bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Multiple Cryotherapy Attenuates Oxi-Inflammatory Response Following Skeletal Muscle Injury
Authors: Zembron-Lacny Agnieszka , Morawin Barbara , Wawrzyniak-Gramacka Edyta , Gramacki Jaroslaw , Jarmuzek Pawel , Kotlega Dariusz , Ziemann Ewa
Published: October 2020

The oxi-inflammatory response is part of the natural process mobilizing leukocytes and satellite cells that contribute to clearance and regeneration of damaged muscle tissue. In sports medicine, a number of post-injury recovery strategies, such as whole-body cryotherapy (WBC), are used to improve skeletal muscle regeneration often without scientific evidence of their benefits. The study was designed to assess the impact of WBC on circulating mediators of skeletal muscle regeneration. Twenty elite athletes were randomized to WBC group (3-min exposure to −120 °C, twice a day for 7 days) and control group. Blood samples were collected before the first WBC session and 1 day after the last cryotherapy exposure. WBC did not affect the indirect markers of muscle damage but significantly reduced the generation of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (H2O2 and NO) as well as the concentrations of serum interleukin 1β (IL-1β) and C-reactive protein (CRP). The changes in circulating growth factors, hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1), platelet-derived growth factor (PDGFBB), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), were also reduced by WBC exposure. The study demonstrated that WBC attenuates the cascade of injury–repair–regeneration of skeletal muscles whereby it may delay skeletal muscle regeneration.
Assessment of Landslide Susceptibility Based on Multiresolution Image Segmentation and Geological Factor Ratings
Authors: Duan GongHao , Zhang JunChi , Zhang Shuiping
Published: October 2020

Evaluating the susceptibility of regional landslides is one of the core steps in spatial landslide prediction. Starting from multiresolution image segmentation and object-oriented classification theory, this paper uses the four parameters of entropy, energy, correlation, and contrast from remote-sensing images in the Zigui–Badong section of Three Gorges Reservoir as image texture factors; the original image data for the study area were divided into 2279 objects after segmentation. According to the various indicators of the existing historical landslide database in the Three Gorges Reservoir area, combined with the classification processing steps for different types of multistructured data, the relevant geological evaluation factors, including the slope gradient, slope structure, and engineering rock group, were rated based on expert experience. From the perspective of the object-oriented segmentation of multiresolution images and geological factor rating classification, the C5.0 decision tree susceptibility classification model was constructed for the prediction of four types of landslide susceptibility units in the Zigui–Badong section. The mapping results show that the engineering rock group of a high-susceptibility unit usually develops in soft rock or soft–hard interphase rock groups, and the slope is between 15°–30°. The model results show that the average accuracy is 91.64%, and the kappa coefficients are 0.84 and 0.51, indicating that the C5.0 decision tree algorithm provides good accuracy and can clearly divide landslide susceptibility levels for a specific area, respectively. This landslide susceptibility classification, based on multiresolution image segmentation and geological factor classification, has potential applicability.
Effects of S-PBL in Maternity Nursing Clinical Practicum on Learning Attitude, Metacognition, and Critical Thinking in Nursing Students: A Quasi-Experimental Design
Authors: Son Hae Kyoung
Published: October 2020

Due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, there are many restrictions in effect in clinical nursing practice. Since effective educational strategies are required to enhance nursing students’ competency in clinical practice, this study sought to evaluate the effectiveness of simulation problem-based learning (S-PBL). A quasi-experimental control group pretest-post-test design was used. Nursing students were allocated randomly to the control group (n = 31) and the experimental group (n = 47). Students in the control group participated in a traditional maternity clinical practicum for a week, while students in the experimental group participated S-PBL for a week. The students in the experimental group were trained in small groups using a childbirth patient simulator (Gaumard® Noelle® S554.100, Miami, USA) based on a standardized scenario related to obstetric care. The students’ learning attitude, metacognition, and critical thinking were then measured via a self-reported questionnaire. Compared with the control group, the pre-post difference in learning attitude and critical thinking increased significantly (p < 0.01) in the experimental group. S-PBL was found to be an effective strategy for improving nursing students’ learning transfer. Thus, S-PBL that reflects various clinical situations is recommended to improve the training in maternal health nursing.
ZanzaMapp: A Scalable Citizen Science Tool to Monitor Perception of Mosquito Abundance and Nuisance in Italy and Beyond
Authors: Caputo Beniamino , Manica Mattia , Filipponi Federico , Blangiardo Marta , Cobre Pietro , Delucchi Luca , De Marco Carlo Maria , Iesu Luca , Morano Paola , Petrella Valeria , Salvemini Marco , Bianchi Cesare , della Torre Alessandra
Published: October 2020

