bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Phenology and Monitoring of the Lesser Chestnut Weevil (Curculio sayi)
Authors: Filgueiras Camila C. , Willett Denis S.
Published: August 2022

With the introduction in recent years of high-yield blight-resistant chestnut varieties, the commercial chestnut industry in the United States is expanding. Accompanying this expansion is a resurgence in a primary pest of chestnut: C. sayi, the lesser chestnut weevil. This weevil damages the nut crop and infestations can surge from 0 to close to 100% in as little as two years. Understanding the dynamics of this pest has been challenging. Most work was conducted in the 1900s and only recently has this weevil garnered renewed interest. Recent work on C. sayi phenology has been completed in Missouri but conflicted with anecdotal reports from northern growers. From 2019 to 2020, we used a combination of trapping and microcosm studies to understand both C. sayi phenology and the means of monitoring this pest. C. sayi populations were univoltine and peaked in mid-October. Pyramid traps were the most effective at capturing adult C. sayi. C. sayi larvae, pupae, eclosed adults, and emerging adults were recovered from microcosm experiments. These results suggest that C. sayi emerges later in the northern US with the potential for a single generation to emerge over multiple subsequent years. Understanding C. sayi phenology along with the means of monitoring forms the basis for effective management and control in commercial chestnut orchards.
The Functional Morphology of the Bursa Copulatrix of a Butterfly That Does Not Digest Spermatophores (Leptophobia aripa, Pieridae)
Authors: Xochipiltecatl David , Cordero Carlos , Baixeras Joaquín
Published: August 2022

The bursa copulatrix of female Lepidoptera is a complex organ where crucial male–female reproductive interactions occur during and after copulation. The bursa copulatrix receives, stores, and digests the spermatophore and other substances transferred by the male during copulation, and is involved in changes in female receptivity, ovogenesis, and oviposition. Although females of the butterfly Leptophobia aripa do not digest the spermatophore, they possess a prominent signum. Since, in general, the function of the signum is considered to be the piercing or tearing of the spermatophore to initiate its digestion, its presence in L. aripa poses a conundrum. We undertook a microscopic study of the different components of the bursa copulatrix (ductus bursae and corpus bursae) and found structural differences that we interpreted in functional terms. We provide a detailed description of the signum and present experimental data regarding its effect on the spermatophore. Our observations led us to propose a novel hypothesis regarding the function of the signum.
Xpert MTB/RIF Assay for the Diagnosis of Lymph Node Tuberculosis in Children: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Chen Hao-Kai , Liu Rui-Si , Wang Yi-Xuan , Quan En-Xiang , Liu Yuan-Hua , Guo Xu-Guang
Published: August 2022

Background: Lymph node tuberculosis (LNTB) is the leading type of extrapulmonary tuberculosis (EPTB) causing death in children. The Xpert MTB/RIF assay is a novel rapid test for the diagnosis of LNTB. Although previous evidence suggests that Xpert is reliably accurate in diagnosing EPTB in children, information is lacking for the specific type of LNTB in children. The aim of this study was to systematically assess the accuracy and reliability of Xpert for the diagnosis of LNTB in children. Methods: We systematically searched four databases, Embase, Cochrane Library, PubMed, and Web of Science, which extracted relevant data according to predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria. The data were analyzed by meta-Disc 1.4 and Stata 12.0 software to determine sensitivity, specificity, diagnostic odds ratio (DOR), etc. Results: A total of 646 samples from 8 studies were included in the analysis. The pooled sensitivity, specificity, negative likelihood ratio (NLR), positive likelihood ratio (PLR,) and combined diagnostic odds ratio (DOR) of Xpert for all samples were 0.79 (95% CI 0.70, 0.87), 0.90 (95% CI 0.86, 0.92), 0.29 (95% CI 0.19, 0.43), 7.20 (95% CI 3.32, 15.60), and 37.56 (95% CI 13.04, 108.15), respectively. The area under the curve (AUC) of the summary receiver operating characteristic (sROC) curve was 0.9050. Conclusion: Overall, Xpert showed moderate sensitivity and high specificity compared with culture in the diagnosis of LNTB in children. In addition, after analyzing the combined diagnostic odds ratio and positive LR, our study showed that Xpert has excellent diagnostic accuracy.
Synergistic Lubricating Performance of Graphene Oxide and Modified Biodiesel Soot as Water Additives
Authors: Li Chuan , Wu Bo , Chen Xiaoju , Li Lei , Wang Xinyun , Gao Xiaobao , Wang Xiaodong , Hu Kunhong , Hu Xianguo
Published: August 2022

The tribological performance of graphene oxide (GO) nanosheets, modified biodiesel soot (MBS) nanoparticles, and their mixture (MBS–GO) nanoparticles as lubricant additives in water was evaluated using a reciprocating ball-on-plate tribometer. The effects of different mass ratios of GO to MBS, additive concentrations, and loads, as well as corresponding lubrication mechanisms, were studied. The tribological measurements showed that the water-containing 0.5 wt% additives at a mass ratio of 60:40 (GO to MBS) resulted in larger reductions in friction coefficient (69.7%) and wear volume (60.5%) than water. Owing to the synergistic effect of GO nanosheets and MBS nanoparticles, the MBS–GO aqueous sample showed superior lubricating properties compared to water as well as GO and MBS aqueous samples. The good tribological properties of MBS–GO nanoparticles in water are attributed to the formation of a tribofilm of hybrid nanoparticles that effectively protects the friction interface. Moreover, the MBS nanoparticles can provide lubrication by acting as ball bearings.
Improvement of Mechanical Properties and Adhesion of Ti-Al-Si-N Coatings by Alloying with Ta
Authors: Shugurov Artur R. , Kuzminov Evgenii D. , Garanin Yuriy A. , Panin Alexey V. , Dmitriev Andrey I.
Published: August 2022

