bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Innovative Development of Pasta with the Addition of Fish By-Products from Two Species
Authors: Ainsa Andrea , Honrado Adrián , Marquina Pedro L. , Roncalés Pedro , Beltrán José Antonio , Calanche M. Juan B.
Published: August 2021

The fish industry generates by-products that are still nutrient-rich. Its incorporation in pasta production could be an interesting option to get functional food. Therefore, the aim of this study was to compare the nutritional composition, technological properties and sensory quality of two pastas containing tuna and sea bass by-products, separately. Durum wheat semolina and fish by-product concentrates were used in pasta manufacturing. Fatty acids profile, optimal cooking time, texture profile analysis, color, weight gain, swelling index, cooking losses and moisture were determined and compared with a non-containing fish reference. A sensory analysis was also carried out. In general, results showed a higher content of fatty acids in tuna pasta than in sea bass pasta. The texture profile analysis (TPA) showed lower hardness and fracturability in the fish pasta. Cohesiveness was higher in the tuna pasta while sea bass pasta was brighter. Fish incorporation caused a decrease in weight gain and swelling index and an increase in cooking losses. Sensory analysis established differences in homogeneity, typical aroma, fish flavor, fish odor and elasticity. It was concluded that the use of these by-products results in a more nutritious pasta although tuna content should be reduced (<3%) to improve its sensory profile.
A Methodological Approach to Assess the Effect of Organic, Biodynamic, and Conventional Production Processes on the Intrinsic and Perceived Quality of a Typical Wine: The Case Study of Chianti DOCG
Authors: Maioli Francesco , Picchi Monica , Millarini Valentina , Domizio Paola , Scozzafava Gabriele , Zanoni Bruno , Canuti Valentina
Published: August 2021

The aim of this study was to propose a methodological approach to evaluate the impact of the organic, biodynamic, and conventional production processes on the intrinsic and perceived quality of a typical wine. For this purpose, fourteen commercial Chianti DOCG wines from the 2016 harvest were selected based on the type of production management. A survey was set up to get winemaking information from the estate’s producer of the wines to estimate the carbon dioxide production under the three types of management. The eligibility, identity, and style properties (the intrinsic quality) of the wines were defined. A group of 45 experts evaluated the differences between wines by the Napping test and rated their typicality (perceived quality). The organic and biodynamic management showed a lower level of estimated values of carbon dioxide production. The overall statistical elaboration of the chemical and sensory data highlighted that the registered differences of the intrinsic, perceived quality, and typicality level of the respective wines, did not depend on the type of management. The comparison of the three kinds of wine by SIMCA modeling, put in evidence that the conventional ones showed a greater homogeneity regarding chemical composition, sensory characteristics, and typicality.
Quarter-Sweep Preconditioned Relaxation Method, Algorithm and Efficiency Analysis for Fractional Mathematical Equation
Authors: Sunarto Andang , Agarwal Praveen , Sulaiman Jumat , Chew Jackel Vui Lung , Momani Shaher
Published: August 2021

Research into the recent developments for solving fractional mathematical equations requires accurate and efficient numerical methods. Although many numerical methods based on Caputo’s fractional derivative have been proposed to solve fractional mathematical equations, the efficiency of obtaining solutions using these methods when dealing with a large matrix requires further study. The matrix size influences the accuracy of the solution. Therefore, this paper proposes a quarter-sweep finite difference scheme with a preconditioned relaxation-based approximation to efficiently solve a large matrix, which is based on the establishment of a linear system for a fractional mathematical equation. The paper presents the formulation of the quarter-sweep finite difference scheme that is used to approximate the selected fractional mathematical equation. Then, the derivation of a preconditioned relaxation method based on a quarter-sweep scheme is discussed. The design of a C++ algorithm of the proposed quarter-sweep preconditioned relaxation method is shown and, finally, efficiency analysis comparing the proposed method with several tested methods is presented. The contributions of this paper are the presentation of a new preconditioned matrix to restructure the developed linear system, and the derivation of an efficient preconditioned relaxation iterative method for solving a fractional mathematical equation. By simulating the solutions of time-fractional diffusion problems with the proposed numerical method, the study found that computing solutions using the quarter-sweep preconditioned relaxation method is more efficient than using the tested methods. The proposed numerical method is able to solve the selected problems with fewer iterations and a faster execution time than the tested existing methods. The efficiency of the methods was evaluated using different matrix sizes. Thus, the combination of a quarter-sweep finite difference method, Caputo’s time-fractional derivative, and the preconditioned successive over-relaxation method showed good potential for solving different types of fractional mathematical equations, and provides a future direction for this field of research.
A Fully Automatic, Interpretable and Adaptive Machine Learning Approach to Map Burned Area from Remote Sensing
Authors: Stroppiana Daniela , Bordogna Gloria , Sali Matteo , Boschetti Mirco , Sona Giovanna , Brivio Pietro Alessandro
Published: August 2021

