bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Longitudinal Tear Protein Changes Correlate with Ocular Chronic GVHD Development in Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant Patients
Authors: Ciavarella Carmen , Astolfi Gloria , Valsecchi Nicola , Barbato Francesco , Arpinati Mario , Bonifazi Francesca , Versura Piera
Published: September 2021

Ocular graft-versus-host disease (oGVHD) is a manifestation of chronic GVHD, frequently occurring in patients after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT). We analyzed tear protein changes before and after allogeneic HSCT, and correlated their levels with the oGVHD development. This retrospective study included 102 patients, and data were recorded before the conditioning treatment, and after 3 to 6 months postoperatively. Tear protein analysis was performed with the Agilent-2100 Bioanalyzer on individual tears sampled by aspiration. Total protein (TP), Lysozyme-C (LYS-C), Lactoferrin (LACTO), Lipocalin-1 (LIPOC-1), Transferrin (TRANSF), Albumin (ALB), and Zinc-alpha-2-glycoprotein (ZAG-2) levels were retrieved and statistically analyzed. Following HSCT forty-three patients developed oGVHD. TP, LACTO, LYS-C, and ZAG-2 levels significantly decreased post-HSCT as compared to pre HSCT levels. In univariate analysis, TP, LACTO, and ZAG-2 decrease was associated with an increased development of oGVHD (OR = 4.49; 95% CI, 1.9 to 10.5; p < 0.001; OR = 3.08; 95% CI 1.3 to 7.6; p = 0.01; OR = 11.1; 95% CI 2.7 to 46.6; p < 0.001, respectively). TRANSF post-HSCT levels significantly increased (OR 15.7; 95% CI, 4.1 to 52.2; p = 0.0001). No pre-post-HSCT changes were shown in ALB and LIPOC-1 levels. Data suggest that TP content, LACTO, TRANSF, and ZAG-2 pre-post changes might be significant predictors of oGVHD development.
Valorization of Insulation Cellulose Waste as Solid Biomass Fuel
Authors: Espuelas Sandra , Marcelino-Sádaba Sara , del Castillo Jesus Maria , Garcia Benat , Seco Andres
Published: September 2021

This paper investigates the ability of insulation cellulose fiber powder (CFP) to be pelletized for its valorization as biomass fuel. CFP is a waste originating from insulation cellulose manufacturing that lacks any method of valorization because of its boron salts content. A sugar byproduct and lignosulfonate (LS) were considered as binders for the pellet manufacturing process. Physical tests were carried out to characterize the pellets’ performance. Chemical and combustion tests were considered to state the pellets’ potential as a green energy source. Raw CFP showed good ability in its pelletization and durability in the range of 15–30% of moisture content. The pellet’s density decreased as water content increased. Binders increased the pellet’s length before and after the durability test. Binders also increased the CFP pellet’s water absorption, demonstrating a potential decrease in durability against environmental factors. Binders also decreased the lower heating value. Ultimate analysis showed a slight Nitrogen increase in both binder combinations that could potentially raise the pollutant NOx combustion emissions. All the combinations showed adequate combustion characteristics, but binders increased ash production. Additives decreased the CFP volatile matter content and increased the fixed carbon, which could facilitate a more stable combustion. DTA curves showed a mass loss rate decrease in the volatile stage for the binder combinations, which also could be considered as an indicator of a more stable combustion. The ashes’ chemical compositions when analyzed by XPS showed boron contents oscillating between 10.03% and 16.42%, demonstrating the possibility of recovering them from the combustion ashes.
Maximum Possible Cooling Rate in Ultrafast Chip Nanocalorimetry: Fundamental Limitations Due to Thermal Resistance at the Membrane/Gas Interface
Authors: Minakov Alexander A. , Schick Christoph
Published: September 2021

Ultrafast chip nanocalorimetry opens up remarkable possibilities in materials science by allowing samples to be cooled and heated at extremely high rates. Due to heat transfer limitations, controlled ultrafast cooling and heating can only be achieved for tiny samples in calorimeters with a micron-thick membrane. Even if ultrafast heating can be controlled under quasi-adiabatic conditions, ultrafast controlled cooling can be performed if the calorimetric cell is located in a heat-conducting gas. It was found that the maximum possible cooling rate increases as 1/r0 with decreasing radius r0 of the hot zone of the membrane. The possibility of increasing the maximum cooling rate with decreasing r0 was successfully implemented in many experiments. In this regard, it is interesting to answer the question: what is the maximum possible cooling rate in such experiments if r0 tends to zero? Indeed, on submicron scales, the mean free path of gas molecules lmfp becomes comparable to r0, and the temperature jump that exists at the membrane/gas interface becomes significant. Considering the limitation associated with thermal resistance at the membrane/gas interface and considering the transfer of heat through the membrane, we show that the controlled cooling rate can reach billions of K/s, up to 1010 K/s.
Investigating the Vacuum Extractors of Biomedical Devices of Different Materials and Pressures on the Fetal Head during Delivery
Authors: Chen Yu-Hsuan , Su Kuo-Min , Tsai Ming-Tzu , Lin Chi-Kang , Chang Cheng-Chang , Su Kuo-Chih
Published: September 2021

