bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effect of adding acid‐soluble wheat protein to dough on quality stabilization of products in bread‐making
Authors: Arai Chiaki , Hirose Rieko , Tozaki Mikiko , Nakamura Satoshi , Yamaguchi Satoshi , Suzuki Minoru , Miyamori Kiyokatsu , Noguchi Tomohiro , Takano Katsumi
Published: April 2020

Backgrounds and objectives

Time differences in processing with mechanized bread‐making cause changes in the rheological properties of dough. The effect of the addition of acid‐soluble wheat protein (ASP), mainly composed of gliadin, on these changes was examined.

Findings

Bread rolls were prepared from the same batch of dough in two different floor times. The shape of bread rolls became wider when the floor time was extended to 40 min compared with the normal time of 20 min. The addition of ASP to dough (0.5% or 0.75%) led to a reduction in the influence of the time difference. The stress applied to the sheeting roller in the molding process increased with extended floor times, although this was suppressed by the addition of ASP. Farinograph and extensigraph results as well as the results of the microstructure analysis performed using a scanning electron microscope showed that the addition of ASP to dough favorably changed the gluten network structure.

Conclusions

In mechanized bread‐making, the addition of ASP contributed to the uniformity of the product quality by suppressing changes in the rheological properties of dough during production.

Significance and novelty

The results revealed that the addition of ASP could potentially provide industrial uniformity to various bread products in mechanized bread‐making.
New‐onset atrial fibrillation in a young patient detected by smartwatch
Authors: Samal Subhankar , Singhania Namrata , Bansal Saurabh , Sahoo Anuradha
Published: April 2020

Atrial fibrillation (Afib) is associated with 15%‐25% of strokes. Wearable devices like Apple watch can generate an electrocardiogram and can increase detection of Afib in general population. Early diagnosis and treatment can decrease the risk of strokes.
Synthesis of Light Hydrocarbons from Biogas and Hydrogen: Investigation of a Fe‐Mn‐K/MgO Catalyst
Authors: Dietrich Sebastian , Nieß Selina , Rönsch Stefan , Kraume Matthias
Published: April 2020

Fischer‐Tropsch synthesis of the CO2 in biogas aims at producing light hydrocarbons and increasing its calorific value for feeding into the grid. Fe catalysts with Mn and K as promoters are supposed to yield high amounts of light hydrocarbons. Using a Fe‐Mn‐K/MgO catalyst, a parameter screening and long‐term experiments were carried out. The catalyst shows, within the examined range, the highest selectivity to C2–C4 hydrocarbons at 450 °C, 8 bar(a), and a gas hourly space velocity of 350 h−1. Calcination of the catalyst resulted in a significant drop of activity and an almost complete loss of selectivity to hydrocarbons. Admixture of steam to the reactant gas lowers the tendency to carbon deposition but also promotes the water‐gas shift reaction and results in lower yields of hydrocarbons.
Photocytotoxicity of Oligothienyl‐Functionalized Chelates That Sensitize LnIIILuminescence and Generate1O2
Authors: Johnson Katherine R. , Lombardi Vincent C. , de Bettencourt‐Dias Ana
Published: April 2020

Three new compounds containing a heptadentate lanthanide (LnIII) ion chelator functionalized with oligothiophenes,nThept(COOH)4(n=1, 2, or 3), were isolated. Their LnIIIcomplexes not only display the characteristic metal‐centered emission in the visible or near‐infrared (NIR) but also generate singlet oxygen (1O2). Luminescence efficiencies (ϕLn) for [Eu1Thept(COO)4]−and [Eu2Thept(COO)4]−areϕEu=3 % and 0.5 % in TRIS buffer and 33 % and 3 % in 95 % ethanol, respectively.3Thept(COO)44−does not sensitize EuIIIemission due to its low‐lying triplet state. Near infra‐red (NIR) luminescence is observed for all NIR‐emitting LnIIIand ligands with efficiencies ofϕYb=0.002 %, 0.005 % and 0.04 % for [YbnThept(COO)4]−(n=1, 2, or 3), andϕNd=0.0007 %, 0.002 % and 0.02 % for [NdnThept(COO)4]−(n=1, 2, or 3) in TRIS buffer. In 95 % ethanol, quantum yields of NIR luminescence increase and areϕYb=0.5 %, 0.31 % and 0.05 % for [YbnThept(COO)4]−(n=1, 2, or 3), andϕNd=0.40 %, 0.45 % and 0.12 % for [NdnThept(COO)4]−(n=1, 2, or 3). All complexes are capable of generating1O2in 95 % ethanol withϕ1Ο2efficiencies which range from 2 % to 29 %. These complexes are toxic to HeLa cells when irradiated with UV light (λexc=365 nm) for two minutes. IC50values for the LnIIIcomplexes are in the range 15.2–16.2 μm; the most potent compound is [Nd2Thept(COO)4]−. The cell death mechanisms are further explored using an Annexin V—propidium iodide assay which suggests that cell death occurs through both apoptosis and necrosis.
Color vision testing in children
Authors: Tekavčič Pompe Manca
Published: April 2020

Color vision is an important part of visual processing and as such, it often needs to be evaluated in the pediatric population. The information on a child's color vision status can often be a very important additional clue in establishing the correct clinical diagnosis. The basic principles of color vision are discussed in this review, as well as congenital and acquired color vision deficiencies. The emphasis is on the evaluation of color vision, especially clinically applicable color vision tests suitable for testing children above the age of 3 years.
Incidence of Adverse Drug Reactions in COVID‐19 Patients in China: An Active Monitoring Study by Hospital Pharmacovigilance System
Authors: Sun Ji , Deng Xuanyu , Chen Xiaoping , Huang Juanjuan , Huang Siqiong , Li Yanfei , Feng Jinhui , Liu Jiyang , He Gefei
Published: April 2020

