bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Case Study of Photosensitivity Associated with Anaplasma spp. Infection in Cattle
Authors: Anton Alina , Solcan Gheorghe
Published: December 2022

Anaplasma infection has not previously been reported as a cause of photosensitization. This case presents a five-year-old Holstein cow in her fifth month of gestation with skin injury of nonpigmented areas clearly delimited from adjacent unaffected pigmented skin. Specific lesions included alopecia, localized oedema, desquamation erythema, serous exudation, thick detached skin, fissures, crusting, and necrosis, indicating photodermatitis. Hematological abnormalities were leukocytosis with neutrophilia and normocytic hypochromic anemia. Based on a hemoparasitic examination of blood smears, the organism Anaplasma spp. was observed within the red blood cells. Biochemical analyses revealed increased serum liver enzyme activity associated with hepatocellular damage and cholestasis. This cow was RT-PCR positive for Anaplasma spp. infection. After treatment with oxytetracycline started, its condition improved within 24 h, and it recovered completely within 30 days. In this case, the underlying pathogenic mechanism of Anaplasma spp. infection facilitated the impairment of bile flow and liver function, resulting in hepatogenous photosensitization.
Convergent Genomic Signatures of High-Altitude Adaptation among Six Independently Evolved Mammals
Authors: Lyu Tianshu , Zhou Shengyang , Fang Jiaohui , Wang Lidong , Shi Lupeng , Dong Yuehuan , Zhang Honghai
Published: December 2022

The species living in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau provide an excellent model system for studying the relationship between molecular convergent evolution and adaptation. Distant species experiencing the same selection pressure (i.e., hypoxia, low temperature and strong ultraviolet radiation) are likely to evolve similar genetic adaptations independently. Here, we performed comparative genomics studies on six independently evolved high-altitude species. The results also showed that the convergent evolution of the six species was mainly reflected at the level of rapidly evolving genes, and the functions of these rapidly evolving genes were mainly related to hypoxia response and DNA damage repair. In addition, we found that high-altitude species had more gene family changes than their low-altitude relatives, except for the order Lagomorpha. The results also show that the convergence of the gene family contraction of high-altitude species is much greater than that of expansion, revealing a possible pattern of species in adapting to high-altitude. Furthermore, we detected a positive selection signature in four genes related to hypoxia response and ultraviolet radiation damage in these six species (FYCO1, ERBIN, SCAMP1 and CXCL10). Our study reveals that hypoxia response might play an important role in the adaptation of independently evolved species to a high-altitude environment, providing a basic perspective for further exploring the high-altitude adaptation mechanism of different related species in the future.
From Extermination to Conservation: Historical Records of Shark Presence during the Early and Development Phase of the Greek Fishery
Authors: Moutopoulos Dimitrios K. , Lazari Evridiki , Katselis George , Giovos Ioannis
Published: December 2022

The lack of historical data on shark presence, distribution, and status in the Eastern Mediterranean undermines efforts to manage and protect their populations. An exhaustive review of anecdotal references related to shark presence during the early and development phase of Greek fisheries (1883–1983) was conducted. In the early-20th century (1912), the first sighting of the presence of a dead shark was reported in the Ionian Sea. Later on, the presence of sharks gradually increased up to 1969, with most records being more frequent for the Aegean Sea, whereas the number of sharks being sighted declined leading up to the middle of 1980s. The increase in shark attacks during the mid-20th century led to a calling for culling of sharks in co-operation with the competent authorities promoting the permission to hunt sharks with firearms and offering rewards for killed individuals. A high number of these observations potentially resulted from shark attacks on people, whereas this is not currently evident. This is an indicator of the lower abundance of sharks in modern times and subsequently an alteration in the way that our current modern society is approaching the protection of such vulnerable species.
Immunodetection of P2X2 Receptor in Enteric Nervous System Neurons of the Small Intestine of Pigs
Authors: Mozel Sylwia , Arciszewski Marcin B.
Published: December 2022

Extracellular adenosine 5′-triphosphate (ATP) is one of the best-known and frequently studied neurotransmitters. Its broad spectrum of biological activity is conditioned by the activation of purinergic receptors, including the P2X2 receptor. The P2X2 receptor is present in the central and peripheral nervous system of many species, including laboratory animals, domestic animals, and primates. However, the distribution of the P2X2 receptor in the nervous system of the domestic pig, a species increasingly used as an experimental model, is as yet unknown. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the presence of the P2X2 receptor in the neurons of the enteric nervous system (ENS) of the pig small intestine (duodenum, jejunum, and ileum) by the immunofluorescence method. In addition, the chemical code of P2X2-immunoreactive (IR) ENS neurons of the porcine small intestine was analysed by determining the coexistence of selected neuropeptides, i.e., vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP), substance P (sP), and galanin. P2X2-IR neurons were present in the myenteric plexus (MP), outer submucosal plexus (OSP), and inner submucosal plexus (ISP) of all sections of the small intestine (duodenum, jejunum, and ileum). From 44.78 ± 2.24% (duodenum) to 63.74 ± 2.67% (ileum) of MP neurons were P2X2-IR. The corresponding ranges in the OSP ranged from 44.84 ± 1.43% (in the duodenum) to 53.53 ± 1.21% (in the jejunum), and in the ISP, from 53.10 ± 0.97% (duodenum) to 60.57 ± 2.24% (ileum). Immunofluorescence staining revealed the presence of P2X2-IR/galanin-IR and P2X2-IR/VIP-IR neurons in the MP, OSP, and ISP of the sections of the small intestine. The presence of sP was not detected in the P2X2-IR neurons of any ganglia tested in the ENS. Our results indicate for the first time that the P2X2 receptor is present in the MP, ISP, and OSP neurons of all small intestinal segments in pigs, which may suggest that its activation influences the action of the small intestine. Moreover, there is a likely functional interaction between P2X2 receptors and galanin or VIP, but not sP, in the ENS of the porcine small intestine.
Flock Factors Correlated with Elevated Mortality in Non-Beak Trimmed Aviary-Housed Layers
Authors: Kittelsen Käthe Elise , Tahamtani Fernanda , Moe Randi Oppermann , Gretarsson Pall , Vasdal Guro
Published: December 2022

