bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Antifungal Efficacy of Sodium Perborate and Microwave Irradiation for Surface Disinfection of Polymethyl Methacrylate Polymer
Authors: Choudhry Ziaullah , Malik Sofia , Mirani Zulfiqar A. , Khan Shujah A. , Kazmi Syed M. R. , Farooqui Waqas A. , Ahmed Muhammad A. , AlAali Khulud A. , Alshahrani Abdullah , Alrabiah Mohammed , Albaqawi Ahmed H. , Abduljabbar Tariq
Published: July 2022

Various disinfecting agents showing variable success in disinfecting polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) are available. The aim of our study was to evaluate the antifungal efficacy of sodium perborate (denture cleaning tablet-DC), microwave irradiation, and their combination for eradicating candida albicans (C. albicans) from polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) denture base polymer. One hundred and sixty-eight PMMA resin specimens (30 × 30 × 15 mm) were divided into four groups, including control (no disinfection), microwave disinfection in distilled water (MW-DW), sodium perborate with distilled water (DC-DW), and a combination of MW-DC-DW (n = 10). Biofilms of C. albicans were cultured on the PMMA resin denture base specimens for 96 h. The samples were exposed to three different antifungal regimes, i.e., MW, denture cleaning agent-sodium perborate (DC) and DW, and a combination of MW-DC-DW for 1 to 5 min. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was performed to evaluate colony formation. The colony-forming units (CFU) among the experimental groups were assessed using ANOVA, a Kruskal–Wallis test, and a Mann–Whitney test. The mean CFU values were compared with the control for each disinfecting regime at 96 h growth time. For MW-DC-DW, the CFU were significantly low at 2 and 3 min of exposure when compared with the control (DW) (p < 0.05). For the MW-DW treated group, the CFU were significantly low at 3 min of exposure when compared with the control (DW) (p < 0.05). It was also found that for DC-DW, the CFU were significantly low at 5 minutes when compared with the control specimens (DW) (p < 0.05). Microwave disinfection in combination with sodium perborate is a more effective disinfecting regime against C. albicans than that of microwave disinfection and sodium perborate alone.
Research on PM2.5 Concentration Prediction Based on the CE-AGA-LSTM Model
Authors: Wu Xiaoxuan , Zhang Chen , Zhu Jun , Zhang Xin
Published: July 2022

The PM2.5 index is an important basis for measuring the degree of air pollution. The accurate prediction of PM2.5 concentration has an important guiding role in air pollution prevention and control. The Pearson Correlation Coefficient (PCC) is a common index used to mine the correlation between meteorological factors and other air pollutants. However, this index cannot be used to mine non-linear correlations, nor can it quantitatively analyze the weight of each related attribute. In order to accurately explore the correlation between meteorological factors and other air pollutants and to achieve an accurate prediction of PM2.5 concentration, this paper proposes a short- and long-time memory (LSTM) network prediction model based on Copula entropy (CE) and the adaptive genetic algorithm (AGA). By calculating CE, the correlation between multiple meteorological factors and various atmospheric pollutants and PM2.5 was analyzed. The correlation of influencing factors was sorted according to the size of the correlation coefficients. The contribution rate of meteorological factors and atmospheric pollutants to PM2.5 concentration was determined, used as the weight of each influencing factor and predicted as the input data of the prediction model. In this paper, a long- and short-term memory network (LSTM) suitable for time series data was selected as the prediction model, while the selection of model parameters was taken into account, and the relevant parameters were sought by an adaptive genetic algorithm (AGA). The air pollutant data and meteorological data of Beijing from 1 January 2016 to 31 December 2016 were selected, and MAE and RMSE were used as evaluation indexes. By comparing the experimental results of the CE-AGA-LSTM with those of other eight prediction models (LR, SVM, RF, ARMA, ST-LSTM, LSTM, CE-LSTM and CE-RNN), we found that among the models, the CE-AGA-LSTM model provided the lowest MAE and RMSE values, i.e., 14.5 and 21.88, respectively. At the same time, the loss rate and accuracy of the CE-AGA-LSTM model were evaluated, and the experimental results verified the validity of the model.
Preparation of Human Muscle Precursor Cells for the MyoGravity Project’s Study of Cell Cultures in Experiment Units for Space Flight Purposes
Authors: Di Filippo Ester Sara , Chiappalupi Sara , Balsamo Michele , Vukich Marco , Sorci Guglielmo , Fulle Stefania
Published: July 2022

Long-time exposure to the microgravity conditions experienced during space flights induces alterations in the homeostasis of organs and tissues, including skeletal muscles, which undergo atrophy with the loss of mass and strength due to decreased size and altered composition of myofibers. Microgravity conditions can also affect the functionality of satellite cells, i.e., the adult stem cells providing the muscle precursors that are responsible for the growth and maintenance of muscle mass in adult life, as well as for muscle regeneration following a damage. The MyoGravity project, funded by Agenzia Spaziale Italiana (ASI), aimed to send human muscle precursor cells (huMPCs) on board the International Space Station (ISS) in order to study the effects of real microgravity on the differentiation capacity of this cell type. To this end, it was necessary to use a methodology to cultivate huMPCs inside dedicated space bioreactor devices (Experiment Units, EUs) specifically designed to cultivate cell cultures and perform scientific protocols in the space environment of the ISS. Here, we report the setting of several cell culture parameters to convert the EUs into suitable devices for biomedical experiments using huMPCs for space flight purposes.
Introduction: The Art of Adaptation in Film and Video Games
Authors: Thomas Christian
Published: July 2022

