bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Breeding Biology of Rufous-Bellied Woodpecker (Dendrocopos hyperythrus) in Rudraprayag District (Kedarnath Wildlife Sanctuary, Western Himalayas), Uttarakhand, India
Authors: Bhatnagar Parul
Published: April 2022

In the Indian subcontinent there is almost no scientific study about the breeding biology of Rufous-bellied woodpecker (RBW) (Dendrocopos hyperythrus). Keeping this fact in view an attempt was made to understand the breeding biology of RBW during its breeding season from March 2018 to July 2020 in Kedarnath Wildlife Sanctuary (Western Himalayas), Uttarakhand. Results indicated that the breeding season of RBW extends from March to July. RBW is a primary cavity nester in which male woodpecker builds the nest on selected tree species such as Buransh (Rhododendron arboreum), Utis (Alnus nepalensis), Kharsu (Quercus semecarpifolia), Akhrot (Juglans regia), and Moru (Quercus floribunda). The most preferred tree species to build cavity nest by the study species was Buransh (Rhododendron arboreum) (N =5). Twelve active nests were located on tree trunks and branches. A nest was found abandoned before completion by the pair due to conflict with Himalayan woodpecker (Dendrocopos himalayensis) which built the nest on the same tree (Rhododendron arboreum). One egg was laid daily. The clutch size ranged from 2 to 3 with an average of 2.72 ± 0.12 eggs and the incubation period ranged between 16 to 18 days (Mean 16.72 ± 0.20 days). The average provisioning period was 25.81±0.36 days (Range 24 – 28 days). The average depth of the nest was found 29.5±6.67 cm (range 22 to 45 cm) and diameter of the cavity opening was 7.09±0.07 cm (Range 7.0 to 7.2 cm). Nests (N=12) were made at the height between 7 and 28 feet above ground with an average height of 19.08±6.08 feet. All the nesting sites were found between 1700-2579 m (ASL). Nests were excavated in all the directions except for North and northeast.
Taurine, EGCG and Genistein regulate AMPK-mTOR pathway to inhibit hepatic stellate cells autophagy and alleviate liver fibrosis in rats
Authors: Song Pengshu , Hu Shaocong , Li Yalan , Guan Zhezhe , He Dongling , Huang Zhi , Cheng Xiaoyang , Mo Caifeng , Zhang Xuerong , Liao Ming
Published: April 2022

Activation of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) is the most important factor in the hepatic fibrosis progression. Autophagy is closely related to the activation of HSCs. Based on our previous works, this research tried to explore the anti-fibrotic mechanism of combination therapy with Taurine, Epigallocatechin gallate（EGCG） and Genistein, referred to as TEG, by monitored autophagy in HSCs and CCl4-induced liver fibrosis rats. Transmission electron microscopy showed that there were many autophagosomes and autophagy lysosomes in HSCs and fibrotic rats. After TEG intervention, autophagosomes are decreased, HSCs proliferation is inhibited and liver tissue damage is repaired. Western blot and IHC results found that TEG reduced the expression of autophagy marker proteins LC3-II and Beclin1 in HSCs or fibrotic rats. mRFP-GFP-LC3 showed that green fluorescence increased after TEG treat HSCs. AMPK-mTOR pathway analysis revealed that TEG inhibited LC3, Beclin1, AMPK(Adenosine 5'-monophosphate (AMP)-activated protein kinase) and mTOR genes and phosphorylated protein expression in HSCs. Our results indicate that TEG anti-fibrotic may be associated with reduce autophagosomes by inhibit AMPK-mTOR pathway.
Impact of metabolic syndrome and metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease on cardiovascular risk by the presence or absence of type 2 diabetes and according to sex
Authors: Matsubayashi Yasuhiro , Fujihara Kazuya , Yamada-Harada Mayuko , Mitsuma Yurie , Sato Takaaki , Yaguchi Yuta , Osawa Taeko , Yamamoto Masahiko , Kitazawa Masaru , Yamada Takaho , Kodama Satoru , Sone Hirohito
Published: April 2022

Background
To determine the impact of metabolic syndrome (MetS) and/or metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD), which are pathophysiologically similar and include insulin resistance, on the development of new-onset cardiovascular disease with and without type 2 diabetes and according to sex.
Methods
This study included 570,426 individuals without a history of cardiovascular disease who were enrolled in a nationwide claims database from 2008–2016 and were classified by the presence or absence of MetS and/or MAFLD stratified by the presence or absence of type 2 diabetes and sex. Risks of developing coronary artery disease (CAD) and cerebrovascular disease (CVD) in each category were analyzed using a multivariate Cox proportional hazard model.
Results
During a median follow-up of 5.2 years, 2,252 CAD and 3,128 CVD events occurred. Without type 2 diabetes the hazard ratio (HR) (95% CI) for CAD/CVD compared with neither MAFLD nor MetS was 1.32 (1.17–1.50)/1.41(1.28–1.57) for MAFLD only, 1.78 (1.22–2.58)/1.66 (1.34–2.06) for MetS only, and 2.10 (1.84–2.39)/1.73 (1.54–1.95) for MAFLD + MetS. For those with type 2 diabetes, the HR for CAD for MAFLD only (compared with neither MAFLD nor MetS) was 1.29 (1.06–1.58), for MetS only 1.34 (0.84–2.13), and for MAFLD + MetS 1.22 (1.02–1.47). For CVD, there was a significant increase in HR only in MAFLD + MetS [1.44 (1.18–1.76)]. The results of the analysis stratified by sex showed that MAFLD had a greater impact in men, and MetS had a greater impact in women regarding the development of CAD.
Conclusions
Distinguishing between MetS and/or MAFLD in the presence or absence of type 2 diabetes and according to sex may aid in accurately identifying patients at high risk of cardiovascular disease.
Learning Analytics for Tracking Student Progress in LMS
Authors: QAZDAR Aimad , QASSIMI Sara , HASSIDI Oussama , HAFIDI Meriem , ABDELWAHED El Hassan , MELK Youssef
Published: April 2022

