bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Antifungal Potential of Melaleuca alternifolia against Fungal Pathogen Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense Tropical Race 4
Authors: Paramalingam Pavitra , Baharum Nadiya Akmal , Abdullah Janna Ong , Hong Jeum Kyu , Saidi Noor Baity
Published: June 2023

Fusarium wilt of bananas caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense Tropical Race 4 (Foc TR4) poses the most serious threat to banana production globally. The disease has been managed using chemical fungicides, yet the control levels are still unsatisfactory. This study investigated the antifungal activities of tea tree (Melaleuca alternifolia) essential oil (TTO) and hydrosol (TTH) against Foc TR4 and their bioactive components. The potential of TTO and TTH in inhibiting the growth of Foc TR4 was evaluated in vitro using agar well diffusion and spore germination assays. Compared to the chemical fungicide, TTO effectively suppressed the mycelial growth of Foc TR4 at 69%. Both the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum fungicidal concentration (MFC) of TTO and TTH were established at 0.2 µg/µL and 50% v/v, respectively, suggesting the fungicidal nature of the plant extracts. The disease control efficacies were also demonstrated by a (p ≤ 0.05) delayed Fusarium wilt symptom development in the susceptible banana plants with reduced LSI dan RDI scores from 70% to around 20–30%. A GC/MS analysis of TTO identified terpinen-4-ol, eucalyptol, and α-terpineol as the major components. In contrast, an LC/MS analysis of TTH identified different compounds, including dihydro-jasmonic acid and methyl ester. Our findings indicate the potential of tea tree extracts as natural alternatives to chemical fungicides to control Foc TR4.
Design, Synthesis and Anticancer Evaluation of Nitroimidazole Radiosensitisers
Authors: Liew Lydia P. , Shome Avik , Wong Way W. , Hong Cho R. , Hicks Kevin O. , Jamieson Stephen M. F. , Hay Michael P.
Published: June 2023

The role of hypoxic tumour cells in resistance to radiotherapy, and in suppression of immune response, continues to endorse tumour hypoxia as a bona fide, yet largely untapped, drug target. Radiotherapy innovations such as stereotactic body radiotherapy herald new opportunities for classical oxygen-mimetic radiosensitisers. Only nimorazole is used clinically as a radiosensitiser, and there is a dearth of new radiosensitisers in development. In this report, we augment previous work to present new nitroimidazole alkylsulfonamides and we document their cytotoxicity and ability to radiosensitise anoxic tumour cells in vitro. We compare radiosensitisation with etanidazole and earlier nitroimidazole sulfonamide analogues and we identify 2-nitroimidazole and 5-nitroimidazole analogues with marked tumour radiosensitisation in ex vivo assays of surviving clonogens and with in vivo tumour growth inhibition.
Design, Synthesis and Biological Evaluation of α-Synuclein Proteolysis-Targeting Chimeras
Authors: Wen Tianzhi , Chen Jian , Zhang Wenqian , Pang Jiyan
Published: June 2023

α-Synuclein aggregation under pathological conditions is one of the causes of related neurodegenerative diseases. PROTACs (proteolysis targeting chimeras) are bifunctional small molecules that induce a post-translational erasure of proteins via the ubiquitination of target proteins by E3 ubiquitin ligase and subsequent proteasomal degradation. However, few research studies have been conducted for targeted protein degradation of α-synuclein aggregates. In this article, we have designed and synthesized a series of small-molecule degraders 1–9 based on a known α-synuclein aggregation inhibitor sery384. In silico docking studies of sery384 with α-synuclein aggregates were accomplished to ensure that the compounds bound to α-synuclein aggregates specifically. The protein level of α-synuclein aggregates was determined to evaluate the degradation efficiency of PROTAC molecules on α-synuclein aggregates in vitro. The results show that compound 5 had the most significant degradation effect, with DC50 of 5.049 μM, and could induce the degradation of α-synuclein aggregates in a time- and dose-dependent manner in vitro. Furthermore, compound 5 could inhibit the elevation of the ROS level caused by overexpression and aggregation of α-synuclein and protect H293T cells from α-synuclein toxicity. Conclusively, our results provide a new class of small-molecule degraders and an experimental basis for the treatment of α-synuclein related neurodegenerative diseases.
The Promotion of Research Progress of Zinc Manganate Cathode Materials for Zinc-Ion Batteries by Characterization and Analysis Technology
Authors: Meng Xin , Cheng Ziyi , Li Le
Published: June 2023

Zinc-ion batteries (ZIBs) have recently attracted great interest and are regarded as a promising energy storage device due to their low cost, environmental friendliness, and superior safety. However, the development of suitable Zn-ion intercalation cathode materials remains a great challenge, resulting in unsatisfactory ZIBs that cannot meet commercial demands. Considering that spinel-type LiMn2O4 has been shown to be a successful Li intercalation host, spinel-like ZnMn2O4 (ZMO) is expected to be a good candidate for ZIBs cathodes. This paper first introduces the zinc storage mechanism of ZMO and then reviews the promotion of research progress in improving the interlayer spacing, structural stability, and diffusivity of ZMO, including the introduction of different intercalated ions, introduction of defects, and design of different morphologies and in combination with other materials. The development status and future research directions of ZMO-based ZIBs characterization and analysis techniques are summarized.
Group I Intron as a Potential Target for Antifungal Compounds: Development of a Trans-Splicing High-Throughput Screening Strategy
Authors: Malbert Bastien , Labaurie Virginie , Dorme Cécile , Paget Eric
Published: June 2023