The effect of the Ta content on the structure, mechanical properties and adhesion of magnetron-sputtered Ti1-x-y-zAlxTaySizN coatings was studied. According to the energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy analysis, the coatings studied had the following chemical compositions: Ti0.41Al0.49Si0.10N, Ti0.38Al0.47Ta0.05Si0.10N, Ti0.36Al0.44Ta0.10Si0.10N and Ti0.35Al0.40Ta0.15Si0.10N. The X-ray diffraction experiments revealed the B1-type fcc crystal structure of the coatings. The increasing Ta content was found to induce the texture evolution from (200) to (111), which was attributed to a significant increase in the residual compressive stress in the coatings. The hardness monotonically increased from 32.7 to 42.2 GPa with increasing the Ta content, while the reduced Young’s modulus decreased from 369 to 353 GPa. The adhesion of the coatings to the Ti substrate was evaluated by scratch testing. It was found that the Ti0.36Al0.44Ta0.10Si0.10N coating was characterized by maximum adhesion strength, while incorporation of a larger amount of Ta resulted in earlier coating spallation due to the high residual compressive stress.
Design and Performance Analysis of Dual Membrane Restrictor for Hydrostatic Bearing
Authors: Lin Shih-Chieh , Lo Yu-Hsiang , Lin Yu-Hsin , Tung Wei-Ting , Lai Ta-Hua
Published: August 2022

In this paper, a dual membrane restrictor design was proposed to improve the stiffness performance of the compensated hydrostatic bearing. Theoretical models for the proposed dual membrane restrictors were derived. Analysis of these models showed that a high stiffness region could be achieved at the desired loading region through the proper selection of the design parameters. A series of simulations were conducted to study the variations in the design parameters on the stiffness and clearance variations. It was found that the dimensionless membrane stiffness in the inlet restrictor, Kmi*, was the most dominant parameter for the performance of the compensated bearing system. The main advantages of the proposed dual membrane restrictor are the increase in flexibility by providing high stiffness at the desired loading region; and improving the stiffness performance of the bearing system especially at the desired loading region.
Evaluation of Moisture Damage Potential in Hot Mix Asphalt Using Polymeric Aggregate Treatment
Authors: Raza Arsalan , Khan Imran , Tufail Rana , Frankovska Jana , Mushtaq Muhammad , Salmi Abdellatif , Awad Youssef , Javed Muhammad
Published: August 2022

To enhance the moisture damage performance of hot mix asphalt (HMA), treating the aggregate surface with a suitable additive was a more convenient approach. In this research, two types of aggregate modifiers were used to study the effect of moisture damage on HMA. Three different aggregate sources were selected based on their abundance of use in HMA. To study the impact of these aggregate modifiers on moisture susceptibility of HMA, the indirect tensile strength test and indirect tensile modulus test were used as the performance tests. Moisture conditioning of specimens was carried out to simulate the effect of moisture on HMA. The prepared samples’ tensile strength ratio (TSR) and stiffness modulus (Sm) results indicated a decrease in the strength of the HMA after moisture conditioning. After treating the aggregate surface with additives, an improvement was seen in dry and wet strength and stiffness. Moreover, an increasing trend was observed for both additives. The correlation between TSR and strength loss reveals a strong correlation (R2 = 0.7219). Also, the two additives indicate increased wettability of asphalt binder over aggregate, thus improving the adhesion between aggregate and asphalt binder.
A Biological Study of Composites Based on the Blends of Nanohydroxyapatite, Silk Fibroin and Chitosan
Authors: Tuwalska Anna , Sionkowska Alina , Bryła Amadeusz , Tylko Grzegorz , Osyczka Anna Maria , Laus Michele , Vojtová Lucy
Published: August 2022

In this work, the biological properties of three-dimensional scaffolds based on a blend of nanohydroxyapatite (nHA), silk fibroin (SF), and chitosan (CTS), were prepared using a lyophilization technique with various weight ratios: 10:45:45, 15:15:70, 15:70:15, 20:40:40, 40:30:30, and 70:15:15 nHA:SF:CTS, respectively. The basic 3D scaffolds were obtained from 5% (w/w) chitosan and 5% silk fibroin solutions and then nHA was added. The morphology and physicochemical properties of scaffolds were studied and compared. A biological test was performed to study the growth and osteogenic differentiation of human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs). It was found that the addition of chitosan increases the resistance properties and extends the degradation time of materials. In vitro studies with human mesenchymal stem cells found a high degree of biotolerance for the materials produced, especially for the 20:40:40 and 15:70:15 (nHa:SF:CTS) ratios. The presence of silk fibroin and the elongated shape of the pores positively influenced the differentiation of cells into osteogenic cells. By taking advantage of the differentiation/proliferation cues offered by individual components, the composites based on the nanohydroxyapatite, silk fibroin, and chitosan scaffold may be suitable for bone tissue engineering, and possibly offer an alternative to the widespread use of collagen materials.
Vacancy Energetics and Diffusivities in the Equiatomic Multielement Nb-Mo-Ta-W Alloy
Authors: Zhou Xinran , He Sicong , Marian Jaime
Published: August 2022

