bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Flaming Ignition of PMMA, Pine Wood and Pine Needle by External Radiation: Autoignition and Radiant Distance Effect
Authors: Song Jiayun
Published: April 2023

Flame radiation is one of the important causes of wildland–urban interface (WUI) fires. PMMA, pine needle and pine wood are the most common fuels in WUI fires, but the radiant distance effect on the flaming ignitions as well as the subsequent burning behavior is still poorly understood. This work represents an experiment to investigate the flaming autoignition of PMMA, pine-needle and pine-wood fuel beds with different radiant distances (25 mm–100 mm) under a uniform incident radiant heat flux, 25 kW/m2 The experiment results show that for PMMA and pine wood, they all transition from gas-phase ignition near the cone heater to solid-phase ignition. For pine needle, it has smoldering ignition and smoldering-to-flaming ignition. The relationship between radiant distance and ignition delay time is an approximately inverted u-shape curve, and there exists a critical radiant distance (D = 60 mm) for the minimum ignition delay time. For pine wood and PMMA, when D < 60 mm, there exists a linear relationship between radiant distance, D, and tig−1/2.
Formulation of Ready-to-Eat Soup for the Elderly: Nutritional Composition and Storage Stability Study
Authors: Sinchaipanit Pornrat , Sangsuriyawong Anantita , Visetchart Piyanuch , Nirmal Nilesh Prakash
Published: April 2023

Lack of appetite is a common problem in elderly people which could lead to the risk of malnutrition. Soup-based product formulation and supplementation for the elderly is an interesting and convenient way to maintain nutritional status. Hence, this study aims to develop ready-to-eat (RTE) soup and instant soup powder using common agricultural commodities. The results indicated that among all formulations, the F7 formula comprised brown rice (15 g), pumpkin (32.5 g), sweetcorn (12.5 g), red tilapia (17.5 g), rice bran oil (1.0 g), and water (21.5 g) with energy ratio (C:P:F) of 58:23:20 receiving the highest sensory scores. The selected formulation (F7) was also transformed into instant powder and both RTE soup and instant powder were evaluated for nutritional composition and storage stabilities at 5 °C and 25 °C, respectively. The nutritional composition analyses indicate that 100 g of RTE soup consists of 13.8 g carbohydrates, 4.9 g proteins, 1.8 g fats, and 1.5 g dietary fibers; the soup is also a rich source of antioxidants and β-carotene. Storage studies suggested that the content of β-carotene and antioxidant activity of both (ready-to-eat and instant powder) types of soup decreased with increasing storage time, while a slight increase in yeast and mold count (<50 cfu/g) was noted. Most importantly, no pathogenic bacteria were detected in ready-to-eat and instant soup during the storage study of 6 weeks at 5 °C and 6 months at 25 °C, respectively. In terms of the high nutritional composition and functional value of the product, 4 weeks of storage at 5 °C and 4 months of storage at room temperature were suggested for ready-to-eat and instant powder soup product, respectively.
A Non-Convex Hybrid Overlapping Group Sparsity Model with Hyper-Laplacian Prior for Multiplicative Noise
Authors: Zhu Jianguang , Wei Ying , Wei Juan , Hao Binbin
Published: April 2023

Multiplicative noise removal is a quite challenging problem in image denoising. In recent years, hyper-Laplacian prior information has been successfully introduced in the image denoising problem and significant denoising effects have been achieved. In this paper, we propose a new hybrid regularizer model for removing multiplicative noise. The proposed model consists of the non-convex higher-order total variation and overlapping group sparsity on a hyper-Laplacian prior regularizer. It combines the advantages of the non-convex regularization and the hybrid regularization, which may simultaneously preserve the fine-edge information and reduce the staircase effect at the same time. We develop an effective alternating minimization method for the proposed nonconvex model via an alternating direction method of multipliers framework, where the majorization–minimization algorithm and the iteratively reweighted algorithm are adopted to solve the corresponding subproblems. Numerical experiments show that the proposed model outperforms the most advanced model in terms of visual quality and certain image quality measurements.
The Simplest Parametrization of the Equation of State Parameter in the Scalar Field Universe
Authors: Shrivastava Preeti , Khan Abdul Junaid , Kumar Mukesh , Goswami Gopikant , Singh Jainendra Kumar , Yadav Anil Kumar
Published: April 2023

In this paper, we investigate a scalar field cosmological model of accelerating Universe with the simplest parametrization of the equation of state parameter of the scalar field. We use H(z) data, pantheon compilation of SN Ia data and BAO data to constrain the model parameters using the χ2 minimization technique. We obtain the present values of Hubble constant H0 as 66.2−1.34+1.42, 70.7−0.31+0.32 and 67.74−1.04+1.24 for H(z), H(z) + Pantheon and H(z) + BAO respectively. In addition, we estimate the present age of the Universe in a derived model t0=14.38−0.64+0.63 for joint H(z) and pantheon compilation of SN Ia data which has only 0.88σ tension with its empirical value obtained in Plank collaboration. Moreover, the present values of the deceleration parameter q0 come out to be −0.55−0.038+0.031, −0.61−0.021+0.030 and −0.627−0.025+0.022 by bounding the Universe in the derived model with H(z), H(z) + Pantheon compilation of SN Ia and H(z) + BAO data sets, respectively. We also have performed the state-finder diagnostics to discover the nature of dark energy.
Maternal Lineages during the Roman Empire, in the Ancient City of Gadir (Cádiz, Spain): The Search for a Phoenician Identity
Authors: Gomes Cláudia , González Wagner Carlos , Calero-Fresneda Manuel , Palomo-Díez Sara , López-Matayoshi César , Nogueiro Inês , López-Parra Ana María , González Elena Labajo , Pérez Bernardo Perea , Basallote José María Gener , Pajuelo Juan Miguel , Arroyo Pardo Eduardo
Published: April 2023

