bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Perinatal depression screening and prevention: Descriptive findings from a multicentric program in the South of Italy
Authors: Bellomo Antonello , Severo Melania , Petito Annamaria , Nappi Luigi , Iuso Salvatore , Altamura Mario , Marconcini Alessia , Giannaccari Elisa , Maruotti Giuseppe , Palma Giuseppe Luigi , Vicino Mario , Perrone Antonio , Tufariello Anna Maria , Sannicandro Valeria , Milano Eleonora , Arcidiacono Giulia , Di Salvatore Melanie , Caroli Antonella , Di Pinto Isabella , Ventriglio Antonio
Published: August 2022

Introduction

Perinatal depression (PD) is a cluster of clinical depressive symptoms occurring globally during pregnancy or after childbirth, with a prevalence of 11.9%. Risk factors for PD among pregnant women may include personality traits of neuroticism, low personal resilience, higher anxiety, avoidance in close relationships, as well as dysfunctional coping strategies.

Methods

We report on descriptive findings of a screening/prevention program aimed to detect depressive symptoms and associated risk factors in a large sample of women (N = 1,664) accessing the gynecological departments of the Regione Puglia (South of Italy) from July to November 2020. Pregnant women were assessed in their third trimester of pregnancy (T0), after childbirth (T1), and those at risk for PD within 1 year from delivery (T2–T4); The Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) has been employed for the screening of PD over time as well as other standardized measures for neuroticism, resilience, coping strategies, and quality of life.

Results

Of 1,664, n = 1,541 were tested at T1, and 131 scored ≥ 12 at EPDS (14.6 ± 2.95), showing a higher risk for PD. They were followed over time at 1, 6, and 12 months after childbirth (T2–T4), and 15 of them scored ≥ 12 (EPDS) at T4. Women with a higher risk of PD also reported higher levels of neuroticism, lower levels of personal resilience, more anxiety and avoidance in close relationships, higher employment of dysfunctional coping strategies (e.g., denial, self-blame, etc.), and lower quality of life (0.0008 < all p < 0.0001).

Conclusion

This study confirmed the benefit of screening programs for the early detection of PD among pregnant women. We may suggest a set of risk factors to be considered in the clinical assessment of PD risk as well as the promotion of similar programs to improve depressive outcomes and pathways to care for PD on the basis of a more accurate assessment and referral.
Association between density of convenience and small grocery stores with diet quality in adults living in Mexico City: A cross sectional study
Authors: Rodríguez-Guerra Ana Isabel , López-Olmedo Nancy , Medina Catalina , Hernández-Alcaraz César , Ortega-Avila Ana G. , Barquera Simón
Published: August 2022

There is evidence of the association between different retail stores and food consumption, yet research is still limited in low- and medium-income countries, where the context of the food retail environment is different from that observed in high-income countries. Specifically, less is known about how convenience and small grocery stores, which offer products with immediate access, are associated with the diet as a whole. The present study assessed the association between density of convenience and small grocery stores and diet quality in adults from the Mexico City Representative Diabetes Survey 2015. A final sample size of 1,023 adults aged 20–69 years was analyzed. The density of stores was measured using Euclidean buffers within 500 meters of each participant's home. The Mexican Alternate Healthy Eating Index (MxAHEI) was used to assess diet quality. Multivariable Poisson models were used to test the association of convenience and small grocery stores densities with the MxAHEI. Although our results were not statistically significant, we observed a lower diet quality score among adults from Mexico City living in areas with a higher density of small grocery and convenience stores. More research is needed on the influence of environmental food retail on food consumption.
Supervised mHeath Exercise Improves Health Factors More Than Self-Directed mHealth Exercise: A Clinical Controlled Study
Authors: Hu Yukun , Zhang Yong , Qi XiaoYa , Xu XiaoYang , Rahmani Jamal , Bai Ruixue , Mei Ying
Published: August 2022

Wearable physical activity trackers are getting popular for the self-management of weight despite limited evidence of their efficacy. Studies have proven that on-site supervised exercise is superior to unsupervised exercise for many health problems, there is no evidence comparing the effectiveness of remote supervision exercise with self-directed exercise based on mHealth. This study aims to compare the effects of mHealth-based supervised exercise to mHealth-based self-directed exercise on weight control in the overweight and obese population. A nonrandomized controlled clinical study was conducted. Overweight or obese volunteers were given personalized exercise prescriptions based on their HRR (Heart Rate Reserve), all patients were equipped with wearable heartbeat trackers to follow their exercise performance and additional remote supervisions were added to the intervention group. Exercise performances, weight losses, and health examinations were compared between 2 groups after 12 weeks of follow-up. Analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was used to determine any differences between study groups after intervention. Two groups had the same rate of attrition in 12 weeks of follow-up, but the exercising day, the effective exercising day and the rate of effective exercising day in the supervised group were higher than those in the control group. Weight loss was −2.7 ± 2.8 kg in the intervention group and −2.0 ± 2.9 kg in the control group (P = 0.23). Compared with the control group, participants in the intervention group improved their liver function, kidney function, fasting blood sugar, total cholesterol, and triglyceride. mHealth-based supervised exercise is more effective in health factors improvement than mHealth-based self-directed exercise among overweight and obesity participants.
Risk stratification system and web-based nomogram constructed for predicting the overall survival of primary osteosarcoma patients after surgical resection
Authors: Gao Bing , Wang Meng-die , Li Yanan , Huang Fei
Published: August 2022

Background

Previous prediction models of osteosarcoma have not focused on survival in patients undergoing surgery, nor have they distinguished and compared prognostic differences among amputation, radical and local resection. This study aimed to establish and validate the first reliable prognostic nomogram to accurately predict overall survival (OS) after surgical resection in patients with osteosarcoma. On this basis, we constructed a risk stratification system and a web-based nomogram.

