bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Protective Effect of a Functional Food Consisting of Astragalus membranaceus, Trichosanthes kirilowii, and Angelica gigas or Its Active Component Formononetin against Inflammatory Skin Disorders through Suppression of TSLP via MDM2/HIF1α Signaling Pathways
Authors: Han Na-Ra , Park Hi-Joon , Ko Seong-Gyu , Moon Phil-Dong
Published: January 2023

An herbal mixture (SH003) of Astragalus membranaceus, Trichosanthes kirilowii, and Angelica gigas exhibits therapeutic effects on carcinomas and immunosuppression. However, the role of JRP-SNF102, which is an advanced mixture of SH003, in regulating inflammatory responses is unexplored. We aim to substantiate the therapeutic potential of JRP-SNF102 and its active component, formononetin (FMN), as a functional food that moderates inflammatory responses. The inhibitory effects of JRP-SNF102 or FMN on thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) levels were evaluated in phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) plus A23187-activated human mast cell line-1 (HMC-1) cells and a mouse model of PMA-induced ear edema. The JRP-SNF102 or FMN inhibited the secretion and mRNA expression of TSLP and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in the activated HMC-1 cells. The expression levels of murine double minute 2 (MDM2), hypoxia-inducible factor 1α (HIF1α), and NF-κB were also suppressed by JRP-SNF102 or FMN in the activated HMC-1 cells. The JRP-SNF102 or FMN inhibited TSLP and VEGF levels, attenuating redness and ear thickness in mice with acute ear edema; JRP-SNF102 or FMN reduced the expression levels of MDM2, HIF1α, and NF-κB in the ear tissues. These findings suggest the potential for JRP-SNF102 as a functional food in the treatment of inflammatory skin disorders through suppression of TSLP and VEGF.
Anthracnose Controlled by Essential Oils: Are Nanoemulsion-Based Films and Coatings a Viable and Efficient Technology for Tropical Fruit Preservation?
Authors: de Oliveira Tamires Sousa , Costa André Mesquita Magalhães , Cabral Lourdes Maria Corrêa , Freitas-Silva Otniel , Rosenthal Amauri , Tonon Renata Valeriano
Published: January 2023

Post-harvest diseases can be a huge problem for the tropical fruit sector. These fruits are generally consumed in natura; thus, their integrity and appearance directly affect commercialization and consumer desire. Anthracnose is caused by fungi of the genus Colletotrichum and affects tropical fruits, resulting in lesions that impair their appearance and consumption. Antifungals generally used to treat anthracnose can be harmful to human health, as well as to the environment. Therefore, essential oils (EO) have been investigated as natural biofungicides, successfully controlling anthracnose symptoms. The hydrophobicity, high volatility, and oxidative instability of essential oils limit their direct application; hence, these oils must be stabilized before food application. Distinct delivery systems have already been proposed to protect/stabilize EOs, and nanotechnology has recently reshaped the food application limits of EOs. This review presents robust data regarding nanotechnology application and EO antifungal properties, providing new perspectives to further improve the results already achieved in the treatment of anthracnose. Additionally, it evaluates the current scenario involving the application of EO directly or incorporated in films and coatings for anthracnose treatment in tropical fruits, which is of great importance, especially for those fruits intended for exportation that may have a prolonged shelf life.
Downregulation of Peroxidase Activity of Platinum Cube Enables Minute–Time Scale Colorimetric Signaling of Hypoxanthine for Fish Freshness Monitoring
Authors: Ma Xiaoming , Feng Tingting , Zhang Peng , Zhang Hui , Hu Xuan , Yang Yuying , Wang Zhen , Zhang Huifang , Peng Dong , Li Xun , Xu Jianguo
Published: January 2023

Due to its unique biological composition, aquatic products, especially fish, are extremely perishable compared to other muscle products. Herein, we proposed an artificial nanozyme-based colorimetric detection of hypoxanthine (Hx), the indicator of fish freshness, in a minute–time scale without the assistance of a natural enzyme (hypoxanthine oxidase). The principle is based on the interaction between Hx and polyvinylpyrrolidone-modified platinum cubic nanomaterials (PVP-PtNC), in which the catalytic active sites of PVP-PtNC’s surface were blocked by Hx. This causes the downregulation of PVP-PtNC’s catalytic ability and weakened its ability to catalyze the oxidization of 3,3′,5,5′-Tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) by H2O2. Accordingly, the decrease in the UV–vis absorption and the weakening of the colorimetric reaction color is proportional to the Hx concentration. On this basis, a target-triggered colorimetric method for detecting Hx is developed for fish freshness monitoring with a fast detection speed, low cost, high accuracy, and simplified operation. Experiments reveal that the correlation response of Hx is from 0.5 μM to 10 mM with a limit of detection of 0.16 μM. In particular, the Hx detected from real fish indicates that the method possesses a promising potential for practical application. All of these features are expected to promote the development of online detection tools for food safety monitoring.
Acute Oral Toxicity and Genotoxicity Test and Evaluation of Cinnamomum camphora Seed Kernel Oil
Authors: Wang Pengbo , Wan Dongman , Peng Ting , Yang Yujing , Wen Xuefang , Yan Xianghui , Xia Jiaheng , Zhu Qingwen , Yu Ping , Gong Deming , Zeng Zheling
Published: January 2023