In this work, we study vacancy energetics in the equiatomic Nb-Mo-Ta-W alloy, especially vacancy formation and migration energies, using molecular statics calculations based on a spectral neighbor analysis potential specifically developed for Nb-Mo-Ta-W. We consider vacancy properties in bulk environments as well as near edge dislocation cores, including the effect of short-range order (SRO) by preparing supercells through Metropolis Monte-Carlo relaxations and temperature on the calculation. The nudged elastic band (NEB) method is applied to study vacancy migration energies. Our results show that both vacancy formation energies and vacancy migration energies are statistically distributed with a wide spread, on the order of 1.0 eV in some cases, and display a noticeable dependence on SRO. We find that, in some cases, vacancies can form with very low energies at edge dislocation cores, from which we hypothesize the formation of stable ‘superjogs’ on edge dislocation lines. Moreover, the large spread in vacancy formation energies results in an asymmetric thermal sampling of the formation energy distribution towards lower values. This gives rise to effective vacancy formation energies that are noticeably lower than the distribution averages. We study the effect that this phenomenon has on the vacancy diffusivity in the alloy and discuss the implications of our findings on the structural features of Nb-Mo-Ta-W.
A Novel and Cross-Species Active Mammalian INDY (NaCT) Inhibitor Ameliorates Hepatic Steatosis in Mice with Diet-Induced Obesity
Authors: Zahn Grit , Willmes Diana M. , El-Agroudy Nermeen N. , Yarnold Christopher , Jarjes-Pike Richard , Schaertl Sabine , Schreiter Kay , Gehrmann Wiebke , Wong Andrea Kuan Cie , Zordan Tommaso , König Jörg , Jordan Jens , Birkenfeld Andreas L.
Published: August 2022

Mammalian INDY (mINDY, NaCT, gene symbol SLC13A5) is a potential target for the treatment of metabolically associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD). This study evaluated the effects of a selective, cross-species active, non-competitive, non-substrate-like inhibitor of NaCT. First, the small molecule inhibitor ETG-5773 was evaluated for citrate and succinate uptake and fatty acid synthesis in cell lines expressing both human NaCT and mouse Nact. Once its suitability was established, the inhibitor was evaluated in a diet-induced obesity (DIO) mouse model. DIO mice treated with 15 mg/kg compound ETG-5773 twice daily for 28 days had reduced body weight, fasting blood glucose, and insulin, and improved glucose tolerance. Liver triglycerides were significantly reduced, and body composition was improved by reducing fat mass, supported by a significant reduction in the expression of genes for lipogenesis such as SREBF1 and SCD1. Most of these effects were also evident after a seven-day treatment with the same dose. Further mechanistic investigation in the seven-day study showed increased plasma β-hydroxybutyrate and activated hepatic adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK), reflecting findings from Indy (−/−) knockout mice. These results suggest that the inhibitor ETG-5773 blocked citrate uptake mediated by mouse and human NaCT to reduce liver steatosis and body fat and improve glucose regulation, proving the concept of NaCT inhibition as a future liver treatment for MAFLD.
Effect of Textured Dimples on the Tribological Behavior of WC/Co Cemented Carbide in Dry Sliding with Al2O3/WC Ceramic
Authors: Chen Jiansong , Wu Ze
Published: August 2022

Micro-dimples were fabricated on the surface of WC/Co cemented carbide disks by laser, and dry friction tests were carried out by sliding with Al2O3/WC ceramic balls. Results show that the textured cemented carbide can reduce the average friction coefficient by about 30% compared to the smooth sample, while the textured cemented carbide with solid lubricants can reduce the average friction coefficient by about 50%. The density of textured dimples has no obvious influence on the friction coefficient. The wear rates of worn ceramic balls continue to decline with the increase in sliding speeds. The wear rates of the ceramic balls can be reduced by 40~50% for textured samples and about 65% for textured samples with solid lubricants compared to the untextured ones. The mechanism for improving the tribological properties of cemented carbide materials is that the textured dimples can store lubricants and capture wear debris, which would play an important role in promoting the engineering application of surface texturing in cemented carbide materials.
Study of High-Performance GaN-Based Trench CAVET with Stepped Doping Microstructure
Authors: Li Yuan , Xu Liang , Guo Zhiyou , Sun Huiqing
Published: August 2022

In this article, an innovative GaN-based trench current-aperture vertical electron transistor (CAVET) with a stepped doping microstructure is proposed and studied using Silvaco-ATLAS. According to the simulation and analyzed characteristics, the best performance renders a remarkable Baliga’s figure of merit (FOM) of 4.767 GW·cm2 owing to the modulation of the electric-field distribution. By adjusting the size of the stepped doping microstructure and doping concentration in the GaN drift, the maximum optimized result can achieve a relatively high breakdown voltage (BV) of 2523 V with a very low specific on-resistance (Ron,sp) of 1.34 mΩ·cm2, or the BV can be improved to 3024 V with a specific on-resistance (Ron,sp) of 2.08 mΩ·cm2. Compared with the conventional superjunction GaN-based trench CAVET, the newly demonstrated structure can achieve a 43% reduction in Ron,sp and increase by almost 20% the original BV. These results indicate the superiority of using the stepped doping microstructure in a trench CAVET to improve the BV and decrease Ron,sp, providing a reference for further development of GaN-based CAVETs.
Finite Element Investigation on Cutting Force and Residual Stress in 3D Elliptical Vibration Cutting Ti6Al4V
Authors: Li Shiyu , Han Jinguo , Yu Haiqiang , Wang Jinhui , Lu Mingming , Tian Yebing , Lin Jieqiong
Published: August 2022

