bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Oscillatory Mechanism of α-Fe(N) ↔ γ’-Fe4N Phase Transformations during Nanocrystalline Iron Nitriding
Authors: Arabczyk Walerian , Skulmowska Katarzyna , Pelka Rafał , Lendzion-Bieluń Zofia
Published: January 2022

The kinetics of nanocrystalline α-iron nitriding to γ’-iron nitride in an ammonia atmosphere was studied at 598–648 K and at atmospheric pressure. Oscillatory changes in nitriding reaction rates depending on nitrogen concentration in a solid sample were observed. This phenomenon was explained by a gradual change in the iron active surface coverage degree, with nitrogen resulting from a gradual change in the free enthalpy of nitrogen segregation. The α-Fe(N) nanocrystallites’ transformation into γ’-Fe4N went through six metastable FeNx states. The continuous function proposed by Fowler and Guggenheim was modified to a stepwise variable function.
Atypical Sites of Lymphadenopathy after Anti-COVID-19 Vaccine: Ultrasound Features
Authors: Cocco Giulio , Delli Pizzi Andrea , Taraschi Alessio , Boccatonda Andrea , Corvino Antonio , Ucciferri Claudio , Falasca Katia , Caulo Massimo , Vecchiet Jacopo
Published: January 2022

Background and Objectives: Several authors have reported cervical and axillary lymphadenopathies as known side effects following anti-COVID-19 vaccine administration. Few data are available about atypical locations of post-anti-COVID-19 vaccine lymphadenopathy. In this investigation, we evaluated the incidence and prevalence of postvaccine lymphadenopathy ultrasound (US) features in atypical sites. Materials and Methods: In this retrospective study, we retrospectively selected 64 patients on whom US was performed between January and October 2021 due to COVID-19 vaccine-related lymphadenopathy. We investigated lymph node anatomical sites, presence, number, size, shape, cortical profile, hilum outline, superb microvascular imaging (SMI), and elastosonography. Results: A total of 170 nodes were assessed. Atypical location was demonstrated in 5/64 patients (7.8%). In all these cases, atypical nodal involvement was associated with lymphadenopathy in a typical site (axillary, supraclavicular) ipsilateral to the vaccine injection site. Two patients presented lymphadenopathy in the infraclavicular station (3.1%), one in the pectoralis major muscle (1.6%), one in the left arm (1.6%), and one in the nuchal site (1.6%). All lymphadenopathies were oval-shaped, with a median size of 0.9 ± 0.2 cm. US features included a symmetric cortex with hilum evidence (4/6, 60%), vascular signal at SMI in both the hilar region and periphery of lymph node (5/6, 83.3%), and a US elastography pattern resembling that of adjacent tissues (5/6, 83.3%). The median age of patients with lymphadenopathies in an atypical location was 23 years. The main type of vaccine associated with lymph node appearance in atypical sites was Moderna’s mRNA-1273 (60% of patients, 4/6 lymph nodes accounting for 66.7% among atypical locations). Conclusion: Post-COVID-19 vaccine administration lymphadenopathies in an atypical location represent an intense immune response to antigenic stimuli and they may show alarming US traits superimposed on malignant pathologies, which may complicate the patient’s clinical and diagnostic pathway. Despite no distinctive US features between reactive post-COVID-19 vaccination and malignant lymph nodes being available, careful examination of atypical lymph node locations associated with accurate knowledge of patients’ clinical background and delay of US exam to four to six weeks after vaccine injection should be considered.
Research on the High Temperature and High Pressure Gold-Plated Fiber Grating Dual-Parameter Sensing Measurement System
Authors: Zhao Na , Zhang Zhongkai , Lin Qijing , Yao Kun , Zhu Liangquan , Chen Yi , Zhao Libo , Tian Bian , Yang Ping , Jiang Zhuangde
Published: January 2022

In electrohydrostatic drive actuators, there is a demand for temperature and pressure monitoring in complex environments. Fiber Bragg grating (FBG) has become a promising sensor for measuring temperature and pressure. However, there is a cross-sensitivity between temperature and pressure. A gold-plated FBG is proposed and manufactured, and an FBG is used as a reference grating to form a parallel all-fiber sensing system, which can realize the simultaneous measurement of pressure and temperature. Based on the simulation software, the mechanical distribution of the pressure diaphragm is analyzed, and the fixation scheme of the sensor is determined. Using the demodulator to monitor the changes in the reflectance spectrum in real-time, the pressure and ambient temperature applied to the sensor are measured. The experimental results show that the temperature sensitivity of gold-plated FBG is 3 times that of quartz FBG, which can effectively distinguish the temperature changes. The pressure response sensitivity of gold-plated FBG is 0.3 nm/MPa, which is same as the quartz FBG. Through the sensitivity matrix equation, the temperature and pressure dual-parameter sensing measurement is realized. The accuracy of the temperature and pressure measurement is 97.7% and 99.0%, and the corresponding response rates are 2.7 ms/°C and 2 ms/MPa, respectively. The sensor has a simple structure and high sensitivity, and it is promising to be applied in health monitoring in complex environments with a high temperature and high pressure.
Metamaterial-Inspired Electrically Compact Triangular Antennas Loaded with CSRR and 3 × 3 Cross-Slots for 5G Indoor Distributed Antenna Systems
Authors: Karimbu Vallappil Arshad , Khawaja Bilal A. , Rahim Mohamad Kamal A. , Iqbal Muhammad Naeem , Chattha Hassan T.
Published: January 2022

