) had a significantly higher rate of ASIA improvement by at least one grade at discharge (26.5%) compared to those who had late surgery after 16 h (10.1%; p = 0.024). Except for a significantly higher sepsis rate in the late surgery group, complication rates did not differ between the late and early surgery subgroups. Conclusions: We report data on the largest cohort of patients with MSCC to date. Early surgery is pivotal in acute MSCC, substantially increasing the chance for neurological improvement without increasing complication rates. We found no significant impact when surgery was performed later than 24 h after admission. These findings will provide the framework for a much-needed prospective study. Until then, the treatment strategy should entail the earliest possible surgical intervention.
Relative Telomere Length Change in Colorectal Carcinoma and Its Association with Tumor Characteristics, Gene Expression and Microsatellite Instability
Authors: Kibriya Muhammad G. , Raza Maruf , Kamal Mohammed , Haq Zahidul , Paul Rupash , Mareczko Andrew , Pierce Brandon L. , Ahsan Habibul , Jasmine Farzana
Published: April 2022

We compared tumor and adjacent normal tissue samples from 165 colorectal carcinoma (CRC) patients to study change in relative telomere length (RTL) and its association with different histological and molecular features. To measure RTL, we used a Luminex-based assay. We observed shorter RTL in the CRC tissue compared to paired normal tissue (RTL 0.722 ± SD 0.277 vs. 0.809 ± SD 0.242, p = 0.00012). This magnitude of RTL shortening (by ~0.08) in tumor tissue is equivalent to RTL shortening seen in human leukocytes over 10 years of aging measured by the same assay. RTL was shorter in cancer tissue, irrespective of age group, gender, tumor pathology, location and microsatellite instability (MSI) status. RTL shortening was more prominent in low-grade CRC and in the presence of microsatellite instability (MSI). In a subset of patients, we also examined differential gene expression of (a) telomere-related genes, (b) genes in selected cancer-related pathways and (c) genes at the genome-wide level in CRC tissues to determine the association between gene expression and RTL changes. RTL shortening in CRC was associated with (a) upregulation of DNA replication genes, cyclin dependent-kinase genes (anti-tumor suppressor) and (b) downregulation of “caspase executor”, reducing apoptosis.
Identification of Novel Potential Heparanase Inhibitors Using Virtual Screening
Authors: Rus Alfredo , Bolanos-Garcia Victor M. , Bastida Agatha , Morales Paula
Published: April 2022

Heparanase (HPSE) is a mammalian endo-β-D-glucuronidase that cleaves heparan sulphate (HS) side chains of heparin sulphate proteoglycans (HSPG), a class of molecules composed of repeating polysulfated disaccharide units of glucosamine and hexuronic acid residues. HPSE controls the availability of growth factors, chemokines, lipoproteins and other bioactive molecules by degrading HS into smaller fractions, allowing the release of saccharide fragments that activate a plethora of signaling processes. HPSE overexpression has been correlated with tumor survival and metastasis as well as several diseases associated with chronic inflammation, including the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2. Thus, the search for molecules that could potentially inhibit HPSE has become increasingly relevant in the clinic. In this study, we have integrated a strategy that combines virtual screening and molecular docking of publicly available chemical databases to identify small compounds that can be developed into novel HPSE inhibitors. Structural rationalization of the interactions previously reported compounds led us to identify promising unexplored chemotypes. Here we show that these novel potential HPSE inhibitors present optimized in silico druggability and docking properties and may serve as pharmacological tools for the treatment of chronic and infectious diseases associated with chronic inflammation.
miR-126-3p and miR-21-5p as Hallmarks of Bio-Positive Ageing; Correlation Analysis and Machine Learning Prediction in Young to Ultra-Centenarian Sicilian Population
Authors: Accardi Giulia , Bono Filippa , Cammarata Giuseppe , Aiello Anna , Herrero Maria Trinidad , Alessandro Riccardo , Augello Giuseppa , Carru Ciriaco , Colomba Paolo , Costa Maria Assunta , De Vivo Immaculata , Ligotti Mattia Emanuela , Lo Curto Alessia , Passantino Rosa , Taverna Simona , Zizzo Carmela , Duro Giovanni , Caruso Calogero , Candore Giuseppina
Published: April 2022