Cinnamomum camphora seed kernel oil (CCSKO) is one of the important natural medium chain triglycerides (MCT) resources, with more than 95.00% of medium chain fatty acids found in the world, and has various physiological effects. However, CCSKO has not been generally recognized as a safe oil or new food resource yet. The acute oral toxicity test and a standard battery of genotoxicity tests (mammalian erythrocyte micronucleus test, Ames test, and in vitro mammalian cell TK gene mutation test) of CCSKO as a new edible plant oil were used in the study. The results of the acute oral toxicity test showed that CCSKO was preliminary non-toxic, with an LD50 value higher than 21.5 g/kg body weight. In the mammalian erythrocyte micronucleus test, there was no concentration-response relationship between the dose of CCSKO and micronucleus value in polychromatic erythrocytes compared to the negative control group. No genotoxicity was observed in the Ames test in the presence or absence of S9 at 5000 μg/mL. In vitro mammalian cell TK gene mutation test showed that CCSKO did not induce in vitro mammalian cell TK gene mutation in the presence or absence of S9 at 5000 μg/mL. These results indicated that CCSKO is a non-toxic natural medium-chain oil.
Comparison of Solid-Phase Extraction Sorbents for Monitoring the In Vivo Intestinal Survival and Digestion of Kappa-Casein-Derived Caseinomacropeptide
Authors: Qu Yunyao , Kim Bum-Jin , Koh Jeewon , Dallas David C.
Published: January 2023

Kappa-casein-derived caseinomacropeptide (CMP)—a 64-amino-acid peptide—is released from kappa-casein after rennet treatment and is one of the major peptides in whey protein isolate (WPI). CMP has anti-inflammatory and antibacterial activities. It also has two major amino acid sequences with different modifications, including glycosylation, phosphorylation, and oxidation. To understand the potential biological role of CMP within the human body, there is a need to examine the extent to which CMP and CMP-derived fragments survive across the digestive tract, where they can exert these functions. In this study, three solid-phase extraction (SPE) methods—porous graphitized carbon (PGC), hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography (HILIC), and C18 chromatography—were evaluated to determine which SPE sorbent is the most efficient to extract intact CMP and CMP-derived peptides from WPI and intestinal digestive samples prior to LC-MS/MS acquisition. The C18 SPE sorbent was the most efficient in extracting intact CMP and CMP-derived peptides from WPI, whereas the PGC SPE sorbent was the most efficient in extracting CMP-derived peptides from intestinal digesta samples.
Non-Destructive Detection of Meat Quality Based on Multiple Spectral Dimension Reduction Methods by Near-Infrared Spectroscopy
Authors: Zheng Xiaochun , Chen Li , Li Xin , Zhang Dequan
Published: January 2023

The potential of four dimension reduction methods for near-infrared spectroscopy was investigated, in terms of predicting the protein, fat, and moisture contents in lamb meat. With visible/near-infrared spectroscopy at 400–1050 nm and 900–1700 nm, respectively, calibration models using partial least squares regression (PLSR) or multiple linear regression (MLR) between spectra and quality parameters were established and compared. The MLR prediction models for all three quality parameters based on the wavelengths selected by stepwise regression achieved the best results in the spectral region of 400–1050 nm. As for the spectral region of 900–1700 nm, the PLSR prediction model based on the raw spectra or high-correlation spectra achieved better results. The results of this study indicate that sampling interval shortening and of peak-to-trough jump features are worthy of further study, due to their great potential in explaining the quality parameters.
Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid-Producing Levilactobacillus brevis Strains as Probiotics in Litchi Juice Fermentation
Authors: Jin Yiwen , Wu Jinyong , Hu Dan , Li Jun , Zhu Weiwei , Yuan Lixia , Chen Xiangsong , Yao Jianming
Published: January 2023

Levilactobacillus brevis strains can be isolated from traditional Chinese pickles and used as the starter cultures to improve the nutritional profiles of fermented juices. Three L. brevis strains (LBG-29, LBG-24, LBD–14) that produce high levels of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA; >300 mg/L) were isolated from traditional Chinese pickles. The strains showed tolerance to low pH and high bile salts and exhibited safety in vitro. Litchi juice was fermented using each strain at 37 °C for 48 h. The litchi juice was determined to be a good substrate for fermentation as the process enhanced its functional profile. Overall, cell vitality increased (above 8.7 log10 CFU/mL), the antioxidant activities of 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and ferric ion-reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) were significantly increased, and the antioxidant capacity of the 2,2′-amino-di(3-ethyl-benzothiazoline sulphonic acid-6)ammonium salt (ABTS) was decreased. There was also a significant increase in the GABA and acetic acid content after LBG-29 and LBG-24 fermentation. It was thus determined that the LBG-29 and LBG-24 strains could be used to improve beverage functionality and aid in the development of new products. This is the first report of litchi fermentation using L. brevis as a starter culture. Further research is required to elucidate the functional benefits for the human body and the nutritional and functional properties during its shelf life.
Docosahexaenoic Acid Stability in Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food
Authors: James Genevieve , Stephenson Kevin , Callaghan-Gillespie Meghan , Kamara Mohamed Tabita , Park Hui Gyu , Brenna J. Thomas , Manary Mark J.
Published: January 2023

