bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The DEN and CCl4‐Induced Mouse Model of Fibrosis and Inflammation‐Associated Hepatocellular Carcinoma
Authors: Uehara Takeki , Pogribny Igor P. , Rusyn Ivan
Published: August 2021

Human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) develops most often as a complication of fibrosis or cirrhosis. Although most human studies of HCC provide crucial insights into the molecular signatures of HCC, they seldom address its etiology. Mouse models provide essential tools for investigating the pathogenesis of HCC, but the majority of rodent cancer models do not feature liver fibrosis. Detailed here is a protocol for an experimental mouse model of HCC that arises in association with advanced liver fibrosis. The disease model is induced by a single injection of N‐nitrosodiethylamine (DEN) at 2 weeks of age followed by repeated administration of carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) from 8 weeks of age for up to 14 consecutive weeks. A dramatic potentiation of liver tumor incidence is observed following administration of DEN and CCl4, with 100% of mice developing liver tumors at 5 months of age. This model has been employed for studying the molecular mechanisms of fibrogenesis and HCC development, as well as for cancer hazard/chemotherapy testing of drug candidates. © 2021 Wiley Periodicals LLC.

Basic Protocol: The DEN and CCl4‐induced mouse model of fibrosis and inflammation‐associated hepatocellular carcinoma
Cross‐national comparisons of inquiry learning in secondary geography curricula
Authors: Lee Shu Jun , Kriewaldt Jeana , Roberts Margaret
Published: August 2021

Internationally, there is a clear turn towards inquiry as a core approach to learning secondary school geography. This research critically compares how inquiry learning is expressed and justified in six jurisdictions (Australia, China, England, Hong Kong, Singapore, USA). Through content analysis of national curriculum documents, we found that most of the jurisdictions have placed inquiry prominently in their curriculum. Despite national variations, inquiry is justified as a desirable pedagogy to develop conceptual understanding, build disciplinary knowledge and enable students to assess knowledge claims. An inquiry‐rich curriculum in school geography promises to recalibrate the balance between how existing knowledge of geography is valued and taught and how the skills of geographical inquiry can be integrated to expand students’ experiences of building knowledge. This research addresses a research gap on powerful pedagogies like inquiry in the intended curriculum. We argue that pedagogy needs to be examined in tandem with knowledge in curriculum analyses because enabling students to access knowledge and developing their capacities to inquire are intricately linked. We further argue that ideas about knowledge and pedagogy in curriculum are context‐dependent, necessitating an understanding of jurisdictional influences on curriculum.
Links between fluctuations in sockeye salmon abundance and riparian forest productivity identified by remote sensing
Authors: Kieran Celeste N. , Obrist Debora S. , Muñoz Nicolas J. , Hanly Patrick J. , Reynolds John D.
Published: August 2021

Pacific salmon (Oncorhynchus spp.) carcasses can fertilize riparian forests with marine‐derived nutrients when populations make their annual return to natal streams to spawn; however, the strength of this cross‐system linkage likely varies substantially among years due to the interannual fluctuations in abundance that characterize most salmon populations. Here, we used a 36‐yr time series (1984–2019) of satellite imagery and salmon abundance estimates to assess spatiotemporal associations between forest greenness (a measure of plant productivity) and adult sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) abundance in the lower Adams River, British Columbia, Canada. The Adams River sockeye population displays a quadrennial pattern of abundance, with a dominant cohort that spawns every four years in numbers that are typically two to three orders of magnitude larger than non‐dominant cohorts. We found that variation in forest greenness was consistently explained best by models including dominant cohort year, whereas models lacking an index of salmon abundance were the lowest‐ranked. Greenness of riparian vegetation increased by an average of 0.015 NDVI units (approximately 1%) in the summer after a dominant cohort return, and this effect on greenness persisted into the subsequent fall (11–13 months after spawning). The positive association between quadrennial pulses of salmon and riparian greenness occurred in plots both within 30 m of the stream and 95–125 m away from the stream, indicating that the spatial extent of fertilization may occur well beyond areas directly adjacent to the riverbank. These results suggest that forests respond to cyclical variation in salmon abundance and that overwinter storage of marine‐derived nutrients within catchments allows plants to capitalize on these nutrients in the following growing season. Continued advances in remote sensing technology will enhance our understanding of cross‐system resource linkages and can inform the ecosystem‐based management of Pacific salmon.
Robustness of Weighted Differential Item Functioning (DIF) Analysis: The Case of Mantel–Haenszel DIF Statistics
Authors: Lu Ru , Guo Hongwen , Dorans Neil J.
Published: August 2021

Two families of analysis methods can be used for differential item functioning (DIF) analysis. One family is DIF analysis based on observed scores, such as the Mantel–Haenszel (MH) and the standardized proportion‐correct metric for DIF procedures; the other is analysis based on latent ability, in which the statistic is a measure of departure from measurement invariance (DMI) for two studied groups. Previous research has shown, that DIF and DMI do not necessarily agree with each other. In practice, many operational testing programs use the MH DIF procedure to flag potential DIF items. Recently, weighted DIF statistics has been proposed, where weighted sum scores are used as the matching variable and the weights are the item discrimination parameters. It has been shown theoretically and analytically that, given the item parameters, weighted DIF statistics can close the gap between DIF and DMI. The current study investigates the robustness of using weighted DIF statistics empirically through simulations when item parameters have to be estimated from data.
New forces influencing savanna conservation: increasing land prices driven by gentrification and speculation at the landscape scale
Authors: Tyrrell Peter , Naidoo Robin , Macdonald David W , du Toit Johan T
Published: August 2021

