bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The ‘Minibulk’ system for advancing winter cereal breeding populations
Authors: Olson Eric , Brown‐Guedira Gina , Noble Amanda , Smith Jared , Forsberg Lance , Brisco Elizabeth , Brown Linda
Published: February 2022

Conventional selected‐bulk breeding is a low cost means of advancing populations but requires years of selection in the field to generate fixed lines. Doubled haploid (DH) methods produce fixed lines quickly but without selection and at high cost. The ‘Minibulk’ system was developed to combine the speed of DHs with the population size and crossover opportunities of selected‐bulk breeding. Breeding populations of winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) were vernalized and advanced at high density in the greenhouse from the F2 to the F4 generation. F4 populations underwent visual selection in the field, and derived lines were genotyped for variants at photoperiod and vernalization alleles and across the genome using genotyping‐by‐sequencing. The number of crossover events and parental genome contributions were determined for recombinant inbred lines (RILs) within populations and among RILs across populations. During vernalization, seeds in all populations germinated and underwent vegetative growth, forming a dense seed mat that was transplanted directly into greenhouse pots. A 22‐h photoperiod accelerated development, and many populations reached physiological maturity as soon as five weeks after transplanting. Increasing the number of seeds planted from 300 in the F2 to 500 in the F3 increased the number of fertile spikes produced, thereby maintaining a larger population size. The number of crossovers detected differed significantly between populations and chromosomes, while the number of crossovers detected in each population was related to marker density. Adoption of the minibulk system by winter cereal breeding programs can lead to significant cost savings and acceleration of the breeding cycle.
A novel multiport converter switching scheme to integrate multiple renewable energy sources
Authors: Bizhani Hamed , Techato Kuaanan , Noroozian Reza , Muyeen S. M. , Blaabjerg Frede
Published: February 2022

In this paper, an innovative switching scheme named simultaneous space vector modulation (SSVM) is proposed for integrating various AC sources in the energy industry using a unified multiport converter. The proposed SSVM technique is applied to the multileg topology of a multiport converter, which is an encouraging option for the grid integration of renewable energy sources and multimachine drives. Considering the shared leg in the multileg converter, the proposed SSVM can utilize the utmost simultaneous switching states between different ports, resulting in lower switching loss and better DC‐link voltage utilization compared with the conventional sequential space vector modulation approach. A novel decision matrix concept is introduced to identify the simultaneous switching states. For this aim, according to the number of ports of the multileg converter, decision matrices containing valid simultaneous switching states are first calculated. Then, they are defined as look‐up tables in the proposed SSVM to be retrieved and exploited in every sampling period. The effectiveness of the proposed SSVM for a seven‐leg version of the multileg converter is assessed using the simulation analysis and real‐time validation. The capability of the proposed SSVM‐based multiport converter in grid integration of AC renewable energy sources is also verified considering two permanent magnet synchronous generator (PMSG)‐based wind turbines with real wind speed patterns. The simulation results confirm that the proposed SSVM is properly able to manage the power flow between different ports and improve the DC voltage utilization and switching loss compared with the sequential SVM.
Novel PE and APC tandems: Additional near‐infrared fluorochromes for use in spectral flow cytometry
Authors: Seong Yekyung , Nguyen Denny X , Wu Yian , Thakur Archana , Harding Fiona , Nguyen Tuan Andrew
Published: February 2022

Recent advances in flow cytometry instrumentation and fluorochrome chemistries have greatly increased fluorescent conjugated antibody combinations that can be used reliably and easily in routine experiments. The Cytek Aurora flow cytometer was first released with three excitation lasers (405, 488, and 640 nm) and incorporated the latest Avalanche Photodiode (APD) technology, demonstrating significant improvement in sensitivity for fluorescent emission signals longer than 800 nm. However, there are limited commercially available fluorochromes capable of excitation with peak emission signals beyond 800 nm. To address this gap, we engineered six new fluorochromes: PE‐750, PE‐800, PE‐830 for the 488 nm laser and APC‐750, APC‐800, APC‐830 for the 640 nm laser. Utilizing the principal of fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET), these novel structures were created by covalently linking a protein donor dye with an organic small molecule acceptor dye. Additionally, each of these fluorochrome conjugates were shown to be compatible with fixation/permeabilization buffer reagents, and demonstrated acceptable brightness and stability when conjugated to antigen‐specific monoclonal antibodies. These six novel fluorochrome reagents can increase the numbers of fluorochromes that can be used on a spectral flow cytometer.
Multi‐elemental chemostratigraphy of Triassic mudstones in eastern Svalbard: Implications for source rock formation in front of the World’s largest delta plain
Authors: Wesenlund Fredrik , Grundvåg Sten‐Andreas , Engelschiøn Victoria Sjøholt , Thießen Olaf , Pedersen Jon Halvard
Published: February 2022