Titanium alloy is a typical difficult-to-machine material with features of superhigh strength and hardness, and low elastic modulus. It is difficult to guarantee the processing quality and efficiency due to the high cutting force and tool wear in conventional cutting. Elliptical vibration cutting (EVC) as an effective method can improve the machinability of titanium alloys. In this paper, the finite element method (FEM) was adopted to study the cutting force and residual stress of 3D EVC in machining of Ti6Al4V. The Johnson-Cook constitutive model was utilized to illustrate the plastic behavior of Ti6Al4V alloy. The kinematics of the 3D EVC was described, and then the influence of various cutting speeds, vibration amplitudes, vibration frequencies and depths of cut on cutting force and residual stress were carried out and analyzed. The simulation results show that the cutting speed, vibration amplitude a, vibration frequency and depth of cut have larger effect on principal force. In addition, the compressive stress layer can be easily obtained near the machined surface by using 3D EVC, which is helpful to improve the working performance of workpiece.
Closed-Loop Control and Output Stability Analysis of a Micromechanical Resonant Accelerometer
Authors: Liu Heng , Zhang Yu , Wu Jiale
Published: August 2022

In this study, a dynamic equation for a micromechanical resonant accelerometer based on electrostatic stiffness is analyzed, and the parameters influencing sensitivity are obtained. The sensitivity can be increased by increasing the detection proof mass and the area facing the detection capacitor plate and by decreasing the stiffness of the fold beams and the initial distance between the plate capacitors. Sensitivity is also related to the detection voltage: the larger the detection voltage, the greater the sensitivity. The dynamic equation of the closed-loop self-excited drive of the accelerometer is established, and the steady-state equilibrium point of the vibration amplitude and the stability condition are obtained using the average period method. Under the constraint conditions of the PI controller, when the loading acceleration changes, the vibration amplitude is related to the reference voltage and the pre-conversion coefficient of the interface circuit and has nothing to do with the quality factor. When the loading voltage is 2 V, the sensitivity is 321 Hz/g. Three Allan variance analysis methods are used to obtain the frequency deviation of 0.04 Hz and the amplitude deviation of 0.06 mVwithin 30 min at room temperature. When the temperature error in the incubator is ±0.01 °C, the frequency deviation decreases to 0.02 Hz, and the resolution is 56ug. The fully overlapping Allan variance analysis method (FOAV) requires a large amount of data and takes a long time to implement but has the most accurate stabilityof the three methods.
Al1−xScxN Thin Films at High Temperatures: Sc-Dependent Instability and Anomalous Thermal Expansion
Authors: Wolff Niklas , Islam Md Redwanul , Kirste Lutz , Fichtner Simon , Lofink Fabian , Žukauskaitė Agnė , Kienle Lorenz
Published: August 2022

Ferroelectric thin films of wurtzite-type aluminum scandium nitride (Al1−xScxN) are promising candidates for non-volatile memory applications and high-temperature sensors due to their outstanding functional and thermal stability exceeding most other ferroelectric thin film materials. In this work, the thermal expansion along with the temperature stability and its interrelated effects have been investigated for Al1−xScxN thin films on sapphire Al2O3(0001) with Sc concentrations x (x = 0, 0.09, 0.23, 0.32, 0.40) using in situ X-ray diffraction analyses up to 1100 °C. The selected Al1−xScxN thin films were grown with epitaxial and fiber textured microstructures of high crystal quality, dependent on the choice of growth template, e.g., epitaxial on Al2O3(0001) and fiber texture on Mo(110)/AlN(0001)/Si(100). The presented studies expose an anomalous regime of thermal expansion at high temperatures >~600 °C, which is described as an isotropic expansion of a and c lattice parameters during annealing. The collected high-temperature data suggest differentiation of the observed thermal expansion behavior into defect-coupled intrinsic and oxygen-impurity-coupled extrinsic contributions. In our hypothesis, intrinsic effects are denoted to the thermal activation, migration and curing of defect structures in the material, whereas extrinsic effects describe the interaction of available oxygen species with these activated defect structures. Their interaction is the dominant process at high temperatures >800 °C resulting in the stabilization of larger modifications of the unit cell parameters than under exclusion of oxygen. The described phenomena are relevant for manufacturing and operation of new Al1−xScxN-based devices, e.g., in the fields of high-temperature resistant memory or power electronic applications.
Data Quality in Geochemical Elemental and Isotopic Analysis
Authors: Balaram V. , Satyanarayanan M.
Published: August 2022

Appropriate sampling, sample preparation, choosing the right analytical instrument, analytical methodology, and adopting proper data generation protocols are essential for generating data of the required quality for both basic and applied geochemical research studies. During the last decade, instrumental advancements, in particular further developments in ICP-MS, such as the use of tandem ICP-MS, high-resolution mass spectrometry to resolve several interferences, and the use of the second path with a collision/reaction cell in multi-collector ICP-MS (MC-ICP-MS) to effectively resolve interferences, have brought in remarkable improvements in accuracy and precision in both elemental and isotopic analyses. The availability of a number of well-characterized geological certified reference samples having both elemental and isotopic data-enabled matrix-matching calibrations and contributed to the quality and traceability of the geochemical data in several cases. There have been some developments in the sample dissolution methods also. A range of quality issues related to sampling, packaging and transport, powdering, dissolution, the application of suitable instrumental analytical techniques, calibration methods, accuracy, and precision are addressed which are helpful in geochemical studies.
The Current State-of-the-Art Identification of Unknown Proteins Using Mass Spectrometry Exemplified on De Novo Sequencing of a Venom Protease from Bothrops moojeni
Authors: König Simone , Obermann Wolfgang M. J. , Eble Johannes A.
Published: August 2022