Human ageing can be characterized by a profile of circulating microRNAs (miRNAs), which are potentially predictors of biological age. They can be used as a biomarker of risk for age-related inflammatory outcomes, and senescent endothelial cells (ECs) have emerged as a possible source of circulating miRNAs. In this paper, a panel of four circulating miRNAs including miR-146a-5p, miR-126-3p, miR-21-5p, and miR-181a-5p, involved in several pathways related to inflammation, and ECs senescence that seem to be characteristic of the healthy ageing phenotype. The circulating levels of these miRNAs were determined in 78 healthy subjects aged between 22 to 111 years. Contextually, extracellular miR-146a-5p, miR-126-3p, miR-21-5p, and miR-181a-5p levels were measured in human ECs in vitro model, undergoing senescence. We found that the levels of the four miRNAs, using ex vivo and in vitro models, progressively increase with age, apart from ultra-centenarians that showed levels comparable to those measured in young individuals. Our results contribute to the development of knowledge regarding the identification of miRNAs as biomarkers of successful and unsuccessful ageing. Indeed, they might have diagnostic/prognostic relevance for age-related diseases.
Identifying Blood Biomarkers for Dementia Using Machine Learning Methods in the Framingham Heart Study
Authors: Lin Honghuang , Himali Jayandra J. , Satizabal Claudia L. , Beiser Alexa S. , Levy Daniel , Benjamin Emelia J. , Gonzales Mitzi M. , Ghosh Saptaparni , Vasan Ramachandran S. , Seshadri Sudha , McGrath Emer R.
Published: April 2022

Blood biomarkers for dementia have the potential to identify preclinical disease and improve participant selection for clinical trials. Machine learning is an efficient analytical strategy to simultaneously identify multiple candidate biomarkers for dementia. We aimed to identify important candidate blood biomarkers for dementia using three machine learning models. We included 1642 (mean 69 ± 6 yr, 53% women) dementia-free Framingham Offspring Cohort participants attending examination, 7 who had available blood biomarker data. We developed three machine learning models, support vector machine (SVM), eXtreme gradient boosting of decision trees (XGB), and artificial neural network (ANN), to identify candidate biomarkers for incident dementia. Over a mean 12 ± 5 yr follow-up, 243 (14.8%) participants developed dementia. In multivariable models including all 38 available biomarkers, the XGB model demonstrated the strongest predictive accuracy for incident dementia (AUC 0.74 ± 0.01), followed by ANN (AUC 0.72 ± 0.01), and SVM (AUC 0.69 ± 0.01). Stepwise feature elimination by random sampling identified a subset of the nine most highly informative biomarkers. Machine learning models confined to these nine biomarkers showed improved model predictive accuracy for dementia (XGB, AUC 0.76 ± 0.01; ANN, AUC 0.75 ± 0.004; SVM, AUC 0.73 ± 0.01). A parsimonious panel of nine candidate biomarkers were identified which showed moderately good predictive accuracy for incident dementia, although our results require external validation.
Platelet Versus Megakaryocyte: Who Is the Real Bandleader of Thromboinflammation in Sepsis?
Authors: Garcia Cédric , Compagnon Baptiste , Poëtte Michaël , Gratacap Marie-Pierre , Lapébie François-Xavier , Voisin Sophie , Minville Vincent , Payrastre Bernard , Vardon-Bounes Fanny , Ribes Agnès
Published: April 2022

Platelets are mainly known for their key role in hemostasis and thrombosis. However, studies over the last two decades have shown their strong implication in mechanisms associated with inflammation, thrombosis, and the immune system in various neoplastic, inflammatory, autoimmune, and infectious diseases. During sepsis, platelets amplify the recruitment and activation of innate immune cells at the site of infection and contribute to the elimination of pathogens. In certain conditions, these mechanisms can lead to thromboinflammation resulting in severe organ dysfunction. Here, we discuss the interactions of platelets with leukocytes, neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs), and endothelial cells during sepsis. The intrinsic properties of platelets that generate an inflammatory signal through the NOD-like receptor family, pyrin domain-containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome are discussed. As an example of immunothrombosis, the implication of platelets in vaccine-induced immune thrombotic thrombocytopenia is documented. Finally, we discuss the role of megakaryocytes (MKs) in thromboinflammation and their adaptive responses.
Fruit Peels: Food Waste as a Valuable Source of Bioactive Natural Products for Drug Discovery
Authors: Hussain Hidayat , Mamadalieva Nilufar Z. , Hussain Amjad , Hassan Uzma , Rabnawaz Aisha , Ahmed Ishtiaq , Green Ivan R.
Published: April 2022