Mosquitoes represent a considerable nuisance and are actual/potential vectors of human diseases in Europe. Costly and labour-intensive entomological monitoring is needed to correct planning of interventions aimed at reducing nuisance and the risk of pathogen transmission. The widespread availability of mobile phones and of massive Internet connections opens the way to the contribution of citizen in complementing entomological monitoring. ZanzaMapp is the first mobile “mosquito” application for smartphones specifically designed to assess citizens’ perception of mosquito abundance and nuisance in Italy. Differently from other applications targeting mosquitoes, ZanzaMapp prioritizes the number of records over their scientific authentication by requesting users to answer four simple questions on perceived mosquito presence/abundance/nuisance and geo-localizing the records. The paper analyses 36,867 ZanzaMapp records sent by 13,669 devices from 2016 to 2018 and discusses the results with reference to either citizens’ exploitation and appreciation of the app and to the consistency of the results obtained with the known biology of main mosquito species in Italy. In addition, we provide a first small-scale validation of ZanzaMapp data as predictors of Aedes albopictus biting females and examples of spatial analyses and maps which could be exploited by public institutions and administrations involved in mosquito and mosquito-borne pathogen monitoring and control.
Is It Possible to Predict the Concentration of Natural Volatile Organic Compounds in Forest Atmosphere?
Authors: Kim Geonwoo , Park Sujin , Kwak Dooahn
Published: October 2020

We aimed to understand the correlation between the microclimate environment within a forest and NVOC (Natural volatile organic compounds) concentration and the concentration of NVOC more efficiently through the prediction model method. In this study, 380 samples were collected and analyzed to examine the characteristics of NVOC emitted from a birch forest. NVOC were analyzed in May and July 2019, and measurements were performed at three different locations. Using a pump and stainless-steel tube filled with Tenax-TA, 9 L of NVOC was collected at a speed of 150 mL/h. The analysis of NVOC composition in the forest showed that it comprised α-pinene 27% and camphor 10%. Evaluation of the correlation between the NVOC concentration and the microclimate in the forests showed that the concentration increased markedly with the increase in temperature and humidity, and the concentration decreased with the increase in wind velocity. Nineteen substances in total including α-pinene and β-pinene were detected at high concentrations during the sunset. The results of the study site analysis presented a significant regression model with a R2 as high as 60.1%, confirming that the regression model of the concentration prediction of NVOC in birch forest has significant explanatory power.
Bidirectional Gated Recurrent Unit Neural Network for Chinese Address Element Segmentation
Authors: Li Pengpeng , Luo An , Liu Jiping , Wang Yong , Zhu Jun , Deng Yue , Zhang Junjie
Published: October 2020

Chinese address element segmentation is a basic and key step in geocoding technology, and the segmentation results directly affect the accuracy and certainty of geocoding. However, due to the lack of obvious word boundaries in Chinese text, the grammatical and semantic features of Chinese text are complicated. Coupled with the diversity and complexity in Chinese address expressions, the segmentation of Chinese address elements is a substantial challenge. Therefore, this paper proposes a method of Chinese address element segmentation based on a bidirectional gated recurrent unit (Bi-GRU) neural network. This method uses the Bi-GRU neural network to generate tag features based on Chinese word segmentation and then uses the Viterbi algorithm to perform tag inference to achieve the segmentation of Chinese address elements. The neural network model is trained and verified based on the point of interest (POI) address data and partial directory data from the Baidu map of Beijing. The results show that the method is superior to previous neural network models in terms of segmentation performance and efficiency.
Functional Diversity of Non-Histone Chromosomal Protein HmgB1
Authors: Chikhirzhina Elena , Starkova Tatyana , Beljajev Anton , Polyanichko Alexander , Tomilin Alexey
Published: October 2020

The functioning of DNA in the cell nucleus is ensured by a multitude of proteins, whose interactions with DNA as well as with other proteins lead to the formation of a complicated, organized, and quite dynamic system known as chromatin. This review is devoted to the description of properties and structure of the progenitors of the most abundant non-histone protein of the HMGB family—the HmgB1 protein. The proteins of the HMGB family are also known as “architectural factors” of chromatin, which play an important role in gene expression, transcription, DNA replication, and repair. However, as soon as HmgB1 goes outside the nucleus, it acquires completely different functions, post-translational modifications, and change of its redox state. Despite a lot of evidence of the functional activity of HmgB1, there are still many issues to be solved related to the mechanisms of the influence of HmgB1 on the development and treatment of different diseases—from oncological and cardiovascular diseases to pathologies during pregnancy and childbirth. Here, we describe molecular structure of the HmgB1 protein and discuss general mechanisms of its interactions with other proteins and DNA in cell.
Signatures of the Consolidated Response of Astrocytes to Ischemic Factors In Vitro
Authors: Mitroshina Elena V. , Krivonosov Mikhail I. , Burmistrov Dmitriy E. , Savyuk Maria O. , Mishchenko Tatiana A. , Ivanchenko Mikhail V. , Vedunova Maria V.
Published: October 2020

Whether and under what conditions astrocytes can mount a collective network response has recently become one of the central questions in neurobiology. Here, we address this problem, investigating astrocytic reactions to different biochemical stimuli and ischemic-like conditions in vitro. Identifying an emergent astrocytic network is based on a novel mathematical approach that extracts calcium activity from time-lapse fluorescence imaging and estimates the connectivity of astrocytes. The developed algorithm represents the astrocytic network as an oriented graph in which the nodes correspond to separate astrocytes, and the edges indicate high dynamical correlations between astrocytic events. We demonstrate that ischemic-like conditions decrease network connectivity in primary cultures in vitro, although calcium events persist. Importantly, we found that stimulation under normal conditions with 10 µM ATP increases the number of long-range connections and the degree of corresponding correlations in calcium activity, apart from the frequency of calcium events. This result indicates that astrocytes can form a large functional network in response to certain stimuli. In the post-ischemic interval, the response to ATP stimulation is not manifested, which suggests a deep lesion in functional astrocytic networks. The blockade of Connexin 43 during ischemic modeling preserves the connectivity of astrocytes in the post-hypoxic period.
Conjugation with Methylsulfonylmethane Improves Hyaluronic Acid Anti-Inflammatory Activity in a Hydrogen Peroxide-Exposed Tenocyte Culture In Vitro Model
Authors: Oliva Francesco , Gallorini Marialucia , Antonetti Lamorgese Passeri Cristina , Gissi Clarissa , Ricci Alessia , Cataldi Amelia , Colosimo Alessia , Berardi Anna Concetta
Published: October 2020