(1) Background: The amino acid sequence elucidation of peptides from the gas phase fragmentation mass spectra, de novo sequencing, is a valuable method for the identification of unknown proteins complementary to Edman sequencing. It is increasingly used in shot-gun mass spectrometry (MS)-based proteomics experiments. We review the current state-of-the-art and use the identification of an unknown snake venom protein targeting the human tissue factor (TF) as an example to describe the analysis process based on manual spectrum interrogation. (2) Methods: The immobilized TF was incubated with a crude B. moojeni venom solution. The potential binding partners were eluted and further purified by gel electrophoresis. Edman degradation was performed to elucidate the N-terminus of the 31 kDa protein of interest. High-resolution MS with collision-induced dissociation was employed to generate peptide fragmentation spectra. Sequence tags were deduced and used for searches in the NCBI and Uniprot databases. Protein matches from the snake species were further validated by target MS/MS. (3) Results: Sequence tag D [K/Q] D [I/L] VDD [K/Q] led to a snake venom serine protease (SVSP) from lancehead B. jararaca (P81824). With target MS/MS, 24% of the SVSP sequence were confirmed; an additional 41% were tentatively assigned by data-independent MS. Edman sequencing provided information for 10 N-terminal amino acid residues, also confirming the match to SVSP. (4) Conclusions: The identification of unknown proteins continues to be a challenge despite major advances in MS instrumentation and bioinformatic tools. The main requirement is the generation of meaningful, high-quality MS peptide fragmentation spectra. These are used to elucidate sufficiently long sequence tags, which can subsequently be submitted to searches in protein databases. This basic method does not require extensive bioinformatics because peptide MS/MS spectra, especially of doubly-charged ions, can be analysed manually. We demonstrated the procedure with the elucidation of SVSP. While de novo sequencing quickly indicates the correct protein group, the validation of the entire protein sequence of amino acid-by-amino acid will take time. Reasons are the need to properly assign isobaric amino acid residues and modifications. With the ongoing efforts in genomics and transcriptomics and the availability of ever more data in public databases, the need for de novo MS sequencing will decrease. Still, not every animal and plant species will be sequenced, so the combination of MS and Edman sequencing will continue to be of importance for the identification of unknown proteins.
Molineria recurvata Ameliorates Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetic Nephropathy through Antioxidant and Anti-Inflammatory Pathways
Authors: Dey Prasanta , Kundu Amit , Lee Ha Eun , Kar Babli , Vishal Vineet , Dash Suvakanta , Kim In Su , Bhakta Tejendra , Kim Hyung Sik
Published: August 2022

Molineria recurvata (MR) has been traditionally used to manage diabetes mellitus in India. However, the molecular mechanism of MR on the diabetic-induced nephropathy has not been clearly investigated. Thus, this study investigates the protective effects of the MR extract on nephropathy in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats. Diabetes was instigated by a single intraperitoneal injection of STZ (45 mg/kg) in male Sprague-Dawley rats. Once the diabetes was successfully induced, the MR extract (200 mg/kg/day) or metformin (200 mg/kg/day) was orally administered for 14 days. Renal function, morphology changes and levels of inflammatory cytokines were measured. Blood glucose concentrations were considerably reduced in STZ-induced diabetic rats following treatment with the MR extract. The administration of the MR extract substantially restored the abnormal quantity of the oxidative DNA damage marker 8-hydroxy-2′-deoxy-guanosine (8-OHdG), malondialdehyde, glutathione, oxidized glutathione, superoxide dismutase, catalase, interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, IL-10, and transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β). The urinary excretion of kidney injury molecule-1 (KIM-1), neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL), selenium binding protein 1 (SBP1), and pyruvate kinase M2 (PKM2) was significantly reduced in diabetes rats after administration of the MR extracts. In the kidneys of STZ-induced diabetic rats, the MR extracts markedly downregulated the expression of fibronectin, collagen-1, and α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA). In particular, the MR extracts markedly increased the level of SIRT1 and SIRT3 and reduced claudin-1 in the kidney. These results suggest that the MR extracts exhibits therapeutic activity in contrast to renal injury in STZ-induced diabetic rats through repressing inflammation and oxidative stress.
Geographic Variability of Berry Phytochemicals with Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Properties
Authors: Georgescu Cecilia , Frum Adina , Virchea Lidia-Ioana , Sumacheva Anastasiia , Shamtsyan Mark , Gligor Felicia-Gabriela , Olah Neli Kinga , Mathe Endre , Mironescu Monica
Published: August 2022

The aim of this study was to determine the variability of several chemical compounds and the antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of eight types of berries harvested from two different geographical regions in the same year. The analyses were performed on bilberry, black currant, gooseberry, red currant, raspberry, sea buckthorn, strawberry and sour cherry, which were handpicked during the summer of 2019, in the same periods when they are typically harvested for consumer purposes. Total anthocyanins content (TAC), total flavonoids content (TFC), total polyphenolic compounds (TPC), determination of the Ferric-Reducing Antioxidant Power (FRAP), determination of the DPPH free radical scavenging assay (RSA), determination of nine phenolic compounds by HPLC-UV assay and antimicrobial activity were determined for undiluted hydroalcoholic extracts of all the studied berries. The results showed that the berries from Romania were richer in antioxidant compounds than the berries from Russia. The TPC content varied between 4.13–22.2 mg GAE/g d.w., TFC between 3.33–8.87 mg QE/g d.w. and TAC between 0.13–3.94 mg/g d.w. The highest variability was determined for TPC. Regarding the antioxidant activity assessed by FRAP assay, values were between 6.02–57.23 µmols TE/g d.w. and values for the RSA method between 18.44–83.81%. From the eight types of berries analyzed, bilberries and raspberries had the highest antioxidant activity considering both regions and both determination methods. Not only the type, but also the environmental and cultivation conditions in which the berries grow, can lead to variations in their chemical composition. The extracted polyphenolic compounds from the studied berries showed antibacterial properties on pathogens, such as Escherichia coli, Bacillus subtilis and Staphyloccocus aureus. The inhibitory action on Salmonella typhi and fungi Candida albicans and Aspegillus niger was absent to very low. The antimicrobial activity of the hydroalcoholic extracts was dependent on the provenance of the berries, too.
Analgesic Characteristics of NanoBEO Released by an Airless Dispenser for the Control of Agitation in Severe Dementia
Authors: Scuteri Damiana , Rombolà Laura , Hayashi Takafumi , Watanabe Chizuko , Sakurada Shinobu , Hamamura Kengo , Sakurada Tsukasa , Tonin Paolo , Bagetta Giacinto , Morrone Luigi A. , Corasaniti Maria Tiziana
Published: August 2022