Ready-to-use therapeutic food (RUTF) is used to treat young children diagnosed with severe acute malnutrition. RUTF with low and balanced linoleic and alpha-linolenic acid, plus omega-3 docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), supports long-term cognitive recovery. DHA is prone to degradation due to peroxidation, possibly exacerbated by the iron inherently in RUTF. Our goals were to prepare benchtop and manufacturing scale of RUTF formulations that include DHA and measure its retention. Twenty-seven RUTF formulas with base ingredients, including oats, high oleic or commodity peanuts, and encapsulated or oil-based DHA at various levels were prepared at benchtop scale, followed by seven months of climate-controlled storage. These pilot samples had similar relative DHA retention. At the manufacturing scale, DHA was added at one of two stages in the process, either at the initial or the final mixing stage. Samples taken at preliminary or later steps show that less than 20% of DHA added at the early stages disappeared prior to packaging for any recipe tested. Overall, our data indicate that most DHA included in RUTF is retained in the final product and that DHA is best retained when added at the latest manufacturing stage.
Different Treatments for Sugarcane Juice Preservation
Authors: Dhansu Pooja , Ram Bakshi , Singh Ashish , Tomar Sudhir , Karuppaiyan Ramaiyan , Kumar Ravinder , Chhabra Manohar , Singh Ajay , Raja Arun , Kaushik Prashant , Pandey Shashi
Published: January 2023

This investigation aimed to optimize the time, pH, pressure, and temperature of sugarcane juice pasteurization and to develop a “ready to serve” bottled sugarcane juice with a high preservation efficiency. Fresh sugarcane juice was extracted from sugarcane genotype Co 89003, and beverage samples were collected using three different treatments: sulphitation of juice with the addition of potassium metabisulphite (KMS-25, 50, 100, and 150 ppm), acidification of juice (addition of citric acid, to reduce the pH of the juice to 4.8, 4.5, and 4.25), and steam treatment of the canes (5 min, 10, and 15 min at 7 psi). In all treatments, the juice was pasteurized in glass bottles @ 65 °C for 25 min and stored at low temperature (5 °C) in pre-sterilized glass bottles. Juice properties such as the ˚Brix, total sugar, pH, and total phenolic content decreased with storage, whereas the microbial count, titrable acidity, and reducing sugar content significantly increased during storage. The addition of KMS, citric acid, and the steam treatment reduced the browning of juice and maintained the color of juice during storage, by inhibiting the polyphenol oxidase enzyme activity, from 0.571 unit/mL to 0.1 unit/mL. Among the selected treatments, sugarcane juice with KMS (100 and 150 ppm) and steam treatment of the canes for 5 and 10 min at 7 psi showed the minimum changes in physico-chemical properties, sensory qualities, and restricted microbial growth. Thesulphitation treatment with pasteurization proved best for increasing the shelf life of sugarcane juice upto 90 days with refrigeration. Similarly, the steam-subjected cane juice (10 and 15 min at 7 psi) could be effectively preserved for upto 30 days with refrigeration, without any preservative.
Physicochemical Characteristics of Meat Analogs Supplemented with Vegetable Oils
Authors: Cho Youngjae , Bae Junhwan , Choi Mi-Jung
Published: January 2023

This study identified the effect of the type and concentration of vegetable oil on the quality of meat analogs and analyzed the differences in their physiochemical characteristics. Various vegetable oils, such as castor oil, orange oil, palm oil, shortening, and margarine, were added to meat analogs. The meat analog was prepared by adding 10, 20, 30, 40, and 50 g of each vegetable oil based on 100 g of textured vegetable protein. The cooking loss, water content, liquid-holding capacity, texture, and antioxidant content of the meat analogs were assessed, and a sensory evaluation was performed. The meat analog with orange oil had a higher water content than the others, regardless of the amount of added oil, and it had a relatively high liquid-holding capacity. The DPPH(2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) radical scavenging activity of the meat analog with orange oil was higher than that of the others. The sensory evaluation also showed a decrease in soy odor and an increase in juiciness. Therefore, adding orange oil improves the preference, juiciness, soy odor, and quality of meat analogs. Our results demonstrate that orange oil has positive effects on the productivity of meat analogs and can help to improve meat analog consumption.
Replacing the Addition of Sulfite in Mustard Pickle Products by High-Hydrostatic-Pressure Processing to Delay Quality Deterioration during Storage
Authors: Chien Hung-I , Lee Yi-Chen , Yen Yu-Fan , Wei Pi-Chen , Hwang Chiu-Chu , Kuo Chia-Hung , Yen Feng-Lin , Tsai Yung-Hsiang
Published: January 2023