In this article, two distinct kinds of metamaterial (MTM) antennas are proposed for fifth-generation (5G) indoor distributed antenna systems (IDAS). Both antennas operate in the sub-6 GHz 5G band, i.e., 3.5 GHz. The antenna’s radiating structure is based on a combination of triangular and rectangular patches, as well as two complementary split-ring resonators (CSRR) unit-cells etched on the top layer. The bottom layer of the first MTM antenna is a complete ground plane, while the bottom layer of the second MTM antenna is etched by a 3 × 3 cross-slot MTM structure on the ground plane. The use of these structures on the ground plane improves the antenna bandwidth. The proposed antennas are designed using two different substrates i.e., a high-end Rogers thermoset microwave materials (TMM4) substrate (h = 1.524 mm/εr = 4.5/tan δ = 0.002) and a low-end flame-resistant (FR4) epoxy glass substrate (h = 1.6 mm/εr = 4.3/tan δ = 0.025), respectively. The antenna designs are simulated using CST microwave studio, and in the end, the antenna fabrication is performed using FR4 substrate, and the results are compared. Furthermore, parametric analysis and comparative studies are carried out to investigate the performance of the designed antennas. The simulated and measured results are presented for various parameters such as return-loss, gain, and radiation pattern. The two MTM antennas have an overall dimension of 18 × 34 mm2, demonstrating that the proposed design is 60 percent smaller than a standard microstrip patch antenna (MPA). The two proposed MTM antenna designs with complete ground plane and 3 × 3 cross-slot MTM on the bottom layer using FR4 substrate have a measured gain/bandwidth characteristic of 100 MHz/2.6 dBi and 700 MHz/2.3 dBi, respectively.
Micro-Optical Waveguides Realization by Low-Cost Technologies
Authors: Cairone Fabiana , Gallo Afflitto Francesco , Stella Giovanna , Cicala Gianluca , Ashour Mohamed , Kersaudy-Kerhoas Maïwenn , Bucolo Maide
Published: January 2022

Microscale optofluidic devices are a category of microscale devices combining fluidic and optical features. These devices typically enable in-situ fluid flow measurement for pharmaceutical, environmental or biomedical applications. In micro-optofluidic devices, in order to deliver, as close as possible, the input light to the sample or a specific chip section and, collect the output signal, it is necessary to miniaturize optical components. In this paper, two low-cost technologies, 3D Printing PDMS-based and laser cutting PMMA-based (PDMS stands for Poly-dimethyl-siloxane and PMMA for Poly-methyl-methacrylate), were investigated as novel methods to realize micro-optical waveguides (μWGs) comparing their performances. An ad-hoc master-slave protocol developed to realize PDMS components by 3D Printing has been fully optimized. The manufacturing technologies proposed require simple and low-cost equipment and no strictly controlled environment. Similar results are obtained for both the micro-optical waveguides realized. Their losses, disregarding the losses caused by the fibers’ alignment and the miss-match of the geometry with the waveguide, are of the order of 20%, almost equivalent for both approaches (PDMS-μWG and PMMA-μWG). The losses are of the order of 10% when the PDMS-μWG is shielded by a copper layer, with a significant improvement of the signal acquired. The results obtained show the possibility of using the two low-cost technologies presented for the realization of micro-optical waveguides suitable to be integrated in micro-optofluidic devices and the potential of creating micro-optical paths inside micro-embedded systems.
Tunable Lifetime and Nonlinearity in Two Dimensional Materials Plasmonic-Photonic Absorber
Authors: Zhou Renlong , Yang Sa , Zhao Yongming
Published: January 2022

We investigate a framework of local field, quality factor and lifetime for tunable graphene nanoribbon plasmonic-photonic absorbers and study the second order and third order nonlinear optical response of surface plasmons. The energy exchange of plasmonic-photonic absorber occurs in two main ways: one way is the decay process of intrinsic loss for each resonant mode and another is the decay process of energy loss between graphene surface plasmon (GSP) mode and the external light field. The quality factor and lifetime of the plasmonic-photonic absorber can be obtained with using the coupled mode theory (CMT) and finite difference time domain (FDTD) method, which are effectively tunable with changing Fermi energy, carrier mobility and superstrate refractive index. The evolutions of total energy and lifetime of GSP are also shown, which are helpful for the study of micro processes in a two-dimensional material plasmonic-photonic absorber. The strongly localized fundamental field induces a desired increase of second harmonic (SH) wave and third harmonic (TH) wave. The manipulation of the quality factor and lifetime of the GSP makes graphene an excellent platform for tunable two-dimensional material plasmonic-photonic devices to realize the active control of the photoelectric/photothermal energy conversion process and higher harmonic generation.
Heat Transfer Enhancement in Parabolic through Solar Receiver: A Three-Dimensional Numerical Investigation
Authors: Fahim Tayeb , Laouedj Samir , Abderrahmane Aissa , Alotaibi Sorour , Younis Obai , Ali Hafiz Muhammad
Published: January 2022

