bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Differential Responses to Yellow-Rust Stress Assist in the Identification of Candidate Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) Genotypes for Resistance Breeding
Authors: Saeed Muhammad , Ahmad Waqas , Ibrahim Muhammad , Khan Majid , Ullah Farhan , Bari Abdul , Ali Sartaj , Shah Liaqat , Ali Murad , Munsif Fazal , Zubair Ahmad , Shah Syed Mushtaq Ahmed , Lu Jie , Si Hongqi , Ma Chuanxi
Published: August 2022

Yellow rust (YR) globally affects wheat crops. It may turn into an epidemic, resulting in significant yield losses if the environment is suited to YR spread. The provision of resistant wheat cultivars is a sustainable protection strategy against YR. The current study aimed to use a combination of classical analytical tools to identify potential wheat lines through screening under YR stress for utilization in YR-resistance breeding. A total of 14 parents, which included 9 lines and 5 testers, were formed into 45 cross combinations via line × tester mating format. The tested germplasm was grown in a triplicate randomized full-block design, under optimal and yellow rust (YR)-stress conditions. Data were recorded on different morphological, physiochemical, yield and component traits at appropriate crop stages. A pre-combining ability analysis revealed significant inter-genotype variations. A combining ability study identified non-additive gene action in the inheritance of most of the investigated traits. Four potential parents (PR128, AN179, KS17 and WD17) and two crosses (PR128 × WD17 and AN179 × KS17) retained higher combining ability values for yield traits under YR-stress. A cluster analysis based on the overall performance found divergent classes among the screened genotypes. The clustering of different genotypes was shifted under YR-stress, which suggests variable genotypic response. Through factor analysis, we assessed and confirmed genotypes performing consistently under YR-stress. The identified genotypes may be used for disease-resistance breeding in wheat. Based on their positive correlation with grain yield, we suggest the use of peduncle length and tillers per plant as phenotypic markers for wheat selection and breeding. The knowledge base generated through the current study will add to the ongoing research on sustainable wheat breeding program.
Environment-Friendly Control Potential of Two Citrus Essential Oils against Aphis punicae and Aphis illinoisensis (Hemiptera: Aphididae)
Authors: Alotaibi Saqer S. , Darwish Hadeer , Alzahrani Ahmed K. , Alharthi Sarah , Alghamdi Akram S. , Al-Barty Amal M. , Helal Mona , Maghrabi Amal , Baazeem Alaa , Alamari Hala A. , Noureldeen Ahmed
Published: August 2022

Aphids are serious pests of a wide range of agricultural crops, including pomegranates and grapevines. In addition, due to the negative environmental impacts of chemical insecticides, these pests are developing important resistance against aphicides. Therefore, one alternative method to control aphids is the use of essential oils (EO). The present study aimed to evaluate the insecticidal activity of Citrus aurantium and C. reticulata peel EO at different concentrations and with different exposure periods to pomegranate and grapevine aphids, Aphis punicae and A. illinoisensis via the topical application method under laboratory conditions. The results reveal that C. aurantium L. EO had greater toxicity against pomegranate and grapevine aphids, with LC50 of 0.37 and 0.82 μL/mL, respectively, at 48 h after application. The highest repellence effect was estimated for C. aurantium EO, at 2.5 μL/cm2, on A. punicae, with a value of 100% after an exposure time of 3 h, in contrast to the 88% repellence estimated for A. illinoisensis. The GC-MS investigation of both essential oils identified limonene, 3-carene, pinene, and p-cymene as active substances that could be attributed to the effects observed. Overall, our results offer a potential tool to control the two aphid species and could help in the development of integrated insect management in pomegranate and grapevine fields.
Vermicomposting Technology as a Process Able to Reduce the Content of Potentially Toxic Elements in Sewage Sludge
Authors: Dume Bayu , Hanc Ales , Svehla Pavel , Michal Pavel , Chane Abraham Demelash , Nigussie Abebe
Published: August 2022

Sewage sludge (SS) contains potential toxic elements (PTEs) that are harmful to the environment, and their bioaccumulation in the food chain is a major environmental health concern. Vermicomposting has been shown to reduce PTEs during composting of sewage sludge. However, the extent of PTE’s assimilation into the earthworm tissues during composting is largely unknown. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the potential of vermicomposting to decrease PTEs (As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Pb, and Zn) during composting of SS and whether the bioaccumulation of PTEs in earthworm tissue depends on feed quality. The initial SS was mixed in triplicate with varying proportions of pelletized wheat straw (PWS) (0%, 25%, 50%, and 75% (w/w)) along with a control (100% SS, no earthworms), and the variants were named VC1, VC2, VC3, VC4, and C0 (control), respectively. The experiment was conducted for 120 days using Eisenia andrei. In comparison to the control, mixing SS with PWS reduced Arsenic content by 14–67%, Cadmium content by 4–39%, Chromium contents by 24–77%, Copper content by 20–68%, Lead content by 39–75%, and Zinc content by 16–65%. The bioaccumulation factor’s (BCF) ranges were 20–80% for Arsenic, 20–60% for Cadmium, 6–16% for Chromium, 32–80% for Copper, and 37–115% for Zinc, demonstrating that the accumulation of PTEs in the earthworm tissues explains the low content of PTEs in the vermicompost. In terms of removal rate, the sludge mixtures with bulking agent can be arranged in the following order: VC4 > VC3 > VC2 > VC1. The total carbon loss showed a significant relationship with BCFAs (r = 0.989, p < 0.011), BCFCd (r = 0.996, p < 0.004), BCFCr (r = 0.977, p < 0.023), BCFCu (r = 0.999, p < 0.000), and BCFZn (r = 0.994, p < 0.006). The variant containing 75% PWS (VC4) appeared to be a suitable SS mixture to reduce PTEs. Hence, it is suggested that vermicomposting reduces the content of PTEs in SS.
Biophysical Characterization of Autochthonous and New Apple Cultivar Surfaces
Authors: Bohinc Klemen , Štukelj Roman , Abram Anže , Jerman Ivan , Van de Velde Nigel , Vidrih Rajko
Published: August 2022