Methods

We enrolled all patients with primary osteosarcoma who underwent surgery between 2004 and 2015 in the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database. In patients with primary osteosarcoma after surgical resection, univariate and multivariate cox proportional hazards regression analyses were utilized to identify independent prognostic factors and construct a novel nomogram for the 1-, 3-, and 5-year OS. Then the nomogram's predictive performance and clinical utility were evaluated by the concordance index (C-index), receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves, calibration curves, and decision curve analysis (DCA).

Result

This study recruited 1,396 patients in all, with 837 serving as the training set (60%) and 559 as the validation set (40%). After COX regression analysis, we identified seven independent prognostic factors to develop the nomogram, including age, primary site, histological type, disease stage, AJCC stage, tumor size, and surgical method. The C-index indicated that this nomogram is considerably more accurate than the AJCC stage in predicting OS [Training set (HR: 0.741, 95% CI: 0.726–0.755) vs. (HR: 0.632, 95% CI: 0.619–0.645); Validation set (HR: 0.735, 95% CI: 0.718–0.753) vs. (HR: 0.635, 95% CI: 0.619–0.652)]. Moreover, the area under ROC curves, the calibration curves, and DCA demonstrated that this nomogram was significantly superior to the AJCC stage, with better predictive performance and more net clinical benefits.

Conclusion

This study highlighted that radical surgery was the first choice for patients with primary osteosarcoma since it provided the best survival prognosis. We have established and validated a novel nomogram that could objectively predict the overall survival of patients with primary osteosarcoma after surgical resection. Furthermore, a risk stratification system and a web-based nomogram could be applied in clinical practice to assist in therapeutic decision-making.
A cosmological model with time dependent Λ, G and viscous fluid in general relativity
Authors: Tiwari Rishi Kumar , Alfedeel Alnadhief H. A. , Sofuoğlu Değer , Abebe Amare , Hassan Eltegani I. , Shukla B. K.
Published: August 2022

In this paper, we investigate Bianchi type − V cosmological models with bulk viscous fluid and time varying cosmological Λ and Newtonian G parameters. The Einstein’s field equations have been transformed into a coupling non-linear, first-order differential equations, and the fourth-order Runge-Kutta method of numerical integration has been used to integrate the differential equations with appropriate initial conditions consistent with current cosmological observations. We show that the model describes a universe that starts off with a negative cosmological term, as well as a matter-dominated and decelerated early epoch that, eventually becomes Λ-dominated and expanding with acceleration, in concordance with current observations.
Copper-containing nanoparticles: Mechanism of antimicrobial effect and application in dentistry-a narrative review
Authors: Ma Xinru , Zhou Shiyu , Xu Xiaoling , Du Qin
Published: August 2022

Copper has been used as an antimicrobial agent long time ago. Nowadays, copper-containing nanoparticles (NPs) with antimicrobial properties have been widely used in all aspects of our daily life. Copper-containing NPs may also be incorporated or coated on the surface of dental materials to inhibit oral pathogenic microorganisms. This review aims to detail copper-containing NPs’ antimicrobial mechanism, cytotoxic effect and their application in dentistry.
Avoiding vascular complications in insular glioma surgery – A microsurgical anatomy study and critical reflections regarding intraoperative findings
Authors: Isolan Gustavo Rassier , Buffon Viviane , Maldonado Igor , Monteiro Jander Moreira , Yağmurlu Kaan , Ribas Carmen Austrália Paredes Marcondes , Roesler Rafael , Malafaia Osvaldo
Published: August 2022

Introduction

Vascular lesions in insular glioma surgery can severely impact patients' quality of life. This study aims to present the results of our dissections and authors’ reflections on the insular vascular anatomy.

Matherials and Methods

The insular vascularization was examined using ×3 to ×40 magnification in 20 cadaveric cerebral hemispheres in which the arteries and veins had been perfused with colored silicone.

Results

In insular gliomas, this individualization of the anatomical structures is rarely possible, as the gyri are swollen by the tumor and lose their individuality. In the transsylvian approaches, the anatomical parameters for delimiting the insula in tumors are best provided by the superior and inferior circular sulci. The branches of the MCA are easily identified in the transcortical approach, but only at the end of the surgery after the tumor is resected.). One of the factors under-discussed in the literature is the involvement of the lenticulostriate arteries by the medial part of the tumor. In our experience of 52 patients (article submitted to publishing), LSTa were founded to be involved by the tumor in 13 cases. In 39 patients, there was no involvement of the LSTa, which allowed a more aggressive resection. Early preoperative identification of the anterior perforated substance on the MRI and its proximity to the tumor may help determine the route of the LSTa over the medial tumor boundaries.

