bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Designing Highly Efficient Cu2O-CuO Heterojunction CO Oxidation Catalysts: The Roles of the Support Type and Cu2O-CuO Interface Effect
Authors: Zhao Fen , Shi Yiyu , Xu Leilei , Chen Mindong , Xue Yingying , Wu Cai-E , Qiu Jian , Cheng Ge , Xu Jingxin , Hu Xun
Published: September 2022

In this work, a series of Cu2O/S (S = α-MnO2, CeO2, ZSM-5, and Fe2O3) supported catalysts with a Cu2O loading amount of 15% were prepared by the facile liquid-phase reduction deposition–precipitation strategy and investigated as CO oxidation catalysts. It was found that the Cu2O/α-MnO2 catalyst exhibits the best catalytic activity for CO oxidation. Additionally, a series of Cu2O-CuO/α-MnO2 heterojunctions with varied proportion of Cu+/Cu2+ were synthesized by further calcining the pristine Cu2O/α-MnO2 catalyst. The ratio of the Cu+/Cu2+ could be facilely regulated by controlling the calcination temperature. It is worth noting that the Cu2O-CuO/α-MnO2-260 catalyst displays the best catalytic performance. Moreover, the kinetic studies manifest that the apparent activation energy could be greatly reduced owing to the excellent redox property and the Cu2O-CuO interface effect. Therefore, the Cu2O-CuO heterojunction catalysts supported on α-MnO2 nanotubes are believed to be the potential catalyst candidates for CO oxidation with advanced performance.
Dynamically Tunable and Multifunctional Polarization Beam Splitters Based on Graphene Metasurfaces
Authors: Xiao Gongli , Zhou Sitong , Yang Hongyan , Lin Zhixiong , Li Haiou , Liu Xingpeng , Chen Zanhui , Sun Tangyou , Wangyang Peihua , Li Jianqing
Published: September 2022

Based on coupled-mode theory (CMT) and the finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) approach, we propose a graphene metasurface-based and multifunctional polarization beam splitter that is dynamically tunable. The structure, comprising two graphene strips at the top and bottom and four triangular graphene blocks in the center layer, can achieve triple plasma-induced transparency (PIT). In a single polarization state, the computational results reveal that synchronous or asynchronous six-mode electro-optical switching modulation may be performed by modifying the Fermi levels of graphene, with a maximum modulation degree of amplitude (MDA) of 97.6% at 5.148 THz. In addition, by varying the polarization angle, a polarization-sensitive, tunable polarization beam splitter (PBS) with an extinction ratio and insertion loss of 19.6 dB and 0.35 dB at 6.143 THz, respectively, and a frequency modulation degree of 25.2% was realized. Combining PIT with polarization sensitivity provides a viable platform and concept for developing graphene metasurface-based multifunctional and tunable polarization devices.
Synergistic Antibiofilm Activity between Synthetic Peptides and Ciprofloxacin against Staphylococcus aureus
Authors: Neto Nilton A. S. , Oliveira Jose T. A. , Aguiar Tawanny K. B. , Bezerra Leandro P. , Branco Levi A. C. , Mesquita Felipe P. , Freitas Cleverson D. T. , Souza Pedro F. N.
Published: September 2022

Staphylococcus aureus is a human pathogen known to be resistant to antibiotics since the mid-20th century and is constantly associated with hospital-acquired infections. S. aureus forms biofilms, which are complex surface-attached communities of bacteria held together by a self-produced polymer matrix consisting of proteins, extracellular DNA, and polysaccharides. Biofilms are resistance structures responsible for increasing bacterial resistance to drugs by 1000 times more than the planktonic lifestyle. Therefore, studies have been conducted to discover novel antibacterial molecules to prevent biofilm formation and/or degrade preformed biofilms. Synthetic antimicrobial peptides (SAMPs) have appeared as promising alternative agents to overcome increasing antibiotic resistance. Here, the antibiofilm activity of eight SAMPs, in combination with the antibiotic ciprofloxacin, was investigated in vitro. Biofilm formation by S. aureus was best inhibited (76%) by the combination of Mo-CBP3-PepIII (6.2 µg mL−1) and ciprofloxacin (0.39 µg mL−1). In contrast, the highest reduction (60%) of the preformed biofilm mass was achieved with RcAlb-PepII (1.56 µg mL−1) and ciprofloxacin (0.78 µg mL−1). Fluorescence microscopy analysis reinforced these results. These active peptides formed pores in the cellular membrane of S. aureus, which may be related to the enhanced ciprofloxacin’s antibacterial activity. Our findings indicated that these peptides may act with ciprofloxacin and are powerful co-adjuvant agents for the treatment of S. aureus infections.
Taking a Promising Vaccine Candidate Further: Efficacy of ASFV-G-ΔMGF after Intramuscular Vaccination of Domestic Pigs and Oral Vaccination of Wild Boar
Authors: Deutschmann Paul , Carrau Tessa , Sehl-Ewert Julia , Forth Jan Hendrik , Viaplana Elisenda , Mancera Jose Carlos , Urniza Alicia , Beer Martin , Blome Sandra
Published: September 2022

