bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Hispidulin Attenuates Cardiac Hypertrophy by Improving Mitochondrial Dysfunction
Authors: Wang Yan , Xie Zengshuo , Jiang Nan , Wu Zexuan , Xue Ruicong , Dong Bin , Fan Wendong , Dai Gang , Chen Chen , Li Jiayong , Chen Hao , Ye Zi , Fang Rong , Choy Manting , Zhao Jingjing , Dong Yugang , Liu Chen
Published: November 2020

Cardiac hypertrophy is a pathophysiological response to harmful stimuli. The continued presence of cardiac hypertrophy will ultimately develop into heart failure. The mitochondrion is the primary organelle of energy production, and its dysfunction plays a crucial role in the progressive development of heart failure from cardiac hypertrophy. Hispidulin, a natural flavonoid, has been substantiated to improve energy metabolism and inhibit oxidative stress. However, how hispidulin regulates cardiac hypertrophy and its underlying mechanism remains unknown. We found that hispidulin significantly inhibited pressure overload-induced cardiac hypertrophy and improved cardiac function in vivo and blocked phenylephrine (PE)-induced cardiomyocyte hypertrophy in vitro. We further proved that hispidulin remarkably improved mitochondrial function, manifested by increased electron transport chain (ETC) subunits expression, elevated ATP production, increased oxygen consumption rates (OCR), normalized mitochondrial morphology, and reduced oxidative stress. Furthermore, we discovered that Sirt1, a well-recognized regulator of mitochondrial function, might be a target of hispidulin, as evidenced by its upregulation after hispidulin treatment. Cotreatment with EX527 (a Sirt1-specific inhibitor) and hispidulin nearly completely abolished the antihypertrophic and protective effects of hispidulin on mitochondrial function, providing further evidence that Sirt1 could be the pivotal downstream effector of hispidulin in regulating cardiac hypertrophy.
Glacier Changes in Iceland From ∼1890 to 2019
Authors: Aðalgeirsdóttir Guðfinna , Magnússon Eyjólfur , Pálsson Finnur , Thorsteinsson Thorsteinn , Belart Joaquín M. C. , Jóhannesson Tómas , Hannesdóttir Hrafnhildur , Sigurðsson Oddur , Gunnarsson Andri , Einarsson Bergur , Berthier Etienne , Schmidt Louise Steffensen , Haraldsson Hannes H. , Björnsson Helgi
Published: November 2020

The volume of glaciers in Iceland (∼3,400 km3in 2019) corresponds to about 9 mm of potential global sea level rise. In this study, observations from 98.7% of glacier covered areas in Iceland (in 2019) are used to construct a record of mass change of Icelandic glaciers since the end of the 19th century i.e. the end of the Little Ice Age (LIA) in Iceland. Glaciological (in situ) mass-balance measurements have been conducted on Vatnajökull, Langjökull, and Hofsjökull since the glaciological years 1991/92, 1996/97, and 1987/88, respectively. Geodetic mass balance for multiple glaciers and many periods has been estimated from reconstructed surface maps, published maps, aerial photographs, declassified spy satellite images, modern satellite stereo imagery, and airborne lidar. To estimate the maximum glacier volume at the end of the LIA, a volume–area scaling method is used based on the observed area and volume from the three largest ice caps (over 90% of total ice mass) at 5–7 different times each, in total 19 points. The combined record shows a total mass change of −540 ± 130 Gt (−4.2 ± 1.0 Gt a−1on average) during the study period (1890/91 to 2018/19). This mass loss corresponds to 1.50 ± 0.36 mm sea level equivalent or 16 ± 4% of mass stored in Icelandic glaciers around 1890. Almost half of the total mass change occurred in 1994/95 to 2018/19, or −240 ± 20 Gt (−9.6 ± 0.8 Gt a−1on average), with most rapid loss in 1994/95 to 2009/10 (mass change rate −11.6 ± 0.8 Gt a−1). During the relatively warm period 1930/31–1949/50, mass loss rates were probably close to those observed since 1994, and in the colder period 1980/81–1993/94, the glaciers gained mass at a rate of 1.5 ± 1.0 Gt a−1. For other periods of this study, the glaciers were either close to equilibrium or experienced mild loss rates. For the periods of AR6 IPCC, the mass change rates are −3.1 ± 1.1 Gt a−1for 1900/01–1989/90, −4.3 ± 1.0 Gt a−1for 1970/71–2017/18, −8.3 ± 0.8 Gt a−1for 1992/93–2017/18, and −7.6 ± 0.8 Gt a−1for 2005/06–2017/18.
Hydrogeological Earthquake Precursors: A Case Study From the Kamchatka Peninsula
Authors: Kopylova Galina , Boldina Svetlana
Published: November 2020

The relevance of hydrogeological precursors (HGPs) study is justified by the need to obtain reliable information about the spatio-temporal manifestations and the relationships of HGPs with the parameters of subsequent earthquakes for seismic forecasting. In the review the data on repeated manifestations of HGPs before strong earthquakes obtained from long-term observations in five deep wells on the Kamchatka Peninsula (Far East of Russia) are presented. The analysis of the correlation of HGPs occurring in several wells is carried out in comparison with earthquake parameters characterizing both earthquake sources (magnitude, linear size of the source) and the impact of earthquakes in the area of wells (specific energy density in wave, intensity of shaking). It is shown that the manifestation of HGPs in several wells is observed before earthquakes with Mw = 6.6–7.8 at epicentral distances up to the first hundreds of km to observation wells in the near and intermediate zones of the sources with the ratio of the epicentral distances and the source sizes no more than 1–5. A feature of our study was the use of certain types of HGPs in water-level changes for predictive assessments of the strong earthquakes in the Kamchatka Peninsula. The review presents precursors in water-level changes detected in real time and the corresponding earthquake forecasts, which were recognized as successful according to the conclusions of the expert council on earthquake prediction.
Teachers' Accuracy in Estimating Social Inclusion of Students With and Without Special Educational Needs
Authors: Wilbert Jürgen , Urton Karolina , Krull Johanna , Kulawiak Pawel R. , Schwalbe Anja , Hennemann Thomas
Published: November 2020