Discussion

Our reflections introduced our imaging and anatomical concept regarding LSTa in insular glioma surgery. Accurate identification of origin, route, and distribution of the LSTa is pivotal to surgical success, especially in the lateral group. The anatomical knowledge of their path directly impacts the extent of tumor resection and functional preservation.

Conclusion

Knowledge of microsurgical anatomy, brain mapping, and surgical experience counts a lot in this type of surgery, creating a reasonable procedure flowchart to be taken intraoperatively.
Temperature limits for storage of extended boar semen from the perspective of the sperm's energy status
Authors: Henning Heiko , Nguyen Quynh Thu , Wallner Ulrike , Waberski Dagmar
Published: August 2022

The optimum storage temperature for liquid-preserved boar semen has been empirically determined to be between 15 and 20°C. Lower temperatures provide an advantage to inhibit bacterial growth, but are regarded as critical due to the high sensitivity of boar spermatozoa to chilling injury. Higher storage temperatures are supposed to induce energy deficiency due to an insufficient depression of metabolic cell activity. However, experimental evidence for alterations of the sperm's energy status in relation to storage temperature and duration is missing. Therefore, we aimed to revisit the upper and lower storage temperature limits for liquid-preserved boar semen from the perspective of the sperm's energy metabolism. Ejaculates (n = 7 boars) were cooled down in Beltsville Thawing Solution (BTS) to 25, 17, 10, or 5°C and stored for up to 120 h. ATP and adenylate energy charge (EC) levels were assessed at storage temperature (24, 72, and 120 h storage) and after subsequent re-warming (38°C). Sperm quality and energy status remained at a stable level in samples stored at 25 and 17°C. Chilling to and storage at 10 or 5°C in BTS provoked cold shock in a subset of sperm as shown by a loss in viability and motility (P < 0.05), which was accompanied by a significant release of adenine nucleotides into the semen extender. Prolonged storage for 120 h resulted in significantly lower mean ATP concentrations in viable spermatozoa at 5 or 10°C compared to 17°C (P < 0.05). Cluster analysis revealed that the main sperm subpopulation, i.e., sperm with moderate speed and linearity, decreased from 50 to 30% (P < 0.05) in favor of slow-moving spermatozoa (5°C) or spermatozoa with a hyperactivation-like motility pattern (10°C). The results point to a sublethal imbalance in available ATP in a subset of the surviving sperm population, rather than a general decrease in available ATP in all spermatozoa. In conclusion, storing diluted boar semen at a stable temperature between 17 and 25°C is a safe procedure concerning the spermatozoa's energy status. Future concepts for hypothermic boar semen preservation below 17°C require measures which ameliorate the imbalanced energy status in viable spermatozoa.
The Effect of Health Check-Ups on Health Among the Elderly in China: Evidence From 2011–2018 Longitudinal Data
Authors: Zhao Dantong , Zhou Zhongliang , Shen Chi , Zhai Xiaohui , Zhao Yaxin , Cao Dan , Deng Qiwei , Liu Guanping , Lim Jeremy Fung Yen
Published: August 2022

Objectives: To assess the effect of health check-ups on health among the elderly Chinese.

Methods: The first dataset was panel data extracted from the 2011, 2014, and 2018 waves of the Chinese Longitudinal Health Longevity Survey (CLHLS). The second dataset was cross-sectional data come from CLHLS 2018 linked with the lagged term of health check-ups in CLHLS 2011. Health check-ups were measured by a binary variable annual health check-up (AHC). Health was assessed by a binary variable self-rated health (SRH). A coarsened exact matching method and individual fixed-effects models, as well as logistic regressions were employed.

Results: AHC attendance among the elderly increased from 2011 to 2018, with higher utilization of AHC also detected in the rural group. AHC had positive effects on SRH among rural respondents (short-term effect: OR = 1.567, p < 0.05; long-term effect: OR = 3.385, p < 0.001).

Conclusion: This study highlights a higher utilization of AHC in rural area, and the effectiveness of AHC in SRH improvement among rural participants. It indicates enhanced access to public healthcare services in rural area and underlying implications of health check-ups for reducing urban–rural health inequalities.
Analysis of Pneumatic Artificial Muscles and the Inelastic Braid Assumption
Authors: Chambers Jonathan M. , Wereley Norman M.
Published: August 2022

Pneumatic artificial muscles (PAMs) are becoming an increasingly popular form of soft actuator due to their unique actuation characteristics. The creation of accurate PAM actuation models is important for their successful implementation. However, PAM studies often employ actuation models that use simplifying assumptions which make the models easier to formulate and use, but at the cost of reduced accuracy. One of the most commonly used assumptions, the inelastic braid assumption, suggests that the braid does not stretch, and therefore would not affect its geometry or actuation force. Although this assumption has often been cited as a likely source of model error, its use has persevered for decades due to researchers’ inability to directly measure the effects of braid elasticity. The recent development of a photogrammetric method to accurately measure PAM geometry now enables this analysis. This study seeks to assess the current default adoption of the inelastic braid assumption in PAM models by attempting to quantify the braid elasticity effects. This research finds that current models that use the inelastic braid assumption can underestimate PAM diameter by as much as 30%, and overestimate actuation force by as much as 70%. These results show that braid elasticity can have a substantial effect on the geometry and actuation force of PAMs, and demonstrates that the inelastic braid assumption may not be a suitable universal assumption for PAM modeling and analyses, especially when low-stiffness braid materials are used.
LESO-Based Nonlinear Continuous Robust Stabilization Control of Underactuated TORA Systems
Authors: Wang Yihao , Pan Changzhong , Xiao Jinsen , Li Zhijing , Cui Chenchen
Published: August 2022