African swine fever (ASF) is a pandemic threat to the global pig industry and wild suids. A safe and efficacious vaccine could monumentally assist in disease eradication. In the past years, promising live attenuated vaccine candidates emerged in proof-of-concept experiments, among which was “ASFV-G-∆MGF”. In our study, we tested the vaccine candidate in three animal experiments intramuscularly in domestic pigs and orally in wild boar. Further, a macrophage-grown vaccine virus and a virus grown on permanent cells could be employed. Irrespective of the production system of the vaccine virus, a two-dose intramuscular immunization could induce close-to-sterile immunity with full clinical protection against challenge infection. After oral immunization, 50% of the vaccinees seroconverted and all responders were completely protected against subsequent challenge. All nonresponders developed ASF upon challenge with two acute lethal infections and two mild and transient courses. The latter results show a lower efficiency after oral administration that would have to be taken into consideration when designing vaccination-based control measures. Overall, our findings confirm that “ASFV-G-∆MGF” is a most promising vaccine candidate that could find its way into well-organized and controlled immunization campaigns. Further research is needed to characterize safety aspects and define possible improvements of oral efficiency.
Amphiphysin AoRvs167-Mediated Membrane Curvature Facilitates Trap Formation, Endocytosis, and Stress Resistance in Arthrobotrys oligospora
Authors: Cui Peijie , Tian Mengqing , Huang Jinrong , Zheng Xi , Guo Yingqi , Li Guohong , Wang Xin
Published: September 2022

Bin1/Amphiphysin/Rvs (BAR) domain-containing proteins mediate fundamental cellular processes, including membrane remodeling and endocytosis. Nematode-trapping (NT) fungi can differentiate to form trapping structures through highly reorganized cell membranes and walls. In this study, we identified the NT fungus Arthrobotrys oligospora ortholog of yeast Rvs167 and documented its involvement in membrane bending and endocytosis. We further confirmed that the deletion of AoRvs167 makes the fungus more hypersensitive to osmotic salt (Nacl), higher temperatures (28 to 30 °C), and the cell wall perturbation agent Congo red. In addition, the disruption of AoRvs167 reduced the trap formation capacity. Hence, AoRvs167 may regulate fungal pathogenicity through the integrity of plasma membranes and cell walls.
NcGRA7 and NcROP40 Play a Role in the Virulence of Neospora caninum in a Pregnant Mouse Model
Authors: Rico-San Román Laura , Amieva Rafael , Regidor-Cerrillo Javier , García-Sánchez Marta , Collantes-Fernández Esther , Pastor-Fernández Iván , Saeij Jeroen P. J. , Ortega-Mora Luis Miguel , Horcajo Pilar
Published: September 2022

The intraspecific variability among Neospora caninum isolates in their in vitro behaviour and in vivo virulence has been widely studied. In particular, transcriptomic and proteomic analyses have shown a higher expression/abundance of specific genes/proteins in high-virulence isolates. Consequently, the dense granule protein NcGRA7 and the rhoptry protein NcROP40 were proposed as potential virulence factors. The objective of this study was to characterize the role of these proteins using CRISPR/Cas9 knockout (KO) parasites in a well-established pregnant BALB/c mouse model of N. caninum infection at midgestation. The deletion of NcGRA7 and NcROP40 was associated with a reduction of virulence, as infected dams displayed milder clinical signs, lower parasite burdens in the brain, and reduced mortality rates compared to those infected with the wild-type parasite (Nc-Spain7). Specifically, those infected with the NcGRA7 KO parasites displayed significantly milder clinical signs and a lower brain parasite burden. The median survival time of the pups from dams infected with the two KO parasites was significantly increased, but differences in neonatal mortality rates were not detected. Overall, the present study indicates that the disruption of NcGRA7 considerably impairs virulence in mice, while the impact of NcROP40 deletion was more modest. Further research is needed to understand the role of these virulence factors during N. caninum infection.
Fusarium oxysporum Associated with Fusarium Wilt on Pennisetum sinese in China
Authors: Zheng Jiaqi , Wang Liyao , Hou Wenchao , Han Yuzhu
Published: September 2022

Pennisetum sinese, a versatile and adaptable plant, plays an essential role in phytoremediation, soil reclamation, and fodder production. From 2018 to 2021, the occurrence of Fusarium wilt, with symptoms of foliar blight and internal discoloration of the stem, was observed in Chongqing, China. Pathogens were isolated from the symptomatic leaves. Based on morphological characteristics as well as DNA sequences of the 18S ribosomal RNA (SSU), translation elongation factor 1-α (EF1-α), RNA polymerase II subunit 1 (rpb1), and RNA polymerase II second largest subunit (rpb2) genes, the causal agents were identified as Fusarium oxysporum. Phylogenetic analysis of the combined dataset of EF1-α, rpb1 and rpb2 showed that pathogenic isolates clustered with F. oxysporum strains. The pathogen was reisolated from inoculated and diseased tissues; thus, Koch’s postulates were fulfilled. This is the first report of F. oxysporum causing Fusarium wilt on P. sinese in China and worldwide.
Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Activity of Microalgae of the Filinskaya Bay (Baltic Sea)
Authors: Shevelyuhina Alexandra , Babich Olga , Sukhikh Stanislav , Ivanova Svetlana , Kashirskih Egor , Smirnov Vitaliy , Michaud Philippe , Chupakhin Evgeny
Published: September 2022

