bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Catalase (CAT) Gene Family in Rapeseed (Brassica napus L.): Genome-Wide Analysis, Identification, and Expression Pattern in Response to Multiple Hormones and Abiotic Stress Conditions
Authors: Raza Ali , Su Wei , Gao Ang , Mehmood Sundas Saher , Hussain Muhammad Azhar , Nie Wenlong , Lv Yan , Zou Xiling , Zhang Xuekun
Published: April 2021

Catalase (CAT) is an antioxidant enzyme expressed by the CAT gene family and exists in almost all aerobic organisms. Environmental stresses induce the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) that eventually hinder plant growth and development. The CAT enzyme translates the hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) to water (H2O) and reduce the ROS levels to shelter the cells’ death. So far, the CAT gene family has not been reported in rapeseed (Brassica napus L.). Therefore, a genome-wide comprehensive analysis was conducted to classify the CAT genes in the rapeseed genome. The current study identified 14 BnCAT genes in the rapeseed genome. Based on phylogenetic and synteny analysis, the BnCATs belong to four groups (Groups I–IV). A gene structure and conserved motif analysis showed that Group I, Group II, and Group IV possess almost the same intron/exon pattern, and an equal number of motifs, while Group III contains diverse structures and contain 15 motifs. By analyzing the cis-elements in the promoters, we identified five hormone-correlated responsive elements and four stress-related responsive elements. Further, six putative bna-miRNAs were also identified, targeting three genes (BnCAT4, BnCAT6, and BnCAT8). Gene ontology (GO) enrichment analysis showed that the BnCAT genes were largely related to cellular organelles, ROS response, stimulus response, stress response, and antioxidant enzymes. Almost 10 BnCAT genes showed higher expression levels in different tissues, i.e., root, leaf, stem, and silique. The expression analysis showed that BnCAT1–BnCAT3 and BnCAT11–BnCAT13 were significantly upregulated by cold, salinity, abscisic acid (ABA), and gibberellic acid (GA) treatment, but not by drought and methyl jasmonate (MeJA). Notably, most of the genes were upregulated by waterlogging stress, except BnCAT6, BnCAT9, and BnCAT10. Our results opened new windows for future investigations and provided insights into the CAT family genes in rapeseed.
Antithrombin and Its Role in Host Defense and Inflammation
Authors: Schlömmer Christine , Brandtner Anna , Bachler Mirjam
Published: April 2021

Antithrombin (AT) is a natural anticoagulant that interacts with activated proteases of the coagulation system and with heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPG) on the surface of cells. The protein, which is synthesized in the liver, is also essential to confer the effects of therapeutic heparin. However, AT levels drop in systemic inflammatory diseases. The reason for this decline is consumption by the coagulation system but also by immunological processes. Aside from the primarily known anticoagulant effects, AT elicits distinct anti-inflammatory signaling responses. It binds to structures of the glycocalyx (syndecan-4) and further modulates the inflammatory response of endothelial cells and leukocytes by interacting with surface receptors. Additionally, AT exerts direct antimicrobial effects: depending on AT glycosylation it can bind to and perforate bacterial cell walls. Peptide fragments derived from proteolytic degradation of AT exert antibacterial properties. Despite these promising characteristics, therapeutic supplementation in inflammatory conditions has not proven to be effective in randomized control trials. Nevertheless, new insights provided by subgroup analyses and retrospective trials suggest that a recommendation be made to identify the patient population that would benefit most from AT substitution. Recent experiment findings place the role of various AT isoforms in the spotlight. This review provides an overview of new insights into a supposedly well-known molecule.
Vitamin D and Microbiota: Is There a Link with Allergies?
Authors: Murdaca Giuseppe , Gerosa Alessandra , Paladin Francesca , Petrocchi Lorena , Banchero Sara , Gangemi Sebastiano
Published: April 2021

There is increasing recognition of the importance of both the microbiome and vitamin D in states of health and disease. Microbiome studies have already demonstrated unique microbial patterns in systemic autoimmune diseases such as inflammatory bowel disease, rheumatoid arthritis, and systemic lupus erythematosus. Dysbiosis also seems to be associated with allergies, in particular asthma, atopic dermatitis, and food allergy. Even though the effect of vitamin D supplementation on these pathologies is still unknown, vitamin D deficiency deeply influences the microbiome by altering the microbiome composition and the integrity of the gut epithelial barrier. It also influences the immune system mainly through the vitamin D receptor (VDR). In this review, we summarize the influence of the microbiome and vitamin D on the immune system with a particular focus on allergic diseases and we discuss the necessity of further studies on the use of probiotics and of a correct intake of vitamin D.
Tissue-Engineering the Fibrous Pancreatic Tumour Stroma Capsule in 3D Tumouroids to Demonstrate Paclitaxel Response
Authors: Pape Judith , Stamati Katerina , Al Hosni Rawiya , Uchegbu Ijeoma F. , Schatzlein Andreas G. , Loizidou Marilena , Emberton Mark , Cheema Umber
Published: April 2021

