bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Automatic Detection of Tomato Diseases Using Deep Transfer Learning
Authors: Khasawneh Natheer , Faouri Esraa , Fraiwan Mohammad
Published: August 2022

Global food production is being strained by extreme weather conditions, fluctuating temperatures, and geopolitics. Tomato is a staple agricultural product with tens of millions of tons produced every year worldwide. Thus, preserving the tomato plant from diseases will go a long way in reducing economical loss and boost output. Technological innovations have great potential in facilitating disease detection and control. More specifically, artificial intelligence algorithms in the form of deep learning methods have established themselves in many real-life applications in a wide range of disciplines (e.g., medicine, agriculture, or facial recognition, etc.). In this paper, we aim at applying deep transfer learning in the classification of nine tomato diseases (i.e., bacterial spot, early blight, late blight, leaf mold, mosaic virus, septoria leaf spot, spider mites, target spot, and yellow leaf curl virus) in addition to the healthy state. The approach in this work uses leaf images as input, which is fed to convolutional neural network models. No preprocessing, feature extraction, or image processing is required. Moreover, the models are based on transfer learning of well-established deep learning networks. The performance was extensively evaluated using multiple strategies for data split and a number of metrics. In addition, the experiments were repeated 10 times to account for randomness. The ten categories were classified with mean values of 99.3% precision, 99.2% F1 score, 99.1% recall, and 99.4% accuracy. Such results show that it is highly feasible to develop smartphone-based applications that can aid plant pathologists and farmers to quickly and accurately perform disease detection and subsequent control.
Minimum Sample Size Estimate for Classifying Invasive Lung Adenocarcinoma
Authors: Ma Chenchen , Yue Shihong
Published: August 2022

Statistical Learning Theory (SLT) plays an important role in prediction estimation and machine learning when only limited samples are available. At present, determining how many samples are necessary under given circumstances for prediction accuracy is still an unknown. In this paper, the medical diagnosis on lung cancer is taken as an example to solve the problem. Invasive adenocarcinoma (IA) is a main type of lung cancer, often presented as ground glass nodules (GGNs) in patient’s CT images. Accurately discriminating IA from non-IA based on GGNs has important implications for taking the right approach to treatment and cure. Support Vector Machine (SVM) is an SLT application and is used to classify GGNs, wherein the interrelation between the generalization and the lower bound of necessary sampling numbers can be effectively recovered. In this research, to validate the interrelation, 436 GGNs were collected and labeled using surgical pathology. Then, a feature vector was constructed for each GGN sample through the fully connected layer of AlexNet. A 10-dimensional feature subset was then selected with the p-value calculated using Analysis of Variance (ANOVA). Finally, four sets with different sample sizes were used to construct an SVM classifier. Experiments show that a theoretical estimate of minimum sample size is consistent with actual values, and the lower bound on sample size can be solved under various generalization requirements.
Effect of Water Content Variation on the Tensile Characteristic of Clayey Loess in Ili Valley, China
Authors: Zheng Penglin , Wang Jinge , Wu Zihao , Huang Wei , Li Changdong , Liu Qingbing
Published: August 2022

The mechanical behavior of loess is highly predicated on variation in its moisture content. While the impacts of the water content on the shearing behavior and collapsibility of loess have been extensively studied, its effect on tensile characteristics has received relatively little attention. In this study, a series of tensile tests were conducted on remolded specimens of a clayey loess that were collected from Ili Valley in China. Two sets of loess specimens with varying water contents were prepared separately using wetting and drying methods. The influence of the water content on the tensile stress–strain response, failure mode and tensile strength was investigated by combining the tensile test results and particle image velocimetry (PIV) analysis. On this basis, a nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) test and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) observations were implemented in order to assist with the interpretation of the underlying mechanism. The test results indicate that the tensile failure process and the variation of tensile strength with varying water contents differ for specimens that are prepared with wetting and drying methods; a finding which arises from the differences in the soil microstructure, clay–water interaction and the distribution of capillary and adsorbed water. This research has shown that the tensile strength of clayey loess is essentially dominated by the clay’s hydration/cementation and the development of capillary and adsorption suction as well as the microstructural evolution that occurs with the change in the water content. Based on the experimental observations, a conceptual model is proposed in order to interpret the effect of water content on loess’ tensile behavior.
Insight into Source and Evolution of Oxalic Acid: Characterization of Particulate Organic Diacids in a Mega-City, Shanghai from 2008 to 2020
Authors: Zhang Ning , Fan Fan , Feng Yi , Hu Ming , Fu Qingyan , Chen Jing , Wang Shunyao , Feng Jialiang
Published: August 2022