We live in a world of adaptation, and a failure to study that world means we must ignore an increasingly important part of contemporary culture [...]
The Synthesis of FeCl3-Modified Char from Phoenix Tree Fruit and Its Application for Hg0 Adsorption in Flue Gas
Authors: Chen Wei , Li Ming , Hu Zirui , Tian Chong
Published: July 2022

A sample of FeCl3-modified phoenix tree fruit char (MPTFC) was prepared using pyrolysis and a facile chemical immersion method; it was proposed as an effective sorbent for Hg0 adsorption in flue gas. The BET, SEM, FTIR, and XPS methods were adopted for the characterizations of the sorbents, and a series of Hg0 adsorption tests were conducted on a bench-scale Hg0 removal setup in the lab. The morphological analysis of the sorbent indicated that the hollow fiber in phoenix tree fruit (PTF) shifted to organized directional porous tubular columns in phoenix tree fruit char (PTFC) after pyrolysis. The surface area of MPTFC increased slightly in comparison with PTF and PTFC. The MPTFC showed excellent performance for Hg0 adsorption at 200 °C in flue gas ambiance, and the Hg0 removal efficiency approached 95% with 5% (wt.%) FeCl3 modification. The presence of O2 may help to activate the MPTFC for Hg0 adsorption in flue gas, thus greatly promoting Hg0 adsorption capability. NO had a positive effect on Hg0 adsorption, while the presence of SO2 in flue gas restrained Hg0 adsorption by MPTFC. Functional groups, such as C-Cl and Fe-O, were successfully decorated on the surface of PTFC by FeCl3 modification, which contributed greatly to Hg0 adsorption. In addition, C=O, lattice oxygen (Oα), and adsorbed oxygen (Oβ) also contributed to Hg0 adsorption and oxidization.
Impact of Sea Breeze on the Transport of Ship Emissions: A Comprehensive Study in the Bohai Rim Region, China
Authors: Ma Yizhe , Chen Dongsheng , Fu Xinyi , Shang Fang , Guo Xiurui , Lang Jianlei , Zhou Ying
Published: July 2022

Air pollutants from ship exhaust have a negative impact on air quality in coastal areas, which can be greatly exacerbated by sea breeze circulation. However, our understanding of this issue is still limited, especially in coastal areas with a complex topography and winding coastlines, such as the Bohai Rim region in China. In order to fill this knowledge gap, the Weather Research and Forecast model coupled with the chemistry (WRF/Chem) modeling system was employed to investigate the influence of sea breeze circulation on the transport of PM2.5 emitted by ships from April to September in 2014. The major findings are as follows: (1) The concentration of PM2.5 due to ship emissions was 2.94 μg/m3 on days with a sea breeze and 2.4 times higher than on days without a sea breeze in coastal cities in the region. (2) The difference in the contribution of ship emissions during days with a sea breeze and days without a sea breeze decreases with increasing distance from the coastline but remains non-negligible up to 50 km inland. (3) The shape of the coastline, the topographic height of the land area, and the latitude have a significant impact on sea breeze circulation and thus on the transport of ship emissions. (4) The differences in the contribution of ship emissions under days with a sea breeze versus days without a sea breeze were more evident than those under onshore versus alongshore and offshore winds, indicating that sea breeze circulation can cause cyclic accumulation of pollutants and thus reinforce the impact of ship emissions on coastal air quality more than by onshore winds. It should be emphasized that during the switching from sea breeze to a non-sea breeze, the pollutants that have been transported to the land area by sea breeze have not yet been carried back to sea, resulting in the ship contribution value still not significantly reduced even if the wind is a non-sea breeze at that moment. In addition, other factors e.g., emissions, precipitation, and chemistry can also play an important role in the observed trends in this study.
Correction: Komiyama et al. RNA-seq and Mitochondrial DNA Analysis of Adrenal Gland Metastatic Tissue in a Patient with Renal Cell Carcinoma. Biology 2022, 11, 589
Authors: Komiyama Tomoyoshi , Kim Hakushi , Tanaka Masayuki , Isaki Sanae , Yokoyama Keiko , Miyajima Akira , Kobayashi Hiroyuki
Published: July 2022

The authors would like to make the following correction to the published paper [...]
The Impact of Environmental Habitats and Diets on the Gut Microbiota Diversity of True Bugs (Hemiptera: Heteroptera)
Authors: Li Guannan , Sun Jingjing , Meng Yujie , Yang Chengfeng , Chen Zhuo , Wu Yunfei , Tian Li , Song Fan , Cai Wanzhi , Zhang Xue , Li Hu
Published: July 2022

Insects are generally associated with gut bacterial communities that benefit the hosts with respect to diet digestion, limiting resource supplementation, pathogen defense, and ecological niche expansion. Heteroptera (true bugs) represent one of the largest and most diverse insect lineages and comprise species consuming different diets and inhabiting various ecological niches, even including underwater. However, the bacterial symbiotic associations have been characterized for those basically restricted to herbivorous stink bugs of the infraorder Pentatomomorpha. The gut microbiota associated with the megadiverse heteropteran lineages and the implications of ecological and diet variance remain largely unknown. Here, we conducted a bacterial 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing of the gut microbiota across 30 species of true bugs representative of different ecological niches and diets. It was revealed that Proteobacteria and Firmicute were the predominant bacterial phyla. Environmental habitats and diets synergistically contributed to the diversity of the gut bacterial community of true bugs. True bugs living in aquatic environments harbored multiple bacterial taxa that were not present in their terrestrial counterparts. Carnivorous true bugs possessed distinct gut microbiota compared to phytophagous species. Particularly, assassin bugs of the family Reduviidae possessed a characterized gut microbiota predominantly composed of one Enterococcus with different Proteobacteria, implying a specific association between the gut bacteria and host. Overall, our findings highlight the importance of the comprehensive surveillance of gut microbiota association with true bugs for understanding the molecular mechanisms underpinning insect–bacteria symbiosis.
AMPK and Diseases: State of the Art Regulation by AMPK-Targeting Molecules
Authors: Tarasiuk Olga , Miceli Matteo , Di Domizio Alessandro , Nicolini Gabriella
Published: July 2022