This study aimed to assess the use of the high-hydrostatic-pressure (HHP) method (200–600 MPa, 5 min) for bleaching mustard pickle products as an alternative to the conventional method of sulfite addition. The aerobic plate count (APC) and lactic acid bacteria count (LAB) of the samples decreased with the increase in pressure, and the yeast count decreased to no detectable levels. Next, compared with the control group (no high-pressure treatment) the L* (lightness), W (whiteness), ΔE (color difference), and texture (hardness and chewiness) of the HHP-processed samples, which increased significantly with increasing pressure, while the a* (redness) and b* (yellowness) values decreased slightly. This indicates that HHP processing gave the mustard pickle a harder texture and a brighter white color and appearance. Furthermore, when the mustard pickle was treated with HHP 400 and 600 MPa for 5 min and stored at 25 °C for 60 days, it was found that the APC and LAB counts in the HHP-processed group recovered rapidly and did not differ from those in the control group (the non-HHP treated group) but significantly delayed the growth of yeast, the increase in pH value, and total volatile basic nitrogen (TVBN). The high-throughput sequencing (HTS) analysis revealed that the predominant bacterial genera in the non-HHP-treated mustard pickle were Lactiplantibacillus (74%), Lactilactobacillus (12%), and Levilactobacillus (6%); after 60 days of storage, Companilactobacillus (80%) became dominant. However, after 60 days of storage, Lactiplantibacillus (92%) became dominant in the samples processed at 400 MPa, while Levilactobacillus (52%), Pediococcus (17%), and Lactiplantibacillus (17%) became dominant in the samples processed at 600 MPa. This indicated that the HHP treatment changed the lactic acid bacterial flora of the mustard pickle during the storage period. Overall, it is recommended to treat the mustard pickle with HHP above 400 MPa for 5 min to improve its texture and color and delay the deterioration of quality during storage. Therefore, HHP technology has the potential to be developed as a treatment technique to replace the addition of sulfite.
Reduction in Five Harmful Substances in Fried Potato Chips by Pre-Soaking Treatment with Different Tea Extracts
Authors: Wang Weitao , Wang Huaixu , Wu Zhongjun , Duan Tingting , Liu Pengzhan , Ou Shiyi , El-Nezami Hani , Zheng Jie
Published: January 2023

Thermally processed food always contains various types of harmful substances. Control of their levels in food is important for human health. This work used the extracts from green tea dust, old green tea, yellow tea, white tea, oolong tea, and black tea to simultaneously mitigate diverse harmful substances in fried potato chips. The six tea extracts (30 g/L) all showed considerable inhibitory effects on the formation of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (reduced by 19.8%–53.2%), glyoxal (26.9%–36.6%), and methylglyoxal (16.1%–75.1%). Green tea and black tea extracts exhibited better inhibitory abilities than the other three teas and were further investigated for other harmful compounds by various concentration treatments. Finally, pre-soaking of fresh potato slices in 50 g/L extracts of green tea dust displayed, overall, the most promising inhibitory capacity of HMF (decreased by 73.3%), glyoxal (20.3%), methylglyoxal (69.7%), acrylamide (21.8%), and fluorescent AGEs (42.9%) in fried potato chips, while it exhibited the least impact on the color and texture. The high level of catechins in green tea dust may contribute most to its outstanding inhibitory effect, whereas the distinguished inhibitory effect of black tea extract was speculated to be attributable to the high levels of theaflavins and amino acids in the fully fermented tea. This study indicated that green tea dust, a predominant waste of the tea industry, had great potential to be exploited to improve food quality and safety.
An End-to-End Underwater-Image-Enhancement Framework Based on Fractional Integral Retinex and Unsupervised Autoencoder
Authors: Yu Yang , Qin Chenfeng
Published: January 2023

As an essential low-level computer vision task for remotely operated underwater robots and unmanned underwater vehicles to detect and understand the underwater environment, underwater image enhancement is facing challenges of light scattering, absorption, and distortion. Instead of using a specific underwater imaging model to mitigate the degradation of underwater images, we propose an end-to-end underwater-image-enhancement framework that combines fractional integral-based Retinex and an encoder–decoder network. The proposed variant of Retinex aims to alleviate haze and color distortion in the input image while preserving edges to a large extent by utilizing a modified fractional integral filter. The encoder–decoder network with channel-wise attention modules trained in an unsupervised manner to overcome the lack of paired underwater image datasets is designed to refine the output of the Retinex. Our framework was evaluated under qualitative and quantitative metrics on several public underwater image datasets and yielded satisfactory enhancement results on the evaluation set.
A New Perspective on the Exact Solutions of the Local Fractional Modified Benjamin–Bona–Mahony Equation on Cantor Sets
Authors: Wang Kang-Jia , Shi Feng
Published: January 2023

A new local fractional modified Benjamin–Bona–Mahony equation is proposed within the local fractional derivative in this study for the first time. By defining some elementary functions via the Mittag–Leffler function (MLF) on the Cantor sets (CSs), a set of nonlinear local fractional ordinary differential equations (NLFODEs) is constructed. Then, a fast algorithm namely Yang’s special function method is employed to find the non-differentiable (ND) exact solutions. By this method, we can extract abundant exact solutions in just one step. Finally, the obtained solutions on the CS are outlined in the form of the 3-D plot. The whole calculation process clearly shows that Yang’s special function method is simple and effective, and can be applied to investigate the exact ND solutions of the other local fractional PDEs.
Outpatient Service Use in Korean Older Adult Women with Degenerative Arthritis Based on Andersen’s Model
Authors: Jang Soyoung , Suh Eunyoung E.
Published: January 2023

To ensure that older adults (aged 65 years or older) can experience a healthy life, they should use medical services that are appropriate, both quantitatively and qualitatively. This study aimed to identify the factors affecting outpatient service use by older adult women with degenerative arthritis using Andersen’s model. A survey was conducted among 232 older adult women with degenerative arthritis in two university hospitals in Seoul. The Korean Activities of Daily Living, Korean Instrumental Activities of Daily Living, and the Geriatric Depression Scale Short Form were used. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, χ2-test, t-test, and multiple logistic regression analysis. Among the participants, 69.8% used outpatient services and 30.2% did not. In the univariate analyses, age, marital status, residency, household income, chronic diseases, subjective health status, and disability were significant. Age (odds ratio [OR] = 5.53, p < 0.001), annual household income (OR = 5.64, p < 0.001), chronic diseases (OR = 11.06, p < 0.001), and disability (OR = 3.56, p = 0.016) significantly affected outpatient service use. The results suggest that health promotion interventions for Korean older adult women should focus on predicting outpatient service use according to the patient’s characteristics.
A Smart Monitoring System for Self-Nutrition Management in Pediatric Patients with Inherited Metabolic Disorders: Maple Syrup Urine Disease (MSUD)
Authors: Banjar Haneen Reda
Published: January 2023