To evaluate the incidence, type, and risk factors associated with adverse drug reactions (ADRs) among patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) by Hospital Pharmacovigilance System (CHPS). A retrospective analysis was performed on 217 patients with COVID‐19 admitted to the First Hospital of Changsha in China, from January 17, 2020, to February 29, 2020. The active monitoring model in CHPS was used to detect ADR signals of the hospital information system. The risk factors for the ADRs were classified using the World Health Organization‐Uppsala Monitoring Centre (WHO‐UMC) system. Univariate and multivariate logistic regressions were carried out to analyze the risk factors of ADRs. Our results showed that the prevalence of ADRs was 37.8% in the patients, which was predominated by drug‐induced gastrointestinal disorders and liver system disorders (23.0% vs. 13.8%). The ADR could be explained by the use of lopinavir/ ritonavir and umifenovir by 63.8% and 18.1%, respectively. There were 96.8% of ADRs that occurred within 14 days of hospitalization. Multivariable analysis showed that length of stay (odds ratio (OR): 2.02; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.03–3.96; P = 0.04), number of drugs used in the hospital (OR: 3.17; 95% CI 1.60–6.27; P = 0.001) and underlying basic diseases (OR: 2.07; 95% CI 1.02–4.23; P = 0.04) were independent risk factor for ADRs in the patients. Together, the incidence of ADRs was significantly high during the treatment period. Moreover, the active monitoring of the CHPS system reflected ADRs during COVID‐19 treatment in the real world, which provided reference for safe medication in the clinic.
Bioderived Molecular Electrodes for Next‐Generation Energy‐Storage Materials
Authors: Miroshnikov Mikhail , Mahankali Kiran , Thangavel Naresh Kumar , Satapathy Sitakanta , Arava Leela Mohana Reddy , Ajayan Pulickel M. , John George
Published: April 2020

Invited for this month′s cover are the groups of George John at the City College of New York–CUNY, Leela R. Arava at Wayne State University, and Pulickel Ajayan at Rice University. The image portraits future prospects of bioderived molecular electrodes for next‐generation energy‐storage materials. The Minireview itself is available at 10.1002/cssc.201903589.
Printed dual‐band base station antenna for GSM/DCS/PCS/UMTS and LTE applications with dual polarization
Authors: Mohammadifar Maryam , Mohammadi Pejman , Zehforoosh Yashar
Published: April 2020

A new design of the dual‐band and dual‐polarized base station antennas for supporting the mobile communication systems operating at the GSM/DCS/PCS/UMTS and LTE frequency bands is presented. A wide input impedance matching bandwidth is achieved due to a trident‐shaped feeding technique. Two printed dipoles, which are located perpendicularly to each other and fed by stepped‐microstrip lines, establish the proposed antenna. In addition, by locating a low‐profile cavity‐backed structure, as a metal reflector under the antenna, bidirectional radiations of the dipoles are switched to unidirectional radiations with an increase in the gain of the antenna. Measurement results indicate that the proposed antenna is suitable for base station applications at the operating frequencies of 800/900/1800/1900/2300 MHz. The isolation is better than 20 dB, and peak gains of 10.08 and 9.96 dBi are attained at port‐1 and port‐2, respectively. Furthermore, the HPBWs of the antenna in H‐plane is more than 61° for each port. The overall dimension of the antenna is 168 × 168 mm2, which is mounted upon a 222 × 222 mm2 cavity‐backed structure with a depth of 42 mm.
Model selection for the North American Breeding Bird Survey
Authors: Link William A. , Sauer John R. , Niven Daniel K.
Published: April 2020

The North American Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) provides data that can be used in complex, multiscale analyses of population change, while controlling for scale‐specific nuisance factors. Many alternative models can be fit to the data, but most model selection procedures are not appropriate for hierarchical models. Leave‐one‐out cross‐validation (LOOCV), in which relative model fit is assessed by omitting an observation and assessing the prediction of a model fit using the remainder of the data, provides a reasonable approach for assessing models, but is time consuming and not feasible to apply for all observations in large data sets. We report the first large‐scale formal model selection for BBS data, applying LOOCV to stratified random samples of observations from BBS data. Our results are for 548 species of North American birds, comparing the fit of four alternative models that differ in year effect structures and in descriptions of extra‐Poisson overdispersion. We use a hierarchical model among species to evaluate posterior probabilities that models are best for individual species. Models in which differences in year effects are conditionally independent (D models) were generally favored over models in which year effects are modeled by a slope parameter and a random year effect (S models), and models in which extra‐Poisson overdispersion effects are independent and t‐distributed (H models) tended to be favored over models where overdispersion was independent and normally distributed. Our conclusions lead us to recommend a change from the conventional S model to D and H models for the vast majority of species (544/548). Comparison of estimated population trends based on the favored model relative to the S model currently used for BBS summaries indicates no consistent differences in estimated trends. Of the 18 species that showed large differences in estimated trends between models, estimated trends from the default S model were more extreme, reflecting the influence of the slope parameter in that model for species that are undergoing large population changes. WAIC, a computationally simpler alternative to LOOCV, does not appear to be a reliable alternative to LOOCV.
The Alkali Metal Salts of Methyl Xanthic Acid
Authors: Liebing Phil , Schmeide Marten , Kühling Marcel , Witzorke Juliane
Published: April 2020