In this paper, we consider the robust stabilization control problem of underactuated translational oscillator with a rotating actuator (TORA) system in the presence of unknown matched disturbances by employing continuous control inputs. A nonlinear continuous robust control approach is proposed by integrating the techniques of backstepping and linear extended state observer (LESO). Specifically, based on the backstepping design methodology, a hyperbolic tangent virtual control law is designed for the first subsystem of the cascaded TORA model, via which an integral chain error subsystem is subsequently constructed and the well-known LESO technique is easy to implement. Then, an LEO is designed to estimate the lumped matched disturbances in real-time, and the influence of the disturbances is compensated by augmenting the feedback controller with the disturbance estimation. The convergence and stability of the entire control system are rigorously proved by utilizing Lyapunov theory and LaSalle’s invariance principle. Unlike some existing methods, the proposed controller is capable of generating robust and continuous control inputs, which guarantee that both the rotation and translation of TORA systems are stabilized at the origin simultaneously and smoothly, attenuating the influence of disturbances. Comparative simulation results are presented to demonstrate the effectiveness and superior control performance of the proposed method.
A Strong Form Meshless Method for the Solution of FGM Plates
Authors: Sator Ladislav , Sladek Vladimir , Sladek Jan
Published: August 2022

Laminated composite structures suffer from failure because of concentrations of gradient fields on interfaces due to discontinuity of material properties. The rapid development of material science enables designers to replace classical laminated plate elements in aerospace structures with more advanced ones made of functionally graded materials (FGM), which are microscopic composite materials with continuous variation of material coefficients according to the contents of their micro-constituents. Utilization of FGM eliminates the inconvenience of laminated structures but gives rise to substantial changes in structural design This paper deals with the presentation of a strong formulation meshless method for the solution of FGM composite plates. Recall that the fourth-order derivatives of deflections are involved in the governing equations for plate structures. However, the high-order derivatives of field variables in partial differential equations (PDE) lead to increasing inaccuracy of approximations. For that reason, the decomposition of the high-order governing equations into the second-order PDE is proposed. For the spatial approximation of field variables, the meshless moving least square (MLS) approximation technique is employed. The reliability (numerical stability, convergence, and accuracy) as well as computational efficiency of the developed method is illustrated by several numerical investigations of the response of FGM plates with the transversal gradation of material coefficients under stationary and/or transient mechanical and thermal loadings.
Initial In Vitro Assessment of the Antifungal Activity of Aqueous Extracts from Three Invasive Plant Species
Authors: Abbas Ahmed M. , Novak Stephen J. , Fictor Mahmoud , Mostafa Yasser S. , Alamri Saad A. , Alrumman Sulaiman A. , Taher Mostafa A. , Hashem Mohamed , Khalaphallah Rafat
Published: August 2022

The development of new, safe, and effective methods of managing fungal pathogens is required. This study was conducted to perform an initial in vitro assessment of the antifungal activity of water-based plant extracts from three plants which are invasive in Egypt: Prosopis juliflora, Ipomoea carnea, and Leucaena leucocephala. These extracts were tested against three pathogenic fungi species that cause high crop losses in Egypt: Fusarium solani, Alternaria solani, and Colletotrichum circinans. Three extract concentrations, 10%, 20%, and 30%, were tested using a completely randomized design, with three replicates per treatment. Antifungal activity was determined based on the effects of plant extracts on fungal radial growth inhibition, average daily growth of fungi, spore formation, spore germination, and total biomass. Inhibition of the growth of fungal strains increased with increasing plant extract concentration, with the highest inhibitory rate at the 30% extract concentration. In addition, spore density, spore germination, and total biomass decreased significantly with increasing extract concentration. The three fungal pathogens differed in their inhibition and their response to these plant extracts. Prosopis juliflora had the highest inhibitory effect on the three fungal pathogens, compared to the extracts from the other two invasive plants. The results of this feasibility study indicate that P. juliflora extracts have high antifungal activity and follow-up in vivo assays should be conducted to determine their efficacy in the safe and sustainable management of these and other fungal pathogens.
Study on Safe Usage of Agricultural Land in Typical Karst Areas Based on Cd in Soil and Maize: A Case Study of Northwestern Guizhou, China
Authors: Yang Liyu , Wu Pan , Yang Wentao
Published: August 2022