Land transformation reduces biodiversity and regional sustainability, with land price being an indicator of the opportunity cost to a landowner of resisting land conversion. However, reliable spatially explicit databases of current land prices are generally lacking in developing countries. We used tools from data science to scrape 1,487 georeferenced land prices in southern Kenya from the internet. Prices were higher for land near cities and in areas of high agricultural productivity, but also around the Maasai Mara National Reserve. Predicted land prices ranged from US$662 to US$4,618,805 per acre. Land speculation associated with expanding urbanization increases the opportunity and acquisition costs of maintaining conservation buffer zones, corridors, and dispersal areas. However, high land values are also found adjacent to a world‐famous tourist destination. Profit‐driven turnover of ownership, subdivision, and transformation of land is occurring at a rapid pace in southern Kenya, to the detriment of savanna biodiversity and the sustainability of the pastoral social–ecological system.
Accessing pore microstructure–property relationships for additively manufactured materials
Authors: Raßloff Alexander , Schulz Paul , Kühne Robert , Ambati Marreddy , Koch Ilja , Zeuner André T. , Gude Maik , Zimmermann Martina , Kästner Markus
Published: August 2021

Understanding structure–property (SP) relationships is essential for accelerating materials innovation. Still being in the state of ongoing research and development, this is especially true for additive manufacturing (AM) in which process‐induced imperfections like pores and microstructural variations significantly influence the material's properties. That is why, the present work aims at proposing an approach for accessing pore SP relationships for AM materials. For this purpose, crystal plasticity (CP) simulations on reconstructed domains based on experimental measurements are employed to allow for a microstructure‐sensitive investigation. For the considered Ti–6Al–4V specimen manufactured by laser powder bed fusion, the microstructure and pore characteristics are obtained by utilizing light microscopy and X‐ray computed tomography at the microscale. Employing suitable statistical analysis and reconstruction, statistical volume elements with reconstructed pore distributions are created. Using them, microscale CP simulations are performed to obtain fatigue indicating parameters. Employing a further statistical analysis, fatigue ranking parameters are derived for a comparison of different microstructures. Additionally, a comparison with the empirical Murakami's square root area concept is made. Results from first numerical studies underline the potential of the approach for understanding and improving AM materials.
Unequal physical activity among children with cerebral palsy in Sweden—A national registry study
Authors: Degerstedt Frida , Björklund Martin , Keisu Britt‐Inger , Enberg Birgit
Published: August 2021

Aim

To examine the extent to which sex, country of birth, and functional aspects influence participation in physical education and physical leisure activity among children with cerebral palsy (CP) in Sweden.

Methods

This national cross‐sectional registry study included children with CP aged 6 to 18 years who participated in the Swedish national quality registry, the Cerebral Palsy Follow‐up Program, CPUP, in 2015. Comparisons and associations between sex, country of birth, and functional aspects and physical leisure/physical education were examined using chi‐squared and multivariable logistic regression analysis.

Results

The study included 1935 children. Of them, 1625 (87%) reported participating in physical education and 989 (53%) reported participating in physical leisure activity. Children born in Sweden had higher odds of participating in physical education (OR: 1.99; 95% CI: 1.20‐3.28) and physical leisure activity (OR: 2.51; 95% CI: 1.70‐3.72) compared with children born outside Europe. Greater impairment of gross motor function was associated with lower participation levels. Boys participated slightly more frequently in leisure activities than girls.

Conclusion

Enhancing social inclusion with regard to disability, birth country, and sex are important and achievable goals for policymakers and practitioners for promoting participation in physical activity for children and adolescents with CP.
Entropy generation and mechanical efficiency in laminar peristaltic flow through an elliptical duct
Authors: Rachid Hassan , Ouazzani Mohamed Touhami , Lahlou Nouha
Published: August 2021

Heat transfer analysis coupled with peristaltic transport is important in many real‐world application areas varying from microchannels to spacecrafts. Power production, chemical, and food industries, electronics, and environmental engineering are some examples of applications. In thermal devices, the overall performance of a heat exchanger depends on heat exchanger efficiency and entropy generation. The main purpose of this paper is to study a mathematical model coupling the peristaltic pumping with the heat transfer phenomenon for an incompressible Newtonian fluid in an elliptical tube. The Navier–Stokes and energy equations have been analytically solved for long wavelength, small Reynolds, and small Peclet numbers approximations. Exact expressions of velocity profile and temperature distribution have been found in the wave frame analysis. The impacts of pertinent parameters on the physical quantities of the problem have been analyzed with the help of graphs. We concluded that the geometrical parameters (occlusion, aspect ratio) enhance the pressure rise and the mechanical efficiency. It should be noted that the best way for minimizing entropy generation is decreasing occlusion, aspect ratio, flow rate, or Brinkman number.
Amount and reactivity of dissolved organic matter export are affected by land cover change from old‐growth to second‐growth forests in headwater ecosystems
Authors: Fegel Timothy S. , Boot Claudia M. , Covino Timothy P. , Elder Kelly , Hall Edward K. , Starr Banning , Stegen James , Rhoades Charles C.
Published: August 2021