Organic acids are important aerosol compositions with significant implications on particle formation, growth, acidity, phase state, and environmental impacts. Oxalic acid was found to be the most abundant particulate organic diacid in Shanghai during the study period, accounting for ~58% of the total dicarboxylic acids (C2–C10). Biomass burning (BB) explained a small but non-negligible fraction (less than 10%) of oxalate. Significant correlations between oxalate and sulfate indicated a potentially synergistic formation mechanism of oxalate and sulfate. In addition, meteorological factors such as ambient temperature and relative humidity were found to influence the formation of oxalate. Higher oxalate relative to inorganic particulate content was found in summer. Potential source contribution function analysis suggested that most of the oxalate observed in Shanghai was produced locally. The formation of oxalate was largely impacted by atmospheric oxidation capacity as indicated by its significant correlations with both secondary organic carbon (SOC) and sulfur oxidation ratio (SOR). The evolution of oxalate, oxalate/sulfate, oxalate/organic carbon were consistent with the emission trend of volatile organic carbons (VOCs) in recent years, indicating that oxalate may be derived from secondary oxidation of VOCs, which is further confirmed by a positive relationship between Ox and oxalate/VOCs over the study period. With a detailed characterization of oxalate in Shanghai, our study highlights the importance of regulating primary emissions, such as VOCs, as well as mitigation of atmospheric oxidation capacity in controlling air pollution in a coastal megacity.
Application of Global Environmental Multiscale (GEM) Numerical Weather Prediction (NWP) Model for Hydrological Modeling in Mountainous Environment
Authors: Gilewski Paweł
Published: August 2022

As the world is changing, mainly due to climate change, extreme events such as floods and droughts are becoming more frequent and severe. Considering this, the predictive modeling of flow in small mountain catchments that are particularly vulnerable to flooding is critical. Rainfall data sources such as rain gauges, meteorological radars, and satellites provide data to the hydrological model with a lag. Only numerical weather predictions can achieve this in advance, but their estimates are often subject to considerable uncertainty. This article aims to verify whether Global Environmental Multiscale numerical precipitation prediction can be successfully applied for event-based rainfall–runoff hydrological modeling. These data were verified for use in two aspects: the flow modeling and determination of antecedent moisture conditions. The results indicate that GEM data can be satisfactorily used for hydrological modeling, and particularly good simulation results are obtained when significant rainfall occurs. In addition, these data can be used to correctly estimate the AMC groups for each sub-catchment in advance, which is one of the key elements flowing into the amount of projected outflow in the catchment. It is worth noting that, according to the literature review conducted by the article’s author, this is the first published attempt to use GEM data directly in applied hydrological applications.
Particulate Matter Accumulation and Leaf Traits of Ten Woody Species Growing with Different Air Pollution Conditions in Cheongju City, South Korea
Authors: Bui Huong-Thi , Odsuren Uuriintuya , Kim Sang-Yong , Park Bong-Ju
Published: August 2022

Particulate matter (PM) is the most dangerous form of air pollution and is known to cause severe health problems to humans. Plants as biological filters can reduce PM in urban areas by accumulating PM on the surface and epicuticular wax of leaves. The present study determined the amount of PM (large PM (10–100 µm) and coarse PM (2.5–10 µm)) collected on 10 plant species from two sites (urban forest and roadside) of Cheongju City, South Korea. Selected leaf traits (chlorophyll a (Chl a), chlorophyll b (Chl b), total chlorophyll (TChl), carotenoid, relative leaf water content (RWC), specific leaf area (SLA), and pH of these plant species at the two sites were concurrently determined to find about the correlation between the leaf straits and PM accumulation on leaf. Study results showed that the amount of accumulated large PM (10–100 µm) and coarse PM (2.5–10 µm) were different depending on the plant species and the collection site. Plants from the roadside tended to have higher amounts of PM accumulation as compared to the same plant species from the urban forest. In addition, the amount of PM accumulated on the leaf surface was higher than that of the epicuticular wax. PM accumulation on the leaf surface was positively correlated with the amount of PM accumulated on the epicuticular wax. Among the 10 plant species selected, P. strobus, P. densiflora, M. denudata, and S. vulgaris were the most effective plant for PM accumulation, while M. glyptostroboides was the least effective plant ones. Chl a, Chl b, TChl, and carotenoid contents were higher in plants collected along the roadside than in those collected from the urban forest, whereas RWC was higher in plants from the urban forest. No distinct tendency was noted regarding the pH. Coarse PM (2.5–10 µm) was negatively correlated with leaf traits of plants along the roadside. The tolerance of plants to pollution might be due to an increase in chlorophyll content. Features of the leaf were also essential in increasing PM accumulation on the leaf surface.
Constructions and Properties of Quasi Sigma-Algebra in Topological Measure Space
Authors: Bagchi Susmit
Published: August 2022

The topological views of a measure space provide deep insights. In this paper, the sigma-set algebraic structure is extended in a Hausdorff topological space based on the locally compactable neighborhood systems without considering strictly (metrized) Borel variety. The null extension gives rise to a quasi sigma-semiring based on sigma-neighborhoods, which are rectifiable in view of Dieudonné measure in n-space. The concepts of symmetric signed measure, uniformly pushforward measure, and its interval-valued Lebesgue variety within a topological measure space are introduced. The symmetric signed measure preserves the total ordering on the real line; however, the collapse of symmetry admits Dieudonné measure within the topological space. The locally constant measures in compact supports in sigma-neighborhood systems are invariant under topological deformation retraction in a simply connected space where the sequence of deformation retractions induces a strongly convergent sequence of measures. Moreover, the extended sigma-structures in an automorphic and isomorphic topological space preserve the properties of uniformly pushforward measure. The Haar-measurable group algebraic structures equivalent to additive integer groups arise under the locally constant and signed measures as long as the topological space is non-compact and the null-extended sigma-neighborhood system admits compact groups. The comparative analyses of the proposed concepts with respect to existing results are outlined.
Approximation for the Ratios of the Confluent Hypergeometric Function ΦD(N) by the Branched Continued Fractions
Authors: Antonova Tamara , Dmytryshyn Roman , Kurka Roman
Published: August 2022

