bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Effect of Inorganic Preservatives in the Norway Spruce Wood on Its Wettability and Adhesion with PUR Glue
Authors: Ciglian Dávid , Reinprecht Ladislav
Published: June 2022

Recycled recovered wood, for example, from historic buildings, containing biocides, fire retardants or anti-weather paints is an attractive material for manufacturing composite wood panels which can be used for decoration as well as load-bearing walls with a typical patina. This paper investigates the effect of four inorganic wood preservatives—CuSO4·5H2O, ZnCl2, H3BO3 and (NH4)2SO4—commonly used in the past, with the focus on their effect on the quality of wood bonding. The milled surfaces of Norway spruce (Picea abies Karst L.) wood were treated with 0.5, 1 and 2% aqueous solutions of these preservatives. The effect of preservatives in spruce wood was evaluated: (1) by its wettability with the drops of redistilled water, measuring the contact angles; (2) by the shear strength of the “spruce wood—polyurethane (PUR) Kestopur 1030 glue” interphases according to the standard EN 205; (3) by microscopic analysis of the “wood—PUR” interphases. The wettability of spruce wood worsened when using ZnCl2, by a maximum of 28.2%, but on the contrary, it improved due to other preservatives mainly by using (NH4)2SO4, at a maximum of 22.9%. In general, the shear strength of glued joints “wood—PUR” continually decreased with higher concentrations of all the preservatives. The most significant decrease of adhesion “wood—PUR”, by 19.8% from 10.66 MPa to 8.55 MPa, was caused by 2% ZnCl2 used for the treatment of both spruce wood specimens in interphase with the PUR glue. On the contrary, the less significant decrease of adhesion “wood—PUR”, by 2.5%, was caused by 0.5% (NH4)2SO4 applied only on one surface of the two inter-bonded spruce wood specimens. The effects of preservatives on the wood wettability and its adhesion with PUR glue were partly confirmed by microscopic analysis.
Application of Supercritical Fluid Extraction (SFE) of Tocopherols and Carotenoids (Hydrophobic Antioxidants) Compared to Non-SFE Methods
Authors: Vafaei Nazanin , Rempel Curtis B. , Scanlon Martin G. , Jones Peter J. H. , Eskin Michael N. A.
Published: June 2022

Natural antioxidants have renewed value for human health and the food industry. Green labeling is becoming an important attribute for consumers and is impacting food processing and formulations. Clean label is another attribute that ranked third after the “free-from” claims and “a good source” of nutrient claims. Clean label attributes also are ranked higher than local, seasonal, and organic. Techniques that are able to preserve the valuable characteristics of natural antioxidants, while eliminating even trace amounts of solvent residues from their extraction and processing, are important. Supercritical fluids (SCF) are an effective green technology that can be adopted for extraction of natural antioxidants. This review is focused on the application of supercritical carbon dioxide (SCCO2) for extracting hydrophobic antioxidant compounds with an emphasis on oilseed crops and carrots. The information provided about extraction parameters helps to guide optimization of the yield of tocopherols and carotenoids. Pressure is the most effective parameter for the extraction yield of tocopherol among the other parameters, such as temperature, time, and CO2 flow rate. For carotenoid extraction, both pressure and temperature have a large impact on extraction yield. Higher yields of antioxidants, greater purity of the extracts, and larger retention of bioactivity are the main advantages of supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) in comparison to other conventional techniques. The benefits of SCF technology may open new opportunities for extracting valuable, natural and effective antioxidant compounds from food processing co-streams for use as bioactive compounds.
Assessment of Quarterly, Semiannual and Annual Models to Forecast Monthly Rainfall Anomalies: The Case of a Tropical Andean Basin
Authors: Vázquez-Patiño Angel , Peña Mario , Avilés Alex
Published: June 2022

Rainfall forecasting is essential to manage water resources and make timely decisions to mitigate adverse effects related to unexpected events. Considering that rainfall drivers can change throughout the year, one approach to implementing forecasting models is to generate a model for each period in which the mechanisms are nearly constant, e.g., each season. The chosen predictors can be more robust, and the resulting models perform better. However, it has not been assessed whether the approach mentioned above offers better performance in forecasting models from a practical perspective in the tropical Andean region. This study evaluated quarterly, semiannual and annual models for forecasting monthly rainfall anomalies in an Andean basin to show if models implemented for fewer months outperform accuracy; all the models forecast rainfall on a monthly scale. Lagged rainfall and climate indices were used as predictors. Support vector regression (SVR) was used to select the most relevant predictors and train the models. The results showed a better performance of the annual models mainly due to the greater amount of data that SVR can take advantage of in training. If the training of the annual models had less data, the quarterly models would be the best. In conclusion, the annual models show greater accuracy in the rainfall forecast.
A Case Analysis of Dust Weather and Prediction of PM10 Concentration Based on Machine Learning at the Tibetan Plateau
Authors: Tan Changrong , Chen Qi , Qi Donglin , Xu Liang , Wang Jiayun
Published: June 2022

