bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Genetic and chemical validation of Plasmodium falciparum aminopeptidase PfA-M17 as a drug target in the hemoglobin digestion pathway
Authors: Edgar Rebecca CS , Siddiqui Ghizal , Hjerrild Katheryn , Malcolm Tess R , Vinh Natalie B , Webb Chaille T , Holmes Clare , MacRaild Christopher A , Chernih Hope C , Suen Willy W , Counihan Natalie A , Creek Darren J , Scammells Peter J , McGowan Sheena , de Koning-Ward Tania F
Published: September 2022

Plasmodium falciparum, the causative agent of malaria, remains a global health threat as parasites continue to develop resistance to antimalarial drugs used throughout the world. Accordingly, drugs with novel modes of action are desperately required to combat malaria. P. falciparum parasites infect human red blood cells where they digest the host’s main protein constituent, hemoglobin. Leucine aminopeptidase PfA-M17 is one of several aminopeptidases that have been implicated in the last step of this digestive pathway. Here, we use both reverse genetics and a compound specifically designed to inhibit the activity of PfA-M17 to show that PfA-M17 is essential for P. falciparum survival as it provides parasites with free amino acids for growth, many of which are highly likely to originate from hemoglobin. We further show that loss of PfA-M17 results in parasites exhibiting multiple digestive vacuoles at the trophozoite stage. In contrast to other hemoglobin-degrading proteases that have overlapping redundant functions, we validate PfA-M17 as a potential novel drug target.
Structure of the HOPS tethering complex, a lysosomal membrane fusion machinery
Authors: Shvarev Dmitry , Schoppe Jannis , König Caroline , Perz Angela , Füllbrunn Nadia , Kiontke Stephan , Langemeyer Lars , Januliene Dovile , Schnelle Kilian , Kümmel Daniel , Fröhlich Florian , Moeller Arne , Ungermann Christian
Published: September 2022

Lysosomes are essential for cellular recycling, nutrient signaling, autophagy, and pathogenic bacteria and viruses invasion. Lysosomal fusion is fundamental to cell survival and requires HOPS, a conserved heterohexameric tethering complex. On the membranes to be fused, HOPS binds small membrane-associated GTPases and assembles SNAREs for fusion, but how the complex fulfills its function remained speculative. Here, we used cryo-electron microscopy to reveal the structure of HOPS. Unlike previously reported, significant flexibility of HOPS is confined to its extremities, where GTPase binding occurs. The SNARE-binding module is firmly attached to the core, therefore, ideally positioned between the membranes to catalyze fusion. Our data suggest a model for how HOPS fulfills its dual functionality of tethering and fusion and indicate why it is an essential part of the membrane fusion machinery.
Respuesta y estructuración de los ensamblajes de aves al disturbio causado por la actividad volcánica
Authors: Sánchez-Ramos Luis Enrique , Navarro-Sigüenza Adolfo G.
Published: September 2022

La diversidad taxonómica y funcional de un ensamblaje de aves está determinada por diversos procesos ecológicos y evolutivos. Conforme se establecen las especies, las condiciones bióticas y abióticas cambian configurando el proceso de sucesión o colonización. En ocasiones, estos procesos son alterados por eventos catastróficos que impactan de formas diversas a las especies funcionando como filtros ecológicos. En este trabajo se realiza una revisión bibliográfica sobre el disturbio volcánico como agente de perturbación que inicia procesos de sucesión ecológica en los ensamblajes de aves. Se analiza el impacto de estos fenómenos naturales sobre otros taxones y se construye una hipótesis sobre las posibles afectaciones y el proceso de sucesión que rige a las aves. Se concluye que hay un patrón en el filtro ecológico causado por el disturbio volcánico, inhibiendo principalmente a las especies que se alimentan de recursos vegetales como las granívoras, nectarívoras y frugívoras, mientras que facilita la incorporación de las especies carroñeras. La relación del ensamblaje de aves con los efectos de las erupciones volcánicas es un tema poco estudiado y con gran potencial para la investigación.
Comparative Study of the Chemical Analysis of Different Brands of Cements used in Ghana
Authors: Akyen Thomas , Kankam Charles K.
Published: September 2022

In Ghana, however, ordinary Portland-limestone cement in recent times continues to remain the alternative construction material compared to other brands. With the rising trend of infrastructural development in the country undertaken by individuals and real estate companies, there have been categories of different brands of cement alongside the existing brands being produced in Ghana. The usage of lowquality cement resulting in poor bonding of construction materials has led to the investigation of some selected brands. In this study six different brands of Portland - limestone cement generally used in the construction industry in Ghana, namely; CIMAF cement, Dangote cement, Diamond cement, Ghacem cement, Sol cement and Supacem cement were investigated. The chemical compositions were analyzed using X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) spectrometer equipment because of its accuracy and simplicity it has over other technologies. The amount of chemical constituents like A2O3, SiO2, Fe2O3, CaO, MgO, SO3, Na2O and K2O were determined in accordance with ASTM C114-18. The results indicated that the properties of the six brands of cement are comparable and are all of good quality.
Facility Management for Efficient Service Delivery in Federal Polytechnic Offa, Kwara State: A Technological Approach
Authors: Abdullateef A. T. , Alabi O. Abdullateef , Lawal M. K. , Otunola O. AbdulAkeem
Published: September 2022