Chronic pain is one of the most common causes of the need for clinical evaluation, acquiring more importance in the elderly with cognitive impairment. Reduced self-reporting capabilities cause unrelieved pain contributing to the development of agitation. Safe and effective pain treatment can afford the management of agitation without the serious increase in death risk associated with neuroleptics. To this aim, the essential oil of bergamot (BEO), proven by rigorous evidence to have strong preclinical anti-nociceptive and anti-allodynic properties, has been engineered (NanoBEO, patent EP 4003294) to allow randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trials (BRAINAID, NCT04321889). The present study: (1) assesses the analgesic effects of a single therapeutic dose of NanoBEO, as supplied by an airless dispenser for clinical translation, in models of inflammatory, neuropathic, and sensitization types of pain relevant to clinic; (2) provides a dose–response analysis of the efficacy of NanoBEO on scratching behavior, a typical behavioral disturbance occurring in dementia. A single therapeutic dose of NanoBEO confirms efficacy following thirty minutes pre-treatment with capsaicin and on the central sensitization phase induced by formalin. Moreover, it has an ID50 of 0.6312 mg and it is efficacious on static and dynamic mechanical allodynia. Altogether, the gathered results strengthen the potential of NanoBEO for clinical management of pain and agitation.
Design, Synthesis and Biological Evaluation of [1,2,4]Triazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidine Indole Derivatives against Gastric Cancer Cells MGC-803 via the Suppression of ERK Signaling Pathway
Authors: Yu Guang-Xi , Hu Ying , Zhang Wei-Xin , Tian Xin-Yi , Zhang Sai-Yang , Zhang Yan , Yuan Shuo , Song Jian
Published: August 2022

[1,2,4]Triazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidine and indole skeletons are widely used to design anticancer agents. Therefore, in this work, a series of [1,2,4]triazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidine indole derivatives were designed and synthesized by the molecular hybridization strategy. The antiproliferative activities of the target compounds H1–H18 against three human cancer cell lines, MGC-803, HCT-116 and MCF-7, were tested. Among them, compound H12 exhibited the most active antiproliferative activities against MGC-803, HCT-116 and MCF-7 cells, with IC50 values of 9.47, 9.58 and 13.1 μM, respectively, which were more potent than that of the positive drug 5-Fu. In addition, compound H12 could dose-dependently inhibit the growth and colony formation of MGC-803 cells. Compound H12 exhibited significant inhibitory effects on the ERK signaling pathway, resulting in the decreased phosphorylation levels of ERK1/2, c-Raf, MEK1/2 and AKT. Furthermore, compound 12 induced cell apoptosis and G2/M phase arrest, and regulated cell cycle-related and apoptosis-related proteins in MGC-803 cells. Taken together, we report here that [1,2,4]triazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidine indole derivatives, used as anticancer agents via the suppression of ERK signaling pathway and the most active compound, H12, might be a valuable hit compound for the development of anticancer agents.
Detailed Chemical Prospecting of Volatile Organic Compounds Variations from Adriatic Macroalga Halopteris scoparia
Authors: Čagalj Martina , Radman Sanja , Šimat Vida , Jerković Igor
Published: August 2022

The present study aimed to isolate volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from fresh (FrHSc) and air-dried (DrHSc) Halopteris scoparia (from the Adriatic Sea) by headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME) and hydrodistillation (HD) and to analyse them by gas chromatography and mass spectrometry (GC–MS). The impact of the season of growth (May–September) and air-drying on VOC composition was studied for the first time, and the obtained data were elaborated by principal component analysis (PCA). The most abundant headspace compounds were benzaldehyde, pentadecane (a chemical marker of brown macroalgae), and pentadec-1-ene. Benzaldehyde abundance decreased after air-drying while an increment of benzyl alcohol after drying was noticed. The percentage of pentadecane and heptadecane increased after drying, while pentadec-1-ene abundance decreased. Octan-1-ol decreased from May to September. In HD-FrHSc, terpenes were the most abundant in June, July, and August, while, in May and September, unsaturated aliphatic compounds were dominant. In HD-DrHSc terpenes, unsaturated and saturated aliphatic compounds dominated. (E)-Phytol was the most abundant compound in HD-FrHSc through all months except September. Its abundance increased from May to August. Two more diterpene alcohols (isopachydictyol A and cembra-4,7,11,15-tetraen-3-ol) and sesquiterpene alcohol gleenol were also detected in high abundance. Among aliphatic compounds, the dominant was pentadec-1-ene with its peak in September, while pentadecane was present with lower abundance. PCA (based on the dominant compound analyses) showed distinct separation of the fresh and dried samples. No correlation was found between compound abundance and temperature change. The results indicate great seasonal variability of isolated VOCs, as well among fresh and dried samples, which is important for further chemical biodiversity studies.
Optical Properties of New Third-Order Nonlinear Materials Modified by Click Chemistry
Authors: Zhao Yuzhen , Li Zhenhua , Li Qing , Zhao Yang , Yao Ruijuan , Ma Cheng , Zhang Yongming , Wang Dong
Published: August 2022