The pandemic of the COVID-19 has accelerated the digital transformation oflearning and training. Many industries, especially higher education institutions,have been using e-Learning platforms. Learning Management System (LMS) inparticular, has gained popularity as a tool capable of managing learning andtraining processes as well as supporting learning process and administration. Itpresents an important package of services and features capable of facilitating andenhancing the e-Learning experience. Nevertheless, LMS offers only a few, if notno, functionalities when it gets to tracking the instructional progress of students.Progress in a learning experience is indicative of how students interact withcourses and learning materials. Based on such interaction, the teacher can detectlower performers, project students’ progress, and anticipate the ones at risk aswell as those who need intervention. The use of the LMS generates an importantamount of data. This data can become extremely useful when analysed andtransformed into indicators reflecting the learner’s progress. To this end, ourresearch project used learning analytics to determine and define indicatorscapable of monitoring students’ progress. With such analytics, we were able todetermine struggling students, lower performers and ultimately those who needreinforcement and tutoring. The main goal was to greatly improve students’success rates and the overall effectiveness of the learning process. We present acase study in which students’ progress was tracked and monitored using a set ofstudent’s Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). The data used in this study wascollected from the Web technologies course from the e-campus platform at the Cadi Ayyad University. The defined indicators allowed for tracking students’progress during the course, but they were not able to determine the performance of students.
Systematic review of associations of polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) exposure with declining semen quality in support of the derivation of reference doses for mixture risk assessments
Authors: Ermler Sibylle , Kortenkamp Andreas
Published: April 2022

Background: Mixture risk assessments require reference doses for common health endpoints of all the chemicals to be considered together. In support of a mixture risk assessment for male reproductive health, we conducted a systematic review of the literature on associations between exposures to Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) and declines in semen quality. PCBs can act as Aryl-hydrocarbon receptor (AhR)-agonists and androgen receptor (AR)-antagonists, both mechanisms which can affect sperm parameters. PCBs and other AR-antagonists can produce additive combination effects. Based on these observations our objective was to derive a reference dose for declines in semen quality for individual PCB congeners for use in a mixture risk assessment.Methods: We systematically reviewed and evaluated the evidence in human epidemiological and experimental animal studies on associations between PCBs and deteriorations in semen quality. Human data and findings from animal studies with PCB mixtures were considered as supporting evidence. Information for individual congeners from animal studies was required for inclusion in mixture risk assessment. Using a robust confidence rating approach, we identified suitable studies to derive reference doses for individual PCB congeners.Results: Evaluation of human epidemiological studies revealed several reports of adverse effects on sperm parameters linked to PCB exposures, although some studies reported improved semen quality. Our review of experimental animal studies found that treatments with PCBs affected semen quality, in most cases adversely. We found robust evidence that PCB-118 and -169 were linked to declines in semen quality. Evidence for adverse effects of PCB-126, -132, -149, and -153 was moderate, whereas for PCB-77 it was slight and for PCB-180 indeterminate. Using widely accepted risk assessment procedures, we estimated reference dose values of 0.0029 µg/kg/day for PCB-118 and 0.00533 µg/kg/day for PCB-169. In addition, we derived values for PCB-126: 0.000073 µg/kg/day, PCB-132: 0.0228 µg/kg/day, PCB-149: 0.656 µg/kg/day, and PCB-153: 0.0058 µg/kg/day. Conclusions: We found robust evidence for links between PCB exposure and deteriorations in semen quality, and derived reference doses for a set of congeners. We intend to use these values in combination with congener-specific exposure data in a mixture risk assessment for declines in semen quality, involving several other anti-androgenic chemicals.
Comparison of the Amount of Artifacts Induced by Zirconium and Titanium Implants in Cone-Beam Computed Tomography Images
Authors: Shokri Abbas , Vafaee Fariborz , Haghighat Leila , Shahabi Shiva , Farhadian Maryam , Jamalpour Mohammad Reza
Published: April 2022

Background: This study aimed to compare the amount of artifacts induced by the titanium and zirconium implants on cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) and assess the effect of different exposure settings on the image quality for both materials.Methods: In this experimental study, zirconium and titanium implants were placed in bovine rib bone blocks. CBCT images were taken in two different fields of view (FOV: 4×6 cm2 and 6×8 cm2) and at two resolutions (133 µ and 200 µ voxel size). Subsequently, two observers assessed the images and detected the amount of artifacts around the implants through gray values. Data were analyzed using SPSS 21 and the significance level was set at 0.05.Results: The results showed that titanium implants caused lower amounts of artifacts than zirconium implants, which was statistically significant (P<0.001). By increasing the FOV, the amount of artifacts was decreased in both groups, although the results were only statistically significant in the zirconium group (P<0.001). The amount of artifacts was increased by increasing the resolution in both groups, which was only significant in the zirconium group (P<0.001).Conclusion: Our results suggest that zirconium implants induce higher amounts of artifacts than titanium ones. We also concluded that the artifacts could be minimized by increasing the FOV and decreasing the resolution.
Association Between Dietary Selenium Intake and Bone Mineral Density: A Cross-sectional Study Using National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey
Authors: Xue Guangze , Liu Rong
Published: April 2022

