bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
EFEKTIVITAS PEMBELAJARAN MATEMATIKA BERBASIS DARING (E-LEARNING) TERHADAP KEPERCAYAAN DIRI SISWA KELAS V SDI Al-HUSNA
Authors: Dwi Santy Intan Safira , Pujiastuti Heni
Published: November 2021

Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui efektivitas pembelajaran matematika berbasis daring (e-learning) terhadap kepercayaan diri siswa di SDI Al-Husna. Pada masa kini, proses pembelajaran dengan menggunakan E-learning dapat bersifat interaktif sehingga siswa mampu berinteraksi dengan teknologi sebagai media belajarnya. Dikarenakan banyaknya pengaruh luar yang tidak diawasi oleh guru sehingga ketidakfokusan siswa berkurang terhadap materi yang disampaikan, akibatnya siswa tidak menyimak dengan baik, siswa tersebut tertinggal dan enggan untuk bertanya kembali, sehingga rasa kepercayaan diri siswa berkurang, baik untuk bertanya maupun berpendapat. Kurangnya kepercayaan diri siswa terhadap dirinya sendiri dapat berpengaruh terhadap pola berpikirnya, sehingga sering menutup diri. Masalah kepercayaan diri pada individu menjadi prioritas yang harus dibangun untuk mengefektifkan pembelajaran berbasis e-learning. Metode pengumpulan data yang diambil adalah dengan memberikan angket kepada siswa.
Joint Chilean and US mobility testing in extreme environments
Authors: Parker Michael , Stott Alex , Quinn Brian , Elder Bruce , Meehan Tate , Shoop Sally
Published: November 2021

Vehicle mobility in cold and challenging terrains is of interest to both the US and Chilean Armies. Mobility in winter conditions is highly vehicle dependent with autonomous vehicles experiencing additional challenges over manned vehicles. They lack the ability to make informed decisions based on what they are “seeing” and instead need to rely on input from sensors on the vehicle, or from Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) or satellite data collections. This work focuses on onboard vehicle Controller Area Network (CAN) Bus sensors, driver input sensors, and some externally mounted sensors to assist with terrain identification and overall vehicle mobility. Analysis of winter vehicle/sensor data collected in collaboration with the Chilean Army in Lonquimay, Chile during July and August 2019 will be discussed in this report.
Analyzing the Impacts of Meshing and Grid Alignment in Dual-Porosity Dual-Permeability Upscaling
Authors: Xu Ziming , Leung Juliana Y.
Published: November 2021

The discrete fracture network (DFN) model is widely used to simulate and represent the complex fractures occurring over multiple length scales. However, computational constraints often necessitate that these DFN models be upscaled into a dual-porosity dual-permeability (DPDK) model and discretized over a corner-point grid system, which is still commonly implemented in many commercial simulation packages. Many analytical upscaling techniques are applicable, provided that the fracture density is high, but this condition generally does not hold in most unconventional reservoir settings. A particular undesirable outcome is that connectivity between neighboring fracture cells could be erroneously removed if the fracture plane connecting the two cells is not aligned along the meshing direction.

In this work, we propose a novel scheme to detect such misalignments and to adjust the DPDK fracture parameters locally, such that the proper fracture connectivity can be restored. A search subroutine is implemented to identify any diagonally adjacent cells of which the connectivity has been erroneously removed during the upscaling step. A correction scheme is implemented to facilitate a local adjustment to the shape factors in the vicinity of these two cells while ensuring the local fracture intensity remains unaffected. The results are assessed in terms of the stimulated reservoir volume calculations, and the sensitivity to fracture intensity is analyzed.

The method is tested on a set of tight oil models constructed based on the Bakken Formation. Simulation results of the corrected, upscaled models are closer to those of DFN simulations. There is a noticeable improvement in the production after restoring the connectivity between those previously disconnected cells. The difference is most significant in cases with medium DFN density, where more fracture cells become disconnected after upscaling (this is also when most analytical upscaling techniques are no longer valid); in some 2D cases, up to a 22% difference in cumulative production is recorded. Ignoring the impacts of mesh discretization could result in an unintended reduction in the simulated fracture connectivity and a considerable underestimation of the cumulative production.
A Novel Smart Textiles To Reflect Emotion
Authors: DAI JINGYU , DUAN LING , DAI HONGYU , XIE YUTONG
Published: November 2021

The present study designs a wearable smart device regarding relationship between temperature and emotion. The device, amplifies, and sub-regionally transmits the current generated by the body temperature thermoelectric generator through a smart body temperature sensor. Different areas of clothing produce controllable and intelligent color, so that adult emotions can be understood through changes in clothing colors, which is conducive to judging their moods and promoting social interaction. Experimental results show that the device can accurately detect changes in human body temperature under hilarious, fearful, soothing, and angry emotions, so as to achieve changes in clothing colors, namely blue, red, green, and brown.
Sublethal Effects of The Toxic Alga Karlodinium Veneficum On Fish
Authors: Llanos-Rivera Alejandra , Álvarez-Muñoz Katia , Astuya-Villalón Allisson , López-Rosales Lorezo , García-Camacho Francisco , Sánchez-Mirón Asterio , Krock Bernd , Rodriguez Juan Jose Gallardo
Published: November 2021

