bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Chestnuts in Fermented Rice Beverages Increase Metabolite Diversity and Antioxidant Activity While Reducing Cellular Oxidative Damage
Authors: Zou Jing , Hu Yinghong , Li Kuo , Liu Yang , Li Miao , Pan Xinyuan , Chang Xuedong
Published: December 2022

Foods containing chestnuts (Castanea mollissima Blume) are relatively uncommon, despite the high nutrient and starch contents and purported health benefits. In this study, we examine the flavor-related metabolites, volatile compounds, and amino acids in a traditional glutinous rice fermented beverage supplemented with chestnuts as a fermentation substrate for lactic acid bacteria (LAB). Changes in antioxidant activity towards free radicals and effects on cellular oxidative stress are compared between beverages with or without chestnuts. The fermented chestnut-rice beverage (FCRB) has higher sensory scores and a wider range of volatiles and flavor-related compounds (74 vs. 38 species compounds), but lower amino acid contents, than the traditional fermented glutinous rice beverage (TFRB). In free radical scavenging assays, the FCRB exhibits higher activity than the TFRB in vitro. Furthermore, while neither beverage induces cytotoxity in Caco-2 cells at concentrations up to 2 mg/mL, pretreatment with the FCRB results in lower rates of apoptosis and necrosis and higher overall viability in cells with H2O2-induced oxidative stress compared to pretreatment with the TFRB. The enhanced reactive oxygen species neutralization in vitro and protection against oxidative damage in cells, coupled with increased diversity of volatiles and flavor-related metabolites of LAB, support the addition of chestnuts to enhance flavor profile and antioxidant properties of fermented functional foods.
FNDC5 Promotes Adipogenic Differentiation of Primary Preadipocytes in Mashen Pigs
Authors: Hei Wei , You Ziwei , An Jiaqi , Zhao Tianzhi , Li Jiao , Zhang Wanfeng , Li Meng , Yang Yang , Gao Pengfei , Cao Guoqing , Guo Xiaohong , Cai Chunbo , Li Bugao
Published: December 2022

Fibronectin type III domain-containing protein 5 (FNDC5) plays an important role in fat deposition, which can be cut to form Irisin to promote fat thermogenesis, resulting in a decrease in fat content. However, the mechanism of FNDC5 related to fat deposition in pigs is still unclear. In this research, we studied the expression of FNDC5 on different adiposes and its function in the adipogenic differentiation of primary preadipocytes in Mashen pigs. The expression pattern of FNDC5 was detected by qRT-PCR and Western blotting in Mashen pigs. FNDC5 overexpression and interference vectors were constructed and transfected into porcine primary preadipocytes by lentivirus. Then, the expression of key adipogenic genes was detected by qRT-PCR and the content of lipid droplets was detected by Oil Red O staining. The results showed that the expression of FNDC5 in abdominal fat was higher than that in back subcutaneous fat in Mashen pigs, whereas the expression in back subcutaneous fat of Mashen pigs was significantly higher than that of Large White pigs. In vitro, FNDC5 promoted the adipogenic differentiation of primary preadipocytes of Mashen pigs and upregulated the expression of genes related to adipogenesis, but did not activate the extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) signaling pathway. This study can provide a theoretical basis for FNDC5 in adipogenic differentiation in pigs.
The Satellite DNA Catalogues of Two Serrasalmidae (Teleostei, Characiformes): Conservation of General satDNA Features over 30 Million Years
Authors: Goes Caio Augusto Gomes , dos Santos Natalia , Rodrigues Pedro Henrique de Mira , Stornioli José Henrique Forte , Silva Amanda Bueno da , dos Santos Rodrigo Zeni , Vidal Jhon Alex Dziechciarz , Silva Duílio Mazzoni Zerbinato de Andrade , Artoni Roberto Ferreira , Foresti Fausto , Hashimoto Diogo Teruo , Porto-Foresti Fábio , Utsunomia Ricardo
Published: December 2022

Satellite DNAs (satDNAs) are tandemly repeated sequences that are usually located on the heterochromatin, and the entire collection of satDNAs within a genome is called satellitome. Primarily, these sequences are not under selective pressure and evolve by concerted evolution, resulting in elevated rates of divergence between the satDNA profiles of reproductive isolated species/populations. Here, we characterized two additional satellitomes of Characiformes fish (Colossoma macropomum and Piaractus mesopotamicus) that diverged approximately 30 million years ago, while still retaining conserved karyotype features. The results we obtained indicated that several satDNAs (50% of satellite sequences in P. mesopotamicus and 43% in C. macropomum) show levels of conservation between the analyzed species, in the nucleotide and chromosomal levels. We propose that long-life cycles and few genomic changes could slow down rates of satDNA differentiation.
ZZ/ZW Sex Chromosomes in the Madagascar Girdled Lizard, Zonosaurus madagascariensis (Squamata: Gerrhosauridae)
Authors: Kostmann Alexander , Kratochvíl Lukáš , Rovatsos Michail
Published: December 2022