Pancreatic cancer is a unique cancer in that up to 90% of its tumour mass is composed of a hypovascular and fibrotic stroma. This makes it extremely difficult for chemotherapies to be delivered into the core of the cancer mass. We tissue-engineered a biomimetic 3D pancreatic cancer (“tumouroid”) model comprised of a central artificial cancer mass (ACM), containing MIA Paca-2 cells, surrounded by a fibrotic stromal compartment. This stromal compartment had a higher concentration of collagen type I, fibronectin, laminin, and hyaluronic acid (HA) than the ACM. The incorporation of HA was validated with alcian blue staining. Response to paclitaxel was determined in 2D MIA Paca-2 cell cultures, the ACMs alone, and in simple and complex tumouroids, in order to demonstrate drug sensitivity within pancreatic tumouroids of increasing complexity. The results showed that MIA Paca-2 cells grew into the complex stroma and invaded as cell clusters with a maximum distance of 363.7 µm by day 21. In terms of drug response, the IC50 for paclitaxel for MIA Paca-2 cells increased from 0.819 nM in 2D to 3.02 nM in ACMs and to 5.87 nM and 3.803 nM in simple and complex tumouroids respectively, indicating that drug penetration may be significantly reduced in the latter. The results demonstrate the need for biomimetic models during initial drug testing and evaluation.
Out-of-Field Hippocampus from Partial-Body Irradiated Mice Displays Changes in Multi-Omics Profile and Defects in Neurogenesis
Authors: Pazzaglia Simonetta , Tanno Barbara , Antonelli Francesca , Giardullo Paola , Babini Gabriele , Subedi Prabal , Azimzadeh Omid , Khan Zohaib N. , Oleksenko Kateryna , Metzger Fabian , Toerne Christine von , Traynor Damien , Medipally Dinesh , Meade Aidan D. , Kadhim Munira , Lyng Fiona M. , Tapio Soile , Saran Anna , Mancuso Mariateresa
Published: April 2021

The brain undergoes ionizing radiation exposure in many clinical situations, particularly during radiotherapy for brain tumors. The critical role of the hippocampus in the pathogenesis of radiation-induced neurocognitive dysfunction is well recognized. The goal of this study is to test the potential contribution of non-targeted effects in the detrimental response of the hippocampus to irradiation and to elucidate the mechanisms involved. C57Bl/6 mice were whole body (WBI) or partial body (PBI) irradiated with 0.1 or 2.0 Gy of X-rays or sham irradiated. PBI consisted of the exposure of the lower third of the mouse body, whilst the upper two thirds were shielded. Hippocampi were collected 15 days or 6 months post-irradiation and a multi-omics approach was adopted to assess the molecular changes in non-coding RNAs, proteins and metabolic levels, as well as histological changes in the rate of hippocampal neurogenesis. Notably, at 2.0 Gy the pattern of early molecular and histopathological changes induced in the hippocampus at 15 days following PBI were similar in quality and quantity to the effects induced by WBI, thus providing a proof of principle of the existence of out-of-target radiation response in the hippocampus of conventional mice. We detected major alterations in DAG/IP3 and TGF-β signaling pathways as well as in the expression of proteins involved in the regulation of long-term neuronal synaptic plasticity and synapse organization, coupled with defects in neural stem cells self-renewal in the hippocampal dentate gyrus. However, compared to the persistence of the WBI effects, most of the PBI effects were only transient and tended to decrease at 6 months post-irradiation, indicating important mechanistic difference. On the contrary, at low dose we identified a progressive accumulation of molecular defects that tended to manifest at later post-irradiation times. These data, indicating that both targeted and non-targeted radiation effects might contribute to the pathogenesis of hippocampal radiation-damage, have general implications for human health.
Role of SIRT1 in Isoflurane Conditioning-Induced Neurovascular Protection against Delayed Cerebral Ischemia Secondary to Subarachnoid Hemorrhage
Authors: Liu Meizi , Jayaraman Keshav , Giri Tusar , Zipfel Gregory J. , Athiraman Umeshkumar
Published: April 2021

We recently reported that isoflurane conditioning provided multifaceted protection against subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH)-induced delayed cerebral ischemia (DCI), and this protection was through the upregulation of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS). SIRT1, an NAD-dependent deacetylase, was shown to be one of the critical regulators of eNOS. The aim of our current study is to examine the role of SIRT1 in isoflurane conditioning-induced neurovascular protection against SAH-induced DCI. Mice were divided into four groups: sham, SAH, or SAH with isoflurane conditioning (with and without EX-527). Experimental SAH via endovascular perforation was performed. Anesthetic conditioning was performed with isoflurane 2% for 1 h, 1 h after SAH. EX-527, a selective SIRT1 inhibitor, 10 mg/kg was injected intraperitoneally immediately after SAH in the EX-527 group. SIRT1 mRNA expression and activity levels were measured. Vasospasm, microvessel thrombosis, and neurological outcome were assessed. SIRT1 mRNA expression was downregulated, and no difference in SIRT1 activity was noted after isoflurane exposure. Isoflurane conditioning with and without EX-527 attenuated vasospasm, microvessel thrombosis and improved neurological outcomes. Our data validate our previous findings that isoflurane conditioning provides strong protection against both the macro and micro vascular deficits induced by SAH, but this protection is likely not mediated through the SIRT1 pathway.
Aequorin as a Useful Calcium-Sensing Reporter in Candida albicans
Authors: Sanglard Dominique
Published: April 2021

