bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Chemical, Functional, and Technological Features of Grains, Brans, and Semolina from Purple and Red Durum Wheat Landraces
Authors: Ladhari Afef , Corrado Giandomenico , Rouphael Youssef , Carella Francesca , Nappo Giuseppina Rita , Di Marino Cinzia , De Marco Anna , Palatucci Domenico
Published: May 2022

A main reason of the increasing interest in cereal landraces is their potential to offer more diversified and functional staple food. For instance, landraces are an underexploited resource of pigmented varieties, appreciated for the high accumulation of phytochemicals with known health benefits. This study characterized the chemical, functional, and technological features of the bran, semolina, and grains of two durum wheat (Triticum turgidum L. subsp. durum, Desf.) landraces, named ‘Purple’ and ‘Red’ for their grain color, collected in Ethiopia and grown and sold in southern Italy as a niche product. Specifically, we analyzed the protein content, dry gluten, ash, total polyphenols, anthocyanins, proanthocyanidins, and specific phenolic acids. We also evaluated the antioxidant activity using DPPH- and ABTS-based methods. The two landraces had positive nutritional features, such as a high protein content, a rich and composite range of secondary metabolites (which include specific phenolic acids and anthocyanins), and antioxidant activities in all the fractions analyzed. The germplasm under investigation therefore has a well-justified potential to yield functional products and to diversify durum wheat-based foods.
Glochidion wallichianum Leaf Extract as a Natural Antioxidant in Sausage Model System
Authors: Wongnen Chantira , Ruzzama Naiya , Chaijan Manat , Cheong Ling-Zhi , Panpipat Worawan
Published: May 2022

This study highlighted the role of an 80% ethanolic Mon-Pu (Glochidion wallichianum) leaf extract (MPE), a novel natural antioxidative ingredient, in controlling the oxidative stability and physicochemical properties of a cooked sausage model system (SMS). MPE had a total extractable phenolic content of 16 mg/100 g, with DPPH● scavenging activity, ABTS●+ scavenging activity, and ferric reducing antioxidant power of 2.3, 1.9, and 1.2 mmole Trolox equivalents (TE)/g, respectively. The effects of different concentrations of MPE (0.01–10%, w/w) formulated into SMS on lipid oxidation, protein oxidation, and discoloration were compared to synthetic butylated hydroxyl toluene (BHT; 0.003%, w/w) and a control (without antioxidant). The peroxide value (PV), thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), and protein carbonyl contents of SMS tended to increase with increasing MPE concentration (p < 0.05), indicating that high MPE excipient has a pro-oxidative effect. The lowest lipid oxidation (PV and TBARS) and protein carbonyl contents were observed when 0.01% MPE was used to treat SMS (p < 0.05), which was comparable or even greater than BHT-treated SMS. High concentrations (1–10%) of MPE incorporation led to increases in the discoloration of SMS (p < 0.05) with a negligible change in pH of SMS. The water exudate was reduced when MPE was incorporated into SMS compared to control (p < 0.05). Furthermore, MPE at 0.01% significantly reduced lipid oxidation in cooked EMS during refrigerated storage. According to the findings, a low amount of MPE, particularly at 0.01%, in a formulation could potentially maintain the oxidative stability and physicochemical qualities of cooked SMS that are comparable to or better than synthetic BHT.
Development of a Highly Sensitive and Specific ic-ELISA and Lateral Flow Immunoassay for Diacetoxyscirpenol
Authors: Shao Shibei , Shang Wenhua , Bai Yuchen , Dou Leina , Zhang Suxia , Shen Jianzhong , Wang Zhanhui , Wen Kai
Published: May 2022

To monitor the contamination of a type A trichothecene, diacetoxyscirpenol (DAS), one monoclonal antibody (mAb) 8A9 with high affinity and specificity was prepared in the present study. The mAb 8A9 showed a 50% inhibition concentration (IC50) of 0.31 μg/L, which is of the highest affinity reported to date. An indirect competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ic-ELISA) and lateral flow immunoassay (LFIA) based on mAb 8A9 were developed and exhibited limits of detection as low as 0.65 μg/kg and 100 μg/kg in rice samples, respectively. The molecular recognition mechanism of mAb 8A9 to DAS was explored by molecular docking. The results showed that the hydrophobic amino acids of mAb 8A9 interacted with DAS by forming hydrogen bonds and a pi-sigma bond, which lead to a highly specific recognition of DAS. In summary, we produced one mAb, developed ELISA and LFIA for DAS detection in rice with significantly sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, and precision.
Pulsed Electric Field: Fundamentals and Effects on the Structural and Techno-Functional Properties of Dairy and Plant Proteins
Authors: Taha Ahmed , Casanova Federico , Šimonis Povilas , Stankevič Voitech , Gomaa Mohamed A. E. , Stirkė Arūnas
Published: May 2022

