bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Adding Flavours: Use of and Attitudes towards Sauces and Seasonings in a Sample of Community-Dwelling UK Older Adults
Authors: Thomas Annie , Boobyer Charlotte , Borgonha Zara , van den Heuvel Emmy , Appleton Katherine M
Published: November 2021

Adding flavours can encourage food intake in older adults for health benefits. The use and attitudes of 22 community-dwelling UK older adults (15 females, aged 65–83 years) towards foods and products that add flavour, e.g., sauces and seasonings, were investigated. Participants used foods/products to add flavour when cooking and eating from 0 to 17 times/day. Taste and flavour were important, and foods/products could add flavour, make foods more pleasant and did not cause discomfort. There were concerns, however, over the healthiness of some foods/products, while consuming a healthy diet and one’s health were important. Reasons for adding flavours largely centred around ‘meal enhancement’, reasons for not adding flavours focused on ‘the product itself’ and ‘characteristics of the meal’, but there was ‘variation’ and many ‘individual differences’. Our findings highlight the benefits of adding flavours for food intakes, particularly the use of naturally flavoursome foods, such as herbs, spices, onion and garlic.
Nitrosamines and Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Smoke-Cured Bacon (Larou) of Artisanal and Industrial Origin
Authors: Chen Lei , Liu Rui , Wu Mangang , Yu Hai , Ge Qingfeng , Zhang Wangang
Published: November 2021

The aim of this study was to compare the nitrosamines (NAs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) of Chinese smoke-cured bacon (Larou) of artisanal and industrial origin. The results showed that the average pH and Aw values of family-made Larou products were lower than those of industrial Larou, which was opposite to the TBARS level. The contents of residual nitrite and PAH4 in two artisanal Larou were significantly higher than those of the other groups (p < 0.05). The highest NA content (10.78 μg/kg) was found in family-made Larou. A correlation analysis indicated that the relationships between residual nitrite contents and total PAH8 contents (τ = 0.692, p < 0.01) and total NAs contents (τ = 0.805, p < 0.01) were characterized with a positive correlation. A principal component analysis indicated that the Larou from the industrial sources had similar safety attributes, and was more stable than the Larou processed in an artisanal manner. Our data suggest that Larou produced in industrial conditions is suitable for consumption.
Effects of Drying Process on the Volatile and Non-Volatile Flavor Compounds of Lentinula edodes
Authors: Zhang Lijia , Dong Xiaobo , Feng Xi , Ibrahim Salam A. , Huang Wen , Liu Ying
Published: November 2021

In this study, fresh Lentinula edodes was dehydrated using freeze-drying (FD), hot-air drying (HAD), and natural drying (ND), and the volatile and non-volatile flavor compounds were analyzed. The drying process changed the contents of eight-carbon compounds and resulted in a weaker “mushroom flavor” for dried L. edodes. HAD mushrooms had higher levels of cyclic sulfur compounds (56.55 μg/g) and showed a stronger typical shiitake mushroom aroma than those of fresh (7.24 μg/g), ND (0.04 μg/g), and FD mushrooms (3.90 μg/g). The levels of 5′-nucleotide increased, whereas the levels of organic acids and free amino acids decreased after the drying process. The dried L. edodes treated with FD had the lowest levels of total free amino acids (29.13 mg/g). However, it had the highest levels of umami taste amino acids (3.97 mg/g), bitter taste amino acids (6.28 mg/g) and equivalent umami concentration (EUC) value (29.88 g monosodium glutamate (MSG) per 100 g). The results indicated that FD was an effective drying method to produce umami flavor in dried mushrooms. Meanwhile, HAD can be used to produce a typical shiitake mushroom aroma. Our results provide a theoretical basis to manufacture L. edodes products with a desirable flavor for daily cuisine or in a processed form.
Accumulation and Transformation of Biogenic Amines and Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid (GABA) in Chickpea Sourdough
Authors: Polak Tomaž , Mejaš Rok , Jamnik Polona , Kralj Cigić Irena , Poklar Ulrih Nataša , Cigić Blaž
Published: November 2021

In general, sourdough fermentation leads to an improvement in the technological, nutritional, and sensory properties of bakery products. The use of non-conventional flours with a specific autochthonous microbiota may lead to the formation of secondary metabolites, which may even have undesirable physiological and toxicological effects. Chickpea flours from different suppliers have been used to produce sourdoughs by spontaneous and inoculated fermentations. The content of nutritionally undesirable biogenic amines (BA) and beneficial gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) was determined by chromatography. Fenugreek sprouts, which are a rich source of amine oxidases, were used to reduce the BA content in the sourdoughs. Spontaneous fermentation resulted in a high accumulation of cadaverine, putrescine, and tyramine for certain flours. The use of commercial starter cultures was not effective in reducing the accumulation of BA in all sourdoughs. The addition of fenugreek sprouts to the suspension of sourdough with pH raised to 6.5 resulted in a significant reduction in BA contents. Enzymatic oxidation was less efficient during kneading. Baking resulted in only a partial degradation of BA and GABA in the crust and not in the crumb. Therefore, it could be suggested to give more importance to the control of sourdough fermentation with regard to the formation of nutritionally undesirable BA and to exploit the possibilities of their degradation.
The Effectiveness of Pay-for-Performance Program of Diabetes Care for Psychiatric Patients: A Regional Psychiatric Hospital Experience
Authors: Yang Chin-Chou , Lan Tsuo-Hung , Tsai Wei-Cheng , Guo Ming-Chen , Ng Yee-Yung , Wu Shiao-Chi
Published: November 2021