Assessments of whether dietary selenium intake is related to bone health are scarce, with few relevant studies limited by its small sample. The aim of present study was to investigated the association between dietary selenium intake and bone mineral density (BMD) levels in different sites, including total femur, femur neck, trochanter and intertrochanter in femur and lumbar spine in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) database. Generalized linear models for the association between dietary selenium intake and BMD and generalized additive model for the dose-response relationship were used. A total of 21939 participants were included, and the mean age was 40.68 ± 22.42 years, and 51.28% were male. In multivariable adjustment model, participants had highest quintiles of dietary selenium intake (Q5) were associated with increased BMD levels in total femur (β=0.014, 95CI%: 0.008, 0.020, P＜0.001), femur neck (β=0.010, 95CI%: 0.004, 0.016, P=0.001), trochanter (β=0.011, 95CI%: 0.005, 0.017, P＜0.001), intertrochanter (β=0.017, 95CI%: 0.010, 0.025, P＜0.001) and lumbar spine (β=0.013, 95CI%: 0.005, 0.020, P＜0.001) compared with those in quintiles 1 (Q1). The dose-response relationship showed the inverted U-shape relationship between dietary selenium relationship and BMD levels (P for non-linearity ＜0.05). Participants tended to have increased levels of BMD as the dietary selenium intake increased when dietary selenium was below the turning point, and then a negative relation was observed when dietary was higher than the turning point. Our study indicated that higher dietary selenium intake was associated with increased BMD levels in total femur, femur neck, trochanter, intertrochanter, and lumbar spine, and these relationships were nonlinear. Future high-quality, prospective longitudinal studies are needed to confirm these findings.
The sialidase NEU3 promotes pulmonary fibrosis in mice
Authors: Gomer Richard H. , Pilling Darrell , Sahlberg Kyle , Karhadkar Tejas R. , Chen Wensheng
Published: April 2022

Background Sialic acid is often the distal sugar on glycoconjugates, and sialidases are enzymes that remove this sugar. In fibrotic lesions in human and mouse lungs, there is extensive desialylation of glycoconjugates, and upregulation of sialidases including the extracellular sialidase NEU3. In the bleomycin model of pulmonary fibrosis, mice lacking NEU3 (Neu3-/-) showed strongly attenuated bleomycin-induced weight loss, lung damage, inflammation, and fibrosis. This indicates that NEU3 is necessary for the full spectrum of bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis. MethodsTo determine if NEU3 is sufficient to induce pulmonary fibrosis, recombinant murine NEU3 and a mutated inactive recombinant murine NEU3 protein were produced. Mice were given recombinant NEU3 proteins by oropharyngeal aspiration, either alone or 10 days after bleomycin challenge. Over the course of 21 days, mice were assessed for weight change, and after euthanasia, bronchoalveolar lavage fluid cells and lung tissue were assessed for inflammation and fibrosis.ResultsAspiration of recombinant murine NEU3 caused inflammation and fibrosis in the lungs, while inactive NEU3 caused inflammation but not fibrosis. Mice were also treated with recombinant murine NEU3 starting 10 days after bleomycin. In male but not female mice, recombinant murine NEU3 increased inflammation and fibrosis. Inactive NEU3 did not enhance bleomycin-induced lung fibrosis. ConclusionThese results suggest that NEU3 is sufficient to induce fibrosis in the lungs, that aspiration of NEU3 has a greater effect on male mice, and that this effect is mediated by NEU3’s enzymic activity.
Investigation of Metal Toxicity Response and Health Risk Assessment of Commonly Consumed Marine Fish Species along the Turkish coast
Authors: DOĞAN Serdar , KILIÇ Ece , UĞURLU Erkan , DUYSAK Önder
Published: April 2022

Marine environments are suffered from several types of pollution. Marine organisms take pollutants into their bodies which result in heavy metal accumulation in their tissues. Therefore, consumption of marine organisms may pose a risk to human health. This study was undertaken to estimate metal accumulation and metal toxicity responses of M. barbatus, B.boops, T. trachurus from Marmara Sea, Aegean Sea and Mediterranean Sea. Also, since these species were commonly consumped by Turkish people, health risk assessment employing The Target Hazard Quotient (THQ) and lifetime cancer risk (CR) was conducted. For that purpose, aluminum (Al), chrome (Cr), cobalt (Co), nickel (Ni), cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), manganese (Mn), iron (Fe), copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn) concentrations in the muscle, gill and liver. To test the impact of metal toxicity on studies species, oxidative stress biomarkers (catalase-CA, Malondialdehyde-MDA) in muscle and liver were investigated. Metal accumulation levels showed differences depending on tissues, species and/or bays. Also, strong correlation was observed between biostress parameters and metal accumulation levels. Both, THQ and CR calculations showed safe consumption depending on the consumption of M. barbatus, B.boops, T. trachurus at all stations. Results obtained in this study showed that biostress parameters could be effectively used to monitor environmental pollution and contribute to the knowledge of metal toxicity along Turkish coast.
Transcriptome profiling of Rhipicephalus annulatus reveals differential gene expression of metabolic detoxifying enzymes in response to acaricide treatment
Authors: Achuthkumar Amritha , U Shamjana , Arvind Kumar , Varghese Sincy , Ravindran Reghu , Grace Tony
Published: April 2022