Rotator cuff tears (RCTs) and rotator cuff disease (RCD) are important causes of disability in middle-aged individuals affected by nontraumatic shoulder dysfunctions. Our previous studies have demonstrated that four different hyaluronic acid preparations (HAPs), including Artrosulfur® hyaluronic acid (HA) (Alfakjn S.r.l., Garlasco, Italy), may exert a protective effect in human RCT-derived tendon cells undergoing oxidative stress damage. Recently, methylsulfonylmethane (MSM) (Barentz, Paderno Dugnano, Italy) has proven to have anti-inflammatory properties and to cause pain relief in patients affected by tendinopathies. This study aims at evaluating three preparations (Artrosulfur® HA, MSM, and Artrosulfur® MSM + HA) in the recovery from hydrogen peroxide-induced oxidative stress damage in human tenocyte. Cell proliferation, Lactate Dehydrogenase (LDH) release, and inducible nitric oxide synthases (iNOS) and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) modulation were investigated. In parallel, expression of metalloproteinases 2 (MMP2) and 14 (MMP14) and collagen types I and III were also examined. Results demonstrate that Artrosulfur® MSM + HA improves cell escape from oxidative stress by decreasing cytotoxicity and by reducing iNOS and PGE2 secretion. Furthermore, it differentially modulates MMP2 and MMP14 levels and enhances collagen III expression after 24 h, proteins globally related to rapid acceleration of the extracellular matrix (ECM) remodelling and thus tendon healing. By improving the anti-cytotoxic effect of HA, the supplementation of MSM may represent a feasible strategy to ameliorate cuff tendinopathies.
The Role of CASC2 and miR-21 Interplay in Glioma Malignancy and Patient Outcome
Authors: Skiriute Daina , Stakaitis Rytis , Steponaitis Giedrius , Tamasauskas Arimantas , Vaitkiene Paulina
Published: October 2020

Recently long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) were highlighted for their regulatory role in tumor biology. The novel human lncRNA cancer susceptibility candidate 2 (CASC2) has been characterized as a potential tumor suppressor in several tumor types. However, the roles of CASC2 and its interplay with miR-21 in different malignancy grade patient gliomas remain unexplored. Here we screened 99 different malignancy grade astrocytomas for CASC2, and miR-21 gene expression by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) in isocitrate dehydrogenase 1 (IDH1) and O-6-methylguanine methyltransferase (MGMT) assessed gliomas. CASC2 expression was significantly downregulated in glioblastomas (p = 0.0003). Gliomas with low CASC2 expression exhibited a high level of miR-21, which was highly associated with the higher glioma grade (p = 0.0001), IDH1 wild type gliomas (p < 0.0001), and poor patient survival (p < 0.001). Taken together, these observations suggest that CASC2 acts as a tumor suppressor and potentially as a competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) for miR-21, plays important role in IDH1 wild type glioma pathogenesis and patients’ outcomes.
A Comprehensive Analysis of MicroRNAs Expressed in Susceptible and Resistant Rice Cultivars during Rhizoctonia solani AG1-IA Infection Causing Sheath Blight Disease
Authors: Chopperla Ramakrishna , Mangrauthia Satendra K. , Bhaskar Rao Talluri , Balakrishnan Marudamuthu , Balachandran Sena Munuswamy , Prakasam Vellaisamy , Channappa Gireesh
Published: October 2020

MicroRNAs regulate plant responses to fungal infections and immunity. In this study, miRNAs were identified in six rice cultivars during a Rhizoctonia solani Kühn AG1-IA infection using a deep sequencing approach. Known and novel miRNAs were analyzed in these rice cultivars, and a set of fungal infection/immunity-associated miRNAs and target genes were quantified by reverse transcription (RT)-qPCR in six rice cultivars. Additionally, the relative expression of these miRNAs was analyzed in different time points of the infection, wild species of rice, and in response to different strains of R. solani. Osa-miR1320-5p showed preferential expression during the fungal infection in all the six rice genotypes, while Osa-miR156d, Osa-miR159b, Osa-miR820c, and Osa-miR1876 were differentially regulated in susceptible and resistant genotypes. A greater degree of downregulation of miRNAs was observed during the initial time points of infection (24–72 h), suggesting a maximum molecular activity of rice-R. solani interaction and resistance response of the host during the early phase of infection. After R. solani infection, the expression of Osa-miR820c and Osa-miR156d was downregulated in Oryza rufipogon, O. alta, O. latifolia, and O. minuta, while Osa-miR397b was downregulated in all the wild rice species except O. officinalis. This study provided comprehensive information on the repertoire of miRNAs expressed in six sheath blight disease-susceptible and resistant indica and aus rice cultivars.
Treating Senescence like Cancer: Novel Perspectives in Senotherapy of Chronic Diseases
Authors: Mongelli Alessia , Atlante Sandra , Barbi Veronica , Bachetti Tiziana , Martelli Fabio , Farsetti Antonella , Gaetano Carlo
Published: October 2020