Dairy and plant-based proteins are widely utilized in various food applications. Several techniques have been employed to improve the techno-functional properties of these proteins. Among them, pulsed electric field (PEF) technology has recently attracted considerable attention as a green technology to enhance the functional properties of food proteins. In this review, we briefly explain the fundamentals of PEF devices, their components, and pulse generation and discuss the impacts of PEF treatment on the structure of dairy and plant proteins. In addition, we cover the PEF-induced changes in the techno-functional properties of proteins (including solubility, gelling, emulsifying, and foaming properties). In this work, we also discuss the main challenges and the possible future trends of PEF applications in the food proteins industry. PEF treatments at high strengths could change the structure of proteins. The PEF treatment conditions markedly affect the treatment results with respect to proteins’ structure and techno-functional properties. Moreover, increasing the electric field strength could enhance the emulsifying properties of proteins and protein-polysaccharide complexes. However, more research and academia–industry collaboration are recommended to build highly effective PEF devices with controlled processing conditions.
Anti-Freezing, Non-Drying, Localized Stiffening, and Shape-Morphing Organohydrogels
Authors: Shen Jiayan , Du Shutong , Xu Ziyao , Gan Tiansheng , Handschuh-Wang Stephan , Zhang Xueli
Published: May 2022

Artificial shape-morphing hydrogels are emerging toward various applications, spanning from electronic skins to healthcare. However, the low freezing and drying tolerance of hydrogels hinder their practical applications in challenging environments, such as subzero temperatures and arid conditions. Herein, we report on a shape-morphing system of tough organohydrogels enabled by the spatially encoded rigid structures and its applications in conformal packaging of “island–bridge” stretchable electronics. To validate this method, programmable shape morphing of Fe (III) ion-stiffened Ca-alginate/polyacrylamide (PAAm) tough organohydrogels down to −50 °C, with long-term preservation of their 3D shapes at arid or even vacuum conditions, was successfully demonstrated, respectively. To further illustrate the potency of this approach, the as-made organohydrogels were employed as a material for the conformal packaging of non-stretchable rigid electronic components and highly stretchable liquid metal (galinstan) conductors, forming a so-called “island–bridge” stretchable circuit. The conformal packaging well addresses the mechanical mismatch between components with different elastic moduli. As such, the as-made stretchable shape-morphing device exhibits a remarkably high mechanical durability that can withstand strains as high as 1000% and possesses long-term stability required for applications under challenging conditions.
Efficacy of Direct or Indirect Use of Probiotics for the Improvement of Maternal Depression during Pregnancy and in the Postnatal Period: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Trifkovič Klavdija Čuček , Mičetić-Turk Dušanka , Kmetec Sergej , Strauss Maja , Dahlen Hannah G. , Foster Jann P. , Fijan Sabina
Published: May 2022

The mother and infant form a unique bond, with maternal mental health affecting the interactions with the infant and infant behaviours impacting maternal mental health. One of the possible mechanisms influencing maternal mental health is the manipulation of the gut-brain axis by consuming probiotic supplements. Probiotics can also have an indirect influence on maternal mental health via the modulation of the infant microbiome and consequently improving the infant’s health and thus, indirectly leading to an improvement in maternal mood. This systematic review evaluated the efficacy of probiotics on maternal mental health by searching for randomised controlled trials via international databases: Cochrane Library, PubMed, Scopus, ScienceDirect, and Web of Science until January 2022. A meta-analysis was performed using the Cochrane Collaboration methodology where possible. We found seven clinical trials that included the word probiotics and addressed maternal depression and/or anxiety. Of these, five trials investigated the influence of maternal probiotic supplementation on the gut-brain axis. Two trials investigated the indirect influence of probiotics on maternal depression via supplementation of probiotics by infants and subsequent influence on the crying of colicky infants. Meta-analysis of two studies of pregnant and postnatal women and two studies of infants consuming probiotics on the outcome of the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale for mothers showed no statistical difference. The findings indicate that maternal depression is very complex and is influenced by various bidirectional factors. One of the factors that can improve maternal mental health is probiotics, however, careful consideration must be given to correct strain selection as strain-specific effectiveness was observed. Further well-designed, robust clinical studies are warranted.
The Role of Different Behavioral and Psychosocial Factors in the Context of Pharmaceutical Cognitive Enhancers’ Misuse
Authors: Tomažič Tina , Čelofiga Anita Kovačič
Published: May 2022

In an effort for better memory, greater motivation, and concentration, otherwise healthy individuals use pharmaceutical cognitive enhancers (PCEs), medicines for the treatment of cognitive deficits of patients with various disorders and health problems, to achieve greater productivity, efficiency, and performance. We examined the use of PCEs among 289 students at the Slovenian Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science in the behavioral and psychosocial context (students’ attitudes towards study, parents, health, leisure time, and work). Furthermore, we also addressed the immediate reasons, or the hypothesized connections of behavioral and psychosocial aspects, related to PCE misuse. The study consisted of a structured questionnaire, and chi-squared tests were used. An analysis of student statements revealed differences in students’ and parents’ attitudes toward good academic grades. In addition, students chose among 17 values related to relationships with parents, friends, partners, careers, study obligations, leisure, hobbies, material goods, appearance, and the future, and assessed their importance. Regardless of the group they belonged to, young people cited the same values among the most important. Good grades and parental opinions have proven to be key factors in the context of PCE abuse. This research was the first study to examine the relation between PCE misuse and the role of different behavioral and psychosocial factors.
Effect of Harvesting in Different Ripening Stages on the Content of the Mineral Elements of Rosehip (Rosa spp.) Fruit Flesh
Authors: Medveckienė Brigita , Kulaitienė Jurgita , Vaitkevičienė Nijolė , Levickienė Dovilė , Bunevičienė Kristina
Published: May 2022