A metabolic disorder is due to a gene mutation that causes an enzyme deficiency which leads to metabolism problems. Maple Syrup Urine Disease (MSUD) is one of the most common and severe hereditary metabolic disorders in Saudi Arabia. Patients and families were burdened by complex and regular dietary therapy menus because of the lack of information on food labels, it was also difficult to keep track of MSUD’s typical diet. The prototype smart plate system proposed in this work may help patients with MSUD and their caregivers better manage the patients’ MSUD diet. The use of knowledge-based, food identification techniques and a device could provide a support tool for self-nutrition management in pediatric patients. The requirements of the system are specified by using questionaries. The design of the prototype is divided into two parts: software (mobile application) and hardware (3D model of the plate). The knowledge-based mobile application contains knowledge, databases, inference, food recognition, food plan, monitor food plan, and user interfaces. The hardware prototype is represented in a 3D model. All the patients agreed that a smart plate system connected to a mobile application could help to track and record their daily diet. A self-management application can help MSUD patients manage their diet in a way that is more pleasant, effortless, accurate, and intelligent than was previously possible with paper records. This could support dietetic professional practitioners and their patients to achieve sustainable results.
Telerehabilitation, A Viable Option in Patients with Persistent Post-COVID Syndrome: A Systematic Review
Authors: Valverde-Martínez María Ángeles , López-Liria Remedios , Martínez-Cal Jesús , Benzo-Iglesias María Jesús , Torres-Álamo Lucía , Rocamora-Pérez Patricia
Published: January 2023

The number of patients with post-COVID-19 syndrome continues to increase considerably, having serious healthcare, social and economic repercussions. The objective of this study is to describe the effectiveness of telerehabilitation to alleviate the symptoms of post-COVID-19 syndrome. A systematic review was conducted using the information available on four databases (PubMed, Medline, Scielo and PEDRo) on these patients until November 2022. The MeSH search terms were: Post-COVID syndrome, Post-COVID-19, Long COVID, Telerehabilitation, Physiotherapy, Rehabilitation, Virtual, Home care. Six articles were included which provided information on 140 patients, detailing their symptomatology, assessment, treatment and monitoring. The variables measured were dyspnea, fatigue, physical performance and quality of life. All studies included aerobic and anaerobic exercises. Most notable among the techniques used were rib cage expansion exercises, respiratory control and thoracic cage stretching, patient education, Mindfulness and virtual reality games to address physical, mental and relaxation aspects. The use of telerehabilitation could be an effective tool for the treatment of persistent symptoms after suffering from COVID-19. It has been shown in these studies that patients improve both their physical performance and their quality of life.
Antioxidant Capacity and Shelf Life of Radish Microgreens Affected by Growth Light and Cultivars
Authors: Mlinarić Selma , Piškor Antonija , Melnjak Anja , Mikuška Alma , Šrajer Gajdošik Martina , Begović Lidija
Published: January 2023

Microgreens are young, immature vegetables that contain higher concentrations of active compounds compared to mature vegetables and seeds. Radish microgreens are a good source of antioxidants, phenolic compounds, ascorbic acid, carotenoids, and anthocyanins. The production of microgreens is limited by their short shelf life due to higher dark respiration and accelerated senescence. The study was performed on three radish cultivars (Raphanus sativus L.): purple radish (cvP), red radish (cvR), and green radish (cvG). Radish microgreens were grown in chambers with controlled conditions (24 °C and a photoperiod of 16/8 h) under two types of artificial LED light (45 μmol m−2s−1): under white light (B:G:R) and a blue/red light combination (B:2R). The effect of the two types of light was examined on the 3rd, 7th, and 14th day after storage at a low temperature (+4 °C). The physiological status of the three cultivars of radish microgreens was examined by measuring the contents of total soluble phenolics, ascorbic acid, proteins, sugars, dry matter, anthocyanins, carotenoids, and chlorophyll as well as the total antioxidant activity. The results revealed that radish microgreens’ antioxidant capacity and phytochemical profile depend on the radish cultivar and on the type of LED light used for cultivation. It was shown that B:2R and red cultivar were most beneficial for the synthesis of most of the determined phytochemicals compared to B:G:R, or the purple and green cultivar, respectively. Storage at a low temperature in darkness slowed down most of the metabolic reactions during the first seven days, thus preserving most of the antioxidant activity.
Effects of Caprifig (Ficus carica var. caprificus) Storage Temperature and Duration on the Fruit Productivity and Quality of ‘Bursa Siyahi’ Figs
Authors: Ahi Koşar Dilan , Ertürk Ümran
Published: January 2023