The WHO estimated around 41 million deaths worldwide each year for age-related non-communicable chronic diseases. Hence, developing strategies to control the accumulation of cell senescence in living organisms and the overall aging process is an urgently needed problem of social relevance. During aging, many biological processes are altered, which globally induce the dysfunction of the whole organism. Cell senescence is one of the causes of this modification. Nowadays, several drugs approved for anticancer therapy have been repurposed to treat senescence, and others are under scrutiny in vitro and in vivo to establish their senomorphic or senolytic properties. In some cases, this research led to a significant increase in cell survival or to a prolonged lifespan in animal models, at least. Senomorphics can act to interfere with a specific pathway in order to restore the appropriate cellular function, preserve viability, and to prolong the lifespan. On the other hand, senolytics induce apoptosis in senescent cells allowing the remaining non–senescent population to preserve or restore tissue function. A large number of research articles and reviews recently addressed this topic. Herein, we would like to focus attention on those chemical agents with senomorphic or senolytic properties that perspectively, according to literature, suggest a potential application as senotherapeutics for chronic diseases.
Effect of Skeg on the Wave Drift Force and Directional Stability of a Barge Using Computational Fluid Dynamics
Authors: Lee Chunki , Lee Sangmin
Published: October 2020

To accurately estimate the navigation safety of a barge in still water and waves, computational fluid dynamics (CFD) was used to calculate the hydrodynamic force on the barge and simulate the flow field to comprehensively study the effect of skeg for wave drift force and directional stability of the barge. With respect to the wave drift force, the steady surge force and steady sway force are found to decrease due to the skeg effect in both short and long wavelength regions. The overall steady yaw moment tends to be reduced by the skeg. As the drift angle increased, the sway force and yaw moment also increased. The changing trend in the sway force varied with the angular velocity, depending on the installation of the skeg, and it was noted that the yaw moment value significantly increased because of the skeg. Owing to the effect of the skeg installed on the barge, the yaw damping lever became larger, while the sway damping lever became smaller regardless of waves. It was confirmed that the directional stability was improved both in still water and head waves.
Evaluation of Phenotypic and Genotypic Variations of Drug Metabolising Enzymes and Transporters in Chronic Pain Patients Facing Adverse Drug Reactions or Non-Response to Analgesics: A Retrospective Study
Authors: Rollason Victoria , Lloret-Linares Célia , Lorenzini Kuntheavy Ing , Daali Youssef , Gex-Fabry Marianne , Piguet Valérie , Besson Marie , Samer Caroline , Desmeules Jules
Published: October 2020

This retrospective study evaluates the link between an adverse drug reaction (ADR) or a non-response to treatment and cytochromes P450 (CYP), P-glycoprotein (P-gp) or catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) activity in patients taking analgesic drugs for chronic pain. Patients referred to a pain center for an ADR or a non-response to an analgesic drug between January 2005 and November 2014 were included. The genotype and/or phenotype was obtained for assessment of the CYPs, P-gp or COMT activities. The relation between the event and the result of the genotype and/or phenotype was evaluated using a semi-quantitative scale. Our analysis included 243 individual genotypic and/or phenotypic explorations. Genotypes/phenotypes were mainly assessed because of an ADR (n = 145, 59.7%), and the majority of clinical situations were observed with prodrug opioids (n = 148, 60.9%). The probability of a link between an ADR or a non-response and the genotypic/phenotypic status of the patient was evaluated as intermediate to high in 40% and 28.2% of all cases, respectively. The drugs in which the probability of an association was the strongest were the prodrug opioids, with an intermediate to high link in 45.6% of the cases for occurrence of ADRs and 36.0% of the cases for non-response. This study shows that the genotypic and phenotypic approach is useful to understand ADRs or therapeutic resistance to a usual therapeutic dosage, and can be part of the evaluation of chronic pain patients.
Mapping Conservation Management Practices and Outcomes in the Corn Belt Using the Operational Tillage Information System (OpTIS) and the Denitrification–Decomposition (DNDC) Model
Authors: Hagen Stephen C. , Delgado Grace , Ingraham Peter , Cooke Ian , Emery Richard , P. Fisk Justin , Melendy Lindsay , Olson Thomas , Patti Shawn , Rubin Nathanael , Ziniti Beth , Chen Haixin , Salas William , Elias Pipa , Gustafson David
Published: October 2020

