bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A QSAR–ICE–SSD Model Prediction of the PNECs for Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances and Their Ecological Risks in an Area of Electroplating Factories
Authors: Zhang Jiawei , Zhang Mengtao , Tao Huanyu , Qi Guanjing , Guo Wei , Ge Hui , Shi Jianghong
Published: November 2021

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) are a class of highly fluorinated aliphatic compounds that are persistent and bioaccumulate, posing a potential threat to the aquatic environment. The electroplating industry is considered to be an important source of PFASs. Due to emerging PFASs and many alternatives, the acute toxicity data for PFASs and their alternatives are relatively limited. In this study, a QSAR–ICE–SSD composite model was constructed by combining quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR), interspecies correlation estimation (ICE), and species sensitivity distribution (SSD) models in order to obtain the predicted no-effect concentrations (PNECs) of selected PFASs. The PNECs for the selected PFASs ranged from 0.254 to 6.27 mg/L. The ΣPFAS concentrations ranged from 177 to 983 ng/L in a river close to an electroplating industry in Shenzhen. The ecological risks associated with PFASs in the river were below 2.97 × 10−4.
Anti-Cancer Properties of Ginkgolic Acids in Human Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma CNE-2Z Cells via Inhibition of Heat Shock Protein 90
Authors: Li Hong-Mei , Ma Hui , Sun Xiaolong , Li Bohan , Cao Chengjiang , Dai Yiqun , Zhu Meilin , Wu Cheng-Zhu
Published: November 2021

Ginkgo biloba L. has been used in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) for thousands of years. However, the anti-cancer properties of ginkgolic acids (GAS) isolated from G. biloba have not been investigated in human nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells. In this study, GAS exhibited an inhibitory effect on the ATPase activity of heat shock protein 90 (Hsp90) and anti-proliferative activities against four human cancer cell lines, with IC50 values ranging from 14.91 to 23.81 μg·mL−1. In vivo experiments confirmed that GAS inhibited tumor growth in CNE-2Z cell-xenografted nude mice with low hepatotoxicity. We further demonstrated that GAS suppressed migration and invasion and induced the apoptosis of CNE-2Z cells by inducing the degradation of Hsp90 client proteins (MMP-2, MMP-9, Her-2, c-Raf, Akt, and Bcl-2). Together, GAS are new Hsp90 inhibitors by binding to Hsp90 (hydrogen bond and hydrophobic interaction). Thus, GAS from G. biloba might represent promising Hsp90 inhibitors for the development of anti-nasopharyngeal carcinoma agents.
Microbiota in Health and Disease—Potential Clinical Applications
Authors: Laudes Matthias , Geisler Corinna , Rohmann Nathalie , Bouwman Jildau , Pischon Tobias , Schlicht Kristina
Published: November 2021

Within the last two decades tremendous efforts in biomedicine have been undertaken to understand the interplay of commensal bacteria living in and on our human body with our own human physiology. It became clear that (1) a high diversity especially of the microbial communities in the gut are important to preserve health and that (2) certain bacteria via nutrition-microbe-host metabolic axes are beneficially affecting various functions of the host, including metabolic control, energy balance and immune function. While a large set of evidence indicate a special role for small chain fatty acids (SCFA) in that context, recently also metabolites of amino acids (e.g., tryptophan and arginine) moved into scientific attention. Of interest, microbiome alterations are not only important in nutrition associated diseases like obesity and diabetes, but also in many chronic inflammatory, oncological and neurological abnormalities. From a clinician’s point of view, it should be mentioned, that the microbiome is not only interesting to develop novel therapies, but also as a modifiable factor to improve efficiency of modern pharmaceutics, e.g., immune-therapeutics in oncology. However, so far, most data rely on animal experiments or human association studies, whereas controlled clinical intervention studies are spare. Hence, the translation of the knowledge of the last decades into clinical routine will be the challenge of microbiome based biomedical research for the next years. This review aims to provide examples for future clinical applications in various entities and to suggest bacterial species and/or microbial effector molecules as potential targets for intervention studies.
A Protective Role for Arachidonic Acid Metabolites against Advanced Colorectal Adenoma in a Phase III Trial of Selenium
Authors: Martinez Jessica A. , Skiba Meghan B. , Chow H-H. Sherry , Chew Wade M. , Saboda Kathylynn , Lance Peter , Ellis Nathan A. , Jacobs Elizabeth T.
Published: November 2021

Oxylipins derived from arachidonic acid (ARA) have been implicated in the development of colorectal adenomas and colorectal cancer. The primary purpose of this work was to determine the relationship between plasma levels of oxylipins and colorectal adenoma characteristics at study entry, as well as with the development of a new adenoma during follow-up within a Phase III adenoma prevention clinical trial with selenium (Sel). Secondarily, we sought to determine whether the selenium intervention influenced plasma oxylipin levels. Four oxylipins were quantified in stored plasma samples from a subset of Sel study subjects (n = 256) at baseline and at 12-months. There were significantly lower odds of an advanced adenoma at baseline with higher prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), with an OR (95% CI) of 0.55 (0.33–0.92), and with 5-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid (5-HETE) ((0.53 (0.33–0.94)); and of a large adenoma with higher PGE2 ((0.52 (0.31–0.87)). In contrast, no associations were observed between any oxylipin and the development of a new adenoma during follow-up. Selenium supplementation was associated with a significantly smaller increase in 5-HETE after 12 months compared to the placebo, though no other results were statistically significant. The ARA-derived oxylipins may have a role in the progression of non-advanced adenoma to advanced, but not with the development of a new adenoma.
Factors Associated with the Initiation of Added Sugar among Low-Income Young Children Participating in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children in the US
Authors: Bably Morium B. , Paul Rajib , Laditka Sarah B. , Racine Elizabeth F.
Published: November 2021

