bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Eugenol β-Amino/β-Alkoxy Alcohols with Selective Anticancer Activity
Authors: Teixeira Cláudia , Pereira Renato B. , Pinto Nuno F. S. , Coelho Catarina M. M. , Fernandes Maria José G. , Fortes António G. , Gonçalves Maria S. T. , Pereira David M.
Published: March 2022

Eugenol, 4-allyl-2-methoxyphenol, is the main constituent of clove essential oil and has demonstrated relevant biological activity, namely anticancer activity. Aiming to increase this activity, we synthesized a series of eugenol β-amino alcohol and β-alkoxy alcohol derivatives, which were then tested against two human cancer cell lines, namely gastric adenocarcinoma cells (AGS) and lung adenocarcinoma cells (A549). An initial screening was performed to identify the most cytotoxic compounds. The results demonstrated that three β-amino alcohol derivatives had anticancer activity that justified subsequent studies, having been shown to trigger apoptosis. Importantly, the most potent molecules displayed no appreciable toxicity towards human noncancer cells. Structure-activity relationships show that changes in eugenol structure led to enhanced cytotoxic activity and can contribute to the future design of more potent and selective drugs.
Transcriptome Analysis of Apples in High-Temperature Treatments Reveals a Role of MdLBD37 in the Inhibition of Anthocyanin Accumulation
Authors: Bu Yu-Feng , Wang Shuo , Li Chen-Zhiyu , Fang Yue , Zhang Ya , Li Qing-Yu , Wang Hai-Bo , Chen Xue-Sen , Feng Shou-Qian
Published: March 2022

Coloring in apple fruit due to anthocyanin accumulation is inhibited by high temperature; however, the underlying mechanism remains unclear. In the present study, total anthocyanin and cyanidin 3-galactoside contents were determined and compared between cv. ‘Redchief Delicious’ apple fruits at 25 °C and 35 °C treatments. The high temperature (35 °C) treatment substantially decreased total anthocyanin and cyanidin 3-galactoside contents. The transcriptomes of 25 °C- and 35 °C-treated apples were analyzed by high-throughput RNA sequencing. A total of 8354 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were detected at four time points corresponding to the two temperature treatments. The up-regulated DEGs were annotated using GO as well as KEGG databases. A network module of 528 genes (including 21 transcription factors) most associated with the total anthocyanin and cyanidin 3-galactoside contents was constructed by weighted correlation network analysis (WGCNA). In the WGCNA module, we unearthed a LOB domain-containing gene designated as MdLBD37. The expression of MdLBD37 was sharply up-regulated by high temperature and negatively correlated with the total anthocyanin and cyanidin 3-galactoside contents. Overexpression of MdLBD37 in apple fruit and calli decreased the expression of anthocyanin biosynthetic genes, such as MdCHI, MdCHS, MdF3H, MdANS, MdDFR, and MdUFGT, along with anthocyanin accumulation. Our results suggested that MdLBD37 significantly influenced the high-temperature inhibition of anthocyanin accumulation in apples. The findings shed more light on the mechanism of anthocyanin inhibition during high-temperature stress in apples.
Context Dependent Sulf1/Sulf2 Functional Divergence in Endothelial Cell Activity
Authors: Justo Tiago , Smart Nicola , Dhoot Gurtej K.
Published: March 2022

Signalling activities are tightly regulated to control cellular responses. Heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPGs) at the cell membrane and extracellular matrix regulate ligand availability and interaction with a range of key receptors. SULF1 and SULF2 enzymes modify HSPG sulfation by removing 6-O sulfates to regulate cell signalling but are considered functionally identical. Our in vitro mRNA and protein analyses of two diverse human endothelial cell lines, however, highlight their markedly distinct regulatory roles of maintaining specific HSPG sulfation patterns through feedback regulation of HS 6-O transferase (HS6ST) activities and highly divergent roles in vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and Transforming growth factor β (TGFβ) cell signalling activities. Unlike Sulf2, Sulf1 over-expression in dermal microvascular HMec1 cells promotes TGFβ and VEGF cell signalling by simultaneously upregulating HS6ST1 activity. In contrast, Sulf1 over-expression in venous ea926 cells has the opposite effect as it attenuates both TGFβ and VEGF signalling while Sulf2 over-expression maintains the control phenotype. Exposure of these cells to VEGF-A, TGFβ1, and their inhibitors further highlights their endothelial cell type-specific responses and integral growth factor interactions to regulate cell signalling and selective feedback regulation of HSPG sulfation that additionally exploits alternative Sulf2 RNA-splicing to regulate net VEGF-A and TGFβ cell signalling activities.
Versatile and Easily Designable Polyester-Laser Toner Interfaces for Site-Oriented Adsorption of Antibodies
Authors: Drozd Marcin , Ivanova Polina , Tokarska Katarzyna , Żukowski Kamil , Kramarska Aleksandra , Nowiński Adam , Kobylska Ewa , Pietrzak Mariusz , Brzózka Zbigniew , Malinowska Elżbieta
Published: March 2022

