bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Chemically Crosslinked Alginate Hydrogel with Polyaziridine: Effects on Physicochemical Properties and Promising Applications
Authors: Lee Chaehoon , Fiocco Giacomo , Vigani Barbara , Recca Teresa , Milanese Chiara , Delledonne Chiara , Licchelli Maurizio , Rossi Silvia , Chung Yongjae , Volpi Francesca , Weththimuni Maduka L. , Malagodi Marco 
Published: December 2024

AbstractAlginate biopolymer is widely employed in many industrial fields thanks to its pleasing features of biodegradability, biocompatibility, low toxicity, and relatively low cost. The gelling process of alginate with divalent cations is fairly simple and thus it is used as a versatile biomaterial to tailor the desired mechanical and moisture properties. This study focused on developing new gel formulations to enhance the properties of calcium‐alginate hydrogel (CA). The newly synthesized hydrogels, referred to as CA‐CHEM gels, were chemically cross‐linked with different ratios of pentaerythritol tris[3‐(1‐aziridinyl)propionate] (PTAP) through the reaction between the carboxylic groups of alginate and aziridines of PTAP. The reaction was successfully monitored by NMR. The new CA‐CHEM gels were chemically characterized using FTIR‐ATR, while SEM analysis confirmed the changes in the porosity and homogeneity of the network. Additionally, thermogravimetric analyses and mechanical properties showed improvement in degradation stability and in structural strength, compared to plain CA, with an increasing PTAP content up to 1 % w/w. Finally, the new CA‐CHEM gels effectively controlled water absorption and release. In particular, CA‐CHEM‐1 performed as the most controlled system, making it promising for delivering aqueous cleaning solutions on water‐sensitive surfaces such as a wooden historical musical instrument.
Charge State Tuning and Photochemical Stability of Au25(SR)18 Nanoclusters
Authors: de Jong Johanna A. , Workentin Mark S. , Hesari Mahdi 
Published: December 2024

AbstractThe photolysis of the gold nanoclusters Au25(SR)18z (R=C2H4Ph and C12H25, z=1−, 0 and 1+) NCs in halogenated solvents such as dichloromethane leads to changes in the charged states of the Au25(SR)18z observed using UV‐Visible and 1H NMR spectroscopic techniques. Matrix‐assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry results proved that during charge transformation from anion to neutral and eventually cation forms, the size of nanoclusters remains intact. Electrochemistry of Au25(SR)18 has enabled the monitoring of these changes by cyclic voltammetry, indicating decay in the redox peak current upon irradiation. In the absence of light and/or in a non‐halogenated solvent, e. g., tetrahydrofuran, no substantial change in the photophysical signatures of Au25 nanoclusters was observed. These observations highlight the importance of selecting appropriate solvent(s) in the synthesis and photochemical studies of atomically precise metal nanoclusters and the possibility of using photochemistry in halogenated solvents to synthesize different charge states of atomically precise metal nanoclusters. Thus, other monodispersed molecule‐like nanoclusters, with various sizes and charges, can be achieved via this photosynthetic protocol under controlled conditions, e. g., solvent, light, and photolysis duration.
The Updated Genome of the Burying Beetle Nicrophorus vespilloides, a Model Species for Evolutionary and Genetic Studies of Parental Care
Authors: Cunningham Christopher B. , Benowitz Kyle M. , Moore Allen J. 
Published: December 2024

ABSTRACTUnderstanding the evolution of social behavior requires establishing links between genomes and social phenotypes. High quality genomic resources from a diverse set of social species are required for both broad scale comparative genomic analyses and targeted functional genomic experiments and are therefore crucial for this goal. Here, we report on an updated genome for the burying beetle Nicrophorus vespilloides, an evolutionary and genomic model species for social behavior and parental care. The new assembly used PacBio sequencing reads and long read assemblers. This version of the genome greatly improves the continuity of the assembly and added new annotations, particularly lncRNA's. These updates will allow this resource to continue to be useful for newer functional genomic techniques. This improved assembly will also keep N. vespilloides a valuable comparative genomic resource. Updating genomic resources will continue to allow the field to make discoveries about the evolution of complex phenotypes, such as parental care.
Outbreak conditions and impacts of parasites in copepod populations
Authors: Garvang Even Sletteng , Eliassen Lasse Krøger , Titelman Josefin , Andersen Tom 
Published: December 2024