The paper deals with the problem of expansion of the ratios of the confluent hypergeometric function of N variables ΦD(N)(a,b¯;c;z¯) into the branched continued fractions (BCF) of the general form with N branches of branching and investigates the convergence of these BCF. The algorithms of construction for BCF expansions of confluent hypergeometric function ΦD(N) ratios are based on some given recurrence relations for this function. The case of nonnegative parameters a,b1,…,bN−1 and positive c is considered. Some convergence criteria for obtained BCF with elements in RN and CN are established. It is proven that these BCF converge to the functions which are an analytic continuation of the above-mentioned ratios of function ΦD(N)(a,b¯;c;z¯) in some domain of CN.
Seasonal Change in Activity Rhythms and Time Budgets of Tibetan Macaques
Authors: Zhou Jie , Li Wen-Bo , Wang Xi , Li Jin-Hua
Published: August 2022

Activity rhythms and time budgets are important to understand behavioral variability and adaptation in primates because animals normally use a behavioral adjustment as a preferential choice in response to environmental changes. Therefore, we observed a group of un-provisioned Tibetan macaques (Macaca thibetana) in Tianhu Mountain County Nature Reserve, Mount Huangshan, Southern Anhui, China. We used the instantaneous scan sampling method to collect behavioral data on their activity rhythms and time budget. The results showed that Tibetan macaques have two foraging peaks (9:00–10:00 and 14:00–15:00) and a resting peak at 12:00–13:00. They spent 31.96% resting, 28.59% foraging, 26.96% moving, 6.90% grooming, and 5.59% other. The total time of foraging and moving per month significantly and positively correlated with fruits and buds and negatively correlated with leaves. Different sexes and age groups demonstrated different activity time budgets, with adult males, adult females, and young macaques spending most of their time resting, grooming, and playing, respectively. We elucidated the effects of different environmental conditions on Tibetan macaques and their behavioral adaptation strategies.
Renin-a in the Subfornical Organ Plays a Critical Role in the Maintenance of Salt-Sensitive Hypertension
Authors: Cooper Silvana G. , Souza Lucas A. C. , Worker Caleb J. , Gayban Ariana Julia B. , Buller Sophie , Satou Ryosuke , Feng Earley Yumei
Published: August 2022

The brain renin-angiotensin system plays important roles in blood pressure and cardiovascular regulation. There are two isoforms of prorenin in the brain: the classic secreted form (prorenin/sREN) encoded by renin-a, and an intracellular form (icREN) encoded by renin-b. Emerging evidence indicates the importance of renin-b in cardiovascular and metabolic regulation. However, the role of endogenous brain prorenin in the development of salt-sensitive hypertension remains undefined. In this study, we test the hypothesis that renin-a produced locally in the brain contributes to the pathogenesis of hypertension. Using RNAscope, we report for the first time that renin mRNA is expressed in several regions of the brain, including the subfornical organ (SFO), the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus (PVN), and the brainstem, where it is found in glutamatergic, GABAergic, cholinergic, and tyrosine hydroxylase-positive neurons. Notably, we found that renin mRNA was significantly elevated in the SFO and PVN in a mouse model of DOCA-salt–induced hypertension. To examine the functional importance of renin-a in the SFO, we selectively ablated renin-a in the SFO in renin-a–floxed mice using a Cre-lox strategy. Importantly, renin-a ablation in the SFO attenuated the maintenance of DOCA-salt–induced hypertension and improved autonomic function without affecting fluid or sodium intake. Molecularly, ablation of renin-a prevented the DOCA-salt–induced elevation in NADPH oxidase 2 (NOX2) in the SFO without affecting NOX4 or angiotensin II type 1 and 2 receptors. Collectively, our findings demonstrate that endogenous renin-a within the SFO is important for the pathogenesis of salt-sensitive hypertension.
Use of Bacterial Extracellular Vesicles for Gene Delivery to Host Cells
Authors: Kim Su-Im , Ha Jae Yeong , Choi Song-Yi , Hong Su-Hyung , Lee Heon-Jin
Published: August 2022

Extracellular vesicles (EVs), which are nanosized membranous particles secreted from both prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells, can deliver various biological molecules, such as nucleic acids, proteins, and lipids, into recipient cells. However, contrary to what is known about eukaryotic EVs, whether bacterial EVs (bEVs) can be used as transporters for bioactive molecules is becoming a hot area of research. In this study, we electroporated enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) genes and precursor microRNA of Cel-miR-39 (pre-Cel-miR-39) from isolated bEVs of Escherichia coli and Lactobacillus reuteri. The EGFP plasmid, synthetic EGFP RNA, and pre-Cel-miR-39 were successfully delivered into the murine microglial BV2 cells via bEVs. PCR and confocal microscopy analysis confirmed the transfer of the EGFP plasmid and RNA. The bEV-delivered exogenous pre-Cel-miR-39 was further processed into the mature form of Cel-miR-39; its incorporation into Ago2—a major component of the RNA-induced silencing complex—was assessed using RNA-immunoprecipitation–PCR. Taken together, bEVs can be used as vehicles to deliver genetic materials and for novel biotechnological applications, such as gene transfer and mRNA vaccines.
Elucidation of the Correlation between Heme Distortion and Tertiary Structure of the Heme-Binding Pocket Using a Convolutional Neural Network
Authors: Kondo Hiroko X. , Iizuka Hiroyuki , Masumoto Gen , Kabaya Yuichi , Kanematsu Yusuke , Takano Yu
Published: August 2022