Laser toners appear as attractive materials for barriers and easily laminated interphases for Lab-on-a-Foil microfluidics, due to the excellent adhesion to paper and various membranes or foils. This work shows for the first time a comprehensive study on the adsorption of antibodies on toner-covered poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET@toner) substrates, together with assessment of such platforms in rapid prototyping of disposable microdevices and microarrays for immunodiagnostics. In the framework of presented research, the surface properties and antibody binding capacity of PET substrates with varying levels of toner coverage (0–100%) were characterized in detail. It was proven that polystyrene-acrylate copolymer-based toner offers higher antibody adsorption efficiency compared with unmodified polystyrene and PET as well as faster adsorption kinetics. Comparative studies of the influence of pH on the effectiveness of antibodies immobilization as well as measurements of surface ζ-potential of PET, toner, and polystyrene confirmed the dominant role of hydrophobic interactions in adsorption mechanism. The applicability of PET@toner substrates as removable masks for protection of foil against permanent hydrophilization was also shown. It opens up the possibility of precise tuning of wettability and antibody binding capacity. Therefore, PET@toner foils are presented as useful platforms in the construction of immunoarrays or components of microfluidic systems.
SSGraphCPI: A Novel Model for Predicting Compound-Protein Interactions Based on Deep Learning
Authors: Wang Xun , Liu Jiali , Zhang Chaogang , Wang Shudong
Published: March 2022

Identifying compound-protein (drug-target, DTI) interactions (CPI) accurately is a key step in drug discovery. Including virtual screening and drug reuse, it can significantly reduce the time it takes to identify drug candidates and provide patients with timely and effective treatment. Recently, more and more researchers have developed CPI’s deep learning model, including feature representation of a 2D molecular graph of a compound using a graph convolutional neural network, but this method loses much important information about the compound. In this paper, we propose a novel three-channel deep learning framework, named SSGraphCPI, for CPI prediction, which is composed of recurrent neural networks with an attentional mechanism and graph convolutional neural network. In our model, the characteristics of compounds are extracted from 1D SMILES string and 2D molecular graph. Using both the 1D SMILES string sequence and the 2D molecular graph can provide both sequential and structural features for CPI predictions. Additionally, we select the 1D CNN module to learn the hidden data patterns in the sequence to mine deeper information. Our model is much more suitable for collecting more effective information of compounds. Experimental results show that our method achieves significant performances with RMSE (Root Mean Square Error) = 2.24 and R2 (degree of linear fitting of the model) = 0.039 on the GPCR (G Protein-Coupled Receptors) dataset, and with RMSE = 2.64 and R2 = 0.018 on the GPCR dataset RMSE, which preforms better than some classical deep learning models, including RNN/GCNN-CNN, GCNNet and GATNet.
Synthesis of Novel Derivatives of 5,6,7,8-Tetrahydroquinazolines Using α-Aminoamidines and In Silico Screening of Their Biological Activity
Authors: Snizhko Arsenii D. , Kyrychenko Alexander V. , Gladkov Eugene S.
Published: March 2022

α-Aminoamidines are promising reagents for the synthesis of a diverse family of pyrimidine ring derivatives. Here, we demonstrate the use of α-aminoamidines for the synthesis of a new series of 5,6,7,8-tetrahydroquinazolines by their reaction with bis-benzylidene cyclohexanones. The reaction occurs in mild conditions and is characterized by excellent yields. It has easy workup, as compared to the existing methods of tetrahydroquinazoline preparation. Newly synthesized derivatives of 5,6,7,8-tetrahydroquinazoline bear protecting groups at the C2-tert-butyl moiety of a quinazoline ring, which can be easily cleaved, opening up further opportunities for their functionalization. Moreover, molecular docking studies indicate that the synthesized compounds reveal high binding affinity toward some essential enzymes of Mycobacterial tuberculosis, such as dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR), pantothenate kinase (MtPanK), and FAD-containing oxidoreductase DprE1 (MtDprE1), so that they may be promising candidates for the molecular design and the development of new antitubercular agents against multidrug-resistant strains of the Tubercle bacillus. Finally, the high inhibition activity of the synthesized compounds was also predicted against β-glucosidase, suggesting a novel tetrahydroquinazoline scaffold for the treatment of diabetes.
Sex-Specific Risk Factors for Short- and Long-Term Outcomes after Surgery in Patients with Infective Endocarditis
Authors: Friedrich Christine , Salem Mohamed , Puehler Thomas , Panholzer Bernd , Herbers Lea , Reimers Julia , Hummitzsch Lars , Cremer Jochen , Haneya Assad
Published: March 2022

(1) Background: Surgery for infective endocarditis (IE) is associated with considerable mortality and it is controversial whether the female gender is predictive for a worse outcome. This large single-center study investigated the impact of sex on outcomes after surgery for IE. (2) Methods: 413 patients (25.4% female) were included into this retrospective observational study. Univariate and multivariable analyses identified sex-specific risk factors for 30 day and late mortality. Survival was estimated by the Kaplan-Meier-method. (3) Results: Women presented more often with mitral valve infection (p = 0.039). Men presented more frequently with previous endocarditis (p = 0.045), coronary heart disease (p = 0.033), and aortic valve infection (p = 0.005). Blood transfusion occurred more frequently intraoperatively in women (p < 0.001), but postoperatively in men (p = 0.015) and men had a longer postoperative stay (p = 0.046). Women showed a higher 30 day mortality than men (p = 0.007) and female gender was predictive for 30 day mortality (OR 2.090). Late survival showed no sex-specific difference (p = 0.853), and the female gender was not an independent predictor for late mortality (p = 0.718). Risk factors for early and late mortality showed distinct sex-specific differences such as increased preoperative CRP level in women and culture-negative IE in men.
Measurement of Serum IgG Anti-Integrin αvβ6 Autoantibodies Is a Promising Tool in the Diagnosis of Ulcerative Colitis
Authors: Rydell Niclas , Ekoff Helena , Hellström Per M. , Movérare Robert
Published: March 2022