Headwater forest ecosystems of the western USA generate a large portion of the dissolved organic matter (DOM) transported in streams across North America. Land cover changes that alter forest structure and species composition affect the quantity and composition of DOM transferred to aquatic ecosystems. Clear‐cut harvesting affects ~1% of the forest area of North America annually, leaving most western forests in varying stages of regrowth and the total area of old‐growth forest is decreasing. The consequences of this widespread management practice on watershed carbon cycling remain unknown. We investigated the role of land cover change, because of clear‐cut harvesting, from mixed‐species old‐growth to lodgepole pine‐dominated second‐growth forest on the character and reactivity of hillslope DOM exports. We evaluated inputs of DOM from litter leachates and export of DOM collected at the base of trenched hillslopes during a 3‐year period (2016–2018) at the Fraser Experimental Forest in north‐central Colorado, USA. Dissolved organic carbon and total dissolved nitrogen were higher in lateral subsurface flow draining old‐ versus second‐growth forest. Fluorescence spectroscopy showed that the DOM exported from the old‐growth forest was more heterogeneous and aromatic and that proteinaceous, microbially processed DOM components were more prevalent in the second‐growth forest. Biological oxygen demand assays revealed much lower microbial metabolism of DOM in litter leachate and subsurface exports from the old‐growth forest relative to second growth. Old‐growth and second‐growth forests are co‐mingled in managed ecosystems, and our findings demonstrate that land cover change from a mixture of conifer species to lodgepole pine dominance influences DOM inputs that can increase the reactivity of DOM transferred from terrestrial to aquatic ecosystems.
Effect of a quality improvement intervention with safety‐based checklists for perinatal health of hypertension disorders in pregnancy
Authors: Zhu Hao , Yang Yijia , Xu Yi , Deng Xia , Yan Jie , Li Tao , Sang Huige , Li Xiaotian , Hu Rong , Gu Weirong
Published: August 2021

Objective

To improve perinatal management for hypertensive disorders in pregnancy (HDP) using checklists.

Methods

A pre‐post evaluation of the implementation of checklists was performed. The checklist for HDP was adapted for the local context through expert consultations and had been used within peripartum since September 2017. Data of 763 women with singleton pregnancies diagnosed with HDP were collected between April 2016 and March 2019 at the Obstetrics & Gynecology Hospital of Fudan University. The monitoring and control groups consisted of 394 and 369 cases, respectively. Analysis was carried out by intention‐to‐treat with respect to maternal and fetal complications and delivery outcomes.

Results

After the implementation of the checklists, patients had a significant reduction in anti‐hypertensive treatment both orally (P = 0.028) and intravenously (P = 0.003), and increased utilization rate of MgSO4 management (P < 0.001). Gestation was prolonged in the expectant treatment (P = 0.012) and the rate of elective and intrapartum cesarean delivery decreased (P < 0.001 and P = 0.001, respectively). The neonates of these patients had a low rate of admission to the neonatal intensive care unit (P < 0.001).

Conclusion

National clinical guidelines complied critically after the implementation of the checklists. These checklists could be used for improving the quality of the clinical strategy and treatment, which benefitted perinatal management.
SNHG5 protects chondrocytes in interleukin‐1β‐stimulated osteoarthritis via regulating miR‐181a‐5p/TGFBR3 axis
Authors: Yue Yang , Zhibo Sun , Feng Liu , Yuanzhang Bai , Fei Wu
Published: August 2021

Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been considered as important modulators in the development of osteoarthritis. The present study investigates whether there is a link between lncRNA small nucleolar RNA host gene 5 (SNHG5) and osteoarthritis pathogenesis, and the underlying molecular mechanism. To establish an in vitro model of osteoarthritis, interleukin 1β (IL‐1β) was used to treat chondrocytes (C20/A4 cells) for mimicking the inflammatory condition in osteoarthritis pathogenesis. SNHG5 and miR‐181a‐5p expression levels were then detected in cartilage tissues of osteoarthritis patients and C20/A4 cells by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). Cell counting kit‐8 and 5‐ethynyl‐2ʹ‐deoxyuridine assays were applied for detecting the viability of chondrocytes, and the apoptosis of chondrocytes was examined through caspase‐3 activity assay and flow cytometry analysis. Western blot and qPCR were employed for determining the expression levels of TGFBR3, ADAMTS5, and MMP‐13. The regulatory relationships among SNHG5, miR‐181a‐5p, and TGFBR3 were verified by RNA immunoprecipitation and dual‐luciferase reporter assays. The expression levels of SNHG5 and TGFBR3 were markedly decreased, and miR‐181a‐5p expression was enhanced in osteoarthritis tissues and chondrocytes treated with IL‐1β. SNHG5 knockdown inhibited the viability of chondrocytes, induced apoptosis, and promoted the expression levels of ADAMTS5 and MMP‐13. Conversely, SNHG5 overexpression could counteract the effects of IL‐1β, increase the viability of chondrocytes and suppress apoptosis. Mechanically, SNHG5 positively regulated TGFBR3 expression via sponging miR‐181a‐5p. Moreover, miR‐181a‐5p overexpression and TGFBR3 knockdown counteracted the effects of SNHG5 on chondrocytes. SNHG5 can probably protect chondrocytes from the inflammatory response and reduce the degradation of the extracellular matrix via modulating the miR‐181a‐5p/TGFBR3 axis.
Shc inhibitor idebenone ameliorates liver injury and fibrosis in dietary NASH in mice
Authors: Jiang Joy X. , Tomilov Alexey , Montgomery Claire , Hui Chun Kui , Török Natalie J. , Cortopassi Gino
Published: August 2021