Phoenicians were probably the first eastern Mediterranean population to establish long-distance connections with the West, namely the Iberian Peninsula, from the final Bronze to the early Iron Age. For a long time, these colonies all over the Mediterranean Sea directly depended on an important city administration, Gadir, the most important metropolis in the Western Mediterranean. Modern archaeological excavations were discovered in Cadiz (Spain), the ancient city of Gadir, as well as possible Phoenician burial places. The purpose of the present work is the molecular study of 16 individuals, (V–IV millennium B.C, V A.D.) from several burial places found in Cadiz, attempting to disclose their maternal biogeographical ancestry. Furthermore, the determination of a possible biological link between two individuals found buried together was also an objective of this investigation. Of all the 16 analyzed individuals, eight of them produced positive results. Three main lineages were found: HV0, H and L3b. In general, the results support an Eastern origin for this set of individuals, reinforcing the theory of a Phoenician origin. Due to their historical period, in some cases, it was not possible to discard a Roman origin. Finally, the maternal kinship between two individuals found buried together was discarded.
The Complete Chloroplast Genomes of Gynostemma Reveal the Phylogenetic Relationships of Species within the Genus
Authors: Gan Jiaxia , Li Ying , Tang Deying , Guo Baolin , Li Doudou , Cao Feng , Sun Chao , Yu Liying , Yan Zhuyun
Published: April 2023

Gynostemma is an important medicinal and food plant of the Cucurbitaceae family. The phylogenetic position of the genus Gynostemma in the Cucurbitaceae family has been determined by morphology and phylogenetics, but the evolutionary relationships within the genus Gynostemma remain to be explored. The chloroplast genomes of seven species of the genus Gynostemma were sequenced and annotated, of which the genomes of Gynostemma simplicifolium, Gynostemma guangxiense and Gynostemma laxum were sequenced and annotated for the first time. The chloroplast genomes ranged from 157,419 bp (Gynostemma compressum) to 157,840 bp (G. simplicifolium) in length, including 133 identical genes: 87 protein-coding genes, 37 tRNA genes, eight rRNA genes and one pseudogene. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the genus Gynostemma is divided into three primary taxonomic clusters, which differs from the traditional morphological classification of the genus Gynostemma into the subgenus Gynostemma and Trirostellum. The highly variable regions of atpH-atpL, rpl32-trnL, and ccsA-ndhD, the repeat unilts of AAG/CTT and ATC/ATG in simple sequence repeats (SSRs) and the length of overlapping regions between rps19 and inverted repeats(IRb) and between ycf1 and small single-copy (SSC) were found to be consistent with the phylogeny. Observations of fruit morphology of the genus Gynostemma revealed that transitional state species have independent morphological characteristics, such as oblate fruit and inferior ovaries. In conclusion, both molecular and morphological results showed consistency with those of phylogenetic analysis.
How to Choose? Comparing Different Methods to Count Wolf Packs in a Protected Area of the Northern Apennines
Authors: Dissegna Arianna , Rota Martino , Basile Simone , Fusco Giuseppe , Mencucci Marco , Cappai Nadia , Galaverni Marco , Fabbri Elena , Velli Edoardo , Caniglia Romolo
Published: April 2023

Despite a natural rewilding process that caused wolf populations in Europe to increase and expand in the last years, human–wolf conflicts still persist, threatening the long-term wolf presence in both anthropic and natural areas. Conservation management strategies should be carefully designed on updated population data and planned on a wide scale. Unfortunately, reliable ecological data are difficult and expensive to obtain and often hardly comparable through time or among different areas, especially because of different sampling designs. In order to assess the performance of different methods to estimate wolf (Canis lupus L.) abundance and distribution in southern Europe, we simultaneously applied three techniques: wolf howling, camera trapping and non-invasive genetic sampling in a protected area of the northern Apennines. We aimed at counting the minimum number of packs during a single wolf biological year and evaluating the pros and cons for each technique, comparing results obtained from different combinations of these three methods and testing how sampling effort may affect results. We found that packs’ identifications could be hardly comparable if methods were separately used with a low sampling effort: wolf howling identified nine, camera trapping 12 and non-invasive genetic sampling eight packs. However, increased sampling efforts produced more consistent and comparable results across all used methods, although results from different sampling designs should be carefully compared. The integration of the three techniques yielded the highest number of detected packs, 13, although with the highest effort and cost. A common standardised sampling strategy should be a priority approach to studying elusive large carnivores, such as the wolf, allowing for the comparison of key population parameters and developing shared and effective conservation management plans.
Educational Intervention to Decrease Justification of Adolescent Dating Violence: A Comparative Quasi-Experimental Study
Authors: Galdo-Castiñeiras Jesús Alberto , Hernández-Morante Juan José , Morales-Moreno Isabel , Echevarría-Pérez Paloma
Published: April 2023