Parabolic trough collectors (PTC) are one of the most established solar concentrating systems which have been used in a wide variety of applications. Enhancing their performance is critical to establish them as a viable technology. Internal obstacles are an intriguing way for improving the collector’s performance. However, the usage of obstacles results in increasing pressure loss. The purpose of this research is to numerically explore the impact of introducing obstacles to the receiver tube of a parabolic trough collector on heat transmission in PTCs and its overall thermal performance. The first part analyzed the effects of geometrical parameters, orientation angle (α = 45°, 90° or 135°), and spacing of obstacles (P/D = 1, 2, or 3) on the fluid motion, heat transfer, and performance. Then, a non-uniform heat flow was applied to the absorber’s outer surface. The effects of nanoparticles type, temperature profile, and heat transfer performance of three different nanofluids (Cu/thermal oil, Al2O3/thermal oil, andTiO2/thermal oil) were studied in the second part. The simulation results show that, the friction factor increased when P/D decreases, and that the absorber tube with obstacles discs (α = 90°) and P/D = 2 achieved the best thermal performance. Additionally, increasing the concentration of solid nanoparticles in thermal oil improves heat transmission, and the Cu nanofluid has the greatest Nusselt number.
Sources of Thermal Power Generation and Their Influence on the Operating Temperature of Organic Solar Cells
Authors: Mehdizadeh-Rad Hooman , Sreedhar Ram Kiran , Mehdizadeh-Rad Farhad , Ompong David , Setsoafia Daniel Dodzi Yao , Elumalai Naveen Kumar , Zhu Furong , Singh Jai
Published: January 2022

Thermal stability, closely associated with the operating temperature, is one of the desired properties for practical applications of organic solar cells (OSCs). In this paper, an OSC of the structure of ITO/PEDOT:PSS/P3HT:PCBM/ZnO/Ag was fabricated, and its current-voltage (J-V) characteristics and operating temperature were measured. The operating temperature of the same OSC was simulated using an analytical model, taking into consideration the heat transfer, charge carrier drift-diffusion and different thermal generation processes. The simulated results agreed well with the experimental ones. It was found that the thermalization of charge carriers above the band gap had the highest influence on the operating temperature of the OSCs. The energy off-set at the donor/acceptor interface in the bulk heterojunction (BHJ) was shown to have a negligible impact on the thermal stability of the OSCs. However, the energy off-sets at the electrode/charge-transporting layer and BHJ/charge-transporting layer interfaces had greater impacts on the operating temperature of OSCs at the short circuit current and maximum power point conditions. Our results revealed that a variation over the energy off-set range from 0.1 to 0.9 eV would induce an almost 10-time increase in the corresponding thermal power generation, e.g., from 0.001 to 0.01 W, in the cells operated at the short circuit current condition, contributing to about 16.7% of the total solar power absorbed in the OSC.
An Endoscope-like SERS Probe Based on the Focusing Effect of Silica Nanospheres for Tyrosine and Urea Detection in Sweat
Authors: Cai Rongyuan , Yin Lijun , Huang Qian , You Ruiyun , Feng Shangyuan , Lu Yudong
Published: January 2022

In this work, we developed a new type of SERS probe, which was composed of glass-SiO2-Au@MBN@Ag nanoparticles (NPs) three-dimensional Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) substrate. When the laser passed through the quartz glass sheet, on the one hand, the SiO2 NPs supporting the Au@MBN@Ag NPs increase the roughness of the substrate surface, resulting in a large number of hot spots among nanoparticles. On the other hand, based on the focusing effect of silicon dioxide nanospheres, the laser can better focus on the surface of nanoparticles in the inverted SERS probe, thus showing better SERS enhancement. Furthermore, the Au@MBN@Ag NPs core-shell structure was used with 4-mercaptobenzoonitrile (MBN) as an internal standard molecule, and the quantitative determination of tyrosine and urea was realized by internal standard correction method. The standard working curves of the two had good linear correlation with R2 above 0.9555. The detection limits of tyrosine and urea were in the range of 2.85 × 10−10 M~7.54 × 10−6 M, which confirms that this design can be used for quantitative and specific detection of biological molecules, demonstrating great practical significance for the research of diseases such as skin lesions and endocrine disorders.
Supramolecular Self-Assembly of Atomically Precise Silver Nanoclusters with Chiral Peptide for Temperature Sensing and Detection of Arginine
Authors: Wang Wenjuan , Wang Zhi , Sun Di , Li Shulin , Deng Quanhua , Xin Xia
Published: January 2022

Metal nanoclusters (NCs) as a new type of fluorescent material have attracted great interest due to their good biocompatibilities and outstanding optical properties. However, most of the studies on metal NCs focus on the synthesis, atomic or molecular assembly, whereas metal NCs ability to self-assemble to higher-level hierarchical nanomaterials through supramolecular interactions has rarely been reported. Herein, we investigate atomic precise silver NCs (Ag9-NCs, [Ag9(mba)9], where H2mba = 2-mercaptobenzoic acid) and peptide DD-5 were used to induce self-assembly, which can trigger an aggregation-induced luminescence (AIE) effect of Ag9-NCs through non-covalent forces (H-bond, π–π stacking) and argentophilic interactions [Ag(I)–Ag(I)]. The large Stokes shift (~140 nm) and the microsecond fluorescence lifetime (6.1 μs) indicate that Ag9-NCs/DD-5 hydrogel is phosphor. At the same time, the chirality of the peptide was successfully transferred to the achiral Ag9-NCs because of the supramolecular self-assembly, and the Ag9-NCs/DD-5 hydrogel also has good circularly polarized luminescence (CPL) properties. In addition, Ag9-NCs/DD-5 luminescent hydrogel is selective and sensitive to the detection of small biological molecule arginine. This work shows that DD-5 successfully induces the self-assembly of Ag9-NCs to obtain high luminescent gel, which maybe become a candidate material in the fields of sensors and biological sciences.
Advanced Nanocellulose-Based Materials: Production, Properties, and Applications
Authors: Freire Carmen S. R. , Vilela Carla
Published: January 2022