Scincoidea, the reptilian clade that includes girdled lizards, night lizards, plated lizards and skinks, are considered as a lineage with diversity in sex-determining systems. Recently, the hypothesis on the variability in sex determination in skinks and even more the absence of sex chromosomes in some of them has been rivalling. Homologous, evolutionary stable XX/XY sex chromosomes were documented to be widespread across skinks. However, sex determination in the other scincoidean families is highly understudied. ZZ/ZW sex chromosomes have been identified only in night lizards and a single species of plated lizards. It seems that although there are different sex chromosome systems among scincoidean lineages, they share one common trait: they are mostly poorly differentiated and often undetectable by cytogenetic methods. Here, we report one of the exceptions, demonstrating for the first time ZZ/ZW sex chromosomes in the plated lizard Zonosaurus madagascariensis. Its sex chromosomes are morphologically similar, but the W is clearly detectable by comparative genomic hybridization (CGH), suggesting that the Z and W chromosomes highly differ in sequence content. Our findings confirm the presence of female heterogamety in plated lizards and provides novel insights to expand our understanding of sex chromosome evolution in scincoidean lizards.
Self-Assessed Personality Traits and Adherence to the COVID-19 Lockdown
Authors: Rojek Jakub Jan , Waszak Przemysław , Bidzan-Bluma Ilona , Sanewska Aleksandra , Stępień Joanna , Michalski Tomasz , Lorettu Liliana , Meloni Roberta , Chu Che-Sheng , Abboud Myriam , Grabowski Jakub
Published: December 2022

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic, caused by the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus, has forced all countries affected by it to introduce quarantine and isolation to prevent the spread of the virus, as well as masking and distancing. Not everyone is equally willing to follow the rules related to limit the extent of the coronavirus epidemic. This might be connected with personality traits, especially openness, positive attitude, and optimism. Materials and Methods: An online survey was created and completed by participants in April–May 2020. Self-assessment of personality traits and adherence to lockdown recommendations were assessed. A total of 7404 participants took part in the study, mainly from Poland (83.6%) and Italy (12.7%). Univariate and multivariate regression analysis was performed. Results: The participants were divided into groups depending on the degree of compliance with the lockdown rules. In the multivariate analysis, variables that increased the odds for stricter lockdown compliance were temporary work suspension OR 1.27 (95% CI 1.10–1.48), income level “we can’t handle this situation” OR 1.67 (95%CI 1.20–2.33), and junior high school education OR 1.68 (95% CI 1.13–2.50). Other significant factors included age and place of residence. Each point of self-assessed sociability OR 1.07 (95% CI 1.00–1.13) also increased the likelihood of adhering to lockdown rules. Conclusions: Taking the basic demographic characteristics as well as working and health environment conditions traits into account may be helpful when forecasting epidemiological compliance during a pandemic, as well as in other public health tasks. The key role of self-assessed personality traits was not confirmed in this study. Reliability of the results is limited by significant disproportions in the size of the study groups.
Effects of Virtual Reality Exercises versus Isokinetic Exercises in comparison with Conventional Exercises on the Imaging Findings and Inflammatory Biomarker Changes in Soccer Players with Non-Specific Low Back Pain: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Nambi Gopal , Alghadier Mshari , Kashoo Faizan Zaffar , Aldhafian Osama R. , Nwihadh Naif A. , Saleh Ayman K. , Omar Mohamed A. , Hassan Tohamy G. T. , Ibrahim Mohamed Nagah Ahmed , El Behairy Hassan Fathy , Attallah Abdehamid A. , Ismail Mohammed Abdelgwad
Published: December 2022

Chronic non-specific low back pain (CNLBP) is the most common musculoskeletal problem. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of advanced physiotherapeutic exercise programs on imaging findings and inflammatory biomarkers in soccer players with CNLBP. In total, 60 CNLBP participants were divided into virtual reality exercise (VRE; n = 20), isokinetic exercise (IKE; n = 20), and conventional exercise (n = 20) groups. Pain intensity, imaging findings (muscle cross-sectional area (CSA) and muscle thickness), and changes in inflammatory biomarkers (CRP, TNF-α, IL-2, IL-4, and IL-6) were measured at baseline and after four weeks. After four weeks of intervention, there was a significant improvement (p = 0.001) in pain intensity for the VRE vs. IKE (0.7; CI 95% 0.38 to 1.07) and VRE vs. conventional (3.0 CI 95% 2.68 to 3.31) groups. The IKE group showed a greater number of significant changes in muscle CSA and muscle thickness than the other two groups (p < 0.001). Moreover, the VRE group showed significant improvement in inflammatory biomarker measures compared with the other two groups (p < 0.001). In CNLBP, virtual and isokinetic exercises had equal effects on reducing pain intensity. Isokinetic exercise is beneficial in increasing the muscle CSA and thickness, and virtual exercises are helpful for attenuating the inflammation process in soccer players with CNLBP.
Risk of Fractures, Repeated Fractures and Osteoporotic Fractures among Patients with Hemophilia in Taiwan: A 14-Year Population-Based Cohort Study
Authors: Pai Yuan-Yi , Wang Jiaan-Der , Ho Hsin-En , Chou Yi-Jung , Ho Wen-Chao , Chan Wei-Cheng , Chu Wei-Min , Tsan Yu-Tse
Published: December 2022

