bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
State-of-Art on the Recycling of By-Products from Fruits and Vegetables of Mediterranean Countries to Prolong Food Shelf Life
Authors: Nardella Sara , Conte Amalia , Del Nobile Matteo Alessandro
Published: February 2022

Annually, 1.3 billion tons of food are wasted and this plays a major role in increasing pollution. Food waste increases domestic greenhouse gas emissions mainly due to the gas emissions associated with its production. Fruit and vegetable industrial by-products occur in the form of leaves, peel, seeds, pulp, as well as a mixture of them and represent the most abundant food waste. The disposal of agricultural by-products costs a large amount of money under certain governmental regulations. However, fruit and vegetable by-products are rich in valuable bioactive compounds, thus justifying their use as food fortifier, active food packaging or as food ingredients to preserve food quality over time. The present review collects the most recent utilization carried out at lab-scale on Mediterranean fruit and vegetable by-products as valid components to prolong food shelf life, providing a detailed picture of the state-of-art of literature on the topic. Bibliographic research was conducted by applying many keywords and filters in the last 10 years. Several scientific findings demonstrate that by-products, and in particular their extracts, are effectively capable of prolonging the shelf life of dairy food, fresh-cut produce, meat and fish-based products, oil, wine, paste and bakery products. All of the studies provide clear advances in terms of food sustainability, highlight the potential of by-products as a source of bioactive compounds, and promote a culture in which foods are intended to receive a second useful life. The same final considerations were also included regarding the current situation, which still limits by-products diffusion. In addition, a conclusion on a future perspective for by-products recycling was provided. The most important efforts have to be conducted by research since only a multidisciplinary approach for an advantageous investigation could be an efficient method to promote the scale up of by-products and encourage their adoption at the industrial level.
Feasibility of a Small Group Otago Exercise Program for Older Adults Living with Dementia
Authors: Ries Julie D. , Carroll Martha
Published: February 2022

Older adults with dementia experience more frequent and injurious falls than their cognitively-intact peers; however, there are no evidence-based fall-prevention programs (EBFPP) for this population. The Otago Exercise Program (OEP) is an EBFPP for older adults that has not been well-studied in people with dementia. We sought to explore the feasibility of group delivery of OEP in an adult day health center (ADHC) for people with dementia. We collected demographic data, Functional Assessment Staging Tool (FAST), and Mini Mental State Exam (MMSE) scores for seven participants with dementia. Pre- and post-test data included: Timed-Up-and-Go (TUG), 30-Second Chair-Stand (30s-CST), Four-Stage-Balance-Test (4-SBT), and Berg Balance Scale (BBS). We implemented a supervised group OEP, 3x/week × 8 weeks. Most participants required 1:1 supervision for optimal challenge and participation. Five participants completed the program. All had moderately severe to severe dementia based upon FAST; MMSE scores ranged from mild to severe cognitive impairment. Four of five participants crossed the threshold from higher to lower fall risk in at least one outcome (TUG, 30s-CST, 4-SBT, or BBS), and four of five participants improved by >Minimal Detectible Change (MDC90) score in at least one outcome. The group delivery format of OEP required significant staff oversight for optimal participation, making the program unsustainable.
Are Subjective Intensities Indicators of Player Load and Heart Rate in Physical Education?
Authors: García-Ceberino Juan M. , Gamero María G. , Ibáñez Sergio J. , Feu Sebastián
Published: February 2022

Physical education teachers need valid, low-cost, subjective techniques as an alternative to high-cost new technologies to monitor students’ intensity monitoring. This study aimed to investigate the correlations between both objective and subjective external (eTL) and internal (iTL) intensities. A total of 95 primary education students participated in this study. In this regard, 40 played soccer, and 55 performed basketball tasks, recording a total of 3956 units of analysis. The intensities caused by the different soccer and basketball tasks were measured using objective techniques (inertial devices and heart rate monitors) and subjective techniques (a sheet of task analysis and ratings of perceived exertion). Matrix scatter plots were made to show the values of two variables for a dataset. In this regard, adjustment lines were plotted to determine the trend of the correlations. Then, Spearman’s correlation was calculated to measure the association between two variables. Despite the low correlation levels obtained, the main results showed significant positive correlations between the intensities. This means that the high intensity values recorded by objective techniques also implied high intensity values recorded by subjective techniques, and vice versa. Negative correlations (r Rho = −0.19; p = 0.00) were only found between the following eTL variables: task eTL per minute (subjective technique) and player load per minute (objective technique). This negative correlation occurred when students played in the same 3 vs. 3 game situation without variability in subjective eTL (M ± SD, 28.00 ± 0.00). Therefore, subjective eTL and iTL techniques could be proposed as a suitable alternative for planning and monitoring the intensities supported by students in physical education classes. Moreover, these subjective techniques are easy to use in schools.
Oral Malignant Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma: A Retrospective Single-Center Study
Authors: Barone Selene , Buffone Caterina , Ferrillo Martina , Pasqua Federica , Parrotta Stefano , Salviati Marianna , Bennardo Francesco , Antonelli Alessandro
Published: February 2022

