bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Stabilisation of Pathologic Proximal Femoral Fracture near the Growth Plate with Use of a Locking Plate and Transphyseal Screws
Authors: Michalik Roman , Hildebrand Frank , Delbrück Heide
Published: December 2022

Aneurysmal bone cyst (ABC) is a benign osseus lesion with a high pathologic fracture risk. The described treatment options are varied and inconsistent. For successful treatment results, it is essential to prevent recurrence and sufficiently stabilise the weakened bone. Lesions close to the growth plates, especially in the femoral neck region, are challenging to stabilise in children. In this study, 27 clinics, including 11 sarcoma centres, 15 paediatric orthopaedic clinics, and one sarcoma/paediatric orthopaedic centre, were surveyed and asked about their treatment approaches for an exemplary case of ABC in the femoral neck causing a pathological fracture in a 20-month-old infant, with a response rate of 81%. The heterogeneity of treatment options described in the literature is consistent with the survey results. The most favoured approach was curettage, defect filling of any kind, and surgical stabilisation. However, the lesion stabilisation option introduced in this paper, which involves the use of transphyseal screws, was not mentioned in the survey and has not been reported in the literature. Contrary to the existing concepts, our technique offers high stability without significant growth restriction. Transphyseal screws are also suitable for the treatment of femoral neck fractures of other aetiologies in children.
Therapeutic Potential of 6-Gingerol in Prevention of Colon Cancer Induced by Azoxymethane through the Modulation of Antioxidant Potential and Inflammation
Authors: Aloliqi Abdulaziz A.
Published: December 2022

A polyphenolic component of ginger, 6-gingerol, is widely reported to possess antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anticancer activities. In the current study, it was aimed to investigate the anticancer effects of 6-gingerol (6-Gin) on azoxymethane (AOM)-induced colon cancer in rats. The results reveal that 6-Gin treatment significantly improves the antioxidant status disturbed by AOM intoxication. The 6-Gin treatment animal group showed enhanced activity of catalase (CAT) (46.6 ± 6.4 vs. 23.3 ± 4.3 U/mg protein), superoxide dismutase (SOD) (81.3 ± 7.6 vs. 60.4 ± 3.5 U/mg protein) and glutathione-S-transferase (GST) (90.3 ± 9.4 vs. 53.8 ± 10 mU/mg protein) (p < 0.05) as compared to the disease control group. Furthermore, the results reveal that AOM significantly enhances the inflammatory response and 6-gingerol potentially attenuates this response, estimated by markers, such as tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) (1346 ± 67 vs. 1023 ± 58 pg/g), C-reactive protein (CRP) (1.12 ± 0.08 vs. 0.92 ± 0.7 ng/mL) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) (945 ± 67 vs. 653 ± 33 pg/g). In addition, the lipid peroxidation estimated in terms of malondialdehyde (MDA) provoked by AOM exposure is significantly reduced by 6-gingerol treatment (167 ± 7.5 vs. 128.3 nmol/g). Furthermore, 6-gingerol significantly maintains the colon tissue architecture disturbed by the AOM treatment. Loss of tumor suppressor protein, phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) expression was noticed in the AOM treated group, whereas in the animals treated with 6-gingerol, the positivity of PTEN expression was high. In conclusion, the current findings advocate the health-promoting effects of 6-gingerol on colon cancer, which might be due to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory potential.
Polysaccharides-Based Injectable Hydrogels: Preparation, Characteristics, and Biomedical Applications
Authors: El-Sayed Naglaa Salem , Kamel Samir
Published: December 2022

Polysaccharides-based injectable hydrogels are a unique group of biodegradable and biocompatible materials that have shown great potential in the different biomedical fields. The biomolecules or cells can be simply blended with the hydrogel precursors with a high loading capacity by homogenous mixing. The different physical and chemical crosslinking approaches for preparing polysaccharide-based injectable hydrogels are reviewed. Additionally, the review highlights the recent work using polysaccharides-based injectable hydrogels as stimuli-responsive delivery vehicles for the controlled release of different therapeutic agents and viscoelastic matrix for cell encapsulation. Moreover, the application of polysaccharides-based injectable hydrogel in regenerative medicine as tissue scaffold and wound healing dressing is covered.
Fatigue, Emotional Distress, and Illness Uncertainty in Patients with Metastatic Cancer: Results from the Prospective NEOETIC_SEOM Study
Authors: Rodriguez-Gonzalez Adan , Velasco-Durantez Veronica , Martin-Abreu Carla , Cruz-Castellanos Patricia , Hernandez Raquel , Gil-Raga Mireia , Garcia-Torralba Esmeralda , Garcia-Garcia Teresa , Jimenez-Fonseca Paula , Calderon Caterina
Published: December 2022