Heme proteins serve diverse and pivotal biological functions. Therefore, clarifying the mechanisms of these diverse functions of heme is a crucial scientific topic. Distortion of heme porphyrin is one of the key factors regulating the chemical properties of heme. Here, we constructed convolutional neural network models for predicting heme distortion from the tertiary structure of the heme-binding pocket to examine their correlation. For saddling, ruffling, doming, and waving distortions, the experimental structure and predicted values were closely correlated. Furthermore, we assessed the correlation between the cavity shape and molecular structure of heme and demonstrated that hemes in protein pockets with similar structures exhibit near-identical structures, indicating the regulation of heme distortion through the protein environment. These findings indicate that the tertiary structure of the heme-binding pocket is one of the factors regulating the distortion of heme porphyrin, thereby controlling the chemical properties of heme relevant to the protein function; this implies a structure–function correlation in heme proteins.
Suppressing the PI3K/AKT Pathway by miR-30d-5p Mimic Sensitizes Ovarian Cancer Cells to Cell Death Induced by High-Dose Estrogen
Authors: Varga Alexandra , Márton Éva , Markovics Arnold , Penyige András , Balogh István , Nagy Bálint , Szilágyi Melinda
Published: August 2022

MicroRNAs are short non-coding RNA molecules that are involved in tumor development and are considered to be promising candidates in cancer therapy. Here, we studied the role of miR-30s in the pathophysiology of ovarian cancer. According to our results miR-30a-5p, miR-30d-5p, and miR-30e-5p were overexpressed in the estrogen receptor α (ERα)-expressing PEO1 cell line compared to A2780 that lacks this receptor. Furthermore, the expression of miR-30a-5p, miR-30d-5p, and miR-30e-5p were induced in response to high-dose estrogen treatment in PEO1 where intensive cell death was observed according to the induction of apoptosis and autophagy. Lacking or blocking ERα function reduced tolerance to high-dose estrogen that suggests the importance of ERα-mediated estrogen response in the maintenance of proliferation. MiR-30d-5p mimic reduced cell proliferation in both A2780 and PEO1. Furthermore, it decreased the tolerance of PEO1 cells to high-dose estrogen by blocking the ERα-mediated estrogen response. This was accompanied by decreased SOX4 expression that is thought to be involved in the regulation of the PI3K/AKT pathway. Blocking this pathway by AZD8835 led to the same results. MiR-30d-5p or AZD8835 sensitized PEO1 cells to tamoxifen. We suggest that miR-30d-5p might be a promising candidate in the therapy of ovarian cancer.
Clinical Impact of Monoclonal Antibodies in the Treatment of High-Risk Patients with SARS-CoV-2 Breakthrough Infections: The ORCHESTRA Prospective Cohort Study
Authors: Savoldi Alessia , Morra Matteo , Castelli Alessandro , Mirandola Massimo , Berkell Matilda , Smet Mathias , Konnova Angelina , Rossi Elisa , Cataudella Salvatore , De Nardo Pasquale , Gentilotti Elisa , Gupta Akshita , Fasan Daniele , Gibbin Enrico , Puviani Filippo Cioli , Hasenauer Jan , Gusinow Roy , Tami Adriana , Kumar-Singh Samir , Malhotra-Kumar Surbhi ,   mAb ORCHESTRA Working Group, Tacconelli Evelina
Published: August 2022

The clinical impact of anti-spike monoclonal antibodies (mAb) in Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) breakthrough infections is unclear. We present the results of an observational prospective cohort study assessing and comparing COVID-19 progression in high-risk outpatients receiving mAb according to primary or breakthrough infection. Clinical, serological and virological predictors associated with 28-day COVID-19-related hospitalization were identified using multivariate logistic regression and summarized with odds ratio (aOR) and 95% confidence interval (CI). A total of 847 COVID-19 outpatients were included: 414 with primary and 433 with breakthrough infection. Hospitalization was observed in 42/414 (10.1%) patients with primary and 8/433 (1.8%) patients with breakthrough infection (p < 0.001). aOR for hospitalization was significantly lower for breakthrough infection (aOR 0.12, 95%CI: 0.05–0.27, p < 0.001) and higher for immunocompromised status (aOR:2.35, 95%CI:1.08–5.08, p = 0.003), advanced age (aOR:1.06, 95%CI: 1.03–1.08, p < 0.001), and male gender (aOR:1.97, 95%CI: 1.04–3.73, p = 0.037). Among the breakthrough infection group, the median SARS-CoV-2 anti-spike IgGs was lower (p < 0.001) in immunocompromised and elderly patients >75 years compared with that in the immunocompetent patients. Our findings suggest that, among mAb patients, those with breakthrough infection have significantly lower hospitalization risk compared with patients with primary infection. Prognostic algorithms combining clinical and immune-virological characteristics are needed to ensure appropriate and up-to-date clinical protocols targeting high-risk categories.
Metabolic Profile Variations along the Differentiation of Human-Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells to Dopaminergic Neurons
Authors: Carsana Emma Veronica , Audano Matteo , Breviario Silvia , Pedretti Silvia , Aureli Massimo , Lunghi Giulia , Mitro Nico
Published: August 2022

