bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Fatty Acid Elongase 7 (ELOVL7) Plays a Role in the Synthesis of Long-Chain Unsaturated Fatty Acids in Goat Mammary Epithelial Cells
Authors: Shi Hengbo , Wang Li , Luo Jun , Liu Jianxin , Loor Juan. J. , Liu Hongyun
Published: June 2019

In humans, fatty acid elongase 7 (ELOVL7) plays a role in synthesis of long-chain saturated fatty acids. Whether ELOVL7 protein plays a role in ruminants is unclear. The transcript abundance of ELOVL7 in goat mammary tissue was assessed at three stages of lactation. Results showed that ELOVL7 had the highest expression in the dry period compared with peak and late lactation period. Results revealed that ELOVL7 overexpression was correlated with lower expression in diacylglycerol O-acyltransferase 2 (DGAT2) and stearoyl-CoA desaturase 1 (SCD1), and had no significant effect on triacylglycerol concentration. Overexpression of ELOVL7 significantly decreased the concentration of palmitoleic (C16:1n7) and oleic (C18:1n9) acid, and increased the concentration of vaccenic (C18:1n7) and linoleic (C18:2) acid. Overexpression of ELOVL7 significantly upregulated the elongation index of C16:1 in goat epithelial mammary cells (GMEC), but had a minor effect on that of palmitate (C16:0). Knockdown of ELOVL7 decreased mRNA expression of fatty acid binding protein 3 (FABP3) and fatty acid desaturase 2 (FADS2) and had a minor effect on triacylglycerol concentration; however, it increased concentration of C18:1n9 in GMEC. The elongation indices of C16:0 and C16:1 did not differ due to knockdown of ELOVL7. The minor change for the C16:0 and stearate (C18:0) was observed after activation of ELOVL7, suggesting the two fatty acids are not the preferential substrates of ELOVL7 in cultured GMEC. However, changes in C18:1n9 and C18:2 after overexpression or knockdown of ELOVL7 indicated a biological functional role of ELOVL7. Collectively, our data highlighted a role of ELOVL7 in long-chain unsaturated fatty acid elongation in goat mammary epithelial cells.
Compensating Uncertainties in Force Sensing for Robotic-Assisted Palpation
Authors: Guo Jing , Xiao Bo , Ren Hongliang
Published: June 2019

Force sensing in robotic-assisted minimally invasive surgery (RMIS) is crucial for performing dedicated surgical procedures, such as bilateral teleoperation and palpation. Due to the bio-compatibility and sterilization requirements, a specially designed surgical tool/shaft is normally attached to the sensor while contacting the organ targets. Through this design, the measured force from the sensor usually contains uncertainties, such as noise, inertial force etc., and thus cannot reflect the actual interaction force with the tissue environment. Motivated to provide the authentic contact force between a robotic tool and soft tissue, we proposed a data-driven force compensation scheme without intricate modeling to reduce the effects of force measurement uncertainties. In this paper, a neural-network-based approach is utilized to automatically model the inertial force subject to noise during the robotic palpation procedure, then the exact contact force can be obtained through the force compensation method which cancels the noise and inertial force. Following this approach, the genuine interaction force during the palpation task can be achieved furthermore to improve the appraisal of the tumor surrounded by the soft tissue. Experiments are conducted with robotic-assisted palpation tasks on a silicone-based soft tissue phantom and the results verify the effectiveness of the suggested method.
Clinical Applications of Optical Coherence Angiography Imaging in Ocular Vascular Diseases
Authors: Wong Claire L. , Ang Marcus , Tan Anna C. S.
Published: June 2019

Optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) provides us with a non-invasive and efficient means of imaging anterior and posterior segment vasculature in the eye. OCTA has been shown to be effective in imaging diseases such as diabetic retinopathy; retinal vein occlusions; retinal artery occlusions; ocular ischemic syndrome; and neovascularization of the iris. It is especially useful with depth-resolved imaging of the superficial, intermediate, and deep capillary plexi in the retina, which enables us to study and closely monitor disease progression and response to treatment. With further advances in technology, OCTA has the potential to become a more widely used tool in the clinical setting and may even supersede ocular angiography in some areas.
Assessing the Potential Highest Storm Tide Hazard in Taiwan Based on 40-Year Historical Typhoon Surge Hindcasting
Authors: Yu Yi-Chiang , Chen Hongey , Shih Hung-Ju , Chang Chih-Hsin , Hsiao Shih-Chun , Chen Wei-Bo , Chen Yung-Ming , Su Wen-Ray , Lin Lee-Yaw
Published: June 2019