Caprification is the process of hanging caprifig fruits on edible fig trees to transfer the pollen inside the caprifig to the edible fig via the wasp (Blastophaga psenes) living in the caprifig. It needs to be repeated several times for the proper fruit set of edible figs. The present study was conducted to determine the change in the number of Blastophaga psenes, the duration of Blastophaga’s exit, and pollen viability in case the caprifigs to be used in the caprification process are stored until use. The number of Blastophaga and in vitro pollen viability were tested at day 0 (harvest day) and after 4, 8, 12, 16 and 20 days of storage at three different temperatures (0, 4, and 8 °C). Afterwards, the effect of pollination frequency on the edible fig fruit set and quality was determined by using Blastophaga psenes as a vector in the pollination of stored caprifig fruits, pollinating five times with 4-day intervals and three times with 8-day intervals. Approximately a 50% reduction in the number of B. psenes was detected after 4 (180.22), 12 (174.11) and 16 (192.66) days of caprifigs storage at 0, 4, and 8 °C, respectively. The pollen germination percentage of the caprifigs increased with storage and was higher in those stored at 8 °C (43.96%) and 4 °C (41.70%). The highest fruit set was obtained when the caprifigs stored at 4 °C (76.41%) and 8 °C (71.38%) five times with 4-day intervals were used for pollination. The pollination practice repeated five times with 4-day intervals resulted in a lower proportion of extra-large fruits with a weight of >100 g, a higher proportion of fruits with no or slight ostiole damage and early ripening of fruits. These results suggest that B. psenes and pollen viability can be preserved by storing caprifigs at 4 or 8 °C and that fruit set and fruit characteristics would be positively affected with the use of stored caprifigs in the pollination practice repeated five times with 4-day intervals.
Seed Priming with Exogenous Amino Acids Improves Germination Rates and Enhances Photosynthetic Pigments of Onion Seedlings (Allium cepa L.)
Authors: Abdelkader Mostafa , Voronina Luidmila , Puchkov Mikhail , Shcherbakova Natalya , Pakina Elena , Zargar Meisam , Lyashko Marina
Published: January 2023

As a biostimulant, amino acids play crucial roles in enhancing plant growth and development. These roles, combined with the ability to be approved for organic usage, make amino acids a good choice for sustainable farming systems. This work investigates the effect of onion seed priming with different exogenous amino acids, specifically the impact of seed priming in enhancing a diverse range of morpho-physiological responses of onion seedlings. Here, we primed onion seeds (Cultivar Giza 6) with ten exogenous amino acids. Based on the growth parameters of onion seedlings, data showed that glutamine significantly improved the most studied parameters. Germination percentage (GP) ranged from 85% in Methionine (Met) to 98.5% in Proline (Pro) and Tryptophan (Try), with 10% over the control treatment. Glutamine (Glu) enhanced the vigor index (VI) of onion, giving the seeds a high ability to produce normal seedlings. The most extended root system (≥3.3 cm) was obtained from Glu, Glycine (Gly), Pro, and Try treatments. The maximum shoot length was obtained from treatments (Glu and Try) with more than 60% over control. Priming onion seeds with amino acids (AAs) increased chlorophyll contents compared with non-primed seeds. Glutamine and Threonine (Thr) had the highest results (122 and 127 μg/g fresh weight, respectively), while the Glu treatment registered the highest Carotene contents with 50% over the control treatment. Furthermore, the data illustrate that the principal component analysis-1 (PCA1) indicates 67.2% variability, and PCA2 indicates 14.8% variability. Strong positive correlations were observed between germination percentage, root length, shoot length, dry matter, chlorophyll a, and carotene. The study concluded that the primed onion seeds by glutamine, proline, and tryptophan had the best germination rates.
Transcriptome Analysis of Rhododendron liliiflorum H. Lév. Flower Colour Differences
Authors: Zhang Hang , Chen Meifeng , Wang Xinglin , Dai Jin , Zhang Xu , Zhang Zhengdong , Zhang Ximin , Tang Ming , Tang Jing , Gong Jiyi , Liu Lunxian , Yi Yin
Published: January 2023

Rhododendron liliiflorum H. Lév., with white outer edges and yellow inner edges of petals, is an ornamental flower that originated in China. In this study, we analysed the white (W) and yellow (Y) parts of R. liliiflorum flowers by RNA sequencing. Then, unigene assembly, unigene annotation, and classification of Eukaryotic Orthologous Groups (KOGs) were performed. Gene ontology (GO) classification and pathway enrichment analysis for unigenes were also conducted. A total of 219,221 transcripts and 180,677 unigenes of R. liliiflorum were obtained from 48.52 Gb of clean reads. Differentially expressed gene (DEG) analysis indicated that 2310 unigenes were upregulated and 3062 were downregulated in W vs. Y. Thirty-six of these DEGs were involved in the flavonoid biosynthesis pathway. Pathway enrichment analysis showed that DEGs were significantly enriched in phenylpropanoid, flavonoid, and isoflavone biosynthesis. The expression of dihydroflavonol-4-reductase (DFR) and chalcone synthase (CHS) may affect differences in R. liliiflorum flower colour. The findings on flavonoid biosynthesis and other related genes in this study will provide guidance for exploring the mechanism of flower colour formation in Rhododendron.
Root ABA Accumulation Delays Lateral Root Emergence in Osmotically Stressed Barley Plants by Decreasing Root Primordial IAA Accumulation
Authors: Akhiyarova Guzel , Veselov Dmitriy , Ivanov Ruslan , Sharipova Guzel , Ivanov Igor , Dodd Ian C. , Kudoyarova Guzel
Published: January 2023

