bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Anti-Obesity Attributes; UHPLC-QTOF-MS/MS-Based Metabolite Profiling and Molecular Docking Insights of Taraxacum officinale
Authors: Aabideen Zain Ul , Mumtaz Muhammad Waseem , Akhtar Muhammad Tayyab , Mukhtar Hamid , Raza Syed Ali , Touqeer Tooba , Saari Nazamid
Published: October 2020

The naturopathic treatment of obesity is a matter of keen interest to develop efficient natural pharmacological routes for disease management with low or negligible toxicity and side effects. For this purpose, optimized ultrasonicated hydroethanolic extracts of Taraxacum officinale were evaluated for antiobesity attributes. The 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl method was adopted to evaluate antioxidant potential. Porcine pancreatic lipase inhibitory assay was conducted to assess the in vitro antiobesity property. Ultra-high performance chromatography equipped with a mass spectrometer was utilized to profile the secondary metabolites in the most potent extract. The 60% ethanolic extract exhibited highest extract yield (25.05 ± 0.07%), total phenolic contents (123.42 ± 0.007 mg GAE/g DE), total flavonoid contents (55.81 ± 0.004 RE/g DE), DPPH-radical-scavenging activity (IC50 = 81.05 ± 0.96 µg/mL) and pancreatic lipase inhibitory properties (IC50 = 146.49 ± 4.24 µg/mL). The targeted metabolite fingerprinting highlighted the presence of high-value secondary metabolites. Molecular-binding energies computed by docking tool revealed the possible contribution towards pancreatic lipase inhibitory properties of secondary metabolites including myricetin, isomangiferin, icariside B4, kaempferol and luteolin derivatives when compared to the standard drug orlistat. In vivo investigations revealed a positive impact on the lipid profile and obesity biomarkers of obese mice. The study presents Taraxacum officinale as a potent source of functional bioactive ingredients to impart new insights into the existing pool of knowledge of naturopathic approaches towards obesity management.
Ruthenium(IV) Complexes as Potential Inhibitors of Bacterial Biofilm Formation
Authors: Jabłońska-Wawrzycka Agnieszka , Rogala Patrycja , Czerwonka Grzegorz , Michałkiewicz Sławomir , Hodorowicz Maciej , Kowalczyk Paweł
Published: October 2020

With increasing antimicrobial resistance there is an urgent need for new strategies to control harmful biofilms. In this study, we have investigated the possibility of utilizing ruthenium(IV) complexes (H3O)2(HL1)2[RuCl6]·2Cl·2EtOH (1) and [RuCl4(CH3CN)2](L32)·H2O (2) (where L1-2-hydroxymethylbenzimadazole, L32-1,4-dihydroquinoxaline-2,3-dione) as effective inhibitors for biofilms formation. The biological activities of the compounds were explored using E. coli, S. aureus, P. aeruginosa PAO1, and P. aeruginosa LES B58. The new chloride ruthenium complexes were characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis, Hirshfeld surface analysis, FT-IR, UV-Vis, magnetic and electrochemical (CV, DPV) measurements, and solution conductivity. In the obtained complexes, the ruthenium(IV) ions possess an octahedral environment. The intermolecular classical and rare weak hydrogen bonds, and π···π stacking interactions significantly contribute to structure stabilization, leading to the formation of a supramolecular assembly. The microbiological tests have shown complex 1 exhibited a slightly higher anti-biofilm activity than that of compound 2. Interestingly, electrochemical studies have allowed us to determine the relationship between the oxidizing properties of complexes and their biological activity. Probably the mechanism of action of 1 and 2 is associated with generating a cellular response similar to oxidative stress in bacterial cells.
Synthetic Makaluvamine Analogs Decrease c-Kit Expression and Are Cytotoxic to Neuroendocrine Tumor Cells
Authors: Aburjania Zviadi , Whitt Jason D. , Jang Samuel , Nadkarni Dwayaja H. , Chen Herbert , Rose J. Bart , Velu Sadanandan E. , Jaskula-Sztul Renata
Published: October 2020

In an effort to discover viable systemic chemotherapeutic agents for neuroendocrine tumors (NETs), we screened a small library of 18 drug-like compounds obtained from the Velu lab against pulmonary (H727) and thyroid (MZ-CRC-1 and TT) neuroendocrine tumor-derived cell lines. Two potent lead compounds (DHN-II-84 and DHN-III-14) identified from this screening were found to be analogs of the natural product makaluvamine. We further characterized the antitumor activities of these two compounds using pulmonary (H727), thyroid (MZ-CRC-1) and pancreatic (BON) neuroendocrine tumor cell lines. Flow cytometry showed a dose-dependent increase in apoptosis in all cell lines. Induction of apoptosis with these compounds was also supported by the decrease in myeloid cell leukemia-1 (MCL-1) and X-chromosome linked inhibitor of apoptosis (XIAP) detected by Western blot. Compound treatment decreased NET markers chromogranin A (CgA) and achaete-scute homolog 1 (ASCL1) in a dose-dependent manner. Moreover, the gene expression analysis showed that the compound treatment reduced c-Kit proto-oncogene expression in the NET cell lines. Induction of apoptosis could also have been caused by the inhibition of c-Kit expression, in addition to the known mechanisms such as damage of DNA by topoisomerase II inhibition for this class of compounds. In summary, makaluvamine analogs DHN-II-84 and DHN-III-14 induced apoptosis, decreased neuroendocrine tumor markers, and showed promising antitumor activity in pulmonary, thyroid, and pancreatic NET cell lines, and hold potential to be developed as an effective treatment to combat neuroendocrine tumors.
Carbones and Carbon Atom as Ligands in Transition Metal Complexes
Authors: Zhao Lili , Chai Chaoqun , Petz Wolfgang , Frenking Gernot
Published: October 2020