The Triassic Boreal Ocean was a shallow epicontinental basin and the sink of the World's largest delta plain known to date. Nutrient and freshwater supply from this delta have been regarded as important causes for high productivity and water mass stratification, forming Middle Triassic oil‐prone source rocks. Recent studies attribute upwelling and a productivity‐induced oxygen minimum zone as important factors. A multi‐elemental chemostratigraphic study of a Spathian–Carnian mudstone succession exposed in eastern Svalbard was performed to investigate their formation. This includes 89 samples from three localities, from which 34 elements were acquired using combustion and X‐ray fluorescence analyses. The goal is to provide a correlation framework and infer the role of productivity, redox and water mass restriction on organic matter accumulation and source rock formation. These processes had major impact on the source potential. The Spathian Vendomdalen Member suggests deposition during intermittent benthic euxinia and low productivity, corresponding with a reported deep thermocline that obstructed upwelling. The lower Anisian lower–middle Muen Member shows negligible enrichment in redox‐sensitive elements but in situ phosphate nodules, consistent with developing upwelling and moderate productivity. The middle Anisian upper Muen Member formed during high productivity and phosphogenesis and is linked with basin‐wide upwelling. Productivity, phosphate and redox proxies are all strongly enriched in the upper Anisian–Ladinian Blanknuten Member. In the south‐western Barents Sea, the pro‐deltaic environment of the emerging Triassic Boreal Ocean delta system had terminated these conditions. The upper Ladinian upper Blanknuten Member formed within intermittent euxinic bottom waters due to the shallowing sea level. The Carnian Tschermakfjellet Formation marks the dominance of the prograding delta system and the end of Triassic oil‐prone source rock formation in Svalbard.
Urban runoff and stream channel incision interact to influence riparian soils and understory vegetation
Authors: Solins Joanna P. , Cadenasso Mary L.
Published: February 2022

Riparian soil processes and vegetation are sensitive to water availability. Urbanization can alter riparian water availability by modifying stream flows and stream channel morphology. In cities, runoff from impervious surfaces tends to increase stormflow magnitudes, causing stream channels to incise, or downcut. This change in channel morphology has been linked to lowered water tables and drier conditions in temperate urban riparian zones, leading to shifts in riparian nitrogen (N) cycling and vegetation communities. In Mediterranean climates with distinct wet and dry periods, there is an additional dynamic to consider: runoff from urban water use can cause streams to flow when they would otherwise be dry. This dry‐season stream flow could create increased, rather than decreased, water availability in urban riparian zones. However, channel incision may counteract this effect. We asked whether dry‐season stream flow interacted with channel incision to influence riparian soil characteristics and understory vegetation along streams in Sacramento, California, which has a Mediterranean climate with an intense summer dry season. At 40 stream reaches that varied by severity of downcutting and presence of dry‐season flow, we sampled soils and vegetation on top of stream banks and at the margin of the low‐flow channel, an important location for nutrient cycling in dry climates. We measured soil moisture, organic matter, and ∂15N, as well as total and perennial understory vegetation cover. We found that channel characteristics associated with incision limited the influence of dry‐season stream flow on soil moisture, and this interaction appears to have lasting effects on soil organic matter and perennial vegetation on bank tops. At the stream margin, channel downcutting was associated with reduced soil organic matter and vegetation cover, while dry‐season flow was associated with increased vegetation cover. Values of soil ∂15N pointed to limited hydrologic linkage between stream flows and riparian bank soils along incised streams. Our findings suggest that channel incision could limit the ability of urban riparian ecosystems to mitigate low‐flow water quality. However, where streams are not incised in Mediterranean climates, dry‐season flows from urban runoff may actually increase riparian productivity and N cycling above historical levels.
Rapid ant community reassembly in a Neotropical forest: Recovery dynamics and land‐use legacy
Authors: Hoenle Philipp O. , Donoso David A. , Argoti Adriana , Staab Michael , von Beeren Christoph , Blüthgen Nico
Published: February 2022

Regrowing secondary forests dominate tropical regions today, and a mechanistic understanding of their recovery dynamics provides important insights for conservation. In particular, land‐use legacy effects on the fauna have rarely been investigated. One of the most ecologically dominant and functionally important animal groups in tropical forests are the ants. Here, we investigated the recovery of ant communities in a forest–agricultural habitat mosaic in the Ecuadorian Chocó region. We used a replicated chronosequence of previously used cacao plantations and pastures with 1–34 years of regeneration time to study the recovery dynamics of species communities and functional diversity across the two land‐use legacies. We compared two independent components of responses on these community properties: resistance, which is measured as the proportion of an initial property that remains following the disturbance; and resilience, which is the rate of recovery relative to its loss. We found that compositional and trait structure similarity to old‐growth forest communities increased with regeneration age, whereas ant species richness remained always at a high level along the chronosequence. Land‐use legacies influenced species composition, with former cacao plantations showing higher resemblance to old‐growth forests than former pastures along the chronosequence. While resistance was low for species composition and high for species richness and traits, all community properties had similarly high resilience. In essence, our results show that ant communities of the Chocó recovery rapidly, with former cacao reaching predicted old‐growth forest community levels after 21 years and pastures after 29 years. Recovery in this community was faster than reported from other ecosystems and was likely facilitated by the low‐intensity farming in agricultural sites and their proximity to old‐growth forest remnants. Our study indicates the great recovery potential for this otherwise highly threatened biodiversity hotspot.
Emergent trophic interactions following the Chinook salmon invasion of Patagonia
Authors: Muñoz Nicolas J. , Reid Brian , Correa Cristian , Madriz Ruben Isaí , Neff Bryan D. , Reynolds John D.
Published: February 2022