The world is aging, and hemophilia patients are as well. The association between patients with hemophilia (PWH) and low bone mineral density is clear. However, the incidence of fractures in patients with hemophilia is inconclusive, and no research has yet explored repeated fractures among PWH. In this study, we investigated the incidence of all-site fractures, repeated fractures and osteoporotic fractures amongst PWH. The study compared the incidence of all-site fractures, repeated fractures and osteoporotic fractures occurring in all PWH who were enrolled in Taiwan’s National Health Insurance Research Database between 1997 and 2013 with an age- and gender-matched group from the general population. Eight-hundred thirty-two PWH, along with 8320 members of the general population, were included in the final analysis. After multivariate COX regression analysis with an adjustment for confounding factors, it was found that PWH experienced a higher risk of osteoporotic fracture (HR: 1.25 with 95% CI of 1.03–2.52) but only saw a neutral effect with regards to both all-sites of fracture (HR: 1.00 with 95% CI of 0.92–1.09) and repeated fractures (HR: 1.01 with 95% CI of 0.92–1.10), when compared with the general population. This 14-year population-based cohort study showed that PWH had a higher risk of osteoporotic fracture, but that hemophilia only had a neutral effect in all-sites of fracture and repeated fractures. Screening, prevention and treatment for osteoporosis and further osteoporotic fractures among PWH, in order to improve quality of life and achieve healthy aging in this particular population, remain essential.
Adaptation of the Pet Bereavement Questionnaire for European Portuguese Speakers
Authors: Silva Isabel , Jólluskin Glória , Vilhena Estela , Byrne Allison
Published: December 2022

The loss or death of a beloved pet creates a grief reaction comparable to that of the loss of a family member and may lead to the development of symptoms consistent with a diagnosis of persistent complicated grief disorder. Nevertheless, society does not always recognize it as a significant loss, which may contribute to bereaved owners feeling isolated and ashamed when coping with it, as well as not resorting to mental health professionals when necessary. The development of instruments to assess these reactions may contribute to improving the understanding of this suffering. This study aimed to adapt the Pet Bereavement Questionnaire for European Portuguese speakers. A non-probabilistic convenience sample of 169 adults who had a pet that died answered a battery of questionnaires, which included the Portuguese version of the Pet Bereavement Questionnaire. This version resulted from a consensus translation prepared by two translators and subsequently subjected to a cognitive debriefing. The Portuguese version of the instrument demonstrated good reliability (good internal consistency for the total questionnaire and for its subscales) and good external validity (negative correlation with well-being measures and positive correlation with psychopathology measures), as well as reasonable internal validity and sensitivity.
Deeds and Words: Farmers’ Attitude-Paradox in Collective Action for Small-Scale Irrigation
Authors: Miao Shanshan , Zhu Xueqin , Heijman Wim , Xu Zengwei , Lu Qian
Published: December 2022

We explore the mechanisms of the attitude–behavior paradox and how multiple stakeholders strategize to compromise their attitudes and behaviors. Through an instrumental variable probit model, we examine the effect of income heterogeneity and social ties on the farmers’ attitude–behavior paradox for collective action. The empirical results demonstrate that weak and strong ties, income heterogeneity, interaction terms, education, community environment, and community rules negatively affect the paradox, whereas water stealing and water use conflicts positively affect it. After dividing the paradox into two forms, we find that weak ties, the interaction terms thereof, negatively affect the paradox for “having negative attitude but do have behavior”, while income heterogeneity negatively affects the paradox for “having positive attitude but no behavior”. We contribute to the understanding of mechanisms whereby economic incentives and social structures interplay in addressing the above paradox. We conclude by discussing the implications for policies to overcome this social dilemma.
Trends and Regional Differences in the Prevalence of Dyslipidemia before and after the Great East Japan Earthquake: A Population-Based 10-Year Study Using the National Database in Japan
Authors: Nakajima Shigetaka , Eguchi Eri , Funakubo Narumi , Hayashi Fumikazu , Iwai-Takano Masumi , Ohira Tetsuya
Published: December 2022

Since the Great East Japan Earthquake in March 2011, an increase in lifestyle-related diseases due to changes in living environment following the nuclear power plant accident has been reported in Fukushima Prefecture, especially among evacuees. However, no long-term studies covering the entire Fukushima Prefecture have been conducted. The study aim was to investigate the effects of post-disaster evacuation life on the prevalence of dyslipidemia in Fukushima Prefecture using a national database. The data from 3,866,674 people who underwent specific health checkups between fiscal year (FY) 2008 and FY2017 were analyzed. Fukushima Prefecture was divided into four areas, and the prevalence of dyslipidemia and related parameters were compared. The prevalence of dyslipidemia increased overall, with a particularly sharp increase after FY2011 in the evacuation area. The sex- and age-adjusted odds ratio (95% confidence intervals) of having dyslipidemia in the evacuation area compared with that in the control area was 0.951 (0.929–0.973) in FY2008–2010, which increased to 1.130 (1.105–1.155) in FY2012–2014 and 1.117 (1.092–1.143) in FY2015–2017. Since the prevalence of dyslipidemia has increased and remained high after the earthquake in Fukushima Prefecture, especially in the evacuation area, continued measures to prevent cardiovascular diseases among the residents are needed.
MSRN and Multi-Headed Attention Mechanism for Language Identification
Authors: Zeng Ailing , Ablimit Mijit , Hamdulla Askar
Published: December 2022