It is unclear to what extent teachers can accurately assess the social inclusion of their students with and without SEN. The study aims to shed light on these desiderata. Students (N = 1.644) with SEN (learning, behavior, and language problems) and without SEN and their teachers (N = 79) participated in the study. Sociometric peer nominations, students' self-perceived social inclusion, and teachers' assessments regarding students' social inclusion and self-perceived social inclusion were administered. The results suggest that teachers are moderately accurate in identifying social acceptance and social rejection, while accuracy is low when assessing students' self-perceived social inclusion. That said, rating accuracy varied strongly between teachers, ranging from no agreement to a perfect concordance. Teachers seem to be more accurate in estimating the social acceptance of students with learning problems. The results emphasize the importance of differentiating between various social inclusion criteria (i.e., students' self-report vs. peer nominations) and accounting for inter-individual differences in teachers' rating accuracy.
Chronic Atrazine Exposure Beginning Prenatally Impacts Liver Function and Sperm Concentration With Multi-Generational Consequences in Mice
Authors: Harper Alesia P. , Finger Bethany J. , Green Mark P.
Published: November 2020

Atrazine is a commonly used herbicide frequently detected in waterways and drinking water around the world. Worryingly, atrazine is an endocrine and metabolic disruptor but there is a lack of research regarding the effects of long-term exposure beginning in utero. In this study we investigated how chronic exposure to atrazine (5 mg/kg bw/day) in drinking water from E9.5 until 12 or 26 weeks of age affected metabolic and reproductive characteristics in male mice. We then examined whether mating these males to unexposed females altered in vitro embryo characteristics. Atrazine exposure caused a decrease in liver weight and changes in both liver and testis gene expression, specifically in genes involved in lipid uptake and fatty acid metabolism in the liver, as well as androgen conversion in the testis. Notably, atrazine exposure decreased epididymal sperm concentration and subsequent embryo cell numbers generated from the 12-week cohort males. Collectively, these data suggest that atrazine exposure, beginning prenatally, affects both metabolic and reproductive characteristics, and highlights the importance of assessing atrazine effects at different life stages and over multiple generations. The continued widespread use of atrazine warrants further studies, as it is essential to understand the health risks for all species, including humans.
Therapeutic Effects of 17β-Estradiol on Pelvic Organ Prolapse by Inhibiting Mfn2 Expression: An In Vitro Study
Authors: Wang Xiao-Qing , He Rui-Ju , Xiao Bing-Bing , Lu Ye
Published: November 2020

Objective

To assess the effects of 17β-estradiol (E2) on proliferation, apoptosis, and protein expressions of fibroblasts at different concentrations and time intervals to reveal the mechanism of E2 in the treatment of pelvic organ prolapse (POP).

Study Design

The uterosacral ligament fibroblasts were collected from seven POP patients for primary culture of fibroblasts. The culture media containing 0, 10-6, 10-7, 10-8, and 10-9 mol/L E2 were used for 24, 48, 72, and 96 h.

Main Outcome Measures

The cells were collected for cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8), apoptosis, quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR), and Western blotting assays.

Results

Compared with the control group, in the values of fibroblasts cultured in 10-8 mol/L E2 for 72 h, the proliferation, mRNA and protein expression of Mitofusin-2 (Mfn2) separately increased (P < 0.05), decreased (P<0.001) and decreased (P<0.001). However, the expression level of procollagen 1A1/1A2/3A1 and cyclinD1 markedly increased (P<0.001, all), which was consistent with the results of protein level. What’s more, the expression of estrogen receptor α(ERα), estrogen receptor β(ERβ) and G protein-coupled receptor 30(GPR30) were significantly increased in 10-8 mol/L E2 group.

Conclusions

E2 can inhibit the progress of POP by inhibiting the expression level of Mfn2, as well as promoting expression of procollagens and proliferation of fibroblasts. This effect is time- and concentration-dependent. Only when the estrogen concentration reaches 10-8 mol/L, the therapeutic effect is the greatest after 72 h.
Characterisation of a Nickel-iron Battolyser, an Integrated Battery and Electrolyser
Authors: Barton John P. , Gammon Rupert J. L. , Rahil Abdulla
Published: November 2020