Typhoon-induced storm surges are catastrophic disasters in coastal areas worldwide, although typhoon surges are not extremely high in Taiwan. However, the rising water level around an estuary could be a block that obstructs the flow of water away from the estuary and indirectly forms an overflow in the middle or lower reaches of a river if the occurrence of the highest storm surge (HSS) coincides with the highest astronomical tide (HAT). Therefore, assessing the highest storm tide (HST, a combination of the HSS and HAT) hazard level along the coast of Taiwan is particularly important to an early warning of riverine inundation. This study hindcasted the storm surges of 122 historical typhoon events from 1979 to 2018 using a high-resolution, unstructured-grid, surge-wave fully coupled model and a hybrid typhoon wind model. The long-term recording measurements at 28 tide-measuring stations around Taiwan were used to analyze the HAT characteristics. The hindcasted HSSs of each typhoon category (the Central Weather Bureau of Taiwan classified typhoon events into nine categories according to the typhoon’s track) were extracted and superposed on the HATs to produce the individual potential HST hazard maps. Each map was classified into six hazard levels (I to VI). Finally, a comprehensive potential HST hazard map was created based on the superposition of the HSSs from 122 typhoon events and HATs.
Occurrence and Coupling of Heat and Ozone Events and Their Relation to Mortality Rates in Berlin, Germany, between 2000 and 2014
Authors: Krug Alexander , Fenner Daniel , Holtmann Achim , Scherer Dieter
Published: June 2019

Episodes of hot weather and poor air quality pose significant consequences for public health. In this study, these episodes are addressed by applying the observational data of daily air temperature and ozone concentrations in an event-based risk assessment approach in order to detect individual heat and ozone events, as well as events of their co-occurrence in Berlin, Germany, in the years 2000 to 2014. Various threshold values are explored so as to identify these events and to search for the appropriate regressions between the threshold exceedances and mortality rates. The events are further analyzed in terms of their event-specific mortality rates and their temporal occurrences. The results reveal that at least 40% of all heat events during the study period are accompanied by increased ozone concentrations in Berlin, particularly the most intense and longest heat events. While ozone events alone are only weakly associated with increased mortality rates, elevated ozone concentrations during heat events are found to amplify mortality rates. We conclude that elevated air temperatures during heat events are one major driver for increased mortality rates in Berlin, but simultaneously occurring elevated ozone concentrations act as an additional stressor, leading to an increased risk for the regional population.
Generalized Hyers–Ulam Stability of the Additive Functional Equation
Authors: Lee Yang-Hi , Kim Gwang
Published: June 2019

We will prove the generalized Hyers–Ulam stability and the hyperstability of the additive functional equation f(x1 + y1, x2 + y2, …, xn + yn) = f(x1, x2, … xn) + f(y1, y2, …, yn). By restricting the domain of a mapping f that satisfies the inequality condition used in the assumption part of the stability theorem, we partially generalize the results of the stability theorems of the additive function equations.
Controlling the Antimicrobial Action of Surface Modified Magnesium Hydroxide Nanoparticles
Authors: Halbus Ahmed F. , Horozov Tommy S. , Paunov Vesselin N.
Published: June 2019

Magnesium hydroxide nanoparticles (Mg(OH)2NPs) have recently attracted significant attention due to their wide applications as environmentally friendly antimicrobial nanomaterials, with potentially low toxicity and low fabrication cost. Here, we describe the synthesis and characterisation of a range of surface modified Mg(OH)2NPs, including particle size distribution, crystallite size, zeta potential, isoelectric point, X-ray diffraction (XRD), dynamic light scattering (DLS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). We explored the antimicrobial activity of the modified Mg(OH)2NPs on the microalgae (C. reinhardtii), yeast (S. cerevisiae) and Escherichia coli (E. coli). The viability of these cells was evaluated for various concentrations and exposure times with Mg(OH)2NPs. It was discovered that the antimicrobial activity of the uncoated Mg(OH)2NPs on the viability of C. reinhardtii occurred at considerably lower particle concentrations than for S. cerevisiae and E. coli. Our results indicate that the antimicrobial activity of polyelectrolyte-coated Mg(OH)2NPs alternates with their surface charge. The anionic nanoparticles (Mg(OH)2NPs/PSS) have much lower antibacterial activity than the cationic ones (Mg(OH)2NPs/PSS/PAH and uncoated Mg(OH)2NPs). These findings could be explained by the lower adhesion of the Mg(OH)2NPs/PSS to the cell wall, because of electrostatic repulsion and the enhanced particle-cell adhesion due to electrostatic attraction in the case of cationic Mg(OH)2NPs. The results can be potentially applied to control the cytotoxicity and the antimicrobial activity of other inorganic nanoparticles.
Loss of PTEN in Fallopian Tube Epithelium Results in Multicellular Tumor Spheroid Formation and Metastasis to the Ovary
Authors: Dean Matthew , Jin Vivian , Bergsten Tova M. , Austin Julia R. , Lantvit Daniel D. , Russo Angela , Burdette Joanna E.
Published: June 2019