Added sugar intake at a young age is associated with chronic diseases including cardiovascular diseases, asthma, elevated blood pressure, and overweight. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2020–2025 and the American Heart Association recommend delaying the introduction of added sugar until age 2. The aims of this study were to identify the timing of added sugar initiation; factors associated with added sugar initiation; and the top five added sugar foods and beverages consumed by infants and children at three age ranges (<7 months, 8–13 months, and 14–24 months). Data were from the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) Infant and Toddler Feeding Practices Study-2, a longitudinal, national population of WIC participants enrolled in WIC eligible clinics (n = 3835). The Cox proportional hazards model was used to examine the factors associated with introducing added sugar. About 25% of children were given added sugar at or before 7 months. Contributing factors were caregivers’ race/ethnicity, education, employment, weight status, parity, child sex, and premature birth (all p < 0.05). The top added sugar foods consumed between 1–24 months were cereal, crackers, apple sauce, dessert, yogurt, sweetened beverages, syrup and preserves, and cookies. Further research to examine the impact of early initiation of added sugar on health outcomes and taste preferences is warranted.
Subjective Social Status Is Associated with Dysregulated Eating Behaviors and Greater Body Mass Index in an Urban Predominantly Black and Low-Income Sample
Authors: Stojek Monika M. , Wardawy Paulina , Gillespie Charles F. , Stevens Jennifer S. , Powers Abigail , Michopoulos Vasiliki
Published: November 2021

Background: Higher subjective social status (SSS) or a person’s perception of their social standing is related to better health outcomes, but few studies examined SSS in relation to obesity. Emotional eating and food addiction have been linked to obesity. Some studies indicated that manipulating SSS may lead to altered food intake, but the relationship between SSS and dysregulated eating, such as emotional eating and food addiction (FA), has not been examined. The goal of this study was to examine the associations between SSS in the community and the larger society, dysregulated eating (emotional eating and FA), and body mass index (BMI) in a majority racial minority sample. Methods: The participants (N = 89; 93% Black, 86% women, and 56% with obesity; 72% income lower than USD 2000), recruited from a publicly funded hospital in Atlanta, GA, completed the MacArthur Scale, Dutch Eating Behaviors Questionnaire, Yale Food Addiction Scale, Beck Depression Inventory, PTSD Symptom Checklist, and demographics questionnaire. Results: Twenty-two percent of the sample met the criteria for FA; those with FA had significantly higher BMI than those without (p = 0.018). In the hierarchical linear regression, the SSS community (but not in society) predicted higher severity of emotional eating (β = 0.26, p = 0.029) and FA (β = 0.30, p = 0.029), and higher BMI (β = 0.28, p = 0.046), independent from depression and PTSD symptoms. Conclusions: The findings indicate that, among Black individuals with predominantly low income in the U.S., perceived role in their community is associated with eating patterns and body mass. Given the small sample size, the results should be interpreted with caution.
LAT1 and SNAT2 Protein Expression and Membrane Localization of LAT1 Are Not Acutely Altered by Dietary Amino Acids or Resistance Exercise Nor Positively Associated with Leucine or Phenylalanine Incorporation in Human Skeletal Muscle
Authors: Mazzulla Michael , Hodson Nathan , Lees Matthew , Scaife Paula J. , Smith Kenneth , Atherton Philip J. , Kumbhare Dinesh , Moore Daniel R.
Published: November 2021

The influx of essential amino acids into skeletal muscle is primarily mediated by the large neutral amino acid transporter 1 (LAT1), which is dependent on the glutamine gradient generated by the sodium-dependent neutral amino acid transporter 2 (SNAT2). The protein expression and membrane localization of LAT1 may be influenced by amino acid ingestion and/or resistance exercise, although its acute influence on dietary amino acid incorporation into skeletal muscle protein has not been investigated. In a group design, healthy males consumed a mixed carbohydrate (0.75 g·kg−1) crystalline amino acid (0.25 g·kg−1) beverage enriched to 25% and 30% with LAT1 substrates L-[1-13C]leucine (LEU) and L-[ring-2H5]phenylalanine (PHE), respectively, at rest (FED: n = 7, 23 ± 5 y, 77 ± 4 kg) or after a bout of resistance exercise (EXFED: n = 7, 22 ± 2 y, 78 ± 11 kg). Postprandial muscle biopsies were collected at 0, 120, and 300 min to measure transporter protein expression (immunoblot), LAT1 membrane localization (immunofluorescence), and dietary amino acid incorporation into myofibrillar protein (ΔLEU and ΔPHE). Basal LAT1 and SNAT2 protein contents were correlated with each other (r = 0.55, p = 0.04) but their expression did not change across time in FED or EXFED (all, p > 0.05). Membrane localization of LAT1 did not change across time in FED or EXFED whether measured as outer 1.5 µm intensity or membrane-to-fiber ratio (all, p > 0.05). Basal SNAT2 protein expression was not correlated with ΔLEU or ΔPHE (all, p ≥ 0.05) whereas basal LAT1 expression was negatively correlated with ΔPHE in FED (r = −0.76, p = 0.04) and EXFED (r = −0.81, p = 0.03) but not ΔLEU (p > 0.05). Basal LAT1 membrane localization was not correlated with ΔLEU or ΔPHE (all, p > 0.05). Our results suggest that LAT1/SNAT2 protein expression and LAT1 membrane localization are not influenced by acute anabolic stimuli and do not positively influence the incorporation of dietary amino acids for de novo myofibrillar protein synthesis in healthy young males.
Feel Good, Eat Better: The Role of Self-Compassion and Body Esteem in Mothers’ Healthy Eating Behaviours
Authors: Carbonneau Noémie , Holding Anne , Lavigne Geneviève , Robitaille Julie
Published: November 2021