A cancer diagnosis can have a substantial impact on a patient’s mental health and quality of life. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of fatigue, emotional distress, and uncertainty and examine the predictive value they have on the quality of life of advanced cancer patients. A prospective, multicenter study was conducted between February 2020 and May 2021 of individuals diagnosed with an advanced, unresectable neoplasm prior to initiating systemic antineoplastic treatment. Participants completed questionnaires to quantify fatigue, emotional distress, disease uncertainty, and quality of life. A linear regression analysis was performed to study the predictive QoL variables. The study population comprised 508 patients, 53.7% of whom were male and had a mean age of 54.9 years. The most common cancers were digestive (40.6%), bronchopulmonary (29.1%), and breast (8.5%); the most frequent histology was adenocarcinoma (63%); and most were stage IV (79.7%). More than half (55.7%) suffered fatigue, and 47.7% exhibited emotional distress; both were more prevalent among women. Fatigue, emotional distress, and disease uncertainty all correlate with diminished quality of life. Similarly, ECOG performance status and the demographic variables of age, sex, and comorbidities impacted quality of life. This patient sample displayed a high prevalence of fatigue and emotional distress, together with illness uncertainty, which are clearly linked to waning quality of life. To decrease the experience of fatigue and improve mental health treatment in cancer patients, interventions based on a biopsychosocial model must be intensified.
Morphological Description and Phylogenetic Analyses of a New Species of Callistoctopus (Cephalopoda, Octopodidae) from China
Authors: Li Jiahua , Xu Chenxi , Zheng Xiaodong
Published: December 2022

A new octopus species, Callistoctopus tenuipes sp. nov., was formally described from the southeastern coastal waters of China using morphological description and molecular analysis methods. C. tenuipes sp. nov. is a small- to moderate-sized octopus, which is characterized by very narrow and long arms. Although it was previously misidentified as the juvenile of Octopus minor (Sasaki, 1920), it can be recognised by spots, gill lamellae count, funnel organ shape, enlarged suckers, and ligula shape. C. tenuipes sp. nov. differs from the small-sized octopus Callistoctopus xiaohongxu, mainly in the gill lamellae count, funnel organ shape, and arm-length index. In the molecular analysis, sequences obtained from the cytochrome c-oxidase subunit I (COI) gene of eight specimens were 590 bp in length. The pairwise Kimura 2-parameter (K2P) genetic distances between Octopodidae species ranged from 8.58 to 23.79% based on the COI gene. The phylogenetic analyses suggested that C. tenuipes sp. nov. belonged to the Callistoctopus clade and may have a close affinity with C. xiaohongxu and O. minor. Moreover, three species delimitation methods all strongly supported C. tenuipes as a separate species.
DNA Barcoding of Lepidoptera Species from the Maltese Islands: New and Additional Records, with an Insight into Endemic Diversity
Authors: Vella Adriana , Mifsud Clare Marie , Magro Denis , Vella Noel
Published: December 2022

This work presents the first outcomes resulting from a DNA barcode reference library of lepidopteran species from Malta. The library presented here was constructed from the specimens collected between 2015 and 2019 and covers the genetic barcodes of 146 species (ca. 25% of lepidopterous Maltese fauna), including four newly recorded Lepidoptera species from the Maltese islands: Apatema baixerasi, Bostra dipectinialis, Oiketicoides lutea, and Phereoeca praecox. The DNA reference barcode library constructed during this study was analyzed in conjunction with publicly available DNA barcodes and used to assess the ability of the local DNA barcodes to discriminate species. Results showed that each species occupies a different BOLD BIN; therefore, DNA barcoding was able to discriminate between the studied species. Our data led to the formation of 12 new BOLD BINs—that is, OTUs that were identified during this work—while nearly 46% of the barcodes generated during this study were never recorded on conspecifics, further indicating the uniqueness of genetic diversity on these central Mediterranean islands. The outcomes of this study highlight the integrative taxonomic approach, where molecular taxonomy plays an important role for biodiversity investigation in its entirety.
Application of the Extracts of Punica granatum in Oral Cancer: Scoping Review
Authors: Dioguardi Mario , Ballini Andrea , Sovereto Diego , Spirito Francesca , Cazzolla Angela Pia , Aiuto Riccardo , Crincoli Vito , Caloro Giorgia Apollonia , Lo Muzio Lorenzo
Published: December 2022

The Punica granatum L. is an ancient fruit plant native to south-western Asia. It belongs to the Litraceae family and of its genus we have only one other Punica protopunic species. The fruit is rich in polyphenols, whose extract is consumed as a food and is considered safe. In medicine, it is used for its antioxidant properties; it has a rich component of tannic polyphenols among which the most bioactive are: punicalagin (flavonoids) and anthocyanins (delphinidin, cyanidin, pelargonidin), which are found mainly in the skins and in the pericarp; however, all the parts of the Punica granatum are used for therapeutic purposes as anti-inflammatories and analgesics and in diabetes and cardio-vascular disease. Punica granatum extracts also show interesting anticancer activities in influencing tumorgenesis and angiogenesis and cell transformation and proliferation. The purpose of this scoping review is to summarize all the scientific evidence on the possible applications of Punica granatum extracts in the treatment and prevention of oral cavity tumors to investigate the anticancer properties of the active ingredients extracted from Punica granatum. Methods: The scoping review was carried out following the PRISMA-ScR checklist; the search was performed on three databases (Scopus, Science direct and PubMed) and one registry (Cochrane library). Results: The search produced a number of bibliographic sources equal to 11,403; with the removal of duplicates, 670 potentially admissible articles were obtained, from 24 of which only 7 in vitro studies on OSCC cell lines were included. Conclusions: From the preliminary data on the cellular lines of OSCC, it emerges that for oral cancer there are conditions for which the extracts of Punic granatum are effective at least from a prevention perspective.
Drone-Based Atmospheric Soundings Up to an Altitude of 10 km-Technical Approach towards Operations
Authors: Bärfuss Konrad , Dirksen Ruud , Schmithüsen Holger , Bretschneider Lutz , Pätzold Falk , Bollmann Sven , Panten Philippe , Rausch Thomas , Lampert Astrid
Published: December 2022