High-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSOC) can originate in the fallopian tube and then spread to the ovary. Our objective was to evaluate the role of multicellular tumor spheroids (MTS) in ovarian metastasis. By testing a panel of murine oviductal epithelial (MOE) cells with genetic alterations mimicking those seen in HGSOC, we found that loss of PTEN allowed MTS formation under ultra-low adhesion conditions. Confirming these results in vivo, MTS-like structures were observed in the oviducts of PAX8Cre/+ PTENflox/flox mice. MOE PTENshRNA cells could incorporate up to 25% wild type cells into MTS, while higher percentages of wild type cells resulted in a loss of MTS formation. MTS formation allowed MOE PTENshRNA cells to survive better under ultra-low adhesion conditions than control cells. MTS also attached to the ovarian stroma, as would be exposed during ovulation. Interestingly, MTS more robustly cleared monolayers of murine ovarian surface epithelia than murine ovarian fibroblasts. When xenografted into the ovarian bursa, OVCAR8 MTS were able to form tumors in the ovary at a similar rate as an equal number of OVCAR8 cells grown on traditional cell culture plastic. In conclusion, loss of a single gene (PTEN) allows the fallopian tube epithelia to form MTS, which survive better under ultra-low adhesion conditions, attach to the extracellular matrix exposed during ovulation, and colonize the ovary. These results suggest that MTS may contribute to seeding of the ovary in HGSOC patients.
MiRNAs Are Involved in Tall Cell Morphology in Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma
Authors: Boos Laura A. , Schmitt Anja , Moch Holger , Komminoth Paul , Simillion Cedric , Marinoni Ilaria , Nikiforov Yuri E. , Nikiforova Marina N. , Perren Aurel , Dettmer Matthias S.
Published: June 2019

Five percent of papillary thyroid carcinomas (PTC) show an adverse clinical outcome (ACO). The tall cell variant of papillary thyroid carcinomas (TCV) is a good predictor of an ACO, however, the identification of tall-cells is subjective. Micro RNAs are short non-coding ribonucleic acids (miRNA). Their expression in PTC could be a powerful, more objective predictor of prognosis. Methods: Forty-four PTC underwent miRNA profiling, twenty-four of them were TCV. The miRNA dataset was validated by analysis of expression of known target proteins (vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN)) in 125 patients including 48 TCV and 57 with an ACO. Results: One hundred and forty-nine miRNAs were significantly associated with an ACO, seventy-one of them with TC-morphology. Twenty-two miRNAs were identified as targets for VEGF and thirty-two as targets for PTEN. In univariate and multivariable analysis, reduced expression of PTEN and an increased expression of VEGF were associated with shorter relapse free survival. A classifier, including TC-morphology, pT-stage, VEGF, and PTEN, predicted relapse with an 80% accuracy. Conclusions: Some miRNAs predict outcome in PTC and are involved in TC-morphology in PTC. These miRNAs may serve as more objective indicators of an ACO than tall cell morphology. PTEN and VEGF protein expression are prognostically relevant and are at least partially regulated by miRNAs.
BMP2 and TGF-β Cooperate Differently during Synovial-Derived Stem-Cell Chondrogenesis in a Dexamethasone-Dependent Manner
Authors: Kovermann Nikolas , Basoli Valentina , Della Bella Elena , Alini Mauro , Lischer Christoph , Schmal Hagen , Kubosch Eva , Stoddart Martin
Published: June 2019

Recent studies highlighting mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) epigenetic memory suggest that a different differentiation medium may be required depending on the tissue of origin. As synovial-derived stem cells (SDSCs) attract interest we aimed to investigate the influence of TGF-β1, BMP-2 and dexamethasone on SDSC chondrogenesis in vitro. We demonstrate that dexamethasone-free medium led to enhanced chondrogenic differentiation at both the mRNA and matrix level. The greatest COL2A1/COL10A1 ratio was detected in cells exposed to a combination medium containing 10 ng/mL BMP-2 and 1 ng/mL TGF-β1 in the absence of dexamethasone, and this was reflected in the total amount of glycosaminoglycans produced. In summary, dexamethasone-free medium containing BMP-2 and TGF-β1 may be the most suitable when using SDSCs for cartilage tissue regeneration.
Molecular Mechanisms of Microglial Motility: Changes in Ageing and Alzheimer’s Disease
Authors: Franco-Bocanegra Diana K. , McAuley Ciaran , Nicoll James A. R. , Boche Delphine
Published: June 2019

Microglia are the tissue-resident immune cells of the central nervous system, where they constitute the first line of defense against any pathogens or injury. Microglia are highly motile cells and in order to carry out their function, they constantly undergo changes in their morphology to adapt to their environment. The microglial motility and morphological versatility are the result of a complex molecular machinery, mainly composed of mechanisms of organization of the actin cytoskeleton, coupled with a “sensory” system of membrane receptors that allow the cells to perceive changes in their microenvironment and modulate their responses. Evidence points to microglia as accountable for some of the changes observed in the brain during ageing, and microglia have a role in the development of neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s disease. The present review describes in detail the main mechanisms driving microglial motility in physiological conditions, namely, the cytoskeletal actin dynamics, with emphasis in proteins highly expressed in microglia, and the role of chemotactic membrane proteins, such as the fractalkine and purinergic receptors. The review further delves into the changes occurring to the involved proteins and pathways specifically during ageing and in Alzheimer’s disease, analyzing how these changes might participate in the development of this disease.
Multi-Scale Feature Fusion for Coal-Rock Recognition Based on Completed Local Binary Pattern and Convolution Neural Network
Authors: Liu Xiaoyang , Jing Wei , Zhou Mingxuan , Li Yuxing
Published: June 2019