Cadmium (Cd) is an unnecessary dietary toxin that is harmful to human health. The Cd translocation in soil-crops system varies greatly depending on different soil matrices; therefore, a valuable method that could accurately evaluate soil Cd thresholds needs to be proposed immediately. In the southwestern part of China, a typical karst mountainous area of east Asia, the results of our survey of 492 soil-maize samples in the region showed high Cd accumulation in the soil, with concentrations ranging from 0.07 to 31.95 mg kg−1. The Cd concentrations in maize kernels planted in those fields, however, were quite low, and only 4 samples exceeded the national standard. A comparative study with nonkarst areas revealed a low bioaccumulation factor for soil Cd. This may be interpreted as the weathering soil-forming process of mineral-bearing rock systems, leading to high accumulation as well as low bioavailability of Cd in karst soils. A total of 172 soil-maize samples were evaluated inaccurately by the national standard evaluation procedure, accounting for 34.96% of the total. Therefore, we proposed the species sensitivity distribution model to address this inaccurate assessment. The results show that the hazardous concentrations of 95% and 5% in maize fields were 2.2 and 85.1 mg kg−1 for soil pH ≤ 5.5, 2.5 and 108.5 mg kg−1 for 5.5 < pH ≤ 6.5, and 3.0 and 161.8 mg kg−1 for 6.5 < pH ≤ 7.5, respectively. The total number of unsuitable samples according to the evaluation results decreased from 172 to 2 after modification. Therefore, this result could be considered a more accurate assessment threshold.
A Review on the Composition and Biosynthesis of Alkaloids and on the Taxonomy, Domestication, and Cultivation of Medicinal Fritillaria Species
Authors: Qu Aili , Wu Qingfei , Su Jiahao , Li Chengyuan , Yang Li , Wang Zhi’an , Wang Zhonghua , Li Zhaohui , Ruan Xiao , Zhao Yingxian , Wang Qiang
Published: August 2022

Fritillaria is a perennial herb with medicinal properties. There are 158 Fritillaria species worldwide, 33 of which have reported therapeutic efficacy. Alkaloids are the principal constituents in Fritillaria. Fritillaria species growing at 2700–4000 m are the sources of extract namely Chuan Beimu (the Pharmacopoeia of the People’s Republic of China, 2020 Edition), with low biomass, mainly containing more 5α-cevanine isosteroidal alkaloids with cis-configuration. In contrast, species growing below 1500 m are usually taller than 50 cm, and they mainly contain more trans-configuration isosteroidal alkaloids. There are two schemes of the biosynthetic pathways of steroidal alkaloids with different frameworks and catalytic reactions and combined high-throughput omics data. Based on the distributed elevations, Fritillaria species were divided into three major categories, which met classification features based on phylogenetic analysis or morphological features. Artificial or in vitro cultivations are effective strategies for balancing economical requirements and ecological protection. Fritillaria species growing at lower altitudes can be cultivated by bulb reproduction, but species growing at higher altitudes still rely mainly on gathering a large number of wild resources. Integration of asexual tissue culture and bulb reproduction with sexual artificial or imitated wild cultivation may create a very promising and effective way to maintain sustainable industrial development of Fritillaria.
Health Status of Oilseed Rape Plants Grown under Potential Future Climatic Conditions Assessed by Invasive and Non-Invasive Techniques
Authors: Pineda Mónica , Barón Matilde
Published: August 2022

Environmental conditions affect many plant traits such as biochemistry, physiology, morphology, and even their distribution around the world. Human activities have increased greenhouse gas emissions, which will promote a global rise in temperatures. The impact of climate change on natural vegetation and crops is difficult to predict, making it necessary to conduct experiments that mimic potential future climate conditions. Here, oilseed rape has been grown under environmental conditions that reproduce severe and intermediate climate change, setting the current climatic conditions as a control, with the main objective of evaluating the impact of climate change on the health status of this plant of agronomic interest. For such a purpose, two approaches (invasive and non-invasive) have been applied. Invasive quantitative measurements are based on the absorbance of biochemical compounds. Non-invasive methods such as thermal, multicolor fluorescence, and hyperspectral reflectance imaging sensors rely on the spectral properties of the plants. The results revealed that climate change induced lipid peroxidation, as well as alterations in pigment composition, transpiration, photosynthesis, and secondary plant metabolism. Those changes were more drastic the more severe the climatic condition imposed. Novel vegetation indices obtained from hyperspectral reflectance and specifically tailored to detect stress in brassicas correlated with physiological traits such as lipid peroxidation and secondary plant metabolism.
The Structures and Binding Modes of Small-Molecule Inhibitors of Pseudomonas aeruginosa Elastase LasB
Authors: Camberlein Virgyl , Jézéquel Gwenaëlle , Haupenthal Jörg , Hirsch Anna K. H.
Published: August 2022

Elastase B (LasB) is a zinc metalloprotease and a crucial virulence factor of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. As the need for new strategies to fight antimicrobial resistance (AMR) constantly rises, this protein has become a key target in the development of novel antivirulence agents. The extensive knowledge of the structure of its active site, containing two subpockets and a zinc atom, led to various structure-based medicinal chemistry programs and the optimization of several chemical classes of inhibitors. This review provides a brief reminder of the structure of the active site and a summary of the disclosed P. aeruginosa LasB inhibitors. We specifically focused on the analysis of their binding modes with a detailed representation of them, hence giving an overview of the strategies aiming at targeting LasB by small molecules.
Flavanol-Rich Cocoa Supplementation Inhibits Mitochondrial Biogenesis Triggered by Exercise
Authors: García-Merino Jose Angel , de Lucas Beatriz , Herrera-Rocha Karen , Moreno-Pérez Diego , Montalvo-Lominchar Maria Gregoria , Fernández-Romero Arantxa , Santiago Catalina , Pérez-Ruiz Margarita , Larrosa Mar
Published: August 2022