In recent years, the availability of induced pluripotent stem cell-based neuronal models has opened new perspectives on the study and therapy of neurological diseases such as Parkinson’s disease. In particular, P. Zhang set up a protocol to efficiently generate dopaminergic neurons from induced pluripotent stem cells. Although the differentiation process of these cells has been widely investigated, there is scant information related to the variation in metabolic features during the differentiation process of pluripotent stem cells to mature dopaminergic neurons. For this reason, we analysed the metabolic profile of induced pluripotent stem cells, neuronal precursors and mature neurons by liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry. We found that induced pluripotent stem cells primarily rely on fatty acid beta-oxidation as a fuel source. Upon progression to neuronal progenitors, it was observed that cells began to shut down fatty acid β-oxidation and preferentially catabolised glucose, which is the principal source of energy in fully differentiated neurons. Interestingly, in neuronal precursors, we observed an increase in amino acids that are likely the result of increased uptake or synthesis, while in mature dopaminergic neurons, we also observed an augmented content of those amino acids needed for dopamine synthesis. In summary, our study highlights a metabolic rewiring occurring during the differentiation stages of dopaminergic neurons.
Peptide-Functionalized Nanoparticles for the Targeted Delivery of Cytotoxins to MMP-14-Expressing Cancer Cells
Authors: Cathcart Jillian , Suarato Giulia , Li Weiyi , Cao Jian , Meng Yizhi
Published: August 2022

As 90% of cancer-patient deaths are due to metastasis, novel therapeutics that selectively target and kill metastatic cells are desperately needed. Matrix metalloproteinase-14 (MMP-14), which plays a critical role in digesting the basement membrane and in inducing cancer cell migration, has been found to be expressed at the cell surface of circulating and metastasized tumor cells in various human cancers. We have recently shown that the IVS4 peptide, which mimics the minimal binding motif of the hemopexin-like (PEX) domain of MMP-14, interrupts MMP-14 dimerization and decreases MMP-14-mediated cell invasion. In this study, cancer-homing nanocarriers were assembled by linking IVS4 to polysaccharide-based nanoparticles (NPs), followed by the encapsulation of a pharmaceutical agent. IVS4-NPs efficiently prevented MMP-14-mediated cell migration and conferred an uptake advantage compared to the control peptide in an MMP-14-dependent manner. While the IVS4-NPs alone were not cytotoxic, drug-encapsulated NPs were shown to effectively target MMP-14-expressing cancer cells. This novel nanotherapeutic is capable of inhibiting MMP-14-mediated functions and efficiently killing MMP-14-expressing cancer cells, without affecting the viability of non-cancer cells.
Plasmonic Biosensing for Label-Free Detection of Two Hallmarks of Cancer Cells: Cell-Matrix Interaction and Cell Division
Authors: Carcelen Maria , Vidal Veronica , Franco Alfredo , Gomez Marcos , Moreno Fernando , Fernandez-Luna Jose L
Published: August 2022

Two key features of cancer cells are sustained proliferation and invasion, which is preceded by a modification of the adhesion properties to the extracellular matrix. Currently, fluorescence-based techniques are mainly used to detect these processes, including flow cytometry and fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) microscopy. We have previously described a simple, fast and label-free method based on a gold nanohole array biosensor to detect the spectral response of single cells, which is highly dependent on the actin cortex. Here we used this biosensor to study two cellular processes where configuration of the actin cortex plays an essential role: cell cycle and cell–matrix adhesion. Colorectal cancer cells were maintained in culture under different conditions to obtain cells stopped either in G0/G1 (resting cells/cells at the initial steps of cell growth) or G2 (cells undergoing division) phases of the cell cycle. Data from the nanohole array biosensor showed an ability to discriminate between both cell populations. Additionally, cancer cells were monitored with the biosensor during the first 60 min after cells were deposited onto a biosensor coated with fibronectin, an extracellular matrix protein. Spectral changes were detected in the first 20 min and increased over time as the cell–biosensor contact surface increased. Our data show that the nanohole array biosensor provides a label-free and real-time procedure to detect cells undergoing division or changes in cell–matrix interaction in both clinical and research settings.
Isothermal Amplification Technology for Disease Diagnosis
Authors: Boonbanjong Poramin , Treerattrakoon Kiatnida , Waiwinya Wassa , Pitikultham Piyawat , Japrung Deanpen
Published: August 2022

Isothermal amplification (IA) is a nucleic acid amplification technology (NAAT) that has contributed significantly to the healthcare system. The combination of NAAT with a suitable detection platform resulted in higher sensitivity, specificity, and rapid disease diagnosis. Traditional NAAT, such as polymerase chain reaction (PCR), is widely applied in the general healthcare system but is rarely accessed in resource-limited hospitals. Some IA methods provide a rapid, sensitive, specific, and simple method for disease diagnosis. However, not all IA techniques have been regularly used in clinical applications because different biomarkers and sample types affect either the enzyme in the IA system or sample preparation. This review focuses on the application of some IA techniques that have been applied in the medical field and have the potential for use at points of care.
Clinical Characterization and Prognostic Value of TPM4 and Its Correlation with Epithelial–Mesenchymal Transition in Glioma
Authors: Wang Jin , Yang Ying , Du Bo
Published: August 2022