Facilities management (FM) is a function that adapts because of changing external environment. Priority Service Provider (PSP) is one method used by FM to deliver this change in strategy. There is an estimated 323 million PSP usage in over 70 countries out of over 550 billion industries worldwide. This research explored FM and the invention of Priority Service Provider PSP technology to facilitate customer problems in public and tertiary institutions. The study aimed to eradicate long queues and personal influence in delivering products and services in a remote environment. To achieve this, low-cost, portable microcontroller-based electronic queue control (EQC) systems have been developed to control queues with the parameter of Federal Polytechnic Offa campuses to identify dense population areas in tertiary institutions' service units. Two different queue control systems have been implemented with slightly different features. In system-1, a general display has been used for displaying token numbers and service counter numbers, whereas, in system-2, each token number is displayed individually in each service counter with separate displays. In both systems, each visitor has to collect a token and then will be served whenever the token number is displayed. Integrated Arduino UNO carried out the experimental study to create an artefact. The control programs have been developed using the Arduino C programming language. Finally, the systems have been tested under different conditions to evaluate their performance.
PELATIHAN DAN PENDAMPINGAN PEMBUATAN MAKAN PAGI BAGI IBU PKK DESA WISATA TISTA, KERAMBITAN, TABANAN
Authors: Turker Sidhi Bayu , Widyastuti Kadek , Astuti Ni Made Erpia Ordani
Published: September 2022

PKK (Pemberdayaan Kesejahteraan Keluarga) is a community organization which includes housewives as its members. PKK is government partner for both the lowest regional level to national level programs that contains social, economic, educational, cultural, and sports for women’s empowerement activities. PKK from Tista tourism village has potential resources that could be developed to support the program. Diploma Hospitality Management Study Program in collaboration with PKK from Tista tourism village conducted various training program such as breakfast menu creation in order to answer diversification needs of daily menu and also serves as business opportunity. The purpose of the training is to provide food menus knowledge, breakfast preparation skill, CHSE implementation, and additional information about the importance in developing family business. Participants are expected to absorb knowledge, skills and their application. The training method is given in form of lectures, discussions and demonstrations. All the participants follow the training program enthusiastically and expect continuous training in the future with different materials such as pastry, room cleaning, and other skills for women.

 

Abstrak

 PKK atau Pemberdayaan Kesejahteraan Keluarga adalah organisasi kemasyarakatan yang menyertakan ibu rumah tangga sebagai anggotanya. PKK merupakan mitra kerja pemerintah baik di tingkat wilayah terbawah sampai nasional dan program kerjanya beragam dari kegiatan sosial, ekonomi, pendidikan, budaya, olahraga dan pemberdayaan perempuan. PKK Desa Wisata Tista memiliki sumber daya potensial yang bisa dikembangkan untuk mendukung programnya. Dalam mendukung pengoptimalan potensi mereka, Prodi D4 Manajemen Perhotelan bekerjasama dengan PKK Desa Wisata Tista mengadakan pelatihan pembuatan menu makan pagi untuk menjawab kebutuhan diversifikasi menu keluarga dan juga bagi sebagai peluang usaha.  Tujuan pelatihan ini memberikan pengetahuan menu makanan, keterampilan penyiapan makan pagi, penerapan CHSE, dan memberikan informasi penguatan bahwa pelatihan ini juga bermanfaat dalam pengembangan usaha keluarga di bidang produksi makanan. Peserta diharapkan dapat menyerap ilmu, ketrampilan dan mengaplikasikan di keluarga dan masyarakat. Metode pelatihan diberikan dalam bentuk ceramah, diskusi dan demontrasi serta pendampingan praktek langsung oleh ibu-ibu PKK Desa Wisata Tista. Pelatihan di laksanakan secara onsite di Wantilan Desa Wisata Tista. Peserta berlatih dengan antusias, komunikatif, aktif bertanya dan mengikuti pelatihan dengan baik. Mereka berharap kegiatan pelatihan dapat berkesinambungan dengan materi lain seperti pembuatan kue-kue, penataan kamar, dan ketrampilan lainnya untuk para perempuan.
The Combined Effect of Bubble and Photo Catalysis Technology in BTEX Removal from Produced Water
Authors: Al-Nuaim Marwah , Al-Wasiti Asawer A. , Shnain Zainb Y. , Al-Shalal Abbas K.
Published: September 2022

Among the several ways used in wastewater treatment, the photocatalysis process is a more novel and alternative process that is increasingly employed in recent years. This work aims to improve the performance of the photocatalyst process by using air bubbles in removing the BTEX from produced water as an indicator of process efficiency. The study also shows the effect of influencing factors (pH and residence time) on the photocatalysis process. The study was done in a rectangular column with dimensions of 200 mm width, 30 mm depth, and 1500 mm height. Commercial titanium oxide (TiO2) coated on a plate by the varnish was used as a source of the photocatalyst. The experiment was carried out under different values of gas flow rate (0-3 L/min) to evaluate its effect on the photocatalyst process, the effect of other variables of pH (3-11), and irradiation time (30-120) min was also studied. A new method of the coating was adopted by using an alumina plate with varnish as an adhesive. The characteristics results show that the coated plate has hydrophilic properties and that there is no significant change in the crystal structure of the TiO2 nanoparticles and the varnish before and after 60 h of the photocatalytic process, indicating that the plate is still effective after 60 h usage under different conditions. The results also show that the introduction of air bubbles enhances the removal efficiency of BTEX significantly and the best removal effectiveness of BTEX was 93% when pH = 5 after 90 min and 90% when pH = 3 after 120 min. The removal rate also reached 86% when pH = 7 after 120 min all at a flow rate of 3 L/min. The percentage of removal decreased at pH = 9 and 11, reaching 64% and 50%, respectively after 120 min and a flow rate of 3 L/min. Copyright © 2022 by Authors, Published by BCREC Group. This is an open access article under the CC BY-SA License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0).
Catalytic Dye Oxidation over CeO2 Nanoparticles Supported on Regenerated Cellulose Membrane
Authors: Thuy Tran Thi , Duong Dinh Ngoc , Vi Nguyen Quynh , Duong Nguyen Duc , Thinh Tran Duc , Bang Nguyen Cong , Vuong Pham Hung , Mai Nguyen Ngoc
Published: September 2022