With the popularity of the mobile internet, people all over the world can easily create and publish diverse media content such as multilingual and multi-dialectal audio and video. Therefore, language or dialect identification (LID) is increasingly important for practical applications such as multilingual and cross lingual processing as the front-end part of the subsequent tasks such as speech recognition and voice identification. This paper proposes a neural network framework based on a multiscale residual network (MSRN) and multi-headed self-attention (MHSA). Experimental results show that this method can effectively improve the accuracy and robustness compared to other methods. This model uses the MSRN to extract the language spectrogram feature and uses MHSA to filter useful features and suppress irrelevant features. Training and test sets are constructed from both the “Common Voice” and “Oriental Language Recognition” (AP17-OLR) datasets. The experimental results show that this model can effectively improve the accuracy and robustness of LID.
The Main Challenges for Improving Urban Drainage Systems from the Perspective of Brazilian Professionals
Authors: Francisco Telvio H. S. , Menezes Osvaldo V. C. , Guedes André L. A. , Maquera Gladys , Neto Dácio C. V. , Longo Orlando C. , Chinelli Christine K. , Soares Carlos A. P.
Published: December 2022

Urban drainage systems play an important role in the complex ecosystem of cities and are often subject to challenges that hinder their functioning. Although identifying these challenges is essential for developing policies and actions to improve drainage systems, there is a lack of studies addressing these challenges. This work has two objectives to contribute to filling this gap: (1) to research the main challenges that make it difficult to improve urban drainage systems; and (2) to prioritize them. We conducted extensive and detailed bibliographic research in which 15 challenges were identified, and a survey with 30 Brazilian professionals with experience in the concerned field. The results showed that 15 challenges identified in the literature were considered important by the survey respondents. It also showed that the most important challenges concern the inadequate functioning of drainage infrastructure, dynamics of city expansion, system maintenance, vulnerability of urban areas, public policies, and investments.
Centrifuge Shaking Table Test on the Seismic Dynamics of Revetment Breakwater and a Nearby Aircraft Runway Built on Reclaimed Coral Sand Foundation
Authors: Zhang Yu , He Kunpeng , Li Xin , Ye Jianhong
Published: December 2022

There are currently at least five aircraft runways built on the reclaimed coral sand foundations in the South China Sea (SCS). The seismic dynamics and stability of the revetment breakwaters and nearby aircraft runways built on reclaimed lands with coral sand in the SCS deserve attention. Taking the reclamation engineering in the SCS as the background, this study performed several centrifuge shaking table tests (N = 50 g) to explore the seismic dynamics and stability of a revetment breakwater and a nearby aircraft runway built on a reclaimed coral sand foundation. It is revealed that the revetment breakwater, aircraft runway, and their coral sand foundation have intensively responded to the excitation of seismic waves. The pore water pressure accumulates in the coral sand foundation; however, the accumulation amplitude is not significant. As a result, only soil softening, rather than liquefaction, has occurred in the coral sand foundation. The final residual subsidence of the revetment breakwater and aircraft runways are both about 0.5 mm, indicating that they are finally in a stable state. Through comparative study, it is found that the pore water pressure in the loose coral sand foundation is much easier to accumulate, and the corresponding acceleration amplification effect is also more significant. It means that a loose coral sand foundation is more detrimental to the seismic stability of the revetment breakwaters and airport runways.
Detoxication of Citrinin with Kojic Acid by the Formation of the Citrinin-Kojic Acid Adduct, and the Enhancement of Kojic Acid Production by Citrinin via Oxidative Stress in Aspergillus parasiticus
Authors: Ichinomiya Masayuki , Kawamoto Ayaka , Yamaguchi Takahiro , Iwashita Keiko , Nagashima Hitoshi , Hatabayashi Hidemi , Nakajima Hiromitsu , Yabe Kimiko
Published: December 2022

Our previous work showed that citrinin (CTN) produced bay Penicillium citrinum inhibited the production of aflatoxin by Aspergillus parasiticus. We also reported that CTN was non-enzymatically converted to a novel CTN-KA adduct with kojic acid (KA) in aqueous condition. We herein observed that unlike CTN, the CTN-KA adduct does not show antimicrobial activity against Escherichia coli or Bacillus subtilis or any cytotoxic effect on HeLa cells, suggesting that CTN was detoxified by KA by the formation of the CTN-KA adduct. To examine the function of KA production by fungi, we isolated A. parasiticus mutants with impaired KA production. When the mutants were incubated in either liquid or agar medium supplemented with CTN, they were more susceptible to CTN than the wild KA-producing strain. The same results were obtained when we used the A. oryzae KA-producing strain RIB40 and KA-non-producing strains. When KA was added to the CTN-containing agar medium, the inhibition of growth by CTN was remarkably mitigated, suggesting that the production of KA protected the fungal growth from CTN’s toxicity. We also observed that CTN enhanced the production of KA by A. parasiticus as well as A. oryzae strains. Reverse transcription-PCR showed that CTN enhanced the expression of KA biosynthetic genes (kojA, kojR, and kojT) of A. parasiticus. However, the enhancement of KA production with CTN was repressed by the addition of α-tocopherol or butylated hydroxy anisole, suggesting that KA production is enhanced by oxidative stress via the formation of reactive oxygen species caused by CTN. In contrast, α−tocopherol did not affect inhibition of AF production as well as fungal growth by CTN, suggesting that the regulation of these inhibitions with CTN might be different from that of KA production. We propose a regulation scheme of CTN for each of KA production, AF production, and fungal growth in A. parasiticus.
A Spatiotemporal Pattern Analysis of High-Frequency Land-Use Changes in the Guangdong–Hong Kong–Macao Greater Bay Area, from 1990 to 2018
Authors: Lv Chencan , Lian Anxin , Wang Zerui , Jia Tianxia , Sun Xiaomeng , Dong Rencai
Published: December 2022