In their native range, Pacific salmon (Oncorhynchus spp.) have strong interactions with a multitude of species due to the annual pulse of marine‐derived nutrients that they deliver to streams and forests when they spawn and die. Over the past few decades, Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) has established non‐native populations throughout the Patagonia region of southern South America. Here, we provide the first assessment of the pathways through which salmon‐derived nutrients enter stream and forest food webs in Patagonia by surveying multiple streams in southern Chile to identify invertebrate and vertebrate consumers of salmon carcasses and summarizing all documented trophic interactions of Chinook salmon in Patagonia. Blowflies (Calliphoridae) were the dominant colonizer of carcasses in the riparian zone, and midge flies (Chironomidae) were the most common invertebrate on submerged carcasses. Camera trap monitoring in the riparian zone revealed consumption of carcasses or carcass‐associated invertebrates by the insectivorous passerine bird “chucao” (Scelorchilis rubecula), small rodents (black rat Rattus rattus, house mouse Mus musculus, and/or colilargo Oligoryzomys longicaudatus), the South American fox “culpeo” (Lycalopex culpaeus), and the invasive American mink (Neovison vison). A mink was filmed transferring a carcass from stream to streambank, indicating that vertebrate scavenging likely increases the degree to which marine‐derived nutrients enter terrestrial food webs. The native taxa that consume salmon are closely related to species that benefit from salmon consumption in North America, suggesting that the pathways of salmon nutrient incorporation in North American food webs have functionally re‐emerged in South America. Similarly, non‐native trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss and Salmo trutta) and mink consume salmon in Patagonia, and their eco‐evolutionary history of coexistence with salmon could mean that they are preadapted for salmon consumption and could thus be key beneficiaries of this invasion. Expanded monitoring of the abundance and impacts of salmon will be vital for understanding how these novel inputs of marine‐derived nutrients alter Patagonian food webs.
Feasibility analysis of using novel Sepanta biodiesel fuel as an additive to gas micro‐turbine fuels: An experimental study
Authors: Hajinezhad Ahmad , Ahmadi Sepideh Sadat , Alimoradiyan Hamed
Published: February 2022

The population growth, causing the increasing energy demand, the lack of fossil fuels, and its pollution, has become the most important human challenges in years. One of the main goals in using fossil fuels is electricity generation in the utilities, as they can be used in many different types. Gas power plants are one of the ways of generating electricity in many areas, and they are based on gas turbines. The current study aims to define a novel biodiesel fuel named, Sepanta; to improve the combustion conditions of diesel fuel in a gas turbine by using an Iranian endemic plant: Salvia leriifolia seeds oil. In the present research, Sepanta biodiesel has been added to the diesel Euro 4 in different concentrations (20%, 40%, and 60%). Firstly, to determine the differentiation of Sepanta fuel from pure diesel, experiments were carried out such as determining the thermal value and carbon percentage, hydrogen, nitrogen, and oxygen determination in the fuel mixed with Sepanta, and then, in the lake of Sepanta, using the pure diesel, determination of the optimal points has been carried out. The results showed the use of 60% Sepanta reduced the 27% release of unburned hydrocarbons and the use of 40% Sepanta reduced 33% nitrogen oxides in the way to approve the ideal Sepanta performance as an additive to the defined biodiesel.
Fire dynamics inside a large and open‐plan compartment with exposed timber ceiling and columns: CodeRed #01
Authors: Kotsovinos Panagiotis , Rackauskaite Egle , Christensen Eirik , Glew Adam , O'Loughlin Eoin , Mitchell Harry , Amin Rikesh , Robert Fabienne , Heidari Mohammad , Barber David , Rein Guillermo , Schulz Judith
Published: February 2022

There is an increasing global demand to build from timber as it is a sustainable and attractive material. One of the key challenges associated with timber buildings is their performance in a fire, in particular, for medium‐ and high‐rise buildings and when timber is exposed. Research on this topic to date has been performed in compartments smaller than 84 m2 which does not capture the fire dynamics of large compartments. This paper presents the first in a series of experiments carried out inside a large, purpose‐built, open‐plan compartment with a floor area of 352 m2. The large‐scale compartment had a fully exposed, unloaded, cross‐laminated timber (CLT) ceiling and glued laminated timber (glulam) columns, made with adhesives that have been tested to not exhibit char fall‐off in fire. At 352 m2 floor area, this is currently the largest compartment fire experiment carried out globally. The compartment characteristics and the arrangement of the wood crib mimicked the previous series of experiments in Poland in a non‐combustible compartment by Rackauskaite et al. (2021). The experiment was instrumented with thermocouples measuring the gas temperature in the compartment, and above two of the openings, as well as the temperature within the timber members. Plate thermometers were also included to measure the heat flux to the ceiling and of the external flaming. Additionally, fixed and drone‐mounted cameras captured the fire. A protected steel column was added to calculate the equivalent fire exposure when compared to a standard fire resistance furnace test. The experiment was allowed to burn out without fire‐fighting intervention. Continuous measurements were taken for 48 h. The wood crib was ignited at one end of the compartment. Flames rapidly spread across the timber ceiling to the other end of the compartment with the rest of the wood crib being involved in the fire at 5 min 36 s from ignition. The total duration of the fire was 22 min 30 s, at which time visible flaming ceased. Significant external flaming was observed through the openings in the order of 3 m in height but varied with position as the fire travelled across the compartment. Analysis of the experimental results and camera footage showed that the presence of the timber structure approximately doubled the heat release rate (HRR) compared to the value expected from the wood crib alone. Smouldering combustion of the timber members continued for hours after the cessation of flaming, burning in several hotspots, resulting in holes through the CLT slab. This paper improves the understanding fire dynamics for open‐plan, exposed timber compartments and has shown that issues such as external flaming, smouldering and the increase in HRR need to be considered when deriving practical design solutions.
Chemometric evaluation of different parameters for removal of tembotrione (agricultural herbicide) from water by adsorption and photocatalytic degradation using sustainable nanotechnology
Authors: Lazarević Marina , Putnik Predrag , Šojić Merkulov Daniela
Published: February 2022

