bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Bioactivity of an Experimental Dental Implant with Anodized Surface
Authors: Villaça-Carvalho Maria Fernanda Lima , de Araújo Juliani Caroline Ribeiro , Beraldo Juliana Mariano , Prado Renata Falchete do , Moraes Mari Eli Leonelli de , Manhães Junior Luiz Roberto Coutinho , Codaro Eduardo Norberto , Acciari Heloisa Andrea , Machado João Paulo Barros , Regone Natal Nerímio , Lobo Anderson Oliveira , Marciano Fernanda Roberta , Vasconcellos Luana Marotta Reis de
Published: June 2021

Background: Several studies proved that anodic oxidation improves osseointegration. This study aimed to optimize osseointegration through anodization in dental implants, obtaining anatase phase and controlled nanotopography. Methods: The division of the groups with 60 titanium implants was: control (CG); sandblasted (SG); anodized (AG): anodized pulsed current (duty cycle 30%, 30 V, 0.2 A and 1000 Hz). Before surgery, surface characterization was performed using Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), X-ray Dispersive Energy Spectroscopy (EDS) and Raman Spectroscopy. For in vivo tests, 10 New Zealand white rabbits received an implant from each group. The sacrifice period was 2 and 6 weeks (n = 5) and the specimens were subjected to computed microtomography (μCT) and reverse torque test. Results: AFM and SEM demonstrated a particular nanotopography on the surface in AG; the anatase phase was proved by Raman spectroscopy. In the μCT and in the reverse torque test, the AG group presented better results than the other groups. Conclusion: The chemical composition and structure of the TiO2 film were positively affected by the anodizing technique, intensifying the biological characteristics in osseointegration.
The Metarhizium anisopliae Toxin, Destruxin A, Interacts with the SEC23A and TEME214 Proteins of Bombyx mori
Authors: Yin Fei , Xiao Miaomiao , Berestetskiy Alexander , Hu Qiongbo
Published: June 2021

Destruxin A (DA), a mycotoxin isolated from the entomopathogenic fungus Metarhizium anisopliae, has good insecticidal and immune-inhibitory activity, but the action mechanism has not yet been elucidated. In order to identify the DA-binding proteins, we conducted drug affinity responsive target stability (DARTS) experiments, which indicated that the silkworm’s (Bombyx mori) transmembrane protein 214 (BmTEME214) and protein transport protein SEC23A isoform X2 (BmSEC23) are the potential DA-binding proteins. The current research was focused on validation of the interaction between DA and these two proteins via bio-layer interferometry (BLI) in vitro, insect two-hybrid (I2H) in Sf9 cells, and RNAi in the insect. The results of the BLI tests showed that DA has strong affinity to bind BmTEME214 and BmSEC23 proteins with a KD value of 0.286 and 0.291 µM, respectively. In the I2H experiments, DA inhibited (at 0.02 µg/mL) and activated (at 0.002–0.0002 µg/mL) the protein interactions of BmSEC23–BmSEC13, but it only inhibited the BmTMEM214–BmSEC13L interaction. Furthermore, in the RNAi tests, an apparent increase in the silkworm’s mortality was recorded in the joint treatment of DA with dsBmSEC23 or dsBmTMEM214 when compared with the single treatment of DA (1.5 µg/g body), 40 µg/g body dsBmSEC23, or dsBmTMEM214. This research confirmed that BmSEC23 and BmTMEM214 are the DA-binding proteins and provided new insights to understand the action mechanism of DA.
MoGLN2 Is Important for Vegetative Growth, Conidiogenesis, Maintenance of Cell Wall Integrity and Pathogenesis of Magnaporthe oryzae
Authors: Aron Osakina , Wang Min , Lin Lianyu , Batool Wajjiha , Lin Birong , Shabbir Ammarah , Wang Zonghua , Tang Wei
Published: June 2021

Glutamine is a non-essential amino acid that acts as a principal source of nitrogen and nucleic acid biosynthesis in living organisms. In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, glutamine synthetase catalyzes the synthesis of glutamine. To determine the role of glutamine synthetase in the development and pathogenicity of plant fungal pathogens, we used S. cerevisiae Gln1 amino acid sequence to identify its orthologs in Magnaporthe oryzae and named them MoGln1, MoGln2, and MoGln3. Deletion of MoGLN1 and MoGLN3 showed that they are not involved in the development and pathogenesis of M. oryzae. Conversely, ΔMogln2 was reduced in vegetative growth, experienced attenuated growth on Minimal Medium (MM), and exhibited hyphal autolysis on oatmeal and straw decoction and corn media. Exogenous l-glutamine rescued the growth of ΔMogln2 on MM. The ΔMogln2 mutant failed to produce spores and was nonpathogenic on barley leaves, as it was unable to form an appressorium-like structure from its hyphal tips. Furthermore, deletion of MoGLN2 altered the fungal cell wall integrity, with the ΔMogln2 mutant being hypersensitive to H2O2. MoGln1, MoGln2, and MoGln3 are located in the cytoplasm. Taken together, our results shows that MoGLN2 is important for vegetative growth, conidiation, appressorium formation, maintenance of cell wall integrity, oxidative stress tolerance and pathogenesis of M. oryzae.
Comparative Genomics Used to Predict Virulence Factors and Metabolic Genes among Monilinia Species
Authors: Marcet-Houben Marina , Villarino Maria , Vilanova Laura , De Cal Antonieta , van Kan Jan A. L. , Usall Josep , Gabaldón Toni , Torres Rosario
Published: June 2021