The search for safe and efficient new antifungal compounds for agriculture has led to more efforts in finding new modes of action. This involves the discovery of new molecular targets, including coding and non-coding RNA. Rarely found in plants and animals but present in fungi, group I introns are of interest as their complex tertiary structure may allow selective targeting using small molecules. In this work, we demonstrate that group I introns present in phytopathogenic fungi have a self-splicing activity in vitro that can be adapted in a high-throughput screening to find new antifungal compounds. Ten candidate introns from different filamentous fungi were tested and one group ID intron found in F. oxysporum showed high self-splicing efficiency in vitro. We designed the Fusarium intron to act as a trans-acting ribozyme and used a fluorescence-based reporter system to monitor its real time splicing activity. Together, these results are opening the way to study the druggability of such introns in crop pathogen and potentially discover small molecules selectively targeting group I introns in future high-throughput screenings.
Symmetry of Hydrogen Bonds: Application of NMR Method of Isotopic Perturbation and Relevance of Solvatomers
Authors: Perrin Charles L.
Published: June 2023

Short, strong, symmetric, low-barrier hydrogen bonds (H-bonds) are thought to be of special significance. We have been searching for symmetric H-bonds by using the NMR technique of isotopic perturbation. Various dicarboxylate monoanions, aldehyde enols, diamines, enamines, acid–base complexes, and two sterically encumbered enols have been investigated. Among all of these, we have found only one example of a symmetric H-bond, in nitromalonamide enol, and all of the others are equilibrating mixtures of tautomers. The nearly universal lack of symmetry is attributed to the presence of these H-bonded species as a mixture of solvatomers, meaning isomers (or stereoisomers or tautomers) that differ in their solvation environment. The disorder of solvation renders the two donor atoms instantaneously inequivalent, whereupon the hydrogen attaches to the less well solvated donor. We therefore conclude that there is no special significance to short, strong, symmetric, low-barrier H-bonds. Moreover, they have no heightened stability or else they would have been more prevalent.
Synthesis of Ketjenblack Decorated Pillared Ni(Fe) Metal-Organic Frameworks as Precursor Electrocatalysts for Enhancing the Oxygen Evolution Reaction
Authors: Beglau Thi Hai Yen , Rademacher Lars , Oestreich Robert , Janiak Christoph
Published: June 2023

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have been investigated with regard to the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) due to their structure diversity, high specific surface area, adjustable pore size, and abundant active sites. However, the poor conductivity of most MOFs restricts this application. Herein, through a facile one-step solvothermal method, the Ni-based pillared metal-organic framework [Ni2(BDC)2DABCO] (BDC = 1,4-benzenedicarboxylate, DABCO = 1,4-diazabicyclo[2.2.2]octane), its bimetallic nickel-iron form [Ni(Fe)(BDC)2DABCO], and their modified Ketjenblack (mKB) composites were synthesized and tested toward OER in an alkaline medium (KOH 1 mol L−1). A synergistic effect of the bimetallic nickel-iron MOF and the conductive mKB additive enhanced the catalytic activity of the MOF/mKB composites. All MOF/mKB composite samples (7, 14, 22, and 34 wt.% mKB) indicated much higher OER performances than the MOFs and mKB alone. The Ni-MOF/mKB14 composite (14 wt.% of mKB) demonstrated an overpotential of 294 mV at a current density of 10 mA cm−2 and a Tafel slope of 32 mV dec−1, which is comparable with commercial RuO2, commonly used as a benchmark material for OER. The catalytic performance of Ni(Fe)MOF/mKB14 (0.57 wt.% Fe) was further improved to an overpotential of 279 mV at a current density of 10 mA cm−2. The low Tafel slope of 25 mV dec−1 as well as a low reaction resistance due to the electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) measurement confirmed the excellent OER performance of the Ni(Fe)MOF/mKB14 composite. For practical applications, the Ni(Fe)MOF/mKB14 electrocatalyst was impregnated into commercial nickel foam (NF), where overpotentials of 247 and 291 mV at current densities of 10 and 50 mA cm−2, respectively, were realized. The activity was maintained for 30 h at the applied current density of 50 mA cm−2. More importantly, this work adds to the fundamental understanding of the in situ transformation of Ni(Fe)DMOF into OER-active α/β-Ni(OH)2, β/γ-NiOOH, and FeOOH with residual porosity inherited from the MOF structure, as seen by powder X-ray diffractometry and N2 sorption analysis. Benefitting from the porosity structure of the MOF precursor, the nickel-iron catalysts outperformed the solely Ni-based catalysts due to their synergistic effects and exhibited superior catalytic activity and long-term stability in OER. In addition, by introducing mKB as a conductive carbon additive in the MOF structure, a homogeneous conductive network was constructed to improve the electronic conductivity of the MOF/mKB composites. The electrocatalytic system consisting of earth-abundant Ni and Fe metals only is attractive for the development of efficient, practical, and economical energy conversion materials for efficient OER activity.
Palladium-Catalyzed N-Alkenylation of N-Aryl Phosphoramidates with Alkenes
Authors: Li Yu-An , Wu Ge , Li Jia
Published: June 2023

Versatile and concise Pd-catalyzed oxidative N-alkenylation of N-aryl phosphoramidates with alkenes is described in this study, a reaction that is of great significance but surprisingly unexploited. The transformation proceeds under mild reaction conditions, using O2 as a green oxidant and TBAB as an effective additive. An efficient catalytic system allows a variety of drug-related substrates to participate in these transformations, which is of great interest in the drug discovery and development of phosphoramidates.
Untargeted Metabolomics Analysis for Studying Differences in High-Quality Colombian Cocoa Beans
Authors: Bacca-Villota Paula , Acuña-García Luis , Sierra-Guevara Leidy , Cano Herminsul , Hidalgo William
Published: June 2023