AbstractAlthough parasitism is vital for ecosystem dynamics and food webs, the population effects of parasitism in the marine pelagic have received little attention. Pelagic copepods link primary producers and higher consumers in marine food webs and host numerous parasites that may affect reproduction, behavior, and survival. We present a simple model consisting of uninfected hosts, infected hosts, and the free‐living parasite stage and use it to investigate population dynamics and outbreak conditions of this host–parasite system. The host population growth is limited by a carrying capacity determined by resource availability and stoichiometric constraints. We parameterized the model for 10 copepod species with different traits but with the same Blastodinium‐like parasite. We derived a threshold ratio for establishing infection, which showed that the parasite could invade and persist in all hosts. The ability of parasites to invade host populations largely depended on traits of free‐living spores and host density. From numerical analysis, we found that the parasite typically induced oscillations in the host population. Host traits were important for infection dynamics: High host growth rates mitigated some of the consequences of infection, and larger copepods were more susceptible to infection than smaller ones. The model implies that parasitism can impact the functional role of the copepod population in the ecosystem, and the system as a whole.
Harnessing fear of predators and competitors as deterrents for an invasive predator
Authors: Yiu Sze Wing , Suraci Justin P. , Norbury Grant , Garvey Patrick M. 
Published: December 2024

AbstractManipulation of animal behavior is a powerful tool for nonlethal wildlife management where lethal control is not possible. Animal behavior is driven by motivations to acquire food and mates and to avoid predation, and animals utilize their sensory systems to obtain information and assess perceived risks. It is therefore possible to achieve management objectives by exploiting animal motivation and risk assessment by using sensory cues to trigger behavioral responses. Domestic cats (Felis catus) are invasive predators contributing to global biodiversity loss, but cat management is controversial because cats are valued as companion animals. To develop a nonlethal approach to reduce cat impacts on native biodiversity, we conducted playback experiments and manipulated risks perceived by cats using auditory cues from a predator (humans) and competitors (domestic dog Canis familiaris and cats). We tested the effectiveness of sound cues to induce fear behaviors and deter cats from food patches in captive and urban environments. Human playbacks protected the greatest proportion of food patches, were more likely to reduce time spent feeding, and induced fleeing responses and spatial avoidance to a greater degree than competitor or control treatments. Human playbacks had a similar impact on both captive and free‐roaming urban cats. Cat and dog playbacks were effective in protecting food patches but induced fewer fear responses. Habitat complexity reduced the level of perceived risk and cat responses. Our study demonstrated the efficacy of using audio playbacks as deterrents for cats, and we are currently integrating playbacks into a management tool to repel cats from areas where they are not wanted but lethal control is not feasible.
Progress of Arbutin from Dietary Supplement to Advanced Medicine
Authors: Mishra Pooja , Ahsan Farogh , Mahmood Tarique , Bano Shahzadi , Shamim Arshiya , Ansari Vaseem Ahamad , Yadav Jyoti 
Published: December 2024

AbstractArbutin, a naturally occurring hydroquinone, has gained attention for its diverse pharmacological properties. Traditional uses include blood sugar regulation and wound healing, while modern applications focus on its antioxidant and anti‐inflammatory effects. Its synthesis involves complex biochemical pathways, contributing to its unique characteristics. Pharmacokinetic studies have shed light on its absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion, crucial for understanding its efficacy. Toxicity concerns underscore the need for further research into its safety. Additionally, novel dosage forms of arbutin are explored, presenting innovative strategies to enhance its delivery and efficacy in therapeutic applications. Arbutin's pharmacological activities span antioxidant, anti‐inflammatory, and glucose metabolism regulation thus modulating various molecular pathways and targets, such as glucose transporter‐4, insulin‐like growth factor‐1 receptor, and adenosine monophosphate‐activated protein kinase, offering promising therapeutic avenues in medicine. This review covers arbutin comprehensively, encompassing its sources, chemical properties, synthesis methods, pharmacokinetics, pharmacological activities, food supplements, toxicity profiles, and novel dosage forms. By addressing these aspects, the review lays the groundwork for future research and development in natural therapeutics.
Bridging HPLC‐ESI‐MS/MS analysis and in vitro biological activity assay through molecular docking and network pharmacology: The example of European nettle tree (Celtis australis L.)
Authors: Cetiz Mehmet Veysi , Yagi Sakina , Kurt Umran , Koyuncu Ismail , Yuksekdag Ozgur , Caprioli Giovanni , Acquaticci Laura , Angeloni Simone , Senkardes Ismail , Zengin Gokhan 
Published: December 2024