Tropomyosin 4 (TPM4) has been reported as an oncogenic gene across different malignancies. However, the role of TPM4 in glioma remains unclear. This study aimed to determine the clinical characterization and prognostic value of TPM4 in gliomas. Transcriptome expression and clinical information were collected from the CGGA and TCGA datasets, which included 998 glioma patients. ScRNA-seq data were obtained from CGGA. R software was utilized for statistical analyses. There was a positive correlation between TPM4 and WHO grades. IDH-wildtype and mesenchymal subtype gliomas were accompanied by TPM4 upregulation. GO and GSEA analysis suggested that TPM4 was profoundly associated with epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Subsequent GSVA revealed a robust correlation between TPM4 and three signaling pathways of EMT (hypoxia, TGF-β, PI3K/AKT). Furthermore, TPM4 showed a synergistic effect with mesenchymal biomarkers, particularly with N-cadherin, Slug, Snail, TWIST1, and vimentin. ScRNA-seq analysis suggested that higher TPM4 was mainly attributed to tumor cells and macrophages and associated with tumor cell progression and macrophage polarization. Finally, high TPM4 was significantly associated with unfavorable outcomes. In conclusion, our findings indicate that TPM4 is significantly correlated with more malignant characteristics of gliomas, potentially through involvement in EMT. TPM4 could predict worse survival for patients with glioma.
Motion, Relation, and Passion in Brain Physiological and Cognitive Aging
Authors: Sigmundsson Hermundur , Dybendal Benjamin H. , Grassini Simone
Published: August 2022

The aim of the current paper was to present important factors for keeping the basic structures of a person’s brain function, i.e., the grey and white matter, intact. Several lines of evidence have shown that motion, relation, and passion are central factors for preserving the neural system in the grey and white matter during ageing. An active lifestyle has shown to contribute to the development of the central nervous system and to contrast brain ageing. Interpersonal relationships, and interactions, have shown to contribute to complex biological factors that benefit the cognitive resilience to decline. Furthermore, the current scientific literature suggests that passion, strong interest, could be the driving factor motivating individuals to learn new things, thus influencing the development and maintenance of the neural functional network over time. The present theoretical perspective paper aims to convey several key messages: (1) brain development is critically affected by lifestyle; (2) physical training allows one to develop and maintain brain structures during ageing, and may be one of the keys for good quality of life as an older person; (3) diverse stimuli are a key factor in maintaining brain structures; (4) motion, relation, and passion are key elements for contrasting the loss of the grey and white matter of the brain.
COVID-19 Infection among Family and Friends: The Psychological Impact on Non-Infected Persons
Authors: Khubchandani Jagdish , Sharma Sushil , Webb Fern J. , Wiblishauser Michael J. , Sharma Manoj
Published: August 2022

Little is known about the mental health impact of having a family member or friend infected with COVID-19. Thus, the purpose of this study was to conduct a comprehensive national assessment of the psychological impact of COVID-19 infection, hospitalization, or death among family members and friends. A multi-item valid and reliable questionnaire was deployed online to recruit adults in the U.S. A total of 2797 adult Americans without a history of COVID-19 infection participated in the study and reported that they had a family member or friend infected with (54%), hospitalized due to (48%), or die (36%) of COVID-19 infection. Symptoms of depression, anxiety, or both (i.e., psychological distress) were statistically significantly higher among those who had family members/friends infected, hospitalized, or die due to COVID-19. Also, this study found that the greater the number of family members/friends affected by COVID-19, or the more severe the COVID-19 infection outcome (i.e., hospitalization vs. death), the higher the odds of symptoms of depression, anxiety, or both. There is an urgent need to develop educational interventions and implement policy measures that address the growing mental health needs of this subgroup of the population that was not infected but indirectly affected by COVID-19 infections among social networks.
Anti-Neurofascin Antibodies Associated with White Matter Diseases of the Central Nervous System: A Red Flag or a Red Herring?
Authors: Gupta Navnika , Shirani Afsaneh , Arcot Jayagopal Lakshman , Piccione Ezequiel , Hartman Elizabeth , Zabad Rana Khalil
Published: August 2022

Autoantibodies against nodal and paranodal proteins, specifically anti-neurofascin antibodies (ANFAs), have been recently described in central and peripheral nervous system demyelinating disorders. We retrospectively reviewed the charts of six individuals evaluated at our Multiple Sclerosis Program who tested positive for serum ANFAs on Western blot. We describe these patients’ clinical and diagnostic findings and attempt to identify features that might guide clinicians in checking for ANFAs. In our series, the women-to-men ratio was 2:1. At presentation, the median age was 60 years (range 30–70). The clinical presentation was pleiotropic and included incomplete transverse myelitis (n = 3), progressive myelopathy (n = 1), recurrent symmetric polyneuropathy (n = 1), and nonspecific neurological symptoms (n = 1). Atypical features prompting further workup included coexisting upper and lower motor neuron features, older age at presentation with active disease, atypical spinal cord MRI features, and unusual cerebrospinal fluid findings. The serum ANFAs panel was positive for the NF-155 isoform in five patients (IgM n = 2; IgG n = 2; both n = 1) and the NF-140 isoform in two (IgG n = 2). Larger studies are needed to assess the relevance of ANFAs in demyelinating nervous system diseases, their impact on long-term clinical outcomes, and associated therapeutic implications.
Epidemiology of Progressive Supranuclear Palsy: Real World Data from the Second Largest Health Plan in Israel
Authors: Barer Yael , Chodick Gabriel , Cohen Raanan , Grabarnik-John Meital , Ye Xiaolan , Zamudio Jorge , Gurevich Tanya
Published: August 2022

Progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) is a rare and fatal neurodegenerative movement disorder and no disease modifying therapy (DMT) is currently available. This study aims to assess the epidemiology of PSP in Israel and to describe its clinical features. This retrospective analysis identified patients with PSP between 2000 and 2018 over the age of 40 years at first diagnosis (index date). We identified 209 patients with ≥1 diagnosis of PSP. Of those, 88 patients satisfied the inclusion criteria with a mean age at diagnosis of 72 years (SD = 8) and 53% were female. The 2018 prevalence and incidence rates were 5.3 and 1 per 100,000 persons, respectively. Median survival time was 4.9 years (95% CI 3.6–6.1) and median time from initial symptom to diagnosis was 4.2 years. The most common misdiagnoses were Parkinson’s disease, cognitive disorder and depression. The present study demonstrates that the clinic-epidemiological features of PSP in Israel are similar to PSP worldwide. In light of PSP’s rarity, investigation of PSP cohorts in different countries may create a proper platform for upcoming DMT trials.
Employees’ Perception of HRM Practices and Organizational Citizenship Behaviour: The Mediating Role of the Work–Family Interface
Authors: Giancaspro Maria Luisa , De Simone Silvia , Manuti Amelia
Published: August 2022

The aim of the study was to explore if and to what extent a positive perception of Human Resource Management Practices could be related to Organizational Citizenship Behaviors and if the Work–Family Interface could act as a mediator of such relationship. A group of 406 employees of an Italian sector of the Public Administration filled in a self-report questionnaire encompassing socio-professional information and the following psycho-social measures: Perception of Human Resource Management Scale, Work–Family Interface, and Organizational Citizenship Behaviors Scale. The results confirmed the importance of Human Resource Management Practices perceptions for positive Organizational Behaviors underlining the crucial role played by positive work-to-family and family-to-work spillover as mediators. The study reflected on the work–family relationships demonstrating the mediating role of positive work–family spillover in the relationships between perceived HR practices and organizational citizenship behaviors. The main limitations were related to the cross-sectional nature of the study and to the self-report measures used that raised concerns about possible common method bias. The findings showed implications for HR practices to plan actions and interventions aimed at supporting employees’ work–family balance and at encouraging organizational citizenship behaviors.
How Personal Values Count in Misleading News Sharing with Moral Content
Authors: D’Errico Francesca , Corbelli Giuseppe , Papapicco Concetta , Paciello Marinella
Published: August 2022

The present study investigates the personal factors underlying online sharing of moral misleading news by observing the interaction between personal values, communication bias, credibility evaluations, and moral emotions. Specifically, we hypothesized that self-transcendence and conservation values may differently influence the sharing of misleading news depending on which moral domain is activated and that these are more likely to be shared when moral emotions and perceived credibility increase. In a sample of 132 participants (65% female), we tested SEMs on misleading news regarding violations in five different moral domains. The results suggest that self-transcendence values hinder online sharing of misleading news, while conservation values promote it; moreover, news written with a less blatantly biased linguistic frame are consistently rated as more credible. Lastly, more credible and emotionally activating news is more likely to be shared online.
Effects of Artificial River Water on PEM Water Electrolysis Performance
Authors: Yoshimura Ryoya , Wai SoeHtet , Ota Yasuyuki , Nishioka Kensuke , Suzuki Yoshihiro
Published: August 2022

Hydrogen, a clean and renewable energy source, is a promising substitute for fossil fuels. Electricity-driven water electrolysis is an attractive pathway for clean hydrogen production. Accordingly, the development of electrolysis cells has drawn researchers’ attention to capital costs related to noble catalyst reduction and membrane degradation by the contaminations. In the literature, polymer electrolyte membranes (PEMs) have been studied on single cations contamination. In this study, we investigated the performance of a PEM on monovalent and divalent cation contamination by feed water. Artificial river water, called soft water, was used to analyze the effect of impurities on the PEM. The results demonstrated that the operating voltage drastically increased and induced cell failure with increasing Mg2+ and Ca2+ concentrations; however, it did not increase for Na+ and K+ after increase in voltage. Therefore, divalent cations have a stronger affinity than monovalent cations to degrade PEM and should be effectively excluded from the feed water.
High-Temperature Abatement of N2O over FeOx/CeO2-Al2O3 Catalysts: The Effects of Oxygen Mobility
Authors: Pinaeva Larisa , Prosvirin Igor , Chesalov Yuriy , Atuchin Victor
Published: August 2022

CeO2-Al2O3 oxides prepared by co-precipitation (Ce+Al) or CeOx precipitation onto Al2O3 (Ce/Al) to obtain dispersed CeO2 and samples with further supported FeOx (2.5–9.9 weight% in terms of Fe) were characterized by XRD, XPS, DDPA and Raman. Fe/Ce/Al samples with lower surface concentrations of Fe3+ were substantially more active in N2O decomposition at 700–900 °C. It was related to higher oxygen mobility, as estimated from 16O/18O exchange experiments and provided by preferential exposing of (Fe-)Ce oxides. Stabilization of some Ce as isolated Ce3+ in Fe-Ce-Al mixed oxides dominating in the bulk and surface layers of Fe/(Ce + Al) samples retards the steps responsible for fast additional oxygen transfer to the sites of O2 desorption.
Photocatalytic H2O2 Generation Using Au-Ag Bimetallic Alloy Nanoparticles loaded on ZnO
Authors: Pang Xinzhu , Skillen Nathan , Bahnemann Detlef W. , Rooney David W. , Robertson Peter K. J.
Published: August 2022

Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) is an important chemical as it is an environmentally friendly oxidant for organic synthesis and environmental remediation as well as a promising candidate for the liquid fuel. Photocatalytic generation of H2O2 is sustainable, and many efforts have been put into the development of new catalysts to gain high H2O2 yields. In this investigation, Au/ZnO, Ag/ZnO and Au-Ag/ZnO catalysts were prepared by the simultaneous impregnation of HAuCl4 and AgNO3 and they were used to generate H2O2 from a methanol/O2 system. It was demonstrated that Au/ZnO had the best performance at generating H2O2. The presence of Au on ZnO accelerated the generation of H2O2 on ZnO and facilitated H2O2 adsorption onto the catalyst surface, which resulted in the reaction kinetics changing from zero-order to first-order. Ag atoms on Ag/ZnO were unstable and would strip from the surface of ZnO during irradiation, decreasing the yield of H2O2. The stabilization of Ag on Au-Ag/ZnO depended on the ratio of Au and Ag. Au0.1Ag0.2/ZnO was a stable catalyst and it showed that the presence of Ag promoted the formation and decomposition of peroxide, simultaneously.
Identifying Disease Signatures in the Spinocerebellar Ataxia Type 1 Mouse Cortex
Authors: Luttik Kimberly , Olmos Victor , Owens Ashley , Khan Aryaan , Yun Joy , Driessen Terri , Lim Janghoo
Published: August 2022

The neurodegenerative disease spinocerebellar ataxia type 1 (SCA1) is known to lead to the progressive degeneration of specific neuronal populations, including cerebellar Purkinje cells (PCs), brainstem cranial nerve nuclei and inferior olive nuclei, and spinocerebellar tracts. The disease-causing protein ataxin-1 is fairly ubiquitously expressed throughout the brain and spinal cord, but most studies have primarily focused on the role of ataxin-1 in the cerebellum and brainstem. Therefore, the functions of ataxin-1 and the effects of SCA1 mutations in other brain regions including the cortex are not well-known. Here, we characterized pathology in the motor cortex of a SCA1 mouse model and performed RNA sequencing in this brain region to investigate the impact of mutant ataxin-1 towards transcriptomic alterations. We identified progressive cortical pathology and significant transcriptomic changes in the motor cortex of a SCA1 mouse model. We also identified progressive, region-specific, colocalization of p62 protein with mutant ataxin-1 aggregates in broad brain regions, but not the cerebellum or brainstem. A cross-regional comparison of the SCA1 cortical and cerebellar transcriptomic changes identified both common and unique gene expression changes between the two regions, including shared synaptic dysfunction and region-specific kinase regulation. These findings suggest that the cortex is progressively impacted via both shared and region-specific mechanisms in SCA1.
Redistribution of the SWI/SNF Complex Dictates Coordinated Transcriptional Control over Epithelial–Mesenchymal Transition of Normal Breast Cells through TGF-β Signaling
Authors: Jdeed Sham , Lengyel Máté , Uray Iván P.
Published: August 2022

Therapeutic targets in cancer cells defective for the tumor suppressor ARID1A are fundamentals of synthetic lethal strategies. However, whether modulating ARID1A function in premalignant breast epithelial cells could be exploited to reduce carcinogenic potential remains to be elucidated. In search of chromatin-modulating mechanisms activated by anti-proliferative agents in normal breast epithelial (HME-hTert) cells, we identified a distinct pattern of genome-wide H3K27 histone acetylation marks characteristic for the combined treatment by the cancer preventive rexinoid bexarotene (Bex) and carvedilol (Carv). Among these marks, several enhancers functionally linked to TGF-β signaling were enriched for ARID1A and Brg1, subunits within the SWI/SNF chromatin-remodeling complex. The recruitment of ARID1A and Brg1 was associated with the suppression of TGFBR2, KLF4, and FoxQ1, and the induction of BMP6, while the inverse pattern ensued upon the knock-down of ARID1A. Bex+Carv treatment resulted in fewer cells expressing N-cadherin and dictated a more epithelial phenotype. However, the silencing of ARID1A expression reversed the ability of Bex and Carv to limit epithelial–mesenchymal transition. The nuclear levels of SMAD4, a canonical mediator of TGF-β action, were more effectively suppressed by the combination than by TGF-β. In contrast, TGF-β treatment exceeded the ability of Bex+Carv to lower nuclear FoxQ1 levels and induced markedly higher E-cadherin positivity, indicating a target-selective antagonism of Bex+Carv to TGF-β action. In summary, the chromatin-wide redistribution of ARID1A by Bex and Carv treatment is instrumental in the suppression of genes mediating TGF-β signaling, and, thus, the morphologic reprogramming of normal breast epithelial cells. The concerted engagement of functionally linked targets using low toxicity clinical agents represents an attractive new approach for cancer interception.