Dinoflagellates of the genus Karlodinium are ichthyotoxic species that produce karlotoxins. Karlotoxins show hemolytic and cytotoxic activities and have been associated with fish mortality. This study evaluated the effect of toxins released into the environment of Karlodinium veneficum strain K10 (Ebro Delta, NW Mediterranean) on the early stages of Danio rerio (zebrafish). Extracts of supernatant of K10 contained KmTx-10, -11, -12, -13, and a sulfated form of KmTx-10. Total egg mortality was observed for karlotoxins concentration higher than 2.69 µg L−1 and the 1.35 µg L−1, 87% of development anomalies were evidenced (concentrations expressed as KmTx-2 equivalent). Larvae of 8 days post-fertilization exposed to 1.35 µg L−1 presented epithelial damage with 80% of cells in the early apoptotic stage. Our results indicate that supernatants with low concentration of KmTxs produce both lethal and sublethal effects in early fish stages. Moreover, apoptosis was induced at concentrations as low as 0.01 µg L−1. This is of great relevance since detrimental long-term effects due to exposure to low concentrations of these substances could affect wild and cultured fish.
METTL1 Mediated m7G Modification Regulates Ferroptosis and Chemotherapy Resistance via Involvement of pri-miR-26a/FTH1 Axis in Osteosarcoma
Authors: Yuan Ye , He Mingyu , Wang Yang , Pu Jiaying , Shen Zhihua , Wang Tong , Li Guanghui , Mei Zhongting , Wang Ao , Ren Zijing , Liu Ying , Wang Wenbo , Liu Xiaoyan , Lei Hong , He Xiaoqi , Liu Qian , Hong Jinhuan , Du Weijie , Yang Lei
Published: November 2021

Background

N7-Methyladenosine (m7G), one of the most prevalent internal modifications in mammalian RNAs, makes a great contribution to many bioprocesses. However, its functions and underlying mechanisms in the occurrence and development of osteosarcoma remain elusive.
Methods

The expression of METTL1 and its correlation with clinicopathological features using tissue microarrays and the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) dataset.Targets of METTL1 on osteosarcoma were identified by AlkAniline-seq, RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP), quantitative real-time PCR, western blot and luciferase assays. The effects of METTL1 on the biological characteristics of osteosarcoma cells were investigated on the basis of gain- and loss-of-function analyses. Ferroptosis were analyzed by lipid peroxidation assay, iron assay and ransmission electron microscopy (TEM). Subcutaneous models further uncovered the role of METTL1 in tumour growth.
Results

Here, we have identified that METTL1, an m7G methyltransferase, is low expressed in osteosarcoma tissues and plays an antitumor role in osteosarcoma. Mechanistically, METTL1 enhances cell ferroptosis by targeting pri-miR-26a and promoting its mature through m7G methylation, which could target FTH1 mRNA and eliminate FTH1 translation efficiency mediated by METTL1. FTH1 is the main component of ferritin which is crucial for iron homeostasis and the inhibition of lipid peroxidation. Reduction of FTH1 translation dramatically increases ferroptosis and enhances osteosarcoma chemosensitivity.
Conclusions

Collectively, our study demonstrates the METTL1/pri-miR-26a/FTH1 axis signaling in osteosarcoma and highlights the functional importance of METTL1 and m7G methylation in the progression and chemotherapy resistance of osteosarcoma, suggesting that reprogramming RNA m7G methylation as a potential and promising strategy for osteosarcoma treatment.
Screening and Identification of The Key LncRNAs Associated With Fat Deposition in Ovine Tail
Authors: Su Xiaohui , He Haiying , Fang Chao , Liu Lingling , Liu Wujun
Published: November 2021

Background: Sheep is an important meat-producing animal, and low tail fat deposition level has become one of the main targets of meat production. LncRNAs have recently received special attention due to their critical role in many important biological processes. There are few reports on its regulatory function in ovine fat deposition. In this study, two sheep populations with different tail types in Xinjiang, Bashby sheep (fat-tailed) and the hybrid population of Bashby sheep and wild argali (small-tailed), were selected for whole transcriptome resequencing from their tail tissues. Results: First, 728 differentially expressed lncRNA (DElncRNAs) of tail fat between Bashby and F2 sheep were identified by RNA-seq. Second, the tissue expression profile and relative expression difference between Bashby and F2 sheep of 7 of 728 DE lncRNAs were analyzed by RT-PCR. We conclude that MSTRG.37980, MSTRG.38164, MSTRG.36912 and MSTRG.36913 positively regulate fat deposition, while MSTRG.8169, MSTRG.24995 and MSTRG.31389 inhibit fat deposition. Third, GO and KEGG analysis revealed that lncRNA targets were mainly participated in energy metabolism, growth and development and immunity, such as viral carcinogenesis, Chemokine signaling pathway, B cell receptor signaling pathway. And the expression pattern of target genes in each tissue was similar to that of the corresponding lncRNAs, which required us to conduct further research on target genes. Conclusions: This study was the first to systematically identify fat deposition-associated lncRNAs in ovine tail fat and construct DElncRNAs profiles. Our findings will help understand the molecular mechanism of fat deposition from transcriptomic perspectives.
Prognostic Value and Biological Function of LRRN4 in Colorectal Cancer
Authors: Xu Cheng , Chen Yulin , Long Feiwu , Ye Junman , Li Xue , Huang Qiaorong , Yao Dejiao , Wang Xiaoli , Zhao Jin , Meng Wentong , Mo Xianming , Lu Ran , Fan Chuanwen , Zhang Tao
Published: November 2021

