bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Sensory Drivers of Consumer Acceptance, Purchase Intent and Emotions toward Brewed Black Coffee
Authors: Pinsuwan Ammaraporn , Suwonsichon Suntaree , Chompreeda Penkwan , Prinyawiwatkul Witoon
Published: January 2022

The link between coffee aroma/flavor and elicited emotions remains underexplored. This research identified key sensory characteristics of brewed black coffee that affected acceptance, purchase intent and emotions for Thai consumers. Eight Arabica coffee samples were evaluated by eight trained descriptive panelists for intensities of 26 sensory attributes and by 100 brewed black coffee users for acceptance, purchase intent and emotions. Results showed that the samples exhibited a wide range of sensory characteristics, and large differences were mainly described by the attributes coffee identity (coffee ID), roasted, bitter taste, balance/blended and fullness. Differences also existed among the samples for overall liking, purchase intent and most emotion terms. Partial least square regression analysis revealed that liking, purchase intent and positive emotions, such as active, alert, awake, energetic, enthusiastic, feel good, happy, jump start, impressed, pleased, refreshed and vigorous were driven by coffee ID, roasted, ashy, pipe tobacco, bitter taste, rubber, overall sweet, balanced/blended, fullness and longevity. Contrarily, sour aromatic, sour taste, fruity, woody, musty/earthy, musty/dusty and molasses decreased liking, purchase intent and positive emotions, and stimulated negative emotions, such as disappointed, grouchy and unfulfilled. This information could be useful for creating or modifying the sensory profile of brewed black coffee to increase consumer acceptance.
Impact of Hydro-Alcoholic Solvents on the Oil and Phenolics Extraction from Walnut (Juglans regia L.) Press-Cake and the Self-Emulsification of Extracts
Authors: Subra-Paternault Pascale , Garcia-Mendoza Maria del Pilar , Savoire Raphaëlle , Harscoat-Schiavo Christelle
Published: January 2022

The objective was to evaluate the performance of four hydro-alcoholic solvents to simultaneously extract oil and more polar molecules as phenolics, among others, to produce complex extracts that eventually could self-emulsify after solvent removal. Walnut press-cake was selected as the sourcing material. Extractions were performed as a semi-continuous operation up to a solvent-to-solid ratio of 28, with a fractional collection of the effluent. Among the solvents, labelled by their alcohol content EtOH 58, EtOH 86, iPro 60 and iPro 90 for ethanol (EtOH) and isopropanol (iPro), iPro 90 allowed to reach an oil extraction efficiency of 97% while the recovery for the other solvents was in the range of 30–40%. For both alcohols, the increase of the solvent hydration negatively influenced the oil extraction but positively increased the recovery of phenolics that reached 17.6 mg GAE/gcake when EtOH 58 was used. Several fractions contained enough surface-active material and oil to self-assemble as emulsions. IPro 90 and EtOH 86 showed better performances in the sense that most extracts were able to emulsify, though extraction kinetics pointed out differences. The most hydrated solvents behaved equally, with extraction yields in the same range and a similar but limited emulsifying capacity of only few fractions.
Effect of Coix Seed Extracts on Growth and Metabolism of Limosilactobacillus reuteri
Authors: Yang Zhoujie , Wen Anyan , Qin Likang , Zhu Yi
Published: January 2022

Coix seed (Coix lachryma-jobi L.) is an important nourishing food and traditional Chinese medicine. The role of their bioactive constituents in physiology and pharmacology has received considerable scientific attention. However, very little is known about the role of coix seed bioactive components in the growth of Limosilactobacillus reuteri (L. reuteri). This study aimed to evaluate the effects of coix seed extract (CSE) on the growth, acidifying activity, and metabolism of L. reuteri. The results showed that CSE can increase the growth and acidifying activity of L. reuteri compared with the control group. During the stationary phase, the viable bacteria in the medium supplemented with coix seed oil (CSO, 13.72 Log10 CFU/mL), coix polysaccharide (CPO, 12.24 Log10 CFU/mL), and coix protein (CPR, 11.91 Log10 CFU/mL) were significantly higher (p < 0.05) than the control group (MRS, 9.16 Log10 CFU/mL). CSE also enhanced the biosynthesis of lactic acid and acetic acid of L. reuteri. Untargeted metabolomics results indicated that the carbohydrate metabolism, amino acid metabolism, and nucleotide metabolism activities of L. reuteri were increased after adding CSE. Furthermore, CSE increased the accumulation of bioactive metabolites, such as phenyl lactic acid, vitamins, and biotin. Overall, CSE may have prebiotic potential and can be used to culture L. reuteri with high viable bacteria.
Omics Approaches to Assess Flavor Development in Cheese
Authors: Anastasiou Rania , Kazou Maria , Georgalaki Marina , Aktypis Anastasios , Zoumpopoulou Georgia , Tsakalidou Effie
Published: January 2022