With continuous rises in GDP, land cover in the Guangdong–Hong Kong–Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) has undergone a drastic change over the period 1990–2018. In this study, land use in the GBA was divided into six types: farmland, forestland, grassland, wetland, construction land, and unused land. We analyzed changes in spatiotemporal patterns according to region and type by using statistical analysis, spatial clustering, and hotspot analysis, focusing on the spatial characteristics of areas where land-use types changed with high frequency. The high-frequency land use in the GBA has strategic guidance for further urban planning and management. With discussions on urban planning, the natural environment, and social and economic development, we found the following: (1) Urban construction land in the GBA showed a unipolar growth mode, increasing from 5.63% to 14.34% from 1990 to 2018. Accordingly, the degree of urban concentration and contiguity rose continuously. (2) Hotspots with frequent land-use changes were concentrated mainly in areas with economic intensity. (3) Plots with high-frequency land-use changes (Flc > 2) were concentrated primarily in the waters and rivers of the GBA within 10 km of the administrative boundaries of prefecture-level cities. (4) Nearly 80% of the land has been or will be transformed into ecological land over the period 1990–2018. On the basis of these findings, we suggest further improving land-use efficiency, and ecological land damage and the over-occupation of sea space should be avoided while maintaining economic growth. Thus, linking increases and decreases in construction land is an excellent land-consolidation mechanism to transform inefficient urban land into ecological land.
N-(3-Chlorophenethyl)-2-(4-isobutylphenyl)propanamide
Authors: Manolov Stanimir , Ivanov Iliyan , Bojilov Dimitar , Kalinova Yolina
Published: December 2022

N-(3-chlorophenethyl)-2-(4-isobutylphenyl)propanamide was synthesized for the first time in the reaction between 2-(3-chlorophenyl)ethan-1-amine and 2-(4-isobutylphenyl)propanoyl chloride with high yield. The newly obtained chlorine-containing ibuprofen derivative was fully analyzed and characterized using 1H-, 13C-NMR, UV, and mass spectral data.
Analysis of the Dynamic Response as a Basis for the Efficient Protection of Large Structure Health Using Controllable Frequency-Controlled Drives
Authors: Gnjatović Nebojša , Bošnjak Srđan , Stefanović Aleksandar
Published: December 2022

Continuous earthmoving machines, such as bucket-wheel excavators (BWEs), are the largest mobile terrestrial machines exposed to the working loads of a periodic character. This paper aims to launch a new idea regarding the preservation of the load-carrying structures of these machines by the means of implementing a controllable frequency-controlled drive of the excavating device. Successful implementation of this idea requires a detailed analysis of the dynamic response of the load-carrying structure in order to determine the domains of frequency of revolutions of the bucket-wheel-drive electromotor (FREM) where the dynamic response of the structure is favorable. The main goal of the presented research was the development of a unique three-step method for the identification of the FREM ranges, where the vibroactivity of the load-carrying structure is within the allowed boundaries. A methodologically original study of the dynamic response was conducted on a unique dynamic model of the BWE slewing superstructure that allows for continuous variation of the FREM, i.e., of the frequency of excitation caused by the forces resisting the excavation. Validation of the spatial reduced dynamic model of the slewing superstructure and the corresponding mathematical model, as well as the overall approach to the determination of the dynamic response, were performed by the means of vibrodiagnostics under the real exploitation conditions. Application of the developed method has yielded: (1) the resonant-free FREM domains; (2) the FREM domains, where the structure is not exposed to the excessive dynamic impacts; and (3) the frequency ratio ranges defining the resonant areas. Additionally, the results of the research have pointed out that the resonant-free state represents a necessary but insufficient condition for the proper dynamic behavior of the BWE slewing superstructure.
Uniform Consistency for Functional Conditional U-Statistics Using Delta-Sequences
Authors: Bouzebda Salim , Nezzal Amel , Zari Tarek
Published: December 2022

U-statistics are a fundamental class of statistics derived from modeling quantities of interest characterized by responses from multiple subjects. U-statistics make generalizations the empirical mean of a random variable X to the sum of all k-tuples of X observations. This paper examines a setting for nonparametric statistical curve estimation based on an infinite-dimensional covariate, including Stute’s estimator as a special case. In this functional context, the class of “delta sequence estimators” is defined and discussed. The orthogonal series method and the histogram method are both included in this class. We achieve almost complete uniform convergence with the rates of these estimators under certain broad conditions. Moreover, in the same context, we show the uniform almost-complete convergence for the nonparametric inverse probability of censoring weighted (I.P.C.W.) estimators of the regression function under random censorship, which is of its own interest. Among the potential applications are discrimination problems, metric learning and the time series prediction from the continuous set of past values.
Forecasting the Efficiency of Innovative Industrial Systems Based on Neural Networks
Authors: Shinkevich Aleksey I. , Ershova Irina G. , Galimulina Farida F.
Published: December 2022