Background: Several nervous and nerve-related biomarkers have been detected in colorectal cancer (CRC) and can contribute to the progression of CRC. However, the role of leucine-rich repeat neuronal 4 (LRRN4), a recently identified neurogenic marker, in CRC remains unclear. Methods: We examined the expression and the clinical outcomes of LRRN4 in CRC from TCGA-COREAD mRNA-sequencing datasets and immunohistochemistry on the Chinese cohort. Furthermore, the colony formation, flow cytometry, wound healing assay and mouse xenograft models were used to investigate the biological significance of LRRN4 in CRC cell lines with LRRN4 knockdown or overexpression in vitro and in vivo. In addition, weighted co-expression network analysis and DAVID were used to explore the potential molecular mechanism. Results: We provide the first evidence that LRRN4 expression, at both the protein and mRNA level, was remarkable high in CRC compared to controls and positively correlated with the clinical outcome of CRC patients. Specifically, LRRN4 was an independent prognostic factor for progression-free survival and overall survival in CRC patients. Further functional experiments showed that LRRN4 promoted cell proliferation, cell DNA synthesis and cell migration and inhibited apoptosis. Knockdown of LRRN4 can correspondingly decrease these effects in vitro and can significantly suppress the growth of xenografts. Several biological functions and signaling pathways were regulated by LRRN4, including proteoglycans in cancer, glutamatergic synapse, Ras, MAPK and PI3K.Conclusions: Our results suggest that LRRN4 could be a biological and molecular determinant to stratify CRC patients into distinct risk categories, and mechanistically, this is likely attributable to LRRN4 in regulating several malignant phenotypes of neoplastic cells via cancer-related pathways.
The Effect of Stress, Worries and Resilience on Sleep Quality of Chinese Population During the Normalization of COVID-19 Pandemic Prevention and Control
Authors: Ma Hongfei , Liu Minghui , Zhao Shuang , Long Meijun , Diao Yucong , Feng Ziyi , Wu Hui , Wang Yang
Published: November 2021

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has spread worldwide and has attracted considerable attention. This study aims to investigate the sleep quality of the public during the normalization of COVID-19 pandemic prevention and control in China, as well as related factors that affect sleep quality. Methods: A web-based cross-sectional survey was implemented from Feb 2nd to Feb 9th, 2021 in China. A total of 613 subjects from 27 provinces and 4 municipalities participated in this study. Questionnaire including Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), COVID Stress Scale (CSS), COVID-19 Worry Scale and 14-item Resilience Scale (the RS-14) as well as demographic characteristics and pandemic-related information was used to measure sleep quality, stress, worries and resilience of Chinese population. Hierarchical multiple regression analysis was conducted to explore the associated factors of sleep quality.Results: The prevalence of poor sleep quality among 613 participants was 41.1% (95%CI=37.2%-45%). Regression analysis indicated that chronic diseases, medical visits, occupation, and negative life events were factors affecting sleep quality. Stress and worries were positively associated with score of sleep quality, while resilience was negatively associated with score of sleep quality. Conclusions: During the normalization of COVID-19 pandemic prevention and control, Chinese public has poor sleep quality. Effective interventions should be taken to decrease people’s COVID-19 stress and worries. Resilience enhancement is also an important factor to be considered to improve people’s sleep quality.
COVID-Inconfidentes: How did COVID-19 and home office influence the prevalence of leisure-time physical inactivity? An analysis of before and during the pandemic
Authors: de Moura¹ ² Samara Silva , Menezes-Júnior¹ ² Luiz Antônio Alves , Rocha² Ana Maria Sampaio , Lourenção² Luciano Garcia , Carraro¹ Júlia Cristina Cardoso , Machado-Coelho¹ ² George Luiz Lins , Meireles² Adriana Lúcia
Published: November 2021

Background

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought drastic changes to the lives of the global population. The restrictions imposed by government agencies impacted the daily lives of citizens, influencing several health behaviors, such as physical activity (PA). Thus, the present study aimed to assess the prevalence of physical inactivity (PI) and its associated factors before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Methods

A population-based household seroepidemiological survey was conducted in two Brazilian municipalities located in the state of Minas Gerais, in which 1750 volunteers were interviewed between October and December 2020. Face-to-face interviews were conducted using a structured questionnaire in an electronic format. The moments considered for the PI analysis were M0 (before the pandemic), M1 (from March to July 2020), and M2 (from October to December 2020). Descriptive statistics and univariate and multivariate logistic regression were used to examine the factors associated with PI before (M0) and during the pandemic (M1 and M2).
Results

The prevalence of PI was higher in the first months of the pandemic (M1) (67.3%; 95% confidence interval (CI): 62.4-71.9) than in the months from October to December 2020 (M2) (58.7%; 95% CI: 52.8-64.3); however, at both times (M1 and M2), PI was more prevalent than in the period before the pandemic started (M0) (39.7%; 95% CI: 35.6-43.8). Individuals who were overweight, obese, and had low educational levels were more likely to be physically inactive. At both M1 and M2, individuals who worked at a home office were less likely to have PI.
Conclusions

The results suggest that the COVID-19 pandemic negatively influenced PA, substantially increasing the prevalence of PI. The determinants associated with PI were education, body mass index, and home office work.
miRNA-485-5p, an Inflammation-Related microRNA, May be a Diagnostic Biomarker of Rheumatoid Arthritis
Authors: Jiang Dan , Zheng Ximing , Chen Jian , Zhang Aijun , Xu Guangxian
Published: November 2021

Background

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic systematic autoimmune disorder that is characterized by symmetrical and inflammatory destruction of distal joints. Dysregulation of microRNAs(miRNAs) are frequently involved in inflammation, and can contribute to pathogenesis and progression of RA. This study aimed to investigate the expression of multiple inflammation-related miRNAs of RA patients and the latent mechanism, and identify novel diagnostic biomarkers.
Methods