This study aimed to retrospectively evaluate the incidence of oral non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) in patients referred to the Academic Hospital of the Magna Graecia University of Catanzaro from 2002 to 2020. A retrospective single-center study was performed. Patients with a histologically confirmed diagnosis of oral NHL were included. Demographic data and clinical parameters were digitally recorded, focusing on the NHL-specific localization and symptomatology. The study sample was evaluated by analyzing descriptive statistics with absolute and relative frequencies. A total of 26 patients with intraoral NHL were identified with a progressive increase in NHL occurrence during the observation period. Clinical manifestations included swelling/mass (80.7%), eventually associated with pain and ulcerations. The most common localizations were in soft tissues: buccal mucosa (38.4%), tongue (19.2%), gingiva (11.5%), cheek (11.5%). Oral NHL is rare. Clinical manifestations were unspecific, so a misdiagnosis could occur. The extranodal B-cell form of oral NHL, particularly diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, was the most common frequent oral NHL in this southern Italian population, with a progressively increased occurrence in almost 20 years.
Association between Emotional Exhaustion and Tobacco Consumption in Teachers
Authors: Portilla Alexis , Meza María Fernanda , Lizana Pablo A.
Published: February 2022

Teachers have been reported as having high levels of emotional exhaustion (EE). It has also been observed that tobacco consumption (TC) is higher during stressful events. However, there is little evidence about the association between EE and TC among teachers. A total of n = 560 teachers took part in this study, where 71.79% (n = 402) were women. For data gathering, the EE dimension of the Maslach Inventory for teachers was used, along with a TC questionnaire and the sociodemographic data of the participants. A binary logistical regression model was used for statistical analysis. Regarding TC, over 30% of teachers declared that they smoked; 65% of the teachers presented medium-high EE and 31% of teachers presented high EE. Teachers who said they were smokers had a greater risk of presenting high EE (OR: 1.7, p < 0.05), along with younger teachers (≤44 years; OR: 2.1, p < 0.01). In addition, teachers with high EE also have a high risk of TC. The present study reports an association between TC and high EE category among teachers, regardless of gender. An important association is also observed between the under-45 age group and high EE. These results indicate that teachers should have psychological support and interventions aiding them with facing work stress and TC habits, especially for younger teachers.
Potential Effects of Romanian Propolis Extracts against Pathogen Strains
Authors: Vică Mihaela Laura , Glevitzky Mirel , Heghedűş-Mîndru Ramona Cristina , Glevitzky Ioana , Matei Horea Vladi , Balici Stefana , Popa Maria , Teodoru Cosmin Adrian
Published: February 2022

The impact of globalization on beekeeping brings new economic, scientific, ecological and social dimensions to this field The present study aimed to evaluate the chemical compositions of eight propolis extracts from Romania, and their antioxidant action and antimicrobial activity against seven species of bacteria, including pathogenic ones: Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus, Bacillus subtilis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium. The phenolic compounds, flavonoids and antioxidant activity of propolis extracts were quantified; the presence of flavones and aromatic acids was determined. Quercetin and rutin were identified by HPLC analysis and characterized using molecular descriptors. All propolis samples exhibited antibacterial effects, especially against P. aeruginosa and L. monocytogenes. A two-way analysis of variance was used to evaluate correlations among the diameters of the inhibition zones, the bacteria used and propolis extracts used. Statistical analysis demonstrated that the diameter of the inhibition zone was influenced by the strain type, but no association between the propolis origin and the microbial activity was found.
Objective and Perceived Traffic Safety for Children: A Systematic Literature Review of Traffic and Built Environment Characteristics Related to Safe Travel
Authors: Amiour Yasser , Waygood E. O. D. , van den Berg Pauline E. W.
Published: February 2022

The literature on children’s active transportation has shown the influence of the built environment characteristics on walking and crashes. Various reviews have examined those two questions. One influence on walking is the perception of traffic safety. However, it is not clear how, or even if, the built environment affects such perceptions. This research aims to understand which traffic and built environment characteristics influence objective and subjective/perceived traffic safety for children based on the analysis of previous studies in the field. Two types of research were used: the first examines the association between traffic and built environment characteristics and child pedestrian and/or cyclist collisions/injuries; the second relates to the perception of safety by parents and children for active transportation and, where studied, its relationship with built environment characteristics. A systematic review was conducted using five electronic databases. The total number of articles retrieved was reduced to 38 following the eligibility criteria and quality assessment, where 25 articles relate to injuries among children and 13 articles pertain to perception of safety. The results showed that high traffic volume and high vehicle speed are the main reasons children and parents feel unsafe when children use active travel, which matches the main findings on objective safety. Few articles on perception of safety related to the objective built environment were found. However, consistent findings exist. The presence of sidewalk was related to the safety of children. The presence of a crossing guard was positively related to perceived safety but was associated with higher rates of injuries among children. Intersection density was related to unsafe perceptions but was not statistically associated with objective traffic safety. Additionally, population density was found to be positively related to injuries among children, but not to perception of safety. The results help policy strategy to enhance the safety of children when using active transport modes.
Systematic Comparison of Beetle Luciferase-Luciferin Pairs as Sources of Near-Infrared Light for In Vitro and In Vivo Applications
Authors: Branchini Bruce R. , Fontaine Danielle M. , Kohrt Dawn , Huta Brian P. , Racela Allison R. , Fort Benjamin R. , Southworth Tara L. , Roda Aldo
Published: February 2022