Brown rot, caused by Monilinia spp., is among the most important diseases in stone fruits, and some pome fruits (mainly apples). This disease is responsible for significant yield losses, particularly in stone fruits, when weather conditions favorable for disease development appear. To achieve future sustainable strategies to control brown rot on fruit, one potential approach will be to characterize genomic variation among Monilinia spp. to define, among others, the capacity to infect fruit in this genus. In the present work, we performed genomic and phylogenomic comparisons of five Monilinia species and inferred differences in numbers of secreted proteins, including CAZy proteins and other proteins important for virulence. Duplications specific to Monilinia were sparse and, overall, more genes have been lost than gained. Among Monilinia spp., low variability in the CAZome was observed. Interestingly, we identified several secondary metabolism clusters based on similarity to known clusters, and among them was a cluster with homology to pyriculol that could be responsible for the synthesis of chloromonilicin. Furthermore, we compared sequences of all strains available from NCBI of these species to assess their MAT loci and heterokaryon compatibility systems. Our comparative analyses provide the basis for future studies into understanding how these genomic differences underlie common or differential abilities to interact with the host plant.
Accuracy of a Machine-Learning Algorithm for Detecting and Classifying Choroidal Neovascularization on Spectral-Domain Optical Coherence Tomography
Authors: Maunz Andreas , Benmansour Fethallah , Li Yvonna , Albrecht Thomas , Zhang Yan-Ping , Arcadu Filippo , Zheng Yalin , Madhusudhan Savita , Sahni Jayashree
Published: June 2021

Background: To evaluate the performance of a machine-learning (ML) algorithm to detect and classify choroidal neovascularization (CNV), secondary to age-related macular degeneration (AMD) on spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) images. Methods: Baseline fluorescein angiography (FA) and SD-OCT images from 1037 treatment-naive study eyes and 531 fellow eyes, without advanced AMD from the phase 3 HARBOR trial (NCT00891735), were used to develop, train, and cross-validate an ML pipeline combining deep-learning–based segmentation of SD-OCT B-scans and CNV classification, based on features derived from the segmentations, in a five-fold setting. FA classification of the CNV phenotypes from HARBOR was used for generating the ground truth for model development. SD-OCT scans from the phase 2 AVENUE trial (NCT02484690) were used to externally validate the ML model. Results: The ML algorithm discriminated CNV absence from CNV presence, with a very high accuracy (area under the receiver operating characteristic [AUROC] = 0.99), and classified occult versus predominantly classic CNV types, per FA assessment, with a high accuracy (AUROC = 0.91) on HARBOR SD-OCT images. Minimally classic CNV was discriminated with significantly lower performance. Occult and predominantly classic CNV types could be discriminated with AUROC = 0.88 on baseline SD-OCT images of 165 study eyes, with CNV from AVENUE. Conclusions: Our ML model was able to detect CNV presence and CNV subtypes on SD-OCT images with high accuracy in patients with neovascular AMD.
Laws and Emerging Technologies
Authors: Salmerón-Manzano Esther
Published: June 2021

New technologies and so-called communication and information technologies are transforming our society, the way in which we relate to each other, and the way we understand the world. By a wider extension, they are also influencing the world of law. That is why technologies will have a huge impact on society in the coming years and will bring new challenges and legal challenges to the legal sector worldwide. On the other hand, the new communications era also brings many new legal issues such as those derived from e-commerce and payment services, intellectual property, or the problems derived from the use of new technologies by young people. This will undoubtedly affect the development, evolution, and understanding of law. This Special Issue has become this window into the new challenges of law in relation to new technologies.
An Improved Slime Mould Algorithm for Demand Estimation of Urban Water Resources
Authors: Yu Kanhua , Liu Lili , Chen Zhe
Published: June 2021

A slime mould algorithm (SMA) is a new meta-heuristic algorithm, which can be widely used in practical engineering problems. In this paper, an improved slime mould algorithm (ESMA) is proposed to estimate the water demand of Nanchang City. Firstly, the opposition-based learning strategy and elite chaotic searching strategy are used to improve the SMA. By comparing the ESMA with other intelligent optimization algorithms in 23 benchmark test functions, it is verified that the ESMA has the advantages of fast convergence, high convergence precision, and strong robustness. Secondly, based on the data of historical water consumption and local economic structure of Nanchang, four estimation models, including linear, exponential, logarithmic, and hybrid, are established. The experiment takes the water consumption of Nanchang City from 2004 to 2019 as an example to analyze, and the estimation models are optimized using the ESMA to determine the model parameters, then the estimation models are tested. The simulation results show that all four models can obtain better prediction accuracy, and the proposed ESMA has the best effect on the hybrid prediction model, and the prediction accuracy is up to 97.705%. Finally, the water consumption of Nanchang in 2020–2024 is forecasted.
A Multicriteria Decision-Making Model for the Selection of Suitable Renewable Energy Sources
Authors: Wang Chia-Nan , Kao Jui-Chung , Wang Yen-Hui , Nguyen Van Thanh , Nguyen Viet Tinh , Husain Syed Tam
Published: June 2021