Apples have long been known for their beneficial effects on human health due to the presence of various bioactive compounds. It is therefore very important to understand the biophysical properties of apple cuticle that dictate apples’ storability and quality. The purpose of this work was to determine the roughness, hydrophobicity, surface potential, and color of various autochthonous and new apple cultivars. The surface roughness was measured by optical profilometer, hydrophobicity by tensiometer, zeta potential by electro kinetic analyser, and surface color by chroma meter. Measurements reveal that the new cultivar Elstar has the roughest surface while the autochthonous cultivar Crown Prince Rudolph has the lowest roughness. Under normal physiological conditions, all apple surfaces were negatively charged, with Wax apple having the lowest and Crown Prince Rudolph the highest values; most cultivars had an isoelectric point at around pH = 3. The surfaces of the new cultivars were slightly more hydrophobic than those of the autochthonous. We conclude that autochthonous and new apple cultivars differ in biophysical surface properties, which might impact transpiration, bacterial/fungi adhesion and, consequently, apple storage and shelf life potential.
Effects of Feed-Through Sulfur on Growth Performance, Atmospheric Ammonia Levels, and Footpad Lesions in Broilers Raised Beginning with Built-Up Litter
Authors: Bailey Matthew A. , Hess Joseph B. , Krehling James T. , Macklin Kenneth S.
Published: August 2022

To the poultry industry, ammonia accumulation within poultry houses can be a costly issue, as this can lead to problems with bird performance, damage to economically important parts such as paws, and customer disapproval due to animal welfare concerns. Common management practices for ammonia control can be quite effective; however, these methods are used variably from farm to farm, which necessitates ammonia control measures that poultry companies can more uniformly implement across all contract growers. One possible measure is ammonia control through feed additives, which would allow poultry companies more direct control over the treatment. This project explored the efficacy of elemental sulfur added directly to the feed (feed-through sulfur) in controlling litter ammonia levels, live performance, and paw quality of broilers raised on built-up litter over three successive flocks. Feed-through sulfur on its own showed inconsistent effects on performance or footpad lesions after 38 days of production compared to sodium bisulfate or control treatments. However, combination of feed-through sulfur and sodium bisulfate showed a potential synergistic effect on ammonia levels and litter pH, although there were few differences between treatments and controls; therefore, additional research must be explored to confirm these observations.
Genome-Wide Identification and Characterization of Circular RNAs during Skeletal Muscle Development in Meat Rabbits
Authors: Du Kun , Zhao Xiaoyu , Li Yanhong , Wu Zhoulin , Sun Wenqiang , Wang Jie , Jia Xianbo , Chen Shiyi , Lai Songjia
Published: August 2022

Skeletal muscle development plays a vital role in muscle quality and yield in meat rabbits. Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are a new type of single-stranded endogenous non-coding RNAs involved in different biological processes. However, our knowledge of circRNAs regulating skeletal muscle development remains largely unknown in meat rabbits. In this study, we collected the leg muscle tissues of ZIKA rabbits at three key growth stages. By performing whole-transcriptome sequencing, we found the sequential expression of day 0- (D0-), D35-, and D70-selective mRNAs mainly functioned in muscle development, nervous development, and immune response during skeletal muscle development, respectively. Then, a combination of circRNA assembly from a circRNA-seq library and the whole-transcriptome sequencing data identified 6845 credible circRNAs in our samples. Most circRNAs were transcribed from exons of known genes, contained few exons, and showed short length, and these circRNAs were more conserved between rabbits and humans than between rabbits and mice. The upregulated circRNAs, which were synchronously changed with host genes, primarily played roles in MAPK signaling pathways and fatty acid biosynthesis. The prediction of circRNA–microRNA–mRNAs networks revealed that circRNAs might be the regulators that mainly functioned in rabbits’ muscle neuron development and metabolic processes. Our work provides a catalog of circRNAs regulating skeletal muscle development at key growth stages in rabbits and might give a new insight into rabbit breeding.
Comprehensive Map of Canine Angiostrongylosis in Dogs in Spain
Authors: Carretón Elena , Morchón Rodrigo , García-Rodríguez Sara Nieves , Rodríguez-Escolar Iván , Matos Jorge Isidoro , Costa-Rodríguez Noelia , Montoya-Alonso José Alberto
Published: August 2022

Canine angiostrongylosis is an emerging disease caused by Angiostrongylus vasorum, mainly affecting wild carnivores and dogs. In Spain, there are studies reporting infections in foxes, wolves, and badgers in different regions of the country. However, there are hardly any publications on its prevalence in dogs. The aim of this study was to complete and update the epidemiologic map of A. vasorum in dogs in Spain. A total of 5619 canine blood samples from all autonomous cities and provinces of Spain were collected and tested for the presence of circulating A. vasorum antigens. The overall apparent prevalence of canine A. vasorum infection in Spain was 1.39%. No significant differences were found for sex or age, but significant differences between outdoor and indoor/outdoor dogs were found. A high prevalence was also observed in the northern third of the country, where an oceanic climate prevails, being humid and rainy and where abundant vegetation can be found, thus favoring the proliferation of intermediate hosts. The results suggest that A. vasorum canine infections are heterogeneously present in a large part of the territory, demonstrating its expansion throughout the country, and therefore, awareness and prevention campaigns for this disease should be promoted.
Antimicrobial, Antivirulence, and Antiparasitic Potential of Capsicum chinense Jacq. Extracts and Their Isolated Compound Capsaicin
Authors: Menezes Ralciane de Paula , Bessa Meliza Arantes de Souza , Siqueira Camila de Paula , Teixeira Samuel Cota , Ferro Eloisa Amália Vieira , Martins Mário Machado , Cunha Luis Carlos Scalon , Martins Carlos Henrique Gomes
Published: August 2022