Luciferases catalyze light-emitting reactions that produce a rainbow of colors from their substrates (luciferins), molecular oxygen, and often additional cofactors. These bioluminescence (BL) systems have afforded an incredible variety of basic research and medical applications. Driven by the importance of BL-based non-invasive animal imaging (BLI) applications, especially in support of cancer research, new BL systems have been developed by engineering beetle luciferase (Luc) variants and synthetic substrate combinations to produce red to near-infrared (nIR) light to improve imaging sensitivity and resolution. To stimulate the application of BLI research and advance the development of improved reagents for BLI, we undertook a systematic comparison of the spectroscopic and BL properties of seven beetle Lucs with LH2 and nine substrates, which included two new quinoline ring-containing analogs. The results of these experiments with purified Luc enzymes in vitro and in live HEK293T cells transfected with luc genes have enabled us to identify Luc/analog combinations with improved properties compared to those previously reported and to provide live cell BL data that may be relevant to in vivo imaging applications. Additionally, we found strong candidate enzyme/substrate pairs for in vitro biomarker applications requiring nIR sources with minimal visible light components. Notably, one of our new substrates paired with a previously developed Luc variant was demonstrated to be an excellent in vitro source of nIR and a potentially useful BL system for improved resolution in BLI.
Hydrogen Ion Dynamics as the Fundamental Link between Neurodegenerative Diseases and Cancer: Its Application to the Therapeutics of Neurodegenerative Diseases with Special Emphasis on Multiple Sclerosis
Authors: Harguindey Salvador , Alfarouk Khalid , Polo Orozco Julián , Reshkin Stephan J , Devesa Jesús
Published: February 2022

The pH-related metabolic paradigm has rapidly grown in cancer research and treatment. In this contribution, this recent oncological perspective has been laterally assessed for the first time in order to integrate neurodegeneration within the energetics of the cancer acid–base conceptual frame. At all levels of study (molecular, biochemical, metabolic, and clinical), the intimate nature of both processes appears to consist of opposite mechanisms occurring at the far ends of a physiopathological intracellular pH/extracellular pH (pHi/pHe) spectrum. This wide-ranging original approach now permits an increase in our understanding of these opposite processes, cancer and neurodegeneration, and, as a consequence, allows us to propose new avenues of treatment based upon the intracellular and microenvironmental hydrogen ion dynamics regulating and deregulating the biochemistry and metabolism of both cancer and neural cells. Under the same perspective, the etiopathogenesis and special characteristics of multiple sclerosis (MS) is an excellent model for the study of neurodegenerative diseases and, utilizing this pioneering approach, we find that MS appears to be a metabolic disease even before an autoimmune one. Furthermore, within this paradigm, several important aspects of MS, from mitochondrial failure to microbiota functional abnormalities, are analyzed in depth. Finally, and for the first time, a new and integrated model of treatment for MS can now be advanced.
Production of an Active, Human Membrane Protein in Saccharomyces cerevisiae: Full-Length FICD
Authors: Virolainen Minttu S. , Søltoft Cecilie L. , Pedersen Per A. , Ellgaard Lars
Published: February 2022

The human Fic domain-containing protein (FICD) is a type II endoplasmic reticulum (ER) membrane protein that is important for the maintenance of ER proteostasis. Structural and in vitro biochemical characterisation of FICD AMPylase and deAMPylase activity have been restricted to the soluble ER-luminal domain produced in Escherichia coli. Information about potentially important features, such as structural motifs, modulator binding sites or other regulatory elements, is therefore missing for the approximately 100 N-terminal residues including the transmembrane region of FICD. Expressing and purifying the required quantity and quality of membrane proteins is demanding because of the low yields and poor stability often observed. Here, we produce full-length FICD by combining a Saccharomyces cerevisiae-based platform with green fluorescent protein (GFP) tagging to optimise the conditions for expression, solubilisation and purification. We subsequently employ these conditions to purify milligram quantities of His-tagged FICD per litre of culture, and show that the purified, detergent-solubilised membrane protein is an active deAMPylating enzyme. Our work provides a straightforward methodology for producing not only full-length FICD, but also other membrane proteins in S. cerevisiae for structural and biochemical characterisation.
Comparison of L- and D-Amino Acids for Bacterial Imaging in Lung Infection Mouse Model
Authors: Muranaka Yuka , Mizutani Asuka , Kobayashi Masato , Nakamoto Koya , Matsue Miki , Nishi Kodai , Yamazaki Kana , Nishii Ryuichi , Shikano Naoto , Okamoto Shigefumi , Kawai Keiichi
Published: February 2022