BackgroundTicks are hematophagous ectoparasites of economic consequence by virtue of being carriers of infectious diseases damaging for livestock and agro-industry. A widely prevalent tick variety, Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) annulatus is recognized as a prime vector of tick-borne diseases in Southern Indian conditions. Tick control using chemical acaricides over time has helped it to evolve resistant properties to widely-used compounds through metabolic detoxification. Identifying detoxification genes is extremely important because it helps to detect valid insecticide targets and will aid to develop novel control strategies for effective insect control. Methods and ResultsIn this study, high quality RNA-seq data of untreated and amitraz treated R. (B.) annulatus were assembled, annotated and analyzed. The annotated unigenes were significantly enriched in the pathways of metabolism, signal transduction, cellular community, transport, and catabolism. Overall, 38472 pathways were identified based on Gene ontology enrichment and pathway analysis. Differential gene expression analysis followed by the annotation of differentially expressed genes revealed significant expression of 70 detoxifying genes in response to amitraz treatment. Further, examination of expression level of candidate genes was across differential development stages of R. (B.) annulatus as performed using real time PCR. The results revealed significant differences in the gene expression level across stagesConclusionThe high expression of CYP and GST genes in R. (B) annulatus during acaricide stressed condition may implicate their role in resistance development and increased survival rate of R. (B) annulatus. Identified gene targets from this study may be used as valid targets for developing gene-based management strategies.
Chlorogenic Acid Improves Anti-Lipogenic Activity of Metformin by Positive Regulating of AMPK Signaling in HepG2 cells
Authors: Namvarjah Fatemeh , Shokri-Afra Hajar , Moradi-Sardareh Hemen , Khorzoughi Reyhaneh Babaei , Pasalar Parvin , Panahi Ghodratollah , Meshkani Reza
Published: April 2022

Metformin improves lipid profile, however, combination therapy is developing to increase its effectiveness and reduce the deleterious effects of metformin. Chlorogenic acid (CGA) has exhibited lipid-lowering effects. This study aimed to investigate the combined effect of metformin and CGA on lipid accumulation, as well as to elucidate the engaged mechanism in HepG2 cells. To find the non-lethal doses of metformin and CGA, MTT assay was performed. High Glucose (HG) at 33 mM was used to induce lipogenesis in HepG2 cells. Following treatment with different concentrations of metformin and CGA, total lipid content (Oil Red O-staining), triglyceride level, the genes expression of SREBP-1c and FAS, and phosphorylation of AMPK and ACC were measured. Both Metformin and CGA decreased HG-induced lipid accumulation individually, by decreasing total lipid content and triglyceride level. The lowest effective doses of metformin and CGA were 0.25 mM and 5µM, respectively, which significantly reduced SREBP-1c and FAS genes expression. The combination of these concentrations reinforced these effects. The phosphorylation of AMPK and ACC were more increased by metformin in combination with CGA than both individually. Our findings suggest that CGA synergistically enhances metformin lipid reducing action via the regulating of involved factors in fatty acid synthesis. Therefore, co-administration of metformin with CGA may have further medical value in treating lipid metabolism disorders.
Inundation Risk Mapping of Aegean and East Mediterranean Historic Areas
Authors: Zengin Enes
Published: April 2022

Historic areas, including world heritage, archeological sites, castles, fortresses, towers, bridges, necropolises, ruins that are the shared legacy of humanity, are in danger of being inundated like settlements, transportation systems, agricultural areas, animal habitats due to sea-level rise because of global climate change and increased carbon emissions. These locations are of great significance as they are the hot spots where a connection can be established from the past to the present regarding the entire human history. Throughout history, settlements have been established around wetlands and shorelines. For this reason, the foremost of the dangers threatening historic areas is the risk of being inundated due to sea-level rise. It was thought that creating an inundation risk map would be beneficial for planning and conservation studies due to reasons such as the long duration of archaeological studies, lack of qualified workforce and budget constraints. For this purpose, considering global and local sea-level rise predictions, inundation risk maps were created for 5 different scenarios having risk classes varying from very high to very low. 464 historic areas located on the Mediterranean and Aegean coasts of Turkey, Greece and Aegean islands were evaluated. It has been revealed that significant historic areas such as Knidos and Delos will be inundated even in the low amount of sea-level rise scenarios. According to the inundation risk map, 34 of the historical areas are at very high, 21 are at high, 25 are at medium, 26 are at low, and 41 are at very low risk of being inundated
What is the requirement for cellular tensional homeostasis? – Theoretical analysis
Authors: Ueda Yuika , Matsunaga Daiki , Deguchi Shinji
Published: April 2022