The use of non-cage housing systems for layers is increasing in Europe and elsewhere. Knowledge of factors that may affect mortality in these systems is important to be able to improve animal welfare, reduce mortality and enhance sustainability. The aim of this study was to investigate factors that may contribute to increased mortality in non-beak trimmed aviary-housed laying hens in Norway. A total of 39 non-beak trimmed commercial flocks (Lohmann LSL (n = 25) and Dekalb White (n = 14)) were visited between week 70 to 76 of life, and factors related to health, behaviour and management were recorded. Mean mortality in the flocks was 3% (range: 0.5–9%) and increased flock mortality was correlated with total feather loss (p < 0.05); feather loss on the breast (p < 0.02) and feather loss on the head (p < 0.003). There was an association between layer hybrid line and mortality (p = 0.055). Furthermore, a low positive correlation between mortality and dust level inside the barn was found (p < 0.04), showing that mortality was higher when dust level was also high. No correlation between mortality and the provision of environmental enrichment was found. In conclusion, this study found an association between flocks with elevated mortality (>3.0%) and increased feather loss which may indicate feather pecking. The results underline the importance of regularly assessment of plumage condition in commercial layer farms, as a tool to detect early signs of feather pecking in commercial aviary-housed layer flocks. This may help to target feather pecking before cannibalism breaks out.
Tattoo Skin Disease in Cetacea: A Review, with New Cases for the Northeast Pacific
Authors: Van Bressem Marie-Françoise , Van Waerebeek Koen , Duignan Pádraig J.
Published: December 2022

Tattoo skin disease (TSD) is a poxviral dermatopathy diagnosed in cetaceans. We review the literature on TSD aetiology, clinical characteristics, pathology and epidemiology and evaluate immune responses against the virus. In addition, necropsy reports for fifty-five harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena), twenty-two Delphinidae and four Kogiidae stranded in northern California in 2018–2021 were checked for diagnostic tattoo lesions. TSD occurs in the Mediterranean, North and Barents Seas, as well as in the Atlantic, eastern Pacific and Indian Oceans in at least 21 cetacean species, with varying prevalence. Two cetacean poxvirus (CePV) clades are recognised: CePV-1 in odontocetes and CePV-2 in mysticetes. CePV-1 isolates were recovered from six Delphinidae and one Phocoenidae in the Americas, Europe and Hong Kong. Strains from Delphinidae are closely related. Among Phocoenidae, poxviruses were sampled only in harbour porpoises around the British Isles. CePV-2 isolates were obtained from southern right whales (Eubalaena australis) and a bowhead whale (Balaena mysticetus). In healthy animals, an immune response develops over time, with young calves protected by maternal immunity. Salinity and sea surface temperature do not seem to influence TSD prevalence in free-ranging cetaceans. High concentrations of immunotoxic halogenated organochlorines may cause a more severe clinical disease. Substitution and loss of genes involved in anti-viral immunity may favour CePV entry, replication and persistence in the epidermis. Off California, Delphinidae were less often (26.3%) affected by TSD than harbour porpoises (43.6%). Male porpoises were significantly more prone (58.1%) to show clinical disease than females (25%). Among males, TSD affected a high proportion of juveniles and subadults. TSD was not detected in the Kogiidae.
Application of QBA to Assess the Emotional State of Horses during the Loading Phase of Transport
Authors: Dai Francesca , Riva Maria Giorgia , Dalla Costa Emanuela , Pascuzzo Riccardo , Chapman Alana , Minero Michela
Published: December 2022

To identify feasible indicators to evaluate animals’ emotional states as a parameter to assess animal welfare, the present study aimed at investigating the accuracy of free choice profiling (FCP) and fixed list (FL) approach of Qualitative Behaviour Assessment (QBA) in horses during the loading phase of transport. A total of 13 stakeholders were trained to score 2 different sets of videos of mixed breed horses loaded for road transport, using both FCP and FL, in 2 sessions. Generalized Procustes Analysis (GPA) consensus profile explained a higher percentage of variation (80.8%) than the mean of 1000 randomized profiles (41.2 ± 1.6%; p = 0.001) for the FCP method, showing an excellent inter-observer agreement. GPA identified two main factors, explaining 65.1% and 3.7% of the total variation. Factor 1 ranging from ‘anxious/ to ‘calm/relaxed’, described the valence of the horses’ emotional states. Factor 2, ranging from ‘bright’ to ‘assessing/withdrawn’, described the arousal. As for FL, Principal Component Analysis (PCA) first and second components (PC1 and PC2, respectively), explaining on average 59.8% and 12.6% of the data variability, had significant agreement between observers. PC1 ranges from relaxed/confident to anxious/frightened, while PC2 from alert/inquisitive to calm. Our study highlighted the need for the use of descriptors specifically selected, throughout a prior FCP process for the situation we want to evaluate to get a good QBA accuracy level.
Environmental Effects and Genetic Parameters for Growth Traits of Lohi Sheep
Authors: Sharif Numan , Ali Asad , Dawood Muhammad , Khan Muhammad Irfan-ur-Rehman , Do Duy Ngoc
Published: December 2022