Adolescent dating violence has become a public health problem because of the associated high morbidity and mortality rates. Despite social awareness about dating violence, the high justification of violence among adolescents is one of the main risk factors for both perpetration and victimisation. Therefore, the objective of the present work was to evaluate the effectiveness of an educational intervention in reducing the justification of violence in adolescent dating. A quasi-experimental, longitudinal, prospective study with a control group was conducted. The study was carried out in six different schools in the Region of Murcia (Spain), and the participants were 854 students aged 14–18 years. The educational intervention was focused on reducing the justification of adolescent dating violence and consisted of 9 weekly 1 h group sessions. The Justification of Verbal/Coercive Tactics Scale (JVCT) and the Attitudes About Aggression in Dating Situations (AADS) survey were administered at baseline and at the end of the intervention in order to determine the justification of psychological and physical violence, respectively. At baseline, the justification of physical violence was at a medium-to-high level in boys (76.8%) and girls (56.7%), whereas psychological violence was much less justified. Concretely, female psychological violence was justified by 19.5% boys and 16.7% girls, while male violence was justified by 19.0% boys and 17.8% girls. After the educational intervention, a significant decrease in physical violence justification, especially in the AADS dimension of female aggression, was observed. The effect of the intervention was especially evident in psychological violence justification: a statistically significant difference was observed in the JVCT scores of boys (−6.4 and 1.3 points in the intervention and control groups, respectively; p = 0.031), but not of girls (p = 0.594). In conclusion, the educational intervention was adequate to reduce the justification of dating violence among the participants. It may provide adolescents with the skills and resources necessary to confront and resolve conflicts in relationships in a non-violent manner.
Mapping Projected Variations of Temperature and Precipitation Due to Climate Change in Venezuela
Authors: Viloria Jesús A. , Olivares Barlin O. , García Pedro , Paredes-Trejo Franklin , Rosales Aníbal
Published: April 2023

The impacts of climate change will not be homogeneous in all countries or between regions within each country. Mapping projected changes in temperature and precipitation is crucial for formulating region-specific agricultural adaptation measures. The spatial variation of projected changes in temperature and annual precipitation for 1970–2000 and 2041–2060 in Venezuela was analyzed using the WorldClim 2.1 data. Both variables have been analyzed in fourteen physiographic regions that differ in climate, geology, geomorphology, soils, and land use. The results reveal that western regions experience higher temperature increases, while the regions located in the east and center of the country are projected to experience greater decreases in rainfall. Likewise, temperature and precipitation will increase from north to south. Thus, there are differences in how different regions will be affected by variations in temperature and annual precipitation associated with climate change. It is concluded that physiographic regions can be used as large spatial units to plan future land use and design agricultural adaptation measures to climate change at the national scale.
Sociobehavioral, Biological, and Health Characteristics of Riverside People in the Xingu Region, Pará, Brazil
Authors: Lucianelli Junior Dalberto , Pereira Adenilson Leão , Santos Ozélia Sousa , Paes Maria do Carmo Faria , Ikuta Yuji Magalhães , Silveira Rodrigo , Valentin Fernanda Nogueira
Published: April 2023

This study aimed to evaluate the sociodemographic, behavioral, and biological profile and its relationship with the emergence of chronic non-communicable diseases in riverside populations in the Xingu region, Pará, Brazil. Characteristics related to health indicators and which risk factors are considered most important were analyzed. This is a cross-sectional, exploratory, and descriptive study. The sample consisted of riverside people of over 18 years of both sexes. The sample size (n = 86) was calculated with a confidence level of 95% and a sample error of 5%. The K-means clustering algorithm was adopted through an unsupervised method to divide the groups, and the values were expressed as a median. For continuous and categorical data, the Mann-Whitney and chi-square tests were used, respectively, and the significance level was set at p < 5%. The multi-layer perceptron algorithm was applied to classify the degree of importance of each variable. Based on this information, the sample was divided into two groups: the group with low or no education, with bad habits and worse health conditions, and the group with opposite characteristics. The risk factors considered for cardiovascular diseases and diabetes in the groups were low education (p < 0.001), sedentary lifestyle (p < 0.01), smoking, alcoholism, body mass index (p < 0.05), and waist–hip ratio, with values above the expected being observed in both groups. The factors considered important so as to be considered to have good health condition or not were the educational and social conditions of these communities, and one part of the riverside population was considered healthier than the other.
Recommending Physical Activity for People with Intellectual Disabilities: The Relevance of Public Health Guidelines, Physical Activity Behaviour and Type of Contact
Authors: Kreinbucher-Bekerle Christoph , Ruf Wolfgang , Bartholomeyczik Astrid , Wieber Frank , Kiselev Nikolai
Published: April 2023