Fruits along with vegetables are crucial for a balanced diet. These not only have delicious flavors but are also reported to decrease the risk of contracting various chronic diseases. Fruit by-products are produced in huge quantity during industrial processing and constitute a serious issue because they may pose a harmful risk to the environment. The proposal of employing fruit by-products, particularly fruit peels, has gradually attained popularity because scientists found that in many instances peels displayed better biological and pharmacological applications than other sections of the fruit. The aim of this review is to highlight the importance of fruit peel extracts and natural products obtained in food industries along with their other potential biological applications.
Effect of EDM and Femtosecond-Laser Groove-Texture Collision Frequency on Tribological Properties of 0Cr17Ni7Al Stainless Steel
Authors: Yang Liguang , Ma Wensuo , Gao Fei , Xi Shiping
Published: April 2022

Electric spark and femtosecond-laser surface texture are very effective in antifriction systems, but there are few applications and studies in dry friction. In this study, a groove texture was prepared on the surface of 0Cr17Ni7Al stainless steel via electric spark and femtosecond laser, respectively. The tribological properties of the two groove textures under different collision frequencies with the groove were studied under the condition of dry friction. The results show that the friction coefficient of the groove texture prepared by EDM and femtosecond laser is lower than that of the untextured surface. However, this does not mean that every groove-texture design will reduce wear rate. In addition, the groove texture seems to produce different tribological properties under different preparation methods. It is found that in the friction process of the same load, time and linear velocity, different collision frequencies will affect the friction and wear properties of the surface.
Plasma Spraying with Wire Feeding: A Facile Route to Enhance the Coating/Substrate Interfacial Metallurgical Bonding
Authors: Song Zhuguo , Li Hui
Published: April 2022

Thermal spray coatings are widely used in many applications, and the adhesion effect at the coating/substrate interface plays an important role during the service life. The thermal spraying coating and substrate is primarily combined by a mechanical seizure effect. In this work, a strategy to generate interfacial metallurgical bonding is proposed. Plasma spraying with wire feeding was adopted to increase the size of sprayed particles, and metallurgical bonding was clearly formed between deposited particles and the substrate (304 stainless-steel and 7075 aluminum alloy). Interface reaction can be found at both NiAl/7075 and NiAl/304 interfaces. Typical Al-Al3Ni eutectic phase with higher microhardness was formed at NiAl/7075 interface. The adhesive strength of the coatings was significantly improved to 82.67 ± 3.96 MPa and 64.45 ± 2.84 MPa, respectively, for NiAl coating on 304 and 7075 substrates through tensile adhesion tests (TAT) without surface roughening pretreatment. This technique shows a promising aspect of the application of thermal spray coatings.
Generative Adversarial Network (GAN) for Automatic Reconstruction of the 3D Spine Structure by Using Simulated Bi-Planar X-ray Images
Authors: Yang Ching-Juei , Lin Cheng-Li , Wang Chien-Kuo , Wang Jing-Yao , Chen Chih-Chia , Su Fong-Chin , Lee Yin-Ju , Lui Chun-Chung , Yeh Lee-Ren , Fang Yu-Hua Dean
Published: April 2022

In this study, we modified the previously proposed X2CT-GAN to build a 2Dto3D-GAN of the spine. This study also incorporated the radiologist’s perspective in the adjustment of input signals to prove the feasibility of the automatic production of three-dimensional (3D) structures of the spine from simulated bi-planar two-dimensional (2D) X-ray images. Data from 1012 computed tomography (CT) studies of 984 patients were retrospectively collected. We tested this model under different dataset sizes (333, 666, and 1012) with different bone signal conditions to observe the training performance. A 10-fold cross-validation and five metrics—Dice similarity coefficient (DSC) value, Jaccard similarity coefficient (JSC), overlap volume (OV), and structural similarity index (SSIM)—were applied for model evaluation. The optimal mean values for DSC, JSC, OV, SSIM_anteroposterior (AP), and SSIM_Lateral (Lat) were 0.8192, 0.6984, 0.8624, 0.9261, and 0.9242, respectively. There was a significant improvement in the training performance under empirically enhanced bone signal conditions and with increasing training dataset sizes. These results demonstrate the potential of the clinical implantation of GAN for automatic production of 3D spine images from 2D images. This prototype model can serve as a foundation in future studies applying transfer learning for the development of advanced medical diagnostic techniques.
Familial Partial Lipodystrophy—Literature Review and Report of a Novel Variant in PPARG Expanding the Spectrum of Disease-Causing Alterations in FPLD3
Authors: Rutkowska Lena , Salachna Dominik , Lewandowski Krzysztof , Lewiński Andrzej , Gach Agnieszka
Published: April 2022