Tensional homeostasis is a cellular process whereby nonmuscle cells such as fibroblasts keep a constant level of intracellular tension and signaling activities. Cells are allowed thanks to tensional homeostasis to adapt to mechanical stress, but the detailed mechanism remains unclear. Here we address from a theoretical point of view what is required for maintaining cellular tensional homeostasis. A constrained optimization problem is formulated to analytically determine the probability function of the length of individual actin filaments (AFs) responsible for sustaining cellular tension. An objective function composed of two entropic quantities measuring the extent of formation and dispersion of AFs within cells is optimized under two constraint functions dictating a constant amount of actin molecules and tension that are arguably the two most salient features of tensional homeostasis. We then derive a specific probability function of AFs that is qualitatively consistent with previous experimental observations, in which short AF populations preferably appear. Regarding the underlying mechanism, our analyses suggest that the constraint for keeping the constant tension level makes long AF populations smaller in number because long AFs have a higher chance to be involved in bearing larger forces. The specific length distribution of AFs is thus required for achieving the constrained objectives, by which individual cells are endowed with the ability to stably maintain a homeostatic tension throughout the cell, thereby potentially allowing cells to locally detect deviation in the tension, keep resulting biological functions, and hence enable subsequent adaptation to mechanical stress. Although minimal essential factors are included given the actual complexity of cells, our approach would provide a theoretical basis for understanding complicated homeostatic and adaptive behavior of the cell.
In vitro anticancer activity of tomentosin on human pancreatic cancer cells
Authors: Güçlü Ebru , Ayan İlknur Çınar , Dursun Hatice Gül , Vural Hasibe
Published: April 2022

Tomentosin is a natural sesquiterpene lactone with anti-inflammatory, anti-fungal and neuroprotective effects. In recent years, anticancer activity of tomentosin has been emphasized. The aim of this study was to determine possible anticancer effect of tomentosin on pancreatic cancer cells. The cytotoxic effect of tomentosin on PANC-1 and MIA PaCa-2 human pancreatic cancer cells was determined by XTT analysis and doses of tomentosin that inhibit 50% cell viability (IC50) were found for both cell lines. After treatment with tomentosin, apoptosis rate was determined using FITC Annexin V and migration, invasion and colony formation analyzes were performed. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) level and the change in mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) were evaluated. The effect of tomentosin on expression levels of apoptosis-related genes was determined by qRT-PCR. The levels of Caspase-3 and Caspase-9 were analyzed by western blot method. The IC50 dose of tomentosin was found to be 31.11 µM in PANC-1 cells and 33.93 µM in MIA PaCa-2 cells for 48 hours. Treatment with tomentosin induced apoptosis and ROS production in pancreatic cancer cells. In addition, after tomentosin treatment, MMP decreased and migration, invasion and colony formation of pancreatic cancer cells were suppressed. According to qRT-PCR and western blot analyzes, while tomentosin affected expression level of apoptosis-related genes, an increase was observed in Caspase-3 and Caspase-9 protein levels. Considering all the data together, this study reveals that tomentosin has anticancer effects on pancreatic cancer cells, and therefore it predicts that tomentosin can be evaluated as an effective agent against pancreatic cancer.
Molecular characterization of pectinase producing innovative bacterium, Aeromonas guangheii, isolated from the gut of fish, systomus sarana, RSM optimization for its enzyme production, the cloning and expression analysis of exo-pelA-gene and the recombinant protein purification
Authors: Dhayalan Arul , Thillinathan Natarajan , Velramar Balasubramanian , Athiyappagounder Palanisammi , Sundaramoorthy Dhanasundaram , Pachiappan Perumal
Published: April 2022

During the present research, 11 gut bacteria were isolated from the fresh water fish, Systomus sarana (General name: olive barb) and upon screening, the strains produced extracellular pectinase enzyme. Among them, the SS6 strain was found to produce a high quantity of 208.731 U/mg pectinase. Through molecular characterization the SS6 strain was identified as Aeromonas guangheii. In this study, a group of controlled experimental factors were investigated to optimize through the response surface methodology with a Box-Behnken design. The optimal conditions were found to be; 2.11% of maltose, 2.20% of yeast extract, 6.5 of pH, and a temperature of 27.3 ºC at 32-h incubation. Under the above conditions, the activity of pectinase production was enhanced to 371 U/mg. The purified pectinase’s molecular weight was determined to be ~50 kDa (by 10% 2-D PAGE). The FT-IR analysis of the degraded pectin-products revealed the presence of six functional groups. Totally, nine peptides were identified from the purified pectinase enzyme through the MALDI-TOF-MS analysis and MASCOT tool was used to get the mass spectrum of the peak at 2211 of peptide that indicated the reference pectinase protein. The referenced gene primer (pectate lyases) was PCR amplified and their nucleotide sequence was analyzed. The exo-pelA gene was cloned in pREST vector, that was over expressed in Escherichia coli BL21. The ORF encoded for a protein of 425 amino acids with a predicted molecular weight of ~50 kDa. The present findings underline the potential of the fish-gut microbes as a source of biotechnologically important enzymes.
Clinical, Radiological and Pathological Features of SMARCA4 / BRG1-Deficient Non-Small Cell Lung Carcinomas
Authors: Lou Chu-Yun , Zhao Hui-Ping , Lu Hao , Liang Pan , Zhang Hong-Yan , Wang Rui , Tian Ke , Gao Jian-Bo
Published: April 2022

