bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effect-Directed Profiling of Akebia quinata and Clitoria ternatea via High-Performance Thin-Layer Chromatography, Planar Assays and High-Resolution Mass Spectrometry
Authors: Nikolaichuk Hanna , Choma Irena M. , Morlock Gertrud E.
Published: March 2023

Two herbal plants, Akebia quinata D. leaf/fruit and Clitoria ternatea L. flower, well-known in traditional medicine systems, were investigated using a non-target effect-directed profiling. High-performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC) was combined with 11 different effect-directed assays, including two multiplex bioassays, for assessing their bioactivity. Individual active zones were heart-cut eluted for separation via an orthogonal high-performance liquid chromatography column to heated electrospray ionization high-resolution mass spectrometry (HPLC–HESI-HRMS) for tentative assignment of molecular formulas according to literature data. The obtained effect-directed profiles provided information on 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl scavenging, antibacterial (against Bacillus subtilis and Aliivibrio fischeri), enzyme inhibition (tyrosinase, α-amylase, β-glucuronidase, butyrylcholinesterase, and acetylcholinesterase), endocrine (agonists and antagonists), and genotoxic (SOS-Umu-C) activities. The main bioactive compound zones in A. quinata leaf were tentatively assigned to be syringin, vanilloloside, salidroside, α-hederin, cuneataside E, botulin, and oleanolic acid, while salidroside and quinatic acids were tentatively identified in the fruit. Taraxerol, kaempherol-3-rutinoside, kaempferol-3-glucoside, quercetin-3-rutinoside, and octadecenoic acid were tentatively found in the C. ternatea flower. This straightforward hyphenated technique made it possible to correlate the biological properties of the herbs with possible compounds. The meaningful bioactivity profiles contribute to a better understanding of the effects and to more efficient food control and food safety.
Bathochromic Shift of Fluorescence Peak in Dipyrrolo[1,2-a:2′,1′-c]quinoxaline by Introducing Each of Electron-Donating and Electron-Withdrawing Substituent
Authors: Matsumoto Shoji , Takamori Makoto , Akazome Motohiro
Published: March 2023

Development of organic fluorophore is an important theme. Especially, the fluorophores with longer fluorescence peaks are useful to biological probes. One of the methods to change the fluorescence peak is the introduction of substituents. However, opposing characteristics of the substituents lead to different changes in the fluorescence peaks. Furthermore, the introduction of the substituent also affects their electric properties. Thus, if the materials were developed with the substituent effect on the optical and electric properties separately, it will be useful to design the functional materials related to both optical and electric properties. Herein, we investigated the substituent effect of dipyrrolo[1,2-a:2′,1′-c]quinoxalines on fluorescence properties. We synthesized the compounds bearing electron-donating or electron-withdrawing substituents at the benzene ring on dipyrrolo[1,2-a:2′,1′-c]quinoxaline, which would have more direct influence on the optical properties. By introducing each substituent at the 6 position of dipyrrolo[1,2-a:2′,1′-c]quinoxaline, the bathochromic shift was observed in the fluorescence spectra. In the case of fluorine substituent, the change of the fluorescence peak reached was about 19 nm. Using a TDDFT calculation, we explained the reason for such a substituent effect that large on the increment of LUMO energy or decrement of HOMO energy occurred by introducing electron-withdrawing or electron-donating substituents at the 6 position, respectively. The substituent effect on the change of orbital energies is typical although the different characteristics of substituents resulted in the similar tendency about the change of fluorescence peak. Furthermore, with the introduction of phenyl substituents at the 3 and 10 positions, we achieved 40–50 nm longer fluorescence peaks compared with that of the original dipyrrolo[1,2-a:2′,1′-c]quinoxaline.
Lignans from the Roots and Rhizomes of Dysosma versipellis and Their Cytotoxic Activities
Authors: Sun Yanjun , Wang Haojie , Han Ruijie , Bai Hongyun , Li Meng , Wang Junmin , Feng Weisheng
Published: March 2023

One new dibenzyltyrolactone lignan dysoslignan A (1), three new arylnaphthalide lignans dysoslignan B–C (2–4), along with fourteen known metabolites (5–18), were isolated from the roots and rhizomes of Dysosma versipellis. Their structures and stereochemistry were determined from analysis of NMR spectroscopic and circular dichroism (CD) data. Compound 2 represents the first report of naturally occurring arylnaphthalide lignan triglycoside. The cytotoxic activities of all isolated compounds were evaluated against A-549 and SMMC-7721 cell lines. Compounds 7–10 and 14–16 were more toxic than cisplatin in two tumor cell lines. This investigation clarifies the potential effective substance basis of D. versipellis in tumor treatment.
Apigenin Inhibits the Progression of Osteoarthritis by Mediating Macrophage Polarization
Authors: Ji Xueyan , Du Wei , Che Wenqing , Wang Liping , Zhao Lu
Published: March 2023