Automatic coal-rock recognition is one of the critical technologies for intelligent coal mining and processing. Most existing coal-rock recognition methods have some defects, such as unsatisfactory performance and low robustness. To solve these problems, and taking distinctive visual features of coal and rock into consideration, the multi-scale feature fusion coal-rock recognition (MFFCRR) model based on a multi-scale Completed Local Binary Pattern (CLBP) and a Convolution Neural Network (CNN) is proposed in this paper. Firstly, the multi-scale CLBP features are extracted from coal-rock image samples in the Texture Feature Extraction (TFE) sub-model, which represents texture information of the coal-rock image. Secondly, the high-level deep features are extracted from coal-rock image samples in the Deep Feature Extraction (DFE) sub-model, which represents macroscopic information of the coal-rock image. The texture information and macroscopic information are acquired based on information theory. Thirdly, the multi-scale feature vector is generated by fusing the multi-scale CLBP feature vector and deep feature vector. Finally, multi-scale feature vectors are input to the nearest neighbor classifier with the chi-square distance to realize coal-rock recognition. Experimental results show the coal-rock image recognition accuracy of the proposed MFFCRR model reaches 97.9167%, which increased by 2%–3% compared with state-of-the-art coal-rock recognition methods.
Estimating the Mutual Information between Two Discrete, Asymmetric Variables with Limited Samples
Authors: Hernández Damián G. , Samengo Inés
Published: June 2019

Determining the strength of nonlinear, statistical dependencies between two variables is a crucial matter in many research fields. The established measure for quantifying such relations is the mutual information. However, estimating mutual information from limited samples is a challenging task. Since the mutual information is the difference of two entropies, the existing Bayesian estimators of entropy may be used to estimate information. This procedure, however, is still biased in the severely under-sampled regime. Here, we propose an alternative estimator that is applicable to those cases in which the marginal distribution of one of the two variables—the one with minimal entropy—is well sampled. The other variable, as well as the joint and conditional distributions, can be severely undersampled. We obtain a consistent estimator that presents very low bias, outperforming previous methods even when the sampled data contain few coincidences. As with other Bayesian estimators, our proposal focuses on the strength of the interaction between the two variables, without seeking to model the specific way in which they are related. A distinctive property of our method is that the main data statistics determining the amount of mutual information is the inhomogeneity of the conditional distribution of the low-entropy variable in those states in which the large-entropy variable registers coincidences.
The Salutogenic Management of Pedagogic Frailty: A Case of Educational Theory Development Using Concept Mapping
Authors: Kinchin Ian M.
Published: June 2019

This paper explores the development of educational theory (pedagogic frailty) that has emerged through the application of concept maps to understand teachers’ conceptions of their roles within the complex higher education environment. Within this conceptual paper, pedagogic frailty is reinterpreted using the lens offered by the concept of salutogenesis to place the model in a more positive frame that can offer greater utility for university managers. This development parallels changes in the consideration of mental health literacy (MHL) across university campuses and avoids misapplication of a deficit model to the professional enhancement of teaching quality. For a detailed explication of this wider perspective of pedagogic health literacy (PHL), the connections with related and supporting concepts need to be explained. These include ‘assets’, ‘wellness’ and a ‘sense of coherence’. Links between these concepts are introduced here. This reframing of the model has used concept mapping to explore the relationship between two complex ideas—pedagogic frailty and salutogenesis. It emphasizes pedagogic health as a continuum operating between frailty and resilience. Brief implications for academic development are included.
Harnessing Entropy via Predictive Analytics to Optimize Outcomes in the Pedagogical System: An Artificial Intelligence-Based Bayesian Networks Approach
Authors: HOW Meng-Leong , HUNG Wei Loong David
Published: June 2019

Educational stakeholders would be better informed if they could use their students’ formative assessments results and personal background attributes to predict the conditions for achieving favorable learning outcomes, and conversely, to gain awareness of the “at-risk” signals to prevent unfavorable or worst-case scenarios from happening. It remains, however, quite challenging to simulate predictive counterfactual scenarios and their outcomes, especially if the sample size is small, or if a baseline control group is unavailable. To overcome these constraints, the current paper proffers a Bayesian Networks approach to visualize the dynamics of the spread of “energy” within a pedagogical system, so that educational stakeholders, rather than computer scientists, can also harness entropy to work for them. The paper uses descriptive analytics to investigate “what has already happened?” in the collected data, followed by predictive analytics with controllable parameters to simulate outcomes of “what-if?” scenarios in the experimental Bayesian Network computational model to visualize how effects spread when interventions are applied. The conceptual framework and analytical procedures in this paper could be implemented using Bayesian Networks software, so that educational researchers and stakeholders would be able to use their own schools’ data and produce findings to inform and advance their practice.
A Survey on RF and Microwave Doherty Power Amplifier for Mobile Handset Applications
Authors: Sajedin Maryam , Elfergani I.T.E. , Rodriguez Jonathan , Abd-Alhameed Raed , Barciela Monica Fernandez
Published: June 2019

This survey addresses the cutting-edge load modulation microwave and radio frequency power amplifiers for next-generation wireless communication standards. The basic operational principle of the Doherty amplifier and its defective behavior that has been originated by transistor characteristics will be presented. Moreover, advance design architectures for enhancing the Doherty power amplifier’s performance in terms of higher efficiency and wider bandwidth characteristics, as well as the compact design techniques of Doherty amplifier that meets the requirements of legacy 5G handset applications, will be discussed.
3D Spatial Characteristics of C-V2X Communication Interference
Authors: Du Derong , Jian Xin , Wu Xuegang , Tan Yong , Zeng Xiaoping , Huang Shijian , Li Yadong
Published: June 2019