Background: The Pay-for-performance (P4P) program of diabetes care has demonstrated successful outcomes in patients with type 2 diabetes. However, the effectiveness of this multidisciplinary care model for psychiatric patients has never been evaluated. The objective of this study is to examine the effectiveness of P4P program of diabetes for psychiatric patients with diabetes. Methods: This study utilized a retrospective cohort design to examine the effectiveness of P4P program of diabetes care for psychiatric patients with diabetes. The participants’ HbA1c (hemoglobin A1c) data of the fourth quarter in 2018 were used as baseline value, while P4P program was not applied yet. HbA1c data of every quarter in 2019 were collected. Generalized estimating equations (GEE) was used to analyze the change of HbA1c level. Results: The HbA1c level increased slightly in the first quarter, and then decreased gradually since the second quarter. The HbA1c level was significantly lower in the fourth quarter after P4P program intervention (p < 0.05). Conclusion: P4P program of diabetes care is also effective on psychiatric patients with diabetes, and this multidisciplinary care model could be encouraged and promoted for psychiatric patients with diabetes.
Tree Crowns Segmentation and Classification in Overlapping Orchards Based on Satellite Images and Unsupervised Learning Algorithms
Authors: Moussaid Abdellatif , Fkihi Sanaa El , Zennayi Yahya
Published: November 2021

Smart agriculture is a new concept that combines agriculture and new technologies to improve the yield’s quality and quantity as well as facilitate many tasks for farmers in managing orchards. An essential factor in smart agriculture is tree crown segmentation, which helps farmers automatically monitor their orchards and get information about each tree. However, one of the main problems, in this case, is when the trees are close to each other, which means that it would be difficult for the algorithm to delineate the crowns correctly. This paper used satellite images and machine learning algorithms to segment and classify trees in overlapping orchards. The data used are images from the Moroccan Mohammed VI satellite, and the study region is the OUARGHA citrus orchard located in Morocco. Our approach starts by segmenting the rows inside the parcel and finding all the trees there, getting their canopies, and classifying them by size. In general, the model inputs the parcel’s image and other field measurements to classify the trees into three classes: missing/weak, normal, or big. Finally, the results are visualized in a map containing all the trees with their classes. For the results, we obtained a score of 0.93 F-measure in rows segmentation. Additionally, several field comparisons were performed to validate the classification, dozens of trees were compared and the results were very good. This paper aims to help farmers to quickly and automatically classify trees by crown size, even if there are overlapping orchards, in order to easily monitor each tree’s health and understand the tree’s distribution in the field.
Evaluation of Boulder Deposits Linked to Late Neogene Hurricane Events
Authors: Johnson Markes E. , Ledesma-Vázquez Jorge
Published: November 2021

The Neogene is a globally recognized interval of geologic time that lasted from 23 until 1 [...]
A Stereo Matching Method for 3D Image Measurement of Long-Distance Sea Surface
Authors: Yang Ying , Lu Cunwei
Published: November 2021

Tsunamis are some of the most destructive natural disasters. Some proposed tsunami measurement and arrival prediction systems use a limited number of instruments, then judge the occurrence of the tsunami, forecast its arrival time, location and scale. Since there are a limited number of measurement instruments, there is a possibility that large prediction errors will occur. In order to solve this problem, a long-distance tsunami measurement system based on the binocular stereo vision principle is proposed in this paper. The measuring range is 4–20 km away from the system deployment site. In this paper, we will focus on describing the stereo matching method for the proposed system. This paper proposes a two-step matching method. It first performs fast sparse matching, and then complete high precision dense matching based on the results of the sparse matching. A matching descriptor based on the physical features of sea waves is proposed to solve the matching difficulty caused by the similarity of sea surface image textures. The relationship between disparity and the y coordinate is built to reduce the matching search range. Experiments were conducted on sea surface images with different shooting times and distances; the results verify the effectiveness of the presented method.
Co-Inoculation of an Endophytic and Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungus Improve Growth and Yield of Helianthus tuberosus L. under Field Condition
Authors: Khaekhum Saranya , Ekprasert Jindarat , Suebrasri Thanapat , Seemakram Wasan , Mongkolthanaruk Wiyada , Riddech Nuntavun , Jogloy Sanun , Boonlue Sophon
Published: November 2021

Endophytic fungi (EPF) and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) symbioses can promote the growth and productivity of several types of plants. This work aimed to investigate the effect of co-inoculation of an EPF Exserohilum rostratum NMS1.5 and an AMF Glomus etunicatum UDCN52867 g.5 on the growth and yields of sunchoke (Helianthus tuberosus L.) compared to the effects of full-dose and half-dose chemical fertilizer (15–15–15) under field conditions. Several plant growth parameters of the co-inoculated plants were significantly higher than the other treatments. Remarkably, such an effect was relatively equal to that of the full-dose chemical fertilizers. Moreover, the co-inoculation of EPF and AMF significantly improved the tuber yield production, even better than the use of a chemical fertilizer. This is the first report to show that plant growth promoting effects of the co-inoculation of EPF and AMF were exceptionally greater than those of the chemical fertilizer. Therefore, our EPF and AMF could potentially be used as a biofertilizer for promoting the growth and yield of sunchoke in the fields.
Baseline Data of the Fungal Phytobiome of Three Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) Cultivars in South Africa using Targeted Environmental Sequencing
Authors: Pambuka Gilmore T. , Kinge Tonjock Rosemary , Ghosh Soumya , Cason Errol D. , Nyaga Martin M. , Gryzenhout Marieka
Published: November 2021