Microalgae are rich in proteins, carbohydrates, lipids, polyunsaturated fatty acids, vitamins, pigments, enzymes, and other biologically active substances. This research aimed to study the composition and antioxidant and antimicrobial activity of proteins, lipids, and carbohydrates of microalgae found in the Filinskaya Bay of the Kaliningrad region. The chemical composition of Scenedesmus intermedius and Scenedesmus obliquus microalgae biomass was studied. Ultrasound was used to isolate valuable components of microalgae. It was found that microalgae are rich in protein and contain lipids and reducing sugars. To confirm the accuracy of the determination, the protein content was measured using two methods (Kjeldahl and Bradford). Protein content in S. intermedius and S. obliquus microalgae samples did not differ significantly when measured using different methods. Protein extraction by the Kjeldahl method was found to be 63.27% for S. intermedius microalgae samples and 60.11% for S. obliquus microalgae samples. Protein content in S. intermedius samples was 63.46%, compared to 60.07% in S. obliquus samples, as determined by the Bradford method. Lipids were 8.0–8.2 times less abundant than protein in both types of microalgae samples. It was determined that the content of reducing sugars in the samples of the studied microalgae was 5.9 times less than the protein content. The presence of biological activity (antioxidant) in proteins and lipids obtained from biomass samples of the studied microscopic algae was established, which opens up some possibilities for their application in the food, chemical, and pharmaceutical industries (as enzymes, hormones, vitamins, growth substances, antibiotics, and other biologically active compounds).
Nutritional Value of Eggplant Cultivars and Association with Sequence Variation in Genes Coding for Major Phenolics
Authors: Chioti Vasileia , Zeliou Konstantina , Bakogianni Aikaterini , Papaioannou Charikleia , Biskinis Antonis , Petropoulos Constantinos , Lamari Fotini N. , Papasotiropoulos Vasileios
Published: September 2022

Eggplant is a widely consumed vegetable, with significant nutritional value and high antioxidant content, mainly due to its phenolic constituents. Our goal was to determine the levels of carbohydrates, proteins, total phenolics, anthocyanins, flavonoids, chlorogenic acid, and the antioxidant capacity in thirteen eggplant cultivars cultivated in Greece and to identify sequence polymorphisms in key regulating genes of the phenylpropanoid pathway (C4H, HCT, HQT, C3H, F3H, ANS, MYB1), which might relate to the phytochemical content of those cultivars. The carbohydrates’ content differs among and within cultivars, while the rest of the phytochemicals differ only among cultivars. The cultivars ‘EMI’ and ’Lagkada’ scored higher than the rest in phenolics, anthocyanins, ascorbic acid, caffeoylquinic acid, and antioxidant capacity. Moreover, significant correlations were observed between various ingredients and the antioxidant capacity (FRAP and DPPH). Sequence analysis revealed several SNPs in C4H, HQT, F3H, ANS, and MYB1 among the cultivars studied. According to chi-square and logistic regression analyses, the missense mutation C4H4-108 correlates significantly with flavonoids, anthocyanins, and proteins; the synonymous mutation HQT-105 correlates with anthocyanins and ascorbic acid; the missense mutation HQT-438 correlates with flavonoids and chlorogenic acid, while the missense mutation ANS1-65 correlates with anthocyanins and sugars. These polymorphisms can be potentially utilized as molecular markers in eggplant breeding, while our data also contribute to the study of eggplant’s secondary metabolism and antioxidant properties.
High Atmospheric CO2 Concentration Mitigates Drought Effects on Acanthostyles buniifolius an Important Grassland Weed in South America
Authors: Heck Tamara , Fipke Marcus Vinícius , Polito Rubens Antonio , Souza Gustavo Maia , Agostinetto Dirceu , Nunes Anderson Luis , Avila Luis Antonio de
Published: September 2022

The differential growth and yield response of plant species to rising carbon dioxide concentrations and climatic change may alter species diversity within biomes. The Pampa Biome in South America is an important grassland biome of agronomic and environmental importance. Acanthostyles buniifolius (Chirca) is one of the most important weeds in natural pasture areas widely distributed in southern South America and can adversely affect livestock production. The current study was designed to identify possible responses of Chirca to CO2 concentration ([CO2]) and drought that would indicate higher adaptation and potential proliferation within the Pampa Biome. Chirca plants were cultivated at two CO2 concentrations (400 (a[CO2]) and 700 (e[CO2]) µmol mol−1) and two water conditions (under water restriction—15% of the pot capacity; and plants without water restriction—pot capacity). Besides growth parameters, we also determined water potential (ѱw), relative water contents (RWC), proline, glycine betaine, total soluble sugars, hydrogen peroxide, lipid peroxidation, superoxide dismutase (SOD), ascorbate peroxidase (APX) activity, chlorophyll A and B, carotenoids and root dry mass (RDM). Plants exposed to e[CO2] are more efficient in water use and have a greater increase in root dry mass, enabling greater adaptation to climate-induced droughts. Among the biochemical changes observed in the plants under drought stress, the accumulation of proline, glycine betaine, and total soluble sugars were the most evident mechanisms allowing plants to tolerate drought stress by osmotic adjustment.
Nutritional Properties of Baobab Pulp from Different Angolan Origins
Authors: Monteiro Sara , Reboredo Fernando H. , Lageiro Maria Manuela , Lourenço Vanda M. , Dias João , Lidon Fernando , Abreu Marta , Martins António P. L. , Alvarenga Nuno
Published: September 2022