This review summarizes experimental and theoretical studies of transition metal complexes with two types of novel metal-carbon bonds. One type features complexes with carbones CL2 as ligands, where the carbon(0) atom has two electron lone pairs which engage in double (σ and π) donation to the metal atom [M]⇇CL2. The second part of this review reports complexes which have a neutral carbon atom C as ligand. Carbido complexes with naked carbon atoms may be considered as endpoint of the series [M]-CR3 → [M]-CR2 → [M]-CR → [M]-C. This review includes some work on uranium and cerium complexes, but it does not present a complete coverage of actinide and lanthanide complexes with carbone or carbide ligands.
Non-Chromatographic Speciation of As by HG Technique—Analysis of Samples with Different Matrices
Authors: Welna Maja , Szymczycha-Madeja Anna , Pohl Pawel
Published: October 2020

The applicability of the hydride generation (HG) sample introduction technique combined with different spectrochemical detection methods for non-chromatographic speciation of toxic As species, i.e., As(III), As(V), dimethylarsinate (DMA) and monomethylarsonate (MMA), in waters and other environmental, food and biological matrices is presented as a promising tool to speciate As by obviating chromatographic separation. Different non-chromatographic procedures along with speciation protocols reported in the literature over the past 20 year are summarized. Basic rules ensuring species selective generation of the corresponding hydrides are presented in detail. Common strategies and alternative approaches are highlighted. Aspects of proper sample preparation before analysis and the selection of adequate strategies for speciation purposes are emphasized.
Phytochemical Composition, Antioxidant Capacity, and Enzyme Inhibitory Activity in Callus, Somaclonal Variant, and Normal Green Shoot Tissues of Catharanthus roseus (L) G. Don
Authors: Lee O. New , Ak Gunes , Zengin Gokhan , Cziáky Zoltán , Jekő József , Rengasamy Kannan R.R. , Park Han Yong , Kim Doo Hwan , Sivanesan Iyyakkannu
Published: October 2020

This study aimed to investigate the impact of plant growth regulators, sucrose concentration, and the number of subcultures on axillary shoot multiplication, in vitro flowering, and somaclonal variation and to assess the phytochemical composition, antioxidant capacity, and enzyme inhibitory potential of in vitro-established callus, somaclonal variant, and normal green shoots of Catharanthus roseus. The highest shoot induction rate (95.8%) and highest number of shoots (23.6), with a mean length of 4.5 cm, were attained when the C. roseus nodal explants (0.6–1 cm in length) were cultivated in Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium with 2 µM thidiazuron, 1 µM 2-(1-naphthyl) acetic acid (NAA), and 4% sucrose. The in vitro flowering of C. roseus was affected by sucrose, and the number of subcultures had a significant effect on shoot multiplication and somaclonal variation. The highest levels of phenolics and flavonoids were found in normal green shoots, followed by those in somaclonal variant shoots and callus. The phytochemicals in C. roseus extracts were qualified using liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry. A total of 39, 55, and 59 compounds were identified in the callus, somaclonal variant shoot, and normal green shoot tissues, respectively. The normal green shoot extracts exhibited the best free radical scavenging ability and reducing power activity. The strongest acetylcholinesterase inhibitory effects were found in the callus, with an IC50 of 0.65 mg/mL.
Development of HPLC Method for Quantification of Sinigrin from Raphanus sativus Roots and Evaluation of Its Anticancer Potential
Authors: Nair Anroop B. , Gandhi Dipal , Patel Snehal S. , Morsy Mohamed A. , Gorain Bapi , Attimarad Mahesh , Shah Jigar N.
Published: October 2020

Sinigrin, a precursor of allyl isothiocyanate, present in the Raphanus sativus exhibits diverse biological activities, and has an immense role against cancer proliferation. Therefore, the objective of this study was to quantify the sinigrin in the R. sativus roots using developed and validated RP-HPLC method and further evaluated its’ anticancer activity. To achieve the objective, the roots of R. sativus were lyophilized to obtain a stable powder, which were extracted and passed through an ion-exchange column to obtain sinigrin-rich fraction. The RP-HPLC method using C18 analytical column was used for chromatographic separation and quantification of sinigrin in the prepared fraction, which was attained using the mobile phase consisting of 20 mM tetrabutylammonium: acetonitrile (80:20%, v/v at pH 7.0) at a flow rate of 0.5 mL/min. The chromatographic peak for sinigrin was showed at 3.592 min for pure sinigrin, where a good linearity was achieved within the concentration range of 50 to 800 µg/mL (R2 > 0.99), with an excellent accuracy (−1.37% and −1.29%) and precision (1.43% and 0.94%), for intra and inter-day, respectively. Finally, the MTT assay was performed for the sinigrin-rich fraction using three different human cancer cell lines, viz. prostate cancer (DU-145), colon adenocarcinoma (HCT-15), and melanoma (A-375). The cell-based assays were extended to conduct apoptotic and caspase-3 activities, to determine the mechanism of action of sinigrin in the treatment of cancer. MTT assay showed IC50 values of 15.88, 21.42, and 24.58 µg/mL for DU-145, HCT-15, and A-375 cell lines, respectively. Increased cellular apoptosis and caspase-3 expression were observed with sinigrin-rich fraction, indicating significant increase in overexpression of caspase-3 in DU-145 cells. In conclusion, a simple, sensitive, fast, and accurate RP-HPLC method was developed for the estimation of sinigrin in the prepared fraction. The data observed here indicate that sinigrin can be beneficial in treating prostate cancer possibly by inducing apoptosis.
From Differential Stains to Next Generation Physiology: Chemical Probes to Visualize Bacterial Cell Structure and Physiology
Authors: Hira Jonathan , Uddin Md. Jalal , Haugland Marius M. , Lentz Christian S.
Published: October 2020