Dust weather is common and disastrous at the Tibetan Plateau. This study selected a typical case of dust weather and analyzed its main development mechanism in the northeast of the Tibetan Plateau, then applied six machine learning methods and a time series regression model to predict PM10 concentration in this area. The results showed that: (1) The 24-h pressure change was positive when the front intruded on the surface; convergence of vector winds with a sudden drop in temperature and humidity led by a trough on 700 hPa; a “two troughs and one ridge” weather situation appeared on 500 hPa while the cold advection behind the trough was strong and a cyclone vorticity was formed in the east of Inner Mongolia. (2) The trajectory of air mass from the Hexi Corridor was the main air mass path influencing Xining City, in this case, since a significant lag in the peak of PM10 concentration appeared in Xining City when compared with Zhangye City. (3) The Multiple Linear Regression was not only timely and effective in predicting the PM10 concentration but had great abilities for anticipating the transition period of particle concentration and the appearance date of maximum values in such dust weather. (4) The MA and MP in the clean period were much lower than that in the dust period; the PM10 of Zhangye City as an eigenvalue played an important role in predicting the PM10 of Xining City even in clean periods. Different from dust periods, the prediction effect of Random Forest Optimized by Bayesian hyperparameter was superior to Multiple Linear Regression in clean periods.
Design Hyetograph for Short-Duration Rainstorm in Jiangsu
Authors: Yang Jie , Xiang Ying , Xu Xiazhen , Sun Jiali
Published: June 2022

The rainstorm intensity formula and the design of rainstorm hyetographs are important aspects in drainage design standards. Against the backdrop of climate change, in most cities in Jiangsu Province of China, significant trends of increasing intensities of heavy rainfall are apparent. The parameters of the rainstorm intensity formula are no longer applicable in the current context of significantly stronger rainstorms. To adapt to this change, we first contrasted the fitting accuracy of the Gumbel distribution, the exponential distribution, and the Pearson III distribution for the rainstorm intensity formula in Jiangsu. It was found that the Gumbel distribution has the smallest relative mean square error in most cities, proving that it provides the best estimation of rainstorm intensity formula parameters. Therefore, the rainstorm intensity formula parameters for 13 cities was revised using the Gumbel distribution based on the rainfall data from 1991 to 2020. Then, the precipitation with a 100-year return period was calculated using the revised formula. Moreover, to compensate for the lack of storm hyetographs that have been designed for Jiangsu, we designed short-duration rainstorm hyetographs for 13 cities using the Chicago hyetograph method and the Pilgrim and Cordery (PC) method. The results show that most of the short-duration rainstorms lasted between 45 and 120 min and were dominated by single-peaked patterns, with the peak position typically occurring in the first half of the rainfall cycle. The peak coefficient distribution of short-duration rainstorms shows that short-duration rainstorms in the south reached their peak rainfall intensity earlier than those in the north. On this basis, using the Chicago method and PC method, short-duration storm hyetographs were designed, which could be used in the design of drainage systems to provide support in effectively reducing urban flood threats. By comparing the hyetographs with real short-duration rainstorm patterns, it was found that the precipitation process designed using the PC method was most similar to the actual precipitation process. However, the PC method was found to be highly dependent on local precipitation data, whereas only the rain peak coefficient is required to design the Chicago rainstorm hyetograph. Therefore, we primarily recommend hyetographs designed using the PC method for Jiangsu Province’s 13 major cities, while we recommend the Chicago hyetograph for the surrounding areas of the 13 cities that have no meteorological stations or lack data.
Cryopreservation of Endangered Ornamental Plants and Fruit Crops from Tropical and Subtropical Regions
Authors: Kaviani Behzad , Kulus Dariusz
Published: June 2022

Horticultural crops comprise various economic species extending from fruits, nuts, vegetables, spices and condiments, ornamentals, aromatic, and medicinal plants. Ornamental and fruit plants are produced mainly for their nutritional and aesthetic values, respectively. Unfortunately, many tropical and subtropical species are in danger of extinction because of climate change and (a)biotic stresses. It is imperative to preserve the germplasms of these species for the present and future genetic improvement programs. Cryopreservation, i.e., maintenance of tissues at the ultralow temperature of liquid nitrogen, is a promising long-term preservation technique, alternative to seed or in vitro banks, which can be applied for both vegetatively and generatively (through seeds) propagated crops, including those with recalcitrant seeds. It is a technology of choice not only for the preservation of plant biodiversity but also for virus elimination in the proficient administration of large-scale micropropagation. The main advantages of cryopreservation are the lowering of in vitro culture expenditures, needed space, contamination risk, and operator errors. However, tropical species are temperature delicate and one of the foremost challenging issues is preconditioning treatments that stimulate physiological reactions to sufficiently enhance tolerance to dehydration and cryogenic procedures. In recent years, several cryopreservation methods based on encapsulation-vitrification, droplet-vitrification, the use of aluminum cryo-plates, and cryo-mesh have been established. Combined cryo-techniques, gene/DNA conservation, as well as studies on perceiving bio-molecular events and exploring the multistage process from the beginning to end of cryopreservation are receiving more emphasis. The development of cryobiomics delivers a conceptual framework to assess the significance of cell signaling mechanisms on cellular functions, the influence of cryoinjury factors on sample viability, and the implications for genetic stability following cryo-storage. The aim of this mini-review article is to provide a succinct synthesis of the developed cryogenic procedures and their use for the storage and exchange of genetic resources of tropical and subtropical horticultural crops, particularly fruit crops and ornamental plants under the threat of extinction.
Detection of L-Aspartic Acid with Ag-Doped ZnO Nanosheets Using Differential Pulse Voltammetry
Authors: Alam Md Mahmud , Asiri Abdullah M. , Hasnat Mohammad A. , Rahman Mohammed M.
Published: June 2022