Operative delivery requires the use of a vacuum extractor; obstetricians can choose the appropriate vacuum extractor to make the delivery process smoother and safer. However, there is no biomechanical literature focused on the imposed effects of a vacuum extractor prepared with different materials and vacuum pressure on the fetal head during the process of delivery. Therefore, we first established and performed the finite element analytical model to explore the influences of vacuum extractors manufactured from different materials on the fetal head under various extractive pressures. The model of the vacuum extractor was designed as a hemispherical shape, and the material of the vacuum extractor was composed of silicone rubber and stainless steel for comparison. Four different vacuum pressures (500 cm H2O, 600 cm H2O, 700 cm H2O, and 800 cm H2O) were applied as the factors for investigation. The reaction force on the fetal head, von Mises stress of vacuum extractor, and von Mises stress on the skull of fetal head were measured and analyzed to evaluate the effects. The results revealed that subtle divergent influences of different vacuum pressures were observed, and the stainless-steel vacuum extractor induced a larger reaction force (358.04–361.37 N), accompanied with stress (13.547–13.675 MPa), on the fetal head than non-metallic or relatively softer materials. The results provide a reliable basis for selecting proper vacuum extractor during operative delivery to avoid obstetrical complications, such as scalp scratch, cephalohematoma and even intracerebral hemorrhage.
Application of Emerging Cell Disintegration Techniques for the Accelerated Recovery of Curcuminoids from Curcuma longa
Authors: Le-Tan Hoang , Fauster Thomas , Vladic Jelena , Gerhardt Tina , Haas Klara , Jaeger Henry
Published: September 2021

Curcuminoids, the bioactive compounds with many beneficial effects on human health, exist in Curcuma longa (turmeric). In the present study, the impact of different cell disintegration techniques to enhance total curcuminoid recovery (TC) from fresh and dried turmeric was investigated. The impact of thermal pretreatment (TP), ultrasound pretreatment (UP), enzyme pretreatment (EP), and pulsed electric field pretreatment (PEF) on the recovery of curcumin (CUR), demethoxycurcumin (DMC), and bis-demethoxycurcumin (BDMC) from fresh and dried turmeric were studied. The cell disintegration index (Zp) and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis of curcuminoids were performed to evaluate the efficiency of the applied techniques. With fresh turmeric, the highest curcuminoid recovery was 83.6 mg/g dry basis with EP. The highest structural tissue damage was obtained with UP achieving a cell disintegration level of 92.5%. The technology with the highest time-saving and low specific energy input was PEF with a total curcuminoid recovery of 80.9 mg/g dry basis. Working with dried turmeric, the drying required high specific energy input for 72 h at 50 °C; however, the untreated dried sample reached 125.3 mg/g dry basis of TC without further pretreatment after drying.
Incorporating Concreteness in Multi-Modal Language Models with Curriculum Learning
Authors: Sezerer Erhan , Tekir Selma
Published: September 2021

Over the last few years, there has been an increase in the studies that consider experiential (visual) information by building multi-modal language models and representations. It is shown by several studies that language acquisition in humans starts with learning concrete concepts through images and then continues with learning abstract ideas through the text. In this work, the curriculum learning method is used to teach the model concrete/abstract concepts through images and their corresponding captions to accomplish multi-modal language modeling/representation. We use the BERT and Resnet-152 models on each modality and combine them using attentive pooling to perform pre-training on the newly constructed dataset, which is collected from the Wikimedia Commons based on concrete/abstract words. To show the performance of the proposed model, downstream tasks and ablation studies are performed. The contribution of this work is two-fold: A new dataset is constructed from Wikimedia Commons based on concrete/abstract words, and a new multi-modal pre-training approach based on curriculum learning is proposed. The results show that the proposed multi-modal pre-training approach contributes to the success of the model.
Ground-Penetrating Radar Imaging of Near-Surface Deformation along the Songino Active Fault in the Vicinity of Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
Authors: Bano Maksim , Tsend-Ayush Nyambayar , Schlupp Antoine , Munkhuu Ulziibat
Published: September 2021

The seismic activity observed in the vicinity of Ulaanbaatar (UB) capital city has been increased since 2005. Several active faults have been identified in the UB area. Most of the Mongolian population is concentrated around UB (1.5 million), which is the main political and economic center of the country. Hence, the study of seismic hazard is of first importance for the country. In this paper, we present the GPR results obtained on the Songino fault which is situated at 20 km west-southwest of UB at the northeast tip of Khustai fault. The combination of the morphotectonic, GPR and paleoseismological investigations brings essential information for seismic hazards assessments. The 2D GPR profiles are measured by using 250 and 500 MHz antennae and the topography using a differential GPS. An appropriate processing of the GPR data, including the topographic migration, allows us to bring out indirect characteristics of these faults. The objective is to identify near-surface geometry and coseismic deformation along the mapped fault. The 250 MHz GPR images of the Songino fault show the evolution of the sub-surface deformation mode induced by the arched geometry of the Songino fault. We observe a clear compressive structure at its NW section, strike slip at its central section and extensive structure in its SE part.
Minimally Invasive Lateral Approach through Circular Window with a Diameter of 5 to 6 mm for Maxillary Sinus Floor Elevation with Simultaneous Implant Placement: Retrospective Study
Authors: Lee Sang-Woon , Park Young-Wook
Published: September 2021