The paper proposes a fully automatic algorithm approach to map burned areas from remote sensing characterized by human interpretable mapping criteria and explainable results. This approach is partially knowledge-driven and partially data-driven. It exploits active fire points to train the fusion function of factors deemed influential in determining the evidence of burned conditions from reflectance values of multispectral Sentinel-2 (S2) data. The fusion function is used to compute a map of seeds (burned pixels) that are adaptively expanded by applying a Region Growing (RG) algorithm to generate the final burned area map. The fusion function is an Ordered Weighted Averaging (OWA) operator, learnt through the application of a machine learning (ML) algorithm from a set of highly reliable fire points. Its semantics are characterized by two measures, the degrees of pessimism/optimism and democracy/monarchy. The former allows the prediction of the results of the fusion as affected by more false positives (commission errors) than false negatives (omission errors) in the case of pessimism, or vice versa; the latter foresees if there are only a few highly influential factors or many low influential ones that determine the result. The prediction on the degree of pessimism/optimism allows the expansion of the seeds to be appropriately tuned by selecting the most suited growing layer for the RG algorithm thus adapting the algorithm to the context. The paper illustrates the application of the automatic method in four study areas in southern Europe to map burned areas for the 2017 fire season. Thematic accuracy at each site was assessed by comparison to reference perimeters to prove the adaptability of the approach to the context; estimated average accuracy metrics are omission error = 0.057, commission error = 0.068, Dice coefficient = 0.94 and relative bias = 0.0046.
Diel and Circadian Patterns of Locomotor Activity in the Adults of Diamondback Moth (Plutella xylostella)
Authors: Wang Danfeng , Yang Guang , Chen Wenfeng
Published: August 2021

The Diamondback Moth (Plutella xylostella) is a highly destructive lepidopteran pest of cruciferous crops. However, there still is relatively little known about the locomotor activities of diel and the circadian patterns in P. xylostella. Here, we present an analysis of the diel locomotion of P. xylostella under several laboratory settings. We established a system for measuring the individual locomotor activities of P. xylostella and found that both males and females showed a nocturnal pattern of activity under 26 or 20 °C LD conditions, with activity peaking immediately after lights off and quickly declining after lights on. In addition, we showed that it is difficult to assess the free-running circadian rhythms of P. xylostella under 26 °C DD conditions. However, we found that males showed a higher power, rhythm index (RI) and rhythmic ratio than females under 20 °C DD conditions, which indicated that males in low-temperature conditions are much more suitable to study the free-running circadian rhythms of P. xylostella. The findings of this study will help us to have a better understanding of the diel activity of P. xylostella and may provide a foundation for the development of an effective pest management strategy.
Residual Tau-Fluvalinate in Honey Bee Colonies Is Coupled with Evidence for Selection for Varroa destructor Resistance to Pyrethroids
Authors: Benito-Murcia María , Bartolomé Carolina , Maside Xulio , Bernal José , Bernal José Luis , del Nozal María Jesús , Meana Aránzazu , Botías Cristina , Martín-Hernández Raquel , Higes Mariano
Published: August 2021

Varroa destructor is considered one of the most devastating parasites of the honey bee, Apis mellifera, and a major problem for the beekeeping industry. Currently, the main method to control Varroa mites is the application of drugs that contain different acaricides as active ingredients. The pyrethroid tau-fluvalinate is one of the acaricides most widely used in beekeeping due to its efficacy and low toxicity to bees. However, the intensive and repetitive application of this compound produces a selective pressure that, when maintained over time, contributes to the emergence of resistant mites in the honey bee colonies, compromising the acaricidal treatments efficacy. Here we studied the presence of tau-fluvalinate residues in hives and the evolution of genetic resistance to this acaricide in Varroa mites from honey bee colonies that received no pyrethroid treatment in the previous four years. Our data revealed the widespread and persistent tau-fluvalinate contamination of beeswax and beebread in hives, an overall increase of the pyrethroid resistance allele frequency and a generalized excess of resistant mites relative to Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium expectations. These results suggest that tau-fluvalinate contamination in the hives may seriously compromise the efficacy of pyrethroid-based mite control methods.
Apolipoprotein and LRP1-Based Peptides as New Therapeutic Tools in Atherosclerosis
Authors: Benitez Amaro Aleyda , Solanelles Curco Angels , Garcia Eduardo , Julve Josep , Rives Jose , Benitez Sonia , Llorente Cortes Vicenta
Published: August 2021

Apolipoprotein (Apo)-based mimetic peptides have been shown to reduce atherosclerosis. Most of the ApoC-II and ApoE mimetics exert anti-atherosclerotic effects by improving lipid profile. ApoC-II mimetics reverse hypertriglyceridemia and ApoE-based peptides such as Ac-hE18A-NH2 reduce cholesterol and triglyceride (TG) levels in humans. Conversely, other classes of ApoE and ApoA-I mimetic peptides and, more recently, ApoJ and LRP1-based peptides, exhibit several anti-atherosclerotic actions in experimental models without influencing lipoprotein profile. These other mimetic peptides display at least one atheroprotective mechanism such as providing LDL stability against mechanical modification or conferring protection against the action of lipolytic enzymes inducing LDL aggregation in the arterial intima. Other anti-atherosclerotic effects exerted by these peptides also include protection against foam cell formation and inflammation, and induction of reverse cholesterol transport. Although the underlying mechanisms of action are still poorly described, the recent findings suggest that these mimetics could confer atheroprotection by favorably influencing lipoprotein function rather than lipoprotein levels. Despite the promising results obtained with peptide mimetics, the assessment of their stability, atheroprotective efficacy and tissue targeted delivery are issues currently under progress.
Unicompartmental Knee Replacement in Obese Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Campi Stefano , Papalia Giuseppe Francesco , Esposito Carlo , Albo Erika , Cannata Francesca , Zampogna Biagio , Papalia Rocco , Denaro Vincenzo
Published: August 2021