Estimating genetic parameters for growth traits is crucial to plan breeding strategies for improving meat production in indigenous sheep breeds. The study first tested the effects of environmental and maternal effects on five growth traits, including birth weight (BWT), weight at 120 days (WT120), weight at 180 days (WT180), weight at 270 days (WT270) and weight at 365 days of age (WT365) and then estimated genetic parameters for these traits using data obtained in 1215 Lohi sheep. The effects of factors, including year (YOB), season (SOB) and type of birth (TOB), age of dam (AOD) and sex on growth traits of Lohi sheep, were examined using analysis of variance (ANOVA) in R software. Sex, TOB and YOB significantly affected all studied traits. The estimates of direct and maternal heritability for BWT and WT120 were 0.15 ± 0.08 and 0.20 ± 0.06, and 0.45 ± 0.16, 0.21 ± 0.08, respectively. The direct heritability estimates for WT180, WT270 and WT365 were 0.20 ± 0.07, 0.21 ± 0.07 and 0.19 ± 0.08, respectively. Due to the high heritability estimate obtained for WT120 compared to other studied traits, and its strong genetic correlation (>0.9) with post-weaning growth traits, it is recommended that selection must be practiced on WT120 to improve the growth performance of Lohi sheep. The results could be used for the development of genetic/genomic selection programs aiming to improve the production performance of the Lohi sheep.
Oligopeptide Sortase Inhibitor Modulates Staphylococcus aureus Cell Adhesion and Biofilm Formation
Authors: Bozhkova Svetlana A. , Gordina Ekaterina M. , Labutin Dmitry V. , Kudryavtsev Konstantin V.
Published: December 2022

Prevention of bacterial adhesion is one of the most important antivirulence strategies for meeting the global challenge posed by antimicrobial resistance. We aimed to investigate the influence of a peptidic S. aureus sortase A inhibitor on bacterial adhesion to eukaryotic cells and biofilm formation as a potential method for reducing S. aureus virulence. The pentapeptide LPRDA was synthesized and characterized as a pure individual organic compound. Incubation of MSSA and MRSA strains with LPRDA induced a subsequent reduction in staphylococcal adhesion to Vero cells and biofilm formation, as visualized by microscopic and spectrophotometric methods, respectively. LPRDA did not have a cytotoxic effect on eukaryotic or bacterial cells. The pentapeptide LPRDA deserves further investigation using in vitro and in vivo models of Gram-positive bacteriemia as a potential antibacterial agent with an antiadhesive mechanism of action.
Role of PatAB Transporter in Efflux of Levofloxacin in Streptococcus pneumoniae
Authors: Amblar Mónica , Zaballos Ángel , de la Campa Adela G
Published: December 2022

PatAB is an ABC bacterial transporter that facilitates the export of antibiotics and dyes. The overexpression of patAB genes conferring efflux-mediated fluoroquinolone resistance has been observed in several laboratory strains and clinical isolates of Streptococcus pneumoniae. Using transformation and whole-genome sequencing, we characterized the fluoroquinolone-resistance mechanism of one S. pneumoniae clinical isolate without mutations in the DNA topoisomerase genes. We identified the PatAB fluoroquinolone efflux-pump as the mechanism conferring a low-level resistance to ciprofloxacin (8 µg/mL) and levofloxacin (4 µg/mL). Genetic transformation experiments with different amplimers revealed that the entire patA plus the 5’-terminus of patB are required for levofloxacin–efflux. By contrast, only the upstream region of the patAB operon, plus the region coding the N-terminus of PatA containing the G39D, T43A, V48A and D100N amino acid changes, are sufficient to confer a ciprofloxacin–efflux phenotype, thus suggesting differences between fluoroquinolones in their binding and/or translocation pathways. In addition, we identified a novel single mutation responsible for the constitutive and ciprofloxacin-inducible upregulation of patAB. This mutation is predicted to destabilize the putative rho-independent transcriptional terminator located upstream of patA, increasing transcription of downstream genes. This is the first report demonstrating the role of the PatAB transporter in levofloxacin–efflux in a pneumoccocal clinical isolate.
An Assessment of the In Vitro Models and Clinical Trials Related to the Antimicrobial Activities of Phytochemicals
Authors: Kopel Jonathan , McDonald Julianna , Hamood Abdul
Published: December 2022