IgG anti-integrin αvβ6 autoantibodies (IgG anti-αvβ6) have been described as highly sensitive and specific markers of ulcerative colitis (UC) in the sera of Japanese inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients. We aimed to evaluate the diagnostic performance of IgG anti-αvβ6 as a biomarker in Swedish patients with IBD or irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). The study included adult UC (n = 59), Crohn’s disease (CD, n = 38), and IBS patients (n = 100). Partial Mayo score and Harvey–Bradshaw index were used to assess disease severity for UC and CD, respectively. Serum levels of IgG anti-αvβ6, reported as absorbance units (AU), were measured using an in-house ELISA where the 95th percentile of 76 healthy controls defined positivity. Faecal calprotectin (fCP) was measured using a commercial assay. The majority of the IBD patients were on medical treatment, and many were in remission (UC: 40.7%; CD: 47.4%). Seventy-one percent of the UC patients, 74.2% of CD patients, and 23.1% of the IBS patients had fCP test results >50 mg/kg. The UC group had significantly higher IgG anti-αvβ6 levels (median: 1.76 AU) than the CD and IBS groups (0.34 and 0.31 AU, both p < 0.0001). The diagnostic sensitivity of IgG anti-αvβ6 in UC was 76.3%, and the specificities were 79.0% (vs. CD) and 96.0% (vs. IBS). The IgG anti-αvβ6 levels related to disease severity of the UC patients (p < 0.01–0.05). Our study shows that IgG anti-αvβ6 is associated with UC in Swedish IBD patients and that the levels of the autoantibodies reflect disease severity. IgG anti-αvβ6 could be an attractive complement to fCP in the diagnostic work up of IBD patients.
Pleural Peels Tissue Culture plus Pleural Fluid Culture Help to Improve Culture Rate for Empyema
Authors: Cheng Ya-Fu , Cheng Ching-Yuan , Huang Chang-Lun , Hung Wei-Heng , Wang Bing-Yen
Published: March 2022

Background: Empyema is known as a serious infection, and outcomes of empyema cases remain poor. Pleural fluid culture and blood culture have been reported to give unsatisfactory results. We introduce a novel pleural peels tissue culture during surgery and aim to improve the culture results of empyema. Methods: This was a retrospective study and was obtained from our institute. Patients with stage II or III empyema undergoing video-assisted thoracic surgery decortication from January 2019 to June 2021 were included in the study. Results: There were 239 patients that received a pleural peels tissue culture, a pleural fluid culture, and a blood culture concurrently during the perioperative period. Of these, 153 patients had at least one positive culture and 86 patients showed triple negative culture results. The positive culture rates were 46.9% for pleural peels tissue cultures, 46.0% for pleural fluid cultures, and 10% for blood cultures. The combination of pleural peels tissue culture and pleural fluid culture increased the positive rate to 62.7%. Streptococcus species and Staphylococcus species were the most common pathogens. Conclusion: The combination of pleural peels tissue culture and pleural fluid culture is an effective method to improve the positive culture rate in empyema.
Impact of Activity-Oriented Propioceptive Antiedema Therapy on the Health-Related Quality of Life of Women with Upper-Limb Lymphedema Secondary to Breast Cancer—A Randomized Clinical Trial
Authors: Muñoz-Alcaraz María , Pérula-de Torres Luis , Jiménez-Vílchez Antonio , Rodríguez-Fernández Paula , Olmo-Carmona María , Muñoz-García María , Jorge-Gutiérrez Presentación , Serrano-Merino Jesús , Romero-Rodríguez Esperanza , Rodríguez-Elena Lorena , Refusta-Ainaga Raquel , Lahoz-Sánchez María , Miró-Palacios Belén , Medrano-Cid Mayra , Magallón-Botaya Rosa , Santamaría-Peláez Mirian , Mínguez-Mínguez Luis , González-Bernal Jerónimo
Published: March 2022

Background: Alterations derived from lymphedema in the upper-limb secondary to breast cancer-related lymphedema (BCRL) decrease the health-related quality of life (HRQoL), but there is limited evidence of the impact of the different interventions on it. The aim of this research was to compare the effect of conventional treatment with another treatment based on Activity-Oriented Antiedema Proprioceptive Therapy (TAPA) on HRQoL in women diagnosed with BCRL. Methods: A prospective clinical study was designed with two parallel arms. The study population consisted of women diagnosed with BCRL in stage I and II, belonging to different institutions in Córdoba and Aragon, Spain. Sociodemographic and HRQoL-related variables, pain, tightness, heaviness and functionality were obtained before and after treatments. Results: 51 women participated in the study, 25 received the conventional treatment and 26 the TAPA, with a mean age of 59.24 ± 9.55 years. HRQoL was significantly related to upper-limb function and pain on the participants’ affected side. In addition, covariance analysis (ANCOVA) showed that the TAPA treatment interfered less in the performance of activities of daily life and produced significant improvements in the social dimension of HRQoL. Conclusions: the non-use of compressive elements in the rehabilitative treatment of the BCRL that is proposed with TAPA improves aspects such as self-image and participation in social and recreational activities.
Percentile-Based Reference Values of Umbilical Cord Blood Insulin-like Growth Factor 1 in Japanese Newborns
Authors: Nagano Nobuhiko , Katayama Daichi , Hara Koichiro , Sato Yuki , Tanabe Satomi , Aoki Masako , Aoki Ryoji , Morioka Ichiro
Published: March 2022