Bacterial, fungal, and parasitic infections increase morbimortality rates and hospital costs. This study aimed to assess the antimicrobial and antiparasitic activities of the crude extract from the seeds and peel of the pepper Capsicum chinense Jacq. and of the isolated compound capsaicin and to evaluate their ability to inhibit biofilm formation, eradicate biofilm, and reduce hemolysin production by Candida species. The crude ethanolic and hexane extracts were obtained by maceration at room temperature, and their chemical compositions were analyzed by liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (LC–MS). The antimicrobial activity of the samples was evaluated by determining the minimum inhibitory concentration. Inhibition of biofilm formation and biofilm eradication by the samples were evaluated based on biomass and cell viability. Reduction of Candida spp. hemolytic activity by the samples was determined on sheep blood agar plates. The antiparasitic action of the samples was evaluated by determining their ability to inhibit Toxoplasma gondii intracellular proliferation. LC–MS-ESI analyses helped to identify organic and phenolic acids, flavonoids, capsaicinoids, and fatty acids in the ethanolic extracts, as well as capsaicinoids and fatty acids in the hexane extracts. Antifungal action was more evident against C. glabrata and C. tropicalis. The samples inhibited biofilm formation and eradicated the biofilm formed by C. tropicalis more effectively. Sub-inhibitory concentrations of the samples significantly reduced the C. glabrata and C. tropicalis hemolytic activity. The samples only altered host cell viability when tested at higher concentrations; however, at non-toxic concentrations, they reduced T. gondii growth. In association with gold standard drugs used to treat toxoplasmosis, capsaicin improved their antiparasitic activity. These results are unprecedented and encouraging, indicating the Capsicum chinense Jacq. peel and seed extracts and capsaicin display antifungal and antiparasitic activities.
Coumarins as Fungal Metabolites with Potential Medicinal Properties
Authors: Tsivileva Olga M. , Koftin Oleg V. , Evseeva Nina V.
Published: August 2022

Coumarins are a structurally varied set of 2H-chromen-2-one compounds categorized also as members of the benzopyrone group of secondary metabolites. Coumarin derivatives attract interest owing to their wide practical application and the unique reactivity of fused benzene and pyrone ring systems in molecular structure. Coumarins have their own specific fingerprints as antiviral, antimicrobial, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antiadipogenic, cytotoxic, apoptosis, antitumor, antitubercular, and cytotoxicity agents. Natural products have played an essential role in filling the pharmaceutical pipeline for thousands of years. Biological effects of natural coumarins have laid the basis of low-toxic and highly effective drugs. Presently, more than 1300 coumarins have been identified in plants, bacteria, and fungi. Fungi as cultivated microbes have provided many of the nature-inspired syntheses of chemically diverse drugs. Endophytic fungi bioactivities attract interest, with applications in fields as diverse as cancer and neuronal injury or degeneration, microbial and parasitic infections, and others. Fungal mycelia produce several classes of bioactive molecules, including a wide group of coumarins. Of promise are further studies of conditions and products of the natural and synthetic coumarins’ biotransformation by the fungal cultures, aimed at solving the urgent problem of searching for materials for biomedical engineering. The present review evaluates the fungal coumarins, their structure-related peculiarities, and their future therapeutic potential. Special emphasis has been placed on the coumarins successfully bioprospected from fungi, whereas an industry demand for the same coumarins earlier found in plants has faced hurdles. Considerable attention has also been paid to some aspects of the molecular mechanisms underlying the coumarins’ biological activity. The compounds are selected and grouped according to their cytotoxic, anticancer, antibacterial, antifungal, and miscellaneous effects.
The Generation of an Artificial ATP Deficit Triggers Antibiotic Production in Streptomyces lividans
Authors: Seghezzi Nicolas , Darbon Emmanuelle , Martel Cécile , David Michelle , Lejeune Clara , Esnault Catherine , Virolle Marie-Joelle
Published: August 2022