A novel regenerated cellulose (RC) membrane containing cerium oxide (CeO2) nanoparticles is described in detail. In this work, CeO2 nanoparticles with high surface area and mesoporosity were prepared by a modified template-assisted precipitation method. Successful synthesis was achieved using cerium nitrate as a precursor, adjusting the final pH solution to around 11 by ammonium hydroxide and ethylene diamine, and annealing at 550 °C for 3 hours under a protective gas flow. This resulted in a surface area of 55.55 m².g–1 for the nanoparticles. The regenerated cellulose membrane containing CeO2 particles was synthesized by the novel and environmentally friendly method. The catalyst CeO2 and cellulose/CeO2 membrane were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR), and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) measurements. The g-value of 2.276 has confirmed the presence of the surface superoxide species of CeO2 nanoparticles in EPR. The photocatalytic activity of the catalyst and the membrane containing the catalyst was evaluated through the degradation of methylene blue under visible light irradiation by UV-VIS measurements. The cellulose/CeO2 membrane degraded 80% of the methylene blue solution in 120 minutes, showing a better photocatalytic activity than the CeO2 catalyst, which degraded approximately 62% in the same period. It has been proven that the RC membrane is not only a good transparent supporting material but also a good adsorption for high-performance of CeO2 catalyst. Copyright © 2022 by Authors, Published by BCREC Group. This is an open access article under the CC BY-SA License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0).
Variations in the encoding conditions can affect eyewitnesses' vulnerability to suggestive influence
Authors: Eisen Mitchell L. , Williams T'awna , Jones Jennifer , Ying Rebecca
Published: September 2022

This experiment was designed to examine how viewing conditions could affect witnesses' vulnerability to suggestive influence. It was predicted that when the encoding conditions were stronger, accurate witnesses would be less likely to shift their decisions when prompted to reexamine the lineup, and that confirming feedback would effectively solidify influenced identifications. Participants (N = 411) watched a simulated‐crime from two different viewing distances and were asked to identify the culprit from a photographic lineup. After voicing their identification decisions, participants were prompted to reexamine the lineup. Half the participants then received confirming‐feedback for their decisions. Twelve‐minutes later, witnesses viewed the same lineup and were asked again to identify the culprit. As predicted, accurate witnesses were less likely to shift their identification decisions when prompted to reexamine the lineup in the close, but not the far viewing condition. Also, shifted identification decisions that were reinforced with confirming feedback were asserted with higher confidence.
Piezo‐Photocatalytic Synergy in BiFeO3@COF Z‐Scheme Heterostructures for High‐Efficiency Overall Water Splitting
Authors: Xu Mei‐Ling , Lu Meng , Qin Guan‐Ying , Wu Xiu‐Mei , Yu Ting , Zhang Li‐Na , Li Kui , Cheng Xin , Lan Ya‐Qian
Published: September 2022

Solar‐driven overall water splitting is an ideal way to generate renewable energy while still challenging. For the first time, this work combined covalent organic frameworks (COFs) and piezoelectric material by covalent linkages to form Z‐scheme core@shell heterostructure for overall water splitting. Benefiting from the synergistic effect between the polarized electric field and photo‐generated charges, as well as the precise adjustment of shell thickness, the carrier separation and utilization efficiency is greatly improved. The optimal BiFeO3@TpPa‐1‐COF photocatalyst revealed hydrogen (H2) and oxygen (O2) production rates of 1416.4 and 708.2 μmol h−1 g−1 under the excitation of ultrasonication coupled with light irradiation, which is the best performance among various piezo‐ and COF‐based photocatalysts. This provides a new sight for the practical application of highly efficient photocatalytic overall water splitting.
Design of Co‐Cu Diatomic Site Catalysts for High‐efficiency Synergistic CO2 Electroreduction at Industrial‐level Current Density
Authors: Yi Jun‐dong , Gao Xiaoping , Zhou Huang , Chen Wei , Wu Yuen
Published: September 2022