Currently, the main in situ upper air database for numerical weather prediction relies on radiosonde and aircraft-based information. Typically, radiosondes are launched at specific sites daily, up to four times per day, and data are distributed worldwide via the GTS net. Aircraft observations are limited to frequent flight routes, and vertical profiles are provided in the vicinity of large cities. However, there are large areas with few radiosonde launches, in particular above the oceans and in the polar areas. In this article, the development and technical details of the unmanned aerial system LUCA (Lightweight Unmanned high Ceiling Aerial system) are described. LUCA has the potential to complement radiosonde and aircraft-based observations up to 10 km in altitude. The system ascends and descends (by electrical power) in spiral trajectories and returns to the launching site. This article discusses the requirements for obtaining high data availability under mid-European and Antarctic conditions, with highly automated take-offs and landings under high surface winds, the capacity to deal with icing, and the ability to operate under high wind speeds. The article presents technical solutions for the design and construction of the system and demonstrates its potential.
Foraging Dynamics and Entropy Production in a Simulated Proto-Cell
Authors: De Bari Benjamin , Kondepudi Dilip K. , Dixon James A.
Published: December 2022

All organisms depend on a supply of energetic resources to power behavior and the irreversible entropy-producing processes that sustain them. Dissipative structure theory has often been a source of inspiration for better understanding the thermodynamics of biology, yet real organisms are inordinately more complex than most laboratory systems. Here we report on a simulated chemical dissipative structure that operates as a proto cell. The simulated swimmer moves through a 1D environment collecting resources that drive a nonlinear reaction network interior to the swimmer. The model minimally represents properties of a simple organism including rudimentary foraging and chemotaxis and an analog of a metabolism in the nonlinear reaction network. We evaluated how dynamical stability of the foraging dynamics (i.e., swimming and chemotaxis) relates to the rate of entropy production. Results suggested a relationship between dynamical steady states and entropy production that was tuned by the relative coordination of foraging and metabolic processes. Results include evidence in support of and contradicting one formulation of a maximum entropy production principle. We discuss the status of this principle and its relevance to biology.
Attention-Based Sequence-to-Sequence Model for Time Series Imputation
Authors: Li Yurui , Du Mingjing , He Sheng
Published: December 2022

Time series data are usually characterized by having missing values, high dimensionality, and large data volume. To solve the problem of high-dimensional time series with missing values, this paper proposes an attention-based sequence-to-sequence model to imputation missing values in time series (ASSM), which is a sequence-to-sequence model based on the combination of feature learning and data computation. The model consists of two parts, encoder and decoder. The encoder part is a BIGRU recurrent neural network and incorporates a self-attentive mechanism to make the model more capable of handling long-range time series; The decoder part is a GRU recurrent neural network and incorporates a cross-attentive mechanism into associate with the encoder part. The relationship weights between the generated sequences in the decoder part and the known sequences in the encoder part are calculated to achieve the purpose of focusing on the sequences with a high degree of correlation. In this paper, we conduct comparison experiments with four evaluation metrics and six models on four real datasets. The experimental results show that the model proposed in this paper outperforms the six comparative missing value interpolation algorithms.
Implementation of an Alternative Frequency-Dependent Three-Phase Transmission Line Model Based on the Folded Line Equivalent Model in MatLab-Simulink
Authors: Leon Colqui Jaimis , Timaná Luis , Caballero Pablo , Pissolato Filho José , Kurokawa Sérgio
Published: December 2022

This paper proposes an alternative multiconductor transmission line model that combines the folded line equivalent with the modal transformation. The folded line equivalent decomposes the nodal admittance matrix of a transmission line into its open-circuit and short-circuit contributions. These contributions are fitted to rational functions, which are associated with Norton equivalent circuits based on their state space models. The proposed model uses an orthogonal matrix to transform voltages and currents from the phase domain to the folded line equivalent domain and vice versa. Because the transformation matrix is orthogonal, we represent it using ideal transformers in simulation software. First, we use a circuit representation of Clarke’s matrix to decompose a transmission line into its modes. Then, each mode is decomposed into its open-circuit and short-circuit contributions using a circuit implementation of the proposed matrix. The proposed approach can accurately represent short lines in simulations with time steps equal to or greater than the propagation time of the transmission line. We compare the results obtained with the proposed approach to those obtained with power systems computer-aided design/electromagnetic transients including the DC universal line model.
Direct Contact Condensers: A Comprehensive Review of Experimental and Numerical Investigations on Direct-Contact Condensation
Authors: Madejski Paweł , Kuś Tomasz , Michalak Piotr , Karch Michał , Subramanian Navaneethan
Published: December 2022