Here, a sensitive voltametric electrochemical sensor probe was fabricated to reliably trace the detection of L-aspartic acid in phosphate-buffered medium using a glassy carbon electrode (GCE) layered with a film of wet-chemically prepared Ag2O-doped ZnO nanosheets (NSs). EDS, FESEM, XPS, and X-ray diffraction analyses were implemented as characterizing tools of prepared NSs to confirm the structural and compositional morphology, binding energies of existing atoms, and the crystallinity of synthesized NSs. The differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) was applied to the trace detection of L-aspartic acid, and exhibited a wide detection range of 15.0~105.0 µM, a limit of detection (3.5 ± 0.15 µM), and good sensitivity (0.2689 µA µM−1 cm−2). Besides these the precious reproducibility, stability, and efficient responses were perceived from the voltametric analysis of aspartic acid. Moreover, the proposed aspartic acid was subjected to experiments to potentially detect aspartic acid in real biological samples. Therefore, the development of an enzyme-free sensor by applying this method will be a smart technical approach in the near future.
Peripheral Nerve Injury Induces Changes in the Activity of Inhibitory Interneurons as Visualized in Transgenic GAD1-GCaMP6s Rats
Authors: Krishnan Vijai , Wade-Kleyn Lauren C. , Israeli Ron R. , Pelled Galit
Published: June 2022

Peripheral nerve injury induces cortical remapping that can lead to sensory complications. There is evidence that inhibitory interneurons play a role in this process, but the exact mechanism remains unclear. Glutamate decarboxylase-1 (GAD1) is a protein expressed exclusively in inhibitory interneurons. Transgenic rats encoding GAD1–GCaMP were generated to visualize the activity in GAD1 neurons through genetically encoded calcium indicators (GCaMP6s) in the somatosensory cortex. Forepaw denervation was performed in adult rats, and fluorescent Ca2+ imaging on cortical slices was obtained. Local, intrahemispheric stimulation (cortical layers 2/3 and 5) induced a significantly higher fluorescence change of GAD1-expressing neurons, and a significantly higher number of neurons were responsive to stimulation in the denervated rats compared to control rats. However, remote, interhemispheric stimulation of the corpus callosum induced a significantly lower fluorescence change of GAD1-expressing neurons, and significantly fewer neurons were deemed responsive to stimulation within layer 5 in denervated rats compared to control rats. These results suggest that injury impacts interhemispheric communication, leading to an overall decrease in the activity of inhibitory interneurons in layer 5. Overall, our results provide direct evidence that inhibitory interneuron activity in the deprived S1 is altered after injury, a phenomenon likely to affect sensory processing.
Integrated Drug Mining Reveals Actionable Strategies Inhibiting Plexiform Neurofibromas
Authors: Brown Rebecca M. , Farouk Sait Sameer , Dunn Griffin , Sullivan Alanna , Bruckert Benjamin , Sun Daochun
Published: June 2022

Neurofibromatosis Type 1 (NF1) is one of the most common genetic tumor predisposition syndromes, affecting up to 1 in 2500 individuals. Up to half of patients with NF1 develop benign nerve sheath tumors called plexiform neurofibromas (PNs), characterized by biallelic NF1 loss. PNs can grow to immense sizes, cause extensive morbidity, and harbor a 15% lifetime risk of malignant transformation. Increasingly, molecular sequencing and drug screening data from various preclinical murine and human PN cell lines, murine models, and human PN tissues are available to help identify salient treatments for PNs. Despite this, Selumetinib, a MEK inhibitor, is the only currently FDA-approved pharmacotherapy for symptomatic and inoperable PNs in pediatric NF1 patients. The discovery of alternative and additional treatments has been hampered by the rarity of the disease, which makes prioritizing drugs to be tested in future clinical trials immensely important. Here, we propose a gene regulatory network-based integrated analysis to mine high-throughput cell line-based drug data combined with transcriptomes from resected human PN tumors. Conserved network modules were characterized and served as drug fingerprints reflecting the biological connections among drug effects and the inherent properties of PN cell lines and tissue. Drug candidates were ranked, and the therapeutic potential of drug combinations was evaluated via computational predication. Auspicious therapeutic agents and drug combinations were proposed for further investigation in preclinical and clinical trials.
Recent Advances in Progresses and Prospects of IL-37 in Central Nervous System Diseases
Authors: Li Xinrui , Yan Bing , Du Jin , Xu Shanshan , Liu Lu , Pan Caifei , Kang Xianhui , Zhu Shengmei
Published: June 2022