Shc expression rises in human nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) livers, and Shc‐deficient mice are protected from NASH—thus Shc inhibition could be a novel therapeutic strategy for NASH. Idebenone was recently identified as the first small‐molecule Shc inhibitor drug. We tested idebenone in the fibrotic methionine‐choline deficient (MCD) diet and the metabolic fast food diet (FFD) mouse models of NASH. In the fibrotic MCD NASH model, idebenone reduced Shc expression and phosphorylation in peripheral blood mononuclear cells and Shc expression in the liver; decreased serum alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase; and attenuated liver fibrosis as observed by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and hydroxyproline quantification. In the metabolic FFD model, idebenone administration improved insulin resistance, and reduced inflammation and fibrosis shown with qPCR, hydroxyproline measurement, and histology. Thus, idebenone ameliorates NASH in two mouse models. As an approved drug with a benign safety profile, Idebenone could be a reasonable human NASH therapy.
Leukemia associated RUNX1T1 gene reduced proliferation and invasiveness of glioblastoma cells
Authors: Kumar Parveen , Verma Vivek , Mohania Dheeraj , Gupta Surbhi , Babbar Avneet K. , Rathi Bhawna , Dhanda Rakesh S. , Yadav Manisha
Published: August 2021

RUNX1T1 has been found to be mutated in different cancers such as prostate, lung, colon, and breast cancer. A recent computational study involving the TCGA database of glioma patients found RUNX1T1 as one of the downregulated driver genes associated with poor overall survival of glioma patients. Hypoxia‐inducible factor 1α (HIF1α) is upregulated in glioma and has been associated with the severity and drug resistance of glioma. Previously, we have shown that RUNX1T3 degrades HIF1α affecting the proliferation of leukemia cells. We hypothesize that RUNX1T1 might be associated with the growth and development of glioma through the regulation of HIF1α. We have evaluated the expression level of RUNX1T1 at different stages of glioma and the effect of RUNX1T1 on the proliferation and invasiveness of glioblastoma cells in vitro. We further looked at the effect of RUNX1T1 on the expression and stability of HIF1α in vitro. Expression of RUNX1T1 was significantly downregulated, both at RNA and protein levels in glioma samples as studied by quantitative real‐time polymerase chain reaction and immunohistochemistry. While expression of HIF1α was higher in glioma tissues compared with its level in the normal brain. In vitro studies demonstrated that RUNX1T1 interacted with HIF1α and recruited HIF1α modification factor such as PHD2 and GSK3β causing hydroxylation of HIF1α following ubiquitination by FBW7. RUNX1T1 led to the degradation of HIF1α and decreased proliferation/invasiveness of glioblastoma cell lines. Further, RUNX1T1 increased the effectiveness of temozolomide (TMZ), a conventional glioma drug toward glioblastoma cell lines. This study indicates that downregulation of RUNX1T1 might play an important role in the severity and development of glioma.
Impact of hydrofluoric acid treatment on the composition, electrical conductivity, and structure of carbonized metal–organic frameworks
Authors: Zhang Zhao‐Quan , Tsai Chang‐Chih , Li Bing‐Han , Lin Chia‐Her , Lee Szetsen
Published: August 2021

Metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) containing V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, and Zr were pyrolyzed under nitrogen flow. The products of carbonized MOFs (CMOFs) contain metal oxides and carbonaceous residues, which were characterized by powder X‐ray diffraction (PXRD), electrical conductivity (EC), and Raman spectroscopy. To remove the metallic components in CMOFs, hydrofluoric acid (HF) treatment was performed. PXRD analysis showed that only Mn, Co, Ni, and Zr, but not V, Cr, Fe, and Cu, could be completely removed from CMOFs after HF treatment. In fact, PXRD analysis also revealed that during the formation of CMOFs, not only metal oxides, but also metal carbides were formed. The change of the EC of CMOFs after HF treatment was found to be mainly contributed from the metal components, whereas the carbon (graphitic) components played minor roles. The effect of HF treatment on the structure of CMOF was not significant as verified by the Raman analysis of the intensity ratio between D band and G band.
CTR9‐mediated JAK2/STAT3 pathway promotes the proliferation, migration, and invasion of human glioma cells
Authors: Xu Yang , Chen Jiaguo , He Gao , Zhang Yuhai
Published: August 2021

Background

CTR9 (Cln three requiring 9) has been reported to be implicated in protein modification and oncogenesis of several human cancers. However, the protein expression and mechanism of CTR9 in glioma progression remain unclear.

Methods

We analyzed mRNA expression of CTR9 and CTR9‐related survival curves in the public database. Then, we detected CTR9 expression in glioma tissues and constructed U251 and U87 cells with stable silencing or overexpression of CTR9. Cell function tests and Western blot were conducted to explore the effects of CTR9 on glioma proliferation, invasion and migration, and the specific mechanism. All the date was presented as means ± SEM. Two‐sample t test and one‐way analysis of variance (ANOVA) were used to identify whether there was a significant difference between each group of data.