An increased number antibiotic-resistant bacteria have emerged with the rise in antibiotic use worldwide. As such, there has been a growing interest in investigating novel antibiotics against antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Due to the extensive history of using plants for medicinal purposes, scientists and medical professionals have turned to plants as potential alternatives to common antibiotic treatments. Unlike other antibiotics in use, plant-based antibiotics have the innate ability to eliminate a broad spectrum of microorganisms through phytochemical defenses, including compounds such as alkaloids, organosulfur compounds, phenols, coumarins, and terpenes. In recent years, these antimicrobial compounds have been refined through extraction methods and tested against antibiotic-resistant strains of Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria. The results of the experiments demonstrated that plant extracts successfully inhibited bacteria independently or in combination with other antimicrobial products. In this review, we examine the use of plant-based antibiotics for their utilization against antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections. In addition, we examine recent clinical trials utilizing phytochemicals for the treatment of several microbial infections.
Prescription of Choreito, a Japanese Kampo Medicine, with Antimicrobials for Treatment of Acute Cystitis: A Retrospective Cohort Study
Authors: Sugihara Toru , Kamei Jun , Yasunaga Hideo , Sasabuchi Yusuke , Fujimura Tetsuya
Published: December 2022

Choreito, a Japanese Kampo medicine, is used to treat Japanese female patients for the quick relief of inflammatory symptoms associated with acute cystitis. We evaluated whether Choreito is effective in reducing antibiotic use and the number of clinic visits for these patients. Females aged 18–49 years who had acute cystitis for the first time, with no history of medical insurance use within 90 days prior to their visit, and no hospitalizations within the 30 days after their first visit were identified from the JMDC Claims Database between April 2018 and March 2021. For the 30 days after their first visit, patients who were given their first antimicrobial prescriptions with or without Choreito were compared regarding (i) the number of clinic visits, (ii) total antimicrobial prescription days, and (iii) the number of antimicrobial prescriptions adjusted for their age, Charlson comorbidity index, and the COVID-19 pandemic period (after April 2020). For the 319 and 8515 patients with or without a Choreito prescription, respectively, multivariable Poisson regression analyses showed that Choreito was significantly associated with a 5% shortening of a patient’s total antimicrobial prescription days (Beta, 0.950; p = 0.038), whereas no significant difference was observed in the number of clinic visits and antimicrobial prescriptions (p = 0.624 and p = 0.732, respectively). The prescription of Choreito in combination with antimicrobials was associated with a slight reduction in total antimicrobial use for acute cystitis among females.
Synthesis and Biological Evaluation of Amphotericin B Formulations Based on Organic Salts and Ionic Liquids against Leishmania infantum
Authors: Ferraz Ricardo , Santarém Nuno , Santos Andreia F. M. , Jacinto Manuel L. , Cordeiro-da-Silva Anabela , Prudêncio Cristina , Noronha João Paulo , Branco Luis C. , Petrovski Željko
Published: December 2022

Nowadays, organic salts and ionic liquids (OSILs) containing active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) are being explored as drug delivery systems in modern therapies (OSILs-API). In that sense, this work is focused on the development of novel OSILs-API based on amphotericin B through an innovative procedure and the evaluation of the respective biological activity against Leishmania infantum. Several ammonium, methylimidazolium, pyridinium and phosphonium organic cations combined with amphotericin B as anion were synthesized in moderate to high yields and high purities by the water-reduced buffer neutralization method. All prepared compounds were characterized to confirm the desired chemical structure and the specific optical rotation ([α]D25) was also determined. The biological assays performed on L. infantum promastigotes showed increased activity against this parasitic disease when compared with the starting chloride forms and amphotericin B alone, highlighting [P6,6,6,14][AmB] as the most promising formulation. Possible synergism in the antiprotozoal activity was also evaluated for [P6,6,6,14][AmB], since it was proven to be the compound with the highest toxicity. This work reported a simple synthetic method, which can be applied to prepare other organic salts based on molecules containing fragile chemical groups, demonstrating the potential of these OSILs-AmB as possible agents against leishmaniasis.
The Blood–Brain Barrier and Pharmacokinetic/Pharmacodynamic Optimization of Antibiotics for the Treatment of Central Nervous System Infections in Adults
Authors: Haddad Nicholas , Carr Maddie , Balian Steve , Lannin James , Kim Yuri , Toth Courtney , Jarvis Jennifer
Published: December 2022

Bacterial central nervous system (CNS) infections are serious and carry significant morbidity and mortality. They encompass many syndromes, the most common being meningitis, which may occur spontaneously or as a consequence of neurosurgical procedures. Many classes of antimicrobials are in clinical use for therapy of CNS infections, some with established roles and indications, others with experimental reporting based on case studies or small series. This review delves into the specifics of the commonly utilized antibacterial agents, updating their therapeutic use in CNS infections from the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic perspectives, with a focus on the optimization of dosing and route of administration that have been described to achieve good clinical outcomes. We also provide a concise synopsis regarding the most focused, clinically relevant information as pertains to each class and subclass of antimicrobial therapeutics. CNS infection morbidity and mortality remain high, and aggressive management is critical in ensuring favorable patient outcomes while averting toxicity and upholding patient safety.
Essential Oils of Aromatic Plant Species from the Atlantic Rainforest Exhibit Extensive Chemical Diversity and Antimicrobial Activity
Authors: Perigo Crislene V. , Haber Lenita L. , Facanali Roselaine , Vieira Maria A. R. , Torres Roseli B. , Bernacci Luís C. , Guimarães Elsie F. , Baitello João B. , Sobral Marcos E. G. , Quecini Vera , Marques Marcia Ortiz M.
Published: December 2022