Mothers’ eating behaviours are important to ensure the health and well-being of themselves and their families. Recent research has pointed to self-compassion, defined as extending kindness to oneself in times of perceived inadequacy or general suffering, as a trait associated with healthy forms of eating, such as intuitive eating, and reduced maladaptive forms of eating, such as emotional eating. However, little is known about the psychological mechanism through which self-compassion relates to healthy eating behaviours. This study examined 100 mothers’ levels of self-compassion, body esteem and eating behaviours. Structural equation modelling revealed that self-compassion was positively associated with diet quality and intuitive eating, while being negatively associated with emotional eating. Moreover, these links occurred, in part, due to higher body esteem. This points to a mechanism through which self-compassion may positively contribute to mothers’ healthy eating behaviours. The implications for eating outcomes and women’s health are discussed.
Antiviral Activity and Underlying Action Mechanism of Euglena Extract against Influenza Virus
Authors: Nakashima Ayaka , Horio Yuka , Suzuki Kengo , Isegawa Yuji
Published: November 2021

It is difficult to match annual vaccines against the exact influenza strain that is spreading in any given flu season. Owing to the emergence of drug-resistant viral strains, new approaches for treating influenza are needed. Euglena gracilis (hereinafter Euglena), microalga, used as functional foods and supplements, have been shown to alleviate symptoms of influenza virus infection in mice. However, the mechanism underlying the inhibitory action of microalgae against the influenza virus is unknown. Here, we aimed to study the antiviral activity of Euglena extract against the influenza virus and the underlying action mechanism using Madin–Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cells. Euglena extract strongly inhibited infection by all influenza virus strains examined, including those resistant to the anti-influenza drugs oseltamivir and amantadine. A time-of-addition assay revealed that Euglena extract did not affect the cycle of virus replication, and cell pretreatment or prolonged treatment of infected cells reduced the virus titer. Thus, Euglena extract may activate the host cell defense mechanisms, rather than directly acting on the influenza virus. Moreover, various minerals, mainly zinc, in Euglena extract were found to be involved in the antiviral activity of the extract. In conclusion, Euglena extract could be a potent agent for preventing and treating influenza.
Inhibition of Soluble Epoxide Hydrolase Is Protective against the Multiomic Effects of a High Glycemic Diet on Brain Microvascular Inflammation and Cognitive Dysfunction
Authors: Nuthikattu Saivageethi , Milenkovic Dragan , Norman Jennifer E. , Rutledge John , Villablanca Amparo
Published: November 2021

Diet is a modifiable risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD) and dementia, yet relatively little is known about the effect of a high glycemic diet (HGD) on the brain’s microvasculature. The objective of our study was to determine the molecular effects of an HGD on hippocampal microvessels and cognitive function and determine if a soluble epoxide hydrolase (sEH) inhibitor (sEHI), known to be vasculoprotective and anti-inflammatory, modulates these effects. Wild type male mice were fed a low glycemic diet (LGD, 12% sucrose/weight) or an HGD (34% sucrose/weight) with/without the sEHI, trans-4-[4-(3-adamantan-1-yl-ureido)-cyclohexyloxy]-benzoic acid (t-AUCB), for 12 weeks. Brain hippocampal microvascular gene expression was assessed by microarray and data analyzed using a multi-omic approach for differential expression of protein and non-protein-coding genes, gene networks, functional pathways, and transcription factors. Global hippocampal microvascular gene expression was fundamentally different for mice fed the HGD vs. the LGD. The HGD response was characterized by differential expression of 608 genes involved in cell signaling, neurodegeneration, metabolism, and cell adhesion/inflammation/oxidation effects reversible by t-AUCB and hence sEH inhibitor correlated with protection against Alzheimer’s dementia. Ours is the first study to demonstrate that high dietary glycemia contributes to brain hippocampal microvascular inflammation through sEH.
Serum Untargeted Metabolism Reveals the Mechanism of L. plantarum ZDY2013 in Alleviating Kidney Injury Induced by High-Salt Diet
Authors: Wan Cuixiang , Chen Shufang , Zhao Kui , Ren Zhongyue , Peng Lingling , Xia Huiling , Wei Hua , Yu Bo
Published: November 2021