Direct contact heat exchangers can be smaller, cheaper, and have simpler construction than the surface, shell, or tube heat exchangers of the same capacity and can operate in evaporation or condensation modes. For these reasons, they have many practical applications, such as water desalination, heat exchangers in power plants, or chemical engineering devices. This paper presents a comprehensive review of experimental and numerical activities focused on the research about direct condensation processes and testing direct contact condensers on the laboratory scale. Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) methods and CFD solvers are the most popular tools in the numerical analysis of direct contact condensers because of the phenomenon’s complexity as multiphase turbulent flow with heat transfer and phase change. The presented and developed numerical models must be carefully calibrated and physically validated by experimental results. Results of the experimental campaign in the laboratory scale with the test rig and properly designed measuring apparatus can give detailed qualitative and quantitative results about direct contact condensation processes. In this case, the combination of these two approaches, numerical and experimental investigation, is the comprehensive method to deeply understand the direct contact condensation process.
Optimal Design of Three-Dimensional Circular-to-Rectangular Transition Nozzle Based on Data Dimensionality Reduction
Authors: Yang Haoqi , Yang Qingzhen , Mu Zhongqiang , Du Xubo , Chen Lingling
Published: December 2022

The parametric representation and aerodynamic shape optimization of a three-dimensional circular-to-rectangular transition nozzle designed and built using control lines distributed along the circumferential direction were investigated in this study. A surrogate model based on class/shape transformation, principal component analysis and radial basis neural network was proposed with fewer design parameters for parametric representation and performance parameter prediction of the three-dimensional circular-to-rectangular transition nozzle. The surrogate model was combined with Non-dominated Sorting Genetic Algorithm-II to optimize the aerodynamic shape of the nozzle. The results showed that the surrogate model effectively achieved the parametric representation and aerodynamic shape optimization of the three-dimensional circular-to-rectangular transition nozzle. The geometric dimensions and performance parameters of the parametric reconstructed model were comparable to that of the initial model, implying that they can meet the needs of optimal design. The axial thrust coefficient and lift of the optimized nozzle were increased by approximately 0.742% and 15.707%, respectively.
Seasonal Air Quality in Bedrooms with Natural, Mechanical or Hybrid Ventilation Systems and Varied Window Opening Behavior-Field Measurement Results
Authors: Baborska – Narożny Magdalena , Kostka Maria
Published: December 2022

The article presents the results of measurements of temperature, relative humidity and CO2 concentration in six single-family houses’ bedrooms located in Poland, in Wrocław and vicinity, during two climatic seasons: summer–autumn and winter. Two buildings with natural ventilation (NV) were tested, three with mechanical ventilation with heat recovery (MV) and one with hybrid ventilation (HV)—mixed mode natural and mechanical. The behavior of residents regarding opening windows was analyzed and the influence of the changing internal and external conditions on their active reactions was examined. The analysis confirms and adds to the global discourse on the key impact of user behavior on securing healthy indoor air quality in housing, regardless of ventilation system or building energy standard. A disconnect exists between the observed window opening practices and typical design principles, assuming adjustment to a given ventilation system or changing weather conditions. The observations showed that in both analyzed seasons it was possible to obtain a good quality internal environment, in terms of CO2 level, regardless of the ventilation system used in the building. However, unfavorable results were observed for one bedroom, in which the inhabitants do not adapt their behavior to local technical conditions. Taking into account the level of relative humidity (RH), much higher values were observed in the NV bedrooms in both analyzed periods. The obtained results were divided into IAQ classes in accordance with the EN 16798-1. The recorded values of the internal temperature confirm the significant influence of the location of the room in the building and the actions taken by the residents.
The Mysteries of the White Truffle: Its Biology, Ecology and Cultivation
Authors: Graziosi Simone , Hall Ian Robert , Zambonelli Alessandra
Published: December 2022

Tuber magnatum Picco is the most expensive of the truffles and a great deal of research has been carried out in an attempt to solve the mysteries of its ecology and biology. However, considerable work remains to be done particularly on those secrets of its life cycle that remain a mystery. It is known that T. magnatum is heterothallic, but it has yet to be determined how fertilization occurs between the two strains of different mating types. It is also known that the white truffle is an ectomycorrhizal fungus, and its mycorrhizas can be produced in greenhouses, but then they seem to disappear in the field. The role of other soil microorganisms, fungi and bacteria, on its soil mycelial development and fructification is intriguing but is far from being completely understood. All these uncertainties have made the cultivation of T. magnatum extremely difficult and only recently have we had the scientific proofs that it is possible. Even so, many questions remain unanswered and the management practices of T. magnatum plantations are still to be better defined to also enable the taming of this truffle.
Rutting Performance of Nano-Silica-Modified C320 Bitumen
Authors: Mashaan Nuha S.
Published: December 2022