Fractional multivariate design of experiments with seven factors was used to chemometrically evaluate adsorption of tembotrione on the surface of catalyst, efficiency of photocatalytic degradation of tembotrione, and removal efficiency. For adsorption, the experiments revealed two significant main effects (loading of TiO2 and concentration of KBrO3) and two interactions (loading of TiO2 × purging of O2 and loading of TiO2 × stirring during and 5 min before irradiation). Model for efficiency of photocatalytic degradation of tembotrione revealed three significant main effects (concentration of KBrO3, purging of O2, and stirring during and 5 min before irradiation), while overall removal efficiency had four significant main effects (concentration of KBrO3, purging of O2, loading of TiO2, and stirring during and 5 min before irradiation) and one two factor interaction (loading of TiO2 × concentration of KBrO3). The optimal removal yield of tembotrione was 99.5% with TiO2 loading of 1.25 mg/ml, KBrO3 concentration of 4.33 mM, β‐cyclodextrin with Au in the ratio 2:1, 3 ml/min O2 purging, and stirring before and during irradiation. The effect of tert‐butanol, NaF, EDTA × 2Na, and p‐benzoquinone on the tembotrione removal under optimal experimental conditions suggested that the relative contribution of various reactive species changed in following order:  ˃ ●OHads ˃ h+ ˃ ●OHfree.
Lateral terrestrial water fluxes in the LSM of WRF‐Hydro: Benefits of a 2D groundwater representation
Authors: Rummler Thomas , Wagner Andreas , Arnault Joël , Kunstmann Harald
Published: February 2022

The interactions between the atmosphere and the land surface are characterized by complex, non‐linear processes on varying time scales. The Noah‐MP is a medium complexity land‐surface model (LSM), which was recently selected as the new default LSM for the hydrologically enhanced Weather Research and Forecasting modelling system (WRF‐Hydro). Compared to its predecessor, several parameterizations were considerably improved and new ones added, inter alia more sophisticated groundwater descriptions, which aim to replace the traditional free‐drainage lower boundary condition. This study investigates the benefits that can be obtained from a two‐dimensional groundwater representation within the WRF‐Hydro modelling system by performing two offline simulations for the upper Danube river basin. In comparison to the free‐drainage reference simulation, the lateral routing of groundwater and the two‐way interaction with the water table greatly enhances small scale variability in simulated fields of soil moisture content and evapotranspiration (ET). The representation of upward fluxes from the aquifer helps to maintain higher soil moisture contents and thus ET during prolonged dry periods. These differences are rather small though (<2%) and explained by the fact that the study region is considered to be limited by radiative energy and not water availability. The most striking difference however is the performance gap in simulating streamflow. WRF‐Hydro with 2d groundwater scheme clearly outperforms the reference simulation in terms of performance metrics. A comparison with hourly streamflow observations for the water year of 2016 yields average Kling‐Gupta efficiencies of 0.79 versus 0.57 for the reference. Given that both model configurations were not calibrated beforehand, we conclude that the two‐dimensional groundwater option is especially beneficial for applications in poorly or even ungauged catchments. Furthermore, the inclusion of a so far missing compartment of the water cycle in the WRF‐Hydro modelling system allows for a more holistic representation of interactions between atmosphere land surface and subsurface, which will be advantageous in feedback studies with the fully coupled WRF‐Hydro.
Human health risk assessment of pharmaceuticals in the European Vecht River
Authors: Duarte Daniel J. , Oldenkamp Rik , Ragas Ad M. J.
Published: February 2022

Active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) can reach surface waters used for drinking water extraction and recreational activities, such as swimming and fishing. The aim of the present study was to systematically assess the lifetime human health risks posed by 15 individual APIs and their mixtures occurring in the German–Dutch transboundary Vecht River. An exposure model was developed and used to assess the combined risks of oral and dermal exposure under a variety of exposure conditions. A total of 4500 API uptake values and 165 lifetime risk values were estimated for 15 and 11 APIs, respectively. Overall, the lifetime human health risks posed by the APIs and their mixtures based on modeling results were deemed acceptable under typical exposure conditions. Under very extreme environmental conditions and human behavior, API mixture risks were of potential concern while the risks of individual APIs were negligible, with a few exceptions. The antibiotic doxycycline and analgesic phenazone showed the highest and lowest risks, respectively. The study did not evaluate the potential risks caused by metabolite compounds. Recommendations for water managers are provided to help improve the accuracy and utility of human health risk assessments of pharmaceuticals. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2022;18:1639–1654. © 2022 The Authors. Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of Society of Environmental Toxicology & Chemistry (SETAC).