Studies on the mineral content of different rosehip species/cultivars during the ripening period are very limited. Therefore, the objective of this research was to evaluate the content and composition of the mineral elements of two species and two rosehip cultivars growing on an organic farm. The rosehip fruits were harvested at different ripening stages, five time per season. Mineral composition (K, Ca, Mg, P, Fe, Na, Ti, Cu, B, Mn, Al, Zn, Cr, Co, Ni, As, Mo, Cd and Pb) was analyzed by means inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP–MS). The results showed that the ripening stage and species/cultivars had an effect on the contents of the mineral elements. Significantly, the highest content of mineral elements was determined at ripening stage I (Ca, Mg, Ti, Mn, Al and Cr) and IV (K, P, Fe, Cu and B). Species of the Rosa canina accumulated the highest content of mineral elements. Correlation analysis showed that the hue angle had a positive and very strong relationship with six mineral elements: K (r = 0.909), Ca (r = 0.962), Mg (r = 0.965), P (r = 0.945), Fe (r = 0.929) and Ti (r = 0.944).
Involvement of Organic Acid in the Control Mechanism of ε-Poly-L-lysine (ε-PL) on Blue Mold Caused by Penicillium expansum in Apple Fruits
Authors: Li Youyuan , Jiao Wenxiao , Du Yamin , Wang Min , Fu Maorun
Published: May 2022

Blue mold is one of the most serious postharvest diseases in apples caused by Penicillium expansum. The purpose of this study is to determine the effect of ε-poly-L-lysine (ε-PL) on the pathogenicity of P. expansum and explore the potential mechanism from the perspective of organic acid. The study investigates the effect of ε-PL treatment on the growth and acid production of P. expansum in vitro and in vivo. When the concentration of ε-PL was 50 mg/L, the growth of P. expansum was inhibited and the decrease in pH value was delayed in the medium. For example, on the third day of culture, P. expansum reduced the pH of the medium from 6.1 to 4.15, and ε-PL inhibited the decrease in the pH value at most 34.4%. When the concentration reached 1000 or 2000 mg/L, the infection of P. expansum in fruits was effectively inhibited. During the growth and infection of P. expansum, gluconic acid is one of the main factors leading to the pH value falling in the local environment. After ε-PL treatment, the accumulation of gluconic acid decreased, the activity of glucose oxidase was suppressed, and then the decline in the local environmental pH slowed down. In addition, after ε-PL treatment, the activities of cell-wall-degrading enzymes, such as cellulase (CL) and polygalacturonase (PG), in the different areas of the P. expansum–apple interaction were also affected by pH change. The results show that ε-PL inhibited the pathogenicity of P. expansum by affecting the accumulation of gluconic acid and slowing the decline in pH in fruit tissues, so as to affect the pathogenicity of P. expansum. This is the first time that the mechanism of ε-PL interfering with the pathogenicity of P. expansum from the perspective of organic acids is clarified.
Snowpack Aging, Water Isotope Evolution, and Runoff Isotope Signals, Palouse Range, Idaho, USA
Authors: Langman Jeff B. , Martin Julianna , Gaddy Ethan , Boll Jan , Behrens David
Published: May 2022

A snowpack’s δ2H and δ18O values evolve with snowfall, sublimation, evaporation, and melt, which produces temporally variable snowpack, snowmelt, and runoff isotope signals. As a snowpack ages, the relatively depleted δ2H and δ18O values of snow will become less depleted with sublimation and evaporation, and the internal distribution of isotope signals is altered with melt moving through and out of the snowpack. An examination of δ2H and δ18O values for snowpack, snowmelt, and ephemeral creek water in the Palouse Range of northern Idaho indicated an evolution from variably depleted snowpack to enriched snowmelt and relatively consistent isotope signals in springtime ephemeral creeks. Within the primary snow band of the mountain range and during the winter–spring period of 2019–2020, the snowpack had an isotope range of −130 to −75‰ for δ2H and −18 to −10.5‰ for δ18O with resulting snowmelt values of −120 to −90‰ for δ2H and −16.5 to −12.5‰ for δ18O. With runoff of snowmelt to ephemeral creeks, the isotope values compressed to −107 to −104‰ for δ2H and −15.5 to −14.5‰ for δ18O. Aging of the snowpack produced increasing densities in the base, middle, and upper layers along with a corresponding enrichment of isotope values. The highest elevation site indicated the least enrichment of δ2H and δ18O in the snowpack base layer, and the lowest elevation site indicated the strongest enrichment of δ2H and δ18O in the snowpack base layer. Deuterium excess decreased with snowpack aging processes of accumulation and melt release, along with the migration of water vapor and snowmelt within the snowpack. It is likely that winter melt (early depleted signal) is a primary contributor to creeks and groundwater along the Palouse Range, but the strong variability of snowpack isotope signals provides a wide range of possible isotope signals to surface-water and groundwater systems at the mountain front.
Population Fitness of Eupeodes corollae Fabricius (Diptera: Syrphidae) Feeding on Different Species of Aphids
Authors: Jiang Shanshan , Li Hui , He Limei , Wu Kongming
Published: May 2022