The effectiveness of L- and D-amino acids for detecting the early stage of infection in bacterial imaging was compared. We evaluated the accumulation of 3H-L-methionine (Met), 3H-D-Met, 3H-L-alanine (Ala), and 3H-D-Ala in E. coli EC-14 and HaCaT cells. Biological distribution was assessed in control and lung-infection-model mice with EC-14 using 3H-L- and D-Met, and 18F-FDG. A maximum accumulation of 3H-L- and D-Met, and 3H-L- and D-Ala occurred in the growth phase of EC-14 in vitro. The accumulation of 3H-L-Met and L-Ala was greater than that of 3H-D-Met and D-Ala in both EC-14 and HaCaT cells. For all radiotracers, the accumulation was greater in EC-14 than in HaCaT cells at early time points. The accumulation was identified at 5 min after injection in EC-14, whereas the accumulation gradually increased in HaCaT cells over time. There was little difference in biodistribution between 3H-L-and D-Met except in the brain. 3H-L- and D-Met were sensitive for detecting areas of infection after the spread of bacteria throughout the body, whereas 18F-FDG mainly detected primary infection areas. Therefore, 11C-L- and D-Met, radioisotopes that differ only in terms of 3H labeling, could be superior to 18F-FDG for detecting bacterial infection in lung-infection-model mice.
Bivalent EGFR-Targeting DARPin-MMAE Conjugates
Authors: Karsten Lennard , Janson Nils , Le Joncour Vadim , Alam Sarfaraz , Müller Benjamin , Tanjore Ramanathan Jayendrakishore , Laakkonen Pirjo , Sewald Norbert , Müller Kristian M.
Published: February 2022

Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is a validated tumor marker overexpressed in various cancers such as squamous cell carcinoma (SSC) of the head and neck and gliomas. We constructed protein-drug conjugates based on the anti-EGFR Designed Ankyrin Repeat Protein (DARPin) E01, and compared the bivalent DARPin dimer (DD1) and a DARPin-Fc (DFc) to the monomeric DARPin (DM) and the antibody derived scFv425-Fc (scFvFc) in cell culture and a mouse model. The modular conjugation system, which was successfully applied for the preparation of protein-drug and -dye conjugates, uses bio-orthogonal protein-aldehyde generation by the formylglycine-generating enzyme (FGE). The generated carbonyl moiety is addressed by a bifunctional linker with a pyrazolone for a tandem Knoevenagel reaction and an azide for strain-promoted azide-alkyne cycloaddition (SPAAC). The latter reaction with a PEGylated linker containing a dibenzocyclooctyne (DBCO) for SPAAC and monomethyl auristatin E (MMAE) as the toxin provided the stable conjugates DD1-MMAE (drug-antibody ratio, DAR = 2.0) and DFc-MMAE (DAR = 4.0) with sub-nanomolar cytotoxicity against the human squamous carcinoma derived A431 cells. In vivo imaging of Alexa Fluor 647-dye conjugates in A431-xenografted mice bearing subcutaneous tumors as the SCC model revealed unspecific binding of bivalent DARPins to the ubiquitously expressed EGFR. Tumor-targeting was verified 6 h post-injection solely for DD1 and scFvFc. The total of four administrations of 6.5 mg/kg DD1-MMAE or DFc-MMAE twice weekly did not cause any sequela in mice. MMAE conjugates showed no significant anti-tumor efficacy in vivo, but a trend towards increased necrotic areas (p = 0.2213) was observed for the DD1-MMAE (n = 5).
Association between Maternal Periodontitis and Development of Systematic Diseases in Offspring
Authors: Starzyńska Anna , Wychowański Piotr , Nowak Maciej , Sobocki Bartosz Kamil , Jereczek-Fossa Barbara Alicja , Słupecka-Ziemilska Monika
Published: February 2022

Periodontal disease (PD) is one of the most common oral conditions affecting both youths and adults. There are some research works suggesting a high incidence of PD in pregnant women. As an inflammatory disease of bacterial origin, PD may result in the activation of the pathways affecting the course and the pregnancy outcome. The authors, based on the literature review, try to answer the PICO question: Does maternal periodontitis (exposure) influence the incidence of complications rates in pregnancy and the development of systemic diseases in childhood and adult offspring (outcome) in the humans of any race (population) compared to the offspring of mothers with healthy periodontium (comparison)? The authors try to describe the molecular pathways and mechanisms of these interdependencies. There is some evidence that maternal periodontitis may affect the pregnancy course and outcome, resulting in preeclampsia, preterm delivery, vulvovaginitis and low birth weight. It can be suggested that maternal periodontitis may affect offspring epigenome and result in some health consequences in their adult life.
Biological Effects of Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitors Ribociclib, Palbociclib and Abemaciclib on Breast Cancer Bone Microenvironment
Authors: Iuliani Michele , Simonetti Sonia , Ribelli Giulia , Napolitano Andrea , Longo Umile , Vincenzi Bruno , Orsaria Paolo , Denaro Vincenzo , Tonini Giuseppe , Santini Daniele , Pantano Francesco
Published: February 2022

The CDK4/6 inhibitors (CDKi) palbociclib, ribociclib, and abemaciclib are currently approved in combination with anti-estrogen therapy for the treatment of advanced and/or metastatic hormone receptor-positive/HER2-neu-negative breast cancer patients. Given the high incidence of bone metastases in this population, we investigated and compared the potential effects of palbociclib, ribociclib, and abemaciclib on the breast cancer bone microenvironment. Primary osteoclasts (OCs) and osteoblasts (OBs) were obtained from human monocyte and mesenchymal stem cells, respectively. OC function was evaluated by tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase assay and real-time PCR; OB activity was assessed by an alizarin red assay. OB/breast cancer co-culture models were generated via the seeding of MCF-7 cells on a layer of OBs, and tumor cell proliferation was analyzed using flow cytometry. Here, we showed that ribociclib, palbociclib, and abemaciclib exerted similar inhibitory effects on the OC differentiation and expression of bone resorption markers without affecting OC viability. On the other hand, the three CDKi did not affect the ability of OB to produce bone matrix, even if the higher doses of palbociclib and abemaciclib reduced the OB viability. In OB/MCF-7 co-culture models, palbociclib demonstrated a lower anti-tumor effect than ribociclib and abemaciclib. Overall, our results revealed the direct effects of CDKi on the tumor bone microenvironment, highlighting differences potentially relevant for clinical practice.
On the Way for Patients with Prostate Cancer to the Best Use of PSMA
Authors: von Eyben Finn Edler , Bauman Glenn , Kapp Daniel S. , Virgolini Irene , Paganelli Giovanni
Published: February 2022

