bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Intracellular Molecular Targets and Signaling Pathways Involved in Antioxidative and Neuroprotective Effects of Cannabinoids in Neurodegenerative Conditions
Authors: Tadijan Ana , Vlašić Ignacija , Vlainić Josipa , Đikić Domagoj , Oršolić Nada , Jazvinšćak Jembrek Maja
Published: October 2022

In the last few decades, endocannabinoids, plant-derived cannabinoids and synthetic cannabinoids have received growing interest as treatment options in neurodegenerative conditions. In various experimental settings, they have displayed antioxidative, anti-inflammatory, antiapoptotic, immunomodulatory, and neuroprotective effects. However, due to numerous targets and downstream effectors of their action, the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying these effects are rather complex and still under discussion. Cannabinoids are able to neutralize free radicals and modulate the production of reactive oxygen species and the activity of antioxidative systems acting on CB1 and CB2 cannabinoid receptors. The activation of CB1 receptors stimulates signaling pathways involved in antioxidative defense and survival (such as the phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt, mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), and Nrf2 pathways) and regulates glutamatergic signaling, the activation of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors, calcium influx, and the induction of Ca2+-regulated signaling cascades, whereas the neuroprotective effects mediated by CB2 receptors are due to the suppression of microglial activation and the release of prooxidative and proinflammatory mediators. This review summarizes the main molecular mechanisms and new advances in understanding the antioxidative and neuroprotective effects of cannabinoids. Because of the plethora of possible pharmacological interventions related to oxidative stress and cannabinoid-mediated neuroprotection, future research should be directed towards a better understanding of the interplay between activated signal transduction pathways and molecular targets with the aim to improve treatment options and efficacy by targeting the endocannabinoid system.
Sphingosine-1-Phosphate Alleviates Irradiation Induced Salivary Gland Hypofunction through Preserving Endothelial Cells and Resident Macrophages
Authors: Yang Tao , Zhao Qingguo , Hu Meijun , Pan Simin , Zhang Linying , Zhu Ruoxi , Zhou Bowen , Feng Xuanhe , Gao Zhenhua , Zhu Zhao , Zhang Yu , Hu Liang , Liu Fei , Shan Zhaochen
Published: October 2022

Radiotherapy for head-and-neck cancers frequently causes long-term hypofunction of salivary glands that severely compromises quality of life and is difficult to treat. Here, we studied effects and mechanisms of Sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P), a versatile signaling sphingolipid, in preventing irreversible dry mouth caused by radiotherapy. Mouse submandibular glands (SMGs) were irradiated with or without intra-SMG S1P pretreatment. The saliva flow rate was measured following pilocarpine stimulation. The expression of genes related to S1P signaling and radiation damage was examined by flow cytometry, immunohistochemistry, quantitative RT-PCR, Western blotting, and/or single-cell RNA-sequencing. S1P pretreatment ameliorated irradiation-induced salivary dysfunction in mice through a decrease in irradiation-induced oxidative stress and consequent apoptosis and cellular senescence, which is related to the enhancement of Nrf2-regulated anti-oxidative response. In mouse SMGs, endothelial cells and resident macrophages are the major cells capable of producing S1P and expressing the pro-regenerative S1P receptor S1pr1. Both mouse SMGs and human endothelial cells are protected from irradiation damage by S1P pretreatment, likely through the S1pr1/Akt/eNOS axis. Moreover, intra-SMG-injected S1P did not affect the growth and radiosensitivity of head-and-neck cancer in a mouse model. These data indicate that S1P signaling pathway is a promising target for alleviating irradiation-induced salivary gland hypofunction.
Intracellular Polyphenol Wine Metabolites Oppose Oxidative Stress and Upregulate Nrf2/ARE Pathway
Authors: Stranieri Chiara , Guzzo Flavia , Gambini Sofia , Cominacini Luciano , Fratta Pasini Anna Maria
Published: October 2022

Moderate wine consumption has been associated with several benefits to human health due to its high polyphenol content. In this study, we investigated whether polyphenols contained in a particular red wine, rich in polyphenols, can pass the cell membrane and switch the oxidant/antioxidant balance toward an antioxidant pattern of THP-1 cells and human cardiomyocytes through a gene regulatory system. First, we identified which metabolite polyphenols present in red wine extract cross cell membranes and may be responsible for antioxidant effects. The results showed that the wine metabolites in treated cells belonged mainly to stilbenes, flavan-3-ols derivatives, and flavonoids. Other metabolites present in cells were not typical wine metabolites. Then, we found that red wine extract dose-dependently lowered reactive oxygen species (ROS) induced by tert-butyl hydroperoxide (TBHP) up to 50 ± 7% in both cell lines (p < 0.01). Furthermore, wine extract increased nuclear Nrf2 of about 35 ± 5% in both cell lines (p < 0.01) and counteracted its reduction induced by TBHP (p < 0.01). The rise in Nrf2 was paralleled by the increase in hemeoxygenase-1 and glutamate-cysteine ligase catalytic subunit gene expression (both mRNA and protein) (p < 0.01). These results could help explain the healthful activity of wine polyphenols within cells.
In Situ Microstructure Characterization of Potassium Di-Phosphate (KDP) Densification during Cold Sintering
Authors: Allen Andrew J. , Maier Russell A. , Zhang Fan , Kuzmenko Ivan , Ilavsky Jan
Published: October 2022