A high-yielding click reaction was used to synthesize a series of highly conjugated, symmetrical, as well as asymmetrical compounds with a benzene core. Cyclic voltammetry and ultraviolet/visible absorption spectroscopy were carried out, and proved that the side groups of the benzene derivatives played an important role in the energy gaps, and affected the third-order non-linear optical response. The maximum absorption wavelength of the series of benzene derivatives showed an obvious red-shift. Moreover, the addition of resilient electron-withdrawing groups significantly narrowed the energy levels as compared with precursors. The third-order nonlinear properties of this benzene derivative were tested by the Z-scan technique. The expected properties of this series of molecules were obtained, and it was found that the series of molecules undergoes a transition from reverse saturable absorption to saturable absorption, which has certain reference significance for a nonlinear optical field.
Inhibition of Bacterial Adhesion and Biofilm Formation by Seed-Derived Ethanol Extracts from Persea americana Mill
Authors: Molina Bertrán Silvia del Carmen , Monzote Lianet , Cappoen Davie , Escalona Arranz Julio Cesar , Gordillo Pérez Mario Juan , Rodríguez-Ferreiro Annarli O. , Chill Nuñez Idelsy , Novo Claudina Pérez , Méndez Daniel , Cos Paul , Llauradó Maury Gabriel
Published: August 2022

The increase in antibiotic resistance demands innovative strategies to combat microorganisms. The current study evaluated the antibacterial and antivirulence effects of ethanol extracts from Persea americana seeds obtained by the Soxhlet (SE) and maceration (MaE) methods. The UHPLC-DAD-QTOF analysis showed mainly the presence of polyphenols and neolignan. Ethanol extracts were not cytotoxic to mammalian cells (CC50 > 500 µg/mL) and displayed a moderate antibacterial activity against Pseudomonas aeruginosa (IC50 = 87 and 187 µg/mL) and Staphylococcus aureus (IC50 = 144 and 159 µg/mL). Interestingly, no antibacterial activity was found against Escherichia coli. SE and MaE extracts were also able to significantly reduce the bacterial adhesion to A549 lung epithelial cells. Additionally, both extracts inhibited the biofilm growth at 24 h and facilitated the release of internal cell components in P. aeruginosa, which might be associated with cell membrane destabilization. Real-time PCR and agarose electrophoresis gel analysis indicated that avocado seed ethanol extracts (64 µg/mL) downregulated virulence-related factors such as mexT and lasA genes. Our results support the potential of bioproducts from P. americana seeds as anti-adhesive and anti-biofilm agents.
The First Online Capillary Electrophoresis-Microscale Thermophoresis (CE-MST) Method for the Analysis of Dynamic Equilibria—The Determination of the Acidity Constant of Fluorescein Isothiocyanate
Authors: Nowak Paweł Mateusz , Klag Maria , Kózka Gabriela , Gołąb Małgorzata , Woźniakiewicz Michał
Published: August 2022

This article presents the first successful application of a capillary electrophoresis-microscale thermophoresis tandem technique (CE-MST) for determining the values of equilibrium constant, realized by connecting online the CE and MST instruments using a fused-silica capillary. The acid-base dissociation of fluorescein isothiocyanate, expressed by the acidity constant value (pKa), was used as a model. The measurement procedure consisted of introducing a mixture containing the analyte and a deliberately added interferent into the CE capillary, electrophoretic separation of the analyte from the interferent, the detection of the analyte with a CE-integrated detector, detection with a MST detector, and then stopping the flow temporarily by turning off the voltage source to conduct the thermophoretic measurement. The analysis of migration times, peak areas and MST responses obtained concurrently for the same sample allowed us to determine the pKa value using three independent methods integrated within one instrumentation. The analyte was effectively separated from the interferent, and the acidity values turned out to be consistent with each other. An attempt was also made to replace the standard commercial CE instrument with a home-made portable CE setup. As a result, the similar pKa value was obtained, at the same time proving the possibility of increasing cost efficiency and reducing energy consumption. Overall, the CE-MST technique has a number of limitations, but its unique analytical capabilities may be beneficial for some applications, especially when sample separation is needed prior to the thermophoretic measurement.
Which Extraction Solvents and Methods Are More Effective in Terms of Chemical Composition and Biological Activity of Alcea fasciculiflora from Turkey?
Authors: Ozturk Refiye Beyza , Zengin Gokhan , Sinan Kouadio Ibrahime , Montesano Domenico , Zheleva-Dimitrova Dimitrina , Gevrenova Reneta , Uba Abdullahi Ibrahim , Çakılcıoğlu Uğur , Kaplan Alevcan , Jugreet Sharmeen , Dall’Acqua Stefano , Mahomoodally Mohamad Fawzi
Published: August 2022