People with an intellectual disability (ID) often exhibit more sedentary behaviour and are less physically active than the general population. While previous public health guidelines on physical activity (PA) did not specifically address the needs of people with an ID, the recent updates now include this population, with recommendations similar to those for the general population. However, it is unclear whether the information about these guidelines has reached the broader public and what factors may influence their implementation. To investigate these issues, an online survey was conducted in Austria, Germany and Switzerland, which examined the (a) PA recommendation for people with an ID, (b) awareness of current guidelines, (c) participants’ own PA behaviour (IPAQ-SF) and (d) specific contact with people with an ID. Participants (n = 585) recommended similar levels of PA for people with an ID as for the general population, but knowledge of the guidelines did not affect their recommendation. However, participants’ own PA behaviour and context-specific contact (e.g., in family or at work) were associated with the recommended PA levels. Therefore, promoting the relevance of PA and fostering contact with people with an ID might be suitable ways to increase PA in people with an ID.
Smoking Prevalence and Correlates among Chinese Immigrants: A Secondary Data Analysis Study
Authors: Lei Fang , Lee Eunice , Toyama Joy
Published: April 2023

Purpose: This study aimed to (1) identify the smoking prevalence among Chinese immigrants and (2) explore associations between their current smoking behaviors and demographic factors, psychological distress, and health utilization factors. Methods: Inclusion criteria were applied to extract data from the 2016 California Health Interview Survey; 650 eligible Chinese immigrant respondents were included in the sample. Independent variables were extracted based on the Integrated Model of Behavioral Prediction. Descriptive analyses and logistic regression were conducted using SAS 9.4 software. Results: 4.23% of the surveyed Chinese immigrants were current smokers. Chinese immigrants who were 50–65 years old, male, had less than a bachelor’s degree education level, and a lower income were more likely to be current smokers. Income was significantly associated with Chinese immigrants’ current smoking status (p = 0.0471). Conclusions: Chinese immigrants’ current smoking behaviors are significantly associated with their income. Interventions targeting low-income Chinese immigrants and tobacco price policies could potentially influence Chinese immigrants’ smoking behaviors. Health education about smoking cessation should focus on male Chinese immigrant smokers who are 50–65 years old and have less than a bachelor’s degree education and a lower income. More research needs to be carried out to encourage Chinese immigrants to quit smoking.
Joint Association between Sedentary Time and Moderate-to-Vigorous Physical Activity with Obesity Risk in Adults from Latin America
Authors: de Victo Eduardo Rossato , Fisberg Mauro , Solé Dirceu , Kovalskys Irina , Gómez Georgina , Rigotti Attilio , Cortes Lilia Yadira , Yépez-Garcia Martha Cecilia , Pareja Rossina , Herrera-Cuenca Marianella , Drenowatz Clemens , Christofaro Diego , Araujo Timoteo , Silva Danilo , Ferrari Gerson
Published: April 2023

Recent studies have shown various relationships between physical activity and the incidence of obesity, but this study critically explored the association of sedentary time (ST) and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) with obesity risk in adults from eight Latin American countries. ST and MVPA were assessed with accelerometers and stratified into 16 joint categories. Multivariate logistic regression models were used. The obesity risk indicators evaluated were body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), and neck circumference (NC). Quartile 4 of ST and ≥300 min/week of MVPA was associated with lower odds of BMI compared to quartile 1 of ST and ≥300 min/week of MVPA. Quartile 1 of ST and 150–299 min/week of MVPA, quartile 1 of ST and 76–149 min/week MVPA, quartile 3 of ST and 76–149 min/week MVPA, and quartiles 1, 2, and 3 of ST with 0–74 min/week MVPA were associated with higher odds of high WC compared to quartile 1 of ST and ≥300 min/week of MVPA. Quartile 3 of ST and 150–299 min/week of MVPA, quartiles 1 and 3 of ST and 76–149 min/week of MVPA, and quartile 1 of ST and 0–74 min/week MVPA were associated with higher NC compared to quartile 1 of ST and ≥300 min/week of MVPA. This study suggests that achieving the MVPA recommendations will likely protect against obesity, regardless of ST.
Investigating the Health Impacts of Climate Change among People with Pre-Existing Mental Health Problems: A Scoping Review
Authors: Woodland Lisa , Ratwatte Priyanjali , Phalkey Revati , Gillingham Emma L.
Published: April 2023

Climate change is the greatest threat to global public health, although the impacts on mental health are relatively understudied. Furthermore, there is a lack of consensus about the effects of climate change on individuals with pre-existing mental health problems. This review aimed to identify the health impacts of climate change on people with pre-existing mental health problems. The search was conducted across three databases; studies were included if they involved participants who had mental health problem(s) before a climate-driven event and reported on health outcomes post-event. A total of thirty-one studies met the full inclusion criteria. The study characteristics included 6 climate-driven events: heat events, floods, wildfires, wildfire and flood, hurricanes, and droughts, and 16 categories of pre-existing mental health problems, with depression, and non-specified mental health problems being the most common. The majority of the studies (90%, n = 28) suggest an association between the presence of pre-existing mental health problems and the likelihood of adverse health impacts (e.g., increased mortality risk, new symptom presentation, and an exacerbation of symptoms). To mitigate the exacerbation of health inequalities, people with pre-existing mental health problems should be included in adaption guidance and/or plans that mitigate the health impacts of climate change, future policy, reports, and frameworks.
The Representativeness of Outdoor Particulate Matter Concentrations for Estimating Personal Dose and Health Risk Assessment of School Children in Lisbon
Authors: Chalvatzaki Eleftheria , Chatoutsidou Sofia Eirini , Almeida Susana Marta , Morawska Lidia , Lazaridis Mihalis
Published: April 2023