We aimed to create percentile-based reference values of the umbilical cord blood insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) levels in Japanese newborns, as these values have not yet been established. A total of 259 newborns were classified into four gestational-age-at-birth (GA) groups: extremely preterm (<28 weeks); early preterm (28–33 weeks); late preterm (34–36 weeks); and term (≥37 weeks). They were further subclassified as small-for-gestational-age (SGA) or non-SGA. The 10th, 25th, 50th, 75th, and 90th percentiles of the umbilical cord blood IGF-1 levels were calculated and compared between the groups by using reference values of 9, 18, 33, 52, and 71 ng/mL, respectively. In the extremely preterm group, the IGF-1 levels were significantly lower than those in the early preterm, late preterm, and term groups (13.5, 24.0, 44.5, and 47.5 ng/mL, respectively; p < 0.001). The umbilical cord blood IGF-1 levels in the SGA newborns were significantly lower than those in the non-SGA newborns in all subgroups. In multivariate analyses, the GA and birth weight standard deviation scores were independent determinant factors for the umbilical cord blood IGF-1 levels. Thus, we established percentile-based reference values of umbilical cord blood IGF-1 in Japanese newborns; these reference values can be applied on the basis of the extent of prematurity and the SGA status.
Temporal Trends and Geographic Variability in the Prescription of Antiretroviral Treatments in People Living with HIV in Spain, 2004–2020
Authors: Ruiz-Algueró Marta , Hernando Victoria , Riero María , Blanco Ramos José Ramón , de Zarraga Fernández Miguel Alberto , Galindo Pepa , Pérez-González Alexandre , Díaz Asunción , Suárez-García Inés , Jarrín Inma ,   CoRIS cohort
Published: March 2022

Background: The purpose of this study was to describe temporal trends in the use of antiretroviral therapy (ART) among people living with HIV (PLWHIV) from the cohort of the Spanish HIV/AIDS research network (CoRIS), 2004–2020. Methods: We described the yearly evolution of the proportion of patients receiving ART and the most frequently prescribed antiretroviral drugs among newly recruited treatment-naïve patients and among all patients with active follow-up. Results: Of 15,539 patients included, 14,618 (94.1%) started ART during their follow-up. Regarding initial regimens, the use of 2NRTI plus 1NNRTI (which were the most frequently prescribed until 2014) and 2NRTI plus 1bPI decreased after 2014, being gradually replaced by INI-based triple therapies. Since 2019, other regimens started to be prescribed, mainly dual therapies. TDF/FTC/EFV was the single-tablet regimen (STR) most frequently prescribed as initial ART until 2012, decreasing thereafter as TDF/FTC/RPV, TDF/FTC/EVG/COBI, and ABC/3TC/DTG became available. TAF/FTC/BIC accounted for 53.6% of initial prescriptions in 2020, followed by DTG/3TC (24%). The percentage of patients on ART increased from 45.7% in 2004 to 98.2% in 2020. Among all patients receiving ART, regimens based on 2NRTI plus 1INI increased from 0.1% in 2007 to 53.3% in 2020. During 2007–2015, most patients were receiving TDF/FTC/EFV, which was replaced after 2017 by ABC/3TC/DTG. In 2020, 13.0% of patients were receiving dual therapies. Conclusions: Robust real-world data on ART use in PLWHIV over more than 15 years show historical trends in prescriptions with an unprecedented visualization of the contemporary treatment patterns.
The Administration of Hyaluronic Acid into the Temporomandibular Joints’ Cavities Increases the Mandible’s Mobility: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Chęciński Maciej , Sikora Maciej , Chęcińska Kamila , Nowak Zuzanna , Chlubek Dariusz
Published: March 2022

Objectives: The purpose of this systematic review with meta-analysis is to identify clinical studies concerning the impact of intra-articular administration of hyaluronic acid (HA) on mandibular mobility and to make an attempt at determining the efficacy of HA in this indication. Methods: The review included primary studies involving groups of at least 10 patients who were diagnosed with pain in the temporomandibular joint and who were injected with hyaluronic acid as the only intervention. The outcomes pursued were changes in mandibular mobility and pain intensity. Four databases of medical articles were searched, including PubMed and BASE. The risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane methodology tools. The therapy‘s efficacy was calculated in the domains of mandibular abduction, protrusive movement, lateral mobility, and pain relief. For these values, the regression and correlation with variables characterizing the interventions were analyzed. Results: In total, 16 reports on 20 study groups with a total of 1007 patients qualified for the review. The mean effectiveness in the domain of mandibular abduction over the 6-month follow-up period was 122% of the initial value, and the linear regression model can be expressed as 0.5x + 36. The level of pain in the same time frame decreased to an average of 29%. The severity of pain 6 months after the beginning of treatment positively correlates with the number of injections per joint (0.63), the total amount of drug administered in milliliters (0.62), and the volume of drug administered monthly per joint (0.50). Limitations: In some studies, the patient groups were heterogeneous in terms of diagnosis. The studies varied depending on the joint into which the HA was administered. The synthesized studies differed with regard to the method of measuring the mandible abduction amplitude. Conclusions: The increase in the amplitude of mandibular abduction was expressed as the quotient of the mean values during the observation periods, and the initial value was achieved in all study groups, and in the linear regression model, it was 0.5 mm on average per month. Multiple administrations of the drug may reduce the analgesic effectiveness of the treatment.
Severe Pulmonary Bleeding after Assist Device Implantation: Incidence, Risk Factors and Prognostic Impact
Authors: Panholzer Bernd , Pilarczyk Kevin , Huenges Katharina , Aldinger Charlotte , Friedrich Christine , Nowak-Göttl Ulrike , Cremer Jochen , Haneya Assad
Published: March 2022