Familial partial lipodystrophy (FPLD) is a rare genetic disorder characterized by the selective loss of adipose tissue. Its estimated prevalence is as low as 1 in 1 million. The deficiency of metabolically active adipose tissue is closely linked with a wide range of metabolic complications, such as insulin resistance, lipoatrophic diabetes, dyslipidemia with severe hypertriglyceridemia, hypertension or hepatic steatosis. Moreover, female patients often develop hyperandrogenism, hirsutism, polycystic ovaries and infertility. The two most common types are FPLD type 2 and 3. Variants within LMNA and PPARG genes account for more than 50% of all reported FPLD cases. Because of its high heterogeneity and rarity, lipodystrophy can be easily unrecognized or misdiagnosed. To determine the genetic background of FPLD in a symptomatic woman and her close family, an NGS custom panel was used to sequence LMNA and PPARG genes. The affected patient presented fat deposits in the face, neck and trunk, with fat loss combined with muscular hypertrophy in the lower extremities and hirsutism, all features first manifesting at puberty. Her clinical presentation included metabolic disturbances, including hypercholesterolemia with severe hypertriglyceridemia, diabetes mellitus and hepatic steatosis. This together with her typical fat distribution and physical features raised a suspicion of FPLD. NGS analysis revealed the presence of missense heterozygous variant c.443G>A in exon 4 of PPARG gene, causing glycine to glutamic acid substitution at amino acid position 148, p.(Gly148Glu). The variant was also found in the patient’s mother and son. The variant was not previously reported in any public database. Based on computational analysis, crucial variant localization within DNA-binding domain of PPARγ, available literature data and the variant cosegregation in the patient’s family, novel c.443G>A variant was suspected to be causative. Functional testing is needed to confirm the pathogenicity of the novel variant. Inherited lipodystrophy syndromes represent a heterogenous group of metabolic disorders, whose background often remains unclear. A better understating of the genetic basis would allow earlier diagnosis and targeted treatment implementation.
Deriving the Hawking Temperature of (Massive) Global Monopole Spacetime via a Topological Formula
Authors: Xian Junlan , Zhang Jingyi
Published: April 2022

In this work, we study the Hawking temperature of the global monopole spacetime (non-spherical symmetrical black hole) based on the topological method proposed by Robson, Villari, and Biancalana (RVB). By connecting the Hawking temperature with the topological properties of black holes, the Hawking temperature of the global monopole spacetime can be obtained by the RVB method. We also discuss the Hawking temperature in massive gravity, and find that the effect of the mass term cannot be ignored in the calculation of the Hawking temperature; the corrected Hawking temperature in massive gravity can be derived by adding an integral constant, which can be determined by the standard definition.
Managing Water and Wastewater Services in Finland, 1860–2020 and Beyond
Authors: Katko Tapio S. , Juuti Petri S. , Juuti Riikka P. , Nealer Eric J.
Published: April 2022

Water and wastewater services are invaluable for communities. The aim of this article is to understand and explain the overall long-term development of water services in Finland in the wider PESTEL framework with policy implications for the future. The original megastudy was based on an extensive literature review. The article first covers the birth and development of urban and rural water systems in Finland. This is followed by analysing selected decisions with long-term impacts, institutional issues, discussion and lessons learnt, and conclusions. The development of water services in Finland has largely been based on trust. In socio-institutional factors, institutional diversity is fundamental. Gradual expansion of water supply and wastewater systems has brought technical, economic and social benefits in a country with quite a dispersed population. Efficient water pollution control in communities was implemented within two decades through developing technology and applying proper legislation and control. Continuous and dynamic development has been a key principle. Nature-based solutions include raw water source selection, treatment processes such as managed aquifer recharge, sites for final effluents disposal, and water related land use planning. Aging infrastructure is the most pressing future challenge in Finland and worldwide and will need new requirements and innovations.
How UK HE STEM Students Were Motivated to Switch Their Cameras on: A Study of the Development of Compassionate Communications in Task-focused Online Group Meetings
Authors: Jayasundara J. M. P. V. K. , Gilbert Theo , Kersten Saskia , Meng Li
Published: April 2022