With the expansion of its industrial and manufacturing sectors, with the goal of positioning Vietnam as the world’s new production hub, Vietnam is forecast to face a surge in energy demand. Today, the main source of energy of Vietnam is fossil fuels, which are not environmentally friendly and are rapidly depleting. The speed of extraction and consumption of fossil fuels is too fast, causing them to become increasingly scarce and gradually depleted. Renewable energy options, such as solar, wind, hydro electrical, and biomass, can be considered as sustainable alternatives to fossil fuels. However, to ensure the effectiveness of renewable energy development initiatives, technological, economic, and environmental must be taken in consideration when choosing a suitable renewable energy resource. In this research, the authors present a multi-criteria decision-making model (MCDM) implementing the grey analytic hierarchy process (G-AHP) method and the weighted aggregates sum product assessment (WASPAS) method for the selection of optimal renewable energy sources for the energy sector of Vietnam. The results of the proposed model have determined that solar energy is the optimal source of renewable energy with a performance score of 0.8822, followed by wind (0.8766), biomass (0.8488), and solid waste energy (0.8135) based on the calculations of the aforementioned methods.
ML-LME: A Plant Growth Situation Analysis Model Using the Hierarchical Effect of Fractal Dimension
Authors: Ma Xiaohang , Wu Yongze , Shen Jingfang , Duan Lingfeng , Liu Ying
Published: June 2021

Rice plays an essential role in agricultural production as the most significant food crop. Automated supervision in the process of crop growth is the future development direction of agriculture, and it is also a problem that needs to be solved urgently. Productive cultivation, production and research of crops are attributed to increased automation of supervision in the growth. In this article, for the first time, we propose the concept of rice fractal dimension heterogeneity and define it as rice varieties with different fractal dimension values having various correlations between their traits. To make a comprehensive prediction of the rice growth, Machine Learning and Linear Mixed Effect (ML-LME) model is proposed to model and analyze this heterogeneity, which is based on the existing automatic measurement system RAP and introduces statistical characteristics of fractal dimensions as novel features. Machine learning algorithms are applied to distinguish the rice growth stages with a high degree of accuracy and to excavate the heterogeneity of rice fractal dimensions with statistical meaning. According to the information of growth stage and fractal dimension heterogeneity, a precise prediction of key rice phenotype traits can be received by ML-LME using a Linear Mixed Effect model. In this process, the value of the fractal dimension is divided into groups and then rices of different levels are respectively fitted to improve the accuracy of the subsequent prediction, that is, the heterogeneity of the fractal dimension. Afterwards, we apply the model to analyze the rice pot image. The research results show that the ML-LME model, which possesses the hierarchical effect of fractal dimension, performs more excellently in predicting the growth situation of plants than the traditional regression model does. Further comparison confirmed that the model we proposed is the first to consider the hierarchy structure of plant fractal dimension, and that consideration obviously strengthens the model on the ability of variation interpretation and prediction precision.
Aquatic Exercise and Land Exercise Treatments after Total Knee Replacement Arthroplasty in Elderly Women: A Comparative Study
Authors: Lee Chang-Hyung , Kim In-Hye
Published: June 2021

Background and Objectives: Early intensive exercise after total knee replacement arthroplasty (TKRA) has become increasingly popular due to its ability to enhance knee physical function and reduce pain. When implemented exclusively, aquatic exercise (AE) appears to be more advantageous than land exercise (LE), particularly in the early phase after TKRA. Our study aimed to compare the clinical efficacy of AE and LE with respect to their effects on pain and physical function after TKRA. Materials and Methods: Between February 2008 and January 2020, 100 female patients who underwent TKRA were enrolled in this retrospective study. We measured the range of motion (ROM) of the knee, the isokinetic strength of the knee joint (function), and pain both initially and one month after TKRA. Two weeks after TKRA, the participants were enrolled in either the AE or the LE program for a total of two weeks. Two 30 min sessions of intensive ROM and knee strengthening exercises and balance training were provided to the AE and LE groups for 10 days. The home exercise group (HE) only received information on ROM and strengthening exercises. There were 33, 21, and 46 patients allocated to the AE, LE, and HE groups, respectively. Results: The ROM of the side on which surgery was performed improved significantly in all groups, as did the pain scores. In the AE group, the knee flexor strength showed a tendency toward improvement. Contrastingly, there was no significant improvement in the knee extensor strength in the AE group. Conclusions: Overall, the AE and LE groups showed superior outcomes compared with HE. In addition, the AE group demonstrated some improvement in knee muscle strength even with a short hospital stay. Further study with long-term follow-up should be performed to better define the outcomes.
Accurate Lipid Quantification of Tissue Homogenates Requires Suitable Sample Concentration, Solvent Composition, and Homogenization Procedure—A Case Study in Murine Liver
Authors: Höring Marcus , Krautbauer Sabrina , Hiltl Louisa , Babl Verena , Sigruener Alexander , Burkhardt Ralph , Liebisch Gerhard
Published: June 2021