A high-salt diet (HSD) is one of the key risk factors for hypertension and kidney injury. In this study, a HSD C57BL/6J mice model was established with 4% NaCl, and then different concentrations of Lactobacillus plantarum ZDY2013 were intragastrically administered for 2 weeks to alleviate HSD-induced renal injury. For the study, 16S rRNA gene sequencing, non-targeted metabonomics, real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR, and Masson’s staining were used to investigate the mechanism of L. plantarum ZDY2013 in alleviating renal damage. Results showed that HSD caused intestinal inflammation and changed the intestinal permeability of mice, disrupted the balance of intestinal flora, and increased toxic metabolites (tetrahydrocorticosteron (THB), 3-methyhistidine (3-MH), creatinine, urea, and L-kynurenine), resulting in serious kidney damage. Interestingly, L. plantarum ZDY2013 contributed to reconstructing the intestinal flora of mice by increasing the level of Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium and decreasing that of Prevotella and Bacteroides. Moreover, the reconstructed intestinal microbiota significantly changed the concentration of the metabolites of hosts through metabolic pathways, including TCA cycle, ABC transport, purine metabolism, and histidine metabolism. The content of uremic toxins such as L-kynurenine, creatinine, and urea in the serum of mice was found to be decreased by L. plantarum ZDY2013, which resulted in renal injury alleviation. Our data suggest that L. plantarum ZDY2013 can indeed improve chronic kidney injury by regulating intestinal flora, strengthening the intestinal barrier, limiting inflammatory response, and reducing uremic toxins.
Synthesis and Antiproliferative Evaluation of 3-Chloroazetidin-2-ones with Antimitotic Activity: Heterocyclic Bridged Analogues of Combretastatin A-4
Authors: Malebari Azizah M. , Wang Shu , Greene Thomas F. , O’Boyle Niamh M. , Fayne Darren , Khan Mohemmed Faraz , Nathwani Seema M. , Twamley Brendan , McCabe Thomas , Zisterer Daniela M. , Meegan Mary J.
Published: November 2021

Antimitotic drugs that target tubulin are among the most widely used chemotherapeutic agents; however, the development of multidrug resistance has limited their clinical activity. We report the synthesis and biological properties of a series of novel 3-chloro-β-lactams and 3,3-dichloro-β-lactams (2-azetidinones) that are structurally related to the tubulin polymerisation inhibitor and vascular targeting agent, Combretastatin A-4. These compounds were evaluated as potential tubulin polymerisation inhibitors and for their antiproliferative effects in breast cancer cells. A number of the compounds showed potent activity in MCF-7 breast cancer cells, e.g., compound 10n (3-chloro-4-(3-hydroxy-4-methoxy-phenyl)-1-(3,4,5-trimethoxyphenyl)azetidin-2-one) and compound 11n (3,3-dichloro-4-(3-hydroxy-4-methoxyphenyl)-1-(3,4,5-trimethoxyphenyl)-azetidin-2-one), with IC50 values of 17 and 31 nM, respectively, and displayed comparable cellular effects to those of Combretastatin A-4. Compound 10n demonstrated minimal cytotoxicity against non-tumorigenic HEK-293T cells and inhibited the in vitro polymerisation of tubulin with significant G2/M phase cell cycle arrest. Immunofluorescence staining of MCF-7 cells confirmed that β-lactam 10n caused a mitotic catastrophe by targeting tubulin. In addition, compound 10n promoted apoptosis by regulating the expression of pro-apoptotic protein BAX and anti-apoptotic proteins Bcl-2 and Mcl-1. Molecular docking was used to explore the potential molecular interactions between novel 3-chloro-β-lactams and the amino acid residues of the colchicine binding active site cavity of β-tubulin. Collectively, these results suggest that 3-chloro-2-azetidinones, such as compound 10n, could be promising lead compounds for further clinical anti-cancer drug development.
Phase Statistics of Light/Photonic Wave Reflected from One-Dimensional Optical Disordered Media and Its Effects on Light Transport Properties
Authors: Pradhan Prabhakar
Published: November 2021

Light wave reflection intensity from optical disordered media is associated with its phase, and the phase statistics influence the reflection statistics. A detailed numerical study is reported for the statistics of the reflection coefficient |R(L)|2 and its associated phase θ for plane electromagnetic waves reflected from one dimensional Gaussian white-noise optical disordered media, ranging from weak to strong disordered regimes. The full Fokker–Planck (FP) equation for the joint probability distribution in the |R(L)|2−(θ) space is simulated numerically for varying length and disorder strength of the sample; and the statistical optical transport properties are calculated. Results show the parameter regimes of the validation of the random phase approximations (RPA) or uniform phase distribution, within the Born approximation, as well as the contribution of the phase statistics to the different reflections, averaging from nonuniform phase distribution. This constitutes a complete solution for the reflection phase statistics and its effect on light transport properties in a 1D Gaussian white-noise disordered optical potential.
Determining the Stable Injection Locking of a Fabry-Pérot Laser by Observing the RF Spectral Components Generated by a Low-Reflectivity External Cavity
Authors: Ratkoceri Jakup , Batagelj Bostjan
Published: November 2021