In Candida albicans, calcium ions (Ca2+) regulate the activity of several signaling pathways, especially the calcineurin signaling pathway. Ca2+ homeostasis is also important for cell polarization, hyphal extension, and plays a role in contact sensing. It is therefore important to obtain accurate tools with which Ca2+ homeostasis can be addressed in this fungal pathogen. Aequorin from Aequorea victoria has been used in eukaryotic cells for detecting intracellular Ca2+. A codon-adapted aequorin Ca2+-sensing expression system was therefore designed for probing cytosolic Ca2+ flux in C. albicans. The availability of a novel water-soluble formulation of coelenterazine, which is required as a co-factor, made it possible to measure bioluminescence as a readout of intracellular Ca2+ levels in C. albicans. Alkaline stress resulted in an immediate influx of Ca2+ from the extracellular medium. This increase was exacerbated in a mutant lacking the vacuolar Ca2+ transporter VCX1, thus confirming its role in Ca2+ homeostasis. Using mutants in components of a principal Ca2+ channel (MID1, CCH1), the alkaline-dependent Ca2+ spike was greatly reduced, thus highlighting the crucial role of this channel complex in Ca2+ uptake and homeostasis. Exposure to the antiarrhythmic drug amiodarone, known to perturb Ca2+ trafficking, resulted in increased cytoplasmic Ca2+ within seconds that was abrogated by the chelation of Ca2+ in the external medium. Ca2+ import was also dependent on the Cch1/Mid1 Ca2+ channel in amiodarone-exposed cells. In conclusion, the aequorin Ca2+ sensing reporter developed here is an adequate tool with which Ca2+ homeostasis can be investigated in C. albicans.
Acquisition, Loss and Innovation in Chuquisaca Quechua—What Happened to Evidential Marking?
Authors: Kalt Susan E.
Published: April 2021

Variation among closely related languages may reveal the inner workings of language acquisition, loss and innovation. This study of the existing literature and of selected interviews from recent narrative corpora compares the marking of evidentiality and epistemic modality in Chuquisaca, Bolivian Quechua with its closely related variety in Cuzco, Peru and investigates three hypotheses: that morpho-syntactic attrition proceeds in reverse order of child language acquisition, that convergence characterizes the emergence of grammatical forms different from L1 and L2 in contact situations, and that the Quechua languages are undergoing typological shift toward more isolating morphology. It appears that reportive -sis disappeared first in Bolivia, with eyewitness/validator -min retaining only the validator function. This finding seems to concord with reverse acquisition since it has previously been claimed that epistemic marking is acquired earlier than evidential marking in Cuzco. Meanwhile, Spanish and Quechua in nearby Cochabamba are claimed to mark reportive evidentiality via freestanding verbs of saying. I explore the reportive use of ñiy ‘to say’ in Chuquisaca as compared to Cochabamba and Cuzco and suggest the need for comparative statistical studies of evidential and epistemic marking in Southern Quechua.
Optimizing a Multi-State Cold-Standby System with Multiple Vacations in the Repair and Loss of Units
Authors: Ruiz-Castro Juan Eloy
Published: April 2021

A complex multi-state redundant system with preventive maintenance subject to multiple events is considered. The online unit can undergo several types of failure: both internal and those provoked by external shocks. Multiple degradation levels are assumed as both internal and external. Degradation levels are observed by random inspections and, if they are major, the unit goes to a repair facility where preventive maintenance is carried out. This repair facility is composed of a single repairperson governed by a multiple vacation policy. This policy is set up according to the operational number of units. Two types of task can be performed by the repairperson, corrective repair and preventive maintenance. The times embedded in the system are phase type distributed and the model is built by using Markovian Arrival Processes with marked arrivals. Multiple performance measures besides the transient and stationary distribution are worked out through matrix-analytic methods. This methodology enables us to express the main results and the global development in a matrix-algorithmic form. To optimize the model, costs and rewards are included. A numerical example shows the versatility of the model.
Flexible Time-Varying Betas in a Novel Mixture Innovation Factor Model with Latent Threshold
Authors: Balcilar Mehmet , Demirer Riza , Bekun Festus V.
Published: April 2021

This paper introduces a new methodology to estimate time-varying alphas and betas in conditional factor models, which allows substantial flexibility in a time-varying framework. To circumvent problems associated with the previous approaches, we introduce a Bayesian time-varying parameter model where innovations of the state equation have a spike-and-slab mixture distribution. The mixture distribution specifies two states with a specific probability. In the first state, the innovation variance is set close to zero with a certain probability and parameters stay relatively constant. In the second state, the innovation variance is large and the change in parameters is normally distributed with mean zero and a given variance. The latent state is specified with a threshold that governs the state change. We allow a separate threshold for each parameter; thus, the parameters may shift in an unsynchronized manner such that the model moves from one state to another when the change in the parameter exceeds the threshold and vice versa. This approach offers great flexibility and nests a plethora of other time-varying model specifications, allowing us to assess whether the betas of conditional factor models evolve gradually over time or display infrequent, but large, shifts. We apply the proposed methodology to industry portfolios within a five-factor model setting and show that the threshold Capital Asset Pricing Model (CAPM) provides robust beta estimates coupled with smaller pricing errors compared to the alternative approaches. The results have significant implications for the implementation of smart beta strategies that rely heavily on the accuracy and stability of factor betas and yields.
Therapeutic Potential of Alpha-1 Antitrypsin in Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus
Authors: Park Sangmi S. , Rodriguez Ortega Romy , Agudelo Christina W. , Perez Perez Jessica , Perez Gandara Brais , Garcia-Arcos Itsaso , McCarthy Cormac , Geraghty Patrick
Published: April 2021