Nanomaterials exhibit novel properties and profound attributes as an additive in asphalt binder modification. However, the application of nano-silica in asphalt binders and mixture modification is still limited, and further research is required. Along these lines, in this work, nano-silica with a content from 2% to 8% and an increment of 2% was utilized in modifying the bitumen binder type C320, which is considered the most conventional type of bitumen used in Western Australia road asphalt mixtures. Various tests were performed to assess their properties, including complex shear modulus, penetration, softening point, and multiple stress creep recovery (MSCR) test. The extracted results revealed an increase in the strength and stiffness properties by lowering the penetration, improving the softening point, and increasing the complex shear modulus of all the nano-silica-modified bitumen samples. Interestingly, much of the content of nano-silica leads to higher rutting resistance. However, the rutting resistance was affected by the size of the nano-silica coated with the silane coupling agent. The ideal sample of nano-silica-modified C320 was determined as NS-15 nm (NS-A), which can improve the rutting resistance by about 7.1 kPa. In the current study, the results of the penetration and softening point using 6–8% of NS-A resulted in a relatively significant improvement of up to 45% in comparison with the non-modified binders. Nevertheless, the rutting resistance of the modified asphalt mixtures needs to be further investigated in the future to elaborate on the impact of nano-silica as modified binders on the mechanical properties of Australian asphalt mixtures.
Growth of Coniochaeta Species on Acetate in Biomass Sugars
Authors: Nichols Nancy N. , Mertens Jeffrey A. , Frazer Sarah E. , Hector Ronald E.
Published: December 2022

Degradation products from sugars and lignin are commonly generated as byproducts during pretreatment of biomass being processed for production of renewable fuels and chemicals. Many of the degradation products act as microbial inhibitors, including furanic and phenolic compounds and acetate, which is solubilized from hemicellulose. We previously identified a group of fungi, Coniochaeta species, that are intrinsically tolerant to and capable of mineralizing furans present in biomass hydrolysates. Here, we challenged 20 C. ligniaria and phylogenetically related isolates with acetate to test if the robustness phenotype extended to this important inhibitor as well, and all strains grew at concentrations up to 2.5% (w/v) sodium acetate. At the highest concentrations tested (5.0–7.5% w/v), some variation in growth on solid medium containing glucose plus acetate was apparent among the strains. The hardiness of four promising strains was further evaluated by challenging them (0.5% w/v sodium acetate) in mineral medium containing 10 or 15 mM furfural. The strains grew and consumed all of the acetate and furfural. At a higher (2.5% w/v) concentration, consumption of acetate varied among the strains: only one consumed any acetate in the presence of furfural, but all four strains consumed acetate provided that a small amount (0.2% w/v) of glucose was added. Finally, the four strains were evaluated for biological abatement of rice hull hydrolysates having elevated acetate content. The hardiest strains were also able to consume furfural and 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) within 24 h, followed by acetate within 40 h when grown in dilute acid pretreated rice hulls containing 0.55% acetate, 15 mM furfural, and 1.7 mM HMF. As such, these strains are expected to be helpful for abating non-desirable compounds from unrefined hydrolysates so as to enable their conversion to bioproducts.
Diverse Galactooligosaccharides Differentially Reduce LPS-Induced Inflammation in Macrophages
Authors: Sun Congcong , Hao Bifang , Pang Daorui , Li Qian , Li Erna , Yang Qiong , Zou Yuxiao , Liao Sentai , Liu Fan
Published: December 2022

The effects of natural and synthetic galactooligosaccharides (GOS) on inflammation were explored by investigating the structure-activity relationship between the degree of GOS polymerization and in vitro anti-inflammatory activity, together with the potential underlying mechanism of their anti-inflammatory effects. The results demonstrated that GOS had strong anti-inflammatory effects in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced RAW264.7 macrophages, including the inhibition of nitric oxide production and the reduced expression of pro-inflammatory mediators (interleukin-1β, interleukin-6, and tumor necrosis factor α), induced nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2), and proteins related to the Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4)/nuclear factor (NF)-κB signaling pathway. GOS4, which has the highest degree of polymerization, exerted the strongest anti-inflammatory activity among the GOS examined. More importantly, our findings confirmed the anti-inflammatory effects of GOS on RAW264.7 macrophages via the TLR4/NF-κB pathway. Our experimental results could provide further support for the exploration of GOS in human nutrition and health.
Comparative Characterization of Key Volatile Compounds in Slow- and Fast-Growing Duck Raw Meat Based on Widely Targeted Metabolomics
Authors: Weng Kaiqi , Song Lina , Bao Qiang , Cao Zhengfeng , Zhang Yu , Zhang Yang , Chen Guohong , Xu Qi
Published: December 2022

The volatile aroma compounds in raw duck meat strongly affect consumers’ purchase decisions and they vary among breeds with different growth rates. In this study, slow-growing (SG) Liancheng White and fast-growing (FG) Cherry Valley ducks were selected, and their volatile compounds were characterized using electric nose and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Furthermore, a widely targeted metabolomics approach was used to investigate the metabolites associated with volatile compounds. The results showed that hexanal, nonanal, octanal, heptanal, and 2-pentylfuran were abundantly present in duck meat, regardless of the breed. The higher nonanal and octanal rates contributed to the fatty and fruity aroma in SG meat than FG meat, while FG meat had a mushroom note resulting from higher octenol. Furthermore, widely targeted metabolomics showed a lower carnitine content in SG meat, which might promote lipid deposition to produce more octanal and nonanal. Higher sugar and amino acid contents led to a meaty aroma, whereas more trimethylamine N-oxide may generate a fishy note in SG meat. Taken together, this study characterized the raw duck meat aroma and provided the basic mechanism of the formation of the key volatile compound.
Bioactive Metabolites from the Fruiting Body and Mycelia of Newly-Isolated Oyster Mushroom and Their Effect on Smooth Muscle Contractile Activity
Authors: Brazkova Mariya , Angelova Galena , Mihaylova Dasha , Stefanova Petya , Pencheva Mina , Gledacheva Vera , Stefanova Iliyana , Krastanov Albert
Published: December 2022