Electricity systems require energy storage on all time scales to accommodate the variations in output of solar and wind power when those sources of electricity constitute most, or all, of the generation on the system. This paper builds on recent research into nickel-iron battery-electrolysers or “battolysers” as both short-term and long-term energy storage. For short-term cycling as a battery, the internal resistances and time constants have been measured, including the component values of resistors and capacitors in equivalent circuits. The dependence of these values on state-of-charge and temperature have also been measured. The results confirm that a nickel-iron cell can hold 25% more than its nominal charge. However, this increased capacity disappears at temperatures of 60°C and may be dissipated quickly by self-discharge. When operating as an electrolyser for long-term energy storage, the experiments have established the importance of a separation gap between each electrode and the membrane for gas evolution and established the optimum size of this gap as approximately 1.25 mm. The nickel-iron cell has acceptable performance as an electrolyser for Power-to-X energy conversion but its large internal resistance limits voltage efficiency to 75% at 5-h charge and discharge rate, with or without a bubble separation membrane.
Dynamics of Soil Water Content Across Different Landscapes in a Typical Desert-Oasis Ecotone
Authors: Wang Guohua , Gou Qianqian , Hao Yulian , Zhao Huimin , Zhang Xiafang
Published: November 2020

An understanding of soil water content dynamics is important for vegetation restoration in an arid desert-oasis ecotone under different landscapes. In this study, the dynamics of soil water content under three typical landscapes (i.e., desert, sand-binding shrubland, and farmland shelter woodland) were investigated in the Hexi Corridor, northwest China, during the growing season from 2002 to 2013. The results showed that the soil water content in the deep layers decreased from 20–30% to a stable low level of 3–5% in the desert and shrubland. For the farmland shelter woodland, the soil water content at the deep layers also decreased, but the decrease rate was much smaller than the desert and shrubland. The decrease of soil water content in the deep soil layers among desert–shrubland–woodland was strongly associated with the increase of groundwater depths. The greatest increase of groundwater depths mainly occurred during 2008–2011, while the largest decrease of soil water content took place during the years 2009–2011, with a time-lag in response to increase in groundwater depths. This study provides new insight into the long-term dynamics of soil water content in a typical desert oasis ecotone under different landscape components from the influence of overexploiting groundwater that cannot be inferred from a short-term study. The findings demonstrate that the sharp increase of groundwater depths could be the main reason behind the reduction of soil water content in the clay interlayers, and sustainable development of groundwater resources exploitation is very important for the management of desert-oasis ecotone from a long-term perspective.
Not Singing in the Rain: Linking Migratory Songbird Declines With Increasing Precipitation and Brood Parasitism Vulnerability
Authors: Rosamond Kristen M. , Goded Sandra , Soultan Alaaeldin , Kaplan Rachel H. , Glass Alex , Kim Daniel H. , Arcilla Nico
Published: November 2020

Few empirical studies have quantified relationships between changing weather and migratory songbirds, but such studies are vital in a time of rapid climate change. Climate change has critical consequences for avian breeding ecology, geographic ranges, and migration phenology. Changing precipitation and temperature patterns affect habitat, food resources, and other aspects of birds’ life history strategies. Such changes may disproportionately affect species confined to rare or declining ecosystems, such as temperate grasslands, which are among the most altered and endangered ecosystems globally. We examined the influence of changing weather on the dickcissel (Spiza americana), a migratory songbird of conservation concern that is an obligate grassland specialist. Our study area in the North American Great Plains features high historic weather variability, where climate change is now driving higher precipitation and temperatures as well as higher frequencies of extreme weather events including flooding and droughts. Dickcissels share their breeding grounds with brown-headed cowbirds (Molothrus ater), brood parasites that lay their eggs in the nests of other songbirds, reducing dickcissel productivity. We used 9 years of capture-recapture data collected over an 18-year period to test the hypothesis that increasing precipitation on dickcissels’ riparian breeding grounds is associated with abundance declines and increasing vulnerability to cowbird parasitism. Dickcissels declined with increasing June precipitation, whereas cowbirds, by contrast, increased. Dickcissel productivity appeared to be extremely low, with a 3:1 ratio of breeding male to female dickcissels likely undermining reproductive success. Our findings suggest that increasing precipitation predicted by climate change models in this region may drive future declines of dickcissels and other songbirds. Drivers of these declines may include habitat and food resource loss related to flooding and higher frequency precipitation events as well as increased parasitism pressure by cowbirds. Positive correlations of June-July precipitation, temperature, and time since grazing with dickcissel productivity did not mitigate dickcissels’ declining trend in this ecosystem. These findings highlight the importance of empirical research on the effects of increasing precipitation and brood parasitism vulnerability on migratory songbird conservation to inform adaptive management under climate change.
microRNA-630 Regulates Underglycosylated IgA1 Production in the Tonsils by Targeting TLR4 in IgA Nephropathy
Authors: Liu Chan , Ye Mu-Yao , Yan Wen-Zhe , Peng Xiao-Fei , He Li-Yu , Peng You-Ming
Published: November 2020

IgA nephropathy (IgAN) is the most common primary glomerular disease. The characteristic pathology involves immune complexes formed by the deposition of IgA1 and underglycosylated IgA1 aggregates in the mesangial area, which may be accompanied by the deposition of IgG and/or IgM and complement components. However, the molecular mechanisms of IgAN remain unclear. In the present study, microarray analysis showed that the expression of microRNA-630 (miR-630) was significantly reduced in palatal tonsils from IgAN patients compared with chronic tonsillitis. Additionally, bioinformatic analysis showed that Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) was the predicted target gene of miR-630 and was regulated by miR-630. When miR-630 was overexpressed in palatal tonsil mononuclear cells from IgAN patients, the expression of TLR4 was reduced and the content of IgA1 in the cell culture supernatant was decreased, and the level of galactosylation in the IgA1 hinge region was increased. Moreover, immunohistochemical analysis showed that the expression of TLR4 in IgAN patients was significantly increased. After knocking down the expression of TLR4, both the concentration of IgA1 and the binding force of IgA1 with broad bean lectin were significantly reduced in IgAN. Furthermore, the mechanism study demonstrated that TLR4 might regulate the expression of IL-1β and IL-8 through NF-κB signaling pathway to modulate the concentration of IgA1 and the glycosylation level of IgA1. This interesting finding may offer new insight into the molecular mechanism of IgAN.
Interleukin-33 Promotes Cell Survival via p38 MAPK-Mediated Interleukin-6 Gene Expression and Release in Pediatric AML
Authors: Wang Yiqian , Su Haibo , Yan Muxia , Zhang Li , Tang Jiancheng , Li Quanxin , Gu Xiaoqiong , Gong Qing
Published: November 2020