Microbial resistance, caused by the overuse or inadequate application of antibiotics, is a worldwide crisis, increasing the risk of treatment failure and healthcare costs. Plant essential oils (EOs) consist of hydrophobic metabolites with antimicrobial activity. The antimicrobial potential of the chemical diversity of plants from the Atlantic Rainforest remains scarcely characterized. In the current work, we determined the metabolite profile of the EOs from aromatic plants from nine locations and accessed their antimicrobial and biocidal activity by agar diffusion assays, minimum inhibitory concentration, time-kill and cell-component leakage assays. The pharmacokinetic properties of the EO compounds were investigated by in silico tools. More than a hundred metabolites were identified, mainly consisting of sesqui and monoterpenes. Individual plants and botanical families exhibited extensive chemical variations in their EO composition. Probabilistic models demonstrated that qualitative and quantitative differences contribute to chemical diversity, depending on the botanical family. The EOs exhibited antimicrobial biocidal activity against pathogenic bacteria, fungi and multiple predicted pharmacological targets. Our results demonstrate the antimicrobial potential of EOs from rainforest plants, indicate novel macromolecular targets, and contribute to highlighting the chemical diversity of native species.
Hyperoxidized Peroxiredoxin 2 Is a Possible Biomarker for the Diagnosis of Obstructive Sleep Apnea
Authors: Koike Shin , Sudo Haruka , Turudome Satori , Ueyama Masako , Tanaka Yoshiaki , Kimura Hiroshi , Ishida Yo-Ichi , Ogasawara Yuki
Published: December 2022

Peroxiredoxin (Prx) 2 in red blood cells (RBCs) reacts with various reactive oxygen species and changes to hyperoxidized Prx2 (Prx2-SO2/3). Therefore, Prx2 may serve as an indicator of oxidative stress in vivo. This study aimed to analyze Prx2-SO2/3 levels in clinical samples to examine whether the oxidation state of Prx2 in human RBCs reflects the pathological condition of oxidative stress diseases. We first focused on obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), a hypoxic stress-induced disease of the respiratory system, and investigated the levels of Prx2-SO2/3 accumulated in the RBCs of OSA patients. In measurements on a small number of OSA patients and healthy subjects, levels of Prx2-SO2/3 accumulation in patients with OSA were clearly increased compared to those in healthy subjects. Hence, we proceeded to validate these findings with more samples collected from patients with OSA. The results revealed significantly higher levels of erythrocytic Prx2-SO2/3 in patients with OSA than in healthy subjects, as well as a positive correlation between the severity of OSA and Prx2-SO2/3 levels in the RBCs. Moreover, we performed a chromatographic study to show the structural changes of Prx2 due to hyperoxidation. Our findings demonstrated that the Prx2-SO2/3 molecules in RBCs from patients with OSA were considerably more hydrophilic than the reduced form of Prx2. These results implicate Prx2-SO2/3 as a promising candidate biomarker for OSA.
Polyamine Oxidase-Generated Reactive Oxygen Species in Plant Development and Adaptation: The Polyamine Oxidase—NADPH Oxidase Nexus
Authors: Benkő Péter , Gémes Katalin , Fehér Attila
Published: December 2022

Metabolism and regulation of cellular polyamine levels are crucial for living cells to maintain their homeostasis and function. Polyamine oxidases (PAOs) terminally catabolize polyamines or catalyse the back-conversion reactions when spermine is converted to spermidine and Spd to putrescine. Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) is a by-product of both the catabolic and back-conversion processes. Pharmacological and genetic approaches have started to uncover the roles of PAO-generated H2O2 in various plant developmental and adaptation processes such as cell differentiation, senescence, programmed cell death, and abiotic and biotic stress responses. Many of these studies have revealed that the superoxide-generating Respiratory Burst Oxidase Homolog (RBOH) NADPH oxidases control the same processes either upstream or downstream of PAO action. Therefore, it is reasonable to suppose that the two enzymes co-ordinately control the cellular homeostasis of reactive oxygen species. The intricate relationship between PAOs and RBOHs is also discussed, posing the hypothesis that these enzymes indirectly control each other’s abundance/function via H2O2.
Catechin Bioavailability Following Consumption of a Green Tea Extract Confection Is Reduced in Obese Persons without Affecting Gut Microbial-Derived Valerolactones
Authors: Sasaki Geoffrey Y. , Vodovotz Yael , Yu Zhongtang , Bruno Richard S.
Published: December 2022