KEY POINTS

Human health risks from direct toxicity associated with the lifetime exposure to pharmaceutical residues in the Vecht's River catchment were predominantly below safe limits. Doxycycline and diclofenac pose the highest risk yet are below the risk threshold under normal environmental conditions for most individuals. Human features and behavior combined with environmental conditions of varied complexity can be integrated into a relatively simple deterministic exposure model to estimate lifetime health risks of pharmaceuticals in the water environment. Local, regional, and national authorities can readily gain insight into the potential human health risks based on minimal information, bypassing unnecessary and laborious risk assessment.
Frameworks for screening and risk management of chemicals and advanced materials: A critical review
Authors: Moore David W. , Ruffle Betsy , McQueen Andrew , Thakali Sagar , Edwards Deborah
Published: February 2022

Despite the evolution over the last half century of regulatory programs and frameworks developed for the evaluation of safety and management of risks associated with chemicals and materials, new and emerging contaminant issues continue to be identified. These recurring issues suggest a need for review and reflection on current approaches and strategies for ensuring the safety of chemicals and materials. Twelve existing frameworks relating to the evaluation and management of chemical or material risk were reviewed to identify potential process improvements for facilitating early identification of potentially problematic substances and better inform risk management strategies (e.g., prohibition, restricted use, or selection of safer alternatives). The frameworks were selected to represent a broad spectrum of regional, national, and international authorities and purposes, including preproduction evaluation of new substances, classification and hazard communication, identification of persistent pollutants, and identification of safer alternatives. Elements common to the frameworks were identified, as well as features unique to select frameworks. A comparative evaluation was performed, and potential new strategies and approaches were identified to inform process improvement recommendations. These recommendations include requiring validated analytical procedures to enable measurement in environmental media, improved data transparency and accessibility, flexibility to incorporate advances into the state of the practice (e.g., new approach methodologies and high-throughput assessment tools), and incorporation of monitoring and adaptive management strategies to enable more timely intervention. Process improvement recommendations are discussed and summarized in a conceptual risk management framework. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2023;19:1192–1206. © 2022 The Authors. Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of Society of Environmental Toxicology & Chemistry (SETAC). This article has been contributed to by U.S. Government employees and their work is in the public domain in the USA.
Human Systems Integration for Organizational Longevity When Innovation is Key
Authors: Taylor Julia
Published: February 2022

Organizations that thrive in the long run must innovate. Innovation often means that old business endeavors have to yield to the new technology. This is difficult when operations are well established and profitable. Yet it is essential for long term success. Systems Thinking offers principles for developing a methodology for integrating human systems so that this is possible. Systems Thinking takes advantage of overall holistic views which allow for new ways for connections between people to manifest. This paper is about developing this methodology so that management and technical workers are in sync as new technology moves forward. The emphasis of the paper is focused on the way the interactions occur and how the process unfolds as new technology becomes more inevitable.
Interactive Systems: a Unique Place for Human‐Hardware‐Software Integration and their Vulnerability to Human‐Made and Natural Faults
Authors: Palanque Philippe , Martinie Célia
Published: February 2022

Interactive systems are complex systems that allow operators to control and monitor other systems. The interactive systems offer one or several user interfaces, composed of hardware and software components, which are used by the operators to perform their tasks. The complexity of interactive systems lays in its nature (hardware and software integration) but also in the rapidly evolving technology (new input and output devices, new interaction techniques …). This paper argues that these interactive systems are the very place where human‐system integration takes place. It is thus important to design, develop, test, certify and deploy them very carefully. Unfortunately, methods, techniques and tools from software and system engineering need deep tuning to be adapted to their characteristics. The paper presents a generic, customizable interactive system architecture and highlights how its components relate to the human operator. It also presents a taxonomy of possible faults that may degrade the behavior of the various components. We demonstrate that these two contributions can be jointly used to systematically identify possible faults (both in the operator and in the system) and proposes mechanisms to prevent, remove or tolerate them.
KLHL38 facilitates staurosporine‐induced apoptosis in HL‐1 cells via myocardin degradation
Authors: Luo Ying , Tian Lei , Liang Chen , Xu Yao
Published: February 2022