Lipidomics aim to quantify lipid species in all kinds of samples, including tissues. To subject a fixed amount of sample to various workflows, tissue homogenates were frequently prepared at defined concentrations in water or by addition of organic solvents. Here, we investigated this first step of tissue lipidomics by quantitative flow injection analysis coupled to Fourier-Transform mass spectrometry (FTMS). The influence of sample concentration, solvent composition, and homogenization procedure on the recovery of lipids was studied in murine liver. Liver homogenates were prepared either by grinding tissue in liquid nitrogen or by bead-based homogenization. Ground samples were dissolved at different concentrations in water, methanol, and water/methanol = 1/1 (v/v). Here, lipid recovery depends on solvent composition and sample concentration. The recovery of nonpolar lipid classes, including triglycerides and cholesteryl ester, was decreased in methanolic homogenates. In contrast, due to superior dispersion of precipitates, bead-based homogenization resulted in efficient lipid recovery independent of the solvent composition. However, lipid distribution within samples, i.e., lipid content of supernatant and pellet following centrifugation, was altered substantially by solvent composition. In conclusion, accurate lipid quantification of tissue homogenates requires evaluation of solvent composition, sample concentration, as well as the homogenization method to guarantee efficient lipid recovery. Due to a potential loss of lipids, removal of precipitates by centrifugation prior to lipid extraction should be avoided.
Extreme Low-Resolution Activity Recognition Using a Super-Resolution-Oriented Generative Adversarial Network
Authors: Hou Mingzheng , Liu Song , Zhou Jiliu , Zhang Yi , Feng Ziliang
Published: June 2021

Activity recognition is a fundamental and crucial task in computer vision. Impressive results have been achieved for activity recognition in high-resolution videos, but for extreme low-resolution videos, which capture the action information at a distance and are vital for preserving privacy, the performance of activity recognition algorithms is far from satisfactory. The reason is that extreme low-resolution (e.g., 12 × 16 pixels) images lack adequate scene and appearance information, which is needed for efficient recognition. To address this problem, we propose a super-resolution-driven generative adversarial network for activity recognition. To fully take advantage of the latent information in low-resolution images, a powerful network module is employed to super-resolve the extremely low-resolution images with a large scale factor. Then, a general activity recognition network is applied to analyze the super-resolved video clips. Extensive experiments on two public benchmarks were conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of our proposed method. The results demonstrate that our method outperforms several state-of-the-art low-resolution activity recognition approaches.
First Molecular Detection of Polychromophilus Parasites in Brazilian Bat Species
Authors: Minozzo Guilherme Augusto , da Silva Mathias Bruno da Silva , Riediger Irina Nastassja , de Oliveira Guimarães Lilian de Oliveira , dos Anjos Carolina Clares dos , Monteiro Eliana Ferreira , dos Santos Andrea Pires dos , Biondo Alexander Welker , Kirchgatter Karin
Published: June 2021

Blood parasites of the Haemosporida order, such as the Plasmodium spp. responsible for malaria, have become the focus of many studies in evolutionary biology. However, there is a lack of molecular investigation of haemosporidian parasites of wildlife, such as the genus Polychromophilus. Species of this neglected genus exclusively have been described in bats, mainly in Europe, Asia, and Africa, but little is known about its presence and genetic diversity on the American continent. Here, we investigated 406 bats from sites inserted in remnant fragments of the Atlantic Forest and Cerrado biomes and urbanized areas from southern Brazil for the presence of Polychromophilus species by PCR of the mitochondrial cytochrome b encoding gene. A total of 1.2% of bats was positive for Polychromophilus, providing the first molecular information of these parasites in Myotis riparius and Eptesicus diminutus, common vespertilionid bats widely distributed in different Brazilian biomes, and Myotis ruber, an endangered species. A Bayesian analysis was conducted to reconstruct the phylogenetic relationships between Polychromophilus recovered from Brazilian bats and those identified elsewhere. Sequences of Brazilian Polychromophilus lineages were placed with P. murinus and in a clade distinct from P. melanipherus, mainly restricted to bats in the family Vespertilionidae. However, the sequences were split into two minor clades, according to the genus of hosts, indicating that P. murinus and a distinct species may be circulating in Brazil. Morphological observations combined with additional molecular studies are needed to conclude and describe these Polychromophilus species.
Soil Microbial Indicators within Rotations and Tillage Systems
Authors: Behnke Gevan D. , Kim Nakian , Zabaloy Maria C. , Riggins Chance W. , Rodriguez-Zas Sandra , Villamil Maria B.
Published: June 2021

Recent advancements in agricultural metagenomics allow for characterizing microbial indicators of soil health brought on by changes in management decisions, which ultimately affect the soil environment. Field-scale studies investigating the microbial taxa from agricultural experiments are sparse, with none investigating the long-term effect of crop rotation and tillage on microbial indicator species. Therefore, our goal was to determine the effect of rotations (continuous corn, CCC; continuous soybean, SSS; and each phase of a corn-soybean rotation, Cs and Sc) and tillage (no-till, NT; and chisel tillage, T) on the soil microbial community composition following 20 years of management. We found that crop rotation and tillage influence the soil environment by altering key soil properties, such as pH and soil organic matter (SOM). Monoculture corn lowered pH compared to SSS (5.9 vs. 6.9, respectively) but increased SOM (5.4% vs. 4.6%, respectively). Bacterial indicator microbes were categorized into two groups: SOM dependent and acidophile vs. N adverse and neutrophile. Fungi preferred the CCC rotation, characterized by low pH. Archaeal indicators were mainly ammonia oxidizers with species occupying niches at contrasting pHs. Numerous indicator microbes are involved with N cycling due to the fertilizer-rich environment, prone to aquatic or gaseous losses.
Mother-to-Neonate Transmission of Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria: A Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Matok Lital Ashtamkar , Azrad Maya , Leshem Tamar , Abuzahya Anan , Khamaisi Thanaa , Smolkin Tatiana , Peretz Avi
Published: June 2021