Obesity-related cardiometabolic disorders are driven by inflammation, oxidative stress, and gut dysbiosis. Green tea catechins protect against cardiometabolic disorders by anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and prebiotic activities. However, whether obesity alters catechin bioavailability remains unknown. We hypothesized that obesity would decrease catechin bioavailability due to altered gut microbiota composition. Obese and healthy persons completed a pharmacokinetics trial in which a confection formulated with green tea extract (GTE; 58% epigallocatechin gallate, 17% epigallocatechin, 8% epicatechin, 6% epicatechin gallate) was ingested before collecting plasma and urine at timed intervals for up to 24 h. Stool samples were collected prior to confection ingestion. Catechins and γ-valerolactones were assessed by LC-MS. Obesity reduced plasma area under the curve (AUC0-12h) by 24–27% and maximum plasma concentrations by 18–36% for all catechins. Plasma AUC0-12h for 5′-(3′,4′-dihydroxyphenyl)-γ-valerolactone and 5′-(3′,4′,5′-trihydroxyphenyl)-γ-valerolactone, as well as total urinary elimination of all catechins and valerolactones, were unaffected. ⍺-Diversity in obese persons was lower, while Slackia was the only catechin-metabolizing bacteria that was altered by obesity. Ascorbic acid and diversity metrics were correlated with catechin/valerolactone bioavailability. These findings indicate that obesity reduces catechin bioavailability without affecting valerolactone generation, urinary catechin elimination, or substantially altered gut microbiota populations, suggesting a gut-level mechanism that limits catechin absorption.
Antioxidant Activity of Urtica dioica: An Important Property Contributing to Multiple Biological Activities
Authors: Jaiswal Varun , Lee Hae-Jeung
Published: December 2022

Urtica dioica (UD) is a multi-functional plant known to be used as both food and medicine from ancient times. The plant has the potential to be used as a fertilizer and for biological pest control. It is also used in textile and related industries for its quality fibers. In the recent past, the plant has received great attention for its numerous important biological activities and food applications. The antioxidant activity of UD is the crucial factor supporting its important biological activities, such as anticancer, antidiabetic and anti-inflammatory properties. The antioxidant activity of UD is also found to be protective in different organs, including the brain, liver, lungs, kidney, ovary, and uterus, and may also be protective against diseases associated with these organs. Few clinical studies have endorsed the antioxidant potential of UD in patients. The current work is an attempt to comprehensively compile and discuss the antioxidant activity of UD from in vitro, in vivo and human studies. The insights of the current study would be helpful in getting a panoramic view of the antioxidant potential of UD, and provide direction for optimizing and developing it for therapeutic applications against important diseases and conditions in the near future.
Effects of Phenolic-Rich Pinus densiflora Extract on Learning, Memory, and Hippocampal Long-Term Potentiation in Scopolamine-Induced Amnesic Rats
Authors: Kim Kwan Joong , Hwang Eun-Sang , Kim Min-Jeong , Rha Chan-Su , Song Myoung Chong , Maeng Sungho , Park Ji-Ho , Kim Dae-Ok
Published: December 2022

Alzheimer’s disease is the most common type of dementia with cognitive impairment. Various plant-derived phenolics are known to alleviate cognitive impairment in Alzheimer’s disease by radical scavenging and strengthening synaptic plasticity activities. Here, we examined the cognition-improving effect of Pinus densiflora Sieb. et Zucc. bark extract (PBE). We identified and quantified phenolics in the PBE using a UHPLC-Orbitrap mass spectrometer. To evaluate the cognition-enhancing effects of PBE, scopolamine-induced amnesic Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats (5 weeks old) and ion channel antagonist-induced organotypic hippocampal slices of SD rats (7 days old) were used. Twenty-three phenolics were tentatively identified in PBE, 10 of which were quantified. Oral administration of PBE to the scopolamine-induced SD rats improved cognitive impairment in behavioral tests. PBE-fed SD rats showed significantly improved antioxidant indices (superoxide dismutase and catalase activities, and malondialdehyde content) and reduced acetylcholinesterase activity in hippocampal lysate compared with the scopolamine group. PBE increased the long-term potentiation (LTP) induction and rescued LTP from blockades by the muscarinic cholinergic receptor antagonist (scopolamine) and N-methyl-D-aspartate channel antagonist (2-amino-5-phosphonovaleric acid) in the organotypic hippocampal slices. These results suggest that polyphenol-rich PBE is applicable as a cognition-improving agent due to its antioxidant properties and enhancement of LTP induction.
Utilizing Proteomic Approach to Analyze Potential Antioxidant Proteins in Plant against Irradiation
Authors: Yang Ming-Hui , Lu Yi-Shan , Ho Tzu-Chuan , Shen Daniel Hueng-Yuan , Huang Ying-Fong , Chuang Kuo-Pin , Yuan Cheng-Hui , Tyan Yu-Chang
Published: December 2022

Gamma-ray irradiation is an effective and clean method of sterilization by inactivating microorganisms. It can also be applied to induce anti-oxidants for future application. In this study, the mung bean (Vigna radiata) was exposed to gamma-ray irradiation under the dose of 0, 5 or 10 kGy. With increasing irradiation doses, the concentrations of malondiadehyde decreased while the levels of total flavonoids and DPPH (1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl) radical scavenging activity increased. It has been shown that consuming flavonoids can provide protective effects. In addition, proteomic analysis identified several proteins having anti-oxidant activities in the 5 kGy irradiated group. These proteins are Apocytochrome f, Systemin receptor SR 160, DELLA protein DWARF8, DEAD-box ATP-dependent RNA helicase 9, ζ-carotene desaturase (ZDS), and Floral homeotic protein AGAMOUS. Our findings indicate that plants contain a variety of phytochemicals and antioxidant proteins which may effectively prevent oxidative stress caused by irradiated peroxidation.
The Synthetic Flavonoid Hidrosmin Improves Endothelial Dysfunction and Atherosclerotic Lesions in Diabetic Mice
Authors: Jiménez-Castilla Luna , Opazo-Ríos Lucas , Marin-Royo Gema , Orejudo Macarena , Rodrigues-Diez Raquel , Ballesteros-Martínez Constanza , Soto-Catalán Manuel , Caro-Ordieres Teresa , Artaiz Inés , Suarez-Cortés Tatiana , Zazpe Arturo , Hernández Gonzalo , Cortés Marcelino , Tuñón José , Briones Ana M. , Egido Jesús , Gómez-Guerrero Carmen
Published: December 2022