Samples of 100 patients with RA and 72 healthy controls were included. The expression of predicted inflammation-related miRNAs, including miR-16, miR-17, miR-132, miR-140, miR-150, miR-181, miR-200-c, miR-203, miR-223 and miR-485-5p and RA associated genes, including IL-17, IL-18, DAS-28, MMP3, TLR-4, IRAK-4 in plasma and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of RA patients compared with healthy controls (HC), were detected by qRT-PCR and ELISA. The interaction between miR-485-5p and TLR-4 or IRAK-4 was verified through dual luciferase report assays, western-blot and correlation analysis. The potential of miR-485-5p to be a biomarker for RA diagnostics was valued by ROC curves.
Results

Among the differentially expressed miRNAs, the expression of miR-485-5p exhibited significantly lower in plasma and PBMCs of the RA patients and was well relevant in the various body fluid samples. The expression of miR-485-5p was negatively correlated with the expression of DAS-28, IL-17, IL-18 and MMP-3, which are significant features of RA. Moreover, the ROC curve of plasma and PBMC miR-485-5p for RA revealed a high diagnostic accuracy. Furthermore, miR-485-5p could inhibit the expression of inflammatory cytokines in macrophages by targeting TLR4 and IRAK4, and the expression of miR-485-5p negatively correlated with the level of TLR4 and IRAK4 in the plasma of RA.
Conclusion

Collectively, our results indicated that down-expression of miR-485-5p was remarkably related to the deterioration of RA progression via the impact on inflammatory cytokines in macrophages, and may serve as a potential diagnostic biomarker and therapeutic target for RA.
Amphipathic Dendritic Poly-peptides Carrier to Deliver Antisense Oligonucleotides Against Multi-drug Resistant Bacteria in Vitro and in Vivo
Authors: Chen Zhou , Hu Yue , Mao Xinggang , Nie Dan , Zhao Hui , Hou Zheng , Li Mingkai , Meng Jingru , Luo Xiaoxing , Xue Xiaoyan
Published: November 2021

Background: Outbreaks of infection due to multidrug-resistant bacteria, especially gram-negative bacteria, have become a global health issue in both hospitals and communities. Antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) based therapeutics hold a great promise for treating infections caused by multidrug-resistant bacteria. However, ASOs therapeutics are strangled because of its low cell penetration efficiency caused by the high molecular weight and hydrophilicity.Results: Here, we designed a series of dendritic poly-peptides (DPP1 to DPP12) to encapsulate ASOs to form DSPE-mPEG2000 decorated ASOs/DPP nanoparticles (DP-AD1 to DP-AD12) and observed that amphipathic DP-AD2, 3, 7 or 8 with a positive charge ≥ 8 showed great efficiency to deliver ASOs into bacteria, but only the two histidine residues contained DP-AD7 and DP-AD8 significantly inhibited the bacterial growth and the targeted gene expression of tested bacteria in vitro. DP-AD7anti-acpP remarkably increased the survival rate of septic mice infected by ESBLs-E. coli, exhibiting strong antibacterial effects in vivo.Conclusions: For the first time, we designed DPP as a potent carrier to deliver ASOs for combating MDR bacteria and demonstrated essential features, namely, amphipathicity, 8–10 positive charges, and 2 histidine residues, that are required for efficient DPP based delivery, and provide a novel approach for the development and research of the antisense antibacterial strategy.
Biochemical Signatures in Growth Hormone Deficiency: a Pilot Study Using Metabolomics Approaches by Direct Infusion-mass Spectrometry
Authors: De San-Martin Breno , Ferreira Vinícius , Bitencourt Mariana , Pereira Paulo Cesar , Furtado Danielle , Ferreira Rodolfo , Carrilho Emanuel , Carvalho Luciani , Assunção Nilson
Published: November 2021

Purpose: The discovery of biomarkers to detect growth hormone deficiency (GHD) and monitor growth hormone replacement therapy (GHRT) remains challenging. Among “omics” technologies used for screening biomarkers, metabolomics stands out as a powerful tool for large-scale identification and quantification of small molecules present in biological matrixes. Metabolomic profiles allow us to infer the phenotypic state; therefore, metabolomics is a great ally in investigating biomarkers and understanding biological processes. Methods: In this study, global metabolomics (N = 39; range scan 50-600 m/z) and lipidomics (N = 36; range scan 50-1500 m/z) approaches were performed by high-resolution direct infusion-mass spectrometry. Partial least-square discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) models were used for data-driven diagnosis of GHD and evaluation of GHRT (VIP score >1.5). Cross-validation, permutation test, and ROC curves confirmed the predictive accuracy of PLS-DA models. The features were annotated using accurate mass measurements matched against the metabolomics database. Results: Data analysis revealed changes in the class of proteinogenic/glycogenic acids, carnitines, n-acyl-amines, unsaturated fatty acids, and sulfur amino acids, and pathway analyzes revealed changes in glycerophospholipid metabolism. Regardless of GH therapy, GHD individuals remain with changes in lipids and amino acids compared to healthy control. Conclusion: GHRT influences the metabolism status of GHD patients in order to compensate for dysregulations caused by GHD. The data has corroborated the action of GHRT and indicated new potential biomarkers for treatment follow-up.
Unravelling the genetic architecture of grain quality traits under optimum and low-nitrogen stress conditions using tropical maize (Zea mays L.) germplasm
Authors: Ndlovu Noel , Spillane Charles , McKeown Peter C. , Cairns Jill E. , Das Biswanath , Gowda Manje
Published: November 2021