In recent years, the prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) has achieved a significant role in the diagnostics and treatments of patients with prostate cancer [...]
The Complex Biology of the Obesity-Induced, Metastasis-Promoting Tumor Microenvironment in Breast Cancer
Authors: Mubtasim Noshin , Moustaid-Moussa Naima , Gollahon Lauren
Published: February 2022

Breast cancer is one of the most prevalent cancers in women contributing to cancer-related death in the advanced world. Apart from the menopausal status, the trigger for developing breast cancer may vary widely from race to lifestyle factors. Epidemiological studies refer to obesity-associated metabolic changes as a critical risk factor behind the progression of breast cancer. The plethora of signals arising due to obesity-induced changes in adipocytes present in breast tumor microenvironment, significantly affect the behavior of adjacent breast cells. Adipocytes from white adipose tissue are currently recognized as an active endocrine organ secreting different bioactive compounds. However, due to excess energy intake and increased fat accumulation, there are morphological followed by secretory changes in adipocytes, which make the breast microenvironment proinflammatory. This proinflammatory milieu not only increases the risk of breast cancer development through hormone conversion, but it also plays a role in breast cancer progression through the activation of effector proteins responsible for the biological phenomenon of metastasis. The aim of this review is to present a comprehensive picture of the complex biology of obesity-induced changes in white adipocytes and demonstrate the relationship between obesity and breast cancer progression to metastasis.
An Efficient Aequorea victoria Green Fluorescent Protein for Stimulated Emission Depletion Super-Resolution Microscopy
Authors: Storti Barbara , Carlotti Benedetta , Chiellini Grazia , Ruglioni Martina , Salvadori Tiziano , Scotto Marco , Elisei Fausto , Diaspro Alberto , Bianchini Paolo , Bizzarri Ranieri
Published: February 2022

In spite of their value as genetically encodable reporters for imaging in living systems, fluorescent proteins have been used sporadically for stimulated emission depletion (STED) super-resolution imaging, owing to their moderate photophysical resistance, which does not enable reaching resolutions as high as for synthetic dyes. By a rational approach combining steady-state and ultrafast spectroscopy with gated STED imaging in living and fixed cells, we here demonstrate that F99S/M153T/V163A GFP (c3GFP) represents an efficient genetic reporter for STED, on account of no excited state absorption at depletion wavelengths <600 nm and a long emission lifetime. This makes c3GFP a valuable alternative to more common, but less photostable, EGFP and YFP/Citrine mutants for STED imaging studies targeting the green-yellow region of the optical spectrum.
Structural and Kinetic Views of Molecular Chaperones in Multidomain Protein Folding
Authors: Kawagoe Soichiro , Ishimori Koichiro , Saio Tomohide
Published: February 2022

Despite recent developments in protein structure prediction, the process of the structure formation, folding, remains poorly understood. Notably, folding of multidomain proteins, which involves multiple steps of segmental folding, is one of the biggest questions in protein science. Multidomain protein folding often requires the assistance of molecular chaperones. Molecular chaperones promote or delay the folding of the client protein, but the detailed mechanisms are still unclear. This review summarizes the findings of biophysical and structural studies on the mechanism of multidomain protein folding mediated by molecular chaperones and explains how molecular chaperones recognize the client proteins and alter their folding properties. Furthermore, we introduce several recent studies that describe the concept of kinetics–activity relationships to explain the mechanism of functional diversity of molecular chaperones.
A Comparative Genomic and Safety Assessment of Six Lactiplantibacillus plantarum subsp. argentoratensis Strains Isolated from Spontaneously Fermented Greek Wheat Sourdoughs for Potential Biotechnological Application
Authors: Syrokou Maria K. , Paramithiotis Spiros , Drosinos Eleftherios H. , Bosnea Loulouda , Mataragas Marios
Published: February 2022

The comparative genome analysis of six Lactiplantibacillus plantarum subsp. argentoratensis strains previously isolated from spontaneously fermented Greek wheat sourdoughs is presented. Genomic attributes related to food safety have been studied according to the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) suggestions for the use of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) in the production of foods. Bioinformatic analysis revealed a complete set of genes for maltose, sucrose, glucose, and fructose fermentation; conversion of fructose to mannitol; folate and riboflavin biosynthesis; acetoin production; conversion of citrate to oxaloacetate; and the ability to produce antimicrobial compounds (plantaricins). Pathogenic factors were absent but some antibiotic resistance genes were detected. CRISPR and cas genes were present as well as various mobile genetic elements (MGEs) such as plasmids, prophages, and insertion sequences. The production of biogenic amines by these strains was not possible due to the absence of key genes in their genome except lysine decarboxylase associated with cadaverine; however, potential degradation of these substances was identified due to the presence of a blue copper oxidase precursor and a multicopper oxidase protein family. Finally, comparative genomics and pan-genome analysis showed genetic differences between the strains (e.g., variable pln locus), and it facilitated the identification of various phenotypic and probiotic-related properties.
Implication of Mesenchymal Stem Cells and Their Derivates for Osteochondral Regeneration
Authors: Smolinska Veronika , Debreova Michaela , Culenova Martina , Csobonyeiova Maria , Svec Andrey , Danisovic Lubos
Published: February 2022