Increased auxin levels in root primordia are important in controlling root branching, while their interaction with abscisic acid (ABA) likely regulates lateral root development in water-deficient plants. The role of ABA accumulation in regulating root branching was investigated using immunolocalization to detect auxin (indoleacetic acid, IAA) and ABA (abscisic acid) in root primordia of the ABA-deficient barley mutant Az34 and its parental genotype (cv. Steptoe) barley plants. Osmotic stress strongly inhibited lateral root branching in Steptoe plants, but hardly affected Az34. Root primordial cells of Steptoe plants had increased immunostaining for ABA but diminished staining for IAA. ABA did not accumulate in root primordia of the Az34, and IAA levels and distribution were unaltered. Treating Az34 plants with exogenous ABA decreased root IAA concentration, while increasing root primordial ABA accumulation and decreasing root primordial IAA concentration. Although ABA treatment of Az34 plants increased the root primordial number, it decreased the number of visible emerged lateral roots. These effects were qualitatively similar to that of osmotic stress on the number of lateral root primordia and emerged lateral roots in Steptoe. Thus ABA accumulation (and its crosstalk with auxin) in root primordia seems important in regulating lateral root branching in response to water stress.
Design and Synthesis of New Boron-Based Benzo[c][1,2,5]oxadiazoles and Benzo[c][1,2,5]thiadiazoles as Potential Hypoxia Inhibitors
Authors: Das Sasmita , Shareef Mohammed Adil , Das Bhaskar C.
Published: January 2023

Benzo[c][1,2,5]oxadiazoles and benzo[c][1,2,5]thiadiazoles are recognized to possess potent pharmacological activities including anticancer potential. In continuation of our research endeavors in the development of boron-based heterocycles as potential therapeutic agents, herein we report the design and synthesis of new series of boron-based benzo[c][1,2,5]oxadiazoles and benzo[c][1,2,5]thiadiazoles as anticancer agents targeting tumor hypoxia. A series of seventeen compounds were synthesized in two steps in an efficient manner via substitution reactions followed by subsequent hydrolysis of aryltrifluoroboronate salts into corresponding boronic acid derivatives in the presence of silica. This is the first example to develop boron-based hypoxia agents. The synthesized hybrids were characterized by suitable spectroscopic techniques. The biological studies are currently underway.
Invasive Aedes japonicus Mosquitoes Dominate the Aedes Fauna Collected with Gravid Traps in Wooster, Northeastern Ohio, USA
Authors: Nanfack-Minkeu Ferdinand , Delong Alexander , Luri Moses , Poelstra Jelmer W.
Published: January 2023

Aedes japonicus (Diptera: Culicidae), or the Asian rock pool mosquito, is an invasive mosquito in Europe and America. It was first detected outside of Asia in 1990 in Oceania. It has since expanded to North America and Europe in 1998 and 2000, respectively. Even though it is classified as a secondary vector of pathogens, it is competent to several arboviruses and filarial worms, and it is contributing to the transmission of La Crosse virus (LACV) and West Nile virus (WNV). In this study, CDC light, BG-sentinel, and gravid traps were used to collect mosquitoes between June and October 2021, in Wooster, Northeastern Ohio, USA. Morphological identification or/and Sanger sequencing were performed to identify the collected mosquitoes. Our results revealed that (adult) Ae. japonicus mosquitoes were the most abundant mosquito species collected with gravid traps in Wooster in 2021, confirming its establishment in Ohio. Molecular analyses of Ae. japonicus showed 100% nucleotide similarity with Ae. japonicus collected in Iowa (USA) and Canada, suggesting multiple introductions. Its presence may increase the risk of future arbovirus outbreaks in Wooster, Ohio. This study stresses the importance of actively monitoring the density and distribution of all members of the Ae. japonicus complex.
Fractional Order Active Disturbance Rejection Control for Canned Motor Conical Active Magnetic Bearing-Supported Pumps
Authors: Nguyen Danh Huy , Ta The Tai , Vu Le Minh , Dang Van Trong , Nguyen Danh Giang , Le Duc Thinh , Nguyen Duy Dinh , Nguyen Tung Lam
Published: January 2023

Active magnetic bearings (AMBs) are electromagnetic mechanism systems in which non-contact bearings support a rotating shaft using attractive forces generated by electromagnets through closed-loop control. For complete support of a five degree of freedom (DOF) rotor system, most AMB structures include two radial actuators and one for the axial direction. Conical active magnetic bearings (CAMBs) is one of the development directions of conventional magnetic bearings in which the requirement of the axial bearing can be eliminated. In this paper, we propose a structure with a CAMB integrated into a canned motor pump to eliminate the need for mechanical bearings and shaft seals. However, this system necessitates a more complicated control strategy due to a significant coupling effect between rotor motion and hydrodynamic disturbances. This paper presents a fractional order active disturbance rejection control (FOADRC) including a fractional order extend state observer (FOESO) and a proportional derivative controller (PD) to track and reject lumped disturbances actively. The proposed controller achieves better performance than the integer-type ADRC and traditional PID controller. The control performance of the proposed FOADRC is illustrated in terms of very good disturbance rejection capability that is demonstrated through MATLAB/Simulink simulation results.
PNI-Based Nomograms to Predict Tumor Progression and Survival for Patients with Unresectable Hepatocellular Carcinoma Undergoing Transcatheter Arterial Chemoembolization
Authors: Lei Kai , Deng Zhuo-Fan , Wang Jia-Guo , You Ke , Xu Jie , Liu Zuo-Jin
Published: January 2023