Soils in sub-Saharan Africa are nitrogen deficient due to low fertilizer use and inadequate soil fertility management practices. This has resulted in a significant yield gap for the major staple crop maize, which is undermining nutritional security and livelihood sustainability across the region. Dissecting the genetic basis of grain protein, starch and oil content under nitrogen-starved soils can increase our understanding of the governing genetic systems and improve the efficacy of future breeding schemes. An association mapping panel of 410 inbred lines and four bi-parental populations were evaluated in field trials in Kenya and South Africa under optimum and low nitrogen conditions and genotyped with 259,798 SNP markers. Genetic correlations demonstrated that these populations may be utilized to select higher performing lines under low nitrogen stress. Furthermore, genotypic, environmental and GxE variations in nitrogen-starved soils were found to be significant for oil content. Broad sense heritabilities ranged from moderate (0.18) to high (0.86). Under low nitrogen stress, GWAS identified 42 SNPs linked to grain quality traits. These significant SNPs were associated with 51 putative candidate genes. Linkage mapping identified multiple QTLs for the grain quality traits. Under low nitrogen conditions, average prediction accuracies across the studied genotypes were higher for oil content (0.78) and lower for grain yield (0.08). Our findings indicate that grain quality traits are polygenic and that using genomic selection in maize breeding can improve genetic gain. Furthermore, the identified genomic regions and SNP markers can be utilized for selection to improve maize grain quality traits.
Exploring the Role of WRKY Transcription Factor in the Growth and Development of Bletilla striata based on Bioinformatics Analysis
Authors: Li Qingqing , Huang Ceyin , Liu Chaobo , Jia Xueyan , Wen Weie , Li Lin , He Yihuai , Xu Delin
Published: November 2021

WRKY type transcription factors (TFs) play crucial roles in the growth and development of plants. However, a comprehensive analysis of the WRKY family members in a valuable Chinese herbal orchid, Bletilla striata, or in other orchids, is limited. In this study, WRKY gene family was screened out from the transcriptome data of Bletilla striata by bioinformatics method. The 29 WRKY TFs that were identified from the B. striata genome and named BsWRKY1 to BsWRKY29 were divided into three clades: group Ⅰ (involving 8 WRKY sequences), group Ⅱ (18) and group Ⅲ (3), in which group Ⅱ was further divided into 5 subgroups: Ⅱ-a (involving 1 WRKY sequences), Ⅱ-b (5), and Ⅱ-c (3), Ⅱ-d (7), Ⅱ-e (3). EST-SSR marker mining test showed that 10 markers could be stably amplified with obvious polymorphisms among 4 landraces. Our data suggest that BsWRKY genes may work together to regulate plant growth and development. In different subcellular locations, BsWRKY genes not only played its own functions, but also coordinated the regulation of the whole life activities. Taken together, these results provided a theoretical basis for further studies on the gene functions and regulatory mechanisms of what in B. striata.
Fabricating a Low-cost and Low-immune Xenogeneic Aortic Valve Bio Prosthesis
Authors: Walawalkar Sonal , Almelkar Shahdab , Christoforidis Savvas , Rath Subha N
Published: November 2021

BackgroundCardiac valve replacement is the only available treatment for end-stage valvular dysfunction patients. In this treatment, among the available choices of valves, the bio-prosthetic valves are better than the mechanical ones in terms of hemodynamic and infection-resistant properties. However, they tend to fail with time, posing a catastrophic event. This study focuses on fabricating the heart valve to eliminate the flaws of bio-prosthetic valves. MethodsPerfusion-based decellularization method was adapted for decellularisation to the sheep heart. Further, decellularised aortic valves were cross-linked with 0.2% Glutaraldehyde (Group C). ResultsAll valves were tested for biochemical and molecular assays including biomechanical tensile testing. Histology, SEM showed a complete lack of cells with intact matrix for decellularised groups. The fibrin glue coated valves leaflet scaffolds showed remodeling of the cells as per the matrix (plasticity). Characterization studies emphasized the cellular behaviour onto matrigel assay, live-dead assay, and the expression of vWF, glycocalyx lectin. ConclusionsThis study focuses on fabricating a re-endothelialized xenogeneic aortic valve leaflet using cross-linking reaction to mask antigenicity of the host proteins (low-immune humanized) and avoid post-implantation cross-reaction.
The Roles of Matrix Metalloproteinase 7 in Spinal Cord Ischemia- Reperfusion Injury in Rats
Authors: Fang Te , Chen Fengshou , Wang Dan , Zhang Zaili
Published: November 2021

