bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Influence of guar gum and chitosan enriched with lemon peel essential oil coatings on the quality of pears
Authors: Iftikhar Ayesha , Rehman Abdur , Usman Muhammad , Ali Ahmad , Ahmad Muhammad Mushtaq , Shehzad Qayyum , Fatim Hina , Mehmood Arshad , Moiz Abdul , Shabbir Muhammad Asim , Manzoor Muhammad Faisal , Siddeeg Azhari 
Published: March 2022

AbstractPear is a typically climacteric fruit and highly perishable with a low shelf life owing to extreme metabolic activity after harvesting. The present study aimed to reduce weight loss and improve the firmness of pear during storage. The lemon peel essential oil (LPEO) has gained considerable attention due to being the richest source of bioactive compounds that behaved as a natural antioxidant agent, being cost‐effective, and being generally recognized as safe. Edible coatings equipped with a natural antioxidant agent and renewable biopolymers have gained more research fame owing to their involvement in the direction of biodegradability and food safety. In this work, edible skin coating materials (ESCMs) embedded by chitosan (1%) and guar gum (2%) were fabricated, and afterward, five concentrations of LPEO (1, 1.5, 2, 2.5, and 3.0%) were incorporated individually into the ESCMs. Findings revealed that LPEO–ESCMs significantly reduced the weight loss and improved the firmness of pear up to 45 days of storage at 4 ± 2°C. Furthermore, the LPEO–ESCMs have enhanced the antioxidant capacity, antibacterial efficiency, and malondialdehyde level of pear during storage time. It was concluded that 3% of LPEO–ESCMs improved the overall acceptability of pear fruits. Taken together, the novel insights of guar gum and chitosan‐based ESCMs entrapped with LPEO will remain a subject of research interest for researchers in the future.
BRAF V600E and previously unidentified KRAS G12C mutations in odontogenic tumors may affect MAPK activation differently depending on tumor type
Authors: Oh Kyu‐Young , Kim Ji‐Hoon , Cho Sung‐Dae , Yoon Hye‐Jung , Lee Jae‐Il , Hong Seong‐Doo 
Published: March 2022

AbstractAlthough several types of odontogenic tumors share the same mutations in MAPK pathway genes, their effects on MAPK activation remain unclarified. This study aimed to evaluate the associations between these mutations and ERK phosphorylation in ameloblastoma and mixed odontogenic tumors (MOTs) and to analyze the expression pattern of phosphorylated ERK (p‐ERK) for determining the involvement of MAPK activation in the development and progression of odontogenic tumors. Forty‐three odontogenic tumors consisting of 18 ameloblastomas and 25 MOTs were analyzed for BRAF, KRAS, and NRAS mutations by Sanger sequencing. The expressions of BRAFV600E protein and p‐ERK were detected by immunohistochemistry. The associations between mutation status and p‐ERK expression were statistically analyzed. The effect of BRAFV600E inhibition on MAPK activation was investigated in ameloblastoma cells. In benign MOTs, BRAFV600E mutations were neither expressed at the protein level nor associated with p‐ERK expression. In contrast, BRAFV600E‐mutant ameloblastic fibrosarcoma showed co‐expression of BRAF V600E protein and p‐ERK, especially in the sarcomatous component. In ameloblastoma, p‐ERK was predominantly expressed in the tumor periphery showing a significant correlation with BRAFV600E mutations, and in vitro BRAFV600E inhibition decreased ERK phosphorylation. KRASG12C mutations, previously unidentified in odontogenic tumors, were detected in one case each of benign MOT and ameloblastoma; only the latter was high‐p‐ERK. In conclusion, unlike in benign MOTs, BRAFV600E and KRASG12C mutations lead to MAPK activation in ameloblastoma, suggesting their role as therapeutic targets. p‐ERK intratumoral heterogeneity indicates that MAPK pathway activation may be associated with sarcomatous proliferation of ameloblastic fibrosarcoma and infiltrative behavior of ameloblastoma.
Endocannabinoid signaling in brain diseases: Emerging relevance of glial cells
Authors: Bernal‐Chico Ana , Tepavcevic Vanja , Manterola Andrea , Utrilla Carmen , Matute Carlos , Mato Susana 
Published: March 2022