The baobab tree (Adansonia digitata L.) is found widely in the forests and savannas of sub-Saharan Africa. The baobab fruit has a sour and slightly sweet taste and is widely consumed by the natives, thus containing a high nutritional value and providing a source of income for rural people. This study aimed to compare the nutritional composition of baobab fruit pulp from different localities in the Namibe province (Angola). Twenty samples of baobab pulp were collected in markets of the four municipalities of Namibe. The results obtained showed that there is some geographic location dependence on nutritional and functional composition. The municipality of Camucuio showed samples with higher fibre content (56.62 g/100 g) and vitamin C (288.9 mg/100 g). Samples from the Virei municipality stood out for their antioxidant activity (1936 mmol TE/100 g), high K content (42.4 mg/g) and higher values of protein (2.42 g/100 g). The samples collected in the municipality of Bibala stood out for their high contents of carbohydrates (28.1 g/100 g), total phenolic compounds (972 mg GAE/100 g) and Ca (3.80 mg/g). Despite the differences in origin, the high nutritional value of baobab fruit has the potential to improve the diet of thousands of people in Africa qualitatively.
Applications of In Vitro Tissue Culture Technologies in Breeding and Genetic Improvement of Wheat
Authors: Wijerathna-Yapa Akila , Ramtekey Vinita , Ranawaka Buddhini , Basnet Bhoja Raj
Published: September 2022

Sources of new genetic variability have been limited to existing germplasm in the past. Wheat has been studied extensively for various agronomic traits located throughout the genome. The large size of the chromosomes and the ability of its polyploid genome to tolerate the addition or loss of chromosomes facilitated rapid progress in the early study of wheat genetics using cytogenetic techniques. At the same time, its large genome size has limited the progress in genetic characterization studies focused on diploid species, with a small genome and genetic engineering procedures already developed. Today, the genetic transformation and gene editing procedures offer attractive alternatives to conventional techniques for breeding wheat because they allow one or more of the genes to be introduced or altered into an elite cultivar without affecting its genetic background. Recently, significant advances have been made in regenerating various plant tissues, providing the essential basis for regenerating transgenic plants. In addition, Agrobacterium-mediated, biolistic, and in planta particle bombardment (iPB) gene delivery procedures have been developed for wheat transformation and advanced transgenic wheat development. As a result, several useful genes are now available that have been transferred or would be helpful to be transferred to wheat in addition to the current traditional effort to improve trait values, such as resistance to abiotic and biotic factors, grain quality, and plant architecture. Furthermore, the in planta genome editing method will significantly contribute to the social implementation of genome-edited crops to innovate the breeding pipeline and leverage unique climate adaptations.
Genomic and Morphological Differentiation of Spirit Producing Agave angustifolia Traditional Landraces Cultivated in Jalisco, Mexico
Authors: Cabrera-Toledo Dánae , Mendoza-Galindo Eddy , Larranaga Nerea , Herrera-Estrella Alfredo , Vásquez-Cruz Marilyn , Hernández-Hernández Tania
Published: September 2022

Traditional agave spirits such as mezcal or tequila are produced all over Mexico using different species of Agave. Amongst them, A. angustifolia is the most popular given its agricultural extension. A. angustifolia is a wild species extensively distributed from North to Central America, and previous studies show that it is highly related to the tequila agave A. tequilana. In different regions of Mexico, A. angustifolia is cultivated under different types and levels of management, and although traditional producers identify several landraces, for the non-trained eye there are no perceivable differences. After interviews with producers from different localities in Jalisco, Mexico, we sampled A. angustifolia plants classified as different landraces, measured several morphological traits, and characterized their genetic differentiation and diversity at the genome-wide level. We included additional samples identified as A. tequilana and A. rhodacantha to evaluate their relationship with A. angustifolia. In contrast with previous studies, our pool of ca 20K high quality unlinked SNPs provided more information and helped us to distinguish different genetic groups that are congruent with the ethnobotanical landraces. We found no evidence to genetically delimitate A. tequilana, A. rhodacantha and A. angustifolia. Our large genome level dataset allows a better understanding of the genetic identity of important A. angustifolia traditional and autochthonous landraces.
All Are in a Drought, but Some Stand Out: Multivariate Analysis in the Selection of Agronomic Efficient Popcorn Genotypes
Authors: Leite Jhean Torres , Amaral Junior Antônio Teixeira do , Kamphorst Samuel Henrique , Lima Valter Jário de , Santos Junior Divino Rosa dos , Alves Uéliton Oliveira , Azeredo Valdinei Cruz , Pereira Jacymara Lopes , Bispo Rosimeire Barboza , Schmidt Katia Fabiane Medeiros , Viana Flávia Nicácio , Viana Alexandre Pio , Vieira Henrique Duarte , Ramos Helaine Christine Cancela , Ribeiro Rodrigo Moreira , Campostrini Eliemar
Published: September 2022

The search for productive germplasm adapted to adverse conditions is an important action to mitigate the harmful effects of climate change. The aim was to identify the yield potential of 50 popcorn inbred lines grown in field conditions, in two crop seasons (CS), and under contrasting water conditions (WC). Morphoagronomic, physiological, and root system traits were evaluated. Joint and individual analyses of variance were performed, in addition to the multivariate GT bip-lot analysis. Expressive reductions between WC were observed in 100-grain weight (100 GW), popping expansion (PE), grain yield (GY), expanded popcorn volume per ha (EPV), row number per ear (RNE), plant height (PH), relative chlorophyll content (SPAD), and nitrogen balance index (NBI). It was found that the SPAD, 100 GW, GY, PE, and grain number per ear (GNE) traits had the most significant impact on the selection of genotypes. Regardless of WC and CS, the ideal lines were L294 and L688 for PE; L691 and L480 for GY; and L291 and L292 for both traits. SPAD, 100 GW, and GNE can contribute to the indirect selection. Our work contributes to understanding the damage caused by drought and the integration of traits for the indirect selection of drought-tolerant popcorn genotypes.
An Overview of Pentatricopeptide Repeat (PPR) Proteins in the Moss Physcomitrium patens and Their Role in Organellar Gene Expression
Authors: Sugita Mamoru
Published: September 2022