5′-adenosine monophosphate (AMP)-activated protein kinase (AMPK) is an enzyme that regulates cellular energy homeostasis, glucose, fatty acid uptake, and oxidation at low cellular ATP levels. AMPK plays an important role in several molecular mechanisms and physiological conditions. It has been shown that AMPK can be dysregulated in different chronic diseases, such as inflammation, diabetes, obesity, and cancer. Due to its fundamental role in physiological and pathological cellular processes, AMPK is considered one of the most important targets for treating different diseases. Over decades, different AMPK targeting compounds have been discovered, starting from those that activate AMPK indirectly by altering intracellular AMP:ATP ratio to compounds that activate AMPK directly by binding to its activation sites. However, indirect altering of intracellular AMP:ATP ratio influences different cellular processes and induces side effects. Direct AMPK activators showed more promising results in eliminating side effects as well as the possibility to engineer drugs for specific AMPK isoforms activation. In this review, we discuss AMPK targeting drugs, especially concentrating on those compounds that activate AMPK by mimicking AMP. These compounds are poorly described in the literature and still, a lot of questions remain unanswered about the exact mechanism of AMP regulation. Future investigation of the mechanism of AMP binding will make it possible to develop new compounds that, in combination with others, can activate AMPK in a synergistic manner.
CavitySpace: A Database of Potential Ligand Binding Sites in the Human Proteome
Authors: Wang Shiwei , Lin Haoyu , Huang Zhixian , He Yufeng , Deng Xiaobing , Xu Youjun , Pei Jianfeng , Lai Luhua
Published: July 2022

Location and properties of ligand binding sites provide important information to uncover protein functions and to direct structure-based drug design approaches. However, as binding site detection depends on the three-dimensional (3D) structural data of proteins, functional analysis based on protein ligand binding sites is formidable for proteins without structural information. Recent developments in protein structure prediction and the 3D structures built by AlphaFold provide an unprecedented opportunity for analyzing ligand binding sites in human proteins. Here, we constructed the CavitySpace database, the first pocket library for all the proteins in the human proteome, using a widely-applied ligand binding site detection program CAVITY. Our analysis showed that known ligand binding sites could be well recovered. We grouped the predicted binding sites according to their similarity which can be used in protein function prediction and drug repurposing studies. Novel binding sites in highly reliable predicted structure regions provide new opportunities for drug discovery. Our CavitySpace is freely available and provides a valuable tool for drug discovery and protein function studies.
COVID-19 and Parkinsonism: A Critical Appraisal
Authors: Cavallieri Francesco , Fioravanti Valentina , Bove Francesco , Del Prete Eleonora , Meoni Sara , Grisanti Sara , Zedde Marialuisa , Pascarella Rosario , Moro Elena , Valzania Franco
Published: July 2022

A few cases of parkinsonism linked to COVID-19 infection have been reported so far, raising the possibility of a post-viral parkinsonian syndrome. The objective of this review is to summarize the clinical, biological, and neuroimaging features of published cases describing COVID-19-related parkinsonism and to discuss the possible pathophysiological mechanisms. A comprehensive literature search was performed using NCBI’s PubMed database and standardized search terms. Thirteen cases of COVID-19-related parkinsonism were included (7 males; mean age: 51 years ± 14.51, range 31–73). Patients were classified based on the possible mechanisms of post-COVID-19 parkinsonism: extensive inflammation or hypoxic brain injury within the context of encephalopathy (n = 5); unmasking of underlying still non-symptomatic Parkinson’s Disease (PD) (n = 5), and structural and functional basal ganglia damage (n = 3). The various clinical scenarios show different outcomes and responses to dopaminergic treatment. Different mechanisms may play a role, including vascular damage, neuroinflammation, SARS-CoV-2 neuroinvasive potential, and the impact of SARS-CoV-2 on α-synuclein. Our results confirm that the appearance of parkinsonism during or immediately after COVID-19 infection represents a very rare event. Future long-term observational studies are needed to evaluate the possible role of SARS-CoV-2 infection as a trigger for the development of PD in the long term.
Host-Genome Similarity Characterizes the Adaption of SARS-CoV-2 to Humans
Authors: Sun Weitao
Published: July 2022