Background: The relationship between the prognostic nutritional index (PNI) and the prognosis of malignancy has been increasingly mentioned in recent research. This study aimed to construct nomograms based on the PNI to predict tumor progression and survival in patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) undergoing transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE). Materials and Methods: The development set included 785 patients who underwent their first TACE between 2012 and 2016, and the validation set included 336 patients who underwent their first TACE between 2017 and 2018. The clinical outcomes included the time to progression (TTP) and overall survival (OS). Cox regression was applied to screen for independent risk factors of TTP and OS in the development set, and PNI-based nomograms were constructed for TTP and OS. The predictive performance of nomograms was conducted through the C-index, calibration curves, and decision analysis curves in the development set and validation set. Results: After multivariate analysis, the prognostic predictors of both TTP and OS included portal vessel invasion, extrahepatic metastasis, tumor number, alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) level, longest tumor diameter, and PNI. Furthermore, the Child–Pugh classification and platelets (PLTs) were independent risk factors for OS only. Nomograms for predicting TTP and OS were constructed using TTP and OS prognostic factors. In the development set and the validation set, the C-index of the TTP nomograms was 0.699 (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.680–0.718) and 0.670 (95%CI: 0.638–0.702), and the C-index of the OS nomograms was 0.730 (95%CI: 0.712–0.748) and 0.700 (95%CI: 0.665–0.723), respectively. Conclusion: Nomograms based on the PNI can effectively predict tumor progression and survival in patients with unresectable HCC undergoing TACE.
Immediate vs. Delayed Placement of Immediately Provisionalized Self-Tapping Implants: A Non-Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial with 1 Year of Follow-Up
Authors: Carosi Paolo , Lorenzi Claudia , Di Gianfilippo Riccardo , Papi Piero , Laureti Andrea , Wang Hom-Lay , Arcuri Claudio
Published: January 2023

This study aimed to examine the clinical and esthetic outcomes of immediately provisionalized self-tapping implants placed in extraction sockets or healed edentulous ridges one year after treatment. Sixty patients in need of a single implant-supported restoration were treated with self-tapping implants (Straumann BLX) and immediate provisionalization. The implant stability quotient (ISQ) and insertion torque were recorded intraoperatively. After one year in function, the implant and prosthesis survival rate, pink esthetic score (PES), white esthetic score (WES), and marginal bone levels (MBL) were assessed. Sixty patients received 60 self-tapping implants. A total of 37 implants were placed in extraction sockets and 23 in edentulous ridges, and then all implants were immediately provisionalized. All implants achieved a high implant stability with a mean insertion torque and ISQ value of 58.1 ± 14.1 Ncm and 73.6 ± 8.1 Ncm, respectively. No significant differences were found between healed vs. post-extractive sockets (p = 0.716 and p = 0.875), or between flap vs. flapless approaches (p = 0.862 and p = 0.228) with regards to the insertion torque and ISQ value. Nonetheless, higher insertion torque values and ISQs were recorded for mandibular implants (maxilla vs. mandible, insertion torque: 55.30 + 11.25 Ncm vs. 62.41 + 17.01 Ncm, p = 0.057; ISQ: 72.05 + 8.27 vs. 76.08 + 7.37, p = 0.058). One implant did not osseointegrate, resulting in an implant survival rate of 98.3%. All implants achieved PES and WES scores higher than 12 at the 1-year follow-up. The clinical use of newly designed self-tapping implants with immediate temporization was safe and predictable. The implants achieved a good primary stability, high implant survival rate, and favorable radiographic and esthetic outcomes, regardless of the immediate or delayed placement protocols.
Smear Layer and Debris Removal from Root Canals Comparing Traditional Syringe Irrigation and 3D Cleaning: An Ex Vivo Study
Authors: Iandolo Alfredo , Pisano Massimo , Abdellatif Dina , Sangiovanni Giuseppe , Pantaleo Giuseppe , Martina Stefano , Amato Alessandra
Published: January 2023

Background: Endodontic treatment objectives comprise eliminating or decreasing bacterial load inside the complex endodontic space. Removing the smear layer and debris becomes mandatory to achieve good three-dimensional (3D) cleaning. Aim: This study assesses the difference in smear layer removal using the 3D cleaning technique and traditional syringe needle irrigation. The 3D cleaning technique includes the ultrasonic activation of intracanal-heated NaOCl. Materials and Methods: Our current study used single-rooted human mandibular premolar teeth to test the earlier-mentioned technique (n = 30). Initially, an endodontic access cavity was performed. Consequently, specimens were randomly distributed into three study groups according to irrigation protocol. The groups were Group 1, where the traditional syringe needle irrigation system was applied; Group 2, where the 3D cleaning technique was performed; and Group 3, in which teeth remained uncleaned as it was regarded as the control group. Once the experiment was completed, the teeth were decoronated at the cementoenamel junction (CEJ) and examined using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Debris and smear layers were viewed in 1000× magnification and scored. Results: Statistical analysis was performed with a standard statistical software package (SPSS, version 28.0; SPSS IBM, Armonk, NY, USA). Data were analyzed with a nonparametric analysis of variance (Kruskal–Wallis ANOVA) among the groups tested and among the thirds of the canals. The level of significance was set at p < 0.05. A statistically significant (p < 0.05) lower mean smear layer and debris score was observed in both study groups compared to the control group. Group 2 showed better results compared to Group 1. Conclusions: The present study concluded that the 3D cleaning technique is an effective irrigation method for removing debris and smear layers. Future research, such as CLSM (Confocal Laser Scanning Microscopy) and Histological study, should be employed to confirm this study’s conclusion.