AbstractThe discovery of cannabinoid receptors as the primary molecular targets of psychotropic cannabinoid Δ9‐tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9‐THC) in late 1980s paved the way for investigations on the effects of cannabis‐based therapeutics in brain pathology. Ever since, a wealth of results obtained from studies on human tissue samples and animal models have highlighted a promising therapeutic potential of cannabinoids and endocannabinoids in a variety of neurological disorders. However, clinical success has been limited and major questions concerning endocannabinoid signaling need to be satisfactorily addressed, particularly with regard to their role as modulators of glial cells in neurodegenerative diseases. Indeed, recent studies have brought into the limelight diverse, often unexpected functions of astrocytes, oligodendrocytes, and microglia in brain injury and disease, thus providing scientific basis for targeting glial cells to treat brain disorders. This Review summarizes the current knowledge on the molecular and cellular hallmarks of endocannabinoid signaling in glial cells and its clinical relevance in neurodegenerative and chronic inflammatory disorders.
Polydimethylsiloxane/graphene oxide/β‐cyclodextrin sponge as a solid‐phase extraction sorbent coupled with gas chromatography‐mass spectrometry for rapid adsorption and sensitive determination of lavender essential oil
Authors: Wang Lili , Li Dandan , Jiang Xinxing , Fu Jihong 
Published: March 2022

An adsorbent polydimethylsiloxane/graphene oxide/β‐cyclodextrin sponge, which possessed the merits of high surface area, chemical stability, environment friendly, and excellent extraction capacity, was successfully fabricated. Based on the advantages, a novel microwave‐assisted headspace solid‐phase extraction method for lavender essential oil using polydimethylsiloxane/graphene oxide/β‐cyclodextrin sponge as adsorbents was developed in this study. Various experimental parameters were studied. The optimal extraction conditions were as follows: 1 mg/mL as dopamine solution concentration, graphene oxide dosages of 30 mg, microwave power of 700 W, microwave irradiation time of 10 min, and desorption solvent of n‐hexane. Under the optimal extraction condition, linearities ranging from 10 to 800 ng were achieved for six representative compounds with a correlation coefficients value of >0.99. The intra‐day and inter‐day precisions were in the ranges of 0.40–1.56 and 0.67–2.56%, respectively. Finally, the proposed technique was applied to analyze essential oil constituents in 14 samples of three lavender varieties, and 48 compounds were identified. Lavender varieties were distinguished using principal component analysis and partial least squares discriminant analysis. The results showed that the method developed in this study is a novel, simple, and sensitive method for the determination of essential oil in complex plant samples.
Dedicated Olfaction and Taste Items do not Improve Psychometric Performance of the SNOT‐22
Authors: Liu David T. , Phillips Katie M. , Houssein Firas A. , Speth Marlene M. , Besser Gerold , Mueller Christian A. , Sedaghat Ahmad R. 
Published: March 2022

ObjectivePrevious work has shown the chemosensory dysfunction item of the 22‐item Sinonasal Outcome Test (SNOT‐22) that assesses problems with “taste/smell” has poor psychometric performance compared with other items on the SNOT‐22, which we have hypothesized is due to the simultaneous assessment of two different senses. Our aim was to determine whether distinct smell and taste items in the SNOT‐22 would improve psychometric performance.MethodsOne hundred and eighty‐one CRS patients were recruited and completed the SNOT‐22. Additional items querying problems with the senses of “smell” and “taste,” using the same response scale and recall period were given to study participants. Item response theory (IRT) was used to determine IRT parameters, including item discrimination, difficulty, and information provided by each SNOT‐22 item.ResultsConfirming previous studies, the chemosensory item of the SNOT‐22 (reflecting “taste/smell”) had poor psychometric performance. Use of a distinct smell or taste item instead of the combined “taste/smell” item did not improve psychometric performance. However, a dedicated smell question resulted in a left shift of threshold parameters, showing that the dedicated smell item better captures moderate CRS disease burden than the original taste/smell item of the SNOT‐22, which by virtue of near‐identical IRT parameters appears to more greatly reflect problems with taste.ConclusionsA dedicated smell‐ or taste‐specific item, rather than the combined “taste/smell” item currently in the SNOT‐22 does not provide significantly greater psychometric performance. However, a dedicated smell item may better capture moderate CRS disease burden compared with the current chemosensory item on the SNOT‐22. Laryngoscope, 132:1644–1651, 2022
Evaluation of novel compound variants of CEP290 in prenatally suspected case of Meckel syndrome through whole exome sequencing
Authors: Peng Meilian , Han Shuai , Sun Juan , He Xiaodong , Lv Yaer , Yang Liwei 
Published: March 2022