In C-V2X (cellular vehicle-to-everything) communication networks, dense spatial reuse of the available radio spectrum is required to achieve efficient spectral usage. Spectrum reuse causes severe network interference where signals from many undesired transmitters are aggregated at a receiver. This paper investigates the 3D spatial characteristics of C-V2X communication interference in the angular domain. A 3D GIDM (Gaussian interference distribution model) is proposed, and the corresponding interference APD (angular power density) is given. Then, the closed-form expressions of some key spatial statistics of interference are derived based on the interference APD. Finally, the closed-form expressions of the probability density function and spatial correlation function of SIR (signal–to–interference ratio) are derived based on the 3D multipath APD model and spatial statistics of the Rice channel. Simulation analysis shows that 3D spatial angular directions have significant effect on these spatial statistics of interference and the spatial correlation function of SIR. The results provide useful insight on the analysis and design of the interference-limited networks.
Construction of Wood-Based Lamella for Increased Load on Seating Furniture
Authors: Langová Nadežda , Réh Roman , Igaz Rastislav , Krišťák Ľuboš , Hitka Miloš , Joščák Pavol
Published: June 2019

The research on population shows that the count of overweight people has been constantly growing. Therefore, designing and modifying utility items, e.g., furniture should be brought into focus. Indeed, furniture function and safety is associated with the weight of a user. Current processes and standards dealing with the design of seating furniture do not meet the requirements of overweight users. The research is aimed at designing flexible chairs consisting of lamellae using the finite element method (FEM). Three types of glued lamellae based on wood with different number of layers and thickness were made and subsequently, their mechanical properties were tested. Values for modulus of elasticity and modulus of rupture were used to determine stress and deformation applying the FEM method for modelling flexible chairs. In this research, the methodology for evaluating the ultimate state of flexible chairs used to analyse deformation and stability was defined. The analysis confirms that several designed constructions meet the requirements of actual standards (valid for the weight of a user up to 110 kg) but fail to meet the requirements for weight gain of a population.
Food Supply Chain Stakeholders’ Perspectives on Sharing Information to Detect and Prevent Food Integrity Issues
Authors: Minnens Fien , Lucas Luijckx Niels , Verbeke Wim
Published: June 2019

One of the biggest challenges facing the food industry is assuring food integrity. Dealing with complex food integrity issues requires a multi-dimensional approach. Preventive actions and early reactive responses are key for the food supply chain. Information sharing could facilitate the detection and prevention of food integrity issues. This study investigates attitudes towards a food integrity information sharing system (FI-ISS) among stakeholders in the European food supply chain. Insights into stakeholders’ interest in participating and their conditions for joining an FI-ISS are assessed. The stakeholder consultation consisted of three rounds. During the first round, a total of 143 food industry stakeholders—covering all major food sectors susceptible to food integrity issues—participated in an online quantitative survey between November 2017 and February 2018. The second round, an online qualitative feedback survey in which the findings were presented, received feedback from 61 stakeholders from the food industry, food safety authorities and the science community. Finally, 37 stakeholders discussed the results in further detail during an interactive workshop in May 2018. Three distinct groups of industry stakeholders were identified based on reported frequency of occurrence and likelihood of detecting food integrity issues. Food industry stakeholders strongly support the concept of an FI-ISS, with an attitude score of 4.49 (standard deviation (S.D.) = 0.57) on a 5-point scale, and their willingness to participate is accordingly high (81%). Consensus exists regarding the advantages an FI-ISS can yield towards detection and prevention. A stakeholder’s perception of the advantages was identified as a predictor of their intention to join an FI-ISS, while their perception of the disadvantages and the perceived risk of food integrity issues were not. Medium-sized companies perceive the current detection of food integrity issues as less likely compared to smaller and large companies. Interestingly, medium-sized companies also have lower intentions to join an FI-ISS. Four key success factors for an FI-ISS are defined, more specifically with regards to (1) the actors to be involved in a system, (2) the information to be shared, (3) the third party to manage the FI-ISS and (4) the role of food safety authorities. Reactions diverged concerning the required level of transparency, the type of data that stakeholders might be willing to share in an FI-ISS and the role authorities can have within an FI-ISS.
Electromagnetic Fields, Genomic Instability and Cancer: A Systems Biological View
Authors: Naarala Jonne , Kolehmainen Mikko , Juutilainen Jukka
Published: June 2019

This review discusses the use of systems biology in understanding the biological effects of electromagnetic fields, with particular focus on induction of genomic instability and cancer. We introduce basic concepts of the dynamical systems theory such as the state space and attractors and the use of these concepts in understanding the behavior of complex biological systems. We then discuss genomic instability in the framework of the dynamical systems theory, and describe the hypothesis that environmentally induced genomic instability corresponds to abnormal attractor states; large enough environmental perturbations can force the biological system to leave normal evolutionarily optimized attractors (corresponding to normal cell phenotypes) and migrate to less stable variant attractors. We discuss experimental approaches that can be coupled with theoretical systems biology such as testable predictions, derived from the theory and experimental methods, that can be used for measuring the state of the complex biological system. We also review potentially informative studies and make recommendations for further studies.
Dementia-Related Functional Disability in Moderate to Advanced Parkinson’s Disease: Assessment Using the World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule 2.0
Authors: Chen Jia-Hung , Hong Chien-Tai , Wu Dean , Chi Wen-Chou , Yen Chia-Feng , Liao Hua-Fang , Chan Lung , Liou Tsan-Hon
Published: June 2019