Eupeodes corollae Fabricius, as one of the most common beneficial predatory insects in agricultural ecosystems, provides pollination and biological control services that help improve crop yield and maintain biodiversity. However, systematic research is needed on the species of aphids used for propagation. To develop highly fit populations of the important insect predator and crop pollinator, E. corollae, for research and commercial use, further research is needed to develop the most nutritious diet and efficient propagation methods. Here, the fitness of E. corollae was assessed in the laboratory after larvae were fed an aphid diet of Aphis craccivora Koch, Myzus persicae Sulzer or Megoura japonica Matsumura. The larval survival rate on M. japonica was significantly lower than on A. craccivora and M. persicae. The developmental duration for larvae (7.6 d) and pupae (6.9 d) was longest on A. craccivora. The pupal emergence rate on A. craccivora (98.0%) was significantly higher than on the other two, and lowest (64.7%) on M. japonica. On A. craccivora, M. persicae, and M. japonica, respectively, the generation time was 24.85 d, 23.12 d and 21.05 d; the value for the intrinsic rate of natural increase was 0.19, 0.20, and 0.21; and the value for the finite rate of increase was 1.21, 1.22, and 1.23. For flight variables, E. corollae attained the fastest velocity and longest distance and duration on M. japonica. The M. japonica diet, thus, provided the shortest generation time, the highest intrinsic rate of natural increase and finite rate of increase, the maximum fecundity and the greatest flight ability. Thus, to improve the survival rate of E. corollae larvae, A. craccivora or M. persicae can be used to feed newly hatched larvae, and M. japonica can be used for second- and third-instar larvae. These results provide a theoretical basis for feeding E. corollae and optimizing its ecosystem services.
Real-Time Feeding Behavior Monitoring by Electrical Penetration Graph Rapidly Reveals Host Plant Susceptibility to Crapemyrtle Bark Scale (Hemiptera: Eriococcidae)
Authors: Wu Bin , Chun Elizabeth , Xie Runshi , Knox Gary W. , Gu Mengmeng , Qin Hongmin
Published: May 2022

Host range confirmation of invasive hemipterans relies on the evaluation of plant susceptibility though greenhouse or field trials, which are inefficient and time-consuming. When the green industry faces the fast-spreading threat of invasive pests such as crapemyrtle bark scale (Acanthococcus lagerstroemiae), it is imperative to timely identify potential host plants and evaluate plant resistance/susceptibility to pest infestation. In this study, we developed an alternative technology to complement the conventional host confirmation methods. We used electrical penetration graph (EPG) based technology to monitor the A. lagerstroemiae stylet-tip position when it was probing in different plant tissues in real-time. The frequency and relative amplitude of insect EPG waveforms were extracted by an R programming-based software written to generate eleven EPG parameters for comparative analysis between plant species. The results demonstrated that the occurrences of phloem phase and xylem phase offered conclusive evidence for host plant evaluation. Furthermore, parameters including the percentage of insects capable of accessing phloem tissue, time duration spent on initiating phloem phase and ingesting phloem sap, provided insight into why host plant susceptibility differs among similar plant species. In summary, this study developed a novel real-time diagnostic tool for quick A. lagerstroemiae host confirmation, which laid the essential foundation for effective pest management.
Assessing the Effects of Ocean Warming and Acidification on the Seagrass Thalassia hemprichii
Authors: Liu Pi-Jen , Chang Hong-Fong , Mayfield Anderson B. , Lin Hsing-Juh
Published: May 2022

Seagrass beds serve as important carbon sinks, and it is thought that increasing the quantity and quality of such sinks could help to slow the rate of global climate change. Therefore, it will be important to (1) gain a better understanding of seagrass bed metabolism and (2) document how these high-productivity ecosystems are impacted by climate change-associated factors, such as ocean acidification (OA) and ocean warming (OW). A mesocosm-based approach was taken herein in which a tropical, Western Pacific seagrass species Thalassia hemprichii was cultured under either control or OA-simulating conditions; the temperature was gradually increased from 25 to 31 °C for both CO2 enrichment treatments, and it was hypothesized that this species would respond positively to OA and elevated temperature. After 12 weeks of exposure, OA (~1200 ppm) led to (1) increases in underground biomass and root C:N ratios and (2) decreases in root nitrogen content. Rising temperatures (25 to 31 °C) increased the maximum quantum yield of photosystem II (Fv:Fm), productivity, leaf growth rate, decomposition rate, and carbon sequestration, but decreased the rate of shoot density increase and the carbon content of the leaves; this indicates that warming alone does not increase the short-term carbon sink capacity of this seagrass species. Under high CO2 and the highest temperature employed (31 °C), this seagrass demonstrated its highest productivity, Fv:Fm, leaf growth rate, and carbon sequestration. Collectively, then, it appears that high CO2 levels offset the negative effects of high temperature on this seagrass species. Whether this pattern is maintained at temperatures that actually induce marked seagrass stress (likely beginning at 33–34 °C in Southern Taiwan) should be the focus of future research.
Use of Hybrid Causal Logic Method for Preliminary Hazard Analysis of Maritime Autonomous Surface Ships
Authors: Zhang Di , Han Zhepeng , Zhang Kai , Zhang Jinfen , Zhang Mingyang , Zhang Fan
Published: May 2022

Recently, the safety issue of maritime autonomous surface ships (MASS) has become a hot topic. Preliminary hazard analysis of MASS can assist autonomous ship design and ensure safe and reliable operation. However, since MASS technology is still at its early stage, there are not enough data for comprehensive hazard analysis. Hence, this paper attempts to combine conventional ship data and MASS experiments to conduct a preliminary hazard analysis for autonomy level III MASS using the hybrid causal logic (HCL) method. Firstly, the hazardous scenario of autonomy level III MASS is developed using the event sequence diagram (ESD). Furthermore, the fault tree (FT) method is utilized to analyze mechanical events in ESD. The events involving human factors and related to MASS in the ESD are analyzed using Bayesian Belief Network (BBN). Finally, the accident probability of autonomy level III MASS is calculated in practice through historical data and a test ship with both an autonomous and a remote navigation mode in Wuhan and Nanjing, China. Moreover, the key influence factors are found, and the accident-causing event chains are identified, thus providing a reference for MASS design and safety assessment process. This process is applied to the preliminary hazard analysis of the test ship.
Functional Analysis of the Plasma Membrane H+-ATPases of Ustilago maydis
Authors: Vázquez-Carrada Melissa , Feldbrügge Michael , Olicón-Hernández Dario Rafael , Guerra-Sánchez Guadalupe , Pardo Juan Pablo
Published: May 2022