Cardiac apoptosis has been identified as one of the main precipitating factors of heart failure (HF) throughout the whole course of progressive disease. Limited to the lack of diagnostic markers and effective drug targets, cardiac apoptosis is still a major clinical challenge. Here, we reveal a potential novel therapeutic target for cardiac apoptosis. In the cause of the study, we found that KLHL38 was highly expressed in cardiac tissue of HF patients via GEO data‐mining, which was further verified in the heart tissue of transverse aortic constriction mice. Meanwhile, the expression of KLHL38 is negatively correlated with myocardin protein level, which is a key cardiac apoptosis regulator. The KLHL38 overexpression obviously promoted cardiomyocyte apoptosis treated with staurosporine by facilitation of myocardin's ubiquitylation and subsequent proteasomal degradation. These findings reveal a new therapeutic target, which may provide a new theoretical foundation for the treatment of myocardial apoptosis in clinical practice.
Transplantation of decellularised human amniotic membranes seeded with mesenchymal stem cell‐educated macrophages into animal models
Authors: Ebrahimi Loghman , Samadikuchaksaraei Ali , Joghataei Mohammad Taghi , Safa Majid , Abtahi Froushani Seyyed Meysam , Ghasemian Melina , Zolfaghari Samira , Mozafari Masoud , Brouki Milan Peiman
Published: February 2022

The reconstruction of chronic skin wounds remains a public health challenge in dermatology. Precisely controlling and monitoring the wound‐healing process should result in enhanced outcomes for the patient. Cell‐based therapies have shown great potential in medicine due to their immunomodulatory and healing properties. Herein, we produced activated macrophages by treating circulating monocytes with mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) supernatant. We also demonstrated the critical role of activated macrophages transplantation using amniotic membranes in accelerating wound healing in an animal wound model. The activated macrophages not only exhibited immunomodulatory cytokines like transforming growth factorβ (TGFβ) and interleukin 10 (and IL10) secretion but also showed attachment and proliferation ability on the amniotic membrane scaffold. Moreover, MSCs supernatant‐treated cells also displayed significant ARG1, CD206, and IL 10 genes expression. Inspired by the in vitro results, we examined the in vivo therapeutic efficacy of the activated macrophage transplantation using an acellular amniotic membrane carrier in a full‐thickness cutaneous wound model. The wound healing rate was significant in the group treated with macrophages generated via mesenchymal cell therapy seeded human amniotic membrane. There was less scarring in the wound sites after placing cell‐scaffold constructs in the wound sites in the animal models. Overall, macrophages stimulated with mesenchymal cells' supernatant exhibited improved healing processes in incisional wounds by decreasing the inflammatory phase, increasing angiogenesis, and reducing scar tissue development.
Surface tethered xylosidase activity improved xylan conversion in engineered strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae
Authors: Kruger Francois , den Haan Riaan
Published: February 2022

BACKGROUND

Second‐generation biofuel production strategies require utilization of the largest possible fraction of the available sugars in renewable biomass. Xylose can make up as much as 35% of plant dry cell weight (DCW), primarily in the form of the hemicellulose polymer xylan. Xylo‐oligosaccharides (XOS) are breakdown products of xylan released during pre‐treatment and hydrolysis that may inhibit the fermentation process. To enable growth on xylan and the removal of inhibitory XOS, CRISPR‐Cas9 was used to confer xylanase and GH43 xylosidase activity to xylose‐assimilating Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains. Xylosidase activity was engineered to be cell free or tethered to the yeast cell surface.

RESULTS

Gene‐integration and expression of both xylanolytic enzyme‐encoding genes was successful. Secretion yielded higher overall xylosidase activity when strains were cultivated on glucose, but cell‐associated activity was higher when strains were cultivated in the presence of xylose. Growth trials on both xylan and XOS showed that a combination of both enzymes, along with cell‐associated xylosidase production, resulted in the best growth on both substrates. The increased growth on xylan also translated to substantial improvements in ethanol production from polymeric xylan as sole carbon source.

CONCLUSION

Increased enzyme production, growth capabilities, and hemicellulosic substrate conversion due to cell‐tethered activity over secreted activity were shown for the first time. The use of a GH43 xylosidase to help avoid problematic transglycosylation for this purpose is also novel. The development of S. cerevisiae strains capable of xylan utilization and fermentation brings the industry a step closer to the ideal of utilizing the full range of sugars in biomass feedstocks for large scale ethanol production. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry (SCI).
Prairie strips’ effect on transport of antimicrobial resistance indicators in poultry litter
Authors: Flater Jared S. , Alt Laura M. , Soupir Michelle , Moorman Thomas B. , Howe Adina
Published: February 2022

Poultry litter is a valuable nutrient resource for agricultural production but is also a potential source for introducing antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and litter‐associated bacteria (LAB) to the environment. Prairie strips have been demonstrated as an effective conservation practice to improve environmental quality in agroecosystems. This research aims to assess prairie strips’ potential for reducing the transport of LAB and ARGs in runoff after litter application. Plot‐scale rainfall simulations were performed using a replicated block design, with soil and surface runoff samples taken during the rainfall event. Microbial taxa and ARGs were characterized in the litter, soil, and water samples. In plots with litter application, LAB and ARGs were mainly detected in runoff, with very low detection in soils. Detection of ARGs in runoff, irrespective of strip installations, is consistent with previous observations of litter as a source of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) risks. The effectiveness of prairie strips to remove LAB and ARGs varied. In two of the three prairie strip plots, fewer AMR indicators were detected relative to control plots, suggesting that the prairie strips can potentially reduce these risks. In one plot, which was also associated with increased flow rate, we observed increased AMR indicators despite the installation of a prairie strip. Our observations highlight the need to prioritize understanding of soil properties even within the same site. Although we show that prairie strips can potentially reduce AMR risks, further research is needed to better understand the influence of rainfall timing, soil, and litter characteristics.
Minimally invasive distal pancreatectomy: Chronologic changes in the trends and clinical outcomes through a 15‐year, single‐center experience with 2212 patients
Authors: Park Yejong , Hwang Dae Wook , Lee Jae Hoon , Song Ki Byung , Jun Eunsung , Lee Woohyung , Hong Sarang , Kim Song Cheol
Published: February 2022