This study investigated the suitability of outdoor particulate matter data obtained from a fixed monitoring station in estimating the personal deposited dose. Outdoor data were retrieved from a station located within the urban area of Lisbon and simulations were performed involving school children. Two scenarios were applied: one where only outdoor data were used assuming an outdoor exposure scenario, and a second one where an actual exposure scenario was adopted using the actual microenvironment during typical school days. Personal PM10 and PM2.5 dose (actual exposure scenario) was 23.4% and 20.2% higher than the ambient (outdoor exposure scenario) PM10 and PM2.5 doses, respectively. The incorporation of the hygroscopic growth in the calculations increased the ambient dose of PM10 and PM2.5 by 8.8% and 21.7%, respectively. Regression analysis between the ambient and personal dose showed no linearity with R2 at 0.07 for PM10 and 0.22 for PM2.5. On the other hand, linear regression between the ambient and school indoor dose showed no linearity (R2 = 0.01) for PM10 but moderate (R2 = 0.48) for PM2.5. These results demonstrate that ambient data must be used with caution for the representativeness of a realistic personal dose of PM2.5 while for PM10 the ambient data cannot be used as a surrogate of a realistic personal dose of school children.
Aging and Burnout for Nurses in an Acute Care Setting: The First Wave of COVID-19
Authors: Beier Margaret E. , Cockerham Mona , Branson Sandy , Boss Lisa
Published: April 2023

We examined the relationship between age, coping, and burnout during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic with nurses in Texas (N = 376). Nurses were recruited through a professional association and snowball sampling methodology for the cross-sectional survey study. Framed in lifespan development theories, we expected that nurse age and experience would be positively correlated with positive coping strategies (e.g., getting emotional support from others) and negatively correlated with negative coping strategies (e.g., drinking and drug use). We also expected age to be negatively related to the emotional exhaustion and depersonalization facets of burnout and positively related to the personal accomplishment facet of burnout. Findings were largely supported in that age was positively associated with positive coping and personal accomplishment and age and experience were negatively correlated with negative coping and depersonalization. Age was not, however, associated with emotional exhaustion. Mediation models further suggest that coping explains some of the effect of age on burnout. A theoretical extension of lifespan development models into an extreme environment and practical implications for coping in these environments are discussed.
Low Serum Cholesterol Level Is a Significant Prognostic Factor That Improves CLL-IPI in Chronic Lymphocytic Leukaemia
Authors: Gao Rui , Du Kaixin , Liang Jinhua , Xia Yi , Wu Jiazhu , Li Yue , Pan Bihui , Wang Li , Li Jianyong , Xu Wei
Published: April 2023

Hypocholesterolaemia is associated with elevated cancer risk and mortality, yet the relation between chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) and serum lipid profile remains unclear. Our study aims to evaluate the prognostic value of cholesterol levels in CLL and develop a prognostic nomogram that incorporates lipid metabolism. We enrolled 761 newly diagnosed CLL patients and separated them into either derivation (n = 507) or validation (n = 254) cohorts. The prognostic nomogram was constructed through multivariate Cox regression analyses, with performance evaluated using C-index, the area under the curve, calibration, and decision curve analyses. Decreased total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) at diagnosis were significantly associated with worse time to first treatment (TTFT) and cancer-specific survival (CSS), and simultaneously, low HDL-C with low LDL-C was identified as an independent prognostic indicator for both TTFT and CSS. CLL patients achieving complete or partial remission post-chemotherapy had significantly increased TC, HDL-C, and LDL-C levels compared with the baseline, and post-therapeutic HDL-C and LDL-C elevation correlated with favourable survival. The prognostic nomogram augmenting the CLL international prognostic index with low cholesterol levels yielded higher predictive accuracy and discrimination capacity for both 3-year and 5-year CSS. In conclusion, cholesterol profiles can be used as a cheap and readily accessible tool for predicting prognosis in CLL practice.
Scandium-44: Diagnostic Feasibility in Tumor-Related Angiogenesis
Authors: Trencsényi György , Képes Zita
Published: April 2023