The potential role of cocoa supplementation in an exercise context remains unclear. We describe the effects of flavanol-rich cocoa supplementation during training on exercise performance and mitochondrial biogenesis. Forty-two male endurance athletes at the beginning of the training season received either 5 g of cocoa (425 mg of flavanols) or maltodextrin (control) daily for 10 weeks. Two different doses of cocoa (equivalent to 5 g and 15 g per day of cocoa for a 70 kg person) were tested in a mouse exercise training study. In the athletes, while both groups had improved exercise performance, the maximal aerobic speed increased only in the control group. A mitochondrial DNA analysis revealed that the control group responded to training by increasing the mitochondrial load whereas the cocoa group showed no increase. Oxidative stress was lower in the cocoa group than in the control group, together with lower interleukin-6 levels. In the muscle of mice receiving cocoa, we corroborated an inhibition of mitochondrial biogenesis, which might be mediated by the decrease in the expression of nuclear factor erythroid-2-related factor 2. Our study shows that supplementation with flavanol-rich cocoa during the training period inhibits mitochondrial biogenesis adaptation through the inhibition of reactive oxygen species generation without impacting exercise performance.
The Uroprotective Efficacy of Total Ginsenosides in Chinese Ginseng on Chemotherapy with Cyclophosphamide
Authors: Chen Yung-Hsiang , Chen Wen-Chi , Chen Szu-Ju , Wang Shih-Jing , Liu Po-Len , Tsai Ming-Yen , Liu Chun-Ting , Chen Der-Cherng , Chen Huey-Yi
Published: August 2022

Hemorrhagic cystitis is a recognizable complication of cyclophosphamide (CYP) attributable to its lively metabolite acrolein, which produces urothelial injury. The study intended to examine the uroprotective efficacy of total ginsenosides in Chinese ginseng (TGCG) in CYP-induced hemorrhagic cystitis. In total, 24 virgin female rats were randomized into four groups as follows: group 1 (control group; injected with normal saline), group 2 (injected with CYP plus a placebo with normal saline), group 3 (given CYP and TGCG (200 mg/kg)), and group 4 (given CYP and 2-mercaptoethane sulfonate sodium (Mesna, 30 mg/kg)). An evaluation by cystometry was conducted. Values of the voiding interval were assessed in anesthetized rats and histological examinations of the bladders were measured. In the cystometry analysis, the voiding interval was significantly reduced in the CYP group. TGCG and Mesna significantly increased in the voiding interval values, individually. Bladder edema and urothelial injury were examined after contact with CYP. Contrasted to the group given CYP, CYP-induced hemorrhagic cystitis, TGCG significantly increased the urothelial thickness, and significantly reduced scores of mucosal break and submucosal edema in the bladder. In conclusion, these findings mean that the treatment with TGCG in CYP rats can avoid hemorrhagic cystitis. TGCG decreases urothelial injury. TGCG may participate as the chief character of uroprotection in CYP-induced hemorrhagic cystitis.
The Choice of Soybean Cultivar Alters the Underyielding of Protein and Oil under Drought Conditions in Central Poland
Authors: Wenda-Piesik Anna , Ambroziak Krystian
Published: August 2022

The popularization of soybean cultivation in Central Poland is progressing due to the European Soy Declaration signed by 13 member states in Brussels on 17 July 2017. Hence, this research was initiated under the European Innovation Partnership on phenotyping soybean cultivars in two regions, i.e., Kuyavian-Pomeranian and Greater Poland for integrated systems. The aim of this study was to determine soybean potential in the agrotechnical and agroclimatic conditions, with the selection of the most suitable cultivars for tillage and no-tillage cultivation in the region of Central Poland. Strict field research was carried out in six locations from 2018–2020 on 20 cultivars selected in terms of their earliness of maturation to the climatic conditions. On the basis of meteorological data, it was found that half of the plantations suffered from drought stress, as evidenced by the hydrothermal coefficients (K) for the growing season of soybean K < 1.2. The significant multivariate relationship (R = 0.67; p < 0.001) between the hydrothermal coefficient K and the vegetation period days (VPD) as the predictors of the soybean yield was determined by the regression equation Y(yield) = 21.8 + 12.0 X(K) + 0.20 X(VPD). A significant multivariate relationship (R = 0.43; p < 0.01) was also found between the seed yield, hydrothermal coefficient K and the protein content, quantified with the regression equation Y(protein) = 32.6 + 0.25 X(Yield) + 0.28 X(K). In the no-tillage system of cultivation, the seed yield of soybean constantly increased with increasing K (+32.3% between dry/relatively dry and optimal periods, +22.4% between optimal and humid periods), while in the tillage system, the yield increased by 22.1% only when K rose from optimal to humid. In the seasons with optimum and humid conditions, no-tilled soybean produced more oil, in comparison to the season of dry conditions, and the opposite trend was found with the greater oil content in the tillage system. Meanwhile, a higher protein content was observed in the tillage system under humid conditions. All soybean cultivars were grouped according to the cluster analysis (k-means) with ANOVA in terms of vegetation period in days, seed yield, oil, and protein content for tillage and no-tillage cultivation. The study confirmed that soybean might be considered in the future as a profitable crop in Central Poland and create perspective for a low-input source of protein and oil.
Nanomodified Concrete with Enhanced Characteristics Based on River Snail Shell Powder
Authors: Stel’makh Sergey A. , Shcherban’ Evgenii M. , Beskopylny Alexey N. , Mailyan Levon R. , Meskhi Besarion , Beskopylny Nikita , Dotsenko Natal’ya , Kotenko Maria
Published: August 2022