The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has a high mutation rate and many variants have emerged in the last 2 years, including Alpha, Beta, Delta, Gamma and Omicron. Studies showed that the host-genome similarity (HGS) of SARS-CoV-2 is higher than SARS-CoV and the HGS of open reading frame (ORF) in coronavirus genome is closely related to suppression of innate immunity. Many works have shown that ORF 6 and ORF 8 of SARS-CoV-2 play an important role in suppressing IFN-β signaling pathway in vivo. However, the relation between HGS and the adaption of SARS-CoV-2 variants is still not clear. This work investigates HGS of SARS-CoV-2 variants based on a dataset containing more than 40,000 viral genomes. The relation between HGS of viral ORFs and the suppression of antivirus response is studied. The results show that ORF 7b, ORF 6 and ORF 8 are the top 3 genes with the highest HGS. In the past 2 years, the HGS values of ORF 8 and ORF 7B of SARS-CoV-2 have increased greatly. A remarkable correlation is discovered between HGS and inhibition of antivirus response of immune system, which suggests that the similarity between coronavirus and host gnome may be an indicator of the suppression of innate immunity. Among the five variants (Alpha, Beta, Delta, Gamma and Omicron), Delta has the highest HGS and Omicron has the lowest HGS. This finding implies that the high HGS in Delta variant may indicate further suppression of host innate immunity. However, the relatively low HGS of Omicron is still a puzzle. By comparing the mutations in genomes of Alpha, Delta and Omicron variants, a commonly shared mutation ACT > ATT is identified in high-HGS strain populations. The high HGS mutations among the three variants are quite different. This finding strongly suggests that mutations in high HGS strains are different in different variants. Only a few common mutations survive, which may play important role in improving the adaptability of SARS-CoV-2. However, the mechanism for how the mutations help SARS-CoV-2 escape immunity is still unclear. HGS analysis is a new method to study virus–host interaction and may provide a way to understand the rapid mutation and adaption of SARS-CoV-2.
New Approaches to Modelling Occupant Comfort
Authors: Parkinson Thomas , Schweiker Marcel
Published: July 2022

Heating and cooling indoor environments is responsible for the largest share of energy consumption in buildings [...]
Indoor Environmental Quality Assessment and Occupant Satisfaction: A Post-Occupancy Evaluation of a UAE University Office Building
Authors: Kim Young Ki , Abdou Yasmin , Abdou Alaa , Altan Hasim
Published: July 2022

As occupants spend almost 90% of their day indoors, especially in the workplaces, Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ) plays a primary role in health and wellbeing, productivity, and building energy consumption. Adopting the IEQ and Post-Occupancy Evaluation (POE), data has been gathered from nine multilevel open offices within a university building located in Al Ain, in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for three winter months. Physical parameters were monitored using data loggers to record the main IEQ factors. In parallel, POE questionnaires have been distributed to obtain occupants’ satisfaction with the IEQ and health-related symptoms experienced in the workspaces. The IEQ and POE data have shown slightly above or below the recommended ranges with the occupants similarly and slightly dissatisfied with the building. The thermal comfort revealed concerns with 99% of temperatures below international standards where 55% of the survey respondents reported “too cold”. The IAQ measurements showed 45% and 30% of the respondents reporting “stuffy air” and “headache” which indicated symptoms that could be tracked to other parameters or a combination of several, and the findings have been discussed in detail in this paper. This research contributed to identifying correlations between measured data and occupant satisfaction and identifying common IEQ defects and their sources to better communicate with facility managers and architects.
Plastic Deformation Analysis of a New Mega-Subcontrolled Structural System (MSCSS) Subjected to Seismic Excitation
Authors: Shahzad Muhammad Moman , Zhang Xun’an , Wang Xinwei , Abdulhadi Mustapha , Xiao Yanjie , Fan Buqiao
Published: July 2022

This paper seeks to examine the plastic deformation and seismic structural response of a mega-subcontrolled structural system (MSCSS) subjected to strong seismic excitations. Different MSCSS configurations were modeled with nonlinear finite elements, and nonlinear dynamic analyses were performed to examine their behaviors. This paper introduces a novel and optimized MSCSS configuration, configuration 30, which demonstrates remarkable results for the reduction of plastic strain. Utilizing a steel plate shear wall enhances the seismic structural integrity of this system (SPSW). This configuration improved the mean equivalent plastic strain of columns and beams by 51% and 80%, respectively. In addition, a comparison between unstiffened and ring-shaped infill panels of SPSWs demonstrates that ring-shaped infill panels offer greater lateral stiffness and energy dissipation with a 44% reduction in maximum equivalent plastic strain. Compared to configuration 1, configuration 30 exhibited the most controlled structural response, as the minimum residual story drift improvement was 70% in the first, second, and third substructures, respectively, and the maximum coefficient of variation (COV) was 16% and 32% in the acceleration and displacement responses, respectively.
Architectural and Urban Planning Solutions for the Protection of Heritage Buildings in the Context of Terrorist Attacks: Following the Example of Passive Protection Systems
Authors: Grębowski Karol , Wróbel Aleksandra
Published: July 2022

Events in recent years showing numerous terrorist attacks raise awareness regarding the necessity of considering the safety of heritage buildings. The analysis of available data allows us to conclude that it is not possible to fully prevent terrorist attacks. On the other hand, it is possible to minimize the impact of such incidents through proper design of passive protection system (PPS) components. One possible architectural solution to be deployed as a passive defense system is laminated glass panel walls. The study presented in this article is innovative, considering there are no current standard documents or recommendations to determine the conditions of destruction as well as the methods of testing the strength of glass components used in laminated glass panel walls under vehicle impact. The present work represents the material used in PVB interlayers using the Mooney–Rivlin constitutive model, which correctly describes the non-linear characteristics of PVB. Based on the obtained results, new parameters of PVB laminated glass exposed to vehicle impact were developed. The newly developed parameters underwent quality verification through a comparison of results from experimental studies and numerical simulations. Finally, the strength of laminated glass panel walls was subject to evaluation, considering the amount and thickness of individual VSG glass layers and the number of PVB interlayers at ground floor level of a heritage building with high susceptibility to terrorist attacks. The newly developed parameters of laminated glass may be implemented as a premade input .mat file for the material available in the KEYWORD database under the name MAT_32-LAMINATED_GLASS in the LS-DYNA software.
Full-Scale Interface Friction Testing of Geotextile-Based Flood Defence Structures
Authors: Klipalo Emmett , Besharat Mohsen , Kuriqi Alban
Published: July 2022