Natural polymers, such as polysaccharides and proteins, are being extensively utilized as substrates to create advanced materials [...]
The Oxygen Vacancy Defect of ZnO/NiO Nanomaterials Improves Photocatalytic Performance and Ammonia Sensing Performance
Authors: Zhang Jiaqi , Li Jin
Published: January 2022

In this paper, ZnO/NiO composites rich in oxygen vacancies are prepared by the solvothermal method and reduction method. In the test, through the use of X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscope (TEM), diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS), photoluminescence spectroscopy (PL), and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR), we effectively prove the existence of phase, morphology and oxygen vacancies in the material. Through the photocatalysis test and gas sensitivity test, it is found that 10% Ni doped OZN-10 has the best photocatalytic activity and gas sensitivity characteristics. The degradation rate of methylene blue (MB) was 98%. The gas sensitivity test shows that OZN-10 has good selectivity, good response performance (3000 ppm, 27,887%) and excellent response recovery time (response time: 50 s, recovery time: 5–7 s) for saturated NH3 gas at standard atmospheric pressure (101.325 KPa) and room temperature (25 °C). The synergistic effect of oxygen vacancy as the center of a trap and p–n heterojunction forming an electric potential field at the interface is explained, and the mechanism of improving photocatalysis and gas sensitivity is analyzed. This work will provide an innovative vision for dual-performance oxygen vacancy modification of heterojunctions through photocatalysis.
The Effect of Dietary Polyphenols on Vascular Health and Hypertension: Current Evidence and Mechanisms of Action
Authors: Grosso Giuseppe , Godos Justyna , Currenti Walter , Micek Agnieszka , Falzone Luca , Libra Massimo , Giampieri Francesca , Forbes-Hernández Tamara Y. , Quiles José L. , Battino Maurizio , La Vignera Sandro , Galvano Fabio
Published: January 2022

The aim of this review was to explore existing evidence from studies conducted on humans and summarize the mechanisms of action of dietary polyphenols on vascular health, blood pressure and hypertension. There is evidence that some polyphenol-rich foods, including berry fruits rich in anthocyanins, cocoa and green tea rich in flavan-3-ols, almonds and pistachios rich in hydroxycinnamic acids, and soy products rich in isoflavones, are able to improve blood pressure levels. A variety of mechanisms can elucidate the observed effects. Some limitations of the evidence, including variability of polyphenol content in plant-derived foods and human absorption, difficulty disentangling the effects of polyphenols from other dietary compounds, and discrepancy of doses between animal and human studies should be taken into account. While no single food counteracts hypertension, adopting a plant-based dietary pattern including a variety of polyphenol-rich foods is an advisable practice to improve blood pressure.
Weight Loss in Post-Chemoradiotherapy Head and Neck Cancer Patients
Authors: Abu Zaid Zalina , Kay Neoh May , Mat Daud Zulfitri Azuan , Md Yusop Nor Baizura , Ibrahim Zuriati , Abdul Rahman Zuwariah , Jamhuri Norshariza , Abdul Azim Aishah Zafirah
Published: January 2022

Background: Weight loss is well-known among head and neck (HNC) patients during radiotherapy and could continue after the treatment is completed. Weight monitoring is essential for treatment outcomes and cancer surveillance. The purpose of the study is to evaluate the weight loss during and post-treatment among HNC patients. Methods: A total of 45 out of 50 patients post-treatment were included in this secondary treatment. Data were collected at baseline, at the completion of radiotherapy and one month after completion of radiotherapy. Results: The mean weight loss was 4.53 ± 2.87 kg (7.4%) during treatment and 1.38 ± 2.65 kg (2.1%) post-treatment. There were significant improvements one month after completion of radiotherapy in Patient-Generated Subjective Global Assessment (PGSGA), muscle mass, nutrition impact symptoms (NIS) score, energy and protein from oral intake (p < 0.0001). Energy and protein from oral nutritional supplements (ONS) decreased significantly (p < 0.0001). Conclusions: The results of this study underline the importance of early identification and monitoring post-treatment in HNC patients. The post-treatment recovery stage is very important for HNC patients to ensure a healing process.
The Targets for Stunting Prevention Policies in Papua, Indonesia: What Mothers’ Characteristics Matter?
Authors: Wulandari Ratna Dwi , Laksono Agung Dwi , Kusrini Ina , Tahangnacca Minsarnawati
Published: January 2022

The study aimed to analyze the most appropriate maternal characteristics for stunting prevention policies. The study employed secondary data from the 2017 Indonesia Nutritional Status Monitoring Survey. The study obtained weighted samples of 11,887 Papuan children under five years of age. On the other hand, the study used the nutritional status as an outcome variable and maternal characteristics as an exposure variable. The research employed the following four control variables: residence, region, under-five age, and gender. The study occupied the binary logistic regression. The results show that mothers who graduated from primary school and under were 1.263 times more likely than mothers with a college education to have stunted children. Mothers who graduated from junior high school are 1.222 times more likely than mothers with a college education to have stunted children. Mothers who graduated from senior high school were 1.122 times more likely than mothers with a college education to have stunted children. Mothers with a never-married status have a 1.138 times greater probability than divorced/widowed mothers to have stunted children. Meanwhile, married mothers are 0.936 times more likely than divorced/widowed mothers to have stunted children. The study concluded that the target group for stunting prevention policies are mothers with poor education and who are single.
The Effect of Nutrition on Aging—A Systematic Review Focusing on Aging-Related Biomarkers
Authors: Leitão Catarina , Mignano Anna , Estrela Marta , Fardilha Margarida , Figueiras Adolfo , Roque Fátima , Herdeiro Maria Teresa
Published: January 2022