Chemical probes have been instrumental in microbiology since its birth as a discipline in the 19th century when chemical dyes were used to visualize structural features of bacterial cells for the first time. In this review article we will illustrate the evolving design of chemical probes in modern chemical biology and their diverse applications in bacterial imaging and phenotypic analysis. We will introduce and discuss a variety of different probe types including fluorogenic substrates and activity-based probes that visualize metabolic and specific enzyme activities, metabolic labeling strategies to visualize structural features of bacterial cells, antibiotic-based probes as well as fluorescent conjugates to probe biomolecular uptake pathways.
Coriolic Acid (13-(S)-Hydroxy-9Z, 11E-octadecadienoic Acid) from Glasswort (Salicornia herbacea L.) Suppresses Breast Cancer Stem Cell through the Regulation of c-Myc
Authors: Ko Yu-Chan , Choi Hack Sun , Kim Ji-Hyang , Kim Su-Lim , Yun Bong-Sik , Lee Dong-Sun
Published: October 2020

Cancer stem cells have certain characteristics, such as self-renewal, differentiation, and drug resistance, which are related to tumor progression, maintenance, recurrence, and metastasis. In our study, we targeted breast cancer stem cells (BCSCs) using a natural compound, coriolic acid, from Salicornia herbacea L. This compound was isolated by mammosphere formation inhibition bioassay-guided fractionation and identified by using NMR spectroscopy and electrospray ionization mass spectrometry. Coriolic acid inhibited the formation of mammospheres and induced BCSC apoptosis. It also decreased the subpopulation of CD44high/CD24low cells, a cancer stem cell (CSC) phenotype, and specific genes related to CSCs, such as Nanog,Oct4, and CD44. Coriolic acid decreased the transcriptional and translational levels of the c-Myc gene, which is a CSC survival factor. These results indicated that coriolic acid could be a novel compound to target BCSCs via regulation of c-Myc.
Design and Synthesis of Various 5′-Deoxy-5′-(4-Substituted-1,2,3-Triazol-1-yl)-Uridine Analogues as Inhibitors of Mycobacterium tuberculosis Mur Ligases
Authors: Hervin Vincent , Arora Ritu , Rani Jyoti , Ramchandran Srinivasan , Bajpai Urmi , Agrofoglio Luigi A. , Roy Vincent
Published: October 2020

The synthesis of hitherto unknown 5′-deoxy-5′-(4-substituted-1,2,3-triazol-1-yl)-uridine and its evaluation, through an one-pot screening assay, against MurA-F enzymes involved in Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb), are described. Starting from UDP-N-acetylmuramic acid (UDP-MurNAc), the natural substrate involved in the peptidoglycan biosynthesis, our strategy was to substitute the diphosphate group of UDP-MurNAc by a 1,2,3-triazolo spacer under copper-catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloaddition conditions. The structure-activity relationship was discussed and among the 23 novel compounds developed, N-acetylglucosamine analogues 11c and 11e emerged as the best inhibitors against the Mtb MurA-F enzymes reconstruction pathway with an inhibitory effect of 56% and 50%, respectively, at 100 μM. Both compounds are selective inhibitors of Mtb MurE, the molecular docking and molecular dynamic simulation suggesting that 11c and 11e are occupying the active site of Mtb MurE ligase.
Not Just Another Scaffolding Protein Family: The Multifaceted MPPs
Authors: Chytła Agnieszka , Gajdzik-Nowak Weronika , Olszewska Paulina , Biernatowska Agnieszka , Sikorski Aleksander F. , Czogalla Aleksander
Published: October 2020

Membrane palmitoylated proteins (MPPs) are a subfamily of a larger group of multidomain proteins, namely, membrane-associated guanylate kinases (MAGUKs). The ubiquitous expression and multidomain structure of MPPs provide the ability to form diverse protein complexes at the cell membranes, which are involved in a wide range of cellular processes, including establishing the proper cell structure, polarity and cell adhesion. The formation of MPP-dependent complexes in various cell types seems to be based on similar principles, but involves members of different protein groups, such as 4.1-ezrin-radixin-moesin (FERM) domain-containing proteins, polarity proteins or other MAGUKs, showing their multifaceted nature. In this review, we discuss the function of the MPP family in the formation of multiple protein complexes. Notably, we depict their significant role for cell physiology, as the loss of interactions between proteins involved in the complex has a variety of negative consequences. Moreover, based on recent studies concerning the mechanism of membrane raft formation, we shed new light on a possible role played by MPPs in lateral membrane organization.
Fuzzy Divisive Hierarchical Associative-Clustering Applied to Different Varieties of White Wines According to Their Multi-Elemental Profiles
Authors: Feher Ioana , Magdas Dana Alina , Voica Cezara , Cristea Gabriela , Sârbu Costel
Published: October 2020