Open-topped woven polypropylene cellular containers filled with dense granular ballasts are often used as emergency flood defence structures. The effectiveness of these systems is highly dependent on the interaction with their bedding surface. The characteristics of the foundation will often govern the system’s overall resistance to applied loading imposed by retained floodwater. However, the frictional relationship between polypropylene bulk bag flood defences and common bedding surfaces has not been extensively investigated. This study aims to reduce the reliance on arbitrary static friction coefficients by measuring and presenting actual data obtained through quantitative testing. This study presents the results of full-scale field testing to quantify the frictional resistance generated between filled polypropylene bulk bags and seven common bedding surfaces. Findings resulting from testing each interface scenario are expressed as coefficients of static friction. Test interfaces affording high frictional resistance comprised an unmade gravel road (µ = 0.74) and grass (µ = 0.64). Contrastingly, interfaces generating significantly lower frictional resistance were steel floated concrete (µ = 0.40) and polypropylene plastic (µ = 0.40). Test interfaces involving asphalt (µ = 0.54) and tamped concrete (µ = 0.56–0.58) were also investigated. This study recommends new friction coefficients necessary to characterise the structural stability analysis of bulk bag flood defences with greater accuracy. Practical advice based on experimental observation and field design experience is also given.
Isolation of Circulating Tumor Cells from Seminal Fluid of Patients with Prostate Cancer Using Inertial Microfluidics
Authors: Rzhevskiy Alexey S. , Kapitannikova Alina Y. , Vasilescu Steven A. , Karashaeva Tamilla A. , Razavi Bazaz Sajad , Taratkin Mark S. , Enikeev Dmitry V. , Lekarev Vladimir Y. , Shpot Evgeniy V. , Butnaru Denis V. , Deyev Sergey M. , Thiery Jean Paul , Zvyagin Andrei V. , Ebrahimi Warkiani Majid
Published: July 2022

Prostate cancer (PCa) diagnosis is primarily based on prostate-specific antigen (PSA) testing and prostate tissue biopsies. However, PSA testing has relatively low specificity, while tissue biopsies are highly invasive and have relatively low sensitivity at early stages of PCa. As an alternative, we developed a technique of liquid biopsy, based on isolation of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) from seminal fluid (SF). The recovery of PCa cells from SF was demonstrated using PCa cell lines, achieving an efficiency and throughput as high as 89% (±3.8%) and 1.7 mL min−1, respectively, while 99% (±0.7%) of sperm cells were disposed of. The introduced approach was further tested in a clinical setting by collecting and processing SF samples of PCa patients. The yield of isolated CTCs measured as high as 613 cells per SF sample in comparison with that of 6 cells from SF of healthy donors, holding significant promise for PCa diagnosis. The correlation analysis of the isolated CTC numbers with the standard prognostic parameters such as Gleason score and PSA serum level showed correlation coefficient values at 0.40 and 0.73, respectively. Taken together, our results show promise in the developed liquid biopsy technique to augment the existing diagnosis and prognosis of PCa.
Comparative Efficacy of Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors and Antibody–Drug Conjugates in HER2-Positive Metastatic Breast Cancer Patients with Brain Metastases: A Systematic Review and Network Meta-Analysis
Authors: Wang Yan , Xu Hangcheng , Han Yiqun , Wu Yun , Wang Jiayu
Published: July 2022

HER2-positive breast cancer brain metastasis (BCBM) is an important clinical problem. A systematic review and network meta-analysis were conducted to compare the efficacy of tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) and antibody–drug conjugates (ADCs), two categories of emerging agents in this field. We implemented a comprehensive literature search of PubMed, Embase, the Cochrane Library, ClinicalTrials.gov, and abstracts of oncology conferences. A network meta-analysis following Bayesian approaches was performed. Pooled hazard ratios (HRs) and odds ratios (ORs) with credible intervals (CrIs) were calculated to estimate progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), and the incidence of central nervous system (CNS) disease progression. Sixteen studies were included. Pairwise comparisons of PFS showed salient divergency between T-DXd and the physician’s choice of treatment (HR 0.17; 95% CrI 0.03–0.82) or afatinib (HR 0.14; 95% CrI 0.02–1.00). T-DXd and T-DM1 ranked first regarding PFS and OS, respectively, followed by TKI-containing regimens. The incidence of CNS disease progression was analyzed separately according to baseline BCBM status, among which neratinib-containing regimens were most likely to rank the best. In conclusion, ADCs including T-DXd and T-DM1 showed better efficacy than TKIs in the survival outcomes for HER2-positive BCBM patients. Treatments based on neratinib or T-DM1 revealed favorable results in reducing the recurrent rate of CNS.
Clinical Implication of Circulating Tumor Cells Expressing Epithelial Mesenchymal Transition (EMT) and Cancer Stem Cell (CSC) Markers and Their Perspective in HCC: A Systematic Review
Authors: Orrapin Santhasiri , Udomruk Sasimol , Lapisatepun Worakitti , Moonmuang Sutpirat , Phanphaisarn Areerak , Phinyo Phichayut , Pruksakorn Dumnoensun , Chaiyawat Parunya
Published: July 2022

Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) play a key role in hematogenous metastasis and post-surgery recurrence. In hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), CTCs have emerged as a valuable source of therapeutically relevant information. Certain subsets or phenotypes of CTCs can survive in the bloodstream and induce metastasis. Here, we performed a systematic review on the importance of epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT)-CTCs and circulating cancer stem cells (CCSCs) in metastatic processes and their prognostic power in HCC management. PubMed, Scopus, and Embase databases were searched for relevant publications. PRISMA criteria were used to review all studies. Twenty publications were eligible, of which 14, 5, and 1 study reported EMT-CTCs, CCSCs, and both phenotypes, respectively. Most studies evaluated that mesenchymal CTCs and CCSCs positivity were statistically associated with extensive clinicopathological features, including larger size and multiple numbers of tumors, advanced stages, micro/macrovascular invasion, and metastatic/recurrent disease. A preliminary meta-analysis showed that the presence of mesenchymal CTCs in pre- and postoperative blood significantly increased the risk of early recurrence. Mesenchymal-CTCs positivity was the most reported association with inferior outcomes based on the prognosis of HCC recurrence. Our finding could be a step forward, conveying additional prognostic values of CTC subtypes as promising biomarkers in HCC management.
The Role of CDK Pathway Dysregulation and Its Therapeutic Potential in Soft Tissue Sarcoma
Authors: Thiel Johannes Tobias , Daigeler Adrien , Kolbenschlag Jonas , Rachunek Katarzyna , Hoffmann Sebastian
Published: July 2022

Soft tissue sarcomas (STSs) are tumors that are challenging to treat due to their pathologic and molecular heterogeneity and their tumor biology that is not yet fully understood. Recent research indicates that dysregulation of cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) signaling pathways can be a strong driver of sarcogenesis. CDKs are enzyme forms that play a crucial role in cell-cycle control and transcription. They belong to the protein kinases group and to the serine/threonine kinases subgroup. Recently identified CDK/cyclin complexes and established CDK/cyclin complexes that regulate the cell cycle are involved in the regulation of gene expression through phosphorylation of critical components of transcription and pre-mRNA processing mechanisms. The current and continually growing body of data shows that CDKs play a decisive role in tumor development and are involved in the proliferation and growth of sarcoma cells. Since the abnormal expression or activation of large numbers of CDKs is considered to be characteristic of cancer development and progression, dysregulation of the CDK signaling pathways occurs in many subtypes of STSs. This review discusses how reversal and regulation can be achieved with new therapeutics and summarizes the current evidence from studies regarding CDK modulation for STS treatment.
Heterogeneous Catalysts for Conversion of Biodiesel-Waste Glycerol into High-Added-Value Chemicals
Authors: Tabassum Nabila , Pothu Ramyakrishna , Pattnaik Aishanee , Boddula Rajender , Balla Putrakumar , Gundeboyina Raveendra , Challa Prathap , Rajesh Rajendiran , Perugopu Vijayanand , Mameda Naresh , Radwan Ahmed Bahgat , Abdullah Aboubakr M. , Al-Qahtani Noora
Published: July 2022

The valuable products produced from glycerol transformation have become a research route that attracted considerable benefits owing to their huge volumes in recent decades (as a result of biodiesel production as a byproduct) as well as a myriad of chemical and biological techniques for transforming glycerol into high-value compounds, such as fuel additives, biofuels, precursors and other useful chemicals, etc. Biodiesel has presented another challenge in the considerable increase in its byproduct (glycerol). This review provides a recent update on the transformation of glycerol with an exclusive focus on the various catalysts’ performance in designing reaction operation conditions. The different products observed and cataloged in this review involved hydrogen, acetol, acrolein, ethylene glycol, and propylene glycol (1,3-propanediol and 1,2-propanediol) from reforming and dehydration and hydrogenolysis reactions of glycerol conversions. The future prospects and critical challenges are finally presented.
Experimental Study on the Treatment of Landfill Leachate by Electro-Assisted ZVI/UV Synergistic Activated Persulfate System
Authors: Jiang Baojun , Wang Jianlong , Chen Lei , Sun Yiwen , Wang Xinpei , Ruan Junjie
Published: July 2022

To solve the problem of the poor treatment of high concentration landfill leachate, an electro-assisted ultraviolet (UV)/zero-valent iron (ZVI) synergic activated persulfate (PS) system was used to treat landfill leachate. The effects of PS and ZVI dosage, initial pH value, and current density on the removal efficiency of COD and NH3-N in landfill leachate were investigated. The treatment effects of single PS, single electrochemical, UV/PS, electro-assisted ZVI activated PS, and electro-assisted ZVI/UV co-activated PS were compared. At the same time, UV-visible and three-dimensional fluorescence spectroscopy were performed on the landfill leachate before and after treatment. The results show that under the optimal conditions of initial pH = 3, the dosage of PS/12COD = 1, ZVI = 1.5 g/L, current density 62.5 mA/cm2, and t = 6 h, most of the macromolecular organic substances such as humic acid and fulvic acid were removed. Removal efficiencies of COD, NH3-N, and Chroma reached 81.99%, 89.90%, and 99.75%, respectively. The BOD5/COD value increased from 0.23 to 0.46. In addition, the radical identification results showed that the degradation of COD was due to the combined action of sulfate radicals (SO4•−) and hydroxyl radicals (•OH) and that SO4•− was dominant. The combined means of synergistic activation of PS for landfill leachate treatment was significantly better than that of single means of PS activation, confirming that electrically assisted ZVI/UV synergistic activation of PS is a promising method for landfill leachate treatment.
Screening of Cellulolytic Bacteria from Various Ecosystems and Their Cellulases Production under Multi-Stress Conditions
Authors: Balla Amel , Silini Allaoua , Cherif-Silini Hafsa , Bouket Ali Chenari , Boudechicha Amel , Luptakova Lenka , Alenezi Faizah N. , Belbahri Lassaad
Published: July 2022