Angiogenesis-related cell-surface molecules, including integrins, aminopeptidase N, vascular endothelial growth factor, and gastrin-releasing peptide receptor (GRPR), play a crucial role in tumour formation. Radiolabelled imaging probes targeting angiogenic biomarkers serve as valuable vectors in tumour identification. Nowadays, there is a growing interest in novel radionuclides other than gallium-68 (68Ga) or copper-64 (64Cu) to establish selective radiotracers for the imaging of tumour-associated neo-angiogenesis. Given its ideal decay characteristics (Eβ+average: 632 KeV) and a half-life (T1/2 = 3.97 h) that is well matched to the pharmacokinetic profile of small molecules targeting angiogenesis, scandium-44 (44Sc) has gained meaningful attention as a promising radiometal for positron emission tomography (PET) imaging. More recently, intensive research has been centered around the investigation of 44Sc-labelled angiogenesis-directed radiopharmaceuticals. Previous studies dealt with the evaluation of 44Sc-appended avb3 integrin–affine Arg-Gly-Asp (RGD) tripeptides, GRPR-selective aminobenzoyl–bombesin analogue (AMBA), and hypoxia-associated nitroimidazole derivatives in the identification of various cancers using experimental tumour models. Given the tumour-related hypoxia- and angiogenesis-targeting capability of these PET probes, 44Sc seems to be a strong competitor of the currently used positron emitters in radiotracer development. In this review, we summarize the preliminary preclinical achievements with 44Sc-labelled angiogenesis-specific molecular probes.
Proteolytic Activity of the Paracaspase MALT1 Is Involved in Epithelial Restitution and Mucosal Healing
Authors: Wittner Leonie , Wagener Lukas , Wiese Jakob J. , Stolzer Iris , Krug Susanne M. , Naschberger Elisabeth , Jackstadt Rene , Beyaert Rudi , Atreya Raja , Kühl Anja A. , Sturm Gregor , Gonzalez-Acera Miguel , Patankar Jay V. , Becker Christoph , Siegmund Britta , Trajanoski Zlatko , Winner Beate , Neurath Markus F. , Schumann Michael , Günther Claudia
Published: April 2023

The paracaspase MALT1 is a crucial regulator of immune responses in various cellular contexts. Recently, there is increasing evidence suggesting that MALT1 might represent a novel key player in mucosal inflammation. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying this process and the targeted cell population remain unclear. In this study, we investigate the role of MALT1 proteolytic activity in the context of mucosal inflammation. We demonstrate a significant enrichment of MALT1 gene and protein expression in colonic epithelial cells of UC patients, as well as in the context of experimental colitis. Mechanistically we demonstrate that MALT1 protease function inhibits ferroptosis, a form of iron-dependent cell death, upstream of NF-κB signaling, which can promote inflammation and tissue damage in IBD. We further show that MALT1 activity contributes to STAT3 signaling, which is essential for the regeneration of the intestinal epithelium after injury. In summary, our data strongly suggests that the protease function of MALT1 plays a critical role in the regulation of immune and inflammatory responses, as well as mucosal healing. Understanding the mechanisms by which MALT1 protease function regulates these processes may offer novel therapeutic targets for the treatment of IBD and other inflammatory diseases.
Modifying the Expression of Cysteine Protease Gene PCP Affects Pollen Development, Germination and Plant Drought Tolerance in Maize
Authors: Li Yanhua , Niu Liangjie , Zhou Xiaoli , Liu Hui , Tai Fuju , Wang Wei
Published: April 2023

Cysteine proteases (CPs) are vital proteolytic enzymes that play critical roles in various plant processes. However, the particular functions of CPs in maize remain largely unknown. We recently identified a pollen-specific CP (named PCP), which highly accumulated on the surface of maize pollen. Here, we reported that PCP played an important role in pollen germination and drought response in maize. Overexpression of PCP inhibited pollen germination, while mutation of PCP promoted pollen germination to some extent. Furthermore, we observed that germinal apertures of pollen grains in the PCP-overexpression transgenic lines were excessively covered, whereas this phenomenon was not observed in the wild type (WT), suggesting that PCP regulated pollen germination by affecting the germinal aperture structure. In addition, overexpression of PCP enhanced drought tolerance in maize plants, along with the increased activities of the antioxidant enzymes and the decreased numbers of the root cortical cells. Conversely, mutation of PCP significantly impaired drought tolerance. These results may aid in clarifying the precise functions of CPs in maize and contribute to the development of drought-tolerant maize materials.
Epstein-Barr Virus and Multiple Sclerosis: A Convoluted Interaction and the Opportunity to Unravel Predictive Biomarkers
Authors: Ortega-Hernandez Oscar-Danilo , Martínez-Cáceres Eva M. , Presas-Rodríguez Silvia , Ramo-Tello Cristina
Published: April 2023

Since the early 1980s, Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection has been described as one of the main risk factors for developing multiple sclerosis (MS), and recently, new epidemiological evidence has reinforced this premise. EBV seroconversion precedes almost 99% of the new cases of MS and likely predates the first clinical symptoms. The molecular mechanisms of this association are complex and may involve different immunological routes, perhaps all running in parallel (i.e., molecular mimicry, the bystander damage theory, abnormal cytokine networks, and coinfection of EBV with retroviruses, among others). However, despite the large amount of evidence available on these topics, the ultimate role of EBV in the pathogenesis of MS is not fully understood. For instance, it is unclear why after EBV infection some individuals develop MS while others evolve to lymphoproliferative disorders or systemic autoimmune diseases. In this regard, recent studies suggest that the virus may exert epigenetic control over MS susceptibility genes by means of specific virulence factors. Such genetic manipulation has been described in virally-infected memory B cells from patients with MS and are thought to be the main source of autoreactive immune responses. Yet, the role of EBV infection in the natural history of MS and in the initiation of neurodegeneration is even less clear. In this narrative review, we will discuss the available evidence on these topics and the possibility of harnessing such immunological alterations to uncover predictive biomarkers for the onset of MS and perhaps facilitate prognostication of the clinical course.
Prenylated Flavonoids with Selective Toxicity against Human Cancers
Authors: Tronina Tomasz , Bartmańska Agnieszka , Popłoński Jarosław , Rychlicka Magdalena , Sordon Sandra , Filip-Psurska Beata , Milczarek Magdalena , Wietrzyk Joanna , Huszcza Ewa
Published: April 2023