The aims of this study were to propose a minimally invasive lateral approach technique for maxillary sinus floor elevation (MSFE) with simultaneous implant placement and to evaluate the surgical outcome and complications of this technique. This study reviewed 49 surgeries of MSFE with simultaneous implant placement (n = 83) using a minimally invasive lateral approach. A circular shape window with a diameter of 5 to 6 mm and an area of 20–30 mm2 was made on the lateral wall of the maxillary sinus. After elevation of the Schneiderian membrane, the xenograft was used for bone grafting. The MSFE was possible with a minimum-sized window in 47 of 49 cases. For the remaining 2 cases, MSFE with a minimum-sized window was failed. In one case, it was expanded to be more than 30 mm2 to repair the membrane perforation. In another case, MSFE was performed by forming two minimum-sized windows. Post-operative bleeding after MSFE occurred in one anticoagulant-treated patient. There was no failed implant during the follow-up period (mean 22 months). A minimally invasive lateral approach through a small circular window with a diameter of 5 to 6 mm is a feasible and safe technique for MSFE with simultaneous implant placement.
Behavior of Generated Gas during Femtosecond Laser Lens Irradiation in Porcine Cadaver Eyes
Authors: Masuda Yoichiro , Oki Kotaro , Watanabe Akira , Ohkido Makiko , Iwaki Hisaharu , Shiba Takuya , Nakano Tadashi
Published: September 2021

(1) Background: We investigated the behavior of gas inside a lens and its influence on the lens capsule, which may cause complications by lens irradiation with a femtosecond laser cataract surgery device. (2) Methods: The crystalline lenses of 6-month-old porcine cadaver eyes were observed during laser irradiation. An intraocular endoscope in the vitreous cavity was used to measure the posterior capsule position. Optical coherence tomography measurements of the anterior chamber depth before and after the laser irradiation, as well as measurements of the equatorial perimeter of the extracted lens, were compared with those of the controls. (3) Results: Femtosecond laser-generated gas in the porcine lens was dependent on laser irradiation energy. Increases in the amount of laser irradiation energy caused the generated gas to coalesce, move backwards beyond the laser irradiation site, and expand the lens capsule and posterior capsule. (4) Conclusions: The present results suggest that laser irradiation-induced gas moves in the direction of the posterior capsule beyond the lens irradiation site and expands the lens capsule, which may be involved in the development of capsular block syndrome.
A Study of the Behavior and Responsibility of Slovak Drivers, Especially in Case of Fatigue
Authors: Hajducik Adrian , Medvecky Stefan , Hrcek Slavomir , Klarak Jaromir
Published: September 2021

Driver fatigue can be manifested by various highly dangerous direct and indirect symptoms, for example, inattention or lack of concentration. The aim of the study was to compare the behavior of young drivers, older drivers and professional drivers, particularly in situations where they feel fatigued. In the online questionnaire, drivers answered various questions which analysed their responsibility of driving a car during fatigue, the optimum temperature in the car, or experience with microsleep. The sample of drivers consisted of 507 women and 951 men in Slovakia. Young drivers are more responsible when driving during fatigue, while professional drivers take risks, break the law, and drive tired more often. A total of 25% of all drivers experience fatigue more than once a week. Adverse results were found in connection with driving and fatigue, where more than 42% of respondents stated that their duties require them to drive even when they are tired. A total of 27% of drivers have had microsleep while driving. The survey showed that drivers are aware that thermoneutral temperature in a car interior can improve driving performance and a lower temperature can positively affect a person’s attention. The regulation of the temperature in the car was helpful for 75% of all drivers when they felt tired, and more than 97% of the drivers lowered the temperature in the interior of the vehicle in order to achieve a better concentration. In addition to standard statistical methods, a neural network was used for the evaluation of the questionnaire, which sought for individual connections and subsequent explanations for the hypotheses. The applied neural network was able to determine parameters such as the age of the driver and the annual raid as the riskiest and closely associated with the occurrence of microsleep between drivers.
Using Statistical Modeling for Assessing Lettuce Crops Contaminated with Zn, Correlating Plants Growth Characteristics with the Soil Contamination Levels
Authors: Cardei Petru , Nenciu Florin , Ungureanu Nicoleta , Pruteanu Mirabela Augustina , Vlăduț Valentin , Cujbescu Dan , Găgeanu Iuliana , Cristea Oana Diana
Published: September 2021

The aim of the study was to identify new mathematical models and strategies that can characterize the behavior of pollutants accumulating in the soil over time, considering the special characteristics of these chemicals that cannot be degraded or destroyed easily. The paper proposes a statistical model for assessing the accumulation of Zn in the lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.), based on three indicators that characterize the development of lettuce plants over time. The experimental data can be used to obtain interpolated variations of the mass increase functions and to determine several functions that express the time dependence of heavy metal accumulation in the plant. The resulting interpolation functions have multiple applications, being useful in generating predictions for plant growth parameters when they are grown in contaminated environments, determining whether pollutant concentrations may be hazardous for human health, and may be used to verify and validate dynamic mathematical contamination models.
Archaeological and Chemical Investigation on the High Imperial Mosaic Floor Mortars of the Domus Integrated in the Museum of Archaeology D. Diogo de Sousa, Braga, Portugal
Authors: Fragata Ana , Ribeiro Jorge , Candeias Carla , Velosa Ana , Rocha Fernando
Published: September 2021