Higher basidiomycetes are recognized as functional foods due to their bioactive compound content, which exerts various beneficial effects on human health, and which have been used as sources for the development of natural medicines and nutraceuticals for centuries. The aim of this study was to evaluate and compare the biological potential of basidiocarp and mycelial biomass produced by submerged cultivation of a new regionally isolated oyster mushroom. The strain was identified with a high percentage of confidence (99.30%) as Pleurotus ostreatus and was deposited in the GenBank under accession number MW 996755. The β-glucan content in the basidiocarp and the obtained mycelial biomass was 31.66% and 12.04%, respectively. Three mycelial biomass and basidiocarp extracts were prepared, and the highest total polyphenol content (5.68 ± 0.15 mg GAE/g DW and 3.20 ± 0.04 mg GAE/g DW) was found in the water extract for both the fruiting body and the mycelium biomass. The in vitro antioxidant activity of the extracts was investigated, and it was determined that the water extracts exhibited the most potent radical scavenging activity. The potential ability of this new fungal isolate to affect the contractile activity (CA) of dissected smooth muscle preparations (SMP) was examined for the first time. It was found that oyster mushrooms likely exhibit indirect contractile effects on the gastric smooth muscle (SM) cells.
Do Sexually Satisfied Individuals Think That They Live Longer? Results from the German Ageing Survey
Authors: Hajek André , Buczak-Stec Elzbieta , König Hans-Helmut
Published: December 2022

The aim of this study was to determine the association between sexual satisfaction and expected longevity among middle-aged and older adults (also stratified by sex). Data were taken from the German Ageing Survey (year 2011; n = 3231)—a nationally representative sample of community-dwelling individuals ≥ 40 years in Germany. A widely used question was used to quantify sexual satisfaction. Furthermore, the expected life expectancy served as an outcome measure. After adjusting for various covariates, multiple linear regressions showed that sexual satisfaction was associated with higher expected longevity among the total sample (β = 0.28, p < 0.05). Moreover, it was associated with higher expected longevity among women (β = 0.48, p < 0.05), but not men. In conclusion, adjusting for several covariates, our results showed that there is an association between sexual satisfaction and higher expected longevity, particularly in women. Efforts to increase sexual satisfaction may thus also contribute to expected longevity which, in turn, can be beneficial for actual longevity.
Backward Walking Styles and Impact on Spatiotemporal Gait Characteristics
Authors: Luecha Teerapapa , Takesue Shin , Yeoh Wen Liang , Loh Ping Yeap , Muraki Satoshi
Published: December 2022

Forward walking (FW) is a common balance assessment tool. However, its sensitivity is limited by the ceiling effect. Reverse gait, such as backward walking (BW), has been reported to have more advantages than FW for balance assessment. Three factors related to postural instability (i.e., increased speeds, restricted arm swing, and reduced visual feedback) during BW were investigated to determine BW conditions that have the potential to predict falls. Three-dimensional analyses were used to analyze seven walking conditions. FW and BW at self-selected and fast speeds were analyzed to identify the effects of speed. Walking with normal arm swings, crossed arms, and abducted arms during BW was tested to determine the effects of arm position. BW with closed and open eyes was compared to investigate the effects of visual feedback. BW had a significantly shorter step length than FW at high speeds. When the arms were abducted, the stance phase (%) was significantly lower compared to when arms were crossed during BW. Moreover, BW with closed eyes revealed significantly higher mediolateral center of mass (COM) displacements than with open eyes. We observed that BW with fast speeds, a crossed arm position, and closed eyes has the potential to help assess fall risk because it requires higher balance ability through spatiotemporal and COM adjustment.
Point-Cloud Segmentation for 3D Edge Detection and Vectorization
Authors: Betsas Thodoris , Georgopoulos Andreas
Published: December 2022

The creation of 2D–3D architectural vector drawings constitutes a manual, labor-intensive process. The scientific community has not provided an automated approach for the production of 2D–3D architectural drawings of cultural-heritage objects yet, regardless of the undoubtable need of many scientific fields. This paper presents an automated method which addresses the problem of detecting 3D edges in point clouds by leveraging a set of RGB images and their 2D edge maps. More concretely, once the 2D edge maps have been produced exploiting manual, semi-automated or automated methods, the RGB images are enriched with an extra channel containing the edge semantic information corresponding to each RGB image. The four-channel images are fed into a Structure from Motion–Multi View Stereo (SfM-MVS) software and a semantically enriched dense point cloud is produced. Then, using the semantically enriched dense point cloud, the points belonging to a 3D edge are isolated from all the others based on their label value. The detected 3D edge points are decomposed into set of points belonging to each edge and fed into the 3D vectorization procedure. Finally, the 3D vectors are saved into a “.dxf” file. The previously described steps constitute the 3DPlan software, which is available on GitHub. The efficiency of the proposed software was evaluated on real-world data of cultural-heritage assets.
Spectral Light Fading of Inkjet Prints
Authors: Hofmann Manfred , Hofmann-Sievert Rita
Published: December 2022