Methyl xanthates of the type M(SSC‐OMe) (M = Li–Cs) are readily formed when carbon disulfide is reacted with the corresponding alkali metal hydroxides in methanol exposed to air, or with the alkali metal methoxides in dry methanol or THF under exclusion of air. The reactions are easily monitored by 13C NMR spectroscopy. The Na, K, Rb, and Cs salt could be isolated in high yields, while the Li salt decomposed upon attempted isolation. All compounds are readily complexed by crown ethers and form isolable 1:1 adducts, including the elusive Li salt. All products were studied by NMR (1H, 13C, and alkali metal nuclei) and IR spectroscopy, and most of them where structurally characterized by single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction. Li(SSC‐OMe)(12c4) (12c4 = [12]crown‐4) and Cs(SSC‐OMe)(18c6) (18c6 = [18]crown‐6) represent the first structurally characterized lithium and caesium xanthate complexes, respectively.
Micro versus Nano: Impact of Particle Size on the Flow Characteristics of Silicon Anode Slurries
Authors: Andersson Rassmus , Hernández Guiomar , Edström Kristina , Mindemark Jonas
Published: April 2020

Silicon is interesting for use as a negative electrode material in Li‐ion batteries due to its extremely high gravimetric capacity compared with today's state‐of‐the‐art material, graphite. However, during cycling the Si particles suffer from large volume changes, leading to particle cracking, electrolyte decompositions, and electrode disintegration. Although utilizing nm‐sized particles can mitigate some of these issues, it would instead be more cost‐effective to incorporate μm‐sized silicon particles in the anode. Herein, it is shown that the size of the Si particles not only influences the electrode cycling properties but also has a decisive impact on the processing characteristics during electrode preparation. In water‐based slurries and suspensions containing μm‐Si and nm‐Si particles, the smaller particles consistently give higher viscosities and more pronounced viscoelastic properties, particularly at low shear rates. This difference is observed even when the Si particles are present as a minor component in blends with graphite. It is found that the viscosity follows the particle volume fraction divided by the particle radius, suggesting that it is dependent on the surface area concentration of the Si particles.
Trust data collections via vehicles joint with unmanned aerial vehicles in the smart Internet of Things
Authors: Li Ting , Liu Wei , Wang Tian , Ming Zhao , Li Xiong , Ma Ming
Published: April 2020

Due to their mobile character, ground vehicles and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are currently being considered as sensing devices that can collect data in the Internet of Things (IoT). Building and enhancing trust and security environments in data collection processes are fundamental and essential requirements. Here, we proposed a novel scheme named “Trust Data Collections via Vehicles joint with UAVs in the Smart Internet of Things” (T‐SIoTs scheme), which targets to establish a trust‐based environment for data collections by utilizing both trust vehicles and UAVs. First, to optimize security aspect, data center (DC) selected trust‐based vehicles as mobile data collectors via analyzing and digging historical datasets. To promise coverage regions of data collections, several static stations are established, which can be utilized as static data collectors. Second, UAVs are arranged by the DC to collect data stored by both trust‐based vehicles and static data collectors. In the T‐SIoTs scheme, trajectories of UAVs are designed according to shortest‐distance‐first routing scheme. Comprehensive theoretical analyses and experiments have been provided to evaluate and support the T‐SIoTs scheme. Compared with the previous studies, the T‐SIoTs scheme can improve the security ratio by 46.133% to 54.60% approximately. And with the routing scheme, the energy consumptions of UAVs can be reduced by 46.93% approximately.
Adaptation and evaluation of a nutrition and physical activity program for early childhood education settings in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities in remote Far North Queensland
Authors: Murtha Kirby , Thompson Kani , Cleland Phoebe , Gallegos Danielle
Published: April 2020

Issue addressed

Good nutrition, physical activity and adequate sleep are essential for the healthy growth and development of young children. Due to complex cultural, historical, social factors, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children face additional challenges to optimal health, particularly in remote areas of Australia. ‘Learning, Eating, Active Play and Sleep’ (LEAPS) was a Queensland‐wide professional development program designed to support early childhood education and care (ECEC) educators to implement and reinforce healthy nutrition and physical activity in their services. This article describes the adaptation, implementation and evaluation of LEAPS for remote ECEC settings in Cape York.

Methods

An Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Reference Group was commissioned to provide advice about the appropriateness of the existing program for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander ECEC settings. Based on the advice of the Reference Group, the program was adapted for use in Cape York and was evaluated using the RE‐AIM framework and a combination of data sources. Quantitative data provided information about changes to participant knowledge and confidence regarding nutrition and physical activity and in‐depth interviews allowed further insights into enablers and challenges for successful program implementation.

Conclusion

A tailored LEAPS program increased participants' knowledge and confidence regarding nutrition and physical activity in ECEC settings. The importance of community consultation, building relationships and face‐to‐face delivery of training were highlighted as key enablers. The evaluation identified a number of challenges relating to competing priorities, limited support for ongoing implementation and adoption of improved practices.

So what?