Healing of articular cartilage defects presents a challenging issue, due to its regenerative shortcomings. Lacking vascularity and innervation of cartilage and low proliferative potential of chondrocytes are the main reasons for the limited healing potential of articular cartilage. Traditional reparative approaches are limited in their efficiency, hence there is a demand for novel reparative treatments. Mesenchymal stromal cells, preferred for clinical uses, can be readily derived from various sources and have been proven to have a therapeutic effect on cartilage and subchondral bone. Therefore, mesenchymal stromal cells, their derivates, and scaffolds have been utilized in research targeting osteochondral regeneration. The present review aims to comprehensively outline and discuss literature considering this topic published within last 5 years.
Mouse Gastric Epithelial Cells Resist CagA Delivery by the Helicobacter pylori Type IV Secretion System
Authors: Shrestha Rejina , Murata-Kamiya Naoko , Imai Satoshi , Yamamoto Masami , Tsukamoto Tetsuya , Nomura Sachiyo , Hatakeyama Masanori
Published: February 2022

The initial step in bacterial infection is adherence of the bacterium to the target cell surface. Helicobacter pylori exploits the interaction of bacterial adhesin protein HopQ with human epithelial CEACAMs (CEACAM1, 5, and 6) to stably adhere to gastric epithelial cells, which is necessary for delivery of the H. pylori CagA oncoprotein into the epithelial cells via a type IV secretion system. In contrast to human CEACAMs, however, HopQ does not interact with Ceacam1 (mouse CEACAM1) in vitro or in CHO cells ectopically expressing Ceacam1. Since the mouse genome lacks Ceacam5 and Ceacam6, no significant HopQ–Ceacam interaction may occur in mouse gastric epithelial cells. Here, we found that the mouse stomach has a much lower expression level of Ceacam1 than the expression level of CEACAM1 in the human stomach. Consistently, mouse gastric epithelial cells resist CagA delivery by cagA-positive H. pylori, and the delivery is restored by ectopic expression of human CEACAM1 or CEACAM5 in mouse gastric epithelial cells. Thus, despite the fact that mice are routinely used for H. pylori infection studies, a low expression level of Ceacam1 in the mouse stomach together with the loss or greatly reduced interaction of HopQ with Ceacams make the mouse an inappropriate model for studying the role of H. pylori-delivered CagA in gastric pathogenesis, including the development of gastric cancer.
Functional Redundancy of FLOWERING LOCUS T 3b in Soybean Flowering Time Regulation
Authors: Su Qiang , Chen Li , Cai Yupeng , Chen Yingying , Yuan Shan , Li Min , Zhang Jialing , Sun Shi , Han Tianfu , Hou Wensheng
Published: February 2022

Photoperiodic flowering is an important agronomic trait that determines adaptability and yield in soybean and is strongly influenced by FLOWERING LOCUS T (FT) genes. Due to the presence of multiple FT homologs in the genome, their functions in soybean are not fully understood. Here, we show that GmFT3b exhibits functional redundancy in regulating soybean photoperiodic flowering. Bioinformatic analysis revealed that GmFT3b is a typical floral inducer FT homolog and that the protein is localized to the nucleus. Moreover, GmFT3b expression was induced by photoperiod and circadian rhythm and was more responsive to long-day (LD) conditions. We generated a homozygous ft3b knockout and three GmFT3b-overexpressing soybean lines for evaluation under different photoperiods. There were no significant differences in flowering time between the wild-type, the GmFT3b overexpressors, and the ft3b knockouts under natural long-day, short-day, or LD conditions. Although the downstream flowering-related genes GmFUL1 (a, b), GmAP1d, and GmLFY1 were slightly down-regulated in ft3b plants, the floral inducers GmFT5a and GmFT5b were highly expressed, indicating potential compensation for the loss of GmFT3b. We suggest that GmFT3b acts redundantly in flowering time regulation and may be compensated by other FT homologs in soybean.
Image Retrieval via Canonical Correlation Analysis and Binary Hypothesis Testing
Authors: Shi Kangdi , Liu Xiaohong , Alrabeiah Muhammad , Guo Xintong , Lin Jie , Liu Huan , Chen Jun
Published: February 2022