A novel approach to monitoring the laser injection-locking (IL) state is proposed and verified using the side-mode suppression ratio (SMSR). In a photonics experiment for laser IL, an optical spectrum analyzer with the conventional criterion of a 35-dB SMSR is conventionally used to detect the locking state of a Fabry–Pérot (FP) laser with multiple longitudinal modes to an external master laser with one longitudinal mode. Since the 35-dB criterion is not always a sufficient locking condition, we propose a microwave-photonic technique to determine the stable-locking regime based on the observation of the radio-frequency (RF) components. A novel approach to monitoring the generated additional spectral components uses the well-known delayed-self-homodyne technique and the RF spectrum analyzer. For the novel generation of additional longitudinal groups on each FP laser’s resonator mode in the optical spectrum and consequently the overlapping RF components in the RF spectrum, an additional external resonator with low reflectivity was connected to the slave FP laser. The novel monitoring approach was experimentally verified by connecting a 1-m-long external cavity with 0.5% reflectivity and observing the optical IL phenomenon of a 1550-nm FP semiconductor laser.
The Evaluation of Winter Wheat Adaptation to Climate Change in the Central Non-Black Region of Russia: Study of the Gene Pool Resistance of Wheat from the N.I. Vavilov Institute of Plant Industry (VIR) World Collection to Abiotic Stress Factors
Authors: Temirbekova Sulukhan K. , Kulikov Ivan M. , Afanasyeva Yuliya V. , Beloshapkina Olga O. , Kalashnikova Elena A. , Kirakosyan Rima N. , Dokukin Peter A. , Kucher Dmitry E. , Latati Mourad , Rebouh Nazih Y.
Published: November 2021

The paper presents the results of a 50-year research of the genepool of the winter wheat from the world’s largest wheat collection of N.I. Vavilov Institute of Plant Industry (VIR) to investigate its resistance to the abiotic stress factors of the Moscow region and see how closely it matches the attributes of a wheat ideotype as postulated by N.I. Vavilov in 1935. The critical years in studying the wheat’s winter resistance were 10 years out of 50: excessive water saturation during the year 2013; soil drought in 1988; and atmospheric drought in 1972 and 2010. During the investigation, the following gene pool features were analyzed: frost characterized by the cultivar Sojuz 50 (Russia), rapid temperature change, thawing, ice, and rotting resistance characterized by the cultivars Zarya 2 (Russia), Sv 75268, (Sweden), Caristerm and Tukan (Germany), PP 114-74 and Liwilla (Poland), Maris Ploughman and Granta (Great Britain), Titan (USA), Zdar (Czech), and Zenta (Switzerland); regeneration capacity in spring after poor wintering expressed by the cultivars Pamyati Fedina (Russia), TAW 3668.71 (Germany) and Rmo (Poland); resistance to excessive soil and air saturation exhibited by the cultivars Moskovskaya 39 (Russia), Tukan, Compal, Obelisk, Orestis, and Bussard (Germany); solid standing culm that is resistant to lodging characterized by the cultivars Tukan, Kronjuwel, Compal (Germany), Zenta (Switzerland), Moskovskaya 56 (Russia), and Hvede Sarah (Denmark); resistance to enzyme-mycotic depletion of seeds characterized by the cultivars Tukan, Compal, Obelisk, Orestis, Bussard (Germany), Sv 75268, Helge, VG 73394, Salut, Sv 75355 (Sweden), Zenta (Switzerland), Moskovskaya 39, and Ferrugineum 737.76 (Russia); and resistance to soil and atmospheric drought demonstrated by the cultivars Liessau, Heine Stamm, Severin, Neuzucht 14/4, Haynes, Rus 991, Halle 1020 (Germany), Gama (Poland), Sv 71536 (Sweden), and Moskovskaya 39 (Russia). Moreover, the cultivar Mironovskaya 808 (Ukraine) showed resistance to almost all abiotic stress factors studied. The performed study contributes towards the provision of potential sources of resistance to abiotic stress factors prevalent in the Moscow region that can be incorporated in advanced breeding programs.
Silicon Nanoparticles Improve the Shelf Life and Antioxidant Status of Lilium
Authors: Sánchez-Navarro Juan Francisco , González-García Yolanda , Benavides-Mendoza Adalberto , Morales-Díaz América Berenice , González-Morales Susana , Cadenas-Pliego Gregorio , García-Guillermo María del Socorro , Juárez-Maldonado Antonio
Published: November 2021

The production of ornamentals is an economic activity of great interest, particularly the production of Lilium. This plant is very attractive for its color and shapes; however, the quality of its flower and its shelf life can decrease very fast. Therefore, it is of the utmost importance to develop techniques that allow for increasing both flower quality and shelf life. Nanotechnology has allowed for the use of various materials with unique characteristics. These materials can induce a series of positive responses in plants, among which the production of antioxidant compounds stands out. The objective of this study was to determine the impact of the application of silicone nanoparticles (SiO2 NPs) on the quality, shelf life, and antioxidant status of Lilium. For this, different concentrations of SiO2 NPs (0, 200, 400, 600, 800, and 1000 mg L−1) were applied in two ways, foliar and soil, as two independent experiments. The contents of enzymatic (superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, catalase, ascorbate peroxidase, and phenylalanine ammonia lyase) and non-enzymatic (phenols, flavonoids, and glutathione) antioxidant compounds, the mineral content, flower quality, and shelf life were analyzed. The results showed that the application of SiO2 NPs through the foliar method induced a greater flowers’ shelf life (up to 21.62% more than the control); greater contents of Mg, P, and S (up to 25.6%, 69.1%, and 113.9%, respectively, compared to the control); more photosynthetic pigment (up to 65.17% of total chlorophyll); more glutathione peroxidase activity (up to 69.9%); more phenols (up to 25.93%); and greater antioxidant capacity as evaluated by the DPPH method (up to 5.18%). The use of SiO2 NPs in the production of Lilium is a good alternative method to increase flower quality and shelf life.
Effect of Soil Moisture Regimes on the Glyphosate Sensitivity and Morpho-Physiological Traits of Windmill Grass (Chloris truncata R.Br.), Common Sowthistle (Sonchus oleraceus L.), and Flaxleaf Fleabane [Conyza bonariensis (L.) Cronq.]
Authors: Peerzada Arslan Masood , Williams Alwyn , O’Donnell Chris , Adkins Steve
Published: November 2021