This paper intends to characterize the floor mortar layers (nucleus, rudus and statumen) of the high imperial mosaics of the domus integrated in the Museum of Archeology D. Diogo de Sousa, the oldest roman housing testimonies known in Braga, Portugal. It offers an important archaeological and historical contextualization and first chemical characterization attempt on the mortars. The study of 13 mortar samples was carried out at a chemical level through X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (XRF). All samples presented low lime content when compared to similar studies. A high chemical similarity between nucleus mortars (opus signinum) and chemical composition differences between rudus and statumen mortars was determined, confirmed by statistical analyses. Their composition was distinctly related to the stratigraphic position of each floor mortar layer, following Vitruvius’ model, and to the external conditions and treatments (e.g., capillary rise with soluble salts and application of chemical treatments), to which they were submitted.
Techniques for Robust Imputation in Incomplete Two-Way Tables
Authors: Arciniegas-Alarcón Sergio , García-Peña Marisol , Rengifo Camilo , Krzanowski Wojtek
Published: September 2021

We describe imputation strategies resistant to outliers, through modifications of the simple imputation method proposed by Krzanowski and assess their performance. The strategies use a robust singular value decomposition, do not depend on distributional or structural assumptions and have no restrictions as to the pattern or missing data mechanisms. They are tested through the simulation of contamination and unbalance, both in artificially generated matrices and in a matrix of real data from an experiment with genotype-by-environment interaction. Their performance is assessed by means of prediction errors, the squared cosine between matrices, and a quality coefficient of fit between imputations and true values. For small matrices, the best results are obtained by applying robust decomposition directly, while for larger matrices the highest quality is obtained by eliminating the singular values of the imputation equation.
Combination of Using Pairwise Comparisons and Composite Reference Series: A New Approach in the Homogenization of Climatic Time Series with ACMANT
Authors: Domonkos Peter
Published: September 2021

The removal of non-climatic biases, so-called inhomogeneities, from long climatic records needs sophistically developed statistical methods. One principle is that the differences between a candidate series and its neighbor series are usually analyzed instead of the candidate series directly, in order to neutralize the possible impacts of regionally common natural climate variation on the detection of inhomogeneities. In most homogenization methods, two main kinds of time series comparisons are applied, i.e., composite reference series or pairwise comparisons. In composite reference series, the inhomogeneities of neighbor series are attenuated by averaging the individual series, and the accuracy of homogenization can be improved by the iterative improvement of composite reference series. By contrast, pairwise comparisons have the advantage that coincidental inhomogeneities affecting several station series in a similar way can be identified with higher certainty than with composite reference series. In addition, homogenization with pairwise comparisons tends to facilitate the most accurate regional trend estimations. A new time series comparison method is presented here, which combines the use of pairwise comparisons and composite reference series in a way that their advantages are unified. This time series comparison method is embedded into the Applied Caussinus-Mestre Algorithm for homogenizing Networks of climatic Time series (ACMANT) homogenization method, and tested in large, commonly available monthly temperature test datasets. Further favorable characteristics of ACMANT are also discussed.
Retrieval of Aerosol Optical Thickness with Custom Aerosol Model Using SKYNET Data over the Chiba Area
Authors: Xue Zixuan , Kuze Hiroaki , Irie Hitoshi
Published: September 2021

The retrieval of the aerosol optical thickness (AOT) from remotely-sensed data relies on the adopted aerosol model. However, the method of this technique has been rather limited because of the high variability of the surface albedo, in addition to the spatial variability in the aerosol properties over the land surfaces. To overcome unsolved problems, we proposed a method for the visibility-derived AOT estimation from SKYNET-based measurement and daytime satellite images with a custom aerosol model over the Chiba area (35.62° N, 140.10° E), which is located in the greater Tokyo metropolitan area in Japan. Different from conventionally-used aerosol models for the boundary layer, we created a custom aerosol model by using sky-radiometer observation data of aerosol volume size distribution and refractive indices, coupled with spectral response functions (SPFs) of satellite visible bands to alleviate the wide range of path-scattered radiance. We utilized the radiative transfer code 6S to implement the radiative transfer calculation based on the created custom aerosol model. The concurrent data from ground-based measurement are used in the radiative analysis, namely the temporal variation of AOT from SKYNET. The radiative estimation conducted under clear-sky conditions with minimum aerosol loading is used for the determination of the surface albedo, so that the 6S simulation yields a well-defined relation between total radiance and surface albedo. We made look-up tables (LUTs) pixel-by-pixel over the Chiba area for the custom aerosol model to retrieve the satellite AOT distribution based on the surface albedo. Therefore, such a reference of surface albedo generated from clear-sky conditions, in turn, can be employed to retrieve the spatial distribution of AOT on both clear and relatively turbid days. The value for the AOTs retrieved using the custom aerosol model is found to be stable than conventionally-used typical aerosol models, indicating that our method yields substantially better performance.
Tropical Cyclone Formation within Strong Northeasterly Environments in the South China Sea
Authors: Lin Yung-Lan , Teng Hsu-Feng , Hsieh Yi-Huan , Lee Cheng-Shang
Published: September 2021