Poor nutrition and growth in children in remote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities indicates the need for the ongoing commitment to and investment in nutrition and physical activity across a range of community settings. To achieve success, this requires a dedicated preventative health workforce supporting evidence‐informed, coordinated programs driven by community priorities and developed via community development approaches.
Flow visualization of Rayleigh–Bénard convection for cubical cavity
Authors: Vekamulla Narayana , Rani Hari Ponnamma
Published: April 2020

Natural convective flow of air inside the cubical cavity is investigated numerically. The temperature of the bottom wall is kept higher than that of top cold wall, and other four walls are assumed to be adiabatic. Attention has been paid to the convective discretization schemes, like upwind, QUICK, total variation diminishing, normalized variable diagram (NVD) schemes that are compared with respect to accuracy. The output is validated with respect to the results available in the literature. A parallel computing message passing interface code is adapted to run the simulations. From the results, it is observed that the NVD scheme gives better results among all the employed convective discretization schemes irrespective of the mesh structure. Thus, in this article, self filtered central differencing which is a family of NVD, is used. From the enormous output data, along with the streamlines, contours of isotherms, the new technique of energy pathlines, and field synergy are used to visualize the fluid flow and heat transfer mechanism arising in the system in the range of Ra from 103 to 106. Free energy streamlines are observed with small Ra, whereas trapped energy streamlines are observed with high Ra. When Ra increases, synergy angle increases and implies that the synergy between the velocity vector and temperature gradient gets reduced and leads to increasing values of average Nusselt number (Nu).
Civil Society and Social Mobilizations in the Context of the Rio Doce Socioenvironmental Disaster
Authors: Carlos Euzeneia
Published: April 2020

To explain how social movements and organizations changed in the context of the Rio Doce, Brazil socioenvironmental disaster, this article identifies a process of organizational innovation. The research is based on documental data and interviews with activists over the 3 y of the disaster. The main argument is that organizational innovation consists of changes in organizational forms and repertoires of collective action, based on existing organizational models and tactics. On the one hand, the innovation occurred through the territorialization of novel organizational forms, intermediated by social movements that act as incubators. On the other hand, it consisted of the combination among extrainstitutional, institutional, and multiscalar repertoires and in the innovation in tactics and performances. Mechanisms of adaptation, imitation, and negotiated diffusion are identified which operated in this innovation process. It is argued that the organizational innovation of social movements was propelled by political constraints of disaster governance, which pushed them to innovation, in addition to the role of preexisting organizations. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2020;16:681–690. © 2020 SETAC
Improving agricultural water productivity with a focus on rural transformation*
Authors: de Jong IJsbrand H. , Arif Sigit Supadmo , Gollapalli Paavan Kumar Reddy , Neelam Patel , Nofal Eman Ragab , Reddy K. Yella , Röttcher Klaus , Zohrabi Narges
Published: April 2020

As a result of population growth, economic development and climate change, feeding the world and providing water security will require important changes in the technologies, institutions, policies and incentives that drive present‐day water management, as captured in Goal 6.4 of the Millennium Development Goals. Irrigation is the largest and most inefficient water user, and there is an expectation that even small improvements in agricultural water productivity will improve water security.

This paper argues that improvements in irrigation water productivity involves a complex and comprehensive rural transformation that goes beyond mere promotion of water saving technologies. Many of the measures to improve water productivity require significant changes in the production systems of farmers and in the support provided to them.

Looking forward, water use and competition over water are expected to further increase. By 2025, about 1.8 billion people will be living in regions or countries with absolute water scarcity. Demand for water will rise exponentially, while supply becomes more erratic and uncertain, prompting the need for significant shifts of inter‐sectoral water allocation to support continued economic growth. Advances in the use of remote sensing technologies will make it increasingly possible to cost‐effectively and accurately estimate crop evapotranspiration from farmers’ fields.
Astilbin ameliorates deoxynivalenol‐induced oxidative stress and apoptosis in intestinal porcine epithelial cells (IPEC‐J2)
Authors: Xu Xiaoxiang , Yan Guorong , Chang Juan , Wang Ping , Yin Qingqiang , Liu Chaoqi , Liu Shuo , Zhu Qun , Lu Fushan
Published: April 2020

Deoxynivalenol (DON) is a common mycotoxin, which often induces oxidative stress and cytotoxicity in humans and animals. Astilbin (AST), as a natural antioxidant, exhibits multiple pharmacological functions. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of AST on alleviating DON‐induced cytotoxicity in intestinal porcine epithelial cells (IPEC‐J2). The results demonstrated that 0.5 μg/mL DON stimulation for 6 hours induced oxidative stress, inflammation and apoptosis in IPEC‐J2 cells. AST enhanced the cell viability in a dose‐ and time‐dependent manner. The addition of 20 μg/mL AST significantly increased cell viability, superoxide dismutase and catalase activities, Bcl‐2 gene expression and the Bcl‐2/Bax ratio (P < .05), and decreased lactate dehydrogenase release, malondialdehyde content and the relative expressions of genes associated with inflammation and apoptosis such as interleukin‐6 and ‐8, tumor necrosis factor‐alpha, cyclooxygenase‐2, nuclear factor‐kappaB, Bax and caspase‐3 (P < .05). Simultaneously, zonula occludens‐1, claudin‐1 and PepT1 gene expressions were upregulated and occludin, ASCT2 and GLUT2 gene expressions were downregulated by the addition of AST, compared with the DON group (P < .05). These results indicated that 20 μg/mL AST could ameliorate oxidative stress, inflammation and apoptosis by enhancing antioxidant enzyme activities and intestinal barrier function, and reducing the expressions of inflammation and apoptosis genes, as well as improve the barrier function and nutrient transport and absorption in DON‐induced IPEC‐J2 cells.
Mechanistic details of metal‐free cyclization reaction of organophosphorus oxide with alkynes mediated by 2,6‐lutidine and Tf2O
Authors: Tian Jiamei , Yuan Haiyan , Zhang Jingping
Published: April 2020