Wine data are usually characterized by high variability, in terms of compounds and concentration ranges. Chemometric methods can be efficiently used to extract and exploit the meaningful information contained in such data. Therefore, the fuzzy divisive hierarchical associative-clustering (FDHAC) method was efficiently applied in this study, for the classification of several varieties of Romanian white wines, using the elemental profile (concentrations of 30 elements analyzed by ICP-MS). The investigated wines were produced in four different geographical areas of Romania (Transylvania, Moldova, Muntenia and Oltenia). The FDHAC algorithm provided not only a fuzzy partition of the investigated white wines, but also a fuzzy partition of considered characteristics. Furthermore, this method is unique because it allows a 3D bi-plot representation of membership degrees corresponding to wine samples and elements. In this way, it was possible to identify the most specific elements (in terms of highest, smallest or intermediate concentration values) to each fuzzy partition (group) of wine samples. The chemical elements that appeared to be more powerful for the differentiation of the wines produced in different Romanian areas were: K, Rb, P, Ca, B, Na.
Charging Effect by Fluorine-Treatment and Recess Gate for Enhancement-Mode on AlGaN/GaN High Electron Mobility Transistors
Authors: Kang Soo Cheol , Jung Hyun-Wook , Chang Sung-Jae , Kim Seung Mo , Lee Sang Kyung , Lee Byoung Hun , Kim Haecheon , Noh Youn-Sub , Lee Sang-Heung , Kim Seong-Il , Ahn Ho-Kyun , Lim Jong-Won
Published: October 2020

An enhancement-mode AlGaN/GaN metal-insulator-semiconductor high-electron- mobility-transistor was fabricated using a recess gate and CF4 plasma treatment to investigate its reliable applicability to high-power devices and circuits. The fluorinated-gate device showed hysteresis during the DC current-voltage measurement, and the polarity and magnitude of hysteresis depend on the drain voltage. The hysteresis phenomenon is due to the electron trapping at the Al2O3/AlGaN interface and charging times longer than milliseconds were obtained by pulse I-V measurement. In addition, the subthreshold slope of the fluorinated-gate device was increased after the positive gate bias stress because of the two-dimensional electron gas reduction by ionized fluorine. Our systematic observation revealed that the effect of fluorine ions should be considered for the design of AlGaN/GaN power circuits.
Nanofluids for Performance Improvement of Heavy Machinery Journal Bearings: A Simulation Study
Authors: Sadabadi Hamid , Sanati Nezhad Amir
Published: October 2020

Nanofluids have extensive applications in hydrodynamic journal bearings used in heavy industry machinery. Inorganic fullerene-like tungsten disulfide nanoparticles (IF-WS2 NPs) are the most common additive for lubrication purpose due to their excellent mechanical characteristics along with their effect on reducing friction and wear. In this work, a computational simulation approach with discrete phase modeling (DPM) of suspended nanoparticles was used to evaluate the application of the IF-WS2 nanofluid lubricant on load carrying capacity of high-load journal bearings where the normal loads are high, considering the bearing dimensions. For accurate simulation, nanofluid viscosity was calculated considering the aggregation effect of NPs by using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) imaging of the nanofluids. A benchmark study was first performed to assess the model accuracy. Hydrodynamic lubrication was simulated under different nanofluid weigh fractions. The simulated pressure distribution was then employed to determine the load capacity of the bearing. The results show an approximately 20% improvement of load carrying capacity at 5% weight fraction of WS2-oil nanofluid.
Toxicity Evaluation of Nanostructured Silica Orally Administered to Rats: Influence on Immune System Function
Authors: Gmoshinski Ivan V. , Shipelin Vladimir A. , Shumakova Antonina A. , Trushina Eleonora N. , Mustafina Oksana K. , Safenkova Irina V. , Khotimchenko Sergey A. , Nikityuk Dmitry B. , Tutelyan Viktor A.
Published: October 2020

The experimental data on the oral toxicity of nanostructured amorphous silica (SiO2), widely used in food supplements, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics, in terms of its in vivo effect on the immune system, are contradictory. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the rat’s immune function after SiO2 oral administration. In the first experiment, SiO2 was daily orally administered to Wistar rats for 92 days in doses of 0.1, 1.0, 10, and 100 mg/kg of body weight (bw). In the second 28-day experiment, SiO2 in a dose of 100 mg/kg bw was daily orally administered to rats parenterally immunized with the food allergen ovalbumin (OVA) for the reproduction of systemic anaphylaxis reaction. Together with integral indices, we assessed intestinal permeability to protein macromolecules; hematology; CD45RA+, CD3+, CD4+, CD8+, and CD161a+ cells; cytokines TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-10; and IgG to OVA. The results obtained showed that SiO2 has no effect on the severity of the anaphylactic reaction, but is capable inducing a toxic effect on the T-cell immune systems of rats. Estimated no observed adverse effect level NOAEL for SiO2 ranges up to 100 mg/kg bw in terms of its daily consumption for 1–3 months. Using SiO2 as a food additive should be the subject of regulation.
Depolarization Block in the Endocannabinoid System of the Hippocampus
Authors: Tirozzi Brunello , Londei Fabrizio , Gianani Simona
Published: October 2020