Plasma membrane H+-ATPases of fungi, yeasts, and plants act as proton pumps to generate an electrochemical gradient, which is essential for secondary transport and intracellular pH maintenance. Saccharomyces cerevisiae has two genes (PMA1 and PMA2) encoding H+-ATPases. In contrast, plants have a larger number of genes for H+-ATPases. In Ustilago maydis, a biotrophic basidiomycete that infects corn and teosinte, the presence of two H+-ATPase-encoding genes has been described, one with high identity to the fungal enzymes (pma1, UMAG_02851), and the other similar to the plant H+-ATPases (pma2, UMAG_01205). Unlike S. cerevisiae, these two genes are expressed jointly in U. maydis sporidia. In the present work, mutants lacking one of these genes (Δpma1 and Δpma2) were used to characterize the role of each one of these enzymes in U. maydis physiology and to obtain some of their kinetic parameters. To approach this goal, classical biochemical assays were performed. The absence of any of these H+-ATPases did not affect the growth or fungal basal metabolism. Membrane potential tests showed that the activity of a single H+-ATPase was enough to maintain the proton-motive force. Our results indicated that in U. maydis, both H+-ATPases work jointly in the generation of the electrochemical proton gradient, which is important for secondary transport of metabolites and regulation of intracellular pH.
Characterization of the Largest Secretory Protein Family, Ricin B Lectin-like Protein, in Nosema bombycis: Insights into Microsporidian Adaptation to Host
Authors: Xu Jinzhi , Luo Jian , Chen Jiajing , Vossbrinck Charles R. , Li Tian , Zhou Zeyang
Published: May 2022

Microsporidia are a group of obligate intracellular pathogens infecting nearly all animal phyla. The microsporidian Nosema bombycis has been isolated from several lepidopteran species, including the economy-important silkworms as well as several crop pests. Proteins secreted by parasites can be important virulent factors in modulating host pathways. Ricin is a two-chain lectin best known for its extreme vertebrate toxicity. Ricin B lectin-like proteins are widely distributed in microsporidia, especially in N. bombycis. In this study, we identify 52 Ricin B lectin-like proteins (RBLs) in N. bombycis. We show that the N. bombycis RBLs (NbRBLs) are classified into four subfamilies. The subfamily 1 was the most conserved, with all members having a Ricin B lectin domain and most members containing a signal peptide. The other three subfamilies were less conserved, and even lost the Ricin B lectin domain, suggesting that NbRBLs might be a multi-functional family. Our study here indicated that the NbRBL family had evolved by producing tandem duplications firstly and then expanded by segmental duplications, resulting in concentrated localizations mainly in three genomic regions. Moreover, based on RNA-seq data, we found that several Nbrbls were highly expressed during infection. Further, the results show that the NbRBL28 was secreted into host nucleus, where it promotes the expressions of genes involved in cell cycle progression. In summary, the great copy number, high divergence, and concentrated genome distribution of the NbRBLs demonstrated that these proteins might be adaptively evolved and played a vital role in the multi-host N. bombycis.
UvKmt2-Mediated H3K4 Trimethylation Is Required for Pathogenicity and Stress Response in Ustilaginoidea virens
Authors: Meng Shuai , Shi Huanbin , Lin Chuyu , Wu Zhongling , Lin Fucheng , Tao Zeng , Kou Yanjun
Published: May 2022

Epigenetic modification is important for cellular functions. Trimethylation of histone H3 lysine 4 (H3K4me3), which associates with transcriptional activation, is one of the important epigenetic modifications. In this study, the biological functions of UvKmt2-mediated H3K4me3 modification were characterized in Ustilaginoidea virens, which is the causal agent of the false smut disease, one of the most destructive diseases in rice. Phenotypic analyses of the ΔUvkmt2 mutant revealed that UvKMT2 is necessary for growth, conidiation, secondary spore formation, and virulence in U. virens. Immunoblotting and chromatin immunoprecipitation assay followed by sequencing (ChIP-seq) showed that UvKMT2 is required for the establishment of H3K4me3, which covers 1729 genes of the genome in U. virens. Further RNA-seq analysis demonstrated that UvKmt2-mediated H3K4me3 acts as an important role in transcriptional activation. In particular, H3K4me3 modification involves in the transcriptional regulation of conidiation-related and pathogenic genes, including two important mitogen-activated protein kinases UvHOG1 and UvPMK1. The down-regulation of UvHOG1 and UvPMK1 genes may be one of the main reasons for the reduced pathogenicity and stresses adaptability of the ∆Uvkmt2 mutant. Overall, H3K4me3, established by histone methyltransferase UvKMT2, contributes to fungal development, secondary spore formation, virulence, and various stress responses through transcriptional regulation in U. virens.
The Essential and the Nonessential Roles of Four Clock Elements in the Circadian Rhythm of Metarhiziumrobertsii
Authors: Peng Han , Zhang Yi-Lu , Ying Sheng-Hua , Feng Ming-Guang
Published: May 2022