Pentatricopeptide repeat (PPR) proteins are one type of helical repeat protein that are widespread in eukaryotes. In particular, there are several hundred PPR members in flowering plants. The majority of PPR proteins are localized in the plastids and mitochondria, where they play a crucial role in various aspects of RNA metabolism at the post-transcriptional and translational steps during gene expression. Among the early land plants, the moss Physcomitrium (formerly Physcomitrella) patens has at least 107 PPR protein-encoding genes, but most of their functions remain unclear. To elucidate the functions of PPR proteins, a reverse-genetics approach has been applied to P. patens. To date, the molecular functions of 22 PPR proteins were identified as essential factors required for either mRNA processing and stabilization, RNA splicing, or RNA editing. This review examines the P. patens PPR gene family and their current functional characterization. Similarities and a diversity of functions of PPR proteins between P. patens and flowering plants and their roles in the post-transcriptional regulation of organellar gene expression are discussed.
Effects of Different Drought Degrees on Physiological Characteristics and Endogenous Hormones of Soybean
Authors: Zhou Qi , Li Yongping , Wang Xiaojing , Yan Chao , Ma Chunmei , Liu Jun , Dong Shoukun
Published: September 2022

Drought affects crop developmentnand growth. To explore the physiological effects of drought stress on soybean, HeiNong44 (HN44) and HeiNong65 (HN65) varieties were used as experimental materials and PEG-6000 was used as the osmotic medium. The antioxidant enzyme activity, osmotic adjustment substance content, antioxidant capacity, and endogenous hormone content of the two soybean varieties were studied under different drought degrees and different treatment durations. Drought stress caused significant physiological changes in soybean. The antioxidant enzyme activities, osmoregulation substance content, and total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC) of HN65 and HN44 showed an increasing trend under mild and moderate drought, however, they first increased and then decreased under severe drought conditions. Following the extension of treatment time, malondialdehyde (MDA) showed an increasing trend. As drought increased, gibberellin (GA) content showed a decreasing trend, while abscisic acid (ABA), salicylic acid (SA), and zeatin nucleoside (ZA) content showed an increasing trend. The auxin (IAA) content of the two varieties showed opposite change trends. In short, drought had a significant impact on the physiology of these two soybean varieties; however, overall, the drought resistance of HN65 was lower than that of HN44. This study provides a research theoretical basis for addressing the drought resistance mechanism and the breeding of drought resistant soybean varieties.
Combined Computational and Experimental Studies of Anabasine Encapsulation by Beta-Cyclodextrin
Authors: Muldakhmetov Zeinolla , Fazylov Serik , Nurkenov Oral , Gazaliev Arstan , Sarsenbekova Akmaral , Pustolaikina Irina , Nurmaganbetov Zhangeldy , Seilkhanov Olzhas , Alsfouk Aisha A. , Elkaeed Eslam B. , Eissa Ibrahim H. , Metwaly Ahmed M.
Published: September 2022

The encapsulation of the famous alkaloid, anabasine, with β-CD was studied to obtain a more stable and bioavailable inclusion complex. Various in silico and experimental studies of the obtained β-CD-anabasine complex are presented. Firstly, molecular docking studies were conducted against the α, β, and γ cyclodextrins to explore which subclass is the best for encapsulation. The obtained results that pointed at β-cyclodextrin were further confirmed by five MD simulations and MM-PBSA studies. Experimentally, the spectral properties of the anabasine β-cyclodextrin complex were determined by FT-IR, 1H, and 13C-NMR spectroscopic methods. Additionally, the surface morphology of the anabasine β-cyclodextrin was investigated using a scanning electron microscope. Furthermore, the outputs of the thermographic measurements utilizing a differential scanning calorimeter were displayed. The activation energy of the reaction of thermo-oxidative destruction of the clathrate complex was calculated, and the kinetic parameters of the thermal destruction processes were decided using the Freeman–Carroll, Sharpe–Wentworth, Achar, and Coates–Redfern methods. The kinetic parameters of the thermal decomposition of the anabasine β-cyclodextrin were in agreement and verified the reliability of the obtained results. The obtained computational, spectral, morphological, and thermogravimetric results verified the successful formation of the anabasine β-cyclodextrin complex.
Isolation and Characterization of a Novel Pathogenesis-Related Protein-1 Gene (AvPR-1) with Induced Expression in Oat (Avena sativa L.) during Abiotic and Hormonal Stresses
Authors: AlHudaib Khalid A. , Alanazi Naimah Asid , Ghorbel Mouna , El-Ganainy Sherif Mohamed , Brini Faiçal
Published: September 2022

Pathogenesis-related protein-1 (PR-1) plays crucial roles in regulating plant responses to biotic and abiotic stresses. This study aimed to isolate and characterize the first PR-1 (AvPR-1) gene in oat (Avena sativa L.). AvPR-1 presented conserved signal peptide motifs and core amino acid composition in the functional protein domains as the protein sequence of AvPR-1 presented 98.28%, 97.7%, and 95.4% identity with known PR1 proteins isolated from Triticum aestivum PRB1-2-like, Triticum dicoccoides PRB1-2-like, and Aegilops tauschii subsp. tauschii, respectively. Bioinformatic analysis showed that the AvPR-1 protein belongs to the CAP superfamily (PF00188). Secondary and 3D structure analyses of the AvPR-1 protein were also conducted, confirming sequence conservation of PR-1 among studied species. The AvPR-1 protein harbors a calmodulin-binding domain located in its C-terminal part as previously shown for its wheat homolog TdPR1.2. Moreover, gene expression analysis showed that AvPR-1 was induced in response to many abiotic and hormonal stresses especially in leaves after treatment for 48 h. This is the first study exhibiting the expression profiles of the AvPR-1 gene under different stresses in oat.
Identification of Inflammatory Proteomics Networks of Toll-like Receptor 4 through Immunoprecipitation-Based Chemical Cross-Linking Proteomics
Authors: Shahinuzzaman A. D. A. , Kamal Abu Hena Mostafa , Chakrabarty Jayanta K. , Rahman Aurchie , Chowdhury Saiful M.
Published: September 2022

Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) is a receptor on an immune cell that can recognize the invasion of bacteria through their attachment with bacterial lipopolysaccharides (LPS). Hence, LPS is a pro-immune response stimulus. On the other hand, statins are lipid-lowering drugs and can also lower immune cell responses. We used human embryonic kidney (HEK 293) cells engineered to express HA-tagged TLR-4 upon treatment with LPS, statin, and both statin and LPS to understand the effect of pro- and anti-inflammatory responses. We performed a monoclonal antibody (mAb) directed co-immunoprecipitation (CO-IP) of HA-tagged TLR4 and its interacting proteins in the HEK 293 extracted proteins. We utilized an ETD cleavable chemical cross-linker to capture weak and transient interactions with TLR4 protein. We tryptic digested immunoprecipitated and cross-linked proteins on beads, followed by liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) analysis of the peptides. Thus, we utilized the label-free quantitation technique to measure the relative expression of proteins between treated and untreated samples. We identified 712 proteins across treated and untreated samples and performed protein network analysis using Ingenuity Pathway Analysis (IPA) software to reveal their protein networks. After filtering and evaluating protein expression, we identified macrophage myristoylated alanine-rich C kinase substrate (MARCKSL1) and creatine kinase proteins as a potential part of the inflammatory networks of TLR4. The results assumed that MARCKSL1 and creatine kinase proteins might be associated with a statin-induced anti-inflammatory response due to possible interaction with the TLR4.
Extension and Evaluation of SSC for Removing Wideband RFI in SLC SAR Images
Authors: Chen Bingxu , Lv Zongsen , Lu Pingping , Shu Gaofeng , Huang Yabo , Li Ning
Published: September 2022

Synthetic aperture radar (SAR), as a wideband radar system, is easily contaminated by radio frequency interference (RFI), which affects the imaging quality of SAR. The subband spectral cancellation (SSC) method and its modifications utilize the SAR single-look complex (SLC) image to realize RFI extraction and mitigation by subtracting between sub-images, which are robust and efficient for engineering applications. In the past, the traditional SSC was often applied to narrowband interference (NBI) mitigation. However, when it was used for wideband interference (WBI) mitigation, it would cause the mitigated image to lose much of its useful information. In contrast, this paper proposes an improved SSC method based on successive cancellation and data accumulation (SSC-SCDA) for WBI mitigation. First, the fast Fourier transform (FFT) is used to characterize the SAR SLC data in the frequency domain, and the average range spectrum algorithm is used to detect whether there are interference components in the SAR SLC data. Then, according to the carrier frequency and bandwidth of the RFI in the frequency domain, the subbands are divided, and a cancellation strategy is formulated. Finally, based on the successive cancellation and data accumulation technology, WBIs can be removed by using only a small percentage of the clean subbands. Based on the simulated experiments, the interference mitigation performance of the proposed method is analyzed when the interference-to-signal bandwidth ratio (ISBR) varies from 20% to 80% under different signal-to-interference-to-noise ratios (SINR). The experimental results based on WBI-contaminated European Space Agency (ESA) Sentinel-1A SAR SLC data demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method in WBI mitigation.
Global Empirical Models for Tropopause Height Determination
Authors: Mateus Pedro , Mendes Virgílio B. , Pires Carlos A.L.
Published: September 2022

The calculation of the tropopause height is crucial to the investigation of fundamental interactions between the troposphere and stratosphere, playing an essential role in areas such as climatology, geodesy, geophysics, ecology, and aeronautics. Since the troposphere and stratosphere have many distinct features, it is possible to define the boundary between them using different variables, such as temperature lapse rate, potential vorticity and chemical concentrations. However, according to the chosen variable, different tropopause definitions are created, each one with some limitations. Using 41 years of European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) reanalysis (ERA5) data, we examined the variability of the tropopause for the north and south hemispheres and developed two models, both based on blending the potential vorticity and thermal tropopauses. One model (based on a sigmoid function, named STH) depends only on latitude and day of the year, while the other model (based on bilinear interpolation, named BTH) requires an additional look-up table. In order to account for the different behaviors of the tropopauses in the north and south hemispheres, we estimated two sets of model coefficients (one for each hemisphere). When compared against a benchmark of estimated tropopause heights during three years of radiosonde data, we obtained an average RMSE for the differences of 0.88 km for the STH model and 0.67 km for the BTH model. A similar comparison for alternative models available in the literature shows that the new models have superior performance and represent a significant improvement in tropopause height determination.
First-Year Experience in the COVID-19 Situation and the Association between Students’ Approaches to Learning, Study-Related Burnout and Experiences of Online Studying
Authors: Asikainen Henna , Katajavuori Nina
Published: September 2022