Background: Continuous flow left ventricular assist devices (CF-LVAD) improve survival in patients with advanced heart failure but confer risk of bleeding complications. Whereas pathophysiology and risk factors for many bleeding complications are well investigated, the literature lacks reports about pulmonary bleeding. Therefore, it was the aim of the present study to assess incidence, risk factors, and clinical relevance of pulmonary bleeding episodes after LVAD implantation. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed our institutional database of 125 consecutive patients who underwent LVAD implantation between 2008 and 2017. Demographic and clinical variables related to bleeding were collected. The primary endpoint was incidence of severe pulmonary bleeding (SPB). Results: Nine out of 125 patients suffered from SPB during the postoperative course (7.2%) 11 days after surgery in the median. None of them had a known history of lung disease or bleeding disorder. History of prior myocardial infarction (0% vWD. 42.2%, p = 0.012) and ischemic cardiomyopathy (25.0% vs. 50.0%, p = 0.046) were less frequent in the SBP group. Concomitant aortic valve replacement was more common in the group with SPB (33.3% versus 7.0%, p = 0.034). Surgical (blood loss 9950 vs. 3800 mL, p = 0.012) as well as ear-nose-throat (ENT) bleedings (33% vs. 4.6%, p = 0.015) were observed more frequently in patients with SPB. SPB was associated with a complicated postoperative course with a higher incidence of acute kidney failure (100% versus 36.7%, p = 0.001) and delirium (44.4% versus 14.8%, p = 0.045); a higher need for red blood cell (26 packs versus 7, p < 0.001), fresh frozen plasma (18 units versus 6, p = 0.002), and platelet transfusion (8 pools versus 1, p = 0.001); longer ventilation time (1206 versus 171 h, p = 0.001); longer ICU-stay (58 versus 13 days, p = 0.002); and higher hospital mortality (66.7% vs. 29%, p = 0.029). Conclusion: SPB is a rare but serious complication after LVAD implantation and is significantly associated with higher morbidity and mortality. The pathophysiology and potential risk factors are unknown but may include coagulation disorders and frequent suctioning or empiric bronchoscopy causing airway irritation.
Determination of the Severity and Percentage of COVID-19 Infection through a Hierarchical Deep Learning System
Authors: Ortiz Sergio , Rojas Fernando , Valenzuela Olga , Herrera Luis Javier , Rojas Ignacio
Published: March 2022

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has caused millions of deaths and one of the greatest health crises of all time. In this disease, one of the most important aspects is the early detection of the infection to avoid the spread. In addition to this, it is essential to know how the disease progresses in patients, to improve patient care. This contribution presents a novel method based on a hierarchical intelligent system, that analyzes the application of deep learning models to detect and classify patients with COVID-19 using both X-ray and chest computed tomography (CT). The methodology was divided into three phases, the first being the detection of whether or not a patient suffers from COVID-19, the second step being the evaluation of the percentage of infection of this disease and the final phase is to classify the patients according to their severity. Stratification of patients suffering from COVID-19 according to their severity using automatic systems based on machine learning on medical images (especially X-ray and CT of the lungs) provides a powerful tool to help medical experts in decision making. In this article, a new contribution is made to a stratification system with three severity levels (mild, moderate and severe) using a novel histogram database (which defines how the infection is in the different CT slices for a patient suffering from COVID-19). The first two phases use CNN Densenet-161 pre-trained models, and the last uses SVM with LDA supervised learning algorithms as classification models. The initial stage detects the presence of COVID-19 through X-ray multi-class (COVID-19 vs. No-Findings vs. Pneumonia) and the results obtained for accuracy, precision, recall, and F1-score values are 88%, 91%, 87%, and 89%, respectively. The following stage manifested the percentage of COVID-19 infection in the slices of the CT-scans for a patient and the results in the metrics evaluation are 0.95 in Pearson Correlation coefficient, 5.14 in MAE and 8.47 in RMSE. The last stage finally classifies a patient in three degrees of severity as a function of global infection of the lungs and the results achieved are 95% accurate.
Connectivity Index-Based Identification of Priority Area of River Protected Areas in Sichuan Province, Southwest China
Authors: Zhao Min , Li Chenyang , Perry Denielle M. , Zhang Yuxiao , He Yuwen , Li Peng
Published: March 2022