FRQ (frequency protein), FRH (FRQ-interacting RNA helicase), and WC1 and WC2 (white collar proteins) are major clock elements that govern the circadian rhythm in Neurosporacrassa. However, deletion of frh is lethal for the viability of N. crassa, making it elusive whether FRH is essential or nonessential for the circadian rhythm. This needs clarification in a fungus where frh deletion is not lethal. Here, the nuclear FRH ortholog proved nonessential for the circadian rhythm of Metarhiziumrobertsii. The nucleocytoplasmic shuttling of M. robertsii FRQ, WC1, and WC2 orthologs was light-dependent. Yeast two-hybrid assay validated interactions of FRQ with FRH and WC1 instead of FRH with WC1 and WC2 or FRQ with WC2. The circadian rhythm well, shown as conidiation rings of tint and dark in 15 d-old plate cultures grown at 25 °C in a light/dark cycle of 12:12, was abolished in the absence of frq or wc1, partially disturbed in the absence of wc2, but unaffected in the absence of frh. These results indicate a requirement of either FRQ or WC1 instead of FRH for the fungal circadian rhythm. Further analyses of frq and frh mutants revealed the dispensable and the limited roles of FRQ and FRH in the insect-pathogenic lifecycle of M. robertsii, respectively.
Antiproliferative and Cytotoxic Cytochalasins from Sparticola triseptata Inhibit Actin Polymerization and Aggregation
Authors: Garcia Katherine Yasmin M. , Quimque Mark Tristan J. , Lambert Christopher , Schmidt Katharina , Primahana Gian , Stradal Theresia E. B. , Ratzenböck Andreas , Dahse Hans-Martin , Phukhamsakda Chayanard , Stadler Marc , Surup Frank , Macabeo Allan Patrick G.
Published: May 2022

Laying the groundwork on preliminary structure–activity relationship study relating to the disruptive activity of cytochalasan derivatives on mammalian cell actin cytoskeleton, we furthered our study on the cytochalasans of the Dothideomycetes fungus, Sparticola triseptata. A new cytochalasan analog triseptatin (1), along with the previously described cytochalasans deoxaphomin B (2) and cytochalasin B (3), and polyketide derivatives cis-4-hydroxy-6-deoxyscytalone (4) and 6-hydroxymellein (5) were isolated from the rice culture of S. triseptata. The structure of 1 was elucidated through NMR spectroscopic analysis and high-resolution mass spectrometry (HR-ESI-MS). The relative and absolute configurations were established through analysis of NOESY spectroscopic data and later correlated with experimental electronic circular dichroism and time-dependent density functional theory (ECD–TDDFT) computational analysis. Compounds 1 and 2 showed cytotoxic activities against seven mammalian cell lines (L929, KB3.1, MCF-7, A549, PC-3, SKOV-3, and A431) and antiproliferative effects against the myeloid leukemia K-562 cancer cell line. Both 1 and 2 were shown to possess properties inhibiting the F-actin network, prompting further hypotheses that should to be tested in the future to enable a well-resolved concept of the structural implications determining the bioactivity of the cytochalasin backbone against F-actin.
Exploring a Three-Factor Dependence Structure of Conditional Volatilities: Some Quantile Regression Evidence from Real Estate Investment Trusts
Authors: Liow Kim Hiang
Published: May 2022

We propose a simple three-factor pricing model, consisting of a local stock market index, a global REIT market index, and a global stock market index, to examine the dependence structure of conditional volatilities in the real estate investment trust (REIT) market from 11 countries over the sample period from 1 June 2008 to 30 April 2021. The main quantile regression results reveal that a simultaneous dependence structure exists between each REIT market and local stock, global REIT market, and global stock market. There is a positive and significant dependence between REITs and three factors for every part of the quantiles. Across each quantile, Asia-Pacific REIT markets have a consistently higher average degree of dependence with their local stock markets than with the global stock and global REIT markets, whereas European REIT markets are generally more globally integrated. Furthermore, the lower and upper quantile estimates for over half of the REIT-quantiles for the three market factors are statistically different. Additionally, some REIT markets display asymmetric co-movement with at least one of the three factors as the degree of dependence increases when these markets are booming, but the dependence level declines when the markets are bearish. This evidence of dependence across the three influential factors and REIT markets provides meaningful insights into REIT market growth, international asset pricing, risk management, and dynamic linkages in the global economy.
Spatial Divergence Analysis of Ecosystem Service Value in Hilly Mountainous Areas: A Case Study of Ruijin City
Authors: Xie Hualin , Zhu Zhenhong , Li Zhe
Published: May 2022