AbstractCeltis australis L. (Family: Cannabaceae) is commonly used to treat many diseases like gastrointestinal problems, menstrual bleeding and amenorrhea. The present study was designed to investigate the chemical constituents, antioxidant, enzyme inhibitory and cytotoxic properties of different extracts from twigs, fruits and leaves of C. australis. EtOAc, EtOH, 70% EtOH and aqueous extracts were prepared by maceration. Results showed that the EtOH extract of the leaves had the highest total phenolic content and possessed remarkable antiradical, ion reducing and total antioxidant activities. Additionally, the leaves (EtOH or EtOAc extracts) exerted the best enzyme inhibition properties. The polar extracts of the leaves had significant cytotoxic effect against the human colorectal adenocarcinoma (HT‐29) and human prostate cancer (DU‐145) cell lines while the EtOAc of the twigs was effective against the former cell line. Phytochemically, the twigs and fruits accumulated high content of vanillic acid, 4‐hydroxy benzoic acid and syringic acid. Through a combination of in vitro and in silico approaches, we identified key phytochemicals exhibited significant inhibitory effects on several cancer‐related proteins, through in vitro and in silico approaches that show significant inhibition of cancer‐related proteins. In conclusion, these findings indicated that C. australis could be a promising source of bioactive molecules for food, pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries.
β‐halovinyl Aldehydes: Multifaceted Versatile Building Blocks In Organic Synthesis
Authors: Saini Paras , Jyoti  , Sharma Pawan K. , Singh Virender 
Published: December 2024

Abstractβ‐halovinyl aldehydes serve as a valuable building blocks in organic synthesis. These aldo‐x bifunctional building blocks (AXB3s) contain a alkenic double bond (vinyl) as well as a formyl group along with a halogen atom (Cl, Br, I) bonded with the β‐carbon atom of vinyl aldehyde. Owing to the presence of these multiple reactive sites, β‐halovinyl aldehydes act as a suitable precursor for Michael addition, direct addition, addition‐elimination reactions, cross‐coupling reactions, condensation reactions, nucleophilic substitution reactions, domino reactions, MCRs, Diels‐Alder reaction, functional group transformation reactions and enantioselective transformations. Therefore, a comprehensive review on synthetic exploration of β‐halovinyl aldehydes has been carried out for the generation of reactive intermediates and diverse bioactive heterocycles by using various C−C, C−N, C−S and C−O bond forming reactions. In this review, we have assembled the literature from mid‐2007 to Jan 2024.
From Soil to Salad: Strategies for Reducing Foodborne Illness Outbreaks
Authors: Bimal Sheth Ukti , Haque Md Ariful , Jang Min Ji , Haruna Samuel , Johnston Tony V. , Choe Deokyeong , Gao Ying , Ku Seockmo 
Published: December 2024

ABSTRACTThis study addresses the global issue of foodborne illness, specifically focusing on those resulting from the consumption of leafy green vegetables. It explores the rising trend of consuming minimally processed or raw foods and the imperative of maintaining safety standards starting at the preharvest stage to prevent pathogenic bacterial contamination. The study identifies soil and irrigation water as key sources of pathogens and emphasizes the need for strict preventive measures during production and preharvest. It discusses the challenges of postharvest decontamination and highlights the importance of early‐stage prevention strategies. The paper also examines advanced pathogen detection methods and food safety practices recommended by USDA and FSMA's PSR, including HACCP and LGMA strategies. Aimed at providing insights for consumers and producers, the study underscores the necessity of effective manufacturing strategies to ensure the safety of leafy greens.
An Optimized Bidirectional Long Short‐Term Memory Model Based on Hyperspectral Analysis of Protein Content in Milk Powder
Authors: Zhang Wenjing , Xue Heru , Jiang Xinhua , Liu Jiangping 
Published: December 2024