Interleukin-37 (IL-37) is an effective anti-inflammatory factor and acts through intracellular and extracellular pathways, inhibiting the effects of other inflammatory cytokines, such as IL-1β, IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), thereby exerting powerful anti-inflammatory effects. In numerous recent studies, the anti-inflammatory effects of IL-37 have been described in many autoimmune diseases, colitis, and tumors. However, the current research on IL-37 in the field of the central nervous system (CNS) is not only less, but mainly for clinical research and little discussion of the mechanism. In this review, the role of IL-37 and its associated inflammatory factors in common CNS diseases are summarized, and their therapeutic potential in CNS diseases identified.
Personality Traits of Croatian University Students with Internet Addiction
Authors: Miskulin Ivan , Simic Ivana , Pavlovic Nika , Kovacevic Jelena , Fotez Ivica , Kondza Goran , Palenkic Hrvoje , Bilic-Kirin Vesna , Kristic Marinela , Miskulin Maja
Published: June 2022

Specific personality traits may predispose individuals to various forms of addictive behaviors. This study aimed to investigate the association between personality traits of university students and Internet addiction (IA). A sample of 1051 university students was recruited from the largest university in Eastern Croatia. A structured anonymous questionnaire that included questions regarding students’ sociodemographic information and Internet usage patterns, the Young Internet Addiction Test and Big Five Inventory served as a research tool. The study revealed that 1.0% of the studied sample expressed severe IA while 24.6% of study participants expressed some signs of addiction. The IA was detected in 576 (80.0%) students who used the Internet mainly for social networking, in 30 (78.9%) students who mainly used it for online gaming, and in 153 (52.2%) students who mainly used it for university assignments (p < 0.001). Higher neuroticism, higher extraversion, and higher openness to new experiences were connected with IA in general (p < 0.001). Higher neuroticism, higher extraversion, and higher openness to new experiences were significantly associated with addictive behavior during social networking (p < 0.001). Higher extraversion and higher openness to new experiences were significantly associated with addictive behavior during Internet usage for university assignments (p = 0.025), while there were no significant associations between specific personality traits and addictive behavior during online gaming (p = 0.059). Personality traits must be taken into account while developing programs and implementing interventions for preventing IA in the university student population.
Psychosocial Mediation of Light-Moderate Physical Activity and Cognitive Performance among Adults Aged 60+ in China
Authors: Liu Ji , Qiang Faying
Published: June 2022

Physical activity is a key determinant of healthy ageing; yet, little is known about the varying degrees of benefits by intensity nor the mediating mechanisms that operate through psychosocial health. Leveraging structural mediation analysis using the 2018 China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) national survey data, we screened 4371 community-dwelling older adults, and investigated the mediation mechanism of psychosocial health on the link between light-moderate physical activity and cognitive performance. Physical activity intensity, psychosocial health, and cognitive performance were measured by the international physical activity questionnaire (IPAQ), the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CESD), and the mini-mental state examination (MMSE) instruments, respectively. Results show that, while light physical activity (LPA) and moderate physical activity (MPA) both significantly contribute to better cognitive performance, psychosocial health is a significant mediator only for LPA but not for MPA. For direct pathways, both LPA (std. β = 0.062, p < 0.001, 95% confidence interval = 0.032–0.091) and MPA (std. β = 0.049, p = 0.001, 95% CI = 0.019–0.078) have significant influence on cognitive performance. For mediation pathways, results show that there exists only one indirect channel through which psychosocial health mediates the influence of LPA (std. β = 0.024, p < 0.001, 95% CI = 0.016–0.033), which accounts for 27.9% of the total effect linking LPA and cognitive performance. Findings uncover an important indirect psychosocial mediation channel through which LPA affects cognitive performance among older adults.
Prestress Self-Equilibrium Force-Finding Method for Cable-Supported Grid Structures Considering Zero-Stress State Form-Finding and the Construction Process
Authors: Zhang Ningyuan , Luo Bin , Liu Haixia , Zhang Minquan
Published: June 2022

The cable-supported grid structure (CSGS) is a hybrid structure combined with rigidity and flexibility. Its formed state is closely related to the zero-stress state, construction process, and prestress distribution. The prestress self-equilibrium force-finding method is proposed in this paper to continuously conduct zero-stress state form-finding, the construction process, and prestress state force-finding analysis. As the first engineering project adapting CSGS with an internal compression ring, Shanghai Pudong Football Stadium was taken as the analysis object. The structural finite element model was established in ANSYS, structural components were divided into prestress and ordinary components to form a prestress self-equilibrium system, and the equivalent temperature difference was applied to the prestress components as prestress. The Newton–Raphson method was used for geometric nonlinear analysis. The analysis results show that the internal forces and displacements of the formed structure are consistent with the design state, which proves the validity of the method and provides significant guidance for the actual construction. The method proposed in this paper can effectively and accurately obtain the zero-stress state configuration, structural response during construction, and the prestress distribution after forming in a single analysis, without analyzing the above three separately, which improves the analysis efficiency.
Method for Ranking Pulse-like Ground Motions According to Damage Potential for Reinforced Concrete Frame Structures
Authors: Lai Qinghui , Hu Jinjun , Xu Longjun , Xie Lili , Lin Shibin
Published: June 2022