Plant-associated fungi, or the mycobiome, inhabit plant surfaces above ground, reside in plant tissues as endophytes, or are rhizosphere in the narrow zone of soil surrounding plant roots. Studies have characterized mycobiomes of various plant species, but little is known about the sorghum mycobiome, especially in Africa, despite sorghum being one of the most important indigenous and commercial cereals in Africa. In this study, the mycobiome associated with above- and below-ground tissues of three commercial sorghum cultivars, as well as from rhizosphere and surrounding bulk soil samples, were sequenced using targeted sequencing with the Illumina MiSeq platform. Relative abundance differences between fungal communities were found between above-ground and below-ground niches, with most differences mostly in the dominant MOTUs, such as Davidiellaceae sp. (Cladosporium), Didymellaceae sp. 1 (Phoma), Fusarium, Cryptococcus and Mucor. Above-ground communities also appeared to be more diverse than below-ground communities, and plants harboured the most diversity. A considerable number of MOTUs were shared between the cultivars although, especially for NS5511, their abundances often differed. Several of the detected fungal groups include species that are plant pathogens of sorghum, such as Fusarium, and, at low levels, Alternaria and the Ustilaginomycetes. Findings from this study illustrate the usefulness of targeted sequencing of the ITS rDNA gene region (ITS2) to survey and monitor sorghum fungal communities and those from associated soils. This knowledge may provide tools for disease management and crop production and improvement.
Impact of Geopolitical Risk on the Information Technology, Communication Services and Consumer Staples Sectors of the S&P 500 Index
Authors: Fossung Gerard Atabong , Vovas Vasileios Chatzis , Quoreshi A. M. M. Shahiduzzaman
Published: November 2021

We investigate the effect of geopolitical risk on the returns of firms in the Information Technology, Communication Services, and Consumer Staples sectors within the S&P 500 index. We use the event study methodology and perform more than 17,000 regressions to provide empirical evidence at sector level that geopolitical risk leads to different responses across these three sectors. The response of the Information Technology sector is negative for all event windows under study, except the one spanning 10 days prior to the geopolitical event and 10 days after. The Communication Services sector has positive returns as a result of geopolitical events for all event windows, except the one from the geopolitical event date and 5 days after. The Consumer Staples sector shows a negative impact on geopolitical risk for all event windows except the one from the geopolitical event date and 5 days after, demonstrating a negative correlation to the Communication Services sector.
Elementome of Endemic Dolomitic Flora: Pterocephalus spathulatus (Lag.) Coult
Authors: Merlo Encarna , Mendoza-Fernández Antonio J. , Salmerón-Sánchez Esteban , Martínez-Hernández Fabián , Ortiz-Úbeda Andrea , Mota Juan
Published: November 2021

Unusual dolomite substrates present a phenomenon known as dolomitophily, which refers to the specificity of the flora that grows on them. Within the dolomitic flora, one of the most widespread plants in Spain is the characteristic species Pterocephalus spathulatus (Lag.) Coult., which forms whitish prostrate thymes. The present study focused on the knowledge about the ionome (or elementome) of a characteristic dolomite species and some of its applications, both in terms of its nutritional behaviour and in determining the factors that favour the rich and rare flora growing on dolomitic soils. Soil, foliar, stem and root samples of the species studied were collected from different locations in the south of Spain. The samples were analysed to determine their mineral composition. The Bioconcentration Factor (BCF) and the Translocation Factor (TF) were calculated, relating the values of the mineral contents in the soil, both total and phytoavailable, to the values from the foliar, root and stem samples. It was found that this species was able to accumulate some elements, including B, Cr, Cu, Ni, Ti, Tl and Zn, which can be phytotoxic in high concentrations, and are considered to be some of the main toxic metals in soils. In addition, it was observed that the plant can accumulate metals in the stem and leaves (TF), thus proving that it is capable of transporting them from the root to the aerial part of the plant. The data obtained may indicate that other species in the plant community may possess this bioindicator or even phytoremediation capacity.
New FMEA Risks Ranking Approach Utilizing Four Fuzzy Logic Systems
Authors: Ivančan Jelena , Lisjak Dragutin
Published: November 2021

Process equipment and plant maintenance problems are complex in the oil refinery business, since effective maintenance needs to ensure the reliability and availability of the plant. Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA) is a risk assessment tool that aims to determine possible failure modes, and to reduce the ratio of unknown failure modes, by identifying business-critical systems and the risks of their failures. For the identified failure modes, FMEA determines risk mitigation action(s). The goal is to prevent failure and keep assets and plants running at peak performance by providing fully integrated operations, maintenance, turnarounds, modifications, and asset integrity solutions, during all phases of the asset life cycle. This research was based on FMEA use/application in refineries’ units, and proposes the new fuzzy FMEA risk quantification approach method: “four fuzzy logic system”. The model included a pre-assessment, by sets of fuzzy logic systems, that examined the input parameters that affected the variables of severity, occurrence, and detectability. The proposed model prioritized risks better and addressed the drawbacks of the conventional FMEA method.
Complete CSC Hypersurfaces Satisfying an Okumura-Type Inequality in Ricci Symmetric Manifolds
Authors: Xie Xun , Liu Jiancheng , Yang Chao
Published: November 2021