AbstractBackgroundMeckel syndrome (MKS) is a fatal disease characterized by multisystem fibrosis during the prenatal or perinatal period. It has an autosomal recessive genetic pattern and is characterized by meningo occipital encephalocele, polycystic kidney dysplasia, polydactyly, and hepatobiliary ductal plate malformation. Germline variations in CEP290 have been shown to cause MKS4.MethodsIn this study, a 23‐year‐old Chinese woman who was 18 weeks pregnant was examined. The pregnancy was terminated due to occipital meningocele and enlarged cystic dysplastic kidney revealed by ultrasonography. In addition, the patient had a history of adverse pregnancy whereby the fetus presented with double kidney enlargement. Karyotype analysis and chromosomal microarray examination (CMA) were carried out using amniotic fluid samples. Whole exome sequencing (WES) was performed using tissue specimens of the aborted fetus.ResultsKaryotype and CMA analyses showed normal results. However, compound heterozygous mutations of CEP290 c.3175dup and CEP290 c.1201dup were detected through WES. CEP290 c.1201dup is a novel heterozygous mutation of CEP290 that has not been reported previously.ConclusionsThe findings of this study provide information on the correlation between MKS phenotype and genotype in CEP290. In addition, these findings indicate that WES is an effective method for detecting genetic causes of multiple structural defects especially those showing normal karyotype and CMA results.
A near‐infrared CO2 detection system for greenhouse gas based on PCA‐DNN
Authors: Li Guolin , Li Jiarui , Liu Yajing , Song Yimeng , Jiao Yue , Zhao Hao , Zhang Xuena , Zhang Zecheng , Wu Yunhui , Ma Kun 
Published: March 2022

AbstractCarbon dioxide (CO2) gas is one of the main greenhouse gases. The detection of CO2 gas content is of great significance to the study of the greenhouse effect. The CO2 detection system based on the principle of tunable diode laser absorption spectroscopy (TDLAS) was demonstrated. A distributed feedback (DFB) laser with a central wavelength of 1580 nm was used as the laser source, multipass gas cell (MPGC) was used as gas cell, and indium gallium arsenic (IGA) photodetector was used to complete photoelectric conversion, and the original extracted second harmonic signal was smooth and denoised by wavelet transform. The signal‐to‐noise ratio (SNR) of the wavelet‐filtered spectrum improved from 6.88 to 13.87 dB, an improvement of 2.02 times. Principal component analysis was used to reduce the complexity of the data by compressing the spectrum from 800 dimensions to 2 dimensions. For the concentration inversion, the back‐propagation deep neural network (BP‐DNN) model was used to perform standard gas concentration step experiments and compared with the back‐propagation neural network (BPNN). The experimental results show that the BP‐DNN inversion of CO2 concentration has improved computational accuracy and the root mean square error (RMSE) is 3.55 times lower than that of the traditional BPNN, showing favorable application prospects.
Effect of additional acupuncture to pelvic floor exercise on urinary incontinence: A randomized controlled trial
Authors: Wan Osanna Y. K. , Cheung Rachel Y. K. , Law Michelle P. M. , Lee Lai Loi , Wang Ronald Chi Chiu , Chan Symphorosa S. C. 
Published: March 2022

AbstractAimsTo investigate the additional benefit of acupuncture to pelvic floor exercise (PFE) on the improvement of urinary incontinence (UI) and quality of life (QoL) in women.MethodsThis was a single‐blinded randomized controlled trial in a tertiary university hospital. Women with UI in various severity and types were randomized to receive either a weekly course of acupuncture with PFE or PFE alone for 6 weeks and then followed up for 24 weeks in every 6 weeks. Investigators were blinded to group allocation in pre‐ and postintervention assessments. Primary outcome was subjective changes of UI symptoms at 24 weeks. Secondary outcomes were episodes and severity of UI from bladder diary, severity by Visual Analogue Scale, and QoL scores by validated Chinese short‐form of Urogenital Distress Inventory (UDI‐6) and Incontinence Impact Questionnaire (IIQ‐7).ResultsOne hundred seventy‐nine women were screened while 137 were randomized. Significant subjective improvement in UI symptoms was demonstrated at all follow‐up, latest at 24 weeks (odds ratio [OR]: 2.29, 95% confidence Interval [CI]: 1.02–5.12, respectively), with reduced episodes and severity of UI after (p < 0.05), and a trend of improvement in IIQ‐7 score (p = 0.05). No major adverse events occurred. History of 2 years or longer duration of UI symptoms was associated with lower effectiveness of acupuncture (OR: 0.08, 95% CI: 0.01–0.68).
Why obesity and psychological stress matter in recovery of post‐acute sequelae of SARS‐CoV‐2
Authors: Carter Stephen J. , Baranauskas Marissa N. 
Published: March 2022