In most Streptomyces species, antibiotic production is triggered in a condition of phosphate limitation, a condition that is known to be correlated with a low intracellular ATP content compared to growth in a condition of phosphate proficiency. This observation suggests that a low ATP content might be a direct trigger of antibiotic biosynthesis. In order to test this hypothesis, we introduced into the model strain Streptomyces lividans, a functional and a non-functional ATPase cloned into the replicative vector pOSV206 and expressed under the control of the strong ErmE* promoter. The functional ATPase was constituted by the α (AtpA), β (AtpB) and γ (AtpD) sub-units of the native F1 part of the ATP synthase of S. lividans that, when separated from the membrane-bound F0 part, bears an ATPase activity. The non-functional ATPase was a mutated version of the latter, bearing a 12 amino acids deletion encompassing the active site of the AtpD sub-unit. S. lividans was chosen to test our hypothesis since this strain hardly produces any antibiotics. However, it possesses the same biosynthetic pathways of various specialized metabolites as S. coelicolor, a phylogenetically closely related strain that produces these metabolites in abundance. Our results demonstrated that the over-expression of the functional ATPase, but not that of its mutated version, indeed correlated with the production of the bioactive metabolites of the CDA, RED and ACT clusters. These results confirmed the long known and mysterious link existing between a phosphate limitation leading to an ATP deficit and the triggering of antibiotic biosynthesis. Based on this work and the previous published results of our group, we propose an entirely novel conception of the nature of this link.
Microbiology of Healthcare-Associated Infections: Results of a Fourth National Point Prevalence Survey in Serbia
Authors: Ćirković Ivana , Marković-Denić Ljiljana , Bajčetić Milica , Dragovac Gorana , Đorđević Zorana , Mioljević Vesna , Urošević Danijela , Nikolić Vladimir , Despotović Aleksa , Krtinić Gordana , Rakić Violeta , Janićijević Ivana , Šuljagić Vesna
Published: August 2022

Millions of patients acquire healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) every year, putting them at risk for serious complications and prolonged hospitalization. Point prevalence surveys (PPS), guided by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control framework, are one of the primary methods by which countries in the European Union conduct surveillance of HAIs. Serbia, though not in the EU, implemented this approach in its national PPS. The microbiological and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) analyses comprised patients in 61 out of 65 hospitals included in the fourth PPS conducted in November 2017. A total of 515/12,380 (4.2%) of the adult patients included in the PPS had at least one HAI, with intensive care units carrying the highest prevalence of 15.9%. Urinary tract and surgical site infections were the most frequently identified types of HAIs (23.9% and 23.0%, respectively). Enterobacterales comprised almost half (47.0%) of all causative agents, most notably Klebsiella spp. (16.7%). AMR was very high for most pathogens—80.5% of nonfermentative Gram-negative bacilli were resistant to carbapenems whereas 62.9% of Enterobacterales were resistant to third generation cephalosporins. The calculated AMR index of 61% is one of the highest in Europe. Further efforts are needed to reduce the burden of HAIs in Serbia that carry very high resistance rates to antibiotics currently used in clinical practice.
Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Activity of Hydroethanolic Leaf Extracts from Six Mediterranean Olive Cultivars
Authors: Šimat Vida , Skroza Danijela , Tabanelli Giulia , Čagalj Martina , Pasini Federica , Gómez-Caravaca Ana María , Fernández-Fernández Carmen , Sterniša Meta , Smole Možina Sonja , Ozogul Yesim , Generalić Mekinić Ivana
Published: August 2022

Phenolic profiles, antioxidant, and antimicrobial activities of hydroethanolic olive leaf extracts from six Mediterranean olive cultivars (Croatian: Lastovka, Levantinka, Oblica; Italian: Moraiolo, Frantoio, Nostrana di Brisighella) were investigated. As expected, various distributions of phenolic levels were observed for each cultivar and the total phenolic content showed high variability (ranging from 4 to 22 mg GAE/g of dry extract), with the highest amount of phenolics found in the Oblica sample, which also provided the highest antiradical (ORAC) and reducing activity (FRAP). The screening of individual compounds was performed by HPLC-PDA-ESI-QTOF-MS and the main detected compounds were oleuropein, hydroxytyrosol, oleoside/secologanoside, verbascoside, rutin, luteolin glucoside, hydroxyoleuropein, and ligstroside. While the antioxidant activity of the samples was relatively high, they showed no bactericidal and bacteriostatic activity against E. coli and S. Typhimurium; weak activity against Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus, and Listeria innocua; and inhibitory effects against Campylobacter jejuni at 0.5 mg dry extract/mL. The obtained results support the fact that olive leaf extracts, and especially those from the Oblica cultivar, could potentially be applied in various industries as natural preservatives and effective and inexpensive sources of valuable antioxidants.
Synthesis and Evaluation of Antioxidant and Potential Prebiotic Activities of Acetylated and Butyrylated Fructo-Oligosaccharides
Authors: Zhou Shuxin , Zhu Wei , Qin Xianjin , Li Shipo , Chu Weihua
Published: August 2022

Fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS) have well-known bifidogenic effects as probiotics. In this study, esterification was adopted for FOS modification to produce better prebiotic properties. We synthesized and characterized acetylated fructo-oligosaccharides (Ac-FOS) and butyrylated fructo-oligosaccharides (Bu-FOS) as candidate prebiotics. Antioxidant activity and prebiotic esactiviti were evaluated as important indicators. We found, surprisingly, that butyrylation was an effective method in significantly improving the antioxidant activity of FOS. The fermentation products of feces from mice added to Ac-FOS and Bu-FOS, were investigated in vitro, including changes of pH values, short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) production, and microbiota composition. Supplementation of Ac-FOS or Bu-FOS increased pH values and promoted the growth and activity of beneficial intestinal bacteria, such as Bifidobacteria and Lactobacillus. More importantly, the levels of prebiotic SCFAs were obviously elevated as detected by Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS). Results suggest that Ac-FOS and Bu-FOS have great potential applications in SCFA delivery systems and gut microbiota regulation.
Gold Nanoparticles Inhibit Steroid-Insensitive Asthma in Mice Preserving Histone Deacetylase 2 and NRF2 Pathways
Authors: Serra Magda F. , Cotias Amanda C. , Pimentel Andreza S. , Arantes Ana Carolina S. de , Pires Ana Lucia A. , Lanzetti Manuella , Hickmann Jandir M. , Barreto Emiliano , Carvalho Vinicius F. , Silva Patrícia M. R. e , Cordeiro Renato S. B. , Martins Marco Aurélio
Published: August 2022