Approaches presented today in the scientific literature suggest that there are no methodological solutions based on the training of artificial neural networks to predict the direction of industrial development, taking into account a set of factors—innovation, environmental friendliness, modernization and production growth. The aim of the study is to develop a predictive model of performance management of innovative industrial systems by building neural networks. The research methods were correlation analysis, training of neural networks (species—regression), extrapolation, and exponential smoothing. As a result of the research, the estimation efficiency technique of an innovative industrial system in a complex considering the criteria of technical modernization, development, innovative activity, and ecologization is developed; the prognostic neural network models allow to optimize the contribution of signs to the formation of target (set) values of indicators of efficiency for macro and micro-industrial systems that will allow to level a growth trajectory of industrial systems; the priority directions of their development are offered. The following conclusions: the efficiency of industrial systems is determined by the volume of sales of goods, innovative products and waste recycling, which allows to save resources; the results of forecasting depend significantly on the DataSet formulated. Although multilayer neural networks independently select important features, it is advisable to conduct a correlation analysis beforehand, which will provide a higher probability of building a high-quality predictive model. The novelty of the research lies in the development and testing of a unique methodology to assess the effectiveness of industrial systems: it is based on a multidimensional system approach (takes into account factors of innovation, environmental friendliness, modernization and production growth); it combines a number of methodological tools (correlation, ranking and weighting); it expands the method of effectiveness assessment in terms of the composition of variables (previously presented approaches are limited to the aspects considered).
Recent Advancement in Anticancer Compounds from Marine Organisms: Approval, Use and Bioinformatic Approaches to Predict New Targets
Authors: Santaniello Giovanna , Nebbioso Angela , Altucci Lucia , Conte Mariarosaria
Published: December 2022

In recent years, the study of anticancer bioactive compounds from marine sources has received wide interest. Contextually, world regulatory authorities have approved several marine molecules, and new synthetic derivatives have also been synthesized and structurally improved for the treatment of numerous forms of cancer. However, the administration of drugs in cancer patients requires careful evaluation since their interaction with individual biological macromolecules, such as proteins or nucleic acids, determines variable downstream effects. This is reflected in a constant search for personalized therapies that lay the foundations of modern medicine. The new knowledge acquired on cancer mechanisms has certainly allowed advancements in tumor prevention, but unfortunately, due to the huge complexity and heterogeneity of cancer, we are still looking for a definitive therapy and clinical approaches. In this review, we discuss the significance of recently approved molecules originating from the marine environment, starting from their organism of origin to their structure and mechanism of action. Subsequently, these bio-compounds are used as models to illustrate possible bioinformatics approaches for the search of new targets that are useful for improving the knowledge on anticancer therapies.
Independent and Combined Effects of Probiotics and Prebiotics as Supplements or Food-Rich Diets on a Propionic-Acid-Induced Rodent Model of Autism Spectrum Disorder
Authors: Alsubaiei Sana Razhan M. , Alfawaz Hanan A. , Almubarak Abdullah Yaseen , Alabdali Nouf Ahmed , Ben Bacha Abir , El-Ansary Afaf
Published: December 2022

The link between nutrition and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) as a neurodevelopmental condition, which is clinically presented as significant delays or deviations in interaction and communication, has provided a fresh point of view and signals that nutrition may play a role in the etiology of ASD, as well as playing an effective role in treatment by improving symptoms. In this study, 36 male albino rat pups were used. They were randomly divided into five groups. The control group was fed only a standard diet and water for the 30 days of the experiment. The second group, which served as a propionic acid (PPA)-induced rodent model of ASD, received orally administered PPA (250 mg/kg body weight (BW)) for 3 days, followed by feeding with a standard diet until the end of the experiment. The three other groups were given PPA (250 mg/kg body weight (BW)) for 3 days and then fed a standard diet and orally administered yogurt (3 mL/kg BW/day), artichokes (400 mL/kg BW/day), and a combination of Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus GG at 0.2 mL daily (1 × 109 CFU; as the probiotic of yogurt) and luteolin (50 mg/kg BW/day; as the major antioxidant and anti-inflammatory ingredient of artichokes) for 27 days. Biochemical markers, including gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), reduced glutathione (GSH), glutathione peroxidase (GPx1), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and interleukin-10 (IL-10), were measured in brain homogenates in all groups. The data showed that while PPA demonstrated oxidative stress and neuroinflammation in the treated rats, yogurt, Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus GG as a probiotic, and luteolin as a prebiotic ingredient in artichokes were effective in alleviating the biochemical features of ASD. In conclusion, nutritional supplementation seems to be a promising intervention strategy for ASD. A combined dietary approach using pro- and prebiotics resulted in significant amelioration of most of the measured variables, suggesting that multiple interventions might be more relevant for the improvement of biochemical autistic features, as well as psychological traits. Prospective controlled trials are needed before recommendations can be made regarding the ideal ASD diet.
Fungicidal Activity of Silver and Silica Nanoparticles against Aspergillus sydowii Isolated from the Soil in Western Saudi Arabia
Authors: Alhazmi Nuha M.
Published: December 2022