Cheese is characterized by a rich and complex microbiota that plays a vital role during both production and ripening, contributing significantly to the safety, quality, and sensory characteristics of the final product. In this context, it is vital to explore the microbiota composition and understand its dynamics and evolution during cheese manufacturing and ripening. Application of high-throughput DNA sequencing technologies have facilitated the more accurate identification of the cheese microbiome, detailed study of its potential functionality, and its contribution to the development of specific organoleptic properties. These technologies include amplicon sequencing, whole-metagenome shotgun sequencing, metatranscriptomics, and, most recently, metabolomics. In recent years, however, the application of multiple meta-omics approaches along with data integration analysis, which was enabled by advanced computational and bioinformatics tools, paved the way to better comprehension of the cheese ripening process, revealing significant associations between the cheese microbiota and metabolites, as well as their impact on cheese flavor and quality.
Improved Results on Finite-Time Passivity and Synchronization Problem for Fractional-Order Memristor-Based Competitive Neural Networks: Interval Matrix Approach
Authors: Anbalagan Pratap , Ramachandran Raja , Alzabut Jehad , Hincal Evren , Niezabitowski Michal
Published: January 2022

This research paper deals with the passivity and synchronization problem of fractional-order memristor-based competitive neural networks (FOMBCNNs) for the first time. Since the FOMBCNNs’ parameters are state-dependent, FOMBCNNs may exhibit unexpected parameter mismatch when different initial conditions are chosen. Therefore, the conventional robust control scheme cannot guarantee the synchronization of FOMBCNNs. Under the framework of the Filippov solution, the drive and response FOMBCNNs are first transformed into systems with interval parameters. Then, the new sufficient criteria are obtained by linear matrix inequalities (LMIs) to ensure the passivity in finite-time criteria for FOMBCNNs with mismatched switching jumps. Further, a feedback control law is designed to ensure the finite-time synchronization of FOMBCNNs. Finally, three numerical cases are given to illustrate the usefulness of our passivity and synchronization results.
Transient Two-Phase Flow in Porous Media: A Literature Review and Engineering Application in Geotechnics
Authors: Yan Guanxi , Li Zi , Galindo Torres Sergio Andres , Scheuermann Alexander , Li Ling
Published: January 2022

This work reviews the transient two-phase flow in porous media with engineering applications in Geotechnics. It initially overviews constitutive relationships, conventional theories, and experiments. Then, corresponding limitations are discussed according to conflicting observations and multiphase interfacial dynamics. Based on those findings, the dynamic nonequilibrium effects were so defined, which could also be abbreviated as dynamic/transient effects. Four advanced theories have already been developed to resolve these effects. This review collects them and discusses their pros and cons. In addition, this work further reviews the state-of-art in terms of experimental methods, influential factors in dynamic/transient effects, and modelling performance, as well as micromodel and numerical methods at pore-scale. Last, the corresponding geotechnical applications are reviewed, discussing their applicability in effective stress, shear strength, and deformation. Finally, the entire review is briefed to identify research gaps in Geotechnics.
Correction: Yau et al. Risk Factors for Early Return Visits to the Emergency Department in Patients Presenting with Nonspecific Abdominal Pain and the Use of Computed Tomography Scan. Healthcare 2021, 9, 1470
Authors: Yau Fei-Fei Flora , Yang Ying , Cheng Chi-Yung , Li Chao-Jui , Wang Su-Hung , Chiu I-Min
Published: January 2022

The authors would like to make corrections to their published paper [...]
Substance Use/Dependence in Psychiatric Emergency Setting Leading to Hospitalization: Predictors of Continuity of Care
Authors: Maremmani Angelo Giovanni Icro , Aglietti Mirella , Intaschi Guido , Bacciardi Silvia
Published: January 2022

Background: Poor adherence to treatment is a common clinical problem in individuals affected by mental illness and substance use/dependence. In Italy, mental care is organized in a psychiatric service and addiction unit (SERD), characterized by dual independent assets of treatment. This difference, in the Emergency Room setting, leads to a risk of discontinuity of treatment in case of hospitalization. In this study we clinically characterized individuals who decided to attend hospital post-discharge appointments at SERD, in accordance with medical advice. Methods: This is a retrospective study, based on two years of discharged records of patients entering “Versilia Hospital” (Viareggio, Italy) emergency room, with urinalyses testing positive for substance use, and hospitalization after psychiatric consultation. The sample was divided according to the presence or absence of SERD consultation after discharge. Results: In the 2-year period of the present study, 1005 individuals were hospitalized. Considering the inclusion criterion of the study, the sample consisted of 264 individuals. Of these, 128 patients attended post-discharge appointments at SERD showing urinalyses positive to cocaine, opiates, and poly use; they were more frequently diagnosed as personality disorder and less frequently as bipolar disorder. The prediction was higher for patients that had already been treated at SERD, for patients who received SERD consultation during hospitalization, and for patients with positive urinalyses to cocaine and opiates at treatment entry. Conversely, patients who did not attend SERD consultation after discharge were affected by bipolar disorders. Limitations: Small sample size. Demographical data are limited to gender and age due to paucity of data in hospital information systems. SERD is located far from the hospital and is open only on weekdays; thus, it cannot ensure a consultation with all inpatients. Conclusions: Mental illness diagnosis, the set of substance use positivity at hospitalization, and having received SERD consultation during hospitalization appeared to have a critical role in promoting continuity of care. Moreover, to reduce the gap between the need and the provision of the treatment, a more effective personalized individual program of care should be implemented.
Comparative Study on Life-Cycle Assessment and Carbon Footprint of Hybrid, Concrete and Timber Apartment Buildings in Finland
Authors: Rinne Roni , Ilgın Hüseyin Emre , Karjalainen Markku
Published: January 2022