Cellulose represents the most abundant component of plant biomass on earth; it is degraded by cellulases, specific enzymes produced by microorganisms. However, cellulases of bacterial origin attract more interest due to their natural diversity and ability to inhabit a variety of niches, allowing the selection of cellulolytic strains resistant to environmental stresses. The screening of the cellulolytic activity of 398 bacteria isolated from various ecosystems in Algeria (cave, ruins, chott, thermal station, and rhizosphere of arid and semi-arid regions) was performed by the appearance of a hydrolysis zone on carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) medium. The cellulase activity on CMC (1%) broth allowed to select 26 strains among which 12 had the best activity (0.3 U/mL to 2.2 U/mL). Optimization of physicochemical parameters (salinity: 0–1 M NaCl; pH: 3, 4, 7, 9, and 11; temperature: 30, 45, and 50 °C; PEG8000: 0 and 30%) involved in growth and cellulose production showed that the majority of strains were mesophilic, neutrophilic, or alkali- tolerant and tolerant to 30% of PEG8000. The cellulase activity and stability under different stress allowed to retain five strains, which the most efficient. Based on the 16S-rRNA sequencing results, they belonged to the genus Bacillus. The physicochemical properties of cellulases (crude extract) showed a CMCase active over a wide range of pH (4 to 11), optimal at 50 °C and 60 °C. The inhibiting salinity effect on the activity was not detected and was negligible on the enzymatic stability. The residual CMCase activity remained between 40 and 70% in a temperature range between 40 and 70 °C, was stable over a wide range of saline concentrations (0–2000 mM), and was weakly affected at 30% of PEG8000. The crude enzyme extract was able to hydrolyze both soluble and insoluble cellulosic substrates. The evaluation of the hydrolysis capacity of lignocellulosic waste revealed the ability of tested strains to degrade wheat bran, barley bran, and corncob. In addition, the enzyme showed significant multi-stress resistance on solid and liquid media. By these characteristics, these cellulolytic bacteria could be attractive to be used in various industrial and biotechnology applications.
Therapeutic Potential of Ex Vivo Expanded γδ T Cells against Osteosarcoma Cells
Authors: Ko Yunmi , Jeong Yeon Ho , Lee Jun Ah
Published: July 2022

Immunotherapy is an attractive therapeutic strategy for the treatment of osteosarcoma (OS). The unique features of γδ T cells have made them popular for cancer immunotherapy. Here, we expanded γδ T cells using human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and investigated their therapeutic potential against OS cells. PBMCs from healthy donors were cultured for 10 days with CON medium (unstimulated control); EX media, CON with recombinant human interleukin-2 (rhIL-2) and zoledronate; and EX28 media, CON with rhIL-2, zoledronate, and CD3/CD28 activator. The expanded γδ T cells were isolated by magnetic cell separation or fluorescence-activated cell sorting, cultured with two OS cell lines (KHOS/NP and MG-63) at various cell ratios with or without doxorubicin or ifosfamide, and analyzed for cytotoxicity and cytokine secretion. The number of CD3+γδTCR+Vγ9+ triple-positive γδ T cells and concentrations of IFN-γ and TNF-α were highest in the rhIL-2 (100 IU) and zoledronate (1 μM) supplemented culture conditions. The CD3/CD28 agonist did not show any additional effects on γδ T cell expansion. The expanded γδ T cells exhibited potent in vitro cytotoxicity against OS in a ratio- and time-dependent manner. The γδ T cells may enhance the effect of chemotherapeutic agents against OS and may be a new treatment strategy, including chemo-immunotherapy, for OS.
Stem Cell Therapy in Neuroimmunological Diseases and Its Potential Neuroimmunological Complications
Authors: Konen Franz Felix , Schwenkenbecher Philipp , Jendretzky Konstantin Fritz , Gingele Stefan , Grote-Levi Lea , Möhn Nora , Sühs Kurt-Wolfram , Eiz-Vesper Britta , Maecker-Kolhoff Britta , Trebst Corinna , Skripuletz Thomas , Hümmert Martin W.
Published: July 2022

Background: Since the 1990s, transplantations of hematopoietic and mesenchymal stem cells (HSCT and MSCT) and dendritic cell (DCT) have been investigated for the treatment of neurological autoimmune disorders (NADs). With the growing number of transplanted patients, awareness of neuroimmunolgical complications has increased. Therefore, an overview of SCT for the most common NADs and reports of secondary immunity after SCT is provided. Methods: For this narrative review, a literature search of the PubMed database was performed. A total of 86 articles reporting on different SCTs in NADs and 61 articles dealing with immune-mediated neurological complications after SCT were included. For multiple sclerosis (MS), only registered trials and phase I/II or II studies were considered, whereas all available articles on other disorders were included. The different transplantation procedures and efficacy and safety data are presented. Results: In MS patients, beneficial effects of HSCT, MSCT, and DCT with a decrease in disability and stabilization of disease activity have been reported. These effects were also shown in other NADs mainly in case reports. In seven of 132 reported patients with immune-mediated neurological complications, the outcome was fatal. Conclusions: Phase III trials are ongoing for MS, but the role of SCT in other NADs is currently limited to refractory patients due to occasional serious complications.
Regulatory T Cells from Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis Are Characterized by Reduced Expression of Ikaros Zinc Finger Transcription Factors
Authors: Dittrich-Salamon Mara , Meyer Anja , Yan Shuaifeng , Steinbach-Knödgen Eva , Kotschenreuther Konstantin , Stahl David , tho Pesch Carola , Schiller Joanna , Byrtus Franziska , Jochimsen Dorothee , Golumba-Nagy Viktoria , Kofler David M.
Published: July 2022