Objective: The overall purpose of this study was to investigate the mechanism of macrophage polarization on chondrocyte injury in osteoarthritis and the protective effect of apigenin on chondrocytes in osteoarthritis. Method: Primary chondrocytes were isolated from the knee cartilage of three-day-old mice, and cells positive for Alsine blue staining and type II collagen immunocytochemical staining were identified and used in followup experiments. Transwell coculture was performed. Chondrocytes were inoculated in the inferior compartment, and macrophages were inoculated in the upper compartment. The experimental groups were the N group, LPS group, and LPS+ apigenin group. The effect of macrophage polarization on chondrocyte inflammation and the protective effect of apigenin on chondrocytes were verified by the drug administration. Real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR) and Western blot were used to detect the expression of RNA and protein. Experimental OA was induced by modified Hulth surgery in mice. Modified Hulth surgery was performed on the mouse’s right knee to induce experimental osteoarthritis in mice, with the nonoperative right knee serving as an ipsilateral control. The mice were randomly assigned to three groups (six mice per group): the sham group, the modified Hulth group, and the modified Hulth + apigenin group. Animals were given gavage for four weeks. The protective effect of apigenin on articular cartilage was verified by histological staining and immunohistochemical analysis. Results: Histological staining showed that apigenin had a protective effect on cartilage degeneration induced by modified Hulth surgery. The PCR results showed that apigenin significantly reduced the expression levels of IL-1, IL-6, MMP3, and MMP13 in the articular cartilage of OA mice, and it had a protective effect on articular cartilage. Apigenin reduced the levels of IL-1, IL-6, TNF-α, and IL-12 in macrophages and increased the levels of MG-L1, MG-L2, ARG-1, and IL-10, which can inhibit the M1 polarization of macrophages and promote M2 polarization. In the coculture system, apigenin decreased the protein levels of TRPM7, P-mTOR, BAX, and c-caspase3 in macrophages, while significantly increasing the protein levels of Bcl2. The levels of IL-1, IL-6, MMP13, TNF-α, P38, JNK, and ERK phosphorylation were reduced in chondrocytes. Conclusion: Apigenin alleviates cartilage injury in OA mice induced by modified Hulth. Apigenin inhibits chondrocyte inflammation through the MAPK pathway. Apigenin alleviates macrophage-polarization-induced inflammatory response and chondrocyte apoptosis in the macrophage–chondrocyte coculture system through the TRPM7-mTOR pathway.
Designing an Innovative Electrospinning Strategy to Generate PHBV Nanofiber Scaffolds with a Radially Oriented Fibrous Pattern
Authors: Wang Qiuyu , Ma Jianwei , Chen Shaojuan , Wu Shaohua
Published: March 2023

Electrospinning has contributed substantially to the construction of nanofibrous scaffolds for potential tissue engineering and regenerative medicine applications. However, conventional electrospinning only has the ability to generate and collect nanofiber scaffolds with a randomly oriented fibrous pattern, which lack the necessary cell alignment guidance function. In this study, a novel electrospinning fiber-collecting device was designed and developed by setting a series of small pin-ring-structured collectors on a large plain plate. Specifically, we demonstrated that the pin-ring-structured collectors, which were constructed by inserting a metal pin into the center of a metal ring, could collect the as-electrospun nanofibers with radially oriented structures in an innovative manner. We first investigated the suitable polymeric concentration for electrospinning poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV), and the optimum electrospinning concentration of PHBV was found to be 12% (w/v) PHBV dissolved in hexafluoroisopropyl alcohol (HFIP). Then, 12% (w/v) PHBV solution was electrospun into radially oriented nanofiber scaffolds using our novel electrospinning strategy, and their various performances were further compared with conventionally randomly oriented nanofiber scaffolds that were also produced from 12% (w/v) PHBV solution. The results showed that the radially oriented PHBV nanofiber scaffolds exhibited obviously enhanced mechanical properties and decreased hydrophobicity compared with the randomly oriented PHBV nanofiber scaffold controls. Importantly, the biological properties of radially oriented PHBV nanofiber scaffolds were also demonstrated to be enhanced, compared with randomly oriented PHBV nanofiber scaffolds, by effectively inducing cell alignment and significantly promoting cell proliferation. In sum, the present study indicates that our as-prepared nanofiber scaffolds with a radially oriented pattern are of great interest for advanced applications, such as wound dressings and tissue-engineered scaffolds.
Impact of High Salt-Intake on a Natural Gut Ecosystem in Wildling Mice
Authors: Cardilli Alessio , Hamad Ibrahim , Dyczko Aleksandra , Thijs Sofie , Vangronsveld Jaco , Müller Dominik N. , Rosshart Stephan P. , Kleinewietfeld Markus
Published: March 2023

The mammalian holobiont harbors a complex and interdependent mutualistic gut bacterial community. Shifts in the composition of this bacterial consortium are known to be a key element in host health, immunity and disease. Among many others, dietary habits are impactful drivers for a potential disruption of the bacteria–host mutualistic interaction. In this context, we previously demonstrated that a high-salt diet (HSD) leads to a dysbiotic condition of murine gut microbiota, characterized by a decrease or depletion of well-known health-promoting gut bacteria. However, due to a controlled and sanitized environment, conventional laboratory mice (CLM) possess a less diverse gut microbiota compared to wild mice, leading to poor translational outcome for gut microbiome studies, since a reduced gut microbiota diversity could fail to depict the complex interdependent networks of the microbiome. Here, we evaluated the HSD effect on gut microbiota in CLM in comparison to wildling mice, which harbor a natural gut ecosystem more closely mimicking the situation in humans. Mice were treated with either control food or HSD and gut microbiota were profiled using amplicon-based methods targeting the 16S ribosomal gene. In line with previous findings, our results revealed that HSD induced significant loss of alpha diversity and extensive modulation of gut microbiota composition in CLM, characterized by the decrease in potentially beneficial bacteria from Firmicutes phylum such as the genera Lactobacillus, Roseburia, Tuzzerella, Anaerovorax and increase in Akkermansia and Parasutterella. However, HSD-treated wildling mice did not show the same changes in terms of alpha diversity and loss of Firmicutes bacteria as CLM, and more generally, wildlings exhibited only minor shifts in the gut microbiota composition upon HSD. In line with this, 16S-based functional analysis suggested only major shifts of gut microbiota ecological functions in CLM compared to wildling mice upon HSD. Our findings indicate that richer and wild-derived gut microbiota is more resistant to dietary interventions such as HSD, compared to gut microbiota of CLM, which may have important implications for future translational microbiome research.
Low Protein Programming Causes Increased Mitochondrial Fusion and Decreased Oxygen Consumption in the Hepatocytes of Female Rats
Authors: Vidyadharan Vipin A. , Blesson Chellakkan S. , Tanchico Daren , Betancourt Ancizar , Smith Craig , Yallampalli Chandra
Published: March 2023