Background: Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) can inhibit pivotal pathological changes in experimental asthma, but their effect on steroid-insensitive asthma is unclear. The current study assessed the effectiveness of nebulized AuNPs in a murine model of glucocorticoid (GC)-resistant asthma. Methods: A/J mice were sensitized and subjected to intranasal instillations of ovalbumin (OVA) once a week for nine weeks. Two weeks after starting allergen stimulations, mice were subjected to Budesonide or AuNP nebulization 1 h before stimuli. Analyses were carried out 24 h after the last provocation. Results: We found that mice challenged with OVA had airway hyperreactivity, eosinophil, and neutrophil infiltrates in the lung, concomitantly with peribronchiolar fibrosis, mucus production, and pro-inflammatory cytokine generation compared to sham-challenged mice. These changes were inhibited in mice treated with AuNPs, but not Budesonide. In the GC-resistant asthmatic mice, oxidative stress was established, marked by a reduction in nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (NRF2) levels and catalase activity, accompanied by elevated values of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), phosphoinositide 3-kinases δ (PI3Kδ) expression, as well as a reduction in the nuclear expression of histone deacetylase 2 (HDAC2) in the lung tissue, all of which sensitive to AuNPs but not Budesonide treatment. Conclusion: These findings suggest that AuNPs can improve GC-insensitive asthma by preserving HDAC2 and NRF2.
Endophytic Fungal Consortia Enhance Basal Drought-Tolerance in Moringa oleifera by Upregulating the Antioxidant Enzyme (APX) through Heat Shock Factors
Authors: Javed Javeria , Rauf Mamoona , Arif Muhammad , Hamayun Muhammad , Gul Humaira , Ud-Din Aziz , Ud-Din Jalal , Sohail Mohammad , Rahman Muhammad Mizanur , Lee In-Jung
Published: August 2022

Global climate change has imposed harsh environmental conditions such as drought. Naturally, the most compatible fungal consortia operate synergistically to enhance plant growth and ecophysiological responses against abiotic strains. Yet, little is known about the interactions between phytohormone-producing endophytic fungal symbionts and plant growth under drought stress. The existing research was rationalized to recognize the role of newly isolated drought-resistant, antioxidant-rich endophytic fungal consortia hosting a xerophytic plant, Carthamus oxycantha L., inoculated to Moringa oleifera L. grown under drought stress of 8% PEG (polyethylene glycol-8000). Under drought stress, the combined inoculation of endophytic strain Microdochium majus (WA), Meyerozyma guilliermondi (TG), and Aspergillus aculeatus (TL3) exhibited a significant improvement in growth attributes such as shoot fresh weight (1.71-fold), shoot length (0.86-fold), root length (0.65-fold), dry weight (2.18-fold), total chlorophyll (0.46-fold), and carotenoids (0.87-fold) in comparison to control (8% PEG). Primary and secondary metabolites were also increased in M. oleifera inoculated with endophytic consortia, under drought stress, such as proteins (1.3-fold), sugars (0.58-fold), lipids (0.41-fold), phenols (0.36-fold), flavonoids (0.52-fold), proline (0.6-fold), indole acetic acid (IAA) (4.5-fold), gibberellic acid (GA) (0.7-fold), salicylic acid (SA) (0.8-fold), ascorbic acid (ASA) (1.85-fold), while abscisic acid (ABA) level was decreased (−0.61-fold) in comparison to the control (8% PEG). Under drought stress, combined inoculation (WA, TG, TL3) also promoted the antioxidant activities of enzymes such as ascorbate peroxidase (APX) (3.5-fold), catalase (CAT) activity (1.7-fold), and increased the total antioxidant capacity (TAC) (0.78-fold) with reduced reactive oxygen species (ROS) such as H2O2 production (−0.4-fold), compared to control (8% PEG), and stomatal aperture was larger (3.5-fold) with a lesser decrease (−0.02-fold) in water potential. Moreover, combined inoculation (WA, TG, TL3) up regulated the expression of MolHSF3, MolHSF19, and MolAPX genes in M. oleifera under drought stress, compared to the control (8% PEG), is suggestive of an important regulatory role for drought stress tolerance governed by fungal endophytes. The current research supports the exploitation of the compatible endophytic fungi for establishing the tripartite mutualistic symbiosis in M. oleifera to alleviate the adverse effects of drought stress through strong antioxidant activities.
Dryopteris juxtapostia Root and Shoot: Determination of Phytochemicals; Antioxidant, Anti-Inflammatory, and Hepatoprotective Effects; and Toxicity Assessment
Authors: Rani Abida , Uzair Muhammad , Ali Shehbaz , Qamar Muhammad , Ahmad Naveed , Abbas Malik Waseem , Esatbeyoglu Tuba
Published: August 2022