To date, in the literature, there has been no study on the comparison of hybrid (timber and concrete) buildings with counterparts made of timber and concrete as the most common construction materials, in terms of the life cycle assessment (LCA) and the carbon footprint. This paper examines the environmental impacts of a five-story hybrid apartment building compared to timber and reinforced concrete counterparts in whole-building life-cycle assessment using the software tool, One Click LCA, for the estimation of environmental impacts from building materials of assemblies, construction, and building end-of-life treatment of 50 years in Finland. Following EN 15978, stages of product and construction (A1–A5), use (B1–B6), end-of-life (C1–C4), and beyond the building life cycle (D) were assessed. The main findings highlighted are as following: (1) for A1–A3, the timber apartment had the smallest carbon footprint (28% less than the hybrid apartment); (2) in A4, the timber apartment had a much smaller carbon footprint (55% less than the hybrid apartment), and the hybrid apartment had a smaller carbon footprint (19%) than the concrete apartment; (3) for B1–B5, the carbon footprint of the timber apartment was larger (>20%); (4) in C1–C4, the carbon footprint of the concrete apartment had the lowest emissions (35,061 kg CO2-e), and the timber apartment had the highest (44,627 kg CO2-e), but in D, timber became the most advantageous material; (5) the share of life-cycle emissions from building services was very significant. Considering the environmental performance of hybrid construction as well as its other advantages over timber, wood-based hybrid solutions can lead to more rational use of wood, encouraging the development of more efficient buildings. In the long run, this will result in a higher proportion of wood in buildings, which will be beneficial for living conditions, the environment, and the society in general.
Exploring High vs. Low Burnout amongst Public Sector Educators: COVID-19 Antecedents and Profiles
Authors: Pérez-Luño Ana , Díez Piñol Miriam , Dolan Simon L.
Published: January 2022

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a prolonged impact on many people working in different sectors. This paper focuses on the psychological stress consequences of professionals working in the educational sector in Andalucía (Spain). Using a sample of 340 educators, this empirical paper identifies the antecedents and profiles of those that ended up with burnout vs. those that were able to develop resilience. Results from OLS regressions show that regardless of the origins of stress, the principal determinant of burnout is clearly a lack of support and a perception of an inability to control a situation. Furthermore, results also show that working sources have a higher impact on the configuration of high burnout, while family sources harm those who are more resilient (low burnout).
Factors That Prevent Mosquito-Borne Diseases among Migrant Workers in Taiwan: Application of the Health Belief Model in a Church-Based Health Promotion Study
Authors: Tai Yu-Shan , Yang Hao-Jan
Published: January 2022

Background: Southeast Asian countries have long been considered epidemic areas for mosquito-borne diseases (MBDs), and most imported cases of infectious diseases in Taiwan are from these areas. Taiwanese migrant workers are mainly of Southeast Asian nationality, and of these, 22% are Filipino. Migrant workers’ knowledge of MBDs and self-protection behaviors are beneficial to disease prevention and treatment. This study aims to understand the effectiveness of a health education intervention (HEI) for Filipino migrant workers in Taiwan and explores the factors affecting preventive practices. Methods: The study was conducted between May to September 2018. Participants were recruited from two Catholic churches in Taichung City. A professional delivered a 30 min HEI in person, and a structured questionnaire was used to acquire and assess participants’ knowledge, health beliefs, and preventive behaviors for MBDs before and after the intervention. Results: A total of 291 participants were recruited. The intervention program showed a positive impact on the migrant worker’s knowledge and the perceived severity, perceived benefits, perceived barriers, and preventive practices. Knowledge, perceived severity, and perceived barriers were factors influencing preventive practices in Filipino migrant workers. Conclusions: The results of this study demonstrated that we can direct our efforts towards three areas: improving foreign migrant workers’ awareness of diseases, emphasizing the severity of the disease, and eliminating possible hindrances in the future. As one example, migrant workers could be proactively provided with routine medical examinations and multilingual health education lectures to improve knowledge and preventive practices to contain the spread MBDs.
Exploring Unobserved Heterogeneity in Cyclists’ Occupying Motorized Vehicle Lane Behaviors at Different Bike Facility Configurations
Authors: Zhang Lei , Zhang Shengrui , Zhou Bei , Huang Yan , Zhao Dan , Jiao Shuaiyang
Published: January 2022

Cyclists occupying motorized vehicle lanes disrupt road traffic order and increase collisions. Exploring the contributing factors could help develop countermeasures to regulate such behaviors. The purpose of this study is to explore the intrinsic features influencing the behavior of cyclists in occupying motorized vehicle lanes at different bicycle facilities. We investigated a total of 34,631 cycling behavior samples in the urban area of Pingdingshan, China. A Bayesian random parameter logit model was used to account for the unobserved heterogeneous effects. The experimental results of all bike facilities demonstrate that the bike type, dividing strip type, bike lane width, temporary on-street parking, and whether it is a working day significantly affect cyclists’ occupying motorized vehicle lane behaviors. Factors associated with unobserved heterogeneity are age, barriers dividing strip, vehicle lane numbers, bike volume, vehicle volume, and daily recording time intervals. Comparing the estimated model of five type bike lane facilities across different dividing strips, we find that cyclists have a significantly different occupying probability and the heterogeneity factors of the various bike facilities also have their focus. When the non-motorized road conditions become more open, the cyclist behavior becomes more random and the heterogeneity factors become broader.
HIF2α Upregulates the Migration Factor ODZ1 under Hypoxia in Glioblastoma Stem Cells
Authors: Carcelén María , Velásquez Carlos , Vidal Veronica , Gutierrez Olga , Fernandez-Luna Jose L.
Published: January 2022