Theoretical investigations have elucidated the mechanism of metal‐free electrophilic phosphinative cyclization of alkynes reaction reported by Miura and coworkers. Two competitive mechanisms I and II were explored without or with 2,6‐lutidine. Both of I and II involve transformation of P(V) to P(III), electrophilic addition, ring opening and cyclization/cyclization, hydrogen‐transfer, and oxidation. The rate‐determining step of mechanism I and competitive less‐step II is electrophilic [2 + 1] cycloaddition and electrophilic addition via single CP bond formation with activation barrier of 13.5 and 10.6 kcal/mol, respectively. Our calculation results suggested that the cumulative effect of the isomer of 2,6‐lutidine and Tf2O as well as TfO− affects the title reaction to some extent, and simultaneously activates key reaction sites and reverses the polarities of them via the formation of abundant noncovalent interactions to decrease activation barriers of TSs. In addition, the effects of two series substituents on reactivity of phosphine oxide were investigated. Therefore, our study will serve as useful guidance for more efficient metal‐free synthesis of organophosphorus compounds mediated by pyridine reagents.
Monolayer self‐organization of cyclodextrins on carbon surface
Authors: Bykov Egor S. , Kopytin Kirill A. , Onuchak Lyudmila A. , Blatov Vladislav A.
Published: April 2020

A quantum‐chemical semi‐empirical PM3 and Gaussian 09 method has been used to evaluate the structure of a monolayer of α‐ and β‐cyclodextrins on a carbon surface. The adsorption energies for various types of packing of cyclodextrin molecules in a dense monolayer have been calculated. It has been established that the monolayers with the “sideway” orientation of the cyclodextrin molecules to the carbon surface are most energetically favorable.
Packing cliques in 3‐uniform hypergraphs
Authors: Javadi Ramin , Poorhadi Ehsan , Fallah Farshad
Published: April 2020

For positive integers , a collection of ‐subsets of an ‐set is called a ‐packing if every ‐subset of appears in at most one set in . In this paper, we investigate the existence of the maximum 3‐packings whenever is sufficiently larger than . When , the optimal value for the size of a 3‐packing is settled. In other cases, lower and upper bounds are obtained where mostly differ by an additive constant depending only on but one case that they differ by a linear bound in .
β‐Mangostin inhibits the metastatic power of cervical cancer cells attributing to suppression of JNK2/AP‐1/Snail cascade
Authors: Lin Chun‐Shiang , Lin Chia‐Liang , Ying Tsung‐Ho , Chiou Hui‐Ling , Hung Chia‐Hung , Liao Wei‐Shan , Hsieh Yi‐Hsien , Kao Shao‐Hsuan
Published: April 2020

β‐Mangostin is a natural mangostin with potent anticancer activity against various cancers. In this study, we further explored the anticancer activity of β‐mangostin on cervical cancer cells. β‐Mangostin did not affect cell viability and cell cycle distribution in HeLa and SiHa cells; however, it dose‐dependently inhibited the migration and invasion of both the human cervical cancer cell lines. In addition, we observed that β‐mangostin suppressed the expression of integrin αV and β3 and the downstream focal adhesion kinase/Src signaling. We also found that Snail was involved in the β‐mangostin inhibited cell migration and invasion of HeLa cell. Then, our findings showed that β‐mangostin reduced both nuclear translocation and messenger RNA expression of AP‐1 and demonstrated that AP‐1 could target to the Snail promoter and induce Snail expression. Kinase cascade analysis and reporter assay showed that JNK2 was involved in the inhibition of AP‐1/Snail axis by β‐mangostin in HeLa cells. These results indicate that β‐mangostin can inhibit the mobility and invasiveness of cervical cancer cells, which may attribute to the suppression of both integrin/Src signaling and JNK2‐mediated AP‐1/Snail axis. This suggests that β‐mangostin has potential antimetastatic potential against cervical cancer cells.
microRNAs involved in T‐cell development, selection, activation, and hemostasis
Authors: Emamgolizadeh Gurt Tapeh Behnam , Mosayyebi Bashir , Samei Mahdieh , Beyrampour Basmenj Hanieh , Mohammadi Ali , Alivand Mohammad R. , Hassanpour Parviz , Solali Saeed
Published: April 2020

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) characterized by small, noncoding RNAs have a fundamental role in the regulation of gene expression at the post‐transcriptional level. Additionally, miRNAs have recently been identified as potential regulators of various genes involved in the pathogenesis of the autoimmune and inflammatory disease. So far, the interaction between miRNAs and T lymphocytes in the immune response as a new and significant topic has not been emphasized substantially. The role of miRNAs in different biological processes including apoptosis, immune checkpoints and the activation of immune cells is still unclear. Aberrant miRNA expression profile affects various aspects of T‐cell function. Accordingly, in this literature review, we summarized the role of significant miRNAs in T‐cell development processes. Consequently, we demonstrated precise mechanisms that candidate miRNAs interfere in Immune response mediated by different types of T cells. We believe that a good understanding of the interaction between miRNAs and immune response contributes to the new therapeutic strategies in relation to disease with an immunological origin.
Expression and function of the nonclassical estrogen receptor, GPR30, in human cartilage and chondrocytes
Authors: Ribeiro Madalena , Sousa Cátia , Rufino Ana T. , Judas Fernando , Mendes Alexandrina F.
Published: April 2020