We evaluated carriage rates of extended spectrum β-lactam-producing Enterobacterales (ESBL-E), Carbapeneme-resistant Enterobacterales (CRE), vancomycin-resistant Enterococci (VRE), and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) among pregnant women and determined the maternal-to-neonate transmission rates of these antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARB). Pregnant women provided rectal and vaginal samples, proximal to delivery. Stool samples were collected from newborns within 48 h of birth. All samples were cultured on selective media for ARB identification. Clinical and demographic data were collected from the participants’ medical files. We performed molecular and phenotypic characterization of the different resistance mechanisms, and determined the isolates’ antibiotic susceptibility and biofilm-forming ability. The prevalence of ESBL-E, MRSA and VRE among pregnant women were 16%, 6% and 1%, respectively. The prevalence of ESBL-E and MRSA among neonates were 7.6% and 1.6%, respectively. Maternal-to-neonate transmission rates of ESBL-E and MRSA were 48% and 27.8%, respectively. Maternal and neonatal isolates shared similar characteristics. Maternal-to-neonate transmission of ARB plays an important role in bacterial colonization in newborns. Future studies should investigate the outcomes of the high ESBL-E transmission rate. The biofilm-forming ability of ARB was found to affect transmission. Additional factors should be investigated in order to understand the differences between transmitted and non-transmitted bacteria.
Arabidopsis Restricts Sugar Loss to a Colonizing Trichoderma harzianum Strain by Downregulating SWEET11 and -12 and Upregulation of SUC1 and SWEET2 in the Roots
Authors: Rouina Hamid , Tseng Yu-Heng , Nataraja Karaba N. , Uma Shaanker Ramanan , Oelmüller Ralf
Published: June 2021

Phosphate (Pi) availability has a strong influence on the symbiotic interaction between Arabidopsis and a recently described root-colonizing beneficial Trichoderma harzianum strain. When transferred to media with insoluble Ca3(PO4)2 as a sole Pi source, Arabidopsis seedlings died after 10 days. Trichoderma grew on the medium containing Ca3(PO4)2 and the fungus did colonize in roots, stems, and shoots of the host. The efficiency of the photosynthetic electron transport of the colonized seedlings grown on Ca3(PO4)2 medium was reduced and the seedlings died earlier, indicating that the fungus exerts an additional stress to the plant. Interestingly, the fungus initially alleviated the Pi starvation response and did not activate defense responses against the hyphal propagation. However, in colonized roots, the sucrose transporter genes SWEET11 and -12 were strongly down-regulated, restricting the unloading of sucrose from the phloem parenchyma cells to the apoplast. Simultaneously, up-regulation of SUC1 promoted sucrose uptake from the apoplast into the parenchyma cells and of SWEET2 sequestration of sucrose in the vacuole of the root cells. We propose that the fungus tries to escape from the Ca3(PO4)2 medium and colonizes the entire host. To prevent excessive sugar consumption by the propagating hyphae, the host restricts sugar availability in its apoplastic root space by downregulating sugar transporter genes for phloem unloading, and by upregulating transporter genes which maintain the sugar in the root cells.
Cytoplasmic Mixing, Not Nuclear Coexistence, Can Explain Somatic Incompatibility in Basidiomycetes
Authors: Auxier Ben , Scholtmeijer Karin , van Peer Arend F. , Baars Johan J. P. , Debets Alfons J. M. , Aanen Duur K.
Published: June 2021

Nonself recognition leading to somatic incompatibility (SI) is commonly used by mycologists to distinguish fungal individuals. Despite this, the process remains poorly understood in basidiomycetes as all current models of SI are based on genetic and molecular research in ascomycete fungi. Ascomycete fungi are mainly found in a monokaryotic stage, with a single type of haploid nuclei, and only briefly during mating do two genomes coexist in heterokaryotic cells. The sister phylum, Basidiomycota, differs in several relevant aspects. Basidiomycete fungi have an extended heterokaryotic stage, and SI is generally observed between heterokaryons instead of between homokaryons. Additionally, considerable nuclear migration occurs during a basidiomycete mating reaction, introducing a nucleus into a resident homokaryon with cytoplasmic mixing limited to the fused or neighboring cells. To accommodate these differences, we describe a basidiomycete model for nonself recognition using post-translational modification, based on a reader-writer system as found in other organisms. This post-translational modification combined with nuclear migration allows for the coexistence of two genomes in one individual while maintaining nonself recognition during all life stages. Somewhat surprisingly, this model predicts localized cell death during mating, which is consistent with previous observations but differs from the general assumptions of basidiomycete mating. This model will help guide future research into the mechanisms behind basidiomycete nonself recognition.
Applications of Mössbauer Spectroscopy in Meteoritical and Planetary Science, Part I: Undifferentiated Meteorites
Authors: Maksimova Alevtina , Oshtrakh Michael
Published: June 2021