Purpose: SMARCA4/BRG1-deficient non-small cell lung carcinomas (SMARCA4-dNSCLCs) are rare and malignant tumors. This study aimed to describe the clinical characteristics, computed tomography (CT) findings, and pathologic features of SMARCA4-dNSCLCs. Methods: A total of 23 cases of SMARCA4-dNSCLCs with complete medical records, including age, course, the results of main laboratory tests, histopathology, and immunohistochemical characteristics, were retrospectively analyzed from January 2019 to August 2021. Results: Using a combination of clinical data, CT findings, and pathological findings, SMARCA4-dNSCLCs could be more accurately diagnosed in most cases. Five patients were lost to follow-up. At the end of follow-up, 8 patients died, and the remaining patients were alive at 9–15 months. The incidence rate was similar in the right (n=11) and left (n=12) lungs. Moreover, SMARCA4-dNSCLCs were more likely to be found in the superior lobe (n=14) than in the inferior lobe (n=5) and hilum (n=4), and the median tumor size was 42.83 mm (range: 18.57-70.05 mm). Tumors showed deep, mostly inhomogeneous density with unclear margins in CT images. The lesions’ shapes included spinous protuberance (n=20), deep lobulation (n=21), and cystic component (n=13), and their radiodensity values ranged from 29.72 to 57.28 Hounsfield Units. After injection of a contrast material, heterogeneous (n=18) or homogeneous (n=2) enhancement was observed. The peak tumor enhancement was most likely to be observed in the venous phase (n=14). Pleural effusion (n=6), obstructive pneumonia (n=16), and pericardial effusion (n=5) were also detected. Twenty patients demonstrated lymph node involvement. Metastatic locations mainly included the brain (n=6), mediastinum (n=17), bone (n=10), adrenal gland (n=4), and liver (n=3). The primary tumors showed 18 F-fluorodeoxyglucose avidity in eight patients who underwent positron emission tomography-CT. All these patients showed BRG-1 deficiency but AE1/AE3, epithelial membrane antigen, and vimentin positivity. Additionally, these tumors showed different degrees of Ki-67 and programmed death-ligand 1 activities. Conclusions: Most cases of SMARCA4-dNSCLCs in this study presented with infiltrative masses and heterogeneous densities, and their clinical outcomes were poor. Our findings highlight the importance of the differential diagnosis for SMARCA4-dNSCLCs and the utility of diagnostic imaging prior to histopathological analysis.
HEARTS Matters: The Moderation and Mediation Effects of Resilience, Experience of Abuse, and Technology Use in Older Persons
Authors: Palompon Daisy Regis , Reyes Andrew Thomas , Garcia Laurence , Cutamora Jezyl , Gonzaga Joni Inocencia , Tipon Lovelyn , Pontillas Laarne , Cañeda Jake , Castillo Joana Mariz , Pananganan Vincent , Nemenzo Endrex , Hui Vivian , Cuevas Pearl Ed , Tan Rhigel , Constantino Rose Eva
Published: April 2022

Background: The purpose of the study was to explore the HEARTS (Health, Experience of Abuse, Resilience, Technology, and Safety) in a community sample of older adults (60 years and above) in the Philippines – one of the top ten countries in Asia with the fastest growth rate of the older adult population. Methods: A cross-sectional study design was utilized in collecting data using standardized questionnaires such as PROMIS, CD-RISC, EASI. The study was able to engaged a total of 161 older adults who voluntarily joined the study. Results: Findings show that among the different health indicators (i.e., physical function, anxiety, depression, fatigue, sleep disturbance, ability to participate in roles and activities, pain interference, and pain intensity), only sleep disturbance was significantly correlated with the experience of abuse. Only anxiety and fatigue were significantly correlated with resilience. Resilience was found to have a significant moderating effect between the relationship of experience of abuse and two health indicators (i.e., anxiety and pain interference). Technology use was significantly correlated with the ability to participate in social activities, pain intensity, and resilience. Our results also show that technology use had a significant mediating effect between resilience and anxiety (a health indicator). Conclusion: The results provide preliminary evidence on the protective effect of resilience on the experience of abuse and selected health outcomes among older adults in the Philippines. Resilience in older adults varies across demographic factors, and suspicions of elderly abuse exist in the community. Technology-use among older adults should be included in the framework in addressing older persons' welfare as it serves to provide communication means or entertainment purposes. Studying the health outcomes, resilience, abuse, and technology use among older adults provides a framework on how older adults should be treated and how intervention programs should be addressed.
Academic Mobility from a Big Data Perspective
Authors: Pollacci Laura , Milli Letizia , Bircan Tuba , Rossetti Giulio
Published: April 2022

Understanding the careers and movements of highly skilled people plays an ever-increasing role in today's global knowledge-based economy. Researchers and academics are sources of innovation and development for governments and institutions. Our study uses scientific-related data to track careers evolution and Researchers' movements over time. To this end, we define the Yearly Degree of Collaborations Index, which measures the annual tendency of researchers to collaborate intra-nationally, and two scores to measure the mobility in and out of countries, as well as their balance.
A follow-up to the geographical distribution of Anopheles species in malaria- endemic and non-endemic areas of Honduras
Authors: Escobar Denis , Archaga Osman , Reyes Allan , Palma Adalid , Larson Ryan T. , Vásquez Gissella M. , Fontecha Gustavo
Published: April 2022