In order for ceramic additive manufacturing (AM) to achieve its full potential, it is increasingly important to develop a more rigorous understanding of fundamental phenomena that govern the kinetics and thermodynamics of ceramic AM processes. In the case of additive build processes, such as direct ink write and ceramic extrusion, methods for densifying the resulting green-body product need to be considered to complement the efficiencies of ceramics AM, itself. One densification route, at least for monolithic components, built layer-by-layer, is offered by the recently developed cold sintering process, whereby high-density final product is achieved through addition of a small amount of liquid solvent and application of modest uniaxial compressive stress at relatively low temperature. In situ small-angle X-ray scattering methods and X-ray diffraction have been applied to characterize and quantify the pore morphology evolution during cold sintering for a model system: potassium di-phosphate, KH2PO4 (KDP). It is shown that both temperature and applied stress affect the densification rate, but stress has a stronger effect on the evolving morphology. A regime with an approximate linear densification rate can be identified, yielding an effective densification activation energy of ≈90 kJ/mol.
Coordination Energetic Materials—Scientific Curiosity or Future of Energetic Material Applications?
Authors: Pawlus Klaudia , Jarosz Tomasz , Stolarczyk Agnieszka
Published: October 2022

Significant incentives for developing and introducing new energetic materials to the industrial-scale production and application of new energetic materials have stimulated extensive research on the subject. Despite numerous studies, which have reported a broad array of results, progress in this field remains limited as the research results do not translate into commensurate practical applications. Coordination energetic materials are one of the promising classes of such materials. Despite more than two decades of research efforts dedicated to these substances and their advantages over classical energetic materials, in terms of performance parameters and safety parameters, these materials have not found any broader practical application. In this work, selected representative literature reports dedicated to these materials have been analysed in order to present the possible reasons for this state. Some suggestions about the future direction of research and development efforts dedicated to coordination energetic materials have also been formulated. The publication is one voice in the discussion on new challenges related to the search for new lead-free explosives.
A Network Traffic Prediction Method for AIOps Based on TDA and Attention GRU
Authors: Wang Kun , Tan Yuan , Zhang Lizhong , Chen Zhigang , Lei Jinghong
Published: October 2022

Fault early warning is a challenge in the field of operation and maintenance. Considering the improvement of accuracy and real-time standards, as well as the explosive growth of operation and maintenance data, traditional manual experience and static threshold can no longer meet the production requirements. This research fully digs into the difficulties in fault early warning and provides targeted solutions in several aspects, such as difficulty in feature extraction, insufficient prediction accuracy, and difficulty in determining alarm threshold. The TCAG model proposed in this paper creatively combines the spatiotemporal characteristics and topological characteristics of specific time series data to apply to time series prediction and gives the recommended dynamic threshold interval for fault early warning according to the prediction value. A data comparison experiment of a core router of Ningxia Electric Power Co., Ltd. shows that the combination of topological data analysis (TDA) and convolutional neural network (CNN) enables the TCAG model to obtain superior feature extraction capability, and the support of the attention mechanism improves the prediction accuracy of the TCAG model compared to the benchmark models.
Dimensional Synthesis of Watt II and Stephenson III Six-Bar Slider-Crank Function Generators for Nine Prescribed Positions
Authors: Jo Min Seok , Shim Jae Kyung , Park Ho Sung , Kim Woon Ryong
Published: October 2022

This paper proposes an efficient exact dimensional synthesis method for finding all the link lengths of the Watt II and Stephenson III six-bar slider-crank function generators, satisfying nine prescribed precision points using the homotopy continuation method. The synthesis equations of each mechanism are initially constructed as a system of 56 quadratic polynomials whose Bézout number, which represents the maximum number of solutions, is 256 ≅ 7.21 × 1016. In order to reduce the size of the system, multi-homogeneous formulation is applied to transform the system into 12 equations in 12 unknowns, and the multi-homogeneous Bézout number of the system is 286,720. The Bertini solver, based on the homotopy continuation method, is used to solve the synthesis equations to obtain the dimensions of the two mechanisms. For the arbitrarily given nine precision points, the proposed method yields 37 and 31 defect-free solutions of Watt II and Stephenson III six-bar slider-crank mechanisms, respectively, and it is confirmed that they pass through the prescribed positions.
A Decision Support System for Irrigation Management in Thailand: Case Study of Tak City Agricultural Production
Authors: Jewpanya Parida , German Josephine D. , Nuangpirom Pinit , Maghfiroh Meilinda Fitriani Nur , Redi Anak Agung Ngurah Perwira
Published: October 2022

Water is essential for agriculture in many world regions and for achieving sustainability in production systems. Maximizing net returns with the available resources is significant, but doing so is a complex problem, owing to the many factors that affect this process. In this study, a decision support system (DSS) incorporating a crop planning model is developed for identifying optimal cropping plans and irrigation management. The model estimates crop yield, production, water requirement, and net income. In this system, the Simulated Annealing algorithm (SA) is used as an optimization tool inside the DSS developed, and the result is as robust as the exact solution with higher computational efficiency. From the model applied, it is found that the current crop pattern and water distribution plan used in the study area should be improved. The computational analysis also found that of the five plans proposed, three plans could produce the highest generated income. On contrary, the current strategy used by Tak’s province farmer has the lowest generated income. This result shows that if a better-designed and more efficient crop planning method was, should be used instead.
“Move” Their Brain: Motor Competence Mediates the Relationship of Physical Activity and Executive Functions in Children
Authors: Spanou Martha , Kaioglou Vasiliki , Pesce Caterina , Mavilidi Myrto F. , Venetsanou Fotini
Published: October 2022