Thanks to modern surgical techniques and implants, traditional exclusion criteria for unicompartmental knee arthroplasty (UKA) are no longer considered contraindications. The aim of this study is to clarify the impact of obesity on functional outcomes and revision rates of UKA. We performed a comprehensive systematic review using PubMed–Medline, Google Scholar and Cochrane Central. Then, we extracted data related to body mass index (BMI), age and follow-up, functional outcome scores and rate of revisions (all-cause, aseptic and septic). Patients were stratified according to BMI into two groups: non-obese (BMI < 30) and obese (BMI ≥ 30). We identified 22 eligible studies, of which 13 were included in the meta-analysis. Patients with a BMI > 30 had a significantly higher likelihood for revision (p = 0.02), while the risk of septic revision was similar (p = 0.79). The clinical outcome measures showed a significant difference in favor of patients with a BMI < 30 (p < 0.0001). The improvements in Oxford Knee Score and Knee Society Score were significant in both obese and non-obese patients, although the latter showed inferior results. The results of this systematic review and meta-analysis show that BMI is not a contraindication to UKA. However, obese patients have a higher risk for aseptic failure and lower improvement in clinical scores compared to non-obese patients.
Treatment Experience and Predictive Factors Associated with Response in Platinum-Resistant Recurrent Ovarian Cancer: A Retrospective Single-Institution Study
Authors: Dragomir Radu , Sas Ioan , Săftescu Sorin , Popovici Dorel , Margan Roxana , Dragomir Adelina Silvana , Stanca Horia , Mocanu Valeria , Pac Cristina , Negru Șerban
Published: August 2021

Ovarian cancer (OC) represents the most common and lethal gynecologic malignancy, due to its increased incidence and mortality rate. It is usually diagnosed in advanced stages and, even though surgery and platinum-based treatments are initially efficient, recurrences emerge in over 70% of cases. Although there are multiple options of chemotherapy drugs from which to choose, little is known regarding the best strategy for prolonged survival. Thus, this study aimed to assess the effect that most frequently used chemotherapeutic regimens have upon time-to-treatment-failure (TTF) from the first line and beyond, considering clinical and biological factors which influence the treatment outcome of platinum-resistant recurrent OC. We retrospectively analyzed data from 78 patients diagnosed with platinum-resistant OC, who underwent chemotherapy-based treatment with or without anti-angiogenic therapy at OncoHelp Oncology Center, Romania (January 2016–February 2021). Our study identified positive predictive factors for TTF related to histology (serous carcinoma subtype), anthropometry (age over 60 for patients treated with topotecan with or without bevacizumab), renal function (creatinine levels between 0.65 and 1 mg/dL for patients treated with regimens containing bevacizumab and pegylated liposomal doxorubicin) and treatment choice (bevacizumab in combination with pegylated liposomal doxorubicin or topotecan used from the first line and beyond).
A Review on Various Topics on the Thermal Grill Illusion
Authors: Shin Dong Ah , Chang Min Cheol
Published: August 2021

The thermal grill illusion (TGI) is a paradoxical perception of burning heat and pain resulting from the simultaneous application of interlaced warm and cold stimuli to the skin. The TGI is considered a type of chronic centralized pain and has been used to apply nociceptive stimuli without inflicting harm to human participants in the study of pain mechanisms. In addition, the TGI is an interesting phenomenon for researchers, and various topics related to the TGI have been investigated in several studies, which we will review here. According to previous studies, the TGI is generated by supraspinal interactions. To evoke the TGI, cold and warm cutaneous stimuli should be applied within the same dermatome or across dermatomes corresponding to adjacent spinal segments, and a significant difference between cold and warm temperatures is necessary. In addition, due the presence of chronic pain, genetic factors, and sexual differences, the intensity of the TGI can differ. In addition, cold noxious stimulation, topical capsaicin, analgesics, self-touch, and the presence of psychological diseases can decrease the intensity of the TGI. Because the TGI corresponds to chronic centralized pain, we believe that the findings of previous studies can be applied to future studies to identify chronic pain mechanisms and clinical practice for pain management.
Factors Associated with Occurrence of Atelectasis during Sedation for Imaging in Pediatric Patients: A Retrospective Single Center Cohort Study
Authors: Kim Pyeong Hwa , Park Yong-Seok , Yoon Hee-Mang , Jung Ah Young , Joo Eun-Young , Choi In-Cheol , Song Myung-Hee
Published: August 2021