The liver is one of the major organs involved in the regulation of glucose and lipid homeostasis. The effectiveness of metabolic activity in hepatocytes is determined by the quality and quantity of its mitochondria. Mitochondrial function is complex, and they act via various dynamic networks, which rapidly adapt to changes in the cellular milieu. Our present study aims to investigate the effects of low protein programming on the structure and function of mitochondria in the hepatocytes of adult females. Pregnant rats were fed with a control or isocaloric low-protein diet from gestational day 4 until delivery. A normal laboratory chow was given to all dams after delivery and to pups after weaning. The rats were euthanized at 4 months of age and the livers were collected from female offspring for investigating the mitochondrial structure, mtDNA copy number, mRNA, and proteins expression of genes associated with mitochondrial function. Primary hepatocytes were isolated and used for the analysis of the mitochondrial bioenergetics profiles. The mitochondrial ultrastructure showed that the in utero low-protein diet exposure led to increased mitochondrial fusion. Accordingly, there was an increase in the mRNA and protein levels of the mitochondrial fusion gene Opa1 and mitochondrial biogenesis genes Pgc1a and Essra, but Fis1, a fission gene, was downregulated. Low protein programming also impaired the mitochondrial function of the hepatocytes with a decrease in basal respiration ATP-linked respiration and proton leak. In summary, the present study suggests that the hepatic mitochondrial dysfunction induced by an in utero low protein diet might be a potential mechanism linking glucose intolerance and insulin resistance in adult offspring.
Association between Skeletal Muscle Mass-to-Visceral Fat Ratio and Dietary and Cardiometabolic Health Risk Factors among Korean Women with Obesity
Authors: Lim Heeju , Son Kumhee , Lim Hyunjung
Published: March 2023

Sarcopenic obesity (SO) is more associated with cardiovascular diseases than sarcopenia or obesity alone. This study aimed to assess the association between the skeletal muscle mass-to-visceral fat area ratio (SVR) and dietary and cardiometabolic health risk factors in obese women. Fifty-nine women aged 19–65 years with BMI values of ≥25 kg/m2 and <32 kg/m2 were included. The SVR was inversely correlated with blood lipids (total cholesterol, β = −0.369, p = 0.022; low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, β = −0.326, p = 0.049) and hs-CRP (β = −0.305, p = 0.043). Among the dietary factors, fatty acid intake (saturated fatty acids (SFA), β = −0.287, p = 0.044; monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA), β = −0.282, p = 0.048; polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), β = −0.301, p = 0.035) was inversely correlated with the SVR. Conversely, vitamin B6 and B12 intake (vitamin B6, β = 0.338, p = 0.012; vitamin B12, β = 0.281, p = 0.024) showed positive associations with the SVR. Individuals with a lower SVR were more likely to have SO and higher blood lipids and inflammatory marker levels. Regarding dietary factors, the SVR increased with vitamin B6 and B12 intake, which was less likely to occur in individuals with SO.
Frequency of COVID-19 Infection as a Function of Vitamin D Levels
Authors: Basińska-Lewandowska Magdalena , Lewandowski Krzysztof , Horzelski Wojciech , Lewiński Andrzej , Skowrońska-Jóźwiak Elżbieta
Published: March 2023

Background: It has been speculated that higher concentrations of 25-hydroxy-vitamin D (25OHD) provide some protection against COVID-19. We assessed whether there is any relationship between 25OHD concentrations and the subsequent development of COVID-19 infection. Materials and Methods: Concentrations of 25OHD were measured in March–April 2020 in 134 healthy subjects (57 males), age range 6–50, from a single urban general practice in central Poland. Data on COVID-19 infection during the subsequent 12 months (prior to the vaccination program) were obtained from the national database of COVID-19 cases. None of the subjects received any 25OHD supplements. Results: The average 25OHD concentrations were 18.1 ± 7.39 ng/mL (37.3% had 25OHD above 20 ng/mL). Thirty-one (23.1%) patients developed COVID-19 infection, but an increased risk was only observed in individuals with 25OHD concentrations below 12 ng/mL (COVID-19 infection in 11 out of 25 patients (44%) with 25OHD < 12 ng/mL versus 20 out of 109 (18.3%) for those with 25OHD above 12 ng/mL, p = 0.0063). Such a relationship was no longer observed for subjects with 25OHD concentrations above 20 ng/mL (p = 0.2787). Conclusions: Although only a minority of healthy subjects had 25OHD concentrations above 20 ng/mL in spring, an increased risk of subsequent COVID-19 infection was only observed in those with severe 25OHD deficiency (<12 ng/mL).
Association of Vegetable Consumption with Stroke in China: A Longitudinal Study
Authors: Lv Meiru , Su Chang , Huang Feifei , Wang Huijun , Wang Zhihong , Zhang Bing , Du Wenwen
Published: March 2023