The antiproliferative activity of xanthohumol (1), a major prenylated chalcone naturally occurring in hops, and its aurone type derivative (Z)-6,4′-dihydroxy-4-methoxy-7-prenylaurone (2) were investigated. Both flavonoids, as well as cisplatin as a reference anticancer drug, were tested in vivo against ten human cancer cell lines (breast cancer (MCF-7, SK-BR-3, T47D), colon cancer (HT-29, LoVo, LoVo/Dx), prostate cancer (PC-3, Du145), lung cancer (A549) and leukemia (MV-4-11) and two normal cell lines (human lung microvascular endothelial (HLMEC)) and murine embryonic fibroblasts (BALB/3T3). Chalcone 1 and aurone 2 demonstrated potent to moderate anticancer activity against nine tested cancer cell lines (including drug-resistant ones). The antiproliferative activity of all the tested compounds against cancer and the normal cell lines was compared to determine their selectivity of action. Prenylated flavonoids, especially the semisynthetic derivative of xanthohumol (1), aurone 2, were found as selective antiproliferative agents in most of the used cancer cell lines, whereas the reference drug, cisplatin, acted non-selectively. Our findings suggest that the tested flavonoids can be considered strong potential candidates for further studies in the search for effective anticancer drugs.
The Tale of DJ-1 (PARK7): A Swiss Army Knife in Biomedical and Psychological Research
Authors: Sun Mo E. , Zheng Qingfei
Published: April 2023

DJ-1 (also known as PARK7) is a multifunctional enzyme in human beings that is highly conserved and that has also been discovered in diverse species (ranging from prokaryotes to eukaryotes). Its complex enzymatic and non-enzymatic activities (such as anti-oxidation, anti-glycation, and protein quality control), as well as its role as a transcriptional coactivator, enable DJ-1 to serve as an essential regulator in multiple cellular processes (e.g., epigenetic regulations) and make it a promising therapeutic target for diverse diseases (especially cancer and Parkinson’s disease). Due to its nature as a Swiss army knife enzyme with various functions, DJ-1 has attracted a large amount of research interest, from different perspectives. In this review, we give a brief summary of the recent advances with respect to DJ-1 research in biomedicine and psychology, as well as the progress made in attempts to develop DJ-1 into a druggable target for therapy.
The Clinical Utility of lncRNAs and Their Application as Molecular Biomarkers in Breast Cancer
Authors: Arriaga-Canon Cristian , Contreras-Espinosa Laura , Aguilar-Villanueva Sergio , Bargalló-Rocha Enrique , García-Gordillo José Antonio , Cabrera-Galeana Paula , Castro-Hernández Clementina , Jiménez-Trejo Francisco , Herrera L. A.
Published: April 2023

Given their tumor-specific and stage-specific gene expression, long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have demonstrated to be potential molecular biomarkers for diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment response. Particularly, the lncRNAs DSCAM-AS1 and GATA3-AS1 serve as examples of this because of their high subtype-specific expression profile in luminal B-like breast cancer. This makes them candidates to use as molecular biomarkers in clinical practice. However, lncRNA studies in breast cancer are limited in sample size and are restricted to the determination of their biological function, which represents an obstacle for its inclusion as molecular biomarkers of clinical utility. Nevertheless, due to their expression specificity among diseases, such as cancer, and their stability in body fluids, lncRNAs are promising molecular biomarkers that could improve the reliability, sensitivity, and specificity of molecular techniques used in clinical diagnosis. The development of lncRNA-based diagnostics and lncRNA-based therapeutics will be useful in routine medical practice to improve patient clinical management and quality of life.
Apoptotic Cell Death in Bicuspid-Aortic-Valve-Associated Aortopathy
Authors: Barnard Sarah J. , Haunschild Josephina , Heiser Linda , Dieterlen Maja T. , Klaeske Kristin , Borger Michael A. , Etz Christian D.
Published: April 2023

The bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) is the most common cardiovascular congenital abnormality and is frequently associated with proximal aortopathy. We analyzed the tissues of patients with bicuspid and tricuspid aortic valve (TAV) regarding the protein expression of the receptor for advanced glycation products (RAGE) and its ligands, the advanced glycation end products (AGE), as well as the S100 calcium-binding protein A6 (S100A6). Since S100A6 overexpression attenuates cardiomyocyte apoptosis, we investigated the diverse pathways of apoptosis and autophagic cell death in the human ascending aortic specimen of 57 and 49 patients with BAV and TAV morphology, respectively, to identify differences and explanations for the higher risk of patients with BAV for severe cardiovascular diseases. We found significantly increased levels of RAGE, AGE and S100A6 in the aortic tissue of bicuspid patients which may promote apoptosis via the upregulation of caspase-3 activity. Although increased caspase-3 activity was not detected in BAV patients, increased protein expression of the 48 kDa fragment of vimentin was detected. mTOR as a downstream protein of Akt was significantly higher in patients with BAV, whereas Bcl-2 was increased in patients with TAV, assuming a better protection against apoptosis. The autophagy-related proteins p62 and ERK1/2 were increased in patients with BAV, assuming that cells in bicuspid tissue are more likely to undergo apoptotic cell death leading to changes in the wall and finally to aortopathies. We provide first-hand evidence of increased apoptotic cell death in the aortic tissue of BAV patients which may thus provide an explanation for the increased risk of structural aortic wall deficiency possibly underlying aortic aneurysm formation or acute dissection.
Water Decontamination from Cr(VI) by Transparent Silica Xerogel Monolith
Authors: Zannotti Marco , Rossi Andrea , Minicucci Marco , Ferraro Stefano , Petetta Laura , Giovannetti Rita
Published: April 2023