Identifying and quantifying conservation-practice adoption in U.S. cropland is key to accurately monitoring trends in soil health regionally and nationally and informing climate change mitigation efforts. We present the results of an automated system used across 645 counties in the United States Corn Belt from 2005 to 2018, mapped at field-scale and summarized for distribution at aggregated scales. Large-scale mapping by OpTIS (Operational Tillage Information System), a software tool that analyzes remotely sensed data of agricultural land, provides trends of conservation tillage (defined as >30% residue cover), cover cropping, and crop rotations, while modeling by DNDC (Denitrification–Decomposition), a process-based model of carbon and biogeochemistry in soil, provides estimates of the ecosystem outcomes associated with the changes in management practices mapped by OpTIS. Ground-truthing data acquired via OpTIS mobile, a roadside field-surveying app, were used for verification in 30 counties. OpTIS results for the Corn Belt show adoption of cover crops after planting corn and soy increased from 1% to 3% of the mapped area when comparing 2006 to 2018. Comparison of trends for conservation tillage use from 2006 to 2018 shows a slight decrease in conservation tillage adoption, from 46% to 44%. Results from DNDC show these soils sequestered soil organic carbon (SOC) at an area-weighted mean change in SOC (dSOC) rate of 161 kgC/ha/year. Comparatively, in a scenario modeled without the adoption of soil health management practices, the same soils would have lost SOC at an area-weighted rate of −65 kgC/ha/year. As many factors affect changes to SOC, including climate and initial SOC in soils, modeling counterfactual scenarios at the field scale demonstrates outcomes of current soil health management in comparison to regional management practices and best management practices, with respect to SOC sequestration. Regional trends in adoption rates of conservation agriculture and resulting soil health implications are of great use for a wide range of stakeholders. We demonstrate the capability of OpTIS remote sensing to deliver robust, large-scale, multi-sensor, ground-verified monitoring data of current and historical adoption of conservation practices, and of DNDC process-based modeling to provide assessments of the associated environmental outcomes across regions in U.S. cropland.
Unraveling Causes and Consequences of International Retirement Migration to Coastal and Rural Areas in Mediterranean Europe
Authors: Egidi Gianluca , Quaranta Giovanni , Salvati Luca , Gambella Filippo , Mosconi Enrico Maria , Giménez Morera Antonio , Colantoni Andrea
Published: October 2020

In a context of aging, low fertility, and progressive slowdown of both internal population mobility and international migration at working age, residential mobility at older ages was regarded as an emerging phenomenon in Mediterranean Europe, a region with increasingly attractive retirement places. The present work discusses the socioeconomic processes (and the environmental impacts) associated with an increasing flow of retirees, which decide to settle from ‘Northern’ countries to Southern Europe, concentrating in coastal districts and in rural countryside. Understanding lifestyle preferences and territorial patterns of residential mobility at older ages allows a refined analysis of short- and medium-term impacts of International Retirement Migration (IRM) on population dynamics in economically growing and declining regions. A refined analysis reveals that destinations of IRM are progressively enlarging from strictly coastal places to a broader set of locations in the rural countryside. Mobility choices among retirees may jeopardize the role of spatial planning, which is increasingly asked to provide specific services for an international, elder population, e.g., stimulating re-use of abandoned rural buildings. Taken as an effective option for rural development, an improved planning and management of local districts attracting and hosting intense flows of residential mobility at older ages is urgent in the present socioeconomic context. A convenient set of policies and a refined taxation system may contribute to reconcile demographic shrinkage with local competitiveness and social cohesion.
An Analysis of Spatio-Temporal Urbanization Patterns in Northwest China
Authors: Lei Haifen , Koch Jennifer , Shi Hui
Published: October 2020

Chinese metropolitan areas have been experiencing urbanization over the past decades, impacting biodiversity, carbon emissions, urban heat islands, and food security. Yet, systematic research on spatio-temporal urbanization patterns and drivers along the urban–rural gradient is rarely reported for northwest China. Here, we use land-use data from 1980 to 2015 to explore land-use change, urbanization intensity, and drivers in northwest China. Our results display direct and indirect effects of urban expansion on farmland loss, but also spatio-temporal heterogeneity in the urbanization patterns. While the earlier years were dominated by infill and land conversion close to city centers, the later years displayed sprawling urbanization following the constraints of terrain and administrative boundaries at the cost of farmland. Our regression analysis of spatial variables found a strong relationship with urban planning factors. The spatial analysis of urbanization patterns revealed indirect land-use change on former farmland. Furthermore, we found that regional geography and historic sites considerably influenced land conversion. Overall, our findings indicate the need for sustainable planning strategies that synthesize approaches to farmland and historic site protection and consideration of regionally specific landscape characteristics.
Manuka Honey Induces Apoptosis of Epithelial Cancer Cells through Aquaporin-3 and Calcium Signaling
Authors: Martinotti Simona , Pellavio Giorgia , Patrone Mauro , Laforenza Umberto , Ranzato Elia
Published: October 2020

Honey is a natural product with a long use in traditional medicine and is well recognized to regulate different biological events. It is an important source of various biological or pharmacological molecules and, therefore, there is a strong interest to explore their properties. Evidence is growing that honey may have the potential to be an anticancer agent acting through several mechanisms. Here we observed for the first time in a cancer cell line a possible mechanism through which honey could induce an alteration in the intracellular reactive oxygen species and homeostatic balance of intracellular calcium concentration leading to cell death by apoptosis. This mechanism seems to be enhanced by manuka honey’s ability to maintain high H2O2 permeability through aquaporin-3.
6D Virtual Sensor for Wrench Estimation in Robotized Interaction Tasks Exploiting Extended Kalman Filter
Authors: Roveda Loris , Bussolan Andrea , Braghin Francesco , Piga Dario
Published: October 2020