An estimated 450 species of Dryopteris in the Dryoperidaceae family grow in Japan, North and South Korea, China, Pakistan, and Kashmir. This genus has been reported to have biological capabilities; however, research has been conducted on Dryopteris juxtapostia. Therefore, with the present study, we aimed to exploring the biological potential of D. juxtapostia root and shoot extracts. We extracted dichloromethane and methanol separately from the roots and shoots of D. juxtapostia. Antioxidant activity was determined using DPPH, FRAP, and H2O2 assays, and anti-inflammatory activities were evaluated using both in vitro (antiurease activity) and in vivo (carrageenan- and formaldehyde-induced paw edema) studies. Toxicity was evaluated by adopting a brine shrimp lethality assay followed by determination of cytotoxic activity using an MTT assay. Hepatoprotective effects of active crude extracts were examined in rats. Activity-bearing compounds were tentatively identified using LC-ESI-MS/MS analysis. Results suggested that D. juxtapostia root dichloromethane extract exhibited better antioxidant (DPPH, IC50 of 42.0 µg/mL; FRAP, 46.2 mmol/g; H2O2, 71% inhibition), anti-inflammatory (urease inhibition, 56.7% at 50 µg/mL; carrageenan-induced edema inhibition, 61.7% at 200 µg/mL; formaldehyde-induced edema inhibition, 67.3% at 200 µg/mL), brine shrimp % mortality (100% at 1000 µg/mL), and cytotoxic (HeLa cancer, IC50 of 17.1 µg/mL; prostate cancer (PC3), IC50 of 45.2 µg/mL) effects than D. juxtapostia root methanol extract. D. juxtapostia shoot dichloromethane and methanol extracts exhibited non-influential activity in all biological assays and were not selected for hepatoprotective study. D. juxtapostia root methanol extract showed improvement in hepatic cell structure and low cellular infiltration but, in contrast the dichloromethane extract, did not show any significant improvement in hepatocyte morphology, cellular infiltration, or necrosis of hepatocytes in comparison to the positive control, i.e., paracetamol. LC-ESI-MS/MS analysis showed the presence of albaspidin PP, 3-methylbutyryl-phloroglucinol, flavaspidic acid AB and BB, filixic acid ABA and ABB, tris-desaspidin BBB, tris-paraaspidin BBB, tetra-flavaspidic BBBB, tetra-albaspidin BBBB, and kaempferol-3-O-glucoside in the dichloromethane extract, whereas kaempferol, catechin, epicatechin, quinic acid, liquitrigenin, and quercetin 7-O-galactoside in were detected in the methanol extract, along with all the compounds detected in the dichloromethane extract. Hence, D. juxtapostia is safe, alongside other species of this genus, although detailed safety assessment of each isolated compound is obligatory during drug discovery.
Grapefruit Flavonoid Naringenin Sex-Dependently Modulates Action Potential in an In Silico Human Ventricular Cardiomyocyte Model
Authors: Sutanto Henry , Hertanto Decsa Medika , Susilo Hendri , Wungu Citrawati Dyah Kencono
Published: August 2022

Recent in vitro studies showed that grapefruit (Citrus × paradisi) flavonoid naringenin alters the function of cardiac ion channels. Here, we explored the effect of naringenin on cardiomyocyte action potentials (APs) using a detailed in silico model of ventricular electrophysiology. Concentration-dependent effects of naringenin on seven major cardiac ion channels were incorporated into the Tomek–Rodriguez modification of O’Hara–Rudy (ToR-ORd) human ventricular endocardium model. To investigate the sex-dependent effect of naringenin, previously reported sex-specific ionic modifications were implemented into the model. Next, populations of 1000 models accommodating intercellular variability were generated. The results show, naringenin at various concentrations prolonged AP duration (APD) in male and female cardiomyocytes. Pacing cells at higher frequencies abbreviated APD differently in males versus females; for example, at 3 Hz, 50 μM naringenin induced AP and calcium alternans only in the female cardiomyocyte. Finally, a population modeling approach corroborated that naringenin significantly prolonged APD in a concentration-dependent manner, with a larger effect in females than in males. In conclusion, our study demonstrates that the APD-prolonging effect of naringenin was larger in females, and that pacing at faster rates induces AP alternation earlier in females, suggesting a potentially higher proarrhythmic risk of naringenin in females than in males.
Transcription Factor SlAREB1 Is Involved in the Antioxidant Regulation under Saline–Alkaline Stress in Tomato
Authors: Xu Zijian , Wang Fan , Ma Yongbo , Dang Haoran , Hu Xiaohui
Published: August 2022

Basic leucine zipper (bZIP) transcription factors of the ABA-responsive element binding factor/ABA-responsive element binding proteins (ABF/AREB) subfamily have been implicated in abscisic acid (ABA) and abiotic stress responses in plants. However, the specific function of ABF/AREB transcription factors under saline–alkaline stress is unclear. Here, we identified four ABF/AREB transcription factors in tomato and found that SlAREB1 strongly responded to both ABA and saline–alkaline stress. To further explore the function of SlAREB1 under saline–alkaline stress, SlAREB1-overexpressing lines were constructed. Compared with wild-type plants, SlAREB1-overexpressing transgenic tomato plants showed reduced malondialdehyde content, increased the relative water content, and alleviated the degradation of chlorophyll under saline–alkaline stress. Importantly, SlAREB1 directly physically interacted with SlMn-SOD, which improved the activity of antioxidant enzymes and increased the scavenging of excess reactive oxygen species. Overall, the overexpression of SlAREB1 increased the antioxidant capacity of the transgenic tomato under saline–alkaline stress.
Role of c-miR-21, c-miR-126, Redox Status, and Inflammatory Conditions as Potential Predictors of Vascular Damage in T2DM Patients
Authors: López-Armas Gabriela C. , Yessenbekova Arailym , González-Castañeda Rocío E. , Arellano-Arteaga Kevin J. , Guerra-Librero Ana , Ablaikhanova Nurzhanyat , Florido Javier , Escames Germaine , Acuña-Castroviejo Darío , Rusanova Iryna
Published: August 2022