Cr(VI) is highly soluble and mobile in water solution and extremely toxic. In order to obtain a specific material with adsorption properties towards Cr(VI), and that can be used in environmental remediation of water contaminated with Cr(VI), one-step sol-gel technique, at low temperature (50 °C), has been optimized to prepare transparent silica-based xerogel monolith by using tetraethyl orthosilicate as precursor. The obtained xerogel, with disk shape, was fully characterized by Raman, BET, FE-SEM and XRD analysis. The results indicated that the material showed silica amorphous phase and high porosity. The study of the adsorption properties towards different concentrations of Cr(VI), in the form of HCrO4− in acidic condition, showed prominent results. The absorption kinetics were evaluated by studying different models, the final result showing that the absorption of Cr(VI) occurred through intra-particle diffusion process, following two steps, and that the absorption equilibrium is regulated by Freundlich isotherm model. The material can be restored by reducing the hazardous Cr(VI) to Cr(III), a less toxic form of chromium, by 1,5-diphenylcarbazide, and with successive treatment in acidic water.
Distinct Transcriptional Responses of Skeletal Muscle to Short-Term Cold Exposure in Tibetan Pigs and Bama Pigs
Authors: Yang Chunhuai , Cao Chunwei , Liu Jiali , Zhao Ying , Pan Jianfei , Tao Cong , Wang Yanfang
Published: April 2023

Piglets are susceptible to cold, and piglet death caused by cold stress leads to economic losses in the pig industry in cold areas. Skeletal muscle plays a key role in adaptive thermogenesis in mammals, but the related mechanism in pigs is unclear. In this study, cold-tolerant Tibetan pigs and cold-sensitive Bama pigs were subjected to either a cold environment (4 °C) or a room temperature environment (25 °C) for 3 days. The biceps femoris (BF) and longissimus dorsi muscle (LDM) were collected for phenotypic analysis, and the BF was used for genome-wide transcriptional profiling. Our results showed that Tibetan pigs had a higher body temperature than Bama pigs upon cold stimulation. RNA-seq data indicated a stronger transcriptional response in the skeletal muscle of Tibetan pigs upon cold stimulation, as more differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified with the same criteria (p < 0.05 and fold change > 2). In addition, distinct pathway signaling patterns in skeletal muscle upon cold exposure were found between the breeds of pigs. Mitochondrial beta-oxidation-related genes and pathways were significantly upregulated in Tibetan pigs, indicating that Tibetan pigs may use fatty acids as the primary fuel source to protect against cold. However, the significant upregulation of inflammatory response- and glycolysis-related genes and pathways in the skeletal muscle of Bama pigs suggested that these pigs may use glucose as the primary fuel source in cold environments. Together, our study revealed the distinct transcriptional responses of skeletal muscle to cold stimulation in Tibetan pigs and Bama pigs and provided novel insights for future investigation of the cold adaptation mechanism in pigs.
Assessing Kidney Injury Induced by Mercuric Chloride in Guinea Pigs with In Vivo and In Vitro Experiments
Authors: Goel Himanshu , Printz Richard L. , Shiota Chiyo , Estes Shanea K. , Pannala Venkat , AbdulHameed Mohamed Diwan M. , Shiota Masakazu , Wallqvist Anders
Published: April 2023

Acute kidney injury, which is associated with high levels of morbidity and mortality, affects a significant number of individuals, and can be triggered by multiple factors, such as medications, exposure to toxic chemicals or other substances, disease, and trauma. Because the kidney is a critical organ, understanding and identifying early cellular or gene-level changes can provide a foundation for designing medical interventions. In our earlier work, we identified gene modules anchored to histopathology phenotypes associated with toxicant-induced liver and kidney injuries. Here, using in vivo and in vitro experiments, we assessed and validated these kidney injury-associated modules by analyzing gene expression data from the kidneys of male Hartley guinea pigs exposed to mercuric chloride. Using plasma creatinine levels and cell-viability assays as measures of the extent of renal dysfunction under in vivo and in vitro conditions, we performed an initial range-finding study to identify the appropriate doses and exposure times associated with mild and severe kidney injuries. We then monitored changes in kidney gene expression at the selected doses and time points post-toxicant exposure to characterize the mechanisms of kidney injury. Our injury module-based analysis revealed a dose-dependent activation of several phenotypic cellular processes associated with dilatation, necrosis, and fibrogenesis that were common across the experimental platforms and indicative of processes that initiate kidney damage. Furthermore, a comparison of activated injury modules between guinea pigs and rats indicated a strong correlation between the modules, highlighting their potential for cross-species translational studies.