Identification of the priority area is of great significance for the rational layout of river protected areas (RPAs), and it also poses new challenges for protected areas’ (PAs) construction. This study started with the characteristics of RPAs and chose China’s Sichuan Province as the case for the present study, based on its characteristics of biodiversity conservation value and other characteristic elements. The study selected the river dendritic connectivity index and the other four indicators adding them according to different weights to calculate the comprehensive protected value (CPV) area. Finally, the existing PA distributions within the CPV were compared, and the priority conservation area was identified. The main conclusions are as follows: the total area of high-value areas is about 175,068 km2, accounting for 36.02% of the province and concentrated in the high mountain plateaus of the northwest and the southwest mountain region; the existing PAs are 131,687 km2 in sized, covering only 25.08% of the high-value areas of CPV. In other words, 74.92% of the high-value areas still have not been effectively protected, and the construction of RPAs is relatively lagging in these areas; the total area of priority conservation areas (PCAs) is 131,162 km2, accounting for about 26.99% of the province. The total length of the reach in the PCAs is about 9190.72 km, which is approximately 26.84% of the length of the province’s alternative reaches. The research can provide a scientific basis for the optimization and integration of nature protected areas and land space planning.
Breast Cancer Subtypes and Quantitative Magnetic Resonance Imaging: A Systemic Review
Authors: Kazama Toshiki , Takahara Taro , Hashimoto Jun
Published: March 2022

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is the most sensitive imaging modality for breast cancer detection. This systematic review investigated the role of quantitative MRI features in classifying molecular subtypes of breast cancer. We performed a literature search of articles published on the application of quantitative MRI features in invasive breast cancer molecular subtype classification in PubMed from 1 January 2002 to 30 September 2021. Of the 1275 studies identified, 106 studies with a total of 12,989 patients fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Bias was assessed based using the Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Studies. All studies were case-controlled and research-based. Most studies assessed quantitative MRI features using dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE) kinetic features and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values. We present a summary of the quantitative MRI features and their correlations with breast cancer subtypes. In DCE studies, conflicting results have been reported; therefore, we performed a meta-analysis. Significant differences in the time intensity curve patterns were observed between receptor statuses. In 10 studies, including a total of 1276 lesions, the pooled difference in proportions of type Ⅲ curves (wash-out) between oestrogen receptor-positive and -negative cancers was not significant (95% confidence interval (CI): [−0.10, 0.03]). In nine studies, including a total of 1070 lesions, the pooled difference in proportions of type 3 curves between human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-positive and -negative cancers was significant (95% CI: [0.01, 0.14]). In six studies including a total of 622 lesions, the pooled difference in proportions of type 3 curves between the high and low Ki-67 groups was significant (95% CI: [0.17, 0.44]). However, the type 3 curve itself is a nonspecific finding in breast cancer. Many studies have examined the relationship between mean ADC and breast cancer subtypes; however, the ADC values overlapped significantly between subtypes. The heterogeneity of ADC using kurtosis or difference, diffusion tensor imaging parameters, and relaxation time was reported recently with promising results; however, current evidence is limited, and further studies are required to explore these potential applications.
Proteomic Analysis of Endometrial Cancer Tissues from Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus
Authors: Mujammami Muhammad , Rafiullah Mohamed , Alfadda Assim A. , Akkour Khalid , Alanazi Ibrahim O. , Masood Afshan , Musambil Mohthash , Alhalal Hani , Arafah Maria , Rahman Anas M. Abdel , Benabdelkamel Hicham
Published: March 2022

Endometrial cancer (EC) is the most common form of gynecological cancer. Type 2 diabetes mellitus is associated with an increased risk of EC. Currently, no proteomic studies have investigated the role of diabetes in endometrial cancers from clinical samples. The present study aims to elucidate the molecular link between diabetes and EC using a proteomic approach. Endometrial tissue samples were obtained from age-matched patients (EC Diabetic and EC Non-Diabetic) during surgery. Untargeted proteomic analysis of the endometrial tissues was carried out using a two-dimensional difference in gel electrophoresis (2D-DIGE) coupled with matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI TOF). A total of 53 proteins were identified, with a significant difference in abundance (analysis of variance (ANOVA) test, p ≤ 0.05; fold-change ≥ 1.5) between the two groups, among which 30 were upregulated and 23 downregulated in the EC Diabetic group compared to EC Non-Diabetic. The significantly upregulated proteins included peroxiredoxin-1, vinculin, endoplasmin, annexin A5, calreticulin, and serotransferrin. The significantly downregulated proteins were myosin regulatory light polypeptide 9, Retinol dehydrogenase 12, protein WWC3, intraflagellar transport protein 88 homolog, superoxide dismutase [Cu-Zn], and retinal dehydrogenase 1. The network pathway was related to connective tissue disorder, developmental disorder, and hereditary disorder, with the identified proteins centered around dysregulation of ERK1/2 and F Actin signaling pathways. Cancer-associated protein alterations such as upregulation of peroxiredoxin-1, annexin 5, and iNOS, and downregulation of RDH12, retinaldehyde dehydrogenase 1, SOD1, and MYL 9, were found in the EC tissues of the diabetic group. Differential expression of proteins linked to cancer metastasis, such as the upregulation of vinculin and endoplasmin and downregulation of WWC3 and IFT88, was seen in the patients with diabetes. Calreticulin and alpha-enolase, which might have a role in the interplay between diabetes and EC, need further investigation.
Osteogenic Effect of Pregabalin in Human Primary Mesenchymal Stem Cells, Osteoblasts, and Osteosarcoma Cells
Authors: Wagener Nele , Di Fazio Pietro , Böker Kai Oliver , Matziolis Georg
Published: March 2022