HE’s pandemic-driven shift to online platforms has increased social and learning disconnection amongst students. In online group work/teamwork, many are reluctant to switch on their cameras to be more present to others. Compassion in group work/teamwork is defined as noticing, not normalizing, one’s own and/or others’ distress or disadvantaging and taking wise action to prevent or reduce this. This notion of compassion is being assessed in the HE sector using filmed task-focused in-class group work meetings to identify levels of both inclusivity and criticality around the team. This study investigates the use and outcomes of using the compassionate communications strategies (that were developed in and for the offline classroom) in online team meetings. In this mixed-methods study, two groups of four international STEM students, each from a sample of five UK universities, were video-recorded in task-focused group work meetings (TGMs) before and after an online interactive 90-min training session (‘the intervention’) on the Cognitive Skills of Compassionate Communications (CSCC) in teams. A comparison of the (pre and post CSCC intervention) quantitative and qualitative data results indicated, post-intervention, a significant increase in students’ screen gaze attentiveness to each other, and reasons why students’ motivation to switch on their cameras had changed.
Mixed Forest of Larix principis-rupprechtii and Betula platyphylla Modulating Soil Fauna Diversity and Improving Faunal Effect on Litter Decomposition
Authors: Zhang Huayong , Han Guixuan , Huang Tousheng , Feng Yu , Tian Wang , Wu Xiaochang
Published: April 2022

This research performed a comparison study to investigate how mixed forest affects the abundance, groups, and diversity of soil fauna and the effects of soil fauna on litter decomposition. We comparatively studied two forests, Larix principis-rupprechtii forest (LF) and mixed Larix principis-rupprechtii and Betula platyphylla forest (MF), which hold 30 years of stand age and are the representative forests in the mountainous area of northwestern Hebei, China. The field experiments were conducted from May to November 2020, with soil fauna and litter samples taken every one and a half months. A total of 540 soil samples (replicated samples, 3) were collected in each forest and the soil faunas were extracted from the samples by Tullgren methods in laboratory. Litter samples were incubated separately in the sampled forests using litterbags with two mesh sizes (0.01 and 4 mm) to observe the decomposition rate. In total, 2958 (inds.) soil faunas belonging to 4 phyla, 11 classes, and 20 orders, were found, with Acarina (1079/2958; 36.48%) and Collembola (1080/2958; 36.51%) being the dominant groups. The total abundance of soil fauna in the MF (1581 inds.) was higher than that in the LF (1377 inds.), and the significantly more abundant predatory functional group in the MF (p < 0.05) may indicate a more complex soil fauna food web structure. Comparatively, the higher Shannon–Wiener index (1.42–1.74) and Pielou evenness index (0.58–0.71) and the lower Simpson dominance index (0.22–0.32) in the MF suggested that the MF promoted the soil fauna diversity. The cumulative litter decomposition rate of litterbags with 4 mm aperture in the MF (54.52% in 300 days) was higher than that in the LF (32.81% in 300 days). Moreover, the litter decomposition rate was positively correlated with the total abundance and the number of groups, and was negatively with the Simpson dominance index, implying that the soil fauna activity effectively improved litter decomposition in the MF. Via the comparison, we found that the mixture of plant species in the forest can modulate the soil fauna diversity and accelerate the litter decomposition. The results in this study may provide an interesting reference for forest restoration and sustainable management.
Impact of Hop Freshness on Dry Hopped Beer Quality
Authors: Rutnik Ksenija , Ocvirk Miha , Košir Iztok Jože
Published: April 2022

The hop plant is seasonal, but beer production continues throughout the whole year. The quality of hops begins to decrease immediately after harvesting; therefore, maintaining the highest possible quality is important. A good indicator of hop freshness is the hop storage index (HSI). In this study, three different varieties of hops with five different HSI values, from 0.3 to 0.7, were used for brewing with the dry hopping technique. The main goal was to evaluate the impact of the HSI value on beer quality in terms of hop aroma and bitterness. Alpha acids, iso-alpha acids, humulinones, bitterness units and hop aroma compounds were chemically analysed. Sensorial analysis was also conducted on all samples. Decreases in the intensity and quality of hop aroma were detected with increasing HSI. The quality of bitterness was also reduced. High HSI also led to undesirable gushing. Beers brewed with hops with HSI values greater than 0.4 had deviations in aroma and bitterness when compared with beers brewed with fresh hops.
Indigenous Lactococcus lactis with Probiotic Properties: Evaluation of Wet, Thermally- and Freeze-Dried Raisins as Supports for Cell Immobilization, Viability and Aromatic Profile in Fresh Curd Cheese
Authors: Mileriene Justina , Serniene Loreta , Kondrotiene Kristina , Santarmaki Valentini , Kourkoutas Yiannis , Vasiliauskaite Agne , Lauciene Lina , Malakauskas Mindaugas
Published: April 2022