Background: Glioblastoma (GBM) remains a major clinical challenge due to its invasive capacity, resistance to treatment, and recurrence. We have previously shown that ODZ1 contributes to glioblastoma invasion and that ODZ1 mRNA levels can be upregulated by epigenetic mechanisms in response to hypoxia. Herein, we have further studied the transcriptional regulation of ODZ1 in GBM stem cells (GSCs) under hypoxic conditions and analyzed whether HIF2α has any role in this regulation. Methods: We performed the experiments in three primary GSC cell lines established from tumor specimens. GSCs were cultured under hypoxia, treated with HIF regulators (DMOG, chetomin), or transfected with specific siRNAs, and the expression levels of ODZ1 and HIF2α were analyzed. In addition, the response of the ODZ1 promoter cloned into a luciferase reporter plasmid to the activation of HIF was also studied. Results: The upregulation of both mRNA and protein levels of HIF2α under hypoxia conditions correlated with the expression of ODZ1 mRNA. Moreover, the knockdown of HIF2α by siRNAs downregulated the expression of ODZ1. We found, in the ODZ1 promoter, a HIF consensus binding site (GCGTG) 1358 bp from the transcription start site (TSS) and a HIF-like site (CCGTG) 826 bp from the TSS. Luciferase assays revealed that the stabilization of HIF by DMOG resulted in the increased activity of the ODZ1 promoter. Conclusions: Our data indicate that the HIF2α-mediated upregulation of ODZ1 helps strengthen the transcriptional control of this migration factor under hypoxia in glioblastoma stem cells. The discovery of this novel transcriptional pathway identifies new targets to develop strategies that may avoid GBM tumor invasion and recurrence.
G-Quadruplex Regulation of VEGFA mRNA Translation by RBM4
Authors: Niu Kangkang , Zhang Xiaojuan , Song Qisheng , Feng Qili
Published: January 2022

In eukaryotes, mRNAs translation is mainly mediated in a cap-dependent or cap-independent manner. The latter is primarily initiated at the internal ribosome entry site (IRES) in the 5′-UTR of mRNAs. It has been reported that the G-quadruplex structure (G4) in the IRES elements could regulate the IRES activity. We previously confirmed RBM4 (also known as LARK) as a G4-binding protein in human. In this study, to investigate whether RBM4 is involved in the regulation of the IRES activity by binding with the G4 structure within the IRES element, the IRES-A element in the 5′-UTR of vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGFA) was constructed into a dicistronic reporter vector, psiCHECK2, and the effect of RBM4 on the IRES activity was tested in 293T cells. The results showed that the IRES insertion significantly increased the FLuc expression activity, indicating that this G4-containing IRES was active in 293T cells. When the G4 structure in the IRES was disrupted by base mutation, the IRES activity was significantly decreased. The IRES activity was notably increased when the cells were treated with G4 stabilizer PDS. EMSA results showed that RBM4 specifically bound the G4 structure in the IRES element. The knockdown of RBM4 substantially reduced the IRES activity, whereas over-expressing RBM4 increased the IRES activity. Taking all results together, we demonstrated that RBM4 promoted the mRNA translation of VEGFA gene by binding to the G4 structure in the IRES.
The Effect of Long-Lasting Swimming on Rats Skeletal Muscles Energy Metabolism after Nine Days of Dexamethasone Treatment
Authors: Flis Damian Jozef , Bialobrodzka Emilia Gabriela , Rodziewicz-Flis Ewa Aleksandra , Jost Zbigniew , Borkowska Andzelika , Ziolkowski Wieslaw , Kaczor Jan Jacek
Published: January 2022

This study investigates the effect of Dexamethasone (Dex) treatment on blood and skeletal muscle metabolites level and skeletal muscle activity of enzymes related to energy metabolism after long-duration swimming. To evaluate whether Dex treatment, swimming, and combining these factors act on analyzed data, rats were randomly divided into four groups: saline treatment non-exercise and exercise and Dex treatment non-exercised and exercised. Animals in both exercised groups underwent long-lasting swimming. The concentration of lipids metabolites, glucose, and lactate were measured in skeletal muscles and blood according to standard colorimetric and fluorimetric methods. Also, activities of enzymes related to aerobic and anaerobic metabolism were measured in skeletal muscles. The results indicated that Dex treatment induced body mass loss and increased lipid metabolites in the rats’ blood but did not alter these changes in skeletal muscles. Interestingly, prolonged swimming applied after 9 days of Dex treatment significantly intensified changes induced by Dex; however, there was no difference in skeletal muscle enzymatic activities. This study shows for the first time the cumulative effect of exercise and Dex on selected elements of lipid metabolism, which seems to be essential for the patient’s health due to the common use of glucocorticoids like Dex.
Disruption of OsPHD1, Encoding a UDP-Glucose Epimerase, Causes JA Accumulation and Enhanced Bacterial Blight Resistance in Rice
Authors: Gao Yu , Xiang Xiaojiao , Zhang Yingxin , Cao Yongrun , Wang Beifang , Zhang Yue , Wang Chen , Jiang Min , Duan Wenjing , Chen Daibo , Zhan Xiaodeng , Cheng Shihua , Liu Qunen , Cao Liyong
Published: January 2022