Colombia is a producer of fine cocoa, according to the International Cocoa Organization; however, most of its exports are in the ordinary cocoa category. To remedy this situation, several national organizations are working to create technological platforms for small producers to certify the quality of their beans. The objective of this study was to identify differential chemical markers in 36 cocoa bean samples from five Colombian departments and associate them with cocoa quality properties. For this purpose, a non-targeted metabolomics approach was performed using UHPLC-HRMS, along with sensory and physicochemical analyses. The 36 samples did not differ in sensory quality, polyphenol content, and theobromine/caffeine ratio. However, the multivariate statistical analysis allowed us to differentiate the samples into four clusters. In addition, a similar grouping of the samples was also observed in the physical analyses. The metabolites responsible for such clustering were investigated with univariate statistical analysis and presumptively identified by comparison of experimental mass spectra with those reported in databases. Alkaloids, flavonoids, terpenoids, peptides, quinolines, and sulfur compounds were identified as discriminants between sample groups. Here, it was presented the metabolic profiles as an important chemical feature for further studies in quality control and more specific characterization of fine cocoa.
How Accurate Can Crystal Structure Predictions Be for High-Energy Molecular Crystals?
Authors: Bidault Xavier , Chaudhuri Santanu
Published: June 2023

Molecular crystals have shallow potential energy landscapes, with multiple local minima separated by very small differences in total energy. Predicting molecular packing and molecular conformation in the crystal generally requires ab initio methods of high accuracy, especially when polymorphs are involved. We used dispersion-corrected density functional theory (DFT-D) to assess the capabilities of an evolutionary algorithm (EA) for the crystal structure prediction (CSP) of well-known but challenging high-energy molecular crystals (HMX, RDX, CL-20, and FOX-7). While providing the EA with the experimental conformation of the molecule quickly re-discovers the experimental packing, it is more realistic to start instead from a naïve, flat, or neutral initial conformation, which reflects the limited experimental knowledge we generally have in the computational design of molecular crystals. By doing so, and using fully flexible molecules in fully variable unit cells, we show that the experimental structures can be predicted in fewer than 20 generations. Nonetheless, one must be aware that some molecular crystals have naturally hindered evolutions, requiring as many attempts as there are space groups of interest to predict their structures, and some may require the accuracy of all-electron calculations to discriminate between closely ranked structures. To save resources in this computationally demanding process, we showed that a hybrid xTB/DFT-D approach could be considered in a subsequent study to push the limits of CSP beyond 200+ atoms and for cocrystals.
Identification of Flavonoids from Scutellaria barbata D. Don as Inhibitors of HIV-1 and Cathepsin L Proteases and Their Structure–Activity Relationships
Authors: Tang Ting-Ting , Li Su-Mei , Pan Bo-Wen , Xiao Jun-Wei , Pang Yu-Xin , Xie Shou-Xia , Zhou Ying , Yang Jian , Wei Ying
Published: June 2023

Scutellaria barbata D. Don (SB, Chinese: Ban Zhi Lian), a well-known medicinal plant used in traditional Chinese medicine, is rich in flavonoids. It possesses antitumor, anti-inflammatory, and antiviral activities. In this study, we evaluated the inhibitory activities of SB extracts and its active components against HIV-1 protease (HIV-1 PR) and SARS-CoV2 viral cathepsin L protease (Cat L PR). UPLC/HRMS was used to identify and quantify the major active flavonoids in different SB extracts, and fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) assays were used to determine HIV-1 PR and Cat L PR inhibitions and identify structure–activity relationships. Molecular docking was also performed, to explore the diversification in bonding patterns of the active flavonoids upon binding to the two PRs. Three SB extracts (SBW, SB30, and SB60) and nine flavonoids inhibited HIV-1 PR with an IC50 range from 0.006 to 0.83 mg/mL. Six of the flavonoids showed 10~37.6% inhibition of Cat L PR at a concentration of 0.1 mg/mL. The results showed that the introduction of the 4′-hydroxyl and 6-hydroxyl/methoxy groups was essential in the 5,6,7-trihydroxyl and 5,7,4′-trihydroxyl flavones, respectively, to enhance their dual anti-PR activities. Hence, the 5,6,7,4′-tetrahydroxyl flavone scutellarein (HIV-1 PR, IC50 = 0.068 mg/mL; Cat L PR, IC50 = 0.43 mg/mL) may serve as a lead compound to develop more effective dual protease inhibitors. The 5,7,3′,4′-tetrahydroxyl flavone luteolin also showed a potent and selective inhibition of HIV-1 PR (IC50 = 0.039 mg/mL).
Quantifying the Intrinsic Strength of C–H⋯O Intermolecular Interactions
Authors: Czernek Jiří , Brus Jiří , Czerneková Vladimíra , Kobera Libor
Published: June 2023