Results

We found that CTR9 was overexpressed in glioma and inversely associated with glioma patient survival. The results manifested that knockdown of CTR9 suppressed the proliferation, migration, and invasion of glioma cells, while overexpression facilitated them. The underlying molecular mechanism may involve the regulation of JAK2/STAT3 pathway by CTR9.

Conclusion

Our present study indicates that CTR9 is highly expressed in glioma and related to glioma grading and prognosis. CTR9 regulates malignant behaviors of glioma cells by activating JAK2/STAT3 pathway. Therefore, CTR9 may be a promising biomarker for the targeted therapy and prognosis evaluation of glioma.
The effect of A1298c polymorphism of the MTHFR gene on anti‐Müllerian hormone levels: experimental and Web‐based analysis
Authors: Shahrokhi Seyedeh Zahra , Kazerouni Faranak , Ghaffari Firouzeh , Hadizadeh Morteza , Zolfaghary Zahra
Published: August 2021

Background

The 5,10‐methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) is an important enzyme of folate and methionine metabolism, which is expressed in human oocytes and preimplantation. Due to the involvement of MTHFR in female reproduction, we tend to evaluate the influence of MTHFR A1298C polymorphism on ovarian marker reserves such as serum anti‐Müllerian hormone (AMH) levels in women after in vitro fertilization (IVF)/intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI).

Methods

A total of 100 women, who underwent ART treatment due to male factor infertility, were recruited into this study. MTHFR A1298C polymorphism was detected by polymerase chain reaction‐restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR‐RFLP) technique, and serum AMH concentrations were measured by an ultrasensitive enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).

Results

Women with the CC genotype had higher AMH levels (4.15 ± 1.67 ng/ml), albeit not significant, than carriers with other genotypes after ovarian stimulation. No significant differences existed in terms of miscarriage and live birth rates among different genotype groups.

Conclusion

The presence of the C mutant allele of the 1298 polymorphism in the MTHFR gene led to an increasing trend in serum AMH concentrations; however, the numbers of oocytes retrieved decreased in women with mutated genotypes. The influence of the MTHFR C677T polymorphism on embryo quality and pregnancy rate after ART cycles remains unclear.
Automatic cell counting for phase‐contrast microscopic images based on a combination of Otsu and watershed segmentation method
Authors: Lin Yuefei , Diao Yong , Du Yongzhao , Zhang Jianguang , Li Ling , Liu Peizhong
Published: August 2021

Cell counting plays a vital role in biomedical researches. However, manual cell counting is time‐consuming, laborious, and low efficiency and has a high counting error rate problem. An automatic counting approach for Hela cells of phase‐contrast microscopic images is proposed based on the combination of Otsu and watershed segmentation methods to solve the mentioned issues. Firstly, image preprocessing is performed. Secondly, the Otsu method was used to obtain an automatic global optimal threshold for segmentation to achieve batch counting of images. Thirdly, the marker watershed was performed to separate adherent cells and to avoid over‐segmentation simultaneously. Finally, cells in phase‐contrast microscopic images were counted by detecting the numbers of connected domains in the binary image. Taking the manual counting result as the counting standard and MIS, INC, and ACC are used as evaluation indicators. The experimental results showed that the average values of MIS, INC, and ACC of the proposed method are only 3.31%, 3.49%, and 96.69%, respectively. Additionally, each cell image was counted only takes 0.65 s on averagely. To further test the performance of the proposed method, a comparative experiment was carried out by Image J, and the result shows that the proposed method has a better counting performance with a higher average accuracy of 96.55% to Image J with 93.39%.The proposed method for cell counting is simple, feasible, fast and high accurate, and it can be used as an effective method for cell counting of the phase‐contrast microscopic images.
Modulating response of sunflower (Hellianthus annuus) to induced salinity stress through application of engineered urea functionalized hydroxyapatite nanoparticles
Authors: Ullah Rehman , Sher Safia , Muhammad Zahir , Afriq Jan Saiqa , Nafees Muhammad
Published: August 2021

Agro‐nanotechnology aims to improve the quality and quantity of plants and plant products while preserving environmental health. Contemporary anecdotal studies that provide representation of the use of nanostructures as fertilizers, pesticides, and plant growth regulators have highlighted the need to determine the effect of such modified nanofertilizers on transforming plant yield under abiotic stress. Present study was performed to modulate the physiological response of Hellianthus annuus through the application of Urea capped hydroxyapatite nanoparticles (Urea‐HANPs) in stressed environment. Hydroxyapatite nanoparticles were synthesized via co‐precipitation method, functionalized with urea and characterized through a series of contemporary techniques of transmission electron microscopy (TEM), energy dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy (EDX), X‐ray diffraction (XRD), and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. We observed that Urea‐HANPs significantly (p < .05) ameliorated resistivity in plant to osmotic stress by enhancing agronomic and physiobiochemical attributes. Elevated chlorophyll contents were reported from tested leaves treated with Urea‐HANPs in T6 (0.05 M NaCl + 10 μg/ml Urea‐HANP) under induced salinity stress. Data revealed significant decrease in osmolytes at T3 (0.1 M NaCl), and T4 (0.2 M NaCl) which was significantly ameliorated in T9 (0.1 M NaCl + 10 μg/ml Urea‐HANPs) and T12 (0.2 M NaCl + 10 μg/ml Urea‐HANPs). The antioxidant system was boosted up by the application of Urea‐HANPs preventing the plant from oxidative stress by scavenging reactive oxygen species (ROS). It has been concluded that alleviation in impact of osmotic stress on plant through the use of Urea‐HANPs was coupled with elevation in photosynthetic performance, stimulation of osmolytes and boosting antioxidant system of plants.
Raman needle arthroscopy for in vivo molecular assessment of cartilage
Authors: Kroupa Kimberly R. , Wu Man I , Zhang Juncheng , Jensen Magnus , Wong Wei , Engiles Julie B. , Schaer Thomas P. , Grinstaff Mark W. , Snyder Brian D. , Bergholt Mads S. , Albro Michael B.
Published: August 2021