We investigate the spacelike hypersurface with constant scalar curvature (SCS) immersed in a Ricci symmetric manifold obeying standard curvature constraints. By supposing these hypersurfaces satisfy a suitable Okumura-type inequality recently introduced by Meléndez, which is a weaker hypothesis than to assume that they have two distinct principal curvatures, we obtain a series of umbilicity and pinching results. In particular, when the Ricci symmetric manifold is an Einstein manifold, then we further obtain some rigidity classifications of such hypersufaces.
On Multilevel and Control Variate Monte Carlo Methods for Option Pricing under the Rough Heston Model
Authors: Jeng Siow Woon , Kiliçman Adem
Published: November 2021

The rough Heston model is a form of a stochastic Volterra equation, which was proposed to model stock price volatility. It captures some important qualities that can be observed in the financial market—highly endogenous, statistical arbitrages prevention, liquidity asymmetry, and metaorders. Unlike stochastic differential equation, the stochastic Volterra equation is extremely computationally expensive to simulate. In other words, it is difficult to compute option prices under the rough Heston model by conventional Monte Carlo simulation. In this paper, we prove that Euler’s discretization method for the stochastic Volterra equation with non-Lipschitz diffusion coefficient E[|Vt−Vtn|p] is finitely bounded by an exponential function of t. Furthermore, the weak error |E[Vt−Vtn]| and convergence for the stochastic Volterra equation are proven at the rate of O(n−H). In addition, we propose a mixed Monte Carlo method, using the control variate and multilevel methods. The numerical experiments indicate that the proposed method is capable of achieving a substantial cost-adjusted variance reduction up to 17 times, and it is better than its predecessor individual methods in terms of cost-adjusted performance. Due to the cost-adjusted basis for our numerical experiment, the result also indicates a high possibility of potential use in practice.
Morphological Study of Fossa Ovalis in Formalin-Fixed Human Hearts and Its Clinical Importance
Authors: Vaida Monica Adriana , Streian Caius Glad , Gug Cristina , Damen Nawwaf Sebastian , Jianu Adelina Maria , Grigoriță Andreea , Grigoriță Laura
Published: November 2021

Background and Objectives: Our study aimed to investigate the gross anatomy aspects of the fossa ovalis (FO) and the presence of some anatomical variation resulting from the incomplete fusion of septum primum and septum secundum, such as an atrial septal pouch (SP) and left atrial septal ridge. Materials and Methods: Thirty-one adult human hearts removed from formalin-fixed specimens were examined to provide information about the morphology of the FO. The organs were free of any gross anatomically visible pathological conditions. Results: The most common variants were the FO located in the inferior part of the interatrial septum (64.51%), circular (61.3%), with a net-like structure (51.62%), prominent limbus (93.55%), and patent foramen ovale (PFO) (25.8%). The right SP was observed in 9.67% of specimens, the left SP was observed in 29.03% of cases, and in 51.61% of cases, a double SP was observed. One sample presented a right SP and a double left SP, and one case showed a triple left SP, which was not reported previously to our knowledge. Conclusions: Knowledge of the interatrial septal anatomy becomes important for interventional cardiologists and should be documented before transeptal puncture.
Exopolysaccharides from Bifidobacterium animalis Ameliorate Escherichia coli-Induced IPEC-J2 Cell Damage via Inhibiting Apoptosis and Restoring Autophagy
Authors: Yuan Lanxin , Chu Bingxin , Chen Shiyan , Li Yanan , Liu Ning , Zhu Yaohong , Zhou Dong
Published: November 2021

Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC) is a common zoonotic pathogen that causes acute infectious diarrhea. Probiotics like Bifidobacterium are known to help prevent pathogen infections. The protective effects of Bifidobacterium are closely associated with its secretory products exopolysaccharides (EPS). We explored the effects of the EPS from Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis (B. lactis) on ameliorating the damage of an intestinal porcine epithelial cell line (IPEC-J2) during EPEC infection. Pretreatment with EPS alleviated EPEC-induced apoptosis through the restoration of cell morphology and the downregulation of protein expressions of cleaved-caspase 8, cleaved-caspase 3, and cleaved-PARP. EPS-mediated remission of apoptosis significantly improved cell viability during EPEC infection. EPEC infection also resulted in impaired autophagy, as demonstrated by decreased expressions of autophagy-related proteins Beclin 1, ATG5, and microtubule-binding protein light chain-3B (LC3B) and the increased expression of p62 through western blot analysis. However, EPS reversed these effects which indicated that EPS promoted autophagosome formation. Furthermore, EPS prevented the lysosome damage induced by EPEC as it enhanced lysosomal acidification and raised lysosome-associated protein levels, thus promoted autophagosome degradation. Our findings suggest that the amelioration of EPEC-induced cell damages by EPS is associated with the limitation of detrimental apoptosis and the promotion of autophagy flux.
Household Transmission of SARS-CoV-2: A Prospective Longitudinal Study Showing Higher Viral Load and Increased Transmissibility of the Alpha Variant Compared to Previous Strains
Authors: Julin Cathinka Halle , Robertson Anna Hayman , Hungnes Olav , Tunheim Gro , Bekkevold Terese , Laake Ida , Aune Idunn Forland , Killengreen Marit Fodnes , Strand Torunn Ramsem , Rykkvin Rikard , Dorenberg Dagny Haug , Stene-Johansen Kathrine , Berg Einar Sverre , Bodin Johanna Eva , Oftung Fredrik , Steens Anneke , Næss Lisbeth Meyer
Published: November 2021