Background: Neuronal survival after spinal cord ischemia-reperfusion injury (SCII) is a major factor affecting the motor function. Recently, matrix metalloproteinase-7 (MMP-7) plays an important role in a variety of diseases, but the specific role of MMP-7 in SCII remains unclear. This paper aims to further investigate the role of MMP7 in SCII.Methods: We built the SCII model by clipping the aortic arch for 14 minutes. The RNA and protein expression of MMP-7 was detected by Western blot and real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) during the groups. The co-localization of major cell types and MMP-7 in the spinal cords was detected by Immunofluorescence staining. To further study the specific mechanism, rats were intrathecally pretreated with si-MMP7 or negative control (NC) siRNA 3 days before clipping the aortic arch for 14 minutes. The Tarlov criteria and Haematoxylin and eosin staining were used to detect neurological function and histological assessment. Western blot, PCR and Immunofluorescence staining were used to evaluate the effect of silencing MMP-7.Results: The expression of MMP-7 RNA and protein increased both at 12 h and 24 h after SCII. At 24 h after SCII, the expression of MMP-7 RNA reached its maximum amount. Compared with the sham group, MMP-7 fluorescent expression in the SCII group greatly enhanced, and MMP-7 fluorescence was mainly co-expressed with neuronal nuclei (NeuN) fluorescence. The Tarlov scores and number of intact neurons were increased by pre-treatment with si-MMP7. Pre-treatment with si-MMP7 could also decrease the expression of MMP-7, Interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and cleaved caspase-3 and reduce the MMP-7 expression in neurons. Conclusions: Silencing MMP-7 protected the rats against SCII by inhibiting the neuroapoptosis and inflammation. Silencing MMP-7 could be a hopeful therapeutic treatment after SCII.
Studying Effects of Laser Penetration-Depth and Temperature on the Stability of Gabapentin-Loaded Au Nanoparticles
Authors: Wei Zhenli , Tayebee Reza , Koushki Ehsan
Published: November 2021

Herein, release of gabapentin molecules from gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) is studied by using two kinds of laser beams. The first is a green laser, which matches well with the frequency of the Au NPs’ SPR and the second is a red laser that has the longest penetration depth in the tissue. Au NPs are synthesized by the Turkevich method and characterized with different techniques such as FT-IR, XRD, TEM, UV-VIS, and DLS. Then, the effects of two green and red lasers as well as temperature are investigated in the delivery of gabapentin drug molecules from Au NPs. Slices of chicken breast muscle with different thicknesses are also used in order to disclose an experimental condition close to the in vivo study. The drug release amount is, then, correlated with the return of the absorption-peak to its primary position. The effects of temperature and penetration depth of the laser beam investigated on the UV-VIS spectrum of Au NPs and the results are compared to attain the best release conditions. It is found that although the green laser is better than the red one to stimulate the SPR of Au NPs, however, the red laser is preferred for the drug delivery purposes due to its greater penetration depth. Also, increasing the temperature of the capped nanocolloid enhances the rate of drug release by the laser irradiation. Therefore, this investigation is helpful to understand the effect of temperature and a red laser beam on different metallic nanoparticles carrying drug molecules.
Imaging of Neuroinflammation Due to Repetitive Head Injury in Currently Active Kickboxers
Authors: Stormezand Gilles N. , Doorduin Janine , Rakers Sandra E. , Spikman Joke M. , Naalt Joukje van der , García David Vállez , Hoorn Anouk van der , Weijden Chris W.J. van der , Kremer Berry P.H. , Renken Remco J. , Dierckx Rudi A.J.O.
Published: November 2021

PURPOSEChronic traumatic encephalopathy refers to a neurodegenerative disease resulting from repetitive head injury of participants in contact sports. Similar to other neurodegenerative diseases, neuroinflammation is thought to play a role in the onset and progression of the disease. Limited knowledge is regarding the neuroinflammatory consequences of repetitive head injury in currently active contact sports athletes. PET imaging of the 18-kDa translocator protein (TSPO) allows quantification of microglial activation in vivo, a marker of neuroinflammation. METHODS11 rank A kickboxers and 11 age matched controls underwent TSPO PET using [11C]-PK11195, anatomical MRI, diffusion tensor imaging and neuropsychological testing. Relevant imaging parameters were derived an correlated with the outcomes on the neuropsychological testing.RESULTSOn a group level, no statistically significant differences were detected in non displacable binding potential (BPND) using PET. DTI parameters did not differ between groups. Individually, 3 kick boxers showed increased BPND’s in widespread regions of the brain without a correlation with other modalities.CONCLUSIONDespite negative results on a group level, individual results suggest that neuroinflammation may be present as a consequence of repetitive head injury in active kickboxers. Future studies using a longitudinal design may determine whether the observed TSPO upregulation is related to the future development of neuropsychiatric symptoms.
Equisetum Hyemale - Derived Unprecedented Bioactive Composite for Hard and Soft Tissues Engineering
Authors: Silva Rosangela Maria da Costa e , Diniz Ivana Márcia , Gomes Natália , Silva Guilherme Jorge , Ferreira Jose , Filho Rubens Freitas , Freitas Erico Tadeu , Martins Darliane , Domingues Rosana , Andrade Ângela
Published: November 2021

Although Bioactive Glasses (BG) has been progressively optimized, their preparation still uses toxic reagents and calcination at high temperatures to remove organic solvents. The drawbacks related to the BG synthesis were overcome by treating the ashes from the Equisetum hyemale plant in an ethanol/water solution to develop a bioactive composite [glass/carbon (BG-Carb)]. The BG-Carb was characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and its chemical composition was assessed by inductively coupled plasma – optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES). Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) gas adsorption analysis showed a specific surface area of 121 m2 g-1. The formation of hydroxyapatite (HA) surface layer in vitro was confirmed by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR)analyse before and after immersion in simulated body fluid (SBF) solution. The Rietveld refinement of the XRD patterns and selected area electron diffraction (SAED) analyses confirmed HA in the sample before the immersion in SBF solution and after immersion in SBF solution; and increase of the HA layer on the sample surface, after the immersion in SBF solution. The BG-Carb samples showed no cytotoxicity on MC3T3-E1 cells and osteo-differentiation capacity similar to the positive control. Altogether, the BG-Carb material data reveals a promising plant waste-based candidate for hard and soft tissue engineering.
Distribution of Pfmdr 1 and Kelch 13 Genes Among the Children 5 Years and Below Attending a Secondary Health Facility, South-West, Nigeria.
Authors: Afolabi Olajide Joseph , Oluwafemi Rosena Olubanke , Oniya Mobolanle Oladipo
Published: November 2021