ABSTRACTProtein content is an important index in the assessment of dairy nutrition. As a crucial source of protein absorption in people's daily life, the quality of milk powder products not only has a deep impact on the development of the dairy industry, but also seriously damages the health of consumers. It is of great significance to find a faster and more accurate method for detecting milk protein content. This paper utilizes the chemical content of milk powder and hyperspectral data as independent variables. By comparing 14 kinds of preprocessing algorithms, the mean‐centered (MC) method is selected to preprocess the data, and then the combined method of competitive adaptive reweighted sampling (CARS) and uninformative variable elimination (UVE) is used to screen the feature wavelength, so as to establish the model and learn the internal dynamic change law of the feature. Furthermore, the Attention mechanism was introduced to assign different weights to bidirectional long short‐term memory (BiLSTM) hidden states through mapping weighting and learning parameter matrix. To reduce the loss of information and strengthen the influence of important information, at the same time, in order to solve the difficult problem of hyperparameter selection of the model, the whale optimization algorithm (WOA) is proposed to optimize the hyperparameter selection of the model. The test results showed that with WOA‐BiLSTM‐Attention model algorithm, the coefficient of determination (R2) of 0.9975 and root mean square error (RMSEP) of 0.0337 in comparison with R2 and RMSEP values obtained from BiLSTM‐Attention model algorithm, which were higher by 0.799% lower by 56.5%, respectively. This study provides algorithm support and theoretical basis for fast non‐destructive testing based on deep learning algorithm to predict protein content in milk powder.
Pharmacokinetics of Geraniol and Its Metabolites in Mice After Oral Administration
Authors: Moriki Yoshiaki , Mitsugi Ryo , Kayou Tomoyoshi , Horikoshi Jumpei , Yamaguchi Yoshimasa , Shibuya Shuichi , Shimizu Takahiko 
Published: December 2024

ABSTRACTGeraniol is an acyclic monoterpene alcohol that is extracted from the essential oils of aromatic plants. Geraniol has several biological activities such as anti‐cancer, anti‐inflammatory, antioxidant, and neuroprotective effects. However, the pharmacokinetics of geraniol and its metabolites after oral administration remain unknown in mice. To investigate the pharmacokinetics, the blood concentrations were measured in C57BL/6J mice by LC‐MS/MS after oral administration of geraniol at a dose of 200 mg/kg. The Cmax for blood levels of geraniol was only 0.05 ± 0.01 μg/mL at 1 h after administration. In contrast, geranic acid, one of the geraniol metabolites, rapidly reached a peak level that was markedly higher than that of geraniol. Furthermore, the glucuronide conjugate of geraniol was detected at a higher level than geraniol. These results indicate that geraniol is rapidly converted to geranic acid or glucuronide conjugate after oral administration. Moreover, geraniol was detected in the liver and the brain, whereas 8‐hydroxygeraniol was not detected in any tissues. In contrast, geranic acid was detected in several tissues in the order of kidney > liver = lung > brain. Therefore, the metabolites of geraniol are present in the blood and tissues of mice treated with geraniol, and various pharmacological effects of geraniol may be caused by its metabolites.
The Potential of the Probiotic Isolate Lactobacillus plantarum SS18‐50 to Prevent Colitis in Mice
Authors: Wang Dan , Zhang Tiehua , Qiu Luxin , Zhao Changhui 
Published: December 2024

ABSTRACTThe objective of this study was to investigate the effect of the Lactobacillus plantarum (L. plantarum) SS18‐50 (an isolate with favorable probiotic properties following space traveling) on dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)‐induced colitis in mice. Male ICR mice were randomly assigned to one of six groups: a control group, a model group, and four intervention groups comprising the isolate (SS18‐50‐L and SS18‐50‐H) and the wild type (GS18‐L and GS18‐H) strains. The model group and the intervention groups were administered a 3.5% DSS (w/v) solution to induce acute enteritis. The four intervention groups were administered the corresponding bacterial suspensions, SS18‐50‐L (1.0 × 107 CFU/mL), SS18‐50‐H (1.0 × 109 CFU/mL), GS18‐L (1.0 × 107 CFU/mL), and GS18‐H (1.0 × 109 CFU/mL). The results demonstrated that the disease activity index (DAI) score of the SS18‐50‐H was markedly lower than that of the CON. Subsequently, the colon tissue of mice was analyzed to determine the levels of myeloperoxidase (MPO), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione (GSH), and malondialdehyde (MDA). The results demonstrated that all strains within the intervention groups exhibited good performance to prevent colitis. Particularly, the SS18‐50‐H strain exhibited a pronounced stimulative effect on GSH, an increase in SOD activity, and a decrease in MPO activity and MDA content. The SS18‐50‐H treatment resulted in a notable elevation in serum somatostatin (SS) levels and a concomitant reduction in endothelin (ET) and substance P (SP) levels, which approached normal ranges. The results of the RT‐qPCR analysis demonstrated that the mRNA expression levels of tumor necrosis factor (TNF‐α), cyclooxygenase (COX‐2), interleukin (IL‐10), and interleukin (IL‐6) in the SS18‐50‐H were significantly reduced to levels comparable to those observed in the CON. In conclusion, L. plantarum SS18‐50 has been demonstrated to inhibit the development of colitis in a dose‐dependent manner, thereby establishing it as a high‐quality lactic acid bacterium with a colitis inhibitory effect.
Evaluation of the Food Barrier and Mechanical Properties of Carrageenan‐Starch Composite Films
Authors: Madivoli E. S. , Kisato J. , Kimani P. K. , Kamau K 
Published: December 2024