In diabetes, chronic hyperglycemia, dyslipidemia, inflammation and oxidative stress contribute to the progression of macro/microvascular complications. Recently, benefits of the use of flavonoids in these conditions have been established. This study investigates, in two different mouse models of diabetes, the vasculoprotective effects of the synthetic flavonoid hidrosmin on endothelial dysfunction and atherogenesis. In a type 2 diabetes model of leptin-receptor-deficient (db/db) mice, orally administered hidrosmin (600 mg/kg/day) for 16 weeks markedly improved vascular function in aorta and mesenteric arteries without affecting vascular structural properties, as assessed by wire and pressure myography. In streptozotocin-induced type 1 diabetic apolipoprotein E-deficient mice, hidrosmin treatment for 7 weeks reduced atherosclerotic plaque size and lipid content; increased markers of plaque stability; and decreased markers of inflammation, senescence and oxidative stress in aorta. Hidrosmin showed cardiovascular safety, as neither functional nor structural abnormalities were noted in diabetic hearts. Ex vivo, hidrosmin induced vascular relaxation that was blocked by nitric oxide synthase (NOS) inhibition. In vitro, hidrosmin stimulated endothelial NOS activity and NO production and downregulated hyperglycemia-induced inflammatory and oxidant genes in vascular smooth muscle cells. Our results highlight hidrosmin as a potential add-on therapy in the treatment of macrovascular complications of diabetes.
Estimation of Energy Management Strategy Using Neural-Network-Based Surrogate Model for Range Extended Vehicle
Authors: Türker Erkan , Bulut Emre , Kahraman Arda , Çakıcı Mehmet , Öztürk Ferruh
Published: December 2022

In this paper, an energy-management strategy based on fuel economy is presented to achieve a further range increase for range-extended light commercial vehicles. Estimation of the energy-management strategy was carried out using a neural-network-based surrogate model for an range-extended vehicle. Surrogate-based optimization plays an important role in optimization problems, which are based on complex structures with uncertainties in data sets due to various conditions. Neural networks have advantages in creating surrogate-based models in cases of complex problems with uncertainties in data sets to evaluate the process and estimate the outputs. This study discusses additional power-unit applications and vehicle integration for a light commercial electric vehicle. It provides preliminary design work and techniques for identifying NVH problems in particular. SIMULINK and neural-network-based surrogate models are established, and the changeable parameters of the vehicle, such as mass, battery/fuel-tank capacity, internal combustion engine power and electric motor power units are simulated in different dynamic and static conditions to determine an energy-management strategy for a range-extended vehicle based on fuel economy under various conditions. It was seen that APU parameters and an energy-management strategy significantly affected the fuel consumption of REX. A neural-network-based surrogate-model approach gave high-precision results in predicting the operating strategy according to different loading conditions to reduce fuel consumption. In some cases, it can be required to determine the fuel consumption results in various conditions with the variables, which may be out-of-boundary conditions. It was seen that the proposed neural-network-model also offers higher prediction ability in cases of unexpected results in data sets of various conditions compared to regression analysis. The results show that estimation and optimization of energy management using a neural-network-based surrogate model can be achieved by adapting the operating strategy according to different loading conditions to reduce fuel consumption. This study presents an approach for future new vehicle projects by transforming a prototype light commercial electric vehicle to REX. The proposed approach was developed to design the most efficient range-extended vehicle by changing all variables without costly computations and time-consuming analysis. It is possible to generate variable data sets and to have reference knowledge for future vehicle projects.
GeoBERT: Pre-Training Geospatial Representation Learning on Point-of-Interest
Authors: Gao Yunfan , Xiong Yun , Wang Siqi , Wang Haofen
Published: December 2022

Thanks to the development of geographic information technology, geospatial representation learning based on POIs (Point-of-Interest) has gained widespread attention in the past few years. POI is an important indicator to reflect urban socioeconomic activities, widely used to extract geospatial information. However, previous studies often focus on a specific area, such as a city or a district, and are designed only for particular tasks, such as land-use classification. On the other hand, large-scale pre-trained models (PTMs) have recently achieved impressive success and become a milestone in artificial intelligence (AI). Against this background, this study proposes the first large-scale pre-training geospatial representation learning model called GeoBERT. First, we collect about 17 million POIs in 30 cities across China to construct pre-training corpora, with 313 POI types as the tokens and the level-7 Geohash grids as the basic units. Second, we pre-train GeoEBRT to learn grid embedding in self-supervised learning by masking the POI type and then predicting. Third, under the paradigm of “pre-training + fine-tuning”, we design five practical downstream tasks. Experiments show that, with just one additional output layer fine-tuning, GeoBERT outperforms previous NLP methods (Word2vec, GloVe) used in geospatial representation learning by 9.21% on average in F1-score for classification tasks, such as store site recommendation and working/living area prediction. For regression tasks, such as POI number prediction, house price prediction, and passenger flow prediction, GeoBERT demonstrates greater performance improvements. The experiment results prove that pre-training on large-scale POI data can significantly improve the ability to extract geospatial information. In the discussion section, we provide a detailed analysis of what GeoBERT has learned from the perspective of attention mechanisms.
Prediction of Complex Odor from Pig Barn Using Machine Learning and Identifying the Influence of Variables Using Explainable Artificial Intelligence
Authors: Lee Do-Hyun , Lee Sang-Hun , Woo Saem-Ee , Jung Min-Woong , Kim Do-yun , Heo Tae-Young
Published: December 2022