Single atom catalysts (SACs) have been widely studied in the field of CO2 electroreduction, but industrial‐level current density and near‐unity product selectivity are still difficult to achieve. Herein, a diatomic site catalysts (DASCs) consisting of Co‐Cu hetero‐diatomic pairs is synthesized. The CoCu DASC exhibits excellent selectivity with the maximum CO Faradaic efficiency of 99.1 %. The CO selectivity can maintain above 95 % over a wide current density range from 100 mA cm−2 to 500 mA cm−2. The maximum CO partial current density can reach to 483 mA cm−2 in flow cell, far exceed industrial‐level current density requirements (>200 mA cm−2). Theoretical calculation reveals that the synergistic catalysis of the Co‐Cu bimetallic sites reduce the activation energy and promote the formation of intermediate *COOH. This work shows that the introduction of another metal atom into SACs can significantly affect the electronic structure and then enhance the catalytic activity of SACs.
Tongqiao Mingmu formula alleviates retinal ganglion cell autophagy through PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway
Authors: Wang Liyuan , Yu Tianyang , Dong Feixue , Xu Jiayu , Fu Jin , Sun He
Published: September 2022

Glaucoma is a severe blindness‐causing optic nerve disease characterized by a loss of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs). Previous studies have shown that the Tongqiao Mingmu (TQMM) formula can reduce retinal and optic nerve damage, but its mechanism of action requires further elucidation. In this study, an RGC injury model was prepared using glutamate and then treated with serum‐containing drug from the TQMM formula (hereafter called “TQMM formula serum”). In the glutamate‐induced RGC injury model, cell viability decreased with an increase in glutamate concentration, whereas the expression of autophagy‐related biomarkers LC3 and Belicin‐1 increased. An adenovirus transfection experiment revealed that glutamate markedly promoted autophagic flux in RGCs. Notably, TQMM formula serum inhibited the expression of autophagy‐related biomarkers, reduced autophagy flux, and reversed the damage caused by glutamate to RGCs. Furthermore, the PI3K inhibitor LY294002 was used to intervene in the RGC autophagy model and was found to suppress the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway and enhance RGC autophagy. However, TQMM formula serum could generate an opposite effect and upregulate the expressions of the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway genes and proteins. In conclusion, the TQMM formula can prevent glutamate‐induced autophagy in RGCs, possibly by activating the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway and reducing the expression of autophagy‐related biomarkers LC3 and Belicin‐1 to attenuate autophagy and maintain RGC viability.
Resilient reverse logistics with blockchain technology in sustainable food supply chain management during COVID‐19
Authors: Kazancoglu Yigit , Ozbiltekin‐Pala Melisa , Sezer Muruvvet Deniz , Luthra Sunil , Kumar Anil
Published: September 2022

COVID‐19, which is a global problem, affects the all supply chains throughout the world. One of the supply chains most affected by COVID‐19 is food supply chains. Since the sustainable food supply chain processes are complex and vulnerable in terms of product variety, it has been negatively affected by the operational effects of COVID‐19. While the problems experienced in the supply chain processes and raw material constraints caused stops in production, the importance of new business models and production approaches came to the fore. One of the issues of increasing importance is the adoption of reverse logistics activities in sustainable food supply chains and increasing the resilience of food supply chains by integrating blockchain technology into processes. However, adapting blockchain technology to increase the resilience of reverse logistics activities in the food supply chain has advantages as well as risks that need to be considered. Therefore, it is aimed to determine these risks by using fuzzy synthetic evaluation method for eliminating the risks of blockchain adaptation for flexible reverse logistics in food supply chains to increase resiliency. The novelty of this study is that besides discussing about the benefits of BC‐T, it is to identify the risks it can create, to eliminate these risks and to guide the establishment of resilience in reverse logistics activities of SFSCs. According to results, the risks with the highest value among the subrisks are determined as data security risks. Data management risks are calculated as the risk with the highest value.
Chronic nitrate administration increases the expression the genes involved in the browning of white adipose tissue in female rats
Authors: Yousefzadeh Nasibeh , Jeddi Sajad , Afzali Hamideh , Kashfi Khosrow , Ghasemi Asghar
Published: September 2022

Nitrate, a nitric oxide (NO) donor, has antiobesity effect in female rats. This study hypothesized that the antiobesity effect of nitrate in female rats is due to the browning of white adipose tissue (WAT). Female Wistar rats (aged 8 months) were divided into two groups (n = 10/group): the control group received tap water and the nitrate group received water containing 100 mg/L of sodium nitrate for 9 months. At months 0, 3, 6, and 9, obesity indices were measured. At month 9, gonadal adipose tissue was used to measure messenger RNA (mRNA) and protein levels of peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor‐γ (PPAR‐γ), PPAR‐γ coactivator 1‐α (PGC1‐α), uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1), and adipocyte density and area. After the 9‐month intervention, nitrate‐treated rats had lower body weight, body mass index, thoracic circumference, and abdominal circumference by 6.4% (p = .012), 9.1% (p = .029), 6.0% (p = .056), and 5.7% (p = .098), respectively. In addition, nitrate‐treated rats had higher PPAR‐γ (mRNA: 1.78‐fold, p = .016 and protein: 19%, p = .076), PGC1‐α (mRNA: 1.69‐fold, p = .012 and protein: 68%, p = .001), and UCP1 (mRNA: 2.50‐fold, p = .001 and protein: 81%, p = .001) in gonadal adipose tissue. Nitrate also reduced adipocyte area by 35% (p = .054) and increased adipocyte density by 31% (p = .086). In conclusion, antiobesity effect of nitrate in female rats is associated with increased browning of gonadal adipose tissue as indicated by higher expression of PPAR‐γ, PGC1‐α, and UCP1 and reduced adipocyte area and increased adipocyte density.
Exosomes to control glioblastoma multiforme: Investigating the effects of mesenchymal stem cell‐derived exosomes on C6 cells in vitro
Authors: Parsaei Houman , Moosavifar Mir Javad , Eftekharzadeh Mina , Ramezani Reihaneh , Barati Mahmood , Mirzaei Soheil , Nobakht Maliheh
Published: September 2022