Lesion mimic mutants (LMMs) have been widely used in experiments in recent years for studying plant physiological mechanisms underlying programmed cell death (PCD) and defense responses. Here, we identified a lesion mimic mutant, lm212-1, which cloned the causal gene by a map-based cloning strategy, and verified this by complementation. The causal gene, OsPHD1, encodes a UDP-glucose epimerase (UGE), and the OsPHD1 was located in the chloroplast. OsPHD1 was constitutively expressed in all organs, with higher expression in leaves and other green tissues. lm212-1 exhibited decreased chlorophyll content, and the chloroplast structure was destroyed. Histochemistry results indicated that H2O2 is highly accumulated and cell death is occurred around the lesions in lm212-1. Compared to the wild type, expression levels of defense-related genes were up-regulated, and resistance to bacterial pathogens Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae (Xoo) was enhanced, indicating that the defense response was activated in lm212-1, ROS production was induced by flg22, and chitin treatment also showed the same result. Jasmonic acid (JA) and methyl jasmonate (MeJA) increased, and the JA signaling pathways appeared to be disordered in lm212-1. Additionally, the overexpression lines showed the same phenotype as the wild type. Overall, our findings demonstrate that OsPHD1 is involved in the regulation of PCD and defense response in rice.
Repellency Mechanism of Natural Guar Gum-Based Film Incorporated with Citral against Brown Planthopper, Nilaparvata lugens (Stål) (Hemiptera: Delphacidae)
Authors: Gao Xiubing , Hu Xianfeng , Mo Feixu , Ding Yi , Li Ming , Li Rongyu
Published: January 2022

Using of plant essential oil that coevolved as a defense mechanism against agriculture insects is an alternative means of controlling many insect pests. In order to repel brown planthoppers (BPHs), the most notorious rice insect pest, a new film based on guar gum incorporated with citral (GC film) was formulated, which was effective while being environmentally friendly. In this paper, the effect and mechanism of GC film repellency against BPHs were determined. Repellent activity test and olfactory reaction analysis showed that GC film had repellency effect against BPHs, with repellency of 60.00% and 73.93%, respectively. The result of olfactory reaction indicated that GC film repellency against BPHs relied on smell. EPG analysis showed the proportion and mean duration of np waveform were significantly higher than in CK and increased following the treatment concentration, which indicated that GC film affected the recognition of BPHs to rice. Further analysis by RNA sequencing analysis showed a total of 679 genes were significantly upregulated and 284 genes were significantly downregulated in the BPHs fed on the rice sprayed with GC film compared to control. Odorant-binding protein (OBP) gene 797 and gustatory receptor gene (GR)/odorant receptor (OR) gene 13110 showed a significant decrease in differential expression and significant increase in differential expression, respectively. There were 0.66 and 2.55 differential expression multiples between treated BPHs and control, respectively. According to the results described above, we reasoned that GC film repellency against BPHs due to smell, by release of citral, caused the recognition difficulties for BPHs to rice, and OBP gene 797 and GR/OR gene 13110 appeared to be the crucial candidate genes for GC film repellency against BPHs. The present study depicted a clear and consistent repellency effect for GC film against BPHs and preliminarily clarified the mechanism of GC film as a repellent against BPHs, which might offer an alternative approach for control of BPHs in the near future. Our results could also help in the development and improvement of GC films.
Melatonin Promotes Antler Growth by Accelerating MT1-Mediated Mesenchymal Cell Differentiation and Inhibiting VEGF-Induced Degeneration of Chondrocytes
Authors: Sun Xuyang , Gu Xiaoying , Li Keke , Li Mengqi , Peng Jingna , Zhang Xinxin , Yang Liguo , Xiong Jiajun
Published: January 2022

The sika deer is one type of seasonal breeding animal, and the growth of its antler is affected by light signals. Melatonin (MLT) is a neuroendocrine hormone synthesized by the pineal gland and plays an important role in controlling the circadian rhythm. Although the MLT/MT1 (melatonin 1A receptor) signal has been identified during antler development, its physiological function remains almost unknown. The role of MLT on antler growth in vivo and in vitro is discussed in this paper. In vivo, MLT implantation was found to significantly increase the weight of antlers. The relative growth rate of antlers showed a remarkable increased trend as well. In vitro, the experiment showed MLT accelerated antler mesenchymal cell differentiation. Further, results revealed that MLT regulated the expression of Collage type II (Col2a) through the MT1 binding mediated transcription of Yes-associated protein 1 (YAP1) in antler mesenchymal cells. In addition, treatment with vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) promoted chondrocytes degeneration by downregulating the expression of Col2a and Sox9 (SRY-Box Transcription Factor 9). MLT effectively inhibited VEGF-induced degeneration of antler chondrocytes by inhibiting the Signal transducers and activators of transcription 5/Interleukin-6 (STAT5/IL-6) pathway and activating the AKT/CREB (Cyclin AMP response-element binding protein) pathway dependent on Sox9 expression. Together, our results indicate that MLT plays a vital role in the development of antler cartilage.
Aurora Kinase A Is Involved in Controlling the Localization of Aquaporin-2 in Renal Principal Cells
Authors: Baltzer Sandrine , Bulatov Timur , Schmied Christopher , Krämer Andreas , Berger Benedict-Tilman , Oder Andreas , Walker-Gray Ryan , Kuschke Christin , Zühlke Kerstin , Eichhorst Jenny , Lehmann Martin , Knapp Stefan , Weston John , von Kries Jens Peter , Süssmuth Roderich D. , Klussmann Enno
Published: January 2022