Background: Identification of Anopheles species can be challenging, particularly in regions where cryptic complexes coexist. Due to their epidemiological relevance and biological complexity, monitoring of anopheline populations in current and former malaria-endemic areas is critical for malaria risk assessment. Recent efforts have described the anopheline species present in the main malaria foci in Honduras. This study updates and expands knowledge about Anopheles species composition, geographic distribution, and genetic diversity in Honduras. Methods: Outdoor insect collections were carried out at 25 sites in 8 municipalities in 5 departments of Honduras between 2018 and 2021. Specimens were identified using taxonomic keys. Partial COI gene sequences were used for molecular species identification and phylogenetic analyses. In addition, detection of Plasmodium spp. DNA was carried out in 255 female mosquitoes.Results: Overall, 288 Anopheles mosquitoes were collected from 8 municipalities. Eight species were morphologically identified. Anopheles albimanus was the most abundant and widely distributed species (79.5%). A subset of 175 partial COI gene sequences from 8 species was obtained. Taxonomic identifications were confirmed by sequence analysis. Anopheles albimanus and An. apicimacula showed the highest haplotype diversity and nucleotide variation, respectively. Phylogenetic clustering was found for An. argyritarsis and An. neomaculipalpus when compared with mosquitoes from other Neotropical countries. Plasmodium spp. DNA was not detected in any of the mosquitoes tested.Conclusions: This report builds upon recent records of the distribution and diversity of Anopheles species in malaria-endemic and non-endemic areas of Honduras. New COI sequences are reported for three anopheline species. This is also the first report of COI sequences of An. albimanus collected on the island of Roatán with apparent gene flow relative to mainland populations.
Curcumin protects against bisphenol A -induced hepatic steatosis by modulating gut microbiota and liver fat synthesis in CD-1 mice
Authors: Feng Dan , Jiang Xin , Hong Ting , Yang Jie , He Youming , Cao Zhuo
Published: April 2022

Background: Our previous studies showed that low-dose bisphenol A (BPA) exposure induced gut microbiota disorder and hepatic steatosis. Curcumin is a polyphenol phytochemical with lipid-lowering and prebiotic effects. This study aimed to investigate the preventive effect of curcumin on BPA-induced hepatic steatosis and the possible mechanism.Methods: Male CD-1 mice were fed with BPA-contaminated diet with or without curcumin for 24 weeks. Thereafter, blood samples were collected to measured blood lipids, transaminase and lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Gut microbiota and the expression level of liver lipogenic gene were detected.Results: Curcumin supplementation alleviated BPA-induced dyslipidemia and hepatic steatosis by reducing the levels of serum triglycerides (TG), total cholesterol (TC), low density lipoprotein cholesterol and liver TG, TC content. Moreover, analysis of 16S rRNA sequencing indicated that curcumin reversed BPA-induced gut microbiota disorder, the abundance of Akkermansia and the ratio of Bacteroidetes/Firmicutes, which are both related to beneficial lipid metabolism, were considerably increased after curcumin treatment, whereas the abundance of harmful Rikenella was decreased compared with BPA-exposed mice. Besides, curcumin significantly decreased serum LPS levels and down-regulated the expression of hepatic lipogenic genes, including liver X receptor alpha, sterol regulatory element binding protein-1c, acetyl-CoA carboxylase 1 (ACC1) and ACC2, induced by BPA.Conclusions: These findings indicated that curcumin protected against BPA-induced hepatic steatosis through modulating intestinal flora disorder, reducing serum LPS levels and subsequently inhibiting liver fat biosynthesis, suggesting the potential application of curcumin in prevention of BPA-induced metabolic liver diseases.
FPPR: Fast Pessimistic (dynamic) PageRank to Update PageRank in Evolving Directed Graphs on Network Changes
Authors: Kundu Suman , Pashikanti Rohith Parjanya
Published: April 2022

The paper presents a new algorithm FPPR which updates PageRanks of a directed network after topological changes in the graphs. The algorithm is capable of regenerating scores on node and link addition/deletion. The changes in the expected value of random surfers are used for updating the scores of the newly added nodes as well as the impacted chain where the nodes/links are added or removed. The complexity of the algorithm for k new node addition is O(k ×davg(k) ) where davg(k) is the average degree of k nodes added. On the other hand for node deletion, the complexity is O(|Vs | + |Es |) where Vs and Es are the set of nodes and edges updated using Selective Breadth-First Update. Extensive experiments have been performed on different synthetic and real-world networks. The experimental result shows that the rank generated by the proposed method is highly correlated with that of the recalculation on changes, using the benchmark Power Iteration algorithm.
Retention of the highly educated migrants: From the perspective of urban e-service capability
Authors: Zhaoyuan Fan , Xiaofeng Liu
Published: April 2022