The southern hilly mountains are rich in natural resources and are one of the important ecological security barrier zones in China. However, the disturbance of the ecosystem caused by human activities has led to a differentiated character of spatial ecosystem services. Such spatially differentiated characteristics have not been well studied, and thus are bound to limit our ability to manage ecosystems sustainably. Taking Ruijin City, a typical hilly mountainous area in southern China, as an example, this paper evaluates the ecosystem service values (ESV) of Ruijin City from 2000 to 2020 by using equivalent factor method combined with GIS technology. On this basis, spatial autocorrelation analysis is used to identify unique heterogeneous units of ESV. The results show that the overall ESV of Ruijin City from 2000 to 2020 showed a trend of slow increase in the first decade and a significant decrease in the second decade. The ESV in Ruijin City has a high degree of spatial divergence, showing the distribution characteristics of low value in the central region and high value in the marginal region. With the acceleration of urbanization, the ESV in the central region of Ruijin City decreases significantly from 2010 to 2020. Therefore, for the high value areas of ecosystem services, attention should be paid to the balanced development of economy and ecology. For low-value areas, it is necessary to strengthen the control of the ecological environment, protect sensitive areas with serious loss of ecosystem services, change the development model, and improve the supply capacity of ecological products. The government should calculate green Gross Domestic Product (GDP) based on the evaluation results of ESV, and formulate a green GDP evaluation system in the performance evaluation.
Unveiling the Enigmatic Origins of Sardinian Toponyms
Authors: Ong Brenda Man Qing , Perono Cacciafoco Francesco
Published: May 2022

With the boom in Indo-European (IE) studies among linguists from the early 20th century, toponymic studies on European place names have been largely based on the Proto-Indo-European (PIE). However, historical and archaeological records of non-IE groups, such as the Nuragic civilization of Sardinia, have presented the possibility of pre-IE/non-IE (Paleo-Sardinian) linguistic stratum influences on certain toponyms in Sardinia, Italy. This article aims to present a meta-study on existing toponymic reconstructions theorized by scholars, while offering a fresh perspective by employing methods of historical phonetic chains and sequences analysis to identify toponyms of interest. Analysis showed that certain Sardinian toponyms contain striking phonetic sequences that are uncharacteristic of PIE, such as *s(a)rd-, *kar-, *-ini, *-ài/*-éi, *#[θ]-. Overall conclusions appear to display the merits of (1) PIE and (2) pre-IE/ non-IE theories. Both provide plausible toponymic reconstructions. (1) The accuracy of IE theories is brought into question, as they appear to rely heavily on phonetic links to existing PIE roots, sometimes with a lack of consideration for other contextual or hydro-geo-morphological factors. (2) Conversely, pre-IE/non-IE theories are found to be highly speculative due to the lack of historical data, and knowledge, about the Paleo-Sardinian language.
The Differential Game of a Closed-Loop Supply Chain with Manufacturer Competition Considering Goodwill
Authors: Liu Lang , Wang Lulu , Huang Taisheng , Pang Jinhui
Published: May 2022

The dynamic optimization of the closed-loop supply chain (CLSC) is a hot research topic. Members’ competitive behavior and product goodwill play an important role in the decision making of CLSC members. In this paper, a closed-loop supply chain (CLSC) with competitive manufacturers and single retailers is studied, in which the manufacturer produces and recycles the products, and the retailer is responsible for the sales of the products. On this basis, a dynamic linear differential equation of product goodwill is constructed, the optimal dynamic path of each decision variable is found, and the influence of price competition among manufacturers on the decision making of members in a dynamic closed-loop supply chain is studied. The conclusion is verified by an example. The results show that goodwill directly affects the wholesale price, the retail price, the recovery price, and the profit of supply chain members. The wholesale price and the retail price of products are not only positively affected by their own goodwill, but also by the goodwill of competing products. The manufacturer competition intensity will affect the product price and the supply chain member profit. To a certain extent, the more intense the manufacturer’s competition is, the higher the wholesale price and the retail price, and the greater the profit of the supply chain members.
Sufficient Conditions for a Graph to Be ℓ-Connected, ℓ-Deficient, ℓ-Hamiltonian and ℓ−-Independent in Terms of the Forgotten Topological Index
Authors: Su Guifu , Wang Shuai , Du Junfeng , Gao Mingjing , Das Kinkar Chandra , Shang Yilun
Published: May 2022

The forgotten topological index of a (molecule) graph is the sum of cubes of all its vertex degrees, which plays a significant role in measuring the branching of the carbon atom skeleton. It is meaningful and difficult to explore sufficient conditions for a given graph keeping certain properties in graph theory. In this paper, we mainly explore sufficient conditions in terms of the forgotten topological index for a graph to be ℓ-connected, ℓ-deficient, ℓ-Hamiltonian and ℓ−-independent, respectively. The conditions cannot be dropped.
Local Stability of Traveling Waves of a Model Describing Host Tissue Degradation by Bacteria
Authors: He Xing , He Guansheng , Pan Chaohong
Published: May 2022

The focus of this paper is on the local stability of the traveling waves of reaction–diffusion systems that describe host-tissue degradation by bacteria. On the one hand, we discuss the asymptotic behavior of the solutions near the equilibrium points. On the other hand, the local stability of traveling waves is proved by the spectrum method based on the appropriate weighted functional space.
Factors Affecting the Use of Digital Mathematics Textbooks in Indonesia
Authors: Wijaya Tommy Tanu , Zhou Ying , Houghton Tony , Weinhandl Robert , Lavicza Zsolt , Yusop Farrah Dina
Published: May 2022