Background: Malaria is a major public health concern in some part of the world especially in the tropical Africa where children are more vulnerable. The occurrence of resistant gene in Plasmodium falciparum to some antimalarial drugs could increase the malaria morbidity and mortality among the children. The study evaluates the distribution of P. falciparum resistant kelch protein gene on chromosome 13 (PfKelch 13) and multidrug resistant (Pfmdr1) mutant genes among children aged five years and below who attended Mother and Child Hospital, Akure, Nigeria. Methods: Thin and thick smears were prepared from the blood collected aseptically through venepuncture from five hundred (500) children (age 5years and below). Two hundred (200) malaria positive samples were randomly selected from the 500 samples for PCR analysis to detect Pfmdr1 and Kelch 13 mutant genes from the positive samples. Discussion: The results showed that of the 500 respondents who gave their consent to participate in the study, 288 (57.6%) were males while 212 (42.4%) were females. The distribution of Pfmdr1 are; mixed group (mutant/wild) 38.5% (77/200), mutant gene 35.5% (71/200), wild gene 20.5% (41/200) and the resistant genes were absent in 5.5% (11/200) of the infected children. The mixed group of Pfmdr1 gene was higher among infants (51.9%), male (44.3%), children with birth order 4 (60.0%) and children that have blood group B (51.3%), however, there is no significant difference in the distribution of Pfmdr1 between gender (χ2 = 0.634, df = 1, p>0.05). There was a point mutation in the codon position 557 where the amino acid Alanine was replaced by Serine in the PfK13. The research revealed high prevalence of Pfmdr1 mutant genes and point mutation in the PfK13 gene of P. falciparum among children which may be as a result of treatment of malaria with different antimalarial drugs which the parasite has developed resistance against. It is therefore important to administer other malaria drugs apart from the drugs the parasite has developed resistance against.
Optimized Weight Programming for Analogue Memory-based Deep Neural Networks
Authors: Mackin Charles , Rasch Malte , Chen An , Timcheck Jonathan , Bruce Robert , Narayanan Pritish , Ambrogio Stefano , Gallo Manuel Le , Rajaleksh Nandakumar , Fasoli Andrea , Luquin Jose , Friz Alexander , Sebastian Abu , Tsai HsinYu , Burr Geoffrey
Published: November 2021

Analogue memory-based Deep Neural Networks (DNNs) provide energy-efficiency and per-area throughput gains relative to state-of-the-art digital counterparts such as graphic processing units (GPUs). Recent advances focus largely on hardware-aware algorithmic training and improvements in circuits, architectures, and memory device characteristics. Optimal translation of software-trained weights into analogue hardware weights---given the plethora of complex memory non-idealities---represents an equally important goal in realizing the full potential of this technology. We report a generalized computational framework that automates the process of crafting complex weight programming strategies for analogue memory-based DNNs, in order to minimize accuracy degradations during inference, particularly over time. This framework is agnostic to DNN structure and is shown to generalize well across Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM), Convolution Neural Networks (CNNs), and Transformer networks. Being a highly-flexible numerical heuristic, our approach can accommodate arbitrary device-level complexity, and is thus broadly applicable to a variety of analogue memories and their continually evolving device characteristics. Interestingly, this computational technique is capable of optimizing inference accuracy without the need to run inference simulations or evaluate large training, validation, or test datasets. Lastly, by quantifying the limit of achievable inference accuracy given imperfections in analogue memory, weight programming optimization represents a unique and foundational tool for enabling analogue memory-based DNN accelerators to reach their full inference potential.
Equus roundworms (Parascaris univalens) are undergoing rapid divergence due to host and environment factors
Authors: Han Lei , Lan Tianming , Lu Yaxian , Zhou Mengchao , Li Haimeng , Lu Haorong , Wang Qing , Li Xiuyun , Du Shan , Guan Chunyu , Zhang Yong , Sahu Sunil Kumar , Qian Puyi , Zhang Shaofang , Zhou Hongcheng , Guo Wei , Chai Hongliang , Wang Sibo , Liu Quan , Liu Huan , Hou Zhijun
Published: November 2021

Background

The evolution of parasites is often directly affected by the host's environment. Studies on the evolution of the same parasites in different hosts are extremely attractive and highly relevant to our understanding of divergence and speciation.
Methods

Here we performed whole genome sequencing of Parascaris univalens from different Equus hosts (horses, zebras and donkeys). Phylogenetic and selection analysis was performed to study the divergence and adaptability of P. univalens.
Results

At the genetic level, multiple lines of evidence support that P. univalens were mainly separated into two clades (Horse-derived and Zebra & Donkey-derived). This divergence began at 300-1000 years ago, and we found that most of the key enzymes related to glycolysis were under strong positive selection in zebra & donkey-derived roundworms, but lipid related metabolism system was under positive selection in the horse-derived roundworms, indicating that the adaptive evolution of metabolism may drive the divergence in past few centuries. In addition, we found that some drug-related genes have a significantly higher degree of selection in different populations.
Conclusions

This work reports evidence that the host’s diet drives the divergence of roundworms for the first time, and also supports that divergence is a continuous and dynamic process, and continuous monitoring of the effects of differences in nutritional and drug history on rapid evolution of roundworms are conducive to further understanding host-parasite interactions.
Young women’s knowledge and attitudes towards cervical cancer screening at a selected higher education institution in Lesotho: a cross-sectional survey
Authors: Nyangu Isabel , Moteane Tanki
Published: November 2021