The glasshouse study was conducted with the objectives of (i) investigating the effect of soil moisture variations on the control efficiency of glyphosate on windmill grass (Chloris truncata R.Br.), common sowthistle (Sonchus oleraceus L.), and flaxleaf fleabane [Conyza bonariensis (L.) Cronq.], (ii) evaluating the tolerance of tested weed species under soil moisture variations, and (iii) determining the morphological and physiological characteristics of these species to partially explain herbicide tolerance under periods of reduced soil moisture availability (RSM). The species’ tolerance to glyphosate increased significantly under reduced soil moisture availability (p < 0.001). The lethal dose to cause herbicide injury or biomass reduction by 50% (LD50) and 80% (LD80) in relation to untreated control for water-stressed plants [i.e., moderate soil moisture availability (MSM) and RSM] was significantly higher than that of plants grown under high soil moisture availability (HSM). The tolerance factor (TF) for C. truncata, S. oleraceus, and C. bonariensis, in terms of biomass reduction under RSM, was 2.6, 2.4, and 2.6, respectively, as compared to HSM. The results showed that the glyphosate sensitivity, especially at the sub-lethal rates, of the three weed species under study decreased as soil moisture availability reduced (p< 0.01). Overall glyphosate efficacy, in relation to the recommended rate, was unaffected, except for C. truncata; the weed survived the highest tested glyphosate rate [750 g active ingredient (a.i.) ha−1] under RSM. There was significant interaction between weed species and soil moisture regimes for weed morpho-physiological traits (p < 0.001), with reduced soil moisture having a more influential impact on the growth of C. bonariensis and S. oleraceus compared to C. truncata. Changes in the leaf characteristics, such as increased leaf thickness, higher leaf chlorophyll content, reduced leaf area, and limited stomatal activity for all the tested weed species under MSM and RSM in relation to HSM, partially explain the tolerance of species to glyphosate at sublethal rates.
Use of Biochar-Based Cathodes and Increase in the Electron Flow by Pseudomonas aeruginosa to Improve Waste Treatment in Microbial Fuel Cells
Authors: Nastro Rosa Anna , Flagiello Fabio , Silvestri Nicandro , Gambino Edvige , Falcucci Giacomo , Chandrasekhar Kuppam
Published: November 2021

In this paper, we tested the combined use of a biochar-based material at the cathode and of Pseudomonas aeruginosa strain in a single chamber, air cathode microbial fuel cells (MFCs) fed with a mix of shredded vegetable and phosphate buffer solution (PBS) in a 30% solid/liquid ratio. As a control system, we set up and tested MFCs provided with a composite cathode made up of a nickel mesh current collector, activated carbon and a single porous poly tetra fluoro ethylene (PTFE) diffusion layer. At the end of the experiments, we compared the performance of the two systems, in the presence and absence of P. aeruginosa, in terms of electric outputs. We also explored the potential reutilization of cathodes. Unlike composite material, biochar showed a life span of up to 3 cycles of 15 days each, with a pH of the feedstock kept in a range of neutrality. In order to relate the electric performance to the amount of solid substrates used as source of carbon and energy, besides of cathode surface, we referred power density (PD) and current density (CD) to kg of biomass used. The maximum outputs obtained when using the sole microflora were, on average, respectively 0.19 Wm−2kg−1 and 2.67 Wm−2kg−1, with peaks of 0.32 Wm−2kg−1 and 4.87 Wm−2kg−1 of cathode surface and mass of treated biomass in MFCs with biochar and PTFE cathodes respectively. As to current outputs, the maximum values were 7.5 Am−2 kg−1 and 35.6 Am−2kg−1 in MFCs with biochar-based material and a composite cathode. If compared to the utilization of the sole acidogenic/acetogenic microflora in vegetable residues, we observed an increment of the power outputs of about 16.5 folds in both systems when we added P. aeruginosa to the shredded vegetables. Even though the MFCs with PTFE-cathode achieved the highest performance in terms of PD and CD, they underwent a fouling episode after about 10 days of operation, with a dramatic decrease in pH and both PD and CD. Our results confirm the potentialities of the utilization of biochar-based materials in waste treatment and bioenergy production.
Biomaterials and Their Biomedical Applications: From Replacement to Regeneration
Authors: Todros Silvia , Todesco Martina , Bagno Andrea
Published: November 2021

The history of biomaterials dates back to the mists of time: human beings had always used exogenous materials to facilitate wound healing and try to restore damaged tissues and organs. Nowadays, a wide variety of materials are commercially available and many others are under investigation to both maintain and restore bodily functions. Emerging clinical needs forced the development of new biomaterials, and lately discovered biomaterials allowed for the performing of new clinical applications. The definition of biomaterials as materials specifically conceived for biomedical uses was raised when it was acknowledged that they have to possess a fundamental feature: biocompatibility. At first, biocompatibility was mainly associated with biologically inert substances; around the 1970s, bioactivity was first discovered and the definition of biomaterials was consequently extended. At present, it also includes biologically derived materials and biological tissues. The present work aims at walking across the history of biomaterials, looking towards the scientific literature published on this matter. Finally, some current applications of biomaterials are briefly depicted and their future exploitation is hypothesized.
Design of Aerodynamic Ball Levitation Laboratory Plant
Authors: Tkáčik Tomáš , Tkáčik Milan , Jadlovská Slávka , Jadlovská Anna
Published: November 2021