Mössbauer (nuclear γ-resonance) spectroscopy is a powerful technique that is actively used in various fields, from physics and chemistry to biology and medicine. Rudolf L. Mössbauer, who observed nuclear γ-resonance and published his results in 1958, received a Nobel Prize in physics in 1961 for this discovery. The 57Fe is the most widely used nucleus in Mössbauer spectroscopy. Therefore, a large variety of compounds containing iron can be studied by Mössbauer spectroscopy. It is well known that planetary matter contains various iron-bearing phases and minerals. Therefore, the extraterrestrial material from different meteorites, asteroids, and planets can be studied using 57Fe Mössbauer spectroscopy as additional powerful technique. Two parts of this review consider the results of more than 50 years of experience of Mössbauer spectroscopy applied for the studies of various meteorites, soils and rocks from the Moon and recent investigation of the Mars surface using two rovers equipped with miniaturized Mössbauer spectrometers. Part I will discuss known results on Mössbauer spectroscopy of undifferentiated meteorites, which are the most primitive and formed with the solar system.
In Vitro Evaluation of the Squaramide-Conjugated Fibroblast Activation Protein Inhibitor-Based Agents AAZTA5.SA.FAPi and DOTA.SA.FAPi
Authors: Moon Euy Sung , Van Rymenant Yentl , Battan Sandeep , De Loose Joni , Bracke An , Van der Veken Pieter , De Meester Ingrid , Rösch Frank
Published: June 2021

Recently, the first squaramide-(SA) containing FAP inhibitor-derived radiotracers were introduced. DATA5m.SA.FAPi and DOTA.SA.FAPi with their non-radioactive complexes showed high affinity and selectivity for FAP. After a successful preclinical study with [68Ga]Ga-DOTA.SA.FAPi, the first patient studies were realized for both compounds. Here, we present a new squaramide-containing compound targeting FAP, based on the AAZTA5 chelator 1,4-bis-(carboxylmethyl)-6-[bis-(carboxymethyl)-amino-6-pentanoic-acid]-perhydro-1,4-diazepine. For this molecule (AAZTA5.SA.FAPi), complexation with radionuclides such as gallium-68, scandium-44, and lutetium-177 was investigated, and the in vitro properties of the complexes were characterized and compared with those of DOTA.SA.FAPi. AAZTA5.SA.FAPi and its derivatives labelled with non-radioactive isotopes demonstrated similar excellent inhibitory potencies compared to the previously published SA.FAPi ligands, i.e., sub-nanomolar IC50 values for FAP and high selectivity indices over the serine proteases PREP and DPPs. Labeling with all three radiometals was easier and faster with AAZTA5.SA.FAPi compared to the corresponding DOTA analogue at ambient temperature. Especially, scandium-44 labeling with the AAZTA derivative resulted in higher specific activities. Both DOTA.SA.FAPi and AAZTA5.SA.FAPi showed sufficiently high stability in different media. Therefore, these FAP inhibitor agents could be promising for theranostic approaches targeting FAP.
Polyphenols of the Mediterranean Diet and Their Metabolites in the Prevention of Colorectal Cancer
Authors: Yammine Aline , Namsi Amira , Vervandier-Fasseur Dominique , Mackrill John J. , Lizard Gérard , Latruffe Norbert
Published: June 2021

The Mediterranean diet is a central element of a healthy lifestyle, where polyphenols play a key role due to their anti-oxidant properties, and for some of them, as nutripharmacological compounds capable of preventing a number of diseases, including cancer. Due to the high prevalence of intestinal cancer (ranking second in causing morbidity and mortality), this review is focused on the beneficial effects of selected dietary phytophenols, largely present in Mediterranean cooking: apigenin, curcumin, epigallocatechin gallate, quercetin-rutine, and resveratrol. The role of the Mediterranean diet in the prevention of colorectal cancer and future perspectives are discussed in terms of food polyphenol content, the effectiveness, the plasma level, and the importance of other factors, such as the polyphenol metabolites and the influence of the microbiome. Perspectives are discussed in terms of microbiome-dependency of the brain-second brain axis. The emergence of polyphenol formulations may strengthen the efficiency of the Mediterranean diet in the prevention of cancer.
New Nitrogen, Sulfur-, and Selenium-Donating Ligands Derived from Chiral Pyridine Amino Alcohols. Synthesis and Catalytic Activity in Asymmetric Allylic Alkylation
Authors: Wosińska-Hrydczuk Marzena , Skarżewski Jacek
Published: June 2021

Although many chiral ligands for asymmetric catalysis have been developed, there is still a need for new structures allowing the modular approach. Recently, easy synthesis of chiral pyridine-containing β-amino alcohols has been elaborated by opening respective epoxides with enantiomeric 1-phenylethylamine. This paper reports the synthetic transformation of β-amino alcohols into the new complexing pyridine-containing seleno- and thioethers. The amino alcohols were effectively converted to cyclic sulfonamidates, which were reacted with thiolates or phenyl selenide nucleophile. The reaction was diastereoselective, and its outcome depended on the configuration at the substitution center. The problem was discussed considering DFT optimized structures of both diastereomeric sulfonamidates. New amino-aldimine ligands were also synthesized from chiral pyridine-containing diamines. Nine new chiral ligands were tested in the Tsuji-Trost allylic alkylation resulting in the enantiomerically enriched product in up to 75% ee. The observed stereochemical induction agrees with the prevailing nucleophilic attack at the allylic carbon laying opposite to the complexing nitrogen of pyridine in η3-allylic intermediate complexes.
Chanwuyi Lifestyle Medicine Program Alleviates Immunological Deviation and Improves Behaviors in Autism
Authors: Chan Agnes S. , Han Yvonne M. Y. , Sze Sophia L. , Wong Chun-kwok , Chu Ida M. T. , Cheung Mei-chun
Published: June 2021