We studied the secondary attack rate (SAR), risk factors, and precautionary practices of household transmission in a prospective, longitudinal study. We further compared transmission between the Alpha (B.1.1.7) variant and non-Variant of Concern (non-VOC) viruses. From May 2020 throughout April 2021, we recruited 70 confirmed COVID-19 cases with 146 household contacts. Participants donated biological samples eight times over 6 weeks and answered questionnaires. SARS-CoV-2 infection was detected by real-time RT-PCR. Whole genome sequencing and droplet digital PCR were used to establish virus variant and viral load. SARS-CoV-2 transmission occurred in 60% of the households, and the overall SAR for household contacts was 50%. The SAR was significantly higher for the Alpha variant (78%) compared with non-VOC viruses (43%) and was associated with a higher viral load. SAR was higher in household contacts aged ≥40 years (69%) than in younger contacts (40–47%), and for contacts of primary cases with loss of taste/smell. Children had lower viral loads and were more often asymptomatic than adults. Sleeping separately from the primary case reduced the risk of transmission. In conclusion, we found substantial household transmission, particularly for the Alpha variant. Precautionary practices seem to reduce SAR, but preventing household transmission may become difficult with more contagious variants, depending on vaccine use and effectiveness.
Development of High-Throughput Multiplex Serology to Detect Serum Antibodies against Coxiella burnetii
Authors: Jeske Rima , Dangel Larissa , Sauerbrey Leander , Frangoulidis Dimitrios , Teras Lauren R. , Fischer Silke F. , Waterboer Tim
Published: November 2021

The causative agent of Q fever, the bacterium Coxiella burnetii (C. burnetii), has gained increasing interest due to outbreak events and reports about it being a potential risk factor for the development of lymphomas. In order to conduct large-scale studies for population monitoring and to investigate possible associations more closely, accurate and cost-effective high-throughput assays are highly desired. To address this need, nine C. burnetii proteins were expressed as recombinant antigens for multiplex serology. This technique enables the quantitative high-throughput detection of antibodies to multiple antigens simultaneously in a single reaction. Based on a reference group of 76 seropositive and 91 seronegative sera, three antigens were able to detect C. burnetii infections. Com1, GroEL, and DnaK achieved specificities of 93%, 69%, and 77% and sensitivities of 64%, 72%, and 47%, respectively. Double positivity to Com1 and GroEL led to a combined specificity of 90% and a sensitivity of 71%. In a subgroup of seropositives with an increased risk for chronic Q fever, the double positivity to these markers reached a specificity of 90% and a sensitivity of 86%. Multiplex serology enables the detection of antibodies against C. burnetii and appears well-suited to investigate associations between C. burnetii infections and the clinical manifestations in large-scale studies.
Two-dimensional Infrared Spectroscopy Reveals Better Insights of Structure and Dynamics of Protein
Authors: Maiti Kiran Sankar
Published: November 2021

Proteins play an important role in biological and biochemical processes taking place in the living system. To uncover these fundamental processes of the living system, it is an absolutely necessary task to understand the structure and dynamics of the protein. Vibrational spectroscopy is an established tool to explore protein structure and dynamics. In particular, two-dimensional infrared (2DIR) spectroscopy has already proven its versatility to explore the protein structure and its ultrafast dynamics, and it has essentially unprecedented time resolutions to observe the vibrational dynamics of the protein. Providing several examples from our theoretical and experimental efforts, it is established here that two-dimensional vibrational spectroscopy provides exceptionally more information than one-dimensional vibrational spectroscopy. The structural information of the protein is encoded in the position, shape, and strength of the peak in 2DIR spectra. The time evolution of the 2DIR spectra allows for the visualisation of molecular motions.
Plant-Based Colloidal Delivery Systems for Bioactives
Authors: Tan Yunbing , McClements David Julian
Published: November 2021

The supplementation of plant-based foods and beverages with bioactive agents may be an important strategy for increasing human healthiness. Numerous kinds of colloidal delivery systems have been developed to encapsulate bioactives with the goal of improving their water dispersibility, chemical stability, and bioavailability. In this review, we focus on colloidal delivery systems assembled entirely from plant-based ingredients, such as lipids, proteins, polysaccharides, phospholipids, and surfactants isolated from botanical sources. In particular, the utilization of these ingredients to create plant-based nanoemulsions, nanoliposomes, nanoparticles, and microgels is covered. The utilization of these delivery systems to encapsulate, protect, and release various kinds of bioactives is highlighted, including oil-soluble vitamins (like vitamin D), ω-3 oils, carotenoids (vitamin A precursors), curcuminoids, and polyphenols. The functionality of these delivery systems can be tailored to specific applications by careful selection of ingredients and processing operations, as this enables the composition, size, shape, internal structure, surface chemistry, and electrical characteristics of the colloidal particles to be controlled. The plant-based delivery systems discussed in this article may be useful for introducing active ingredients into the next generation of plant-based foods, meat, seafood, milk, and egg analogs. Nevertheless, there is still a need to systematically compare the functional performance of different delivery systems for specific applications to establish the most appropriate one. In addition, there is a need to test their efficacy at delivering bioavailable forms of bioactives using in vivo studies.
Subsynaptic Distribution, Lipid Raft Targeting and G Protein-Dependent Signalling of the Type 1 Cannabinoid Receptor in Synaptosomes from the Mouse Hippocampus and Frontal Cortex
Authors: Saumell-Esnaola Miquel , Barrondo Sergio , García del Caño Gontzal , Goicolea María Aranzazu , Sallés Joan , Lutz Beat , Monory Krisztina
Published: November 2021