Sedation can induce atelectasis which may cause suboptimal image quality. This study aimed to identify factors associated with the occurrence of atelectasis during sedation for imaging in pediatric patients. Patients < 18 years who had undergone whole-body magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) under sedation with propofol or dexmedetomidine were included in this study. The development of atelectasis was visually and quantitatively assessed by coronal short tau inversion recovery images of the thoracic level. Multivariable logistic regression was performed to identify the independent factors associated with the development of atelectasis. Ninety-one patients were included in the analysis. In the multivariable analysis, administration of supplemental oxygen was the only factor significantly associated with the occurrence of atelectasis (adjusted odds ratio, 4.84; 95% confidence interval, 1.48–15.83; p = 0.009). Univariable analysis showed that the use of dexmedetomidine was associated with a lower incidence of atelectasis; however, this could not be verified in the multivariable analysis. Among the pediatric patients who had undergone imaging under sedation, additional oxygen supplementation was the only independent factor associated with atelectasis occurrence. A prospective clinical trial is required to identify the cause-effect relationship between oxygen administration and occurrence of atelectasis during sedation.
Educational Interventions for Promoting Food Literacy and Patient Engagement in Preventing Complications of Type 2 Diabetes: A Systematic Review
Authors: Savarese M. , Sapienza M. , Acquati G. M. , Nurchis M. C. , Riccardi M. T. , Mastrilli V. , D’Elia R. , Graps E. A. , Graffigna G. , Damiani G.
Published: August 2021

The present review aims to map the current literature on educational interventions to promote food literacy in type 2 diabetes, with a particular focus on the concept of patient engagement. The systematic review was implemented on five databases with no restrictions on the publication year. The studies selected for the review were focused on patients with type 2 diabetes, ranging from 2003 to 2021 and published in 13 countries (44% USA). Thirty-three articles were analyzed. Twenty-seven articles targeted singular patients; fifteen articles conceptualized patient engagement as self-management. In seven articles, the provider is a multidisciplinary team. Twenty articles did not report a theoretical framework in the intervention development, and eleven did not use an intervention material. Twenty-six articles did not use a technology proxy. Outcome categories were narratively mapped into four areas: clinical, psychological, behavioral, and literacy. To date, most of the interventions are heterogeneous in the adopted methodology, measures, and outcomes considered. More attention should be given to the psychosocial characterization of patient engagement as well as the technological support. High-quality, randomized controlled trials and longitudinal studies are lacking and need to be conducted to verify the efficacy of these insights.
A Novel Approach for the Discovery of Biomarkers of Radiotherapy Response in Breast Cancer
Authors: Meehan James , Gray Mark , Martínez-Pérez Carlos , Kay Charlene , Wills Jimi C. , Kunkler Ian H. , Dixon J. Michael , Turnbull Arran K.
Published: August 2021

Radiotherapy (RT) is an important treatment modality for the local control of breast cancer (BC). Unfortunately, not all patients that receive RT will obtain a therapeutic benefit, as cancer cells that either possess intrinsic radioresistance or develop resistance during treatment can reduce its efficacy. For RT treatment regimens to become personalised, there is a need to identify biomarkers that can predict and/or monitor a tumour’s response to radiation. Here we describe a novel method to identify such biomarkers. Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) was used on conditioned media (CM) samples from a radiosensitive oestrogen receptor positive (ER+) BC cell line (MCF-7) to identify cancer-secreted biomarkers which reflected a response to radiation. A total of 33 radiation-induced secreted proteins that had higher (up to 12-fold) secretion levels at 24 h post-2 Gy radiation were identified. Secretomic results were combined with whole-transcriptome gene expression experiments, using both radiosensitive and radioresistant cells, to identify a signature related to intrinsic radiosensitivity. Gene expression analysis assessing the levels of the 33 proteins showed that 5 (YBX3, EIF4EBP2, DKK1, GNPNAT1 and TK1) had higher expression levels in the radiosensitive cells compared to their radioresistant derivatives; 3 of these proteins (DKK1, GNPNAT1 and TK1) underwent in-lab and initial clinical validation. Western blot analysis using CM samples from cell lines confirmed a significant increase in the release of each candidate biomarker from radiosensitive cells 24 h after treatment with a 2 Gy dose of radiation; no significant increase in secretion was observed in the radioresistant cells after radiation. Immunohistochemistry showed that higher intracellular protein levels of the biomarkers were associated with greater radiosensitivity. Intracellular levels were further assessed in pre-treatment biopsy tissues from patients diagnosed with ER+ BC that were subsequently treated with breast-conserving surgery and RT. High DKK1 and GNPNAT1 intracellular levels were associated with significantly increased recurrence-free survival times, indicating that these two candidate biomarkers have the potential to predict sensitivity to RT. We suggest that the methods highlighted in this study could be utilised for the identification of biomarkers that may have a potential clinical role in personalising and optimising RT dosing regimens, whilst limiting the administration of RT to patients who are unlikely to benefit.
Machine Learning Attacks and Countermeasures on Hardware Binary Edwards Curve Scalar Multipliers
Authors: Dimopoulos Charis , Fournaris Apostolos P. , Koufopavlou Odysseas
Published: August 2021