In the South China Sea (SCS), 17% of tropical cyclones (TCs) formed in the late season (November−January) were associated with a strong northeasterly monsoon. This study explores the effects of northeasterly strength on TC formation over the SCS. The Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model is used to simulate the disturbances that develop into TCs (formation cases) and those that do not (non-formation cases). Two formation (29W on 18 November 2001 and Vamei on 26 December 2001) and two non-formation (30 December 2002 and 9 January 2003) cases are simulated. To address the importance of upstream low-level northeasterly strength to TC formation, two types of sensitivity experiments are performed: formation cases with increased northeasterly flow and non-formation cases with decreased northeasterly flow. If the strength of the northeasterly is increased for the formation case, the stronger cold advection reduces the convective instability around the disturbance center, leading to the weakening of the simulated disturbance. If the strength of the northeasterly is decreased for the non-formation case, the simulated disturbance can develop further into a TC. In summary, strength of the upstream low-level northeasterly flow does affect the environmental conditions around the disturbance center, resulting in the change of TC formation probability over the SCS in the late season.
Odour Impact Assessment in a Changing Climate
Authors: Piringer Martin , Knauder Werner , Baumann-Stanzer Kathrin , Anders Ivonne , Andre Konrad , Schauberger Günther
Published: September 2021

(1) Background: The impact of odour sources as stock farms on neighbouring residential areas might increase in the future because the relevant climatic parameters will be modified due to climate change. (2) Methodology: Separation distances are calculated for two Central European sites with considerable livestock activity influenced by different orographic and climatic conditions. Furthermore, two climate scenarios are considered, namely, the time period 1981–2010 (present climate) and the period 2036–2065 (future climate). Based on the provided climatic parameters, stability classes are derived as input for local-scale air pollution modelling. The separation distances are determined using the Lagrangian particle diffusion model LASAT. (3) Results: Main findings comprise the changes of stability classes between the present and the future climate and the resulting changes in the modelled odour impact. Model results based on different schemes for stability classification are compared. With respect to the selected climate scenarios and the variety of the stability schemes, a bandwidth of affected separation distances results. (4) Conclusions: The investigation reveals to what extent livestock husbandry will have to adapt to climate change, e.g., with impacts on today’s licensing processes.
Cross Sections and Rate Coefficients for Vibrational Excitation of H2O by Electron Impact
Authors: Ayouz Mehdi , Faure Alexandre , Tennyson Jonathan , Tudorovskaya Maria , Kokoouline Viatcheslav
Published: September 2021

Cross-sections and thermally averaged rate coefficients for vibration (de-)excitation of a water molecule by electron impact are computed; one and two quanta excitations are considered for all three normal modes. The calculations use a theoretical approach that combines the normal mode approximation for vibrational states of water, a vibrational frame transformation employed to evaluate the scattering matrix for vibrational transitions and the UK molecular R-matrix code. The interval of applicability of the rate coefficients is from 10 to 10,000 K. A comprehensive set of calculations is performed to assess uncertainty of the obtained data. The results should help in modelling non-LTE spectra of water in various astrophysical environments.
(ρ,η,μ)-Interpolative Kannan Contractions I
Authors: Gaba Yaé Ulrich , Aydi Hassen , Mlaiki Nabil
Published: September 2021

We point out a vital error in the paper of Gaba et al. (2019), showing that a (ρ,η,μ) interpolative Kannan contraction in a complete metric space need not have a fixed point. Then we give an appropriate restriction on a (ρ,η,μ)-interpolative Kannan contraction that guarantees the existence of a fixed point and provide an equivalent formulation. Moreover, we show that this formulation can be extended to the interpolative Reich-Rus-Ćirić type contraction.
Engineering Multigenerational Host-Modulated Microbiota against Soilborne Pathogens in Response to Global Climate Change
Authors: Durán Paola , Tortella Gonzalo , Sadowsky Michael J. , Viscardi Sharon , Barra Patricio Javier , Mora Maria de la Luz
Published: September 2021

Crop migration caused by climatic events has favored the emergence of new soilborne diseases, resulting in the colonization of new niches (emerging infectious diseases, EIDs). Soilborne pathogens are extremely persistent in the environment. This is in large part due to their ability to reside in the soil for a long time, even without a host plant, using survival several strategies. In this regard, disease-suppressive soils, characterized by a low disease incidence due to the presence of antagonist microorganisms, can be an excellent opportunity for the study mechanisms of soil-induced immunity, which can be applied in the development of a new generation of bioinoculants. Therefore, here we review the main effects of climate change on crops and pathogens, as well as the potential use of soil-suppressive microbiota as a natural source of biocontrol agents. Based on results of previous studies, we also propose a strategy for the optimization of microbiota assemblages, selected using a host-mediated approach. This process involves an increase in and prevalence of specific taxa during the transition from a conducive to a suppressive soil. This strategy could be used as a model to engineer microbiota assemblages for pathogen suppression, as well as for the reduction of abiotic stresses created due to global climate change.
Extracellular Vesicle Signatures and Post-Translational Protein Deimination in Purple Sea Urchin (Strongylocentrotus purpuratus) Coelomic Fluid—Novel Insights into Echinodermata Biology
Authors: D’Alessio Stefania , Buckley Katherine M. , Kraev Igor , Hayes Polly , Lange Sigrun
Published: September 2021