Dementia is a common nonmotor condition among people with moderate or advanced Parkinson’s disease (PD). Undoubtedly, profound motor symptoms cause remarkable impairment in daily activities; however, dementia-related disabilities have not been thoroughly investigated, especially not with consideration of differences according to sex. The present study used the World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule 2.0 (WHODAS 2.0) to compare the functional disability between men and women with PD (PwP) with and without dementia. This study employed a registry of disability evaluation and functional assessment using the Taiwan Data Bank of Persons with Disability between July 2012 and October 2018. To investigate dementia-related disability in PwP, 1:1 matching by age and Hoehn-Yahr stage was conducted, which resulted in the inclusion of 1605 study participants in each group. The present study demonstrated that among the six major domains of WHODAS 2.0, the section of “Getting alone with others” was significantly worse in both genders of PwP with dementia; however, a greater disability in fulfilling activities of daily living was only noted in male PwP with dementia but not in their female counterparts. Neither the inability to provide self-care nor participation were significantly different between the sexes. Our findings suggested that deteriorating social relationships were a dementia-related disability in all PwP at the moderate and advanced disease stages. Regarding the performance of activities of daily living, deterioration was related to dementia only in male PwP. Such disabilities could indicate cognitive impairment in people with moderate or advanced PD and could be used as an indicator for the early detection of dementia in PwP by healthcare professionals through the easier functional assessment of the WHODAS 2.0.
Performance of Anaerobic Digestion of Chicken Manure Under Gradually Elevated Organic Loading Rates
Authors: Wang Fei , Pei Mengfu , Qiu Ling , Yao Yiqing , Zhang Congguang , Qiang Hong
Published: June 2019

Poultry manure is the main source of agricultural and rural non-point source pollution, and its effective disposal through anaerobic digestion (AD) is of great significance; meanwhile, the high nitrogen content of chicken manure makes it a typical feedstock for anaerobic digestion. The performance of chicken-manure-based AD at gradient organic loading rates (OLRs) in a continuous stirred tank reactor (CSTR) was investigated herein. The whole AD process was divided into five stages according to different OLRs, and it lasted for 150 days. The results showed that the biogas yield increased with increasing OLR, which was based on the volatile solids (VS), before reaching up to 11.5 g VS/(L·d), while the methane content was kept relatively stable and maintained at approximately 60%. However, when the VS was further increased to 11.5 g VS/(L·d), the total ammonia nitrogen (TAN), pH, and alkalinity (CaCO3) rose to 2560 mg·L−1, 8.2, and 15,000 mg·L−1, respectively, while the volumetric biogas production rate (VBPR), methane content, and VS removal efficiency decreased to 0.30 L·(L·d)−1, 45%, and 40%, respectively. Therefore, the AD performance immediately deteriorated and ammonia inhibition occurred. Further analysis demonstrated that the microbial biomass yield and concentrations dropped dramatically in this period. These results indicated that the AD stayed steady when the OLR was lower than 11.5 g VS/(L·d); this also provides valuable information for improving the efficiency and stability of AD of a nitrogen-rich substrate.
Diabetes Mellitus: An Independent Risk Factor of In-Hospital Mortality in Patients with Infective Endocarditis in a New Era of Clinical Practice
Authors: Lin Cheng-Jei , Chua Sarah , Chung Sheng-Ying , Hang Chi-Ling , Tsai Tzu-Hsien
Published: June 2019

Infective endocarditis (IE) is a severe disease with a hospital mortality rate of 17–25%. Early identification of IE patients with high risk of mortality may improve their clinical outcomes. Patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) who develop infective diseases are associated with worse outcomes. This study aimed to define the impact of DM on long-term mortality in IE patients. A total of 412 patients with definite IE from February 1999 to June 2012 were enrolled in this observational study and divided into 2 groups: group 1, patients with DM (n = 72) and group 2, patients without DM (n = 340). The overall in-hospital mortality rate for both groups combined was 20.2% and was higher in group 1 than in group 2 (41.7% vs. 16.5%, p < 0.01). Compared to patients without DM, patients with DM were older and associated with higher incidence of chronic diseases, less drug abuse, higher creatinine levels, and increased risk of Staphylococcus aureus infection (all p < 0.05). Moreover, they were more likely to have atypical clinical presentation and were associated with longer IE diagnosis time (all p < 0.05). In multivariable analysis, DM is an independent and significant predictor of mortality. The prognosis of IE patients with DM is still poor. Early identification and more aggressive treatment may be considered in IE patients with DM.
Public Perceptions of Contentious Risk: The Case of Rubber Granulate in the Netherlands
Authors: de Vries Marion , Claassen Liesbeth , Mennen Marcel , Timen Aura , te Wierik Margreet J. M. , Timmermans Danielle R. M.
Published: June 2019