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is a common, aggressive, fast‐growing tumor of the central nervous system that currently has no effective treatment. Although stem cell therapy has shown promising in vitro achievements, the blood–brain barrier (BBB) has always been a major hurdle to clinical success. To overcome this challenge, exosomes have been targeted as attractive drug delivery agents in numerous studies since they are small enough to enter the BBB. Furthermore, exosomes' characteristics and compositions are directly determined by the parent cell and these heritable traits affect their cell interactions. This article focuses on exosomes as an alternative to stem cell therapy to regulate glioma cell activity. Exosomes were isolated from rat bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (rBMMSCs) by ultracentrifugation method and then characterized via western blot, dynamic light scattering, scanning, and transmission electron microscopy. Next, various concentrations of the exosomes were incubated with C6 cells and their effects at different time points were evaluated in vitro. 3‐(4,5‐Dimethylthiazol‐2‐yl)−2,5‐diphenyltetrazolium bromide and Annexin/Pi assay results confirmed that the isolated exosomes cause cell death mostly through apoptosis, and a linear correlation was observed between exosomes' concentration and their cytotoxicity. Following that, the scratch test, colony formation test, and Transwell assay confirmed exosomes' significant impact on the migration and invasion behavior of C6 cells. For the first time, rBMMSC‐derived exosomes have been used as a single treatment for GBM rather than in combination with other treatments or as a pharmaceutical carrier.
Experimentelle Untersuchungen zur Erfassung von Kavitäten hyperelastischer Silikonklebstoffe
Authors: Schaaf Benjamin , Feldmann Markus , Lamm Lukas , Brepols Tim , Reese Stefanie , Seewald Robert , Schiebahn Alexander , Reisgen Uwe
Published: September 2022

Die im Bereich des Structural Sealant Glazing (SSG) eingesetzten Silikonklebstoffe werden in der Regel als elastische Dickschichtklebung ausgeführt. Ab bestimmten Lastniveaus kommt es zur Bildung von Kavitäten innerhalb des Klebstoffgefüges. Diese sind insbesondere bei dünnschichtigen Klebungen bekannt, treten jedoch in Abhängigkeit der geometrischen Randbedingungen auch bei SSG‐Fugen auf. Da sie eine innere Schädigung des Klebstoffs darstellen, geht mit ihnen ein Steifigkeitsverlust einher. In diesem Beitrag werden verschieden Verfahren zur experimentellen Erfassung von Kavitäten vorgestellt. Diese werden quantifiziert und ihre Lage innerhalb des Klebstoffs bestimmt. Weiterhin wird der Einfluss der Klebfugengeometrie auf die Ausbildung von Kavitäten diskutiert.

Experimental investigations for the detection of cavities of hyperelastic silicone adhesives. Silicone adhesives used in the field of structural sealant glazing (SSG) are usually designed as elastic thick‐layer bonds. At a certain load level cavities are formed within the bond. These are particularly known in thin‐layer adhesive bonds, but also occur in SSG joints depending on the geometric boundary conditions. Since they represent internal damage to the adhesive, they are related to a loss of stiffness. Different methods for the experimental detection of cavities are presented within this article. These are quantified and their local position within the adhesive is determined. Furthermore, the influence of the bond geometry on the formation of cavities is discussed.
Enhancing Auxiliary‐Mediated Native Chemical Ligation at Challenging Junctions with Pyridine Scaffolds
Authors: Trunschke Sebastian , Piemontese Emanuele , Fuchs Olaf , Abboud Skander , Seitz Oliver
Published: September 2022

To expand the scope of native chemical ligation (NCL) beyond reactions at cysteine, ligation auxiliaries are appended to the peptide N‐terminus. After the introduction of a pyridine‐containing auxiliary, which provided access to challenging junctions (proline or β‐branched amino acids), we herein probe the role of the pyridine‐ring nitrogen. We observed side reactions leading to preliminary auxiliary loss. We describe a new easy to attach β‐mercapto‐β‐(4‐methoxy‐2‐pyridinyl)‐ethyl (MMPyE) auxiliary, which 1) has increased stability; 2) enables NCL at sterically encumbered junctions (e. g., Leu‐Val); and 3) allows removal under mildly basic (pH 8.5) conditions was introduced. The synthesis of a 120 aa long peptide containing eight MUC5AC tandem repeats via ligation of two 60mers demonstrates the usefulness. Making use of hitherto unexplored NCL to tyrosine, the MMPyE auxiliary provided access to a head‐to‐tail‐cyclized 21‐mer peptide and a His6‐tagged hexaphosphorylated peptide comprising 6 heptapeptide repeats of the RNA polymerase II C‐terminal domain.
Specific Lipid Studies in Complex Membranes by Solid‐State NMR Spectroscopy
Authors: van Beekveld Roy A. M. , Derks Maik G. N. , Kumar Raj , Smid Leanna , Maass Thorben , Medeiros‐Silva João , Breukink Eefjan , Weingarth Markus
Published: September 2022