Research on the relationship between vegetable consumption and stroke among the Chinese population is still rare. This study aimed to explore the association between vegetable consumption and stroke. Using data from the China Health and Nutrition Survey (1991–2018), we included 15,145 participants over 40 years old without stroke as the baseline. Participants were categorized into five groups according to vegetable consumption. The adjusted HRs of stroke associated with vegetable consumption were calculated using the COX proportional hazards model. During the follow-up, 504 stroke cases were detected (303 men and 201 women). For the females, compared with the Q1 group of vegetable consumption, the multivariable-adjusted HRs for stroke were 0.60 (95%CI 0.36, 1.00) in the group of Q4. No significant associations between vegetable consumption and stroke were found among males. Furthermore, compared with the Q1 group of dark vegetable consumption, for the whole subjects, the multivariable-adjusted HRs for stroke were 0.68 (95%CI 0.50, 0.92) in the group of Q4. For the females, compared with the Q1 group of dark vegetable consumption, the multivariable-adjusted HRs for stroke were 0.49 (95%CI 0.30, 0.80) in the group of Q4. In conclusion, this study suggested that vegetable consumption decreases the risk of stroke among Chinese females. In addition, the intake of dark vegetables was inversely associated with stroke.
Evaluation of Molecular Methods to Identify Chagas Disease and Leishmaniasis in Blood Donation Candidates in Two Brazilian Centers
Authors: Ferreira Juliana de Jesus Guimarães , Costa Sandra Cecília Botelho , Addas-Carvalho Marcelo , Pereira Mariane Barroso , França Adriana de Oliveira , de Lima Rodrigo Gonçalves , Andrade Paula Durante , Wanderley Jamiro da Silva , Martins Luiz Cláudio , de Almeida Eros Antonio , Marcon Gláucia Elisete Barbosa
Published: March 2023

In Brazil, blood donation is regulated by the Brazilian Ministry of Health, and all States follow the same protocol for clinical and laboratory screening. Brazil is an endemic country for Chagas disease (CD), caused by Trypanosoma cruzi, and for leishmaniasis, caused by a species of Leishmania spp. Screening for leishmaniosis is not routinely performed by blood banks. Given the antigenic similarity between T. cruzi and Leishmania spp., cross-reactions in serological tests can occur, and inconclusive results for CD have been found. The objective of this study was to apply molecular techniques, e.g., nPCR, PCR, and qPCR, to clarify cases of blood donation candidates with non-negative serology for CD and to analyze the difference between the melting temperature during real-time PCR using SYBR Green. Thirty-seven cases that showed non-negative results for CD using chemiluminescent microparticle immunoassay (CMIA) tests from blood banks in Campo Grande, MS, and Campinas, SP, were analyzed. In the serum samples, 35 samples were evaluated by ELISA, and 24.3% (9/35) showed positive results for CD. nPCR was able to detect 12 positive results in 35 samples (34.28%). qPCR for T. cruzi was quantifiable in the samples that showed a value ≥0.002 par eq/mL (parasite equivalents per milliliter), and in 35 samples, 11 (31.42%) were positive. Of all evaluated samples using the described tests (CMIA, ELISA, nPCR, and qPCR), 18 (48.6%) were positive for CD. For MCA by qPCR, the melting temperature was 82.06 °C ± 0.46 for T. cruzi and 81.9 °C ± 0.24 for Leishmania infantum. The Mann–Whitney test showed a significant value of p < 0.0001. However, the differentiation between T. cruzi and L. infantum could not be considered due to temperature overlap. For leishmaniasis, of the 35 samples with non-negative serology for CD tested by the indirect fluorescent antibody test (IFAT), only one sample (2.85%) was positive (1:80). The PCR for Leishmania spp. was performed on 36 blood samples from donation candidates, and all were negative. qPCR for L. infantum showed 37 negative results for the 37 analyzed samples. The data presented here show the importance of performing two different tests in CD screening at blood banks. Molecular tests should be used for confirmation, thereby improving the blood donation system.
Analytical Quality by Design: Achieving Robustness of an LC-CAD Method for the Analysis of Non-Volatile Fatty Acids
Authors: Walther Rasmus , Krmar Jovana , Leistner Adrian , Svrkota Bojana , Otašević Biljana , Malenović Andjelija , Holzgrabe Ulrike , Protić Ana
Published: March 2023

An alternative to the time-consuming and error-prone pharmacopoeial gas chromatography method for the analysis of fatty acids (FAs) is urgently needed. The objective was therefore to propose a robust liquid chromatography method with charged aerosol detection for the analysis of polysorbate 80 (PS80) and magnesium stearate. FAs with different numbers of carbon atoms in the chain necessitated the use of a gradient method with a Hypersil Gold C18 column and acetonitrile as organic modifier. The risk-based Analytical Quality by Design approach was applied to define the Method Operable Design Region (MODR). Formic acid concentration, initial and final percentages of acetonitrile, gradient elution time, column temperature, and mobile phase flow rate were identified as critical method parameters (CMPs). The initial and final percentages of acetonitrile were fixed while the remaining CMPs were fine-tuned using response surface methodology. Critical method attributes included the baseline separation of adjacent peaks (α-linolenic and myristic acid, and oleic and petroselinic acid) and the retention factor of the last compound eluted, stearic acid. The MODR was calculated by Monte Carlo simulations with a probability equal or greater than 90%. Finally, the column temperature was set at 33 °C, the flow rate was 0.575 mL/min, and acetonitrile linearly increased from 70 to 80% (v/v) within 14.2 min.
MMPP Exerts Anti-Inflammatory Effects by Suppressing MD2-Dependent NF-κB and JNK/AP-1 Pathways in THP-1 Monocytes
Authors: Kim Seonhwa , Kim Na-Yeon , Park Jae-Young , Park Hyo-Min , Lim Chae-Min , Kim Jinju , Lee Hee Pom , Hong Jin Tae , Yoon Do-Young
Published: March 2023