Seventy million patients worldwide are suffering from epilepsy. The long-term use of antiepileptic drugs causes the alteration of the bone tissue and its metabolism, thus increasing the risk of fractures. Clinical and pre-clinical studies have highlighted conflicting data on the influence of the relatively new antiepileptic drug pregabalin (Lyrica®). The objective of the present study was therefore to investigate its cytotoxicity in primary human osteoblasts (hOB). HOB and human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSC) were isolated from patients. The human osteosarcoma cells MG63 were included as established cell line. Cells were incubated with pregabalin at concentrations ranging from 0 to 40 μg/mL. Time-dependent cell proliferation was measured by automatic cell counting, and metabolism was determined by XTT assay and osseous differentiation by alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity. Histological examinations of calcium deposit were performed with ALP, Alizarin Red, and von Kossa staining. A concentration-dependent increase in the proliferation of hOB and hMSC was observed after treatment with pregabalin. All cells showed a significant increase in cell metabolism. The osteogenic differentiation, confirmed by the increase of calcium deposit, was promoted by the administration of pregabalin. This effect was already significant at the therapeutic plasma concentration of pregabalin (10 μg/mL). In contrast to the other antiepileptic drugs, pregabalin showed no osteocatabolic effects. Conflicting in-vivo data must therefore be attributed to systemic effects of pregabalin.
Biomarkers in Oral Fluids as Diagnostic Tool for Psoriasis
Authors: Jiménez Constanza , Bordagaray María José , Villarroel José Luis , Flores Tania , Benadof Dafna , Fernández Alejandra , Valenzuela Fernando
Published: March 2022

Psoriasis is a prevalent worldwide chronic immuno-inflammatory skin disease with various variants and atypical cases. The use of biomarkers for the diagnosis of psoriasis can favor timely treatment and thus improve the quality of life of those affected. In general, the search for biomarkers in oral fluids is recommended as it is a non-invasive and fast technique. This narrative review aimed to identify biomarkers in gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) and saliva to diagnose psoriasis. To achieve this goal, we selected the available literature using the following MESH terms: “psoriasis”, “saliva” and “gingival crevicular fluid”. The studies analyzed for this review cover original research articles available in English. We found three full articles available for psoriasis biomarkers in GCF and ten articles available for psoriasis biomarkers in saliva. Studies showed that in the saliva of healthy individuals and those with psoriasis, there were differences in the levels of inflammatory cytokines, immunoglobulin A, and antioxidant biomarkers. In GCF, individuals with psoriasis showed higher levels of S100A8, IL-18 and sE-selectin in comparison to healthy individuals, independent of periodontal status. Despite these findings, more studies are required to determine an adequate panel of biomarkers to use in saliva or GCF for psoriasis.
Biomineralisation to Increase Earth Infrastructure Resilience
Authors: Bras Ana , Mohammed Hazha , Romano Abbie , Nakouti Ismini
Published: March 2022

The vulnerability of buildings and structures to rain and flooding due to a lack of adaptive capacity is an issue all over the world. Exploring the bio-resources availability and engineering performance is crucial to increase infrastructure’s resilience. The current study analyses earth-based mortars using mineral precipitation as a biostabiliser (bio) and compares their performance with cement-based mortars. Cultures of S. oneidensis with a concentration of 2.3 × 108 cfu/mL were used to prepare earth-based and cement-based mortars with a ratio of 6% of binder. Microstructure analyses through SEM/EDS, water absorption, moisture buffering, mechanical strength, and porosity are discussed. The biostabiliser decreases water absorption in tidal-splash and saturated environments for earth and cement mortars due to calcium carbonate precipitation. The biostabiliser can prevent water migration more effectively for the cement-based (60% reduction) than for the earth-based mortars (up to 10% reduction) in the first 1 h of contact with water. In an adsorption/desorption environment, the conditions favour desorption in cem+bio, and it seems that the biostabiliser precipitation facilitates the release of the chemicals into the mobile phase. The precipitation in the earth+bio mortar porous media conditions favours the adsorption of water molecules, making the molecule adhere to the stationary phase and be separated from the other sample chemicals. The SEM/EDS performed for the mortars confirms the calcium carbonate precipitation and shows that there is a decrease in the quantity of Si and K if the biostabiliser is used in cement and earth-mortars. This decrease, associated with the ability of S. oneidensis to leach silica, is more impressive for earth+bio, which might be associated with a dissolution of silicate structures due to the presence of more water. For the tested earth-based mortars, there was an increase of 10% for compressive and flexural strength if the biostabiliser was added. For the cement-based mortars, the strength increase was almost double that of the plain one due to the clay surface negative charge in the earth-based compositions.
Poly(vinyl alcohol)/Plant Extracts Films: Preparation, Surface Characterization and Antibacterial Studies against Gram Positive and Gram Negative Bacteria
Authors: Barbălată-Mândru Mihaela , Serbezeanu Diana , Butnaru Maria , Rîmbu Cristina Mihaela , Enache Alexandru Alin , Aflori Magdalena
Published: March 2022