Digital mathematics textbooks differ from traditional printed textbooks in, among other things, their dynamic structural elements, representing a potential that traditional textbooks cannot fulfil. Notably, dynamic structural elements, i.e., multimodal representations of mathematics, could be of particular importance for learning, which is why the scientific interest in digital mathematics textbooks has increased in recent years and many digital textbooks have been developed. However, research related to predicting teacher usage behavior of digital textbooks is still limited. Therefore, this research aims to analyze the predictors that may influence the intentions of mathematics teachers and the actual usage of digital textbooks by applying the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT). Data were collected from 277 teachers in West Java Province, Indonesia, and analyzed using structural equation modeling (SEM). The results indicated that Performance Expectancy (PE) is the biggest significant factor, followed by Social Influence (SI), that influences the Behavioral Intention (BI) of mathematics teachers to use digital textbooks in Indonesia. Effort Expectancy (EE) does not affect the intention to use a digital textbook. In turn, BI has the largest and most significant effect on teachers’ actual usage of digital textbooks. This result contributes to the understanding of the predictors that can increase the use of digital textbooks by mathematics teachers.
Classification of Complete Regular Minimal Surfaces in ℝn with Total Curvature −6π
Authors: Li Minghao , Ou Li , Zhang Shuangcai
Published: May 2022

In this paper, we classify the complete regular orientable minimal surfaces in Rn with total curvature −6π and give a method to construct a series of complete non-holomorphic minimal surfaces with total curvature −6π. Specially, we give a simplified classification in another method if the surfaces lie in R4.
Multi-View Graph Clustering by Adaptive Manifold Learning
Authors: Zhao Peng , Wu Hongjie , Huang Shudong
Published: May 2022

Graph-oriented methods have been widely adopted in multi-view clustering because of their efficiency in learning heterogeneous relationships and complex structures hidden in data. However, existing methods are typically investigated based on a Euclidean structure instead of a more suitable manifold topological structure. Hence, it is expected that a more suitable manifold topological structure will be adopted to carry out intrinsic similarity learning. In this paper, we explore the implied adaptive manifold for multi-view graph clustering. Specifically, our model seamlessly integrates multiple adaptive graphs into a consensus graph with the manifold topological structure considered. We further manipulate the consensus graph with a useful rank constraint so that its connected components precisely correspond to distinct clusters. As a result, our model is able to directly achieve a discrete clustering result without any post-processing. In terms of the clustering results, our method achieves the best performance in 22 out of 24 cases in terms of four evaluation metrics on six datasets, which demonstrates the effectiveness of the proposed model. In terms of computational performance, our optimization algorithm is generally faster or in line with other state-of-the-art algorithms, which validates the efficiency of the proposed algorithm.
New Insights on the Toxicity on Heart and Vessels of Breast Cancer Therapies
Authors: Lanza Oreste , Ferrera Armando , Reale Simone , Solfanelli Giorgio , Petrungaro Mattia , Tini Melato Giacomo , Volpe Massimo , Battistoni Allegra
Published: May 2022

Cardiovascular diseases are largely represented in patients with cancer and appear to be important side effects of cancer treatments, heavily affecting quality of life and leading to premature morbidity and death among cancer survivors. In particular, treatments for breast cancer have been shown to potentially play serious detrimental effects on cardiovascular health. This review aims to explore the available literature on breast cancer therapy-induced side effects on heart and vessels, illustrating the molecular mechanisms of cardiotoxicity known so far. Moreover, principles of cardiovascular risk assessment and management of cardiotoxicity in clinical practice will also be elucidated. Chemotherapy (anthracycline, taxanes, cyclophosphamide and 5-fluorouracil), hormonal therapy (estrogen receptor modulator and gonadotropin or luteinizing releasing hormone agonists) and targeted therapy (epidermal growth factor receptor 2 and Cyclin-dependent kinases 4 and 6 inhibitors) adverse events include arterial and pulmonary hypertension, supraventricular and ventricular arrhythmias, systolic and diastolic cardiac dysfunction and coronary artery diseases due to different and still not well-dissected molecular pathways. Therefore, cardiovascular prevention programs and treatment of cardiotoxicity appear to be crucial to improve morbidity and mortality of cancer survivors.
Mixed Matrix Membranes Loaded with a Porous Organic Polymer Having Bipyridine Moieties
Authors: Rico-Martínez Sandra , Álvarez Cristina , Hernández Antonio , Miguel Jesús A. , Lozano Ángel E.
Published: May 2022

Mixed matrix membranes (MMMs), derived from three aromatic polyimides (PIs), and an affordable porous organic polymer (POP) having basic bipyridine moieties were prepared. Matrimid and two fluorinated polyimides, which were derived from 4,4′-(hexafluoroisopropylidene)diphthalic anhydride and 2,2′-bis(4-aminophenyl)hexafluoropropane (6F6F) or 2,4,6-trimethyl-m-phenylenediamine (6FTMPD), were employed as polymer matrixes. The used POP was a highly microporous material (surface area of 805 m2 g−1) with excellent thermal and chemical stability. The MMMs showed good compatibility between the PIs and POP, high thermal stabilities and glass transition temperatures superior to those of the neat PI membranes, and good mechanical properties. The addition of POP to the matrix led to an increase in the gas diffusivity and, thus, in permeability, which was associated with an increase in the fractional free volume of MMMs. The increase in permeability was higher for the less permeable matrix. For example, at 30 wt.% of POP, the permeability to CO2 and CH4 of the MMMs increased by 4- and 7-fold for Matrimid and 3- and 4-fold for 6FTMPD. The highest CH4 permeability led to a decrease in CO2/CH4 selectivity. The CO2/N2 separation performance was interesting, as the selectivity remained practically constant. Finally, the POP showed no molecular sieving effect towards the C2H4/C2H6 and C3H6/C3H8 gas pairs, but the permeability increased by about 4-fold and the selectivity was close to that of the matrix. In addition, because the POP can form metal ion bipyridine complexes, modified POP-based MMMs could be employed for olefin/paraffin separations.