Background

We identified the chronologic changes in the clinical outcomes of minimally invasive distal pancreatectomy (MIDP) for left‐sided pancreatic tumors in a single high‐volume center over a period of 15 years.

Methods

Between 2005 and 2019, 2212 patients underwent planned MIDP. Chronologic changes were analyzed according to 5‐year intervals (P1, P2, P3). Furthermore, we assessed the prognostic factors of open conversion and postoperative complications.

Results

Minimally invasive distal pancreatectomy has steadily increased during the last 15 years when compared to open distal pancreatectomy, from 10.8% to 84.9%. Also, MIDP for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) has been steadily increasing from 5.6% to 68.4%. According to the 5‐year intervals, lengths of hospital stay decreased, but age and American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) ≥3 increased; conversely, the rates of Clavien–Dindo classification ≥grade 3 (9.5%) and postoperative pancreatic fistula (39.7%) showed no differences. The 90‐day mortality and open conversion rates were 0.2% and 3.5%, respectively. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed malignancy and extended pancreatectomy were risk factors for open conversion. Furthermore, the poor prognostic factors for severe complications were malignancy, extended pancreatectomy, and ASA ≥3.

Conclusion

Minimally invasive distal pancreatectomy has become a popular procedure not only for benign cases but also for malignant ones. However, well‐organized training, experience and skill are necessary, especially for poor‐performance patients and extensively malignant conditions.
Accelerated exacerbation of global extreme heatwaves under warming scenarios
Authors: Han Qinmei , Sun Shao , Liu Zhao , Xu Wei , Shi Peijun
Published: February 2022

It is generally believed that global warming drives an increase in heatwaves, but these changes vary regionally. Projected trends of heatwaves and comparisons between observed and projected heatwave trends are poorly understood. We selected multiple characteristics of global heatwave events, including indicators on heat‐related health impacts under historical and future scenarios from the NASA Earth Exchange/Global Daily Downscaled Projections (NEX‐GDDP) dataset. We quantified the trends in the frequency, intensity, duration and peak temperature of heatwave events and identified heatwave hotspots that respond dramatically to radiative forcing. Future simulations suggest a four‐fold increase in the duration of heatwaves by 2050s, spatially concentrated in central Africa, northern South America and Southeast Asia, and the maximum duration of single heatwave event will be up to 44 days under a high emission scenario. Accelerated increasing trends are also detected in intensity, total duration and temperature of heatwaves with up to 2‐fold, 8‐fold and 9‐fold larger than the trends of the baseline period under the high emission scenario. Considering socioeconomic exposure to extreme heatwaves, we identified some hotspot areas in western Europe, eastern North America and northern China that will face greater potential risks in the coming future and therefore need to urgently strengthen their adaptation capacity.
Jordan constants of quaternion algebras over number fields and simple abelian surfaces over fields of positive characteristic
Authors: Hwang WonTae
Published: February 2022

We compute and provide a detailed description on the Jordan constants of the multiplicative subgroup of quaternion algebras over number fields of small degree. As an application, we determine the Jordan constants of the multiplicative subgroup of the endomorphism algebras of simple abelian surfaces over fields of positive characteristic.
Locus Coeruleus Shows a Spatial Pattern of Structural Disintegration in Parkinson's Disease
Authors: Madelung Christopher F. , Meder David , Fuglsang Søren A. , Marques Marta M. , Boer Vincent O. , Madsen Kristoffer H. , Petersen Esben T. , Hejl Anne‐Mette , Løkkegaard Annemette , Siebner Hartwig R.
Published: February 2022

Background

Parkinson's disease (PD) causes a loss of neuromelanin‐positive, noradrenergic neurons in the locus coeruleus (LC), which has been implicated in nonmotor dysfunction.

Objectives

We used “neuromelanin sensitive” magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to localize structural disintegration in the LC and its association with nonmotor dysfunction in PD.

Methods

A total of 42 patients with PD and 24 age‐matched healthy volunteers underwent magnetization transfer weighted (MTw) MRI of the LC. The contrast‐to‐noise ratio of the MTw signal (CNRMTw) was used as an index of structural LC integrity. We performed slicewise and voxelwise analyses to map spatial patterns of structural disintegration, complemented by principal component analysis (PCA). We also tested for correlations between regional CNRMTw and severity of nonmotor symptoms.