The purple sea urchin (Strongylocentrotus purpuratus) is a marine invertebrate of the class Echinoidea that serves as an important research model for developmental biology, cell biology, and immunology, as well as for understanding regenerative responses and ageing. Peptidylarginine deiminases (PADs) are calcium-dependent enzymes that mediate post-translational protein deimination/citrullination. These alterations affect protein function and may also play roles in protein moonlighting. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are membrane-bound vesicles that are released from cells as a means of cellular communication. Their cargo includes a range of protein and RNA molecules. EVs can be isolated from many body fluids and are therefore used as biomarkers in physiological and pathological responses. This study assessed EVs present in the coelomic fluid of the purple sea urchin (Strongylocentrotus purpuratus), and identified both total protein cargo as well as the deiminated protein cargo. Deiminated proteins in coelomic fluid EVs were compared with the total deiminated proteins identified in coelomic fluid to assess putative differences in deiminated protein targets. Functional protein network analysis for deiminated proteins revealed pathways for immune, metabolic, and gene regulatory functions within both total coelomic fluid and EVs. Key KEGG and GO pathways for total EV protein cargo furthermore showed some overlap with deimination-enriched pathways. The findings presented in this study add to current understanding of how post-translational deimination may shape immunity across the phylogeny tree, including possibly via PAD activity from microbiota symbionts. Furthermore, this study provides a platform for research on EVs as biomarkers in sea urchin models.
A Dendritic Cell-Activating Rv1876 Protein Elicits Mycobacterium Bovis BCG-Prime Effect via Th1-Immune Response
Authors: Choi Seunga , Choi Han-Gyu , Back Yong Woo , Park Hye-Soo , Lee Kang-In , Gurmessa Sintayehu Kebede , Pham Thuy An , Kim Hwa-Jung
Published: September 2021

The widely administered tuberculosis (TB) vaccine, Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG), is the only licensed vaccine, but has highly variable efficiency against childhood and pulmonary TB. Therefore, the BCG prime-boost strategy is a rational solution for the development of new TB vaccines. Studies have shown that Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) culture filtrates contain proteins that have promising vaccine potential. In this study, Rv1876 bacterioferritin was identified from the culture filtrate fraction with strong immunoreactivity. Its immunobiological potential has not been reported previously. We found that recombinant Rv1876 protein induced dendritic cells’ (DCs) maturation by MAPK and NF-κB signaling activation, induced a T helper type 1 cell-immune response, and expanded the population of the effector/memory T cell. Boosting BCG with Rv1876 protein enhanced the BCG-primed Th1 immune response and reduced the bacterial load in the lung compared to those of BCG alone. Thus, Rv1876 is a good target for the prime-boost strategy.
Insights into the Interaction of Lysosomal Amino Acid Transporters SLC38A9 and SLC36A1 Involved in mTORC1 Signaling in C2C12 Cells
Authors: Wang Dan , Wan Xuebin , Du Xiaoli , Zhong Zhuxia , Peng Jian , Xiong Qi , Chai Jin , Jiang Siwen
Published: September 2021

Amino acids are critical for mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) activation on the lysosomal surface. Amino acid transporters SLC38A9 and SLC36A1 are the members of the lysosomal amino acid sensing machinery that activates mTORC1. The current study aims to clarify the interaction of SLC38A9 and SLC36A1. Here, we discovered that leucine increased expressions of SLC38A9 and SLC36A1, leading to mTORC1 activation. SLC38A9 interacted with SLC36A1 and they enhanced each other’s expression levels and locations on the lysosomal surface. Additionally, the interacting proteins of SLC38A9 in C2C12 cells were identified to participate in amino acid sensing mechanism, mTORC1 signaling pathway, and protein synthesis, which provided a resource for future investigations of skeletal muscle mass.
Identifying GPSM Family Members as Potential Biomarkers in Breast Cancer: A Comprehensive Bioinformatics Analysis
Authors: Dang Huy-Hoang , Ta Hoang Dang Khoa , Nguyen Truc T. T. , Anuraga Gangga , Wang Chih-Yang , Lee Kuen-Haur , Le Nguyen Quoc Khanh
Published: September 2021

G-protein signaling modulators (GPSMs) are a class of proteins involved in the regulation of G protein-coupled receptors, the most abundant family of cell-surface receptors that are crucial in the development of various tumors, including breast cancer. This study aims to identify the potential therapeutic and prognostic roles of GPSMs in breast cancer. Oncomine and UALCAN databases were queried to determine GPSM expression levels in breast cancer tissues compared to normal samples. Survival analysis was conducted to reveal the prognostic significance of GPSMs in individuals with breast cancer. Functional enrichment analysis was performed using cBioPortal and MetaCore platforms. Finally, the association between GPSMs and immune infiltration cells in breast cancer was identified using the TIMER server. The experimental results then showed that all GPSM family members were significantly differentially expressed in breast cancer according to Oncomine and UALCAN data. Their expression levels were also associated with advanced tumor stages, and GPSM2 was found to be related to worse distant metastasis-free survival in patients with breast cancer. Functional enrichment analysis indicated that GPSMs were largely involved in cell division and cell cycle pathways. Finally, GPSM3 expression was correlated with the infiltration of several immune cells. Members of the GPSM class were differentially expressed in breast cancer. In conclusion, expression of GPSM2 was linked with worse distant metastasis-free outcomes, and hence could potentially serve as a prognostic biomarker. Furthermore, GPSM3 has potential to be a possible target for immunotherapy for breast cancer.
Effective Accentuation of Voltage-Gated Sodium Current Caused by Apocynin (4′-Hydroxy-3′-methoxyacetophenone), a Known NADPH-Oxidase Inhibitor
Authors: Chuang Tzu-Hsien , Cho Hsin-Yen , Wu Sheng-Nan
Published: September 2021