Numerous studies have investigated the roles of the type 1 cannabinoid receptor (CB1) in glutamatergic and GABAergic neurons. Here, we used the cell-type-specific CB1 rescue model in mice to gain insight into the organizational principles of plasma membrane targeting and Gαi/o protein signalling of the CB1 receptor at excitatory and inhibitory terminals of the frontal cortex and hippocampus. By applying biochemical fractionation techniques and Western blot analyses to synaptosomal membranes, we explored the subsynaptic distribution (pre-, post-, and extra-synaptic) and CB1 receptor compartmentalization into lipid and non-lipid raft plasma membrane microdomains and the signalling properties. These data infer that the plasma membrane partitioning of the CB1 receptor and its functional coupling to Gαi/o proteins are not biased towards the cell type of CB1 receptor rescue. The extent of the canonical Gαi/o protein-dependent CB1 receptor signalling correlated with the abundance of CB1 receptor in the respective cell type (glutamatergic versus GABAergic neurons) both in frontal cortical and hippocampal synaptosomes. In summary, our results provide an updated view of the functional coupling of the CB1 receptor to Gαi/o proteins at excitatory and inhibitory terminals and substantiate the utility of the CB1 rescue model in studying endocannabinoid physiology at the subcellular level.
In Vitro and In Vivo Photoprotective Effects of (-)-Loliode Isolated from the Brown Seaweed, Sargassum horneri
Authors: Wang Lei , Kim Hyun-Soo , Je Jun-Geon , Fu Xiaoting , Huang Caoxing , Ahn Ginnae , Oh Jae-Young , Sanjeewa K. K. Asanka , Xu Jiachao , Gao Xin , Yeo In-Kyu , Jeon You-Jin
Published: November 2021

Skin is the largest organ of humans. Overexposure to ultraviolet (UV) is the primary environmental factor that causes skin damage. The compound, (-)-loliode, isolated from the brown seaweed Sargassum horneri, showed strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities in in vitro and in vivo models. To further explore the potential of (-)-loliode in cosmetics, in the present study, we investigated the photoprotective effect of (-)-loliode in vitro in skin cells and in vivo in zebrafish. The results indicated that (-)-loliode significantly reduced intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) level, improved cell viability, and suppressed apoptosis of UVB-irradiated human keratinocytes. In addition, (-)-loliode remarkably attenuated oxidative damage, improved collagen synthesis, and inhibited matrix metalloproteinases expression in UVB-irradiated human dermal fibroblasts. Furthermore, the in vivo test demonstrated that (-)-loliode effectively and dose-dependently suppressed UVB-induced zebrafish damage displayed in decreasing the levels of ROS, nitric oxide, lipid peroxidation, and cell death in UVB-irradiated zebrafish. These results indicate that (-)-loliode possesses strong photoprotective activities and suggest (-)-loliode may an ideal ingredient in the pharmaceutical and cosmeceutical industries.
Silyldienolates in Organocatalytic Enantioselective Vinylogous Mukaiyama-Type Reactions: A Review
Authors: Hoppmann Leon , García Mancheño Olga
Published: November 2021

Mukaiyama aldol, Mannich, and Michael reactions are arguably amongst the most important C–C bond formation processes and enable access to highly relevant building blocks of various natural products. Their vinylogous extensions display equally high potential in the formation of important key intermediates featuring even higher functionalization possibilities through an additional conjugated C–C double bond. Hence, it is much desired to develop highly selective vinylogous methods in order to enable unconventional, more efficient asymmetric syntheses of biologically active compounds. In this regard, silyl-dienolates were discovered to display high regioselectivities due to their tendency toward γ-additions. The control of the enantio- and diastereoinduction of these processes have been for a long time dominated by transition metal catalysis, but it received serious competition by the application of organocatalytic approaches since the beginning of this century. In this review, the organocatalytic applications of silyl-dienolates in asymmetric vinylogous C–C bond formations are summarized, focusing on their scope, characteristics, and limitations.
Ammoides pusilla Essential Oil: A Potent Inhibitor of the Growth of Fusarium avenaceum and Its Enniatin Production
Authors: Chakroun Yasmine , Oueslati Souheib , Atanasova Vessela , Richard-Forget Florence , Abderrabba Manef , Savoie Jean-Michel
Published: November 2021