The inconsistent conclusions regarding the effects of physical activity (PA) on children’s executive functions (EFs) call for an investigation of the mediators that may explain this relationship during development. This study attempted to examine the potential mediating role of children’s weight status and motor competence (MC) in the PA-EFs relationship. In this regard, 115 children (Mage = 10.3 ± 1.2 years, 42.61% boys) practicing sports were cross-sectionally assessed for their PA (pedometers); BMI (body mass and height); MC (Bruininks–Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency); EFs (via computerized tests). The associations among the variables were examined using structural equation modelling. Based on the significant correlation between them (PA was not related to EFs, and BMI was not related to other variables), a serial path model was considered for investigation (PA→MC→EFs). The model fitted well with the data (χ2[5] = 7.244, p = 0.203; CFI= 0.991; RMSEA = 0.071 [0.000, 175], p = 0.315). The unstandardized path coefficients were significant (p < 0.05) (PA predicts MC/MC predicts EFs). All (but one) direct and all indirect effects were significant (p < 0.05), confirming that MC is an intervening variable in the PA-EFs relationship. Given that the cognitive/coordinative challenges related to PA are important to EFs development, children should be encouraged to participate in PA, especially sports, in programs targeting their motor skills.
Smart Flexible 3D Sensor for Monitoring Orthodontics Forces: Prototype Design and Proof of Principle Experiment
Authors: Lee Soobum , Lee Chabum , Bosio Jose A. , Melo Mary Anne S.
Published: October 2022

There is a critical need for an accurate device for orthodontists to know the magnitude of forces exerted on the tooth by the orthodontic brackets. Here, we propose a new orthodontic force measurement principle to detect the deformation of the elastic semi-sphere sensor. Specifically, we aimed to detail technical issues and the feasibility of the sensor performance attached to the inner surface of the orthodontic aligner or on the tooth surface. Accurate force tracking is important for the optimal decision of aligner replacement and cost reduction. A finite element (FE) model of the semi-sphere sensor was developed, and the relationship between the force and the contact area change was investigated. The prototype was manufactured, and the force detection performance was experimentally verified. In the experiment, the semi-sphere sensor was manufactured using thermoplastic polymer, and a high-precision mold sized 3 mm in diameter. The change in the contact area in the semi-sphere sensor was captured using a portable microscope. Further development is justified, and future implementation of the proposed sensor would be an array of multiple semi-sphere sensors in different locations for directional orthodontic force detection.
Autoencoder Composite Scoring to Evaluate Prosthetic Performance in Individuals with Lower Limb Amputation
Authors: Tabashum Thasina , Xiao Ting , Jayaraman Chandrasekaran , Mummidisetty Chaithanya K. , Jayaraman Arun , Albert Mark V.
Published: October 2022

We created an overall assessment metric using a deep learning autoencoder to directly compare clinical outcomes in a comparison of lower limb amputees using two different prosthetic devices—a mechanical knee and a microprocessor-controlled knee. Eight clinical outcomes were distilled into a single metric using a seven-layer deep autoencoder, with the developed metric compared to similar results from principal component analysis (PCA). The proposed methods were used on data collected from ten participants with a dysvascular transfemoral amputation recruited for a prosthetics research study. This single summary metric permitted a cross-validated reconstruction of all eight scores, accounting for 83.29% of the variance. The derived score is also linked to the overall functional ability in this limited trial population, as improvements in each base clinical score led to increases in this developed metric. There was a highly significant increase in this autoencoder-based metric when the subjects used the microprocessor-controlled knee (p < 0.001, repeated measures ANOVA). A traditional PCA metric led to a similar interpretation but captured only 67.3% of the variance. The autoencoder composite score represents a single-valued, succinct summary that can be useful for the holistic assessment of highly variable, individual scores in limited clinical datasets.
The Evolutionary Dynamics of the Mitochondrial tRNA in the Cichlid Fish Family
Authors: Fiteha Yosur G. , Magdy Mahmoud
Published: October 2022