(E)-2-methoxy-4-[3-(4-methoxyphenyl) prop-1-en-1-yl] phenol (MMPP), a novel synthetic analog of (E)-2,4-bis(p-hydroxyphenyl)-2-butenal (BHPB), exerts anti-inflammatory and anticancer effects by downregulating the STAT3 pathway. It has also been recently reported that MMPP can act as a PPAR agonist which enhances glucose uptake and increases insulin sensitivity. However, it has not yet been elucidated whether MMPP can act as an antagonist of MD2 and inhibit MD2-dependent pathways. In this study, we evaluated the underlying modulatory effect of MMPP on inflammatory responses in LPS-stimulated THP-1 monocytes. MMPP inhibited the LPS-induced expression of inflammatory cytokines, such as TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6, as well as the inflammatory mediator COX-2. MMPP also alleviated the IKKαβ/IκBα and JNK pathways and the nuclear translocation of NF-κB p50 and c-Jun in LPS-stimulated THP-1 monocytes. In addition, the molecular docking analyses and in vitro binding assay revealed that MMPP can directly bind to CD14 and MD2, which are expressed in the plasma membrane, to recognize LPS first. Collectively, MMPP was directly bound to CD14 and MD2 and inhibited the activation of the NF-κB and JNK/AP-1 pathways, which then exerted anti-inflammatory activity. Accordingly, MMPP may be a candidate MD2 inhibitor targeting TLR4, which exerts anti-inflammatory effects.
Magnetic Bone Tissue Engineering: Reviewing the Effects of Magnetic Stimulation on Bone Regeneration and Angiogenesis
Authors: Ribeiro Tiago P. , Flores Miguel , Madureira Sara , Zanotto Francesca , Monteiro Fernando J. , Laranjeira Marta S.
Published: March 2023

Bone tissue engineering emerged as a solution to treat critical bone defects, aiding in tissue regeneration and implant integration. Mainly, this field is based on the development of scaffolds and coatings that stimulate cells to proliferate and differentiate in order to create a biologically active bone substitute. In terms of materials, several polymeric and ceramic scaffolds have been developed and their properties tailored with the objective to promote bone regeneration. These scaffolds usually provide physical support for cells to adhere, while giving chemical and physical stimuli for cell proliferation and differentiation. Among the different cells that compose the bone tissue, osteoblasts, osteoclasts, stem cells, and endothelial cells are the most relevant in bone remodeling and regeneration, being the most studied in terms of scaffold–cell interactions. Besides the intrinsic properties of bone substitutes, magnetic stimulation has been recently described as an aid in bone regeneration. External magnetic stimulation induced additional physical stimulation in cells, which in combination with different scaffolds, can lead to a faster regeneration. This can be achieved by external magnetic fields alone, or by their combination with magnetic materials such as nanoparticles, biocomposites, and coatings. Thus, this review is designed to summarize the studies on magnetic stimulation for bone regeneration. While providing information regarding the effects of magnetic fields on cells involved in bone tissue, this review discusses the advances made regarding the combination of magnetic fields with magnetic nanoparticles, magnetic scaffolds, and coatings and their subsequent influence on cells to reach optimal bone regeneration. In conclusion, several research works suggest that magnetic fields may play a role in regulating the growth of blood vessels, which are critical for tissue healing and regeneration. While more research is needed to fully understand the relationship between magnetism, bone cells, and angiogenesis, these findings promise to develop new therapies and treatments for various conditions, from bone fractures to osteoporosis.
Adjusting Heterodimeric Coiled-Coils (K/E Zipper) to Connect Autophagy-Inducing Peptide with Cell-Penetrating Peptide
Authors: Hakata Yoshiyuki , Yamashita Kazuma , Hashimoto Sonoko , Ohtsuki Takashi , Miyazawa Masaaki , Kitamatsu Mizuki
Published: March 2023

A connection of a functional peptide with a cell-penetrating peptide (CPP) used a heterodimeric coiled-coil as a molecular zipper can improve the intracellular delivery and activity of the functional peptide. However, the chain length of the coiled coil required for functioning as the molecular zipper is unknown at present. To solve the problem, we prepared an autophagy-inducing peptide (AIP) that conjugates with the CPP via heterodimeric coiled-coils consisting of 1 to 4 repeating units (K/E zipper; AIP-Kn and En-CPP), and we investigated the optimum length of the K/E zipper for effective intracellular delivery and autophagy induction. Fluorescence spectroscopy showed that K/E zippers with n = 3 and 4 formed a stable 1:1 hybrid (AIP-K3/E3-CPP and AIP-K4/E4-CPP, respectively). Both AIP-K3 and AIP-K4 were successfully delivered into cells by the corresponding hybrid formation with K3-CPP and K4-CPP, respectively. Interestingly, autophagy was also induced by the K/E zippers with n = 3 and 4, more intensively by the former than by the latter. The peptides and K/E zippers used in this study did not show significant cytotoxicity. These results indicate that the effective induction of autophagy occurs via an exquisite balance of the association and dissociation of the K/E zipper in this system.
Diffractive Refractometer Based on Scalar Theory
Authors: Salvatore Marcella , Reda Francesco , Borbone Fabio , Januariyasa I Komang , Maddalena Pasqualino , Oscurato Stefano Luigi
Published: March 2023