Depolarization block is such a mechanism that the firing activity of a neuronal system is stopped for particular values of the input current. It is important to block epilepsy or unpleasant firing rates. We investigate this property for a non-linear model of CA3 hippocampal neurons under the action of endocannabinoid transmitters. The aim is to discover if they induce depolarization block, a property already seen in other neuronal models and observed in some experiments, signifying that the neural population increases its spiking frequency as some main parameter changes until reaching a situation of no firing. The results is theoretical and it could be useful for investigating real system of neurons of the hippocampus. In some papers it has been shown that this property is connected with bistability, which means that the system has two equilibrium states for some ranges of its parameters. Endocannabinoids influence the learning and memory process and so we concentrate our attention on the CA3 neurons of the hippocampus. We find bistability and depolarization block for the considered model, which is a generalization of the Wilson-Cowan model. The model describes average properties of neurons divided in three classes: the excitatory neuronal population (CA3 neurons) and two types of inhibitory neuron populations (basket cells). The exogenous concentration of cannabinoids is the parameter that controls bistability. This result can be used for an experiment that could give information for medical therapy. We study the time evolution of the synapses connecting the excitatory population with two types of basket cells. The evolution of synaptic weights is considered to be a toy model of the learning process. But this model cannot encompass the complexity and diversity of exogenous and endogenous endocannabinoids effects in vivo.
Cultural Adaptation and Evaluation of the Perceived Nutrition Environment Measures Survey to the Mediterranean Spanish Context (NEMS-P-MED)
Authors: Martínez-García Alba , Trescastro-López Eva María , Galiana-Sánchez María Eugenia , Llorens-Ivorra Cristóbal , Pereyra-Zamora Pamela
Published: October 2020

Individuals’ perceptions of their food environments are a mediator between exposure to the environment and people’s interaction with it. The Nutrition Environment Measures Surveys (NEMS) are valid and reliable measures to assess food environments. In Spain, there is no adapted instrument to measure the perceived obesogenic environment. This article aims to adapt and evaluate the Perceived Nutrition Environment Measures Survey for a Spanish context (NEMS-P-MED). The Spanish version has 32 questions to measure the perception about availability, accessibility and marketing of 3 types of environment: home, shops and restaurants. We assess feasibility, construct validity and internal consistency reliability through a sample of 95 individuals. The internal consistency was acceptable for most items (Cronbach’s alpha coefficients range from 0.6 to 0.9), similar to that of the original scale. The NEMS-P-MED has been shown to be valid and, on certain items reliable, and was useful to assess the population’s perceptions of the food environment in the home, restaurants and food stores in a Spanish context. Adapting standardized measurement tools to specific contexts to assess the perceived and observed characteristics of food environments may facilitate the development of effective policy interventions to reduce excess weight.
Breastfeeding for 3 Months or Longer but Not Probiotics Is Associated with Reduced Risk for Inattention/Hyperactivity and Conduct Problems in Very-Low-Birth-Weight Children at Early Primary School Age
Authors: Härtel Christoph , Spiegler Juliane , Fortmann Ingmar , Astiz Mariana , Oster Henrik , Siller Bastian , Viemann Dorothee , Keil Thomas , Banaschewski Tobias , Romanos Marcel , Herting Egbert , Göpel Wolfgang
Published: October 2020

(1) Background: We aimed to evaluate the effect of proposed “microbiome-stabilising interventions”, i.e., breastfeeding for ≥3 months and prophylactic use of Lactobacillus acidophilus/ Bifidobacterium infantis probiotics on neurocognitive and behavioral outcomes of very-low-birthweight (VLBW) children aged 5–6 years. (2) Methods: We performed a 5-year-follow-up assessment including a strength and difficulties questionnaire (SDQ) and an intelligence quotient (IQ) assessment using the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence (WPPSI)-III test in preterm children previously enrolled in the German Neonatal Network (GNN). The analysis was restricted to children exposed to antenatal corticosteroids and postnatal antibiotics. (3) Results: 2467 primary school-aged children fulfilled the inclusion criteria. In multivariable linear regression models breastfeeding ≥3 months was associated with lower conduct disorders (B (95% confidence intervals (CI)): −0.25 (−0.47 to −0.03)) and inattention/hyperactivity (−0.46 (−0.81 to −0.10)) as measured by SDQ. Probiotic treatment during the neonatal period had no effect on SDQ scores or intelligence. (4) Conclusions: Prolonged breastfeeding of highly vulnerable infants may promote their mental health later in childhood, particularly by reducing risk for inattention/hyperactivity and conduct disorders. Future studies need to disentangle the underlying mechanisms during a critical time frame of development.
Mycoplasma bovis in Nordic European Countries: Emergence and Dominance of a New Clone
Authors: Tardy Florence , Aspan Anna , Autio Tiina , Ridley Anne , Tricot Agnès , Colin Adélie , Pohjanvirta Tarja , Smid Bregtje , Harders Frank , Lindegaard Mikkel , Tølbøll Lauritsen Klara , Lyhs Ulrike , Wisselink Henk J. , Strube Mikael Lenz
Published: October 2020