Industrial robots are commonly used to perform interaction tasks (such as assemblies or polishing), requiring the robot to be in contact with the surrounding environment. Such environments are (partially) unknown to the robot controller. Therefore, there is the need to implement interaction controllers capable of suitably reacting to the established contacts. Although standard force controllers require force/torque measurements to close the loop, most of the industrial manipulators do not have installed force/torque sensor(s). In addition, the integration of external sensors results in additional costs and implementation effort, not affordable in many contexts/applications. To extend the use of compliant controllers to sensorless interaction control, a model-based methodology is presented in this paper for the online estimation of the interaction wrench, implementing a 6D virtual sensor. Relying on sensorless Cartesian impedance control, an Extended Kalman Filter (EKF) is proposed for the interaction wrench estimation. The described approach has been validated in simulations, taking into account four different scenarios. In addition, experimental validation has been performed employing a Franka EMIKA panda robot. A human–robot interaction scenario and an assembly task have been considered to show the capabilities of the developed EKF, which is able to perform the estimation with high bandwidth, achieving convergence with limited errors.
Design and Performance of an Elbow Assisting Mechanism
Authors: Zuccon Giacomo , Bottin Matteo , Ceccarelli Marco , Rosati Giulio
Published: October 2020

An elbow assisting device is presented as based on a cable-driven parallel mechanism with design solutions that are improvements from a previous original design. The new mechanism, ideal for domestic use, both for therapies and exercises, is characterized by low-cost, portable, easy-to-use features that are evaluated through numerical simulations and experimental tests whose results are reported with discussions.
Binding of κ-Conotoxin-PVIIA to Open and Closed Shaker K-Channels Are Differentially Affected by the Ionic Strength
Authors: Naranjo David , Díaz-Franulic Ignacio
Published: October 2020

κ-Conotoxin-PVIIA (κ-PVIIA) is a potassium-channel blocking peptide from the venom of the fish-hunting snail, Conus purpurascens, which is essential for quick prey’s excitotoxic immobilization. Binding of one κ-PVIIA to Shaker K-channels occludes the K+-conduction pore without additional conformational effects. Because this 27-residue toxin is +4-charged at neutral pH, we asked if electrostatic interactions play a role in binding. With Voltage-Clamp electrophysiology, we tested how ionic strength (IS) affects κ-PVIIA blockade to Shaker. When IS varied from ~0.06 to ~0.16 M, the dissociation constant for open and closed channels increased by ~5- and ~16-fold, respectively. While the association rates decreased equally, by ~4-fold, in open and closed channels, the dissociation rates increased 4–5-fold in closed channels but was IS-insensitive in open channels. To explain this differential IS-dependency, we propose that the bound κ-PVIIA wobbles, so that in open channels the intracellular environment, via ion-conduction pore, buffers the imposed IS-changes in the toxin-channel interface. A Brønsted-Bjerrum analysis on the rates predicts that if, instead of fish, the snail preyed on organisms with seawater-like lymph ionic composition, a severely harmless toxin, with >100-fold diminished affinity, would result. Thus, considerations of the native ionic environment are essential for conotoxins evaluation as pharmacological leads.
Proteinuria and Bilirubinuria as Potential Risk Indicators of Acute Kidney Injury during Running in Outpatient Settings
Authors: Rojas-Valverde Daniel , Olcina Guillermo , Sánchez-Ureña Braulio , Pino-Ortega José , Martínez-Guardado Ismael , Timón Rafael
Published: October 2020

Background and objectives: The purpose of this study was to explore which urinary markers could indicate acute kidney injury (AKI) during prolonged trail running in outpatient settings. Materials and Methods: Twenty-nine experienced trail runners (age 39.1 ± 8.8 years, weight 71.9 ± 11 kg, height 171.9 ± 8.3 cm) completed a 35 km event (cumulative positive ascend of 1815 m, altitude = 906 to 1178 m.a.s.l.) under a temperature of 25.52 ± 1.98 °C and humidity of 79.25 ± 7.45%). Two participant groups (AKI = 17 and No-AKI = 12) were made according to AKI diagnosis criteria based on pre- and post-race values of serum creatinine (sCr) (an increase of 1.5 times from baseline). Blood and urinalysis were performed immediately pre- and post-race. Results: Pre- vs. post-race differences in sCr and sBUN were found in both AKI and No-AKI groups (p < 0.01). Differences in post-race values were found between groups (p = 0.03). A total of 52% of AKI runners presented significant increases in proteinuria (χ2 = 0.94, p = 0.01) and 47% in bilirubinuria (χ2 = 0.94, p = 0.04). Conversely, No-AKI participants presented no significant increases in urine markers. Conclusions: These study’s findings may suggest the potential use of urinalysis as an accessible alternative in the outpatient setting to early identify transitional AKI until a clinical confirmation is performed.
Selection of Immunobiotic Ligilactobacillus salivarius Strains from the Intestinal Tract of Wakame-Fed Pigs: Functional and Genomic Studies
Authors: Zhou Binghui , Albarracin Leonardo , Indo Yuhki , Arce Lorena , Masumizu Yuki , Tomokiyo Mikado , Islam Md. Aminul , Garcia-Castillo Valeria , Ikeda-Ohtsubo Wakako , Nochi Tomonori , Morita Hidetoshi , Takahashi Hideki , Kurata Shoichiro , Villena Julio , Kitazawa Haruki
Published: October 2020