The development of treatments for osteoarthritis (OA) is burdened by the lack of standardized biomarkers of cartilage health that can be applied in clinical trials. We present a novel arthroscopic Raman probe that can “optically biopsy” cartilage and quantify key extracellular matrix (ECM) biomarkers for determining cartilage composition, structure, and material properties in health and disease. Technological and analytical innovations to optimize Raman analysis include (1) multivariate decomposition of cartilage Raman spectra into ECM‐constituent‐specific biomarkers (glycosaminoglycan [GAG], collagen [COL], water [H2O] scores), and (2) multiplexed polarized Raman spectroscopy to quantify superficial zone (SZ) COL anisotropy via a partial least squares–discriminant analysis‐derived Raman collagen alignment factor (RCAF). Raman measurements were performed on a series of ex vivo cartilage models: (1) chemically GAG‐depleted bovine cartilage explants (n = 40), (2) mechanically abraded bovine cartilage explants (n = 30), (3) aging human cartilage explants (n = 14), and (4) anatomical‐site‐varied ovine osteochondral explants (n = 6). Derived Raman GAG score biomarkers predicted 95%, 66%, and 96% of the variation in GAG content of GAG‐depleted bovine explants, human explants, and ovine explants, respectively (p < 0.001). RCAF values were significantly different for explants with abrasion‐induced SZ COL loss (p < 0.001). The multivariate linear regression of Raman‐derived ECM biomarkers (GAG and H2O scores) predicted 94% of the variation in elastic modulus of ovine explants (p < 0.001). Finally, we demonstrated the first in vivo Raman arthroscopy assessment of an ovine femoral condyle through intraarticular entry into the synovial capsule. This study advances Raman arthroscopy toward a transformative low‐cost, minimally invasive diagnostic platform for objective monitoring of treatment outcomes from emerging OA therapies.
Preparation and insecticidal performance of sustained‐release cinnamon essential oil microemulsion
Authors: Shi Weiwei , Yan Ruixiang , Huang Liqiang
Published: August 2021

BACKGROUND

To improve the utilization rate of cinnamon essential oil and compensate for the shortcomings of its easy decomposition and oxidation, the microemulsion of cinnamon essential oil was prepared using Tween 80 and anhydrous ethanol as surfactant and cosurfactant, respectively. The effects of the surfactant type, Km value, preparation temperature and aqueous pH on the quality of the microemulsion were studied via a pseudo‐ternary phase diagram. The slow‐release performance of cinnamon essential oil microemulsion and the control performance of the insect repellent package on the rice weevil were characterized.

RESULTS

The results showed that, when Tween 80 was used as a surfactant and anhydrous ethanol was used as a cosurfactant, the Km value was 3:1, preparation temperature was 40 °C, aqueous pH was 5 and prepared cinnamon essential oil microemulsion was of the O/W type. The microemulsion had strong stability and a 81.5‐nm concentrated particle size distribution, and possessed excellent embedding and sustained‐release effects. The prepared insect repellent active package prolongs the use time and the effect of cinnamon essential oil. The repellent rate of the rice weevil was as high as 100% after 48 h, and the contact mortality and fumigation mortality rates of the rice weevil also reached 96.67% and 86.67%, respectively, after 96 h.

CONCLUSION

The prepared cinnamon essential oil microemulsion and active packaging had a good sustained‐release effect. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry.
Acetal‐Based Functional Epoxide Monomers: Polymerizations and Applications
Authors: Baek Jinsu , Kim Minseong , Park Youngsin , Kim Byeong‐Su
Published: August 2021

Protecting group chemistry is essential for various organic transformation and polymerization processes. In particular, conventional anionic ring‐opening polymerization (AROP) often requires proper protecting group chemistry because it is typically incompatible with most functional groups due to the highly basic and nucleophilic conditions. In this context, many functional epoxide monomers with proper protecting groups are developed, including the acetal group as a representative example. Since the early introduction of ethoxyethyl glycidyl ether, there is significant development of acetal‐based monomers in the polyethers. These monomers are now utilized not only as protecting groups for hydroxyl groups under AROP conditions but also as pH‐responsive moieties for biomedical applications, further expanding their utility in the use of functionalized polyethers. Recent progress in this field is outlined from their synthesis, polymerization, and biomedical applications.
Synthesis and Self‐Assembly of Stimuli‐Responsive Amphiphilic Dendrimers
Authors: Myung Sayun , Kim Gwang Mo , Noh Hyeongju , Kim Ho‐Joong , Yang Si Kyung
Published: August 2021