Alpha-1 antitrypsin (AAT) has established anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory effects in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease but there is increasing evidence of its role in other inflammatory and immune-mediated conditions, like diabetes mellitus (DM). AAT activity is altered in both developing and established type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) as well in established type 2 DM (T2DM). Augmentation therapy with AAT appears to favorably impact T1DM development in mice models and to affect β-cell function and inflammation in humans with T1DM. The role of AAT in T2DM is less clear, but AAT activity appears to be reduced in T2DM. This article reviews these associations and emerging therapeutic strategies using AAT to treat DM.
Analgesic and Anticancer Activity of Benzoxazole Clubbed 2-Pyrrolidinones as Novel Inhibitors of Monoacylglycerol Lipase
Authors: Afzal Obaid , Altamimi Abdulmalik Saleh Alfawaz , Shahroz Mir Mohammad , Sharma Hemant Kumar , Riadi Yassine , Hassan Md Quamrul
Published: April 2021

Ten benzoxazole clubbed 2-pyrrolidinones (11–20) as human monoacylglycerol lipase inhibitors were designed on the criteria fulfilling the structural requirements and on the basis of previously reported inhibitors. The designed, synthesized, and characterized compounds (11–20) were screened against monoacylglycerol lipase (MAGL) in order to find potential inhibitors. Compounds 19 (4-NO2 derivative) and 20 (4-SO2NH2 derivative), with an IC50 value of 8.4 and 7.6 nM, were found most active, respectively. Both of them showed micromolar potency (IC50 value above 50 µM) against a close analogue, fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH), therefore considered as selective inhibitors of MAGL. Molecular docking studies of compounds 19 and 20 revealed that carbonyl of 2-pyrrolidinone moiety sited at the oxyanion hole of catalytic site of the enzyme stabilized with three hydrogen bonds (~2 Å) with Ala51, Met123, and Ser122, the amino acid residues responsible for the catalytic function of the enzyme. Remarkably, the physiochemical and pharmacokinetic properties of compounds 19 and 20, computed by QikProp, were found to be in the qualifying range as per the proposed guideline for good orally bioactive CNS drugs. In formalin-induced nociception test, compound 20 reduced the pain response in acute and late stages in a dose-dependent manner. They significantly demonstrated the reduction in pain response, having better potency than the positive control gabapentin (GBP), at 30 mg/kg dose. Compounds 19 and 20 were submitted to NCI, USA, for anticancer activity screening. Compounds 19 (NSC: 778839) and 20 (NSC: 778842) were found to have good anticancer activity on SNB-75 cell line of CNS cancer, exhibiting 35.49 and 31.88% growth inhibition (% GI), respectively.
Chondroprotection and Molecular Mechanism of Action of Phytonutraceuticals on Osteoarthritis
Authors: Sukhikh Stanislav , Noskova Svetlana , Ivanova Svetlana , Ulrikh Elena , Izgaryshev Alexsander , Babich Olga
Published: April 2021

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a degenerative joint disease and an important cause of incapacitation. There is a lack of drugs and effective treatments that stop or slow the OA progression. Modern pharmacological treatments, such as analgesics, have analgesic effects but do not affect the course of OA. Long-term use of these drugs can lead to serious side effects. Given the OA nature, it is likely that lifelong treatment will be required to stop or slow its progression. Therefore, there is an urgent need for disease-modifying OA treatments that are also safe for clinical use over long periods. Phytonutraceuticals are herbal products that provide a therapeutic effect, including disease prevention, which not only have favorable safety characteristics but may have an alleviating effect on the OA and its symptoms. An estimated 47% of OA patients use alternative drugs, including phytonutraceuticals. The review studies the efficacy and action mechanism of widely used phytonutraceuticals, analyzes the available experimental and clinical data on the effect of some phytonutraceuticals (phytoflavonoids, polyphenols, and bioflavonoids) on OA, and examines the known molecular effect and the possibility of their use for chondroprotection.
Statistics of the Popularity of Chemical Compounds in Relation to the Non-Target Analysis
Authors: Milman Boris L. , Zhurkovich Inna K.
Published: April 2021

The idea of popularity/abundance of chemical compounds is widely used in non-target chemical analysis involving environmental studies. To have a clear quantitative basis for this idea, frequency distributions of chemical compounds over indicators of their popularity/abundance are obtained and discussed. Popularity indicators are the number of information sources, the number of chemical vendors, counts of data records, and other variables assessed from two large databases, namely ChemSpider and PubChem. Distributions are approximated by power functions, special cases of Zipf distributions, which are characteristic of the results of human/social activity. Relatively small group of the most popular compounds has been denoted, conventionally accounting for a few percent (several million) of compounds. These compounds are most often explored in scientific research and are practically used. Accordingly, popular compounds have been taken into account as first analyte candidates for identification in non-target analysis.
Serotonergic Neurotransmission System Modulator, Vortioxetine, and Dopaminergic D2/D3 Receptor Agonist, Ropinirole, Attenuate Fibromyalgia-Like Symptoms in Mice
Authors: Sałat Kinga , Furgała-Wojas Anna
Published: April 2021