Despite the increasing life expectancy, an individual’s later years tends to be accompanied by a decrease in the quality of life. Though biological changes that occur through the natural process of aging cannot be controlled, the risk factors associated with lifestyle can. Thus, the main goal of this systematic review was to evaluate how nutrition can modulate aging. For this purpose, thirty-six studies were selected on (i) the efficiency of nutrition’s effect on aging, (ii) the evaluation of biomarkers that promote healthy aging, and (iii) how to increase longevity through nutrition, and their quality was assessed. The results showed that choosing low carbohydrate diets or diets rich in vegetables, fruits, nuts, cereals, fish, and unsaturated fats, containing antioxidants, potassium, and omega-3 decreased cardiovascular diseases and obesity risk, protected the brain from aging, reduced the risk of telomere shortening, and promoted an overall healthier life. With this study, the conclusion is that since the biological processes of aging cannot be controlled, changing one’s nutritional patterns is crucial to prevent the emergence and development of diseases, boost longevity, and, mostly, to enhance one’s quality of life and promote healthy aging.
Food Reward after a Traditional Inuit or a Westernised Diet in an Inuit Population in Greenland
Authors: Pedersen Hanne , Beaulieu Kristine , Finlayson Graham , Færch Kristine , Jørgensen Marit Eika , Lewis Jack Ivor , Lind Mads Vendelbo , Lauritzen Lotte , Quist Jonas Salling
Published: January 2022

The food availability and dietary behaviours in Greenland have changed with increasing Westernisation. Food reward is an important driver of food choice and intake, which has not previously been explored in the Arctic population. The aim of this study was to explore differences in food reward after a four-week intervention period with a traditional Inuit diet (TID) or Westernised diet (WD) in Inuit populations in Northern and Western Greenland. This cross-sectional analysis included 44 adults (n = 20 after TID and n = 24 after WD). We assessed the food reward components, explicit liking and implicit wanting, using the Leeds Food Preference Questionnaire under standardised conditions 60 min after drinking a glucose drink as part of an oral glucose tolerance test after four weeks following a TID or WD. The food intake was assessed using food frequency questionnaires. The intervention groups differed only in implicit wanting for high-fat sweet foods, with higher implicit wanting among the participants following TID compared to WD. Both groups had lower explicit liking and implicit wanting for sweet relative to savoury foods and for high-fat relative to low-fat foods. This exploratory study can guide future studies in Inuit populations to include measures of food reward to better understand food intake in the Arctic.
Identifying Behavioural Determinants to Uptake and Adherence to a Whey Protein Supplement for the Management of Type 2 Diabetes: A Qualitative Interview Study
Authors: Ashley Kirsten , Smith Kieran , Brunsgaard Lise H. , Stevenson Emma , West Daniel , Avery Leah
Published: January 2022

Interventions targeting diet and physical activity have demonstrated to be effective for improving glycaemic control in adults with type 2 diabetes. However, initiating and sustaining these changes remains a challenge. Ingestion of whey protein has shown to be effective for improving glycaemic control by increasing insulin and incretin secretion, and influencing appetite regulation; however, little is known about what influences uptake and adherence. We conducted a qualitative interview study to explore behavioural determinants of uptake and adherence to a commercially made whey protein supplementation. In total, 16/18 adults with type 2 diabetes who participated in an RCT took part in a semi-structured interview. Seven themes were generated from the data following thematic analyses. The most frequently reported determinant of uptake was the expectation that the supplement would improve health status (e.g., type 2 diabetes management), as a consequence of appetite suppression and weight loss. Determinants of adherence included palatability; the belief that the supplement was an appetite suppressant; and receiving positive reinforcement on the effects of the supplement. Frequency of consumption led to reduced adherence with some participants. Findings support that the whey protein supplement is a viable management option for adults with type 2 diabetes; however, uptake will be driven by conveying information on the positive effects of the supplement on appetite suppression and glycaemic control. Adherence will be determined by palatability, behavioural prompting, and positive reinforcement.
Exploring Rapid and Effective Screening Methods for Anti-SARS-CoV-2 Neutralizing Antibodies in COVID-19 Convalescent Patients and Longitudinal Vaccinated Populations
Authors: Hu Caiqin , Li Dan , Liu Zhanmou , Ren Li , Su Junwei , Zhu Meiling , Feng Yi , Wang Zheng , Liu Qiang , Zhu Biao , Shao Yiming
Published: January 2022

Assessing the duration of neutralizing antibodies (nAbs) following SARS-CoV-2 infection or vaccination is critical to evaluate the protective immunity and formulate public health strategies. In this study, SARS-CoV-2 Ab ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay), chemiluminescent microparticle immunoassay (CMIA), as well as pseudovirus neutralization test (PVNT) were performed in two cohorts, convalescent patients (CP) from coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and BBIBP-CorV vaccinated population. It was found that nAbs and binding antibodies emerged at 14 days post the 1st dose of vaccination, reached peaks at 28 days after 2nd dose vaccination and then gradually declined over time. CP-6M (convalescent patients up to 6 months) from COVID-19 presented stronger nAbs or binding antibodies responses than vaccinees 90 days or 180 days after 2nd dose vaccination. CMIA or SARS-CoV-2 Ab ELISA correlated well with PVNT with high consistency in the two cohorts. It shown that nAbs and binding antibodies can keep 6 months both in CP and vaccinees. Most importantly, our data show the application of using CMIA and SARS-CoV-2 Ab ELISA as rapid screening tests for nAb titer and could be used as alternative strategies for quickly evaluating SARS-CoV-2 nAbs responses in vaccine research.
Individual and Combined Application of Nematophagous Fungi as Biological Control Agents against Gastrointestinal Nematodes in Domestic Animals
Authors: Li Shuoshuo , Wang Da , Gong Jianchuan , Zhang Ying
Published: January 2022