The synthesis of stimuli‐responsive amphiphilic dendrimers consisting of two or three hydrophobic octadecyl groups linked to either a second or third generation hydrophilic polylysine dendron through disulfide linkage is reported. The polylysine dendrimers functionalized with four or eight tert‐butyloxycarbonyl (Boc)‐protected amino groups are characterized by 1H NMR spectroscopy and matrix‐assisted laser desorption ionization time‐of‐flight (MALDI‐TOF) mass spectrometry. With the positively charged versions generated by removing the Boc groups, their ability to form spherical micelles that can be readily disassembled in the presence of glutathione (GSH) is demonstrated. The self‐assembly behavior is monitored by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and dynamic light scattering (DLS). The amphiphilic dendritic systems containing cleavable disulfide linkage serve as key building blocks for generating stimuli‐responsive supramolecular architectures.
Excitability of anterior horn cells after periodic or discrete repetitive movements
Authors: Kurobe Masataka , Matsubara Hiroyuki , Suzuki Toshiaki
Published: August 2021

Introduction/Aims

It has been well established that spasticity interferes with smooth joint movements. Although the degree of spasticity is related to the excitability of anterior horn cells and is thought to improve after repetitive movements, the effect of the rhythm of repetitive movements on the excitability of anterior horn cells remains unknown. Therefore, we investigated the excitability of anterior horn cells after periodic and discrete repetitive movements using F waves.

Methods

Right‐handed, healthy subjects were recruited for this study. Subjects then performed periodic or discrete repetitive thumb abduction movements for 10 seconds, measuring the F waves before, immediately after, and then 2 and 4 minutes after performing these movements. Specifically, the F waves were recorded from the abductor pollicis brevis muscle, after median nerve stimulation at the wrist. Next, the F/M amplitude ratio, which was used to evaluate the excitability of anterior horn cells, was compared before, immediately after, and 2 and 4 minutes after each task.

Results

A total of 12 subjects participated in this study. In the periodic task, the F/M amplitude ratio was found to be significantly decreased immediately after the task compared with before the task, but there was no significant difference between the other trials. Conversely, in the discrete task, there was no significant difference in the F/M amplitude ratio between trials.

Discussion

Periodic repetitive movements were found to temporarily reduce the excitability of anterior horn cells.
Location of urban micro‐consolidation centers to reduce the social cost of last‐mile deliveries of cargo: A heuristic approach
Authors: Arrieta‐Prieto Mario , Ismael Abdelrahman , Rivera‐Gonzalez Carlos , Mitchell John E.
Published: August 2021

Urban deliveries of goods have become a rising challenge due to the increase of online shopping in addition to the traditional business‐to‐business (B2B) dynamics. To maintain a satisfactory level of service, carriers must conduct delivery operations under restrictive environments, creating undesirable externalities such as congestion and pollution. Urban micro‐consolidation centers (UMCs) are defined as on‐street or off‐street spaces where all the deliveries within a certain radius are dropped and reconsolidated to be delivered by more sustainable last‐leg modes. Their main purpose is to mitigate such negative externalities. This work formulates the last‐mile delivery problem assisted by UMCs as a mixed‐integer quadratically‐constrained program and develops a greedy heuristic solution, inspired by the decomposition algorithms for large‐scale optimization. The simulation results and a case study in Manhattan, New York show how the heuristic provides reasonable results with respect to the exact solution while also shedding light on how its solution can be utilized for freight‐efficient urban design and policy planning.
Five‐year follow‐up of a family‐based multidisciplinary program for children with obesity
Authors: Wild Cervantée E. K. , Wynter Lisa E. , Triggs Christopher M. , Derraik José G. B. , Hofman Paul L. , Anderson Yvonne C.
Published: August 2021

Objective

This study aimed to determine 5‐year outcomes from a 12‐month, family‐based, multidisciplinary lifestyle intervention program for children.

Methods

This study was the 5‐year follow‐up of a randomized clinical trial comparing a low‐intensity control group (home‐based assessments) with a high‐intensity intervention group (assessments plus weekly sessions) in New Zealand. Participants were aged 5 to 16 years with BMI ≥ 98th centile or > 91st centile with weight‐related comorbidities. The primary outcome was BMI standard deviation score (BMISDS). Secondary outcomes included various health markers.

Results

Of the 199 children included in the study at baseline (47% who identified as Māori, 53% who identified as female, 28% in the most deprived quintile, mean age = 10.7 years, mean BMISDS = 3.12), 86 completed a 5‐year assessment (43%). BMISDS reduction at 12 months was not retained (control = 0.00 [95% CI: −0.22 to 0.21] and intervention = 0.17 [95% CI: −0.01 to 0.34];p= 0.221) but was greater in participants aged <10 years versus >10 years at baseline (−0.15 [95% CI: −0.33 to 0.03] vs. 0.21 [95% CI: 0.03 to 0.40];p= 0.008). BMISDS trajectory favored participants with high attendance (p= 0.013). There were persistent improvements in water intake and health‐related quality of life in both groups as well as reduced sweet drink intake in the intervention group.