Specific interactions with phospholipids are often critical for the function of proteins or drugs, but studying these interactions at high resolution remains difficult, especially in complex membranes that mimic biological conditions. In principle, molecular interactions with phospholipids could be directly probed by solid‐state NMR (ssNMR). However, due to the challenge to detect specific lipids in mixed liposomes and limited spectral sensitivity, ssNMR studies of specific lipids in complex membranes are scarce. Here, by using purified biological 13C,15N‐labeled phospholipids, we show that we can selectively detect traces of specific lipids in complex membranes. In combination with 1H‐detected ssNMR, we show that our approach provides unprecedented high‐resolution insights into the mechanisms of drugs that target specific lipids. This broadly applicable approach opens new opportunities for the molecular characterization of specific lipid interactions with proteins or drugs in complex fluid membranes.
Revisiting the Bithiophene Imide‐Based Polymer Donors: Molecular Aggregation and Orientation Control Enabling New Polymer Donors for High‐Performance All‐Polymer Solar Cells†
Authors: Yang Jie , Liu Bin , Lee Jin‐Woo , Wang Yimei , Sun Huiliang , Chen Zhicai , Bai Qingqing , Kim Bumjoon J. , Jiang Yan , Niu Li , Guo Xugang
Published: September 2022

Comprehensive Summary

Bithiophene imide (BTI)‐based polymers have been promising photovoltaic materials due to their high mobility and tunable energy levels. However, BTI polymers have rarely been revisited since organic solar cells (OSCs) entered the era of non‐fullerene electron acceptors (NFEA) likely owing to their incompatibility with NFEAs. Herein, fine‐tuning the aggregation and orientation of BTI‐based donor‐π‐acceptor (D‐π‐A) polymer donors was achieved by incorporating the linear n‐octyl group into thiophene π‐bridge. The resulting polymer donor G15 shows excellent compatibility with NFEA L15 (polymer acceptor). The G15‐based all‐polymer OSCs achieve high power conversion efficiency of 15.17%. This is significantly higher than that (< 5%) of its analogue with isomerized branched alkyl chains and also among the highest values for all‐polymer OSCs. The results highlight that well‐tailored BTI polymer donors are attractive photovoltaic materials for further exploration in non‐fullerene organic solar cells.
Genetic parameters and selection of common bean lines with high nutritional and agronomic quality
Authors: Martins Saulo Muniz , Bittencourt Caroline Domingos , Melo Leonardo Cunha , Aguiar Marcelo Sfeir , Almeida Valter Martins de , Souza Thiago Lívio P. O. , Pereira Helton Santos
Published: September 2022

The aim of common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) breeding has always been to increase agronomic quality. Recently, the nutritional quality of the grain has been gaining importance. The aim of this study was to estimate genetic parameters for traits related to nutritional and agronomic quality and to select lines for an assessment stage in multiple environments and/or for use as new parents. Initially, 37 lines were evaluated in three environments for nine agronomic and nutritional traits. Of these lines, 15 stood out and were assessed in another five environments. The mixed model (restricted maximum likelihood–best linear unbiased prediction) procedure and multivariate analysis were adopted for processing the phenotypic data. There was genetic variability among the lines assessed for all the traits. The heritability estimates for the agronomic traits ranged from 29% for plant architecture to 94% for reaction to anthracnose. Heritability estimates for the nutritional traits were 77% for grain iron concentration and 79% for zinc concentration. Multivariate analysis, based on all the traits and on all the environments (eight), identified three groups of lines and allowed selection of the lines CNFC 18092, CNFC 18097, CNFC 18114, and BRS Sublime to carry out new crosses, for they showed specific superiority for some traits and the possibility of greater genetic diversity in the populations. The lines CNFC 18091, CNFC 18092, and CNFC 18106 were selected for assessment in experiments in multiple environments because they combine high agronomic and nutritional quality.
Is Russia's Research Ethics Culture Reliable?
Authors: Litewka Sergio G. , Moreno Jonathan D.
Published: September 2022

The Russian invasion of Ukraine has led to the imposition of economic sanctions intended to isolate Russia from much of global commerce, which implicitly includes the medical research enterprise. The prospect of ongoing isolation of Russia's substantial research enterprise raises issues related to but distinct from the more familiar problem of corruption. In this paper, we identify reasons that the culture of research ethics in Russia may have been weak even before the war, contributing to hard questions about its future role in the global clinical research community.
Improving stable isotope assessments of inter‐ and intra‐species variation in coral reef fish trophic strategies
Authors: Cybulski Jonathan D. , Skinner Christina , Wan Zhongyue , Wong Carmen K. M. , Toonen Robert J. , Gaither Michelle R. , Soong Keryea , Wyatt Alex S. J. , Baker David M.
Published: September 2022