Estrogen hormones are important for cartilage homeostasis, but nothing is known regarding the expression and role of the membrane G protein‐coupled estrogen receptor (GPER), G protein‐coupled receptor 30 (GPR30), in adult articular chondrocytes. Using immunohistochemistry of cartilage sections, quantitative real‐time polymerase chain reaction and Western blot of chondrocyte extracts, we found that these cells express GPR30. Nonetheless, the pattern of bands detected by two distinct antibodies does not overlap, suggesting that the proteins detected represent partially degraded forms of the receptor. Treatment with GPR30 agonists did not induce Akt or ERK1/2 phosphorylation, two known GPR30‐activated signaling pathways, suggesting that GPR30 is not functional in human chondrocytes. Therefore, the protective anti‐osteoarthritic role of estrogen hormones in cartilage homeostasis is likely independent of GPR30. This study was performed using human cartilage collected from the distal femoral condyles of multiorgan donors at the Bone and Tissue Bank of the University and Hospital Center of Coimbra.
Cimetidine a promising radio‐protective agent through modulating Bax/Bcl2 ratio: An in vivo study in male rats
Authors: Estaphan Suzanne , Abdel‐Malek Raafat , Rashed Laila , Mohamed Enas Ahmed
Published: April 2020

Radiotherapy is one of the most effective modalities for treatment of neoplastic diseases. Radiation damage is to a large extent caused by overproduction of reactive oxygen species. To improve the therapeutic index, identifying effective substances for prevention or treatment of postirradiation intestinal and bone marrow injury should be prompted. This study was designed to evaluate the protective effects of cimetidine on the in rats exposed to γ‐irradiation (5 Gy) and exploring the B‐cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl2)/Bcl2 associated X (bax) pathway as a probable underlying mechanism. Eighteen adult male rats were randomly grouped into three: control, untreated irradiated rats, and irradiated rats pretreated with cimetidine. Seven days postirradiation the rats were culled, the bone marrow (BM) and jejunum tissue samples were collected for biochemical, histological, and immunohistological evaluation of BM cell count (BMCs), intestinal fibrosis, oxidative stress, tumor necrosis factor‐α, Bcl2, and Bax. Cimetidine pretreatment significantly reversed the loss of BMCs, intestinal lining destruction, and fibrosis seen in the untreated irradiated rats and significantly decreased the underlying oxidative stress, inflammation, and Bax/Bcl2 ratio. There was a significant differential correlation between Bax/Bcl2 ratio, tissue oxidative stress level, and tissue injury. Cimetidine represents a very promising radioprotective agent with a potential differential beneficial effect on both cancer cells (inducing apoptosis) as previously proved through different studies and adjacent healthy cells (providing radioprotection via inhibiting apoptosis) as clearly demonstrated through this study, via its antioxidant effect and subsequent regulation of type 2 apoptotic pathway through modulation of Bax/Bcl2 ratio.
lncRNA HOTAIRM1 promotes osteogenesis of hDFSCs by epigenetically regulating HOXA2 via DNMT1 in vitro
Authors: Chen Zhengyuan , Zheng Jinxuan , Hong Hong , Chen Dongru , Deng Lidi , Zhang Xueqin , Ling Junqi , Wu Liping
Published: April 2020

Dental follicle (DF) can develop into periodontal tissues including periodontal ligament, cementum, and alveolar bone. Possessing superior pluripotency and osteogenic capacity, dental follicle stem cells (DFSCs) have become a promising stem cell source for bone regeneration and periodontal engineering. However, the mechanisms underlying DFSCs‐mediated osteogenesis remain elusive. Our previous long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) microarray revealed that lncRNA HOTAIRM1 was significantly higher expressed in human DFSCs (hDFSCs) compared with human periodontal ligament stem cells (hPDLSCs). lncRNA HOTAIRM1, an antisense transcript of the HOXA1/2 intergenic region, can epigenetically regulate proximal and distant HOXA genes through histone and DNA methylation. HOXA2, a target of HOTAIRM1, is crucial for cranial neural crest morphogenesis, branchial arches development, and osteogenesis. However, the roles of both HOTAIRM1 and HOXA2 in odontogenic stem cells remain unknown. Here, we investigated the functions and regulatory mechanisms of these two genes in hDFSCs. Both genes were confirmed highly expressed in hDFSCs compared with hPDLSCs, and they displayed similar expression patterns in the DF and surrounding periodontium during mice tooth morphogenesis. Knockdown of either HOTAIRM1 or HOXA2 inhibited osteogenic differentiation of hDFSCs, while overexpressed HOTAIRM1 inhibited hDFSCs proliferation and promoted osteogenesis. Furthermore, HOTAIRM1 inhibited both overall DNMT1 expression and DNMT1 enrichment on HOXA2 promoter, mechanically binding to the CpG islands of the HOXA2 promoter region, leading to hypomethylation and HOXA2 induction. These findings suggested that HOTAIRM1 promoted the osteogenesis of hDFSCs by epigenetically regulating HOXA2 via DNMT1. Taken together, HOTARIM1 and HOXA2 exerted pivotal functions in hDFSCs, and the regulatory mechanism of HOTARIM1 within the HOXA cluster was uncovered.
Phytochemicals modulate cancer aggressiveness: A review depicting the anticancer efficacy of dietary polyphenols and their combinations
Authors: Mitra Tulika , Bhattacharya Rahul
Published: April 2020