Gastrointestinal nematodes (GINs) are a group of parasites that threaten livestock yields, and the consequent economic losses have led to major concern in the agricultural industry worldwide. The high frequency of anthelmintic resistance amongst GINs has prompted the search for sustainable alternatives. Recently, a substantial number of both in vitro and in vivo experiments have shown that biological controls based on predatory fungi and ovicidal fungi are the most promising alternatives to chemical controls. In this respect, the morphological characteristics of the most representative species of these two large groups of fungi, their nematicidal activity and mechanisms of action against GINs, have been increasingly studied. Given the limitation of the independent use of a single nematophagous fungus (NF), combined applications which combine multiple fungi, or fungi and chemical controls, have become increasingly popular, although these new strategies still have antagonistic effects on the candidates. In this review, we summarize both the advantages and disadvantages of the individual fungi and the combined applications identified to date to minimize recurring infections or to disrupt the life cycle of GINs. The need to discover novel and high-efficiency nematicidal isolates and the application of our understanding to the appropriate selection of associated applications are discussed.
Prevalence of Virus Infections and GLRaV-3 Genetic Diversity in Selected Clones of Croatian Indigenous Grapevine Cultivar Plavac Mali
Authors: Čarija Mate , Radić Tomislav , Černi Silvija , Mucalo Ana , Zdunić Goran , Vončina Darko , Jagunić Martin , Hančević Katarina
Published: January 2022

The cultivar Plavac Mali (Vitis vinifera L.), the most important indigenous red grapevine cultivar in Croatia, was tested for the presence of 16 grapevine viruses. Thirty-five samples from the collection vineyard were tested for the presence of grapevine leafroll-associated viruses-1, -2, and -3 (GLRaV-1, GLRaV-2 and GLRaV-3, respectively), grapevine fanleaf virus (GFLV), arabis mosaic virus (ArMV), grapevine virus-A (GVA), -B (GVB), -G (GVG), -H (GVH), -I (GVI), -J (GVJ), grapevine fleck virus (GFkV), grapevine rupestris stem pitting associated virus (GRSPaV), and grapevine pinot gris virus (GPGV) by reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Furthermore, standard PCR was conducted for grapevine badnavirus 1 (GBV-1) and grapevine red blotch virus (GRBV). Mixed infections were most common and GLRaV-3, the most abundant virus found in 85.71% of the vines tested, was further molecularly characterised. Different genomic variants of the heat shock protein homologue (HSP70h) were separated by cloning, detected by single-strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) analysis, sequenced, and phylogenetically analysed. The presence of phylogenetic groups I and II was only confirmed. This study demonstrates the high virus infection rate of Plavac Mali vines and the heterogeneity of GLRaV-3 present nowadays in a collection vineyard.
Misleading Positive Serology for Cat Scratch Disease following Administration of Intravenous Immunoglobulin
Authors: Yakubovsky Michal , Golan Yoav , Guri Alex , Levy Itzhak , Glikman Daniel , Ephros Moshe , Giladi Michael
Published: January 2022

Cat scratch disease (CSD), caused by Bartonella henselae, usually presents as regional lymphadenopathy/lymphadenitis, known as typical CSD or as atypical CSD, which includes, among others, neurological manifestations. Serology for anti-B. henselae IgG antibodies is the most commonly used diagnostic tests for CSD. Intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) is given for an increasing number of medical conditions and may cause interference with serological testing. We report six patients with neurological manifestations and two patients with Kawasaki disease mimicking typical CSD, mistakenly diagnosed as CSD due to false-positive serology following IVIG therapy. Bartonella IgG serology was positive one to six days after IVIG administration and reverted to negative in seven of eight patients or significantly decreased (1 patient) ≤30 days later. In patients with CSD, IgG titers remained essentially unchanged 15–78 days after the positive serum sample. An additional eight patients treated with IVIG for various conditions were evaluated prospectively. All were seronegative one day pre-IVIG infusion, five patients demonstrated an increase in the IgG titers one to three days after IVIG administration, one interpreted as positive and four as intermediate, whereas three patients remained seronegative, suggesting that false seropositivity after IVIG therapy may not occur in all patients. Treatment with IVIG can result in false-positive serology for B. henselae. Increased awareness to the misleading impact of IVIG is warranted to avoid misinterpretation. Repeat testing can distinguish between true and false serology. Preserving serum samples prior to IVIG administration is suggested.
First Chemical Investigation of Korean Wild Mushroom, Amanita hemibapha subsp. javanica and the Identification of Anti-Helicobacter pylori Compounds
Authors: Lee Seulah , Alishir Akida , Kim Tae Wan , Kang Dong-Min , Ryoo Rhim , Pang Changhyun , Ahn Mi-Jeong , Kim Ki Hyun
Published: January 2022