Canonical Correlation Analysis (CCA) is a classic multivariate statistical technique, which can be used to find a projection pair that maximally captures the correlation between two sets of random variables. The present paper introduces a CCA-based approach for image retrieval. It capitalizes on feature maps induced by two images under comparison through a pre-trained Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) and leverages basis vectors identified through CCA, together with an element-wise selection method based on a Chernoff-information-related criterion, to produce compact transformed image features; a binary hypothesis test regarding the joint distribution of transformed feature pair is then employed to measure the similarity between two images. The proposed approach is benchmarked against two alternative statistical methods, Linear Discriminant Analysis (LDA) and Principal Component Analysis with whitening (PCAw). Our CCA-based approach is shown to achieve highly competitive retrieval performances on standard datasets, which include, among others, Oxford5k and Paris6k.
Breast Histopathological Image Classification Method Based on Autoencoder and Siamese Framework
Authors: Liu Min , He Yu , Wu Minghu , Zeng Chunyan
Published: February 2022

The automated classification of breast cancer histopathological images is one of the important tasks in computer-aided diagnosis systems (CADs). Due to the characteristics of small inter-class and large intra-class variances in breast cancer histopathological images, extracting features for breast cancer classification is difficult. To address this problem, an improved autoencoder (AE) network using a Siamese framework that can learn the effective features from histopathological images for CAD breast cancer classification tasks was designed. First, the inputted image is processed at multiple scales using a Gaussian pyramid to obtain multi-scale features. Second, in the feature extraction stage, a Siamese framework is used to constrain the pre-trained AE so that the extracted features have smaller intra-class variance and larger inter-class variance. Experimental results show that the proposed method classification accuracy was as high as 97.8% on the BreakHis dataset. Compared with commonly used algorithms in breast cancer histopathological classification, this method has superior, faster performance.
Analysis of the Humoral Immunal Response Transcriptome of Ectropis obliqua Infected by Beauveria bassiana
Authors: Long Yanhua , Gao Tian , Liu Song , Zhang Yong , Li Xiayu , Zhou Linlin , Su Qingqing , Xu Letian , Yang Yunqiu
Published: February 2022

Ectropis obliqua is a destructive masticatory pest in China’s tea gardens. Beauveria bassiana as microbial insecticides can effectively control E. obliqua larvae; however, the immune response of this insect infected by B. bassiana are largely unknown. Here, after isolating a highly virulent strain of B. bassiana from E. obliqua, the changes in gene expression among different tissues, including hemocytes and fat bodies, of E. obliqua larvae infected by the entomopathogen were investigated using transcriptome sequencing. A total of 5877 co-expressed differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified in hemocytes and fat bodies, of which 5826 were up-regulated in hemocytes and 5784 were up-regulated in fat bodies. We identified 249 immunity-related genes, including pattern recognition receptors, immune effectors, signal modulators, and members of immune pathways. A quantitative real-time PCR analysis confirmed that several pattern recognition receptors were upregulated in hemocytes and fat bodies; however, others were downregulated. The investigated immune effectors (ATT and PPO-1) were suppressed. The results showed that there were tissue differences in the expression of immune genes. This study provides a large number of immunity-related gene sequences from E. obliqua after being infected by B. bassiana, furthering the understanding of the molecular mechanisms of E. obliqua defenses against B. bassiana.
Milk Fat Globule Epidermal Growth Factor 8 (MFGE8) Gene Variants in Rheumatoid Arthritis and Sjögren’s Syndrome
Authors: Skarlis Charalampos , Nezos Adrianos , Chatzigeorgiou Antonios , Mavragani Clio P.
Published: February 2022

Milk Fat Globule Epidermal Growth Factor 8 (MFGE8) deficiency and gene polymorphisms have been previously linked to systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE)-like and SLE development. Our aim was to explore whether four MFGE8 variants and MFGE8 serum levels are associated with autoimmunity susceptibility and autoimmune related atherosclerosis. DNA from 107 primary Sjogren’s syndrome (SS), 116 rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and 123 SLE patients as well as 199 HC were genotyped for the MFGE8 rs2271715, rs1878326, rs4945, rs3743388 variants by RFLP-PCR. MFGE8 serum levels were measured by ELISA. The CA genotype of rs4945 variant exhibited a protective effect against RA development, a finding not confirmed in the SS and SLE populations. The CACG haplotype exhibited a protective effect in both RA and SS patients compared to HC. Primary SS patients with IMT ≤ 0.9 mm displayed higher MGFE8 serum levels compared to those with ˃0.9 mm. Here, we report a novel association of MFGE8 variants in SS and RA susceptibility, as well as reduced MFGE8 serum levels in SS patients with heightened atherosclerotic risk.
An Assessment of Selected Molecular and Biochemical Markers of the Folate Pathway as Potential Risk Factors for Fetal Trisomy 21 during the First Trimester of Pregnancy in the Polish Population
Authors: Ziółkowska Katarzyna , Toboła-Wróbel Kinga , Pietryga Marek , Kasprzak Grażyna , Jamsheer Aleksander , Wysocka Ewa
Published: February 2022