Fibromyalgia is a disease characterized by lowered pain threshold, mood disorders, and decreased muscular strength. It results from a complex dysfunction of the nervous system and due to unknown etiology, its diagnosis, treatment, and prevention are a serious challenge for contemporary medicine. Impaired serotonergic and dopaminergic neurotransmission are regarded as key factors contributing to fibromyalgia. The present research assessed the effect of serotonergic and dopaminergic system modulators (vortioxetine and ropinirole, respectively) on the pain threshold, depressive-like behavior, anxiety, and motor functions of mice with fibromyalgia-like symptoms induced by subcutaneous reserpine (0.25 mg/kg). By depleting serotonin and dopamine in the mouse brain, reserpine induced symptoms of human fibromyalgia. Intraperitoneal administration of vortioxetine and ropinirole at the dose of 10 mg/kg alleviated tactile allodynia. At 5 and 10 mg/kg ropinirole showed antidepressant-like properties, while vortioxetine had anxiolytic-like properties. None of these drugs influenced muscle strength but reserpine reduced locomotor activity of mice. Concluding, in the mouse model of fibromyalgia vortioxetine and ropinirole markedly reduced pain. These drugs affected emotional processes of mice in a distinct manner. Hence, these two repurposed drugs should be considered as potential drug candidates for fibromyalgia. The selection of a specific drug should depend on patient’s key symptoms.
Exon–Intron Differential Analysis Reveals the Role of Competing Endogenous RNAs in Post-Transcriptional Regulation of Translation
Authors: Munz Nicolas , Cascione Luciano , Parmigiani Luca , Tarantelli Chiara , Rinaldi Andrea , Cmiljanovic Natasa , Cmiljanovic Vladimir , Giugno Rosalba , Bertoni Francesco , Napoli Sara
Published: April 2021

Stressful conditions induce the cell to save energy and activate a rescue program modulated by mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR). Along with transcriptional and translational regulation, the cell relies also on post-transcriptional modulation to quickly adapt the translation of essential proteins. MicroRNAs play an important role in the regulation of protein translation, and their availability is tightly regulated by RNA competing mechanisms often mediated by long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs). In our paper, we simulated the response to growth adverse condition by bimiralisib, a dual PI3K/mTOR inhibitor, in diffuse large B cell lymphoma cell lines, and we studied post-transcriptional regulation by the differential analysis of exonic and intronic RNA expression. In particular, we observed the upregulation of a lncRNA, lncTNK2-2:1, which correlated with the stabilization of transcripts involved in the regulation of translation and DNA damage after bimiralisib treatment. We identified miR-21-3p as miRNA likely sponged by lncTNK2-2:1, with consequent stabilization of the mRNA of p53, which is a master regulator of cell growth in response to DNA damage.
Assessment of Factors Related to Diminished Appetite in Hemodialysis Patients with a New Adapted and Validated Questionnaire
Authors: Salazar-Robles Elihud , Lerma Abel , Calderón-Juárez Martín , Ibarra Armando , Pérez-Grovas Héctor , Bermúdez-Aceves Luis A. , Bosques-Brugada Lilian E. , Lerma Claudia
Published: April 2021

Appetite loss is a common phenomenon in end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients undergoing maintenance hemodialysis (HD). We aimed to (i) adapt and validate a Spanish language version of the Council on Nutrition Appetite Questionnaire (CNAQ) and (ii) to identify psychological and biological factors associated with diminished appetite. We recruited 242 patients undergoing HD from four hemodialysis centers to validate the Spanish-translated version of the CNAQ. In another set of 182 patients from three HD centers, the Appetite and Diet Assessment Tool (ADAT) was used as the gold standard to identify a cut-off value for diminished appetite in our adapted questionnaire. The Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), Distorted Thoughts Scale (DTS), Dialysis Malnutrition Score (DMS), anthropometric, values and laboratory values were also measured. Seven items were preserved in the adapted appetite questionnaire, with two factors associated with flavor and gastric fullness (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.758). Diminished appetite was identified with a cut-off value ≤25 points (sensitivity 73%, specificity 77%). Patients with diminished appetite had a higher proportion of females and DMS punctuation, lower plasmatic level of creatinine, blood urea nitrogen, and phosphorus. Appetite score correlated with BDI score, BAI score and DTS. Conclusions: This simple but robust appetite score adequately discriminates against patients with diminished appetite. Screening and treatment of psychological conditions may be useful to increase appetite and the nutritional status of these patients.
Stiff Person Syndrome and Gluten Sensitivity
Authors: Hadjivassiliou Marios , Zis Panagiotis , Sanders David S. , Hoggard Nigel , Sarrigiannis Ptolemaios G.
Published: April 2021