To rank the pulse-like ground motions based on the damage potential to different structures, the internal relationship between the damage potential of pulse-like ground motions and engineering demand parameters (EDPs) is analyzed in this paper. First, a total of 240 pulse-like ground motions from the NGA-West2 database and 16 intensity measures (IMs) are selected. Moreover, four reinforced concrete frame structures with significantly different natural vibration periods are established for dynamic analysis. Second, the efficiency and sufficiency of the IMs of ground motion are analyzed, and the IMs that can be used to efficiently and sufficiently evaluate the EDPs are obtained. Then, based on the calculation results, the principal component analysis (PCA) method is employed to obtain a comprehensive IM for characterizing the damage potential of pulse-like ground motions for specific building structures and EDPs. Finally, the pulse-like ground motions are ranked based on the selected IM and the comprehensive IM for four structures and three EDPs. The results imply that the proposed method can be used to efficiently and sufficiently characterize the damage potential of pulse-like ground motions for building structures.
Memantine in the Prevention of Radiation-Induced Brain Damage: A Narrative Review
Authors: Scampoli Claudia , Cammelli Silvia , Galietta Erika , Siepe Giambattista , Buwenge Milly , Macchia Gabriella , Deodato Francesco , Cilla Savino , Strigari Lidia , Chiesa Silvia , Morganti Alessio Giuseppe
Published: June 2022

Preserving cognitive functions is a priority for most patients with brain metastases. Knowing the mechanisms of hyperglutamatergic neurotoxicity and the role of some hippocampal areas in cognitive decline (CD) led to testing both the antiglutamatergic pharmacological prophylaxis and hippocampal-sparing whole-brain radiotherapy (WBRT) techniques. These studies showed a relative reduction in CD four to six months after WBRT. However, the failure to achieve statistical significance in one study that tested memantine alone (RTOG 0614) led to widespread skepticism about this drug in the WBRT setting. Moreover, interest grew in the reasons for the strong patient dropout rates in the first few months after WBRT and for early CD onset. In fact, the latter can only partially be explained by subclinical tumor progression. An emerging interpretation of the (not only) cognitive impairment during and immediately after WBRT is the dysfunction of the limbic and hypothalamic system with its immune and hormonal consequences. This new understanding of WBRT-induced toxicity may represent the basis for further innovative trials. These studies should aim to: (i) evaluate in greater detail the cognitive effects and, more generally, the quality of life impairment during and immediately after WBRT; (ii) study the mechanisms producing these early effects; (iii) test in clinical studies, the modern and advanced WBRT techniques based on both hippocampal-sparing and hypothalamic-pituitary-sparing, currently evaluated only in planning studies; (iv) test new timings of antiglutamatergic drugs administration aimed at preventing not only late toxicity but also acute effects.
Implications of Hyperoxia over the Tumor Microenvironment: An Overview Highlighting the Importance of the Immune System
Authors: Herrera-Campos Ana Belén , Zamudio-Martinez Esteban , Delgado-Bellido Daniel , Fernández-Cortés Mónica , Montuenga Luis M. , Oliver F. Javier , Garcia-Diaz Angel
Published: June 2022

Hyperoxia is used in order to counteract hypoxia effects in the TME (tumor microenvironment), which are described to boost the malignant tumor phenotype and poor prognosis. The reduction of tumor hypoxic state through the formation of a non-aberrant vasculature or an increase in the toxicity of the therapeutic agent improves the efficacy of therapies such as chemotherapy. Radiotherapy efficacy has also improved, where apoptotic mechanisms seem to be implicated. Moreover, hyperoxia increases the antitumor immunity through diverse pathways, leading to an immunopermissive TME. Although hyperoxia is an approved treatment for preventing and treating hypoxemia, it has harmful side-effects. Prolonged exposure to high oxygen levels may cause acute lung injury, characterized by an exacerbated immune response, and the destruction of the alveolar–capillary barrier. Furthermore, under this situation, the high concentration of ROS may cause toxicity that will lead not only to cell death but also to an increase in chemoattractant and proinflammatory cytokine secretion. This would end in a lung leukocyte recruitment and, therefore, lung damage. Moreover, unregulated inflammation causes different consequences promoting tumor development and metastasis. This process is known as protumor inflammation, where different cell types and molecules are implicated; for instance, IL-1β has been described as a key cytokine. Although current results show benefits over cancer therapies using hyperoxia, further studies need to be conducted, not only to improve tumor regression, but also to prevent its collateral damage.
Targeting Immunosuppressive Tumor-Associated Macrophages Using Innate T Cells for Enhanced Antitumor Reactivity
Authors: Li Yan-Ruide , Brown James , Yu Yanqi , Lee Derek , Zhou Kuangyi , Dunn Zachary Spencer , Hon Ryan , Wilson Matthew , Kramer Adam , Zhu Yichen , Fang Ying , Yang Lili
Published: June 2022