The utilization of aquaculture waste, such as snail shells, is a severe issue. These shells are common in water-sources and are a by-product of sifting sand for masonry and concrete work. Calcium-rich river shells are of great interest for cement building materials. In this regard, the purpose of this article was to develop a nanomodified concrete with improved characteristics based on the powder of snail shells. Experimental studies have confirmed the effectiveness of the use of river shells in concrete without a decrease in strength characteristics and deterioration of other properties. It has been found that the optimal replacement by the snail shell powder that replaced cement is in the amount of 6%. By the nanomodification of concrete with the powdered shells of river snails, it was possible to achieve an increase in compressive strength up to 12%, axial compressive strength—up to 8%, tensile strength in bending—up to 9%, axial tensile strength—up to 11%, elastic modulus—up to 8%. Concrete nanomodification with snail shell powder in the amount of 6% contributed to a reduction of deformations of up to 7%. The study of the microstructure of concrete samples nanomodified with snail shell powder confirmed the obtained dependences of the cement’s properties on the nanomodifier dosage, as well as the most effective dosage of snail shell powder.
Machine and Deep Learning in the Evaluation of Selected Qualitative Characteristics of Sweet Potatoes Obtained under Different Convective Drying Conditions
Authors: Przybył Krzysztof , Adamski Franciszek , Wawrzyniak Jolanta , Gawrysiak-Witulska Marzena , Stangierski Jerzy , Kmiecik Dominik
Published: August 2022

This paper discusses the use of various methods to distinguish between slices of sweet potato dried in different conditions. The drying conditions varied in terms of temperature, the values were: 60 °C, 70 °C, 80 °C, and 90 °C. Examination methods included instrumental texture analysis using a texturometer and digital texture analysis based on macroscopic images. Classification of acquired data involved the use of machine learning techniques using various types of artificial neural networks, such as convolutional neural networks (CNNs) and multi-layer perceptron (MLP). As a result, in the convective drying, changes in color darkening were found in products with the following temperature values: 60 °C (L = 83.41), 70 °C (L = 81.11), 80 °C (L = 79.02), and 90 °C (L = 75.53). The best-generated model achieved an overall classification efficiency of 77%. Sweet potato dried at 90 °C proved to be completely distinguishable from other classes, among which classification efficiency varied between 61–83% depending on the class. This means that image analysis using deep convolutional artificial neural networks is a valuable tool in the context of assessing the quality of convective-dried sweet potato slices.
CBMDB: A Database for Accessing, Analyzing, and Mining CBM Information
Authors: Lin Xu , Xie Xiaoqi , Wang Xueyan , Yu Zhimin , Chen Xiaoyi , Yang Fan
Published: August 2022

Carbohydrate-binding modules (CBMs) are important substrate-binding domains that are mainly contained within carbohydrate-active enzymes. To elucidate the mechanism of enzyme-carbohydrate recognition and to promote the process of enzymatic engineering, it is important to explore more potential CBMs. However, the information and analytic tools of CBMs provided by current databases are limited. Here, a simple, user-friendly, and comprehensive CBM database (CBMDB) that integrates multidimensional information and analysis tools was constructed. Based on a data query function and analysis tools provided by the CBMDB, including sequence similarity searches, pairwise alignment, multiple sequence alignment, structure similarity searches, and phylogenetic visualization, information retrieval and analysis of known CBMs could be easily performed. Notably, unknown proteins with potential CBM functions could also be examined based on existing CBM data.
Regulator of G Protein Signaling 20 Correlates with Long Intergenic Non-Coding RNA (lincRNAs) Harboring Oncogenic Potential and Is Markedly Upregulated in Hepatocellular Carcinoma
Authors: Wang Yulu , Setiawan Maria F. , Liu Hongde , Dakal Tikam Chand , Liu Hongjia , Ge Fangfang , Rudan Oliver , Chen Peng , Zhao Chunxia , Gonzalez-Carmona Maria A. , Kornek Miroslaw T. , Strassburg Christian P. , Schmid Matthias , Maciaczyk Jarek , Sharma Amit , Schmidt-Wolf Ingo G. H.
Published: August 2022