Regulatory T (Treg) cells play an important role in immune tolerance and contribute to the prevention of autoimmune diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The differentiation, function and stability of Treg cells is controlled by members of the Ikaros zinc finger transcription factor family. In this study, we aimed to reveal how the expression of Ikaros transcription factors is affected by disease activity in RA. Therefore, we analyzed the ex vivo expression of Ikaros, Helios, Aiolos and Eos in Treg cells, Th17 cells and Th1 cells from RA patients by flow cytometry. We found significantly reduced expression of Helios, Aiolos and Eos in Treg cells from RA patients as compared to healthy controls. Moreover, Helios and Aiolos levels correlated with disease activity, as assessed by DAS28-CRP. In addition, Ikaros, Helios and Aiolos were significantly downregulated in Th1 cells from RA patients, while no difference between healthy individuals and RA was observed in Th17 cells. In summary, Helios and Aiolos expression in Treg cells correlates with disease activity and the expression levels of Ikaros transcription factors are diminished in Treg cells from RA patients. This observation could explain the reduced stability of Treg cells in RA.
Magnetopriming Actuates Nitric Oxide Synthesis to Regulate Phytohormones for Improving Germination of Soybean Seeds under Salt Stress
Authors: Kataria Sunita , Anand Anjali , Raipuria Ritesh Kumar , Kumar Sunil , Jain Meeta , Watts Anshul , Brestic Marian
Published: July 2022

In this study, the role of the signalling molecule nitric oxide (NO) in magnetopriming-mediated induction of salinity tolerance in soybean seeds is established. The cross-talk of NO with germination-related hormones gibberellic acid (GA), abscisic acid (ABA) and auxin (IAA) for their ability to reduce the Na+/K+ ratio in the seeds germinating under salinity is highlighted. Salt tolerance index was significantly high for seedlings emerging from magnetoprimed seeds and sodium nitroprusside (SNP, NO-donor) treatment. The NO and superoxide (O2•−) levels were also increased in both of these treatments under non-saline and saline conditions. NO generation through nitrate reductase (NR) and nitric oxide synthase-like (NOS-like) pathways indicated the major contribution of NO from the NR-catalysed reaction. The relative expression of genes involved in the NO biosynthetic pathways reiterated the indulgence of NR in NO in magnetoprimed seeds, as a 3.86-fold increase in expression was observed over unprimed seeds under salinity. A 23.26-fold increase in relative expression of NR genes by the NO donor (SNP) was observed under salinity, while the NR inhibitor (sodium tungstate, ST) caused maximum reduction in expression of NR genes as compared to other inhibitors [L-NAME (N(G)-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester; inhibitor of nitric oxide synthase-like enzyme) and DPI (diphenylene iodonium; NADPH oxidase inhibitor)]. The ratio of ABA/GA and IAA/GA decreased in magnetoprimed and NO donor-treated seeds, suggesting homeostasis amongst hormones during germination under salinity. The magnetoprimed seeds showed low Na+/K+ ratio in all treatments irrespective of NO inhibitors. Altogether, our results indicate that a balance of ABA, GA and IAA is maintained by the signalling molecule NO in magnetoprimed seeds which lowers the Na+/K+ ratio to offset the adverse effects of salinity in soybean seeds.
Infant-Feeding Patterns and the Effects of Early Introduction to Formula and Solid Foods on Childhood Overweight or Obesity among 10-Years-Olds in a Low Socioeconomic Area of Lebanon: An Exploratory Analysis
Authors: Mannan Haider , Sacre Yonna , Attieh Randa , Farah Dany
Published: July 2022

In Lebanon, there has been an alarming increase in childhood overweight and obesity. In addition, most mothers do not meet the WHO recommendation that infants should be introduced to formula or solids only during the second half of their first year. Because the study population, Burj Hammoud, which is a low socioeconomic district, is small, we performed an exploratory analysis of infant feeding patterns and the effects of introducing formula and solids within six months, respectively, on childhood overweight/obesity among 10-year-old children. A total of 101 mothers were recruited from seven intercommunity dispensaries located across the district. Descriptive, univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed. There were 86.1% infants initiating breastfeeding, 18% exclusively breastfeeding at 6 months of age, 67.1% and 52.6% starting formula and solids by 6 months, respectively, and 53.5% becoming overweight/obese by the age of 10 years. Working mothers were significantly less likely to introduce formula but not solids within the first six months of infancy. Based on two case-control studies, after controlling for maternal employment, there were 2.278- and 1.511-fold significantly higher odds of introducing solids and formula before the age of 6 months compared with after the age of 6 months, respectively, for the overweight/obese individuals among 10-year-olds. Future research should focus on conducting a larger study by incorporating other low socioeconomic regions to confirm these relationships.