It has been recognized that the C–H⋯O structural motif can be present in destabilizing as well as highly stabilizing intermolecular environments. Thus, it should be of interest to describe the strength of the C–H⋯O hydrogen bond for constant structural factors so that this intrinsic strength can be quantified and compared to other types of interactions. This description is provided here for C2h-symmetric dimers of acrylic acid by means of the calculations that employ the coupled-cluster theory with singles, doubles, and perturbative triples [CCSD(T)] together with an extrapolation to the complete basis set (CBS) limit. Dimers featuring the C–H⋯O and O–H⋯O hydrogens bonds are carefully investigated in a wide range of intermolecular separations by the CCSD(T)/CBS approach, and also by the symmetry-adapted perturbation theory (SAPT) method, which is based on the density-functional theory (DFT) treatment of monomers. While the nature of these two types of hydrogen bonding is very similar according to the SAPT-DFT/CBS calculations and on the basis of a comparison of the intermolecular potential curves, the intrinsic strength of the C–H⋯O interaction is found to be about a quarter of its O–H⋯O counterpart that is less than one might anticipate.
Lipid-Coated Nanobubbles in Plants
Authors: Ingram Stephen , Jansen Steven , Schenk H. Jochen
Published: June 2023

One of the more surprising occurrences of bulk nanobubbles is in the sap inside the vascular transport system of flowering plants, the xylem. In plants, nanobubbles are subjected to negative pressure in the water and to large pressure fluctuations, sometimes encompassing pressure changes of several MPa over the course of a single day, as well as wide temperature fluctuations. Here, we review the evidence for nanobubbles in plants and for polar lipids that coat them, allowing nanobubbles to persist in this dynamic environment. The review addresses how the dynamic surface tension of polar lipid monolayers allows nanobubbles to avoid dissolution or unstable expansion under negative liquid pressure. In addition, we discuss theoretical considerations about the formation of lipid-coated nanobubbles in plants from gas-filled spaces in the xylem and the role of mesoporous fibrous pit membranes between xylem conduits in creating the bubbles, driven by the pressure gradient between the gas and liquid phase. We discuss the role of surface charges in preventing nanobubble coalescence, and conclude by addressing a number of open questions about nanobubbles in plants.
Zeolitic Imidazolate Framework-8 (ZIF-8) as a Drug Delivery Vehicle for the Transport and Release of Telomerase Inhibitor BIBR 1532
Authors: Zhang Shunyu , Li Jinxia , Yan Liang , You Yue , Zhao Feng , Cheng Jixing , Yang Limin , Sun Yanqi , Chang Qingchao , Liu Ru , Li Yunhui
Published: June 2023

Telomerase is constitutively overexpressed in the majority of human cancers and telomerase inhibition provides a promising broad-spectrum anticancer therapeutic strategy. BIBR 1532 is a well-known synthetic telomerase inhibitor that blocks the enzymatic activity of hTERT, the catalytic subunit of telomerase. However, water insolubility of BIBR 1532 leads to low cellular uptake and inadequate delivery and thus, limits its anti-tumor effects. Zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 (ZIF-8) is considered as an attractive drug delivery vehicle for improved transport, release and anti-tumor effects of BIBR 1532. Herein, ZIF-8 and BIBR 1532@ZIF-8 were synthesized, respectively, and the physicochemical characterizations confirmed the successful encapsulation of BIBR 1532 in ZIF-8 coupled with an improved stability of BIBR 1532. ZIF-8 could alter the permeability of lysosomal membrane probably by the imidazole ring-dependent protonation. Moreover, ZIF-8 encapsulation facilitated the cellular uptake and release of BIBR 1532 with more accumulation in the nucleus. BIBR 1532 encapsulation with ZIF-8 triggered a more obvious growth inhibition of cancer cells as compared with free BIBR 1532. A more potent inhibition on hTERT mRNA expression, aggravated G0/G1 arrest accompanied with an increased cellular senescence were detected in BIBR 1532@ZIF-8-treated cancer cells. Our work has provided preliminary information on improving the transport, release and efficacy of water-insoluble small molecule drugs by using ZIF-8 as a delivery vehicle.
Substrate Dependence of CdSe/ZnS Quantum-Dot Light-Emitting Diodes: A Comparative Study between Rigid Glass and Flexible Plastic Substrates
Authors: Lee Seyoung , Kim Jimyoung , Lee Honyeon
Published: June 2023

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of substrate characteristics on the performance of quantum-dot light-emitting diodes (QLEDs) with the aim of developing high-performance flexible QLEDs. Specifically, we compared QLEDs made with a flexible polyethylene naphthalate (PEN) substrate to those made with a rigid glass substrate, using the same materials and structure except for the substrates. Our findings indicate that the PEN QLED had a 3.3 nm wider full width at half maximum and a 6 nm redshifted spectrum in comparison to the glass QLED. Additionally, the PEN QLED exhibited a 6% higher current efficiency, a flatter current efficiency curve, and a 2.25-V lower turn-on voltage, indicating superior overall characteristics. We attribute the spectral difference to the optical properties of the PEN substrate, such as light transmittance and refractive index. Our study also revealed that the electro-optical properties of the QLEDs were consistent with the electron-only device and transient electroluminescence results, which suggests that the improved charge injection properties of the PEN QLED were responsible. Overall, our study provides valuable insights into the relationship between substrate characteristics and QLED performance, which can be used to develop high-performance QLEDs.
Influence of Sex Differences on Serum Lipid Profiles among Habitual Coffee Drinkers: Evidence from 23,072 Taiwan Biobank Participants
Authors: Lu Meng-Ying , Lai Jerry Cheng-Yen , Chen Shaw-Ji
Published: June 2023