Amanita hemibapha subsp. javanica (Amanitaceae) is an edible Korean wild mushroom. A. hemibapha subsp. javanica is often confused with A. subjunquillea, known as the East Asian death cap, which is potentially fatal when ingested. This study aimed to conduct the first chemical investigation of A. hemibapha subsp. javanica, which resulted in the isolation of seven fatty acid derivatives (1–7) and three steroids (8–10) from the MeOH extract of its fruiting bodies, and their structures were determined by comparing their NMR spectroscopic data with those previously reported, along with the data from LC/MS. Compound 1 was reported previously without the identification of its absolute configuration; its structure, including the absolute configuration was confirmed for the first time, in this study, by using 1H NMR and its fragmentation patterns in MS/MS data, and LC/MS analysis. A recently developed method using competing enantioselective acylation (CEA) coupled with LC/MS analysis was applied for determining the absolute configuration of compound 1, which revealed the 11S-configuration. In the anti-Helicobacter pylori activity test, compound 3 showed antibacterial activity against H. pylori strain 51 with 38.0% inhibition, comparable to that of quercetin (34.4% inhibition) as a positive control. Specifically, compound 4 displayed the most potent antibacterial activity against H. pylori strain 51 with 80.5% inhibition at the final concentration of 100 μm with a MIC50 value of 72 μm. These findings suggested that the active compound 4 is a natural antibiotic that may be used in the development of novel antibiotics against H. pylori. In addition, the first chemical investigation of A. hemibapha subsp. javanica revealed that this mushroom can serve as a promising natural source for the bioactive natural products.
Exploring Toxins for Hunting SARS-CoV-2 Main Protease Inhibitors: Molecular Docking, Molecular Dynamics, Pharmacokinetic Properties, and Reactome Study
Authors: Ibrahim Mahmoud A. A. , Abdelrahman Alaa H. M. , Jaragh-Alhadad Laila A. , Atia Mohamed A. M. , Alzahrani Othman R. , Ahmed Muhammad Naeem , Moustafa Moustafa Sherief , Soliman Mahmoud E. S. , Shawky Ahmed M. , Paré Paul W. , Hegazy Mohamed-Elamir F. , Sidhom Peter A.
Published: January 2022

The main protease (Mpro) is a potential druggable target in SARS-CoV-2 replication. Herein, an in silico study was conducted to mine for Mpro inhibitors from toxin sources. A toxin and toxin-target database (T3DB) was virtually screened for inhibitor activity towards the Mpro enzyme utilizing molecular docking calculations. Promising toxins were subsequently characterized using a combination of molecular dynamics (MD) simulations and molecular mechanics-generalized Born surface area (MM-GBSA) binding energy estimations. According to the MM-GBSA binding energies over 200 ns MD simulations, three toxins—namely philanthotoxin (T3D2489), azaspiracid (T3D2672), and taziprinone (T3D2378)—demonstrated higher binding affinities against SARS-CoV-2 Mpro than the co-crystalized inhibitor XF7 with MM-GBSA binding energies of −58.9, −55.9, −50.1, and −43.7 kcal/mol, respectively. The molecular network analyses showed that philanthotoxin provides a ligand lead using the STRING database, which includes the biochemical top 20 signaling genes CTSB, CTSL, and CTSK. Ultimately, pathway enrichment analysis (PEA) and Reactome mining results revealed that philanthotoxin could prevent severe lung injury in COVID-19 patients through the remodeling of interleukins (IL-4 and IL-13) and the matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs). These findings have identified that philanthotoxin—a venom of the Egyptian solitary wasp—holds promise as a potential Mpro inhibitor and warrants further in vitro/in vivo validation.
Sensitization of Antibiotic-Resistant Gram-Negative Bacteria to Photodynamic Therapy via Perfluorocarbon Nanoemulsion
Authors: Niu Peiyuan , Dai Jialing , Wang Zeyu , Wang Yueying , Feng Duxiang , Li Yuanyuan , Miao Wenjun
Published: January 2022

With the merits of excellent efficacy, safety, and facile implementation, antibacterial photodynamic therapy (APDT) represents a promising means for treating bacterial infections. However, APDT shows an unsatisfactory efficacy in combating antibiotic-resistant Gram-negative bacteria due to their specific cell wall structure. In this work, we report a perfluorocarbon nanoemulsion (Ce6@FDC) used as a multifunctional nanocargo of photosensitizer and oxygen for sensitizing antibiotic-resistant Gram-negative bacteria to APDT. Ce6@FDC was fabricated via ultrasonic emulsification with good colloidal stability, efficient Ce6 and oxygen delivery, and excellent photodynamic activity. Meanwhile, Ce6@FDC could strongly bind with Gram-negative Acinetobacter baumannii (A. baumannii) and Escherichia coli (E. coli) via electrostatic interaction, thus leading to notable photodynamic bactericidal potency upon irradiation. In addition, oxygenated Ce6@FDC also exhibited a remarkable efficacy in eradicating Gram-negative bacteria biofilm, averaging five log units lower than the Ce6 group under identical conditions. Taken together, we demonstrate that photodynamic perfluorocarbon nanoemulsion with oxygen-delivery ability could effectively kill planktonic bacteria and remove biofilm, representing a novel strategy in fighting against antibiotic-resistant Gram-negative bacteria.
Integration of Transcriptome and Exome Genotyping Identifies Significant Variants with Autism Spectrum Disorder
Authors: Almandil Noor B. , AlSulaiman Abdulla , Aldakeel Sumayh A. , Alkuroud Deem N. , Aljofi Halah Egal , Alzahrani Safah , Al-mana Aishah , Alfuraih Asma A. , Alabdali Majed , Alkhamis Fahd A. , AbdulAzeez Sayed , Borgio J. Francis
Published: January 2022