The mitochondrial transfer RNA genes (tRNAs) attract more attention due to their highly dynamic and rapidly evolving nature. The current study aimed to detect and evaluate the dynamics, characteristic patterns, and variations of mitochondrial tRNAs. The study was conducted in two main parts: first, the published mitogenomic sequences of cichlids mt tRNAs have been filtered. Second, the filtered mitochondrial tRNA and additional new mitogenomes representing the most prevalent Egyptian tilapiine were compared and analyzed. Our results revealed that all 22 tRNAs of cichlids folded into a classical cloverleaf secondary structure with four domains, except for trnSGCU, missing the D domain in all cichlids. When consensus tRNAs were compared, most of the mutations were observed in the trnP at nucleotide levels (substitutions and indels), in contrast to trnLUAA. From a structural perspective, the anticodon loop and T-loop formations were the most conserved structures among all parts of the tRNA in contrast to the A-stem and D-loop formations. The trnW was the lowest polymorphic unneutral tRNA among all cichlids (both the family and the haplotilapiine lineage), in contrast with the neutral trnD that was extremely polymorphic among and within the haplotilapiine lineage species compared to other cichlids species. From a phylogenetic perspective, the trnC was extremely hypervariable and neutral tRNA in both haplotilapiine lineage and cichlids but was unable to report correct phylogenetic signal for the cichlids. In contrast to trnI and trnY, less variable neutral tRNAs that were able to cluster the haplotilapiine lineage and cichlids species as previously reported. By observing the DNA polymorphism in the coding DNA sequences (CDS), the highest affected amino acid by non-synonymous mutations was isoleucine and was equally mutated to valine and vice versa; no correlation between mutations in CDS and tRNAs was statistically found. The current study provides an insight into the mitochondrial tRNA evolution and its effect on the cichlid diversity and speciation model at the maternal level.
Selenium Nanoparticle-Enriched and Potential Probiotic, Lactiplantibacillus plantarum S14 Strain, a Diet Supplement Beneficial for Rainbow Trout
Authors: Yanez-Lemus Francisco , Moraga Rubén , Smith Carlos T. , Aguayo Paulina , Sánchez-Alonzo Kimberly , García-Cancino Apolinaria , Valenzuela Ariel , Campos Víctor L.
Published: October 2022

Lactic acid bacteria (LAB), obtained from rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) intestine, were cultured in MRS medium and probiotic candidates. Concurrently, producers of elemental selenium nanoparticles (Se0Nps) were selected. Probiotic candidates were subjected to morphological characterization and the following tests: antibacterial activity, antibiotic susceptibility, hemolytic activity, catalase, hydrophobicity, viability at low pH, and tolerance to bile salts. Two LAB strains (S4 and S14) satisfied the characteristics of potential probiotics, but only strain S14 reduced selenite to biosynthesize Se0Nps. S14 strain was identified, by 16S rDNA analysis, as Lactiplantibacillus plantarum. Electron microscopy showed Se0Nps on the surface of S14 cells. Rainbow trout diet was supplemented (108 CFU g−1 feed) with Se0Nps-enriched L. plantarum S14 (LABS14-Se0Nps) or L. plantarum S14 alone (LABS14) for 30 days. At days 0, 15, and 30, samples (blood, liver, and dorsal muscle) were obtained from both groups, plus controls lacking diet supplementation. Fish receiving LABS14-Se0Nps for 30 days improved respiratory burst and plasmatic lysozyme, (innate immune response) and glutathione peroxidase (GPX) (oxidative status) activities and productive parameters when compared to controls. The same parameters also improved when compared to fish receiving LABS14, but significant only for plasmatic and muscle GPX. Therefore, Se0Nps-enriched L. plantarum S14 may be a promising alternative for rainbow trout nutritional supplementation.
Increased Immunity against the Oral Germs Porphyromonas gingivalis and Prevotella intermedia in Different Categories of Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis
Authors: Zekre Franck , Cimaz Rolando , Paul Mireille , Giani Teresa , Waeckel Louis , Berger Anne-Emmanuelle , Stephan Jean-Louis , Normand Myriam , Paul Stéphane , Marotte Hubert
Published: October 2022

(1) Background: The link between periodontal disease and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is now widely reported. Several studies suggest the role of Porphyromonas gingivalis (P. gingivalis) in the pathophysiology of RA and some observations highlight the improvement of the disease activity induced by therapies against P. gingivalis. We have very little data on the prevalence of P. gingivalis carriage in patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) and its possible involvement in the pathophysiology of inflammatory joint diseases in children. (2) Methods: The specific IgG responses against P. gingivalis and Prevotella intermedia (P. intermedia) were determined in a cohort of 101 patients with JIA and 19 patients with other autoimmune diseases (inflammatory bowel disease and type 1 diabetes). (3) Results: Specific anti-P. gingivalis and anti-P. intermedia IgG titers were higher in JIA group than in control groups. These differences were mainly observed in the oligoarthritis group. The same pattern was observed in enthesitis-related arthritis (ERA). (4) Conclusions: Children with oligoarticular and ERA subsets had higher IgG titers to P. gingivalis and P. intermedia. These results suggest involvement of an oral dysbiosis in the occurrence of JIA in these subgroups.
The Sexual Dimorphism of Human Adipose Depots
Authors: Boulet Nathalie , Briot Anais , Galitzky Jean , Bouloumié Anne
Published: October 2022

The amount and the distribution of body fat exhibit trajectories that are sex- and human species-specific and both are determinants for health. The enhanced accumulation of fat in the truncal part of the body as a risk factor for cardiovascular and metabolic diseases is well supported by epidemiological studies. In addition, a possible independent protective role of the gluteofemoral fat compartment and of the brown adipose tissue is emerging. The present narrative review summarizes the current knowledge on sexual dimorphism in fat depot amount and repartition and consequences on cardiometabolic and reproductive health. The drivers of the sex differences and fat depot repartition, considered to be the results of complex interactions between sex determination pathways determined by the sex chromosome composition, genetic variability, sex hormones and the environment, are discussed. Finally, the inter- and intra-depot heterogeneity in adipocytes and progenitors, emphasized recently by unbiased large-scale approaches, is highlighted.
From Cytokine Storm to Cytokine Breeze: Did Lessons Learned from Immunopathogenesis Improve Immunomodulatory Treatment of Moderate-to-Severe COVID-19?
Authors: Rondovic Goran , Djordjevic Dragan , Udovicic Ivo , Stanojevic Ivan , Zeba Snjezana , Abazovic Tanja , Vojvodic Danilo , Abazovic Dzihan , Khan Wasim , Surbatovic Maja
Published: October 2022