Machine Learning techniques have proven effective in Side Channel Analysis (SCA), enabling multiple improvements over the already-established profiling process of Template Attacks. Focusing on the need to mitigate their impact on embedded devices, a design model and strategy is proposed that can effectively be used as a backbone for introducing SCA countermeasures on Elliptic Curve Cryptography (ECC) scalar multipliers. The proposed design strategy is based on the decomposition of the round calculations of the Montgomery Power Ladder (MPL) algorithm and the Scalar Multiplication (SM) algorithm into the underlined finite field operations, and their restructuring into parallel-processed operation sets. Having as a basis the proposed design strategy, we showcase how advanced SCA countermeasures can be easily introduced, focusing on randomizing the projective coordinates of the MPL round’s ECC point results. To evaluate the design approach and its SCA countermeasures, several simple ML-based SCAs are performed, and an attack roadmap is provided. The proposed roadmap assumes attackers that do not have access to a huge number of leakage traces, and that have limited resources with which to mount Deep Learning attacks. The trained models’ performance reveals a high level of resistance against ML-based SCAs when including SCA countermeasures in the proposed design strategy.
Differential Mucosal Microbiome Profiles across Stages of Human Colorectal Cancer
Authors: Zhang Mingqing , Lv Yongming , Hou Shaobin , Liu Yanfei , Wang Yijia , Wan Xuehua
Published: August 2021

Emerging evidences link gut microbiota to colorectal cancer (CRC) initiation and development. However, the CRC stage- and spatial-specific bacterial taxa were less investigated, especially in a Chinese cohort, leading to our incomplete understanding of the functional roles of gut microbiota in promoting CRC progression and recurrence. Here, we report the composition and structure of gut microbiota across CRC stages I, II and III, by analyzing the gut mucosal microbiomes of 75 triplet-paired samples collected from on-tumor, adjacent-tumor and off-tumor sites and 26 healthy controls. We observed tumor-specific pattern of mucosal microbiome profiles as CRC progressed and identified ten bacterial taxa with high abundances (>1%) as potential biomarkers for tumor initiation and development. Peptostreptococcus and Parvimonas can serve as biomarkers for CRC stage I. Fusobacterium, Streptococcus, Parvimonas, Burkholderiales, Caulobacteraceae, Delftia and Oxalobacteraceae can serve as biomarkers for CRC stage II, while Fusobacterium, Burkholderiales, Caulobacteraceae, Oxalobacteraceae, Faecalibacterium and Sutterella can serve as biomarkers for CRC stage III. These biomarkers classified CRC stages I, II and III distinguished from each other with an area under the receiver-operating curve (AUC) > 0.5. Moreover, co-occurrence and co-excluding network analysis of these genera showed strong correlations in CRC stage I, which were subsequently reduced in CRC stages II and III. Our findings provide a reference index for stage-specific CRC diagnosis and suggest stage-specific roles of Peptostreptococcus, Fusobacterium, Streptococcus and Parvimonas in driving CRC progression.
Effect of HIT Components on the Development of Breast Cancer Cells
Authors: Chen Li-Yu , Apte Gurunath , Lindenbauer Annerose , Frant Marion , Nguyen Thi-Huong
Published: August 2021

Cancer cells circulating in blood vessels activate platelets, forming a cancer cell encircling platelet cloak which facilitates cancer metastasis. Heparin (H) is frequently used as an anticoagulant in cancer patients but up to 5% of patients have a side effect, heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT) that can be life-threatening. HIT is developed due to a complex interaction among multiple components including heparin, platelet factor 4 (PF4), HIT antibodies, and platelets. However, available information regarding the effect of HIT components on cancers is limited. Here, we investigated the effect of these materials on the mechanical property of breast cancer cells using atomic force microscopy (AFM) while cell spreading was quantified by confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM), and cell proliferation rate was determined. Over time, we found a clear effect of each component on cell elasticity and cell spreading. In the absence of platelets, HIT antibodies inhibited cell proliferation but they promoted cell proliferation in the presence of platelets. Our results indicate that HIT complexes influenced the development of breast cancer cells.
Alternative Artificial Neural Network Structures for Turbulent Flow Velocity Field Prediction
Authors: Portal-Porras Koldo , Fernandez-Gamiz Unai , Ugarte-Anero Ainara , Zulueta Ekaitz , Zulueta Asier
Published: August 2021

Turbulence in fluids has been a popular research topic for many years due to its influence on a wide range of applications. Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) tools are able to provide plenty of information about this phenomenon, but their computational cost often makes the use of these tools unfeasible. For that reason, in recent years, turbulence modelling using Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs) is becoming increasingly popular. These networks typically calculate directly the desired magnitude, having input information about the computational domain. In this paper, a Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) for predicting different magnitudes of turbulent flows around different geometries by approximating the equations of the Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS)-based realizable k-ε two-layer turbulence model is proposed. Using that CNN, alternative network structures are proposed to predict the velocity fields of a turbulent flow around different geometries on a rectangular channel, with a preliminary stage to predict pressure and vorticity fields before calculating the velocity fields, and the obtained results are compared with the ones obtained with the basic structure. The results demonstrate that the proposed structures clearly outperform the basic one, especially when the flow becomes uncertain. In addition, considering the results, the best network configuration is proposed. That network is tested with a domain with multiple geometries and a domain with a narrowing of the channel, which are domains with different conditions from the training ones, showing fairly accurate predictions.
The Upper Airway Microbiota, Environmental Exposures, Inflammation, and Disease
Authors: Elgamal Ziyad , Singh Pratyush , Geraghty Patrick
Published: August 2021