Apocynin (aPO, 4′-Hydroxy-3′-methoxyacetophenone) is a cell-permeable, anti-inflammatory phenolic compound that acts as an inhibitor of NADPH-dependent oxidase (NOX). However, the mechanisms through which aPO can interact directly with plasmalemmal ionic channels to perturb the amplitude or gating of ionic currents in excitable cells remain incompletely understood. Herein, we aimed to investigate any modifications of aPO on ionic currents in pituitary GH3 cells or murine HL-1 cardiomyocytes. In whole-cell current recordings, GH3-cell exposure to aPO effectively stimulated the peak and late components of voltage-gated Na+ current (INa) with different potencies. The EC50 value of aPO required for its differential increase in peak or late INa in GH3 cells was estimated to be 13.2 or 2.8 μM, respectively, whereas the KD value required for its retardation in the slow component of current inactivation was 3.4 μM. The current–voltage relation of INa was shifted slightly to more negative potential during cell exposure to aPO (10 μM); however, the steady-state inactivation curve of the current was shifted in a rightward direction in its presence. Recovery of peak INa inactivation was increased in the presence of 10 μM aPO. In continued presence of aPO, further application of rufinamide or ranolazine attenuated aPO-stimulated INa. In methylglyoxal- or superoxide dismutase-treated cells, the stimulatory effect of aPO on peak INa remained effective. By using upright isosceles-triangular ramp pulse of varying duration, the amplitude of persistent INa measured at low or high threshold was enhanced by the aPO presence, along with increased hysteretic strength appearing at low or high threshold. The addition of aPO (10 μM) mildly inhibited the amplitude of erg-mediated K+ current. Likewise, in HL-1 murine cardiomyocytes, the aPO presence increased the peak amplitude of INa as well as decreased the inactivation or deactivation rate of the current, and further addition of ranolazine or esaxerenone attenuated aPO-accentuated INa. Altogether, this study provides a distinctive yet unidentified finding that, despite its effectiveness in suppressing NOX activity, aPO may directly and concertedly perturb the amplitude, gating and voltage-dependent hysteresis of INa in electrically excitable cells. The interaction of aPO with ionic currents may, at least in part, contribute to the underlying mechanisms through which it affects neuroendocrine, endocrine or cardiac function.
High-Fat Diet Induces Pre-Diabetes and Distinct Sex-Specific Metabolic Alterations in Negr1-Deficient Mice
Authors: Kaare Maria , Mikheim Kaie , Lilleväli Kersti , Kilk Kalle , Jagomäe Toomas , Leidmaa Este , Piirsalu Maria , Porosk Rando , Singh Katyayani , Reimets Riin , Taalberg Egon , Schäfer Michael K. E. , Plaas Mario , Vasar Eero , Philips Mari-Anne
Published: September 2021

In the large GWAS studies, NEGR1 gene has been one of the most significant gene loci for body mass phenotype. The purpose of the current study was to clarify the role of NEGR1 in the maintenance of systemic metabolism, including glucose homeostasis, by using both male and female Negr1−/− mice receiving a standard or high fat diet (HFD). We found that 6 weeks of HFD leads to higher levels of blood glucose in Negr1−/− mice. In the glucose tolerance test, HFD induced phenotype difference only in male mice; Negr1−/− male mice displayed altered glucose tolerance, accompanied with upregulation of circulatory branched-chain amino acids (BCAA). The general metabolomic profile indicates that Negr1−/− mice are biased towards glyconeogenesis, fatty acid synthesis, and higher protein catabolism, all of which are amplified by HFD. Negr1 deficiency appears to induce alterations in the efficiency of energy storage; reduced food intake could be an attempt to compensate for the metabolic challenge present in the Negr1−/− males, particularly during the HFD exposure. Our results suggest that the presence of functional Negr1 allows male mice to consume more HFD and prevents the development of glucose intolerance, liver steatosis, and excessive weight gain.
High-Fat Diets Modify the Proteolytic Activities of Dipeptidyl-Peptidase IV and the Regulatory Enzymes of the Renin–Angiotensin System in Cardiovascular Tissues of Adult Wistar Rats
Authors: Domínguez-Vías Germán , Segarra Ana Belén , Ramírez-Sánchez Manuel , Prieto Isabel
Published: September 2021

(1) Background: The replacement of diets high in saturated fat (SAFA) with monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) is associated with better cardiovascular function and is related to the modulation of the activity of the local renin–angiotensin system (RAS) and the collagenase activity of dipeptidyl peptidase IV (DPP-IV). The objective of the work was to verify the capacity of different types of dietary fat on the regulatory activities of RAS and DPP-IV. (2) Methods: Male Wistar rats were fed for 24 weeks with three different diets: the standard diet (S), the standard diet supplemented with virgin olive oil (20%) (VOO), or with butter (20%) plus cholesterol (0.1%) (Bch). The proteolytic activities were determined by fluorometric methods in the soluble (sol) and membrane-bound (mb) fractions of the left ventricle and atrium, aorta, and plasma samples. (3) Results: With the VOO diet, angiotensinase values were significantly lower than with the Bch diet in the aorta (GluAP and ArgAP (mb)), ventricle (ArgAP (mb)) and atrium (CysAP (sol)). Significant decreases in DPP-IV (mb) activity occurred with the Bch diet in the atrium and aorta. The VOO diet significantly reduced the activity of the cardiac damage marker LeuAP (mb) in the ventricle and aorta, except for LeuAP (sol) in the ventricle, which was reduced with the Bch diet. (4) Conclusions: The introduction into the diet of a source rich in MUFA would have a beneficial cardiovascular effect on RAS homeostasis and cardiovascular functional stability.
Binge-like Alcohol Exposure in Adolescence: Behavioural, Neuroendocrine and Molecular Evidence of Abnormal Neuroplasticity… and Return
Authors: Brancato Anna , Castelli Valentina , Lavanco Gianluca , Tringali Giuseppe , Micale Vincenzo , Kuchar Martin , D’Amico Cesare , Pizzolanti Giuseppe , Feo Salvatore , Cannizzaro Carla
Published: September 2021