Given the association between deviated inflammatory chemokines, the pathogenesis of autism spectrum disorders (ASD), and our previous findings of the Chanwuyi Lifestyle Medicine Program regarding improved cognitive and behavioral problems in ASD, the present study aims to explore if this intervention can alter pro-inflammatory chemokines concentration. Thirty-two boys with ASD were assigned to the experimental group receiving the Chanwuyi Lifestyle Medicine Program for 7 months or the control group without a change in their lifestyle. The experimental group, but not the control group, demonstrated significantly reduced CCL2 and CXCL8, a trend of reduction in CCL5, and elevation of CXCL9. The experimental group also demonstrated significantly reduced social communication problems, repetitive/stereotypic behaviors, and hyperactive behaviors. The present findings support the potential efficacy and applicability of the Chanwuyi Lifestyle Medicine Program for reducing both behavioral problems and immunological dysfunction in ASD. Further studies are warranted to verify its treatment effect and its association with brain functions.
Colostrum Therapy for Human Gastrointestinal Health and Disease
Authors: Chandwe Kanta , Kelly Paul
Published: June 2021

There is increasing awareness that a broad range of gastrointestinal diseases, and some systemic diseases, are characterized by failure of the mucosal barrier. Bovine colostrum is a complex biological fluid replete with growth factors, nutrients, hormones, and paracrine factors which have a range of properties likely to contribute to mucosal healing in a wide range of infective, inflammatory, and injury conditions. In this review, we describe the anatomy and physiology of the intestinal barrier and how it may fail. We survey selected diseases in which disordered barrier function contributes to disease pathogenesis or progression, and review the evidence for or against efficacy of bovine colostrum in management. These disorders include enteropathy due to non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), necrotizing enterocolitis, infectious diarrhea, intestinal failure, and damage due to cancer therapy. In animal models, bovine colostrum benefits NSAID enteropathy, IBD, and intestinal failure. In human trials, there is substantial evidence of efficacy of bovine colostrum in inflammatory bowel disease and in infectious diarrhea. Given the robust scientific rationale for using bovine colostrum as a promoter of mucosal healing, further work is needed to define its role in therapy.
Caffeine Sources and Consumption among Saudi Adults Living with Diabetes and Its Potential Effect on HbA1c
Authors: Albar Salwa Ali , Almaghrabi Merfat Abdulrahman , Bukhari Rawabi Ahmed , Alghanmi Rawan Hussein , Althaiban Maha Ali , Yaghmour Khaled A.
Published: June 2021

Information regarding the spread and effect of coffee and caffeine intake by individuals with type II diabetes remains unclear. This study aims to identify the amount and sources of habitual caffeine intake by individuals with type II diabetes and to investigate its association with other health outcomes, especially HbA1c. This is a cross-sectional survey involving 100 people medically defined as having type II diabetes comprising both genders, recruited from a care centre. All participants completed a caffeine semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire (C-FFQ) to estimate their caffeine consumption, a two day 24-h recall, and a detailed questionnaire. The average caffeine intake was calculated from all sources and the differences in mean by gender were tested using a regression model (adjusted to important confounders). Regression models were used to verify the association between average caffeine intake on HbA1c and other health outcomes with adjustment for important confounders. A p value < 0.05 represented statistical significance. Arabic coffee (gahwa) and tea were the most common sources of caffeine among Saudi adults living with diabetes. Average caffeine intake for the whole sample was 194 ± 165 mg/day, which is 2.3 ± 2 mg/kg. There was an inverse association between caffeine intake and age: difference in mean −3.26 mg/year (95%CI: −5.34, −1.18; p = 0.003). Males had significantly higher consumption of caffeine compared to females: difference in mean 90.7 mg/day (95%CI: 13.8, 167.6; p = 0.021). No association was found between average caffeine intake and HbA1C or any other cardiovascular risk factors. This information can help public health practitioners and policy makers when assessing the risk of caffeine consumption among this vulnerable group.
Polypharmacy and Malnutrition Management of Elderly Perioperative Patients with Cancer: A Systematic Review
Authors: Kose Eiji , Wakabayashi Hidetaka , Yasuno Nobuhiro
Published: June 2021

Malnutrition, which commonly occurs in perioperative patients with cancer, leads to decreased muscle mass, hypoalbuminemia, and edema, thereby increasing the patient’s risk of various complications. Thus, the nutritional management of perioperative patients with cancer should be focused on to ensure that surgical treatment is safe and effective, postoperative complications are prevented, and mortality is reduced. Pathophysiological and drug-induced factors in elderly patients with cancer are associated with the risk of developing malnutrition. Pathophysiological factors include the effects of tumors, cachexia, and anorexia of aging. Metabolic changes, such as inflammation, excess catabolism, and anabolic resistance in patients with tumor-induced cancer alter the body’s ability to use essential nutrients. Drug-induced factors include the side effects of anticancer drugs and polypharmacy. Drug–drug, drug–disease, drug–nutrient, and drug–food interactions can significantly affect the patient’s nutritional status. Furthermore, malnutrition may affect pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics, potentiate drug effects, and cause side effects. This review outlines polypharmacy and malnutrition, the impact of malnutrition on drug efficacy, drug–nutrient and drug–food interactions, and intervention effects on polypharmacy or cancer cachexia in elderly perioperative patients with cancer.
Morphological and Phylogenetic Analysis of Eustrongylides sp. and Gnathostoma spinigerum Parasitizing the Asian Swamp Eel Monopterusalbus in China
Authors: Zhang Sixin , Huang Guangping , Li Liang , Liu Xianyong , Tang Xiaoli , Suo Xun
Published: June 2021