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a fatal disease characterized by the accumulation of immature myeloid blasts in the bone marrow (BM). Cytokine provide signals for leukemia cells to improve their survival in the BM microenvironment. Previously, we identified interleukin-33 (IL-33) as a promoter of cell survival in a human AML cell line and primary mouse leukemia cells. In this study, we report that the cell surface expression of IL-33–specific receptor, Interleukin 1 Receptor Like 1 (IL1RL1), is elevated in BM cells from AML patients at diagnosis, and the serum level of IL-33 in AML patients is higher than that of healthy donor controls. Moreover, IL-33 levels are found to be positively associated with IL-6 levels in pediatric patients with AML. In vitro, IL-33 treatment increased IL-6 mRNA expression and protein level in BM and peripheral blood (PB) cells from AML patients. Evidence was also provided that IL-33 inhibits cell apoptosis by activating p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway using human AML cell line and AML patient samples. Finally, we confirmed that IL-33 activated IL-6 expression in a manner that required p38 MAPK pathway using clinical AML samples. Taken together, we identified a potential mechanism of IL-33–mediated survival involving p38 MAPK in pediatric AML patients that would facilitate future drug development.
Large Pelagic Fish Are Most Sensitive to Climate Change Despite Pelagification of Ocean Food Webs
Authors: Petrik Colleen M. , Stock Charles A. , Andersen Ken H. , van Denderen P. Daniël , Watson James R.
Published: November 2020

Global climate change is expected to impact ocean ecosystems through increases in temperature, decreases in pH and oxygen, increased stratification, with subsequent declines in primary productivity. These impacts propagate through the food chain leading to amplified effects on secondary producers and higher trophic levels. Similarly, climate change may disproportionately affect different species, with impacts depending on their ecological niche. To investigate how global environmental change will alter fish assemblages and productivity, we used a spatially explicit mechanistic model of the three main fish functional types reflected in fisheries catches (FEISTY) coupled to an Earth system model (GFDL-ESM2M) to make projections out to 2100. We additionally explored the sensitivity of projections to uncertainties in widely used metabolic allometries and their temperature dependence. When integrated globally, the biomass and production of all types of fish decreased under a high emissions scenario (RCP 8.5) compared to mean contemporary conditions. Projections also revealed strong increases in the ratio of pelagic zooplankton production to benthic production, a dominant driver of the abundance of large pelagic fish vs. demersal fish under historical conditions. Increases in this ratio led to a “pelagification” of ecosystems exemplified by shifts from benthic-based food webs toward pelagic-based ones. The resulting pelagic systems, however, were dominated by forage fish, as large pelagic fish suffered from increasing metabolic demands in a warming ocean and from declines in zooplankton productivity that were amplified at higher trophic levels. Patterns of relative change between functional types were robust to uncertainty in metabolic allometries and temperature dependence, though projections of the large pelagic fish had the greatest uncertainty. The same accumulation of trophic impacts that underlies the amplification of productivity trends at higher trophic levels propagates to the projection spread, creating an acutely uncertain future for the ocean’s largest predatory fish.
Photodegradation Kinetics of Alkyd Paints: The Influence of Varying Amounts of Inorganic Pigments on the Stability of the Synthetic Binder
Authors: Pagnin Laura , Calvini Rosalba , Wiesinger Rita , Weber Johannes , Schreiner Manfred
Published: November 2020

As the effects of climate change pose an increasing risk of damaging outdoor modern and contemporary artworks’ aesthetic appearance by affecting their mechanical properties and chemical-physical stability, understanding the degradation processes attacking these objects is becoming more and more essential to their conservation. For this purpose, the kinetics of photo-oxidation processes occurring in alkyd paints and their stability in mixtures with different inorganic pigments were investigated. The aim was to characterize the different degradation reactions over time and study the photodegradation kinetics according to different pigments and pigment/binder ratios. This paper describes the degradation behavior of artificial ultramarine blue, hydrated chromium oxide green, and cadmium sulfate yellow pigments mixed with alkyd resin and aged under simulated sunlight exposure for a total of 1,008 h. The analytical techniques used offer complementary information on the characterization of the samples and their aging. Specifically, 3D Optical Microscopy allowed studying morphological and color changes. These results were supported by Scanning Electron Microscopy and Colorimetry analyses, also focused on studying the physical and granulometric characteristics of the pigments in relation to the binder degradation. Finally, qualitative and quantitative analysis was performed by Attenuated Total Reflection Infrared Spectroscopy. To support the obtained results, Multivariate Analysis of microscopic images was carried out with the aim of studying the degradation effects linked to color and texture changes. The obtained results demonstrate that the degradation processes of alkyd resin are influenced by the presence of the different inorganic pigments used and their concentration in the mixtures. This study should contribute as support to the field of conservation-restoration to find suitable protection strategies for paint surfaces against degradation agents.
Beneficial Effect of Systemic Allogeneic Adipose Derived Mesenchymal Cells on the Clinical, Inflammatory and Immunologic Status of a Patient With Recessive Dystrophic Epidermolysis Bullosa: A Case Report
Authors: Maseda Rocío , Martínez-Santamaría Lucía , Sacedón Rosa , Butta Nora , Arriba María del Carmen de , García-Barcenilla Sara , García Marta , Illera Nuria , Pérez-Conde Isabel , Carretero Marta , Jiménez Eva , Melen Gustavo , Borobia Alberto M. , Jiménez-Yuste Víctor , Vicente Ángeles , del Río Marcela , de Lucas Raúl , Escámez María José
Published: November 2020