(1) Background: The use of light-emitting diode (LED) lighting is increasingly replacing traditional light sources in museums. There is a need to anticipate the damage caused by LED lighting to photographic prints. The aim of this study is to quantitatively predict fading on three inkjet color patches exposed to different white light LED; (2) Method: The novel approach of this work is to measure the wavelength-dependent photochemical efficiency on color patches using a narrow band LED. First, the color patches are exposed to narrow band LED lamps in a proprietary light chamber. Sensitivity curves are obtained by plotting the density changes caused by narrow band exposure as a function of the exposure. In the second step, action spectra are derived from the slopes of the sensitivity curves. The action spectra correspond to the rates of change of a color patch to exposure with different wavelengths of light. In the third step, the narrow band light emissions are fitted to the emission spectra of the white LED of interest. The fitting factors are used to calculate the weighted sum of the density changes; (3) The method predicts the absolute density change of color patches for several white light LED exposures.
The Effect of Preharvest UV Light Irradiation on Berries Quality: A Review
Authors: Peng Honggui , Pang Yadan , Liao Qiuhong , Wang Fang , Qian Chun
Published: December 2022

As a non-toxic, pollution-free, non-residual toxicity, safe, and effective physical method, UV light irradiation can extend the shelf life of fruits, improve the quality of fruits, and conform to the current trend of consumers to pursue green, healthy, and natural food. However, most UV treatments are performed in the postharvest stage. Due to the weak resistance of fresh fruits to mechanical damage, after harvest, UV light treatment of fruits needs to flip the fruits to obtain the full effect of an effective dose, which will inevitably cause different degrees of damage to the skin of the fruits. The research shows that the beneficial effects obtained by UV light treatment are systematic, and the fruits treated by UV light before harvest can obtain similar effects to those treated after harvest. This paper reviewed the effects of preharvest UV light treatment on fruit quality. The effects of preharvest UV light treatment on fruit appearance, flavor, and disease resistance were considered. We conclude that the application of UV light before harvest is of positive significance for the improvement of fruit quality and the extension of shelf life. However, researchers and growers must still correlate the UV light treatment dose with plant response in actual production. Data recording and dose-cultivar-response curve drawing can provide essential guidance for future research and production.
Evaluation of the Presence of Biofilms in Corrosive Points in Surgical Instruments after Reprocessing
Authors: Rosário William , Almeida Taís , Andrade Bélgica , Aoki Idalina , Silva Brunela , Aramayo Mariel , Watanabe Evandro , Ribeiro Maíra , Bruna Camila , Graziano Kazuko
Published: December 2022

Corrosive surgical instruments are routinely observed in central sterile services departments around the world. In addition to other risks, they can harbor microorganisms in the form of biofilms. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate whether biofilms intentionally formed at corrosion points on surgical instruments are removable by manual and automated cleaning followed by sterilization. Laboratory experiments were performed where samples of corroded surgical instruments in use in practice were evaluated for biofilm presence using a scanning electron microscope. No biofilms were observed in the samples subjected to manual and automated cleaning, nor in the samples in which there was no intentional biofilm formation. Residual organic matter without the presence of microorganisms was observed.
Celiac Disease and Neurological Manifestations: From Gluten to Neuroinflammation
Authors: Giuffrè Mauro , Gazzin Silvia , Zoratti Caterina , Llido John Paul , Lanza Giuseppe , Tiribelli Claudio , Moretti Rita
Published: December 2022

Celiac disease (CD) is a complex multi-organ disease with a high prevalence of extra-intestinal involvement, including neurological and psychiatric manifestations, such as cerebellar ataxia, peripheral neuropathy, epilepsy, headache, cognitive impairment, and depression. However, the mechanisms behind the neurological involvement in CD remain controversial. Recent evidence shows these can be related to gluten-mediated pathogenesis, including antibody cross-reaction, deposition of immune-complex, direct neurotoxicity, and in severe cases, vitamins or nutrients deficiency. Here, we have summarized new evidence related to gut microbiota and the so-called “gut-liver-brain axis” involved in CD-related neurological manifestations. Additionally, there has yet to be an agreement on whether serological or neurophysiological findings can effectively early diagnose and properly monitor CD-associated neurological involvement; notably, most of them can revert to normal with a rigorous gluten-free diet. Moving from a molecular level to a symptom-based approach, clinical, serological, and neurophysiology data might help to disentangle the many-faceted interactions between the gut and brain in CD. Eventually, the identification of multimodal biomarkers might help diagnose, monitor, and improve the quality of life of patients with “neuroCD”.
Gold Nanosystems Covered with Doxorubicin/DNA Complexes: A Therapeutic Target for Prostate and Liver Cancer
Authors: Giráldez-Pérez Rosa M. , Grueso Elia , Montero-Hidalgo Antonio J. , Luque Raúl M. , Carnerero José M. , Kuliszewska Edyta , Prado-Gotor Rafael
Published: December 2022