Complex immune response to infection has been highlighted, more than ever, during the COVID-19 pandemic. This review explores the immunomodulatory treatment of moderate-to-severe forms of this viral sepsis in the context of specific immunopathogenesis. Our objective is to analyze in detail the existing strategies for the use of immunomodulators in COVID-19. Immunomodulating therapy is very challenging; there are still underpowered or, in other ways, insufficient studies with inconclusive or conflicting results regarding a rationale for adding a second immunomodulatory drug to dexamethasone. Bearing in mind that a “cytokine storm” is not present in the majority of COVID-19 patients, it is to be expected that the path to the adequate choice of a second immunomodulatory drug is paved with uncertainty. Anakinra, a recombinant human IL-1 receptor antagonist, is a good choice in this setting. Yet, the latest update of the COVID-19 Treatment Guidelines Panel (31 May 2022) claims that there is insufficient evidence to recommend either for or against the use of anakinra for the treatment of COVID-19. EMA’s human medicines committee recommended extending the indication of anakinra to include treatment of COVID-19 in adult patients only recently (17 December 2021). It is obvious that this is still a work in progress, with few ongoing clinical trials. With over 6 million deaths from COVID-19, this is the right time to speed up this process. Our conclusion is that, during the course of COVID-19, the immune response is changing from the early phase to the late phase in individual patients, so immunomodulating therapy should be guided by individual responses at different time points.
Clinical and Research MRI Techniques for Assessing Spinal Cord Integrity in Degenerative Cervical Myelopathy—A Scoping Review
Authors: He Brandon , Sheldrick Kyle , Das Abhirup , Diwan Ashish
Published: October 2022

Background: Degenerative cervical myelopathy (DCM) manifests as the primary cause of spinal cord dysfunction and is non-traumatic, chronic and progressive in nature. Decompressive surgery is typically utilised to halt further disability and neurological dysfunction. The limitations of current diagnostic options surrounding assessment and prognostic potential render DCM still largely a clinical diagnosis. Aims: To outline the limitations of current diagnostic techniques, present evidence behind novel quantitative MRI (qMRI) techniques for assessing spinal cord integrity in DCM and suggest future directions. Method: Articles published up to November 2021 were retrieved from Medline, EMBASE and EBM using key search terms: spinal cord, spine, neck, MRI, magnetic resonance imaging, qMRI, T1, T2, T2*, R2*, DTI, diffusion tensor imaging, MT, magnetisation transfer, SWI, susceptibility weighted imaging, BOLD, blood oxygen level dependent, fMRI, functional magnetic resonance imaging, functional MRI, MRS, magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Results: A total of 2057 articles were retrieved with 68 articles included for analysis. The search yielded 2 articles on Quantitative T1 mapping which suggested higher T1 values in spinal cord of moderate-severe DCM; 43 articles on DTI which indicated a strong correlation of fractional anisotropy and modified Japanese Orthopaedic Association scores; 15 articles on fMRI (BOLD) which demonstrated positive correlation of functional connectivity and volume of activation of various connections in the brain with post-surgical recovery; 6 articles on MRS which suggested that Choline/N-acetylaspartate (Cho/NAA) ratio presents the best correlation with DCM severity; and 4 articles on MT which revealed a preliminary negative correlation of magnetisation transfer ratio with DCM severity. Notably, most studies were of low sample size with short timeframes within 6 months. Conclusions: Further longitudinal studies with higher sample sizes and longer time horizons are necessary to determine the full prognostic capacity of qMRI in DCM.
Enlargement of the Nerve Fibers of Silenced Lumbosacral Motoneurons in Cats
Authors: Gordon Tessa , Eldridge Lynn , Aurora Saljae
Published: October 2022

Whether neuromuscular activity influences the size of motor nerves is controversial. All neuromuscular activity in cat hindlimbs was eliminated by spinal cord isolation (SCI), namely, spinal cord transection above and below the medial gastrocnemius (MG) and soleus (SOL) motoneuron pools and L5-S3 dorsal root transection. MG, SOL and sural (SUR) nerves were removed for size measurements, eight months after SCI surgery and from age-matched control cats. Nerve fiber number, the linear relationship between axon size and myelin thickness, and the bimodal distributions of nerve fiber area and diameter were maintained in all three nerves after SCI. The distributions of myelinated sensory fibers were unchanged in SUR nerves in contrast to the myelinated motor fibers in the MG and SOL nerves that were significantly larger. These findings provide evidence that all lumbar motoneurons survive SCI and that their nerve fibers enlarge. Thus, motor nerve fiber size in addition to the properties of the motoneurons and their muscle fibers is dynamic, responding to neuromuscular activity.
A Biomedical Case Study Showing That Tuning Random Forests Can Fundamentally Change the Interpretation of Supervised Data Structure Exploration Aimed at Knowledge Discovery
Authors: Lötsch Jörn , Mayer Benjamin
Published: October 2022