Binge alcohol consumption among adolescents affects the developing neural networks underpinning reward and stress processing in the nucleus accumbens (NAc). This study explores in rats the long-lasting effects of early intermittent exposure to intoxicating alcohol levels at adolescence, on: (1) the response to natural positive stimuli and inescapable stress; (2) stress-axis functionality; and (3) dopaminergic and glutamatergic neuroadaptation in the NAc. We also assess the potential effects of the non-intoxicating phytocannabinoid cannabidiol, to counteract (or reverse) the development of detrimental consequences of binge-like alcohol exposure. Our results show that adolescent binge-like alcohol exposure alters the sensitivity to positive stimuli, exerts social and novelty-triggered anxiety-like behaviour, and passive stress-coping during early and prolonged withdrawal. In addition, serum corticosterone and hypothalamic and NAc corticotropin-releasing hormone levels progressively increase during withdrawal. Besides, NAc tyrosine hydroxylase levels increase at late withdrawal, while the expression of dopamine transporter, D1 and D2 receptors is dynamically altered during binge and withdrawal. Furthermore, the expression of markers of excitatory postsynaptic signaling—PSD95; Homer-1 and -2 and the activity-regulated spine-morphing proteins Arc, LIM Kinase 1 and FOXP1—increase at late withdrawal. Notably, subchronic cannabidiol, during withdrawal, attenuates social- and novelty-induced aversion and passive stress-coping and rectifies the hyper-responsive stress axis and NAc dopamine and glutamate-related neuroplasticity. Overall, the exposure to binge-like alcohol levels in adolescent rats makes the NAc, during withdrawal, a locus minoris resistentiae as a result of perturbations in neuroplasticity and in stress-axis homeostasis. Cannabidiol holds a promising potential for increasing behavioural, neuroendocrine and molecular resilience against binge-like alcohol harmful effects.
Disposable Paper-Based Biosensors for the Point-of-Care Detection of Hazardous Contaminations—A Review
Authors: Bordbar Mohammad Mahdi , Sheini Azarmidokht , Hashemi Pegah , Hajian Ali , Bagheri Hasan
Published: September 2021

The fast detection of trace amounts of hazardous contaminations can prevent serious damage to the environment. Paper-based sensors offer a new perspective on the world of analytical methods, overcoming previous limitations by fabricating a simple device with valuable benefits such as flexibility, biocompatibility, disposability, biodegradability, easy operation, large surface-to-volume ratio, and cost-effectiveness. Depending on the performance type, the device can be used to analyze the analyte in the liquid or vapor phase. For liquid samples, various structures (including a dipstick, as well as microfluidic and lateral flow) have been constructed. Paper-based 3D sensors are prepared by gluing and folding different layers of a piece of paper, being more user-friendly, due to the combination of several preparation methods, the integration of different sensor elements, and the connection between two methods of detection in a small set. Paper sensors can be used in chromatographic, electrochemical, and colorimetric processes, depending on the type of transducer. Additionally, in recent years, the applicability of these sensors has been investigated in various applications, such as food and water quality, environmental monitoring, disease diagnosis, and medical sciences. Here, we review the development (from 2010 to 2021) of paper methods in the field of the detection and determination of toxic substances.
Child Sleep Linked to Child and Family Functioning in Children with Down Syndrome
Authors: Esbensen Anna J. , Schworer Emily K. , Hoffman Emily K. , Wiley Susan
Published: September 2021

Sleep problems have a bi-directional impact on the daytime performance of children, parental well-being, and overall family functioning in the general population. Children with Down syndrome (DS) are at a high risk of sleep problems, yet the relationship between sleep problems, adaptive functioning, and family stress in children with DS is not well documented. We examined the relationship between sleep (i.e., duration and quality) and child and parent/family functioning. Sixty-six children with DS wore an actigraph for a week to assess their sleep duration and sleep efficiency. Their parents completed ratings on child sleep duration and parasomnias, child adaptive functioning, parental depression and sleep, and family stress. The parents’ reports of their children’s sleep duration were associated with parental depressive symptoms. The parents’ reports of their children’s restless sleep behaviors were associated with poorer performances in child-compliant/calm behaviors, worse parental sleep, and negative parental feelings and sibling relationships. The findings from actigraph measures of the children’s sleep demonstrated that greater sleep efficiency was associated with greater child adaptive functioning and fewer parental depressive symptoms. The study findings provide preliminary evidence that sleep problems are related to child adaptive functioning, parental functioning, and family stress in children with DS.