The field of T cell-based and chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-engineered T (CAR-T) cell-based antitumor immunotherapy has seen substantial developments in the past decade; however, considerable issues, such as graft-versus-host disease (GvHD) and tumor-associated immunosuppression, have proven to be substantial roadblocks to widespread adoption and implementation. Recent developments in innate immune cell-based CAR therapy have opened several doors for the expansion of this therapy, especially as it relates to allogeneic cell sources and solid tumor infiltration. This study establishes in vitro killing assays to examine the TAM-targeting efficacy of MAIT, iNKT, and γδT cells. This study also assesses the antitumor ability of CAR-engineered innate T cells, evaluating their potential adoption for clinical therapies. The in vitro trials presented in this study demonstrate the considerable TAM-killing abilities of all three innate T cell types, and confirm the enhanced antitumor abilities of CAR-engineered innate T cells. The tumor- and TAM-targeting capacity of these innate T cells suggest their potential for antitumor therapy that supplements cytotoxicity with remediation of tumor microenvironment (TME)-immunosuppression.
Electro-Fenton-Based Technologies for Selectively Degrading Antibiotics in Aqueous Media
Authors: Moratalla Ángela , Lacasa Engracia , Cañizares Pablo , Rodrigo Manuel A. , Sáez Cristina
Published: June 2022

The viability of the Electro-Fenton (EF) process in the selective degradation of penicillin G (PenG) in complex solutions has been studied. The role of the anode material (boron-doped diamond (BDD) or mixed metal oxide (MMO)) and the cathode 3D support (foam or mesh), as well as the synergistic effect of UVC light irradiation (photoelectron-Fenton, PEF), have been evaluated. The results show that Pen G can be efficiently and selectively removed by EF, obtaining higher PenG removal rates when using the BDD anode (100%) than when using the MMO anode (75.5%). Additionally, mineralization is not favored under the experimental conditions tested (pH 3, 5 mA cm−2), since both aromatic and carboxylic acids accumulate in the reaction system as final products. In this regard, the EF-treated solution presents a high biological oxygen demand and a low percentage of Vibrio fischeri inhibition, which leads to high biodegradability and low toxicity of this final effluent. Furthermore, the combination with UVC radiation in the PEF process shows a clear synergistic effect on the degradation of penicillin G: 166.67% and 83.18% using MMO and BBD anodes, respectively. The specific energy required to attain the complete removal of PenG and high inhibition of the antibiotic effect is less than 0.05 Ah dm−3. This confirms that PEF can be efficiently used as a pretreatment of conventional wastewater treatment plants to decrease the chemical risk of complex solutions polluted with antibiotics.
Systematic Characterization of the Disruption of Intestine during Liver Tumor Progression in the xmrk Oncogene Transgenic Zebrafish Model
Authors: Li Yan , Lee Ai Qi , Lu Zhiyuan , Sun Yuxi , Lu Jeng-Wei , Ren Ziheng , Zhang Na , Liu Dong , Gong Zhiyuan
Published: June 2022

The crosstalk between tumors and their local microenvironment has been well studied, whereas the effect of tumors on distant tissues remains understudied. Studying how tumors affect other tissues is important for understanding the systemic effect of tumors and for improving the overall health of cancer patients. In this study, we focused on the changes in the intestine during liver tumor progression, using a previously established liver tumor model through inducible expression of the oncogene xmrk in zebrafish. Progressive disruption of intestinal structure was found in the tumor fish, displaying villus damage, thinning of bowel wall, increase in goblet cell number, decrease in goblet cell size and infiltration of eosinophils, most of which were observed phenotypes of an inflammatory intestine. Intestinal epithelial cell renewal was also disrupted, with decreased cell proliferation and increased cell death. Analysis of intestinal gene expression through RNA-seq suggested deregulation of genes related to intestinal function, epithelial barrier and homeostasis and activation of pathways in inflammation, epithelial mesenchymal transition, extracellular matrix organization, as well as hemostasis. Gene set enrichment analysis showed common gene signatures between the intestine of liver tumor fish and human inflammatory bowel disease, the association of which with cancer has been recently noticed. Overall, this study represented the first systematic characterization of the disruption of intestine under the liver tumor condition and suggested targeting intestinal inflammation as a potential approach for managing cancer cachexia.
Pathobiology and Therapeutic Relevance of GSK-3 in Chronic Hematological Malignancies
Authors: Martelli Alberto M. , Paganelli Francesca , Evangelisti Camilla , Chiarini Francesca , McCubrey James A.
Published: June 2022

Glycogen synthase kinase-3 (GSK-3) is an evolutionarily conserved, ubiquitously expressed, multifunctional serine/threonine protein kinase involved in the regulation of a variety of physiological processes. GSK-3 comprises two isoforms (α and β) which were originally discovered in 1980 as enzymes involved in glucose metabolism via inhibitory phosphorylation of glycogen synthase. Differently from other proteins kinases, GSK-3 isoforms are constitutively active in resting cells, and their modulation mainly involves inhibition through upstream regulatory networks. In the early 1990s, GSK-3 isoforms were implicated as key players in cancer cell pathobiology. Active GSK-3 facilitates the destruction of multiple oncogenic proteins which include β-catenin and Master regulator of cell cycle entry and proliferative metabolism (c-Myc). Therefore, GSK-3 was initially considered to be a tumor suppressor. Consistently, GSK-3 is often inactivated in cancer cells through dysregulated upstream signaling pathways. However, over the past 10–15 years, a growing number of studies highlighted that in some cancer settings GSK-3 isoforms inhibit tumor suppressing pathways and therefore act as tumor promoters. In this article, we will discuss the multiple and often enigmatic roles played by GSK-3 isoforms in some chronic hematological malignancies (chronic myelogenous leukemia, chronic lymphocytic leukemia, multiple myeloma, and B-cell non-Hodgkin’s lymphomas) which are among the most common blood cancer cell types. We will also summarize possible novel strategies targeting GSK-3 for innovative therapies of these disorders.
Expression of Trace Amine-Associated Receptors in the Murine and Human Hippocampus Based on Public Transcriptomic Data
Authors: Katolikova Nataliia V. , Vaganova Anastasia N. , Efimova Evgeniya V. , Gainetdinov Raul R.
Published: June 2022