This paper presents the development of a new Aerodynamic Ball Levitation Laboratory Plant at the Center of Modern Control Techniques and Industrial Informatics (CMCT&II). The entire design process of the plant is described, including the component selection process, the physical construction of the plant, the design of a printed circuit board (PCB) powered by a microcontroller, and the implementation of its firmware. A parametric mathematical model of the laboratory plant is created, whose parameters are then estimated using a nonlinear least-squares method based on acquired experimental data. The Kalman filter and the optimal state-space feedback control are designed based on the obtained mathematical model. The designed controller is then validated using the physical plant.
Solubility of Luteolin and Other Polyphenolic Compounds in Water, Nonpolar, Polar Aprotic and Protic Solvents by Applying FTIR/HPLC
Authors: Rajhard Saša , Hladnik Lucija , Vicente Filipa A. , Srčič Stanko , Grilc Miha , Likozar Blaž
Published: November 2021

In recent years, flavonoids have become a highly researched topic due to their health beneficial effects. Since flavonoids’ solubility plays a significant role in their use in pharmaceutical, food, biological, and chemical areas, the determination of suitable solvents is crucial. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) analysis was used to characterize functional groups of several flavonoids and phenolic compounds, namely luteolin, hesperidin, quercetin, naringenin, gallic acid and tannic acid. Concentration dependence on transmittance was evaluated for these compounds in ethanol. Afterwards, luteolin was chosen as a model flavonoid, with its concentration correlated with transmittance using 15 solvents with different polarities. Luteolin solubility was further corroborated with high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). These results shed light on using FTIR as a semi-quantitative method for the initial screening of solvents and the solubility of different compounds while saving time and solvents. Hence, HPLC would only be needed as a final step for the most promising solvents.
Modeling CO2, H2S, COS, and CH3SH Simultaneous Removal Using Aqueous Sulfolane–MDEA Solution
Authors: Liu Ke , Chang Honggang , Xiong Gang , He Jinlong , Liu Qisong , Li Jinjin
Published: November 2021

In this study, a rate-based absorption model coupled with an improved thermodynamic model was developed to characterize the removal of acid components (CO2 and H2S) and organic sulfur (COS and CH3SH) from natural gas with an aqueous sulfolane–MDEA solution. First, the accuracy of the thermodynamic model was validated by comparing the calculated partial pressure of CO2, H2S, and CH3SH with those of the experimental data reported in the literature. Then, the industrial test data were employed to validate the absorption model and the simulation results agreed well with the experimental data. The average relative errors of the removal rates of CO2, COS, and CH3SH are 3.3%, 3.0%, 4.1%, respectively. Based on the validated coupled model, the total mass transfer coefficient and mass transfer resistance of each solute component at different column positions were analyzed. The effects of the gas–liquid ratio, overflow weir height, and absorption pressure on the absorption performance of each component were studied, and the influence of the acid component concentration in the feed gas on the removal efficiency of methyl mercaptan (CH3SH) was also discussed. It is found that the improved absorption model can better characterize the absorption performance and be conducive to the optimal design of the absorber column.
Islamic Sexual Perversions and Apostasy Representations: Eastern and Western Classical Law Modern Reformist Mutations
Authors: Zahed Ludovic-Mohamed
Published: November 2021

The status of apostasy seems unclear in Islamic jurisprudence of the classical age; it is an act considered traditionally to be a legal vacuum, calling for no corporal punishment (mubah). When a sentence was applied in this case, it would seem that it was due to partisan political reasons, rather than on the basis of real spiritual proper needs. Yet today some conservative ulemas apply this status of excommunication, patterned on the modern Catholic model, to practices considered to be “abnormal,” such as homosexuality. What about the Islamic jurisprudence development, as it is conceived and applied today? What is the position of the so-called majority Islamic authorities in regard to apostasy or the perversion of some Muslim minorities? Moreover, what is the position of these ulemas vis-à-vis the so-called alternative progressive movement, which reject the majority Islamic dogma, in France, Morocco, Egypt and elsewhere in the so-called Arab-Muslim world?
Riding the Wave: Daily Life and Religion among Brazilian Immigrants to Japan in the Age of COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Córdova Quero Hugo , Dias Nilta
Published: November 2021

In March 2020, the world folded before an imminent pandemic. Community gatherings, events, and rituals quickly moved online. Jobs halted or were conducted remotely. The fear of the COVID-19 pandemic impacted different areas of daily life. In this article, we propose examining and analyzing the experiences and narratives of Brazilian migrants in Japan. With the Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act amendment on 8 December 1989, thousands of Japanese descendants born and raised in the Americas migrated to Japan. They are the offspring of Japanese immigrants who established colonies in the Americas in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century. Over time, the community of Brazilian immigrants in Japan fluctuated from being a minority to become the fifth-largest ethnic group of immigrants. Our analysis focuses on two areas of concern in times of the COVID-19 pandemic: daily life—including gender, and religion. On the one hand, daily life became cumbersome due to issues related to language and the hardships of accessing health services in a foreign land. On the other hand, we state that in the process of adaptation to the new society, the role of faith communities has been notable in offering support to these immigrants. Religious institutions, in particular, confronted the fact of moving their support and activities online with the consequent difficulties for those who are not tech-savvy or lack reliable connectivity. Both situations impacted Brazilian immigrants in different ways during the COVID-19 pandemic and highlighted the agency they displayed in coping with its consequences.
New Testament Theology and the Production of Theological Commentaries: Trends and Trajectories
Authors: Gutierrez W. Ryan
Published: November 2021