The measurement of the refractive index typically requires the use of optical ellipsometry which, although potentially very accurate, is extremely sensitive to the structural properties of the sample and its theoretical modeling, and typically requires specialized expertise to obtain reliable output data. Here, we propose a simple diffractive method for the measurement of the refractive index of homogenous solid thin films, which requires only the structuring of the surface of the material to be measured with the profile of a diffraction grating. The refractive index of an exemplary soft-moldable material is successfully estimated over a wide wavelength range by simply incorporating the measured topography and diffraction efficiency of the grating into a convenient scalar theory-based diffraction model. Without the need for specialized expertise and equipment, the method can serve as a simple and widely accessible optical characterization of materials useful in material science and photonics applications.
Effect of the Simultaneous Addition of Polycaprolactone and Carbon Nanotubes on the Mechanical, Electrical, and Adhesive Properties of Epoxy Resins Cured with Ionic Liquids
Authors: Orduna Lidia , Otaegi Itziar , Aranburu Nora , Guerrica-Echevarría Gonzalo
Published: March 2023

Electrically-conductive epoxy nanocomposites (NCs) with improved mechanical and adhesive properties were achieved through the combined addition of poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) and carbon nanotubes (CNTs). Three different ionic liquids (ILs) were used as dual role agents, i.e., as both curing and dispersing agents. Regardless of the IL used, the epoxy/PCL matrix of the NCs showed a single-phase behaviour and similar glass transition (Tg) and crosslinking density (νe) values to the unfilled epoxy/PCL/IL systems. Although the CNTs were more poorly dispersed in the epoxy/PCL/CNT/IL NCs than in the reference epoxy/CNT/IL NCs, which led to slightly lower electrical conductivity values, the epoxy/PCL/CNT/IL NCs were still semiconductive. Their low-strain mechanical properties (i.e., flexural modulus and flexural strength) were similar or better than those of the reference epoxy/IL systems and their high-strain mechanical properties (i.e., deformation at break and impact strength) were significantly better. In addition, the positive effects of the PCL and the CNTs on the adhesive properties of the epoxy/IL system were combined. The substitution of ILs for traditional amine-based curing agents and biodegradable PCL for part of the epoxy resin represents an important advance on the road towards greater sustainability.
In Vitro and In Vivo Protective Effects of Agaro-Oligosaccharides against Hydrogen Peroxide-Stimulated Oxidative Stress
Authors: Wang Lei , Fu Xiaoting , Hyun Jimin , Xu Jiachao , Gao Xin , Jeon You-Jin
Published: March 2023

In our previous research, we investigated the anti-inflammatory activity of the agaro-oligosaccharides prepared from the agar of Gracilaria lemaneiformis (AO). In the present study, in order to further explore the bioactivities of AO, the antioxidant activity of AO was investigated in vitro in Vero cells and in vivo in zebrafish. AO scavenged alkyl, 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl, and hydroxyl radicals at the IC50 value of 4.86 ± 0.13, 3.02 ± 0.44, and 1.33 ± 0.05 mg/mL, respectively. AO significantly suppressed hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)-stimulated oxidative damage by improving cell viability. This happened via suppressing apoptosis by scavenging intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS). Furthermore, the in vivo results displayed that AO protected zebrafish against H2O2-stimulated oxidative damage by reducing the levels of intracellular ROS, cell death, and lipid peroxidation in a dose-dependent manner. These results indicate that AO effectively alleviated in vitro and in vivo oxidative damage stimulated by H2O2, and suggest the potential of AO in the cosmetic and functional food industries.
Energy Absorption and Ballistic Performance of Epoxy Composite Reinforced with Arapaima Scales
Authors: Bezerra Wendell B. A. , Lazarus Benjamin S. , Costa Ulisses O. , Figueiredo André B.-H. S. , Lima Édio P. , Luz Fernanda S. da , Monteiro Sergio N.
Published: March 2023

Arapaima scales possess a hierarchical structure capable of absorbing a considerable amount of energy before fracture. These natural dermal armors present significant potential in the sustainable development of cost-effective composites. This work aimed, for the first time, to analyze the impact resistance and ballistic performance of arapaima scale-reinforced epoxy composites and their potential application in multilayered armor systems (MAS). Composite plates were prepared with 20%, 30%, and 40 vol% of arapaima scales. Composite specimens were subjected to notched Izod impact and residual velocity stand-alone tests and their MAS through backface signature (BFS) tests, with their fracture surfaces studied using SEM. The Izod tests confirmed the effect of scales’ volume fraction on the energy absorbed by the composites, showing an increase with volume fraction. Residual velocity tests showed that composites with 30 vol% of scales resulted in the most significant improvement in absorbed energy. All MAS formulations presented BFS depths lower than the trauma limit specified by the NIJ standard. Fractographic analysis showed that the scales’ toughening mechanisms improved the composites’ energy absorption capacity. The experimental results substantiate the potential use of arapaima scales as a reinforcement agent in polymeric composites, with 30 vol% being the optimal volume fraction for energy-absorbing applications.
Review of Research and Development of Hydraulic Synchronous Control System
Authors: Li Ruichuan , Yuan Wentao , Ding Xinkai , Xu Jikang , Sun Qiyou , Zhang Yisheng
Published: March 2023