The development of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) vascular complications (VCs) is associated with oxidative stress and chronic inflammation and can result in endothelial dysfunctions. Circulating microRNAs play an important role in epigenetic regulation of the etiology of T2DM. We studied 30 healthy volunteers, 26 T2DM patients with no complications, and 26 T2DM patients with VCs, to look for new biomarkers indicating a risk of developing VCs in T2DM patients. Peripheral blood samples were used to determine redox state, by measuring the endogenous antioxidant defense system (superoxide dismutase, SOD; catalase, CAT; glutathione reductase, GRd; glutathione peroxidase, GPx; and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, G6DP) and markers of oxidative damage (advanced oxidation protein products, AOPP; lipid peroxidation, LPO). Additionally, inflammatory marker levels (IL-1, IL-6, IL-18, and TNF-α), c-miR-21, and c-miR-126 expression were analyzed. T2DM patients showed the highest oxidative damage with increased GSSG/GSH ratios, LPO, and AOPP levels. In both diabetic groups, we found that diminished SOD activity was accompanied by increased CAT and decreased GRd and G6PD activities. Diabetic patients presented with increased relative expression of c-miR-21 and decreased relative expression of c-miR-126. Overall, c-miR-21, SOD, CAT, and IL-6 had high predictive values for diabetes diagnoses. Finally, our data demonstrated that IL-6 exhibited predictive value for VC development in the studied population. Moreover, c-miR-21 and c-miR-126, along with GPx and AOPP levels, should be considered possible markers for VC development in future studies.
Nanocarrier System: State-of-the-Art in Oral Delivery of Astaxanthin
Authors: Abdol Wahab Nur Rafiqah , Meor Mohd Affandi Meor Mohd Redzuan , Fakurazi Sharida , Alias Ekram , Hassan Haniza
Published: August 2022

Astaxanthin (3,3′-dihydroxy-4,4′-diketo-β-β carotene), which belongs to the xanthophyll class, has shown potential biological activity in in vitro and in vivo models including as a potent antioxidant, anti-lipid peroxidation and cardiovascular disease prevention agent. It is mainly extracted from an alga, Haematococcus pluvialis. As a highly lipid-soluble carotenoid, astaxanthin has been shown to have poor oral bioavailability, which limits its clinical applications. Recently, there have been several suggestions and the development of various types of nano-formulation, loaded with astaxanthin to enhance their bioavailability. The employment of nanoemulsions, liposomes, solid lipid nanoparticles, chitosan-based and PLGA-based nanoparticles as delivery vehicles of astaxanthin for nutritional supplementation purposes has proven a higher oral bioavailability of astaxanthin. In this review, we highlight the pharmacological properties, pharmacokinetics profiles and current developments of the nano-formulations of astaxanthin for its oral delivery that are believed to be beneficial for future applications. The limitations and future recommendations are also discussed in this review.
Chestnut Wood Mud as a Source of Ellagic Acid for Dermo-Cosmetic Applications
Authors: Moccia Federica , Liberti Davide , Giovando Samuele , Caddeo Carla , Monti Daria Maria , Panzella Lucia , Napolitano Alessandra
Published: August 2022

Ellagic acid (EA) has long been recognized as a very active antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial agent. However, its low bioavailability has often hampered its applications in health-related fields. Here, we report a phospholipid vesicle-based controlled release system for EA, involving the exploitation of chestnut wood mud (CWM), an industrial by-product from chestnut tannin production, as a largely available and low-cost source of this compound. Two kinds of CWM with different particle size distributions, indicated as CWM-A and CWM-B (<100 and 32 µm, respectively), containing 5 ± 1% w/w EA, were incorporated into transfersomes. The latter were small in size (~100 nm), homogeneously dispersed, and negatively charged. 2,2-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and ferric reducing/antioxidant power (FRAP) assays indicated up to three-fold improvement in the antioxidant properties of CWM upon incorporation into transfersomes. The kinetics of EA released under simulated physiological conditions were evaluated by UV-Vis spectroscopy and HPLC analysis. The best results were obtained with CWM-B (100% of EA gradually released after 37 days at pH 7.4). A stepwise increase in the antioxidant properties of the released material was also observed. Cell-based experiments confirmed the efficacy of CWM-B transfersomes as antioxidant agents in contrasting photodamage.
Anti-Bedsore Heel Disc for Nasotracheal Tube Stabilization during Mandibular Asymmetry Surgery and Stable Bone Osteosynthesis—Surgeon and Anesthesiologist Surgical Comfort
Authors: Nelke Kamil , Łuczak Klaudiusz , Janeczek Maciej , Pasicka Edyta , Kołodziej Maria , Morawska-Kochman Monika , Barnaś Szczepan , Pawlak Wojciech , Dobrzyński Maciej
Published: August 2022

Nowadays, maxillo-facial surgery procedures are greatly dependent on good general anesthesia and adequate maintenance care of the airways. Nasotracheal intubation (NTI) is one of the most common ones, especially in orthognathic surgery, temporomandibular joint-related surgeries, or others. Nasotracheal intubation itself is not a problem; however, maintaining its stable and safe position, regardless of the excess of surgical maneuvers in the facial skeleton, is important. There are a lot of techniques, personal modifications, and materials used to support tube placement. It is quite common that either plaster or a bandage roll can be useful with a combination of various forms of sponges or wipes in different shapes, sizes, and elasticity to support the tube’s adequate position, especially when maintaining a good shape and position of the nose and symmetry line and avoiding unnecessary tube flexion. In the following paper, one of the tube support alternatives with an anti-bedsore heel disc will be presented.
Evaluation and Comparison of Spatial Clustering for Solar Irradiance Time Series
Authors: Garcia-Gutierrez Luis , Voyant Cyril , Notton Gilles , Almorox Javier
Published: August 2022