ABSTRACTSingle use plastics are a leading source of microplastics that have been detected along the food chain. This study evaluated the potential of starch (ST) and carrageenan (CRG) in packaging film formulation. CRG isolated from the seaweed (SW) Eucheuma denticulatam was blended with starch and cast to obtain films whose moisture content (MC), total soluble matter (TSM), degree of solubility (DS), water vapor permeability (WVP), opacity (O), contact angles (CA), moisture absorption (MA), and percent elongation (PE) were evaluated. The films’ morphology, crystallinity, opacity, thermal profile, and functional groups were then studied by scanning electron microscopy, powder diffraction, UV–Vis, thermal gravimetry, and infrared spectroscopy. From the results obtained, the SWF films exhibited a higher MC, DS, and TSM than CRG and CRG‐ST films but lower DC values. The PE of CRG films was lower than that of SWF (30%) though incorporation of ST increased the PE of CRG‐ST. However, SWF films had WVP of 2.25 × 10−7 gs−1m−1Pa−1, compared to 3.65 × 10−7 gs−1m−1Pa−1 of CRG, 2.73 × 10−7 gs−1m−1Pa−1 of CRG‐ST and a moisture absorption of 29.29 ± 3.5 as compared to 17.29 ± 0.87 of CRG and 23.80% ± 4.12% of CRG‐ST. The opacities were found to be 41.02, 79.89, and 42.23 for SWF, CRG, CRG‐ST while the contact angles were found to be 72.86, 80.93, 65.57 for SWF, CRG, and CRG‐ST, respectively. Moreover, the films were impermeable to vegetable oil, had carbohydrate functional groups, good thermal stabilities, and trace micronutrients. In conclusion, this study formulated packaging films with enhanced food barrier and mechanical properties that can potentially replace single use packaging films.
A Dual Group‐Based 11‐Year Trajectory Analysis of Cognitive Impairment and Transport Restriction for Community‐Dwelling Older Adults
Authors: Yang Yong , Jiang Yu , Wen Ming , Wang Li 
Published: December 2024

ABSTRACTObjectivesTo examine the trajectories of cognitive impairment and transport restriction over time and the interrelation between these trajectories among older adults.MethodsGroup‐based trajectory modeling was used on the longitudinal National Health and Aging Trends Study (NHATS) over 11 years from 2011 to 2021, among 5753 participants, stratified by age in 2011 to three groups of 65–74 years, 75–84 years, and 85 years and above.ResultsFor transport restrictions, these trajectory groups were: (1) a majority with no restrictions, (2) low and increasing or stable, and (3) moderate or high and decreasing. The overall pattern was largely consistent across the three age groups, with the older group showing a higher predicted likelihood of transport restrictions compared to the younger group. For each of the three age groups, there were two cognitive impairment trajectories including (1) low and (2) increasing cognitive impairment. The proportions of increasing cognitive impairment were 12.3% among the 65–74 years old, 27.3% among the 75–84 years old, and 40.4% among the 85 years and above old. Compared with those with no transport restriction, the other two trajectories with either low or moderate transport restrictions were more likely to belong to increasing cognitive impairment. The odds ratio was 3.06 (95% CI 2.0–4.68) for low & increasing transport restrictions versus 1.57 (95% CI 0.96–2.56) for moderate & decreasing transport restrictions among 65–74 years old. The odds ratio was 2.38 (95% CI 1.68–3.38) for low & increasing transport restrictions versus 1.88 (95% CI 1.39–2.55) for moderate & decreasing transport restrictions among 75–84 years old.ConclusionsCognitive impairment was more likely to co‐occur with those with low and increasing transport restrictions than with those with moderate and decreasing transport restrictions. Addressing transport restriction among older adults holds the potential to ameliorate cognitive outcomes.