This paper reports on the perceptions of risk related to practicing sports on fields containing rubber granulate infill, and preferences for mitigation measures, among people with and without offspring exposed to rubber granulate. Two repeated surveys were conducted among members of the general population and parents of children aged under 18, in the middle of a dynamic public discussion about the potential health risks of exposure to rubber granulate. The first survey (N = 1033) was administered in December 2016 at a time characterized by considerable public uncertainty and contrasting opinions in the public risk debate. The second survey (N = 782) was conducted in January 2017 after the publication of a risk assessment report, which concluded that practicing sport on fields containing rubber granulate is safe. Multilevel analyses were performed to study changes in perceptions of risk and mitigation preferences in the time between the two surveys, the influence of being familiar with new information following the risk assessment report, and the differences in the perceptions of risk and mitigation preferences between groups with and without offspring exposed to rubber granulate. The results of this study show that, initially, a substantial proportion of the Dutch public perceived practicing sports on fields containing rubber granulate as a potential health threat to children. Over time, after publication of a new risk assessment study stating that practicing sports on fields containing rubber granulate is safe, perceived risk and preferences for mitigation of this risk decreased, especially among those who were familiar with the new information. Parents of children under the age of 18, in particular those with children who were exposed to rubber granulate, were more likely to perceive the risk as higher and to prefer a stricter mitigation policy. These insights may be important to inform public health communication strategies with respect to the timing and tailoring of risk messages to various groups.
Transplantation of Adipose Stromal Cell Sheet Producing Hepatocyte Growth Factor Induces Pleiotropic Effect in Ischemic Skeletal Muscle
Authors: Boldyreva Maria A. , Shevchenko Evgeny K. , Molokotina Yuliya D. , Makarevich Pavel I. , Beloglazova Irina B. , Zubkova Ekaterina S. , Dergilev Konstantin V. , Tsokolaeva Zoya I. , Penkov Dmitry , Hsu Mu-Nung , Hu Yu-Chen , Parfyonova Yelena V.
Published: June 2019

Cell therapy remains a promising approach for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases. In this regard, the contemporary trend is the development of methods to overcome low cell viability and enhance their regenerative potential. In the present study, we evaluated the therapeutic potential of gene-modified adipose-derived stromal cells (ADSC) that overexpress hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) in a mice hind limb ischemia model. Angiogenic and neuroprotective effects were assessed following ADSC transplantation in suspension or in the form of cell sheet. We found superior blood flow restoration, tissue vascularization and innervation, and fibrosis reduction after transplantation of HGF-producing ADSC sheet compared to other groups. We suggest that the observed effects are determined by pleiotropic effects of HGF, along with the multifactorial paracrine action of ADSC which remain viable and functionally active within the engineered cell construct. Thus, we demonstrated the high therapeutic potential of the utilized approach for skeletal muscle recovery after ischemic damage associated with complex tissue degenerative effects.
Correction: Bonior, J., et al. Capsaicin-Sensitive Sensory Nerves Are Necessary for the Protective Effect of Ghrelin in Cerulein-Induced Acute Pancreatitis in Rats. Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2017, 18, 1402
Authors: Bonior Joanna , Warzecha Zygmunt , Ceranowicz Piotr , Gajdosz Ryszard , Pierzchalski Piotr , Kot Michalina , Leja-Szpak Anna , Nawrot-Porąbka Katarzyna , Link-Lenczowski Paweł , Pędziwiatr Michał , Olszanecki Rafał , Bartuś Krzysztof , Trąbka Rafał , Kuśnierz-Cabala Beata , Dembiński Artur , Jaworek Jolanta
Published: June 2019

We would like to submit the correction to our published paper [...]
Diabetic Pregnancy and Maternal High-Fat Diet Impair Mitochondrial Dynamism in the Developing Fetal Rat Heart by Sex-Specific Mechanisms
Authors: Larsen Tricia D. , Sabey Kyle H. , Knutson Alexis J. , Gandy Tyler C. T. , Louwagie Eli J. , Lauterboeck Lothar , Mdaki Kennedy S. , Baack Michelle L.
Published: June 2019

Infants born to diabetic or obese mothers are at greater risk of heart disease at birth and throughout life, but prevention is hindered because underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. Using a rat model, we showed that prenatal exposure to maternal diabetes and a high-fat diet caused diastolic and systolic dysfunction, myocardial lipid accumulation, decreased respiratory capacity, and oxidative stress in newborn offspring hearts. This study aimed to determine whether mitochondrial dynamism played a role. Using confocal live-cell imaging, we examined mitochondrial dynamics in neonatal rat cardiomyocytes (NRCM) from four prenatally exposed groups: controls, diabetes, high-fat diet, and combination exposed. Cardiac expression of dynamism-related genes and proteins were compared, and gender-specific differences were evaluated. Findings show that normal NRCM have highly dynamic mitochondria with a well-balanced number of fusion and fission events. Prenatal exposure to diabetes or a high-fat diet impaired dynamism resulting in shorter, wider mitochondria. Mechanisms of impaired dynamism were gender-specific and protein regulated. Females had higher expression of fusion proteins which may confer a cardioprotective effect. Prenatally exposed male hearts had post-translational modifications known to impair dynamism and influence mitophagy-mediated cell death. This study identifies mitochondrial fusion and fission proteins as targetable, pathogenic regulators of heart health in offspring exposed to excess circulating maternal fuels.
Transcriptomic Analysis Reveals the High-Oleic Acid Feedback Regulating the Homologous Gene Expression of Stearoyl-ACP Desaturase 2 (SAD2) in Peanuts
Authors: Liu Hao , Gu Jianzhong , Lu Qing , Li Haifen , Hong Yanbin , Chen Xiaoping , Ren Li , Deng Li , Liang Xuanqiang
Published: June 2019