Mycoplasma (M.) bovis is an important pathogen of cattle implicated in a broad range of clinical manifestations that adversely impacts livestock production worldwide. In the absence of a safe, effective, commercial vaccine in Europe, reduced susceptibility to reported antimicrobials for this organism has contributed to difficulties in controlling infection. Despite global presence, some countries have only recently experienced outbreaks of this pathogen. In the present study, M. bovis isolates collected in Denmark between 1981 and 2016 were characterized to determine (i) genetic diversity and phylogenetic relationships using whole genome sequencing and various sequence-based typing methods and (ii) patterns of antimicrobial resistance compared to other European isolates. The M. bovis population in Denmark was found to be highly homogeneous genomically and with respect to the antimicrobial resistance profile. Previously dominated by an old genotype shared by many other countries (ST17 in the PubMLST legacy scheme), a new predominant type represented by ST94-adh1 has emerged. The same clone is also found in Sweden and Finland, where M. bovis introduction is more recent. Although retrieved from the Netherlands, it appears absent from France, two countries with a long history of M. bovis infection where the M. bovis population is more diverse.
Poloxamer 338 Affects Cell Adhesion and Biofilm Formation in Escherichia coli: Potential Applications in the Management of Catheter-Associated Urinary Tract Infections
Authors: Stirpe Mariarita , Brugnoli Benedetta , Donelli Gianfranco , Francolini Iolanda , Vuotto Claudia
Published: October 2020

Poloxamers are nontoxic, amphiphilic copolymers used in different formulations. Due to its surfactant properties, Poloxamer 338 (P388) is herein proposed as a strategy to avoid biofilm formation often causing recalcitrant catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTI). The aim is to evaluate the ability of P388 coatings to affect the adhesion of Ec5FSL and Ec9FSL Escherichia coli strains on silicone urinary catheters. Attenuated total reflection infrared spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy, and static water contact angle measurement were employed to characterize the P388-coated silicone catheter in terms of amount of P388 layered, coating thickness, homogeneity, and hydrophilicity. In static conditions, the antifouling power of P388 was defined by comparing the E. coli cells adherent on a hydrophilic P388-adsorbed catheter segment with those on an uncoated one. A P388-coated catheter, having a homogeneous coverage of 35 nm in thickness, reduced of 0.83 log10 and 0.51 log10 the biofilm of Ec5FSL and Ec9FSL, respectively. In dynamic conditions, the percentage of cell adhesion on P388-adsorbed silicone channels was investigated by a microfluidic system, simulating the in vivo conditions of catheterized patients. As a result, both E. coli isolates were undetected. The strong and stable antifouling property against E. coli biofilm lead us to consider P388 as a promising anti-biofilm agent for CAUTIs control.
Stability Despite Reduction: Flower Structure, Patterns of Receptacle Elongation and Organ Fusion in Eriocaulon (Eriocaulaceae: Poales)
Authors: Sokoloff Dmitry D. , Yadav Shrirang R. , Chandore Arun N. , Remizowa Margarita V.
Published: October 2020

Eriocaulaceae (Poales) differ from potentially related Xyridaceae in pattern of floral organ arrangement relative to subtending bract (with median sepal adaxial). Some Eriocaulaceae possess reduced and non-trimerous perianth, but developmental data are insufficient. We conducted a SEM investigation of flower development in three species of Eriocaulon to understand whether organ number and arrangement are stable in E. redactum, a species with a highly reduced calyx and reportedly missing corolla of female flowers. Early flower development is similar in all three species. Male and female flowers are indistinguishable at early stages. Despite earlier reports, both floral types uniformly possess three congenitally united sepals and three petals in E. redactum. Petals and inner stamens develop from common primordia. We assume that scanning electron microscopy should be used in taxonomic accounts of Eriocaulon to assess organ number and arrangement. Two types of corolla reduction are found in Eriocaulaceae: suppression and complete loss of petals. Common petal–stamen primordia in Eriocaulon do not co-occur with delayed receptacle expansion as in other monocots but are associated with retarded petal growth. The ‘reverse’ flower orientation of Eriocaulon is probably due to strictly transversal lateral sepals. Gynoecium development indicates similarities of Eriocaulaceae with restiids and graminids rather than with Xyridaceae.
Floral Complexity Traits as Predictors of Plant-Bee Interactions in a Mediterranean Pollination Web
Authors: Ornai Alon , Keasar Tamar
Published: October 2020

Despite intensive research, predicting pairwise species associations in pollination networks remains a challenge. The morphological fit between flowers and pollinators acts as a filter that allows only some species within the network to interact. Previous studies emphasized the depth of floral tubes as a key shape trait that explains the composition of their animal visitors. Yet, additional shape-related parameters, related to the handling difficulty of flowers, may be important as well. We analyzed a dataset of 2288 visits by six bee genera to 53 flowering species in a Mediterranean plant community. We characterized the plant species by five discrete shape parameters, which potentially affect their accessibility to insects: floral shape class, tube depth, symmetry, corolla segmentation and type of reproductive unit. We then trained a random forest machine-learning model to predict visitor identities, based on the shape traits. The model’s predictor variables also included the Julian date on which each bee visit was observed and the year of observation, as proxies for within- and between-season variation in flower and bee abundance. The model attained a classification accuracy of 0.86 (AUC = 0.96). Using only shape parameters as predictors reduced its classification accuracy to 0.76 (AUC = 0.86), while using only the date and year variables resulted in a prediction accuracy of 0.69 (AUC = 0.80). Among the shape-related variables considered, flower shape class was the most important predictor of visitor identity in a logistic regression model. Our study demonstrates the power of machine-learning algorithms for understanding pollination interactions in a species-rich plant community, based on multiple features of flower morphology.
Improving the Efficiency of Adventitious Shoot Induction and Somatic Embryogenesis via Modification of WUSCHEL and LEAFY COTYLEDON 1
Authors: Ikeda Miho , Takahashi Mikiya , Fujiwara Sumire , Mitsuda Nobutaka , Ohme-Takagi Masaru
Published: October 2020