Fish have one of the highest occurrences of individual specialization in trophic strategies among Eukaryotes. Yet, few studies characterize this variation during trophic niche analysis, limiting our understanding of aquatic food web dynamics. Stable isotope analysis (SIA) with advanced Bayesian statistics is one way to incorporate this individual trophic variation when quantifying niche size. However, studies using SIA to investigate trophodynamics have mostly focused on species‐ or guild‐level (i.e., assumed similar trophic strategy) analyses in settings where source isotopes are well‐resolved. These parameters are uncommon in an ecological context. Here, we use Stable Isotope Bayesian Ellipses in R (SIBER) to investigate cross‐guild trophodynamics of 11 reef fish species within an oceanic atoll. We compared two‐ (δ15N and δ13C) versus three‐dimensional (δ15N, δ13C, and δ34S) reconstructions of isotopic niche space for interpreting guild‐, species‐, and individual‐level trophic strategies. Reef fish isotope compositions varied significantly among, but also within, guilds. Individuals of the same species did not cluster together based on their isotope values, suggesting within‐species specializations. Furthermore, while two‐dimensional isotopic niches helped differentiate reef fish resource use, niche overlap among species was exceptionally high. The addition of δ34S and the generation of three‐dimensional isotopic niches were needed to further characterize their isotopic niches and better evaluate potential trophic strategies. These data suggest that δ34S may reveal fluctuations in resource availability, which are not detectable using only δ15N and δ13C. We recommend that researchers include δ34S in future aquatic food web studies.
Preparation of a pH‐responsive chitosan‐montmorillonite‐nitrogen‐doped carbon quantum dots nanocarrier for attenuating doxorubicin limitations in cancer therapy
Authors: Rahmani Erfan , Pourmadadi Mehrab , Ghorbanian Sohrab Ali , Yazdian Fatemeh , Rashedi Hamid , Navaee Mona
Published: September 2022

Despite its widespread usage as a chemotherapy drug in cancer treatment, doxorubicin (DOX) has limitations such as short in vivo circulation time, low solubility, and poor permeability. In this regard, a pH‐responsive chitosan (CS)‐ montmorillonite (MMT)‐ nitrogen‐doped carbon quantum dots (NCQDs) nanocomposite was first developed, loaded with DOX, and then incorporated into a double emulsion to further develop the sustained release. The incorporated NCQDs into the CS‐MMT hydrogel exhibited enhanced loading and entrapment efficiencies. The presence of NCQDs nanoparticles in the CS‐MMT hydrogel also resulted in an extended pH‐responsive release of DOX over a period of 96 h compared to that of CS‐MMT‐DOX nanocarriers at pH 5.4. Based on the Korsmeyer‐Peppas model, there was a controlled DOX release at pH 5.4, while no diffusion was observed at pH 7.4, indicating fewer side effects. MTT assay showed that the cytotoxicity of DOX‐loaded CS‐MMT‐NCQDs hydrogel nanocomposite was significantly higher than those of free DOX (p < 0.001) and CS‐MMT‐NCQDs (p < 0.001) on MCF‐7 cells. Flow cytometry results demonstrated that a higher apoptosis induction achieved after incorporating NCQDs nanoparticles into CS‐MMT‐DOX nanocarrier. These findings suggest that the DOX‐loaded nanocomposite is a promising candidate for the targeted treatment of cancer cells.
Experimental Investigation of the Temperature, Pressure, and Binder System Influence on Vacuum Postdrying Processes and Moisture Management of Li‐Ion Battery Electrodes
Authors: Heckmann Thilo , Eser Jochen Christoph , Altvater Andreas , Streller Natalie , Scharfer Philip , Schabel Wilhelm
Published: September 2022

Moisture management and postdrying are crucial for Li‐ion battery lifetime and performance as well as overall energy efficiency of electrode production. An optimization of these processes by a fundamental comprehension of sorption and mass transport mechanisms in the electrode holds potential to increase sustainability of this technology. The composition of electrodes determines which of these mechanisms govern the interaction of electrodes with water from atmosphere. In this study, the influence of the binder system, temperature, and pressure of Li‐ion battery anodes on postdrying is focused on. Anodes with the binder system carboxymethylcellulose (CMC)/styrene–butadiene–rubber (SBR) and polyvinylidene fluoride represent a mostly absorbing and mostly adsorbing material system, respectively. Variation of the process parameters temperature and pressure reveals that both material systems show a similar impact of pressure on water mass transport in the electrode during water removal, although a reduced pressure impact for the CMC/SBR system is expected, since in this case most water is absorbed into the polymers and should diffuse independently of the system pressure. Temperature affects water mass transport in the absorbing material system stronger than in the adsorbing material system, due to the strong temperature dependency of the water diffusion inside the absorbing polymers.
Diffusion magnetic resonance imaging connectome features are predictive of functional lateralization of semantic processing in the anterior temporal lobes
Authors: Zahnert Felix , Kräling Gunter , Melms Leander , Belke Marcus , Kleinholdermann Urs , Timmermann Lars , Hirsch Martin , Jansen Andreas , Mross Peter , Menzler Katja , Habermehl Lena , Knake Susanne
Published: September 2022