The bioactive compounds of coffee are involved in lipid metabolism, and sex differences may play an important role. This study aimed to evaluate the influence of sex differences on serum lipid profiles among habitual coffee drinkers. We conducted a nationwide cross-sectional study of 23,628 adults using data obtained from the Taiwan Biobank database. Adults who drank more than one cup of coffee per day and those who drank less than one cup per day were compared with non-drinkers. After adjusting for baseline demographics and lifestyle, a generalized linear model was used to estimate the change in serum lipid profiles in men and women and in postmenopausal and premenopausal women among different coffee-drinking behaviors. We found that habitual coffee consumption changed the serum lipid profiles of men and women. Further, coffee drinkers had higher serum total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and lower serum triglyceride levels than non-drinkers. Compared with premenopausal women, both men and postmenopausal women had increased serum total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels. Menopausal status may play an important role in modulating the effect of habitual coffee intake on dyslipidemia. Moreover, premenopausal women potentially benefit more from habitual coffee drinking than men and postmenopausal women.
Association between Iron Status and Survival in Patients on Chronic Hemodialysis
Authors: Kang Seok-Hui , Kim Bo-Yeon , Son Eun-Jung , Kim Gui-Ok , Do Jun-Young
Published: June 2023

The aim of this study was to evaluate survival rates according to iron status in patients undergoing maintenance hemodialysis (HD). Thus, the National HD Quality Assessment Program dataset and claims data were used for analysis (n = 42,390). The patients were divided into four groups according to their transferrin saturation rate and serum ferritin levels: Group 1 (n = 34,539, normal iron status); Group 2 (n = 4476, absolute iron deficiency); Group 3 (n = 1719, functional iron deficiency); Group 4 (n = 1656, high iron status). Using univariate and multivariable analyses, Group 1 outperformed the three other groups in terms of patient survival. Using univariate analysis, although Group 2 showed a favorable trend in patient survival rates compared with Groups 3 and 4, the statistical significance was weak. Group 3 exhibited similar patient survival rates to Group 4. Using multivariable Cox regression analysis, Group 2 had similar patient survival rates to Group 3. Subgroup analyses according to sex, diabetic status, hemoglobin level ≥ 10 g/dL, and serum albumin levels ≥ 3.5 g/dL indicated similar trends to those of the total cohort. However, subgroup analysis based on patients with a hemoglobin level < 10 g/dL or serum albumin levels < 3.5 g/dL showed a weak statistical significant difference compared with those with hemoglobin level ≥ 10 g/dL, or serum albumin levels ≥ 3.5 g/dL. In addition, the survival difference between Group 4 and other groups was greater in old patients than in young ones. Patients with a normal iron status had the highest survival rates. Patient survival rates were similar or differed only modestly among the groups with abnormal iron status. In addition, most subgroup analyses revealed similar trends to those according to the total cohort. However, subgroup analyses based on age, hemoglobin, or serum albumin levels showed different trends.
Qualitative Study on the Factors Influencing the Utilisation of Products Labelled “Food for Special Medicinal Use” (FSMP)
Authors: Chereches Marius Calin , Finta Hajnal , Popa Cristian Olimpiu , Stefanescu Daniela , Muntean Daniela-Lucia
Published: June 2023

This study aimed to investigate Romanian physicians’ awareness, recommendation practices, and opinions regarding the use of Foods for Special Medical Purposes (FSMPs) products. A total of ten physicians were interviewed using a structured questionnaire, and their responses were analysed using thematic content analysis. The study found that physicians were aware of FSMPs and recommended them to their patients based on nutritional deficits, weight loss, or deglutition impairments. In addition, disease stage, treatment scheme, taste, affordability, and availability were identified as factors influencing the recommendation and use of FSMPs. While physicians generally did not consult clinical trials, clinical experience was deemed essential for recommending FSMPs to patients. Patients’ feedback regarding the usage and sourcing of FSMPs was generally positive, with some expressing concerns about the availability of different flavours and the costs of purchasing the products. This study concluded that physicians play a vital role in recommending FSMPs to patients and ensuring they have the necessary nutritional support during treatment. However, it may be imperative to consider the provision of additional patient education materials and fostering collaborative efforts with nutritionists in order to optimise the prospects of positive outcomes in oncology treatment, while simultaneously alleviating the financial burdens faced by patients.
The Vitamin D Serum Levels in Pregnant Women Affected by COVID-19: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Szarpak Luiza , Feduniw Stepan , Pruc Michal , Ciebiera Michal , Cander Basar , Rahnama-Hezavah Mansur , Szarpak Łukasz
Published: June 2023

Vitamin D can modulate immune responses, and its deficiency is linked to increased autoimmunity and susceptibility to infection. In the general population, it has been observed that serum vitamin D levels are connected with the risk of COVID-19 and its severity. Our study aims to examine reported findings on the effect of vitamin D serum levels on infection of COVID-19 during pregnancy. PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, and Cochrane Library were searched for relevant studies. Serum vitamin D serum levels in COVID-19-positive and COVID-19-negative pregnant women were 24.61 ± 20.86 ng/mL and 24.12 ± 17.33 ng/mL, respectively. In mild vs. moderate to critical COVID-19 pregnant women, vitamin D serum levels were 16.71 ± 9.04 ng/mL vs. 10.7 ± 9.37 ng/mL and severe vs. non-severe were 13.21 ± 11.47 ng/mL vs. 15.76 ± 10.0 ng/mL. Only one study reported vitamin D serum levels in the placenta of COVID-19-positive pregnant women compared with the control and results varied and amounted to 14.06 ± 0.51 ng/mL vs. 12.45 ± 0.58 ng/mL, respectively. Vitamin D deficiency tends to be common in pregnant women who have COVID-19, and the level of this vitamin has been demonstrated to have a strong correlation with the severity of the illness. As vitamin D serum levels correlate with COVID-19 symptoms and even with its occurrence, appropriate vitamin D supplementation in the prenatal period is suggested.
Pecans and Its Polyphenols Prevent Obesity, Hepatic Steatosis and Diabetes by Reducing Dysbiosis, Inflammation, and Increasing Energy Expenditure in Mice Fed a High-Fat Diet
Authors: Delgadillo-Puga Claudia , Torre-Villalvazo Ivan , Noriega Lilia , Rodríguez-López Leonardo , Alemán Gabriela , Torre-Anaya Erik , Cariño-Cervantes Yonatan , Palacios-Gonzalez Berenice , Furuzawa-Carballeda Janette , Tovar Armando , Cisneros-Zevallos Luis
Published: June 2023