Cancer is referred to as the “Emperor of all maladies” accounting for the second‐highest mortality rates worldwide. Major factors associated with cancer lethality are uncontrolled proliferation, metastasis, and frequent recurrence. The conventional therapeutic drugs used in cancer therapy have been associated with numerous damaging side‐effects that call for the use of alternative therapeutic options. The natural plant compounds (NPCs) have been found to be effective against diverse groups of diseases including cancer. Among the different types, the polyphenolic phytochemicals like curcumin, (−)epigallocatechin‐3‐gallate, Resveratrol, and nimbolide which are predominant parts of daily dietary intake have proved their potency in reducing the aggressive properties of cancer. Here, we have highlighted the mechanisms through which these NPCs influence growth, metastatic potential, and the drug‐resistant behavior of different cancer types. Moreover, we have also emphasized on their function as modulators of the immune system as well as the metabolic properties of the tumor. The role of these phytochemicals in reducing cancer progression has been highlighted when administered unaided or in combination with similar group of compounds. Moreover, their ability to enhance the drug‐sensitivity of cancer cells which accounts for their use in combination with conventional chemotherapeutics has also been discussed in this article. Therefore, co‐administration of these phytochemicals with chemically similar group members or with conventional chemotherapeutics may prove to be an effective treatment strategy for cancer.
Folic acid rescues corticosteroid‐induced vertebral malformations in chick embryos through targeting TGF‐β signaling
Authors: Cai Hongmei , Lin Li , Wang Guang , Berman Zachary , Yang Xuesong , Cheng Xin
Published: April 2020

Folic acid (FA) is routinely supplemented in the food of pregnant women or women planning a pregnancy, but whether FA exerts a positive effect on preventing fetal bone malformation remains obscure. In this study, we first exposed chick embryos with different concentrations of FA (1–10,000 pmol/egg) and studied vertebral mineralization and ossification through alcian blue and alizarin red as well as hematoxylin and eosin staining. Morphological measurements of the thoracic vertebral bodies demonstrated that 100 pmol/egg FA exhibited the tendency of shortening the growth plate, extended the ossification center, and increased the amount of Type I collagen. Second, we suggested that FA treatment promotes osteogenesis by demonstrating increased RUNX family transcription factor 2 (Runx2) and Osterix expressions in MC3T3‐E1 and ATDC5 cells. Transforming growth factor‐β (TGF‐β) signaling was also upregulated by FA exposure, and addition of smad2/3 small interfering RNA knocks down FA‐induced increased p‐smad2/3, Runx2, and Osterix expression in vitro during chondrogenesis induction. Third, we employed dexamethasone (Dex), exposed chick embryos as an animal model of skeletal developmental retardation, to explore whether FA could rescue the loss of embryonic bone mass. Micro‐computed tomography imaging showed that the addition of FA improved the reduction of bone mass in our model. Histological analysis of the vertebral bodies revealed that FA dramatically improved the delayed turnover of the zones of growth plate caused by Dex exposure. Immunofluorescence on the chick embryonic vertebrae and chondrocytes showed that FA supplementation upregulated the expression of TGF‐β1, p‐smad2/3, and improved Runx2 as well as Osterix expression in the Dex + FA group compared with the Dex group. Lastly, we found that supplementation with TGF‐β1 (1 ng/egg) rescued bone mass loss caused by Dex as was also seen in FA exposure. Taken together these results, our data revealed that FA supplementation was able to rescue Dex exposure‐induced inhibitive osteogenesis through targeting on the TGF‐β signaling pathway.
Specific inhibition of FAK signaling attenuates subchondral bone deterioration and articular cartilage degeneration during osteoarthritis pathogenesis
Authors: Wu Hangtian , Xu Ting , Chen Zhigang , Wang Yutian , Li Kaiqun , Chen Pei‐Sheng , Yao Zilong , Su Jianwen , Cheng Caiyu , Wu Xiaohu , Zhang Hongan , Chai Yu , Zhang Xianrong , Hu Yanjun , Yu Bin , Cui Zhuang
Published: April 2020

Osteoarthritis (OA), a disease of the entire joint, is characterized by abnormal bone remodeling and coalescent degradation of articular cartilage. We have previously found that elevated levels of H‐type vessels in subchondral bone correlate with OA and that focal adhesion kinase (FAK) is critical for H‐type vessel formation in osteoporosis. However, the potential role of FAK in OA remains unexplored. Here, we demonstrate that the p‐FAK level was dramatically elevated in subchondral bone following anterior cruciate ligament transection (ACLT) in rats. Specific inhibition of FAK signaling with Y15 in subchondral bone resulted in the suppression of subchondral bone deterioration and this effect was mediated by H‐type vessel‐induced ectopic bone formation. Further, articular cartilage degeneration was also alleviated after Y15 treatment. In vitro, the p‐FAK level was significantly elevated in mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) from vehicle‐treated ACLT rats as compared to that in MSCs from sham controls and Y15‐treated ACLT rats. Elevated p‐FAK level in MSCs promoted vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression, as demonstrated from the high VEGF level in the blood, subchondral bone, and conditioned medium (CM) of MSCs from vehicle‐treated ACLT rats. The CM of MSCs from vehicle‐treated ACLT rats might promote the angiogenesis of endothelial cells and the catabolic response of chondrocytes through the FAK‐growth factor receptor‐bound protein 2‐mitogen‐activated protein kinase‐mediated expression of VEGF. The effect of the CM from MSCs of Y15‐treated ACLT rats or that treated with a VEGF‐neutralizing antibody on vessel formation and the catabolic response was lowered. Thus, the specific inhibition of FAK signaling may be a promising avenue for the prevention or early treatment of OA.
Prognostic role and therapeutic susceptibility of cathepsin in various types of solid tumor and leukemia: A systematic review
Authors: Hadad Elham Homaei , Ahmadzadeh Ahmad , Abooali Alireza , Saki Malehi Amal , Shokouhian Mohammad , Saki Najmaldin
Published: April 2020