The aim of this study was to explore the association between students’ approaches to learning and their experiences of study-related burnout in their first year of higher education. The objective was also to explore these association with a person-oriented approach by examining various learning profiles and their relation to experiences of study-related burnout and experiences of studying during the COVID 19-situation. The participants in this study were 384 first-year life sciences students who answered a questionnaire at the end of first year with Likert-type and open-ended questions. K-means clustering and ANOVA analyses were used to examine the profiles and differences in their perceptions of burnout. Students’ experiences of studying were analysed qualitatively and differences between profiles were examined with Chi Square analysis. The results of this study show that an unreflective approach to learning is most strongly related to experiences of burnout and that experiences of online studying differed between profiles.
Effects of Restoration Years on Vegetation and Soil Characteristics under Different Artificial Measures in Alpine Mining Areas, West China
Authors: Jin Liqun , Li Xilai , Sun Huafang , Wang Junteng , Zhang Jing , Zhang Yufang
Published: September 2022

In view of the problem of sustainable restoration of vegetation in alpine mining areas, vegetation communities and physical and chemical properties of soil under different artificial restoration measures (i.e., grass monoculture, sowing quantity and topsoil replacement) were investigated for five consecutive years (2016–2020) in the sloped eastern area of a northern slag mound in the Jiangcang mining area of the Muli coalfield in Qinghai, China. The results showed that the vegetation characteristics of different sowing treatments with different kinds of grass species, such as Elymus nutans, Poa pratensis cv. Qinghai and Poa crymophila cv. Qinghai, were significantly different (p < 0.05). The content of soil available nitrogen and phosphorus was significantly different among different grass species (p < 0.05). Vegetation coverage and ramet density of sowing treatment five were significantly higher than those of a lower sowing quantity (p < 0.05). There was no significant difference in the vegetation characteristics among different grass species treatments five years after the restoration (p > 0.05). There was no significant difference in vegetation height of different soil covering treatments (p > 0.05). In the early stage of restoration, vegetation coverage and ramet density in TR2 (resurfacing soil 10 cm) and TR3 (resurfacing soil 15 cm) were significantly higher than those without treatment. Soil N, P and organic matter under the treatments of TR1 (resurfacing soil 5 cm), TR2 and TR3 were significantly higher than those in CK (p < 0.05) in the early stage of restoration, but there was no significant difference in soil N, P and organic matter after five years of restoration. Overall, the vegetation and soil characteristics showed a trend of increase first and then decrease during the 5-year restoration period under different artificial measures. There were significant differences in the vegetation and soil characteristics among different treatments in the second year of restoration (p < 0.05), but there was no significant difference between the first year and the fifth year of restoration, which indicated that vegetation and soil began to degrade after five years of restoration, and substrate nutrients in the mining waste soil could only support the short-term restoration of vegetation. Therefore, it is necessary to target matrix nutrients in future vegetation restoration in alpine mining areas.
Teleworking: The Link between Worker, Family and Company
Authors: Herrera Juan , De las Heras-Rosas Carlos , Rodríguez-Fernández Mercedes , Ciruela-Lorenzo Antonio Manuel
Published: September 2022

Telework is presented as a model of work organisation that changes the paradigms of business culture in many organisations, reshaping established management and social systems. The COVID-19 pandemic and the restrictions applied to the mobility and concentration of people have accelerated the implementation of telework, generating an accelerated change in organisational models. Telework dynamics significantly transform many aspects of the business, social and personal environment. The research community has investigated: work performance; the environment; technology; social factors; and work–life balance, among other issues. However, it is necessary to know in greater depth what the most salient aspects related to telework are. To this end, a total of 539 publications from the Web of Science database between 1984 and 2021 were analysed using bibliometric techniques. The results obtained indicate an outstanding interest in this subject in the last two years. The research comes from many different areas of knowledge and mainly focused on issues related to worker–employer–family conflict, work–life balance and flexibility policies. There has been remarkable growth and dispersion in telework research, where, in addition to productivity-based approaches, the field of study has opened up to other issues such as worker health and satisfaction, professional isolation, the role of supervisors or the gender perspective, among others. The contribution of this research is broadening knowledge about the dynamics of telework in organisations and the issues that have been the most considered by the scientific community, so that it can serve as a point of support for future research.
Politics and law as regulatory correlates of power
Authors: Noskov Vladimir A , Turanin Vladislav Yu , Yarychev Nasrudi U , Baghdasaryan Irina A , Kutina Vera P
Published: September 2022

The current article attempts to denote the relationship between the regulatory purpose of politics and law, which form coherent power as a dialectical unity of political power interested in the legal legitimation of its status and legal power, appealing to the power represented by the state, on the one hand, and their denial of each other as the embodiment of the paradigms of efficiency (politics) and legitimation (law), on the other hand. To meet that aim, general scientific (dialectical, comparative, historical-genetic, structural-functional), and also specific scientific (specific-sociological, formal-logical, historical-legal, comparative jurisprudence) methods are taken into consideration. Given the results of the study, the efficiency paradigm is determined by the factor of result, and the legitimation paradigm is determined by the factor of process. The interaction of these paradigms gives rise to an antinomic contradiction, which is an attributive characteristic of the political and legal regulation of social processes.
Desecration of dead bodies and their burial places: legislation improvement issues
Authors: Dolzhenko Natalia I , Bezugly Sergej N , Ignatenko Evgeniy A , Burtsev Andrey S , Shevtsov Roman M
Published: September 2022