Stiff person syndrome (SPS) is a rare autoimmune disease characterised by axial stiffness and episodic painful spasms. It is associated with additional autoimmune diseases and cerebellar ataxia. Most patients with SPS have high levels of glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD) antibodies. The aetiology of SPS remains unclear but autoimmunity is thought to play a major part. We have previously demonstrated overlap between anti-GAD ataxia and gluten sensitivity. We have also demonstrated the beneficial effect of a gluten-free diet (GFD) in patients with anti-GAD ataxia. Here, we describe our experience in the management of 20 patients with SPS. The mean age at symptom onset was 52 years. Additional autoimmune diseases were seen in 15/20. Nineteen of the 20 patients had serological evidence of gluten sensitivity and 6 had coeliac disease. Fourteen of the 15 patients who had brain imaging had evidence of cerebellar involvement. Twelve patients improved on GFD and in seven GFD alone was the only treatment required long term. Twelve patients had immunosuppression but only three remained on such medication. Gluten sensitivity plays an important part in the pathogenesis of SPS and GFD is an effective therapeutic intervention.
The Effects of Bariatric Surgery on Vitamin B Status and Mental Health
Authors: Al Mansoori Amna , Shakoor Hira , Ali Habiba I. , Feehan Jack , Al Dhaheri Ayesha S. , Cheikh Ismail Leila , Bosevski Marijan , Apostolopoulos Vasso , Stojanovska Lily
Published: April 2021

Diet is a modifiable factor that ensures optimal growth, biochemical performance, improved mood and mental functioning. Lack of nutrients, notably vitamin B, has an impact on human health and wellbeing. The United Arab Emirates is facing a serious problem of micronutrient deficiencies because of the growing trend for bariatric surgery, including Roux-en-Y gastric bypass and sleeve gastrectomy. People undergoing bariatric surgery are at high risk of developing neurological, cognitive, and mental disabilities and cardiovascular disease due to deficiency in vitamin B. Vitamin B is involved in neurotransmitter synthesis, including γ-aminobutyric acid, serotonin, dopamine, and noradrenaline. Deficiency of vitamin B increases the risk of depression, anxiety, dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. In addition, vitamin B deficiency can disrupt the methylation of homocysteine, leading to hyperhomocysteinemia. Elevated homocysteine levels are detrimental to human health. Vitamin B deficiency also suppresses immune function, increases the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines and upregulates NF-κB. Considering the important functions of vitamin B and the severe consequences associated with its deficiency following bariatric surgery, proper dietary intervention and administration of adequate supplements should be considered to prevent negative clinical outcomes.
Knowledge and Attitude of Pharmacy Students toward People with Mental Illnesses and Help-Seeking: A Cross-Sectional Study from Saudi Arabia
Authors: Alsahali Saud
Published: April 2021

People with mental illnesses (MIs) face several challenges in addition to their disease. People’s negative views of those with MIs impact patients’ decisions to seek professional help. The aims of this study were to assess pharmacy students’ attitudes toward people with MIs and seeking help for mental health, as well as their knowledge about the causes of MIs. A cross-sectional survey was conducted on pharmacy students at Unaizah College of Pharmacy, Qassim University, Saudi Arabia. Out of the 460 distributed questionnaires, 330 complete questionnaires were received, giving a response rate of 71.7%. Overall, the mean total score for attitude towards people with MIs was 60.16 ± 10.48 (maximum attainable score: 105). In this study, 51.12% believed that people with MIs are more likely to harm others than a person without MIs and 66.9% mentioned that they did not trust the work of a mentally ill person as part of their work team. However, only 35.45% believed that it is difficult for mentally ill individuals to follow social rules. In terms of attitudes toward help-seeking, the mean total score of was 12.83 ± 3.16 out of the maximum score of 25. In addition, the mean total score for knowledge about causes of mental illness was 2.92 ± 1.76 out of the maximum score of 8. The participants reported that MIs could be due to genetic inheritance (56%), substance abuse (54.5%), or brain disease (66.1%). The findings showed that there are some negative attitudes toward people with MIs and negative attitudes towards seeking help for mental health. In addition, some misconceptions about the causes of MIs are prevalent. Consequently, the incorporation of more topics concerning mental health in pharmacy curricula could help improve the awareness of and knowledge about mental health.
Nonreciprocal and Topological Plasmonics
Authors: Shastri Kunal , Abdelrahman Mohamed , Monticone Francesco
Published: April 2021

Metals, semiconductors, metamaterials, and various two-dimensional materials with plasmonic dispersion exhibit numerous exotic physical effects in the presence of an external bias, for example an external static magnetic field or electric current. These physical phenomena range from Faraday rotation of light propagating in the bulk to strong confinement and directionality of guided modes on the surface and are a consequence of the breaking of Lorentz reciprocity in these systems. The recent introduction of relevant concepts of topological physics, translated from condensed-matter systems to photonics, has not only given a new perspective on some of these topics by relating certain bulk properties of plasmonic media to the surface phenomena, but has also led to the discovery of new regimes of truly unidirectional, backscattering-immune, surface-wave propagation. In this article, we briefly review the concepts of nonreciprocity and topology and describe their manifestation in plasmonic materials. Furthermore, we use these concepts to classify and discuss the different classes of guided surface modes existing on the interfaces of various plasmonic systems.
Kentucky Bluegrass Invasion in the Northern Great Plains and Prospective Management Approaches to Mitigate Its Spread
Authors: Palit Rakhi , Gramig Greta , DeKeyser Edward S.
Published: April 2021

Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis L.) is one of the most aggressive grasses invading Northern Great Plains (NGP) grasslands, resulting in substantial native species losses. Highly diverse grasslands dominated by native species are gradually transforming into rangelands largely dominated by non-native Kentucky bluegrass. Several factors potentially associated with Kentucky bluegrass invasions, including high propagule pressure, thatch formation, climate change, and increasing nitrogen deposition, could determine the future dominance and spread of Kentucky bluegrass in the NGP. Because atmospheric CO2 is amplifying rapidly, a C3 grass like Kentucky bluegrass might be photosynthetically more efficient than native C4 grasses. As this exotic species shares similar morphological and phenological traits with many native cool-season grasses, controlling it with traditional management practices such as prescribed fire, grazing, herbicides, or combinations of these practices may also impair the growth of native species. Thus, developing effective management practices to combat Kentucky bluegrass spread while facilitating the native species cover is essential. Modifying traditional techniques and embracing science-based adaptive management tools that focus on the ecological interactions of Kentucky bluegrass with the surrounding native species could achieve these desired management goals. Enhancement of the competitiveness of surrounding native species could also be an important consideration for controlling this invasive species.
Mead Production Using Immobilized Cells of Saccharomyces cerevisiae: Reuse of Sodium Alginate Beads
Authors: Sousa-Dias Miguel L. , Paula Vanessa Branco , Dias Luís G. , Estevinho Letícia M.
Published: April 2021

This work studied the production of mead using second category honey and the immobilized cells of Saccharomyces cerevisiae in sodium alginate, with concentrations of 2% and 4%, and their reuse in five successive fermentations. The immobilized cells with 4% alginate beads were mechanically more stable and able to allow a greater number of reuses, making the process more economical. The fermentation’s consumption of sugars with free cells (control) and immobilized cells showed a similar profile, being completed close to 72 h, while the first use of immobilized cells finished at 96 h. The immobilized cells did not significantly influence some oenological parameters, such as the yield of the consumed sugars/ethanol, the alcohol content, the pH and the total acidity. There was a slight increase in the volatile acidity and a decrease in the production of SO2. The alginate concentrations did not significantly influence either the parameters used to monitor the fermentation process or the characteristics of the mead. Mead fermentations with immobilized cells showed the release of cells into the wort due to the disintegration of the beads, indicating that the matrix used for the yeast’s immobilization should be optimized, considering the mead production medium.
Utilization of Barley Straw as Feedstock for the Production of Different Energy Vectors
Authors: Raud Merlin , Rocha-Meneses Lisandra , Lane Daniel J. , Sippula Olli , Shurpali Narasinha J. , Kikas Timo
Published: April 2021

During the bioethanol production process, vast amounts of residues are generated as process waste. To extract more value from lignocellulosic biomass and improve process economics, these residues should be used as feedstock in additional processes for the production of energy or fuels. In this paper, barley straw was used for bioethanol production and the residues were valorized using anaerobic digestion (AD) or used for the production of heat and power by combustion. A traditional three-step bioethanol production process was used, and the biomass residues obtained from different stages of the process were analyzed. Finally, mass and energy balances were calculated to quantify material flow and assess the different technological routes for biomass utilization. Up to 90 kg of ethanol could be produced from 1 t of biomass and additional biogas and energy generated from processing residues can increase the energy yield to over 220%. The results show that in terms of energy output, combustion was the preferable route for processing biomass residues. However, the production of biogas is also an attractive solution to increase revenue in the bioethanol production process.
How Does Sustainability Affect Consumer Choices in the Fashion Industry?
Authors: Pereira Leandro , Carvalho Rita , Dias Álvaro , Costa Renato , António Nelson
Published: April 2021

The fashion industry being one of the most polluting industries in the world means that it is an industry with an immense potential for change. Consumers are central and are closely intertwined with how companies act. This research reflects consumer perspectives and practices towards the topic of sustainability implemented in the fashion industry. The relevance of sustainability in the fashion industry and the key role of consumers in its implementation are undeniable and confirmed by consumers in a representation of general awareness and concern, despite not always being translated into actual practices. A qualitative research methodology, followed by a set of interviews conducted with consumers, revealed that the great majority are implementing a variety of practices when making their buying choices towards fashion items. Barriers such as lack of education, information, knowledge and transparency were identified, and this aspect was shared by consumers as a reason why they are not motivated to make more conscious decisions. Companies should educate consumers from a general perspective and focus on the group of consumers that are not implementing sustainability in the fashion industry in their buying choices, as they represent the potential for the future.
Presenting a Semi-Automatic, Statistically-Based Approach to Assess the Sharpness Level of Optical Images from Natural Targets via the Edge Method. Case Study: The Landsat 8 OLI–L1T Data
Authors: Cenci Luca , Pampanoni Valerio , Laneve Giovanni , Santella Carla , Boccia Valentina
Published: April 2021