Pecans (Carya illinoinensis) are considered a functional food due to the high content of polyunsaturated fatty acids, dietary fiber and polyphenols. To determine the effect of whole pecans (WP) or a pecan polyphenol (PP) extract on the development of metabolic abnormalities in mice fed a high-fat (HF) diet, we fed C57BL/6 mice with a Control diet (7% fat), HF diet (23% fat), HF containing 30% WP or an HF diet supplemented with 3.6 or 6 mg/g of PP for 18 weeks. Supplementation of an HF diet with WP or PP reduced fat mass, serum cholesterol, insulin and HOMA-IR by 44, 40, 74 and 91%, respectively, compared to the HF diet. They also enhanced glucose tolerance by 37%, prevented pancreatic islet hypertrophy, and increased oxygen consumption by 27% compared to the HF diet. These beneficial effects were associated with increased thermogenic activity in brown adipose tissue, mitochondrial activity and AMPK activation in skeletal muscle, reduced hypertrophy and macrophage infiltration of subcutaneous and visceral adipocytes, reduced hepatic lipid content and enhanced metabolic signaling. Moreover, the microbial diversity of mice fed WP or PP was higher than those fed HF, and associated with lower circulating lipopolysaccharides (~83–95%). Additionally, a 4-week intervention study with the HF 6PP diet reduced the metabolic abnormalities of obese mice. The present study demonstrates that WP or a PP extract prevented obesity, liver steatosis and diabetes by reducing dysbiosis, inflammation, and increasing mitochondrial content and energy expenditure. Pecan polyphenols were mainly condensed tannin and ellagic acid derivatives including ellagitannins as determined by LC-MS. Herein we also propose a model for the progression of the HF diet-mediated metabolic disorder based on early and late events, and the possible molecular targets of WP and PP extract in preventive and intervention strategies. The body surface area normalization equation gave a conversion equivalent to a daily human intake dose of 2101–3502 mg phenolics that can be obtained from 110–183 g pecan kernels/day (22–38 whole pecans) or 21.6–36 g defatted pecan flour/day for an average person of 60 kg. This work lays the groundwork for future clinical studies.
Challenges and Strategies for Developing Recombinant Vaccines against Leptospirosis: Role of Expression Platforms and Adjuvants in Achieving Protective Efficacy
Authors: de Oliveira Natasha Rodrigues , Santos Francisco Denis Souza , dos Santos Vitória Adrielly Catschor , Maia Mara Andrade Colares , Oliveira Thaís Larré , Dellagostin Odir Antônio
Published: June 2023

The first leptospiral recombinant vaccine was developed in the late 1990s. Since then, progress in the fields of reverse vaccinology (RV) and structural vaccinology (SV) has significantly improved the identification of novel surface-exposed and conserved vaccine targets. However, developing recombinant vaccines for leptospirosis faces various challenges, including selecting the ideal expression platform or delivery system, assessing immunogenicity, selecting adjuvants, establishing vaccine formulation, demonstrating protective efficacy against lethal disease in homologous challenge, achieving full renal clearance using experimental models, and reproducibility of protective efficacy against heterologous challenge. In this review, we highlight the role of the expression/delivery system employed in studies based on the well-known LipL32 and leptospiral immunoglobulin-like (Lig) proteins, as well as the choice of adjuvants, as key factors to achieving the best vaccine performance in terms of protective efficacy against lethal infection and induction of sterile immunity.
Protective Efficacy of BCG Vaccination in Calves Vaccinated at Different Ages
Authors: Hope Jayne C. , Khalid Hamza , Thom Michelle L. , Howard Chris J. , Shaw Darren J.
Published: June 2023

Mycobacterium bovis, the causative agent of bovine tuberculosis (bTB), is a globally prevalent pathogen with significant animal welfare, economic and public health impacts. In the UK, the control of bTB relies on detection via tuberculin skin tests with ancillary interferon gamma (IFN-γ) release assays, followed by culling infected animals. Vaccination with Bacille Calmette–Guérin (BCG) could be an important element of bTB control, and a number of studies have demonstrated its protective efficacy, particularly when young calves are vaccinated. Here, we compared immune responses and the protective efficacy of BCG in calves vaccinated within the first day of life and at three weeks of age. Significant protection from M. bovis infection was observed in BCG-vaccinated calves compared to non-vaccinated, age-matched controls. No significant differences were shown between calves vaccinated at one day and at three weeks of age when assessing the protective efficacy of BCG (measured as a reduction in lesions and bacterial burden). Antigen-specific IFN-γ levels were similar between the BCG-vaccinated groups, but significantly different from the non-vaccinated control animals. Antigen-specific IFN-γ expression post-BCG vaccination was correlated significantly with protection from M. bovis infection, whereas IFN-γ levels post-challenge correlated with pathology and bacterial burden. These results indicate that early-life vaccination with BCG could have a significant impact on M. bovis infection and, therefore, bTB incidence, and they demonstrate that age, at least within the first month of life, does not significantly impact the protective effect of vaccination.
Evaluating the Effectiveness of Calcium Silicate in Enhancing Soybean Growth and Yield
Authors: Attipoe John Quarshie , Khan Waleed , Tayade Rupesh , Steven Senabulya , Islam Mohammad Shafiqul , Lay Liny , Ghimire Amit , Kim Hogyun , Sereyvichea Muong , Propey Then , Rana Yam Bahadur , Kim Yoonha
Published: June 2023