AbstractNumerous elements of the COVID‐19 pandemic have proven challenging to overcome. We now recognize a perplexing characteristic of SARS‐CoV‐2 features mixed, unresolving symptoms that can last 4 weeks or longer after initial diagnosis, termed post‐acute sequelae of SARS‐CoV‐2 (PASC). Full recovery can thus become a protracted ordeal as conservative estimates indicate 20% of SARS‐CoV‐2 cases will develop PASC, with women at increased risk. Emerging evidence suggests latent virus reactivation including cytomegalovirus, Epstein‐Barr virus, and/or varicella zoster virus may perpetuate the burden of PASC. This is problematic because immune dysfunction is linked to obesity and psychological stress, both of which disproportionately affect socioeconomically disadvantaged people and racial/ethnic minorities. Applying a patient‐centered approach in which the principal factors guiding decision‐making are based on the needs and abilities of the individual is essential. Still, the independent and combined influence of obesity and psychological stress on immune function necessitates due consideration in the context of PASC recovery.
Metabolomics and chemometrics of seven aromatic plants: Carob, eucalyptus, laurel, mint, myrtle, rosemary and strawberry tree
Authors: de Falco Bruna , Grauso Laura , Fiore Alberto , Bonanomi Giuliano , Lanzotti Virginia 
Published: March 2022

AbstractIntroductionArbutus unedo L. (strawberry tree), Ceratonia siliqua L. (carob), Eucalyptus camaldulensis Dehnh. (eucalyptus), Laurus nobilis L. (laurel), Mentha aquatica L. (water mint), Myrtus communis L. (common myrtle), and Rosmarinus officinalis L. (rosemary) are aromatic plants from the Mediterranean region whose parts and preparations are used for their nutritional properties and health benefits.ObjectivesTo evaluate and compare the metabolites profile, total phenol content (TPC), and antioxidant activity of plant leaves for their future use. Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) was used for metabolomics. Data comparison was performed by chemometrics.MethodologyPolar and apolar extracts were analysed using untargeted GC–MS metabolomics followed by chemometrics (principal component analysis, heatmap correlation and dendrogram) to identify, quantify and compare the major organic compounds in the plants. Additionally, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy was used for the laurel polar extract to identify d‐gluco‐l‐glycero‐3‐octulose whose presence was unclear from the GC–MS data. TPC and antioxidant assays were performed using classical methods (Folin–Ciocalteu, 2,2′‐azinobis‐(3‐ethylbenzothiazoline‐6‐sulphonic acid) diammonium salt (ABTS), 2,2‐diphenyl‐1‐picrylhydrazyl (DPPH)) and correlated to the phytochemical profiles.ResultsForty‐three metabolites were identified including amino acids, organic acids, carbohydrates, phenols, polyols, fatty acids, and alkanes. Eight metabolites (d‐fructose, d‐glucose, d‐mannose, gallic acid, quinic acid, myo‐inositol, palmitic and stearic acids) were in common between all species. d‐Gluco‐l‐glycero‐3‐octulose (37.29 ± 1.19%), d‐pinitol (31.33 ± 5.12%), and arbutin (1.30 ± 0.44%,) were characteristic compounds of laurel, carob, and strawberry tree, respectively. Carob showed the highest values of TPC and antioxidant activity.ConclusionGC–MS metabolomics and chemometrics analyses are fast and useful methods to determine and compare the metabolomics profiling of aromatic plants of food and industrial interest.
Absence of percolation in graphs based on stationary point processes with degrees bounded by two
Authors: Jahnel Benedikt , Tóbiás András 
Published: March 2022

AbstractWe consider undirected graphs that arise as deterministic functions of stationary point processes such that each point has degree bounded by two. For a large class of point processes and edge‐drawing rules, we show that the arising graph has no infinite connected component, almost surely. In particular, this extends our previous result for signal‐to‐interference ratio graphs based on stabilizing Cox point processes and verifies the conjecture of Balister and Bollobás that the bidirectional ‐nearest neighbor graph of a two‐dimensional homogeneous Poisson point process does not percolate for .
Machine learning solutions for predicting protein–protein interactions
Authors: Casadio Rita , Martelli Pier Luigi , Savojardo Castrense 
Published: March 2022