Hippocampus is one of the neurogenic zones where adult neurogenesis takes place. This process is quite complex and has a multicomponent regulation. A family of G protein-coupled trace amine-associated receptors (TAARs) was discovered only in 2001, and most of them (TAAR2-TAAR9) were primarily considered olfactory. Recent studies have shown, however, that they are also expressed in the mouse brain, particularly in limbic formations, and can play a role in the regulation of emotional behaviors. The observations in knockout mice indicate that at least two members of the family, TAAR2 and TAAR5, have an impact on the regulation of adult neurogenesis. In the present study, we analyzed the expression of TAARs in the murine and human hippocampus using public RNAseq datasets. Our results indicate a low but detectable level of certain TAARs expression in the hippocampal cells in selected high-quality transcriptomic datasets from both mouse and human samples. At the same time, we observed the difference between humans, where TAAR6 expression was the highest, and murine samples, where TAAR1, TAAR2, TAAR3, TAAR4 and TAAR5 are more pronouncedly expressed. These observations provide further support to the data gained in knockout mice, indicating a role of TAARs in the regulation of adult neurogenesis in the hippocampus.
Analysis of Leukocyte Recruitment in Continuous Veno-Venous Hemofiltration with Regional Citrate vs. Systemic Heparin Anticoagulation
Authors: Margraf Andreas , Liu Chang , Küllmar Mira , Meersch Melanie , Rossaint Jan , Zarbock Alexander
Published: June 2022

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a frequent complication in critically ill patients. Supportive treatment of AKI patients is based on renal-replacement therapy, including continuous veno-venous hemofiltration (CVVH). To limit clotting events on extracorporeal surfaces, anticoagulants are administered, including systemic heparin and local citrate. The differential and comparative effects of these anticoagulants on leukocyte function in acute kidney injury patients are, so far, insufficiently understood. In this bio-add-on-study, AKI patients were randomized as part of a parallel-group trial to either systemic heparin or regional citrate anticoagulation. Patient samples were collected upon inclusion, prior to CVVH initiation at day 0, day 1, day 3 and day 5, following CVVH initiation, and one day after cessation of CVVH, then immediately analyzed. Flow cytometric assessment of surface-receptor molecules was conducted. Whole-blood-perfused human microfluidic chambers were used for the analysis of neutrophil rolling and adhesion. Acute kidney injury was associated with significant changes in the surface expression of CD182 and CD16 throughout CVVH treatment, independent of the anticoagulation regime. AKI furthermore abrogated selectin-induced slow leukocyte rolling and diminished chemokine-induced leukocyte arrest. Subgroup analyses of citrate vs. heparin treatment showed no significant differences between groups, independent of the duration of CVVH treatment. CD182 and CD16 expression remained low in both groups throughout CVVH therapy. These data confirm that AKI impairs selectin-mediated leukocyte slow rolling and chemokine-induced leukocyte arrest in vitro. Systemic heparin or local citrate anticoagulation have no differential effect on the leukocyte recruitment steps examined in this study.
Study on Microstructure and Properties of Nickel-Based Self-Lubricating Coating by Laser Cladding
Authors: Chen Wenjie , Yang Xianchen , Li Xinmei , Chai Cheng , Liu Weibin
Published: June 2022

Ni35 + 20% SiC + 20% Ni/MoS2 self-lubricating coatings were fabricated on a grade 45 steel surface by laser cladding to obtain better comprehensive performance of wear resistance and corrosion resistance. The macroscopic morphology, microstructure, microhardness, phase composition, corrosion resistance and wear resistance of the coatings were investigated. The results show that the microstructure of the cladding layer is dense, mainly composed of cellular crystal and equiaxed crystal; The average microhardness of the coating is about 700 HV; The phase composition of the coating mainly includes Ni-Cr-Fe solid solution and metal sulfide, such as MoS2, NiS, Cr2S3, and CrMo3S4; Under the simulated seawater environment of 3.5% NaCl, the self-corrosion potential is 0.052 V and the self-corrosion current density is 1.69 × 10−5 A∙cm2. Compared with grade 45 steel, the corrosion resistance is greatly improved; After 20 min of wear, the weight loss of the cladding layer is about 0.17 times that of the grade 45 steel, the friction coefficient is small, and the wear resistance is significantly improved.
Electrochemical and Optical Behavior of ZrN-Ag Coatings Deposited by Means of DC Reactive Magnetron Sputtering Technique
Authors: Mejía Claudia P. , Vanegas Henry S. , Olaya Jhon J.
Published: June 2022