Hydraulic synchronous control systems are widely used in various industrial fields. This paper deeply analyzes the research status and development trend of the hydraulic synchronous control system. Firstly, it gives a brief introduction of the research significance control theory and control methods of the hydraulic synchronous control system. Secondly, the hydraulic synchronization control system is classified, the synchronization error is analyzed, and some solutions to synchronization error are given. Then, according to the classification of the hydraulic synchronous control system, relevant research is carried out. In this paper, three control modes (equivalent, master–slave and cross-coupling) and related control algorithms (fuzzy PID control, sliding mode control, robust control, machine learning control, neural network control, etc.) of closed-loop hydraulic synchronous control systems are studied in detail. Finally, the development trend of the hydraulic synchronization control system is predicted and prospected, which can provide some reference for promoting the research and application of hydraulic synchronization technology in the future industrial field.
Experimental Study on Small-Strain Elastic Parameters of Biochar–Methanotroph–Clay Mixture
Authors: Zhang Shuyun , Sun Wenjing , Xu Kun , Liu Deyang
Published: March 2023

During the service of a landfill, uneven soil settlement and earthquakes can cause changes to the pore structure and cracks in the covering layer. The use of a biochar–methanotroph–clay mixture as a new landfill covering layer, can improve its engineering properties. The biochar–methanotroph–clay mixture’s shear-wave velocity and compression-wave velocity were measured by the bender–extender element test, and the elastic parameters under small-strain conditions, such as maximum shear modulus, Gmax, maximum constrained modulus, Mmax, and Poisson’s ratio, ν, were obtained. The parameters showed that the elastic characteristics and lateral deformation capacity were of great significance for settlement, seismic field, and stress–strain analysis. Based on the bender–extender element test, the effects of different compaction degrees, and biochar content on Gmax, Mmax, and ν of the biochar–clay mixture, and different methane cultivation days on the biochar–methanotroph–clay mixture, were investigated. The results showed that the Gmax, Mmax, and ν of the biochar–clay mixture increased with the increase in biochar content and dry density. When the biochar content was 15%, and the dry density was 1.64 g/cm3, the ν increased significantly. The Gmax and Mmax of the biochar–methanotroph–clay mixture tended to increase with the increase in methane cultivation days, and the higher the biochar content, the more obvious the increasing trend. The ν showed a decreasing trend with the increase in methane cultivation days, and the resistance to lateral deformation was stronger.
Research on the Particle Breakage Mechanism in High-Speed Shear Wet Granulation
Authors: Wei Shuaikang , Chen Yibiao , Fang Zheng , Zhou Hongming , Xie Yuhui , Yang Lei
Published: March 2023

During the operation of a high-speed shear wet granulator, the rotation of the granulation components leads to the emergence of the phenomenon of particle breakage, which results in changes in particle size. To simulate the breakage process of pharmaceutical powder particle agglomerates in a granulator, a Hertz–Mindlin with bonding contact model was designed in this study. The effects of impeller speed, chopper speed, and granulation time on particle breakage were then studied. The results show that the agglomerates formed by the powder particles are not only sheared and collided by the chopper at high speed but also squeezed by the impeller, which causes the powder particles to break. In this paper, 20 sets of case simulations were conducted, and it was found that the impeller significantly affected the fragmentation rate of particles. Increasing the speed of the impeller increases the particle breakage rate and reduces the mean particle size.
Estimation of Anthocyanins in Leaves of Trees with Apple Mosaic Disease Based on Hyperspectral Data
Authors: Zhang Zijuan , Jiang Danyao , Chang Qingrui , Zheng Zhikang , Fu Xintong , Li Kai , Mo Haiyang
Published: March 2023

Anthocyanins are severity indicators for apple mosaic disease and can be used to monitor tree health. However, most of the current studies have focused on healthy leaves, and few studies have estimated the anthocyanin content in diseased leaves. In this study, we obtained the hyperspectral data of apple leaves with mosaic disease, analyzed the spectral characteristics of leaves with different degrees of Mosaic disease, constructed and screened the spectral index sensitive to anthocyanin content, and improved the estimation model. To improve the conciseness of the model, we integrated Variable Importance in Projection (VIP), Partial Least Squares Regression (PLSR), and Akaike Information Criterion (AIC) to select the optimal PLSR model and its independent variables. Sparrow Search Algorithm-Random Forest (SSA-RF) was used to improve accuracy. Results showed the following: (1) anthocyanin content increased gradually with the aggravation of disease. The reflectance of the blade spectrum in the visible band increased, the red edge moved to short wave, and the phenomenon of “blue shift of spectrum” occurred. (2) The VIP-PLSR-AIC selected 17 independent variables from 21 spectral indices. (3) Variables were used to construct PLSR, Back Propagation (BP), Support Vector Machine (SVM), Random Forest (RF), and SSA-RF to estimate anthocyanin content. Results showed the estimation accuracy and stability of the SSA-RF model were better than other models. The model set determination coefficient (R2) was up to 0.955, which is 0.047 higher than that of the RF model and 0.138 higher than that of the SVM model with the lowest accuracy. The model was constructed at the leaf scale and can provide a reference for other scale studies, including a theoretical basis for large-area, high-efficiency, high-precision anthocyanin estimation and monitoring of apple mosaics using remote sensing technology.
Statistical Bias Correction of Precipitation Forecasts Based on Quantile Mapping on the Sub-Seasonal to Seasonal Scale
Authors: Li Xiaomeng , Wu Huan , Nanding Nergui , Chen Sirong , Hu Ying , Li Lingfeng
Published: March 2023