Enniatins are mycotoxins produced by Fusarium species contaminating cereals and various agricultural commodities. The co-occurrence of these mycotoxins in large quantities with other mycotoxins such as trichothecenes and the possible synergies in toxicity could lead to serious food safety problems. Using the agar dilution method, Ammoides pusilla was selected among eight Tunisian plants for the antifungal potential of its essential oil (EO) on Fusarium avenaceum mycelial growth and its production of enniatins. Two EO batches were produced and analyzed by GC/MS-MS. Their activities were measured using both contact assays and fumigant tests (estimated IC50 were 0.1 µL·mL−1 and 7.6 µL·L−1, respectively). The A. pusilla EOs and their volatiles inhibited the germination of spores and the mycelial growth, showing a fungistatic but not fungicidal activity. The accumulation of enniatins was also significantly reduced (estimated IC50 were 0.05 µL·mL−1 for the contact assays and 4.2 µL·L−1 for the fumigation assays). The most active batch of EO was richer in thymol, the main volatile compound found. Thymol used as fumigant showed a potent fungistatic activity but not a significant antimycotoxigenic activity. Overall, our data demonstrated the bioactivity of A. pusilla EO and its high potential to control F. avenaceum and its enniatins production in agricultural commodities.
Nontargeted Screening Using Gas Chromatography–Atmospheric Pressure Ionization Mass Spectrometry: Recent Trends and Emerging Potential
Authors: Li Xiaolei , Dorman Frank L. , Helm Paul A. , Kleywegt Sonya , Simpson André , Simpson Myrna J. , Jobst Karl J.
Published: November 2021

Gas chromatography–high-resolution mass spectrometry (GC–HRMS) is a powerful nontargeted screening technique that promises to accelerate the identification of environmental pollutants. Currently, most GC–HRMS instruments are equipped with electron ionization (EI), but atmospheric pressure ionization (API) ion sources have attracted renewed interest because: (i) collisional cooling at atmospheric pressure minimizes fragmentation, resulting in an increased yield of molecular ions for elemental composition determination and improved detection limits; (ii) a wide range of sophisticated tandem (ion mobility) mass spectrometers can be easily adapted for operation with GC–API; and (iii) the conditions of an atmospheric pressure ion source can promote structure diagnostic ion–molecule reactions that are otherwise difficult to perform using conventional GC–MS instrumentation. This literature review addresses the merits of GC–API for nontargeted screening while summarizing recent applications using various GC–API techniques. One perceived drawback of GC–API is the paucity of spectral libraries that can be used to guide structure elucidation. Herein, novel data acquisition, deconvolution and spectral prediction tools will be reviewed. With continued development, it is anticipated that API may eventually supplant EI as the de facto GC–MS ion source used to identify unknowns.
Inflammasome Inhibitors
Authors: Bertinaria Massimo
Published: November 2021

In recent years, the interplay between the activation of the immune system, the development of chronic inflammation and the onset and progression of many different diseases has been studied extensively [...]
Accumulation Pattern of Flavonoids during Fruit Development of Lonicera maackii Determined by Metabolomics
Authors: Qi Zengxing , Zhao Ran , Xu Jing , Ge Yanrui , Li Ruofan , Li Ruili
Published: November 2021

Lonicera maackii (Caprifoliaceae) is a large, upright shrub with fruits that contain many bioactive compounds. Flavonoids are common active substances in L. maackii. However, there is a dearth of information about the accumulation of these flavonoids and their possible medicinal value. We used targeted metabolomics analysis based on ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) to analyze five developmental stages of L. maackii fruit. A total of 438 metabolites were identified in the five developmental stages, including 81 flavonoids and derivatives. The 81 flavonoids included 25 flavones and derivatives, 35 flavonols and derivatives, two isoflavones, three cyanidins and derivatives, eight procyanidins, and eight flavanones. In addition, we outlined the putative flavonoid biosynthesis pathway and screened their upstream metabolites. More importantly, we analyzed the accumulation patterns of several typical flavones and flavonols. The results reported here improved our understanding of the dynamic changes in flavonoids during fruit development and contributed to making full use of the medicinal value of L. maackii fruit.
In-Vitro Screenings for Biological and Antioxidant Activities of Water Extract from Theobroma cacao L. Pod Husk: Potential Utilization in Foods
Authors: Yahya Mustanir , Ginting Binawati , Saidi Nurdin
Published: November 2021

Increasing production of cocoa (Theobroma cacao L.) leads to a higher environmental burden due to its solid waste generation. Cocoa pod husk, one of the major solid wastes of cocoa production, contains rich bioactive compounds unveiling its valorization potential. With that in mind, our research aimed to explore the biological and antioxidant activities of aqueous extracts from cocoa pod husks. In this present work, cocoa pod husk was extracted using water and subsequentially partitioned using n-hexane, ethyl acetate, and methanol. The antimicrobial investigation revealed that the ethyl acetate solubles were active against the Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, and Candida albicans, where at a 20% w/v concentration, the inhibition diameters were 6.62 ± 0.10, 6.52 ± 0.02, and 11.72 ± 0.36 mm, respectively. The extracts were found non-toxic proven by brine shrimp lethality tests against Artemia salina with LC50 scores ranging from 74.1 to 19,054.6 μg/mL. The total phenolic content and total flavonoid content were obtained in the range of 47.44 to 570.44 mg/g GAE and 1.96 to 4.34 mg/g QE, respectively. Antioxidant activities of the obtained extracts were revealed by 2,2-diphenyl-1-picryl-hydrazyl-hydrate (DPPH) assay with EC50 reached as low as 9.61 μg/mL by the ethyl acetate soluble. Phytochemical screening based on gas chromatography—mass spectroscopy analysis on the sample with the highest antioxidant activities revealed the dominant presence of three phytosterols, namely gamma-sitosterol, stigmasterol, and campesterol.
3,5-Dinitrosalicylic Acid Adsorption Using Granulated and Powdered Activated Carbons
Authors: Hernández José A. , Patiño-Saldivar Laura , Ardila Alba , Salazar-Hernández Mercedes , Talavera Alfonso , Hernández-Soto Rosa
Published: November 2021