China’s e-government construction continues to accelerate, but little attention has been paid to whether the highly educated talents would be attracted by the high-quality public services. This article evaluates the urban e-government service and other factors in attracting the new-generation of highly educated migrants for the first time by using the China Migrants Dynamic Survey in 2017 and the data from the Evaluation Report of Government E-service Capability Index (2017). The results show that a city with better e-service capability is highly attractive to the high-educated talents and makes them have strong settlement intention, the highly educated migrants who are female, married, and from non-agricultural areas have stronger urban-settlement intention because of having stricter requirements of urban e-service capability. This research demonstrates the importance of the urban e-public services on retaining the new-generation of highly educated migrants.
Synthesis, characterization, biological activity of Schiff base metal complexes derived from 3-Acetylcoumarin and 2-methylbenzyl hydrazinecarbodithioate
Authors: S Indira , R Anbarasan , B.S Sreeja , M Srinivasan , P Manikandan
Published: April 2022

New Schiff base metal complexes of Co(II), Ni(II), Cu(II) and Zn(II) with 3-Acetylcoumarin and 2-methylbenzyl hydrazinecarbodithioate {[Co(L)(OAc)] (1), [Ni(L)(OAc)] (2), [Cu(L)(OAc)] (3) and [Zn(L)(OAc)] (4)} were synthesized and characterized by elemental analysis, IR, UV-Vis, 1H-NMR, molar conductance, ESR and mass spectrometry. Based on these data, it is clear that the Schiff base act as tridentate for metal complexes via the ionic sulphur of thiol and azomethine nitrogen atom, as well as the oxygen atom of the carbonyl group. Electronic spectral results were used to infer the geometry of the complexes, which was then validated using DFT calculations. The molar conductance discloses that the Schiff base complexes are non-electrolytic. The in vitro antibacterial activity suggest that the metal complexes are highly active against two bacteria (Streptococcus pneumonia and Escherichia coli). Furthermore, the in vitro antioxidant activity of all the complexes was determined by DPPH radical scavenging method.
Antioxidants and antigenotoxic properties of Rhizopus oligosporus fermented cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz)
Authors: Egbune Egoamaka O. , Ezedom Theresa , Anigboro Akpovwehwee A. , Aganbi Eferhire , Amata Alex-Ifo , Tonukari Nyerhovwo J.
Published: April 2022

The antioxidant and antigenotoxic effects of solid state fermented cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) using Rhizopus oligosporus were investigated. Solid state fermentation was carried out for 72 hours at room temperature under acidic and basic conditions. Total phenolic content were significantly (p<0.05) higher for peeled and unpeeled cassava when compared to fermented forms at pH 7 and 5, respectively. Similarly, the total flavonoid contents of peeled and unpeeled cassava at pH 4 and 7 were significantly (p<0.05) higher than in fermented cassava. The Allium cepa assay was used to assess the antigenotoxic effects of unfermented and fermented peeled and unpeeled cassava. The fermented extracts did not induce chromosomal type aberrations in the treated cells. The present study thus showed that R. oligosporus has the ability to breakdown cassava and considerably increase the antioxidant properties in fermented cassava peeled and unpeeled, which may serve as natural antioxidants in industrial broiler chickens.
Circulating Ceramides and Sphingomyelins and the Risk of Incident Cardiovascular Disease Among People with Diabetes: The Strong Heart Study
Authors: Jensen Paul N. , Fretts Amanda M. , Hoofnagle Andrew N. , McKnight Barbara , Howard Barbara V. , Umans Jason , Sitlani Colleen M. , Siscovick David S. , King Irena B. , Sotoodehnia Nona , Lemaitre Rozenn N.
Published: April 2022

Background: Plasma ceramides and sphingomyelins have been independently linked to diabetes risk, glucose and insulin levels, and the risk of several cardiovascular (CVD) outcomes. However, whether individual ceramide and sphingomyelin species contribute to CVD risk among people with type 2 diabetes is uncertain. Our goal was to evaluate associations of 4 ceramide and 4 sphingomyelin species with incident CVD in a longitudinal population-based study among American Indians with diabetes.Methods: This analysis included participants with prevalent diabetes from two cohorts: a prospective cohort of 597 participants in the Strong Heart Family Study (116 incident CVD cases; mean age: 49 years; average length of follow-up: 14 years), and a nested case-control sample of 267 participants in the Strong Heart Study (78 cases of CVD and 189 controls; mean age: 61 years; average time until incident CVD in cases: 3.8 years). The average onset of diabetes was 6-7 years prior to sphingolipid measurement in both cohorts. Sphingolipid species were measured using liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry. Cox regression and logistic regression were used to assess associations of sphingolipid species with incident CVD; results were combined across cohorts using inverse-variance weighted meta-analysis.Results: There were 194 cases of incident CVD in the two cohorts. In meta-analysis of the 2 cohort results, higher plasma levels of Cer-16 (ceramide with acylated palmitic acid) were associated with increased CVD risk (HR per two-fold higher Cer-16: 1.85; 95% CI: 1.05-3.25), and higher plasma levels of sphingomyelin species with a very long chain saturated fatty acid were associated with decreased CVD risk (HR per two-fold higher SM-22: 0.48; 95% CI: 0.26-0.87), although none of the associations met our pre-specified threshold for statistical significance of p=0.006.Conclusions: While replication of the findings from the SHS in other populations is warranted, our findings add to a growing body of research suggesting that ceramides, in particular Cer-16, not only increase diabetes risk, but may also increase CVD risk after diabetes onset. We also find support for the hypothesis that sphingomyelins with a very long chain saturated fatty acid are associated with lower CVD risk among adults with type 2 diabetes.