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is at the forefront of the global cancer burden, and biomarkers for HCC are constantly being sought. Interestingly, RGS (Regulators of G protein signaling) proteins, which negatively regulate GPCR signaling, have been associated with various cancers, with some members of the RGS family being associated with liver cancer as well. Considering this, we investigated the role of RGS20 as a potential prognostic marker in 28 different cancer types with special emphasis on HCC. By using the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) data, our analysis revealed that (a) RGS20 was strongly upregulated in tumor tissue compared with adjacent normal tissue of HCC patients; (b) RGS20 was strongly associated with some important clinical parameters such as alpha-fetoprotein and tumor grade in the HCC patients; (c) besides HCC (p < 0.001), RGS20 was found to be an important factor for survival in four other cancers (clear renal cell carcinoma: p < 0.001, lung adenocarcinoma: p = 0.004, mesothelioma: p = 0.039, ovarian serous cystadenocarcinoma: p = 0.048); (d) RGS20 was found to be significantly associated with some tumor-related signaling pathways and long intergenic non-coding RNAs (lincRNAs: LINC00511, PVT1, MIR4435-2HG, BCYRN1, and MAPKAPK5-AS1) that exhibit oncogenic potential. Taken together, we showed that RGS20 correlates with a few HCC-associated lincRNAs harboring oncogenic potential and is markedly upregulated in HCC patients. Our analysis further supports the putative function of RGS proteins, particularly RGS20, in cancer.
Histone Mono-Ubiquitination in Transcriptional Regulation and Its Mark on Life: Emerging Roles in Tissue Development and Disease
Authors: Oss-Ronen Liat , Sarusi Tzlil , Cohen Idan
Published: August 2022

Epigenetic regulation plays an essential role in driving precise transcriptional programs during development and homeostasis. Among epigenetic mechanisms, histone mono-ubiquitination has emerged as an important post-transcriptional modification. Two major histone mono-ubiquitination events are the mono-ubiquitination of histone H2A at lysine 119 (H2AK119ub), placed by Polycomb repressive complex 1 (PRC1), and histone H2B lysine 120 mono-ubiquitination (H2BK120ub), placed by the heteromeric RNF20/RNF40 complex. Both of these events play fundamental roles in shaping the chromatin epigenetic landscape and cellular identity. In this review we summarize the current understandings of molecular concepts behind histone mono-ubiquitination, focusing on their recently identified roles in tissue development and pathologies.
DPSC Products Accelerate Wound Healing in Diabetic Mice through Induction of SMAD Molecules
Authors: Greene Carl J. , Anderson Sarah , Barthels Derek , Howlader Md Sariful Islam , Kanji Suman , Sarkar Jaganmay , Das Hiranmoy
Published: August 2022

Despite advances in diabetic wound care, many amputations are still needed each year due to their diabetic wounds, so a more effective therapy is warranted. Herein, we show that the dental pulp-derived stem cell (DPSC) products are effective in wound healing in diabetic NOD/SCID mice. Our results showed that the topical application of DPSC secretory products accelerated wound closure by inducing faster re-epithelialization, angiogenesis, and recellularization. In addition, the number of neutrophils producing myeloperoxidase, which mediates persisting inflammation, was also reduced. NFκB and its downstream effector molecules like IL-6 cause sustained pro-inflammatory activity and were reduced after the application of DPSC products in the experimental wounds. Moreover, the DPSC products also inhibited the activation of NFκB, and its translocation to the nucleus, by which it initiates the inflammation. Furthermore, the levels of TGF-β, and IL-10, potent anti-inflammatory molecules, were also increased after the addition of DPSC products. Mechanistically, we showed that this wound-healing process was mediated by the upregulation and activation of Smad 1 and 2 molecules. In sum, we have defined the cellular and molecular mechanisms by which DPSC products accelerated diabetic wound closure, which can be used to treat diabetic wounds in the near future.
High Levels of Tumor miR-187-3p—A Potential Tumor-Suppressor microRNA—Are Correlated with Poor Prognosis in Colorectal Cancer
Authors: Ng Lui , Wan Timothy Ming-Hun , Iyer Deepak Narayanan , Huang Zheng , Sin Ryan Wai-Yan , Man Abraham Tak-Ka , Li Xue , Foo Dominic Chi-Chung , Lo Oswens Siu-Hung , Law Wai-Lun
Published: August 2022

Background: The microRNA miR-187-3p plays antitumor roles in a variety of cancers. We and others have previously identified miR-187-3p as a potential tumor suppressor in colorectal cancer (CRC), but there are also reports revealing that high miR-187-3p levels are associated with poor prognosis among CRC patients. This study further investigated the clinicopathological significance of miR-187-3p in CRC. Methods: MiR-187-3p levels in paired polyp/CRC/normal specimens or primary CRC/liver metastasis specimens were determined by qPCR, and correlated with the patient’s clinicopathological and postoperative survival data. The clinical findings were validated using our validation cohort and data obtained from the TCGA or GEO databases. The functional effects of miR-187-3p were investigated through its overexpression in CRC cell lines. Results: MiR-187-3p was significantly repressed in colorectal polyps and CRC when compared to adjacent normal tissue. Overexpression of miR-187-3p in CRC cell lines impaired colony formation, cell migration, and invasion, and induced chemosensitivity. Clinical analysis revealed that despite miR-187-3p being repressed in CRC, high tumor miR-187-3p levels were positively correlated with tumor stage and disease recurrence. Further analysis showed that miR-187-3p levels were lower in metastatic specimens when compared to paired primary CRC, suggesting that high tumor miR-187-3p levels resulted from the dissemination of metastatic tumor cells. Tumor miR-187-3p levels were positively correlated with peripheral inflammation-related blood markers. Finally, SPRY1 was identified as a novel target gene of miR-187-3p, and was involved in miR-187-3p-impaired CRC metastasis. Conclusions: This study demonstrated that in spite of its repression and role as a tumor suppressor in CRC, high levels of miR-187-3p in tumors were correlated with poor prognosis and higher levels of peripheral inflammation-related blood markers.