Some nitroaromatic compounds are found in wastewater from industries such as the weapons industry or the wine industry. One of these compounds is 3,5-dinitrosalicylic acid (DNS), widely used in various tests and frequently found as an emerging pollutant in wastewater and to which the required attention has not been given, even though it may cause serious diseases due to its high toxicity. This study investigated the adsorption of DNS using granulated activated carbon (GAC) and powdered activated carbon (PAC) at different temperatures. The results show that in equilibrium, the adsorption takes place in more than one layer and is favorable for the removal of DNS in both GAC and PAC; The maximum adsorption capacity was obtained at 45 °C, with values of 6.97 mg/g and 11.57 mg/g, respectively. The process is spontaneous and exothermic. In addition, there was a greater disorder in the solid-liquid interface during the desorption process. The predominant kinetics using GAC (7.14 mg/g) as an adsorbent is Elovich, indicating that there are heterogeneous active sites, and when PAC (10.72 mg/g) is used, Pseudo-second order kinetics predominate, requiring two active sites for DNS removal. External mass transfer limitations are only significant in GAC, and ATR-FTIR studies in PAC demonstrated the participation of functional groups present on the adsorbent surface for DNS adsorption.
Cholesteric Molecular Tweezer Artificial Receptor for Rapid and Highly Selective Detection of Ag+ in Food Samples
Authors: Liu Zhe , Ye Ying , Wang Hong , Luo Li-xia
Published: November 2021

Chiral cholesteric molecular tweezer 7a was synthesized, and its recognition properties for Ag+, Al3+, Ca2+ etc., were investigated by UV and fluorescence spectra. The results showed that in ethanol/Tris (1/1, v/v, pH 7.0) buffer solution, the host molecular tweezer 7a had a specific recognition ability for Ag+, the detection limit was up to 1 × 10−6 mol/L, and other metal ions had little effect on Ag+ recognition. At the same time, the naked-eye detection of Ag+ was realized by the light red color of the complex solution. Furthermore, the mechanism of recognition of Ag+ by molecular tweezer 7a was studied by a nuclear magnetic titration test and computer molecular simulation, and a rapid detection method of Ag+ using host molecular tweezer 7a was established. Through the determination of Ag+ in milk powder, quinoa and other food samples, it was proved that this novel method had a good application prospect for the detection of Ag+ in food.
The Future of Carica papaya Leaf Extract as an Herbal Medicine Product
Authors: Hariono Maywan , Julianus Jeffry , Djunarko Ipang , Hidayat Irwan , Adelya Lintang , Indayani Friska , Auw Zerlinda , Namba Gabriel , Hariyono Pandu
Published: November 2021

Carica papaya (papaya) leaf extract has been used for a long time in a traditional medicine to treat fever in some infectious diseases such as dengue, malaria, and chikungunya. The development of science and technology has subsequently made it possible to provide evidence that this plant is not only beneficial as an informal medication, but also that it has scientifically proven pharmacological and toxicological activities, which have led to its formal usage in professional health care systems. The development of formulations for use in nutraceuticals and cosmeceuticals has caused this product to be more valuable nowadays. The use of good manufacturing practice (GMP) standards, along with the ease of registering this product facilitated by policies of the national government, will absolutely increase the value of papaya leaf extract as a vital nutraceutical and cosmeceutical products in the near future. In this article, we review the potential of papaya leaf extract to be a high-value commodity in terms of its health effects as well as its industrial benefits.
Antineoplastics Encapsulated in Nanostructured Lipid Carriers
Authors: Rodrigues da Silva Gustavo Henrique , Moura Ludmilla David de , Carvalho Fabíola Vieira de , Geronimo Gabriela , Mendonça Talita Cesarim , Lima Fernando Freitas de , de Paula Eneida
Published: November 2021

Ideally, antineoplastic treatment aims to selectively eradicate cancer cells without causing systemic toxicity. A great number of antineoplastic agents (AAs) are available nowadays, with well-defined therapeutic protocols. The poor bioavailability, non-selective action, high systemic toxicity, and lack of effectiveness of most AAs have stimulated the search for novel chemotherapy protocols, including technological approaches that provide drug delivery systems (DDS) for gold standard medicines. Nanostructured lipid carriers (NLC) are DDS that contain a core of solid and lipid liquids stabilised by surfactants. NLC have high upload capacity for lipophilic drugs, such as the majority of AAs. These nanoparticles can be prepared with a diversity of biocompatible (synthetic or natural) lipid blends, administered by different routes and functionalised for targeting purposes. This review focused on the research carried out from 2000 to now, regarding NLC formulations for AAs (antimetabolites, antimitotics, alkylating agents, and antibiotics) encapsulation, with special emphasis on studies carried out in vivo. NLC systems for codelivery of AAs were also considered, as well as those for non-classical drugs and therapies (natural products and photosensitisers). NLC have emerged as powerful DDS to improve the bioavailability, targeting and efficacy of antineoplastics, while decreasing their toxic effect in the treatment of different types of cancer.