Conclusions

This intervention, with high engagement from those most affected by obesity, did not achieve long‐term efficacy of the primary outcome. Attendance and age remain important considerations for future interventions to achieve long‐term BMISDS reduction.
Assessing the binding properties of CASP14 targets and models
Authors: Egbert Megan , Ghani Usman , Ashizawa Ryota , Kotelnikov Sergei , Nguyen Thu , Desta Israel , Hashemi Nasser , Padhorny Dzmitry , Kozakov Dima , Vajda Sandor
Published: August 2021

An important question is how well the models submitted to CASP retain the properties of target structures. We investigate several properties related to binding. First we explore the binding of small molecules as probes, and count the number of interactions between each residue and such probes, resulting in a binding fingerprint. The similarity between two fingerprints, one for the X‐ray structure and the other for a model, is determined by calculating their correlation coefficient. The fingerprint similarity weakly correlates with global measures of accuracy, and GDT_TS higher than 80 is a necessary but not sufficient condition for the conservation of surface binding properties. The advantage of this approach is that it can be carried out without information on potential ligands and their binding sites. The latter information was available for a few targets, and we explored whether the CASP14 models can be used to predict binding sites and to dock small ligands. Finally, we tested the ability of models to reproduce protein–protein interactions by docking both the X‐ray structures and the models to their interaction partners in complexes. The analysis showed that in CASP14 the quality of individual domain models is approaching that offered by X‐ray crystallography, and hence such models can be successfully used for the identification of binding and regulatory sites, as well as for assembling obligatory protein–protein complexes. Success of ligand docking, however, often depends on fine details of the binding interface, and thus may require accounting for conformational changes by simulation methods.
Incorporating covariates information in adaptive clinical trials for precision medicine
Authors: Zhao Wanying , Ma Wei , Wang Fan , Hu Feifang
Published: August 2021

Precision medicine is the systematic use of information that pertains to an individual patient to select or optimize that patient's preventative and therapeutic care. Recent studies have classified biomarkers into predictive and prognostic biomarkers based on their roles in clinical studies. To design a clinical trial for precision medicine, predictive biomarkers and prognostic biomarkers should both be included. In statistical analysis, biomarkers are mathematically treated as covariates. We first classify covariates into predictive and prognostic covariates according to their roles. We then provide a brief review of recent advances in adaptive designs that incorporate covariates. However, the literature includes no designs that incorporate both prognostic covariates and predictive covariates simultaneously. In this paper, we propose a new family of covariate‐adjusted response‐adaptive (CARA) designs that incorporate both prognostic and predictive covariates and the responses. It is important to note that the predictive biomarkers and prognostic biomarkers play different roles in the new designs. The advantages of the proposed methods are demonstrated via numerical studies, and some further statistical issues are also discussed.
On reactivity of superatom Be8C with nucleophiles to produce hydrogen
Authors: Li Cui‐Mei , Wu Di , Chen Wei , Liu Jia‐Yuan , Yu Dan , Li Ying
Published: August 2021

A new superatom, namely Be8C, has been characterized in terms of electronic structure, stability, and especially, chemical behavior. Intriguingly, both Be8C compounds and reactivity of Be8C with hydrochloric acid to release H2 are found to mimic zinc chemistry. On the other hand, the reaction of Be8C with water is also favorable both kinetically and thermodynamically, showing higher reactivity of Be8C compared with Zn. Both Langmuir‐Hinshelwood and Eley‐Rideal‐like mechanisms are possible for the studied reactions, and the latter mechanism is preferred over the former one as it involves one less reaction step and has a larger overall exothermcity and lower activation barrier for H2 formation. This comparative study unravels the similarities and differences between superatoms and atoms from a new perspective and suggests a promising research direction in superatom chemistry.
Robust estimation algorithm based on prior probability statistics
Authors: Wang Jing , Hao Gang
Published: August 2021

For the nonlinear systems with uncertain system parameters, based on the recursive linear minimum variance estimation framework, the effect of the system parameters on the mean squared error (MSE) is analyzed, that is, the greater the system parameters deviation (whether they are positive or negative deviation) is, the greater the MSE is. Based on the analysis results and prior probability statistics (probability distributions or sampling distributions), an innovative robust estimation algorithm is proposed for nonlinear systems with uncertain system parameters. Three examples verify the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm.
Survival trees based on heterogeneity in time‐to‐event and censoring distributions using parameter instability test
Authors: Kundu Madan Gopal , Ghosh Samiran
Published: August 2021

Survival analysis of right‐censored data often arises in many areas of research including medical research. The effect of covariates (and their interactions) on survival distribution can be studied through existing methods that require pre‐specifying the functional form of the covariates including their interactions. Survival trees offer a relatively flexible approach when the form of covariates' effects is unknown. We have proposed the SurvCART algorithm to construct a survival tree. There are two features that distinguish the SurvCART algorithm from the rest. First, most of the currently available survival tree construction techniques are not based on a formal test of significance and, hence, prone to spurious findings. The proposed SurvCART algorithm utilizes the “conditional inference” framework that selects splitting variable via parameter instability test and subsequently finds the optimal split based on some maximally chosen statistic. We used likelihood score‐based parameter instability tests that converge to distribution with known distribution function so that thep‐value can be obtained easily without any approximation. Second, the SurvCART algorithm has the flexibility to extend the concept of heterogeneity to the censoring time distribution as well, a feature that can be useful when censoring distribution is influenced by baseline covariates. We evaluated the operating characteristics of the parameter instability test and compared the performance of the SurvCART algorithm with other survival tree algorithms via simulation. Finally, the SurvCART algorithm was applied to a real data setting. The proposed method is implemented in R package LongCART available on CRAN.