Knowledge discovery in biomedical data using supervised methods assumes that the data contain structure relevant to the class structure if a classifier can be trained to assign a case to the correct class better than by guessing. In this setting, acceptance or rejection of a scientific hypothesis may depend critically on the ability to classify cases better than randomly, without high classification performance being the primary goal. Random forests are often chosen for knowledge-discovery tasks because they are considered a powerful classifier that does not require sophisticated data transformation or hyperparameter tuning and can be regarded as a reference classifier for tabular numerical data. Here, we report a case where the failure of random forests using the default hyperparameter settings in the standard implementations of R and Python would have led to the rejection of the hypothesis that the data contained structure relevant to the class structure. After tuning the hyperparameters, classification performance increased from 56% to 65% balanced accuracy in R, and from 55% to 67% balanced accuracy in Python. More importantly, the 95% confidence intervals in the tuned versions were to the right of the value of 50% that characterizes guessing-level classification. Thus, tuning provided the desired evidence that the data structure supported the class structure of the data set. In this case, the tuning made more than a quantitative difference in the form of slightly better classification accuracy, but significantly changed the interpretation of the data set. This is especially true when classification performance is low and a small improvement increases the balanced accuracy to over 50% when guessing.
Square-Wave and Cyclic Voltammetry of Native Proanthocyanidins Extracted from Grapevine (Vitis vinifera) on the Glassy Carbon Electrode
Authors: Adam Mohamed Shaker S. , Newair Emad F.
Published: October 2022

Condensed tannins are short polymers of flavan-3-ols found in grapes (also known as proanthocyanidins). An investigation on the electrochemical oxidation of grapevine proanthocyanidins (PAs) on glassy carbon electrodes under various conditions was conducted for the first time. To study how the proanthocyanidins were oxidized, square-wave and cyclic voltammetry were used. There is a predominant oxidation peak associated with the extract of proanthocyanidins, and this can be attributed to the oxidation of catechol 3′,4′-dihydroxyl groups, which can form their oxidation peak. There are two electrons and two protons involved in the oxidation of the catechol group, which must be kept in mind when considering the oxidation of the catechol group. On the glassy carbon electrode (GCE), the PAs extracted from grapevine are oxidized by an adsorption-dependent mechanism as they interact with the GCE surface. As a result, it was found that the anodic peak current varied linearly with PAs’ concentrations in the range of 4 to 50 ppm, with a detection limit of 3.07 ppm (S/N = 3). There was a development in the surface concentration of the oxidation products at the GC electrode; as the scans progressed, the surface concentration of oxidation products at the electrode remained at 4.83 × 10−11 mol cm−2, indicating that they were immobilized on the GCE as oxidation products adsorbed on the electrode.
Synthesis of a Single Benzene-Based Fluorophore for Selective Recognition of Al Ions
Authors: Lee Yena , Cho Eunbee , Jo Seonyoung , Lee Dong Hoon , Lee Taek Seung
Published: October 2022

Though 2,5-dihydroxyterephthalic acid (DHT) is composed of a single benzene molecule, it is blue-emissive in common organic solvents and in the solid state. Like most organic fluorophores, DHT is not soluble in water, which limits its versatile use in metal ion detection in an aqueous medium. To improve the water solubility of DHT and its use as a molecular sensor in aqueous solutions, its deprotonated form, DHT-K, was synthesized through the simple one-pot reaction of DHT with KOH. Compared with DHT, DHT-K was highly soluble in water and emitted yellow fluorescence in the solution and the solid. In addition, DHT-K showed high selectivity for Al ions, exhibiting fluorescence wavelength changes from 540 to 495 nm depending on the Al ion concentration. A linear relationship between the fluorescence intensity of DHT-K and Al ion concentration was established ranging from 18.96 to 247 μM with a detection limit of 1.84 µM. The binding stoichiometry between DHT-K and Al ions was determined by Job’s plot and found to be 1:2. Upon exposure to Al ions, DHT-K showed significant changes in fluorescence color and emission wavelength, whereas no fluorescence changes were observed by the addition of various metal ions such as Zn2+, Mg2+, Ca2+, Cu2+, Fe3+, and Co2+. Thus, DHT-K can be applied as a fluorescent sensor that can selectively detect Al ions in aqueous solutions.
Plasmonic Sensor and Surface Enhanced Fluorescence Imaging Based on Hollow Nanocone Arrays
Authors: Chen Pengkun , Chen Xinyi , Cheng Mingyu , Zhang Chuting , Cui Jin , Ai Bin
Published: October 2022

Hollow nanocone arrays are fabricated by a low-cost and efficient colloidal lithography (CL) technique. The hollow nanocone arrays are then reversed to make only the tips contact the substrate. The optical properties of the obverse and inverse hollow nanocone arrays are determined by the surrounding environment, showing different reflection spectra and structure dependence. The inverse hollow nanocone arrays show a relative index sensitivity of 70% per RIU with strict linearity. The fluorescence of fluorophore or staining cells can be facilely enhanced by placing them on the tips of the hollow nanocone arrays, while having no quenching effect. The study of the obverse and inverse hollow nanocone arrays can benefit the understanding of the effect of the environment on the plasmonic resonances. The hollow nanocone arrays are promising to serve as high-performance plasmonic sensors and versatile substrates for surface-enhanced fluorescence imaging.
We Are Concerned about the Future and We Are Here to Support the Change: Let’s Talk and Work Together!
Authors: Branquinho Cátia , Xavier Luís Lobo , Andrade Catarina , Ferreira Tomás , Noronha Catarina , Wainwright Tony , de Matos Margarida Gaspar
Published: October 2022