Recessive dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa (RDEB) is an incurable inherited mucocutaneous fragility disorder characterized by recurrent blisters, erosions, and wounds. Continuous blistering triggers overlapping cycles of never-ending healing and scarring commonly evolving to chronic systemic inflammation and fibrosis. The systemic treatment with allogeneic mesenchymal cells (MSC) from bone marrow has previously shown benefits in RDEB. MSC from adipose tissue (ADMSC) are easier to isolate. This is the first report on the use of systemic allogeneic ADMSC, correlating the clinical, inflammatory, and immunologic outcomes in RDEB indicating long-lasting benefits. We present the case of an RDEB patient harboring heterozygous biallelicCOL7A1gene mutations and with a diminished expression of C7. The patient presented with long-lasting refractory and painful oral ulcers distressing her quality of life. Histamine receptor antagonists, opioid analgesics, proton-pump inhibitors, and low-dose tricyclic antidepressants barely improved gastric symptoms, pain, and pruritus. Concomitantly, allogeneic ADMSC were provided as three separate intravenous injections of 106cells/kg every 21 days. ADMSC treatment was well-tolerated. Improvements in wound healing, itch, pain and quality of life were observed, maximally at 6–9 months post-treatment, with the relief of symptoms still noticeable for up to 2 years. Remarkably, significant modifications in PBL participating in both the innate and adaptive responses, alongside regulation of levels of profibrotic factors, MCP-1/CCL2 and TGF-β, correlated with the health improvement. This treatment might represent an alternative for non-responding patients to conventional management. It seems critical to elucidate the paracrine modulation of the immune system by MSC for their rational use in regenerative/immunoregulatory therapies.
Factors Associated With Renal Involvement in Primary Sjögren's Syndrome: A Meta-Analysis
Authors: Hong Ruping , Xu Dong , Hsieh Evelyn , Xiang Yirong , Zhao Jiuliang , Wang Qian , Tian Xinping , Li Mengtao , Zhao Yan , Zeng Xiaofeng
Published: November 2020

Background: Renal impairment is a critical complication in primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSS), resulting in chronic renal disease and even death. This meta-analysis was designed to find out the relevant factors of renal involvement in pSS.

Methods: PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, Scopus, and Web of Science were systemically searched until August 30, 2019. Studies were selected according to inclusion criteria, and data was extracted by two researchers independently. The Newcastle-Ottawa Scale was applied for quality assessment. Random- and fixed-effects models were used in this meta-analysis based on the result of the heterogeneity test. Meanwhile, a sensitivity analysis was conducted to investigate the cause of heterogeneity. Publication bias was shown in the funnel plot and evaluated further by Begg's and Egger's tests.

Results: Of the 9,989 articles identified, five articles enrolling 1,867 pSS patients were included in the final analysis, 533 with and 1,334 without renal involvement. There was no statistical significance in age and gender between these two groups. According to the meta-analysis, anti-SSB antibody, and arthralgia showed a significant association with renal involvement in pSS, the overall odds ratio (OR) values of which were 1.51 (95% CI, 1.16–1.95) and 0.59 (95% CI, 0.46–0.74), respectively. On the other hand, the overall OR values of anti-SSA antibody, rheumatoid factor, dry eyes, and labial salivary gland biopsy were just 0.90 (95% CI, 0.49–1.64), 1.05 (95% CI, 0.59–1.86), 0.60 (95% CI, 0.34–1.06), and 1.38 (95% CI, 0.98–1.95), respectively.

Conclusion: The presence of anti-SSB antibody is positively associated with renal involvement in pSS, while arthralgia is inversely associated. Large-scale prospective cohort studies are needed in the future to identify further risk factors.
Visualizing Microorganism-Mineral Interaction in the Iberian Pyrite Belt Subsurface: The Acidovorax Case
Authors: Escudero Cristina , del Campo Adolfo , Ares Jose R. , Sánchez Carlos , Martínez Jose M. , Gómez Felipe , Amils Ricardo
Published: November 2020

Despite being considered an extreme environment, several studies have shown that life in the deep subsurface is abundant and diverse. Microorganisms inhabiting these systems live within the rock pores and, therefore, the geochemical and geohydrological characteristics of this matrix may influence the distribution of underground biodiversity. In this study, correlative fluorescence and Raman microscopy (Raman-FISH) was used to analyze the mineralogy associated with the presence of members of the genusAcidovorax, an iron oxidizing microorganisms, in native rock samples of the Iberian Pyrite Belt subsurface. Our results suggest a strong correlation between the presence ofAcidovoraxgenus and pyrite, suggesting that the mineral might greatly influence its subsurface distribution.
Microbial and Enzymatic Degradation of Synthetic Plastics
Authors: Mohanan Nisha , Montazer Zahra , Sharma Parveen K. , Levin David B.
Published: November 2020