Along with playing vital roles in pathogen exclusion and immune system priming, the upper airways (UAs) and their microbiota are essential for myriad physiological functions such as conditioning and transferring inhaled air. Dysbiosis, a microbial imbalance, is linked with various diseases and significantly impedes the quality of one’s life. Daily inhaled exposures and/or underlying conditions contribute to adverse changes to the UA microbiota. Such variations in the microbial community exacerbate UA and pulmonary disorders via modulating inflammatory and immune pathways. Hence, exploring the UA microbiota’s role in maintaining homeostasis is imperative. The microbial composition and subsequent relationship with airborne exposures, inflammation, and disease are crucial for strategizing innovating UA diagnostics and therapeutics. The development of a healthy UA microbiota early in life contributes to normal respiratory development and function in the succeeding years. Although different UA cavities present a unique microbial profile, geriatrics have similar microbes across their UAs. This lost community segregation may contribute to inflammation and disease, as it stimulates disadvantageous microbial–microbial and microbial–host interactions. Varying inflammatory profiles are associated with specific microbial compositions, while the same is true for many disease conditions and environmental exposures. A shift in the microbial composition is also detected upon the administration of numerous therapeutics, highlighting other beneficial and adverse side effects. This review examines the role of the UA microbiota in achieving homeostasis, and the impact on the UAs of environmental airborne pollutants, inflammation, and disease.
The Effect of Strontium-Substituted Hydroxyapatite Nanofibrous Matrix on Osteoblast Proliferation and Differentiation
Authors: Tsai Shiao-Wen , Hsu Yu-Wei , Pan Whei-Lin , Hsu Fu-Yin
Published: August 2021

Natural bone tissue consists primarily of bioapatite and collagen. Synthetic hydroxyapatite (HA) possesses good biocompatibility, bioactivity, and osteoconductivity due to its chemical and biological similarity to bioapatite. Hence, HA has been widely used as a bone graft, cell carrier and drug/gene delivery carrier. Moreover, strontium-substituted hydroxyapatite (SrHA) can enhance osteogenic differentiation and inhibit adipogenic differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells. Hence, SrHA has the potential to be used as a bone graft for bone regeneration. It is widely accepted that cell adhesion and most cellular activities are sensitive to the topography and molecular composition of the matrix. Electrospun polymer or polymer-bioceramic composite nanofibers have been demonstrated to enhance osteoblast differentiation. However, to date, no studies have investigated the effect of nanofibrous bioceramic matrices on osteoblasts. In this study, hydroxyapatite nanofiber (HANF) and strontium-substituted hydroxyapatite nanofiber (SrHANF) matrices were fabricated by electrospinning. The effect of the HANF components on MG63 osteoblast-like cells was evaluated by cell morphology, proliferation, alkaline phosphatase activity (ALP) and gene expression levels of RUNX2, COLI, OCN and BSP. The results showed that MG63 osteoblast-like cells exhibited higher ALP and gene expression levels of RUNX2, COLI, BSP and OCN on the SrHANF matrix than the HANF matrix. Hence, SrHANFs could enhance the differentiation of MG63 osteoblast-like cells.
Maternal Gut Dysbiosis Alters Offspring Microbiota and Social Interactions
Authors: Zhang Zihan , Xue Chao , Ju Mengyao , Guo Jiawei , Wang Minghui , Yi Sijie , Yi Xianfeng
Published: August 2021

Increasing application of antibiotics changes the gut microbiota composition, leading to dysbiosis of the gut microbiota. Although growing evidence suggests the potential role of gut dysbiosis as the cause of neurodevelopmental disorders and behavioral defects, a broad gap of knowledge remains to be narrowed to better understand the exact mechanisms by which maternal gut dysbiosis alters microbiota development and social interactions of offspring. Here, we showed that maternal gut dysbiosis during gestation is a critical determinant of gut microbiota and social interactions off mouse offspring. Gut microbiota of 2-week-old offspring showed significant changes in response to maternal antibiotic treatment. We even detected distinct effects of maternal oral antibiotics on gut microbiota of 14-week-old offspring. Compared to controls, offspring born to antibiotics-treated mothers displayed reduction in sociability and preference for social novelty, suggesting that the altered offspring social behavior was closely linked to dysbiosis of maternal gut microbiota. Our study opens the possibility to better understand the mechanism of how maternal gut microbiota vertically impairs social interactions of offspring in animal models, providing support to the maternal gut microbiota as a potential mediator between offspring microbiota and behaviors.
Chemical Transformation of Humic Acid Molecules under the Influence of Mineral, Fungal and Bacterial Fertilization in the Context of the Agricultural Use of Degraded Soils
Authors: Boguta Patrycja , Skic Kamil , Sokołowska Zofia , Frąc Magdalena , Sas-Paszt Lidia
Published: August 2021