Autism is a complex disease with genetic predisposition factors. Real factors for treatment and early diagnosis are yet to be defined. This study integrated transcriptome and exome genotyping for identifying functional variants associated with autism spectrum disorder and their impact on gene expression to find significant variations. More than 1800 patients were screened, and 70 (47 male/23 female) with an average age of 7.56 ± 3.68 years fulfilled the DSM-5 criteria for autism. Analysis revealed 682 SNPs of 589 genes significantly (p < 0.001) associated with autism among the putative functional exonic variants (n = 243,345) studied. Olfactory receptor genes on chromosome 6 were significant after Bonferroni correction (α = 0.05/243345 = 2.05 × 10−7) with a high degree of linkage disequilibrium on 6p22.1 (p = 6.71 × 10−9). The differentially expressed gene analysis of autistic patients compared to controls in whole RNA sequencing identified significantly upregulated (foldchange ≥0.8 and p-value ≤ 0.05; n = 125) and downregulated (foldchange ≤−0.8 and p-value ≤ 0.05; n = 117) genes. The integration of significantly up- and downregulated genes and genes of significant SNPs identified regulatory variants (rs6657480, rs3130780, and rs1940475) associated with the up- (ITGB3BP) and downregulation (DDR1 and MMP8) of genes in autism spectrum disorder in people of Arab ancestries. The significant variants could be a biomarker of interest for identifying early autism among Arabs and helping to characterize the genes involved in the susceptibility mechanisms for autistic subjects.
Colchicine in Managing Skin Conditions: A Systematic Review
Authors: Dastoli Stefano , Nisticò Steven Paul , Morrone Pietro , Patruno Cataldo , Leo Antonio , Citraro Rita , Gallelli Luca , Russo Emilio , De Sarro Giovambattista , Bennardo Luigi
Published: January 2022

(1) Background: Colchicine is a natural alkaloid with anti-inflammatory properties used to treat various disorders, including some skin diseases. This paper aims to incorporate all the available studies proposing colchicine as a treatment alternative in the management of cutaneous conditions. (2) Methods: In this systematic review, the available articles present in various databases (PubMed, Scopus-Embase, and Web of Science), proposing colchicine as a treatment for cutaneous pathological conditions, have been selected. Exclusion criteria included a non-English language and non-human studies. (3) Results: Ninety-six studies were included. Most of them were case reports and case series studies describing colchicine as single therapy, or in combination with other drugs. Hidradenitis suppurativa, pyoderma gangrenosum, erythema nodosum, erythema induratum, storage diseases, perforating dermatosis, bullous diseases, psoriasis, vasculitis, acne, urticaria, stomatitis, actinic keratosis, and pustular dermatosis were the main diseases discussed in literature. Although the therapeutic outcomes were variable, most of the studies reported, on average, good clinical results (4) Conclusions: Colchicine could be, as a single therapy or in combination with other drugs, a possible treatment to manage several skin diseases.
Inhibition of Escherichia Virus MS2, Surrogate of SARS-CoV-2, via Essential Oils-Loaded Electrospun Fibrous Mats: Increasing the Multifunctionality of Antivirus Protection Masks
Authors: Domingues Joana M. , Teixeira Marta O. , Teixeira Marta A. , Freitas David , Silva Samira F. da , Tohidi Shafagh D. , Fernandes Rui D. V. , Padrão Jorge , Zille Andrea , Silva Carla , Antunes Joana C. , Felgueiras Helena P.
Published: January 2022

One of the most important measures implemented to reduce SARS-CoV-2 transmission has been the use of face masks. Yet, most mask options available in the market display a passive action against the virus, not actively compromising its viability. Here, we propose to overcome this limitation by incorporating antiviral essential oils (EOs) within polycaprolactone (PCL) electrospun fibrous mats to be used as intermediate layers in individual protection masks. Twenty EOs selected based on their antimicrobial nature were examined for the first time against the Escherichia coli MS2 virus (potential surrogate of SARS-CoV-2). The most effective were the lemongrass (LGO), Niaouli (NO) and eucalyptus (ELO) with a virucidal concentration (VC) of 356.0, 365.2 and 586.0 mg/mL, respectively. PCL was processed via electrospinning, generating uniform, beadless fibrous mats. EOs loading was accomplished via two ways: (1) physisorption on pre-existing mats (PCLaEOs), and (2) EOs blending with the polymer solution prior to fiber electrospinning (PCLbEOs). In both cases, 10% v/v VC was used as loading concentration, so the mats’ stickiness and overwhelming smell could be prevented. The EOs presence and release from the mats were confirmed by UV-visible spectroscopy (≈5257–631 µg) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry evaluations (average of ≈14.3% EOs release over 4 h), respectively. PCLbEOs mats were considered the more mechanically and thermally resilient, with LGO promoting the strongest bonds with PCL (PCLbLGO). On the other hand, PCLaNO and PCLaELO were deemed the least cohesive combinations. Mats modified with the EOs were all identified as superhydrophobic, capable of preventing droplet penetration. Air and water-vapor permeabilities were affected by the mats’ porosity (PCL < PCLaEOs < PCLbEOs), exhibiting a similar tendency of increasing with the increase of porosity. Antimicrobial testing revealed the mats’ ability to retain the virus (preventing infiltration) and to inhibit its action (log reduction averaging 1). The most effective combination against the MS2 viral particles was the PCLbLGO. These mats’ scent was also regarded as the most pleasant during sensory evaluation. Overall, data demonstrated the potential of these EOs-loaded PCL fibrous mats to work as COVID-19 active barriers for individual protection masks.