Are the maternal gene variants MTHFR: c.665C>T, MTHFR: c.1286A>C, MTR: c.2756A>G, MTRR: c.66A>G, RFC1: c.80C>T and TCN2: c.776G>C and blood markers of the folate pathway important factors in assessing the risk of fetal trisomy 21 (fetal-T21)? Twenty pregnant women with a high risk and twenty with a low risk of fetal-T21 underwent prenatal examination. Selected gene variants and folate pathway markers and pregnancy-associated plasma protein A (PAPP-A) and free β-subunit of human chorionic gonadotropin β (free-β-hCG) multiple of the medians (MoMs) were determined. The distributions of the alternative alleles and genotypes of the gene variants did not differ between the studied groups. There was no relationship between PAPP-A and β-hCG MoM values and the presence of allele alternative genotype variants. The occurrence of alternative variants of the selected genes and concentrations of most of the studied folate pathway markers may not play a crucial role in the risk of fetal-T21 in pregnant women. However, the relationships between erythrocyte folate concentrations and the occurrence of alternative variants: c.665C>T MTHFR and c.776G>C TCN2, as well as the methylmalonic acid concentration and the occurrence of alternative variant c.776G>C TCN2 in pregnant women with fetal-T21, encourage further research. So far, of the biochemical markers, maternal PAPP-A and β-hCG MoM values remain independent risk factors for fetal-T21.
Reply to Supady et al. On the Use of Hemadsorption with CytoSorb in Patients with Septic Shock. Comment on “Kogelmann et al. First Evaluation of a New Dynamic Scoring System Intended to Support Prescription of Adjuvant CytoSorb Hemoadsorption Therapy in Patients with Septic Shock. J. Clin. Med. 2021, 10, 2939”
Authors: Kogelmann Klaus , Hübner Tobias , Schwameis Franz , Drüner Matthias , Scheller Morten , Jarczak Dominik
Published: February 2022

Thank you very much for your interest in our research [...]
Advance Directives in Oncology and Haematology: A Long Way to Go—A Narrative Review
Authors: Serey Kevin , Cambriel Amélie , Pollina-Bachellerie Adrien , Lotz Jean-Pierre , Philippart François
Published: February 2022

Patients living with cancer often experience serious adverse events due to their condition or its treatments. Those events may lead to a critical care unit admission or even result in death. One of the most important but challenging parts of care is to build a care plan according to the patient’s wishes, meeting their goals and values. Advance directives (ADs) allow everyone to give their preferences in advance regarding life sustaining treatments, continuation, and withdrawal or withholding of treatments in case one is not able to speak their mind anymore. While the absence of ADs is associated with a greater probability of receiving unwanted intensive care around the end of their life, their existence correlates with the respect of the patient’s desires and their greater satisfaction. Although progress has been made to promote ADs’ completion, they are still scarcely used among cancer patients in many countries. Several limitations to their acceptance and use can be detected. Efforts should be made to provide tailored solutions for the identified hindrances. This narrative review aims to depict the situation of ADs in the oncology context, and to highlight the future areas of improvement.
Influence of Ultrasound Examination on Diagnosis and Treatment of Temporomandibular Disorders
Authors: Pihut Małgorzata , Gala Andrzej , Obuchowicz Rafał , Chmura Karolina
Published: February 2022

Background: Disorders of the masticatory muscles and temporomandibular joints as well as the surrounding craniofacial structures are called temporomandibular disorders. These are dental diseases affecting an increasing number of people with a multifactorial etiology. Noninvasive ultrasonography imaging of temporomandibular joints was performed to obtain more detailed information on joint pathologies. Material and Methods: The aim of the study was to assess the influence of ultrasound examinations of the temporomandibular joints on the diagnosis and treatment planning in patients with temporomandibular disorders. The study included 110 patients examined with the use of the Research Diagnostic Criteria for Temporomandibular Disorders questionnaire, axis I and II, after which the initial treatment plan was created. All patients underwent an ultrasound examination of the temporomandibular joints. Results: The results reveal numerous morphological changes within the joint structures in all treatment groups. Comparative statistical analyses of symptoms were performed between study groups. Conclusions: The number of pathologies in the myofascial pain group was much higher than expected and required introduction of additional treatment procedures. Further studies confirming these results and the effectiveness of ultrasound diagnostic of temporomandibular disorders are recommended.
Serum Hypoalbuminemia Is a Long-Term Prognostic Marker in Medical Hospitalized Patients, Irrespective of the Underlying Disease
Authors: Oster Howard S. , Dolev Yardenna , Kehat Orli , Weis-Meilik Ahuva , Mittelman Moshe
Published: February 2022

Hypoalbuminemia is common in hypoalbuminemia-associated disorders (HAD), e.g., liver and kidney disease. We hypothesize that hospitalized patients with hypoalbuminemia have poor prognosis irrespective of their underlying disease. Records of patients admitted to Medicine (2010–2018), with and without HAD were analyzed, comparing low (<35 g/L) to normal serum albumin. Mann–Whitney and Chi-squared tests were used, and a logistic regression model was applied. Patients: 14,640 were admitted; 9759 were analyzed (2278 hypoalbuminemia: 736 HAD, 1542 non-HAD). All patients, and the subgroups with (as expected) and without HAD had worse outcomes. Specifically, in patients without HAD, those with hypoalbuminemia (n = 1542) vs. normal albumin (n = 6216) were older, had a higher Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI, 5 vs. 4), longer median hospital stay (5 vs. 4), higher one year re-admission rate (49.9% vs. 39.8%), and one year mortality (48.9% vs. 15.3%, p < 0.001 for all). LR model predicting 3 month, 1 year and 5 year mortality confirmed the predictive power of albumin (1 year: OR = 4.49 for hypoalbuminema, p < 0.01). Hypoalbuminemia portends poor long-term prognosis in hospitalized patients regardless of the underlying disease and could be added to prognostic predictive models.