Different gold nanosystems covered with DNA and doxorubicin (Doxo) were designed and synthesized for cancer therapy, starting from Au@16-Ph-16 cationic nanoparticles and DNA–Doxo complexes prepared under saturation conditions. For the preparation of stable, biocompatible, and small-sized compacted Au@16-Ph-16/DNA–Doxo nanotransporters, the conditions for the DNA–Doxo compaction process induced by gold nanoparticles were first explored using fluorescence spectroscopy, circular dichroism and atomic force microscopy techniques. The reverse process, which is fundamental for Doxo liberation at the site of action, was found to occur at higher CAu@16-Ph-16 concentrations using these techniques. Zeta potential, dynamic light scattering and UV–visible spectroscopy reveal that the prepared compacted nanosystems are stable, highly charged and of adequate size for the effective delivery of Doxo to the cell. This fact is verified by in vitro biocompatibility and internalization studies using two prostate cancer-derived cell lines (LNCaP and DU145) and one hepatocellular carcinoma-derived cell line (SNU-387), as well as a non-tumor prostate (PNT2) cell line and a non-hepatocarcinoma hepatoblastoma cell line (Hep-G2) model used as a control in liver cells. However, the most outstanding results of this work are derived from the use of the CI+NI combined treatments which present strong action in cancer-derived cell lines, while a protective effect is observed in non-tumor cell lines. Hence, novel therapeutic targets based on gold nanoparticles denote high selectivity compared to conventional treatment based on free Doxo at the same concentration. The results obtained show the viability of both the proposed methodology for internalization of compacted nanocomplexes inside the cell and the effectiveness of the possible treatment and minimization of side effects in prostate and liver cancer.
Unique Features of the Immune Response in BTBR Mice
Authors: Mutovina Anastasia , Ayriyants Kseniya , Mezhlumyan Eva , Ryabushkina Yulia , Litvinova Ekaterina , Bondar Natalia , Khantakova Julia , Reshetnikov Vasiliy
Published: December 2022

Inflammation plays a considerable role in the pathogenesis of many diseases, including neurodegenerative and psychiatric ones. Elucidation of the specific features of an immune response in various model organisms, and studying the relation of these features with the behavioral phenotype, can improve the understanding of the molecular mechanisms of many psychopathologies. In this work, we focused on BTBR mice, which have a pronounced autism-like behavioral phenotype, elevated levels of oxidative-stress markers, an abnormal immune response, several structural aberrations in the brain, and other unique traits. Although some studies have already shown an abnormal immune response in BTBR mice, the existing literature data are still fragmentary. Here, we used inflammation induced by low-dose lipopolysaccharide, polyinosinic:polycytidylic acid, or their combinations, in mice of strains BTBR T+Itpr3tf/J (BTBR) and C57BL6/J. Peripheral inflammation was assessed by means of a complete blood count, lymphocyte immunophenotyping, and expression levels of cytokines in the spleen. Neuroinflammation was evaluated in the hypothalamus and prefrontal cortex by analysis of mRNA levels of proinflammatory cytokines (tumor necrosis factor, Tnf), (interleukin-1 beta, Il-1β), and (interleukin-6, Il-6) and of markers of microglia activation (allograft inflammatory factor 1, Aif1) and astroglia activation (glial fibrillary acidic protein, Gfap). We found that in both strains of mice, the most severe inflammatory response was caused by the administration of polyinosinic:polycytidylic acid, whereas the combined administration of the two toll-like receptor (TLR) agonists did not enhance this response. Nonetheless, BTBR mice showed a more pronounced response to low-dose lipopolysaccharide, an altered lymphocytosis ratio due to an increase in the number of CD4+ lymphocytes, and high expression of markers of activated microglia (Aif1) and astroglia (Gfap) in various brain regions as compared to C57BL6/J mice. Thus, in addition to research into mechanisms of autism-like behavior, BTBR mice can be used as a model of TLR3/TLR4-induced neuroinflammation and a unique model for finding and evaluating the effectiveness of various TLR antagonists aimed at reducing neuroinflammation.
Inflammation in COVID-19 and the Effects of Non-Pharmacological Interventions during the Pandemic: A Review
Authors: Clemente-Suárez Vicente Javier , Bustamante-Sanchez Álvaro , Tornero-Aguilera José Francisco , Ruisoto Pablo , Mielgo-Ayuso Juan
Published: December 2022

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) caused the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic that hit the health systems worldwide hard, causing a collapse of healthcare systems. One of the main problems of this new virus is the high inflammatory response it provokes, which is the cause of much of the symptoms. Different pharmacological approaches tried to stop the advance of the pandemic, but it seems that only vaccines are the solution. In this line, different nonpharmacological approaches have been made in order to improve symptomatology, contagion, and spread of COVID-19, the principal factors being the physical activity, nutrition, physiotherapy, psychology, and life patterns. The SARS-CoV-2 virus produces a disproportionate inflammatory response in the organism of the guest and causes complications in this that can end the life of the patient. It has been possible to see how different nonpharmacological interventions based on physical activity, nutritional, psychological, and physical therapy, and lifestyle changes can be functional tools to treat this inflammation. Thus, in the present review, we aim to provide an overview of the role of inflammation in COVID-19 and the nonpharmacological interventions related to it.