The induction of adventitious organs, such as calli, shoots, and somatic embryos, in tissue culture is a useful technique for plant propagation and genetic modification. In recent years, several genes have been reported to be adventitious organ inducers and proposed to be useful for industrial applications. Even though the Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) WUSCHEL (WUS) and LEAFY COTYLEDON 1 (LEC1) genes can induce adventitious organ formation in Arabidopsis without phytohormone treatment, further improvement is desired. Here, we show that modifying the transcriptional repression/activation activities of WUS and LEC1 improves the efficiency of adventitious organ formation in Arabidopsis. Because WUS functions as a transcriptional repressor during the induction of adventitious organs, we fused it to an artificial strong repression domain, SUPERMAN REPRESSION DOMAIN X (SRDX). Conversely, we fused the strong transcriptional activation domain VP16 from herpes simplex virus to LEC1. Upon overexpression of the corresponding transgenes, we succeeded in improving the efficiency of adventitious organ induction. Our results show that the modification of transcriptional repression/activation activity offers an effective method to improve the efficiency of adventitious organ formation in plants.
Postveraison Deficit Irrigation Effects on Fruit Quality and Yield of “Flame Seedless” Table Grape Cultivated under Greenhouse and Net
Authors: Pinillos Virginia , Ibáñez Sonia , Cunha Jéssica M. , Hueso Juan J. , Cuevas Julián
Published: October 2020

Lack of color in the skin of red table grape varieties is a serious problem in areas of warm climate. This problem is often addressed by the application of ethylene release products such as ethephon. Strict regulation in the use of this product in EU forces European grape producers to look for suitable alternatives. With the aim to increase red skin color, we applied regulated deficit irrigation (RDI) strategies from veraison until harvest on “Flame Seedless” table grape vines cultivated under nets and under a plastic greenhouse in South East Spain, and compared yield and fruit quality with vines fully irrigated under the same net and plastic greenhouses. Our results show a modest improvement in the percentage of commercial clusters with better skin color, probably because the short duration of the deficit irrigation period only caused a slight decrease in soil water content and a mild water stress in RDI vines. Larger differences were observed under the more limiting conditions of the plastic greenhouse for light environment, especially when berry skin color was measured by CIRG (color index of red grape). More noticeable effect of RDI was noted on fruit earliness. Water savings were also remarkable. Negative effects of RDI on berry size or total soluble solid content were not perceived. Our results suggest that RDI is a suitable strategy to save irrigation water without substantial negative effects on yield and berry size. However, the effects on skin color were insufficient in the trial conditions.
The Genetic Diversity of Cranberry Crop Wild Relatives, Vaccinium macrocarpon Aiton and V. oxycoccos L., in the US, with Special Emphasis on National Forests
Authors: Rodriguez-Bonilla Lorraine , Williams Karen A. , Rodríguez Bonilla Fabian , Matusinec Daniel , Maule Andrew , Coe Kevin , Wiesman Eric , Diaz-Garcia Luis , Zalapa Juan
Published: October 2020

Knowledge of the genetic diversity in populations of crop wild relatives (CWR) can inform effective strategies for their conservation and facilitate utilization to solve agricultural challenges. Two crop wild relatives of the cultivated cranberry are widely distributed in the US. We studied 21 populations of Vaccinium macrocarpon Aiton and 24 populations of Vaccinium oxycoccos L. across much of their native ranges in the US using 32 simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers. We observed high levels of heterozygosity for both species across populations with private alleles ranging from 0 to 26. For V. macrocarpon, we found a total of 613 alleles and high levels of heterozygosity (HO = 0.99, HT = 0.75). We also observed high numbers of alleles (881) and levels of heterozygosity (HO = 0.71, HT = 0.80) in V. oxycoccos (4x). Our genetic analyses confirmed the field identification of a native population of V. macrocarpon on the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest in the state of Washington, far outside the previously reported range for the species. Our results will help to inform efforts of the United States Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service (USDA-ARS) and the United States Forest Service (USFS) to conserve the most diverse and unique wild cranberry populations through ex situ preservation of germplasm and in situ conservation in designated sites on National Forests.
Crosslinked Carboxymethyl Sago Starch/Citric Acid Hydrogel for Sorption of Pb2+, Cu2+, Ni2+ and Zn2+ from Aqueous Solution
Authors: Keirudin Amyrah Auni , Zainuddin Norhazlin , Yusof Nor Azah
Published: October 2020