Assessment of regional language lateralization is crucial in many scenarios, but not all populations are suited for its evaluation via task‐functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). In this study, the utility of structural connectome features for the classification of language lateralization in the anterior temporal lobes (ATLs) was investigated. Laterality indices for semantic processing in the ATL were computed from task‐fMRI in 1038 subjects from the Human Connectome Project who were labeled as stronger rightward lateralized (RL) or stronger leftward to bilaterally lateralized (LL) in a data‐driven approach. Data of unrelated subjects (n = 432) were used for further analyses. Structural connectomes were generated from diffusion‐MRI tractography, and graph theoretical metrics (node degree, betweenness centrality) were computed. A neural network (NN) and a random forest (RF) classifier were trained on these metrics to classify subjects as RL or LL. After classification, comparisons of network measures were conducted via permutation testing. Degree‐based classifiers produced significant above‐chance predictions both during cross‐validation (NN: AUC–ROC[CI] = 0.68[0.64–0.73], accuracy[CI] = 68.34%[63–73.2%]; RF: AUC–ROC[CI] = 0.7[0.66–0.73], accuracy[CI] = 64.81%[60.9–68.5]) and testing (NN: AUC–ROC[CI] = 0.69[0.53–0.84], accuracy[CI] = 68.09[53.2–80.9]; RF: AUC–ROC[CI] = 0.68[0.53–0.84], accuracy[CI] = 68.09[55.3–80.9]). Comparison of network metrics revealed small effects of increased node degree within the right posterior middle temporal gyrus (pMTG) in subjects with RL, while degree was decreased in the right posterior cingulate cortex (PCC). Above‐chance predictions of functional language lateralization in the ATL are possible based on diffusion‐MRI connectomes alone. Increased degree within the right pMTG as a right‐sided homologue of a known semantic hub, and decreased hubness of the right PCC may form a structural basis for rightward‐lateralized semantic processing.
Functional connectivity during orthographic, phonological, and semantic processing of Chinese characters identifies distinct visuospatial and phonosemantic networks
Authors: Liu Chun Yin , Tao Ran , Qin Lang , Matthews Stephen , Siok Wai Ting
Published: September 2022

While neuroimaging studies have identified brain regions associated with single word reading, its three constituents, namely, orthography, phonology, and meaning, and the functional connectivity of their networks remain underexplored. This study examined the neurocognitive underpinnings of these neural activations and functional connectivity of the identified brain regions using a within‐subject design. Thirty‐one native Mandarin speakers performed orthographic, phonological, and semantic judgment tasks during functional magnetic resonance imaging. The results indicated that the three processes shared a core network consisting of a large region in the left prefrontal cortex, fusiform gyrus, and medial superior frontal gyrus but not the superior temporal gyrus. Orthographic processing more strongly recruited the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, left superior parietal lobule and bilateral fusiform gyri; semantic processing more strongly recruited the left inferior frontal gyrus and left middle temporal gyrus, whereas phonological processing more strongly activated the dorsal part of the precentral gyrus. Functional connectivity analysis identified a posterior visuospatial network and a frontal phonosemantic network interfaced by the left middle frontal gyrus. We conclude that reading Chinese recruits cognitive resources that correspond to basic task demands with unique features best explained in connection with the individual reading subprocesses.
“Power does not exist, what exists is influence”: How mid‐level business and finance staff in private colleges navigate the higher education landscape
Authors: Dorantes Andrew R. , Schiffecker Sarah Maria , García Hugo A.
Published: September 2022

In this chapter, the experiences of mid‐level business and finance staff positions in private colleges are explored to illuminate how they engage the campus environment as they help navigate their institutional fiscal vitality through the lens of empowerment theory. Through qualitative interviewers, findings include how they negotiate shared governance with members of the community who have tenure and how they empower those around them.
The role of presidents in budget and finance: A rural community college perspective
Authors: McNaughtan Jon
Published: September 2022

The purpose of this article is to provide insight into the perceptions of college presidents on their role in budgeting and finance. While most of the past research in this area has focused on how to engage and understand budget and finance practices, this chapter sought to highlight the perceptions of the roles of those involved in the process, namely presidents.
Social Systems Engineering for Achieving Cyber Physical‐Social System Multi‐Concern Assurance
Authors: Scalco Aleksandra , Palmer Erika
Published: September 2022

Novel technologies and cyber innovations applied to physical control system infrastructures such as power, water, wastewater, and dams are about to change the world, not just for short‐term profits but also for broader societal interest. The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) is an example of constructing one of the largest physical control system infrastructures today, creating a reservoir on the Blue Nile to supply electricity to Ethiopia and support the country's societal development. GERD has also created discord with neighboring downstream countries Egypt and Sudan, whose economies depend on the Blue Nile. Internet Protocol (IP)‐connected control systems of the GERD infrastructure make operations vulnerable to cyber failure. Uncertainty of agreement among professionals about cybersecurity and system security engineering coupled with unpredictable social and political developments and uncertainty of the technologies themselves make these systems and societies interacting with the systems more vulnerable to disruption. There are many ways advances in systems sciences and digital engineering converge with the systems engineering (SE) discipline. Such advances require cultural and systems engineering process and methodology changes to support the digital transformation of physical systems. Societal benefits and vulnerabilities to these advances illustrate the value of social systems engineering models and methodologies for measuring the uncertainty of agreement for achieving control physical‐social system multi‐concern assurance.
Converting natural language policy article into MBSE model
Authors: Chen Max , Bhada Shamsnaz Virani
Published: September 2022

System Engineers work on designing human interfaces for easy access to governance and technology. As we move to digital engineering, the policy documents are still written in natural language that sometimes is obscure and verbose. One way of digitizing is to convert natural language policies into machine readable system engineering models. In the past, converting natural language written policy documents into machine readable models involves great human effort and expert knowledge in relevant domains, which is a time consuming, tedious, and sometimes impossible task. Artificial Intelligence and its application have shown the potential to accelerate the process. In this study, we proposed a natural language processing (NLP)‐based framework for information extraction under the general condition that can automatically detect the actors and their responsible actions. To validate the performance of the model developed, we compared the NLP generated report with manually created SysML model. The result shows that the precision and recall rate of extracting roles and responsibility is ~0.86 and ~0.66, respectively, representing that this text‐to‐model framework has the potential to accurately convert general policy documents into SysML.