In this study, we aim to obtain biomaterials with antibacterial properties by combining poly(vinyl alcohol) with the extracts obtained from various selected plants from Romania. Natural herbal extracts of freshly picked flowers of the lavender plant (Lavandula angustifolia) and leaves of the peppermint plant (Mentha piperita), hemp plant (Cannabis sativa L.), verbena plant (Verbena officinalis) and sage plant (Salvia officinalis folium) were selected after an intensive analyzing of diverse medicinal plants often used as antibacterial and healing agents from the country flora. The plant extracts were characterized by different methods such as totals of phenols and flavonoids content and UV-is spectroscopy. The highest amounts of the total phenolic and flavonoid contents, respectively, were recorded for Salvia officinalis. Moreover, the obtained films of poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) loaded with plant extracts were studied concerning the surface properties and their antibacterial or cytotoxicity activity. The Attenuated Total Reflection Fourier Transform Infrared analysis described the successfully incorporation of each plant extract in the poly(vinyl alcohol) matrix, while the profilometry demonstrated the enhanced surface properties. The results showed that the plant extracts conferred significant antibacterial effects to films toward Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli and are not toxic against fibroblastic cells from the rabbit.
Bacterial Polyglucuronic Acid/Alginate/Carbon Nanofibers Hydrogel Nanocomposite as a Potential Scaffold for Bone Tissue Engineering
Authors: Dibazar Zahra Ebrahimvand , Mohammadpour Mahnaz , Samadian Hadi , Zare Soheila , Azizi Mehdi , Hamidi Masoud , Elboutachfaiti Redouan , Petit Emmanuel , Delattre Cédric
Published: March 2022

3D nanocomposite scaffolds have attracted significant attention in bone tissue engineering applications. In the current study, we fabricated a 3D nanocomposite scaffold based on a bacterial polyglucuronic acid (PGU) and sodium alginate (Alg) composite with carbon nanofibers (CNFs) as the bone tissue engineering scaffold. The CNFs were obtained from electrospun polyacrylonitrile nanofibers through heat treatment. The fabricated CNFs were incorporated into a PGU/Alg polymeric solution, which was physically cross-linked using CaCl2 solution. The fabricated nanocomposites were characterized to evaluate the internal structure, porosity, swelling kinetics, hemocompatibility, and cytocompatibility. The characterizations indicated that the nanocomposites have a porous structure with interconnected pores architecture, proper water absorption, and retention characteristics. The in vitro studies revealed that the nanocomposites were hemocompatible with negligible hemolysis induction. The cell viability assessment showed that the nanocomposites were biocompatible and supported bone cell growth. These results indicated that the fabricated bacterial PGU/Alg/CNFs hydrogel nanocomposite exhibited appropriate properties and can be considered a new biomaterial for bone tissue engineering scaffolds.
A Study on the Static Magnetic and Electromagnetic Properties of Silica-Coated Carbonyl Iron Powder after Heat Treatment for Improving Thermal Stability
Authors: Yan Xu , Mu Xinyuan , Zhang Qinsheng , Ma Zhanwei , Song Chengli , Hu Bin
Published: March 2022

In order to study the thermal stability of coated carbonyl iron powder (CIP) and its influence on magnetic properties, carbonyl iron powder was coated with a silica layer and then annealed in an air atmosphere at elevated temperatures. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analysis and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy confirmed the existence of a silicon dioxide layer with a thickness of approximately 80~100 nm. Compared with uncoated CIP, the silicon-coated CIP still maintained a higher absorption performance after annealing, and the calculated impedance matching value Z only slightly decreased. It is worth noting that when the annealing temperature reached 300 °C, coercivity (Hc) increased, and the real and imaginary parts of the permeability decreased, which means that the silicon dioxide layer began to lose its effectiveness. On the contrary, the significant decrease in microwave absorption ability and impedance matching value Z of uncoated CIP after annealing were mainly because the newly formed oxide on the interface became the active polarization center, leading to an abnormal increase in permittivity. In terms of the incremental mass ratio after annealing, 2% was a tipping point for permeability reduction.
Heat Treatment Influencing Porosity and Tensile Properties of Field Assisted Sintered AlSi7Mg0.6
Authors: Hirsch Sarah Johanna , Winter Lisa , Grund Thomas , Lampke Thomas
Published: March 2022

In this study, an attempt was made to improve the mechanical properties and in particular the strength of a precipitation-hardenable aluminum alloy while still maintaining high ductility. For this purpose, AlSi7Mg0.6 (A357) powder with an average particle diameter of d50 = 40 µm was consolidated using field assisted sintering technique (FAST), and two material conditions were compared: an as-sintered and an underaging heat treated condition (T61). Mechanical properties were determined using tensile tests and hardness measurements. In addition, the microstructure was investigated by optical microscopy. Further, porosity and density were analyzed after the different heat treatments. By the underaging heat treatment, the surface hardness was increased by 100% and the yield strength was increased by 80% compared to the as-sintered material. However, the elongation to failure dropped to one third of that of the as-sintered material. Presumably, this effect was a result of an increased porosity due to the heat treatment. It is assumed that the observed pores were generated by artefacts from the FAST process used to manufacture the samples. The internal gas pressure and equilibrium diffusion supported by heat treatment temperature, and the reduction in surface energy caused by coalescent micropores, led to the enlargement of previously undetectable inhomogeneities in the as-sintered material that resulted in pores in the heat-treated sintered alloy.