Peanuts with high oleic acid content are usually considered to be beneficial for human health and edible oil storage. In breeding practice, peanut lines with high monounsaturated fatty acids are selected using fatty acid desaturase 2 (FAD2), which is responsible for the conversion of oleic acid (C18:1) to linoleic acid (C18:2). Here, comparative transcriptomics were used to analyze the global gene expression profile of high- and normal-oleic peanut cultivars at six time points during seed development. First, the mutant type of FAD2 was determined in the high-oleic peanut (H176). The result suggested that early translation termination occurred simultaneously in the coding sequence of FAD2-A and FAD2-B, and the cultivar H176 is capable of utilizing a potential germplasm resource for future high-oleic peanut breeding. Furthermore, transcriptomic analysis identified 74 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) involved in lipid metabolism in high-oleic peanut seed, of which five DEGs encoded the fatty acid desaturase. Aradu.XM2MR belonged to the homologous gene of stearoyl-ACP (acyl carrier protein) desaturase 2 (SAD2) that converted the C18:0 into C18:1. Further subcellular localization studies indicated that FAD2 was located at the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), and Aradu.XM2MR was targeted to the plastid in Arabidopsis protoplast cells. To examine the dynamic mechanism of this finding, we focused on the peroxidase (POD)-mediated fatty acid (FA) degradation pathway. The fad2 mutant significantly increased the POD activity and H2O2 concentration at the early stage of seed development, implying that redox signaling likely acted as a messenger to connect the signaling transduction between the high-oleic content and Aradu.XM2MR transcription level. Taken together, transcriptome analysis revealed the feedback mechanism of SAD2 (Aradu.XM2MR) associated with FAD2 mutation during the seed developmental stage, which could provide a potential peanut breeding strategy based on identified candidate genes to improve the content of oleic acid.
A Free-Operant Reward-Tracking Paradigm to Study Neural Mechanisms and Neurochemical Modulation of Adaptive Behavior in Rats
Authors: Stoilova Vanya V. , Wette Sina A. , Stüttgen Maik C.
Published: June 2019

The ability to respond flexibly to changing environmental circumstances is a hallmark of goal-directed behavior, and compromised flexibility is associated with a wide range of psychiatric conditions in humans, such as addiction and stress-related disorders. To identify neural circuits and transmitter systems implicated in the provision of cognitive flexibility, suitable animal paradigms are needed. Ideally, such models should be easy to implement, allow for rapid task acquisition, provide multiple behavioral readouts, and permit combination with physiological and pharmacological testing and manipulation. Here, we describe a paradigm meeting these requirements and employ it to investigate the neural substrates and neurochemical modulation of adaptive behavior. Water-restricted rats learned to emit operant responses for positive reinforcement (water reward) within minutes in a free-operant conditioning environment. Without further training, animals were able to track changes in the reward schedule. Given prior evidence that the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and the dopaminergic system are required for flexible behavior, we aimed to assess both in more detail. Silencing of mPFC compromised flexible behavior when avoidance of punishment was required. Systemic injections of the D2-receptor agonist quinpirole and the D2-receptor antagonist eticlopride had complex, differential impacts on reward seeking and adaptive behavior.
Genome-Wide Analysis of ROS Antioxidant Genes in Resurrection Species Suggest an Involvement of Distinct ROS Detoxification Systems during Desiccation
Authors: Gupta Saurabh , Dong Yanni , Dijkwel Paul P. , Mueller-Roeber Bernd , Gechev Tsanko S.
Published: June 2019

Abiotic stress is one of the major threats to plant crop yield and productivity. When plants are exposed to stress, production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) increases, which could lead to extensive cellular damage and hence crop loss. During evolution, plants have acquired antioxidant defense systems which can not only detoxify ROS but also adjust ROS levels required for proper cell signaling. Ascorbate peroxidase (APX), glutathione peroxidase (GPX), catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) are crucial enzymes involved in ROS detoxification. In this study, 40 putative APX, 28 GPX, 16 CAT, and 41 SOD genes were identified from genomes of the resurrection species Boea hygrometrica, Selaginella lepidophylla, Xerophyta viscosa, and Oropetium thomaeum, and the mesophile Selaginella moellendorffii. Phylogenetic analyses classified the APX, GPX, and SOD proteins into five clades each, and CAT proteins into three clades. Using co-expression network analysis, various regulatory modules were discovered, mainly involving glutathione, that likely work together to maintain ROS homeostasis upon desiccation stress in resurrection species. These regulatory modules also support the existence of species-specific ROS detoxification systems. The results suggest molecular pathways that regulate ROS in resurrection species and the role of APX, GPX, CAT and SOD genes in resurrection species during stress.