The cAMP-dependent aquaporin-2 (AQP2) redistribution from intracellular vesicles into the plasma membrane of renal collecting duct principal cells induces water reabsorption and fine-tunes body water homeostasis. However, the mechanisms controlling the localization of AQP2 are not understood in detail. Using immortalized mouse medullary collecting duct (MCD4) and primary rat inner medullary collecting duct (IMCD) cells as model systems, we here discovered a key regulatory role of Aurora kinase A (AURKA) in the control of AQP2. The AURKA-selective inhibitor Aurora-A inhibitor I and novel derivatives as well as a structurally different inhibitor, Alisertib, prevented the cAMP-induced redistribution of AQP2. Aurora-A inhibitor I led to a depolymerization of actin stress fibers, which serve as tracks for the translocation of AQP2-bearing vesicles to the plasma membrane. The phosphorylation of cofilin-1 (CFL1) inactivates the actin-depolymerizing function of CFL1. Aurora-A inhibitor I decreased the CFL1 phosphorylation, accounting for the removal of the actin stress fibers and the inhibition of the redistribution of AQP2. Surprisingly, Alisertib caused an increase in actin stress fibers and did not affect CFL1 phosphorylation, indicating that AURKA exerts its control over AQP2 through different mechanisms. An involvement of AURKA and CFL1 in the control of the localization of AQP2 was hitherto unknown.
PKM2 Modulation in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Authors: Boschert Verena , Teusch Jonas , Müller-Richter Urs D. A. , Brands Roman C. , Hartmann Stefan
Published: January 2022

The enzyme pyruvate kinase M2 (PKM2) plays a major role in the switch of tumor cells from oxidative phosphorylation to aerobic glycolysis, one of the hallmarks of cancer. Different allosteric inhibitors or activators and several posttranslational modifications regulate its activity. Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is a common disease with a high rate of recurrence. To find out more about PKM2 and its modulation in HNSCC, we examined a panel of HNSCC cells using real-time cell metabolic analysis and Western blotting with an emphasis on phosphorylation variant Tyr105 and two reagents known to impair PKM2 activity. Our results show that in HNSCC, PKM2 is commonly phosphorylated at Tyrosine 105. Its levels depended on tyrosine kinase activity, emphasizing the importance of growth factors such as EGF (epidermal growth factor) on HNSCC metabolism. Furthermore, its correlation with the expression of CD44 indicates a role in cancer stemness. Cells generally reacted with higher glycolysis to PKM2 activator DASA-58 and lower glycolysis to PKM2 inhibitor Compound 3k, but some were more susceptible to activation and others to inhibition. Our findings emphasize the need to further investigate the role of PKM2 in HNSCC, as it could aid understanding and treatment of the disease.
Surfactant Effect on the Physicochemical Characteristics of Solid Lipid Nanoparticles Based on Pillar[5]arenes
Authors: Nazarova Anastasia , Yakimova Luidmila , Filimonova Darya , Stoikov Ivan
Published: January 2022

Novel monosubstituted pillar[5]arenes containing both amide and carboxyl functional groups were synthesized. Solid lipid nanoparticles based on the synthesized macrocycles were obtained. Formation of spherical particles with an average hydrodynamic diameter of 250 nm was shown for pillar[5]arenes containing N-(amidoalkyl)amide fragments regardless of their concentration. It was established that pillar[5]arene containing N-alkylamide fragments can form spherical particles with two different sizes (88 and 223 nm) depending on its concentration. Mixed solid lipid nanoparticles based on monosubstituted pillar[5]arenes and surfactant (dodecyltrimethylammonium chloride) were obtained for the first time. The surfactant made it possible to level the effect of the macrocycle concentration. It was found that various types of aggregates are formed depending on the macrocycle/surfactant ratio. Changing the macrocycle/surfactant ratio allows to control the charge of the particles surface. This controlled property will lead to the creation of molecular-scale porous materials that selectively interact with various types of substrates, including biopolymers.
Anisometric Ln(III) Complexes with Efficient Near-IR Luminescence
Authors: Knyazev Andrey A. , Krupin Aleksandr S. , Galyametdinov Yuriy G.
Published: January 2022

Recent studies in development of near-infrared luminophores focus on overcoming their disadvantages such as low quantum efficiency, limited emission power, and broad emission spectra. Rare earth (RE) elements are promising compounds in this respect as they offer a unique set of optical properties that provide narrow emission spectra and large Stokes shifts. This work reports the results of synthesis and characterization of new anisometric complexes of lanthanide(III) tris(b-diketonates) and 1,10-phenanthroline. These complexes possess light emitting-properties in the near-infrared range. Due to their structural features, these complexes allow production of homogeneous films by spin coating. These films are transparent in the visible and near-infrared ranges (transmission up to 99%). This paper demonstrates advantages of Yb(III), Er(III), and Nd(III) complexes as potential components of highly efficient light-transforming NIR coatings.
Serendipitous Stimulation of Nucleus Basalis of Meynert—The Effect of Unintentional, Long-Term High-Frequency Stimulation on Cognition in Parkinson’s Disease
Authors: Bogdan I. Daria , Oterdoom D. L. Marinus , van Laar Teus , Huitema Rients B. , Odekerken Vincent J. , Boel Judith A. , de Bie Rob M. A. , van Dijk J. Marc C. ,   on behalf of the NSTAPS Study Group
Published: January 2022