Aspergillus sydowii is a mesophilic soil saprobe that is a food contaminant as well as a human pathogen in immune-compromised patients. The biological fabrication of silica and silver nanoparticles provides advancements over the chemical approach, as it is eco-friendly and cost-effective. In the present study, Aspergillus sydowii isolates were collected from the soil fields of six different sites in the western area of Saudi Arabia and then identified using the PCR technique following sequencing analysis by BLAST and phylogenetic analysis. Then, applied silica and silver nanoparticles were synthesized by biological methods, using Aspergillus niger as a reducer. Silver and silica nanoparticles were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The antifungal activity of silver and silica nanoparticles against Aspergillus sydowii isolates was evaluated using the disc diffusion method and the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC). The physiochemical results emphasized the fabrication of silver and silica nanoparticles in spherical shapes with a diameter in the range of 15 and 40 nm, respectively, without any aggregation. MIC of Ag-NPs and Si-NPs against Aspergillus sydowii isolates were 31.25 and 62.5 µg/mL, respectively. Finally, the aim of the study is the use of silver as well as silica nanoparticles as antifungal agents against Aspergillus sydowii.
Research on the Overburden Movement Law of Thick Coal Seam Without-Support Gangue-Filling Mining
Authors: Gu Wei , Chen Liang , Xu Dalong
Published: December 2022

Filling mining technology is a feasible and effective means to build a green mine and protect the environment. In order to investigate the overlying rock movement law of gangue-filling mining under the condition of no support for thick coal seams, this paper takes the Sima mine as the research object and determines the relevant parameters of rock mechanics in the mine area through a uniaxial compression test, a uniaxial tensile test, and a uniaxial shear test, which lay the foundation for the numerical simulation and similar simulation experiments. The optimal solution was determined by the numerical simulation, the effects of mining width and mining sequence on the overlying rock stress and deformation were analyzed, and the accuracy of the results was further confirmed by combining with similar simulation experiments. The results show that the mining sequence of jump mining with large intervals adopted in this paper can make the backfill solidify fully and is more conducive to the working face support and roof management. The larger the mining width, the larger the deformation of the overlying rock seam and the surface. It shows that the smaller the mining width, the smaller the increase of stress caused by excavation and filling, which is more favorable to the stability of the coal column and filling body. This paper deals with coal mine solid waste, while realizing the effective control of surface subsidence and providing a theoretical basis for the construction of green mines.
A Turbidity-Compensation Method for Nitrate Measurement Based on Ultraviolet Difference Spectroscopy
Authors: Dong Jing , Tang Junwu , Wu Guojun , Li Ruizhuo
Published: December 2022

To solve the problem that turbidity in water has a significant effect on the spectra of nitrate and reduces the accuracy of nitrate detection, a turbidity-compensation method for nitrate measurement based on ultraviolet difference spectra is proposed. The effect of turbidity on the absorption spectra of nitrate was studied by using the difference spectra of the mixed solution and a nitrate solution. The results showed that the same turbidity had different effects on the absorbance of different concentrations of nitrate. The change in absorbance due to turbidity decreased with an increase in the nitrate concentration at wavelengths from 200 nm to 230 nm, although this change was constant when the wavelength was greater than 230 nm. On the basis of this characteristic, we combined the residual sum of squares (RSS) and interval partial least squares (iPLS) to select wavelengths of 230–240 nm as the optimal modeling interval. Furthermore, the turbidity-compensation model was established by the linear fitting of the difference spectra of various levels of turbidity. The absorption spectra of the nitrate were extracted by subtracting the turbidity-compensation curve from the original spectra of the water samples, and the nitrate concentration was calculated by using a partial least squares (PLS)-based nitrate-prediction model. The experimental results showed that the average relative error of the nitrate predictions was reduced by 50.33% to 1.33% by the proposed turbidity-compensation method. This indicated that this method can better correct the deviation in nitrate’s absorbance caused by turbidity and improve the accuracy of nitrate predictions.
Nomilin and Its Analogues in Citrus Fruits: A Review of Its Health Promotion Effects and Potential Application in Medicine
Authors: Zhou Zhenyu , Yan Yingxuan , Li Hongli , Feng Yaru , Huang Cheng , Fan Shengjie
Published: December 2022

Nomilin is one of the major limonoids, which are plant secondary metabolites also known as tetranortriterpenoids. Nomilin is found mostly in common edible citrus fruits including lemons, limes, oranges, grapefruits, mandarins, along with traditional Chinese medicines derived from citrus fruits, such as tangerine seed, tangerine peel, fructus aurantii immaturus, etc. A number of studies have demonstrated that nomilin and its analogues exhibit a variety of biological and pharmacological activities. These include anti-cancer, immune-modulatory, anti-inflammatory, anti-obesity, anti-viral, anti-osteoclastogenic, anti-oxidant, and neuro-protective effects. Thus, nomilin and its analogues have emerged as a potential therapy for human diseases. The purpose of this review is to chronicle the evolution of nomilin research from examining its history, structure, occurrence, to its pharmacological and disease-preventing properties as well as its potential utilization in medicine and food science.
Plasmon Resonances in 1D Nanowire Arrays and 3D Nanowire Networks of Topological Insulators and Metals
Authors: Caballero-Calero Olga , Ruiz-Clavijo Alejandra , Manzano Cristina V. , Martín-González Marisol , Armelles Gaspar
Published: December 2022