Results

Mean CNRMTw of the right LC was reduced in patients relative to controls. Voxelwise and slicewise analyses showed that the attenuation of CNRMTw was confined to the right mid‐caudal LC and linked regional CNRMTw to nonmotor symptoms. CNRMTw attenuation in the left mid‐caudal LC was associated with the orthostatic drop in systolic blood pressure, whereas CNRMTw attenuation in the caudal most portion of right LC correlated with apathy ratings. PCA identified a bilateral component that was more weakly expressed in patients. This component was characterized by a gradient in CNRMTw along the rostro‐caudal and dorso‐ventral axes of the nucleus. The individual expression score of this component reflected the overall severity of nonmotor symptoms.

Conclusion

A spatially heterogeneous disintegration of LC in PD may determine the individual expression of specific nonmotor symptoms such as orthostatic dysregulation or apathy. © 2022 The Authors. Movement Disorders published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of International Parkinson Movement Disorder Society.
The Contribution of Subthalamic Nucleus Deep Brain Stimulation to the Improvement in Motor Functions and Quality of Life
Authors: Tödt Inken , Al‐Fatly Bassam , Granert Oliver , Kühn Andrea A. , Krack Paul , Rau Joern , Timmermann Lars , Schnitzler Alfons , Paschen Steffen , Helmers Ann‐Kristin , Hartmann Andreas , Bardinet Eric , Schuepbach Michael , Barbe Michael T. , Dembek Till A. , Fraix Valerie , Kübler Dorothee , Brefel‐Courbon Christine , Gharabaghi Alireza , Wojtecki Lars , Pinsker Marcus O. , Thobois Stephane , Damier Philippe , Witjas Tatiana , Houeto Jean‐Luc , Schade‐Brittinger Carmen , Vidailhet Marie , Horn Andreas , Deuschl Günther
Published: February 2022

Background

Subthalamic nucleus deep brain stimulation (STN‐DBS) effectively treats motor symptoms and quality of life (QoL) of advanced and fluctuating early Parkinson's disease. Little is known about the relation between electrode position and changes in symptom control and ultimately QoL.

Objectives

The relation between the stimulated part of the STN and clinical outcomes, including the motor score of the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) and the quality‐of‐life questionnaire, was assessed in a subcohort of the EARLYSTIM study.

Methods

Sixty‐nine patients from the EARLYSTIM cohort who underwent DBS, with a comprehensive clinical characterization before and 24 months after surgery, were included. Intercorrelations of clinical outcome changes, correlation between the affected functional parts of the STN, and changes in clinical outcomes were investigated. We further calculated sweet spots for different clinical parameters.

Results

Improvements in the UPDRS III and Parkinson's Disease Questionnaire (PDQ‐39) correlated positively with the extent of the overlap with the sensorimotor STN. The sweet spots for the UPDRS III (x = 11.6,y = −13.1,z= −6.3) and the PDQ‐39 differed (x = 14.8,y = −12.4,z= −4.3) ~3.8 mm.

Conclusions

The main influence of DBS on QoL is likely mediated through the sensory‐motor basal ganglia loop. The PDQ sweet spot is located in a posteroventral spatial location in the STN territory. For aspects of QoL, however, there was also evidence of improvement through stimulation of the other STN subnuclei. More research is necessary to customize the DBS target to individual symptoms of each patient. © 2022 The Authors.Movement Disorderspublished by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society
Cranberry Proanthocyanidin and Its Microbial Metabolite 3,4‐Dihydroxyphenylacetic Acid, but Not 3‐(4‐Hydroxyphenyl)‐Propionic Acid, Partially Reverse Pro‐Inflammatory microRNA Responses in Human Intestinal Epithelial Cells
Authors: Lofft Zoe , Taibi Amel , Massara Paraskevi , Tokar Tomas , Paetau‐Robinson Inke , Khoo Christina , Comelli Elena M.
Published: February 2022

Scope

The molecular basis underlying the anti‐inflammatory and anticarcinogenic properties of cranberries is incompletely understood. The effects of a cranberry proanthocyanidin‐rich extract (PAC) and two of its gut microbial metabolites, 3,4‐dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DHPAA) and 3‐(4‐hydroxyphenyl)‐propionic acid (HPPA), on intestinal epithelial cells microRNA (miRNA) expression and their downstream pathways at homeostasis and in inflammatory conditions, are investigated.

Methods and Results

The expression of 799 miRNAs is quantitatively assessed in differentiated Caco‐2BBe1 cells pre‐treated with PAC, DHPAA, or HPPA and stimulated with interleukin (IL)‐1β or not. PAC, DHPAA, and HPPA generate subsets of shared and distinct miRNA responses. At homeostasis, miRNAs affected by the metabolites, but not PAC, targeted genes enriched in kinase, Wnt, and growth factor signaling, cell growth and proliferation, apoptosis, and specific cancer pathways. In an inflammatory environment, PAC and DHPAA, but not HPPA, reverses the expression of 16 and two IL‐1β‐induced miRNAs, respectively, regulating inflammatory and cancer pathways.

Conclusion

miRNA modulation is a novel mechanism for PAC bioactivity in the gut. The gut microbiota may be necessary to unlock these effects at homeostasis and partially in inflammation.