For a long period of time, the main regulator of relations associated with various encroachments on the bodies of the dead and the places of their burial was religion; however, the transition of society from traditional to post-industrial predetermined the changes in settlement of the analyzed crimes. In order to preserve the moral principles and moral health of society, the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation singles out an independent group of crimes that infringe on public morality, one of which is Desecration of the dead bodies and their burial places. The article discusses issues related to the commission of encroachments on the bodies of the dead and the places of their burial. They presented the description and characteristics of the objects of encroachment, as well as qualified compositions. The dialectical approach to the disclosure of legal phenomena and processes using general scientific (systemic, logical, analysis and synthesis) and specific scientific methods are utilized to gratify the aims of the study. The author substantiates the consistency of the approach regarding the synonymy of the concept "violation" and "desecration".
Povos e comunidades tradicionais e a política de assistência social: uma revisão sistemática da literatura
Authors: Piedras Roberta Cardoso , Lima Luciana Leite
Published: September 2022

No Brasil, os Povos e Comunidades Tradicionais (PCTs) foram reconhecidos como grupos culturalmente diferenciados por meio do Decreto federal nº 6.040 de 2007, que visava garantir seus direitos sociais, culturais e territoriais. Alinhada a esse movimento, em 2016, a Política Nacional de Assistência Social (PNAS) passou a considerar as especificidades de PCTs em seus marcos regulatórios a fim de ofertar serviços assistenciais culturalmente adequados. Nesse contexto, o objetivo deste artigo é mapear a literatura sobre PNAS e PCTs, buscando identificar: como as duas temáticas têm sido tratadas, quais aspectos facilitam e/ou dificultam o atendimento culturalmente adequado e quais foram os temas mais e menos debatidos. Para isso, empregou-se uma revisão sistemática da literatura. A coleta de dados foi realizada nos meses de setembro e outubro de 2021 nos portais Periódicos Capes e Google Scholar, sendo selecionados 29 trabalhos. Constatou-se que as publicações tratavam de temáticas ligadas ao Serviço Social, ao desenho da PNAS e à sua implementação. Neles, sustenta-se que o campo do Serviço Social deu pouca centralidade às situações vividas e vulnerabilidades enfrentadas por tais grupos e que o desenho da PNAS assentou categorias operacionais que não levavam em conta a organização social desses segmentos da população brasileira. Essa invisibilidade, somada aos precários recursos de oferta dos serviços assistenciais, deu lugar a casos de atendimentos excludentes, inadequados ou que não consideravam as especificidades de PCTs. Por fim, afirma-se a necessidade de condições que ofereçam às equipes capacidades de adaptar os programas a fim de vencer tal invisibilidade.
Avaliação da inserção de radiopacificadores na medicação intracanal em diferentes proporções associados ao Hidróxido de Cálcio
Authors: Nascimento João Victor Menezes do , Gomes Fábio de Almeida , Vitoriano Marcelo de Morais , Vasconcelos Bruno Carvalho de , Aguiar Bernardo Almeida , Filho Eduardo Diogo Gurgel , Sousa Maria Camila Silva de , Braga Daiana Dávila Mendonça
Published: September 2022

A medicação intracanal contribui para o sucesso do tratamento endodôntico, sendo a radiopacidade uma propriedade física requerida. Um agente radiopacificante deve ser adicionado ao cimento ou medicação para permitir que a qualidade da obturação do canal ou escoamento da substância seja visualizado radiograficamente. Objetivo: Avaliar a inserção de óxido de zinco, óxido de zircônio e iodofórmio como radiopacificadores na medicação intracanal em diferentes proporções, associados ao hidróxido de cálcio. Estudo laboratorial, intervencional, longitudinal de caráter quantitativo. Para os testes de radiopacidade foram adicionados hidróxido de cálcio, óxido de zircônio, óxido de zinco e iodofórmio como radiopacificadores em percentual de 20%,30%, 40%, 50% e 60%; conforme ISO 6876/2012. O mesmo parâmetro foi utilizado para determinar a radiopacidade. As pastas manipuladas foram inseridas em anéis metálicos, medindo 10,0 mm de diâmetro interno e 1,0 mm de altura (n = 3). Os espécimes ficaram apoiados sobre película oclusal com penetrômetro de alumínio. Os filmes foram sensibilizados com aparelho de raios-X e analisados pelo programa Photopea, que determinou o valor de radiopacidade de acordo com a densidade radiográfica, convertida em milímetros de alumínio (mm Al). O Iodofórmio mostrou melhor percentual em 40%, óxido de zircônia em 30%, não havendo diferença estatística em nenhuma proporção do óxido de zinco, sendo este o único grupo que não apresentou diferença para o grupo controle na comparação entre todos materiais. Na endodontia, a desinfecção é fator importante. Em alguns casos, é indicada uma medicação que possua valores radiográficos suficientes para a visualização do composto dentro do canal.
Ensino em época de pandemia: monitoria como estratégia de aprendizagem sobre saúde da gestante
Authors: Lima Janaína Carneiro , Maia Maria Andrezza Gomes , Afonso Luisalice Mendes , Cartaxo Hiria Carvalho Braga , Pereira Gianni Nunes , Neto José de Sousa Batista , Cartaxo Hiago Carvalho Braga , Costa Milena Silva
Published: September 2022

A pandemia da COVID-19 ocasionou mudanças econômicas, políticas e de comportamentos na população devido ao desconhecimento sobre as medidas eficazes de proteção, tratamento e cura da doença. No setor da educação, as aulas presenciais foram suspensas, mas as demais atividades foram mantidas com adaptações, para a continuidade do aprendizado dos estudantes. As universidades precisaram criar e reinventar estratégias de ensino à distância para contemplar o conteúdo programático das disciplinas.