Nematode infections transmitted to humans by the consumption of wild or cultured eels are increasingly being reported. In the present study, 120 Asian swamp eel, Monopterus albus (Zuiew), individuals collected from China were examined for parasite infections, and 78 larval nematodes were isolated. Morphological and molecular characteristics, including sequence and phylogenetic analysis of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) gene regions, were employed to identify these nematodes at the lowest taxonomic level possible. Asian swamp eel was infected with two zoonotic parasite taxa: Gnathostoma spinigerum advanced third-stage larvae, with 6.67% prevalence and mean intensity = 1.25, and Eustrongylides sp. fourth-stage larvae, with 26.67% prevalence and mean intensity = 2.13. These findings evidence the need to enhance public hygiene and food safety awareness toward eel consumption
Occurrence and Genetic Diversity of Babesia caballi and Theileria equi in Chilean Thoroughbred Racing Horses
Authors: Torres Reinaldo , Hurtado Claudio , Pérez-Macchi Sandra , Bittencourt Pedro , Freschi Carla , de Mello Victoria Valente Califre , Machado Rosangela Zacarias , André Marcos Rogério , Müller Ananda
Published: June 2021

This study aimed to serologically and molecularly survey Babesia caballi and Theileria equi in thoroughbred horses from racecourses in Chile. Additionally, the genetic diversity of the positive samples was assessed. A total of 286 thoroughbred horses from the Santiago and Valparaíso racecourses had their serum samples submitted to an ELISA for B. caballi and T. equi, and 457 samples (from the Santiago, Valparaíso, and Concepción racecourses) were tested with nested PCRs for the B. caballi 48 KDa rhoptry protein (RAP-1) and T. equi 18S rRNA genes. Selected RAP-1 and 18S positive products were sequenced to perform phylogenetic and haplotype analyses. An overall seroprevalence of 35.6% was observed for these Chilean racecourses: 23.7% for T. equi, 8.4% for B. caballi, and 3.5% for both agents. Overall, a 53.6% occurrence by nPCR was detected for the three Chilean racecourses: 44.2% for T. equi, 5.4% for B. caballi, and 3.9% for both agents. Phylogenetic analysis of T. equi and B. caballi showed genetic proximity with sequences previously detected in other countries. Haplotype analysis revealed a low diversity among the Chilean sequences, which may have originated from those reported in Brazil, Israel, or Cuba. Babesia caballi and T. equi were detected for the first time in Chilean thoroughbred horses.
Genetic Evidence of Multiple Introductions of Lumpy Skin Disease Virus into Saratov Region, Russia
Authors: Saltykov Yuri V. , Kolosova Anna A. , Filonova Nadezhda N. , Chichkin Alexander N. , Feodorova Valentina A.
Published: June 2021

Lumpy skin disease virus (LSDV) is the causative agent of lumpy skin disease (LSD) that has been recently reported in the South-East and North Asian parts of the Russian Federation. During 2017–2019, there were more than 30 LSD outbreaks in Saratov Region despite active inoculation of cattle with heterologous vaccine. Importantly, the first case of the novel recombinant LSDV strain was reported here in 2017. This study aimed to determine the main clonal lineage(s) of LSDV strains circulated within Saratov Region and other regions of Russia since the first introduction of LSDV. The molecular typing and subtyping based on the coding regions of the G-protein-coupled chemokine receptor (GPCR) gene resulted in a discrimination of all outbreak-related LSDV strains into two main types, such as Type I and Type II, and subtypes Ia-d and IIa-g. Phylogenetically, eleven LSDV lineages were revealed in Russia including the five ones in Saratov Region. They were the following: (i) the Neethling wild Type Ia/2017; (ii) the recombinant Saratov IIc/2017/2019; (iii) the specific Dergachevskyi IId/2017; (iv) the Khvalynsky IIg/2018, and (v) the Haden-Type IIa lineage for the six LSDV strains detected in cattle immunized with heterologous vaccine during the last LSD outbreak in the Saratov Region, Nesterovo Village, in 2019 (Nesterovo-2019 strains). A single LSDV strain detected in Saratov Region in 2017 had the same Type Ia that was identified in 2016 in the bordered Republic of Kazakhstan. Phylogeographic analysis demonstrated three nominal clusters of LSDV types in the following Russian Federation territories: (I) the Central European part; (II) the South-East of the European part; (III) the North Asian part. Cluster I was represented by mainly Type I strains, while both Clusters 2 and 3 contained predominantly Type II strains. The Clusters I and II partially overlapped, while Cluster 3 was separate. Multiple introductions of LSDV into Saratov Region in 2017–2019 using GPCR-based molecular typing and subtyping were revealed. This scheme is a promising tool for molecular discrimination of LSDV strains derived from both vaccinated and unvaccinated against LSD cattle as well as for molecular epidemiology.
Evaluating the Observed Log-Likelihood Function in Two-Level Structural Equation Modeling with Missing Data: From Formulas to R Code
Authors: Rosseel Yves
Published: June 2021

This paper discusses maximum likelihood estimation for two-level structural equation models when data are missing at random at both levels. Building on existing literature, a computationally efficient expression is derived to evaluate the observed log-likelihood. Unlike previous work, the expression is valid for the special case where the model implied variance–covariance matrix at the between level is singular. Next, the log-likelihood function is translated to R code. A sequence of R scripts is presented, starting from a naive implementation and ending at the final implementation as found in the lavaan package. Along the way, various computational tips and tricks are given.