Developing reliable methodologies of data quality assessment is of paramount importance for maximizing the exploitation of Earth observation (EO) products. Among the different factors influencing EO optical image quality, sharpness has a relevant role. When implementing on-orbit approaches of sharpness assessment, such as the edge method, a crucial step that strongly affects the final results is the selection of suitable edges to use for the analysis. Within this context, this paper aims at proposing a semi-automatic, statistically-based edge method (SaSbEM) that exploits edges extracted from natural targets easily and largely available on Earth: agricultural fields. For each image that is analyzed, SaSbEM detects numerous suitable edges (e.g., dozens-hundreds) characterized by specific geometrical and statistical criteria. This guarantees the repeatability and reliability of the analysis. Then, it implements a standard edge method to assess the sharpness level of each edge. Finally, it performs a statistical analysis of the results to have a robust characterization of the image sharpness level and its uncertainty. The method was validated by using Landsat 8 L1T products. Results proved that: SaSbEM is capable of performing a reliable and repeatable sharpness assessment; Landsat 8 L1T data are characterized by very good sharpness performance.
Development of Novel Classification Algorithms for Detection of Floating Plastic Debris in Coastal Waterbodies Using Multispectral Sentinel-2 Remote Sensing Imagery
Authors: Basu Bidroha , Sannigrahi Srikanta , Sarkar Basu Arunima , Pilla Francesco
Published: April 2021

Plastic pollution poses a significant environmental threat to the existence and health of biodiversity and the marine ecosystem. The intrusion of plastic to the food chain is a massive concern for human health. Urbanisation, population growth, and tourism have been identified as major contributors to the growing rate of plastic debris, particularly in waterbodies such as rivers, lakes, seas, and oceans. Over the past decade, many studies have focused on identifying the waterbodies near the coastal regions where a high level of accumulated plastics have been found. This research focused on using high-resolution Sentinel-2 satellite remote sensing images to detect floating plastic debris in coastal waterbodies. Accurate detection of plastic debris can help in deploying appropriate measures to reduce plastics in oceans. Two unsupervised (K-means and fuzzy c-means (FCM)) and two supervised (support vector regression (SVR) and semi-supervised fuzzy c-means (SFCM)) classification algorithms were developed to identify floating plastics. The unsupervised classification algorithms consider the remote sensing data as the sole input to develop the models, while the supervised classifications require in situ information on the presence/absence of floating plastics in selected Sentinel-2 grids for modelling. Data from Cyprus and Greece were considered to calibrate the supervised models and to estimate model efficiency. Out of available multiple bands of Sentinel-2 data, a combination of 6 bands of reflectance data (blue, green, red, red edge 2, near infrared, and short wave infrared 1) and two indices (NDVI and FDI) were selected to develop the models, as they were found to be most efficient for detecting floating plastics. The SVR-based supervised classification has an accuracy in the range of 96.9–98.4%, while that for SFCM and FCM clustering are between 35.7 and 64.3% and 69.8 and 82.2%, respectively, and for K-means, the range varies from 69.8 to 81.4%. It needs to be noted that the total number of grids with floating plastics in real-world data considered in this study is 59, which needs to be increased considerably to improve model performance. Training data from other parts of the world needs to be collected to investigate the performance of the classification algorithms at a global scale.
Detecting Archaeological Features with Airborne Laser Scanning in the Alpine Tundra of Sápmi, Northern Finland
Authors: Seitsonen Oula , Ikäheimo Janne
Published: April 2021

Open access airborne laser scanning (ALS) data have been available in Finland for over a decade and have been actively applied by the Finnish archaeologists in that time. The low resolution of this laser scanning 2008–2019 dataset (0.5 points/m2), however, has hindered its usability for archaeological prospection. In the summer of 2020, the situation changed markedly, when the Finnish National Land Survey started a new countrywide ALS survey with a higher resolution of 5 points/m2. In this paper we present the first results of applying this newly available ALS material for archaeological studies. Finnish LIDARK consortium has initiated the development of semi-automated approaches for visualizing, detecting, and analyzing archaeological features with this new dataset. Our first case studies are situated in the Alpine tundra environment of Sápmi in northern Finland, and the assessed archaeological features range from prehistoric sites to indigenous Sámi reindeer herding features and Second Word War-era German military structures. Already the initial analyses of the new ALS-5p data show their huge potential for locating, mapping, and assessing archaeological material. These results also suggest an imminent burst in the number of known archaeological sites, especially in the poorly accessible and little studied northern wilderness areas, when more data become available.
Sink-Type-Dependent Data-Gathering Frameworks in Wireless Sensor Networks: A Comparative Study
Authors: Nazib Rezoan Ahmed , Moh Sangman
Published: April 2021

Owing to automation trends, research on wireless sensor networks (WSNs) has become prevalent. In addition to static sinks, ground and aerial mobile sinks have become popular for data gathering because of the implementation of WSNs in hard-to-reach or infrastructure-less areas. Consequently, several data-gathering mechanisms in WSNs have been investigated, and the sink type plays a major role in energy consumption and other quality of service parameters, such as packet delivery ratio, delay, and throughput. However, the data-gathering schemes based on different sink types in WSNs have not been investigated previously. This paper reviews such data-gathering frameworks based on three different types of sinks (i.e., static, ground mobile, and aerial mobile sinks), analyzing the data-gathering frameworks both qualitatively and quantitatively. First, we examine the frameworks by discussing their working principles, advantages, and limitations, followed by a qualitative comparative study based on their main ideas, optimization criteria, and performance evaluation parameters. Next, we present a simulation-based quantitative comparison of three representative data-gathering schemes, one from each category. Simulation results are shown in terms of energy efficiency, number of dead nodes, number of exchanged control packets, and packet drop ratio. Finally, lessons learned from the investigation and recommendations made are summarized.