The bioactive content, antioxidant properties, and enzyme inhibition properties of extracts of Alcea fasciculiflora from Turkey prepared with different solvents (water, methanol, ethyl acetate) and extraction methods (maceration, soxhlet, homogenizer assisted extraction, and ultrasound assisted extraction) were examined in this study. UHPLC-HRMS analysis detected or annotated a total of 50 compounds in A. fasciculiflora extracts, including 18 hydroxybenzoic and hydroxycinnamic acids, 7 Hexaric acids, 7 Coumarins, 15 Flavonoids, and 3 hydroxycinnamic acid amides. The extracts had phenolic and flavonoid levels ranging from 14.25 to 24.87 mg GAE/g and 1.68 to 25.26 mg RE/g, respectively, in the analysis. Both DPPH and ABTS tests revealed radical scavenging capabilities (between 2.63 and 35.33 mg TE/g and between 13.46 and 76.27 mg TE/g, respectively). The extracts had reducing properties (CUPRAC: 40.38–78 TE/g and FRAP: 17.51–42.58 TE/g). The extracts showed metal chelating activity (18.28–46.71 mg EDTAE/g) as well as total antioxidant capacity (phosphomolybdenum test) (0.90–2.12 mmol TE/g). DPPH, ABTS, FRAP, and metal chelating tests indicated the water extracts to be the best antioxidants, while the ethyl acetate extracts had the highest overall antioxidant capacity regardless of the extraction technique. Furthermore, anti-acetylcholinesterase activity was identified in all extracts (0.17–2.80 mg GALAE/g). The water extracts and the ultrasound-assisted ethyl acetate extract were inert against butyrylcholinesterase, but the other extracts showed anti-butyrylcholinesterase activity (1.17–5.80 mg GALAE/g). Tyrosine inhibitory action was identified in all extracts (1.79–58.93 mg KAE/g), with the most effective methanolic extracts. Only the ethyl acetate and methanolic extracts produced by maceration and homogenizer aided extraction showed glucosidase inhibition (0.11–1.11 mmol ACAE/g). These findings showed the overall bioactivity of the different extracts of A. fasciculiflora and provided an overview of the combination of solvent type and extraction method that could yield bioactive profile and pharmacological properties of interest and hence, could be a useful reference for future studies on this species.
Role of Lipids in Food Flavor Generation
Authors: Shahidi Fereidoon , Hossain Abul
Published: August 2022

Lipids in food are a source of essential fatty acids and also play a crucial role in flavor and off-flavor development. Lipids contribute to food flavor generation due to their degradation to volatile compounds during food processing, heating/cooking, and storage and/or interactions with other constituents developed from the Maillard reaction and Strecker degradation, among others. The degradation of lipids mainly occurs via autoxidation, photooxidation, and enzymatic oxidation, which produce a myriad of volatile compounds. The oxidation of unsaturated fatty acids generates hydroperoxides that then further break down to odor-active volatile secondary lipid oxidation products including aldehydes, alcohols, and ketones. In this contribution, a summary of the most relevant and recent findings on the production of volatile compounds from lipid degradation and Maillard reactions and their interaction has been compiled and discussed. In particular, the effects of processing such as cooking, drying, and fermentation as well as the storage of lipid-based foods on flavor generation are briefly discussed.
Application of meso-CF3-Fluorophore BODIPY with Phenyl and Pyrazolyl Substituents for Lifetime Visualization of Lysosomes
Authors: Trukhan Irina S. , Tomilin Denis N. , Dremina Nataliya N. , Sobenina Lyubov N. , Shurygin Michael G. , Petrushenko Konstantin B. , Petrushenko Igor K. , Trofimov Boris A. , Shurygina Irina A.
Published: August 2022

A bright far-red emitting unsymmetrical meso-CF3-BODIPY fluorescent dye with phenyl and pyrazolyl substituents was synthesized by condensation of trifluoropyrrolylethanol with pyrazolyl-pyrrole, with subsequent oxidation and complexation of the formed dipyrromethane. This BODIPY dye exhibits optical absorption at λab ≈ 610–620 nm and emission at λem ≈ 640–650 nm. The BODIPY was studied on Ehrlich carcinoma cells as a lysosome-specific fluorescent dye that allows intravital staining of cell structures with subsequent real-time monitoring of changes occurring in the cells. It was also shown that the rate of uptake by cells, the rate of intracellular transport into lysosomes, and the rate of saturation of cells with the dye depend on its concentration in the culture medium. A concentration of 5 μM was chosen as the most suitable BODIPY concentration for fluorescent staining of living cell lysosomes, while a concentration of 100 μM was found to be toxic to Ehrlich carcinoma cells.
Manufacturing of Fluff Pulp Using Different Pulp Sources and Bentonite on an Industrial Scale for Absorbent Hygienic Products
Authors: Ismaeilimoghadam Saeed , Sheikh Mehdi , Taheri Pouyan , Maleki Sadegh , Resalati Hossien , Jonoobi Mehdi , Azimi Bahareh , Danti Serena
Published: August 2022

In this study, for the first time, a composite fluff pulp was produced based on the combination of softwood (i.e., long-length fiber), hardwood (i.e., short-length fiber), non-wooden pulps (i.e., bagasse) and bentonite, with specific amounts to be used in hygienic pads (e.g., baby diapers and sanitary napkins). After the defibration process, the manufactured fluff pulp was placed as an absorbent mass in diapers and sanitary napkins. Therefore, tests related to the fluff pulp, such as grammage, thickness, density, ash content, humidity percentage, pH and brightness, tests related to the manufactured baby diapers, such as absorption capacity, retention rate, retention capacity, absorption time and rewet, and tests related to the sanitary napkin, such as absorption capacity and rewet, were performed according to the related standards. The results demonstrated that increasing the amount of bagasse pulp led to increasing the ash content, pH and density of fluff pulp and decreasing the brightness. The addition of bentonite as a filler also increased ash content and pH of fluff pulp. The results also demonstrated that increasing of bagasse pulp up to 30% in combination with softwood pulp led to increasing absorption capacity, retention rate, retention capacity, absorption time and rewet of baby diapers and of sanitary napkins.