In this article, Ligilactobacillus salivarius FFIG strains, isolated from the intestinal tract of wakame-fed pigs, are characterized according to their potential probiotic properties. Strains were evaluated by studying their interaction with porcine intestinal epithelial (PIE) cells in terms of their ability to regulate toll-like receptor (TLR)-3- or TLR4-mediated innate immune responses, as well as by assessing their adhesion capabilities to porcine epithelial cells and mucins. These functional studies were complemented with comparative genomic evaluations using the complete genome sequences of porcine L. salivarius strains selected from subgroups that demonstrated different “immune” and “adhesion” phenotypes. We found that their immunomodulatory and adhesion capabilities are a strain-dependent characteristic. Our analysis indicated that the differential immunomodulatory and adhesive activities of FFIG strains would be dependent on the combination of several surface structures acting simultaneously, which include peptidoglycan, exopolysaccharides, lipoteichoic acid, and adhesins. Of note, our results indicate that there is no correlation between the immunomodulatory capacity of the strains with their adhesion ability to mucins and epithelial cells. Therefore, in the selection of strains destined to colonize the intestinal mucosa and modulate the immunity of the host, both properties must be adequately evaluated. Interestingly, we showed that L. salivarius FFIG58 functionally modulated the innate immune responses triggered by TLR3 and TLR4 activation in PIE cells and efficiently adhered to these cells. Moreover, the FFIG58 strain was capable of reducing rotavirus replication in PIE cells. Therefore, L. salivarius FFIG58 is a good candidate for further in vivo studying the protective effect of lactobacilli against intestinal infections in the porcine host. We also reported and analyzed, for the first time, the complete genome of several L. salivarius strains that were isolated from the intestine of pigs after the selective pressure of feeding the animals with wakame. Further genomic analysis could be of value to reveal the metabolic characteristics and potential of the FFIG strains in general and of the FFIG58 strain, in particular, relating to wakame by-products assimilation.
Probiotics Treatment Improves Hippocampal Dependent Cognition in a Rodent Model of Parkinson’s Disease
Authors: Xie Caroline , Prasad Asheeta A.
Published: October 2020

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a neurological disorder with motor dysfunction and a number of psychiatric symptoms. Symptoms such as anxiety and cognitive deficits emerge prior to motor symptoms and persist over time. There are limited treatments targeting PD psychiatric symptoms. Emerging studies reveal that the gut microbe is altered in PD patients. Here we assessed the effect of a probiotic treatment in a rat model of PD. We used the neurotoxin (6-hydroxydopamine, 6-OHDA) in a preclinical PD model to examine the impact of a probiotic treatment (Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus HA-114) on anxiety and memory. Rats underwent either sham surgery or received 6-OHDA bilaterally into the striatum. Three weeks post-surgery, rats were divided into three experimental groups: a sham group that received probiotics, a 6-OHDA group that received probiotics, and the third group of 6-OHDA received the placebo formula. All rats had access to either placebo or probiotics formula for 6 weeks. All groups were assessed for anxiety-like behaviour using the elevated plus maze. Cognition was assessed for both non-hippocampal and hippocampal dependent tasks using the novel object recognition and novel place recognition. We report that the 6-OHDA lesion induced anxiety-like behaviour and deficits in hippocampal dependent cognition. Interestingly, the probiotics treatment had no impact on anxiety-like behaviour but selectively improved hippocampal dependent cognition deficits. Together, the results presented here highlight the utility of animal models in examining the neuropsychiatric symptoms of PD and the potential of probiotics as adjunctive treatment for non-motor symptoms of PD.
The Bacterial Microbiome in the Small Intestine of Hooded Seals (Cystophora cristata)
Authors: Acquarone Mario , Salgado-Flores Alejandro , Sundset Monica Alterskjær
Published: October 2020

Arctic hooded seals (Cystophora cristata) are monogastric carnivores that go through extreme fasting and re-feeding in early life. They are born isolated on sea ice; suckle high-fat milk for four days and may then fast for up to one month before they start hunting and feeding on small prey (fish and crustaceans). Previous studies of the gut microbiota in pinnipeds have focused on the large intestine, while little data exist on the small intestinal microbiota. In this study, the bacterial microbiome in the proximal and distal small intestine of four captive two-year old seals (two males and two females) fed herring (Clupea harengus) was sampled post-mortem and characterized using 16S rRNA metabarcoding from the V1–V3 hypervariable region of the 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) genes. The seals were originally born in the wild and taken into human care at the end of the suckling period. Molecular-based analysis using Illumina Hiseq resulted in 569,910 16S rRNA sequences from the four seals (both sampling sites together). Taxonomical classification applying a naive Bayesian algorithm gave 412 Operational Taxonomic Units (OTUs). Firmicutes was the major phylum across samples (Proximal (P): 90.5% of total sequences, on average; Distal (D): 94.5%), followed by Actinobacteria (P: 7%; D: 0.3%) and Proteobacteria (P: 1.7%; D: 1.9%). Bacterial spp. belonging to the Clostridium (P: 54.1%; D: 41.6%) and SMB53 (P: 15.3%; D: 21.5%) constituted the major genera in both the proximal and distal small intestine. Furthermore, comparison with hindgut and fecal samples from geographically diverse marine mammals highlighted similarities in the microbiome between our seals and those sharing similar aquatic environments. This study has provided a first reliable glimpse of the bacterial microbiota in the small intestine microbiome of hooded seals.
Cryptosporidium and Colon Cancer: Cause or Consequence?
Authors: Sawant Manasi , Baydoun Martha , Creusy Colette , Chabé Magali , Viscogliosi Eric , Certad Gabriela , Benamrouz-Vanneste Sadia
Published: October 2020