Synthetic plastics are pivotal in our current lifestyle and therefore, its accumulation is a major concern for environment and human health. Petroleum-derived (petro-)polymers such as polyethylene (PE), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyurethane (PU), polystyrene (PS), polypropylene (PP), and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) are extremely recalcitrant to natural biodegradation pathways. Some microorganisms with the ability to degrade petro-polymers under in vitro conditions have been isolated and characterized. In some cases, the enzymes expressed by these microbes have been cloned and sequenced. The rate of polymer biodegradation depends on several factors including chemical structures, molecular weights, and degrees of crystallinity. Polymers are large molecules having both regular crystals (crystalline region) and irregular groups (amorphous region), where the latter provides polymers with flexibility. Highly crystalline polymers like polyethylene (95%), are rigid with a low capacity to resist impacts. PET-based plastics possess a high degree of crystallinity (30–50%), which is one of the principal reasons for their low rate of microbial degradation, which is projected to take more than 50 years for complete degraded in the natural environment, and hundreds of years if discarded into the oceans, due to their lower temperature and oxygen availability. The enzymatic degradation occurs in two stages: adsorption of enzymes on the polymer surface, followed by hydro-peroxidation/hydrolysis of the bonds. The sources of plastic-degrading enzymes can be found in microorganisms from various environments as well as digestive intestine of some invertebrates. Microbial and enzymatic degradation of waste petro-plastics is a promising strategy for depolymerization of waste petro-plastics into polymer monomers for recycling, or to covert waste plastics into higher value bioproducts, such as biodegradable polymers via mineralization. The objective of this review is to outline the advances made in the microbial degradation of synthetic plastics and, overview the enzymes involved in biodegradation.
Free Rather Than Total Iron Content Is Critically Linked to the Fur Physiology in Shewanella oneidensis
Authors: Liu Lulu , Feng Xue , Wang Wei , Chen Yining , Chen Zhe , Gao Haichun
Published: November 2020

Ferric uptake regulator (Fur) is a transcriptional regulator playing a central role in iron homeostasis of many bacteria, and Fur inactivation commonly results in pleiotropic phenotypes. InShewanella oneidensis, a representative of dissimilatory metal-reducing γ-proteobacteria capable of respiring a variety of chemicals as electron acceptors (EAs), Fur loss substantially impairs respiration. However, to date the mechanism underlying the physiological phenomenon remains obscure. This investigation reveals that Fur loss compromises activity of iron proteins requiring biosynthetic processes for their iron cofactors, heme in particular. We then show thatS. oneidensisFur is critical for maintaining heme homeostasis by affecting both its biosynthesis and decomposition of the molecule. Intriguingly, the abundance of iron-containing proteins controlled by H2O2-responding regulator OxyR increases in thefurmutant because the Fur loss activates OxyR. By comparing suppression of membrane-impermeable, membrane-permeable, and intracellular-only iron chelators on heme deficiency and elevated H2O2resistance, our data suggest that the elevation of the free iron content by the Fur loss is likely to be the predominant factor for the Fur physiology. Overall, these results provide circumstantial evidence that Fur inactivation disturbs bacterial iron homeostasis by altering transcription of its regulon members, through which many physiological processes, such as respiration and oxidative stress response, are transformed.
Study on the Viable but Non-culturable (VBNC) State Formation of Staphylococcus aureus and Its Control in Food System
Authors: Li Yanmei , Huang Teng-Yi , Mao Yuzhu , Chen Yanni , Shi Fan , Peng Ruixin , Chen Jinxuan , Yuan Lei , Bai Caiying , Chen Ling , Wang Kan , Liu Junyan
Published: November 2020

A Viable but non-culturable (VBNC) state is a bacterial survival strategy under reverse conditions. It poses a significant challenge for public health and food safety. In this study, the effect of external environmental conditions including acid, nutrition, and salt concentrations on the formation of S. aureus VBNC states at low temperatures were investigated. Different acidity and nutritional conditions were then applied to food products to control the VBNC state formation. Four different concentration levels of each factor (acid, nutrition, and salt) were selected in a total of 16 experimental groups. Nutrition showed the highest influence on the VBNC state formation S. aureus, followed by acid and salt. The addition of 1% acetic acid could directly kill S. aureus cells and inhibit the formation of the VBNC state with a nutrition concentration of 25, 50, and 100%. A propidium monoazide-polymerase chain reaction (PMA-PCR) assay was applied and considered as a rapid and sensitive method to detect S. aureus in VBNC state with the detection limit of 104 CFU/mL.
IGFLR1 as a Novel Prognostic Biomarker in Clear Cell Renal Cell Cancer Correlating With Immune Infiltrates
Authors: Song Wenjing , Shao Youcheng , He Xin , Gong Pengju , Yang Yan , Huang Sirui , Zeng Yifan , Wei Lei , Zhang Jingwei
Published: November 2020

Objective

Insulin Growth Factor-Like receptor 1 (IGFLR1) reflects progressive disease and confers a poor prognosis in clear cell renal cell cancer (ccRCC). However, extensive studies highlighting the mechanisms involved in how IGFLR1 triggers the progression of ccRCC remain lacking.