The formation of nanostructured transition metal nitride coatings by introducing a small amount of silver (Ag) content has been proven to be a good strategy for enhancing the physical properties of these materials. In this investigation, ZrN coatings with different Ag contents were deposited on an AISI 316L substrate using the DC reactive magnetron sputtering technique. The influence of the silver on the chemical composition, morphology, and microstructure was investigated using energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The functional properties, specifically the corrosion resistance and the optical reflectance of the deposited coatings, were investigated using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and UV-Visible-NIR, respectively. The results showed the formation of two nanocrystalline phases, fcc-ZrN and metallic fcc-Ag. On the surface of the deposited coatings, homogeneously distributed silver nanoparticles were observed, and they increased with the Ag atomic content. The chemical composition on the surface showed evidence of the formation of oxides, such as Zr-O and Zr-O-N, before and after the corrosion tests. The corrosion resistance of the AISI 316L substrate and the coatings was improved with the incorporation of Ag, and the optical reflectance increased with increasing the Ag content. Finally, this work investigated the effect of the incorporation of silver into a ZrN matrix for potential use as optical protective coatings.
Droplet Spreading Characteristics on Ultra-Slippery Solid Hydrophilic Surfaces with Ultra-Low Contact Angle Hysteresis
Authors: Song Yajie , Wang Qi , Ying Yushan , You Zhuo , Wang Songbai , Chun Jiang , Ma Xuehu , Wen Rongfu
Published: June 2022

Dynamic interactions of the droplet impact on a solid surface are essential to many emerging applications, such as electronics cooling, ink-jet printing, water harvesting/collection, anti-frosting/icing, and microfluidic and biomedical device applications. Despite extensive studies on the kinematic features of the droplet impact on a surface over the last two decades, the spreading characteristics of the droplet impact on a solid hydrophilic surface with ultra-low contact angle hysteresis are unclear. This paper clarifies the specific role of the contact angle and contact angle hysteresis at each stage of the droplet impact and spreading process. The spreading characteristics of the droplet impact on an ultra-slippery hydrophilic solid surface are systematically compared with those on plain hydrophilic, hydroxylated hydrophilic, and plain hydrophobic surfaces. The results reveal that the maximum spreading factor (βmax) of impacting droplets is mainly dependent on the contact angle and We. βmax increases with the increase in We and the decrease in the contact angle. Low contact angle hysteresis can decrease the time required to reach the maximum spreading diameter and the time interval during which the maximum spreading diameter is maintained when the contact angles are similar. Moreover, the effect of the surface inclination angle on the spreading and slipping dynamics of impacting droplets is investigated. With the increase in the inclination angle and We, the gliding distance of the impacting droplet becomes longer. Ultra-low contact angle hysteresis enables an impacting droplet to slip continuously on the ultra-slippery hydrophilic surface without being pinned to the surface. The findings of this work not only show the important role of the surface wettability in droplet spreading characteristics but also present a pathway to controlling the dynamic interactions of impacting droplets with ultra-slippery hydrophilic surfaces.
Design of Ti-Zr-Ta Alloys with Low Elastic Modulus Reinforced by Spinodal Decomposition
Authors: Wu Rong , Yi Qionghua , Lei Shan , Dai Yilong , Lin Jianguo
Published: June 2022

On the basis of the ternary phase diagram of Ti-Zr-Ta alloys and the d-electron orbital theory, the alloys with the nominal compositions of Ti-40Zr-20Ta (TZT1), Ti-35Zr-20Ta (TZT2) and Ti-30Zr-20Ta (TZT3) (in atom composition) were designed. The alloys were solution-treated (STed) at 1173 K for 3 h, and then aged (Aed) at 973 K for 6 h. The microstructure and mechanical properties of the three alloys were characterized. The results show that the three alloys comprised β-equiaxed grains after solution treatment at 1173 K for 3 h, and the β phases separated into β1/β2 phases by the spinodal decomposition in the alloys after being aged at 973 K for 6 h. The spinodal decomposition significantly promoted the yield strength of the alloys. For the TZT1 alloy, the yield strength increased from 1191 MPa (in the STed state) to 1580 MPa (in the Aed state), increasing by about 34%. The elastic moduli of the TZT1, TZT2 and TZT3 alloys after solution treatment at 1173 K were 75.0 GPa, 78.2 GPa and 85.8 GPa, respectively. After being aged at 973 K for 6 h, the elastic moduli of the three alloys increased to 81 GPa, 90 GPa and 92 GPa, respectively. Therefore, the spinodal decomposition can significantly promote the strength of the Ti-Zr-Ta alloys without a large increase in their elastic modulus.
Deposition of Self-Lubricating Coatings via Supersonic Laser Deposition (SLD)
Authors: Soane Nicholas , Cockburn Andrew , Sparkes Martin , O’Neill William
Published: June 2022

This paper describes the use of Supersonic Laser Deposition (SLD) to manufacture nickel/graphite composite coatings on titanium and aluminium substrates. Laser heating is critical for depositing coatings containing up to 13.3 vol% graphite. For a given feedstock composition, the resulting graphite content and average size of the graphite particles retained in the coating increases with laser power, until substrate melting occurs. The effect of the powder type, feedstock composition, and process conditions on coating structure is characterized. The friction and wear behaviour of selected coating compositions is examined. Nickel coatings containing 13.3 vol% graphite demonstrated self-lubricating behaviour with a stable coefficient of friction below 0.14 in pin-on-disc testing.