Scarcely explored, intergenerational dialogue may support the re-encounter between generations. Background: Focused on intergenerational sharing and on the identification of differences between generations, the project #GenerationsWithAVoice aims to identify generational inequalities, with the aim of promoting awareness of intergenerational challenges, boosting public debate and interest in public policies. Methods: Twenty focus groups were developed, and an evaluation instrument was applied. Results: (i) Young people believe that they have more knowledge, but less propensity for action, leaving this task to the following generations; (ii) the family and housing emerge as the issues with the greatest number of problems identified, but also as important resources; (iii) government and politics, community and society, and the economy are of less interest and knowledge on the part of this generation; (iv) school seems to be the ideal scenario for the implementation of strategies that lead to change. Conclusions: We highlight the role of this work in the deconstruction of beliefs regarding previous generations, the development of knowledge, and the promotion of cohesion and social support.
Screen Time of Preschool-Aged Children and Their Mothers, and Children’s Language Development
Authors: Mustonen Riikka , Torppa Ritva , Stolt Suvi
Published: October 2022

Although children’s increased screen time has been found to associate with poorer language development, it is open to question which part of language ability screen time specifically associates with. Our aim was to examine the association between children’s screen time (alone and together with a parent), mothers’ screen time, and the different domains of children’s language skills. Mothers reported their children’s (N = 164, aged 2.5 to 4.1 years) screen time and their own on a weekday and a day off. Children’s lexical, phonological, morphological, receptive, and general language abilities were measured using validated tests. The connections between children’s and mothers’ screen time and children’s language skills were analyzed using correlation analyses and linear regression models. The more the children used screen time alone, or the greater the amount of the mothers’ screen time, the weaker the children’s lexical and general language abilities when the children’s age, maternal education level, and birth order were controlled for. We also found cumulative, negative links to the children’s lexical and general language abilities when the amount of their screen time alone and the amount of the mothers’ screen time were simultaneously included in the regression model. The results suggest that it is important to restrict both children’s screen time spent alone and mothers’ screen time.
How Stressful Is Examining Children with Symptoms of Child Abuse?—Measurement of Stress Appraisal (SAM) in German Physicians with Key Expertise in Pediatrics
Authors: Thiekötter Louisa , Schmidt Peter , Scheiderer Marie-Léne , Wunram Heidrun , Paulussen Michael , Reis Daniela , Fricke Oliver
Published: October 2022

Background: Pediatricians frequently feel uncertain about their ability to detect early symptoms of child abuse and how to respond in suspected cases. Aim: This study investigated the transactional stress model in German pediatricians who experienced imagination stories with a child protection scenario and another potentially stress-triggering scenario. Methods: A two-part survey was conducted online. Each part included a different imagination story and evaluation of the Stress Appraisal Measure (SAM), as well as questions on child protection, current problematics, and suggested remedies. In total, 96 pediatricians participated. The child abuse scenario was perceived as significantly more threatening and more stressful than a medical emergency. The pediatricians declared moderate familiarity with the Child Protection Guidelines and the Federal Child Protection Act and an average confidence in their application. The greatest perceived problems were communication difficulties with parents and youth welfare services. Suggested improvements were concrete procedural directives, more training programs, better interdisciplinary networks, and greater exchange among colleagues. Conclusions: To optimize their potential in the child protection system, pediatricians need to be better supported in coping with the identified stressors in child abuse scenarios.
Correlation between Cord Blood Vitamin D Levels and Problem-Solving Neurodevelopment in Early Childhood: A Cohort Study in Rural Indonesia
Authors: Supriadi Stephanie , Setiabudi Djatnika , Noviandhari Anindita , Judistiani Raden Tina Dewi , Setiabudiawan Budi , Dhamayanti Meita
Published: October 2022

Vitamin D influence on brain development and subsequent postnatal neurodevelopment remains controversial. We explored the correlation between cord blood vitamin D levels and longitudinal neurodevelopment in early childhood. A cohort study was conducted on term infants with no congenital abnormalities, born from pregnant women from a cohort study. Cord blood samples were collected to measure vitamin D. Neurodevelopment was examined three times in infants aged 6, 12 and 24 months using the Ages and Stages Questionnaire-3, which comprises 30 questions of five developmental domains: gross motor, fine motor, communication, problem-solving and social–personal. Statistical analysis was conducted with Spearman’s rank correlation and multiple linear regression. Of the 141 babies born from previous cohort studies, only 116 participants were included. The mean level of cord blood vitamin D was 16.2 ng/mL. The percentage participants with vitamin D deficiency and insufficiency were 12.9 and 65.5, respectively. Cord blood vitamin D and the problem-solving domain for infant aged 12 and 24 months were correlated (r = 0.217 and 0.414, respectively). Multiple linear regression showed a decreased problem-solving domain score of 0.641 associated with decreased vitamin D levels. In conclusion, cord blood vitamin D levels correlated with infant neurodevelopmental status.
Chemokine Homeostasis in Healthy Volunteers and during Pancreatic and Colorectal Tumor Growth in Murine Models
Authors: Svirshchevskaya Elena V. , Konovalova Mariya V. , Snezhkov Eugene V. , Poltavtseva Rimma A. , Akopov Sergey B.
Published: October 2022