Odor is a very serious problem worldwide. Thus, odor prediction research has been conducted consistently to help prevent odor. Odor substances that are complex odors are known, but complex odors and odor substances do not have a linear dependence. In addition, depending on the combination of odor substances, the causal relationships, such as synergy and antagonism, are different for complex odors. Research is needed to know this, but the situation is incomplete. Therefore, in this study, research was conducted through data-based research. The complex odor was predicted using various machine learning methods, and the effect of odor substances on the complex odor was verified using an explainable artificial intelligence method. In this study, according to the Malodor Prevention Act in Korea, complex odors are divided into two categories: acceptable and unacceptable. Analysis of variance and correlation analysis were used to determine the relationships between variables. Six machine learning methods (k-nearest neighbor, support vector classification, random forest, extremely randomized tree, eXtreme gradient boosting, and light gradient boosting machine) were used as predictive classification models, and the best predictive method was chosen using various evaluation metrics. As a result, the support vector machine that performed best in five out of six evaluation metrics was selected as the best model (f1-score = 0.7722, accuracy = 0.8101, sensitivity = 0.7372, specificity = 0.8656, positive predictive value = 0.8196, and negative predictive value = 0.8049). In addition, the partial dependence plot method from explainable artificial intelligence was used to understand the influence and interaction effects of odor substances.
Lower Bound Limit Analysis of Non-Persistent Jointed Rock Masses Using Mixed Numerical Discretization
Authors: Liu Wenlian , Xu Hanhua , Sui Sugang , Li Ze , Zhang Xiaoyan , Peng Pu
Published: December 2022

The bearing capacity of a non-persistent jointed rock mass containing a rock bridge is investigated by combining the lower bound limit analysis theory, a mixed numerical discrete method, and linear mathematical programming. A mixed numerical discrete method is proposed to divide non-persistent jointed rock masses in which rigid block elements are used to simulate the rock blocks, whereas the finite element method is used to simulate the intact rock bridges. A linear mathematical programming model for the ultimate bearing capacity is constructed and solved using the interior point algorithm. The proposed formulation is validated by application to three rock slopes.
Language Inclusion Checking of Timed Automata Based on Property Patterns
Authors: Wang Ting , Shen Yan , Chen Tieming , Ji Baiyang , Zhu Tiantian , Lv Mingqi
Published: December 2022

The language inclusion checking of timed automata is described as the following: given two timed automata M and N, where M is a system model and N is a specification model (which represents the properties that the system needs to satisfy), check whether the language of M is included in the language of N. The language inclusion checking of timed automata can detect whether a system model satisfies a given property under the time constraints. There exist excellent studies on verifying real-time systems using timed automata. However, there is no thorough method of timed automata language inclusion checking for real-life systems. Therefore, this paper proposes a language inclusion checking method of timed automata based on the property patterns. On the one hand, we summarize commonly used property patterns described by timed automata, which can guide people to model the properties with time constraints. On the other hand, the system model M often contains a large number of events, but in general, the property N only needs to pay attention to the sequences and time limits of a few events. Therefore, the timed automata language inclusion checking algorithm is improved so that only the concerned events are required. Our method is applied to a water disposal system and it is also evaluated using benchmark systems. The determinization problem of timed automata is undecidable, which may lead to an infinite state space. However, our method is still practical because the properties established according to property patterns are often deterministic.
Treatment Possibilities in Mandibular Defect Reconstruction Based on Ameloblastic Fibro-Odontoma Treatment—Does Small Bone Defects Heal without Bone Grafting?
Authors: Nelke Kamil , Pawlak Wojciech , Łukaszewski Marceli , Janeczek Maciej , Pasicka Edyta , Barnaś Szczepan , Morawska-Kochman Monika , Dobrzyński Maciej
Published: December 2022

The occurrence and manifestation of each ameloblastic fibro-odontoma (AFO) is quite rare and uncommon. Mentioned odontogenic tumor classification had changed over the years; however, the treatment possibilities for this lesion remain the same. In most cases surgical enucleation is sufficient enough; however, bigger lesions might require bone curettage with sometimes performed bony ostectomy, which is a quite sufficient and effective method of treatment. In the presented case report, a panoramic radiological evaluation indicated an impacted molar tooth surrounded with mixed radiolucent/radiopaque areas. The 10-year-old Caucasian girl was scheduled for an incisional biopsy. The bone cavity in the mandible after tumor removal might be left for spontaneous healing or grafting techniques, depending on the shape and size of the defect. In the presented case report, the usage of PRF/iPRF in the mandibular bone cavity, and healing improved the overall final result.