Accurate precipitation forecasting is challenging, especially on the sub-seasonal to seasonal scale (14–90 days) which mandates the bias correction. Quantile mapping (QM) has been employed as a universal method of precipitation bias correction as it is effective in correcting the distribution attributes of mean and variance, but neglects the correlation between the model and observation data and has computing inefficiency in large-scale applications. In this study, a quantile mapping of matching precipitation threshold by time series (MPTT-QM) method was proposed to tackle these problems. The MPTT-QM method was applied to correct the FGOALS precipitation forecasts on the 14-day to 90-day lead times for the Pearl River Basin (PRB), taking the IMERG-final product as the observation. MPTT-QM was justified by comparing it with the original QM method in terms of precipitation accumulation and hydrological simulations. The results show that MPTT-QM not only improves the spatial distribution of precipitation but also effectively preserves the temporal change, with a better precipitation detection ability. Moreover, the MPTT-QM-corrected hydrological modeling has better performance in runoff simulations than the QM-corrected modeling, with significantly increased KGE metrics ranging from 0.050 to 0.693. MPTT-QM shows promising values in improving the hydrological utilities of various lead time precipitation forecasts.
Landslide Monitoring along the Dadu River in Sichuan Based on Sentinel-1 Multi-Temporal InSAR
Authors: Huang Huibao , Ju Shujun , Duan Wei , Jiang Dejun , Gao Zhiliang , Liu Heng
Published: March 2023

The Dadu River travels in the mountainous areas of southwestern China, one of regions with the most hazards that has long suffered from frequent geohazards. The early identification of landslides in this region is urgently needed, especially after the recent Luding earthquake (MS 6.8). While conventional ground-based monitoring techniques are limited by the complex terrain conditions in these alpine valley regions, space interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR) provides an incomparable advantage in obtaining surface deformation with high precision and over a wide area, which is very useful for long-term and slow geohazard monitoring. In this study, more than 500 Sentinel-1 SAR images with four frames acquired during 2017~2022 were collected to detect the hidden landslide regions from the Jinchuan to Ebian Section along the Dadu River, based on joint-scatterer InSAR (JS-InSAR) and small baseline subset (SBAS) techniques. The results showed that our method could be successfully applied for landslide monitoring in complex mountainous regions. Furthermore, 143 potential landslide regions spreading over an 800 km area along the Dadu River were extracted by integrating the deformation measurements and optical images. Our study can provide a reference for large-scale geological hazard surveys in mountainous areas, and the InSAR technique will be encouraged for the local government in future long-term monitoring applications in the Dadu River Basin.
VV-YOLO: A Vehicle View Object Detection Model Based on Improved YOLOv4
Authors: Wang Yinan , Guan Yingzhou , Liu Hanxu , Jin Lisheng , Li Xinwei , Guo Baicang , Zhang Zhe
Published: March 2023

Vehicle view object detection technology is the key to the environment perception modules of autonomous vehicles, which is crucial for driving safety. In view of the characteristics of complex scenes, such as dim light, occlusion, and long distance, an improved YOLOv4-based vehicle view object detection model, VV-YOLO, is proposed in this paper. The VV-YOLO model adopts the implementation mode based on anchor frames. In the anchor frame clustering, the improved K-means++ algorithm is used to reduce the possibility of instability in anchor frame clustering results caused by the random selection of a cluster center, so that the model can obtain a reasonable original anchor frame. Firstly, the CA-PAN network was designed by adding a coordinate attention mechanism, which was used in the neck network of the VV-YOLO model; the multidimensional modeling of image feature channel relationships was realized; and the extraction effect of complex image features was improved. Secondly, in order to ensure the sufficiency of model training, the loss function of the VV-YOLO model was reconstructed based on the focus function, which alleviated the problem of training imbalance caused by the unbalanced distribution of training data. Finally, the KITTI dataset was selected as the test set to conduct the index quantification experiment. The results showed that the precision and average precision of the VV-YOLO model were 90.68% and 80.01%, respectively, which were 6.88% and 3.44% higher than those of the YOLOv4 model, and the model’s calculation time on the same hardware platform did not increase significantly. In addition to testing on the KITTI dataset, we also selected the BDD100K dataset and typical complex traffic scene data collected in the field to conduct a visual comparison test of the results, and then the validity and robustness of the VV-YOLO model were verified.
A Fault-Detection System Approach for the Optimization of Warship Equipment Replacement Parts Based on Operation Parameters
Authors: Michelena Álvaro , López Víctor , López Francisco , Arce Elena , Mendoza García José , Suárez-García Andrés , García Espinosa Guillermo , Calvo-Rolle José-Luis , Quintián Héctor
Published: March 2023

Systems engineering plays a key role in the naval sector, focusing on how to design, integrate, and manage complex systems throughout their life cycle; it is therefore difficult to conceive functional warships without it. To this end, specialized information systems for logistical support and the sustainability of material solutions are essential to ensure proper provisioning and to know the operational status of the frigate. However, based on an architecture composed of a set of logistics applications, this information system may require highly qualified operators with a deep knowledge of the behavior of onboard systems to manage it properly. In this regard, failure detection systems have been postulated as one of the main cutting-edge methods to address the challenge, employing intelligent techniques for observing anomalies in the normal behavior of systems without the need for expert knowledge. In this paper, the study is concerned to the scope of the Spanish navy, where a complex information system structure is responsible for ensuring the correct maintenance and provisioning of the vessels. In such context, we hereby suggest a comparison between different one-class techniques, such as statistical models, geometric boundaries, or dimensional reduction to face anomaly detection in specific subsystems of a warship, with the prospect of applying it to the whole ship.