The main goal of this work was to study the structural transformation of humic acids (HAs) under the influence of selected strains of fungi (Aspergillus niger and Paecilomyces lilacinus) and bacteria (Bacillus sp., Paenibacillus polymyxa and Bacillus amyloliquefaciens) with/without the presence of NPK fertilizers. Two-year experiments were conducted on two different soils and HAs isolated from these soils were examined for structure, humification degree, and quantity using fluorescence and UV-Vis spectroscopy, elemental analysis, and extraction methods. Results showed that the applied additives contributed to the beneficial transformation of HAs, but effects differed for various soils. HAs from silty soil with higher organic carbon content showed simplification of their structure, and decreases in humification, molecular weight, and aromaticity under the influence of fungi and bacteria without NPK, and with NPK alone. With both fungi and NPK, increases in O/H and O/C atomic ratios indicated an increase in the number of O-containing functional groups. HAs from sandy soil did not show as many significant changes as did those from silty soil. Sandy soil exhibited a strong decline in HA content in the second year that was reduced/neutralized by the presence of fungi, bacteria, and NPK. Periodically observed fluorescence at ~300 nm/450 nm reflected formation of low-molecular HAs originating from the activity of microorganisms.
Solution/Ammonolysis Syntheses of Unsupported and Silica-Supported Copper(I) Nitride Nanostructures from Oxidic Precursors
Authors: Szczęsny Robert , Hoang Tuan K. A. , Dobrzańska Liliana , Gregory Duncan H.
Published: August 2021

Herein we describe an alternative strategy to achieve the preparation of nanoscale Cu3N. Copper(II) oxide/hydroxide nanopowder precursors were successfully fabricated by solution methods. Ammonolysis of the oxidic precursors can be achieved essentially pseudomorphically to produce either unsupported or supported nanoparticles of the nitride. Hence, Cu3N particles with diverse morphologies were synthesized from oxygen-containing precursors in two-step processes combining solvothermal and solid−gas ammonolysis stages. The single-phase hydroxochloride precursor, Cu2(OH)3Cl was prepared by solution-state synthesis from CuCl2·2H2O and urea, crystallising with the atacamite structure. Alternative precursors, CuO and Cu(OH)2, were obtained after subsequent treatment of Cu2(OH)3Cl with NaOH solution. Cu3N, in the form of micro- and nanorods, was the sole product formed from ammonolysis using either CuO or Cu(OH)2. Conversely, the ammonolysis of dicopper trihydroxide chloride resulted in two-phase mixtures of Cu3N and the monoamine, Cu(NH3)Cl under similar experimental conditions. Importantly, this pathway is applicable to afford composite materials by incorporating substrates or matrices that are resistant to ammoniation at relatively low temperatures (ca. 300 °C). We present preliminary evidence that Cu3N/SiO2 nanocomposites (up to ca. 5 wt.% Cu3N supported on SiO2) could be prepared from CuCl2·2H2O and urea starting materials following similar reaction steps. Evidence suggests that in this case Cu3N nanoparticles are confined within the porous SiO2 matrix.
Application of d-SPE before SPE and HPLC-FLD to Analyze Bisphenols in Human Breast Milk Samples
Authors: Tuzimski Tomasz , Szubartowski Szymon
Published: August 2021

In this study, we propose a simple, cost-effective, and sensitive high-performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection (HPLC-FLD) for the simultaneous determination of seven bisphenols (bisphenol F (BPF), bisphenol E (BPE), bisphenol B (BPB), BADGE (bisphenol A diglycidyl ether), BADGE∙2H2O, BADGE∙H2O, BADGE∙2HCl) in human breast milk samples. The dispersive solid phase extraction (d-SPE) coupled with solid phase extraction (SPE) procedure performed well for the majority of the analytes with recoveries in the range 57–88% and relative standard deviations (RSD%) of less than 9.4%. During the d-SPE stage, no significant matrix effect was observed thanks to the application of different pairs of salts such as zirconium-dioxide-based sorbents (Z-Sep or Z-Sep +) and primary secondary amine (PSA) or QuEChERS Enhanced Matrix Removal-Lipid (EMR-Lipid) and PSA. The method limits of quantification (mLOQs) for all investigated analytes were set at satisfactory low values in the range 171.89–235.11 ng mL−1. Analyte concentrations were determined as the average value from human breast milk matrix samples. The results show that the d-SPE/SPE procedure, especially with the application of EMR-Lipid and PSA, could be used for further bisphenol analyses in human breast milk samples.
Benzothiadiazole vs. iso-Benzothiadiazole: Synthesis, Electrochemical and Optical Properties of D–A–D Conjugated Molecules Based on Them
Authors: Gudim Nikita S. , Knyazeva Ekaterina A. , Mikhalchenko Ludmila V. , Golovanov Ivan S. , Popov Vadim V. , Obruchnikova Natalia V. , Rakitin Oleg A.
Published: August 2021

This paper presents an improved synthesis of 4,7-dibromobenzo[d][1,2,3]thiadiazole from commercially available reagents. According to quantum-mechanical calculations, benzo[d][1,2,3]thiadiazole (isoBTD) has higher values of ELUMO and energy band gap (Eg), which indicates high electron conductivity, occurring due to the high stability of the molecule in the excited state. We studied the cross-coupling reactions of this dibromide and found that the highest yields of π-spacer–acceptor–π-spacer type compounds were obtained by means of the Stille reaction. Therefore, 6 new structures of this type have been synthesized. A detailed study of the optical and electrochemical properties of the obtained π-spacer–acceptor–π-spacer type compounds in comparison with isomeric structures based on benzo[c][1,2,5]thiadiazole (BTD) showed a red shift of absorption maxima with lower absorptive and luminescent capacity. However, the addition of the 2,2′-bithiophene fragment as a π-spacer resulted in an unexpected increase of the extinction coefficient in the UV/vis spectra along with a blue shift of both absorption maxima for the isoBTD-based compound as compared to the BTD-based compound. Thus, a thorough selection of components in the designing of appropriate compounds with benzo[d][1,2,3]thiadiazole as an internal acceptor can lead to promising photovoltaic materials.
Synthesis and In Vitro Characterization of Glycopeptide Drug Candidates Related to PACAP1–23
Authors: Apostol Christopher R. , Tanguturi Parthasaradhireddy , Szabò Lajos Z. , Varela Daniel , Gilmartin Thiago , Streicher John M. , Polt Robin
Published: August 2021