The application of silicon (Si) fertilizer positively impacts crop health, yield, and seed quality worldwide. Si is a “quasi-essential” element that is crucial for plant nutrition and stress response but is less associated with growth. This study aimed to investigate the effect of Si on the yield of cultivated soybean (Glycine max L). Two locations, Gyeongsan and Gunwi, in the Republic of Korea were selected, and a land suitability analysis was performed using QGIS version 3.28.1. The experiments at both locations consisted of three treatments: the control, Si fertilizer application at 2.3 kg per plot (9 m × 9 m) (T1), and Si fertilizer application at 4.6 kg per plot (9 m × 9 m) (T2). The agronomic, root, and yield traits, as well as vegetative indices, were analyzed to evaluate the overall impact of Si. The results demonstrated that Si had consistently significant effects on most root and shoot parameters in the two experimental fields, which led to significantly increased crop yield when compared with the control, with T2 (22.8% and 25.6%, representing an output of 2.19 and 2.24 t ha−1 at Gyeongsan and Gunwi, respectively) showing a higher yield than T1 (11% and 14.2%, representing 1.98 and 2.04 t ha−1 at Gyeongsan and Gunwi, respectively). These results demonstrate the positive impact of exogenous Si application on the overall growth, morphological and physiological traits, and yield output of soybeans. However, the application of the optimal concentration of Si according to the crop requirement, soil status, and environmental conditions requires further studies.
Differences in Phytobenthic Diatom Community between Natural and Channelized River Sections
Authors: Zelnik Igor , Germ Mateja , Golob Aleksandra , Krivograd Klemenčič Aleksandra
Published: June 2023

The structure of phytobenthic diatom communities was studied to reveal differences between natural and channelized river sections in Slovenia. As part of the national monitoring of surface waters, samples of phytobenthos were collected at 85 sites throughout the country according to standard protocols. At the same time, basic environmental parameters were also assessed. Trophic (TI) and saprobic (SI) indices were calculated based on diatoms and other algae, while diversity indices and gradient analyses were performed only for the diatom community. The results showed that channelized rivers harbor significantly more diverse benthic diatom communities than natural sections, mainly due to the significantly higher number of motile diatom taxa that are able to take advantage of more nutrient-rich and less-shaded river sections because of their high adaptability. Selected environmental parameters explained 34% of the variability in diatom community structure when taxa were classified into ecological types. The removal of Achnanthidium minutissimum yielded clearer results (24.1%) than the total species matrix (22.6%). Therefore, we suggest excluding this taxon from calculations of TI, SI, or other indices when it is determined as A. minutissimum complex, because A. minutissimum complex was most abundant in both types of reaches in our study and has a wide ecological amplitude, which reduces the indicative power of the diatom community in the evaluation of environmental conditions and ecological status.
Parameter Determination of the 2S2P1D Model and Havriliak–Negami Model Based on the Genetic Algorithm and Levenberg–Marquardt Optimization Algorithm
Authors: Qiu Mingzhu , Cao Peng , Cao Liang , Tan Zhifei , Hou Chuantao , Wang Long , Wang Jianru
Published: June 2023

This study utilizes the genetic algorithm (GA) and Levenberg–Marquardt (L–M) algorithm to optimize the parameter acquisition process for two commonly used viscoelastic models: 2S2P1D and Havriliak–Negami (H–N). The effects of the various combinations of the optimization algorithms on the accuracy of the parameter acquisition in these two constitutive equations are investigated. Furthermore, the applicability of the GA among different viscoelastic constitutive models is analyzed and summarized. The results indicate that the GA can ensure a correlation coefficient of 0.99 between the fitting result and the experimental data of the 2S2P1D model parameters, and it is further proved that the fitting accuracy can be achieved through the secondary optimization via the L–M algorithm. Since the H–N model involves fractional power functions, high-precision fitting by directly fitting the parameters to experimental data is challenging. This study proposes an improved semi-analytical method that first fits the Cole–Cole curve of the H–N model, followed by optimizing the parameters of the H–N model using the GA. The correlation coefficient of the fitting result can be improved to over 0.98. This study also reveals a close relationship between the optimization of the H–N model and the discreteness and overlap of experimental data, which may be attributed to the inclusion of fractional power functions in the H–N model.
Application of an Improved Link Prediction Algorithm Based on Complex Network in Industrial Structure Adjustment
Authors: Ma Yixuan , Zhao Rui , Yin Nan
Published: June 2023