Indigenous Lactococcus lactis enriched raisins were incorporated in fresh curd cheese in wet, thermally dried, and freeze-dried form to produce a novel probiotic dairy product. Symbiotic cheese represents a rising trend in the global market. The viability of L. lactis cells was assessed in the cheeses during storage at 4 °C for 14 days and the effect of the added enriched raisins on physicochemical parameters, microbiological characteristics, and sugar content, aromatic profile, and sensory acceptance of cheeses were evaluated. Immobilized L. lactis cells maintained viability at necessary levels (>6 log cfu/g) during storage and significantly increased the acceptability of cheese. The addition of raisins enhanced the volatile profile of cheeses with 2-furanmethanol, 1-octanol, 3-methylbutanal, 2-methylbutanal, 2-furancarboxaldehyde, 1-(2-furanyl)-ethanone, 5-methyl-2-furancarboxaldehyde. The obtained results are encouraging for the production of novel fresh cheeses with improved sensorial and nutritional characteristics on industrial and/or small industrial scale.
Organoleptic and Nutritional Traits of Lambs from Spanish Mediterranean Islands Raised under a Traditional Production System
Authors: Gutiérrez-Peña Rosario , García-Infante Manuel , Delgado-Pertíñez Manuel , Guzmán José Luis , Zarazaga Luis Ángel , Simal Susana , Horcada Alberto
Published: April 2022

Our aim was to characterize the organoleptic and nutritional properties of meat from suckling (one-month-old) and light (around three-months-old) lambs in local breeds on the Spanish Mediterranean islands, using meat from male lambs of the Mallorquina and Roja Mallorquina breeds. The lambs were kept with their mother at all times under an extensive management system and fed on mother’s milk until naturally weaned. In the Mallorquina breed, suckling lambs (n = 20) were slaughtered after weaning and the light lambs were bred using natural pasture (n = 20) or concentrate (n = 20), and the Roja Mallorquina light lambs were fed pasture and concentrate (n = 20). The pH, colour, texture, water-holding capacity, fatty acids, volatile compounds and sensorial attributes of the meat were analyzed. No differences in meat colour or texture were observed. The highest levels of non-desirable fatty acids were observed in lambs raised using concentrate. Light lambs showed a higher aldehydes content than suckling lambs. High notes of lactic acid and milk flavour were detected. Regardless of access to pasture or concentrate, continued access to mother’s milk during rearing influences the sensorial meat traits of these lambs, so we consider this type of management an optimal way of obtaining the traditional ‘Mediterranean lamb meat’.
Populism in the XXI Century in Brazil: A Dangerous Ambiguity
Authors: Silva Mayra Goulart
Published: April 2022

In this paper, I hope to shed light on the social and institutional transformation processes in Brazil in the 21st century, contrasting what can be understood as two populist waves. The first is the one led by Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, as a left-wing leader whose government has been internationally recognized for implementing distributive economic policies (inclusion of the poorest majority) and inclusive social policies (inclusion of racial and sexual minorities). The second is the right-wing wave led by Jair Bolsonaro, internationally recognized, but rather for embracing a discourse contrary to the inclusive practices adopted by their predecessor. Thus, the question I want to answer is: How can the same concept fit into such different phenomena? My hypothesis is that we are facing two patterns of representative relations. An inclusive one that aims to expand the number of groups that can be properly represented within the political collectivity, increasing its pluralism, and an exclusive one that aims to restrict them, shortening the plurality of groups and identities that forms the people. In both, the theme of racial and sexual minorities becomes a priority. Through this discussion, I want to emphasize the substantive and existential quality of the differences between these two representative patterns that are sometimes neglected or reduced by those who use the concept of populism to attribute some kind of symmetry or ideological convergence between them.