There is a growing interest in deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the nucleus basalis of Meynert (NBM) as a potential therapeutic modality for Parkinson’s disease dementia (PDD). Low-frequency stimulation has yielded encouraging results in individual patients; however, these are not yet sustained in larger studies. With the aim to expand the understanding of NBM-DBS, we share our experience with serendipitous NBM-DBS in patients treated with DBS of the internal Globus pallidus (GPi) for Parkinson’s disease. Since NBM is anatomically located ventral to GPi, several GPi-treated patients appeared to have the distal contact of DBS-electrode(s) positioned in the NBM. We hypothesized that unintentional high-frequency NBM-DBS over a period of one year would result in the opposite effect of low-frequency NBM-stimulation and cause cognitive decline. We studied a cohort of 33 patients with bilateral high-frequency DBS in the GPi for Parkinson’s disease, of which twelve were unintentionally co-stimulated in NBM. The subgroups of unintentional unilateral (N = 7) and bilateral NBM-DBS (N = 5) were compared to the control group of bilateral GPi-DBS (N = 11). Here, we show that unintentional high-frequency NBM-DBS did not cause a significantly faster decline in cognitive function. Further research is warranted for characterizing the therapeutic role of NBM-DBS.
What’s in My Toolkit? A Review of Technologies for Assessing Changes in Habitats Caused by Marine Energy Development
Authors: Hemery Lenaïg G. , Mackereth Kailan F. , Tugade Levy G.
Published: January 2022

Marine energy devices are installed in highly dynamic environments and have the potential to affect the benthic and pelagic habitats around them. Regulatory bodies often require baseline characterization and/or post-installation monitoring to determine whether changes in these habitats are being observed. However, a great diversity of technologies is available for surveying and sampling marine habitats, and selecting the most suitable instrument to identify and measure changes in habitats at marine energy sites can become a daunting task. We conducted a thorough review of journal articles, survey reports, and grey literature to extract information about the technologies used, the data collection and processing methods, and the performance and effectiveness of these instruments. We examined documents related to marine energy development, offshore wind farms, oil and gas offshore sites, and other marine industries around the world over the last 20 years. A total of 120 different technologies were identified across six main habitat categories: seafloor, sediment, infauna, epifauna, pelagic, and biofouling. The technologies were organized into 12 broad technology classes: acoustic, corer, dredge, grab, hook and line, net and trawl, plate, remote sensing, scrape samples, trap, visual, and others. Visual was the most common and the most diverse technology class, with applications across all six habitat categories. Technologies and sampling methods that are designed for working efficiently in energetic environments have greater success at marine energy sites. In addition, sampling designs and statistical analyses should be carefully thought through to identify differences in faunal assemblages and spatiotemporal changes in habitats.
Shoreline Detection Accuracy from Video Monitoring Systems
Authors: Arriaga Jaime , Medellin Gabriela , Ojeda Elena , Salles Paulo
Published: January 2022

Video monitoring has become an indispensable tool to understand beach processes. However, the measurement accuracy derived from the images has been taken for granted despite its dependence on the calibration process and camera movements. An easy to implement self-fed image stabilization algorithm is proposed to solve the camera movements. Georeferenced images were generated from the stabilized images using only one calibration. To assess the performance of the stabilization algorithm, a second set of georeferenced images was created from unstabilized images following the accepted practice of using several calibrations. Shorelines were extracted from the images and corrected with the measured water level and the computed run-up to the 0 m contour. Image-derived corrected shorelines were validated with one hundred beach profile surveys measured during a period of four years along a 1.1 km beach stretch. The simultaneous high-frequency field data available of images and beach surveys are uncommon and allow assessing seasonal changes and long-term trends accuracy. Errors in shoreline position do not increase in time suggesting that the proposed stabilization algorithm does not propagate errors, despite the ever-evolving vegetation in the images. The image stabilization reduces the error in shoreline position by 40 percent, having a larger impact with increasing distance from the camera. Furthermore, the algorithm improves the accuracy on long-term trends by one degree of magnitude (0.01 m/year vs. 0.25 m/year).
Thiolation of Myco-Synthesized Fe3O4-NPs: A Novel Promising Tool for Penicillium expansium Laccase Immobilization to Decolorize Textile Dyes and as an Application for Anticancer Agent
Authors: El-Shora Hamed M. , Khateb Aiah M. , Darwish Doaa B. , El-Sharkawy Reyad M.
Published: January 2022

Environmental pollution due to the continuous uncontrolled discharge of toxic dyes into the water bodies provides insight into the need to eliminate pollutants prior to discharge is significantly needed. Recently, the combination of conventional chemotherapeutic agents and nanoparticles has attracted considerable attention. Herein, the magnetic nanoparticles (Fe3O4-NPs) were synthesized using metabolites of Aspergillus niger. Further, the surfaces of Fe3O4-NPs were functionalized using 3-mercaptoproionic acid as confirmed by XRD, TEM, and SEM analyses. A purified P. expansum laccase was immobilized onto Fe3O4/3-MPA-SH and then the developed immobilized laccase (Fe3O4/3-MPA-S-S-laccase) was applied to achieve redox-mediated degradation of different dyes. The Fe3O4/3-MPA-S-S-laccase exhibited notably improved stability toward pH, temperature, organic solvents, and storage periods. The Fe3O4/3-MPA-S-S-laccase exhibited appropriate operational stability while retaining 84.34% of its initial activity after 10 cycles. The catalytic affinity (Kcat/Km) of the immobilized biocatalyst was increased above 10-fold. The experimental data showed remarkable improvement in the dyes’ decolorization using the immobilized biocatalyst in the presence of a redox mediator in seven successive cycles. Thus, the prepared novel nanocomposite-laccase can be applied as an alternative promising strategy for bioremediation of textile wastewater. The cytotoxic level of carboplatin and Fe3O4-NPs singly or in combination on various cell lines was concentration-dependent.
A Putative D-Arabinono-1,4-lactone Oxidase, MoAlo1, Is Required for Fungal Growth, Conidiogenesis, and Pathogenicity in Magnaporthe oryzae
Authors: Wu Ming-Hua , Huang Lu-Yao , Sun Li-Xiao , Qian Hui , Wei Yun-Yun , Liang Shuang , Zhu Xue-Ming , Li Lin , Lu Jian-Ping , Lin Fu-Cheng , Liu Xiao-Hong
Published: January 2022