This work exposes an innovative clustering method of solar radiation stations, using static and dynamic parameters, based on multi-criteria analysis for future objectives to make the forecasting of the solar resource easier. The innovation relies on a characterization of solar irradiation from both a quantitative point of view and a qualitative one (variability of the intermittent sources). Each of the 76 Spanish stations studied is firstly characterized by static parameters of solar radiation distributions (mean, standard deviation, skewness, and kurtosis) and then by dynamic ones (Hurst exponent and forecastability coefficient, which is a new concept to characterize the “difficulty” to predict the solar radiation intermittence) that are rarely used, or even never used previously, in such a study. A redundancy analysis shows that, among all the explanatory variables used, three are essential and sufficient to characterize the solar irradiation behavior of each site; thus, in accordance with the principle of parsimony, only the mean and the two dynamic parameters are used. Four clustering methods were applied to identify geographical areas with similar solar irradiation characteristics at a half-an-hour time step: hierarchical, k-means, k-medoids, and spectral cluster. The achieved clusters are compared with each other and with an updated Köppen–Geiger climate classification. The relationship between clusters is analyzed according to the Rand and Jaccard Indexes. For both cases (five and three classes), the hierarchical clustering algorithm is the closest to the Köppen classification. An evaluation of the clustering algorithms’ performance shows no interest in implementing k-means and spectral clustering simultaneously since the results are similar by more than 90% for three and five classes. The recommendations for operating a solar radiation clustering are to use k-means or hierarchical clustering based on mean, Hurst exponent, and forecastability parameters.
Information Transfer in Active States of Human β2-Adrenergic Receptor via Inter-Rotameric Motions of Loop Regions
Authors: Sogunmez Nuray , Akten Ebru Demet
Published: August 2022

Two independent 1.5 μs long MD simulations were conducted for the fully atomistic model of the human beta2-adrenergic receptor (β2AR) in a complex with a G protein to investigate the signal transmission in a fully active state via mutual information and transfer entropy based on α-carbon displacements and rotameric states of backbone and side-chain torsion angles. Significant correlations between fluctuations in α-Carbon displacements were mostly detected between transmembrane (TM) helices, especially TM5 and TM6 located at each end of ICL3 and TM7. Signal transmission across β2-AR was quantified by shared mutual information; a high amount of correspondence was distinguished in almost all loop regions when rotameric states were employed. Moreover, polar residues, especially Arg, made the most contribution to signal transmission via correlated side-chain rotameric fluctuations as they were more frequently observed in loop regions than hydrophobic residues. Furthermore, transfer entropy identified all loop regions as major entropy donor sites, which drove future rotameric states of torsion angles of residues in transmembrane helices. Polar residues appeared as donor sites from which entropy flowed towards hydrophobic residues. Overall, loops in β2AR were recognized as potential allosteric hot spot regions, which play an essential role in signal transmission and should likely be used as potential drug targets.
On the Influence of Direction-Dependent Behavior of Rock Mass in Simulations of Deep Tunneling Using a Novel Gradient-Enhanced Transversely Isotropic Damage–Plasticity Model
Authors: Mader Thomas , Schreter Magdalena , Hofstetter Günter
Published: August 2022

In engineering practice, numerical simulations of deep tunneling are commonly based on isotropic linear–elastic perfectly plastic rock models. Rock, however, commonly exhibits highly nonlinear and distinct direction-dependent mechanical behavior. The former is characterized by irreversible deformation, associated with strain hardening and strain softening, and the degradation of stiffness; the latter is due to the inherent rock structure. Nevertheless, the majority of the existing rock models focuses on the prediction of either the highly nonlinear material behavior or the inherent anisotropic response of rock. The combined effects of nonlinear and direction-dependent rock behavior, particularly in the context of the numerical simulations of tunnel excavation, have rarely been taken into account so far. Thus, it is the aim of the present contribution to demonstrate the influence of both effects on the evolution of the deformation and stress distribution in the rock mass due to deep tunnel excavation on the example of a well-monitored stretch of the Brenner Base Tunnel (BBT). To this end, the recently proposed gradient-enhanced transversely isotropic rock damage–plasticity (TI-RDP) model, is employed for modeling the surrounding rock mass consisting of Innsbruck quartz-phyllite. The material parameters for the nonlinear transversely isotropic rock model are identified by means of three-dimensional finite element simulations of triaxial tests on specimens of Innsbruck quartz-phyllite, conducted for varying loading angles with respect to the foliation planes and different confining pressures. Subsequently, the results of the nonlinear 2D finite element simulations of tunnel excavation are presented for different anisotropy parameters and different orientations of the principal material directions with respect to the tunnel axis. The capabilities of the TI-RDP model are assessed by comparing the numerically predicted results with those obtained by the isotropic version of the RDP model.
Time Series and Non-Time Series Models of Earthquake Prediction Based on AETA Data: 16-Week Real Case Study
Authors: Wang Chenyang , Li Chaorun , Yong Shanshan , Wang Xin’an , Yang Chao
Published: August 2022

The Key Laboratory of Integrated Microsystems (IMS) of Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School has deployed a self-developed acoustic and electromagnetics to artificial intelligence (AETA) system on a large scale and at a high density in China to comprehensively monitor and collect the precursor anomaly signals that occur before earthquakes for seismic prediction. This paper constructs several classic time series and non-time series prediction models for comparison and analysis in order to find the most suitable earthquake-prediction model among these models. The long short-term memory (LSTM) neural network, which gains the best results in earthquake prediction based on AETA data extracted from the precursor anomaly signals, is selected for real-earthquake prediction for 16 consecutive weeks.