AbstractProteins are “social molecules.” Recent experimental evidence supports the notion that large protein aggregates, known as biomolecular condensates, affect structurally and functionally many biological processes. Condensate formation may be permanent and/or time dependent, suggesting that biological processes can occur locally, depending on the cell needs. The question then arises as to which extent we can monitor protein‐aggregate formation, both experimentally and theoretically and then predict/simulate functional aggregate formation. Available data are relative to mesoscopic interacting networks at a proteome level, to protein‐binding affinity data, and to interacting protein complexes, solved with atomic resolution. Powerful algorithms based on machine learning (ML) can extract information from data sets and infer properties of never‐seen‐before examples. ML tools address the problem of protein–protein interactions (PPIs) adopting different data sets, input features, and architectures. According to recent publications, deep learning is the most successful method. However, in ML‐computational biology, convincing evidence of a success story comes out by performing general benchmarks on blind data sets. Results indicate that the state‐of‐the‐art ML approaches, based on traditional and/or deep learning, can still be ameliorated, irrespectively of the power of the method and richness in input features. This being the case, it is quite evident that powerful methods still are not trained on the whole possible spectrum of PPIs and that more investigations are necessary to complete our knowledge of PPI‐functional interactions.This article is categorized under:
Software > Molecular Modeling
Structure and Mechanism > Computational Biochemistry and Biophysics
Data Science > Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning
Molecular and Statistical Mechanics > Molecular Interactions
Medaka embryos as a model for metabolism of anabolic steroids
Authors: Liu Lingyu , Hobohm Leonie , Bredendiek Felix , Froschauer Alexander , Zierau Oliver , Parr Maria Kristina , Keiler Annekathrin M. 
Published: March 2022

AbstractIn anti-doping science, the knowledge of drug metabolism is a prerequisite to identify analytical targets for the detection of misused prohibited substances. As the most obvious way to study xenobiotic metabolism, the administration to human volunteers, faces ethical concerns, there is a need for model systems. In the present study, we investigated whether Oryzias latipes (medaka) embryos might be an alternative, non-animal test model to study human-like metabolism. In the present study, we exposed medaka embryos at the morula stage to the anabolic steroid metandienone (10 µM or 50 µM) for a period of 2 or 8 days. According to the fish embryo toxicity test (OECD test), we assessed the developmental status of the embryos. We further investigated metandienone metabolites by high-performance liquid chromatography- and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Medaka embryos produced three mono-hydroxylated and one reduced metabolite known from human biotransformation. Developmental malformations were observed for the exposition to 50 µM metandienone, while a significant elevation of the heart beat was also present in those individuals exposed to the lower dose for 8 days. The present study demonstrates that the medaka embryo represents a promising model to study human-like metabolism. Moreover, the judgement of developmental parameters of the fish embryos enables for the simultaneous assessment of toxicity.
Emerging cross-talks between chronic kidney disease–mineral and bone disorder (CKD–MBD) and malnutrition–inflammation complex syndrome (MICS) in patients receiving dialysis
Authors: Yamada Shunsuke , Tsuruya Kazuhiko , Kitazono Takanari , Nakano Toshiaki 
Published: March 2022

AbstractChronic kidney disease–mineral and bone disorder (CKD–MBD) is a systemic disorder that affects multiple organs and systems and increases the risk of morbidity and mortality in patients with CKD, especially those receiving dialysis therapy. CKD–MBD is highly prevalent in CKD patients, and its treatment is gaining attention from healthcare providers who manage these patients. Additional important pathologies often observed in CKD patients are chronic inflammation and malnutrition/protein-energy wasting (PEW). These two pathologies coexist to form a vicious cycle that accelerates the progression of various other pathologies in CKD patients. This concept is integrated into the term “malnutrition–inflammation–atherosclerosis syndrome” or “malnutrition–inflammation complex syndrome (MICS)”. Recent basic and clinical studies have shown that CKD–MBD directly induces inflammation as well as malnutrition/PEW. Indeed, higher circulating levels of inorganic phosphate, fibroblast growth factor 23, parathyroid hormone, and calciprotein particles, as markers for critical components and effectors of CKD–MBD, were shown to directly induce inflammatory responses, thereby leading to malnutrition/PEW, cardiovascular diseases, and clinically relevant complications. In this short review, we discuss the close interplay between CKD–MBD and MICS and emphasize the significance of simultaneous control of these two seemingly distinct pathologies in patients with CKD, especially those receiving dialysis therapy, for better management of the CKD/hemodialysis population.