The past two decades have witnessed an explosion of new theological commentary series and theological commentaries. As we near the end of the second decade of theological commentary production, it is beneficial to take a step back to evaluate the contributions of each theological commentary series and how the commentary genre continues to be a helpful form for the development of NT theology. This paper reviews and evaluates four commentaries from each of the Belief, Brazos Theological, and Two Horizons New Testament commentary series according to (1) the aims and goals of the series, and (2) how each commentary attempts to actualize the stated ends of the series.
An Approach to Semantically Segmenting Building Components and Outdoor Scenes Based on Multichannel Aerial Imagery Datasets
Authors: Hou Yu , Chen Meida , Volk Rebekka , Soibelman Lucio
Published: November 2021

As-is building modeling plays an important role in energy audits and retrofits. However, in order to understand the source(s) of energy loss, researchers must know the semantic information of the buildings and outdoor scenes. Thermal information can potentially be used to distinguish objects that have similar surface colors but are composed of different materials. To utilize both the red–green–blue (RGB) color model and thermal information for the semantic segmentation of buildings and outdoor scenes, we deployed and adapted various pioneering deep convolutional neural network (DCNN) tools that combine RGB information with thermal information to improve the semantic and instance segmentation processes. When both types of information are available, the resulting DCNN models allow us to achieve better segmentation performance. By deploying three case studies, we experimented with our proposed DCNN framework, deploying datasets of building components and outdoor scenes, and testing the models to determine whether the segmentation performance had improved or not. In our observation, the fusion of RGB and thermal information can help the segmentation task in specific cases, but it might also make the neural networks hard to train or deteriorate their prediction performance in some cases. Additionally, different algorithms perform differently in semantic and instance segmentation.
Adversarial Attack for SAR Target Recognition Based on UNet-Generative Adversarial Network
Authors: Du Chuan , Zhang Lei
Published: November 2021

Some recent articles have revealed that synthetic aperture radar automatic target recognition (SAR-ATR) models based on deep learning are vulnerable to the attacks of adversarial examples and cause security problems. The adversarial attack can make a deep convolutional neural network (CNN)-based SAR-ATR system output the intended wrong label predictions by adding small adversarial perturbations to the SAR images. The existing optimization-based adversarial attack methods generate adversarial examples by minimizing the mean-squared reconstruction error, causing smooth target edge and blurry weak scattering centers in SAR images. In this paper, we build a UNet-generative adversarial network (GAN) to refine the generation of the SAR-ATR models’ adversarial examples. The UNet learns the separable features of the targets and generates the adversarial examples of SAR images. The GAN makes the generated adversarial examples approximate to real SAR images (with sharp target edge and explicit weak scattering centers) and improves the generation efficiency. We carry out abundant experiments using the proposed adversarial attack algorithm to fool the SAR-ATR models based on several advanced CNNs, which are trained on the measured SAR images of the ground vehicle targets. The quantitative and qualitative results demonstrate the high-quality adversarial example generation and excellent attack effectiveness and efficiency improvement.
Real-Time Identification of Rice Weeds by UAV Low-Altitude Remote Sensing Based on Improved Semantic Segmentation Model
Authors: Lan Yubin , Huang Kanghua , Yang Chang , Lei Luocheng , Ye Jiahang , Zhang Jianling , Zeng Wen , Zhang Yali , Deng Jizhong
Published: November 2021

Real-time analysis of UAV low-altitude remote sensing images at airborne terminals facilitates the timely monitoring of weeds in the farmland. Aiming at the real-time identification of rice weeds by UAV low-altitude remote sensing, two improved identification models, MobileNetV2-UNet and FFB-BiSeNetV2, were proposed based on the semantic segmentation models U-Net and BiSeNetV2, respectively. The MobileNetV2-UNet model focuses on reducing the amount of calculation of the original model parameters, and the FFB-BiSeNetV2 model focuses on improving the segmentation accuracy of the original model. In this study, we first tested and compared the segmentation accuracy and operating efficiency of the models before and after the improvement on the computer platform, and then transplanted the improved models to the embedded hardware platform Jetson AGX Xavier, and used TensorRT to optimize the model structure to improve the inference speed. Finally, the real-time segmentation effect of the two improved models on rice weeds was further verified through the collected low-altitude remote sensing video data. The results show that on the computer platform, the MobileNetV2-UNet model reduced the amount of network parameters, model size, and floating point calculations by 89.12%, 86.16%, and 92.6%, and the inference speed also increased by 2.77 times, when compared with the U-Net model. The FFB-BiSeNetV2 model improved the segmentation accuracy compared with the BiSeNetV2 model and achieved the highest pixel accuracy and mean Intersection over Union ratio of 93.09% and 80.28%. On the embedded hardware platform, the optimized MobileNetV2-UNet model and FFB-BiSeNetV2 model inferred 45.05 FPS and 40.16 FPS for a single image under the weight accuracy of FP16, respectively, both meeting the performance requirements of real-time identification. The two methods proposed in this study realize the real-time identification of rice weeds under low-altitude remote sensing by UAV, which provide a reference for the subsequent integrated operation of plant protection drones in real-time rice weed identification and precision spraying.