The number of cancers attributable to infectious agents represents over 20% of the global cancer burden. The apicomplexan intracellular parasite Cryptosporidium is currently considered one of the major causes of mild and severe diarrhea worldwide. However, less attention has been paid to its tumorigenic potential despite the high exposure of humans and animals to this ubiquitous parasite. Herein, we discuss the potential causal link between Cryptosporidium infection and digestive cancer, with particular emphasis on colon cancer, based on increasing clinical, epidemiological and experimental pieces of evidence supporting this association. In addition, we highlight the current knowledge about the potential mechanisms by which this parasite may contribute to cell transformation and parasite-induced cancer.
Oxygen Content-Controllable Synthesis of Non-Stoichiometric Silicon Suboxide Nanoparticles by Electrochemical Anodization
Authors: Lee Jaewoo , Lee Sang Yoon , Jeong Heon Yong , Cho Sung Oh
Published: October 2020

A facile route to producing non-stoichiometric silicon suboxide nanoparticles (SiOx NPs, 0 < x < 1) with an adjustable oxygen content is proposed. The process is based on electrochemical anodization involving the application of a strong electric field near the surface of a Si electrode to directly convert the Si electrode into SiOx NPs. The difference in ion mobility between oxygen species (O2− and OH−), formed during anodization, causes the production of non-stoichiometric SiOx on the surface of the Si while, simultaneously, fluoride ions in the electrolyte solution etch the formed SiOx layer, generating NPs under the intense electric field. The adjustment of the applied voltage and anodization temperature alters the oxygen content and the size of the SiOx NPs, respectively, allowing the characteristics of the NPs to be readily controlled. The proposed approach can be applied for mass production of SiOx NPs and is highly promising in the field of batteries and optoelectronics.
Monitoring of PM2.5 Concentrations by Learning from Multi-Weather Sensors
Authors: Wang Yuexia , Xu Zhihuo
Published: October 2020

This paper aims to monitor the ambient level of particulate matter less than 2.5 μm (PM2.5) by learning from multi-weather sensors. Over the past decade, China has established a high-density network of automatic weather stations. In contrast, the number of PM monitors is much smaller than the number of weather stations. Since the haze process is closely related to the variation of meteorological parameters, it is possible and promising to calculate the concentration of PM2.5 by studying the data from weather sensors. Here, we use three machine learning methods, namely multivariate linear regression, multivariate nonlinear regression, and neural network, in order to monitor PM2.5 by exploring the data of multi-weather sensors. The results show that the multivariate linear regression method has the root mean square error (RMSE) of 24.6756 μg/m3 with a correlation coefficient of 0.6281, by referring to the ground truth of PM2.5 time series data; and the multivariate nonlinear regression method has the RMSE of 24.9191 μg/m3 with a correlation coefficient of 0.6184, while the neural network based method has the best performance, of which the RMSE of PM2.5 estimates is 15.6391 μg/m3 with the correlation coefficient of 0.8701.
Deep Neural Network for Visual Stimulus-Based Reaction Time Estimation Using the Periodogram of Single-Trial EEG
Authors: Chowdhury Mohammad Samin Nur , Dutta Arindam , Robison Matthew Kyle , Blais Chris , Brewer Gene Arnold , Bliss Daniel Wesley
Published: October 2020

Multiplexed deep neural networks (DNN) have engendered high-performance predictive models gaining popularity for decoding brain waves, extensively collected in the form of electroencephalogram (EEG) signals. In this paper, to the best of our knowledge, we introduce a first-ever DNN-based generalized approach to estimate reaction time (RT) using the periodogram representation of single-trial EEG in a visual stimulus-response experiment with 48 participants. We have designed a Fully Connected Neural Network (FCNN) and a Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) to predict and classify RTs for each trial. Though deep neural networks are widely known for classification applications, cascading FCNN/CNN with the Random Forest model, we designed a robust regression-based estimator to predict RT. With the FCNN model, the accuracies obtained for binary and 3-class classification were 93% and 76%, respectively, which further improved with the use of CNN (94% and 78%, respectively). The regression-based approach predicted RTs with correlation coefficients (CC) of 0.78 and 0.80 for FCNN and CNN, respectively. Investigating further, we found that the left central as well as parietal and occipital lobes were crucial for predicting RT, with significant activities in the theta and alpha frequency bands.
Correction: Huang, E.J., and Onnela, J.P. Augmented Movelet Method for Activity Classification Using Smartphone Gyroscope and Accelerometer Data. Sensors 2020, 20(13), 3706
Authors: Huang Emily J. , Onnela Jukka-Pekka
Published: October 2020

The authors wish to make the following corrections to this paper [...]