The search for efficacious treatment of neurodegenerative and progressive neuroinflammatory diseases continues, as current therapies are unable to halt or reverse disease progression. PACAP represents one potential therapeutic that provides neuroprotection effects on neurons, and also modulates inflammatory responses and circulation within the brain. However, PACAP is a relatively long peptide hormone that is not trivial to synthesize. Based on previous observations that the shortened isoform PACAP1–23 is capable of inducing neuroprotection in vitro, we were inspired to synthesize shortened glycopeptide analogues of PACAP1–23. Herein, we report the synthesis and in vitro characterization of glycosylated PACAP1–23 analogues that interact strongly with the PAC1 and VPAC1 receptors, while showing reduced activity at the VPAC2 receptor.
Can Eucalyptol Replace Antibiotics?
Authors: Mączka Wanda , Duda-Madej Anna , Górny Aleksandra , Grabarczyk Małgorzata , Wińska Katarzyna
Published: August 2021

One of the primary reasons for the search for new antimicrobial agents is the increasing and spreading resistance of microorganisms to previously used drugs. This is particularly important in the case of rapidly progressing infections that require the rapid administration of an appropriately selected antibiotic. However, along with the administration of antibiotics, complications in the disease-weakened body may arise in the form of systemic mycoses, viral infections, and protozoan infections. Therefore, there is an increasing interest among researchers focusing on the use of naturally occurring terpenic compounds in stand-alone or combined therapies with antibiotics. In this publication, the aim of our work is to present the results of a literature review on the antimicrobial activity of eucalyptol.
Macathiohydantoin L, a Novel Thiohydantoin Bearing a Thioxohexahydroimidazo [1,5-a] Pyridine Moiety from Maca (Lepidium meyenii Walp.)
Authors: Zhang Ranran , Liu Junhong , Yan Hui , Peng Xingrong , Zhang Ling , Qiu Minghua
Published: August 2021

Five new thiohydantoin derivatives (1–5) were isolated from the rhizomes of Lepidium meyenii Walp. NMR (1H and 13C NMR, 1H−1H COSY, HSQC, and HMBC), HRESIMS, and ECD were employed for the structure elucidation of new compounds. Significantly, the structure of compound 1 was the first example of thiohydantoins with thioxohexahydroimidazo [1,5-a] pyridine moiety. Additionally, compounds 2 and 3 possess rare disulfide bonds. Except for compound 4, all isolates were assessed for neuroprotective activities in corticosterone (CORT)-stimulated PC12 cell damage. Among them, compound (−)-3 exhibited moderate neuroprotective activity (cell viability: 68.63%, 20 μM) compared to the positive control desipramine (DIM) (cell viability: 88.49%, 10 μM).
Biological Activity of Newly Synthesized Benzimidazole and Benzothizole 2,5-Disubstituted Furane Derivatives
Authors: Racané Livio , Zlatar Ivo , Perin Nataša , Cindrić Maja , Radovanović Vedrana , Banjanac Mihailo , Shanmugam Suresh , Stojković Marijana Radić , Brajša Karmen , Hranjec Marijana
Published: August 2021

Newly designed and synthesized cyano, amidino and acrylonitrile 2,5-disubstituted furane derivatives with either benzimidazole/benzothiazole nuclei have been evaluated for antitumor and antimicrobial activity. For potential antitumor activity, the compounds were tested in 2D and 3D cell culture methods on three human lung cancer cell lines, A549, HCC827 and NCI-H358, with MTS cytotoxicity and BrdU proliferation assays in vitro. Compounds 5, 6, 8, 9 and 15 have been proven to be compounds with potential antitumor activity with high potential to stop the proliferation of cells. In general, benzothiazole derivatives were more active in comparison to benzimidazole derivatives. Antimicrobial activity was evaluated with Broth microdilution testing (according to CLSI (Clinical Laboratory Standards Institute) guidelines) on Gram-negative Escherichia coli and Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus. Additionally, Saccharomyces cerevisiae was included in testing as a eukaryotic model organism. Compounds 5, 6, 8, 9 and 15 showed the most promising antibacterial activity. In general, the compounds showed antitumor activity, higher in 2D assays in comparison with 3D assays, on all three cell lines in both assays. In natural conditions, compounds with such an activity profile (less toxic but still effective against tumor growth) could be promising new antitumor drugs. Some of the tested compounds showed antimicrobial activity. In contrast to ctDNA, the presence of nitro group or chlorine in selected furane-benzothiazole structures did not influence the binding mode with AT-DNA. All compounds dominantly bound inside the minor groove of AT-DNA either in form of monomers or dimer and higher-order aggregates.