Cathepsins (CTSs) are multifunctional proteins that can play prominent roles in cancer progression and metastasis. In this systematic review, we compared the prognosis of CTS subtypes overexpression in leukemia and solid tumors, and investigated the effect of different factors on CTS prognosis. We systematically searched published articles indexed in PubMed, Scopus, Cochrane library, ISI Web of Science, and EmBase databases from February 2000 until January 2020. Among the selected leukemia and solid tumors studies, overexpression of CTS subtypes in newly diagnosed and treated patients were with poor prognosis in 43 studies (79.6%) and with good prognosis in 9 studies (16.6%). However, there were 2 studies (3.8%) with either good or poor prognosis, depending on conditions and caner stage and host cell. The relation between CTS and human leukocyte antigen (HLA) in leukemia and solid tumors was mentioned in 7 studies (13%). Overexpression of CTS subtypes in all new case patients had contributed to the induction of poor prognosis. It seems that CTS subtypes, based on the type of cancer and its stage, the type of host cells, and the probable relation with HLA, breed good or poor prognosis in patients with cancer. Therefore, monitoring the overexpression of CTS subtypes and determining the effect of each of these factors on CTS prognosis could be helpful in predicting cancer prognosis both in newly diagnosed or under treatment patients. They could also be useful in finding ways for improving the efficiency of contemporary therapeutic strategies in various types of leukemia and solid tumors.
Transcriptional regulation of the bovine FGFR1 gene facilitates myoblast proliferation under hypomethylation of the promoter
Authors: Cheng Jie , Cao Xiu‐Kai , Peng Shu‐Jun , Wang Xiao‐Gang , Li Zhuang , Elnour Ibrahim‐Elsaeid , Huang Yong‐Zhen , Lan Xian‐Yong , Chen Hong
Published: April 2020

DNA methylation, which can affect the expression level of genes, is one of the most vital epigenetic modifications in mammals. Fibroblast growth factor receptor 1 (FGFR1) plays an important role in muscle development; however, DNA methylation of the FGFR1 promoter has not been studied to date in cattle. Our study focused on methylation of the FGFR1 promoter and its effect on bovine myoblast proliferation and differentiation. We identified the FGFR1 core promoter by using luciferase reporter assays; we then studied FGFR1 expression by reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction, and the methylation pattern in the FGFR1 core promoter by bisulfite sequencing polymerase chain reaction in bovine muscle tissue at three different developmental stages. We used RNAi strategy to investigate the function of FGFR1 in myoblast proliferation and differentiation. Results showed that the FGFR1 core promoters were located at the R2 (−509 to ~−202 bp) and R4 (−1295 to ~−794 bp) regions upstream of the FGFR1 gene. FGFR1 expression level was negatively associated with the degree of methylation of the FGFR1 core promoter during the developmental process. In addition, we found that FGFR1 can promote myoblast proliferation, but had no effect on myoblast differentiation. In conclusion, our results suggest that FGFR1 can promote myoblast proliferation and its transcription can be regulated by the methylation level of the core promoter. Our findings provide a mechanistic basis for the improvement of animal breeding.
Melatonin inhibits Müller cell activation and pro‐inflammatory cytokine production via upregulating the MEG3/miR‐204/Sirt1 axis in experimental diabetic retinopathy
Authors: Tu Yuanyuan , Zhu Manhui , Wang Zhenzhen , Wang Kun , Chen Lili , Liu Wangrui , Shi Qin , Zhao Qingliang , Sun Yake , Wang Xiaoyu , Song E. , Liu Xiaojuan
Published: April 2020

Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is the most common ocular complication caused by diabetes mellitus and is the main cause of visual impairment in working‐age people. Reactive gliosis and pro‐inflammatory cytokine production by Müller cells contribute to the progression of DR. Melatonin is a strong anti‐inflammatory hormone, mediating the cytoprotective effect of a variety of retinal cells against hyperglycemia. In this study, melatonin inhibited the gliosis activation and inflammatory cytokine production of Müller cells in both in vitro and in vivo models of DR. The melatonin membrane blocker, Luzindole, invalidated the melatonin‐mediated protective effect on Müller cells. Furthermore, melatonin inhibited Müller cell activation and pro‐inflammatory cytokine production by upregulating the long noncoding RNA maternally expressed gene 3/miR‐204/sirtuin 1 axis. In conclusion, our study suggested that melatonin treatment could be a novel therapeutic strategy for DR.
Differential expression of the long and truncated Hv1 isoforms in breast‐cancer cells
Authors: Ventura Clara , Leon Ignacio Esteban , Asuaje Agustin , Martín Pedro , Enrique Nicolas , Núñez Mariel , Cocca Claudia , Milesi Verónica
Published: April 2020

Metabolic reprogramming of cancer cells results in a high production of acidic substances that must be extruded to maintain tumor‐cell viability. The voltage‐gated proton channel (Hv1) mediates highly selective effluxes of hydronium‐ion (H+) that prevent deleterious cytoplasmic acidification. In the work described here, we demonstrated for the first time that the amino‐terminal–truncated isoform of Hv1 is more highly expressed in tumorigenic breast‐cancer‐cell lines than in nontumorigenic breast cells. With respect to Hv1 function, we observed that pharmacologic inhibition of that channel, mediated by the specific blocker 5‐chloro‐2‐guanidinobenzimidazole, produced a drop in intracellular pH and a decrease in cell viability, both in monolayer and in three‐dimensional cultures, and adversely affected the cell‐cycle in tumorigenic breast cells without altering the cycling of nontumorigenic cells. In conclusion, our results demonstrated that the Hv1 channel could be a potential tool both as a biomarker and as a therapeutic target in breast‐cancer disease.