Chemokines are involved in the humoral regulation of body homeostasis. Changes in the blood level of chemokines were found in cancer, atherosclerosis, diabetes, and other systemic diseases. It is essential to distinguish the effects of co-morbid pathologies and cancer on the level of chemokines in the blood. We aimed to analyze, by multiplex cytometry, the levels of chemokines in the blood of healthy young volunteers as well as of intact mice and mice with CT26 colon and Pan02 pancreatic tumors. Two types of chemokines were identified both in human and murine plasmas: homeostatic ones, which were found in high concentrations (>100 pg/mL), and inducible ones, which can be undetectable or determined at very low levels (0–100 pg/mL). There was a high variability in the chemokine levels, both in healthy humans and mice. To analyze chemokine levels during tumor growth, C57BL/6 and BALB/c were inoculated with Pan02 or CT26 tumor cells, accordingly. The tumors significantly differed in the growth and the mortality of mice. However, the blood chemokine levels did not change in tumor-bearing mice until the very late stages. Taken collectively, blood chemokine level is highly variable and reflects in situ homeostasis. Care should be taken when considering chemokines as prognostic parameters or therapeutic targets in cancer.
Hydrogen Peroxide Induced Toxicity Is Reversed by the Macrocyclic IRAP-Inhibitor HA08 in Primary Hippocampal Cell Cultures
Authors: Stam Frida , Florén Lind Sara , Schroff Anja , Zelleroth Sofia , Nylander Erik , Gising Johan , Grönbladh Alfhild , Larhed Mats , Hallberg Mathias
Published: October 2022

Angiotensin IV (Ang IV), a metabolite of Angiotensin II, is a bioactive hexapeptide that inhibits the insulin-regulated aminopeptidase (IRAP). This transmembrane zinc metallopeptidase with many biological functions has in recent years emerged as a new pharmacological target. IRAP is expressed in a variety of tissues and can be found in high density in the hippocampus and neocortex, brain regions associated with cognition. Ang IV is known to improve memory tasks in experimental animals. One of the most potent IRAP inhibitors known today is the macrocyclic compound HA08 that is significantly more stable than the endogenous Ang IV. HA08 combines structural elements from Ang IV and the physiological substrates oxytocin and vasopressin, and binds to the catalytic site of IRAP. In the present study we evaluate whether HA08 can restore cell viability in rat primary cells submitted to hydrogen peroxide damage. After damaging the cells with hydrogen peroxide and subsequently treating them with HA08, the conceivable restoring effects of the IRAP inhibitor were assessed. The cellular viability was determined by measuring mitochondrial activity and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release. The mitochondrial activity was significantly higher in primary hippocampal cells, whereas the amount of LDH was unaffected. We conclude that the cell viability can be restored in this cell type by blocking IRAP with the potent macrocyclic inhibitor HA08, although the mechanism by which HA08 exerts its effects remains unclear.
Optimizing DSO Requests Management Flexibility for Home Appliances Using CBCC-RDG3
Authors: Bezmaslov Mark , Belyaev Daniil , Vasilev Vladimir , Dolgintseva Elizaveta , Yamshchikova Lyubov , Petrosian Ovanes
Published: October 2022

This article covers a case study with homes equipped with multiple appliances for energy consumption. The central goal is to provide for aggregators’ flexibility in distribution networks by building an optimal schedule that takes advantage of load flexibility resources. This, in turn, allows for the re-scheduling of shifting/real-time home appliances to provision a request from a distribution system operator (DSO). The paper concludes with the consideration of the CBCC-RDG3, HyDE-DF, and genetic algorithms, which were used to find the best schedule that would be highly efficient and meet all the constraints associated with the problem that successfully demonstrate the effectiveness of this particular approach.
Cell-Based Model Systems for Validation of Various Efficacy-Based Claims for Cosmetic Ingredients
Authors: Singh Prachi , Bhat Shruthi S. , Singh Nikhil , Venkanna Babu U. , Mohamed Rafiq , Rao Raghavendra P.
Published: October 2022

Cosmetic formulations have evolved significantly over the years. These are no longer viewed merely as beauty-enhancing products. Rather, they are expected to deliver additional benefits to the skin that positively affect the skin health. There is a renewed interest in using herbal extracts and herbal ingredients in cosmetic products since they offer several advantages over synthetic ingredients. Evaluating the cosmetic ingredients for their efficacy and safety is critical during product development. Several regulatory bodies impose restrictions on using animals for testing these ingredients in cosmetic products. This has increased the need for developing novel cell-based or cell-free biological assays. The current article systematically presents in-vitro/cell-based and/or cell-free strategies for validating the efficacies of cosmetic ingredients for skin health and hair growth. The article focuses on details about various assays for the anti-acne effects, hair-growth-promoting activities, anti-aging activities, skin-rejuvenating properties, wound-healing effects, and skin-depigmentation activities of natural ingredients in cosmetic formulations.