For a healthy industrial structure (IS) and stable economic development in China, this study proposes an improved link prediction algorithm (LP) based on complex networks. The algorithm calculates the similarity by constructing a mixed similarity index. A regional IS network model is built in the study, and the direction of IS adjustment is calculated with the mixed similarity indicators. In this study, the prediction accuracy of the proposed improved LP algorithm in the real network dataset is up to 0.944, which is significantly higher than that of the other algorithms. In the reality of IS optimization, industries of high similarity could be obtained through similarity algorithms, and reasonable coordinated development strategies are proposed. In addition, the simulated IS adjustment strategy in this study shows that it is highly sustainable in development, which is reflected in its lower carbon emissions. The optimization of IS adjustment could be achieved through IS network model and the improved LP algorithm. This study provides valuable suggestions for China’s regional industrial structure adjustment.
Women Become Immortal through the Use of Procreation Ability: A Study on the Fertility Concept of Female Alchemy
Authors: Huang Yongfeng , Geng Qiongke
Published: June 2023

The tradition of female alchemy is established in the view that the female body, like the Earth, is the form of a living goddess and endowed with the fertile energy to nurture all life. This fertile energy is concentrated and reflected in women’s menstruation. Because of this energy, women can cultivate themselves as immortals through meditation and self-effort. At this level, the goddess and women share the same power. Therefore, every woman possesses this inner power; indeed, every woman is a goddess.
Yeṣer ha-Raʻ and Original Sin
Authors: Umbarger Matthew Wade
Published: June 2023

Many modern rabbis insist that original sin was invented by St. Paul, and that it does not have a Jewish antecedent. Instead, rabbinic Judaism explains human evil in terms of “yeṣer ha-raʻ,” “the evil inclination.” But evidence from Second Temple period wisdom and apocalyptic literature suggests that ideas like Paul’s were indeed common in certain quarters of Jewish thought in the first century. Paul’s doctrine of original sin draws from an assortment of Old Testament texts. What seems novel in Romans 5 is essentially an aspect of his apocalyptic vision. Rabbinic texts from the Mishnah onwards intentionally suppress this apocalyptic account of original sin. Instead of original sin, rabbinic doctrine posits the yeṣer ha-raʻ as the explanation for human wickedness. This is an innate aspect of human nature. But it is something that good discipline, and especially the practice of Torah, can amend. Some aspects of Pauline teaching actually run parallel to these later texts pertaining to the yeṣer ha-raʻ, as well. In particular, his use of sarx seems to be a theological cognate to this concept of an evil inclination.
Improved Identification for Point-Distributed Coded Targets with Self-Adaption and High Accuracy in Photogrammetry
Authors: Liu Yang , Cui Ximin , Wang Qiang , Sun Yanbiao
Published: June 2023

A robust and effective method for the identification of point-distributed coded targets (IPCT) in a video-simultaneous triangulation and resection system (V-STARS) was reported recently. However, its limitations were the setting of critical parameters, it being non-adaptive, making misidentifications in certain conditions, having low positioning precision, and its identification effect being slightly inferior to that of the V-STARS. Aiming to address these shortcomings of IPCT, an improved IPCT, named I-IPCT, with an adaptive binarization, a more precise ellipse-center localization, and especially an invariance of the point–line distance ratio (PLDR), was proposed. In the process of edge extraction, the adaptive threshold Gaussian function was adopted to realize the acquisition of an adaptive binarization threshold. For the process of center positioning of round targets, the gray cubic weighted centroid algorithm was adopted to realize high-precision center localization. In the template point recognition procedure, the invariant of the PLDR was used to realize the determination of template points adaptively. In the decoding procedure, the invariant of the PLDR was adopted to eliminate confusion. Experiments in indoor, outdoor, and unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) settings were carried out; meanwhile, sufficient comparisons with IPCT and V-STARS were performed. The results show that the improvements can make the identification approximately parameter-free and more accurate. Meanwhile, it presented a high three-dimensional measurement precision in close-range photogrammetry. The improved IPCT performed equally well as the commercial software V-STARS on the whole and was slightly superior to it in the UAV test, in which it provided a fantastic open solution using these kinds of coded targets and making it convenient for researchers to freely apply the coded targets in many aspects, including UAV photogrammetry for high-precision automatic image matching and three-dimensional real-scene reconstruction.
Forest Age Mapping Using Landsat Time-Series Stacks Data Based on Forest Disturbance and Empirical Relationships between Age and Height
Authors: Tian Lei , Liao Longtao , Tao Yu , Wu Xiaocan , Li Mingyang
Published: June 2023

Forest age is a critical parameter for the status and potential of carbon sequestration in forest ecosystems and reflects major forest disturbance information. However, reliable forest age data with high spatial resolution are lacking to date. In this study, we proposed a forest age mapping method with a 30 m resolution that considers forest disturbance. Here, we used the Landsat time-series stacks (LTSS) data from 1986 to 2021 and implemented the LandTrendr algorithm on the Google Earth Engine (GEE) platform to detect the age of disturbed forests. The age of non-disturbed forests was extracted based on forest canopy height data and the empirical relationship between age and height. High-resolution Google images combined with the forest management archive data of forestry departments and national forest inventory (NFI) data were used for the validation of disturbed and non-disturbed forest age, respectively. The results showed that the LandTrendr algorithm detected disturbance years with producer and user accuracies of approximately 94% and 95%, respectively; and the age of non-disturbed forests obtained using the empirical age–height relationship showed an R2 of 0.8875 and a root mean squared error (RMSE) value of 5.776 with NFI-based results. This confirms the reliability of the proposed 30 m resolution forest age mapping method considering forest disturbance. Overall, the method can be used to produce spatially explicit forest age data with high resolution, which can contribute to the sustainable use of forest resources and enhance the understanding of carbon budget studies in forest ecosystems.