In the present study, CMSS (carboxymethyl sago starch)-based hydrogel was synthesized by crosslinking with citric acid via esterification and then applied as a metal sorbent to overcome excessive heavy metal pollution. The CMSS/CA (carboxymethyl sago starch/citric acid) hydrogel was characterized by Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The absorption band at 1726 cm−1 was observed in the FT-IR spectrum of CMSS/CA hydrogel and indicated ester bonds formed. Further findings show that the cross-linkages in the CMSS/CA hydrogel increased the thermal stability of CMSS and various sizes of pores were also shown in the SEM micrograph. Conversely, the removal of heavy metals was analyzed using Inductively Coupled Plasma-Optic Emission Spectra (ICP-OES). The effects of the pH of the metal solution, contact time, initial concentration of the metal ions and temperature on the sorption capacity were investigated. Under optimum condition, the sorption capacity of Pb2+, Cu2+, Ni2+ and Zn2+ onto CMSS/CA hydrogel were 64.48, 36.56, 16.21, 18.45 mg/g, respectively. The experiments demonstrated that CMSS/CA hydrogel has high selectivity towards Pb2+ in both non-competitive and competitive conditions. In conclusion, the CMSS/CA hydrogel as a natural based heavy metal sorption material exhibited a promising performance, especially in the sorption of Pb2+ for wastewater treatment.
Influence of Urban Scale and Urban Expansion on the Urban Heat Island Effect in Metropolitan Areas: Case Study of Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei Urban Agglomeration
Authors: Chen Mingxing , Zhou Yuan , Hu Maogui , Zhou Yaliu
Published: October 2020

Global large-scale urbanization has a deep impact on climate change and has brought great challenges to sustainable development, especially in urban agglomerations. At present, there is still a lack of research on the quantitative assessment of the relationship between urban scale and urban expansion and the degree of the urban heat island (UHI) effect, as well as a discussion on mitigation and adaptation of the UHI effect from the perspective of planning. This paper analyzes the regional urbanization process, average surface temperature variation characteristics, surface urban heat island (SUHI), which reflects the intensity of UHI, and the relationship between urban expansion, urban scale, and the UHI in the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei (BTH) urban agglomeration using multi-source analysis of data from 2000, 2005, 2010, and 2015. The results show that the UHI effect in the study area was significant. The average surface temperature of central areas was the highest, and decreased from central areas to suburbs in the order of central areas > expanding areas > rural residential areas. From the perspective of spatial distribution, in Beijing, the southern part of the study area, the junction of Tianjin, Langfang, and Cangzhou are areas with intense SUHI. The scale and pace of expansion of urban land in Beijing were more than in other cities, the influencing range of SUHI in Beijing increased obviously, and the SUHI of central areas was most intense. The results indicate that due to the larger urban scale of the BTH urban agglomeration, it will face a greater UHI effect. The UHI effect was also more significant in areas of dense distribution in cities within the urban agglomeration. Based on results and existing research, planning suggestions are proposed for central areas with regard to expanding urban areas and suburbs to alleviate the urban heat island effect and improve the resilience of cities to climate change.
Moving Target Detection in Multi-Static GNSS-Based Passive Radar Based on Multi-Bernoulli Filter
Authors: Zeng HongCheng , Chen Jie , Wang PengBo , Liu Wei , Zhou XinKai , Yang Wei
Published: October 2020

Over the past few years, the global navigation satellite system (GNSS)-based passive radar (GBPR) has attracted more and more attention and has developed very quickly. However, the low power level of GNSS signal limits its application. To enhance the ability of moving target detection, a multi-static GBPR (MsGBPR) system is considered in this paper, and a modified iterated-corrector multi-Bernoulli (ICMB) filter is also proposed. The likelihood ratio model of the MsGBPR with range-Doppler map is first presented. Then, a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) online estimation method is proposed, which can estimate the fluctuating and unknown map SNR effectively. After that, a modified ICMB filter and its sequential Monte Carlo (SMC) implementation are proposed, which can update all measurements from multi-transmitters in the optimum order (ascending order). Moreover, based on the proposed method, a moving target detecting framework using MsGBPR data is also presented. Finally, performance of the proposed method is demonstrated by numerical simulations and preliminary experimental results, and it is shown that the position and velocity of the moving target can be estimated accurately.
Attention-Based Pyramid Network for Segmentation and Classification of High-Resolution and Hyperspectral Remote Sensing Images
Authors: Xu Qingsong , Yuan Xin , Ouyang Chaojun , Zeng Yue
Published: October 2020

Unlike conventional natural (RGB) images, the inherent large scale and complex structures of remote sensing images pose major challenges such as spatial object distribution diversity and spectral information extraction when existing models are directly applied for image classification. In this study, we develop an attention-based pyramid network for segmentation and classification of remote sensing datasets. Attention mechanisms are used to develop the following modules: (i) a novel and robust attention-based multi-scale fusion method effectively fuses useful spatial or spectral information at different and same scales; (ii) a region pyramid attention mechanism using region-based attention addresses the target geometric size diversity in large-scale remote sensing images; and (iii) cross-scale attention in our adaptive atrous spatial pyramid pooling network adapts to varied contents in a feature-embedded space. Different forms of feature fusion pyramid frameworks are established by combining these attention-based modules. First, a novel segmentation framework, called the heavy-weight spatial feature fusion pyramid network (FFPNet), is proposed to address the spatial problem of high-resolution remote sensing images. Second, an end-to-end spatial-spectral FFPNet is presented for classifying hyperspectral images. Experiments conducted on ISPRS Vaihingen and ISPRS Potsdam high-resolution datasets demonstrate the competitive segmentation accuracy achieved by the proposed heavy-weight spatial FFPNet. Furthermore, experiments on the Indian Pines and the University of Pavia hyperspectral datasets indicate that the proposed spatial-spectral FFPNet outperforms the current state-of-the-art methods in hyperspectral image classification.