The 1D nanowire arrays and 3D nanowire networks of topological insulators and metals have been fabricated by template-assisted deposition of Bi2Te3 and Ni inside anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) templates, respectively. Despite the different origins of the plasmon capabilities of the two materials, the results indicate that the optical response is determined by plasmon resonances, whose position depends on the nanowire interactions and material properties. Due to the thermoelectric properties of Bi2Te3 nanowires, these plasmon resonances could be used to develop new ways of enhancing thermal gradients and their associated thermoelectric power.
Cognitive Rehabilitation in Schizophrenia-Associated Cognitive Impairment: A Review
Authors: Zoupa Elli , Bogiatzidou Olympia , Siokas Vasileios , Liampas Ioannis , Tzeferakos Georgios , Mavreas Venetsanos , Stylianidis Stelios , Dardiotis Efthimios
Published: December 2022

Patients suffering from schizophrenia often experience cognitive disturbances. Cognitive rehabilitation—computerized or non-computerized—is widely known as an alternative way to enhance cognitive functioning in patients with schizophrenia. The aim of the present review was to examine the role of cognitive rehabilitation (both computerized and non-computerized) for the alleviation of cognitive impairment in schizophrenia patients. Fourteen relative studies were examined and included in the present review. The results revealed that both computerized and non-computerized cognitive rehabilitation could enhance cognitive functioning and more specifically memory, attention, executive functioning, processing speed and in a few cases, even non-cognitive impairments, such as other schizophrenia symptoms. The present results support the efficacy of cognitive rehabilitation in schizophrenia patients, regardless of whether it is computerized or non-computerized. As the randomized control trials (RCTs) are limited in number, there is urgent need for more RCTs and longitudinal studies combining different kinds of interventions, as well as systematic reviews and meta-analyses, in order to further investigate and confirm the current results.
Maternal Diet Quality during Pregnancy and Allergic and Respiratory Multimorbidity Clusters in Children from the EDEN Mother–Child Cohort
Authors: Delvert Rosalie , Ghozal Manel , Adel-Patient Karine , Kadawathagedara Manik , Heude Barbara , Charles Marie-Aline , Annesi-Maesano Isabella , Tafflet Muriel , Leynaert Bénédicte , Varraso Raphaëlle , de Lauzon-Guillain Blandine , Bédard Annabelle
Published: December 2022

We investigated the associations between maternal diet quality and allergic and respiratory diseases in children. Analyses were based on 1316 mother–child pairs from the EDEN mother–child cohort. Maternal diet quality during pregnancy was assessed through a food-based score (the Diet Quality), a nutrient-based score (the PANDiet), and the adherence to guidelines for main food groups. Clusters of allergic and respiratory multimorbidity clusters up to 8 years were identified using Latent Class Analysis. Associations were assessed by adjusted multinomial logistic regressions. Four clusters were identified for children: “asymptomatic” (67%, reference group), “asthma only” (14%), “allergies without asthma” (12%), “multi-allergic” (7%). These clusters were not associated with mother diet quality assessed by both scores. Children from mothers consuming legumes once a month or less were at higher risk of belonging to the “multi-allergic” cluster (odds ratio (OR) (95% confidence interval (95%CI)) = 1.60 (1.01;2.54)). No association was found with other food groups or other clusters. In our study, allergic and respiratory multimorbidity in children was described with four distinct clusters. Our results suggest an interest in legumes consumption in the prevention of allergic diseases but need to be confirmed in larger cohorts and randomized control trials.
Unhealthy Lifestyles and Retinal Vessel Calibers among Children and Adolescents: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Li Dan-Lin , Zhou Miao , Pan Chen-Wei , Chen Dan-Dan , Liu Meng-Jiao
Published: December 2022

The retinal vessel caliber (RVC) is an important biomarker of cardiovascular diseases, which can be semi-automatically measured by fundus photography. This review investigated the associations between the RVCs and the life styles of early life, such as physical activity (PA), sedentary behavior (SB), dietary and sleep, by summarizing the findings from studies on children and adolescents. Two databases (Medline and Embase) were searched from their inception to 30 June 2022. The selected studies were literatures on observational designs, fundus photographs, retinal vessels and lifestyles of children or adolescents. Correlation coefficients of unhealthy life styles and RVCs were transformed to Fisher’s z-scores, and the random-effects model was applied to pool data. A total of 18 observational studies were selected; the lifestyles accessed include 9 studies for PA and SB, 8 studies for dietary and 1 study for sleep. The meta-analysis on the correlation coefficients of regression models found the high level of SB (qualified by screen time, ST) was associated the narrower central retinal arteriolar equivalent (CRAE) among children (r = −0.043, 95% confidence intervals [CI] −0.078 to −0.009). By comparing the first and fourth quartiles of PA, the meta-analysis showed that more indoor PA was associated with smaller venular calibers and more outdoor PA was associated with wider CRAE (r = 0.88, 95%CI −3.33 to 0). Unhealthy lifestyles might be harmful on the retinal microcirculation among children and adolescents but their health effect seems not to be as significant as those in adults.