Methods

In the present study, the expression level of IGFLR1 mRNA and correlation between IGFLR1 expression and prognosis of ccRCC were analyzed based on The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) ccRCC cohort. Further, we analyzed methylation and copy number variation to try to explain the difference in IGFLR1 expression. Subsequently, we investigated the correlation between IGFLR1 and tumor-infiltrating immune cells with the aid of TIMER (Tumor Immune Estimation Resource). The potential candidates’ genes associated with IGFLR1 were screened by variation analysis, which were used for further enrichment analysis of signaling pathways and immune gene sets to infer the certain function and corresponding mechanisms in which IGFLR1 was involved in ccRCC. Finally, we establish prognostic risk models using multivariate Cox regression analysis and analyzed the possible involvement of IGFLR1 in chemotherapeutic drug resistance.

Results

The results showed that upregulated IGFLR1 was detected in ccRCC compared with para-cancer tissues and significantly affected the prognosis of ccRCC (overall survival: Logrank p < 0.0001; disease free survival: Logrank p = 0.022). Univariate and multivariate analyses indicated that IGFLR1 was an independent prognostic factor for ccRCC (HR = 2.064, p = 0.006) and the risk prognostic model based on age, M, level of platelet and calcium and IGFLR1 expression had satisfying predictive ability. The correlation analysis showed that the expression level of IGFLR1 was positively correlated with the abundance of myeloid derived suppressor cell and their marker genes in ccRCC significantly. IGFLR1 may be related to the regulatory activation, intercellular adhesion of lymphocytes and drug resistance in cancer.

Conclusion

These findings suggested that IGFLR1 was significantly associated with the prognosis in a variety of cancers, particularly ccRCC. IGFLR1 may play an important role in tumor related immune infiltration and showed potential diagnostic, therapeutic and prognostic value in ccRCC.
Age Effects on Distraction in a Visual Task Requiring Fast Reactions: An Event-Related Potential Study
Authors: Kojouharova Petia , Gaál Zsófia Anna , Nagy Boglárka , Czigler István
Published: November 2020

We investigated the effects of distractors in older and younger participants in choice and simple reaction time tasks with concurrent registration of event-related potentials. In the task the participants had to prevent a disk from falling into a bin after a color or luminosity change (target stimuli). Infrequently, task-irrelevant stimuli (schematic faces or threatening objects) were superimposed on the target stimuli (distractors), or the bin disappeared which required no response (Nogo trials). Reaction time was delayed to the distractors, but this effect was similar in the two age groups. As a robust age-related difference, in the older group a large anterior positivity and posterior negativity emerged to the distractors within the 100–200 ms post-stimulus range, and these components were larger for schematic faces than for threatening objects. sLORETA localized the age-specific effect to the ventral stream of the visual system and to anterior structures considered as parts of the executive system. The Nogo stimuli elicited a late positivity (Nogo P3) with longer latency in the older group. We interpreted the age-related differences as decreased but compensated resistance to task-irrelevant change of the target stimuli.
Amantadine Alleviates Postoperative Cognitive Dysfunction Possibly by Preserving Neurotrophic Factor Expression and Dendritic Arborization in the Hippocampus of Old Rodents
Authors: Zhong Jing , Li Jun , Ni Cheng , Zuo Zhiyi
Published: November 2020

Objectives

Amantadine has been shown to attenuate postoperative learning and memory dysfunction in young adult rats. However, postoperative cognitive dysfunction often occurs in elderly patients. We aimed to determine whether amantadine attenuated postoperative learning and memory dysfunction and whether these effects were associated with improved dendritic arborization in old rodents.

Methods

Eighteen-month old male C57BL/6J mice or Fischer 344 rats were subjected to right carotid artery exposure (surgery) under isoflurane anesthesia. This age represents an early old stage in rodents. Carotid artery exposure was used to simulate commonly performed carotid endarterectomy in elderly patients. Amantadine was injected intraperitoneally at 25 μg/g once a day for 3 days with the first dose at 15 min before surgery. The animals were tested by Barnes maze and fear conditioning starting one week after the surgery. Hippocampus was harvested for Western blotting and Golgi staining.

Results

Surgery and anesthesia impaired the learning and memory in old mice and rats. Surgery reduced the expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF), dendritic arborization and spine density in the hippocampus of old rats. These effects were attenuated by amantadine. The effects of amantadine were blocked by intracerebroventricular injection of anti-BDNF antibody or anti-GDNF antibody.

Conclusion

Surgery and anesthesia impaired learning, memory and dendritic arborization in old rodents that are age relevant to postoperative cognitive dysfunction. These effects may be attenuated by amantadine via preserving the expression of neurotrophic factors.
Model and Non-model Insects in Chronobiology
Authors: Beer Katharina , Helfrich-Förster Charlotte
Published: November 2020

The fruit flyDrosophila melanogasteris an established model organism in chronobiology, because genetic manipulation and breeding in the laboratory are easy. The circadian clock neuroanatomy inD. melanogasteris one of the best-known clock networks in insects and basic circadian behavior has been characterized in detail in this insect. Another model in chronobiology is the honey beeApis mellifera, of which diurnal foraging behavior has been described already in the early twentieth century.A. melliferahallmarks the research on the interplay between the clock and sociality and complex behaviors like sun compass navigation and time-place-learning. Nevertheless, there are aspects of clock structure and function, like for example the role of the clock in photoperiodism and diapause, which can be only insufficiently investigated in these two models. Unlike high-latitude flies such asChymomyza costataorD. ezoana, cosmopolitanD. melanogasterflies do not display a photoperiodic diapause. Similarly,A. melliferabees do not go into “real” diapause, but most solitary bee species exhibit an obligatory diapause. Furthermore, sociality evolved in different Hymenoptera independently, wherefore it might be misleading to study the social clock only in one social insect. Consequently, additional research on non-model insects is required to understand the circadian clock in Diptera and Hymenoptera. In this review, we introduce the two chronobiology model insectsD. melanogasterandA. mellifera, compare them with other insects and show their advantages and limitations as general models for insect circadian clocks.
Corticotrophin-Releasing Factor Modulates the Facial Stimulation-Evoked Molecular Layer Interneuron-Purkinje Cell Synaptic Transmission in vivo in Mice
Authors: Wu Wen-Yuan , Liu Yang , Wu Mao-Cheng , Wang Hong-Wei , Chu Chun-Ping , Jin Hua , Li Yu-Zi , Qiu De-Lai
Published: November 2020

Corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) is an important neuromodulator in central nervous system that modulates neuronal activity via its receptors during stress responses. In cerebellar cortex, CRF modulates the simple spike (SS) firing activity of Purkinje cells (PCs) has been previously demonstrated, whereas the effect of CRF on the molecular layer interneuron (MLI)–PC synaptic transmission is still unknown. In this study, we examined the effect of CRF on the facial stimulation–evoked cerebellar cortical MLI-PC synaptic transmission in urethane-anesthetized mice by in vivo cell-attached recording, neurobiotin juxtacellular labeling, immunohistochemistry techniques, and pharmacological method. Cell-attached recordings from cerebellar PCs showed that air-puff stimulation of ipsilateral whisker pad evoked a sequence of tiny parallel fiber volley (N1) followed by MLI-PC synaptic transmission (P1). Microapplication of CRF in cerebellar cortical molecular layer induced increases in amplitude of P1 and pause of SS firing. The CRF decreases in amplitude of P1 waveform were in a dose-dependent manner with the EC50 of 241 nM. The effects of CRF on amplitude of P1 and pause of SS firing were abolished by either a non-selective CRF receptor antagonist, α-helical CRF-(9-14), or a selective CRF-R1 antagonist, BMS-763534 (BMS, 200 nM), but were not prevented by a selective CRF-R2 antagonist, antisauvagine-30 (200 nM). Notably, application CRF not only induced a significant increase in spontaneous spike firing rate, but also produced a significant increase in the number of the facial stimulation–evoked action potential in MLIs. The effect of CRF on the activity of MLIs was blocked by the selective CRF-R1 antagonist, and the MLIs expressed the CRF-R1 imunoreactivity. These results indicate that CRF increases excitability of MLIs via CRF-R1, resulting in an enhancement of the facial stimulation–evoked MLI-PC synaptic transmission in vivo in mice.
Mechanisms Underlying Memory Consolidation by Adult-Born Neurons During Sleep
Authors: Vergara Pablo , Sakaguchi Masanori
Published: November 2020

The mammalian hippocampus generates new neurons that incorporate into existing neuronal networks throughout the lifespan, which bestows a unique form of cellular plasticity to the memory system. Recently, we found that hippocampal adult-born neurons (ABNs) that were active during learning reactivate during subsequent rapid eye movement (REM) sleep and provided causal evidence that ABN activity during REM sleep is necessary for memory consolidation. Here, we describe the potential underlying mechanisms by highlighting distinct characteristics of ABNs including decoupled firing from local oscillations and ability to undergo profound synaptic remodeling in response to experience. We further discuss whether ABNs constitute the conventional definition of engram cells by focusing on their active and passive roles in the memory system. This synthesis of evidence helps advance our thinking on the unique mechanisms by which ABNs contribute to memory consolidation.
Receptoral Mechanisms for Fast Cholinergic Transmission in Direction-Selective Retinal Circuitry
Authors: Pottackal Joseph , Singer Joshua H. , Demb Jonathan B.
Published: November 2020

Direction selectivity represents an elementary sensory computation that can be related to underlying synaptic mechanisms. In mammalian retina, direction-selective ganglion cells (DSGCs) respond strongly to visual motion in a “preferred” direction and weakly to motion in the opposite, “null” direction. The DS mechanism depends on starburst amacrine cells (SACs), which provide null direction-tuned GABAergic inhibition and untuned cholinergic excitation to DSGCs. GABAergic inhibition depends on conventional synaptic transmission, whereas cholinergic excitation apparently depends on paracrine (i.e., non-synaptic) transmission. Despite its paracrine mode of transmission, cholinergic excitation is more transient than GABAergic inhibition, yielding a temporal difference that contributes essentially to the DS computation. To isolate synaptic mechanisms that generate the distinct temporal properties of cholinergic and GABAergic transmission from SACs to DSGCs, we optogenetically stimulated SACs while recording postsynaptic currents (PSCs) from DSGCs in mouse retina. Direct recordings from channelrhodopsin-2-expressing (ChR2+) SACs during quasi-white noise (WN) (0-30 Hz) photostimulation demonstrated precise, graded optogenetic control of SAC membrane current and potential. Linear systems analysis of ChR2-evoked PSCs recorded in DSGCs revealed cholinergic transmission to be faster than GABAergic transmission. A deconvolution-based analysis showed that distinct postsynaptic receptor kinetics fully account for the temporal difference between cholinergic and GABAergic transmission. Furthermore, GABAA receptor blockade prolonged cholinergic transmission, identifying a new functional role for GABAergic inhibition of SACs. Thus, fast cholinergic transmission from SACs to DSGCs arises from at least two distinct mechanisms, yielding temporal properties consistent with conventional synapses despite its paracrine nature.