Background
In Lesotho, cervical cancer is the most common female cancer and leading cause of death amongst women. In 2019, the annual number of new cancer cases was 477 and 346 women died from cancer related complications in Lesotho. The aim of this study was to assess the knowledge and attitudes of young women towards cervical cancer screening at a selected higher education institution in Lesotho.
Methods
A quantitative cross-sectional survey design was used to collect data using an interviewer administered semi-structured questionnaire from 80 young women. Random sampling using a fishbowl technique was used to select study respondents. Permission to conduct the study was sought and granted from relevant authorities. Informed consent was sought from the respondents who were identified using codes and participated voluntarily. Data were analysed using Microsoft excel and presented using proportions and diagrams.
Results
Fifty percent (n=40) of the women did not know cervical cancer screening tests, 70% (n=56) did not know about the frequency of screening, whilst 75% (n=60) knew that human papilloma virus (HPV) vaccine is used to prevent cervical cancer. Additionally, 95% (n=76) had not screened for cervical cancer, 65% (n=52) perceived cervical cancer screening as painful, 35% (n=28) said it caused discomfort, and 95% (n=76) needed more information on cervical cancer screening.
Conclusions
Even though some respondents had knowledge on cervical cancer and its prevention, the uptake of the screening procedure was low. Negative experiences of pain and discomfort were reported amongst those who had the procedure done. This heightens the need for health education and incorporating regular cervical cancer screening in health care services to increase reassurance, counselling, and the uptake of the procedure amongst young women.
Identification and Characterization of Chickpea Genotypes for Early Flowering and High Seed Germination through Molecular Markers
Authors: Yadav Garima , Jayaswal Deepanshu , Jayaswall Kuldip , Bhandawat Abhishek , Singh ArvindNath , Tilgam Jyotsana , Rai Abhishek Kumar , Chaturvedi Rachna , Kumar Ashutosh , Kumar Sanjay , Kumar S P
Published: November 2021

Chickpea is the fourth most important legume crop contributing 3.1% to the total legume production and rich source of proteins, minerals and vitamins. Genetic diversity of wild and elite cultivar is quintessential for variety improvement. Determination of genetic diversity is more reliable and accurate, therefore, commonly used. In the present study, we analyzed the genetic diversity, population structure, cross-species transferability and allelic richness in 50 chickpea collection using 23 ISSR markers. The observed parameters such as allele number varied from 3 to 16,and polymorphic information content (PIC) varied from 0.15 to 0.4988, respectively. Further, range of allele size varied from 150 to 1600 bp, which shows the significance of ISSR markers for chickpea germplasm characterization. On the basis of ISSR marker genotypic data, dendrogram was constructed which divides these 50 chickpea in group I and II showing the reliability of ISSR markers. Among 50 chickpea, the accession P 74-1 is in group I and rest are in group II. Further we made mini-core collection of 15 diverse chickpea and sub-grouped them. Dendrogram, PCA, Dissimilarity matrix and Bayesian model based genetic clustering of 50 chickpea germplasms revealed that P 74-1 and P 1883are very diverse chickpea accession. Further selected 15 diverse chickpea screened for early flowering and high seed germination. Among 15 diversechickpea germplasms P 1857-1 and P 3971 has early flowering and high seed germination compared to P 1883 and other germplasm. Characterization of these diverse chickpea for early flowering and high seed germinationwould help in reducing crop duration and enhancing seed qualities. Utilization of these ISSRs markers in diversity analysis and population structure characterization of 50 chickpea germplasm suggests their wider efficacy for molecular breeding ofearly flowering and high seed germination.
Downregulation of Lysosome-Associated Membrane Protein-2A Contributes to the Pathogenesis of COPD
Authors: Jeong Yun-Jeong , Lee Kyoung-Hee , Woo Jisu , Kim Ji Yeon , Lee Chang-Hoon , Yoo Chul-Gyu
Published: November 2021

Background: Macroautophagy plays an important role in the pathogenesis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), but the role of chaperone-mediated autophagy (CMA) has not been investigated. We investigated if and how CMA is involved in the pathogenesis of COPD. Methods: We measured the level of lysosome-associated membrane protein-2A (LAMP-2A), which is a critical component of CMA that functions as a receptor for cytosolic substrate proteins, in total lung tissues and primary human bronchial epithelial cells (HBEC) from healthy never smokers, healthy smokers, and COPD patients. We assessed the effects of LAMP-2A knock-down on cigarette smoke extract (CSE)-induced aging, cell cycle arrest, and apoptosis in BEAS-2B cells and the expression levels of apoptosis hallmarks in primary HBECs and lung tissue sections.Results: We found that the protein levels of LAMP-2A in lung homogenates and primary HBECs from smokers and COPD patients were lower than those from never smokers. In addition, its level in primary HBECs was negatively correlated with years of smoking. CSE caused degradation of LAMP-2A protein via the lysosomal pathway by activating macroautophagy. Knock-down of LAMP-2A markedly enhanced CSE-induced expression of senescence markers such as p16, p21, and p27, G2/M cell cycle arrest, up-regulation of cyclin B1, and apoptosis in BEAS-2B cells. Apoptosis was increased in CSE-treated primary HBECs and in lung tissues from smokers and COPD patients.Conclusions: Cigarette smoke-induced down-regulation of LAMP-2A is involved in the pathogenesis of COPD by accelerating aging and apoptosis of lung epithelial cells.