Magnaporthe oryzae is the causal agent of rice blast outbreaks. L-ascorbic acid (ASC) is a famous antioxidant found in nature. However, while ASC is rare or absent in fungi, a five-carbon analog, D-erythroascorbic acid (EASC), seems to appear to be a substitute for ASC. Although the antioxidant function of ASC has been widely described, the specific properties and physiological functions of EASC remain poorly understood. In this study, we identified a D-arabinono-1,4-lactone oxidase (ALO) domain-containing protein, MoAlo1, and found that MoAlo1 was localized to mitochondria. Disruption of MoALO1 (ΔMoalo1) exhibited defects in vegetative growth as well as conidiogenesis. The ΔMoalo1 mutant was found to be more sensitive to exogenous H2O2. Additionally, the pathogenicity of conidia in the ΔMoalo1 null mutant was reduced deeply in rice, and defective penetration of appressorium-like structures (ALS) formed by the hyphal tips was also observed in the ΔMoalo1 null mutant. When exogenous EASC was added to the conidial suspension, the defective pathogenicity of the ΔMoalo1 mutant was restored. Collectively, MoAlo1 is essential for growth, conidiogenesis, and pathogenicity in M. oryzae.
Special Considerations in the Management of Women with Epilepsy in Reproductive Years
Authors: Parekh Krishna , Kravets Hannah Debra , Spiegel Rebecca
Published: January 2022

Anti-seizure medications (ASMs) fail to prevent seizure recurrence in more than 30% of patients with epilepsy. The treatment is more difficult in premenopausal women with epilepsy (WWE) because changes in plasma estrogen and progesterone concentrations during the menstrual cycle often affect seizure frequency and intensity. Interactions between enzyme-inducin ASMs and hormonal contraceptives can lead to both a loss of seizure control and failure of contraception. Significant changes in the function of the liver and kidneys during pregnancy can accelerate metabolism and elimination of ASMs, causing breakthrough seizures. In addition, the teratogenic, cognitive, and psychological effects of ASMs on potential offspring have to be considered when choosing the best ASM regimen. Therefore, aspecialized approach is necessary for the treatment of premenopausal WWE.
Integrated Intellectual Investment Portfolio as an Efficient Instrument to Manage Personal Financial Investment
Authors: Rutkauskas Aleksandras Vytautas , Stasytytė Viktorija
Published: January 2022

The redistribution of resources in global stock markets is prevalent: the capital is transferred from one investor to another. Sometimes, earning a substantial return in the stock market seems complicated to implement for an individual investor. Investing contributes to the welfare of society and the wealth of citizens. This is why people should look for efficient ways to invest. Investment should become a natural part of personal finance management in the majority of households. For this reason, an investment model is developed where stocks are selected based only on market intelligence using historical data. The model helps find one or several stocks that generate the highest return on a separate step. Applying this model, experiments were performed with daily data from German, US, and UK stock markets. The possibility of obtaining higher than average returns in these markets has been noticed. In the German market, during the 97-day period, the authors obtained a 1.46 return, which implies a 2.31 annual return: in the USA market, a 2.37 return (7.93 annual return), and in the UK market, a 1.90 return (4.09 annual return). Thus, the proposed investment decision-making system could be an efficient tool for forming a sustainable individual or household portfolio. It can generate higher investment returns for an investor and, moreover, make the market more efficient by applying market intelligence and related historical data.
Effect of Two-Stage Cooling on the Microstructure and Tribological Properties of Steel–Copper Bimetals
Authors: Kang Yuanyuan , Zhang Guowei , Wang Zhaojie , Xu Hong , Wan An
Published: January 2022

In this paper, the solid–liquid composite method is used to prepare the steel–copper bimetal sample through two-stage cooling process (forced air cooling and oil cooling). The relationship between the different microstructures and friction properties of the bimetal copper layer is clarified. The results show that: the friction and wear parameters are 250 N, the speed is 1500 r/min (3.86 m/s), the friction coefficient fluctuates in the range of 0.06–0.1, and the lowest point is 0.06 at 700 °C. The microstructure of the copper layer was α-Cu, δ, Cu3P, and Pb phases, and Pb was free between α-Cu dendrites. When the solidification temperature is 900 °C, the secondary dendrite of α-Cu develops. With the decrease temperature, the growth of primary and secondary dendrites gradually tends to balance at 700 °C. During the wear process, Pb forms a self-lubricating film uniformly distributed on the surface of α-Cu, and the Cu3P and δ phases are distributed in the wear mark to increase α-Cu wear resistance.